'] We have not been able to clear up doubts which obtrude, when
treating
about this saint's his- tory.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v5
Among the pretemiilted saints, Maii xi.
Among the pretermitted feasts,
p, 612. — p. 611. Article xvii. ' Sec "Transactions of
'" See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. ,
497-
5 In the Franciscan copy, the first entry
among the saints, specially classed as Irish, is 108 pp<Ne, at the v. of the Ides of May,
s
——
May 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. ii%
Clwelft! ) IBai? of iiflap*
ARTICLE I. —AILITIR, OR ELITIR, OF MUIC-INIS, LOUGH DERG, AND OF CLONMACNOISE, KING'S COUNTY.
ISIXTH CENTURY. ]
PLACES rendered sacred in connexion with God's holy servants, or by his saints' beatific presence, have always betn visited with pious veneration. Over and above the advantages to be derived, Trom any work, performed in a penitential spirit, or through a supernatural motive, additional good results, when undertaking a religious visit to holy places. There, pious fervour will be generated or increased ; and, especially, when intercession is made with those saints, in whose honour the pilgrimage had been undertaken. The Festival of Ailithir, with a eulogy, is entered, at the 12th of May, in the Feilire ' of St. . ^ngus. His name is elsewhere found Latinized as Alitherius, seu Peregrinus de Mucinis. Yet, we cannot be assured, that this was his proper name. How- ever, from the sequel, it seems likely, that he has been identified with a holy man so named, and belonging to one of the ]\Iuskerrys, in the south of Ire- land. An entry, Ailitir Muccinsi, is found in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,^ and in the Franciscan copy,3 at the 12th of May. The Martyr- ology of Marianus O'Gorman notes, + at this date, likewise, Elithir of Muicinis, onLochDeirg(Derc),5nowLoughDerg,intheShannon. Itwouldseem, that both here, and at Clonmacnoise, his memory was held in veneration. ^ The word, Ailitir, or Elithir, signifies " a pilgrim ;" and, hence, it may not necessarily be a proper name. At the year 595, however, the Annals of the Four Masters 7 state, that Ailithir, Abbot of Cluain-mic-nois, died. He was the fourth Abbot, having succeeded Mac Nissi, who departed this life, on June the 1 2th, A. D. 585. ^ The Ailithir, there mentioned, has been identified with the present saint. The Annals of Ulster 9 record his death, at a. d. 598 ; while, those of Tighernach '° and the " Chronicum Scotorum " place it, at a. d. 599. The
Article i. — ' In the "Leabhar Breac" copy, we read :
diMAcui" cjvoch'OA
ccc. Alb •oonA|'cnAi OiLichii\ Ainm coenTOAi i^h ey\cc noeniTDAi T1a]^cai.
Thus translated into English, by Dr. Whitley Stokes: "Crucified Cyriacus with three hundred who accompanied him. Ailithir a lovable name, with sainted Ere Nascai. " On the Calendar of Oengus, "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manu- script Series, vol. i. , part i. , p. Ixxix.
° EditedbyRev. Dr. Kelly,p. xxiv.
3 Thus given -diLiuhi^ muccnifi.
* See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Quarta Vita S. Columbce, n. 38.
5 In Irish, eiichVjX niuicinp ^'oja toe
081^5 Xiei^c.
* While recording these particulars, at the
12th of May, the Bollandists express a wish for further information, and add, as a con- jecture : " Alitherius seu Peregrinus de cella duorum Peregrinorum in Garnina, in Occi- dua plaga Connactise et in Cluain-geise in Campo Geise in Magh-lheagha, cognatusest Muadani Peregrini de cella Muadani, in monte Corbre ; et ferunt germanos fuisse. Vel est de Corco-niogha et nomen ejus Lugadius. " See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Mali xii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 2.
' See Dr. O'Donovan's Edition, vol. i. , pp. 220, 221.
* See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 3, n. (e).
5 Thus : " a. d. 598. Ailitir, Abbas Cluana mac Nois pausat. "—" Annates Ultonienses. " p. 34. See Rev. Dr. Charles O'Conor's "Re- rum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus iv.
'° In Irish, at 599, we find : Ailill, Ah. cIuaiia niAC Tloif tJAUfAC. tdo t11ui-C|\Ai'ohi
224 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May li.
latterauthoritystates,thathisfamilywasoftheMuscraidhe. " Thisday,the Martyrology of Donegal " records a veneration paid to Elitir, of Muic-inis, in Loch Derg-derc. Under that name, it is difficult to find it there, as it does not appear, on the Irish Ordnance Survey Maps. Acts of pilgrimage pro- cure many graces for the soul, and sometimes even miraculous cures for bodily ills ; while, they have an atoning effect, through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ. '3
Article IL—Erc, or Ercus, Nasca, of Tullylish, County of Down. In the Feilire ' of St. ^ngus, there is a commemoration of " sainted Erc Nascai," at the 12th of May. We are informed, that Earc descended, from the race of Art Corb, son to Fiacha Suighdhe. ^ There appears to be some difficulty, not alone in determining the period when that saint lived, and what had been the station he occupied, among our holy personages ; but, even, the individuality ofthe subject is doubtful, as those entries of our calendars in refer- ence to him are conflicting. Thus, the simple entry of Nasc3 occurs, at this date, in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,4 and, in the Franciscan copy, it is nearly similar. s Nevertheless, the Bollandists,^ quoting such authority, have Ercus Nasca de Talach-leis, on the same day. This place has been identified with Tullylish, in Lower Iveagh. This parish and that of Donaghcloney formedaterritory,whichwasancientlycalledClan-Connell. 7 Theparishof Tullylish was formerly part of the property of the Maginnis family, Lords of Iveagh ; but, in consequence of the part taken by the head of that family in 1641, it was declared forfeit to the crown. In it, the remains of several ancient
and, at TuUyhoa, there are extensive ruins, supposed by some, to have been those of an abbey. 9 The River Bann passes, in a winding course, through Tullylish parish, the soil of which is fertile and highly improved, while the scenery is very beautiful. In the Franciscan copy
ofthe Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 12th of May, we have the entry of Here ;'° while, immediately over it, and the proper name Nasc, we find the comment, i. e. , in Tilaig Leis. " This parish includes 11,707a. or. ip. , and probablyinthetownlandproper"hadbeenerectedhisancientchurch. The Martyrology of Donegal '3 mentions, that on this day, veneration was given to Here Nasca,^4 of Tulach-lis, in Ui Eachach Uladh. At the 12th of May,'S
forts ^ are to be traced
;
t)o. See ibid. , tomus ii. , p. i6i.
"See William M. Hennessy's "Chroni-
cum Scotorum," pp. 66, 67.
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
124, 125.
'3 See Rev. Sylvester Malone's "Church
' See Rev. William Reeves' "Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore," Appen- dix EE. , n. (m), p. 304.
*The largest of these is that at Banford, on the River Bann. On it, a Protestant church is built, and the general outlines can be traced, although the ramparts are now levelled.
Histoiy of Ireland," chap, xv. , p. 382. First Edition.
Article II. —'
"
Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript of Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. 658, 659.
Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of '" Thus written in Irish lle]\c.
See
Transactions of the
'
" Dictionary See Lewis' Topographical
" Thus set down . 1. 1 CiIolij leif.
^ See the O'Clerys' "Martyrology of " See it sliown, on the "Ordnance Sur- Donegal," Edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and vey Townland Maps for the County of Reeves, pp. 124, 125. Down," sheet 26. The parish itself is
3 Immediately preceding it, however, we described on sheets 19, 20, 26, 27.
Oengus, p. Ixxix.
have the entry " Erc i maigh Leis," which must have been another name for Tully- lish.
* Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxiv.
s The writing in Irish is 11 <i]'ci.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii.
Among the pretermitted saints, p. 2.
'^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 124, 125.
'* In a note. Dr. Todd says, at Here Nasca : " The more recent hand adds here, "Secundum Mart. Taml. e<si\c a tHuig bciy 1U\i'ci. Earc, in Magh-lis, Nasci. "
's See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
— —
May 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAJATS.
225
the Natalis of St. Ere, Confessor, in Ireland, is thus entered in the Kalendar of Drummond. '^
Article III. Reputed Festival of St. Erca, a Virgin. It seems to us, that we can hardly separate St. Erca, said to have been a virgin, from the former holy personage; in the first place, because the names Ere, or Earc, are so nearly similar with Erca, and, in the second place, because both festi- vals are recorded on the same date. Thus, do we read, that St. Erca, a virgin, whose feast is held on the 12th of May, was the daughter of Ernin, son to Trian, son of Dunius, son to Eochod, son of Bronfinn, son to Eugene, sonofArtcorb,sonofFiachSuighdhe,founderoftheDeciesfamily. ^ Here again, her race is derived from a common progenitor with Ere, or Earc, to whom allusion has been previously made.
Article IV. Reputed Feast of St. Bearnosga, of Tullylish, County of Down. There can scarcely be a doubt, that under the present form of name, we are to recognise Nasca of Tulaeh Leis ; but, we are at a loss to learn, if he should be regarded as identical with, or distinct from. Ere, Earc, or Erca. We suspect a confounding of two diverse individuals, by our Martyrologists. The Rev. William Reeves appears to have had, from a different copy of the Donegal Martyrology, than from that one afterwards edited by him, an account of Bearnosga—called Bearnasga in his calendar of Tullach-lis, or "fort of the hill," in Iveagh, of Ulidia. ' Already has sufficient allusion been made to this locality, in our previous notice.
Article V. St. Lugid, or Lughaedh, of Drumiskin, County of Louth, and said to have been Priest, of Tigh Luta, in Fotharta- MORA. {_Supposed to have lived in the Fifth Century.
'] We have not been able to clear up doubts which obtrude, when treating about this saint's his- tory. Some of the Irish Martyrologies assign a festival for St. Lugaedh, or Lugad, at this day. Thus, at the 12th of May, we find entered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' as also, in that of Marianus O'Gorman, the name of Lughaeth, or Lugadh, Mac Aengusa. ^ This latter is said to have been the celebrated King of Munster, who was baptized by St. , Patrick ;3 and, who is related to have left a very numerous posterity of sons, many of whom are ranked among the'saints. 4 According to such supposition, the mother of our saint should be Ethnea, daughter to Crimthann, King of Leinster. His brothers were Eochadh, Felemidh, Cronan, Olild, Bressal, who, with others,
The Franciscan copy has LugAech ITlAC OenjufA.
3 See his Life, in the Third Volume of this Article hi. — ' See Colgan's "Acta work, at the 17th of March, Art. i. , chap. xix.
Scottish Saints," p. 13.
"^ Thus : " iv. Idus. Et apud Iliberniam
Sancti Confessoris Erci Natale celebratur. "
Sanctorum Hiberniae," xv. Januarii. Ap- pendix ad Acta S. Itae, cap. ii. , p. 73.
Article iv. — ' See "Ecclesiastical Anti- quities of Down, Connor and Dromore," Appendix EE. , p. 316, and n. (w). Also, Appendix LL, p. 378.
Article v. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxiv.
' See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nire," xxvii. Januarii. De S. Natali Abbate et Confessore, ex diversis, cap. ii. , p. 169, and nn. i to 13, pp. 173, I74-
s The words of an old author, quoted by Colgan, are: "Aengussius filius Naitfraich genuit 24 filios, et 24 filias, et obtulit Deo et S. Patricio 12 filios, et 12 filias : qui omnes
2 26 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 12.
wereheadsofthemostnoblefamilies,inMunster. s Besidesthesewerethe following holy men, who lived religious lives, viz. : St. Carthage, Senior,* the instructor of St. Carthage,^ Junior, St. Colman of Derrymore,^ St. Foilan,9 Abbot of Kill-foelain, in Leinster, and of Rath Erenn, in Albania, St. Folio- man,'° bishop, St. Pappan," St. Naal'= of Kilnamanagh, besides many others. '3 If we make the present saint a son of . ^ngus Nathfraich, he must have lived, in the fifth century ; and, probably, he was baptized by St. Patrick. '^ If, afterwards, he became a disciple of Ireland's illustrious Apostle, thiseventshouldbeassignedtothecloseoftheholymissionary'scareer. By some, Lugaidh has been identified, with one of the two following, placed by him at Druim-in-esglainn. There, St. Patrick's two disciples,'5 Daluanus '* of Croebheach, and Lugadius,'^ are said to have lived. '^ Following the autho- rity of Archdall, '9 who quotes Colgan^° for his own mistake, the place of St. Lugad, and which is called Druim-in-esglainn, or Druim Inisclainn, in the territory of Dealbna, is thought, by Rev. Dr. Lanigan,=" to have been Drum- shallon," in the county of Louth. However, jNIr. O'Donovan tells us, that the former name is yet retained, and applied to a village, now called Drumiskin, which is near to Castle Bellingham,^3 in Louth County. A monastery seems to have been there, from a remote period ;''*• and, even one of its Abbots is also called a bishop. '5 It is always pronounced Druminisklin, by natives of the Fews and of Cuailgne, who are said to have spoken the Irish language, with great fluency. ^* At the time, when this parish was visited by antiquarians,''^ connected with the Irish Ordnance Survey, an old graveyard and some anti- quitiesexisted,inthetownlandofDromiskin. There,aconsiderableportion of a round tower still remains. ^^ The graveyard was used as a place of
burial. ^' There were no ruins in it,
Sancti et Sanctse celebrantur. " The Psalter of Cashel and the Genealogies of IMunster have such a statement.
* His feast is assigned, to the 5th of March.
7 His feast is held, on the 14th of May.
' His festival is kept, on the 20th of May. 9 His feast was celebrated, on the 20th of
June.
'°We do not find his name in the Irish
Calendars,
" The only saint we find, called Pappan,
or Poppon, is he venerated, at the 25th of January. See some notices, in the First Volume of this work, at that date. Art. xiii. Again, at the 31st of July, we have another feast for St. Pappan, supposed to be of San- try, in the county of Dublin.
" See his feast, at the 31st of July.
'3 According to the Mcenology of the Irish Saints, the Catalogue of the Munster Kings, and the Munster Genealogies.
'• See his Life, at the 17th of March, vol. iii. , Art. i. , chap. x.
'5 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 226.
'* See what has been already stated, in the First Volume of this work, at the 7th of January, Art. ix.
' See an account of them, at the 17th of March, in the Life of St. Patrick, Art. i. , chap. x. Tliird Volume of this work.
save those of a deserted parish church,
'* See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, ii. , cap. xii. , p. 131, and nn. 40, 41, p. 174.
'' See " Monasticon Hibemicum," p. 461.
=° See " Acta Sanctorum Hibernioe," xx. Januarii, Secunda Vita S. Fechini, n. 17, p. 141, and xxvii. Januarii, De S. Natali Ab- bate et Confessore, cap. ii. , p. 169, and n. 8,
p. 173.
-' See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , sect, xi. , n. 145, p. 52.
" This parish, in the barony of Ferrard, is shown, on the " Ordnance . Survey Town- land Maps for the County of Louth," sheets
19, 21, 22.
=3 a neat town, in tlie parish of Gernons-
town, and barony of Ardee, shown on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
the County of Louth, "sheet 15.
-* In tlic year 7S8, or rccte 793, the death
of Cronnmhael of Druim-Inesglainn and Abbot of Cluain-Iraird, now Clonard, is re- corded.
=5 At A. D. 876, the death of Tighearnach, son of Muireadhach, Bishop and Abbot, is placed.
'* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (y), pp. 394, 395 ; pp. 522, 523; at A. D. 887, pp. 549. 541; as also vol. ii. ,at a. d. 908, pp. 578, 579.
'? Messrs. Patrick O'Kcefe and Tho O'Conor.
May 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
2Vl
in which parts of the wall of Druiminisclinn old church were said to have been included. But, in the north-west corner of this graveyard, a perfect round tower—called Tor by some—and rising about 50 or 60 feet in height, is to be seen. On its south side, an entrance, about five feet and a-half high, and three feet broad, at bottom, appeared.
Outwardly, this tower had been much shattered, on both sides. s^ On the south-east side, about twenty feet from the ground, another entrance was shown, being about seven feet high,
Diomiskin Round Tower, County of Louth.
by two broad. Dressed stones around its edges had partly fallen off. There were four openings, immediately under the cap of this building, and looking towards the east, west, north and south. These were about four feet high, by two feet and a-half broad ; and, to the north side of the west one, there was also another small pointed opening, about eighteen inches high, by ten inches broad. 3' Whether or not Druimiskin had any affinity with another place, mentioned by the O'Clerys, cannot well be ascertained. However,
^' The accompanyhig ilhistralion was drawn, by the writer, on the spot in August,
this sketch has been transferred to the wood, by William F. Wakeman, and it has been engraved, by Mrs. Millard.
^9 Thomas Duffy, a respectable resident farmer of Diomiskin townland, gave those engaged on the Irish Ordnance Survey much information regarding this locality, as thus acknowledged. " Dromiskin parish situated one mile to the north of Castlebellingham, is invariably called by the people 'Oi\uni 1<inAfc tm, pA|\<M'pce O^Aum, &C. Thomas Duffy says, the name is '0|uiim, dorsinn, \w\\ insii- IcBf CluAin sccessits—CluAin he says signifies
' a church,' or * resting place ;' but, this last
from the Abbe Mageoghagan. " " Louth Letters, containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County, collected dur- ing the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1S35-36. " JointLetterofP. O'KeefeandT. O'Conor, dated Castlebellingham, January 22nd, 1836, vol. i. , p. 152.
3° Abellwashungontheinside,whichwas considered to be the identical one, which be- longed originally to this tower. It had been used, until a short time before this visit, when a chain, by which it was tolled, hap- pened to become broken.
1883
name he acknowledges to have been taken —
:
——
228 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 1
from them we learn, in t'ne Martyrology of Donegal,3^ that Lughaedh, son of Aenghus, Priest of Tigh Lata, in Fotharta-mora, had a festival celebrated, on this day. It seems a difficult matter to discover, where the special locality of Tigh Luta lay, or which was the Fothart thus denominated. There are various districts—especially in the province of Leinster—formerly known as Fotharta, or Fotliadh, with some other addition. These are said to have taken their name from Eochaidh Finn Fothart,33 brother to the Monarch Conn of the Hundred Battles,34 and who had been banished from Midhe, or Meath, by his nephew Art, settled in Leinster, where his descendants acquired considerable territories. 35 Among these are distinguished Fotharta Osnad- haigh,36or Fotharta Fea,37 now the barony of Forth, in the county of Carlow; Fotharta an Chairn,? ^ from which the barony of Forth, in the county of Wex- ford, had its name ; Fothart Airbreach, around the Hill of Cruachan Bri File ;39 Fothart Oirthir Life,4° in the present county of Wicklow ; as also, Fothadh-tire, probably the barony of Iffa and Offa West, in the county of Tipperary;4i however, according to another writer, it is identified with the barony of Forth, in tlie county of Carlow. -t^ The Fotharta sank under other tribes, at an early period /3 and, their history is one of great obscurity, when occasionally alluded to, in our Irish Annals. Besides what is already set down, the reader is referred to notices, regarding St. Lugadius, at the 2nd of November, when Marianus O'Gorman enters again his Natalis, in connexion with the church of Druim Iniscluinn, belonging to the Diocese of Armagh.
p, 612. — p. 611. Article xvii. ' Sec "Transactions of
'" See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. ,
497-
5 In the Franciscan copy, the first entry
among the saints, specially classed as Irish, is 108 pp<Ne, at the v. of the Ides of May,
s
——
May 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. ii%
Clwelft! ) IBai? of iiflap*
ARTICLE I. —AILITIR, OR ELITIR, OF MUIC-INIS, LOUGH DERG, AND OF CLONMACNOISE, KING'S COUNTY.
ISIXTH CENTURY. ]
PLACES rendered sacred in connexion with God's holy servants, or by his saints' beatific presence, have always betn visited with pious veneration. Over and above the advantages to be derived, Trom any work, performed in a penitential spirit, or through a supernatural motive, additional good results, when undertaking a religious visit to holy places. There, pious fervour will be generated or increased ; and, especially, when intercession is made with those saints, in whose honour the pilgrimage had been undertaken. The Festival of Ailithir, with a eulogy, is entered, at the 12th of May, in the Feilire ' of St. . ^ngus. His name is elsewhere found Latinized as Alitherius, seu Peregrinus de Mucinis. Yet, we cannot be assured, that this was his proper name. How- ever, from the sequel, it seems likely, that he has been identified with a holy man so named, and belonging to one of the ]\Iuskerrys, in the south of Ire- land. An entry, Ailitir Muccinsi, is found in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,^ and in the Franciscan copy,3 at the 12th of May. The Martyr- ology of Marianus O'Gorman notes, + at this date, likewise, Elithir of Muicinis, onLochDeirg(Derc),5nowLoughDerg,intheShannon. Itwouldseem, that both here, and at Clonmacnoise, his memory was held in veneration. ^ The word, Ailitir, or Elithir, signifies " a pilgrim ;" and, hence, it may not necessarily be a proper name. At the year 595, however, the Annals of the Four Masters 7 state, that Ailithir, Abbot of Cluain-mic-nois, died. He was the fourth Abbot, having succeeded Mac Nissi, who departed this life, on June the 1 2th, A. D. 585. ^ The Ailithir, there mentioned, has been identified with the present saint. The Annals of Ulster 9 record his death, at a. d. 598 ; while, those of Tighernach '° and the " Chronicum Scotorum " place it, at a. d. 599. The
Article i. — ' In the "Leabhar Breac" copy, we read :
diMAcui" cjvoch'OA
ccc. Alb •oonA|'cnAi OiLichii\ Ainm coenTOAi i^h ey\cc noeniTDAi T1a]^cai.
Thus translated into English, by Dr. Whitley Stokes: "Crucified Cyriacus with three hundred who accompanied him. Ailithir a lovable name, with sainted Ere Nascai. " On the Calendar of Oengus, "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manu- script Series, vol. i. , part i. , p. Ixxix.
° EditedbyRev. Dr. Kelly,p. xxiv.
3 Thus given -diLiuhi^ muccnifi.
* See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Quarta Vita S. Columbce, n. 38.
5 In Irish, eiichVjX niuicinp ^'oja toe
081^5 Xiei^c.
* While recording these particulars, at the
12th of May, the Bollandists express a wish for further information, and add, as a con- jecture : " Alitherius seu Peregrinus de cella duorum Peregrinorum in Garnina, in Occi- dua plaga Connactise et in Cluain-geise in Campo Geise in Magh-lheagha, cognatusest Muadani Peregrini de cella Muadani, in monte Corbre ; et ferunt germanos fuisse. Vel est de Corco-niogha et nomen ejus Lugadius. " See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Mali xii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 2.
' See Dr. O'Donovan's Edition, vol. i. , pp. 220, 221.
* See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 3, n. (e).
5 Thus : " a. d. 598. Ailitir, Abbas Cluana mac Nois pausat. "—" Annates Ultonienses. " p. 34. See Rev. Dr. Charles O'Conor's "Re- rum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus iv.
'° In Irish, at 599, we find : Ailill, Ah. cIuaiia niAC Tloif tJAUfAC. tdo t11ui-C|\Ai'ohi
224 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May li.
latterauthoritystates,thathisfamilywasoftheMuscraidhe. " Thisday,the Martyrology of Donegal " records a veneration paid to Elitir, of Muic-inis, in Loch Derg-derc. Under that name, it is difficult to find it there, as it does not appear, on the Irish Ordnance Survey Maps. Acts of pilgrimage pro- cure many graces for the soul, and sometimes even miraculous cures for bodily ills ; while, they have an atoning effect, through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ. '3
Article IL—Erc, or Ercus, Nasca, of Tullylish, County of Down. In the Feilire ' of St. ^ngus, there is a commemoration of " sainted Erc Nascai," at the 12th of May. We are informed, that Earc descended, from the race of Art Corb, son to Fiacha Suighdhe. ^ There appears to be some difficulty, not alone in determining the period when that saint lived, and what had been the station he occupied, among our holy personages ; but, even, the individuality ofthe subject is doubtful, as those entries of our calendars in refer- ence to him are conflicting. Thus, the simple entry of Nasc3 occurs, at this date, in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,4 and, in the Franciscan copy, it is nearly similar. s Nevertheless, the Bollandists,^ quoting such authority, have Ercus Nasca de Talach-leis, on the same day. This place has been identified with Tullylish, in Lower Iveagh. This parish and that of Donaghcloney formedaterritory,whichwasancientlycalledClan-Connell. 7 Theparishof Tullylish was formerly part of the property of the Maginnis family, Lords of Iveagh ; but, in consequence of the part taken by the head of that family in 1641, it was declared forfeit to the crown. In it, the remains of several ancient
and, at TuUyhoa, there are extensive ruins, supposed by some, to have been those of an abbey. 9 The River Bann passes, in a winding course, through Tullylish parish, the soil of which is fertile and highly improved, while the scenery is very beautiful. In the Franciscan copy
ofthe Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 12th of May, we have the entry of Here ;'° while, immediately over it, and the proper name Nasc, we find the comment, i. e. , in Tilaig Leis. " This parish includes 11,707a. or. ip. , and probablyinthetownlandproper"hadbeenerectedhisancientchurch. The Martyrology of Donegal '3 mentions, that on this day, veneration was given to Here Nasca,^4 of Tulach-lis, in Ui Eachach Uladh. At the 12th of May,'S
forts ^ are to be traced
;
t)o. See ibid. , tomus ii. , p. i6i.
"See William M. Hennessy's "Chroni-
cum Scotorum," pp. 66, 67.
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
124, 125.
'3 See Rev. Sylvester Malone's "Church
' See Rev. William Reeves' "Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore," Appen- dix EE. , n. (m), p. 304.
*The largest of these is that at Banford, on the River Bann. On it, a Protestant church is built, and the general outlines can be traced, although the ramparts are now levelled.
Histoiy of Ireland," chap, xv. , p. 382. First Edition.
Article II. —'
"
Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript of Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. 658, 659.
Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of '" Thus written in Irish lle]\c.
See
Transactions of the
'
" Dictionary See Lewis' Topographical
" Thus set down . 1. 1 CiIolij leif.
^ See the O'Clerys' "Martyrology of " See it sliown, on the "Ordnance Sur- Donegal," Edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and vey Townland Maps for the County of Reeves, pp. 124, 125. Down," sheet 26. The parish itself is
3 Immediately preceding it, however, we described on sheets 19, 20, 26, 27.
Oengus, p. Ixxix.
have the entry " Erc i maigh Leis," which must have been another name for Tully- lish.
* Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxiv.
s The writing in Irish is 11 <i]'ci.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii.
Among the pretermitted saints, p. 2.
'^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 124, 125.
'* In a note. Dr. Todd says, at Here Nasca : " The more recent hand adds here, "Secundum Mart. Taml. e<si\c a tHuig bciy 1U\i'ci. Earc, in Magh-lis, Nasci. "
's See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
— —
May 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAJATS.
225
the Natalis of St. Ere, Confessor, in Ireland, is thus entered in the Kalendar of Drummond. '^
Article III. Reputed Festival of St. Erca, a Virgin. It seems to us, that we can hardly separate St. Erca, said to have been a virgin, from the former holy personage; in the first place, because the names Ere, or Earc, are so nearly similar with Erca, and, in the second place, because both festi- vals are recorded on the same date. Thus, do we read, that St. Erca, a virgin, whose feast is held on the 12th of May, was the daughter of Ernin, son to Trian, son of Dunius, son to Eochod, son of Bronfinn, son to Eugene, sonofArtcorb,sonofFiachSuighdhe,founderoftheDeciesfamily. ^ Here again, her race is derived from a common progenitor with Ere, or Earc, to whom allusion has been previously made.
Article IV. Reputed Feast of St. Bearnosga, of Tullylish, County of Down. There can scarcely be a doubt, that under the present form of name, we are to recognise Nasca of Tulaeh Leis ; but, we are at a loss to learn, if he should be regarded as identical with, or distinct from. Ere, Earc, or Erca. We suspect a confounding of two diverse individuals, by our Martyrologists. The Rev. William Reeves appears to have had, from a different copy of the Donegal Martyrology, than from that one afterwards edited by him, an account of Bearnosga—called Bearnasga in his calendar of Tullach-lis, or "fort of the hill," in Iveagh, of Ulidia. ' Already has sufficient allusion been made to this locality, in our previous notice.
Article V. St. Lugid, or Lughaedh, of Drumiskin, County of Louth, and said to have been Priest, of Tigh Luta, in Fotharta- MORA. {_Supposed to have lived in the Fifth Century.
'] We have not been able to clear up doubts which obtrude, when treating about this saint's his- tory. Some of the Irish Martyrologies assign a festival for St. Lugaedh, or Lugad, at this day. Thus, at the 12th of May, we find entered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' as also, in that of Marianus O'Gorman, the name of Lughaeth, or Lugadh, Mac Aengusa. ^ This latter is said to have been the celebrated King of Munster, who was baptized by St. , Patrick ;3 and, who is related to have left a very numerous posterity of sons, many of whom are ranked among the'saints. 4 According to such supposition, the mother of our saint should be Ethnea, daughter to Crimthann, King of Leinster. His brothers were Eochadh, Felemidh, Cronan, Olild, Bressal, who, with others,
The Franciscan copy has LugAech ITlAC OenjufA.
3 See his Life, in the Third Volume of this Article hi. — ' See Colgan's "Acta work, at the 17th of March, Art. i. , chap. xix.
Scottish Saints," p. 13.
"^ Thus : " iv. Idus. Et apud Iliberniam
Sancti Confessoris Erci Natale celebratur. "
Sanctorum Hiberniae," xv. Januarii. Ap- pendix ad Acta S. Itae, cap. ii. , p. 73.
Article iv. — ' See "Ecclesiastical Anti- quities of Down, Connor and Dromore," Appendix EE. , p. 316, and n. (w). Also, Appendix LL, p. 378.
Article v. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxiv.
' See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nire," xxvii. Januarii. De S. Natali Abbate et Confessore, ex diversis, cap. ii. , p. 169, and nn. i to 13, pp. 173, I74-
s The words of an old author, quoted by Colgan, are: "Aengussius filius Naitfraich genuit 24 filios, et 24 filias, et obtulit Deo et S. Patricio 12 filios, et 12 filias : qui omnes
2 26 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 12.
wereheadsofthemostnoblefamilies,inMunster. s Besidesthesewerethe following holy men, who lived religious lives, viz. : St. Carthage, Senior,* the instructor of St. Carthage,^ Junior, St. Colman of Derrymore,^ St. Foilan,9 Abbot of Kill-foelain, in Leinster, and of Rath Erenn, in Albania, St. Folio- man,'° bishop, St. Pappan," St. Naal'= of Kilnamanagh, besides many others. '3 If we make the present saint a son of . ^ngus Nathfraich, he must have lived, in the fifth century ; and, probably, he was baptized by St. Patrick. '^ If, afterwards, he became a disciple of Ireland's illustrious Apostle, thiseventshouldbeassignedtothecloseoftheholymissionary'scareer. By some, Lugaidh has been identified, with one of the two following, placed by him at Druim-in-esglainn. There, St. Patrick's two disciples,'5 Daluanus '* of Croebheach, and Lugadius,'^ are said to have lived. '^ Following the autho- rity of Archdall, '9 who quotes Colgan^° for his own mistake, the place of St. Lugad, and which is called Druim-in-esglainn, or Druim Inisclainn, in the territory of Dealbna, is thought, by Rev. Dr. Lanigan,=" to have been Drum- shallon," in the county of Louth. However, jNIr. O'Donovan tells us, that the former name is yet retained, and applied to a village, now called Drumiskin, which is near to Castle Bellingham,^3 in Louth County. A monastery seems to have been there, from a remote period ;''*• and, even one of its Abbots is also called a bishop. '5 It is always pronounced Druminisklin, by natives of the Fews and of Cuailgne, who are said to have spoken the Irish language, with great fluency. ^* At the time, when this parish was visited by antiquarians,''^ connected with the Irish Ordnance Survey, an old graveyard and some anti- quitiesexisted,inthetownlandofDromiskin. There,aconsiderableportion of a round tower still remains. ^^ The graveyard was used as a place of
burial. ^' There were no ruins in it,
Sancti et Sanctse celebrantur. " The Psalter of Cashel and the Genealogies of IMunster have such a statement.
* His feast is assigned, to the 5th of March.
7 His feast is held, on the 14th of May.
' His festival is kept, on the 20th of May. 9 His feast was celebrated, on the 20th of
June.
'°We do not find his name in the Irish
Calendars,
" The only saint we find, called Pappan,
or Poppon, is he venerated, at the 25th of January. See some notices, in the First Volume of this work, at that date. Art. xiii. Again, at the 31st of July, we have another feast for St. Pappan, supposed to be of San- try, in the county of Dublin.
" See his feast, at the 31st of July.
'3 According to the Mcenology of the Irish Saints, the Catalogue of the Munster Kings, and the Munster Genealogies.
'• See his Life, at the 17th of March, vol. iii. , Art. i. , chap. x.
'5 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 226.
'* See what has been already stated, in the First Volume of this work, at the 7th of January, Art. ix.
' See an account of them, at the 17th of March, in the Life of St. Patrick, Art. i. , chap. x. Tliird Volume of this work.
save those of a deserted parish church,
'* See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, ii. , cap. xii. , p. 131, and nn. 40, 41, p. 174.
'' See " Monasticon Hibemicum," p. 461.
=° See " Acta Sanctorum Hibernioe," xx. Januarii, Secunda Vita S. Fechini, n. 17, p. 141, and xxvii. Januarii, De S. Natali Ab- bate et Confessore, cap. ii. , p. 169, and n. 8,
p. 173.
-' See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , sect, xi. , n. 145, p. 52.
" This parish, in the barony of Ferrard, is shown, on the " Ordnance . Survey Town- land Maps for the County of Louth," sheets
19, 21, 22.
=3 a neat town, in tlie parish of Gernons-
town, and barony of Ardee, shown on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
the County of Louth, "sheet 15.
-* In tlic year 7S8, or rccte 793, the death
of Cronnmhael of Druim-Inesglainn and Abbot of Cluain-Iraird, now Clonard, is re- corded.
=5 At A. D. 876, the death of Tighearnach, son of Muireadhach, Bishop and Abbot, is placed.
'* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (y), pp. 394, 395 ; pp. 522, 523; at A. D. 887, pp. 549. 541; as also vol. ii. ,at a. d. 908, pp. 578, 579.
'? Messrs. Patrick O'Kcefe and Tho O'Conor.
May 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
2Vl
in which parts of the wall of Druiminisclinn old church were said to have been included. But, in the north-west corner of this graveyard, a perfect round tower—called Tor by some—and rising about 50 or 60 feet in height, is to be seen. On its south side, an entrance, about five feet and a-half high, and three feet broad, at bottom, appeared.
Outwardly, this tower had been much shattered, on both sides. s^ On the south-east side, about twenty feet from the ground, another entrance was shown, being about seven feet high,
Diomiskin Round Tower, County of Louth.
by two broad. Dressed stones around its edges had partly fallen off. There were four openings, immediately under the cap of this building, and looking towards the east, west, north and south. These were about four feet high, by two feet and a-half broad ; and, to the north side of the west one, there was also another small pointed opening, about eighteen inches high, by ten inches broad. 3' Whether or not Druimiskin had any affinity with another place, mentioned by the O'Clerys, cannot well be ascertained. However,
^' The accompanyhig ilhistralion was drawn, by the writer, on the spot in August,
this sketch has been transferred to the wood, by William F. Wakeman, and it has been engraved, by Mrs. Millard.
^9 Thomas Duffy, a respectable resident farmer of Diomiskin townland, gave those engaged on the Irish Ordnance Survey much information regarding this locality, as thus acknowledged. " Dromiskin parish situated one mile to the north of Castlebellingham, is invariably called by the people 'Oi\uni 1<inAfc tm, pA|\<M'pce O^Aum, &C. Thomas Duffy says, the name is '0|uiim, dorsinn, \w\\ insii- IcBf CluAin sccessits—CluAin he says signifies
' a church,' or * resting place ;' but, this last
from the Abbe Mageoghagan. " " Louth Letters, containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County, collected dur- ing the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1S35-36. " JointLetterofP. O'KeefeandT. O'Conor, dated Castlebellingham, January 22nd, 1836, vol. i. , p. 152.
3° Abellwashungontheinside,whichwas considered to be the identical one, which be- longed originally to this tower. It had been used, until a short time before this visit, when a chain, by which it was tolled, hap- pened to become broken.
1883
name he acknowledges to have been taken —
:
——
228 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 1
from them we learn, in t'ne Martyrology of Donegal,3^ that Lughaedh, son of Aenghus, Priest of Tigh Lata, in Fotharta-mora, had a festival celebrated, on this day. It seems a difficult matter to discover, where the special locality of Tigh Luta lay, or which was the Fothart thus denominated. There are various districts—especially in the province of Leinster—formerly known as Fotharta, or Fotliadh, with some other addition. These are said to have taken their name from Eochaidh Finn Fothart,33 brother to the Monarch Conn of the Hundred Battles,34 and who had been banished from Midhe, or Meath, by his nephew Art, settled in Leinster, where his descendants acquired considerable territories. 35 Among these are distinguished Fotharta Osnad- haigh,36or Fotharta Fea,37 now the barony of Forth, in the county of Carlow; Fotharta an Chairn,? ^ from which the barony of Forth, in the county of Wex- ford, had its name ; Fothart Airbreach, around the Hill of Cruachan Bri File ;39 Fothart Oirthir Life,4° in the present county of Wicklow ; as also, Fothadh-tire, probably the barony of Iffa and Offa West, in the county of Tipperary;4i however, according to another writer, it is identified with the barony of Forth, in tlie county of Carlow. -t^ The Fotharta sank under other tribes, at an early period /3 and, their history is one of great obscurity, when occasionally alluded to, in our Irish Annals. Besides what is already set down, the reader is referred to notices, regarding St. Lugadius, at the 2nd of November, when Marianus O'Gorman enters again his Natalis, in connexion with the church of Druim Iniscluinn, belonging to the Diocese of Armagh.
