No More Learning

Finbarr is as the first founder, usually regarded
bishop
church at Cork. That he was venerated there, and as a bishop, would
appear
Litany
"
the
25 He is thus commemorated, in the Litany
Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. iii. , No. xxxii. , May, 1867, pp. 390, 391.
of " et decern sanctos /Enguss : Septem
itself, containing
episcopos cum septingentis servis Dei, qui cum B. Barrio et S. Nessano jacent Corcagise,
quorum nomina scripta sunt in ccelis, hos
"
Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xvii Martii.
omnes invoco in auxilium. "
See Colgan's
Patrono, p. 630.
"See Harris' Ware, vol. i. ,
"Bishops of
Cork," p. 556.
2? The Rev. Andrew C. Robinson, M. A. ,
attributed to St. 2 * This latter saint's death ^Engus.
from the
beingreferredtoabouttheyear824; itseemsthatSt. Barrhadbeenregarded
as the ninth theCathedralChurchatCorkgoesbacktoremoteantiquity; butitisthought
so
persons,
St. Barr there founded a Cathedral, in the beginning of the seventh
as beatified among
early
century.
6 while on the or near it, he also established a century,* site,
great seminary of learning. ^ At present, not a trace of the ancient buildings remains, and we possess very little evidence of what formerly existed there, except in some general outlines derived from entries in the Chapter Books. A Round Tower28 stood near the Cathedral, and to the east of it, during the middle ages, while the steeple was towards the west, both being apparently detached a considerable distance from the church. 29 The old Tower was twelve feet in circumference and more than one hundred feet in height before the middle of the seventeenth century. * From historical data, confirmed by a curious
archaeological discovery, we know that a church and cemetery existed there
1
The former Protestant Cathedral, as we are told, was built on the site of the early church, a few of the remains of which
for the last six hundred years. *
had been introduced into the more modern structure. *
2
This latter was
29 A building near the church, and situ- ated in an island, is called the Abbey.
30 See «' The Tour of the French Traveller, M. de la Boullaye Le Gouz, in Ireland, a. d. 1644," p. 30.
31 With respect to the cemetery, a very remarkable discovery was made, when laying the foundation of the north-east pier for the new cathedral. About this spot the limestone substratum dipped, so that in order to come
at the solid rock, it was necessary to dig down to the depth of about thirty feet. At
that depth, an ancient burial place presented
human remains for about six feet in depth, and over these was a stratum of decayed vegetable —matter mixed withearthandsmallboulders animmense boulder lying on the adjacent rock. Imme- diately above these objects, there was a De S. Nessano Prsesbytero. Corcagiensi second burial place, about seven feet deep, and over it another stratum of earth, mixed with fragments of old buildings, por- tions of decayed timber and other vegetable debris, to a depth of about three feet. Over
that Suyskens makes the extraordinary geographical mistake of placing Cork on the Severn River in England instead of on the River Lee in Ireland.
23 See Sir James Ware's " De Prsesulibus
Hibernise Commentarius," De Episcopis
Corcagiensibus, p. 206.
24 See the Irish and Latin version of this
Litany, extracted from the Book of Leinster, and published with an English translation in
recently wrote an interesting work on " St.
Fin Barre's Cathedral, Cork. " It was pub-
lished, with several fine illustrations, at
Cork, 1897. Roy« 8vo. From this we far as a minute examination of the contents
derive many interesting particulars regarding
the saint and the ecclesiastical history of
Cork.
would lead, ethnological peculiarities of a very marked type were exhibited. These are described in further detail by Richard Caulfield, LL. D. , who was an eye-witness
28
"
In a Map of Cork, attached to the
2* and of the patron
all these remains was the cemetery of more' recent times ; so that there were three dis- tinct places of sepulture on the spot, and so
of the excavations and what they revealed, ""
Pacata Hibernia," of Sir George Carew,
there is a representation of the watche," as recorded in his work, Annals of St.
an object, which, from its plan of construc- tion, appears to have been the Round Tower, as a ladder is placed up against its entrance.
See chap, xix. , p. 690.
Fin Barre's Cathedral, Cork. " Introduction, pp. xi. to xiii.
32 See Mr. and Mrs. Hall's " Ireland* its Scenery, Character," <\c. , vol. i. , p. 19.
2s The of origin
574 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September25.
removed in 1865, and since then, a superb structure has replaced that Cathedral.
Moreover, the bishops,33 comharbas34 or successors of St. Barri are recorded as having succeeded him in every age from his own to the present period. The monastery of St. Finbar is said to have been in or near Cork. 35 The succession of its abbots is clearly—although not consecutively— traced in our
eleventh/ and twelfth centuries.
Cormac, King of Desmond, appointed Canons Regular of St. Augustine, in honour of St. John the Baptist, about the year 1134. 41 His son and successor, Diermit, enriched it with possessions about a. d. 1173. This foundation retained its old name for many years, being called the Monastery ofSt. Finnbar'sCave. Themonasteryfoundedoriginallybyoursaintissaid to have been also called Gill Abbey, from Gilla-^Eda O'Mugin, its former abbot, and afterwards bishop of Cork, who died in
1173. 43 The succession of its abbots was preserved unbroken to the thirty-third year of Queen Elizabeth's reign, when its possessions
33 The list of Cork bishops before the this monastery near Cork had been first
Anglo-Norman Invasion, as gleaned from erected by St. Barr, and, contrary to the our Annals, is exceedingly meagre ; unless opinion of Sir James Ware, that it was
Annals, through
the seventh,36 37 38 tenth,39 eighth, ninth,
To that monastery, we are informed,
we are to suppose, that many of the chief
ecclesiastical superiors there were both
bishops and abbots. The immediate suc-
cessor of St. Finbar in the See is said to hare
been his disciple, St. Nessan, whose feast
occurs at the 1st of December, but the year
of whose death is not known. At 874 is
recorded the death of Aedh Domhnal, bishop
of Corcach, who was a learned scribe. At
891 died Soerbhreathach, son of Connadh,
scribe, wise man, bishop and abbot of Cor-
cach. In 958 Cathmogh, abbot of Lismor
and bishop of Corcach, died. In 1057
Mughron Ua Mutain, successor of Bairre,
noble bishop and lector, was killed by likely this is a second entry for the record robbers oftheCorca-Laighdhe, after his return
from Vespers. In 1096 died Ua Cochlain, a learned bishop and successor of Bairre. The
34 At A. D. 680 is recorded the death of Suibhne, son of Maelumha, successor of Bairre of Corcach. At 821 died Forbhasach, successor to Bairre of Corcach. At 835
necrology of the foregoing, as also of those
who succeed, is taken chiefly from the date
recorded in Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of of Corcach and Lis-mor, was mortally the Four Masters," vol. i. , ii.
died Dunlang, son of Cathasaigh, successor
to Bara of Corcach. In 1036 died Aenghus,
son of Cathan, abbot of Corcach. At 1085
Clereach Ua Sealbhaigh, chief successor of son of Laegh, abbot of Corcach. In 926 Bairre, the glory and wisdom of Desmond,
completed his life in this world. In 1 106
died Mac Beathadh Ua h Ailgheanain,
successor of Bairre. In the year 11 52 died
Finn, grandson of Celechar UaCeinneidigh,
successor of Colum, son of Crimhthann [of
Tir-da-ghlas], and who had been successor
of Bairre for a time. In 1157 died of Corcach, is noticed. In 1036 died Gillaphadraigh, son of Donnchadh Mac Aenghus, son of Cathan, abbot of Corcach. Carthaigh, successor of Bairre of Corcach. 41 See ArchdalPs " Monasticon Hiber- See ibid.
nicum," p. 64.
35 Louis Augustine Alemand thinks, that 42 In Sir James Ware's work, " De
altogether different from that of Monasterium Ibraccnse, which he supposes to have been St. Ibar's foundation in Beg Eri. See
" Histoire Monastique d'Irlande," p. 54,
36 In the year 685, the death of Roisseni,
abbot of Corcach Mor is recorded.
37 In 759 died Donait, son of Tohence, abbot of Corcach. In 767 died Sealbach,
son of Cualta, abbot of Corcach. In 787 Terog, abbot of Corcach, died. In 795 died Connmhach, son of Donat, abbot of Corcach- Mor.
38 In the year 812, Connmhach, son of Donat, is said to have died ; but it seems
immediately preceding. In 833 is recorded the death of Dunlaing, abbot of Corcach. In 850 is entered the death of Colann, son of Aireachtach, abbot of Corcach. In 861 we are told, that Daniel Ua Liaithidhe, abbot
wounded. In 866 died Reachtabra, son of Murchadh, abbot of Corcach Mor. In 892 died Airgetan, son of Forannan, abbot of Corcach. At 894 is recorded the death of Arggatan, abbot of Corcach, but he does not seem to differ from the former, there being a double entry.
39 In 907 is recorded the death of Flann,
died Finnachta, abbot of Corcach, head of the rule of the most of Ireland. In 949 died Ailcall, son of Core, abfcbt of Corcach. In 952 Aedh, son of Gairbhith, lord (recte Abbot) of Corcach-mor and lord of Dart- raighe, was killed.
40 In 1000 the death of Flaithemh, abbot
September 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 575
were confiscated, and its venerable abbey was soon afterwards demolished. «
A Frenchman, who visited Cork in 1644, tells us, that at a mile from Cork, there is a well called by the English Sunday Spring, and that opposite this to the south of the sea, are the ruins of a monastery, founded by St. Guillabe\44 No doubt, he mistook the name Gill Abbeys for that of the reputed founder. The Bollandist Suyskens regards this monastery, as having been originally founded by St. Barr. Possibly, and in all probability, it was dedicated by Gilla-^Eda O'Mugin to St. John the Baptist, having being after- wards re-edified by King Cormac, and presented to the Canons Regular. 46 He is led to this belief, because St. Barr was abbot and bishop of Cork, and because the monastery in question was called St. Barr's Cave. *? The city of Corcach-mor, both churches and houses, was burned in the year 108 1. 43 In this conflagration, it seems likely the ancient cathedral of St. Barr perished, Again, Corcach was burned in io8q. 49 It is also stated, that Dermod Brien,s° devastated Cloyne in 1089, and carried away the relics of Barre for Cill-na- Clerich. That a cathedral church, dedicated to St. Barr, existed in Cork
city, during the twelfth century, would appear from an epistle of the Roman Pontiff, Innocent III. ,51 who filled the chair of St. Peter with such great
2
Cork became a suffragan See to Cashel, in the County of Tipperary, in the year 1152,53 when the four Archbishops of Armagh, Dublin, Cashel and Tuam received palls from Pope Eugene III. 5* through Cardinal John Paparo. 55 In the year 1328, Walter, Bishop of Cork, and Philip, Dean, confirmed in perpetual alms to the vicars serving the church of St. Fin Barre and to their successors, 204 feet in breadth and in length 200 feet of their lands and tenements near the city of Cork, for
" Antiquitatibus Hiberniae," this learned rates certain lands of St. Barr, in Uturp
"
renown from a. d. 1198 to 1216. 5
writer adds :
43 See the Rev. M. J. Brenan's Ecclesias- Baluzius, " Collectio Epistolarum," tomus tical History of Ireland," Seventh Century, i. , lib. ii. , p. 352. This Epistle is dated
Estque (ni fallor) monasterium . . . . et terrarn S. Barri in Ciarrigi, in illud Ibracense a Cormaco rege extructum Ispich, &c," as perpetual possessions de quo loquitur S. Bernardus in Vita belonging to the bishop of Cork and to his Malachise. "—Cap. xxvi. , p. 196. successors, canonically elected. SeeStephen
chap, i. , p. 97.
44 It is evident, this Frenchman had been
misinformed, regarding the original founder
"
of Gill Abbey. See Gibson's
the County and City of Cork," vol. ii. , chap, xiv. , p. 340.
43 "There is no portion of the building now in existence. "—Ibid. p. 344.
"
ii. Idus Aprilis, Indictione ii. , Incarna- tionis Dominicse anno MCXCix.
, Pontificatus vero Domini Innocentii Papse in. anno ii. " All of those dates are coherent. Sir James Ware thinks, that the bishop of Cork, to whom this epistle had been directed, was Reginald, perhaps denominated O'Selbaic. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. ,
History of
46T©thisaccountSusykensadds:"Plura Septembrisxxv. DeS. BarrovelFinbarro de hoc sancte Prsesule non habeo, nam Ep. Corcagiensi in Hibernia, sect, i. , num.
Epistolam de ceremoniis Baptismi quam 5, 6, 7, 8, pp. 142, 143.
Franciscus Porterus in
52 See notices of his acts in "
pedie Catholique," 8cc, de M. l'Abbe Glaire et de M. le Vte, Walsh, tome xiii. , pp. 94 to 96.
S3 At this date was held the Synod of Ke'ls, which forms an epoch in Irish Church
Annal.
Ep. Corcagiensi in Hibernia, sect, ii. , num. 31* 32»P- H6.
47 The cave—was called "Antrum Sancti
Compendio
eccles. Hiberniae ipsi dubie adscripsit, ipsius non esse. " See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. Septembris xxv. De S. Barro vel Fin Barro
Encyclo-
Gibson's " of the History
History.
Sylvester
Fion Barrie. "
County and City of Cork," vol. ii. , chap. xiv. , p, 340.
p. 27.
54 He was Pope from A. D. 1145 to July
48 See Dr. O' Donovan's "Annals of the 7th, 1853, when he died at Tivoli. See
Dean Hart Milman's " of Henry History
Latin Christianity," vol. iv. , book viii. , chap.
Four vol. Masters,"
ii. , pp. 916, 917. 4»See ibid. , pp. 936, 937.
50 He was son ofToirdealbhach O'Brien.
** In this epistle, he speaks concerning the Cathedral Church of St. Barr, and enume-
vi. , to
vii. , pp. 387 405.
S5 See Harris' Ware, vol. of Cashel," p. 467.
i. ,
" Archbishops
See Rev.
"Church of History
Malone's Ireland," chap, i. ,
576 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAIATS.
[September 25.
building houses and constructing other necessary matters on said land, which is described as lying in length, between the greater church on the east and the episcopal court on the west, and in breadth between the royal road on the south, and the way which led to that court on the north. s6
The See of Cork had been united with that of Cloyne, by a provision of Pope Martin V. ,57 when both Sees became vacant, by the death of their respec- tive Bishops. Before the close of 1430, Jordan, Chancellor of Limerick, was advanced to the canonically united bishoprics; but he did not obtain the restitu- tionofthetemporalitiesuntilthe25thofSeptember,1431. 58 QueenElizabeth, who had already appointed William Lyons, a native of Chester, to be Protestant bishop of Ross, on the nth of November, 1583, gave him the Sees of Cork and Cloyne in commendam, to be held during her pleasure. Afterwards, by
a patent, dated May 17th, 1586, the three Sees of Cork, Cloyne and Ross were united in his favour. 59 In the time of William Camden, this city was surrounded by a circular wall, and having the river intersecting and bounding it. Then, it was principally distinguished by one large and direct street, having connecting bridges over the Lee. It was also a celebrated emporium of commerce. 60 The church of St. Finbar is marked on a of 61 a
Map Cork, by French artist, and it was taken about a. d. 1650. This Map is found in a collection of 116 coloured plans of the fortifications of various places in England, France, the Netherlands and Germany. 62 Both the Map, and a photographic enlargement from it of St. Barie's church, appear in the "Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society," with some notices of St. Fin Barr, written by the Rev. James A. Dwyer, O. P. , and
63
Vice-President of that
The Bollandists had promised, in an earlier part of their great work, to
institute an enquiry at the 25th day of September, as to whether one saint or two different saints, bearing the name of Barr, should be venerated at this
date. The editor Suyskens accordingly fulfilled this promise, by pronouncing the distinction of St. Barr, Bishop of Cork, venerable among the Irish, with
society.
St. Barr, a bishop of Cathay, in Scotland, and reverenced among the people 6
of North Britain. * However, it is now well established, that the names
but one and the same
honouredbothinIrelandandScotland. 66 ThefestivalofSt. Barr,Bishopof Cork, is usually set down at the 25th of September, in both counties. Thus,
s' This charter was given at Cork, on the
morrow of the Purification of the Blessed
Virgin Mary. Anno 1328, 2nd. Edward 3. See Richard Caulfield's " Annals of St. Fin
Barre's Cathedral, Cork, p. 7.
57 lie was Sovereign Pontiff from
November nth, A. n. 1417, to the 20th of
represent
person.
February a. d. 1431, when he died of vol. iii. , No. 31-33, July-September, 1897.
apoplexy. His career is set forth in the
Second Series, pp. 292, 293.
6* In a certain MS. Life of our Saint, or
rather in a discourse regarding Finbarre, Suyskens tells us, that he is called Macu-
linus. On what authority, however, this
" Ili^toria Ecclesiastica Veteris Testamenti," of R. P. Natalis Alexander, tomus xviii. , Saeculum xv. , cap. i. , Art. iii. , pp. 399 to 406.
Cork, p. 223.
•°See "Britannia," Division, Hibernia
vulgo Ireland. Momonia, Anglice Mounster, p. 38.
6s
See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scot-
Novique
5*See Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops of is not known. See "Acta Sanctorum,"
Cork," p. 562. tomus vii. , Septembris xxv. De S. Barro s* See Archdeacon Henry Cotton's " Fasti vel Finbarro Ep. Corcagiensi in Hibernia,
Ecclesiae Hibernicae," vol. i. , Bishops of sect, i. , num. 2, p. 142.
6* The saint had been present
6l d'Irhnde. "
Headed "Plan de Corcke Ville
6l
Museum, and it is noted among the Addi- tional Manuscripts 1 1564, Art. 28.
6i See an interesting Paper, on the " Per- manent Influence of the Religious Orders,"
This is to be found in the British
tish Saints," pp. 275, 276.
<* "
See Bishop Challoner's Britannia Sancta," part ii. , p. 142.
September 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
577
at the vii. of the October we find the name of Barrind Kalends,
6? in the Manuscript Martyrology of Tamlacht in the Book of Leinster codex, and
also in the the Rev. Dr. copy published by
Kelly.
68 The Feilire of
iEngus
commemorates with an eulogy the feast of Barre of Cork, at the 25th of
September. ^ Regarding him there is a comment,? that he was of the seed
of Brian, son of Echaid Muidmedon, and in Achad Cille Clochair, or
Drochait in Aird Ulad on this day with Bairre. The Martyrology of
1
Marianus O'Gorman? has the festival of chaste Bairre from Corcach, at the
25th of September. In the Kalendar? 2 and Martyrology73 of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Dublin, the festival of this saint is entered at the same day. In the anonymous Calendar of Irish Saints published by O'Sullivan Beare, we find at the same date, St. Barms. 74 In t—he Martyrology of Donegal, at
marked at the vii. of the October Kalends, corresponding with the 25th of
—ntioned in St. Barr's Life which
the day already me corresponds
with the 25thofSeptember thefeastofSt. Bairre,BishopandConfessorofCorcach, in Munster, will be found. There, too, we are told, that Christ himself con- ferred the degree of bishop upon him, as is evident from his Life. 75 In ScotlandhehascommemorationsinvariousCalendars; thesuppositionbeing, that he was a native of that country, and a bishop of Cathania, or Caithness. In the Scottish Kalendar De Nova Farina, the Feast of St. Barr, Bishop, is
6 The Kalendar of the Aberdeen has the Feast of St. Breviary
September. 7
Fymberri,Bishop,atthesamedate. ? ? Atthe25thofSeptember,heiscom- memorated in the Martyrology of Aberdeen,78 but here there is a distinction between St. Finbarr, bishop of Cathinensis, Scotland, and St. Finbarr,79
67 In Irish written, bAprrttro Co^cAige.
68
There written, Barrinn Corcaighe. See p. xxxv.
episcopi et confessoris. "—"The Book of
Obits and Martyrology of the Cathedral
Church of the Holy Trinity," editedbyjohn
Clarke Crosthwaite, A. M. , and Rev. Dr.
James Henthorne p. Todd, 69.
TM Thus, at the vii. Kal. Octobris " Et in :
Hiberni—a ; sancti episcopi et Confessoris Barri. " Ibid. , p. 161.
? 4 See " Historiae Catholicse Ibernise Com- pendium," tomus i. , lib.