i59o,='| the
Chronicon
Scotorum.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v4
108, 109.
Proceedings
of the Royal Irish
See "Ecclesiastical Meditations suitable for Priests on the Mission and Students in Diocesan Semina-
°
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxii. In
'
April 22. ] LIVES OB THE IRISH SAINTS. 275
Article IV. —St. Culen, or Cuilleann, Bishop of Leamhchoill,
SAID to be the present Lowhill, Queen's County. This saint is
mentioned, at the 22nd of April, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' as Esp. Culen il Lemchaill. This place has been identified with Lowhill, Queen's
County, by William M. Hennessy,' or with Loughill, near Ballynakill, in the ancient territory of Idough, by Rev. John F. Shearman. The place is thought to bear this name, which signifies Ehn Wood, owing to the growth of such timber in the place. Leamhchoill, or Loughill, is an ancient parochial de- nomination, and mentioned as a dependent parish, in the rural deanery of "UiDuach,"i. c. Odagh,3inthedioceseofOssory. Underformerarrange- ments of the late Protestant Established Church, Loughill was in the parish of Abbeyleix; but,withtheCatholics,italwaysbelongedtothedioceseofOssory. * There was a festival, in honour of Cuilleann, Bishop of Leamhchoill, cele- brated, on this day, as we find recorded, in the Martyrology of Donegal,' 22ndApril. UndertheheadofLeamh-choill,DualdMacFirbisenters,like- wise, Cuillenn, Bishop of Leamh-choill, at April 22nd. *
Article V. —Saints Saighnel, and Luckan of Anmhagh. The
names of Saignen and of Lachain of Armaig are entered, in the Martyrology of
Tallagh,' as having veneration paid to them, at the 22nd of April. The place or time of these holy persons, we are not able to ascertain. The Martyrology
of Donegal,^ on this day, registers a festival, in honour of Saighnel,^ and of Luchan, of Anmhagh.
ArticleVI. —St. AbelmacAedha,orAdam. Atthisdate,afestival
is set down, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' in honour of Abel, mac Aedha, orrather,Adam. IntheFranciscancopy,weonlyfindtheentry,Abel,mac Aeda. '
Article VII. —Feast of St. Philip, the Apostle. In the Feilire of St. . (Engus,' at the 22nd of April, the commemoration of the Apostle, St. Philipisannounced. IntheMartyrologyofTallagh,'asimilarcommemora-
Article IV. —' Edited
by
Rev. ". Dr.
was a mistake, made the who by compiler,
intended to write the 22nd of April. See ibid. , pp. 436, 437.
' See, also, Appendix to the Introduc-
Kelly, p. xxii. In the Franciscan copy, we
find, e<ipT Cuilen iL temcAiLl.
'"
See Proceedings of the Royal Irish
Academy," Irish MSS. series, vol. i. , part i. , nn. 25, 29, p. 117.
tion, p. xlvii. — Article vi.
Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
3
served in the " Red Book of Ossory," and made, before the year, 1312.
For the foregoing information, the writer feels indebted to John Hogan, Esq. ,
T. C. , Kilkenny, in a letter, dated The Ormonde House, May ist, 1874.
5 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 108, 109.
'See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish MSS. series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. 116, 117.
It is called LawhuU, in a taxation, pre-
Kelly, p. xxi.
' In the Irish characters. Abet mAC
•Aet>d. — " "
Article vil. In the Leahbar Breac
copy, we tind the following entry ; its Eng-
lish translation, by the editor—
IJr. Whitley
Stokes, is likewise appended
HOtnAltl pilip AfpAl/ AfAi-obLiu cech c)\echAn tJtAriAinni i]\utn AchA^x 5in lochAHflA techAn.
'May apostle Philip protect us, who is vaster then every sea, a vehement name in the Father's mystery, wide month of a lamp. "
' The Franci-can copy has ptlippi <Xpli, atthe32ndofApril.
Article v. —' Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xxii. In the Franciscan copy, we
read, Soignen A5Uf tAchdin -ApmAige.
'
Edited by Urs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 108, 109. In the table appended to this work, Lucan of Anmhagh's festival is set down for the22iidofSeptember. But,doubtless,this
:
2 76 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 23.
tionisfound. ThefestivalofthisgreatApostleismoregenerallyassigned, however, to the ist of May, when with the other Apostle St. James, the Less, the Church celebrates a feast, in their honour.
Article VIII. —St. Ceallachan. The name of Ceallachan occurs, in the Martyrology of Donegal,' on this day ; but, without any further addi- tion, so that, we cannot very conveniently prosecute the search for his family, place, or period.
Ciuentp4I)iiti IBap of ^[pnU
ARTICLE I. —THE BLESSED BRYAN BOROIMHA, KING OF MUNSTER, MONARCH OF IRELAND, AND MARTYR.
iTENJH AND ELEVENTH CENTURIES. ]
CHAPTER I,
INTRODUCTION—SOURCES FOR BIOGRAPHY—FAMILY DESCENT OF BRIAN, SURNAMED BOROIMHA—IRISH GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES, ESPECIALLY OF MUNSTER— BRYAN'S BIRTH AND EARLY EDUCATION—DISTINGUISHED FOR HIS MILITARY AND INTELLECTUAL QUALIFICATIONS—HIS FIRST EXPLOITS IN WARFARE.
name and character of Bryan, surnamed Boroimha, have become
THE admirable and illustrious, because of his
truly patriotic
and statesman- like conduct, as shown in the Annals of Ireland, and in very considerable detail. Theservicesrenderedtohiscountry,however,werenotgainedsolely,
in the restricted sphere of provincial warfare, and in civil feuds, although it was his misfortune, sometimes, to take part in the latter. While he had been deemed in life one of the greatest heroes his country has ever produced, he may be regarded, likewise, as one of its wisest rulers. Religious in character and disposition, his example was most edifying, in all his family and social arrangements. He rose from the sovereignty of Munster, to that of the whole island. He retained his high position, for twelve whole years, with credit to himself, and with great advantage to his subjects. The series of events, which
characterized his public career, and mostly taken from the Irish Annals, will be found capable of examination, on trustworthy authorities ; however, the dates sometimes vary, owing to different calculations made by our annalists, without derogating from authenticity, or materially altering the general order of facts narrated. No doubt, in many particulars, we find opposing and con- flicting statements ; but, it was only natural to expect, that tradition must have furnished its quota of mistakes and exaggerations, in describing the career of so popular and renowned a monarch as Bryan, and at a period so remote, as the tenth and eleventh centuries. Bardic inventions and rhapsodies have servedonlytoobscureandtoconfusethebetterknownhistoricnarratives; but.
Article viii. —' Edited by Drs. Todd Chapter i ' He is said to have been a and Reeves, pp. 108, 109. native of Soutli Connauglit, and, in his early
April 23. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 277
so much premised, we shall endeavour to give a consecutive account of this
great Irish ruler's actions, and of his place in history, with the authorities for our
statements, except where some criticisms may be judged necessary, to render most probable or more intelligible the general review of his remarkable career.
It has been thought, that soon after the illustrious monarch's death, his
chiefpoet,MacLiag,'hadcomposedinIrishaLifeofBrianBor—omha. A
^
copy of it is said even to be extant—at least a small fragment but this
seems rather doubtful. An extract from this supposed work was given, by General Valiancy, in the first edition of his Irish Grammar ;3 still no perfect
copy of Mac Liag's biography is known to remain. However, the copy of a very old and valuable Tract, relating to the wars of the Danes with the Gaedhils, and written soon after the battle of Clontarf,^ is extant,^ and it has been pub- lished of late. * This gives many historical particulars, about the illustrious monarch Bryan. ' There is an abstract' of the Battle of Clontarf, taken appa-
from this Tract. 9 The Book of Munster '°
ticulars, about this celebrated King; especially in reference to his accession, on the throne of that province, and down to the battle of Clontarf. " The Annals of Tighernach, of Ulster, of Boyle, and of the Four Masters, contain entries regarding his exploits, at the various dates of their respective computa- tions. As a matter of course, all our Irish historians refer to the events of his reign; for, of him it maywellbe observed, that not only duringlife, but to the end of time, he made history, and that too a glorious record. Among these authori- ties maybe mentioned, Rev. Dr. JeofTrey Keating," I'Abbd Ma-Geoghegan,'3
rently
career, as abard, he was attached to the court
of Tadhg O'Kelly, hereditary prince of Ui Maine, an extensive territory",or south-eastern
Connaught, bordering on the RiverShannon.
gives
par-
See Eugene O'Curry's tomsoftheAncientIrish,"editedbyDr. W.
recog-
K. Sullivan, vol. ii. , Lect. vi. , p. 11$.
» This single small leaf, in the handwri- ting of Duald Mac Firbiss, was found by Eugene O'Curry, and laid in between two folios of the Leabhar Buidhe Lecain (H. 2. l6, T. C. IJ. ) It seems to have been written, before the year 1650, and to have been the last leaf of some semi-religious life of the great warrior. It is something more in the nature of a sermon on his life and death, than a historical biography ; yet, this is an inference pronounced dubious, by Eugene O'Curry, who thinks the fragment was not written by Mac Liag, although it is an old
nisedthen,asaweil-knownandveritable
narrative, worthy of finding place in that
collection.
'
It consists of only 14 pages, and these were written in 1 7 10, by John Mac Solly, acelebratedIrishscribe, anativeofStack- alien, near Slane, in the county of Meath. It is now in the Royal Irish Academy's Library, and in the original collection, it bears the class-mark, 13. 5.
» Edward O'Reilly describes the Manu- script, in which it is contained, as A Book of Chronology and Annals on the wars and bat- tles of Ireland, while he ascribes its composi- tion to Mac Liag ; but, Eugene O'Curry, who examined it, believes there is sufficient internal evidence to show, that it was written long after Mac Liag's death. See "Lec- tures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient
piece of composition. See <? iV/. , p. 117. "
3 See Edward O'Reilly's
Chronological Account of nearly Four Hundred Irish wri-
ters," p. Ixxi.
< A much soiled and ancient copy
—
but Irish
History," Lect. vi. , p. 116.
— found
imperfect was by Eugene O'Curry,
about 1840, who cleaned and copied it. Afterwards, a perfect copy in the handwri- ting of Michael O'Clery was found, among the Irish MSS. , in the Burgundian Library. This was borrowed in 1852, when Mr. O'Curry made a fair transcript of it, for Trinity College Library.
" 5SeeEugeneO'Curry's Lecturesonthe
Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish His- tory," Lect. xi. , pp. 232, 233.
"" There are two
paper copies of it, in the
"
' This is to be inferred, from a fragment the first folio only—remaining in the Book of Leinster, compiled between the years
Manners and Cus- Ii20and
1 150. It must have been
'
several historical
By Rev. Dr. James Henthorn Todd. —
Royal Irish Academy's Lilirary. ""
SeeEugeneO'Curry's Lecturesonthe
Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish His-
tory," Lect. xi. , pp. 237, 238.
" Various Irish copies of his work are yet
preserved in manuscript. The translation into English, by Derniod O'Connor, has already gone through various editions. What relates to Bryan Boroimhe will be found, in Duffy's edition of Dermod O'Connor's
278 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 23
Dr. Thomas Leland,'4 Dr. Sylvester O'Halloran. 'S M. M'Dermot,'* Rev. Dr. "
The Dublin Penny Journal,"'* Thomas Moore,'9john D'Alton,"
Lanigan,'?
Martin Haverty,'' John O'Donogliue," the " Annals of Loch Cd,"'3a Chroni- cle of Irish Affairs from a. d. 1014 to a. d.
i59o,='| the Chronicon Scotorum. 'S The well known Tract,'* now published, and known as the War of the Gaed- hil with the Gaill, or the Invasion of Ireland by tlie Danes and other Norse- men,^? contains the most full and complete account of the career of Bryan Boroimha that we possess. '* The autlior was either an eye-witness of the battle of Clontarf, or he compiled his narrative of it, from the testimony of
eye-witnesses. He was certainly a strong partisan of King Bryan. °9 In our published works on Irish biography, as the subject deserves it, there are spe-
cial notices of this distinguished monarch, more or less complete. Thus, Richard Ryan,3o the Rev. James Wills,3' and Alfred Webb,3' have illus-
We need scarcely observe, our Irish chroniclers and bards
trated his life.
have numerous references to the career of this great hero.
The illustrious subject of our memoir, for ever immortalized as " Bryan
the Brave," was a younger son to Ceinneidigh, or Kennedy, who reigned as King over Munster,33 in the tenth century. 34 He had a numerous family of
Keating's "General History of Ireland," Part ii. , pp. 466 to 505.
'3 See "Histoire de I'lrlande, Ancienne et Moderne," tome i. , Seconde Partie, chap, v. , vi. , pp. 405 to 412.
°s This is a Chronicle of Irish Affairs from
the earliest times to A. D. 1 135; with a sup-
plement, containing the events from 1 141 to 1150, edited with an Introduction, Transla-
tion and Notes, by William M. Hennessy,
'•• See tlie "
of Ireland from the
M. R. I. A. The to portion referring
History
Invasion of Henry II. , with a preliminary
Discourse on the Ancient State of that
Kingdom," vol. i. . Preliminary Discourse, pp. xlix. to Ii.
'5 See " General History of Ireland from the earliest Accounts to the close of the twelfth century, collected from the most authentic Records," vol. ii. , Book xi. , chap, iv. , v. , vi. , vii. , viii. , pp. 229 to 269.
'See " A New and Impartial History of Ireland, from the earliest accounts to the
Bryan, is from pp. 211 to 255. London, 1866,
present Time," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , xii. , pp. 230 to 267.
8vo. "'
This is intituled, CojAoh JieDheL ne 5«bLdibli, in Irish. The original Irish text has been edited, with a translation and intro- duction, by James Henthorne Todd, D. D. , M. R. I. A. , F. S. A. , &c ,and it was published, by authority of the Master of the Rolls, at London, 1867, 8vo.
"' It has been edited, from three Manu-
scripts, two of which are imperfect. One of these is found in the Book of Leinster, the
other belongs to Trinity College, Dublin. The perfect copy is among the IJurgundian Library Manuscripts of Bruxelles, and it was copied by Michael O'Clery.
'' See his " Ecclesiastical History of Ire- land," vol. iii. , chap, xxi. , sect, xv. , p. 391, chap, xxiii. , sect. vii. to xii. , pp. 414 to 427.
'*
pp. 56 to 211.
'^See vol. i. , No. 17, pp. 133 to 136.
vol.
ii. , chap. °° See his "History of the County of Dub-
'' See " of Histoiy
°' See Introduction, xxv.
Ireland," XX. , xxi. , pp. 82 to 129.
3° See his
"
p.
Biographia Hibernica :
ABio-
lin," pp. 71 to 8i, and his
"
History of Ire-
graphical Dictionary of the Writers of Ire- land," vol. i. , pp. 113 to 121.
3' See "Lives of Illustrious and Distin-
guished Irishmen," vol. i. . Part i. . Second
land, and Annals of Boyle," vol. ii. , pp. 157
to 178.
°' "
°<
Theporiion, referring to Bryan Boroimha,
See History of Ireland, Ancient and
Period, pp. 197 to 214. 3' "
Modern," chap, xiv. , pp. 133 to 152.
" See "Historical Memoir of the
O'Briens," with Notes, Appendix, and a Genealogical Table of their several Branches, compiled from the Irish Annalists, chap, ii. , iii. , pp. 9 to 39. Dublin, i860, 8vo.
'3 In Irish, intituled OiiinAld tochd C(S.
It is edited, with a Translation, Preface and
Notes, by William M. Hennessy, M. R. I. A. ,
in two vols. London, 1871, 8vo.
See CompendiumofIrishBiography," pp, 34 to 36.
isfrom ito1 pp. 3.
3<
According
to hewas Eugene O'Curry,
Tliis extends, from sect, xliii. to cxviii. ,
33 He is said to have ruled that province,
for eighteen years, . iccording to the historic ]iedigree, made out for the Right Hon.
William O'Bryan, Earl of Inchiquin, by Dermod O'Connor, translator of Dr. Jeoffry
" General History of Ireland," and prefixed to his Preface for the latter work. See Duffy's edition, to which reference is
chiefly made, in the present biography.
Keaiing's
April 23. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 279
sons, 35 and he was remarkable for his regular life. In the year 942, a con- test took place, between Ceallachan, King of Cashel, and Ceineidigh, when the latter was defeated. ^" Many were slain at Magh-duin,3' and Ceineidigh probably perished among the number. 3^ Only four of his sons left issue, viz. , Mathghamhain or Mahon,39 Bryan,4° Donnchuan or Duncan,*' and Ech- tighern. The father of Kennedy was Lorcan,<^ Anglicized Lawrence,*3 son of Lachtna,<4 son of Cathal. ^s son of Corc,<* son of Anluan,*' son of Math- ghamhain or Mahon,4* son of Turlough,« son of Cathal,5o g^jj ^f Aodh or Hugh Caomh,5' son to Conall, prince of Thomond,5^ son of Eochaidh Bal- dearg,53 son to Carthann Fionn,54 son of Bloin or Bloid,55 son of Cais or Cas,5*
son of Conall Eachluath,5? son of Luighdheach or Lughaidh Meann. s' son to Aongus Tireach,59 son of Fearchorb,^ son to Modhchorb,*' son of Cormac
King of Monster, in 954. See " Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History," Lect. x. , p. 213. Some of the fol-
lowing dates, in the notes, are based, also, on his calculations.
3S Mac Liag, the chief poet and secretary to Bryan, has written a Poem, in thirty-two stanzas, and which gives an account of twelve sons of Chaste Cinneide. In Irish, it begins with, TDiriiAc ti^AC Chin6iT)ig tcm. See " Transactions of the Ibemo-Celtic Society,
^'SeeUr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
"
Four Masters,
" It means, " the plain of the fort," An-
O'Gloiams, the O'Aingidys, and the O'Maynes. TheSliochtBranfinnofDufferin, in Wexford, are descended from Bran. They took the name of O'Brien subsequently, from their progenitor, and they still retain it.
** He reigned over Tliomond, for three years. By means of the records of the ancient
Irish pedigrees, Eugene O'Curry was enabled to identify his ancient palace of Grianan
Lachtna, in the year 1840.
<5 In Dermod O'Connor's Pedigree, he has
no ; but, in the of Rev. Doctor place body
Keating's work, he is called the son of Core. See Part ii. , p. 482.
'' He was King of Munster, for seventeen
years.
*' He was prince of Munster.
" When he lived is uncertain.
"> He was King of Munster for thirty-six
years.
5° He was of Thomond, for seven King
years. He had two sons, Turlough and Ailgenan ; from the latter, the O'Mearas de- scend.
5' Or Hugh the Comely. He is said to have ruled over Thomond, for forty-one years, and over Munster, from a. d. 571, to his death, in a. d. 601. He had two sons, Catha! or Cahal and Congal. From the latter, descend the O'Neills of Clare, and the O'n-Eoghans or Owens.
5' According to Dermod O'Connor's Pedi-
gree.
5' He is said to have been king over Mun-
ster, for twenty-nine years.
5* He was King of Thomond, for forty-
five years, about the year of our Lord 439. 5s He was King of Thomond, for sixteen
for 1820. " Edward
gical Account of Nearly Four Hundred Irish Writers," &c. , vol. i. , Part i. , p. Ixxi. Copies of it are preserved, in the Books of Ballymote and of i. ecain.
O'Keiily's
vol. ii. , pp. 650, 651. glicised, Moydown, or Moyadown, but its
situation has not been identified. See
ibid. ,
n. (e).
^ I have not been able to ascertain the na-
ture of his death.
" From him descend the O'Bolands, the
O'Caseys, the O'Siodhachans, the Mac Inirys,
the O'Connallys, and the O'Tuomys, in the county of Limerick.
* From him descended the O'Briens and the Mac Mahons of Clare.
Proceedings
of the Royal Irish
See "Ecclesiastical Meditations suitable for Priests on the Mission and Students in Diocesan Semina-
°
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxii. In
'
April 22. ] LIVES OB THE IRISH SAINTS. 275
Article IV. —St. Culen, or Cuilleann, Bishop of Leamhchoill,
SAID to be the present Lowhill, Queen's County. This saint is
mentioned, at the 22nd of April, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' as Esp. Culen il Lemchaill. This place has been identified with Lowhill, Queen's
County, by William M. Hennessy,' or with Loughill, near Ballynakill, in the ancient territory of Idough, by Rev. John F. Shearman. The place is thought to bear this name, which signifies Ehn Wood, owing to the growth of such timber in the place. Leamhchoill, or Loughill, is an ancient parochial de- nomination, and mentioned as a dependent parish, in the rural deanery of "UiDuach,"i. c. Odagh,3inthedioceseofOssory. Underformerarrange- ments of the late Protestant Established Church, Loughill was in the parish of Abbeyleix; but,withtheCatholics,italwaysbelongedtothedioceseofOssory. * There was a festival, in honour of Cuilleann, Bishop of Leamhchoill, cele- brated, on this day, as we find recorded, in the Martyrology of Donegal,' 22ndApril. UndertheheadofLeamh-choill,DualdMacFirbisenters,like- wise, Cuillenn, Bishop of Leamh-choill, at April 22nd. *
Article V. —Saints Saighnel, and Luckan of Anmhagh. The
names of Saignen and of Lachain of Armaig are entered, in the Martyrology of
Tallagh,' as having veneration paid to them, at the 22nd of April. The place or time of these holy persons, we are not able to ascertain. The Martyrology
of Donegal,^ on this day, registers a festival, in honour of Saighnel,^ and of Luchan, of Anmhagh.
ArticleVI. —St. AbelmacAedha,orAdam. Atthisdate,afestival
is set down, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' in honour of Abel, mac Aedha, orrather,Adam. IntheFranciscancopy,weonlyfindtheentry,Abel,mac Aeda. '
Article VII. —Feast of St. Philip, the Apostle. In the Feilire of St. . (Engus,' at the 22nd of April, the commemoration of the Apostle, St. Philipisannounced. IntheMartyrologyofTallagh,'asimilarcommemora-
Article IV. —' Edited
by
Rev. ". Dr.
was a mistake, made the who by compiler,
intended to write the 22nd of April. See ibid. , pp. 436, 437.
' See, also, Appendix to the Introduc-
Kelly, p. xxii. In the Franciscan copy, we
find, e<ipT Cuilen iL temcAiLl.
'"
See Proceedings of the Royal Irish
Academy," Irish MSS. series, vol. i. , part i. , nn. 25, 29, p. 117.
tion, p. xlvii. — Article vi.
Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
3
served in the " Red Book of Ossory," and made, before the year, 1312.
For the foregoing information, the writer feels indebted to John Hogan, Esq. ,
T. C. , Kilkenny, in a letter, dated The Ormonde House, May ist, 1874.
5 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 108, 109.
'See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish MSS. series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. 116, 117.
It is called LawhuU, in a taxation, pre-
Kelly, p. xxi.
' In the Irish characters. Abet mAC
•Aet>d. — " "
Article vil. In the Leahbar Breac
copy, we tind the following entry ; its Eng-
lish translation, by the editor—
IJr. Whitley
Stokes, is likewise appended
HOtnAltl pilip AfpAl/ AfAi-obLiu cech c)\echAn tJtAriAinni i]\utn AchA^x 5in lochAHflA techAn.
'May apostle Philip protect us, who is vaster then every sea, a vehement name in the Father's mystery, wide month of a lamp. "
' The Franci-can copy has ptlippi <Xpli, atthe32ndofApril.
Article v. —' Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xxii. In the Franciscan copy, we
read, Soignen A5Uf tAchdin -ApmAige.
'
Edited by Urs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 108, 109. In the table appended to this work, Lucan of Anmhagh's festival is set down for the22iidofSeptember. But,doubtless,this
:
2 76 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 23.
tionisfound. ThefestivalofthisgreatApostleismoregenerallyassigned, however, to the ist of May, when with the other Apostle St. James, the Less, the Church celebrates a feast, in their honour.
Article VIII. —St. Ceallachan. The name of Ceallachan occurs, in the Martyrology of Donegal,' on this day ; but, without any further addi- tion, so that, we cannot very conveniently prosecute the search for his family, place, or period.
Ciuentp4I)iiti IBap of ^[pnU
ARTICLE I. —THE BLESSED BRYAN BOROIMHA, KING OF MUNSTER, MONARCH OF IRELAND, AND MARTYR.
iTENJH AND ELEVENTH CENTURIES. ]
CHAPTER I,
INTRODUCTION—SOURCES FOR BIOGRAPHY—FAMILY DESCENT OF BRIAN, SURNAMED BOROIMHA—IRISH GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES, ESPECIALLY OF MUNSTER— BRYAN'S BIRTH AND EARLY EDUCATION—DISTINGUISHED FOR HIS MILITARY AND INTELLECTUAL QUALIFICATIONS—HIS FIRST EXPLOITS IN WARFARE.
name and character of Bryan, surnamed Boroimha, have become
THE admirable and illustrious, because of his
truly patriotic
and statesman- like conduct, as shown in the Annals of Ireland, and in very considerable detail. Theservicesrenderedtohiscountry,however,werenotgainedsolely,
in the restricted sphere of provincial warfare, and in civil feuds, although it was his misfortune, sometimes, to take part in the latter. While he had been deemed in life one of the greatest heroes his country has ever produced, he may be regarded, likewise, as one of its wisest rulers. Religious in character and disposition, his example was most edifying, in all his family and social arrangements. He rose from the sovereignty of Munster, to that of the whole island. He retained his high position, for twelve whole years, with credit to himself, and with great advantage to his subjects. The series of events, which
characterized his public career, and mostly taken from the Irish Annals, will be found capable of examination, on trustworthy authorities ; however, the dates sometimes vary, owing to different calculations made by our annalists, without derogating from authenticity, or materially altering the general order of facts narrated. No doubt, in many particulars, we find opposing and con- flicting statements ; but, it was only natural to expect, that tradition must have furnished its quota of mistakes and exaggerations, in describing the career of so popular and renowned a monarch as Bryan, and at a period so remote, as the tenth and eleventh centuries. Bardic inventions and rhapsodies have servedonlytoobscureandtoconfusethebetterknownhistoricnarratives; but.
Article viii. —' Edited by Drs. Todd Chapter i ' He is said to have been a and Reeves, pp. 108, 109. native of Soutli Connauglit, and, in his early
April 23. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 277
so much premised, we shall endeavour to give a consecutive account of this
great Irish ruler's actions, and of his place in history, with the authorities for our
statements, except where some criticisms may be judged necessary, to render most probable or more intelligible the general review of his remarkable career.
It has been thought, that soon after the illustrious monarch's death, his
chiefpoet,MacLiag,'hadcomposedinIrishaLifeofBrianBor—omha. A
^
copy of it is said even to be extant—at least a small fragment but this
seems rather doubtful. An extract from this supposed work was given, by General Valiancy, in the first edition of his Irish Grammar ;3 still no perfect
copy of Mac Liag's biography is known to remain. However, the copy of a very old and valuable Tract, relating to the wars of the Danes with the Gaedhils, and written soon after the battle of Clontarf,^ is extant,^ and it has been pub- lished of late. * This gives many historical particulars, about the illustrious monarch Bryan. ' There is an abstract' of the Battle of Clontarf, taken appa-
from this Tract. 9 The Book of Munster '°
ticulars, about this celebrated King; especially in reference to his accession, on the throne of that province, and down to the battle of Clontarf. " The Annals of Tighernach, of Ulster, of Boyle, and of the Four Masters, contain entries regarding his exploits, at the various dates of their respective computa- tions. As a matter of course, all our Irish historians refer to the events of his reign; for, of him it maywellbe observed, that not only duringlife, but to the end of time, he made history, and that too a glorious record. Among these authori- ties maybe mentioned, Rev. Dr. JeofTrey Keating," I'Abbd Ma-Geoghegan,'3
rently
career, as abard, he was attached to the court
of Tadhg O'Kelly, hereditary prince of Ui Maine, an extensive territory",or south-eastern
Connaught, bordering on the RiverShannon.
gives
par-
See Eugene O'Curry's tomsoftheAncientIrish,"editedbyDr. W.
recog-
K. Sullivan, vol. ii. , Lect. vi. , p. 11$.
» This single small leaf, in the handwri- ting of Duald Mac Firbiss, was found by Eugene O'Curry, and laid in between two folios of the Leabhar Buidhe Lecain (H. 2. l6, T. C. IJ. ) It seems to have been written, before the year 1650, and to have been the last leaf of some semi-religious life of the great warrior. It is something more in the nature of a sermon on his life and death, than a historical biography ; yet, this is an inference pronounced dubious, by Eugene O'Curry, who thinks the fragment was not written by Mac Liag, although it is an old
nisedthen,asaweil-knownandveritable
narrative, worthy of finding place in that
collection.
'
It consists of only 14 pages, and these were written in 1 7 10, by John Mac Solly, acelebratedIrishscribe, anativeofStack- alien, near Slane, in the county of Meath. It is now in the Royal Irish Academy's Library, and in the original collection, it bears the class-mark, 13. 5.
» Edward O'Reilly describes the Manu- script, in which it is contained, as A Book of Chronology and Annals on the wars and bat- tles of Ireland, while he ascribes its composi- tion to Mac Liag ; but, Eugene O'Curry, who examined it, believes there is sufficient internal evidence to show, that it was written long after Mac Liag's death. See "Lec- tures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient
piece of composition. See <? iV/. , p. 117. "
3 See Edward O'Reilly's
Chronological Account of nearly Four Hundred Irish wri-
ters," p. Ixxi.
< A much soiled and ancient copy
—
but Irish
History," Lect. vi. , p. 116.
— found
imperfect was by Eugene O'Curry,
about 1840, who cleaned and copied it. Afterwards, a perfect copy in the handwri- ting of Michael O'Clery was found, among the Irish MSS. , in the Burgundian Library. This was borrowed in 1852, when Mr. O'Curry made a fair transcript of it, for Trinity College Library.
" 5SeeEugeneO'Curry's Lecturesonthe
Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish His- tory," Lect. xi. , pp. 232, 233.
"" There are two
paper copies of it, in the
"
' This is to be inferred, from a fragment the first folio only—remaining in the Book of Leinster, compiled between the years
Manners and Cus- Ii20and
1 150. It must have been
'
several historical
By Rev. Dr. James Henthorn Todd. —
Royal Irish Academy's Lilirary. ""
SeeEugeneO'Curry's Lecturesonthe
Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish His-
tory," Lect. xi. , pp. 237, 238.
" Various Irish copies of his work are yet
preserved in manuscript. The translation into English, by Derniod O'Connor, has already gone through various editions. What relates to Bryan Boroimhe will be found, in Duffy's edition of Dermod O'Connor's
278 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 23
Dr. Thomas Leland,'4 Dr. Sylvester O'Halloran. 'S M. M'Dermot,'* Rev. Dr. "
The Dublin Penny Journal,"'* Thomas Moore,'9john D'Alton,"
Lanigan,'?
Martin Haverty,'' John O'Donogliue," the " Annals of Loch Cd,"'3a Chroni- cle of Irish Affairs from a. d. 1014 to a. d.
i59o,='| the Chronicon Scotorum. 'S The well known Tract,'* now published, and known as the War of the Gaed- hil with the Gaill, or the Invasion of Ireland by tlie Danes and other Norse- men,^? contains the most full and complete account of the career of Bryan Boroimha that we possess. '* The autlior was either an eye-witness of the battle of Clontarf, or he compiled his narrative of it, from the testimony of
eye-witnesses. He was certainly a strong partisan of King Bryan. °9 In our published works on Irish biography, as the subject deserves it, there are spe-
cial notices of this distinguished monarch, more or less complete. Thus, Richard Ryan,3o the Rev. James Wills,3' and Alfred Webb,3' have illus-
We need scarcely observe, our Irish chroniclers and bards
trated his life.
have numerous references to the career of this great hero.
The illustrious subject of our memoir, for ever immortalized as " Bryan
the Brave," was a younger son to Ceinneidigh, or Kennedy, who reigned as King over Munster,33 in the tenth century. 34 He had a numerous family of
Keating's "General History of Ireland," Part ii. , pp. 466 to 505.
'3 See "Histoire de I'lrlande, Ancienne et Moderne," tome i. , Seconde Partie, chap, v. , vi. , pp. 405 to 412.
°s This is a Chronicle of Irish Affairs from
the earliest times to A. D. 1 135; with a sup-
plement, containing the events from 1 141 to 1150, edited with an Introduction, Transla-
tion and Notes, by William M. Hennessy,
'•• See tlie "
of Ireland from the
M. R. I. A. The to portion referring
History
Invasion of Henry II. , with a preliminary
Discourse on the Ancient State of that
Kingdom," vol. i. . Preliminary Discourse, pp. xlix. to Ii.
'5 See " General History of Ireland from the earliest Accounts to the close of the twelfth century, collected from the most authentic Records," vol. ii. , Book xi. , chap, iv. , v. , vi. , vii. , viii. , pp. 229 to 269.
'See " A New and Impartial History of Ireland, from the earliest accounts to the
Bryan, is from pp. 211 to 255. London, 1866,
present Time," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , xii. , pp. 230 to 267.
8vo. "'
This is intituled, CojAoh JieDheL ne 5«bLdibli, in Irish. The original Irish text has been edited, with a translation and intro- duction, by James Henthorne Todd, D. D. , M. R. I. A. , F. S. A. , &c ,and it was published, by authority of the Master of the Rolls, at London, 1867, 8vo.
"' It has been edited, from three Manu-
scripts, two of which are imperfect. One of these is found in the Book of Leinster, the
other belongs to Trinity College, Dublin. The perfect copy is among the IJurgundian Library Manuscripts of Bruxelles, and it was copied by Michael O'Clery.
'' See his " Ecclesiastical History of Ire- land," vol. iii. , chap, xxi. , sect, xv. , p. 391, chap, xxiii. , sect. vii. to xii. , pp. 414 to 427.
'*
pp. 56 to 211.
'^See vol. i. , No. 17, pp. 133 to 136.
vol.
ii. , chap. °° See his "History of the County of Dub-
'' See " of Histoiy
°' See Introduction, xxv.
Ireland," XX. , xxi. , pp. 82 to 129.
3° See his
"
p.
Biographia Hibernica :
ABio-
lin," pp. 71 to 8i, and his
"
History of Ire-
graphical Dictionary of the Writers of Ire- land," vol. i. , pp. 113 to 121.
3' See "Lives of Illustrious and Distin-
guished Irishmen," vol. i. . Part i. . Second
land, and Annals of Boyle," vol. ii. , pp. 157
to 178.
°' "
°<
Theporiion, referring to Bryan Boroimha,
See History of Ireland, Ancient and
Period, pp. 197 to 214. 3' "
Modern," chap, xiv. , pp. 133 to 152.
" See "Historical Memoir of the
O'Briens," with Notes, Appendix, and a Genealogical Table of their several Branches, compiled from the Irish Annalists, chap, ii. , iii. , pp. 9 to 39. Dublin, i860, 8vo.
'3 In Irish, intituled OiiinAld tochd C(S.
It is edited, with a Translation, Preface and
Notes, by William M. Hennessy, M. R. I. A. ,
in two vols. London, 1871, 8vo.
See CompendiumofIrishBiography," pp, 34 to 36.
isfrom ito1 pp. 3.
3<
According
to hewas Eugene O'Curry,
Tliis extends, from sect, xliii. to cxviii. ,
33 He is said to have ruled that province,
for eighteen years, . iccording to the historic ]iedigree, made out for the Right Hon.
William O'Bryan, Earl of Inchiquin, by Dermod O'Connor, translator of Dr. Jeoffry
" General History of Ireland," and prefixed to his Preface for the latter work. See Duffy's edition, to which reference is
chiefly made, in the present biography.
Keaiing's
April 23. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 279
sons, 35 and he was remarkable for his regular life. In the year 942, a con- test took place, between Ceallachan, King of Cashel, and Ceineidigh, when the latter was defeated. ^" Many were slain at Magh-duin,3' and Ceineidigh probably perished among the number. 3^ Only four of his sons left issue, viz. , Mathghamhain or Mahon,39 Bryan,4° Donnchuan or Duncan,*' and Ech- tighern. The father of Kennedy was Lorcan,<^ Anglicized Lawrence,*3 son of Lachtna,<4 son of Cathal. ^s son of Corc,<* son of Anluan,*' son of Math- ghamhain or Mahon,4* son of Turlough,« son of Cathal,5o g^jj ^f Aodh or Hugh Caomh,5' son to Conall, prince of Thomond,5^ son of Eochaidh Bal- dearg,53 son to Carthann Fionn,54 son of Bloin or Bloid,55 son of Cais or Cas,5*
son of Conall Eachluath,5? son of Luighdheach or Lughaidh Meann. s' son to Aongus Tireach,59 son of Fearchorb,^ son to Modhchorb,*' son of Cormac
King of Monster, in 954. See " Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History," Lect. x. , p. 213. Some of the fol-
lowing dates, in the notes, are based, also, on his calculations.
3S Mac Liag, the chief poet and secretary to Bryan, has written a Poem, in thirty-two stanzas, and which gives an account of twelve sons of Chaste Cinneide. In Irish, it begins with, TDiriiAc ti^AC Chin6iT)ig tcm. See " Transactions of the Ibemo-Celtic Society,
^'SeeUr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
"
Four Masters,
" It means, " the plain of the fort," An-
O'Gloiams, the O'Aingidys, and the O'Maynes. TheSliochtBranfinnofDufferin, in Wexford, are descended from Bran. They took the name of O'Brien subsequently, from their progenitor, and they still retain it.
** He reigned over Tliomond, for three years. By means of the records of the ancient
Irish pedigrees, Eugene O'Curry was enabled to identify his ancient palace of Grianan
Lachtna, in the year 1840.
<5 In Dermod O'Connor's Pedigree, he has
no ; but, in the of Rev. Doctor place body
Keating's work, he is called the son of Core. See Part ii. , p. 482.
'' He was King of Munster, for seventeen
years.
*' He was prince of Munster.
" When he lived is uncertain.
"> He was King of Munster for thirty-six
years.
5° He was of Thomond, for seven King
years. He had two sons, Turlough and Ailgenan ; from the latter, the O'Mearas de- scend.
5' Or Hugh the Comely. He is said to have ruled over Thomond, for forty-one years, and over Munster, from a. d. 571, to his death, in a. d. 601. He had two sons, Catha! or Cahal and Congal. From the latter, descend the O'Neills of Clare, and the O'n-Eoghans or Owens.
5' According to Dermod O'Connor's Pedi-
gree.
5' He is said to have been king over Mun-
ster, for twenty-nine years.
5* He was King of Thomond, for forty-
five years, about the year of our Lord 439. 5s He was King of Thomond, for sixteen
for 1820. " Edward
gical Account of Nearly Four Hundred Irish Writers," &c. , vol. i. , Part i. , p. Ixxi. Copies of it are preserved, in the Books of Ballymote and of i. ecain.
O'Keiily's
vol. ii. , pp. 650, 651. glicised, Moydown, or Moyadown, but its
situation has not been identified. See
ibid. ,
n. (e).
^ I have not been able to ascertain the na-
ture of his death.
" From him descend the O'Bolands, the
O'Caseys, the O'Siodhachans, the Mac Inirys,
the O'Connallys, and the O'Tuomys, in the county of Limerick.
* From him descended the O'Briens and the Mac Mahons of Clare.
