No More Learning

"
Cambrensis Ever-
' It has 69 statute acres and 32 perches of
July 23. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
borough,intheparishofRathcline,11andinthecountyofLongford. That fine expanse of the Shannon, known now as Lough Ree, was sometimes called Mor-loch,ortheGreatLake. Itiscoveredwithmanybeautifulislands,but the borders are usually low-lying around all this extensive sheet of water. Still fine swelling grounds, which in many parts might almost be classed as highlands, bound the lake on either side. The intricacy of the shores j the broad bays and deep inlets ; the rocky points and bold promontories ; with the numerous and diversified islands ; all form combinations of a delightful description, which render every part of the passage, whether up or down the
year 902, according to those of Ulster ; and at a. d. 903, according to the "Chro-
nicumScotorum. "1* The of 1*atthissame records Martyrology Donegal, day,
Caencomhrac, Bishop, of Inis Endaimh, in Loch Ribh. Under the head of
lake, interesting.
present holy
departed
this life, on the
23rd day
Inis-Eundaimh,
enters, likewise,
July 23rd.
1 ? The
foregoing
are the few
particulars
of 1 He Martyrology Tallagh.
to the race of son to Niall, Eoghan,
12 The
man
of July, a. d. 898, according to the "Annals of the Four Masters;"^ in the
16 Duald Mac Firbis
Caoncomrac, at bishop,
that can be recorded, in reference to the position and career of this holy bishop and solitary.
Article II. —St. Runach, of Inis-mor. The 23rd of July, a festival was celebrated in honour of Runach, Innsi Moire, as we find recorded in the
belonged
according to the O'Clerys. The Martyrology of Donegal calls his place Inis-
mor. Many of the Irish Islands have been distinguished by this general
name, and they were so called invariably, as having been largest in area rela- tively to other adjacent islands. Without any other etymon, it is not an easy matter to fix the locality. Whether this spot was the Great Island, on which the city of Cork now stands or not, may be questioned. On it, however, near the east ferry, are the ruins of an old church. In Irish, this is denominated
"
the church of Robert. " The only tradition regarding this ruin is, that it has stood there from time immemorial. It is even thought, from its present appearance, to have existed before the Danish period. There is another ruin, situated about half a mile north of Queenstown. Strange to say, it is the ruin of a Protestant church. Its site must have been previously occupied by a Catholic church, as it is
called in the vernacular of the " the western church," and present day,
Teample Robin, which some are inclined to interpret
by some"theoldchurch. '^ IntheMartyrologyofDonegal/thefeastofSt.
Runach occurs, at the 23rd of July.
Gazetteer of Ire-
10 In Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," it is incorrectly placed in the county of Roscommon. See vol. i. , n. (f), p.
and vol. iii. , n. ibid. 557, (1), p. 55,
area. See "
I4 See William M. Hennessy's edition, pp. 178, 179. This we are told by the editor is the correct date. See n. 4, ibid.
I5 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
198, 199.
:6 in William M. Inishenagh Lough-Ree.
Hennessy's note.
I7 See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish
Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. 114, 115.
Parliamentary land," vol. ii. , p. 314.
11
It is situated in the barony of Rath-
c! ine,. and shown with its Islands, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
" Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Roscommon," sheet 37.
12 See Isaac Weld's '• Statistical Survey of the County of Roscommon. "
13 See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. , pp. 556, 557.
of sheets 12, County Longford," 17,
18, 21, 22. Lanesborough is on sheet 17. A part of it, however, is in Cloontuskert parish, barony ofBallintoberSouth. Thisisshownonthe
Article ii.
—
*
Edited by
Rev. Dr.
2
Kelly, p. xxx.
2 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
198, 199.
3 The foregoing information has been
kindly communicated, by the Very Rev. H. E. Canon Dennehy, P. P. , of Kanturk, for- merly C. C. of Queenstown, County of Cork, and in a letter, dated June 25th, 1873.
3o4 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 2$.
Article III. —St. Fullenn, Foilan, or Fuillen, of Atha Innich, or
Ath-an-eich. ThenameofSt. Fullenn,ofAthaInnich,wasveneratedat 1
the 23rd of July, according to the Martyrologies of Tallagh, of Marianus
O'Gorman,
Alaguire.
4 Edited
by
Drs. Todd and Reeves,
pp. Dr.
'< See his Life, at the 9th clay of June, in the Sixth Volume of this work. Art. i.
198, 199. Article HI.
—x
Edited by Rev.
s "Trias See Colgan's
Kelly, p. xxx. 2"
See Colgan's
nia? ," xvi. Januarii, Appendix ad Inven- tionem S. Foillani Ep. et M. , cap. i. , p. 104.
3 Edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves,
pp. 198, 199.
4 Now preserved in the Royal Irish Aca-
Thaumaiurga," Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbe, cap.
demy.
5
Kelly, p.
xxx.
" Comm—on Place Book
*
2 It is on the "Ordnance Sur- described,
Townland for the of vey Maps County
Cork," sheet 22.
3 See " Ulster Journal of Archceology,"
vol. vi. , p. 268.
4 See it described, on tha "Ordnance Sur-
vey Townland Maps for the County of Cork," sheets 45, 54.
See
Article IV. See the Third
Acta Sanctorum I liber-
x. , p. 490.
6 See "Memoir of the City and North-
Western Liberties of Londonderry," part ii. , sect. 2, p. 27.
7 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
198, 199-
Article v. — Edited by Rev. Dr.
of this work, Art. xiii.
2 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxx.
"
Acta Sanctorum Hibernian" x'ti. Martii. De S. Fetchuone sive Fiechnone, Scotorum et Pictorum Apostolo ex variis,
and nn. 6, 7, pp. 588, 5S9.
3 See his
F," p. 65. Volume
2 He is also Foilan and Fuillen. styled
and of Charles
The Martyrology of Donegal 3' enters this saint, at the 23rd of July, as Fuillen of Ath-an-eich. This place has not been identified. In that copy of
the Irish Calendar, now preserved among the Irish Ordnance Survey Records,* this holy man is noted down, as Fuillen, Atha Ineic, at the 10th of the August Kalends,' corresponding with this present date.
Article IV. —St. Fethcon or Fethchu, Bishop. [Probably in tJw SixthCe? itut}\~\ Thereaderisreferredtowhathasbeenalreadystatedatthe 1 2U1 of March, when treating about St. Fethchuon or Fiechnon, also called Fethuo, Fethchuo, Fiechno and Fetno, said to have been a missionary among
12
the Scots and Picts. In the — of Tallagh and of Marianus
6
abbot of Innisfreil, who was venerated on the 7th of April. ologyofDonegal7 simplyentersthenameofFethchu,withoutanyfurther designation, and at this same date.
Article V. —St. Lassar, or Lasre, of Killasseragh, Parish of Kilmeen, County of Cork. At the 23rd of July, the name of Lasre is
1 metwith,intheMartyrologyofTallagh. St. Lassar'sday,althoughmarked
in the Calendar at the 23rd of July, seems to have been commemorated by '
2
stations at the 24th. The townland of Killasseragh, in the parish of Kil
meen, and barony of Duhallow, county of Cork, is called after this saint. 3 It seems very probable, also, that another townland so called,* in the parish
of Ballynoe,5 barony of Kinnatalloon, in the same county, has derived its name from the present holy virgin. In the south-west of the county of Fer- managh, the ruins of an old church, with a holy well, dedicated to a virgin
Martyrologies
O'Gorman, the name of Fethcon, Eps. which stands for Episcopus or Bishop—occurs at the 23rd of July. By Colgan,3 some notices are given of him, but at the 12th day of March. This holy man seems to have been a companion of St. Columkille,4 when the latter first sailed for Britain. * He is also called Fetchuo, and he is said to have been brother to Russ or Russen,
1
The Martyr-
July 23. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
305
6
In the glen of the Marble Arch, where there are very remarkable caves, and on its western side—upon the brow of a hill not difficult of access—is shown St. Lasser's cell. This is a souterrain. It has, however, no further connexion with a church in the neighbourhood, dedicated to the patron St. Lasser. Some inconsiderable remains of this old building yet exist. ? We do not under- take to say, that the foregoing localities are in any manner connected with the present St. Lassar; for, there are other saints bearing her name, and not distinguished by any special locality ; but, we thought it not amiss, to place upon record here, information which may somewhat help towards a future identification, regarding one or other of the Lassars or Lassaras mentioned in our Calendars.
The Martyrology of Donegal 8 notes Lassar simply, at
the 23rd of July.
Article VI. —Reputed Feast of St. Alfred, King of Northum-
bria. In Thomas Dempster's " Menologium Scotorum," at the 23rd of July, there is a festival for Alfred, King of Northumberland, who became an exile
called St. Lassara, are still to be seen. It is now called Killassery.
8
198, 199. — Article vi.
1
Now, it is well known, that the Scotia in which he lived as an
in Scotia.
exile, before or about the year 685, was no other than Ireland, where he is
said to have been known the name of Flann Fion. 2 He was son to by
Oswy, King of Northumbria ; but, on the death of his father, in 670, Aldfred or Alfred was persecuted by his brother Egfrid, and he then fled for refuge to our Island, where his time was devoted to study. He was especially learned in the Scriptures. 3 Here, he is said to have composed an original Irish Poem,* which is still preserved, and which has been published, by James Hardiman, Esq. ,5 while it has been translated literally, into English, by JohnO'Donovan. 6 It is highly laudatory of our Island and of its people, while it manifests an acquaintance with Irish topography, products, customs and institutions, as then
edition, 1644, fol.
On the death of
recalled from Ireland, by the Saxon nobles, and selected to become their king over Northumbria. 9 Some unhappy differences took place between
existing.
5 See ibid. , sheets 45, 46, 54, 55.
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
.
7
don's " Historia
Thomas Arnold, M. A. , lib. iv. , sect. 4, p. 106.
8 He was slain in the battle at Drumnech-
tan, waged against King Brude and the Picts. See Matthsei Parisiensis, Monachi Sancti Albani, " Chronica Majora," edited by Henry Richards Luard, M. A. , vol. i. , p. 305.
l
Thus entered: "In
Anglorum,"
edited by
Mailros Alfredi regis Northumberland, qui
a daughter to Colmann, King of Meath.
in in &c. S. B. F. " privatus pueritia Scotia,
—Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 206.
2 This is an adjunct, said to have been derived from Fiona, his mother, and
'' SeeGratianusLucius, CambrensisEversus,
"s
Itisstrange,thatthelearnedhistorian,
King Egfrid
6 A vicar of this Cill Laisre died A. D.
See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four
Masters," vol. iv. , pp. 1146, 1147, and n. a very obscure character. See " Rerum
1487.
(b), ibid.
7 See W. F. Wakeman's "Lough Erne,
Enniskillen, Belleek, Ballyshannon and Bun- doran,"&c. FifthExcursion,p. 147.
4 Of this the of Dr. Charles grandfather
vol. ii. , cap; xiv. , pp. 236, 237. Edition of Rev. Dr. Lingard, places his exile among the
Rev. Matthew Kelly, D. D. Dublin, 1850, 8vo. 3 According to Venerable Bede. See V Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 25, pp. 233, 234. Cambridge
"western isles," as if intending Scotland. See " History of England," vol. i. , chap, iii. , p. 108.
10 of His Life is set forth, in William
1 his brother, a. d. 8 Alfred was 685,
O'Conor had a copy, and it was written in
Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus iv. , Anna- tes Ultonienses, p. 129.
s In his "Irish Minstrelsy," vol. ii. , p. 372.
6
No. 12, pp. 94, 95-
SeetheDublinPenny/ournal,vol. i. ,
See
of
Henry Hunting-
. the account in
f TT
.
3o6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 23.
10
Bishop of York. However, on his death-bed, King Alfred bitterly lamented his errors, and he promised to make reparation to Wilfrid, if only he could be brought to his presence before death. For nine-
teen years, Alfred had governed his kingdom in justice and in peace. He
12 x3 died a,d. 705," at Driffeld, seated on the River Hull in Yorkshire. In
one Martyrology, at the 12th of March,1 '* he is set down as a monk in the
monastery of Mailros. This, however, is incorrect, if applied to Alfred, King of Northumbria.
Article VII. —St. Banbhnat, or Banbnatan. Veneration was given to Banbnatan, at the 23rd of July, as we find recorded in the Martyrology of
himself and St. Wilfrid,
Tallagh.
1 In that of 2 the name is set down as Banbhnat. Donegal,
Article VIII. —St. Cronseg, or Croinseach. According to the Martyr-
of 1 and of ologies Tallagh, Cronseg,
the 23rd of July.
Donegal,
2 Croinseach, was at venerated,
Article IX. —St. Vincentius, Martyr. In the early Irish Church, on the 23rd of July, was held a festival in honour of St. Vincentius, as we
find recorded in the " Feilire " of St.
there was—a martyr St. Vincentius at Rome in Vi—a Tiburtina. By other
3
Calendars as in the modern Roman Martyrology his feast is deferred to
^Engus.
also, that according to some copies of St. Jerome's Martyrology, at this date,
the following day.
Malmesbury's " De Gestis Pontificum Ang- lorum," Libri Quinque, edited from the autograph Manuscript by N. E. S. A. Hamilton, lib. iii. , sect. 100 to 109, pp. 211 to 224.
lated into English, by Dr. Whitley Stokes : —
LacepvoUnicenn
Co Cnirc cec-hams p^iche
IrvuAim bApeim f|\uiche Oaix imlcortiAiclie.
"At Vincentius' suffering to Christ went See BartholomEei de Cotton Monachi a troop : in Rome was a succession of seniors,
11
by Henry Richards Luard, M. A. Annales
See "Annales Monastici,"vol. ii. , edited
Monasterii de Waverleia, p. 153.
12 Norwicensis
"
Historia Anglicana," edited by Henry Richards Luard, M. A. , sect. 2,
twice nine goodly thousands. "—"Transac-
tions of the Royal Irish Academy,' Irish
Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the
Calendar of cxi. Oengus, pp.
p. 5-
li See Dean
" Church
History
of
Cressy's
Brittany,"- book xx. , chap, xxiv. , p. 521.
2
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. ,
14 See ibid.
Article vii.
—
•
Julii xxiii. Among the pretermitted feasts, Edited by Rev. Dr. p. 327.
Kelly, p. xxx.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
3 At the the 24th of July, it is there en-
centii Martyris. "—"Martyrologium Ro- manum Gregorii XIII. jussu editum Urbani vm. et dementis x. Auctoritate recogni- turn ac deinde Anno mdccxlix. Benedicti xiv. labore et studio auctum et castigatum, p. 106. Editio novissima. Romrr, 1878, 4to.
198, 199. Article viii.
Kelly, p. xxx.
—
'
Edited by Rev. Dr.
2
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
198, 199.
Article ix. — In the "Leabhar Breac"
copy, we have the following ratifi, trans-
'
1 The Bollandists have a notice, 2
tered : "Romas via Tiburtina sancti Yin-
July 24. I LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 307
Ctoentp'fourtb JBaj? of 3ulp,
ARTICLE I. —ST. DECLAN, BISHOP OF ARDMORE, AND PATRON OF THE DECIES, COUNTY OF WATERFORD.
[FIFTH AND SIXTH CENTURIES. ]
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—MATERIALS FOR THE ACTS OF ST. DECLAN—HIS PERIOD—HIS FAMILY AND DESCENT—HIS BIRTH—MIRACULOUS MANIFESTATIONS—HIS FOSTERAGE AND EARLY EDUCATION—HIS REPUTATION FOR SANCTITY AT AN EARLY AGE.
preaching of St.