 Another popular belief among scholars is that Muirchú wrote the "Vita Patricii" to encourage conversion.O’Loughlin argues that it is clear that Muirchú was not only aware of what steps needed to be taken to convince people to convert, but had a deep theological understanding of it and the processes it would take.Hughes also mentions that Muirchú's writings clearly indicate that the Ui Néill, the dominant political power at that time, owed their conversion to Christianity to Patrick.