s It was situated in Sliabh Guaire or Gory, a
mountainous
district forming part of Clankee barony, in the county of Cavan.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
Fanchea founded her nunnery, at a very early period.
^ The graveyard of Lisgoole
"See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hi- bemizE," xxv. Januarii, n. 7, p. 164.
=^3 For this statement, Dempster refers to Fordan, and the work is said to have been included in one book.
" Historia Ecclesiastica
This
'S "De Gestis Scotorum," lib. iv. , p. 152,
"It is in the barony of Clanawley and county of Fermanagh. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. iii. , n.
(f), p. 543.
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiii. In
the Franciscan the we at copy entry find,
this date, is Sci <\eT)A epi.
* See Ward's "Vita S. Rumoldi," p.
'* See
Dempster's
Gentis Scotorum," lib. v. , num. 491. was included in one tract.
^ "Historia Scotorum," lib. ix. , p. 167.
" 263 to 265.
'7 See "Kalendars of Scottish pp. 334, 335.
'8
'' See
Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part
At Aberdeen, p. 164.
^ See an account of this parish, situated
partly in Banffshire and partly in Aberdeen-
i. , pp. 112, 113. " ? It is marked on the
shire,
managh. "
in Fullarton's " Gazetteer of Imperial
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Fer-
Scotland," vol. —i. , pp. 371, 372. »
Article it. Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 26, 27.
Vol. I.
Saints,"
"Proceedings
ofthe Irish Royal
158.
s See Monasticon Hibemicum," pp.
Sheets 22, 27. No traces of the ruins appear on these maps.
^ her
See life, already given at the 1st
day of January, chap, iu, pp. 3, 4. 3 F
434 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 25.
has been even swept away, having been devoted to agricultural purposes. 9 Yet the natural beauties of the scenery around cannot be obliterated by the agency of man. '° It is probable, that after the death of our saint, several centuries had elapsed before Maguire, the chief over this district, had founded
Site of Lisgoole Abbey, on Lough Erne.
a monastery for Canons Regular of St. Augustine, a. d. 1106," There the
princes of Fermanagh were interred, and while living they were great bene- factorstowardsthatreligiouscommunity. Aboutthemiddleofthesixteenth
century, the Augustinians appear to have been replaced by the Franciscans," whose premises had been seized by the crown, early in the reign of James 1. ^3 So late as 1739, however, the Franciscans seem to have resided in the neigh- bourhood. OnthenowlonelysiteofLisgoole,thedustofabbots,religious, warlike chiefs, noble ladies, and thousands of the humble laity, have made that spot loamy, but no tomb remains as a memorial.
Article III. —Translation of the Relics of St. Brigid, Patroness OFIreland,toLisbon,Portugal. Itisamatterofgreatinterestforus in Ireland to learn, that at this present time the distant land of Portugal preserves with great respect an important and a considerable relic of the
9 See William F. Wakeman's " Lough Erne, Enniskillen, Belleek, Ballyshannon and Bundoran," &c.
'° The accompanying illustration of the placehasbeendrawnonthespotbyWilliam F. Wakeman, and engraved by William Oldham of Dublin.
"See Rev. C. P. Meehan's "Rise and Fall of the Irish Franciscan Monasteries," &c. , appendix, pp. 288 to 294.
"In Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," there are notices of Lisgoole atA. D. 1329, 1345, 1348, 1360, 1373, 1380, 1390, 1419, 1430, 1431, 1434, 1443. 1445. 1446, 1447, 1450, 1465, 1466, 1477f 1515. 1522, 1527, 1602.
'3 At the dissolution it was granted to Sir
John Davis. See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 539-
January 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 435
holy patroness of our island, St, Brigid In the village of Lumiar, about six miles from Lisbon, and in the parish church of St. John the Baptist, is a chapel, dedicated to the virgin protectress of Ireland. There may be seen a beautiful statue of St. Brigid; but what is still more remarkable is the fact of her head having been preserved in it, during many a past age. That relic is supposed to have been brought from Germany, and it is held in the greatest veneration by the Portuguese. ^ That head has been in Lumiar church since the thirteenth century, which is proved by an inscription on the outside of St. Brigid's chapel. ^ There are three marble slabs inserted in the wall, and about four feet from the ground. These slabs are numbered respectively, i, 2, and 3. If an inscription had been formerly on either i or 2, it is now completely effaced; but on number 3, there is a carving in very
old Portuguese. 3 In his very short notice regarding St. Bridget's head, and which the Rev. Alban Butler* seems to have taken from the Bollandists, we are informed by the Rev. Mr. Cafirey, he is quite wrong in stating that precious relic had been kept at the Jesuits' church in Lisbon. However this may be, we feel obliged to reproduce the Bollandists' own statement. We are told, that in the month of October, a. d. 1587, the head of St. Brigid, with the relics of many other celebrated saints, had been obtained with great Zealand exertion by John Borgia and by his pious consort, Frances of Arragon, from the Emperor Rudolph II. s and his mother Maria. These he presented to the Church of St. Roch, belonging to the Jesuits at Lisbon. The approbation of the archbishop, Michael de Castro, was obtained, to have this commemoration held on the 25th of January, the following year. The Austrian Albert, who was then governor of Portugal for Philip II. , ordained by decree a splendid and solemn celebration for those enshrined relics. ^ These were borne in procession, with singular pomp and honour, in twelve distinct shrines or cases. On account of the heads of St. Brigid'
and of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus^ having been among them. Pope Sixtus V. granted a perpetual jubilee^ in that church. ^° Some of those saints, vene- rated there, have festivals known and noted by the Bollandists; but the feasts of some, whose reUcs were religiously preserved, seem to have escaped their researches. " At Lumiar there is a grand ceremony on St. Brigid's
Article hi. —'For information con-
tained in the text, the writer has to express
his obligations to the Rev. Edward Caffrey,
pastor of Widnes, England, in a letter
dated No. 154 Mount Pleasant, Liverpool,
July 15th, 1874. The Rev. Mr. CaiTrey,
whose impaired health obliged him to spend nine months in Portugal, often had the hap-
is in this chapel, for remembrance of which the officials of the board (or confraternity) of the saint, out of their own funds, caused this to be made A. D. 1283. "
* See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and other Principal Saints," vol. ii. , February i, s His reign began in 1576, and it continued
piness of saying Mass on St. Brigid's altar. *^
Called Sante — Brigida.
An account of this is contained ceremony
the Portuguese into the Spanish language.
7 See her Life at the ist day of February, ^His feast occurs at the i7thof Novem-
ber. At this date, or on the feast of St. Brigid, at the 1st of February, the Bollan- dists state it was possible more should be found regarding these events.
'The Bollandists express it "jubileum perpetuum in ea rede concessit. "
"See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum
Januarii," tomus ii. , xxv. Januarii. Prseter- missi et in alios dies rejecti, pp. 61 1, 6l2.
" Secidid. , pp. 612, 613.
3 It runs as follows
:
3°.
Aqui nestas tressepulturas jaz enterados
in a book, written Manuel de by
"
Campos, which Aluarus de Veancos translated from
OS tres Cavaleiros Ibernios q, trouxera aca- beea Da Beanaventurada S. Brigida Virge
natural D. Ibernia, cuja reliquiaesta nesta Capella, para memoria Do qual hos oficias Da Mesa Da Beanaventurada da S. mao Darao fazer este EIN RO D 1283. "
The English translatio—n is thus supplied
by the Rev. Mr. Caffrey:
"Here in these three tombs lie interred
the three Irish Knights (or gentlemen) who brought the head of the Blessed Saint Brid- get, virgin, a native of Ireland, whose relic
to 1612. See Sir Harris Nicolas'
"
Chron-
ology of History," p. 396.
436 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 25.
feast day, when the relic is exposed, as also during the octave. On St. John's day, it is likewise exposed. A fair is held on each occasion, which laststhewholeweek. Formilesaround,peasantsbringtheircattle,"and drive them three times around the church,'3 according to an old custom. This probably originated from a knowledge that St. Brigid in early life had been engaged at pastoral occupations.
Article IV. —St. Guaire, Bishop in Gobhail. We find it difficult to
determine anything relating to the personal history of this holy prelate. It is possible, says Colgan, a St. Genereus, Guereus, or Guerenus, of Saxon or Anglo-Saxon race, and a monk at Zona, was identical with the saint, vene-
rated on this day. He admits, however, that such identity may be with one similarly named and venerated on the 27th of July. ^ This holy man is
classed among the disciples of St. Columkille, and he is regarded as one of those distinguished at lona. ^ Both the published3 work and the unpub-
lished-^ Franciscan copy of the Martyrology of Tallagh register a festival, to the honour of Bishop Guaire, in Gobhail, at the 25th day of January. More than this does not seem to be left on record.
Article V. —St. Mochonna of Earnaidhe, probably the Parish of Urney, County of Cavan. The Lord teaches us both by words and works, says St. Hilary,' while His discourse and His action equally serve to
direct the faith of our hopes. According to the Martyrology of Donegal,' Mochonna, of Eamaidhe-Mochua, was venerated on this day. In the table she is called virgin, and seems to be identified with Keyna. 3 We find an
entry in the Martyrology of Tallagh,* on the 25th of January, Mochonna Emaidhe. The latter place is said to have been the city of a St. Findsech, a virgin, whose feast occurs at the 13th of October.
s It was situated in Sliabh Guaire or Gory, a mountainous district forming part of Clankee barony, in the county of Cavan. ^ According to our opinion, however, Emaidhe would seem more probably resolvable into Urney, the modem name of a parish, partly in the barony of Upper, but chiefly in that of Lower Loughtee,7 in the same county.
Article VI. —St. Mochua. In the Martyrologies of Tallagh' and of
" The people believe that after such pro- cess their cattle will have no sickness or hurt during the year to come.
'3 In St. Briget's chapel, there are literally thousands of votive offerings in wax. These
are principally figures of sheep, cows, etc.
nexion between Earnaidhe and Mochua. 3MentionedbyCapgrave. Seeibid. ,pp. 448, 449. Regarding her the reader is re- ferred to the 8th of October, her chief feast-
day.
* Edited by the Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiii.
Nineteen foreign saints are entered in the
Franciscan copy of the Tallagh Martyrolog}', and then occurs this first insertion of two distinct saints, belonging to Ireland: fHo- chonriAe epnTohe ocu]* niocliuAe.
These animals s—he greatly protects. "
Article iv. 'See Trias Thaumatur-
ga," Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbae, cap. X. , p. 490.
" See ibid. Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbae, cap. iii. , sec. v. , p. 502.
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiii. *Here the entry reads: epf 5uAii\e iri
5
See notices of St. Findsech, virgin, at
5obuil. — Article v.
that day.
*See Dr. O'Donovan's "Leabhar na g-
Ceart, or. Book of Rights," n. (v), p. 188.
'Divi Hilarii Pictavorum
^ See Lewis'
"
Episcopi, in Evangelium Matthasi Canones seu Commentarius, Canon xvii. ,p. 547.
' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 26, 27. We suspect here an error of con-
of Ireland," vol. —ii. , p. 671. '
Topographical Dictionary
Article vi. Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiii.
January 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 437
Donegal,^ we read of Mochua, as having had a festival on this day. We are
left in doubt regarding his locality. In the Martyrology of Tallagh, the simple name of Mochua is united with Mochonna Ernaidhe. It has been conjectured,3 that the present saint may have been the Mochua alluded to in the acts of St, Feichin, Abbot of Fore,* and to whom he was united in bonds of the closest friendship, s If so, this saint was Abbot of Ard-Slaine.
Article VII. —St. Fincheall of Sliabh-Guaire, now Slieve-gory, CountyofCavan. Theprayer,breathedbySt. Patrickfortheperseverance in Ireland in the Faith he then preached, was answered by an echo from hill and dale, from camp and cottage, from plebeian and noble. ' Finche, of Sleibh Guaire, occurs in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 25th of January. Whether this name Finnche is intended to correspond with Fincheall, or with the virgin, Finche, whose feast is this day commemorated, must remain unde- termined. In the Martyrology of Donegal,3 we find entered, as having a festival at this date, Fincheall, of Sliabh Guaire. This is still the name of a mountainousdistrictinthebaronyofClankee,andcountyofCavan. * We cannot discover the place of this saint more particularly marked. To our
mind, there is considerable confusion in the entries of more than one saint's name, in the Irish calendars, at this day.
Article VIII. —St. Finche, Virgin. Without any other designation,
this entry, Finche, virgin, is set down in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ for this day. We desire the reader's attention to preceding remarks.
Article IX. —Mac h Grecca, of Finchill, or Findchill. We are at a loss to find more precise information regarding the present saint and his place, than what occurs in our most ancient calendar. Mac h Grecca I. finchill is mentioned in the pubHshed Martyrology of Tallagh,* as one venerated on the 25th of January. In the unpublished, and more correct Franciscan version, slight literal variations' only occur.
Article X. —Reputed Festival of St. Falbeus, Abbot. Among the saints who have been passed over by the BoUandists at this day, is the Abbot Falbeus. ' He was a Scot, and most probably an Irishman. We are told by Dempster^ that he belonged to Argyle, that he was a friend of St.
'Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
26, 27.
3 By Colgan. See "Acta Sanctorum
Hibemiae," xx. Januarii. Secimda Vita S. Fechini, n. 37, p. 142.
* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (z), p. ii, and vol. ii. , n. (z), pp. 866, 867, and n. (k), p. 1036, ibid. —
* See his Life at the 20th of
5 SeetheSecondLifeofSt. Fechin,chap.
and Reeves, —26, pp. 27.
xliv. , pp. 138, 139—. Article vii.
'
p. xiii. — ^'Itreads:
See Miss Cusack's (Sister Mary Francis Clare's) "Illustrated
mAch. 5^eccAein —
History of Ireland," chap, ix. , p. 135.
Januarii," tomus ii. , xxv. Januarii. Praeter- missi et in alios dies rejecti, p. 610.
^ See his " Scoticum. " Also Menologium
^
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiii.
In
the Franciscan we read the copy
following insertion, pin'oche u -plebi 5u<xn\e.
Bishop Forbes' Saints," p. 191.
"
Kalendars of Scottish
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 26, 27.
January.
Article viii.
'
Edited by
Drs.
Todd
Articleix. EditedbyRev. Dr. Kelly,
Vitrochill. Article x. 'See "Acta Sanctorum
438 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 25.
Columba,andthathehadbeendistinguishedforhispiety. ButDavidCame- rarius appears to have known nothing regarding this Scottish abbot. Ferra- rius alludes to his festival as having been at this date, citing as authorities the English and Scottish Martyrologies. Besides St. Failbe II. , venerated at the loth of March,3 and St. Failbe I. , at the 22nd,'* there were four other distinguishedecclesiasticsbearingthisname. s Moreshallbesaidregarding these, in subsequent pages of this work.
Article XI. —Feast of St. Paul's Conversion, This great Apostle of the Gentiles was specially a vessel of election, and in all Christian coun- tries, from a very early period, his conversion has been commemorated. The Feliere of St. ^ngus contains no festival for an Irish saint at the 25th of January, as may be seen in the following Irish extract,' and its EngHsh
furnished Professor — translation, by O'Looney
; but, instead,
it thus alludes to
the conversion of St. Paul the Apostle O. mii. kt. —Til 'oe'obAt aLaicVii
Co C]M]"C cecTiAing |-AicVie poi A Tti-bAichey bi\ecViA.
D. uiii. kl. —Not insignificant the festival,
A festival on which solemnity is made
To Christ multitudes repaired Paul in the judgment of baptism.
Article XII. —Reputed Festival of Blessed Paul, Hermit, and a Disciple of St. Patrick. \Fifth Century. '] Without any better warrant than the fact of St. Paul's conversion having been kept as a festival on this day, Colgan has introduced the acts of an Irish St. Paul,' whose period is said to lie in the fifth and sixth centuries. ^ This holy man is thought to have lived during the first age of Christianity in our island, and to have been a disciple of the great apostle, St. Patrick. Whether Paul accompanied this illustrious mis- sionary to Ireland, or whether he was a native of our country, does not appear. The accounts regarding him are evidently too much confused, and too considerably intermingled with fables, to allow any very clear deductions for the composition of a correct biography. About the year 442,3 Colgan thinks he was instructed in piety and literature by St. Patrick. Whether before or after this time, the blessed Paul lived as a hermit, seems unknown. He is represented as having been among the earliest of St. Patrick's converts.
But the great apostle, being obliged frequently to travel about, and finding
'See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," X. Martii. Vita S. Failbei sive Fal- vei, p.
"See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hi- bemizE," xxv. Januarii, n. 7, p. 164.
=^3 For this statement, Dempster refers to Fordan, and the work is said to have been included in one book.
" Historia Ecclesiastica
This
'S "De Gestis Scotorum," lib. iv. , p. 152,
"It is in the barony of Clanawley and county of Fermanagh. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. iii. , n.
(f), p. 543.
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiii. In
the Franciscan the we at copy entry find,
this date, is Sci <\eT)A epi.
* See Ward's "Vita S. Rumoldi," p.
'* See
Dempster's
Gentis Scotorum," lib. v. , num. 491. was included in one tract.
^ "Historia Scotorum," lib. ix. , p. 167.
" 263 to 265.
'7 See "Kalendars of Scottish pp. 334, 335.
'8
'' See
Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part
At Aberdeen, p. 164.
^ See an account of this parish, situated
partly in Banffshire and partly in Aberdeen-
i. , pp. 112, 113. " ? It is marked on the
shire,
managh. "
in Fullarton's " Gazetteer of Imperial
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Fer-
Scotland," vol. —i. , pp. 371, 372. »
Article it. Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 26, 27.
Vol. I.
Saints,"
"Proceedings
ofthe Irish Royal
158.
s See Monasticon Hibemicum," pp.
Sheets 22, 27. No traces of the ruins appear on these maps.
^ her
See life, already given at the 1st
day of January, chap, iu, pp. 3, 4. 3 F
434 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 25.
has been even swept away, having been devoted to agricultural purposes. 9 Yet the natural beauties of the scenery around cannot be obliterated by the agency of man. '° It is probable, that after the death of our saint, several centuries had elapsed before Maguire, the chief over this district, had founded
Site of Lisgoole Abbey, on Lough Erne.
a monastery for Canons Regular of St. Augustine, a. d. 1106," There the
princes of Fermanagh were interred, and while living they were great bene- factorstowardsthatreligiouscommunity. Aboutthemiddleofthesixteenth
century, the Augustinians appear to have been replaced by the Franciscans," whose premises had been seized by the crown, early in the reign of James 1. ^3 So late as 1739, however, the Franciscans seem to have resided in the neigh- bourhood. OnthenowlonelysiteofLisgoole,thedustofabbots,religious, warlike chiefs, noble ladies, and thousands of the humble laity, have made that spot loamy, but no tomb remains as a memorial.
Article III. —Translation of the Relics of St. Brigid, Patroness OFIreland,toLisbon,Portugal. Itisamatterofgreatinterestforus in Ireland to learn, that at this present time the distant land of Portugal preserves with great respect an important and a considerable relic of the
9 See William F. Wakeman's " Lough Erne, Enniskillen, Belleek, Ballyshannon and Bundoran," &c.
'° The accompanying illustration of the placehasbeendrawnonthespotbyWilliam F. Wakeman, and engraved by William Oldham of Dublin.
"See Rev. C. P. Meehan's "Rise and Fall of the Irish Franciscan Monasteries," &c. , appendix, pp. 288 to 294.
"In Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," there are notices of Lisgoole atA. D. 1329, 1345, 1348, 1360, 1373, 1380, 1390, 1419, 1430, 1431, 1434, 1443. 1445. 1446, 1447, 1450, 1465, 1466, 1477f 1515. 1522, 1527, 1602.
'3 At the dissolution it was granted to Sir
John Davis. See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 539-
January 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 435
holy patroness of our island, St, Brigid In the village of Lumiar, about six miles from Lisbon, and in the parish church of St. John the Baptist, is a chapel, dedicated to the virgin protectress of Ireland. There may be seen a beautiful statue of St. Brigid; but what is still more remarkable is the fact of her head having been preserved in it, during many a past age. That relic is supposed to have been brought from Germany, and it is held in the greatest veneration by the Portuguese. ^ That head has been in Lumiar church since the thirteenth century, which is proved by an inscription on the outside of St. Brigid's chapel. ^ There are three marble slabs inserted in the wall, and about four feet from the ground. These slabs are numbered respectively, i, 2, and 3. If an inscription had been formerly on either i or 2, it is now completely effaced; but on number 3, there is a carving in very
old Portuguese. 3 In his very short notice regarding St. Bridget's head, and which the Rev. Alban Butler* seems to have taken from the Bollandists, we are informed by the Rev. Mr. Cafirey, he is quite wrong in stating that precious relic had been kept at the Jesuits' church in Lisbon. However this may be, we feel obliged to reproduce the Bollandists' own statement. We are told, that in the month of October, a. d. 1587, the head of St. Brigid, with the relics of many other celebrated saints, had been obtained with great Zealand exertion by John Borgia and by his pious consort, Frances of Arragon, from the Emperor Rudolph II. s and his mother Maria. These he presented to the Church of St. Roch, belonging to the Jesuits at Lisbon. The approbation of the archbishop, Michael de Castro, was obtained, to have this commemoration held on the 25th of January, the following year. The Austrian Albert, who was then governor of Portugal for Philip II. , ordained by decree a splendid and solemn celebration for those enshrined relics. ^ These were borne in procession, with singular pomp and honour, in twelve distinct shrines or cases. On account of the heads of St. Brigid'
and of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus^ having been among them. Pope Sixtus V. granted a perpetual jubilee^ in that church. ^° Some of those saints, vene- rated there, have festivals known and noted by the Bollandists; but the feasts of some, whose reUcs were religiously preserved, seem to have escaped their researches. " At Lumiar there is a grand ceremony on St. Brigid's
Article hi. —'For information con-
tained in the text, the writer has to express
his obligations to the Rev. Edward Caffrey,
pastor of Widnes, England, in a letter
dated No. 154 Mount Pleasant, Liverpool,
July 15th, 1874. The Rev. Mr. CaiTrey,
whose impaired health obliged him to spend nine months in Portugal, often had the hap-
is in this chapel, for remembrance of which the officials of the board (or confraternity) of the saint, out of their own funds, caused this to be made A. D. 1283. "
* See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and other Principal Saints," vol. ii. , February i, s His reign began in 1576, and it continued
piness of saying Mass on St. Brigid's altar. *^
Called Sante — Brigida.
An account of this is contained ceremony
the Portuguese into the Spanish language.
7 See her Life at the ist day of February, ^His feast occurs at the i7thof Novem-
ber. At this date, or on the feast of St. Brigid, at the 1st of February, the Bollan- dists state it was possible more should be found regarding these events.
'The Bollandists express it "jubileum perpetuum in ea rede concessit. "
"See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum
Januarii," tomus ii. , xxv. Januarii. Prseter- missi et in alios dies rejecti, pp. 61 1, 6l2.
" Secidid. , pp. 612, 613.
3 It runs as follows
:
3°.
Aqui nestas tressepulturas jaz enterados
in a book, written Manuel de by
"
Campos, which Aluarus de Veancos translated from
OS tres Cavaleiros Ibernios q, trouxera aca- beea Da Beanaventurada S. Brigida Virge
natural D. Ibernia, cuja reliquiaesta nesta Capella, para memoria Do qual hos oficias Da Mesa Da Beanaventurada da S. mao Darao fazer este EIN RO D 1283. "
The English translatio—n is thus supplied
by the Rev. Mr. Caffrey:
"Here in these three tombs lie interred
the three Irish Knights (or gentlemen) who brought the head of the Blessed Saint Brid- get, virgin, a native of Ireland, whose relic
to 1612. See Sir Harris Nicolas'
"
Chron-
ology of History," p. 396.
436 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 25.
feast day, when the relic is exposed, as also during the octave. On St. John's day, it is likewise exposed. A fair is held on each occasion, which laststhewholeweek. Formilesaround,peasantsbringtheircattle,"and drive them three times around the church,'3 according to an old custom. This probably originated from a knowledge that St. Brigid in early life had been engaged at pastoral occupations.
Article IV. —St. Guaire, Bishop in Gobhail. We find it difficult to
determine anything relating to the personal history of this holy prelate. It is possible, says Colgan, a St. Genereus, Guereus, or Guerenus, of Saxon or Anglo-Saxon race, and a monk at Zona, was identical with the saint, vene-
rated on this day. He admits, however, that such identity may be with one similarly named and venerated on the 27th of July. ^ This holy man is
classed among the disciples of St. Columkille, and he is regarded as one of those distinguished at lona. ^ Both the published3 work and the unpub-
lished-^ Franciscan copy of the Martyrology of Tallagh register a festival, to the honour of Bishop Guaire, in Gobhail, at the 25th day of January. More than this does not seem to be left on record.
Article V. —St. Mochonna of Earnaidhe, probably the Parish of Urney, County of Cavan. The Lord teaches us both by words and works, says St. Hilary,' while His discourse and His action equally serve to
direct the faith of our hopes. According to the Martyrology of Donegal,' Mochonna, of Eamaidhe-Mochua, was venerated on this day. In the table she is called virgin, and seems to be identified with Keyna. 3 We find an
entry in the Martyrology of Tallagh,* on the 25th of January, Mochonna Emaidhe. The latter place is said to have been the city of a St. Findsech, a virgin, whose feast occurs at the 13th of October.
s It was situated in Sliabh Guaire or Gory, a mountainous district forming part of Clankee barony, in the county of Cavan. ^ According to our opinion, however, Emaidhe would seem more probably resolvable into Urney, the modem name of a parish, partly in the barony of Upper, but chiefly in that of Lower Loughtee,7 in the same county.
Article VI. —St. Mochua. In the Martyrologies of Tallagh' and of
" The people believe that after such pro- cess their cattle will have no sickness or hurt during the year to come.
'3 In St. Briget's chapel, there are literally thousands of votive offerings in wax. These
are principally figures of sheep, cows, etc.
nexion between Earnaidhe and Mochua. 3MentionedbyCapgrave. Seeibid. ,pp. 448, 449. Regarding her the reader is re- ferred to the 8th of October, her chief feast-
day.
* Edited by the Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiii.
Nineteen foreign saints are entered in the
Franciscan copy of the Tallagh Martyrolog}', and then occurs this first insertion of two distinct saints, belonging to Ireland: fHo- chonriAe epnTohe ocu]* niocliuAe.
These animals s—he greatly protects. "
Article iv. 'See Trias Thaumatur-
ga," Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbae, cap. X. , p. 490.
" See ibid. Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbae, cap. iii. , sec. v. , p. 502.
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiii. *Here the entry reads: epf 5uAii\e iri
5
See notices of St. Findsech, virgin, at
5obuil. — Article v.
that day.
*See Dr. O'Donovan's "Leabhar na g-
Ceart, or. Book of Rights," n. (v), p. 188.
'Divi Hilarii Pictavorum
^ See Lewis'
"
Episcopi, in Evangelium Matthasi Canones seu Commentarius, Canon xvii. ,p. 547.
' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 26, 27. We suspect here an error of con-
of Ireland," vol. —ii. , p. 671. '
Topographical Dictionary
Article vi. Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiii.
January 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 437
Donegal,^ we read of Mochua, as having had a festival on this day. We are
left in doubt regarding his locality. In the Martyrology of Tallagh, the simple name of Mochua is united with Mochonna Ernaidhe. It has been conjectured,3 that the present saint may have been the Mochua alluded to in the acts of St, Feichin, Abbot of Fore,* and to whom he was united in bonds of the closest friendship, s If so, this saint was Abbot of Ard-Slaine.
Article VII. —St. Fincheall of Sliabh-Guaire, now Slieve-gory, CountyofCavan. Theprayer,breathedbySt. Patrickfortheperseverance in Ireland in the Faith he then preached, was answered by an echo from hill and dale, from camp and cottage, from plebeian and noble. ' Finche, of Sleibh Guaire, occurs in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 25th of January. Whether this name Finnche is intended to correspond with Fincheall, or with the virgin, Finche, whose feast is this day commemorated, must remain unde- termined. In the Martyrology of Donegal,3 we find entered, as having a festival at this date, Fincheall, of Sliabh Guaire. This is still the name of a mountainousdistrictinthebaronyofClankee,andcountyofCavan. * We cannot discover the place of this saint more particularly marked. To our
mind, there is considerable confusion in the entries of more than one saint's name, in the Irish calendars, at this day.
Article VIII. —St. Finche, Virgin. Without any other designation,
this entry, Finche, virgin, is set down in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ for this day. We desire the reader's attention to preceding remarks.
Article IX. —Mac h Grecca, of Finchill, or Findchill. We are at a loss to find more precise information regarding the present saint and his place, than what occurs in our most ancient calendar. Mac h Grecca I. finchill is mentioned in the pubHshed Martyrology of Tallagh,* as one venerated on the 25th of January. In the unpublished, and more correct Franciscan version, slight literal variations' only occur.
Article X. —Reputed Festival of St. Falbeus, Abbot. Among the saints who have been passed over by the BoUandists at this day, is the Abbot Falbeus. ' He was a Scot, and most probably an Irishman. We are told by Dempster^ that he belonged to Argyle, that he was a friend of St.
'Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
26, 27.
3 By Colgan. See "Acta Sanctorum
Hibemiae," xx. Januarii. Secimda Vita S. Fechini, n. 37, p. 142.
* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (z), p. ii, and vol. ii. , n. (z), pp. 866, 867, and n. (k), p. 1036, ibid. —
* See his Life at the 20th of
5 SeetheSecondLifeofSt. Fechin,chap.
and Reeves, —26, pp. 27.
xliv. , pp. 138, 139—. Article vii.
'
p. xiii. — ^'Itreads:
See Miss Cusack's (Sister Mary Francis Clare's) "Illustrated
mAch. 5^eccAein —
History of Ireland," chap, ix. , p. 135.
Januarii," tomus ii. , xxv. Januarii. Praeter- missi et in alios dies rejecti, p. 610.
^ See his " Scoticum. " Also Menologium
^
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiii.
In
the Franciscan we read the copy
following insertion, pin'oche u -plebi 5u<xn\e.
Bishop Forbes' Saints," p. 191.
"
Kalendars of Scottish
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 26, 27.
January.
Article viii.
'
Edited by
Drs.
Todd
Articleix. EditedbyRev. Dr. Kelly,
Vitrochill. Article x. 'See "Acta Sanctorum
438 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 25.
Columba,andthathehadbeendistinguishedforhispiety. ButDavidCame- rarius appears to have known nothing regarding this Scottish abbot. Ferra- rius alludes to his festival as having been at this date, citing as authorities the English and Scottish Martyrologies. Besides St. Failbe II. , venerated at the loth of March,3 and St. Failbe I. , at the 22nd,'* there were four other distinguishedecclesiasticsbearingthisname. s Moreshallbesaidregarding these, in subsequent pages of this work.
Article XI. —Feast of St. Paul's Conversion, This great Apostle of the Gentiles was specially a vessel of election, and in all Christian coun- tries, from a very early period, his conversion has been commemorated. The Feliere of St. ^ngus contains no festival for an Irish saint at the 25th of January, as may be seen in the following Irish extract,' and its EngHsh
furnished Professor — translation, by O'Looney
; but, instead,
it thus alludes to
the conversion of St. Paul the Apostle O. mii. kt. —Til 'oe'obAt aLaicVii
Co C]M]"C cecTiAing |-AicVie poi A Tti-bAichey bi\ecViA.
D. uiii. kl. —Not insignificant the festival,
A festival on which solemnity is made
To Christ multitudes repaired Paul in the judgment of baptism.
Article XII. —Reputed Festival of Blessed Paul, Hermit, and a Disciple of St. Patrick. \Fifth Century. '] Without any better warrant than the fact of St. Paul's conversion having been kept as a festival on this day, Colgan has introduced the acts of an Irish St. Paul,' whose period is said to lie in the fifth and sixth centuries. ^ This holy man is thought to have lived during the first age of Christianity in our island, and to have been a disciple of the great apostle, St. Patrick. Whether Paul accompanied this illustrious mis- sionary to Ireland, or whether he was a native of our country, does not appear. The accounts regarding him are evidently too much confused, and too considerably intermingled with fables, to allow any very clear deductions for the composition of a correct biography. About the year 442,3 Colgan thinks he was instructed in piety and literature by St. Patrick. Whether before or after this time, the blessed Paul lived as a hermit, seems unknown. He is represented as having been among the earliest of St. Patrick's converts.
But the great apostle, being obliged frequently to travel about, and finding
'See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," X. Martii. Vita S. Failbei sive Fal- vei, p.
