Utterly
unselfish
and nobly generous was his spirit of self-devotedness.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
I.
A.
, fol.
79.
Art. ii. 'In a copy of the tract attributed
to St. ^ngus "On the Mothers of the Irish
"
copied from the
and were throned in his heart. '^ He
piety always
mity. Peace, compassion,
manifested the same equanimity of temper ; he preserved such a heavenly serenity of countenance that he seemed to have abandoned even the imper- fections of human nature. For these and such like virtues, he now reigns in
to which the Finn or which " white " or
prefix
Fionn,
signifies
was
account of some quality of complexion, or from the colour of his hair. He
had the same father and mother' as Fintan ; and to the former biography thereaderisreferredfornoticesregardingthem. Atthe3rddayofJanuary," St. Finlog, as well as his brother Fintan, was venerated at Dunbleisque, or Doone ; and again do we learn from St. ^ngus and his commentator,3 from
the foreign saint Rodanus, two other Irish saints at this day.
of this saint's'name in Rev. Dr. Kelly's edi^ tion, at this date.
'7 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
6, 7.
'^ In the published Acts of our saint this
C. 111. ri.
rno^ mAT\ci\A •Ro'OATiii' Con A cLein cAinefce pncAn CO peib uAifle
tefce.
read,
Nunquam in illius
^* * After introducing the names of twenty-
four foreign saints at this day, the first
Irish saint's record stands pncAni in the
Franciscan copy. There is a total omission brother to St. Fintan of Dunbleisque, and
probably
bestowed on
sentence, in the former part, appears slightly
Saints,
transcribed for the writer, and
"
Leabhar Lecan," a MS.
Through misprint, the 5th of January is set down in Colgan's work.
3 He that says,
Finnluga
was and disciple
. LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 3.
"
die an exile from the country of his birth. In the former life we have already related the manner of his departure. It is thought probable, that he went to lona, and that he was the identical Findluganus, who interposed to save the life of his great master, St. Columkille, in the island of Hinba. We are informed,? that while living here St. Columkille had resolved on excommuni-
cating certain oppressors of religious houses. Among these, Joan, the son of Conall, was especially conspicuous. One of his wicked associates was called Lamh Dess. Instigated by the devil, he rushed on the saint with a spear intending to kill Columba. To prevent this dreaded result, one of the brethren, named Findlugan,^ put on the saint's garment and interposed his person, being ready to die for sake of the holy man. But St. Columba's garment served as a kind of strong and impenetrable shield, which could not be pierced by the thrust of a very sharp spear, although made by a powerful man. The brother who wore it remained safe and uninjured under divine protection. The ruffian who attempted this outrage, and whose name is found Latinized Manus Dextra,9 retired, thinking he had transfixed the saint^° with his spear. Exactly one year afterwards, when the saint was in the island of
54
Finnlogain, in the territory of Kiennacht, of
Quinta lib. ii. , cap. cii. , p. 428.
Glenn Gemin. See
maturga" Quarta Vita S. Columbae, n. 23, p. 383.
* In the edition published by Rev. Dr. Kelly, this saint's festival is thus entered at
the present day:
"
of Tallagh,"4 from the " Calendar of Cashel," and from
the "
Marianus O'Gorman, as also from the
Finlog had been venerated at Tamlacht Finnlogha, or Finlagan,^ in the territory of Cianachta Glinne Geimhin, on this same day. Finlog seems to have been originally the disciple of his brother, at Dunbleisque, where, as has been- already related, it was predicted that he should pass over the sea, and
Martyrology
Colgan's
" Trias Thau-
^ Saints this name are honoured in bearing
our Irish calendars, respectively, at January •3rd, May nth, June 5th, and November 13th. Besides, we find a Lugh venerated at the
i6th of June, and a Lughan at the 21st of July. In addition, there are twelve Lugh-
Finnlag Duinbleisci, i.
Blesc ainm Mucida Righ, h-Cuanach, ise
roboi. is in ionad seu artus unde nominatur
locus," p. xi. The Franciscan copy has
pn'otvi5Ae'Ounblefa,i. e. ,bleifCAnn. muc-
cit)A nigh CuAriAcn Tpe |\oboi
pp. 6, 7. It is added, that he was a disciple and brother of the previous St. Fintan, and that both were the sons of or
aidhs or Lughaedhs, respectively, venerated at the 31st of January, 12th February, 2nd, 9th, and 24th of March, 1 7th of |April, 12th of May, ist of July, 6th of Augiist, 30th of September, 6th of October, and 2nd of No- vember. See table of the " of
The latter is part
Martyrology Donegal," as edited by Dr. Todd and Dr.
quite illegible.
5 See Dr. Todd's and Dr. Reeves' edition,
son to son of Fingen,
son of
Deman, son to Muiredhach Muinderg.
Cairell,
Diman, Deman, Irish,
^
vedy, in the county of Londonderry. See lugan, although from the context it seems
''
It adjoins Drumachose or Newtownlima-
had been thrust at St. Columkille or at Find-
Rev, Dr. Reeves'
Columba," n. (d. ) p. 136. ''There are islands of this name near
Adamnan's Life of St. probable enough the latter was meant. 7 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Scarba, among the Hebrides.
Martyrology of Donegal/'s that St.
" A year has just now elapsed since that day when Lamh-dess
Hy, he said
did his best to put Findlugan to death in my place, but that man is now slain, as I believe, and on this very hour. " So it happened ; for at that moment,
according
:
to the saint's in an island which is Latinized " revelation,
Longa,""
" a battle was Long Island,"
between a number of Lamh-dess alone was slain by Conan, son of Baithen, and trans-
in
warriors.
fixedwithadart. Itissaid,thisstrokewasgiveninthenameofSt. Columba. After the fall of Lamh-dess the battle ceased. Whether these events occurred before or after what remains to be noted regarding St. Finlog cannot very
English,
fought
opposing
therefore both are named together ; that this
saintjoumeyedto Albania, and that he is the saint who had been venerated in Tamlacht-
"Adamnan's,"or"QuartaVitaS. Columbae,"
lib. ii. , cap. xxiv. , pp. 355,
Vita S.
356, and Columbse,"
O'Donnell's or "
Reeves, pp. 418, 419, 436, 437.
^ That is "Right Hand," rendered into
" Lamh-dess. "
'° Neither in Adamnan's nor O'Donnell's
life is it sufficiently clear whether the spear
January 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 55
clearly be ascertained. Again, St. Columkille is said to have founded a
religious establishment at a place near Lough Foyle, in the barony of Kenaught, county of Londonderry. " The townland is called Tamlacht. ^3 Over the house thus established the great father of Irish monasticism placed his disciple, Finlog, as first abbot. Hence the place seems to have derived itsappellationofTamlachtfinlaghan,'+ Itisnowaparishinthedioceseof Deny. '5 The place of the old monastic site is marked by a much frequented
cemetery, within the enclosure of which are the ruins of an old church. Whether any portion of this building dates back to the time of St. Finlog may very fairly be questioned.
'^
OLl Church at Tamlacht Finlagan.
The old church at Tamlacht was drawn by George V. Du Noyer, in 1836,'^ and this sketch is faithfully produced in the accompanying engraving. '7 The
" According to one authority this happened A. D. 585. See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 592. No
more correctly declares the word Taimh- leacht to mean "a plague monument," or a
place when people who died of an epidemic had been buried. The word is said to be of
reference, however, is given for the date. '3""The
Pagan origin,
and considered as
Tam-lechta, plague -graves.
applicable by adoption only to Christian cemeteries, like other Pagan terms. In the northern coun- ties it is generally written Tamlaght and Tamlat, while in other places it takes the
forms, Tawlaght, Towlaght, and Towlett.
See " and of Irish Names of Origin History
Places," part ii. , chap, iv. , p. 151.
'5 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse,
cap. ii. , p. 495.
'^
It was designed for illustration of the antiquities of the county of Londonderry, and intended for the engraver. It is preserved in the " Oblong Book of Sketches for Lon-
root-word is supposed to be tam-tzbes, by "
Whitley Stokes, editor of Sanas Chor-
maic," or "Cormac's Glossary," p. 160. In the same manner Tamlacht is explained by
O'Flaherty when treating about Tallagh,
nearDublin. See
"Ogygia," pars. iii. , cap,
v. ,
pp. 168, 169. To the foregoing opinions
Dr. O'Donovan adheres, notwithstanding
certain interpretations advanced by others.
''
Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the county Londonderry during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1834," pp. 122, 123.
^^ See Archdall's ' ' Monasticon Hibemi-
See
cum," p. 93. Archdall incorrectly renders donderry," in the Royal Irish Academy, the denomination into English, as "the vol. ii. , No. 114.
church of Finnlugan. " Dr. P. W. Joyce '7 By Mrs. Millard.
Or
-*'
56 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. January 3.
ground plan represents only a nave, with the annexe of a tower,^^ on the left side of the ruined entrance way. On the opposite gable was a circularly- headed window, now greatly injured. Two windows seem to have been on the right side-wall, and one window on the left. A great portion of the old building—which appears to have been an ancient one—has crumbled into decay. It adjoins the Bessbrook river beside the road, and about two miles from Lough Foyle. '9 The place of St. Finlogue, or Finlogus, has been incor- rectly confounded^" with Tallagh, a parish in the county of Dublin.
Besides his cultus at Tamlacht Finnlaghan, and Dunbleisque, St. Finlog
appears to have been venerated, likewise, on the island of St. Finlagan, where are the ruins of a small chapel dedicated to him. I'hat island lies within
Loch Finlagan,^^ in the parish of Killarrow, at Islay, or Ila. From this fresh water lake flows the Killarrow river, and between the chapel of St. Finlagan and the east coast at Kilcholmkill stood a chapel dedicated to St. Columba. Before the year 1380, John, lord of the Isles, is said to have roofed the chapel of Finlagan and other churches. He gave them, moreover, proper furniture for the service of God, and for the maintenance of officiating clergy. The lords of the Isles exercised the right of patronage in connexion with the chapels of St. Finlagan and of St. Columba. ^^ On the island cemetery of Finlagan the wives and chi—ldren of the island lords were buried, while these
=^3
latter were buried at lona regarded as still more sacred ground. It may
have been the case that a part of St. Columba's missionary enterprise
embraced Islay, and that St. Finlog either founded a church at Loch Finlagan,
orlivedand,perhaps,diedthere; butgreatuncertaintyprevailsinreferenqe to these matters.
At what particular time the monastic institute of Tamlaght Finloga ceased is unrecorded, but it is classed as a parochial church in the Taxation of Pope Nicholas, a. d. 1291. On the old monastic site stand the ruins of a former parish church, destroyed in the wars of i64i. ='4 In the beginning of the present century there was a tower visiMe on the north-west comer of the old church ruin, near the stream, behind Bessbrook. ^s
The Christian courage and charity of this saint deserve well the enco- mium of Prince O'Donnell, for he desired to sacrifice his own life in preserving that of his great spiritual father, whose loss to the Church Findlugan deemed irreparable on earth. Greater charity than this no man possesses, when he is ready to give up his own life for the safety of his friends.
Utterly unselfish and nobly generous was his spirit of self-devotedness. His humility and obedience were equally conspicuous, for he felt ready to accept any injunction which might best promote God's honour. In either Scotia his religious acts were conspicuous ; and the people both of Ireland and of Scotland have just reasons for celebrating his virtues.
'^
This seems to have had a circular stair- way in the interior.
'9 See the Ordnance Survey Townland
Argyle and seven priests, with great ceremony, See ibid. , pp. 240, 241.
=^^ See C. Innes' "Origines Parochiales
Maps of the county of Londonderry, Scotiae," vol. ii. , part i. , pp. 261, 262.
*3 See Pennant's " Tour in Scotland and Voyage to the Hebrides," mdcclxxii. , vol. ii. , p. 227.
See the map annexed to M. Martin's
"Description of the Western Islands of
Scotland. " Here, too, in the beginning of pographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , the last century, the guard-houses and court
of the great MacDonnell, lord of the Isles,
were to be seen in ruins, and here the tanist
was formerly inaugurated by the bishop of
sheet 9.
^^
See Archdall's "Monasticon Hiberni- cum," p. 257.
*'
^-t For further particulars regarding this parish the reader is referred to Lewis' " To-
pp. 592, 593.
=s See Rev. G. Vaughan Sampson's
"
Sta- tistical Survey of the County ofLondonderry,"
chap, v , § 27, p. 486.
January 4. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 57
Article III. —St. Cillin, or Cillene Ua Colla, Abbot of Fathan- MuRA,NOWFahan,CountyofDonegal. \SeventhandEighthCenturies. ']—
"
modern designation of his locality is Fahan, within the peninsula of Inishowen, in the county of Donegal. At present, it is said, the old church of Fahan Mura lies close to the eastern shore of Lough Swilly, in the barony of Inish- owen, county of Donegal, and in an exceedingly picturesque situation within the ornamental glebe grounds. "* In the Annals of Ireland we have on record the death of Ceallach, son of Saran, abbot of Othan-mor or Fahan, a. d. 657. 5 It seems likely the present saint did not succeed him as abbot for many years afterwards, as the death of St. Cillene Ua Colla is set down in the "Annals of the Four Masters," at a. d. 720, on the 3rd of January. The
"Annals of Ulster" place his death at a. d. 724,^ and the Martyrologists of Donegal seem to adopt this latter computation.
Article IV. —Reputed Feast of St. Findan, Recluse of Rhingaw,
IN Switzerland. According to Bucelinus,' this saint died on a 3rd of
January. His principal festival, however, is kept on the 15th of November. At this latter day his Acts will be found. But it seems more than likely, Bucelin—us confounded his feast incorrectly with the festival of St. Fintan of Doone altogether a different saint.
jfouitJ) J3ap of 3attuarp>
ARTICLE I. —ST. AIDUS, BISHOP OF KILDARE. [SIXTH AND SEVENTH CENTURIES. ^
appears more remarkable in Irish Church history than the
Wefinda Cillini Mach at the of in the " festival, Colla, 3rd January,
Martyro- Martyrology of Donegal"^ mentions Cillin Ua Colla, abbot of Fathan-Mura,3 as having been venerated on this day. The name of this place is sometimes found WTitten Athain and Othain in ancient records. A church was founded here so early as the sixth century by the great St. Columkille. St. Cilline, the descendant of Colla, was bom most probably about the middle of the seventh century. The
logy of Tallagh. "^
In addition to this notice the
that so scions of NOTHING many
and noble houses
cated their worldly rank to assume the humble garb of the monk ; thus choosing to be governed rather than to rule. Some account of this saint has been given by Colgan, at the 4th of January; but these short notices are very
royal
Art. III. —' Edited by the Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xi. In the Franciscan copy we find Cil-tine tllAc h CoILa.
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
6, 7.
3 So called from the patron, St. Mura,
whose feast occurs at the 12th of March.
* See Ordnance Survey Townland Maps of
the county Donegal, sheet 38.
abdi-
s gee Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 268, 269. Also ""
fac
t,
voluntarily
Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga, Quinta Ap- pendixadActaS. Columbae, cap. ix. , p. 510.
*
Art. Iv.
Sanctorum Beatorum atque Illustrium Ejus- dem Ordinis Virorum, accessit sacrarium sive Reliquiarium Benedictinum.
See ibid. , pp. 318, 319, and n. (g).
—
'
Menologium Benedictinum
58 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 4.
unsatisfactory. ^ The obscurity of his acts, however, is not the fault of this writer. Most probably St. Aidus was bom about the middle or towards the close of the sixth century. From the data afforded us, it appears a matter of
"
great difficulty to unveil the chief incidents of his life. In the
of Tallagh,"^ at the 4th of January, we find the entry of Aedin, a bishop. 3 Various saints, bearing the names Aedh,^ or Aedhan,^ appear at different dates in our calendars. In the Feilire of ^ngus not only is the present but every
other native saint excluded at this date. ^ By Marianus O'Gorman our saint '
is denominated Aidus ; while by other calendarists and writers he is styled
indifferently ^dinus, ^dus, and ^dius. According to some accounts St. Aidus is stated to have been King of Leinster ; yet this hardly seems recon- cilable with our annalistic chronology. 7 Following the pedigree of the Genealogic Menology,^ St. Aidus, the bishop, was son to Moelodran, son of Brocan, son to Corbmac, son of Diermeit, son to Eochad Guinech, son of Ere, son to Brecan, son of Fieg, son to Daire Barrigh, son of Catheir the Great. 9 From all we are able to ascertain, it does not seem probable the present saint ever occupied the throne of Leinster j although Colgan thinks Aedh Cerr,^° who ruled over that province, and whose death is noted at a. d.
Art. I. —'See Colgan's "Acta Sancto- rum Hibemise," 4 Januarii. Vita S. Aidi,
''
1fi ^ibC^MfCc^eAcunpu, X)o coeinnAccAi\ cbAcncA,
The death of chaste Aquilinius, With a troop who was firm ;
In the blood of Christ
They beautified garments.
—"
kings, showing following sult in a regular line. These I have taken the liberty to invert from Colgan's order. His accounts correspond pretty faithfully with chronology, contained in the " Annals of the Four Masters. " Dunlang is said to have been twenty years in the sovereignty of Leinster. Olild, son to Dunlang, died in 526. Cormac, son to Olild, died in 535, after reigning nine years over Leinster. Cairbre, son to Cormac, King of Leinster, died in 546, after a reign of eleven years. Colman, son to Cairbre, King of Leinster, died in 576, after a reign of thirty years ; whilst Aedh Cerr, King of Leinster, and son
to Colman, died in the year 591. Ronan,
son to of and bro- Colman, King Leinster,
ther to Aedh Cerr, is next named as succes- sor to this latter, and he died A. D. 610, according to the " Annals of the Four Mas- ters. " Aedh Cerr had a son named Ere, the father of Nessan.
p. 14, and Dr. Lanigan's
sec. vii. , and nn. 86, 87, pp. 33, 34.
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. ,
^
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xi.
3 After the introduction of eight foreign saints the Franciscan copy of the Tallagh Martyrology, extracted from the Book of Leinster, now in Trinity College Library,
has ^Xexjim epi. '* Besides the
""
to the Martyrology of Donegal at the 4th of January, a. St. Aedh was venerated respectively at the 25 th of the same month ;
one at the 7th, 12th, and i6th of February ; oneatthe7thandnthofApril;oneat thelothofMay; oneatthe27thofJune; one at the 8th and loth of July ; one at the 1 6th of August ; one at the 22nd of Septem- ber ; one at the 6th and 29th of October ; one at the ist and loth of November ; and one at the 19th of December; in all, eighteen. See Dr. Todd's and Reeves' edi- tion, pp. 356, 357.
—s The following Aedhans are enumerated :
AjCdhan, at the 1st of January the same ;
Leabhar Breac," copy in the
present
has been varied to Aoth in the table prefixed
name occurs at the I2tii of February ; at the 1 6th, 20th, and 29th of March ; at the 1st and 8th of April ; at the 2nd and 17th ofJune; at the 19th ofJuly; at the3rd, 7th, 27th, and 31st of August ; at the 4th and 20th of September at the
and 20th of October at the and ; 2nd, 6th,
2ist of November ; at the 25th of Decem-
^ XX. Cap.
ber in
; all, twenty-three.
356 to 359.
^
lish translation have bee—n obligingly fur-
'° He succeeded his
reigned fifteen years.
The following Irish stanza and its Eng-
different person from the aforesaid Aedh
Cerr, Colgan thinks him to have been Aidus,
nished by Mr. O'Longan
t), 11. n. bAf CAit) ^^^uilim, Combtn'oiri b^ bAlcu ;
son to a descendant from
saint, whose name
Royal Irish Academy.
^ Colgan had four different catalogues of the Leinster the re-
; 9th, 12th,
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
:
Moelodran, being
the royal race of Leinster. His genealogy
See ibid.
and
If our saint be a
pp.
father, Colman,
9 See
nise," 4 Januarii, n. 2, p. 14.
Colgan's
is traced to Cathair, King of Leinster, after- wards King of Ireland.
Martyrology
January 4. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 59
591," may have only died politically, to have lived forty-seven years subse- quently in the religious state. But, besides the usual accurate phraseology of our annalists, and other irreconcilable circumstances, the different fathers of Aedh Cerr and of St. Aidan, the bishop, ought to have shown Colgan" how improbable must have been an identity between both. Another conjecture has been ventured upon, that perhaps Aedh Cerr had been a different person from this Saint Aldus, whose name perchance has been omitted from the catalogue of Leinster kings, because he reigned only for a short time, and abdicated a throne to the regret of his people. It seems more than likely, however, that as the present saint was descended from a right regal Leinster line, he may have been some minor potentate connected with that province rather than its chief ruler. '3 It is said, that having abandoned his exalted
position, he became a monk in Kildare Monastery. He seems to have been ""
denominated Dubh," black," probably from some pecuharity of com- plexion. Greatly distinguished for his virtues and merits in the monastic profession, he was afterwards called to preside over the religious as abbot ; but, furthermore, he was elevated to the episcopal dignity, and he ruled for some time over the see of Kildare. Although this see maintained a con- stant succession of zealous and pious prelates from the time of St. Conlath,'* yet until we come to this St. Aidus's they do not figure on the pages of his- tory with sufficient distinctiveness. ^^ Thus he was advanced to spiritual honors, having escaped from royal dignities. He died in the year 638,^7 but we cannot ascertain the duration of his episcopacy. Whether the demise of St. Aldus occurred on a 4th of January, or on a loth of May, is thought to be uncertain. Colgan has a few notices regarding him at the former date, yet he states, that it might be possible, the memory of St, Aldus had been
celebrated on both
days. ^^
At the
4th
of
January
the " of Martyrology
''See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 208, 209, 214, 215-
Masters," vol. i. , pp. 256, 257 : —"Aedh Dubh, Abbot and Bishop of Cill-dara (Kil- dare), died. He had been at first King of Leinster. " The Annals of Ulster and those
" His attempted explanation has been re-
jected on sufficient grounds in "Harris' of Clonmacnoise agree with this account.
Ware," vol. i. , Bishops of Kildare, pp.
Art. ii. 'In a copy of the tract attributed
to St. ^ngus "On the Mothers of the Irish
"
copied from the
and were throned in his heart. '^ He
piety always
mity. Peace, compassion,
manifested the same equanimity of temper ; he preserved such a heavenly serenity of countenance that he seemed to have abandoned even the imper- fections of human nature. For these and such like virtues, he now reigns in
to which the Finn or which " white " or
prefix
Fionn,
signifies
was
account of some quality of complexion, or from the colour of his hair. He
had the same father and mother' as Fintan ; and to the former biography thereaderisreferredfornoticesregardingthem. Atthe3rddayofJanuary," St. Finlog, as well as his brother Fintan, was venerated at Dunbleisque, or Doone ; and again do we learn from St. ^ngus and his commentator,3 from
the foreign saint Rodanus, two other Irish saints at this day.
of this saint's'name in Rev. Dr. Kelly's edi^ tion, at this date.
'7 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
6, 7.
'^ In the published Acts of our saint this
C. 111. ri.
rno^ mAT\ci\A •Ro'OATiii' Con A cLein cAinefce pncAn CO peib uAifle
tefce.
read,
Nunquam in illius
^* * After introducing the names of twenty-
four foreign saints at this day, the first
Irish saint's record stands pncAni in the
Franciscan copy. There is a total omission brother to St. Fintan of Dunbleisque, and
probably
bestowed on
sentence, in the former part, appears slightly
Saints,
transcribed for the writer, and
"
Leabhar Lecan," a MS.
Through misprint, the 5th of January is set down in Colgan's work.
3 He that says,
Finnluga
was and disciple
. LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 3.
"
die an exile from the country of his birth. In the former life we have already related the manner of his departure. It is thought probable, that he went to lona, and that he was the identical Findluganus, who interposed to save the life of his great master, St. Columkille, in the island of Hinba. We are informed,? that while living here St. Columkille had resolved on excommuni-
cating certain oppressors of religious houses. Among these, Joan, the son of Conall, was especially conspicuous. One of his wicked associates was called Lamh Dess. Instigated by the devil, he rushed on the saint with a spear intending to kill Columba. To prevent this dreaded result, one of the brethren, named Findlugan,^ put on the saint's garment and interposed his person, being ready to die for sake of the holy man. But St. Columba's garment served as a kind of strong and impenetrable shield, which could not be pierced by the thrust of a very sharp spear, although made by a powerful man. The brother who wore it remained safe and uninjured under divine protection. The ruffian who attempted this outrage, and whose name is found Latinized Manus Dextra,9 retired, thinking he had transfixed the saint^° with his spear. Exactly one year afterwards, when the saint was in the island of
54
Finnlogain, in the territory of Kiennacht, of
Quinta lib. ii. , cap. cii. , p. 428.
Glenn Gemin. See
maturga" Quarta Vita S. Columbae, n. 23, p. 383.
* In the edition published by Rev. Dr. Kelly, this saint's festival is thus entered at
the present day:
"
of Tallagh,"4 from the " Calendar of Cashel," and from
the "
Marianus O'Gorman, as also from the
Finlog had been venerated at Tamlacht Finnlogha, or Finlagan,^ in the territory of Cianachta Glinne Geimhin, on this same day. Finlog seems to have been originally the disciple of his brother, at Dunbleisque, where, as has been- already related, it was predicted that he should pass over the sea, and
Martyrology
Colgan's
" Trias Thau-
^ Saints this name are honoured in bearing
our Irish calendars, respectively, at January •3rd, May nth, June 5th, and November 13th. Besides, we find a Lugh venerated at the
i6th of June, and a Lughan at the 21st of July. In addition, there are twelve Lugh-
Finnlag Duinbleisci, i.
Blesc ainm Mucida Righ, h-Cuanach, ise
roboi. is in ionad seu artus unde nominatur
locus," p. xi. The Franciscan copy has
pn'otvi5Ae'Ounblefa,i. e. ,bleifCAnn. muc-
cit)A nigh CuAriAcn Tpe |\oboi
pp. 6, 7. It is added, that he was a disciple and brother of the previous St. Fintan, and that both were the sons of or
aidhs or Lughaedhs, respectively, venerated at the 31st of January, 12th February, 2nd, 9th, and 24th of March, 1 7th of |April, 12th of May, ist of July, 6th of Augiist, 30th of September, 6th of October, and 2nd of No- vember. See table of the " of
The latter is part
Martyrology Donegal," as edited by Dr. Todd and Dr.
quite illegible.
5 See Dr. Todd's and Dr. Reeves' edition,
son to son of Fingen,
son of
Deman, son to Muiredhach Muinderg.
Cairell,
Diman, Deman, Irish,
^
vedy, in the county of Londonderry. See lugan, although from the context it seems
''
It adjoins Drumachose or Newtownlima-
had been thrust at St. Columkille or at Find-
Rev, Dr. Reeves'
Columba," n. (d. ) p. 136. ''There are islands of this name near
Adamnan's Life of St. probable enough the latter was meant. 7 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Scarba, among the Hebrides.
Martyrology of Donegal/'s that St.
" A year has just now elapsed since that day when Lamh-dess
Hy, he said
did his best to put Findlugan to death in my place, but that man is now slain, as I believe, and on this very hour. " So it happened ; for at that moment,
according
:
to the saint's in an island which is Latinized " revelation,
Longa,""
" a battle was Long Island,"
between a number of Lamh-dess alone was slain by Conan, son of Baithen, and trans-
in
warriors.
fixedwithadart. Itissaid,thisstrokewasgiveninthenameofSt. Columba. After the fall of Lamh-dess the battle ceased. Whether these events occurred before or after what remains to be noted regarding St. Finlog cannot very
English,
fought
opposing
therefore both are named together ; that this
saintjoumeyedto Albania, and that he is the saint who had been venerated in Tamlacht-
"Adamnan's,"or"QuartaVitaS. Columbae,"
lib. ii. , cap. xxiv. , pp. 355,
Vita S.
356, and Columbse,"
O'Donnell's or "
Reeves, pp. 418, 419, 436, 437.
^ That is "Right Hand," rendered into
" Lamh-dess. "
'° Neither in Adamnan's nor O'Donnell's
life is it sufficiently clear whether the spear
January 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 55
clearly be ascertained. Again, St. Columkille is said to have founded a
religious establishment at a place near Lough Foyle, in the barony of Kenaught, county of Londonderry. " The townland is called Tamlacht. ^3 Over the house thus established the great father of Irish monasticism placed his disciple, Finlog, as first abbot. Hence the place seems to have derived itsappellationofTamlachtfinlaghan,'+ Itisnowaparishinthedioceseof Deny. '5 The place of the old monastic site is marked by a much frequented
cemetery, within the enclosure of which are the ruins of an old church. Whether any portion of this building dates back to the time of St. Finlog may very fairly be questioned.
'^
OLl Church at Tamlacht Finlagan.
The old church at Tamlacht was drawn by George V. Du Noyer, in 1836,'^ and this sketch is faithfully produced in the accompanying engraving. '7 The
" According to one authority this happened A. D. 585. See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 592. No
more correctly declares the word Taimh- leacht to mean "a plague monument," or a
place when people who died of an epidemic had been buried. The word is said to be of
reference, however, is given for the date. '3""The
Pagan origin,
and considered as
Tam-lechta, plague -graves.
applicable by adoption only to Christian cemeteries, like other Pagan terms. In the northern coun- ties it is generally written Tamlaght and Tamlat, while in other places it takes the
forms, Tawlaght, Towlaght, and Towlett.
See " and of Irish Names of Origin History
Places," part ii. , chap, iv. , p. 151.
'5 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse,
cap. ii. , p. 495.
'^
It was designed for illustration of the antiquities of the county of Londonderry, and intended for the engraver. It is preserved in the " Oblong Book of Sketches for Lon-
root-word is supposed to be tam-tzbes, by "
Whitley Stokes, editor of Sanas Chor-
maic," or "Cormac's Glossary," p. 160. In the same manner Tamlacht is explained by
O'Flaherty when treating about Tallagh,
nearDublin. See
"Ogygia," pars. iii. , cap,
v. ,
pp. 168, 169. To the foregoing opinions
Dr. O'Donovan adheres, notwithstanding
certain interpretations advanced by others.
''
Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the county Londonderry during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1834," pp. 122, 123.
^^ See Archdall's ' ' Monasticon Hibemi-
See
cum," p. 93. Archdall incorrectly renders donderry," in the Royal Irish Academy, the denomination into English, as "the vol. ii. , No. 114.
church of Finnlugan. " Dr. P. W. Joyce '7 By Mrs. Millard.
Or
-*'
56 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. January 3.
ground plan represents only a nave, with the annexe of a tower,^^ on the left side of the ruined entrance way. On the opposite gable was a circularly- headed window, now greatly injured. Two windows seem to have been on the right side-wall, and one window on the left. A great portion of the old building—which appears to have been an ancient one—has crumbled into decay. It adjoins the Bessbrook river beside the road, and about two miles from Lough Foyle. '9 The place of St. Finlogue, or Finlogus, has been incor- rectly confounded^" with Tallagh, a parish in the county of Dublin.
Besides his cultus at Tamlacht Finnlaghan, and Dunbleisque, St. Finlog
appears to have been venerated, likewise, on the island of St. Finlagan, where are the ruins of a small chapel dedicated to him. I'hat island lies within
Loch Finlagan,^^ in the parish of Killarrow, at Islay, or Ila. From this fresh water lake flows the Killarrow river, and between the chapel of St. Finlagan and the east coast at Kilcholmkill stood a chapel dedicated to St. Columba. Before the year 1380, John, lord of the Isles, is said to have roofed the chapel of Finlagan and other churches. He gave them, moreover, proper furniture for the service of God, and for the maintenance of officiating clergy. The lords of the Isles exercised the right of patronage in connexion with the chapels of St. Finlagan and of St. Columba. ^^ On the island cemetery of Finlagan the wives and chi—ldren of the island lords were buried, while these
=^3
latter were buried at lona regarded as still more sacred ground. It may
have been the case that a part of St. Columba's missionary enterprise
embraced Islay, and that St. Finlog either founded a church at Loch Finlagan,
orlivedand,perhaps,diedthere; butgreatuncertaintyprevailsinreferenqe to these matters.
At what particular time the monastic institute of Tamlaght Finloga ceased is unrecorded, but it is classed as a parochial church in the Taxation of Pope Nicholas, a. d. 1291. On the old monastic site stand the ruins of a former parish church, destroyed in the wars of i64i. ='4 In the beginning of the present century there was a tower visiMe on the north-west comer of the old church ruin, near the stream, behind Bessbrook. ^s
The Christian courage and charity of this saint deserve well the enco- mium of Prince O'Donnell, for he desired to sacrifice his own life in preserving that of his great spiritual father, whose loss to the Church Findlugan deemed irreparable on earth. Greater charity than this no man possesses, when he is ready to give up his own life for the safety of his friends.
Utterly unselfish and nobly generous was his spirit of self-devotedness. His humility and obedience were equally conspicuous, for he felt ready to accept any injunction which might best promote God's honour. In either Scotia his religious acts were conspicuous ; and the people both of Ireland and of Scotland have just reasons for celebrating his virtues.
'^
This seems to have had a circular stair- way in the interior.
'9 See the Ordnance Survey Townland
Argyle and seven priests, with great ceremony, See ibid. , pp. 240, 241.
=^^ See C. Innes' "Origines Parochiales
Maps of the county of Londonderry, Scotiae," vol. ii. , part i. , pp. 261, 262.
*3 See Pennant's " Tour in Scotland and Voyage to the Hebrides," mdcclxxii. , vol. ii. , p. 227.
See the map annexed to M. Martin's
"Description of the Western Islands of
Scotland. " Here, too, in the beginning of pographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , the last century, the guard-houses and court
of the great MacDonnell, lord of the Isles,
were to be seen in ruins, and here the tanist
was formerly inaugurated by the bishop of
sheet 9.
^^
See Archdall's "Monasticon Hiberni- cum," p. 257.
*'
^-t For further particulars regarding this parish the reader is referred to Lewis' " To-
pp. 592, 593.
=s See Rev. G. Vaughan Sampson's
"
Sta- tistical Survey of the County ofLondonderry,"
chap, v , § 27, p. 486.
January 4. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 57
Article III. —St. Cillin, or Cillene Ua Colla, Abbot of Fathan- MuRA,NOWFahan,CountyofDonegal. \SeventhandEighthCenturies. ']—
"
modern designation of his locality is Fahan, within the peninsula of Inishowen, in the county of Donegal. At present, it is said, the old church of Fahan Mura lies close to the eastern shore of Lough Swilly, in the barony of Inish- owen, county of Donegal, and in an exceedingly picturesque situation within the ornamental glebe grounds. "* In the Annals of Ireland we have on record the death of Ceallach, son of Saran, abbot of Othan-mor or Fahan, a. d. 657. 5 It seems likely the present saint did not succeed him as abbot for many years afterwards, as the death of St. Cillene Ua Colla is set down in the "Annals of the Four Masters," at a. d. 720, on the 3rd of January. The
"Annals of Ulster" place his death at a. d. 724,^ and the Martyrologists of Donegal seem to adopt this latter computation.
Article IV. —Reputed Feast of St. Findan, Recluse of Rhingaw,
IN Switzerland. According to Bucelinus,' this saint died on a 3rd of
January. His principal festival, however, is kept on the 15th of November. At this latter day his Acts will be found. But it seems more than likely, Bucelin—us confounded his feast incorrectly with the festival of St. Fintan of Doone altogether a different saint.
jfouitJ) J3ap of 3attuarp>
ARTICLE I. —ST. AIDUS, BISHOP OF KILDARE. [SIXTH AND SEVENTH CENTURIES. ^
appears more remarkable in Irish Church history than the
Wefinda Cillini Mach at the of in the " festival, Colla, 3rd January,
Martyro- Martyrology of Donegal"^ mentions Cillin Ua Colla, abbot of Fathan-Mura,3 as having been venerated on this day. The name of this place is sometimes found WTitten Athain and Othain in ancient records. A church was founded here so early as the sixth century by the great St. Columkille. St. Cilline, the descendant of Colla, was bom most probably about the middle of the seventh century. The
logy of Tallagh. "^
In addition to this notice the
that so scions of NOTHING many
and noble houses
cated their worldly rank to assume the humble garb of the monk ; thus choosing to be governed rather than to rule. Some account of this saint has been given by Colgan, at the 4th of January; but these short notices are very
royal
Art. III. —' Edited by the Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xi. In the Franciscan copy we find Cil-tine tllAc h CoILa.
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
6, 7.
3 So called from the patron, St. Mura,
whose feast occurs at the 12th of March.
* See Ordnance Survey Townland Maps of
the county Donegal, sheet 38.
abdi-
s gee Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 268, 269. Also ""
fac
t,
voluntarily
Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga, Quinta Ap- pendixadActaS. Columbae, cap. ix. , p. 510.
*
Art. Iv.
Sanctorum Beatorum atque Illustrium Ejus- dem Ordinis Virorum, accessit sacrarium sive Reliquiarium Benedictinum.
See ibid. , pp. 318, 319, and n. (g).
—
'
Menologium Benedictinum
58 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 4.
unsatisfactory. ^ The obscurity of his acts, however, is not the fault of this writer. Most probably St. Aidus was bom about the middle or towards the close of the sixth century. From the data afforded us, it appears a matter of
"
great difficulty to unveil the chief incidents of his life. In the
of Tallagh,"^ at the 4th of January, we find the entry of Aedin, a bishop. 3 Various saints, bearing the names Aedh,^ or Aedhan,^ appear at different dates in our calendars. In the Feilire of ^ngus not only is the present but every
other native saint excluded at this date. ^ By Marianus O'Gorman our saint '
is denominated Aidus ; while by other calendarists and writers he is styled
indifferently ^dinus, ^dus, and ^dius. According to some accounts St. Aidus is stated to have been King of Leinster ; yet this hardly seems recon- cilable with our annalistic chronology. 7 Following the pedigree of the Genealogic Menology,^ St. Aidus, the bishop, was son to Moelodran, son of Brocan, son to Corbmac, son of Diermeit, son to Eochad Guinech, son of Ere, son to Brecan, son of Fieg, son to Daire Barrigh, son of Catheir the Great. 9 From all we are able to ascertain, it does not seem probable the present saint ever occupied the throne of Leinster j although Colgan thinks Aedh Cerr,^° who ruled over that province, and whose death is noted at a. d.
Art. I. —'See Colgan's "Acta Sancto- rum Hibemise," 4 Januarii. Vita S. Aidi,
''
1fi ^ibC^MfCc^eAcunpu, X)o coeinnAccAi\ cbAcncA,
The death of chaste Aquilinius, With a troop who was firm ;
In the blood of Christ
They beautified garments.
—"
kings, showing following sult in a regular line. These I have taken the liberty to invert from Colgan's order. His accounts correspond pretty faithfully with chronology, contained in the " Annals of the Four Masters. " Dunlang is said to have been twenty years in the sovereignty of Leinster. Olild, son to Dunlang, died in 526. Cormac, son to Olild, died in 535, after reigning nine years over Leinster. Cairbre, son to Cormac, King of Leinster, died in 546, after a reign of eleven years. Colman, son to Cairbre, King of Leinster, died in 576, after a reign of thirty years ; whilst Aedh Cerr, King of Leinster, and son
to Colman, died in the year 591. Ronan,
son to of and bro- Colman, King Leinster,
ther to Aedh Cerr, is next named as succes- sor to this latter, and he died A. D. 610, according to the " Annals of the Four Mas- ters. " Aedh Cerr had a son named Ere, the father of Nessan.
p. 14, and Dr. Lanigan's
sec. vii. , and nn. 86, 87, pp. 33, 34.
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. ,
^
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xi.
3 After the introduction of eight foreign saints the Franciscan copy of the Tallagh Martyrology, extracted from the Book of Leinster, now in Trinity College Library,
has ^Xexjim epi. '* Besides the
""
to the Martyrology of Donegal at the 4th of January, a. St. Aedh was venerated respectively at the 25 th of the same month ;
one at the 7th, 12th, and i6th of February ; oneatthe7thandnthofApril;oneat thelothofMay; oneatthe27thofJune; one at the 8th and loth of July ; one at the 1 6th of August ; one at the 22nd of Septem- ber ; one at the 6th and 29th of October ; one at the ist and loth of November ; and one at the 19th of December; in all, eighteen. See Dr. Todd's and Reeves' edi- tion, pp. 356, 357.
—s The following Aedhans are enumerated :
AjCdhan, at the 1st of January the same ;
Leabhar Breac," copy in the
present
has been varied to Aoth in the table prefixed
name occurs at the I2tii of February ; at the 1 6th, 20th, and 29th of March ; at the 1st and 8th of April ; at the 2nd and 17th ofJune; at the 19th ofJuly; at the3rd, 7th, 27th, and 31st of August ; at the 4th and 20th of September at the
and 20th of October at the and ; 2nd, 6th,
2ist of November ; at the 25th of Decem-
^ XX. Cap.
ber in
; all, twenty-three.
356 to 359.
^
lish translation have bee—n obligingly fur-
'° He succeeded his
reigned fifteen years.
The following Irish stanza and its Eng-
different person from the aforesaid Aedh
Cerr, Colgan thinks him to have been Aidus,
nished by Mr. O'Longan
t), 11. n. bAf CAit) ^^^uilim, Combtn'oiri b^ bAlcu ;
son to a descendant from
saint, whose name
Royal Irish Academy.
^ Colgan had four different catalogues of the Leinster the re-
; 9th, 12th,
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
:
Moelodran, being
the royal race of Leinster. His genealogy
See ibid.
and
If our saint be a
pp.
father, Colman,
9 See
nise," 4 Januarii, n. 2, p. 14.
Colgan's
is traced to Cathair, King of Leinster, after- wards King of Ireland.
Martyrology
January 4. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 59
591," may have only died politically, to have lived forty-seven years subse- quently in the religious state. But, besides the usual accurate phraseology of our annalists, and other irreconcilable circumstances, the different fathers of Aedh Cerr and of St. Aidan, the bishop, ought to have shown Colgan" how improbable must have been an identity between both. Another conjecture has been ventured upon, that perhaps Aedh Cerr had been a different person from this Saint Aldus, whose name perchance has been omitted from the catalogue of Leinster kings, because he reigned only for a short time, and abdicated a throne to the regret of his people. It seems more than likely, however, that as the present saint was descended from a right regal Leinster line, he may have been some minor potentate connected with that province rather than its chief ruler. '3 It is said, that having abandoned his exalted
position, he became a monk in Kildare Monastery. He seems to have been ""
denominated Dubh," black," probably from some pecuharity of com- plexion. Greatly distinguished for his virtues and merits in the monastic profession, he was afterwards called to preside over the religious as abbot ; but, furthermore, he was elevated to the episcopal dignity, and he ruled for some time over the see of Kildare. Although this see maintained a con- stant succession of zealous and pious prelates from the time of St. Conlath,'* yet until we come to this St. Aidus's they do not figure on the pages of his- tory with sufficient distinctiveness. ^^ Thus he was advanced to spiritual honors, having escaped from royal dignities. He died in the year 638,^7 but we cannot ascertain the duration of his episcopacy. Whether the demise of St. Aldus occurred on a 4th of January, or on a loth of May, is thought to be uncertain. Colgan has a few notices regarding him at the former date, yet he states, that it might be possible, the memory of St, Aldus had been
celebrated on both
days. ^^
At the
4th
of
January
the " of Martyrology
''See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 208, 209, 214, 215-
Masters," vol. i. , pp. 256, 257 : —"Aedh Dubh, Abbot and Bishop of Cill-dara (Kil- dare), died. He had been at first King of Leinster. " The Annals of Ulster and those
" His attempted explanation has been re-
jected on sufficient grounds in "Harris' of Clonmacnoise agree with this account.
Ware," vol. i. , Bishops of Kildare, pp.
