of the May Kalends, which corresponds with the i6th day of April, the Irish Calendar, now preserved in the Royal_ Irish Academy,'^ has a
peculiar
notice of his festival and period.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v4
, sect.
2, p.
27.
His Life occurs, at the 9th ofJune.
"
5 See
pendix ad Acta S. Columbie, cap. ii. , sect, v. , p. 502.
' See ibid. , Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse, cap. x. , num. 70, p. 490.
' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 102, 103.
eAtoAC tiiAC bAoic tJO ftiof t f. Scc the Common Place Book F. , p. 38, once be- longing to the Irish Ordnance Survey Office, Phoenix Park.
Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Ap-
Article v. — Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxi. The Franciscan copy has Oubcd.
102, 103. — Article vi.
'
Edited Rev. Dr. by
Kelly, p. xxi. The Franciscan copy enters Speltiii tn ac KocAiti.
April 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 173
Article VII. —Reputed Festival of St. Mund, or Mundus, of
Argyle, Scotland. \Prohably in the Sixth and Seventh Centuriesi\ The
great sanctity of Mundus, Abbot, in Scotland, has caused his name to be en- tered, in the various Scottish Kalendars of King, of Thomas Dempster,' and of David Camerarius,' at the 15th of April. However, his festival seems to be referred, either to the 21st of October, when St. Fintan Munnu is vene- rated, and the latter name, it is thought, has been confounded with Mundus,
or Mun. 3 Yet, there may be question regarding such identity. There may be some doubt, also, as to the identification of Mundus, who taught St. Fillan/ according to Colgan. s This latter writer ventures on a conjecture, that he might have been a St. Mundus, the son of Feredach,* and of the Dalfiatach, in Ultonia,' as the Mundus mentioned by Camerarius departed, in the year 962, while St. Fintan Mun died, a. d. 634' Notwithstanding the manifest error of chronology admitted, between the period when St. Fillan and his St. Mundus lived, with their assumed relationship of master and disciple ; Camerarius indicates, at the isth of April, that the present holy man was Abbot, in the region of Argathelia,' or Argyle, in Albania, where he erected manymonasteries. ThelikestatementoccursinDempster'swork. '" Weare told, moreover, that several churches bear the name of St. Munde, Abbot, in Argyleshire, where he was formerly honoured as the principal patron, and where, owing to the shining light of his example and to his zealous preaching, he left behind him many great models of Christian perfection. " Moreover, he left excellent maxims," which related to the most tender and universal charity, meekness, and love of retirement. He always contrived to keep himself in the Divine presence. '^ Camerarius relates, in his account of St. Fillan,"* that this disciple succeeded his master after the death of St. Mundus,
Article vii. — He thus writes
:
" In
us by Camerarius, and they were addressed to his disciples. First, he enjoined, that they
should always preserve a pure heart, burn- ing with a true love of God. Secondly, that
with extems, they should only speak about God, and about religious matters ; because seculars expected this solely from the monks, as those living in the world were oppressed
Orcadibus Mundi abbatis sanctitate mirabi-
lis. "—"Menologium Scotorum," in Bishop
Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,'" p- 196.
'
Thus we 6nd, in the Scottish Entries of
his Calendar: "15 Die. Sanctus Mundus
Abbas, sanctitate vitae ct miraculis Celebris
adhsec—nostratemporainprovinciaArga- withitsevils,andbecauseitwasowingto
tijelia. " /^i/. , p. 236.
the latter, on account of the religious insti- tute, as likewise, since from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, the monks ought in life and in discourse be what worldlings require of them. Thirdly, that as there is a time for speaking, and a time for silence, so private or public necessity and utility should regulate the opportunity and measure of speech. /(«<r//4/y, as God is the witness and judge of all things, and as he neither can deceive nor be deceived, nothing should be done, but what might appear to the sight of God and of all men. Fifthly, that it should be their constant and cordial purpose, to love one another with a true and not a feigned affection ; and, mindful of the
Divine " In this shall all know precept,
'
p- 4'6.
*
.
According to Bishop Forbes. See V)id~,
_
See his Life, at the 9th of January.
5 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae. "
Januarii ix. , cap. iii. , and n. 8, pp. 49, 50. ' He is thought, to have been father to those holy virgins, whose feast occurs, at the
33rd of March,
'According to the "Menology of the
Irish Saints,' chap. xix.
• See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 252, 253.
' This is the part of Scotland, lying nearest to Ireland, and stretching to Cantyre, which is the Gaelic for "head-land," towards its
north-east coast, in a
you are my disciples, if you love one another," that each must instantly repel from his mind, whatever should be calculated to rend mu-
long peninsula.
See Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Sco-
toram," vol. ii. , lib. xii. , num. 854.
" A French writer, Simon Martin, in an ascetic work, treating about the sacred tra- ditions of solitude, has mention of this holy
Abbot's manner of living, at p. 298.
'° "
"
These are contained in the account, left
Fathers, Martyrs, and otherprincipalSaints," vol. iv. , April xv.
tual and fraternal charity,
"' See Rev. Alban Butler's
"
Lives of the
174 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April i6.
and died himself, a. d. 649. However, as may be judged, from his own con- text, Camerarius was betrayed into a gross anachronism ;'' for, he states, in another place, that St. Mundus died, a. d. 962'* The Rev. Alban Butler also adopts this statement,"? for which he cites the authority of Hunter, the Dominican. '^ TheBoUandistshavesomeaccount,atthisdate,ofthevene- rable Abbot ;'9 but, it is chiefly drawn, from the statements of Camerarius, Dempster, and of the Aberdeen Breviary. ^" We are told, by a Scottish writer, that St. Mund was no other than the St. Fintan Munnu of the Irish Calen- dars, and that his crozier had its hereditary keepers' croft of land, at Kilmun, in Scotland. ^' However, Dempster seems to confound St. Mundus with St. Magnus," who was venerated, in the Orkney Islands, on the following day -p
and some writings are attributed to him, by the same author. ''* Nevertheless, this latter statement may well be questioned ; and, the learned BoUandist, Father Godefrid Henschenn declares, °5 that he no more believes such writings have any existence, than he does regarding many of the other books, which Dempster attributes to each of the saints of Scotland, as if all these were authors. He believes, moreover, that most of those attributed writings were never seen by any man, nor to be found in any place.
^I'rtwntJ) Baj) of aipnU
ARTICLE I. — ST. TETGAILL OR TETGHAL, SON OF COLBRAIN, BISHOP OF LYNALLY, KING'S COUNTY.
[SEVENTH AND EIGHTH CENTURIES. }
THE conception the saints form of God is, that he deserves homage and
love, never to be limited in degree. Health, strength, time, and substance, are to be spent in his service. More than any human attraction are the intensely strong affections, that draw their souls to the Creator. Of such a character was that service, rendered in the Irish Church, by many of
M See " De Statu Hominis Veteris simul ac Novae Ecclesios," &c. , lib. i. , cap. ii. , sect. 2, pp. 122, 181, 182.
'5 See ibid.
' John Lesley states, that King Kenneth, or Kenned, reigned from the year 978 to A. D. 1000, andsome Scottish authoritieshave this saint's death falling within that reign.
"' See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. iv. , April XV.
early Christian Times," First Series, Lec- ture v. , p. 226, note i.
'* In "De Viris Illustribus Scotiae. "
' See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Ap- rilis xv. De S. Mundo Abbate, sect. 3, p.
rilis XV. De S. Mundo Abbate, in Argathe-
lia Scotorum Provincia, p. 388.
°° " S. Mundi Abbatis et Confessoris in
Argathelia, sub Rege Kennedo secundo, anno DCCCCLXII. , xv. Aprilis. "
" See Joseph Anderson's " Scotland in
388. He concludes, with the very severe re- mark, that Dempster seemed quite as ambi- tious to procure for himself first place among the forgers of falsehood, as to obtain for
his country the credit of having so many writers.
"
In his Scottish Menology.
'' However he distinguishes both, in his " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xiii. , num. 854, 855.
"
'< He says:
Scripsisse putatur multa in his Fasciniet veneficiorumDisquisitionem, lib. i. Ilia optimum Principem Duffum Re- g—em violaverant mirifice et lectoaffixerant. "
Ibid.
'^ See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Ap-
:
.
her early prelates. We find, entered in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' the name of Tetgaill Mac Colbrain, at the i6th day of April. The patronymic, given with his own proper name, does not reveal more than the name of his father : of his family line, we are ignorant. Tedgalius is the Latinized form of this holy man's name. He was born, as we may suppose, in the seventh century ; but, where his education had been received does not appear. He was Abbot of Lann-Ela. This place is thought to have derived its origin from St. Colman Elo,' who died in 6io,3 and who first erected here his Lann
or Church. In pagan times, the locality was called Fiodh-Elo, or Elo-vvood, which is said to lie in Feara Ceall,* in the country of the southern Hy- Lynally. 5 It contains the ruins of a church ; but, decidedly, these are not old, yet that wall, which encloses the graveyard, appears to be very ancient. To the south of Lynally Church stands a moat, said to contain vaults built of lime and stone. ' Lann-Ela has been identified with the village of Lynnally, in the barony of Ballycowan, King's County. The Four Masters make St. Tethghal Bishop of this place. ' There can hardly remain a doubt, that the Tethgaill here noted should not be identified with that bishop of Lynally,* who is mentioned, in our Annals. He appears to have died, on the i6th of April, A. D. 709. ' The same date has been assigned for his death, by the local ecclesiastical historian. " The festival, in honour of Tetghal," was cele- brated, on this day, as we read in the Martyrology of Donegal. " At the xvi.
of the May Kalends, which corresponds with the i6th day of April, the Irish Calendar, now preserved in the Royal_ Irish Academy,'^ has a peculiar notice of his festival and period.
April i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 175
.
Article i. — Edited by Rev. Dr. Keliy,
p. xxi. The Franciscan copy writes Cec-
54I. I mAC CoLbi\aint).
King's County, collected during the Pro- gress of the Ordnance Survey in 1838," vol. i. , Mr. O'Donovan's Letter, dated Tullamore,
Article II. —St. Magnus, Earl of the Orkney Islands, and
Martyr, in Scotland. [Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries. ] It seems doubtful, whether the present holy Martyr had any further relations with Ire- land, than such as resulted from the circumstance, that Irish missionaries are credited, with having first introduced Christianity, among the pagans who
'
The feast of St. Colman Eala, Abbot January 2nd, 1838, pp. 93, 94.
of Lann Eala, occurs, at the 26th ber.
"
Septem-
' " of Lann-Ela Tethghal, Bishop
3 . See
(Ly- nally) died on the loth of April. "—Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 308, 309, 310, 311. See A. D.
Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire- land," vol. il. , p. 712.
* Now called Fircal, which was a paro-
chial union, or an ecclesiastical benefice, in
the baronies of Eglish, Ballyboy and Bally-
cowan, in the Kmg's County, and in the
709.
* See also Rev. A.
Diocese of Meath, Leinster. See Hid. ,
p.
Ixxiv. , pp. 617, 618.
' See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 308 to 311. '"See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. i. , chap.
i. ,p. 6.
" In a note, Dr. Todd " The more says,
rccenthand adds here, in Roman characters ;
'17 sancti apud Marianum, qui non haben- tur in Romano. '"
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
104. , 105.
' There we read, Cecjdt ©^^rP t-io—nn
624.
317.
5 The Parish of Lynally is found, on the
"Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
King's County," sheets 16, 17, 24, 25.
Glebe is shown, on sheet 16.
nally
Ly-
' One of them has been broken into, from
the top, and the masonry is exposed. This
i» one of those moats, which tradition states to have been places of retreat, in times of danger, and which, as being found in the
neighbourhood of English Castles, Dr.
O'Donovan considered it to be of Anglo- ©aUa
Norman erection. See " Letters containing Common Place Book P'. , which formerly be- InXormation relative to the Antiquities of the longed to the Ordnance Survey Office.
" Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. ii. , chap,
; n. 'Oomtidlt vn&c A. ox>. a. x>.
Cogan's
176 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April i6.
inhabited the Orkney Islands, and that he had landed here, probably, firing the predatory encroachments of the Norwegian King, Magnus, surnamed Barelegs, on our Irish shores. According to Dempster, Saints Brandan '
and Machutes, also called Maclovius,' were the first Apostles of the Orkney Islands. 3 Whatever may be thought of his descent, which does not appear to have been Irish ; it may be supposed, that the influences, which formed the education and manners of St. Magnus, had been largely, if not chiefly, derived from our Island, as the ecclesiastics of Orkney were recruited from such a source, and the monuments and records remaining afiirm such a con- clusion. Somemistakeshavetobecorrected,inreferencetothisholyperson. « TheBreviaryofAberdeen5 moststrangelycallsSt. Magnus"Apostleofthe Orkneys, and of the Hebrides," for which there is no warrant ; Camerarius has him as a Bishop ; Molanus makes him a Martyr, in Dacia; by Calesinius and Ferrarius, the latter topographical mistake is converted into Denmark, which is scarcely less absurd. The Magnus Helga Saga,* the substance of which is taken from a certain Rodbert,' who wrote in 1130,' was composed, in the fourteenth century,^ and it has a special account of this saint. The Orkneyinga Saga,"° written in the middle of the thirteenth century, condenses the foregoing account. The Heimskringla also corroborates the principal historic statements of those authorities. Hunter," Lesley," and King '3 have noticesofthisholyanddistinguishedman. TheBollandistshavepublished his Acts. '* The Life of St. Magnus, Earl of the Orkneys, has been issued, also, by Pinkerton. 's St. Munnus, as we find him called, or Magnus, Bishop and Martyr, is among the entries, in the Kalendar of David Camerarius,"' at the i6th of April. He was a Scot, by race, according to Thomas Dempster. ''
same date,
''See"ActaSanctorum,"tomusii. , Ap- rilis xvi. De Sancto Magno, Comite In- sularum Orcadum in Scotia. A commentary, in six sections, precedes the Kpitome Vitae ex Lectionibus Breviarii AberJoiiensis, in six chapters, pp. 438, 439. These are fol- lowed by Hymns and Prayers proper to his Feast, at pp. 440, 441.
'5 See "Vit:e Antiquae Sanctorum Sco-
tias," pp. 387 to 433.
"*Thus: "16 Die. Sanctus Man—nus sine
the Rev. Alban
have accounts of this Saint. The parents of St. Magnus were Erlind,"' Earl of
Bishop Challenor,'^
Butler,=9
Article ii. —' The Irish Saint, who is venerated on the i6th of May, is probably meant. Owing to his celebrated trans- Atlan- tic voyage, he is usually called St. Brendan the Navigator.
'
Probably meant for a bishop of that
name, venerated in France, at the 15th of
November.
3 See
"
Historia Ecclesiastica GentisSco-
torum," tomus ii. , lib. xii. , num. 855, p.
454.
5 Printed at Edinburgh, A. D. 1509. p. 236.
« As for instance, that of Rev. Alban
Butler, who considers him to have been a
bishop, whereas he was always a laic. Forbes'
'Published at Hafnia, A. D. 1 7S0.
' He seems to have been a monk.
' He quotes the narrative of a man, who
was present at the murder of St. Magnus, and who commuuicated particulars to the writer.
» It seems to exhibit the character of a
Panygeric, prepared for the day, when the Feast ofSt. Magnus was held.
"' Published at Hafnia, A. D. 1 780, in 4to. Ex
MSS. Legati Arna-Magna. 'ani cum versione Latina, varietate Lectionum et Indicibus,
'? See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xii. , num. 855,
Chronologico, Reali et Pliilologico, edidit Jonas Johnaeus Isl.
'» See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. iv. , April xvi.
=° See " Lives of the Saints," vol. iv. ,
April 16, pp. 211 to 217.
"' He was son to Thorfinn and Inge-
biorge ; the former being the son of Sigurd, whom King Olaus converted to Christianity, together with all his people, and the latter was daughter of Finn Arnac. A daughter of Thorfinn and of Ingebiorge married Pau- lus, the father of Haquin.
"' In " De Viris Illustribus Scotiae. " ""
In DescriptioScotiae. "
'3 In his Scottish Calendar, and at this
and Rev. S. "° Baring-Gould
Magnus Episcopus et Martyr. " Bishop
"
Kalendars of Scottish Saints,
p. 454.
'* "
See "Britannia Sancta, Part i. , April 16, p. 228.
April i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 177
Orkney, and his mother was named Thora. '' Three other children '3 were the result of this marriage. ^'* St. Magnus seems to have been of Norwegian extraction ;"5 and, his father Erlender had] a brother, named Paul, who was married to the daughter of Earl Hako and Ragnhilda, daughter to King MagnustheGood. '^ ThisPaulhadoneson,namedHaco,"7whoclaimeda supremacy in the Orkney Islands over his uncle, Erlender, and over his cousins,butwhichtheywereunwillingtoadmit. ^* Thisripenedintoafeud, which caused a division among the Orkney people. Some took part with Erlender and his sons, while others sided with Haco. His uncles were of opinion, that the best course to be adopted was to send Haco into Norway, where King Olaf the Quiet then reigned. '' However, Haco did not long remain with him, but the exile sought an asylum with Ingi Steinkielson, who was the ruling monarch of Sweden. 3° This latter potentate was a staunch Christian,3' who did his utmost to root out the followers of the old Thor and Odin worship from his dominions. Here, Haco had a field, for the gratifi- cation of his turbulent disposition. Soon, however, Magnus III. ,3' son of Olave, came to ascend^the Norwegian throne ;33 and, while the father and
" She was daughter to Sumarlid Ospak, whose mother was Thordisu, the daughter of Hallus Sidensis. Thorsdisu had a brother, called Egill, who was father of Thorgerda, the mother of St. Johannes, Episcopus Holensis.
»' These were named Erlind, Cecilia and Gunnhildis. ThelattermarriedKolus,and their son was known as Rognvaldus Ka- lius.
'* The reader will find an account of this family, under A. D. 1064, in the "Orkney- inga Saga sive Historia Orcadensium, a prima Orcadum per Norvegos occupatione ad exitum Seculi Duodecimi. Saga Hins Helga Magnusar Eyia Jarls sive Vita Sancti Magni Insulanun Comitis. " See pp. 90 to93-
"
"5 See Bishop Challenor's Britamjm
Sancta," Part i. , April i6, p. 228.
Nationis extitere, eorvmque memorabilibus
Bellis late varieque per Oibem gestis. Opera Olai Magni Gothi Fratris eiusdem autoris
ac eiiam Archiepiscopi Vpsalensis in lucem edita," lib. xviii. , cap. xiiii. , pp. 587 to 589.
His Life occurs, at the 9th ofJune.
"
5 See
pendix ad Acta S. Columbie, cap. ii. , sect, v. , p. 502.
' See ibid. , Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse, cap. x. , num. 70, p. 490.
' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 102, 103.
eAtoAC tiiAC bAoic tJO ftiof t f. Scc the Common Place Book F. , p. 38, once be- longing to the Irish Ordnance Survey Office, Phoenix Park.
Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Ap-
Article v. — Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxi. The Franciscan copy has Oubcd.
102, 103. — Article vi.
'
Edited Rev. Dr. by
Kelly, p. xxi. The Franciscan copy enters Speltiii tn ac KocAiti.
April 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 173
Article VII. —Reputed Festival of St. Mund, or Mundus, of
Argyle, Scotland. \Prohably in the Sixth and Seventh Centuriesi\ The
great sanctity of Mundus, Abbot, in Scotland, has caused his name to be en- tered, in the various Scottish Kalendars of King, of Thomas Dempster,' and of David Camerarius,' at the 15th of April. However, his festival seems to be referred, either to the 21st of October, when St. Fintan Munnu is vene- rated, and the latter name, it is thought, has been confounded with Mundus,
or Mun. 3 Yet, there may be question regarding such identity. There may be some doubt, also, as to the identification of Mundus, who taught St. Fillan/ according to Colgan. s This latter writer ventures on a conjecture, that he might have been a St. Mundus, the son of Feredach,* and of the Dalfiatach, in Ultonia,' as the Mundus mentioned by Camerarius departed, in the year 962, while St. Fintan Mun died, a. d. 634' Notwithstanding the manifest error of chronology admitted, between the period when St. Fillan and his St. Mundus lived, with their assumed relationship of master and disciple ; Camerarius indicates, at the isth of April, that the present holy man was Abbot, in the region of Argathelia,' or Argyle, in Albania, where he erected manymonasteries. ThelikestatementoccursinDempster'swork. '" Weare told, moreover, that several churches bear the name of St. Munde, Abbot, in Argyleshire, where he was formerly honoured as the principal patron, and where, owing to the shining light of his example and to his zealous preaching, he left behind him many great models of Christian perfection. " Moreover, he left excellent maxims," which related to the most tender and universal charity, meekness, and love of retirement. He always contrived to keep himself in the Divine presence. '^ Camerarius relates, in his account of St. Fillan,"* that this disciple succeeded his master after the death of St. Mundus,
Article vii. — He thus writes
:
" In
us by Camerarius, and they were addressed to his disciples. First, he enjoined, that they
should always preserve a pure heart, burn- ing with a true love of God. Secondly, that
with extems, they should only speak about God, and about religious matters ; because seculars expected this solely from the monks, as those living in the world were oppressed
Orcadibus Mundi abbatis sanctitate mirabi-
lis. "—"Menologium Scotorum," in Bishop
Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,'" p- 196.
'
Thus we 6nd, in the Scottish Entries of
his Calendar: "15 Die. Sanctus Mundus
Abbas, sanctitate vitae ct miraculis Celebris
adhsec—nostratemporainprovinciaArga- withitsevils,andbecauseitwasowingto
tijelia. " /^i/. , p. 236.
the latter, on account of the religious insti- tute, as likewise, since from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, the monks ought in life and in discourse be what worldlings require of them. Thirdly, that as there is a time for speaking, and a time for silence, so private or public necessity and utility should regulate the opportunity and measure of speech. /(«<r//4/y, as God is the witness and judge of all things, and as he neither can deceive nor be deceived, nothing should be done, but what might appear to the sight of God and of all men. Fifthly, that it should be their constant and cordial purpose, to love one another with a true and not a feigned affection ; and, mindful of the
Divine " In this shall all know precept,
'
p- 4'6.
*
.
According to Bishop Forbes. See V)id~,
_
See his Life, at the 9th of January.
5 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae. "
Januarii ix. , cap. iii. , and n. 8, pp. 49, 50. ' He is thought, to have been father to those holy virgins, whose feast occurs, at the
33rd of March,
'According to the "Menology of the
Irish Saints,' chap. xix.
• See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 252, 253.
' This is the part of Scotland, lying nearest to Ireland, and stretching to Cantyre, which is the Gaelic for "head-land," towards its
north-east coast, in a
you are my disciples, if you love one another," that each must instantly repel from his mind, whatever should be calculated to rend mu-
long peninsula.
See Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Sco-
toram," vol. ii. , lib. xii. , num. 854.
" A French writer, Simon Martin, in an ascetic work, treating about the sacred tra- ditions of solitude, has mention of this holy
Abbot's manner of living, at p. 298.
'° "
"
These are contained in the account, left
Fathers, Martyrs, and otherprincipalSaints," vol. iv. , April xv.
tual and fraternal charity,
"' See Rev. Alban Butler's
"
Lives of the
174 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April i6.
and died himself, a. d. 649. However, as may be judged, from his own con- text, Camerarius was betrayed into a gross anachronism ;'' for, he states, in another place, that St. Mundus died, a. d. 962'* The Rev. Alban Butler also adopts this statement,"? for which he cites the authority of Hunter, the Dominican. '^ TheBoUandistshavesomeaccount,atthisdate,ofthevene- rable Abbot ;'9 but, it is chiefly drawn, from the statements of Camerarius, Dempster, and of the Aberdeen Breviary. ^" We are told, by a Scottish writer, that St. Mund was no other than the St. Fintan Munnu of the Irish Calen- dars, and that his crozier had its hereditary keepers' croft of land, at Kilmun, in Scotland. ^' However, Dempster seems to confound St. Mundus with St. Magnus," who was venerated, in the Orkney Islands, on the following day -p
and some writings are attributed to him, by the same author. ''* Nevertheless, this latter statement may well be questioned ; and, the learned BoUandist, Father Godefrid Henschenn declares, °5 that he no more believes such writings have any existence, than he does regarding many of the other books, which Dempster attributes to each of the saints of Scotland, as if all these were authors. He believes, moreover, that most of those attributed writings were never seen by any man, nor to be found in any place.
^I'rtwntJ) Baj) of aipnU
ARTICLE I. — ST. TETGAILL OR TETGHAL, SON OF COLBRAIN, BISHOP OF LYNALLY, KING'S COUNTY.
[SEVENTH AND EIGHTH CENTURIES. }
THE conception the saints form of God is, that he deserves homage and
love, never to be limited in degree. Health, strength, time, and substance, are to be spent in his service. More than any human attraction are the intensely strong affections, that draw their souls to the Creator. Of such a character was that service, rendered in the Irish Church, by many of
M See " De Statu Hominis Veteris simul ac Novae Ecclesios," &c. , lib. i. , cap. ii. , sect. 2, pp. 122, 181, 182.
'5 See ibid.
' John Lesley states, that King Kenneth, or Kenned, reigned from the year 978 to A. D. 1000, andsome Scottish authoritieshave this saint's death falling within that reign.
"' See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. iv. , April XV.
early Christian Times," First Series, Lec- ture v. , p. 226, note i.
'* In "De Viris Illustribus Scotiae. "
' See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Ap- rilis xv. De S. Mundo Abbate, sect. 3, p.
rilis XV. De S. Mundo Abbate, in Argathe-
lia Scotorum Provincia, p. 388.
°° " S. Mundi Abbatis et Confessoris in
Argathelia, sub Rege Kennedo secundo, anno DCCCCLXII. , xv. Aprilis. "
" See Joseph Anderson's " Scotland in
388. He concludes, with the very severe re- mark, that Dempster seemed quite as ambi- tious to procure for himself first place among the forgers of falsehood, as to obtain for
his country the credit of having so many writers.
"
In his Scottish Menology.
'' However he distinguishes both, in his " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xiii. , num. 854, 855.
"
'< He says:
Scripsisse putatur multa in his Fasciniet veneficiorumDisquisitionem, lib. i. Ilia optimum Principem Duffum Re- g—em violaverant mirifice et lectoaffixerant. "
Ibid.
'^ See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Ap-
:
.
her early prelates. We find, entered in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' the name of Tetgaill Mac Colbrain, at the i6th day of April. The patronymic, given with his own proper name, does not reveal more than the name of his father : of his family line, we are ignorant. Tedgalius is the Latinized form of this holy man's name. He was born, as we may suppose, in the seventh century ; but, where his education had been received does not appear. He was Abbot of Lann-Ela. This place is thought to have derived its origin from St. Colman Elo,' who died in 6io,3 and who first erected here his Lann
or Church. In pagan times, the locality was called Fiodh-Elo, or Elo-vvood, which is said to lie in Feara Ceall,* in the country of the southern Hy- Lynally. 5 It contains the ruins of a church ; but, decidedly, these are not old, yet that wall, which encloses the graveyard, appears to be very ancient. To the south of Lynally Church stands a moat, said to contain vaults built of lime and stone. ' Lann-Ela has been identified with the village of Lynnally, in the barony of Ballycowan, King's County. The Four Masters make St. Tethghal Bishop of this place. ' There can hardly remain a doubt, that the Tethgaill here noted should not be identified with that bishop of Lynally,* who is mentioned, in our Annals. He appears to have died, on the i6th of April, A. D. 709. ' The same date has been assigned for his death, by the local ecclesiastical historian. " The festival, in honour of Tetghal," was cele- brated, on this day, as we read in the Martyrology of Donegal. " At the xvi.
of the May Kalends, which corresponds with the i6th day of April, the Irish Calendar, now preserved in the Royal_ Irish Academy,'^ has a peculiar notice of his festival and period.
April i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 175
.
Article i. — Edited by Rev. Dr. Keliy,
p. xxi. The Franciscan copy writes Cec-
54I. I mAC CoLbi\aint).
King's County, collected during the Pro- gress of the Ordnance Survey in 1838," vol. i. , Mr. O'Donovan's Letter, dated Tullamore,
Article II. —St. Magnus, Earl of the Orkney Islands, and
Martyr, in Scotland. [Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries. ] It seems doubtful, whether the present holy Martyr had any further relations with Ire- land, than such as resulted from the circumstance, that Irish missionaries are credited, with having first introduced Christianity, among the pagans who
'
The feast of St. Colman Eala, Abbot January 2nd, 1838, pp. 93, 94.
of Lann Eala, occurs, at the 26th ber.
"
Septem-
' " of Lann-Ela Tethghal, Bishop
3 . See
(Ly- nally) died on the loth of April. "—Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 308, 309, 310, 311. See A. D.
Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire- land," vol. il. , p. 712.
* Now called Fircal, which was a paro-
chial union, or an ecclesiastical benefice, in
the baronies of Eglish, Ballyboy and Bally-
cowan, in the Kmg's County, and in the
709.
* See also Rev. A.
Diocese of Meath, Leinster. See Hid. ,
p.
Ixxiv. , pp. 617, 618.
' See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 308 to 311. '"See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. i. , chap.
i. ,p. 6.
" In a note, Dr. Todd " The more says,
rccenthand adds here, in Roman characters ;
'17 sancti apud Marianum, qui non haben- tur in Romano. '"
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
104. , 105.
' There we read, Cecjdt ©^^rP t-io—nn
624.
317.
5 The Parish of Lynally is found, on the
"Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
King's County," sheets 16, 17, 24, 25.
Glebe is shown, on sheet 16.
nally
Ly-
' One of them has been broken into, from
the top, and the masonry is exposed. This
i» one of those moats, which tradition states to have been places of retreat, in times of danger, and which, as being found in the
neighbourhood of English Castles, Dr.
O'Donovan considered it to be of Anglo- ©aUa
Norman erection. See " Letters containing Common Place Book P'. , which formerly be- InXormation relative to the Antiquities of the longed to the Ordnance Survey Office.
" Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. ii. , chap,
; n. 'Oomtidlt vn&c A. ox>. a. x>.
Cogan's
176 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April i6.
inhabited the Orkney Islands, and that he had landed here, probably, firing the predatory encroachments of the Norwegian King, Magnus, surnamed Barelegs, on our Irish shores. According to Dempster, Saints Brandan '
and Machutes, also called Maclovius,' were the first Apostles of the Orkney Islands. 3 Whatever may be thought of his descent, which does not appear to have been Irish ; it may be supposed, that the influences, which formed the education and manners of St. Magnus, had been largely, if not chiefly, derived from our Island, as the ecclesiastics of Orkney were recruited from such a source, and the monuments and records remaining afiirm such a con- clusion. Somemistakeshavetobecorrected,inreferencetothisholyperson. « TheBreviaryofAberdeen5 moststrangelycallsSt. Magnus"Apostleofthe Orkneys, and of the Hebrides," for which there is no warrant ; Camerarius has him as a Bishop ; Molanus makes him a Martyr, in Dacia; by Calesinius and Ferrarius, the latter topographical mistake is converted into Denmark, which is scarcely less absurd. The Magnus Helga Saga,* the substance of which is taken from a certain Rodbert,' who wrote in 1130,' was composed, in the fourteenth century,^ and it has a special account of this saint. The Orkneyinga Saga,"° written in the middle of the thirteenth century, condenses the foregoing account. The Heimskringla also corroborates the principal historic statements of those authorities. Hunter," Lesley," and King '3 have noticesofthisholyanddistinguishedman. TheBollandistshavepublished his Acts. '* The Life of St. Magnus, Earl of the Orkneys, has been issued, also, by Pinkerton. 's St. Munnus, as we find him called, or Magnus, Bishop and Martyr, is among the entries, in the Kalendar of David Camerarius,"' at the i6th of April. He was a Scot, by race, according to Thomas Dempster. ''
same date,
''See"ActaSanctorum,"tomusii. , Ap- rilis xvi. De Sancto Magno, Comite In- sularum Orcadum in Scotia. A commentary, in six sections, precedes the Kpitome Vitae ex Lectionibus Breviarii AberJoiiensis, in six chapters, pp. 438, 439. These are fol- lowed by Hymns and Prayers proper to his Feast, at pp. 440, 441.
'5 See "Vit:e Antiquae Sanctorum Sco-
tias," pp. 387 to 433.
"*Thus: "16 Die. Sanctus Man—nus sine
the Rev. Alban
have accounts of this Saint. The parents of St. Magnus were Erlind,"' Earl of
Bishop Challenor,'^
Butler,=9
Article ii. —' The Irish Saint, who is venerated on the i6th of May, is probably meant. Owing to his celebrated trans- Atlan- tic voyage, he is usually called St. Brendan the Navigator.
'
Probably meant for a bishop of that
name, venerated in France, at the 15th of
November.
3 See
"
Historia Ecclesiastica GentisSco-
torum," tomus ii. , lib. xii. , num. 855, p.
454.
5 Printed at Edinburgh, A. D. 1509. p. 236.
« As for instance, that of Rev. Alban
Butler, who considers him to have been a
bishop, whereas he was always a laic. Forbes'
'Published at Hafnia, A. D. 1 7S0.
' He seems to have been a monk.
' He quotes the narrative of a man, who
was present at the murder of St. Magnus, and who commuuicated particulars to the writer.
» It seems to exhibit the character of a
Panygeric, prepared for the day, when the Feast ofSt. Magnus was held.
"' Published at Hafnia, A. D. 1 780, in 4to. Ex
MSS. Legati Arna-Magna. 'ani cum versione Latina, varietate Lectionum et Indicibus,
'? See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xii. , num. 855,
Chronologico, Reali et Pliilologico, edidit Jonas Johnaeus Isl.
'» See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. iv. , April xvi.
=° See " Lives of the Saints," vol. iv. ,
April 16, pp. 211 to 217.
"' He was son to Thorfinn and Inge-
biorge ; the former being the son of Sigurd, whom King Olaus converted to Christianity, together with all his people, and the latter was daughter of Finn Arnac. A daughter of Thorfinn and of Ingebiorge married Pau- lus, the father of Haquin.
"' In " De Viris Illustribus Scotiae. " ""
In DescriptioScotiae. "
'3 In his Scottish Calendar, and at this
and Rev. S. "° Baring-Gould
Magnus Episcopus et Martyr. " Bishop
"
Kalendars of Scottish Saints,
p. 454.
'* "
See "Britannia Sancta, Part i. , April 16, p. 228.
April i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 177
Orkney, and his mother was named Thora. '' Three other children '3 were the result of this marriage. ^'* St. Magnus seems to have been of Norwegian extraction ;"5 and, his father Erlender had] a brother, named Paul, who was married to the daughter of Earl Hako and Ragnhilda, daughter to King MagnustheGood. '^ ThisPaulhadoneson,namedHaco,"7whoclaimeda supremacy in the Orkney Islands over his uncle, Erlender, and over his cousins,butwhichtheywereunwillingtoadmit. ^* Thisripenedintoafeud, which caused a division among the Orkney people. Some took part with Erlender and his sons, while others sided with Haco. His uncles were of opinion, that the best course to be adopted was to send Haco into Norway, where King Olaf the Quiet then reigned. '' However, Haco did not long remain with him, but the exile sought an asylum with Ingi Steinkielson, who was the ruling monarch of Sweden. 3° This latter potentate was a staunch Christian,3' who did his utmost to root out the followers of the old Thor and Odin worship from his dominions. Here, Haco had a field, for the gratifi- cation of his turbulent disposition. Soon, however, Magnus III. ,3' son of Olave, came to ascend^the Norwegian throne ;33 and, while the father and
" She was daughter to Sumarlid Ospak, whose mother was Thordisu, the daughter of Hallus Sidensis. Thorsdisu had a brother, called Egill, who was father of Thorgerda, the mother of St. Johannes, Episcopus Holensis.
»' These were named Erlind, Cecilia and Gunnhildis. ThelattermarriedKolus,and their son was known as Rognvaldus Ka- lius.
'* The reader will find an account of this family, under A. D. 1064, in the "Orkney- inga Saga sive Historia Orcadensium, a prima Orcadum per Norvegos occupatione ad exitum Seculi Duodecimi. Saga Hins Helga Magnusar Eyia Jarls sive Vita Sancti Magni Insulanun Comitis. " See pp. 90 to93-
"
"5 See Bishop Challenor's Britamjm
Sancta," Part i. , April i6, p. 228.
Nationis extitere, eorvmque memorabilibus
Bellis late varieque per Oibem gestis. Opera Olai Magni Gothi Fratris eiusdem autoris
ac eiiam Archiepiscopi Vpsalensis in lucem edita," lib. xviii. , cap. xiiii. , pp. 587 to 589.
