Mohngo sive Dayrgello
Episcopo
Fernensi in Hiber- nia,p.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
, n.
3, p.
93.
41 A
patron
used to be held there, on the
Beolach, grandson
Mor, from whom St. Moling descends from
26th of August, until it was put down in
1867, by the parish priest of Rosbercon.
** A neighbouring woman chided him for
"
46 See " The Ancient Life of St. Molyng,"
" From this until the end of day
St. Moling chagrined at this rebuke, retired to Columcille near Thomastown ; he stayed there only six weeks, and as he did not find the people agreeable to him, he retired to
Taircheell or Daircell as in the next line
Bresal Beolach.
June 17. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
695
This prophecy of the angel was fulfilled in his subsequent conduct and life*6
After a short time there came to them a certain person, who apparently was
a priest, and he baptized the holy infant. His parents and friends were igno-
rant as to who the baptizer was ; and, although they saw him baptizing, they didnotknowwhencehehadcome. Theformofbaptismbeingcompleted,
that priest vanished from their eyes. Afterwards, they all knew that he was theangeloftheLord. *? Thatmostblessedchild,Molyng,wasnurturedwith all diligence, and he increased afterwards in good morals. He was subse- quently delivered up by his parents to the Church of God. He most diligently learned the Sacred Scripture and other religious discipline. *8 He was per- suaded by his brethren and by his master to embrace the ecclesiastical state. Having qualified himself by early training, and being instructed in the Holy Scriptures,hewaspromotedtotheEpiscopalgrade. Afterwards,takingwith him a few disciples, he proceeded to a place in the western district of the country of the Hy-Kinaselach, on the banks of the Berba or Barrow, over against the countryofOssory,andhebeganthereaholylife. 49 RossBruicorBroc,"Badger Wood," is supposed to have been the ancient name for Tech-Moling. 5° A poem,51 which describes this place, has been ascribed to the celebrated tra- ditionary hero, Finn Mac Cumhaill,52 and it also gifts him with the spirit of prophecy, for it announces the coming of St. Patrick into Ireland to preach Christianity, and the future sanctity of Ros-Broc, when it should become the peacefulabodeofSt. Molingandofhismonks. Itisstated,moreover,that the holy man himself composed a poem, on taking up his abode at Ross Brocc. 53
At an early period, St. Molyng embraced a monastic life. 5 * The saint founded a monastery, it is said, at Aghacainda,55 or Achadh Cainidh,s6 on the River Barrow. This occurred, about the beginning of the seventh century. Afterwards, it bore the name of Tegh Moling, or the " House of Moling. "5 ?
A to about city began grow
in course of time. 58 This place is now known it,
by Mr. Patrick O'Leary, p. 3.
47 The been a moll/mcc gives a totally
different account of his early career, and it states, that while living in Kerry at Lougher, he collected alms for the students, that he was sent to St. Maedoc of Ferns, that he visited St. Modinoc at Cluain Cain, that he
Professor O'Curry says, abundant reason to
passed on to Cashel, where the king promised
him a site for a church, that he proceeded
to Sruthair Guaire, and thence, he went Carlow.
southwards to Ross Broc, where he saw a
53 We find it thus translated
over it.
*8 "According to some accounts he was a
:
Here will I
vision of
angels
"
shall be my abode. " [a 32. ]
disciple of St. Maidoc of Ferns. If so, he make my prayers ; never will I depart from must have been very young at that time, as this dwelling till the Day of Doom shall St. Maidoc died, at the latest, in 632. "— come. " [305 a 26]. Cure-seo-ro-lalus, Sec. 5+ See Bishop Challenor s "Britannia
Sancta," part i. , June 17, p. 372.
" Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xviii. , sect, xiii. ,
Rev. Dr.
Lanigan's
p_ I32>
'"9 According to the "Ancient Life of St.
Molyng," p. 4.
55 Sir James Ware designates it "Agha- "
s° William M. Note by
=6 The words Achad Cainyd are said to mean The Field of Kennedy,
* A copperplate engraving, from a draw-
ing by Lieutenant Daniel Grose, Esq. , a. d.
1792. of St. Mull. n s Church Ruins, appears
"
Hennessy, Esq. , M. R. I. A. , at Tech Moling, in his copy of the Martyrology of Donegal. Since he left Sruthair Guaire, he found no place^for a
Vm * The authenticity of this, there is, as
house until he came to Uorr branc
ofIreland, vol. 11. ,
ArAn Cecil moUm5 in canfc-. " 51 Ofseventeenquatrains.
in Grose's
"
the resort of warriors. " See the Leimter
Leader of Saturday, August 19th, 1882, for a Paper on Graig-na-managh, read before
the Ossory Archaeological Society, by the Very Rev. Michael Comerford, M. R. I. A. , V. F. , P. P. , Monastervan. In this Paper, reference is made to St. Mullins, county of
" I am Moiling of the Truth, and Teg Moiling
doubt. It begins:
Ross- Broc this day is
cainidse ad ripam Barroifi. "— DeScripto- ribus Hiberniie," lib. 1. , cap. 111. , p. 22.
Antiquities
5* The houses were very probably con-
pp-9>
10
-
.
. ,
696 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 17
as St. Mullins, a large parish, 59 in the barony of Lower St. Mullins, and county of Carlow,60 as also in the barony of Bantry, county of Wexford. 61 St. Moling built his monastery, between the aforesaid river and a small rivulet, on an elevated spot. He constructed for himself a small cell apart, but lower down on the bank of the river, in which he devoted himself wholly to prayer. One of the religious was wont to come to him at certain hours, however, and
Site of St. Mullin's, County of Carlow.
at intervals the man of God visited the brethren. 62 Here, too, according to
6
a local tradition, he erected a mill, 3 and he is said to have been the first to
introduce rye into Ireland, one hard summer, not having corn or meal to
structed of timber, being most convenient, as the county was all under forest at the time ; this may account (or there being no traces left of the splendid city which we are told was once there.
side of the old ruins, and near the Protestant
church, where probably a little clearing
away of the masonry might bring some of the old walls to light.
ee the Legend related in Mr. Pal rick "
59 It contains over 11,200 acres.
60 This portion is shown, on the "Ord- A] 1 cndix, p. 50.
nance Survey Townland Mapi for the County of Carlow," sheets 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. The townland itself is on sheets 24, 26, ib'xd.
61 This portion is described, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps lor the County of Wexford,'' sheets 18, 2j. 24.
12 An old writer of Ins LTe adds, that in this place, there is now a splendid city in honour of the most holy Moling, which, from his small cell, is called Teach-Moling, i. e. , "the Hou-e of Moling. " See Mr.
"
In September, 1885, the Rev. James Craves, A. H. , pointed out the site of the nt mill of St. Moling to Mr. Patrick O'Leary. and at the same time, the latter discovered the fragment of an od millstone, which it was supposed belonged to tiie mill. The stone w—as placed in a safe place—as
w as thought to preserve it. At a subsequent time, when Mr. O'Leary visited the spot, some person unknown had rolled the stone down from the hill into the river. With the help of a friend, he had considerable difficulty in raising it again, and in placing it within thesmallestoftheoldbuildingsthere. Ac- cording to the heal tradition, St. Moling
Ancient Life of St. 63 Its site was on the declivity, at iheenst
Patrick O'Leary's Molyng,"p. 4
O'Leary's Ancient Life of St. Molyng,"
June 17. ] LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS.
697
distribute the 6* For the he is said to have among people. mill,
course with his own hands ;
a water- and, even yet, these sites are known to persons
6 66 residing in the locality, s According to an ancient legend,
6? The base of a round tower 68 was discovered here, some few years ago, by persons employed by the Board of Public Works, while repairing the ruins of the
69 Thefactofits beencovered buildings. having
Gobban Saer built a Duirtheach or an of oak for St. Oratory
Molyng.
debris
in preserving it. ? ° St. Molyng had a curragh or boat on the river,? near the
entrance to his small cell.
A great concourse of strangers and of pilgrims
flocked to hear the word of God, and many came from the other side of the
river. Daily did the saint act as ferryman, in conveying these across, so that
theymightreceivefromhimlessonsofDivinewisdom. Here,heissaidto
have an eremitical in a hollow 2 and on herbs and water
spent life, tree,? fasting alone, for seven whole years. ? *
The holy man lived apart from others in the retirement of his small cell, after the manner of the early Irish ecclesiastics. ? * On one occa- sion, he wished to be visited by none, and he passed three days and three nights there fasting continuously. An attendant brother came to visit him on the third day. A great halo of glory then surrounded the saint, so that the brother's eyes were dazzled with the light, nor could he look on Molyng's face. This was owing to the external manifestations of the Holy Spirit, who had filled him with interior grace. When this was told to the other monks, they praised the mercies of God, and the miracle was soon spread abroad.
Numbers of souls were then rescued from the sea of this world through his
ministry, as the Apostle St. Peter formerly spread the nets of the Gospel to become a fisher of men. ? s Meantime, the Angel of the Lord was often sent to comfort and console St. Molyng. Reading on a certain day, before the entrance of his small cell on the shore of the river, the holy father Molyng heard from the opposite side strangers shouting, and in haste he went with- outdelaytomeetthem,becausehesailedforthesakeofChrist. Heforgot his book, which contained the Epistles written by the Apostles, on the strand where he was sitting. The tide of the sea had suddenly filled up the shore
ground corn gratuitously for the people at original sketch of William F. Wakeman,
his mill, over 1,200 years ago. taken on the spot, and afterwards transferred
66 It has been noticed, by Dr. George to the wood, has been engraved by Mrs.
"
Ecclesiastical Architecture and Round Towers of Ireland," part ii. , sect.
iii. , subs, ii. , p. 348.
6? According to the legend contained in
the Irish Life in possession of Mr. Hardi-
man, when the artificer demanded the pay-
ment agreed on with Molyng for his labour,
namely, the full of the Duirtheach of rye,
the saint bade him turn its mouth up, and it
should be so filled. This being agreed upon,
"
ridge, so that he turned the Duirtheach up- side down, and not a plank of it started from its place, nor did a joint of any of the boards move from the other. "—Ibid.
68 The remains of a spiral staircase, which ledfromoneofthemonasticbuildingstothe entrance of this tower still exist ; at the door of this stair- way, one of the iron hinges mav still be seen, fast in the wall, where up- wards of a thousand years ago, as conjee- tured. it was originally set.
e9The accompanying illustration of the ruins and surrounding scene, drawn from an
Millard.
7° Reference is made to the existence of
Round Towers in St. Moling's time, in his Life as found in the Book of Leinster.
i* A ferry-boat plies here at present, very probably at the identical place, and does a good trade on patron days, in conveying passengers and pilgrims from one side of the river to the other, but not for the love of God, as St. Moling did. .
? 2 A similar account is of St. Kevin, given
in his Life, at the 3rd of this month, in the
present volume, Art. i.
» the Bollandists ' Acta Sancto- See
rum,"tomusiii. ,Junaxvii. DeS.
Mohngo sive Dayrgello Episcopo Fernensi in Hiber- nia,p. 409,andn. (b),p. 410;
»See Very Rev. Michael Comerfords
" to the Diocese of Kil- Collections relating
dare and Leighlin," voL ill. , p. 308. _ "See Mr. Patrick O Learys Ancient Life of St. Molyng, p. 5. and Notes (h),
p. 34.
* See the Bollandists Acta Sancto-
Petrie, in the
Gobban laid hold of it bv both post
and
up by
may
helped
dug
the celebrated
have 1
698 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 17.
behindhim,anditcarriedoffthebookofthesaint. Thisfloatedfromwaveto wave for a long distance. However, when the saint returned with the pil- grims, his book was brought back to him. Not a single letter was destroyed, notwithstanding its immersion, but it was dry, by the will of God, as if it were
time when his old Life had been written. Another day, when St. Molyng was alone, and near the shore, for some sudden cause he entered into the water and walked with dry feet, after the manner of St. Peter, the Apostle of ourLordJesusChrist. Thewatersweretohimasifhewalkedondryland. There, a certain rustic, seeing him walking back on the waters to the shore, congratulated him much on such a miraculous and rare circumstance. The saint of God besought him, however, that he would not tell this occurrence to another, until after the death of the holy man had taken place. But he the more related that miracle to all persons,'? and thus without St. Molyng's con- sent, his fame was promulgated. St. Moling governed his monastery there
in his own 6 The library. ?
man on
with his disciples. That book remained in the monastery of St. Molyng to the
for 8 many years;?
the time is not we are exactly specified. However,
holy
hearing
this thanks to Chiist gave
yet,
told in his Acts, that the holy senior would not appoint another presbyter in his place, for he well knew, that he was destined to close his life at Teach Moulin.
C H APTER II .
ST. MOLING'S VISITS TO GLENDALOUGH—THISHOLV MAN IS SAID TO HAVE SUCCEEDED ST. AIDAN AS BISHOP OF FERNS—ST. MOLYNG DIGS WITH HIS OWN HANDS A MILL- RACE—PILGRIMS VISIT THE PLACE—VARIOUS MIRACLES—ST. MOLYNG ARRESTS THE OSSORIANS AND THEIR PREY—HE EXTINGUISHES A FIRE AT FERNS—HIS FASTS.
1
Occasionally, he sojourned in Glendalough, that city founded by St.
Coemghen,2 and on one occasion, some of its monks came to invite St.
Molyng to become their guest. For some time, justly, piously, and prudently, St. Molyng ruled the See and parish of St. Coemgen, which were very exten-
sive, together with his own city St. Mullins, and he practised many virtues while he presided over them. 3 There is a vivid tradition * in the neighbourhood
of Clonmore, county of Carlow, that during the times when St. Moling was Abbot and Bishop, he took a most lively interest in the welfare of its monas-
tery, by visiting it repeatedly; while, on his frequent journeyings from Ferns and Ros-broc to Glendalough, he passed several days in the old monastery of his predecessor, Maidoc Ua Dunlaing. On a certain day, a woman offered a vessel full of milk to St. Molyng with his disciples, while on the road. The disciples of the saint wished to drink it greedily on the spot. St. Molyng then
rum," tomus iii. , Junii xvii. De S. Molingo sive Dayrgello Episcopo Fernensi in Hiber-
3 "This appears to be an error arising from the fact, that there was another Daircell,
Leslie Stephen, vol. xiii. , p. 380.
4 Such is the information I have received
from Mr. John M'Caul, 25 Patrick-street,
nia. Vita ex nostro MS.
a — who was contemporary, bishop
of Glenda- lough. " Rev. Thomas Olden, in " Dic- 7? See Mr, Patrick OLeary's "Ancient tionary ol National Biography," edited by
num. 8, p. 409.
Life of St. Molyng," pp. 5, 6.
78 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of
the Saints," vol. —vi. , June 17, p. 249.
Dublin. A native of Clonmore, and
Chapter
'
11. See
Very
Rev. Michael
fully
Comerford's "Collections relating to the
Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin," vol. iii. ,
p. 305.
acquainted with local and general Irish his-
tory and traditions, he most obligingly sup-
plied the writer with many valuable notices,
a
See his Life, in the present volume, at
lor the present biography.
June 3rd,
Art. i.
5 See Mr. Patrick " Ancient U'Leary's
Salmanticensi,
June 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
699
said: "If you, my sons, knew what sort of beverage that milk is, as I know, you would not be desirous to drink it ; and, it shall soon appear to you what sortitis. " Then,thesaintofGodblessedwiththesignofthecrossthatvessel with the milk. Immediately, the vessel appeared full of clotted blood. The woman had mixed the milk with poison, in order that she might kill St. Molyng, with his disciples. For it displeased that woman, because St. Molyng inhabited there, and she acted thus on account of her friends. Wherefore, the disciples of the saint and all others who were present, on seeing the miracle, magnified the glory of Christ in his sairtts. s
In that city, formerly called Fearna, now Ferns, in the land of Hy-Kense-
lagh,
and more
anciently designated Fyrgailgan,
6 lived the
holy founder
St. Aidan, also denominated Odan, and called by the common people Moedoc
or Moedog, pronounced Mogue. During his time, the most blessed Bishop
Molyng sometimes visited that city, in which were his episcopal See and parish. The city of Fearna and Teach Molyng lay both within the territory of
Hy-Kinnsellagh ; and formerly, Ferns is said to have had a precedence over the other churches of Leinster. ? In the year 632, St. Moedoc departed this life,
and his See was thus deprived of its great pastor. Then, the King of Lein- ster and its citizens, taking counsel with the chief men of the province,8
according to the Life, sent a deputation to bring St. Molyng with them, whether he was willing or unwilling to succeed in that See. ' We find it stated,
that he complied with their wishes. Notwithstanding this assertion, we are not to suppose, that he was the second bishop or archbishop of Ferns; as others are named who preceded him, 10 and he is stated not to have been raised to that dignity until a. d. 69 1. " After having been abbot of Tegh Moling, his ancient Life states, that he succeeded St. Maidoc or Aidan, as Archbishop ofLeinster. 12 IntheSeeofFerns,andinitscity,hefrequentlypreachedthe words of eternal life, but this must be referred to a period nearly at the close
of the seventh century. He was styled Archbishop of Ferns, as the right of precedency which King Brandubh,^ the son of Cathach, had obtained for that See still continued in force. However, St. Moling very greatly loved
Teach Molyng, and there he preferred to spend the greater part of his life. As others were subject to himself, so would the holy father Molyng humble his own body, so that he might become subject to Christ. He dug the earth with a spade and other iron implements, and with his own hands, until he hadmadeachannelI4 fromacertainrivulet,throughroughandhighplaces,
Life of St. Molyng," pp. 6, 7. follows: A. D. 652, Dachuanus or Mochua-
6
This name it bore to the time of Enna, nus, Abbot of Ferns ; A. D. 662, Tuenocus, who had vanquished the Northerns. He Abbot of Ferns ; A. D. 676, Moeldogarius,
was afterwards called Kenselagh, because his face and whole body had been gieatly besmeared with the blood of his enemies.
Bishop of Ferns; A. D. 690, Diratius, Bishop of Ferns; A. D. 696, Molingus, Bishop of Ferns, at cap. v. , p. 223. The dates have reference to their death.
7 See Archbishop Ussher's
"
Britannica- rum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. ,
"
"
p. 449.
8 See Sir James Ware, "De Scriptoribus
Hiberniae," lib. i. , cap. iii. , p. 22. Elsewhere, he is styled the Second Bishop of Ferns. See ibid. , cap. xiii. , p. 88.
9 Archbishop Ussher makes St. Moling to
have been the second prelate in tlie See of Diratus, who died A. D. 692. See Sir
Ferns. See " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," Index Chronologicus, A. D.
dclxx. , p. 5^9.
10 See
Colgan's
nise," Januarii xxxi. Appendix ad Acta S. Maidoci, where he gives the succession as
James Ware, "De Proesuhbus Lageniar,"
p. 55.
,3 Bran-dubh died A. D. 602, long King
before St. Maidoc of Ferns.
u The Jesuit Father Edmund Campion, in
his " Historie of Ireland," thus accounts for
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. hi. , chap, xviii. ,
p. 132, and n. 170, pp. 134, 135. "However, it does not appear, that he
was the immediate successor of St. Mogue, as we find a Comanus Bishop over that See, who died a. d. 675 ; afterwards, followed
See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's
700 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [June 17.
and drew the water to his own monastery, a distance of seven miles. 1 * Nor did he permit any of his disciples to give him assis—tance in digging the earth. This labour he continued to pursue every day Sundays and Festivals excepted—whether through storm or calm for eight years and several days.
6
It is related, that the Subine Geilt,' who went mad at the battle of Moira, a. d.
634, afterwards went to Teach-Moling, where he was murdered by Mongan, the swine-herd of St. Moling. He was interred there, with great honour in
1 ' An old
Molyng's herd had been found murdered, and the saint prophesied, that the
murderer should meet his death by being killed, burned, and drowned. This was fulfilled that very same night, for the perpetrator of the deed secreted him- selfinawoodbythesideoftheBarrow. Whennightcameon,hekindleda lar_re fire at the butt of a tree, and climbed up among the branches for safety. Therehavingfallenasleep,hefelldownintothefire, fromwhichhejumped into the river, where his body was swept away. This result fulfilled the saint's prophecytotheveryletter.
41 A
patron
used to be held there, on the
Beolach, grandson
Mor, from whom St. Moling descends from
26th of August, until it was put down in
1867, by the parish priest of Rosbercon.
** A neighbouring woman chided him for
"
46 See " The Ancient Life of St. Molyng,"
" From this until the end of day
St. Moling chagrined at this rebuke, retired to Columcille near Thomastown ; he stayed there only six weeks, and as he did not find the people agreeable to him, he retired to
Taircheell or Daircell as in the next line
Bresal Beolach.
June 17. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
695
This prophecy of the angel was fulfilled in his subsequent conduct and life*6
After a short time there came to them a certain person, who apparently was
a priest, and he baptized the holy infant. His parents and friends were igno-
rant as to who the baptizer was ; and, although they saw him baptizing, they didnotknowwhencehehadcome. Theformofbaptismbeingcompleted,
that priest vanished from their eyes. Afterwards, they all knew that he was theangeloftheLord. *? Thatmostblessedchild,Molyng,wasnurturedwith all diligence, and he increased afterwards in good morals. He was subse- quently delivered up by his parents to the Church of God. He most diligently learned the Sacred Scripture and other religious discipline. *8 He was per- suaded by his brethren and by his master to embrace the ecclesiastical state. Having qualified himself by early training, and being instructed in the Holy Scriptures,hewaspromotedtotheEpiscopalgrade. Afterwards,takingwith him a few disciples, he proceeded to a place in the western district of the country of the Hy-Kinaselach, on the banks of the Berba or Barrow, over against the countryofOssory,andhebeganthereaholylife. 49 RossBruicorBroc,"Badger Wood," is supposed to have been the ancient name for Tech-Moling. 5° A poem,51 which describes this place, has been ascribed to the celebrated tra- ditionary hero, Finn Mac Cumhaill,52 and it also gifts him with the spirit of prophecy, for it announces the coming of St. Patrick into Ireland to preach Christianity, and the future sanctity of Ros-Broc, when it should become the peacefulabodeofSt. Molingandofhismonks. Itisstated,moreover,that the holy man himself composed a poem, on taking up his abode at Ross Brocc. 53
At an early period, St. Molyng embraced a monastic life. 5 * The saint founded a monastery, it is said, at Aghacainda,55 or Achadh Cainidh,s6 on the River Barrow. This occurred, about the beginning of the seventh century. Afterwards, it bore the name of Tegh Moling, or the " House of Moling. "5 ?
A to about city began grow
in course of time. 58 This place is now known it,
by Mr. Patrick O'Leary, p. 3.
47 The been a moll/mcc gives a totally
different account of his early career, and it states, that while living in Kerry at Lougher, he collected alms for the students, that he was sent to St. Maedoc of Ferns, that he visited St. Modinoc at Cluain Cain, that he
Professor O'Curry says, abundant reason to
passed on to Cashel, where the king promised
him a site for a church, that he proceeded
to Sruthair Guaire, and thence, he went Carlow.
southwards to Ross Broc, where he saw a
53 We find it thus translated
over it.
*8 "According to some accounts he was a
:
Here will I
vision of
angels
"
shall be my abode. " [a 32. ]
disciple of St. Maidoc of Ferns. If so, he make my prayers ; never will I depart from must have been very young at that time, as this dwelling till the Day of Doom shall St. Maidoc died, at the latest, in 632. "— come. " [305 a 26]. Cure-seo-ro-lalus, Sec. 5+ See Bishop Challenor s "Britannia
Sancta," part i. , June 17, p. 372.
" Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xviii. , sect, xiii. ,
Rev. Dr.
Lanigan's
p_ I32>
'"9 According to the "Ancient Life of St.
Molyng," p. 4.
55 Sir James Ware designates it "Agha- "
s° William M. Note by
=6 The words Achad Cainyd are said to mean The Field of Kennedy,
* A copperplate engraving, from a draw-
ing by Lieutenant Daniel Grose, Esq. , a. d.
1792. of St. Mull. n s Church Ruins, appears
"
Hennessy, Esq. , M. R. I. A. , at Tech Moling, in his copy of the Martyrology of Donegal. Since he left Sruthair Guaire, he found no place^for a
Vm * The authenticity of this, there is, as
house until he came to Uorr branc
ofIreland, vol. 11. ,
ArAn Cecil moUm5 in canfc-. " 51 Ofseventeenquatrains.
in Grose's
"
the resort of warriors. " See the Leimter
Leader of Saturday, August 19th, 1882, for a Paper on Graig-na-managh, read before
the Ossory Archaeological Society, by the Very Rev. Michael Comerford, M. R. I. A. , V. F. , P. P. , Monastervan. In this Paper, reference is made to St. Mullins, county of
" I am Moiling of the Truth, and Teg Moiling
doubt. It begins:
Ross- Broc this day is
cainidse ad ripam Barroifi. "— DeScripto- ribus Hiberniie," lib. 1. , cap. 111. , p. 22.
Antiquities
5* The houses were very probably con-
pp-9>
10
-
.
. ,
696 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 17
as St. Mullins, a large parish, 59 in the barony of Lower St. Mullins, and county of Carlow,60 as also in the barony of Bantry, county of Wexford. 61 St. Moling built his monastery, between the aforesaid river and a small rivulet, on an elevated spot. He constructed for himself a small cell apart, but lower down on the bank of the river, in which he devoted himself wholly to prayer. One of the religious was wont to come to him at certain hours, however, and
Site of St. Mullin's, County of Carlow.
at intervals the man of God visited the brethren. 62 Here, too, according to
6
a local tradition, he erected a mill, 3 and he is said to have been the first to
introduce rye into Ireland, one hard summer, not having corn or meal to
structed of timber, being most convenient, as the county was all under forest at the time ; this may account (or there being no traces left of the splendid city which we are told was once there.
side of the old ruins, and near the Protestant
church, where probably a little clearing
away of the masonry might bring some of the old walls to light.
ee the Legend related in Mr. Pal rick "
59 It contains over 11,200 acres.
60 This portion is shown, on the "Ord- A] 1 cndix, p. 50.
nance Survey Townland Mapi for the County of Carlow," sheets 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. The townland itself is on sheets 24, 26, ib'xd.
61 This portion is described, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps lor the County of Wexford,'' sheets 18, 2j. 24.
12 An old writer of Ins LTe adds, that in this place, there is now a splendid city in honour of the most holy Moling, which, from his small cell, is called Teach-Moling, i. e. , "the Hou-e of Moling. " See Mr.
"
In September, 1885, the Rev. James Craves, A. H. , pointed out the site of the nt mill of St. Moling to Mr. Patrick O'Leary. and at the same time, the latter discovered the fragment of an od millstone, which it was supposed belonged to tiie mill. The stone w—as placed in a safe place—as
w as thought to preserve it. At a subsequent time, when Mr. O'Leary visited the spot, some person unknown had rolled the stone down from the hill into the river. With the help of a friend, he had considerable difficulty in raising it again, and in placing it within thesmallestoftheoldbuildingsthere. Ac- cording to the heal tradition, St. Moling
Ancient Life of St. 63 Its site was on the declivity, at iheenst
Patrick O'Leary's Molyng,"p. 4
O'Leary's Ancient Life of St. Molyng,"
June 17. ] LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS.
697
distribute the 6* For the he is said to have among people. mill,
course with his own hands ;
a water- and, even yet, these sites are known to persons
6 66 residing in the locality, s According to an ancient legend,
6? The base of a round tower 68 was discovered here, some few years ago, by persons employed by the Board of Public Works, while repairing the ruins of the
69 Thefactofits beencovered buildings. having
Gobban Saer built a Duirtheach or an of oak for St. Oratory
Molyng.
debris
in preserving it. ? ° St. Molyng had a curragh or boat on the river,? near the
entrance to his small cell.
A great concourse of strangers and of pilgrims
flocked to hear the word of God, and many came from the other side of the
river. Daily did the saint act as ferryman, in conveying these across, so that
theymightreceivefromhimlessonsofDivinewisdom. Here,heissaidto
have an eremitical in a hollow 2 and on herbs and water
spent life, tree,? fasting alone, for seven whole years. ? *
The holy man lived apart from others in the retirement of his small cell, after the manner of the early Irish ecclesiastics. ? * On one occa- sion, he wished to be visited by none, and he passed three days and three nights there fasting continuously. An attendant brother came to visit him on the third day. A great halo of glory then surrounded the saint, so that the brother's eyes were dazzled with the light, nor could he look on Molyng's face. This was owing to the external manifestations of the Holy Spirit, who had filled him with interior grace. When this was told to the other monks, they praised the mercies of God, and the miracle was soon spread abroad.
Numbers of souls were then rescued from the sea of this world through his
ministry, as the Apostle St. Peter formerly spread the nets of the Gospel to become a fisher of men. ? s Meantime, the Angel of the Lord was often sent to comfort and console St. Molyng. Reading on a certain day, before the entrance of his small cell on the shore of the river, the holy father Molyng heard from the opposite side strangers shouting, and in haste he went with- outdelaytomeetthem,becausehesailedforthesakeofChrist. Heforgot his book, which contained the Epistles written by the Apostles, on the strand where he was sitting. The tide of the sea had suddenly filled up the shore
ground corn gratuitously for the people at original sketch of William F. Wakeman,
his mill, over 1,200 years ago. taken on the spot, and afterwards transferred
66 It has been noticed, by Dr. George to the wood, has been engraved by Mrs.
"
Ecclesiastical Architecture and Round Towers of Ireland," part ii. , sect.
iii. , subs, ii. , p. 348.
6? According to the legend contained in
the Irish Life in possession of Mr. Hardi-
man, when the artificer demanded the pay-
ment agreed on with Molyng for his labour,
namely, the full of the Duirtheach of rye,
the saint bade him turn its mouth up, and it
should be so filled. This being agreed upon,
"
ridge, so that he turned the Duirtheach up- side down, and not a plank of it started from its place, nor did a joint of any of the boards move from the other. "—Ibid.
68 The remains of a spiral staircase, which ledfromoneofthemonasticbuildingstothe entrance of this tower still exist ; at the door of this stair- way, one of the iron hinges mav still be seen, fast in the wall, where up- wards of a thousand years ago, as conjee- tured. it was originally set.
e9The accompanying illustration of the ruins and surrounding scene, drawn from an
Millard.
7° Reference is made to the existence of
Round Towers in St. Moling's time, in his Life as found in the Book of Leinster.
i* A ferry-boat plies here at present, very probably at the identical place, and does a good trade on patron days, in conveying passengers and pilgrims from one side of the river to the other, but not for the love of God, as St. Moling did. .
? 2 A similar account is of St. Kevin, given
in his Life, at the 3rd of this month, in the
present volume, Art. i.
» the Bollandists ' Acta Sancto- See
rum,"tomusiii. ,Junaxvii. DeS.
Mohngo sive Dayrgello Episcopo Fernensi in Hiber- nia,p. 409,andn. (b),p. 410;
»See Very Rev. Michael Comerfords
" to the Diocese of Kil- Collections relating
dare and Leighlin," voL ill. , p. 308. _ "See Mr. Patrick O Learys Ancient Life of St. Molyng, p. 5. and Notes (h),
p. 34.
* See the Bollandists Acta Sancto-
Petrie, in the
Gobban laid hold of it bv both post
and
up by
may
helped
dug
the celebrated
have 1
698 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 17.
behindhim,anditcarriedoffthebookofthesaint. Thisfloatedfromwaveto wave for a long distance. However, when the saint returned with the pil- grims, his book was brought back to him. Not a single letter was destroyed, notwithstanding its immersion, but it was dry, by the will of God, as if it were
time when his old Life had been written. Another day, when St. Molyng was alone, and near the shore, for some sudden cause he entered into the water and walked with dry feet, after the manner of St. Peter, the Apostle of ourLordJesusChrist. Thewatersweretohimasifhewalkedondryland. There, a certain rustic, seeing him walking back on the waters to the shore, congratulated him much on such a miraculous and rare circumstance. The saint of God besought him, however, that he would not tell this occurrence to another, until after the death of the holy man had taken place. But he the more related that miracle to all persons,'? and thus without St. Molyng's con- sent, his fame was promulgated. St. Moling governed his monastery there
in his own 6 The library. ?
man on
with his disciples. That book remained in the monastery of St. Molyng to the
for 8 many years;?
the time is not we are exactly specified. However,
holy
hearing
this thanks to Chiist gave
yet,
told in his Acts, that the holy senior would not appoint another presbyter in his place, for he well knew, that he was destined to close his life at Teach Moulin.
C H APTER II .
ST. MOLING'S VISITS TO GLENDALOUGH—THISHOLV MAN IS SAID TO HAVE SUCCEEDED ST. AIDAN AS BISHOP OF FERNS—ST. MOLYNG DIGS WITH HIS OWN HANDS A MILL- RACE—PILGRIMS VISIT THE PLACE—VARIOUS MIRACLES—ST. MOLYNG ARRESTS THE OSSORIANS AND THEIR PREY—HE EXTINGUISHES A FIRE AT FERNS—HIS FASTS.
1
Occasionally, he sojourned in Glendalough, that city founded by St.
Coemghen,2 and on one occasion, some of its monks came to invite St.
Molyng to become their guest. For some time, justly, piously, and prudently, St. Molyng ruled the See and parish of St. Coemgen, which were very exten-
sive, together with his own city St. Mullins, and he practised many virtues while he presided over them. 3 There is a vivid tradition * in the neighbourhood
of Clonmore, county of Carlow, that during the times when St. Moling was Abbot and Bishop, he took a most lively interest in the welfare of its monas-
tery, by visiting it repeatedly; while, on his frequent journeyings from Ferns and Ros-broc to Glendalough, he passed several days in the old monastery of his predecessor, Maidoc Ua Dunlaing. On a certain day, a woman offered a vessel full of milk to St. Molyng with his disciples, while on the road. The disciples of the saint wished to drink it greedily on the spot. St. Molyng then
rum," tomus iii. , Junii xvii. De S. Molingo sive Dayrgello Episcopo Fernensi in Hiber-
3 "This appears to be an error arising from the fact, that there was another Daircell,
Leslie Stephen, vol. xiii. , p. 380.
4 Such is the information I have received
from Mr. John M'Caul, 25 Patrick-street,
nia. Vita ex nostro MS.
a — who was contemporary, bishop
of Glenda- lough. " Rev. Thomas Olden, in " Dic- 7? See Mr, Patrick OLeary's "Ancient tionary ol National Biography," edited by
num. 8, p. 409.
Life of St. Molyng," pp. 5, 6.
78 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of
the Saints," vol. —vi. , June 17, p. 249.
Dublin. A native of Clonmore, and
Chapter
'
11. See
Very
Rev. Michael
fully
Comerford's "Collections relating to the
Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin," vol. iii. ,
p. 305.
acquainted with local and general Irish his-
tory and traditions, he most obligingly sup-
plied the writer with many valuable notices,
a
See his Life, in the present volume, at
lor the present biography.
June 3rd,
Art. i.
5 See Mr. Patrick " Ancient U'Leary's
Salmanticensi,
June 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
699
said: "If you, my sons, knew what sort of beverage that milk is, as I know, you would not be desirous to drink it ; and, it shall soon appear to you what sortitis. " Then,thesaintofGodblessedwiththesignofthecrossthatvessel with the milk. Immediately, the vessel appeared full of clotted blood. The woman had mixed the milk with poison, in order that she might kill St. Molyng, with his disciples. For it displeased that woman, because St. Molyng inhabited there, and she acted thus on account of her friends. Wherefore, the disciples of the saint and all others who were present, on seeing the miracle, magnified the glory of Christ in his sairtts. s
In that city, formerly called Fearna, now Ferns, in the land of Hy-Kense-
lagh,
and more
anciently designated Fyrgailgan,
6 lived the
holy founder
St. Aidan, also denominated Odan, and called by the common people Moedoc
or Moedog, pronounced Mogue. During his time, the most blessed Bishop
Molyng sometimes visited that city, in which were his episcopal See and parish. The city of Fearna and Teach Molyng lay both within the territory of
Hy-Kinnsellagh ; and formerly, Ferns is said to have had a precedence over the other churches of Leinster. ? In the year 632, St. Moedoc departed this life,
and his See was thus deprived of its great pastor. Then, the King of Lein- ster and its citizens, taking counsel with the chief men of the province,8
according to the Life, sent a deputation to bring St. Molyng with them, whether he was willing or unwilling to succeed in that See. ' We find it stated,
that he complied with their wishes. Notwithstanding this assertion, we are not to suppose, that he was the second bishop or archbishop of Ferns; as others are named who preceded him, 10 and he is stated not to have been raised to that dignity until a. d. 69 1. " After having been abbot of Tegh Moling, his ancient Life states, that he succeeded St. Maidoc or Aidan, as Archbishop ofLeinster. 12 IntheSeeofFerns,andinitscity,hefrequentlypreachedthe words of eternal life, but this must be referred to a period nearly at the close
of the seventh century. He was styled Archbishop of Ferns, as the right of precedency which King Brandubh,^ the son of Cathach, had obtained for that See still continued in force. However, St. Moling very greatly loved
Teach Molyng, and there he preferred to spend the greater part of his life. As others were subject to himself, so would the holy father Molyng humble his own body, so that he might become subject to Christ. He dug the earth with a spade and other iron implements, and with his own hands, until he hadmadeachannelI4 fromacertainrivulet,throughroughandhighplaces,
Life of St. Molyng," pp. 6, 7. follows: A. D. 652, Dachuanus or Mochua-
6
This name it bore to the time of Enna, nus, Abbot of Ferns ; A. D. 662, Tuenocus, who had vanquished the Northerns. He Abbot of Ferns ; A. D. 676, Moeldogarius,
was afterwards called Kenselagh, because his face and whole body had been gieatly besmeared with the blood of his enemies.
Bishop of Ferns; A. D. 690, Diratius, Bishop of Ferns; A. D. 696, Molingus, Bishop of Ferns, at cap. v. , p. 223. The dates have reference to their death.
7 See Archbishop Ussher's
"
Britannica- rum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. ,
"
"
p. 449.
8 See Sir James Ware, "De Scriptoribus
Hiberniae," lib. i. , cap. iii. , p. 22. Elsewhere, he is styled the Second Bishop of Ferns. See ibid. , cap. xiii. , p. 88.
9 Archbishop Ussher makes St. Moling to
have been the second prelate in tlie See of Diratus, who died A. D. 692. See Sir
Ferns. See " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," Index Chronologicus, A. D.
dclxx. , p. 5^9.
10 See
Colgan's
nise," Januarii xxxi. Appendix ad Acta S. Maidoci, where he gives the succession as
James Ware, "De Proesuhbus Lageniar,"
p. 55.
,3 Bran-dubh died A. D. 602, long King
before St. Maidoc of Ferns.
u The Jesuit Father Edmund Campion, in
his " Historie of Ireland," thus accounts for
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. hi. , chap, xviii. ,
p. 132, and n. 170, pp. 134, 135. "However, it does not appear, that he
was the immediate successor of St. Mogue, as we find a Comanus Bishop over that See, who died a. d. 675 ; afterwards, followed
See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's
700 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [June 17.
and drew the water to his own monastery, a distance of seven miles. 1 * Nor did he permit any of his disciples to give him assis—tance in digging the earth. This labour he continued to pursue every day Sundays and Festivals excepted—whether through storm or calm for eight years and several days.
6
It is related, that the Subine Geilt,' who went mad at the battle of Moira, a. d.
634, afterwards went to Teach-Moling, where he was murdered by Mongan, the swine-herd of St. Moling. He was interred there, with great honour in
1 ' An old
Molyng's herd had been found murdered, and the saint prophesied, that the
murderer should meet his death by being killed, burned, and drowned. This was fulfilled that very same night, for the perpetrator of the deed secreted him- selfinawoodbythesideoftheBarrow. Whennightcameon,hekindleda lar_re fire at the butt of a tree, and climbed up among the branches for safety. Therehavingfallenasleep,hefelldownintothefire, fromwhichhejumped into the river, where his body was swept away. This result fulfilled the saint's prophecytotheveryletter.
