]
According
to several of the Con- tinental writers, St.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
Manymiracleswerewroughtthroughhisintercession.
It was believed by the local inhabitants, that men, or even animals, belong- ing to the brute creation, and affected with various distempers, often found restoration to health, either by laving in the water of the well, or by drinking it.
On account of many miracles and benefits, thus obtained through this saint's intercession, the inhabitants in that part of the country, to manifest their gratitude, imposed on themselves four annual fasts.
always kept
vigil
ofhis
feast,
days, namely,
ona
onthe
-^^ andonthreeother
Yet the seasons, in which these latter
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
days were kept, have not been recorded, for our information.
Less than a mile eastward, from the village of Prosperous,43 stands in hoary decay the unfrequented little ruin of Downings chapel,'*^ in the parish
Tribes and Customs of Hy-Fiachrach, com- monly called O'Dowda's Country," n. (f), pp. 258, 259.
"Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
37 In M'Firbis' poems on Tireragh, taken from the "Book of Tireragh," allusion is
genealogy is the Latin Life of St. Forannan, published by Colgan, at 15 Febr. This is the meaning of the concluding clause, be- .
ginning,
^-Colganadds,inanote "Itacolligitur
3^ See
" Take notice. "
Colgan's niae,"xv. Februarii,n. 44,p. 340.
:
made to
tracts. " vol. i,, pp. 243 to 246.
Sligo
Ex- nominis notavi num. 2. " supra
3^ See Colgan's
Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
45, p. 340.
'*3 it is situated, in the parish of Killybegs,
in the barony of Clane, and it is shown on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Kildare. " Sheet 13.
44
tion, that Oliver Cromwell, in his march of devastation, battered with cannon, from a
'^^'^^:^:^^^^^^^:^^^ church of Downings,
-Alc]:A|\AnAin
"
nias," XV. Februarii. Vita S. Farannani,
cap. xi. , xii,, pp. 337, 338.
39 Edited by kev. Dr. Kelly, p. XV,
4° Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
50, 51.
^^ In a note, Dr. Todd adds, at the word,
Foramidn, " The later hand has written in
in tlie "
—"Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xv. Februarii, n.
i. e. , Nota. The Irish MS.
the margin
do not give Fionnbarr as one of the sons of Eoghan, The only authority for this
j;. ^
ex Marian. Mart. Tamhl. & /Enguss auct. Vide quee de hoc, aliisque Sanctis hujus
'phe country people there have a
trac^i*
One of these was
564 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February15.
so named, in the barony of Clane, and county of Kildare. ^s The interior of this old building measures 42 feet 6 inches, in length, while it is 16 feet in width. The walls are about 2 feet 7 inches, in thickness. The church stood, within an ancient cemetery, some distance trom the public road, and the burial-ground is enclosed with a wall and hedge. -^^ A tradition of high
Downings Old Church, County Kildare.
and reliable antiquity states, that the site of the chapel was once the cell of
St. Farnan, and immediately adjacent, the saint's well bubbles up, in the
valley of Downings. It is said that, in his day, like the saints of our own
time, he battled with doubt and uncertainty against drunkenness. It may
be doubted, however, if St. Farnan be identical with the present St. Farannan,
who seems to have had connexion solely with the west of Ireland ; and, in
no manner, with the county of Kildare. Perhaps, he was the same as St.
Forannan, Abbot of Clonard, whose feast occurs, at the 12th of this month.
Actuated by the popular belief, St. Farnan blessed the well at Downings,
and called " the Well of that whosoever drank of its it, Sobriety," saying
water should never again relish the waters of intemperance. '7
The Pagan writer, Euripides, remarks, who knows whether that which is called death, be not the road to a new life, and life a real death ? 4^ The Christian's faith removed such a sceptical query, and the saints, both in life, and at point of death, resolved it most happily in the affirmative.
*s The townlands of Dovvnings North and of Downings South are defined on the ** Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for theCountyofKildare. " Sheet13.
4* The accompanying illustration was
sketched by the writer, on the spot, in
April, 1874; this drawing has been trans- ferred to the wood by William F. Wake-
man, and it has been engrav«d by Mrs. Millard.
7 Some of the foregoing particulars were communicated to The Leinster Independent^
in which journal they appeared, in 1871.
4^ See " rhrixus," the Fragment of a lost Drama.
February 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 565
Article III. —Feast of St. Dichul, Abbot of Lure. \Sixth and
Seventh Centuries^
According to one account/ a feast of St. Dichul is held
of The Acts of this saint will be found February. 3
in =^ on the France,
15th
written, at the i8th day of January. *» Mabillon describes Lure, towards the
close of the seventeenth century, when the relics of St. Deicolus or Dichul were there preserved. s The Bollandists have only a passing allusion to St. Deicolus, abbot and disciple to St. Columbanus, at this day. ^
Article IV. —St. Fergus, or Ferghas, Son of Aedh, or Aengus. The sacred Scriptures assure us, that some are born, of whom no memorial remains, although these were men of mercy, whose godly deeds have not failed. ^ The name, Fergus, son of ^ngus, occurs, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 15th of February. His father's name seems differently written in another Calendar. The Martyrology of Donegal,3 on this day, records Ferghas, son of Aedh. 4 No further information have we to com- municate.
Article V. —Reputed Feast of St. Eruald, Erwald, Arnwal, or Arnual, in Franconia. [Probably about the Seventh Century. '] Under these various names, the Bollandists have some brief allusions to this holy man,atthe19thofJanuary,^asalso,atthe15thofFebruary. ^ Trithemius3 treats about the holy martyr Erualdus, who, with his companions, came from Scotia,intoGermany. HepreachedtheGospelinFranconia. ^ Camerarius has placed his festival, at this day ;5 although other writers have inserted it, atthe19thofJanuary; while,manyreferittothe8thofJuly,^whichisthe chief festival for his martyred companion, St. Kilian. 7 Yet, at this latter date, the Bollandists assert, the present saint to be one and the same, whose feast is set down, in the Irish and Scottish Calendars, at the 2nd of October. At that day, they have a few short notices of him, under the title of " Annualis
Presbyter. ''
^ For the latter we reserve further observations. date,
ArticleVI. —FestivalofHolyMartyrs. Atthe15thofFebruary,
"
the following stanza, transcribed from the Feilire" of St. ^ngus, as found
Articlehi,—^ MS. aFlorario.
^"
At that day, it is said : In Francia S.
Deicolce Abbatis discipuli S. Columbani. "
Articlev. —^ See "Acta Sanctoram,"
tomus ii. , Januarii xix. Among the preter-
mitted saints, p. 213.
"^ 3 See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niae," xviii. Januarii, Vita S. Deicoli, n.
44, p. 127.
4 Further notices will be found, at the
2 1st of November,
s See "Vetera Analccta. "
See inter pr£etermissos, ibid. , tomus ii. , Februarii xv, , p, 805.
3 See "De Viris Illustribus Ordinis
Sancti Benedicti," lib, iii,, cap, 146.
This was a circle of the old German Em-
pire, in the centre of Germany, containing an area of about 10,500 square miles, inter- sected from east and west, by the River Maine, and comprising one of the finest dis-
Iter Germani- ^ He is found among the pretermitted
carum, p. 2.
saints in the
"
Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii,,
Februarii xv,, —803, p.
^
Article iv. See Ecclesiasticus, xliv,,
10.
9, ^
Edited by the Rev, Dr. Kelly, p. xv.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
50, 51.
4 In a note, Dr. Todd says, at Aedk :
tricts in Germany. See
vol.
World," vi. , p. 455.
"
Gazetteer of the
"
Marianum et M. Taml, dicitur mAc ^on- gufA. ' It is thus translated : 'But, accord- ing to M. O'Gorman and the Mart. Taml. he is called son of Aengus. "
The later hand adds here,
*
Sed secundum
s See " De Statu Hominis, veteris simul ac novae Ecclesiae et Sanctis Regni Scotise," lib, i,, pars ii,, cap, iii^ sec, 2, p. 148.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. ,
viii. Among the pretermitted saints, p.
534.
7 See his Acts, at the 8th of July.
^
See ibid. , tomus i,, Octobris ii. the pretermitted saints, p. 318.
Julii
Among
566 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February15. in the " Leabhar Breac," is thus translated by Professor O'Looney : —
"O. u. W. kt. Caii
A]^ bA^AAcll •OA'OAIg ;
Article vi. —* See tomus ii. , Februarii
XV. , pp. 803 to 852.
= 'I'o this we hnd appended a note (a)
**
Chanty i. e. , it is chanted because of the nobleness of the festival, even though it should fall on Sunday, or on the- Feast of Barrach the triumphant, i. e. , Barrach, sou of Nemnand, son of Nemangen, son of Fin-
son of Mai, son of Dublha, son of Ocn-
tan,
gus, son of Ere Uerg, son of Brian, son of
Whomsoever they prayed for at the gasp of death
Should not suffer death, 7>,, Hell. "
cclelj|\AT) 'oomnAij;, IIA
La
buAiX) tiiAic "Oe "OiAniAic.
cefA-o fltiAi^ biMgAi^,
Chant the Sunday's celebration On the morrow at night
With the passion of a powerful host
The victory of the son of God they obtain. "
This stanza seems to have reference, to various holy martyrs, venerated in the Church, at this date, as may be seen by consulting the " Acta Sanc- torum" of the Bollandists-' Regarding the "Sunday's celebration," and " the morrow at night," I feel unable further to present any illustration, other than what is contained in a comment to the Irish word, cAn. '
Article VII. —Festival of the Blessed Richard Fitz Ralph,
Archbishop of Armagh. {Fourteenth Century. ] The manuscript,^ in T. C. D. , classed B. i, i, contains in its calendar hst, at February the 15th,
an entry,= which indicates, that this day was held sacred, to the memory of St. Richard,ArchbishopofArmagh. Furtheraccountsofhimarereserved for the 1 6th of November.
Article VIII. —Reputed Feast of St. Columcan, Abbot and Recluse at Ghent. [Tent/i Centt/ry.
] According to several of the Con- tinental writers, St. Columban's death, or Natalis, occurred on this day. ^ Another festival, in commemoration of this saint, was celebrated, on the 2nd of this month. At this latter day, his Acts have been already given.
According to the opinions, most generally received, he died a. d. 959.
Article IX. —Reputed Festival of a St. Darerca. When Colgan makes a passing allusion to various holy virgins, wh—o are called Darerca in ourcalendars,henotesoneatthe15thofFebruary^ yet,wethink,reference is made to St. Darerca, virgin, and daughter to Cairbre, venerated on the
15th of January. ^ The mistake is likely to be owing to a typographical error. The Bollandists3 take occasion to observe, when treating of the pre- termitted saints, on this day, that Colgan omits all mention of the Natalis of St. Darerca.
Echu Muidhmeadon. And it is a fortnight "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Februarii
{i. e. , at the end of fourteen nights] in Spring xv. , pp. 846, 847.
his festival is, and, it is in the wilderness of Article ix. —^ See "Acta Sanctorum
Cinel in he is,— Ilibernicc," vi, Febniarii. De S. Mele,
Dobtha, Connaught, namely,
in Cluain Cairpti, ut dixit angelus : Episcopo Ardacadensi, 22, p. 263.
" Berrach and Mochoem 3 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Feb- Delightful was their custom ruarii xv. , p. 804.
Armagh.
- **
"
n.
See our notice of her, at this date.
It reads thus :
—'
Article vii.
Aiitiphonarium belonging to the Culdees,
attached to the Metropolitan Church, at
Ides ii. , Sancti RicardL
Rou —Ardmachani. "Ox. X'^r\- Avcliiepiscopi
'
Article viii. See the Bollandists'
Formerly this was an
February i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 567
^ijrterntl) JBag of jFebruarp*
ARTICLE L—ST. TANCHON, OR TANCO, MARTYR AND THIRD BISHOP OF VERDEN, IN SAXONY.
[EIGHTH AND NINTH CENTURIES. -]
has been truly remarked, that the names of many Irish saints and ITscholars are enshrined in the records of foreign nations, when they are forgotten, or but faintly remembered, in their own country. Such was
the case, with regard to the present zealous missionary, and holy martyr, who is not even recorded in the pages of our native Calendarists, although noted in foreign Martyrologies. It must be observed, that Albert Crantzius was one of the first writers, who has left us any authentic particulars, regard-
this saint. ^ From his
noticesofSt. Tanco. Atthe16thofFebruary,Colgan^andtheBollandists^ give short Acts for this saint, such as they had been enabled to collect, especially from Krantz, and from various other authorities. The ancient territory of Lower Saxony had been intersected by the river, formerly called Visurgis,'^ now known as the Weser, which passes through Bremen, and falls into the North Sea. Westward of this river, the country was denominated Westphalia, and eastward, it was known as Eastphalia. In the former division,CharlemagnehadfoundedtheepiscopalseeofVerden. s Suitbert*^ and Patto,7 both of whom came from Ireland, were its two first bishops f and St. Tanco is classed as the third. He is called a Scot,5 which designation most usually signifies, that the place of nativity must have been Ireland, when not expressly stated, that any person, thus indicated, had been a Scot fromScotiaMinor,orfromAlbania,nowknownasScotland. ^° Colganwas of opinion, that this saint and his other colleagues, who preached the faith in Saxony, were Irish Scots, by birth. "
ing
history,
most writers derived their subsequent
Article i. —'See "Rerum Germani- carum Historici Clarissimi, Ecclesiastica Historia, sive Metropolis," lib. i. , cap. 22,
29, pp. 17, 21.
' See "Acta Sanctorum
p. 224, ibid.
9 Dr, Lanigan says, that our saint was
probably an Irish Scot, and third Bishop of Yerden.
'° remarks of this that all Colgan saint,
writers call him a Scot. Yet, he was unable
topronouncepositively,whetherhewasa 3 See Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Feb- native of Scotia Major (Hibernia), or of ruarii xvi. l)e S. Tancone Epis. Verdensi, Scotia Minor (Albania). See "Acta Sanc-
in Saxonia Inferiore. Six short paragraphs, torum Hiberniae," xvi. Februarii. De S.
xvi. Februarii. De S. Tanchone Episcop.
Yerden. Exdiversis,pp. . 348,349. "
by Father Godefrid Henschenn, comprise the biographical notices, wliicli have been inserted in their great collection,
^ See Pliny, lib. iv. , cap. 28.
5 Towards the close of the eighth century.
^
See notices of him, at the 1st of March. 7 See an account of him, at the 30th of
Tancone Episcop. Verden, nn. I, 2, p. 349.
"
These are the reasons he chiefly ad- vances. In the first place, all the Scots, about this period, and before our saint's time, who were rendered illustrious by their piety and learning in Gaul and Germany, he would undertake to prove were Irish- men, when treating of them individually,
Hibernife,"
March.
8 "The Bollandists (at St. Suibert, 30 under their proper Acts. In the second
However, in what part of Ireland,
that Patto w^as not of what is " Monasterium Bishop place, called,
April) suspect
Verden, and that the i—mmediate successor of
Suibert was Tanco," See Dr. Lanigan's some of his predecessors and successors, "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. came, must have been a celebrated founda- iii. , chap, xx,, sect, iv. , p. 219, and n. 28, tion. Now, as there was no csenobium of
Amarbaricense," from which our saint, with
568 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [Februaryi6.
St. Tancowasborn,isunknown; but,heissaidtohavebeenofnoblebirth. "
Moved by missionary zeal, like many others of his countrymen, he left the island of his birth, to spread the Christian faith amongst strangers. '3 He travelledtoSaxony. ThereissaidtohavebeenanotherTanco,amonkof St. Gall, who must be distinguished from the present holy martyr. ^4 After Dempster's usual habit of unauthorized collocation, we find, also, that St. Tanco, or Tatto, is placed, by Camerarius, in his list of Scottish saints, ^s Dempster says, he was a Benedictine monk,^^ and that he wrote a book, on all the Gospels. ^7
St. Patto had vacated the office of abbot, over a monastery, named Amarbaric, near Verden. ^^ This estabHshment, founded for the use of Scottish or Irish monks,'9 is mistaken by Colgan, for the Irish Armagh, on account of a supposed similarity between these names ; he thinking, that Amarbaricensis was intended for Armachanensis. As he found no other monastery, having the former name, in either Ireland or Scotland, where he supposed it must be situated, he thus conjectured, this latter famous primatial city might have been meant. ^^^ The pious Tanchon succeeded this saint, as Abbot of Amarbaric, and on Patto's death, he likewise became Bishop of Verden. ^'^ This is referred to the year 760, or thereabouts, by Arnold Wion. =2 However, this appears too early a date, as it precedes even the erection of Verden into an episcopal see, according to the most authentic accounts. Tanco, who is also called Tatta,=^3 served God many years in Amarbarica Abbey, in great reputation for his singular learning and piety. He was raised, it is said, to the dignity of abbot. Through an ardent thirst after martyrdom, he resigned this charge. =4 The holy missioner Tanchon was animated with a hope of shedding his blood for the sake of his Divine Master. Being desirous of reclaiming the morals of the Saxon people, he fearlessly applied himself towards this task f^ and, he is said, by the writer already named, to have received a crown of martyrdom at their hands. We are told by Dempster, who makes him a Scottish saint, that he flourished, under King Conuallus II. in the year 820; but, that the year of his death is uncertain. ^^ He ascended gloriously to Heaven, on the xiv. day of the Kalends of March,^7 or the i6th of February,^^ about the year of our Lord 8oo. =9
=°
this name in either Scotia, Colgan thought The BoUandists and Mabillon, however,
it most likely some error has occurred in show that the monastery over which Patto
writing, Amarbaicense, for Armachanense. presided stood in the neighbourhood of See ibid. Verden.
the 1 6th of February.
^3 See Krantz's " Rerum Germanicarum
Historici Clarissimi, Ecclesiastica Historia, Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xviii,,
sive Metropolis," lib. i. , cap. 22, p. 17.
'4 Dempster quotes for this statement, Sangalleus, in Vita Caroli Magni, lib. i. ,
cap. xxxi.
^s See ** De Statu Hominis, veteris simul
ac novae Ecclesiae, et Sanctis Regni Scotise," lib. i. , pars ii. , cap. iii. , sect. 2, p. 148.
"" =' See Martyrologium Anglicanum," at
^^
for this statement.
*'
Gaspar
Bruschius'
Catalogue
is quoted,
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xviii. , num 1 105,
p. 606.
^^ See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical His-
tory of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xx. , section
iv. ,p. 219.
'9 Most of the foreign writers place it in
Scotia.
*7 See his
_
°3
Fathers, Martyrs, and other Principal Saints," vol. ii. , February xvi.
=* See ibid.
^s Although, we are uninformed, as to the
kind of death our saint endured we ; yet,
are told, by Arnold Wion, in his Benedictine
Martyrology, as also in Menard's Martyr- ology, that the immediate cause for his
death was a reprehension of vices at Verden,
and which excited popular frenzy against him.
Dempster states, that Tanco was Abbot of Amarbaricensis, before he became Bishop of Verden. See "Historia Ecclesiastica
num. 1 105, p. 606. "^ "
""^
See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
See I>ignum Vitse," lib. ii. , cap. 54. See Rev. Alban Butler's "Lives of the
Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xviii. , num. 1105, p. 606.
February t6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 569
Arnold Wion and the English Martyrology state, that our saint suffered about this time. The latter authority says, that after being appointed Abbot of Amarbaric, St. Tancho, feeling a desire to effect the salvation of souls in neighbouring provinces, went first to Flanders, and afterwards to Cleves, (now the chief city of that duchy near the Rhine in Germany), where he was createdBishopofVerden. However,Colganshows,thathewasnotpastor over the church so called, in the Duchy of Cleeves, near the Rhine ; but, rather,attheAller,whichflowsintotheWeser. 30 TheJesuitFather,Henry Fitzsimon, on the authority of the English Martyrology, records St. Tancon, a bishop and martyr, on his list of Irish Saints. An anonymous Calendar of Irish Saints3^ has his festival at the i6th of February. Yet, Dempster hashisfeastatthe13thofFebruary. s^ Camerarius,however,hasthei6thof this month. 33 Ferrarius,34 Wion, Menard and the English Martyrology, all
are agreed. 3S Again, some writers refer the date for his martyrdom, to a.
always kept
vigil
ofhis
feast,
days, namely,
ona
onthe
-^^ andonthreeother
Yet the seasons, in which these latter
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
days were kept, have not been recorded, for our information.
Less than a mile eastward, from the village of Prosperous,43 stands in hoary decay the unfrequented little ruin of Downings chapel,'*^ in the parish
Tribes and Customs of Hy-Fiachrach, com- monly called O'Dowda's Country," n. (f), pp. 258, 259.
"Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
37 In M'Firbis' poems on Tireragh, taken from the "Book of Tireragh," allusion is
genealogy is the Latin Life of St. Forannan, published by Colgan, at 15 Febr. This is the meaning of the concluding clause, be- .
ginning,
^-Colganadds,inanote "Itacolligitur
3^ See
" Take notice. "
Colgan's niae,"xv. Februarii,n. 44,p. 340.
:
made to
tracts. " vol. i,, pp. 243 to 246.
Sligo
Ex- nominis notavi num. 2. " supra
3^ See Colgan's
Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
45, p. 340.
'*3 it is situated, in the parish of Killybegs,
in the barony of Clane, and it is shown on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Kildare. " Sheet 13.
44
tion, that Oliver Cromwell, in his march of devastation, battered with cannon, from a
'^^'^^:^:^^^^^^^:^^^ church of Downings,
-Alc]:A|\AnAin
"
nias," XV. Februarii. Vita S. Farannani,
cap. xi. , xii,, pp. 337, 338.
39 Edited by kev. Dr. Kelly, p. XV,
4° Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
50, 51.
^^ In a note, Dr. Todd adds, at the word,
Foramidn, " The later hand has written in
in tlie "
—"Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xv. Februarii, n.
i. e. , Nota. The Irish MS.
the margin
do not give Fionnbarr as one of the sons of Eoghan, The only authority for this
j;. ^
ex Marian. Mart. Tamhl. & /Enguss auct. Vide quee de hoc, aliisque Sanctis hujus
'phe country people there have a
trac^i*
One of these was
564 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February15.
so named, in the barony of Clane, and county of Kildare. ^s The interior of this old building measures 42 feet 6 inches, in length, while it is 16 feet in width. The walls are about 2 feet 7 inches, in thickness. The church stood, within an ancient cemetery, some distance trom the public road, and the burial-ground is enclosed with a wall and hedge. -^^ A tradition of high
Downings Old Church, County Kildare.
and reliable antiquity states, that the site of the chapel was once the cell of
St. Farnan, and immediately adjacent, the saint's well bubbles up, in the
valley of Downings. It is said that, in his day, like the saints of our own
time, he battled with doubt and uncertainty against drunkenness. It may
be doubted, however, if St. Farnan be identical with the present St. Farannan,
who seems to have had connexion solely with the west of Ireland ; and, in
no manner, with the county of Kildare. Perhaps, he was the same as St.
Forannan, Abbot of Clonard, whose feast occurs, at the 12th of this month.
Actuated by the popular belief, St. Farnan blessed the well at Downings,
and called " the Well of that whosoever drank of its it, Sobriety," saying
water should never again relish the waters of intemperance. '7
The Pagan writer, Euripides, remarks, who knows whether that which is called death, be not the road to a new life, and life a real death ? 4^ The Christian's faith removed such a sceptical query, and the saints, both in life, and at point of death, resolved it most happily in the affirmative.
*s The townlands of Dovvnings North and of Downings South are defined on the ** Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for theCountyofKildare. " Sheet13.
4* The accompanying illustration was
sketched by the writer, on the spot, in
April, 1874; this drawing has been trans- ferred to the wood by William F. Wake-
man, and it has been engrav«d by Mrs. Millard.
7 Some of the foregoing particulars were communicated to The Leinster Independent^
in which journal they appeared, in 1871.
4^ See " rhrixus," the Fragment of a lost Drama.
February 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 565
Article III. —Feast of St. Dichul, Abbot of Lure. \Sixth and
Seventh Centuries^
According to one account/ a feast of St. Dichul is held
of The Acts of this saint will be found February. 3
in =^ on the France,
15th
written, at the i8th day of January. *» Mabillon describes Lure, towards the
close of the seventeenth century, when the relics of St. Deicolus or Dichul were there preserved. s The Bollandists have only a passing allusion to St. Deicolus, abbot and disciple to St. Columbanus, at this day. ^
Article IV. —St. Fergus, or Ferghas, Son of Aedh, or Aengus. The sacred Scriptures assure us, that some are born, of whom no memorial remains, although these were men of mercy, whose godly deeds have not failed. ^ The name, Fergus, son of ^ngus, occurs, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 15th of February. His father's name seems differently written in another Calendar. The Martyrology of Donegal,3 on this day, records Ferghas, son of Aedh. 4 No further information have we to com- municate.
Article V. —Reputed Feast of St. Eruald, Erwald, Arnwal, or Arnual, in Franconia. [Probably about the Seventh Century. '] Under these various names, the Bollandists have some brief allusions to this holy man,atthe19thofJanuary,^asalso,atthe15thofFebruary. ^ Trithemius3 treats about the holy martyr Erualdus, who, with his companions, came from Scotia,intoGermany. HepreachedtheGospelinFranconia. ^ Camerarius has placed his festival, at this day ;5 although other writers have inserted it, atthe19thofJanuary; while,manyreferittothe8thofJuly,^whichisthe chief festival for his martyred companion, St. Kilian. 7 Yet, at this latter date, the Bollandists assert, the present saint to be one and the same, whose feast is set down, in the Irish and Scottish Calendars, at the 2nd of October. At that day, they have a few short notices of him, under the title of " Annualis
Presbyter. ''
^ For the latter we reserve further observations. date,
ArticleVI. —FestivalofHolyMartyrs. Atthe15thofFebruary,
"
the following stanza, transcribed from the Feilire" of St. ^ngus, as found
Articlehi,—^ MS. aFlorario.
^"
At that day, it is said : In Francia S.
Deicolce Abbatis discipuli S. Columbani. "
Articlev. —^ See "Acta Sanctoram,"
tomus ii. , Januarii xix. Among the preter-
mitted saints, p. 213.
"^ 3 See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niae," xviii. Januarii, Vita S. Deicoli, n.
44, p. 127.
4 Further notices will be found, at the
2 1st of November,
s See "Vetera Analccta. "
See inter pr£etermissos, ibid. , tomus ii. , Februarii xv, , p, 805.
3 See "De Viris Illustribus Ordinis
Sancti Benedicti," lib, iii,, cap, 146.
This was a circle of the old German Em-
pire, in the centre of Germany, containing an area of about 10,500 square miles, inter- sected from east and west, by the River Maine, and comprising one of the finest dis-
Iter Germani- ^ He is found among the pretermitted
carum, p. 2.
saints in the
"
Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii,,
Februarii xv,, —803, p.
^
Article iv. See Ecclesiasticus, xliv,,
10.
9, ^
Edited by the Rev, Dr. Kelly, p. xv.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
50, 51.
4 In a note, Dr. Todd says, at Aedk :
tricts in Germany. See
vol.
World," vi. , p. 455.
"
Gazetteer of the
"
Marianum et M. Taml, dicitur mAc ^on- gufA. ' It is thus translated : 'But, accord- ing to M. O'Gorman and the Mart. Taml. he is called son of Aengus. "
The later hand adds here,
*
Sed secundum
s See " De Statu Hominis, veteris simul ac novae Ecclesiae et Sanctis Regni Scotise," lib, i,, pars ii,, cap, iii^ sec, 2, p. 148.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. ,
viii. Among the pretermitted saints, p.
534.
7 See his Acts, at the 8th of July.
^
See ibid. , tomus i,, Octobris ii. the pretermitted saints, p. 318.
Julii
Among
566 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February15. in the " Leabhar Breac," is thus translated by Professor O'Looney : —
"O. u. W. kt. Caii
A]^ bA^AAcll •OA'OAIg ;
Article vi. —* See tomus ii. , Februarii
XV. , pp. 803 to 852.
= 'I'o this we hnd appended a note (a)
**
Chanty i. e. , it is chanted because of the nobleness of the festival, even though it should fall on Sunday, or on the- Feast of Barrach the triumphant, i. e. , Barrach, sou of Nemnand, son of Nemangen, son of Fin-
son of Mai, son of Dublha, son of Ocn-
tan,
gus, son of Ere Uerg, son of Brian, son of
Whomsoever they prayed for at the gasp of death
Should not suffer death, 7>,, Hell. "
cclelj|\AT) 'oomnAij;, IIA
La
buAiX) tiiAic "Oe "OiAniAic.
cefA-o fltiAi^ biMgAi^,
Chant the Sunday's celebration On the morrow at night
With the passion of a powerful host
The victory of the son of God they obtain. "
This stanza seems to have reference, to various holy martyrs, venerated in the Church, at this date, as may be seen by consulting the " Acta Sanc- torum" of the Bollandists-' Regarding the "Sunday's celebration," and " the morrow at night," I feel unable further to present any illustration, other than what is contained in a comment to the Irish word, cAn. '
Article VII. —Festival of the Blessed Richard Fitz Ralph,
Archbishop of Armagh. {Fourteenth Century. ] The manuscript,^ in T. C. D. , classed B. i, i, contains in its calendar hst, at February the 15th,
an entry,= which indicates, that this day was held sacred, to the memory of St. Richard,ArchbishopofArmagh. Furtheraccountsofhimarereserved for the 1 6th of November.
Article VIII. —Reputed Feast of St. Columcan, Abbot and Recluse at Ghent. [Tent/i Centt/ry.
] According to several of the Con- tinental writers, St. Columban's death, or Natalis, occurred on this day. ^ Another festival, in commemoration of this saint, was celebrated, on the 2nd of this month. At this latter day, his Acts have been already given.
According to the opinions, most generally received, he died a. d. 959.
Article IX. —Reputed Festival of a St. Darerca. When Colgan makes a passing allusion to various holy virgins, wh—o are called Darerca in ourcalendars,henotesoneatthe15thofFebruary^ yet,wethink,reference is made to St. Darerca, virgin, and daughter to Cairbre, venerated on the
15th of January. ^ The mistake is likely to be owing to a typographical error. The Bollandists3 take occasion to observe, when treating of the pre- termitted saints, on this day, that Colgan omits all mention of the Natalis of St. Darerca.
Echu Muidhmeadon. And it is a fortnight "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Februarii
{i. e. , at the end of fourteen nights] in Spring xv. , pp. 846, 847.
his festival is, and, it is in the wilderness of Article ix. —^ See "Acta Sanctorum
Cinel in he is,— Ilibernicc," vi, Febniarii. De S. Mele,
Dobtha, Connaught, namely,
in Cluain Cairpti, ut dixit angelus : Episcopo Ardacadensi, 22, p. 263.
" Berrach and Mochoem 3 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Feb- Delightful was their custom ruarii xv. , p. 804.
Armagh.
- **
"
n.
See our notice of her, at this date.
It reads thus :
—'
Article vii.
Aiitiphonarium belonging to the Culdees,
attached to the Metropolitan Church, at
Ides ii. , Sancti RicardL
Rou —Ardmachani. "Ox. X'^r\- Avcliiepiscopi
'
Article viii. See the Bollandists'
Formerly this was an
February i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 567
^ijrterntl) JBag of jFebruarp*
ARTICLE L—ST. TANCHON, OR TANCO, MARTYR AND THIRD BISHOP OF VERDEN, IN SAXONY.
[EIGHTH AND NINTH CENTURIES. -]
has been truly remarked, that the names of many Irish saints and ITscholars are enshrined in the records of foreign nations, when they are forgotten, or but faintly remembered, in their own country. Such was
the case, with regard to the present zealous missionary, and holy martyr, who is not even recorded in the pages of our native Calendarists, although noted in foreign Martyrologies. It must be observed, that Albert Crantzius was one of the first writers, who has left us any authentic particulars, regard-
this saint. ^ From his
noticesofSt. Tanco. Atthe16thofFebruary,Colgan^andtheBollandists^ give short Acts for this saint, such as they had been enabled to collect, especially from Krantz, and from various other authorities. The ancient territory of Lower Saxony had been intersected by the river, formerly called Visurgis,'^ now known as the Weser, which passes through Bremen, and falls into the North Sea. Westward of this river, the country was denominated Westphalia, and eastward, it was known as Eastphalia. In the former division,CharlemagnehadfoundedtheepiscopalseeofVerden. s Suitbert*^ and Patto,7 both of whom came from Ireland, were its two first bishops f and St. Tanco is classed as the third. He is called a Scot,5 which designation most usually signifies, that the place of nativity must have been Ireland, when not expressly stated, that any person, thus indicated, had been a Scot fromScotiaMinor,orfromAlbania,nowknownasScotland. ^° Colganwas of opinion, that this saint and his other colleagues, who preached the faith in Saxony, were Irish Scots, by birth. "
ing
history,
most writers derived their subsequent
Article i. —'See "Rerum Germani- carum Historici Clarissimi, Ecclesiastica Historia, sive Metropolis," lib. i. , cap. 22,
29, pp. 17, 21.
' See "Acta Sanctorum
p. 224, ibid.
9 Dr, Lanigan says, that our saint was
probably an Irish Scot, and third Bishop of Yerden.
'° remarks of this that all Colgan saint,
writers call him a Scot. Yet, he was unable
topronouncepositively,whetherhewasa 3 See Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Feb- native of Scotia Major (Hibernia), or of ruarii xvi. l)e S. Tancone Epis. Verdensi, Scotia Minor (Albania). See "Acta Sanc-
in Saxonia Inferiore. Six short paragraphs, torum Hiberniae," xvi. Februarii. De S.
xvi. Februarii. De S. Tanchone Episcop.
Yerden. Exdiversis,pp. . 348,349. "
by Father Godefrid Henschenn, comprise the biographical notices, wliicli have been inserted in their great collection,
^ See Pliny, lib. iv. , cap. 28.
5 Towards the close of the eighth century.
^
See notices of him, at the 1st of March. 7 See an account of him, at the 30th of
Tancone Episcop. Verden, nn. I, 2, p. 349.
"
These are the reasons he chiefly ad- vances. In the first place, all the Scots, about this period, and before our saint's time, who were rendered illustrious by their piety and learning in Gaul and Germany, he would undertake to prove were Irish- men, when treating of them individually,
Hibernife,"
March.
8 "The Bollandists (at St. Suibert, 30 under their proper Acts. In the second
However, in what part of Ireland,
that Patto w^as not of what is " Monasterium Bishop place, called,
April) suspect
Verden, and that the i—mmediate successor of
Suibert was Tanco," See Dr. Lanigan's some of his predecessors and successors, "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. came, must have been a celebrated founda- iii. , chap, xx,, sect, iv. , p. 219, and n. 28, tion. Now, as there was no csenobium of
Amarbaricense," from which our saint, with
568 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [Februaryi6.
St. Tancowasborn,isunknown; but,heissaidtohavebeenofnoblebirth. "
Moved by missionary zeal, like many others of his countrymen, he left the island of his birth, to spread the Christian faith amongst strangers. '3 He travelledtoSaxony. ThereissaidtohavebeenanotherTanco,amonkof St. Gall, who must be distinguished from the present holy martyr. ^4 After Dempster's usual habit of unauthorized collocation, we find, also, that St. Tanco, or Tatto, is placed, by Camerarius, in his list of Scottish saints, ^s Dempster says, he was a Benedictine monk,^^ and that he wrote a book, on all the Gospels. ^7
St. Patto had vacated the office of abbot, over a monastery, named Amarbaric, near Verden. ^^ This estabHshment, founded for the use of Scottish or Irish monks,'9 is mistaken by Colgan, for the Irish Armagh, on account of a supposed similarity between these names ; he thinking, that Amarbaricensis was intended for Armachanensis. As he found no other monastery, having the former name, in either Ireland or Scotland, where he supposed it must be situated, he thus conjectured, this latter famous primatial city might have been meant. ^^^ The pious Tanchon succeeded this saint, as Abbot of Amarbaric, and on Patto's death, he likewise became Bishop of Verden. ^'^ This is referred to the year 760, or thereabouts, by Arnold Wion. =2 However, this appears too early a date, as it precedes even the erection of Verden into an episcopal see, according to the most authentic accounts. Tanco, who is also called Tatta,=^3 served God many years in Amarbarica Abbey, in great reputation for his singular learning and piety. He was raised, it is said, to the dignity of abbot. Through an ardent thirst after martyrdom, he resigned this charge. =4 The holy missioner Tanchon was animated with a hope of shedding his blood for the sake of his Divine Master. Being desirous of reclaiming the morals of the Saxon people, he fearlessly applied himself towards this task f^ and, he is said, by the writer already named, to have received a crown of martyrdom at their hands. We are told by Dempster, who makes him a Scottish saint, that he flourished, under King Conuallus II. in the year 820; but, that the year of his death is uncertain. ^^ He ascended gloriously to Heaven, on the xiv. day of the Kalends of March,^7 or the i6th of February,^^ about the year of our Lord 8oo. =9
=°
this name in either Scotia, Colgan thought The BoUandists and Mabillon, however,
it most likely some error has occurred in show that the monastery over which Patto
writing, Amarbaicense, for Armachanense. presided stood in the neighbourhood of See ibid. Verden.
the 1 6th of February.
^3 See Krantz's " Rerum Germanicarum
Historici Clarissimi, Ecclesiastica Historia, Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xviii,,
sive Metropolis," lib. i. , cap. 22, p. 17.
'4 Dempster quotes for this statement, Sangalleus, in Vita Caroli Magni, lib. i. ,
cap. xxxi.
^s See ** De Statu Hominis, veteris simul
ac novae Ecclesiae, et Sanctis Regni Scotise," lib. i. , pars ii. , cap. iii. , sect. 2, p. 148.
"" =' See Martyrologium Anglicanum," at
^^
for this statement.
*'
Gaspar
Bruschius'
Catalogue
is quoted,
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xviii. , num 1 105,
p. 606.
^^ See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical His-
tory of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xx. , section
iv. ,p. 219.
'9 Most of the foreign writers place it in
Scotia.
*7 See his
_
°3
Fathers, Martyrs, and other Principal Saints," vol. ii. , February xvi.
=* See ibid.
^s Although, we are uninformed, as to the
kind of death our saint endured we ; yet,
are told, by Arnold Wion, in his Benedictine
Martyrology, as also in Menard's Martyr- ology, that the immediate cause for his
death was a reprehension of vices at Verden,
and which excited popular frenzy against him.
Dempster states, that Tanco was Abbot of Amarbaricensis, before he became Bishop of Verden. See "Historia Ecclesiastica
num. 1 105, p. 606. "^ "
""^
See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
See I>ignum Vitse," lib. ii. , cap. 54. See Rev. Alban Butler's "Lives of the
Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xviii. , num. 1105, p. 606.
February t6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 569
Arnold Wion and the English Martyrology state, that our saint suffered about this time. The latter authority says, that after being appointed Abbot of Amarbaric, St. Tancho, feeling a desire to effect the salvation of souls in neighbouring provinces, went first to Flanders, and afterwards to Cleves, (now the chief city of that duchy near the Rhine in Germany), where he was createdBishopofVerden. However,Colganshows,thathewasnotpastor over the church so called, in the Duchy of Cleeves, near the Rhine ; but, rather,attheAller,whichflowsintotheWeser. 30 TheJesuitFather,Henry Fitzsimon, on the authority of the English Martyrology, records St. Tancon, a bishop and martyr, on his list of Irish Saints. An anonymous Calendar of Irish Saints3^ has his festival at the i6th of February. Yet, Dempster hashisfeastatthe13thofFebruary. s^ Camerarius,however,hasthei6thof this month. 33 Ferrarius,34 Wion, Menard and the English Martyrology, all
are agreed. 3S Again, some writers refer the date for his martyrdom, to a.
