Lamgan's "
Ecclesiastical
History
of Ireland, vol.
of Ireland, vol.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v4
Alban Buder * have some brief notices of St.
Celsus, at the 6th of April, the date most usually assigned for his festival.
The Rev.
S.
Baring- Gould has a Life of this saint, at the same day.
' In Irish, the present holy man's name is WTitten Cellach Mac Aid, so called from the etymon of his father, while his grandfather was known as Mac Maelisa.
The name of our saint has been Latinized Celsus, while some writers call him Celestine.
It is said, that he received his education at Oxford,' and, it is affirmed, that he was a man, universally skilled in the circles of Science,' while recognised, as pos-
sessing varied erudition.
•"
By the unanimous suffrages of the clergy and
people, after the death of Donald Mac Amalgaid," St. Celsus was elected
Archbishop of Armagh, and he was consecrated, on the 23rd of September, a. d.
1 106. " Incorrectly is the date set down in Ware, as being on the 2nd day
ofthemonth. '3 Celsuswasindefatigable,inzealouslydischargingthefunc-
We are informed, that he ordained bishops, priests, and personsofeverydegree; thatheconsecratedmanychurchesandcemeteries; that he bestowed jewels and wealth ; that he established rules and good
morals among all, both laity and clergy ; and that he spent a life of fasting, prayer, and mass celebration. '* During the first year of his consecration,
Article i. — See " De Scriptoribus Hi- ' See " Lives of the Saints," vol. iv. ,
tions of his office.
bernia;," lib. f. , cap. viii. , pp. 53, 54. April vi. , pp. 106 to 109. '"»"
Sec Harris' Ware, vol. 1. , Archbishops of Armagh," pp. 51 to 54.
3 See "Catalogus Actuum Sanctorum qiue MS. habentur Ordine Mensium et Diemm. "
'
lliey are written, , in ten paragraphs. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus L, Aprilis vi. , De Sancto Celso Archiepiscopo Arma- cano in Hibernia, pp. 619, 620.
5 See "Britannu Sancta," part i. , pp. 2IS, 216.
' See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol. iv. , April vi. j
Sec Dr. Meredith Hanmer's of Ireland," p. 202.
Chronicle
' Such is the statement of Brian Twine, on the authority of Bale.
'° " Oxon. academ. Antiq.
Apolog," lib.
ii. , sec. 280.
" He ruled, from A. D. 1092 to a. d. 1106. "SeeHarris'Ware,vol. i. , "Archbishops
of Armagh," p. 51.
" See "De Scriptoribus Hibemiae," lib. i. ,
cap. viii. , p. 53.
'* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1032, 1033.
44
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 6.
Celsus visited Munster. The tribute given to him, in acknowledgment of his primatial rights, on this occasion, was very considerable. Thus, every cantred or district, which contained a hundred villages, contributed seven oxen, seven sheep, and half and ounce of gold, with many other presents. During this year, also, the primate made a visitation, throughout the provmce
the Annals of the Four Mastei;? '* state, that m Ceallach, successor of Patrick, went on his visitation of Munster, for the first time,andobtainedhisfulldemand. Meantime,MurroughO'Brien,Kingof Munster, engaged in a serious military enterprise, with the troops of his own province, and with those of Connaught and of Meath. Against him, an army was led, by Domhnall Mac Laughlin,'? with the people of the North of Ire- land, to Sliabh-Fuaid, in 1 109; but, Ceallach effected a truce for one year, between Mac Laughlin and Ua Briain. '^ In the year iiio,^9 Ceallach, the successor of Patrick, went on his visitation of Meath, for the first time, and obtained his demand. ''" At the instance of the Monarch of all Ireland," Muirchearteach or Mortough O'Brian, son of Teige, son to the renowned Bryan Boroimhe, it was resolved to gratify the desires of that pious ruler, who
had the interests of religion much at heart. A celebrated synod was sum-
moned and it was held, at Fedh-Mac ^ngusa, or " the Land of the Sons of
Aenghus," in the year iiii," or iii2. =3 The place is said to have been near
the Hill of Uisneach, in the county of Westmeath. St. Celsus, the Comor-
ban or successor of St. Patrick, presided. We are told, that no leas than fifty
bishops, three hundred priests, and three thousand ecclesiastics, or students,
assisted'. Among them was Maelmury O'Dunan, called the noble or Arch
Senior of Ireland, who is supposed to have been Meiler O'Dunan, Arch-
bishop of Cashel. ''* Besides the ecclesiastics mentioned, Murchertach
O'Brien, monarch of Ireland, with many nobles and chiefs of Leth- '
Mo'^ha or the southern division of Ireland, assisted. ^'s This synod was con- vened 'to prescribe rules and good morals for all, both laity and clergy. By some, 'this convention has been named the Synod of Uisneach, which spot was celebrated, in being a favourite place, for various public meetings of the king- dom owing probably to its very central position in Ireland. Among the writi'ngs attributed to our saint, by John Bale,=6 were "Constitutiones Quas- dam •" and, by these. Sir James Ware thinks, he meant perhaps the statutes of thi's celebrated synod. '? It ought to be observed, however, that the synod ofFidhMacAengusamustbedistinguishedfromthatofUisneach; for,after
of Ulster. 's However,
i io8,
giving
an account of the former, the Annals of Inisfallen state, that in the
•ssee Harris' Ware, vol. i. , X. „f Arm-io-Vi " Tin i;i C2
Archbis-
$09 to SIS. Duffy's
"
edition.
"This IS the year assigned for it,
S'see d" O'bonovan's edition, vol. ii. ,
,,,,086087
^Vly! oi^writers, he is called Donnell
O'Louehlin and he was a rival for the
sovereignty of Ireland, with Murtough pars, iii. , pp. 229, 300.
n'Rrinn who died A D. 1 1 19. See Martin Saverty's'' History of Ireland," chap, xv. ,
i6 161;
^^li\% Dr O'Donovan's "Annals of the TT M„=. . ,'= " vaI ii DD q88 qSq.
^TA^Ing to Ae'ar;endon Codex of tl,. TTktpr Annals tome 40.
4erDrO^Dono"an? "Annals of the ttTM,, Mo=tpr«" vol ii DD. qqo, QQI.
- for from He ruled twenty ye^k^viz. ,
Iliotonso, accordingtoDermodO'Conor's Keating's "History of Ireland," part ii. , pp.
m Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters. "
vol. ii. , pp. 990 to 993-
«See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,;;
Septima Appendix ad "Acta S. Patricu.
» According to the Annals of Connaught.
- Henry of Marleburgh, the Vicar of Ballyscadan, in the diocese of Dublin, has fallen into an error, when he states, this
Synod had been convened, by Maurice
mL Loughlin, King of Ireland, who did not
begin his reign before the year 1 1 57. ^"
See Scriptoram Illustrium Majoris Britanniae," &c. , cent, xiv. , sec. 84.
'' See De Scriptoribus Hiberni^," lib. '/
i. , cap. viu. , p. 54-
April 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
45
same year, a great synod was held at Uisneach, for the purpose of dividing the parishes of Meath equally, between the dioceses of Clonmacnoise and of Clonard. ^* St. Celsusspentmuchtime,inendeavouringtoeffecttherecon- cilementofkingsandchiefs,ataveryanarchicalperiodofourhistory. Inthe year 11 16, this prelate made a second visitation, in the province of Con- naught. 's The object of these Archiepiscopal progresses apparently had been, to impress on the minds of the people living without it the supremacy of Armagh See, over the various other dioceses in Ireland, with a view of discharging some customary usage, and of exacting dues or tributes. During the same year, a fire broke out in Armagh.
'"P"'*-
3° ,,
of Armagh," p. 53.
3^ See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1022, 1023.
37 See Rev. P. J. Carew's " Ecclesiasti-
cal History of Ireland," chap, iv. , pp. in, 112.
It occurred, at the beginning of Lent, ac-
'? Ulster Annals. 'o^'"? V'''
38 His feast is at the I commemorated,
VCa.
3" His Life IS written, for the 3rd of No-
of August.
p.
35 See Harris' Ware, vol.
i. , "Archbishops ^
It caused destruction of the abbey, with
twenty other buildings, in that
illustrious St. Malachy O'Morgair,^' as a deacon, and also as a priest, about A. D. 1 1 1 9. In the year 1 1 2 1, another destructive fire broke out, and in the Trian-
Massain quarter two streets, extending from the rath, or tower, to St. Brigid's Church, were burned down. It may be supposed, that nearly all of those buildings had been constructed of wood, thatch, or other perishable materials. In the year 1121,3' and on the 4th of July, Samuel O'Haingley, bishop of Dublin, died. 33 The See became vacant, for a time. It is said, that by the common consent of the Irish and Normans, St. Celsus was invited, to preside over that diocese ; and, while our Annalists eulogize his purity, they declare, that he was Archbishop of the West of Europe, the only head whom the foreigners and Irish of Ireland, both laity and clergy, obeyed. 34 This state- ment may have been occasioned, by his only assuming the administration or guardianship of that See, pending the vacancy, which continued in the regular succession of its bishops, until Ralph, Archbishop of Canterbury, had conse- crated, on the 2nd of October following, Gregory, as bishop of Dublin. This ceremony took place, at Lambeth, near London. In the year 1 1 22, it is stated, that Maelcolm O'Brolcan, who was bishop of Armagh, died ; but, it is more than probable, he was only a sufiiragan, or vicar, to Archbishop Celsus. 35 In the year 995, during the government of Dubhdalethy II. in the Archbishopric, the cathedral of Armagh was burned; and, for 130 years it remained in a
rumous condition, being only partially roofed, until on the 12th of January, A. D. 1 1 25, St. Celsus commenced the repairs of this church, which he covered entirely with tiles, or shingles. 36 THis was only one of the great improve- ments effected by him, during the period of his highly useful incumbency. 3? A church, which had been erected, at Armagh, by St. Imhar Ua h-Aedha- gain,3« and which was called the Regies of Peter and Paul, was consecrated by Ceallach, the successor of Patrick, on the 12th of the Calends of Novem-
*•
There is no account of Murtogh O'Brian,
nor of Celsus, nor of Moelmurry, being pre- ? ^PA*'i ";"? "'' ^ ''^ "e told, Morough O Moelseachlain, Eocha O'Kelly and the clergy of the religious house of St. Kieran (Clonmacnoise) together with GioUa Chriost OMaoillean, abbot of Clonmacnoise, at-
tended the regulations in that Synod. See Kev. Dr.
Lamgan's " Ecclesiastical History
of Ireland, vol. IV. , chap, xxv. , sec. iii. , 37, and n. 82, p. 39.
"See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the * our Masters, vol. n. , pp. 1000 to 1003. It IS said, on this occasion, he obtained a full
vember.
^However, the Annals of St. Mary's
Abbey, and some ancient Rolls, in Lambeth,
city.
3° The Celsus ordained the holy bishop
have it A. d. 1122 while the ;
Annals of MuI- tifernan refer his death to a. d. 1123
" See John D'Alton's "Memoirs of the
Archbishops of Dublin," p. 40.
" See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1032, 1033.
46
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 6.
ber A. D 1126. 39 In the year 11 26, a great stonii of war arose in Ireland," and St. 'Celsus left his See, for the purpose of effecting a reconciliation, between the princes and chiefs. He was absent, during thirteen months, trying to restore peace ; while he laboured in promulgating good rules and customs, among the clergy and laity, throughout every district. t^ Without giving any authority for his assertion, Hanmer*' states, that Celsus was a
married man,43 and that he was buried with his wife and children, in the church of Armagh. This account is altogether incorrect. In 1 1 28, through his mediation, a truce was effected, between the kings of Connaught^4 and of Munster. ts Thiswasintendedtolastforayear,butthearchbishopdidnot live for the expiration of that term. Illness appears to have seized upon him, having scarcely passed the fiftieth year of his age. "6 Upon the approach of death, he greatly desired, that the illustrious St. Malachy O'Morgair—who was then bishop of Connor—should succeed him at Armagh. t? With this
intent,
dying
He desired especially, that the two kings of Munster should in-
archbishop sent the Staff of Jesus,^^ as the ensign his of^
the
authority.
terest themselves, in the matter which he had recommended, and before those
who were'attending him, during his last illness. 49 St. Celsus died, after unction
and good penance, at Ard Patrick. s" a village in the county of Limerick, cer- tain writers say, on the ist of April,? ' while others have it, on the 6th, in the
year 1128, as some state j5= but, as most generally beheved, in 1129. 53 By a provision in his will, the body was conveyed to Lismore, on the Wednesday succeedincr • and there, having been waked with psalms, hymns and canticles, it was honourably interred,54 in tlie tomb of the Bishops, on the Thursday fol- lowing. ss To St. Celsus is ascribed the following works, besides the Consti-
to which reference has been already made, viz. : His Testament or Will, besides many Epistles to St. Malachy. 5« At the 6th of April, his festival is set down, in the Roman Martyrology,'? while we are told, that this occurred through an oversight of Cardinal Baronius, who mistook a iv. for a vi. , and
tutions,
39 See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1022 to 1025.
*°See Colcan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Sexta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, pars.
jii p3^
V- See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1024, 1025.
4^ See " Chronicle of Ireland," p. 203.
43 Such an inference he drew, perhaps,
from the circumstance, that Celsus belonged
to the dominant family at Armagh. This Sancta," part 1, p. 216. A. like statement
family intruded "viri uxorati," on the See,
as St. Bernard complains, in his Life of St.
Malachy
4< At this time, Toirdhealbhach Ua Con-
chobhair, or Turlough O'Conor, a renowned and ambitious warrior, ruled overConnaught; while Cormac Mac Carthy, known as the
occurs, in Rev. Alban Butler s "Lives of the Fathers, Jlartyrs and other principal Saints, vol. iv. , April vi.
5^ Regarding this Saint, Father Stephen
ruled in Munster. count of thelatter, in Dr. Petrie's
See an ac-
"
nia," cap. iv. , pp. 32 33, and again, at p. 37.
king-bishop,
53 " De See Sir James Ware,
Ecclesi- astical Architecture, and Round Towers of Ireland,"&c. , part ii. , sec. iii. , sub-sec. i. , pp.
Scnptonbus Ilibernine," lib. 11. , cap. vui. , P- 53. .
305 to 313.
« See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1028 to 1031.
4" Dr. Meredith Hanmer, in his "Chroni-
S4 See Hams' Ware, vol. 1. , "Archbishops
of Armagh," pp. SI to 54-
55 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters,'' vol. 11. , pp. 1034, '°35-
5^ See John Bale, " Scriptorum Illustnum
cle of Ireland," incorrectly states, that he Majoris Britanniee, &c. ,
cent, sec. »4- xiy. ,
"diedofgreatage. " Seep. 203.
47 Not understanding the statement of Malachiam m Episcopatu prsecessit.
"" vi. Baronius, John Wilson, in his Martyrolo- Martyrologium Romanum, Apnlis
gium Anglicanum," has said, that Celsus preceded St. Malachy in the See of Conor, which was not the case.
"S The reader will find an accoun of this
venerable rcUc, 111 the Life of St. Patrick, at
the 17th of March, chap, v.
"9 See Dr. Meredith Hanmer s "Chronicle
of Ireland,' p. 203.
> Britannia
S" " the Signifying
r t, . • 1 of Patrick, '
height
s" See Bishop Challoner s
White remarks
:
" Mortuum anno Salutis,
1 128, et in Romano Martyrologio positum
ad 6 Aprilis. " See "Apologia pro Hiber-
=; In Hibernia S. CeIsi Episcop. qui "—
April 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 47 thatthedateshouldratherbe4thofthismonth. s* InHenryFitzsimon's
"
Catalogus aliqorum Sanctorum Iberni3e,"S9 this bishop's feast appears to be referredtothesthofAugust,evidentlythroughsomemistake. TheMartyr- ology of Donegal ^ records, on this day, the name of St. Celsus, Bishop, of Ard Macha, or Armagh. Likewise, in the Rev. Alban Butler's work,*' in that of the Rev. S. Baring-Gould,'^ and in the " Circle of the Seasons,"'^ the feast of St Celsus, is set down, at the 6th of April. Whether deservedly or not, Father Stephen ^Vhite ^ reproves Giraldus Cambrensis, for omitting all men- tion of this saint, who flourished in the twelfth century, and who is so remarkably lauded by St. Bernard. *' However, it is sufficient to observe here, that the name and memory of St. Celsus hold a distinguished position in Irish ecclesiastical records, and they cannot be obliterated, under any cir- cumstances, from the history of our national Church.
Article II. —St. Cronbeg, or Cronan Beg, Abbot of Clonmac- NOiSE, King's County. [Seventh Century. '] This Saint is called Cronan Beg, or the Little, owing probably to his want of ordinary stature. He is entered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh," at the 6th of April, as Cronbrice, Abbot of Cluana, or Clonmacnoise. The date of his birth has not been ascertained,nordoeshisgenealogyseemtobeknown. Thisholymanmost probably succeeded Colman,' Abbot, who died, in the year 681. 3 Then was his successor elected to rule, in a spot, greatly resorted to, even from distant regions. The pilgrimage to holy places is one of the oldest of Christian insti- tutions. The first known visits were to Jerusalem, and to other parts of Judea. Thus, Helena, the pious mother of the Emperor Constantine, hastened as a
pilgrim to the Holy Land, when shejvisited the scenes of our Redeemer's passion. The Empress returned, bringing with her the true cross, with other relics of Christ's death ; and, from that time forward, pilgrimages to the Holy Land were annually made by thousands, from every part of Christendom. Our Irish countrymen frequently visited this distant land, and usually com- bined with their journey a pilgrimage to the shrines of the Apostles, St. Peter and St Paul, at Rome. Hardships, persecutions, and even death itself, often overtook the zealous and devoted pilgrim. The tremendous conflicts, which shook Palestine during the period of the Crusades, barred the road thither to allbutthemosthardy,adventurous,anddaring. Thesubsequentlossofthe HolyCity,allbutcloseditsgatesagainsttheChristians. Atandbeforethisera, thepracticeofnationalpilgrimagesgrewintotranscendentimportance. Instead of turning towards the Holy Sepulchre, the penitent wended his way, towards
Cponbice Ah, only.
Colman.
3 See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. a88, 289. This Abbot b said to have been of the sept of Ciaraighe-Airtich, seated between the rivers Lung and Brideog, in the old barony of
5* See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's " Lives of "" •^P"' "• P' '°9-
' ^^- ^""= '•'«* ">« on an inscription
'^t»^c*'"'^'. 'c^M' " S>ee O Sullevan Beare'. s
old tomb in Clonmacnoise, which belonged to one Colman, in 1822, and it is still extant. •^ "°** *"* "'^'l"'' but the lettering is now indistinct. A representation of it will be found, in Miss Stokes' "Christian Inscrip- tions in the Irish Language," vol. i. , plate ii. , 6g. 6, p. 17. It is ascribed to the present
Historia: Ca- thelicse Ibemi^ Compendium. " tomus L,
»o cj''^'i,*"? «P' ^^'
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
9°> 97-
bee Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
other pnncipal Saints," vol. jr. , April vi. "See "Laves of the Saints," vol. iv. ,
April vi. , p. 106. / See p. 97.
•*
See"ApologiaproHibemia,"cap. ii.
sessing varied erudition.
•"
By the unanimous suffrages of the clergy and
people, after the death of Donald Mac Amalgaid," St. Celsus was elected
Archbishop of Armagh, and he was consecrated, on the 23rd of September, a. d.
1 106. " Incorrectly is the date set down in Ware, as being on the 2nd day
ofthemonth. '3 Celsuswasindefatigable,inzealouslydischargingthefunc-
We are informed, that he ordained bishops, priests, and personsofeverydegree; thatheconsecratedmanychurchesandcemeteries; that he bestowed jewels and wealth ; that he established rules and good
morals among all, both laity and clergy ; and that he spent a life of fasting, prayer, and mass celebration. '* During the first year of his consecration,
Article i. — See " De Scriptoribus Hi- ' See " Lives of the Saints," vol. iv. ,
tions of his office.
bernia;," lib. f. , cap. viii. , pp. 53, 54. April vi. , pp. 106 to 109. '"»"
Sec Harris' Ware, vol. 1. , Archbishops of Armagh," pp. 51 to 54.
3 See "Catalogus Actuum Sanctorum qiue MS. habentur Ordine Mensium et Diemm. "
'
lliey are written, , in ten paragraphs. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus L, Aprilis vi. , De Sancto Celso Archiepiscopo Arma- cano in Hibernia, pp. 619, 620.
5 See "Britannu Sancta," part i. , pp. 2IS, 216.
' See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol. iv. , April vi. j
Sec Dr. Meredith Hanmer's of Ireland," p. 202.
Chronicle
' Such is the statement of Brian Twine, on the authority of Bale.
'° " Oxon. academ. Antiq.
Apolog," lib.
ii. , sec. 280.
" He ruled, from A. D. 1092 to a. d. 1106. "SeeHarris'Ware,vol. i. , "Archbishops
of Armagh," p. 51.
" See "De Scriptoribus Hibemiae," lib. i. ,
cap. viii. , p. 53.
'* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1032, 1033.
44
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 6.
Celsus visited Munster. The tribute given to him, in acknowledgment of his primatial rights, on this occasion, was very considerable. Thus, every cantred or district, which contained a hundred villages, contributed seven oxen, seven sheep, and half and ounce of gold, with many other presents. During this year, also, the primate made a visitation, throughout the provmce
the Annals of the Four Mastei;? '* state, that m Ceallach, successor of Patrick, went on his visitation of Munster, for the first time,andobtainedhisfulldemand. Meantime,MurroughO'Brien,Kingof Munster, engaged in a serious military enterprise, with the troops of his own province, and with those of Connaught and of Meath. Against him, an army was led, by Domhnall Mac Laughlin,'? with the people of the North of Ire- land, to Sliabh-Fuaid, in 1 109; but, Ceallach effected a truce for one year, between Mac Laughlin and Ua Briain. '^ In the year iiio,^9 Ceallach, the successor of Patrick, went on his visitation of Meath, for the first time, and obtained his demand. ''" At the instance of the Monarch of all Ireland," Muirchearteach or Mortough O'Brian, son of Teige, son to the renowned Bryan Boroimhe, it was resolved to gratify the desires of that pious ruler, who
had the interests of religion much at heart. A celebrated synod was sum-
moned and it was held, at Fedh-Mac ^ngusa, or " the Land of the Sons of
Aenghus," in the year iiii," or iii2. =3 The place is said to have been near
the Hill of Uisneach, in the county of Westmeath. St. Celsus, the Comor-
ban or successor of St. Patrick, presided. We are told, that no leas than fifty
bishops, three hundred priests, and three thousand ecclesiastics, or students,
assisted'. Among them was Maelmury O'Dunan, called the noble or Arch
Senior of Ireland, who is supposed to have been Meiler O'Dunan, Arch-
bishop of Cashel. ''* Besides the ecclesiastics mentioned, Murchertach
O'Brien, monarch of Ireland, with many nobles and chiefs of Leth- '
Mo'^ha or the southern division of Ireland, assisted. ^'s This synod was con- vened 'to prescribe rules and good morals for all, both laity and clergy. By some, 'this convention has been named the Synod of Uisneach, which spot was celebrated, in being a favourite place, for various public meetings of the king- dom owing probably to its very central position in Ireland. Among the writi'ngs attributed to our saint, by John Bale,=6 were "Constitutiones Quas- dam •" and, by these. Sir James Ware thinks, he meant perhaps the statutes of thi's celebrated synod. '? It ought to be observed, however, that the synod ofFidhMacAengusamustbedistinguishedfromthatofUisneach; for,after
of Ulster. 's However,
i io8,
giving
an account of the former, the Annals of Inisfallen state, that in the
•ssee Harris' Ware, vol. i. , X. „f Arm-io-Vi " Tin i;i C2
Archbis-
$09 to SIS. Duffy's
"
edition.
"This IS the year assigned for it,
S'see d" O'bonovan's edition, vol. ii. ,
,,,,086087
^Vly! oi^writers, he is called Donnell
O'Louehlin and he was a rival for the
sovereignty of Ireland, with Murtough pars, iii. , pp. 229, 300.
n'Rrinn who died A D. 1 1 19. See Martin Saverty's'' History of Ireland," chap, xv. ,
i6 161;
^^li\% Dr O'Donovan's "Annals of the TT M„=. . ,'= " vaI ii DD q88 qSq.
^TA^Ing to Ae'ar;endon Codex of tl,. TTktpr Annals tome 40.
4erDrO^Dono"an? "Annals of the ttTM,, Mo=tpr«" vol ii DD. qqo, QQI.
- for from He ruled twenty ye^k^viz. ,
Iliotonso, accordingtoDermodO'Conor's Keating's "History of Ireland," part ii. , pp.
m Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters. "
vol. ii. , pp. 990 to 993-
«See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,;;
Septima Appendix ad "Acta S. Patricu.
» According to the Annals of Connaught.
- Henry of Marleburgh, the Vicar of Ballyscadan, in the diocese of Dublin, has fallen into an error, when he states, this
Synod had been convened, by Maurice
mL Loughlin, King of Ireland, who did not
begin his reign before the year 1 1 57. ^"
See Scriptoram Illustrium Majoris Britanniae," &c. , cent, xiv. , sec. 84.
'' See De Scriptoribus Hiberni^," lib. '/
i. , cap. viu. , p. 54-
April 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
45
same year, a great synod was held at Uisneach, for the purpose of dividing the parishes of Meath equally, between the dioceses of Clonmacnoise and of Clonard. ^* St. Celsusspentmuchtime,inendeavouringtoeffecttherecon- cilementofkingsandchiefs,ataveryanarchicalperiodofourhistory. Inthe year 11 16, this prelate made a second visitation, in the province of Con- naught. 's The object of these Archiepiscopal progresses apparently had been, to impress on the minds of the people living without it the supremacy of Armagh See, over the various other dioceses in Ireland, with a view of discharging some customary usage, and of exacting dues or tributes. During the same year, a fire broke out in Armagh.
'"P"'*-
3° ,,
of Armagh," p. 53.
3^ See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1022, 1023.
37 See Rev. P. J. Carew's " Ecclesiasti-
cal History of Ireland," chap, iv. , pp. in, 112.
It occurred, at the beginning of Lent, ac-
'? Ulster Annals. 'o^'"? V'''
38 His feast is at the I commemorated,
VCa.
3" His Life IS written, for the 3rd of No-
of August.
p.
35 See Harris' Ware, vol.
i. , "Archbishops ^
It caused destruction of the abbey, with
twenty other buildings, in that
illustrious St. Malachy O'Morgair,^' as a deacon, and also as a priest, about A. D. 1 1 1 9. In the year 1 1 2 1, another destructive fire broke out, and in the Trian-
Massain quarter two streets, extending from the rath, or tower, to St. Brigid's Church, were burned down. It may be supposed, that nearly all of those buildings had been constructed of wood, thatch, or other perishable materials. In the year 1121,3' and on the 4th of July, Samuel O'Haingley, bishop of Dublin, died. 33 The See became vacant, for a time. It is said, that by the common consent of the Irish and Normans, St. Celsus was invited, to preside over that diocese ; and, while our Annalists eulogize his purity, they declare, that he was Archbishop of the West of Europe, the only head whom the foreigners and Irish of Ireland, both laity and clergy, obeyed. 34 This state- ment may have been occasioned, by his only assuming the administration or guardianship of that See, pending the vacancy, which continued in the regular succession of its bishops, until Ralph, Archbishop of Canterbury, had conse- crated, on the 2nd of October following, Gregory, as bishop of Dublin. This ceremony took place, at Lambeth, near London. In the year 1 1 22, it is stated, that Maelcolm O'Brolcan, who was bishop of Armagh, died ; but, it is more than probable, he was only a sufiiragan, or vicar, to Archbishop Celsus. 35 In the year 995, during the government of Dubhdalethy II. in the Archbishopric, the cathedral of Armagh was burned; and, for 130 years it remained in a
rumous condition, being only partially roofed, until on the 12th of January, A. D. 1 1 25, St. Celsus commenced the repairs of this church, which he covered entirely with tiles, or shingles. 36 THis was only one of the great improve- ments effected by him, during the period of his highly useful incumbency. 3? A church, which had been erected, at Armagh, by St. Imhar Ua h-Aedha- gain,3« and which was called the Regies of Peter and Paul, was consecrated by Ceallach, the successor of Patrick, on the 12th of the Calends of Novem-
*•
There is no account of Murtogh O'Brian,
nor of Celsus, nor of Moelmurry, being pre- ? ^PA*'i ";"? "'' ^ ''^ "e told, Morough O Moelseachlain, Eocha O'Kelly and the clergy of the religious house of St. Kieran (Clonmacnoise) together with GioUa Chriost OMaoillean, abbot of Clonmacnoise, at-
tended the regulations in that Synod. See Kev. Dr.
Lamgan's " Ecclesiastical History
of Ireland, vol. IV. , chap, xxv. , sec. iii. , 37, and n. 82, p. 39.
"See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the * our Masters, vol. n. , pp. 1000 to 1003. It IS said, on this occasion, he obtained a full
vember.
^However, the Annals of St. Mary's
Abbey, and some ancient Rolls, in Lambeth,
city.
3° The Celsus ordained the holy bishop
have it A. d. 1122 while the ;
Annals of MuI- tifernan refer his death to a. d. 1123
" See John D'Alton's "Memoirs of the
Archbishops of Dublin," p. 40.
" See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1032, 1033.
46
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 6.
ber A. D 1126. 39 In the year 11 26, a great stonii of war arose in Ireland," and St. 'Celsus left his See, for the purpose of effecting a reconciliation, between the princes and chiefs. He was absent, during thirteen months, trying to restore peace ; while he laboured in promulgating good rules and customs, among the clergy and laity, throughout every district. t^ Without giving any authority for his assertion, Hanmer*' states, that Celsus was a
married man,43 and that he was buried with his wife and children, in the church of Armagh. This account is altogether incorrect. In 1 1 28, through his mediation, a truce was effected, between the kings of Connaught^4 and of Munster. ts Thiswasintendedtolastforayear,butthearchbishopdidnot live for the expiration of that term. Illness appears to have seized upon him, having scarcely passed the fiftieth year of his age. "6 Upon the approach of death, he greatly desired, that the illustrious St. Malachy O'Morgair—who was then bishop of Connor—should succeed him at Armagh. t? With this
intent,
dying
He desired especially, that the two kings of Munster should in-
archbishop sent the Staff of Jesus,^^ as the ensign his of^
the
authority.
terest themselves, in the matter which he had recommended, and before those
who were'attending him, during his last illness. 49 St. Celsus died, after unction
and good penance, at Ard Patrick. s" a village in the county of Limerick, cer- tain writers say, on the ist of April,? ' while others have it, on the 6th, in the
year 1128, as some state j5= but, as most generally beheved, in 1129. 53 By a provision in his will, the body was conveyed to Lismore, on the Wednesday succeedincr • and there, having been waked with psalms, hymns and canticles, it was honourably interred,54 in tlie tomb of the Bishops, on the Thursday fol- lowing. ss To St. Celsus is ascribed the following works, besides the Consti-
to which reference has been already made, viz. : His Testament or Will, besides many Epistles to St. Malachy. 5« At the 6th of April, his festival is set down, in the Roman Martyrology,'? while we are told, that this occurred through an oversight of Cardinal Baronius, who mistook a iv. for a vi. , and
tutions,
39 See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1022 to 1025.
*°See Colcan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Sexta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, pars.
jii p3^
V- See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1024, 1025.
4^ See " Chronicle of Ireland," p. 203.
43 Such an inference he drew, perhaps,
from the circumstance, that Celsus belonged
to the dominant family at Armagh. This Sancta," part 1, p. 216. A. like statement
family intruded "viri uxorati," on the See,
as St. Bernard complains, in his Life of St.
Malachy
4< At this time, Toirdhealbhach Ua Con-
chobhair, or Turlough O'Conor, a renowned and ambitious warrior, ruled overConnaught; while Cormac Mac Carthy, known as the
occurs, in Rev. Alban Butler s "Lives of the Fathers, Jlartyrs and other principal Saints, vol. iv. , April vi.
5^ Regarding this Saint, Father Stephen
ruled in Munster. count of thelatter, in Dr. Petrie's
See an ac-
"
nia," cap. iv. , pp. 32 33, and again, at p. 37.
king-bishop,
53 " De See Sir James Ware,
Ecclesi- astical Architecture, and Round Towers of Ireland,"&c. , part ii. , sec. iii. , sub-sec. i. , pp.
Scnptonbus Ilibernine," lib. 11. , cap. vui. , P- 53. .
305 to 313.
« See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 1028 to 1031.
4" Dr. Meredith Hanmer, in his "Chroni-
S4 See Hams' Ware, vol. 1. , "Archbishops
of Armagh," pp. SI to 54-
55 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters,'' vol. 11. , pp. 1034, '°35-
5^ See John Bale, " Scriptorum Illustnum
cle of Ireland," incorrectly states, that he Majoris Britanniee, &c. ,
cent, sec. »4- xiy. ,
"diedofgreatage. " Seep. 203.
47 Not understanding the statement of Malachiam m Episcopatu prsecessit.
"" vi. Baronius, John Wilson, in his Martyrolo- Martyrologium Romanum, Apnlis
gium Anglicanum," has said, that Celsus preceded St. Malachy in the See of Conor, which was not the case.
"S The reader will find an accoun of this
venerable rcUc, 111 the Life of St. Patrick, at
the 17th of March, chap, v.
"9 See Dr. Meredith Hanmer s "Chronicle
of Ireland,' p. 203.
> Britannia
S" " the Signifying
r t, . • 1 of Patrick, '
height
s" See Bishop Challoner s
White remarks
:
" Mortuum anno Salutis,
1 128, et in Romano Martyrologio positum
ad 6 Aprilis. " See "Apologia pro Hiber-
=; In Hibernia S. CeIsi Episcop. qui "—
April 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 47 thatthedateshouldratherbe4thofthismonth. s* InHenryFitzsimon's
"
Catalogus aliqorum Sanctorum Iberni3e,"S9 this bishop's feast appears to be referredtothesthofAugust,evidentlythroughsomemistake. TheMartyr- ology of Donegal ^ records, on this day, the name of St. Celsus, Bishop, of Ard Macha, or Armagh. Likewise, in the Rev. Alban Butler's work,*' in that of the Rev. S. Baring-Gould,'^ and in the " Circle of the Seasons,"'^ the feast of St Celsus, is set down, at the 6th of April. Whether deservedly or not, Father Stephen ^Vhite ^ reproves Giraldus Cambrensis, for omitting all men- tion of this saint, who flourished in the twelfth century, and who is so remarkably lauded by St. Bernard. *' However, it is sufficient to observe here, that the name and memory of St. Celsus hold a distinguished position in Irish ecclesiastical records, and they cannot be obliterated, under any cir- cumstances, from the history of our national Church.
Article II. —St. Cronbeg, or Cronan Beg, Abbot of Clonmac- NOiSE, King's County. [Seventh Century. '] This Saint is called Cronan Beg, or the Little, owing probably to his want of ordinary stature. He is entered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh," at the 6th of April, as Cronbrice, Abbot of Cluana, or Clonmacnoise. The date of his birth has not been ascertained,nordoeshisgenealogyseemtobeknown. Thisholymanmost probably succeeded Colman,' Abbot, who died, in the year 681. 3 Then was his successor elected to rule, in a spot, greatly resorted to, even from distant regions. The pilgrimage to holy places is one of the oldest of Christian insti- tutions. The first known visits were to Jerusalem, and to other parts of Judea. Thus, Helena, the pious mother of the Emperor Constantine, hastened as a
pilgrim to the Holy Land, when shejvisited the scenes of our Redeemer's passion. The Empress returned, bringing with her the true cross, with other relics of Christ's death ; and, from that time forward, pilgrimages to the Holy Land were annually made by thousands, from every part of Christendom. Our Irish countrymen frequently visited this distant land, and usually com- bined with their journey a pilgrimage to the shrines of the Apostles, St. Peter and St Paul, at Rome. Hardships, persecutions, and even death itself, often overtook the zealous and devoted pilgrim. The tremendous conflicts, which shook Palestine during the period of the Crusades, barred the road thither to allbutthemosthardy,adventurous,anddaring. Thesubsequentlossofthe HolyCity,allbutcloseditsgatesagainsttheChristians. Atandbeforethisera, thepracticeofnationalpilgrimagesgrewintotranscendentimportance. Instead of turning towards the Holy Sepulchre, the penitent wended his way, towards
Cponbice Ah, only.
Colman.
3 See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. a88, 289. This Abbot b said to have been of the sept of Ciaraighe-Airtich, seated between the rivers Lung and Brideog, in the old barony of
5* See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's " Lives of "" •^P"' "• P' '°9-
' ^^- ^""= '•'«* ">« on an inscription
'^t»^c*'"'^'. 'c^M' " S>ee O Sullevan Beare'. s
old tomb in Clonmacnoise, which belonged to one Colman, in 1822, and it is still extant. •^ "°** *"* "'^'l"'' but the lettering is now indistinct. A representation of it will be found, in Miss Stokes' "Christian Inscrip- tions in the Irish Language," vol. i. , plate ii. , 6g. 6, p. 17. It is ascribed to the present
Historia: Ca- thelicse Ibemi^ Compendium. " tomus L,
»o cj''^'i,*"? «P' ^^'
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
9°> 97-
bee Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
other pnncipal Saints," vol. jr. , April vi. "See "Laves of the Saints," vol. iv. ,
April vi. , p. 106. / See p. 97.
•*
See"ApologiaproHibemia,"cap. ii.
