Millard, Dublin, from the folio sketch
preserved
in the R.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
Wakeman for this work.
naught," pp. 90, 91,
"^ See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernia;," xxi.
104 For further description of this locality, the reader is referred to notices of St. Gorm-
gal, of Ard-Oilean, at the 5th of August.
Martii. Appendix ad Acta S. Endei, cap. vii. , p. 715.
'°5
founded an abbey here, as he did at Imay.
Yet, O'Flaherty states, that St. Feichin
272. — CHAPTER II.
'°*See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical
Fewer valley, in which Fore
History
of
Ireland," chap, xli. ,
n.
141.
=" Hesawthewhole
Arran of islands. See " group
Chorogra- phical Description of West or H-Iar Con-
'"^See "Monasticon Hibemicum," p.
' Called Foure or in some old documents.
366 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 20.
Fechinevenmanyyearsbeforehewasbom. Beingurgedbythatdisciple, Stellan,3 to make a settlement there, St, Columba told him that place was
designed for another, who, in after times, should glorify God in an extraor- dinary manner. St. Nathy, of Achonry, is said to have foretold the future eminence of this place, and when St. Fechin first came to Fore* There he spent three days and nights, fasting, watching, and praying, after he had crossed the River Shannon in quest of this spot. Then he was admonished by an angel how it was the Divine will that he should settle there and build a monastery,
in which he should gather together a numerous congregation of religious souls. s With this divine admonition he complied, and at Fore he erected a
most famous monastery. Even the owner of this tract wiUingly bestowed the
delightful valley as a site for this purpose, and he was encomaged to do so by angelic visions. ^ Such numbers of devout postulants were afterwards at- tracted to this place by his reputation, and the sweet odour of his virtues, that, in course of a Uttle time, Fechin's community consisted of about three hundred pious monks. 7 This is stated in the hymn for his office. ^ These he instructed and trained in the science of Sacred Scripture, and in monastic
A certain wTiter? on our ecclesiastical antiquities has swelled the number of St Fechin's monks at Fore to three thousand. '" He even refers to Ussher as an authority; while in the very passage alluded to" and quoted, the learned writerontheBritishchurchesreckonsonlythreehundred. Theverylines, given from the office hymn, are likewise cited by Ussher. " These monks and their holy abbot subsisted by their own labour. '3 Sometimes they were reduced to great penury,'^ and in " the First Life" we are told that they had no food to entertain some guests, until their wants had been supplied, owing to the devout abbofs holy prayers. '5 Their monastery at Fore, one biography states,'^ was the earHest establishment St. Fechin founded, and
only after he had obtained a great reputation for sanctity.
As a desirable rule, especially when colleges and monasteries became
crowded with young students, St. Fechin would not allow women access to his religious establishment. '7 Even the superiors of many Irish monasteries prevented their entering churches or chapels attached. '^ We are told
discipline, according to the rules and institutes of the ancient fathers.
lies, filled with beautiful white birds, and in the middle a column of fire seemed reaching
» See Archdall's
''
Monasticon Hibemi-
to the very heavens.
chap, iii. , p. 133.
3 See ibid. , chap. ii.
See "Second Life,"
cum," p. 711.
" It is true the author of the " Second
Life" speaks of many other disciples he had in other monasteries ; but he only allows Fechin to have presided over 300 monks at Fore. See chap, ix. , p. 134.
"Page 1195, or page 500 in the London edition.
"See " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum An-
* See " The Second Life," chap, ix. , p. 134. St. Nathy was then at Achonry, but he saw in a vision St. Fechin laying the foundation of his monastery at this place.
5 From our saint the parish is called St.
Feighin's, and it lies within the barony of tiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 500.
Fore. See "Ordnance Survey Townland
'3 See "The First Life," cap. x. , xi. , and cap. xiv. , p. 131.
'^ See "First Life," cap. ix. , p. 131, and "SecondLife,"cap. xxxvi. ,p. 137. From such distress they were relieved, on one oc- casion, by St. Ronan, who sent them a pre- sent of cattle,
'5 See " The First Life," cap. xi. , p. 131. '*See ibid.
'? See Ussher's "Primordia Ecclesiarum
et
''See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , §iv. , n. 60, p. 20.
Maps for the County of Westmeath.
"
Sheets
I,3,4,7,8,13. OnSheets4and8the
chief antiquities referring to Fore proper are
marked.
*See "The Second Life," chap, ix. , p. 134. This owner was the first who was in- terred under the high altar at Fore.
^ See "The First Life," chap, x. , p. 131,
^
and " The Second —
Life," cap. Ix. , p. 134.
we read as follows:
In it
" Dehinc fuit monachorum
Britannicarum," pp. 943,
seq.
Dux, et pater trecentorum : Quos instruxit lege morum Mums contra vitia. Amen. "
January 20. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 367
that St. Fechin would not permit servant-maids to the monastic precincts,
even for the purpose of milking cows. '9 Literature, as well as piety, was promoted at Fore. Hence, Ussher states that it was called Baile-Leabhair, or " the town of books. "^° One better versed in the Irish language has cor- rected this false et>'mology, for he considers the true traditional local deno- mination to be Bail Fobhar, " the town of the spring. "'^' Its abbots were bishops^^ in various instances, for it soon attained the distinction of becoming one of the Irish primitive sees. '3 According to tradition, here, as at other places,St. Fechinwroughtstupendousmiracles. ^* Forcorroborationofsuch statements, the author of his acts alleges the testimony of Aileranus the Wise^s and others of the faithful.
There is an air of sanctity and grandeur around the crumbling walls, the
Old Gateway at Fore, Co. Westmeath.
venerableruins,andthemagnificentsceneryofFore. "^ Thisisfurtherin- tensified by many sacred traditions and Catholic memories, that yet linger
This opinion of his seems a very correct one,
yet Dr. Lanigan takes exception to it.
*3 In St. Fechin's a cross is said to time,
'9 See "Second Life," cap. xxxvi. , p. 137-
'° Ussher adds to this " statement, quasi
Kiriath-sepher. " See " Britannicarum Ec- have stood before the church door at this
clesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 500. " Such is the opinion of John O'Dono- van in the " Letters containing information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Westmeath, collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. ii. , p. 4. Besides water gushing from the foot of a hill called Carraig Bhailear, there are two other fine wells at Fore, viz. , Cobe^A riA CojAine and tJubAc, ^eichin. This place seems to have been called Fore, even ante-
cedent to St. Feichin's birth.
place.
* Mr. O'Donovan gives a most interesting
and detailed description of Fore and its
"
Letters con- taining information relative to the Antiqui- ties of the County of Westmeath, collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol ii. , pp. 3 to 28. A note of Dr. Petrie referring to a window and door- way of St. Fechin's church, with two
sketches, accompanies this description.
^^ He lived contemporaneously with our
saint.
**The accompanying illustration of an
ancient gateway at Fore was drawn on the
"^
episcopal see, in former times. See Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops of Meath," p. 138.
Harris supposed that it was a regular
various archaic objects, in
368 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 20.
about this former seat of monasticism.
and a
knelt, according to popular tradition. Every object, in fact, is redolent of pious reminiscences. ^^
Several ruins of churches and other antiquities are yet visible at Fore. We are told by Sir Henry Piers^s that it was anciently a town or university
faith is Ireland"ismagnifiedbyapilgrimagetoLoughLeneandFore. TheMonk's Island is here shown, and there it is said students fi:equented their classes in summer time. The holy well is still reverenced as a relic of ancient devotion. Here are numerous traces manifesting a high state of cultivation, to which St. Fechin's community reduced what had been only wild and profitless waste. The door lintel of the church at Fore is greatly admired by the tasteful antiquary. ^? One of St. Fechin's favourite places for prayer and meditation still bears the prints of his knees where he
elevated,
vivified,
patriotic
green
holy
A ruined monastery here presented a large pile of simple and unadornedmasonry. Inthebeginningofthepresentcentury,theoldchapel had three pointed windows, and it was in a tolerable state of preservation. The valley in which it was situated is a delightful place for retreat. One of the
churchyards here is covered with tombstones. Towards the east are earthen remains of what was formerly a strong fort. 3°
The old church, supposed to have been built by St. Fechin, is still in wonderful preservation. It measures 60 feet by 23 feet 9 inches. The rood- screen or choir-arch stood about 19 feet 3 inches from the east end. 3^ Dr. Petrie gives us an admirable account of the architectural features of the old church at Fore,32 with a very beautiful illustration of the door-way, which is as perfectly cyclopean in character as any monument to be seen in Greece. 33 Over this door-way is a plain architrave, containing a projecting tablet, and in its centre a plain cross sculptured in relief, appears within a circle. 34 The building of this church is thought to be referable to the first half of the
seventh century.
One day a certain antiquary, named Sellin,3s came to St. Fechin, while he
resided in the monastery at Fore. A modest and humble youth accompanied
:
him. TothelatterFechinspokeinapropheticmanner "Thisyoungman,
after a time, shall build the basilica3^ of our monastery. "37 In due course, this prediction was fulfilled. 3^ A certain cleric, called Ronan, the son of Guaire,39 had long suffered from a grievous headache, and he had consulted
of literature.
spot by George V. Du Noyer, and engraved by Mrs.
Millard, Dublin, from the folio sketch preserved in the R. I. A.
sec. iii. , subs, i. , pp. 174, 175.
33 As stated to Dr. Petrie, by the eminent
them, at the days of their respective festi- " Second Life," chap, xxiii. , p. 135.
vals. 35 We have no means for ascertaining "*See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of further particulars regarding this ancient
antiquarian traveller, Mr. Edward Dodwell. 34 xhis was the object alluded to, in Dr. Petrie's opinion, when it is stated, "ante cality will be found, when treating about fores Ecclesiae, ubi crux posita est. " See
^^ As several saints [succeeded St. Fechan at Fore, further notices of this charming lo-
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. , chap. xviii. , p. 431.
archaeologist,
36 This was a church of the most ancient
^ See
' ' Collectanea de Rebus
to the Irish fashion, it was most probably separated from its sur-
rounding or adjoining monastic buildings.
37 Whether this meant, that he was to be the future architect of the church, or the
future superior, does not seem very clear.
38
g^c "Second Life," chap, x. , p. 134. 39 Under this form, we cannot find the name
ofthis Ronan, among the many homonymous Ronans mentioned in our calendai-s.
Valiancy's
form, and, according
Hibemicis. " Chorographical Description of Westmeath.
3° See Sir Richard Colt Hoare's "Journal
of a Tour in Ireland," A. D. 1806, pp. 25, 26. 3' See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. ,
chap. Ixxiv. , p. 562.
3* See " Round Towers and Ancient Ec-
clesiastical Architecture of Ireland, "part, ii. ,
The eye is charmed, the soul is
love for the "
hills of
January 20. ] LIVES 01 THE IRISH SAINTS. 369
several of the most eminent physicians*" in Ireland, without hope of finding aremedy. Hethenresolvedtotravel,andhevisitedvariouscountries,with no better result. At last, coming to a certain part of Britain, he found a holy anchojet, who advised him to seek the valley of Fore, in the middle of Ireland. Ronan obeyed, and, through the prayers and blessing of St. Fechin, his health was completely restored, so that he returned rejoicing to his own monastery. *'
Several holy persons are mentioned as united in friendship with Fechin.
Among these was Coeman,*^—it is said Coemain Breac,*^—who was Abbot of
Roseach,** in Meath, and who died a. d. 614. 4s Again, the holy virgin Emania was benefited through the miraculous powers of our saint. *^ Also, a
pantry-keeper or cook, named Pastol, or Pastolius,*? belonging to the saint's monastery, seems to have been cognizant of Fechin's miraculous powers. *^ This person was remarkable for his simplicity of life and character. St. Ronan,*9 Abbot of Drumshallon,5° in the county of Louth, lived in friendship with our saint. St. Ultan, of Ardbraccan,si and St. Fintan Munnu,52 were contemporaries and intimates. The Abbot of Ardslaine^s was particularly intimatewithoursaint,andhewasnamedMochua. s4 Itisthoughthemust havebeenidenticalwithCronan,sonofSilni; whileCronanandMochuaare
^Tiom the most remote times the sci-
ence of medicine was cultivated in Ireland.
At the present day, various old and
learned treatises on the healing art are pre-
served among our Irish manuscripts. It is
much to be regretted, that some or all of
these have not hitherto been published, and
collated with the writings of Galen and Life," p. 140. However, it is not always
Hippocrates, as also'with the researches of modem medical practitioners. Old as their
nostrums undoubtedly are, yet they may contain some valuable prescriptions. In a country so renowned as Ireland for the eminence of her physicians and for medical teaching in her colleges, a thoroughly com- petent and scientific editor could not be wanting, with the aid of an Irish scholar and translator, to resolve and compare such texts for publication. At least, they should serve to illustrate the history of medicine and surgery in our country.
4' " Second Life," chap, xi. , p. 134.
*" At the request of this holy man. St.
Fechin wrought a miracle. See "First
Life," chap, xv. , p. 132.
« His feast occurs at the 14th of Septem-
ber.
<* There is a parish of Russagh, in the
county of Westmeath, containing a burial- ground and a ruined church. It is described
'*
Letters con- taining information relative to the Antiqui- ties of the County of Westmeath, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey
in 1837," vol. i. , pp. 209, 210.
45 According to Ussher's calculation, A. D.
"
Index Chronologicus. " See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," p. 537. Archdall calls Roseach, Rosse. He places it at about a mile to the south- east of Tara. See "Monasticon Hibemi-
necessary to search the calendar for names occurring in the acts of Irish saints.
4* See "The First Life," chap, xvii. , p.
132. "The Second Life," chap, xxxi. , p.
136.
49 See notices of him at the i8th of No-
vember. He died of the great pestilence,
A. D. 664.
5° This parish is in the barony of Ferrard,
''
Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Louth. " Sheets 19, 21, 22. The townlaud
of this name is on Sheet 21.
5' See his acts at the 4th of September.
He died A. D. 656. 5^Seehislifeatthe21stofOctober. He
died A. D. 634.
53 Dr. Lanigan Anglicizes this word " the height of Slane,"and he believes, it was at or near Slane, in the county of Meath. The parish of Slane, in the barony of Upper Slane, is marked on the " Ordnance Survev Townland Maps for the County of Meath. " Sheets 12, 13, 18, 19. The townland so called is marked on Sheet 19.
5^ Colgan was not able to give any special account regarding this St. Mochua of Ard- slaine. He thinks, however, this must either have been the St. Mochua, venerated on the 25th of January, or perhaps a Mochua, son of Ust or Justus, who died A. D. 668. See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemioe," xx. Ja- nuarii, n. 37, p. 142.
by John O'Donovan, in the
615. See
"
Vol. I. 2B
cum,"p. 568.
4* See " Second Life," chap, xli. , p. 138.
Her festival does not appear to be known.
47 Not finding such an Irish or a Latin
name among our saints, Colgan suggests that Paschalis, P—aschasius, or Pastor might be the reading. Note 16 to " The First
and it is represented on the
370 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 20.
noticed as corresponding names,ss Now, a certain Cronan,56 son of Silni, is reckoned among the illustrious men who died in 665. 57 Moreover, the person called Mochua of Ardslaine, departed about the very same time with Fechin, and in that identical year. Nor does the name Mochua appear in the list given in our Irish annals, regarding those distinguished victims who died during the pestilence,s^
Fechin seems to have founded his monastery at Fore, antecedent to the
year 639. For it is related, how Domnald II. ,59 King of Ireland,^ marched with a great army into that country of the southern or Meath Hy-Nialls. His expedition was undertaken for the avowed purpose of measuring and of more equitably apportioning the boundaries of their principality,^^ The people of that territory applied for protection to our saint. He then happened to be at a place called Tibrada. Here, perhaps, he had some small religious es- tablishment. The southern or Median O'Neills had collected an army, at a place called Druimna, but it was numerically inferior to the forces of Domnald. St. Fechin is there said to have supplied the wants of the smaller army in a miraculous manner. Its leaders went with the holy abbot to a place called Rath-Dromnua,^2 and here a fortified camp was constructed. There, too, the saint fasted and prayed, while he repeatedly went as a mediator to visit
King Domnald. For a long time, he could obtain no terms. Certain mira-
culous manifestations, however, changed the purpose of this monarch, so that he was induced to desist from any further proceeding against the Southern Nialls. Between them and the king, the saint procured a perfect recon- ciliation. ^3 His power of persuasion appears to have been very efficacious with the kings and princes of his time. An instance of this influence is given in the case of a young man, who was named Erlomhan. His mother had applied to Fechin, that he might assist in procuring her son's liberation. He had been kept in chains by Moenach, King of Munster. *^* The saint gave agoldtorquehehadreceivedasapresentfromthemonarch. Thistoken was bestowed for the purpose of purchasing her son's release. On recog- nising it, and as coming from Fechin, the king immediately discharged Erlomhan from prison, on perceiving that the saint wished for this act of grace. He likewise returned the torque to that woman who had offered it. The saint had probably spent some time at Cashel^s with King Moe-
55 See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- *' Hence this expedition was called
an mheic, "" the expedition of the measure" or "equality. "
^ This place is said to have been situated or Cronan, Abbot of Balla, in the county of in the county of Westmeath ; yet it does Mayo. This latter had been a disciple to not seem an easy task to identify it on the
Comgall of Bangor. He died A. D. 637. townland maps for that county.
See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum HibemiEe," "^3 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hi- XXX. Martii. Vita S. Mochuse, sive Cro- bemise," xx. Januarii. Supplementum Vitte nani, cap. xxiii. , and n. 22, pp. 791, 792.
57 See ibid. , n, 31, p. 150, And Ussher's
" Index " Chronologicus, p. 539.
nise," X. Februarii. Vita S. Cronani, and "
floigheadh
n. i. , pp. 303, 304.
5* He must not be confounded with Mochua
He died A. D.
naught," pp. 90, 91,
"^ See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernia;," xxi.
104 For further description of this locality, the reader is referred to notices of St. Gorm-
gal, of Ard-Oilean, at the 5th of August.
Martii. Appendix ad Acta S. Endei, cap. vii. , p. 715.
'°5
founded an abbey here, as he did at Imay.
Yet, O'Flaherty states, that St. Feichin
272. — CHAPTER II.
'°*See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical
Fewer valley, in which Fore
History
of
Ireland," chap, xli. ,
n.
141.
=" Hesawthewhole
Arran of islands. See " group
Chorogra- phical Description of West or H-Iar Con-
'"^See "Monasticon Hibemicum," p.
' Called Foure or in some old documents.
366 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 20.
Fechinevenmanyyearsbeforehewasbom. Beingurgedbythatdisciple, Stellan,3 to make a settlement there, St, Columba told him that place was
designed for another, who, in after times, should glorify God in an extraor- dinary manner. St. Nathy, of Achonry, is said to have foretold the future eminence of this place, and when St. Fechin first came to Fore* There he spent three days and nights, fasting, watching, and praying, after he had crossed the River Shannon in quest of this spot. Then he was admonished by an angel how it was the Divine will that he should settle there and build a monastery,
in which he should gather together a numerous congregation of religious souls. s With this divine admonition he complied, and at Fore he erected a
most famous monastery. Even the owner of this tract wiUingly bestowed the
delightful valley as a site for this purpose, and he was encomaged to do so by angelic visions. ^ Such numbers of devout postulants were afterwards at- tracted to this place by his reputation, and the sweet odour of his virtues, that, in course of a Uttle time, Fechin's community consisted of about three hundred pious monks. 7 This is stated in the hymn for his office. ^ These he instructed and trained in the science of Sacred Scripture, and in monastic
A certain wTiter? on our ecclesiastical antiquities has swelled the number of St Fechin's monks at Fore to three thousand. '" He even refers to Ussher as an authority; while in the very passage alluded to" and quoted, the learned writerontheBritishchurchesreckonsonlythreehundred. Theverylines, given from the office hymn, are likewise cited by Ussher. " These monks and their holy abbot subsisted by their own labour. '3 Sometimes they were reduced to great penury,'^ and in " the First Life" we are told that they had no food to entertain some guests, until their wants had been supplied, owing to the devout abbofs holy prayers. '5 Their monastery at Fore, one biography states,'^ was the earHest establishment St. Fechin founded, and
only after he had obtained a great reputation for sanctity.
As a desirable rule, especially when colleges and monasteries became
crowded with young students, St. Fechin would not allow women access to his religious establishment. '7 Even the superiors of many Irish monasteries prevented their entering churches or chapels attached. '^ We are told
discipline, according to the rules and institutes of the ancient fathers.
lies, filled with beautiful white birds, and in the middle a column of fire seemed reaching
» See Archdall's
''
Monasticon Hibemi-
to the very heavens.
chap, iii. , p. 133.
3 See ibid. , chap. ii.
See "Second Life,"
cum," p. 711.
" It is true the author of the " Second
Life" speaks of many other disciples he had in other monasteries ; but he only allows Fechin to have presided over 300 monks at Fore. See chap, ix. , p. 134.
"Page 1195, or page 500 in the London edition.
"See " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum An-
* See " The Second Life," chap, ix. , p. 134. St. Nathy was then at Achonry, but he saw in a vision St. Fechin laying the foundation of his monastery at this place.
5 From our saint the parish is called St.
Feighin's, and it lies within the barony of tiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 500.
Fore. See "Ordnance Survey Townland
'3 See "The First Life," cap. x. , xi. , and cap. xiv. , p. 131.
'^ See "First Life," cap. ix. , p. 131, and "SecondLife,"cap. xxxvi. ,p. 137. From such distress they were relieved, on one oc- casion, by St. Ronan, who sent them a pre- sent of cattle,
'5 See " The First Life," cap. xi. , p. 131. '*See ibid.
'? See Ussher's "Primordia Ecclesiarum
et
''See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , §iv. , n. 60, p. 20.
Maps for the County of Westmeath.
"
Sheets
I,3,4,7,8,13. OnSheets4and8the
chief antiquities referring to Fore proper are
marked.
*See "The Second Life," chap, ix. , p. 134. This owner was the first who was in- terred under the high altar at Fore.
^ See "The First Life," chap, x. , p. 131,
^
and " The Second —
Life," cap. Ix. , p. 134.
we read as follows:
In it
" Dehinc fuit monachorum
Britannicarum," pp. 943,
seq.
Dux, et pater trecentorum : Quos instruxit lege morum Mums contra vitia. Amen. "
January 20. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 367
that St. Fechin would not permit servant-maids to the monastic precincts,
even for the purpose of milking cows. '9 Literature, as well as piety, was promoted at Fore. Hence, Ussher states that it was called Baile-Leabhair, or " the town of books. "^° One better versed in the Irish language has cor- rected this false et>'mology, for he considers the true traditional local deno- mination to be Bail Fobhar, " the town of the spring. "'^' Its abbots were bishops^^ in various instances, for it soon attained the distinction of becoming one of the Irish primitive sees. '3 According to tradition, here, as at other places,St. Fechinwroughtstupendousmiracles. ^* Forcorroborationofsuch statements, the author of his acts alleges the testimony of Aileranus the Wise^s and others of the faithful.
There is an air of sanctity and grandeur around the crumbling walls, the
Old Gateway at Fore, Co. Westmeath.
venerableruins,andthemagnificentsceneryofFore. "^ Thisisfurtherin- tensified by many sacred traditions and Catholic memories, that yet linger
This opinion of his seems a very correct one,
yet Dr. Lanigan takes exception to it.
*3 In St. Fechin's a cross is said to time,
'9 See "Second Life," cap. xxxvi. , p. 137-
'° Ussher adds to this " statement, quasi
Kiriath-sepher. " See " Britannicarum Ec- have stood before the church door at this
clesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 500. " Such is the opinion of John O'Dono- van in the " Letters containing information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Westmeath, collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. ii. , p. 4. Besides water gushing from the foot of a hill called Carraig Bhailear, there are two other fine wells at Fore, viz. , Cobe^A riA CojAine and tJubAc, ^eichin. This place seems to have been called Fore, even ante-
cedent to St. Feichin's birth.
place.
* Mr. O'Donovan gives a most interesting
and detailed description of Fore and its
"
Letters con- taining information relative to the Antiqui- ties of the County of Westmeath, collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol ii. , pp. 3 to 28. A note of Dr. Petrie referring to a window and door- way of St. Fechin's church, with two
sketches, accompanies this description.
^^ He lived contemporaneously with our
saint.
**The accompanying illustration of an
ancient gateway at Fore was drawn on the
"^
episcopal see, in former times. See Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops of Meath," p. 138.
Harris supposed that it was a regular
various archaic objects, in
368 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 20.
about this former seat of monasticism.
and a
knelt, according to popular tradition. Every object, in fact, is redolent of pious reminiscences. ^^
Several ruins of churches and other antiquities are yet visible at Fore. We are told by Sir Henry Piers^s that it was anciently a town or university
faith is Ireland"ismagnifiedbyapilgrimagetoLoughLeneandFore. TheMonk's Island is here shown, and there it is said students fi:equented their classes in summer time. The holy well is still reverenced as a relic of ancient devotion. Here are numerous traces manifesting a high state of cultivation, to which St. Fechin's community reduced what had been only wild and profitless waste. The door lintel of the church at Fore is greatly admired by the tasteful antiquary. ^? One of St. Fechin's favourite places for prayer and meditation still bears the prints of his knees where he
elevated,
vivified,
patriotic
green
holy
A ruined monastery here presented a large pile of simple and unadornedmasonry. Inthebeginningofthepresentcentury,theoldchapel had three pointed windows, and it was in a tolerable state of preservation. The valley in which it was situated is a delightful place for retreat. One of the
churchyards here is covered with tombstones. Towards the east are earthen remains of what was formerly a strong fort. 3°
The old church, supposed to have been built by St. Fechin, is still in wonderful preservation. It measures 60 feet by 23 feet 9 inches. The rood- screen or choir-arch stood about 19 feet 3 inches from the east end. 3^ Dr. Petrie gives us an admirable account of the architectural features of the old church at Fore,32 with a very beautiful illustration of the door-way, which is as perfectly cyclopean in character as any monument to be seen in Greece. 33 Over this door-way is a plain architrave, containing a projecting tablet, and in its centre a plain cross sculptured in relief, appears within a circle. 34 The building of this church is thought to be referable to the first half of the
seventh century.
One day a certain antiquary, named Sellin,3s came to St. Fechin, while he
resided in the monastery at Fore. A modest and humble youth accompanied
:
him. TothelatterFechinspokeinapropheticmanner "Thisyoungman,
after a time, shall build the basilica3^ of our monastery. "37 In due course, this prediction was fulfilled. 3^ A certain cleric, called Ronan, the son of Guaire,39 had long suffered from a grievous headache, and he had consulted
of literature.
spot by George V. Du Noyer, and engraved by Mrs.
Millard, Dublin, from the folio sketch preserved in the R. I. A.
sec. iii. , subs, i. , pp. 174, 175.
33 As stated to Dr. Petrie, by the eminent
them, at the days of their respective festi- " Second Life," chap, xxiii. , p. 135.
vals. 35 We have no means for ascertaining "*See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of further particulars regarding this ancient
antiquarian traveller, Mr. Edward Dodwell. 34 xhis was the object alluded to, in Dr. Petrie's opinion, when it is stated, "ante cality will be found, when treating about fores Ecclesiae, ubi crux posita est. " See
^^ As several saints [succeeded St. Fechan at Fore, further notices of this charming lo-
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. , chap. xviii. , p. 431.
archaeologist,
36 This was a church of the most ancient
^ See
' ' Collectanea de Rebus
to the Irish fashion, it was most probably separated from its sur-
rounding or adjoining monastic buildings.
37 Whether this meant, that he was to be the future architect of the church, or the
future superior, does not seem very clear.
38
g^c "Second Life," chap, x. , p. 134. 39 Under this form, we cannot find the name
ofthis Ronan, among the many homonymous Ronans mentioned in our calendai-s.
Valiancy's
form, and, according
Hibemicis. " Chorographical Description of Westmeath.
3° See Sir Richard Colt Hoare's "Journal
of a Tour in Ireland," A. D. 1806, pp. 25, 26. 3' See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. ,
chap. Ixxiv. , p. 562.
3* See " Round Towers and Ancient Ec-
clesiastical Architecture of Ireland, "part, ii. ,
The eye is charmed, the soul is
love for the "
hills of
January 20. ] LIVES 01 THE IRISH SAINTS. 369
several of the most eminent physicians*" in Ireland, without hope of finding aremedy. Hethenresolvedtotravel,andhevisitedvariouscountries,with no better result. At last, coming to a certain part of Britain, he found a holy anchojet, who advised him to seek the valley of Fore, in the middle of Ireland. Ronan obeyed, and, through the prayers and blessing of St. Fechin, his health was completely restored, so that he returned rejoicing to his own monastery. *'
Several holy persons are mentioned as united in friendship with Fechin.
Among these was Coeman,*^—it is said Coemain Breac,*^—who was Abbot of
Roseach,** in Meath, and who died a. d. 614. 4s Again, the holy virgin Emania was benefited through the miraculous powers of our saint. *^ Also, a
pantry-keeper or cook, named Pastol, or Pastolius,*? belonging to the saint's monastery, seems to have been cognizant of Fechin's miraculous powers. *^ This person was remarkable for his simplicity of life and character. St. Ronan,*9 Abbot of Drumshallon,5° in the county of Louth, lived in friendship with our saint. St. Ultan, of Ardbraccan,si and St. Fintan Munnu,52 were contemporaries and intimates. The Abbot of Ardslaine^s was particularly intimatewithoursaint,andhewasnamedMochua. s4 Itisthoughthemust havebeenidenticalwithCronan,sonofSilni; whileCronanandMochuaare
^Tiom the most remote times the sci-
ence of medicine was cultivated in Ireland.
At the present day, various old and
learned treatises on the healing art are pre-
served among our Irish manuscripts. It is
much to be regretted, that some or all of
these have not hitherto been published, and
collated with the writings of Galen and Life," p. 140. However, it is not always
Hippocrates, as also'with the researches of modem medical practitioners. Old as their
nostrums undoubtedly are, yet they may contain some valuable prescriptions. In a country so renowned as Ireland for the eminence of her physicians and for medical teaching in her colleges, a thoroughly com- petent and scientific editor could not be wanting, with the aid of an Irish scholar and translator, to resolve and compare such texts for publication. At least, they should serve to illustrate the history of medicine and surgery in our country.
4' " Second Life," chap, xi. , p. 134.
*" At the request of this holy man. St.
Fechin wrought a miracle. See "First
Life," chap, xv. , p. 132.
« His feast occurs at the 14th of Septem-
ber.
<* There is a parish of Russagh, in the
county of Westmeath, containing a burial- ground and a ruined church. It is described
'*
Letters con- taining information relative to the Antiqui- ties of the County of Westmeath, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey
in 1837," vol. i. , pp. 209, 210.
45 According to Ussher's calculation, A. D.
"
Index Chronologicus. " See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," p. 537. Archdall calls Roseach, Rosse. He places it at about a mile to the south- east of Tara. See "Monasticon Hibemi-
necessary to search the calendar for names occurring in the acts of Irish saints.
4* See "The First Life," chap, xvii. , p.
132. "The Second Life," chap, xxxi. , p.
136.
49 See notices of him at the i8th of No-
vember. He died of the great pestilence,
A. D. 664.
5° This parish is in the barony of Ferrard,
''
Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Louth. " Sheets 19, 21, 22. The townlaud
of this name is on Sheet 21.
5' See his acts at the 4th of September.
He died A. D. 656. 5^Seehislifeatthe21stofOctober. He
died A. D. 634.
53 Dr. Lanigan Anglicizes this word " the height of Slane,"and he believes, it was at or near Slane, in the county of Meath. The parish of Slane, in the barony of Upper Slane, is marked on the " Ordnance Survev Townland Maps for the County of Meath. " Sheets 12, 13, 18, 19. The townland so called is marked on Sheet 19.
5^ Colgan was not able to give any special account regarding this St. Mochua of Ard- slaine. He thinks, however, this must either have been the St. Mochua, venerated on the 25th of January, or perhaps a Mochua, son of Ust or Justus, who died A. D. 668. See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemioe," xx. Ja- nuarii, n. 37, p. 142.
by John O'Donovan, in the
615. See
"
Vol. I. 2B
cum,"p. 568.
4* See " Second Life," chap, xli. , p. 138.
Her festival does not appear to be known.
47 Not finding such an Irish or a Latin
name among our saints, Colgan suggests that Paschalis, P—aschasius, or Pastor might be the reading. Note 16 to " The First
and it is represented on the
370 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 20.
noticed as corresponding names,ss Now, a certain Cronan,56 son of Silni, is reckoned among the illustrious men who died in 665. 57 Moreover, the person called Mochua of Ardslaine, departed about the very same time with Fechin, and in that identical year. Nor does the name Mochua appear in the list given in our Irish annals, regarding those distinguished victims who died during the pestilence,s^
Fechin seems to have founded his monastery at Fore, antecedent to the
year 639. For it is related, how Domnald II. ,59 King of Ireland,^ marched with a great army into that country of the southern or Meath Hy-Nialls. His expedition was undertaken for the avowed purpose of measuring and of more equitably apportioning the boundaries of their principality,^^ The people of that territory applied for protection to our saint. He then happened to be at a place called Tibrada. Here, perhaps, he had some small religious es- tablishment. The southern or Median O'Neills had collected an army, at a place called Druimna, but it was numerically inferior to the forces of Domnald. St. Fechin is there said to have supplied the wants of the smaller army in a miraculous manner. Its leaders went with the holy abbot to a place called Rath-Dromnua,^2 and here a fortified camp was constructed. There, too, the saint fasted and prayed, while he repeatedly went as a mediator to visit
King Domnald. For a long time, he could obtain no terms. Certain mira-
culous manifestations, however, changed the purpose of this monarch, so that he was induced to desist from any further proceeding against the Southern Nialls. Between them and the king, the saint procured a perfect recon- ciliation. ^3 His power of persuasion appears to have been very efficacious with the kings and princes of his time. An instance of this influence is given in the case of a young man, who was named Erlomhan. His mother had applied to Fechin, that he might assist in procuring her son's liberation. He had been kept in chains by Moenach, King of Munster. *^* The saint gave agoldtorquehehadreceivedasapresentfromthemonarch. Thistoken was bestowed for the purpose of purchasing her son's release. On recog- nising it, and as coming from Fechin, the king immediately discharged Erlomhan from prison, on perceiving that the saint wished for this act of grace. He likewise returned the torque to that woman who had offered it. The saint had probably spent some time at Cashel^s with King Moe-
55 See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- *' Hence this expedition was called
an mheic, "" the expedition of the measure" or "equality. "
^ This place is said to have been situated or Cronan, Abbot of Balla, in the county of in the county of Westmeath ; yet it does Mayo. This latter had been a disciple to not seem an easy task to identify it on the
Comgall of Bangor. He died A. D. 637. townland maps for that county.
See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum HibemiEe," "^3 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hi- XXX. Martii. Vita S. Mochuse, sive Cro- bemise," xx. Januarii. Supplementum Vitte nani, cap. xxiii. , and n. 22, pp. 791, 792.
57 See ibid. , n, 31, p. 150, And Ussher's
" Index " Chronologicus, p. 539.
nise," X. Februarii. Vita S. Cronani, and "
floigheadh
n. i. , pp. 303, 304.
5* He must not be confounded with Mochua
He died A. D.
