, ""
Virduni must have been substituted by a transcriber.
Virduni must have been substituted by a transcriber.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
414, 415.
' Besides the present saint, we find one bearing the same name, at the 15th of February ; at the 23rd, 29th, and 30th of March ; at the 5th and 19th of July ; at the 8th and loth of September ; and at the loth of November. The reader is referred to these several festival days for more detailed notices.
* This place has not been identified, as stated in the subjoinetl note of the learned editor, William M. Hennessy.
'See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. 98, 99.
An-
January 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 387
an instance of benefactors to humanity who have achieved heroic actions, and the knowledge of which belongs only to Him who will be their re- warder. The festival of Cronan is entered, at this date, in the Martyrology ofDonegal. ' Asimilarentryismade,also,intheMartyrologyofTallaght,' at the 20th of January.
Article X. —Patron Day of St. Vauk, or Vaak, Parish of Carn, County of Wexford. For further particulars referring to this saint, the reader is referred to June the 20th for St. Vauk's or Vaak's feast. He was also venerated on the 20th of January, in the parish of Cam,' county of Wex- ford, where a patron was annually held, at a church and well, which had been dedicated to him. '
Ctoentp-ftrsit I3ap of Sanuarp*
ARTICLE I—SAINT MACCALLIN, OR MALCALLAN, ABBOT OF SAINT MICHAEL'S MONASTERY AT THERASCHE, AND ABBOT OF WASOR, IN BELGIUM.
[TENTH CENTURY. '^
AT a time when the manners and practices of men had become exceed-
ingly corrupt and barbarous, and when learning and civilization had
dechned very much on the Continent, various civil broils and social disorders
likewise affected Ireland. However, she continued to preserve the faith and
works of charity in constant operation throughout her schools and religious
houses. She also sent numbers of enlightened and zealous missionaries
abroad to tread in the footsteps of their predecessors, and to fos—ter that
spirit of piety they —had first enkindled. The acts of St. Maccallin so far
as they are known have been compiled by the Bollandists,' and by
Colgan,^ while they are found in the Benedictine collection. 3 From these
sources, also. Bishop Challoner* has published a brief account of this holy
man. A to his " had been once goodly-sized volume, relating gests,"
preserved, as the monks at Wasor had assured Colgan,5 but this unfortu- nately has been lost. The BoUandists read a life of St. Maccallin; this however was filled with wondrous and incredible prodigies, although no- where in it was there any mention of his festival. "^ The BoUandists consider, that the name of this saint, as differently rendered Makkallinus, or Maccal-
Article ix. —' Edited and Reeves, pp. 22, 23.
by
Drs. Todd in tomus to Belgica, ii. , pp. 385 387.
* Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiii.
Franciscan —enters
copy C]\onAni.
The
These are comprised in 12 paragraphs.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemife," xxi.
De B. Malcallanno, Abbate, Januarii. pp.
152, 153.
3 in the Seventh Volume of " Acta Sane-
torum Ordinis S. Benedicti," appear the
Acts of St. Malcalen, Abbot, in 9 para-
graphs, pp. 54S to 551.
^ See "Britannia Sancta," part i. , pp.
70, 71.
s See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise, xxi.
Article x. 'Carn parish, in the ba- rony of Forth, is represented on the " Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Wexford. " Sheet 53.
'See "Letters containing information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Wexford, collected during the progress of
"
tomus xxi, ii. ,
the Ordnance m Survey 1^540,"
297.
xxi. Januarii. De B. Maccalino, Abbate,
Article —
I. 'See "Acta Sanctorum,"
Januarii,
*
See
Januarii, sec. xii. , p. 387.
vol. i. ,
p.
n. "Acta
5, p. 153. Sanctorum,"
388 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 21. linus, Makalinus, Malcallinus, Malcalanus, Malacanus, seems from its Irish
or Scottish
Kalan," or
named Malcallan, a name found more than once in our Irish annals. ^
This holy servant of God was an Irishman by birth. 9 However, it has been stated, that Malcalin, said to have been Abbot of Verdun, and venerated on the 2ist of January, was a native of Scotland. '" Dempster allows, not- withstanding, that he was educated in Ireland, where he lived under a regular discipline or rule. " In the earlier half of the tenth century, St. Forannan," had already left our island, and directed his course to Flanders. Here he was called to assume the government of Wasor monastery, on the RiverMeuse. GoingthroughBritainabouttheyear946,^3withSt. Cathroe,^* St. Fingen,'s St. Lazarus, and with other pious companions, St. Maccallen sought the shrine of St. Fursey at Perrone. '^ They were hospitably received and entertained by Herswindes, a noble matron. She was wife to Count Filbert, '7 who dwelt not far from Perrone, in Picardy, Those holy pilgrims had signified their desire for leading a solitary life in some proper place, where they might freely serve our Lord, and live by the labour of their hands. Their benefactors recommended St. Malchallan to Agnoald, who was abbot over Gorze, in Lorraine. Under this holy superior, Malcallan became a professed monk. Cathroe sought another pious destination. Previous to this course, however, those thirteen Irish companions who had arrived in France, seemed by common consent to have resolved on selecting St. Cadroe as their superior. St. Malcallan's powers of persuasion were chiefly used to secure his consent. This could not be obtained, however, owing to the holy man's true humility. The fellow-voyagers appear for a considerable time to have been maintained through the bounty of their noble patrons, who pointed out to them a place in the wood of Therasche, which might be suitable for their retired manner of living. This spot was dedicated to the holy Archangel Michael, and there they built dwellings. '^ The count and his wife contributed to their comforts and convenience in every possible way. Those religious finally chose Malcallan for their superior. Under his conduct, for some time, they were exercised in watching, fasting, and prayer. St. Cathroe, the chief of his companions, desiring greater perfection,
chose to embrace for his manner of life the Benedictine institute. At that time St. Benedict's rule was observed in its full vigour at the celebrated monasteries of Fleury'9 in France,*" and of Gorz^ in Lorraine.
® See " Acta Sanctorum Januarii, n. 2, p. 153.
Hibemiae,"
xxi.
'^ See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nise," xxi. Januarii, n. 4, p. 153.
' See his life at the 6th of March,
'^ See his life at the 5th of February,
'*
Here it is stated, St. Fursey appeared to Cadroe in a vision, and advised him re- garding their future movements.
'' See more about him in the life of St. Forannan, at the 30th of April.
'^
Probably in the Irish manner, as se- parate huts or houses grouped together, with an oratory and certain other buildings held in common.
'' Afterwards called St. Benoist-sur-Loire.
"Erchenald was then its abbot, under whom St. Cadroe became a monk,
of
of Kalin. "7 Colgan states, that he should be most correctly
compounds capable "
being rendered,
'See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxi. Januarii, sec. iii. , p. 386.
Scottish Saints," p. 190.
9 So state the English Martyrology, Flo- doard, Menard, and nearly all writers who have trffited about this saint and his fellow- travellers.
*°
Camerarius has a similar statement, and
he adds, that before Malcallan went abroad,
he ruled over the monastery of Rathmelfigi in
Scotland. This, however, seems to be a most unwarranted statement, and Venerable
Bede expressly alludes to Rathmelfigi as having been a monastery in Ireland. See
"
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 27, p. 241,
"See " Scoti- Dempster's Menologium
cum," in Bishop Forbes* "Kalendars of
"
See his Ufe at the 30th of April.
" Son of " of Chilian,"
January 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 389
After St. Cadroe and St. Malcallan had made their respective professions, the good lady, Herswindes, desired and obtained their return to Thierasche. There St. Malcallan was constituted abbot over St. Michael's Monastery. This -her husband, Count Eilbert, had founded in that forest. The Count establishedanothergreatmonastery,atWazor,upontheRiverMeuse. It lay between Dinant-and Huy. This he gave to the same saint. Both of these abbeys Malcallan governed for some time, in such manner as to unite most perfectly the care of his own sanctification with the perfection of that religious community committed to his charge. ''' At last, finding it too great a burthen to govern, at once, two distant monasteries, he resigned that of Wazor to St. Cathroe. Then Malcallan lived retiringly in St. Michael's Monastery,atTherasche. Somehaveaffirmed,thatSt. Malcallanwasabbot overSt. Michael'sAbbeyatVerdun. ^^ Butthisisamistakeofmanywriters whofollowedthe"MartyrologiumAnglicanum. "^3 Therewasnoabbeyof St. Michael at that place,^* as shown by Menard, who properly observes, that his veneration at the Church of St. Michael the Archangel was not in . Verdun. =5 Thus Ferrarius states,*^ and he adds, moreover, that in Lotha- ringia, this Abbey of St. Michael, over which Makalin had been abbot, was placed. ^7 Saussay and Wion made a similar mistake. '^
About the year 975, St. Cadroe is said to have died, when the govern- ment of his community devolved once more on St. Maccallin. It is generally believed, he was the third abbot over Wasor, in the order of succession. ='9 His elevation and enthronement were attained with the common assent of the Bishop of Metz, and of all his own subjects. 3° He obtained the rule of souls and the care of those pertaining to him in the Basilica of St. Michael. 3' At Therasche this holy abbot went to bliss in the year 978,3^ as Flodouardus, a contemporaneous writer, records : "The man of God, Malcallan, an Irishman by nation, on the eve of St. Vincent, the deacon and martyr, left this transi- torylife, whichhehated;andhappilybegantolivewiththeLord,whomin his lifetime he had continually served. As to his body, it lies buried in the
ChurchofBlessedMichaeltheArchangel. Thisabbey,duringthetimeof his corporal stay in the world, he had piously governed. 33 His obsequies
" See Father Stephen White's " Apolo-
gia pro Hibernia," cap. iv. , p. 41.
'* Hugh Menard accounts for this error,
Church of Verdun," Flodoardus, and Wion. But the Bollandists assert, that neither in the Breviary nor Missal of Verdun, nor in
by stating, that finding tiie words "Vir Wion, is the name of Makalin to be found.
Camerarius has incorrectly cited the Records
of Verdun, for his account of St. Malallinus,
"
at the 4th of October. See Acta Sanc-
torum Januarii," tomus ii. , sec. vi. , p. 386.
Domini" applied to this saint in old MSS.
, ""
Virduni must have been substituted by a transcriber.
^3 In the edition of Pithseus. See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxi. Januarii. De B. Maccalino, Abbatein
*^In the to his " supplement
gium Gallicanum. "
Martyrolo-
*' Such is the statement of Amoldus Ras- """
Belgica, sec. vi. , p. 386.
"••This is evident from the Chronicon sius, in his additions to tlie Natales of
Valciodorense," and from the acts of the saints connected with it. See D'Acherius, "Spicelegium, sive coUectio aliquot Veterum Scriptorum," tomus vii.
^5 The Bollandists give an account of the foundations here, and show how the present saint had been in no manner connected with them. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxi. Januarii, sees. vi. to xii. -, pp. 386, 387.
** In " Novo Sanctorum Catalogo. " For
this, he quotes the English Martyrology and Flodoard.
'7 Here be cites the " Kalendar of the
Molanus, at the 30th of April,
sojt js added in the Chronicle, "aLeo-
diensi benedicitur. " 3tSostatestheChronicleofWasor. See
the "Acta Sanctorum Januarii," tomus ii. , xxi. Januarii, sec. iii. , p. 386.
^ While agreeing in statement, as to the
"
Chronicon Val- ciodorense says his departure happened A. D. 990. The English Mavtyrology has it A. D. 978. Ferrarius states he flourished in
this year.
^3 gee Andrew Du Chesne's "Historise
place where he died, the "
390 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. (January 21.
were honourably and religiously performed ; while in aftertime, he was re- garded as a saint, and his memory was held in great popular veneration.
St. Malcallan's Abbey of St Michael is well known to have been in
Thierasche or Tierarche,^* a province of Belgic Gaul, on the confines of Haynault. It was situated within the diocese of Laon, on the River Aisia,35 over the village of Hiersson. There this holy abbot's festival is duly cele- brated on the 2ist of January,36 which the Calendarists have allowed to be the date for his festival. 37 Thus, Dorgain^^ and Hugh Menard^s place it, in the Martyrology of their order. Truly might this venerable missionary
exclaimwith " holy David,
Thou hast understood my thoughts afar off : my path and my line Thou hast searched out. "*" That the Almighty approved his course of life upon earth has been manifested, in the fruits his labours procured, and in that hallowed memory bequeathed to the inhabitants of those places he had adorned and blessed before he was
called away to Heaven.
Article II. —St. Briga or Brigid, of Kilbride, in the Diocese OF Lismore, County of Waterford, and of Kilbride, or Brides- church, CouN'i"Y Kildare. {Possibly in the Fifth or Sixth Century. '] Uncertainty in the discriminating of those homonymous saints and their places, found so frequently recurring in our calendars, and which even dis- concerted the researches of writers, who flourished centuries back, must bear with still greater weight on the efforts of modem investigators. I'herefore must these necessarily give forth uncertain sounds, while conjecture can only supply the place of historic evidence. A saint called Briga, the daughter of Congall,' is thought to have been " sinchrona" with her great namesake, the renowned Abbess of Kildare. In the Calendar of Cashel, at the 21st of January, she is called St. Brigid of Killbrige," in Lismore diocese. This old church of Kilbride, in the county of Waterford, consisted of a nave and choir, but all its walls had been destroyed in 1841,3 down to the foundations, with exception of a middle gable. The nave was 30 feet in length by 18 in breadth, and the choir was 14 by 13 feet. The choir arch is 8 feet in height, 6 feet 7 inches in width. The walls, 3 feet 5 inches in thickness, were built of large and small grit-stones. The graveyard had been tilled at the time mentioned. Again it is said, that the present saint's church was situated near the town of Kildare. '* In the Third and Fifth Lives of St. Brigid of Kildare this present holy virgin is called Briga. According to the latter of these authorities, she is said to have lived in the Leinster province, and to have been mother, or superioress, over a monastery and its nuns, who were servants of Christ. From such accounts, Colgan says it is possible she may have been that virgin whose memory was venerated in the Liffy plain,
proved hast known my sitting down and my rising up.
Scriptores Francorum Cooetanei," tomus ii. 3< In the life of St. Usmar, it is called
Theoracia.
33 Now the rOise.
3* Camerarius, however, places it at the
4th of October, and apparently without any guarantee for his statement.
Brigid," cap. 36, alluded to by Father John Colgan.
Lord,
Thouhas
meandknownme Thou ;
"
37 See Wion, Fitzsimon, Ferrarius, and ters containing information relative to the
other hagiological writers.
"
39 Lib. i. , Observationes, p. 186.
Antiquities of the County of Waterford, collected during the progress of the Ordnance
Surrey in 1841," p. 36.
* For this statement vire are referred to the
"VitaS. Albei," cap. 33.
38 See the num. "
Martyrologium
Benedicti-
*°
Article n. —'In the Irish "Life of St.
Psalm, cxxxviii. , i, 2, 3.
'
Middlethird, is marked on the "Ordnance
The parish of Kilbride, in the barony of
Survey Townland Maps for the County of
Waterford. " Sheets 17, 26.
3 See lohn O'Donovan's account in
Let-
January 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 391
which lies near Kildare. s A corresponding church denomination is found on the immediate banks of the river, from which this plain has been called- Mr. P. O'Keeffe, who was here in 1837, conjectures that Brideschurch^ was, perhaps, an English translation of the old Irish name,? although no person could be found who recollected Kilbride as the denomination for this parish. ' There was a faint tradition, however, that the patroness was St. Bridget. The particular saint of this name, and her festival day, are left unstated. ? Brides- church ruins have been measured by the writer. '" These left represent a
[St. Bride's Church, County Kildare.
nave and choir. " Interiorly, the former was 47 feet in length by 21 in breadth; the latter was 26 feet in length by 21 in breadth. The limestone walls are over 2 ^ feet in thickness. Some headstones are yet in the grave- yard,which,however,hasbeendisusedforinterments. Itisunenclosed,and it seems to be very ancient. The church was built, most probably, on the site of an older one. Only the foundations, for the most part, are to be
s This is probably the modem parish, in
to the Antiquities of the County of Kildare, collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. i. , p. 139.
" In March, 1874.
" the end Only
the barony of Clane, county of Kildare, and now Anglicized Bridechurch. This has the River Liffy for its eastern boundary. The situation seems to suit the
of choir, and gable
description very well, and there are ruins of an ancient dhurch within the parish. See Lewis' " To- pographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. i. ,
parts
wall now remain. The pointed window of
pp. 223, 224.
^
'I'he church ruins and graveyard are seen on land, marked "glebe. " See "Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the CountyofKildare. " Sheet19.
7 CiLL TD-pigne.
the cho r is preserved. 1 hrough the kind- ness of Miss Dobbyn, whose lands adjoin the old church site, the writer was fortunate enough to procure a sketch, taken twenty- five years previously, by a Mr. Jeremiah Smith. This has been copied and drawn on the wood by William F. Wakeman, and en- graved by George A. Hanlon, as an illus- trationforthe memoir. Atthetime
the manner here represented. Large elder trees grew wiiiiin the ruin, and even some of these have since disappeared.
* onthe"Ordnance Represented
present
it had been first traced, the walls stood in
Survey Townland Maps for the County of Kildare. "
Sheets 13, 14, 18, 19.
in
"
Letters containing information rektive
9 Nothing of further importance is given
392 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 21.
traced at present. " The situation is a beautiful one, and in a field, adjoining the River Liffey. On the 9th of March, a St. Brigid is venerated, according
to the Martyrologies of Tallagh and of Marianus O'Gorman, and she may havebeenacontemporarywiththegreatSt. Brigid,AbbessofKildare. But Colgan thinks it more probable that the virgin visited at Kilbride was identical with St. Brigid, or Briga, venerated at this day, according to the Calendar of Cashel. '3 From the circumstance recorded of St. Briga having invited the illustrious Abbess of Kildare to her home, she appears to have lived on terms of intimacy with this latter, who wrought one of her many miracles here. This is found related in the acts of St. Brigid, the great patroness of Ireland. '-^ Yet, a difficulty is presented, where an account is given of certain transactions occurring in the plain of Theba, or Theabtha,'s and when it is stated,herfriendtheholyvirginBrigalivedalsointhatdistrict. '^ Forthere, as we are told, St. Brigid was asked to visit another pious virgin, called Briga,'7 and at the house of this latter. The Abbess of Kildare accepted such invitation at the time, as she had on similar occasions ; and when ar- rivedatthehouse,shewasreceived\vithgreatjoyandhonour. According totheusualcustomoftreatingguests,herfeetwerewashed; andthewater having been removed, it was afterwards applied by a nun, whose feet had long been crippled with gout. ^^ Having washed them with this water, the infirm sister's feet were healed, and almost before they could be wiped. Saint Brigid afterwards spent a considerable time there, and in conference with the nuns, while treating on various spiritual topics. But the arch-tempter from the beginning, who envied the innocence of our first parents in the garden of Paradise,'? found means to enter St. Briga's establishment, at a time, too, when the hostess and her illustrious guest were seated at table. His presence was first revealed to St. Brigid, who fixed her eyes steadily on him for a time. Then communicating what she had seen to her entertainer, and signing the eyes of the latter with a sign of the cross, Briga beheld a deformed monster. -" The holy Abbess of Kildare commanded him to speak, and to make known the purport of his unwelcome visit. The Devil replied :
" Not far from the Sallins station, on the Great Southern and Western Railway, which passes closely by, the ruins of Brideschurch may be seen, on the north side, and near the Leinster Aqueduct of the Grand Canal, over the Liffey river.
*' O I cannot avoid holy virgin,
nor can I
you observe God's precepts and are affable to the poor and lowly. " He dien
as
speaking,
avowed a desire to cause the spiritual death of a nun, who had yielded to his
S. Brigidae deKillbrige in Dioe- cesi Lismorensi et prope etiam Killdariam '3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," est ejus ecclesia. " See "Trias Thauma- Vita Tertia S. Brigidae, cap. xxx. , and n. 18. turga," Vita Tertia S. Brigidas, n. 18, p. Vita Quinta S. BrigidiB, cap. xlv. , xlvi. Ap- 543, and Quinta Vita S. Brigidae, cap. adv. ,
pendix Quarta ad Acta S. Brigidae, cap. i. , PP- 53°) 543' 578. 612.
'* See her life at the ist of February.
'5 Sometimes Latinized " Teffia. " In St. Patrick's time it formed the north-west por- tion of ancient Midhe or Meath.
** to St. Third Life, According Brigid's
as published by Colgan.
'7 In the Life of St. Brigid, by Laurence
of Durham, it is said of her: "Erat in
prsefata Lageniensium provincia mater an- cillarum Christi nomine Briga," &c Where-
fore, in the opinion of Colgan, she must have been either St. Brigid, who was vene-
rated hi the Liffy's plain, near Kildare, at
p. 578, ibid.
'^In the Sixth or Metrical Life of St.
Brigid, attributed by Colgan to St.
' Besides the present saint, we find one bearing the same name, at the 15th of February ; at the 23rd, 29th, and 30th of March ; at the 5th and 19th of July ; at the 8th and loth of September ; and at the loth of November. The reader is referred to these several festival days for more detailed notices.
* This place has not been identified, as stated in the subjoinetl note of the learned editor, William M. Hennessy.
'See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. 98, 99.
An-
January 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 387
an instance of benefactors to humanity who have achieved heroic actions, and the knowledge of which belongs only to Him who will be their re- warder. The festival of Cronan is entered, at this date, in the Martyrology ofDonegal. ' Asimilarentryismade,also,intheMartyrologyofTallaght,' at the 20th of January.
Article X. —Patron Day of St. Vauk, or Vaak, Parish of Carn, County of Wexford. For further particulars referring to this saint, the reader is referred to June the 20th for St. Vauk's or Vaak's feast. He was also venerated on the 20th of January, in the parish of Cam,' county of Wex- ford, where a patron was annually held, at a church and well, which had been dedicated to him. '
Ctoentp-ftrsit I3ap of Sanuarp*
ARTICLE I—SAINT MACCALLIN, OR MALCALLAN, ABBOT OF SAINT MICHAEL'S MONASTERY AT THERASCHE, AND ABBOT OF WASOR, IN BELGIUM.
[TENTH CENTURY. '^
AT a time when the manners and practices of men had become exceed-
ingly corrupt and barbarous, and when learning and civilization had
dechned very much on the Continent, various civil broils and social disorders
likewise affected Ireland. However, she continued to preserve the faith and
works of charity in constant operation throughout her schools and religious
houses. She also sent numbers of enlightened and zealous missionaries
abroad to tread in the footsteps of their predecessors, and to fos—ter that
spirit of piety they —had first enkindled. The acts of St. Maccallin so far
as they are known have been compiled by the Bollandists,' and by
Colgan,^ while they are found in the Benedictine collection. 3 From these
sources, also. Bishop Challoner* has published a brief account of this holy
man. A to his " had been once goodly-sized volume, relating gests,"
preserved, as the monks at Wasor had assured Colgan,5 but this unfortu- nately has been lost. The BoUandists read a life of St. Maccallin; this however was filled with wondrous and incredible prodigies, although no- where in it was there any mention of his festival. "^ The BoUandists consider, that the name of this saint, as differently rendered Makkallinus, or Maccal-
Article ix. —' Edited and Reeves, pp. 22, 23.
by
Drs. Todd in tomus to Belgica, ii. , pp. 385 387.
* Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiii.
Franciscan —enters
copy C]\onAni.
The
These are comprised in 12 paragraphs.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemife," xxi.
De B. Malcallanno, Abbate, Januarii. pp.
152, 153.
3 in the Seventh Volume of " Acta Sane-
torum Ordinis S. Benedicti," appear the
Acts of St. Malcalen, Abbot, in 9 para-
graphs, pp. 54S to 551.
^ See "Britannia Sancta," part i. , pp.
70, 71.
s See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise, xxi.
Article x. 'Carn parish, in the ba- rony of Forth, is represented on the " Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Wexford. " Sheet 53.
'See "Letters containing information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Wexford, collected during the progress of
"
tomus xxi, ii. ,
the Ordnance m Survey 1^540,"
297.
xxi. Januarii. De B. Maccalino, Abbate,
Article —
I. 'See "Acta Sanctorum,"
Januarii,
*
See
Januarii, sec. xii. , p. 387.
vol. i. ,
p.
n. "Acta
5, p. 153. Sanctorum,"
388 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 21. linus, Makalinus, Malcallinus, Malcalanus, Malacanus, seems from its Irish
or Scottish
Kalan," or
named Malcallan, a name found more than once in our Irish annals. ^
This holy servant of God was an Irishman by birth. 9 However, it has been stated, that Malcalin, said to have been Abbot of Verdun, and venerated on the 2ist of January, was a native of Scotland. '" Dempster allows, not- withstanding, that he was educated in Ireland, where he lived under a regular discipline or rule. " In the earlier half of the tenth century, St. Forannan," had already left our island, and directed his course to Flanders. Here he was called to assume the government of Wasor monastery, on the RiverMeuse. GoingthroughBritainabouttheyear946,^3withSt. Cathroe,^* St. Fingen,'s St. Lazarus, and with other pious companions, St. Maccallen sought the shrine of St. Fursey at Perrone. '^ They were hospitably received and entertained by Herswindes, a noble matron. She was wife to Count Filbert, '7 who dwelt not far from Perrone, in Picardy, Those holy pilgrims had signified their desire for leading a solitary life in some proper place, where they might freely serve our Lord, and live by the labour of their hands. Their benefactors recommended St. Malchallan to Agnoald, who was abbot over Gorze, in Lorraine. Under this holy superior, Malcallan became a professed monk. Cathroe sought another pious destination. Previous to this course, however, those thirteen Irish companions who had arrived in France, seemed by common consent to have resolved on selecting St. Cadroe as their superior. St. Malcallan's powers of persuasion were chiefly used to secure his consent. This could not be obtained, however, owing to the holy man's true humility. The fellow-voyagers appear for a considerable time to have been maintained through the bounty of their noble patrons, who pointed out to them a place in the wood of Therasche, which might be suitable for their retired manner of living. This spot was dedicated to the holy Archangel Michael, and there they built dwellings. '^ The count and his wife contributed to their comforts and convenience in every possible way. Those religious finally chose Malcallan for their superior. Under his conduct, for some time, they were exercised in watching, fasting, and prayer. St. Cathroe, the chief of his companions, desiring greater perfection,
chose to embrace for his manner of life the Benedictine institute. At that time St. Benedict's rule was observed in its full vigour at the celebrated monasteries of Fleury'9 in France,*" and of Gorz^ in Lorraine.
® See " Acta Sanctorum Januarii, n. 2, p. 153.
Hibemiae,"
xxi.
'^ See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nise," xxi. Januarii, n. 4, p. 153.
' See his life at the 6th of March,
'^ See his life at the 5th of February,
'*
Here it is stated, St. Fursey appeared to Cadroe in a vision, and advised him re- garding their future movements.
'' See more about him in the life of St. Forannan, at the 30th of April.
'^
Probably in the Irish manner, as se- parate huts or houses grouped together, with an oratory and certain other buildings held in common.
'' Afterwards called St. Benoist-sur-Loire.
"Erchenald was then its abbot, under whom St. Cadroe became a monk,
of
of Kalin. "7 Colgan states, that he should be most correctly
compounds capable "
being rendered,
'See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxi. Januarii, sec. iii. , p. 386.
Scottish Saints," p. 190.
9 So state the English Martyrology, Flo- doard, Menard, and nearly all writers who have trffited about this saint and his fellow- travellers.
*°
Camerarius has a similar statement, and
he adds, that before Malcallan went abroad,
he ruled over the monastery of Rathmelfigi in
Scotland. This, however, seems to be a most unwarranted statement, and Venerable
Bede expressly alludes to Rathmelfigi as having been a monastery in Ireland. See
"
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 27, p. 241,
"See " Scoti- Dempster's Menologium
cum," in Bishop Forbes* "Kalendars of
"
See his Ufe at the 30th of April.
" Son of " of Chilian,"
January 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 389
After St. Cadroe and St. Malcallan had made their respective professions, the good lady, Herswindes, desired and obtained their return to Thierasche. There St. Malcallan was constituted abbot over St. Michael's Monastery. This -her husband, Count Eilbert, had founded in that forest. The Count establishedanothergreatmonastery,atWazor,upontheRiverMeuse. It lay between Dinant-and Huy. This he gave to the same saint. Both of these abbeys Malcallan governed for some time, in such manner as to unite most perfectly the care of his own sanctification with the perfection of that religious community committed to his charge. ''' At last, finding it too great a burthen to govern, at once, two distant monasteries, he resigned that of Wazor to St. Cathroe. Then Malcallan lived retiringly in St. Michael's Monastery,atTherasche. Somehaveaffirmed,thatSt. Malcallanwasabbot overSt. Michael'sAbbeyatVerdun. ^^ Butthisisamistakeofmanywriters whofollowedthe"MartyrologiumAnglicanum. "^3 Therewasnoabbeyof St. Michael at that place,^* as shown by Menard, who properly observes, that his veneration at the Church of St. Michael the Archangel was not in . Verdun. =5 Thus Ferrarius states,*^ and he adds, moreover, that in Lotha- ringia, this Abbey of St. Michael, over which Makalin had been abbot, was placed. ^7 Saussay and Wion made a similar mistake. '^
About the year 975, St. Cadroe is said to have died, when the govern- ment of his community devolved once more on St. Maccallin. It is generally believed, he was the third abbot over Wasor, in the order of succession. ='9 His elevation and enthronement were attained with the common assent of the Bishop of Metz, and of all his own subjects. 3° He obtained the rule of souls and the care of those pertaining to him in the Basilica of St. Michael. 3' At Therasche this holy abbot went to bliss in the year 978,3^ as Flodouardus, a contemporaneous writer, records : "The man of God, Malcallan, an Irishman by nation, on the eve of St. Vincent, the deacon and martyr, left this transi- torylife, whichhehated;andhappilybegantolivewiththeLord,whomin his lifetime he had continually served. As to his body, it lies buried in the
ChurchofBlessedMichaeltheArchangel. Thisabbey,duringthetimeof his corporal stay in the world, he had piously governed. 33 His obsequies
" See Father Stephen White's " Apolo-
gia pro Hibernia," cap. iv. , p. 41.
'* Hugh Menard accounts for this error,
Church of Verdun," Flodoardus, and Wion. But the Bollandists assert, that neither in the Breviary nor Missal of Verdun, nor in
by stating, that finding tiie words "Vir Wion, is the name of Makalin to be found.
Camerarius has incorrectly cited the Records
of Verdun, for his account of St. Malallinus,
"
at the 4th of October. See Acta Sanc-
torum Januarii," tomus ii. , sec. vi. , p. 386.
Domini" applied to this saint in old MSS.
, ""
Virduni must have been substituted by a transcriber.
^3 In the edition of Pithseus. See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxi. Januarii. De B. Maccalino, Abbatein
*^In the to his " supplement
gium Gallicanum. "
Martyrolo-
*' Such is the statement of Amoldus Ras- """
Belgica, sec. vi. , p. 386.
"••This is evident from the Chronicon sius, in his additions to tlie Natales of
Valciodorense," and from the acts of the saints connected with it. See D'Acherius, "Spicelegium, sive coUectio aliquot Veterum Scriptorum," tomus vii.
^5 The Bollandists give an account of the foundations here, and show how the present saint had been in no manner connected with them. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxi. Januarii, sees. vi. to xii. -, pp. 386, 387.
** In " Novo Sanctorum Catalogo. " For
this, he quotes the English Martyrology and Flodoard.
'7 Here be cites the " Kalendar of the
Molanus, at the 30th of April,
sojt js added in the Chronicle, "aLeo-
diensi benedicitur. " 3tSostatestheChronicleofWasor. See
the "Acta Sanctorum Januarii," tomus ii. , xxi. Januarii, sec. iii. , p. 386.
^ While agreeing in statement, as to the
"
Chronicon Val- ciodorense says his departure happened A. D. 990. The English Mavtyrology has it A. D. 978. Ferrarius states he flourished in
this year.
^3 gee Andrew Du Chesne's "Historise
place where he died, the "
390 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. (January 21.
were honourably and religiously performed ; while in aftertime, he was re- garded as a saint, and his memory was held in great popular veneration.
St. Malcallan's Abbey of St Michael is well known to have been in
Thierasche or Tierarche,^* a province of Belgic Gaul, on the confines of Haynault. It was situated within the diocese of Laon, on the River Aisia,35 over the village of Hiersson. There this holy abbot's festival is duly cele- brated on the 2ist of January,36 which the Calendarists have allowed to be the date for his festival. 37 Thus, Dorgain^^ and Hugh Menard^s place it, in the Martyrology of their order. Truly might this venerable missionary
exclaimwith " holy David,
Thou hast understood my thoughts afar off : my path and my line Thou hast searched out. "*" That the Almighty approved his course of life upon earth has been manifested, in the fruits his labours procured, and in that hallowed memory bequeathed to the inhabitants of those places he had adorned and blessed before he was
called away to Heaven.
Article II. —St. Briga or Brigid, of Kilbride, in the Diocese OF Lismore, County of Waterford, and of Kilbride, or Brides- church, CouN'i"Y Kildare. {Possibly in the Fifth or Sixth Century. '] Uncertainty in the discriminating of those homonymous saints and their places, found so frequently recurring in our calendars, and which even dis- concerted the researches of writers, who flourished centuries back, must bear with still greater weight on the efforts of modem investigators. I'herefore must these necessarily give forth uncertain sounds, while conjecture can only supply the place of historic evidence. A saint called Briga, the daughter of Congall,' is thought to have been " sinchrona" with her great namesake, the renowned Abbess of Kildare. In the Calendar of Cashel, at the 21st of January, she is called St. Brigid of Killbrige," in Lismore diocese. This old church of Kilbride, in the county of Waterford, consisted of a nave and choir, but all its walls had been destroyed in 1841,3 down to the foundations, with exception of a middle gable. The nave was 30 feet in length by 18 in breadth, and the choir was 14 by 13 feet. The choir arch is 8 feet in height, 6 feet 7 inches in width. The walls, 3 feet 5 inches in thickness, were built of large and small grit-stones. The graveyard had been tilled at the time mentioned. Again it is said, that the present saint's church was situated near the town of Kildare. '* In the Third and Fifth Lives of St. Brigid of Kildare this present holy virgin is called Briga. According to the latter of these authorities, she is said to have lived in the Leinster province, and to have been mother, or superioress, over a monastery and its nuns, who were servants of Christ. From such accounts, Colgan says it is possible she may have been that virgin whose memory was venerated in the Liffy plain,
proved hast known my sitting down and my rising up.
Scriptores Francorum Cooetanei," tomus ii. 3< In the life of St. Usmar, it is called
Theoracia.
33 Now the rOise.
3* Camerarius, however, places it at the
4th of October, and apparently without any guarantee for his statement.
Brigid," cap. 36, alluded to by Father John Colgan.
Lord,
Thouhas
meandknownme Thou ;
"
37 See Wion, Fitzsimon, Ferrarius, and ters containing information relative to the
other hagiological writers.
"
39 Lib. i. , Observationes, p. 186.
Antiquities of the County of Waterford, collected during the progress of the Ordnance
Surrey in 1841," p. 36.
* For this statement vire are referred to the
"VitaS. Albei," cap. 33.
38 See the num. "
Martyrologium
Benedicti-
*°
Article n. —'In the Irish "Life of St.
Psalm, cxxxviii. , i, 2, 3.
'
Middlethird, is marked on the "Ordnance
The parish of Kilbride, in the barony of
Survey Townland Maps for the County of
Waterford. " Sheets 17, 26.
3 See lohn O'Donovan's account in
Let-
January 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 391
which lies near Kildare. s A corresponding church denomination is found on the immediate banks of the river, from which this plain has been called- Mr. P. O'Keeffe, who was here in 1837, conjectures that Brideschurch^ was, perhaps, an English translation of the old Irish name,? although no person could be found who recollected Kilbride as the denomination for this parish. ' There was a faint tradition, however, that the patroness was St. Bridget. The particular saint of this name, and her festival day, are left unstated. ? Brides- church ruins have been measured by the writer. '" These left represent a
[St. Bride's Church, County Kildare.
nave and choir. " Interiorly, the former was 47 feet in length by 21 in breadth; the latter was 26 feet in length by 21 in breadth. The limestone walls are over 2 ^ feet in thickness. Some headstones are yet in the grave- yard,which,however,hasbeendisusedforinterments. Itisunenclosed,and it seems to be very ancient. The church was built, most probably, on the site of an older one. Only the foundations, for the most part, are to be
s This is probably the modem parish, in
to the Antiquities of the County of Kildare, collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. i. , p. 139.
" In March, 1874.
" the end Only
the barony of Clane, county of Kildare, and now Anglicized Bridechurch. This has the River Liffy for its eastern boundary. The situation seems to suit the
of choir, and gable
description very well, and there are ruins of an ancient dhurch within the parish. See Lewis' " To- pographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. i. ,
parts
wall now remain. The pointed window of
pp. 223, 224.
^
'I'he church ruins and graveyard are seen on land, marked "glebe. " See "Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the CountyofKildare. " Sheet19.
7 CiLL TD-pigne.
the cho r is preserved. 1 hrough the kind- ness of Miss Dobbyn, whose lands adjoin the old church site, the writer was fortunate enough to procure a sketch, taken twenty- five years previously, by a Mr. Jeremiah Smith. This has been copied and drawn on the wood by William F. Wakeman, and en- graved by George A. Hanlon, as an illus- trationforthe memoir. Atthetime
the manner here represented. Large elder trees grew wiiiiin the ruin, and even some of these have since disappeared.
* onthe"Ordnance Represented
present
it had been first traced, the walls stood in
Survey Townland Maps for the County of Kildare. "
Sheets 13, 14, 18, 19.
in
"
Letters containing information rektive
9 Nothing of further importance is given
392 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 21.
traced at present. " The situation is a beautiful one, and in a field, adjoining the River Liffey. On the 9th of March, a St. Brigid is venerated, according
to the Martyrologies of Tallagh and of Marianus O'Gorman, and she may havebeenacontemporarywiththegreatSt. Brigid,AbbessofKildare. But Colgan thinks it more probable that the virgin visited at Kilbride was identical with St. Brigid, or Briga, venerated at this day, according to the Calendar of Cashel. '3 From the circumstance recorded of St. Briga having invited the illustrious Abbess of Kildare to her home, she appears to have lived on terms of intimacy with this latter, who wrought one of her many miracles here. This is found related in the acts of St. Brigid, the great patroness of Ireland. '-^ Yet, a difficulty is presented, where an account is given of certain transactions occurring in the plain of Theba, or Theabtha,'s and when it is stated,herfriendtheholyvirginBrigalivedalsointhatdistrict. '^ Forthere, as we are told, St. Brigid was asked to visit another pious virgin, called Briga,'7 and at the house of this latter. The Abbess of Kildare accepted such invitation at the time, as she had on similar occasions ; and when ar- rivedatthehouse,shewasreceived\vithgreatjoyandhonour. According totheusualcustomoftreatingguests,herfeetwerewashed; andthewater having been removed, it was afterwards applied by a nun, whose feet had long been crippled with gout. ^^ Having washed them with this water, the infirm sister's feet were healed, and almost before they could be wiped. Saint Brigid afterwards spent a considerable time there, and in conference with the nuns, while treating on various spiritual topics. But the arch-tempter from the beginning, who envied the innocence of our first parents in the garden of Paradise,'? found means to enter St. Briga's establishment, at a time, too, when the hostess and her illustrious guest were seated at table. His presence was first revealed to St. Brigid, who fixed her eyes steadily on him for a time. Then communicating what she had seen to her entertainer, and signing the eyes of the latter with a sign of the cross, Briga beheld a deformed monster. -" The holy Abbess of Kildare commanded him to speak, and to make known the purport of his unwelcome visit. The Devil replied :
" Not far from the Sallins station, on the Great Southern and Western Railway, which passes closely by, the ruins of Brideschurch may be seen, on the north side, and near the Leinster Aqueduct of the Grand Canal, over the Liffey river.
*' O I cannot avoid holy virgin,
nor can I
you observe God's precepts and are affable to the poor and lowly. " He dien
as
speaking,
avowed a desire to cause the spiritual death of a nun, who had yielded to his
S. Brigidae deKillbrige in Dioe- cesi Lismorensi et prope etiam Killdariam '3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," est ejus ecclesia. " See "Trias Thauma- Vita Tertia S. Brigidae, cap. xxx. , and n. 18. turga," Vita Tertia S. Brigidas, n. 18, p. Vita Quinta S. BrigidiB, cap. xlv. , xlvi. Ap- 543, and Quinta Vita S. Brigidae, cap. adv. ,
pendix Quarta ad Acta S. Brigidae, cap. i. , PP- 53°) 543' 578. 612.
'* See her life at the ist of February.
'5 Sometimes Latinized " Teffia. " In St. Patrick's time it formed the north-west por- tion of ancient Midhe or Meath.
** to St. Third Life, According Brigid's
as published by Colgan.
'7 In the Life of St. Brigid, by Laurence
of Durham, it is said of her: "Erat in
prsefata Lageniensium provincia mater an- cillarum Christi nomine Briga," &c Where-
fore, in the opinion of Colgan, she must have been either St. Brigid, who was vene-
rated hi the Liffy's plain, near Kildare, at
p. 578, ibid.
'^In the Sixth or Metrical Life of St.
Brigid, attributed by Colgan to St.
