John
" Monasticon Hibernicum," p.
" Monasticon Hibernicum," p.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
Dr.
Lanigan asserts, that it is
being a grown man,50 when frequenting this school. 51 Jarlath must have flourished in the year 500, 52 it is supposed, if Brendan, in youth, had been his scholar. The period, when our saint flourished, has been more generally assigned to the middle of the sixth century. However this maybe, St. Jarlath ofTuamisreckonedamongIrishSaintsoftheSecondClass; andaccordingly, it is assumed, he began to be distinguished after the year 540. This is the
;
unlikely he was St. Jarlath's pupil, before the middle of the sixth century, he
39 When the writer of this place visited Cluain-fois, in i860, only a small fragment of this ruin surmounted the lonely graveyard, where the old establishment had been erected.
40 This stone it is said, was originally a holy water font ; and people, who go on the occasion of attending a child's funeral to the place, sninkled themselves with the water found in it. The common phrase was, that they blessed themselves with it. See the "Letters containing Information relative to the County of Galway, belonging to the
September 3rd, 1838.
41
Its depth varies with the unevenness of
the stone, being six inches in the deepest with this Bishop ; but, his Festival is cele-
Ordnance of Survey
the son of is said to Lenin,
vol.
45. Thomas O'Conor's Letter, dated Tuam,
Coleman,
1838,"
i. , pp. 44,
part, and gradually lessening on another side to two or three inches.
42 His feast is celebrated, on the 16th of May, and his Life will be found in the Fifth Volume of this work, at that date. Art. i.
43 These circumstances are alluded to in
the Life of St. Brendan of Clonfert, to be
found at the 16th of May, in the Fifth
Volume of this work, Art. i.
44
If it be true that St. Colman studied under Jarlath, we must bring down that school to, at least, 550, the year in which Ware says that Jarlath flourished. See " De ScnptoribusHibernise," lib. L, cap. ii. ,p. 11.
*i SeeColgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nice,"xi. Februarii. Vita S. Hierlatii, cap. iii. , pp. 308, 309.
—brated at Cloyne, on the 24th of November. "
Harris of vol. Ware, "Bishops Cloyne,"
46 He is surnamed Mitine, also, and he is the reputed founder of Cloyne. See Rev. M. J. Brenan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," Sixth Century, chap, ii. , pp. 74- 75-
the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 222 to 225, and n. (d).
48 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- niie," viii. Martii, n. 15, p. 339 {recle) 535.
49 Ware places his death at this year, and on the 4th of November, through inadver-
"' See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of
tence.
" One
have written the Life of St. Senan in Metre, and to have died in the year 600. I will not be positive whether he was the same person
Hence, Harris' conjecture is correct :
i- PP- 573.
50 The assertion, that Colman could not
have been a grown up man, commenc- ing the sixth century, and have afterwards
lived to its close, may admit of question. The age which he attained is not known ; but, if we are willing to allow, in the absence of positive testimony, that he reached the age of one hundred and ten or twelve years, the account of his being Jarlath's scholar could not be fairly controverted.
574-.
51 See " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland, vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect. 7, p. 29, and ibid. , n. 99. P- 32-
52 See Ussher's " Index Chronologicus.
53 See Rev. P. J. Carew's "Ecclesiastical
205
At the
having a
2o6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 6.
period, to which his episcopacy over the See of Tuam has been ascribed, by various writers. 53 Moreover, Sir James Ware states, that he flourished, in the
as his Latin has it 55 it seemsto original ; and, this,
to be a
us,
year 550,54
very probable computation.
55
CHAPTER II.
THE PLACE OF ST. JARLATH's FUTURE REST INDICATED BY ST. BRENDAN—THE HOLY
MAN DEPARTS FOR TUAM—HE BECOMES ITS FIRST BISHOP—
HIS SANCTITY AND SPIRIT OF PROPHECY—PERIOD OF HIS DEATH—FESTIVALS—ANTIQUITIES AT TUAM —VENERATION OF THE PEOPLE THERE AND THROUGHOUT THE DIOCESE FOR
THEIR PATRON—CONCLUSION.
The situation of St. Jarlath's religious establishment was beside the Clare
River, which rises in the southern parts of Mayo County, flowing southwardly until it falls into Lough Corrib. Such was the humility of St. Jarlath, that he
wished to become, at Cluain-fois, a disciple rather than the master of Brendan, for whose sanctity and gilts of prophecy, he entertained an extraordinary veneration. Already, it is said, that St. Benignus, the disciple and companion of St. Patrick, became the first Apostle of all that country, extending from Dunmoreto 1 and
that,
aboutthe
Kilbannon, or Killbenin. " the Church of Benin," situated about two miles
Cong,
year 440
north-west of Tuam. 2 desirous of Being
when it should God please
knowing,
to call him away, from the prison of this body ; our saint requested his scholar
Brendan, to indicate the place of his resurrection. Brendan desired him to ascend his chariot, he being then old and infirm ;3 and, wherever it might break down on the way, there Jarlath should depart this life, and thence also, he declared, that many would arise with him, on the day of General Judg- ment. Our saint obeyed these directions. * He had not proceeded far, from thatplace,whenthewheelsofhischariotaresaidtohavebeenbroken,5 at Tuam 6 This
which must have occurred in the
ning of the sixth century, gave occasion to* erecting a church, on that spot.
in
Dagualand.
incident,
begin-
History of Ireland," Appendix, p. 420.
54 The — translation of Harris English places
him at 540 probably this is an error of the
5 Tradition pointed out that spot, in John
press.
55 See "De
in Shop-street, Tuam, in 1838. It was called the Chair of Tuam, in which sat after his
Scriptoribus Hibernise," elevation,
the member
formerly
returned to
lib.
Chapter ii. See an account of this
Parliament
by Tuam,
See
ii. , —II. i. , cap. p.
borough.
*
place, with woodcut illustrations of its ruins,
the Antiquities of the County of Galway, Handbook of the Midland Great collected during the Progress of the Ord- Western Railway and Guide to Connemara nance Survey in 1838," vol. i. Thomas
"
and the West of Ireland," pp. 61 to 64. Dublin, no date, l2mo.
" 'See Very Rev. Ulick J. Canon Bourke's
Life and Times of the Most Rev. John
MacHale, Archbishop of Tuam and Metro-
politan," chap, xxi. , p. 202. Dublin, 1882, l8mo.
3 " Erat enim Episcopus, et senex ante- —quam Ecclesia Tuamensis esset exstructa. "
Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," for 'da uladhain,' or 'da lilainn,' »>. ,
xi. Februarii. Vita S.
Hierlatii,
n.
16,
" Mound of the two altar tombs. " Tuaim being prefixed. See "Life and Times of Most Rev. John MacIIale, Archbishop of
p. 310.
4 See #*</. , cap. i\\, p. 309.
Costello's
who was a merchant garden, living
to hebuiltachurchat 444,
as a
"Letters containing Information relative to
O'Conor's Letter, dated Tuam, September 3rd, 1838, p. 31.
6 The signification of CuAmTOAJu aLahi, is not locally explained. It has been rendered
"mound of the two shoulders,' by Very Rev. Ulick J. Canon Bourke, who admits this to have no special meaning. It is his opinion, that such form has been substituted for 'da ualann,' another phonetic attempt
June 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 207 Over it, St. Jarlath afterwards presided as Bishop ;i but, it must be added,
8
that great obscurity involves the period of his consecration and installation. Whether St. Jarlath was consecrated before, or after the foundation, of Tuam church ° is unknown. St. Benignus is said to have blessed this church. 10 The boundaries of Tuam Parish are now of very irregular outline. 11 The present parish of Tuam was heretofore divided into two parishes, one of which was called
"the ofthe parish
shrine,"
12 from
1
Teampall
naSerine. 13 Theother was part
known as St. Jarlath's Parish, * while its church was called the Temple of St.
Jarlath. 15 The former was the eastern part of the present parish, and the
latterthewestern 16 Tuamafterwardsbecamean
of
archbishops,
dune or Annaghdown was annexed to it; while, in 1559, the bishopric of Mayo was also united. 10 It is certain, St. Jarlath was the first bishop over the See of Tuam ; but, whether he had been consecrated, so early as a. d.
2° well be the exercise of his func- 455, may questioned. During episcopal
tions, Jarlath continued his former practices of penitential works and constant
21
Notwithstanding his great age and growing infirmities, he suffered no day to elapse, without making three hundred pious genuflections, and as
portion. andthechurchfoundedtherewasdedicatedinthenameofSt.
1? The See of Tuam is said to have been founded, about the beginning of the sixth century. Its prelates are sometimes called by the Irish annalists, bishops, or
prayer.
many during each night.
22
St. Jarlath was said, also, to have been distin-
Connaught.
18 In the the ancient See of Enach- year 1324,
Tuam and Metropolitan," chap, xxx,, pp. 207. 208.
^ It is somewhat remarkable, that after St.
Patrick, Benin, son of Seisgnen, succeeded
in the See of Armagh, and died a. d. 467,
when St. Jarlaithe, son of Treana immedi-
ately followed, and died A. D. 481. See Rev.
Robert " Memoir to the King's introductory
cap. v. , p. 309.
I "Some writers place it so early as A. D. 18 See James Godkin's " Ireland and
501. See Hely Dution's "Statistical and her Churches," part second, chap, xxx. ,
Early History of the Primacy of Armagh/' p.
68. We fear there may be some confusion
between the holy men thus named, in con-
nection with Armagh, and those similarly ni. e," xi. Februarii. Vita S. Hierlatii, named as connected with Tuam.
Agricultural Survey of the County of P- 363-
"
Galway," chap, v. , sect, xxv. , p. 479.
9 On the authority of Conry, Archdall states, that an Abbey was founded here, and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, so early as A. D. 487, and that St. Jarlath con- verted it into a Cathedral Church, in the
19 See Hely Dutton's
Statistical and
beginning of the sixth century. See " Life and Times of the Most Rev.
John
" Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 297.
Mac Hale, Archbishop of Tuam and Metro-
politan," chap, xxi. , p. 205.
21 See "Acta Sanctorum "Colgan's
Hibernia;," xi. Februarii. Vita S. Hierlatii, cap. vi. , p. 309.
10
Eleventh of his Life. See
This may be seen, by referring to the
Chapter
Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xi. Februarii,
be thus
played on the Index County Map of Galway.
" n.
Colgan's
17, p. 310. 11
22 This is stated
They may
described,
as dis-
St. Cumineus of Connor, in hi—s work, on the Virtues of the
The Parish of Tuam
is skirted on the north
by
Capap lApbAiie uajwL,
CbetpeAc nic ccleAC-OATJ gAirme Cpi cex> rLeacotnn jjac ncrace, Cpi ceo pLeAcoum 54c peapg-aip.
Calendar of
and east by the parishes of Liskeevy, Dunmore and Clonbern ; on the south, by Killererin and Cummer parishes ; and, on the west, by Belclare, Killower and Kilbennan parishes.
'3 This name is written CeampAilt n<\
— "
" In Irish na pap-airce Scpme.
Rev. Dr. Matthew
Irish Saints," pp. 168, 169.
Archiepiscopal city,
Scpme, in the Irish.
14 In Irish pAp<yipce lApLacA.
15 In Irish, written CeampAill 1ar\- La6a.
16
See "Letters containing Information
relative to the Antiquities of the County of
Galway, collected during the Progress of the
Ordnai. ce in vol. i. Thomas Survey 1838,
O'Conor's Letter, dated Tuam, September
3rd, 1838, p. 31.
17 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Agricultural Survey of the County of Gal-
way," chap, v. , sect, xxv. , p. 478.
80
in Very Rev. Ulick J. Buurke's List of Tuam Bishops and Archbishops, appended to his
This is the date assigned for his election,
Irish Saints
:
Kelly's
Jarlath.
2o8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 6.
guished, for the spirit of prophecy ; and to have predicted the names, order of succession, and good and bad qualities of his successors in the See of Tuam. Colgantellsus,hehadacopyoftheseprophecies; yet,hewouldnotunder- take to vouch for its antiquity and genuineness. 23 He supposes they were not free from the suspicion of novelty. A copy of these pretended prophe- ciesSirJamesWarehadinhiscustody. Hethinks,however,thattheywere falsely ascribed to Jarlath, and he rather looks on them to be the fictions of a much later age. 24
The exact year of our saint's death is not very well known. 2s Be- cause it is recorded, in the Catalogue of the three orders of Irish Saints, that Jarlath belonged to the second order, and is said to have lived about the end of King Tuathal's reign, who died about the year 538, 543, or 547, according to some accounts,26 or a. d. 544,27 according to Ussher 23 Colgan
;
is of opinion our saint lived, after the year 535, and that he probably died 2
before, or about, a. d. 540. 9 This latter year has been pretty generally accepted, as not far from the true date of his release from this world, admit-
ting that he attained a great age. 3° It is supposed,31 however, that Jarlath died before that year, since it is stated, he was an old man, in the commence- ment of the sixth century, when his disciple Brendan left him, and returned tohisformerinstructor,theBishopEricorEre. 32 TheMartyrologyofTallagh places his Natalis, at the 25th of December; the Calendar of Cashe! , and the Martyrologies of Maguire and Donegal record it, on the following day. It has been supposed, 33 that the great festivals of the Nativity of our Lord, and of St. Stephen, observed on either of these days, caused a transference of St. Jarlath'sfeasttothe6thofJune. 34 Onthislatterday,heiscommemoratedin Tuam Archdiocese, of which he is the principal patron. But, there appears to have been no better reason, for Colgan placing his Acts at the nth of February, than the circumstance of an undetermined St. Jarlath then occur- ring,insomeofourMartyrologies. 35 Itisalmostevident,thiscanbenoother than that St. Jarlath, Archbishop of Armagh, whose Acts are set down by Colgan, on the same day. In the copy of the Irish Calendar, preserved among the Irish Ordnance Survey Records, we find no mention whatever of a St. Jarlath, at the hi. of the Ides, or nth of February. The observation will apply to the entries at the viii. of the Ides or 6th of June, as also at the 25th ofDecember. However,hisfestivalistherenoticed,withsomelengthened observations, on the day immediately following. 36 St. Jarlath's day is still remembered in Tuam Parish, and it is observed with great devotion, by the
23 See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xi.
Februarii. Vita S. Hieilatii, cap. vii. ,
p. 309.
24 See Harris Ware, "Writers of Ireland,"
book i. , vol. iii. , p. 14, and "Archbishops of Tuam," vol. i. , p. 603.
as See Archdeacon Henry Cotton's "Fasti
Ecclesiae Hiberniae," vol. iv. The Province
of Connaught, p. 4.
36
See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 180 to 1S2, andn. (z).
37 See A. D. DXLIV. , "Tuathalo Maelgarb jugulato successit in regno Hiberniae Dermi- tius I. Cervailli filius. "— Ussher's Index
pp. 309, 310.
3° See Archdeacon Henry Cotton's " Fasti
Eccleske Hiberniae," vol. iv. , p. 4.
3 ' By Colgan.
3a His death has been assigned to A. D.
512, supposing him to have been the first bishop of Slane.
33 By Colgan.
Chronologicus, p, 530. *8 "
See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti-
quitates," cap. xvii. pp. 490, 494.
a> See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xi. Februarii. Vita S. Hierlatii. viii. ,
34
See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernian,'' xi.
Februarii, n. 23, p. 310.
35 In the Rev. Dr. Kelly's edition of the
Martyroloyy of Tallagh, we discover the
"
Jarlaithi" at the iii. of the Ides, or nth of February. There is no no- tice of a St. Jarlath, at the viii. of the Ides
"
or 6th of June. See Calendar of Irish
Saints," pp. xv. , xxvi.
& See, in the Twelfth Volume of this
work, at the 26th of December,
» See Rev. C P. Median's " Rise and
simple entry,
Jume 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 209
Catholic inhabitants. The relics of St. Jarlath 37 were religiously preserved
after his death, in a certain chapel, called Temple na Serin,=% where his body
is said to have been buried. 39 This appears to have been included, within
the parochial bounds of Tuam city. 40 Its position was pointed out in 1838,
as standing in Bishop-street, Tuam, and where Mr. Alexander O'Conor, a
saddler, then kept a shop. To the rere of this house is Curraghskreen town-
land 41 and, at the distance of 40 perches, in the same direction, the fine ;
Catholic Cathedral of Tuam now stands. The old Irish inhabitants called a street in Tuam Bothar na Serine, 42 or, "the Street of the Shrine. " There Avas
an Abbey, in this ancient city, at an early period ; and, in the ninth century, wefindthenamesofitsAbbotsrecorded. 43 Thetraditionwas,thattheDanes of Limerick and of Cork plundered Tuam, and carried off the silver shrine from TeampallnaSerine,inwhichtheremainsofSt. Jarlathweredeposited. 44 The relics of other saints were also preserved, in this same chapel, while they were held in great respect and veneration. 4*
Many interesting remains of antiquity are to be found in Tuam, and especially are these to be met with, in connection with the old cathedral, now used for Protestant service. By the clergy and people of this ancient city, it appears, that the Cathedral of Tuam was formerly called Tempull Jarlaith,46 or the " Church of Jarlath. " The local name for the present Protestant Cathedral of Tuam is St. Mary's ; because, according to the general impression, it formerly belonged to St. Mary's Abbey. At the east endofthecathedral4? wasplacedastonecross,theshaftofwhichhadbeen broken off, nearly as far as the arms. 48 On the side of it, now facing the east, is the figure of a bishop, in relief, holding a crosier. It was probably in- tended to represent St. Jarlath. The crook of the crosier in his left hand has been destroyed. The figure wears a cap of nearly a conical shape. Two figures are placed, one on either side of the Bishop. The crucifixion is repre-
sented on the back of this cross. 4° The entrance to the cathedral is sin-
gularly magnificent. It is a perfectly circular arch, built with red grit stone. It is 22^ feet broad at the base, and no less than 16 feet high, from the ground to the key-stone. The door inside this is likewise perfectly circular. On each side of it, there is a window of similar form. It exhibits a beautifully ornamented construction. Inside the church a pointed arch, springing from the ground, is to be seen, arising over the organ. These are said to be rem- nants of the original establishment, adapted to the work of the present
Fall of the Irish Franciscan Monasteries," on which the old and new Catholic College &c. "The Irish Hierarchy of the Seven- of St. Jarlath now stands. A local tradition
teenth Century," chap, iii. , pp. 125, 126, to this effect prevails,
*6 the from the Colgan quotes following
Catalogue of the Churches of Tuam Dio-
" Ecclesia Cathedralis Tuamensis, " According to an account in the Catalogue sita Tuamias vocatur Tempull Jarlaithe :
and
38 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni-
Appendix, p. 310.
cum," p. 298. cese
of Churches, belonging to the Archdiocese of Tuam, which had been furnished to Colgan. 40 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xi.
Febiuarii, n. 22, p. 310.
•
In Irish Curiae |-cj\in.
* In Irish written bocArv ha ferine.
43 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni- cum, p. 298.
44 " See
'
4s t
it is thought to have occupied the site,
:
dicata S. Hierlatio primo Episcopo Tuamensi, antequam hrec sedes Archiepis- copalem erigiretur. Dies festus ejus cele-
Letters containing Information re- lative to the Antiquities of the Coumy of Galway, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1838," vol. i. Thomas O Conor s Letter, dated Tuam, September
• "* \' u"
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nice," xi. Februarii, n. 21, p. 310.
being a grown man,50 when frequenting this school. 51 Jarlath must have flourished in the year 500, 52 it is supposed, if Brendan, in youth, had been his scholar. The period, when our saint flourished, has been more generally assigned to the middle of the sixth century. However this maybe, St. Jarlath ofTuamisreckonedamongIrishSaintsoftheSecondClass; andaccordingly, it is assumed, he began to be distinguished after the year 540. This is the
;
unlikely he was St. Jarlath's pupil, before the middle of the sixth century, he
39 When the writer of this place visited Cluain-fois, in i860, only a small fragment of this ruin surmounted the lonely graveyard, where the old establishment had been erected.
40 This stone it is said, was originally a holy water font ; and people, who go on the occasion of attending a child's funeral to the place, sninkled themselves with the water found in it. The common phrase was, that they blessed themselves with it. See the "Letters containing Information relative to the County of Galway, belonging to the
September 3rd, 1838.
41
Its depth varies with the unevenness of
the stone, being six inches in the deepest with this Bishop ; but, his Festival is cele-
Ordnance of Survey
the son of is said to Lenin,
vol.
45. Thomas O'Conor's Letter, dated Tuam,
Coleman,
1838,"
i. , pp. 44,
part, and gradually lessening on another side to two or three inches.
42 His feast is celebrated, on the 16th of May, and his Life will be found in the Fifth Volume of this work, at that date. Art. i.
43 These circumstances are alluded to in
the Life of St. Brendan of Clonfert, to be
found at the 16th of May, in the Fifth
Volume of this work, Art. i.
44
If it be true that St. Colman studied under Jarlath, we must bring down that school to, at least, 550, the year in which Ware says that Jarlath flourished. See " De ScnptoribusHibernise," lib. L, cap. ii. ,p. 11.
*i SeeColgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nice,"xi. Februarii. Vita S. Hierlatii, cap. iii. , pp. 308, 309.
—brated at Cloyne, on the 24th of November. "
Harris of vol. Ware, "Bishops Cloyne,"
46 He is surnamed Mitine, also, and he is the reputed founder of Cloyne. See Rev. M. J. Brenan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," Sixth Century, chap, ii. , pp. 74- 75-
the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 222 to 225, and n. (d).
48 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- niie," viii. Martii, n. 15, p. 339 {recle) 535.
49 Ware places his death at this year, and on the 4th of November, through inadver-
"' See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of
tence.
" One
have written the Life of St. Senan in Metre, and to have died in the year 600. I will not be positive whether he was the same person
Hence, Harris' conjecture is correct :
i- PP- 573.
50 The assertion, that Colman could not
have been a grown up man, commenc- ing the sixth century, and have afterwards
lived to its close, may admit of question. The age which he attained is not known ; but, if we are willing to allow, in the absence of positive testimony, that he reached the age of one hundred and ten or twelve years, the account of his being Jarlath's scholar could not be fairly controverted.
574-.
51 See " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland, vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect. 7, p. 29, and ibid. , n. 99. P- 32-
52 See Ussher's " Index Chronologicus.
53 See Rev. P. J. Carew's "Ecclesiastical
205
At the
having a
2o6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 6.
period, to which his episcopacy over the See of Tuam has been ascribed, by various writers. 53 Moreover, Sir James Ware states, that he flourished, in the
as his Latin has it 55 it seemsto original ; and, this,
to be a
us,
year 550,54
very probable computation.
55
CHAPTER II.
THE PLACE OF ST. JARLATH's FUTURE REST INDICATED BY ST. BRENDAN—THE HOLY
MAN DEPARTS FOR TUAM—HE BECOMES ITS FIRST BISHOP—
HIS SANCTITY AND SPIRIT OF PROPHECY—PERIOD OF HIS DEATH—FESTIVALS—ANTIQUITIES AT TUAM —VENERATION OF THE PEOPLE THERE AND THROUGHOUT THE DIOCESE FOR
THEIR PATRON—CONCLUSION.
The situation of St. Jarlath's religious establishment was beside the Clare
River, which rises in the southern parts of Mayo County, flowing southwardly until it falls into Lough Corrib. Such was the humility of St. Jarlath, that he
wished to become, at Cluain-fois, a disciple rather than the master of Brendan, for whose sanctity and gilts of prophecy, he entertained an extraordinary veneration. Already, it is said, that St. Benignus, the disciple and companion of St. Patrick, became the first Apostle of all that country, extending from Dunmoreto 1 and
that,
aboutthe
Kilbannon, or Killbenin. " the Church of Benin," situated about two miles
Cong,
year 440
north-west of Tuam. 2 desirous of Being
when it should God please
knowing,
to call him away, from the prison of this body ; our saint requested his scholar
Brendan, to indicate the place of his resurrection. Brendan desired him to ascend his chariot, he being then old and infirm ;3 and, wherever it might break down on the way, there Jarlath should depart this life, and thence also, he declared, that many would arise with him, on the day of General Judg- ment. Our saint obeyed these directions. * He had not proceeded far, from thatplace,whenthewheelsofhischariotaresaidtohavebeenbroken,5 at Tuam 6 This
which must have occurred in the
ning of the sixth century, gave occasion to* erecting a church, on that spot.
in
Dagualand.
incident,
begin-
History of Ireland," Appendix, p. 420.
54 The — translation of Harris English places
him at 540 probably this is an error of the
5 Tradition pointed out that spot, in John
press.
55 See "De
in Shop-street, Tuam, in 1838. It was called the Chair of Tuam, in which sat after his
Scriptoribus Hibernise," elevation,
the member
formerly
returned to
lib.
Chapter ii. See an account of this
Parliament
by Tuam,
See
ii. , —II. i. , cap. p.
borough.
*
place, with woodcut illustrations of its ruins,
the Antiquities of the County of Galway, Handbook of the Midland Great collected during the Progress of the Ord- Western Railway and Guide to Connemara nance Survey in 1838," vol. i. Thomas
"
and the West of Ireland," pp. 61 to 64. Dublin, no date, l2mo.
" 'See Very Rev. Ulick J. Canon Bourke's
Life and Times of the Most Rev. John
MacHale, Archbishop of Tuam and Metro-
politan," chap, xxi. , p. 202. Dublin, 1882, l8mo.
3 " Erat enim Episcopus, et senex ante- —quam Ecclesia Tuamensis esset exstructa. "
Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," for 'da uladhain,' or 'da lilainn,' »>. ,
xi. Februarii. Vita S.
Hierlatii,
n.
16,
" Mound of the two altar tombs. " Tuaim being prefixed. See "Life and Times of Most Rev. John MacIIale, Archbishop of
p. 310.
4 See #*</. , cap. i\\, p. 309.
Costello's
who was a merchant garden, living
to hebuiltachurchat 444,
as a
"Letters containing Information relative to
O'Conor's Letter, dated Tuam, September 3rd, 1838, p. 31.
6 The signification of CuAmTOAJu aLahi, is not locally explained. It has been rendered
"mound of the two shoulders,' by Very Rev. Ulick J. Canon Bourke, who admits this to have no special meaning. It is his opinion, that such form has been substituted for 'da ualann,' another phonetic attempt
June 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 207 Over it, St. Jarlath afterwards presided as Bishop ;i but, it must be added,
8
that great obscurity involves the period of his consecration and installation. Whether St. Jarlath was consecrated before, or after the foundation, of Tuam church ° is unknown. St. Benignus is said to have blessed this church. 10 The boundaries of Tuam Parish are now of very irregular outline. 11 The present parish of Tuam was heretofore divided into two parishes, one of which was called
"the ofthe parish
shrine,"
12 from
1
Teampall
naSerine. 13 Theother was part
known as St. Jarlath's Parish, * while its church was called the Temple of St.
Jarlath. 15 The former was the eastern part of the present parish, and the
latterthewestern 16 Tuamafterwardsbecamean
of
archbishops,
dune or Annaghdown was annexed to it; while, in 1559, the bishopric of Mayo was also united. 10 It is certain, St. Jarlath was the first bishop over the See of Tuam ; but, whether he had been consecrated, so early as a. d.
2° well be the exercise of his func- 455, may questioned. During episcopal
tions, Jarlath continued his former practices of penitential works and constant
21
Notwithstanding his great age and growing infirmities, he suffered no day to elapse, without making three hundred pious genuflections, and as
portion. andthechurchfoundedtherewasdedicatedinthenameofSt.
1? The See of Tuam is said to have been founded, about the beginning of the sixth century. Its prelates are sometimes called by the Irish annalists, bishops, or
prayer.
many during each night.
22
St. Jarlath was said, also, to have been distin-
Connaught.
18 In the the ancient See of Enach- year 1324,
Tuam and Metropolitan," chap, xxx,, pp. 207. 208.
^ It is somewhat remarkable, that after St.
Patrick, Benin, son of Seisgnen, succeeded
in the See of Armagh, and died a. d. 467,
when St. Jarlaithe, son of Treana immedi-
ately followed, and died A. D. 481. See Rev.
Robert " Memoir to the King's introductory
cap. v. , p. 309.
I "Some writers place it so early as A. D. 18 See James Godkin's " Ireland and
501. See Hely Dution's "Statistical and her Churches," part second, chap, xxx. ,
Early History of the Primacy of Armagh/' p.
68. We fear there may be some confusion
between the holy men thus named, in con-
nection with Armagh, and those similarly ni. e," xi. Februarii. Vita S. Hierlatii, named as connected with Tuam.
Agricultural Survey of the County of P- 363-
"
Galway," chap, v. , sect, xxv. , p. 479.
9 On the authority of Conry, Archdall states, that an Abbey was founded here, and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, so early as A. D. 487, and that St. Jarlath con- verted it into a Cathedral Church, in the
19 See Hely Dutton's
Statistical and
beginning of the sixth century. See " Life and Times of the Most Rev.
John
" Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 297.
Mac Hale, Archbishop of Tuam and Metro-
politan," chap, xxi. , p. 205.
21 See "Acta Sanctorum "Colgan's
Hibernia;," xi. Februarii. Vita S. Hierlatii, cap. vi. , p. 309.
10
Eleventh of his Life. See
This may be seen, by referring to the
Chapter
Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xi. Februarii,
be thus
played on the Index County Map of Galway.
" n.
Colgan's
17, p. 310. 11
22 This is stated
They may
described,
as dis-
St. Cumineus of Connor, in hi—s work, on the Virtues of the
The Parish of Tuam
is skirted on the north
by
Capap lApbAiie uajwL,
CbetpeAc nic ccleAC-OATJ gAirme Cpi cex> rLeacotnn jjac ncrace, Cpi ceo pLeAcoum 54c peapg-aip.
Calendar of
and east by the parishes of Liskeevy, Dunmore and Clonbern ; on the south, by Killererin and Cummer parishes ; and, on the west, by Belclare, Killower and Kilbennan parishes.
'3 This name is written CeampAilt n<\
— "
" In Irish na pap-airce Scpme.
Rev. Dr. Matthew
Irish Saints," pp. 168, 169.
Archiepiscopal city,
Scpme, in the Irish.
14 In Irish pAp<yipce lApLacA.
15 In Irish, written CeampAill 1ar\- La6a.
16
See "Letters containing Information
relative to the Antiquities of the County of
Galway, collected during the Progress of the
Ordnai. ce in vol. i. Thomas Survey 1838,
O'Conor's Letter, dated Tuam, September
3rd, 1838, p. 31.
17 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Agricultural Survey of the County of Gal-
way," chap, v. , sect, xxv. , p. 478.
80
in Very Rev. Ulick J. Buurke's List of Tuam Bishops and Archbishops, appended to his
This is the date assigned for his election,
Irish Saints
:
Kelly's
Jarlath.
2o8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 6.
guished, for the spirit of prophecy ; and to have predicted the names, order of succession, and good and bad qualities of his successors in the See of Tuam. Colgantellsus,hehadacopyoftheseprophecies; yet,hewouldnotunder- take to vouch for its antiquity and genuineness. 23 He supposes they were not free from the suspicion of novelty. A copy of these pretended prophe- ciesSirJamesWarehadinhiscustody. Hethinks,however,thattheywere falsely ascribed to Jarlath, and he rather looks on them to be the fictions of a much later age. 24
The exact year of our saint's death is not very well known. 2s Be- cause it is recorded, in the Catalogue of the three orders of Irish Saints, that Jarlath belonged to the second order, and is said to have lived about the end of King Tuathal's reign, who died about the year 538, 543, or 547, according to some accounts,26 or a. d. 544,27 according to Ussher 23 Colgan
;
is of opinion our saint lived, after the year 535, and that he probably died 2
before, or about, a. d. 540. 9 This latter year has been pretty generally accepted, as not far from the true date of his release from this world, admit-
ting that he attained a great age. 3° It is supposed,31 however, that Jarlath died before that year, since it is stated, he was an old man, in the commence- ment of the sixth century, when his disciple Brendan left him, and returned tohisformerinstructor,theBishopEricorEre. 32 TheMartyrologyofTallagh places his Natalis, at the 25th of December; the Calendar of Cashe! , and the Martyrologies of Maguire and Donegal record it, on the following day. It has been supposed, 33 that the great festivals of the Nativity of our Lord, and of St. Stephen, observed on either of these days, caused a transference of St. Jarlath'sfeasttothe6thofJune. 34 Onthislatterday,heiscommemoratedin Tuam Archdiocese, of which he is the principal patron. But, there appears to have been no better reason, for Colgan placing his Acts at the nth of February, than the circumstance of an undetermined St. Jarlath then occur- ring,insomeofourMartyrologies. 35 Itisalmostevident,thiscanbenoother than that St. Jarlath, Archbishop of Armagh, whose Acts are set down by Colgan, on the same day. In the copy of the Irish Calendar, preserved among the Irish Ordnance Survey Records, we find no mention whatever of a St. Jarlath, at the hi. of the Ides, or nth of February. The observation will apply to the entries at the viii. of the Ides or 6th of June, as also at the 25th ofDecember. However,hisfestivalistherenoticed,withsomelengthened observations, on the day immediately following. 36 St. Jarlath's day is still remembered in Tuam Parish, and it is observed with great devotion, by the
23 See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xi.
Februarii. Vita S. Hieilatii, cap. vii. ,
p. 309.
24 See Harris Ware, "Writers of Ireland,"
book i. , vol. iii. , p. 14, and "Archbishops of Tuam," vol. i. , p. 603.
as See Archdeacon Henry Cotton's "Fasti
Ecclesiae Hiberniae," vol. iv. The Province
of Connaught, p. 4.
36
See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 180 to 1S2, andn. (z).
37 See A. D. DXLIV. , "Tuathalo Maelgarb jugulato successit in regno Hiberniae Dermi- tius I. Cervailli filius. "— Ussher's Index
pp. 309, 310.
3° See Archdeacon Henry Cotton's " Fasti
Eccleske Hiberniae," vol. iv. , p. 4.
3 ' By Colgan.
3a His death has been assigned to A. D.
512, supposing him to have been the first bishop of Slane.
33 By Colgan.
Chronologicus, p, 530. *8 "
See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti-
quitates," cap. xvii. pp. 490, 494.
a> See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xi. Februarii. Vita S. Hierlatii. viii. ,
34
See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernian,'' xi.
Februarii, n. 23, p. 310.
35 In the Rev. Dr. Kelly's edition of the
Martyroloyy of Tallagh, we discover the
"
Jarlaithi" at the iii. of the Ides, or nth of February. There is no no- tice of a St. Jarlath, at the viii. of the Ides
"
or 6th of June. See Calendar of Irish
Saints," pp. xv. , xxvi.
& See, in the Twelfth Volume of this
work, at the 26th of December,
» See Rev. C P. Median's " Rise and
simple entry,
Jume 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 209
Catholic inhabitants. The relics of St. Jarlath 37 were religiously preserved
after his death, in a certain chapel, called Temple na Serin,=% where his body
is said to have been buried. 39 This appears to have been included, within
the parochial bounds of Tuam city. 40 Its position was pointed out in 1838,
as standing in Bishop-street, Tuam, and where Mr. Alexander O'Conor, a
saddler, then kept a shop. To the rere of this house is Curraghskreen town-
land 41 and, at the distance of 40 perches, in the same direction, the fine ;
Catholic Cathedral of Tuam now stands. The old Irish inhabitants called a street in Tuam Bothar na Serine, 42 or, "the Street of the Shrine. " There Avas
an Abbey, in this ancient city, at an early period ; and, in the ninth century, wefindthenamesofitsAbbotsrecorded. 43 Thetraditionwas,thattheDanes of Limerick and of Cork plundered Tuam, and carried off the silver shrine from TeampallnaSerine,inwhichtheremainsofSt. Jarlathweredeposited. 44 The relics of other saints were also preserved, in this same chapel, while they were held in great respect and veneration. 4*
Many interesting remains of antiquity are to be found in Tuam, and especially are these to be met with, in connection with the old cathedral, now used for Protestant service. By the clergy and people of this ancient city, it appears, that the Cathedral of Tuam was formerly called Tempull Jarlaith,46 or the " Church of Jarlath. " The local name for the present Protestant Cathedral of Tuam is St. Mary's ; because, according to the general impression, it formerly belonged to St. Mary's Abbey. At the east endofthecathedral4? wasplacedastonecross,theshaftofwhichhadbeen broken off, nearly as far as the arms. 48 On the side of it, now facing the east, is the figure of a bishop, in relief, holding a crosier. It was probably in- tended to represent St. Jarlath. The crook of the crosier in his left hand has been destroyed. The figure wears a cap of nearly a conical shape. Two figures are placed, one on either side of the Bishop. The crucifixion is repre-
sented on the back of this cross. 4° The entrance to the cathedral is sin-
gularly magnificent. It is a perfectly circular arch, built with red grit stone. It is 22^ feet broad at the base, and no less than 16 feet high, from the ground to the key-stone. The door inside this is likewise perfectly circular. On each side of it, there is a window of similar form. It exhibits a beautifully ornamented construction. Inside the church a pointed arch, springing from the ground, is to be seen, arising over the organ. These are said to be rem- nants of the original establishment, adapted to the work of the present
Fall of the Irish Franciscan Monasteries," on which the old and new Catholic College &c. "The Irish Hierarchy of the Seven- of St. Jarlath now stands. A local tradition
teenth Century," chap, iii. , pp. 125, 126, to this effect prevails,
*6 the from the Colgan quotes following
Catalogue of the Churches of Tuam Dio-
" Ecclesia Cathedralis Tuamensis, " According to an account in the Catalogue sita Tuamias vocatur Tempull Jarlaithe :
and
38 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni-
Appendix, p. 310.
cum," p. 298. cese
of Churches, belonging to the Archdiocese of Tuam, which had been furnished to Colgan. 40 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xi.
Febiuarii, n. 22, p. 310.
•
In Irish Curiae |-cj\in.
* In Irish written bocArv ha ferine.
43 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni- cum, p. 298.
44 " See
'
4s t
it is thought to have occupied the site,
:
dicata S. Hierlatio primo Episcopo Tuamensi, antequam hrec sedes Archiepis- copalem erigiretur. Dies festus ejus cele-
Letters containing Information re- lative to the Antiquities of the Coumy of Galway, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1838," vol. i. Thomas O Conor s Letter, dated Tuam, September
• "* \' u"
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nice," xi. Februarii, n. 21, p. 310.
