is of the
fifteenth
century.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v8
Scottish Saints," p.
22.
7I These words occur at 24th August:
Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti-
"Senior Patricius Ros-dela in regione de
Mag-lacha jacet : sed secundum ahquos, et verius quod Glastenberia apud Gallo-Hiber- nos, quae est civitas in Boreali Regione Sax- onum, -et Scoti earn inhabitant. " See
Colgan's
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
's "Trias Prima Vita Thaumaturga,"
niae," Februarii xvii. DeS. Patricio Ostiario,
Colgan
S. Patricii, n. 48, p. 10.
72 See Right Rev. Patrick F. Moran's Glastonbury in England. See William "Irish Saints in Great Britain," chap, ii. ,
nn. 6, 7, p. 366.
67
M. Henassey's note. , p. 24.
of 6* August.
Kalends, a. d. 6s 85o.
356 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 24.
Surrounded as the foregoing questions are with uncertainties and doubts, we have thus endeavoured to place those statements regarding the present venerable man, in that order which we deem most likely to awaken further interest and curiosity among historic investigators, because our own researches haveneitherbeensatisfactorynorconclusivetoourselves. Bothhisidentity and period have still to be reliably established ; but, it appears to us, the attempt can hardly result in a successful issue. As in so many other cases, where we are obliged to deal with brief records of holy men, and with the obscurities of their personal history ; nevertheless, such subjects for en- lightened investigation had a real existence, and also a character for holiness, in their time, which cannot be disturbed or invalidated by any future enquiries.
Article II. —St. Patrick, surnamed Ostiarius. [Probably in the Ninth Century. '] As in the former case, much difficulty is experienced in the
endeavour to
and
the
rather a confused account of this
of this saint. -
*
distinguish
period
locality
Colgan
at the
day, and also that of August the 24th, were specially dedicated to his memory.
From the title given to him, we should be inclined to believe, that he had not attained to Major ecclesiastical Orders, and that he only held the rank and exercised the office of Door-keeper in the Church at Trim. His history is not well known, from the casual allusions to him that we have as yet procured. In the Martyrology of Tallagh, contained in the Book of Leinster, a St. Patrick, styled Ostiarius, and also Abbot of Armagh, is re- corded at the 24th of August. 3 This holy man is supposed to have been born about the beginning of the ninth century. An interpolator of the chronicle written by William of Malmesbury relates, that he discharged epis- copal duties, about the year of our Lord 850. 4 By Colgan, he is distinguished from St. Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland, from Sen Patrick, and from Patrick junior. It is stated by Stanihurst, that the present holy man left a book of Homilies ; but, for this there is no certain evidence, as the book is not ex- tant. 5 Our great Irish hagiographer supposes our saint to have been iden- tical with Maelpadraig or Patricianus,6 son of Finncha, who was bishop, scribe, anchoret and intended Abbot of Armagh ; and who died, a. d. 861, according to the Annals of the Four Masters. 7 However, this conjectural identification is by no means certain. According to Ranulph Higden, the Monk of Chester, a second or minor Patrick, distinct from the great Irish Apostle, and an abbot but not a bishop, flourished at Glastonbury about the middle of the ninth century, and having been engaged on the Irish mission,
he died there on the of 8 To this the of what has 24th August. saint, origin
beencalledSt. Patrick'sPurgatoryisattributed,bycertainwriters. 9 However, we have already seen, some accounts will have it, that St. Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland, was the first to have visited Lough Derg, County of Donegal, in the
gives
saint,
17th
of
February ;
'
Article II. — See Colgan's "Acta Sane-
torum Hibernise," xvii. Februarii. De S. Patricio Qetiario, p. 366.
2
and Distinguished Irishmen," vol. i. , part i. , p. 224.
6
See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- At that date, likewise, the reader may niae," xvii. Februarii, n. II, p. 366.
find a brief allusion to him, in the Second ? See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Volume of this work, Art. v. Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 496, 497. 38"
Theentry thus runs : pAC]\icii hofdArxH Ajjur Ab -Atvoma.
4 Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xviii. Februarii. De S. Patricio Ostiario, n.
12, p. 366.
s See James Wills' " Lives of Iliustricfrs
See the Polychronicon," edited by Rev. Joseph Rawson Lumby, B. D. , vol. v. , lib. v. , cap. iv. , pp. 304 to 307.
'See James Wills' "Lives of Illustrious
and Distinguished Irishmen," vol. i. , part i. , Seeond Period, p. 224.
2 which
August 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 3*» early Christian times,10 and to have erected there a penitential resort, which
afterwards became famous. 11 very
Again,
Dabeoc I3 lived there after St. Patrick, while he was celebrated for his virtues
and the austerity of his life. He is also regarded as the first to have built a monastery and a cell there. Besides, he is recognised as the chief patron of
x 3 On Saint's or St. where it is Davog's Island,
he
while there is
a paved way or old road from the graveyard of Templecarn to that point in
the townland of Seedavoge, that juts into the lough, close upon the island. 1 * The first accounts we have regarding the Purgatory of St. Patricks are sup- posed to have been composed at no very early date. About the middle of the twelfth lived the monk of 16 in
Lough Derg.
was buried, still the outlines of several ruins may be traced ;
supposed
century Henry Saltery, Huntingdonshire, England, who heard from another English monk, Gilbert of Lud, the story
of an Irish soldier named Owen. 1 ?
The latter related many wonderful
things that had happened to him, and the visions he beheld in the cavern of
St. Patrick, on St. Daveog's Island on Lough Derg. These visions were
committed to of 18 and different versions of them
writing by Henry Saltery,
were soon circulated in Ireland, the British Islands, and throughout
1
Europe. ? Those accounts are classed among the sources whence Dante
derived some of his poetic ideas for writing the Divina Comedia. 20 Several Treatises on the Purgatory of St. Patrick are to be found, not only in our chief publicLibrariesathome,butalsointhoseontheContinent. Thus,inthe
maturga," Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. clxxii. , p. 103.
16
He seems to have flourished in the time of King Stephen. This tract is addressed to the Abbot Henry de Sartis.
17 He was cellarer to the monastery built by Gilbert de Luda.
18 He states likewise, he had assurance of
the truth of these visions by an Irish bishop,
one of the companions of St. Malachi, and who told several similar stories.
J9ThenarrativeofSt. Patrick'sPurgatory
has been printed in almost every language
of Europe.
20 See Ozanam's " GEuvres Completes,"
Burgundian Library, at Bruxelles, there are such tracts ;
there is a large vellum folio, bound in wood, and attributed to the pen of f* Henricus Saltereyensis. " It is said to have been written at the commence-
10
See the Third Volume of this work, at
the 17th of March, Art. i. , the Life of Saint
Patrick, Apostle and Chief Patron of Ireland,
chap. xiv.
11
However, the Purgatory of St. Patrick is not mentioned in any of his early Lives.
12
See an account of him at the 1st of
January, on the 24th of July, and at the 16th of December. These three distinct festivals were formerly observed in his honour at Lough Derg.
13 For the fullest accounts of this cele- brated island, the reader is referred to Very
Rev. Daniel O'Connor's
''
Lough Derg and
its Pilgrimages. "
14 "This neck was anciently connected tome v. Des 9ources Poetiques de la Divine
with the island by a wooden bridge sup- Comedie, sect, iii. , p. 437.
ported by stone pillars, a part . of which can 21 In the Eighth Volume of Manuscripts,
— which is a Collectanea" yet be seen when the water is clear. " large folio, appear "
William James Doherty's " Inis-Owen and of the Lives and Acts of Saints for the Tirconnell : Notes, Antiquarian and Topo- month of March ; probably, it formed part
graphical," First Series, sect, xxxix. , p. 201.
of the Bollandist collection, although it has not their library mark. In the 3201 num- ber, stated in the " Inventaire " to be " Vita S. Patricii," under this title will be found four different lives of the Saint. The second
15 In the twelfth century, as Jocelyn re-
lates, there was a Purgatory of St. Patrick
on the very summit of Cruachan-aigle, and
to which pilgrims resorted to perform works life bears date 1641, and the third is ex- of penance, in fasting and in watching, to tracted from Camden. There are also two escape the gates of hell, through the merits copies of the "Purgatory;" the first, "ex and prayers of St. Patrick. " Referunt MS. Hiber. Min. Lovanii " and the
etiam nonnulli, qui pernoctaverant ibi, se tormenta gravissima fuisse perpessos, quibus
se purgatos a peccatis putant, unde et qui- dam illorum locum illam Purgatorium S.
; other, "ex MS. Maximini Treveris. " This volume has been recently bound, and Mr. Bindon was unable to discover any name or date,
&c, indicating the compiler, or wh«re it was Patricii vocant. "—Colgan's "Trias Thau- written.
it is that St. Beoc or stated,
ai
and, among these,
358 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 24.
ment of the fourteenth 21 there is a Treatise in old French,9* century. Again,
the commencement of which is ornamented with a drawing of the Purga-
tory 24 representing the souls in torment. 25 ,
At Salmansweiler Convent, Wurtemburg, there is a Manuscript Purgatorium Sancti Patricii Episcopi ; as likewise two others,33 having relation to what
happened to a certain George of Hungary, in the Imperial Library at Vienna. The Vision of Tundal 3* likewise seems to have been framed on this model, and it soon became known on the Continent of Europe. 35 The Purgatory
6
of St. Patrick is described in the Golden Legend of Jacobus de Voragine^ and it is printed for the greater part in Matthew of Paris. 37 This subject is very fully treated by Father John Colgan, who lived in that part of Ireland in which Lough Derg is situated, and who gives a special account of the mode and prescriptions for carrying out" the exercises of the pilgrims thither, in his own time. 38 Our saint is numbered amongst the Patron Saints of the Church of Trim, in Meath County, by the Martyrology of Tallagh. 39 This holy man is said to have been buried at Trim, with eighteen other saints, whose memories are venerated on the 17th February, and on the 24th of August/ At the latter date, his feast is said to have been inserted in the Martyrology of Sarum. 41 The published Martyrology of Tallagh states, at the 24th of August, that Patrick, surnamed Ostiarius, had been Abbot of Armagh,42 while he is distinguished from another St. Patrick, who is like-
28 at St.
2* at
burg,* there are various Manuscripts describing the Purgatory of St. Patrick.
Basel,
2? at 2
Berne,
Gall,
Geneva,*
at 1 and at Wurtz- Heilsbronn,*
23 It is classed Vol. xxiii. , No. 7806. The last piece in this volume is a copy of
34 Mr. Turnbull has published the "Vision of Tundale, together with metrical morali- zationand other fragments of ancient Poetry," Edinburgh, 1843.
the "
ing thus :
It has no illuminations, nor could Mr. Bindon find any trace of the Irish character or language.
Purgatory "
of St. Patrick," commenc- Patri suo peroptato in Christo. "
33 In the volume xxvii will be found No. 9035, which is a French translation of the
plurimum censoria castigatione : usque acieo
ofSt. Patrick,and de fois allant demander. "
"Moult
ad rem pertinere non potissimum
Purgatory
begins,
quod
videant offendi possit. " Lugduni et Parr-
34 The dimensions of this drawing are
about four inches by two and a-half : it is
rather well executed, but it presents nothing remarkable in appearance.
2s
This MS.
is of the fifteenth century.
26 There is one MS. intituled, S. Patricii Episcopi in Hibernia constituti circa A. D. 430, Liber de Purgatorio ; and another,
hisiis, 1505, 4to.
37 See "Chronica Majora," vol. ii. , pp.
192 to 263. Edited by Henry Richards
Luard, M. A.
38" "
See Trias Thaumaturga Sexta Ap-
pendix ad Acta S. Patricii. This Treatise
is divided into four parts, with a Prologue
and Notes, pp. 273 to 289.
3'At the xiii. of the Kalends of March (Feb-
ruary 17th), the following entry occurs, in the published Martyrology of Tallagh : " Loman in Ath Truim cum sociis, i. e. ,
Patricii Hostiarii, Laurech mac Cuanach, Fortchern ocus Coelochtra, Aedha, Aedha, Aedha Cormaci Eps, Conani, Cuimaeni Eps, Lacteani sac, Ossani, ocus Sarani Conaill ocus Colmani, ocus Lactani Eps, Finnseghi Vir. Hi omnes in Ath Truim requiescunt . " —Rev. Dr. Kelly's "Calendar of Irish Saints," &c, p. xvi.
40 "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
niae," xxvii. Februarii, nn. 13 and 16, p.
Patricius S. Irland, de
27 There is a MS. , De Patricii Purgatorio.
98
There is a French MS. of the fifteenth
century, Le Purgatoire de S. Patrice.
39 There is a MS. , Patricii Purgatorium.
30 There is a Description du Purgatoire de St. Patrice, in Manuscript.
31 There is a MS. , Patricius de Purgatorio.
33 There is a MS. , David Scotus de Pur- gatorio Patricii.
33 One is a MS. , " Historia eorum quae
contingerunt Georgio de Ungaria filio cujus-
dam in S. Magnatis Ungarici Purgatorio
Purgatorio.
Patricii. Visiones Georgii militis in purga-
tioni S. Patricii. " Again, there is "Nar- 366.
ratio Georgii Hungari S. Patricii Purga- toriorium in Hibernia visitante, Anno 1353," Germanice.
41 See James Wills' "Lives of Illustrious
and Distinguished Irishmen," vol. i. , part ii. , p. 224.
In the Libraries at Bamberg,26 at
55 See ibid. , p. 458.
"
36 See Jacobus de Voragine,
ut nihil perperam adhibitum semotumve :
haec aurea nitidis excutitur formis claretque
Legenda
August 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 359
wise venerated on this day. We do not find this saint's name occurring at
either of these days, in the copy of the Irish Calendar, formerly belonging to the Ordnance Survey Office, Phoenix Park. Neither is it to be met with, in
the Martyrology of Donegal. ^
Article III. —St. Rodan, Bishop of Kill-Rodan, County of Sligo.
[FifthCentury^ Thisholymanissupposedtohaveflourishedintheearly
times of Irish Christianity. Although the Martyrology of Tallagh has cele-
brated his festival, at the 18th of l January ;
2 At
taker of cattle, and while leading that pastoral or eremitical life, he was
constantly engaged in prayer. From that humble position, St. Patricks rescued him, to serve in the works of his great mission. It would seem, that his
early education had been neglected, supposing this to have been the man to whom allusion has been made. After learning the rudiments, when he had been sufficiently instructed, from being a tender of flocks, Rodan became a spiri-
tual shepherd. In the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, he is styled the noble pres- byter Rodan,* and a church was erected for him, and for other disciples,5 in theterritoryofHuaNoella,6bytheillustriousApostleofIreland. Thatregion is now represented by the modern barony of Tirerrill, in the present County of Sligo. There, in a place called Domhacha,? St. Patrick erected a church, whichwentbythenameofSencheallDumhaighe. Amongthedisciplesof St. Patrick, we meet with a saint of this name. He is called Bishop of Seancheall, in Connaught. 8 His feast has been assigned to the 24th of August. 9 It is also probable, that he was the Bishop of Rodan of Muraisk, 10 a district in the barony of Tireagh, and county of Sligo. It extended from the Rive—r Easkey to Dunnacoy. 11 He was set over the church of Kill- Rodain called after him—in the former territory of Myresch-aigle. " At present, the site of Kill-Rodain has not been discovered, nor is it known how long he lived in that place. In the Irish Life of St. Patrick, his church in
yet,
more correct to follow the authority of Marianus O'Gorman, and to place St.
Rodan's feast at the of 24th
August.
first,
he was a or care- shepherd
42 At the ix. of the Kalends of September,
August 24th, we there find, separate entries of two distinct Patricks, who are placed in different lines, and, in the following order : "PatriciiAbbocusEp. Riusdela. " After- wards, "Patricii hostiarii ocus Abb, Aird- macha. " SeeRev. Dr. Kelly's"Catalogue of Irish Saints," &c, p. xxxii.
« Published by Rev. Drs. Todd and
l
Seewhathasbeenalready stated regarding St. Rottan, venerated at l8th of January, in the First Volume of this
6 Likewise known as Tir-Oilella, the land
or territory of Oilell. See " The Topo-
graphical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O'Huidhrin," edited
by John O'Donovan, LL. D. , n. 254, p. xxxvi.
7InthedistrictofMurrisk,thereisstilla townland called Dunheakin.
8 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix, and Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 266.
» See ibid.
Reeves. — Articlehi.
work, Art. vi.
2 11
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Sexta Vita S. Patricii, n. 150, p. 115.
plain," in English.
See John O'Donovan's teabhar* tia
8
See his Life, March xvii. , in the Third
Volume of this Art. work,
12 See
" Trias
xiii.
4 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, ii. , cap. Hi. ,
Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, ii. , cap. xli. , P- 135-
s Besides St. Rodan, the noble priest, are
named Macetus, Cetchenus, and Matona, O'Donovan astray, in his " Genealogies, the sister of Benignus. To Matona, St. Tribes, and Customs of Hy-Fiachrach, Patrick and St. Rodan gave the veil of commonly called O'Dowda's Country. " virginity, and to the care of Rodan she was Addenda, P. , n. (q), p. 471.
committed. '3 See Miss M. F. Cusack's " Life of St.
i. , chap.
Colgan's
Thaumaturga,"
10
we are that it is informed,
Muirisc in Irish signifies the "Sea-
3-CeA|\c, or the Book of Rights, n. (e), p. 19.
p. 136, and cap. xcix. , pp. 142, 143. This, however, is a wrong interpretation, as that Myresch-Aigle was in Mayo. It also led Dr.
360
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 24.
T
Muirisk is called Cillespuig-Rodain 3 and in an Irish Poem, quoted in the ;
1
Annals of the Four Masters, * the present holy man is called Rodan, son of
Braga, while he is described as St. Patrick's shepherd. This holy bishop,
during his life, and also after his death, was distinguished by miraculous 1
favours,procuredthroughhismerits. * ItismentionedintheMartyrologyof Marianus O'Gorman, as also in that of Donegal,16 how a festival in honour of Rodan, a Bishop, was celebrated at this date. The name of Rodan is found Latinized Romulus, in some Calendars.
Article IV. —St. Merchard or Yarchard, of Kincardine, Scot-
land. [Probably Fifth or Sixth Century. '] The present holy man is found among the Saints of Scotland ; but, we are doubtful as to whether or not his origin should be referred to Ireland. Under various forms of name, such as Merchard, Yarchard, Irchard, Erthad, and Erchad, he is presented to our notice. The Bollandists have the fullest statements regarding him, at the
13
24th day of August. These are contained in a historic Sylloge, consisting
of eleven paragraphs. However, the Breviary of Aberdeen, which was
printed in the year 1509, is alleged to be their chief authority for his Acts.
Already, at the 24th of July, Dempster has placed the festival of this holy
bishop, named Erthad,3 and his Natalis is also set down at this date.
Ferrarius has followed such statement4 By Camerarius, Erchadus or
Erthadus is noticed, at the 24th of Augusts Again, a learned Scotch Jesuit,
Father Patrick Ninian Wemyss, had given a Scottish Menology to the
Bollandists, and in it was found, at this same date, the name of Bishop
Erthad, which he states to have been thus entered in the Scotch Festilogies.
Bishop Forbes has some biographical particulars regarding Merchard or
6
Yarchard ;
and, on the authority of the Aberdeen Breviary, this Irchardus
is stated to have been born in in Kincardin 8 Tolmaid,? Oneyll, among
barbarous and untaught people. There from his early days, he rebuked unbelievers, and he preached virtue. He likewise addicted himself to the practices of prayer, vigils and fasting. He was ordained a Priest by St. Ternan,' who made him coadjutor and penitentiary, in all the provinces
under his 10 It is jurisdiction.
stated,
that soon Yarchard went afterwards,
» The Bollandists remark, that this place was unknown to them.
Patrick, Apostle of Ireland. " William M. Hennessy's translation of the Tripartite Life, part ii. , p. 2.
14 See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. , at A. D. 448, pp. 138, 139.
15 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. cxlii. , p. 96.
7I These words occur at 24th August:
Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti-
"Senior Patricius Ros-dela in regione de
Mag-lacha jacet : sed secundum ahquos, et verius quod Glastenberia apud Gallo-Hiber- nos, quae est civitas in Boreali Regione Sax- onum, -et Scoti earn inhabitant. " See
Colgan's
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
's "Trias Prima Vita Thaumaturga,"
niae," Februarii xvii. DeS. Patricio Ostiario,
Colgan
S. Patricii, n. 48, p. 10.
72 See Right Rev. Patrick F. Moran's Glastonbury in England. See William "Irish Saints in Great Britain," chap, ii. ,
nn. 6, 7, p. 366.
67
M. Henassey's note. , p. 24.
of 6* August.
Kalends, a. d. 6s 85o.
356 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 24.
Surrounded as the foregoing questions are with uncertainties and doubts, we have thus endeavoured to place those statements regarding the present venerable man, in that order which we deem most likely to awaken further interest and curiosity among historic investigators, because our own researches haveneitherbeensatisfactorynorconclusivetoourselves. Bothhisidentity and period have still to be reliably established ; but, it appears to us, the attempt can hardly result in a successful issue. As in so many other cases, where we are obliged to deal with brief records of holy men, and with the obscurities of their personal history ; nevertheless, such subjects for en- lightened investigation had a real existence, and also a character for holiness, in their time, which cannot be disturbed or invalidated by any future enquiries.
Article II. —St. Patrick, surnamed Ostiarius. [Probably in the Ninth Century. '] As in the former case, much difficulty is experienced in the
endeavour to
and
the
rather a confused account of this
of this saint. -
*
distinguish
period
locality
Colgan
at the
day, and also that of August the 24th, were specially dedicated to his memory.
From the title given to him, we should be inclined to believe, that he had not attained to Major ecclesiastical Orders, and that he only held the rank and exercised the office of Door-keeper in the Church at Trim. His history is not well known, from the casual allusions to him that we have as yet procured. In the Martyrology of Tallagh, contained in the Book of Leinster, a St. Patrick, styled Ostiarius, and also Abbot of Armagh, is re- corded at the 24th of August. 3 This holy man is supposed to have been born about the beginning of the ninth century. An interpolator of the chronicle written by William of Malmesbury relates, that he discharged epis- copal duties, about the year of our Lord 850. 4 By Colgan, he is distinguished from St. Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland, from Sen Patrick, and from Patrick junior. It is stated by Stanihurst, that the present holy man left a book of Homilies ; but, for this there is no certain evidence, as the book is not ex- tant. 5 Our great Irish hagiographer supposes our saint to have been iden- tical with Maelpadraig or Patricianus,6 son of Finncha, who was bishop, scribe, anchoret and intended Abbot of Armagh ; and who died, a. d. 861, according to the Annals of the Four Masters. 7 However, this conjectural identification is by no means certain. According to Ranulph Higden, the Monk of Chester, a second or minor Patrick, distinct from the great Irish Apostle, and an abbot but not a bishop, flourished at Glastonbury about the middle of the ninth century, and having been engaged on the Irish mission,
he died there on the of 8 To this the of what has 24th August. saint, origin
beencalledSt. Patrick'sPurgatoryisattributed,bycertainwriters. 9 However, we have already seen, some accounts will have it, that St. Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland, was the first to have visited Lough Derg, County of Donegal, in the
gives
saint,
17th
of
February ;
'
Article II. — See Colgan's "Acta Sane-
torum Hibernise," xvii. Februarii. De S. Patricio Qetiario, p. 366.
2
and Distinguished Irishmen," vol. i. , part i. , p. 224.
6
See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- At that date, likewise, the reader may niae," xvii. Februarii, n. II, p. 366.
find a brief allusion to him, in the Second ? See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Volume of this work, Art. v. Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 496, 497. 38"
Theentry thus runs : pAC]\icii hofdArxH Ajjur Ab -Atvoma.
4 Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xviii. Februarii. De S. Patricio Ostiario, n.
12, p. 366.
s See James Wills' " Lives of Iliustricfrs
See the Polychronicon," edited by Rev. Joseph Rawson Lumby, B. D. , vol. v. , lib. v. , cap. iv. , pp. 304 to 307.
'See James Wills' "Lives of Illustrious
and Distinguished Irishmen," vol. i. , part i. , Seeond Period, p. 224.
2 which
August 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 3*» early Christian times,10 and to have erected there a penitential resort, which
afterwards became famous. 11 very
Again,
Dabeoc I3 lived there after St. Patrick, while he was celebrated for his virtues
and the austerity of his life. He is also regarded as the first to have built a monastery and a cell there. Besides, he is recognised as the chief patron of
x 3 On Saint's or St. where it is Davog's Island,
he
while there is
a paved way or old road from the graveyard of Templecarn to that point in
the townland of Seedavoge, that juts into the lough, close upon the island. 1 * The first accounts we have regarding the Purgatory of St. Patricks are sup- posed to have been composed at no very early date. About the middle of the twelfth lived the monk of 16 in
Lough Derg.
was buried, still the outlines of several ruins may be traced ;
supposed
century Henry Saltery, Huntingdonshire, England, who heard from another English monk, Gilbert of Lud, the story
of an Irish soldier named Owen. 1 ?
The latter related many wonderful
things that had happened to him, and the visions he beheld in the cavern of
St. Patrick, on St. Daveog's Island on Lough Derg. These visions were
committed to of 18 and different versions of them
writing by Henry Saltery,
were soon circulated in Ireland, the British Islands, and throughout
1
Europe. ? Those accounts are classed among the sources whence Dante
derived some of his poetic ideas for writing the Divina Comedia. 20 Several Treatises on the Purgatory of St. Patrick are to be found, not only in our chief publicLibrariesathome,butalsointhoseontheContinent. Thus,inthe
maturga," Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. clxxii. , p. 103.
16
He seems to have flourished in the time of King Stephen. This tract is addressed to the Abbot Henry de Sartis.
17 He was cellarer to the monastery built by Gilbert de Luda.
18 He states likewise, he had assurance of
the truth of these visions by an Irish bishop,
one of the companions of St. Malachi, and who told several similar stories.
J9ThenarrativeofSt. Patrick'sPurgatory
has been printed in almost every language
of Europe.
20 See Ozanam's " GEuvres Completes,"
Burgundian Library, at Bruxelles, there are such tracts ;
there is a large vellum folio, bound in wood, and attributed to the pen of f* Henricus Saltereyensis. " It is said to have been written at the commence-
10
See the Third Volume of this work, at
the 17th of March, Art. i. , the Life of Saint
Patrick, Apostle and Chief Patron of Ireland,
chap. xiv.
11
However, the Purgatory of St. Patrick is not mentioned in any of his early Lives.
12
See an account of him at the 1st of
January, on the 24th of July, and at the 16th of December. These three distinct festivals were formerly observed in his honour at Lough Derg.
13 For the fullest accounts of this cele- brated island, the reader is referred to Very
Rev. Daniel O'Connor's
''
Lough Derg and
its Pilgrimages. "
14 "This neck was anciently connected tome v. Des 9ources Poetiques de la Divine
with the island by a wooden bridge sup- Comedie, sect, iii. , p. 437.
ported by stone pillars, a part . of which can 21 In the Eighth Volume of Manuscripts,
— which is a Collectanea" yet be seen when the water is clear. " large folio, appear "
William James Doherty's " Inis-Owen and of the Lives and Acts of Saints for the Tirconnell : Notes, Antiquarian and Topo- month of March ; probably, it formed part
graphical," First Series, sect, xxxix. , p. 201.
of the Bollandist collection, although it has not their library mark. In the 3201 num- ber, stated in the " Inventaire " to be " Vita S. Patricii," under this title will be found four different lives of the Saint. The second
15 In the twelfth century, as Jocelyn re-
lates, there was a Purgatory of St. Patrick
on the very summit of Cruachan-aigle, and
to which pilgrims resorted to perform works life bears date 1641, and the third is ex- of penance, in fasting and in watching, to tracted from Camden. There are also two escape the gates of hell, through the merits copies of the "Purgatory;" the first, "ex and prayers of St. Patrick. " Referunt MS. Hiber. Min. Lovanii " and the
etiam nonnulli, qui pernoctaverant ibi, se tormenta gravissima fuisse perpessos, quibus
se purgatos a peccatis putant, unde et qui- dam illorum locum illam Purgatorium S.
; other, "ex MS. Maximini Treveris. " This volume has been recently bound, and Mr. Bindon was unable to discover any name or date,
&c, indicating the compiler, or wh«re it was Patricii vocant. "—Colgan's "Trias Thau- written.
it is that St. Beoc or stated,
ai
and, among these,
358 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 24.
ment of the fourteenth 21 there is a Treatise in old French,9* century. Again,
the commencement of which is ornamented with a drawing of the Purga-
tory 24 representing the souls in torment. 25 ,
At Salmansweiler Convent, Wurtemburg, there is a Manuscript Purgatorium Sancti Patricii Episcopi ; as likewise two others,33 having relation to what
happened to a certain George of Hungary, in the Imperial Library at Vienna. The Vision of Tundal 3* likewise seems to have been framed on this model, and it soon became known on the Continent of Europe. 35 The Purgatory
6
of St. Patrick is described in the Golden Legend of Jacobus de Voragine^ and it is printed for the greater part in Matthew of Paris. 37 This subject is very fully treated by Father John Colgan, who lived in that part of Ireland in which Lough Derg is situated, and who gives a special account of the mode and prescriptions for carrying out" the exercises of the pilgrims thither, in his own time. 38 Our saint is numbered amongst the Patron Saints of the Church of Trim, in Meath County, by the Martyrology of Tallagh. 39 This holy man is said to have been buried at Trim, with eighteen other saints, whose memories are venerated on the 17th February, and on the 24th of August/ At the latter date, his feast is said to have been inserted in the Martyrology of Sarum. 41 The published Martyrology of Tallagh states, at the 24th of August, that Patrick, surnamed Ostiarius, had been Abbot of Armagh,42 while he is distinguished from another St. Patrick, who is like-
28 at St.
2* at
burg,* there are various Manuscripts describing the Purgatory of St. Patrick.
Basel,
2? at 2
Berne,
Gall,
Geneva,*
at 1 and at Wurtz- Heilsbronn,*
23 It is classed Vol. xxiii. , No. 7806. The last piece in this volume is a copy of
34 Mr. Turnbull has published the "Vision of Tundale, together with metrical morali- zationand other fragments of ancient Poetry," Edinburgh, 1843.
the "
ing thus :
It has no illuminations, nor could Mr. Bindon find any trace of the Irish character or language.
Purgatory "
of St. Patrick," commenc- Patri suo peroptato in Christo. "
33 In the volume xxvii will be found No. 9035, which is a French translation of the
plurimum censoria castigatione : usque acieo
ofSt. Patrick,and de fois allant demander. "
"Moult
ad rem pertinere non potissimum
Purgatory
begins,
quod
videant offendi possit. " Lugduni et Parr-
34 The dimensions of this drawing are
about four inches by two and a-half : it is
rather well executed, but it presents nothing remarkable in appearance.
2s
This MS.
is of the fifteenth century.
26 There is one MS. intituled, S. Patricii Episcopi in Hibernia constituti circa A. D. 430, Liber de Purgatorio ; and another,
hisiis, 1505, 4to.
37 See "Chronica Majora," vol. ii. , pp.
192 to 263. Edited by Henry Richards
Luard, M. A.
38" "
See Trias Thaumaturga Sexta Ap-
pendix ad Acta S. Patricii. This Treatise
is divided into four parts, with a Prologue
and Notes, pp. 273 to 289.
3'At the xiii. of the Kalends of March (Feb-
ruary 17th), the following entry occurs, in the published Martyrology of Tallagh : " Loman in Ath Truim cum sociis, i. e. ,
Patricii Hostiarii, Laurech mac Cuanach, Fortchern ocus Coelochtra, Aedha, Aedha, Aedha Cormaci Eps, Conani, Cuimaeni Eps, Lacteani sac, Ossani, ocus Sarani Conaill ocus Colmani, ocus Lactani Eps, Finnseghi Vir. Hi omnes in Ath Truim requiescunt . " —Rev. Dr. Kelly's "Calendar of Irish Saints," &c, p. xvi.
40 "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
niae," xxvii. Februarii, nn. 13 and 16, p.
Patricius S. Irland, de
27 There is a MS. , De Patricii Purgatorio.
98
There is a French MS. of the fifteenth
century, Le Purgatoire de S. Patrice.
39 There is a MS. , Patricii Purgatorium.
30 There is a Description du Purgatoire de St. Patrice, in Manuscript.
31 There is a MS. , Patricius de Purgatorio.
33 There is a MS. , David Scotus de Pur- gatorio Patricii.
33 One is a MS. , " Historia eorum quae
contingerunt Georgio de Ungaria filio cujus-
dam in S. Magnatis Ungarici Purgatorio
Purgatorio.
Patricii. Visiones Georgii militis in purga-
tioni S. Patricii. " Again, there is "Nar- 366.
ratio Georgii Hungari S. Patricii Purga- toriorium in Hibernia visitante, Anno 1353," Germanice.
41 See James Wills' "Lives of Illustrious
and Distinguished Irishmen," vol. i. , part ii. , p. 224.
In the Libraries at Bamberg,26 at
55 See ibid. , p. 458.
"
36 See Jacobus de Voragine,
ut nihil perperam adhibitum semotumve :
haec aurea nitidis excutitur formis claretque
Legenda
August 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 359
wise venerated on this day. We do not find this saint's name occurring at
either of these days, in the copy of the Irish Calendar, formerly belonging to the Ordnance Survey Office, Phoenix Park. Neither is it to be met with, in
the Martyrology of Donegal. ^
Article III. —St. Rodan, Bishop of Kill-Rodan, County of Sligo.
[FifthCentury^ Thisholymanissupposedtohaveflourishedintheearly
times of Irish Christianity. Although the Martyrology of Tallagh has cele-
brated his festival, at the 18th of l January ;
2 At
taker of cattle, and while leading that pastoral or eremitical life, he was
constantly engaged in prayer. From that humble position, St. Patricks rescued him, to serve in the works of his great mission. It would seem, that his
early education had been neglected, supposing this to have been the man to whom allusion has been made. After learning the rudiments, when he had been sufficiently instructed, from being a tender of flocks, Rodan became a spiri-
tual shepherd. In the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, he is styled the noble pres- byter Rodan,* and a church was erected for him, and for other disciples,5 in theterritoryofHuaNoella,6bytheillustriousApostleofIreland. Thatregion is now represented by the modern barony of Tirerrill, in the present County of Sligo. There, in a place called Domhacha,? St. Patrick erected a church, whichwentbythenameofSencheallDumhaighe. Amongthedisciplesof St. Patrick, we meet with a saint of this name. He is called Bishop of Seancheall, in Connaught. 8 His feast has been assigned to the 24th of August. 9 It is also probable, that he was the Bishop of Rodan of Muraisk, 10 a district in the barony of Tireagh, and county of Sligo. It extended from the Rive—r Easkey to Dunnacoy. 11 He was set over the church of Kill- Rodain called after him—in the former territory of Myresch-aigle. " At present, the site of Kill-Rodain has not been discovered, nor is it known how long he lived in that place. In the Irish Life of St. Patrick, his church in
yet,
more correct to follow the authority of Marianus O'Gorman, and to place St.
Rodan's feast at the of 24th
August.
first,
he was a or care- shepherd
42 At the ix. of the Kalends of September,
August 24th, we there find, separate entries of two distinct Patricks, who are placed in different lines, and, in the following order : "PatriciiAbbocusEp. Riusdela. " After- wards, "Patricii hostiarii ocus Abb, Aird- macha. " SeeRev. Dr. Kelly's"Catalogue of Irish Saints," &c, p. xxxii.
« Published by Rev. Drs. Todd and
l
Seewhathasbeenalready stated regarding St. Rottan, venerated at l8th of January, in the First Volume of this
6 Likewise known as Tir-Oilella, the land
or territory of Oilell. See " The Topo-
graphical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O'Huidhrin," edited
by John O'Donovan, LL. D. , n. 254, p. xxxvi.
7InthedistrictofMurrisk,thereisstilla townland called Dunheakin.
8 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix, and Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 266.
» See ibid.
Reeves. — Articlehi.
work, Art. vi.
2 11
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Sexta Vita S. Patricii, n. 150, p. 115.
plain," in English.
See John O'Donovan's teabhar* tia
8
See his Life, March xvii. , in the Third
Volume of this Art. work,
12 See
" Trias
xiii.
4 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, ii. , cap. Hi. ,
Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, ii. , cap. xli. , P- 135-
s Besides St. Rodan, the noble priest, are
named Macetus, Cetchenus, and Matona, O'Donovan astray, in his " Genealogies, the sister of Benignus. To Matona, St. Tribes, and Customs of Hy-Fiachrach, Patrick and St. Rodan gave the veil of commonly called O'Dowda's Country. " virginity, and to the care of Rodan she was Addenda, P. , n. (q), p. 471.
committed. '3 See Miss M. F. Cusack's " Life of St.
i. , chap.
Colgan's
Thaumaturga,"
10
we are that it is informed,
Muirisc in Irish signifies the "Sea-
3-CeA|\c, or the Book of Rights, n. (e), p. 19.
p. 136, and cap. xcix. , pp. 142, 143. This, however, is a wrong interpretation, as that Myresch-Aigle was in Mayo. It also led Dr.
360
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 24.
T
Muirisk is called Cillespuig-Rodain 3 and in an Irish Poem, quoted in the ;
1
Annals of the Four Masters, * the present holy man is called Rodan, son of
Braga, while he is described as St. Patrick's shepherd. This holy bishop,
during his life, and also after his death, was distinguished by miraculous 1
favours,procuredthroughhismerits. * ItismentionedintheMartyrologyof Marianus O'Gorman, as also in that of Donegal,16 how a festival in honour of Rodan, a Bishop, was celebrated at this date. The name of Rodan is found Latinized Romulus, in some Calendars.
Article IV. —St. Merchard or Yarchard, of Kincardine, Scot-
land. [Probably Fifth or Sixth Century. '] The present holy man is found among the Saints of Scotland ; but, we are doubtful as to whether or not his origin should be referred to Ireland. Under various forms of name, such as Merchard, Yarchard, Irchard, Erthad, and Erchad, he is presented to our notice. The Bollandists have the fullest statements regarding him, at the
13
24th day of August. These are contained in a historic Sylloge, consisting
of eleven paragraphs. However, the Breviary of Aberdeen, which was
printed in the year 1509, is alleged to be their chief authority for his Acts.
Already, at the 24th of July, Dempster has placed the festival of this holy
bishop, named Erthad,3 and his Natalis is also set down at this date.
Ferrarius has followed such statement4 By Camerarius, Erchadus or
Erthadus is noticed, at the 24th of Augusts Again, a learned Scotch Jesuit,
Father Patrick Ninian Wemyss, had given a Scottish Menology to the
Bollandists, and in it was found, at this same date, the name of Bishop
Erthad, which he states to have been thus entered in the Scotch Festilogies.
Bishop Forbes has some biographical particulars regarding Merchard or
6
Yarchard ;
and, on the authority of the Aberdeen Breviary, this Irchardus
is stated to have been born in in Kincardin 8 Tolmaid,? Oneyll, among
barbarous and untaught people. There from his early days, he rebuked unbelievers, and he preached virtue. He likewise addicted himself to the practices of prayer, vigils and fasting. He was ordained a Priest by St. Ternan,' who made him coadjutor and penitentiary, in all the provinces
under his 10 It is jurisdiction.
stated,
that soon Yarchard went afterwards,
» The Bollandists remark, that this place was unknown to them.
Patrick, Apostle of Ireland. " William M. Hennessy's translation of the Tripartite Life, part ii. , p. 2.
14 See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. , at A. D. 448, pp. 138, 139.
15 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. cxlii. , p. 96.
