'See "Letters containing
information
relative to the Antiquities of the County of Wexford, collected during the progress of
"
tomus xxi, ii.
"
tomus xxi, ii.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
Withoutostentation,thesaintshavealways contrivedtoeffectgreatgoodintheirrelationswithmen.
Havingnofurther designation, we meet Saran's name simply entered in the Martyrology of
'5Thisis
wutside, wlierc it is eoii. Ttructctl of cut linie-
'. one, 2 feci 5 inches in heiglit, and ia width 3^ inulies at lop, with 4^ at tiie Ijottoni.
' in his " Scoti- Dempster, Mcnologinm
cum," has placed his festival at the 6th of
August, as bishop at Candida Casa, in
Gallowa)'.
quadrangular, measuring
unthe
'•• The
by Jolin OT)onovan in
information relative to the Antiquities of Cainerarins,'' we read " J^-atus Accas,
description
in the text was funiislicd
5 At the of the 13th January, among
the County of 'J'lpperary, collected during the progre-s of the Ordnance Survey in
AcUis, Areas, 1-lpisCopus Ilagulstadiensisin Anglix" el Canduhe Casa; in . '^cotia. "
"
Letters containing
". Scottish Entries in the Kalendar of David :
1840,'' vol. i. , pip. 2iS, 2oy. ''See ^ About 20 jjcichcs to the north-west of 261.
Kalendars of Scottish Saints,'' p.
this chureii, there is an old ca. ^ile, still in
fine presi. r\aiiun. An admirable sketch ol
it is given by George Du . \oycr, in liie
'
Cill-mor-Maighe-
"
Ordnance . Siir\ey >l<i:tLhes for the C_(ninty
'See Dr. (. /Donovan's " Ar. iials of the Four Ma-ters," vo'. i , n. (b), p. 43S.
'' 1 n a curiou> coinment on the fciliyf, in the Leakh. ir breac, at the ;oth ot January, a story is lold, that St. Riei. m ol C lorir. ac- noise haii . ^t. feieliin I'louijit briek to his nujii. istery, wluii the latter altemp'ed to es- cape lioni It. because of this retrogression, he i^ said to ha\e been named by Kieran. " So this man is /(. "• I-\ccad (i. e. , in retro- gression), said Ciaran, et indc Moficca no- men accepit. '—Fol. 80. Professor O Loo-
ney, wlio has furnished the extract, adds —
:
'
Tlie / in Mcfura admits of aspiration, and becomes bankrupt, by its influence. Thus the name Moecca, as in the text and note of the Felire, is obtained. "
2C
of Tipperary," preserved in the R. 1. A. ,
Skelcii 39. Aki 1CM-: VI.
p. . xiii.
—
I'Alitcd by Rev. Dr. Kcily,
-
\\\ the f'ranciscan copy, after tlie entry
of iwer. ty hjreign saints at thistlay. we have the first recorded domestic sanit, Ccca ni. h. Ch^e LacH chAin.
' Colgan nassome notices of this I'inglish
saint—connected h. owever with Ireland in
missionary duty—at the 19th of Februar)-, to which day the reader is referred for more
"
special information. See Acta Sanctorum
Hibemiae," xix. Februarii. Vita S. Acca;
Episcopi, p. —374. Vol. I. No. 7.
"
known as Emhir, or Cdl-niorT'inir.
Fcjrmerly
386 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 20.
Tallagh' at the 20th of January. The compilers of a later calendar offer a conjectureregardinghim; butweareunableotherwisetoconfirmtheirstate- ments. On this day, we find entered in the Martyrology of Donegal^ Sarin. This may be the Sarin, say the compilers, who consecrated Tigh-Sardin, in Dealbhna. If so, he belonged to the race of Dealbhaeth, son to Cas, son of Conall-Eachluath, who proceeded from the stock of Cormac Cas, son to OilioU Oluim. The parish church of Tigh Sarain, as we are told, is in Delbhna mic Cochlain, in the King's County, and within the bishopric of Cluain mic nois. ^ The church of Tisaran received a bequest from Sir John Coghlan, in a will, dated July loth, isgs-* The ruins are now to be seen within a graveyard, within the charming demesne of Moystown, and on a beautiful site rising over the northern bank of the River Brosna,5 which falls into the River Shannon, about six miles south-west of the Seven Churches at Clonmacnoise.
ArticleVIII. —St. Fearghus,orFerghass,Abbot. Throughoutlife the best-beloved of God are distinguished for true-hearted devotion, single- ness of purpose, and charity. Without any other distinction, the name Fer- ghus occurs in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 20th of January, His place is not recorded. There was a CiU-Fhearga, now Killarga," a parish in the barony of Dromahaire,3 and county of Leitrim. * It is not certain, how- ever, that this was his place. Ten saints bearing the name of Fergus are recorded in our calendars. Fearghus, abbot, is mentioned, likewise, in the MartyrologyofDonegal,5onthisdayofthemonth. Inthetablehisname is spelled Ferghass. ^ It is not easy to determine whether the present, or some other saint of the same name, can be identified with an entry taken from a different source. No less than ten saints, denominated Fergus, or Ferghuss, occur in the Martyrology of Donegal. ' Some of these, however, are suffi- ciently distinguished. Under the head of Cill Sgandail, or Cill Bain,^ Duald Mac Firbis enters a Fergus, Bishop of Cill Sgandail or Cill Bain. He adds, and that is true,9 altliough we are left without a clue for testing the accuracy of his assertion.
Article IX. —St. Cronan. The history of mankind furnishes many
Article vii. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiiu The Franciscan copy has
' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 22, 23.
3 See ibid. ^ Appendix to the Introduction, p. xlv.
* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters, "vol. v. , n. (y), pp. 131. 6, 1347.
s The parish of Tisaran, in the barony of Garrycastle, is contained within Sheets 13, 14, 21, 22 on the " Ordnance Survey Town- land Maps of the King's County. " The ruined church and its surroundings are pic- tured on Sheet 22. —
Article viit. 'Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xiii. In the Franciscan copy we
have the simple entry TTepguf.
' Un a townland in it, there is a "holy
'•
well" and a church in ruins. " See Sheet 15.
3 See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Leitrim. " Sheets 11,
12, 15, 16.
Here Red Hugh O'Donnell encamped
"
in April, 1595. See Dr. O'Donovan's
nals of the Four Masters," vol. vi. , pp. 1964, 1965, and n (u).
5 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 22, 23.
*See ibid. , pp. 414, 415.
' Besides the present saint, we find one bearing the same name, at the 15th of February ; at the 23rd, 29th, and 30th of March ; at the 5th and 19th of July ; at the 8th and loth of September ; and at the loth of November. The reader is referred to these several festival days for more detailed notices.
* This place has not been identified, as stated in the subjoinetl note of the learned editor, William M. Hennessy.
'See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. 98, 99.
An-
January 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 387
an instance of benefactors to humanity who have achieved heroic actions, and the knowledge of which belongs only to Him who will be their re- warder. The festival of Cronan is entered, at this date, in the Martyrology ofDonegal. ' Asimilarentryismade,also,intheMartyrologyofTallaght,' at the 20th of January.
Article X. —Patron Day of St. Vauk, or Vaak, Parish of Carn, County of Wexford. For further particulars referring to this saint, the reader is referred to June the 20th for St. Vauk's or Vaak's feast. He was also venerated on the 20th of January, in the parish of Cam,' county of Wex- ford, where a patron was annually held, at a church and well, which had been dedicated to him. '
Ctoentp-ftrsit I3ap of Sanuarp*
ARTICLE I—SAINT MACCALLIN, OR MALCALLAN, ABBOT OF SAINT MICHAEL'S MONASTERY AT THERASCHE, AND ABBOT OF WASOR, IN BELGIUM.
[TENTH CENTURY. '^
AT a time when the manners and practices of men had become exceed-
ingly corrupt and barbarous, and when learning and civilization had
dechned very much on the Continent, various civil broils and social disorders
likewise affected Ireland. However, she continued to preserve the faith and
works of charity in constant operation throughout her schools and religious
houses. She also sent numbers of enlightened and zealous missionaries
abroad to tread in the footsteps of their predecessors, and to fos—ter that
spirit of piety they —had first enkindled. The acts of St. Maccallin so far
as they are known have been compiled by the Bollandists,' and by
Colgan,^ while they are found in the Benedictine collection. 3 From these
sources, also. Bishop Challoner* has published a brief account of this holy
man. A to his " had been once goodly-sized volume, relating gests,"
preserved, as the monks at Wasor had assured Colgan,5 but this unfortu- nately has been lost. The BoUandists read a life of St. Maccallin; this however was filled with wondrous and incredible prodigies, although no- where in it was there any mention of his festival. "^ The BoUandists consider, that the name of this saint, as differently rendered Makkallinus, or Maccal-
Article ix. —' Edited and Reeves, pp. 22, 23.
by
Drs. Todd in tomus to Belgica, ii. , pp. 385 387.
* Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiii.
Franciscan —enters
copy C]\onAni.
The
These are comprised in 12 paragraphs.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemife," xxi.
De B. Malcallanno, Abbate, Januarii. pp.
152, 153.
3 in the Seventh Volume of " Acta Sane-
torum Ordinis S. Benedicti," appear the
Acts of St. Malcalen, Abbot, in 9 para-
graphs, pp. 54S to 551.
^ See "Britannia Sancta," part i. , pp.
70, 71.
s See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise, xxi.
Article x. 'Carn parish, in the ba- rony of Forth, is represented on the " Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Wexford. " Sheet 53.
'See "Letters containing information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Wexford, collected during the progress of
"
tomus xxi, ii. ,
the Ordnance m Survey 1^540,"
297.
xxi. Januarii. De B. Maccalino, Abbate,
Article —
I. 'See "Acta Sanctorum,"
Januarii,
*
See
Januarii, sec. xii. , p. 387.
vol. i. ,
p.
n. "Acta
5, p. 153. Sanctorum,"
388 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 21. linus, Makalinus, Malcallinus, Malcalanus, Malacanus, seems from its Irish
or Scottish
Kalan," or
named Malcallan, a name found more than once in our Irish annals. ^
This holy servant of God was an Irishman by birth. 9 However, it has been stated, that Malcalin, said to have been Abbot of Verdun, and venerated on the 2ist of January, was a native of Scotland. '" Dempster allows, not- withstanding, that he was educated in Ireland, where he lived under a regular discipline or rule. " In the earlier half of the tenth century, St. Forannan," had already left our island, and directed his course to Flanders. Here he was called to assume the government of Wasor monastery, on the RiverMeuse. GoingthroughBritainabouttheyear946,^3withSt. Cathroe,^* St. Fingen,'s St. Lazarus, and with other pious companions, St. Maccallen sought the shrine of St. Fursey at Perrone. '^ They were hospitably received and entertained by Herswindes, a noble matron. She was wife to Count Filbert, '7 who dwelt not far from Perrone, in Picardy, Those holy pilgrims had signified their desire for leading a solitary life in some proper place, where they might freely serve our Lord, and live by the labour of their hands. Their benefactors recommended St. Malchallan to Agnoald, who was abbot over Gorze, in Lorraine. Under this holy superior, Malcallan became a professed monk. Cathroe sought another pious destination. Previous to this course, however, those thirteen Irish companions who had arrived in France, seemed by common consent to have resolved on selecting St. Cadroe as their superior. St. Malcallan's powers of persuasion were chiefly used to secure his consent. This could not be obtained, however, owing to the holy man's true humility. The fellow-voyagers appear for a considerable time to have been maintained through the bounty of their noble patrons, who pointed out to them a place in the wood of Therasche, which might be suitable for their retired manner of living. This spot was dedicated to the holy Archangel Michael, and there they built dwellings. '^ The count and his wife contributed to their comforts and convenience in every possible way. Those religious finally chose Malcallan for their superior. Under his conduct, for some time, they were exercised in watching, fasting, and prayer. St. Cathroe, the chief of his companions, desiring greater perfection,
chose to embrace for his manner of life the Benedictine institute. At that time St. Benedict's rule was observed in its full vigour at the celebrated monasteries of Fleury'9 in France,*" and of Gorz^ in Lorraine.
® See " Acta Sanctorum Januarii, n. 2, p. 153.
Hibemiae,"
xxi.
'^ See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nise," xxi. Januarii, n. 4, p. 153.
' See his life at the 6th of March,
'^ See his life at the 5th of February,
'*
Here it is stated, St. Fursey appeared to Cadroe in a vision, and advised him re- garding their future movements.
'' See more about him in the life of St. Forannan, at the 30th of April.
'^
Probably in the Irish manner, as se- parate huts or houses grouped together, with an oratory and certain other buildings held in common.
'' Afterwards called St. Benoist-sur-Loire.
"Erchenald was then its abbot, under whom St. Cadroe became a monk,
of
of Kalin. "7 Colgan states, that he should be most correctly
compounds capable "
being rendered,
'See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxi. Januarii, sec. iii. , p. 386.
Scottish Saints," p. 190.
9 So state the English Martyrology, Flo- doard, Menard, and nearly all writers who have trffited about this saint and his fellow- travellers.
*°
Camerarius has a similar statement, and
he adds, that before Malcallan went abroad,
he ruled over the monastery of Rathmelfigi in
Scotland. This, however, seems to be a most unwarranted statement, and Venerable
Bede expressly alludes to Rathmelfigi as having been a monastery in Ireland. See
"
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 27, p. 241,
"See " Scoti- Dempster's Menologium
cum," in Bishop Forbes* "Kalendars of
"
See his Ufe at the 30th of April.
" Son of " of Chilian,"
January 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 389
After St. Cadroe and St. Malcallan had made their respective professions, the good lady, Herswindes, desired and obtained their return to Thierasche. There St. Malcallan was constituted abbot over St. Michael's Monastery. This -her husband, Count Eilbert, had founded in that forest. The Count establishedanothergreatmonastery,atWazor,upontheRiverMeuse. It lay between Dinant-and Huy. This he gave to the same saint. Both of these abbeys Malcallan governed for some time, in such manner as to unite most perfectly the care of his own sanctification with the perfection of that religious community committed to his charge. ''' At last, finding it too great a burthen to govern, at once, two distant monasteries, he resigned that of Wazor to St. Cathroe. Then Malcallan lived retiringly in St. Michael's Monastery,atTherasche. Somehaveaffirmed,thatSt. Malcallanwasabbot overSt. Michael'sAbbeyatVerdun. ^^ Butthisisamistakeofmanywriters whofollowedthe"MartyrologiumAnglicanum. "^3 Therewasnoabbeyof St. Michael at that place,^* as shown by Menard, who properly observes, that his veneration at the Church of St. Michael the Archangel was not in . Verdun. =5 Thus Ferrarius states,*^ and he adds, moreover, that in Lotha- ringia, this Abbey of St. Michael, over which Makalin had been abbot, was placed. ^7 Saussay and Wion made a similar mistake. '^
About the year 975, St. Cadroe is said to have died, when the govern- ment of his community devolved once more on St. Maccallin. It is generally believed, he was the third abbot over Wasor, in the order of succession. ='9 His elevation and enthronement were attained with the common assent of the Bishop of Metz, and of all his own subjects. 3° He obtained the rule of souls and the care of those pertaining to him in the Basilica of St. Michael. 3' At Therasche this holy abbot went to bliss in the year 978,3^ as Flodouardus, a contemporaneous writer, records : "The man of God, Malcallan, an Irishman by nation, on the eve of St. Vincent, the deacon and martyr, left this transi- torylife, whichhehated;andhappilybegantolivewiththeLord,whomin his lifetime he had continually served. As to his body, it lies buried in the
ChurchofBlessedMichaeltheArchangel. Thisabbey,duringthetimeof his corporal stay in the world, he had piously governed. 33 His obsequies
" See Father Stephen White's " Apolo-
gia pro Hibernia," cap. iv. , p. 41.
'* Hugh Menard accounts for this error,
Church of Verdun," Flodoardus, and Wion. But the Bollandists assert, that neither in the Breviary nor Missal of Verdun, nor in
by stating, that finding tiie words "Vir Wion, is the name of Makalin to be found.
Camerarius has incorrectly cited the Records
of Verdun, for his account of St. Malallinus,
"
at the 4th of October. See Acta Sanc-
torum Januarii," tomus ii. , sec. vi. , p. 386.
Domini" applied to this saint in old MSS. , ""
Virduni must have been substituted by a transcriber.
^3 In the edition of Pithseus. See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxi. Januarii. De B. Maccalino, Abbatein
*^In the to his " supplement
gium Gallicanum. "
Martyrolo-
*' Such is the statement of Amoldus Ras- """
Belgica, sec. vi. , p. 386.
"••This is evident from the Chronicon sius, in his additions to tlie Natales of
Valciodorense," and from the acts of the saints connected with it. See D'Acherius, "Spicelegium, sive coUectio aliquot Veterum Scriptorum," tomus vii.
^5 The Bollandists give an account of the foundations here, and show how the present saint had been in no manner connected with them. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxi. Januarii, sees. vi. to xii. -, pp. 386, 387.
** In " Novo Sanctorum Catalogo. " For
this, he quotes the English Martyrology and Flodoard.
'7 Here be cites the " Kalendar of the
Molanus, at the 30th of April,
sojt js added in the Chronicle, "aLeo-
diensi benedicitur. " 3tSostatestheChronicleofWasor. See
the "Acta Sanctorum Januarii," tomus ii. , xxi. Januarii, sec. iii. , p. 386.
^ While agreeing in statement, as to the
"
Chronicon Val- ciodorense says his departure happened A. D. 990. The English Mavtyrology has it A. D. 978. Ferrarius states he flourished in
this year.
^3 gee Andrew Du Chesne's "Historise
place where he died, the "
390 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. (January 21.
were honourably and religiously performed ; while in aftertime, he was re- garded as a saint, and his memory was held in great popular veneration.
St. Malcallan's Abbey of St Michael is well known to have been in
Thierasche or Tierarche,^* a province of Belgic Gaul, on the confines of Haynault. It was situated within the diocese of Laon, on the River Aisia,35 over the village of Hiersson. There this holy abbot's festival is duly cele- brated on the 2ist of January,36 which the Calendarists have allowed to be the date for his festival. 37 Thus, Dorgain^^ and Hugh Menard^s place it, in the Martyrology of their order. Truly might this venerable missionary
exclaimwith " holy David,
Thou hast understood my thoughts afar off : my path and my line Thou hast searched out. "*" That the Almighty approved his course of life upon earth has been manifested, in the fruits his labours procured, and in that hallowed memory bequeathed to the inhabitants of those places he had adorned and blessed before he was
called away to Heaven.
Article II. —St. Briga or Brigid, of Kilbride, in the Diocese OF Lismore, County of Waterford, and of Kilbride, or Brides- church, CouN'i"Y Kildare. {Possibly in the Fifth or Sixth Century. '] Uncertainty in the discriminating of those homonymous saints and their places, found so frequently recurring in our calendars, and which even dis- concerted the researches of writers, who flourished centuries back, must bear with still greater weight on the efforts of modem investigators. I'herefore must these necessarily give forth uncertain sounds, while conjecture can only supply the place of historic evidence. A saint called Briga, the daughter of Congall,' is thought to have been " sinchrona" with her great namesake, the renowned Abbess of Kildare. In the Calendar of Cashel, at the 21st of January, she is called St. Brigid of Killbrige," in Lismore diocese. This old church of Kilbride, in the county of Waterford, consisted of a nave and choir, but all its walls had been destroyed in 1841,3 down to the foundations, with exception of a middle gable. The nave was 30 feet in length by 18 in breadth, and the choir was 14 by 13 feet. The choir arch is 8 feet in height, 6 feet 7 inches in width. The walls, 3 feet 5 inches in thickness, were built of large and small grit-stones. The graveyard had been tilled at the time mentioned. Again it is said, that the present saint's church was situated near the town of Kildare. '* In the Third and Fifth Lives of St.
'5Thisis
wutside, wlierc it is eoii. Ttructctl of cut linie-
'. one, 2 feci 5 inches in heiglit, and ia width 3^ inulies at lop, with 4^ at tiie Ijottoni.
' in his " Scoti- Dempster, Mcnologinm
cum," has placed his festival at the 6th of
August, as bishop at Candida Casa, in
Gallowa)'.
quadrangular, measuring
unthe
'•• The
by Jolin OT)onovan in
information relative to the Antiquities of Cainerarins,'' we read " J^-atus Accas,
description
in the text was funiislicd
5 At the of the 13th January, among
the County of 'J'lpperary, collected during the progre-s of the Ordnance Survey in
AcUis, Areas, 1-lpisCopus Ilagulstadiensisin Anglix" el Canduhe Casa; in . '^cotia. "
"
Letters containing
". Scottish Entries in the Kalendar of David :
1840,'' vol. i. , pip. 2iS, 2oy. ''See ^ About 20 jjcichcs to the north-west of 261.
Kalendars of Scottish Saints,'' p.
this chureii, there is an old ca. ^ile, still in
fine presi. r\aiiun. An admirable sketch ol
it is given by George Du . \oycr, in liie
'
Cill-mor-Maighe-
"
Ordnance . Siir\ey >l<i:tLhes for the C_(ninty
'See Dr. (. /Donovan's " Ar. iials of the Four Ma-ters," vo'. i , n. (b), p. 43S.
'' 1 n a curiou> coinment on the fciliyf, in the Leakh. ir breac, at the ;oth ot January, a story is lold, that St. Riei. m ol C lorir. ac- noise haii . ^t. feieliin I'louijit briek to his nujii. istery, wluii the latter altemp'ed to es- cape lioni It. because of this retrogression, he i^ said to ha\e been named by Kieran. " So this man is /(. "• I-\ccad (i. e. , in retro- gression), said Ciaran, et indc Moficca no- men accepit. '—Fol. 80. Professor O Loo-
ney, wlio has furnished the extract, adds —
:
'
Tlie / in Mcfura admits of aspiration, and becomes bankrupt, by its influence. Thus the name Moecca, as in the text and note of the Felire, is obtained. "
2C
of Tipperary," preserved in the R. 1. A. ,
Skelcii 39. Aki 1CM-: VI.
p. . xiii.
—
I'Alitcd by Rev. Dr. Kcily,
-
\\\ the f'ranciscan copy, after tlie entry
of iwer. ty hjreign saints at thistlay. we have the first recorded domestic sanit, Ccca ni. h. Ch^e LacH chAin.
' Colgan nassome notices of this I'inglish
saint—connected h. owever with Ireland in
missionary duty—at the 19th of Februar)-, to which day the reader is referred for more
"
special information. See Acta Sanctorum
Hibemiae," xix. Februarii. Vita S. Acca;
Episcopi, p. —374. Vol. I. No. 7.
"
known as Emhir, or Cdl-niorT'inir.
Fcjrmerly
386 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 20.
Tallagh' at the 20th of January. The compilers of a later calendar offer a conjectureregardinghim; butweareunableotherwisetoconfirmtheirstate- ments. On this day, we find entered in the Martyrology of Donegal^ Sarin. This may be the Sarin, say the compilers, who consecrated Tigh-Sardin, in Dealbhna. If so, he belonged to the race of Dealbhaeth, son to Cas, son of Conall-Eachluath, who proceeded from the stock of Cormac Cas, son to OilioU Oluim. The parish church of Tigh Sarain, as we are told, is in Delbhna mic Cochlain, in the King's County, and within the bishopric of Cluain mic nois. ^ The church of Tisaran received a bequest from Sir John Coghlan, in a will, dated July loth, isgs-* The ruins are now to be seen within a graveyard, within the charming demesne of Moystown, and on a beautiful site rising over the northern bank of the River Brosna,5 which falls into the River Shannon, about six miles south-west of the Seven Churches at Clonmacnoise.
ArticleVIII. —St. Fearghus,orFerghass,Abbot. Throughoutlife the best-beloved of God are distinguished for true-hearted devotion, single- ness of purpose, and charity. Without any other distinction, the name Fer- ghus occurs in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 20th of January, His place is not recorded. There was a CiU-Fhearga, now Killarga," a parish in the barony of Dromahaire,3 and county of Leitrim. * It is not certain, how- ever, that this was his place. Ten saints bearing the name of Fergus are recorded in our calendars. Fearghus, abbot, is mentioned, likewise, in the MartyrologyofDonegal,5onthisdayofthemonth. Inthetablehisname is spelled Ferghass. ^ It is not easy to determine whether the present, or some other saint of the same name, can be identified with an entry taken from a different source. No less than ten saints, denominated Fergus, or Ferghuss, occur in the Martyrology of Donegal. ' Some of these, however, are suffi- ciently distinguished. Under the head of Cill Sgandail, or Cill Bain,^ Duald Mac Firbis enters a Fergus, Bishop of Cill Sgandail or Cill Bain. He adds, and that is true,9 altliough we are left without a clue for testing the accuracy of his assertion.
Article IX. —St. Cronan. The history of mankind furnishes many
Article vii. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiiu The Franciscan copy has
' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 22, 23.
3 See ibid. ^ Appendix to the Introduction, p. xlv.
* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters, "vol. v. , n. (y), pp. 131. 6, 1347.
s The parish of Tisaran, in the barony of Garrycastle, is contained within Sheets 13, 14, 21, 22 on the " Ordnance Survey Town- land Maps of the King's County. " The ruined church and its surroundings are pic- tured on Sheet 22. —
Article viit. 'Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xiii. In the Franciscan copy we
have the simple entry TTepguf.
' Un a townland in it, there is a "holy
'•
well" and a church in ruins. " See Sheet 15.
3 See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Leitrim. " Sheets 11,
12, 15, 16.
Here Red Hugh O'Donnell encamped
"
in April, 1595. See Dr. O'Donovan's
nals of the Four Masters," vol. vi. , pp. 1964, 1965, and n (u).
5 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 22, 23.
*See ibid. , pp. 414, 415.
' Besides the present saint, we find one bearing the same name, at the 15th of February ; at the 23rd, 29th, and 30th of March ; at the 5th and 19th of July ; at the 8th and loth of September ; and at the loth of November. The reader is referred to these several festival days for more detailed notices.
* This place has not been identified, as stated in the subjoinetl note of the learned editor, William M. Hennessy.
'See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. 98, 99.
An-
January 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 387
an instance of benefactors to humanity who have achieved heroic actions, and the knowledge of which belongs only to Him who will be their re- warder. The festival of Cronan is entered, at this date, in the Martyrology ofDonegal. ' Asimilarentryismade,also,intheMartyrologyofTallaght,' at the 20th of January.
Article X. —Patron Day of St. Vauk, or Vaak, Parish of Carn, County of Wexford. For further particulars referring to this saint, the reader is referred to June the 20th for St. Vauk's or Vaak's feast. He was also venerated on the 20th of January, in the parish of Cam,' county of Wex- ford, where a patron was annually held, at a church and well, which had been dedicated to him. '
Ctoentp-ftrsit I3ap of Sanuarp*
ARTICLE I—SAINT MACCALLIN, OR MALCALLAN, ABBOT OF SAINT MICHAEL'S MONASTERY AT THERASCHE, AND ABBOT OF WASOR, IN BELGIUM.
[TENTH CENTURY. '^
AT a time when the manners and practices of men had become exceed-
ingly corrupt and barbarous, and when learning and civilization had
dechned very much on the Continent, various civil broils and social disorders
likewise affected Ireland. However, she continued to preserve the faith and
works of charity in constant operation throughout her schools and religious
houses. She also sent numbers of enlightened and zealous missionaries
abroad to tread in the footsteps of their predecessors, and to fos—ter that
spirit of piety they —had first enkindled. The acts of St. Maccallin so far
as they are known have been compiled by the Bollandists,' and by
Colgan,^ while they are found in the Benedictine collection. 3 From these
sources, also. Bishop Challoner* has published a brief account of this holy
man. A to his " had been once goodly-sized volume, relating gests,"
preserved, as the monks at Wasor had assured Colgan,5 but this unfortu- nately has been lost. The BoUandists read a life of St. Maccallin; this however was filled with wondrous and incredible prodigies, although no- where in it was there any mention of his festival. "^ The BoUandists consider, that the name of this saint, as differently rendered Makkallinus, or Maccal-
Article ix. —' Edited and Reeves, pp. 22, 23.
by
Drs. Todd in tomus to Belgica, ii. , pp. 385 387.
* Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiii.
Franciscan —enters
copy C]\onAni.
The
These are comprised in 12 paragraphs.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemife," xxi.
De B. Malcallanno, Abbate, Januarii. pp.
152, 153.
3 in the Seventh Volume of " Acta Sane-
torum Ordinis S. Benedicti," appear the
Acts of St. Malcalen, Abbot, in 9 para-
graphs, pp. 54S to 551.
^ See "Britannia Sancta," part i. , pp.
70, 71.
s See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise, xxi.
Article x. 'Carn parish, in the ba- rony of Forth, is represented on the " Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Wexford. " Sheet 53.
'See "Letters containing information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Wexford, collected during the progress of
"
tomus xxi, ii. ,
the Ordnance m Survey 1^540,"
297.
xxi. Januarii. De B. Maccalino, Abbate,
Article —
I. 'See "Acta Sanctorum,"
Januarii,
*
See
Januarii, sec. xii. , p. 387.
vol. i. ,
p.
n. "Acta
5, p. 153. Sanctorum,"
388 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 21. linus, Makalinus, Malcallinus, Malcalanus, Malacanus, seems from its Irish
or Scottish
Kalan," or
named Malcallan, a name found more than once in our Irish annals. ^
This holy servant of God was an Irishman by birth. 9 However, it has been stated, that Malcalin, said to have been Abbot of Verdun, and venerated on the 2ist of January, was a native of Scotland. '" Dempster allows, not- withstanding, that he was educated in Ireland, where he lived under a regular discipline or rule. " In the earlier half of the tenth century, St. Forannan," had already left our island, and directed his course to Flanders. Here he was called to assume the government of Wasor monastery, on the RiverMeuse. GoingthroughBritainabouttheyear946,^3withSt. Cathroe,^* St. Fingen,'s St. Lazarus, and with other pious companions, St. Maccallen sought the shrine of St. Fursey at Perrone. '^ They were hospitably received and entertained by Herswindes, a noble matron. She was wife to Count Filbert, '7 who dwelt not far from Perrone, in Picardy, Those holy pilgrims had signified their desire for leading a solitary life in some proper place, where they might freely serve our Lord, and live by the labour of their hands. Their benefactors recommended St. Malchallan to Agnoald, who was abbot over Gorze, in Lorraine. Under this holy superior, Malcallan became a professed monk. Cathroe sought another pious destination. Previous to this course, however, those thirteen Irish companions who had arrived in France, seemed by common consent to have resolved on selecting St. Cadroe as their superior. St. Malcallan's powers of persuasion were chiefly used to secure his consent. This could not be obtained, however, owing to the holy man's true humility. The fellow-voyagers appear for a considerable time to have been maintained through the bounty of their noble patrons, who pointed out to them a place in the wood of Therasche, which might be suitable for their retired manner of living. This spot was dedicated to the holy Archangel Michael, and there they built dwellings. '^ The count and his wife contributed to their comforts and convenience in every possible way. Those religious finally chose Malcallan for their superior. Under his conduct, for some time, they were exercised in watching, fasting, and prayer. St. Cathroe, the chief of his companions, desiring greater perfection,
chose to embrace for his manner of life the Benedictine institute. At that time St. Benedict's rule was observed in its full vigour at the celebrated monasteries of Fleury'9 in France,*" and of Gorz^ in Lorraine.
® See " Acta Sanctorum Januarii, n. 2, p. 153.
Hibemiae,"
xxi.
'^ See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nise," xxi. Januarii, n. 4, p. 153.
' See his life at the 6th of March,
'^ See his life at the 5th of February,
'*
Here it is stated, St. Fursey appeared to Cadroe in a vision, and advised him re- garding their future movements.
'' See more about him in the life of St. Forannan, at the 30th of April.
'^
Probably in the Irish manner, as se- parate huts or houses grouped together, with an oratory and certain other buildings held in common.
'' Afterwards called St. Benoist-sur-Loire.
"Erchenald was then its abbot, under whom St. Cadroe became a monk,
of
of Kalin. "7 Colgan states, that he should be most correctly
compounds capable "
being rendered,
'See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxi. Januarii, sec. iii. , p. 386.
Scottish Saints," p. 190.
9 So state the English Martyrology, Flo- doard, Menard, and nearly all writers who have trffited about this saint and his fellow- travellers.
*°
Camerarius has a similar statement, and
he adds, that before Malcallan went abroad,
he ruled over the monastery of Rathmelfigi in
Scotland. This, however, seems to be a most unwarranted statement, and Venerable
Bede expressly alludes to Rathmelfigi as having been a monastery in Ireland. See
"
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 27, p. 241,
"See " Scoti- Dempster's Menologium
cum," in Bishop Forbes* "Kalendars of
"
See his Ufe at the 30th of April.
" Son of " of Chilian,"
January 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 389
After St. Cadroe and St. Malcallan had made their respective professions, the good lady, Herswindes, desired and obtained their return to Thierasche. There St. Malcallan was constituted abbot over St. Michael's Monastery. This -her husband, Count Eilbert, had founded in that forest. The Count establishedanothergreatmonastery,atWazor,upontheRiverMeuse. It lay between Dinant-and Huy. This he gave to the same saint. Both of these abbeys Malcallan governed for some time, in such manner as to unite most perfectly the care of his own sanctification with the perfection of that religious community committed to his charge. ''' At last, finding it too great a burthen to govern, at once, two distant monasteries, he resigned that of Wazor to St. Cathroe. Then Malcallan lived retiringly in St. Michael's Monastery,atTherasche. Somehaveaffirmed,thatSt. Malcallanwasabbot overSt. Michael'sAbbeyatVerdun. ^^ Butthisisamistakeofmanywriters whofollowedthe"MartyrologiumAnglicanum. "^3 Therewasnoabbeyof St. Michael at that place,^* as shown by Menard, who properly observes, that his veneration at the Church of St. Michael the Archangel was not in . Verdun. =5 Thus Ferrarius states,*^ and he adds, moreover, that in Lotha- ringia, this Abbey of St. Michael, over which Makalin had been abbot, was placed. ^7 Saussay and Wion made a similar mistake. '^
About the year 975, St. Cadroe is said to have died, when the govern- ment of his community devolved once more on St. Maccallin. It is generally believed, he was the third abbot over Wasor, in the order of succession. ='9 His elevation and enthronement were attained with the common assent of the Bishop of Metz, and of all his own subjects. 3° He obtained the rule of souls and the care of those pertaining to him in the Basilica of St. Michael. 3' At Therasche this holy abbot went to bliss in the year 978,3^ as Flodouardus, a contemporaneous writer, records : "The man of God, Malcallan, an Irishman by nation, on the eve of St. Vincent, the deacon and martyr, left this transi- torylife, whichhehated;andhappilybegantolivewiththeLord,whomin his lifetime he had continually served. As to his body, it lies buried in the
ChurchofBlessedMichaeltheArchangel. Thisabbey,duringthetimeof his corporal stay in the world, he had piously governed. 33 His obsequies
" See Father Stephen White's " Apolo-
gia pro Hibernia," cap. iv. , p. 41.
'* Hugh Menard accounts for this error,
Church of Verdun," Flodoardus, and Wion. But the Bollandists assert, that neither in the Breviary nor Missal of Verdun, nor in
by stating, that finding tiie words "Vir Wion, is the name of Makalin to be found.
Camerarius has incorrectly cited the Records
of Verdun, for his account of St. Malallinus,
"
at the 4th of October. See Acta Sanc-
torum Januarii," tomus ii. , sec. vi. , p. 386.
Domini" applied to this saint in old MSS. , ""
Virduni must have been substituted by a transcriber.
^3 In the edition of Pithseus. See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxi. Januarii. De B. Maccalino, Abbatein
*^In the to his " supplement
gium Gallicanum. "
Martyrolo-
*' Such is the statement of Amoldus Ras- """
Belgica, sec. vi. , p. 386.
"••This is evident from the Chronicon sius, in his additions to tlie Natales of
Valciodorense," and from the acts of the saints connected with it. See D'Acherius, "Spicelegium, sive coUectio aliquot Veterum Scriptorum," tomus vii.
^5 The Bollandists give an account of the foundations here, and show how the present saint had been in no manner connected with them. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxi. Januarii, sees. vi. to xii. -, pp. 386, 387.
** In " Novo Sanctorum Catalogo. " For
this, he quotes the English Martyrology and Flodoard.
'7 Here be cites the " Kalendar of the
Molanus, at the 30th of April,
sojt js added in the Chronicle, "aLeo-
diensi benedicitur. " 3tSostatestheChronicleofWasor. See
the "Acta Sanctorum Januarii," tomus ii. , xxi. Januarii, sec. iii. , p. 386.
^ While agreeing in statement, as to the
"
Chronicon Val- ciodorense says his departure happened A. D. 990. The English Mavtyrology has it A. D. 978. Ferrarius states he flourished in
this year.
^3 gee Andrew Du Chesne's "Historise
place where he died, the "
390 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. (January 21.
were honourably and religiously performed ; while in aftertime, he was re- garded as a saint, and his memory was held in great popular veneration.
St. Malcallan's Abbey of St Michael is well known to have been in
Thierasche or Tierarche,^* a province of Belgic Gaul, on the confines of Haynault. It was situated within the diocese of Laon, on the River Aisia,35 over the village of Hiersson. There this holy abbot's festival is duly cele- brated on the 2ist of January,36 which the Calendarists have allowed to be the date for his festival. 37 Thus, Dorgain^^ and Hugh Menard^s place it, in the Martyrology of their order. Truly might this venerable missionary
exclaimwith " holy David,
Thou hast understood my thoughts afar off : my path and my line Thou hast searched out. "*" That the Almighty approved his course of life upon earth has been manifested, in the fruits his labours procured, and in that hallowed memory bequeathed to the inhabitants of those places he had adorned and blessed before he was
called away to Heaven.
Article II. —St. Briga or Brigid, of Kilbride, in the Diocese OF Lismore, County of Waterford, and of Kilbride, or Brides- church, CouN'i"Y Kildare. {Possibly in the Fifth or Sixth Century. '] Uncertainty in the discriminating of those homonymous saints and their places, found so frequently recurring in our calendars, and which even dis- concerted the researches of writers, who flourished centuries back, must bear with still greater weight on the efforts of modem investigators. I'herefore must these necessarily give forth uncertain sounds, while conjecture can only supply the place of historic evidence. A saint called Briga, the daughter of Congall,' is thought to have been " sinchrona" with her great namesake, the renowned Abbess of Kildare. In the Calendar of Cashel, at the 21st of January, she is called St. Brigid of Killbrige," in Lismore diocese. This old church of Kilbride, in the county of Waterford, consisted of a nave and choir, but all its walls had been destroyed in 1841,3 down to the foundations, with exception of a middle gable. The nave was 30 feet in length by 18 in breadth, and the choir was 14 by 13 feet. The choir arch is 8 feet in height, 6 feet 7 inches in width. The walls, 3 feet 5 inches in thickness, were built of large and small grit-stones. The graveyard had been tilled at the time mentioned. Again it is said, that the present saint's church was situated near the town of Kildare. '* In the Third and Fifth Lives of St.
