No More Learning

Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 479, and n. 2.
translated by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. : —
mojeyvAicingipic ImAflechc fluAj; fobAit
IHpiuch fee riApAmAil X>o oom<xcc4ib ooniAin.
Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
See
* " Leabhar Breac " Article ix. In the
copy, the following stanza occurs, and it is
11 Edited 170, 171.
by
" If the dour Demon sang the hymns of
12 Thus
Common Place—Book F, p. 56.
of the many secrets to Judas, who is worst under Heaven, his sins would be
:
SecnA rnAC UrxeArtA eAt-p.
Quiricus
Jocelyn states, that St. Jarlath
"
was slain a holy host : the equal or like of
My champion, the Quiricus, round whom
—
him was not found of the world's sons. " "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p. xciv.
2 Wanting however three months. See ibid. , pp. cii. , ciii. —
3 It runs thus
:
"OiAngAbAO in -oetnun t>uj\ Imurvo Ciy\ic nAtnlruin OnvoAf iptnerfa ptmmj
Oologr/Aiar-
AchlllAIO.
Ibid.
4 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Junn
IX
forgiven. "—
690 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [June 16.
Article X. —Reputed Feast of St. Jero or Gero, Abbot of the
Scots, at St. Pantoleon, Cologne. Various writers have treated about
the monastery of St. Pantoleon, at Cologne. Jero or Gero is set down by
Camerarius, established.
The Bollandists record the present feast at the 16th of June,
2
also,
June,
Dempster
1
as one of the Abbots over the of the Scots there monastery
but without further knowledge of particulars regarding him. They remark, moreover, that Galenius, while treating about the celebrated men of the
monastery of St. Pantaleon, at Cologne,3 has no mention of Jero or Gero, Abbot.
Article XL—Reputed Feast of St. Similian, Bishop and Con-
France. This
states, that he was Abbot of Cauracensis, that he flourished about the year 600,andthathewaspreceptortoSt. Ethbin. ArnoldWionmentionshim,
fessor, Nantes,
holy
at this date. At the 16th of
St. Similian's feast, and of course he is claimed as being a Scotchman. We do not find him in any Catalogue of Irish Saints, but there appear to have been some errors of statement regarding him. The Bollandists, who have notices of him at the present date,3 declare, that in reality St. Similianus was Bishop of Nantes, but that he departed life during the fourth century, and that his feast occurs on the 16th ot June. Wion mistakes him for the Abbot of Trithemius, named in like manner, but whose feast is not known:* The Bollandists promise to treat more fully about the abbot thus introduced, at the feast-day of his disciple, St. Ethbin, at the 19th of October^ if further
lights could be obtained.
Article XII. —Finding of St. Bertin's Body, in the Monastery of Sithiu, France. [Sixth or Seventh Cetitury. ] This holy ascetic and Abbot, who had been formerly held in great veneration in Ireland, was buried inthemonasteryofSithiu,inFrance. Variouswritersnoticethediscovery of his Body, and a festival to honour the occasion has been noted by Molanus,
13 Wion, Dorgan, Menard, Bucelin, Dempster, Ferrarius and the Bollandists.
The latter writers defer further comment, by referring to his Acts, to be pub- lished at the 5th of September, the date for his chief festival. Some account of him will be found, at the same day, in the present work.
xvi. De S. Julitta vidua Iconiensi, et Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," Filiolo ejus S. Cerico vel Quiiico, Martyri- p. 203.
bus Tarsi in Cilicia, pp. 17 to 37. A previous 3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Junii commentary in four sections and twenty- xvi. Among the pretermitted saints, pp. nine paragraphs is prefixed, for the various
documents — to them. referring
•
Article X He quotes for this
4, 5.
* In his Benedictine
" statement,
rini. "
2
Historia Inventionis S. Mau-
Martyrology, Dorgan makes St. Similian a bishop as well as an abbot. Menard corrects Vioii's error, and makes Similian only an abbot. Saussay follows Menard in his Supplement. But Bucelin falls into a greater error by making St. Similian abbot, about the year 600, and of Nantes in Lesser Brit-
century.
s At that date, an account of him may be
found, in a later volume of the present work,
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Junii xvi. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 1.
3 See "Magnitudini. s Coloniensis Syntag,"
lib. iii. , —sect. 2. cap. xii. ,
"
riacensis S. Ethbini piceceptor, peiegrinus in Aremoricos delatus, mirabilielectione, in- credibili sanctitate prsefuit. VV. "—Bishop
afterward
"
bus Ordinis S. Benedicti,'' lib. iii. , cap. 42.
bishop
tany; although the latter was quite a different person, and flourished in the fourth
'
Article XI. See De Viris Illustri-
s
Apud Nannetes Similiani qui abbas Cau-
In the Menologium Scoticum he states :
man is noted 1 who by Trithemius,
Thomas
2 has an of entry
Article xii. —
'
In his
Menologium
June i 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 691
ArticleXIII. —ReputedFeastofSt. Furcjeus. Intheanonymous
1
Calendar of Irish Saints, published by O'Sullevan Beare, at the 16th of June,
wefindSt. Furcseusentered; but,weknownotonwhatotherauthority. The
2
Bollandists
mark, that they knew no other saint of the name, than he who has been already commemorated at the 16th of January. 4
Article XIV. —Reputed Feast of St. Osmanna, Virgin. At the
16th of June, quoting the authority of Surius, Thomas Dempster 1 has entered a festival of St. Osmanna, Virgin. Some further account of this holy woman may be found at the 22nd day of November, the date for her chief festival.
Article XV. —Reputed Feast of St. Fiacre. In the additions of
note this reputed feast of St. Furseus,3 at this date, but they re-
Greven to the Carthusian of Bruxelles, and in the Martyrology
1
Bollandists, there is a feast of St. Fiacre, for the 16th of June. His chief festival is at the
30th of August.
2
£>ebentwnt& ©ap of %\\\\t.
ARTICLE I. —ST. MOLINGUS, OR ST. MOLING LUACHRA, BISHOP ANDCONFESSOR,OFTEACH-MOLING,NOWST. MULLINS, .
COUNTY OF CARLOW. SEVENTH CENTURY.
CHAPTER I .
INTRODUCTION—SOURCES FOR ST. MOLING'S BIOGRAPHY—HIS PARENTAGE, BIRTH AND EARLY EDUCATION—HE EMBRACES THE ECCLESIASTICAL AND MONASTIC STATE— HE ERECTS A MONASTERY AT ST. MULLINS—PILGRIMS RESORT TO THE PLACE- ANECDOTES.
the great number of pious inhabitants our Island has informer time, and the renowned sanctity of many that were
CONSpIroDdEucRedING
distinguished in different localities, it is but just to conclude, that Ireland
l
Scoticum, he inserts at the 16th of June : " Sithiu Inventio corporis Bertini ML. "— Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 203.
rum Hibernise. "
4 At that day, his Life has been already
set down, in the First Volume of this work, Art. i.
2
Junii xvi. Among the pretermitted feasts,
p#4. —' "
Article xiii. See Historise Catho-
licae Ibernise Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , p. 50.
2 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
Junii xvi. Among the pretermitted feasts,
Article xiv. —« In his
Scoticum thus: "Osmannse Virginis. "
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
Menologium —
volume.
p. »
1.
3 On the authority of Father Henry Fitz- Article i. —Chapter L— From a
simon's "Catalogus Prsecipuorum Sancto- beautiful anonymous poem, intituled, "The
Bishop Forbes'
"
Kalendars of Scottish
Saints," p. 203.
Article xv,-' See "Acta Sancto-
rum," tomus iii. , Junii xvi. Among the pretermitted festivals, p. 4.
2
See his Life at that date, in a succeeding
692 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 17. should occupy a very high position among the nations that have been added
to the Church of Christ. Even in
times denominated Insula 2 Sacra,
she well deserved the
appellation
Saints,"
subsequently
7
there is a Latin Life 8 and also an Irish Life 9 of St.
of St. Moling.
Among the Burgundian Library Manuscripts, at Bruxelles,
poet:
" O Ireland ! claim
•
First of all the lands that
,0 This Irish Life of St. Moling, has been transcribed by Michael O'Clery. See vol. iv. , MSS. part ii. , p. 24.
u See vol. xi. , among the Manuscripts, fol. 43.
17 of Rev. Dr.
l8 and of Rev. S. 10 who have Baring-Gould,
Butler,
Rose and the Shamrock," we may well apply—to her the apostrophe of an English
The Christian's hope, morality, and name. "
authorship concealed—" Insula Sanctorum, the Island of Saints ; a Title applied cxelu- sively to Ireland. " Proved by Historical Evidence from the ninth century to the pre- sent, sect, ii. , pp. 6, 7. London. R. Wash- bourne, 18 Paternoster Row, 1S72, 1 21110.
3 This may be inferred from the following
vol. vi. , there is a story of St.
Moling, at
2 See an admirable little work—
p. 121. 13 "
Catalogus aliquorum Hibernise. "
Sanctorum
"
loved
about the holiness of our most blessed patron, of which, up to the present time, lie has
without doubt, given us many proofs. "
* At fol. 71 to 74.
s St. Francis, on Merchants' Qu. y.
6 The Codex, containing it, is intituled,
"Vitae Sanctorum," ex Cod. Iniseiisi, pp. 39 to 42.
' See Dr. George Petrie's " Ecclesiasiical
Architecture and Round Towers of Ireland,''
u See " De Scriptoribus Hibernise," lib. i. , op. iii. , p. 22, and cap. xiii. , pp. 88, 89. The same writer declares, that what he had writ- ten about St. . Moling, as also about Ids pre- decessor, St. Edan, had been taken from Manuscript Lives in the collection of Aicli- bishop Ussher. See "De Pr;esulibus La-
tianslated passage :
Let us, my dearly be-
genLe," pp. 54, 55.
' 5 See the Bollandists' "Acta
brethren, speak
to
you, further,
Sanctorum,"
part ii. , sect, iii. , subs, ii. , p. 348. 8 See vol. xxii. The Vita S.
commencesatfol. 200.
9 Its title is Oecha tttollmcc.
Junii xvii. , tomus iii. , pp. 406 to 410. 1 >e
S. Molingo sive Dayrgello Lpiscopo lar- nensi in Hibernia. "
"> See '• Britannia Sancta," part i. ,
June 17, p, 372.
''See ''Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs,
and other principal Saints," vol. vi. , June xvii.
,8 See " Ecclesiastical I Iist< >ry of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xviii. , sect, xiii. , pp. 132 to 135.
Lanigan,
Molingi
'9 See *' Lives of the vol. Saints,"
vi. ,
pagan
" Island of
which was bestowedonherbytheuniversalacclaimofChristendom. Shehadanother
"
title to respect added, being called, also, the
learned men. As the present holy man was distinguished both for sanctity and learning, we deem his Acts worthy of insertion, were it but to illustrate a characteristic phase of her former condition.
Several Manuscript Lives of St. Moling have come down to our times,
and those appear to have been compiled at rather an early period. What
appears to have been a panegyric 3 on St. Moling, is set down as a Life, in
the Codex Kilkenniensis,* of Marsh's Library, Dublin. Among the Francis-
can Records of the Convent,5 Dublin, there is a similar Life. 6 The cele-
brated Irish scholar, historian, and antiquary, James Hardiman, Esq. ,
M. R. I. A. , possessed an ancient vellum Manuscript, containing an Irish"Lire
transcript of St. Moling's Life, bv Michael O'Clery, is to be found in the
Burgundian Library of Bruxelles. ' 1 Other legends referring to him are found
in the Royal Irish Academy. " It was Colgan's design, to have pub-
lished the Acts of St. Molingus, at this day, as we find from the list, '3 which has survived his time. Various accounts of St. Moling have appeared in the
the
'-
Among the O'Longan Manuscripts,
Island of Doctors," meaning
14ofthe 15 of 6 ofRev. Bollandists, Bishop Challenor,'
worksofSir
Alban
notices of St. Molingus, or Moling, at the J7ih of June. The Most Rev. Bishop Michael Comerford, D. D. , has given a very excellent compendium of the Life
James Ware,
Moling.
10 A Latin
June 17, p. 249.
-° See "Collections relating to the Dio-
June 17. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 693
20 in his valuable diocesan historical work. A Life of
of this
or Taircell, otherwise Moling, has been written by Rev. Thomas Olden, and
saint,
22
Daircell,
ofNational 21 The Acts of St. Biography. "
in the
Moling, written in Latin, have been inserted in that collection of Irish Saints'
published
"Dictionary
Lives, lately published at the expense of the Marquis of Bute.
Patrick O'Leary of Graignamanagh, county of Kilkenny, has published in
It differs not, however, from that published by the Bollandists. Very lately, Mr.
" The Ancient Life of St. Translation of an old Manu- Moling, being
English
script preserved at Marsh's Library, Dublin;''"23 and, it is very learnedly annotated, with copious notes, giving local traditions regarding the Patron. 2* From the foregoing varied fountains, we have endeavoured to compile the
following biography, which, no doubt, is largely intermingled with fable ; but, as the legends abound, and yet serve to illustrate old customs and practices, it may not be advisable wholly to omit them.
The renowned St. Molyng or Molingus descended from the race of
Cathaoir Mor, monarch of Erin, of the Leinsterman. 2s
26 or
who was baptized by St. Patrick, about the year 448. According to another statement,31 his father was named Faelan, who was the son of Feradach, son
to Ere, son of Fiachra, son to Eoghan, son of Deagh,32 son to Labraidh, son of Bresal Beolach, son to Fiach Baicheda, son ofCathair Mor. 33 It is stated in his Irish Life,3* that St. Moling's father had been a brugaidh or farmer at
Diocese Leighlin. By Comerford, vol. iii. , pp. 305 to 309.
21 Edited by Leslie Stephen. See vol.
xiii. , pp. 380, 381.
22 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," ex
Codice Salmanticensi nunc pnmum integre edita opera Caroli de Smedt et Josephi de Backer eSoc. Jesu, Hagiographorum Bol- landianorum ; Auctore et sumptus largiente Joanne Patricio Marchione Bothae. Acta Sancti Moling, cols 819 to 826. Edinburgi et Londini, Brugis et Insulis, 1888, 4to.
23 With Notes and Traditions by? . O'L. Dublin, 1887, i8mo, pp. I to 60. Messrs. Duffy & Co. , Limited.
2+ To Mr. John M'Caul, 25 Patrick-street, Dublin, the writer is greatly indebted for extracts from the " Book of Leinster," rela- ting to traditions in reference to St. Molyng, with other notices tending to elucidate his history.
Carraighiach, Ciarrige Luacra, the north part of Kerry, adjoining Limerick. Other authorities mention, that he was born near the River Burren, at a place called Luachair Boirrinn, or Luachair Deadhaidh, i. e. , the rushy land of the River Burren, county of Carlow.
2« Chapter ii. is quoted for this state- ment.
30 According to the Kavanagh Family
Pedigree, compiled by Sir William Betham.
31 Francis Shearman's See Rev. John
"Loca Patriciana," Genealogical Chart of
the Hy-Cinnselagh, No. 3, p. 38.
32 From whom the Ui Deagha-mor in Hy
Cinnselach are descended. The Ui Deagha of Hy Cinnselach were of somewhat more recent origin than their Ossorian namesakes. Their chief territory in Hy Cinnselach lay in the north-east part of Wexford, where their name is yet preserved, in that of the ecclesi- astical deanery of O'Dea, in the diocese of
the saint is denominated Mac
Faolain,
" the son of
Oilain,
Faolain. " NemhnatCiarraigheach 2 ? was his mother, 28 or Eamhnat, according to his Life. 20 According to one account, St. Moling was seventh in descent fromabrotherofCrimthann-Cas,thefirst ChristianKingofLeinster,30 and
otherwise,
—cese of Kildare and Leighlin. " Third Series. said, because his mother, Nemnadh, or Eam- of the Rev. M. hnat was from
25 According to the O'Clerys.
26 In Patrick O'Leary's "Ancient Life of Ferns. See John O'Donovan's LeabhAp
St. Molyng, being Translation of an old
Manuscript preserved at Marsh's Library, Dublin. " In the foot of the Manuscript, however, there is a pedigree, in which the name is given Mac Faolain, the initial con- sonant being omitted in consequence of pho-
na 5-CeA]\c, or the Book of Rights, p. 195. They were also located on the north- western side of Suide Laighen, or Mount Leinster, and near the River Burren.
33 Monarch of Ireland, A. D. 177.
netic spelling. See p. 3, and n. (b), Bruxelles.
2 V- 3 -
2 ? This latter word means "of Kerry. "
28 Our saint is called Moling Luacra, it is
35 A legend is here inserted, to account for
" of St. Moling's birth on the bleak upland
Lougher," and for St. Brendan of Clonfert—
31
That belonging
to the of Royal Library
His father is called
694 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 17.
Luachair, now Slieve Lougher, a wild upland district near Castle Island in Kerry. Having accumulated considerable wealth, he returned to his native ter- ritory, Hy Degha, situated on the River Barrow. 35 Moling was born in Hy-
6 as stated in his Acts. This likewise seems to be the Kinsellagh,3 generally
received opinion. His birth may probably be referred to the earlier part of the seventh century. According to an Ossory tradition, however, he was born
in that territory, and at a place called Mullennakill,37 a portion of the parish
of West,38 and four miles north-west of Rosbercon. 39 A used Jerpoint patron
formerly to be held there, on the 26th of August; and, at some distance west of the church of Mullinakill, there is a cave, half-natural and half-artificial, inside of which there is a large fiat stone, on which pilgrims used to kneel/ Midway between the church and the cave St. Moling's well is shown, and in which,accordingtotradition,thesaintusedtobathe. 41 Withthisisconnected a local legend. 42 However, the Ossory tradition regarding his birth there is
chilla. He is said also to have descended from the Ui Deagha/s
When the holy infant Molyng was born, an angel of the Lord assumed human form, and appeared to all those who were present in their house. That angel immediately blessed the infant in the arms of its mother, and he made
not of much
Taircheall 4 3 ot Daircell was his first name. Another form of his name is Dayrchell. 44 However, he is more generally called Molingus or Moling. He is given, likewise, the alias denomination of Dair-
Leslie Stephen's Biography," vol. xiii. , p. 380.
authority.
the sign of the cross, saying to his parents :
the world, there shall not be anyone born in this island of Ireland greater than this little boy, in sanctity, and justice, and truth, before God and men. "
who died long before Moling was born— so doing; her rebukes provoked »he ire of having adopted and protected both the the saint, who predicted that a fool or a mother and her babe. He is said to have rogue would be always found in Mullinakill. placed the latter under charge of one of his
clergy, who baptized him, and gave him the
name of Taircell, meaning "gathering," in
allusion to the manner, in which a dove
gathered him to her with her wings. See Rosbroc, now St. Molings, east of the
"
Dictionary of National
Barrow, where his patron day used to be celebrated, June 17 and July 25th, the feast of the dedication of his church.
43 In a note here by Dr. Todd, he says :
3* This territory is supposed to have been commensurate with the present counties of Carlow and of Wexford. This country likewise comprised more than the original diocese of Ferns. See John O'Donovan's teabhar* tiA g-Ceapc, or Book of Rights, pp. 208, 209, n. (g).