9 The Annals of
Innisfallen
refer his death to 572.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
il
Chronology of History," p. 392. Walter Scott :—
Nicolas'
" To it poetical allusion is made, by Sir
*•
Old Sterling's towers arose in light, And, twined in links of silver bright,
the rival princes, through the valley of
274 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 3.
is said to have lived over eighty years/4 and to have been cut off by treachery, in the year 1034. ^5 How far the foregoing statements comport with the following must be left to the reader's judgment. The most reliable of St. Fothadh's Acts are those, which took place in a succeeding reign. Malcolm III. , better known by the appellation of Canmore, and the son of Duncan,^^ was crowned King of Scotland, at Scone, near Perth, on the 25th of April, A. D. 1057. ^7 Soo—n, the old Scoto-Gaelic usages and jurisprudence were destined to —at least in a in the
yield great measure, especially southern
partsofScotland toAnglo-Saxoninfluences theNorman ; for,
Conquest, in England, forced numbers of the subject barons and people there to become
fugitives. This migration was greatly and wisely encouraged, by King Malcolm Ceanmore. Even, the introduction and promotion of southern
ecclesiastics, to important positions of office and trust, prevailed during the episcopal rule of St. Fothadh II. This seems to be the man, whom Fordun represents, as tenth bishop of St. Andrews. '^ He is stated to have ruled, from A. D. 1059 to A. D. 1093, when the succession was interrupted to the year 1109. ^9 According to the Chronology of Thomas Ruddiman, however, the second Fothadh or Fothald ruled over the see of St. Andrews, from a. d. 1065 to 1077. He is also called Modath, the son of Malmykal. =^° Through his life and learning, the whole kingdom of the Scots became happily famous. He bestowed, on God and St. Serf and the Culdee hermits, living on the Island of Lochleven, the church of Auchterderran. ^'^ About the year 1070,==^ at the Royal Palace of Dunfermline, this Bishop Fothadh or Modac married King Malcolm Ceanmhor to Margaret, daughter of Edward Aetheling -p and, in commemoration of this event, Margaret founded a church at Dunfermline,
which was dedicated to the Most
Holy Trinity.
=^4
During
the of episcopate
Fothad, a coimcil was held at St. Andrews,=^5 at the instance of Kmg Malcolm
andQueenMargaret. Thenativeclergythereassembled,forthemostpart,
couldonlyspeakinGaelic; whileMargaret,theprincipalinterlocutor,could
only address them in Saxon. Malcolm acted, however, as interpreter ; for,
it is said, he understood three languages, French, EngHsh and Gaelic. It
'^See Johannis de Fordun, "Chronica Gentis Scotorum," edited by William F. Skene, vol. i. , lib. iv. , cap. xli. , pp. 183, 184.
"Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , p. 95.
===
See Johannis de Fordun, "Chronica Gentis Scotorum," vol. i. , lib. v. , cap. xv. , p. 213. Edited by William F. Skene,
=3 The i—ncident is thus found poetically
^s Ibid. , cap. xliv. , p. 187. Also, Andrew "
of Wyntoun's Orygynale Cronykil of Scot- land," edited by David Laing, vol. ii. , sext
recorded
" Malcolme oure Kyng than till hys Wyflf Weddyd Saynt Margret : wyth h)rr hys
tyff
In lele spousale he thoucht to lede,
Departyd quhytt thai suld be wyth dede. Off Saynt Andrewys the Bishape than The secund Fothawch, a cunnand man,
Devotly mad that Sacrament, That thai than tuk in gud intent. "
buke, chap. xvL, p. 119.
^^ King Malcolm II. was the great-grand-
father of King Malcolm III.
»7 See John Hill Burton's "History of
Scotland," vol. i. , chap, xi. , p. 379.
'8
This appears to be his order, in Andrew Wyntoun's and Archbishop Spottiswoode's arrangement of chronology, in reference to the bishops of this see.
»9 See Rev. J. F. S. Gordon's " Scoti- dironicon," &c. , pp. 28, 107.
''°In the "Registry of St. Andrews —Androw of Wyntoun's "Orygynale Priory," according to Bishop Keith's "Cata- Cronykil of Scotland," vol. ii. , Sevynde
logue of Scottish Bishops. "
="
This is a parish, containing the village
of Lochgelly, in the western part of Fife-
shire. The water of Orr flows through this
parish from west to east. It flows through
Loch Fetty, and it falls into the Leven,
about three miles from its mouth. See lines of History. "
:
Buke, chap, iii. , pp. 162, 163. Edited by David Laing.
=* See Dr. J. F. S. Gordon's "Scoti-
Chronicon," &c. , p. 114.
=s This is omitted from Sir Harris Nicolas'
Chronological List of Councils in his " Out-
February 3. ] LlVE^ OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 275
was desired, to introduce certain ecclesiastical reforms, and St. Margaret's^^
advocacy of several questions very much swayed the assembled clergy.
Fothad or Ethelredus""? is held to have been a man of great ability, learned
and eloquent, while he lived under Duff, Culen and Kenneth, kings in Scot-
land. But,ahighlyincredibleaccountisgivenbyJohnBale,='^thatAlpherus,
Count of Mercia, invited him with other learned men to come into England,
A. D. 976, to contend Avith Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, in a synod
held at Calne. ''^ Dempster follows the foregoing account, and tells us,
moreover, that St. Fothadh died, in the year 981. 3° The circumstances,
relating to his supposed violent death, are quite incorrect. His decease, is
more correctly referred to a. d. 1093, by the Annals of Ulster. 3' He died
the same year as Malcolm Ceanmore. 3' His bishopric remained vacant,
during the three succeeding reigns, until Bishop Turgot was selected by Alexander,33 on his accession, to fill the vacant see of St. Andrews. 34 How-
ever, this interregnum appears to be somewhat doubtful, for Fordun supplies four bishops elect, between Fothad and Turgot. These are called Gregory, Catharus, Edmarus and Godricus. 35 Little, besides what has been here given, remains on record, in reference to the Life and Acts of the foregoing
pious and learned bishop.
Article IV. —St. Cuanan or Cuanna, surnamed Glinn, or Glinne,
Abbot of Moville, County of Down. [Eighth Century. '] Where this
holy man was born, we have no means left for discovering ; but, probably, his birth took place, before the close of the seventh century. In reference
to his festival, an entry in the Martyrology of Tallagh,'^ at the 3rd of February, is, Cuanna (i Glinn) Ab. Maighi Bile. The latter place is now called
Moville,^' in the parish of Newtownards,3 barony of Lower Ards, and county of Down. A festival, in commemoration of St. Cuanan Glinne, Abbot of
Magh-bile, is registered, likewise, in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ at this day. On such points, nearly all our Calendarists agree. He ruled over this
flourishing establishment, while it was in a high state of efficiency. In the calendar, compiled by the Rev. William Reeves, he is also entered,5 among those holy men, living in the north-eastern part of Ireland. The situation of
his monastery was near the head of Strangford Lough,^ where St. Finian,7
**
This holy queen had a festival at the loth of June, and another at the i6th of November.
'7 Under either name, Bale calls him
Scottish Saints," p. 350.
"
35 According to the
Dr. Gordon, pp. 105, no, 115.
Article iv. —» Edited by Rev. Dr.
"anonymus quidam Scotorum episcopus. "
=^ ^ "
See "Scriptorum lUustrium Majoris Brytanniae," &c. , posterior pars, cent, xiv. , p. 208.
'9 For these statements, Bale cites Vincen- tius, Antoninus, Capgravus and Fabianus.
Kelly, p. xiv.
^j. jg j. gpj. esented, on the Ordnance Sur-
vey Maps tor the County of Down. " Sheet 6.
3 Within two miles of Newtownards, there
is a safe ride across the strand of Strangford, "
3° See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis when the tide is out, to Cumber. See lti«
Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. vi. , sect. 545, p.
nerary o( Ireland," p. 8.
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
38, 39.
s See "Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Down,
289.
3' At that
is the
"
Fothud,
ar-
year
depscop Albain [Archiepiscopus Albanise] in
Xpo," which relates to his departure. See
Dr. O'Conor's "Rerum Hibernicarum
tores," tomus iv. Annales Ultonienses, p.
356.
3=" See E. William Robinson's " Scotland
^ This is "an arm of the sea, completely
land-locked, and containing many islands, some of them mere specks, while others contain more than a hundred acres. "—J. B.
entry :
Connor and Dromore. " Appendix LL, p. Scrip- 376.
under her early Kings," chap, vii. , p. 174.
33 See Jolm Hill Burton's "History of Doyle's "Tours in Ulster," chap, ii. , p
Scotland," vol. ii. , chap, xii. , p. 35. 86,
3* See Bishop Forbes' "Kaleudars of ? See his Life, at the loth of September.
Scotichronicon" of
276 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 3.
sumamed Findbarr/ had founded it, towards the middle of the sixth century .
9 The Annals of Innisfallen refer his death to 572. Many other holy abbots preceded him, in the government of this celebrated establishment. His im- mediate predecessor appears to have been Colman, son of Murcon, who died in the year 731. ^° It would thus seem, that the present holy man was superior of Moville, for about ten or eleven years. According to the records of the Irish Ordnance Survey," in the parish of Ballybrennan," or Bally- cowanmore, alias Kilcowanmore,^3 county of Wexford,^^ there was a well dedicated to a St. Cuan, who was patron saint of the parish. This well was about one hundred yards south-west of the church ; and, old people, in 1840, used to come there, on St. Cooaun's Day, February 3rd, to pray for their friends. The old church of Kilcowan is now utterly ruined. It was about 40 fept in length, and 18 feet 6 inches in breadth. '^ A large and much
surrounds this church. — and frequented graveyard Although Ballybrennan
Killinick — are parishes together only
presume Irish measure in Robert Fraser's
ofWexford '^ the"Ordnance ;" yet,
"
740
Statistical Survey County
* '* He is called ipionn "bAf^, i. <? . ,
White Maguire says, capillis. "
as "a flavis
top,"
9 See Rev. William Reeves'
"
Dromore. " Appendix A, p. 151.
" See Dr. O Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 328, 329.
"See "Letters containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Wexford, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Sui-vey in 1840," vol. ii. John
O'Donovan's description, pp. 44, 45. "This seems the later form of name,
meaning bAile ui b|VAon^m, meaning •' "
'3 In the "Liber Regalis Visitationis" it
is styled, Kilcowan, which is interpreted Cill CuAin, or the " Church of St. Cowan," by John O'Donovan.
'This parish is represented, on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for theCountyofWexford. " Sheets43,48.
'S The fragments of its walls measure three feet in thickness. They were built of large field stones, cemented with ime and coarse
Ecclesias- tical Antiquities of Down, Connor and
O'Brennan's-town.
estimated to contain
acres we may
Survey
of Wexford," have 1041 acres and 34 perches for Ballybrennan parish alone.
The old church and graveyard lie sheltered, near the plantations of Bally- brennan House. ^7 The parish lies within the barony of Forth. ^^ Here, too,
a patron was held, on the present day. ^9 It is likely, therefore, that this holy man must have had some connexion with that place, although he seems to have departed to bliss, in the northern part of Ireland. This saint died, A. D. 742, according to one account ;=° and, again, his death has been deferred to A. D. 746. =^^ Firm in his convictions and true to his standard, a Christian hero departs resignedly to the great leader, he has chosen to follow, through life's warfare.
ArticleV. —ReputedFeastofSt. Macliegus,Bishop. Thispious
servant of God, mentioned in the last chapter of St. Declan's Life,^ has a
festivalassignedhim,atthe3rdofFebruary,oratthe7thofApril. * Further notices will be found regarding him, at the latter date.
sand mortar,
^^ See part ii. , p. 74. ^^ See Sheet 48.
*^
The reader will find a very curious "Memoir of the Language, Manners and Customs of an Anglo-Saxon Colony settled in the Baronies of Forth and Bargie, in the County of Wexford, Ireland," by Charles Vallancey, LL. D. , and read December 27th, 1788. See "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, m. dcc. lxxxviii," vol. ii. Antiquities, pp. 19 to 41.
»9 See " County of Wexford Letters," &c, vol. ii. , p. 45. It ceased, however, about the beginning of this century.
=<^ See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 342, 343. Here, too, he is said to have died, on the 3rd of
April.
" — »^. The Annals of Ulster. See n. (b),
Townland fortheCounty Maps
Article V.
* See his Life, at the 24th
ofJuly.
» See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 269.
of the
February 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 277
ArticleVI. —FestivalofSaintsFelixandSymphronius. Inthe Felire of St. ^ngus, at this date, these holy martyrs were venerated, as is
manifest from the — from the " Leabhar following stanza, copied
Breac,"
and
thus translated by Professor O'Looney
:
1? . iii. n. "OoniroeiriAC co Iami,
"Oo 5fef A^ cech cnoije
Sloiger* pnx) co feu, pellCIf Simfpom.
May they protect us with valour, Constantly from all misery : The fair host of chastity,
Of Felix, of Symphronius.
The Bollandists have adduced various testimonies, in reference to both of these holy martyrs ; but, they have not been able to add the foregoing in illustration. Great doubts are involved, in reference to their identity, and to that place, where they suffered. ^
Article VII. —Feast of the Translation of St. Waldetrude's Relics. Thechieffestivalofthisnobleandholyabbessiscommemorated, at the 9th of April, where her Life will be found. ^ The present feast is only an anniversary, relating to the translation of her relics, to a place, Latinized, Mons Castrilocus, by Hugo Menard. ^
ArticleVIII. —St. Caoilfionn,Virgin. Somedoubts,regardingthis holywoman'sraceandparentage,seemtoexist. Weread,intheMartyrology of Donegal,^ as having had a festival on this day, Caoilfionn, Virgin, of Caellainn. This Caellainn, we are told, belonged possibly to the race of Modh-ruith,sontoFergus,sonofRos,sontoRudhraighe. Or,shemight
possibly be Caoilfionn, daughter of Cael, son to Fionnchadh, who belonged to the race of Ciar, son to Fergus, son to Ros, son of Rudhraighe. This pious lady quickly won the esteem and affection of her sister nuns, by her
exactness to every duty, as also, by her sweet temper, gentle, confiding dis- position and unaffected piety.
Article IX. —Festival of St. Tarahata or Attracta, Virgin. In the catalogue of Henry Fitzsimon,^ at this day, is noted a festival of St. Tarahata, virgin. But, her feast is more generally referred, to the 9th of February,* or to the nth of August. At the latter date, her Life will be found.
Article VI. —* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Februarii iii. De Sanctis Mar-
= See "Martyrologium Benedictinum," at this particular date,
Article viii. —' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 38, 39.
Article ix. —' "In Catalogo Prsecipuo- rum Sanctorum Hibemiae. "
» The Bollandists have this notice, among
the saints passed over and referred to other
days, at the 3rd of February. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Februarii iii. Pra- termissi et in alios dies rejecti, p. 321. New edition.
Africanis Felice, Felicitate, et aliis, pp. 328, 329. Also, see the name of Sym- phronius among the pretermitted and de- ferred saints' festivals, at the 3rd of February,
Article vii. — At this date, likevirise, the Bollandists have inscribed her Acts, with some preliminary notices and an ap- pendix. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Aprilis ix. , pp. 829 to 842. Old edition.
tyribus
ibid. , p. 317. Old edition. ^
2 78 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 4.
jfourtl) Jaap nf jfebruarp*
ARTICLE I. —ST. CUANNA, ABBOT OF KILL-CUANNA OR KILCOONA, COUNTY OF GALWAY.
[SEVENTH CENTURY. -]
THOSE
CHAPTER I.
^
INTRODUCTION—ST. CUANNA'S NATAL PLACE AND FAMILY—HIS EARLY EDUCATION— HIS RELIGIOUS LIFE.
religious institutions, which were formerly so numerous, contri- buted much to create in Ireland a love for the
very evangelical counsels, and to promote purity of morals throughout the land. They were, likewise, great bulwarks of civilization, as of religious and polite learning. Nothing, indeed, contributes more, than purity of life, to promote individual happiness,andthegeneralwelfareoffamiliesandsocieties; while,byprecept and example, it was fostered, in our ancient monasteries. A corrupt and an
impure way of living brings on those, who engage in it, the greatest temporal evils, and the severest chastisements of heaven. Thus, the waters of the
Deluge were let loose on the world, because all flesh had corrupted its way ;^ and fire descended upon the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrha, on account of those degrading vices, which characterized their inhabitants. '^
The Acts of this saint, as published by Colgan, are unhappily imperfect. 3 They have been issued, however, as they came to his hands, with introductory observationsandappendednotes. TheBoUandists,whohadtheuseofthis
same document,^ finding it unsatisfactory, preferred placing St. Cuanna among the saints merely noticed, but referred to some other day, for a
possible treatment. s Cuanna^ appears to have been a native, and from that
part, of Connaught, now known as the deanery of Annadown, in the arch- diocese of Tuam, and in the county of Galway. The father of this saint is said7 to have been named Midarn,^ son of Dubhrath,9 and to have been a
^°
descendant from Nial the Great, King of Ireland. " This pedigree is
thought,however,tobeerroneous. " Themotherisvariouslynamed,Meadh,
Article i. —Chapter i. —* Genesis vi. , 12.
" Genesis xix. , 24, 25.
3 They have been taken from a Sala- mancan Manuscript. This had been kept, in the Irish College of Salamanca.
* It remained in Louvain, and Father Hugh Ward either lent it or sent a copy of it to them.
5 See BoUandists' "Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus i. , iv. Februarii. Praetermissi et in
alios dies rejecti, pp. 447, 448.
^ He is likewise styled Cuona or Cuanna-
chseus.
7 By Colgan.
^
So states an ancient Scholiast, on St. ^ngus, and another old anonymous writer,
' In one place, Cuanna, son of Midarn, is distinguished from the half-brother of St.
Carthage. See Colgan's "Acta Sancto- rum Hibemia;," xv. Februarii. Vit? . S.
Farannani, n. 9, p. 338.
'° He flourished towards the close of the
fourth century. See Haverty's "History of Ireland," chap, v. , p. 42.
"
Such is this saint's pedigree, according
to the " Menologic Genealogy," chapter "
vii. , and as given in Cuchogrius' Genea- logies of the Saints," chapter ii. , as also in the Life of St.
Chronology of History," p. 392. Walter Scott :—
Nicolas'
" To it poetical allusion is made, by Sir
*•
Old Sterling's towers arose in light, And, twined in links of silver bright,
the rival princes, through the valley of
274 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 3.
is said to have lived over eighty years/4 and to have been cut off by treachery, in the year 1034. ^5 How far the foregoing statements comport with the following must be left to the reader's judgment. The most reliable of St. Fothadh's Acts are those, which took place in a succeeding reign. Malcolm III. , better known by the appellation of Canmore, and the son of Duncan,^^ was crowned King of Scotland, at Scone, near Perth, on the 25th of April, A. D. 1057. ^7 Soo—n, the old Scoto-Gaelic usages and jurisprudence were destined to —at least in a in the
yield great measure, especially southern
partsofScotland toAnglo-Saxoninfluences theNorman ; for,
Conquest, in England, forced numbers of the subject barons and people there to become
fugitives. This migration was greatly and wisely encouraged, by King Malcolm Ceanmore. Even, the introduction and promotion of southern
ecclesiastics, to important positions of office and trust, prevailed during the episcopal rule of St. Fothadh II. This seems to be the man, whom Fordun represents, as tenth bishop of St. Andrews. '^ He is stated to have ruled, from A. D. 1059 to A. D. 1093, when the succession was interrupted to the year 1109. ^9 According to the Chronology of Thomas Ruddiman, however, the second Fothadh or Fothald ruled over the see of St. Andrews, from a. d. 1065 to 1077. He is also called Modath, the son of Malmykal. =^° Through his life and learning, the whole kingdom of the Scots became happily famous. He bestowed, on God and St. Serf and the Culdee hermits, living on the Island of Lochleven, the church of Auchterderran. ^'^ About the year 1070,==^ at the Royal Palace of Dunfermline, this Bishop Fothadh or Modac married King Malcolm Ceanmhor to Margaret, daughter of Edward Aetheling -p and, in commemoration of this event, Margaret founded a church at Dunfermline,
which was dedicated to the Most
Holy Trinity.
=^4
During
the of episcopate
Fothad, a coimcil was held at St. Andrews,=^5 at the instance of Kmg Malcolm
andQueenMargaret. Thenativeclergythereassembled,forthemostpart,
couldonlyspeakinGaelic; whileMargaret,theprincipalinterlocutor,could
only address them in Saxon. Malcolm acted, however, as interpreter ; for,
it is said, he understood three languages, French, EngHsh and Gaelic. It
'^See Johannis de Fordun, "Chronica Gentis Scotorum," edited by William F. Skene, vol. i. , lib. iv. , cap. xli. , pp. 183, 184.
"Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , p. 95.
===
See Johannis de Fordun, "Chronica Gentis Scotorum," vol. i. , lib. v. , cap. xv. , p. 213. Edited by William F. Skene,
=3 The i—ncident is thus found poetically
^s Ibid. , cap. xliv. , p. 187. Also, Andrew "
of Wyntoun's Orygynale Cronykil of Scot- land," edited by David Laing, vol. ii. , sext
recorded
" Malcolme oure Kyng than till hys Wyflf Weddyd Saynt Margret : wyth h)rr hys
tyff
In lele spousale he thoucht to lede,
Departyd quhytt thai suld be wyth dede. Off Saynt Andrewys the Bishape than The secund Fothawch, a cunnand man,
Devotly mad that Sacrament, That thai than tuk in gud intent. "
buke, chap. xvL, p. 119.
^^ King Malcolm II. was the great-grand-
father of King Malcolm III.
»7 See John Hill Burton's "History of
Scotland," vol. i. , chap, xi. , p. 379.
'8
This appears to be his order, in Andrew Wyntoun's and Archbishop Spottiswoode's arrangement of chronology, in reference to the bishops of this see.
»9 See Rev. J. F. S. Gordon's " Scoti- dironicon," &c. , pp. 28, 107.
''°In the "Registry of St. Andrews —Androw of Wyntoun's "Orygynale Priory," according to Bishop Keith's "Cata- Cronykil of Scotland," vol. ii. , Sevynde
logue of Scottish Bishops. "
="
This is a parish, containing the village
of Lochgelly, in the western part of Fife-
shire. The water of Orr flows through this
parish from west to east. It flows through
Loch Fetty, and it falls into the Leven,
about three miles from its mouth. See lines of History. "
:
Buke, chap, iii. , pp. 162, 163. Edited by David Laing.
=* See Dr. J. F. S. Gordon's "Scoti-
Chronicon," &c. , p. 114.
=s This is omitted from Sir Harris Nicolas'
Chronological List of Councils in his " Out-
February 3. ] LlVE^ OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 275
was desired, to introduce certain ecclesiastical reforms, and St. Margaret's^^
advocacy of several questions very much swayed the assembled clergy.
Fothad or Ethelredus""? is held to have been a man of great ability, learned
and eloquent, while he lived under Duff, Culen and Kenneth, kings in Scot-
land. But,ahighlyincredibleaccountisgivenbyJohnBale,='^thatAlpherus,
Count of Mercia, invited him with other learned men to come into England,
A. D. 976, to contend Avith Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, in a synod
held at Calne. ''^ Dempster follows the foregoing account, and tells us,
moreover, that St. Fothadh died, in the year 981. 3° The circumstances,
relating to his supposed violent death, are quite incorrect. His decease, is
more correctly referred to a. d. 1093, by the Annals of Ulster. 3' He died
the same year as Malcolm Ceanmore. 3' His bishopric remained vacant,
during the three succeeding reigns, until Bishop Turgot was selected by Alexander,33 on his accession, to fill the vacant see of St. Andrews. 34 How-
ever, this interregnum appears to be somewhat doubtful, for Fordun supplies four bishops elect, between Fothad and Turgot. These are called Gregory, Catharus, Edmarus and Godricus. 35 Little, besides what has been here given, remains on record, in reference to the Life and Acts of the foregoing
pious and learned bishop.
Article IV. —St. Cuanan or Cuanna, surnamed Glinn, or Glinne,
Abbot of Moville, County of Down. [Eighth Century. '] Where this
holy man was born, we have no means left for discovering ; but, probably, his birth took place, before the close of the seventh century. In reference
to his festival, an entry in the Martyrology of Tallagh,'^ at the 3rd of February, is, Cuanna (i Glinn) Ab. Maighi Bile. The latter place is now called
Moville,^' in the parish of Newtownards,3 barony of Lower Ards, and county of Down. A festival, in commemoration of St. Cuanan Glinne, Abbot of
Magh-bile, is registered, likewise, in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ at this day. On such points, nearly all our Calendarists agree. He ruled over this
flourishing establishment, while it was in a high state of efficiency. In the calendar, compiled by the Rev. William Reeves, he is also entered,5 among those holy men, living in the north-eastern part of Ireland. The situation of
his monastery was near the head of Strangford Lough,^ where St. Finian,7
**
This holy queen had a festival at the loth of June, and another at the i6th of November.
'7 Under either name, Bale calls him
Scottish Saints," p. 350.
"
35 According to the
Dr. Gordon, pp. 105, no, 115.
Article iv. —» Edited by Rev. Dr.
"anonymus quidam Scotorum episcopus. "
=^ ^ "
See "Scriptorum lUustrium Majoris Brytanniae," &c. , posterior pars, cent, xiv. , p. 208.
'9 For these statements, Bale cites Vincen- tius, Antoninus, Capgravus and Fabianus.
Kelly, p. xiv.
^j. jg j. gpj. esented, on the Ordnance Sur-
vey Maps tor the County of Down. " Sheet 6.
3 Within two miles of Newtownards, there
is a safe ride across the strand of Strangford, "
3° See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis when the tide is out, to Cumber. See lti«
Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. vi. , sect. 545, p.
nerary o( Ireland," p. 8.
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
38, 39.
s See "Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Down,
289.
3' At that
is the
"
Fothud,
ar-
year
depscop Albain [Archiepiscopus Albanise] in
Xpo," which relates to his departure. See
Dr. O'Conor's "Rerum Hibernicarum
tores," tomus iv. Annales Ultonienses, p.
356.
3=" See E. William Robinson's " Scotland
^ This is "an arm of the sea, completely
land-locked, and containing many islands, some of them mere specks, while others contain more than a hundred acres. "—J. B.
entry :
Connor and Dromore. " Appendix LL, p. Scrip- 376.
under her early Kings," chap, vii. , p. 174.
33 See Jolm Hill Burton's "History of Doyle's "Tours in Ulster," chap, ii. , p
Scotland," vol. ii. , chap, xii. , p. 35. 86,
3* See Bishop Forbes' "Kaleudars of ? See his Life, at the loth of September.
Scotichronicon" of
276 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 3.
sumamed Findbarr/ had founded it, towards the middle of the sixth century .
9 The Annals of Innisfallen refer his death to 572. Many other holy abbots preceded him, in the government of this celebrated establishment. His im- mediate predecessor appears to have been Colman, son of Murcon, who died in the year 731. ^° It would thus seem, that the present holy man was superior of Moville, for about ten or eleven years. According to the records of the Irish Ordnance Survey," in the parish of Ballybrennan," or Bally- cowanmore, alias Kilcowanmore,^3 county of Wexford,^^ there was a well dedicated to a St. Cuan, who was patron saint of the parish. This well was about one hundred yards south-west of the church ; and, old people, in 1840, used to come there, on St. Cooaun's Day, February 3rd, to pray for their friends. The old church of Kilcowan is now utterly ruined. It was about 40 fept in length, and 18 feet 6 inches in breadth. '^ A large and much
surrounds this church. — and frequented graveyard Although Ballybrennan
Killinick — are parishes together only
presume Irish measure in Robert Fraser's
ofWexford '^ the"Ordnance ;" yet,
"
740
Statistical Survey County
* '* He is called ipionn "bAf^, i. <? . ,
White Maguire says, capillis. "
as "a flavis
top,"
9 See Rev. William Reeves'
"
Dromore. " Appendix A, p. 151.
" See Dr. O Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 328, 329.
"See "Letters containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Wexford, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Sui-vey in 1840," vol. ii. John
O'Donovan's description, pp. 44, 45. "This seems the later form of name,
meaning bAile ui b|VAon^m, meaning •' "
'3 In the "Liber Regalis Visitationis" it
is styled, Kilcowan, which is interpreted Cill CuAin, or the " Church of St. Cowan," by John O'Donovan.
'This parish is represented, on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for theCountyofWexford. " Sheets43,48.
'S The fragments of its walls measure three feet in thickness. They were built of large field stones, cemented with ime and coarse
Ecclesias- tical Antiquities of Down, Connor and
O'Brennan's-town.
estimated to contain
acres we may
Survey
of Wexford," have 1041 acres and 34 perches for Ballybrennan parish alone.
The old church and graveyard lie sheltered, near the plantations of Bally- brennan House. ^7 The parish lies within the barony of Forth. ^^ Here, too,
a patron was held, on the present day. ^9 It is likely, therefore, that this holy man must have had some connexion with that place, although he seems to have departed to bliss, in the northern part of Ireland. This saint died, A. D. 742, according to one account ;=° and, again, his death has been deferred to A. D. 746. =^^ Firm in his convictions and true to his standard, a Christian hero departs resignedly to the great leader, he has chosen to follow, through life's warfare.
ArticleV. —ReputedFeastofSt. Macliegus,Bishop. Thispious
servant of God, mentioned in the last chapter of St. Declan's Life,^ has a
festivalassignedhim,atthe3rdofFebruary,oratthe7thofApril. * Further notices will be found regarding him, at the latter date.
sand mortar,
^^ See part ii. , p. 74. ^^ See Sheet 48.
*^
The reader will find a very curious "Memoir of the Language, Manners and Customs of an Anglo-Saxon Colony settled in the Baronies of Forth and Bargie, in the County of Wexford, Ireland," by Charles Vallancey, LL. D. , and read December 27th, 1788. See "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, m. dcc. lxxxviii," vol. ii. Antiquities, pp. 19 to 41.
»9 See " County of Wexford Letters," &c, vol. ii. , p. 45. It ceased, however, about the beginning of this century.
=<^ See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 342, 343. Here, too, he is said to have died, on the 3rd of
April.
" — »^. The Annals of Ulster. See n. (b),
Townland fortheCounty Maps
Article V.
* See his Life, at the 24th
ofJuly.
» See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 269.
of the
February 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 277
ArticleVI. —FestivalofSaintsFelixandSymphronius. Inthe Felire of St. ^ngus, at this date, these holy martyrs were venerated, as is
manifest from the — from the " Leabhar following stanza, copied
Breac,"
and
thus translated by Professor O'Looney
:
1? . iii. n. "OoniroeiriAC co Iami,
"Oo 5fef A^ cech cnoije
Sloiger* pnx) co feu, pellCIf Simfpom.
May they protect us with valour, Constantly from all misery : The fair host of chastity,
Of Felix, of Symphronius.
The Bollandists have adduced various testimonies, in reference to both of these holy martyrs ; but, they have not been able to add the foregoing in illustration. Great doubts are involved, in reference to their identity, and to that place, where they suffered. ^
Article VII. —Feast of the Translation of St. Waldetrude's Relics. Thechieffestivalofthisnobleandholyabbessiscommemorated, at the 9th of April, where her Life will be found. ^ The present feast is only an anniversary, relating to the translation of her relics, to a place, Latinized, Mons Castrilocus, by Hugo Menard. ^
ArticleVIII. —St. Caoilfionn,Virgin. Somedoubts,regardingthis holywoman'sraceandparentage,seemtoexist. Weread,intheMartyrology of Donegal,^ as having had a festival on this day, Caoilfionn, Virgin, of Caellainn. This Caellainn, we are told, belonged possibly to the race of Modh-ruith,sontoFergus,sonofRos,sontoRudhraighe. Or,shemight
possibly be Caoilfionn, daughter of Cael, son to Fionnchadh, who belonged to the race of Ciar, son to Fergus, son to Ros, son of Rudhraighe. This pious lady quickly won the esteem and affection of her sister nuns, by her
exactness to every duty, as also, by her sweet temper, gentle, confiding dis- position and unaffected piety.
Article IX. —Festival of St. Tarahata or Attracta, Virgin. In the catalogue of Henry Fitzsimon,^ at this day, is noted a festival of St. Tarahata, virgin. But, her feast is more generally referred, to the 9th of February,* or to the nth of August. At the latter date, her Life will be found.
Article VI. —* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Februarii iii. De Sanctis Mar-
= See "Martyrologium Benedictinum," at this particular date,
Article viii. —' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 38, 39.
Article ix. —' "In Catalogo Prsecipuo- rum Sanctorum Hibemiae. "
» The Bollandists have this notice, among
the saints passed over and referred to other
days, at the 3rd of February. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Februarii iii. Pra- termissi et in alios dies rejecti, p. 321. New edition.
Africanis Felice, Felicitate, et aliis, pp. 328, 329. Also, see the name of Sym- phronius among the pretermitted and de- ferred saints' festivals, at the 3rd of February,
Article vii. — At this date, likevirise, the Bollandists have inscribed her Acts, with some preliminary notices and an ap- pendix. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Aprilis ix. , pp. 829 to 842. Old edition.
tyribus
ibid. , p. 317. Old edition. ^
2 78 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 4.
jfourtl) Jaap nf jfebruarp*
ARTICLE I. —ST. CUANNA, ABBOT OF KILL-CUANNA OR KILCOONA, COUNTY OF GALWAY.
[SEVENTH CENTURY. -]
THOSE
CHAPTER I.
^
INTRODUCTION—ST. CUANNA'S NATAL PLACE AND FAMILY—HIS EARLY EDUCATION— HIS RELIGIOUS LIFE.
religious institutions, which were formerly so numerous, contri- buted much to create in Ireland a love for the
very evangelical counsels, and to promote purity of morals throughout the land. They were, likewise, great bulwarks of civilization, as of religious and polite learning. Nothing, indeed, contributes more, than purity of life, to promote individual happiness,andthegeneralwelfareoffamiliesandsocieties; while,byprecept and example, it was fostered, in our ancient monasteries. A corrupt and an
impure way of living brings on those, who engage in it, the greatest temporal evils, and the severest chastisements of heaven. Thus, the waters of the
Deluge were let loose on the world, because all flesh had corrupted its way ;^ and fire descended upon the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrha, on account of those degrading vices, which characterized their inhabitants. '^
The Acts of this saint, as published by Colgan, are unhappily imperfect. 3 They have been issued, however, as they came to his hands, with introductory observationsandappendednotes. TheBoUandists,whohadtheuseofthis
same document,^ finding it unsatisfactory, preferred placing St. Cuanna among the saints merely noticed, but referred to some other day, for a
possible treatment. s Cuanna^ appears to have been a native, and from that
part, of Connaught, now known as the deanery of Annadown, in the arch- diocese of Tuam, and in the county of Galway. The father of this saint is said7 to have been named Midarn,^ son of Dubhrath,9 and to have been a
^°
descendant from Nial the Great, King of Ireland. " This pedigree is
thought,however,tobeerroneous. " Themotherisvariouslynamed,Meadh,
Article i. —Chapter i. —* Genesis vi. , 12.
" Genesis xix. , 24, 25.
3 They have been taken from a Sala- mancan Manuscript. This had been kept, in the Irish College of Salamanca.
* It remained in Louvain, and Father Hugh Ward either lent it or sent a copy of it to them.
5 See BoUandists' "Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus i. , iv. Februarii. Praetermissi et in
alios dies rejecti, pp. 447, 448.
^ He is likewise styled Cuona or Cuanna-
chseus.
7 By Colgan.
^
So states an ancient Scholiast, on St. ^ngus, and another old anonymous writer,
' In one place, Cuanna, son of Midarn, is distinguished from the half-brother of St.
Carthage. See Colgan's "Acta Sancto- rum Hibemia;," xv. Februarii. Vit? . S.
Farannani, n. 9, p. 338.
'° He flourished towards the close of the
fourth century. See Haverty's "History of Ireland," chap, v. , p. 42.
"
Such is this saint's pedigree, according
to the " Menologic Genealogy," chapter "
vii. , and as given in Cuchogrius' Genea- logies of the Saints," chapter ii. , as also in the Life of St.
