Information
communicated by Very Rev.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v9
" Life,
" Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy,"
copies in existence. The Life, however, which is referred to here is that in Insh,
which is preserved amongst the Irish MSS.
at Brussels, and in the collection of the
Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. the Calendar of Oengus, p. cxxxix.
On
70 See ibid. , cxlvii.
"p. —
"
71 In the Felire Hui Gormain," edited Royal Irish Academy. " The Martyrology
by Dr. Whitley Stokes, the Irish lines run thus :—
Bairre caid o Corcaig, rium suas cusin sarthir,
uair blaithmin fri boctaib.
The following is an English translation :
"Chaste Bairre from Corcach (went)
of Donegal," edited by Drs. Todd and
before me up to the great country, for (he
was) smooth and gentle to the poor. " To illam gentem celestis vite pabulo refertam
this the commentator adds, that he was a holy bishop and confessor, and that his great country was Heaven. See pp. 184, 185.
Deo reddidit acceptabilem. "
79 There also we read: "In — Ybernia
Sancti Barri episcopi et confessoris,'
73 Thus, at the vii. Kal. Octobris : Vol. IX—No. 10.
u
Barri
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries I O
"
Bairre's miraculous consecration is given in
Reeves observes,
The of St. legend
his Latin of which there are
several
Reeves, pp. 258, 259.
76 "
See Bishop Forbes' Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 75.
77 Sec ibid. , p. 121.
78 The Martyrology of Aberdeen says at vij. Kl'. Octobris : — " Sancti Fimbarri episcopi Cathinensis qui diem ibidem clausit extremum cuius vite temporaneia ferocem
"
of Scotland," vol. ii. , p. 268.
Corcaige
578 LIVESOETHEIRISHSAINTS. [September25 bishop of Cork, in Ireland. In Adam King's Kalendar,8° at the 25th of
we find " S. Bane first of Cathenesse and Confess entered, Bishop
September,
vnder King Malcolme ye 3. " Thomas Dempster, in his Scottish Menology, mentions the name of St. Barr, in three different places : at the 23rd of
August,
September,
day following,
81 at the
82 and also at the
83 an
have perished. He has another entry respecting a bishop Barr, venerated
;
Confessoris. "—Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars
Fortitudine Scotorum," lib. iii.
of Scottish Saints," p. 209.
90 There he has :
"
S. Barrus seu Finlarrus
At this day, we read —
In Scotia Barrese episcopi et Confessoris. " Ibid. , p. 212.
Confessor et pus Cathanesise. "
91 In this work, we read Barrese episcopi et Confessoris. "
92 In the margin he remarks, this saint,
called Finbar, in French, is denominated
Barrius, in Latin.
93 There the following entry occurs :
83 There we read: "In Cathenes Barri, seu Findbarri, episcopi undecumque sanctis- simi, qui —etiam Hirlandiam praedicatione illustravit. " Ibid. , p. 212.
84 Dempster says that Barrus was accept- able to that King on account of his saintly
:
" In Hibernia,
of
24th
assumed Barrus or Fimbarrus, a bishop of Caithness, which, with his usual inventive genius, he states to have flourished in the year 1079, under the Scottish King Malcolm III. 8* He also makes this St. Barrus the author of certain works for which titles are found,85 but whose authentic Acts, he states,
" in Hibernia," at the 10th of 86 at the September. Again,
of
25th Septem-
ber,^ he has an entry from the Scottish Calendar and
Breviary.
88 David
Camerarius has different days for a festival of a Barrus or Finbarrus, a Bishop
and Confessor one of these at the 6th of 8? and another at the
makes mention of him, at the of 25th
: being June,
29th of September. ? We find, that Greven, in his additions to Usuard,
September ;
his General Martyrology, written in French. He tells us, more particularly,
that the saint was bishop of Cork, which was a suffragan S—ee to that of Cashel,
Canisius as found in both of —
the holy bishop and Confessor Barr, in Ireland. Again, in the Florarius
Manuscript Catalogue of Saints, there is a notice concerning him, with other saints, inserted at the 25th of Septembers His festival has been assigned to the same date by nearly all modern writers ; as for instance, by Bishop
2
in Munster. 9 In the German
Martyrology
editions, already quoted, and at the same date there is mention regarding
Challoner,94 Rev. Alban Butler,95 Rev. Dr.
80 " 88" See Bishop Forbes' Kalendars ot
Lanigan,9
6 Archdeacon
Henry
Scottish Saints," p. 163.
In Cathnesia S. Barri episcopi. "
89 Thus recorded: "Hoc autem die S. Finbarrus Episcopus et Confessor. "—" De
" Barreae episcopi et 82 "
:
81 There we read
— Item beatorum et Confes- life uti in ejus Vita Turgotis retulit. " episcoporum
""
*'
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. ii. , num. 135, p. 76.
" Synodum Ecclesiae suae,
sorum Bane Barciani, et Gerardi, qui extitit de Ordine Minorum. " To this observation, the Bollandist editor adds: " Quid tamen sibi velint, non video. De Gerardo Ordinis Mino- rum consule, si lubet, Prretermissos hoc die ; verum cum hie non fuerit episcopus dicendus est Florariiauctor Barram et Barcianuni duos diversos episcopos credidisse, sed quis ille
8s These read
lib. i. , Epistolas ad varios, lib. i. , Exposi-
:
tionem Psalterii, lib.
Canonum sacrorum, lib.
Caerimoniis Epistolam ;
cus Canisius Alcuini Scoti nomine publicavit, cum S. Barri opus esse ipsum nomen prae- fixum in bibliotheca regia testetur, et viri pii cura, qui pereuntem sanctissimi antistitis memoriam
i. Collectionem
i. De Baptismi quam male Henri-
hisce — sect, restituit, apicibus operum
mecum pridem communicatis. " Ibid. , pp. 76, 77-
86
For this statement, he quotes Martyr- ologium Subensi, and Catalogum Sanctorum Hiberniae.
'« See " A Memorial of British
87 In his notes, we find that this same saint
is called Findbarnus ; but, it is more pro- Scottish churches. See Britannia Sancta," bable, Dempster wrote Findbarrus. part ii. , pp. 142, 143.
(lege Finbarrus)
primus episco-
Q1 as likewise in Castellane,
—Acta
tomus vii. , Septembris xxv. De S. Barro
Barcianus sit, nescio. "
vel Kinbarro Ep. Corcagiensi in Hibernia,
num.
i. , 3, 4, p. 142.
Piety," p. 135. There, however, he is distinguished from St. Barrus, called first bishop of Caith-
ness in Scotland, at this same date; although in an earlier work, there is but one Barrus mentioned, as venerated in the Irish and
"
Sanctorum,"
September 25. I LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 579
8
Cotton,97 R. Chambers^ Miss Mary Francis Cusack,99 Rev. S. Baring-
100 101
Gould, and in the "Dictionary of Christian Biography. " Philip
Ferrarius, who inserts the names of many saints, not found in the Roman
"
Martyrology, has a notice concerning a bishop Barr, venerated
102
in Scotia,"
at the 22nd of August.
There are many places in Ireland especially in the south called
—
honour of our saint. In the County of Cork a Kilbarry was about one mile outside the city to the north. *°3 Another was near Dunmanway, while another
was near Fermoy. 104 There is a Knockbarry, near Liscarroll, in the County ofCork. Alsothereis aKilbarryadjoiningatE. CastleCor. 10' Thefollow- ingwerewithintheCountyofCork. InKilbrinparish,dioceseofCloyne, the Catholic Church is dedicated to St. Finbar. 106 Also in Ballingeary, the parish Catholic church is dedicated to St. Finbar and St Ronan. 10? In the
parish of Castlelyons and barony of Condons and Clangibbon, the townland of Kilbarry is to be found. 108 The Catholic church at Castlelyons is dedicated to St. Finbar. IQ9 There was a 110 in the of Kilbrin,
—
Kilbarry, and they are said to have been thus denominated formerly in
barony of Duhallow. In the parish of Fanlobbus," barony of East Carbery
(West Division) there is a townland called Kilbarry.
112
In the parish of
Templemartin,
1 ^ and
barony
of
Kinalmeaky,
there is a
Kilbarry. "*
In the
parish of Kilmoe,"5 barony of West Carbery (West Division) there is a town-
land known as 6 There is a townland called in the
Kilbarry. " Kilbarry"? parish of Ballinadee, and barony of West Muskerry. There is a Kilbarry
8 in the
of West
There is a parish called Kilbarry" in the barony of Gaultiere, and County of
of
"
95 See Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs,
and other principal Saints," vol. ix. , Septem- ber xxv.
96 See " Ecclesiaslical History of Ireland,"
vol. ii. , chap, xiv. , sect, iv. , p. 315.
97 See " Fasti Ecclesise Hibernicse," vol.
and
107 Information communicated by Very Rev. Patrick Hurley, P. P.
I0* It is marked on the " Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Cork," sheet 36.
109 Information communicated by Very Rev. Patrick Hurley, P. P.
110 See " Ordnance Survey Townland for the County of Cork," sheets 16, 24.
111 There are remains of a church and grave-yard. The Catholic parish church is dedicated to St. Finbar. Information communicated by Very Rev. Patrick Hurley, P. P.
townland,"
parish
Inchigeelagh
barony
Muskerry.
i. , Bishops of Cork, p. 215.
97 See "The Book of 380.
Days,"
vol.
ii. , p.
Maps
"See "The
History
of the
City
and
County of Cork," chap, iii. , p. 41. ico «
gee jjves of the Saints," vol. ix. , September 25, pp. 377, 378.
101
Article by the Right Rev. Alexander Penrose Forbes, Bishop of Brechin, vol. i. ,
pp. 266, 267.
1,2 " Marked on the
102
For this statement, he cites the Meno-
sheets 107, 12c.
113 The Catholic Church there is dedicated
to St. Finbar. Information communicated by Very Rev. Patrick Hurley, P. P.
114 Marked on the "Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Cork," sheet 96.
113 The Catholic Church there is dedicated to St. Finbar.
Information communicated by Very Rev. Patrick Hurley, P. P.
116 See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cork," sheet 147.
"7 See " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cork," sheet 83.
logium Scoticum, and the Martyrologium Canisii. But the Bollandist editor, Suyskens, could not find such an entry in Dempster at that day, nor in the Menology of Camera- rius, nor in the German Martyrology of Canisius, edited at Dillinga, in the years 1577 or 1599-
103 In the parish of St. Anne's, Shandon,
barony of Cork and Municipal Borough. See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
for the County of Cork," sheets 63, 74.
104 See John Windale's Manuscript,
already quoted, at p. 757.
1,8 Noted on the " Ordnance Townland Maps for the County of Cork," sheet 82.
"»See "Ordnance Survey Townland
105 See 758.
John
Windale's
Manuscript, p.
Survey
196 Rev. PatrickHurley,P. P.
Information communicated by Very
Kilbarry parish 1
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cork,"
58o LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September25.
Waterford. Thereisanother called parish
Kilbarrymeaden
120inthe of barony
Decies without Drum, in the same county. It seems probable both were named
after our saint. We are told, that in the seventh century the monks of St.
Finbarr, near Cork, founded a small abbey for Canons Regular of St. Austin,
121
at Aghamore. This was situated towards the western extremity of
Kilcroghan parish, in Dunkerron barony, county of Kerry. It is built on a small island, near the mouth of Kenmare river ; but, at low water, it is accessible by land from the neighbouring shore. The old walls are often
beaten both by winds and waves.
122
This old ruin is celebrated, m—oreover, as
forming a portion of the property, and standing near Darrynane once the residence of Ireland's illustrious Liberator, Daniel O'Connell. 12* His wife'sandmanyofhisancestors'remainsrestwithinitsburialground. The
I2
surrounding scenery is uncommonly grand and romantic. * According to
of
Kilbarron,
bears his name ; the church there is given as Oil barfinn in an ancient
126 map.
The memorials of St. Barr are in many parts of Scotland connected with local topography. Thus in the parish of Kilkerran was Barre's Island, in modern times designated Davara or Devar,127 and in the mouth of Campbel-
thus 8 The island is thrown named, Argylshire. "
some accounts, the of parish
I25 in the
county
Donegal, probably
town in the Lough,
parish
out like a sentinel from the hills, and it is connected with the shore on the
south-west side by a natural mole of gravel,"9 thus forming a splendid
Maps for the County of Waterford," sheets
9, 17. The townland so named within it is
marked ibid. 120
described this locality in several spirit- stirring stanzas. In one of these, written in 1844, after a visit to Darrynane, allusion
It is described on the "Ordnance is thus made to St. Finbarr
Survey Townland Maps for the County of Waterford," sheets 16, 25. The townland so named is to be found on the latter sheet.
131 See Smith's H Natural and Civil
History of Kerry," chap, v. , p. 04. I know not on what authority, this statement has been advanced ; but its accuracy must be doubted, as the Canons Regular of St. Augustine had not an existence at that early period.
,2i
Allusion to this locality may be seen at the 7th of April, in the Fourth Volume of this work, Ait. i. There may be seen an engraving of the old church ruins, which are thought by some to have had St. Finan Lobhar as patron, or possibly St. Finan,
Patron and Abbot of Kinnety, venerated at that date.
123 His accomplished daughter, Mrs. Ellen Fitz-simon, has alluded to t—his locality, in
lordly
the following beautiful lines
"
:
I pass the arch, and in the grass-grown aisle
Pause o'er the marble that commemorates,
In plain but energetic phrase, the worth, Talents and virtues of those long, lone
laid
Within the narrow house. "
—" in Darrynane Eighteen
Hundred and Thirty-Two, and other Poems," pp. 3, 4.
,2*An admired Irish poet, under the signature Desmond in the Nation, has well
— :
" And who is the chief of this domain ? —
Does a slave hold the land where a monarch might reign ? —
Oh! no, by St. Finbar, nor cowards, nor slaves,
Could live in the sound of those free
dashing waves.
A chieftain, the—greatest the world has
e'er known
Laurel his coronet true hearts his
— throne—
— his Knowledge sceptre
clan
—a Nation his
O'Connell, the chieftain of proud Darry- nane ! "
—" Denis Poems," by
125 Already at the 2i>t of May, in the Fifth Volume of this work, Art. i. , allusion has been made to this place, of which St. Barrfhion. venerated at that d;ite. is regarded as patron. There, too, an engraving of Kilbarron old church, County of Donegal, is presented.
of Places," in Eraser's
127 " Magazine.
See Origines ParochiaUs Scotise," pars ii. , i. , pp. 12, 16, 23.
128 See Francis H. Groome's " Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. ii. , p. 345.
Mac p. 275, Dublin edition, 1882. 8vo.
Florence
Carthy,
126 William Allingham on " Irish Names
September 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 58i
harbourforCampbeltown. IntheparishofTarbat,thereisChapelBarreat MiddGenie. I3° InSouthAyrshirethereisaparishandavillagecalledBarr. '31 In it are the ruins of a pre-Reformation chapel, known as Kirk Dominae. 13* In Forfarshire and in the parish of Stickathrow,133 is the scattered village of Inchbare. 13 * St. Finbarr is patron of the Isle of Barra, which takes its name from him,I35 and where a culius of the Saint was maintained136 until the last century,13? There is a church in this island called Kilbarr, which means St. Barr's church, and a little chapel near it, in which the Macneil, and those descended from his family, are usually interred. The natives had St. Barr's wooden image standing on the altar, and covered with linen, in the formofasurplice. '38 Alltheirgreatestasseverationswerebythissaint. Inthe Island of Barray the saint's image used to be clothed with a linen sheet every
year upon
the
day
ofhis
anniversary.
1^ Thisinsular oftheOuter parish
Hebrides is in Inverness-shire, and it has a Catholic church dedicated to St.
Barr. I4° Si. Finbar is patron of Dornoch,141 the episcopal seat of Caithness,
and a coast town and a parish of south-east Sutherland. It is the capital of
this county, and it was formerly a royal and parliamentary burgh. On the 25th of September, the Scottish Church kept the festivals of St.
f Fynber, a bishop who obtained special reverence in Caithness, and of S .
12
Finneis, * bishop and martyr, at Eddleston.
Among the more modern erections, designed to commemorate the first Bishop and chief Patron of Cork, the following are especially to be noticed : The Protestant Chapter of St. Finbar's being free from debt in 1861, the Finance Committee suggested that the surplus of income should be applied
1 to the formation of a fund for the repair or rebuilding of the cathedral. *3
Early in the following year, it was resolved to remove the structure then
existing, and to rebuild the church on a grandiose scale. Liberal subscrip-
tions were received, and designs prepared by Mr. William Burges, the
architect, were approved by the chapter. On the 12th of January, 1865, the first stone of the new cathedral was laid by Bishop John Gregg, with the usual
129 See ibid. y vol. i. , p. 227.
130 See Origines Parochiales Scotia? ," pars
ii. ,pp. 11,434.
131 See " New Statistical Account of
Scotland. " Ayrshire, p. 409.
132 See Francis H. Groome's " Ordnance
Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. 130, 131. 133 See " New Statistical Account of
Scotland. " Forfarshire, p. 668.
134 See Francis H. Groome's " Ordnance
Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. iv. , p. 283.
135 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," Appendix to
of the
I3? See " Old Statistical Survey of Scot- land," vol. xiii, p. 326.
prevented me, by carrying it away lest I might take occasion to ridicule their super- stition, as some Protestants have done formerly, and when I was gone, it was again exposed on the altar. They have several traditions concerning this great saint. There
is a chappie (about half a mile on the south side of the hill near St. Barr's Church), where I had occasion to get an account of a tradition concerning this saint which was thus : The inhabitants having begun to build the church, which they dedicated to him, they laid this wooden image within it, but it was invisibly transported (as they say) to the place where the church no—w
stands, and found there every morning. " "
Preface, p. lxxiv. , n. (d). 136 See M. Martin's "
land," vol. xiii. , p. 326.
140 The Easter Communions there
numbered 1,015, * n 1880, and the church has 500 seats. See Francis H. Groome's
Description Western Islands of Scotland," p. 92.
" I came very early in
138 Martin states
the morning with an intention to see this image, but was disappointed, for the natives
P- *34-
141 See an account of it in Francis H.
:
M. Martin's Description of the Western Islands of Scotland," p. 92.
"
Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. ,
139 See
"
Old Statistical Survey of Scot-
Groome's
"
On. i nance Gazetteer of Scot-
land,'' vol. ii. , pp. 362, 363.
142 See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 275.
143 See the Rev. Andrew C. Robinson's
"St. Fin Barre's Cathedral, Cork, His torical and Descriptive," p. 17.
582 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September25. ceremonies, and in the presence of a large and representative assemblage.
The work was 1 " but the rapidly pressed forward,
Mr. Walker, resigned the contract in 1866. On the 13th of March, 1867, the contract of Messrs. Gilbert Cockburne and Sons, Dublin, was accepted, and on the following 5th of August, the new contractors commenced work. 1** Although unfinished at the time, the ceremonial for the consecration of St. Fin Barr's Cathedral took
>r View of St. Fin Barre's Cnthedral, Cork.
Peterborough, Down,
Limerick, Tuam, and
Derry. Acrowdedand
distinguished congre-
gation was present, the
Corporation of Cork
being represented by
several of its mem-
bers. 1^6 At that time,
through want of suffi-
cient funds, the Cathe-
dral was not wholly
completed; but,onthe
6th of April, 1878,
Bishop John Gregg had the satisfaction of
laying the topmost stones of the western towers and spires, at- tended by a large body of the clergy and laity.
On the 23rd of October, 1879, his successor. Bishop Robert Samuel Gregg, attended by members of the Diocesan Synod then in session, laid the topmost stone of the great central tower, thus practically
'** An external view of the Cathedral, the south and north Portals were begun on
taken at an angle which introduces the the 1 2th of August ; the Triplet window of
western portals, duplex towers and spires, Ambulatory on the 7th of September ; with the great central lower and spire, one Bases of Nave columns, north side, on side and transept, is given in the frontis- the nth of October; south-east great piece to the work already quoted. The pier commenced October 30th, and north- appearance here presented introduces an east great pier, on the 31st ; north-east and obverse view of the external apse, choir and south-west great piers were begun on the transept, taken from an approved photo- 2nd of December. On the 27th of January, graph, before the great centra] tower had 1868, the Bases of Nave columns com- been completed. It was drawn and en- menced on the south side ; Arches of the graved on the wood by Gregor Grey. Apse windows were begun on the 17th of
,4S The work was pushed on energetically: March ; first string course of great piers
Robert
place on Wednesday, November 30th, 1870.
contractor,
The
bishop was the Right Rev. Dr. Gregg, Bishop of Cork, Cloyne, and Ross, who was assisted by the Lord Primate, the Archbishop of
Dublin, Bishops
and the
of Meath,
consecrating
September 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 583
the Cathe—dral of St. Fin Barre.
" Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy,"
copies in existence. The Life, however, which is referred to here is that in Insh,
which is preserved amongst the Irish MSS.
at Brussels, and in the collection of the
Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. the Calendar of Oengus, p. cxxxix.
On
70 See ibid. , cxlvii.
"p. —
"
71 In the Felire Hui Gormain," edited Royal Irish Academy. " The Martyrology
by Dr. Whitley Stokes, the Irish lines run thus :—
Bairre caid o Corcaig, rium suas cusin sarthir,
uair blaithmin fri boctaib.
The following is an English translation :
"Chaste Bairre from Corcach (went)
of Donegal," edited by Drs. Todd and
before me up to the great country, for (he
was) smooth and gentle to the poor. " To illam gentem celestis vite pabulo refertam
this the commentator adds, that he was a holy bishop and confessor, and that his great country was Heaven. See pp. 184, 185.
Deo reddidit acceptabilem. "
79 There also we read: "In — Ybernia
Sancti Barri episcopi et confessoris,'
73 Thus, at the vii. Kal. Octobris : Vol. IX—No. 10.
u
Barri
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries I O
"
Bairre's miraculous consecration is given in
Reeves observes,
The of St. legend
his Latin of which there are
several
Reeves, pp. 258, 259.
76 "
See Bishop Forbes' Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 75.
77 Sec ibid. , p. 121.
78 The Martyrology of Aberdeen says at vij. Kl'. Octobris : — " Sancti Fimbarri episcopi Cathinensis qui diem ibidem clausit extremum cuius vite temporaneia ferocem
"
of Scotland," vol. ii. , p. 268.
Corcaige
578 LIVESOETHEIRISHSAINTS. [September25 bishop of Cork, in Ireland. In Adam King's Kalendar,8° at the 25th of
we find " S. Bane first of Cathenesse and Confess entered, Bishop
September,
vnder King Malcolme ye 3. " Thomas Dempster, in his Scottish Menology, mentions the name of St. Barr, in three different places : at the 23rd of
August,
September,
day following,
81 at the
82 and also at the
83 an
have perished. He has another entry respecting a bishop Barr, venerated
;
Confessoris. "—Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars
Fortitudine Scotorum," lib. iii.
of Scottish Saints," p. 209.
90 There he has :
"
S. Barrus seu Finlarrus
At this day, we read —
In Scotia Barrese episcopi et Confessoris. " Ibid. , p. 212.
Confessor et pus Cathanesise. "
91 In this work, we read Barrese episcopi et Confessoris. "
92 In the margin he remarks, this saint,
called Finbar, in French, is denominated
Barrius, in Latin.
93 There the following entry occurs :
83 There we read: "In Cathenes Barri, seu Findbarri, episcopi undecumque sanctis- simi, qui —etiam Hirlandiam praedicatione illustravit. " Ibid. , p. 212.
84 Dempster says that Barrus was accept- able to that King on account of his saintly
:
" In Hibernia,
of
24th
assumed Barrus or Fimbarrus, a bishop of Caithness, which, with his usual inventive genius, he states to have flourished in the year 1079, under the Scottish King Malcolm III. 8* He also makes this St. Barrus the author of certain works for which titles are found,85 but whose authentic Acts, he states,
" in Hibernia," at the 10th of 86 at the September. Again,
of
25th Septem-
ber,^ he has an entry from the Scottish Calendar and
Breviary.
88 David
Camerarius has different days for a festival of a Barrus or Finbarrus, a Bishop
and Confessor one of these at the 6th of 8? and another at the
makes mention of him, at the of 25th
: being June,
29th of September. ? We find, that Greven, in his additions to Usuard,
September ;
his General Martyrology, written in French. He tells us, more particularly,
that the saint was bishop of Cork, which was a suffragan S—ee to that of Cashel,
Canisius as found in both of —
the holy bishop and Confessor Barr, in Ireland. Again, in the Florarius
Manuscript Catalogue of Saints, there is a notice concerning him, with other saints, inserted at the 25th of Septembers His festival has been assigned to the same date by nearly all modern writers ; as for instance, by Bishop
2
in Munster. 9 In the German
Martyrology
editions, already quoted, and at the same date there is mention regarding
Challoner,94 Rev. Alban Butler,95 Rev. Dr.
80 " 88" See Bishop Forbes' Kalendars ot
Lanigan,9
6 Archdeacon
Henry
Scottish Saints," p. 163.
In Cathnesia S. Barri episcopi. "
89 Thus recorded: "Hoc autem die S. Finbarrus Episcopus et Confessor. "—" De
" Barreae episcopi et 82 "
:
81 There we read
— Item beatorum et Confes- life uti in ejus Vita Turgotis retulit. " episcoporum
""
*'
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. ii. , num. 135, p. 76.
" Synodum Ecclesiae suae,
sorum Bane Barciani, et Gerardi, qui extitit de Ordine Minorum. " To this observation, the Bollandist editor adds: " Quid tamen sibi velint, non video. De Gerardo Ordinis Mino- rum consule, si lubet, Prretermissos hoc die ; verum cum hie non fuerit episcopus dicendus est Florariiauctor Barram et Barcianuni duos diversos episcopos credidisse, sed quis ille
8s These read
lib. i. , Epistolas ad varios, lib. i. , Exposi-
:
tionem Psalterii, lib.
Canonum sacrorum, lib.
Caerimoniis Epistolam ;
cus Canisius Alcuini Scoti nomine publicavit, cum S. Barri opus esse ipsum nomen prae- fixum in bibliotheca regia testetur, et viri pii cura, qui pereuntem sanctissimi antistitis memoriam
i. Collectionem
i. De Baptismi quam male Henri-
hisce — sect, restituit, apicibus operum
mecum pridem communicatis. " Ibid. , pp. 76, 77-
86
For this statement, he quotes Martyr- ologium Subensi, and Catalogum Sanctorum Hiberniae.
'« See " A Memorial of British
87 In his notes, we find that this same saint
is called Findbarnus ; but, it is more pro- Scottish churches. See Britannia Sancta," bable, Dempster wrote Findbarrus. part ii. , pp. 142, 143.
(lege Finbarrus)
primus episco-
Q1 as likewise in Castellane,
—Acta
tomus vii. , Septembris xxv. De S. Barro
Barcianus sit, nescio. "
vel Kinbarro Ep. Corcagiensi in Hibernia,
num.
i. , 3, 4, p. 142.
Piety," p. 135. There, however, he is distinguished from St. Barrus, called first bishop of Caith-
ness in Scotland, at this same date; although in an earlier work, there is but one Barrus mentioned, as venerated in the Irish and
"
Sanctorum,"
September 25. I LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 579
8
Cotton,97 R. Chambers^ Miss Mary Francis Cusack,99 Rev. S. Baring-
100 101
Gould, and in the "Dictionary of Christian Biography. " Philip
Ferrarius, who inserts the names of many saints, not found in the Roman
"
Martyrology, has a notice concerning a bishop Barr, venerated
102
in Scotia,"
at the 22nd of August.
There are many places in Ireland especially in the south called
—
honour of our saint. In the County of Cork a Kilbarry was about one mile outside the city to the north. *°3 Another was near Dunmanway, while another
was near Fermoy. 104 There is a Knockbarry, near Liscarroll, in the County ofCork. Alsothereis aKilbarryadjoiningatE. CastleCor. 10' Thefollow- ingwerewithintheCountyofCork. InKilbrinparish,dioceseofCloyne, the Catholic Church is dedicated to St. Finbar. 106 Also in Ballingeary, the parish Catholic church is dedicated to St. Finbar and St Ronan. 10? In the
parish of Castlelyons and barony of Condons and Clangibbon, the townland of Kilbarry is to be found. 108 The Catholic church at Castlelyons is dedicated to St. Finbar. IQ9 There was a 110 in the of Kilbrin,
—
Kilbarry, and they are said to have been thus denominated formerly in
barony of Duhallow. In the parish of Fanlobbus," barony of East Carbery
(West Division) there is a townland called Kilbarry.
112
In the parish of
Templemartin,
1 ^ and
barony
of
Kinalmeaky,
there is a
Kilbarry. "*
In the
parish of Kilmoe,"5 barony of West Carbery (West Division) there is a town-
land known as 6 There is a townland called in the
Kilbarry. " Kilbarry"? parish of Ballinadee, and barony of West Muskerry. There is a Kilbarry
8 in the
of West
There is a parish called Kilbarry" in the barony of Gaultiere, and County of
of
"
95 See Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs,
and other principal Saints," vol. ix. , Septem- ber xxv.
96 See " Ecclesiaslical History of Ireland,"
vol. ii. , chap, xiv. , sect, iv. , p. 315.
97 See " Fasti Ecclesise Hibernicse," vol.
and
107 Information communicated by Very Rev. Patrick Hurley, P. P.
I0* It is marked on the " Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Cork," sheet 36.
109 Information communicated by Very Rev. Patrick Hurley, P. P.
110 See " Ordnance Survey Townland for the County of Cork," sheets 16, 24.
111 There are remains of a church and grave-yard. The Catholic parish church is dedicated to St. Finbar. Information communicated by Very Rev. Patrick Hurley, P. P.
townland,"
parish
Inchigeelagh
barony
Muskerry.
i. , Bishops of Cork, p. 215.
97 See "The Book of 380.
Days,"
vol.
ii. , p.
Maps
"See "The
History
of the
City
and
County of Cork," chap, iii. , p. 41. ico «
gee jjves of the Saints," vol. ix. , September 25, pp. 377, 378.
101
Article by the Right Rev. Alexander Penrose Forbes, Bishop of Brechin, vol. i. ,
pp. 266, 267.
1,2 " Marked on the
102
For this statement, he cites the Meno-
sheets 107, 12c.
113 The Catholic Church there is dedicated
to St. Finbar. Information communicated by Very Rev. Patrick Hurley, P. P.
114 Marked on the "Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Cork," sheet 96.
113 The Catholic Church there is dedicated to St. Finbar.
Information communicated by Very Rev. Patrick Hurley, P. P.
116 See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cork," sheet 147.
"7 See " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cork," sheet 83.
logium Scoticum, and the Martyrologium Canisii. But the Bollandist editor, Suyskens, could not find such an entry in Dempster at that day, nor in the Menology of Camera- rius, nor in the German Martyrology of Canisius, edited at Dillinga, in the years 1577 or 1599-
103 In the parish of St. Anne's, Shandon,
barony of Cork and Municipal Borough. See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
for the County of Cork," sheets 63, 74.
104 See John Windale's Manuscript,
already quoted, at p. 757.
1,8 Noted on the " Ordnance Townland Maps for the County of Cork," sheet 82.
"»See "Ordnance Survey Townland
105 See 758.
John
Windale's
Manuscript, p.
Survey
196 Rev. PatrickHurley,P. P.
Information communicated by Very
Kilbarry parish 1
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cork,"
58o LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September25.
Waterford. Thereisanother called parish
Kilbarrymeaden
120inthe of barony
Decies without Drum, in the same county. It seems probable both were named
after our saint. We are told, that in the seventh century the monks of St.
Finbarr, near Cork, founded a small abbey for Canons Regular of St. Austin,
121
at Aghamore. This was situated towards the western extremity of
Kilcroghan parish, in Dunkerron barony, county of Kerry. It is built on a small island, near the mouth of Kenmare river ; but, at low water, it is accessible by land from the neighbouring shore. The old walls are often
beaten both by winds and waves.
122
This old ruin is celebrated, m—oreover, as
forming a portion of the property, and standing near Darrynane once the residence of Ireland's illustrious Liberator, Daniel O'Connell. 12* His wife'sandmanyofhisancestors'remainsrestwithinitsburialground. The
I2
surrounding scenery is uncommonly grand and romantic. * According to
of
Kilbarron,
bears his name ; the church there is given as Oil barfinn in an ancient
126 map.
The memorials of St. Barr are in many parts of Scotland connected with local topography. Thus in the parish of Kilkerran was Barre's Island, in modern times designated Davara or Devar,127 and in the mouth of Campbel-
thus 8 The island is thrown named, Argylshire. "
some accounts, the of parish
I25 in the
county
Donegal, probably
town in the Lough,
parish
out like a sentinel from the hills, and it is connected with the shore on the
south-west side by a natural mole of gravel,"9 thus forming a splendid
Maps for the County of Waterford," sheets
9, 17. The townland so named within it is
marked ibid. 120
described this locality in several spirit- stirring stanzas. In one of these, written in 1844, after a visit to Darrynane, allusion
It is described on the "Ordnance is thus made to St. Finbarr
Survey Townland Maps for the County of Waterford," sheets 16, 25. The townland so named is to be found on the latter sheet.
131 See Smith's H Natural and Civil
History of Kerry," chap, v. , p. 04. I know not on what authority, this statement has been advanced ; but its accuracy must be doubted, as the Canons Regular of St. Augustine had not an existence at that early period.
,2i
Allusion to this locality may be seen at the 7th of April, in the Fourth Volume of this work, Ait. i. There may be seen an engraving of the old church ruins, which are thought by some to have had St. Finan Lobhar as patron, or possibly St. Finan,
Patron and Abbot of Kinnety, venerated at that date.
123 His accomplished daughter, Mrs. Ellen Fitz-simon, has alluded to t—his locality, in
lordly
the following beautiful lines
"
:
I pass the arch, and in the grass-grown aisle
Pause o'er the marble that commemorates,
In plain but energetic phrase, the worth, Talents and virtues of those long, lone
laid
Within the narrow house. "
—" in Darrynane Eighteen
Hundred and Thirty-Two, and other Poems," pp. 3, 4.
,2*An admired Irish poet, under the signature Desmond in the Nation, has well
— :
" And who is the chief of this domain ? —
Does a slave hold the land where a monarch might reign ? —
Oh! no, by St. Finbar, nor cowards, nor slaves,
Could live in the sound of those free
dashing waves.
A chieftain, the—greatest the world has
e'er known
Laurel his coronet true hearts his
— throne—
— his Knowledge sceptre
clan
—a Nation his
O'Connell, the chieftain of proud Darry- nane ! "
—" Denis Poems," by
125 Already at the 2i>t of May, in the Fifth Volume of this work, Art. i. , allusion has been made to this place, of which St. Barrfhion. venerated at that d;ite. is regarded as patron. There, too, an engraving of Kilbarron old church, County of Donegal, is presented.
of Places," in Eraser's
127 " Magazine.
See Origines ParochiaUs Scotise," pars ii. , i. , pp. 12, 16, 23.
128 See Francis H. Groome's " Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. ii. , p. 345.
Mac p. 275, Dublin edition, 1882. 8vo.
Florence
Carthy,
126 William Allingham on " Irish Names
September 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 58i
harbourforCampbeltown. IntheparishofTarbat,thereisChapelBarreat MiddGenie. I3° InSouthAyrshirethereisaparishandavillagecalledBarr. '31 In it are the ruins of a pre-Reformation chapel, known as Kirk Dominae. 13* In Forfarshire and in the parish of Stickathrow,133 is the scattered village of Inchbare. 13 * St. Finbarr is patron of the Isle of Barra, which takes its name from him,I35 and where a culius of the Saint was maintained136 until the last century,13? There is a church in this island called Kilbarr, which means St. Barr's church, and a little chapel near it, in which the Macneil, and those descended from his family, are usually interred. The natives had St. Barr's wooden image standing on the altar, and covered with linen, in the formofasurplice. '38 Alltheirgreatestasseverationswerebythissaint. Inthe Island of Barray the saint's image used to be clothed with a linen sheet every
year upon
the
day
ofhis
anniversary.
1^ Thisinsular oftheOuter parish
Hebrides is in Inverness-shire, and it has a Catholic church dedicated to St.
Barr. I4° Si. Finbar is patron of Dornoch,141 the episcopal seat of Caithness,
and a coast town and a parish of south-east Sutherland. It is the capital of
this county, and it was formerly a royal and parliamentary burgh. On the 25th of September, the Scottish Church kept the festivals of St.
f Fynber, a bishop who obtained special reverence in Caithness, and of S .
12
Finneis, * bishop and martyr, at Eddleston.
Among the more modern erections, designed to commemorate the first Bishop and chief Patron of Cork, the following are especially to be noticed : The Protestant Chapter of St. Finbar's being free from debt in 1861, the Finance Committee suggested that the surplus of income should be applied
1 to the formation of a fund for the repair or rebuilding of the cathedral. *3
Early in the following year, it was resolved to remove the structure then
existing, and to rebuild the church on a grandiose scale. Liberal subscrip-
tions were received, and designs prepared by Mr. William Burges, the
architect, were approved by the chapter. On the 12th of January, 1865, the first stone of the new cathedral was laid by Bishop John Gregg, with the usual
129 See ibid. y vol. i. , p. 227.
130 See Origines Parochiales Scotia? ," pars
ii. ,pp. 11,434.
131 See " New Statistical Account of
Scotland. " Ayrshire, p. 409.
132 See Francis H. Groome's " Ordnance
Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. 130, 131. 133 See " New Statistical Account of
Scotland. " Forfarshire, p. 668.
134 See Francis H. Groome's " Ordnance
Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. iv. , p. 283.
135 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," Appendix to
of the
I3? See " Old Statistical Survey of Scot- land," vol. xiii, p. 326.
prevented me, by carrying it away lest I might take occasion to ridicule their super- stition, as some Protestants have done formerly, and when I was gone, it was again exposed on the altar. They have several traditions concerning this great saint. There
is a chappie (about half a mile on the south side of the hill near St. Barr's Church), where I had occasion to get an account of a tradition concerning this saint which was thus : The inhabitants having begun to build the church, which they dedicated to him, they laid this wooden image within it, but it was invisibly transported (as they say) to the place where the church no—w
stands, and found there every morning. " "
Preface, p. lxxiv. , n. (d). 136 See M. Martin's "
land," vol. xiii. , p. 326.
140 The Easter Communions there
numbered 1,015, * n 1880, and the church has 500 seats. See Francis H. Groome's
Description Western Islands of Scotland," p. 92.
" I came very early in
138 Martin states
the morning with an intention to see this image, but was disappointed, for the natives
P- *34-
141 See an account of it in Francis H.
:
M. Martin's Description of the Western Islands of Scotland," p. 92.
"
Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. ,
139 See
"
Old Statistical Survey of Scot-
Groome's
"
On. i nance Gazetteer of Scot-
land,'' vol. ii. , pp. 362, 363.
142 See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 275.
143 See the Rev. Andrew C. Robinson's
"St. Fin Barre's Cathedral, Cork, His torical and Descriptive," p. 17.
582 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September25. ceremonies, and in the presence of a large and representative assemblage.
The work was 1 " but the rapidly pressed forward,
Mr. Walker, resigned the contract in 1866. On the 13th of March, 1867, the contract of Messrs. Gilbert Cockburne and Sons, Dublin, was accepted, and on the following 5th of August, the new contractors commenced work. 1** Although unfinished at the time, the ceremonial for the consecration of St. Fin Barr's Cathedral took
>r View of St. Fin Barre's Cnthedral, Cork.
Peterborough, Down,
Limerick, Tuam, and
Derry. Acrowdedand
distinguished congre-
gation was present, the
Corporation of Cork
being represented by
several of its mem-
bers. 1^6 At that time,
through want of suffi-
cient funds, the Cathe-
dral was not wholly
completed; but,onthe
6th of April, 1878,
Bishop John Gregg had the satisfaction of
laying the topmost stones of the western towers and spires, at- tended by a large body of the clergy and laity.
On the 23rd of October, 1879, his successor. Bishop Robert Samuel Gregg, attended by members of the Diocesan Synod then in session, laid the topmost stone of the great central tower, thus practically
'** An external view of the Cathedral, the south and north Portals were begun on
taken at an angle which introduces the the 1 2th of August ; the Triplet window of
western portals, duplex towers and spires, Ambulatory on the 7th of September ; with the great central lower and spire, one Bases of Nave columns, north side, on side and transept, is given in the frontis- the nth of October; south-east great piece to the work already quoted. The pier commenced October 30th, and north- appearance here presented introduces an east great pier, on the 31st ; north-east and obverse view of the external apse, choir and south-west great piers were begun on the transept, taken from an approved photo- 2nd of December. On the 27th of January, graph, before the great centra] tower had 1868, the Bases of Nave columns com- been completed. It was drawn and en- menced on the south side ; Arches of the graved on the wood by Gregor Grey. Apse windows were begun on the 17th of
,4S The work was pushed on energetically: March ; first string course of great piers
Robert
place on Wednesday, November 30th, 1870.
contractor,
The
bishop was the Right Rev. Dr. Gregg, Bishop of Cork, Cloyne, and Ross, who was assisted by the Lord Primate, the Archbishop of
Dublin, Bishops
and the
of Meath,
consecrating
September 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 583
the Cathe—dral of St. Fin Barre.
