No More Learning

This is likely to have been the day of his death, and the year is variedly set down, as a. d. 789, 791, or 794. Thus, in close contact with our authentic Annals, and in a great scholar's correspondence, as also in his own preserved works, we are taken from the dreamland of fable ; and, we find the portraiture of the inner as of the outer life, which discloses this saint to have been no mythic personage of romance.
Article IX. —Reputed Translation of St. Gall's Relics, Switzer- land. Dempster^ notes, at the 20th of February, the festival of St. Gall,* Eremite, Abbot and Apostle, in Helvetia. s Ado, Galesinus, Hermann
Greuen, Wion and Ferrarius, have the entry of some festival, in his honour, at this same date. Colgan-* and the Bollandists^ also notice it. A manu- script Florarius places the Translation of his Relics, at this day ; while, in like manner, his feast is to be found in the chief Martyrologies written and printed. ^
Ciuent! )-'4fir! dt Bap of jfrtruari? *
ARTICLE I. —ST. COLMAN, BISHOP AND CONFESSOR OF ARD-BO, COUNTY OF TYRONE.
[PROBABLY IN THE SIXTH CENTURY. '^
saints are exact in all the duties of their calling, as being obliged to
THE an account one give day
to that
great Master,
who has allotted to each
the same as Eismore, the old Irish name for
whichwas or "A Dunsginne Dunsginna,
going epistle, from the Cottonian Library,
copyist, unacquainted with the Irish Ian- guage, might have easily made a mistake in
atOxford. See "ActaSanctonmi Colgan's
Hibernise," xx. Feljruarii, nn. I to i8, p.
380.
5= At this has noted a very date, Colgan
St. Colgo or Colgan, Abbot of Kill- Colgan, in Connaught, as also a Blessed Colgo or
Colgan, son to Kellach. See ibid. , pp. 380 to 382, Yet, there is no warrant for their festivals being so placed. As they are mentioned in St. Columkille's Life, at the 9th of June, the reader may find there a more particular account of them.
53 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xvi.
S4 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
writing this name. "—
tory of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xx. , sect. v. , n. 45, p. 232. Dr. Lanigan considers, moreover, that as Lismore was a great place of resort for English students, so it was pro- bable, that Alcuin's reason for sending money to that establishment was to show his gratitude for the attention bestowed on his countrymen there residing.
5° Colgan supposes the original word here
should be Aredii, instead of Areidae, in the
document, as published. He thinks, too, the Pater-familias must have been the Abbot of St. Aredius' monastery, which was a former name for the of in
54, 55.
S5 in a note Dr. Todd says, at this word,
monastery Attane, the diocese of Limoges, in France, as stated
' Marianvocat * MarianO'Gorman Caolcu,'
calls him Caolchu. ' But in the Brussels MS. of M. O'Gorman as copied by Mr. Curry, the name is written Colchu. "
by Claude Robert, in his catalogue of the
bishops, belonging to that See.
5" Ussher obtained his copy of the fore-
"Ecclesiastical His-
Duinechda—"The later hand inserts here,
6s6 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February21.
one that respective station in life he is destined to fill. Notices regarding this holy bishop will be found, at the i8th of the present month. The Bol- landists record him, likewise, at this date. '' Fuller in detail, than we have already given his genealogy, is the following pedigree : St. Colman of Ard-bo was the son of Aedh, son to Guaire, son of Amalgaidh, son to Muiredach, son of Carthann, son to Ere, son of Echaidh, son of Colla Uais, son of Eochaidh Domlenn, son to Cairbre Liifecar, according to the Sanctilogic
" Colman Airdi bo for bru Locha Eachach" is set in the Genealogy. do^vn,
Martyrology of Tallagh,"^ at the 21st of February. This place, now called Arboe, is in the county of Londonderry,3 according to William M. Hennessy.
Yet, its locality must be sought for, rather near Lough Neagh, in the county ofTyrone. Onitswesternshorearetheruinsofanancientabbey,aswe
Ancient Cross of Arboe.
are told, which form an interesting, and a picturesque feature ; while, the walls of an old church are yet standing. 4 However, the remains at Arboe are very insignificant. Yet, there is a richly-carved cross, containing in various compartments several emblematical figures. It stands on a double- gradated pedestal ; and, on the front centre, there is a representation of the
Article IX. —* See "Menologium Sco- ticum. "
ruani xx. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 170.
ibid.
Article i. —* See "Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus iii. , Februariixxi. Among the pre* termittcd saints, p. 234.
= For full of this particulars
^ See
great Apostle, the reader is referred to his Life, at the 1 6th
of October.
3 See Bishop Forbes' '* Kalendars of the
Scottish Saints," p. 192.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemia:," xx.
Februarii. De S. Galli Abbatis Monasterii Sangallensis Translatione, pp. 382 to 383.
=
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xvi.
5 See
*•
Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb.
Topographical Dictiolial^
3 Appended in his
logy of Donegal. " * **
copy
of the *'
Martyro*
See Lewis'
of Ireland," vol. i. , p. 39.
February 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 657
crucifixion, with accessory figures present at this solemn scene. We are not aware, that the other figures have been, as yet, described. Under the arms
of the cross, there is a raised compartment, with graceful interlacings on the entablature. One of the upper circular quarter-bands of the crossed arms is
broken away : otherwise, this most elegant Irish cross is tolerably perfect. s We read in the Calendar of Cashel, and in the Martyrologies of Maguire and of Donegal,^ as having a festival at this date, Colman of Ard-bo, on the margin of Loch Eachach, in Ulster.
ArticleII. —St. Fintan,AbbotandBishopofClonfert. [Probably in the Sixth Century? ^ Although ruling over many churches and monasteries, according to our native Martyrologists, this saint has not been distinguished, in any biographies or Acts, whereby some doubts regarding him could more easily be dissipated. ^ Colgan has an unsatisfactory account, at the 21st of February. So, likewise, do the Bollandists appear to consider. ^ For, it is said, that he presided over Leamchuill church,3 in the Queen's County. This erection adjoined the barony of Fassaghdining, within the boundaries of Kilkenny County. ^ This is Colgan's statement, for which we can find no authority ; although, Fintan was either buried, or venerated, at this place, as some of our Martyrologists relate. We next find it mentioned, that he pre- sided over Clonenagh Monastery ; yet, it is difficult to reconcile this state- ment with subsequent accounts regarding him. s It has been asserted,^ that our saint flourished, towards the close of the sixth century. However, as this holy man cannot be confounded with Fintan Maeldubh,7 who, being succes- sor to the great St. Fintan,^ died in the year 625, nor with that other St. Fintan Munnu, who again succeeded, and who died in 634 f Dr. Lanigan suggests, that a chronological difficulty might be avoided, by supposing our saint to have been a at ^° Some authorities
simple monk, living Clonenagh.
state, that he either founded or governed a church at Cluain-aithchen, or
Clonkeen," in Leix. A very probable conjecture has been hazarded, that this latter place may have been mistaken for Clonenagh ; and, if such be the
case, a difficulty which arises by placing him at Clonenagh, might disappear. " Colgan gives us to understand, that having abandoned Ciuain-aithchin, ac- cording to a promise made,^3 he returned to Clonenagh Monastery, or, at
5 The accompanying drawing of it, by
William F. Wakeman, has been engraved
by Gregor Grey, Dublin.
nise," xvii. Februarii. Vita S. Fintani.
See Dr. Lanigan's Ecclesiastical His- tory of Ireland," vol. ii. chap, xii,, sect, xi. , n. 174, pp. 231, 232, and the Life of St. Fintan of Clonenagh, at the lythofFeb- ruary. Also, ibid. ^ chap, xiv. , sect, ii. , n. 17, pp. 305* 306.
reader is referred to St. Fintan's Life, chap,
i. , at the 17th of February.
I strongly suspect, that Cluainaith-
chin has been mistaken for Cluainedhnech
(Clonenagh). The Calendar of Cashel,
^
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
54, 55.
Article ii. — See "Acta Sanctorum
Hiberniae," xxi. Februarii. Vita S. Fintani, p. 385.
= See "Acta Sanctorum," tomusiii. , Feb- ruarii xxi. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 235.
3 Leamchuill was situated on the confines of Leix and Ui-duach territories, in Lein- ster.
* See Archdall's "Monasticon Hiberni- cum," p. 595, and note (b).
5
" Primus enim Abbas de
which mentions it, has not F. Corach at Clonenagh ; and vice versa in most of those, that have Clonenagh, we do not find Cluain- aithchin. In this hypothesis the difficulty arising from placing him at Clonenagh will
Colgan says : Cluaineidhnech,"&c.
^ By Sir James Ware.
—Dr. " Ecclesiastica disappear. " Lanigan's
7
See his Life,
at the 20th of October.
^
^ See his Life, already given, at the 17th of the present month. He is thought to
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xiv. , sect, ii. , n. 18, p. 306.
^^ It is related, that when he first set out on his travels for Connaught, his monks
have died before A. D.
9 See
Colgan's
590.
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Appendix, cap. iv,, p. 356. '° "
" For a fuller account of this place, the
'^ "
2U
65S LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February21
least, that he was buried, at this latter place. It is said, that our saint dis- charged the double office of Abbot and Bishop, over the monastery and see of Clonfert. ^4 Our Fintan became bishop, it has been supposed, after the death of Moenninnius. ^5 Nevertheless, Dr. Lanigan does not assert, that our saint was his immediate successor. ^^ to the same he
According authority, followed St. Brendan,'7 as Abbot ;'^ and, our saint was afterwards succeeded at
Clonfert,'9 by the Abbots, Colman, the son of Comgall, and by Senach Garbh. *° The Scholiast on St. ^ngus seems to intimate, that Fintan and his two suc-
cessors were — to the Order of St.
"
we do not read about any other community of monks, in this age, thus dis-
monks, belonging Benedict, called, nigri Domini"" apparently in allusion to their black habits
and,
were no Benedictines then in
1 6th of May.
Ordres Monastiques, Religieux et Militaires,
et des Congregations seculieres de Tun et de
I'autre sexe, qui ont ete etablies jusqu' k
present ; contenant leur origine, leur founda-
tion, leur progres, les evenemens les plus
considerables qui y sont arrives ; la deca-
dence des uns et leur suppression ; I'agran-
dissement des autres, par le moien des
differentes Reformes qui y ont ete introdui-
tes les vies de leurs Fondateurs et de leurs :
Reformateurs : avec des Figures qui repre- sentent tous les differens habillemens de ces OrdresetdecesCongregations. " Tomev. ,
part iv. , chap, ii. , p. 12.
=''* The first mention of black monks, in
England, occurs in the deed of King Ethel- bald for the Monastery of Croyland, A. D.
"
Historia," pp. 2 to 4. Gale's "Rerum Anglicarum Scriptorum
Veterum," tomus i.
=5 Thus, we find Irish Dubks, Latinized
in
'8
^GQtbid. , n. 6, p. 385.
'9 See Harris' vol. Ware,
Clonfert," p. 638.
i. ,
*' of Bishops
'°
Such, according to Colgan, is the state-
ment of the Scholiast on dingus, or rather
that of ^ngus himself, in comments affixed
to his Festilogy, at the 21st of February.
'*
Fintanus Corach, Senachus Garbh, &c,, Colmanus amicabilis filius Comgelli erant tres nigri Domini, successive unus post
Thus,
alterum, in eadem Abbatia succedentes. " '*
See Acta Sanctorum Hibernia;," xxi. Februarii, n. 7, p. 385.
^^ A Scholiast on St. that ^Engus says,
"nigri,"
English "swarthy persons;"
;
Colgan explains the foregoing words, as an But, he ought to have known, that there
nor in ^^ and that the black England,
tinguished by their garments. allusion to the Benedictine liabit.
the Scholiast on St. ^ngus, who uses those expressions, meant in that passage the colour of a religious dress, he must have written at a time when such colour became peculiar to some monks, in Ireland, perhaps as late as the eleventh century ; and, he supposed, that the then practice had been also that of the ancients. Perhaps, Dr. Lanigan urges, he alluded not to the habit, but to the colour of those persons' skins, as having been of a blackish hue. Nothing was more usual in Ireland, than to denominate men from their
"
Ireland,
habit was not prescribed to that order anywhere,^3 at that early period. ^+ If
complexion. ^5 But, the phrase,
domini," seems to indicate the Benedictine
murmured, but were consoled when he pro- mised in the name of God, or gave them a security, that dead or alive his body should
"
return to them. See Acta Sanctorum
Hibernise," xxi. Februarii. Vita S. Fintani,
p. 385.
'* Dr. Lanigan remarks: "The only
authority I can find for making Fintan Corach predecessor at Clonfert of Senach
and Colman is Aengus Kalideus, or rathei", I think (ahhough Colgan is of a different opinion), a later scholiast on Aengus. He does not call them bishops ; yet, as Fintan was one, it is probable that so were the two latter, who are omitted by Ware, but men- tioned by Harris (at Clonfert). "—" Eccle- . siastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap. xiv. , sect, ii. , n. 22, p. 306.
*5 The feast of St. Moennennius or Moi-
nennus occurs, on the ist of March.
'^ "
See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nias," xxi. Februarii, n, 5, p. 385.
'' The feast of St. Brendan is kept, on the
Fintan, Senach and Colman were three black Doms, " tres nigri Domini. "
^^
Thus, William of Malmesbury writes, that Wilfrid, Bishop of York, was the first, who established the true mode of celebrating the Pasch in Northumbria, the Scots being
ejected, who introduced Antiphonaries into the Church music, and who brought the Benedictine Rule among the monks of his diocese. See "De Gestis Pontificum Ang- lorum," lib. iii.
=^3
"
Saint Benoit n' a rien determine sur
la couleur de I'habillement ; mais il paroit
par d'anciennes peintures que la robe que
les anciens Benedictins pori—oient etoit blan- "
che, et le scapulaire noir. " Histoire des
716. See Ingulfs
as are they
February 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 659
Order, the members of which, as also some other monks, began, in the middle
ages, to be distinguished from those of the mendicant orders, by the title, ""
Dominiis," contracted into Domnus. "^'^ It is thought very probable, that the Scholiast's intention was to exhibit Fintan, and his companions, as Bene- dictines, in which case we may suppose, that the writer belonged to that order. ^7 However, these conjectures of Dr. Lanigan are crude, and by no means conclusive, for the establishment of some opinions. In the first place,
*'
tres nigri Domini," should be referable to the complexions of three successive Abbots ; it would seem applicable solely to their habits. Secondly, why suppose a Benedictine monk capable of a downright forgery, even to procure a doubtful addition to the renown of his order ? Thirdly, is it not more probable, Colgan was correct in his opinion, as to the authorship of a passage in the MS. before him, than Dr. Lanigan, who did not see the original ? Again, if the commentary had been a pro- duction of Maguire, or the Scholiast on ^ngus, was the Dean of Cl®gher and the Canon of Armagh, or, whoever the writer had been, a Benedictine ? It
is said, that St. Fintan acquired the surname, Corach, either on account of
his continual charge of place and residence ; or, because of a promise, given
^ tohisbrethren,thatheshouldreturntoClonenaghf or,perhaps,because
of his melodious voice, by which he was distinguished for exactitude and de- votion, whereby he performed sacred chaunts in celebrating Divine praises. This he did, at the margin of a fountain, according to St. ^ngus. The word
"
it is not likely, that the phrase,
Corach, in the Irish idiom, signifies, under different respects, the ""
volatile,"
the giver of a promise," or the melodious. " It is said, our saint also in-
troduced, among his monks, a new style for singing psalms and sacred canti-
cles. ^9 In the discharge of different duties and religious pursuits, St. ^Engus
declares he prolonged life, to the unusual term of one hundred and thirty
years. 3° The exact date of his death is not known ; but, it is a conjecture
of Colgan, that he flourished, about the end of the sixth century. s^ Our
Martyrologists place his festival, at the 21st of February; thus, St. ^ngus
"
the Culdee in his
of Donegal,34 Duald Mac Firbis,35 enter Fintann Corach. In the ancient
Feilire,"32 the Martyrology of Tallagh,33 the Martyrology Martyrology of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, Dublin,36 t—he
festival of St. —
Fintan, Confessor, occurs,
at the ix. of the Kalends of March
2 1 St of February although it is not in the prefixed Calendar. Even, —
at the ix. of the March Kalends whichisthe21stofFebruary theKalendarofDrummondrelates,thatthe Natalis of St. Fintan was celebrated on this day, in Ireland. 37 A consider-
Scotland, he was reverenced. —Thus,
•
The calling of Findtan the right* eous
"Post contemptum mundi. "
On the appropriate feast, with
fervour,
Of Virilus [and] Jucundus.
33 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xvi.
34 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
54, 55.
and again i^/««j, "whites," or, "fair-corn- plexionecj. "
^^
It is changed by the French into Dom, such as in the cases, Dom Mabillon, Dom Montfaucon, &c.
^7 See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire- land," vol. ii. , chap, xiv. , sect, ii. , n. 22, pp. 306, 307,
^^ The Calendar of Cashel assigns this as
the particular reason for his acquiring the name, Corach.
^9 This Maguire indicates, with hesitancy, n his Martyrology, at the 2 1st of February.
3° At the 2 1st of February.
3'
According to Harris' Ware, vol. i. , Bishops of Clonfert. "
C. ioc. kl. Co5Ai|\m priDCAin cIio^ai^
po]^c concempcuTn tnuiToi 1 -peiL CAin coLIahtoi
Ui|\uli 1iicutToi.
"
3^ The following stanza, extracted from to William M. Hennessy. There are three
the " Leabhar Breac "
copy,
has been fur-
the name
places having Loughill, respec-
in the of
tively parishes Abbeyleix, Queen's
County,
with its fessor O'Looney
Englishtranslation, by —
Pro-
nished,
3S At Lowhill, Queen's County, according
and of
Attanagh, and of Rosconnell,
in
66o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 21.
able share of doubt appears to have existed among writers, respecting the
place of his death and sepulture. Leamchuill,3^ now Loughill,39 or Lowhill, Cluain-aithchin, Clonenaghj-^^ and Clonfert or Clonfert Brendain/* are seve- rally named by our Martyrologists, in connection with the anouncement of his festival, or of his departure,^^ or of the place where his remains had been deposited. It may be supposed, that our saint died towards the close of the sixth, or during some earlier part of the seventh, century : his immediate suc-
cessor, in the Monastery of Clonfert, having departed this life, in the year 62o. '*3 Yet, it may admit of question, if the Clonfert, with which our saint
was connected, might have been Clonfert Molua, in the Queen's County, rather than the well-known Connaught locality.
Article III. —St. Cronan, of Cill Beg, or Kilbeg. We find Cronan Cille Bicci, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 21st of February. Where " the little church," to which he had been attached, was situated, can hardly be determined with accuracy. There is a parish of Kilbeg, in the barony of Lower Kells, county of Meath. =* In the county of Kildare, barony of Clane, and parish of Killybegs, there is a townland, also, bearing the latter name. 3
Killybeggs Old Church, County Kildare.
Here there is an old ruined church, the quadrangular nave of which is alone
tolerably perfect ; yet, the side-walls, north and south are much injured. In the end-wall is a beautiful mullioned two-ope window, of small size. The
in the barony of Fassadinin, and county of 39 Said to be Loughill, near Ballynakill, '*
Kilkenny. See General Alphabetical In- in the ancient territory of Idough, by Rev.
dex to the Townlands, and Towns, Parishes, and Baronies of Ireland," p. 673.
3^ See edition of John Clarke Crosthwaite
John S. Shearman.
*° See the Martyrologies of Tallagh and of Donegal, as also Duald Mac Firbis.
and Rev. Dr. Todd. and p. 90.
37
See Bishop Forbes' Scottish Saints," p. 5.
See the "Martyrology of Donegal,"
Introduction, p. Ivi.
"
*^ See " of the Proceedings
Kalendars
of
Irish Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part
3^ See the "Martyrology of Tallagh," i. , pp. 100, loi. Also, pp. 1 16, 117.
and Duald Mac Firbis. 3 ''The Age of Christ, 620. The tenth
*'
and Duald Mac Firbis.
Royal
February 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 661
two extreme gables yet stand ; and from one to the other, the measurement
interiorly is 62 feet 6 inches : the nave in width was 18 feet 4 inches ; and
the walls were about 2 feet 8 inches in thickness. Within a high oval breast-
work —the old is elevated above the surround- fence, graveyard considerably
ing levels generally a mark of remote antiquity, especially in rural districts.
The cemetery is still much used. * On one side are the fine old trees of
Killybeggs Demesne, and a rookery in the top branches lends an additional
feature of melancholy to the spot, which is often disturbed by the flitting and
unmusical cawings of the crows. There is a parish of Upper Killybegs,s in
the barony of Banagh, as also, a parish of Lower Killybegs,^ in the baronies
of Banagh and Boylagh, county of Donegal. Of townlands, there are two
Killybegs : one in the parish of Inch, and the other in that of Kilgorman,
both in the barony of Corey, and county of Wexford. 7 There is a Killybeg
townland, in the parish of Donoughmore, barony of Upper Talbotstown, and
county of Wicklow f as, also, a Killybeg, in the parish of Inishmacsaint, in
the barony of Magheraboy, and county of Fermanagh. 9 There are a very great number of townlands, denominated Kilbeg, in various counties of
Ireland. Thus, in Cork county, there is a Kilbeg,^° in the parish of Ighter- murragh, and barony of Imokilly, as also one," in the parish of Tracton, and
barony of Kinalea, as also one'"" in the parish of Kilfaughnabeg, and barony of East Carbery. There is likewise a Kilbeg North and a Kilbeg South,'3
in the parish of Kilbrogan, barony of Kinalmeaky. There is a Kilbeg,''^ in theparishofKilcar,baronyofBanagh,andcountyofDonegal. InCalway county, there is a Kilbeg, ^^ in the parish of Templetogher, barony of Bally- moe ; a Kilbeg,'^ in the parish of Cargin, barony of Clare ; a Kilbeg,^7 in the parish of Abbeygormacan, and barony of Longford ; a Kilbeg,'^ in the parish of Killinan, in the barony of Loughrea ; as also a Kilbeg,'9 in the parish of Moylough, and barony of Tiaquin. There is also a Kilbeg Lo\ver^° in the parish and barony of Ross, and a Kilbeg Upper,^' in the same parish and barony. ThereisaKilbeg,^^intheparishofBallybrackan,baronyofOffaly West, and county of Kildare. There is a Kilbeg,23 in the parish of Geashill, barony of Upper Philipstown, and King's County. There is a Kilbeg,^* in
year of Suibhne. Seanach Garbh, Abbot for the County of Wicklow," Sheet 27.
o—f Cluain-fearta-Breanainn [Clonfert], died. " ^ See " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four for the County of Fermanagh," Sheets
Masters," vol. i. ,—pp. 242, 243.
Article hi. ^Edited by Rev. Dr.
8, 13.
^°
See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cork," Sheet 77*
Kelly, p. xvi.
^ " ^'
It is defined on the Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Meath," Sheets 5, 11, The townland proper is divided into Upper and Lower Kilbeg.
3 The parish is defined on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Kildare," Sheets 13, 14; while the town-
See ibid. . Sheets 99, 113.
" See ibid.