The
Calendar
of Citeaux ^ notices the translation of St.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v5
likewise, the Martyrology of Donegal ^ records the name of Fionnchan, Bishop, of Druim-eanaigh, and of Druim-fess. as having been venerated.
Article II. —St. Siollan, Bishop of Daimhinis, or Devenish Island, County of Fermanagh. \Seventh Century. '] It is a sight never to be for- gotten, when Lough Erne seems, as it were, holding her mirror to the relics around St. Molaisse's monastery. The round tower—simple, erect, and exquisitely tapering skywards—looks a fit emblem of hope, as the descending sun illumes its cap with golden light ; while, down in the silent depths of the lake—less distinct, of a deeper and more dreamy shade—extends the reflec- tion, as if veiling the mysterious past. ' The name Sillan, a Bishop—with- out any further designation—occurs in the IMartyrology of Tallagh,^at the 17th ofMay. WehaveSillanusEpiscopus,likewise,intheFranciscancopyofthe Tallagh Martyrology,^ at the 1 7th of May. The BoUandists also enter his festi- val, on the same authority. -^ In the Acts of St. Berach^s allusion is made to a holy man, named Sillanus, who was miraculously restored to life, at a place called Rath-ond, but, of whose history little more seems to be known. A conjecture is offered, by Colgan,^ that he may be identical with the present holy man, yet this is hardly probable. The following identification is doubt- less the true one, where at this date the Ivlartyrology of Donegal ^ records the veneration of Siollan, Bishop [of Daimhinis]. ^ This has the English significa- tion of " deer island. " His place of habitation was on the historic and beau- tiful Island of Devenish, so picturesquely situated, on Lower Lough Erne, about two and a-half miles below the town of Enniskillen, and iu the county of Fermanagh. 9 The sail downwards, by'steamer or row-boat,'° is one of sur- passing interest. On his left hand, the tourist will pass Portora, a grassy eminence, above a gentle indentation of the lake. " This little bay was the usualplaceofembarkationforDevenish. " Beyondthispoint,thelakesud- denly narrows, and its current becomes almost a rapid. On a bank towards the left, immediately over the water, and fully commanding the passage, rises
the shell of a once formidable castle. '^ it was of a quadrangular form, with round towers at the angles. The walls are pierced with holes for matchlocks or muskets ; and these apertures are original features. '* And now, our boat
Article ii. — ' This pictorial effect is Lough Erne in Mr. and Mrs. Hall's '' Ire- very artistically presented, by a wood- land : its Scenery, Ciiaracter," &c. , vol. iii. ,
engraving, introduced by Mr. W. F. Wake- man in his charming Guide-Book, " Lough Erne, Enniskillen, Belleek, Ballyshannon and liundoran," &c. First Excursion, p. 40.
^ Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxiv.
3 Thus noted, SillAni Cppi.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. ,
Maii xvii. Among the pretermitted . saints, p. 2.
5 See his Life, in the Second Volume of this work, at the 15th of February, Art. i.
" See "Acta Sancloium Hibernia-," Februarii xv. Vita S. lierachi Abbatis, n. 24, p. 347. Also, Supplementum Vilie S. Berachi, n. 6, p. 348.
'Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 132, 133.
* In a note Dr. Todd here says: "The words within brackets in this and the follow- ing )iaragraph aie in a diflerent hand. "
pp. 17S to 190.
" At Enniskillen, boats are easily pro-
cured, and at a very moderate charge. A row of less than half an hour will bring the tourist to the island.
" Crowning this eminence is the Royal School, which commands a noble view of the Lower Lake.
" Thither, for ages, were brought the bodies of the dead, on their way for inter- ment, in that holy island. Hence, the name " Portor. n," or the " Port of Tears. "
'^ This is supposed to have been built and tenanted, by the Maguires, the Princes of Fermanagh.
'• Hence, this building cannot be regarded as possessing very great antiquity, notwith- standing the Norman-looking towers, which Hank the walls. Not a single moulding of window or doorway, by which a date might be inferred, remains. The ]iroud chieftains
' There are very beautiful engravings and
interesting descriptions of Devenish and and ladies bright, minslieis, light-limbed
kerns, and mailed gallow-glasses, who once occupied this keep, have long mouldered into the dust. This old pile seems fast 01 ambling to the lake :
*' Earth buildeth upon the earth castles
andtowers
Earth sayeth unto earth— all shall be
ours
Earth walketh on the earth glittering
with gold
Earth goeth to the earth sooner than
it would. "
—See W. F. Wakeman's "Lough Erne, Enniskillen, Belleek, Ballyshannon and Buu-
doran," &c. First Excursion, pp. 36 to 38. On the titlepage is represented the ruined Castle of Portora.
'5 The accompanyingillustration was taken originally from the locality, by William F. Wakeman, by whom it was transferred to thewood; engravedbyMrs. Millard.
'^ There is an interesting engraving of the ecclesiastical ruins in Devenish Isle, County Fermanagh, from an original drawing in the possession of Right Hon. William Conyng- ham. See Grose's "Antiquities of Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. 23, 24.
^^ ThatMapofIreland,publishedbythe Society for the diffusion of Useful Know- ledge, enumerates 118 of them. Mr. and
;
;
;
—
May 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 491
shoots into a bright expanse of waters, fringed with forests of bulrushes, which slope outward from the land, like a natural chevaux-de-frise^ protecting the green rising slopes of the lake. Behind them are countless beds of blue forget- me-nots and other wild flowers of nature's planting. White-yellow water- lilies float in front ; while, every now and then, from clumps of reeds and other aquatic plants, frighted by our intrusion, start the water-hens and flappers. The island now appears in sight. '^ Then, rises a long, low, grassy eminence, over the ridge of which the upper portion of the round tower is seen, in all its lofty grandeur, and well preserved. There, too, may be observed the square belfry of the abbey—almost of yesterday as compared with its com-
Devenish Island and Ruins, Lough Erne.
panion. ^^ Yet, strange to say, the less ancient building presents a more time- tinted and wind-worn appearance than the cloictheach. '? In the beginning of this century, the ruins of the priory then were much more considerable
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 17.
than they are at present. '^ The death of St. Molaisse,'^ tlie founder of Devenish, is assigned to a. d. 563, and he was succeeded by St. Natalis, or Naal,'° the period of his demise not being stated. The next in succession, as revealed in our Annals, was St. Sillan. ^' His term of incumbency seems assignable to the seventh century, and with the abbatial it is likely he exer- cised episcopal functions. We learn, that the present bishop died, on the 1 7 th of May, A. D. 658, according to the Annals of the Four Masters. " Under the head of Daimhinis, Duald Mac Firbis enters, Siollan, bishop of Daim- hinis. ^3 Summer finds Devenish clothed in rank, luxuriant herbage. Except- infT the grey walls and the solitary hut of a herd, no trace of man is there to be seen. But, when the grass dies, and when winter has stripped this ancient home of its cattle, food, and verdure, the old gardens of the community can be traced, in many a boundary line. Even the presence of herbs and plants, which, though old in the soil, are not found in other islands of the lake, or on the surrounding hills, is indicated by the solitary habitant who acts as guide,
and who lives upon this insulated spot. '*
Article III. Supposed Feast of St. Silave or Silan, Bishop AND Confessor. The Manuscripts of Colgan are cited by Rev. Alban Butler,' for notices of an Irish Monk and Abbot of St. Brendan's monastery, at the 17th of May. He is regarded as a Bishop and Confessor. ^ His festi- val is re-'istered, Ukewise, at this same date, in the "Circle of the Seasons. "3 He does not appear to have been different from tlie St. Sillan, Bishop of Devenish, whose feast belongs to the 17th of this month, and about whom, we have already treated.
Article IV. —The Sons of Ua Slainge, of Cluain-airbh. An entry is found, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 17th of May, Mic Gnaslan gi o Chluanaibh. This is evidently misspelled, through error of some scribe. The Franciscan copy has Mac Guaslaingi o Cluan aib. ^ The Bollan- dists 3 correct it thus, Filii Guaslangii seu Hua-Slangii de Cluain-aibh. Their place is supposed to be identical with the present Glenarb,* situated on the western margin of the Blackwater River, in the parish of Aughaloo,
Mrs. Hall state, however, that not more and Bundoran," &c. First Excursion, pp.
492
than about eighty-three remained, and a list of these, with other interesting ol)servations regarding them, will be found in their work. "Ireland: its Scenery, Character," &c. , vol. iii. , pp. 19010 208.
^ See "The Dublin Penny Journal,"
vol. i. No. 35, pp. 273 to 375.
'9 His feast' occurs, at the 12th of Sep-
tember.
'° See an account of him, in the rir>t
Volume of this work, at January 27th,
^^j i_
"' See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni-
"
cum p. 259.
=-'see Dr. ODonovan's Edition, vol. i. ,
268.
"J See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish
Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part i. ,
38, 39.
Article hi. — ' See "Lives of the
Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol. v. , May xvii.
^We mcline to believe, that here an error has been committed ; and, that allusion must be had to Colgan's account of St. Siiay, at the 30th of May.
'' ^^"^ '3^- P*
Artici. k iv. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxiv.
- Thus : nU\c 5uc\fLAin5i o CuiAn aid. 3^See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Mali
pp. 104, 105.
•'• See William F. Wakeman's " Lough sheet 67.
Erne, Enniskillen, BcUeck, Bailyshannon s jjuch is the opinion of William M.
'^^i'- p. 2.
Among the pietermiiled saints,
* ^' h '\n the parish of . ^ghaloo, in the barony of Lower Dungannon, and it is shown, on the "Ordnance Survey Town- l''*"'l Maps for the County of Tyrone,"
J —
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 493
and in the county of Tyrone. ? A festival, in honour of the Sons of Ua Slainge, of Ckiain-airbh, is also entered in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ on this day.
Article V. St. Finnen. An entry occurs, in the Franciscan copy,' and in the published Martyrology of Tallagh/ at the 1 7th of May, for Finnen. The Bollandists 3 record his name, by referring to the same authority. It is mentioned, in the Martyrology of Donegal,4 that a festival in honour of Finnen, was celebrated on this day.
Article VI. Feast of the Translation of the Relics of St. Malachy O'Morgair, Archbishop of Armagh, &c. , to Avignon, in France.
The Calendar of Citeaux ^ notices the translation of St. Malachy's relicstoAvignon,atthe17thofMay. Thisappearsreferablemerelytocer- tain portions of this saint's relics, as the greater part of his remains had been religiously preserved, at Clairvaux, where he died. The Acts of this great saint will be found written, at the 3rd of November.
Article VII. The Daughter or Daughters of Garbhan. We read in the Martyrologies of Tallagh' and of Donegal,^ that the Daughter of Garbain or Garbhan 3 had veneration paid her on this day. However, the Franciscan copy of the Tallagh Martyrology has the Daughters of Garbain + entered, at the 17th of May. The Bollandists,5 likewise, have Filise Garb- hani, on the same authority, at this date.
Article VIII. St. Maolan, of Snamh-Luthair. This holy man's name is omitted from the published Martyrology of Donegal ^ at this date, although found in the subjoined Index. ^ In a particular passage, Colgan thinks his. name and place may possibly be identified with St. Mailoc of Luihes,3 brother to St. Gildas the Wise. 4
ArticleIX. FeastassignedtoSt. MolingLuachra,ofTimolin. In the " Annals of the Four Masters," edited by Dr. O'Donovan,' we read in the Irish, that St. Moling Luachra died on the 17th of May, a. d. 696. This is probably a mistake for the 17th of June. The translator, singularly enough, translates the 13th of May in English.
May 1 7.
Hennessy.
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
hand adds here, InjeriA 5<''T^hAiri [Daugh- ters to Garbhan]. Marian, et Mart. Tarn- lacht. "
* Thus : liijeriA '5A|\bAin.
132, 133. —
Article v.
^ Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p xxiv.
3 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Maii
xvii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 2. "* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
' Thus: pnnen.
132, 133. —
Article vi. ' Printed at Dijon. Article vii. — ' Edited by Rev.
Dr.
^ Ibid. , pp. 440, 441.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xxix. Januarii, n. 4, p. 188.
'• See his Life, at the 29th of Jnnuary, Art. i. , in the First Volume of this work,
Article ix. — • See vol. i. , pp. 29S,
299.
Article x. — ' Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xxiv.
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
132, 133-
3 A note to the Martyrology of Donegal,
by Dr. Todd, here says, " The more recent
s gee " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Maii xvi. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 2.
Article viii. —' Edited by Dis. Todd and Reeves, pp. 132, 135.
494
——
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 17.
Article X. St. Criotan, Bishop at Mahee Island, County of Down. At the 17th of May, or xvi. of the June Kalends, the name Critan, Bishop, appears, m the Martyrology of Tallagh. ^ The Franciscan copy of the Tallagh Martyrology simply enters Critan,^ without any other designation, at the 17th of May. The Bollandists 3 have Critanus, while quoting the same authority. He belonged to Mahee Island,'* on Strangford Lough,s in the parish of Tullynakill, and in the county of Down. It is about thirteen miles, north north-east from Downpatrick. The earliest founder of that religious establishment is called St. Mochai, or Mochay,^ and his death occurred from 490 to 497. At first, Mahee Island was called Naondrum,7or Aendrum. Over this, the present saint is said to have been the abbot ; while some writers also call him bishop. ^ It is a matter of difficulty, however, to discover his immediate predecessor, in that See. 5 The founder, St. Mochai, is the only one mentioned in our Irish Annals, as antecedent to him; and, St. Patrick elevated Mochai to the pastoral dignity, from having been a swine- herd. '" On this day, according to the Martyrology of Donegal," Criotan, Bishop of Aondruim, had veneration given him. By some writers," this place is supposed—but incorrectly—to have been identical with Antrim. '3 Mac Firbis places his death, so early as the year of Christ 632. '+ In the Irish Calendar, belonging to the Royal Irish Academy, at the xvi. of the Calends of June—May 17th—we find the festival of Criotan, with the date for his depar-
ture from this life, at a. d. 638. 's At this day, and at the year 638, also, his death is recorded, in the Annals of Clonmacnoise, of Ulster,'^ and of the Four j\Iasters. '7 The same date has been assigned, in the Chronicum Scotorum. '^
Article XI. St, Cathan, Bishop and Confessor, Isle of Bute, Scotland, This holy man is noted as a Bishop and a Confessor. Cathan
Kelly, p. xxiv.
^ Thus : CiMCAii.
5 See "Ada Sanctorum," tomus iv. , INIaii
xvii. Among tlie pretermitted saints, p. 2. • The Rev. William Reeves writes, after llie year 974 : " This is the last that we hear of this church in the Annals. Probably it was pillaged and demolished soon after by the Danes, whose ships were continually floating in Strangford Lough. When next the name occurs, it is as belonging to pro- perty of the See of Down, with which John
knowledgment of its supremacy. See Colgan's "Trias Tliaumaturga. " Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, i. , cap. liii. , p. 126.
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 132, 133.
" Among these was Rev. Dr. O'Connor, who writes in reference to this very entry, in the Annals of Ulster " Aendruim (An- trim). "
'^ See a description and an illustration of its Round Tower, in J. B. Doyle's " Tours in Ulster," pp. 120, 121. Near this town,
de Courcy, in I178, takes the liberty of and under Lord O'Neill's cottage, in Ram's
making it over to the monks of anLnglish Abbey. "
s Formerly called Lough Cuan.
' See his Life, at the 23rd June.
7 In the Ecclesiastical Tax'ation Roll for
the Diocese of Down, this place is written, Nendrum, and Nedrum.
*Thus the O'Clery's Calendar calls him epfop.
9 The Rev. William Reeves gives a list of the bishops and abbots of this place, in his " Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore. " Appendix. See pp. 148 to 151.
'° We learn, from the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, that this church was tributary to that of Down, and that the annual otTcr- ing of a swine, or hog, was made in ac-
Islanti, are the ruins of a Round Tower, pictured and described, in Mr. and Mrs. Hall's "Ireland: its Scenery, Character," &c. , vol. iii. , p. 114.
''• See " Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish MSS. series, vol. i. , parti. , pp. 86, 87.
'= Thus it is entered " Cimocaii. e]\p :
<\oivo^\oniA &° T)! 638. " See the Irish Ord- nance Survey, Common Place Book F, p. 47
'* See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hi- bernicarum Scriptores," tomus iv. Annales Ultonienses, ad A. D. , Dcx. xxvill. , p. 47.
' See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters. " vol. i. , pp. 256, 257.
'^ Edited by William M. Hennessy, pp.
86, 87. —
Article xi. ' According to the Bre-
17th of May. Thus :
—
May 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
is said to have been uncle to St. Blane/ and by his sister Bertha, according toThomasDempster. ^ ThissaintAvasprobablyanativeofIreland,andhe flourished in the sixth or seventh century. He Hved in the Island of Bute, where his church was known as Kill-Cathan. 3 St. Catan is said to have residedinacellofInchaffrayAbbey,atStornoway. 4 Tiiedateforhisdeath has been referred to May 17th, a. d. 710. 5 in Scarinche were the " exuviae " ofBishopCathan.
