[September 23
the laying of the foundation stone of the Cathedral of Let terkenny by his EminenceCardinalLogue,assistedbytheMostRev.
the laying of the foundation stone of the Cathedral of Let terkenny by his EminenceCardinalLogue,assistedbytheMostRev.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v9
Dr.
Reeves puts the query :
this be the reliquary now commonly called St. Patrick's Arm ? Nothing is knewn of its history, and as to the Saint's name it has
"" Can this be a perversion of Adamnan ?
Adamnan's M Life of St. Columba,"
Ap-
pendix to Preface, p. lxvi. , n. (s. ).
176 By John Fordun, in his ** Scotichroni-
con," lib. i. , cap. 6.
177 This statement, however, is quite un-
chronological, as Servanus flourished long before the time of Adamnan.
178 See John Fordun's " Scotichronicon," lib. ii. , cap. 10.
" Ulster of vol. ii. , Journal Archaeology,"
p.
Queen's Ferry, having
a fine
—— probably originated in a vulgar guess. "
,7» According to a manuscript account of Adamania infra ecciesiam parochialem de
this island
by
Father
MacCana,
and con-
it would — 1 have been dedicated to St. Adamnan. " New Statis- tical Account of . Scotland," vol. ii.
tained in the Burgundian Library, Bruxelles.
It is classed No. 5307. It is called in Irish
Abhuin, and Latinized Avonia.
180
"Origines Parochiales Scotiae," part ii. ,
p. 9. 181
Father MacCana adds : "In ilia insula fuit repertum brachium Sancti Ultani, quod
Linlithgowshire, part i. , p. 102.
186
See Inquis. Spec, vicecom. Perth, Nos. 64, 708, 880.
1,7 See Rev. Mr. Reeves' Adamnan's
"Life of St. Columba," Appendix to Pre- face, pp. lxi. to lxvii.
In Irish Cill-tnA-SeooicAin. See
209.
182 No doubt formed from Cill xVo Airman.
183
See "Origines Parochiales Scotiae," vol. ii. , pp. 15, 16, 24.
,8*
See Inquis. Spec, vicecom. Linlith-
gow, Nos. 135, 142, 155.
,8s From the crown-charter conveying the
"
patronage capallanue et altaris Sancti
'
Dummany, appear t*
September 23. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 529
"Servant of Adamnan," became a Christian name of which we find examples
in the Irish annals. About the twelfth century, there flourished a Giolla-
Adamnan Ua Coirthen, Coarb of Columcille, as may be seen in a charter of
Kells. 188 In the year 11 64, Somharlid Mac Gille-Adhamnain was killed in
battle, with his son and a great number of followers. l89 This chieftain is
calledPrinceof 1? andhewasoneoftheMacDonnell Giolla- Argyle, family.
Adhamnan subsequently became a favourite name in this family, and it passed into that branch of it called the Mac Neills of Barra. In the year
we find a Gilleownan1? 1
We are told, that it became a surname, and that it is the origin of Mac Lennan, a name given to the old inhabitants of Glenshiel in Rosshire, and which has passed into that familiar form from MacGilla-Adhamnain. This appears to be the case, from a genealogy of the clan Mac Lennen. 1 *2 This clan derives its denomination from Gilla-agamnan, son to Cormac, son to Oirbertach of
J
Ferchar Abhradhruadh's race. 93 In the year 132S, Gilla-Adamnan O'Ferghil,
1 or O'Freel, Coarb of St. Adamnan, died. **
In the diocese of Raphoe, St. Eunan is generally considered to be a different individual from Adamnan, and the error derives support from a custom which formerly prevailed of holding the commemoration of St. Eunan as patron of the diocese on the 7th of September. ^ Under its old patronage, supposing that a bishop's see must originate with a bishop, in after times, advantage was taken of Adamnan's phonetic name Eunan. Thus was Adamnan created a bishop, and Eunan became patron of the
16
diocese, in that supposed capacity. 9 However, for a long period past, St.
Eunan has been revered as a Bishop and Confessor, as also a 'patron of this diocese, in all the Catholic Church Offices ; and as a result of an applica- tion from Most Rev. Patrick O'Donnell, Bishop of P. aphoe, an Office,
consisting of Three Proper Lessons and a Mass, revised and approved by
the Sacred Congregation of Rites in Rome, has been sanctioned by Decree
of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIII. ,'97 for use of the secular and regular clergy
18 there. *
When the Most Rev. Patrick O'Donnell had been consecrated Bishop
of Raphoe, on the 3rd of April, 1888, one of the cares which chiefly engrossed his attention was the erection of a new cathedral dedicated to St. Eunan, Patron of the diocese. Measures were taken accordingly ; the clergy and laity of the diocese were appealed to ; large subscriptions were received and public meetings were held ; contributions poured in from other parts of
x * The Rev. Dr. Reeves gives the names of Irish Sees founded by Presbyters, in Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba,'' Addi- tional Notes (n. ), p. 335.
J97 Given under date Die 11 Maii, 191 See Origines Parochiales Scotise," 1896.
1495,
Makneil,
who was to Gilleownan. grandson
11
,89 See Chronicon Mannise, in Johnstone's
Antiquitates Celto Normanicse," p. 20.
188 See "
of the Irish Archae- logical Society," p. 140.
'9° See ibid. , p. 12. "
vol. ii. , p. 367.
A. D. 1734.
Miscellany
's8 The Office is a Duplex of the First 192 The Mac Vurrich MS. , communicated Class, with an Octave throughout the by W. F. Skene, Esq. , to Rev. William Diocese of Raphoe, commencing on the 23rd Reeves, demonstrated this fact. of September. The Lessons of the First '53 See Rev. Mr. Reeves' Adamnan's Nocturn are taken from the Common of a "Life of St. Columba," Appendix to Pontiff and Confessor; those from the Third Nocturn have the Seventh Lesson commencing with "Lectio Sancti Evangelii secundum Lucam," cap. 10, and afterwards taken from the Common Lessons for an Evangelist. In the Mass taken from the
Preface, pp. lxvii. , lxviii.
'9* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ill. , pp. 538, 539.
'95 Pope Clement XII. approved of a Mass for Bishop Eunan's festival, on the 7th of September. This was printed in Paris,
Common of a Confessor Pontiff, the Gospel alone is from the Common of Evangelists.
IL
53° LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September23.
Ireland, from the United States, and from the most distant colonies of the British Empire ; and with solemn religious ceremonial, the foundation stone was laid. Mr. Haigue was selected as the architect. The following is a
of the Cathedral J w dedicated to the Patron of
and which stands on an elevated site overlooking the town of Letterkenny, and commanding the country for miles around. The structure is one of
description
Raphoe diocese,
St. Eunan's Cathedral, Letterkenny.
are divided from
the nave, by an
arcade of five arches on each
side, supported on clustered
with beautifully carved capitals and bases. The choir is in the form of an apsidal ending, with nine sides ; in each of which is an acutely pointed arch communi- cating with the ambulatory, which is lighted by nine lancet windows, and above the chancel arcade are thirteen windows filled with stained glass. The great western door has a lofty pointed arch, amply recessed and richly moulded. Above it is a magnificent seven-lighted window, with rose tracery. Similar windows of smaller size light the transepts. The tower stands at the north- eastern angle. It is to be surmounted by a spire, and the whole shall rise to an elevation of 240 feet; or 120 feet for the tower, and 120 feet for the
'*> Taken from the Freeman's Journal of November 2ist, 1898.
200
The accompanying illustration, from an engraving of the exterior, kindly fur-
nished by the Most Rev. Patrick O'Donnell, D. D. , Bishop of Raphoe, has been drawn on the wood and engraved by Gregor Grey.
noble
tions. 200 The architecture is the
early pointed style, with lofty lancet windows, the severity of which is relieved by the introduc- tion of trefoil heads. Thebuild- ing is cruciform, and at the inter- section of nave and
transepts, there are four
arches rest- ing on massive square columns, ornamented with
panels, and carved in high relief with sub-
jects of religious history in Done-
lofty
gal.
The aisles
columns,
propor-
September i. i] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 531
spife. The Cathedral is 200 feet long; 100 feet wide across the transepts, and 66^2 feet across the nave and aisles. At the entrance to the transepts, there is a departure from the pointed style, the doors being in the Hiberno- Romanesque,withcharacteristicGaelicornamentation. Theviewfromthe chancel along the long line of aisles to the entrance is very fine, while by looking the other way the effect of the arcade round the chancel is beautiful and impressive. The panel figures in alto relievo, in the columnar supports of the arches at the intersection of the nave and aisles, are very interesting.
The work is excellently executed, with great attention to detail and the finest workmanship. On the column at the right hand side of the nave there is a beautiful series of panels devoted to many striking incidents in the
201 and on the left hand side is the Adamnan column,202 devoted to illustrations from the life of the founder of the church and diocese ofRaphoe. ThearchhasfiguresoftheBlessedTrinityandothersubjects. Above the spring of the arch from the Columban column is a panel repre- senting Conal Gulban asking the saint to admit him to the ministry, and the saint refusing, prophesying the glory of his race, and pointing to the motto, u in hoc signo vinces. " Above this is a panel representing St. Patrick at Assaroe, near Ballyshannon, when he was requested by Conall to bless his country, his people, and himself, and the saint blesses the son with more fervour than Conall, as one who was nearer by a generation to the great Columcille. The saint is represented breaking forth into the sublime prophesy regarding the future saint of Conall's line. The next panel represents
201 The Columcille column in its lower are a group of the doves of Columba. The
life of St.
Columcille,
panel shows the veil seen by the mother of
the saint before his birth. The other panels
illustrate some of the scenes in the life of
the saint. In the first panel, a double one,
the saint is seen at one side as a little boy
at Kilmacrenan, near Letterkenny, taking and Iona. The first panel, a double one,
lessons from the venerable priest, Cruthe-
necan. At the right of the panel Columba is
represented as a young monk, seriously
engaged in copying the famous manuscript, which afterwards was the Cathach. In the
roof above, a star is seen lighting the young
student at his work. The second panel . second panel shows the saint writing the represents the saint, now a priest and an life of St. Columba. The third panel apostle, preaching the gospel to the people, represents an ordination scene, with St. surrounded by the Scottish chiefs, who Adamnan as first Bishop of Raphoe, re- were already to some extent become his
disciples. The third panel shows the saint
at the famous Feis or assembly of Drom-
ceat,countyofDerry,wherehesucceededin
protecting the rights of the bards of Erin,
and getting Alba's exemption from tribute
to Erin acknowledged. The fourth panel the inscription, "I. H. S. " On the arch
is the death scene. Diarmaid, the faithful body attendant of the saint, raises his head, and raising also his right hand, enables the dying saint to bless the fathers as they rush into the church with lamps in their hands. Between the panels are scrolls and symbols. The first is the figure of the Corr Mona or Crane. The beaten Crane which came to Columba at Iona was supposed to come from Gartan, his natal place in Donegal. There is a head of an Irish elk, the horns thrown back as in swimming, and there
the figure at the apex is that of the First
Person of the Most Holy Trinity, repre- sented as looking down from Heaven upon the created world. On one hand is the Son, and on the other the Holy Ghost. The group is a bold outline in stone of the Adorable Trinity. The Holy Ghost holds the burning torch in one hand, and from the other hand drops the oil of sanctification. God the Son is represented carrying the Cross in one hand, and the other raised in an attitude of instruction.
last is the figure of the white horse that wept over Columba before his death.
302 The Adamnan column has panels dealing with the life of the Cathedral patron who succeeded St. Columba both in Raphoe
shows on one side the boy Adamnan listen-
ing to St. Ernan, of Dromhome, relating the wonders that he saw on the night of Columba's death, and the other represents Adamnan being received as a novice in Iona by Suibhne, the fourth Abbot. The
ceiving the young priests into the ministry. The panel at the bottom, to correspond with the veil-panel in the Columban monu-
ment, represents the glory of God in judgment, the rays of glory shooting high into the sky as in the sunburst, and bearing
532 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 23
the laying of the foundation stone of the Cathedral of Let terkenny by his EminenceCardinalLogue,assistedbytheMostRev. Dr. O'Donnell. On the arch over the Adamnan column is a representation cf Nuala O'Connor, of Ophaly, of the house of the O'Donnell Chief, receiving the Fransciscans at Donegal. The next panel represents the flight of the Earls, and the next shows the Four Masters in Donegal Convent writing the Annals. 2°3 To aid in the completion of this noble Cathedral, a grand /<? /* was organized, and designated the Aenach. It was held at Gartan on the 9th of June, the
laiety assembled from the most distant places.
After his death, the remains ofAdamnan were religiously preserved by
the monks in his monastery at Iona, and although some time must have elapsed, before their prejudices against him for his efforts to innovate on the disciplinary institutions of their great founder were removed ; yet, in due course, he was revered as only second in greatness and sanctity to St. Columkille in all houses of their order. This was especially the case, after the year 716, when Egbert, the holy priest who received his education in Ireland, had paid his visit to Iona, when Dunchad was superior of Hy, and in fact of the whole Columban Order. Then the Roman Paschal cycle, together with the circular tonsure, advocated so strenuously by Adamnan in his life-time, were universally adopted. 205 St. Adamnan's remains were
206 The account of this transaction in our annals is so equivocal, that it might be inferred the holy Abbot died and was there buried, and that his body had then been removed for the first time to the parent establishment of his order. There is every reason to suppose those relics were encased in a rich shrine. Even, there is a poetical enumeration of relics, contained in a famous shrine of St. Adamnan,
as yet extant. 20? It is alleged to have been composed by the Saint himself, but this does not appear to be probable. There is a brief preface to this poem. 20' However, this is to be understood of a shrine, which had been pre- pared during his life-time, and which enclosed the relics of other Saints he had placed there, and which, as we have already seen, he had deposited at Scrin- Adamnhan. Intheyear831,accordingtotheAnnalsofUlster,200theSerin Adomnain was taken away from Domnach Maghan or Donaghmoyne, by the Gentiles. The Shrine of Adamnan was then in the keeping of Tuathal mac
Thirteenth Centennial of St. Columkill, 2°4 It i8q7.
to be a
cent religious and national demonstration, attended by His Eminence Cardinal Logue, Archbishop of Armagh, and Primate of Ireland ; Most Rev. Dr. O'Donnell, Bishop of Raphoe, with a vast concourse of clergy and
translated from Ireland, in October of the
year 729.
203 In accordance with the design carried
out in previous volumes of this work, a
tical History of Ireland," Eighth Century, chap. i. , p. 137.
2o6
frontispiece is prefixed, and designed to
commemorate some particular spot, where
Irish hagiology found writers and a home,
in ancient and modern times. Thus, the Dr. O'Conor's Rerum Hibernicarum Scrip-
frontispiece to the present volume repre- sents the existing ruins of Donegal Con- vent, where lived the Four Masters, who gathered so many precious documents of Irish civil and ecclesiastical history in the
seventeenthcentury.
204 A detailed account of the
proceedings" maybe found in the "Cuirhne CoUntnalle
or the Gartan Festival, published in Dublin, 1898, 8vo.
2c8
It contains 18 stanzas.
2°5 See Rev. M. J. Brenan's "Ecclesias-
Ultonienses, p. 208.
proved
magnifi-
According to the Annales Ultonienses
"
"
tores," tomus iv. Annales Ultonienses, p. 81.
a0? It is included in the ten folia, extracted from the Book of Leinster, and now pre- served in the Franciscan Convent, Mer- chant's-quay,Dublin. Theselinesoccurat column 5 on the page,
Reversio reliquiarum Adomnani <\<t Ilibernia in menseOctobr. " —
at this year is entered :
20* " See Dr. O'Conor's
Rerum Hiberni- carum Scriptores," tomus iv. Annales
September 23. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 533
Feradhaich,210 known as Abbot of Rechra and Durrow. 211 This was the shrine that gave name to Scrin-Adamnan.
Few of our national saints deserve more of our reverence and gratitude than Adamnan, as may be judged from the foregoing incidents we have even imperfectlygleanedtofurnishhismemoir. TheyoungerPlinyesteemedas happy those whom Providence had distinguished with abilities, either for
doing such actions, as are worthy of being related, or for relating them in a manner worthy of being read. Doubly happy are those blessed with both of these uncommon talents. 212 Such remarks have a special bearing on the Life of St. Adamnan, since his activity of mind and body had been rightly directed to serve the highest interests of religion, and to preserve in writing for us, the Life of one, the greatest archimandrite of his age, as also an early recordoftheHolyLand. Bothareofinestimablevaluetothehistorianand antiquary. The authenticity of those works may not be questioned, while our literary interest and desire for information are both excited and gratified by their fortunate preservation to our own times.
ARTrcLEII. —St. Conaing,orConnichMicLuachain. Themanu- 12
script and published Martyrologies of Tallagh register a festival, at the 23rd of September, in honour of Connich, son of Luachain. He is also entered at this date in the Martyrology of Marianus 0'Gorman,3 whose com- mentator calls him Mac Lucunain, or the Son of Lucunain. In Colgan's opinion,4 the present holy man appears to be identical with a certain Conagius, who is mentioned in the Acts of St. Mochoemoc, Abbot of Liath- mor,s He is also thought to have been the Conangius O'Daithil, who is mentioned in the Life of St. Molagga. 6 At the year 660, we meet the death of Conaing Ua Daint, Abbot of Imleach Ibhair, or Emly, recorded. The Irish accords with the foregoing spelling of the name. St. Alveus was first Abbot and Bishop of Emly, as would appear from his Life. ? The successor
of St. Alveus, the present Conangius, appears to be the Saint bearing such name, whose Natalis was observed on the 23rd of September, and who is
called son to Luachan, by the Martyrology of Tallagh, by Marianus
O'Gorman, and by the commentator on St. Angus.
8
There was a chapelry
of a St. Cunning,? in the parish of Carncastle, County of Antrim, supposed to have been Tulach or Killchonadhain, mentioned in the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. 10 The present Saint's festival is found in the Martyrology of Donegal," at this day.
210 Thus noticed in the Irish Annals, at A. D. 832: " Tuathal mac Feradhaich raptus est a Gentilibus, et scrinium Adamnani de Domnach-moghan. "
6 See his Acts in the First Volume of this
work, at the 20th of January, Art. i. , chap, iii.
? This Colgan promised to give at the 12th of September, at which date his Acts are to be found in the present'volume, Art. i. 8 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xx.
Januarii. Vita S. Molaggte, n. 27, p. 150. 9 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' " Ecclesiastical
Antiquities of Down, Connor, and Dro- more," n. (d), pp. 53, 54. Also Appendix GG, n, (w), p. 338.
211 212
His death is recorded at A. D. 850.
See the Letters of Pliny the Younger.
Melmoth's — book vi. , Translation, chap.
Article ii.
copy, Conich mac LuAchanAi.
x
16. In the Book of Leinster
2
3"
See Dr. Whitley Stokes' Felire Hui
Gormain," pp. 182, 183.
4 See " Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xiii.
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxv.
I0 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga, Martii, Vita S. Mochoemoci, cap. xxxv. . . Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars ii. , cap.
and n. 38, pp. 595, 596, 598.
s See his Life, in the Third Volume of this
work, at the 13th of March, Art. i.
exxxiii. , p. 147.
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
256, 257.
534 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September23 Article III. —St. Comnat or Coimnatain. At the 23rd of September,
we find entered, in the published Martyrology of
Tallagh,
1 a festival in
honour of Coimnatain. A similar is in the Book of Leinster entry
2
copy. His place in history we cannot find. Also on this day, Marianus O'GormanS
commemoratesCo[e]mnat,orComnat. SimplythenameComnat,without
any further designation, appears in the Martyrology of Donegal,-* at this same date. There can hardly be a doubt, this latter person is identical with Coimnatain.
Article IV. —St. Saran. In the of published Martyrology
1
Tallagh, there is a Ciaran at this day ; but we think, this must have been introduced
for Saran, as we find it in the Book of Leinster copy. ' In the Martyrology ot
Marianus O'Gorman,3 Saran is entered at the 23rd of September. According 4
totheMartyrologyofDonegal, Saranwasveneratedatthe23rdofSeptember.
Article V. —St. Tecla, Virgin and Martyr. The swan is said
noiselessly to float over the silver lake, or to rest tranquilly in the brakes
around it, until the time of death approaches, when enchanting notes are
heard before it expires. So do the holy Virgins conceal until the final hour
those latent harmonies of the soul, which break into hymns sempiternal
among the choirs of the Blessed. In the ancient Irish Church, the festival
of St, Thecla, Virgin and Martyr, was celebrated on this day. Although her
memory has been preserved with great veneration from the earliest ages of
the Christian as a who suffered at Seleucia in Isauria, 1 and Church, Martyr,
although mentioned in nearly all the ancient Martyrologies and Calendars j yet her Acts as coming down to us are interspersed with fables, which the
Jesuit Father John Stilting has shown in a learned disquisition in the Bollandist Collection of Saints' Acts. 2 The Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman3 celebrates the feast of St. Thecla, at the 23rd of September, and invokes her intercession. This holy Virgin is reputed to have been well- versed in profane philosophy and in various branches of polite literature, when she was converted to the Christian faith by the Apostle St. Paul at Iconium,4 about the year 45. She became his disciple, and renounced the worldly prospects of marriage with a young and rich nobleman, who, incensed at her refusal, accused her to the magistrates with' being a Christian. She
Article ill. —' Edited Kelly, p. xxxv.
2
by
the Rev. Dr.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Septembris xxiii. De S. Thecla Virg. Mart. Seleuciae in Isauria. Commentarius Critico-IIistoricus. This is comprised in seven sections, having one hundred and five paragraphs. —
Thus : Coimndcan.
3 See Dr. Whitley Stokes' "Felire Hui
Gormain," pp. 182, 183.
4 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
356, 357. — Article iv.
Kelly, p. xxxv.
2
In the following Irish verses
:
'
Edited by the Rev.
Dr.
Tecla
for oebnemh co hebhinn.
Thus: SAj\4ni.
3 See Dr. Whitley Stokes' "Felire Hui
Gormain," pp. 182, 183.
4 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
"Felire Hui Gormain,"
of a Lycaonia, province
and Pliny describe it as a very populous
inhabited Greeks and See city by Jews.
"
Dr.
this be the reliquary now commonly called St. Patrick's Arm ? Nothing is knewn of its history, and as to the Saint's name it has
"" Can this be a perversion of Adamnan ?
Adamnan's M Life of St. Columba,"
Ap-
pendix to Preface, p. lxvi. , n. (s. ).
176 By John Fordun, in his ** Scotichroni-
con," lib. i. , cap. 6.
177 This statement, however, is quite un-
chronological, as Servanus flourished long before the time of Adamnan.
178 See John Fordun's " Scotichronicon," lib. ii. , cap. 10.
" Ulster of vol. ii. , Journal Archaeology,"
p.
Queen's Ferry, having
a fine
—— probably originated in a vulgar guess. "
,7» According to a manuscript account of Adamania infra ecciesiam parochialem de
this island
by
Father
MacCana,
and con-
it would — 1 have been dedicated to St. Adamnan. " New Statis- tical Account of . Scotland," vol. ii.
tained in the Burgundian Library, Bruxelles.
It is classed No. 5307. It is called in Irish
Abhuin, and Latinized Avonia.
180
"Origines Parochiales Scotiae," part ii. ,
p. 9. 181
Father MacCana adds : "In ilia insula fuit repertum brachium Sancti Ultani, quod
Linlithgowshire, part i. , p. 102.
186
See Inquis. Spec, vicecom. Perth, Nos. 64, 708, 880.
1,7 See Rev. Mr. Reeves' Adamnan's
"Life of St. Columba," Appendix to Pre- face, pp. lxi. to lxvii.
In Irish Cill-tnA-SeooicAin. See
209.
182 No doubt formed from Cill xVo Airman.
183
See "Origines Parochiales Scotiae," vol. ii. , pp. 15, 16, 24.
,8*
See Inquis. Spec, vicecom. Linlith-
gow, Nos. 135, 142, 155.
,8s From the crown-charter conveying the
"
patronage capallanue et altaris Sancti
'
Dummany, appear t*
September 23. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 529
"Servant of Adamnan," became a Christian name of which we find examples
in the Irish annals. About the twelfth century, there flourished a Giolla-
Adamnan Ua Coirthen, Coarb of Columcille, as may be seen in a charter of
Kells. 188 In the year 11 64, Somharlid Mac Gille-Adhamnain was killed in
battle, with his son and a great number of followers. l89 This chieftain is
calledPrinceof 1? andhewasoneoftheMacDonnell Giolla- Argyle, family.
Adhamnan subsequently became a favourite name in this family, and it passed into that branch of it called the Mac Neills of Barra. In the year
we find a Gilleownan1? 1
We are told, that it became a surname, and that it is the origin of Mac Lennan, a name given to the old inhabitants of Glenshiel in Rosshire, and which has passed into that familiar form from MacGilla-Adhamnain. This appears to be the case, from a genealogy of the clan Mac Lennen. 1 *2 This clan derives its denomination from Gilla-agamnan, son to Cormac, son to Oirbertach of
J
Ferchar Abhradhruadh's race. 93 In the year 132S, Gilla-Adamnan O'Ferghil,
1 or O'Freel, Coarb of St. Adamnan, died. **
In the diocese of Raphoe, St. Eunan is generally considered to be a different individual from Adamnan, and the error derives support from a custom which formerly prevailed of holding the commemoration of St. Eunan as patron of the diocese on the 7th of September. ^ Under its old patronage, supposing that a bishop's see must originate with a bishop, in after times, advantage was taken of Adamnan's phonetic name Eunan. Thus was Adamnan created a bishop, and Eunan became patron of the
16
diocese, in that supposed capacity. 9 However, for a long period past, St.
Eunan has been revered as a Bishop and Confessor, as also a 'patron of this diocese, in all the Catholic Church Offices ; and as a result of an applica- tion from Most Rev. Patrick O'Donnell, Bishop of P. aphoe, an Office,
consisting of Three Proper Lessons and a Mass, revised and approved by
the Sacred Congregation of Rites in Rome, has been sanctioned by Decree
of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIII. ,'97 for use of the secular and regular clergy
18 there. *
When the Most Rev. Patrick O'Donnell had been consecrated Bishop
of Raphoe, on the 3rd of April, 1888, one of the cares which chiefly engrossed his attention was the erection of a new cathedral dedicated to St. Eunan, Patron of the diocese. Measures were taken accordingly ; the clergy and laity of the diocese were appealed to ; large subscriptions were received and public meetings were held ; contributions poured in from other parts of
x * The Rev. Dr. Reeves gives the names of Irish Sees founded by Presbyters, in Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba,'' Addi- tional Notes (n. ), p. 335.
J97 Given under date Die 11 Maii, 191 See Origines Parochiales Scotise," 1896.
1495,
Makneil,
who was to Gilleownan. grandson
11
,89 See Chronicon Mannise, in Johnstone's
Antiquitates Celto Normanicse," p. 20.
188 See "
of the Irish Archae- logical Society," p. 140.
'9° See ibid. , p. 12. "
vol. ii. , p. 367.
A. D. 1734.
Miscellany
's8 The Office is a Duplex of the First 192 The Mac Vurrich MS. , communicated Class, with an Octave throughout the by W. F. Skene, Esq. , to Rev. William Diocese of Raphoe, commencing on the 23rd Reeves, demonstrated this fact. of September. The Lessons of the First '53 See Rev. Mr. Reeves' Adamnan's Nocturn are taken from the Common of a "Life of St. Columba," Appendix to Pontiff and Confessor; those from the Third Nocturn have the Seventh Lesson commencing with "Lectio Sancti Evangelii secundum Lucam," cap. 10, and afterwards taken from the Common Lessons for an Evangelist. In the Mass taken from the
Preface, pp. lxvii. , lxviii.
'9* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ill. , pp. 538, 539.
'95 Pope Clement XII. approved of a Mass for Bishop Eunan's festival, on the 7th of September. This was printed in Paris,
Common of a Confessor Pontiff, the Gospel alone is from the Common of Evangelists.
IL
53° LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September23.
Ireland, from the United States, and from the most distant colonies of the British Empire ; and with solemn religious ceremonial, the foundation stone was laid. Mr. Haigue was selected as the architect. The following is a
of the Cathedral J w dedicated to the Patron of
and which stands on an elevated site overlooking the town of Letterkenny, and commanding the country for miles around. The structure is one of
description
Raphoe diocese,
St. Eunan's Cathedral, Letterkenny.
are divided from
the nave, by an
arcade of five arches on each
side, supported on clustered
with beautifully carved capitals and bases. The choir is in the form of an apsidal ending, with nine sides ; in each of which is an acutely pointed arch communi- cating with the ambulatory, which is lighted by nine lancet windows, and above the chancel arcade are thirteen windows filled with stained glass. The great western door has a lofty pointed arch, amply recessed and richly moulded. Above it is a magnificent seven-lighted window, with rose tracery. Similar windows of smaller size light the transepts. The tower stands at the north- eastern angle. It is to be surmounted by a spire, and the whole shall rise to an elevation of 240 feet; or 120 feet for the tower, and 120 feet for the
'*> Taken from the Freeman's Journal of November 2ist, 1898.
200
The accompanying illustration, from an engraving of the exterior, kindly fur-
nished by the Most Rev. Patrick O'Donnell, D. D. , Bishop of Raphoe, has been drawn on the wood and engraved by Gregor Grey.
noble
tions. 200 The architecture is the
early pointed style, with lofty lancet windows, the severity of which is relieved by the introduc- tion of trefoil heads. Thebuild- ing is cruciform, and at the inter- section of nave and
transepts, there are four
arches rest- ing on massive square columns, ornamented with
panels, and carved in high relief with sub-
jects of religious history in Done-
lofty
gal.
The aisles
columns,
propor-
September i. i] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 531
spife. The Cathedral is 200 feet long; 100 feet wide across the transepts, and 66^2 feet across the nave and aisles. At the entrance to the transepts, there is a departure from the pointed style, the doors being in the Hiberno- Romanesque,withcharacteristicGaelicornamentation. Theviewfromthe chancel along the long line of aisles to the entrance is very fine, while by looking the other way the effect of the arcade round the chancel is beautiful and impressive. The panel figures in alto relievo, in the columnar supports of the arches at the intersection of the nave and aisles, are very interesting.
The work is excellently executed, with great attention to detail and the finest workmanship. On the column at the right hand side of the nave there is a beautiful series of panels devoted to many striking incidents in the
201 and on the left hand side is the Adamnan column,202 devoted to illustrations from the life of the founder of the church and diocese ofRaphoe. ThearchhasfiguresoftheBlessedTrinityandothersubjects. Above the spring of the arch from the Columban column is a panel repre- senting Conal Gulban asking the saint to admit him to the ministry, and the saint refusing, prophesying the glory of his race, and pointing to the motto, u in hoc signo vinces. " Above this is a panel representing St. Patrick at Assaroe, near Ballyshannon, when he was requested by Conall to bless his country, his people, and himself, and the saint blesses the son with more fervour than Conall, as one who was nearer by a generation to the great Columcille. The saint is represented breaking forth into the sublime prophesy regarding the future saint of Conall's line. The next panel represents
201 The Columcille column in its lower are a group of the doves of Columba. The
life of St.
Columcille,
panel shows the veil seen by the mother of
the saint before his birth. The other panels
illustrate some of the scenes in the life of
the saint. In the first panel, a double one,
the saint is seen at one side as a little boy
at Kilmacrenan, near Letterkenny, taking and Iona. The first panel, a double one,
lessons from the venerable priest, Cruthe-
necan. At the right of the panel Columba is
represented as a young monk, seriously
engaged in copying the famous manuscript, which afterwards was the Cathach. In the
roof above, a star is seen lighting the young
student at his work. The second panel . second panel shows the saint writing the represents the saint, now a priest and an life of St. Columba. The third panel apostle, preaching the gospel to the people, represents an ordination scene, with St. surrounded by the Scottish chiefs, who Adamnan as first Bishop of Raphoe, re- were already to some extent become his
disciples. The third panel shows the saint
at the famous Feis or assembly of Drom-
ceat,countyofDerry,wherehesucceededin
protecting the rights of the bards of Erin,
and getting Alba's exemption from tribute
to Erin acknowledged. The fourth panel the inscription, "I. H. S. " On the arch
is the death scene. Diarmaid, the faithful body attendant of the saint, raises his head, and raising also his right hand, enables the dying saint to bless the fathers as they rush into the church with lamps in their hands. Between the panels are scrolls and symbols. The first is the figure of the Corr Mona or Crane. The beaten Crane which came to Columba at Iona was supposed to come from Gartan, his natal place in Donegal. There is a head of an Irish elk, the horns thrown back as in swimming, and there
the figure at the apex is that of the First
Person of the Most Holy Trinity, repre- sented as looking down from Heaven upon the created world. On one hand is the Son, and on the other the Holy Ghost. The group is a bold outline in stone of the Adorable Trinity. The Holy Ghost holds the burning torch in one hand, and from the other hand drops the oil of sanctification. God the Son is represented carrying the Cross in one hand, and the other raised in an attitude of instruction.
last is the figure of the white horse that wept over Columba before his death.
302 The Adamnan column has panels dealing with the life of the Cathedral patron who succeeded St. Columba both in Raphoe
shows on one side the boy Adamnan listen-
ing to St. Ernan, of Dromhome, relating the wonders that he saw on the night of Columba's death, and the other represents Adamnan being received as a novice in Iona by Suibhne, the fourth Abbot. The
ceiving the young priests into the ministry. The panel at the bottom, to correspond with the veil-panel in the Columban monu-
ment, represents the glory of God in judgment, the rays of glory shooting high into the sky as in the sunburst, and bearing
532 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 23
the laying of the foundation stone of the Cathedral of Let terkenny by his EminenceCardinalLogue,assistedbytheMostRev. Dr. O'Donnell. On the arch over the Adamnan column is a representation cf Nuala O'Connor, of Ophaly, of the house of the O'Donnell Chief, receiving the Fransciscans at Donegal. The next panel represents the flight of the Earls, and the next shows the Four Masters in Donegal Convent writing the Annals. 2°3 To aid in the completion of this noble Cathedral, a grand /<? /* was organized, and designated the Aenach. It was held at Gartan on the 9th of June, the
laiety assembled from the most distant places.
After his death, the remains ofAdamnan were religiously preserved by
the monks in his monastery at Iona, and although some time must have elapsed, before their prejudices against him for his efforts to innovate on the disciplinary institutions of their great founder were removed ; yet, in due course, he was revered as only second in greatness and sanctity to St. Columkille in all houses of their order. This was especially the case, after the year 716, when Egbert, the holy priest who received his education in Ireland, had paid his visit to Iona, when Dunchad was superior of Hy, and in fact of the whole Columban Order. Then the Roman Paschal cycle, together with the circular tonsure, advocated so strenuously by Adamnan in his life-time, were universally adopted. 205 St. Adamnan's remains were
206 The account of this transaction in our annals is so equivocal, that it might be inferred the holy Abbot died and was there buried, and that his body had then been removed for the first time to the parent establishment of his order. There is every reason to suppose those relics were encased in a rich shrine. Even, there is a poetical enumeration of relics, contained in a famous shrine of St. Adamnan,
as yet extant. 20? It is alleged to have been composed by the Saint himself, but this does not appear to be probable. There is a brief preface to this poem. 20' However, this is to be understood of a shrine, which had been pre- pared during his life-time, and which enclosed the relics of other Saints he had placed there, and which, as we have already seen, he had deposited at Scrin- Adamnhan. Intheyear831,accordingtotheAnnalsofUlster,200theSerin Adomnain was taken away from Domnach Maghan or Donaghmoyne, by the Gentiles. The Shrine of Adamnan was then in the keeping of Tuathal mac
Thirteenth Centennial of St. Columkill, 2°4 It i8q7.
to be a
cent religious and national demonstration, attended by His Eminence Cardinal Logue, Archbishop of Armagh, and Primate of Ireland ; Most Rev. Dr. O'Donnell, Bishop of Raphoe, with a vast concourse of clergy and
translated from Ireland, in October of the
year 729.
203 In accordance with the design carried
out in previous volumes of this work, a
tical History of Ireland," Eighth Century, chap. i. , p. 137.
2o6
frontispiece is prefixed, and designed to
commemorate some particular spot, where
Irish hagiology found writers and a home,
in ancient and modern times. Thus, the Dr. O'Conor's Rerum Hibernicarum Scrip-
frontispiece to the present volume repre- sents the existing ruins of Donegal Con- vent, where lived the Four Masters, who gathered so many precious documents of Irish civil and ecclesiastical history in the
seventeenthcentury.
204 A detailed account of the
proceedings" maybe found in the "Cuirhne CoUntnalle
or the Gartan Festival, published in Dublin, 1898, 8vo.
2c8
It contains 18 stanzas.
2°5 See Rev. M. J. Brenan's "Ecclesias-
Ultonienses, p. 208.
proved
magnifi-
According to the Annales Ultonienses
"
"
tores," tomus iv. Annales Ultonienses, p. 81.
a0? It is included in the ten folia, extracted from the Book of Leinster, and now pre- served in the Franciscan Convent, Mer- chant's-quay,Dublin. Theselinesoccurat column 5 on the page,
Reversio reliquiarum Adomnani <\<t Ilibernia in menseOctobr. " —
at this year is entered :
20* " See Dr. O'Conor's
Rerum Hiberni- carum Scriptores," tomus iv. Annales
September 23. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 533
Feradhaich,210 known as Abbot of Rechra and Durrow. 211 This was the shrine that gave name to Scrin-Adamnan.
Few of our national saints deserve more of our reverence and gratitude than Adamnan, as may be judged from the foregoing incidents we have even imperfectlygleanedtofurnishhismemoir. TheyoungerPlinyesteemedas happy those whom Providence had distinguished with abilities, either for
doing such actions, as are worthy of being related, or for relating them in a manner worthy of being read. Doubly happy are those blessed with both of these uncommon talents. 212 Such remarks have a special bearing on the Life of St. Adamnan, since his activity of mind and body had been rightly directed to serve the highest interests of religion, and to preserve in writing for us, the Life of one, the greatest archimandrite of his age, as also an early recordoftheHolyLand. Bothareofinestimablevaluetothehistorianand antiquary. The authenticity of those works may not be questioned, while our literary interest and desire for information are both excited and gratified by their fortunate preservation to our own times.
ARTrcLEII. —St. Conaing,orConnichMicLuachain. Themanu- 12
script and published Martyrologies of Tallagh register a festival, at the 23rd of September, in honour of Connich, son of Luachain. He is also entered at this date in the Martyrology of Marianus 0'Gorman,3 whose com- mentator calls him Mac Lucunain, or the Son of Lucunain. In Colgan's opinion,4 the present holy man appears to be identical with a certain Conagius, who is mentioned in the Acts of St. Mochoemoc, Abbot of Liath- mor,s He is also thought to have been the Conangius O'Daithil, who is mentioned in the Life of St. Molagga. 6 At the year 660, we meet the death of Conaing Ua Daint, Abbot of Imleach Ibhair, or Emly, recorded. The Irish accords with the foregoing spelling of the name. St. Alveus was first Abbot and Bishop of Emly, as would appear from his Life. ? The successor
of St. Alveus, the present Conangius, appears to be the Saint bearing such name, whose Natalis was observed on the 23rd of September, and who is
called son to Luachan, by the Martyrology of Tallagh, by Marianus
O'Gorman, and by the commentator on St. Angus.
8
There was a chapelry
of a St. Cunning,? in the parish of Carncastle, County of Antrim, supposed to have been Tulach or Killchonadhain, mentioned in the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. 10 The present Saint's festival is found in the Martyrology of Donegal," at this day.
210 Thus noticed in the Irish Annals, at A. D. 832: " Tuathal mac Feradhaich raptus est a Gentilibus, et scrinium Adamnani de Domnach-moghan. "
6 See his Acts in the First Volume of this
work, at the 20th of January, Art. i. , chap, iii.
? This Colgan promised to give at the 12th of September, at which date his Acts are to be found in the present'volume, Art. i. 8 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xx.
Januarii. Vita S. Molaggte, n. 27, p. 150. 9 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' " Ecclesiastical
Antiquities of Down, Connor, and Dro- more," n. (d), pp. 53, 54. Also Appendix GG, n, (w), p. 338.
211 212
His death is recorded at A. D. 850.
See the Letters of Pliny the Younger.
Melmoth's — book vi. , Translation, chap.
Article ii.
copy, Conich mac LuAchanAi.
x
16. In the Book of Leinster
2
3"
See Dr. Whitley Stokes' Felire Hui
Gormain," pp. 182, 183.
4 See " Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xiii.
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxv.
I0 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga, Martii, Vita S. Mochoemoci, cap. xxxv. . . Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars ii. , cap.
and n. 38, pp. 595, 596, 598.
s See his Life, in the Third Volume of this
work, at the 13th of March, Art. i.
exxxiii. , p. 147.
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
256, 257.
534 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September23 Article III. —St. Comnat or Coimnatain. At the 23rd of September,
we find entered, in the published Martyrology of
Tallagh,
1 a festival in
honour of Coimnatain. A similar is in the Book of Leinster entry
2
copy. His place in history we cannot find. Also on this day, Marianus O'GormanS
commemoratesCo[e]mnat,orComnat. SimplythenameComnat,without
any further designation, appears in the Martyrology of Donegal,-* at this same date. There can hardly be a doubt, this latter person is identical with Coimnatain.
Article IV. —St. Saran. In the of published Martyrology
1
Tallagh, there is a Ciaran at this day ; but we think, this must have been introduced
for Saran, as we find it in the Book of Leinster copy. ' In the Martyrology ot
Marianus O'Gorman,3 Saran is entered at the 23rd of September. According 4
totheMartyrologyofDonegal, Saranwasveneratedatthe23rdofSeptember.
Article V. —St. Tecla, Virgin and Martyr. The swan is said
noiselessly to float over the silver lake, or to rest tranquilly in the brakes
around it, until the time of death approaches, when enchanting notes are
heard before it expires. So do the holy Virgins conceal until the final hour
those latent harmonies of the soul, which break into hymns sempiternal
among the choirs of the Blessed. In the ancient Irish Church, the festival
of St, Thecla, Virgin and Martyr, was celebrated on this day. Although her
memory has been preserved with great veneration from the earliest ages of
the Christian as a who suffered at Seleucia in Isauria, 1 and Church, Martyr,
although mentioned in nearly all the ancient Martyrologies and Calendars j yet her Acts as coming down to us are interspersed with fables, which the
Jesuit Father John Stilting has shown in a learned disquisition in the Bollandist Collection of Saints' Acts. 2 The Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman3 celebrates the feast of St. Thecla, at the 23rd of September, and invokes her intercession. This holy Virgin is reputed to have been well- versed in profane philosophy and in various branches of polite literature, when she was converted to the Christian faith by the Apostle St. Paul at Iconium,4 about the year 45. She became his disciple, and renounced the worldly prospects of marriage with a young and rich nobleman, who, incensed at her refusal, accused her to the magistrates with' being a Christian. She
Article ill. —' Edited Kelly, p. xxxv.
2
by
the Rev. Dr.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Septembris xxiii. De S. Thecla Virg. Mart. Seleuciae in Isauria. Commentarius Critico-IIistoricus. This is comprised in seven sections, having one hundred and five paragraphs. —
Thus : Coimndcan.
3 See Dr. Whitley Stokes' "Felire Hui
Gormain," pp. 182, 183.
4 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
356, 357. — Article iv.
Kelly, p. xxxv.
2
In the following Irish verses
:
'
Edited by the Rev.
Dr.
Tecla
for oebnemh co hebhinn.
Thus: SAj\4ni.
3 See Dr. Whitley Stokes' "Felire Hui
Gormain," pp. 182, 183.
4 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
"Felire Hui Gormain,"
of a Lycaonia, province
and Pliny describe it as a very populous
inhabited Greeks and See city by Jews.
"
Dr.
