His feast is
supposed
to have been time of the Reformation, the guardians of either on the 21st of February, or on the the sacred depositories at Clogher, in order 30th of March.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v8
Macaerthenno
7 See « ' of edited Martyrology Donegal,"
by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 218, 219.
8
Thus :—
" Aedh was his name in reality,
"
Grandson of Aithmet, good was his deed,
True brother, after victory with fame,
ToMaelruain,ourteacher.
Fer-da-chrioch was his name at first I will tell you his history ;
His name at Clochar was sweet, After that, Bishop Mac Cairthinn. "
220 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 15.
earthen was called Ferdachrioch ; such a term, in his opinion, better suiting the circumstances of St. Tigernach, his successor, who was Bishop of Clones and of Clogher. 9 Neither was St. Maccarthen abbot of Dairinis in Wexford.
IO
The mistake has been ascribed
Neither did he govern Damliinis, or Devenish, in Lough Erne, since it was not founded for many years after his time, and St. Laisre alias Molasse " is known to have been its founder. The Calendar of Cashel seems to distin-
"
O'Connor states in the letter already quoted,
*? See " Acta Sanctorum 1 liber- Colgan's
9 See
vol. i. ,
10
" llis feast occurs, at the I2th of Sep- t ember.
12 " S. IVrdachrichus, Episcopus de
Colchar, post Episcopum Maccarthenium. "
—Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Ilibernuu. "
xxiv. Martii. Appendix ad Acta S. exxiii. , exxiv.
Macaerthenni Epis. Clochorensi,cap. 1,
p. 740.
1 Ussher says, treating of St. Maccarthen,
"quern ante Moctheum ix. videlicet Kalen-
das — Domini nvi. , obiisse legi- Aprilisanno
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland,"
ix. j sect, ii. , n. 15, p. 436.
chap,
By Rev. Dr. Lanigan.
nite," xxiv. Martii. Appendix ad Acta S. Macaerthenni, Epis. Clochorensi, cap. i. , p. 740.
to the scholiast of Marianus O'Gorman.
the Ferdacroich and Maccarthen. 12 We do not know the guish names,
age our saint had attained at the time of his death. Still, from the principal circum-
stance mentioned in his Life, we learn, that he was well advanced in years, before his appointment to Clogher See, he being old when St. Patrick was aged and infirm. Might he not have attained an extreme old age, likewise, and have not been too young to assume a bishopric, when St. Patrick had visited Inish-owen ? It is generally stated, that St. Maccarthen departed this life, in the year 506,^ being then advanced in years, when he was succeeded
St. 1 * who died a. d. by Tighernach,
550,
So far as can be ascertained, the grave of St. Maccarthin, according to the
uniform tradition of the place, was just adjoining the spot, where a large white- thorn bush stood some years ago in the burial-ground to the north of the present Protestant church, and convenient to the graveyard wall of en- closure. 16 For a long time, the peasants were in the habit of taking with them some of the earth from the grave of St. Maccarthin, and this goes to
strengthen that tradition regarding the locality of the holy bishop's grave. His festival is celebrated at Clogher, on the 24th of March, which is
thought by
some writers, to have been the
of his death. 1 ?
day
to the Martyrology of Salisbury, and the testimony of Ussher, cited in a fore-
goingnote,oursaint'sNatalisisassignedtothatdate. Thisalsoagreeswith the account in St. Maccarthen's Acts, according to the last-named autho- rity. He is venerated as the patron saint of Clogher diocese ; and, a Double OfficeoftheFirst-Classis recitedbytheclergyofthatdiocese,onthe24th of March.
Another festival in honour of this saint, was kept on the 15th of August,
In the " Fei—lire " of St.
at the 15th of August, is commemorated Fer-dd-chrich rendered "man of the two districts. " The commentator adds, that he was abbot of Dairinis, while the designation Fer da chrich is interpreted "a champion" or" enthroned. " 1 ?
The of 20 of Marianus O'Gorman, of and of
to several Irish
according Martyrologies.
18
Martyrologies Tallagh,
Mnguire,
Martyrology, ——
September August 15 Firdacrioch et S. Sarani tt filia- 14 See his Acts, in the Fourth Volume of rum Carpre. " See Rev. Dr. Kelly's
"
Calendar of Irish Saints," pp. xix. , xxxii. 'S See ibid. , at the 5th of Apiil, Art. iii. In the Book of Leinster copy of this Martyr- 16 It is nearly opposite to the residence of ology, I find at the former date epp mac Mr. James McAleer, as Rev. Daniel CapchuTo, and at the latter day only the
mus. "
**
Hriannicarum Ecclesiarum Ami-
quitates," cap. xvii. , p. 445.
this work, at the 4th of April, Art. i.
on the Nones of 's April.
"See " Transactions of the Royal Irish
Academy," Jrish Manuscript Series, vol. i. ,
On the Calendar of
part i. Oengus, pp.
ffSeeibid. ,p. exxxi. 90
we read,
"
In the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the
ix. of the Kalends of April 24th —March —
I find the festival of" Esp. mac Cairtind. "
And in the same of the Kalends of
at the xviii.
According
^Engus,
August 15. ] LIVES OE THE IRISH SAINTS. 221
Donegal, as also the Calendar of Cashel, enter our saint's festival at this day. In the Irish Calendar, belonging to the Ordnance Survey Office, Phoenix
Park, we do not find any notice whatever regarding St. Aidus or Maccarthenn, at the 24th of March. In the Irish Calendar at the xvii. of the Calends of
September—August 15th—we find notices of our saint. 21 this saint's festival day, and on the authority of Jocelyn,
Without giving Father Henry Fitzsimon seems to mention him under the name of Kirtemius. 23 In the Scottish Menologies, the feast of this saint is entered, at the present day. Thus, in the Calendar of Drummond,24 we find it recorded. The Rev. Alban 2s notes St. Mac Confessor, otherwise called Aid or Aed,
22
Bishop of Clogher, at the 15th of August. Also, in the "Circle of the
26
Seasons," his feast is thus entered.
We are told, that a relic of this saint, called Cloc Firdachrioch, or " the
bell of Ferdacrioch," was preserved at Tamlacht, over which St. Maelruan,
2
his relative, ruled as abbot. 7 Regarding the fate of the Cloch-oir, we have
now no certain information. 28 The ancient Cloch-oir is not to be confounded
with the stone still at the Protestant church of 29 and preserved Clogher,
which leans against the north side of the church opposite the door o—f the present post-office. This stone is the shaft of the old market cross the socket of which stands at the palace entrance. A Latin hymn, 3° in praise of St.
Butler,
Cartan,
Mac Carthinn, has been composed, according to a very probable opinion, by 1
RightRev. PatrickCullen,BishopofClogher. 3 Itisintenstanzas,andpre- served in the Diocesan Library of Cashel.
The old Irish Genealogies enumerate several saints, who belong to the
family or race of the present holy bishop : thus, Saints Boga, Colma, or 2
Columba, and Lassara, virgins,3 St. Colman,33 St. Coman or Colman Elo,34
to avoid desecration at the hands of the Thus: &ox> Gfp . 1. &fp niACCAnc- modern Iconoclasts, concealed the most 1iAm oCtocAp A-£vy T^atm cvmoc Ainm 01 ie valuable relics, such as- the Domnach
entry pivoAquch. 21 "
ahCAn
Abb >e eAtn
j\obA 'OAj\ittr 0C5 CU15-
— —the ofwhich
Airgid history O'Curry gives
the bell of St. Mac Cartain, which is said to have been concealed in a lake, or marsh, to the west of the church, and opposite the residence of the late learned and esteemed
cion Af riA f\AnAib fe. Aev> bA he a Ainf 1 &\\ bpiop : 11 a Aicmit) bA mAic Ajmof por\
bnuAp 1A|\ buAit> 50 bibit) t>o maoipuan
•AiAfxb poi]\ce<yoL peon 2 cpioc a Ainm
Anccg : imp pocoib Aiomug a Ainm P. P. , the Rev. Philip Connolly, and the.
ACcLocAf\babin s lajvpn epp mcCAncAi'n. " —Ordnance Survey Office Copy, Phoenix Park, "Common Place Book F," pp. 70, 71.
Clock oir, which was thrown into a cavern or well under the street near the present market-house of Clogher.
29 This is a popular misconception, accord- ing to what is stated in Lewis' "Topographi-
cal Dictionary of Ireland," vol. i. , p. 342.
3° See "Irish Ecclesiastical Record,"
vol. v. , January, 1869, pp. 185 to 187. A translation of it occurs in the number for
March, 1870, vol. vi. , pp. 275, 276.
3I He presided in that See from a. d. 1519
to A. D. 1534.
32
22 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Vita Sexta S. Patricii, cap. cxliii. , p. 96, and n. 151, p. 115.
"
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 21. "
23 See O'Sullevan Beare's "Historiae
Catholicse Iberniae Compendium," tomus i. ,
lib. iv. , cap. xii. , p. 55. Catalogus aliquorum Sanctorum Ibernige.
24 As follows— xviii. Kal. Sept. : "Eodem
Die apud Hiberniam N—atale Sancti Con-
These were daughters to Comgell, son of Fingalach, son to Deman, sonofNua- 25 See Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs thai, son to Mutalan, son of Cantalan, son to Fiengalach, son of Nied, son to Buan, from whom the Dal-Buan issue. They are venerated at Lettir, in Dalrieda, on the 22nd of See, at that the First
fessoris Firdachrich. " Bishop Forbes'
and other principal Saints," vol. viii. , August xv.
26
See p. 228.
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- niae," xxiv. Martii. Appendix ad Acta S.
27 See
Macaerthanni Epis. , cap. i. , p. 740.
Colgan's
January. date, Volume of this work, Art. iv.
33 fje was son to Lugneus, son of Cass, son to Rectatius, son of Cannech, son to Rev. Daniel O'Connor, has it, that at the Buan.
His feast is supposed to have been time of the Reformation, the guardians of either on the 21st of February, or on the the sacred depositories at Clogher, in order 30th of March. The reader is referred to
28
But a local tradition, according to Very
222 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 15.
St. Dabyus, or Mobyus, or Mobyteus,35 St. Macnessius or Coeman,*6 St.
St. or 8 St. Senan,39 St. Thian or Thius. «° Maelruan,37 Mugcnia Libania,3
Besides these are added St. Brandubh, Bishop,41 St. Cailin or Cailan,*2 St. 6
Cassin,<3 St. Guasacus," St. Cualan or Colan. ^St. Manchan,* St. Lochan,*? St. Moluan. *8 Moreover, St. Guasacht/9 Bishop of Granard, and his two sisters named Emeria,5° the children of Milchon or Milchuo,51 besides his
a
own homonymous brother St. Maccarthen,s Bishop of Domnach in Gleann
Tochuir, are noted in this connection. 53 Among the foregoing is to be classed a holy woman, known in tradition by the name of St. Cera,54 and who is said to have been the spiritual sister of Saints Mac Carthinn and Tiger- nach, as also who was regarded as the patroness of the old territory called
Crich Muighdorn. 55
Of late years, a magnificent cathedral has been erected near the town of
Monaghan, and dedicated to St. Maccarthen. The foundation stone was laid
on the 21st June, i86i. s6
The ground upon which the cathedral stands was secured by the late Most Rev. Dr. M'Nally, then Bishop of Clogher. How- ever, owing to the heavy initial expenses of so re- sponsible an undertaking,
the work had made but little progress, at the time of
Bishop M'Nally's death in 1864. TheMostRev. Dr.
Donnelly warmly took up the task, which his pre- decessor was called away from, and by his energy in collecting funds from the British Isles, America, and Australia, he has succeeded
in accomplishing his highly meritorious object. The
building is mediaeval Go- thic, and it is very beauti- fully situated on an emin- ence, just outside the town of Monaghan. It is sur- rounded by eight acres of ground, from which is obtainable an excellent view of the town and sur- rounding country. In the grounds fronting the main entrance, there is a fine co-
St. Maccarthenn's Cathedral, Monaghan.
lossal statue of St. Maccarthan, wrought from Carrara marble The saint is
the Second Volume of this work, at the 18th and 21st of February, Art. i. , but there the reputed pedigrees differ from that here given. See, also, the Third Volume of this work, at March 30th, where there are two Colmans, Arts. vi. and x v.
son of Mail, &c. He is venerated at Lyn- nally, on the 26th of September. See his Acts, at that date, in the Ninth Volume of this work.
35 He was son to Comgell, son of Ere, son toArad, son of Columb, son to Cannech, son of Buan. His feast occurs at the 22nd of July. See the Seventh Volume of this.
34 He was son to
son to Cunned, son of /Engus, son to Fieg,
Beogna,
son of
Mochta,
August 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 223
represented in the attitude of blessing the diocese. 57 The main entrance to the cathedral, approached by a broad flight of steps, is surmounted by a tym-
panum, in which is set a bas-relief in white marble, representing Christ hand- ing the keys to St. Peter, while in niches on either side are finely executed
work, at that date, Art. i.
36 He was son to Fabricius, son of Fieg,
Cuculan, a bishop, noted in the Carthusian
Martyrology, as having been venerated in Ireland on the 1 8th of February. Under
son to Mail, &c. But some intermediate
links seem to be wanting in this pedigree. the name of Culan he is mentioned by
He was bishop of Connor, where his feast is observed on the 3rd of September. See his Acts, at that date, in the Ninth Volume of this work.
37 He was son to Colman, son to Senach, son to Egneth, son of Mochta, son to din- ned, son of yEngus, son of Fieg, son to
Canisius and Ferrarius, at the same date. Or it may be, he is the same as the Colan,
noted in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 1 6th of September. See the Second Volume
of this work, at the 1 8th ofFebruary, Art. 'ji. See, likewise, the Ninth Volume of this work, at the 16th of September.
46A hasbeenoffered,thathe conjecture
may have been the same as Manchan, the son of Indagius, venerated on the 24th of
January, according to the Martyrologies of Tallagh and of Marianus O'Gorman. See the First Volume of this work, at that date, Art. i.
v Thought to be the St. Lochan or Loichein, venerated in the territory of Hi Uetheach, and whose feast is on the 12th of January, or on the 12th of June. See the First Volume of this work, at January 1 2th, Art. v. , and the Sixth Volume, at June 12th, Art. x.
48 Supposed to have had his festival on the 15th of October, or on the 21st of November. 49 His feast is held on 24th of January, according to the Irish Calendars. See the First Volume of this work, at that date,
Art. iv.
s° Their festival occurs on the nth of De-
cember. See the Twelfth Volume of this work, at that date.
51 He was the son of Buan.
58 As we have already seen, it has been conjectured, that his feast belonged to the 24th of March ; but, nothing can be posi- tively determined, as regards the exact date. See the Third Volume of this work, at that date, Art. x.
S3 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- niae," xxiv. Martii. Appendix ad Acta S. Maccarthenni, cap. hi. , pp. 741, 742.
s4 Her festival occurs, at the 9th of Sep- tember, where other notices of her may be found.
43 Thought to be the St. Cassin, son of Wakeman on the wood, engraved by Mrs. Neman, and venerated on the jst of March. Millard. For the engraving, the writer is
Mail. Hewasveneratedat
7th of July. See the Seventh Volume of this work, at that date, Art. i.
38 Said to have been daughter to Eochad, son to Muredach, son of Cared, son to Bressal, son of Almon, &c. However, it is supposed some links are wanting in this genealogy, since she does not appear to be the immediate daughter of Eochod, the son of Mured, but of some other Eochod derived from him. Her festival has been assigned to the 27th of January. See the First
Volume of this work, at that day, Art. vii.
39 He was son to Fintan, son of Strened,
son to Glinder, son of Core, son to Cunned, son of yEngus, son to Fieg, son of Mail, son ofCarthac,&c. Hisfestivaloccursonthe 2nd of September. See the Ninth Volume of this work, at that date.
40 He was son to Finan, son of Cassan, son to Fergus, son of Nied, son to Buan, &c. He was venerated in the Ards of Ulster, on the 27th of June. At that date, in our
I can find no mention of him but, most probably, he is the St. Thiu, venerated at the 24th. See Sixth Volume of
this work, Art. i. The foregoing pedigrees were drawn by Colgan from the Sanctilogium
Genealogicum ; the saints who immediately follow are said to have descended from the
same Echod, although their pedigrees are not fully given.
41 He is thought to have been venerated at Loch Ramor in Ulster, on the 6th of Feb- ruary, as Colman or Coluim. See the Second Volume of this work, at that date, Art. vii.
Calendars,
;
See in the Third Volume of this work, at that date, Art. vii.
44 Supposed to be identical with St. Guasacht afterwards mentioned.
43 He is thought to be identical with
indebted to Very Rev. Daniel O'Connor,
P. P. , Emyvale.
57 This statue was executed by the Italian
Tallagh,
onthe
*' For his feast reference is given to the
19th and 20th of July. But at these dates and
at that month nocorresponding name is in ®ur
Calendars. We suspect June must be meant,
as at the 19th of June, a St. Coelan or
Caolan is noted. See the Sixth Volume of 'senting this noble cathedral, is copied from this work, Art. ii. a fine engraving, and drawn by William F.
55 This is shown in a paper, contributed by Very Rev. Daniel ("anon O'Connor, P. P. , of Errigal Truaugh to the People's Advocate^ Monaghan, January 2nd, 1892.
56 The accompanying illustration, repre-
Pietro Lazzerini.
58 All these statues were executed by Pietro
sculptor,
224 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 15.
statues of St. Peter and St. Paul. The front is surmounted by two turrets, which have an altitude of 100 feet, and these are flanked by turrets of a smaller size. At the south front is the spire, which is octagonal in form, and it is embellished with angled turrets resting on pillars of polished granite. It is constructed of Dungannon stone, with facings of Armagh limestone, and its apex is crowned with a metal cross. The spire rises to a height of 250 feet, and it can be seen from a long distance, as the traveller approaches Monaghan. Above the entrance, at the base of the tower, and supporting the spire, is a marble bas-relief, representing the Blessed Virgin and Child. Both north and south transept gables are furnished with niches to accommo- date fourteen statues, seven on either side. On the south side are statues in CarraramarbleofSt. Tigernach,St. Ultan,St. Columkille,andSt. Dympna, patroness of the diocese ; Heber MacMahon, the soldier Bishop of Clogher ; Dr. Charles M'Nally, who laid the foundation stone of the church; and the Most Rev. Dr. Donnelly, the present bishop, holding a finished model of the building in his hand. On the other side are statues of biblical personages,
8
Abraham, Moses, David, Isaias, Jeremiah, St. Joachim, and St. Anne. s The sacristies, chapter-room, etc. , are on the east side of the building, which is altogether 190 feet long, 75 feet to the roof of nave, while the cathedral is
capable of accommodating, at least 1,200 worshippers.
On entering this noble structure, a beholder is struck at once by the perfec-
tion in which everything has been carried out, even to the minutest particular. The costly stained glass windows,5^ which entirely surround the interior, shed a devotional light, in unison with the pious surroundings ; the lofty vaulted roof, atthesametime,givingthenaveamostimposingappearance. Theroofof red pine, with moulded ribs, is supported on circular columns with carved capitals, from which spring graceful Gothic arches. The walls above are
pierced by clerestory windows. The passages of the flooring are tiled with tesselated borders, and underneath the seats is timber flooring. The church
is furnished with an admirable heating apparatus. The vestibule is laid with mosaics of various rich marbles, in the centre being a monogram of the letters S. M. C. interlacedroundacross. Itwouldbedifficult,indeed,toconveyatrue impression of the magnificence of the work within the choir and around the high altar, as also in the four side chapels, respectively dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, the Blessed Sacrament, St. Joseph, and St. Benedict Joseph Labre. 6° The entire floor of the sanctuary, measuring some fifty feet by thirty, is con- structed of marble, no less than fifteen different kinds of that stone being
Lazzerini, and they are excellently finished. 59 The valuable stained glass windows are all the gifts of friends belonging to the dio- cese, many of them living in America and in
other distant places.
60 Count Botto, an Italian contractor, had
quisite and a costly addition to the altar. The door is of bronze, while the pediment surmounting it and the panels at either side are exquisitely inlaid with coloured marbles and precions stones. The lofty baldachino over the high altar is supported on four
entrusted to him the construction of the Gothic four-foil marble columns with altars and sanctuary, and personally he moulded annulets inlaid, and capitals deco-
superintended the carrying out of this part rated in gold and sympathetic colours. The of the work. The high altar is approached architrave is also carved, and above are oil by three Carrara marble steps, and the table paintings of the Blessed Trinity, St. Peter, of the altar itself is supported on six pillars and St. Paul. The side chapels, which are of Mondragone marble. Underneath the divided from the high altar, and from one table are three panels of Carrara marble
executed in bas-relief. The central one is
a reproduction of Leonardo Da Vinci's Last
Supper;ontherightandleftarerepresenta- oneateithersideo—fthenaveandthetwo
tions of the Pelican and her Young, and the Chalice, Vine and Wheat. The taber- nacle, which is octagonal in shape, is an ex-
others in the aisles are four life-size marble statues of the Sacred Heart, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, and St. John the Baptist.
another, by Gothic grills, arc little gems of art. The reredos in each case is of inla—id Carrara marble. In front of the sanctuary
August 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 2 2 5
used for the purpose. The bishop's throne in the sanctuary is in perfect keeping with the general architecture of the church.
7 See « ' of edited Martyrology Donegal,"
by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 218, 219.
8
Thus :—
" Aedh was his name in reality,
"
Grandson of Aithmet, good was his deed,
True brother, after victory with fame,
ToMaelruain,ourteacher.
Fer-da-chrioch was his name at first I will tell you his history ;
His name at Clochar was sweet, After that, Bishop Mac Cairthinn. "
220 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 15.
earthen was called Ferdachrioch ; such a term, in his opinion, better suiting the circumstances of St. Tigernach, his successor, who was Bishop of Clones and of Clogher. 9 Neither was St. Maccarthen abbot of Dairinis in Wexford.
IO
The mistake has been ascribed
Neither did he govern Damliinis, or Devenish, in Lough Erne, since it was not founded for many years after his time, and St. Laisre alias Molasse " is known to have been its founder. The Calendar of Cashel seems to distin-
"
O'Connor states in the letter already quoted,
*? See " Acta Sanctorum 1 liber- Colgan's
9 See
vol. i. ,
10
" llis feast occurs, at the I2th of Sep- t ember.
12 " S. IVrdachrichus, Episcopus de
Colchar, post Episcopum Maccarthenium. "
—Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Ilibernuu. "
xxiv. Martii. Appendix ad Acta S. exxiii. , exxiv.
Macaerthenni Epis. Clochorensi,cap. 1,
p. 740.
1 Ussher says, treating of St. Maccarthen,
"quern ante Moctheum ix. videlicet Kalen-
das — Domini nvi. , obiisse legi- Aprilisanno
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland,"
ix. j sect, ii. , n. 15, p. 436.
chap,
By Rev. Dr. Lanigan.
nite," xxiv. Martii. Appendix ad Acta S. Macaerthenni, Epis. Clochorensi, cap. i. , p. 740.
to the scholiast of Marianus O'Gorman.
the Ferdacroich and Maccarthen. 12 We do not know the guish names,
age our saint had attained at the time of his death. Still, from the principal circum-
stance mentioned in his Life, we learn, that he was well advanced in years, before his appointment to Clogher See, he being old when St. Patrick was aged and infirm. Might he not have attained an extreme old age, likewise, and have not been too young to assume a bishopric, when St. Patrick had visited Inish-owen ? It is generally stated, that St. Maccarthen departed this life, in the year 506,^ being then advanced in years, when he was succeeded
St. 1 * who died a. d. by Tighernach,
550,
So far as can be ascertained, the grave of St. Maccarthin, according to the
uniform tradition of the place, was just adjoining the spot, where a large white- thorn bush stood some years ago in the burial-ground to the north of the present Protestant church, and convenient to the graveyard wall of en- closure. 16 For a long time, the peasants were in the habit of taking with them some of the earth from the grave of St. Maccarthin, and this goes to
strengthen that tradition regarding the locality of the holy bishop's grave. His festival is celebrated at Clogher, on the 24th of March, which is
thought by
some writers, to have been the
of his death. 1 ?
day
to the Martyrology of Salisbury, and the testimony of Ussher, cited in a fore-
goingnote,oursaint'sNatalisisassignedtothatdate. Thisalsoagreeswith the account in St. Maccarthen's Acts, according to the last-named autho- rity. He is venerated as the patron saint of Clogher diocese ; and, a Double OfficeoftheFirst-Classis recitedbytheclergyofthatdiocese,onthe24th of March.
Another festival in honour of this saint, was kept on the 15th of August,
In the " Fei—lire " of St.
at the 15th of August, is commemorated Fer-dd-chrich rendered "man of the two districts. " The commentator adds, that he was abbot of Dairinis, while the designation Fer da chrich is interpreted "a champion" or" enthroned. " 1 ?
The of 20 of Marianus O'Gorman, of and of
to several Irish
according Martyrologies.
18
Martyrologies Tallagh,
Mnguire,
Martyrology, ——
September August 15 Firdacrioch et S. Sarani tt filia- 14 See his Acts, in the Fourth Volume of rum Carpre. " See Rev. Dr. Kelly's
"
Calendar of Irish Saints," pp. xix. , xxxii. 'S See ibid. , at the 5th of Apiil, Art. iii. In the Book of Leinster copy of this Martyr- 16 It is nearly opposite to the residence of ology, I find at the former date epp mac Mr. James McAleer, as Rev. Daniel CapchuTo, and at the latter day only the
mus. "
**
Hriannicarum Ecclesiarum Ami-
quitates," cap. xvii. , p. 445.
this work, at the 4th of April, Art. i.
on the Nones of 's April.
"See " Transactions of the Royal Irish
Academy," Jrish Manuscript Series, vol. i. ,
On the Calendar of
part i. Oengus, pp.
ffSeeibid. ,p. exxxi. 90
we read,
"
In the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the
ix. of the Kalends of April 24th —March —
I find the festival of" Esp. mac Cairtind. "
And in the same of the Kalends of
at the xviii.
According
^Engus,
August 15. ] LIVES OE THE IRISH SAINTS. 221
Donegal, as also the Calendar of Cashel, enter our saint's festival at this day. In the Irish Calendar, belonging to the Ordnance Survey Office, Phoenix
Park, we do not find any notice whatever regarding St. Aidus or Maccarthenn, at the 24th of March. In the Irish Calendar at the xvii. of the Calends of
September—August 15th—we find notices of our saint. 21 this saint's festival day, and on the authority of Jocelyn,
Without giving Father Henry Fitzsimon seems to mention him under the name of Kirtemius. 23 In the Scottish Menologies, the feast of this saint is entered, at the present day. Thus, in the Calendar of Drummond,24 we find it recorded. The Rev. Alban 2s notes St. Mac Confessor, otherwise called Aid or Aed,
22
Bishop of Clogher, at the 15th of August. Also, in the "Circle of the
26
Seasons," his feast is thus entered.
We are told, that a relic of this saint, called Cloc Firdachrioch, or " the
bell of Ferdacrioch," was preserved at Tamlacht, over which St. Maelruan,
2
his relative, ruled as abbot. 7 Regarding the fate of the Cloch-oir, we have
now no certain information. 28 The ancient Cloch-oir is not to be confounded
with the stone still at the Protestant church of 29 and preserved Clogher,
which leans against the north side of the church opposite the door o—f the present post-office. This stone is the shaft of the old market cross the socket of which stands at the palace entrance. A Latin hymn, 3° in praise of St.
Butler,
Cartan,
Mac Carthinn, has been composed, according to a very probable opinion, by 1
RightRev. PatrickCullen,BishopofClogher. 3 Itisintenstanzas,andpre- served in the Diocesan Library of Cashel.
The old Irish Genealogies enumerate several saints, who belong to the
family or race of the present holy bishop : thus, Saints Boga, Colma, or 2
Columba, and Lassara, virgins,3 St. Colman,33 St. Coman or Colman Elo,34
to avoid desecration at the hands of the Thus: &ox> Gfp . 1. &fp niACCAnc- modern Iconoclasts, concealed the most 1iAm oCtocAp A-£vy T^atm cvmoc Ainm 01 ie valuable relics, such as- the Domnach
entry pivoAquch. 21 "
ahCAn
Abb >e eAtn
j\obA 'OAj\ittr 0C5 CU15-
— —the ofwhich
Airgid history O'Curry gives
the bell of St. Mac Cartain, which is said to have been concealed in a lake, or marsh, to the west of the church, and opposite the residence of the late learned and esteemed
cion Af riA f\AnAib fe. Aev> bA he a Ainf 1 &\\ bpiop : 11 a Aicmit) bA mAic Ajmof por\
bnuAp 1A|\ buAit> 50 bibit) t>o maoipuan
•AiAfxb poi]\ce<yoL peon 2 cpioc a Ainm
Anccg : imp pocoib Aiomug a Ainm P. P. , the Rev. Philip Connolly, and the.
ACcLocAf\babin s lajvpn epp mcCAncAi'n. " —Ordnance Survey Office Copy, Phoenix Park, "Common Place Book F," pp. 70, 71.
Clock oir, which was thrown into a cavern or well under the street near the present market-house of Clogher.
29 This is a popular misconception, accord- ing to what is stated in Lewis' "Topographi-
cal Dictionary of Ireland," vol. i. , p. 342.
3° See "Irish Ecclesiastical Record,"
vol. v. , January, 1869, pp. 185 to 187. A translation of it occurs in the number for
March, 1870, vol. vi. , pp. 275, 276.
3I He presided in that See from a. d. 1519
to A. D. 1534.
32
22 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Vita Sexta S. Patricii, cap. cxliii. , p. 96, and n. 151, p. 115.
"
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 21. "
23 See O'Sullevan Beare's "Historiae
Catholicse Iberniae Compendium," tomus i. ,
lib. iv. , cap. xii. , p. 55. Catalogus aliquorum Sanctorum Ibernige.
24 As follows— xviii. Kal. Sept. : "Eodem
Die apud Hiberniam N—atale Sancti Con-
These were daughters to Comgell, son of Fingalach, son to Deman, sonofNua- 25 See Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs thai, son to Mutalan, son of Cantalan, son to Fiengalach, son of Nied, son to Buan, from whom the Dal-Buan issue. They are venerated at Lettir, in Dalrieda, on the 22nd of See, at that the First
fessoris Firdachrich. " Bishop Forbes'
and other principal Saints," vol. viii. , August xv.
26
See p. 228.
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- niae," xxiv. Martii. Appendix ad Acta S.
27 See
Macaerthanni Epis. , cap. i. , p. 740.
Colgan's
January. date, Volume of this work, Art. iv.
33 fje was son to Lugneus, son of Cass, son to Rectatius, son of Cannech, son to Rev. Daniel O'Connor, has it, that at the Buan.
His feast is supposed to have been time of the Reformation, the guardians of either on the 21st of February, or on the the sacred depositories at Clogher, in order 30th of March. The reader is referred to
28
But a local tradition, according to Very
222 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 15.
St. Dabyus, or Mobyus, or Mobyteus,35 St. Macnessius or Coeman,*6 St.
St. or 8 St. Senan,39 St. Thian or Thius. «° Maelruan,37 Mugcnia Libania,3
Besides these are added St. Brandubh, Bishop,41 St. Cailin or Cailan,*2 St. 6
Cassin,<3 St. Guasacus," St. Cualan or Colan. ^St. Manchan,* St. Lochan,*? St. Moluan. *8 Moreover, St. Guasacht/9 Bishop of Granard, and his two sisters named Emeria,5° the children of Milchon or Milchuo,51 besides his
a
own homonymous brother St. Maccarthen,s Bishop of Domnach in Gleann
Tochuir, are noted in this connection. 53 Among the foregoing is to be classed a holy woman, known in tradition by the name of St. Cera,54 and who is said to have been the spiritual sister of Saints Mac Carthinn and Tiger- nach, as also who was regarded as the patroness of the old territory called
Crich Muighdorn. 55
Of late years, a magnificent cathedral has been erected near the town of
Monaghan, and dedicated to St. Maccarthen. The foundation stone was laid
on the 21st June, i86i. s6
The ground upon which the cathedral stands was secured by the late Most Rev. Dr. M'Nally, then Bishop of Clogher. How- ever, owing to the heavy initial expenses of so re- sponsible an undertaking,
the work had made but little progress, at the time of
Bishop M'Nally's death in 1864. TheMostRev. Dr.
Donnelly warmly took up the task, which his pre- decessor was called away from, and by his energy in collecting funds from the British Isles, America, and Australia, he has succeeded
in accomplishing his highly meritorious object. The
building is mediaeval Go- thic, and it is very beauti- fully situated on an emin- ence, just outside the town of Monaghan. It is sur- rounded by eight acres of ground, from which is obtainable an excellent view of the town and sur- rounding country. In the grounds fronting the main entrance, there is a fine co-
St. Maccarthenn's Cathedral, Monaghan.
lossal statue of St. Maccarthan, wrought from Carrara marble The saint is
the Second Volume of this work, at the 18th and 21st of February, Art. i. , but there the reputed pedigrees differ from that here given. See, also, the Third Volume of this work, at March 30th, where there are two Colmans, Arts. vi. and x v.
son of Mail, &c. He is venerated at Lyn- nally, on the 26th of September. See his Acts, at that date, in the Ninth Volume of this work.
35 He was son to Comgell, son of Ere, son toArad, son of Columb, son to Cannech, son of Buan. His feast occurs at the 22nd of July. See the Seventh Volume of this.
34 He was son to
son to Cunned, son of /Engus, son to Fieg,
Beogna,
son of
Mochta,
August 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 223
represented in the attitude of blessing the diocese. 57 The main entrance to the cathedral, approached by a broad flight of steps, is surmounted by a tym-
panum, in which is set a bas-relief in white marble, representing Christ hand- ing the keys to St. Peter, while in niches on either side are finely executed
work, at that date, Art. i.
36 He was son to Fabricius, son of Fieg,
Cuculan, a bishop, noted in the Carthusian
Martyrology, as having been venerated in Ireland on the 1 8th of February. Under
son to Mail, &c. But some intermediate
links seem to be wanting in this pedigree. the name of Culan he is mentioned by
He was bishop of Connor, where his feast is observed on the 3rd of September. See his Acts, at that date, in the Ninth Volume of this work.
37 He was son to Colman, son to Senach, son to Egneth, son of Mochta, son to din- ned, son of yEngus, son of Fieg, son to
Canisius and Ferrarius, at the same date. Or it may be, he is the same as the Colan,
noted in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 1 6th of September. See the Second Volume
of this work, at the 1 8th ofFebruary, Art. 'ji. See, likewise, the Ninth Volume of this work, at the 16th of September.
46A hasbeenoffered,thathe conjecture
may have been the same as Manchan, the son of Indagius, venerated on the 24th of
January, according to the Martyrologies of Tallagh and of Marianus O'Gorman. See the First Volume of this work, at that date, Art. i.
v Thought to be the St. Lochan or Loichein, venerated in the territory of Hi Uetheach, and whose feast is on the 12th of January, or on the 12th of June. See the First Volume of this work, at January 1 2th, Art. v. , and the Sixth Volume, at June 12th, Art. x.
48 Supposed to have had his festival on the 15th of October, or on the 21st of November. 49 His feast is held on 24th of January, according to the Irish Calendars. See the First Volume of this work, at that date,
Art. iv.
s° Their festival occurs on the nth of De-
cember. See the Twelfth Volume of this work, at that date.
51 He was the son of Buan.
58 As we have already seen, it has been conjectured, that his feast belonged to the 24th of March ; but, nothing can be posi- tively determined, as regards the exact date. See the Third Volume of this work, at that date, Art. x.
S3 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- niae," xxiv. Martii. Appendix ad Acta S. Maccarthenni, cap. hi. , pp. 741, 742.
s4 Her festival occurs, at the 9th of Sep- tember, where other notices of her may be found.
43 Thought to be the St. Cassin, son of Wakeman on the wood, engraved by Mrs. Neman, and venerated on the jst of March. Millard. For the engraving, the writer is
Mail. Hewasveneratedat
7th of July. See the Seventh Volume of this work, at that date, Art. i.
38 Said to have been daughter to Eochad, son to Muredach, son of Cared, son to Bressal, son of Almon, &c. However, it is supposed some links are wanting in this genealogy, since she does not appear to be the immediate daughter of Eochod, the son of Mured, but of some other Eochod derived from him. Her festival has been assigned to the 27th of January. See the First
Volume of this work, at that day, Art. vii.
39 He was son to Fintan, son of Strened,
son to Glinder, son of Core, son to Cunned, son of yEngus, son to Fieg, son of Mail, son ofCarthac,&c. Hisfestivaloccursonthe 2nd of September. See the Ninth Volume of this work, at that date.
40 He was son to Finan, son of Cassan, son to Fergus, son of Nied, son to Buan, &c. He was venerated in the Ards of Ulster, on the 27th of June. At that date, in our
I can find no mention of him but, most probably, he is the St. Thiu, venerated at the 24th. See Sixth Volume of
this work, Art. i. The foregoing pedigrees were drawn by Colgan from the Sanctilogium
Genealogicum ; the saints who immediately follow are said to have descended from the
same Echod, although their pedigrees are not fully given.
41 He is thought to have been venerated at Loch Ramor in Ulster, on the 6th of Feb- ruary, as Colman or Coluim. See the Second Volume of this work, at that date, Art. vii.
Calendars,
;
See in the Third Volume of this work, at that date, Art. vii.
44 Supposed to be identical with St. Guasacht afterwards mentioned.
43 He is thought to be identical with
indebted to Very Rev. Daniel O'Connor,
P. P. , Emyvale.
57 This statue was executed by the Italian
Tallagh,
onthe
*' For his feast reference is given to the
19th and 20th of July. But at these dates and
at that month nocorresponding name is in ®ur
Calendars. We suspect June must be meant,
as at the 19th of June, a St. Coelan or
Caolan is noted. See the Sixth Volume of 'senting this noble cathedral, is copied from this work, Art. ii. a fine engraving, and drawn by William F.
55 This is shown in a paper, contributed by Very Rev. Daniel ("anon O'Connor, P. P. , of Errigal Truaugh to the People's Advocate^ Monaghan, January 2nd, 1892.
56 The accompanying illustration, repre-
Pietro Lazzerini.
58 All these statues were executed by Pietro
sculptor,
224 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 15.
statues of St. Peter and St. Paul. The front is surmounted by two turrets, which have an altitude of 100 feet, and these are flanked by turrets of a smaller size. At the south front is the spire, which is octagonal in form, and it is embellished with angled turrets resting on pillars of polished granite. It is constructed of Dungannon stone, with facings of Armagh limestone, and its apex is crowned with a metal cross. The spire rises to a height of 250 feet, and it can be seen from a long distance, as the traveller approaches Monaghan. Above the entrance, at the base of the tower, and supporting the spire, is a marble bas-relief, representing the Blessed Virgin and Child. Both north and south transept gables are furnished with niches to accommo- date fourteen statues, seven on either side. On the south side are statues in CarraramarbleofSt. Tigernach,St. Ultan,St. Columkille,andSt. Dympna, patroness of the diocese ; Heber MacMahon, the soldier Bishop of Clogher ; Dr. Charles M'Nally, who laid the foundation stone of the church; and the Most Rev. Dr. Donnelly, the present bishop, holding a finished model of the building in his hand. On the other side are statues of biblical personages,
8
Abraham, Moses, David, Isaias, Jeremiah, St. Joachim, and St. Anne. s The sacristies, chapter-room, etc. , are on the east side of the building, which is altogether 190 feet long, 75 feet to the roof of nave, while the cathedral is
capable of accommodating, at least 1,200 worshippers.
On entering this noble structure, a beholder is struck at once by the perfec-
tion in which everything has been carried out, even to the minutest particular. The costly stained glass windows,5^ which entirely surround the interior, shed a devotional light, in unison with the pious surroundings ; the lofty vaulted roof, atthesametime,givingthenaveamostimposingappearance. Theroofof red pine, with moulded ribs, is supported on circular columns with carved capitals, from which spring graceful Gothic arches. The walls above are
pierced by clerestory windows. The passages of the flooring are tiled with tesselated borders, and underneath the seats is timber flooring. The church
is furnished with an admirable heating apparatus. The vestibule is laid with mosaics of various rich marbles, in the centre being a monogram of the letters S. M. C. interlacedroundacross. Itwouldbedifficult,indeed,toconveyatrue impression of the magnificence of the work within the choir and around the high altar, as also in the four side chapels, respectively dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, the Blessed Sacrament, St. Joseph, and St. Benedict Joseph Labre. 6° The entire floor of the sanctuary, measuring some fifty feet by thirty, is con- structed of marble, no less than fifteen different kinds of that stone being
Lazzerini, and they are excellently finished. 59 The valuable stained glass windows are all the gifts of friends belonging to the dio- cese, many of them living in America and in
other distant places.
60 Count Botto, an Italian contractor, had
quisite and a costly addition to the altar. The door is of bronze, while the pediment surmounting it and the panels at either side are exquisitely inlaid with coloured marbles and precions stones. The lofty baldachino over the high altar is supported on four
entrusted to him the construction of the Gothic four-foil marble columns with altars and sanctuary, and personally he moulded annulets inlaid, and capitals deco-
superintended the carrying out of this part rated in gold and sympathetic colours. The of the work. The high altar is approached architrave is also carved, and above are oil by three Carrara marble steps, and the table paintings of the Blessed Trinity, St. Peter, of the altar itself is supported on six pillars and St. Paul. The side chapels, which are of Mondragone marble. Underneath the divided from the high altar, and from one table are three panels of Carrara marble
executed in bas-relief. The central one is
a reproduction of Leonardo Da Vinci's Last
Supper;ontherightandleftarerepresenta- oneateithersideo—fthenaveandthetwo
tions of the Pelican and her Young, and the Chalice, Vine and Wheat. The taber- nacle, which is octagonal in shape, is an ex-
others in the aisles are four life-size marble statues of the Sacred Heart, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, and St. John the Baptist.
another, by Gothic grills, arc little gems of art. The reredos in each case is of inla—id Carrara marble. In front of the sanctuary
August 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 2 2 5
used for the purpose. The bishop's throne in the sanctuary is in perfect keeping with the general architecture of the church.
