No More Learning

of St. Darerca or Moninne is drawn twelve 28
The
from Fiache Araidhe,
who reigned ten years in Emania. He had a son Cas, father of Fedlimid, father of Imchadh, father of Ross, father of Lugaidh, father of Crunn Badhraoi, father of Eochaidh, father of Conall, father of Lughaidh, father of Lilcan, father of Mochta, who was the father of Darerca or Monynne. She sprung from the race of Irial, son to Conall Cearnach, according to one authority. Her
pedigree
by
of Ulster, who flourished, in the
generations
King
year
236,29 and
1 father is said to have been a man, named Motteus 3° or —
good Maugtheus. 3
—
Whileone32 ofherancientLives and apparentlythemostreliable
that
makes him a person of no particular distinction ; another 33 states, that he
was a prince over that territory surrounding Armagh. The name of her father is more generally written Mocteus34 or Mochta. ss Her mother is called
Coman,36 the noble daughter of a king named Dalbranaith, who ruled over all the territory from Duvelin to Regunleth. 37 This pious couple lived at the time, when St. Patrick had been sent by Pope St. Celestine I. to preach in the northern parts of Ireland. 38 Hence, we may infer, that their daughter Monynna had been born in the earlier part of the filth century. For when the Irish Apostle visited their part of the country, where he was hospitably received, several of the inhabitants flocked to hear his preaching, and these became converts. Among others, who desired baptism at his hands, was the
present saint, then only a child. It seems likely, that her parents became
bestowed a — care on they religious
for we are Christians, also, informed,
that
their daughter. She is said to have been born in the plain of Coba also known
as Magh Cobha39— and in the reign of Conaille. «° That district surrounding
See ibid. , Index Chronologicus, A. D. , proper names written, that it is difficult to Dxvm. , p. 526. Colgan has laboured to divine their just interpretation,
them. See "Acta Sancto- 32 The Salamancan or First Life of St.
distinguish
rum Hiberniae," xxii. Martii, Vita S. Modwenna, cap. i. , num. 1
Darercae, pp. 7 16 to 719, with notes. Colgan
33 That attributed to Conchubran,
"
the 22nd of March for her festival. He reserves the6th ofJuly, for the other Darerca.
34 In the to the scholion, appended
for Leabhar Breac" copy of 24 Marianus O'Gorman at the 22nd of the Feilire" of St. -^ngus, her pedigree is
assigns
day
March calls her a virgin. See Colgan'l thus made out from an Irish source :
"ActaSanctorumHibernian,"p. 719. 25 See ibid. , p. 718.
MoninnedaughterofMochta,sonofLilach, son of Lugaid, son of Rossa, son of Imchad, son of Fedlimid, son of Cas, son of Fiacha
26 "
Sanctae Lupita, Tigrida et Crumtheris
textrice—s et sacrorum linteorum erant confec- A—raide, son ot Oengus Goibniu. See ""
trices. " Trias Thaumaturga," Vita Tri- Transactions of tht Royal Irish, Aca-
partita, lib. hi. , cap. xcviii. , p. 167.
*7 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernice," xxii.
Martii, Vita S. Darerca? , n. 7, p. 719.
28 See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scot-
tish Saints," p. 405.
^ See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hi-
bernicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. , Tiger- nachi Annales.
3° According to the Salamancan Life.
31 So is he named in the Life by Conchu- bran, who adds "regentem Oveahhulue et totamterram in circuitu Hardmachaa Luue
usque ad Uulester, prosapise cognationis Hi? leth," &c. So incorrectly are the foregoing
demy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. ,
i. On the Calendar of
her feast in the "
Oengus. By Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. cxvi.
port
3S She is made—the daughter an Irish King Naugthei evidently a mistake for Mochthei—by Choman, in Capgrave's Life of this saint.
3<5
According to the Life by Conchubran, cap. i. , num. 3.
3? TothisisaddedbyConchubran "Nam
:
et ilia in finem, optimam vitam duxit per
quindecim annos. "
38 This is generally supposed to have been
in the year 432.
While manifesting
July 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 83
the Hill of Forhart, in the county of Louth, is alluded to, as having been the place in which she was born. The present holy woman is said to have been first known by the name of Darerca, 41 if we are to credit the accounts of some old Irish rhymers. 42 Contrary to the statement contained in the Martyrology of Tallagh, the Annals of the Four Masters *3 declare, however, that the first name of this St. Darerca was Moninne. According to an Irish comment on the LeabharBreaccopyoftheFeilireof^Engus,Sarbile44 wasanamethisholy virgin bore, and a legendary story ^ is told to account for the change of her nametoMoninne. Anotherversionofthis likewise 6
story prevails. *
It is stated, in one of her Lives, that by the imposition of hands, the Irish Apostle administered confirmation on her. He had an interior admonition, likewise, that his new convert was destined to lead a holy life, and he bestowed a special benediction. St. Modwenna having thus been converted 8
through the preaching of St. Patrick, also received the veil*? at his hands. * She is thus classed among his disciples. *9 Early in life, she took the vow of chastity. She was veiled near the pool of Briugis, which is said to mean abundance. This appears to have become a place of pilgrimage, in after time. The Irish Apostle admonished his convert, to persevere in her angelic state of life, and to associate with herself other pious women, who were to learn the fear and worship of God under her direction, and thus learn to accomplish hisworkinthereligiousstate. Then,tothechargeofaholypriest,residingnear her parents' residence, was she committed, in order that she might learn the Psalms. Under his teaching, she remained for some time. Being a person
39 The Ui Ethach Cobha lived in the On the Calendar of Oengus. , p. cxvi. southern parts of the county of Down. 43 See Dr. O'Donovan's Edition, vol. i. ,
40 Known likewise as Conaille Muir- pp. 168, 169.
themne.
41 See Rev. Dr. Kelly's "Martyrology of
Tallagh," p. xxviii.
42 Some of their stanzas are to be found as
scholia to the Leabhar Breac copy of the "Feilire" of St. ^Engus, and they are thus translated into English, by Dr. Whitley Stokes, LL. D. :—
" Nine score years together
According to rule without warmth, Without folly, without crime, without
fault
Was the age of Moninde,
(The name) 'Mo-ninde' was given to
her
To the holy virgin, pious, with splen- dour
44 However, in the Life of St. Moduenna, attributed to Conchubran, this name is given to one of her disciples, who is also called Orbile.
45 This Irish comment is thus translated into English by Dr. Whitley Stokes : —"Mo- ninne, etc. , i. e. , Moninne of Slieve Gullion, and Sarbile was her name previously. Or Darerca was her name at first. But a cer- tain dumb poet fasted with her, and the first
thing he said [after being miraculously cured ofhisdumbness]wasminnin. Hencethe
Herownnameusually, 1'
'1'
'Mo-nanna (was) her gracious name Which the maidens used to say.
Or from this the name was said
Of the nun for her appellation
From Nine the poet (the better thereof)
Who besought her for her prayer I will tell it out to you
of Ui Echach of Ulster was she. '
Darerca foratimeadheredtoher
Till she got the agnomen,
Nine score. "
49 See "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta —" Transactions of the Royal Irish Aca- Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. ,
demy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. p. 270.
nun was called — and the Mo-ninde, poet
him-
self Nine Ecis. " "Transactions of the
Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of
Oengus, p. cxvi.
46 Thus are we told
: i. e. , " 'Moninne,'
My-nindach the nuns used to call her, and
"
Again, Monine quasi Mo-nanna," was the name given by her nuns, apparently one
expressing affection.
47 See Matthsei Parisiensis Monachi Sancti
Albani, " Chronica Majora," edited by Henry Richards Luard, M. A. , vol. i. ,
p. 181. 48ColganclassesSt. MoninneaorDarerca,
Abbess of Kill-slebhe, among the virgins veiled by St. Patrick.
it is said,
"
84 LIVES OF THE IRISH SA/JVTS. [July 6.
of sound understanding and of retentive memory, she readily imbibed the
precepts of religion and practised its injunctions. She associated with herself eight virgins and one widow. The widow had a baby son, named
Luger, who was adopted by Darerca. Afterwards, he became a bishop, and he was otherwise distinguished. 50 It is said, as in her nation, no house had yet been founded for religious women, that the saint lived for some time with her parents. However, finding social intercourse with them and her relatives to be a cause for distraction and a weakening of the religious spirit, she resolved on leaving them, and on seeking a home, whence the ways and conversation of worldlings should be rigorously excluded.
About this time, St. Ibar is stated to have lived in the Western Isles of Ireland,andthithersherepairedwithhernuns. Theyremainedforalong time under his discipline. At length, the holy Bishop went to the southern
part of Ireland, where he took up a permanent residence. His religious daughtersagainfollowedhim. AttheIslandofBegEreorLittleIreland,in Wexford Harbour, St. Darerca and her nuns were under the guidance of St. Ibar. Hearing of her extraordinary virtues, they visited St. Brigid, 51 in Lein- ster. Under her rule, and partaking of her hospitality, they remained for some time. St. Darerca was appointed portress to the hospital, and while inthissituation,herhumilityandcharitywereapprovedbyall. TheAlmighty even bestowed on her the gift of healing infirm and possessed persons. She was regarded as such a benefactress to the poor, that numbers sought relief from her, and they returned loaded with her bounties. When some of the sisters complained, that she gave too lavishly, reserving little for their con- ventual wants, she returned for answer, that if they had firm faith in Christ, and obtained food and clothing, it should be sufficient for them, and that if yielding to the temptations of the devil they desired riches, they should not failtobedevouredbyavariciouscares. Besides,sheurged,thatasthepoor were suffering members of Christ's mystical body, He would be sure to com- pensate the nuns for any temporal loss, and to reward their labours in the blessed cause of charity. Having spoken thus, when St. Darerca went to seek rest, on her bed were found twelve beautiful dresses ; so that believing they were a gift from Heaven, she went to St. Brigid, and then told her,
that the Almighty had bestowed them to supply her necessities.
The latter
" Those
restored to life again, through the prayers of St. Darerca.
Afterwards, it is said, this holy woman and her company of virgins sought St. Ibar, and placed themselves under his protection. They now settled in
2
Ard-Conais,* where their congregation greatly increased. Several pious
virgins and widows resorted thither, while some of these belonged to regal and noble families. Both by word and example, Darerca trained them in a good rule of living. At one time, the wells and cisterns there were dried up, during an unusually warm summer, and her religious complained about their wanting water. Moved by their entreaties, the servant of Christ offered her prayers, when a fountain was miraculously produced. This spring thenceforward afforded an inexhaustible supply, not only to her nuns, but to all the people living in their neighbourhood. So great had become the reputation of St.
Abbess
sent
the Lord to
sisters divide among them as you will, because they are more in need of such arti- cles than are our sisters. " A certain pauper, having denied that those garments were a gift from Heaven, fell dead very suddenly, but he was soon
holy
replied :
garments
by
your
5° Luger built a church in Ruscach, in the
plain of Cuailgne, now known as Rooskey, near Carlingford.
5t See her Life in the Second Volume of this work, at the 1st of February, Art. i.
& Its location has not been ascertained.
July 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 85
Moninna, that numbers of both sexes came to receive her blessing, and to ask spiritual favours through her intercession. She was even gifted with the spiritofprophecy. When,onacertainoccasion,St. Ibarrecommendeda
girl living in her neighbourhood to be consigned to her care, and to be trained according to her rule ; the holy virgin, having an intuition of what
:
" This pupil child shall prove to be the cause, why we
should happen, said
must desert our cell, on a future occasion. " The event corresponded with this prediction ; for, when that girl became an adult, she was filled with an invidious feeling towards Darerca, and this spirit she communicated to her relations. The meek superioress then called her sisters together and said : " Lo ! what the Almighty revealed to us regarding this girl is now clearly manifested. If while I live, you have to endure such opposition, when I am dead, how shall you be able to live here ? Let us then yield to the envious, and let us leave to them all we possess, except our habits, and the Lord shall provide another place for us, and where we can dwell. "A legend is related, about St. Darerca's leaving that place with fifty of her nuns. On coming to a river which was usually fordable, a great flood suddenly took place, so that they were unable to pass. This was owing to the fault of one among the sisters, who had taken a certain article from Ard Conis, contrary to the order given by her superioress. This she was ordered to restore, and afterwards the company of religious were enabled to ford that river.
Again, they visited St. Brigid and remained with her for some days, which
were spent in pious colloquies. They asked her blessing on taking leave,
and Brigid said
:
" May the Almighty God preserve you along the way on
which you travel, and grant that you reach the desired habitation.
,,
At their
departure, St. Brigid presented St. Darerca with a silver vessel, called Escra,53
in the Irish language, and one which the chiefs of Ireland were accustomed to use when drinking. However, Darerca did not wish to receive anything but a blessing from the venerable Abbess, and on leaving with her sisters, she deposited the measure in a secret place, where it was afterwards found by
:
the nuns of St. Brigid. Presenting it to their superioress, she said u What
we have given for God's sake, we ought not again receive. " Then, St. Brigid ordered that it should be cast into the adjoining River Lyfi, now known as the Liffey. In a miraculous manner, as the legend relates,5* it was restored to St. Darerca.
CHAPTER II.
ST. DARERCA GOES TO THE NORTHERN PARTS OF IRELAND, AND FOUNDS A HOUSE AT FOCHARD—THIS PLACE SHE LEAVES TO SEEK A NEW SETTLEMENT AT SLIEVE GULLION—HER ESTABLISHMENT AT KILLEVY—HER PERSONAL VIRTUES AND MIRACLES—SHE IS TO BE DISTINGUISHED FROM ANOTHER ST. MODWENNA, VENE- RATED CHIEFLY IN ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND—MONINIA ASSISTS AT THE SYNOD OF EASDRA—ACCOUNT OF HER DEATH—HER COMMEMORATIONS—CONCLUSION.
Afterwards, the virgin of Christ went to the northern parts of Ireland, and thereshefoundherrelations,intheplainofMurthenne. Thepeopleofthat
53 The Irish word Ofc]\a means " a water cant Caput littoris, a quodam viro sancto bucket. " Probably, however, it was a Mether, Herbe Pontifice, Darercae fratre, traditur
manufactured in an artistic manner.
54 Thus: "Vasitaqueprojectuminflumen, quod in mare versus orientem influit, contra consuetum cursum naturae, divina operante potentia, in ora stagni, quod Hibernici vo-
fuisse repertum. Quod vas ipse sanctae Darercae, cujus monasterium prope praedic- turn stagnum fuit situm, donare distulit, sanctae vero Darercse monasterium a monas- terio sanctae Brigidae quatuor diebus distat.
86 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 6.
district—said to have been greatly addicted to magian practices—had been
brought to a knowledge of the true religion, through the ministry of St. Patrick. Here, she is related to have lived a very retired life. She especially avoided the society of men, and in order that she might not be seen by them, often under the shade of night, she set forth to visit infirm persons and to exercise other works of charity. Always she wore a veil when abroad. Several extraordinary miracles are attributed to her, but they are mostly of a
1
legendary character. According to the writers of her Lives, St. Darerca and
her 2 lived at Fochard, near Dundalk, and in the companions
present county of Louth. It is intimated, furthermore, that she was the first to establish there a religious house. One hundred and fifty sisters are said to have lived with her. Nor does she seem to have continued long in that place; for, find- ing some of the neighbouring people to be of dissolute morals, and addicted to the singing of improper songs, she told her sisters, that they should seek ShethenaskedherbrotherRoman3 tosearch for a more suitable spot, and it is said to have been revealed by the Almighty Himself. However, before St. Darerca left the mountain of Facartha, now the Hill of Faughart, she selected one of her nuns, named Orbile, to dwell
there, and to guard her establishment.
For the sake of greater quiet, Darerca sought a desert place, near the Moun-
tain ofCulinn, to which she removed. Here, the nuns found a swineherd belongingtotheKingofOrior,andwhosenamewasMacloithe. Norwould he suffer such a numerous company to settle in that place, without first learn- ing the pleasure of the king. For seven whole days were they obliged to wait in great privation for that rustic's return. He obtained permission from his master, however, that they might remain there, and so fix their abode. Mean- time,theswinehadstrayedindifferentdirectionsduringhisabsence. Theholy virgin Modwenna told him to be of good cheer, and that his charge should be safely restored to him. Her promise was redeemed that very same hour. When the swineherd found all the animals together, he selected one of them to present as an offering to St. Modwenna and her sisters. They told him, however, that they were accustomed to live on roots and herbs, tasting no flesh meat. In this remote situation, where a range of desolate mountains is to be seen at the present day, St. Darerca resolved on founding her church and monastery/ Itwassituatedatthefootof SliabhCuillinns or SlieveGullion. Her church of Cill-tsleibhe is now known as 6 or a old
Killevy Killeavy, very building, inaparishbearingthesamename. ItliesnearthepresenttownofNewry.
That magnificent mountain Gullion 7 attains an altitude of 1,893 ^eet over tne sea-level, and it is composed chiefly of green-stone. There are many natural obstacles to its rugged sides and summits being reclaimed ; and from base to
8
outaless
frequented locality.
summit, the ascent is fully two miles.
Several antiquities, evidently referring brated Cuchullain had been fostered.
6
This is a very extensive mountain parish, having 3,583a. ir. 33p. in the barony of Lower Orior, and 24,590a. 3r. in the barony of Upper Orior, in the county of Armagh.
Allusion is thus made to it in a poem in- ' —
tituled "Diarmid's Chase :"
Chapter ii. —• That taken from the Salamancan Manuscript, as also that attri- buted to Conchubran.
2
Brigid, Athea and Orbile.
Among these are said to have been
3 Wedonot cord in history.
thathehas
any
otherre-
find,
4 According to Archdall, this happened about the year 630. See "Monasticon Hi-
bernicum," p. 34.
s This mount tin took its name from Cui-
reign of Conchobhar Mac Nessa, King of Lays of Loyalty, Patriotism, Chivalry and Ulster, and by whom it is stated the cele- Devotion," p. 41.
lean, an artificer, who lived there in the —Miss Stewart's " Mirror of the Heart ; or
"
Rose proudly o'er the vale below. "
Slieve Gullien's lofty brow
July 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 87
to a remote period, are to be found in this picturesque and deserted region. Among these, the artificial and subterranean chamber at Aughnaclough has often excited the curiosity of visitors. 9 On the summit of Slieve Gullion, there is a very large cairn, supposed to have been an ancient sepulchral monument. Near it is a pool, called the Loch, about 60 yards in diameter. These objects form the subject of an Irish poem IO ascribed to Ossian, and in which Fionn mac Cumhall and his heroes conspicuously figure. "
View of Slieve Gullion, from Aughnaclough.
The church of St. Modwenna was constructed of dressed planks, according
to the fashion of Scottish 12 as Conchubran remarks. ^ mis- people, Through
take, some Acts of St. Modwenna state, that she erected her nunnery at Cel- "
liscline;14 however, this is only a mistake for Kill-sleve-Cuillin, or the cell of Mount Cuillin. " It would seem, that this nunnery existed so early as the
sixth
T s
century.
The following story seems to synchronise our saint with another holy
virgin, who is supposed to have flourished, in the fifth and sixth centuries.
8 See "The Parliamentary Gazetteer of
Ireland," vol. iii. , p. 253.
9 The accompanying illustration of the
opening to Aughnaclough chamber, with a distant view of Slieve Gullion, was drawn by William F. Wakeman on the wood, en- graved by Mrs. Millard.
10 Called Iaoi na SeAlzjA or The Chase. It has been elegantly translated into English
consummatum est de lignis quidem levigatis, sed apte firmiterque contextum opus Scoti-
Miss
verse, by Brooke,
Irish Poetry. "
11 See Lewis' "
in her " of Reliques
dedolatis, juxta morem Scoticarum gentium, eo quod macerias Scoti non solent facere, nee factas habere. " Second Life of St. Mod- wenna, chap, viii. , num. 74, p. 311.
14 Dean Cressy falls into a great error when he states, that St. Modwenna's nunnery was so called from the multitude of cells in it. See " Church History of Brittany," book xxviii. , chap, ii. , num. 8, p. 744.
'3 See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , sect, ix. , p. 38, and nn. 116, 1 18, pp. 40
to 42.
16 Her Acts are recorded at the 1st of
Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 146.
12
Thus, Columbanus, an Irishman, built
"
at Bobbio an oratory,
tudinem corporis sui. " St. Bernard refer- ring to the church erected by Malachi at
Bangor, says,
" oratorium intra dies paucos
ex lignis ad magi-
cum. "
13 It was constructed as he states,
"
tabulis
88 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 6.
In the Arts of St. Fanchea, 16 the name of St. Darercha or Moninna is intro- duced. While St. Fanchea passed over the sea to visit her brother St. Endeus, the holy virgin Darercha was engaged in prayer beside a church and before a cross. This happened, while she dwelt in the nunnery, and at a
1 "''
place denominated Belsleibhe, ? which means the mountain gorges, accord-
8 He
tain cell. 1 ^ While thus engaged at prayer, St. Darerca had a miraculous vision regarding a brazen vessel, recovered from the sea, into which Fanchea had cast it. ao
In her Acts, it is stated, that St. Darerca exacted from her sisters such a rigorous course of fasting, that on a certain occasion they were brought almost to a condition of starvation, when a holy and compassionate man entreatedhertorelievetheirnecessities. Thissheeffected,andinamiracu- lous manner. She raised also a dead novice to life through her prayers. Various other miracles are recounted in her Lives, but it is unnecessary to specify them, as many may be relegated to the class of fables. In the Life
21 three
seem to have had a special relation with her, are named. These were Brignata or Brecnata,22 Damnoda,23 and Derlasre. 24 The first of these is
said to have been sent from her monastery to that of Rosnat, in the Island of Britain, where she was commissioned to learn the rules there practised. Like a true daughter of obedience, she hastened thither, and remained for some time in the hospice, reading the Psalms and other pious books. Having accomplished the object of her mission, Brignat returned to Slieve Cullin, after a prosperous journey. It is stated, in St. Darerca's Acts, that the Angels of God were accustomed to visit her and to hold frequent conferences with her. However, on a certain night, when the sisters were going forth to recite Matins, Darerca missed the accustomed angelic visitation, and she had a revelation, that some one among her companions must have committed a grievous sin. She invited all the sisters to examine their consciences. One of the widows acknowledged, that contrary to her rule, she had not asked per- mission from the Abbess to retain a pair of shoes, which she wore to protect her from the cold, and which she had received from a man of bad morals. Darerca suggested, that these should be thrown into a neighbouring lake, where they might not more be found, and she charged Brignat with this com- mission. The angelic messengers afterwards appeared, and the saint gave thanks to God, that the community devotions were not further interrupted
throughanysimilarcause. Theforegoingnarrativeisfollowedbyanother,that when the sisters returned to their dormitory to have a little rest before daylight,
January, in the First Volume of ihis work, Art. i.
x ? Probably a mistake in writing for Kill-
Sleibhe.
18 "
See Acta Sanctorum Hibernioe,"
i. Januarii, Vita S. Fancheaj, cap. ix. , p. 2.
19 He remarks, that it is a parish church
belonging to Armagh diocese, at the passes
of Cuillen in Ulster. See Mountain, ibid. ,
n. 19, p. 4.
30 The story which follows is too improba-
ble to deserve further notice; but, it serves to
ing
to
Colgan. *
says
it is more called Kill-sleibhe "the moun- usually
of this woman and which is holy
quoted by Colgan,
pious virgins,
who
the 25 went alone to the virgin Brigid
where the Abbess
and where she held colloquy with the Angels. When she approched that pl. ice, two swans of a snow-white colour seemed to fly away from it. This vision terrified the sister, and she fell on the ground. She soon arose, how-
chamber,
illustrate a custom prevalent at a time, whin the original Acts were written, of brazen ves>Hs having been u>e<l in Ireland bo:h for drinking and for washing pur- poses.
2I
See "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Ap- pendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 270.
23 At chapter xviii. , xix.
"* At chapter xxi.
25 Whether she was a different person or
" At xiv.