73 Here she is related to have vin- dicated the character of Bishop Bron74 in a
miraculous
manner.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
We are told, also, that during the progress of herself and of her companions,
**
rectis properando gressibus ibant
Fluminis ad ripam cujusdam nomine Bannae. "
It seems more probable, however, that Baruac should be the reading, as probably the River Barrow is meant.
4° The Muintir-Fearghaill or family of the O'Ferralls were its chief lords for many
centuries, although in point of genealogy, the O'Quinns of the same race were their seniors. They had sometimes sovereignty over that sub-section of Fergus's race, on the east side of the Shannon. Still, they never ruled over the whole race of Fergus, who had large territories in Connaught, as likewise in Thomond and Kerry. See "The Topographical Poems of John
class. It is said to have been "a richly "
exactly called in the
"
Life of St. Brigid,"
ornamented vessel in Professor Irish Life of St. Brigid, pp. 21, 22.
O'Looney's
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 73
crippled. <5 One day a woman came to our saint, with a present of apples,so whileBrigiddweltintheplainofTheba. Beforethatwomanlefttheplace, some lepers came up demanding alms. Brigid told the woman to divide
" I forlepers,butforyourselfandforyournuns. " Sucharemarkdispleased
our saint, and she rebuked that woman for her want of charity, telling her at the same time, her trees should never afterwards bear fruit. s' On returning to her house, the woman found not a single apple remaining in her orchard ; although,onlyashorttimebefore,hertreeswerebendingwithfruit. Thence- forward, her garden remained barren, according to St. Brigid's prediction, s^
At another time, St. Brigid journeyed through the plain of Thebe in her chariot, when, with many cattle, she saw a man, his wife and whole family, labouring and bearing heavy burthens. These greatly wearied them, as the heat of summer was then excessive. Compassionating these people, our saint gave them the horses, which were under her own chariot, to assist their efforts. At this time, with her nuns, she sat down on the way-side.
this fruit with them. Then her visitor
replied,
brought
these not apples,
"
near, that a well of water may be produced, for some persons shall come
hither, who although having food, shall require drink. " Having obeyed her orders, and dug a few feet, a fountain immediately spnmg up in the place. 53 After some short time, with a great number of persons on horse and foot,
accompanying him, a certain chief came to the place. Having learned, that
St. Brigid had given away her horses, he presented her with two untrained
ones. These became as tractable under her management, as if they had
been accustomed to the traces of her chariot,s-* Afterwards, some of St.
Patrick's disciples and family are related to have passed the same way.
These said to " We have laboured on our food, but Brigid : journey, having
no drink. " The sisters of our saint replied, that running water had been prepared for them to drink, and that the abbess had predicted their arrival. Then all eat and drank together, while the fame of our saint was extolled. Thanksgiving was likewise returned to the Almighty, for such a blessing.
While St. Brigid was travelling, with a great crowd, two lepers followed her, and according to her usual custom, she kindly received them. How- ever, these miserable creatures quarrelled with each other, and proceeded to blows. Meantime, the arm of that man, who struck first, became curved, so that he could not lift it ; while, the right hand of his opponent, which had been raised, could not be moved again to its natural position. The hands of these lepers remained in the condition described, until St. Brigid on com- ing up healed them. Then they repented. ss At another time, our saint's chariot was brought to carry a sick man, who was at the point of death. About even-tide, he was conveyed to the place, where our saint resided ; and, on that very night, his recovery set in, so that by morning he was able to walk. On finding this to be the case, some lepers asked for her
Brigid then said to her religious daughters,
Dig beneath the sod which is
45 See, Tertia Vita S. Brigidae, cap. xxx,, p. 530. Vita Quinta S. Brigidse, cap. xlv. , xlvi. , p. 578. Vita Sexta S. Brigidse, sees. xiv. , xviii. , pp. 584, 585.
s° This anecdote is contained in Professor
O'Looney's Irish Life of St. Brigid, pp. 23, 24.
5' This anecdote is more briefly related in
the Lections of Si. Brigid's Office in the 589. Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
BreviaryofAberdeen. SeeBishopForbes'
ssThesameaccountisgiveninProfessor
O'Looney's Irish Life of St. Brigid, pp. 23, 24.
"Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 289. 5' See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga.
"
Vita Tertia S. Brigidse, cap. xxxi. , p. 530. Vita Sexta S. Brigidse, sec. xxx. , p. 586, ibid.
53 See "The Life of St. Brigid," by an
Irish Priest, chap, iv. , p. 45.
S4 The foregoing circumstances are related,
with more prolixity, in the Sexta Vita S.
Brigidoe, sees, xxxi,, xxxii,, xxxiv , pp. 588,
y4 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i.
chariot. This vehicle, with her horses, the virgin is said to have bestowed on them. 56
Being invited, St. Brigid went to a certain nunnery, in the territory of Theba, to celebrate Easter. The pious abbess57 of the place, on Holy Thursday,ss asked all her sisters, who would wish to wash the feet of certain infirm nuns. 59 All seeming to feel repugnance for this office, St. Brigid de- clared her willingness to assume such a task ; and the abbess was pleased with a compliance, which she knew to have been inspired by heaven. Four of the nuns were then infirm ; one was a paralytic, another had been subject to epileptic fits, one was a leper, and another had been blind. ^° Our saint
: firstbegantowashtheparalytic,whosaidtoher "Oholymother,prayto
Christ for me, that I may be healed. " Brigid prayed for her, and she was
^^
While our saint remained in this part of the country, she occupied a cell for some days, and it chanced, also that a boy who had been mute and a paralytic^^ was there, although St. Brigid was ignorant about his infirmities. Some passengers arrived, who asked for food. ^3 Our saint enquired from this boy, if he knew where the cellar key was to be found. He immediately spoke and said " I do. " Brigid replied, " Go, and bring it to me. "^4 The paralytic, hereupon, arose cured, and pre- sented the keys, whilst, afterwards, with the holy virgin, he ministered food totheguests,aftertheScottishmanner. ^s Whenreturninghome,thisbo/s friends were greatly astonished on finding him both walking and speaking. The boy told them circumstantially how he had been healed ; and all who heard his account gave thanks to God and praised His holy servant. ^^ At a time, the holy bishops Maol and Maolchu^? came to St. Brigid. They asked, if she would accompany them on a visit to their sanctified patron, Patrick, then dwelling in the plain of Bregh. ^^ Our saint replied, that she very much desired to do so, as she wished to obtain his blessing. Then those holy bishops set out on their journey, with Brigid and her companions. A certain cleric, who had a large family, with cattle and two waggons, asked
instantly restored to health.
5* Vita S.
**
Trias Thaumaturga. " Sexta
See, also, Brigidse,
sees,
xxxviii. , xxxix. , p.
St. Brigid, pp. 23, 24.
"^^ Tliis is somewhat related in differently
the Lessons of St. Brigid's Office in the Breviary of Aberdeen. See Bishop Forbes* "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 289.
^s Colgan has appended a note, to the corresponding La—tin passage, in which he proceeds to show a question not so much debated now as in his time—that the Irish were anciently called Scots, as St. Brigid is remarked to have dwelt then, in the country of Theba, near Meath, and that the author of her Fourth Life must have lived at a re- mote period, the Irish having been commonly called Scots, in his time. See "Trias Thau- maturga. " Quarta Vita S. Brigidce, n. 18, p, 564.
^^ This miracle is also related, in the Quinta Vita S. Brigidaj, cap. xlix. , p. 579. See " Trias Thaumaturga. "
^7 So called in the Fourth Life of our
saint. In the Third Life, they are named
Mel and Melchu.
«'o a
590.
57 She had probably been the subject of
St. Brigid, in an affiliate house.
58 See "Life of St. Brigid," by an Irish
Priest, pp. 43, 44.
59 This account is varied in the Lections
of St. Brigid's Office as found in the Bre- viary of Aberdeen. See Bishop Forbes'
**
^°
24.
" This miracle is also recorded in the
"Vita Sexta S. Brigidse," sec. xix. , p. 585. See "Trias Thaumaturga. " There, how- ever, it is stated, in addition, that the other three afflicted persons were healed by St. Brigid, after praying her to interpose on their behalf.
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 289.
In the Irish Life of St. Brigid, belong- ing to Professor O'Looney, we are told in- stead, that "there were four diseased per- sons in the house, viz. , a man in a decline, a maniac, a blind man and a leper," pp. 23,
transposed form of the name Magh-Breagh, a famous St. Brigid," by an Irish Priest, calls him "a plain in East Meath. See "The Topo-
^='
probably breaghmhagh,
Relating this incident, "The Life of
deaf and dumb child. " See chap, iv. , p. 44. *3 This anecdote is somewhat differently related in Professor O'Looney's Irish Life of
graphical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na naomh O'Huidhrin. " Edited by
John O'Donovan, LL. D. , p. xv. , n. 63.
February i-l LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 75
permission to accompany the saints, that he might minister to their wants on
the journey; but, the bishops would not consent, lest their travelling might be impeded by the number of beasts and the amount of baggage. Then, St.
"
Brigid said to the bishops ; assist those people. "
Proceed you before us, I shall remain, and
The bishops obeyed her, and the saint, remaining with the cleric's family, askedwhytheydidnotputtheirbaggageinthewaggons. Shewasinformed
that two infirm persons, a paralytic man, and a blind woman, occupied them. The fellow-travellers of Brigid refreshed themselves and slept for the night,
while she fasted and kept vigil. On the following morning, this spouse of Christ blessed some water. ^9 Pouring it on the paralytic and on the blind woman, both were restored ; one to the use of his limbs, the other to her eyesight. Then, according to our saint's orders, their baggage was placed in the waggons, while prosecuting their journey and giving unfeigned thanks toGod. Withtheirpermissionandblessing,oursaintandhercompanions parted company, in order to hasten progress.
On seeing a certain rustic greatly concerned regarding his cattle, and being near the house in which our saint lived, Brigid told her nuns to enquire about the cause of his grief ; when he replied, that his whole family, consist- ing of twelve persons, lay sick at home, and there was no. woman found to milk his cows. Our saint told her nuns to perform this kindly office. Having complied with her order, the religious sisters were invited by that man to partake of some refreshment. With this request they com- plied, while their holy abbess fasted. All having dined, the saint of God blessed some water, with which she sprinkled the house and its sick in- mates. The holy virgin's presence and her ministrations restored all those infirm persons to health. Then they gave thanks to God, and invoked bless- ings on his glorious servant. Subsequently, in a direct course, St. Brigid and her companions^o proceed to a place called Tailten,7i where St. Patrick, with an
assembly of holy bishops and saints, held a council. 72 Brigid was received by the assembly with becoming honour.
73 Here she is related to have vin- dicated the character of Bishop Bron74 in a miraculous manner. 73 Tailten has been identified76 with the modern Telltown,77 a parish78 in the barony of
^ Thus, the circumstance is related, in her Fourth Life. In the Third, it is said, our saint used the "morning dew," as ma- Uries for their restoration.
7° According to Professor O'Looney's Irish Life of St. Brigid, one of these was
Bishop Mel, pp. 25, 26. Melchu is also named as one of them in " The Life of St.
Brigid," by an Irish Priest, when alluding to this narrative. See chap, iv,, pp. 46 to 48.
7^ This place was situated in the northern part of Meath. In ancient times, it was greatly celebrated. See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Vita Quarta S. Brigida:, n. 19, p. 564.
of Erin at Tailtin," and "the Synod of
Erin," in Professor O'Looney's Irish Life of
the saint, pp. 25, 26. A very interesting
description of Telltown, identified with Tail-
tean, is given in Sir William Robert Wilde's
St. Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland, as her father, and that, in turn, he adopted her as his daughter. It is also said, that for the first time, these two great saints saw each other there ; and from this date forward, common consent allowed St. Brigid to be the greatest of all the Irish saints, after St. Patrick.
74 See his acts at the 8th of June,
75 See the Lections of St. Brigid's Office intheBreviaryofAberdeen. BishopForbes* *' Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 289.
7^ John O'Donovan has given an account of ancient—Tailten—which he identifies with
in dated
Telltown letters, Keannanus,
Uiy i2th, July 13th, July 14th, 1836, pp. 6 to 16, in "Letters containing Informa- tion relative to the Antiquities of the County of Meath, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1836. "
77 A townland of 626 acres so called con- tains a remarkable eminence called tlAch "Otibh or Black Rath. It is about sixty perches northward from the Blackwater River,
"
Beauties of the Boyne and its Tributary the
7^ It is called a " Convocation of the men
Blackwater," chap, vi. , pp. 149 to 154.
73 In the Fourth Life of our saint, we are
told, on this occasion, St. Brigid received
78 it is also called Killalton Parish,
76 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i.
UpperKells,countyofMeath. 79 Yet,anotheropinionhasbeenadvanced
with much abiHty,^° that the remains of the celebrated Royal Cemeteries of
Tailltin should be sought for on the Lough Crew Hills,^' at Oldcastle, in the
^^
Here an annual meeting of the people, called in Irish
same county. ""
Oenach, a fair," had been held in ancient times, on the fair-hilled Taill- ten," which seems a term inapplicable to Telltown, which lies in a low situa- tion, and which is singularly destitute of hills. It is probable, St. Patrick took advantage of the popular gathering there to hold a synod or to give a public mission. It is said, the fair was held with great pomp,^3 and that it Avas celebrated for national games, which commenced on the ist of August
each year, although occasionally interrupted or prevented, owing to civil discords or to other causes. When the day, on which the foregoing
occurrence took place, drew to a close, on seeing the miracles which our saint wrought, a certain man asked her to visit, with her virgins, a house lately built, and which he wished should be consecrated by her pre- sence. She went according to his request, and was received by her host, in ahospitableandrespectfulmanner. Whenfoodhadbeenplacedbeforethe nuns for their refreshment, Brigid said to her sisters, with a prophetic spirit ; " The Lord hath now shown me, that this man is a Gentile, and as he will notbebaptized,weshouldnotpartakeofhismeats. " Oneofhernunsre-
" You
resisted St. Patrick's preaching and hath refused to receive baptism. " St. Brigid then told her host, that they could not eat with him until he had been first baptized. Immediately afterwards, the Lord touched this man's heart with compunction for his sins, and he believed, together with his whole family. Bishop Bron, St. Patrick's disciple, who accompanied our saint, administered the baptismal rite. On being informed about these circumstances the follow- ing day, St. Patrick told the holy virgin, that henceforth she should not journey,^-* without having a priest to accompany her. ^s Then, the illustrious bishop ordained a priest, named Natfroich,^^ who during the whole course of
plied :
speak truth,
for I have
heard,
that of all he hath most others,
79 See Lewis' "
The same writer to proposes
a
publish ^° "
Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 600.
See some admirable investigations, re-
and antiquities, intituled, Taillten and Brugh : in the County of Meath : being an account of the present condition of two of the Royal Cemeteries of Ireland in Pagan Times. " Illustrations, from correct draw- ings, are designed for this work.
^3 Here "games similar to the Olympian are described to have been held for 15 days before, and 15 days after, the 1st of August, and the time appointed for this grand festival was also that commonly c—hosen for giving
lative to this matter, which were presented
by Eugene Alfred Conwell, M. R. I. A. , in a series of communications to the Royal Irish
Academy on the 23rd of May, and on the 14th of November, 1864 ; as also on the 26th of February, 1866, and on the 12th of
February, 1872. These were published in "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," vol. ix. First series, pp. 355 et seq. , and vol. i. , second series, pp. 72 et seq.
^' The pre-historic monuments here were first discovered by Eugene Alfred Conwell, M. R. I. A. , on Tuesday, the 9th of June,
"
youngpeopleinmarriage. " ThomasCrom- "
1863. See
Academy," vol. ix. , p. 356.
of the Ancient Sepulchral Cairns on the Loughcrew Hills, County of Meath. "
^^ See "Life of St. Brigid," by an Irish
Priest," chap, iv. , p. 48.
^s in the Irish Life of St. Brigid, belong-
ing to Professor O'Looney, the foregoing
occurrences are noticed. We are informed,
moreover, that St. Patrick's injunction to
Proceedings of the Royal Irish
^' Mr. Conwell has issued in book
thin 8vo, an interesting account of this loca-
This is intituled " of the Discovery
St. " caused Natfraech to take Brigid
Orders," pp. 25, 26.
was afterwards numbered among our national saints, and according to Marianus O'Gorman and the Martyrology of Donegal, he was venerated on the nth of
lity.
Tomb of OllAmh -po-ohU (^Ollav Fola), Ireland's famous Monarch and Law-Maker upwards of Three Thousand Years Ago," Dublin, 1873. It contains several interest- ing illustrations, pertinent to the subject.
Holy
"
Examination
form,
very valuable contribution to our ancient history
well's Excursions through Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 125. London, 1820, 8vo.
""^ This
priest
l^EBRUARY I. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
n
her life attended St. Brigid, in quality of guardian, while on her travels. ^7 Having taken leave of St. Patrick, the holy abbess returned to her nunnery. About this time, also, a certain man^^ came to the saint, and bore his mother, a paralytic, on his shoulders. When he had arrived in our saint's presence,
placing his mother on the ground, under the holy virgin's shadow,^9 no sooner had the infirm woman been set in this position, than she arose and cried
out
:
" I give thanks to God, because the moment I touched your shadow,
O saint, I was healed, and felt no more pain. " Then audible exclamations
of praise to the Almighty issued from the lips of all present. 9°
After some interval of time, a certain demoniac, bound with strong chains,
was about being brought to St. Brigid ; but, on learning to whom he was
being conducted, he cast himself on the ground and persistently declared, they should never bring him to her. The conductors told him, that he
neither knew where Brigid was, nor the purpose they had in view ; still, he replied, he well knew their object, and the place where our saint dwelt, whichhenamed. Findingtheycouldnotmovehimfromthespotwhere he lay, his guardians were of opinion, that a message should be sent to Brigid,requestinghertovisithimthereinChrist'sname. Theholyvirgin assented to their request; and, on her approach, a demon fled from that man, whilst as yet she was at some distance. This was a marked privilege our saint possessed, for she caused devils to fear and to fly her approach, wheresoever she came. On the instant, this man's reason returned, and he gave thanks to God. 9^
CHAPTER V.
AT ST, LASARA's CONVENT ST. BRIGID WORKS MIRACLES—HER EXCURSION TO MUN- STER WITH BISHOP ERG—THE HOLY ABBESS VISITS CONNAUGHT—HER LABOURS AND AUSTERITIES WHILE THERE—THE PEOPLE OF LEINSTER REQUEST HER TO RETURN—SHE COMPLIES, AND RE-CROSSES THE SHANNON—SHE RESOLVES ON BUILDING HER GREAT ESTABLISHMENT AT KILDARE.
While some legendary writers of the illustrious saint's acts intersperse them with fantastic recitals, others recount the daily wonders of her life, and the benefits her charitable solicitude everywhere spread around in providing, not only for the wants of the clergy and religious with whom she associated, butevenforthoseofthepoorandhumble. ^ Atacertaintime,Brigid,with her companions, was entertained by a St Lasara or Lasrea, at the church of this latter virgin. It has been conjectured she was the daughter of Ferguss,^
December. An Irish Life of our saint, in Colgan's possession, mentions him in the fourteenth chapter. See "Trias Thauma- turga. " Vita Tertia S. Brigidse, n. 20, p. 543-
''7 See L. Tachet de Bameval's ** Histoire Legendaire del'lrlande," chap, ix,, p. 87.
is said to have been from Northern
Bregia in Professor O'Looney's Manuscript Life.
^ In the Irish Life of St. Brigid, Pro-
fessor O'Looney renders this passage "the
shelter of Brigid," pp. 25, 26.
9° See " Vita Sexta S. Brigidoe," section
xvi. , p, 585, ibid. , for an account of the fore- goingmiracle.
»* The foregoing miracles are copied, with little variation, from the Third and Fourth Lives of St. Brigid. See Colgan's "Trias
"
Thaumaturga. Vita Tertia S. Brigidae,
cap. xxxii. , xxxiii. , xxxiv. , xxxv. , xxxvi. , xxxvii. , xxxviii. , xxxix. , xl. , xli. , xlii. , xliii. , pp, 530, 531. Vita Quarta S. Brigidse, lib.
^He
xxxiv. xxxv. i. , cap. , ,
xxxvi. ,
xxxvii. ,
xxxviii. ,
xxxix. , xl, xH,, xlii. , xliii. , xliv. , xlv. , pp.
547, 548, 549. In many, if not in most, of
these chapters, one life seems to be almost a verbal copy or transcript of the other,
—'See L. Tachet de Bameval's " Historie Legendaire de I'lrlande," chap*
Chap. v.
viii. , p. 82.
=* TheMartyrologiesofMarianusGorman,
7S LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i. sontoFethlemid,sontoKingLeogaire. 3 Thisidentification,however,is
not well ascertained. '^ Her place is called Kill-Laisre,5
"
or
Laisre's
Church ;"^ although it is difficult to identify the foundress,7 among the many- recurringandsimilarnamesinscribedonourcalendars. ^ Whilerestingatthis
retreat, on the evening of a particular day, accompanied by a great multitude, St. Patrick, it is said, came to demand hospitality. Then, the nuns of St. Laisre's church,9 being concerned about the poor provision made in that place for entertaining such a number of persons, manifested their inquietude to St. Brigid. She enquired, what store they possessed. Being told, they had only twelve loaves, an tgg, and a little milk,^° which were prepared for herself and her sisters, our holy abbess repHed, that these should prove sufficient for a great number of persons, through God's bounty. She then required the Sacred Scriptures to be read, so that their corporal necessities
might presently be forgotten. St. Brigid and St. Patrick afterwards partook
of some food, which had been prepared. The quantity of provisions greatly increased, even when their repast concluded. St. Lasrea then offered her place to God and to St.
**
rectis properando gressibus ibant
Fluminis ad ripam cujusdam nomine Bannae. "
It seems more probable, however, that Baruac should be the reading, as probably the River Barrow is meant.
4° The Muintir-Fearghaill or family of the O'Ferralls were its chief lords for many
centuries, although in point of genealogy, the O'Quinns of the same race were their seniors. They had sometimes sovereignty over that sub-section of Fergus's race, on the east side of the Shannon. Still, they never ruled over the whole race of Fergus, who had large territories in Connaught, as likewise in Thomond and Kerry. See "The Topographical Poems of John
class. It is said to have been "a richly "
exactly called in the
"
Life of St. Brigid,"
ornamented vessel in Professor Irish Life of St. Brigid, pp. 21, 22.
O'Looney's
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 73
crippled. <5 One day a woman came to our saint, with a present of apples,so whileBrigiddweltintheplainofTheba. Beforethatwomanlefttheplace, some lepers came up demanding alms. Brigid told the woman to divide
" I forlepers,butforyourselfandforyournuns. " Sucharemarkdispleased
our saint, and she rebuked that woman for her want of charity, telling her at the same time, her trees should never afterwards bear fruit. s' On returning to her house, the woman found not a single apple remaining in her orchard ; although,onlyashorttimebefore,hertreeswerebendingwithfruit. Thence- forward, her garden remained barren, according to St. Brigid's prediction, s^
At another time, St. Brigid journeyed through the plain of Thebe in her chariot, when, with many cattle, she saw a man, his wife and whole family, labouring and bearing heavy burthens. These greatly wearied them, as the heat of summer was then excessive. Compassionating these people, our saint gave them the horses, which were under her own chariot, to assist their efforts. At this time, with her nuns, she sat down on the way-side.
this fruit with them. Then her visitor
replied,
brought
these not apples,
"
near, that a well of water may be produced, for some persons shall come
hither, who although having food, shall require drink. " Having obeyed her orders, and dug a few feet, a fountain immediately spnmg up in the place. 53 After some short time, with a great number of persons on horse and foot,
accompanying him, a certain chief came to the place. Having learned, that
St. Brigid had given away her horses, he presented her with two untrained
ones. These became as tractable under her management, as if they had
been accustomed to the traces of her chariot,s-* Afterwards, some of St.
Patrick's disciples and family are related to have passed the same way.
These said to " We have laboured on our food, but Brigid : journey, having
no drink. " The sisters of our saint replied, that running water had been prepared for them to drink, and that the abbess had predicted their arrival. Then all eat and drank together, while the fame of our saint was extolled. Thanksgiving was likewise returned to the Almighty, for such a blessing.
While St. Brigid was travelling, with a great crowd, two lepers followed her, and according to her usual custom, she kindly received them. How- ever, these miserable creatures quarrelled with each other, and proceeded to blows. Meantime, the arm of that man, who struck first, became curved, so that he could not lift it ; while, the right hand of his opponent, which had been raised, could not be moved again to its natural position. The hands of these lepers remained in the condition described, until St. Brigid on com- ing up healed them. Then they repented. ss At another time, our saint's chariot was brought to carry a sick man, who was at the point of death. About even-tide, he was conveyed to the place, where our saint resided ; and, on that very night, his recovery set in, so that by morning he was able to walk. On finding this to be the case, some lepers asked for her
Brigid then said to her religious daughters,
Dig beneath the sod which is
45 See, Tertia Vita S. Brigidae, cap. xxx,, p. 530. Vita Quinta S. Brigidse, cap. xlv. , xlvi. , p. 578. Vita Sexta S. Brigidse, sees. xiv. , xviii. , pp. 584, 585.
s° This anecdote is contained in Professor
O'Looney's Irish Life of St. Brigid, pp. 23, 24.
5' This anecdote is more briefly related in
the Lections of Si. Brigid's Office in the 589. Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
BreviaryofAberdeen. SeeBishopForbes'
ssThesameaccountisgiveninProfessor
O'Looney's Irish Life of St. Brigid, pp. 23, 24.
"Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 289. 5' See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga.
"
Vita Tertia S. Brigidse, cap. xxxi. , p. 530. Vita Sexta S. Brigidse, sec. xxx. , p. 586, ibid.
53 See "The Life of St. Brigid," by an
Irish Priest, chap, iv. , p. 45.
S4 The foregoing circumstances are related,
with more prolixity, in the Sexta Vita S.
Brigidoe, sees, xxxi,, xxxii,, xxxiv , pp. 588,
y4 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i.
chariot. This vehicle, with her horses, the virgin is said to have bestowed on them. 56
Being invited, St. Brigid went to a certain nunnery, in the territory of Theba, to celebrate Easter. The pious abbess57 of the place, on Holy Thursday,ss asked all her sisters, who would wish to wash the feet of certain infirm nuns. 59 All seeming to feel repugnance for this office, St. Brigid de- clared her willingness to assume such a task ; and the abbess was pleased with a compliance, which she knew to have been inspired by heaven. Four of the nuns were then infirm ; one was a paralytic, another had been subject to epileptic fits, one was a leper, and another had been blind. ^° Our saint
: firstbegantowashtheparalytic,whosaidtoher "Oholymother,prayto
Christ for me, that I may be healed. " Brigid prayed for her, and she was
^^
While our saint remained in this part of the country, she occupied a cell for some days, and it chanced, also that a boy who had been mute and a paralytic^^ was there, although St. Brigid was ignorant about his infirmities. Some passengers arrived, who asked for food. ^3 Our saint enquired from this boy, if he knew where the cellar key was to be found. He immediately spoke and said " I do. " Brigid replied, " Go, and bring it to me. "^4 The paralytic, hereupon, arose cured, and pre- sented the keys, whilst, afterwards, with the holy virgin, he ministered food totheguests,aftertheScottishmanner. ^s Whenreturninghome,thisbo/s friends were greatly astonished on finding him both walking and speaking. The boy told them circumstantially how he had been healed ; and all who heard his account gave thanks to God and praised His holy servant. ^^ At a time, the holy bishops Maol and Maolchu^? came to St. Brigid. They asked, if she would accompany them on a visit to their sanctified patron, Patrick, then dwelling in the plain of Bregh. ^^ Our saint replied, that she very much desired to do so, as she wished to obtain his blessing. Then those holy bishops set out on their journey, with Brigid and her companions. A certain cleric, who had a large family, with cattle and two waggons, asked
instantly restored to health.
5* Vita S.
**
Trias Thaumaturga. " Sexta
See, also, Brigidse,
sees,
xxxviii. , xxxix. , p.
St. Brigid, pp. 23, 24.
"^^ Tliis is somewhat related in differently
the Lessons of St. Brigid's Office in the Breviary of Aberdeen. See Bishop Forbes* "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 289.
^s Colgan has appended a note, to the corresponding La—tin passage, in which he proceeds to show a question not so much debated now as in his time—that the Irish were anciently called Scots, as St. Brigid is remarked to have dwelt then, in the country of Theba, near Meath, and that the author of her Fourth Life must have lived at a re- mote period, the Irish having been commonly called Scots, in his time. See "Trias Thau- maturga. " Quarta Vita S. Brigidce, n. 18, p, 564.
^^ This miracle is also related, in the Quinta Vita S. Brigidaj, cap. xlix. , p. 579. See " Trias Thaumaturga. "
^7 So called in the Fourth Life of our
saint. In the Third Life, they are named
Mel and Melchu.
«'o a
590.
57 She had probably been the subject of
St. Brigid, in an affiliate house.
58 See "Life of St. Brigid," by an Irish
Priest, pp. 43, 44.
59 This account is varied in the Lections
of St. Brigid's Office as found in the Bre- viary of Aberdeen. See Bishop Forbes'
**
^°
24.
" This miracle is also recorded in the
"Vita Sexta S. Brigidse," sec. xix. , p. 585. See "Trias Thaumaturga. " There, how- ever, it is stated, in addition, that the other three afflicted persons were healed by St. Brigid, after praying her to interpose on their behalf.
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 289.
In the Irish Life of St. Brigid, belong- ing to Professor O'Looney, we are told in- stead, that "there were four diseased per- sons in the house, viz. , a man in a decline, a maniac, a blind man and a leper," pp. 23,
transposed form of the name Magh-Breagh, a famous St. Brigid," by an Irish Priest, calls him "a plain in East Meath. See "The Topo-
^='
probably breaghmhagh,
Relating this incident, "The Life of
deaf and dumb child. " See chap, iv. , p. 44. *3 This anecdote is somewhat differently related in Professor O'Looney's Irish Life of
graphical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na naomh O'Huidhrin. " Edited by
John O'Donovan, LL. D. , p. xv. , n. 63.
February i-l LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 75
permission to accompany the saints, that he might minister to their wants on
the journey; but, the bishops would not consent, lest their travelling might be impeded by the number of beasts and the amount of baggage. Then, St.
"
Brigid said to the bishops ; assist those people. "
Proceed you before us, I shall remain, and
The bishops obeyed her, and the saint, remaining with the cleric's family, askedwhytheydidnotputtheirbaggageinthewaggons. Shewasinformed
that two infirm persons, a paralytic man, and a blind woman, occupied them. The fellow-travellers of Brigid refreshed themselves and slept for the night,
while she fasted and kept vigil. On the following morning, this spouse of Christ blessed some water. ^9 Pouring it on the paralytic and on the blind woman, both were restored ; one to the use of his limbs, the other to her eyesight. Then, according to our saint's orders, their baggage was placed in the waggons, while prosecuting their journey and giving unfeigned thanks toGod. Withtheirpermissionandblessing,oursaintandhercompanions parted company, in order to hasten progress.
On seeing a certain rustic greatly concerned regarding his cattle, and being near the house in which our saint lived, Brigid told her nuns to enquire about the cause of his grief ; when he replied, that his whole family, consist- ing of twelve persons, lay sick at home, and there was no. woman found to milk his cows. Our saint told her nuns to perform this kindly office. Having complied with her order, the religious sisters were invited by that man to partake of some refreshment. With this request they com- plied, while their holy abbess fasted. All having dined, the saint of God blessed some water, with which she sprinkled the house and its sick in- mates. The holy virgin's presence and her ministrations restored all those infirm persons to health. Then they gave thanks to God, and invoked bless- ings on his glorious servant. Subsequently, in a direct course, St. Brigid and her companions^o proceed to a place called Tailten,7i where St. Patrick, with an
assembly of holy bishops and saints, held a council. 72 Brigid was received by the assembly with becoming honour.
73 Here she is related to have vin- dicated the character of Bishop Bron74 in a miraculous manner. 73 Tailten has been identified76 with the modern Telltown,77 a parish78 in the barony of
^ Thus, the circumstance is related, in her Fourth Life. In the Third, it is said, our saint used the "morning dew," as ma- Uries for their restoration.
7° According to Professor O'Looney's Irish Life of St. Brigid, one of these was
Bishop Mel, pp. 25, 26. Melchu is also named as one of them in " The Life of St.
Brigid," by an Irish Priest, when alluding to this narrative. See chap, iv,, pp. 46 to 48.
7^ This place was situated in the northern part of Meath. In ancient times, it was greatly celebrated. See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Vita Quarta S. Brigida:, n. 19, p. 564.
of Erin at Tailtin," and "the Synod of
Erin," in Professor O'Looney's Irish Life of
the saint, pp. 25, 26. A very interesting
description of Telltown, identified with Tail-
tean, is given in Sir William Robert Wilde's
St. Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland, as her father, and that, in turn, he adopted her as his daughter. It is also said, that for the first time, these two great saints saw each other there ; and from this date forward, common consent allowed St. Brigid to be the greatest of all the Irish saints, after St. Patrick.
74 See his acts at the 8th of June,
75 See the Lections of St. Brigid's Office intheBreviaryofAberdeen. BishopForbes* *' Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 289.
7^ John O'Donovan has given an account of ancient—Tailten—which he identifies with
in dated
Telltown letters, Keannanus,
Uiy i2th, July 13th, July 14th, 1836, pp. 6 to 16, in "Letters containing Informa- tion relative to the Antiquities of the County of Meath, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1836. "
77 A townland of 626 acres so called con- tains a remarkable eminence called tlAch "Otibh or Black Rath. It is about sixty perches northward from the Blackwater River,
"
Beauties of the Boyne and its Tributary the
7^ It is called a " Convocation of the men
Blackwater," chap, vi. , pp. 149 to 154.
73 In the Fourth Life of our saint, we are
told, on this occasion, St. Brigid received
78 it is also called Killalton Parish,
76 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i.
UpperKells,countyofMeath. 79 Yet,anotheropinionhasbeenadvanced
with much abiHty,^° that the remains of the celebrated Royal Cemeteries of
Tailltin should be sought for on the Lough Crew Hills,^' at Oldcastle, in the
^^
Here an annual meeting of the people, called in Irish
same county. ""
Oenach, a fair," had been held in ancient times, on the fair-hilled Taill- ten," which seems a term inapplicable to Telltown, which lies in a low situa- tion, and which is singularly destitute of hills. It is probable, St. Patrick took advantage of the popular gathering there to hold a synod or to give a public mission. It is said, the fair was held with great pomp,^3 and that it Avas celebrated for national games, which commenced on the ist of August
each year, although occasionally interrupted or prevented, owing to civil discords or to other causes. When the day, on which the foregoing
occurrence took place, drew to a close, on seeing the miracles which our saint wrought, a certain man asked her to visit, with her virgins, a house lately built, and which he wished should be consecrated by her pre- sence. She went according to his request, and was received by her host, in ahospitableandrespectfulmanner. Whenfoodhadbeenplacedbeforethe nuns for their refreshment, Brigid said to her sisters, with a prophetic spirit ; " The Lord hath now shown me, that this man is a Gentile, and as he will notbebaptized,weshouldnotpartakeofhismeats. " Oneofhernunsre-
" You
resisted St. Patrick's preaching and hath refused to receive baptism. " St. Brigid then told her host, that they could not eat with him until he had been first baptized. Immediately afterwards, the Lord touched this man's heart with compunction for his sins, and he believed, together with his whole family. Bishop Bron, St. Patrick's disciple, who accompanied our saint, administered the baptismal rite. On being informed about these circumstances the follow- ing day, St. Patrick told the holy virgin, that henceforth she should not journey,^-* without having a priest to accompany her. ^s Then, the illustrious bishop ordained a priest, named Natfroich,^^ who during the whole course of
plied :
speak truth,
for I have
heard,
that of all he hath most others,
79 See Lewis' "
The same writer to proposes
a
publish ^° "
Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 600.
See some admirable investigations, re-
and antiquities, intituled, Taillten and Brugh : in the County of Meath : being an account of the present condition of two of the Royal Cemeteries of Ireland in Pagan Times. " Illustrations, from correct draw- ings, are designed for this work.
^3 Here "games similar to the Olympian are described to have been held for 15 days before, and 15 days after, the 1st of August, and the time appointed for this grand festival was also that commonly c—hosen for giving
lative to this matter, which were presented
by Eugene Alfred Conwell, M. R. I. A. , in a series of communications to the Royal Irish
Academy on the 23rd of May, and on the 14th of November, 1864 ; as also on the 26th of February, 1866, and on the 12th of
February, 1872. These were published in "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," vol. ix. First series, pp. 355 et seq. , and vol. i. , second series, pp. 72 et seq.
^' The pre-historic monuments here were first discovered by Eugene Alfred Conwell, M. R. I. A. , on Tuesday, the 9th of June,
"
youngpeopleinmarriage. " ThomasCrom- "
1863. See
Academy," vol. ix. , p. 356.
of the Ancient Sepulchral Cairns on the Loughcrew Hills, County of Meath. "
^^ See "Life of St. Brigid," by an Irish
Priest," chap, iv. , p. 48.
^s in the Irish Life of St. Brigid, belong-
ing to Professor O'Looney, the foregoing
occurrences are noticed. We are informed,
moreover, that St. Patrick's injunction to
Proceedings of the Royal Irish
^' Mr. Conwell has issued in book
thin 8vo, an interesting account of this loca-
This is intituled " of the Discovery
St. " caused Natfraech to take Brigid
Orders," pp. 25, 26.
was afterwards numbered among our national saints, and according to Marianus O'Gorman and the Martyrology of Donegal, he was venerated on the nth of
lity.
Tomb of OllAmh -po-ohU (^Ollav Fola), Ireland's famous Monarch and Law-Maker upwards of Three Thousand Years Ago," Dublin, 1873. It contains several interest- ing illustrations, pertinent to the subject.
Holy
"
Examination
form,
very valuable contribution to our ancient history
well's Excursions through Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 125. London, 1820, 8vo.
""^ This
priest
l^EBRUARY I. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
n
her life attended St. Brigid, in quality of guardian, while on her travels. ^7 Having taken leave of St. Patrick, the holy abbess returned to her nunnery. About this time, also, a certain man^^ came to the saint, and bore his mother, a paralytic, on his shoulders. When he had arrived in our saint's presence,
placing his mother on the ground, under the holy virgin's shadow,^9 no sooner had the infirm woman been set in this position, than she arose and cried
out
:
" I give thanks to God, because the moment I touched your shadow,
O saint, I was healed, and felt no more pain. " Then audible exclamations
of praise to the Almighty issued from the lips of all present. 9°
After some interval of time, a certain demoniac, bound with strong chains,
was about being brought to St. Brigid ; but, on learning to whom he was
being conducted, he cast himself on the ground and persistently declared, they should never bring him to her. The conductors told him, that he
neither knew where Brigid was, nor the purpose they had in view ; still, he replied, he well knew their object, and the place where our saint dwelt, whichhenamed. Findingtheycouldnotmovehimfromthespotwhere he lay, his guardians were of opinion, that a message should be sent to Brigid,requestinghertovisithimthereinChrist'sname. Theholyvirgin assented to their request; and, on her approach, a demon fled from that man, whilst as yet she was at some distance. This was a marked privilege our saint possessed, for she caused devils to fear and to fly her approach, wheresoever she came. On the instant, this man's reason returned, and he gave thanks to God. 9^
CHAPTER V.
AT ST, LASARA's CONVENT ST. BRIGID WORKS MIRACLES—HER EXCURSION TO MUN- STER WITH BISHOP ERG—THE HOLY ABBESS VISITS CONNAUGHT—HER LABOURS AND AUSTERITIES WHILE THERE—THE PEOPLE OF LEINSTER REQUEST HER TO RETURN—SHE COMPLIES, AND RE-CROSSES THE SHANNON—SHE RESOLVES ON BUILDING HER GREAT ESTABLISHMENT AT KILDARE.
While some legendary writers of the illustrious saint's acts intersperse them with fantastic recitals, others recount the daily wonders of her life, and the benefits her charitable solicitude everywhere spread around in providing, not only for the wants of the clergy and religious with whom she associated, butevenforthoseofthepoorandhumble. ^ Atacertaintime,Brigid,with her companions, was entertained by a St Lasara or Lasrea, at the church of this latter virgin. It has been conjectured she was the daughter of Ferguss,^
December. An Irish Life of our saint, in Colgan's possession, mentions him in the fourteenth chapter. See "Trias Thauma- turga. " Vita Tertia S. Brigidse, n. 20, p. 543-
''7 See L. Tachet de Bameval's ** Histoire Legendaire del'lrlande," chap, ix,, p. 87.
is said to have been from Northern
Bregia in Professor O'Looney's Manuscript Life.
^ In the Irish Life of St. Brigid, Pro-
fessor O'Looney renders this passage "the
shelter of Brigid," pp. 25, 26.
9° See " Vita Sexta S. Brigidoe," section
xvi. , p, 585, ibid. , for an account of the fore- goingmiracle.
»* The foregoing miracles are copied, with little variation, from the Third and Fourth Lives of St. Brigid. See Colgan's "Trias
"
Thaumaturga. Vita Tertia S. Brigidae,
cap. xxxii. , xxxiii. , xxxiv. , xxxv. , xxxvi. , xxxvii. , xxxviii. , xxxix. , xl. , xli. , xlii. , xliii. , pp, 530, 531. Vita Quarta S. Brigidse, lib.
^He
xxxiv. xxxv. i. , cap. , ,
xxxvi. ,
xxxvii. ,
xxxviii. ,
xxxix. , xl, xH,, xlii. , xliii. , xliv. , xlv. , pp.
547, 548, 549. In many, if not in most, of
these chapters, one life seems to be almost a verbal copy or transcript of the other,
—'See L. Tachet de Bameval's " Historie Legendaire de I'lrlande," chap*
Chap. v.
viii. , p. 82.
=* TheMartyrologiesofMarianusGorman,
7S LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i. sontoFethlemid,sontoKingLeogaire. 3 Thisidentification,however,is
not well ascertained. '^ Her place is called Kill-Laisre,5
"
or
Laisre's
Church ;"^ although it is difficult to identify the foundress,7 among the many- recurringandsimilarnamesinscribedonourcalendars. ^ Whilerestingatthis
retreat, on the evening of a particular day, accompanied by a great multitude, St. Patrick, it is said, came to demand hospitality. Then, the nuns of St. Laisre's church,9 being concerned about the poor provision made in that place for entertaining such a number of persons, manifested their inquietude to St. Brigid. She enquired, what store they possessed. Being told, they had only twelve loaves, an tgg, and a little milk,^° which were prepared for herself and her sisters, our holy abbess repHed, that these should prove sufficient for a great number of persons, through God's bounty. She then required the Sacred Scriptures to be read, so that their corporal necessities
might presently be forgotten. St. Brigid and St. Patrick afterwards partook
of some food, which had been prepared. The quantity of provisions greatly increased, even when their repast concluded. St. Lasrea then offered her place to God and to St.
