The
Martyrology
of Raban Maur ascribes a festival to St.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v5
106, 107.
Masters," at 1
1
,"^\rticle VI. — ' Kelly, p. XXV,
Edited by Rev. Dr.
——
May 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
jealousy of his younger but legitimate brother Egfrid,^ who ruled for fifteen years over his principality, with religious and commendable behaviour. 9 Ecfriotan was the name of our present saint, according to Marianus O'Gorman, nor is any further information conveyed respecting him. It seems hardly credible, that he could be identified with Alfridus—the names are so different —yet the Northumbrian exile is praised, for having sedulously devoted the years of his exile to study and to the acquisition of philosophy. We are in- formed, likewise, that as a just punishment for his invasion of the innocent Irish, King Ecgfrid, son of Oswy, fell in a battle fought against the Picts, on the 13th of the Calends of June,'° or on the 2otli of May," a. d. 684, or 685 ; so that, independently of his hostility to the Irish, the discrepancy of those diurnaldatesseemstoexcludehimfromthepresentcommemoration. He was afterwards succeeded on the throne, by his brother Alfrid, then pursuing his studies in Ireland ; but, after the death of Ecgfrith, the flourishing king- dom of Northumbria became utterly weakened by intestine divisions. " A St. Egbert appears, in the Roman Martyrology, at the 24th of April. He lived in Ireland, and he died in Hy, a. d. 729. He is frequently mentioned, by Venerable Bede. '3 However it may be explained, on this day, the Martyr- ology of Donegal ^4 registers Echfriotan, as having had veneration given to him. The entries have a dualistic appearance ; and, as differently spelled and authenticated, in their respective references, they seem applicable only to a single person.
Article VII. Festival of St. Aculius and his Companions, Martyrs. In the " Feilire " of the " Leabhar Breac," there is a com- memoration, at the 27th of May, of St. Aculius, a priest, with his clergy who were martyrs. ' The Martyrology of Drummond has a notice of St. Acculeus and of his companions. ^ They are entered by the Bol- landists,3 in their great collection, at this same date. There we find them called Acculus, or Aquilus, or Aquilinus, Evangelius, with fourteen other
^ Sometimes called Ecgferd or Everth. 140, 141. A note by Dr. Todd says, at See "The Saxon Chronicle," with an Echfriotan, "The two paragraphs witliin
English translation, by the Rev. B. lJ. , p. 55.
J.
Ingram,
brackets are in the more recent hand. They both evidently relate to the same indivi- dual. "
9 See Rev. Dr. Dodd's " Church History of
EnglandfromthecommencementoftheSix-
teenth Century to the Revolution in 1688," translated into English, by Dr. Whitley
with Notes, Additions, and a Continuation by the Rev. M. A. Tierney, F. S. A. , vol. i. , part i. , Art. i. , p. 39. London, 1S39, ^/jf$'. , 8vo.
'"According to the Venerable Bede, in " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. xxvi. , p. 346.
ARTICLE^vii. —' Itisthusentered,and Stokes :
Aculnif inci\uimcliei\ CoiiacIiLai^a A)~noenTOAi ^pni]:^^) cechtDiniu Ooi\o)\uAt) |:oi\oenu.
" Tighernach at A. D. 685, and the Annals
of Ulster, at A. D. 685, record the same event.
See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hiberni-
rum Scriptores," tomus ii. , p. 213, and latter is a singularly curious remark, and it
tomus iv. , p. 63.
'- See Edward A. Freeman's " History of
the Norman Conquest of England," vol. i. , chap, ii. , p. 38.
'3 But, as he was not the son of Ossu, it would seem, in the opinion of Rev. Dr. Todd, that Ecfrit or Ecgbrit, sonof Ossa, may have been intended, at this passage, in the O'Clerys' Martyrology.
'* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
must refer, either to an early practice of placing numbers to measure distances on Irish roads, in the time of . St. yEngus, or it may possibly refer to a knowledge of some corresponding method observed in connexion with the old roads of the Roman Empire,
^ See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 14.
3 gee " Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Mali xxvii. DeSanctisMartyribusAlexanurinis
" Aculius tlie priest, with his clergy which is most sanctified: their blood before every number was poured forth on roads. " The
583
———
584 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 27.
Martyrs, who suffered at Alexandria, according to accounts contained in old Martyrologies, although these various Calendars somewhat differ in giving the names of those holy victims, who died for Christ, in the times of great persecution.
Article VIII. St. Moduin, Abbot of Saul, County of Down. This saint is entered, at this date, in a Calendar compiled by the Rev. William Reeves. In the diocese of Down, there was a church dedicated to a St. Medumy ; but, this church and its patron saint are now unknown. There was a St. Dunnius, a disciple,' and placed by St. Patrick over the Abbey of Saul, and he is called Moduinus, in the Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman. It is possible, the name and place may be connected with this present saint. ^
Article IX. Reputed Feast of St. Wigbrordus, Apostle of Bavaria. At the 27th of May, Thomas Dempster in his " Menologium Scotorum " enters ' a festival for St. Wigbrordus, Apostle of Bavaria, quoting as his authority Lazius but, the Bollandists ^ remark, this should not suffice,
;
when we take into account the silence of Rader, and of other writers, on this matter. In his Ecclesiastical History of Scotland—where so many notable persons of that nation are introduced—Dempster has altogether forgotten to take any notice of St. Wigbrordus.
Article X. —;-Reputed Feast of St. Fintana, Virgin, in Scotland. In his Scottish Entries, Camerarius has notice ' of a St. Fintana, a Virgin, in Scotland. The authority of Laherius is given, also, by the Bollandists," for thisstatement,atthe27thofMay. Itispossible,thatthisistheSt. Fintana, who, with St. Otha—both Virgins—has been introduced, by Thomas Dempster, in his " Menologium Scotorum," at the 13th of October. 3 Again, in his Eccle- siastical History of the Scottish Nation,* the same mendacious writer asserts, that both of those holy virgins lived together, in the same convent, and during the reign of King Conran ; that St. Fintana flourished a. d. 526, while the Acts of both holy virgins have been lost.
Article XI. Feast of St. Fontana, Citing the Scottish Breviary for this entr)', Camerarius and Dempster enter a festival, to commemorate a St. Fontana, Virgin, at the 27th day of May. The latter in his Menology places her, at the 13th of October, as the Bollandists' observe; but, it is evident, that she does not differ from the St. Fintana already noticed.
Acculo, sive Aquilo, aut Aquilino, Evangc- lio, et aliis xiv. , p. 627.
Article viii. — ' See Colgan's "Trias Thaumalurga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. I'atricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 265.
' Sec Rev. William Reeves' " Ecclesiasti- cal Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dro- more," p. 19, n. (i) ; and ibid. Appendix LL. , p. 378. —
'. Sec "Acta Sanctorum," toinus vi. , Mnii xxvii. Among the prclcrmiltcd saints.
' Thus: " In Boiarii Vvig-
' Thus: "27 Die. Sancta Fintana Virgo. "—Bishop Forbes' " Kalen- dars of Scottish Saints," p. 237, and ibid. ,
p. 349.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. .
Maii xxvii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 657.
3 See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendarsof Scot- tish Saints," pp. 214, 349.
•» See tomus i. , lib. vi, num. 513, p. 279.
Article xi,—" Sec "Acta . Snncio- rum," tomus vi. , Maii xxvii. Among llie pretermitted saints, p. 65S.
Akticle IX.
brordi gentis Apostoli. Laz. "—Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 201.
p. 657. — Article x.
— —
May 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
585
Article XII. Reputed Festival of St. Began, Abbot. In the Calendar, prefixed to the Martyrology of Christ Church, there is an entry of St. Becan, Abbot, with an Office of Nine Lessons, at the 27th of May. ' How- ever, as there is no corresponding notice, in the Martyrology itself; we can only suppose, that the insertion had been misjilaced, and that it refers simply to the St. Becan, Abbot, on the day preceding.
Article XIII. Festival of St. Germanus, Bishop of Paris.
The Martyrology of Raban Maur ascribes a festival to St. Germanus, Bishop of Paris, for the 27th of May; but, as the Bollandists ' remark, other writers place it on the day immediately following.
Cb3ent|)-'eig:l)tf) Bap of iWap,
ARTICLE I. —ST. MOEL-ODHRAN, SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN A MONK OF lONA, SCOTLAND.
{SEVENTH CENTURY. ]
LITTLE remains in old records, to point with any degree of certainty to the family, period, place, or personality, of this saint. We find the name, Maelodran, simply inserted, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at this date. On the same authority, and on that of Adamnan, the Bollandists ^ have his fes- tivalplaced,inalikeorder. ColganintendedtoinserttheActsofthissaint, atthe28thofMay. 3 However,heappearstohavebeenindoubt,whether the saint, to whom reference had been made, should be assigned to such day, or to the loth of January; for, the Irish Martyrologies make mention of a saint Moel-Odhran, at both days. It has been supposed, that our saint is mentioned by Adamnan, who calls him a soldier of Christ, and from that part of the country, denominated Mocurin,'* or Mocuria. Adamnan also states, that Mailodranus related to him an anecdote, which is found in his biography of St. Columkille;5 and hence, he must have been contemporaneous with that writer. ^ It is most likely, that he hved in the seventh century; but, indeed, nothing seems to be discoverable, which serves to elucidate his history. The name Mael-Odhrain signifies " the servant of Odhran ;''" and, we find this name
John Clarke Crosthwaite, A. M. , and Rev. James Henthorn Todd, D. D. , p. 65.
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
p. XXV.
* See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Mali
xxviii. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 733-
Article xii. — ' See "The Book of 3 See "Trias Thaumaturga," Appendix Obits and Martyrology of the Cathedral Quinta ad Acta S. Cokimbre, cap. x. De Church of the Holy Trinity, commonly Discipulis S. Columbte, num. 88, p. 491. called Christ Church, Dublin, edited by
Article xiii. —
rum," tomus vi. , Mali xxvii. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 658.
^ " If Mocucurin, the reading in B. , be correct, this tribe name will be Mac-U- Curin, from tti CmiMn, of which we have an instance in the Four Masters, at 1196. " Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," n. (h), p. 50.
* Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Vita S. Columbje, authore S. Adamnano,
Article —
it is also related, an<l may be found, in
i. '
s
the notices of St. Baitan, at the 29th of November.
'
See "Acta Sancto-
S. Columbce," lib. i. , n. 65, p. 377.
Article ii. —' Kelly, p. XXV.
Edited by Rev. Dr.
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 28.
occurring in our Irish Calendars at January loth, May 31st, and November nth. 7 From such circumstance, Colgan shows, that he could not have been Odhran, Abbot of lona, venerated, at the 27th of October,^ and who is called the son of Angin, and also belonging to Tegh-Erarain, in Media, according to Marianus O'Gorman, Moreover, Colgan calls Odhran a monk; but, on what authority, it is difficult to discover. He is called, indeed, a soldier of Christ by Adamnan ; therefore, it is not unlikely he was a religious, and pro- bably a monk of lona.
Article II. The Seven Bishops, of Tigh-na-Commairce. At the 28th of May, the Martyrology of Tallagh ' registers Secht n. Esp. o Thigh na Comairce. TheBollandists^*haveanotice—onthesameauthority—forthe Seven Bishops of Teg-na-Comairre, at this date. As will be seen, there is probably a typographical error, in spelling the name of his locality. The place is said to have been within the present parish of Clonleigh,3 in the barony of Raphoe, and county of Donegal. There is a Tigh-na-Comairce, in Tir Conaill, near to Loch Feabhail—now Lough Foyle—as we are told by the O'Clerys. The Martyrology of Donegal,4 on this day, records a festival, in honour of the Seven Bishops, of Tigh-na-Comairce. Under the head of Teach-na-Comairce, Duald IVIac Firbis enters, the Seven Bishops fromTeach- na-Comairce, at May 28tli. 5 We are informed, likewise, tliat Teach-na- Comairce is in the parish of Clonleigh,^ and in the county of Donegal?
Article III. St. Faelan, or Foillan, a Coxfessor. Human curiosity is not often gratified by a correct knowledge of God's true servants. A festival in honour of Faelan, or Foillan, is simply mentioned in the Martyrologies of Marianus O'Gorman ' and of Donegal,^ as having been celebrated on this day. No other account is found regarding him, except what Colgan states, that there was a Foelanus, the son of Kellach, and that having been abbot of Kildare, he died a. d. 799 3—or rede, 804. We are told, moreover, he was venerated, either on the 28th of May, or on the 9th of June. * Quoting this very account from Colgan,5 Archdall calls him Foelan O'Kellach, and states, that he died, either on the 20th of May or on the 9th of June. ^
S86
lib. i. , cap. XX. , p. 343.
^ See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's '" Life
of St. Columba," n. (g). p. 50.
* See " Trias Tliaumaturga," Quaita Vita
Ilibernicum. " p. 96.
' See William M. Ilennessy's note to
* See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. . Mail xxviii. Among the pretermitted saints.
3 . See, for this statement, Dr. O'Donovan's 3 A description of this parish is given, m "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp.
P- 733.
the " Parliamentai7 Gazetteer of Ireland,"
vol. i. , pp. 446, 447-
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
140, 141.
5 See "Proceedings of the Roya! Irish
Academy," Irish MvS. S. Series, vol. i. , part i. ,
. .
,,. . ,. .
pp. 130, 131.
*This is now a parish church, in tlie dio-
cese ofDerry, two miles north of LifTord, on the River Foyle. SecAichdall's "Monasticon
406, 407.
• See " Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta
Appendix ad Acta S. Brigidoe. cap. ii. , p. 629.
5 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum I liber- nix. " xvi. Januarii. De Inventione S. Foillani Ep. et M. , Appendix, cap. i. , p.
104.
' See " Monasticon Ilibernicum," p. 324.
. ,.
Duald Mac Firbis.
— '
Article hi.
Sanctorum Hibcrnice," xvi. Januarii. De In- ventione S. Foillani Ep. et M. Appendix, cap. i. , p. 104.
' Kiiited l)y Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 140, 141.
See Colgan"s
"Acta
— —
May 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
Article IV. Reputed Feast of St. German, Tutor of St. Patrick. Inthe"Feilire"ofSt. ^ngus,'wefindaFestivaltoSt. German, the tutor of St. Patrick, at the 28th of May. The commentator explains the phrase of tutor of Patrick to mean Patrick's master. ^ It would seem, that St. Germanus, Bishop of Paris, and whose Acts have been set down by the Bollandists,3 at this date, has been considered by /Engus to be identical with St. Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre, whose festival occurs on the 31st of July.
Article V. St. Furadhran, of Lann-Turu. At this date, the Martyrology of Tallagh ^ registers the present saint's name, as Furudrain hil- lannTuirrin. On the same authority, the Bollandists ^ enter Furudranus de Lann-Tura,atthe28thofMay. Itisdifficulttofindtliemodernequivalent of this place, either under the present or the succeeding designation. This day, the Martyrology of Donegal 3 mentions, likewise, that veneration was given to Furadhran, of Lann Turu.
ArticleVI. St. Egghan,theSage. TheMartyrologyofTallagh' enters the name, Eoghan, Sapiens, at the 28th of May.
Masters," at 1
1
,"^\rticle VI. — ' Kelly, p. XXV,
Edited by Rev. Dr.
——
May 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
jealousy of his younger but legitimate brother Egfrid,^ who ruled for fifteen years over his principality, with religious and commendable behaviour. 9 Ecfriotan was the name of our present saint, according to Marianus O'Gorman, nor is any further information conveyed respecting him. It seems hardly credible, that he could be identified with Alfridus—the names are so different —yet the Northumbrian exile is praised, for having sedulously devoted the years of his exile to study and to the acquisition of philosophy. We are in- formed, likewise, that as a just punishment for his invasion of the innocent Irish, King Ecgfrid, son of Oswy, fell in a battle fought against the Picts, on the 13th of the Calends of June,'° or on the 2otli of May," a. d. 684, or 685 ; so that, independently of his hostility to the Irish, the discrepancy of those diurnaldatesseemstoexcludehimfromthepresentcommemoration. He was afterwards succeeded on the throne, by his brother Alfrid, then pursuing his studies in Ireland ; but, after the death of Ecgfrith, the flourishing king- dom of Northumbria became utterly weakened by intestine divisions. " A St. Egbert appears, in the Roman Martyrology, at the 24th of April. He lived in Ireland, and he died in Hy, a. d. 729. He is frequently mentioned, by Venerable Bede. '3 However it may be explained, on this day, the Martyr- ology of Donegal ^4 registers Echfriotan, as having had veneration given to him. The entries have a dualistic appearance ; and, as differently spelled and authenticated, in their respective references, they seem applicable only to a single person.
Article VII. Festival of St. Aculius and his Companions, Martyrs. In the " Feilire " of the " Leabhar Breac," there is a com- memoration, at the 27th of May, of St. Aculius, a priest, with his clergy who were martyrs. ' The Martyrology of Drummond has a notice of St. Acculeus and of his companions. ^ They are entered by the Bol- landists,3 in their great collection, at this same date. There we find them called Acculus, or Aquilus, or Aquilinus, Evangelius, with fourteen other
^ Sometimes called Ecgferd or Everth. 140, 141. A note by Dr. Todd says, at See "The Saxon Chronicle," with an Echfriotan, "The two paragraphs witliin
English translation, by the Rev. B. lJ. , p. 55.
J.
Ingram,
brackets are in the more recent hand. They both evidently relate to the same indivi- dual. "
9 See Rev. Dr. Dodd's " Church History of
EnglandfromthecommencementoftheSix-
teenth Century to the Revolution in 1688," translated into English, by Dr. Whitley
with Notes, Additions, and a Continuation by the Rev. M. A. Tierney, F. S. A. , vol. i. , part i. , Art. i. , p. 39. London, 1S39, ^/jf$'. , 8vo.
'"According to the Venerable Bede, in " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. xxvi. , p. 346.
ARTICLE^vii. —' Itisthusentered,and Stokes :
Aculnif inci\uimcliei\ CoiiacIiLai^a A)~noenTOAi ^pni]:^^) cechtDiniu Ooi\o)\uAt) |:oi\oenu.
" Tighernach at A. D. 685, and the Annals
of Ulster, at A. D. 685, record the same event.
See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hiberni-
rum Scriptores," tomus ii. , p. 213, and latter is a singularly curious remark, and it
tomus iv. , p. 63.
'- See Edward A. Freeman's " History of
the Norman Conquest of England," vol. i. , chap, ii. , p. 38.
'3 But, as he was not the son of Ossu, it would seem, in the opinion of Rev. Dr. Todd, that Ecfrit or Ecgbrit, sonof Ossa, may have been intended, at this passage, in the O'Clerys' Martyrology.
'* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
must refer, either to an early practice of placing numbers to measure distances on Irish roads, in the time of . St. yEngus, or it may possibly refer to a knowledge of some corresponding method observed in connexion with the old roads of the Roman Empire,
^ See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 14.
3 gee " Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Mali xxvii. DeSanctisMartyribusAlexanurinis
" Aculius tlie priest, with his clergy which is most sanctified: their blood before every number was poured forth on roads. " The
583
———
584 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 27.
Martyrs, who suffered at Alexandria, according to accounts contained in old Martyrologies, although these various Calendars somewhat differ in giving the names of those holy victims, who died for Christ, in the times of great persecution.
Article VIII. St. Moduin, Abbot of Saul, County of Down. This saint is entered, at this date, in a Calendar compiled by the Rev. William Reeves. In the diocese of Down, there was a church dedicated to a St. Medumy ; but, this church and its patron saint are now unknown. There was a St. Dunnius, a disciple,' and placed by St. Patrick over the Abbey of Saul, and he is called Moduinus, in the Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman. It is possible, the name and place may be connected with this present saint. ^
Article IX. Reputed Feast of St. Wigbrordus, Apostle of Bavaria. At the 27th of May, Thomas Dempster in his " Menologium Scotorum " enters ' a festival for St. Wigbrordus, Apostle of Bavaria, quoting as his authority Lazius but, the Bollandists ^ remark, this should not suffice,
;
when we take into account the silence of Rader, and of other writers, on this matter. In his Ecclesiastical History of Scotland—where so many notable persons of that nation are introduced—Dempster has altogether forgotten to take any notice of St. Wigbrordus.
Article X. —;-Reputed Feast of St. Fintana, Virgin, in Scotland. In his Scottish Entries, Camerarius has notice ' of a St. Fintana, a Virgin, in Scotland. The authority of Laherius is given, also, by the Bollandists," for thisstatement,atthe27thofMay. Itispossible,thatthisistheSt. Fintana, who, with St. Otha—both Virgins—has been introduced, by Thomas Dempster, in his " Menologium Scotorum," at the 13th of October. 3 Again, in his Eccle- siastical History of the Scottish Nation,* the same mendacious writer asserts, that both of those holy virgins lived together, in the same convent, and during the reign of King Conran ; that St. Fintana flourished a. d. 526, while the Acts of both holy virgins have been lost.
Article XI. Feast of St. Fontana, Citing the Scottish Breviary for this entr)', Camerarius and Dempster enter a festival, to commemorate a St. Fontana, Virgin, at the 27th day of May. The latter in his Menology places her, at the 13th of October, as the Bollandists' observe; but, it is evident, that she does not differ from the St. Fintana already noticed.
Acculo, sive Aquilo, aut Aquilino, Evangc- lio, et aliis xiv. , p. 627.
Article viii. — ' See Colgan's "Trias Thaumalurga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. I'atricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 265.
' Sec Rev. William Reeves' " Ecclesiasti- cal Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dro- more," p. 19, n. (i) ; and ibid. Appendix LL. , p. 378. —
'. Sec "Acta Sanctorum," toinus vi. , Mnii xxvii. Among the prclcrmiltcd saints.
' Thus: " In Boiarii Vvig-
' Thus: "27 Die. Sancta Fintana Virgo. "—Bishop Forbes' " Kalen- dars of Scottish Saints," p. 237, and ibid. ,
p. 349.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. .
Maii xxvii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 657.
3 See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendarsof Scot- tish Saints," pp. 214, 349.
•» See tomus i. , lib. vi, num. 513, p. 279.
Article xi,—" Sec "Acta . Snncio- rum," tomus vi. , Maii xxvii. Among llie pretermitted saints, p. 65S.
Akticle IX.
brordi gentis Apostoli. Laz. "—Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 201.
p. 657. — Article x.
— —
May 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
585
Article XII. Reputed Festival of St. Began, Abbot. In the Calendar, prefixed to the Martyrology of Christ Church, there is an entry of St. Becan, Abbot, with an Office of Nine Lessons, at the 27th of May. ' How- ever, as there is no corresponding notice, in the Martyrology itself; we can only suppose, that the insertion had been misjilaced, and that it refers simply to the St. Becan, Abbot, on the day preceding.
Article XIII. Festival of St. Germanus, Bishop of Paris.
The Martyrology of Raban Maur ascribes a festival to St. Germanus, Bishop of Paris, for the 27th of May; but, as the Bollandists ' remark, other writers place it on the day immediately following.
Cb3ent|)-'eig:l)tf) Bap of iWap,
ARTICLE I. —ST. MOEL-ODHRAN, SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN A MONK OF lONA, SCOTLAND.
{SEVENTH CENTURY. ]
LITTLE remains in old records, to point with any degree of certainty to the family, period, place, or personality, of this saint. We find the name, Maelodran, simply inserted, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at this date. On the same authority, and on that of Adamnan, the Bollandists ^ have his fes- tivalplaced,inalikeorder. ColganintendedtoinserttheActsofthissaint, atthe28thofMay. 3 However,heappearstohavebeenindoubt,whether the saint, to whom reference had been made, should be assigned to such day, or to the loth of January; for, the Irish Martyrologies make mention of a saint Moel-Odhran, at both days. It has been supposed, that our saint is mentioned by Adamnan, who calls him a soldier of Christ, and from that part of the country, denominated Mocurin,'* or Mocuria. Adamnan also states, that Mailodranus related to him an anecdote, which is found in his biography of St. Columkille;5 and hence, he must have been contemporaneous with that writer. ^ It is most likely, that he hved in the seventh century; but, indeed, nothing seems to be discoverable, which serves to elucidate his history. The name Mael-Odhrain signifies " the servant of Odhran ;''" and, we find this name
John Clarke Crosthwaite, A. M. , and Rev. James Henthorn Todd, D. D. , p. 65.
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
p. XXV.
* See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Mali
xxviii. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 733-
Article xii. — ' See "The Book of 3 See "Trias Thaumaturga," Appendix Obits and Martyrology of the Cathedral Quinta ad Acta S. Cokimbre, cap. x. De Church of the Holy Trinity, commonly Discipulis S. Columbte, num. 88, p. 491. called Christ Church, Dublin, edited by
Article xiii. —
rum," tomus vi. , Mali xxvii. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 658.
^ " If Mocucurin, the reading in B. , be correct, this tribe name will be Mac-U- Curin, from tti CmiMn, of which we have an instance in the Four Masters, at 1196. " Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," n. (h), p. 50.
* Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Vita S. Columbje, authore S. Adamnano,
Article —
it is also related, an<l may be found, in
i. '
s
the notices of St. Baitan, at the 29th of November.
'
See "Acta Sancto-
S. Columbce," lib. i. , n. 65, p. 377.
Article ii. —' Kelly, p. XXV.
Edited by Rev. Dr.
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 28.
occurring in our Irish Calendars at January loth, May 31st, and November nth. 7 From such circumstance, Colgan shows, that he could not have been Odhran, Abbot of lona, venerated, at the 27th of October,^ and who is called the son of Angin, and also belonging to Tegh-Erarain, in Media, according to Marianus O'Gorman, Moreover, Colgan calls Odhran a monk; but, on what authority, it is difficult to discover. He is called, indeed, a soldier of Christ by Adamnan ; therefore, it is not unlikely he was a religious, and pro- bably a monk of lona.
Article II. The Seven Bishops, of Tigh-na-Commairce. At the 28th of May, the Martyrology of Tallagh ' registers Secht n. Esp. o Thigh na Comairce. TheBollandists^*haveanotice—onthesameauthority—forthe Seven Bishops of Teg-na-Comairre, at this date. As will be seen, there is probably a typographical error, in spelling the name of his locality. The place is said to have been within the present parish of Clonleigh,3 in the barony of Raphoe, and county of Donegal. There is a Tigh-na-Comairce, in Tir Conaill, near to Loch Feabhail—now Lough Foyle—as we are told by the O'Clerys. The Martyrology of Donegal,4 on this day, records a festival, in honour of the Seven Bishops, of Tigh-na-Comairce. Under the head of Teach-na-Comairce, Duald IVIac Firbis enters, the Seven Bishops fromTeach- na-Comairce, at May 28tli. 5 We are informed, likewise, tliat Teach-na- Comairce is in the parish of Clonleigh,^ and in the county of Donegal?
Article III. St. Faelan, or Foillan, a Coxfessor. Human curiosity is not often gratified by a correct knowledge of God's true servants. A festival in honour of Faelan, or Foillan, is simply mentioned in the Martyrologies of Marianus O'Gorman ' and of Donegal,^ as having been celebrated on this day. No other account is found regarding him, except what Colgan states, that there was a Foelanus, the son of Kellach, and that having been abbot of Kildare, he died a. d. 799 3—or rede, 804. We are told, moreover, he was venerated, either on the 28th of May, or on the 9th of June. * Quoting this very account from Colgan,5 Archdall calls him Foelan O'Kellach, and states, that he died, either on the 20th of May or on the 9th of June. ^
S86
lib. i. , cap. XX. , p. 343.
^ See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's '" Life
of St. Columba," n. (g). p. 50.
* See " Trias Tliaumaturga," Quaita Vita
Ilibernicum. " p. 96.
' See William M. Ilennessy's note to
* See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. . Mail xxviii. Among the pretermitted saints.
3 . See, for this statement, Dr. O'Donovan's 3 A description of this parish is given, m "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp.
P- 733.
the " Parliamentai7 Gazetteer of Ireland,"
vol. i. , pp. 446, 447-
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
140, 141.
5 See "Proceedings of the Roya! Irish
Academy," Irish MvS. S. Series, vol. i. , part i. ,
. .
,,. . ,. .
pp. 130, 131.
*This is now a parish church, in tlie dio-
cese ofDerry, two miles north of LifTord, on the River Foyle. SecAichdall's "Monasticon
406, 407.
• See " Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta
Appendix ad Acta S. Brigidoe. cap. ii. , p. 629.
5 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum I liber- nix. " xvi. Januarii. De Inventione S. Foillani Ep. et M. , Appendix, cap. i. , p.
104.
' See " Monasticon Ilibernicum," p. 324.
. ,.
Duald Mac Firbis.
— '
Article hi.
Sanctorum Hibcrnice," xvi. Januarii. De In- ventione S. Foillani Ep. et M. Appendix, cap. i. , p. 104.
' Kiiited l)y Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 140, 141.
See Colgan"s
"Acta
— —
May 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
Article IV. Reputed Feast of St. German, Tutor of St. Patrick. Inthe"Feilire"ofSt. ^ngus,'wefindaFestivaltoSt. German, the tutor of St. Patrick, at the 28th of May. The commentator explains the phrase of tutor of Patrick to mean Patrick's master. ^ It would seem, that St. Germanus, Bishop of Paris, and whose Acts have been set down by the Bollandists,3 at this date, has been considered by /Engus to be identical with St. Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre, whose festival occurs on the 31st of July.
Article V. St. Furadhran, of Lann-Turu. At this date, the Martyrology of Tallagh ^ registers the present saint's name, as Furudrain hil- lannTuirrin. On the same authority, the Bollandists ^ enter Furudranus de Lann-Tura,atthe28thofMay. Itisdifficulttofindtliemodernequivalent of this place, either under the present or the succeeding designation. This day, the Martyrology of Donegal 3 mentions, likewise, that veneration was given to Furadhran, of Lann Turu.
ArticleVI. St. Egghan,theSage. TheMartyrologyofTallagh' enters the name, Eoghan, Sapiens, at the 28th of May.
