Declan commence with a
genealogical
account concern-
ing his race and origin.
ing his race and origin.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v7
592.
' Thus Dr. Charles Smith cites a Manu-
v. , Julii xxiv. De S. Declano Episcopo Ard- morise in Ilibernia, Commentarius Pnevius,
script Life of St. Declan, and discrepancies from the Latin published Life can be traced in it. See " The Ancient and present State of the County and City of Waterford," chap, i. , p. 6, n.
num. 8. p. 592.
" At a time when Boschius wrote, a copy
had been preserved, written in the Irish character, according to Friell. This was taken from a most ancient copy, by brother Michael O'Clery, to whose talents a grace-
*
nice," xiv. Martii. Vila S. Ullani, p. 608.
vSee Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
as follows
sanctissimi Declani secundus abbas et pater
:
Declani) discipulis, consuete fuerat," cap. ix. , sect. 77.
antiquis ejus (scil.
exstitit,
July 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 309
of St. Isidore's
College.
12 These
lengthened
Acts
have been published by
the Bollandists, at the 24th of July. They consist of the saint's Life, com-
prised in nine chapters, and seventy-nine paragraphs, with accompanying
notes, besides a preliminary commentary of eleven paragraphs. These Acts
were edited by Father Peter Boschius,^ as appears from the marginal initials,
1
affixed at the commencement. '* Bosch observes, that in editing previous
volumes of the great work on which he was engaged, his predecessors were sensible those Acts of St. Declan had been filled with incredible legends, as
alreadyremarked,inmorethanonepassage. ^ Hewasconvinced,also,that few persons, who might take the trouble to examine them, could arrive at a differentconclusion. Suchconsiderations,andothersofasimilarcharacter, urged an idea, about entirely suppressing those Acts. Yet, on subsequent reflection,theeditoralteredthisresolution. 16 TheBollandistwouldnothave his objections to their antiquity understood as implying, that a distant period could not be assigned for their authorship fi and, moreover, he had no proof to advance, that the author recording our saint's Acts flourished at a later periodthanthetenthcentury. Fromacertainpassage,whichappearedinan interpolated copy of these Acts, Papebroch supposed, that the writer could not have lived, before the twelfth century. Some Manuscript Lives of this
18 1
saintare still preserved in Dublin, as also at Bruxelles. ? There is also a
50 21 Manuscript Life of St. Declan, at Louvain. In the "Feilire" of St.
^Engus, at the 24th of July, St. Declan is commemorated, and with distin- guished praise. To this has been affixed a comment, relating to-his family
ful tribute is paid by Colgan, in his preface to the First Volume of the Irish Saints.
12 An Irishman distinguished by his writings and many virtues, Francis Harold, then resided at Rome, and he returned the Acts of St. Declan, afterwards published by
the Bollandists, having accurately amended them, A. n. 1679, from the Roman copy. This enabled him also to supply certain
"
omissions. See Acta Sanctorum," tomus reasons or greater authorities could be pro-
v. , Julii xxiv. De S. Declano Episcopo Ard-
moiice in Hibernia, Commentarius Pnevius,
num. 9, 10, 11, pp. 592, 593.
13 The Bollandist editor acknowledges,
that he could find no better authorities for
St. Declan's Acts, than those used by Ussher
duced to contradict them ; for, as all these
men were skilled in a knowledge of their
country's antiquities, and had read these Manuscript Acts of our saint, in very ancient books ; it ought only seem reasonable, that others should incline to hold as probable an opinion, that those Acts of St. Declan were
and Colgan ; but, he feels surprised, that
these learned men coidd have bestowed of great antiquity.
18
In Marsh's Library, there is one, but sistencies of these materials. See Commen- the commencement of St. Declan's Life,
much attention on the chronological incon-
tarius Praevius, sect. 6, p. 592,
14 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. ,
Julii xxiv. De S. Declano Episcopo Ard- morioe in Hibernia, pp. 590 to 608.
*S He remarks : "sed prsecipue ubi de S.
Patricio est actumdiexvii. Martii, — pag. 581. "
16 for the reasons: Chiefly following
First, because they served to show the public
opinion formerly entertained in Ireland, re-
specting Declan's sanctity. Secondly, be-
cause they were of great antiquity in the Life of St. Declan. It exists among the opinion of those esteemed for their know-
ledge of Irish antiquities ; and thirdly, be- cause Ware, Ussher and Colgan published some extracts from them, which created a desire on the part of many, that the entire
Burgundian Manuscripts, in the Library at Bruxelles, fol. 160.
Acts should be published.
*' But, he desired to remove such period
some ages from the death of St. Declan, of whose times this author could have no
personal knowledge. He also acknowledges, that the opinions of Colgan, and of his col-
leagues—whom he extols in the preface his work—
worthy of due consideration, so long as no
to of Ussher and of Ware, must be
which continues from fol. 10 1 to 107, is lost, at fol. 100, in the " Codex Kil- kenniensis. " In Trinity College, there is a Manuscript classed E. 3, II, which contains
a Vita S. Declani, at fol. 66.
Also, in the
and
Irish
Messrs.
Hodges
Academy,
quarto paper Manuscript
Royal
Smith's
contains a Life of St. Deaglan of Ardmore, in the county of Waterford.
'9 Michael O'Clery transcribed an Irish
ao
Described as Vita S. Declani Episcopi
Hibernire, among the Manuscripts of the Library at Louvain.
No. 150,
3 io LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 24.
and descent, with another, which assigns his fosterage to St. Moling.
22
At the
24th of July, Acts or notices of St. Declan, Bishop of Ardmore, are to be a2
found, in the works of Archbishop Ussher, 3 of Dr. Meredith Hanmer, * of
25 of Rev. Alban Butler,26 and of Rev. Dr. 2? as Bishop Challoner, Lanigan ;
28 2 likewise in Les Petits Bollandistes, in Rev. Dr. James Henthorn Todd's, '
and in the Rev. S. Baring-Gould's work. 3°
With regard to the time when our saint flourished, there are several con-
flictingaccounts. Onchronologicalgrounds,thesepresentvariousdifficulties. The birth of St. Declan is referred to the times of the Roman Emperor Con- stantme,31 about the middle of the fourth century, and his episcopacy to a. d. 402, thirty years before St. Patrick had been sent to Ireland, by Pope Celes- tine. His Acts state, that on his return from Rome, our saint visited St. David,32 who was then Bishop over Menevia. 33 Still greater chronological absurdities are to be found, in those Acts of St. Declan. It is stated, in the Life, as published by the Bollandists, that Declan was born in the year 347 ; but, as the author indulges in so many absurd admissions with regard to known historic facts, his chronotaxis must in many cases be rejected. For, we can place little faith on the statements of a writer, who gives us an account, con- cerning St. Declan's visit to St. David, Bishop of Menevia,3* and regarding the very early establishment of Ardmore as an episcopal See ; as likewise those particulars to be found in the fourth and beginning of the fifth chapters in our saint's Life"; or when he proceeds to record St. Patrick's subsequent arrival in
35 to which he was sent by Pope Celestine. Besides these, we meet Ireland, #
other matters, which cannot be chronologically reconciled with the foregoing statements. However, the editor of our saint's Acts states, that whatever degree of credit or antiquity may be assigned to them, the author of this Life of St. Declan could not have forged in Ireland certain strange narratives which may therein be found. For, even the common people of that Island
21 From the " Lcabhar Breac "copy, be- to 28.
28 "
longing to the Royal Irish Academy, is the See Vies des Saints," xxive Jour de following stanza, translated by Whitley Juillet, p. 3.
Stokes,
LL. D. :—
niAT>coich t)Uic Aei^\e
•Oocchobaip cing OAige CacViuc cent) c. mile
"OecUn 4|voi mairxe.
29See "St. of Ireland. " Patrick, Apostle
Introductory Dissertation, pp. 206 to 212, 214, 219, 220.
3° See "Lives of the Saints," vol. vii. ,
July 24, pp. 532, 533.
31 He became sole Emperor A. D. 324, and
his very distinguished place in history lasted,
"If thou likest, O Ireland, a champion of
batile to aid thee, thou hast the head of a death. See Edward Gibbon's "History of hundred thousand, Declan of Ardmore. "— the Decline and Fall of the Roman Em- "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," pire," vol. ii. , chap, xiv. , to chap, xviii.
Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. the Calendar of Oengus, p. cxii.
22
See ibid. , p. cxx.
23 See " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti-
quitates," cap. xv. , p. 362; cap. xvi. , pp.
409, 410, 412 to 414, and cap. xvii. , p.
450.
3* See " Chronicle of Ireland," pp. 67
to 70. 25
See his Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. vii. , July xxiv.
"Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. i. , chap, i. , sect, xii. , pp. 25 432.
See "Britannia Sancta," part ii. ,
after a. d. 516, when St. David was elevated to the dignity of Bishop, as the Bollandists show, at the 1st of March, on which day his Acts are given by them.
33 See also the Life of St. David, at the
1st of March, in the Third Volume of this
work, Art. i.
3«
cannotbeassertedfairly, unlesswebewill- tag to admit, that at the incredible age of about one hundred and seventy years, Declan had undertaken a voyage to Rome.
PP- 37> 3%'
26 "
until a. d. 340, the year assigned for his
On Edition of William Smith, LL. D.
3» This supposed visit must have occurred,
The Bollandist editor this remarks,
3s This is generally assigned to a. i>.
July 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 3ii
should have been able to contradict his assertions, if certain allusions to our
saint's remaining monuments, were not in accordance with popular traditions
and cognizance. 36
The Acts of St.
Declan commence with a genealogical account concern-
ing his race and origin. We are told, that he was royally descended from the
Kings of Ireland,37 who for a long series of years governed this Island, while
dwelt in Temoria 3 otherwise known as Tamrach or Tamar, or they city,*
Tara. 39 A powerful king, named Equitius Feadhlech,<° who had enlarged
the boundaries of his
kingdom/
1 was the father of three sons. One of these
3 wasfatherto
had three circles of roses like zones on his body, and this happened from the
time of his birth. Besides his elegance of form, he was celebrated for his strength, and for his address in transacting different matters, even from his infancy. He undertook the government of the kingdom, and on that very yearinwhichCaiusCaesar44 wasslain;afterhehadreignedtwenty-sixyears in Temoria, he was killed by the Leinster people, and in that year when the apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul 45 were put to death by Nero. 46 He had a son, named Crimthun niudh nuaruir,4 7 who only reigned ten years before his
8
death. The latter left a son named Ferudach Finfectnach,4 who reigned
thirtyyearsinTemoria. Hewasthefatherofason,calledFichudhFinn- faluidh,49 who reigned thirty years, and who was killed at Tara. This latter was the parent of Tuathal Teachmear,s° who brought many territories under his sway, and who ruled at Tara for twenty-three years, when he was at length
sons,
whowasnamed
Lecharius,*
Luguidh Sriubhnearg,43
who
36 Such as are, the Hall of Dobran after-
wards known as the Hall of St. Declan
the stone shown in Magh Femhin which he
blessed ; the stone on which he was born,
and to which allusion is made in the Life as
existing ; the monastery called after him, at tius, from the Irish Ech, which signifies
;
Temoria the or Cairn of St. Declan; : Heap
theCity of St. Declan, as Ardmorehad been
called ; and the Desert of St. Declan near
it. To these may be added, what is told at
the end of his Life, that St. Declan had been
buried in his own city of Ardmore, where
great signs and miracles were wrought king.
at his tomb, when the Life itself h#d been written. See"ActaSanctorum,"tomusv. , Julli xxiv. De S. Declano Episcopo Ard- morise in Hibernia. Commentarius Proevius, num. 4, p. 591.
37 The small folio vellum Manuscript in
the Royal Irish Academy, No. 42. 6, inti- tuled the Book of Lecan, contains various
43 In the aforesaid Sanctilogium Genealo- gicum, the name is written, "Lugadius
Sriebdearg. "
44 This Emperor was surnamed Caligula.
He was assassinated by conspirators, in the year of Christ 41.
45 In the Life, Doctor of the Gentiles is a
title superadded to this Apostle.
46 The Bollandists have referred the
martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul, to the year of Christ, 65. Petavius, Labbeus and other writersassignittoA. D. 67. Withthelatter date, the Acts of our saint seem to agree,
as they make Luguidh reign twenty-six years.
47 In the Sanctilogium Genealogicum, he is called "Crimthannus Nianair. "
48 The Sanctilogium Genealogicum calls
"
and accounts Ireland's regarding
poems
early colonists, the synchronisms of the kings of the world and the successions of
Irishkings.
38 It was a city in eastern Midia, or Meath,
within the present province of Leinster.
39 It was anciently the seat of the chief monarchs over all Ireland to the sixth cen- tury, and to the reign of Dermod the First, as has been already remarked, in the Life of
him simply
40 The Manuscript of St. Isidore has logicum, he is called "Fiachus Finnfho-
St. Ruadan, chap, hi. , at the 15th of April. See Fourth Volume of this work, Art. i.
Feredacius. "
49 According to the Sanctilogium Genea-
"
Eochu Fedlech. "
laidh. "
5° In the Sanctilogium Genealogicum he is named, "Tuathalius Techtmuir.
41 In the Sanctilogium Genealogicum, according to Colgan, his name is written
"
" in English "a horse. " See ibid. , eques,"
Eochodius Fedhleach. See
maturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbse, n. 9, p. 447. Colgan tells us, in the same work, that the name Eochodius or Eachodius, is aptly expressed in Latin, by the term Equi-
Quarta Vita S. Brigida? , n. 4, p. 563.
42 The Sanctilogium Genealogicum, already cited in the previous note, denomi- nates him " Bressius Finnius," nor does it call him a king, but son and father of a
Trias Thau-
312
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 24.
the Ultonians. s 1 He was the father of FeiJlhmdh Reachtmear,s3 who establishedrnanylawsforhiskingdom. 53 Hereignednineyears,54andhe had three sons, viz. , Conn Cheadcha,ss Eochaidh Fionn,-6 and Fiachu
slain
by
Conn Ceadchathach s 8
years. 59 The fame of his goodness, as also the peace and cultivation of the kingdom during his reign, are celebrated in our national Annals. 60 He was no less renowned as a warrior. From the race of Conn Cheadcha 6l descended some of the principal families of Ulster, of Connaught andofMeath, besides However, he was killed on the of Ulster. Candidus,6*
Suighde. 57
The elder of these
sons,
reigned twenty
no less than fifty-six monarchs of Ireland. 63
Coba, by Tyberiad Cyrech,
King
Equitius
plain
Fothardii Leinster. 6? Fiachu
dynasts,
Suighde
68 was the third of Feidhlimidh Reachtmar's
63
of
the second eldest son, went to the province of Leinster, where his posterity afterwards dwelt. 65 From the family of Eochaidh or Equitius proceeded the
66 who are said to have a third of formerly possessed part
s» " A gente Ultorum," is found in the Hibernioe," p. 66. Something similar may Life ; but Ultoniorum must be the more be found, where Colgan writes at p. 71. correct reading. Keating, in his History of Ireland, and the
52 He was king over Ireland A. D. 164. In Annals of the Four Masters, state, that
the Sanctilogium Genealogicum he is called, " FelhlemidiusLegifer," which latter epithet is Latin for the Irish word " Reachtmear," as Colgan observes, in " Trias Thauma-
turga," Quarta Vita S. Brigidoe, n. 3, P- 563-
53 St. Declan belonged to the race of this
Fedhlimidh Rectmhar, King of Erin. See
" ofthe Irish Proceedings Royal Academy,"
Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. , p. 83. s« This king, variously styled Feidhlimidh, Feidhlim or Felix, began his reign in the year A. D. in, and died A. D. 119, "after
having been nine years in the sovereignty of Ireland. "—Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of
the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 102, 103.
ss His name is also written Conn Ketcha- tach, meaning of the Hundred Battles or Victories, because he was reputed the con- queror in so many different engagements. He is styled by other writers, Constans,
Constantinus and Conon.
s6
Constantine was killed in the thirty-fifth year of his reign, A. D. 157. But, in this account, the Four Masters contradict them- selves, as also the writer of St. Declan's Acts. For the Four Masters state, that
Fethlemid died A. D. 119 ; while, thirty-five years added to this period should bring us
only to A. D. 154.
60 The author of our saint's Acts observes
respecting this prince : "Hujus nomen in Themoria perpetuo regnat. " See, likewise, Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four
Masters," vol. i. , pp. 104, 105.
61 His name has been Latinized " Centima-
chus. "
63
Echaidh, surnamed Fionn, or the Fair,
is named variously Eachdius, Euchadius, Tybraide Tireach. "
Ultorum,
Eochadius and Euthichius. Not less cor- rectly, he is frequently denominated in Latin Equitius ; for the word Each or Eck has the same meaning in Irish as Eqnus in Latin. And, as from the Irish word Each, he is called Eachaidh or Eochaidh ; so in Latin, heis properlynamedEquitius.
64 The Manuscript of St. Isidore has Eochidh Fionn," which is the same in sense ; for, the first epithet is correctly ren-
"
dered by the Latin word Equitius," as
already observed, and "Candidus" corre-
"
sponds with the Irish word Fionn. " See
Colgan's"TriasThaumaturga,"QuartaVita 57 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," S. Brigidse, n. 4, p. 563.
Quarta Vita S. Brigidte, cap. i. , p. 546, and n. 4, p. 563.
s8 Or as he is called in the Sanctilogium
Genealogicum, Constantinus Cedchathaig. 59 Alone of the three brothers, is he said to have held the Irish sceptre, after the death of Fethlemid. According to the author of oursaint'sActs,heissaidtohavebeenthe o}dest son ; yet, not according to the author of St. Brigid's Fourth Life, nor according to the author of Vita S. Itae siveMidre, as may be seen in Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum
6s The Acts of St. Declan remark, that in Leinster "habitant nepotes ejus semper in diversis locis, de quibus comites ct viri poten-
This appears from the Catalogues and Genealogies of our native Kings. For an account of Conn Cedhcahach's reign, the reader is referred to Roderick O'Flaherty's "
"
Og**ia," pars hi. , cap. lx. , pp. 313 to 316. 6i The same event is related in St. Ita's
Acts, written by Colgan ; but, there Con-
is "rex stantine's slayer called,
tes sunt, qui inter Lageniensesnumerantur. " See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , Julii xxiv. De S. DeclanoEpiscopo Ardmoriae in Hiber- nia, cap. i. , sects. I, 2, p. 593, and nn. (a, b, c,d,e,f,g,h,i,k,1,m,n,o,p,q,r), P- 595-
w See Roderick O'Flaherty's "Ogygia," pars iii. , cap. lxiv. , pp. 324, 325.
"7 Theysettledprincipallyinthepresent
July 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 313
sons. From Fiacha's posterity issued the renowned race of the Desii, at first having their settlement near Tara, in Meath, but who were obliged afterwards to remove and seek lands in the southern part of Ireland. They settled at length in the present Waterford, and gave name to the territory of the Decies.
The legendary and rather imaginative character of the Life of St. Declan 69 must be apparent, from the following narrative, which is to be found in it. However, in some particulars, the account corresponds with what is related by many of our chroniclers. ? Fiachu Suighde dwelt in a territory,
2
with whom this latter wished to be at peace,TM would not agree to the monarch's proposals, unless King Cormac surrendered to him ^Eneas or
^ngus, and his brothers, who were his constant life-guards. At first, the king felt unwilling to agree to these terms ; but, at length, he consented to them ; when JEngus and his brothers, having been delivered to the chief, this latter personage came to the monarch, and then concluded a peace with him. Yet, after some days, Cenllach/s son to King Cormac, apprehended this chief, and without his father's consent, deprived his unfortunate captive of sight, by barbarously putting out his eyes. When afCneas heard of this cruel and treacherous action, being fired with resentment, he ran towards Temoria, where the culprit resided with his father. On seeing the multitude of armed men that accompanied ^Eneas before Tara, the king ordered all
: entrancesintothefortresstobeclosed,saying "TrulyyEneasisbeforehis
brothers, wishing to avenge upon us the wrong done to their keeper. " Having heard their king pronouncing these words, his followers' hearts began to fail them, for they knew and feared the courage and daring of that invading chief.
counties of Carlow and Wexford. From them murdered his own brothers Conlai and the baronies named Forth have been named. Crionni. See Gratianus Lucius' "Cam- See John O'Donovan's teAbhan na brensis Eversus," vol. i. , cap. viii. , pp. 472 gCeanc, or Book of Rights. Index sub voce. to 475. Rev. Dr. Kelly's edition.
68 This Fiach is likewise called Fiecus, 72 According to Roderick O'Flaherty, he Fiachus and Fiacus, by various writers. He had four sons, and they are thus named,
lying
Temoria,
enjoying
the of Ireland. 7 r sceptre
is said to have been the ancestor of the Desii inMeathandWaterford. See"TheIrish Version of the Historia Britonum of Nen- nius," edited by Rev. Dr. Todd and the Hon. Algernon Herbert, p.
' Thus Dr. Charles Smith cites a Manu-
v. , Julii xxiv. De S. Declano Episcopo Ard- morise in Ilibernia, Commentarius Pnevius,
script Life of St. Declan, and discrepancies from the Latin published Life can be traced in it. See " The Ancient and present State of the County and City of Waterford," chap, i. , p. 6, n.
num. 8. p. 592.
" At a time when Boschius wrote, a copy
had been preserved, written in the Irish character, according to Friell. This was taken from a most ancient copy, by brother Michael O'Clery, to whose talents a grace-
*
nice," xiv. Martii. Vila S. Ullani, p. 608.
vSee Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
as follows
sanctissimi Declani secundus abbas et pater
:
Declani) discipulis, consuete fuerat," cap. ix. , sect. 77.
antiquis ejus (scil.
exstitit,
July 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 309
of St. Isidore's
College.
12 These
lengthened
Acts
have been published by
the Bollandists, at the 24th of July. They consist of the saint's Life, com-
prised in nine chapters, and seventy-nine paragraphs, with accompanying
notes, besides a preliminary commentary of eleven paragraphs. These Acts
were edited by Father Peter Boschius,^ as appears from the marginal initials,
1
affixed at the commencement. '* Bosch observes, that in editing previous
volumes of the great work on which he was engaged, his predecessors were sensible those Acts of St. Declan had been filled with incredible legends, as
alreadyremarked,inmorethanonepassage. ^ Hewasconvinced,also,that few persons, who might take the trouble to examine them, could arrive at a differentconclusion. Suchconsiderations,andothersofasimilarcharacter, urged an idea, about entirely suppressing those Acts. Yet, on subsequent reflection,theeditoralteredthisresolution. 16 TheBollandistwouldnothave his objections to their antiquity understood as implying, that a distant period could not be assigned for their authorship fi and, moreover, he had no proof to advance, that the author recording our saint's Acts flourished at a later periodthanthetenthcentury. Fromacertainpassage,whichappearedinan interpolated copy of these Acts, Papebroch supposed, that the writer could not have lived, before the twelfth century. Some Manuscript Lives of this
18 1
saintare still preserved in Dublin, as also at Bruxelles. ? There is also a
50 21 Manuscript Life of St. Declan, at Louvain. In the "Feilire" of St.
^Engus, at the 24th of July, St. Declan is commemorated, and with distin- guished praise. To this has been affixed a comment, relating to-his family
ful tribute is paid by Colgan, in his preface to the First Volume of the Irish Saints.
12 An Irishman distinguished by his writings and many virtues, Francis Harold, then resided at Rome, and he returned the Acts of St. Declan, afterwards published by
the Bollandists, having accurately amended them, A. n. 1679, from the Roman copy. This enabled him also to supply certain
"
omissions. See Acta Sanctorum," tomus reasons or greater authorities could be pro-
v. , Julii xxiv. De S. Declano Episcopo Ard-
moiice in Hibernia, Commentarius Pnevius,
num. 9, 10, 11, pp. 592, 593.
13 The Bollandist editor acknowledges,
that he could find no better authorities for
St. Declan's Acts, than those used by Ussher
duced to contradict them ; for, as all these
men were skilled in a knowledge of their
country's antiquities, and had read these Manuscript Acts of our saint, in very ancient books ; it ought only seem reasonable, that others should incline to hold as probable an opinion, that those Acts of St. Declan were
and Colgan ; but, he feels surprised, that
these learned men coidd have bestowed of great antiquity.
18
In Marsh's Library, there is one, but sistencies of these materials. See Commen- the commencement of St. Declan's Life,
much attention on the chronological incon-
tarius Praevius, sect. 6, p. 592,
14 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. ,
Julii xxiv. De S. Declano Episcopo Ard- morioe in Hibernia, pp. 590 to 608.
*S He remarks : "sed prsecipue ubi de S.
Patricio est actumdiexvii. Martii, — pag. 581. "
16 for the reasons: Chiefly following
First, because they served to show the public
opinion formerly entertained in Ireland, re-
specting Declan's sanctity. Secondly, be-
cause they were of great antiquity in the Life of St. Declan. It exists among the opinion of those esteemed for their know-
ledge of Irish antiquities ; and thirdly, be- cause Ware, Ussher and Colgan published some extracts from them, which created a desire on the part of many, that the entire
Burgundian Manuscripts, in the Library at Bruxelles, fol. 160.
Acts should be published.
*' But, he desired to remove such period
some ages from the death of St. Declan, of whose times this author could have no
personal knowledge. He also acknowledges, that the opinions of Colgan, and of his col-
leagues—whom he extols in the preface his work—
worthy of due consideration, so long as no
to of Ussher and of Ware, must be
which continues from fol. 10 1 to 107, is lost, at fol. 100, in the " Codex Kil- kenniensis. " In Trinity College, there is a Manuscript classed E. 3, II, which contains
a Vita S. Declani, at fol. 66.
Also, in the
and
Irish
Messrs.
Hodges
Academy,
quarto paper Manuscript
Royal
Smith's
contains a Life of St. Deaglan of Ardmore, in the county of Waterford.
'9 Michael O'Clery transcribed an Irish
ao
Described as Vita S. Declani Episcopi
Hibernire, among the Manuscripts of the Library at Louvain.
No. 150,
3 io LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 24.
and descent, with another, which assigns his fosterage to St. Moling.
22
At the
24th of July, Acts or notices of St. Declan, Bishop of Ardmore, are to be a2
found, in the works of Archbishop Ussher, 3 of Dr. Meredith Hanmer, * of
25 of Rev. Alban Butler,26 and of Rev. Dr. 2? as Bishop Challoner, Lanigan ;
28 2 likewise in Les Petits Bollandistes, in Rev. Dr. James Henthorn Todd's, '
and in the Rev. S. Baring-Gould's work. 3°
With regard to the time when our saint flourished, there are several con-
flictingaccounts. Onchronologicalgrounds,thesepresentvariousdifficulties. The birth of St. Declan is referred to the times of the Roman Emperor Con- stantme,31 about the middle of the fourth century, and his episcopacy to a. d. 402, thirty years before St. Patrick had been sent to Ireland, by Pope Celes- tine. His Acts state, that on his return from Rome, our saint visited St. David,32 who was then Bishop over Menevia. 33 Still greater chronological absurdities are to be found, in those Acts of St. Declan. It is stated, in the Life, as published by the Bollandists, that Declan was born in the year 347 ; but, as the author indulges in so many absurd admissions with regard to known historic facts, his chronotaxis must in many cases be rejected. For, we can place little faith on the statements of a writer, who gives us an account, con- cerning St. Declan's visit to St. David, Bishop of Menevia,3* and regarding the very early establishment of Ardmore as an episcopal See ; as likewise those particulars to be found in the fourth and beginning of the fifth chapters in our saint's Life"; or when he proceeds to record St. Patrick's subsequent arrival in
35 to which he was sent by Pope Celestine. Besides these, we meet Ireland, #
other matters, which cannot be chronologically reconciled with the foregoing statements. However, the editor of our saint's Acts states, that whatever degree of credit or antiquity may be assigned to them, the author of this Life of St. Declan could not have forged in Ireland certain strange narratives which may therein be found. For, even the common people of that Island
21 From the " Lcabhar Breac "copy, be- to 28.
28 "
longing to the Royal Irish Academy, is the See Vies des Saints," xxive Jour de following stanza, translated by Whitley Juillet, p. 3.
Stokes,
LL. D. :—
niAT>coich t)Uic Aei^\e
•Oocchobaip cing OAige CacViuc cent) c. mile
"OecUn 4|voi mairxe.
29See "St. of Ireland. " Patrick, Apostle
Introductory Dissertation, pp. 206 to 212, 214, 219, 220.
3° See "Lives of the Saints," vol. vii. ,
July 24, pp. 532, 533.
31 He became sole Emperor A. D. 324, and
his very distinguished place in history lasted,
"If thou likest, O Ireland, a champion of
batile to aid thee, thou hast the head of a death. See Edward Gibbon's "History of hundred thousand, Declan of Ardmore. "— the Decline and Fall of the Roman Em- "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," pire," vol. ii. , chap, xiv. , to chap, xviii.
Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. the Calendar of Oengus, p. cxii.
22
See ibid. , p. cxx.
23 See " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti-
quitates," cap. xv. , p. 362; cap. xvi. , pp.
409, 410, 412 to 414, and cap. xvii. , p.
450.
3* See " Chronicle of Ireland," pp. 67
to 70. 25
See his Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. vii. , July xxiv.
"Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. i. , chap, i. , sect, xii. , pp. 25 432.
See "Britannia Sancta," part ii. ,
after a. d. 516, when St. David was elevated to the dignity of Bishop, as the Bollandists show, at the 1st of March, on which day his Acts are given by them.
33 See also the Life of St. David, at the
1st of March, in the Third Volume of this
work, Art. i.
3«
cannotbeassertedfairly, unlesswebewill- tag to admit, that at the incredible age of about one hundred and seventy years, Declan had undertaken a voyage to Rome.
PP- 37> 3%'
26 "
until a. d. 340, the year assigned for his
On Edition of William Smith, LL. D.
3» This supposed visit must have occurred,
The Bollandist editor this remarks,
3s This is generally assigned to a. i>.
July 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 3ii
should have been able to contradict his assertions, if certain allusions to our
saint's remaining monuments, were not in accordance with popular traditions
and cognizance. 36
The Acts of St.
Declan commence with a genealogical account concern-
ing his race and origin. We are told, that he was royally descended from the
Kings of Ireland,37 who for a long series of years governed this Island, while
dwelt in Temoria 3 otherwise known as Tamrach or Tamar, or they city,*
Tara. 39 A powerful king, named Equitius Feadhlech,<° who had enlarged
the boundaries of his
kingdom/
1 was the father of three sons. One of these
3 wasfatherto
had three circles of roses like zones on his body, and this happened from the
time of his birth. Besides his elegance of form, he was celebrated for his strength, and for his address in transacting different matters, even from his infancy. He undertook the government of the kingdom, and on that very yearinwhichCaiusCaesar44 wasslain;afterhehadreignedtwenty-sixyears in Temoria, he was killed by the Leinster people, and in that year when the apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul 45 were put to death by Nero. 46 He had a son, named Crimthun niudh nuaruir,4 7 who only reigned ten years before his
8
death. The latter left a son named Ferudach Finfectnach,4 who reigned
thirtyyearsinTemoria. Hewasthefatherofason,calledFichudhFinn- faluidh,49 who reigned thirty years, and who was killed at Tara. This latter was the parent of Tuathal Teachmear,s° who brought many territories under his sway, and who ruled at Tara for twenty-three years, when he was at length
sons,
whowasnamed
Lecharius,*
Luguidh Sriubhnearg,43
who
36 Such as are, the Hall of Dobran after-
wards known as the Hall of St. Declan
the stone shown in Magh Femhin which he
blessed ; the stone on which he was born,
and to which allusion is made in the Life as
existing ; the monastery called after him, at tius, from the Irish Ech, which signifies
;
Temoria the or Cairn of St. Declan; : Heap
theCity of St. Declan, as Ardmorehad been
called ; and the Desert of St. Declan near
it. To these may be added, what is told at
the end of his Life, that St. Declan had been
buried in his own city of Ardmore, where
great signs and miracles were wrought king.
at his tomb, when the Life itself h#d been written. See"ActaSanctorum,"tomusv. , Julli xxiv. De S. Declano Episcopo Ard- morise in Hibernia. Commentarius Proevius, num. 4, p. 591.
37 The small folio vellum Manuscript in
the Royal Irish Academy, No. 42. 6, inti- tuled the Book of Lecan, contains various
43 In the aforesaid Sanctilogium Genealo- gicum, the name is written, "Lugadius
Sriebdearg. "
44 This Emperor was surnamed Caligula.
He was assassinated by conspirators, in the year of Christ 41.
45 In the Life, Doctor of the Gentiles is a
title superadded to this Apostle.
46 The Bollandists have referred the
martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul, to the year of Christ, 65. Petavius, Labbeus and other writersassignittoA. D. 67. Withthelatter date, the Acts of our saint seem to agree,
as they make Luguidh reign twenty-six years.
47 In the Sanctilogium Genealogicum, he is called "Crimthannus Nianair. "
48 The Sanctilogium Genealogicum calls
"
and accounts Ireland's regarding
poems
early colonists, the synchronisms of the kings of the world and the successions of
Irishkings.
38 It was a city in eastern Midia, or Meath,
within the present province of Leinster.
39 It was anciently the seat of the chief monarchs over all Ireland to the sixth cen- tury, and to the reign of Dermod the First, as has been already remarked, in the Life of
him simply
40 The Manuscript of St. Isidore has logicum, he is called "Fiachus Finnfho-
St. Ruadan, chap, hi. , at the 15th of April. See Fourth Volume of this work, Art. i.
Feredacius. "
49 According to the Sanctilogium Genea-
"
Eochu Fedlech. "
laidh. "
5° In the Sanctilogium Genealogicum he is named, "Tuathalius Techtmuir.
41 In the Sanctilogium Genealogicum, according to Colgan, his name is written
"
" in English "a horse. " See ibid. , eques,"
Eochodius Fedhleach. See
maturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbse, n. 9, p. 447. Colgan tells us, in the same work, that the name Eochodius or Eachodius, is aptly expressed in Latin, by the term Equi-
Quarta Vita S. Brigida? , n. 4, p. 563.
42 The Sanctilogium Genealogicum, already cited in the previous note, denomi- nates him " Bressius Finnius," nor does it call him a king, but son and father of a
Trias Thau-
312
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 24.
the Ultonians. s 1 He was the father of FeiJlhmdh Reachtmear,s3 who establishedrnanylawsforhiskingdom. 53 Hereignednineyears,54andhe had three sons, viz. , Conn Cheadcha,ss Eochaidh Fionn,-6 and Fiachu
slain
by
Conn Ceadchathach s 8
years. 59 The fame of his goodness, as also the peace and cultivation of the kingdom during his reign, are celebrated in our national Annals. 60 He was no less renowned as a warrior. From the race of Conn Cheadcha 6l descended some of the principal families of Ulster, of Connaught andofMeath, besides However, he was killed on the of Ulster. Candidus,6*
Suighde. 57
The elder of these
sons,
reigned twenty
no less than fifty-six monarchs of Ireland. 63
Coba, by Tyberiad Cyrech,
King
Equitius
plain
Fothardii Leinster. 6? Fiachu
dynasts,
Suighde
68 was the third of Feidhlimidh Reachtmar's
63
of
the second eldest son, went to the province of Leinster, where his posterity afterwards dwelt. 65 From the family of Eochaidh or Equitius proceeded the
66 who are said to have a third of formerly possessed part
s» " A gente Ultorum," is found in the Hibernioe," p. 66. Something similar may Life ; but Ultoniorum must be the more be found, where Colgan writes at p. 71. correct reading. Keating, in his History of Ireland, and the
52 He was king over Ireland A. D. 164. In Annals of the Four Masters, state, that
the Sanctilogium Genealogicum he is called, " FelhlemidiusLegifer," which latter epithet is Latin for the Irish word " Reachtmear," as Colgan observes, in " Trias Thauma-
turga," Quarta Vita S. Brigidoe, n. 3, P- 563-
53 St. Declan belonged to the race of this
Fedhlimidh Rectmhar, King of Erin. See
" ofthe Irish Proceedings Royal Academy,"
Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. , p. 83. s« This king, variously styled Feidhlimidh, Feidhlim or Felix, began his reign in the year A. D. in, and died A. D. 119, "after
having been nine years in the sovereignty of Ireland. "—Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of
the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 102, 103.
ss His name is also written Conn Ketcha- tach, meaning of the Hundred Battles or Victories, because he was reputed the con- queror in so many different engagements. He is styled by other writers, Constans,
Constantinus and Conon.
s6
Constantine was killed in the thirty-fifth year of his reign, A. D. 157. But, in this account, the Four Masters contradict them- selves, as also the writer of St. Declan's Acts. For the Four Masters state, that
Fethlemid died A. D. 119 ; while, thirty-five years added to this period should bring us
only to A. D. 154.
60 The author of our saint's Acts observes
respecting this prince : "Hujus nomen in Themoria perpetuo regnat. " See, likewise, Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four
Masters," vol. i. , pp. 104, 105.
61 His name has been Latinized " Centima-
chus. "
63
Echaidh, surnamed Fionn, or the Fair,
is named variously Eachdius, Euchadius, Tybraide Tireach. "
Ultorum,
Eochadius and Euthichius. Not less cor- rectly, he is frequently denominated in Latin Equitius ; for the word Each or Eck has the same meaning in Irish as Eqnus in Latin. And, as from the Irish word Each, he is called Eachaidh or Eochaidh ; so in Latin, heis properlynamedEquitius.
64 The Manuscript of St. Isidore has Eochidh Fionn," which is the same in sense ; for, the first epithet is correctly ren-
"
dered by the Latin word Equitius," as
already observed, and "Candidus" corre-
"
sponds with the Irish word Fionn. " See
Colgan's"TriasThaumaturga,"QuartaVita 57 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," S. Brigidse, n. 4, p. 563.
Quarta Vita S. Brigidte, cap. i. , p. 546, and n. 4, p. 563.
s8 Or as he is called in the Sanctilogium
Genealogicum, Constantinus Cedchathaig. 59 Alone of the three brothers, is he said to have held the Irish sceptre, after the death of Fethlemid. According to the author of oursaint'sActs,heissaidtohavebeenthe o}dest son ; yet, not according to the author of St. Brigid's Fourth Life, nor according to the author of Vita S. Itae siveMidre, as may be seen in Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum
6s The Acts of St. Declan remark, that in Leinster "habitant nepotes ejus semper in diversis locis, de quibus comites ct viri poten-
This appears from the Catalogues and Genealogies of our native Kings. For an account of Conn Cedhcahach's reign, the reader is referred to Roderick O'Flaherty's "
"
Og**ia," pars hi. , cap. lx. , pp. 313 to 316. 6i The same event is related in St. Ita's
Acts, written by Colgan ; but, there Con-
is "rex stantine's slayer called,
tes sunt, qui inter Lageniensesnumerantur. " See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , Julii xxiv. De S. DeclanoEpiscopo Ardmoriae in Hiber- nia, cap. i. , sects. I, 2, p. 593, and nn. (a, b, c,d,e,f,g,h,i,k,1,m,n,o,p,q,r), P- 595-
w See Roderick O'Flaherty's "Ogygia," pars iii. , cap. lxiv. , pp. 324, 325.
"7 Theysettledprincipallyinthepresent
July 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 313
sons. From Fiacha's posterity issued the renowned race of the Desii, at first having their settlement near Tara, in Meath, but who were obliged afterwards to remove and seek lands in the southern part of Ireland. They settled at length in the present Waterford, and gave name to the territory of the Decies.
The legendary and rather imaginative character of the Life of St. Declan 69 must be apparent, from the following narrative, which is to be found in it. However, in some particulars, the account corresponds with what is related by many of our chroniclers. ? Fiachu Suighde dwelt in a territory,
2
with whom this latter wished to be at peace,TM would not agree to the monarch's proposals, unless King Cormac surrendered to him ^Eneas or
^ngus, and his brothers, who were his constant life-guards. At first, the king felt unwilling to agree to these terms ; but, at length, he consented to them ; when JEngus and his brothers, having been delivered to the chief, this latter personage came to the monarch, and then concluded a peace with him. Yet, after some days, Cenllach/s son to King Cormac, apprehended this chief, and without his father's consent, deprived his unfortunate captive of sight, by barbarously putting out his eyes. When afCneas heard of this cruel and treacherous action, being fired with resentment, he ran towards Temoria, where the culprit resided with his father. On seeing the multitude of armed men that accompanied ^Eneas before Tara, the king ordered all
: entrancesintothefortresstobeclosed,saying "TrulyyEneasisbeforehis
brothers, wishing to avenge upon us the wrong done to their keeper. " Having heard their king pronouncing these words, his followers' hearts began to fail them, for they knew and feared the courage and daring of that invading chief.
counties of Carlow and Wexford. From them murdered his own brothers Conlai and the baronies named Forth have been named. Crionni. See Gratianus Lucius' "Cam- See John O'Donovan's teAbhan na brensis Eversus," vol. i. , cap. viii. , pp. 472 gCeanc, or Book of Rights. Index sub voce. to 475. Rev. Dr. Kelly's edition.
68 This Fiach is likewise called Fiecus, 72 According to Roderick O'Flaherty, he Fiachus and Fiacus, by various writers. He had four sons, and they are thus named,
lying
Temoria,
enjoying
the of Ireland. 7 r sceptre
is said to have been the ancestor of the Desii inMeathandWaterford. See"TheIrish Version of the Historia Britonum of Nen- nius," edited by Rev. Dr. Todd and the Hon. Algernon Herbert, p.
