'-See the edition of
Benjamin
Thorpe, vol.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v5
O'Conor, " Profluvium van- tri>, et virium exinanitio.
"
"" See Rev. Dr. OConor's "Rerum Hiber- nicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. Tigernachi Annales, p. 303.
"^ See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scotiish Saints," p. 13.
"*Thus: "111 Idus. EtinHiberniaNa- tale Sancii Tigernaig Ancorite et Confesso- ris. "
'= Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 1 26, 127. It may here be observed, that in the Appendix to the Introduction of the Donegal Martyroloi^y, these words occur, Cef a^a 1iuci\. 13 Mail. But, Dr. Todd de- clares, in a note, he is unable to explain, what this signifies. See p. xlvii.
Article ii. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxiv.
''His name is there written mAelmoit).
3 Sec " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Mali xiii. De Sanclo Moeldodio, Abbate in
'^ See William M. Hennessy's " Chroni- cum Scotontm," pp. 284, 285.
'' These are called the Rolgach, Anglicized
May 13. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
235
schennwasthecompiler. Weareinformed,thatSt. Moeldodwasamemberof the great house of the Orgiel dynasts, representing the three Collas. * It will be difficult, however, to determine the exact time, when he flourished ; but, we may partially approximate to it, by following the genealogical tree of his family. St. Moeldod, or Maldod,5 was son to Eingin, son of Aldus, son to Fiach, son of Fiech, son to Eugene, son to Brian, son of Muredach Meth, son to Imchad, one of CoUa Dacrioch's ^ sons. We have few particulars to state regarding this saint. We are told, however, that he was Abbot of Mucmaimh, in Orgiellia,? or Uriel ; and that place has been converted by Archdall ^ into Monaghan, said to have been anciently called Muinechan. 9 The Rev. Dr. Lanigan '° asserts, that it was well known an old monastery stood at Monaghan—which he identifies with Mucnaimh—and, of this, Moeldod was Abbot, if not the founder. Sucii identification, however, is quite incorrect. In Monaghan," which has an antique history of its own, there is now no trace of the former Abbey ; but, tradition states, that it arose over a lake, near this town, and on those grounds, where the Protestant endowed school now stands, on a most beautiful site. Notwithstanding the contrary assertion of Rev. Dr. Lanigan, Mucnamh—sometimes written Muc- shnamh—is nowidentifiedwithMuckno,"aparishinthebaronyofCremorne, and county of Monaghan. Chiefly within its bounds is the beautiful lake of Mucno, with its soft and swelling shores richly wooded, and having pretty isles and islets to diversify its fine landscapes. A Druidical circle is on the
northernborder. Theeasternandnorth-easterndistrictsaremountainous. '3 It is situated, near to Castleblaney. ''* The time, when this saint lived, has not been specified. The feast of a St. Maldod, Confessor, in Ireland, occurs, likewise, on the following day, May i4th. '5 At this date, in his Scottish Menology,'^ Dempster speaks of Maldod, Bishop, in Ireland, a Scot by birth, and a man distinguished for his great holiness, remarkable patience, and the influence of his virtuous example. ^? As a proof of these assertions, he adds the letters M. C. ; by which he asserts, the Carthusian Martyrology to be indicated as authority, Canisius, and Adam Walasser. The Bollandist writer, inthe"ActaSanctorum,"hadnotseenthislatterwork; but,intheformer authors, he found nothing regarding Moeldod's episcopacy, or about his Scot- tisli origin. It is supposed, however, that this saint was identical, with an Abbot, who ruled over Muc-naimh monastery. '^ His feast was assigned to
Hibernia, pp. 245, 246.
'* SeeRev. JamesO'Laverty's"Historical
Account of the Diocese of Down and Connor, Ancient and Modern," vol. i. , p. 25, n.
5 Colgan mentions him, at the 21st day of March, in his Appendix to a life of St. En- deus, who was Abbot in Aran.
^ See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," xxi. , Martii, p. 713.
7 The people of this large tertitory are said to have been so distinguished, because they had a privilege from the Monarch of IrelaiKi, that if any of their race should be demand etl as hostages, these should be bound in chains of gold, " hence they were called Oirghialla, i. e. , of the golden hostages. "—Rev. James O'Laverty's " Historical Account of the Dio- cese of Down and Connor, Ancient and Modern," p. 25, n.
* See "Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 585. 9Seenn. (h. i. ), ibid.
'° See " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland,"
vol. iii. , cliap. xxi. , sect, i. , n. 8, p. 273. "Seeanaccountofthisimportanttown,in Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ire-
land," vol. ii. , pp. 382 to 384.
" See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (d), p. 445.
'3 gee "Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire-
land," vol. ii. , pp. 822, 823.
''See Dr. O'Donovan's " Leabhar na
g-Ceart, or Book of Rights," n. (a), p. 150. 'S "• in MS. Florario Sanctorum, in Auc- tuario Greveni ad Usuardum, Martyrologio Germanico Canisii, Catalogis Ferrari! et Fitz-
Simonis. "
'^ See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scot-
tish Saints," p. 199,
'? Li his " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Scotorum," Dempster has nothing regarding Moeldod, or Moeldodius.
'^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. . Maii xiii. DeSanctoMoeldodioAbbateinHiber- nia, " p. 246,
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 13.
thisdate,byRichardWhitford,inhisEnglishMartyrology. 's Also,onthis day, the Martyrology of Donegal,^" registers tlie name Alaeldoid, of Muc- namh, as having been venerated.
Article III. St. Abben, Hermit, of Abingdon, England. In the English Martyrology of John Wilson,' there is an entry at the 13th of May, inreferencetoSt. Abben,theHermit. Whencitingthisauthority,William Camden rejects the opinion, that Abbendun, or Abbington, in England, had its name from him ; but, rather does he consider, that its first name, Sheoves- ham, was afterwards changed into the Town of the Abbey. ' Here, indeed, he labours under a great mistake ; and the Bollandists,3 who record, at this date, the feast of Abbenus, Eremita Hibernus, in Comitalu Bercheriensi, are also led astray by his authority. Abben was a native of Ireland, and he is said to have left his native country for England, after the reign of King Lucius * over the Britons. He received baptism,s while Pope Elutherius presided overtheRomanSee. ^ Themutilated"ChroniconMonasteriideAbingdon"7 informs us, that a religious monk, named Abbenus, came from Hibernia to l^. ritain, and that he faithfully preached the word of God, as the Holy Ghost inspired him. ^ He visited the court of the iUustrious King of tlie Britons, where he was most honourably received, and where he obtained the favour of that potentate, who regarded him as anoiiier Joseph. It is related, that he asked from the king a tract of land, and that he obtained the greater part of the province of Berroccense—now Berkshire. There, with the consent of the king and his council, the pilgrim happily
founded a monastery. 9 Allusions are frequently made to this place, called Abbandun,'° pleasantly situated at the influx of the small river Ock, into the Thames," in the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle,"" and in other records, when noting allusions to that celebrated religious institute, called after St. Abban. Themonasterythereis saidtohavebeenfoundedbyCissa,'3fathertoIna,
236
'9 This worlc was printed at London, a. d. ie26.
="^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 126, 127.
Article hi—' Printed a. d. 1640.
^ See "Britannia," under the heading Attrebatii, p. 99, in the Amsterdam edition ofhis work, Anno clo loclix. , folio.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Mail xiii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 186.
autliority of the Lords Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury, under the direction of the Master of the Rolls, in two volumes. London, 1858, 8vo.
^ See ibid. , vol. i. , lib. i. , sect, v. , p, 2.
9 The old chronicler adds, "cui nomen Abbendoniam, vel a nomine suo vel a loci vocabulo, alliidenter imijosuit. Secundum enim idionia Hibernensium, ut ex relatione modernorum accepimus, Abbendon "mansio
i He said to have sent letters to Pope Elutherius, in the second ccntuiy, and to have been baptized, with nearly all his sub- jects. See Matthew of Paris '' Chronica Majora," edited by Henry Richard Luard, RLA. , vol. i. , pp. 129, 130.
s John Capgrave writes : " Summe Croni- cles sey this was in yere of oure Lord 165. " —"Chronicle of England," edited by Rev. Francis Charles Hingeston, B. A. , Etasvi. , p. 67.
vuli;ariter nuncupalur. " •' Historia Monas-
terii de Abingdon," vol. i. , lib. i. , sect, v. ,
pp. 2, 3.
'" It was a place of considerable import-
ance during the Saxon Heptarchy ; and OlTa, King of Mercia, had a palace there. See Charles Knight's "English Cyclopedia," c;eo;^ri)ihy. vol. i. , col. 15.
" See Lewis' •' Topographical Dictionary of England," vol. i. , p. 5.
'-See the edition of Benjamin Thorpe, vol. i. , Lulex of Places and Peoples, p.
'Seethe "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle," ac- cording to the several original Authorities. Edited with a Translation and Notes, by 393.
Benjamin Thorpe, vol. i. , pp. 14, 15, and vol. ii. , p. 9.
^ This has been lately edited by the Rev. Joseph Stevenson, M. A. , and published by
'^ See William Camden's " P. iitannia," p. 99, of the edition aheady quoted.
'< See William of . Malmesbury," De Ges- tis Ponlilicum Anglorum," edited by N. E.
Alibeni " interpreiaiur
;
secundum vero
idioma Anglorum. \bbendun "monsAbenni" is —
—
May 13. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
King of the West Saxons. '** The site selected was a very beautiful one, on the declivity of a hill. 's There, St. Abban collected a great number of monks, amounting it is said to three hundred or more. Over these, he presided as Abbot,'^ and as a father ; all his subjects yielding him love and obedience, under the sweet yoke of Christ. In his later years, and in hoary old age, the holymandesiredtorevisithisowndearlylovedland and,itwassoordered
;
by Providence, that he should return to it, still to edify all, by his pious course of living. In Ireland, too, he departed from the world, to reign happily withChrist. '7 InhisCatalogueofsomeIrishSaints,andquotingCamden,it is said, that Father Henry Fitz-simon enters a festival, for the Hermit Abbenus. ^^ Alreadyatthei6thofMarch,someallusionhasbeenmadeto him -'9 and, as we conceive, to another and to a distinct Irish saint, called Abban, Abbot of Magharnaidhe, whose feast has been set down for the same date. ^° It is possible, both may have been there confounded, by the Martyrologists; and, we may probably conclude, that St. Abban, the hermit of Abingdon, has only the 13th of May assigned as his distinctive festival. Fuller quaintly remarks, on the constant migrations of the early saints, that " most of these men seem to have been born under a Travelhng Planet; seldom having their education in the place of their nativity, ofltimes composed of Irish infancy, British breeding, and French preferment ; taking a coule in one country, a crozier in another, and a grave in a third; neither bred where born, nor bene- ficed where bred, nor buried where beneficed ; but wandering in several king- doms. " Such observations may be appended, in thus closing our brief notices of this holy hermit's little known history.
ArticleIV. St. Mochonna,ofDerry. ThenameofSt. Mochonna appears, in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 13th of May ; as also, in the Franciscan copy ^ of that Calendar. While the local appellation of Doire has been added to his name, by a later Calendarist, it does not appear to have been established, that such an etymon can be referable to the city on Lough F. oyle ; although, towards the end of the seventh century, a Mochonna, "antistes Dorensis," was present in a synod held at Tara. 3 It does not seem very certain, that the present saint can be distinguished from one of the same name, and whose feast occurs, at the 8th of March. 4 He is indifferently styled, Mochonna, or Daconna. s The Bollandists ^ barely notice him, at the
S. A. Hamilton, lib. ii. , sect. 88, p. 191.
'5 The local chionicler adds, " paulisper ultra villam qure nunc vocatur Suniggevvelle, inter duos rivulos amaenissimos, qui, locum ipsum quasi quendam sinum inter se conclu- dentes, gratum cernentibus proebent specta- culum et opportunum habitantibus subsi-
dium. "
'* The chronicler of Abingdon monastery
supposes, that Abban and his community be- longed to the Benedictine Order and rule.
licse Ibernice Compendium, " tomus i. , lib. i v. , cap. xii.
'9 See the Third Volume of this work, at that day, Art. x.
'7 See " Historia Monasterii de Abing- B. D. , D. D. , vol. iii. , p. 928.
don," vol. i. , lib. i. , sect, v. , p. 3. The "* See notices of St. Mochonna, of Derry-
chronicler states, that his information has been derived from earlier records of his monastery, sect, liii. , p. 120, and lib. ii. , p. 443.
'^ His name or feast is not to be found, however, in that List furnished to O'SuUevan Beare, and printed in his " Historic Catho-
Disart of Mochonna, at this date, in the Third Volume, at Art. xv.
s See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nire," Martii viii. , pp. 565, 566.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Mail xiii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 186.
*° See ibid. , Art. ii.
Article iv. —' p. xxiv.
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
^ Here it is given as tflochonnAe.
^ in 697, by Flann Finn. See " A Die- tionary of Christian Biography," &c. , edited by William Smith, LL. D. , and Henry Wace,
237
ii&
to the I St of July.
126, 127. — Article v.
——
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [I^Iay 13.
13thofMay. TheCainAdhamhnainstates,thatMochonna,ofDoire,was one of those saints, whom Adamnan ^ found as security, to free Irish women from every slavery, and from every distress, in which they were. According to the Martyrology of Donegal,^ veneration was given, on this day, to Mochonna, of Doire.
Article V. Reputed Festival of St. Moling Luachra. \_Sa>e? iih Century. '] The death of St. Moling Luachra is set down at a. d. 696, in the Annals of the Four Masters,' at the 13th of May, although his chief
feast is assigned to the 17th of June. " His Life will be given, at this latter date.
Aritcle VL—Reputed Feast of St. Servax, or St. Ser^anus, Apostle of the Orkneys, at Pomona. [Fiflh Century. '] A festival is set down, at the 13th of INLiy, by Dempster,' for St. Servan, the Apostle,^ at Pomona, the largest of the Orkney Islands, He is said to have flourished, a. d. 440. 3 The oldest Irish documents make him aPict, by the mother's side. His mother is said, also, to have been Alma, daughter of the Cruithne King
; while his father is called Pore, King of Canaan of Egypt,* accord- ing to the Tract, ascribed to St. ^ngus the Culdee, on the Mothers of the Irish Saints. 5 It is stated, by John Lesley,^ following the authority of Boece,7 that he had been sent by St. Palladius,^ to preach
the Gosple there ; but, as the Bollandists 9 could not find the name of
Serseanus inscribed, on the older Martyrologies, they preferred waiting until
the 6th of July afforded them an opportunity for introducing the Acts of St.
Palladius, in which Serseanus might receive consideration, as being a contem-
porary and a disciple. However, his feast has been more generally ascribed
'°
Article VII. Reputed Feast of Dubliterius Fiond or Candi- Dus. At the 13th of May, the Bollandists ' have an entry of this feast, and quote for it the Martyrology of Tallagh. " The Bollandists remark, that a Dublitirius, Abbot of Clonenagh, in the diocese of Leighlin, and in the terri- tory of Leix, died a. d. 927. 3 But, they would not undertake to identify him
7 See his Life, at the 23rd of Septem- ber.
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
s gee Rev. Dr. Reeves' " Culdees of the British Islands," p. 124.
* In " De Rebus Gestis Scotorum," lib. iv. , p. 157.
" See Bellenden's Boece, vol. i. . Book vii. , chap. 18, p. 286.
^ See his Life, at the 6th of July.
' See "Acta S. mclorum," tomus iii. , Maii xiii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 187.
' See Dr. O'Donovan's edi- lion, vol. i. , pp. 298, 299.
' See n. (x), iHd.
Article vi. —' In his " Menologium Scoticum " thus: "In Pomona Oicadum maxima Servani Apostoli. K. "
" See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scot- tish Saints," p. 199.
3 According to Dempster, in his "Ilistoria Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xvii. , num. 1030, p. 574.
* A Manuscript, in Archbishop Marsh's
Library, Dublin, states, that he was miracu- h. is "Dubliter ocus. " Seep. xxiv. The lously born of Obeth, King of Canaan, Franciscan copy has tJublicep p'''"^* ^^ ^his and of Alpia, daughter to the King of date.
Arabia. 3 jp the Annales Ultonienses, the death
'"See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," pp. 445 to 447.
Article vii. —' See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Maii xiii. Among the pretermitted festivals, p. 186.
' The published copy of Rev. Dr.
"" See Rev. Dr. OConor's "Rerum Hiber- nicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. Tigernachi Annales, p. 303.
"^ See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scotiish Saints," p. 13.
"*Thus: "111 Idus. EtinHiberniaNa- tale Sancii Tigernaig Ancorite et Confesso- ris. "
'= Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 1 26, 127. It may here be observed, that in the Appendix to the Introduction of the Donegal Martyroloi^y, these words occur, Cef a^a 1iuci\. 13 Mail. But, Dr. Todd de- clares, in a note, he is unable to explain, what this signifies. See p. xlvii.
Article ii. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxiv.
''His name is there written mAelmoit).
3 Sec " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Mali xiii. De Sanclo Moeldodio, Abbate in
'^ See William M. Hennessy's " Chroni- cum Scotontm," pp. 284, 285.
'' These are called the Rolgach, Anglicized
May 13. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
235
schennwasthecompiler. Weareinformed,thatSt. Moeldodwasamemberof the great house of the Orgiel dynasts, representing the three Collas. * It will be difficult, however, to determine the exact time, when he flourished ; but, we may partially approximate to it, by following the genealogical tree of his family. St. Moeldod, or Maldod,5 was son to Eingin, son of Aldus, son to Fiach, son of Fiech, son to Eugene, son to Brian, son of Muredach Meth, son to Imchad, one of CoUa Dacrioch's ^ sons. We have few particulars to state regarding this saint. We are told, however, that he was Abbot of Mucmaimh, in Orgiellia,? or Uriel ; and that place has been converted by Archdall ^ into Monaghan, said to have been anciently called Muinechan. 9 The Rev. Dr. Lanigan '° asserts, that it was well known an old monastery stood at Monaghan—which he identifies with Mucnaimh—and, of this, Moeldod was Abbot, if not the founder. Sucii identification, however, is quite incorrect. In Monaghan," which has an antique history of its own, there is now no trace of the former Abbey ; but, tradition states, that it arose over a lake, near this town, and on those grounds, where the Protestant endowed school now stands, on a most beautiful site. Notwithstanding the contrary assertion of Rev. Dr. Lanigan, Mucnamh—sometimes written Muc- shnamh—is nowidentifiedwithMuckno,"aparishinthebaronyofCremorne, and county of Monaghan. Chiefly within its bounds is the beautiful lake of Mucno, with its soft and swelling shores richly wooded, and having pretty isles and islets to diversify its fine landscapes. A Druidical circle is on the
northernborder. Theeasternandnorth-easterndistrictsaremountainous. '3 It is situated, near to Castleblaney. ''* The time, when this saint lived, has not been specified. The feast of a St. Maldod, Confessor, in Ireland, occurs, likewise, on the following day, May i4th. '5 At this date, in his Scottish Menology,'^ Dempster speaks of Maldod, Bishop, in Ireland, a Scot by birth, and a man distinguished for his great holiness, remarkable patience, and the influence of his virtuous example. ^? As a proof of these assertions, he adds the letters M. C. ; by which he asserts, the Carthusian Martyrology to be indicated as authority, Canisius, and Adam Walasser. The Bollandist writer, inthe"ActaSanctorum,"hadnotseenthislatterwork; but,intheformer authors, he found nothing regarding Moeldod's episcopacy, or about his Scot- tisli origin. It is supposed, however, that this saint was identical, with an Abbot, who ruled over Muc-naimh monastery. '^ His feast was assigned to
Hibernia, pp. 245, 246.
'* SeeRev. JamesO'Laverty's"Historical
Account of the Diocese of Down and Connor, Ancient and Modern," vol. i. , p. 25, n.
5 Colgan mentions him, at the 21st day of March, in his Appendix to a life of St. En- deus, who was Abbot in Aran.
^ See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," xxi. , Martii, p. 713.
7 The people of this large tertitory are said to have been so distinguished, because they had a privilege from the Monarch of IrelaiKi, that if any of their race should be demand etl as hostages, these should be bound in chains of gold, " hence they were called Oirghialla, i. e. , of the golden hostages. "—Rev. James O'Laverty's " Historical Account of the Dio- cese of Down and Connor, Ancient and Modern," p. 25, n.
* See "Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 585. 9Seenn. (h. i. ), ibid.
'° See " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland,"
vol. iii. , cliap. xxi. , sect, i. , n. 8, p. 273. "Seeanaccountofthisimportanttown,in Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ire-
land," vol. ii. , pp. 382 to 384.
" See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (d), p. 445.
'3 gee "Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire-
land," vol. ii. , pp. 822, 823.
''See Dr. O'Donovan's " Leabhar na
g-Ceart, or Book of Rights," n. (a), p. 150. 'S "• in MS. Florario Sanctorum, in Auc- tuario Greveni ad Usuardum, Martyrologio Germanico Canisii, Catalogis Ferrari! et Fitz-
Simonis. "
'^ See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scot-
tish Saints," p. 199,
'? Li his " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Scotorum," Dempster has nothing regarding Moeldod, or Moeldodius.
'^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. . Maii xiii. DeSanctoMoeldodioAbbateinHiber- nia, " p. 246,
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 13.
thisdate,byRichardWhitford,inhisEnglishMartyrology. 's Also,onthis day, the Martyrology of Donegal,^" registers tlie name Alaeldoid, of Muc- namh, as having been venerated.
Article III. St. Abben, Hermit, of Abingdon, England. In the English Martyrology of John Wilson,' there is an entry at the 13th of May, inreferencetoSt. Abben,theHermit. Whencitingthisauthority,William Camden rejects the opinion, that Abbendun, or Abbington, in England, had its name from him ; but, rather does he consider, that its first name, Sheoves- ham, was afterwards changed into the Town of the Abbey. ' Here, indeed, he labours under a great mistake ; and the Bollandists,3 who record, at this date, the feast of Abbenus, Eremita Hibernus, in Comitalu Bercheriensi, are also led astray by his authority. Abben was a native of Ireland, and he is said to have left his native country for England, after the reign of King Lucius * over the Britons. He received baptism,s while Pope Elutherius presided overtheRomanSee. ^ Themutilated"ChroniconMonasteriideAbingdon"7 informs us, that a religious monk, named Abbenus, came from Hibernia to l^. ritain, and that he faithfully preached the word of God, as the Holy Ghost inspired him. ^ He visited the court of the iUustrious King of tlie Britons, where he was most honourably received, and where he obtained the favour of that potentate, who regarded him as anoiiier Joseph. It is related, that he asked from the king a tract of land, and that he obtained the greater part of the province of Berroccense—now Berkshire. There, with the consent of the king and his council, the pilgrim happily
founded a monastery. 9 Allusions are frequently made to this place, called Abbandun,'° pleasantly situated at the influx of the small river Ock, into the Thames," in the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle,"" and in other records, when noting allusions to that celebrated religious institute, called after St. Abban. Themonasterythereis saidtohavebeenfoundedbyCissa,'3fathertoIna,
236
'9 This worlc was printed at London, a. d. ie26.
="^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 126, 127.
Article hi—' Printed a. d. 1640.
^ See "Britannia," under the heading Attrebatii, p. 99, in the Amsterdam edition ofhis work, Anno clo loclix. , folio.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Mail xiii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 186.
autliority of the Lords Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury, under the direction of the Master of the Rolls, in two volumes. London, 1858, 8vo.
^ See ibid. , vol. i. , lib. i. , sect, v. , p, 2.
9 The old chronicler adds, "cui nomen Abbendoniam, vel a nomine suo vel a loci vocabulo, alliidenter imijosuit. Secundum enim idionia Hibernensium, ut ex relatione modernorum accepimus, Abbendon "mansio
i He said to have sent letters to Pope Elutherius, in the second ccntuiy, and to have been baptized, with nearly all his sub- jects. See Matthew of Paris '' Chronica Majora," edited by Henry Richard Luard, RLA. , vol. i. , pp. 129, 130.
s John Capgrave writes : " Summe Croni- cles sey this was in yere of oure Lord 165. " —"Chronicle of England," edited by Rev. Francis Charles Hingeston, B. A. , Etasvi. , p. 67.
vuli;ariter nuncupalur. " •' Historia Monas-
terii de Abingdon," vol. i. , lib. i. , sect, v. ,
pp. 2, 3.
'" It was a place of considerable import-
ance during the Saxon Heptarchy ; and OlTa, King of Mercia, had a palace there. See Charles Knight's "English Cyclopedia," c;eo;^ri)ihy. vol. i. , col. 15.
" See Lewis' •' Topographical Dictionary of England," vol. i. , p. 5.
'-See the edition of Benjamin Thorpe, vol. i. , Lulex of Places and Peoples, p.
'Seethe "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle," ac- cording to the several original Authorities. Edited with a Translation and Notes, by 393.
Benjamin Thorpe, vol. i. , pp. 14, 15, and vol. ii. , p. 9.
^ This has been lately edited by the Rev. Joseph Stevenson, M. A. , and published by
'^ See William Camden's " P. iitannia," p. 99, of the edition aheady quoted.
'< See William of . Malmesbury," De Ges- tis Ponlilicum Anglorum," edited by N. E.
Alibeni " interpreiaiur
;
secundum vero
idioma Anglorum. \bbendun "monsAbenni" is —
—
May 13. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
King of the West Saxons. '** The site selected was a very beautiful one, on the declivity of a hill. 's There, St. Abban collected a great number of monks, amounting it is said to three hundred or more. Over these, he presided as Abbot,'^ and as a father ; all his subjects yielding him love and obedience, under the sweet yoke of Christ. In his later years, and in hoary old age, the holymandesiredtorevisithisowndearlylovedland and,itwassoordered
;
by Providence, that he should return to it, still to edify all, by his pious course of living. In Ireland, too, he departed from the world, to reign happily withChrist. '7 InhisCatalogueofsomeIrishSaints,andquotingCamden,it is said, that Father Henry Fitz-simon enters a festival, for the Hermit Abbenus. ^^ Alreadyatthei6thofMarch,someallusionhasbeenmadeto him -'9 and, as we conceive, to another and to a distinct Irish saint, called Abban, Abbot of Magharnaidhe, whose feast has been set down for the same date. ^° It is possible, both may have been there confounded, by the Martyrologists; and, we may probably conclude, that St. Abban, the hermit of Abingdon, has only the 13th of May assigned as his distinctive festival. Fuller quaintly remarks, on the constant migrations of the early saints, that " most of these men seem to have been born under a Travelhng Planet; seldom having their education in the place of their nativity, ofltimes composed of Irish infancy, British breeding, and French preferment ; taking a coule in one country, a crozier in another, and a grave in a third; neither bred where born, nor bene- ficed where bred, nor buried where beneficed ; but wandering in several king- doms. " Such observations may be appended, in thus closing our brief notices of this holy hermit's little known history.
ArticleIV. St. Mochonna,ofDerry. ThenameofSt. Mochonna appears, in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 13th of May ; as also, in the Franciscan copy ^ of that Calendar. While the local appellation of Doire has been added to his name, by a later Calendarist, it does not appear to have been established, that such an etymon can be referable to the city on Lough F. oyle ; although, towards the end of the seventh century, a Mochonna, "antistes Dorensis," was present in a synod held at Tara. 3 It does not seem very certain, that the present saint can be distinguished from one of the same name, and whose feast occurs, at the 8th of March. 4 He is indifferently styled, Mochonna, or Daconna. s The Bollandists ^ barely notice him, at the
S. A. Hamilton, lib. ii. , sect. 88, p. 191.
'5 The local chionicler adds, " paulisper ultra villam qure nunc vocatur Suniggevvelle, inter duos rivulos amaenissimos, qui, locum ipsum quasi quendam sinum inter se conclu- dentes, gratum cernentibus proebent specta- culum et opportunum habitantibus subsi-
dium. "
'* The chronicler of Abingdon monastery
supposes, that Abban and his community be- longed to the Benedictine Order and rule.
licse Ibernice Compendium, " tomus i. , lib. i v. , cap. xii.
'9 See the Third Volume of this work, at that day, Art. x.
'7 See " Historia Monasterii de Abing- B. D. , D. D. , vol. iii. , p. 928.
don," vol. i. , lib. i. , sect, v. , p. 3. The "* See notices of St. Mochonna, of Derry-
chronicler states, that his information has been derived from earlier records of his monastery, sect, liii. , p. 120, and lib. ii. , p. 443.
'^ His name or feast is not to be found, however, in that List furnished to O'SuUevan Beare, and printed in his " Historic Catho-
Disart of Mochonna, at this date, in the Third Volume, at Art. xv.
s See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nire," Martii viii. , pp. 565, 566.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Mail xiii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 186.
*° See ibid. , Art. ii.
Article iv. —' p. xxiv.
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
^ Here it is given as tflochonnAe.
^ in 697, by Flann Finn. See " A Die- tionary of Christian Biography," &c. , edited by William Smith, LL. D. , and Henry Wace,
237
ii&
to the I St of July.
126, 127. — Article v.
——
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [I^Iay 13.
13thofMay. TheCainAdhamhnainstates,thatMochonna,ofDoire,was one of those saints, whom Adamnan ^ found as security, to free Irish women from every slavery, and from every distress, in which they were. According to the Martyrology of Donegal,^ veneration was given, on this day, to Mochonna, of Doire.
Article V. Reputed Festival of St. Moling Luachra. \_Sa>e? iih Century. '] The death of St. Moling Luachra is set down at a. d. 696, in the Annals of the Four Masters,' at the 13th of May, although his chief
feast is assigned to the 17th of June. " His Life will be given, at this latter date.
Aritcle VL—Reputed Feast of St. Servax, or St. Ser^anus, Apostle of the Orkneys, at Pomona. [Fiflh Century. '] A festival is set down, at the 13th of INLiy, by Dempster,' for St. Servan, the Apostle,^ at Pomona, the largest of the Orkney Islands, He is said to have flourished, a. d. 440. 3 The oldest Irish documents make him aPict, by the mother's side. His mother is said, also, to have been Alma, daughter of the Cruithne King
; while his father is called Pore, King of Canaan of Egypt,* accord- ing to the Tract, ascribed to St. ^ngus the Culdee, on the Mothers of the Irish Saints. 5 It is stated, by John Lesley,^ following the authority of Boece,7 that he had been sent by St. Palladius,^ to preach
the Gosple there ; but, as the Bollandists 9 could not find the name of
Serseanus inscribed, on the older Martyrologies, they preferred waiting until
the 6th of July afforded them an opportunity for introducing the Acts of St.
Palladius, in which Serseanus might receive consideration, as being a contem-
porary and a disciple. However, his feast has been more generally ascribed
'°
Article VII. Reputed Feast of Dubliterius Fiond or Candi- Dus. At the 13th of May, the Bollandists ' have an entry of this feast, and quote for it the Martyrology of Tallagh. " The Bollandists remark, that a Dublitirius, Abbot of Clonenagh, in the diocese of Leighlin, and in the terri- tory of Leix, died a. d. 927. 3 But, they would not undertake to identify him
7 See his Life, at the 23rd of Septem- ber.
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
s gee Rev. Dr. Reeves' " Culdees of the British Islands," p. 124.
* In " De Rebus Gestis Scotorum," lib. iv. , p. 157.
" See Bellenden's Boece, vol. i. . Book vii. , chap. 18, p. 286.
^ See his Life, at the 6th of July.
' See "Acta S. mclorum," tomus iii. , Maii xiii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 187.
' See Dr. O'Donovan's edi- lion, vol. i. , pp. 298, 299.
' See n. (x), iHd.
Article vi. —' In his " Menologium Scoticum " thus: "In Pomona Oicadum maxima Servani Apostoli. K. "
" See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scot- tish Saints," p. 199.
3 According to Dempster, in his "Ilistoria Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xvii. , num. 1030, p. 574.
* A Manuscript, in Archbishop Marsh's
Library, Dublin, states, that he was miracu- h. is "Dubliter ocus. " Seep. xxiv. The lously born of Obeth, King of Canaan, Franciscan copy has tJublicep p'''"^* ^^ ^his and of Alpia, daughter to the King of date.
Arabia. 3 jp the Annales Ultonienses, the death
'"See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," pp. 445 to 447.
Article vii. —' See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Maii xiii. Among the pretermitted festivals, p. 186.
' The published copy of Rev. Dr.
