6 See Colgan's "Acta
Sanctorum
Iliber- nice," viii.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v7
12
,
There were no less than three different places,
called Ciarraighe or Kierraga,^ in Connaught. St. Brochad I4 accompanied St. Patrick on his mission to Magh-Selga in Connaught. The Imleach to
which this saint belonged, was a church in the deanery of Siol-Muiredhuigh, Elphin diocese, according to a Catalogue of Churches belonging to this dio-
1.
pp. 173, 177.
—*
the Third
Article Art. i.
2
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxix.
3 See Rev. Dr. Todd's "St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," Introduction, Appendix
B, p. 260.
* See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. 1. , p. 76, and n.
and nn. 8, 106,
See his Life,
in
Volume of this work, at the 17th of March,
100.
s See Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves'
" See "Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 610.
51, p.
" Martyrology of Donegal," pp. 190, 191. 6"
J3 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Leabhar na g-Ceart, or the Book of Rights," pp. 100 to 103, n. (f).
** Colgan mentions this saint, as one of those venerated in the church of Mayo. "S.
—de
Brochadius Imleach Brochaidh, in Mageo,
See Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. iv. , p. 226.
7 1 8th of December. At the
8
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," 9 Julii. " "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," lib. ii. , cap. ii. , p. 129 ; also cap. Iii. , p. 136, xiii. Martii, Appendix, cap. iv. , p. 605.
9 Chapter Twenty-two is quoted. I0 "
See Dr. O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (d), pp. 359, 360.
" See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- niae," xvii. Februarii, Vita S. Lomani, cap. iii. , p. 362.
176 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 9.
cese, which had been sent to Colgan, by the Very Rev. Boetius Egan, brother
to the Bishop of Elphin. 's It was situated in the present parish of Kilkeevin, 16 of Castlereagh Barony and Roscommon County. We are enabled to dis- cover the exact situation of St. Brocaidh's place, from crown grants,^ the rolls l8 and other documents. This parish of Kilkeevin is bounded on the north, by Tibohine and Baslick parishes- on the east, by this latter parish and that of Ballintober ; on the south, by Kiltullagh parish, a part of Galway County,andpartofDrumatempleparishinRoscommonCounty; andonthe
1*The Dr. 2° west, by Kiltullagh parish and part of Mayo County. Rev. Todd
has incorrectly identified the church of Broccaide with Imliuch or Emleach Each
or the " Horses' Marsh," in the barony of Costello and county of Mayo.
The three Kierragas of Connaught are thus more particularly denominated by Irish historical writers : Ciarraighe Locha na n airneadh, Ciarraighe Uachtair, and Ciarraighe Aoi, otherwise called Ciarraighe Mhic Ceithearnaigh. The last of these is comprised in the present county of Roscommon, and the other two in that of Mayo. 31 The present barony of Costello comprises two terri- tories, namely, Sliabh Lugha, the ancient patrimony of O'Gara, and Ciar- raighe Locha na n airneadh. The boundary between them is defined by that of the diocese of Achonry with that of Tuam. The territory of Ciarraighe Uachtair comprises the entire of the present barony of Clanmorris, with the exception of the Termon of Balla, which comprised 24 ballys or ancient Irish townlands, and which belonged to the territory of Ceara. The parish of BallawasaddedtotheterritoryofCeara,andit madetheremainingpart of the barony of Clanmorris the same as the territory of Ciarraighe Uach- tair. 22 This saint's name is found entered on Henry Fitzsimon's list. 2 *- The
of 2* records at this same date. Under the head Martyrology Donegal him,
of Imlech Brochada or Brochaid,25 in Magh-Eo Magh Ai, Duald Mac Firbis
'S See "Trias ar On the of ancient Mr. Colgan's Thaumaturga," Map Mayo,
Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , nn. 104, 106, 107, p. 177.
16 "There is an old church at Emlagh in
this parish, at which there springs a very sacred fountain, where patterns were held
on the 15th and 28th of August ; but strange to say it has no name but cobap An lml/15. This i—s the Imlach Brocadb (Each) of Col-
Castlereagh, July 10th, 1837, vol. i. , p. 170. '7 See one of these to Richard, Earl of
Clanrickard, dated 8th April, 1662, grant- ing him several parcels of land and tithes,
formerly belonging to the absorbed parish of Termon Kelline, alias Termonbeg. One o( those was Imlaghbrocowa, now in the pre- sent parish of Kilkeevan, which contains the town of Castlerea, County Roscom- mon.
O'Donovan has both the districts of ce<in- f»Aije, situated in this county thus bounded. On the north, the ancient territories of 541- lean^A and Sliab U15A ; on the east, Ros- common County ; on the south the county of Roscommon, and the ancient territory of Conmaicne, in Mayo ; and on the west, the ancient territory of Ceaj\A in Mayo,
23 " The authorities for these boundaries have already been given in the Mayo Letters, but I thought it necessary to add the fore- going remarks on the manner in which I laid down the territories on the ancient Map, that it may be seen how far the boundaries are proved. " See "Letters containing lnfor-
mation relating to the Antiquities of the County of Mayo, collected during the Pro- gress of the Irish Ordnance Survey in 1841. "
"
Of the Ancient Territories constituting the County of Mayo, in the pro- vince of Connaught," signed, John O'Dono- van, May 15th, 1 84 1. See vol. ii. , pp. 503,
" Letters Information containing
gan. "
relating to the Antiquities of the County of Roscommon, collected during the Pro- gress of the Irish Ordnance Survey in the year 1837. " Mr. O'Donovan's Letter, dated
504.
18 *"
Catalogus aliquorum Sanctorum
See Dr. O'Donovan's Supplement to
" Irish Dictionary," voce Imlach and Patent Roll of 35th of Queen Elizabeth,
part 2.
*» See Ordnance Survey Maps of the
See
Ibetniaj. " O'Sullevan Beare's " Historic Catholicae Iberniae Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xii. , p. 53.
3* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
O'Reilly's
;
County of Roscommon.
30" a*
paper headed,
190,191.
See St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," Now Emlech, barony of Costello, county
IntroductionAppendixB,p. 260. ofMayo. WilliamM. Hennessy'snote.
July 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 177
Bishop Brochad,
July 9th,
places.
Inchiquin, and county of Clare.
26 See " of the Proceedings
Dr. O'Donovan states, that the festival of
3 It is thus translated into — English :
^Engus,
1 the Festival of St. Onchon is found at this date,
Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. .
Royal
and in two distinct
26 In the Irish
enters
name referred to,*? at the vii. of the July Ides, corresponding with the 9th of July.
ArticleII. —St. OnchonorOnchu,ofClonmore,CountyofCarlow, or of Rath-Blathmac, now Rath, County of Clare. Earthly power and decay have been able to obliterate vestiges of ourformer saints with the memory of their names and places, in particular districts of our Island. But, although ruin and loneliness characterize the sites of their ancient churches; however,
someglimmeringlightsmayhelptobrightentheshadows. Afewdoubtful inferences only can be drawn in reference to the present holy man. In the
" Feilire" of St.
with a panegyric, and an encomium on the efficiency of his intercession. It is difficult to determine, whether or not this holy man had been identical with St. Onchuo 2 of Clonmore, in the county of Carlow; but, an Irish poem 3 seems to favour the affirmative conclusion. However, the scholiast offers an opinion, that Onchu was a priest, and the son of Blathmac of Raith Blath- maic, in the upper part of Dal-cais. * On this conjecture alone appears to rest the conclusion of Colgan and the O'Clerys. In the Martyrology of Tallaght, 5 we find but the simple entry, Onchon, at the 9th of July. He is noticed, also, by Marianus O'Gorman. 6 As already, at the 8th of February, the Calendar of St. ^Engus contains an entry of Hua or Hoa, without designating his place, but calling him a splendid descendant of the sage, and stating that his speech was of Christ, so the panegyric of Onchon at the present day leaves it possible, either that they may have been distinct persons, or one and the same having two different festivals. If he were identical with the patron of Clonmore, sufficient has been stated regarding him at the 8th of February; if lie be distinct, we may probably seek for a more distant locality. His place is now known, it is said, as the old church of Rath, in the barony of
at
Calendar, belonging to the Royal Irish Academy, we find this saint's
part i. , pp. 112, 113, and at pp. 122, 123.
27 Thus: OnogAio Irntech bnocAOA 1 ITU115 eo, Common Place Book F, p. 62.
Irish Ordnance—
Survey Copy.
Article ii.
copy we have the following rann, translated thus in—to English by Whitley Stokes,
"
.
Dear the two who are at rest
At the cross with relics in the south Onchu who loved not a despicable
LL. D.
:
fits.
The poet's son Onchu, a forceful
man,
A poet vigorous in quelling tribes.
'
<Arlon,ou,o An Onchon Ittofcic each nounAile pncnirc cAnAir leni j^rvoAn cAm Cmn^ocrAiLe.
world, Finan the
hand of the bene-
In the "Leabhar Breac"
Leper,
" A spendid declaring of Onchu : well fares every one who entreats him : he loved dili- gence a—s to Christ, Garban the fair of Cenn- saile. "
Seethe Scholion, ibid. , cxviii. The Com- mentator adds, that the membro, i. e. , the relics of Finan the Leper and of Onchu are in one place, i. e. , in Cluain Mor.
4 It is observed, likewise, that in one
"Transactions of the
Irish
religious sepulchre ibid. , p. cxvii.
he was with Finan. See
Royal Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. ,
On the Calendar of Oengus, p. ex.
2 See an account of him in the Second Volume of this work, at the 8th of February,
Art. i.
s Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxviii.
6 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Iliber- nice," viii. Februarii, Vita S. Onchuonis, n. 2, p. 277.
At the
where the tree falls, It is not easy to carry off its top. "
place
M
x 78 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 9.
St. Blathmac 1 was celebrated there, on the 9th day of July. Blathmac's name is still remembered at the church, but his festival is no longer cele- brated. 8 According to Colgan, this saint was venerated at Killonchon, Cor- comroe territory, on the 9th and 14th of July. 9 The Bollandists take no notice of him, at the 9th of July. The Martyrology of Donegal IO records him,however,atthisdate,asOnchu,sonofBlathmac,inDalg-Cias,i. e. , of Rath Blathmaic. The meaning of this word is Blathmac's Fort. The time of this saint cannot be determined, but it seems to have been during or before the eighth century.
Article III. —St. Garbhan, of Kinsealy, County of Dublin, or of Kinsale, County of Cork. In a previous article, at this date, as we have already seen, —there is mention made of Garbdn by our earliest pre-
1 served Martyrology that of St. ^ngus the Culdee. He
is there
for his diligence in the service of Christ, and he is characterized as the fair of Cennsaile. Whether or not the latter description have reference to his
complexion or to the qualities of his mind may be questioned. The name of 2
Garban, priest, Cinntsaile, occurs in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 9th of July. In the Calendar of Cashel, this saint has been commemorated, as
likewise, in other Martyrologies. His parents appear to have been Lugad, the father, and Canneria, his mother. 3 This couple had six sons, besides St. Garbhan. 4 It is thought to be probable, that this was the holy man, men- tioned in the Life of St. Kevin,* Abbot of Glendalough, and who lived near
6 Athcliath, which lay in the northern part of Leinster. Colgan seems to
identify this saint with that one mentioned in the Life of St. Kevin, and who is said to have lived near Dublin. It was called Dubh-lein ? —now Dublin—in the Scottish or Irish tongue. Its Latin signification is said to have been
" blackbath. "8 The situation of near Kinsealy,
or in
Dublin city, would appear to favour such a conjecture. 9 If so, he was a
Nigra thermae,
English
10
contemporaryandadiscipletoSt. Kevin. IntheMartyrologyofDonegal, at this same date, he is recorded, as Garbhan, priest, of Ceann-saile, on the west side of Surd, or in the west of Erin. This means, that the author was not sure to which Ceann-saile he should refer St. Garbhan, whether to Kin-
7 Probably Dr. O'Donovan meant, Onchu, son of Blathmac.
8
See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. v. , n. (x), pp. 1574, 1575.
» See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," viii. Februarii, Vita S. Onchuonis, n. 2, p. 277.
6 See ** Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xxvi.
Martii. De S. Garvano Abbate, nn. 2, 3, 4,
p. 751.
7 A Manuscript thus describes it: " Et
ipsa civitas potens et belligera est, in quo semper habitant viri asperrimi in proeliis, et peretissimi in classibus. "
8 See Walter Harris' " and Anti- History
quities of the City of Dublin from the
10 Edited
by
Drs. Todd and
Reeves, pp.
190, 191. Article hi.
—
x
See "Transactions of
Earliest ix. , Accounts," chap,
the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript
Series, vol. i. On the Calendar of Oengus,
p. ex.
a
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxix.
3 According to ^Engus the Culdee, in his
attributed "Opuscula," lib. iv. , cap. 66.
4 With this statement, the Sanctilogium Genealogicum, cap. xx. , accords. See Col- gan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiberni*," xxvi. Martii. De S. Garvano Abbate, nn. 2, 3, 4,
p. 751.
5 See his Life, in the Sixth Volume of this
work, at the 3rd of June, Art. i.
pp. 164, 165. He quotes a Latin passage, transcribed from
the Manuscript called Codex Kilkenniensis, cap. 30. This is probably the well known copy thus denominated, and preserved in Marsh's Library.
9 There is an engraving of Kinsealy old church by George A. Hanlon, from a sketch
by John J. Sloane, C. E. The latter gentle- man also furnishes a description of it in his
Antiquarian Rambles in the County of Dublin. See "Irish Literary Gazette," vol. ii. , pp. 243, 244.
I0 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves,
eulogized
July 9. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
i79
sealy,—at the west of Swords, or to Kinsale, in the west—but rather in the
south of Ireland. If we are to understand, this latter had been the place, the
town and parish so called 11 are situated in the barony of Kinsale, in the county
of Cork, East Riding. A part of the town is in Ringcunan parish. " There
a prominent rock advances far out in the Atlantic Ocean, and it is known as
the Old Head of Kinsale. The isthmus connecting it with the mainland
had been blocked a castle x3 and its now in ruins. 1 * by strong fortifications,
De Courcey's Castle, Old Head of Kinsale, County Cork.
TheseappeartohavebeenerectedbyJohndeCourcey,15 whoinheritedthe
circumjacent country, owing to intermarriage with the family of Cogan, who are deemed to have obtained the lands by right of conquest from the Irish. 16 However, it is said to have had a more ancient repute as a royal residence of the Irish kings, and to have been known as Duncearma. 1 ? The present town of Kinsale is at the mouth of the Bandon River,18 where the sea meets it, and
x
furnishes a good harbour. It is also picturesquely situated, 9 and it is stated
pp. 190, 191.
" They are shown, on the "Ordnance
Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cork," sheets 112, 125.
13
See ibid. , sheets 97, 98, ill, 1 12, 125.
of the Barony, Parish, Town, and Old Head of Kinsale, may be there found. See ibid. , pp. 566 to 570.
1 See ibid. , p. 570.
18
20 history According Colgan,
to have had an ancient— connected with it. to adiscipleofSt. Ailbe calledagoodmasterandnamedGoban— havehadamonasterydedicatedtohimatKennsaile. Ithasbeenassumed,
13 Its dimensions with a wood engraving Charles Smith's "Ancient and Present
may be found in " The Irish Penny Maga- State of the County and City of Cork. " See
"
zine, vol. ii. , No. 2, January, nth, 1834, County Map attached, vol. i. , book i. ,
pp. 9, 10.
14 The accompanying illustration from an
approved drawing has been sketched by William F. Wakeman on the wood, en- graved by Mrs. Millard.
Parliamentary land," vol. ii. , p. 569.
chap, i. , p. 15.
19 A copperplate engraving of this town
from the Old Fort in 1750 is to be found in the work just quoted. See book ii. , chap, iii. , p. 215.
20 See "Acta Sanctorum xxvi. Hibernise,"
Martii. De S. Gobano Abbate de Airdne Dairinnsi, p. 750.
15 See "
Gazetteer of Ire- 16 A very full and an interesting account
Its position is well defined in Dr.
is said to
180 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[July 9.
that this place should be in Cork; yet, it must be a matter still left for conjecture.
There was also a St. Melteoc or Eltin" connected with the church ofCluain,
between the mountains of Crot and Mairge, and who is said to have been
buried at Kennsaile, a maritime town in southern Munster. 22 The references
to these historic statements have been misunderstood and obscured by Arch-
dall 2 3 and no less so by Dr. Charles Smith, who makes St. Multeoc or Eltin ;
the same as a supposed female saint Multosia or Multos, to whom the parish church of Kinsale is stated to have been dedicated in the fourteenth cen-
2 '*
or White Friars in that century, founded by Robert Fitz-Richard Balrain, a. d. 1334, a part of the ruins remaining on the north end of the town. 2* The
26
prior, Stephen Prene, obtained a quarter of land in Liscahan, a. d. 1350, fromthefounder. TheProtestantchurchatKinsale2? hasbeenmodernized, and it occupies the site of the fourteenth century structure. The history of this town is fraught with considerable interest.
tury.
Here, too,
it is
related,
that there had been an for Carmelites Abbey
ArticleIV. —ReputedFeastofaSt. Molruan. TheBollandists
notice a certain—or rather an uncertain—St. Molruan, Archbishop and 1
LegateinIreland,atthe9thofJuly, ontheauthorityofFatherHenryFitz- simon. A sort of Life had been given to them, but partaking of a legendary character in their estimation. He is said to have been a holy man, to have undergone persecutions and accusations, to have gone to Rome so that he might exculpate himself from some charges, to have returned again to Ireland, wherefullofyearsandofmeritshepassedtotherewardsofeternallife, on the 9th of July. The Bollandists sought eagerly for accounts of him in various Irish and Scotch Calendars, at this date, but in vain. It seems to us, he must have been confounded with St. Maelruan of Tallagh, already noticed, at the 7th of this month. Afterwards, the Bollandists notice an
9
entry of the names Germanus, Kilianus, Ribianus, Totnanus and Brocardus, as having been placed in the extended Kalendar of Father Henry Fitzsimon.
Among the foregoing, Dempster alone notes, Ribianus as a Bishop, but, the Bollandists desire to have further knowledge before including them on their listofsaints. 3 ThereisaBrocadius,nodoubt,mentionedbyColgan,*inhis Acts of St. Patrick, but the Bollandists cannot readily admit, that all the Irish Apostle's relatives had been classed among the saints.
•Article V. —St. Condmac or Connmach, of Ath-Blair, or Atha-
21 His feast has been assigned to Decern- ber nth.
"See ibid. , x. Martii. De S. Sedonio
Episcopo S.
,
There were no less than three different places,
called Ciarraighe or Kierraga,^ in Connaught. St. Brochad I4 accompanied St. Patrick on his mission to Magh-Selga in Connaught. The Imleach to
which this saint belonged, was a church in the deanery of Siol-Muiredhuigh, Elphin diocese, according to a Catalogue of Churches belonging to this dio-
1.
pp. 173, 177.
—*
the Third
Article Art. i.
2
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxix.
3 See Rev. Dr. Todd's "St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," Introduction, Appendix
B, p. 260.
* See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. 1. , p. 76, and n.
and nn. 8, 106,
See his Life,
in
Volume of this work, at the 17th of March,
100.
s See Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves'
" See "Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 610.
51, p.
" Martyrology of Donegal," pp. 190, 191. 6"
J3 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Leabhar na g-Ceart, or the Book of Rights," pp. 100 to 103, n. (f).
** Colgan mentions this saint, as one of those venerated in the church of Mayo. "S.
—de
Brochadius Imleach Brochaidh, in Mageo,
See Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. iv. , p. 226.
7 1 8th of December. At the
8
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," 9 Julii. " "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," lib. ii. , cap. ii. , p. 129 ; also cap. Iii. , p. 136, xiii. Martii, Appendix, cap. iv. , p. 605.
9 Chapter Twenty-two is quoted. I0 "
See Dr. O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (d), pp. 359, 360.
" See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- niae," xvii. Februarii, Vita S. Lomani, cap. iii. , p. 362.
176 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 9.
cese, which had been sent to Colgan, by the Very Rev. Boetius Egan, brother
to the Bishop of Elphin. 's It was situated in the present parish of Kilkeevin, 16 of Castlereagh Barony and Roscommon County. We are enabled to dis- cover the exact situation of St. Brocaidh's place, from crown grants,^ the rolls l8 and other documents. This parish of Kilkeevin is bounded on the north, by Tibohine and Baslick parishes- on the east, by this latter parish and that of Ballintober ; on the south, by Kiltullagh parish, a part of Galway County,andpartofDrumatempleparishinRoscommonCounty; andonthe
1*The Dr. 2° west, by Kiltullagh parish and part of Mayo County. Rev. Todd
has incorrectly identified the church of Broccaide with Imliuch or Emleach Each
or the " Horses' Marsh," in the barony of Costello and county of Mayo.
The three Kierragas of Connaught are thus more particularly denominated by Irish historical writers : Ciarraighe Locha na n airneadh, Ciarraighe Uachtair, and Ciarraighe Aoi, otherwise called Ciarraighe Mhic Ceithearnaigh. The last of these is comprised in the present county of Roscommon, and the other two in that of Mayo. 31 The present barony of Costello comprises two terri- tories, namely, Sliabh Lugha, the ancient patrimony of O'Gara, and Ciar- raighe Locha na n airneadh. The boundary between them is defined by that of the diocese of Achonry with that of Tuam. The territory of Ciarraighe Uachtair comprises the entire of the present barony of Clanmorris, with the exception of the Termon of Balla, which comprised 24 ballys or ancient Irish townlands, and which belonged to the territory of Ceara. The parish of BallawasaddedtotheterritoryofCeara,andit madetheremainingpart of the barony of Clanmorris the same as the territory of Ciarraighe Uach- tair. 22 This saint's name is found entered on Henry Fitzsimon's list. 2 *- The
of 2* records at this same date. Under the head Martyrology Donegal him,
of Imlech Brochada or Brochaid,25 in Magh-Eo Magh Ai, Duald Mac Firbis
'S See "Trias ar On the of ancient Mr. Colgan's Thaumaturga," Map Mayo,
Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , nn. 104, 106, 107, p. 177.
16 "There is an old church at Emlagh in
this parish, at which there springs a very sacred fountain, where patterns were held
on the 15th and 28th of August ; but strange to say it has no name but cobap An lml/15. This i—s the Imlach Brocadb (Each) of Col-
Castlereagh, July 10th, 1837, vol. i. , p. 170. '7 See one of these to Richard, Earl of
Clanrickard, dated 8th April, 1662, grant- ing him several parcels of land and tithes,
formerly belonging to the absorbed parish of Termon Kelline, alias Termonbeg. One o( those was Imlaghbrocowa, now in the pre- sent parish of Kilkeevan, which contains the town of Castlerea, County Roscom- mon.
O'Donovan has both the districts of ce<in- f»Aije, situated in this county thus bounded. On the north, the ancient territories of 541- lean^A and Sliab U15A ; on the east, Ros- common County ; on the south the county of Roscommon, and the ancient territory of Conmaicne, in Mayo ; and on the west, the ancient territory of Ceaj\A in Mayo,
23 " The authorities for these boundaries have already been given in the Mayo Letters, but I thought it necessary to add the fore- going remarks on the manner in which I laid down the territories on the ancient Map, that it may be seen how far the boundaries are proved. " See "Letters containing lnfor-
mation relating to the Antiquities of the County of Mayo, collected during the Pro- gress of the Irish Ordnance Survey in 1841. "
"
Of the Ancient Territories constituting the County of Mayo, in the pro- vince of Connaught," signed, John O'Dono- van, May 15th, 1 84 1. See vol. ii. , pp. 503,
" Letters Information containing
gan. "
relating to the Antiquities of the County of Roscommon, collected during the Pro- gress of the Irish Ordnance Survey in the year 1837. " Mr. O'Donovan's Letter, dated
504.
18 *"
Catalogus aliquorum Sanctorum
See Dr. O'Donovan's Supplement to
" Irish Dictionary," voce Imlach and Patent Roll of 35th of Queen Elizabeth,
part 2.
*» See Ordnance Survey Maps of the
See
Ibetniaj. " O'Sullevan Beare's " Historic Catholicae Iberniae Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xii. , p. 53.
3* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
O'Reilly's
;
County of Roscommon.
30" a*
paper headed,
190,191.
See St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," Now Emlech, barony of Costello, county
IntroductionAppendixB,p. 260. ofMayo. WilliamM. Hennessy'snote.
July 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 177
Bishop Brochad,
July 9th,
places.
Inchiquin, and county of Clare.
26 See " of the Proceedings
Dr. O'Donovan states, that the festival of
3 It is thus translated into — English :
^Engus,
1 the Festival of St. Onchon is found at this date,
Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. .
Royal
and in two distinct
26 In the Irish
enters
name referred to,*? at the vii. of the July Ides, corresponding with the 9th of July.
ArticleII. —St. OnchonorOnchu,ofClonmore,CountyofCarlow, or of Rath-Blathmac, now Rath, County of Clare. Earthly power and decay have been able to obliterate vestiges of ourformer saints with the memory of their names and places, in particular districts of our Island. But, although ruin and loneliness characterize the sites of their ancient churches; however,
someglimmeringlightsmayhelptobrightentheshadows. Afewdoubtful inferences only can be drawn in reference to the present holy man. In the
" Feilire" of St.
with a panegyric, and an encomium on the efficiency of his intercession. It is difficult to determine, whether or not this holy man had been identical with St. Onchuo 2 of Clonmore, in the county of Carlow; but, an Irish poem 3 seems to favour the affirmative conclusion. However, the scholiast offers an opinion, that Onchu was a priest, and the son of Blathmac of Raith Blath- maic, in the upper part of Dal-cais. * On this conjecture alone appears to rest the conclusion of Colgan and the O'Clerys. In the Martyrology of Tallaght, 5 we find but the simple entry, Onchon, at the 9th of July. He is noticed, also, by Marianus O'Gorman. 6 As already, at the 8th of February, the Calendar of St. ^Engus contains an entry of Hua or Hoa, without designating his place, but calling him a splendid descendant of the sage, and stating that his speech was of Christ, so the panegyric of Onchon at the present day leaves it possible, either that they may have been distinct persons, or one and the same having two different festivals. If he were identical with the patron of Clonmore, sufficient has been stated regarding him at the 8th of February; if lie be distinct, we may probably seek for a more distant locality. His place is now known, it is said, as the old church of Rath, in the barony of
at
Calendar, belonging to the Royal Irish Academy, we find this saint's
part i. , pp. 112, 113, and at pp. 122, 123.
27 Thus: OnogAio Irntech bnocAOA 1 ITU115 eo, Common Place Book F, p. 62.
Irish Ordnance—
Survey Copy.
Article ii.
copy we have the following rann, translated thus in—to English by Whitley Stokes,
"
.
Dear the two who are at rest
At the cross with relics in the south Onchu who loved not a despicable
LL. D.
:
fits.
The poet's son Onchu, a forceful
man,
A poet vigorous in quelling tribes.
'
<Arlon,ou,o An Onchon Ittofcic each nounAile pncnirc cAnAir leni j^rvoAn cAm Cmn^ocrAiLe.
world, Finan the
hand of the bene-
In the "Leabhar Breac"
Leper,
" A spendid declaring of Onchu : well fares every one who entreats him : he loved dili- gence a—s to Christ, Garban the fair of Cenn- saile. "
Seethe Scholion, ibid. , cxviii. The Com- mentator adds, that the membro, i. e. , the relics of Finan the Leper and of Onchu are in one place, i. e. , in Cluain Mor.
4 It is observed, likewise, that in one
"Transactions of the
Irish
religious sepulchre ibid. , p. cxvii.
he was with Finan. See
Royal Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. ,
On the Calendar of Oengus, p. ex.
2 See an account of him in the Second Volume of this work, at the 8th of February,
Art. i.
s Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxviii.
6 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Iliber- nice," viii. Februarii, Vita S. Onchuonis, n. 2, p. 277.
At the
where the tree falls, It is not easy to carry off its top. "
place
M
x 78 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 9.
St. Blathmac 1 was celebrated there, on the 9th day of July. Blathmac's name is still remembered at the church, but his festival is no longer cele- brated. 8 According to Colgan, this saint was venerated at Killonchon, Cor- comroe territory, on the 9th and 14th of July. 9 The Bollandists take no notice of him, at the 9th of July. The Martyrology of Donegal IO records him,however,atthisdate,asOnchu,sonofBlathmac,inDalg-Cias,i. e. , of Rath Blathmaic. The meaning of this word is Blathmac's Fort. The time of this saint cannot be determined, but it seems to have been during or before the eighth century.
Article III. —St. Garbhan, of Kinsealy, County of Dublin, or of Kinsale, County of Cork. In a previous article, at this date, as we have already seen, —there is mention made of Garbdn by our earliest pre-
1 served Martyrology that of St. ^ngus the Culdee. He
is there
for his diligence in the service of Christ, and he is characterized as the fair of Cennsaile. Whether or not the latter description have reference to his
complexion or to the qualities of his mind may be questioned. The name of 2
Garban, priest, Cinntsaile, occurs in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 9th of July. In the Calendar of Cashel, this saint has been commemorated, as
likewise, in other Martyrologies. His parents appear to have been Lugad, the father, and Canneria, his mother. 3 This couple had six sons, besides St. Garbhan. 4 It is thought to be probable, that this was the holy man, men- tioned in the Life of St. Kevin,* Abbot of Glendalough, and who lived near
6 Athcliath, which lay in the northern part of Leinster. Colgan seems to
identify this saint with that one mentioned in the Life of St. Kevin, and who is said to have lived near Dublin. It was called Dubh-lein ? —now Dublin—in the Scottish or Irish tongue. Its Latin signification is said to have been
" blackbath. "8 The situation of near Kinsealy,
or in
Dublin city, would appear to favour such a conjecture. 9 If so, he was a
Nigra thermae,
English
10
contemporaryandadiscipletoSt. Kevin. IntheMartyrologyofDonegal, at this same date, he is recorded, as Garbhan, priest, of Ceann-saile, on the west side of Surd, or in the west of Erin. This means, that the author was not sure to which Ceann-saile he should refer St. Garbhan, whether to Kin-
7 Probably Dr. O'Donovan meant, Onchu, son of Blathmac.
8
See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. v. , n. (x), pp. 1574, 1575.
» See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," viii. Februarii, Vita S. Onchuonis, n. 2, p. 277.
6 See ** Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xxvi.
Martii. De S. Garvano Abbate, nn. 2, 3, 4,
p. 751.
7 A Manuscript thus describes it: " Et
ipsa civitas potens et belligera est, in quo semper habitant viri asperrimi in proeliis, et peretissimi in classibus. "
8 See Walter Harris' " and Anti- History
quities of the City of Dublin from the
10 Edited
by
Drs. Todd and
Reeves, pp.
190, 191. Article hi.
—
x
See "Transactions of
Earliest ix. , Accounts," chap,
the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript
Series, vol. i. On the Calendar of Oengus,
p. ex.
a
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxix.
3 According to ^Engus the Culdee, in his
attributed "Opuscula," lib. iv. , cap. 66.
4 With this statement, the Sanctilogium Genealogicum, cap. xx. , accords. See Col- gan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiberni*," xxvi. Martii. De S. Garvano Abbate, nn. 2, 3, 4,
p. 751.
5 See his Life, in the Sixth Volume of this
work, at the 3rd of June, Art. i.
pp. 164, 165. He quotes a Latin passage, transcribed from
the Manuscript called Codex Kilkenniensis, cap. 30. This is probably the well known copy thus denominated, and preserved in Marsh's Library.
9 There is an engraving of Kinsealy old church by George A. Hanlon, from a sketch
by John J. Sloane, C. E. The latter gentle- man also furnishes a description of it in his
Antiquarian Rambles in the County of Dublin. See "Irish Literary Gazette," vol. ii. , pp. 243, 244.
I0 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves,
eulogized
July 9. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
i79
sealy,—at the west of Swords, or to Kinsale, in the west—but rather in the
south of Ireland. If we are to understand, this latter had been the place, the
town and parish so called 11 are situated in the barony of Kinsale, in the county
of Cork, East Riding. A part of the town is in Ringcunan parish. " There
a prominent rock advances far out in the Atlantic Ocean, and it is known as
the Old Head of Kinsale. The isthmus connecting it with the mainland
had been blocked a castle x3 and its now in ruins. 1 * by strong fortifications,
De Courcey's Castle, Old Head of Kinsale, County Cork.
TheseappeartohavebeenerectedbyJohndeCourcey,15 whoinheritedthe
circumjacent country, owing to intermarriage with the family of Cogan, who are deemed to have obtained the lands by right of conquest from the Irish. 16 However, it is said to have had a more ancient repute as a royal residence of the Irish kings, and to have been known as Duncearma. 1 ? The present town of Kinsale is at the mouth of the Bandon River,18 where the sea meets it, and
x
furnishes a good harbour. It is also picturesquely situated, 9 and it is stated
pp. 190, 191.
" They are shown, on the "Ordnance
Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cork," sheets 112, 125.
13
See ibid. , sheets 97, 98, ill, 1 12, 125.
of the Barony, Parish, Town, and Old Head of Kinsale, may be there found. See ibid. , pp. 566 to 570.
1 See ibid. , p. 570.
18
20 history According Colgan,
to have had an ancient— connected with it. to adiscipleofSt. Ailbe calledagoodmasterandnamedGoban— havehadamonasterydedicatedtohimatKennsaile. Ithasbeenassumed,
13 Its dimensions with a wood engraving Charles Smith's "Ancient and Present
may be found in " The Irish Penny Maga- State of the County and City of Cork. " See
"
zine, vol. ii. , No. 2, January, nth, 1834, County Map attached, vol. i. , book i. ,
pp. 9, 10.
14 The accompanying illustration from an
approved drawing has been sketched by William F. Wakeman on the wood, en- graved by Mrs. Millard.
Parliamentary land," vol. ii. , p. 569.
chap, i. , p. 15.
19 A copperplate engraving of this town
from the Old Fort in 1750 is to be found in the work just quoted. See book ii. , chap, iii. , p. 215.
20 See "Acta Sanctorum xxvi. Hibernise,"
Martii. De S. Gobano Abbate de Airdne Dairinnsi, p. 750.
15 See "
Gazetteer of Ire- 16 A very full and an interesting account
Its position is well defined in Dr.
is said to
180 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[July 9.
that this place should be in Cork; yet, it must be a matter still left for conjecture.
There was also a St. Melteoc or Eltin" connected with the church ofCluain,
between the mountains of Crot and Mairge, and who is said to have been
buried at Kennsaile, a maritime town in southern Munster. 22 The references
to these historic statements have been misunderstood and obscured by Arch-
dall 2 3 and no less so by Dr. Charles Smith, who makes St. Multeoc or Eltin ;
the same as a supposed female saint Multosia or Multos, to whom the parish church of Kinsale is stated to have been dedicated in the fourteenth cen-
2 '*
or White Friars in that century, founded by Robert Fitz-Richard Balrain, a. d. 1334, a part of the ruins remaining on the north end of the town. 2* The
26
prior, Stephen Prene, obtained a quarter of land in Liscahan, a. d. 1350, fromthefounder. TheProtestantchurchatKinsale2? hasbeenmodernized, and it occupies the site of the fourteenth century structure. The history of this town is fraught with considerable interest.
tury.
Here, too,
it is
related,
that there had been an for Carmelites Abbey
ArticleIV. —ReputedFeastofaSt. Molruan. TheBollandists
notice a certain—or rather an uncertain—St. Molruan, Archbishop and 1
LegateinIreland,atthe9thofJuly, ontheauthorityofFatherHenryFitz- simon. A sort of Life had been given to them, but partaking of a legendary character in their estimation. He is said to have been a holy man, to have undergone persecutions and accusations, to have gone to Rome so that he might exculpate himself from some charges, to have returned again to Ireland, wherefullofyearsandofmeritshepassedtotherewardsofeternallife, on the 9th of July. The Bollandists sought eagerly for accounts of him in various Irish and Scotch Calendars, at this date, but in vain. It seems to us, he must have been confounded with St. Maelruan of Tallagh, already noticed, at the 7th of this month. Afterwards, the Bollandists notice an
9
entry of the names Germanus, Kilianus, Ribianus, Totnanus and Brocardus, as having been placed in the extended Kalendar of Father Henry Fitzsimon.
Among the foregoing, Dempster alone notes, Ribianus as a Bishop, but, the Bollandists desire to have further knowledge before including them on their listofsaints. 3 ThereisaBrocadius,nodoubt,mentionedbyColgan,*inhis Acts of St. Patrick, but the Bollandists cannot readily admit, that all the Irish Apostle's relatives had been classed among the saints.
•Article V. —St. Condmac or Connmach, of Ath-Blair, or Atha-
21 His feast has been assigned to Decern- ber nth.
"See ibid. , x. Martii. De S. Sedonio
Episcopo S.
