**
Protestant Church and Cemetery at Timolin, County of Kildare.
Protestant Church and Cemetery at Timolin, County of Kildare.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 29S, 299.
,? See " Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Vita S. Brigidre, lib. ii. , n. 2, p. 564, and Secun-
dus Index, p. 665.
,8 See Sir James Ware, " De Scriptori-
(x), ibid.
13th. 15
See William M. Hennessy's Chroni-
bus Hibernix," lib. i. , cap. iii. , p. 22. Also, "De Prxsulibus Lagenix," p. 54.
'» See Sir James Ware, " De Scriptoribus
Hibernix," lib. i. , cap. xiii. , pp. 88, 89. TO "
cum Scotorum," n. 3, p. 112.
2I
However, it is correctly stated, in Dr.
June 17. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
719
and it is translated 13th May. 21 Under the head of Teach Moling, Luachra its bishop is set down as having departed 696, on June 17th, by Duald Mac
22
Firbis.
The holy Patron of St. Mullins is said to have been buried in his own
church. In the interior of the largest of the ruins, now standing at St. Mullins, there is a flat stone, round which the people pray nine times, when making a pilgrimage, and placing a small pebble on the stone at each round. This stone, though comparatively modern, very probably marks the place where the saint's body was interred. The fact of praying, at that particular spot, might reasonably be supposed to denote the particular place.
"
on this day, and a most encomiastic tribute is paid to his virtues and renown.
Feihre"23 of St. ^Engus, this holy Prelate was venerated To this, the glossographer has subjoined several legends, in reference to him.
According to the
The is set down name, Moling, Luaim,
of 2* Tallagh,
in the
atthe17thofJune. TheSalamancancopyofSt. Moling'sLife2*placeshis
death, at the 7th of the June Ides. This corresponds, with the 7th of June; but, we suspect it to be an error for the 17th of this month. At this latter
2<5 date,theancientMartyrologyofUsuard mentionshim. Intheanonymous
Calendar, issued by O'Sullevan [Beare, the name Enolichus, for Molingus,
is likewise, at the of entered, — 17th
2? Under the same erroneous
— spel-
Henry Fitzsimon has entered his festival, at the 17th of June.
28
In the
simply,
Martyrology
June.
lingofEnolichus forwhichtheCarthusianMartyrologyisquoted Father
of 29 and at the same date,
Donegal, appears Moling Luachra,
30
Martyrology
Bishop and Confessor, of Tigh Moling. In the List of Irish Saints,31 left by Father John Colgan, St. Moling is entered at the same day. He is
entered, at the 17th of June, as St. Molocus, in the Martyrology of Aber-
deen. 32 Likewise, among the Trinity College, Dublin, Manuscripts, are notes regarding this saint; and these prove, that his chief festival had been
constantly kept, on the 17th of June,33 and that it was formerly celebrated with an office, containing Nine Lessons.
Several local practices and traditions, having reference to the holy Patron,
are still preserved among the people ;
while those usages and stories appear
sive Dayrgello Episcopo Fernensi in Hiber-
nia, p. 410.
26 The first edition of this work printed
was in 1515, and another edition appeared A. D. 1521. In the latter is printed: "In Hibernia S. Enolich, Confessoris. " The first line of the letter m seems to have been converted into e, in the process of
O'Donovan's note, in vol. i. , p. 298. 22 "
See Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. 128, 129, and nn. by William M. Hennessy, the editor.
23 From the " Leabhar Breac "
we find the following stanza, thus translated
into — English, by
Dr.
Whitley
copy, Stokes,
printing, spelling.
LL. D.
:
so as to cause an error of the
27 See "Historian Catholicae Ibernise
In'ooff oin UAf crochAib IriS^MAn An u&r cu. acri. Aib Congneic ju5 babe brxAchair* CAin nub moling luAchain.
Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , p. 50.
aS
See ibid. , cap. xii. , p. 54.
29 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
170, 171. 3°AnotebyDr. Reevesstatesatthisword,
Luachra: "That is, ofLuachair, the title
••Thebushof overborders the gold !
splen- did sun over territories ! white champion of
the king, strong bro—ther, fair soldier, Mo-
ling of Luachair. " "Transactions of the
Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript MS. habentur ordine Mensium et Die-
Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar
rum. "
32
"
In Hybernia rum," tomus iii. , Junii xvii. DeS. Molingo ceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of
of Oengus, p. xciv.
24 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxvii.
25 See the Bollandists' " Acta Sancto-
Thus, at xv. Kl. ' Julii :
Sancti confessoris et prophecie spiritu pleni Moloci episcopi et confessoris. "—" Pro-
generally annexed to this saint's name. "
3I In " Actuum Sanctorum Catalogus quae
720 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 17.
to have come down from distant times. Thus, it is related, that St. Moling and his clerics travelled through a great part of the country, desiring to find the most suitable site for a religious establishment. They commenced build- ing in many places, before they came to St. Mullins,3* but always left the work unfinished. 35 St. Molin's Well 36 is to be seen there, while the entrance to it is of similar construction with those of the earliest architectural stone buildings in Ireland. 37 Here young and old still assemble, on the festival daysofSt. Molyng; theycrowdroundhiswellanddrinkofitswaters; they even fill bottles from the limpid spring, and bring its waters home for friends who are unable to visit it. Children's heads are placed under the spout,
which is fixed there, so that the waters may flow upon them. 38 A bell of St. Moling had been preserved here, as a relic. 39 From a very remote period, pilgrimages to the shrine of St. Moling have been observed. At the present
day, and from remote parts of the country, pilgrims *° resort to St. Mullins, on the 17th of June, and on the 25th of July, respectively. They first make on their knees the rounds at certain places three times, and also drink of the well ; they then wade barefoot through the stream, through the Theachra or
'
Thurris,asmalllane4 throughwhichflowsastreamfromtheHolyWell,while
prayingallthetime. Next,theyproceedtoeachoftheruinedchapelsinsucces-
sion,andrecitingcertainprayers,ateachoftheseStations. ** Theyconclude,by bestowing an alms on the poor, of whom there are sure to be several present, on
Scotland," vol. ii. , p. 265. Collections for the Dioceses of Kildare and 3* A Manuscript in Trinity College, Leighlin," vol. iii. , p. 313.
Dublin, classed B. 3, I, contains at June the
17th, Kal. xv. Julii, Molyng Epis. et Confes. ,
38 In a letter from Mr. Patrick O'Leary of Graiguenamanagh, dated November 26th,
ix. Lect. A in 1888, he writes " Manuscript Trinity College, :
Dublin, classed B. 3, 10, contains at June
17th, Kal. xv. Julii, Sancti Molyngi Epis. et Conf. , ix. Lect.
I don't believe there is a manorwoman,withina radiusoftenmiles round, and a native of the place, who does not remember being placed when a child under the cold stream from St. Moling's well. The sensation of feeling an ice-cold stream of water pouring from one of the spouts of St. Moling's well, with consider- ble force on a child's head, fastens the re-
3* A local legend states, that St. Molyng
would not let them finish any of the other
buildings, for when the saint would say,
" We'll build here in the name of the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," the clerks
held their tongues, so he would not collection in its memory. " thenallowthemtobuildthere. Then,they 39 According to tradition, it was stolen came along, until they arrived at St. from Ireland, and conveyed to Germany ;
"
We'll build in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. " "Amen," said the clerks. Then, the saint told them to build there, because it was the first place where they said Amentohim. Andthatisthereason,why the saint built at St. Mullins ; and, it is also the reason, according to the tradition, of there being such a number of old churches throughout the country, with only half the
walls standing. The country people add, " because that's the way they were built, for the saint would not allow his clerks to build any more of them, on account of their not saying Amen to him, at any of those places. "
35 This legend bears some resemblance, to what has been already related, by the author of the ancient Life of St. Molyng.
36 "A picture of this is inserted, in Mr.
Patrick O'Leary's "Ancient Life of St.
Moling. " at Notes, p. 39.
3 ? See Very Rev. Michael Comerford's
Mullins, when the saint said, here,
from which place it floated back to its ori-
See Carr's " in Stranger
ginal locality.
Ireland," article on Bells and Belfries.
40 These poor people go through their rounds, regardless of the multitude of on-
lookers, including visitors to the place, as also scoffers at their devotions, and, likewise, regardless of the thistles and nettles which
throng the place.
41 They finish each round, by praying at
the old cross. Then, they enter the largest
of the ruined churches, where they pray round an old stone slab there nine times, saying a Pater and an Ave each time, and placing a small stone on the slab after each round ; when they go into the inner build- ing, and after praying underthe east window, where the altar once stood, they finish by putting a leaf in the window, and then kissing the stone under the window inside. They then come out, and sitting down on a grave, put their shoes on their feet and depart
43 This lane, in summer time, is full of
June 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
721
thefeastdaysreferredto. Thepilgrimageisgenerallyundertakeninthanksgiv- mgfor recovery from sickness, and in fulfilment of apromise made, either by the sickpersonoronhisbehalf. Butothersvisitthissacredspot,toseekacure, through the intercession of St. Moling. That their faith has been frequently rewarded, by their petitions being granted, there can no great reason to doubt. 43 Their penitential exercises, voluntarily undertaken, are often attended with great self-sacrifice.
**
Protestant Church and Cemetery at Timolin, County of Kildare.
TheholyPatronofSt. Mullinswasesteemedoneoftheprincipalsaints
of Leinster. 45 St. Moling was regarded by the Clan Kavanagh as their special
patron saint. St. Mullins has been the burial-place of the Kavanaghs, Kings
of 6 and it continues to be the of interment for their descen- Leinster,* place
dants. ^ ThereisanotherTimolin,atownlandandparishinthebaronyof
thistles, briers, and nettles, so much so, that
several times a person making the pilgrim- age is completely hidden by them ; and the
went round outside the little cell at the old cross three times, as at the well, and the third time, after praying for a few minutes at the door, she went inside and put a leaf in the little narrow window at the east
place being soft underfoot, with numerous
sharp stones in the way, none of which could
be removed, our readers can imagine the gable. An old man, carrying his shoes in
faith it requires, to perform the exercises of
one hand and hat in the other, who was after
• the water,' continued all the while wading
this
43 See Very Rev. Michael Comerford's
"Collections relating to the Dioceses of
Kildare and Leighlin," vol. iii. , p, 314.
** Mr. Patrick O'Leary states : "I have seen
an this who oldwomango through pilgrimage,
had to sit down to take thorns out of her feet, but not before she had crossed the river on her way up to the old ruins ; there she
pilgrimage.
on his knees praying, with his head resting on the base of the old cross. "—"The An- cient Life of St. Molyng," Appendix, pp. 5l»52-
« See " History and Antiquities Ryan's
of the County of Carlow," chap, ii. , p. 26. 4" See " Legend Lays of Ireland," by Lageniensis, No. xxiv. A Legend of St.
IZ
722 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 17.
NarraghandRhebanEast,countyofKildare. There,formerlystoodanold church, the site of which is now occupied by a Protestant church, within a
cemetery still greatly frequented. '18 The graves have accumulated to such a degree, that an embankment surrounding it hides the lower part of the
church, except from a near view. It has been conjectured, that St. Moling established another monastery, or at least, some religious foundation here ; but, of this, we have no Irish historical account, although it was re-edified by
the 4? In Monamolin 5° Anglo-Normans.
parish,
Gorey, county of Wexford, St. Molin's well is to be seen ; the patron day
was kept on the 17th of June, 51 but no longer is the well frequented, for the hope of effecting cures. A fair is still held there, on that day. The old church of the parish has disappeared, for many years past ; but, a cemetery at the place is yet very generally frequented.
Among the collection of Manuscripts in Trinity College, Dublin, is to be found, the Evangelistarium of St. Moling, with its ancient box,52 called the Liath Meisieth. s3 For many years, these were heirlooms in the family of Kavanagh of Borris-Idrone. These were presented by them, together with the Charter Horn and the Figeen, to the Museum of the College. There theyarenowdepositedandcarefullypreserved. Thecoverismadeofbrass, cased in silver, and when presented to the University, it contained a number of loose sheets of vellum. On these were written some extracts from the Gospels, and prayers for the sick, in the Latin language, but in the Irish character. 5* Also, water colour drawings of the Apostles, and tolerably well executed, are supposed to have been the work of St. Moling. 55 For many succeeding centuries, St. Mullins had a succession of Abbots and of monks. 56 In the ninth 5? and tenth centuries, the Northmen ravaged this monastery, and atA. D. 915,s8 and at a. d. 951, we read about the plundering of Teach- Molingfromthesea,byLaraic,intheIrishAnnals. Again,in1138,Teach- Molingwasburned. In1170,mutualbondsonoathwerepledgedonthe altar and shrine of St. Molyng by Maurice de Pendergast and Donall Mac
Gilla Patraic, who met at Timolyng. Mullins, Note I, p. 155.
Leighlin," vol. iii. , p. 313.
Thither they had safely come, not-
53 For a description of this Book, the
referred to Miss Stokes' " reader is Early
Christian Art in Ireland," p. 24.
54 See " and
Ryan's History Antiquities
of the County of Carlow," Appendix, No. xviii. , pp. 382, 383.
55 A fac-simile of the writing is given in
Professor " Lectures on Eugene O'Curry's
the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish
History," plate v. , p. 653.
56 The local Annals of Teach-Moling are
• " It is that the funeral of related,
the great Art MacMurrough reached from Ross t—o St. Mullins, a distance of about six miles. " Very Rev. Michael Comerford's " Collec- tions relating to the Dioceses of Kildare and
48 The
"William F. Wakeman, from a sketch drawn
on the spot, in February, 1886, by the writer, has been engraved by Mrs. Millard.
accompanying engraving by
49 See "Letters containing Information
relative to the Antiquities of the County of ford's
Kildare, collected during the Progress of the dare and Leighlin," vol. iii. , pp. 309 to Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. ii. Letter
of John O'Donovan, dated Athy, 26th of
November, 1837, pp. 5, 6.
5° According to John O'Donovan, the original Irish for this name is muine TYio-
ting, Anglicized Moling's Hill.
51 See " Letters containing Information
relative to the Antiquities of the County of Wexford, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey," vol. ii. , pp. 225 to 227.
52 This is supposed, by General Vallency,
to be of much greater antiquity, than the period when St. Molyng flourished.
Four Masters record, that Teach-Moling was plundered by the Danes, who sailed up the Barrow from Waterford Haven, and who probably held the place till the year 888, when, it is again stated, that a battle was
gained by Riagan, son of Dunghal, over the foreigners of Waterford, Wexford, and Teach-Moling, in which 200 heads were left behind.
58 St. Mullins was again the scene of bat- tle in a. d. 915, when there were 500 heads cut off in the valley over Tigh-Moling.
baronies of and Ballaghkeen
well set forth in Very Rev. Michael Comer-
"
Collections for the Dioceses of Kil-
318.
57 In A. D. 824 or 825 the Annals of the
June 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
723
withstanding that Donall Kavanagh had sought with 5,000 men to waylay
the former. It would seem, that St. Mullins had been regarded as a place of
sanctuary ; and, it is probable, that owing to such a circumstance, the follow-
ing recorded event took place. On Friday within the octaves of Easter, in
the year 1323, Philip Tallon,S9 with his son, and twenty-six of the Codhli-
6° were slain
Cantitons, dragged them out of the church, and burned the church of Tha- molym, with the women and children, and the relics of St. Molyng. 61 Evidences of this burning yet remain on the walls 62 of the largest building, which now remains in the group of ruins at St. Mullins. This was deemed to have been an advantageous position for a fort, to defend the frontiers of the English Pale, and accordingly, in a. d. 1347, the town of Teach Molyng was rebuilt, by Walter Bermingham, then Justiciary of Ireland. 63 The place was afterwards
assaults of the Kavanaghs.
nally from the East,6s and to have spread over the greater part of Europe,66 beforethemiddleofthefourteenthcentury,andit visitedIreland6? with destructive ravages, a. d. 1348. In this year, and chiefly in September and October, there came from divers parts of Ireland, Bishops and Prelates, Churchmen and religious, lords and others, and commonly all persons, of both sexes, to the pilgrimage and wading of the water at Thath-Molyngis, in troops and multitudes, so that you could see many thousands there at the
68 Some came from
but others, and they the majority, from dread of the plague which then grew
very rife. That pestilence deprived of human inhabitants villages, and cities, and castles, and towns, so that there was scarcely a man found to dwell therein ; the pestilence was so contagious, that whosoever touched the sick or the dead was immediately infected and died ; and the penitent and the con- fessor were carried together to the grave; through fear and dread, men scarcely dared to perform the offices of piety and charity in visiting the sick, and
tanys,
by
Edmund
Butler,
rector
of Tullow, who, aided by the
same for time,
many days together.
feelings
of
devotion,
fortified,
guard
navigation of the River Barrow from
59 The Anglo-Irish family of Talon were settled at Agha, County Carlow. See Rev. John Francis Shearman's "Loca Patri- ciana," No. XII. , pp. 383, 384.
60 The O'Codhlitanswere a County Car- low family, now reduced to poverty. The name is now Collatan. The Cantitines were a sept of Anglo-Norman descent, now Anglice Condon.
61 See Friar Clyn's "Annals of Ireland,"
P- IS-
62 Some of these have the appearance of
the interior of an old limekiln, the stones being in many places burst by the action of fire. It may have been, that the action of successive fires has given them such an ap- pearance ; for, we may readily suppose, it did not escape unscathed during the general demolition and burning of the succeeding times.
63 See Friar Clyn's -'Annals of Ireland," p. 34.
"* From a document, preserved amongst the records in the Bermingham Tower, Dublin Castle, it appears, that in pursuance ofanorderoftheyear1581,asumof^£350 was levied off the counties of Wexford and Kilkenny, and the cities of Waterford and Kilkenny, for the purpose of erecting a
tower—at St. Molin's. The remains of a
—wer most theoneherereferred to probably
to were removed, and the materials were used in the building of the present St. Mullin's Mills. See Patrick O'Leary's " Ancient Life of St. Molyng," &c. , Ap- pendix, pp. 57, 58.
6* to
the
A terrible pestilence is said to have come origi-
6s Many thousands of the Saracens and in- fidels succumbed to it, as we learn from Friar Clyn's "Annals of Ireland. " See pp. 35 t0 37-
^ No less than 50,000, and even more, were carried off, in the south of France from the month of May to the Feast of St. Thomas' Translation, and we read, that the cemetery which Pope Clement VI. conse- crated was nothing less than the River Rhone itself, into which the bodies were cast; yet, by reason of that solemn benediction of the river, these were considered to receive Christian burial. (Torfaus. )
6? Its were first manifested at symptoms
Dublin, Dalkey and Drogheda. In the first mentioned of these cities, no fewer than 14,000 inhabitants are said to have perished,
Thisplaggueisnoticed,also,inThadyDow
" ling's"^
Annales Breves Hiberniae," p. 23. a Friar Clyn's "Annals of Ireland," pp.
35 to 37.
ling's
724 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 17.
in burying the dead ; many died of boils, and abscesses, and pustules on their shins, and under their arm-pits ; others died frantic with the pain in their head, and others spitting blood. 6? Such was the testimony of a contem- porary witness, and of one, who seems to have anticipated his own fast ap-
proaching end. 70
The local fame of few men survives a generation without some adequate
cause. That of St. Moling is still green in the memories of his local patrons. Nor is it ever likely to perish with the lapse of time, because it is entwined with the religious veneration of a people, who still proclaim his praises. The
holy bishop Molyng, through the grace of God, possessed all the apostolic virtues. Great miracles distinguished his career ; for he raised the dead, he cleansed the lepers, he caused the lame to walk, he gave sight to the blind, and he cured various diseases. The Almighty has called him away from the perishable toils of earth, to crown him with those joys which are boundless, and with those imperishable rewards which are the portion of all his faithful servants.
Article II. —St. Botulphus, Abbot in England. [Seventh Cen- tury]. It seems to be generally allowed, that the Acts of St. Botulph rest on very doubtful traditions, and that various errors of statement have crept into them, before they came down to our times. Indeed, in some incidents related, we find most contradictory accounts. At least, it is very difficult to reconcile them with the known facts of history. Yet, it is sufficiently estab- lished, that Botulph in his day had been a popular saint. In the ancient chronicles of England his memory has been recorded. St. Botulph is men-
of
*9 The Rev. Dean Butler, the editor of
Clyn, remarks, that the pestilence described
in Clyn, as occurring in 1348, was the Black Death. In the province of Avignon, where
the Pope then resided, it raged with great violence ; 500 a day died, the whole number of deaths there was 60,000. See Notes, ibid. ,
pp. 63 to 69.
7° The writer closes his Annals in 1348,
thus: "But I, Friar John Clyn of the Franciscan Order of the convent of Kil- kenny, have in this book written the memo- rable things happening in my time, of which I was either an eye-witness or learned them from the relation of such as were worthy of credit ; and that these notable actions might not perish by time and vanish out of the
Anglo-
memory
of our
the
many
treating about King Edgar, who reigned from a. d. 959 to A. D. 975.
2"
See Flores Hisloriarum," at A. D.
DCMHI. , p. 230.
3 See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus iii. , Junii xvii. De S. Bothulpho Abbate et S. Adulpho Episcopo, Confessori- bus in Anglia. Commentarius Praevius, sect, ii. , num. 7, p. 400.
4 See " Sanctorum Angliae. " Legenda
5 In "Acta Sanctorum, "Saec.
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 29S, 299.
,? See " Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Vita S. Brigidre, lib. ii. , n. 2, p. 564, and Secun-
dus Index, p. 665.
,8 See Sir James Ware, " De Scriptori-
(x), ibid.
13th. 15
See William M. Hennessy's Chroni-
bus Hibernix," lib. i. , cap. iii. , p. 22. Also, "De Prxsulibus Lagenix," p. 54.
'» See Sir James Ware, " De Scriptoribus
Hibernix," lib. i. , cap. xiii. , pp. 88, 89. TO "
cum Scotorum," n. 3, p. 112.
2I
However, it is correctly stated, in Dr.
June 17. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
719
and it is translated 13th May. 21 Under the head of Teach Moling, Luachra its bishop is set down as having departed 696, on June 17th, by Duald Mac
22
Firbis.
The holy Patron of St. Mullins is said to have been buried in his own
church. In the interior of the largest of the ruins, now standing at St. Mullins, there is a flat stone, round which the people pray nine times, when making a pilgrimage, and placing a small pebble on the stone at each round. This stone, though comparatively modern, very probably marks the place where the saint's body was interred. The fact of praying, at that particular spot, might reasonably be supposed to denote the particular place.
"
on this day, and a most encomiastic tribute is paid to his virtues and renown.
Feihre"23 of St. ^Engus, this holy Prelate was venerated To this, the glossographer has subjoined several legends, in reference to him.
According to the
The is set down name, Moling, Luaim,
of 2* Tallagh,
in the
atthe17thofJune. TheSalamancancopyofSt. Moling'sLife2*placeshis
death, at the 7th of the June Ides. This corresponds, with the 7th of June; but, we suspect it to be an error for the 17th of this month. At this latter
2<5 date,theancientMartyrologyofUsuard mentionshim. Intheanonymous
Calendar, issued by O'Sullevan [Beare, the name Enolichus, for Molingus,
is likewise, at the of entered, — 17th
2? Under the same erroneous
— spel-
Henry Fitzsimon has entered his festival, at the 17th of June.
28
In the
simply,
Martyrology
June.
lingofEnolichus forwhichtheCarthusianMartyrologyisquoted Father
of 29 and at the same date,
Donegal, appears Moling Luachra,
30
Martyrology
Bishop and Confessor, of Tigh Moling. In the List of Irish Saints,31 left by Father John Colgan, St. Moling is entered at the same day. He is
entered, at the 17th of June, as St. Molocus, in the Martyrology of Aber-
deen. 32 Likewise, among the Trinity College, Dublin, Manuscripts, are notes regarding this saint; and these prove, that his chief festival had been
constantly kept, on the 17th of June,33 and that it was formerly celebrated with an office, containing Nine Lessons.
Several local practices and traditions, having reference to the holy Patron,
are still preserved among the people ;
while those usages and stories appear
sive Dayrgello Episcopo Fernensi in Hiber-
nia, p. 410.
26 The first edition of this work printed
was in 1515, and another edition appeared A. D. 1521. In the latter is printed: "In Hibernia S. Enolich, Confessoris. " The first line of the letter m seems to have been converted into e, in the process of
O'Donovan's note, in vol. i. , p. 298. 22 "
See Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. 128, 129, and nn. by William M. Hennessy, the editor.
23 From the " Leabhar Breac "
we find the following stanza, thus translated
into — English, by
Dr.
Whitley
copy, Stokes,
printing, spelling.
LL. D.
:
so as to cause an error of the
27 See "Historian Catholicae Ibernise
In'ooff oin UAf crochAib IriS^MAn An u&r cu. acri. Aib Congneic ju5 babe brxAchair* CAin nub moling luAchain.
Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , p. 50.
aS
See ibid. , cap. xii. , p. 54.
29 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
170, 171. 3°AnotebyDr. Reevesstatesatthisword,
Luachra: "That is, ofLuachair, the title
••Thebushof overborders the gold !
splen- did sun over territories ! white champion of
the king, strong bro—ther, fair soldier, Mo-
ling of Luachair. " "Transactions of the
Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript MS. habentur ordine Mensium et Die-
Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar
rum. "
32
"
In Hybernia rum," tomus iii. , Junii xvii. DeS. Molingo ceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of
of Oengus, p. xciv.
24 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxvii.
25 See the Bollandists' " Acta Sancto-
Thus, at xv. Kl. ' Julii :
Sancti confessoris et prophecie spiritu pleni Moloci episcopi et confessoris. "—" Pro-
generally annexed to this saint's name. "
3I In " Actuum Sanctorum Catalogus quae
720 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 17.
to have come down from distant times. Thus, it is related, that St. Moling and his clerics travelled through a great part of the country, desiring to find the most suitable site for a religious establishment. They commenced build- ing in many places, before they came to St. Mullins,3* but always left the work unfinished. 35 St. Molin's Well 36 is to be seen there, while the entrance to it is of similar construction with those of the earliest architectural stone buildings in Ireland. 37 Here young and old still assemble, on the festival daysofSt. Molyng; theycrowdroundhiswellanddrinkofitswaters; they even fill bottles from the limpid spring, and bring its waters home for friends who are unable to visit it. Children's heads are placed under the spout,
which is fixed there, so that the waters may flow upon them. 38 A bell of St. Moling had been preserved here, as a relic. 39 From a very remote period, pilgrimages to the shrine of St. Moling have been observed. At the present
day, and from remote parts of the country, pilgrims *° resort to St. Mullins, on the 17th of June, and on the 25th of July, respectively. They first make on their knees the rounds at certain places three times, and also drink of the well ; they then wade barefoot through the stream, through the Theachra or
'
Thurris,asmalllane4 throughwhichflowsastreamfromtheHolyWell,while
prayingallthetime. Next,theyproceedtoeachoftheruinedchapelsinsucces-
sion,andrecitingcertainprayers,ateachoftheseStations. ** Theyconclude,by bestowing an alms on the poor, of whom there are sure to be several present, on
Scotland," vol. ii. , p. 265. Collections for the Dioceses of Kildare and 3* A Manuscript in Trinity College, Leighlin," vol. iii. , p. 313.
Dublin, classed B. 3, I, contains at June the
17th, Kal. xv. Julii, Molyng Epis. et Confes. ,
38 In a letter from Mr. Patrick O'Leary of Graiguenamanagh, dated November 26th,
ix. Lect. A in 1888, he writes " Manuscript Trinity College, :
Dublin, classed B. 3, 10, contains at June
17th, Kal. xv. Julii, Sancti Molyngi Epis. et Conf. , ix. Lect.
I don't believe there is a manorwoman,withina radiusoftenmiles round, and a native of the place, who does not remember being placed when a child under the cold stream from St. Moling's well. The sensation of feeling an ice-cold stream of water pouring from one of the spouts of St. Moling's well, with consider- ble force on a child's head, fastens the re-
3* A local legend states, that St. Molyng
would not let them finish any of the other
buildings, for when the saint would say,
" We'll build here in the name of the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," the clerks
held their tongues, so he would not collection in its memory. " thenallowthemtobuildthere. Then,they 39 According to tradition, it was stolen came along, until they arrived at St. from Ireland, and conveyed to Germany ;
"
We'll build in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. " "Amen," said the clerks. Then, the saint told them to build there, because it was the first place where they said Amentohim. Andthatisthereason,why the saint built at St. Mullins ; and, it is also the reason, according to the tradition, of there being such a number of old churches throughout the country, with only half the
walls standing. The country people add, " because that's the way they were built, for the saint would not allow his clerks to build any more of them, on account of their not saying Amen to him, at any of those places. "
35 This legend bears some resemblance, to what has been already related, by the author of the ancient Life of St. Molyng.
36 "A picture of this is inserted, in Mr.
Patrick O'Leary's "Ancient Life of St.
Moling. " at Notes, p. 39.
3 ? See Very Rev. Michael Comerford's
Mullins, when the saint said, here,
from which place it floated back to its ori-
See Carr's " in Stranger
ginal locality.
Ireland," article on Bells and Belfries.
40 These poor people go through their rounds, regardless of the multitude of on-
lookers, including visitors to the place, as also scoffers at their devotions, and, likewise, regardless of the thistles and nettles which
throng the place.
41 They finish each round, by praying at
the old cross. Then, they enter the largest
of the ruined churches, where they pray round an old stone slab there nine times, saying a Pater and an Ave each time, and placing a small stone on the slab after each round ; when they go into the inner build- ing, and after praying underthe east window, where the altar once stood, they finish by putting a leaf in the window, and then kissing the stone under the window inside. They then come out, and sitting down on a grave, put their shoes on their feet and depart
43 This lane, in summer time, is full of
June 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
721
thefeastdaysreferredto. Thepilgrimageisgenerallyundertakeninthanksgiv- mgfor recovery from sickness, and in fulfilment of apromise made, either by the sickpersonoronhisbehalf. Butothersvisitthissacredspot,toseekacure, through the intercession of St. Moling. That their faith has been frequently rewarded, by their petitions being granted, there can no great reason to doubt. 43 Their penitential exercises, voluntarily undertaken, are often attended with great self-sacrifice.
**
Protestant Church and Cemetery at Timolin, County of Kildare.
TheholyPatronofSt. Mullinswasesteemedoneoftheprincipalsaints
of Leinster. 45 St. Moling was regarded by the Clan Kavanagh as their special
patron saint. St. Mullins has been the burial-place of the Kavanaghs, Kings
of 6 and it continues to be the of interment for their descen- Leinster,* place
dants. ^ ThereisanotherTimolin,atownlandandparishinthebaronyof
thistles, briers, and nettles, so much so, that
several times a person making the pilgrim- age is completely hidden by them ; and the
went round outside the little cell at the old cross three times, as at the well, and the third time, after praying for a few minutes at the door, she went inside and put a leaf in the little narrow window at the east
place being soft underfoot, with numerous
sharp stones in the way, none of which could
be removed, our readers can imagine the gable. An old man, carrying his shoes in
faith it requires, to perform the exercises of
one hand and hat in the other, who was after
• the water,' continued all the while wading
this
43 See Very Rev. Michael Comerford's
"Collections relating to the Dioceses of
Kildare and Leighlin," vol. iii. , p, 314.
** Mr. Patrick O'Leary states : "I have seen
an this who oldwomango through pilgrimage,
had to sit down to take thorns out of her feet, but not before she had crossed the river on her way up to the old ruins ; there she
pilgrimage.
on his knees praying, with his head resting on the base of the old cross. "—"The An- cient Life of St. Molyng," Appendix, pp. 5l»52-
« See " History and Antiquities Ryan's
of the County of Carlow," chap, ii. , p. 26. 4" See " Legend Lays of Ireland," by Lageniensis, No. xxiv. A Legend of St.
IZ
722 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 17.
NarraghandRhebanEast,countyofKildare. There,formerlystoodanold church, the site of which is now occupied by a Protestant church, within a
cemetery still greatly frequented. '18 The graves have accumulated to such a degree, that an embankment surrounding it hides the lower part of the
church, except from a near view. It has been conjectured, that St. Moling established another monastery, or at least, some religious foundation here ; but, of this, we have no Irish historical account, although it was re-edified by
the 4? In Monamolin 5° Anglo-Normans.
parish,
Gorey, county of Wexford, St. Molin's well is to be seen ; the patron day
was kept on the 17th of June, 51 but no longer is the well frequented, for the hope of effecting cures. A fair is still held there, on that day. The old church of the parish has disappeared, for many years past ; but, a cemetery at the place is yet very generally frequented.
Among the collection of Manuscripts in Trinity College, Dublin, is to be found, the Evangelistarium of St. Moling, with its ancient box,52 called the Liath Meisieth. s3 For many years, these were heirlooms in the family of Kavanagh of Borris-Idrone. These were presented by them, together with the Charter Horn and the Figeen, to the Museum of the College. There theyarenowdepositedandcarefullypreserved. Thecoverismadeofbrass, cased in silver, and when presented to the University, it contained a number of loose sheets of vellum. On these were written some extracts from the Gospels, and prayers for the sick, in the Latin language, but in the Irish character. 5* Also, water colour drawings of the Apostles, and tolerably well executed, are supposed to have been the work of St. Moling. 55 For many succeeding centuries, St. Mullins had a succession of Abbots and of monks. 56 In the ninth 5? and tenth centuries, the Northmen ravaged this monastery, and atA. D. 915,s8 and at a. d. 951, we read about the plundering of Teach- Molingfromthesea,byLaraic,intheIrishAnnals. Again,in1138,Teach- Molingwasburned. In1170,mutualbondsonoathwerepledgedonthe altar and shrine of St. Molyng by Maurice de Pendergast and Donall Mac
Gilla Patraic, who met at Timolyng. Mullins, Note I, p. 155.
Leighlin," vol. iii. , p. 313.
Thither they had safely come, not-
53 For a description of this Book, the
referred to Miss Stokes' " reader is Early
Christian Art in Ireland," p. 24.
54 See " and
Ryan's History Antiquities
of the County of Carlow," Appendix, No. xviii. , pp. 382, 383.
55 A fac-simile of the writing is given in
Professor " Lectures on Eugene O'Curry's
the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish
History," plate v. , p. 653.
56 The local Annals of Teach-Moling are
• " It is that the funeral of related,
the great Art MacMurrough reached from Ross t—o St. Mullins, a distance of about six miles. " Very Rev. Michael Comerford's " Collec- tions relating to the Dioceses of Kildare and
48 The
"William F. Wakeman, from a sketch drawn
on the spot, in February, 1886, by the writer, has been engraved by Mrs. Millard.
accompanying engraving by
49 See "Letters containing Information
relative to the Antiquities of the County of ford's
Kildare, collected during the Progress of the dare and Leighlin," vol. iii. , pp. 309 to Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. ii. Letter
of John O'Donovan, dated Athy, 26th of
November, 1837, pp. 5, 6.
5° According to John O'Donovan, the original Irish for this name is muine TYio-
ting, Anglicized Moling's Hill.
51 See " Letters containing Information
relative to the Antiquities of the County of Wexford, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey," vol. ii. , pp. 225 to 227.
52 This is supposed, by General Vallency,
to be of much greater antiquity, than the period when St. Molyng flourished.
Four Masters record, that Teach-Moling was plundered by the Danes, who sailed up the Barrow from Waterford Haven, and who probably held the place till the year 888, when, it is again stated, that a battle was
gained by Riagan, son of Dunghal, over the foreigners of Waterford, Wexford, and Teach-Moling, in which 200 heads were left behind.
58 St. Mullins was again the scene of bat- tle in a. d. 915, when there were 500 heads cut off in the valley over Tigh-Moling.
baronies of and Ballaghkeen
well set forth in Very Rev. Michael Comer-
"
Collections for the Dioceses of Kil-
318.
57 In A. D. 824 or 825 the Annals of the
June 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
723
withstanding that Donall Kavanagh had sought with 5,000 men to waylay
the former. It would seem, that St. Mullins had been regarded as a place of
sanctuary ; and, it is probable, that owing to such a circumstance, the follow-
ing recorded event took place. On Friday within the octaves of Easter, in
the year 1323, Philip Tallon,S9 with his son, and twenty-six of the Codhli-
6° were slain
Cantitons, dragged them out of the church, and burned the church of Tha- molym, with the women and children, and the relics of St. Molyng. 61 Evidences of this burning yet remain on the walls 62 of the largest building, which now remains in the group of ruins at St. Mullins. This was deemed to have been an advantageous position for a fort, to defend the frontiers of the English Pale, and accordingly, in a. d. 1347, the town of Teach Molyng was rebuilt, by Walter Bermingham, then Justiciary of Ireland. 63 The place was afterwards
assaults of the Kavanaghs.
nally from the East,6s and to have spread over the greater part of Europe,66 beforethemiddleofthefourteenthcentury,andit visitedIreland6? with destructive ravages, a. d. 1348. In this year, and chiefly in September and October, there came from divers parts of Ireland, Bishops and Prelates, Churchmen and religious, lords and others, and commonly all persons, of both sexes, to the pilgrimage and wading of the water at Thath-Molyngis, in troops and multitudes, so that you could see many thousands there at the
68 Some came from
but others, and they the majority, from dread of the plague which then grew
very rife. That pestilence deprived of human inhabitants villages, and cities, and castles, and towns, so that there was scarcely a man found to dwell therein ; the pestilence was so contagious, that whosoever touched the sick or the dead was immediately infected and died ; and the penitent and the con- fessor were carried together to the grave; through fear and dread, men scarcely dared to perform the offices of piety and charity in visiting the sick, and
tanys,
by
Edmund
Butler,
rector
of Tullow, who, aided by the
same for time,
many days together.
feelings
of
devotion,
fortified,
guard
navigation of the River Barrow from
59 The Anglo-Irish family of Talon were settled at Agha, County Carlow. See Rev. John Francis Shearman's "Loca Patri- ciana," No. XII. , pp. 383, 384.
60 The O'Codhlitanswere a County Car- low family, now reduced to poverty. The name is now Collatan. The Cantitines were a sept of Anglo-Norman descent, now Anglice Condon.
61 See Friar Clyn's "Annals of Ireland,"
P- IS-
62 Some of these have the appearance of
the interior of an old limekiln, the stones being in many places burst by the action of fire. It may have been, that the action of successive fires has given them such an ap- pearance ; for, we may readily suppose, it did not escape unscathed during the general demolition and burning of the succeeding times.
63 See Friar Clyn's -'Annals of Ireland," p. 34.
"* From a document, preserved amongst the records in the Bermingham Tower, Dublin Castle, it appears, that in pursuance ofanorderoftheyear1581,asumof^£350 was levied off the counties of Wexford and Kilkenny, and the cities of Waterford and Kilkenny, for the purpose of erecting a
tower—at St. Molin's. The remains of a
—wer most theoneherereferred to probably
to were removed, and the materials were used in the building of the present St. Mullin's Mills. See Patrick O'Leary's " Ancient Life of St. Molyng," &c. , Ap- pendix, pp. 57, 58.
6* to
the
A terrible pestilence is said to have come origi-
6s Many thousands of the Saracens and in- fidels succumbed to it, as we learn from Friar Clyn's "Annals of Ireland. " See pp. 35 t0 37-
^ No less than 50,000, and even more, were carried off, in the south of France from the month of May to the Feast of St. Thomas' Translation, and we read, that the cemetery which Pope Clement VI. conse- crated was nothing less than the River Rhone itself, into which the bodies were cast; yet, by reason of that solemn benediction of the river, these were considered to receive Christian burial. (Torfaus. )
6? Its were first manifested at symptoms
Dublin, Dalkey and Drogheda. In the first mentioned of these cities, no fewer than 14,000 inhabitants are said to have perished,
Thisplaggueisnoticed,also,inThadyDow
" ling's"^
Annales Breves Hiberniae," p. 23. a Friar Clyn's "Annals of Ireland," pp.
35 to 37.
ling's
724 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 17.
in burying the dead ; many died of boils, and abscesses, and pustules on their shins, and under their arm-pits ; others died frantic with the pain in their head, and others spitting blood. 6? Such was the testimony of a contem- porary witness, and of one, who seems to have anticipated his own fast ap-
proaching end. 70
The local fame of few men survives a generation without some adequate
cause. That of St. Moling is still green in the memories of his local patrons. Nor is it ever likely to perish with the lapse of time, because it is entwined with the religious veneration of a people, who still proclaim his praises. The
holy bishop Molyng, through the grace of God, possessed all the apostolic virtues. Great miracles distinguished his career ; for he raised the dead, he cleansed the lepers, he caused the lame to walk, he gave sight to the blind, and he cured various diseases. The Almighty has called him away from the perishable toils of earth, to crown him with those joys which are boundless, and with those imperishable rewards which are the portion of all his faithful servants.
Article II. —St. Botulphus, Abbot in England. [Seventh Cen- tury]. It seems to be generally allowed, that the Acts of St. Botulph rest on very doubtful traditions, and that various errors of statement have crept into them, before they came down to our times. Indeed, in some incidents related, we find most contradictory accounts. At least, it is very difficult to reconcile them with the known facts of history. Yet, it is sufficiently estab- lished, that Botulph in his day had been a popular saint. In the ancient chronicles of England his memory has been recorded. St. Botulph is men-
of
*9 The Rev. Dean Butler, the editor of
Clyn, remarks, that the pestilence described
in Clyn, as occurring in 1348, was the Black Death. In the province of Avignon, where
the Pope then resided, it raged with great violence ; 500 a day died, the whole number of deaths there was 60,000. See Notes, ibid. ,
pp. 63 to 69.
7° The writer closes his Annals in 1348,
thus: "But I, Friar John Clyn of the Franciscan Order of the convent of Kil- kenny, have in this book written the memo- rable things happening in my time, of which I was either an eye-witness or learned them from the relation of such as were worthy of credit ; and that these notable actions might not perish by time and vanish out of the
Anglo-
memory
of our
the
many
treating about King Edgar, who reigned from a. d. 959 to A. D. 975.
2"
See Flores Hisloriarum," at A. D.
DCMHI. , p. 230.
3 See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus iii. , Junii xvii. De S. Bothulpho Abbate et S. Adulpho Episcopo, Confessori- bus in Anglia. Commentarius Praevius, sect, ii. , num. 7, p. 400.
4 See " Sanctorum Angliae. " Legenda
5 In "Acta Sanctorum, "Saec.
