Its exact time of composition cannot be determined, but it was probably one of Aengus's latest and most matured
literary
efforts.
Life and Works of St Aneguissiums Hagographicus
Tigernach, son of St.
Mella, and founder of Doire-nielle (see chap.
xix.
?
13), who died abbot of Kill-achad, in the now county of (Javan, on the 4th of November, a.
d.
805 (806).
See AA.
SS.
p.
796, and Archdall at Kitlachad).
This is a strong proof of the assertion that Aengus was the author of this work".
St. ^Engusius Hagiographus. 31
statement, that the Saltair-na-rann was altogether a distinct work. 1 After describing the work, " De Sanctis Hibemiae", he mentions the Saltair-na-rann as having been composed in the Irish language ; and, of course, as being distinct from the first named treatise, which had been written mostly in Latin. Yet, I must confess, that the sentences employed by Colgan in his account are rather ambiguous. 2 The work entitled " De Sanctis
Hiberniae", does not appear to have been a metrical compo sition, as may be seen in extracts taken from and found in many of Colgan's notes. The Saltair-na-rann comprises His tory of the Old Testament,5 written in verse,4 and which attributed to ^Engus as its author. We are informed, that the Chronicle of . ^Engus Ceile De, known as Saltair-na-Rann, i. e. " Saltair of the Poems" or " Verses", has been so called, because, Salm, " Psalm", and Poem are the same. 6 It contains one hundred and fifty poems, composed in the finest style of the
Gaelic language, as understood in the eighth century.
This celebrated work of Aengus Ceile De has been called
There MS. Martyrology, entitled Saltair-na-Rann, preserved in the British Museum [Egerton, 185]. It a thin, small quarto-sized volume in verse, and, with exception of a few pages, has been written in the bold and accurate hand of Dubhaltach Mac Firbisigh, about the year 1650. It consists of sixty-seven pages, containing five quatrains, or twenty lines, on eacb page. The title in accordance with the second quatrain, which, as Angli cised, thus begins:
" The Saltair of the verses shall be the name Of my poem not an unwise title".
This Saltair-na-Rann, however, entirely distinct from that of Aengus Ceile De.
" Opus ex jam memoratis opusculis conflatum in quibusdam antiquis patriae membranis patrio sermone intitulatur Saltuir-na-rann quae vox Latiue red- dita Psalterium metricum, nunc Psalterium multipartitum denotat. Et in utroque sensu, diversa S. Aengussii opera recte sic inscribi poterant". Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Marlii. Vita <S. Aengussii, cap. xv. pp. 681, 582. know not on what authority Harris makes the following statement with regard to iEngus, when he says, "to him ascribed by some Psalter- na-rann, being a Miscellany Collection of Irish affairs, in prose and verse, Latin and Irish". Harris' Ware, vol. ii. Writers of Ireland, book 53.
The other Saltair-na-Rann, to which allusion has been made in preceding note, contains three hundred and twelve quatrains, written in the inferior Gaelic of the sixteenth, not of later century. Yet, not, strictly ? peaking, Gaelic Martyrology for all the Irish saints Professor O'Curry could discover in were, St. Patrick, St. Brigid of Kildare, St. Ciaran of Saighir, and St. Ciaran of Clonmacnois. According to the poet's arrangement, every quatrain commenced with a saint's name, but sometimes there are three or even four quatrains devoted to one day, as the number of festivals happened to fall within it. Every saint, however, has separate quatrain devoted to him. The modern writer, who supplied Mac Firbis's omissions, has admitted some incorrections. See Lectures on the Manuscript Materials ofAncient Irish
History, Lect. xvii. pp. 360,361, and Appendix, No. cix. p. 609.
Harris says, this work had been written in elegant metre, but he seems to
regard as a distinct work from the Psaltar-na-rann.
See Rev. Dr. Keating's History of Inland, Prejace. This writer adds that
Salterium and Duanaire, or " book of poems", are identical.
. . ?
a
6'
3'1
it a
a is a
a
i. p.
it
is
;
a
is
: it
if
a
it is
it,
a
I
a is
:
is is
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32 The Life and Works of
Sodtair-na-rann. * It is distributed into parts. 8 It has been written in the form of prayers, tending to raise the reader's mind to the love of God, and to the celebration of His praise, for all the Creator's works are referred to His greater glory, and rest upon His power as their final cause. The foregoing reasons are assigned by Colgan for this work deserving the title of Saltair-na-rann? A different work, compiled from the five small treatises already mentioned, in which our saints are in voked, in the form of a prayer, might be well called Psalterium muliipartitum, as Colgan remarks, on account of the various parts into which it is distributed. He adds, that both authority testifies and evidence persuades us, that it had been thus in
scribed and composed by St JEngus. The authority assigned is that of an old parchment MS. , from which the treatise, " Homonymi", already described, has been extracted. It was sent from Ireland4 to Colgan. It bore the following title:
" 1 This is most probably the work described by O'Reilly, where he says :
Aengus also wrote the Psalter-na-rann, which is an abridged history of the
*? ***>>"
descendants of Abraham, from the birth of Isaac, until after the death of
The Psalter-na-rann is preserved in a large
Moses''.
MS. , the property of Sir William Betham. It is written in a fine strong hand, and occupies upwards of six folio pages, closely written on the largest size vellum". Chronological Account of nearly Four Hundred Irish Writers, p. liv.
2 In Harris' Ware, vol. Hi ( Writers of Ireland, book i. chap. v. p. 83), it is said that some ascribed to Aengus a Psalter-na-rann," being a miscellany on Irish affairs, in prose and verse, Latin and Irish. Aengus wrote no such work", says Dr. Lanigan, " and his only Psalter, or Saltair-na-rann, were those above mentioned. Harris got his information either from Toland, or from some one who took it from him. In his Nazarenus (Letter ii. sect. 3) Toland says that Aengus wrote a chronicle, entitled Psalter-na-rann". This is characterized as a falsehood invented by an impious writer, who did not wish it to be known, that Aengus was chiefly employed in treating about saints, and that he used to invoke them. At chap. ii. ? 8, Toland advances a still more monstrous statement, viz , that the Irish used not pray to saints. Now, nothing is more clear in our ecclesiastical history, than that our ancient Irish progenitors were in the habit of invoking them. Dungal, a most learned Irishman of the early times, defends this practice against Claudius. Brogan, who in the seventh century wrote St. Brigid's Life in Irish verse, often in vokes her in the course of it, and concludes with these words: "There are
two holy virgins in heaven, who may undertake my protection, Mary and St. Brigid, on whose patronage let each of us depend". To omit many other proofs, Adamnan, in his Vita S. Columba, lib. ii. cap. 45, bears testimony. This prac tice was so general in Ireland, and so well known to learned men, who have examined our history, that in his Discourse on the Religion oj the Ancient Irish, Ussher found it expedient not to touch on invocation of the saints. See Dr. Lanigan's Ecclesiastical History of Ireland, vol. iii. chap. xx. ? x. n. 107, p. 261.
' Colgan says : " Uti aptissime in utrogue sensu Saltair-na-rann, i. e. Psalte rium metricum, vel Psalterium multipartitum, vocari posset ; uti et de facto in alterutro, vel utroque sensu nuncupari et intitulari consuevit". Acta Sanc torum Hiberniae, xi. Martii. Vita S. Aengussii, cap. xv. p. 682. The late Pro fessor Eugene O'Curry told me, he had examined a magnificent copy of the Psalter-na-Rann, at Oxford. At that time, he informed the writer, no perfect copy of it was known to be extant in Ireland.
* The person who brought this book with him from Ireland was the Very
St. ^sEngusius Hagiographus. 33
" Homonymi Hiberniae Sancti ex Saltair-na-rann, quod compo- suit . 5? ngussius Keledeus". The Saltair-na-rann is interpreted by Colgan to mean the Multipartite Psalter. Reason, he says, induces us to believe that this had been a work of St iEngus, since there is no saint found in any portion of who had not departed life before the time of St. . /Engus, or who had not been, at least, his cotemporary. This matter had been dis covered, by careful collation of this treatise with our annals and native records. According to these later authentic sources, no saint, mentioned in the work alluded to, found to have lived after a. d. 800, except St. Tigernach, founder of Doire- melle monastery. He said to have departed a. d. 805, at which time there can be no doubt that ^Engus was still living. For, although our annals relate the death of St. Melditribius in the year 840, yet, doubtful, he be the saint bearing that name, and mentioned in the fortieth chapter of the second book, as already described. 1
There are Pedigrees of Irish saints yet existing, and these have been generally ascribed to Aengus Ceile De. Several copies of this tract are preserved in our ancient MSS. but doubtful,
any of these date back, in their preseDt state, to the time of Aengus, towards the close of the eighth or beginning of the ninth century. In the copies we possess, there may be defections or additions, as compared with the original composition. The oldest copy known also the best and most copious,2 and its genuineness has been generally admitted by most of our anti quarians. It the more valuable, because almost invariably
Rev. Father Francis Mathew, at one time Guardian of the Convent at Louvain, and Franciscan Provincial over the Irish province. He was man of much erudition, austerity of life, and very zealous in the cause of religion. He presented this work, already mentioned, to Coigan, in the year 1633. By his preaching, exhortations, and pious labours, he had greatly contributed for many years to the advancement and preservation of Ireland's orthodox and persecuted faith. At length, having endured various trials and tortures, with the greatest patience and constancy, this pious sufferer was put to death by the Protestants, A D. 1642. Colgan adds, that Geoffrey Keating, also, in the second book of his History, attributes this work to St. iEngus. See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii, n. 14, p. 583.
See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii. Vita S. Mngussii, cap. xv. p. 582. Colgan observes, that he was induced to treat, at some length, on the valuable works of this venerable saint, that his readers might know what great antiquity and authority attached to the aforesaid Martyro- logies and other works, and which he had so frequently taken occasion to quote in his own volumes. Ibid. It would also appear, Colgan intended to publish the works of St. iEngus, had his own life been prolonged, ibid. , cap. xiv. p. 681.
This found in the Book of Leinster, which was compiled within the years 120 and 160. A copy contained in the Book of Ballymote, compiled in 1391 and another in the Book of Lecain, written a. d. 1416. A later still
found in the great Book of Genealogies, compiled by Dudley Mac Firbis, in 1650.
is
81 1
if
;
is
1
a
is
is
is
it
is is
it
if ;
a it is
is
it,
34 The Life and Works of
gives references to the sites of churches, in connection with the holy persons whose pedigrees are found recorded. It often enumerates and traces the lineage of groups of persons or asso ciates, who occupied these churches at one time, and occasion ally their successors for a few generations. In the form of annotations, an immense amount of ecclesiastical and topogra phical information is conveyed. These historic comments esta blish with satisfactory exactness a date for the foundation of nearly all our primitive churches. It is an almost invariable rule with the venerable genealogist, to trace the pedigree of each saint to some remarkable personage, whose name and period can be ascertained from our national records and books of secular genealogy. 1
This is the oldest collection of our national saints' pedigrees known to be in existence.
Its exact time of composition cannot be determined, but it was probably one of Aengus's latest and most matured literary efforts.
VII -- Modes of life at Tallagh until the time arrived for departure- -- St. ^Engus returns to Clonenagh, where he is chosen as Abbot. --Supposed to have been a Clwrepiscopus --
Occasional retirement to Dysart Enos His death and burial. -- Value of St. yEngus' hagiographical works. -- Conclusion.
We may well conceive how affectionately and agreeably passed their hours of occasional relaxation, as of study, while the holy Abbot Melruan and Aengus were companions, in the coenobium at Tallagh. Their interchange of pious and cul tivated thought must have proved mutually conducive to the accuracy and unction of those hagiographical and sacred histo ric works, which seem specially to have had a literary fascina tion for them. The teaching of ecclesiastical and secular learning probably engaged a considerable part of their daily monastic routine. For we cannot doubt but native and foreign litera ture, as also the science of the period, was then taught in the school of Tallagh, with the religious training and dogma pecu liar to such establishments. It seems evident, from references made to Eusebius and St. Jerome, that Aengus was well versed
1 See Professor Eugene O'Curry's Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History, Leet, xvii. pp. 359, 360. This learned writer adds : " By referring to these pedigrees, you may easily find the time at which any of the early saints of Erinn flourished. As, for instance, St. Colum Cille is recorded to have been the son of Ftsidlimidh, son of Fergus, son of Conall, son of Niall " of the Nine Hostages", monarch of Erinn, who was killed in the year 405. Now, by allowing the usual average of thirty years to each of the four gene rations from Niall to Colum, making 120 years, and adding them to 405, we shall find that Colum (who is known to have died in the year 592) must have been born about the year 520. He was actually bora, as we know from other sources, in 515".
St. ^Engusius Hagiographus. 35
in the Greek as in the Latin language. So long as Melruan lived, peace and security reigned within the Irish monastic en closures. Had he survived a few years, the tocsin of alarm would have sounded the first approach of Northman invasions ; while many of the shrines and illuminated Books of Erinn were destined to suffer wreck and ruin from the Pagan spoilers.
When holy Melruan had been called to bliss, our saint keenly felt the loss of his society and gentle rule. The sylvan shades around Tallagh had less attraction during the noon-tide walk, and more lonely seemed the solitudes of scarped ravines and mountains. Climbing topmost heights of the latter, the eyes of Aengus were often turned towards the rich plains beneath, through which the Liffey and Barrow flowed. Peering beyond their bounds, the hills of Dysart were seen on a distant south-western horizon. Old associations were revived; nor were the monastery and monks of Clonenagh forgotten in the train of awakened recol lections. Perhaps some message from its superior and inmates urged his return. In prosecuting his archaic studies, Aengus had travelled to many places, and always with some holy and useful object in view. It now seemed the will of Heaven, that he should turn once more towards the land of Leix and Ossory ; and, accordingly, we may suppose a sympathetic tear coursed down his cheeks and those of his fellow-religious, when he took scrip and staff, bidding adieu for the last time to those blissful haunts of science and religion, where he had spent some of his life's best years. We know not the exact period when he parted from this mountain home ; but, it appears altogether likely, his renowned superior had departed this life before Aengus thought of leaving, nor had the eighth century drawn quite to its close.
. 52ngus survived his friend the holy Abbot of Tallaght for a very considerable period. The name of St. Molruan is found in his Festilogium, where he is called the " Bright Sun of Ireland". 1 This circumstance seems to prove, that his work, in its finished state, must have been composed subsequently to the year 792. After remaining some years at Tallaght, JEngus returned to Clonenagh His ascetic and literary fame must have culminated to a high degree, at . the time his thoughts reverted to the old retreat: --
" Here to return and die at home at last''. '
1 A mistake, probably a typographical one, occurs in Dalton's History of the County of Dublin,\>. 761, where the death of Saint Molruan, or Madman, is referred to the year 787, whereas the year 788 is named for the first arrival of JEngua at Tallaght. The real date for St. Molruan's death is the 7th day of July, 792. This accomplished and usually accurate historian incorrectly tells us, when giving the history of Tallaght, and speaking of vEogus, that he died " Abbot of this house in 824". Ibid.
2 Oliver Goldsmith's Traveller.
36 The Life and Works of
Doubtless, he was welcomed by the good abbot and bis commu
nity at Clonenagh. Over this great monastery, in due course be was chosen Abbot. He is said to have succeeded Me-
lathgenius, who died in 767 (recte 768), according to Ware. 1 He was also elevated to the episcopal dignity ; for it was a very usual practice then prevailng in Ireland, to invest the superiors of all our great religious houses with this exalted rank. But, we may regard this dignity he obtained, as qualifying him to be classed only with the inferior prelates, known as Chorepiscopi, in early times. Dr. Lanigan thinks it probable, that St. jEngus had been Abbot over a monastery at Dysartenos, which he is supposed to have founded, whilst he also presided over Clone nagh. 8
But notwithstanding his elevation, and the duties that de
volved upon him, in virtue of his high office, as Abbot over
the greater monastery, that favourite retreat at Dysartenos,3 seems to have been ever dear to bis recollections. Finding his end approaching, JEngus withdrew to the scenes of his former
1 It is not probable, however, that our saint was the immediate successor of Melathgenius. By his namesake, JEngus Ceiie I)e is called Abbot. In the Martyrologies cited in a succeeding note, it will be seen, that he was also styled Bishop.
* Another ^Engus, who was almost contemporary with this saint, has left an elegant poem in praise of him. From this poem Colgan derives a great part of St. Aengus Ceile De's Acts. That the writer of this poem was abbot at Clonenagh, as also at Disert-Aengus, is possible, and Colgan observes, that his hints are even stronger as to the latter place. The matter can easily be settled. As both places lay near each other, within the barony of Mary borough, Aengus might have been abbot over both these establishments. Disert- , Aengus, which commenced with himself, may be considered simply as a cell to the older and greater monastery at Clonenagh. At Clonenagh and Disert- enos, or Disert-Aengus, Archdall has inverted the order of Aengus' trans actions. After making Aengus found an abbey at Disert-Aengus, Archdall sends him to Tallaght, where, it is said, he died. Now, it is clear from the Acts, that Aengus was no more than a simple monk when he removed to Tallaght. As to the place of his death, it could not have been Tallaght; for, as we find in said Acts, he was buried at Clonenagh. That Aengus, who was panegyrist of our saint, seems to have been, as Colgan justly conjectures, abbot Aengus, surnamed the Wise. He belonged to Clonfert-Molua, and died in 858 or 859. See Colgan, AA. SS. p. 582, and also Dr. Lanigan's Ecclesi astical History of Ireland, vol. iii. chap. xx. ? x. n. 98, pp. 248, 249. In a succeeding note, Dr. Lanigan remarks: "Considering the Irish practice of promoting eminent abbots to the episcopacy, we need not look for any other see for him than one of the above mentioned monasteries". Ibid. , n. 99, p. 249.
3 Mr. O'Donovan, in the Tenth Article of his edited Miscellany of the Irish Archaeological Society, vol. i. note g. , comments on the term Disert, a common topographical prefix to Irish localities. He says :--" This word, which is translated desertus locus in " Cormac's Glossary", and desertum by Colgan (Acta Sanctorum, p. 579), is sometimes used in ancient Irish manuscripts, to denote a hermitage, or an asylum for pilgrims or penitents. It occurs in this latter sense in the Leabhar Braec, fol. 100, a. a. , and in the Book of Leinster, in the MS. Library of Trinity College, Dublin, H. 2, 12, fol. 113, b. a". -- Irish
Charters in the Book oj Kelts, n. (g. ) p. 112.
St. sfflngusius Hagiographus. 37
retirement and austerities. He breathed his last prayers with his last breath, about the year 824, according to the most pro bable conjecture, on Friday, the 11th day of March. 1 Sir James Ware names one or other of the years 819, 824, or 830, conjecturally, as referring to our saint's death, from the circum stance of the 11th March falling on the feria sexta, or Friday, at each of these dates. Professor Eugene O'Curry thinks St, Aengus Ceile' De must have died about the year 815. ' We know not how many years he lived ; but probably this saint had not attained a very advanced age, when his death occurred.
JSngus was buried at Clonenagh, according to his Acts, as
But, whether he died there or at Dysartenos is uncertain. 4 If he built a monastery at the latter place, no trace of its ruins can be discovered at present ;6 and hence, it might be a safe conjecture to suppose Dysartenos had been only a cell or hermitage, constructed by St. vEngus, for his sole
accommodation and retirement. 6
1 " There being good reason to think that Aengus survived the year 806, Colgan conjectures that the year of his death was either 819, 824, or 830; whereas in each of them the 11th of March fell on a Friday". Dr. Lanigan'i Ecclesiastical History of Ireland, vol. iii. chap. xx. ? x. n. 100, p. 249. "Ita
eodem die Martyrologiutn Tamlact. Aengussii Episcopi Hoblenii nepotis. Marian. Magnus Aengussius Hoblenii nepos Episcopus. Mart. Dungall. Aen- gussius nepos Hoblenii, Episcopus, est qui comoosuit festilogium. In ipso etiatn Aengussii Festilogio in quibusdam exemplaribus ponitur nata hac diei sed ilia iusulsa additio est : quae idcirco in vetustioribus exemplarbus non repe- ritur". Colian's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii, n. 15, p. 583.
2 See Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History, Lect. xvii. p. 362.
3 See Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii, Vita S. Aengussii, cap, xvi. p. 582.
4 In the note already given, the anonymous scholiast says, that our saint was both educated and buried at Disert- Aengus. It is certain, however, that Aengus had been educated at Clonenagh. Colgan remarks, that the Disert named, either is not different from Clonenagh, or our saint most probably died and had been buried at the first place, his body having been afterwards trans lated and deposited at Clonenagh. But, he acknowledges that our annals make a distinction between both places, as in reality they were bound to do. A dis tance of some miles intervenes between Dysartenos and Clonenagh. The present writer is fully cognizant of this fact, and has long been conversant with the bearing and local peculiarities of both places.
5 Alluding to this locality of Dysartenos, however, a writer well knowing its folk-lore observes: " Not many years ago, the remains of the foundation of St. Aengus's sacred edifice were discovered by a farmer, who professed the doc trines of the Church of England. This farmer, much to his credit, reveren tially would not suffer the remains to be disturbed. He re-covered with earth the stone steps that rested at the foot of the once altar, on which the holy an choret offered the Sacrifice of the Mass. The field in which this discovery was made is near to the dwelling of Mr. James Lawler". O'Byrne's History of the
Queen's County, chap, xxi. p. 57.
6 In what part of Dysartenos parish this cell, or monastery, if such, was
situated, the antiquary is not likely to discover. Many remains of old buil dings are yet standing in the immediate neighbourhood. If, however, I might be allowed to offer a conjecture, St. Aengus possibly selected for his cell the
given by Colgan. 3
38 The Life and Works of
It is indeed very certain --as a distinguished Irish scholai and most devoted Catholic1 well observes -- that St. Aengus Ceile De2 cannot be set down for an ignorant nor a superstitious monk; but, on the contrary, he must ever be regarded as a gifted writer, deeply read in the Holy Scriptures, and in the civil and ecclesiastical history of the world. He was especially versed in that historic lore contained in what he calls enthusi
" The Host of the Books of Erinn". Taking the Festology of St. Aengus as a purely historic tract, largely in terwoven with the early civil and ecclesiastical history of Ireland, there is probably no European country which possesses so early a national document and one of a character so im portant. A great number of the primitive Christian inhabitants and strangers, in our island, have been introduced by name into this valuable treatise. Their festival days, with copious references to the early denominations and exact situations of our old churches and monasteries, severally founded by many of them, are accurately given ; and already, by means of this tract, if not all, at least nearly all, of these foundations may be
astically
or have been identified, by competent archaeologists. His other writings are hardly less valuable for their historic, national, and religious interest.
The truly learned are ever truly humble. But to raise this latter qualification to the degree of heroic virtue requires a special intervention of the spirit of wisdom. Towards our saint, God's choicest graces appear to have been vouchsafed. From his early years, he was gifted with a docile mind, an ardent love of true perfection, humility of disposition, an un derstanding capable of comprehending a wide circle of science,
site on which the former Protestant church of Dysart may now'be'seen, as a comparatively modern ruin. When Sir Charles Coote wrote his Statistical Survey of the Queen's County, in 1801, he describes Dysart church, as standing " on one of the lofty hills of the same name, with a square tower or steeple, which has a very picturesque appearance". Chap. ix. ? iv. p. 117. An ancient graveyard is to be found there, even yet much resorted to for the in terment of deceased Catholics. No doubt, the very old parish church occupied this site. From or near this elevated position, the ruins of Clonenagh's " seven churches" are clearly visible under favouring circumstances.
1 See Professor Eugene O'Curry's Lectures on the Manuscript^Materials of Ancient Irish History, Lect. xvii. , p. 370.
Culdee. It is " used by our annalists to denote a monk or friar, even at a com paratively modern period of our history. In U'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters, at the year 1595, we find an application of such term to the Domini cans in Sligo monastery.
St. ^Engusius Hagiographus. 31
statement, that the Saltair-na-rann was altogether a distinct work. 1 After describing the work, " De Sanctis Hibemiae", he mentions the Saltair-na-rann as having been composed in the Irish language ; and, of course, as being distinct from the first named treatise, which had been written mostly in Latin. Yet, I must confess, that the sentences employed by Colgan in his account are rather ambiguous. 2 The work entitled " De Sanctis
Hiberniae", does not appear to have been a metrical compo sition, as may be seen in extracts taken from and found in many of Colgan's notes. The Saltair-na-rann comprises His tory of the Old Testament,5 written in verse,4 and which attributed to ^Engus as its author. We are informed, that the Chronicle of . ^Engus Ceile De, known as Saltair-na-Rann, i. e. " Saltair of the Poems" or " Verses", has been so called, because, Salm, " Psalm", and Poem are the same. 6 It contains one hundred and fifty poems, composed in the finest style of the
Gaelic language, as understood in the eighth century.
This celebrated work of Aengus Ceile De has been called
There MS. Martyrology, entitled Saltair-na-Rann, preserved in the British Museum [Egerton, 185]. It a thin, small quarto-sized volume in verse, and, with exception of a few pages, has been written in the bold and accurate hand of Dubhaltach Mac Firbisigh, about the year 1650. It consists of sixty-seven pages, containing five quatrains, or twenty lines, on eacb page. The title in accordance with the second quatrain, which, as Angli cised, thus begins:
" The Saltair of the verses shall be the name Of my poem not an unwise title".
This Saltair-na-Rann, however, entirely distinct from that of Aengus Ceile De.
" Opus ex jam memoratis opusculis conflatum in quibusdam antiquis patriae membranis patrio sermone intitulatur Saltuir-na-rann quae vox Latiue red- dita Psalterium metricum, nunc Psalterium multipartitum denotat. Et in utroque sensu, diversa S. Aengussii opera recte sic inscribi poterant". Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Marlii. Vita <S. Aengussii, cap. xv. pp. 681, 582. know not on what authority Harris makes the following statement with regard to iEngus, when he says, "to him ascribed by some Psalter- na-rann, being a Miscellany Collection of Irish affairs, in prose and verse, Latin and Irish". Harris' Ware, vol. ii. Writers of Ireland, book 53.
The other Saltair-na-Rann, to which allusion has been made in preceding note, contains three hundred and twelve quatrains, written in the inferior Gaelic of the sixteenth, not of later century. Yet, not, strictly ? peaking, Gaelic Martyrology for all the Irish saints Professor O'Curry could discover in were, St. Patrick, St. Brigid of Kildare, St. Ciaran of Saighir, and St. Ciaran of Clonmacnois. According to the poet's arrangement, every quatrain commenced with a saint's name, but sometimes there are three or even four quatrains devoted to one day, as the number of festivals happened to fall within it. Every saint, however, has separate quatrain devoted to him. The modern writer, who supplied Mac Firbis's omissions, has admitted some incorrections. See Lectures on the Manuscript Materials ofAncient Irish
History, Lect. xvii. pp. 360,361, and Appendix, No. cix. p. 609.
Harris says, this work had been written in elegant metre, but he seems to
regard as a distinct work from the Psaltar-na-rann.
See Rev. Dr. Keating's History of Inland, Prejace. This writer adds that
Salterium and Duanaire, or " book of poems", are identical.
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32 The Life and Works of
Sodtair-na-rann. * It is distributed into parts. 8 It has been written in the form of prayers, tending to raise the reader's mind to the love of God, and to the celebration of His praise, for all the Creator's works are referred to His greater glory, and rest upon His power as their final cause. The foregoing reasons are assigned by Colgan for this work deserving the title of Saltair-na-rann? A different work, compiled from the five small treatises already mentioned, in which our saints are in voked, in the form of a prayer, might be well called Psalterium muliipartitum, as Colgan remarks, on account of the various parts into which it is distributed. He adds, that both authority testifies and evidence persuades us, that it had been thus in
scribed and composed by St JEngus. The authority assigned is that of an old parchment MS. , from which the treatise, " Homonymi", already described, has been extracted. It was sent from Ireland4 to Colgan. It bore the following title:
" 1 This is most probably the work described by O'Reilly, where he says :
Aengus also wrote the Psalter-na-rann, which is an abridged history of the
*? ***>>"
descendants of Abraham, from the birth of Isaac, until after the death of
The Psalter-na-rann is preserved in a large
Moses''.
MS. , the property of Sir William Betham. It is written in a fine strong hand, and occupies upwards of six folio pages, closely written on the largest size vellum". Chronological Account of nearly Four Hundred Irish Writers, p. liv.
2 In Harris' Ware, vol. Hi ( Writers of Ireland, book i. chap. v. p. 83), it is said that some ascribed to Aengus a Psalter-na-rann," being a miscellany on Irish affairs, in prose and verse, Latin and Irish. Aengus wrote no such work", says Dr. Lanigan, " and his only Psalter, or Saltair-na-rann, were those above mentioned. Harris got his information either from Toland, or from some one who took it from him. In his Nazarenus (Letter ii. sect. 3) Toland says that Aengus wrote a chronicle, entitled Psalter-na-rann". This is characterized as a falsehood invented by an impious writer, who did not wish it to be known, that Aengus was chiefly employed in treating about saints, and that he used to invoke them. At chap. ii. ? 8, Toland advances a still more monstrous statement, viz , that the Irish used not pray to saints. Now, nothing is more clear in our ecclesiastical history, than that our ancient Irish progenitors were in the habit of invoking them. Dungal, a most learned Irishman of the early times, defends this practice against Claudius. Brogan, who in the seventh century wrote St. Brigid's Life in Irish verse, often in vokes her in the course of it, and concludes with these words: "There are
two holy virgins in heaven, who may undertake my protection, Mary and St. Brigid, on whose patronage let each of us depend". To omit many other proofs, Adamnan, in his Vita S. Columba, lib. ii. cap. 45, bears testimony. This prac tice was so general in Ireland, and so well known to learned men, who have examined our history, that in his Discourse on the Religion oj the Ancient Irish, Ussher found it expedient not to touch on invocation of the saints. See Dr. Lanigan's Ecclesiastical History of Ireland, vol. iii. chap. xx. ? x. n. 107, p. 261.
' Colgan says : " Uti aptissime in utrogue sensu Saltair-na-rann, i. e. Psalte rium metricum, vel Psalterium multipartitum, vocari posset ; uti et de facto in alterutro, vel utroque sensu nuncupari et intitulari consuevit". Acta Sanc torum Hiberniae, xi. Martii. Vita S. Aengussii, cap. xv. p. 682. The late Pro fessor Eugene O'Curry told me, he had examined a magnificent copy of the Psalter-na-Rann, at Oxford. At that time, he informed the writer, no perfect copy of it was known to be extant in Ireland.
* The person who brought this book with him from Ireland was the Very
St. ^sEngusius Hagiographus. 33
" Homonymi Hiberniae Sancti ex Saltair-na-rann, quod compo- suit . 5? ngussius Keledeus". The Saltair-na-rann is interpreted by Colgan to mean the Multipartite Psalter. Reason, he says, induces us to believe that this had been a work of St iEngus, since there is no saint found in any portion of who had not departed life before the time of St. . /Engus, or who had not been, at least, his cotemporary. This matter had been dis covered, by careful collation of this treatise with our annals and native records. According to these later authentic sources, no saint, mentioned in the work alluded to, found to have lived after a. d. 800, except St. Tigernach, founder of Doire- melle monastery. He said to have departed a. d. 805, at which time there can be no doubt that ^Engus was still living. For, although our annals relate the death of St. Melditribius in the year 840, yet, doubtful, he be the saint bearing that name, and mentioned in the fortieth chapter of the second book, as already described. 1
There are Pedigrees of Irish saints yet existing, and these have been generally ascribed to Aengus Ceile De. Several copies of this tract are preserved in our ancient MSS. but doubtful,
any of these date back, in their preseDt state, to the time of Aengus, towards the close of the eighth or beginning of the ninth century. In the copies we possess, there may be defections or additions, as compared with the original composition. The oldest copy known also the best and most copious,2 and its genuineness has been generally admitted by most of our anti quarians. It the more valuable, because almost invariably
Rev. Father Francis Mathew, at one time Guardian of the Convent at Louvain, and Franciscan Provincial over the Irish province. He was man of much erudition, austerity of life, and very zealous in the cause of religion. He presented this work, already mentioned, to Coigan, in the year 1633. By his preaching, exhortations, and pious labours, he had greatly contributed for many years to the advancement and preservation of Ireland's orthodox and persecuted faith. At length, having endured various trials and tortures, with the greatest patience and constancy, this pious sufferer was put to death by the Protestants, A D. 1642. Colgan adds, that Geoffrey Keating, also, in the second book of his History, attributes this work to St. iEngus. See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii, n. 14, p. 583.
See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii. Vita S. Mngussii, cap. xv. p. 582. Colgan observes, that he was induced to treat, at some length, on the valuable works of this venerable saint, that his readers might know what great antiquity and authority attached to the aforesaid Martyro- logies and other works, and which he had so frequently taken occasion to quote in his own volumes. Ibid. It would also appear, Colgan intended to publish the works of St. iEngus, had his own life been prolonged, ibid. , cap. xiv. p. 681.
This found in the Book of Leinster, which was compiled within the years 120 and 160. A copy contained in the Book of Ballymote, compiled in 1391 and another in the Book of Lecain, written a. d. 1416. A later still
found in the great Book of Genealogies, compiled by Dudley Mac Firbis, in 1650.
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34 The Life and Works of
gives references to the sites of churches, in connection with the holy persons whose pedigrees are found recorded. It often enumerates and traces the lineage of groups of persons or asso ciates, who occupied these churches at one time, and occasion ally their successors for a few generations. In the form of annotations, an immense amount of ecclesiastical and topogra phical information is conveyed. These historic comments esta blish with satisfactory exactness a date for the foundation of nearly all our primitive churches. It is an almost invariable rule with the venerable genealogist, to trace the pedigree of each saint to some remarkable personage, whose name and period can be ascertained from our national records and books of secular genealogy. 1
This is the oldest collection of our national saints' pedigrees known to be in existence.
Its exact time of composition cannot be determined, but it was probably one of Aengus's latest and most matured literary efforts.
VII -- Modes of life at Tallagh until the time arrived for departure- -- St. ^Engus returns to Clonenagh, where he is chosen as Abbot. --Supposed to have been a Clwrepiscopus --
Occasional retirement to Dysart Enos His death and burial. -- Value of St. yEngus' hagiographical works. -- Conclusion.
We may well conceive how affectionately and agreeably passed their hours of occasional relaxation, as of study, while the holy Abbot Melruan and Aengus were companions, in the coenobium at Tallagh. Their interchange of pious and cul tivated thought must have proved mutually conducive to the accuracy and unction of those hagiographical and sacred histo ric works, which seem specially to have had a literary fascina tion for them. The teaching of ecclesiastical and secular learning probably engaged a considerable part of their daily monastic routine. For we cannot doubt but native and foreign litera ture, as also the science of the period, was then taught in the school of Tallagh, with the religious training and dogma pecu liar to such establishments. It seems evident, from references made to Eusebius and St. Jerome, that Aengus was well versed
1 See Professor Eugene O'Curry's Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History, Leet, xvii. pp. 359, 360. This learned writer adds : " By referring to these pedigrees, you may easily find the time at which any of the early saints of Erinn flourished. As, for instance, St. Colum Cille is recorded to have been the son of Ftsidlimidh, son of Fergus, son of Conall, son of Niall " of the Nine Hostages", monarch of Erinn, who was killed in the year 405. Now, by allowing the usual average of thirty years to each of the four gene rations from Niall to Colum, making 120 years, and adding them to 405, we shall find that Colum (who is known to have died in the year 592) must have been born about the year 520. He was actually bora, as we know from other sources, in 515".
St. ^Engusius Hagiographus. 35
in the Greek as in the Latin language. So long as Melruan lived, peace and security reigned within the Irish monastic en closures. Had he survived a few years, the tocsin of alarm would have sounded the first approach of Northman invasions ; while many of the shrines and illuminated Books of Erinn were destined to suffer wreck and ruin from the Pagan spoilers.
When holy Melruan had been called to bliss, our saint keenly felt the loss of his society and gentle rule. The sylvan shades around Tallagh had less attraction during the noon-tide walk, and more lonely seemed the solitudes of scarped ravines and mountains. Climbing topmost heights of the latter, the eyes of Aengus were often turned towards the rich plains beneath, through which the Liffey and Barrow flowed. Peering beyond their bounds, the hills of Dysart were seen on a distant south-western horizon. Old associations were revived; nor were the monastery and monks of Clonenagh forgotten in the train of awakened recol lections. Perhaps some message from its superior and inmates urged his return. In prosecuting his archaic studies, Aengus had travelled to many places, and always with some holy and useful object in view. It now seemed the will of Heaven, that he should turn once more towards the land of Leix and Ossory ; and, accordingly, we may suppose a sympathetic tear coursed down his cheeks and those of his fellow-religious, when he took scrip and staff, bidding adieu for the last time to those blissful haunts of science and religion, where he had spent some of his life's best years. We know not the exact period when he parted from this mountain home ; but, it appears altogether likely, his renowned superior had departed this life before Aengus thought of leaving, nor had the eighth century drawn quite to its close.
. 52ngus survived his friend the holy Abbot of Tallaght for a very considerable period. The name of St. Molruan is found in his Festilogium, where he is called the " Bright Sun of Ireland". 1 This circumstance seems to prove, that his work, in its finished state, must have been composed subsequently to the year 792. After remaining some years at Tallaght, JEngus returned to Clonenagh His ascetic and literary fame must have culminated to a high degree, at . the time his thoughts reverted to the old retreat: --
" Here to return and die at home at last''. '
1 A mistake, probably a typographical one, occurs in Dalton's History of the County of Dublin,\>. 761, where the death of Saint Molruan, or Madman, is referred to the year 787, whereas the year 788 is named for the first arrival of JEngua at Tallaght. The real date for St. Molruan's death is the 7th day of July, 792. This accomplished and usually accurate historian incorrectly tells us, when giving the history of Tallaght, and speaking of vEogus, that he died " Abbot of this house in 824". Ibid.
2 Oliver Goldsmith's Traveller.
36 The Life and Works of
Doubtless, he was welcomed by the good abbot and bis commu
nity at Clonenagh. Over this great monastery, in due course be was chosen Abbot. He is said to have succeeded Me-
lathgenius, who died in 767 (recte 768), according to Ware. 1 He was also elevated to the episcopal dignity ; for it was a very usual practice then prevailng in Ireland, to invest the superiors of all our great religious houses with this exalted rank. But, we may regard this dignity he obtained, as qualifying him to be classed only with the inferior prelates, known as Chorepiscopi, in early times. Dr. Lanigan thinks it probable, that St. jEngus had been Abbot over a monastery at Dysartenos, which he is supposed to have founded, whilst he also presided over Clone nagh. 8
But notwithstanding his elevation, and the duties that de
volved upon him, in virtue of his high office, as Abbot over
the greater monastery, that favourite retreat at Dysartenos,3 seems to have been ever dear to bis recollections. Finding his end approaching, JEngus withdrew to the scenes of his former
1 It is not probable, however, that our saint was the immediate successor of Melathgenius. By his namesake, JEngus Ceiie I)e is called Abbot. In the Martyrologies cited in a succeeding note, it will be seen, that he was also styled Bishop.
* Another ^Engus, who was almost contemporary with this saint, has left an elegant poem in praise of him. From this poem Colgan derives a great part of St. Aengus Ceile De's Acts. That the writer of this poem was abbot at Clonenagh, as also at Disert-Aengus, is possible, and Colgan observes, that his hints are even stronger as to the latter place. The matter can easily be settled. As both places lay near each other, within the barony of Mary borough, Aengus might have been abbot over both these establishments. Disert- , Aengus, which commenced with himself, may be considered simply as a cell to the older and greater monastery at Clonenagh. At Clonenagh and Disert- enos, or Disert-Aengus, Archdall has inverted the order of Aengus' trans actions. After making Aengus found an abbey at Disert-Aengus, Archdall sends him to Tallaght, where, it is said, he died. Now, it is clear from the Acts, that Aengus was no more than a simple monk when he removed to Tallaght. As to the place of his death, it could not have been Tallaght; for, as we find in said Acts, he was buried at Clonenagh. That Aengus, who was panegyrist of our saint, seems to have been, as Colgan justly conjectures, abbot Aengus, surnamed the Wise. He belonged to Clonfert-Molua, and died in 858 or 859. See Colgan, AA. SS. p. 582, and also Dr. Lanigan's Ecclesi astical History of Ireland, vol. iii. chap. xx. ? x. n. 98, pp. 248, 249. In a succeeding note, Dr. Lanigan remarks: "Considering the Irish practice of promoting eminent abbots to the episcopacy, we need not look for any other see for him than one of the above mentioned monasteries". Ibid. , n. 99, p. 249.
3 Mr. O'Donovan, in the Tenth Article of his edited Miscellany of the Irish Archaeological Society, vol. i. note g. , comments on the term Disert, a common topographical prefix to Irish localities. He says :--" This word, which is translated desertus locus in " Cormac's Glossary", and desertum by Colgan (Acta Sanctorum, p. 579), is sometimes used in ancient Irish manuscripts, to denote a hermitage, or an asylum for pilgrims or penitents. It occurs in this latter sense in the Leabhar Braec, fol. 100, a. a. , and in the Book of Leinster, in the MS. Library of Trinity College, Dublin, H. 2, 12, fol. 113, b. a". -- Irish
Charters in the Book oj Kelts, n. (g. ) p. 112.
St. sfflngusius Hagiographus. 37
retirement and austerities. He breathed his last prayers with his last breath, about the year 824, according to the most pro bable conjecture, on Friday, the 11th day of March. 1 Sir James Ware names one or other of the years 819, 824, or 830, conjecturally, as referring to our saint's death, from the circum stance of the 11th March falling on the feria sexta, or Friday, at each of these dates. Professor Eugene O'Curry thinks St, Aengus Ceile' De must have died about the year 815. ' We know not how many years he lived ; but probably this saint had not attained a very advanced age, when his death occurred.
JSngus was buried at Clonenagh, according to his Acts, as
But, whether he died there or at Dysartenos is uncertain. 4 If he built a monastery at the latter place, no trace of its ruins can be discovered at present ;6 and hence, it might be a safe conjecture to suppose Dysartenos had been only a cell or hermitage, constructed by St. vEngus, for his sole
accommodation and retirement. 6
1 " There being good reason to think that Aengus survived the year 806, Colgan conjectures that the year of his death was either 819, 824, or 830; whereas in each of them the 11th of March fell on a Friday". Dr. Lanigan'i Ecclesiastical History of Ireland, vol. iii. chap. xx. ? x. n. 100, p. 249. "Ita
eodem die Martyrologiutn Tamlact. Aengussii Episcopi Hoblenii nepotis. Marian. Magnus Aengussius Hoblenii nepos Episcopus. Mart. Dungall. Aen- gussius nepos Hoblenii, Episcopus, est qui comoosuit festilogium. In ipso etiatn Aengussii Festilogio in quibusdam exemplaribus ponitur nata hac diei sed ilia iusulsa additio est : quae idcirco in vetustioribus exemplarbus non repe- ritur". Colian's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii, n. 15, p. 583.
2 See Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History, Lect. xvii. p. 362.
3 See Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii, Vita S. Aengussii, cap, xvi. p. 582.
4 In the note already given, the anonymous scholiast says, that our saint was both educated and buried at Disert- Aengus. It is certain, however, that Aengus had been educated at Clonenagh. Colgan remarks, that the Disert named, either is not different from Clonenagh, or our saint most probably died and had been buried at the first place, his body having been afterwards trans lated and deposited at Clonenagh. But, he acknowledges that our annals make a distinction between both places, as in reality they were bound to do. A dis tance of some miles intervenes between Dysartenos and Clonenagh. The present writer is fully cognizant of this fact, and has long been conversant with the bearing and local peculiarities of both places.
5 Alluding to this locality of Dysartenos, however, a writer well knowing its folk-lore observes: " Not many years ago, the remains of the foundation of St. Aengus's sacred edifice were discovered by a farmer, who professed the doc trines of the Church of England. This farmer, much to his credit, reveren tially would not suffer the remains to be disturbed. He re-covered with earth the stone steps that rested at the foot of the once altar, on which the holy an choret offered the Sacrifice of the Mass. The field in which this discovery was made is near to the dwelling of Mr. James Lawler". O'Byrne's History of the
Queen's County, chap, xxi. p. 57.
6 In what part of Dysartenos parish this cell, or monastery, if such, was
situated, the antiquary is not likely to discover. Many remains of old buil dings are yet standing in the immediate neighbourhood. If, however, I might be allowed to offer a conjecture, St. Aengus possibly selected for his cell the
given by Colgan. 3
38 The Life and Works of
It is indeed very certain --as a distinguished Irish scholai and most devoted Catholic1 well observes -- that St. Aengus Ceile De2 cannot be set down for an ignorant nor a superstitious monk; but, on the contrary, he must ever be regarded as a gifted writer, deeply read in the Holy Scriptures, and in the civil and ecclesiastical history of the world. He was especially versed in that historic lore contained in what he calls enthusi
" The Host of the Books of Erinn". Taking the Festology of St. Aengus as a purely historic tract, largely in terwoven with the early civil and ecclesiastical history of Ireland, there is probably no European country which possesses so early a national document and one of a character so im portant. A great number of the primitive Christian inhabitants and strangers, in our island, have been introduced by name into this valuable treatise. Their festival days, with copious references to the early denominations and exact situations of our old churches and monasteries, severally founded by many of them, are accurately given ; and already, by means of this tract, if not all, at least nearly all, of these foundations may be
astically
or have been identified, by competent archaeologists. His other writings are hardly less valuable for their historic, national, and religious interest.
The truly learned are ever truly humble. But to raise this latter qualification to the degree of heroic virtue requires a special intervention of the spirit of wisdom. Towards our saint, God's choicest graces appear to have been vouchsafed. From his early years, he was gifted with a docile mind, an ardent love of true perfection, humility of disposition, an un derstanding capable of comprehending a wide circle of science,
site on which the former Protestant church of Dysart may now'be'seen, as a comparatively modern ruin. When Sir Charles Coote wrote his Statistical Survey of the Queen's County, in 1801, he describes Dysart church, as standing " on one of the lofty hills of the same name, with a square tower or steeple, which has a very picturesque appearance". Chap. ix. ? iv. p. 117. An ancient graveyard is to be found there, even yet much resorted to for the in terment of deceased Catholics. No doubt, the very old parish church occupied this site. From or near this elevated position, the ruins of Clonenagh's " seven churches" are clearly visible under favouring circumstances.
1 See Professor Eugene O'Curry's Lectures on the Manuscript^Materials of Ancient Irish History, Lect. xvii. , p. 370.
Culdee. It is " used by our annalists to denote a monk or friar, even at a com paratively modern period of our history. In U'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters, at the year 1595, we find an application of such term to the Domini cans in Sligo monastery.
