No More Learning

Hanlon.
*7 There is a small building, at the S. E. corner, formed by the south wall projecting \<)% feet ; the breadth of this building, from E. to W. , is 24 feet. It is separated, from the main body of the church, by a pointed arch. The walls of this church,
which are parapeted, including the parapet,
"
County Limerick Letters, Ordnance bur-
Thus, Archdall's Monasticon Hiber- nicum," p. 424. Harris' Ware, vol.
" Limerick Letters of the Ordnance Survey Office," formerly in the Phoenix Park, vol.
are about 40 feet in height. See
County
i. , pp. 368, 369. Mr. O'Donovan's Letter,
dated August 12th, 1840. °^ "
March 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 957
andofabbot. But,thesewriterswouldappeartohavefallenintoanerror,in saying, that the old monastery of our saint had been converted into the Protestant church,^? or that it was even situated on its site. 3° It is possible, that as Kilmallock had become a more r—emarkable place than Cathuir-mac- —Conchaigh,orthechurchofKill-Odhrain wherelikewisehewasvenerated
the former town might have been a bishopric, or abbey, over which Mo- chellocpresided. 3' Kill-odhrainwasperhapsonlyanothernameforCathuir- mac-Conchaigh, and this the Calendar of Cashel indicates. —Having attained a very old age, our saint died, at a—place called Letha 32 thought to have beenFiodh-Lethan,33nearLismore onthe26thofMarch,thedayforhis festival, after a. d. 639, and before a. d. 656, during the joint reigns of Connall and Kellach. 34 Letha was a name, given by our historians to Latium, or Italy ; and, there are writers, according to Maguire, who say, that our saint died, in Rome. Others again tell us, that he departed at Killdachelloc, in Hy Cairpre, of Munster. 35 The festival of this holy man, with that of the two Sinchells, is found in the Festilogy of St. yEngus,36 at the 26th of March. The name Mochelloc, son of Tulodrain, of Calthir mic Conaich, is inserted, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,37 at the 26th of March. The Calendar of Cashel,32 Marianus 0'Gorman,39 and Cathal Maguire,4° mark his festival, at
"Antiquities of Ireland," chap, xxxviii. , p. 266, and the local historians, Fitzgerald and M'Gregor, who say: "An Abbey was founded in this town, by St. MochoUog, who died, between the years 639 and 656 ; this is now th—e parish church, and is kept in
" and good repair. " History, Topography,
Antiquities of the County and City of Lime- rick, vol. i. , p. 340.
of Limerick,"
3° This Mr. O'Donovan shows, in this
" The foundation of the old church, to which, according to tra- dition, the name Cill Mocheallog was origi- nally given still remains ; it is situated on the south side of a hill on rising ground, about a quarter of a mile N. W. of the town of Killmallock. There are only about two feet in height of the walls of this old church now remaining, and they are nearly covered with earth and grass. The length of St. Mocheallog's church is 22^ feet, its breadth 12 feet 3 inches, and the thickness of its walls 3 feet. The few stones of the founda- tion which can now be seen are large ; and no lime-mortar can be seen between them. There is a small graveyard attached to this
ruin, but it is scarcely ever used at present Veiy considerable remains of the town wall of Kilmallock are still visible. One of the gates with its tower is in good preservation ; and a square tower or castle stands in good
finds this saint honoured, with the title of
bishop, he suspects, it is only on weak
: authority ; and, he adds in a note ' ' Mo-
chelloc is not called bishop in any of the
Irish Calendars quoted by Colgan. " See, "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol.
sect, andn. iii. , chap, xvii. , vi. , p. 29, 77,
p. 30.
3^ According to St. ^Engus, the Culdee.
Festilogium" of Saint ^Enguss, Maguire states, that Letha was the name of a wood, in the Munster Decies, in which the ancient city of Cathair-mac-Conchaidh was formerly
situated.
3* These were sons to King Maelcob.
"
35 See Colgan's
nise," xxvi. Martii, nn. 10, 11, p. 749.
3* The following extract, and its transla- tion, have—been furnished, by Professor
="9 See Ferrar's "
33 In his comments on the "
History part iii. , chap, iii. , p. 187.
following statement
:
near the west end of the town. Many ancient houses are yet to be seen in this old town, of which the artists should
preservation,
38 There is read: "S. Mochellocus de make careful sketches, before th—e hand of Kill-Odhrain, de Cathuir mac Conchuid. "
improvement disfigures them all. " County Limerick Letters, Ordnance Survey Office," vol. i. , pp. 369, 370. Mr. O'Donovan's
Letter, dated August 12th, 1840.
3' Dr. Lanigan remarks, that although he
He says
*° His accQunt seems to be accompanied with doubts, regarding this saint's identity and place.
" 39 "
:
Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
O'Looney
A. 1111. kt. hillecliA 'Oo^oclnvACA^
tnochelboc tAchib lA^A
" In Letha — they perished
Mochelloc after many days, The feast of two ever-living Sin-
chells,
Of vast Cill Achad. "
37 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xix.
•oA
Ciile Ai'obl-e acVii'd.
•peiL
finchell fuchAin
S. Kellenus filius Tuladh- rani in regione," &c.
:
958 LIVES OP THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 26. this same date. "*^ In the O'CIery's Martyrology <' is found, at this —date, as
26th of March, in the anonymous list, published by O'SuUivan Beare/3 However, these names only characterize but one and the same person 3 the denomination being somewhat varied by different writers/* The Kalendar of Drummond, at the vii. of the April Kalends, or 26th of March, comme- morates : In Hibernia, the Holy Confessors, Mochelloc and Sinchele, who, on this day, went to Christ/s
Article II. —St. Sincheall, Abbot of Cill-achaidhdromfota, now KiLLEAGH, King's County. \_Ftfth and Sixth Centuries. ] It was thought, in the seventeenth century, that the Life of this saint existed, in Ireland ; and, from allusions made, it is even supposed, that the author of the Martyr-
ologium Salisburiense,^ and John of Kerkersteed,^ had perused it, as they state, that many of his miracles were on record. Colgan has drawn, from various sources, the Acts of a holy man,3 who is called Senchellus Senior,* by some writers, to distinguish him from a Senchellus Junior, a relative, who livedatthesameplace,asamonk,orabbot,orwhodiedthere. Theformer flourished, towards the close of the fifth century, in Lagenia. When referring to St. Sinchellus, Ab. de Kill-achadh, at this day, the Bollandists s desire to re- serve further notices, for the 25th of June. He was the son of Cennfhionnan, or Kennfinnan, and ninth in descent, from Cathaeir Mor, according to the accountsofsome. Welearn,thatKennfinnanwassontoImchad,sonof Cruac, son to Dulgeus, son of Imchad, son to Brelac, son of Lugad, son to Laurar, son of Corbmac, son to Cucorb, son of Mogcorb, &c. , according to the Genealogies of the Irish Saints. ^ This was a renowned Leinster family line. Now, Senchell Junior 7 had for his father, Corcran, son of Ere, son to the already-mentioned Cruac, as our Genealogists relate. ^ As we have seen, in the previous article, some authorities will have the festival of both holy men, at this date. Thus, the published Martyrology of Donegal 9 mentions
an entry, and within brackets
Aonghuis. ] The Carthusian Martyrology distinguislies a Mottelog, Abbot and Confessor, from this saint, who is named Mokellock, Bishop and Con- fessor. Thereishardlyadoubt,butthisistheMotalogus,mentionedatthe
on this and within brackets day, :
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
'° We are
*' See
niae," xxvi. Martii, nn. 10, 11, p. 749.
nain. See "Statistical
Colgan's
Survey ELing's County," Introduction, p. 13.
*' Edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 86, 87.
"
March. See Historiae Catholicse Ibernias
Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. ,
*3 In
on authority of the Carthusian Martyrology, St. Motalogus, Abbot, occurs at the 25th of
Henry
Fitzsimon's
Catalogue,
and
and
** See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niae," xxvi. Martii, p. 749, nn. lo, 11.
Chapter xx.
^ His feast is generally referred to the 2Sth
of June,
** See ibid.
' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
86, 87.
'° In note. Dr. Todd here says, "The
p. 50,
cap. xii. , p. 56.
« See Bishop Forbes' Scottish Saints," pp. 8. 9.
"Kalendars of
Article ii. —'
Published,
at
London,
clause within brackets is in the more recent hand. But the ' Dasincheall ' of the F. Aong. is evidently the same as the Sincheall above mentioned Da for Mo. Neverthe*
A. D. 1526.
" In a work, " De Sanctis Praesulibus
llibemiae. "
3 See, "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae,"
xxvi. Martii. De S. Senchello Abbate et Episc. de Kill-Achuidh, pp. 747, 748.
;
less, a gloss in the Brussels MS. of the F.
*
of Ulster, calls him St. Sincell Mac Gene-
Sir Charles Coote, quoting the Annals
:
[Mocheallog,
who died in Letavia. Felire
informed,"
of the
s See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Martii xxvi. Among the pretermitted
— that Witford saints, p. 607. They remark,
[Da-Sincheall. ]
calls him Finchellus
*
a
typographical
error.
Aong. says, 'Oa noerfi cognoniinef, 'two saints of the same name,' as if Dasincheall
'
meant
of 'old Sincheall,' in the text, seems to hint that there was another. "
two Sinchealls ;' and the mention
March 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 959
that at Cill-achaidh dromo-fota, in Ui Failghe, Sinchell Junior was a priest, and Sinchell Senior, a bishop. Again, we learn, that there were twelve
bishops, and twelve pilgrims, with many other companions, in Cill Achaidh Droma Fota, according to Duald Mac Firbis' account. " Several of these
holy persons are named, in an ancient Litany, attributed to St. ^Engus the
Culdee. '3 Now,thisplaceisidenticalwiththepresentKilleigh,'<avillage,
intheparishandbaronyofGeshill,intheKing'sCounty. ASt. Senell*sof
Kill da reis, a campanarius of St. Patrick, is supposed^^ to have been identical
with the St. Sinchell, venerated on the 26th of March. Perhaps, his cell was
"
Carcuir Sinell, or
conjectureofColgan. *^ BeforetheElderSinchellsettledatKilleigh,how- ever, as we are told, St. Ailbeus,'? an Abbot, had abandoned in his favour the church of Cluain-Damh,^° on the banks of the River Liffey, in the provinceofLagenia. Atthistime,oursaintwassearchingforaplace,in order to fix his habitation. We find him classed, among the disciples of St. Patrick. *^ How long he remained at Cluain-Damh, we have no means for ascertaining ; but, he is said, afterwards, to have opened a great rehgious establishment,andaschool,atKilleigh.
Onehundredandfiftyholymonks are stated to have been there, under the two Sinchells ; besides the twelve Bishops and Pilgrims or strangers, who were interred, in the ancient ceme- tery of the place. ^^ This was the emporium of piety and science, in the time of the Elder Sinchell, whose Rule of Life for his Religious, full of wisdom, andofgoodandasceticdecrees,wasextant,toColgan'sknowledge. Our forefathers in the Faith had an unbounded veneration for this holy man. ^3 According to Maguire's and Duald Mac Firbis' account, 330 years was his
age,andothershaveadoptedit, ashavingbeentheveryextraordinaryspan of his life. However, Colgan thinks this statement was owing to the wrong insertion of numerals, and that his age should be reduced to 130 years. St. Sincheall died a. d. 548, according to Duald Mac Firbis, the Annals of the
i. , pp. 92, 93.
'3 It states the names of the Bishops of
Cill Achidh, viz. : three Budocis, three Conocis, Morgini, six Vcdgonis, six Beua-
nis, six Bibis, nine Glonalis, nine Ercocinis, nine Grucimnis, twelve Uennocis, twelve Contumanis, twelve Onocis, Senchilli, Brita- nus, from Britain, Cerrui, from Armenia. See the "Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. iii. , May, 1867, pp. 392, 393. The names are given differently, by Colgan, in some cases.
' It is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the King's County," Sheet 25.
=^°
Colgan thus interprets it, Boum. "
"de Prato
"
'5 See "Trias Thaumaturga. " Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, iii. , cap. xcviii. , p. 167.
:
The men of heaven, the men of earth, A surrounding host,
Thought that the day of judgment Was the death of Sincheall,
There came not, there will not come from Adam,
One more austere, more strict in
piety ;
There came not, there will not come
all say it,
Another saint more welcome to the
men of heaven. "
" By Colgan.
'7 Now Lough Melvin, between the
counties of Leitrim and Fermanagh.
» See ibid. , n. 120, p. 188.
'9 He would seem to have been identical
with St. Ailbe, Bishop of Emly, venerated
the retreat of Sinell," in Lough Melge,'? according to the
Four Masters^* and of Ulster,=5 while the as the year of his death.
Chronicon Scotorum" has 551,
" By Duald Mac Firbis.
'' See " of the Proceedings
at the I2th of September, although in Col- gan's work an evident error, of December^ is introduced.
Irish Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part
"
On the 26th of March, we find set down in the
Royal
'''
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga.
Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap.
xxiii. , p. 269.
*-
Several interesting objects of antiquity "
are to be seen there. See
Parliamentary '^ Of him—, this character was given, after
Gazetteer of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 469.
his death
"
"
960 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 26
Festilogy of St. ^ngus, and in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^^^ the name of Sinchell, Abbot of Chilli Achaidh. Marianus O'Gorman^? and Maguire
hospitably numbers of people.
Article III. —St. Garbhan, of Dungarvan, County of Waterford, OR of Aghold, County of Wicklow. {Supposed to belong to the Sixth or Seventh Century^ The festival of this saint is celebrated, on the 26th of March, according to our Irish Martyrologies ; and, on this day, his Acts are given, by Father John Colgan. ^ The BoUandists observe, in their brief com- memoration, that Garbanus Abbas de Achadh-abhall is in the Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman, while Finianus de Achaidh-Garbhain, is in the Martyr- ology of Tallagh, while both seem to be regarded as identical, by Colgan. ' St. Garvan, or Garbban, was born in the sixth century, according to received accounts. These, however, are ver)' obscure ; for, the Garban of Achadh- abhall has been confounded, with the Finian of Achaidh-Garbhain. The present holy man is thought to have received his religious training, from St. Finbarr,3 in the monastery of Loch-Eire. This is the supposed site of the present Cork city, according to some writers ; while others state, it was iden- tical with Gougane Barra. Here, Garbhan is said to have become distinguished,
for piety and learning. About the beginning of the seventh century, when he had attained celebrity, St. Ga—rvan was placed over a church, then called
AchadhG—
of ^^ on this the Martyrology Donegal registers, day,
have like entries. The festivalofSincheall,Abbot,ofCill-Achaidh-dromfota. And,underthesame heading, Duald Mac Firbis enters the Elder Sinchell. On his feast day, the liberal Margaret Calwagh O'Connor Faly's wife, who died a. d. 145 i, was accustomed to give great largesses at Killaichyj'^a and to entertain most
arbhain. for the most as an Antiquaries part following Colgan
authority have conjectured, that it occupies the present site of Dungarvan,* a seaport town, in the county of Waterford. s He ruled over a monastery,
established at some place, similarly called ; for, the Martyrology of Donegal styles him. Abbot of Achadh Garbhain. Harris ^ and Archdall ^ follow the
foregoing conjecture,^ which they assume to be an absolute statement; whilethelatterwriterhasit, thatGarbhan,adiscipleofBarr,foundedan
** See Dr. O'Donovan's Edition, vol. of and the reader is re- i. , 25th September,
pp. 186,187,andnn. (w,x. ) Ibid.
''S See Sir Charles Coote's "Statistical
Survey of the King's County," Introduc- lion, pp. 13, 14.
'^
ferredtohisLife,writtenforthatday.
< It is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Water-
ford," Sheet 31.
^ <«
Dungarvan is a good fishing town, on a small harbour, and enjoys a considerable share of the coasting trade. It is supplied with fresh water from the River Phinix,\>y
—an acqueduct of about six miles in length. " *'
° See Harris' Ware, vol.
' See " Monasticon Hibemicum, p. 188. ^ On this Rev. Dr. re-
The Franciscan copy has Sinchelli Ab Cilli
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xix.
^chiT).
*' He states : "Senchillus senior, Abbas
de Kill-achadh. "
"' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
86, 87.
^9 A curious account of this celebration is
on record. See Dudley Mac Firbis' *' Annals of Ireland from a. d. 1443 to 1468. "
of the Irish
"Miscellany Archielogical
vol. — 228. Society," i. , pp. 227,
»
Article hi. See "Acta Sanctorum
Beaufort's Memoir of a Map of Ireland," p. 100.
Hibernise," xxvi. Martii. De S. Garvano, Abbate, pp. 750, 751, and n. (i. )
" See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Martii xxvi. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 606.
3 The feast of this saint is kept, on the
ii. ,
quities of Ireland," chap, xxxviii. , p. 266.
" topic.
Lanigan
The
cal History of Ireland," vol. ii,, chap, xiv. , sect, iv. , n. 69, pp. 318, 319.
marks :
Achadh and Dun have quite different meanings ; the one signifies a field and the other a fort ; and the town of Dungan-an, in all probability, owes its name not to a monk but to a chieftain. See "Ecclesiasti-
conjecture
itself is
very
weak.
" The Anti-
March 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 961
abbey at Dungarvan, although he could not discover any vestige of it.
The town 9 itself is situated on a point of land, formed by the estuaries of the rivers Brickey and Calligan. There are considerable ruins of the walls still remaining, as also of the principal castle, which is situated in the centre of the town. '° Our saint was a different person from St. Garbhan, son to Lugad, and a disciple of St. Kevin," who was venerated, on the 9th of July," near Dublin ; as likewise, from St. Garbhan, bishop and son to -^nguss, whose festival was celebrated, on the 21st of November. '3 Such conclusion is sufficiently established, because the father to St. Garbhan, of Dungarvan, was named Finnbarr. Some doubt has been entertained, that our saint
established a —house at that The 26th of March was
religious place. probably
thedayofhisdeath theyearisunknown. TheMartyrologyofTallagh'* simply records a different name, at the 26th of March, as Fintan,'5 Achaidh Garbhain. MarianusO'Gorman,^^andCathalMaguire,'? enterhisfestival, at this day. In the Martyrology of Donegal,'^ we find mentioned, on to-day, as having been venerated, Garbhan, Abbot of Achadh. This, add the O'Clerys, may be Garbhan, of Gill Garbhain, Abbot of Achadh-abhall,'9 and now known as Aghowle,^° or Aghold, in the county of Wicklow. If so, as they are pleased to state, his mother was Roighnach, sister of Finnian. There is a parish of Kilgarvan,^* in the county of Wexford. There, also, is to be found a St. Garvan's well, where a patron was formerly held ; but, the festival day is not now remembered. ^*
ArticleIV. —St. Gobban,Abbot,ofArd-Dairinnsi. Thenameof
this holy person is entered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 26th of March, as Abbot of Airdni Dairindsi. Some notices are to be found, in
Colgan's great work, at the same date f but, then, a great deal of uncertainty prevails, as to whether he was a Gobban, who is mentioned in the Life of St. Ailbe,3 as having been one of his disciples, and who is regarded as the patron of Kinsale, or a St. Gobban, mentioned, as Abbot of Leighlin, and who is noticed, in the Acts of St. Laserian. * Doubt, regarding the site of his religious house and place likewise exists. One of the Aran Islands is
5 It "was incorporated by au Act of Hennessy, I find "Leacan-Phupail (The Parliament A. D. 1463, and declared to be Pavilion flag) in Achadh-Abhla. See Book one of the ancientest Honours — to of b.
the Crown of England in Ireland. "
bell's " Political Survey of Great Britain,"
vol. i. , book i. , chap, vi. , p. 247, note (u. )
It is still occupied, as a military
post. " See "Annals of the Four Masters,"
" For a notice of this saint, see the Life of St. Kevin, at the 3rd of June, chap. vi.
'J The Genealogies of the Irish Saints, chapter iv. , Marianus, Maguire, and the Donegal Martyrology, are authorities.
"> Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xix. The vol. ii.
Franciscan copy has pnCAni ^vchit).
'5 This is probably a mistake for Garb-
han.
'*Hehas, "Garbanus de Achadh. "
•7 Wlio calls him Abbot of Achadh Garb*
'° "
vol. v. , n.