Ninnidh,'
surnamed
Laobh-dearc,' Bishop of Inis-maighe-samh, on Lough Erne.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v4
Ambrose, as also allusion to a festival of the Blessed Virgin,'' on the Kalends of April, which correspond with the first dav of this month.
^fconli ©ay of Slprtl.
ARTICLE I. —ST. BRONACH, VIRGIN, PATRONESS OF KILBRONY PARISH, COUNTY OF DOWN.
TIME was when the holy virgin, St. Bronach, gave a bright example of
and of devotion to her sacred those
faith, calling, among majestic
Francis Shearman may be seen elegantly 22nd of November, where Colgan, also, engraved in Miss Stokes' tract " On Two refers to her, at this date.
Works of Ancient Irish Art, known as the
Breac Moedog (or Slirine of St. Moedog), and the Soiscel Molaise (or Gospel of St. Molaise)," communicated to the Society of Antiquaries, p. 12.
' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 92, 93. —
Article x. —' The recent publication, "On the Calendar of Oengus," by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , leaves hardly anything to be desired, in the way of learned and judicious editing ; and, therefore, gratefully thanking Professor Bryan O'Looney, for his kind and cordial transcripts and translations, as
Article viii. 'See "Proceedings of already acknowledged in the previous the Royal Irish Academy. " Irish MSS. volumes, our readers will understand, that
Series, vol. i. , part—i. , jjp. 94, 95.
'
Article ix.
Actuum Sanctomm quK MS. habentur, ordine Mensium et Dierum. "
'See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Aprilis i. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 3.
3 Further notices of her will be found, at
that day.
* See a notice of St. Osmana, Virgin, at
henceforth, from the three parallel versions
In his
"
Rawlinson Ji. 505, and Laud 610—as marked in the Bodleian Library, at Oxford,—and the Leabhar Breac. Royal Irish Academy, the text of this latter has been invariably followed, with the English translation, as furnished, in the "Transactions of the Royal
Irish Academy. " Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. Dublin, 1880, 4to. Having access
Catalogus
published by
Dr. Stokes, viz. :
April 2. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. II
mountainsofMoume,'thatrisewithinthemodemparishofKilbrony. Her period, however, does not seem to be known. She is called the Virgin of Glen-Seichis,' which was an ancient name for the modern parish of Kilbrony,3 in the county of Down, also bearing the names of Glentegys,* Clonfeys, Clonseys,5 and Kyllbronca, in ancient documents. This parish bears the name of Killowen, in addition to its many other denominations, from a district so called, which lies in its southern part. It is called, likewise, the
chiurch of Nister. * This
parish
was
a mensal one, — to the merely belonging
while we find that the M'Keon Bishop Dromore,' family
"*
was called by the present name of Kilbrony, from Bronach, its patron saint,
whose festival is placed by the O'Clerys,' at the 2nd of April. Of this parish,
likewise, St. Bronach is the special patroness. '" She is called, also, Bromana," and her festival belongs to this day. The old church " of this parish "J is situated, about half-a-mile north-east of that beautiful village, known as
"
The woods and wastes of Clandeboy,"
building
of —
and
other families styled themselves servants of St. Bronach. "
perhaps This church
to the original Manuscript, the text is printed in the old Irish characters, which could not have been done in Calcutta, where the learned editor passed his work through the press. Thus do we find the first stanza for the month of April :—
So«ftAic kt. Apfeit, 4mb|W)if comeic ngUaine ConjAib ipno fuba
•peil. oofeibb maipe.
" He ennobles April's calend, Ambrose guard of purity ; he takes—it is an exceeding happiness—a feast of Mary's feasts. "
A note appended informs us, that this was Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, in Italy ; although the Bollandists do not notice his festival, at this date.
' A note informs us, that this referred to-
5Amongtablesofprocurationspayableto the Primate, in his provincial Visitations, as found in Primate Dowdall's Registry, it is stated, that "ecclesia de Clonseys," one of the parishes in Dromore diocese "pertinet
ad mens. am Episcopi. " On this passage, the Rev. Dr. Reeves remarks, that Clonseys
is a corrupt form of Glen-Seichis, the ancient
name for Kilbrony.
' In the Taxation of Dromore diocese,
compiled a. d. 1306, Kilbroney is called, the church of Glentegys, otherwise of Nister, being rated at one mark, and the Tenth being :6 pence.
' At A. D. 1526, the bishop's mensal of
Kilbrony was held by Arthur M'Ganyse, son of Gelacius, for two years, at four marks
per annum. Reg. Crora , p. 487.
Article i. —' "
In Sir Walter Scott's Poem
Episcopi
Dromorensis.
Reg. Swayne,
lib.
of a tabernacle in Antioch—
granted
Gyllabrony M'Kewyn
the
may he assumed in her honour.
it
"
the Solitae cum Officio Baculi in
of — there are allusions to this Rokeby," i. ,
wild district
fol.
while introducing the romantic character, Redmond O'Ncale, in its several Cantos.
'
Grammar," pp. 6i, 454, note (i. )
' " The earliest instance in which the
writer has met this name is in the Registrum Sweteman, where notice is given to the Bishop of Dromore of a visitation of his
diocese, to be holden, November 4, —1366, '
•in loco qui dicitur Kyllbronaygh. (fol. 49. ) Previously it was called Glenseuhis. " —Rev. Dr. Reeves' " Ecclesiastical Anti- quities of Down, Connor and Dromore. " Appendix EE, n. (f), p. 318.
* The form is closely followed by the
The name o( this place should be equally
" Itichis. " See Dr. O'Donovan's " Irish
correct, if written, Jlionn c-feicif,
Glen-
Taxation of 1
See ibtd. , EE, p. 315, and n. (t. )
29 1,
in the word
Glentegys.
'
Primate to
portiones
Ecclesia Sanctx Bromanse Virginis mensse
'
S9-
In their Calendar, we find
In the year 1428, August 6th, the
o Jhlionx) Seicif," Glionn-Seichis. "
"
"
Master John M'Gerywey, Canon of Dro- more, was presented to the—parish church Sanctse Bromanse Virginis. " Reg. Swayne, ii. , 607.
" To the west lies St. Bridget's well.
" "A. D. Circ. 1427, 'Agholy M'Dermy. dan Custos Baculi Sancta: Bromanx Drumo- rensis Dioc. '" Reg. Swayne, lib. iii.
'3 There is a view of the old church there, among the Manuscripts of the Irish Ord. nance Survey, now kept in the Royal Irish Academy, as also an ancient cross, beside and this sketch has been traced by the writer. It it faithfully represented, in the accompanying illustration, and the ruin presents a very picturesque appearance, in Its remote situation.
'* The Mrs. accompanyingengraving, by
Millard, is from a drawing on the wood, bj
bponad 6J Bronach a virgin ol
It is found, at A. D. 1428, January 14th.
:
it,
12 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 2.
Rosstrevor,inthecountyofDown. Thischurchisnowavenerableruin,'* and in the adjoining chapel-yard an ancient stone cross may be seen. '5 The Kilbrony mensal consisted of certain lands, tithes '* and dues,'' which were appendant upon an office, known as that of St. Bromana's baculus, in the church of St. Bromana, according to old documents. '^ We find the place
V \;- J ! ^Nks^» r^ i«>ii'*i\^
Kilbroney Old Church, County Down.
StyledaRectory'9andaVicarage. '" Thecustodyofacertainrelic,saidto have been possessed by our saint, and attended with some privileges, had been formerly assigned by the bishop of this diocese to a clerical keeper. In the church of Kilbrony, appears to have been preserved the bacillus or crozier of St. Bronach ; and, the guardianship of this relic was entrusted to an eccle- siastic, who farmed certain lands, tithes and dues, belonging to the bishop's mensal in this parish. " In a Taxation of all the Benifices in Dromore diocese, which took place in a. d. 1546, the Vicar of Killbronagh, now Kil- brony,wasassessedattwomarks. IntheMartyrologyofTallagh,''thepatron's
William F. Wakeman.
'5 An antique bell, now preserved in the
Catholic Church o( Newiy, was found in the ruins of Kilbrony. For an account of this
siastical Antiquities of Down, Connor and
Dromore," Appendix EE, p. 309.
'' At tlie year 1442, November 17th, the rectories of Kyllbronca and Dissertdubun- nugi were let to farm to John M'Cjillaboy, Canon of Drom—ore, for a term of five years,
relic, see the 109.
"
Newry Magazine," No. 2, p.
"Thus, in the year 1622, the rectorial
tithes were leased, to one Anthony Howse, at jCs per annum.
'Thus, in a. d. 1431, the Primate ap-
at 20s. a year.
°° At A. i'. 1442, November l6iii, Cl—emens
M'Donnogan, Vicar of Cillbronia. Reg.
Prene, p. 48. Again, at A. D. 1534, the
of — vacant the death of Vicarage Kilbrony by
p—arish cimrch . Sanctse Bronianse Virginis. " Reg. Swayne, lib. iii.
"' "
The rectorial tithes and the townland of Kilfeaghan continued to be held under the bishops, until the annexation of the See in 1842. "—Rev. William Reeves' "Eccle-
M'Kewen to collect the
pointed Philip
revenues and tithes of the lands of the
Patrick M 'Brun. Reg. Crom. , p. 766. See ""
Reg. Prene, p. 69,
Rev. William Reeves' Ecclesiastical Anti-
quities of Down, Connor and Dromore," n.
(q), pp. 115, 116.
" The names of some persons, who were
nominated by the Primates, sede vacante, to this office, are yet extant.
April 2. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 13
name occurs, at the 2nd of April, as Bronach, Virgin. The Martyrology of
Donegal '3 this day registers, Brdnach, Virgin, of Cill Sechis,'< as having a festival. The Rev. Alban Butler '' has a record of this holy woman, at the
2nd of April, and she is noticed, moreover, in the Circle of the Seasons. "*
Likewise, that Calendar, compiled by the Rev. William Reeves,'' giving her name, festival and locality, may be mentioned, in this connexion.
Article II. —St. Nennidhius Mundimanus, or Nennidh Lamgh-
LANN, Priest, \_fifth and Sixth Centuries. ] The Acts of this saint appear
to be lost, for, it is said, they formerly were extant ;• but, at least, Colgan couldnotmeetwiththem. ' ThissaintwasknownasNinnidhLamglan,i. e.
Mundimanus, or of the " clean hand," which is explained, by the legend so closely connected with his memory. 3 Another form of this surname was Lamhiodan ; the latter compound being rendered " clean. " * The name of this saint has been very illustrious in Ireland. There his festival had been formerly kept. According to some writers, it was held, on the i6th,5 and others state, on the 18th of January. * Colgan has placed his Acts at the latter date,' thus confounding him with St.
Ninnidh,' surnamed Laobh-dearc,' Bishop of Inis-maighe-samh, on Lough Erne. " However, not only the sur- names, but, likewise, various other circumstances recorded, prove, that they weredistinctpersons. " Thisconfusionhassetsomewritersastray,suchas Bishop Challenor," and Bishop Forbes. "' We learn,'< that the name Nennio, or Nennius, which is the same as Nennian, was given to the Bishop of Candida Casa,'> and that he was identical with Maoineann,'* Bishop of Cloncurry,inthenorthernpartofthepresentcountyofKildare. Heseems to have been a prelate, however, altogether different, from the present holy personage. A St. Ninnid of Cluain-Caoich is inserted, at this date, in the Index to the Martyrology of Donegal,'' although omitted in its proper
" Edited by Rer. Dr. Kelly, p. xx. In the Franciscan copy, we find bpon^Mih u.
'See Bishop Challenor's " Britannia Sancta," part i. , at that dnie, pp. 50, 51.
' to the Calendar, According O'Clerys'
for which they quote a Life of St. Brigid,
'i Edited
by
Drs. Todd and
Reeves, ppk '
92, 93. ** In a
"A more
ili. , as aho the Book of
' See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," xyiiL
Dr. Todd
recent hand has written over this word,
Hymns,
note,
sayt,
chapter
"no Slmn Sechij- nunc:" ue. "or now Januarii. De S. Nennidhio seu Nennio,
Glenn Sechis. "
"' See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs
Ab. et Ep. Ex diverais, pp. ill to 115.
• We have already treated about him, at
the l8th of January.
Rendered, in English, "part-eyed. "
and other principal Saints," vol. iv. Apnl ii. There she is called St. Bronacha, or Bron- anna. The Rey. Alban —Builer alludes to the Manuscriiits of —
'• See Dr.
Lanigan's
" Ecclesiastical His-
Colgan
appears
which he for notices of this
of Ireland," vol. i. , ix. , sect, v. , chap,
to have
wnman, at April 2nd.
Down, Connor and Dromore. " Appendix
LL, p. 377.
Article ii. — According to a Life of
St. Brigid, quoted by Colgan.
'
See his account, De Nennidhio sen Nennio Ab. et Ep. , in "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," Januani xviii. , cap. i. , x. , pp. 1 1 1, 1 14, and n. 2, p. 1 14.
vol.
sect, xi. ,
* See p. 93.
inspected
ii. , chap, x. , 51, and n. 173, pp. 55, 56.
p.
' See kev. John Fiancis Shearman's '
cal History of Ireland," vol. i. , p. 438.
' This was according to the custom of naming the Comharb or successor, after the
original founder of the see.
'* His feast occurs, at the l6th of Sep-
"Loca Patriciana, No. x. , n. I, p. 250.
tember.
' Edited
* See
niae," xviii. Januarii.
Nennw) Ab. et
Ep. ,
Drs. Todd and Reeves.
Colgan's
bjr
Tables of the Martyrology, pp. 458, 459.
• A comment is found that as postfixed,
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- De S. Nennidhio seu
n.
17, p. 115.
lory
holy p. 451. Also,
See Md. , nn. 76, 77, 78, 79. 80. PP- •'See "Ecclesiastical Antiquities of 452,453.
" See " Britannia Sancta," part i. , p. 51. '» See " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p.
425. " '* From Dr. Lanigan, in his
Ecclesiasti-
14 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 2.
place ;'* and, according to the O'Clerys, he was identical with the present holy man. Were we to follow some accounts, St. Nennidh was son to Eochadh, who belonged to the race of Laeogaire, Monarch of Ireland. '9 However, it is more correct to state, that he was son of Ethach, and that he was born, at a place, called Mula, or Mull. This was thought, by Colgan, to have been the Island of Mull,'° in Scotland. Most likely, however, it is rendered MuUagh, at present, and various places in Ireland are so called. Again, St. Nennidh is stated, to have been a disciple of St. Patrick f but, such an account is not to be found, in any Acts of the Irish Apostle. It is much more rational to suppose,^'' that St. Nennidh Lamhglann was brought up, under the discipline of St. Fiech,^3 Archbishop of Leinster. During his early years, our saint was a giddy and frolicsome youth, who attracted the notice of St. Brigid,^* Abbess of Kildare, while she was travelling near that place, in an easterly direction, and probably over the present racecourse of the Curragh. She spoke to him, as he ran from her, and he returned to ask her prayers. Soon his soul was filled with God's grace, and he performed penance, afterwards leading a most holy life. The illustrious Abbess pre- dicted, that she should receive the Body and Blood of Christ from his hand, at the hour of her death. ^s The writers of St. Brigid's Acts relate, that Nennidh then proposed to retire from Ireland, for a number of years, in order to prepare for this function. It is stated, moreover, that he felt so sensibly the honour intended for him, that he placed a brass gauntlet, secured by a lock and key, over his hand, so that it might not be defiled by touching any object, until he should be called upon to administer Holy Viaticum to St. Brigid. Hence, he obtained the surname, by which he was distinguished. Itisnotknownbywhomhehadbeenordained,althoughithas been stated, that he became a priest, at the instance of St. Patrick himself. However, in the Acts of St. Brigid, it is said, that he travelled abroad into Britain. The circumstances narrated, regarding this journey, are sufficiently romantic, and varied according to the fancies of different writers. Some state, that he became an exile from Ireland, owing to the express instructions of St. Brigid. Again, a Latin Hymn,^* in praise of that holy Abbess, has been attributed to him, by some writers,^' and it has been published, by Colgan. °^ He is said to have travelled, from Britain to Rome, so that he might visit the shrines of the Holy Apostles. His pilgrimage had lasted for four years, when an angelic vision warned him, that he should return to Ire- land. The weakness of advancing years and her incessant labours had told
"
Ninnidh Laimhiodhain or Ninnid the Pure- "See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga, Handed, who is mentioned in the Acts of Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, iii. , cap. St. Brigid, was not a bishop, but only a xxii. , p. 153, and n. 41, p. 185. Ibid.
priest, the present saint seems to be iden- ticalwithhim.
'5 We are informed, in Rev. John Francis Shearman's " Loca Patriciana," No. v. , that Ninnidh Lamglan, or Lamiodhan, and Nainedh, of Kiltoma, venerated at the 13th of November, had a common ancestor, viz. : Nial of the Nine Hostages, the latter being fourth, in descent, and the former sixth, from the same king.
'°
This one of the Hebrides
its extreme
'^
This we have attempted to our Life of St. Brigid, chap. i.
in
length is thirty-five miles, and its extreme
breadth is thirty. It has a superficial area
of 420 square miles. See "The Popular
"' Others have it, that St. Ultan of Ard- braccan composed it, while some think it
" Imp. 8vo.
con,'
&c. , vol, v. , p. 86. Glasgow, 1841, Scriptoribus Hibernias," lib. i. , cap. i. , p. 3,
"*
;
versify,
Encyclopedia; or 'Conversations I^xi- was St. Fiech. See Sir James Ware, " De
" See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical His-
toryofIreland,"vol. i. , chap,ix. ,sect,v. ,
n. 76, p. 453.
°3 His festival occurs, at the I2th of
October.
°* Her feast is held, on the first of Feb-
ruary.
°s See a more detailed account of the fore-
going incidents, at the 1st day of February, in our Life of St. Brigid, chap. x.
See "Trias Thaumaturga," Tertia
April 2. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 15
upon St. Brigid, and sailing over the Irish sea, Nennidh soon landed in Ireland,'s where he learned, that the illustrious Mary of Erinn eagerly expected his last visit to her. On his return home, Nennidh found that saint approaching to her happy end. Her chaplain then administered the Sacred Viaticum, without delay, and soon afterwards she expired, about a. d. 523. The legend of his attendance on St. Brigid at the period of her decease, though probably founded on fact, is overlaid with too much of the marvellous, to be readily beheved. s" However this may be, it is generally stated, that Nennidh Lamhghlandidnotverylongsurvivehisgreatpatroness; but,thedayand year for his demise have not been exactly ascertained. He flourished in the sixth century,3' according to such a synchronesis.
Article III. —St. Conall, Bishop of Clonallan, County or Down.
^fconli ©ay of Slprtl.
ARTICLE I. —ST. BRONACH, VIRGIN, PATRONESS OF KILBRONY PARISH, COUNTY OF DOWN.
TIME was when the holy virgin, St. Bronach, gave a bright example of
and of devotion to her sacred those
faith, calling, among majestic
Francis Shearman may be seen elegantly 22nd of November, where Colgan, also, engraved in Miss Stokes' tract " On Two refers to her, at this date.
Works of Ancient Irish Art, known as the
Breac Moedog (or Slirine of St. Moedog), and the Soiscel Molaise (or Gospel of St. Molaise)," communicated to the Society of Antiquaries, p. 12.
' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 92, 93. —
Article x. —' The recent publication, "On the Calendar of Oengus," by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , leaves hardly anything to be desired, in the way of learned and judicious editing ; and, therefore, gratefully thanking Professor Bryan O'Looney, for his kind and cordial transcripts and translations, as
Article viii. 'See "Proceedings of already acknowledged in the previous the Royal Irish Academy. " Irish MSS. volumes, our readers will understand, that
Series, vol. i. , part—i. , jjp. 94, 95.
'
Article ix.
Actuum Sanctomm quK MS. habentur, ordine Mensium et Dierum. "
'See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Aprilis i. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 3.
3 Further notices of her will be found, at
that day.
* See a notice of St. Osmana, Virgin, at
henceforth, from the three parallel versions
In his
"
Rawlinson Ji. 505, and Laud 610—as marked in the Bodleian Library, at Oxford,—and the Leabhar Breac. Royal Irish Academy, the text of this latter has been invariably followed, with the English translation, as furnished, in the "Transactions of the Royal
Irish Academy. " Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. Dublin, 1880, 4to. Having access
Catalogus
published by
Dr. Stokes, viz. :
April 2. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. II
mountainsofMoume,'thatrisewithinthemodemparishofKilbrony. Her period, however, does not seem to be known. She is called the Virgin of Glen-Seichis,' which was an ancient name for the modern parish of Kilbrony,3 in the county of Down, also bearing the names of Glentegys,* Clonfeys, Clonseys,5 and Kyllbronca, in ancient documents. This parish bears the name of Killowen, in addition to its many other denominations, from a district so called, which lies in its southern part. It is called, likewise, the
chiurch of Nister. * This
parish
was
a mensal one, — to the merely belonging
while we find that the M'Keon Bishop Dromore,' family
"*
was called by the present name of Kilbrony, from Bronach, its patron saint,
whose festival is placed by the O'Clerys,' at the 2nd of April. Of this parish,
likewise, St. Bronach is the special patroness. '" She is called, also, Bromana," and her festival belongs to this day. The old church " of this parish "J is situated, about half-a-mile north-east of that beautiful village, known as
"
The woods and wastes of Clandeboy,"
building
of —
and
other families styled themselves servants of St. Bronach. "
perhaps This church
to the original Manuscript, the text is printed in the old Irish characters, which could not have been done in Calcutta, where the learned editor passed his work through the press. Thus do we find the first stanza for the month of April :—
So«ftAic kt. Apfeit, 4mb|W)if comeic ngUaine ConjAib ipno fuba
•peil. oofeibb maipe.
" He ennobles April's calend, Ambrose guard of purity ; he takes—it is an exceeding happiness—a feast of Mary's feasts. "
A note appended informs us, that this was Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, in Italy ; although the Bollandists do not notice his festival, at this date.
' A note informs us, that this referred to-
5Amongtablesofprocurationspayableto the Primate, in his provincial Visitations, as found in Primate Dowdall's Registry, it is stated, that "ecclesia de Clonseys," one of the parishes in Dromore diocese "pertinet
ad mens. am Episcopi. " On this passage, the Rev. Dr. Reeves remarks, that Clonseys
is a corrupt form of Glen-Seichis, the ancient
name for Kilbrony.
' In the Taxation of Dromore diocese,
compiled a. d. 1306, Kilbroney is called, the church of Glentegys, otherwise of Nister, being rated at one mark, and the Tenth being :6 pence.
' At A. D. 1526, the bishop's mensal of
Kilbrony was held by Arthur M'Ganyse, son of Gelacius, for two years, at four marks
per annum. Reg. Crora , p. 487.
Article i. —' "
In Sir Walter Scott's Poem
Episcopi
Dromorensis.
Reg. Swayne,
lib.
of a tabernacle in Antioch—
granted
Gyllabrony M'Kewyn
the
may he assumed in her honour.
it
"
the Solitae cum Officio Baculi in
of — there are allusions to this Rokeby," i. ,
wild district
fol.
while introducing the romantic character, Redmond O'Ncale, in its several Cantos.
'
Grammar," pp. 6i, 454, note (i. )
' " The earliest instance in which the
writer has met this name is in the Registrum Sweteman, where notice is given to the Bishop of Dromore of a visitation of his
diocese, to be holden, November 4, —1366, '
•in loco qui dicitur Kyllbronaygh. (fol. 49. ) Previously it was called Glenseuhis. " —Rev. Dr. Reeves' " Ecclesiastical Anti- quities of Down, Connor and Dromore. " Appendix EE, n. (f), p. 318.
* The form is closely followed by the
The name o( this place should be equally
" Itichis. " See Dr. O'Donovan's " Irish
correct, if written, Jlionn c-feicif,
Glen-
Taxation of 1
See ibtd. , EE, p. 315, and n. (t. )
29 1,
in the word
Glentegys.
'
Primate to
portiones
Ecclesia Sanctx Bromanse Virginis mensse
'
S9-
In their Calendar, we find
In the year 1428, August 6th, the
o Jhlionx) Seicif," Glionn-Seichis. "
"
"
Master John M'Gerywey, Canon of Dro- more, was presented to the—parish church Sanctse Bromanse Virginis. " Reg. Swayne, ii. , 607.
" To the west lies St. Bridget's well.
" "A. D. Circ. 1427, 'Agholy M'Dermy. dan Custos Baculi Sancta: Bromanx Drumo- rensis Dioc. '" Reg. Swayne, lib. iii.
'3 There is a view of the old church there, among the Manuscripts of the Irish Ord. nance Survey, now kept in the Royal Irish Academy, as also an ancient cross, beside and this sketch has been traced by the writer. It it faithfully represented, in the accompanying illustration, and the ruin presents a very picturesque appearance, in Its remote situation.
'* The Mrs. accompanyingengraving, by
Millard, is from a drawing on the wood, bj
bponad 6J Bronach a virgin ol
It is found, at A. D. 1428, January 14th.
:
it,
12 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 2.
Rosstrevor,inthecountyofDown. Thischurchisnowavenerableruin,'* and in the adjoining chapel-yard an ancient stone cross may be seen. '5 The Kilbrony mensal consisted of certain lands, tithes '* and dues,'' which were appendant upon an office, known as that of St. Bromana's baculus, in the church of St. Bromana, according to old documents. '^ We find the place
V \;- J ! ^Nks^» r^ i«>ii'*i\^
Kilbroney Old Church, County Down.
StyledaRectory'9andaVicarage. '" Thecustodyofacertainrelic,saidto have been possessed by our saint, and attended with some privileges, had been formerly assigned by the bishop of this diocese to a clerical keeper. In the church of Kilbrony, appears to have been preserved the bacillus or crozier of St. Bronach ; and, the guardianship of this relic was entrusted to an eccle- siastic, who farmed certain lands, tithes and dues, belonging to the bishop's mensal in this parish. " In a Taxation of all the Benifices in Dromore diocese, which took place in a. d. 1546, the Vicar of Killbronagh, now Kil- brony,wasassessedattwomarks. IntheMartyrologyofTallagh,''thepatron's
William F. Wakeman.
'5 An antique bell, now preserved in the
Catholic Church o( Newiy, was found in the ruins of Kilbrony. For an account of this
siastical Antiquities of Down, Connor and
Dromore," Appendix EE, p. 309.
'' At tlie year 1442, November 17th, the rectories of Kyllbronca and Dissertdubun- nugi were let to farm to John M'Cjillaboy, Canon of Drom—ore, for a term of five years,
relic, see the 109.
"
Newry Magazine," No. 2, p.
"Thus, in the year 1622, the rectorial
tithes were leased, to one Anthony Howse, at jCs per annum.
'Thus, in a. d. 1431, the Primate ap-
at 20s. a year.
°° At A. i'. 1442, November l6iii, Cl—emens
M'Donnogan, Vicar of Cillbronia. Reg.
Prene, p. 48. Again, at A. D. 1534, the
of — vacant the death of Vicarage Kilbrony by
p—arish cimrch . Sanctse Bronianse Virginis. " Reg. Swayne, lib. iii.
"' "
The rectorial tithes and the townland of Kilfeaghan continued to be held under the bishops, until the annexation of the See in 1842. "—Rev. William Reeves' "Eccle-
M'Kewen to collect the
pointed Philip
revenues and tithes of the lands of the
Patrick M 'Brun. Reg. Crom. , p. 766. See ""
Reg. Prene, p. 69,
Rev. William Reeves' Ecclesiastical Anti-
quities of Down, Connor and Dromore," n.
(q), pp. 115, 116.
" The names of some persons, who were
nominated by the Primates, sede vacante, to this office, are yet extant.
April 2. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 13
name occurs, at the 2nd of April, as Bronach, Virgin. The Martyrology of
Donegal '3 this day registers, Brdnach, Virgin, of Cill Sechis,'< as having a festival. The Rev. Alban Butler '' has a record of this holy woman, at the
2nd of April, and she is noticed, moreover, in the Circle of the Seasons. "*
Likewise, that Calendar, compiled by the Rev. William Reeves,'' giving her name, festival and locality, may be mentioned, in this connexion.
Article II. —St. Nennidhius Mundimanus, or Nennidh Lamgh-
LANN, Priest, \_fifth and Sixth Centuries. ] The Acts of this saint appear
to be lost, for, it is said, they formerly were extant ;• but, at least, Colgan couldnotmeetwiththem. ' ThissaintwasknownasNinnidhLamglan,i. e.
Mundimanus, or of the " clean hand," which is explained, by the legend so closely connected with his memory. 3 Another form of this surname was Lamhiodan ; the latter compound being rendered " clean. " * The name of this saint has been very illustrious in Ireland. There his festival had been formerly kept. According to some writers, it was held, on the i6th,5 and others state, on the 18th of January. * Colgan has placed his Acts at the latter date,' thus confounding him with St.
Ninnidh,' surnamed Laobh-dearc,' Bishop of Inis-maighe-samh, on Lough Erne. " However, not only the sur- names, but, likewise, various other circumstances recorded, prove, that they weredistinctpersons. " Thisconfusionhassetsomewritersastray,suchas Bishop Challenor," and Bishop Forbes. "' We learn,'< that the name Nennio, or Nennius, which is the same as Nennian, was given to the Bishop of Candida Casa,'> and that he was identical with Maoineann,'* Bishop of Cloncurry,inthenorthernpartofthepresentcountyofKildare. Heseems to have been a prelate, however, altogether different, from the present holy personage. A St. Ninnid of Cluain-Caoich is inserted, at this date, in the Index to the Martyrology of Donegal,'' although omitted in its proper
" Edited by Rer. Dr. Kelly, p. xx. In the Franciscan copy, we find bpon^Mih u.
'See Bishop Challenor's " Britannia Sancta," part i. , at that dnie, pp. 50, 51.
' to the Calendar, According O'Clerys'
for which they quote a Life of St. Brigid,
'i Edited
by
Drs. Todd and
Reeves, ppk '
92, 93. ** In a
"A more
ili. , as aho the Book of
' See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," xyiiL
Dr. Todd
recent hand has written over this word,
Hymns,
note,
sayt,
chapter
"no Slmn Sechij- nunc:" ue. "or now Januarii. De S. Nennidhio seu Nennio,
Glenn Sechis. "
"' See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs
Ab. et Ep. Ex diverais, pp. ill to 115.
• We have already treated about him, at
the l8th of January.
Rendered, in English, "part-eyed. "
and other principal Saints," vol. iv. Apnl ii. There she is called St. Bronacha, or Bron- anna. The Rey. Alban —Builer alludes to the Manuscriiits of —
'• See Dr.
Lanigan's
" Ecclesiastical His-
Colgan
appears
which he for notices of this
of Ireland," vol. i. , ix. , sect, v. , chap,
to have
wnman, at April 2nd.
Down, Connor and Dromore. " Appendix
LL, p. 377.
Article ii. — According to a Life of
St. Brigid, quoted by Colgan.
'
See his account, De Nennidhio sen Nennio Ab. et Ep. , in "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," Januani xviii. , cap. i. , x. , pp. 1 1 1, 1 14, and n. 2, p. 1 14.
vol.
sect, xi. ,
* See p. 93.
inspected
ii. , chap, x. , 51, and n. 173, pp. 55, 56.
p.
' See kev. John Fiancis Shearman's '
cal History of Ireland," vol. i. , p. 438.
' This was according to the custom of naming the Comharb or successor, after the
original founder of the see.
'* His feast occurs, at the l6th of Sep-
"Loca Patriciana, No. x. , n. I, p. 250.
tember.
' Edited
* See
niae," xviii. Januarii.
Nennw) Ab. et
Ep. ,
Drs. Todd and Reeves.
Colgan's
bjr
Tables of the Martyrology, pp. 458, 459.
• A comment is found that as postfixed,
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- De S. Nennidhio seu
n.
17, p. 115.
lory
holy p. 451. Also,
See Md. , nn. 76, 77, 78, 79. 80. PP- •'See "Ecclesiastical Antiquities of 452,453.
" See " Britannia Sancta," part i. , p. 51. '» See " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p.
425. " '* From Dr. Lanigan, in his
Ecclesiasti-
14 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 2.
place ;'* and, according to the O'Clerys, he was identical with the present holy man. Were we to follow some accounts, St. Nennidh was son to Eochadh, who belonged to the race of Laeogaire, Monarch of Ireland. '9 However, it is more correct to state, that he was son of Ethach, and that he was born, at a place, called Mula, or Mull. This was thought, by Colgan, to have been the Island of Mull,'° in Scotland. Most likely, however, it is rendered MuUagh, at present, and various places in Ireland are so called. Again, St. Nennidh is stated, to have been a disciple of St. Patrick f but, such an account is not to be found, in any Acts of the Irish Apostle. It is much more rational to suppose,^'' that St. Nennidh Lamhglann was brought up, under the discipline of St. Fiech,^3 Archbishop of Leinster. During his early years, our saint was a giddy and frolicsome youth, who attracted the notice of St. Brigid,^* Abbess of Kildare, while she was travelling near that place, in an easterly direction, and probably over the present racecourse of the Curragh. She spoke to him, as he ran from her, and he returned to ask her prayers. Soon his soul was filled with God's grace, and he performed penance, afterwards leading a most holy life. The illustrious Abbess pre- dicted, that she should receive the Body and Blood of Christ from his hand, at the hour of her death. ^s The writers of St. Brigid's Acts relate, that Nennidh then proposed to retire from Ireland, for a number of years, in order to prepare for this function. It is stated, moreover, that he felt so sensibly the honour intended for him, that he placed a brass gauntlet, secured by a lock and key, over his hand, so that it might not be defiled by touching any object, until he should be called upon to administer Holy Viaticum to St. Brigid. Hence, he obtained the surname, by which he was distinguished. Itisnotknownbywhomhehadbeenordained,althoughithas been stated, that he became a priest, at the instance of St. Patrick himself. However, in the Acts of St. Brigid, it is said, that he travelled abroad into Britain. The circumstances narrated, regarding this journey, are sufficiently romantic, and varied according to the fancies of different writers. Some state, that he became an exile from Ireland, owing to the express instructions of St. Brigid. Again, a Latin Hymn,^* in praise of that holy Abbess, has been attributed to him, by some writers,^' and it has been published, by Colgan. °^ He is said to have travelled, from Britain to Rome, so that he might visit the shrines of the Holy Apostles. His pilgrimage had lasted for four years, when an angelic vision warned him, that he should return to Ire- land. The weakness of advancing years and her incessant labours had told
"
Ninnidh Laimhiodhain or Ninnid the Pure- "See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga, Handed, who is mentioned in the Acts of Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, iii. , cap. St. Brigid, was not a bishop, but only a xxii. , p. 153, and n. 41, p. 185. Ibid.
priest, the present saint seems to be iden- ticalwithhim.
'5 We are informed, in Rev. John Francis Shearman's " Loca Patriciana," No. v. , that Ninnidh Lamglan, or Lamiodhan, and Nainedh, of Kiltoma, venerated at the 13th of November, had a common ancestor, viz. : Nial of the Nine Hostages, the latter being fourth, in descent, and the former sixth, from the same king.
'°
This one of the Hebrides
its extreme
'^
This we have attempted to our Life of St. Brigid, chap. i.
in
length is thirty-five miles, and its extreme
breadth is thirty. It has a superficial area
of 420 square miles. See "The Popular
"' Others have it, that St. Ultan of Ard- braccan composed it, while some think it
" Imp. 8vo.
con,'
&c. , vol, v. , p. 86. Glasgow, 1841, Scriptoribus Hibernias," lib. i. , cap. i. , p. 3,
"*
;
versify,
Encyclopedia; or 'Conversations I^xi- was St. Fiech. See Sir James Ware, " De
" See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical His-
toryofIreland,"vol. i. , chap,ix. ,sect,v. ,
n. 76, p. 453.
°3 His festival occurs, at the I2th of
October.
°* Her feast is held, on the first of Feb-
ruary.
°s See a more detailed account of the fore-
going incidents, at the 1st day of February, in our Life of St. Brigid, chap. x.
See "Trias Thaumaturga," Tertia
April 2. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 15
upon St. Brigid, and sailing over the Irish sea, Nennidh soon landed in Ireland,'s where he learned, that the illustrious Mary of Erinn eagerly expected his last visit to her. On his return home, Nennidh found that saint approaching to her happy end. Her chaplain then administered the Sacred Viaticum, without delay, and soon afterwards she expired, about a. d. 523. The legend of his attendance on St. Brigid at the period of her decease, though probably founded on fact, is overlaid with too much of the marvellous, to be readily beheved. s" However this may be, it is generally stated, that Nennidh Lamhghlandidnotverylongsurvivehisgreatpatroness; but,thedayand year for his demise have not been exactly ascertained. He flourished in the sixth century,3' according to such a synchronesis.
Article III. —St. Conall, Bishop of Clonallan, County or Down.
