With a host sound, noble, fair, Blaan of
beautiful
Cenn Garad.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v8
Dr.
Article xvii.
—' Edited Rev.
Dr.
by by
Kelly, p. xxxi. In the Book of Leinster Kelly, p. xxxi. In the Book of Leinster
copy we read Colnian ni-ac baeich m "Oruiim IIacIi.
a
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. Article xv. 'Edited by Rev. Dr. 214,215
copy this name is written U-onochcAin. "Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
214, 215. —
Kelly, p. xxxi. The Book of Leinster copy
reads Cor\ic<\m, and after this are inserted
the words hi omnepti Cillrnoin"Oich]unb. 2 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
214, 215.
3 This is said to have been Cill-mor-Dith-
ruibh, wrongly supposed to have been in the
"
3 A note by Dr. Todd says at Druimrath :
County of Cavan. — Article xvi.
•
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxi. In the Book of Leinster
copy is tlachnac Cille flAchnaice.
2 See Lewis' Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 202.
* Martyrologies Tallagh
The more recent hand adds here, in italic characters, ' Romanus Mar. ' See the Roman Mart, at this day. "
4 See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. iii. , n. (w),
s See Rev. A. Cogan's" Diocese ol Meath,
Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. , chap, lxxiv. , pp. 558, 559. —
ARTICLE xvm. See, at that date, in the Fourth Volume of this work, Art. vail.
2 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Augusti ix. Among the pretermitted saints,
p.
291.
Tallagh
at the of 9th
August io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 141
Article XIX. —Festival of the Martyrs, Antoninus, Firmus and Companions. In the Irish Church, at the 9th of August, the feast of Saints Antoninus, Firmus, and Companions, was celebrated, as we find from allusion to them in the "Feilire" of St. /Engus. 1 The Bollandists have an
2
account of St. Antoninus, Martyr, mentioned in the Greek Martyrologies, at
this same date ; as also of Firmus and Rusticius, with their Companions,
3 Martyrs.
Article XX. —Reputed Feast of St. Mochoat, Confessor, Scot-
1
land. The Martyrology of Aberdeen enters for this day the Festival of St.
Mochoat, Confessor. Some think he is the same as Machutus, Maclovius,
Maclou, or Malo. 2 His origin and identity have not been sufficiently traced ; but, it has been supposed, that St. Mochoat has had his memory in
Scotland preserved in the fair of Feil Macoit, at Logierait, in Athol, and which was held on the 22nd day of August. 3 Others identify St. Mochoat* with a holy Irish virgin named Mayota or Mazota,s who is stated to have
6
been a companion or disciple of St. Brigida of Ireland. ?
JCenfl) JBaj) of august
ARTICLE I. - ST. BLANE, OR BLAAN, BISHOP OF CEANN-GARADH, NOW KINGARTH, IN BUTE, SCOTLAND.
[SUPPOSED TO HAVE LIVED IN THE SIXTH CENTURY. ]
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—SOURCES FOR BIOGRAPHY—THE PARENTAGE AND BIRTH OF ST. BLAAN—HIS EARLY EDUCATION—HIS CONNECTION WITH THE ISLAND OF BUTE— FOUNDATION OF DUNBLAINE.
the accounts which have come down to our time, Blan, or Blaan,
FROM among
while some of the Scottish Calendarists
—have
placed
his festival at the
of 1 most authorities the
was illustrious the Scottish saints. As we have
already stated,
p. 399-
Article xix. — See
"
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland," vol. ii. , p. 267.
2
See an account of him, at the 15th of November, the day for his feast.
3 See "New Statistical Account of Scot- land," Perth, pp. 697, 701.
4See Forbes'"KalendarsofScottish Bishop
Saints," pp. 381, 382, 395, 396, 400.
s Her feast is kept, on the 23rd of
December.
6 See her in the Second Volume of life,
this work, at the 1st of February, Art. i. ? This,too,istheopinionofMr. Skene.
3See "Acta
Augusti ix. 413,414.
3 See ibid.
'
Transactions of
the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of
Oengus. By Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. cxxiii.
tomus
De S. Antonino Martyre, pp.
De SS. Firmo et Rustico
Sanctorum,"
ii. ,
Mart. Veronoe in Italia, to A pp. 414 423.
Commentary precedes in two sections and twenty-threeparagraphs. TheirActsarein two chapters and fourteen paragraphs, with notes.
—'Thus: "V.
—
notices of him, at that date, in the Seventh
Article xx.
Augusti. —In Scocia Mochoat Confessoris. "
Volume of this Art. viii. work,
"See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. ,
Idus
—
notably Camerarius and Dempster
19th July, assign "
Article
1.
—Chapter
* 1.
See some
142 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August io.
ioth day of August as that for his principal feast. As in so many other
cases, we have greatly to regret, that various contradictory and fabulous accounts have been transmitted to us, regarding this holy bishop, and which
contribute so much to obscure his personal history.
From the Aberdeen Breviary, the Acts of this saint are chiefly drawn.
The life of St. Blane was written by G. Newton, Archdeacon of Dunblaine, in 1505. Some accounts of him may be found, in the works of Thomas
Dempster, of John Leland, and of Bishop Tanner. Some particulars regarding him are to be found, likewise, in the Bollandists. 2 These remarks are contained in eleven paragraphs. Interesting notices of St. Blane are
"
Christian Biography. "* He is noticed, also, in the Works of Bishop
given by Bishop Forbes,3 in les Petits Bollandistes,* and in the
Dictionary of
6 of Rev. Alban Butler,' and of Rev. S. 8 Baring-Gould.
Challoner,
While some writers place the time of St. Blane so early as the fifth ,9 it is
more generally thought, that he lived in the sixth century. However, his period of life has given rise to great differences of opinion. That he lived earlier than the beginning of the ninth century is certain, since we find him commemorated in the " Felire " 10 of St. ^Engus, on this day. His mother was Ercha, or Erca, of Irish birth ; but, her name is written Ertlia, in the BreviaryofAberdeen. 11 ShewasasisterofSt. Catan,12andthushewasallied to a distinguished Irish family. '3 Far different is the account of Dempster, who calls her Bertha. King Aidan, the son of Gauran, is stated to have been his father or grandfather, and he died in a. d. 604. Wherefore, our saint was probably born at the end of the sixth or beginning of the seventh
1 * St. Blaan is said to have been uncle to St. Laserian,15 and century. Bishop
Patron of Leighlin.
St. Blaan was born in the Island of Bute, which lies off the south-western
shore of Scotland. In his youth, Blaan was instructed by his uncle, the Blessed Cathan, who lived there, and who is thought to have built the original church of Kingarth, the parish of which seems to have originally
included the whole of that Island. 16
Ep.
3 See his "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
pp. 280, 281.
4 See "Les Vies des Saints," tome ix. x
Jour d'Aout, p. 429.
5 Edited by Dr. William Smith and Pro-
fessor Wace, vol. i. , p. 319.
"
other principal Saints," vol. viii, August x. , pp. 78, 79-
8 See "Lives of the Saints," vol. viii. ,
August 10, p. 112.
' In his List of Scottish Episcopal Suc-
cession, the Rev. Dr. J. F. S. Gordon assigns
his position as Bishop among the Southern Picts as third in order, and at A. D. 446. See
" Scotichronicon," &c, vol. i. , p. 25.
10 " "
In the Leabhar Breac copy is the
following stanza, with its English translation by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. :—
Cpoch tan taurine "OeocliAW "Old chonp An oacaIa-o
La fbuAg flan f^ef* po'OAch OlAAn caw Chirro 5Ap<vo.
The ruins of its ancient church are
" The full cross of Deacon Laurentius to his poor body was hard.
With a host sound, noble, fair, Blaan of beautiful Cenn Garad. " "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p. exxiii.
11 Lect. 1.
12
His feast occurs, it is stated, on the 1st of February, and at that date some account of him may be found in the Second Volume of this work, Art. v-
13 See Colgan's" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nian," Februarii i. , De S. Catano, alias
Cadano Episcopo, pp. 233, 234.
M See Rev. Dr. Smith's and Professor
Wace's "Dictionary of Christian Biogra-
phy," vol. i. , p. 319.
15 1 lis life we have given at the 18th day
x. De S. Blano seu Blaano
Augusti
Conf. pp. 560, 561.
6" See
Britannia Sancta,"part ii.
7 See Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and
of April—that for his feast—in the Fourth Volume of this work. Art. i.
16
For a long period, however, it has em-
braced only the southern portion, being se-
parated from Rothesay, towards the east, by Loch Ascog and its stream, and towards the west by the Quien Loch and its stream, between the heads of which Lochs the rest of
the boundary is drawn unevenly, and it
August io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 143
still to be seen, near the centre of the parish, about two miles north from the headofKilchatanBay. *7 Thehighestelevationinthatparishisknownas Suidhe Cliatain, or St. Chathan's seat, about 520 feet above the sea level.
Afterwards, St. Blane went over to Ireland, for his education in piety and learning. From the Acts of St. Catan, or Caddan, we learn some particulars
St. Blaan. 18 He — regarding is said to have been a disciple to St. Congall,^
20 and also to St. Kenneth otherwise
he lived in Ireland. From his connexion with these holy men, St. Blane could hardly have been born before the middle
the celebra
—ted Abbot of
Bangor,
Cainnech21 the seven during
years
of the sixth 22 Some century.
the
be found in the Life of St. Laserian, at the 18th of April. 3
man,
may
notices, concerning
present holy 2
Having remained in Ireland for seven years, under the discipline of most holy masters, St. Blane returned with his mother in a boat without oars to
the island of his 2* On nativity.
were received joyfully
reaching Bute, they
bySt. Cathan. 2s Under his direction, St. Blann began to cultivate those
pious dispositions, which directed his aspirations towards the ecclesiastical state. His master,26 too, had a Divine inspiration, that he was destined to become a great man in the service of the Church, and this he also predicted. Accordingly, Blaan was promoted to sacred orders, and he was raised to the rank of priesthood. His virtues were so recognised, that certain bishops insisted he should be consecrated like themselves. Although unwilling to assume such an office, yet he was obliged to comply with their wishes. Having been engaged one night to tend the lamps, while the choir had been singing psalms, suddenly the lights went out. He had recourse to prayer for a time. Then, he is said to have struck fire from the ends of his fingers, as when flint is struck with steel. This miracle was wrought on his behalf, so that the brethren could not impute such accident to his idleness or negligence.
After his return into Scotland, he entered among the Scottish Religious, called Culdees, or worshippers of God. These were famous in his day for
he behaved in so a as to be chosen holy manner,
Like his uncle, St. Cathan, he appears to have been connected with the Island of Bute, and there St. Blane is reputed to have formerly enclosed land, extending from sea to sea, by certain and apparent boundaries. 28 Near the centre of the southern peninsula, the ruins
of St. Blane's church are pointed out on an artificial mound, the level top of
which is enclosed by a wall, composed of large stones rudely piled together, and 500 feet in circumference. 20 The whole of this space, which was used as a cemetery, is arched with masonry about two feet beneath the surface.
their 2 7 With sanctity.
them, their Abbot or Superior.
touches the south end of Loch Fad. See "Origines Parochiales Scotise," vol ii ,part i. , pp. 210, 211.
to the " New Statistical Ac- countofScotland. " Bute.
and Professor Wace, vol. i. , p. 319.
Z3 See the Fourth Volume of this work,
Art. i. , chap. i.
24 See Rev. S. " Lives of Baring-Gould's
theSaints,"vol. viii. ,August10,p. 112.
*»
According
l8 " 2 SeeColgan's ActaSanctorumHiber-
_
nice," i. Februarii, Vita Catani sive Cad-
dani, and nn. 9, 10, II, 12, 13, pp. 233, 234-
sAccordingtoThomasDempster,inhis Ecclesiastical History of Scotland,
'» See "Lives of the
edited Rev. Wm. by
and other principal Saints," vol. viii. ,
August x.
ao
His life has been published in the Fif—th Volume of this work, at the 10th of May the date for his feast. Art. i.
31 His feast occurs, at the nth of October.
32
See "Dictionary of Christian Bio- graphy," edited by Rev. Dr. William Smith
27 See Bishop Challenor's Sancta," part ii. , p. 79.
"
Britannia
de Passe-
Fathers,
Martyrs,
Christian Biography,"
Smith and Professor Wace, vol. i. , p. 319.
26 "
Known as Cathanus Sti. Blaani edu-
cator sive magister. "—" Dictionary of
a3 to the " According
Registrum
let," p. 15.
"9 According to Pennant's " Tour in
Scotland and Voyage to the Hebrides, vol. ii. , p. 102.
144 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August io.
A rude built passage, which seems to have been underground, runs from it to a smaller and lower enclosure of 124 feet in circumference, and locally knownastheNunnery. Thiswasused,apparently,asaburialgroundfor females. On the north, the Church is approached by a flight of steps leading from a neighbouring wood, in which there is a circular
This stands at the base of a
building. 3°
about feet
rocky ridge, 50 high. 3
1
^ Afterwards, St. Blane was judged worthy of being promoted to the episcopal dignity. Being consecrated a bishop, he remitted nothing of his former habits j but, still he continued to live in the midst of his Religious, as one of themselves, practising all the exercises of regular discipline. He is
Cathedra) of Dunblane, Scotland.
thought to have selected a site for a monastery, on the banks of the River Allan, and nearly equi-distant from the German and Atlantic Oceans. It was sheltered. on most sides by the Grampian and Ochils hills. The River flows beautifully clear, through a rocky channel, in a rapid and turbulent stream. 32 His convent was afterwards erected into a Bishop's See ; but, when this occurred has not been ascertained. From him, that place was called Dunblane, or, as sometimes written, Dumblaine. Its Cathedral was dedicated to God in his name ; and, he was honoured of old, as a patron of that whole diocese. The See comprehended portions of Perthshire and Sterlingshire. The mediaeval cathedral is said to have been founded by a
benefactor of the Church, David 33 of Scotland, in and the I. , King 1142,
great
same monarch is supposed to have nominated its first bishop. It was
restored, however, or rather rebuilt, by Clemens, Bishop of Dunblane, about
the year 1240.
The greater part of the cathedral has been unroofed, and it is other-
30 This is sometimes styled the Devil's Cauldron. It is composed of rude stones, 10 feet in height, 30 feet in diameter, with walls nine feet thick, and an entrance nine
31 From each end a wall runs out, and
this is supposed to have marked out the
limits of a sanctuary, forming perhaps the
remains of the mede certic ct apparctitcs, at-
feet wide. See " New Statistical Account tributed to St. Blane. According to Blaeu's
of Scotland. " Bute.
"
Scotia," the church and nunnery are
August io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 145
wise in a ruinous state. 34 However, the chancel is tolerably preserved, and it is still used as a parish church. The eastern window and a few of the entrances have been partially renewed. Some of the choristers' seats, with thoseofthebishopanddean,areyettobeseen. Theseareofoakandquaintly carved. In the nave, most of the prebendal stalls are entire ; the entrance and the fine western window have suffered little injury. The roof has fallen in, however, and the building is otherwise much decayed. 35
CHAPTER II.
THE MISSIONARY CAREER OF ST BLANE—HIS MIRACLES—HIS DEATH—FESTIVALS AND COMMEMORATIONS—CONCLUSION.
The Church of St. Blaan in Cenngaradh is described in that commen- tary, attached to the Leabhar Breac copy of the Feilire ^Engus, at the 10th of August, as being in Gallgaedelaib, or Galloway, in Alba or Scotland ;* while
2 It has been stated,
that St. Blaan laboured among the Picts in Scotland. 3 Having been raised
to the episcopal dignity,4 he undertook a pilgrimage to Rome, to obtain a
greater knowledge of Christian discipline, and an accumulation of spiritual
graces. When he had been thus instructed and exercised, receiving the
Pontifical blessing, he returned homewards, taking his way through England. On this journey, he did not use horses, but he travelled on foot. During his progress, he is said to have entered a city in the northern part of Anglia, where men and women were lamenting the death of a certain ruler's son. Moved to compassion, St. Blaan offered up prayers, and the youth was miraculously restored to life. 5 For this miraculous benefit, he received the
Dumblane is there stated to have been his chief
city.
6 These manors remained the property of the See of Dunblane,? to the
lordships of Appleby, Troclyngham, Congere, and Malemath, in England.
8
At length, St. Blaan most holily and most happily ended his days
fourteenth century.
marked as Kilblain and Marg-na-heglish. See "Origines Parochiales Scotia;," vol. ii. , part i. , pp. 211, 212.
part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, by
Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. cxxx.
3 See Les Petits Bollandistes "Vies des
32 See the " Scotland," vol. i. , p. 442.
Gazetteer of
tome xe d'Aout, Saints," ix. , Jour
Imperial
p. 429.
4 Camerarius calls him " Episcopus Sido-
33 His reign commenced in 1 124, and rensis. "
having governed with justice his people, and s The rest of this legend, as found in the
increased the prosperity of Scotland, he Breviary of Aberdeen, is manifestly ridicu-
died A. D. 1 153, when he was succeeded by lous and fabulous. " Sed quia erat una oc-
his grandson Malcolm IV. See Rev. Dr. culorum privatus, iteium puerum vita "
James Taylor's Pictorial History of privavit, Deumque deprecabatur, ut simul
Scotland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , pp. 6oto 68.
34 The accompanying illustration, from an approved engraving, may serve to give
vitam cum occulo restitueret, qua; et ejus nutu peracta sunt. Verum quia in natura puerum peccantem invenit, denuo eumdem
the reader a good idea of its style.
Kelly, p. xxxi. In the Book of Leinster Kelly, p. xxxi. In the Book of Leinster
copy we read Colnian ni-ac baeich m "Oruiim IIacIi.
a
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. Article xv. 'Edited by Rev. Dr. 214,215
copy this name is written U-onochcAin. "Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
214, 215. —
Kelly, p. xxxi. The Book of Leinster copy
reads Cor\ic<\m, and after this are inserted
the words hi omnepti Cillrnoin"Oich]unb. 2 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
214, 215.
3 This is said to have been Cill-mor-Dith-
ruibh, wrongly supposed to have been in the
"
3 A note by Dr. Todd says at Druimrath :
County of Cavan. — Article xvi.
•
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxi. In the Book of Leinster
copy is tlachnac Cille flAchnaice.
2 See Lewis' Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 202.
* Martyrologies Tallagh
The more recent hand adds here, in italic characters, ' Romanus Mar. ' See the Roman Mart, at this day. "
4 See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. iii. , n. (w),
s See Rev. A. Cogan's" Diocese ol Meath,
Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. , chap, lxxiv. , pp. 558, 559. —
ARTICLE xvm. See, at that date, in the Fourth Volume of this work, Art. vail.
2 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Augusti ix. Among the pretermitted saints,
p.
291.
Tallagh
at the of 9th
August io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 141
Article XIX. —Festival of the Martyrs, Antoninus, Firmus and Companions. In the Irish Church, at the 9th of August, the feast of Saints Antoninus, Firmus, and Companions, was celebrated, as we find from allusion to them in the "Feilire" of St. /Engus. 1 The Bollandists have an
2
account of St. Antoninus, Martyr, mentioned in the Greek Martyrologies, at
this same date ; as also of Firmus and Rusticius, with their Companions,
3 Martyrs.
Article XX. —Reputed Feast of St. Mochoat, Confessor, Scot-
1
land. The Martyrology of Aberdeen enters for this day the Festival of St.
Mochoat, Confessor. Some think he is the same as Machutus, Maclovius,
Maclou, or Malo. 2 His origin and identity have not been sufficiently traced ; but, it has been supposed, that St. Mochoat has had his memory in
Scotland preserved in the fair of Feil Macoit, at Logierait, in Athol, and which was held on the 22nd day of August. 3 Others identify St. Mochoat* with a holy Irish virgin named Mayota or Mazota,s who is stated to have
6
been a companion or disciple of St. Brigida of Ireland. ?
JCenfl) JBaj) of august
ARTICLE I. - ST. BLANE, OR BLAAN, BISHOP OF CEANN-GARADH, NOW KINGARTH, IN BUTE, SCOTLAND.
[SUPPOSED TO HAVE LIVED IN THE SIXTH CENTURY. ]
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—SOURCES FOR BIOGRAPHY—THE PARENTAGE AND BIRTH OF ST. BLAAN—HIS EARLY EDUCATION—HIS CONNECTION WITH THE ISLAND OF BUTE— FOUNDATION OF DUNBLAINE.
the accounts which have come down to our time, Blan, or Blaan,
FROM among
while some of the Scottish Calendarists
—have
placed
his festival at the
of 1 most authorities the
was illustrious the Scottish saints. As we have
already stated,
p. 399-
Article xix. — See
"
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland," vol. ii. , p. 267.
2
See an account of him, at the 15th of November, the day for his feast.
3 See "New Statistical Account of Scot- land," Perth, pp. 697, 701.
4See Forbes'"KalendarsofScottish Bishop
Saints," pp. 381, 382, 395, 396, 400.
s Her feast is kept, on the 23rd of
December.
6 See her in the Second Volume of life,
this work, at the 1st of February, Art. i. ? This,too,istheopinionofMr. Skene.
3See "Acta
Augusti ix. 413,414.
3 See ibid.
'
Transactions of
the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of
Oengus. By Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. cxxiii.
tomus
De S. Antonino Martyre, pp.
De SS. Firmo et Rustico
Sanctorum,"
ii. ,
Mart. Veronoe in Italia, to A pp. 414 423.
Commentary precedes in two sections and twenty-threeparagraphs. TheirActsarein two chapters and fourteen paragraphs, with notes.
—'Thus: "V.
—
notices of him, at that date, in the Seventh
Article xx.
Augusti. —In Scocia Mochoat Confessoris. "
Volume of this Art. viii. work,
"See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. ,
Idus
—
notably Camerarius and Dempster
19th July, assign "
Article
1.
—Chapter
* 1.
See some
142 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August io.
ioth day of August as that for his principal feast. As in so many other
cases, we have greatly to regret, that various contradictory and fabulous accounts have been transmitted to us, regarding this holy bishop, and which
contribute so much to obscure his personal history.
From the Aberdeen Breviary, the Acts of this saint are chiefly drawn.
The life of St. Blane was written by G. Newton, Archdeacon of Dunblaine, in 1505. Some accounts of him may be found, in the works of Thomas
Dempster, of John Leland, and of Bishop Tanner. Some particulars regarding him are to be found, likewise, in the Bollandists. 2 These remarks are contained in eleven paragraphs. Interesting notices of St. Blane are
"
Christian Biography. "* He is noticed, also, in the Works of Bishop
given by Bishop Forbes,3 in les Petits Bollandistes,* and in the
Dictionary of
6 of Rev. Alban Butler,' and of Rev. S. 8 Baring-Gould.
Challoner,
While some writers place the time of St. Blane so early as the fifth ,9 it is
more generally thought, that he lived in the sixth century. However, his period of life has given rise to great differences of opinion. That he lived earlier than the beginning of the ninth century is certain, since we find him commemorated in the " Felire " 10 of St. ^Engus, on this day. His mother was Ercha, or Erca, of Irish birth ; but, her name is written Ertlia, in the BreviaryofAberdeen. 11 ShewasasisterofSt. Catan,12andthushewasallied to a distinguished Irish family. '3 Far different is the account of Dempster, who calls her Bertha. King Aidan, the son of Gauran, is stated to have been his father or grandfather, and he died in a. d. 604. Wherefore, our saint was probably born at the end of the sixth or beginning of the seventh
1 * St. Blaan is said to have been uncle to St. Laserian,15 and century. Bishop
Patron of Leighlin.
St. Blaan was born in the Island of Bute, which lies off the south-western
shore of Scotland. In his youth, Blaan was instructed by his uncle, the Blessed Cathan, who lived there, and who is thought to have built the original church of Kingarth, the parish of which seems to have originally
included the whole of that Island. 16
Ep.
3 See his "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
pp. 280, 281.
4 See "Les Vies des Saints," tome ix. x
Jour d'Aout, p. 429.
5 Edited by Dr. William Smith and Pro-
fessor Wace, vol. i. , p. 319.
"
other principal Saints," vol. viii, August x. , pp. 78, 79-
8 See "Lives of the Saints," vol. viii. ,
August 10, p. 112.
' In his List of Scottish Episcopal Suc-
cession, the Rev. Dr. J. F. S. Gordon assigns
his position as Bishop among the Southern Picts as third in order, and at A. D. 446. See
" Scotichronicon," &c, vol. i. , p. 25.
10 " "
In the Leabhar Breac copy is the
following stanza, with its English translation by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. :—
Cpoch tan taurine "OeocliAW "Old chonp An oacaIa-o
La fbuAg flan f^ef* po'OAch OlAAn caw Chirro 5Ap<vo.
The ruins of its ancient church are
" The full cross of Deacon Laurentius to his poor body was hard.
With a host sound, noble, fair, Blaan of beautiful Cenn Garad. " "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p. exxiii.
11 Lect. 1.
12
His feast occurs, it is stated, on the 1st of February, and at that date some account of him may be found in the Second Volume of this work, Art. v-
13 See Colgan's" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nian," Februarii i. , De S. Catano, alias
Cadano Episcopo, pp. 233, 234.
M See Rev. Dr. Smith's and Professor
Wace's "Dictionary of Christian Biogra-
phy," vol. i. , p. 319.
15 1 lis life we have given at the 18th day
x. De S. Blano seu Blaano
Augusti
Conf. pp. 560, 561.
6" See
Britannia Sancta,"part ii.
7 See Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and
of April—that for his feast—in the Fourth Volume of this work. Art. i.
16
For a long period, however, it has em-
braced only the southern portion, being se-
parated from Rothesay, towards the east, by Loch Ascog and its stream, and towards the west by the Quien Loch and its stream, between the heads of which Lochs the rest of
the boundary is drawn unevenly, and it
August io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 143
still to be seen, near the centre of the parish, about two miles north from the headofKilchatanBay. *7 Thehighestelevationinthatparishisknownas Suidhe Cliatain, or St. Chathan's seat, about 520 feet above the sea level.
Afterwards, St. Blane went over to Ireland, for his education in piety and learning. From the Acts of St. Catan, or Caddan, we learn some particulars
St. Blaan. 18 He — regarding is said to have been a disciple to St. Congall,^
20 and also to St. Kenneth otherwise
he lived in Ireland. From his connexion with these holy men, St. Blane could hardly have been born before the middle
the celebra
—ted Abbot of
Bangor,
Cainnech21 the seven during
years
of the sixth 22 Some century.
the
be found in the Life of St. Laserian, at the 18th of April. 3
man,
may
notices, concerning
present holy 2
Having remained in Ireland for seven years, under the discipline of most holy masters, St. Blane returned with his mother in a boat without oars to
the island of his 2* On nativity.
were received joyfully
reaching Bute, they
bySt. Cathan. 2s Under his direction, St. Blann began to cultivate those
pious dispositions, which directed his aspirations towards the ecclesiastical state. His master,26 too, had a Divine inspiration, that he was destined to become a great man in the service of the Church, and this he also predicted. Accordingly, Blaan was promoted to sacred orders, and he was raised to the rank of priesthood. His virtues were so recognised, that certain bishops insisted he should be consecrated like themselves. Although unwilling to assume such an office, yet he was obliged to comply with their wishes. Having been engaged one night to tend the lamps, while the choir had been singing psalms, suddenly the lights went out. He had recourse to prayer for a time. Then, he is said to have struck fire from the ends of his fingers, as when flint is struck with steel. This miracle was wrought on his behalf, so that the brethren could not impute such accident to his idleness or negligence.
After his return into Scotland, he entered among the Scottish Religious, called Culdees, or worshippers of God. These were famous in his day for
he behaved in so a as to be chosen holy manner,
Like his uncle, St. Cathan, he appears to have been connected with the Island of Bute, and there St. Blane is reputed to have formerly enclosed land, extending from sea to sea, by certain and apparent boundaries. 28 Near the centre of the southern peninsula, the ruins
of St. Blane's church are pointed out on an artificial mound, the level top of
which is enclosed by a wall, composed of large stones rudely piled together, and 500 feet in circumference. 20 The whole of this space, which was used as a cemetery, is arched with masonry about two feet beneath the surface.
their 2 7 With sanctity.
them, their Abbot or Superior.
touches the south end of Loch Fad. See "Origines Parochiales Scotise," vol ii ,part i. , pp. 210, 211.
to the " New Statistical Ac- countofScotland. " Bute.
and Professor Wace, vol. i. , p. 319.
Z3 See the Fourth Volume of this work,
Art. i. , chap. i.
24 See Rev. S. " Lives of Baring-Gould's
theSaints,"vol. viii. ,August10,p. 112.
*»
According
l8 " 2 SeeColgan's ActaSanctorumHiber-
_
nice," i. Februarii, Vita Catani sive Cad-
dani, and nn. 9, 10, II, 12, 13, pp. 233, 234-
sAccordingtoThomasDempster,inhis Ecclesiastical History of Scotland,
'» See "Lives of the
edited Rev. Wm. by
and other principal Saints," vol. viii. ,
August x.
ao
His life has been published in the Fif—th Volume of this work, at the 10th of May the date for his feast. Art. i.
31 His feast occurs, at the nth of October.
32
See "Dictionary of Christian Bio- graphy," edited by Rev. Dr. William Smith
27 See Bishop Challenor's Sancta," part ii. , p. 79.
"
Britannia
de Passe-
Fathers,
Martyrs,
Christian Biography,"
Smith and Professor Wace, vol. i. , p. 319.
26 "
Known as Cathanus Sti. Blaani edu-
cator sive magister. "—" Dictionary of
a3 to the " According
Registrum
let," p. 15.
"9 According to Pennant's " Tour in
Scotland and Voyage to the Hebrides, vol. ii. , p. 102.
144 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August io.
A rude built passage, which seems to have been underground, runs from it to a smaller and lower enclosure of 124 feet in circumference, and locally knownastheNunnery. Thiswasused,apparently,asaburialgroundfor females. On the north, the Church is approached by a flight of steps leading from a neighbouring wood, in which there is a circular
This stands at the base of a
building. 3°
about feet
rocky ridge, 50 high. 3
1
^ Afterwards, St. Blane was judged worthy of being promoted to the episcopal dignity. Being consecrated a bishop, he remitted nothing of his former habits j but, still he continued to live in the midst of his Religious, as one of themselves, practising all the exercises of regular discipline. He is
Cathedra) of Dunblane, Scotland.
thought to have selected a site for a monastery, on the banks of the River Allan, and nearly equi-distant from the German and Atlantic Oceans. It was sheltered. on most sides by the Grampian and Ochils hills. The River flows beautifully clear, through a rocky channel, in a rapid and turbulent stream. 32 His convent was afterwards erected into a Bishop's See ; but, when this occurred has not been ascertained. From him, that place was called Dunblane, or, as sometimes written, Dumblaine. Its Cathedral was dedicated to God in his name ; and, he was honoured of old, as a patron of that whole diocese. The See comprehended portions of Perthshire and Sterlingshire. The mediaeval cathedral is said to have been founded by a
benefactor of the Church, David 33 of Scotland, in and the I. , King 1142,
great
same monarch is supposed to have nominated its first bishop. It was
restored, however, or rather rebuilt, by Clemens, Bishop of Dunblane, about
the year 1240.
The greater part of the cathedral has been unroofed, and it is other-
30 This is sometimes styled the Devil's Cauldron. It is composed of rude stones, 10 feet in height, 30 feet in diameter, with walls nine feet thick, and an entrance nine
31 From each end a wall runs out, and
this is supposed to have marked out the
limits of a sanctuary, forming perhaps the
remains of the mede certic ct apparctitcs, at-
feet wide. See " New Statistical Account tributed to St. Blane. According to Blaeu's
of Scotland. " Bute.
"
Scotia," the church and nunnery are
August io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 145
wise in a ruinous state. 34 However, the chancel is tolerably preserved, and it is still used as a parish church. The eastern window and a few of the entrances have been partially renewed. Some of the choristers' seats, with thoseofthebishopanddean,areyettobeseen. Theseareofoakandquaintly carved. In the nave, most of the prebendal stalls are entire ; the entrance and the fine western window have suffered little injury. The roof has fallen in, however, and the building is otherwise much decayed. 35
CHAPTER II.
THE MISSIONARY CAREER OF ST BLANE—HIS MIRACLES—HIS DEATH—FESTIVALS AND COMMEMORATIONS—CONCLUSION.
The Church of St. Blaan in Cenngaradh is described in that commen- tary, attached to the Leabhar Breac copy of the Feilire ^Engus, at the 10th of August, as being in Gallgaedelaib, or Galloway, in Alba or Scotland ;* while
2 It has been stated,
that St. Blaan laboured among the Picts in Scotland. 3 Having been raised
to the episcopal dignity,4 he undertook a pilgrimage to Rome, to obtain a
greater knowledge of Christian discipline, and an accumulation of spiritual
graces. When he had been thus instructed and exercised, receiving the
Pontifical blessing, he returned homewards, taking his way through England. On this journey, he did not use horses, but he travelled on foot. During his progress, he is said to have entered a city in the northern part of Anglia, where men and women were lamenting the death of a certain ruler's son. Moved to compassion, St. Blaan offered up prayers, and the youth was miraculously restored to life. 5 For this miraculous benefit, he received the
Dumblane is there stated to have been his chief
city.
6 These manors remained the property of the See of Dunblane,? to the
lordships of Appleby, Troclyngham, Congere, and Malemath, in England.
8
At length, St. Blaan most holily and most happily ended his days
fourteenth century.
marked as Kilblain and Marg-na-heglish. See "Origines Parochiales Scotia;," vol. ii. , part i. , pp. 211, 212.
part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, by
Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. cxxx.
3 See Les Petits Bollandistes "Vies des
32 See the " Scotland," vol. i. , p. 442.
Gazetteer of
tome xe d'Aout, Saints," ix. , Jour
Imperial
p. 429.
4 Camerarius calls him " Episcopus Sido-
33 His reign commenced in 1 124, and rensis. "
having governed with justice his people, and s The rest of this legend, as found in the
increased the prosperity of Scotland, he Breviary of Aberdeen, is manifestly ridicu-
died A. D. 1 153, when he was succeeded by lous and fabulous. " Sed quia erat una oc-
his grandson Malcolm IV. See Rev. Dr. culorum privatus, iteium puerum vita "
James Taylor's Pictorial History of privavit, Deumque deprecabatur, ut simul
Scotland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , pp. 6oto 68.
34 The accompanying illustration, from an approved engraving, may serve to give
vitam cum occulo restitueret, qua; et ejus nutu peracta sunt. Verum quia in natura puerum peccantem invenit, denuo eumdem
the reader a good idea of its style.
