Agnes, Countess of
Mar, granted the Ecclesia S.
Mar, granted the Ecclesia S.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
Finian asked who they were, when the old man answered, " This is the most holy virgin Brigid, the Patroness of Ireland,'^ and, I am Maidoc, the servant of Christ.
On to-morrow, my
* This was a sort of flat dish or pan.
7 The Bollandists think, that this is a mis- take of spelling, and that the name should rather be written, Boitan, or Baitan, which was one more common among the Irish.
^ The text has it, "apud cujus reliquias crebra fieri miracula non desinunc," &c.
"
9 See the Bollandists' Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus ii. , Martii xvi. Vita Auctore Ano-
nymo Anglo ex nostro MS. Hiberniensi,
with notes, pp. 446, 447.
not most, among our modem historians, arrive at this conclusion,
'3 in a communication to me, and directed, Dublin, Patrick-street, Septem- ber 27th, 1876, supposing that St. Finian the Leper must have lived to a late period, in the seventh century, Mr. John M'Call deems this holy man to have been the second Maidoc of Clonmore.
'* The festival of St. Maidoc, Bishop of Ferns, occurs on the 31st of January, at which day may be found the record of his Life.
"5 Pier feast is held, on the 1st of February, and, at that date, her Life may be seen.
"* *'
In the present county of Carlow.
It is thought, he was venerated, on the
Ilth of April.
Following Colgan's inferences, many, if
"
MARCH i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 391
festival shall be celebrated, and on the following day, the feast of this most holy virgin ; and, now have we come, that we may bless our places, and
those, who by their gifts and oblations, honour the days of our departure. But, be you joyful and prepared, for, on the next day, you shall ascend to Heaven. " Arising in ecstasy, Finian ascended his chariot, and then went to
Kildare, the city of Brigid, relating his vision to all. As had been predicted regarding him, on the third day after this vision, he obtained relief from his infirmity, having been translated to the felicity of Heaven.
^^ in the
at Swords, is Dr. Lanigan's'9 contention ; but, holding to a theory, that Finian lived in the seventh century, he assumes, that doubts may be cast on
From this relation—which does not occur in St. Finian's proper Acts— but, given by the author of St. Maidoc's Life, it would appear, if he were the person de—signated, that our saint departed, either on the ist or 2nd day of February most likely on the latter. Hence, one or other day should repre- sent his Natalis. However, all our Martyrologies, as well native as foreign, placehisfestival,atthei6thdayofMarch. This,assomethink,commemo- rated a Translation of his relics ; but, there are no strong grounds, for not deeming it to be the actual day of his demise.
to Dr.
Ireland,'^ died Colman,^^ the pious Bishop of Inis Bo Finne ; and, about the same time, Fionnan, who pronounced his benediction over Ardfionan, left the world. This latter, however, may have been a person, altogether different fromSt. FiniantheLeper. Somewritersareofopinion,thatthedeathof St. Finian the Leper occurred at Ardfinnian. That our saint probably died
According
Jeoffry Keating,
reign
the of a genuineness
composition,
ascribed to St. ^° which Moling, and,
states, that St. Finian died, and was buried, at Clonmore, incorrectly supposed to have beeninthecountyofWexford. WerethatPoemreallythecompositionofSt.
Moling, Dr. Lanigan allows, there should be no question, regarding his death and burial, at the latter place ; for, had he died either at Swords, or at Ardfin- nian, the monks would hardly consent to allow his entire body to be removed to Clonmore. But, he questions the attributed authorship of this poem, which he is inclined to refer rather to some monk of Clonmore, who lived at a later period. Hesupposes,thatOnchuo,^'appearingtohavebeenlaterthanFinian, or Moling, and who therefore could not have been mentioned in a poem, written by the latter, had a portion of the relics belonging to St. Finian the Leper in his collection, and that these might have been deposited in Clon- more church. ^^ Now, Colgan states,=^3 that our saint was buried, neither at
'* See Dermod O'Connor's Keating's author of that little poem, attributed to HistoryofIreland,"bookii. ,p. 404. him; but,whoeverwilltakethetroubleof '7 In Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the reading over his train of reasoning must ob-
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 282 to 297, we serve, he has entirely perverted the mean-
"
find Finachta Fleadhach accorded a reign of
twenty years. Keating, however, only as-
signs him a reign of seven years, from A. D.
678 to 685.
'^
See his Life, at the 8th of August.
'9 See " Ecclesiastical History of Ire- land," vol. iii. , chap, xviii. , sect, iii. , p. 84,
and nn. 33, 34, pp. 86, 87.
^° See his Life, at the 17th of June.
" See this saint's Acts, at the 8th of Feb-
ing of the above passages from Colgan, who distinctly states, that it was at the very period of St. Onchuo's death, and not several years afterwards, that the contro- versy occurred as to which of the monas- teries he should be buried in ; and that,
according to his own dying injunctions, his remains were deposited with his numerous relics, in the cemetery of Clonmore, and in the same grave where —St. Maidoc and St. Finan were buried. " "The Antiquities and History of Cluain-mor-Maedhoc," chap,
^^^ See Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," xvi. Martii. De Sancto Finano cognomento Leproso, cap. viii. , p. 62S.
ruary.
*^ Mr. M'Call remarks
" Dr. Lanigan,
:
for what reason I cannot imagine, has en-
iii. , pp. 15, 16. "
deavouredto throw a doubt over either St. Onchuo or his relics being buried at Clon- more, or even of St. Moling being the
of Monarch of Finnacta,
392 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March i6.
Swords, nor at Ardfinnian, as some suppose, but at Clonmore, and this is deemed, as being altogether the most probable statement, by those who follow his account. To prove this, Colgan cites a passage from a Poem, written in the Irish language, and which he attributes to St. Moling, Bishop of Ferns. Here, it is said, our saint was buried near the cross, and towards the southern part of the cemetery, with Saints Maidoc and Onchuo. The latter is thought to have flourished, three or four generations before Finan Lobhar,^* and to have been born in the latter end of the fifth, or in the commencement of the
year
in reference to the date. ^^
In Ireland, the feast of St. Finan or Finian, the Leper, Bishop and Con-
fessor, was formerly celebrated with an Office, consisting of Nine Lessons. ^7 In the " Feilire" of St. ^ngus, " St. Finan, the luminous Leper," is comme-
morated,atthe16thofMarch. TheMartyrologyofTallagh^'^registershim, at the i6th of March, as Finan (i Lobhar) Suird. Marianus O'Gorman, and
his Scholiast, at this date, place him at Swords, at Ciuainmor, in Lagenia, and at Inisfallen, in Lough Lene. In addition to these places, the Calendar
of Cashel adds, that he belonged to Ardfinain. Whitford, in the Martyrology
sixth ''s the exact century. Still,
of St. Finian's death is not known
; although very incorrect and even contradictory statements have been hazarded,
'* My attention has been called to this
circumstance, by Mr. John M'Call, and, to
other mistakes occurring, especially in the account of St. Oncho or Onchuo, at the 8th
dent there, and as second Bishop of Ferns, A. D. 624, This accounts for his festival day,
January 31st, having been observed, at Clonmore, so late as A. D. 1780 ; and, it also renders intelligible the closing scenes, in the life of the assumed St. Finian Lob- har, where on the eve of this feast, or Ja- nuary 30th, he saw in a vision at Clonmore
of February, in a letter, headed, Dublin, 25
Patrick-street, September 27th, 1876. In
it, Mr. M'Call states, it is asserted, and
with very positive proof, that Maidoc of
Clonmore was really the first Bishop of that holy man, his patron, and Brigid, who
Ferns, and he refers for authority to Rev.
came to warn him of his approaching end.
Mr. M'Call states, that the greater part of the Acts of the second Maidoc of the 31st of
January should more correctly be placed to the credit of his predecessor, the first Mai- doc of Clonmore, Avhose feast has been as- signed to the I ith of April. The two very distinct obits were a great mystification to writers ; when St. Meadhog, Bishop of Ferns, is placed at the 31st of January, A. D. 624, in the " Annals of the Four Masters," and Maidoc the Second, born about 570, having died, A. D. 656, according to the "ChroniconScotorum. " Webelieve,that this whole subject still requires a consider- able share of study, to clear away the obscu- rity, in which it now rests.
^° Thus, Archdall, at Swords, has his death, A. D. 563, and at Clonmore, it is placed under A. D. 680. See " Monasticon Hibernicum," pp. 256, 734.
^' This appears from Kalendars, in the
"
Being older than his uterine brother. Aid,
son of Ainmire, King of Ireland, and who was born in 532, Maidoc's birth must have occurred about 530. Sometime in the latter half of the sixth century, he founded the monastery of Cluain-mor-Masdhoc, thus called after him. Before he became Bishop of Ferns, he was president over Clonmore, when the holy Onchuo came thither, after his pilgrimage, collecting the relics of all the Irish Saints. Through the instrumen- tality of Brandubh, King of Leinster, whose great friend he was, St. Maidoc of Clon- more was advanced to the bishopric of Ferns, towards the close of the sixth cen- tury. He died a. d. 624, and he was buried in his own monastery of Clonmore.
'5 As St. Onchuo, writes Mr. M'Call, was
much advanced in years, at the time he con-
cluded his pilgrimage and rested at Clon-
more, he became very infirm, and in
verification of St. Maidoc's prophecy, he
died some time afterwards, and was buried
John F. Shearman's
Loca Patriciana. "
in
"
the angelic cemetery of Clonmore. " In
that same grave, ]\Iaidoc, first Bishop of Ferns, and Finian Lobhar, were subse-
quently interred. Now, Maidoc, of the Connacians, not being born until about A. D. S70) it is impossible that he could have been the first Bishop of Ferns, according to Mr. M'Call, who thinks, he must have succeeded his namesake of Clonmore, as second presi-
Trinity College, Dublin,
classed, B. 3. 12. B. 3. 13. Again, in "The Book -of Obits and Martyrology of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity,
commonly called Christ Church, Dubhn," in
the Kalendar, at Kal. xvii. Aprilis, March
16, we find, "ix. lee. " See p. 63.
''^
EditedbyRev. Dr. Kelly,p. xviii. In the Franciscan copy is the entry, at this day, piriAni, and over it the comment tobo^x ; then follows Sui^t), while over it again is the gloss, t et mo|\.
Manuscripts,
March i6. LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
593
of Salisbury, and the Carthusian Martyrology, commemorate him. ==9 He is also entered, in the Martyrology of Christ's Church Cathedral, Dublin. 3° We read, in the Martyrology of Donegal,3' as having a festival celebrated on this day, Fionan, the Leper, of Sord, and of Cluainmdr, in Leinster ; and of Ard Fionain,32 in Munster. This is likely to be the St. Finianus, mentioned at the 1 6th of March, in the anonymous list of Irish Saints, published by O'SuUevan Beare. Henry Fitzsimon also commemorates him,33 on the
authority of the Carthusian Martyrology. 34 In the
*'
Memorial of British Piety," 35 and in the " Circle of the Seasons," s^ he is commemorated, at the
1 6th of March.
This saint's festival seems to have been celebrated, even in Scotland.
Thus, he had churches at Killinan, otherwise Kilfynan,37 at Elan Finan,3S at
Mochrum,39 at Abersnetheck, in Monymusk,4° and at Migvie. '*^ Here, too, a fair had been held,"*^ under the name of St. Finzean's fair. There is a Finzean's fair, also, at Perth. The name of the church of Lumphanan, where Macbeth is believed to have been killed, is probably dedicated to St. Finian. ^s In the Dunkeld Litany, he is addressed as Finnanach. 'i4 St. Finian, was venerated, especially at four different places, in Ireland, viz. , Swords, Ardfinnan, Inisfallen, and Clonmore, according to a generally received opinion. However, it does not appear so certain, that all of these, and other places named, must be regarded, as under his particular patronage ; for, possibly, at some early period of our ecclesiastical history, popular tradi- tion got into confusion, regarding him and some other Finian, who may have been more immediately connected with localities designated. It has been stated, that a house, established by our saint, stood at Ardfinnan,^s which
" the
West, in the South Riding of the county of Tipperary, and in the diocese of Lismore. 4^ According to Dr. Jeoffry Keating, a St. Finian blessed Ard- finnin,duringthereignofFinachtaFleadhach,KingofIreland. -^^ Thetown
signifies,
high place
of within the baronies of Ififa and Offa Finian,"
*9 See Colgan's
niae," xvi. Martii, n. 14, p. 629.
land," Wigton, p. 61.
"
Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
30 See " The Book of Obits and Martyr-
ology of the Cathedral Church of the Holy
deen," p. 585.
4' See ibid. , p. 632.
Agnes, Countess of
Mar, granted the Ecclesia S. Finnani de Miggeveth, to ihe Prior and Canons of St.
Trinity, commonly called Christ's Church,
Dublin," edited by John Clarke Crosth-
waithe and Rev. James Henthorn Todd. Andrews. See "Registrum Prioratus S.
"
Introduction, p. xliii. , xvii. Kal. April Androe," p. 249.
(March 16), S. Finani, episcopi et conf. "
This entry, however, is in a later hand, than
by that of the original compiler.
3' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
76, 77-
3^ It received the present name, it is said,
from this saint. Prior to his time it was
4^ In the beginning of the last century, at the Kirk of Migvie. It "was kept whiles in March, and whiles in April, on the Teu—s- day before Midlentron fair at Banchrie. "
"Antiquities of Aberdeen and Banff," vol,
ii. , p. xlvi. Aberdeen's New Prognostica-
tion for the year 1703 is quoted.
43 Although in the " View of the Diocese
of Aberdeen," p. 635, it is stated to have
been dedicated to St. Vincent, whose day
is January 22nd.
••See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
.
called Druim Abhradh, in the Irish Annals. "
See The illustrated Dublin Journal," vol. i. , No. 6, p. 89.
33 He also quotes Hector, lib. 9, fol. 1 77. 34 See "Historise Catholicse Ibernise Com-
pendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , p. 50, and cap. xii. , p. 54,
35 See p. 52.
3* At p. 76.
37 It is called S. Finani Ecclesia, in the
Scottish Saints," p. 347.
45 This parish is shown on the
"
Ord-
de
3^ There his fair was held, next to St.
Patrick's See " Parochiales Day. Origines
Scotias," pars, ii. , p. 198.
39 See " New Statistical Account of Scot-
nance Survey Townland Maps for tlie
County of Tipperary," Sheets 82, 88. The
town itself is on Sheet S8.
''^ See Challoner's "Britannia Bishop
Registrum
Passelet, pp. 113, 131, 139.
'"' See
"
View of the Diocese of Aber-
Sancta," part i. , p. 174.
^^ See Dermod O'Connor's
Keating's "History of Ireland," Book ii. , p. 404,
Duffy's edition.
394 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March i6.
of Lismore was constituted the Deanery of this diocese, in after time ; and, the feast of its patron and founder was kept, we are told, on this day. It was a solemn festival, as tablets belonging to the church bear record. Besides the monastery of Innis-Faithlenn, which was the home of learned men until destroyed, the Cathedral Church of Aghadoe,-*^ as we are told, was also dedi- cated to St. Finnian Lobhar. 'O He is considered to be the patron of South
Kerry,s°
likewise
we are not — assured—
; but, quite although present
local
traditions seem to confirm this opinion that he was that chief patron there
venerated. On June ist, St. Finnan's Tower, Ship-street, Dubhn, fell, and,
by exertions of the parish Beadle (F. Durham), a number of lives were saved. 5^ Most probably, that tower had been dedicated to the present saint.
The truly pious man feels a happiness under affliction, when patient and submissive to the decrees of Providence. Confidence in God, and love
towards him, inspire the soul, and create a great peace within, even when the body is wasted with suffering and disease. Those gifts of mind and of grace are the great sources of fortitude. With manly courage and firmness should we bear our occasional crosses, since our Divine Redeemer showed us how to suffer, and to triumph over suffering.
Article II. —Festival of St. Abban, Abbot of Magharnaidhe, said TO HAVE BEEN Adamstown, County OF Wexford. \Sixth or Seventh Century. '] The " Feilire " of St. ^ngus, and several Irish Kalendars, have this holy abbot's feast, at the present day. The name, Abban mac h. Cor- maic, occurs, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,* at the i6th of March. Accord-
ing to the O'Clerys, he descended from the race of Labhraidh Lore, son of
Ugaine Mdr ; and, again, they state, that Miolla, sister to Bishop lobhar,^
was his mother, as his own Life states, in the first chapter. ^ In that Table "
postfixed to the Martyrology of Donegal, this holy man is styled
Prasgra- tus. ''-^ His Acts are thought to have been confounded, in some particulars, with the Life of another Abban. s As if seeking to connect him with the place, a later hand inserts within brackets, in the O'Clerys' copy of the Donegal
Martyrology, that there is a Machaire Arnaidhe, in Oirghialla, in the diocese of Ardmacha,inthecountyofMuineachanorMonaghan. However,wefind
entered, in the Martyrologies of Marianus O'Gorman,^ of Maguire, and of Donegal,? as being venerated on this day, Abban, Mac Ua Corbmaic, of Magh Arnaidhe, in Ui Ceinnsealaigh, in Leinster ; and, of Cill Abbain, in Ui Muireadhaigh, in Leinster. The present is supposed to have been his natal day on earth, by Colgan, who gives his Acts in full, with notes, and an Appendix, in five chapters. ^ The BoUandists have briefer notices, at the
^ The extent of this parish, in the baro- nies of Dunkerron North and Magunihy, is given, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Kerry," Sheets 50, 58, 59, 60, 65, 66, 67, 68, 74, 76.
this day, we meet with the entry, AbbAtii
m . h. Co]\.
* See his Life, at the 23rd of April.
^ The same statement occurs, in the Acts
of this saint, as published by Colgan, at the *9 The interesting doorway of Aghadoe present day, but in cap. iii.
church is engraved and represented in Miss
''
History of the Kingdom of Kerry," chap, iii. , p. 51.
5° See ibid.
5' See the Annals of Dublin, contained in Pettigrew and Oulton's "Almanac, Re- gistry, and Directory for the year 1846. " These Annals were compiled, by Owen Connellan, Esq.
Article ii. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xviii. In the Franciscan copy, at
• See pp. 354, 355, ibid.
^ See a valuable paper, by Rev. John F.
Shearman, C. C, Howth, and intituled, "Loca Patriciana," in the "Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Asso- elation of Ireland," Fourth Series," vol. ii. , No. 14, pp. 339 to 352.
^Marianus enters, "Abbanus fil. Ua- Corbmaic. "
7 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 76, 77.
Cusack's
March i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 395
16thofMarch. 9 Yet,asthe27thofOctoberisconsideredtohavebeenour saint's natal day in Heaven, we have preferred it, as more suitable for taking into account various difficulties, that beset his biography, and these are not easily soluble, even after the most close and attentive study.
Article III. —Festival of St. Eugenia, Martyr, at Nicomedia, in BiTHYNiA. Inthe"Feilire"ofSt. . ^ngus,'atthepresentday,wefinda commemoration of St. Eugenia, who appears to have been one, among a band of holy martyrs, who suffered for the Faith, at Nicomedia, in Bithynia. This festival was probably taken from the ancient Martyrology, ascribed to St. Jerome, and supposed to be about twelve hundred years old. A more particular account of these martyrs will be found, in the BoUandist collection,^^
alone is found in some of the old Calendars 3 and, again, entered, ;
Eugenia
her name seems to have been incorrectly rendered, into the masculine form of
Eugenius. The period, when this martyrdom took place, seems not to have been recorded.
Article IV. —St. Feithmech or Felmac, of Cill-Toama, now Kil-
TOOM, County of Westmeath. The Bollandists very briefly notice this
saint, at the present day, but they style him, incorrectly, Tetmechus Episco- pus de Kill-tuama. ^ On the i6th of March, we read in the Martyrology of
Tallagh,^ the record, Esp. Felmac o Cill Cuanda (no Tuama), From the prefix, we must regard this saint, as having been a bishop. Yet, we find simply, Feithmech, of Cill-Toama, set down in the Martyrologies of Marianus 0'Gorman3 and of Donegal,^ as having been venerated on this day. Under the head of Cill Cuana, Duald Mac Firbis enters Fethmech, Bishop of Cill Cuana, i. e. , Fethmech, Bishop of Cill Tuama, or (Cill) Toama. s The former should now be written Kilquan, and the other Kiltoome. There are many places, in Ireland, bearing these names. The locality here indicated is thought to have been Kiltoom,^ near Castlepollard. 7 county of Westmeath. ^
* See " Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xvi. Martii. Vita S. Abbani Abbatis de Magh- arnuidhe. ExMS. MembraneoCodiceKil- kenniensi, pp. 610 to 627.
9 See " Acta Sanctorum. " tomus ii. , Martii xvi. Among the pretermitted saints,
"
eugeniA fO|\ ootriAn <\bbAn 'ooff 011\ Aingtecli priAn LAinx)|Aech tobup.
BelovedbyallbuttheDemon Was Eugenia on earth, Abbau the angelic golden
bush,
Finan the luminous leper.
3 The Bollandists state : "At sola Euge- nia refertur in MSS. Casinensi, Pragensi, Treuirensi S. Martini, Bruxeliensi, S. Gu- dilse, Coloniensi Carmelitarum, Florario Sanctorum et Auctario Grcueni ad Vsuar- dum. In Diario historico Joannis Schmidii dicitur in Hispania a Saracenis interfecta, de qua cum Hispanis agemus xxvi. Martii, unde facilis error potuisset irrepere in ilium aut hunc xvi. Martii. "—Ibid.
^
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xviii. In the Franciscan copy, we find entered, at this date, Cpi ITeich mc o chiLi cuAmA.
p. 418. —
Article in. The following
'
:
Irish Leabhar Breac" copy, and translated into English, has been
Rann, taken from the
furnished by Professor O'Looney — e. DC. mil. InmAin acu lA-oemAn
—
tomus ii. , Martii xvi. Among the preter-
^*
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , It is in the parish of Faughalstovvn, and
Martii xv. De Sanctis Martyribus Castorio barony of Fore. It is shown, on the " Ord- seu Castore, Dionysio, Nonno, Sereno, nance Survey Townland Maps for the
Quiriaco, Milisa, Eugenia sive Eugenio, Juliano, Asclepiodoro, Pione, Nicomedise, in Bithynia, p. 420.
County of Westmeath," Sheet 7.
7 In the parish of Kathgarve, and barony
of Fore. iitQibid.
* This was a sort of flat dish or pan.
7 The Bollandists think, that this is a mis- take of spelling, and that the name should rather be written, Boitan, or Baitan, which was one more common among the Irish.
^ The text has it, "apud cujus reliquias crebra fieri miracula non desinunc," &c.
"
9 See the Bollandists' Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus ii. , Martii xvi. Vita Auctore Ano-
nymo Anglo ex nostro MS. Hiberniensi,
with notes, pp. 446, 447.
not most, among our modem historians, arrive at this conclusion,
'3 in a communication to me, and directed, Dublin, Patrick-street, Septem- ber 27th, 1876, supposing that St. Finian the Leper must have lived to a late period, in the seventh century, Mr. John M'Call deems this holy man to have been the second Maidoc of Clonmore.
'* The festival of St. Maidoc, Bishop of Ferns, occurs on the 31st of January, at which day may be found the record of his Life.
"5 Pier feast is held, on the 1st of February, and, at that date, her Life may be seen.
"* *'
In the present county of Carlow.
It is thought, he was venerated, on the
Ilth of April.
Following Colgan's inferences, many, if
"
MARCH i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 391
festival shall be celebrated, and on the following day, the feast of this most holy virgin ; and, now have we come, that we may bless our places, and
those, who by their gifts and oblations, honour the days of our departure. But, be you joyful and prepared, for, on the next day, you shall ascend to Heaven. " Arising in ecstasy, Finian ascended his chariot, and then went to
Kildare, the city of Brigid, relating his vision to all. As had been predicted regarding him, on the third day after this vision, he obtained relief from his infirmity, having been translated to the felicity of Heaven.
^^ in the
at Swords, is Dr. Lanigan's'9 contention ; but, holding to a theory, that Finian lived in the seventh century, he assumes, that doubts may be cast on
From this relation—which does not occur in St. Finian's proper Acts— but, given by the author of St. Maidoc's Life, it would appear, if he were the person de—signated, that our saint departed, either on the ist or 2nd day of February most likely on the latter. Hence, one or other day should repre- sent his Natalis. However, all our Martyrologies, as well native as foreign, placehisfestival,atthei6thdayofMarch. This,assomethink,commemo- rated a Translation of his relics ; but, there are no strong grounds, for not deeming it to be the actual day of his demise.
to Dr.
Ireland,'^ died Colman,^^ the pious Bishop of Inis Bo Finne ; and, about the same time, Fionnan, who pronounced his benediction over Ardfionan, left the world. This latter, however, may have been a person, altogether different fromSt. FiniantheLeper. Somewritersareofopinion,thatthedeathof St. Finian the Leper occurred at Ardfinnian. That our saint probably died
According
Jeoffry Keating,
reign
the of a genuineness
composition,
ascribed to St. ^° which Moling, and,
states, that St. Finian died, and was buried, at Clonmore, incorrectly supposed to have beeninthecountyofWexford. WerethatPoemreallythecompositionofSt.
Moling, Dr. Lanigan allows, there should be no question, regarding his death and burial, at the latter place ; for, had he died either at Swords, or at Ardfin- nian, the monks would hardly consent to allow his entire body to be removed to Clonmore. But, he questions the attributed authorship of this poem, which he is inclined to refer rather to some monk of Clonmore, who lived at a later period. Hesupposes,thatOnchuo,^'appearingtohavebeenlaterthanFinian, or Moling, and who therefore could not have been mentioned in a poem, written by the latter, had a portion of the relics belonging to St. Finian the Leper in his collection, and that these might have been deposited in Clon- more church. ^^ Now, Colgan states,=^3 that our saint was buried, neither at
'* See Dermod O'Connor's Keating's author of that little poem, attributed to HistoryofIreland,"bookii. ,p. 404. him; but,whoeverwilltakethetroubleof '7 In Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the reading over his train of reasoning must ob-
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 282 to 297, we serve, he has entirely perverted the mean-
"
find Finachta Fleadhach accorded a reign of
twenty years. Keating, however, only as-
signs him a reign of seven years, from A. D.
678 to 685.
'^
See his Life, at the 8th of August.
'9 See " Ecclesiastical History of Ire- land," vol. iii. , chap, xviii. , sect, iii. , p. 84,
and nn. 33, 34, pp. 86, 87.
^° See his Life, at the 17th of June.
" See this saint's Acts, at the 8th of Feb-
ing of the above passages from Colgan, who distinctly states, that it was at the very period of St. Onchuo's death, and not several years afterwards, that the contro- versy occurred as to which of the monas- teries he should be buried in ; and that,
according to his own dying injunctions, his remains were deposited with his numerous relics, in the cemetery of Clonmore, and in the same grave where —St. Maidoc and St. Finan were buried. " "The Antiquities and History of Cluain-mor-Maedhoc," chap,
^^^ See Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," xvi. Martii. De Sancto Finano cognomento Leproso, cap. viii. , p. 62S.
ruary.
*^ Mr. M'Call remarks
" Dr. Lanigan,
:
for what reason I cannot imagine, has en-
iii. , pp. 15, 16. "
deavouredto throw a doubt over either St. Onchuo or his relics being buried at Clon- more, or even of St. Moling being the
of Monarch of Finnacta,
392 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March i6.
Swords, nor at Ardfinnian, as some suppose, but at Clonmore, and this is deemed, as being altogether the most probable statement, by those who follow his account. To prove this, Colgan cites a passage from a Poem, written in the Irish language, and which he attributes to St. Moling, Bishop of Ferns. Here, it is said, our saint was buried near the cross, and towards the southern part of the cemetery, with Saints Maidoc and Onchuo. The latter is thought to have flourished, three or four generations before Finan Lobhar,^* and to have been born in the latter end of the fifth, or in the commencement of the
year
in reference to the date. ^^
In Ireland, the feast of St. Finan or Finian, the Leper, Bishop and Con-
fessor, was formerly celebrated with an Office, consisting of Nine Lessons. ^7 In the " Feilire" of St. ^ngus, " St. Finan, the luminous Leper," is comme-
morated,atthe16thofMarch. TheMartyrologyofTallagh^'^registershim, at the i6th of March, as Finan (i Lobhar) Suird. Marianus O'Gorman, and
his Scholiast, at this date, place him at Swords, at Ciuainmor, in Lagenia, and at Inisfallen, in Lough Lene. In addition to these places, the Calendar
of Cashel adds, that he belonged to Ardfinain. Whitford, in the Martyrology
sixth ''s the exact century. Still,
of St. Finian's death is not known
; although very incorrect and even contradictory statements have been hazarded,
'* My attention has been called to this
circumstance, by Mr. John M'Call, and, to
other mistakes occurring, especially in the account of St. Oncho or Onchuo, at the 8th
dent there, and as second Bishop of Ferns, A. D. 624, This accounts for his festival day,
January 31st, having been observed, at Clonmore, so late as A. D. 1780 ; and, it also renders intelligible the closing scenes, in the life of the assumed St. Finian Lob- har, where on the eve of this feast, or Ja- nuary 30th, he saw in a vision at Clonmore
of February, in a letter, headed, Dublin, 25
Patrick-street, September 27th, 1876. In
it, Mr. M'Call states, it is asserted, and
with very positive proof, that Maidoc of
Clonmore was really the first Bishop of that holy man, his patron, and Brigid, who
Ferns, and he refers for authority to Rev.
came to warn him of his approaching end.
Mr. M'Call states, that the greater part of the Acts of the second Maidoc of the 31st of
January should more correctly be placed to the credit of his predecessor, the first Mai- doc of Clonmore, Avhose feast has been as- signed to the I ith of April. The two very distinct obits were a great mystification to writers ; when St. Meadhog, Bishop of Ferns, is placed at the 31st of January, A. D. 624, in the " Annals of the Four Masters," and Maidoc the Second, born about 570, having died, A. D. 656, according to the "ChroniconScotorum. " Webelieve,that this whole subject still requires a consider- able share of study, to clear away the obscu- rity, in which it now rests.
^° Thus, Archdall, at Swords, has his death, A. D. 563, and at Clonmore, it is placed under A. D. 680. See " Monasticon Hibernicum," pp. 256, 734.
^' This appears from Kalendars, in the
"
Being older than his uterine brother. Aid,
son of Ainmire, King of Ireland, and who was born in 532, Maidoc's birth must have occurred about 530. Sometime in the latter half of the sixth century, he founded the monastery of Cluain-mor-Masdhoc, thus called after him. Before he became Bishop of Ferns, he was president over Clonmore, when the holy Onchuo came thither, after his pilgrimage, collecting the relics of all the Irish Saints. Through the instrumen- tality of Brandubh, King of Leinster, whose great friend he was, St. Maidoc of Clon- more was advanced to the bishopric of Ferns, towards the close of the sixth cen- tury. He died a. d. 624, and he was buried in his own monastery of Clonmore.
'5 As St. Onchuo, writes Mr. M'Call, was
much advanced in years, at the time he con-
cluded his pilgrimage and rested at Clon-
more, he became very infirm, and in
verification of St. Maidoc's prophecy, he
died some time afterwards, and was buried
John F. Shearman's
Loca Patriciana. "
in
"
the angelic cemetery of Clonmore. " In
that same grave, ]\Iaidoc, first Bishop of Ferns, and Finian Lobhar, were subse-
quently interred. Now, Maidoc, of the Connacians, not being born until about A. D. S70) it is impossible that he could have been the first Bishop of Ferns, according to Mr. M'Call, who thinks, he must have succeeded his namesake of Clonmore, as second presi-
Trinity College, Dublin,
classed, B. 3. 12. B. 3. 13. Again, in "The Book -of Obits and Martyrology of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity,
commonly called Christ Church, Dubhn," in
the Kalendar, at Kal. xvii. Aprilis, March
16, we find, "ix. lee. " See p. 63.
''^
EditedbyRev. Dr. Kelly,p. xviii. In the Franciscan copy is the entry, at this day, piriAni, and over it the comment tobo^x ; then follows Sui^t), while over it again is the gloss, t et mo|\.
Manuscripts,
March i6. LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
593
of Salisbury, and the Carthusian Martyrology, commemorate him. ==9 He is also entered, in the Martyrology of Christ's Church Cathedral, Dublin. 3° We read, in the Martyrology of Donegal,3' as having a festival celebrated on this day, Fionan, the Leper, of Sord, and of Cluainmdr, in Leinster ; and of Ard Fionain,32 in Munster. This is likely to be the St. Finianus, mentioned at the 1 6th of March, in the anonymous list of Irish Saints, published by O'SuUevan Beare. Henry Fitzsimon also commemorates him,33 on the
authority of the Carthusian Martyrology. 34 In the
*'
Memorial of British Piety," 35 and in the " Circle of the Seasons," s^ he is commemorated, at the
1 6th of March.
This saint's festival seems to have been celebrated, even in Scotland.
Thus, he had churches at Killinan, otherwise Kilfynan,37 at Elan Finan,3S at
Mochrum,39 at Abersnetheck, in Monymusk,4° and at Migvie. '*^ Here, too, a fair had been held,"*^ under the name of St. Finzean's fair. There is a Finzean's fair, also, at Perth. The name of the church of Lumphanan, where Macbeth is believed to have been killed, is probably dedicated to St. Finian. ^s In the Dunkeld Litany, he is addressed as Finnanach. 'i4 St. Finian, was venerated, especially at four different places, in Ireland, viz. , Swords, Ardfinnan, Inisfallen, and Clonmore, according to a generally received opinion. However, it does not appear so certain, that all of these, and other places named, must be regarded, as under his particular patronage ; for, possibly, at some early period of our ecclesiastical history, popular tradi- tion got into confusion, regarding him and some other Finian, who may have been more immediately connected with localities designated. It has been stated, that a house, established by our saint, stood at Ardfinnan,^s which
" the
West, in the South Riding of the county of Tipperary, and in the diocese of Lismore. 4^ According to Dr. Jeoffry Keating, a St. Finian blessed Ard- finnin,duringthereignofFinachtaFleadhach,KingofIreland. -^^ Thetown
signifies,
high place
of within the baronies of Ififa and Offa Finian,"
*9 See Colgan's
niae," xvi. Martii, n. 14, p. 629.
land," Wigton, p. 61.
"
Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
30 See " The Book of Obits and Martyr-
ology of the Cathedral Church of the Holy
deen," p. 585.
4' See ibid. , p. 632.
Agnes, Countess of
Mar, granted the Ecclesia S. Finnani de Miggeveth, to ihe Prior and Canons of St.
Trinity, commonly called Christ's Church,
Dublin," edited by John Clarke Crosth-
waithe and Rev. James Henthorn Todd. Andrews. See "Registrum Prioratus S.
"
Introduction, p. xliii. , xvii. Kal. April Androe," p. 249.
(March 16), S. Finani, episcopi et conf. "
This entry, however, is in a later hand, than
by that of the original compiler.
3' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
76, 77-
3^ It received the present name, it is said,
from this saint. Prior to his time it was
4^ In the beginning of the last century, at the Kirk of Migvie. It "was kept whiles in March, and whiles in April, on the Teu—s- day before Midlentron fair at Banchrie. "
"Antiquities of Aberdeen and Banff," vol,
ii. , p. xlvi. Aberdeen's New Prognostica-
tion for the year 1703 is quoted.
43 Although in the " View of the Diocese
of Aberdeen," p. 635, it is stated to have
been dedicated to St. Vincent, whose day
is January 22nd.
••See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
.
called Druim Abhradh, in the Irish Annals. "
See The illustrated Dublin Journal," vol. i. , No. 6, p. 89.
33 He also quotes Hector, lib. 9, fol. 1 77. 34 See "Historise Catholicse Ibernise Com-
pendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , p. 50, and cap. xii. , p. 54,
35 See p. 52.
3* At p. 76.
37 It is called S. Finani Ecclesia, in the
Scottish Saints," p. 347.
45 This parish is shown on the
"
Ord-
de
3^ There his fair was held, next to St.
Patrick's See " Parochiales Day. Origines
Scotias," pars, ii. , p. 198.
39 See " New Statistical Account of Scot-
nance Survey Townland Maps for tlie
County of Tipperary," Sheets 82, 88. The
town itself is on Sheet S8.
''^ See Challoner's "Britannia Bishop
Registrum
Passelet, pp. 113, 131, 139.
'"' See
"
View of the Diocese of Aber-
Sancta," part i. , p. 174.
^^ See Dermod O'Connor's
Keating's "History of Ireland," Book ii. , p. 404,
Duffy's edition.
394 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March i6.
of Lismore was constituted the Deanery of this diocese, in after time ; and, the feast of its patron and founder was kept, we are told, on this day. It was a solemn festival, as tablets belonging to the church bear record. Besides the monastery of Innis-Faithlenn, which was the home of learned men until destroyed, the Cathedral Church of Aghadoe,-*^ as we are told, was also dedi- cated to St. Finnian Lobhar. 'O He is considered to be the patron of South
Kerry,s°
likewise
we are not — assured—
; but, quite although present
local
traditions seem to confirm this opinion that he was that chief patron there
venerated. On June ist, St. Finnan's Tower, Ship-street, Dubhn, fell, and,
by exertions of the parish Beadle (F. Durham), a number of lives were saved. 5^ Most probably, that tower had been dedicated to the present saint.
The truly pious man feels a happiness under affliction, when patient and submissive to the decrees of Providence. Confidence in God, and love
towards him, inspire the soul, and create a great peace within, even when the body is wasted with suffering and disease. Those gifts of mind and of grace are the great sources of fortitude. With manly courage and firmness should we bear our occasional crosses, since our Divine Redeemer showed us how to suffer, and to triumph over suffering.
Article II. —Festival of St. Abban, Abbot of Magharnaidhe, said TO HAVE BEEN Adamstown, County OF Wexford. \Sixth or Seventh Century. '] The " Feilire " of St. ^ngus, and several Irish Kalendars, have this holy abbot's feast, at the present day. The name, Abban mac h. Cor- maic, occurs, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,* at the i6th of March. Accord-
ing to the O'Clerys, he descended from the race of Labhraidh Lore, son of
Ugaine Mdr ; and, again, they state, that Miolla, sister to Bishop lobhar,^
was his mother, as his own Life states, in the first chapter. ^ In that Table "
postfixed to the Martyrology of Donegal, this holy man is styled
Prasgra- tus. ''-^ His Acts are thought to have been confounded, in some particulars, with the Life of another Abban. s As if seeking to connect him with the place, a later hand inserts within brackets, in the O'Clerys' copy of the Donegal
Martyrology, that there is a Machaire Arnaidhe, in Oirghialla, in the diocese of Ardmacha,inthecountyofMuineachanorMonaghan. However,wefind
entered, in the Martyrologies of Marianus O'Gorman,^ of Maguire, and of Donegal,? as being venerated on this day, Abban, Mac Ua Corbmaic, of Magh Arnaidhe, in Ui Ceinnsealaigh, in Leinster ; and, of Cill Abbain, in Ui Muireadhaigh, in Leinster. The present is supposed to have been his natal day on earth, by Colgan, who gives his Acts in full, with notes, and an Appendix, in five chapters. ^ The BoUandists have briefer notices, at the
^ The extent of this parish, in the baro- nies of Dunkerron North and Magunihy, is given, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Kerry," Sheets 50, 58, 59, 60, 65, 66, 67, 68, 74, 76.
this day, we meet with the entry, AbbAtii
m . h. Co]\.
* See his Life, at the 23rd of April.
^ The same statement occurs, in the Acts
of this saint, as published by Colgan, at the *9 The interesting doorway of Aghadoe present day, but in cap. iii.
church is engraved and represented in Miss
''
History of the Kingdom of Kerry," chap, iii. , p. 51.
5° See ibid.
5' See the Annals of Dublin, contained in Pettigrew and Oulton's "Almanac, Re- gistry, and Directory for the year 1846. " These Annals were compiled, by Owen Connellan, Esq.
Article ii. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xviii. In the Franciscan copy, at
• See pp. 354, 355, ibid.
^ See a valuable paper, by Rev. John F.
Shearman, C. C, Howth, and intituled, "Loca Patriciana," in the "Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Asso- elation of Ireland," Fourth Series," vol. ii. , No. 14, pp. 339 to 352.
^Marianus enters, "Abbanus fil. Ua- Corbmaic. "
7 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 76, 77.
Cusack's
March i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 395
16thofMarch. 9 Yet,asthe27thofOctoberisconsideredtohavebeenour saint's natal day in Heaven, we have preferred it, as more suitable for taking into account various difficulties, that beset his biography, and these are not easily soluble, even after the most close and attentive study.
Article III. —Festival of St. Eugenia, Martyr, at Nicomedia, in BiTHYNiA. Inthe"Feilire"ofSt. . ^ngus,'atthepresentday,wefinda commemoration of St. Eugenia, who appears to have been one, among a band of holy martyrs, who suffered for the Faith, at Nicomedia, in Bithynia. This festival was probably taken from the ancient Martyrology, ascribed to St. Jerome, and supposed to be about twelve hundred years old. A more particular account of these martyrs will be found, in the BoUandist collection,^^
alone is found in some of the old Calendars 3 and, again, entered, ;
Eugenia
her name seems to have been incorrectly rendered, into the masculine form of
Eugenius. The period, when this martyrdom took place, seems not to have been recorded.
Article IV. —St. Feithmech or Felmac, of Cill-Toama, now Kil-
TOOM, County of Westmeath. The Bollandists very briefly notice this
saint, at the present day, but they style him, incorrectly, Tetmechus Episco- pus de Kill-tuama. ^ On the i6th of March, we read in the Martyrology of
Tallagh,^ the record, Esp. Felmac o Cill Cuanda (no Tuama), From the prefix, we must regard this saint, as having been a bishop. Yet, we find simply, Feithmech, of Cill-Toama, set down in the Martyrologies of Marianus 0'Gorman3 and of Donegal,^ as having been venerated on this day. Under the head of Cill Cuana, Duald Mac Firbis enters Fethmech, Bishop of Cill Cuana, i. e. , Fethmech, Bishop of Cill Tuama, or (Cill) Toama. s The former should now be written Kilquan, and the other Kiltoome. There are many places, in Ireland, bearing these names. The locality here indicated is thought to have been Kiltoom,^ near Castlepollard. 7 county of Westmeath. ^
* See " Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xvi. Martii. Vita S. Abbani Abbatis de Magh- arnuidhe. ExMS. MembraneoCodiceKil- kenniensi, pp. 610 to 627.
9 See " Acta Sanctorum. " tomus ii. , Martii xvi. Among the pretermitted saints,
"
eugeniA fO|\ ootriAn <\bbAn 'ooff 011\ Aingtecli priAn LAinx)|Aech tobup.
BelovedbyallbuttheDemon Was Eugenia on earth, Abbau the angelic golden
bush,
Finan the luminous leper.
3 The Bollandists state : "At sola Euge- nia refertur in MSS. Casinensi, Pragensi, Treuirensi S. Martini, Bruxeliensi, S. Gu- dilse, Coloniensi Carmelitarum, Florario Sanctorum et Auctario Grcueni ad Vsuar- dum. In Diario historico Joannis Schmidii dicitur in Hispania a Saracenis interfecta, de qua cum Hispanis agemus xxvi. Martii, unde facilis error potuisset irrepere in ilium aut hunc xvi. Martii. "—Ibid.
^
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xviii. In the Franciscan copy, we find entered, at this date, Cpi ITeich mc o chiLi cuAmA.
p. 418. —
Article in. The following
'
:
Irish Leabhar Breac" copy, and translated into English, has been
Rann, taken from the
furnished by Professor O'Looney — e. DC. mil. InmAin acu lA-oemAn
—
tomus ii. , Martii xvi. Among the preter-
^*
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , It is in the parish of Faughalstovvn, and
Martii xv. De Sanctis Martyribus Castorio barony of Fore. It is shown, on the " Ord- seu Castore, Dionysio, Nonno, Sereno, nance Survey Townland Maps for the
Quiriaco, Milisa, Eugenia sive Eugenio, Juliano, Asclepiodoro, Pione, Nicomedise, in Bithynia, p. 420.
County of Westmeath," Sheet 7.
7 In the parish of Kathgarve, and barony
of Fore. iitQibid.
