Tigernachi
An-
nales, p.
nales, p.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
Enna or Moen was Bishop of Clonfert.
Yet, a difficulty occurs, from his festival having been marked, not at the ist •of March, but at the 26th of February. From the circumstances of name, time and place, Colgan thinks,""^ he may have been not different from a Mainus, who was abbot in Armoric Britain, in the sixth century,^^ but whose
nije," xxvi. Februarii. D. S. Moeno Epis-
copo, n. i,, p. 414.
^ See the '* Book of Obits, and Martyr-
ology of Christ's Church, Dublin," edited by Rev. Dr. James Henthorn Todd and John Clarke Crosthwaite, p. 62.
7 His festival occurs, on the i6th of May.
also in another Life of this saint, taken from the Book of the Island.
'3 See Dr. O'Donovan's ** Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 190, 191. Other authorities place the foundation in 557, 562
and 564. See ibid. , n. (n).
"* See Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops of
^
Three different Lives of St. Brendan Clonfert," p. 638.
state, that he lived seven years in Britain, viz. : the Irish Life, chap. Iviii. , one found
in the Book of Kilkenny, chap, lii,, as also one met with in the Book of the Island of All Saints.
'S Codex Clarendon, Tom. 49. ^^ "
9
in the Book of Kilkenny, chap. lii.
553, '^
A. D. ^^
See the Annales Ultonienses," A. D. edited by Dr. O'Conor.
See the "Annals of Clonmacnoise,"
551.
See Harris' vol. " of Ware, i. , Bishops
According
to St. Brendan's
Life,
'° See
Colgan's
Clonfert," p. 638.
'^ See "Annals of the Four
vol. i. , n. (n), p. 190.
-°
Masters,"
found " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
DeS. Moeno Epis-
Irish. Life of St. Brendan, chap. Iviii. , as " Albert le Grande, in "De Sanctis Bri«
niae," xxvi. Februarii.
copo, p. 413.
Through an oversight, Dr. O'Donovan places Clonfert in the county of Longford.
" See Rt. Rev.
Moran's
" Acta S. Brendani. " Vita
=' See "Acta Sanctorum
xxvi. Februarii. De S. Moeno Episcopo,
Patrick F.
&c. , cap. xxi. ,
p. 19.
" The foregoing account is found in an p. 414, and n. 9.
Hibernian,"
7o8 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS'. [February26.
festival there has been assigned to a different day. Whether Moen or Moen- nius were the same person or not, neither of them is to be confounded with the Abbot MainiiSj^'s or Main,^''^ who is said to have Hved and died in Britanny, and whose festival occurs on the 15th of January. ^s He is com- memorated, in the English Martyrology, as a disciple of St. Samson,'^ at Dol, and afterwards he was abbot of a monastery, dedicated to St. John the Baptist. He died about a. d. 590, and he was there buried. The BoUandists, at the present date, do not wish to determine this question of identity, but Dromise to do so at the i6th of May, when giving St. Brendan's Acts. There, however, the matter is not even noticed. ^7
A mistake has been admitted,^^ in thinking that this St. Moen was the
same as the Abbot, Monennus, or Nennio, master over Tigernacli,^'^ Bishop of Clones. 30 In the " Annals of the Four Masters,"3i in the third year of Aedh, Monarch of Ireland, we find the death of St. Maeineann, Bishop of Cluain-fearta-Breanainn, recorded at a. d. 570, and it is said to have occurred, on the ist of March. We find, in the Ulster Annals, under a. d. 571, the
*'
Moena, Bishop Clon- fert-Brenain,32 went to rest. " 33 St. Brendan, it is stated, was then alive, and this agrees with most of our Annalistic accounts. The Annals of Tigher- nach state, at a. d. 572, that Maenu, Bishop of Cluanfert Brendan rested. 34 ThedayofMoena'sdeathisplaced,ontheistofMarch. 35 Undertheform
of Monan, Bishop Forbess^ assigns him a festival, at the latter date, or at the 26th of February ; while, at the same time, a doubt of his identity is properly expressed. 37 In the Martyrology of Tallagh,3^ we find St. Moenna venerated, on the 26th of February. A Manuscript Antiphonarium, classed B. i, 4. , belonging to Trinity College, Dublin, at this day, Kal. iiii. Martii, notes him as a Bishop and Confessor, 39 in the Calendar, with an Office of Nine Lessons. In the Martyrology of Donegal,'>° Maonna4^ occurs, at the same date. In that Calendar, prefixed to the Martyrology of Christ Church,^^ Dublin, this
death of the first bishop of Clonfert thus remarked,
tannise Armoricas," says, that he died in 665, but this differs from a statement, in the Eng-
lish Martyrology.
'3 See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical His-
tory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, vii. ,
Rerum Hiberni-
n. 116,
4 He is called Conard Meen, by Lobi-
neau, and is said to have been born in the
province of Monmouth, in Wales, and to have gone to Armoric Britain, with St.
Samson, and where he built a monastery near Gael, which was called, after him, St.
Meen, in the beginning of the eighteenth
"
Histoire de Bretagne," Tome i. , liv. iii. , sect, cxcviii. , p. 75.
=5 See Sir Harris Nicolas' "Chronology
century. See
37 See e'i^/^. , pp. 412, 413.
38 Edited by Rev. Matthew Kelly, D. D. , p. xvi.
39 He is there denominated, Sdce mime, which has the meaning of 6Vj! «r/^ J/w;;^', or St. Munus.
*" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
58, 59.
*' Commenting on this name. Dr. Todd
observes, that m the margin of the original,
pp. 36, 37.
of History," p. 159.
=* See his Life, at the 28th of July. =7 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii.
Do S. Brendano seu Brandano, Abbate Cluain-
a more recent hand writes Odna.
*'
But
fertensi in Hibernia, 599 to 603.
this name does not occur in any of the other
Martyrologies. Perhaps it is intended to
suggest tlie original name from which Maonna, i. e. , Mo-Odna is formed. "
*=* See the edition of Clarke Crosth- John
waite and Rev. Dr. Todd. Introduction, p. xliii. , and n. (d), also p. 62. In the body of the Martyrology, his feast is omitted, and it was inserted in the Calendar, by a
comparatively recent hand.
^3 its bounds are defined on the "Ord-
^^ "9 3°
of
n. 17, p. 437, and vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect. vii. , n. 116, p. 36.
3" See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. , p. 206, 207.
tory
Ireland,"
vol. i. , ix. , sect, ii,, chap,
By Colgan.
See his Life, at the 4th of April.
See Dr.
Lanigan's
" Ecclesiastical His-
3' This is explained, within a parenthesis,
to mean "
Hisho|>
of the City of Clonfert. "
**
3^ See Dr. O'Conor's
carum Scriptores," tomus iv. "Annales Ultonienses," p. 26.
^*'6ttibiii. Tomus ii.
Tigernachi An-
nales, p. 151, and note.
35 See Harris' Ware, vol. i. , of "Bishops
Clonfert," p. 638.
3* See 412.
"
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p.
February 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 709
holy man is commemorated as a bishop. His feast was celebrated with an Office, consisting of Nine Lessons, as we are there likewise informed.
Attempts have been made, to shew that the cidtus of this saint had ex-
tended to different parts of Ireland. An abbey was built at Kilmoon, a
parish, in the barony of Screen,43 county of Meath, at an early period. But whether it was founded by the present saint, or was merely dedicated to him, the local ecclesiastical historian cannot determine. '*'^ After the Anglo-Saxon invasion, Kilmoon or Kilmone became a parish church. The old edifice here has been pulled down, and a Protestant house for worship has been
Article II. —St. Beccan,
KiNSEALY,CountyofDublin. Thisholymanflourished,probablyatan early period, for he is registered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 26th of February, simply as Beccan, Chind-sali. In the Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman, at this day, there is an entry, Becanus Kinsalie. ^ It is probable, his place was near the village of Kinsaly,^ some three miles from Howth, in the
ASt. MoennaisveneratedinJesu-Mond,dioceseof
erected on its site. ^s
Ossory, on the 26th of February. '^ This concurrence would seem to make the present saint its patron.
Kinsaly Old Church, County of Dublin.
present county of Dublin. 4 This saint appears, from the epithet applied to him, to have laboured under the loss of sight. Becan, the Blind, of Ceann- saile, had a festival, celebrated on this day, as we read in the Martyrology of Donegal. 5 At the present time, the ruined church at Kinsaly is only a litde
nance Survey Townland Maps for the A. D. 1873, sect. 8. De Sanctis Parochia-
ofMeath,"Sheets ThetownlandproperisonSheets32,33,38.
44 See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol, i,,chap.
XXV. , p. 146.
rumPatronis, —28. p.
'
Article h. Edited by Rev. Dr.
See the Bollandists' Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Februarii xxvi. Among the pre- termitted saints, p, 625.
3 Here, according to Dr. Rutty, there is
County
32, 33, 38, 39.
'^
4^ See "Statuta Dioecesis Ossoriensis,"
Ibid. , p. 147.
Kelly, p. xvi.
2 *'
LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February26.
distance from the village, and to the south of a pure, limpid stream, that runs into a small bay, north of Baldoyle. ^ It exhibits ivy-covered walls, with a nave, about 34 feet in length, by 11 in width, and a double belfried gable. 7 There are some traces of a window, stopped up under the belfry. ^ In the sidewallsarerepresentedtwodoor-ways,onenearlyoppositetheother. 9 A pointed choir-arch remains, and beyond this was probably the chancel, now
destroyed to make room for a modern vault. '° The walls are about 3 feet in thickness. An ancient graveyard surrounds the ruins, and it is yet much used for interments. Some large trees grow around the church. Its early patronwasprobablySt. Beccan. " Ifdeprivedofcorporalvision,aswould seem to have been the case, we can hardly doubt, this pious servant of God had his mind enlightened with the knowledge, which removes darkness, and which conducts to the light of eternal glory.
ArticleIII. —FestivalofAlexanderandofTarcellorus. The '•'Feilire" of St. ^ngus, at the 26th of February, enters the feast of two foreign saints. The former of these was the renowned Patriarch of Alex-
A. 1111. kl. CojAi^Mii ^vIaxaitoim,
1 •po]^|'A'0 •pAncco|\um ; po|\ oen licli Laii ceni,
who lived in the third and fourth centuries. =" This con- holy bishop
andria,'
tended against the heraisiarch, Arius, and excommunicated him. He also assisted, at the great Nicene Council, held a. d. 325. We can find no notice whatev—er of Tarcellorus, at this date. The stanza of St.
reads
:
Semi UA^AceliopuiTi.
Thus translated into English, by Professor O'Looney : —
See "An Essay towards a Natural History of the County of
Dublin," vol. ii. Minerals, p. loi.
» It is in the barony of Coolock, and it is
'"Within it, as a mural slab states, are deposited the remains of Austin Cooper, Esq. , R. S. A. and M. R. I. A. , a learned Irish Antiquary, as also a great lover of Art and
a bed of excellent marble.
*'
Into the seat [abode] of the saints ;
The calling of Alexander,
On the same festival, a full fire. The birth of Tarcellorus. "
shown on the "Ordnance Survey Town- Literature. He died August 30th, A. D.
land Maps for the County of Dublin," Sheets ii, 12, 15. The townland proper is on Sheets 12, 15.
s Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
58, 59.
''See John D'Alton's "History of the
County of Dublin," p. 219.
^ The accompanying illustration is after a
drawing, made on the spot, in April, 1S77,
by Rev. John Francis Shearman, C. C. ,
Huwth, and transferred to the wood and yEgypto. His Acts are there found in three
engraved by Gregor Grey, ol Dublin.
^ A considerable portion of the nave is
enclosed by iron railing, to distinguish the interment plots of various families.
' A curious and small loop-hole window remains in the south side-wall, as shown in the engraving, and it is an interesting feature of the old building.
sections, compiled liy Godefrid Henbcheim. See pp. 634 to 639.
'-^
Besides his festival being entered in the Roman and several ancient Martyrologies, Marianus O'Gorman has recorded him, at this date, adding also Nestor, Bishop of
Magydensis, and Martyr of Perga, in I'am- phylia, and Salomon. See ibui. Among
1^30, aged 72 years.
" According to Mr. D' Alton's **
History of the County of Dublin, "at an early period, too, a church was built here and dedicated
to St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. See pp. 220,221. —
Article hi. 'The Bollandists have
given his Acts, in their great work, "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii , Februarius xxvi.
De S. Alexandro, Episcopo Alexantlrino in
February 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 711
Article IV. —St. Talmach, Monk, supposed to ee of Lough Irce, County of Cork, and of Armoric Britain. [Sixih Century. ] There are uncertainties to be cleared up, regarding this holy ascetic's true history, which may be understood, from reading the account of him, as giv|en by Colgan, at this day. '' Talmacus is entered in the Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman, nt the present date, as also in that of Cathal Maguire. The BoUandists have short notices, in reference to him. '' This day, the Martyrology of Donegal^ registers a St. Talmach, among our Irish saints. Bucelin follows Colgan's account of this holy monk, whom he has inserted in his Benedictine Martyr- ology. A conjecture has been hazarded, that like St. Enna or Moen, like- wise venerated on this day, St. Talmach or Talmachus was his contemporary and a fellow-disciple with St. Brendan. ^ It has been asserted, that he followed the latter, as his intimate, and servant,5 before the year 550, when hejourneyedtoArmoricBritain. Thereheprovedapiousandanobedient monk. It is related, that one winter, while snow covered the earth, St. Brendan and his companions were patiently waiting outside the bolted doors
"
of a certain monastery. The door-keeper from within cried out,
that your merits may open the gate for you. " None of the snow fell on the holy abbot or on his companions. Then St. Brendan said to his disciple
" Go, and in Christ's name, open the door for us. " Immediately Talmach extended his hand; the bolts were withdrawn, and the party obtained shelter. ^ Another anecdote is related of his obedience, in removing a certain wild animal, which destroyed men and other animals, in the place whereSt. Gildaslived. ThisTalmachdid,atthespecialrequestofSt. Brendan. The wild animal and her cubs followed the holy men, as if those had been domesticated, and thenceforward they did no further injury. 7 A question may be raised, as to whether the present holy monk returned to Ireland, or not f or, if he be the hermit, who appears to have selected for his instruction the celebrated monastic establishment, founded by St. Barry,9 in a—wild region of southern Ireland. In after — a named Talmach the exact
Talmach
:
time, disciple
site of whose church is not known placed it under the guardianship
of his the Life of St. Barre states, ''^ that Talmach gave his church to God and to Barre ; for, he was at Barre's school, at Loch Irce. Yet, he may have been altogether a different Talmach from the disciple, who was with St. Brendan, in Armoric Britain. That Lough Irce, to which allusion is here made, was the now celebrated Gougane Barra, in the western part of the county of Cork, in the opinion of some writers, although others state,thisLake-eircwasinthehollowpartofthepresentcityofCork. " A charming illustration on steel of the island hermitage, the lake and wild
*'
mountain steeps around Gougane Barra, will be found in the
Antiquities of Ireland," by W. H. Bartlett. " The lake itself is in a deep
renowned Master.
Thus,
the pretermitted saints, p. 625. The Bol- landists remark, that elsewhere, they find
s According to the Irish Life of St. Bren-
SeeRt. Rev. PatrickF. Moran's Acta in their copy of Marianus O'Gorman, they Sancti Brendani. " Vita &c. , cap. xv.
no mention of Salomon, on this day
but,
meet his name enclosed within a circle, for what reason, they do not know.
macho Monacho, pp. 414, 415.
5 See his Life, at the 25th of September.
^° This refers to the Life of St. Chap. x.
Barr or Finbarr of Cork,
"
See Plarris' Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops of Cork," p. 556. Also, Rev. Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. ,
chap. . \iv,, sect, iv. , and n. 59>pp. 3M» S^^*
=^
See the BoUandists' "Acta Sancto-
rum," tomus iii. , Februarii xxvi.
Yet, a difficulty occurs, from his festival having been marked, not at the ist •of March, but at the 26th of February. From the circumstances of name, time and place, Colgan thinks,""^ he may have been not different from a Mainus, who was abbot in Armoric Britain, in the sixth century,^^ but whose
nije," xxvi. Februarii. D. S. Moeno Epis-
copo, n. i,, p. 414.
^ See the '* Book of Obits, and Martyr-
ology of Christ's Church, Dublin," edited by Rev. Dr. James Henthorn Todd and John Clarke Crosthwaite, p. 62.
7 His festival occurs, on the i6th of May.
also in another Life of this saint, taken from the Book of the Island.
'3 See Dr. O'Donovan's ** Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 190, 191. Other authorities place the foundation in 557, 562
and 564. See ibid. , n. (n).
"* See Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops of
^
Three different Lives of St. Brendan Clonfert," p. 638.
state, that he lived seven years in Britain, viz. : the Irish Life, chap. Iviii. , one found
in the Book of Kilkenny, chap, lii,, as also one met with in the Book of the Island of All Saints.
'S Codex Clarendon, Tom. 49. ^^ "
9
in the Book of Kilkenny, chap. lii.
553, '^
A. D. ^^
See the Annales Ultonienses," A. D. edited by Dr. O'Conor.
See the "Annals of Clonmacnoise,"
551.
See Harris' vol. " of Ware, i. , Bishops
According
to St. Brendan's
Life,
'° See
Colgan's
Clonfert," p. 638.
'^ See "Annals of the Four
vol. i. , n. (n), p. 190.
-°
Masters,"
found " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
DeS. Moeno Epis-
Irish. Life of St. Brendan, chap. Iviii. , as " Albert le Grande, in "De Sanctis Bri«
niae," xxvi. Februarii.
copo, p. 413.
Through an oversight, Dr. O'Donovan places Clonfert in the county of Longford.
" See Rt. Rev.
Moran's
" Acta S. Brendani. " Vita
=' See "Acta Sanctorum
xxvi. Februarii. De S. Moeno Episcopo,
Patrick F.
&c. , cap. xxi. ,
p. 19.
" The foregoing account is found in an p. 414, and n. 9.
Hibernian,"
7o8 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS'. [February26.
festival there has been assigned to a different day. Whether Moen or Moen- nius were the same person or not, neither of them is to be confounded with the Abbot MainiiSj^'s or Main,^''^ who is said to have Hved and died in Britanny, and whose festival occurs on the 15th of January. ^s He is com- memorated, in the English Martyrology, as a disciple of St. Samson,'^ at Dol, and afterwards he was abbot of a monastery, dedicated to St. John the Baptist. He died about a. d. 590, and he was there buried. The BoUandists, at the present date, do not wish to determine this question of identity, but Dromise to do so at the i6th of May, when giving St. Brendan's Acts. There, however, the matter is not even noticed. ^7
A mistake has been admitted,^^ in thinking that this St. Moen was the
same as the Abbot, Monennus, or Nennio, master over Tigernacli,^'^ Bishop of Clones. 30 In the " Annals of the Four Masters,"3i in the third year of Aedh, Monarch of Ireland, we find the death of St. Maeineann, Bishop of Cluain-fearta-Breanainn, recorded at a. d. 570, and it is said to have occurred, on the ist of March. We find, in the Ulster Annals, under a. d. 571, the
*'
Moena, Bishop Clon- fert-Brenain,32 went to rest. " 33 St. Brendan, it is stated, was then alive, and this agrees with most of our Annalistic accounts. The Annals of Tigher- nach state, at a. d. 572, that Maenu, Bishop of Cluanfert Brendan rested. 34 ThedayofMoena'sdeathisplaced,ontheistofMarch. 35 Undertheform
of Monan, Bishop Forbess^ assigns him a festival, at the latter date, or at the 26th of February ; while, at the same time, a doubt of his identity is properly expressed. 37 In the Martyrology of Tallagh,3^ we find St. Moenna venerated, on the 26th of February. A Manuscript Antiphonarium, classed B. i, 4. , belonging to Trinity College, Dublin, at this day, Kal. iiii. Martii, notes him as a Bishop and Confessor, 39 in the Calendar, with an Office of Nine Lessons. In the Martyrology of Donegal,'>° Maonna4^ occurs, at the same date. In that Calendar, prefixed to the Martyrology of Christ Church,^^ Dublin, this
death of the first bishop of Clonfert thus remarked,
tannise Armoricas," says, that he died in 665, but this differs from a statement, in the Eng-
lish Martyrology.
'3 See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical His-
tory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, vii. ,
Rerum Hiberni-
n. 116,
4 He is called Conard Meen, by Lobi-
neau, and is said to have been born in the
province of Monmouth, in Wales, and to have gone to Armoric Britain, with St.
Samson, and where he built a monastery near Gael, which was called, after him, St.
Meen, in the beginning of the eighteenth
"
Histoire de Bretagne," Tome i. , liv. iii. , sect, cxcviii. , p. 75.
=5 See Sir Harris Nicolas' "Chronology
century. See
37 See e'i^/^. , pp. 412, 413.
38 Edited by Rev. Matthew Kelly, D. D. , p. xvi.
39 He is there denominated, Sdce mime, which has the meaning of 6Vj! «r/^ J/w;;^', or St. Munus.
*" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
58, 59.
*' Commenting on this name. Dr. Todd
observes, that m the margin of the original,
pp. 36, 37.
of History," p. 159.
=* See his Life, at the 28th of July. =7 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii.
Do S. Brendano seu Brandano, Abbate Cluain-
a more recent hand writes Odna.
*'
But
fertensi in Hibernia, 599 to 603.
this name does not occur in any of the other
Martyrologies. Perhaps it is intended to
suggest tlie original name from which Maonna, i. e. , Mo-Odna is formed. "
*=* See the edition of Clarke Crosth- John
waite and Rev. Dr. Todd. Introduction, p. xliii. , and n. (d), also p. 62. In the body of the Martyrology, his feast is omitted, and it was inserted in the Calendar, by a
comparatively recent hand.
^3 its bounds are defined on the "Ord-
^^ "9 3°
of
n. 17, p. 437, and vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect. vii. , n. 116, p. 36.
3" See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. , p. 206, 207.
tory
Ireland,"
vol. i. , ix. , sect, ii,, chap,
By Colgan.
See his Life, at the 4th of April.
See Dr.
Lanigan's
" Ecclesiastical His-
3' This is explained, within a parenthesis,
to mean "
Hisho|>
of the City of Clonfert. "
**
3^ See Dr. O'Conor's
carum Scriptores," tomus iv. "Annales Ultonienses," p. 26.
^*'6ttibiii. Tomus ii.
Tigernachi An-
nales, p. 151, and note.
35 See Harris' Ware, vol. i. , of "Bishops
Clonfert," p. 638.
3* See 412.
"
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p.
February 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 709
holy man is commemorated as a bishop. His feast was celebrated with an Office, consisting of Nine Lessons, as we are there likewise informed.
Attempts have been made, to shew that the cidtus of this saint had ex-
tended to different parts of Ireland. An abbey was built at Kilmoon, a
parish, in the barony of Screen,43 county of Meath, at an early period. But whether it was founded by the present saint, or was merely dedicated to him, the local ecclesiastical historian cannot determine. '*'^ After the Anglo-Saxon invasion, Kilmoon or Kilmone became a parish church. The old edifice here has been pulled down, and a Protestant house for worship has been
Article II. —St. Beccan,
KiNSEALY,CountyofDublin. Thisholymanflourished,probablyatan early period, for he is registered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 26th of February, simply as Beccan, Chind-sali. In the Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman, at this day, there is an entry, Becanus Kinsalie. ^ It is probable, his place was near the village of Kinsaly,^ some three miles from Howth, in the
ASt. MoennaisveneratedinJesu-Mond,dioceseof
erected on its site. ^s
Ossory, on the 26th of February. '^ This concurrence would seem to make the present saint its patron.
Kinsaly Old Church, County of Dublin.
present county of Dublin. 4 This saint appears, from the epithet applied to him, to have laboured under the loss of sight. Becan, the Blind, of Ceann- saile, had a festival, celebrated on this day, as we read in the Martyrology of Donegal. 5 At the present time, the ruined church at Kinsaly is only a litde
nance Survey Townland Maps for the A. D. 1873, sect. 8. De Sanctis Parochia-
ofMeath,"Sheets ThetownlandproperisonSheets32,33,38.
44 See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol, i,,chap.
XXV. , p. 146.
rumPatronis, —28. p.
'
Article h. Edited by Rev. Dr.
See the Bollandists' Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Februarii xxvi. Among the pre- termitted saints, p, 625.
3 Here, according to Dr. Rutty, there is
County
32, 33, 38, 39.
'^
4^ See "Statuta Dioecesis Ossoriensis,"
Ibid. , p. 147.
Kelly, p. xvi.
2 *'
LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February26.
distance from the village, and to the south of a pure, limpid stream, that runs into a small bay, north of Baldoyle. ^ It exhibits ivy-covered walls, with a nave, about 34 feet in length, by 11 in width, and a double belfried gable. 7 There are some traces of a window, stopped up under the belfry. ^ In the sidewallsarerepresentedtwodoor-ways,onenearlyoppositetheother. 9 A pointed choir-arch remains, and beyond this was probably the chancel, now
destroyed to make room for a modern vault. '° The walls are about 3 feet in thickness. An ancient graveyard surrounds the ruins, and it is yet much used for interments. Some large trees grow around the church. Its early patronwasprobablySt. Beccan. " Ifdeprivedofcorporalvision,aswould seem to have been the case, we can hardly doubt, this pious servant of God had his mind enlightened with the knowledge, which removes darkness, and which conducts to the light of eternal glory.
ArticleIII. —FestivalofAlexanderandofTarcellorus. The '•'Feilire" of St. ^ngus, at the 26th of February, enters the feast of two foreign saints. The former of these was the renowned Patriarch of Alex-
A. 1111. kl. CojAi^Mii ^vIaxaitoim,
1 •po]^|'A'0 •pAncco|\um ; po|\ oen licli Laii ceni,
who lived in the third and fourth centuries. =" This con- holy bishop
andria,'
tended against the heraisiarch, Arius, and excommunicated him. He also assisted, at the great Nicene Council, held a. d. 325. We can find no notice whatev—er of Tarcellorus, at this date. The stanza of St.
reads
:
Semi UA^AceliopuiTi.
Thus translated into English, by Professor O'Looney : —
See "An Essay towards a Natural History of the County of
Dublin," vol. ii. Minerals, p. loi.
» It is in the barony of Coolock, and it is
'"Within it, as a mural slab states, are deposited the remains of Austin Cooper, Esq. , R. S. A. and M. R. I. A. , a learned Irish Antiquary, as also a great lover of Art and
a bed of excellent marble.
*'
Into the seat [abode] of the saints ;
The calling of Alexander,
On the same festival, a full fire. The birth of Tarcellorus. "
shown on the "Ordnance Survey Town- Literature. He died August 30th, A. D.
land Maps for the County of Dublin," Sheets ii, 12, 15. The townland proper is on Sheets 12, 15.
s Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
58, 59.
''See John D'Alton's "History of the
County of Dublin," p. 219.
^ The accompanying illustration is after a
drawing, made on the spot, in April, 1S77,
by Rev. John Francis Shearman, C. C. ,
Huwth, and transferred to the wood and yEgypto. His Acts are there found in three
engraved by Gregor Grey, ol Dublin.
^ A considerable portion of the nave is
enclosed by iron railing, to distinguish the interment plots of various families.
' A curious and small loop-hole window remains in the south side-wall, as shown in the engraving, and it is an interesting feature of the old building.
sections, compiled liy Godefrid Henbcheim. See pp. 634 to 639.
'-^
Besides his festival being entered in the Roman and several ancient Martyrologies, Marianus O'Gorman has recorded him, at this date, adding also Nestor, Bishop of
Magydensis, and Martyr of Perga, in I'am- phylia, and Salomon. See ibui. Among
1^30, aged 72 years.
" According to Mr. D' Alton's **
History of the County of Dublin, "at an early period, too, a church was built here and dedicated
to St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. See pp. 220,221. —
Article hi. 'The Bollandists have
given his Acts, in their great work, "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii , Februarius xxvi.
De S. Alexandro, Episcopo Alexantlrino in
February 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 711
Article IV. —St. Talmach, Monk, supposed to ee of Lough Irce, County of Cork, and of Armoric Britain. [Sixih Century. ] There are uncertainties to be cleared up, regarding this holy ascetic's true history, which may be understood, from reading the account of him, as giv|en by Colgan, at this day. '' Talmacus is entered in the Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman, nt the present date, as also in that of Cathal Maguire. The BoUandists have short notices, in reference to him. '' This day, the Martyrology of Donegal^ registers a St. Talmach, among our Irish saints. Bucelin follows Colgan's account of this holy monk, whom he has inserted in his Benedictine Martyr- ology. A conjecture has been hazarded, that like St. Enna or Moen, like- wise venerated on this day, St. Talmach or Talmachus was his contemporary and a fellow-disciple with St. Brendan. ^ It has been asserted, that he followed the latter, as his intimate, and servant,5 before the year 550, when hejourneyedtoArmoricBritain. Thereheprovedapiousandanobedient monk. It is related, that one winter, while snow covered the earth, St. Brendan and his companions were patiently waiting outside the bolted doors
"
of a certain monastery. The door-keeper from within cried out,
that your merits may open the gate for you. " None of the snow fell on the holy abbot or on his companions. Then St. Brendan said to his disciple
" Go, and in Christ's name, open the door for us. " Immediately Talmach extended his hand; the bolts were withdrawn, and the party obtained shelter. ^ Another anecdote is related of his obedience, in removing a certain wild animal, which destroyed men and other animals, in the place whereSt. Gildaslived. ThisTalmachdid,atthespecialrequestofSt. Brendan. The wild animal and her cubs followed the holy men, as if those had been domesticated, and thenceforward they did no further injury. 7 A question may be raised, as to whether the present holy monk returned to Ireland, or not f or, if he be the hermit, who appears to have selected for his instruction the celebrated monastic establishment, founded by St. Barry,9 in a—wild region of southern Ireland. In after — a named Talmach the exact
Talmach
:
time, disciple
site of whose church is not known placed it under the guardianship
of his the Life of St. Barre states, ''^ that Talmach gave his church to God and to Barre ; for, he was at Barre's school, at Loch Irce. Yet, he may have been altogether a different Talmach from the disciple, who was with St. Brendan, in Armoric Britain. That Lough Irce, to which allusion is here made, was the now celebrated Gougane Barra, in the western part of the county of Cork, in the opinion of some writers, although others state,thisLake-eircwasinthehollowpartofthepresentcityofCork. " A charming illustration on steel of the island hermitage, the lake and wild
*'
mountain steeps around Gougane Barra, will be found in the
Antiquities of Ireland," by W. H. Bartlett. " The lake itself is in a deep
renowned Master.
Thus,
the pretermitted saints, p. 625. The Bol- landists remark, that elsewhere, they find
s According to the Irish Life of St. Bren-
SeeRt. Rev. PatrickF. Moran's Acta in their copy of Marianus O'Gorman, they Sancti Brendani. " Vita &c. , cap. xv.
no mention of Salomon, on this day
but,
meet his name enclosed within a circle, for what reason, they do not know.
macho Monacho, pp. 414, 415.
5 See his Life, at the 25th of September.
^° This refers to the Life of St. Chap. x.
Barr or Finbarr of Cork,
"
See Plarris' Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops of Cork," p. 556. Also, Rev. Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. ,
chap. . \iv,, sect, iv. , and n. 59>pp. 3M» S^^*
=^
See the BoUandists' "Acta Sancto-
rum," tomus iii. , Februarii xxvi.
