No More Learning

See "Trans-
Vita . S. lib. Quarta Columbae,
i. , cap. xxx. ,
Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other
n. 75. p. 378.
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Keeves, pp.
114, 115.
'? A note by Dr. Todd says, at this word
Ai. n«us, "The woids m<snAc xio inocux)d
are quoted, from the Scholia, on the Feilire
544 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 29.
sonofRodan. " Hisfestivalissetdownatthe9thdayofApril,byColgan,"
who quotes various Irish Martyrologies for his statement, but, as we have seen, at the 7th of this month, Colgan intended to note the 29th. Hector
Boetius,3 Lesley * and Dempster 5 mention a St. Ruthius. According to the latter writer, much against his fatiier's consent, who lived in Hibernia, he went to Scotland, and in some part of it, as bishop, Rus had charge of souls. The same unreliable author informs us, that Ruthius wrote Sermones de Sanctis, lib. i. , and De Vita Monastica, lib. i. He is said, also, to have attached himself as a disciple to St. Columkille,* and that lie was a person, more distinguished for liis great piety, than for his nobility of extraction. 7 We find, that a St. Rus left Ireland, as one of twelve companions, with St. Coluniba, about the year 563, when the great Coenoliiarch was about to take up his permanent habitation on earth, in the neighbouring country of Scotland. * Among the fellow-voyagers of St. Columb. i are distinguished Rus and Fethno, two sons of Rodan. 9 The Martyrologium Anglicanum refers liis feast, to the 14th of December, and, it states, that he died about a. d. 588. According to Dempster,'" however, he flourished in the year 606, and he was venerated on the 27th day of December. The feast of our saint was held, it is said, on the 9th of April, according to the Martyrologies of Tamlacht, of Donegal, of
" Russen
Marian O'Gorman and of Maguire
these writers he is
ol the Islands of the Picts. "" According to Colgan, the year for his death is uncertain. In the edition of the Tallagh Martyrology, published by the Rev. Dr. Kelly, we cannot discover any mention of this saint's name, at the v. of the Ides, or 9th of April ; whereas, at the vii. of the Ides, and 7th day of the month, there is a festival entry of " Ruissen Innse Pich. "'' In this same work, the 14th of December is missing ; consequently, there are no means for determining, whether a festival had been appointed for our saint, at that day. Nor do we discover, that this deficiency has been supplied in tlie supplemen- tary catalogue, compiled from the Martyrology of Donegal. Wherefore, at the vi. ofthe Kalends of January—December 27th—there is no entry of a me-
morial feast for this saint, in the published Tallagh Martyrology. '^
; by
styled,
Article V. —St. Luicridh, Abbot of Clonmacnoise, King's County. \ Eighth Century. '] We find no mention of a festival for this saint, in the pub-
lished Martyrology of Tallagh, at the iii. of the May Kalends, corresponding
'
with the 29th of April ; although the Bollandists
quote that calendar, for
"' See 120.
of St. Adamnan's work. See Ussher's
p. —' Article, iv.
"
Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates,"
According to the Cotto- nian Codex of Adamnan's Life of St.
cap. xv. , p. 363. '" "
See Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis See Trias Thauraaturga, Quarta Ap- Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. x\i. num. 1036,
Columba, as quoted by Ussher. '""
pendix ad Acta St. Columbie, cap. ix. , p.
p. 544.
"See Colgan's "Trias Thauraaturga,"
Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Columbre, cap. X. De S. Columbse discipulis, p. 492.
"See "Calendar of Irish Saints,"&c. , pp. xx. , xxi.
'^
j^ the Irish Calendar, belonging to the Irish Ordnance Survey Records, we do not find the name of this saint, at the 9th of
487, and cap. X. , p. 492. "
3 See Scotiae Historia," lib. ix. , fol. 166.
* See " Historia Scotiae," lib. iv. , p. clii.
"
5 See
Historia Ecclesiastica Genlis Sco-
torum," tomus ii. , lib. xvi. , num. 1036, p.
544.
' See his Life, at the 9th of June.
' See Hector Boetius' lib. ix. , fol. clxvii.
"
Historise
but at vii. of the Ides of
• See John Hill Burton's "History of
Scotland," vol. i. , chap, vii. , p. 263.
' In the Appendix to the Cottonian copy
Scotiae,"
April (April
April,
7th), n-e see "
mon Place Book," F. p. 36. In this copy, we do not find his name occurring, either at the 14th or at the 27th of December.
Uuifen in]-e picc. "
—
"Com-
April 29. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 543
the feast of St. Lucridiiis of Kill-Lucridhe, Abbot of Clonmacnoise, at this day. Hewasborn,mostprolwhlytowardsthecloseoftlieseventhcenuny. This saint, it is said, w:is appointed Abbot over Clonmacnoise, the ruins of which yetexist,ontheRiverShannon'sleftbank,withintheKing'sCounty. This great ruonastery was then in a very flourisiiing condition. Through reverence for the founder, even the cemetery at this place had always been a favourite place of burial, from St. Kieran's time. 3 There are several ancient inscriptions to be seen, in the cemetery of Clonmacnoise, and many of which date back to an exceedingly remote period. * As we learn, that Comman of Ross died in the year 742, as Abbot of Clonmacnoise,5 it seems probable, that he was immediately succeeded by St. Luicridh. This latter is said to liave died, a. d. 740,* according to the O'Clerys. Over this date, a more recent hand has
inserted 752. ' Thus, St. Luicridh died, on the 29thof April, a. d. 748, according to the Annals of the Four Masters ;' but, according to the Ulster . Annals, a. d. 752. 9 However, as the Ulster Annals relate at this year an eclipse of the sun, which really took place on the 9th of January, at 11 o'clock, a. m. , in the year 753 ; this also may have been the date for our saint's death, if we aretofollowtheauthorityoftheseAnnals. '" Wefindsetdown,intheMar- tyrology of Donegal," that veneration was paid on this day, to Luichridh, of cm Luichridh, Abbot of Cluain-mic-Nois. " In a copy of the Irish calendar, once belonging to the Irish Ordnance Survey Office, Phoenix Park, it is stated, that this saint was from Kill Luicrid. A marginal note in pencil, affixed to the latter word, and in the handwriting of Mr. O'Donovan, puts the query, if this place l>e identical with Killury, a village of Clanmaunce barony, in the
of —Thereis a a in the of and county Kerry. Killurane, parish barony Tulla,
county of—Clare Killure, a parish in the barony of Gaultier, and county of
Waterf
of Shelmalier, and
of Wex-
—ord a in the Killurin, parish barony
county
ford '-' there is also a Killury, a parish in the barony of Clanuiaurice and
county of Kerry ;'• yet, it is not ascertained, if any of these places derivedits
denomination, from the saiut venerated on this day.
Article VI. —St. Brecan, Bishop ok Movillf,, County of Down.
The name of Brecan appears, in the Martyrology of Taliagh,' at this day ; and, to it, the Bollandists give reference, at the 29th of Aj)ril. ' A festival in
honour of Brecan, Bishop of Magh-bile, or Movtlle,^ was held, on this day, as is recorded in the Martyrology of Donegal. * We know not the years, during which he continued to exercise episcopal rule ;* nor can we discover the year for his departure from this life. There are notices of a St. Braccan, or Brecan, at the i6th of July. * He is called bishop of Ardbraccan, in the county of Meath; but, also, he is called Abbot of Magh-Bile. ' The cir- cumstances related of his race and family point him out, as distinct from St. Breacan, or Brecan, the son of Eochaidh Balldearg, prince of Thomond, and
Article v. — ' In the Fr^inciscan Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 342, 343.
copy, however, we read Lucc^ro ciLli Luc- ' I'his is tlie date, in " Annals of the Four
p.
611.
'See his Life, at the 9th of Septem-
Masters," which do not mention Luicridh, '"
cjMt).
. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
Aprilis xxix. Among the pretermitted saints,
as being distinguished of Cill Luchridh. '|
' Dr. 112. This See a note by Todd, p.
date accords with tlie AiniaU of UKter. 'See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four . Masters," vol. i. , pp. 350, 351, and n.
(o).
' See Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernica-
rum Scriptores," tomus iv. , p. 95.
ber.
* See Miss Margaret Stokes' " Christi. m
Inscriptions in the Irish Language. "
5 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
MI
546
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 29.
from whom Ardbraccan,^ in Meath, is said to have taken denomination, His period is referred to the sixth, or very early in the seventh, century. '
Article VII. —St. Domaingen, Bishop of Tuaim Muscraighe. In the
published Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 29th of April, is found the simple entry, Domangin of Thuaim Muscraidhe. ' In the Bollandists' collection,}
referring to the same calendar, they have Domongenus, Episcopus de 'I'uaim- Muscraig.
This place is stated < to be identical with Tomcs,5 Barony of West
Muskerry, in the present county of Cork. The O'Clerys inform us, that he was son of Fionnlugh, brother to Brenainn, son of Fionnlugh, who descended from the race of Ciar, son to Fergus, son of Ros, son to Rudhraighe. The celebrated Navigator, St. Brendan,' is said to have been the son of Finlogue, or Finnlog, derivedfromthesamestock. Wearetold. thathehadabrother,abishopnamed
whose feast was to of • and, he had a sister, Domanigen, assigned 29th April
called Briga, or Brigh. This is stated, in St. Brendan's Irish Life,? and it is also said, she was of Enachduin,* according to the O'Clerys. 9 Under the head of Tuaim-Muscraighe, Duald Mac Firbis enters, Domhainghin, or Dam- hainghin, bishop of Tuaim Muscraighe. He is called, also, tlie brother of Brenainn, and at April 29th his festival is placed. '" On this day, the Martyr- ology of Donegal " likewise registers a festival, in honour of Domaingen, Bishop, of Tuaim Muscraighe.
Article VIII. —St. Senan, Confessor, in North Wales. [Seiienth
Cetitiiry. ']
The Bollandists
'
have short notices of a St. Senan, confessor, at
" The "Art de Verifier les Dates," torn. i. , p. 66, is referred to, for proof of the sun's
where there is a notice of St. Brecan, Bishop
at this
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
112, 113.
"Attheiii. oftheCalendsofMay—29th
of Ardbrecain, and Abbot of Magbile.
' Owing to the record of his assumed descent from the race of Eoghan, the son of Niall, he does not seem 10 have been at ibid. , pp. 326, 327.
"Braccan's Height. "
' See Rev. Antliony Cogan's " Diocese of
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. i. ,chap.
vii. , p. 48. —' Rev. Dr.
Article vii. Edited by
Kelly, p. xxii.
' in the Franciscan we find Also, copy,
Oomuripn o chuaim mtn-cfije.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Ap-
rilis xxix. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 6u.
* By William M. Hennessy.
5 This denomination does not appear, on
the Irish Ordnance Survey Maps. There
is a Tomies East, a Toniies West, and a
Tomies Wood, in the parish of Aghadoe, in
the Barony of Dunkerron North, and
described, on the " Ordnance Survey Town-
land Maps for the County of Kerry," sheets
65, 66.
eclipse,
year.
of "
^"° novn Book F," p. 42.
April l. uicnn5
:
6 citt tuicniT) Abb CtuAtiA mc
''Anglicized
noil"
752. '
—
" Common Place
—in the Irish Calendar we read
different from a St. Brecan, venerated the 6th of Decerhber. See
" See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 157.
" See ibid. , — p. 158.
'
Article vi. Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. x. xii. In the Franciscan copy, we find bpeccdiii Ab niai^ibiLi.
'
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Ap- rilis xxix. Among the pretermitted saints,
p.
611.
3 See in reference to this saint, Duald Mac
Firbis' remarks, and William M. Hennessy's
note 10 in " of the Irish Proceedings Royal
Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. 1. , part i. , pp. 86, 87.
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
112,113.
5 See Rev. William Reeves' "Ecclesiastical
Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore,
"
See his Life, at the l6th of May.
Appendix A, p. 152, 377-
and
Appendix LL, p.
? In vi. chap.
•
In chap. Ixix.
» See the " Martyrology of Donegal,"
edited Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 8, 9. by
' See Rev. Drs. Todd's and Reeves'
" of at 194, Martyrology Donegal," pp. 195,
April 29. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 547
this day. ' There were many Irisli saints bearing this name ; and, although
the English Martyrology derives the origin of the present holy man, from an old and a noble British stock, yet it seems likely enough, that the honour of
his birth may be referred to Ireland. His feast is noticed by Dean Cressy, as occurring at the 29th of April ; and, he is said to have been the assistant
and instructor of the holy Virgin and Martyr, St. Winefride, in the perfection of a religious life. 3 Short notices of this pious confessor are given, in the workofRev. S. Baring-Gould. -» St. Senanwasgreatlyesteemedforhismany virtues, for, at an early age, he had despised the world's vanities ; while he led an austere and a solitary life, in the northern part of Wales. This was within a territory, belonging to the father of St . Wenefrid,5 and who was called Thevith. The holy woman often paid visits to St. Senan, and she assisted at his funeral obsequies. ^ Saints Chebeus ^ and Senan departed this life before St. Wine- frid, and they were buried in the same cemetery. After her death, she was interred beside St. Senan, and at the head of St. Winefrid the remains of St. Chebeus lay. That burial ground afterwards became celebrated for the number of pilgnms it attracted, to obtain special and spiritual favours from tiiose saints. ' The English writer Alford has assigned the period of St. Senan to the seventh century. After his death, in the country of Danmonia,' or Cornubia,'" his memory was so greatly venerated, that a town and port were calledSenan. TheBollandiststhink"thepresentSt. Senantohavebeen identical with one similarly named, who had been venerated in the parish of Plou-san^ in the diocese of Laon, in Arnioric Britanny," at the 6th of March,'3 and that, from the Welsh, his cultiis had been extended to that part of France, since the Cambrian and Armoric Britons usually celebrated the memory of the same holy persons.
Article IX. ^St. Gondibert, Gumbert, or Gundibert, Martyr. \Seventh or Eighth Century. '\ While Ferrarius has a festival, and at this day, for St. Gumbert, in Scotia ;' yet, Father Daniel Papebroke asserts, that it was
ignorance of the present holy man's history and place, which caused him to make such an observation. The Bollandists have the Acts ' of St. Gonde-
bert, a Frenchman, said by some writers, to liave been martyred in Ireland. 3
"See "Proceedings of the Royal Iiish Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. ijO, 131.
' Also called Cliebbi, or Cubbi.
'According to the "Vita S. Wenefridae," written by Rupert, Abbot of Shrewsbury, about the year 1140.
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
112, 113. — » Now Devon.
' '» Article vni. See "Acta Sancto-
At present Cornwall,
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
rum,," tomus iii. , Aprilisxxix.
' De Sancto Senano, confessore, in Ang-
lia, p. 620.
3 See "Church of
History Brittany,"
Book xvi. , chap, ix. , p. 391.
'See "Lives of the Saints," vol. iv. ,
April29,p. 364.
5 Her feast was kept, on the 3rd of No-
"
vemlier. The Kev. Alban Butler, in his Gumberti Mariyris. "
"^ Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other
These are chiefly from the six old Lessons
principal Saint-;," vol. xi. , has an interesting account of St. Weiiefride, or Winefride, Virgin and Martyr, at that date.
' See " Les Petit-, Bollandi-stes, Vies des
of a Proper Office, which, liowever, are said
to have been considerably interpol;aed.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum,' tomus iii. iJe S. Gondcberto Mariyrc, Avennaci in
Saints," tome v. , xxix* Jour d'Aviil, Territorio Remensi, pp. 620 to 625.
p. 67.
Aprilis xxix. IJe Sancto Senano, Confessore
in Anglia, p. 620.
" to Albert le Grand. According
'3 See the notice of a St. Senan, at this
day, in the previous volume. Articleix. —'Hestates,in "Catalo-
gus Generalis Sanctorum:" "In Scotia S.
*
See' 'Lives of the Irish Saints," vol. iii. ,
548
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 89.
He lias been noticed, at the 27th of March ;< but, many calendarists consider the 29ih of April s to have been tlie Natalis, for this holy man. He is called, likewise, Gunibert, Gundibert, or Gundebert. Under this latter designation, the Rev. S. Baring-Gould has some short notes regarding him, at this same date. ' It is supposed, St. Gondcberl flourished during the time of King Childeric 1 1. ,7 wlio succeeded Sigebert, King of Austrasia. As himself and his wife St. Bertha agreed to lead lives of strict chastity, tliey had no children. St.