Dympna was
honoured
greatly, in the county of Louth ; and hence, an inference is drawn by Hanmer, that her father dwelt there.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v5
Monsieur Corneille Eyskens, Cure de Gheel, et Archipretre du district de Gheel.
3^ The materials for this work appear to have been drawn, in a great measure, from what has appea'red on the Chapitre de Ste. Dimphne, in the " Annales Archeologiques de la Belgique," tomes xii. , xiii. , xiv. , xv. and xvii.
37 Imprimerie J. E. Buschmann.
3^ About the period of the French Revolu- tion, when the revenues were sequestrated, this college of canons was dispersed.
39 This work has two woodcuts, repre- senting armorial bearings, belonging to the Berthout and Merode families.
»° This beautifully illustrated work bears on its title-page the following inscription : " Gheel vermaerd door den eerdienst der Heilige Dimphna Geschied—en oudsheid- skundige Beschryving der kerken gestichten en kapellen dier oude vryheid," door P. D. Kuyl, Priester, etc. Antwerpen Drukkery J. E. Buschmann, MDCCCLXiii. This title may be translated : " Gheel celebrated for the veneration of St. Dympna. A histori-
J.
young Belgian females. " author's name in full. Beulen, R. C. Priest. Janssens, in i2mo.
We here give the By John Baptist
"^9 For this information,'^I feel indebted to the Rev. Dr. Reeves ; but, I have not been fortunate enough, to procure a copy of the work in question.
3° See "Lives of the Saints," vol. v. , May 15, pp. 207 to 211.
Published by C.
J.
288 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 15.
Domenick Kuyl, vicar of the great cathedral in that city. -*' The author had previously prepared a smaller work, for popular circulation, entitled: "Legende der Martelaren vanGheel SS. Dimphna en Gerebernus opgevolgd van eene reeks wonderbare genezingen door de voorspraek der H. Dimphna bekomen, alsmede eenige oefeningen van devotie tot de H. Patrones van Gheel. "*^ This little pamphlet was also issued at Antwerp, and by the same publisher, in the year i860. It has a small but beautifully engraved map prefixed, on which a plan of Gheel, with the image of its patroness and her usual emblems, will be found. The position of the streets, churches, religious establishments, and other interesting objects, akhough not drawn according to an exact scale, is intelligibly represented, with various accompanying refer- ences. 43 Besides the foregoing, there are several published accounts of St. Dympna, in Belgium, and in Germany, as also in other countries, on the Continent of Europe. ''^
From the Prologue to the Life of our saint, as written by Canon Peter,4S it would appear, that his task had been undertaken, in compliance with the repeated request of a venerable and pious inhabitant of Gheel, named Stephen
cal and an archceological description of the churches, institutions and chapels of this ancientcommune. " ByP. D. Kuyl,Priest, etc. , Antwerp. J. E. Buschmann, Publisher, 1863. This magnificent work contains 396 pages, with an appendix of 152 additional pages, royal 8vo. It is highly creditable to Flemish scholarship, research and taste. A very large edition, issued by the amiable and erudite author, who has established for him- self an enduring fame in the literary world, had been already nearly exhausted, a few months after its first publication. The fine paper copies bound are published at twenty francs, and the ordinaiy unbound coiiies at eight francs. The worli is dedicated to His Eminence, Engelbert, Cardinal Archbishop of Mechlin.
were afforded, and valuable introductions obtained, to prosecute all necessary inquiries at the localiiies of Gheel and Sonsbeck, in reference to the subjects embraced in this biography. Father Kuyl, who is a native of Gheel, and was born, as he told me, under the very shadow of St. Dympna's church, has a great veneration for our holy virgin and martyr. During my short sojourn in Ant- werp, I experienced great kindness and attention from this zealous Priest. He ex- pressed a regret that his special duty of the week did not permit him to accompany mc to Gheel, where his services as guide should have been invaluable, during the pro- secution of my researches.
*" In English : "Legend of the Martyrs
of Gheel, Saints Dympna and Gerebern, followed by miraculous cures, wrought through the intercession of St. Dympna, witli some exercises of piety in honour of the patroness of Gheel. " This small book, in 8vo, contains 100 pages, and is dedicated to St. Dympna. Itisquiteapopulartractin Gheel and its immediate neighbourhood, where it can be procured at the low price of one half franc, and where it already com- petes in public estimation, with the older biography of our saint, by Van Cray- winckel.
^3 In the larger work of Rev. Mr. Kuyl there is a correct and an engraved Kaert van Gheel, or a map of this commune, with all roads, rivers, villages and objects of interest, for a considerable distance around St. Dympna's city—see p. i. There are also many engraved seals, armorial bearings, etc. , illustrating the different pages of this valua- ble work—a copy of which was kindly pre- sented to me by the author.
and V. G. of the Dubhn Archdiocese, the writer issued in a small book, " The Life of St. Dympna, Virgin, Martyr, and Patroness of Gheel ; with some Notices of St. Gere- bern, Priest, Martyr and Patron of Sons- beck. "Dublin, i8mo, pp. 232. Thisinvolved the necessity of a visit, to those places on the Continent, with which their patronage has been specially connected. The Dedication and Preface are here omitted
' Having been furnished with a letter of
introduction from the learned Bollandist
father, Victor De Buck, of the Jesuit Col-
lege, I3russels, to this young and estimable
ecclesiastic, the writer was enabled to pro-
cure much valuable material and obtain
access to recondite sources of information,
elsewhere unattainable. Through the Rev. William Yore, D. D. , P. P. , of St. Paul's, Mr. Kuyl, further favourable opportunities
^ In the year 1863, at the request and at the expense of the late Very Rev. Monsignor
some correc- tions and alterations in the order of chapters
;
are now introduced
of new and curious information h. as since been obtained regarding those saints and
here inserted
many of St. Dympna's attested miracles have been suppressed or abbreviated in the pre- sent Memoir.
;
while, for the sake of brevity,
;
a considerable amount
May 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
de Brava. To the latter, therefore, his tract was dedicated by the writer, who had long deliberated on the expediency of undertaking a work, which he considered might have been more suitably accomplished, by some other person. Stephen dejBraniaor Branas ^6—not de Brava, as Father Henschenn incorrectly wrote the name—had adopted St. Dympna, as his special patroness; and, he was naturally anxious, to have the incidents of her life and passion transmitted to posterit)'^, as well to satisfy his own devotion, as to spread before the minds of Christians those facts, which might prove a source of edification to young ladies, and excite the admiration of all future genera- tions. It is difficult to ascertain, from the words of Canon Peter, whether he translated into the Latin tongue his Life of St. Dympna, from a Manu- script written in the vernacular language of the country, or compiled his work originally from popular traditions, prevailing in his day. I incline to the latter supposition, as most probable, from the words used by him. 47 The writer thinks it presumptuous and indecorous for an uninstructed man, to attempt penetrating the mysteries of Sacred Scripture, because he can hardly understand what he reads, and might easily misinterpret the sense. Yet, he who invisibly penetrated the breasts of the apostles, and shed his divine beams on them, might make even illiterate men inflame the minds of their hearers, with the flames of holy charity, which suffers all things, and is not inflated. As the propliet Samuel declared, that obedience was better than sacrifice ;'*^ so Canon Peter ventured to undertake his task, being unwilling to refuse any request his patron might demand of him, yet humbly conscious of his own literary deficiencies. His hope of effecting something useful was drawn, from a recollection of what is related in the Old Testament ; those who were poor offered the skins of goats, to make hair-cloth veils for orna- menting the tabernacle of God,49 when the rich and powerful presented more valuablegifts. 5° Wherefore,toenlightenandfortifythemindsofmen,Canon Peter declares, that, as a poor man, he would offer his contribution, without attaching importance to it as his own production. Yet, He who opened the mouth of the prophet Zachary,^^ and who deigns to manifest His wonderful and miraculous actions through the accounts of men, can also use them as suitable instruments, to proclaim his own perfections amongst all Christian people. As inferiority of style, however, might detract from the value of a noble subject, the writer especially beseeches his friend Stephen, to submit the life of our saint for revision to Guido, bishop of CambrayjS^' of whose sound judgment and literary taste an exalted estimate had been formed.
The learned and critical Father Henschenius, editor of our saint's Acts, has
*s In the Appendix to the Rev. Mr. Kuyl's History of Gheel, we are presented with a version of Canon Peter's Life of our Saint, copied from one of the ancient church regis- ters in that city. The author had separate copies of this Latin Life struck off for circu- lation amongst his friends.
•* There is historic proof, that Stephen de Brania or Brana, flourished in 1247. Father Kuyl also told the writer, that his name ap- pears to have been derived from the town of Braine-le-Comte, which the traveller will pass as a station on the railroad, between Mons and Brussels, in Belgium. From the foregoing circutnstances, it is possible to form some conjecture as to the proximate time when Canon Peter lived ; since few other notices have been preserved, which
could tend to illustrate his biography.
"'^ After complaining of the long neglect of those preceding him, in not treating about the passion of our saint, " nondura sacrse litterarum memoriae commendata," he de-
clares, that lie was urged, "de vulgari elo- quio in Latinum redigerem idioma," etc.
"^ i Kings, xv. , 22.
""Exodus, xxv.
5° Exodus, xxviii. , xxx. , xxxi.
S' Luke, i. 64.
^- " Ut in eo quodcumque perspexerit in-
compositum sive rude, quod forsitan audi- tori possit facere ridiculum, aut legenti, dili- genter eliminet ; sicque sarnientis sterilibus amputatis, uberius fiuctum ferat : ne dum per publicos aspectos transierit, temerarius appaream et insulsus. "
T
ago LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 15.
adduced arguments, tending to call in question Ireland's claim, to the birth of this pearl of great price. He assumes, that Dympna obtained the crown of martyrdom, after the middle of the seventh century, and that Ireland was then altogether Christian, 53 having already sent missionaries to spread the faith, in Gaul, Belgium, and Germany. Henschenius thinks that a reading, found in the IMS. obtained from Utrecht, should rather be adopted, than that he should receive the other accounts known to be extant, with the concurring testimony of long-established popular tradition. This MS. states, that her father was a pagan king, not of Ireland, but of Britain, =4 which latter country had been for the most part occupied, at that period, by the Angles and Saxons. It then remained under the rule of seven or perhaps a greater num- ber of petty pagan kings. ss Another argument, advanced by Henschenius, in support of his opinion, refers to the name of St. Gerebern,^^ the companion of St. Uympna's flight. In the ancient Saxon language, we are told, that this name may be Latinized, " CoUigens filios. "^? Henschenius supposes, that another conjecture—the force of which most intelligent readers will be at a loss to discover—may be adduced to sustain his position. As nearly the same idiom prevailed among the Anglo-Saxons and the people living at Antwerp, Gheel, and the adjoining districts, to which St. Dympna and St. Gerebern fled, perhaps, he says, the latter wished to instruct in the Christian religion those Anglo-Saxons, among whom he might have been born, whilst it was possible, he had been converted to the faith in Gaul, and there received the grace of priesthood. The Bollandist writer dismisses with little regard the inquiry, if St. Dympna could have been a daughter to one of the Danish kings, invading or settled in Ireland ? He justly considers this subject inad- missible, unless we assign a later period for the actions both of Dympna and of Gerebern, than is generally allowed. s^ In reply to the foregoing observa-
53 The editor thought all the Acts of Irish Saints previously published by the Bollan- dists established this fact.
s* The Utrecht MS. , instead of Hibernia, reads Biitannia. Molanus does not give the country of St. Dympna's birth.
ts Among these, St. Ethelbert, King of Kent, was the first who embraced the faith, towards the close of the sixth century, and he died a. d. 6i6, all the cotemporary princes being then pagans. The East Saxons during the reign of King Sebert be- came Christians, but afterwards relapsed into idolatry. In Cressy's " Church History ofBrittany," Third Part, Booksxiii. and xiv. , a vei7 complete account of England's con- version to Christianity will be found. The kings of the Southern, Eastern, and Western Saxons, of East Anglia, of Mercia, and of Northumbria, were ihen unconverted to the faith ; and Henschenius ventures to suggest, that the father of St. Dympna might have been one of the aforesaid Saxon Kings. His subsequent conjecture is far more ingenious than probable. For admitting, as he sup- poses, that the whole Heptarchy afterwards became united under one king, and that llic Belgians recognised no other people as Saxons but those of Germany; we may ask, how could the Christian inhabitants of Hel-
gium have resolved on assigning the birth of St. Dympna to Ireland without just warrant,
because the latter country was better known to them than Britain, whilst at the same time, it is groundlessly conjectured, the Bel- gians were ignorant of this fact, that the Irish had embraced the Christian religion during previous centuries? These contradic- tory opinions mutually destroy each other, and do not merit the trouble of a grave re- futation. They are altogether unworthy the learning and critical acumen of Father Hen- schenius.
^s
and a special account of him immediately follows our Life of St. Dympna.
57 Henschenius adds: "et ita dicuntur Gerwinus, Gerlacus, Gertrudis, nota inter BelgiiSanctosnomina; Osbernus,scriptor, et alii similes. "
ss jn the Annals of Florence of Worcester, who flourished about the year 1120, we read at A. n. 937 : " lliberniensium multarum in- sularum Rogem Paganum Anlafum, a socero suo, Rege Scotorum Constantino, incitatum, ostium Humbri fluminis valida cum classe ingressum fuisse. " By other English writers, tliis Anlaf is also represented as a pagan king of Ireland, and of various islands ; and tliat he was afterwards baptized, King Ed- mund having been his sponsor, a. d. 942, or the year succeeding. This Anlaf was de- scended from the Kings of Norway, and he was the son of Sitric, first King of Dublin.
His festival is referred, also, to this date,
May 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 291
tions, it must be observed, that paganism lingered in certain Irish localities, to a period so late as the sixth century ; for, we find various accounts referring to Magi and Gentile superstitions, before the commencement of tlie seventh cen- tury, when St. Dympna is supposed to have suffered martyrdom. As to the name Gerebern having an Anglo-Saxon rather than an Irish termination, we
find several Irish names ending in erji^ such as Fortchern, Libern, etc. Besides, several Irish names of saints are known to have been changed to suit a peculiar idiom, by the people in Britain and on the Continent of Europe,amongstwhomtheylaboured. ThenamesDympna,Genebern,and Genebrand, were probably instances in point. The weight of written autho- rity and of oral tradition furnishes irrefragable evidence of Dympna and of her companion Gerebern being natives of Ireland.
Some explanation, however, may be required, to solve certain diffi- culties, in connection with the exact period, at which this holy virgin flourished. A learned authority examines the probability of Dympna being the daughter of a Northern viking, in some part of Ireland, during the time when the Danes and Norwegians, who had established them- selves in this island, were pagans. These nations, it is well known, were under little restraint, on the matter of matrimonial impediments, con- sanguinity, and alliances. But, if such hypothesis be admitted, the times of St. Dympna must be referred to a period, not earlier than the ninth century. This should appear a more reasonable supposition, it is thought, than to allow of her having lived, in tlie latter part of the sixth, or in the beginning of the seventh century, when all the Irish princes named in our annals appear to
have been Christians, and when the rules of morality and religion were so strictly observed, that no ruler in our island would have made proposals in direct violation of them. 59 Although the period of St. Dympna's martyrdom is usually referred to about the year 600, there are better reasons for assigning it to before the year 500, or soon after this latter date. During the whole of the fifth, and likewise, during the early part of the sixth century, some pagan kings and chiefs are known to have lived in this island. We are told, that in the sixteenth century, St.
Dympna was honoured greatly, in the county of Louth ; and hence, an inference is drawn by Hanmer, that her father dwelt there. ^° However, this may be, to us it appears more probable, that while
we can readily admit him to have ruled over that particular district, he was also the Dynast of a much more extensive territory, known as Airghialla,^' Oirghialla, or Oriel, which at one time spread over the greater part of Ulster but, afterwards, it was confined chiefly to the counties of Louth, Armagh and Monaghan. ^2 The great sept of this territory descended from the three Collas. ^3 Not only do popular tradition and probability of circumstances
Henschenius then quotes the authority of Colgan for asserting, that although in 812 a fleet of Danes arrived in Ireland and was re- pelled, no native or foreign writer worthy of credit had asserted, that the Danes, Norwe- gians or Normans obtained a footing in tliis island before the year 83S. See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , xv. Mali. De SS. Dympna, Virgine, et Gereberno, Sacerdote, Martyribus Gelre in Brabantia. —Prologo- mina, sect. 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, pp. 477 to 479.
59 See Dr. Lanigan's " Ecclesiastical His- tory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xvi. , sect. xiii. , n. 134, p. 476.
*° See Dr. Meredith Hanmer's " Chroni- cle of Ireland," p. 143. This writer died of the plague in Dublin, A. D. 1604.
*' In the east of this territory were the Oirtheara, or Orientales, and this name is still preserved, in the two baronies of Orior, in the eastern part of Armagh County, the country of the O'Hanlons. This district was also called Crich nan-Airthear, translated in the Secunda Vita S. Patricii, " Kegio Orien- talium. '
^^ Shortly after the introduction of Chris- tianity to Ireland, the descendants of Eog- ban, son to Niall of the Nine Hostages, de- prived them of the present counties of Lon- donderry and Tyone. See " The Topo- graphical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolia na Naomh O'Huidhrin," n. 103, p. xix. , and n. 122, p. xxi.
^^ See an account of them, in Roderick
;
292 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 15.
point to a more north-westerly residence for the father of St. Dympna known as Daphne or Davnet in the northern parts of Ireland—but even our history reveals the fact, that the Kings of Oirghalla had their chief stronghold atRathmore,^'*"nearClogher,inthepresentcountyofTyrone. Wherefore, the greater regard should be had for the following statements, which appear to connect the family and birthplace of this illustrious saint and martyr, with that particular locality. The town of Clogher is built on the little River Lanny, or LaunVj^s a branch of the northern River Blackwaltr/^ It is situated, within a barony called by the same name, and in the southern part of Tyrone County. During the pagan period of our history, it was known as Clochar-mac-Damene, or"ClogheroftheSonsofDamene. " InanoteontheFeilireofSt. ^ngus, Cathal Maguire has stated, that Clogher derived its name from a stone, which was surmounted by a golden ring, and which in his time was preserved there, attherightsideofachurch. Healsostates,thatinthisstone,theKerdman Kelstach, the most celebrated Idol of Northern Mythology, was worshipped by our pagan ancestors. ^^ Tliere is no place near Clogher, at the present day, bearing the name Rathraor, though there is a townland, named Lismore, convenient to it. However, it is not supposed a very difficult matter to iden- tify Rathraor, with the large earthen fort, situate within the former episcopal palace grounds of Clogher. First, because this earthen fort was the chief stronghold and place of residence for the princes of Oriel in after ages. ^^ Secondly, because it was the most convenient fort to Clogher, and corres- ponding with the designation of Rathraor, near Clogher. And thirdly, because it is the only fort in the vicinity, which deserves the narae of Rath—not to say RathraororthegreatRath. Thisremarkablefortresswasverystronglyforti- fied—being surrounded by three deep fosses, while the inner lis is still protected
O'Flaherty's "Ogygia," pars iii. , cap. Ixxv. , Ixxvi. , pp. 359 to 366.
*•• See what has been already stated, in the Life of St. Fanchea, Virgin, in the First Volume of this work, at the 1st of January, Art. i. , chap. i.
'5 It rises in tlie heights beyond Ferdross, and in tiie name of this stream was pre- served for many ages the etymon of the dis- trict, formerly known as Magh Leamna, pronounced Moy Leney, long after it had become merged in the more extensive terri- tory, called Oriel. In the midst of this dis- trict stands Knockmany, the sacred hill, or Olympus of the early colonists in the loca- lity. The plain of Moy Leney extended for
some distance west of Clogher to beyond Ballygawley. The present towns inAugher and Ballygawley, as well as of Clogher, lie within this ancient principality. It includetl the churches and religious foundations of Clogher and of Erriglekeerogue. Ath-Ergal, where passed the very interesting conversa- tion between St. Patrick and St. MacCartin, which is given in extenso in Eugene O'Curry's "Lectures," was a ford on the River Blackwater, situated within liiat terri- tory, probably midway between the Church of Eriiglekeerogue and Clogher, at or near Augher. This plain had Clogher on its western, and the Church of St. Dachiarog almost on iis northern extremity. This plain was also called Clossach. It preserved this
name even in the time of Father Colgan, who described it as a " level district of Ty- rone in the diocese of Clobber," and it was caUed, on an old map of it preserved in the State Pai)er Office, London, as " the coun- trie of Cormac MacBaron O'Neill. " By re- ference to Joyce, we find it may have received the name " Clossach," fronr some real or fancied resemblance this plain may have, by reason of its semicircular and detached ap- pearance, to the human ear, cloosh being the corresponding Irish word for ear. The fore- going information has been extracted from a learned topograpliical investigation, headed, "Knockmany in Tyrone," by Sacer- dos. It 7u^^it:^\<iA, \\\ \. \\q. People s Advocate,
Saturday, February 24th, 1S77, a newspaper published in Monaghan. The writer is Rev. Daniel O'Connor, P. P.
** It was formeily called the Avonmore, and it flowed tlirough Magh Leamna.
'' The " Registry of Clogher " states, that the 67^^//<7/;- sent forth puzzling answers, like tlie oracle of Pythian Apollo, at Delphos. The like statement occurs, in O'Flaherty's " Ogj-gia. "
^ We are told, there is no reason for doubting, that it was erected by Queen Baine, as a royal residence and fortress. At the date A. D. iii, in Dr. O'Donovan's "An- nals of the Four Masters," we read : "The first year of the reign of Feidhlimidh Reacth- mhar, son of Tuathal Teachtmhar, as king
—
May 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
293
by a very strong breast-work of earth. ^9 In former times, it must have been a stronghold of great importance. Covering the southern dedivity of the hill, on which Rathmore is situated, may be seen at intervals down the hillside smaller circumvallations, or fosses. 7°
There was a certain holy virgin belonging to the family of Orgiel, and we are told, her name was Damnoda, otherwise Dymna, surnamed Schene, or the fugi- tive. Sheissaid,inoneplace,tohavebeenthedaughterofDamen,? 'whowasthe son of Corpre, surnamed Damh-airgid, and she was one of the saints belonging to the family of Colla Dacrioch, according to the martyrologists. But, Colgan tells us, that in some MSS. he found Damand-Scene, Mac Daimhen, etc. , which means Damand the fugitive, son of Damen. However, here he thinks two mis- takes have occurred. First, the change of one letter for another, thus making Damand appear for Damnad. He says, there was a very celebrated virgin of the family of Orgiel, commonly called Damnad, who in his time was vene- rated, throughout the whole territory of Orgiel. There is no male or female saint to be found in our histories, or fasti, named Damand, or any name more
resembling it than Damnad. Secondly, another mistake arose from the first, as Colgan conjectures, for we have Mac Daimen used, for ingen Daimhein,? ^ or for ingen mhic Daimhein. 73 The Irish hagiographer thinks, that no other saint can be meant, than Damnad, or Dimna, virgin, as may be gathered from the added epithet SceiieJ'< Thus, he supposes, Damnad Scene, that is Dam- nada, or Dimna, the fugitive, can be no other than the St. Dympna, who fled fromIrelandtoBelgium,andwhowasafterwardskilledbyherfather. Colgan remarks, that although this saint was venerated in Belgium, on the 15th of May, her festival in Ireland was placed, at the 13th of June,7S as might be
seen, by consulting our native martyrologies. ^^ The reader is referred, also, to what is stated, at this latter date.
over Ireland. Baine the daughter of Seal, was the mother of this Feidlilimidh, it was from her Cnoc-Baine in Oirgliialla (was called), for it was there slie was interred. It was by her also Rath-mor of Magh-Leamhna, in Ulster, was erected. "—Vol. i. , pp. 102, 103. The above pithy sentence, gives a compendious history of the sepulchre of Knockmany, and who knows, says the Rev. Daniel O'Connor, but that it may be almost a literal translation of the oghamic marks, scorings, concentric circles, lines and dots, so faithfully represented on Mr. Wakeman's engraving ? See the very interesting Paper, with accompanying illustratious, by that gentleman, intituled " The Megalithic Se- pulchral Chamber of Knockmany, County Tyrone, with some remarks on Dolmens in Fermanagh and its borders. " See "Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland," &c. , A. u. 1876, vol.
iv. , Fourth Series, pp. 95 to 106.
*9 The enclosed space within this rath is
much more extensive, than any the Rev. D. O'Connor had elsewhere seen. It includes fully three times as much space as the simi- larly constructed stronghold, called in Job- son's Survey of the County of Monaghan, " Manning's Castle," in the plain of Donaghmoyne, the difference in the case of the latter being, that in the lapse of time, a mediaeval castle, with drawbridge, &c. , was erected on its summit.
7° It is related, that on the occasion of an incursion from an invading party, these fosses could be flooded from an adjoining lake, and thus contribute to the defences of the royal residence. Of this lake, there now remains no vestige, though a little to the west of the rath traces of an ancient lake are more apparent. Much credence is given at Clogher to a tradition, which states that, at the time of the Reformation, theguardian of the "Bell of St. MacCartin," for greater safety, cast this venerated relic into this latter lake, which had not then wholly disappeared.
^' This king was the grandfather of St. Endeus of Arran, who flourished before the latter part of the fifth century.
^^ The daughter of Damen, in English.
'3 The daughter of the son of Damen, in English. We find, that Dympna was not a sister of St. Endeus, for her name does not appear amongst those of his sisters, who are often mentioned. She must have been either a first cousin or an aunt of his, if we follow the accounts of our genealogists; for, she is said to have been the d'aughter, or the paternal grand-daughter, of Daimhein, or Damen. a king of Orgiel, who was also grandfather to St. Endeus of Arran.
'••"Quod fugientem, sive fugitivum, vel fugitivam, denotat. "
75 In the Martyrology of Tallagh, at this day, we find the entry, " Damnat Sleibhe Betha. "—Rev. Dr. Kelly's "Calendar of
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. May 15.
If this conjecture of Colgan be admitted, St. Dympna must have been born before the year 500, as her relative St. Endeus ^^ flourished prior to that time. We have no reason for beheving, that the Damen alluded to was a Chris- tian, and one of his sons might have been a pagan. In this case, the Rev. Dr. Lanigan considers our saint's martyrdom cannot be assigned to a later period, thantoabouta. d. 500. ^^ Onthismatter,however,muchuncertaintyprevails and, after all, it will be found most expedient, to confine ourselves within those accounts given, in the more ancient Acts of St. Dympna, which are now accessible, and which contain her traditional biography.
This holy virgin, a most stainless vessel of election, is said to have been daughter to one of those petty kings, who ruled in Ireland, and that he was also an idolater. Although this prince, addicted to pagan superstition, de- spised the true God, whose worship had been generally diffused by the apos- tles throughout the known world ; yet, he had acquired fame, owing to his supremacyoverrivalchieftains,andthroughhisprowessinwar. Hewasalso wealthy, besides being powerful.
The wife ^s of this prince was descended from a noble family. As in figure and in features, her beauty formed the theme of general conversation, so her husband became devotedly attached to his companion. It had been remarked by all, that the young and graceful Dympna bore astrikingresemblancetohermother. Fromherearliestinfancy,thechild seemedtohavereceivedspecialgracesfromHeaven. Althoughaccustomed to all the luxuries of life, owing to her birth, education, and position, this noble child appeared to have disregarded all her advantages of rank and station, and to have turned her thoughts towards more abiding interests. It was re- marked, that she felt no inclination to indulge in those idle amusements, in which so many of her sex waste their precious moments. She avoided dancing, profane singing, and all unbecoming pleasures. She carefully shunned all incentives, dangerously affecting the habits and sentiments of decorum and modesty. The very name of Damhnait,^° or Dympna,^' is said by the old writer of her Acts, to have given a promise, that she would afterwards render
herself worthy of God's approval. Like the white snow-drop of her natal lawns, that springs upward fi-om the rank and frozen soil, with its blossom
294
Irish Saints," p. xxvii.
7* See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nice," xxi. Martii. Vita S. Endei, Appendix, cap. iv. , pp. 713, 714.
" See his Life, in the Third Volume of this work, ? . t the 2ist of March, Art. i.
St. Dympna having suffered about 500, it may be objected that the Andoverpes, or people about Antwerp, were pagans until the seventh century (see Fleury, i, 38, sect. 29), and many of ihem still later. But in the saint's Acts, they arc not represented as Christians in her time, although it is said there was a church at Ghee). Besides our not being bound to believe this part of the narrative, it may be observed, that a church or chapel might have been erected thereby some former missionaries, which, however, was neglected by the inhabitants. It may
also be said, that in the latter end of the said seventh centuiy, Antwerp was but a small place, a castrum, as appears from the Life of St. Villebrod. This difficulty is easily removed; whereas in the Acts it is only called a castrum, and this is no allusion to its having been in St. Dympna's days a place
tory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xvi. , sect.
3^ The materials for this work appear to have been drawn, in a great measure, from what has appea'red on the Chapitre de Ste. Dimphne, in the " Annales Archeologiques de la Belgique," tomes xii. , xiii. , xiv. , xv. and xvii.
37 Imprimerie J. E. Buschmann.
3^ About the period of the French Revolu- tion, when the revenues were sequestrated, this college of canons was dispersed.
39 This work has two woodcuts, repre- senting armorial bearings, belonging to the Berthout and Merode families.
»° This beautifully illustrated work bears on its title-page the following inscription : " Gheel vermaerd door den eerdienst der Heilige Dimphna Geschied—en oudsheid- skundige Beschryving der kerken gestichten en kapellen dier oude vryheid," door P. D. Kuyl, Priester, etc. Antwerpen Drukkery J. E. Buschmann, MDCCCLXiii. This title may be translated : " Gheel celebrated for the veneration of St. Dympna. A histori-
J.
young Belgian females. " author's name in full. Beulen, R. C. Priest. Janssens, in i2mo.
We here give the By John Baptist
"^9 For this information,'^I feel indebted to the Rev. Dr. Reeves ; but, I have not been fortunate enough, to procure a copy of the work in question.
3° See "Lives of the Saints," vol. v. , May 15, pp. 207 to 211.
Published by C.
J.
288 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 15.
Domenick Kuyl, vicar of the great cathedral in that city. -*' The author had previously prepared a smaller work, for popular circulation, entitled: "Legende der Martelaren vanGheel SS. Dimphna en Gerebernus opgevolgd van eene reeks wonderbare genezingen door de voorspraek der H. Dimphna bekomen, alsmede eenige oefeningen van devotie tot de H. Patrones van Gheel. "*^ This little pamphlet was also issued at Antwerp, and by the same publisher, in the year i860. It has a small but beautifully engraved map prefixed, on which a plan of Gheel, with the image of its patroness and her usual emblems, will be found. The position of the streets, churches, religious establishments, and other interesting objects, akhough not drawn according to an exact scale, is intelligibly represented, with various accompanying refer- ences. 43 Besides the foregoing, there are several published accounts of St. Dympna, in Belgium, and in Germany, as also in other countries, on the Continent of Europe. ''^
From the Prologue to the Life of our saint, as written by Canon Peter,4S it would appear, that his task had been undertaken, in compliance with the repeated request of a venerable and pious inhabitant of Gheel, named Stephen
cal and an archceological description of the churches, institutions and chapels of this ancientcommune. " ByP. D. Kuyl,Priest, etc. , Antwerp. J. E. Buschmann, Publisher, 1863. This magnificent work contains 396 pages, with an appendix of 152 additional pages, royal 8vo. It is highly creditable to Flemish scholarship, research and taste. A very large edition, issued by the amiable and erudite author, who has established for him- self an enduring fame in the literary world, had been already nearly exhausted, a few months after its first publication. The fine paper copies bound are published at twenty francs, and the ordinaiy unbound coiiies at eight francs. The worli is dedicated to His Eminence, Engelbert, Cardinal Archbishop of Mechlin.
were afforded, and valuable introductions obtained, to prosecute all necessary inquiries at the localiiies of Gheel and Sonsbeck, in reference to the subjects embraced in this biography. Father Kuyl, who is a native of Gheel, and was born, as he told me, under the very shadow of St. Dympna's church, has a great veneration for our holy virgin and martyr. During my short sojourn in Ant- werp, I experienced great kindness and attention from this zealous Priest. He ex- pressed a regret that his special duty of the week did not permit him to accompany mc to Gheel, where his services as guide should have been invaluable, during the pro- secution of my researches.
*" In English : "Legend of the Martyrs
of Gheel, Saints Dympna and Gerebern, followed by miraculous cures, wrought through the intercession of St. Dympna, witli some exercises of piety in honour of the patroness of Gheel. " This small book, in 8vo, contains 100 pages, and is dedicated to St. Dympna. Itisquiteapopulartractin Gheel and its immediate neighbourhood, where it can be procured at the low price of one half franc, and where it already com- petes in public estimation, with the older biography of our saint, by Van Cray- winckel.
^3 In the larger work of Rev. Mr. Kuyl there is a correct and an engraved Kaert van Gheel, or a map of this commune, with all roads, rivers, villages and objects of interest, for a considerable distance around St. Dympna's city—see p. i. There are also many engraved seals, armorial bearings, etc. , illustrating the different pages of this valua- ble work—a copy of which was kindly pre- sented to me by the author.
and V. G. of the Dubhn Archdiocese, the writer issued in a small book, " The Life of St. Dympna, Virgin, Martyr, and Patroness of Gheel ; with some Notices of St. Gere- bern, Priest, Martyr and Patron of Sons- beck. "Dublin, i8mo, pp. 232. Thisinvolved the necessity of a visit, to those places on the Continent, with which their patronage has been specially connected. The Dedication and Preface are here omitted
' Having been furnished with a letter of
introduction from the learned Bollandist
father, Victor De Buck, of the Jesuit Col-
lege, I3russels, to this young and estimable
ecclesiastic, the writer was enabled to pro-
cure much valuable material and obtain
access to recondite sources of information,
elsewhere unattainable. Through the Rev. William Yore, D. D. , P. P. , of St. Paul's, Mr. Kuyl, further favourable opportunities
^ In the year 1863, at the request and at the expense of the late Very Rev. Monsignor
some correc- tions and alterations in the order of chapters
;
are now introduced
of new and curious information h. as since been obtained regarding those saints and
here inserted
many of St. Dympna's attested miracles have been suppressed or abbreviated in the pre- sent Memoir.
;
while, for the sake of brevity,
;
a considerable amount
May 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
de Brava. To the latter, therefore, his tract was dedicated by the writer, who had long deliberated on the expediency of undertaking a work, which he considered might have been more suitably accomplished, by some other person. Stephen dejBraniaor Branas ^6—not de Brava, as Father Henschenn incorrectly wrote the name—had adopted St. Dympna, as his special patroness; and, he was naturally anxious, to have the incidents of her life and passion transmitted to posterit)'^, as well to satisfy his own devotion, as to spread before the minds of Christians those facts, which might prove a source of edification to young ladies, and excite the admiration of all future genera- tions. It is difficult to ascertain, from the words of Canon Peter, whether he translated into the Latin tongue his Life of St. Dympna, from a Manu- script written in the vernacular language of the country, or compiled his work originally from popular traditions, prevailing in his day. I incline to the latter supposition, as most probable, from the words used by him. 47 The writer thinks it presumptuous and indecorous for an uninstructed man, to attempt penetrating the mysteries of Sacred Scripture, because he can hardly understand what he reads, and might easily misinterpret the sense. Yet, he who invisibly penetrated the breasts of the apostles, and shed his divine beams on them, might make even illiterate men inflame the minds of their hearers, with the flames of holy charity, which suffers all things, and is not inflated. As the propliet Samuel declared, that obedience was better than sacrifice ;'*^ so Canon Peter ventured to undertake his task, being unwilling to refuse any request his patron might demand of him, yet humbly conscious of his own literary deficiencies. His hope of effecting something useful was drawn, from a recollection of what is related in the Old Testament ; those who were poor offered the skins of goats, to make hair-cloth veils for orna- menting the tabernacle of God,49 when the rich and powerful presented more valuablegifts. 5° Wherefore,toenlightenandfortifythemindsofmen,Canon Peter declares, that, as a poor man, he would offer his contribution, without attaching importance to it as his own production. Yet, He who opened the mouth of the prophet Zachary,^^ and who deigns to manifest His wonderful and miraculous actions through the accounts of men, can also use them as suitable instruments, to proclaim his own perfections amongst all Christian people. As inferiority of style, however, might detract from the value of a noble subject, the writer especially beseeches his friend Stephen, to submit the life of our saint for revision to Guido, bishop of CambrayjS^' of whose sound judgment and literary taste an exalted estimate had been formed.
The learned and critical Father Henschenius, editor of our saint's Acts, has
*s In the Appendix to the Rev. Mr. Kuyl's History of Gheel, we are presented with a version of Canon Peter's Life of our Saint, copied from one of the ancient church regis- ters in that city. The author had separate copies of this Latin Life struck off for circu- lation amongst his friends.
•* There is historic proof, that Stephen de Brania or Brana, flourished in 1247. Father Kuyl also told the writer, that his name ap- pears to have been derived from the town of Braine-le-Comte, which the traveller will pass as a station on the railroad, between Mons and Brussels, in Belgium. From the foregoing circutnstances, it is possible to form some conjecture as to the proximate time when Canon Peter lived ; since few other notices have been preserved, which
could tend to illustrate his biography.
"'^ After complaining of the long neglect of those preceding him, in not treating about the passion of our saint, " nondura sacrse litterarum memoriae commendata," he de-
clares, that lie was urged, "de vulgari elo- quio in Latinum redigerem idioma," etc.
"^ i Kings, xv. , 22.
""Exodus, xxv.
5° Exodus, xxviii. , xxx. , xxxi.
S' Luke, i. 64.
^- " Ut in eo quodcumque perspexerit in-
compositum sive rude, quod forsitan audi- tori possit facere ridiculum, aut legenti, dili- genter eliminet ; sicque sarnientis sterilibus amputatis, uberius fiuctum ferat : ne dum per publicos aspectos transierit, temerarius appaream et insulsus. "
T
ago LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 15.
adduced arguments, tending to call in question Ireland's claim, to the birth of this pearl of great price. He assumes, that Dympna obtained the crown of martyrdom, after the middle of the seventh century, and that Ireland was then altogether Christian, 53 having already sent missionaries to spread the faith, in Gaul, Belgium, and Germany. Henschenius thinks that a reading, found in the IMS. obtained from Utrecht, should rather be adopted, than that he should receive the other accounts known to be extant, with the concurring testimony of long-established popular tradition. This MS. states, that her father was a pagan king, not of Ireland, but of Britain, =4 which latter country had been for the most part occupied, at that period, by the Angles and Saxons. It then remained under the rule of seven or perhaps a greater num- ber of petty pagan kings. ss Another argument, advanced by Henschenius, in support of his opinion, refers to the name of St. Gerebern,^^ the companion of St. Uympna's flight. In the ancient Saxon language, we are told, that this name may be Latinized, " CoUigens filios. "^? Henschenius supposes, that another conjecture—the force of which most intelligent readers will be at a loss to discover—may be adduced to sustain his position. As nearly the same idiom prevailed among the Anglo-Saxons and the people living at Antwerp, Gheel, and the adjoining districts, to which St. Dympna and St. Gerebern fled, perhaps, he says, the latter wished to instruct in the Christian religion those Anglo-Saxons, among whom he might have been born, whilst it was possible, he had been converted to the faith in Gaul, and there received the grace of priesthood. The Bollandist writer dismisses with little regard the inquiry, if St. Dympna could have been a daughter to one of the Danish kings, invading or settled in Ireland ? He justly considers this subject inad- missible, unless we assign a later period for the actions both of Dympna and of Gerebern, than is generally allowed. s^ In reply to the foregoing observa-
53 The editor thought all the Acts of Irish Saints previously published by the Bollan- dists established this fact.
s* The Utrecht MS. , instead of Hibernia, reads Biitannia. Molanus does not give the country of St. Dympna's birth.
ts Among these, St. Ethelbert, King of Kent, was the first who embraced the faith, towards the close of the sixth century, and he died a. d. 6i6, all the cotemporary princes being then pagans. The East Saxons during the reign of King Sebert be- came Christians, but afterwards relapsed into idolatry. In Cressy's " Church History ofBrittany," Third Part, Booksxiii. and xiv. , a vei7 complete account of England's con- version to Christianity will be found. The kings of the Southern, Eastern, and Western Saxons, of East Anglia, of Mercia, and of Northumbria, were ihen unconverted to the faith ; and Henschenius ventures to suggest, that the father of St. Dympna might have been one of the aforesaid Saxon Kings. His subsequent conjecture is far more ingenious than probable. For admitting, as he sup- poses, that the whole Heptarchy afterwards became united under one king, and that llic Belgians recognised no other people as Saxons but those of Germany; we may ask, how could the Christian inhabitants of Hel-
gium have resolved on assigning the birth of St. Dympna to Ireland without just warrant,
because the latter country was better known to them than Britain, whilst at the same time, it is groundlessly conjectured, the Bel- gians were ignorant of this fact, that the Irish had embraced the Christian religion during previous centuries? These contradic- tory opinions mutually destroy each other, and do not merit the trouble of a grave re- futation. They are altogether unworthy the learning and critical acumen of Father Hen- schenius.
^s
and a special account of him immediately follows our Life of St. Dympna.
57 Henschenius adds: "et ita dicuntur Gerwinus, Gerlacus, Gertrudis, nota inter BelgiiSanctosnomina; Osbernus,scriptor, et alii similes. "
ss jn the Annals of Florence of Worcester, who flourished about the year 1120, we read at A. n. 937 : " lliberniensium multarum in- sularum Rogem Paganum Anlafum, a socero suo, Rege Scotorum Constantino, incitatum, ostium Humbri fluminis valida cum classe ingressum fuisse. " By other English writers, tliis Anlaf is also represented as a pagan king of Ireland, and of various islands ; and tliat he was afterwards baptized, King Ed- mund having been his sponsor, a. d. 942, or the year succeeding. This Anlaf was de- scended from the Kings of Norway, and he was the son of Sitric, first King of Dublin.
His festival is referred, also, to this date,
May 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 291
tions, it must be observed, that paganism lingered in certain Irish localities, to a period so late as the sixth century ; for, we find various accounts referring to Magi and Gentile superstitions, before the commencement of tlie seventh cen- tury, when St. Dympna is supposed to have suffered martyrdom. As to the name Gerebern having an Anglo-Saxon rather than an Irish termination, we
find several Irish names ending in erji^ such as Fortchern, Libern, etc. Besides, several Irish names of saints are known to have been changed to suit a peculiar idiom, by the people in Britain and on the Continent of Europe,amongstwhomtheylaboured. ThenamesDympna,Genebern,and Genebrand, were probably instances in point. The weight of written autho- rity and of oral tradition furnishes irrefragable evidence of Dympna and of her companion Gerebern being natives of Ireland.
Some explanation, however, may be required, to solve certain diffi- culties, in connection with the exact period, at which this holy virgin flourished. A learned authority examines the probability of Dympna being the daughter of a Northern viking, in some part of Ireland, during the time when the Danes and Norwegians, who had established them- selves in this island, were pagans. These nations, it is well known, were under little restraint, on the matter of matrimonial impediments, con- sanguinity, and alliances. But, if such hypothesis be admitted, the times of St. Dympna must be referred to a period, not earlier than the ninth century. This should appear a more reasonable supposition, it is thought, than to allow of her having lived, in tlie latter part of the sixth, or in the beginning of the seventh century, when all the Irish princes named in our annals appear to
have been Christians, and when the rules of morality and religion were so strictly observed, that no ruler in our island would have made proposals in direct violation of them. 59 Although the period of St. Dympna's martyrdom is usually referred to about the year 600, there are better reasons for assigning it to before the year 500, or soon after this latter date. During the whole of the fifth, and likewise, during the early part of the sixth century, some pagan kings and chiefs are known to have lived in this island. We are told, that in the sixteenth century, St.
Dympna was honoured greatly, in the county of Louth ; and hence, an inference is drawn by Hanmer, that her father dwelt there. ^° However, this may be, to us it appears more probable, that while
we can readily admit him to have ruled over that particular district, he was also the Dynast of a much more extensive territory, known as Airghialla,^' Oirghialla, or Oriel, which at one time spread over the greater part of Ulster but, afterwards, it was confined chiefly to the counties of Louth, Armagh and Monaghan. ^2 The great sept of this territory descended from the three Collas. ^3 Not only do popular tradition and probability of circumstances
Henschenius then quotes the authority of Colgan for asserting, that although in 812 a fleet of Danes arrived in Ireland and was re- pelled, no native or foreign writer worthy of credit had asserted, that the Danes, Norwe- gians or Normans obtained a footing in tliis island before the year 83S. See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , xv. Mali. De SS. Dympna, Virgine, et Gereberno, Sacerdote, Martyribus Gelre in Brabantia. —Prologo- mina, sect. 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, pp. 477 to 479.
59 See Dr. Lanigan's " Ecclesiastical His- tory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xvi. , sect. xiii. , n. 134, p. 476.
*° See Dr. Meredith Hanmer's " Chroni- cle of Ireland," p. 143. This writer died of the plague in Dublin, A. D. 1604.
*' In the east of this territory were the Oirtheara, or Orientales, and this name is still preserved, in the two baronies of Orior, in the eastern part of Armagh County, the country of the O'Hanlons. This district was also called Crich nan-Airthear, translated in the Secunda Vita S. Patricii, " Kegio Orien- talium. '
^^ Shortly after the introduction of Chris- tianity to Ireland, the descendants of Eog- ban, son to Niall of the Nine Hostages, de- prived them of the present counties of Lon- donderry and Tyone. See " The Topo- graphical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolia na Naomh O'Huidhrin," n. 103, p. xix. , and n. 122, p. xxi.
^^ See an account of them, in Roderick
;
292 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 15.
point to a more north-westerly residence for the father of St. Dympna known as Daphne or Davnet in the northern parts of Ireland—but even our history reveals the fact, that the Kings of Oirghalla had their chief stronghold atRathmore,^'*"nearClogher,inthepresentcountyofTyrone. Wherefore, the greater regard should be had for the following statements, which appear to connect the family and birthplace of this illustrious saint and martyr, with that particular locality. The town of Clogher is built on the little River Lanny, or LaunVj^s a branch of the northern River Blackwaltr/^ It is situated, within a barony called by the same name, and in the southern part of Tyrone County. During the pagan period of our history, it was known as Clochar-mac-Damene, or"ClogheroftheSonsofDamene. " InanoteontheFeilireofSt. ^ngus, Cathal Maguire has stated, that Clogher derived its name from a stone, which was surmounted by a golden ring, and which in his time was preserved there, attherightsideofachurch. Healsostates,thatinthisstone,theKerdman Kelstach, the most celebrated Idol of Northern Mythology, was worshipped by our pagan ancestors. ^^ Tliere is no place near Clogher, at the present day, bearing the name Rathraor, though there is a townland, named Lismore, convenient to it. However, it is not supposed a very difficult matter to iden- tify Rathraor, with the large earthen fort, situate within the former episcopal palace grounds of Clogher. First, because this earthen fort was the chief stronghold and place of residence for the princes of Oriel in after ages. ^^ Secondly, because it was the most convenient fort to Clogher, and corres- ponding with the designation of Rathraor, near Clogher. And thirdly, because it is the only fort in the vicinity, which deserves the narae of Rath—not to say RathraororthegreatRath. Thisremarkablefortresswasverystronglyforti- fied—being surrounded by three deep fosses, while the inner lis is still protected
O'Flaherty's "Ogygia," pars iii. , cap. Ixxv. , Ixxvi. , pp. 359 to 366.
*•• See what has been already stated, in the Life of St. Fanchea, Virgin, in the First Volume of this work, at the 1st of January, Art. i. , chap. i.
'5 It rises in tlie heights beyond Ferdross, and in tiie name of this stream was pre- served for many ages the etymon of the dis- trict, formerly known as Magh Leamna, pronounced Moy Leney, long after it had become merged in the more extensive terri- tory, called Oriel. In the midst of this dis- trict stands Knockmany, the sacred hill, or Olympus of the early colonists in the loca- lity. The plain of Moy Leney extended for
some distance west of Clogher to beyond Ballygawley. The present towns inAugher and Ballygawley, as well as of Clogher, lie within this ancient principality. It includetl the churches and religious foundations of Clogher and of Erriglekeerogue. Ath-Ergal, where passed the very interesting conversa- tion between St. Patrick and St. MacCartin, which is given in extenso in Eugene O'Curry's "Lectures," was a ford on the River Blackwater, situated within liiat terri- tory, probably midway between the Church of Eriiglekeerogue and Clogher, at or near Augher. This plain had Clogher on its western, and the Church of St. Dachiarog almost on iis northern extremity. This plain was also called Clossach. It preserved this
name even in the time of Father Colgan, who described it as a " level district of Ty- rone in the diocese of Clobber," and it was caUed, on an old map of it preserved in the State Pai)er Office, London, as " the coun- trie of Cormac MacBaron O'Neill. " By re- ference to Joyce, we find it may have received the name " Clossach," fronr some real or fancied resemblance this plain may have, by reason of its semicircular and detached ap- pearance, to the human ear, cloosh being the corresponding Irish word for ear. The fore- going information has been extracted from a learned topograpliical investigation, headed, "Knockmany in Tyrone," by Sacer- dos. It 7u^^it:^\<iA, \\\ \. \\q. People s Advocate,
Saturday, February 24th, 1S77, a newspaper published in Monaghan. The writer is Rev. Daniel O'Connor, P. P.
** It was formeily called the Avonmore, and it flowed tlirough Magh Leamna.
'' The " Registry of Clogher " states, that the 67^^//<7/;- sent forth puzzling answers, like tlie oracle of Pythian Apollo, at Delphos. The like statement occurs, in O'Flaherty's " Ogj-gia. "
^ We are told, there is no reason for doubting, that it was erected by Queen Baine, as a royal residence and fortress. At the date A. D. iii, in Dr. O'Donovan's "An- nals of the Four Masters," we read : "The first year of the reign of Feidhlimidh Reacth- mhar, son of Tuathal Teachtmhar, as king
—
May 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
293
by a very strong breast-work of earth. ^9 In former times, it must have been a stronghold of great importance. Covering the southern dedivity of the hill, on which Rathmore is situated, may be seen at intervals down the hillside smaller circumvallations, or fosses. 7°
There was a certain holy virgin belonging to the family of Orgiel, and we are told, her name was Damnoda, otherwise Dymna, surnamed Schene, or the fugi- tive. Sheissaid,inoneplace,tohavebeenthedaughterofDamen,? 'whowasthe son of Corpre, surnamed Damh-airgid, and she was one of the saints belonging to the family of Colla Dacrioch, according to the martyrologists. But, Colgan tells us, that in some MSS. he found Damand-Scene, Mac Daimhen, etc. , which means Damand the fugitive, son of Damen. However, here he thinks two mis- takes have occurred. First, the change of one letter for another, thus making Damand appear for Damnad. He says, there was a very celebrated virgin of the family of Orgiel, commonly called Damnad, who in his time was vene- rated, throughout the whole territory of Orgiel. There is no male or female saint to be found in our histories, or fasti, named Damand, or any name more
resembling it than Damnad. Secondly, another mistake arose from the first, as Colgan conjectures, for we have Mac Daimen used, for ingen Daimhein,? ^ or for ingen mhic Daimhein. 73 The Irish hagiographer thinks, that no other saint can be meant, than Damnad, or Dimna, virgin, as may be gathered from the added epithet SceiieJ'< Thus, he supposes, Damnad Scene, that is Dam- nada, or Dimna, the fugitive, can be no other than the St. Dympna, who fled fromIrelandtoBelgium,andwhowasafterwardskilledbyherfather. Colgan remarks, that although this saint was venerated in Belgium, on the 15th of May, her festival in Ireland was placed, at the 13th of June,7S as might be
seen, by consulting our native martyrologies. ^^ The reader is referred, also, to what is stated, at this latter date.
over Ireland. Baine the daughter of Seal, was the mother of this Feidlilimidh, it was from her Cnoc-Baine in Oirgliialla (was called), for it was there slie was interred. It was by her also Rath-mor of Magh-Leamhna, in Ulster, was erected. "—Vol. i. , pp. 102, 103. The above pithy sentence, gives a compendious history of the sepulchre of Knockmany, and who knows, says the Rev. Daniel O'Connor, but that it may be almost a literal translation of the oghamic marks, scorings, concentric circles, lines and dots, so faithfully represented on Mr. Wakeman's engraving ? See the very interesting Paper, with accompanying illustratious, by that gentleman, intituled " The Megalithic Se- pulchral Chamber of Knockmany, County Tyrone, with some remarks on Dolmens in Fermanagh and its borders. " See "Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland," &c. , A. u. 1876, vol.
iv. , Fourth Series, pp. 95 to 106.
*9 The enclosed space within this rath is
much more extensive, than any the Rev. D. O'Connor had elsewhere seen. It includes fully three times as much space as the simi- larly constructed stronghold, called in Job- son's Survey of the County of Monaghan, " Manning's Castle," in the plain of Donaghmoyne, the difference in the case of the latter being, that in the lapse of time, a mediaeval castle, with drawbridge, &c. , was erected on its summit.
7° It is related, that on the occasion of an incursion from an invading party, these fosses could be flooded from an adjoining lake, and thus contribute to the defences of the royal residence. Of this lake, there now remains no vestige, though a little to the west of the rath traces of an ancient lake are more apparent. Much credence is given at Clogher to a tradition, which states that, at the time of the Reformation, theguardian of the "Bell of St. MacCartin," for greater safety, cast this venerated relic into this latter lake, which had not then wholly disappeared.
^' This king was the grandfather of St. Endeus of Arran, who flourished before the latter part of the fifth century.
^^ The daughter of Damen, in English.
'3 The daughter of the son of Damen, in English. We find, that Dympna was not a sister of St. Endeus, for her name does not appear amongst those of his sisters, who are often mentioned. She must have been either a first cousin or an aunt of his, if we follow the accounts of our genealogists; for, she is said to have been the d'aughter, or the paternal grand-daughter, of Daimhein, or Damen. a king of Orgiel, who was also grandfather to St. Endeus of Arran.
'••"Quod fugientem, sive fugitivum, vel fugitivam, denotat. "
75 In the Martyrology of Tallagh, at this day, we find the entry, " Damnat Sleibhe Betha. "—Rev. Dr. Kelly's "Calendar of
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. May 15.
If this conjecture of Colgan be admitted, St. Dympna must have been born before the year 500, as her relative St. Endeus ^^ flourished prior to that time. We have no reason for beheving, that the Damen alluded to was a Chris- tian, and one of his sons might have been a pagan. In this case, the Rev. Dr. Lanigan considers our saint's martyrdom cannot be assigned to a later period, thantoabouta. d. 500. ^^ Onthismatter,however,muchuncertaintyprevails and, after all, it will be found most expedient, to confine ourselves within those accounts given, in the more ancient Acts of St. Dympna, which are now accessible, and which contain her traditional biography.
This holy virgin, a most stainless vessel of election, is said to have been daughter to one of those petty kings, who ruled in Ireland, and that he was also an idolater. Although this prince, addicted to pagan superstition, de- spised the true God, whose worship had been generally diffused by the apos- tles throughout the known world ; yet, he had acquired fame, owing to his supremacyoverrivalchieftains,andthroughhisprowessinwar. Hewasalso wealthy, besides being powerful.
The wife ^s of this prince was descended from a noble family. As in figure and in features, her beauty formed the theme of general conversation, so her husband became devotedly attached to his companion. It had been remarked by all, that the young and graceful Dympna bore astrikingresemblancetohermother. Fromherearliestinfancy,thechild seemedtohavereceivedspecialgracesfromHeaven. Althoughaccustomed to all the luxuries of life, owing to her birth, education, and position, this noble child appeared to have disregarded all her advantages of rank and station, and to have turned her thoughts towards more abiding interests. It was re- marked, that she felt no inclination to indulge in those idle amusements, in which so many of her sex waste their precious moments. She avoided dancing, profane singing, and all unbecoming pleasures. She carefully shunned all incentives, dangerously affecting the habits and sentiments of decorum and modesty. The very name of Damhnait,^° or Dympna,^' is said by the old writer of her Acts, to have given a promise, that she would afterwards render
herself worthy of God's approval. Like the white snow-drop of her natal lawns, that springs upward fi-om the rank and frozen soil, with its blossom
294
Irish Saints," p. xxvii.
7* See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nice," xxi. Martii. Vita S. Endei, Appendix, cap. iv. , pp. 713, 714.
" See his Life, in the Third Volume of this work, ? . t the 2ist of March, Art. i.
St. Dympna having suffered about 500, it may be objected that the Andoverpes, or people about Antwerp, were pagans until the seventh century (see Fleury, i, 38, sect. 29), and many of ihem still later. But in the saint's Acts, they arc not represented as Christians in her time, although it is said there was a church at Ghee). Besides our not being bound to believe this part of the narrative, it may be observed, that a church or chapel might have been erected thereby some former missionaries, which, however, was neglected by the inhabitants. It may
also be said, that in the latter end of the said seventh centuiy, Antwerp was but a small place, a castrum, as appears from the Life of St. Villebrod. This difficulty is easily removed; whereas in the Acts it is only called a castrum, and this is no allusion to its having been in St. Dympna's days a place
tory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xvi. , sect.
