This place has been
identified
with Lowhill, in the Queen's County, by William M.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
Alilid I.
,
under these peculiar circumstances; and probably, at some future time, certain involutions of facts now presented may receive adequate solution. For the present, therefore, too much unwarranted assertion or mere speculation might be risked, were the writer of this notice to enter upon further details concern-
ing him, and the contemporary events of his period.
Article II. —Reputed Festival of St. Kentigern, or St. Mungo,
Bishop of Glasgow, Scotland. \Sixth and Seventh Centuries. '] The period in which this remarkable saint lived, was fertile in that peculiar sanctity which characterized the Celtic and British races. The evangelizer of the Strathclyde Britons, St. Kentigern has left traces of an extraordinary moral influence in after times, among those people who inhabited the mountainous districts of
Cumberland and Wales. ^
Although
conceived in Britain, his mother was
obliged to leave it, and the saint is said to have been a native of Ireland, by
the learned English antiquary, John Leland. = At this date, according to
Thomas Dempster,3 the Scottish writers place Kentigern's festival. * But we prefer reserving for the 13th of November a more detailed account of his
extraordinary virtues and miracles, since that appears to synchronize best with the most respectable chronicles and calendars. The Martyrology of Aberdeen
relates,5 at this date,^ that St. Kentigern, Bishop of Glasgow, was venerated
"3 See ibid. , p. 440.
** Especially as furnished by Colgan.
*5 " Usher, Ind. Chron. Ware, &c. The
Irish Annals quoted by Colgan at 13 Jan. have A. D. 525, which was the same as our
"
he seems elsewhere (p. 874) to place it in 527. " See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, ix. , §
526. " See
n. 100, p. 462, ibid.
Article II. See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendar of Scottish Saints," p. 362. By this writer his natalis or festival has been assigned to the 13th of November.
Ecclesiastical History of Ire- land," vol. i. , chap, ix. , § vii. , p. 461, and
^'^
See "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol, i. , chap, ix. , § vii. , p. 461. "Ailill's incumbency is generally reckoned af thirteen years. It is more probable that the thirteen years were not complete : unless we should suppose that Dubtach, his predecessor, died before the 13th of January, a. d. 513. This, however, can scarcely be admitted ; and from the days on which his memory was revered (See Note 29), it would appear that he died later in the year. " Ibid. , n. loi, p. 462.
=7 See "Ware, Bishops, &c. He assigns the death of Ailild to A. D. 526, as does
Colgan (Tr. Th. , p. 293) who, however, following the old Irish mode of anticipating the vulgar era, calls that year 525. Usher
(Ind. Chron. ) agrees with Ware, although
"
^
See Hall's edition of John Leland's Commentariide Scriptoribus Britannicis,"
xiii. , p. 494, and—n. 194, p. 495, ibid. '
tomus i. , cap. xlvi. , p. 72.
3 See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Scotonim," tomus ii. , lib. x. , pp. 406, 407. ^ For this statement, he also cites John Molanus, in his additions to Usuard's Mar- tyrology. The Kalendar of the Aberdeen Breviary likewise places his festival at this date. See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. iii.
s See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," pp. 127, 128.
* In Adam King's Kalendar, there is an
"
entry at the 13th of January.
King Con-Walle. " See ibid. , p. 142.
S. Mungo, Bischop of Glascowe, in Scotland, under
190 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 13.
in Scotia, and he was held in such honour for his unstained purity, for his austerities and charities, enjoying the society of angels, with the grace and
power of working such great miracles, that not only was he reverenced among the Scotch, but even he was regarded as a particular patron by the English and Irish. 7 The Venerable Bede pronounced his eulogy, where he says, as Lucifer among the stars, so did Kentigernus shine among the British saints.
His illustrious contemporary, the Abbot Columba, took a long journey, on accountofSt. Kentigern'sdistinguishedmerits,toseehiminperson. ^ During
this visit, various miracles were wrought. In the anonymous Calendar, pub- lished by O'SuUivan Beare,9 at the 13th of January, this holy bishop is ranked
'*
among our national saints. Henry Fitzsimon, also, in his
rum Sanctorum Ibernise," has Kentigernus Epis. , at the same date. '° Buchan-
nan incorrectly supposes" this holy man to have been one of the early bishops of Scotland consecrated by Palladius.
ArticleHI. —FestivalofSt. —BishopandAbbotofPoitiers. Hilary,
\Fourth Century^ This illustrious saint —one of the lights of the French, andevenoftheuniversalCatholicChurch wasbornatPoitiers,ofahighly-
respectable family. Brought up in the errors of Paganism, his sincere love of truth, and his earnest, well-directed enquiries brought him to embrace the Faith, and to receive baptism. He was chosen Bishop of Poitiers about a. d. 353. He was distinguished for h's great learning, eloquence, genius, and virtues. The Irish, from the very earliest period of their Christian initiation, entertained the highest veneration for this illustrious saint. They even con- trived to spread his fame in Scotland,' and on the Continent of Europe. In the Feilire of St. -^ngus, he is commemorated, and under the denomination of Elair. A comment, annexed to his name, however, exjjlains that the Latinized form is Helarius. " Although in ancient Martyrologies the feast of St. Hilary has been recorded on the 13th of January, and on the ist of November,3 yet in the Roman Breviary, his office is celebrated on the 14th
of January. * His own writings best interpret his spirit. The two books of the two Fortunatuses, written at an early period, are both inaccurate. These
'Inhis
"Menologium Scoticum,"
Thomas
Articlein. —' Thereheis
patron
saint
Dempster enters at this day, the feast of
Kentigarn, Bishop and Confessor of Glascoe,
the son of King Eugene, who converted the Welsh to the faith, and who deserved to be
of Drumblait, where we have Teller's Well.
See "New Statistical Account of Scotland,"
Aberdeen, p. 298, In the parish of Fetlar
and North Yell, in Shetland, we find St.
called their Apostle. See ibid. , p. 190.
The " Scottish Kalendar" of the Prayer
Book for the Church of Scotland in the
time of Charles I. has ''Mungo, bishop," following Irish extract, with its English at this date.
'. See Rev. William Reeves' Adamnan's
"Life of St. Columba. " Additional Notes
(m), p. 321.
' . See " Historix Catholicse Ibernice Com-
pendium," tomus i , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , p. 49.
'° The Mart. Angl. and Flor. are quoted
as authorities. The Rev. Alban Butler has
an extended notice of St. Kentigern in
"
Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other PrincipalSaints,"Januaryxiii. Thislearned writer seems to have been ignorant of the
saint's nativity having been assigned to Ire- land.
" See " Rerum Scoticarum Ilistoria," lib^ v. , xliv. rex. , p. 132.
i-o. ^tn-bent)A6c
bAlc icje cen Aibjif
Sochnge fochld fUAbAif e^Aip Abo piccAuif.
Hilary's Kirk, above Feal. /(J/fl'. , Shetland,
p. 25.
*
^T.
]\otibiA
Catalogus Aliquo-
Professor O'Looney has furnished the
translation, from the Felire : —
F. id. " Their blessing may I hav^
Powerful their prayer without a$- '
persion,
Eloquent, noble, accomplished, ElairAbbotofPictavis. "
"
Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal
Saints," January xiv.
* See " Breviarium Romanum," Die xiv. ,
Pars Hiemalis.
3 See Rev. Alban Butler's
January 13. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 191
are supposed to have been Italians. The first in point of time probably wrote St. Hilary's life in the first book. The second, Venantius Fortunatus, Bishop of Poitiers, it is thought Avro'e the saint's miracles, in the second book. St. Gregory of Tours, Alcuin, Flodoard, Dom Contant, Tillemont, Cellier, Rivet, Rev. Alban Butler, with many other ancient and modern writers, have very fully recorded his acts. Into biographical particulars, the scope of this work will not enable us to enter; but as many ancient ofllices, antiphonaries, and calendars of Ireland have his name inscribed, we could not wholly omit to notice him. When he started from Ireland, St, Fridolin, first visited Poi- tiers. s Thence he passed by the Moselle and Strasburg. He founded churches dedicated to St. Hilary, first at Glarus, which still retains in its name the trace of his presence, and finally at Seckingen, near Basle,^ A circle of churches in that neighbourhood, dedicated to St, Hilary, or to St. Fridolin himself, serves to prove the reality of this story. 7 Not alone in Gaul, but in more distant countries, did St. Hilary labour and suffer much for thefaith; andatlength,hehappilydepartedonthe13thdayofJanuary,a. d. 368, at Poitiers.
Article IV. —St. Mochonna, Bishop of Leamhchoill, said to be the PRESENTLowHiLL,CouNTYOFKILKENNY. Trucsanctityengagestheinte- rest and love of true Christians. Thousands catch some utterance or witness some sign from God's holiest servants. Thus sanctity becomes a great moving power even on earth. Mochonna, Bishop of Leamhchoill, is recorded in the Martyrology of Donegal,' on th:s day. A nearly similar entry is found in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ on the 13th of January.
This place has been identified with Lowhill, in the Queen's County, by William M. Hennessy. 3 Among the townland denominations of Ireland, we have not been able to identify this particular etymon ; but we have been further in- formed by an excellent Irish topographer,-* that the old place must be recognised under the present Loughill, near Ballynakill, in the Queen's County. It lay, however, within the old territory of Idough. There are no less than three Loughills in this part of Kilkenny County, and all within the present barony of Fassadinin. s One is in the parish of Abbeyleix, another in that of Attanagh, and a third in that of Rosconnell. ^ On that part of
Abbeyleix parish, outside the Queen's County, and within the barony of Fassadinin, in the county of Kikenny, may be seen the ornamental grounds around Loughill House. Here an abbey in ruins, and a St. Chadden's Church in ruins, are in close proximity. ? This is likely to have been the site of St,
5 There can hardly be a doubt, that as St. Hilary was the master of St. Martin of Tours, the instructor in turn of our illustrious Apostle St. Patrick, a great traditional re- verence towards him grew up among the early Irish Christians. See Le Comte de
Article IV. —'Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 14, 15.
=" Edited Rev. Dr. xii. In by Kelly, p.
the Franciscan copy we read at this date niochonde ©p bemchAibb Ooliiijdch.
3 See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," IrishMSS. series, vol. i. , part i. ,
Montalembert's
"
Les Moines d'Occident,"
tome i. , liv. iii. , Les Precurseurs Monas- nn. 27, 30, p. 117.
tiques en Occident, p. 222. Rev. John F. Shearman, C. C. . Howth.
''
Bishop Greith tells us, that the text of s See "General Alphabetical Index to St. Matthew, used in St. Hilary's Com- the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and
mentary on the Gospel, agrees with that in the MS. Gospels, which are preserved at St.
"
Gall. See Haddan's
tinent," in "Christian Remembrancer,"
vol, xliii. , p. 477.
^ See Bishop Forbes'
Baronies of Ireland," p. 673.
* There is an interesting old ruin in this
parish, at which a patron had been formerly held,
7 See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps fortheCountyofKilkenny. " Sheeti,
" Scottish Saints," pp. 358, 359.
Scots on the Con-
Kalendar of the
192 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 13.
Mochonna's place ;^ and perhaps, owing to some corruption of spelling or pronunciation, Chadden has been used for Conna, the original form of this holy man's name. When he lived, we have not been able to ascertain. Under the head of Leamhchoill, Duald Mac Firbis, enters a feast to
Mochonna, bishop of this place, at January i3th. 9 Moderate and wise in his views, the true pastor of souls is staunch and firm in discharging his Christian duties.
Article |V. —St. Barnitus or Barrintus, Abbot, Probably of Drum-
CULLEN Parish, King's County. \Possibly in the Sixth Century. '] A holy man of this name was venerated in Scotland, on the 13th of January. We are led to infer from Bishop Forbes' proximate allusion to St. Barrendeus,' Abbot of Druimcuillen," in Fearceal, on the borders of Munster and Leinster, that he was identical with the present saint. 3 According to Dempster, he was a companion of St. Brandan, and honoured in Argyle. * His relics were venerated at Dreghom, August 6th. 5 Some writers place his festival at the 5th of January. ^
Article VI. —St. Saran, Bishop. A festival in honour of Saran, a
bishop, is entered for the 13th of January, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. *
Morethanthisannouncementwehavenotbeenabletodiscover foritis ;
only simply repeated in the Martyrology of Donegal," where we find Sar^, bishop, venerated on this day.
Article VII. —St. Ronan. The real love of God, and the love of our neighbour, are identified in the soul of the Christian. They serve as a living evidence, when we pass from death to life. Those marks of that Divine charity, of which St. Paul speaks, never leave a doubt of man's resurrection from the death of sin to the happy life of God's grace. And so do they ever burn most ardently in the happy souls of holy persons. The festival of Ronan, is entered in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,' as also in that of Donegal,'onthisparticularday. ThereisafragmentofaLifeofSt. Ronan,
' The Franciscan entry leaves no doubt
and on the north bank of Carrig River (Sheet 36) may be seen Drumcullen Church, marked in ruins, within the surrounding
regarding this site, which agrees not only
with the localized denomination, but also
with the territory of Ui-Duach or Idough. cemetery. It lies within a mile of Kinnity.
This was long considered to have been co- ^See
"
extensive with the barony of Fassadinin, in
the of but O'Huidhrin county Kilkenny;
Kalendars of the Scottish Saints," pp. 274, 275.
p. gives them the "fair wide plain of the 190. Dempster has his feast at the 5th of
Feoir" (Nore). See " The Topographical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na
Naomh O'Huidhrin. " Edited
"
Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish MSS. series, vol. i. , part i. ,
January.
5 See ibid. , p. 208.
' This we learn from the Scottish entries
in the Kalendar of David Camerarius. See ibid. , p. 233. The " Scoti-Chronicon" is here quoted ; but we find this follows the placing of St. Barnitus, confessor, at the
13th of January. —
Article vi. 'Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xii. In the Franciscan copy the ' Now Drumcullen parish, barony of entry is S4j\aitii Op.
by John O'Donovan, LL. D. , p. 95, and n. 496, p.
lix.
9 See
pp. 116, 117. — Article v.
'
According to Ussher, a. d. 591. See his works, vol. vi. , pp. 532, 598.
Eglish, King's County. The site of an
ancient church can now be seen in the
graveyard of Tinnacross townland. See
"Ordnance Survey Townland Maps of Kelly, p. xii.
the King's County," Sheet 30. Sheets 31, ''Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 35 and 36, complete the plans for this parish, 14, 15,
* See " Scoticum," ibid. , Menologium
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
14, 15. — Article Vll.
' Edited Rev. Dr. by
January 13. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 193
son of Berach,3 among the manuscripts preserved in the Burgundian Library atBruxelles;* butfromanimperfectdescription,wecannotsurmisewhether or not it refers to the present saint, or to some other similarly named. s
Article VIII. —St. Deoraith or Deuraid, of Eadardrum, Diocese OF Elphin. Sj^ifth or Sixth Century. '] This holy man was of royal and British origin. His parents were Bracan, of Irish descent, and his mother was Din, daughter to a King of the Saxons. '^ With several of his sainted brothers, he emigrated to Ireland. According to Colgan, he appears to have lived at Eadardruim, where a monastery formerly stood. At present it is a parish in the diocese of Elphin. ^ Deoraith is recorded in the Martyrology of Donegal,3 on this day. In the Martyrology of Tallagh,4 he is called Deuraid. Marianus O'Gorman records him at this date. This saint appears to have lived towards the close of the fifth or the beginning of the sixth cen- tury. It is to be regretted, we have not been able to glean ampler materials to extend his biography.
Article IX. —St. Mochonna, Doconna, or Connan, Bishop of Inis- Patrick, County Dublin. Holy persons are not so selfish as to care only for themselves, their kindred or their class ; but they wish and procure the safety and security of society. This saint is said to have been descended from an illustrious family. He was still more distinguished for his virtues and graces. In the Martyrologies of Tallagh, Marianus O'Gorman, Cathal Maguire,and Donegal,^ we find the nameDochonna,Theoconna,Conna,Conda, Theoconda, or Mochonna, of Inis-Patraig, set down as having a festival on this day. 2 Foreign writers call him Connanus, Connidrius, or Condeus. He is called Daconna in the Martyrology of Tallagh,3 and without further title or locality assigned. His conjectural Acts are entered by Colgan at this date. '* It is to be apprehended, that misled by later writers, Colgan has confounded the Inis-Patrick, or Patrick's Island,^ to the east of Skerries, county of Dublin, with Sodor or the Isle of Man. At an early period this saint very probably built a monastery on the island first named, where he lived for the most part, died, and was buried. *^ His remains appear to have been preserved in a rich shrine, one of the earliest to attract the cupidity of the Danes, when they landed on the Irish shores towards the close of the eighth century. 7
3 ex buiLe puibne.
* It is classed in the Catalogue, vol. iv. ,
nos. 2324-2340, fol. 59.
5 The Franciscan copy of the Tallagh
is a note added in Wm. M. Hennessy's copy
of the Donegal Martyrology.
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xii. In the
Franciscan copy is read Ceochonne Cti|\Ane Martyrology has HonAni Ajti^ CotTnAni Ajvif "OetiiAAinc. In the published copy
Chi|\^. — Article viii.
'
the foregoing inscription seems so divided as if three separate names were intended.
See the Life of St. Beoc
or Dabeoc—brother to the present saint— See
"
Acta Sanctorum Hibeniise," xiii.
at the 1st of this month.
* See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," xi.
Februarii. Vita S. Canoci, pp. 311, 312.
It was in the Tuath-ainlighe district, as
Colgan learned from a Catalogue of the
Churches of Elphin diocese, sent to him by church on St. Patrick's Island has been
the pious, learned and patriotic Bishop Boetius Egan.
under these peculiar circumstances; and probably, at some future time, certain involutions of facts now presented may receive adequate solution. For the present, therefore, too much unwarranted assertion or mere speculation might be risked, were the writer of this notice to enter upon further details concern-
ing him, and the contemporary events of his period.
Article II. —Reputed Festival of St. Kentigern, or St. Mungo,
Bishop of Glasgow, Scotland. \Sixth and Seventh Centuries. '] The period in which this remarkable saint lived, was fertile in that peculiar sanctity which characterized the Celtic and British races. The evangelizer of the Strathclyde Britons, St. Kentigern has left traces of an extraordinary moral influence in after times, among those people who inhabited the mountainous districts of
Cumberland and Wales. ^
Although
conceived in Britain, his mother was
obliged to leave it, and the saint is said to have been a native of Ireland, by
the learned English antiquary, John Leland. = At this date, according to
Thomas Dempster,3 the Scottish writers place Kentigern's festival. * But we prefer reserving for the 13th of November a more detailed account of his
extraordinary virtues and miracles, since that appears to synchronize best with the most respectable chronicles and calendars. The Martyrology of Aberdeen
relates,5 at this date,^ that St. Kentigern, Bishop of Glasgow, was venerated
"3 See ibid. , p. 440.
** Especially as furnished by Colgan.
*5 " Usher, Ind. Chron. Ware, &c. The
Irish Annals quoted by Colgan at 13 Jan. have A. D. 525, which was the same as our
"
he seems elsewhere (p. 874) to place it in 527. " See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, ix. , §
526. " See
n. 100, p. 462, ibid.
Article II. See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendar of Scottish Saints," p. 362. By this writer his natalis or festival has been assigned to the 13th of November.
Ecclesiastical History of Ire- land," vol. i. , chap, ix. , § vii. , p. 461, and
^'^
See "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol, i. , chap, ix. , § vii. , p. 461. "Ailill's incumbency is generally reckoned af thirteen years. It is more probable that the thirteen years were not complete : unless we should suppose that Dubtach, his predecessor, died before the 13th of January, a. d. 513. This, however, can scarcely be admitted ; and from the days on which his memory was revered (See Note 29), it would appear that he died later in the year. " Ibid. , n. loi, p. 462.
=7 See "Ware, Bishops, &c. He assigns the death of Ailild to A. D. 526, as does
Colgan (Tr. Th. , p. 293) who, however, following the old Irish mode of anticipating the vulgar era, calls that year 525. Usher
(Ind. Chron. ) agrees with Ware, although
"
^
See Hall's edition of John Leland's Commentariide Scriptoribus Britannicis,"
xiii. , p. 494, and—n. 194, p. 495, ibid. '
tomus i. , cap. xlvi. , p. 72.
3 See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Scotonim," tomus ii. , lib. x. , pp. 406, 407. ^ For this statement, he also cites John Molanus, in his additions to Usuard's Mar- tyrology. The Kalendar of the Aberdeen Breviary likewise places his festival at this date. See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. iii.
s See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," pp. 127, 128.
* In Adam King's Kalendar, there is an
"
entry at the 13th of January.
King Con-Walle. " See ibid. , p. 142.
S. Mungo, Bischop of Glascowe, in Scotland, under
190 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 13.
in Scotia, and he was held in such honour for his unstained purity, for his austerities and charities, enjoying the society of angels, with the grace and
power of working such great miracles, that not only was he reverenced among the Scotch, but even he was regarded as a particular patron by the English and Irish. 7 The Venerable Bede pronounced his eulogy, where he says, as Lucifer among the stars, so did Kentigernus shine among the British saints.
His illustrious contemporary, the Abbot Columba, took a long journey, on accountofSt. Kentigern'sdistinguishedmerits,toseehiminperson. ^ During
this visit, various miracles were wrought. In the anonymous Calendar, pub- lished by O'SuUivan Beare,9 at the 13th of January, this holy bishop is ranked
'*
among our national saints. Henry Fitzsimon, also, in his
rum Sanctorum Ibernise," has Kentigernus Epis. , at the same date. '° Buchan-
nan incorrectly supposes" this holy man to have been one of the early bishops of Scotland consecrated by Palladius.
ArticleHI. —FestivalofSt. —BishopandAbbotofPoitiers. Hilary,
\Fourth Century^ This illustrious saint —one of the lights of the French, andevenoftheuniversalCatholicChurch wasbornatPoitiers,ofahighly-
respectable family. Brought up in the errors of Paganism, his sincere love of truth, and his earnest, well-directed enquiries brought him to embrace the Faith, and to receive baptism. He was chosen Bishop of Poitiers about a. d. 353. He was distinguished for h's great learning, eloquence, genius, and virtues. The Irish, from the very earliest period of their Christian initiation, entertained the highest veneration for this illustrious saint. They even con- trived to spread his fame in Scotland,' and on the Continent of Europe. In the Feilire of St. -^ngus, he is commemorated, and under the denomination of Elair. A comment, annexed to his name, however, exjjlains that the Latinized form is Helarius. " Although in ancient Martyrologies the feast of St. Hilary has been recorded on the 13th of January, and on the ist of November,3 yet in the Roman Breviary, his office is celebrated on the 14th
of January. * His own writings best interpret his spirit. The two books of the two Fortunatuses, written at an early period, are both inaccurate. These
'Inhis
"Menologium Scoticum,"
Thomas
Articlein. —' Thereheis
patron
saint
Dempster enters at this day, the feast of
Kentigarn, Bishop and Confessor of Glascoe,
the son of King Eugene, who converted the Welsh to the faith, and who deserved to be
of Drumblait, where we have Teller's Well.
See "New Statistical Account of Scotland,"
Aberdeen, p. 298, In the parish of Fetlar
and North Yell, in Shetland, we find St.
called their Apostle. See ibid. , p. 190.
The " Scottish Kalendar" of the Prayer
Book for the Church of Scotland in the
time of Charles I. has ''Mungo, bishop," following Irish extract, with its English at this date.
'. See Rev. William Reeves' Adamnan's
"Life of St. Columba. " Additional Notes
(m), p. 321.
' . See " Historix Catholicse Ibernice Com-
pendium," tomus i , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , p. 49.
'° The Mart. Angl. and Flor. are quoted
as authorities. The Rev. Alban Butler has
an extended notice of St. Kentigern in
"
Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other PrincipalSaints,"Januaryxiii. Thislearned writer seems to have been ignorant of the
saint's nativity having been assigned to Ire- land.
" See " Rerum Scoticarum Ilistoria," lib^ v. , xliv. rex. , p. 132.
i-o. ^tn-bent)A6c
bAlc icje cen Aibjif
Sochnge fochld fUAbAif e^Aip Abo piccAuif.
Hilary's Kirk, above Feal. /(J/fl'. , Shetland,
p. 25.
*
^T.
]\otibiA
Catalogus Aliquo-
Professor O'Looney has furnished the
translation, from the Felire : —
F. id. " Their blessing may I hav^
Powerful their prayer without a$- '
persion,
Eloquent, noble, accomplished, ElairAbbotofPictavis. "
"
Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal
Saints," January xiv.
* See " Breviarium Romanum," Die xiv. ,
Pars Hiemalis.
3 See Rev. Alban Butler's
January 13. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 191
are supposed to have been Italians. The first in point of time probably wrote St. Hilary's life in the first book. The second, Venantius Fortunatus, Bishop of Poitiers, it is thought Avro'e the saint's miracles, in the second book. St. Gregory of Tours, Alcuin, Flodoard, Dom Contant, Tillemont, Cellier, Rivet, Rev. Alban Butler, with many other ancient and modern writers, have very fully recorded his acts. Into biographical particulars, the scope of this work will not enable us to enter; but as many ancient ofllices, antiphonaries, and calendars of Ireland have his name inscribed, we could not wholly omit to notice him. When he started from Ireland, St, Fridolin, first visited Poi- tiers. s Thence he passed by the Moselle and Strasburg. He founded churches dedicated to St. Hilary, first at Glarus, which still retains in its name the trace of his presence, and finally at Seckingen, near Basle,^ A circle of churches in that neighbourhood, dedicated to St, Hilary, or to St. Fridolin himself, serves to prove the reality of this story. 7 Not alone in Gaul, but in more distant countries, did St. Hilary labour and suffer much for thefaith; andatlength,hehappilydepartedonthe13thdayofJanuary,a. d. 368, at Poitiers.
Article IV. —St. Mochonna, Bishop of Leamhchoill, said to be the PRESENTLowHiLL,CouNTYOFKILKENNY. Trucsanctityengagestheinte- rest and love of true Christians. Thousands catch some utterance or witness some sign from God's holiest servants. Thus sanctity becomes a great moving power even on earth. Mochonna, Bishop of Leamhchoill, is recorded in the Martyrology of Donegal,' on th:s day. A nearly similar entry is found in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ on the 13th of January.
This place has been identified with Lowhill, in the Queen's County, by William M. Hennessy. 3 Among the townland denominations of Ireland, we have not been able to identify this particular etymon ; but we have been further in- formed by an excellent Irish topographer,-* that the old place must be recognised under the present Loughill, near Ballynakill, in the Queen's County. It lay, however, within the old territory of Idough. There are no less than three Loughills in this part of Kilkenny County, and all within the present barony of Fassadinin. s One is in the parish of Abbeyleix, another in that of Attanagh, and a third in that of Rosconnell. ^ On that part of
Abbeyleix parish, outside the Queen's County, and within the barony of Fassadinin, in the county of Kikenny, may be seen the ornamental grounds around Loughill House. Here an abbey in ruins, and a St. Chadden's Church in ruins, are in close proximity. ? This is likely to have been the site of St,
5 There can hardly be a doubt, that as St. Hilary was the master of St. Martin of Tours, the instructor in turn of our illustrious Apostle St. Patrick, a great traditional re- verence towards him grew up among the early Irish Christians. See Le Comte de
Article IV. —'Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 14, 15.
=" Edited Rev. Dr. xii. In by Kelly, p.
the Franciscan copy we read at this date niochonde ©p bemchAibb Ooliiijdch.
3 See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," IrishMSS. series, vol. i. , part i. ,
Montalembert's
"
Les Moines d'Occident,"
tome i. , liv. iii. , Les Precurseurs Monas- nn. 27, 30, p. 117.
tiques en Occident, p. 222. Rev. John F. Shearman, C. C. . Howth.
''
Bishop Greith tells us, that the text of s See "General Alphabetical Index to St. Matthew, used in St. Hilary's Com- the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and
mentary on the Gospel, agrees with that in the MS. Gospels, which are preserved at St.
"
Gall. See Haddan's
tinent," in "Christian Remembrancer,"
vol, xliii. , p. 477.
^ See Bishop Forbes'
Baronies of Ireland," p. 673.
* There is an interesting old ruin in this
parish, at which a patron had been formerly held,
7 See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps fortheCountyofKilkenny. " Sheeti,
" Scottish Saints," pp. 358, 359.
Scots on the Con-
Kalendar of the
192 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 13.
Mochonna's place ;^ and perhaps, owing to some corruption of spelling or pronunciation, Chadden has been used for Conna, the original form of this holy man's name. When he lived, we have not been able to ascertain. Under the head of Leamhchoill, Duald Mac Firbis, enters a feast to
Mochonna, bishop of this place, at January i3th. 9 Moderate and wise in his views, the true pastor of souls is staunch and firm in discharging his Christian duties.
Article |V. —St. Barnitus or Barrintus, Abbot, Probably of Drum-
CULLEN Parish, King's County. \Possibly in the Sixth Century. '] A holy man of this name was venerated in Scotland, on the 13th of January. We are led to infer from Bishop Forbes' proximate allusion to St. Barrendeus,' Abbot of Druimcuillen," in Fearceal, on the borders of Munster and Leinster, that he was identical with the present saint. 3 According to Dempster, he was a companion of St. Brandan, and honoured in Argyle. * His relics were venerated at Dreghom, August 6th. 5 Some writers place his festival at the 5th of January. ^
Article VI. —St. Saran, Bishop. A festival in honour of Saran, a
bishop, is entered for the 13th of January, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. *
Morethanthisannouncementwehavenotbeenabletodiscover foritis ;
only simply repeated in the Martyrology of Donegal," where we find Sar^, bishop, venerated on this day.
Article VII. —St. Ronan. The real love of God, and the love of our neighbour, are identified in the soul of the Christian. They serve as a living evidence, when we pass from death to life. Those marks of that Divine charity, of which St. Paul speaks, never leave a doubt of man's resurrection from the death of sin to the happy life of God's grace. And so do they ever burn most ardently in the happy souls of holy persons. The festival of Ronan, is entered in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,' as also in that of Donegal,'onthisparticularday. ThereisafragmentofaLifeofSt. Ronan,
' The Franciscan entry leaves no doubt
and on the north bank of Carrig River (Sheet 36) may be seen Drumcullen Church, marked in ruins, within the surrounding
regarding this site, which agrees not only
with the localized denomination, but also
with the territory of Ui-Duach or Idough. cemetery. It lies within a mile of Kinnity.
This was long considered to have been co- ^See
"
extensive with the barony of Fassadinin, in
the of but O'Huidhrin county Kilkenny;
Kalendars of the Scottish Saints," pp. 274, 275.
p. gives them the "fair wide plain of the 190. Dempster has his feast at the 5th of
Feoir" (Nore). See " The Topographical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na
Naomh O'Huidhrin. " Edited
"
Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish MSS. series, vol. i. , part i. ,
January.
5 See ibid. , p. 208.
' This we learn from the Scottish entries
in the Kalendar of David Camerarius. See ibid. , p. 233. The " Scoti-Chronicon" is here quoted ; but we find this follows the placing of St. Barnitus, confessor, at the
13th of January. —
Article vi. 'Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xii. In the Franciscan copy the ' Now Drumcullen parish, barony of entry is S4j\aitii Op.
by John O'Donovan, LL. D. , p. 95, and n. 496, p.
lix.
9 See
pp. 116, 117. — Article v.
'
According to Ussher, a. d. 591. See his works, vol. vi. , pp. 532, 598.
Eglish, King's County. The site of an
ancient church can now be seen in the
graveyard of Tinnacross townland. See
"Ordnance Survey Townland Maps of Kelly, p. xii.
the King's County," Sheet 30. Sheets 31, ''Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 35 and 36, complete the plans for this parish, 14, 15,
* See " Scoticum," ibid. , Menologium
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
14, 15. — Article Vll.
' Edited Rev. Dr. by
January 13. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 193
son of Berach,3 among the manuscripts preserved in the Burgundian Library atBruxelles;* butfromanimperfectdescription,wecannotsurmisewhether or not it refers to the present saint, or to some other similarly named. s
Article VIII. —St. Deoraith or Deuraid, of Eadardrum, Diocese OF Elphin. Sj^ifth or Sixth Century. '] This holy man was of royal and British origin. His parents were Bracan, of Irish descent, and his mother was Din, daughter to a King of the Saxons. '^ With several of his sainted brothers, he emigrated to Ireland. According to Colgan, he appears to have lived at Eadardruim, where a monastery formerly stood. At present it is a parish in the diocese of Elphin. ^ Deoraith is recorded in the Martyrology of Donegal,3 on this day. In the Martyrology of Tallagh,4 he is called Deuraid. Marianus O'Gorman records him at this date. This saint appears to have lived towards the close of the fifth or the beginning of the sixth cen- tury. It is to be regretted, we have not been able to glean ampler materials to extend his biography.
Article IX. —St. Mochonna, Doconna, or Connan, Bishop of Inis- Patrick, County Dublin. Holy persons are not so selfish as to care only for themselves, their kindred or their class ; but they wish and procure the safety and security of society. This saint is said to have been descended from an illustrious family. He was still more distinguished for his virtues and graces. In the Martyrologies of Tallagh, Marianus O'Gorman, Cathal Maguire,and Donegal,^ we find the nameDochonna,Theoconna,Conna,Conda, Theoconda, or Mochonna, of Inis-Patraig, set down as having a festival on this day. 2 Foreign writers call him Connanus, Connidrius, or Condeus. He is called Daconna in the Martyrology of Tallagh,3 and without further title or locality assigned. His conjectural Acts are entered by Colgan at this date. '* It is to be apprehended, that misled by later writers, Colgan has confounded the Inis-Patrick, or Patrick's Island,^ to the east of Skerries, county of Dublin, with Sodor or the Isle of Man. At an early period this saint very probably built a monastery on the island first named, where he lived for the most part, died, and was buried. *^ His remains appear to have been preserved in a rich shrine, one of the earliest to attract the cupidity of the Danes, when they landed on the Irish shores towards the close of the eighth century. 7
3 ex buiLe puibne.
* It is classed in the Catalogue, vol. iv. ,
nos. 2324-2340, fol. 59.
5 The Franciscan copy of the Tallagh
is a note added in Wm. M. Hennessy's copy
of the Donegal Martyrology.
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xii. In the
Franciscan copy is read Ceochonne Cti|\Ane Martyrology has HonAni Ajti^ CotTnAni Ajvif "OetiiAAinc. In the published copy
Chi|\^. — Article viii.
'
the foregoing inscription seems so divided as if three separate names were intended.
See the Life of St. Beoc
or Dabeoc—brother to the present saint— See
"
Acta Sanctorum Hibeniise," xiii.
at the 1st of this month.
* See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," xi.
Februarii. Vita S. Canoci, pp. 311, 312.
It was in the Tuath-ainlighe district, as
Colgan learned from a Catalogue of the
Churches of Elphin diocese, sent to him by church on St. Patrick's Island has been
the pious, learned and patriotic Bishop Boetius Egan.
