Whithern was established a community of
Premonstratensian
Monks over whom a Prior had been placed.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v9
, p.
315, n.
(1).
157 "
See Origines Parochiales Scotiae," part i. , p. 287.
Account of Scotland," vol. viii. , by Rev. C. Greig, A. M. , Minister, pp. 303 to 339.
4©8
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 16.
district between the Forth and the Carron. 16* The original name of this parish was Egglis, Egglais or Eccles, signifying "the church. "l6s In Stirling
1
formerly stood. Also the ruined parish church of Penningham, ? in Wigton-
shire, was dedicated to St. Ninian. 1 ? 1 It is in a burying-ground about three miles south of Newtonstewart, at the Clauchan of Penninghame. 172 Abroad, in various places, the memory of St. Ninian was held in special veneration. In the Church of the Carmelite Fathers of
16? In where a chapel dedicated to St. Ninian stood at a remote date. In Wigtonshire, especially associated with St. Ninian's name, are the Cuives of Cree, l6 9 where his chapel was. He was the special patron of Whithorn, as we have already seen, and there his Church of St. Martin
of St. Ninian
a
Sutherland is Navidale,
chapel
formerly existed, 168
Campsie.
founded an altar to St. Ninian and endowed a
In 1548, when Mary, the beautiful daughter of the Scottish Stuarts, went
to France to become the fiancee of the Dauphin, she landed at the little
fishing port of Roscoff, in Brittany, in the department of Finisterre. In order to preserve the memory of the circumstance, affectionate hands marked the spot of her debarkation, and traced the outline of her foot upon the stone. A handsome little Gothic chapel was afterwards built upon the site, and dedi- cated to St. Ninian. Its ruins still attest the original grace which marked the structure. But the hancl of Time has long lain heavily upon the memorial ; the roof has long since fallen in ; and only the walls, the mullioned windows, filled in with rude stonework, and the graceful Gothic arched doorway of the external structure now remain. Within, matters are still worse. All is nakedness and desolation, and in what were once the aisle and transepts, the tall grass grows luxuriantly above the piles of debris, which had previously filledthem. Theuprightstonesofthreealtarsstilldenotetheplace,where the mysteries of religion were celebrated. The aspect of the whole place is sad and mournful as the chequered career of the unhappy lady, with whose name it has been interwoven. Even as a ruin, however, it is dear to many for its
very associations. 1 ^ In the year 1876, this chapel was doomed to extinction. 1 ? 6 The edifice was never a pretentious one ; it was never anything morethanaprettylittlearchitecturalmemorial; butasamonumentofoneof
164 « With the exception of the small space
Scotland," vol. iv. Wigtonshire. The parish
occupied by the parish of Stirling, the Forth
is still its boundary for many miles, by which
it is separated from Kincardine, Lecropt, bell which bore the following inscription, in
u
Logie, and Allan. On the east it is Saxon letters, Campana Sancti Niniani de
bounded by Airth ; on the west by Gargun- Penigham, M. ," when Symson wrote his nock and Fintray. The carron on the "Large Description of Galloway," in
south, for nearly six miles, separates it from Kinsyth and Denny ; while Dunipace and Larbert for—m the remainder of its southern
boundary. " William Nimmo's "History of
Stirlingshire," vol. ii. , chap, i. , p. 14. Third edition.
165Until— the itselfwascalled 1724, village
Kirktown. Ibid. , vol. i. , chap, xxi. , p. 375.
1684.
*** See Chalmers' "Caledonia," vol. iii. ,
chap, iv. , sect, viii. , p. 411, n. (i).
*M
Privy Seal Regist. , xii. , 26.
'74 See Chalmers' " Caledonia," vol. iii. ,
chap, iv. , sect, viii. , p. 411, n. (i).
I? 5 The account contained in the text has
been taken from the Freeman's lourntl of Dublin, October 7th, 1876.
17<s The place had been purchased as the site of an intended " Salle d'Asile " for the parish, a benevolent institution much needed, it appears, there, and the beginning of next year will witness the demolition of the historic building unless some means of providing another site for the asylum be forthcoming from outside. —Ibid.
166 " See
p. 344-
Reyistrum de Dunfermline,"
167 See Registrum EpiscopatusGlasg. ,p. 8S.
168 See the "New Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. xv. , Sutherland. Parish of Loth, p. 201
169 See Chalmers' " Caledonia," vol. iii. ,
chap, iv. , sect, viii. , p. 411, n. (i).
'? See the " New Statistical Account of
166 and also at
Bruges,
17+
chaplain.
173 the Scotch nation
of Penninghame, p. 176.
'? ' At the church of Penninghame was a
September 16. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 409
the most romantic and touching tragedies of modern history it was dear to
many. SomeofSt. Ninian'srelicsweresavedaftertheReformation,andpre-
servedintheScots'CollegeatDouai,inFrance. Anarmhadbeenrecovered
by Father Alexander Macquarry, and it was given in charge to the Countess
1
of Linlithgow. ? ? It was intrusted by Alexander Seton to Father John Robb,
18It 1^
one which bone,
to be brought to the seminary. -
Chapel of St. Margaret, by the Scots in Douai College, and this was enclosed
The Church of Candida Casa, founded by St. Ninian at Whithorn, does not appear to have been used for a very long period after his death, notwith- standing the reverence in which the patron's name had been held. 181 In 727, a bishopric was there established by the Angles, and the see had been filled by five bishops, but it came to an end about the year 796. The Cathedral of Whithorn contained the chief reli—cs of St. Ninian ; and pilgrimages by all
. is stated, that
went from the elbow to the sheikle-bone, had been kept religiously in the
ina ofwood, a l8° Sofar as canbe figure representing Bishop.
ascertained, the Christianity, introduced by St. Ninian to the remote part of Scotland in which he lived and laboured, seems to have declined after his death, owing to the frequent inroads of the Picts and Scots on the more southern districts. It is possible, that during those raids many churches were destroyed. His diocese became disorganised, and it disappears, for many ages afterwards.
classes were frequently m—ade thither especially from all parts of Scotland, 182
England and Ireland including personages of the highest rank, even kings and queens. This practice continued down to the time of the Reformation. l83 BeforethatperiodthetownofWhithernwaspopularlycalled
St, Ninian's, from being the ancient seat of the worthy bishop, and it being 18
the place of his burial. * In 11-43, during the reign of King David I, of
the Church was refounded
Cathedral of St. Martin, now roofless and ruined, was built in the 12th century by French masons, who came from St. Martin's Abbey at Tours. The west end is Norman j the remainder of the building is partly early English and partly decorated. 186 That beautiful cathedral, during the religious troubles in Scotland, was wrecked and
Scotland,
l ? 7 She was named Helena, daughter to Andrew, the seventh Earl of Errol, and she
married Alexander, first Earl of
The charge of the Princess Elizabeth was committed to her and to her husband. So well had they discharged their duty, that they received the thanks of the King and Council. That a Catholic should have charge of the Princess is not wonderful, for Anne of Denmark had secretly conformed, and had Father Robert Abercromby for her
" confessor. See Sir Robert Douglas's Peer-
age of Scotland, with a continuation by John Philip Wood, vol. ii. , p. 127, and vol.
v-> P> 549> Edinburgh, 1813. Also, Conoeus, " De Duplici Statu Religionis," p. 270. Romae, 1628.
by Fergus
be seen, when Venerable Bede wrote, two hundred and fifty years after it had been
Linlithgow.
built. See Hill Burton's " John
Scotland," vol. i. , chap, i. , p. 40.
l82 See Chalmers' "
History
vol.
of
pulled
down the l8? In by Presbyterians.
l8s Chambers gives several extracts relative to St. Ninian from the treasurer's books of 178 gee "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , James IV. 's reign. See " Caledonia," vol.
Septembris xvi. , p. 327.
179 By Father Augustine Hay, in
"
iii. , chap, iv. , sect, viii. , pp. 412 to 414, n. (1).
,86SeeWalcott's"Scoti-Monasticon The :
Ancient Church of Scotland," p. 223.
l8? See Le Comte de Montalembert's " Les Moines d'Occident," tome iii. , liv. x. , chap.
i. , p. 20, n. 2.
Thisis a
Scotia manuscript kept
Sacra," p. 387.
in the Advocates' Library, Edinburgh.
180 The relic was enclosed in the right
arm. 181
The remains of Candida Casa were to
only
of l8s The Galloway.
Caledonia," chap, iv. , sect, viii. , p. 411.
iii. ,
l83 In 1581, an act of the Scottish Parlia-
ment rendered those
1&* A Presbyterian minister, John Mac-
lellan, who lived in the reign of Charles I. , states, that Whithern owed all its celebrity to Ninian, who was the tutelar saint of the place. He wrote an account of Galloway, and which was published in Blaeu's Atlas, p. 59.
pilgrimages illegal,
4i° LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [Septemberj. 6.
Whithern was established a community of Premonstratensian Monks over whom a Prior had been placed. In their church some of St. Ninian's relics
and
were 188 The mediaeval cathedral is now deposited.
roofless,
with ivy, measuring 72 by 24 feet, in the Romanesque first Pointed and second Pointed styles of architecture. The chief vestige of its former magnificence is a beautiful round-headed archway, with remains of vaults and
l8
other buildings in connection with the ancient priory. 9 Four Gothic
arches whicli formed stand,
of a modern of 1 ? place worship.
part
When the Roman Empire was falling to pieces before the inroads of bar-
barians from the north and east, the last of the legionaries was withdrawn from Britain, in a. d. 410, while St. Ninian was still preaching among the Southern Picts. When the Imperial legions had failed to maintain their position, this pioneer of the Gospel had begun to lay the foundations of the Church, in the centre and south-west parts of Scotland. His work was
102 St.
greatest of the ancient British Apostles, of whom we have any clear and
1*1 St.
and other holy missionaries; but, St. Ninian remains the foremost and
taken St. up by
Palladius,
Ternan,
Kentigern,
1 distinct tradition. For now ages
the once of the powerful Empire
long past,
West has shared the fate of all conquests founded on greed and rapine ; but, the small mustard seed of the Gospel grew into a flourishing tree and spread its branches over the ruins, If many of those branches have perished during the fierce storm of the Reformation in Scotland; still does the parent stock remain, and the roots deeply-planted are vigorous, in our age of enlighten- ment, while destined yet to restore over the length and breadth of that
beautiful land the benign influences of the Holy Catholic Church.
Article II. —St. Laisren, Abbot of Iona. [Sixth and Seventh
Centuries. ] The father of this holy man was son of Ninnidh, son to Fergus,
son of Conall and he first cousin of St. Columba. 1 Gulban, was, therefore,
He was born in the earlier half of the sixth century, and he became a
disciple of his renowned relative. He was also with St. Columba to Scot-
land, and he seems to have spent some time under him as a monk, in the
monastery of Iona. He was besides the companion of the holy Abbot, during
his missionary excursions in Scotland, and we find special allusion to him.
This incident happened, while St. Columba was travelling through a rough
and which was called Artda 2 now Ardnamurchan,3 rocky country, Muirchol,
a peninsular district, on the northern boundary of Argyleshire. It consists
of mountains, hills, and high moors, in general more rugged and precipitous, than of great elevation. '* The old parochial name was Kilchoan, and so called from the church, which stood on the south-coast near Kilchoan Bay. s His companions, Laisren, son of Feradach, and Diarmuit, his minister,
speaking
188
on the
two Irish 6 Baetan Mac way regarding Kings,
Muircheartaigh
See Chalmers'
chap, iv. , sect, viii. , p. 411.
June, in the Sixth Volume of this work, Art. i.
'9° See Robert
Forsyth's Scotland," vol. ii. , p. 420.
Height
3 in , 2q2, it was called Ardenmwrich, and
"
l8» See Francis H. Groome's "Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. vi. , pp. 485, 486.
"Beauties of
2 The name on the text seems to signify "Height of the two Sea-hazels," but the modern one " of the Sea-calf. "
'** His feast occurs at the 6th of July.
192 Honoured on the 12th of June.
'*» His feast is held on the 13th of January,
in 1309 Ardnameerchin.
4 See "Old Statistical Survey of Scot-
land," vol. xx. , p. 289.
ssee " Parochiales C. Innes' Origines
Scotiae," part i. , p. 194
6 When monarch of Ireland Ainmire,
and
194 Venerated on the 1st of July. Article 11. —' See his at the
13th
of November.
Caledonia," vol. hi. ,
life,
9th
of
overgrown
1Q3 St. ,Q4 Servanus,
September 16. I LIVES OP THE IRISH SAINTS.
411
and Eochaidh Find Mac Domhnaill,? he uttered these words to them, u Oh ! my dear sons, why do you talk so foolishly of them ? for both of those kings of whom you are now speaking, are slain, and their heads have been cut off by their enemy. This very day, moreover, some sailors coming here from Scotia 8 will tell you the same about these two kings. " That very same day,
sailors from Hibernia 9 at the landing
place
Paradisi, or of Paradise," told the two above-named companions, sailing in
the same ship with the saint, that the prophecy of the holy man, regarding
the death of the kings had been exactly fulfilled.
12
Before the death of St.
Columkille, Laisran had been appointed Abbot over the monastery at Durrow,'3 in Ireland. As we have already seen, in the Life of St.
1 * the
from that Island, how at that same moment in winter the monks of Durrow hadsomeseverelabourimposedonthem,andhebegantoweep. Butsoon hearing the voice of Laisran ordering them rest and refreshment, he ceased weeping, and blessing their Abbot for his kindness, St. Columkille told his brethren in Iona what had in Ireland. 15 In the l6
Columkille,
great
archimandrite of Iona had a in which he knew vision,
just passed year 598, according to some accounts, Laisranus was promoted from his subordinate •
charge at Durrow, to be Abbot of Hy. 17 He was the third who filled that
office, in succession to the celebrated founder. However, the Rev. Dr.
l8
Reeves places his accession at a. d. 600. During his term of rule, the
viz. , St. Canice in Achadh T 9 Bo,
a. d. 605, according to Tighernach's Annals,22 followed by the Chronicum Scotorum. 23 The annals of Inisfallen place his death, at an earlier date,
deaths of three renowned saints took
St. 20 the Kentigern,
place : Comgall
of 21 Over the monas- Bangor.
and St.
tery at Iona Laisran presided, until he died on the 16th day of September,
was slain in 569, Baedan and his nephew Eochaidh became joint sovereigns over Ireland. These were descended from Muiredhach, son of Eoghan, and Earc, the daughter of Loam.
7 Their deaths here referred to are thus
13 Iona and Durrow, called "Campus
Roborum," by Venerable Bede, are said by him to have been the two chief monasteries founded by Columba, and from which houses "perplurima exinde monasteria per discipulos ejus et in Britannia et in Hibernia
recorded by Tigernach :
"
A. C. 572. X)& propagata sunt ; in quibus omnibus idem
hui
i. e. Baetan mac Muircheartaigh et Eochaidh Find mac Domhnaill [anno] tertio regni sui[occisi]. Cronan mac Tighernaigh ru^h
monasterium insulanum, in — re- quo ipse
quiescit corpore, principatum tenet. " "His- toria Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib.
iii. , cap. iv.
14 See the Sixth Volume of this work, at
muirveuAigh [duo nepotes Muiredaci],
Bishop,
Cin-achta occisor eorum erat. " See
Rev. Dr. O'Conor's "Rerum Hiberni- the 9th of June, Art. i. , chap. x.
[rex]
carum Scriptores," tomus ii. Tigernachi Annales.
15 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's Lite
of St. Columba, lib. i. , cap. 29, pp. 57, 58. 16 At this date, the rest of Baithen, tences, showing that Ardnamurchan was second Abbot of Hy is recorded in the
8 Or, Hibcrnice, as found in the next sen-
not in Scotia, when Adamnan wrote. 9 In the text of Adamnan.
10 This is a
Irish muirbolg nem-o. The name has
been locally preserved, but it probably catalogue of the abbots of Hy, which has belonged to a sheltered bay in or near Ard- been perpetuated by his copyists.
18
See his Adamnan's "Life of St. Co- a " sea-inlet. " In Ireland it is modernized lumba. " Additional Notes o, p. 372.
very singular compound,
in
Hennessy, pp. 64, 65.
17 The omission of his name in the
namurchan. The word TYlurvbolg signifies
Murlough. See the Annals of the Four Masters at A. M. 2859, 3501.
19 In the eighty-fourth year of his age, on the nth of October, a. d. 600.
11
20
The Irish word for Paradise here is
" 21
ndmidh, i. e. , sacred grove. " This place is supposed to be on the shore in Argyleshire. " See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life
In the year 601.
In the year 602.
See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's "Rerum Hiber-
See William M. Hennessy's edition, pp. 70, 71.
of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. II, pp. 40, 41, andnn. (a, b c, d, e, f. )
25
which was called '° Muirbolg
"Chronicum Scotorum
"
Annals of Ulster created a gap in Ussher's
22
nicarum Scriptores," tomus ii.
of William M.
4i2 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September16.
viz. , a. d. 600 ; while those of the Four Masters have it, at a. d. 601. His festival is noted in our Irish Calendars. In the published Martyrology of
his
Abbot of Ia-Coluim-Cille.
Laisren,
Martyrology.
[Sixth and Seventh Centuries? ^
to the of published Martyrology
Veneration was given at this date, according
Book of Leinster is a similar copy
entry.
following
notice, which
Tallagh,
2
1 to Molaisse Mac In the Lugair.
From the
does not seem to be applicable to the Saint of this name we have placed first
in order, it would seem to be, that Lugair was the name of the present holy * man's father. At the 16th of September, the " Feilire "3 of St. -<Engus enters thefeastofLaisrentheGreat,ofMen. ThescholiastontheLeabharBreac copy has an added commentary on this latter name of his place, in which
he states, that Men was the name of a river in Dalnaraid and Cen£l Eogain utjcrunt, and Mo-laise on its brink. * So far as we can interpret this latter suppositious scholion, it would seem to mean, that Laisren, otherwise called Mo-Laise, lived on the brink of the River Men. However, a better con-
jecture about his locality occupies the secondary place, in the writer's
estimation, and yet it is the correct one. Again, we are told, that Mena is
thenameofa whichis in or it was froma 6 which river, Laoighes ;S bridge,
is on that river, the place was named Mena. 7 With that fondness for attempted local derivations—often so frivolous and fallacious—yet which appears to have been customary among Irish writers, a subsequent note has
8
been appended by the scholiast on the Leabhar Breac copy of the Feilire.
we find Lasriani a* in the Book only ;
at the 16th of
of Leinster copy he is particularised as Lasriani, Abbot of Hi Columkille. 's In the Leabhar Breac copy of the Feilire of St. ^Engus, 26 a festival is entered at the 1 6th of September, to commemorate Laisren the Happy in Iona. Likewise, in conjunction with the saint of his name of whom notices are to follow, Marianus O'Gorman commemorates him at the 16th of September in
September,
2? Also,in the of 28 wehave Martyrology Donegal,
Article III. —St. Laisren, of Menadrehid, Queen's County
Tallagh,
24 See edition of Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxiv.
Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. ,
2 SThus, IdfiM-am 4b m hi Col C. 26 "
part i. cxxxviii.
See Origines Parochiales Scotiae," part i. , p. 287.
Account of Scotland," vol. viii. , by Rev. C. Greig, A. M. , Minister, pp. 303 to 339.
4©8
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 16.
district between the Forth and the Carron. 16* The original name of this parish was Egglis, Egglais or Eccles, signifying "the church. "l6s In Stirling
1
formerly stood. Also the ruined parish church of Penningham, ? in Wigton-
shire, was dedicated to St. Ninian. 1 ? 1 It is in a burying-ground about three miles south of Newtonstewart, at the Clauchan of Penninghame. 172 Abroad, in various places, the memory of St. Ninian was held in special veneration. In the Church of the Carmelite Fathers of
16? In where a chapel dedicated to St. Ninian stood at a remote date. In Wigtonshire, especially associated with St. Ninian's name, are the Cuives of Cree, l6 9 where his chapel was. He was the special patron of Whithorn, as we have already seen, and there his Church of St. Martin
of St. Ninian
a
Sutherland is Navidale,
chapel
formerly existed, 168
Campsie.
founded an altar to St. Ninian and endowed a
In 1548, when Mary, the beautiful daughter of the Scottish Stuarts, went
to France to become the fiancee of the Dauphin, she landed at the little
fishing port of Roscoff, in Brittany, in the department of Finisterre. In order to preserve the memory of the circumstance, affectionate hands marked the spot of her debarkation, and traced the outline of her foot upon the stone. A handsome little Gothic chapel was afterwards built upon the site, and dedi- cated to St. Ninian. Its ruins still attest the original grace which marked the structure. But the hancl of Time has long lain heavily upon the memorial ; the roof has long since fallen in ; and only the walls, the mullioned windows, filled in with rude stonework, and the graceful Gothic arched doorway of the external structure now remain. Within, matters are still worse. All is nakedness and desolation, and in what were once the aisle and transepts, the tall grass grows luxuriantly above the piles of debris, which had previously filledthem. Theuprightstonesofthreealtarsstilldenotetheplace,where the mysteries of religion were celebrated. The aspect of the whole place is sad and mournful as the chequered career of the unhappy lady, with whose name it has been interwoven. Even as a ruin, however, it is dear to many for its
very associations. 1 ^ In the year 1876, this chapel was doomed to extinction. 1 ? 6 The edifice was never a pretentious one ; it was never anything morethanaprettylittlearchitecturalmemorial; butasamonumentofoneof
164 « With the exception of the small space
Scotland," vol. iv. Wigtonshire. The parish
occupied by the parish of Stirling, the Forth
is still its boundary for many miles, by which
it is separated from Kincardine, Lecropt, bell which bore the following inscription, in
u
Logie, and Allan. On the east it is Saxon letters, Campana Sancti Niniani de
bounded by Airth ; on the west by Gargun- Penigham, M. ," when Symson wrote his nock and Fintray. The carron on the "Large Description of Galloway," in
south, for nearly six miles, separates it from Kinsyth and Denny ; while Dunipace and Larbert for—m the remainder of its southern
boundary. " William Nimmo's "History of
Stirlingshire," vol. ii. , chap, i. , p. 14. Third edition.
165Until— the itselfwascalled 1724, village
Kirktown. Ibid. , vol. i. , chap, xxi. , p. 375.
1684.
*** See Chalmers' "Caledonia," vol. iii. ,
chap, iv. , sect, viii. , p. 411, n. (i).
*M
Privy Seal Regist. , xii. , 26.
'74 See Chalmers' " Caledonia," vol. iii. ,
chap, iv. , sect, viii. , p. 411, n. (i).
I? 5 The account contained in the text has
been taken from the Freeman's lourntl of Dublin, October 7th, 1876.
17<s The place had been purchased as the site of an intended " Salle d'Asile " for the parish, a benevolent institution much needed, it appears, there, and the beginning of next year will witness the demolition of the historic building unless some means of providing another site for the asylum be forthcoming from outside. —Ibid.
166 " See
p. 344-
Reyistrum de Dunfermline,"
167 See Registrum EpiscopatusGlasg. ,p. 8S.
168 See the "New Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. xv. , Sutherland. Parish of Loth, p. 201
169 See Chalmers' " Caledonia," vol. iii. ,
chap, iv. , sect, viii. , p. 411, n. (i).
'? See the " New Statistical Account of
166 and also at
Bruges,
17+
chaplain.
173 the Scotch nation
of Penninghame, p. 176.
'? ' At the church of Penninghame was a
September 16. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 409
the most romantic and touching tragedies of modern history it was dear to
many. SomeofSt. Ninian'srelicsweresavedaftertheReformation,andpre-
servedintheScots'CollegeatDouai,inFrance. Anarmhadbeenrecovered
by Father Alexander Macquarry, and it was given in charge to the Countess
1
of Linlithgow. ? ? It was intrusted by Alexander Seton to Father John Robb,
18It 1^
one which bone,
to be brought to the seminary. -
Chapel of St. Margaret, by the Scots in Douai College, and this was enclosed
The Church of Candida Casa, founded by St. Ninian at Whithorn, does not appear to have been used for a very long period after his death, notwith- standing the reverence in which the patron's name had been held. 181 In 727, a bishopric was there established by the Angles, and the see had been filled by five bishops, but it came to an end about the year 796. The Cathedral of Whithorn contained the chief reli—cs of St. Ninian ; and pilgrimages by all
. is stated, that
went from the elbow to the sheikle-bone, had been kept religiously in the
ina ofwood, a l8° Sofar as canbe figure representing Bishop.
ascertained, the Christianity, introduced by St. Ninian to the remote part of Scotland in which he lived and laboured, seems to have declined after his death, owing to the frequent inroads of the Picts and Scots on the more southern districts. It is possible, that during those raids many churches were destroyed. His diocese became disorganised, and it disappears, for many ages afterwards.
classes were frequently m—ade thither especially from all parts of Scotland, 182
England and Ireland including personages of the highest rank, even kings and queens. This practice continued down to the time of the Reformation. l83 BeforethatperiodthetownofWhithernwaspopularlycalled
St, Ninian's, from being the ancient seat of the worthy bishop, and it being 18
the place of his burial. * In 11-43, during the reign of King David I, of
the Church was refounded
Cathedral of St. Martin, now roofless and ruined, was built in the 12th century by French masons, who came from St. Martin's Abbey at Tours. The west end is Norman j the remainder of the building is partly early English and partly decorated. 186 That beautiful cathedral, during the religious troubles in Scotland, was wrecked and
Scotland,
l ? 7 She was named Helena, daughter to Andrew, the seventh Earl of Errol, and she
married Alexander, first Earl of
The charge of the Princess Elizabeth was committed to her and to her husband. So well had they discharged their duty, that they received the thanks of the King and Council. That a Catholic should have charge of the Princess is not wonderful, for Anne of Denmark had secretly conformed, and had Father Robert Abercromby for her
" confessor. See Sir Robert Douglas's Peer-
age of Scotland, with a continuation by John Philip Wood, vol. ii. , p. 127, and vol.
v-> P> 549> Edinburgh, 1813. Also, Conoeus, " De Duplici Statu Religionis," p. 270. Romae, 1628.
by Fergus
be seen, when Venerable Bede wrote, two hundred and fifty years after it had been
Linlithgow.
built. See Hill Burton's " John
Scotland," vol. i. , chap, i. , p. 40.
l82 See Chalmers' "
History
vol.
of
pulled
down the l8? In by Presbyterians.
l8s Chambers gives several extracts relative to St. Ninian from the treasurer's books of 178 gee "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , James IV. 's reign. See " Caledonia," vol.
Septembris xvi. , p. 327.
179 By Father Augustine Hay, in
"
iii. , chap, iv. , sect, viii. , pp. 412 to 414, n. (1).
,86SeeWalcott's"Scoti-Monasticon The :
Ancient Church of Scotland," p. 223.
l8? See Le Comte de Montalembert's " Les Moines d'Occident," tome iii. , liv. x. , chap.
i. , p. 20, n. 2.
Thisis a
Scotia manuscript kept
Sacra," p. 387.
in the Advocates' Library, Edinburgh.
180 The relic was enclosed in the right
arm. 181
The remains of Candida Casa were to
only
of l8s The Galloway.
Caledonia," chap, iv. , sect, viii. , p. 411.
iii. ,
l83 In 1581, an act of the Scottish Parlia-
ment rendered those
1&* A Presbyterian minister, John Mac-
lellan, who lived in the reign of Charles I. , states, that Whithern owed all its celebrity to Ninian, who was the tutelar saint of the place. He wrote an account of Galloway, and which was published in Blaeu's Atlas, p. 59.
pilgrimages illegal,
4i° LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [Septemberj. 6.
Whithern was established a community of Premonstratensian Monks over whom a Prior had been placed. In their church some of St. Ninian's relics
and
were 188 The mediaeval cathedral is now deposited.
roofless,
with ivy, measuring 72 by 24 feet, in the Romanesque first Pointed and second Pointed styles of architecture. The chief vestige of its former magnificence is a beautiful round-headed archway, with remains of vaults and
l8
other buildings in connection with the ancient priory. 9 Four Gothic
arches whicli formed stand,
of a modern of 1 ? place worship.
part
When the Roman Empire was falling to pieces before the inroads of bar-
barians from the north and east, the last of the legionaries was withdrawn from Britain, in a. d. 410, while St. Ninian was still preaching among the Southern Picts. When the Imperial legions had failed to maintain their position, this pioneer of the Gospel had begun to lay the foundations of the Church, in the centre and south-west parts of Scotland. His work was
102 St.
greatest of the ancient British Apostles, of whom we have any clear and
1*1 St.
and other holy missionaries; but, St. Ninian remains the foremost and
taken St. up by
Palladius,
Ternan,
Kentigern,
1 distinct tradition. For now ages
the once of the powerful Empire
long past,
West has shared the fate of all conquests founded on greed and rapine ; but, the small mustard seed of the Gospel grew into a flourishing tree and spread its branches over the ruins, If many of those branches have perished during the fierce storm of the Reformation in Scotland; still does the parent stock remain, and the roots deeply-planted are vigorous, in our age of enlighten- ment, while destined yet to restore over the length and breadth of that
beautiful land the benign influences of the Holy Catholic Church.
Article II. —St. Laisren, Abbot of Iona. [Sixth and Seventh
Centuries. ] The father of this holy man was son of Ninnidh, son to Fergus,
son of Conall and he first cousin of St. Columba. 1 Gulban, was, therefore,
He was born in the earlier half of the sixth century, and he became a
disciple of his renowned relative. He was also with St. Columba to Scot-
land, and he seems to have spent some time under him as a monk, in the
monastery of Iona. He was besides the companion of the holy Abbot, during
his missionary excursions in Scotland, and we find special allusion to him.
This incident happened, while St. Columba was travelling through a rough
and which was called Artda 2 now Ardnamurchan,3 rocky country, Muirchol,
a peninsular district, on the northern boundary of Argyleshire. It consists
of mountains, hills, and high moors, in general more rugged and precipitous, than of great elevation. '* The old parochial name was Kilchoan, and so called from the church, which stood on the south-coast near Kilchoan Bay. s His companions, Laisren, son of Feradach, and Diarmuit, his minister,
speaking
188
on the
two Irish 6 Baetan Mac way regarding Kings,
Muircheartaigh
See Chalmers'
chap, iv. , sect, viii. , p. 411.
June, in the Sixth Volume of this work, Art. i.
'9° See Robert
Forsyth's Scotland," vol. ii. , p. 420.
Height
3 in , 2q2, it was called Ardenmwrich, and
"
l8» See Francis H. Groome's "Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. vi. , pp. 485, 486.
"Beauties of
2 The name on the text seems to signify "Height of the two Sea-hazels," but the modern one " of the Sea-calf. "
'** His feast occurs at the 6th of July.
192 Honoured on the 12th of June.
'*» His feast is held on the 13th of January,
in 1309 Ardnameerchin.
4 See "Old Statistical Survey of Scot-
land," vol. xx. , p. 289.
ssee " Parochiales C. Innes' Origines
Scotiae," part i. , p. 194
6 When monarch of Ireland Ainmire,
and
194 Venerated on the 1st of July. Article 11. —' See his at the
13th
of November.
Caledonia," vol. hi. ,
life,
9th
of
overgrown
1Q3 St. ,Q4 Servanus,
September 16. I LIVES OP THE IRISH SAINTS.
411
and Eochaidh Find Mac Domhnaill,? he uttered these words to them, u Oh ! my dear sons, why do you talk so foolishly of them ? for both of those kings of whom you are now speaking, are slain, and their heads have been cut off by their enemy. This very day, moreover, some sailors coming here from Scotia 8 will tell you the same about these two kings. " That very same day,
sailors from Hibernia 9 at the landing
place
Paradisi, or of Paradise," told the two above-named companions, sailing in
the same ship with the saint, that the prophecy of the holy man, regarding
the death of the kings had been exactly fulfilled.
12
Before the death of St.
Columkille, Laisran had been appointed Abbot over the monastery at Durrow,'3 in Ireland. As we have already seen, in the Life of St.
1 * the
from that Island, how at that same moment in winter the monks of Durrow hadsomeseverelabourimposedonthem,andhebegantoweep. Butsoon hearing the voice of Laisran ordering them rest and refreshment, he ceased weeping, and blessing their Abbot for his kindness, St. Columkille told his brethren in Iona what had in Ireland. 15 In the l6
Columkille,
great
archimandrite of Iona had a in which he knew vision,
just passed year 598, according to some accounts, Laisranus was promoted from his subordinate •
charge at Durrow, to be Abbot of Hy. 17 He was the third who filled that
office, in succession to the celebrated founder. However, the Rev. Dr.
l8
Reeves places his accession at a. d. 600. During his term of rule, the
viz. , St. Canice in Achadh T 9 Bo,
a. d. 605, according to Tighernach's Annals,22 followed by the Chronicum Scotorum. 23 The annals of Inisfallen place his death, at an earlier date,
deaths of three renowned saints took
St. 20 the Kentigern,
place : Comgall
of 21 Over the monas- Bangor.
and St.
tery at Iona Laisran presided, until he died on the 16th day of September,
was slain in 569, Baedan and his nephew Eochaidh became joint sovereigns over Ireland. These were descended from Muiredhach, son of Eoghan, and Earc, the daughter of Loam.
7 Their deaths here referred to are thus
13 Iona and Durrow, called "Campus
Roborum," by Venerable Bede, are said by him to have been the two chief monasteries founded by Columba, and from which houses "perplurima exinde monasteria per discipulos ejus et in Britannia et in Hibernia
recorded by Tigernach :
"
A. C. 572. X)& propagata sunt ; in quibus omnibus idem
hui
i. e. Baetan mac Muircheartaigh et Eochaidh Find mac Domhnaill [anno] tertio regni sui[occisi]. Cronan mac Tighernaigh ru^h
monasterium insulanum, in — re- quo ipse
quiescit corpore, principatum tenet. " "His- toria Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib.
iii. , cap. iv.
14 See the Sixth Volume of this work, at
muirveuAigh [duo nepotes Muiredaci],
Bishop,
Cin-achta occisor eorum erat. " See
Rev. Dr. O'Conor's "Rerum Hiberni- the 9th of June, Art. i. , chap. x.
[rex]
carum Scriptores," tomus ii. Tigernachi Annales.
15 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's Lite
of St. Columba, lib. i. , cap. 29, pp. 57, 58. 16 At this date, the rest of Baithen, tences, showing that Ardnamurchan was second Abbot of Hy is recorded in the
8 Or, Hibcrnice, as found in the next sen-
not in Scotia, when Adamnan wrote. 9 In the text of Adamnan.
10 This is a
Irish muirbolg nem-o. The name has
been locally preserved, but it probably catalogue of the abbots of Hy, which has belonged to a sheltered bay in or near Ard- been perpetuated by his copyists.
18
See his Adamnan's "Life of St. Co- a " sea-inlet. " In Ireland it is modernized lumba. " Additional Notes o, p. 372.
very singular compound,
in
Hennessy, pp. 64, 65.
17 The omission of his name in the
namurchan. The word TYlurvbolg signifies
Murlough. See the Annals of the Four Masters at A. M. 2859, 3501.
19 In the eighty-fourth year of his age, on the nth of October, a. d. 600.
11
20
The Irish word for Paradise here is
" 21
ndmidh, i. e. , sacred grove. " This place is supposed to be on the shore in Argyleshire. " See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life
In the year 601.
In the year 602.
See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's "Rerum Hiber-
See William M. Hennessy's edition, pp. 70, 71.
of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. II, pp. 40, 41, andnn. (a, b c, d, e, f. )
25
which was called '° Muirbolg
"Chronicum Scotorum
"
Annals of Ulster created a gap in Ussher's
22
nicarum Scriptores," tomus ii.
of William M.
4i2 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September16.
viz. , a. d. 600 ; while those of the Four Masters have it, at a. d. 601. His festival is noted in our Irish Calendars. In the published Martyrology of
his
Abbot of Ia-Coluim-Cille.
Laisren,
Martyrology.
[Sixth and Seventh Centuries? ^
to the of published Martyrology
Veneration was given at this date, according
Book of Leinster is a similar copy
entry.
following
notice, which
Tallagh,
2
1 to Molaisse Mac In the Lugair.
From the
does not seem to be applicable to the Saint of this name we have placed first
in order, it would seem to be, that Lugair was the name of the present holy * man's father. At the 16th of September, the " Feilire "3 of St. -<Engus enters thefeastofLaisrentheGreat,ofMen. ThescholiastontheLeabharBreac copy has an added commentary on this latter name of his place, in which
he states, that Men was the name of a river in Dalnaraid and Cen£l Eogain utjcrunt, and Mo-laise on its brink. * So far as we can interpret this latter suppositious scholion, it would seem to mean, that Laisren, otherwise called Mo-Laise, lived on the brink of the River Men. However, a better con-
jecture about his locality occupies the secondary place, in the writer's
estimation, and yet it is the correct one. Again, we are told, that Mena is
thenameofa whichis in or it was froma 6 which river, Laoighes ;S bridge,
is on that river, the place was named Mena. 7 With that fondness for attempted local derivations—often so frivolous and fallacious—yet which appears to have been customary among Irish writers, a subsequent note has
8
been appended by the scholiast on the Leabhar Breac copy of the Feilire.
we find Lasriani a* in the Book only ;
at the 16th of
of Leinster copy he is particularised as Lasriani, Abbot of Hi Columkille. 's In the Leabhar Breac copy of the Feilire of St. ^Engus, 26 a festival is entered at the 1 6th of September, to commemorate Laisren the Happy in Iona. Likewise, in conjunction with the saint of his name of whom notices are to follow, Marianus O'Gorman commemorates him at the 16th of September in
September,
2? Also,in the of 28 wehave Martyrology Donegal,
Article III. —St. Laisren, of Menadrehid, Queen's County
Tallagh,
24 See edition of Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxiv.
Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. ,
2 SThus, IdfiM-am 4b m hi Col C. 26 "
part i. cxxxviii.
