« See "
of the
Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol.
of the
Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
) fair passion.
"
"
Transactions of the Royal Irish Aca-
:
6
June 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 817
barony of Corkaree, and county of Westmeath. " According to the Ordnance SurveyIndexMapofWestmeathCounty,theparishofLeckin22 is bounded on the north, by the River Inny, which separates it from the parishes of Rus- sagh and Street, and which connects Lough Iron and Lough Derravaragh ; on the east, by a portion of the latter Lough, and by the parish of Multy-
on the south and west it is bou—nded the of — In the by parish Leny.
;
*
over it St. Cromeen, ofwhom verylittleisnowknown. Itshouldbeacurioussubjectforenquirytofind, if this holy person had been descended from the Fiacha Raidhe of this terri- tory. It has been said, as we have seen, that St. Patrick founded this church, and left holy relics at Lecain, of Meath, as also a party of his people with Crummaine. 2s Although in some instances, Dr. O'Donovan has placed the ancient territory of Ui-Mac-Uais-Midhe, as being in East Meath, and to
the south-west of Tara 26 in other he states, it is believed to ; yet, passages,
have been identical with the present barony of Moyguish, in the county of
2 28
Westmeath. ? It is suspected, however, that the present saint did not live
in the time of St. Patrick; but, that he was rather contemporaneous with St.
Fechin of Fore, who died a. d. 664. Such is the opinion of Archdall 29 but, ;
it seems to be unfounded, nor is it borne out by the authority to which he refers. 3° There is an old church still to be seen at Leckin, near Bunbrusna. This church, it is said, had been built by St. Cruimin, whose festival was
farnham
country of the Radii or Nepotes Radii 3 the present Corca-Ree we learn
that St. Patrick built a 2* and he church,
placed
formerly
June. 3
celebrated here, on the 28th of
1
He is said, to have been also,
a withSt. contemporary
Fechin,
probable,
ofFore 2
;3 but,
it seemsmorethan
that he lived fully a century, before the time of the latter. The old church at Leckin is of very considerable antiquity, and it is said to have been built, much in the style of St. Fechin's church at Fore, although not with like mas- sive stones. The neighbouring quarries do not furnish large blocks, and the chief materials to be extracted from them are limestone flags. The lintel which covers the doorway heading is a thin light flag. The only remains of a
towards the close of— were the
1837, doorway,
Leckin old
small window of
theeastgableofSt. Fechin'schurch andasemicirculararchsimilarinstyle and position to the one in Dungiven old church. These features were to be seen, in a part of the south side wall, the only portion of the old church then
church, existing
beautifully exactly
30 "
See Dr. John O'Donovan's Topogra-
phical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and
astical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, viii. , n. 67, p. 239.
29 See "Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 722-
3° to "Acta Sanctorum Namely, Colgan's
Hiberniae," pp. 140, 231. On turning to the first page here quoted, Colgan only alludes to a Cruemus, and which he says
might peihaps be read Cruminus, who was bishopofLeckin,inMeath; orheconsiders, that the former name might be more truly resolved into Crumtherus, who was most
Giolla na Naomh O'Huidhrin,
p.
xiii. ,
n. 51.
21 See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , n. (r), p. 659, and n. (w), p. 1060, ibid.
"This parish comprises an area of 3,202a. ir. 9p. , of which over 137 acres are under water.
33 According to Tirechan's Life of St. Patrick, preserved in the Book of Armagh.
chisell—
ed limestone similar to that in
24 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," probably Crumther Nathius, or Crumtherus
Nathineus ; while, at page 231, Colgan has no reference whatever to the name of Crui-
min. 3I
Although Colgan alludes to Crumin, 36 See "Annals of the Four Masters," as being venerated on the 28th of
Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. xx. ,
p. 132.
33 The Life of St. Patrick is quoted for this
vol. i. , n. (s), p. 7, and n. (u), p. 458.
2? See ibid. , n. (r), p. 36, and n. (m), p.
statement, book ii. , chap. 7.
259; also, n. (c), p. 419.
January, he probably intended to refer this commemoration to the 28th ofJune.
32 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nia:,"xx. Januarii, Vita S. Fechini, cap. iii. ,
28 "
By Rev. Dr. Lanigan. See Ecclesi-
2F
8i8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 28.
existing. From its present remains, it is not easy to form any idea regarding the exact extent of this church when perfect. Opposite the doorway, and close to the south wall, a tombstone, shaped like a coffin, was to be seen. . It bore an inscription in raised letters, but not in the Irish character. This tomb was well cut and ornamented, and was found some years before 1837, at the bottomof—agrave. 33 AtLeckin—orasthepeoplemoregenerallypronounce
3*
it, Lackan the old church measures 45 by 19 feet. The chancel remains in
a fair state of preservation. Here was a holy well, dedicated to St. Crumin,3s andsituatedinthesouth-eastendofLeacaintownland. ThedayafterSS. Peter and Paul's great Festival was traditionally held to have been that for the local saint's celebration ; and, until the year 1822, a vast concourse of people visitedtheirHolyWellfordevotionalpurposes. 36 TheUi-Mic-Uais-Breagh,a tribe seated in East Meath, and to the south-west of Tara, must be distin- guished, as we are told, from the Ui-Mic-Uais-Teathbaa, who gave name to the present barony of Moygoish, in the north-west of Meath County. 3? At what exact time St. Crumine commenced his foundation here, or in what exact capacity he acted, and whether as Abbot or Bishop, is not known. According to an ancient he lived to be old 38 we find no date
; but,
tradition, extremely
for his death in our Annals. It had been thought, by Mr. O'Donovan, that there was a well named after this saint, in the parish of Kilbixy. 3 ? We find
and n. 5, pp. 130, 140.
33 Mr. O'Donovan says, the inscription was
in a style different from any he had seen up to that time, and it took him a long time to understand a plan adopted by the artists in
tration of parochial affairs, had so great a veneration for Lacken's patron saint, that he
not only gave encouragement to the people to pray at the Holy Well, but he personally practised such devotion.
37 See Dr. O'Donovan's •* Annals of the ing of the tomb, with letters traced Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (u), p. 458.
the letters. He a draw- gives rough
shaping
around one of the coffin-shaped sides, in pencil
38 The following quatrain, translated
mark. He also
interprets
the
inscription
from an Irish —is
original, supposed
to bear
into the modern Roman characters, "Hie out such a statement
jacet Hugo O'Banun ;" and says, he sup-
poses this Hutho O'Banun to have been in-
tended for Echod O'Banan ; this being pro-
bably the name for one of the modern abbots
or — of Leacain. Dr. Petrie inter- parsons
prets it
" Hie jacet mise (myself) O'Breen. "
"The Irish vine is characteristic enough of
an Irish — for such O'Breen or chieftain,
Briiun was and if I mista
—ke not, of the dis-
trict in which L—ecan lies at all events it was near to it. " "Letters containing Infor- mation relative to the Antiquities of the County of Westmeath, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. ii. Letter of Mr. O'Donovan, dated Newpass, November 5th, 1837, pp. 277 to 282.
:
" Three score years thrice over
34 A considerable ruins.
its name "fons sounds sacred enough ; and Mr. O'Donovan had no but that it had
35 See Rev.
Anthony Cogan's
doubt,
been considered so in the primitive ages, and
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. , chap,
xviii. , sect. 13, p. 477.
that it had been called after a St. Lua, a dis-
portion
of it is in
never a Lugadii
Holy Well, though "
" Diocese of
36 "
ciple of Patrick. See
ing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County Westmeath, collected during the
Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," decessor of that priest, during his adminis- vol. ii. Letter John O'Donovan, dated
It is stated, that the parish priest living in 1837 put an end to this practice, owing, probably, to some abuses connected with
such assemblages. The immediate pre-
Was the age of the pious Crummain ;
Without infection, without disease,
he
After Mass, after celebration. "
39 He was led into this error by the Name Book of the Irish Ordnance Survey, in which the name of a well is given as " Crummeen
changed colour,
instead of "Tober a Choimin,''
Well,"
which means
of the Commons," and is so called from lying in the townland called Coitnin Cuaij\,orthe"CommonsofToor. " That error, however, has been since corrected, both on the plan and in the Name Book.
There is another fine spring in the townland of Lecain called Toberloo.
However, according to tradition, it was
nothing
" more than the Well
Letters, contain-
its a'
June 28. ] LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. 819
his name entered, in the Martyrology of Donegal,* at this same date, as
Cruimmin, Bishop, in Lecain, of Meath, /. <? . , in Ui-Mac-Uais. Under the
head of Leacan of Meath, Duald Mac Firbis likewise enters, Cruimin, bishop,
1
atJune28th/ St. CruminisstillheldingreatvenerationthroughoutWest-
and his name is familiar to the very
2 The and foot-prints
meath,
traces of the saints should never be effaced ;
people. *
and, yet how many of our early
holy ones have been forgotten, although the memory of good men ought
always be preserved, as a light to guide and encourage others on their journey over the wilderness. The world gives us no better memorials ; yet, have we to regret a total loss of the intellectual accomplishments and mental charac- teristics of so many, who doubtless in their day, gave lustre and example to theircontemporaries. Thosevirtueshavehadtheirreward,althoughwemay be unable, to present them in an exact order and review, for the edification of persons who survive in the present generation
Article II. —St. Ernin, of Cluain-finn. At the 28th of June, we
find set down in the of 1 a festival in honour of Ernine, Martyrology Tallagh,
Cluain-find. ThereisaClonfane,atownlandintheparishofKinawley,barony of Knockninny, and county of Fermanagh ; and another townland similarly
named, in the parish of Moymet, barony of Upper Navan, and county of Meath. ThereisaClonfinane,intheparishofLoughkeen,baronyofLower Ormond, and county of Tipperary. There is a Clonfinlogh parish, in the barony of Clanwilliam, in the same county. There is a Clonfinlough, in the parish of Clonmacnoise, barony of Garrycastle, and King's County. There is a Clonfinnan, in the parish of Dulane, barony of Upper Kells, and county ofMeath. ThereisaCloonfinintheparishofGranard,baronyofGranard, and county of Longford. There is also a Cloonfineen in the parish of Kil- tullagh, barony of Castlerea, and county of Roscommon. There is a Cloon- finlough, in a parish of the same name, barony and county of Roscommon. There is a Cloonfinnan, in the parish and barony of Mohill, county of Letrim. Again, there is a Cloonfinnaun in the parish of Kilconduff, barony of Gallen, and county of Mayo. These are the only townland names in Ireland, that may be suspected to be identical in etymology with the place here named, and which does not as yet appear to have been identified. 2 In the Martyr- ology of Donegal^ at the 28th of June, the feast of St. Ernin of Cloonfinn is found.
Article III. —St. Bigesg, Bicsecha, qr Bigsech, Virgin, of Kilbixy, CountyofWestmeath. Thesimplyentry,Bigsech,Virgin,appearsinthe
1 at the 28th of
This woman is called holy
of
the daughter of Bressal, and she was a saint of the Hy-Fiachra family. descended from the race of Fiachra,3son to Eochaidh Muighmheadhoin. The
Martyrology
June.
the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and
Baronies of Ireland," for the Census of 1861
pp. 254, 267.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
Tallagh,
Newpass, November 5th, 1837, p. 284.
*° Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
2
She
180, 181.
« See "
of the
Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. ,
1
ARticle 11. — Edited by Rev. Dr. pendix, cap. ii. , p. 248.
Kelly, p. xxviii. 3 According to the Menologic Genealogy
3
Proceedings part i. , pp. 116, 117.
Royal
42 See Rev.
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. hi. , chap. lxxiv. , p. 581.
Anthony Cogan's
Hiber- nise," iii. Februarii. Vita S. Colmani, Ap-
" Diocese of
See General Alphabetical Index to of the Irish Saints, cap. 9.
182, 183.
Article in. —1
Kelly, p. xxviii.
a "
Edited by Rev. Dr.
See Colgan's
Acta Sanctorum
82o
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[June 28.
—
place apparently
—is written Cill
4 Bigsighe, t. e. ,
called after this
" the church of St. Bigseach," and it has been Anglicized into Kilbixy,s now a parish, in the barony of Moygoish, in the county of Westmeath. This appears to have become an English town of considerable importance, as Sir Henry Piers, who wrote in 1682, relates. 6 Even then it had decayed. ? Dr. O'Donovan visited this place in 1837, but he found only a few traces of the ancient town. 8 There was a holy well, near the church, then bearing the
Bighsighe,? i. e. ,
Bigseach. "
This saint
appears
holyvirgin
" the well of St.
name of Tobar
to have had another festival, at the 4th of October. 10 The Rev. Mr. Cogan visitedthisplaceonthe4thofAugust,1863. Thenhefoundoneoftheold fonts, belonging to a former church, and stuck in the wall of a donkey-stable,
atoneoftheprivateentrancestothechurchyard. " Hegivesaninteresting account of this ancient place. At the same date, the name of this saint
12
occurs in the Martyrology of Donegal, Virgin, of Cill-Bigsighe, in Meath.
with the designation of Bigsech,
Article IV. —Translation of the Relics o—f St. Livinus, Martyr.
A — Translation of the relics of St. Livinus a duplicate holy
Irish
Martyr
in
Belgium iscelebratedonthisday. Thefirstofthesetranslationstookplace
in the year 842 ; another translation is recorded, as having occurred, about
the year n 73, according to the most reliable accounts. The particulars of St.
Livinus' biography will be found detailed, at the 12th of November. This is
thedateassignedforhismartyrdom. Atthe28thofJune,ThomasDemp-
"*
ster in his Menologium Scotorum," has a festival for the Elevation of St.
Livinus, Archbishop, by Theodoric, Bishop of Cambary, a. d. 842. Yet, in
his " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis to the 26th of June. 3
Scotorum,"
2 this Elevation seems referable
Article V. —Festival of Jonas, Disciple of St. Columbanus. At the28thofJune,ThomasDempsterx entersafeast2 forJonas,theDisciple of St. Columban, and the writer of his Acts, as being a Scotus. 3 The Bollan- dists 4 who note this memorandum state, however, that Jonas was born at Susa, among the Alps, and at the foot of Mount Cenis. s
4 In Irish Cill bigpje. The ancient town of Kilbixy, where a castle had been built by Sir Hugh De Lacy, in 1192, for-
merly had borough privileges.
5 See an account of this place, in the
Article iv. — Thus entered: "In Hautem elevatio Livini Archiepiscopi per Theodoricum —Camaracensem antistitem anno 842. ML. " Bishop Forbes' "Kalen-
dars of Scottish Saints," p. 204.
"a Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland,"
vol ii. , p. 365.
6 See "Chorographical Description of the County of Westmeath. "
7 See
Hibernicis," vol. i. , num.
8
the site for a gallows.
9 Written in Irish Cobarx bigpge.
*
a mere ruin
house, ; secondly,
Thus: "Ionae
S. Columbani viri sanctissimi, MA. " Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 204.
" Collectanea de Rebus
See tomus ii. , lib. xi. , num. 789, p. 428. 3 It is thus recorded: "Idem die xxvi. Junii : "In Gandavo Elevatio S. Livini martyris, et translatio secunda corporis
Vallancey's
These consisted of First, the Leper-
ipsius. "' ARTICLE V.
the site of the castle, but there were no remains whatever of its walls ; thirdly, a moat, which had been surrounded by a circular fosse ; and fourthly,
—
10
See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
3 See also Dempster's " Historia Ecclesi- astica Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. ix. , num. 706, pp. 375, 376.
Four Masters," vol. iii. , n. (x), pp. 93, 94. ""
4 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , Junii xxviii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 334.
See Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. , chap, lxxiv. , p. 577.
12
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 182, 183
s For this, they refer also to the Life of St. Attala, Abbot of Bobbio, written at the 10th
—i. , pp. 76, 77.
In his
— Scotorum. "
•
" Menologium discipuli discipulorum
une 29. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
821
ArticleVI. —St. Flavianus. Inthe"Feilire"ofSt.
28th of June, there is a festival for St. Flavianus entered. In a comment annexed,2 he is designated Flovianus, Pope at Rome. There was no such Pope so named ; but, there was a St. Fabianus, who presided from a. d. 236 to a. d 250. 3 However, the present seems to have been a St. Fabianus, who withcertaincompanionssufferedmartyrdominAfrica; and,noticesofthem occur, at this date, in the Bollandists,* as found in the Martyrology of St. Jerome, and in other old Martyrologies.
ArticleVII. —FeastofSt. Merenus,AbbotinBennchor. Atthe
1 28thofJune,DavidCamerariushasentered afestivalforaSt. Merenus,
said to have been an Abbot in that monastery called Benchor, which had
been so celebrated among the Scots. The Bollandists 2 also record this
Murenus, at the same date, referring to notices of him, which had been already given, at the 12th of May.
Article VIII. —The Blessed Malchus,Monk of Mellifont, County of Louth. [Twelfth Century^\ At this date, the Bollandists * have a feast for the Blessed Malchus, of the Cistercian Order in Ireland, on the authority of Henriquez and Chalemot.
Ctoattp=mntl) ©ap of 3fune.
ARTICLE I. —ST. COCHA OR COCCA, ABBESS OF ROS-BENNCHUIR. [FIFTH CENTUXY.
WEhave to regret, that indications are not more clear, in reference to
the female whose celebration in our Calendars has been pious saint,
assigned to this day. However, we can only present, as we find them, the few particulars, that seem to be on record. This holy virgin has her name
written Coca or Cocca x ;
it has been converted into Life 3 of St. Kieran of Saighir we find this
usually
Concha and Cota. 2 In an
but, incorrectly, English
of March.
Article vi. — • See "Transactions 'of
the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manu-
dino, p. 357.
Article vii. — z Thus " Sanctus Mere-
:
nus Abbas in celebri illo apu—d Scotos monas- terio cui Benchora nomen. " Bishop Forbes'
p. 334. — Article viii.
On the Calen- dar of Oengus. By Whitley Stokes, LL. D. ,
script, Series, vol. i. , part i.
" 2
p.
xcvi.
2 See ibid. , p. cviii.
3 See Sir Harris Nicolas'
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 238. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , Junii xxviii. Among the pretermitted saints,
History," p. 209.
* See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , Junii
xxviii. De Sanctis Martyribus Afris, Fabiano, Felice, Arione, Capitolino, Nisia, Elapha, Venusto Eunocho, Crescente, Alexandro, Theona, Pleoso, Asthesio, Apollonio, Amphamone, Phisocio, Meleo, Dionysio, Hino, Panno, Plebrio, Panubvio, Dioscoro, Tubono, Capitulino, Nica, Gur-
'" See
Acta Sanctorum," Among the preter-
"
Chronology of
tomus v. , Junii xxviii. mitted feasts, p. 335.
Article l— * So she is called in Vita
S.
"
Transactions of the Royal Irish Aca-
:
6
June 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 817
barony of Corkaree, and county of Westmeath. " According to the Ordnance SurveyIndexMapofWestmeathCounty,theparishofLeckin22 is bounded on the north, by the River Inny, which separates it from the parishes of Rus- sagh and Street, and which connects Lough Iron and Lough Derravaragh ; on the east, by a portion of the latter Lough, and by the parish of Multy-
on the south and west it is bou—nded the of — In the by parish Leny.
;
*
over it St. Cromeen, ofwhom verylittleisnowknown. Itshouldbeacurioussubjectforenquirytofind, if this holy person had been descended from the Fiacha Raidhe of this terri- tory. It has been said, as we have seen, that St. Patrick founded this church, and left holy relics at Lecain, of Meath, as also a party of his people with Crummaine. 2s Although in some instances, Dr. O'Donovan has placed the ancient territory of Ui-Mac-Uais-Midhe, as being in East Meath, and to
the south-west of Tara 26 in other he states, it is believed to ; yet, passages,
have been identical with the present barony of Moyguish, in the county of
2 28
Westmeath. ? It is suspected, however, that the present saint did not live
in the time of St. Patrick; but, that he was rather contemporaneous with St.
Fechin of Fore, who died a. d. 664. Such is the opinion of Archdall 29 but, ;
it seems to be unfounded, nor is it borne out by the authority to which he refers. 3° There is an old church still to be seen at Leckin, near Bunbrusna. This church, it is said, had been built by St. Cruimin, whose festival was
farnham
country of the Radii or Nepotes Radii 3 the present Corca-Ree we learn
that St. Patrick built a 2* and he church,
placed
formerly
June. 3
celebrated here, on the 28th of
1
He is said, to have been also,
a withSt. contemporary
Fechin,
probable,
ofFore 2
;3 but,
it seemsmorethan
that he lived fully a century, before the time of the latter. The old church at Leckin is of very considerable antiquity, and it is said to have been built, much in the style of St. Fechin's church at Fore, although not with like mas- sive stones. The neighbouring quarries do not furnish large blocks, and the chief materials to be extracted from them are limestone flags. The lintel which covers the doorway heading is a thin light flag. The only remains of a
towards the close of— were the
1837, doorway,
Leckin old
small window of
theeastgableofSt. Fechin'schurch andasemicirculararchsimilarinstyle and position to the one in Dungiven old church. These features were to be seen, in a part of the south side wall, the only portion of the old church then
church, existing
beautifully exactly
30 "
See Dr. John O'Donovan's Topogra-
phical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and
astical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, viii. , n. 67, p. 239.
29 See "Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 722-
3° to "Acta Sanctorum Namely, Colgan's
Hiberniae," pp. 140, 231. On turning to the first page here quoted, Colgan only alludes to a Cruemus, and which he says
might peihaps be read Cruminus, who was bishopofLeckin,inMeath; orheconsiders, that the former name might be more truly resolved into Crumtherus, who was most
Giolla na Naomh O'Huidhrin,
p.
xiii. ,
n. 51.
21 See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , n. (r), p. 659, and n. (w), p. 1060, ibid.
"This parish comprises an area of 3,202a. ir. 9p. , of which over 137 acres are under water.
33 According to Tirechan's Life of St. Patrick, preserved in the Book of Armagh.
chisell—
ed limestone similar to that in
24 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," probably Crumther Nathius, or Crumtherus
Nathineus ; while, at page 231, Colgan has no reference whatever to the name of Crui-
min. 3I
Although Colgan alludes to Crumin, 36 See "Annals of the Four Masters," as being venerated on the 28th of
Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. xx. ,
p. 132.
33 The Life of St. Patrick is quoted for this
vol. i. , n. (s), p. 7, and n. (u), p. 458.
2? See ibid. , n. (r), p. 36, and n. (m), p.
statement, book ii. , chap. 7.
259; also, n. (c), p. 419.
January, he probably intended to refer this commemoration to the 28th ofJune.
32 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nia:,"xx. Januarii, Vita S. Fechini, cap. iii. ,
28 "
By Rev. Dr. Lanigan. See Ecclesi-
2F
8i8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 28.
existing. From its present remains, it is not easy to form any idea regarding the exact extent of this church when perfect. Opposite the doorway, and close to the south wall, a tombstone, shaped like a coffin, was to be seen. . It bore an inscription in raised letters, but not in the Irish character. This tomb was well cut and ornamented, and was found some years before 1837, at the bottomof—agrave. 33 AtLeckin—orasthepeoplemoregenerallypronounce
3*
it, Lackan the old church measures 45 by 19 feet. The chancel remains in
a fair state of preservation. Here was a holy well, dedicated to St. Crumin,3s andsituatedinthesouth-eastendofLeacaintownland. ThedayafterSS. Peter and Paul's great Festival was traditionally held to have been that for the local saint's celebration ; and, until the year 1822, a vast concourse of people visitedtheirHolyWellfordevotionalpurposes. 36 TheUi-Mic-Uais-Breagh,a tribe seated in East Meath, and to the south-west of Tara, must be distin- guished, as we are told, from the Ui-Mic-Uais-Teathbaa, who gave name to the present barony of Moygoish, in the north-west of Meath County. 3? At what exact time St. Crumine commenced his foundation here, or in what exact capacity he acted, and whether as Abbot or Bishop, is not known. According to an ancient he lived to be old 38 we find no date
; but,
tradition, extremely
for his death in our Annals. It had been thought, by Mr. O'Donovan, that there was a well named after this saint, in the parish of Kilbixy. 3 ? We find
and n. 5, pp. 130, 140.
33 Mr. O'Donovan says, the inscription was
in a style different from any he had seen up to that time, and it took him a long time to understand a plan adopted by the artists in
tration of parochial affairs, had so great a veneration for Lacken's patron saint, that he
not only gave encouragement to the people to pray at the Holy Well, but he personally practised such devotion.
37 See Dr. O'Donovan's •* Annals of the ing of the tomb, with letters traced Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (u), p. 458.
the letters. He a draw- gives rough
shaping
around one of the coffin-shaped sides, in pencil
38 The following quatrain, translated
mark. He also
interprets
the
inscription
from an Irish —is
original, supposed
to bear
into the modern Roman characters, "Hie out such a statement
jacet Hugo O'Banun ;" and says, he sup-
poses this Hutho O'Banun to have been in-
tended for Echod O'Banan ; this being pro-
bably the name for one of the modern abbots
or — of Leacain. Dr. Petrie inter- parsons
prets it
" Hie jacet mise (myself) O'Breen. "
"The Irish vine is characteristic enough of
an Irish — for such O'Breen or chieftain,
Briiun was and if I mista
—ke not, of the dis-
trict in which L—ecan lies at all events it was near to it. " "Letters containing Infor- mation relative to the Antiquities of the County of Westmeath, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. ii. Letter of Mr. O'Donovan, dated Newpass, November 5th, 1837, pp. 277 to 282.
:
" Three score years thrice over
34 A considerable ruins.
its name "fons sounds sacred enough ; and Mr. O'Donovan had no but that it had
35 See Rev.
Anthony Cogan's
doubt,
been considered so in the primitive ages, and
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. , chap,
xviii. , sect. 13, p. 477.
that it had been called after a St. Lua, a dis-
portion
of it is in
never a Lugadii
Holy Well, though "
" Diocese of
36 "
ciple of Patrick. See
ing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County Westmeath, collected during the
Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," decessor of that priest, during his adminis- vol. ii. Letter John O'Donovan, dated
It is stated, that the parish priest living in 1837 put an end to this practice, owing, probably, to some abuses connected with
such assemblages. The immediate pre-
Was the age of the pious Crummain ;
Without infection, without disease,
he
After Mass, after celebration. "
39 He was led into this error by the Name Book of the Irish Ordnance Survey, in which the name of a well is given as " Crummeen
changed colour,
instead of "Tober a Choimin,''
Well,"
which means
of the Commons," and is so called from lying in the townland called Coitnin Cuaij\,orthe"CommonsofToor. " That error, however, has been since corrected, both on the plan and in the Name Book.
There is another fine spring in the townland of Lecain called Toberloo.
However, according to tradition, it was
nothing
" more than the Well
Letters, contain-
its a'
June 28. ] LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. 819
his name entered, in the Martyrology of Donegal,* at this same date, as
Cruimmin, Bishop, in Lecain, of Meath, /. <? . , in Ui-Mac-Uais. Under the
head of Leacan of Meath, Duald Mac Firbis likewise enters, Cruimin, bishop,
1
atJune28th/ St. CruminisstillheldingreatvenerationthroughoutWest-
and his name is familiar to the very
2 The and foot-prints
meath,
traces of the saints should never be effaced ;
people. *
and, yet how many of our early
holy ones have been forgotten, although the memory of good men ought
always be preserved, as a light to guide and encourage others on their journey over the wilderness. The world gives us no better memorials ; yet, have we to regret a total loss of the intellectual accomplishments and mental charac- teristics of so many, who doubtless in their day, gave lustre and example to theircontemporaries. Thosevirtueshavehadtheirreward,althoughwemay be unable, to present them in an exact order and review, for the edification of persons who survive in the present generation
Article II. —St. Ernin, of Cluain-finn. At the 28th of June, we
find set down in the of 1 a festival in honour of Ernine, Martyrology Tallagh,
Cluain-find. ThereisaClonfane,atownlandintheparishofKinawley,barony of Knockninny, and county of Fermanagh ; and another townland similarly
named, in the parish of Moymet, barony of Upper Navan, and county of Meath. ThereisaClonfinane,intheparishofLoughkeen,baronyofLower Ormond, and county of Tipperary. There is a Clonfinlogh parish, in the barony of Clanwilliam, in the same county. There is a Clonfinlough, in the parish of Clonmacnoise, barony of Garrycastle, and King's County. There is a Clonfinnan, in the parish of Dulane, barony of Upper Kells, and county ofMeath. ThereisaCloonfinintheparishofGranard,baronyofGranard, and county of Longford. There is also a Cloonfineen in the parish of Kil- tullagh, barony of Castlerea, and county of Roscommon. There is a Cloon- finlough, in a parish of the same name, barony and county of Roscommon. There is a Cloonfinnan, in the parish and barony of Mohill, county of Letrim. Again, there is a Cloonfinnaun in the parish of Kilconduff, barony of Gallen, and county of Mayo. These are the only townland names in Ireland, that may be suspected to be identical in etymology with the place here named, and which does not as yet appear to have been identified. 2 In the Martyr- ology of Donegal^ at the 28th of June, the feast of St. Ernin of Cloonfinn is found.
Article III. —St. Bigesg, Bicsecha, qr Bigsech, Virgin, of Kilbixy, CountyofWestmeath. Thesimplyentry,Bigsech,Virgin,appearsinthe
1 at the 28th of
This woman is called holy
of
the daughter of Bressal, and she was a saint of the Hy-Fiachra family. descended from the race of Fiachra,3son to Eochaidh Muighmheadhoin. The
Martyrology
June.
the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and
Baronies of Ireland," for the Census of 1861
pp. 254, 267.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
Tallagh,
Newpass, November 5th, 1837, p. 284.
*° Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
2
She
180, 181.
« See "
of the
Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. ,
1
ARticle 11. — Edited by Rev. Dr. pendix, cap. ii. , p. 248.
Kelly, p. xxviii. 3 According to the Menologic Genealogy
3
Proceedings part i. , pp. 116, 117.
Royal
42 See Rev.
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. hi. , chap. lxxiv. , p. 581.
Anthony Cogan's
Hiber- nise," iii. Februarii. Vita S. Colmani, Ap-
" Diocese of
See General Alphabetical Index to of the Irish Saints, cap. 9.
182, 183.
Article in. —1
Kelly, p. xxviii.
a "
Edited by Rev. Dr.
See Colgan's
Acta Sanctorum
82o
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[June 28.
—
place apparently
—is written Cill
4 Bigsighe, t. e. ,
called after this
" the church of St. Bigseach," and it has been Anglicized into Kilbixy,s now a parish, in the barony of Moygoish, in the county of Westmeath. This appears to have become an English town of considerable importance, as Sir Henry Piers, who wrote in 1682, relates. 6 Even then it had decayed. ? Dr. O'Donovan visited this place in 1837, but he found only a few traces of the ancient town. 8 There was a holy well, near the church, then bearing the
Bighsighe,? i. e. ,
Bigseach. "
This saint
appears
holyvirgin
" the well of St.
name of Tobar
to have had another festival, at the 4th of October. 10 The Rev. Mr. Cogan visitedthisplaceonthe4thofAugust,1863. Thenhefoundoneoftheold fonts, belonging to a former church, and stuck in the wall of a donkey-stable,
atoneoftheprivateentrancestothechurchyard. " Hegivesaninteresting account of this ancient place. At the same date, the name of this saint
12
occurs in the Martyrology of Donegal, Virgin, of Cill-Bigsighe, in Meath.
with the designation of Bigsech,
Article IV. —Translation of the Relics o—f St. Livinus, Martyr.
A — Translation of the relics of St. Livinus a duplicate holy
Irish
Martyr
in
Belgium iscelebratedonthisday. Thefirstofthesetranslationstookplace
in the year 842 ; another translation is recorded, as having occurred, about
the year n 73, according to the most reliable accounts. The particulars of St.
Livinus' biography will be found detailed, at the 12th of November. This is
thedateassignedforhismartyrdom. Atthe28thofJune,ThomasDemp-
"*
ster in his Menologium Scotorum," has a festival for the Elevation of St.
Livinus, Archbishop, by Theodoric, Bishop of Cambary, a. d. 842. Yet, in
his " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis to the 26th of June. 3
Scotorum,"
2 this Elevation seems referable
Article V. —Festival of Jonas, Disciple of St. Columbanus. At the28thofJune,ThomasDempsterx entersafeast2 forJonas,theDisciple of St. Columban, and the writer of his Acts, as being a Scotus. 3 The Bollan- dists 4 who note this memorandum state, however, that Jonas was born at Susa, among the Alps, and at the foot of Mount Cenis. s
4 In Irish Cill bigpje. The ancient town of Kilbixy, where a castle had been built by Sir Hugh De Lacy, in 1192, for-
merly had borough privileges.
5 See an account of this place, in the
Article iv. — Thus entered: "In Hautem elevatio Livini Archiepiscopi per Theodoricum —Camaracensem antistitem anno 842. ML. " Bishop Forbes' "Kalen-
dars of Scottish Saints," p. 204.
"a Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland,"
vol ii. , p. 365.
6 See "Chorographical Description of the County of Westmeath. "
7 See
Hibernicis," vol. i. , num.
8
the site for a gallows.
9 Written in Irish Cobarx bigpge.
*
a mere ruin
house, ; secondly,
Thus: "Ionae
S. Columbani viri sanctissimi, MA. " Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 204.
" Collectanea de Rebus
See tomus ii. , lib. xi. , num. 789, p. 428. 3 It is thus recorded: "Idem die xxvi. Junii : "In Gandavo Elevatio S. Livini martyris, et translatio secunda corporis
Vallancey's
These consisted of First, the Leper-
ipsius. "' ARTICLE V.
the site of the castle, but there were no remains whatever of its walls ; thirdly, a moat, which had been surrounded by a circular fosse ; and fourthly,
—
10
See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
3 See also Dempster's " Historia Ecclesi- astica Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. ix. , num. 706, pp. 375, 376.
Four Masters," vol. iii. , n. (x), pp. 93, 94. ""
4 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , Junii xxviii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 334.
See Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. , chap, lxxiv. , p. 577.
12
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 182, 183
s For this, they refer also to the Life of St. Attala, Abbot of Bobbio, written at the 10th
—i. , pp. 76, 77.
In his
— Scotorum. "
•
" Menologium discipuli discipulorum
une 29. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
821
ArticleVI. —St. Flavianus. Inthe"Feilire"ofSt.
28th of June, there is a festival for St. Flavianus entered. In a comment annexed,2 he is designated Flovianus, Pope at Rome. There was no such Pope so named ; but, there was a St. Fabianus, who presided from a. d. 236 to a. d 250. 3 However, the present seems to have been a St. Fabianus, who withcertaincompanionssufferedmartyrdominAfrica; and,noticesofthem occur, at this date, in the Bollandists,* as found in the Martyrology of St. Jerome, and in other old Martyrologies.
ArticleVII. —FeastofSt. Merenus,AbbotinBennchor. Atthe
1 28thofJune,DavidCamerariushasentered afestivalforaSt. Merenus,
said to have been an Abbot in that monastery called Benchor, which had
been so celebrated among the Scots. The Bollandists 2 also record this
Murenus, at the same date, referring to notices of him, which had been already given, at the 12th of May.
Article VIII. —The Blessed Malchus,Monk of Mellifont, County of Louth. [Twelfth Century^\ At this date, the Bollandists * have a feast for the Blessed Malchus, of the Cistercian Order in Ireland, on the authority of Henriquez and Chalemot.
Ctoattp=mntl) ©ap of 3fune.
ARTICLE I. —ST. COCHA OR COCCA, ABBESS OF ROS-BENNCHUIR. [FIFTH CENTUXY.
WEhave to regret, that indications are not more clear, in reference to
the female whose celebration in our Calendars has been pious saint,
assigned to this day. However, we can only present, as we find them, the few particulars, that seem to be on record. This holy virgin has her name
written Coca or Cocca x ;
it has been converted into Life 3 of St. Kieran of Saighir we find this
usually
Concha and Cota. 2 In an
but, incorrectly, English
of March.
Article vi. — • See "Transactions 'of
the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manu-
dino, p. 357.
Article vii. — z Thus " Sanctus Mere-
:
nus Abbas in celebri illo apu—d Scotos monas- terio cui Benchora nomen. " Bishop Forbes'
p. 334. — Article viii.
On the Calen- dar of Oengus. By Whitley Stokes, LL. D. ,
script, Series, vol. i. , part i.
" 2
p.
xcvi.
2 See ibid. , p. cviii.
3 See Sir Harris Nicolas'
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 238. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , Junii xxviii. Among the pretermitted saints,
History," p. 209.
* See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , Junii
xxviii. De Sanctis Martyribus Afris, Fabiano, Felice, Arione, Capitolino, Nisia, Elapha, Venusto Eunocho, Crescente, Alexandro, Theona, Pleoso, Asthesio, Apollonio, Amphamone, Phisocio, Meleo, Dionysio, Hino, Panno, Plebrio, Panubvio, Dioscoro, Tubono, Capitulino, Nica, Gur-
'" See
Acta Sanctorum," Among the preter-
"
Chronology of
tomus v. , Junii xxviii. mitted feasts, p. 335.
Article l— * So she is called in Vita
S.
