William Reeves,^9 and a very competent writer, in " The Irish Ec-
clesiastical
Record,"3° have treated specially regarding this holy man ; and from their researches much has been gleaned to elucidate the present bio- graphy.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
160.
35 '« De Episcopis Germanise," p. 105.
3* " De Gentibus aliquot migrationibus,"
37 " Rerum Mogunticarum," lib. i.
522 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
since the Apostolic days. False allegations and arguments of ancient pagans and unbelievers appear worthy of adoption by men, professing faith in the great truths of Christianity. Hence sophists do not scruple to adopt terms of incrimination and scepticism, from the old armoury of incredulity. Yet, when Christ sent forth his disciples, they went in his name, and armed with His power ; they might tread upon serpents and scorpions without danger, and defy the assault of malignant spirits. ^ In past times, as in our own days, we have well authenticated wonders and signs wrought to confirm us in the Faith. This present holy prelate, like a true disciple of his Divine Lord and Master, did not rejoice so much that he had power over wicked men and evil spirits subject to him, as in a consciousness of that knowledge hidden fromthewiseandprudent,toberevealedonlytothelowlyandhumble. In this assurance had he special reason for joy, that his name was written among the saints in Heaven.
Many acts of Aidan, Maidoc or Mogue were extant, and some are as yet unpublished; others have been printed. Four distinct lives of this saint had been in Colgan's possession ; and these were written by different authors. ^ Hethusdescribesthem. Thefirst,whichistheonlyonehepublished,be- longedtotheConventofBrothersMinorinKilkenny. Itwaswrittenupon old parchment, and it was more characterized by its antiquity of style, than by itseleganceofcomposition. Thisheconsideredtobereliable,inmanyre- spects, as also more ancient than the others ; although it is often defective, on the score of grammatical inaccuracies, of rude Latinity, and of an inexact order when relating our saint's actions. Still he preferred this manuscript to the other three codices. In Father Hugh Ward's opinion, St. Evin was the author of this life, as likewise of other lives, contained in the Codex Kil- kenniensis,thesourcefromwhichithadbeentaken. However,Colganshows, if St. Evin of Ross-mic-treoin be meant, this statement cannot be admitted, becausehediedbeforetheyear601; andinthisyearthedeathofBrandubh, King of Leinster, took place. 3 Mention is made in those acts of St. Fintan Munnu, or Monabas,^ who died a. d. 634,5 and of St. Moling,^ who died about A. D. 693. 7 But,aSt. Evinwasveneratedonthei8thofDecember,andan- other bearing this name, on the 7th of January: and therefore regarding either of these Colgan professes himself unable to admit or deny the author- ship of this special tract. ^ The second life was taken from a MS. belonging to the Island of Saints f the author being named Augustine Magraidin,'° who lived in the thirteenth century. " This manuscript differed little from the former one ; but as a literary production its style was concise, more
Article i. —Chap. i. —'Luke
20.
x. , 19,
Four " vol. i. In Masters, , pp. 298, 299.
this year, the commencement of King Loingsech's reign is placed, and its end at , a. d. 701. During this period St. Moling of Luachair's death is recorded in O'Mahony's
" of book Keating's History Ireland," ii. .
part i. , p. 482.
^ " Whatever was the author's name, he
gives us to understand (<ra//. 63-64), that he was a clergyman or monk of Ferns, or at least of some church, of which St. Maidoc was —
-"
See Acta Sanctorum Hibernioe," xxxi.
Januarii. Vita S. Maidoci, seu Moedocii, pp. 208 to 223.
3 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 228 to 231.
* See his Life at the 2 1st of October.
5 According to Dr. O'Donovan's "An-
nals of the P'our Masters," vol. i. , pp. 252,
253. According to O'Mahony's Keating's
"
of book his History Ireland," ii. , part i. ,
Dr.
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xiv. , §
death occurred during the reign of King Domnall, the commencement of which is
ix. , n. 121, pp. 335, 336.
^ On Lough Ree, county of Longford.
placed at 643, and continued to 656. p. 469, and n. 23, ibid.
* See his Life at the of
17th June.
See
^ See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
of Ireland," book i. , chap, xii. , p. 87.
'°
He was a Canon Regular of that place.
patron. "
Lanigan's
"Ecclesiastical
" See Harris' vol. " Writers Ware, ii. ,
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 523
elegant, and it was evidently more recent. Another life, of St. Maidoc is contained in Capgrave's collection. " It had been written by John of Tin- mouth, before the time of Capgrave, and about the middle of the fourteenth century. This account is less exact than the two former biographies, while it omits many things contained in them. A fourth life, attributed to Gilda Mochoda Hua Casside,'^ was more copious than the preceding lives. No incident, contained in them, has been omitted ; and it included many rela- tions not found in the other acts. '* The writer is said to have been a con- temporary with St, Maidoc. This, however, is questioned by Colgan, who tells us, moreover, that some words appear to have been inserted in this work, subsequent to the time at which the author wrote. It deserves re- mark, also, that narratives inserted in the former life are substantially followed inthelatter,accordingtotheirtenorandsense. Thisadditionalrecommen- dation belongs to it, that proper names and events found in these acts are still more lucidly set down in the later work. 's —
ble Life of St. A valua—
to the
Irish Academy'7 is written in a classical style, somewhat similar to that in the Annals of the Four Masters. It contains many curious points in church discipline, with the founding and endowing of several ecclesiastical institu- tions. It describes in a particular manner the livings, attached to the bi- shopric of Ferns, the number of its clergy, the tributes and taxes, payable to them by the kings, princes, chiefs, cities, fortresses and farmers. It also con- tains several valuable topographical notices, describing the extent, boundaries
and localities of some districts and remarkable places. '^ "
Inthe HystoriaSanctorum,"'? inColgan'swork,^°intheGreatBollandist collection, the acts of St. Aidan or Moedoc, Bishop of Ferns, are inserted. There is an introduction of 10 sections, while the acts are contained in nine chapters and sixty paragraphs. ^' The Rev. Alban Butler notices him at this date," as likewise the Rev. W. J. Reesj'^a and the Rev. S. Baring-Gould. '* Bishop Forbes has an interesting account of this saint. ''S Various acts of St. Aidan, Maidoc or Mogue were formerly known : some are yet to be found in
very Manuscript
Mogue'^ belonging
Royal
" " Legenda Sanctorum Angliae. " '3 Written in Irish.
'* The quarto paper MS. N. 33, 5, con- tains a life of St. Moadhoge or Mogue of
sures, the manners, customs and ceremonies of the ancient Irish, such as the inaugura-
tion of chiefs, the holding of fairs, &c. , &c. , are noticed : all of which will be found curious and interesting to the historian and antiquary.
Ferns, with several poems relating to the
saints. Vol. xli. of O'Longan MSS. , in the
R. I. A. , contains a copyofbeAc riAoiti triAO
665. The life of St. Moadhog or Mogue, confessor, fol. cxx. , cxxi.
the founder of Druimleathan (Dromlane) in Leitrim and of Fema (Ferns) in Wexford.
'S See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," xxxi.
Januarii, n. i. , p. 215.
'* Different portions of this work are au-
thenticated from poems composed by St. Ultan of Ardbrackan. "
'7 It is described in the catalogue very
circumstantially, by Mr. Owen Connellan. '* The author of this gives a description ofSt. David and his monastery in Wales, as also an account of a battle fought between the Saxons and Britons, during St. Maod- hog's visit to that country. This work is interspersed with accurate sketches of family
history, and of Irish antiquities, such as bells, croziers, &c. , Irish weights and mea-
='° " Acta Sanctorum Hibemise. " To this life, at 31st January, he has affixed valu- able notes and an appendix in five chapters.
"See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxxi. Januarii. Vita S. Aidani, pp. 1 1 1 1 to 1120.
"See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs,
and other Principal Saints," vol. i. , xxxi.
January.
^3 See appendix to " Lives of the Cambro-
British Saints. " There is to be found a
Vita Sancti Aidui, ii. Kal. Martii. , pp.
232 to 250.
'* See "Lives of the Saints," vol. i. , p.
467. "
'5 See Kalendars of Scottish Saints, "p.
403.
''Published at Louvain. St. Aydanus,
524 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
manuscripts, and in our Dublin libraries. Thus in Trinity College there is Life of St. various —some of them in
aMS. —
verse saidtohavebeendeliveredbySt. Maedhoghimself*^ InMarsh's Library, we also find a life of St. Edanus. '^ In the city of Oxford, certain copies, relating to the life of St. Aidnus, or Maidoic, as also to the life of St. Aidus or Aidan, abbot, are preserved. '^ In addition to the various inci- dental notices of Maidoc, already printed in general Ecclesiastical Histories, the Rev.
William Reeves,^9 and a very competent writer, in " The Irish Ec- clesiastical Record,"3° have treated specially regarding this holy man ; and from their researches much has been gleaned to elucidate the present bio- graphy. It must be stated, however, there are just grounds, for reconsidering the accounts of more ancient writers, in reference to that series of transactions, ascribed to our saint, and then endeavouring to ascertain, if some recorded incidents be attributable to him, or to another distinguished and holy man, bearing the same appellation. There is reason to suspect a ready credence given to many popular and unauthenticated traditions, in the course of nar- rative, and the less reliable, as these approach nearer to our own times; while suspicions become more naturally confirmed, if we find local and his- torical unities apparently severed in various particulars. The more this tan- gled web of mistakes or congruities is examined, the more shall light and truth be evolved by St. Mogue's future biographers : if with the happiest is- sues, to the present writer is altogether unknown.
While describing the acts of St. Moedoc, Bishop of (Ferns, care must be taken not to confound them with the acts of St. Maidoc,3^ Abbot of Cluain- mor-Maedhoc,nowClonmoreparishinthecountyofCarlow. 3^ Thelatter
Maedhog, containing prophecies
^ This MS. is classed H. 2, 16. It is
noted 652, and No. 792, in the Catalogue
of English and Irish Manuscripts.
'^ In the Manuscript called "Codex Kil-
West in the same county, shown on Sheet
15. No objects of antiquarian interest is observable. There is a parish of Clonmore
in the barony of Iverk, marked on the
kenniensis. " Seefol. 52to57.
^'^ Their classification, date and
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
descrip- tion are thus given by Sir Thomas Duffus
County
Hardy : Vita Sancti Aidni, qui et Maidoic, MS. Cott. Vespas. A. xiv. , f. 94, loi, b. veil. 8vo, xii. cent De Sancto Aido, sive Aidano,Abbate. MS. Cott. Tiber,e. i. f. 44. MS. Bodl. Tanner, 15, veil, folio, XV. cent.
^ written ''On See a paper by him,
some Ecclesiastical Bells in the Collection of the Lord Primate. " In this allusion oc- curs to the Clog Mogue, or "Bell of St. Mogue. " This paper was read before the Royal Irish Academy, on Monday, Decem- ber 14th, 1863.
3° The initials of his name, appended to this communication are P. F. M. See vol. vii. , April, May and June, pp. 312 to 325,
and 361 to 369, also 393 to 407.
3' His feast occurs at the i ith of April.
3^ There are four parishes called Clon-
more, in Ireland : one of these is Clonmore in the barony of Rathvilly, marked on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Carlow," Sheets 4, 5, 9, 10. The townland bearing this name and its an- tiquities are noticed on Sheet 9. Again there is a townland of the same name in the parish of Old Leighlin, and barony of Idrone
Shelmalire West is noticed on the
nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Wexford," Sheets 25, 26, 31, 32. The townland and graveyard here without a ruin and so called are noted on Sheet 31, barony of Bantry. In this county, there is a town- land of Clonmore in Liskinfere parish, barony of Gorey, another in Toome parish, barony of Gorey, and another in Bally-
huskard parish, barony of Ballaghkeen. On these no old church or cemetery can be traced. See Sheets 1 1, 16, 26. Altogether there are no less than 35 tovmlands so called, simply or in combination, in various coun- ties of Ireland. See " General Alphabe- tical Index to the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Baronies of Ireland," pp. 256, 257.
"
of Kilkenny," Sheets 39, 42. The townland is on Sheet 42. Here on the east bank of the River Suir is the graveyard and an old ruined church occupying a very pic- turesque site. The parish and townland of Clonmore, in the barony of Ferrard, are noticed on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Louth," Sheets
See a notice of it at St.
18, 19. Ossene's
feast, on the ist of January. The parish of Clonmore in the baronies of Bantry and
''
Ord-
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 525
has been altogether ignored by some of our Irish ecclesiastical historians,33 Archdall is said to be in error regarding both saints, and even Colgan has fallen into various mistakes-^*
Some confusion exists in the accounts transmitted to us regarding this present saint's pedigree. 35 In a genealogy, attributed to St. CormacMac Cuillinan, we are told, that Maidoc was the son of Sedna,36 or Setna,37 son to Ere, son to Feredac, son to Amalgad, son to Muredach, son to Carthinn, son to Colla Huasius. 3S This latter prince was king of Ireland, and the reputed progenitor of the MacDonnells, MacAlisters, and MacDugalds in Scotland. 39 He was regarded as ancestor of several Airghialla clans, and among them of the Fer Luirg,'^° to which tribe St. Maedoc is said to have more immediately belonged. *^ In his Martyrology, at the 31st of January, Maguire traces our sainfs pedigree in a similar manner. 4» But while it agrees
with the account of St. Cormac, in drawing this saint's line direct from '* "
Carthenn, the Menologium Genealogicum makes Carthenn the son of Ere, son to Ethac, or Eochaidh,43 son of Colla Huasius. 44 This latter authority is thought to be most reliable for these following reasons. In a. c. 326, Colla Huasius, King of Ireland, was obliged to abdicate the sovereignty, and to become an exile in Scotland. +s It is argued as most probable, that St. Maidoc was not born until a. d. 550, or perhaps after it; and as a period of 224 years at least intervened, we may allow over thirty-two years for each generation, and not forty, as Colgan calculates. However, this statement is only based on a supposition, that Carthenn should have been bom, in the year of Colla Huasius's expulsion. By adding the name of those two inter- vening between Carthenn and Colla Huasius, we have nine generations, linking this latter king in ancestry to our saint. This should leave an interval of twenty-five years between each generation according to a previous compu- tation. However, such an interval must be . more or less extended, if we suppose the son of Colla Huasius and the ancestor of Maidoc, to have been bom previous to that king's departure from Ireland, and that our saint's birth had taken place after 550. What renders a statement of the " Meno- logic Genealogy," highly probable is, that pedigrees of eighteen saints are traced to Colla Huasius,*^ besides all of these saints are ancestrally referred
33 As by Dr. I/onigan, Brennan, Kelly.
3* The writer's attention has been first
called to this matter by Mr. John M'Call,
in a communication dated, Dublin, 25 dix BB, p. 293. Patrick-street, September i6th, 1873.
Antiquities
35 The 4to paper M. S. , No. 11, 4, in the
3* In the Irish language. Sedneus and Si-
donius are the Latin forms. Capgrave in-
correctly names the fatherjof our saint. See
Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibemite," in Eugene O'Curry's copy of Dudley Mac-
R. I. A. , contains a
hog of Dromleathan and of Ferns, carried up to Conn of the Hundred Battles.
pedigree
Ogygia," pars, iii. ,
xxxi. Januarii, n. 2, pp. 215, 216.
37 His pedigree was derived from the pro- vince of Connaught, as ,St Maidoc's Life
states.
3^ His reign is placed from A. D. 315 to
A. D. 3i9. SeeO'Mahony'sKeating's" History of Ireland," book i. , part ii. , chap, vii. , pp. 364, 365. This is too early.
39 See the author's "Catechism of Irish
History. " Lessonv. ,p. 33.
° Their district is now represented by the
Firbis' Genealogies, now in the Royal Irish Academy's Library, we find a family tree
for ITlAO'ooS ^re^pnA (Jan. 31st). See pp. 361 c, and 747 a. " Book of Lecan," fol. 39 ac.
s See O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 122, 123, and n. (m), where we learn, that Dr. O'Conor shows his expulsion to have taken place in the year329.
** So Colgan tells us. However, he only
of St. Maeod-
'See " O'Flaherty's
barony of Lurg, in the county of Fermanagh.
See Dr. Reeve's " Ecclesiastical
of Down, Connor, and Dromore. " Appen-
«'St. ^ngus states, "Aedh of Ferns, ». <». , Moedoc, of the men of Lurg, on Lock Erne. "
cap. Ixxvi. , p. 362.
"t^ gee the Genealogical descent, as given
with some variations of spelling names, by Rev. William Reeves,
'WFj-om the " Naomshanchus," as found
526 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
to this monarch's three sons, named Echac or Eochod, Fiach and Feradach. In no instance do we read of an immediate son, named Carthenn, although such a name occurs several times, in the third generation, from CoUa Huasius. Thus, we may suspect, and with just reason, that by some erroneous tran- scription, two names, which occur in our saint's direct line from the exiled king, had been omitted. Hence, in following an imperfect original, St. Cormac Mac Cullenan, and after him Maguire, must have copied such a mistake. His mother Ethnea or Eithne,*? derived her descent from Amalgad, son to Fiach. He was king over Connaught, in St. Patrick's time. ''^ The life of our saint*? states, that Ethne sprung from the posterity of Aulai ; and this latter appears coincident with the name of Amalgad. s° Our saint's parents were childless for some time ; but they prayed Almighty God to bestowanheiruponthem. Toobtainthisobjectoftheirhopes,theydis- tributed considerable alms. They also frequented a monastery then at Druim
Drumlane Round Tower and Church.
Lethan, and now known as Drumlahan or Drumlane, in the present barony of Lower Loughtee, Cavan County. ^' It lies about three miles from Beturbet village,anditisaparishinKilmorediocese. Itborderedontheconfinesofboth
"
gives the names of sixteen, although, incom- prehensibly enough, telling us, that he had enumerated saints in his
<7 She is so called in the
Martyrology of
eighteen genealogi- cal list, one of whom was descended from Feredach, three from Fiach, and thirteen fromEthacorEochod. Thislatterenume-
*^ See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nise," xxxi. Januarii, n. 3, p. |^2l6, and Appendix, cap. iii. , p. 222.
''s As published by Colgan.
ration, our readers will
seventeen saints, belonging to Colla Hua- from that prince, Tir-amalgaid, has for a
sius's family. This instance, and a few other passages, show, that Colgan himself made
some mistakes, even excluding many typo- graphical ones, which disfigure his works. See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xxxi. Januarii. Appendix ad Acta S. Maidoci, cap. iv. , pp. 323, 333.
long time back been called Tir-awly. "—Dr.
"
Lanigan's Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. ii. , chap, xiv. , sec. ix. , n. 121,
P- 335-
5' The parish of Dnmilane contams over
" 20,cxx) acres, and is marked on the Ord-
nance Survey Townland Maps for the
perceive,
gives us
Donegal. "
5° "Thus the territory anciently called
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 527
Breffneys ; and heretofore, it was a place of sepulture for the chiefs of both
principalities.
35 '« De Episcopis Germanise," p. 105.
3* " De Gentibus aliquot migrationibus,"
37 " Rerum Mogunticarum," lib. i.
522 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
since the Apostolic days. False allegations and arguments of ancient pagans and unbelievers appear worthy of adoption by men, professing faith in the great truths of Christianity. Hence sophists do not scruple to adopt terms of incrimination and scepticism, from the old armoury of incredulity. Yet, when Christ sent forth his disciples, they went in his name, and armed with His power ; they might tread upon serpents and scorpions without danger, and defy the assault of malignant spirits. ^ In past times, as in our own days, we have well authenticated wonders and signs wrought to confirm us in the Faith. This present holy prelate, like a true disciple of his Divine Lord and Master, did not rejoice so much that he had power over wicked men and evil spirits subject to him, as in a consciousness of that knowledge hidden fromthewiseandprudent,toberevealedonlytothelowlyandhumble. In this assurance had he special reason for joy, that his name was written among the saints in Heaven.
Many acts of Aidan, Maidoc or Mogue were extant, and some are as yet unpublished; others have been printed. Four distinct lives of this saint had been in Colgan's possession ; and these were written by different authors. ^ Hethusdescribesthem. Thefirst,whichistheonlyonehepublished,be- longedtotheConventofBrothersMinorinKilkenny. Itwaswrittenupon old parchment, and it was more characterized by its antiquity of style, than by itseleganceofcomposition. Thisheconsideredtobereliable,inmanyre- spects, as also more ancient than the others ; although it is often defective, on the score of grammatical inaccuracies, of rude Latinity, and of an inexact order when relating our saint's actions. Still he preferred this manuscript to the other three codices. In Father Hugh Ward's opinion, St. Evin was the author of this life, as likewise of other lives, contained in the Codex Kil- kenniensis,thesourcefromwhichithadbeentaken. However,Colganshows, if St. Evin of Ross-mic-treoin be meant, this statement cannot be admitted, becausehediedbeforetheyear601; andinthisyearthedeathofBrandubh, King of Leinster, took place. 3 Mention is made in those acts of St. Fintan Munnu, or Monabas,^ who died a. d. 634,5 and of St. Moling,^ who died about A. D. 693. 7 But,aSt. Evinwasveneratedonthei8thofDecember,andan- other bearing this name, on the 7th of January: and therefore regarding either of these Colgan professes himself unable to admit or deny the author- ship of this special tract. ^ The second life was taken from a MS. belonging to the Island of Saints f the author being named Augustine Magraidin,'° who lived in the thirteenth century. " This manuscript differed little from the former one ; but as a literary production its style was concise, more
Article i. —Chap. i. —'Luke
20.
x. , 19,
Four " vol. i. In Masters, , pp. 298, 299.
this year, the commencement of King Loingsech's reign is placed, and its end at , a. d. 701. During this period St. Moling of Luachair's death is recorded in O'Mahony's
" of book Keating's History Ireland," ii. .
part i. , p. 482.
^ " Whatever was the author's name, he
gives us to understand (<ra//. 63-64), that he was a clergyman or monk of Ferns, or at least of some church, of which St. Maidoc was —
-"
See Acta Sanctorum Hibernioe," xxxi.
Januarii. Vita S. Maidoci, seu Moedocii, pp. 208 to 223.
3 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 228 to 231.
* See his Life at the 2 1st of October.
5 According to Dr. O'Donovan's "An-
nals of the P'our Masters," vol. i. , pp. 252,
253. According to O'Mahony's Keating's
"
of book his History Ireland," ii. , part i. ,
Dr.
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xiv. , §
death occurred during the reign of King Domnall, the commencement of which is
ix. , n. 121, pp. 335, 336.
^ On Lough Ree, county of Longford.
placed at 643, and continued to 656. p. 469, and n. 23, ibid.
* See his Life at the of
17th June.
See
^ See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
of Ireland," book i. , chap, xii. , p. 87.
'°
He was a Canon Regular of that place.
patron. "
Lanigan's
"Ecclesiastical
" See Harris' vol. " Writers Ware, ii. ,
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 523
elegant, and it was evidently more recent. Another life, of St. Maidoc is contained in Capgrave's collection. " It had been written by John of Tin- mouth, before the time of Capgrave, and about the middle of the fourteenth century. This account is less exact than the two former biographies, while it omits many things contained in them. A fourth life, attributed to Gilda Mochoda Hua Casside,'^ was more copious than the preceding lives. No incident, contained in them, has been omitted ; and it included many rela- tions not found in the other acts. '* The writer is said to have been a con- temporary with St, Maidoc. This, however, is questioned by Colgan, who tells us, moreover, that some words appear to have been inserted in this work, subsequent to the time at which the author wrote. It deserves re- mark, also, that narratives inserted in the former life are substantially followed inthelatter,accordingtotheirtenorandsense. Thisadditionalrecommen- dation belongs to it, that proper names and events found in these acts are still more lucidly set down in the later work. 's —
ble Life of St. A valua—
to the
Irish Academy'7 is written in a classical style, somewhat similar to that in the Annals of the Four Masters. It contains many curious points in church discipline, with the founding and endowing of several ecclesiastical institu- tions. It describes in a particular manner the livings, attached to the bi- shopric of Ferns, the number of its clergy, the tributes and taxes, payable to them by the kings, princes, chiefs, cities, fortresses and farmers. It also con- tains several valuable topographical notices, describing the extent, boundaries
and localities of some districts and remarkable places. '^ "
Inthe HystoriaSanctorum,"'? inColgan'swork,^°intheGreatBollandist collection, the acts of St. Aidan or Moedoc, Bishop of Ferns, are inserted. There is an introduction of 10 sections, while the acts are contained in nine chapters and sixty paragraphs. ^' The Rev. Alban Butler notices him at this date," as likewise the Rev. W. J. Reesj'^a and the Rev. S. Baring-Gould. '* Bishop Forbes has an interesting account of this saint. ''S Various acts of St. Aidan, Maidoc or Mogue were formerly known : some are yet to be found in
very Manuscript
Mogue'^ belonging
Royal
" " Legenda Sanctorum Angliae. " '3 Written in Irish.
'* The quarto paper MS. N. 33, 5, con- tains a life of St. Moadhoge or Mogue of
sures, the manners, customs and ceremonies of the ancient Irish, such as the inaugura-
tion of chiefs, the holding of fairs, &c. , &c. , are noticed : all of which will be found curious and interesting to the historian and antiquary.
Ferns, with several poems relating to the
saints. Vol. xli. of O'Longan MSS. , in the
R. I. A. , contains a copyofbeAc riAoiti triAO
665. The life of St. Moadhog or Mogue, confessor, fol. cxx. , cxxi.
the founder of Druimleathan (Dromlane) in Leitrim and of Fema (Ferns) in Wexford.
'S See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," xxxi.
Januarii, n. i. , p. 215.
'* Different portions of this work are au-
thenticated from poems composed by St. Ultan of Ardbrackan. "
'7 It is described in the catalogue very
circumstantially, by Mr. Owen Connellan. '* The author of this gives a description ofSt. David and his monastery in Wales, as also an account of a battle fought between the Saxons and Britons, during St. Maod- hog's visit to that country. This work is interspersed with accurate sketches of family
history, and of Irish antiquities, such as bells, croziers, &c. , Irish weights and mea-
='° " Acta Sanctorum Hibemise. " To this life, at 31st January, he has affixed valu- able notes and an appendix in five chapters.
"See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxxi. Januarii. Vita S. Aidani, pp. 1 1 1 1 to 1120.
"See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs,
and other Principal Saints," vol. i. , xxxi.
January.
^3 See appendix to " Lives of the Cambro-
British Saints. " There is to be found a
Vita Sancti Aidui, ii. Kal. Martii. , pp.
232 to 250.
'* See "Lives of the Saints," vol. i. , p.
467. "
'5 See Kalendars of Scottish Saints, "p.
403.
''Published at Louvain. St. Aydanus,
524 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
manuscripts, and in our Dublin libraries. Thus in Trinity College there is Life of St. various —some of them in
aMS. —
verse saidtohavebeendeliveredbySt. Maedhoghimself*^ InMarsh's Library, we also find a life of St. Edanus. '^ In the city of Oxford, certain copies, relating to the life of St. Aidnus, or Maidoic, as also to the life of St. Aidus or Aidan, abbot, are preserved. '^ In addition to the various inci- dental notices of Maidoc, already printed in general Ecclesiastical Histories, the Rev.
William Reeves,^9 and a very competent writer, in " The Irish Ec- clesiastical Record,"3° have treated specially regarding this holy man ; and from their researches much has been gleaned to elucidate the present bio- graphy. It must be stated, however, there are just grounds, for reconsidering the accounts of more ancient writers, in reference to that series of transactions, ascribed to our saint, and then endeavouring to ascertain, if some recorded incidents be attributable to him, or to another distinguished and holy man, bearing the same appellation. There is reason to suspect a ready credence given to many popular and unauthenticated traditions, in the course of nar- rative, and the less reliable, as these approach nearer to our own times; while suspicions become more naturally confirmed, if we find local and his- torical unities apparently severed in various particulars. The more this tan- gled web of mistakes or congruities is examined, the more shall light and truth be evolved by St. Mogue's future biographers : if with the happiest is- sues, to the present writer is altogether unknown.
While describing the acts of St. Moedoc, Bishop of (Ferns, care must be taken not to confound them with the acts of St. Maidoc,3^ Abbot of Cluain- mor-Maedhoc,nowClonmoreparishinthecountyofCarlow. 3^ Thelatter
Maedhog, containing prophecies
^ This MS. is classed H. 2, 16. It is
noted 652, and No. 792, in the Catalogue
of English and Irish Manuscripts.
'^ In the Manuscript called "Codex Kil-
West in the same county, shown on Sheet
15. No objects of antiquarian interest is observable. There is a parish of Clonmore
in the barony of Iverk, marked on the
kenniensis. " Seefol. 52to57.
^'^ Their classification, date and
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
descrip- tion are thus given by Sir Thomas Duffus
County
Hardy : Vita Sancti Aidni, qui et Maidoic, MS. Cott. Vespas. A. xiv. , f. 94, loi, b. veil. 8vo, xii. cent De Sancto Aido, sive Aidano,Abbate. MS. Cott. Tiber,e. i. f. 44. MS. Bodl. Tanner, 15, veil, folio, XV. cent.
^ written ''On See a paper by him,
some Ecclesiastical Bells in the Collection of the Lord Primate. " In this allusion oc- curs to the Clog Mogue, or "Bell of St. Mogue. " This paper was read before the Royal Irish Academy, on Monday, Decem- ber 14th, 1863.
3° The initials of his name, appended to this communication are P. F. M. See vol. vii. , April, May and June, pp. 312 to 325,
and 361 to 369, also 393 to 407.
3' His feast occurs at the i ith of April.
3^ There are four parishes called Clon-
more, in Ireland : one of these is Clonmore in the barony of Rathvilly, marked on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Carlow," Sheets 4, 5, 9, 10. The townland bearing this name and its an- tiquities are noticed on Sheet 9. Again there is a townland of the same name in the parish of Old Leighlin, and barony of Idrone
Shelmalire West is noticed on the
nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Wexford," Sheets 25, 26, 31, 32. The townland and graveyard here without a ruin and so called are noted on Sheet 31, barony of Bantry. In this county, there is a town- land of Clonmore in Liskinfere parish, barony of Gorey, another in Toome parish, barony of Gorey, and another in Bally-
huskard parish, barony of Ballaghkeen. On these no old church or cemetery can be traced. See Sheets 1 1, 16, 26. Altogether there are no less than 35 tovmlands so called, simply or in combination, in various coun- ties of Ireland. See " General Alphabe- tical Index to the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Baronies of Ireland," pp. 256, 257.
"
of Kilkenny," Sheets 39, 42. The townland is on Sheet 42. Here on the east bank of the River Suir is the graveyard and an old ruined church occupying a very pic- turesque site. The parish and townland of Clonmore, in the barony of Ferrard, are noticed on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Louth," Sheets
See a notice of it at St.
18, 19. Ossene's
feast, on the ist of January. The parish of Clonmore in the baronies of Bantry and
''
Ord-
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 525
has been altogether ignored by some of our Irish ecclesiastical historians,33 Archdall is said to be in error regarding both saints, and even Colgan has fallen into various mistakes-^*
Some confusion exists in the accounts transmitted to us regarding this present saint's pedigree. 35 In a genealogy, attributed to St. CormacMac Cuillinan, we are told, that Maidoc was the son of Sedna,36 or Setna,37 son to Ere, son to Feredac, son to Amalgad, son to Muredach, son to Carthinn, son to Colla Huasius. 3S This latter prince was king of Ireland, and the reputed progenitor of the MacDonnells, MacAlisters, and MacDugalds in Scotland. 39 He was regarded as ancestor of several Airghialla clans, and among them of the Fer Luirg,'^° to which tribe St. Maedoc is said to have more immediately belonged. *^ In his Martyrology, at the 31st of January, Maguire traces our sainfs pedigree in a similar manner. 4» But while it agrees
with the account of St. Cormac, in drawing this saint's line direct from '* "
Carthenn, the Menologium Genealogicum makes Carthenn the son of Ere, son to Ethac, or Eochaidh,43 son of Colla Huasius. 44 This latter authority is thought to be most reliable for these following reasons. In a. c. 326, Colla Huasius, King of Ireland, was obliged to abdicate the sovereignty, and to become an exile in Scotland. +s It is argued as most probable, that St. Maidoc was not born until a. d. 550, or perhaps after it; and as a period of 224 years at least intervened, we may allow over thirty-two years for each generation, and not forty, as Colgan calculates. However, this statement is only based on a supposition, that Carthenn should have been bom, in the year of Colla Huasius's expulsion. By adding the name of those two inter- vening between Carthenn and Colla Huasius, we have nine generations, linking this latter king in ancestry to our saint. This should leave an interval of twenty-five years between each generation according to a previous compu- tation. However, such an interval must be . more or less extended, if we suppose the son of Colla Huasius and the ancestor of Maidoc, to have been bom previous to that king's departure from Ireland, and that our saint's birth had taken place after 550. What renders a statement of the " Meno- logic Genealogy," highly probable is, that pedigrees of eighteen saints are traced to Colla Huasius,*^ besides all of these saints are ancestrally referred
33 As by Dr. I/onigan, Brennan, Kelly.
3* The writer's attention has been first
called to this matter by Mr. John M'Call,
in a communication dated, Dublin, 25 dix BB, p. 293. Patrick-street, September i6th, 1873.
Antiquities
35 The 4to paper M. S. , No. 11, 4, in the
3* In the Irish language. Sedneus and Si-
donius are the Latin forms. Capgrave in-
correctly names the fatherjof our saint. See
Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibemite," in Eugene O'Curry's copy of Dudley Mac-
R. I. A. , contains a
hog of Dromleathan and of Ferns, carried up to Conn of the Hundred Battles.
pedigree
Ogygia," pars, iii. ,
xxxi. Januarii, n. 2, pp. 215, 216.
37 His pedigree was derived from the pro- vince of Connaught, as ,St Maidoc's Life
states.
3^ His reign is placed from A. D. 315 to
A. D. 3i9. SeeO'Mahony'sKeating's" History of Ireland," book i. , part ii. , chap, vii. , pp. 364, 365. This is too early.
39 See the author's "Catechism of Irish
History. " Lessonv. ,p. 33.
° Their district is now represented by the
Firbis' Genealogies, now in the Royal Irish Academy's Library, we find a family tree
for ITlAO'ooS ^re^pnA (Jan. 31st). See pp. 361 c, and 747 a. " Book of Lecan," fol. 39 ac.
s See O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 122, 123, and n. (m), where we learn, that Dr. O'Conor shows his expulsion to have taken place in the year329.
** So Colgan tells us. However, he only
of St. Maeod-
'See " O'Flaherty's
barony of Lurg, in the county of Fermanagh.
See Dr. Reeve's " Ecclesiastical
of Down, Connor, and Dromore. " Appen-
«'St. ^ngus states, "Aedh of Ferns, ». <». , Moedoc, of the men of Lurg, on Lock Erne. "
cap. Ixxvi. , p. 362.
"t^ gee the Genealogical descent, as given
with some variations of spelling names, by Rev. William Reeves,
'WFj-om the " Naomshanchus," as found
526 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
to this monarch's three sons, named Echac or Eochod, Fiach and Feradach. In no instance do we read of an immediate son, named Carthenn, although such a name occurs several times, in the third generation, from CoUa Huasius. Thus, we may suspect, and with just reason, that by some erroneous tran- scription, two names, which occur in our saint's direct line from the exiled king, had been omitted. Hence, in following an imperfect original, St. Cormac Mac Cullenan, and after him Maguire, must have copied such a mistake. His mother Ethnea or Eithne,*? derived her descent from Amalgad, son to Fiach. He was king over Connaught, in St. Patrick's time. ''^ The life of our saint*? states, that Ethne sprung from the posterity of Aulai ; and this latter appears coincident with the name of Amalgad. s° Our saint's parents were childless for some time ; but they prayed Almighty God to bestowanheiruponthem. Toobtainthisobjectoftheirhopes,theydis- tributed considerable alms. They also frequented a monastery then at Druim
Drumlane Round Tower and Church.
Lethan, and now known as Drumlahan or Drumlane, in the present barony of Lower Loughtee, Cavan County. ^' It lies about three miles from Beturbet village,anditisaparishinKilmorediocese. Itborderedontheconfinesofboth
"
gives the names of sixteen, although, incom- prehensibly enough, telling us, that he had enumerated saints in his
<7 She is so called in the
Martyrology of
eighteen genealogi- cal list, one of whom was descended from Feredach, three from Fiach, and thirteen fromEthacorEochod. Thislatterenume-
*^ See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nise," xxxi. Januarii, n. 3, p. |^2l6, and Appendix, cap. iii. , p. 222.
''s As published by Colgan.
ration, our readers will
seventeen saints, belonging to Colla Hua- from that prince, Tir-amalgaid, has for a
sius's family. This instance, and a few other passages, show, that Colgan himself made
some mistakes, even excluding many typo- graphical ones, which disfigure his works. See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xxxi. Januarii. Appendix ad Acta S. Maidoci, cap. iv. , pp. 323, 333.
long time back been called Tir-awly. "—Dr.
"
Lanigan's Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. ii. , chap, xiv. , sec. ix. , n. 121,
P- 335-
5' The parish of Dnmilane contams over
" 20,cxx) acres, and is marked on the Ord-
nance Survey Townland Maps for the
perceive,
gives us
Donegal. "
5° "Thus the territory anciently called
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 527
Breffneys ; and heretofore, it was a place of sepulture for the chiefs of both
principalities.
