5 An interesting legend,
relating
to this place, will be found in William F.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
iv.
, p.
38; cap.
v.
, p.
65.
S' "Britannia Sancta," part i. , pp. 41 to 48. "
s^ See De Viris Illustribus Ordinis S.
Benedict! ," lib. iii. , cap. 86.
53 He cites lib. 16. It incorrectly i. , cap.
^4 See Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," xvi.
Januarii. Vita S. Fursaei. Appendix, cap.
Ireland," book i. , chap, iv. , p. 35.
ss See a MS. classed H i. , 11. Trinity
College Library, Dublin, No. 6. 59 See ibid. , No. 7.
January i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 285
all those with whom he associated in a religious relationship. Hence many
of his highly-favoured companions may be classed among the most saintly of disciples. The renowned names of these latter are known, and adduced
by Colgan from different authors. ^ Among them are noted St. Foillan,^^ martyr, and brother of our saint; St. Ultan,^^ Abbot of Fossey, another brother ; St. Dichul f^ St. Gobban f'- St. Adalgisus f^ St. Etto f^ St. Ber- tuin,67 Bishop ; St, Emilian f^ St. Eloquius -^ St. Mombulus ;7° St. Frede- gand;7i St. Helan;? ^ St. Boetius ;73 the Blessed Columban ;74 St. Veran ;7S
St. Corbican •^^ St. Lactan or Lactantius St. ;79
St. Tressan St. German ;76
;77
Vincent,^° Count of Hannonia ; St. Malgill f^ St. Sigebert,^^ King of the
East Angles. Several of these disciples followed St. Fursey to France ; and all are mentioned as having been his friends and familiars. ^3
Three places in Ireland seem to have derived their denominations from
St. Fursey. Besides one in the county of Galway, in the deanery of Annagh- down, and archdiocese of Tuam, there was a Kilfursa near the town of Dundalk, in the archdiocese of Armagh, and province of Ulster, as also one in the county of Cork, and province of Munster. ^* Besides, in Scotland, as in Ireland, the memory of St. Fursey was specially commemorated. ^s Thus the Kalendarium Drummondiense,^^ the Kalendarium Breviarii Aber- donensis,^7 and the Breviary of Aberdeen itself ^^ Adam King's Kalendar,^^
" and David Dempster's MenologiumScotorum,9°
have
notices of this illustrious saint. In art, Fursey is represented with oxen at his feet, because his body was placed on a waggon, and the oxen were
^ See his "Acta Sanctoram Hibemise. "
Appendix ad Acta S. Fursaei, xvi. Januarii,
cap. vi. p. 96.
°' See his acts at. the 31st of October.
** See notices of this saint at the ist of
separate
^^ His feast occurs at the 27th of Septem- ber, See Sir Harris Nicholas' "^Chronology of History," p, 171,
*3 St, Cummian, who is said by Colgan to have written on "The Virtues of the Irish
"
Saints
*3The feast of this holy man does not has allusion to this holy man. His morti-
May.
seem to be known.
**This saint's festival has not been dis-
covered.
'5 See notices of this saint at the 2nd of
June.
** Notices of this saint occur at the nth
of July.
*7 See an account of this holy man at the
I ith of November.
^ See notices of this saint at the loth of
March.
*9 See his life at the 3rd of December.
7° See notices at the i8th of November. 7'Seeanaccountofhimatthe17thof
July.
7^ His feast has been placed at the 7th of
January,
73 His festival does not seem to be
known.
7* His feast does not appear to be known.
75 His festival has not been noted.
7* His feast has not been discovered.
77 See notices at the 9th of July.
7^ His feast is not known.
79 A doubt exists regarding his proper doneuald. " Ibid. , p. 142,
feast. See some notices regarding this dis-
ciple at the 26th of June, and at the 1st of
^ See notices of him at the 14th of July.
^'
9° At the 1 6th of January we there read, " Peronje inventio Fursaei & Foillani, V. V,
9' " Eodem die, Sanctus Fursaeus Abbas. " —Ibid. , p. 234,
August.
See his life at the^30th of May.
"
Fursa, the truly pious loved
Nothing more admirable, we are told of, In a well as cold as the snow,
Accurately to sing his psalms. "
—See Rev. Dr. Kelly's "Calendar of
Irish Saints," p. 167.
^See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Camerarius,? '
more than a thousand years before, fications are thus narrated :
nise," xvi. Januarii. Vita S. Fursaei, n. i. , p, 91.
*s See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
ScottRh Saints," pp. 352 to 354,
^At the 1 6th of January, it has "apud
Hibemiam natale sancti Fursey Scotigene
confessoris atque Abbatis celebratur," ibid. ,
p. 2.
^ See at i6th of
January,
" Fursei Abb. "
Ibid. , p. III.
^Pars Hyemalis, f. xxxii. , quoted by Bishop Forbes.
^At the i6th of "S, January,
Furce, patron of perone in Pacardie in France oye
to — of Scotland vnder Eugenicis 4, king king
286 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i6.
allowed to conduct it without guide as they went to Perrone ; or making a fountain spring up at Lagny, by thrusting his staff into the soil ; or be- holding a vision, of angels ; or the flames of purgatory and hell, seea in his wonderful trance. 9'
According to various authorities, there are no less than eight different
festival days, which should be considered sacred to this saint's memory.
These are, the i6th of January, the 6th, 9th, and 25th of February, the 4th of March, the 17th and 28th of September, and the 26th of December.
Although some difficulty may be experienced, in determining exactly each particular memorial of the saint, affixed to these several days ; yet the reader is referred to days already mentioned for further notices concerning him. These seem more properly assignable to succeeding pages and volumes ot this work.
Article II. —St. M9N0A or Monua, of Magh-Niadh, In Tuaith- Ratha, now Monea, in Tooraa, C—ounty of Fermanagh. The double
existence that most — persons support
that
they wish to be considered is the source of many faults. To such pre-
tensions we may trace most of our vexations and wretchedness. He is the
Monea Church, Co. Fermanagh.
truly happy man, who forgets that insincerity of action followed by so many, and who remembers only that each is as he appears in the sight of his Creator, and no greater. This was the wisdom of God's true friends. As- signed to this day, in the Martyrologies of Tallagh' and of Donegal,' we find entered, Monoa, Virgin, of Magh-Niadh,3 in Tuaith-ratha. * The place was
»» See Rev. S. Baring- Gould's " Lives of
the Saints," vol. i. , p. 245.
Art. II. —' Edited by the Rev. Dr. Kelly,
•Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
18, 19.
3 "Gen. mhoighe niadh. " William M.
p. xiv. TheFranciscanversionreadsmonuA Hennessy'sannotation.
TTlAISI TJlAT). < Anglicized Tooraah, " the district of the
is,
what men and what really are,
January i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 287
identical with Monea,s in Tooraa, county of Fermanagh. * It is now a townland in the parish of Devenish,? and barony of Maheraboy, county Fermanagh. ^ The scenery around Monea is of remarkable richness and beauty; whilewearetoldbyDr. Petrie,thattheoriginalchurchofMonea was situated on an island in Lough Erne, and that an old chapel there, soon after 1630, was converted into a parish church. 9 It is hkely this stands on the site of St. Monoa's religious establishment, which existed at an early date. '° Here probably the virgin lived, died, and was buried in the ceme- tery. " Yet, in our ancient and storied land no tradition of the saint survives.
Article III. —St. Moelisa or Maelisa Ua Brolchain, Patron of Clonmanv Parish, County of Donegal. {Eleventh Century? ^ The lapse of time, the tumults, wars, and changes occurring in Ireland, have left us without a special record of the acts and miracles, attributed to this holy man. He was distinguished, no less by his learning and intellectual acquirements, than by his virtues. ' All the notices which Colgan^' could find regarding St. Maehsa O'Brolchan are to be seen pubHshed by him, at the i6th of January. 3 This author says, he was in possession of some fragments of the saint's writ- ings, and that he knew where others were preserved in Ireland. These were held in high estimation. '* The eulogies of various writers, and even popular tradition, have well preserved his memory in the peninsula of Inishowen, in the extreme northern parts of Ireland. There he seems to have been bom, probably about the commencement of the eleventh century. The Blessed Moelisa O'Brolchan descended from one of the most celebrated among the northern families. The modem name is said to have been Anglicized into Bradley. s Moelisa O'Brolchan was the son of Maelbrigid, son to Dubhinsi, son of Maeldichuo, son to Flann Finn, son of Maeltul, son to Cronn Mastius, who was the son of Suibhne Meann. * This latter was monarch of Ireland
fort. " See " The Topographical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla-na-naomh O'Huidhrin. " Edited by Dr. O'Donovan, n. 136, p. xxii.
5 An interesting legend, relating to this place, will be found in William F. Wake-
man's " Lough Erne, Enniskillen, Belleek, Ballyshannon, and Bundoran," etc.
*In a note to William M. Hennessy's
the old castle and historic notices of this place are there to be found.
'"The accompanying picture, drawn on the spot by William F. Wakeman, was
engraved by A. Appleton.
" " A clear pure air pervades the scene,
In loveliness and awe secure ;
Meet spot to sepulchre a queen — Who in her life was pure. "
copy of the Martyrology of Donegal, he
quotes an Irish commentof Dr. O'Donovan,
and adds a translation. " St. Feber, of this
place, cursed the Sillees River (a b<Mnn
fAibfe), and bequeathed unto it "miATi
eifc , Aruf ox> bAi-bce Ag iaic AnAjATO acquainted with the present saint's parti- AtioiTAti —" ill-luck of fish, and luck of cular locality.
"
Acta Sanctorum Hibemije," xvi. ' See an account of it in Lewis' "Topo- Januarii. Vita B. Moelissae Brolcani, p.
drowning, running against their order. " 3 See
graphical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. i. , pp. 458, 459-
108.
* See ibid. , n. 8.
5 In De " Hibernia
will be found on the " Ord-
"Its
nance Survey Townland Maps for the
Dominicana," cap. ix. , p. 252, n. (p), allusion to this name
position
Burgo's
"
Sheets 15, 21. The site of the church and Monea Castle in ruins
will be noticed on Sheet 15.
» See "The Irish Penny Journal," vol. i. ,
No. 30, p. 233. An interesting woodcut of
County of Fermanagh,
of Bradley occurs.
'Such is the pedigree contained in the Book
of Lecain, now preserved in the Royal Irish
Academy, and from wliich Colgan had pro- cured the foregoing account.
Samuel Ferguson's "Cromlech on Howth. "
Article III. — ' See Harris' Ware, vol. "
ii. , Writers of Ireland," p. 67.
*
Our great national hagiologist was well
288 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i6.
fromA. D,615to628,7andoursaintwasseventhindescentfromhim. ^ We are told, that the family of O'Brolchains were distinguished in that part of
the country, at a former period ; but that in Colgan's day,9 they had for the most part fallen into obscurity. '"' Dr. O'Donovan says, many of the O'Brol- chain family lived in the counties of Donegal and Londonderry, in his own time, and that he met several of them in the Ulster province, but in an humble rank of life. Yet, they were remarkable for a love of learning and for native intelligence. " The blessed Maelisa is thought to have spent his youth in the monastery of Both-chonais," situated -ynthin the peninsula of Inishowen, and the diocese of Deny. There he not only made very great progress in the way of perfection, but he attained also the very highest dis- tinction in literature and science. The name of this place is now obsolete ;
but there can be little doubt, says Dr. O'Donovan, that Templemoyle,^^ in the parish of Culdaff, in the barony of Inishowen, represents it. In another place, however, he makes the correction that Bothchonais is obviously the
old graveyard in the townland of Binnion, parish of Clonmany, county of
Donegal,'4 His proficiency in the knowledge of antiquities and languages was so remarkable, that he was considered second to no other scholar then in Ireland. His virtues even excelled his erudition, and both were greatly celebrated. Maolisa is called a learned senior of Ireland, a paragon of wisdom and piety, as also versed in poetry, and in both languages. This means, that he was well read both in the Irish and Latin tongues. His wisdom and intellectual gifts were so great, that he wTote books, replete with genius and learning. It was he, we are told, that composed the poem for Michael the Archangel, and which begins,
" O Angel cany, O Michael, very miraculous To the Lord my supplication," &c.
This, however, was not the sole composition attributed to this remarkable saint ; for a monastic rule in verse is extant, and this is said to have been
composed by him. 'S
The patron saint of the parish of Cloncha, in Inishowen,'^ was always
' According to one account. In O'Dono- van's "Annals of the Four Masters," the events of his reign are from A. D. 611 to 623. See vol. i,, pp. 236 to 247.
^
Colgan suspects, however, there must be
an omission of some intermediate grades in
this saint's genealogy. Thus, the Annals of
Senat-mac-Magnus and of Donegal place called Templemoyle and Drumaville. A the death of Flann Finn at A. D. 698. See small cemetery, but without the remains of Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four any building, exists at the former place. Masters," vol. i. , pp. 300, 301. Now the See "Acts of Archbishop Colton in his saint must have been more removed from
him, than by four generations, as Maelisa
died towards the close of the eleventh cen-
tury. Besides the Brolchan, from whom
his family name was derived, is missing Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (d),p. 483. Also
from his genealogy.
9 See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," xvi.
Januarii, nn. i, 4, p. 108.
" Yet there were some learned ecclesi-
astics of the name since Colgan's time.
" See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
vol. ii. , n. (q), p. 722, ibid.
'S A copy is to be found among the
O'Longan Manuscripts belonging to the Royal Irish Academy, vol. viii. It con-
tains 66 quatrains or 264 verses, pp. 99 to 104.
'^ See its situation on the "Ordnance Survey Maps for the County of Donegal," "In English, "Conas's booth," "tent," Sheets i, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12. It contains
Four
nn
and n.
vol. (e), pp. 926 to 929.
Masters,"
ii. ,
(x, y, z),
or " hut. "
'^ Grealiach, which signifies "a miry
place" (East and West), locally well-known as two townlands, in the parish of Clonca, do not appear on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Done-
gal," Sheet 4. There, however, they are
Metropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of Derry, A. D. Mcccxcvii. " Edited by Rev. William Reeves, n. (z), p. 68.
'^ See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
January i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 289
regarded as being the present Mselisa Ua Brolchain. In this parish, there stoodanancientmonastery,knownasTempleMoyle,orTapalMoule. An old graveyard, surrounded by a stone wall, with an iron gate entrance, is found atthisplace. '? WefindrecordedintheMartyrologiesofMarianusO'Gorman and of Donegal,'^ at the i6th day of January, Maelisa Ua Brolchain. On the seventeenth of the calends of February, he resigned his spirit to heaven, as stated in this quatrain :
" On the Seventeenth of the calends of February, The night of fair Fursa's festival,
Died Maelisa Ua Brolchain,
But, however, not of a heavy severe fit. "
This accoimt seems to convey, that he ended life by a process of natural decline, and that he expired without much suffering. It is likely he attained an advanced age. The Annals of Clonmacnoise, at a. d. 1084,^9 have re- corded his death. The year 1086 was that of his decease, according to the
Annals of Ulster and of the Four Masters. ^°
were richly bestowed by the Giver of every good gift.
and learning, his soul was open to the influences of Divine grace, and his rewards
Article IV. —Feast of the Finding of St. Foillan's, St. Faoillen's,
OR Foelan's Relics, with these of his Companion Martyrs, in Bel-
gium. {Seventh Century. '] At this date, Colgan has devoted his hagiogra- phical work to various prose and metrical accounts' regarding the festival of the discovery of the relics of St. Foillan and of his martyred companions. * We reserve however to the 31st of Octobers this narrative to insert with their acts. The Martyrology of Donegal^ records Faoillen, as being venerated on this day. A very simple, and nearly a similar entry, Foelan, occurs in the Martyrology of Tallagh,5 at the i6th of January. This is intended to indi- cate the feast of St. Foillan's remains being found, after the martyrdom of himself and companions, in the forest of Sonef, in Belgium, a. d. 655 or 656.
Article V. —The Sons of Ailill, of Drum-bairr, County of Fer-
managh. St. Jerome declares, that human nature is disposed to regard the
truthasdistasteful,whilevicesaredeemedpleasures. ' Holypersons,however,
are sure to reverse such opinions.
19,643 acres, and it lies at the most extreme
northern of the of
point barony Inishowen,
The Martyrology of Tallagh* registers
and county of Donegal.
" Inishowen
Januarii. De inventione S. Foillani, Ep. et
M. , pp. 99 to 105.
3 The chief festival of St. Foillan. '
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
18, 19.
5 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xii. After
the entry of eight foreign saints, the first entry at this day in the Franciscan copy is
'7 See
Maghtochair's
;
Its
History, Traditions and Antiquities," chap.
xiii. , p. 134.
'^
Edited by Drs, Todd and Reeves, pp. 18, 19.
'9 This, however, according to the learned
Dr. O'Donovan's computatioi\, agrees with the date by the Ulster Annals and by those of the Four Masters. In those of Clonmac- noise we read in addition, that this saint's volumes contained, "many great misteries and new sciences devised
Sci •pAet/Ani. — Article v.
'
himselfe. " See O'Donovan's edition, vol. ii. , pp.
' Edited Rev. Dr. by
"^
924, 925. Article iv.
—
'To these he has added
Vol. I.
u
by
Kelly, p.
Enlightened by study
three chapters of an Appendix.
" See " Acta Sanctorum xvi. Hibemise,"
Secundi Libri "Episto- larum" Hieronymi. Epist. C. " Opera
omnia," tomus i. , p. 278.
xii. The Franciscan copy has ItlAC AiiiA "Oixom
bhAi]\.
290 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i6
MacorsonsofAililla,DromaBairr,onthei6thofJanuary.
S' "Britannia Sancta," part i. , pp. 41 to 48. "
s^ See De Viris Illustribus Ordinis S.
Benedict! ," lib. iii. , cap. 86.
53 He cites lib. 16. It incorrectly i. , cap.
^4 See Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," xvi.
Januarii. Vita S. Fursaei. Appendix, cap.
Ireland," book i. , chap, iv. , p. 35.
ss See a MS. classed H i. , 11. Trinity
College Library, Dublin, No. 6. 59 See ibid. , No. 7.
January i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 285
all those with whom he associated in a religious relationship. Hence many
of his highly-favoured companions may be classed among the most saintly of disciples. The renowned names of these latter are known, and adduced
by Colgan from different authors. ^ Among them are noted St. Foillan,^^ martyr, and brother of our saint; St. Ultan,^^ Abbot of Fossey, another brother ; St. Dichul f^ St. Gobban f'- St. Adalgisus f^ St. Etto f^ St. Ber- tuin,67 Bishop ; St, Emilian f^ St. Eloquius -^ St. Mombulus ;7° St. Frede- gand;7i St. Helan;? ^ St. Boetius ;73 the Blessed Columban ;74 St. Veran ;7S
St. Corbican •^^ St. Lactan or Lactantius St. ;79
St. Tressan St. German ;76
;77
Vincent,^° Count of Hannonia ; St. Malgill f^ St. Sigebert,^^ King of the
East Angles. Several of these disciples followed St. Fursey to France ; and all are mentioned as having been his friends and familiars. ^3
Three places in Ireland seem to have derived their denominations from
St. Fursey. Besides one in the county of Galway, in the deanery of Annagh- down, and archdiocese of Tuam, there was a Kilfursa near the town of Dundalk, in the archdiocese of Armagh, and province of Ulster, as also one in the county of Cork, and province of Munster. ^* Besides, in Scotland, as in Ireland, the memory of St. Fursey was specially commemorated. ^s Thus the Kalendarium Drummondiense,^^ the Kalendarium Breviarii Aber- donensis,^7 and the Breviary of Aberdeen itself ^^ Adam King's Kalendar,^^
" and David Dempster's MenologiumScotorum,9°
have
notices of this illustrious saint. In art, Fursey is represented with oxen at his feet, because his body was placed on a waggon, and the oxen were
^ See his "Acta Sanctoram Hibemise. "
Appendix ad Acta S. Fursaei, xvi. Januarii,
cap. vi. p. 96.
°' See his acts at. the 31st of October.
** See notices of this saint at the ist of
separate
^^ His feast occurs at the 27th of Septem- ber, See Sir Harris Nicholas' "^Chronology of History," p, 171,
*3 St, Cummian, who is said by Colgan to have written on "The Virtues of the Irish
"
Saints
*3The feast of this holy man does not has allusion to this holy man. His morti-
May.
seem to be known.
**This saint's festival has not been dis-
covered.
'5 See notices of this saint at the 2nd of
June.
** Notices of this saint occur at the nth
of July.
*7 See an account of this holy man at the
I ith of November.
^ See notices of this saint at the loth of
March.
*9 See his life at the 3rd of December.
7° See notices at the i8th of November. 7'Seeanaccountofhimatthe17thof
July.
7^ His feast has been placed at the 7th of
January,
73 His festival does not seem to be
known.
7* His feast does not appear to be known.
75 His festival has not been noted.
7* His feast has not been discovered.
77 See notices at the 9th of July.
7^ His feast is not known.
79 A doubt exists regarding his proper doneuald. " Ibid. , p. 142,
feast. See some notices regarding this dis-
ciple at the 26th of June, and at the 1st of
^ See notices of him at the 14th of July.
^'
9° At the 1 6th of January we there read, " Peronje inventio Fursaei & Foillani, V. V,
9' " Eodem die, Sanctus Fursaeus Abbas. " —Ibid. , p. 234,
August.
See his life at the^30th of May.
"
Fursa, the truly pious loved
Nothing more admirable, we are told of, In a well as cold as the snow,
Accurately to sing his psalms. "
—See Rev. Dr. Kelly's "Calendar of
Irish Saints," p. 167.
^See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Camerarius,? '
more than a thousand years before, fications are thus narrated :
nise," xvi. Januarii. Vita S. Fursaei, n. i. , p, 91.
*s See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
ScottRh Saints," pp. 352 to 354,
^At the 1 6th of January, it has "apud
Hibemiam natale sancti Fursey Scotigene
confessoris atque Abbatis celebratur," ibid. ,
p. 2.
^ See at i6th of
January,
" Fursei Abb. "
Ibid. , p. III.
^Pars Hyemalis, f. xxxii. , quoted by Bishop Forbes.
^At the i6th of "S, January,
Furce, patron of perone in Pacardie in France oye
to — of Scotland vnder Eugenicis 4, king king
286 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i6.
allowed to conduct it without guide as they went to Perrone ; or making a fountain spring up at Lagny, by thrusting his staff into the soil ; or be- holding a vision, of angels ; or the flames of purgatory and hell, seea in his wonderful trance. 9'
According to various authorities, there are no less than eight different
festival days, which should be considered sacred to this saint's memory.
These are, the i6th of January, the 6th, 9th, and 25th of February, the 4th of March, the 17th and 28th of September, and the 26th of December.
Although some difficulty may be experienced, in determining exactly each particular memorial of the saint, affixed to these several days ; yet the reader is referred to days already mentioned for further notices concerning him. These seem more properly assignable to succeeding pages and volumes ot this work.
Article II. —St. M9N0A or Monua, of Magh-Niadh, In Tuaith- Ratha, now Monea, in Tooraa, C—ounty of Fermanagh. The double
existence that most — persons support
that
they wish to be considered is the source of many faults. To such pre-
tensions we may trace most of our vexations and wretchedness. He is the
Monea Church, Co. Fermanagh.
truly happy man, who forgets that insincerity of action followed by so many, and who remembers only that each is as he appears in the sight of his Creator, and no greater. This was the wisdom of God's true friends. As- signed to this day, in the Martyrologies of Tallagh' and of Donegal,' we find entered, Monoa, Virgin, of Magh-Niadh,3 in Tuaith-ratha. * The place was
»» See Rev. S. Baring- Gould's " Lives of
the Saints," vol. i. , p. 245.
Art. II. —' Edited by the Rev. Dr. Kelly,
•Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
18, 19.
3 "Gen. mhoighe niadh. " William M.
p. xiv. TheFranciscanversionreadsmonuA Hennessy'sannotation.
TTlAISI TJlAT). < Anglicized Tooraah, " the district of the
is,
what men and what really are,
January i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 287
identical with Monea,s in Tooraa, county of Fermanagh. * It is now a townland in the parish of Devenish,? and barony of Maheraboy, county Fermanagh. ^ The scenery around Monea is of remarkable richness and beauty; whilewearetoldbyDr. Petrie,thattheoriginalchurchofMonea was situated on an island in Lough Erne, and that an old chapel there, soon after 1630, was converted into a parish church. 9 It is hkely this stands on the site of St. Monoa's religious establishment, which existed at an early date. '° Here probably the virgin lived, died, and was buried in the ceme- tery. " Yet, in our ancient and storied land no tradition of the saint survives.
Article III. —St. Moelisa or Maelisa Ua Brolchain, Patron of Clonmanv Parish, County of Donegal. {Eleventh Century? ^ The lapse of time, the tumults, wars, and changes occurring in Ireland, have left us without a special record of the acts and miracles, attributed to this holy man. He was distinguished, no less by his learning and intellectual acquirements, than by his virtues. ' All the notices which Colgan^' could find regarding St. Maehsa O'Brolchan are to be seen pubHshed by him, at the i6th of January. 3 This author says, he was in possession of some fragments of the saint's writ- ings, and that he knew where others were preserved in Ireland. These were held in high estimation. '* The eulogies of various writers, and even popular tradition, have well preserved his memory in the peninsula of Inishowen, in the extreme northern parts of Ireland. There he seems to have been bom, probably about the commencement of the eleventh century. The Blessed Moelisa O'Brolchan descended from one of the most celebrated among the northern families. The modem name is said to have been Anglicized into Bradley. s Moelisa O'Brolchan was the son of Maelbrigid, son to Dubhinsi, son of Maeldichuo, son to Flann Finn, son of Maeltul, son to Cronn Mastius, who was the son of Suibhne Meann. * This latter was monarch of Ireland
fort. " See " The Topographical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla-na-naomh O'Huidhrin. " Edited by Dr. O'Donovan, n. 136, p. xxii.
5 An interesting legend, relating to this place, will be found in William F. Wake-
man's " Lough Erne, Enniskillen, Belleek, Ballyshannon, and Bundoran," etc.
*In a note to William M. Hennessy's
the old castle and historic notices of this place are there to be found.
'"The accompanying picture, drawn on the spot by William F. Wakeman, was
engraved by A. Appleton.
" " A clear pure air pervades the scene,
In loveliness and awe secure ;
Meet spot to sepulchre a queen — Who in her life was pure. "
copy of the Martyrology of Donegal, he
quotes an Irish commentof Dr. O'Donovan,
and adds a translation. " St. Feber, of this
place, cursed the Sillees River (a b<Mnn
fAibfe), and bequeathed unto it "miATi
eifc , Aruf ox> bAi-bce Ag iaic AnAjATO acquainted with the present saint's parti- AtioiTAti —" ill-luck of fish, and luck of cular locality.
"
Acta Sanctorum Hibemije," xvi. ' See an account of it in Lewis' "Topo- Januarii. Vita B. Moelissae Brolcani, p.
drowning, running against their order. " 3 See
graphical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. i. , pp. 458, 459-
108.
* See ibid. , n. 8.
5 In De " Hibernia
will be found on the " Ord-
"Its
nance Survey Townland Maps for the
Dominicana," cap. ix. , p. 252, n. (p), allusion to this name
position
Burgo's
"
Sheets 15, 21. The site of the church and Monea Castle in ruins
will be noticed on Sheet 15.
» See "The Irish Penny Journal," vol. i. ,
No. 30, p. 233. An interesting woodcut of
County of Fermanagh,
of Bradley occurs.
'Such is the pedigree contained in the Book
of Lecain, now preserved in the Royal Irish
Academy, and from wliich Colgan had pro- cured the foregoing account.
Samuel Ferguson's "Cromlech on Howth. "
Article III. — ' See Harris' Ware, vol. "
ii. , Writers of Ireland," p. 67.
*
Our great national hagiologist was well
288 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i6.
fromA. D,615to628,7andoursaintwasseventhindescentfromhim. ^ We are told, that the family of O'Brolchains were distinguished in that part of
the country, at a former period ; but that in Colgan's day,9 they had for the most part fallen into obscurity. '"' Dr. O'Donovan says, many of the O'Brol- chain family lived in the counties of Donegal and Londonderry, in his own time, and that he met several of them in the Ulster province, but in an humble rank of life. Yet, they were remarkable for a love of learning and for native intelligence. " The blessed Maelisa is thought to have spent his youth in the monastery of Both-chonais," situated -ynthin the peninsula of Inishowen, and the diocese of Deny. There he not only made very great progress in the way of perfection, but he attained also the very highest dis- tinction in literature and science. The name of this place is now obsolete ;
but there can be little doubt, says Dr. O'Donovan, that Templemoyle,^^ in the parish of Culdaff, in the barony of Inishowen, represents it. In another place, however, he makes the correction that Bothchonais is obviously the
old graveyard in the townland of Binnion, parish of Clonmany, county of
Donegal,'4 His proficiency in the knowledge of antiquities and languages was so remarkable, that he was considered second to no other scholar then in Ireland. His virtues even excelled his erudition, and both were greatly celebrated. Maolisa is called a learned senior of Ireland, a paragon of wisdom and piety, as also versed in poetry, and in both languages. This means, that he was well read both in the Irish and Latin tongues. His wisdom and intellectual gifts were so great, that he wTote books, replete with genius and learning. It was he, we are told, that composed the poem for Michael the Archangel, and which begins,
" O Angel cany, O Michael, very miraculous To the Lord my supplication," &c.
This, however, was not the sole composition attributed to this remarkable saint ; for a monastic rule in verse is extant, and this is said to have been
composed by him. 'S
The patron saint of the parish of Cloncha, in Inishowen,'^ was always
' According to one account. In O'Dono- van's "Annals of the Four Masters," the events of his reign are from A. D. 611 to 623. See vol. i,, pp. 236 to 247.
^
Colgan suspects, however, there must be
an omission of some intermediate grades in
this saint's genealogy. Thus, the Annals of
Senat-mac-Magnus and of Donegal place called Templemoyle and Drumaville. A the death of Flann Finn at A. D. 698. See small cemetery, but without the remains of Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four any building, exists at the former place. Masters," vol. i. , pp. 300, 301. Now the See "Acts of Archbishop Colton in his saint must have been more removed from
him, than by four generations, as Maelisa
died towards the close of the eleventh cen-
tury. Besides the Brolchan, from whom
his family name was derived, is missing Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (d),p. 483. Also
from his genealogy.
9 See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," xvi.
Januarii, nn. i, 4, p. 108.
" Yet there were some learned ecclesi-
astics of the name since Colgan's time.
" See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
vol. ii. , n. (q), p. 722, ibid.
'S A copy is to be found among the
O'Longan Manuscripts belonging to the Royal Irish Academy, vol. viii. It con-
tains 66 quatrains or 264 verses, pp. 99 to 104.
'^ See its situation on the "Ordnance Survey Maps for the County of Donegal," "In English, "Conas's booth," "tent," Sheets i, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12. It contains
Four
nn
and n.
vol. (e), pp. 926 to 929.
Masters,"
ii. ,
(x, y, z),
or " hut. "
'^ Grealiach, which signifies "a miry
place" (East and West), locally well-known as two townlands, in the parish of Clonca, do not appear on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Done-
gal," Sheet 4. There, however, they are
Metropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of Derry, A. D. Mcccxcvii. " Edited by Rev. William Reeves, n. (z), p. 68.
'^ See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
January i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 289
regarded as being the present Mselisa Ua Brolchain. In this parish, there stoodanancientmonastery,knownasTempleMoyle,orTapalMoule. An old graveyard, surrounded by a stone wall, with an iron gate entrance, is found atthisplace. '? WefindrecordedintheMartyrologiesofMarianusO'Gorman and of Donegal,'^ at the i6th day of January, Maelisa Ua Brolchain. On the seventeenth of the calends of February, he resigned his spirit to heaven, as stated in this quatrain :
" On the Seventeenth of the calends of February, The night of fair Fursa's festival,
Died Maelisa Ua Brolchain,
But, however, not of a heavy severe fit. "
This accoimt seems to convey, that he ended life by a process of natural decline, and that he expired without much suffering. It is likely he attained an advanced age. The Annals of Clonmacnoise, at a. d. 1084,^9 have re- corded his death. The year 1086 was that of his decease, according to the
Annals of Ulster and of the Four Masters. ^°
were richly bestowed by the Giver of every good gift.
and learning, his soul was open to the influences of Divine grace, and his rewards
Article IV. —Feast of the Finding of St. Foillan's, St. Faoillen's,
OR Foelan's Relics, with these of his Companion Martyrs, in Bel-
gium. {Seventh Century. '] At this date, Colgan has devoted his hagiogra- phical work to various prose and metrical accounts' regarding the festival of the discovery of the relics of St. Foillan and of his martyred companions. * We reserve however to the 31st of Octobers this narrative to insert with their acts. The Martyrology of Donegal^ records Faoillen, as being venerated on this day. A very simple, and nearly a similar entry, Foelan, occurs in the Martyrology of Tallagh,5 at the i6th of January. This is intended to indi- cate the feast of St. Foillan's remains being found, after the martyrdom of himself and companions, in the forest of Sonef, in Belgium, a. d. 655 or 656.
Article V. —The Sons of Ailill, of Drum-bairr, County of Fer-
managh. St. Jerome declares, that human nature is disposed to regard the
truthasdistasteful,whilevicesaredeemedpleasures. ' Holypersons,however,
are sure to reverse such opinions.
19,643 acres, and it lies at the most extreme
northern of the of
point barony Inishowen,
The Martyrology of Tallagh* registers
and county of Donegal.
" Inishowen
Januarii. De inventione S. Foillani, Ep. et
M. , pp. 99 to 105.
3 The chief festival of St. Foillan. '
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
18, 19.
5 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xii. After
the entry of eight foreign saints, the first entry at this day in the Franciscan copy is
'7 See
Maghtochair's
;
Its
History, Traditions and Antiquities," chap.
xiii. , p. 134.
'^
Edited by Drs, Todd and Reeves, pp. 18, 19.
'9 This, however, according to the learned
Dr. O'Donovan's computatioi\, agrees with the date by the Ulster Annals and by those of the Four Masters. In those of Clonmac- noise we read in addition, that this saint's volumes contained, "many great misteries and new sciences devised
Sci •pAet/Ani. — Article v.
'
himselfe. " See O'Donovan's edition, vol. ii. , pp.
' Edited Rev. Dr. by
"^
924, 925. Article iv.
—
'To these he has added
Vol. I.
u
by
Kelly, p.
Enlightened by study
three chapters of an Appendix.
" See " Acta Sanctorum xvi. Hibemise,"
Secundi Libri "Episto- larum" Hieronymi. Epist. C. " Opera
omnia," tomus i. , p. 278.
xii. The Franciscan copy has ItlAC AiiiA "Oixom
bhAi]\.
290 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i6
MacorsonsofAililla,DromaBairr,onthei6thofJanuary.
