" Aroused from sleep, and full of joy for the favour obtained, the pious couple took their departure,
confident
that their future son should prove a source of untold blessings to all.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
iSi
saints were at school, under Barr, at Corcach. These offered themselves and theirchurchestoGodandtoSt. Barre/s WefindaparishofKilmoon,^^ in the barony of Burren and county of Clare, and there is to be found the fragments of an ancient church. ^? A portion has been converted into a
family vault, and the mouldering walls stand within an ancient graveyard, fenced only by a loose stone wall. The old church is not far from the now
celebratedsulphurandironspringsofLisdoonvarna. ^^ Itseemsprobable enough, that place was called after a St. Muadan. Mr. William M. Hennessy seems to intimate, that All Muadain, or more correctly Cill Muadain, may
probably be found, in the county of Monaghan. '9 There is a townland of Kilmoon,^° in the parish of TuUagh, in the eastern division of West Carbery Barony, and in the West Riding of Cork County. We find, that under the head of Carn Furbaidhe,^' Duald Mac Firbis enters, Muadan, bishop of Carn-Furbaidhe, at March the 6th. "
Article V. —St. Cadroe, or Hadroe, Abbot of Wasor, Belgium.
\Tenth Centtiryl\ The celebrated English antiquary, William Camden, acknowledges, that after the conversion of Ireland to the Christian Faith by
St. Patrick, none could be found more holy or more learned than its Scottish monks, and that it sent forth swarms of saintly men, into all parts of Europe, while many cities and monasteries owe their origin to Irish founders. In Glastonbury, and in other 'places, throughout England, our countrymen established seminaries for learning, with several religious houses. '^ And at a time, when learning was at a low ebb, in nearly all other countries, about the tenth century, it flourished in Ireland, whither many holy men resorted, in order to obtain a finished religious and secular education. ^ In the Mon- astery of St. Gall, and in other Irish foundations, on the Continent of Europe, at this period, many eminent Irish teachers and scholars were to be found. 3
ology of Donegal," n. 3, p. 65. Mr. William M. Hennessy remarks, that there is evidently a mistake here for Cill Muadain, and as a
he refers to the Index
proof " Topographicus,
in Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hibernise. "
'S Finding only the present St. Muadan, and another St. Muadan, venerated at the
'° This is marked, on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cork," Sheets 149, 153.
=' Here William M. adds a Hennessy
note: "It is stated in the Dinnsenchus,
' Book of Lecan,' fol. 231, that this was the
name of a large cam, on Sliabh Cairbre, or the Carn Mountain, in the north of the
countyofLongford; andColgan(AA,SS. p. 253) observes, that Cill Modani was
30th of August, in our Martyrologies, O'Clery says, he is in doubt, as to the iden- tification of St. Barr's disciple, called Mua- dan of Aill Nuaitin. '
Carn furbaidhe. ' "
" See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish
'* Its position is shown, on the " Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Clare," Sheets 4, 5, 8, 9. The townlands of Kilmoon East and West are fouhd on Sheets 4, 8.
'7 The accompanying illustration was drawn on the spot, by the writer, in June,
transferred to the wood, by William
1877,^
F. Wakeman, and engraved, by George A. Hanlon.
^
Jhis townland is within the same parish,
juxta
'^
Academy. " Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part
i. , pp. 92, 93. —'See sive Flo- Article v. "Britannia,"
rentissimorum Regnorum Anglise, Scotise, Hibernise et Insularum adjacentium ex in-
tima antiquitate Chorographica Descriptio. Authore Guilielmo Camdeno, pp. 647, 648. The first edition of this valuable work ap- peared in 1586 ; but, it was much improved and enlarged in subsequent editions.
^ in the case of St. who Thus, Sulgenus,
flourished in Britain, between 900 and 1000,
we read, "exemplo patrum, commotus amore legendi, ivit ad Ibernos sophia mira- bill claros. "— " Vita S. Sulgeni. " Cam- den's "Britannia. "
3 See the account of Hermannus Contrac-
"
and it is noted, on the "Ordnance Townland Maps for the County of Clare," Sheet 8. An interesting account of the springs, hotels, antiquities, and scenery, will be found in the " Hand-Book to Lisdoon- vama and its Vicinity," with a map and woodcuts. Dublin, 1876, i2mo.
ts There is a MS. note
Survey
(with a query) ap-
tus, in Henricus Canisius'
Antiques Lec-
pended, in his copy of the " of Martyrology
tiones,"
tomus i.
Donegal. "
l82 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 6.
The ancient author of Blessed Cadroe's Life has dedicated his performance
to Immonus,4 or, according to Colgan, Immonius Ousmann. s The patron appears to have been Abbot of Wasor/ and a successor to our saint. The writer? of this tract, called Reimann, or Ousmann,^ seems to have been a monk of the same establishment ; but, although he does not claim to have been a Synchronus,^ a Scotus, or an Irishman,^" he indicates, that some of our saint's disciples were alive, when he wrote. " Hence, it has been assumed, that he flourished about a. d. 1040. " His biography has been praised for its good Latinity, notwithstanding the A\Titer's apology for its rudeness to Immonus, who appears to have urged him to a task, not reluc- tantly undertaken. He acknowledges having access to histories, in his Pre- face, and from these, he has epitomized an account of ancient people, and the migrations of Ireland's former colonists, not greatly inconsistent with our present accepted records. '3 Such notices, however, we are obliged to elimi- nate from the present Life, as being extraneous, and yet accessible. Certain piousreflections,whichprecede,arealsoofnecessityomitted. TheoldActs of this saint have been published, by Colgan,'* with notes, and an Appen- dix. 's The BoUandists have given it, likewise, with a previous commentary,*^ Mabillon and D'Achery have an account of St. Cadroe, Abbot, in a Life, con- taining, with prologue, 37 paragraphs, as also six paragraphs of preliminary
* According to the BoUandists.
s The BoUandists suppose, that some error of a copyist has been adopted by Col- gan, when thus confusing the name of the dedicator, with that of the abbot to whom the work had been dedicated. And, in the copy, which they obtained, through the kindness of Dominus Rumold Hancart, Prior of the Monastery (Andainensis) of St. Hubert, in Ardennes, the writer is called Reimann or Ousnian, who is thought to have lived, about twenty years after St. Cadroe's death.
* In the " Chronicon Valciodorense," an interesting history of this religious house will be found, although there are many errors in the narrative.
7 Colgan calls him an anonymous writer, whose biography of our saint, with the Acts of other Irisii saints, had been transmitted, by Dominus Nicolaus Fasonius, Abbot of St. Hubert's Monastery, in Ardennes. The piety and zeal of this superior are extolled, by Colgan ; while tiie abbot transcribed those documents and sealed them with his own hand, as taken from the parchments, be- longing to his Abbey.
^ to the of a
According copy manuscript,
obtained by the BoUandists, from the Mon- astery of St. Hubert.
9 He excuses himself, alluding to the sub- ject of his memoir, that he was not "ita viro illi familiaris," and that beyond what was related to him, he knew nothing of St. Cadroe's Acts. Yet, in this account, the BoUandist editor infers, that dedicating the work to Immonus, Abbot, who flourished about A. D. 990, most likely the writer was a monk of Wasor, and a native of the country near it, and that he certainly did not belong to the Monastery of St. Clement and of St. Symphorian, for, in the latter case, he
should have more intimately known St. Cad- roe. The editor considei's, as our saint pre- sided over Wasor for some years, before the time of Forannan, and as it had an Abbot,
named Immonus, and as the "Chronicon "
Walciodorense alludes to a volume, kept at Wasor, and containing the miracles of Blessed Cadroe, it must be deemed a reason- able inference, that allusion is made to the present Life, of which the monks there should be likely to have preserved a copy, as relating to their former Superior's Acts. Or again, it may be urged, that as there had been an Immonus, Abbot of Gorze, in Lor- raine, about A. D. ic»6, he was contempora- neous with the Wasor Immonus. Kow, there was a Monasteiy of St. Vincent and of St Amulf, in the city of Metz, where sacred literature was encouraged, and where the Acts of various saints had been written. Nothing, however, can be pronounced with certainty, in reference to this matter.
"° The Teutonic name given to him ap-
pears to remove such a suspicion.
" The BoUandists seem to allow, that he
may have been a contemporary of our saint.
'-
Sucla is Colgan's opiuion.
'3 These narratives take in the settle- early
ment of Scotland, as well as of Ireland ; but, the foreign writer seems to have con- fused certain names of places, and some matters of detail.
'•• See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemire," vi. Martii. Vita B. Cadroe, Abb. Valciodo- rensis, &c, pp. 494 to 505.
'5 In two chapters. See ibid,, pp. 505 to 507-
'*
In four sections and twenty-three para- graphs. See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. De S. Cadroe Abbate Metis in Lotharingia, pp. 469 to 481.
March 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 183 observations. '7 In the Annals of the Benedictine Order, various notices of
'*
Circle of the Seasons "^<» and Bishop Forbes have notices of St. Cadroe. ^^ Many other authorities treat about the incidents of our saint's life, but his Acts are greatly confused
"
Blessed Cadroe occur/^ Bishop Challenor/9 the
by different writers. Those, borrowed from the
are especially open to such objection. Some of the Scotch writers have entertained opinions, that St. Cadroe must have been their countryman : first, because his country is called Scotia ;^^ secondly, because his parents are stated to have prayed, at the tomb of Blessed Columbanus, assumed to have been at the tomb of St. Columkille,^^ in lona ; thirdly, because St. Beanus is called his cousin-german^'t on the father's side, and he is thought to have been the Blessed Beanus, Bishop of Murthlacensis, venerated at Aberdeen, a city of Scotland, on the i6th of December ;^s fourthly, because Dunwallon, or Douenaldus, King of Cumbria,^^ or Strathclyde, was a relation of St. Cadroe ; fifthly, because our saint went across the sea^7 to St. Beanus from the city of Armagh ; and, sixthly, because, the king presiding over Cathroe's country is called Constantine,^^ who thought to retain him at home, and who afterwards accompanied him into Cumbria. Yet, however specious these arguments seem, at first sight, they are supposed to have little weight, when examined ; and, as taken, in context with the old Acts. Some very elaborate and ingenious arguments^9 are used, by Colgan, to demonstrate the fallacy of the foregoing
'7 See "Acta Sanctorum Ordinis S. Bene- dicti," vol. vii. , seec. v. , pp. 487 to 501.
'* In the Forty-fourth, Forty-fifth, Forty- seventh and Forty-eighth Books of the Third Vohime.
'9 See "Britannia Sancta," part i. , p. 159. *° See p. 66.
Acts shows how Ireland's early colonization
is alone intended, while many of the places named have solely existence in Ireland, that even his country is expressly called Hiber. nia, and the companions of his journey Hibernians, while these notions are con- firmed from other sources. The second ob- jection is resolved, by the fact, that there were many holy men, called by the name of Columbanus, who were buried in Ireland, and. even were St. Columkille meant, his remains had been transferred from lona to Down, A. D. 816, in the time of King Diar- maid. To the third objection, answer is made, that there were seven or eight distinct saints, called Beanus, in Ii'eland, and, if we admit Beanus, Bishop of Murthlacensis, was meant, his recorded period will not tally with that of our saint. To the fourth objec- tion, it may be urged, that if Douenaldus, King of Cumbria, were a Scoto-Briton, this need not prevent him from being a relation of St. Cadroe, for the Irish and Albanian Scots often intermarried ; while, we cannot tell, whether or not, Douenaldus was Scot, Welch, English or Dane, by descent, and again, the account of Donaldus, Prefect of Cumbria, can hardly be i-econciled with our saint's age. To the fifth objection, it is shown, how easily Cadroe might go to Bea- nus, by some large inland lake, or even by an arm of the sea, without at all leaving Ireland. Tothesixthobjection,Colganre- plies, that there was a King Constantine, who became a monk, in Ireland, and who died A. D. 943, while there was another Con stantine, in the north of Ireland, to which part St. Cadroe is supposed to belong, and
who flourished about his period.
3° See "Acta Sanctorum HiberniK,"
Martii vi. Appendix ad Vitam S. Cadroe,
^'
293- ^^
See "Xalendars of Scottish Saints," p.
See the sixth chapter of his Life, as
occurringinColgan'sarrangement. Hence, it has been thought, Albanian Scotia was meant.
^3 See his Life, at the 9th of June,
'"^ In the eighth chapter of Cadroe's Life.
Bishop Forbes says he was probably St. Bean of Kinkell, venerated on the 1 6th of December. Hedieda. d. 1012.
^5 According to the Roman Martyrology, jMolanus, and other authorities.
^*
In our saint's time, Cumbria was sub- ject to the kings of Scotland, and Domnal- dus VI. , grandson to Malcolm II. , by his daughter Beatrice, and eighty-fourth king of
Scotland, was Prefect of Cumbria, according to Buchanan, in his "Rerum Scoticarum Ilistoria," lib. vii. , pp. 188 to 192.
^^ This is assumed to have been the sea, between Ireland and Scotland.
'*
There were four kings, bearing this name, over Scotland ; and, it is even re- markable, that the third king of this name, and the seventy-fifth of Scotland, flourished a short time before the middle of the tenth century. The reader will find an account of their several reigns in Buchanan's " Rerum Scoticarum Historia. "
^9 These may be summarised, in reference to the first objection, that Scotia was a name applying to Ireland, as well as to Scotland, that the historical introduction to our saint's
Chronicon Valciodorense,"
1 84 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 6.
the Bollandists are not convinced—and— seem objections. 2° However, they
tohavesufficientintrinsicevidencetodeducefromCadroe'sActs thatthis saint was a native of Ireland, ahhough it is certain his education was received there. In this opinion, we Hkewise concur. We shall now proceed to relate the recorded facts of his history. St. Cadroe is sometimes called Kaddroe, and, sometimes, Hadroe. As a new olive, from a good parent stock, he was the son of Foitheach^^ or FochereachjS^ a nobleman, and the second husband of Bania,33 who had sons by her former spouse. Yet, when after- wards married, no child was born to them, until her husband and herself prayedferventlytoSt. Columbanus334 when,onenight,whileinfastingand prayer, they watched at his tomb, having lighted candles in their hands, sud-
denly, the separate tapers seemed to form only one light.
Then appeared a
"
O
hath moistened stole, and thy prayers have been accepted in God's sight ; so that as Samuel had been granted to the entreaties of Anna,35 and her conception of those of Rebecca,3^ it hath been decreed, that you shall conceive and bring forth a son, called Kadroe, a future light of the Church, who, in accordance with his name, shall be an invincible warrior37 in the army of the Lord, always opposed to danger, while fighting for the house of Israel.
" Aroused from sleep, and full of joy for the favour obtained, the pious couple took their departure, confident that their future son should prove a source of untold blessings to all. Accordingl)', in due course, the child was born, and his parentsbestowedonhimthenameofKaddroe. Colganthinkshewasborn in the north of Ireland. 3^ The noble or respectable families, according to a custom prevalent in the Irish nation, no sooner heard of his birth, than they severally sought to become his fosterers. 39 To avoid all cause for jealousy, Kaddroe's mother declared, that she should not withhold her son from that person, to whom God would assign him. In a vision, which took place during sleep, the mother clearly saw that matron, who was destined to take charge of him, and with general consent, she assumed tlie task of suckling andnursingKaddroe. Hisfatherearnestlysoughttohavehiminstructedin useful pursuits j for, even in his tender age, the child showed an aptitude for
man,
in a beautiful
habit, saying,
Thy tears,
woman,
my
cap. ii. De Patria, pp. 505 to 507.
3' Such was the name, as found in Col-
gan's copy, of St. Cadroe's Acts.
3^ This is the form, the Bollandists met
relics formerly reposed, and which, in con- sequence, might be regarded as his tomb.
35 i. Kings, i
^ See Genesis xxx.
37 As in the manuscript copy he had, Col- gan sometimes found the name, written Caddroe,andsometimesCadroe; hethinks the author mistook the original spelling or
with, in their copy. Colgan conjectures,
however, that Ferathach or Fochartach is
probably the correct rendering, and more in
accordance with ancient Irish names. He
shows, too, from the Irish Annals, that pronunciation of the name ; for, cath, in Fogartach and Feradhath were names known
m Ireland, about our saint's period.
33 We are informed, by Colgan, that in the Irish language, this name has a signifi-
"
cation, which means
3+ It seems no easy matter to determine,
who this St. Columban had been, since there are so many thus called, in our Irish
Martyrologies. Colgan argues, it could not have been Columkille's tomb, at lona, that is here meant ; because about the year 831, for greater security, Diarmait, Abbot of that Monastery, brought his relics to Ireland. See Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes, O, p. 389. The Bollandists assert, however, that even if this be admitted, Cadroe's parents could have visited that place, where St. Columba's
Irish, has the signification of "war," or "battle," and roe, the same as agon, means the place "for battle. " Or, if for Cathroe, we read Cathoer, its derivation means "war- ring," and becomes identical with "war- rior :" this was also a name, frequently met
with, in our Irish Annals,
38 Tq us, Scotland seems more likely to
have been the country of his birth,
3? This has been a very prevalent custom in Ireland, from times remote, and even to a comparatively recent period. This habit was supposed to involve the duty of alliance and protection, from the fostered and his family to the fosterer, in after time. Depen- dants were regarded in the light of relations, under such conditions. The Bollandists re- mark, that it is likely these customs of older
white" or "fair. "
March 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 185
such education. The saint had a cousin-german on the father's side, and whowasnamedBeanus. 4° Thiswasaverypiousman,whowasaddictedto the offices of prayer, of alms, and of self-restraint. He offered prayers for the child's saWation, and the old man had a vision, that the boy should be sent to school, so that he miglit be prepared to enter upon the clerical state. When this was related to the father, he felt unwilling to be deprived of an only son, who, it was hoped, might inherit his temporal possessions, and who shouldbecometowardshimasastaffinoldage. But,theLordwaspleased to bless Cadroe's parents with another son, whom they called Mattadanus. *^ Then Beanus was urged in a vision, once more to see the father, and to warn him, that he should not hesitate to make the sacrifice Divine Providence re- quired. Even a miracle was performed, to urge on his determination. The parents again sought the tomb of Columbanus, and there with prayers, they made an offer of their son, Cadroe, to their old relative, who undertook the charge of training him in holy wisdom, and in a knowledge of the Divine law. Cadroe answered well to these efforts, for as he advanced in years, he soon outstripped his other schoolfellows, in ability and knowledge. While thus engaged, some disturbances arose in the neighbourhood, and his fosterers urged the youth to take up arms, in order to protect them from the raids of their enemies. Notwithstanding the care of a cleric, to whom Beanus had entrusted Caddroe, during a temporary absence, the youth marched with his friends and pursued their invaders to the banks of a swollen river. This the pursuers could not cross, for want of boats ; and, meantime, the cleric brought word to Beanus, about Caddroe's action. Being sharply reproved for his neglect, the cleric was told to hasten with all speed, and to
command the pupil to desist from his purpose. Soon Beanus followed, and asking, why his relative had been inflamed with such rage, was told, that honour or duty urged him to assist his fosterers. These reproved the old
man's efforts, in soothing the youth's anger. A test was proposed, that Cad- roe's Book of Gospels should be produced and opened. The first text read
was this " Of him, that taketh away thy goods, ask them not again. " 42
:
pleasing
the another text was " All that take young man, produced,
This not
the sword shall perish by the sword. " ^3 Again was it necessary to have recourse to the Book, in order to procure Cadroe's obedience. This text
Scotia had been introduced into Albanian Scotia.
<° The Bollandists consider it likely enough, he was Cadroe's father's brother, inasmuch as he is called an old man. Col- gan remarks, that there were many Irish saints, bearing this name ; yet, it does not seem necessary to notice the dates of their festivals, for the Bollandists remark, that our saint's instructor may not belong to the number, and that he may not have been an Irishman.
*' It is obsen'ed, by Colgan, that in his day, there was a noble and an ancient family of Southern Connaught, called O'Mattad- han, or O' Madden ; but, he would not assert this family name had been derived from the present Mattadanus. However, it is re- markable, that during his age, and in that of his brother, St. Cadroe, many bearing the former name are known to have lived in Ire- land, as instanced in our annalistic entries. Thus, in Sil-nanmchada, its chief Mattada- nus died, a. d. 1008. Thus, at a. d. 947,
Mattadanus, the son of Aidus, King of Ul- tonia, was killed ; and again, at A. D. 1005, Mattadanus, the son of Domhnall, King of Ultonia, was slain, at Down. Colgan seems to hold it as probable, the latter was re- lated to St. Cadroe's family, inferring that it belonged to Ulster, as did also the St. Beanus, mentioned in the Life. Again, he thinks, that the DaJ. fiatach family, from whom these kings descended, lived away from the eastern shore of Loch Eachach, or Lough Neagh, so that, when Cadroe re- turned home from Armagh, this would seem to be the sea over which he sailed. Colgan also supposes, that St. Brigid's church, in which Cadroe prayed, was to be found in the same tribe-land. The Bollandist editor urges, however, as an objection, that from Ultonia, too, the Albanian Scots derive their common origin, language and names, so that little can be inferred, from the name of Mattadanus, to elucidate Caddroe's native
place,
''-St. Luke, vi. 30.
1 86
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 6.
was then
quoted :
" Thou wicked I servant,
forgave
thee all the
debt,
because
thou besoughtest me : shouldst not thou then have had compassion, also, on
thy fellow-servant, even as I had compassion on thee ? "' ''* Cadroe then
yielded to the entreaties of Ceanus, and returned to his studiejs and devout
course of life. While the old man Beanus rested one day on his bed, and
Kaddroe, with his companions, reposed near ; the Blessed Virgin appeared,
so full of years, as if she belonged not to that century, but having a counte-
nance brighter than the sun, while clothed in a septiform garment of wonder-
ful magnificence and of an intricate pattern. This vision filled the old man
withdelight,sothatheenquiredwhoshewas,andwhenceshecame. She
then said " I wisdom dwell in counsel, and am present in learned
:
thoughts. " 45 Afterwards, she expressed a desire, that the young man might be given to her, and then she vanished from Beanus' view. Meantime, a
great desire possessed Cadroe, to engage on the study of humanities,'*^ and, to gratify his tastes, Beanus prepared whatever was necessary, to send him on
his way to Ireland. ^? and to fit him out for the schools, at Armagh. Here, after being imbued with a knowledge of the Divine precepts, he did not fear to acquire secular learning, which even serves to elucidate the more necessary science. •^ In his extensive course of studies, Cadroe surpassed all his class- fellows ; and, we are informed, that he read, whatever the Poet sung, the Orator spoke, and the Philosopher thought. Nothing escaped his research ; he learned the sciences, which treat about number, measure and weight,'*9 touch and hearing ;5° he was able to describe the most occult courses, and the spaces occupied by the stars. s^ Thus instructed, he crossed the sea, and returned to Beanus. Then, throughout the whole of Scotia, he faithfully spread that good seed, he had gleaned among his fellow-servants ; for, although the Scots had many pedagogues, they had few masters, and Cadroe greatly spread a knowledge of the arts among them. Wherefore, as his lips taught science to many, affliction fled from him ; for, from the time of his arrival, none of the learned had crossed the sea, but they remained in Ire- land. 52 His aged relative was rejoiced to find the improvement in Cadroe, and in all he did or attempted, no other person was known to excel him.
Besides, old Beanus prayed God to direct him, while the youth was growing
to man's estate ; when, one night, fatigued with vigil and with singing the Divine praises, he rested on his bed. While between asleep and awake, he beheld the vision of a great assembly. Wondering what this could mean,
*3 See St. Matt. xxvi. 52.
^ St. Matt, xviii. 32, 33.
45 Prov. viii. 12.
4* The Acts have "secularibus tradatur
studiis. "
47 Colgan would have us believe, that our
saint was not living out of Ireland, at this time; but, the context of his Acts seems to favour a different idea, and the Bollandist editor observes, that until Colgan could point out a Hibernia and an Artmacha outside of Hibernia itself, that opinion should be held.
4* His Acts state, Cadroe or Beanus
knew, that Plato the Pagan Philosopher, moved thereto by the fame of Jeremias, went to Egypt, and from a conference held with this prophet, he found out, what he did not previously know, the existence of
one God over all things. Stephanus, with several other Doctors and Historians, held
a like opinion.
9 This refers, we presume, to the science
of arithmetic and mensuration.
so xhjg indicates his knowledge of natura
philosophy.
S' This seems referable to the theoretic
knowledge of astronomy, taught then in Irish Schools. The Acts thus state, "ad ultimum astrorum occultos tractus et cursus radio doctius Egino, quo nescio an aliquis in coeli Hierarchia probatior sit, designavit. ''
sa The meaning of this sentence, in the original, is difficult to be understood. To us, it seems most probable, that the students who came from Scotland to Ireland mostly remained in the latter country. It cannot be supposed to mean, that no learned men had emigrated from Ireland, before that time ; for, such a conjecture must be in conflict, with the most notorious fads of European historj-.
March 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 187
one of those persons composing it presented a most reverential appearance, and said to Beanus, " It is now expedient to increase the army of the eternal
" Do
who shall run in the sight of this directing leader, who comes leaping in the
king. " Then,
to the rest he
spoke,
you
inscribe the names of
youths
He tells us, to show this man behold- ing us, what they must pass over. " Then, Beanus saw three caves, dug out of the earth ; two of these were not of great extent, but the third cave was
one of immense depth and width. Beyond it, however, seemed a region of splendour and agreeableness. The old man asked, what was meant by such a portent ; and, he was told, that if his youth desired their leader's favour, they must pass over these caves. Beanus especially feared for Kaddroe, but he was told not to dread, because all should accomplish the feat, in a dis- similar way, and that his relative, for whom he had most fear, should be the first to cross in a successful manner. He was told, likewise, the meaning attached to those three caves. The first cave signified, a voluntary relin-
quishing of temporal possessions ; the second, exile from one's country ; and the third, the exercise of a monastic life. In fine, their opposite bank be-
tokened the possession of eternal happiness. Then, the vision ceased, the old man arose from his bed, nor had many days elapsed, until the Lord said
from and kindred, and from the house of thy country
mountains and passing over the hills.
to " Kaddroe,
Depart
thy father, and go to the land, I shall show thee, and I shall make you the
leader of my people, and I shall exalt you above the clouds, and I shall grant you the inheritance of Jacob, thy father. " Awaking from sleep, Cadroe had a great desire to commence his pilgrimage, and to leave all things ; but, rumours spread his intentions abroad, and rich and poor were alike grieved. As if this were a national calamity, people of every age and condition, in Scotia, sent their remonstrances and objections to him. 53 These caused him to reconsider his determination. We are told, that it was his custom, to seek in solitude a great tree, beside a river. Lest this should carry him off in its current, he held a rope attached to the tree ; and, divesting himself of gar- ments, during the coldest nights of the year, he plunged into the water, and remained there, until he recited from the one hundred and eighteenth to the one hundred and thirty-third psalm. 54 But, Cadroe's purpose began to revive, although winter had now come, and the sea was very rough. Not only the people of Scotia, but the king, who is called Constantine,55 sought this time, to divert him from his intention. Especially, while he was praying in the church of St. Brigid,56 both nobles and commonality flocked thither ; but,
53 The Bollandists remark, that at this
time, Caddroe had already passed his fortieth year.
that King Constantine, mentioned in the text ; while, he thinks, the circumstances of
time, place, affinity, dignity, &c. , are favour- able to such a supposition. See E)r. O'Dono-
s'* Suchausterepracticesofpenanceoften
are mentioned, in the Acts of our Celtic van's
"
Annals of the Four Masters," vol.
saints.
55 Colgan will have it, as probable, that sinceConstantineO'Ne—illflourishedinUl-
tonia, about a. d. 850 probably Conn, son of Donnchadh, heir apparent to the—sove- reignty, slain, a. d. 942, is here meant and, as he was of royal stock, belonging to the Kinel-Eoghan, he deserved the title of king, over that province, following the Irish custom. According to race and prospects, he might have been regarded as the future king of Ireland. Again, we find Aedh, son of Conn, and royal heir of Oileach, was slain, A. D. 1009 or loio. Colgan knows of no other more likely than he, to have been
ii. , pp. 650, 651, 762, 763. The Bollan- dists state, however, that the Constantine
meantwasnothe,who,accordingtoMajor, took the monastic habit, A. D. 941, and who
lived, in that state, for fifteen years ; but, rather Malcolm then reigned, although the author of our saint's Acts was ignorant of this fact.
56 Both in Ireland, and in Scotland, several different saints, named Brigid, are venerated. The Bollandists think, this one was St. Brigid, related to Granard, King of the Picts, and who lived about the end of the seventh century, she having been in- terred at Abernethy.
when they urged him,
not to desert their
country,
Kaddroe
answered,
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 6.
" I
shall not leave you, since wherever I may be, I shall keep you in my
memory. " Where the church of St. Brigid was situated has been disputed.
According to Colgan,57 it lay within that district, now known as Kilbride
in the of — Antrim, and not many miles north-eastwards
parish, barony Upper
fromthetownofAntrimss -^yhereyetarearemarkableRoundTowerssand
Round Tower of Antrim.
Other antiquarian remains—in that county, bearing the like name. How- ever, the IBollandists hold, that the site of this church must probably be sought for at Abernethy,^° in Scotland, and about fifteen miles distant from St. Andrew's. ^' In a matter of such difficulty, we shall not undertake to offer an opinion ; but, it is related, in his Acts, that St. Cadroe's reply did notsatisfythose,whowereassembledinSt. Brigid'schurch. Theyinsisted,
57 This is rather inferred, from the theory
he advances, that probably St. Cadroe drew
his origin, from the territory of Hy-Tuirtre,
and from the Dalfiatach family. Regard-
ing the extent of Hy-Tuirtre, tlie reader is
referred to its description, in the Rev, of the round tower, which is here intro-
William Reeves' " Ecclesiastical Antiquities
of Down, Connor and Dromore. " Appen-
dix, BB. , pp. 292 to 297.
5' The parish of Antrim is situated, within
the baronies of Upjier Antrim and Upper Toome. It is described on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Antrim," Sheets 43, 44, 49, 50. The town itself is within the barony of Upper Antrim, and it is shown on Sheet 50. libd.
59 A course drawing, and a notice of this object, appear in Dr. Adam Clarke's
duced, was taken by Mrs. Millard, from a
photograph, by Frederick H. Mares, 79
Grafton-street, Dublin. Near this, it is
supposed, the original church of Antrim
stood. Within the present century, vast
quantities of human remains were cleared
away from the adjoining space, and now
only a smooth sward and trees surround it.
"Works," vol. xi. , p. 80 ;
as also, in the
this place, a parish chiefly in Perthshire, and partly in Fifeshire, in Fullarton's " Im-
perial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. 22 to 24.
^' This is Constan- where the king-monk
tine lived.
"Dublin vol.
saints were at school, under Barr, at Corcach. These offered themselves and theirchurchestoGodandtoSt. Barre/s WefindaparishofKilmoon,^^ in the barony of Burren and county of Clare, and there is to be found the fragments of an ancient church. ^? A portion has been converted into a
family vault, and the mouldering walls stand within an ancient graveyard, fenced only by a loose stone wall. The old church is not far from the now
celebratedsulphurandironspringsofLisdoonvarna. ^^ Itseemsprobable enough, that place was called after a St. Muadan. Mr. William M. Hennessy seems to intimate, that All Muadain, or more correctly Cill Muadain, may
probably be found, in the county of Monaghan. '9 There is a townland of Kilmoon,^° in the parish of TuUagh, in the eastern division of West Carbery Barony, and in the West Riding of Cork County. We find, that under the head of Carn Furbaidhe,^' Duald Mac Firbis enters, Muadan, bishop of Carn-Furbaidhe, at March the 6th. "
Article V. —St. Cadroe, or Hadroe, Abbot of Wasor, Belgium.
\Tenth Centtiryl\ The celebrated English antiquary, William Camden, acknowledges, that after the conversion of Ireland to the Christian Faith by
St. Patrick, none could be found more holy or more learned than its Scottish monks, and that it sent forth swarms of saintly men, into all parts of Europe, while many cities and monasteries owe their origin to Irish founders. In Glastonbury, and in other 'places, throughout England, our countrymen established seminaries for learning, with several religious houses. '^ And at a time, when learning was at a low ebb, in nearly all other countries, about the tenth century, it flourished in Ireland, whither many holy men resorted, in order to obtain a finished religious and secular education. ^ In the Mon- astery of St. Gall, and in other Irish foundations, on the Continent of Europe, at this period, many eminent Irish teachers and scholars were to be found. 3
ology of Donegal," n. 3, p. 65. Mr. William M. Hennessy remarks, that there is evidently a mistake here for Cill Muadain, and as a
he refers to the Index
proof " Topographicus,
in Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hibernise. "
'S Finding only the present St. Muadan, and another St. Muadan, venerated at the
'° This is marked, on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cork," Sheets 149, 153.
=' Here William M. adds a Hennessy
note: "It is stated in the Dinnsenchus,
' Book of Lecan,' fol. 231, that this was the
name of a large cam, on Sliabh Cairbre, or the Carn Mountain, in the north of the
countyofLongford; andColgan(AA,SS. p. 253) observes, that Cill Modani was
30th of August, in our Martyrologies, O'Clery says, he is in doubt, as to the iden- tification of St. Barr's disciple, called Mua- dan of Aill Nuaitin. '
Carn furbaidhe. ' "
" See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish
'* Its position is shown, on the " Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Clare," Sheets 4, 5, 8, 9. The townlands of Kilmoon East and West are fouhd on Sheets 4, 8.
'7 The accompanying illustration was drawn on the spot, by the writer, in June,
transferred to the wood, by William
1877,^
F. Wakeman, and engraved, by George A. Hanlon.
^
Jhis townland is within the same parish,
juxta
'^
Academy. " Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part
i. , pp. 92, 93. —'See sive Flo- Article v. "Britannia,"
rentissimorum Regnorum Anglise, Scotise, Hibernise et Insularum adjacentium ex in-
tima antiquitate Chorographica Descriptio. Authore Guilielmo Camdeno, pp. 647, 648. The first edition of this valuable work ap- peared in 1586 ; but, it was much improved and enlarged in subsequent editions.
^ in the case of St. who Thus, Sulgenus,
flourished in Britain, between 900 and 1000,
we read, "exemplo patrum, commotus amore legendi, ivit ad Ibernos sophia mira- bill claros. "— " Vita S. Sulgeni. " Cam- den's "Britannia. "
3 See the account of Hermannus Contrac-
"
and it is noted, on the "Ordnance Townland Maps for the County of Clare," Sheet 8. An interesting account of the springs, hotels, antiquities, and scenery, will be found in the " Hand-Book to Lisdoon- vama and its Vicinity," with a map and woodcuts. Dublin, 1876, i2mo.
ts There is a MS. note
Survey
(with a query) ap-
tus, in Henricus Canisius'
Antiques Lec-
pended, in his copy of the " of Martyrology
tiones,"
tomus i.
Donegal. "
l82 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 6.
The ancient author of Blessed Cadroe's Life has dedicated his performance
to Immonus,4 or, according to Colgan, Immonius Ousmann. s The patron appears to have been Abbot of Wasor/ and a successor to our saint. The writer? of this tract, called Reimann, or Ousmann,^ seems to have been a monk of the same establishment ; but, although he does not claim to have been a Synchronus,^ a Scotus, or an Irishman,^" he indicates, that some of our saint's disciples were alive, when he wrote. " Hence, it has been assumed, that he flourished about a. d. 1040. " His biography has been praised for its good Latinity, notwithstanding the A\Titer's apology for its rudeness to Immonus, who appears to have urged him to a task, not reluc- tantly undertaken. He acknowledges having access to histories, in his Pre- face, and from these, he has epitomized an account of ancient people, and the migrations of Ireland's former colonists, not greatly inconsistent with our present accepted records. '3 Such notices, however, we are obliged to elimi- nate from the present Life, as being extraneous, and yet accessible. Certain piousreflections,whichprecede,arealsoofnecessityomitted. TheoldActs of this saint have been published, by Colgan,'* with notes, and an Appen- dix. 's The BoUandists have given it, likewise, with a previous commentary,*^ Mabillon and D'Achery have an account of St. Cadroe, Abbot, in a Life, con- taining, with prologue, 37 paragraphs, as also six paragraphs of preliminary
* According to the BoUandists.
s The BoUandists suppose, that some error of a copyist has been adopted by Col- gan, when thus confusing the name of the dedicator, with that of the abbot to whom the work had been dedicated. And, in the copy, which they obtained, through the kindness of Dominus Rumold Hancart, Prior of the Monastery (Andainensis) of St. Hubert, in Ardennes, the writer is called Reimann or Ousnian, who is thought to have lived, about twenty years after St. Cadroe's death.
* In the " Chronicon Valciodorense," an interesting history of this religious house will be found, although there are many errors in the narrative.
7 Colgan calls him an anonymous writer, whose biography of our saint, with the Acts of other Irisii saints, had been transmitted, by Dominus Nicolaus Fasonius, Abbot of St. Hubert's Monastery, in Ardennes. The piety and zeal of this superior are extolled, by Colgan ; while tiie abbot transcribed those documents and sealed them with his own hand, as taken from the parchments, be- longing to his Abbey.
^ to the of a
According copy manuscript,
obtained by the BoUandists, from the Mon- astery of St. Hubert.
9 He excuses himself, alluding to the sub- ject of his memoir, that he was not "ita viro illi familiaris," and that beyond what was related to him, he knew nothing of St. Cadroe's Acts. Yet, in this account, the BoUandist editor infers, that dedicating the work to Immonus, Abbot, who flourished about A. D. 990, most likely the writer was a monk of Wasor, and a native of the country near it, and that he certainly did not belong to the Monastery of St. Clement and of St. Symphorian, for, in the latter case, he
should have more intimately known St. Cad- roe. The editor considei's, as our saint pre- sided over Wasor for some years, before the time of Forannan, and as it had an Abbot,
named Immonus, and as the "Chronicon "
Walciodorense alludes to a volume, kept at Wasor, and containing the miracles of Blessed Cadroe, it must be deemed a reason- able inference, that allusion is made to the present Life, of which the monks there should be likely to have preserved a copy, as relating to their former Superior's Acts. Or again, it may be urged, that as there had been an Immonus, Abbot of Gorze, in Lor- raine, about A. D. ic»6, he was contempora- neous with the Wasor Immonus. Kow, there was a Monasteiy of St. Vincent and of St Amulf, in the city of Metz, where sacred literature was encouraged, and where the Acts of various saints had been written. Nothing, however, can be pronounced with certainty, in reference to this matter.
"° The Teutonic name given to him ap-
pears to remove such a suspicion.
" The BoUandists seem to allow, that he
may have been a contemporary of our saint.
'-
Sucla is Colgan's opiuion.
'3 These narratives take in the settle- early
ment of Scotland, as well as of Ireland ; but, the foreign writer seems to have con- fused certain names of places, and some matters of detail.
'•• See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemire," vi. Martii. Vita B. Cadroe, Abb. Valciodo- rensis, &c, pp. 494 to 505.
'5 In two chapters. See ibid,, pp. 505 to 507-
'*
In four sections and twenty-three para- graphs. See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. De S. Cadroe Abbate Metis in Lotharingia, pp. 469 to 481.
March 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 183 observations. '7 In the Annals of the Benedictine Order, various notices of
'*
Circle of the Seasons "^<» and Bishop Forbes have notices of St. Cadroe. ^^ Many other authorities treat about the incidents of our saint's life, but his Acts are greatly confused
"
Blessed Cadroe occur/^ Bishop Challenor/9 the
by different writers. Those, borrowed from the
are especially open to such objection. Some of the Scotch writers have entertained opinions, that St. Cadroe must have been their countryman : first, because his country is called Scotia ;^^ secondly, because his parents are stated to have prayed, at the tomb of Blessed Columbanus, assumed to have been at the tomb of St. Columkille,^^ in lona ; thirdly, because St. Beanus is called his cousin-german^'t on the father's side, and he is thought to have been the Blessed Beanus, Bishop of Murthlacensis, venerated at Aberdeen, a city of Scotland, on the i6th of December ;^s fourthly, because Dunwallon, or Douenaldus, King of Cumbria,^^ or Strathclyde, was a relation of St. Cadroe ; fifthly, because our saint went across the sea^7 to St. Beanus from the city of Armagh ; and, sixthly, because, the king presiding over Cathroe's country is called Constantine,^^ who thought to retain him at home, and who afterwards accompanied him into Cumbria. Yet, however specious these arguments seem, at first sight, they are supposed to have little weight, when examined ; and, as taken, in context with the old Acts. Some very elaborate and ingenious arguments^9 are used, by Colgan, to demonstrate the fallacy of the foregoing
'7 See "Acta Sanctorum Ordinis S. Bene- dicti," vol. vii. , seec. v. , pp. 487 to 501.
'* In the Forty-fourth, Forty-fifth, Forty- seventh and Forty-eighth Books of the Third Vohime.
'9 See "Britannia Sancta," part i. , p. 159. *° See p. 66.
Acts shows how Ireland's early colonization
is alone intended, while many of the places named have solely existence in Ireland, that even his country is expressly called Hiber. nia, and the companions of his journey Hibernians, while these notions are con- firmed from other sources. The second ob- jection is resolved, by the fact, that there were many holy men, called by the name of Columbanus, who were buried in Ireland, and. even were St. Columkille meant, his remains had been transferred from lona to Down, A. D. 816, in the time of King Diar- maid. To the third objection, answer is made, that there were seven or eight distinct saints, called Beanus, in Ii'eland, and, if we admit Beanus, Bishop of Murthlacensis, was meant, his recorded period will not tally with that of our saint. To the fourth objec- tion, it may be urged, that if Douenaldus, King of Cumbria, were a Scoto-Briton, this need not prevent him from being a relation of St. Cadroe, for the Irish and Albanian Scots often intermarried ; while, we cannot tell, whether or not, Douenaldus was Scot, Welch, English or Dane, by descent, and again, the account of Donaldus, Prefect of Cumbria, can hardly be i-econciled with our saint's age. To the fifth objection, it is shown, how easily Cadroe might go to Bea- nus, by some large inland lake, or even by an arm of the sea, without at all leaving Ireland. Tothesixthobjection,Colganre- plies, that there was a King Constantine, who became a monk, in Ireland, and who died A. D. 943, while there was another Con stantine, in the north of Ireland, to which part St. Cadroe is supposed to belong, and
who flourished about his period.
3° See "Acta Sanctorum HiberniK,"
Martii vi. Appendix ad Vitam S. Cadroe,
^'
293- ^^
See "Xalendars of Scottish Saints," p.
See the sixth chapter of his Life, as
occurringinColgan'sarrangement. Hence, it has been thought, Albanian Scotia was meant.
^3 See his Life, at the 9th of June,
'"^ In the eighth chapter of Cadroe's Life.
Bishop Forbes says he was probably St. Bean of Kinkell, venerated on the 1 6th of December. Hedieda. d. 1012.
^5 According to the Roman Martyrology, jMolanus, and other authorities.
^*
In our saint's time, Cumbria was sub- ject to the kings of Scotland, and Domnal- dus VI. , grandson to Malcolm II. , by his daughter Beatrice, and eighty-fourth king of
Scotland, was Prefect of Cumbria, according to Buchanan, in his "Rerum Scoticarum Ilistoria," lib. vii. , pp. 188 to 192.
^^ This is assumed to have been the sea, between Ireland and Scotland.
'*
There were four kings, bearing this name, over Scotland ; and, it is even re- markable, that the third king of this name, and the seventy-fifth of Scotland, flourished a short time before the middle of the tenth century. The reader will find an account of their several reigns in Buchanan's " Rerum Scoticarum Historia. "
^9 These may be summarised, in reference to the first objection, that Scotia was a name applying to Ireland, as well as to Scotland, that the historical introduction to our saint's
Chronicon Valciodorense,"
1 84 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 6.
the Bollandists are not convinced—and— seem objections. 2° However, they
tohavesufficientintrinsicevidencetodeducefromCadroe'sActs thatthis saint was a native of Ireland, ahhough it is certain his education was received there. In this opinion, we Hkewise concur. We shall now proceed to relate the recorded facts of his history. St. Cadroe is sometimes called Kaddroe, and, sometimes, Hadroe. As a new olive, from a good parent stock, he was the son of Foitheach^^ or FochereachjS^ a nobleman, and the second husband of Bania,33 who had sons by her former spouse. Yet, when after- wards married, no child was born to them, until her husband and herself prayedferventlytoSt. Columbanus334 when,onenight,whileinfastingand prayer, they watched at his tomb, having lighted candles in their hands, sud-
denly, the separate tapers seemed to form only one light.
Then appeared a
"
O
hath moistened stole, and thy prayers have been accepted in God's sight ; so that as Samuel had been granted to the entreaties of Anna,35 and her conception of those of Rebecca,3^ it hath been decreed, that you shall conceive and bring forth a son, called Kadroe, a future light of the Church, who, in accordance with his name, shall be an invincible warrior37 in the army of the Lord, always opposed to danger, while fighting for the house of Israel.
" Aroused from sleep, and full of joy for the favour obtained, the pious couple took their departure, confident that their future son should prove a source of untold blessings to all. Accordingl)', in due course, the child was born, and his parentsbestowedonhimthenameofKaddroe. Colganthinkshewasborn in the north of Ireland. 3^ The noble or respectable families, according to a custom prevalent in the Irish nation, no sooner heard of his birth, than they severally sought to become his fosterers. 39 To avoid all cause for jealousy, Kaddroe's mother declared, that she should not withhold her son from that person, to whom God would assign him. In a vision, which took place during sleep, the mother clearly saw that matron, who was destined to take charge of him, and with general consent, she assumed tlie task of suckling andnursingKaddroe. Hisfatherearnestlysoughttohavehiminstructedin useful pursuits j for, even in his tender age, the child showed an aptitude for
man,
in a beautiful
habit, saying,
Thy tears,
woman,
my
cap. ii. De Patria, pp. 505 to 507.
3' Such was the name, as found in Col-
gan's copy, of St. Cadroe's Acts.
3^ This is the form, the Bollandists met
relics formerly reposed, and which, in con- sequence, might be regarded as his tomb.
35 i. Kings, i
^ See Genesis xxx.
37 As in the manuscript copy he had, Col- gan sometimes found the name, written Caddroe,andsometimesCadroe; hethinks the author mistook the original spelling or
with, in their copy. Colgan conjectures,
however, that Ferathach or Fochartach is
probably the correct rendering, and more in
accordance with ancient Irish names. He
shows, too, from the Irish Annals, that pronunciation of the name ; for, cath, in Fogartach and Feradhath were names known
m Ireland, about our saint's period.
33 We are informed, by Colgan, that in the Irish language, this name has a signifi-
"
cation, which means
3+ It seems no easy matter to determine,
who this St. Columban had been, since there are so many thus called, in our Irish
Martyrologies. Colgan argues, it could not have been Columkille's tomb, at lona, that is here meant ; because about the year 831, for greater security, Diarmait, Abbot of that Monastery, brought his relics to Ireland. See Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes, O, p. 389. The Bollandists assert, however, that even if this be admitted, Cadroe's parents could have visited that place, where St. Columba's
Irish, has the signification of "war," or "battle," and roe, the same as agon, means the place "for battle. " Or, if for Cathroe, we read Cathoer, its derivation means "war- ring," and becomes identical with "war- rior :" this was also a name, frequently met
with, in our Irish Annals,
38 Tq us, Scotland seems more likely to
have been the country of his birth,
3? This has been a very prevalent custom in Ireland, from times remote, and even to a comparatively recent period. This habit was supposed to involve the duty of alliance and protection, from the fostered and his family to the fosterer, in after time. Depen- dants were regarded in the light of relations, under such conditions. The Bollandists re- mark, that it is likely these customs of older
white" or "fair. "
March 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 185
such education. The saint had a cousin-german on the father's side, and whowasnamedBeanus. 4° Thiswasaverypiousman,whowasaddictedto the offices of prayer, of alms, and of self-restraint. He offered prayers for the child's saWation, and the old man had a vision, that the boy should be sent to school, so that he miglit be prepared to enter upon the clerical state. When this was related to the father, he felt unwilling to be deprived of an only son, who, it was hoped, might inherit his temporal possessions, and who shouldbecometowardshimasastaffinoldage. But,theLordwaspleased to bless Cadroe's parents with another son, whom they called Mattadanus. *^ Then Beanus was urged in a vision, once more to see the father, and to warn him, that he should not hesitate to make the sacrifice Divine Providence re- quired. Even a miracle was performed, to urge on his determination. The parents again sought the tomb of Columbanus, and there with prayers, they made an offer of their son, Cadroe, to their old relative, who undertook the charge of training him in holy wisdom, and in a knowledge of the Divine law. Cadroe answered well to these efforts, for as he advanced in years, he soon outstripped his other schoolfellows, in ability and knowledge. While thus engaged, some disturbances arose in the neighbourhood, and his fosterers urged the youth to take up arms, in order to protect them from the raids of their enemies. Notwithstanding the care of a cleric, to whom Beanus had entrusted Caddroe, during a temporary absence, the youth marched with his friends and pursued their invaders to the banks of a swollen river. This the pursuers could not cross, for want of boats ; and, meantime, the cleric brought word to Beanus, about Caddroe's action. Being sharply reproved for his neglect, the cleric was told to hasten with all speed, and to
command the pupil to desist from his purpose. Soon Beanus followed, and asking, why his relative had been inflamed with such rage, was told, that honour or duty urged him to assist his fosterers. These reproved the old
man's efforts, in soothing the youth's anger. A test was proposed, that Cad- roe's Book of Gospels should be produced and opened. The first text read
was this " Of him, that taketh away thy goods, ask them not again. " 42
:
pleasing
the another text was " All that take young man, produced,
This not
the sword shall perish by the sword. " ^3 Again was it necessary to have recourse to the Book, in order to procure Cadroe's obedience. This text
Scotia had been introduced into Albanian Scotia.
<° The Bollandists consider it likely enough, he was Cadroe's father's brother, inasmuch as he is called an old man. Col- gan remarks, that there were many Irish saints, bearing this name ; yet, it does not seem necessary to notice the dates of their festivals, for the Bollandists remark, that our saint's instructor may not belong to the number, and that he may not have been an Irishman.
*' It is obsen'ed, by Colgan, that in his day, there was a noble and an ancient family of Southern Connaught, called O'Mattad- han, or O' Madden ; but, he would not assert this family name had been derived from the present Mattadanus. However, it is re- markable, that during his age, and in that of his brother, St. Cadroe, many bearing the former name are known to have lived in Ire- land, as instanced in our annalistic entries. Thus, in Sil-nanmchada, its chief Mattada- nus died, a. d. 1008. Thus, at a. d. 947,
Mattadanus, the son of Aidus, King of Ul- tonia, was killed ; and again, at A. D. 1005, Mattadanus, the son of Domhnall, King of Ultonia, was slain, at Down. Colgan seems to hold it as probable, the latter was re- lated to St. Cadroe's family, inferring that it belonged to Ulster, as did also the St. Beanus, mentioned in the Life. Again, he thinks, that the DaJ. fiatach family, from whom these kings descended, lived away from the eastern shore of Loch Eachach, or Lough Neagh, so that, when Cadroe re- turned home from Armagh, this would seem to be the sea over which he sailed. Colgan also supposes, that St. Brigid's church, in which Cadroe prayed, was to be found in the same tribe-land. The Bollandist editor urges, however, as an objection, that from Ultonia, too, the Albanian Scots derive their common origin, language and names, so that little can be inferred, from the name of Mattadanus, to elucidate Caddroe's native
place,
''-St. Luke, vi. 30.
1 86
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 6.
was then
quoted :
" Thou wicked I servant,
forgave
thee all the
debt,
because
thou besoughtest me : shouldst not thou then have had compassion, also, on
thy fellow-servant, even as I had compassion on thee ? "' ''* Cadroe then
yielded to the entreaties of Ceanus, and returned to his studiejs and devout
course of life. While the old man Beanus rested one day on his bed, and
Kaddroe, with his companions, reposed near ; the Blessed Virgin appeared,
so full of years, as if she belonged not to that century, but having a counte-
nance brighter than the sun, while clothed in a septiform garment of wonder-
ful magnificence and of an intricate pattern. This vision filled the old man
withdelight,sothatheenquiredwhoshewas,andwhenceshecame. She
then said " I wisdom dwell in counsel, and am present in learned
:
thoughts. " 45 Afterwards, she expressed a desire, that the young man might be given to her, and then she vanished from Beanus' view. Meantime, a
great desire possessed Cadroe, to engage on the study of humanities,'*^ and, to gratify his tastes, Beanus prepared whatever was necessary, to send him on
his way to Ireland. ^? and to fit him out for the schools, at Armagh. Here, after being imbued with a knowledge of the Divine precepts, he did not fear to acquire secular learning, which even serves to elucidate the more necessary science. •^ In his extensive course of studies, Cadroe surpassed all his class- fellows ; and, we are informed, that he read, whatever the Poet sung, the Orator spoke, and the Philosopher thought. Nothing escaped his research ; he learned the sciences, which treat about number, measure and weight,'*9 touch and hearing ;5° he was able to describe the most occult courses, and the spaces occupied by the stars. s^ Thus instructed, he crossed the sea, and returned to Beanus. Then, throughout the whole of Scotia, he faithfully spread that good seed, he had gleaned among his fellow-servants ; for, although the Scots had many pedagogues, they had few masters, and Cadroe greatly spread a knowledge of the arts among them. Wherefore, as his lips taught science to many, affliction fled from him ; for, from the time of his arrival, none of the learned had crossed the sea, but they remained in Ire- land. 52 His aged relative was rejoiced to find the improvement in Cadroe, and in all he did or attempted, no other person was known to excel him.
Besides, old Beanus prayed God to direct him, while the youth was growing
to man's estate ; when, one night, fatigued with vigil and with singing the Divine praises, he rested on his bed. While between asleep and awake, he beheld the vision of a great assembly. Wondering what this could mean,
*3 See St. Matt. xxvi. 52.
^ St. Matt, xviii. 32, 33.
45 Prov. viii. 12.
4* The Acts have "secularibus tradatur
studiis. "
47 Colgan would have us believe, that our
saint was not living out of Ireland, at this time; but, the context of his Acts seems to favour a different idea, and the Bollandist editor observes, that until Colgan could point out a Hibernia and an Artmacha outside of Hibernia itself, that opinion should be held.
4* His Acts state, Cadroe or Beanus
knew, that Plato the Pagan Philosopher, moved thereto by the fame of Jeremias, went to Egypt, and from a conference held with this prophet, he found out, what he did not previously know, the existence of
one God over all things. Stephanus, with several other Doctors and Historians, held
a like opinion.
9 This refers, we presume, to the science
of arithmetic and mensuration.
so xhjg indicates his knowledge of natura
philosophy.
S' This seems referable to the theoretic
knowledge of astronomy, taught then in Irish Schools. The Acts thus state, "ad ultimum astrorum occultos tractus et cursus radio doctius Egino, quo nescio an aliquis in coeli Hierarchia probatior sit, designavit. ''
sa The meaning of this sentence, in the original, is difficult to be understood. To us, it seems most probable, that the students who came from Scotland to Ireland mostly remained in the latter country. It cannot be supposed to mean, that no learned men had emigrated from Ireland, before that time ; for, such a conjecture must be in conflict, with the most notorious fads of European historj-.
March 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 187
one of those persons composing it presented a most reverential appearance, and said to Beanus, " It is now expedient to increase the army of the eternal
" Do
who shall run in the sight of this directing leader, who comes leaping in the
king. " Then,
to the rest he
spoke,
you
inscribe the names of
youths
He tells us, to show this man behold- ing us, what they must pass over. " Then, Beanus saw three caves, dug out of the earth ; two of these were not of great extent, but the third cave was
one of immense depth and width. Beyond it, however, seemed a region of splendour and agreeableness. The old man asked, what was meant by such a portent ; and, he was told, that if his youth desired their leader's favour, they must pass over these caves. Beanus especially feared for Kaddroe, but he was told not to dread, because all should accomplish the feat, in a dis- similar way, and that his relative, for whom he had most fear, should be the first to cross in a successful manner. He was told, likewise, the meaning attached to those three caves. The first cave signified, a voluntary relin-
quishing of temporal possessions ; the second, exile from one's country ; and the third, the exercise of a monastic life. In fine, their opposite bank be-
tokened the possession of eternal happiness. Then, the vision ceased, the old man arose from his bed, nor had many days elapsed, until the Lord said
from and kindred, and from the house of thy country
mountains and passing over the hills.
to " Kaddroe,
Depart
thy father, and go to the land, I shall show thee, and I shall make you the
leader of my people, and I shall exalt you above the clouds, and I shall grant you the inheritance of Jacob, thy father. " Awaking from sleep, Cadroe had a great desire to commence his pilgrimage, and to leave all things ; but, rumours spread his intentions abroad, and rich and poor were alike grieved. As if this were a national calamity, people of every age and condition, in Scotia, sent their remonstrances and objections to him. 53 These caused him to reconsider his determination. We are told, that it was his custom, to seek in solitude a great tree, beside a river. Lest this should carry him off in its current, he held a rope attached to the tree ; and, divesting himself of gar- ments, during the coldest nights of the year, he plunged into the water, and remained there, until he recited from the one hundred and eighteenth to the one hundred and thirty-third psalm. 54 But, Cadroe's purpose began to revive, although winter had now come, and the sea was very rough. Not only the people of Scotia, but the king, who is called Constantine,55 sought this time, to divert him from his intention. Especially, while he was praying in the church of St. Brigid,56 both nobles and commonality flocked thither ; but,
53 The Bollandists remark, that at this
time, Caddroe had already passed his fortieth year.
that King Constantine, mentioned in the text ; while, he thinks, the circumstances of
time, place, affinity, dignity, &c. , are favour- able to such a supposition. See E)r. O'Dono-
s'* Suchausterepracticesofpenanceoften
are mentioned, in the Acts of our Celtic van's
"
Annals of the Four Masters," vol.
saints.
55 Colgan will have it, as probable, that sinceConstantineO'Ne—illflourishedinUl-
tonia, about a. d. 850 probably Conn, son of Donnchadh, heir apparent to the—sove- reignty, slain, a. d. 942, is here meant and, as he was of royal stock, belonging to the Kinel-Eoghan, he deserved the title of king, over that province, following the Irish custom. According to race and prospects, he might have been regarded as the future king of Ireland. Again, we find Aedh, son of Conn, and royal heir of Oileach, was slain, A. D. 1009 or loio. Colgan knows of no other more likely than he, to have been
ii. , pp. 650, 651, 762, 763. The Bollan- dists state, however, that the Constantine
meantwasnothe,who,accordingtoMajor, took the monastic habit, A. D. 941, and who
lived, in that state, for fifteen years ; but, rather Malcolm then reigned, although the author of our saint's Acts was ignorant of this fact.
56 Both in Ireland, and in Scotland, several different saints, named Brigid, are venerated. The Bollandists think, this one was St. Brigid, related to Granard, King of the Picts, and who lived about the end of the seventh century, she having been in- terred at Abernethy.
when they urged him,
not to desert their
country,
Kaddroe
answered,
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 6.
" I
shall not leave you, since wherever I may be, I shall keep you in my
memory. " Where the church of St. Brigid was situated has been disputed.
According to Colgan,57 it lay within that district, now known as Kilbride
in the of — Antrim, and not many miles north-eastwards
parish, barony Upper
fromthetownofAntrimss -^yhereyetarearemarkableRoundTowerssand
Round Tower of Antrim.
Other antiquarian remains—in that county, bearing the like name. How- ever, the IBollandists hold, that the site of this church must probably be sought for at Abernethy,^° in Scotland, and about fifteen miles distant from St. Andrew's. ^' In a matter of such difficulty, we shall not undertake to offer an opinion ; but, it is related, in his Acts, that St. Cadroe's reply did notsatisfythose,whowereassembledinSt. Brigid'schurch. Theyinsisted,
57 This is rather inferred, from the theory
he advances, that probably St. Cadroe drew
his origin, from the territory of Hy-Tuirtre,
and from the Dalfiatach family. Regard-
ing the extent of Hy-Tuirtre, tlie reader is
referred to its description, in the Rev, of the round tower, which is here intro-
William Reeves' " Ecclesiastical Antiquities
of Down, Connor and Dromore. " Appen-
dix, BB. , pp. 292 to 297.
5' The parish of Antrim is situated, within
the baronies of Upjier Antrim and Upper Toome. It is described on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Antrim," Sheets 43, 44, 49, 50. The town itself is within the barony of Upper Antrim, and it is shown on Sheet 50. libd.
59 A course drawing, and a notice of this object, appear in Dr. Adam Clarke's
duced, was taken by Mrs. Millard, from a
photograph, by Frederick H. Mares, 79
Grafton-street, Dublin. Near this, it is
supposed, the original church of Antrim
stood. Within the present century, vast
quantities of human remains were cleared
away from the adjoining space, and now
only a smooth sward and trees surround it.
"Works," vol. xi. , p. 80 ;
as also, in the
this place, a parish chiefly in Perthshire, and partly in Fifeshire, in Fullarton's " Im-
perial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. 22 to 24.
^' This is Constan- where the king-monk
tine lived.
"Dublin vol.
