in our saint's acts are
altogether
judiciously rejected by Lanigan as being fabulous.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
3^
Wherefore, the king and inhabitants, living in that part of the country, conceived an extraordinary affection and veneration for our saint. They are said to have respectfully visited the latter, to have commended themselves to his prayers and to those of the religious living under him. If we are to at- tach any credit to such accounts, it would seem from the context of this nar-
the island of Inisquin, situated on the large Lake Orbsen, which is called a sea in this passage of the saint's acts, on account of its
"
great length and breadth. See Acta Sane-
torum Hiberniae," xvi. Januarii. Vita S. Fursaei, n. 13, p. 89. It may likewise be observed, that the Shannon could not have the term " mare" applied to it, in the im- mediate vicinity of Clonfert. There, the
river, although wide, yet does not at all ap- proach the appearance of a sea, so far as its breadth of water is concerned.
might thus ascertain tlie method adopted by
pensmen when employed on MS. chiro- graphy. It seems, that a wooden niler had been used to direct the lines of MSS. , not only at that particular period, but most pro- bably for a long time previous. The use of such an instniment will be rendered apparent to those investigators, who have often had an opportunity of consulting very ancient MSS.
^ In Desmay's Acts of our saint, I find in continuation, that their request was coni- plied with, and that for many years the ruler had been preserved as a precious relic
es Little as we may value legends of this
class, in a historical point of view, yet they
are often valuable, as illustrating various in that part of the country. It may be customs and social habits of the period at asked, was there any sufficient authority for which they were written. Could we exactly this assertion?
determine the time and place of writing, we
January i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
239
rative, that St. Fursey must have been placed over a community by St, Brendan, on the same island where the latter dwelt, or on some island or spot quite convenient, and to which easy access might be attained. Again we are told, the enemy of mankind employed his efforts in exciting the minds of some monks, who lived under Furse/s rule on the island. These became envious ofanddisobedienttowardstheirholysuperior. Understandingtheprevalence of such feelings, Fursey asked leave from St. Brendan that he might retire to another island, named Rathmat. 37
CHAPTER III.
ACCOUNT OF AEDFIND's CONVERSION AND INTERVIEW WITH ST. FURSEY—THIS HOLY MAN IS THOUGHT TO HAVE FOUNDED KILFURSA OR KILURSA—DESCRIPTION OF THE RUINS—KING FINDLOG SUCCEEDED BY ST. FURSEY'S FATHER, FINTAN— FURSEY A DISCIPLE OF ST. MELDAN—SOME OF ST. FURSEY'S RELATIONS LIVED UNDER HIM—HE RESOLVES ON VISITING THE PROVINCE OF MUNSTER.
The legendary Acts of St. Fursey relate, that his holy manner of living at Lough Orbsen' came to the ears of his tyrant grandfather, Aedfind. Ac- companied by his brothers Brendan and Feredach,^ it is said Aedfind, with many among the most distinguished chieftains of his principality, paid the saint a visit. On approaching the holy young man, Aedfind, prostrate on the ground, placed ashes on his head. Having his body covered with sack- cloth for past offences, and especially for that cruelty meditated against his amiable daughter, Gelgesia, he asked Furse/s pardon. First reproving this maternal grandfather for his tyrannical conduct, Fursey afterwards accosted him in a more gentle and pious colloquy. ^dfind obtained forgiveness from his daughter, and absolution from his grandson. Then we are told, that he joyfully conducted his daughter, and son-in-law, Fintan, with their family, to his own home-circle of friends.
By some writers, it is said, that after the foundation of Rathmat Monas-
tery, which they place on Inchiquin Island, St. Fursey also built a distinct religious house, at the place now known as Kill Fursa. 3 This is situated within the present parish of Killursa,* which margins on the eastern shore ot
37 Colgan supposes, that the monastery, which our saint is said to have built at Rath- mat, had been situated near Lough Orbsen. He thought it identical with a parish church belonging to the deanery of Enachdown, in the diocese of Tuam, and which in his own time was called Kill-fursa, from the name of Fursey himsel—f.
is said to have been the resting-place of Dermod and Grace, during their flight from
Chap. III. 'It is said to have been so called from Orbsen Mac Allod, one of the Dannann nation. See "A Chorographical Description of West or H-Iar Connaught," written A. D. 1684, by Roderic O'Flaherty, Esq. Edited
A.
' "Its northern boundary is the Owen-
duff, or 'Black River,' which, passing under ground below Shrule, rises again to the sur- face to the east of the Castle of Moyne, and, running by the ruins of Ross, enters the lake
by James Hardiman,
M. R. I. A. ,
Corrib,itsShoresandIslands; withNotices
ofLoughMask,"chap,v. ,pp. 98,99. This
beautifully-illustrated guide-book to the dis- trict is all that such a work could be made—
topographically and historically accurate, vividly descriptive, and profusely illustrated with engravings, its possession is indis- pensable for the local tourist and resident,
pp. 20, 21. ^
Menologic alogy," chap, viii. , this prince was grand- father to St. Modwena, virgin, who is com-
memorated at the 5th of July.
3 Near this church there is a Cromlech,
calledLeabhaDearmidagusGraunye, It
According
to the "
Gene-
Tara. See Oliver J. Burke's
"
Abbey of Ross, its History and Details," Appendix
about a mile beyond the Castle of Anna- "
keen. " Sir William Wilde's I. ough
240 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 16,
Lough Corrib, This church at present is in ruins,s and these Ue within the townland of Ower, the property of the Ower Burkes. In the west gable there is a curious Egyptian-looking door-way. All the walls are still standing, although considerably dilapidated. ^ This church^ is mentioned in the Taxa-
Kilfursa Church Ruins, Co. Galway.
tion of Pope Nicholas V. , in a. d. 1306. This document is preserved in the British Museum, at London. ^ Kilfursa is the only very old church in this neighbourhood which has the east gable standing. 9
If the visit of St. Fursey's grandfather, ^dfinn, took place, most probably it was to Kilfursa. '° The people on the banks of Lough Corrib had a local tradition, that Kilfursa or Killursa, Killany and Kilcuanna had been erected by three brothers, named Fursa, Eidhne or Eany, and Cuana," who flourished
5 Through the kind intervention of Very 75, 76. This is a beautifuiiy written and Rev. Canon Ulick J. Bourke, President of illustrated little work, on an interesting St. Jarlath's College, Tuam, the Rev. subject, and by a writer familiar with local Patrick Ryan, P. P. of Kilfursa, has kindly
forwarded various sketches of the ruins takeninMarch,1874. Fromthese,William F. Wakeman has drawn his subject on the wood : George A. Hanlon being the en- graver.
*
history, traditions and scenery.
9 Tradition says, that it was saved by a
;
It is of the Daivihlaig-mor class of church.
It seems probable that when the present
church was constructed on the site of the old
one, it was enlarged towards the north, as
well as in length, the antique door-way Patrick Ryan, P. P. , Kilfursa, in January, having been left ht situ, while the present
rough, unhewn, incongruous lintel had been
placed above it. See ibid. , pp. 104, 105.
' " A cross wall cuts off nine feet four inches of the western end, which portion was probably occupied in later times by the officiating priest or friar. " See ibid.
This place, erroneously called Kildaree, from the neighbouring townland of that name, is to be seen on " The Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Galway. " Sheet 41.
"See Sir William Wilde's "Lough Corrib, its Shores and Islands ; with Notices of Lough Mask," chap, iv. , p. 83.
* See Oliver J. Burke's " Abbey of Ross, its History and Details," Appendix A. , pp.
man named Bourke, who was seen advancing
on a charger, by a few of Cromwell's soldiers, who were in the act of throwing the east gable
down, when panic-stricken they tumbled to the ground and were killed on the spot. The graveyard covers about three quarters of an acre, while some fine thorn bushes and ashtrees shade the enclosure. Letter of Rev.
1874-
'°
January i6. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 241
intheearlyagesofIrishChristianity. " Theirchurchesweresai—dtohave been built in the same form and style, and having the same extent sixty feet in length by eighteen feet in breadth. But the style of all these churches, forthemostpart,iscomparativelymodern. Yetasmallpartofthewestern gable of Kill-fursa contains a square-headed door-way, at least 1200 years old. '3 It measures five feet four inches in height; only two feet in breadth atthetop,andtwofeetfiveinchesatthebottom. Thegreaternumberofthe stones extend the whole thickness of the wall, which is two feet six inches in width. The time-worn lintel of the door measures three feet eight inches in length. Every other church feature here is in the Gothic style. There is a small window piercing the west gable ; in the south side wall are a Gothic doorandtwosmallwindows. TheeastwindowcontainsabeautifulGothic window of considerable size, which is partially covered with ivy. There is no window in the northern wall. Local tradition says that this church was built by St. Fursey, the celebrated traveller, who was the son of Fintan. "* These vivid popular traditions prove it to have been St. Fursey's place, and not the island near Lough Erbsen ; nor is there any old church dedicated to St. Fursey, on any island in that Lough, belonging to Kilfursa or Killursa parish. '^ There are many curious popular stories relating to Killursa. ^^ On the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it is thought that the founder of Kilfursa old abbey consecrated its sacred walls to the service of the Almighty, under the protection and invocation of 'Mary. '? The writer had an opportunity of visiting these old ruins of Kilfursa, near St. Mar/s, in the month of August, 1860. '^
About this time, Findlog, king in Munster, is said to have departed this life. At the request of nobles, in this territory, Fintan was selected as his successor. Even then, St. Fursey felt no desire to live with liis parents ; but rather animated with the Holy Spirit, and engaged in the performance of good works, he applied to the study of sacred Scripture, in the monastery over which he ruled. Thither many religious men flocked from various
quarters. Among others, some of the saint's relations, and especially his two brothers, Foillan and Ultan,'^ were drawn by heavenly inspiration to place themselves under his wise rule and direction. ^" Many of the incidents
" See ibid. , chap, v. , p. 99.
'3 Such was the opinion of John O'Dono-
van in 1838.
table, generous and zealous pastor to the ivy- covered church ruins, these seemed to have defied the storms of centuries, while rising
thenumberless withinand proudlyover graves
around them. Several other objects of great
antiquarian interest in this neighbourhood were likewise examined during that visit,
'' Colgan remarks, that in proper Acts of St. Foillan, which he promised to give at the 30th of October, and in those of St.
Ultan, to be published at the ist of May, this account would be found confirmed. See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xvi.
'7 On this festival, likewise, a. d. 1859, Januarii. Vita S. Fursaei, n. 17, p. 90.
'•* Itis
fort or caher called Ard-Fintan.
locally
saidthathelivedinastone
'5 See Dr. O'Donovan's letter, dated Tuam, "
September 20tli, 1838, in Letters con- taining Information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Galway, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in
1838," vol. i. , pp. 161 to 164. '* "
See Burke's Abbey of Ross, its His- tory and Details," chap, i. , pp. 3, 4, 5.
the comer-stone of a new Catholic church. dedicated to our Lady of the Assumption,
Also Bede's " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Anglorum," lib. iii. , chap, xix. , p. 214.
'° See "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nias," xvi. Januarii, lib. i. , cap. xi. , xii. , xiii. , p. 77. Also in Vita S. Furssei, ix. Februarii, cap. v. , pp. 285, 286, iMJ. In Desmay's Life of our saint, it is said, the monks who entertained envy towards him, lived at Clonfert ; leaving us to infer, of course, that from this same place, Fursey removed to Rathmat. The same writer also
R
and since known as St. was Mary's,
laid, and the church itself was afterwards built by
Rev. Peter Conway, P. P. It is situated near the ivied-ruins of Kilfursa. An account of the ceremony, and some notices of Kil- fursa old church, will be found in the Free- man's Jownal, bearing date August 1 7th,
1859.
"At that time, accompanied by the hospi- Vol. I,
242 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i6.
in our saint's acts are altogether judiciously rejected by Lanigan as being fabulous. This astute Doctor supposes, that soon after St. Fursey's birth, which was probably in Connaught, his father Fintan returned to Munster, where he took care to have his son duly instructed and educated in religious matters by some bishops. After Fursey had made great progress in piety and learning, leaving his parents, he repaired to a more distant part of Ire- land, for the purpose of acquiring greater perfection. ^' It is supposed that this distant locality^^ was the small island of Inisquin,^^ incorrectly called Esbren, in our saint's acts. ^* At the time of Furse/s arrival there, his
spiritual father, St. Meldan,^^ is conjectured to have governed its monastery, saidtohavebeenfoundedbySt. Brendan. ^^ ThisMeldanbelongedtothe
sept of Hua-Cuinn, that had possession of the country about Lough Orbsen, or Loagh Corrib. That country was sometimes called Hibh-sen, that is, Hibh-Orbsen, being contracted for Orbsen, in the latter instance. Either, as founder of the monastery, or as successor to St. Brendan, Meldan^7 was abbot
of
Inisquin, probably a bishop. ^9
beginning
about the
of the seventh ^"^ He was also most century.
Inchiquin, an island containing over 229 acres, was formerly called Inis- UiChuinn. 3° Itreceivedthisname,mostprobably,fromSt. Meldanus^'and hisbrothers,whowerepatronymicallycalledUiChuinn. 3' Theyaresaidto
states, that at the instance of King Brandubh, his brothers, Feradach and ^dphind, were induced to visit . Fursey. In other instances he substantially agrees with accounts, con- tained in the older acts, regarding incidents given in the text.
*< See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," xvi. Januarii. Vita S. Fursaei, lib. i. , cap. vii. , p. 76.
^s Cathal Maguire says, that Meldan was
the spiritual father of St. Fursey. He is
called in Fursey's Acts a colleague of
Fursey. See Colgan, lib. ii. , cap. xvi. , and
p. 90
^ That this was the monastery, to which
St. Fursey retired, is plain from all that has been said about his having been in the island
Esbren, or Inisquin.
*7 The author of St. Fursey's Acts, wish-
ing to uphold the storj' of Fursey having been a disciple of St. Brendan, did not like to call Meldan his superior. Yet, what is said helps to prove that, at least, St. Fursey lived in the same monastery with St. Meldan. See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii , chap, xvi. , § vii. , n. 65, P- 454-
^'
In a note, Dr. Lanigan adds : "This is
the most correct account of Fursey's younger
days that I have been able to collect from
tie oldtr acts, ^uhich make mention, only
in general terms, of his parents, &c. Nothing
is said of what part of Ireland they lived in ;
but the manner in which his leaving them is
spoken of, seems to indicate that it was at a
considerable distance from the place which
he went to. After telling us, that he had
got an excellent education, &c. , in the
country where his parents lived, they add :
"
Patriam parentesque relinquens Sacroe Scripturse. studiis aliquot vacabat annis. " It is not meant, that he left Ireland, for it is plain from the sequel, that he only removed to another part of it. Now this was Inisquin. "
" If St. Fursey's parents had continued to reside in Connaught he would have been still so near them as scarcely to justify the phrase, leaving his country and parents. It is to be
observed, notwithstanding the supposed ac- cident of his having been born in Connaught, that Munster is constantly called his patria or country. Desmay says, that Fintan re- turned with his family to Munster when St. Fursey was only a boy. He adds, that Fintan left Fursey behind him in the island with St. Brendan.
'^
called Prxsiil; and it is said that his memory was universally respected. See
''^ At the 7th of February Colgan has ob- served, that two Meldans are called bishops by St. . /Engus the Culdee. One of these seems to have been St. Meldan of Inisquin, See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xvi. , § vii. , pp. 449, 450, and nn. 66, 67, pp. 454, 455.
Townland Maps for the County of Galway. "
Sheet a moat or rath, no 41. ICxcepting
feature of antiquity is now marked on it.
3' This saint's feast occurs at the 7th of
=^3 Dr.
from the old acts, that Fursey was a grown up young man when he left his father's house and repaired to Inisquin. " See "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xvi. , § vii. , n. 63, p. 454.
Lanigan observes,
' ' We know
In the older acts of Fursey Meldan is
" lib. i. , cap. xxi.
also those in
Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae,"
3° It is shown on the " Ordnance Survey
February.
3^ See Sir William Wilde's Lough
" Corrib, its Shores and Islands; with Notices
January i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 243
have built a monastery there about the year 580. No trace of it now exists. 33 It is thought, that after St. Fursey remained for some years with St. Meldan-
at Lough Corrib, he erected there a monastery, at a place adjoining his superior's habitation. This house of Fursey's was named Rathmat, and it was soon supplied with a considerable number of religious persons. When it was properly established Fursey felt a great desire to have some of his rela- tions instructed there. 34 With such an object in view, he set out for Munster, as is stated in the old acts of our saint. In the later acts, as we have already seen, his brothers, Foillan and Ultan, are alluded to, as having been with him at Rai;hmat,35 also called Rathmuighe. 3^ In these also, the object of Fursey's journey to Munster is represented as being a desire to see his other relations, and sow the seeds of the Divine Word among them through his spiritual. exhortations. But their authority is not of equal weight with that of his original acts. According to these, it does not appear, that any of Fursey's relations had been at Rathmat, before he resolved on visiting theprovinceofMunster. 37 Afterthisvisit,heprobablyinducedsomeofthe Momonians to embrace a religious life, and to accompany him on his return to Lough Corrib.
CHAPTER IV.
ST. fursey's illness—HIS VISIONS—HIS SPIRIT RETURNS TO HIS INANIMATE BODY,
When Fursey arrived near his paternal residence, according to the old acts, he was taken suddenly ill, and then conveyed to a neighbouring house. For several hours he remained in such a state as to be thought at the point of death. But, in his other acts, it is said, that this illness seized upon him
just as he was setting out for Munster, and that in consequence, complying with the request of his companions, he returned to his monastery. ^ During
this sickness, Fursey had very extraordinary visions, which are related at great length in some of his acts ; although in other lives of our saint they are given in a form more or less abridged. The father of Enghsh ecclesiastical historytreatsoftheminratherasuccinctmanner. ^ Butforfurtheredifying details he refers to the little book of the holy ecstatic's life, then apparently well-known. 3 But in St. Fursey's Acts, which are published by Colgan, ac-
of Lough Mask," chap, v. , p. 99. of all his relations seems to have inflamed 33 See John O'Donovan's letter, dated our saint in undertaking his journey to
" Ecclesiastical containing Information relative to the An- History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xvi. , §
Tuam, September 20th, 1838, in "Letters Munster. See Dr.
tiquities of the County of Galway, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1838," vol. i. , p. 172.
3"* In the old acts, after the words quoted
by Dr. Lanigan, in his note 63, it is merely said, that he built a monastery in a certain
Lanigan's
viii. , p. 455, —and n. 71, pp. 456, 457, ibid.
^ When relating the vision, most probably Venerable Bede overlooked the details of him, etiam parentum suorum," and these Fursey's journey. Bede states, that this
spot, whither some religious persons went to "
he took care of with pious solicitude.
35 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," xvi. Januarii. Vita S. Furssei, n. i,
p- 91-
3* Ibid. , cap. xi. , and n. 14.
37 Their statements seem to have been de-
rived from a misinterpretation of the text in the more ancient acts. It is however true that the promotion of the spiritual welfare
illness seized the saint in his monastery, but such a statement does not agree with published accounts. See "Historia Ec- clesiastica Gentis Anglomm," lib. iii. , cap. xix. , p. 210.
3 Bede says he only introduced some of these details into his own history. See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. xix. , pp. 209 to 214.
'
Chap. iv.
every other instance, are most worthy of
The old in this as in acts,
credit. On this point Capgrave agrees with them, in his Life of St. Fursey.
244 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i6.
counts concerning these ecstasies are greatly amplified. '* It may not be an "improbable conjecture, to suppose, that these visions might have been par- tially the effect of a delirium,s consequent on the illness of our saint, and partly the cogitation of a pious and contemplative mind, agitated and excited by a feverish state of the body. He was subsequently able to recollect and relate those visions, perhaps nearly according to the order in which they are foundwritten. ^ Thisconjecturewillnotappearsurprisingtothosewhohave
had experience of vivid impressions, created by a disordered imagination, and during a state of fever. After recovery, indelible recollections are left on the
memory in a great variety of instances. '
In his old acts,^ we are- told, that while our saint was being borne by some
companions to his cell, the holy man was transported in spirit, from the ninth
hour of day to the first cock crowing, and during the night-time. 9 Desmay occasionallyaddscircumstancesnotgivenintheseacts. Hestates,thatFursey
had scarcely left his monastery for the purpose of proceeding to Munster, when he was seized with a sudden illness. This attack rapidly approached to a crisis, leaving all his attendants under an impression that his last hour on earth had arrived. Being carried to this monastery, he was laid on a bed. When the symptoms of suffering had somewhat abated, he was rapt intoanecstasy,duringwhichhehadseveralvisions. ^" Theserepresentedthe state of man in sin, sure remedies for sin, as also those virtues which are parti- cularlypleasinginGod'ssight. Asthesaintlayduringthistimewithoutexclama- tion, motion, or respiration, the religious who were present gave way to sighs and tears, for they thought him already dead, because no sign of sensation or life appeared. However, at the early dawn of morning, Fursey was restored to the use of his faculties. Then he began to inform the monks, regarding those revelations made to him by the Almighty, during his ecstasy. In the first place, no sooner had he ceased to feel pulsation, then he found himself surrounded by shadows of deep and horrible obscurity. Then two angels,
"
Fleury writes :
pour convertir ses parents, il tomba malade et fut reduit en tel etat, qu'on le crut mort, ce qui arriva plusiers fois. II eut cependant des visions merveilieuses, touchant I'etat de I'autre vie, et re9ut d'excellentes instruc- tions, par des anges et des saints eveques, qui lui apparurent. " "Histoire Ecclesiastique," livre xxviii. , § xxviii.
Latin Christianity," book xiv. , chap. ii.
i The vision of Frate Alberico is very closely modelled on that of St. Fursey.
The former was a monk of Monte Cassino. Hi's vision was written in Latin, in the latter half of the twelfth century.
^Published by Colgan at the l6th of
January.
9 This records the first ecstatic ^'ision which
Etant retoume chez lui
s The same venerable chronicler tells us,
that one of the old brothers of his monastery
was wont to relate the visions of St. Fursey,
which the saint himself communicated to a
very trustworthy and religious man, who
heard thes2 narratives from the lips of to have been the earliest of its class, and to Fursey himself when he was among the
East Angles.
Wherefore, the king and inhabitants, living in that part of the country, conceived an extraordinary affection and veneration for our saint. They are said to have respectfully visited the latter, to have commended themselves to his prayers and to those of the religious living under him. If we are to at- tach any credit to such accounts, it would seem from the context of this nar-
the island of Inisquin, situated on the large Lake Orbsen, which is called a sea in this passage of the saint's acts, on account of its
"
great length and breadth. See Acta Sane-
torum Hiberniae," xvi. Januarii. Vita S. Fursaei, n. 13, p. 89. It may likewise be observed, that the Shannon could not have the term " mare" applied to it, in the im- mediate vicinity of Clonfert. There, the
river, although wide, yet does not at all ap- proach the appearance of a sea, so far as its breadth of water is concerned.
might thus ascertain tlie method adopted by
pensmen when employed on MS. chiro- graphy. It seems, that a wooden niler had been used to direct the lines of MSS. , not only at that particular period, but most pro- bably for a long time previous. The use of such an instniment will be rendered apparent to those investigators, who have often had an opportunity of consulting very ancient MSS.
^ In Desmay's Acts of our saint, I find in continuation, that their request was coni- plied with, and that for many years the ruler had been preserved as a precious relic
es Little as we may value legends of this
class, in a historical point of view, yet they
are often valuable, as illustrating various in that part of the country. It may be customs and social habits of the period at asked, was there any sufficient authority for which they were written. Could we exactly this assertion?
determine the time and place of writing, we
January i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
239
rative, that St. Fursey must have been placed over a community by St, Brendan, on the same island where the latter dwelt, or on some island or spot quite convenient, and to which easy access might be attained. Again we are told, the enemy of mankind employed his efforts in exciting the minds of some monks, who lived under Furse/s rule on the island. These became envious ofanddisobedienttowardstheirholysuperior. Understandingtheprevalence of such feelings, Fursey asked leave from St. Brendan that he might retire to another island, named Rathmat. 37
CHAPTER III.
ACCOUNT OF AEDFIND's CONVERSION AND INTERVIEW WITH ST. FURSEY—THIS HOLY MAN IS THOUGHT TO HAVE FOUNDED KILFURSA OR KILURSA—DESCRIPTION OF THE RUINS—KING FINDLOG SUCCEEDED BY ST. FURSEY'S FATHER, FINTAN— FURSEY A DISCIPLE OF ST. MELDAN—SOME OF ST. FURSEY'S RELATIONS LIVED UNDER HIM—HE RESOLVES ON VISITING THE PROVINCE OF MUNSTER.
The legendary Acts of St. Fursey relate, that his holy manner of living at Lough Orbsen' came to the ears of his tyrant grandfather, Aedfind. Ac- companied by his brothers Brendan and Feredach,^ it is said Aedfind, with many among the most distinguished chieftains of his principality, paid the saint a visit. On approaching the holy young man, Aedfind, prostrate on the ground, placed ashes on his head. Having his body covered with sack- cloth for past offences, and especially for that cruelty meditated against his amiable daughter, Gelgesia, he asked Furse/s pardon. First reproving this maternal grandfather for his tyrannical conduct, Fursey afterwards accosted him in a more gentle and pious colloquy. ^dfind obtained forgiveness from his daughter, and absolution from his grandson. Then we are told, that he joyfully conducted his daughter, and son-in-law, Fintan, with their family, to his own home-circle of friends.
By some writers, it is said, that after the foundation of Rathmat Monas-
tery, which they place on Inchiquin Island, St. Fursey also built a distinct religious house, at the place now known as Kill Fursa. 3 This is situated within the present parish of Killursa,* which margins on the eastern shore ot
37 Colgan supposes, that the monastery, which our saint is said to have built at Rath- mat, had been situated near Lough Orbsen. He thought it identical with a parish church belonging to the deanery of Enachdown, in the diocese of Tuam, and which in his own time was called Kill-fursa, from the name of Fursey himsel—f.
is said to have been the resting-place of Dermod and Grace, during their flight from
Chap. III. 'It is said to have been so called from Orbsen Mac Allod, one of the Dannann nation. See "A Chorographical Description of West or H-Iar Connaught," written A. D. 1684, by Roderic O'Flaherty, Esq. Edited
A.
' "Its northern boundary is the Owen-
duff, or 'Black River,' which, passing under ground below Shrule, rises again to the sur- face to the east of the Castle of Moyne, and, running by the ruins of Ross, enters the lake
by James Hardiman,
M. R. I. A. ,
Corrib,itsShoresandIslands; withNotices
ofLoughMask,"chap,v. ,pp. 98,99. This
beautifully-illustrated guide-book to the dis- trict is all that such a work could be made—
topographically and historically accurate, vividly descriptive, and profusely illustrated with engravings, its possession is indis- pensable for the local tourist and resident,
pp. 20, 21. ^
Menologic alogy," chap, viii. , this prince was grand- father to St. Modwena, virgin, who is com-
memorated at the 5th of July.
3 Near this church there is a Cromlech,
calledLeabhaDearmidagusGraunye, It
According
to the "
Gene-
Tara. See Oliver J. Burke's
"
Abbey of Ross, its History and Details," Appendix
about a mile beyond the Castle of Anna- "
keen. " Sir William Wilde's I. ough
240 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 16,
Lough Corrib, This church at present is in ruins,s and these Ue within the townland of Ower, the property of the Ower Burkes. In the west gable there is a curious Egyptian-looking door-way. All the walls are still standing, although considerably dilapidated. ^ This church^ is mentioned in the Taxa-
Kilfursa Church Ruins, Co. Galway.
tion of Pope Nicholas V. , in a. d. 1306. This document is preserved in the British Museum, at London. ^ Kilfursa is the only very old church in this neighbourhood which has the east gable standing. 9
If the visit of St. Fursey's grandfather, ^dfinn, took place, most probably it was to Kilfursa. '° The people on the banks of Lough Corrib had a local tradition, that Kilfursa or Killursa, Killany and Kilcuanna had been erected by three brothers, named Fursa, Eidhne or Eany, and Cuana," who flourished
5 Through the kind intervention of Very 75, 76. This is a beautifuiiy written and Rev. Canon Ulick J. Bourke, President of illustrated little work, on an interesting St. Jarlath's College, Tuam, the Rev. subject, and by a writer familiar with local Patrick Ryan, P. P. of Kilfursa, has kindly
forwarded various sketches of the ruins takeninMarch,1874. Fromthese,William F. Wakeman has drawn his subject on the wood : George A. Hanlon being the en- graver.
*
history, traditions and scenery.
9 Tradition says, that it was saved by a
;
It is of the Daivihlaig-mor class of church.
It seems probable that when the present
church was constructed on the site of the old
one, it was enlarged towards the north, as
well as in length, the antique door-way Patrick Ryan, P. P. , Kilfursa, in January, having been left ht situ, while the present
rough, unhewn, incongruous lintel had been
placed above it. See ibid. , pp. 104, 105.
' " A cross wall cuts off nine feet four inches of the western end, which portion was probably occupied in later times by the officiating priest or friar. " See ibid.
This place, erroneously called Kildaree, from the neighbouring townland of that name, is to be seen on " The Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Galway. " Sheet 41.
"See Sir William Wilde's "Lough Corrib, its Shores and Islands ; with Notices of Lough Mask," chap, iv. , p. 83.
* See Oliver J. Burke's " Abbey of Ross, its History and Details," Appendix A. , pp.
man named Bourke, who was seen advancing
on a charger, by a few of Cromwell's soldiers, who were in the act of throwing the east gable
down, when panic-stricken they tumbled to the ground and were killed on the spot. The graveyard covers about three quarters of an acre, while some fine thorn bushes and ashtrees shade the enclosure. Letter of Rev.
1874-
'°
January i6. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 241
intheearlyagesofIrishChristianity. " Theirchurchesweresai—dtohave been built in the same form and style, and having the same extent sixty feet in length by eighteen feet in breadth. But the style of all these churches, forthemostpart,iscomparativelymodern. Yetasmallpartofthewestern gable of Kill-fursa contains a square-headed door-way, at least 1200 years old. '3 It measures five feet four inches in height; only two feet in breadth atthetop,andtwofeetfiveinchesatthebottom. Thegreaternumberofthe stones extend the whole thickness of the wall, which is two feet six inches in width. The time-worn lintel of the door measures three feet eight inches in length. Every other church feature here is in the Gothic style. There is a small window piercing the west gable ; in the south side wall are a Gothic doorandtwosmallwindows. TheeastwindowcontainsabeautifulGothic window of considerable size, which is partially covered with ivy. There is no window in the northern wall. Local tradition says that this church was built by St. Fursey, the celebrated traveller, who was the son of Fintan. "* These vivid popular traditions prove it to have been St. Fursey's place, and not the island near Lough Erbsen ; nor is there any old church dedicated to St. Fursey, on any island in that Lough, belonging to Kilfursa or Killursa parish. '^ There are many curious popular stories relating to Killursa. ^^ On the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it is thought that the founder of Kilfursa old abbey consecrated its sacred walls to the service of the Almighty, under the protection and invocation of 'Mary. '? The writer had an opportunity of visiting these old ruins of Kilfursa, near St. Mar/s, in the month of August, 1860. '^
About this time, Findlog, king in Munster, is said to have departed this life. At the request of nobles, in this territory, Fintan was selected as his successor. Even then, St. Fursey felt no desire to live with liis parents ; but rather animated with the Holy Spirit, and engaged in the performance of good works, he applied to the study of sacred Scripture, in the monastery over which he ruled. Thither many religious men flocked from various
quarters. Among others, some of the saint's relations, and especially his two brothers, Foillan and Ultan,'^ were drawn by heavenly inspiration to place themselves under his wise rule and direction. ^" Many of the incidents
" See ibid. , chap, v. , p. 99.
'3 Such was the opinion of John O'Dono-
van in 1838.
table, generous and zealous pastor to the ivy- covered church ruins, these seemed to have defied the storms of centuries, while rising
thenumberless withinand proudlyover graves
around them. Several other objects of great
antiquarian interest in this neighbourhood were likewise examined during that visit,
'' Colgan remarks, that in proper Acts of St. Foillan, which he promised to give at the 30th of October, and in those of St.
Ultan, to be published at the ist of May, this account would be found confirmed. See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xvi.
'7 On this festival, likewise, a. d. 1859, Januarii. Vita S. Fursaei, n. 17, p. 90.
'•* Itis
fort or caher called Ard-Fintan.
locally
saidthathelivedinastone
'5 See Dr. O'Donovan's letter, dated Tuam, "
September 20tli, 1838, in Letters con- taining Information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Galway, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in
1838," vol. i. , pp. 161 to 164. '* "
See Burke's Abbey of Ross, its His- tory and Details," chap, i. , pp. 3, 4, 5.
the comer-stone of a new Catholic church. dedicated to our Lady of the Assumption,
Also Bede's " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Anglorum," lib. iii. , chap, xix. , p. 214.
'° See "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nias," xvi. Januarii, lib. i. , cap. xi. , xii. , xiii. , p. 77. Also in Vita S. Furssei, ix. Februarii, cap. v. , pp. 285, 286, iMJ. In Desmay's Life of our saint, it is said, the monks who entertained envy towards him, lived at Clonfert ; leaving us to infer, of course, that from this same place, Fursey removed to Rathmat. The same writer also
R
and since known as St. was Mary's,
laid, and the church itself was afterwards built by
Rev. Peter Conway, P. P. It is situated near the ivied-ruins of Kilfursa. An account of the ceremony, and some notices of Kil- fursa old church, will be found in the Free- man's Jownal, bearing date August 1 7th,
1859.
"At that time, accompanied by the hospi- Vol. I,
242 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i6.
in our saint's acts are altogether judiciously rejected by Lanigan as being fabulous. This astute Doctor supposes, that soon after St. Fursey's birth, which was probably in Connaught, his father Fintan returned to Munster, where he took care to have his son duly instructed and educated in religious matters by some bishops. After Fursey had made great progress in piety and learning, leaving his parents, he repaired to a more distant part of Ire- land, for the purpose of acquiring greater perfection. ^' It is supposed that this distant locality^^ was the small island of Inisquin,^^ incorrectly called Esbren, in our saint's acts. ^* At the time of Furse/s arrival there, his
spiritual father, St. Meldan,^^ is conjectured to have governed its monastery, saidtohavebeenfoundedbySt. Brendan. ^^ ThisMeldanbelongedtothe
sept of Hua-Cuinn, that had possession of the country about Lough Orbsen, or Loagh Corrib. That country was sometimes called Hibh-sen, that is, Hibh-Orbsen, being contracted for Orbsen, in the latter instance. Either, as founder of the monastery, or as successor to St. Brendan, Meldan^7 was abbot
of
Inisquin, probably a bishop. ^9
beginning
about the
of the seventh ^"^ He was also most century.
Inchiquin, an island containing over 229 acres, was formerly called Inis- UiChuinn. 3° Itreceivedthisname,mostprobably,fromSt. Meldanus^'and hisbrothers,whowerepatronymicallycalledUiChuinn. 3' Theyaresaidto
states, that at the instance of King Brandubh, his brothers, Feradach and ^dphind, were induced to visit . Fursey. In other instances he substantially agrees with accounts, con- tained in the older acts, regarding incidents given in the text.
*< See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," xvi. Januarii. Vita S. Fursaei, lib. i. , cap. vii. , p. 76.
^s Cathal Maguire says, that Meldan was
the spiritual father of St. Fursey. He is
called in Fursey's Acts a colleague of
Fursey. See Colgan, lib. ii. , cap. xvi. , and
p. 90
^ That this was the monastery, to which
St. Fursey retired, is plain from all that has been said about his having been in the island
Esbren, or Inisquin.
*7 The author of St. Fursey's Acts, wish-
ing to uphold the storj' of Fursey having been a disciple of St. Brendan, did not like to call Meldan his superior. Yet, what is said helps to prove that, at least, St. Fursey lived in the same monastery with St. Meldan. See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii , chap, xvi. , § vii. , n. 65, P- 454-
^'
In a note, Dr. Lanigan adds : "This is
the most correct account of Fursey's younger
days that I have been able to collect from
tie oldtr acts, ^uhich make mention, only
in general terms, of his parents, &c. Nothing
is said of what part of Ireland they lived in ;
but the manner in which his leaving them is
spoken of, seems to indicate that it was at a
considerable distance from the place which
he went to. After telling us, that he had
got an excellent education, &c. , in the
country where his parents lived, they add :
"
Patriam parentesque relinquens Sacroe Scripturse. studiis aliquot vacabat annis. " It is not meant, that he left Ireland, for it is plain from the sequel, that he only removed to another part of it. Now this was Inisquin. "
" If St. Fursey's parents had continued to reside in Connaught he would have been still so near them as scarcely to justify the phrase, leaving his country and parents. It is to be
observed, notwithstanding the supposed ac- cident of his having been born in Connaught, that Munster is constantly called his patria or country. Desmay says, that Fintan re- turned with his family to Munster when St. Fursey was only a boy. He adds, that Fintan left Fursey behind him in the island with St. Brendan.
'^
called Prxsiil; and it is said that his memory was universally respected. See
''^ At the 7th of February Colgan has ob- served, that two Meldans are called bishops by St. . /Engus the Culdee. One of these seems to have been St. Meldan of Inisquin, See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xvi. , § vii. , pp. 449, 450, and nn. 66, 67, pp. 454, 455.
Townland Maps for the County of Galway. "
Sheet a moat or rath, no 41. ICxcepting
feature of antiquity is now marked on it.
3' This saint's feast occurs at the 7th of
=^3 Dr.
from the old acts, that Fursey was a grown up young man when he left his father's house and repaired to Inisquin. " See "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xvi. , § vii. , n. 63, p. 454.
Lanigan observes,
' ' We know
In the older acts of Fursey Meldan is
" lib. i. , cap. xxi.
also those in
Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae,"
3° It is shown on the " Ordnance Survey
February.
3^ See Sir William Wilde's Lough
" Corrib, its Shores and Islands; with Notices
January i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 243
have built a monastery there about the year 580. No trace of it now exists. 33 It is thought, that after St. Fursey remained for some years with St. Meldan-
at Lough Corrib, he erected there a monastery, at a place adjoining his superior's habitation. This house of Fursey's was named Rathmat, and it was soon supplied with a considerable number of religious persons. When it was properly established Fursey felt a great desire to have some of his rela- tions instructed there. 34 With such an object in view, he set out for Munster, as is stated in the old acts of our saint. In the later acts, as we have already seen, his brothers, Foillan and Ultan, are alluded to, as having been with him at Rai;hmat,35 also called Rathmuighe. 3^ In these also, the object of Fursey's journey to Munster is represented as being a desire to see his other relations, and sow the seeds of the Divine Word among them through his spiritual. exhortations. But their authority is not of equal weight with that of his original acts. According to these, it does not appear, that any of Fursey's relations had been at Rathmat, before he resolved on visiting theprovinceofMunster. 37 Afterthisvisit,heprobablyinducedsomeofthe Momonians to embrace a religious life, and to accompany him on his return to Lough Corrib.
CHAPTER IV.
ST. fursey's illness—HIS VISIONS—HIS SPIRIT RETURNS TO HIS INANIMATE BODY,
When Fursey arrived near his paternal residence, according to the old acts, he was taken suddenly ill, and then conveyed to a neighbouring house. For several hours he remained in such a state as to be thought at the point of death. But, in his other acts, it is said, that this illness seized upon him
just as he was setting out for Munster, and that in consequence, complying with the request of his companions, he returned to his monastery. ^ During
this sickness, Fursey had very extraordinary visions, which are related at great length in some of his acts ; although in other lives of our saint they are given in a form more or less abridged. The father of Enghsh ecclesiastical historytreatsoftheminratherasuccinctmanner. ^ Butforfurtheredifying details he refers to the little book of the holy ecstatic's life, then apparently well-known. 3 But in St. Fursey's Acts, which are published by Colgan, ac-
of Lough Mask," chap, v. , p. 99. of all his relations seems to have inflamed 33 See John O'Donovan's letter, dated our saint in undertaking his journey to
" Ecclesiastical containing Information relative to the An- History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xvi. , §
Tuam, September 20th, 1838, in "Letters Munster. See Dr.
tiquities of the County of Galway, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1838," vol. i. , p. 172.
3"* In the old acts, after the words quoted
by Dr. Lanigan, in his note 63, it is merely said, that he built a monastery in a certain
Lanigan's
viii. , p. 455, —and n. 71, pp. 456, 457, ibid.
^ When relating the vision, most probably Venerable Bede overlooked the details of him, etiam parentum suorum," and these Fursey's journey. Bede states, that this
spot, whither some religious persons went to "
he took care of with pious solicitude.
35 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," xvi. Januarii. Vita S. Furssei, n. i,
p- 91-
3* Ibid. , cap. xi. , and n. 14.
37 Their statements seem to have been de-
rived from a misinterpretation of the text in the more ancient acts. It is however true that the promotion of the spiritual welfare
illness seized the saint in his monastery, but such a statement does not agree with published accounts. See "Historia Ec- clesiastica Gentis Anglomm," lib. iii. , cap. xix. , p. 210.
3 Bede says he only introduced some of these details into his own history. See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. xix. , pp. 209 to 214.
'
Chap. iv.
every other instance, are most worthy of
The old in this as in acts,
credit. On this point Capgrave agrees with them, in his Life of St. Fursey.
244 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i6.
counts concerning these ecstasies are greatly amplified. '* It may not be an "improbable conjecture, to suppose, that these visions might have been par- tially the effect of a delirium,s consequent on the illness of our saint, and partly the cogitation of a pious and contemplative mind, agitated and excited by a feverish state of the body. He was subsequently able to recollect and relate those visions, perhaps nearly according to the order in which they are foundwritten. ^ Thisconjecturewillnotappearsurprisingtothosewhohave
had experience of vivid impressions, created by a disordered imagination, and during a state of fever. After recovery, indelible recollections are left on the
memory in a great variety of instances. '
In his old acts,^ we are- told, that while our saint was being borne by some
companions to his cell, the holy man was transported in spirit, from the ninth
hour of day to the first cock crowing, and during the night-time. 9 Desmay occasionallyaddscircumstancesnotgivenintheseacts. Hestates,thatFursey
had scarcely left his monastery for the purpose of proceeding to Munster, when he was seized with a sudden illness. This attack rapidly approached to a crisis, leaving all his attendants under an impression that his last hour on earth had arrived. Being carried to this monastery, he was laid on a bed. When the symptoms of suffering had somewhat abated, he was rapt intoanecstasy,duringwhichhehadseveralvisions. ^" Theserepresentedthe state of man in sin, sure remedies for sin, as also those virtues which are parti- cularlypleasinginGod'ssight. Asthesaintlayduringthistimewithoutexclama- tion, motion, or respiration, the religious who were present gave way to sighs and tears, for they thought him already dead, because no sign of sensation or life appeared. However, at the early dawn of morning, Fursey was restored to the use of his faculties. Then he began to inform the monks, regarding those revelations made to him by the Almighty, during his ecstasy. In the first place, no sooner had he ceased to feel pulsation, then he found himself surrounded by shadows of deep and horrible obscurity. Then two angels,
"
Fleury writes :
pour convertir ses parents, il tomba malade et fut reduit en tel etat, qu'on le crut mort, ce qui arriva plusiers fois. II eut cependant des visions merveilieuses, touchant I'etat de I'autre vie, et re9ut d'excellentes instruc- tions, par des anges et des saints eveques, qui lui apparurent. " "Histoire Ecclesiastique," livre xxviii. , § xxviii.
Latin Christianity," book xiv. , chap. ii.
i The vision of Frate Alberico is very closely modelled on that of St. Fursey.
The former was a monk of Monte Cassino. Hi's vision was written in Latin, in the latter half of the twelfth century.
^Published by Colgan at the l6th of
January.
9 This records the first ecstatic ^'ision which
Etant retoume chez lui
s The same venerable chronicler tells us,
that one of the old brothers of his monastery
was wont to relate the visions of St. Fursey,
which the saint himself communicated to a
very trustworthy and religious man, who
heard thes2 narratives from the lips of to have been the earliest of its class, and to Fursey himself when he was among the
East Angles.
