On this day,
veneration
was given to Lassar, as we read, also, in the Martyrology of Donegal.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v5
34 The situation of Kilmalkedar is truly a romantic one ; and, it overlooks Smerwick Harbour,35 which is presented to view, with the frowning frontlet of Fort-del-Ore 3^ clearly defined.
Near this
relative to the antiquities of the County of Kerry, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1841. " Letter of John O'Donovan, dated Dingle, August 4th, 1841, p. 87.
°^ An excellent woodcut illustration of the interior face of this doorway will be found, in "Notes on Irish Architecture," by Edwin, Third Earl of Dunraven, edited by Margaret Stokes, vol. ii. , part iv. , sect, i. , p. 53.
"9 A photograph of this ruin, plate xxxii. , illustrates "Notes on Irish Architecture," by Edwin, Third Earl of Dunraven, edited by Miss Stokes, vol. i. , part i. , sect, ii. , p. S8.
3° This cell has been described by George V. Du Noyer, in the "Journal of the Kil- kenny and South-east of Ireland Archaeolo- gical Society," vol. v. , 1864-1865, p. 29.
3' At the side of its west door, one of the most curious ancient monuments is a stand- ing pillar-stone, which offers a well preserved and a most interesting example of the whole alphabet in the I'loman character of the sixth or seventh century, and above it the invoca- tion, "Domine," is inscribed. See Miss Stokes' "Christian Inscriptions of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 7.
3^ See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 178.
33 The cell has been remodelled to form a pigstye ! See " Notes on Irish Architec-
ture," by Edwin, Third Earl of Dunraven, edited by Margaret Stokes, vol. i. , part i. , sect, ii. , p. 59.
^t Both the " Priest's House," and the " Chancellor's House," have been noticed, by Sir Denham Jephson Norreys, in a paper, written for " The Journal of the Royal His- torical and ArchDcoIogical Association of Ireland," vol. i. , Fourth Series, No. 8, Octo- ber, 1S71, pp. 577 to 579. Allusion is there made, to certain architectural peculiarities, which appear^ to have been engraved on plates, although such illustrations are not found, in that number of the Society's
Journal.
35 A copperplate view of this hermitage
and the neighbouring harbour is given, in Dr. Charles Smith's '" Ancient and Present Stale of the County of Kerry," chap, vii. , p. 191.
3° Philip II. of Spain, who had been mar- ried to Mary, Queen of Elngland, sought in concert with Pope Gregory XIIL, to assist the persecuted Irish Catholics. In July, 1579, an expedition of Spaniards and Italians landed at Smerwick, under the command of James Pitzmaurice, and these took up a position in Fort-del-Ore, which they forti- fied. But, the English navy, under Sir William Winter, sailed around to attack them, and in 1580, Lord D-puty Clrav marched forces from Dubim, for the same
28o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 14.
is the ancient hermitage of Gallerus, Not far from the direct road to Dingle, there is a very singular group of four bee-hive-shaped houses,37 formed of rude and large stones, placed in such a position, as to allow the rain to drip from them outwardly. ^^ These are now open on top, but the caps or roofs seem to have fallen in, or to have been removed. Around them, there is a rudewalledenclosure,andatrench. Similarhousesarefound,ingreatnum- bers, but ruined, in all the adjoining districts. Several old Cahirs, like that fort known as Staigue,39 are near ; while the old stone-roofed church of Galle- rus, St. Brandan's oratory, and penitential station, an old church near Feoha- nagh River, Templenacloonagh, and two other old oratories, or ecclesiastical edifices, Ogham stones, &c. , constitute a group of antique memorials, not fre- quently found in such close proximity. ° There is a holy well, near Kilmal- kedar old church. This extremely interesting structure is surrounded by slopes, leading to the summits of very high mountains, at the remote norlh-western
extremity of Dingle promontory. Direct from Kilmalkedar to the summit of Brandon runs a stone built pathway ; the meaning of which is eloquently told in its local title : " The pathway of the saints. " All the peninsula in this part of western Kerry abounds in most interesting objects. The late Mr. Richard Hitchcock has left us a list, made out from the Ordnance Survey, and from other sources, regarding the principal remains of antiquity, in the barony of Corkaguiny. Eleven stone cahers, three earns, and forty calluraghs, or obsolete burial grounds, where unbaptized children only are interred ; ten castles, eighteen artificial caves, twenty-one churches in ruins, and nine church sites, two hundred and eighteen cloghauns, or bee-hive-shaped stone houses, sixteen cromleacs, twelve large stone crosses, three hundred and seventy-six earthen forts or raths are to be found; one hundred and thirteen gallauns or immense rude standing stones, fifty-four monumental pillars, most of them bearing Ogham in- scriptions, exist; fifteen oratories, nine penitential stations, sixty wells, many of them bearing the name of some saint, and twenty-nine miscellaneous remains, areyettobeseen. -*' Thatthisdistrictwasancientlyremarkableforcultivation, fertility, and piety, is sufficiently proved, by the numerous remains of churches, monasteries, and other vestiges of advanced Christian civilization, that are still discoverable. Smith'shistoryenumeratesnofewerthantwentyparishchurches, existing in Corkaguiny,*^ over one hundred years ago, and he concludes from this
purpose. Afier a siege of forty days, riming its History, Buildings and Antiquities,"
the month of November, the Deputy showed a flag of truce, the garrison cajiitulated, were disarmed, and inliumanly massacred, in cold blood, to the number of 600. Hence, came the expression, " Graiae fides. " . '^ee O'SuUevnn Bearc's "Historic Catholicce Ibernicc Compendium," tomus ii. , lib. iv. , cap. XV. , pp. 112 to 116. Rev. Dr. Kelly's edition,
37 Houses of a similar desciiption were to be found in other parts of Ireland, at a com- paratively recent period. The Right Rev. Dr, French, Bishop of Ferns, took refuge in such ancient ecclesinstical structures to avoid the i)ersecutors, who sought his life in the
seventeenth century.
3'* The ordinary dwellings of the old races
part ii. , chap, i. , p. 249.
39 This remarkably perfect old fort is
on the townland of Staigue, in the parish of Kilcrohane, barony of Dunkerron South, and the townland is described, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Kerry," sheets 99. 107.
*° The foregoing observations are the re- suit of notes and observations made by the writer, during avisit to this locality, in July, 187 1, in company with Rev. James Gaffney, M. R. I. A.
•" How many more fine remains, he re- marks, have been lost during centuries of blind fanaticism, and internal warfare ! Vet, the list, as it stands, is such, that he ven- tures to say, no part of Ireland, covering the same extent as Corkaguiny, can number so many, and such a variety of ancient re-
seem to have been of a rude and uncom-
fortablc character, even among the most
civili/. cd nations. Thisisillustrated, in a wood mains, and in such a fine state of pre- engraving showing a cabin of the Aboriginal scrvation, as arc found in this interesting Latians, in Thomas II. Dyer's " Pompeii : barony.
—5
May 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 281
fact, that the barony was formerly better inhabited, than at that time when he wrote,*3eachparishhavinghaditsrespectivechurch. Mostofthechurcheswere verylarge,asappearsbytheirexistingruins. i'* Itisdifficult,atthepresenttime, to determine the exact era of the present holy man. We read, however, in the Martyrology of Donegal,'*^ that this day had been dedicated to the veneration of Maolcethair. -*^ As in and near the capital of the Christian world,^7 so in the remote district round Dingle, the traveller will find the relics of paganism, and the relics of Christianity. But, as the Christian has displaced the pagan temple, in Rome of the Saints, so has it happened, likewise, in that, as in every other quarter, throughout the Island of Saints.
Article III. St. Carthach the Eld^^r, of Manister Thuama. \Sixth Centu}-y. '\ St. Carthach the Elder was the preceptor of St. Mochuda, who is also called Carthach, qualified by the epithet Junior,^ and who is venerated, on this same day. ^ The Acts of his master have been published, byColgan,3whoassignshisfestivaltothe5thofMarch. Undertheheadof Manister Thuama, and at May 14th, Duald Mac Firbis enters, Carthach, i. e. , the old bishop. • The place here mentioned has not yet been identified. Already have we treated about St. Carthach, or Carthage, the Elder, at the 5th day of March.
Article IV. Reputed Feast of Silvanus, Archbishop of Dum- BLANE, IN Scotland. Quoting Dempster ' and Ferrarius,^ the Bollandists 3
^' He notices, as anotlier proof, that the " number of inhabitants is prodigiously de- creased," the fact that several of the moun- tains, though of but poor and stony soil, are
marked by old enclosures, and other signs of former culture, on their side, even to the very tops.
^^ There is a note by Rev. Dr. Todd, at Maolcethair : "The more recent hand has written in the margin, ' Maldegerius'—mean- ing to query, whether this may not have been the Latinized form of this name. "
^^ In connexion with this very subject, it is curious to compare the domestic architec- ture of ancient Italy, with that of ancient Ireland. The cottage of Romulus was ap-
*^ An account of a visit, paid by the Earl
of Cumberland to this district, was printed
inLondon,A. D. 1599. Thisrecords,"The parentlynotunliketheoldbee-hive-shaped
ground is very fruitful, and plentiful of grasse and graine, as may appear by the abundance of kine and cattel tliere, inso- much that we had good muttons (though somewhat less than ours in England), for two shillings or five groates a piece, good pigges and hennes for 3 pence a piece—good land was here to be had for foure pence yearly the acre ! "
^ So they became, after the desolating wars of Elizabeth's days. Spenser saw and described the ruin and desolation of those dreadful events. Within a short time, as he tells us, this most populous and plentiful country was suddenly left void of man and beast. HoUinshed's Chronicle affirms, that as the result of the cruel Desmond war, from one end of Munster to the other, from Waterford to Smerwick, a distance of 130 miles, no man, woman, or child was to be met, except in the towns ; nor any beast, but the very wolves, the foxes, and such like ravening animals.
*5EditedbyDrs. ToddandReeves,pp. 126, 127.
houses of the country near Kilmalkedar. Some illustrations of the antique houses of La-
Les Ruines de Pompei dessinees et mesurees par Fr. Mazois, archi- tecte pendent' les annees 1809, 1810 et 181 1," part ii. , p. 5. This fine work ap- peared at Paris, in four large folio volumes, containing nearly 200 plates, a. d. 1812 to 1838. It embraces the results of explora-
tium may be seen in '
'
tions made at Pompeii, from 1757 to 1821.
Article hi. —'
See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's " Ecclesiastical Plistory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect, v. , with notes pp. 98 to
102.
" See Art. i.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernioe," v.
Martii. De S. Carthagio Epis. et Confess. Ex variis, pp. 473 to 476.
t See " Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. 122, 123.
5 See the Third Volume of this work, and Art. ii. , at the 5th of March.
Articleiv. —' See'*MenologiumSco- ticum. "
——
282 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 14.
mention at the 14th of May, one Silvanus, called Archbishop of Dumblane. He is said to have succeeded St. Livinus, whose feast is kept, on the 12th of November. • The Bollandists hold out a promise or hope, that on the latter day, some account of him might be given. We are informed,5 that he had anoffice,comprisingNineLessons,atDumblane. ^ Thefeastofamostreli- gious man, called Siluanus, is set down in Thomas Dempster's " Menologium Scoticum,"? at the 14th of May. ^ At first, he is said to have been an Arch- deacon. InanotherworkofI'homasDempster,ontheassignedauthorityof the Breviary of the churcli of Ghent, and of Francis Hareeus' epitome of St. Livinus' Life, St. Servanus is reported to have succeeded in Scotia to the Archiepiscopate of Dublin, when St. Livinus went from it on his pilgrimage. Having admirably followed his predecessor, in the practice of a holy life, he
enjoyed a happy exit from it. He is said to have written a book, intituled, "Flores Sacrce Scripturte," and to have lived in the year 663. 9 He is noticed, however, in the work of Bishop Forbes, '° for the 1 2th of November. "
Article V. St, Lassar, or Laisre. A record of Laisre is found in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 14th of May, and it is also in the Franciscan copy. ^ From the same source, the Bollandists 3 enter at this day the festival of St. Lasra, or Lassara, with a reference to what had been said regarding Cassara Virgo—evidently a mistake for Lassara Virgo—placed among the pretermitted feasts, at the nth of May.
On this day, veneration was given to Lassar, as we read, also, in the Martyrology of Donegal. *
Article VL—St. Garbhan, or Garban. The name of Garbain occurs in the Martyrology of Tallagli,' at the 14th of INLay. " On the same authority, the Bollandists have entered. ^at this date, Garbhanus, orGarvanus, with a simple reference to a St. Garvanus, a Bishop,* who is alluded to, in the Acts of St. Forannan, given by Colgan,5 at the 15th of February. However, theydonotstate,thatheisidentical,withthepresentholyman. Afestival, in honour of Garbhan, was celebrated, on this day, as we read in the Martyr- ology of Donegal. ^
' See " Catalogus Generalis Sanctorum. "
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," lomus iii. , Maii xiv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 264
* See the Life of this holy Bishop and Martyr, at the same day.
5 By Thomas Dempster.
* For this statement, B. Ilarreus seems t<i be quoted.
Article v. — Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxiv.
= Tiius Lo^pxe. :
^ See " Acta . Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Maii xiv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 263.
•• Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
^ This is the entry : " XIV. Dumblani Kelly, p. xxiv.
- In tlie Franciscan copy, we read ^ajx- bAin.
^ j^ee "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Maii xiv. Among the pretermitted saints, P- 263.
9 See " Hisloria Ecclesiastica Genlis Sco-
torum," tomus ii. , lib. xvii. , num. 1031. of March, and to the 9lh ot July,
Siluani viri religiosissimi, qui ex Archiiiia- cono factus est Archiepiscopus et S. Liuino Gandauensium Apostolo successit. "
^ See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scot- tish Saints," p. 199. _
p. 574.
'° . See " Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
p. 447.
" Thus: "Silvanus, November 12.
" Ep. Dumblae in . Scot. "—(De Prosecutione Opcris Boll. and, p. 54. )
5 yee " Acta Sanctorum Hibernia? ," xv. Vita S. Farannani Confessoris, pp. 336 to 340, ^^. 'ilso n. 10, p. 338.
"Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 126, 127.
Artrlk vii. — ' See "Historic Catho-
126, 127. — ARTICLE vi.
» Edited by Rev. Dr.
His feast has been assigned to the 20th
p. 263. Article VIII.
—
May 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 283
Article VII. St. Mousedon, or Moncodon. In that anonymous calendar, published by O'Sullevan Beare,' we find, at this date, the name Mousedon inserted. Referring to the same authority, at the 14th of May, the Bollandists^ enter Moncodon, with the remark, that there was an error, possi- bly, in writing his name, as elsewhere, they could find nothing to throw light on the subject of their notice.
Article VIII. St. Maldodus. The Carthusian Martyrology, as Henry Fitzsimon states, has St. Maldod entered, at the 14th of May. In the anony- mous list of Irish Saints, published by O'Sullevan Beare,^ the name of Maldodus occurs, at the same date. He is likely to be the Saint Moeldod, about whom we have treated, at the 13th of ihis month. The Boliandists^ enter, at the 14th, Maldod or Maldodus—distinguishing him, however, from Moeldodius,Abbot,veneratedonthe13thdayofMay. Theycitenotonly Fitzsimon, but, the Manuscript Florarius, the Additions of Greven, the Martyrologies of Canisius and of Dempster, as also the catalogue of Ferrarius, for their standard. At the 14th of May, Thomas Dempsters enters the fes- tival of Maldodius, a bishop in Ireland, but of the Scottish nation. t His statements, however, must frequently be regarded with great suspicion.
Article IX. — Festival of St. Victor and of St. Corona, Martyrs in Egypt. \_Second Century. '] In the Feilire of St. ^ngus, at the i4tli of May, there is an entry of a Feast, for St. Corona and St. Victor. ^ Afterwards, the scholiast adds, that these Martyrs suffered, under the Emperor Antoninus, and under Se- bastianus,whowasRomangovernorinthecityofAlexandria,inEgypt. With Victor, the wife of a Roman soldier, and who is named Corona, obtained an immortal crown. She believed in God, and was only sixteen years old, when she suffered death. ^ This happened about the year 177 of the Christian era. The Acts of these holy Martyrs have been preserved,^ and their glorious con- fession of the Faith before the Roman governor of Egypt, Sebastianus, fills us withadmirationfortheircourageandconstancy. Thistriumphhappenedduring the persecution of the Christians, under the Emperor Antoninus. Their me- mory has been constantly held in veneration, throughout the Christian world; while, their names have been inscribed, on a great number of ancient calendars.
licae Ibernise Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap, xi. , p. 50.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Maii xiv. Among the pretermitted saints,
iv. , cap. , xi. , xii. , pp. 50,55.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
Maii xiv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 263.
3 In the " Menologium Scoticum " thus : " In Hibernia Maldodi episcopi, natione Scoti, viri in omnibus sanctissimi, qui mi- randa patientia et exemplo genti illi praefuit. MC. "
script . Series, vol. i. On the Calendar of Oengus, edited by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. Ixxix.
^ See ibid. , p. Ixxxvi. The Irish scholiast mistakes in stating, she was the wife of Vic- tor. See Les Petits Bollandistes, " Vies dcs Saints," tome v. , Maii xiv. , p. 518.
3 See the EoUandists' "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Maii xiv. De SS. Victoie Milite at Corona Martyribus in ^gypto, pp. 265 to 271.
• Also called Annius Verus, the Philoso- pher ; but, still better known, as Marcus Aurelius. He was born A. D. 121, and he ascended the throne A. D. 161. He died in the 59th year of his age, and in the 19th of his reign. Seethe "Popular Cyclopedia; or Conversations Lexicon," vol. i. , pp. 1S8, 189.
—
licas Ibernise Compendium," tomus i. , lib.
' See " Historiae Catho-
* See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scot- tish Saints," p. 199.
Article ix. —' See "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Mnnu-
.
284 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 15. jfifteenti) JDap of iHa^n
ARTICLE I. —ST. DYMPNA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR, AND PATRONESS OF GHEEL, BELGIUM.
[SIXTH OR SEVENTH CENTURY. ] CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION—ST. DYMPNA'S BIOGRAPHERS—CONJECTURES OF FATHER HENSCHENIUS —INQUIRY AS TO THE AGE IN WHICH ST. DYMPNA FLOURISHED—HER FAMILY AND NATAL PLACE—HER PARENTAGE, BIRTH, AND EARLY DISPOSITIONS.
WHENthe Almighty has been pleased to bestow a superabundant measure of divine grace on his elect, those favoured children, so precious in His sight, have generally corresponded with His desires and obtained a glorious inheritance. Especially destined to secure their own salvation, by
those sweet influences, which regulate every interior motive and aspiration of their minds, the Church of Christ also regards their external acts, as deserv- ing the veneration of all true Christians, and as incentives to the exercise of exalted virtues. When from early youth, worldly allurements cease to hold sway over innocent souls, faithful to baptismal vows, we cannot fail to recog- nise a spirit, breathing heavenly benedictions, on those children of happy pro- mise. Would it were possible, that we might fathom the depths of wisdom, treasured in the hearts of the just, or that we could unveil the inner life of grace, which elevates and purifies every desire of God's true servant ! What motives for close imitation should their example not present ! What subjects for pious reflection should their actions not furnish ! In reading the Lives of the Saints, we are often surprised, when considering the great results accom- plished by means and instruments, apparently so weak and inadequate for effecting most admirable objects. Yet, the interior motions of divine grace act in antagonism to the assaults of the devil, the world, and the flesh. Hence, those signal triumphs achieved refer not merely to their own individual exer- tions, unsustained by a power that strengthens and gives confidence in the time of trial. Christian heroism has not been restricted to age, sex, rank, or condition, to time or place. From the earliest ages of the Church to the pre- sent century, in every country where the Gospel has been preached, faith, hope and divine love have brightly shone, in the lives and actions of zealous apostles, undaunted martyrs, holy confessors, pious recluses, and stainless virgins. Ireland has given hosts of saints to fill the courts of the Heavenly Jerusalem. And yet, comparatively few records, regarding numbers thus crowned with eternal happiness, have survived to our time. Amongst olheis, the existing Acts of St. Dympna, virgin and martyr, are meagre and unsatis- factory, in reference to many particulars of her short, but glorious career. Sufficiently known, however, are the principal facts of her life, and well authen- ticated the many miracles attesting her exalted sanctity. Tradition has faithfully preserved, for subsequent edifying record, the bright example and merits of this chaste spouse of Christ, in the country of her voluntary exile, as also in the island, which claims the honour of her nativity.
Chapter i. —Article i. —' Itvasfor- nain. -iult. and afteiw. nrds it was in the pro- meily included within the Dutch province of vince of French Flanders.
relative to the antiquities of the County of Kerry, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1841. " Letter of John O'Donovan, dated Dingle, August 4th, 1841, p. 87.
°^ An excellent woodcut illustration of the interior face of this doorway will be found, in "Notes on Irish Architecture," by Edwin, Third Earl of Dunraven, edited by Margaret Stokes, vol. ii. , part iv. , sect, i. , p. 53.
"9 A photograph of this ruin, plate xxxii. , illustrates "Notes on Irish Architecture," by Edwin, Third Earl of Dunraven, edited by Miss Stokes, vol. i. , part i. , sect, ii. , p. S8.
3° This cell has been described by George V. Du Noyer, in the "Journal of the Kil- kenny and South-east of Ireland Archaeolo- gical Society," vol. v. , 1864-1865, p. 29.
3' At the side of its west door, one of the most curious ancient monuments is a stand- ing pillar-stone, which offers a well preserved and a most interesting example of the whole alphabet in the I'loman character of the sixth or seventh century, and above it the invoca- tion, "Domine," is inscribed. See Miss Stokes' "Christian Inscriptions of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 7.
3^ See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 178.
33 The cell has been remodelled to form a pigstye ! See " Notes on Irish Architec-
ture," by Edwin, Third Earl of Dunraven, edited by Margaret Stokes, vol. i. , part i. , sect, ii. , p. 59.
^t Both the " Priest's House," and the " Chancellor's House," have been noticed, by Sir Denham Jephson Norreys, in a paper, written for " The Journal of the Royal His- torical and ArchDcoIogical Association of Ireland," vol. i. , Fourth Series, No. 8, Octo- ber, 1S71, pp. 577 to 579. Allusion is there made, to certain architectural peculiarities, which appear^ to have been engraved on plates, although such illustrations are not found, in that number of the Society's
Journal.
35 A copperplate view of this hermitage
and the neighbouring harbour is given, in Dr. Charles Smith's '" Ancient and Present Stale of the County of Kerry," chap, vii. , p. 191.
3° Philip II. of Spain, who had been mar- ried to Mary, Queen of Elngland, sought in concert with Pope Gregory XIIL, to assist the persecuted Irish Catholics. In July, 1579, an expedition of Spaniards and Italians landed at Smerwick, under the command of James Pitzmaurice, and these took up a position in Fort-del-Ore, which they forti- fied. But, the English navy, under Sir William Winter, sailed around to attack them, and in 1580, Lord D-puty Clrav marched forces from Dubim, for the same
28o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 14.
is the ancient hermitage of Gallerus, Not far from the direct road to Dingle, there is a very singular group of four bee-hive-shaped houses,37 formed of rude and large stones, placed in such a position, as to allow the rain to drip from them outwardly. ^^ These are now open on top, but the caps or roofs seem to have fallen in, or to have been removed. Around them, there is a rudewalledenclosure,andatrench. Similarhousesarefound,ingreatnum- bers, but ruined, in all the adjoining districts. Several old Cahirs, like that fort known as Staigue,39 are near ; while the old stone-roofed church of Galle- rus, St. Brandan's oratory, and penitential station, an old church near Feoha- nagh River, Templenacloonagh, and two other old oratories, or ecclesiastical edifices, Ogham stones, &c. , constitute a group of antique memorials, not fre- quently found in such close proximity. ° There is a holy well, near Kilmal- kedar old church. This extremely interesting structure is surrounded by slopes, leading to the summits of very high mountains, at the remote norlh-western
extremity of Dingle promontory. Direct from Kilmalkedar to the summit of Brandon runs a stone built pathway ; the meaning of which is eloquently told in its local title : " The pathway of the saints. " All the peninsula in this part of western Kerry abounds in most interesting objects. The late Mr. Richard Hitchcock has left us a list, made out from the Ordnance Survey, and from other sources, regarding the principal remains of antiquity, in the barony of Corkaguiny. Eleven stone cahers, three earns, and forty calluraghs, or obsolete burial grounds, where unbaptized children only are interred ; ten castles, eighteen artificial caves, twenty-one churches in ruins, and nine church sites, two hundred and eighteen cloghauns, or bee-hive-shaped stone houses, sixteen cromleacs, twelve large stone crosses, three hundred and seventy-six earthen forts or raths are to be found; one hundred and thirteen gallauns or immense rude standing stones, fifty-four monumental pillars, most of them bearing Ogham in- scriptions, exist; fifteen oratories, nine penitential stations, sixty wells, many of them bearing the name of some saint, and twenty-nine miscellaneous remains, areyettobeseen. -*' Thatthisdistrictwasancientlyremarkableforcultivation, fertility, and piety, is sufficiently proved, by the numerous remains of churches, monasteries, and other vestiges of advanced Christian civilization, that are still discoverable. Smith'shistoryenumeratesnofewerthantwentyparishchurches, existing in Corkaguiny,*^ over one hundred years ago, and he concludes from this
purpose. Afier a siege of forty days, riming its History, Buildings and Antiquities,"
the month of November, the Deputy showed a flag of truce, the garrison cajiitulated, were disarmed, and inliumanly massacred, in cold blood, to the number of 600. Hence, came the expression, " Graiae fides. " . '^ee O'SuUevnn Bearc's "Historic Catholicce Ibernicc Compendium," tomus ii. , lib. iv. , cap. XV. , pp. 112 to 116. Rev. Dr. Kelly's edition,
37 Houses of a similar desciiption were to be found in other parts of Ireland, at a com- paratively recent period. The Right Rev. Dr, French, Bishop of Ferns, took refuge in such ancient ecclesinstical structures to avoid the i)ersecutors, who sought his life in the
seventeenth century.
3'* The ordinary dwellings of the old races
part ii. , chap, i. , p. 249.
39 This remarkably perfect old fort is
on the townland of Staigue, in the parish of Kilcrohane, barony of Dunkerron South, and the townland is described, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Kerry," sheets 99. 107.
*° The foregoing observations are the re- suit of notes and observations made by the writer, during avisit to this locality, in July, 187 1, in company with Rev. James Gaffney, M. R. I. A.
•" How many more fine remains, he re- marks, have been lost during centuries of blind fanaticism, and internal warfare ! Vet, the list, as it stands, is such, that he ven- tures to say, no part of Ireland, covering the same extent as Corkaguiny, can number so many, and such a variety of ancient re-
seem to have been of a rude and uncom-
fortablc character, even among the most
civili/. cd nations. Thisisillustrated, in a wood mains, and in such a fine state of pre- engraving showing a cabin of the Aboriginal scrvation, as arc found in this interesting Latians, in Thomas II. Dyer's " Pompeii : barony.
—5
May 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 281
fact, that the barony was formerly better inhabited, than at that time when he wrote,*3eachparishhavinghaditsrespectivechurch. Mostofthechurcheswere verylarge,asappearsbytheirexistingruins. i'* Itisdifficult,atthepresenttime, to determine the exact era of the present holy man. We read, however, in the Martyrology of Donegal,'*^ that this day had been dedicated to the veneration of Maolcethair. -*^ As in and near the capital of the Christian world,^7 so in the remote district round Dingle, the traveller will find the relics of paganism, and the relics of Christianity. But, as the Christian has displaced the pagan temple, in Rome of the Saints, so has it happened, likewise, in that, as in every other quarter, throughout the Island of Saints.
Article III. St. Carthach the Eld^^r, of Manister Thuama. \Sixth Centu}-y. '\ St. Carthach the Elder was the preceptor of St. Mochuda, who is also called Carthach, qualified by the epithet Junior,^ and who is venerated, on this same day. ^ The Acts of his master have been published, byColgan,3whoassignshisfestivaltothe5thofMarch. Undertheheadof Manister Thuama, and at May 14th, Duald Mac Firbis enters, Carthach, i. e. , the old bishop. • The place here mentioned has not yet been identified. Already have we treated about St. Carthach, or Carthage, the Elder, at the 5th day of March.
Article IV. Reputed Feast of Silvanus, Archbishop of Dum- BLANE, IN Scotland. Quoting Dempster ' and Ferrarius,^ the Bollandists 3
^' He notices, as anotlier proof, that the " number of inhabitants is prodigiously de- creased," the fact that several of the moun- tains, though of but poor and stony soil, are
marked by old enclosures, and other signs of former culture, on their side, even to the very tops.
^^ There is a note by Rev. Dr. Todd, at Maolcethair : "The more recent hand has written in the margin, ' Maldegerius'—mean- ing to query, whether this may not have been the Latinized form of this name. "
^^ In connexion with this very subject, it is curious to compare the domestic architec- ture of ancient Italy, with that of ancient Ireland. The cottage of Romulus was ap-
*^ An account of a visit, paid by the Earl
of Cumberland to this district, was printed
inLondon,A. D. 1599. Thisrecords,"The parentlynotunliketheoldbee-hive-shaped
ground is very fruitful, and plentiful of grasse and graine, as may appear by the abundance of kine and cattel tliere, inso- much that we had good muttons (though somewhat less than ours in England), for two shillings or five groates a piece, good pigges and hennes for 3 pence a piece—good land was here to be had for foure pence yearly the acre ! "
^ So they became, after the desolating wars of Elizabeth's days. Spenser saw and described the ruin and desolation of those dreadful events. Within a short time, as he tells us, this most populous and plentiful country was suddenly left void of man and beast. HoUinshed's Chronicle affirms, that as the result of the cruel Desmond war, from one end of Munster to the other, from Waterford to Smerwick, a distance of 130 miles, no man, woman, or child was to be met, except in the towns ; nor any beast, but the very wolves, the foxes, and such like ravening animals.
*5EditedbyDrs. ToddandReeves,pp. 126, 127.
houses of the country near Kilmalkedar. Some illustrations of the antique houses of La-
Les Ruines de Pompei dessinees et mesurees par Fr. Mazois, archi- tecte pendent' les annees 1809, 1810 et 181 1," part ii. , p. 5. This fine work ap- peared at Paris, in four large folio volumes, containing nearly 200 plates, a. d. 1812 to 1838. It embraces the results of explora-
tium may be seen in '
'
tions made at Pompeii, from 1757 to 1821.
Article hi. —'
See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's " Ecclesiastical Plistory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect, v. , with notes pp. 98 to
102.
" See Art. i.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernioe," v.
Martii. De S. Carthagio Epis. et Confess. Ex variis, pp. 473 to 476.
t See " Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. 122, 123.
5 See the Third Volume of this work, and Art. ii. , at the 5th of March.
Articleiv. —' See'*MenologiumSco- ticum. "
——
282 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 14.
mention at the 14th of May, one Silvanus, called Archbishop of Dumblane. He is said to have succeeded St. Livinus, whose feast is kept, on the 12th of November. • The Bollandists hold out a promise or hope, that on the latter day, some account of him might be given. We are informed,5 that he had anoffice,comprisingNineLessons,atDumblane. ^ Thefeastofamostreli- gious man, called Siluanus, is set down in Thomas Dempster's " Menologium Scoticum,"? at the 14th of May. ^ At first, he is said to have been an Arch- deacon. InanotherworkofI'homasDempster,ontheassignedauthorityof the Breviary of the churcli of Ghent, and of Francis Hareeus' epitome of St. Livinus' Life, St. Servanus is reported to have succeeded in Scotia to the Archiepiscopate of Dublin, when St. Livinus went from it on his pilgrimage. Having admirably followed his predecessor, in the practice of a holy life, he
enjoyed a happy exit from it. He is said to have written a book, intituled, "Flores Sacrce Scripturte," and to have lived in the year 663. 9 He is noticed, however, in the work of Bishop Forbes, '° for the 1 2th of November. "
Article V. St, Lassar, or Laisre. A record of Laisre is found in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 14th of May, and it is also in the Franciscan copy. ^ From the same source, the Bollandists 3 enter at this day the festival of St. Lasra, or Lassara, with a reference to what had been said regarding Cassara Virgo—evidently a mistake for Lassara Virgo—placed among the pretermitted feasts, at the nth of May.
On this day, veneration was given to Lassar, as we read, also, in the Martyrology of Donegal. *
Article VL—St. Garbhan, or Garban. The name of Garbain occurs in the Martyrology of Tallagli,' at the 14th of INLay. " On the same authority, the Bollandists have entered. ^at this date, Garbhanus, orGarvanus, with a simple reference to a St. Garvanus, a Bishop,* who is alluded to, in the Acts of St. Forannan, given by Colgan,5 at the 15th of February. However, theydonotstate,thatheisidentical,withthepresentholyman. Afestival, in honour of Garbhan, was celebrated, on this day, as we read in the Martyr- ology of Donegal. ^
' See " Catalogus Generalis Sanctorum. "
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," lomus iii. , Maii xiv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 264
* See the Life of this holy Bishop and Martyr, at the same day.
5 By Thomas Dempster.
* For this statement, B. Ilarreus seems t<i be quoted.
Article v. — Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxiv.
= Tiius Lo^pxe. :
^ See " Acta . Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Maii xiv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 263.
•• Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
^ This is the entry : " XIV. Dumblani Kelly, p. xxiv.
- In tlie Franciscan copy, we read ^ajx- bAin.
^ j^ee "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Maii xiv. Among the pretermitted saints, P- 263.
9 See " Hisloria Ecclesiastica Genlis Sco-
torum," tomus ii. , lib. xvii. , num. 1031. of March, and to the 9lh ot July,
Siluani viri religiosissimi, qui ex Archiiiia- cono factus est Archiepiscopus et S. Liuino Gandauensium Apostolo successit. "
^ See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scot- tish Saints," p. 199. _
p. 574.
'° . See " Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
p. 447.
" Thus: "Silvanus, November 12.
" Ep. Dumblae in . Scot. "—(De Prosecutione Opcris Boll. and, p. 54. )
5 yee " Acta Sanctorum Hibernia? ," xv. Vita S. Farannani Confessoris, pp. 336 to 340, ^^. 'ilso n. 10, p. 338.
"Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 126, 127.
Artrlk vii. — ' See "Historic Catho-
126, 127. — ARTICLE vi.
» Edited by Rev. Dr.
His feast has been assigned to the 20th
p. 263. Article VIII.
—
May 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 283
Article VII. St. Mousedon, or Moncodon. In that anonymous calendar, published by O'Sullevan Beare,' we find, at this date, the name Mousedon inserted. Referring to the same authority, at the 14th of May, the Bollandists^ enter Moncodon, with the remark, that there was an error, possi- bly, in writing his name, as elsewhere, they could find nothing to throw light on the subject of their notice.
Article VIII. St. Maldodus. The Carthusian Martyrology, as Henry Fitzsimon states, has St. Maldod entered, at the 14th of May. In the anony- mous list of Irish Saints, published by O'Sullevan Beare,^ the name of Maldodus occurs, at the same date. He is likely to be the Saint Moeldod, about whom we have treated, at the 13th of ihis month. The Boliandists^ enter, at the 14th, Maldod or Maldodus—distinguishing him, however, from Moeldodius,Abbot,veneratedonthe13thdayofMay. Theycitenotonly Fitzsimon, but, the Manuscript Florarius, the Additions of Greven, the Martyrologies of Canisius and of Dempster, as also the catalogue of Ferrarius, for their standard. At the 14th of May, Thomas Dempsters enters the fes- tival of Maldodius, a bishop in Ireland, but of the Scottish nation. t His statements, however, must frequently be regarded with great suspicion.
Article IX. — Festival of St. Victor and of St. Corona, Martyrs in Egypt. \_Second Century. '] In the Feilire of St. ^ngus, at the i4tli of May, there is an entry of a Feast, for St. Corona and St. Victor. ^ Afterwards, the scholiast adds, that these Martyrs suffered, under the Emperor Antoninus, and under Se- bastianus,whowasRomangovernorinthecityofAlexandria,inEgypt. With Victor, the wife of a Roman soldier, and who is named Corona, obtained an immortal crown. She believed in God, and was only sixteen years old, when she suffered death. ^ This happened about the year 177 of the Christian era. The Acts of these holy Martyrs have been preserved,^ and their glorious con- fession of the Faith before the Roman governor of Egypt, Sebastianus, fills us withadmirationfortheircourageandconstancy. Thistriumphhappenedduring the persecution of the Christians, under the Emperor Antoninus. Their me- mory has been constantly held in veneration, throughout the Christian world; while, their names have been inscribed, on a great number of ancient calendars.
licae Ibernise Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap, xi. , p. 50.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Maii xiv. Among the pretermitted saints,
iv. , cap. , xi. , xii. , pp. 50,55.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
Maii xiv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 263.
3 In the " Menologium Scoticum " thus : " In Hibernia Maldodi episcopi, natione Scoti, viri in omnibus sanctissimi, qui mi- randa patientia et exemplo genti illi praefuit. MC. "
script . Series, vol. i. On the Calendar of Oengus, edited by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. Ixxix.
^ See ibid. , p. Ixxxvi. The Irish scholiast mistakes in stating, she was the wife of Vic- tor. See Les Petits Bollandistes, " Vies dcs Saints," tome v. , Maii xiv. , p. 518.
3 See the EoUandists' "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Maii xiv. De SS. Victoie Milite at Corona Martyribus in ^gypto, pp. 265 to 271.
• Also called Annius Verus, the Philoso- pher ; but, still better known, as Marcus Aurelius. He was born A. D. 121, and he ascended the throne A. D. 161. He died in the 59th year of his age, and in the 19th of his reign. Seethe "Popular Cyclopedia; or Conversations Lexicon," vol. i. , pp. 1S8, 189.
—
licas Ibernise Compendium," tomus i. , lib.
' See " Historiae Catho-
* See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scot- tish Saints," p. 199.
Article ix. —' See "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Mnnu-
.
284 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 15. jfifteenti) JDap of iHa^n
ARTICLE I. —ST. DYMPNA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR, AND PATRONESS OF GHEEL, BELGIUM.
[SIXTH OR SEVENTH CENTURY. ] CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION—ST. DYMPNA'S BIOGRAPHERS—CONJECTURES OF FATHER HENSCHENIUS —INQUIRY AS TO THE AGE IN WHICH ST. DYMPNA FLOURISHED—HER FAMILY AND NATAL PLACE—HER PARENTAGE, BIRTH, AND EARLY DISPOSITIONS.
WHENthe Almighty has been pleased to bestow a superabundant measure of divine grace on his elect, those favoured children, so precious in His sight, have generally corresponded with His desires and obtained a glorious inheritance. Especially destined to secure their own salvation, by
those sweet influences, which regulate every interior motive and aspiration of their minds, the Church of Christ also regards their external acts, as deserv- ing the veneration of all true Christians, and as incentives to the exercise of exalted virtues. When from early youth, worldly allurements cease to hold sway over innocent souls, faithful to baptismal vows, we cannot fail to recog- nise a spirit, breathing heavenly benedictions, on those children of happy pro- mise. Would it were possible, that we might fathom the depths of wisdom, treasured in the hearts of the just, or that we could unveil the inner life of grace, which elevates and purifies every desire of God's true servant ! What motives for close imitation should their example not present ! What subjects for pious reflection should their actions not furnish ! In reading the Lives of the Saints, we are often surprised, when considering the great results accom- plished by means and instruments, apparently so weak and inadequate for effecting most admirable objects. Yet, the interior motions of divine grace act in antagonism to the assaults of the devil, the world, and the flesh. Hence, those signal triumphs achieved refer not merely to their own individual exer- tions, unsustained by a power that strengthens and gives confidence in the time of trial. Christian heroism has not been restricted to age, sex, rank, or condition, to time or place. From the earliest ages of the Church to the pre- sent century, in every country where the Gospel has been preached, faith, hope and divine love have brightly shone, in the lives and actions of zealous apostles, undaunted martyrs, holy confessors, pious recluses, and stainless virgins. Ireland has given hosts of saints to fill the courts of the Heavenly Jerusalem. And yet, comparatively few records, regarding numbers thus crowned with eternal happiness, have survived to our time. Amongst olheis, the existing Acts of St. Dympna, virgin and martyr, are meagre and unsatis- factory, in reference to many particulars of her short, but glorious career. Sufficiently known, however, are the principal facts of her life, and well authen- ticated the many miracles attesting her exalted sanctity. Tradition has faithfully preserved, for subsequent edifying record, the bright example and merits of this chaste spouse of Christ, in the country of her voluntary exile, as also in the island, which claims the honour of her nativity.
Chapter i. —Article i. —' Itvasfor- nain. -iult. and afteiw. nrds it was in the pro- meily included within the Dutch province of vince of French Flanders.
