' Its
situation
is shown, in Daniel Augus-
tus Beauford's " Map of the Diocese of Meath.
tus Beauford's " Map of the Diocese of Meath.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v5
^ According to the Martyrology of Donegal,3 veneration was given, at this date to xModune.
^ It is thought, by Colgan, St.
Moduinus must be the same as the St.
Duonius, Abbot, mentioned by Jocelin, in his Acts of St.
Patrick.
5 As if some doubt were entertained, regarding this entry, the more recent hand, in the copy ot O'Clerys' Calendar, has allusion^ to the Roman Martyrology,?
and to Martyrs named Conus and Conellus.
As if—after having made the requisite examination—he adds : " But there is no mention of Conus and Conellus, in either the Irish or Roman Calendar.
"^ St.
Duonius is entered, likewise, on Henry Fitzsimon's List.
9
Article V. St. Maeltuile, probably of Dvsart, County ov Westmeath. The Martyrology of Tallagh ' registers this name simply, at the 29th of May. The BoUandists cite this authority, and, at the same date, refer to him. ^ They also quote Colgan, who mentions 3 a Moeltulius, the son of Gobhan, Abbot in East Aran,'^ who died a. d. 865 ;5 but, he is not identified with the present holy man. Indeed, it is altogether likely, they were different persons. It is probable, the present St. Maeltuile is identical with a saint of the same name, reverenced on the 30th of July, at Dysart,^ in the county of
vol. iii. , p. 756.
'5 See Father Michael Alford's " Annales
Ecclesias Britannicte," tomus iii. , at a. d. UCCCCXXXVI. , num. iv. , p. 936.
'* A more complete account of its history will be found, in Sir William Dugdale's " Monasticon Anglicanum," &c. , edited by John Caley, Henry Ellis and Rev. Bulkeley Bandinel, D. D. , vol. iv. , part iii. , pp. 1448,
1449.
'7 Published by O'Sullevan Beare.
'^ On the authority of the English Martyro-
logy.
'9 See O'Sullevan Beare's " Historiae
Catholicse Ibernise Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , xii. , pp. 50, 53.
S. Patricii, cap. xxxii. , p. 72, and note 33, p. no.
' In Roman characters are these words : " Conon cum filio passus Isaurite. "
^ In the " Martyrologium Romanum," we read at this date : " Apud Iconium Isauriae civitatem passio Sanctorum Cononis et filii ejus annprum duodecim," &c. See Quarto Kalendas Junii, Luna 29, p. 76.
^ See Rev. Drs. Todd's and Reeves' edition of the " Martyrology of Donegal," n. 2, p. I4I.
9 vSee " Catalogus aliquorum Sanctorum Ibernias. " No feast, however, is entered for this saint, in O'Sullevan Beare's " Historise Catholicse Iberniae Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xii. , p. 53.
—
Article iv. —'
Conon fA mAc, i. e. , " Conon and his son. "
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. , Mali xxix. Among the pretermitted saints, p 3.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 140, 141.
* Dr. Todd in a note says at this entry of Modune. "The more recent hand adds here, 'Vide an sit Dunnius de quo in vita S.
Article v. p. xxv.
Marianus O'Gorman has
'
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
"
5 See "Trias Thaumaturga," Sexta Vita
' See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. ,
Maii xxix. Among the pretermitted saints,
p. 3.
3 . Qgg "Acta Sanctorum Hibernice,"
Martii xxi. Appendix ad Acta S. Endei, cap. vii. , p. 715.
'^ Now known, as Inisheer, the most easterly of the three Aran Islands.
^ See Dr. John O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Musters," vol. i. , pp. 502, 503.
" The parish of this name is in three dis-
Patricii, c. (32). '
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 29.
Westmeath. 7 Therewasanabbeyhere,andformerlytheplacewascalled Disert-Maoltuile. In the reign of King Edward II. , a certain John de Fresingfeld was presented to the parish of Dysart,^ and, again, in the reign of King Henry IV. ,9 we have notice of an exchange of parishes between Nicholas Moynagh, Pastor of Dysart, and Richard King, Vicar of Faghly. "° This parish of Dysart was formerly called Disert-Maeltuile, which means St. Mael- tuile's Desert or Wilderness—owing probably to its retired situation. A festival in honour of Maeltuile was celebrated, on this day, as we read in the Martyrology of Donegal. " A commentator on this work adds, that he was an Abbot, and that he knew not whether he had been a bishop. He also remarks, there is a Cill Maoltuile, a parish church in Disert- Midhe, in the diocese of Meath. Its old church, finely situated on the western bank of Lough Ennell, measures seventy-three feet, by twenty feet, three inches. Tobar-Muhilly, which is near the churchyard, used to be fre- quented by pilgrims, on the 29th of May. '^ It is called after the patron of this parish, St. Maeltuille. His well, and his yellow bell, his baculus, and his statue, were there, in the seventeenth century. His baculus or pastoral staff worked miracles on perjurers,'3 before they left his church. However, in our Calendar, at the 30th of July, the Martyrology of Tallagh '^ commemo- rates a Maoltuile mac Mochuire, without naming his place ; while the Martyr- ology of DonegaV^at the same date, has Maeltuile, son of Nochaire, of Disert Maeltuile,belongingtotheraceofLaeghaire,sonofNiall. Inthelastvolume of his valuable work, the Rev. Anthony Cogan seems to entertain the opinion, that he—and not the Maeltuile venerated on this day—had been the founder of Disert-Maeltuile, in Westmeath. '^ The parish of Dysart ^7 extends along the west and south sides of the beautiful Lough Ennel, near MuUingar; and, it consists, for the most part, of profitable land. '^
Article VI. St. Mobecce, of Trilick, County of Tyrone. An entry is found, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 29th of May, of Mobeccu, without any other addition. On the same authority, the Bollan- dists ^ enter Mo-beccus, at this date. He is said to have been reverenced at Trelic. This is thought to be identical with the present Trellick,3 in the
distinct baronies, viz. : Moyashel and Mag- punishment for their crime, and before they heiadernon, 5,834a. 2r. jip. ; JNIoycasliel, left the church. See the Martyrology of
598
1,245a. 3r. 34p. ; Rathconratli, 336a. or. 24p. It is shown, on the "Ordnance Survey Town- land Maps for the County of Westmeath," sheets 18, 25, 32. The townland proper is within Moyashel and Maglieradernon, sheet 25.
7 . See Rev. A . Cogan s " History of the Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern,'' vol. iii. , chap. Ixxiv. , p. 559.
* According to Pat. 2.
9 According to 2'at. 8.
" See Rev. Anthony Cogan's " Diocese of
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. , chap, xviii. , sect. 5, p. 424.
" Edited by Drs. Xodd and Reeves, pp. 140, 141.
" See Rev. Anthony Cogan's " Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern,'' vol. ii. , chap, xviii. , sect. 5, p. 424.
Donegal, edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 444, 445.
'* Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxx.
'5 Edited by Dis. Todd and Reeves, pp. 204, 205.
'" See the " Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. , chap. Ixxiv. . p. 599.
' Its situation is shown, in Daniel Augus-
tus Beauford's " Map of the Diocese of Meath. "
'*' See " Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire-
Townland Maps for the Couniy of Tyrone,'' '3 This is explained, tiiat when persons sheet 56.
swore falsclyon the baculus. tlicy were imme-
diately visited by some bodily infirmity, in 5 Such is the opinion of William
land," vol. ii. p. 167.
,— Article vi.
'
Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. XXV.
= See "Acta . Sanctorum," tomus vii. ,
Maii xxix. Among the pretermitted feasts,
P- 3-
^ It is shown on the " Ordnance Survey
* See //'/,/. . sheets 49, 50, 56, 57.
—s
May 29. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
599
parish of Kilskeery,^ and barony of Omagh East, in the county of Tyrone. The village, having an area of twenty-one acres, is situated on the south-west border of that county,^ and on the road from Omagh 7 to Enniskillen. ^ It owes its origin to the family ofMervyn, who settled at the neighbouring castle of Mervyn, in the reign of James I. The surrounding district is hilly and undulating, while it is embellished with several lakes. The land in cultivation is generally fertile, and near this neat village are the ruins of Castle Mervyn. It is said, that an abbey, called Trelickmore, was founded here, early in the seventh century;? but, no vestiges of it are now to be found. '° On this day was commemorated jNIobecce, as we find mentioned, likewise, in the Martyro- logy of Donegal. "
Article VIL—St. Dairius. A festival, in honour of Dairius, is found entered, at this date, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. ' From the same source, theBoUandists^ takeoccasiontoinserthisname,atthe2gthofMay,intheir great collection. We do not find any other source, to which the reader may be referred, or which might serve to throw any additional light on his age, family or race, place of residence, or transactions.
Article VIII. Reputed Feast of St. Daganus, Bishop of Gal- loway, Scotland. Camerarius in his Scottish Entries has Daganus,' a Bishop, in the district of Galloway, in Scotland, at the 29th of May. There he was celebrated, and he was educated at Banchory f although, this probably means the Irish Bangor. In like manner, and on his authority, the BoUandists 3 notice him, at this same date ; but, they think he is not a different person from a Dagan, whom they mention, at the 22nd of March, among the preter- mitted saints. There is also a notice of St. Dagamus, in Bishop Forbes' work ;+ and, the writer, who places him at this date, circiter a. d. 609, states, that he is the same as the Daganus of Bseda, who refused not only to eat with Lau- rentius Melitus and Justus, on account of differences on the Paschal question; but, even he would not take his repast in the same house, where they had
Hennessy.
^See "Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire-
land," vol. iii. , p. 389.
' This town, in the parish of Drumragh,
and barony of Omagh East, is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Tyrone," sheet 35.
^ The parish of Enniskillen is situated, partly in the barony of Mageraboy, where there are only 53a. ir. 34p. ; but, it is chiefly in the barony of Tirkennedy, where there are 26,386a. 3r. 32p. It is described, on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Fermanagh, "sheets 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 27. The town and townland are shown, on sheet 22 ; while a portion of the town is in the parish of Rossory, in the barony of Mngheiaboy.
9 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni- cum," p. 683. For this statement, Arch- dall cites Conry.
" See Lewis' " Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 643.
'' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
140,141. ' — Edited by Rev. Dr. Article vii. '
Kelly, p. xxv.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. ,
Mali xxix. Among the pretermitted feasts,
p. 3.
ARTICLE VIII. —' Thus: " Sanctus Da-
ganus Episcopus et Confessor in Galloidia Scotise provincia. "—-Bishop Forbes' "Ka- lendars of Scottish Saints," p. 237.
-The " Benchorensi Monasterio " of Camerarius, at p. 151.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. , Maii xxix. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 2.
' See " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 320.
s See VenerabilisBedce ''Opera qucesuper- sunt omnia," Rev. Dr. J. A. Giles' edition, vol. ii. " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Ang- lorum," lib. ii. , cap. iv. , p. 185.
* Dempster quotes Venerable Bede's
—
6oo LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 29.
beenentertained. 5Thereisoftenaconfusionof«and;«intheScottishlists. He is indifferently named Dagamus or Daganus, by Thomas Dempster, who tells us, he was advanced to the episcopal dignity, and that he strenuously maintained against the English the British over the Roman rite,^ until the latter had been establislied by Augustine and by Mellitus. The same writer remarks, that Venerable Bede does not name his episcopal place or church, that the same Dagamus or Daganus wrote " Ad Britanorum Ecclesiam," lib. i. , and that he flourished a. d. 55 5. ^ However, for want of better evidence, we must re- gard the foregoing statements as inconclusive respecting the identity of this St. Dagan ; but, his name was common in Ireland, so that we may fairly claim him, in all probability, as one of our countrymen.
Article IX. Festival of St. Pollio. The ancient Martyrology of St. Jerome has simply the name of Pollio, venerated at the 29th of May; and, from this authority, it seems probable, St. . ^ngus ' inserted the feast of " PoUio's great host," which indicates, that he suffered with many other holy companions for the Faith. There are other Martyrologies, in which he is recorded, as the Bollandists observe,^ at this same date, but they consider him to be identical with a Pollio, who has a feast, at the 28th of April.
Article X, Reputed Feast of St. Gumbert, or Gundibert. \_Seventh or Eighth Century. '] At the 27th of March,' there are notices of St. Gumbert, or Gundibert, a Martyr in Ireland,^ whose festival is said to have been kept, also, on the 29th of May, as likewise on the 29th of April. 3 The Bollandists have an entry of St. Gundibert, mentioned by Father Henry Fitz- simon,4 at this date ; and, they suspect St. Gumbert, Martyr, who with his wife Bertha, is venerated at the 29th of April, and at the ist of May, to be indi- cated. s Atthe29thofMay,ThomasDempster,inhisMenologiumScotorum, enters this holy man f and, quoting the Records or Tablets of Rheims, he is represented, as a Scottish bishop, who having been a pilgrim in Gaul crowned his career with martyrdom, his body being preserved at Rheims, ac- cording to historic monuments. Furthermore, his time and age were uncer- tain, 7 although his festival was celebrated, on the 29th of May. ^
" Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. ii. , cap. iv. , and also, John Lesley, lib. iv. , p. cliii.
this work, at this date, Art. xii.
= See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Ililier-
nice," Martii xxvii. S. Gumbeiti sive Gun- 7 See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis diberti Martyris Memoria, p. 771.
Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. iv. , num. 3S2, p. 209.
* See an account of him, at this day, in the Fourth Volume of this work, Art. ix.
* See " Catalogus aliquoium Sanctorum Hibernioe. "
s gee "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. ,
Maii xxix. Among the pretermitted saints,
pp. 2, 3.
* In these words: "xxix. Rhemis
Grundibeiti martyris B. "—Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 201.
? According to Thomas Dempster.
* See " Historia P^cclesiastica Gentis Sco- toruni. " tomus i. , lib. vii. , num. 591, pp. 317. 318.
Article ix. —' In his " Feiliie. " See "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, by Dr. Whitley Stokes, p. ixxxi.
^ Thus ; "nudum nomen S. Pollionis, primo loco ante alios hujus diei Mailyres, in Martyrologiis, MSS. Aquisgranensi Augus- tano et I'arisiensi Labbrei, atque auctario Greveni at Vsuardum. "—"Acta Sancto- rum," tomus vii. , Maii xxix. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 2.
Articlex. —' SeetheThirdVolumeof
V
May 30. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 601
Cftirtiet! ) J3a|) of i¥lap»
ARTICLE I. —ST. MADELGISILUS, OR MAUGUILLE, SOLITARY IN PICARDY, FRANCE.
{SEVENTH CENTURY. ] CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—WRITERS OF THE ACTS OF ST. MADELGISILUS—HIS EARLY BIRTH AND EDUCATION—HE ACCOMPANIES ST. FURSEY TO FRANCE—THEIR UNITED LABOURS—AFTER ST. FURSEY'S DEATH, ST. MADELGISILUS SEEKS ADMISSION, AND HE IS RECEIVED AS A RELIGIOUS, IN THE MONASTERY AT CENTULE.
FROM earliest Christian times, some mysterious but natural sympathy seems to have attracted the Celts of Ireland to their kindred race both in Britain and on the Continent. Especially were the Gallic people and their true interests objects of deep and abiding affection for our holy and learned men, during those distant ages.
Article V. St. Maeltuile, probably of Dvsart, County ov Westmeath. The Martyrology of Tallagh ' registers this name simply, at the 29th of May. The BoUandists cite this authority, and, at the same date, refer to him. ^ They also quote Colgan, who mentions 3 a Moeltulius, the son of Gobhan, Abbot in East Aran,'^ who died a. d. 865 ;5 but, he is not identified with the present holy man. Indeed, it is altogether likely, they were different persons. It is probable, the present St. Maeltuile is identical with a saint of the same name, reverenced on the 30th of July, at Dysart,^ in the county of
vol. iii. , p. 756.
'5 See Father Michael Alford's " Annales
Ecclesias Britannicte," tomus iii. , at a. d. UCCCCXXXVI. , num. iv. , p. 936.
'* A more complete account of its history will be found, in Sir William Dugdale's " Monasticon Anglicanum," &c. , edited by John Caley, Henry Ellis and Rev. Bulkeley Bandinel, D. D. , vol. iv. , part iii. , pp. 1448,
1449.
'7 Published by O'Sullevan Beare.
'^ On the authority of the English Martyro-
logy.
'9 See O'Sullevan Beare's " Historiae
Catholicse Ibernise Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , xii. , pp. 50, 53.
S. Patricii, cap. xxxii. , p. 72, and note 33, p. no.
' In Roman characters are these words : " Conon cum filio passus Isaurite. "
^ In the " Martyrologium Romanum," we read at this date : " Apud Iconium Isauriae civitatem passio Sanctorum Cononis et filii ejus annprum duodecim," &c. See Quarto Kalendas Junii, Luna 29, p. 76.
^ See Rev. Drs. Todd's and Reeves' edition of the " Martyrology of Donegal," n. 2, p. I4I.
9 vSee " Catalogus aliquorum Sanctorum Ibernias. " No feast, however, is entered for this saint, in O'Sullevan Beare's " Historise Catholicse Iberniae Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xii. , p. 53.
—
Article iv. —'
Conon fA mAc, i. e. , " Conon and his son. "
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. , Mali xxix. Among the pretermitted saints, p 3.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 140, 141.
* Dr. Todd in a note says at this entry of Modune. "The more recent hand adds here, 'Vide an sit Dunnius de quo in vita S.
Article v. p. xxv.
Marianus O'Gorman has
'
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
"
5 See "Trias Thaumaturga," Sexta Vita
' See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. ,
Maii xxix. Among the pretermitted saints,
p. 3.
3 . Qgg "Acta Sanctorum Hibernice,"
Martii xxi. Appendix ad Acta S. Endei, cap. vii. , p. 715.
'^ Now known, as Inisheer, the most easterly of the three Aran Islands.
^ See Dr. John O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Musters," vol. i. , pp. 502, 503.
" The parish of this name is in three dis-
Patricii, c. (32). '
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 29.
Westmeath. 7 Therewasanabbeyhere,andformerlytheplacewascalled Disert-Maoltuile. In the reign of King Edward II. , a certain John de Fresingfeld was presented to the parish of Dysart,^ and, again, in the reign of King Henry IV. ,9 we have notice of an exchange of parishes between Nicholas Moynagh, Pastor of Dysart, and Richard King, Vicar of Faghly. "° This parish of Dysart was formerly called Disert-Maeltuile, which means St. Mael- tuile's Desert or Wilderness—owing probably to its retired situation. A festival in honour of Maeltuile was celebrated, on this day, as we read in the Martyrology of Donegal. " A commentator on this work adds, that he was an Abbot, and that he knew not whether he had been a bishop. He also remarks, there is a Cill Maoltuile, a parish church in Disert- Midhe, in the diocese of Meath. Its old church, finely situated on the western bank of Lough Ennell, measures seventy-three feet, by twenty feet, three inches. Tobar-Muhilly, which is near the churchyard, used to be fre- quented by pilgrims, on the 29th of May. '^ It is called after the patron of this parish, St. Maeltuille. His well, and his yellow bell, his baculus, and his statue, were there, in the seventeenth century. His baculus or pastoral staff worked miracles on perjurers,'3 before they left his church. However, in our Calendar, at the 30th of July, the Martyrology of Tallagh '^ commemo- rates a Maoltuile mac Mochuire, without naming his place ; while the Martyr- ology of DonegaV^at the same date, has Maeltuile, son of Nochaire, of Disert Maeltuile,belongingtotheraceofLaeghaire,sonofNiall. Inthelastvolume of his valuable work, the Rev. Anthony Cogan seems to entertain the opinion, that he—and not the Maeltuile venerated on this day—had been the founder of Disert-Maeltuile, in Westmeath. '^ The parish of Dysart ^7 extends along the west and south sides of the beautiful Lough Ennel, near MuUingar; and, it consists, for the most part, of profitable land. '^
Article VI. St. Mobecce, of Trilick, County of Tyrone. An entry is found, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 29th of May, of Mobeccu, without any other addition. On the same authority, the Bollan- dists ^ enter Mo-beccus, at this date. He is said to have been reverenced at Trelic. This is thought to be identical with the present Trellick,3 in the
distinct baronies, viz. : Moyashel and Mag- punishment for their crime, and before they heiadernon, 5,834a. 2r. jip. ; JNIoycasliel, left the church. See the Martyrology of
598
1,245a. 3r. 34p. ; Rathconratli, 336a. or. 24p. It is shown, on the "Ordnance Survey Town- land Maps for the County of Westmeath," sheets 18, 25, 32. The townland proper is within Moyashel and Maglieradernon, sheet 25.
7 . See Rev. A . Cogan s " History of the Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern,'' vol. iii. , chap. Ixxiv. , p. 559.
* According to Pat. 2.
9 According to 2'at. 8.
" See Rev. Anthony Cogan's " Diocese of
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. , chap, xviii. , sect. 5, p. 424.
" Edited by Drs. Xodd and Reeves, pp. 140, 141.
" See Rev. Anthony Cogan's " Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern,'' vol. ii. , chap, xviii. , sect. 5, p. 424.
Donegal, edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 444, 445.
'* Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxx.
'5 Edited by Dis. Todd and Reeves, pp. 204, 205.
'" See the " Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. , chap. Ixxiv. . p. 599.
' Its situation is shown, in Daniel Augus-
tus Beauford's " Map of the Diocese of Meath. "
'*' See " Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire-
Townland Maps for the Couniy of Tyrone,'' '3 This is explained, tiiat when persons sheet 56.
swore falsclyon the baculus. tlicy were imme-
diately visited by some bodily infirmity, in 5 Such is the opinion of William
land," vol. ii. p. 167.
,— Article vi.
'
Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. XXV.
= See "Acta . Sanctorum," tomus vii. ,
Maii xxix. Among the pretermitted feasts,
P- 3-
^ It is shown on the " Ordnance Survey
* See //'/,/. . sheets 49, 50, 56, 57.
—s
May 29. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
599
parish of Kilskeery,^ and barony of Omagh East, in the county of Tyrone. The village, having an area of twenty-one acres, is situated on the south-west border of that county,^ and on the road from Omagh 7 to Enniskillen. ^ It owes its origin to the family ofMervyn, who settled at the neighbouring castle of Mervyn, in the reign of James I. The surrounding district is hilly and undulating, while it is embellished with several lakes. The land in cultivation is generally fertile, and near this neat village are the ruins of Castle Mervyn. It is said, that an abbey, called Trelickmore, was founded here, early in the seventh century;? but, no vestiges of it are now to be found. '° On this day was commemorated jNIobecce, as we find mentioned, likewise, in the Martyro- logy of Donegal. "
Article VIL—St. Dairius. A festival, in honour of Dairius, is found entered, at this date, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. ' From the same source, theBoUandists^ takeoccasiontoinserthisname,atthe2gthofMay,intheir great collection. We do not find any other source, to which the reader may be referred, or which might serve to throw any additional light on his age, family or race, place of residence, or transactions.
Article VIII. Reputed Feast of St. Daganus, Bishop of Gal- loway, Scotland. Camerarius in his Scottish Entries has Daganus,' a Bishop, in the district of Galloway, in Scotland, at the 29th of May. There he was celebrated, and he was educated at Banchory f although, this probably means the Irish Bangor. In like manner, and on his authority, the BoUandists 3 notice him, at this same date ; but, they think he is not a different person from a Dagan, whom they mention, at the 22nd of March, among the preter- mitted saints. There is also a notice of St. Dagamus, in Bishop Forbes' work ;+ and, the writer, who places him at this date, circiter a. d. 609, states, that he is the same as the Daganus of Bseda, who refused not only to eat with Lau- rentius Melitus and Justus, on account of differences on the Paschal question; but, even he would not take his repast in the same house, where they had
Hennessy.
^See "Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire-
land," vol. iii. , p. 389.
' This town, in the parish of Drumragh,
and barony of Omagh East, is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Tyrone," sheet 35.
^ The parish of Enniskillen is situated, partly in the barony of Mageraboy, where there are only 53a. ir. 34p. ; but, it is chiefly in the barony of Tirkennedy, where there are 26,386a. 3r. 32p. It is described, on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Fermanagh, "sheets 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 27. The town and townland are shown, on sheet 22 ; while a portion of the town is in the parish of Rossory, in the barony of Mngheiaboy.
9 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni- cum," p. 683. For this statement, Arch- dall cites Conry.
" See Lewis' " Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 643.
'' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
140,141. ' — Edited by Rev. Dr. Article vii. '
Kelly, p. xxv.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. ,
Mali xxix. Among the pretermitted feasts,
p. 3.
ARTICLE VIII. —' Thus: " Sanctus Da-
ganus Episcopus et Confessor in Galloidia Scotise provincia. "—-Bishop Forbes' "Ka- lendars of Scottish Saints," p. 237.
-The " Benchorensi Monasterio " of Camerarius, at p. 151.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. , Maii xxix. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 2.
' See " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 320.
s See VenerabilisBedce ''Opera qucesuper- sunt omnia," Rev. Dr. J. A. Giles' edition, vol. ii. " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Ang- lorum," lib. ii. , cap. iv. , p. 185.
* Dempster quotes Venerable Bede's
—
6oo LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 29.
beenentertained. 5Thereisoftenaconfusionof«and;«intheScottishlists. He is indifferently named Dagamus or Daganus, by Thomas Dempster, who tells us, he was advanced to the episcopal dignity, and that he strenuously maintained against the English the British over the Roman rite,^ until the latter had been establislied by Augustine and by Mellitus. The same writer remarks, that Venerable Bede does not name his episcopal place or church, that the same Dagamus or Daganus wrote " Ad Britanorum Ecclesiam," lib. i. , and that he flourished a. d. 55 5. ^ However, for want of better evidence, we must re- gard the foregoing statements as inconclusive respecting the identity of this St. Dagan ; but, his name was common in Ireland, so that we may fairly claim him, in all probability, as one of our countrymen.
Article IX. Festival of St. Pollio. The ancient Martyrology of St. Jerome has simply the name of Pollio, venerated at the 29th of May; and, from this authority, it seems probable, St. . ^ngus ' inserted the feast of " PoUio's great host," which indicates, that he suffered with many other holy companions for the Faith. There are other Martyrologies, in which he is recorded, as the Bollandists observe,^ at this same date, but they consider him to be identical with a Pollio, who has a feast, at the 28th of April.
Article X, Reputed Feast of St. Gumbert, or Gundibert. \_Seventh or Eighth Century. '] At the 27th of March,' there are notices of St. Gumbert, or Gundibert, a Martyr in Ireland,^ whose festival is said to have been kept, also, on the 29th of May, as likewise on the 29th of April. 3 The Bollandists have an entry of St. Gundibert, mentioned by Father Henry Fitz- simon,4 at this date ; and, they suspect St. Gumbert, Martyr, who with his wife Bertha, is venerated at the 29th of April, and at the ist of May, to be indi- cated. s Atthe29thofMay,ThomasDempster,inhisMenologiumScotorum, enters this holy man f and, quoting the Records or Tablets of Rheims, he is represented, as a Scottish bishop, who having been a pilgrim in Gaul crowned his career with martyrdom, his body being preserved at Rheims, ac- cording to historic monuments. Furthermore, his time and age were uncer- tain, 7 although his festival was celebrated, on the 29th of May. ^
" Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. ii. , cap. iv. , and also, John Lesley, lib. iv. , p. cliii.
this work, at this date, Art. xii.
= See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Ililier-
nice," Martii xxvii. S. Gumbeiti sive Gun- 7 See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis diberti Martyris Memoria, p. 771.
Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. iv. , num. 3S2, p. 209.
* See an account of him, at this day, in the Fourth Volume of this work, Art. ix.
* See " Catalogus aliquoium Sanctorum Hibernioe. "
s gee "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. ,
Maii xxix. Among the pretermitted saints,
pp. 2, 3.
* In these words: "xxix. Rhemis
Grundibeiti martyris B. "—Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 201.
? According to Thomas Dempster.
* See " Historia P^cclesiastica Gentis Sco- toruni. " tomus i. , lib. vii. , num. 591, pp. 317. 318.
Article ix. —' In his " Feiliie. " See "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, by Dr. Whitley Stokes, p. ixxxi.
^ Thus ; "nudum nomen S. Pollionis, primo loco ante alios hujus diei Mailyres, in Martyrologiis, MSS. Aquisgranensi Augus- tano et I'arisiensi Labbrei, atque auctario Greveni at Vsuardum. "—"Acta Sancto- rum," tomus vii. , Maii xxix. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 2.
Articlex. —' SeetheThirdVolumeof
V
May 30. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 601
Cftirtiet! ) J3a|) of i¥lap»
ARTICLE I. —ST. MADELGISILUS, OR MAUGUILLE, SOLITARY IN PICARDY, FRANCE.
{SEVENTH CENTURY. ] CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—WRITERS OF THE ACTS OF ST. MADELGISILUS—HIS EARLY BIRTH AND EDUCATION—HE ACCOMPANIES ST. FURSEY TO FRANCE—THEIR UNITED LABOURS—AFTER ST. FURSEY'S DEATH, ST. MADELGISILUS SEEKS ADMISSION, AND HE IS RECEIVED AS A RELIGIOUS, IN THE MONASTERY AT CENTULE.
FROM earliest Christian times, some mysterious but natural sympathy seems to have attracted the Celts of Ireland to their kindred race both in Britain and on the Continent. Especially were the Gallic people and their true interests objects of deep and abiding affection for our holy and learned men, during those distant ages.
