—3
and we have no doubt, such a course must
prove
more to the " acceptable gene-
ral reader.
and we have no doubt, such a course must
prove
more to the " acceptable gene-
ral reader.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
ii.
, pp.
215, 216.
193 A pool in a river near St. Dega's monastery is called Piscina Berathi, in " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Augusti, p. 660^.
'94 This account is also to be found in Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Tertia Vita S. Columbse, cap. xhi. , p. 335 ; Quart a Vita S. Columba;, lib. iii. , cap. xxiii. , p. 371 ; and nn. 27, 28, 29, 30, p. 386 ; and Quinta Vita S. Columba? , lib. iii. , cap. lxi. , p. 442.
195 See an account of this vision in the
Life of St. Aedan or Maidoc, Patron and
Bishop of Ferns, county of Wexford, clinp. v. , Art. i. , in the First Volume of this wok,
at the 31st of January.
196 This account is given by Prince
O'Donnell, in Colgan's "Trias Thauma- turga," Quinta Vita S. Columbre, lib. iii. , cap. lxii. , and n. 34, pp. 442, 453.
197 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
'9* Nowa
hugh, and county of Donegal, between Ballyshannon and the town of Donegal. A small island on the northern confines of the parish is called St. Ernan's Island, but the name is of modern application. See it marked, on " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," sheet 99.
192 Also known as ^learm pnne in Irish,
and it is a picturesque glen in th—e parish of
parish,
in the
barony
ofTir-
bearing
this name in-
and— im- beauty, very considerably
—oge. The River Finn Latinized "Life of St. Columba," lib. iii. , cap. 23, Kilteev
Fenda rises from lakes and springs which pp. 237 to 239, with nn. (i, k, 1, flow into Lough Finn, in the parish of Inish- p. q)«
m, n, o,
"
of its run, it traverses a vale of many ameni-
but over the lower and larger part
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
549
with a sweet symphony of psalms, towards his little cell. 1 ? 8 His obsequies were solemnized, with no less honour than devotion, for three whole days and
three nights. This time being spent in proclaiming the Divine praises, the venerable body of their glorious patron was wrapped in a clean shroud of fine
I0° and
tomb, and with great veneration deposited in the earth, to rise again with
uncloudedandeternal 201 Hereit brightness.
202 The narrative had been
the facts. On a certain time, one of the monks, after a simple manner, said to
:
the venerable Abbot " It is thought that all the people of these provinces
will sail to this Isle of Hy, to celebrate your funeral obsequies, and that they
shall fill this entire Island. " " answered the " it must not be My son," saint,
as you say, for a crowd of people shall not be able by any means, to come
hither, for the celebration of my obsequies ; only my own familiar monks
shall perform my funeral rites, and sing my requiem. " Which prophetical announcement,DivineOmnipotenceputinexecution. For,duringthethree days of St. Columba's wake and solemn funeral, so boisterous a wind blew, that it was not possible for any to go out in boats towards the sea, or to cross from the mainland. 20* Immediately after the saint's sepulture, how- ever, the wind ceased, and the sea became perfectly calm.
Another fact must not be omitted, as manifesting the popular character
ofColumba. to certain 2°s in the Irish in Owing poems, composed language
praise of the holy man, and owing to the invocation of his name, 200 some lay
persons, though of a profligate and sanguinary character, were saved from the handsoftheirenemies. Thesehadsurroundedinthenighttimethathouse,
in which they were singing such hymns. The beleaguered men escaped safely through flames, swords and spears. Wonderful to be told ! only a few, who had despised those commemorations of the holy man, and who had refused to join in reciting such hymns, perished in that hostile assault. It was not at one time nor in one place, not two or three witnesses, though the law requires no more,20? as Adamnan remarks,208 that testified to this event ; but, at different times and in several places, both in Ireland and Britain, undoubted evidence had been furnished, that the constant recital of St. Columba's praises obtained even temporal security for all those who practised
203
linen,
placed
in a coffin
prepared.
200 It was interred in an
appropriate
may
the saint had prophesied concerning the aforesaid three days of his obse-
quies.
communicated,
203 of by persons cognizant
such a devotion. It is stated, that during the holy Abbot's lifetime,
a
'98 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Vita Prima S. Columbae, cap. xx. , p. 323 ; Secunda Vita S. Columbae, cap. xxxvii. , p. 330; Quarta Vita S. Columbae, lib. iii. , cap. xxiii. , p. 371 ; Quinta Vita S. Colum- bae, lib. iii. , cap. lxiii. , p. 442.
l TM See Father John Mabillon's "Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus i. , lib. ix. , sect, ix. , p. 249.
edition of his "Life of St. Columbi," lib.
iii. , cap, 23, pp. 239, 240, and n. (d).
20* " SeeLeComtedeMontalembert's Les
Moines d'Occident," tome iii. , liv. xi. , chap, viii. , pp. 291, 292.
20S These are identified, by Prince O'Don- nell, with the panegyric of Dalian Forgaill. See " Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbae, lib. iii. , cap. xlvii. , p. 444.
206 The most famous, among all the Irish
panegyrical poems, was the Ambhra Co- lumbkille.
307 " In ore duorum vel trium testium stet omne verbum. "
-. 00 After his death, the remains were de-
posed in a Ratabusta—a coffin or tomb—as
variously interpreted.
501 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
"Life of St. Columba," lib. iii. , cap. 23, p. 239, with nn. (a, b, c).
2o8
See Rev. Dr. Reeves' version of his
202 See "Trias Colgan's
" Life of St. Columba," lib. i. . cap. i. , and n.
(f), p. 17.
Thaumaturga," Vita Prima S. Columbae, cap. xx. , p. 323 ; Secunda Vita S. Columbae, cap. xxxviii. , Vita S. Columbae, lib. iii. , cap. xxiii. , p. 371 ; Quinta Vita S. Columbae,
lib. iii. , cap. lxiv. , p. 442.
2°3 To Adamnan. See Rev. Dr. Reeves'
2(^
It is said, about the year 592.
P- 33°
5
Quarta
His feast has been set down, at the
notbeamissto what relate,
2I0
29th of January. See notices of him in the
First Volume of this work, at that date, Ait. v
550 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June q.
noble Irish panegyric had been composed by a celebrated poet, Dalian For-
210 It was called in Irish the Amhra Choluimcille, signifying in Latin, " Laudes S. Columbae. "211 This Irish poem is still in existence. 2" Copies of it are to be found in some of our most ancient Manuscripts. In the Leabhar na h-Uidre 2I3 is to be seen that very antique panegyric. The gloss which as usual is interlined is not 21 * and the text with its
gaill.
very copious ;
has been published and translated into English, by a competent Irish scholar. 21 *
The language is very archaic. 216 So eulogistic of St. Columba had it been, that Dalian it is said was forbidden to publish it during his lifetime ; and, if such be the case, it seems likely enough, that additions were made to it after Columba'sdeath. Thus,thedepartureofColumkilleispatheticallyalludedto
in certain lines of Dalian, the quoted by
O'Clerys,
O'Donovan. 218 " Like the cure of a physician without light, like the separa-
tion of marrow from the bone, like a to a without the 2I 9 are song harp ceis,
we after being deprived of our noble. "
Before the death of St. Columkille, many monasteries and churches are
reputedtohavebeenfoundedbyhiminIreland. Atleast,severalhavelong
borne his name, while his veneration has been specially connected with them
as Patron. The following is a list of these ecclesiastical establishments,
biography, places,
sionary is said to have erected churches or religious houses.
although probably the enumeration is not complete. In a previous part of this 220 we have alluded to various where the mis-
has collected the names of either directly or indirectly, the founder.
221 of which it is
However, in the first instance, we
Colgan
sixty-six, 222
stated,
he was
prefer to follow the orderly arrangement and investigations of Rev. Dr. Reeves.
—3
and we have no doubt, such a course must
prove
more to the " acceptable gene-
ral reader. The ascertained number of his erectio—
ns is
described by the last-named writer. 1. Durrow. This is a parish
a" "
See Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta copious Indexes, pp. 1 to 76. By John
as in the King's County, celebrated as being the site of one,2'6 which was among the most ancient of the monasteries established by St. Columkille, in Ireland. We have already, on more than one occasion, alluded to it in the foregoing
Vita S. Columbae, lib. iii. , cap. lxvii. ,
p. 444.
213 It is referred to by O'Curry, as one of
the most ancient and beautiful specimens of ancient Irish poetry. See " Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Iri^h History," Lect. ii. , p. 29, Lect. viii. , p. 177, Lect. x. , p. 218, Lect. xix. , p. 406.
2. 3 It is remarkable, that even at that
early period of the compliation of the Leab- har nah-Uidhre, this celebrated poem should
have required a gloss to make it intelli-
gible.
3. 4 However, it is most important, both in
a philological and historical point of view, because of the many more ancient composi- tions quoted in it, for the explanation of words. These compositions, therefore, must have been still in existence, at the time it had been written.
"5 See " Amra Choluim Chilli of Dalian Forgaill," now printed for the first time
O'Beirne Crowe, A. B. , &c, &c. Dublin, 1871, Royal 8vo.
"6 This is stated in Michael O'CIery's Irish Glossaries. See Professor Eugene O'Curry 's " Lectures on the "Manuscript Materials of Ancient Iris—h History," Lect. viii. , p. 177.
Irish in Lebop na riwope, a Grammatical Analysis of the Text and
amm oo bic cpuic
from the
a MS. in the Library of the Royal Irish Aca- bif demy, with a literal Translation and Notes, n. (b).
Ceif
original
large harp.
— cpuice mope. '' Ibid. ,
21 ? and translated Dr. by
only thirty-seven, 22s
"» Thus
1f beigef leJA gari lep, if tje'oail frnep<i pe fmuaif,
1f AbpAti pe cpuic 5411 deif, firroe oeip ap tiAfgAin uaif.
ai8 See "Annals of the Four Masters," at
A. D. 592, vol. i. , pp. 216, 217.
"» Irish glossographers, remarks Dr.
O'Donovan, are not agreed on the meaning of this word. The most rational of all con- jectures they have left us is, that it was the name of the cpom c£o, or the bass-string of the harp. Another writer states, that it was the name of a small harp, which accompanied a "
ai°
1
comaicecc
See chap, iii. , iv. , v. , vi.
:
glosses
holy Father John
June 9. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. S5i
22 7 2. —This was a celebrated and a favourite Derry.
in the seventeenth — This seems to have been Columba's earliest there, century.
22
foundation. ^ 3. Kells. This is a parish, 3° situated in the north-west part
of the county of Meath. The ancient name of the place was Cenannus,
"
of this
monastery 228 of our saint, who founded it before he left Ireland for Scotland. It was afterwards known as the Cella Nigra. A round tower was standing
part
biography.
head-abode. " In the time of St. Columkille, it was the royal abode or dun of Diarmait Mac Cerbhaill, King of Ireland. The site of the monasterywasancientlyknownas Dun-chuile-sibrinne. 231 Anotherplaceis called Cuil-sibrilli, near Cul-Dremhne. 232 The surrounding territory at
signifying
Ceanannus or Kells was called
Irish name of Ceanannus was Kenlis, afterwards changed to Kells. Here a church is supposed to have been been dedicated by St. Columkille. 234 In subsequent times, a celebrated monastery was established in that place ; for
Magh-Surigh.
coast of Donegal, in which St. Columba is said to havespent some time. He is thought to have been the founderofthefirst re- ligious establishment there. Around tower
are still to be seen on that remote island. 2*5 5. Drum- cliffe. — It was formerly known as the site of a celebrated religious foundation.
House of St. Columkille, Kells, County of Meath.
and various
antiquities
2:1 These include the monasteries and churches of St. Columba both in Ireland and in Scotland.
2" See "Trias" Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse, cap. L,
sect. 2, pp. 493 to 495- . ,
"3 See his learnedly edited work, "Adam-
nan's Life of St. Columba," Additional
Notes G, pp. 276 to 289.
"<* In addition, we shall refer to Father
2
233 The transition form of the
even yet, many interest-
ing antiquities remain, and, among these, an
old ruin, known locally as St. Columkille's stone-roofed house, has a very remarkable ap- pearance. 235 It is sup- posed to have been used as a chapel or oratory, as well as a
36
dwelling-house . * Over the arched roof, there is a croft or chamber, about six feet in height, and
lighted by a small aperture at the east
end. In this chamber there is a flat stone,23? now called St. Co- lumba's Penitential Bed. 238
4. Tory. — This was an island,23^ situated off the north
,. „. . -
552 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
In Irish, the name is written Druira Cliabh. 241 It is situated a little to the north of Sligo, in the barony of Carbury, and in t—he diocese of Elphin. A round tower is to be seen at the place. 6. Swords. Formerly this place was calledSord-Choluim-Cille. 2*2 Thisplaceis nowaparish,aboutsixorseven miles from the city of Dublin, in the same county and diocese. — The founda-
tion ofthis church is ascribed to St. Columba. 2^ 7. Raphoe. This place
gives name to the barony and diocese, and it is situated in the county of
Donegal. According to some authorities, St. Columba is regarded as the
founderofachurchhere245 although—inaftertime,St. Adamnan24° orEunan ;
became the chief patron. 8. Kilmore. It was formerly distinguished as Cill- mor-Dithribh,24 ? bythe Irish, and the name has been Latinized Cella-Magna- Deathrib. 248 ItwassituatedinthebaronyofBallintoberNorth,inthecounty of Roscommon. It is now a parish, known simply as Kilmore, in the diocese
St. Columba is — to have founded a church Elphin. thought here,
of
visited Scotland. 9. Lambay. This is a considerable island, a little to the northofHowth,andofftheeastcoastofDublincounty. Itsancientnameamong the Irish was Rechra. 240 St. Columkille is reputed to have founded a church there, and to have spent some time on that island. 250 From a very remote period,thisislandwasadependencyofChristChurch,Dublin. Amongthe Laud Manuscripts, there is —a poem on Rechra, and it is ascribed to St. Columkille. 2^ 10. Moone. The parish of Moone is situated in the diocese
Colgan's order of description, with his enumeration.
25 It was anciently called Hop Spencha, in Irish, but at a later period oaip ttiaj, having as the Latin equivalent Roboreti Campus, Roboris Campus, and Roboreus Campus, in English, "the Plain of the Oaks. " An old Irish Life of our saint calls
*'
Archceologia Ilibernica," part ii. ,
abbey church. " Having given Ily or Iona the first
quities,
chap, ii. , p. 76. This latter illustration has served also for Sir William Robert Wilde's work. The illustration in our text also differs in point of view from that of Dr. George Petrie.
it peeler-, equivalent to 226
in his
He furnishes its chronicles, at Quinta Ap-
pendix ad Acta S. Columbce, cap. iv. , sect, i. , ii. , pp. 507, 508.
227 See especially chap. iii.
223 Colgan notes it as Num. 2. Its history
and necrology are very fully set forth in cap. iii. , sect. I, 2, 3, pp. 502 to 506.
in
place
list, Colgnn
notes this as Num.
3.
229 See a fuller account of
chap, iii. , 230 Colgan has it as Kenannasensis, at
of this biography.
it,
its Annals at
num.
He also
gives
241 notes it at num. 22. Colgan
its annals at cap. x. , p. 510.
242 Colgan notes it at num. 27.
He
gives
23. p. 508.
cap. v. ,
231 Here Fiacha Finnailches erected a fort or habitation, so early as a. m. 3991. See Dr.
193 A pool in a river near St. Dega's monastery is called Piscina Berathi, in " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Augusti, p. 660^.
'94 This account is also to be found in Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Tertia Vita S. Columbse, cap. xhi. , p. 335 ; Quart a Vita S. Columba;, lib. iii. , cap. xxiii. , p. 371 ; and nn. 27, 28, 29, 30, p. 386 ; and Quinta Vita S. Columba? , lib. iii. , cap. lxi. , p. 442.
195 See an account of this vision in the
Life of St. Aedan or Maidoc, Patron and
Bishop of Ferns, county of Wexford, clinp. v. , Art. i. , in the First Volume of this wok,
at the 31st of January.
196 This account is given by Prince
O'Donnell, in Colgan's "Trias Thauma- turga," Quinta Vita S. Columbre, lib. iii. , cap. lxii. , and n. 34, pp. 442, 453.
197 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
'9* Nowa
hugh, and county of Donegal, between Ballyshannon and the town of Donegal. A small island on the northern confines of the parish is called St. Ernan's Island, but the name is of modern application. See it marked, on " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," sheet 99.
192 Also known as ^learm pnne in Irish,
and it is a picturesque glen in th—e parish of
parish,
in the
barony
ofTir-
bearing
this name in-
and— im- beauty, very considerably
—oge. The River Finn Latinized "Life of St. Columba," lib. iii. , cap. 23, Kilteev
Fenda rises from lakes and springs which pp. 237 to 239, with nn. (i, k, 1, flow into Lough Finn, in the parish of Inish- p. q)«
m, n, o,
"
of its run, it traverses a vale of many ameni-
but over the lower and larger part
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
549
with a sweet symphony of psalms, towards his little cell. 1 ? 8 His obsequies were solemnized, with no less honour than devotion, for three whole days and
three nights. This time being spent in proclaiming the Divine praises, the venerable body of their glorious patron was wrapped in a clean shroud of fine
I0° and
tomb, and with great veneration deposited in the earth, to rise again with
uncloudedandeternal 201 Hereit brightness.
202 The narrative had been
the facts. On a certain time, one of the monks, after a simple manner, said to
:
the venerable Abbot " It is thought that all the people of these provinces
will sail to this Isle of Hy, to celebrate your funeral obsequies, and that they
shall fill this entire Island. " " answered the " it must not be My son," saint,
as you say, for a crowd of people shall not be able by any means, to come
hither, for the celebration of my obsequies ; only my own familiar monks
shall perform my funeral rites, and sing my requiem. " Which prophetical announcement,DivineOmnipotenceputinexecution. For,duringthethree days of St. Columba's wake and solemn funeral, so boisterous a wind blew, that it was not possible for any to go out in boats towards the sea, or to cross from the mainland. 20* Immediately after the saint's sepulture, how- ever, the wind ceased, and the sea became perfectly calm.
Another fact must not be omitted, as manifesting the popular character
ofColumba. to certain 2°s in the Irish in Owing poems, composed language
praise of the holy man, and owing to the invocation of his name, 200 some lay
persons, though of a profligate and sanguinary character, were saved from the handsoftheirenemies. Thesehadsurroundedinthenighttimethathouse,
in which they were singing such hymns. The beleaguered men escaped safely through flames, swords and spears. Wonderful to be told ! only a few, who had despised those commemorations of the holy man, and who had refused to join in reciting such hymns, perished in that hostile assault. It was not at one time nor in one place, not two or three witnesses, though the law requires no more,20? as Adamnan remarks,208 that testified to this event ; but, at different times and in several places, both in Ireland and Britain, undoubted evidence had been furnished, that the constant recital of St. Columba's praises obtained even temporal security for all those who practised
203
linen,
placed
in a coffin
prepared.
200 It was interred in an
appropriate
may
the saint had prophesied concerning the aforesaid three days of his obse-
quies.
communicated,
203 of by persons cognizant
such a devotion. It is stated, that during the holy Abbot's lifetime,
a
'98 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Vita Prima S. Columbae, cap. xx. , p. 323 ; Secunda Vita S. Columbae, cap. xxxvii. , p. 330; Quarta Vita S. Columbae, lib. iii. , cap. xxiii. , p. 371 ; Quinta Vita S. Colum- bae, lib. iii. , cap. lxiii. , p. 442.
l TM See Father John Mabillon's "Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus i. , lib. ix. , sect, ix. , p. 249.
edition of his "Life of St. Columbi," lib.
iii. , cap, 23, pp. 239, 240, and n. (d).
20* " SeeLeComtedeMontalembert's Les
Moines d'Occident," tome iii. , liv. xi. , chap, viii. , pp. 291, 292.
20S These are identified, by Prince O'Don- nell, with the panegyric of Dalian Forgaill. See " Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbae, lib. iii. , cap. xlvii. , p. 444.
206 The most famous, among all the Irish
panegyrical poems, was the Ambhra Co- lumbkille.
307 " In ore duorum vel trium testium stet omne verbum. "
-. 00 After his death, the remains were de-
posed in a Ratabusta—a coffin or tomb—as
variously interpreted.
501 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
"Life of St. Columba," lib. iii. , cap. 23, p. 239, with nn. (a, b, c).
2o8
See Rev. Dr. Reeves' version of his
202 See "Trias Colgan's
" Life of St. Columba," lib. i. . cap. i. , and n.
(f), p. 17.
Thaumaturga," Vita Prima S. Columbae, cap. xx. , p. 323 ; Secunda Vita S. Columbae, cap. xxxviii. , Vita S. Columbae, lib. iii. , cap. xxiii. , p. 371 ; Quinta Vita S. Columbae,
lib. iii. , cap. lxiv. , p. 442.
2°3 To Adamnan. See Rev. Dr. Reeves'
2(^
It is said, about the year 592.
P- 33°
5
Quarta
His feast has been set down, at the
notbeamissto what relate,
2I0
29th of January. See notices of him in the
First Volume of this work, at that date, Ait. v
550 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June q.
noble Irish panegyric had been composed by a celebrated poet, Dalian For-
210 It was called in Irish the Amhra Choluimcille, signifying in Latin, " Laudes S. Columbae. "211 This Irish poem is still in existence. 2" Copies of it are to be found in some of our most ancient Manuscripts. In the Leabhar na h-Uidre 2I3 is to be seen that very antique panegyric. The gloss which as usual is interlined is not 21 * and the text with its
gaill.
very copious ;
has been published and translated into English, by a competent Irish scholar. 21 *
The language is very archaic. 216 So eulogistic of St. Columba had it been, that Dalian it is said was forbidden to publish it during his lifetime ; and, if such be the case, it seems likely enough, that additions were made to it after Columba'sdeath. Thus,thedepartureofColumkilleispatheticallyalludedto
in certain lines of Dalian, the quoted by
O'Clerys,
O'Donovan. 218 " Like the cure of a physician without light, like the separa-
tion of marrow from the bone, like a to a without the 2I 9 are song harp ceis,
we after being deprived of our noble. "
Before the death of St. Columkille, many monasteries and churches are
reputedtohavebeenfoundedbyhiminIreland. Atleast,severalhavelong
borne his name, while his veneration has been specially connected with them
as Patron. The following is a list of these ecclesiastical establishments,
biography, places,
sionary is said to have erected churches or religious houses.
although probably the enumeration is not complete. In a previous part of this 220 we have alluded to various where the mis-
has collected the names of either directly or indirectly, the founder.
221 of which it is
However, in the first instance, we
Colgan
sixty-six, 222
stated,
he was
prefer to follow the orderly arrangement and investigations of Rev. Dr. Reeves.
—3
and we have no doubt, such a course must
prove
more to the " acceptable gene-
ral reader. The ascertained number of his erectio—
ns is
described by the last-named writer. 1. Durrow. This is a parish
a" "
See Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta copious Indexes, pp. 1 to 76. By John
as in the King's County, celebrated as being the site of one,2'6 which was among the most ancient of the monasteries established by St. Columkille, in Ireland. We have already, on more than one occasion, alluded to it in the foregoing
Vita S. Columbae, lib. iii. , cap. lxvii. ,
p. 444.
213 It is referred to by O'Curry, as one of
the most ancient and beautiful specimens of ancient Irish poetry. See " Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Iri^h History," Lect. ii. , p. 29, Lect. viii. , p. 177, Lect. x. , p. 218, Lect. xix. , p. 406.
2. 3 It is remarkable, that even at that
early period of the compliation of the Leab- har nah-Uidhre, this celebrated poem should
have required a gloss to make it intelli-
gible.
3. 4 However, it is most important, both in
a philological and historical point of view, because of the many more ancient composi- tions quoted in it, for the explanation of words. These compositions, therefore, must have been still in existence, at the time it had been written.
"5 See " Amra Choluim Chilli of Dalian Forgaill," now printed for the first time
O'Beirne Crowe, A. B. , &c, &c. Dublin, 1871, Royal 8vo.
"6 This is stated in Michael O'CIery's Irish Glossaries. See Professor Eugene O'Curry 's " Lectures on the "Manuscript Materials of Ancient Iris—h History," Lect. viii. , p. 177.
Irish in Lebop na riwope, a Grammatical Analysis of the Text and
amm oo bic cpuic
from the
a MS. in the Library of the Royal Irish Aca- bif demy, with a literal Translation and Notes, n. (b).
Ceif
original
large harp.
— cpuice mope. '' Ibid. ,
21 ? and translated Dr. by
only thirty-seven, 22s
"» Thus
1f beigef leJA gari lep, if tje'oail frnep<i pe fmuaif,
1f AbpAti pe cpuic 5411 deif, firroe oeip ap tiAfgAin uaif.
ai8 See "Annals of the Four Masters," at
A. D. 592, vol. i. , pp. 216, 217.
"» Irish glossographers, remarks Dr.
O'Donovan, are not agreed on the meaning of this word. The most rational of all con- jectures they have left us is, that it was the name of the cpom c£o, or the bass-string of the harp. Another writer states, that it was the name of a small harp, which accompanied a "
ai°
1
comaicecc
See chap, iii. , iv. , v. , vi.
:
glosses
holy Father John
June 9. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. S5i
22 7 2. —This was a celebrated and a favourite Derry.
in the seventeenth — This seems to have been Columba's earliest there, century.
22
foundation. ^ 3. Kells. This is a parish, 3° situated in the north-west part
of the county of Meath. The ancient name of the place was Cenannus,
"
of this
monastery 228 of our saint, who founded it before he left Ireland for Scotland. It was afterwards known as the Cella Nigra. A round tower was standing
part
biography.
head-abode. " In the time of St. Columkille, it was the royal abode or dun of Diarmait Mac Cerbhaill, King of Ireland. The site of the monasterywasancientlyknownas Dun-chuile-sibrinne. 231 Anotherplaceis called Cuil-sibrilli, near Cul-Dremhne. 232 The surrounding territory at
signifying
Ceanannus or Kells was called
Irish name of Ceanannus was Kenlis, afterwards changed to Kells. Here a church is supposed to have been been dedicated by St. Columkille. 234 In subsequent times, a celebrated monastery was established in that place ; for
Magh-Surigh.
coast of Donegal, in which St. Columba is said to havespent some time. He is thought to have been the founderofthefirst re- ligious establishment there. Around tower
are still to be seen on that remote island. 2*5 5. Drum- cliffe. — It was formerly known as the site of a celebrated religious foundation.
House of St. Columkille, Kells, County of Meath.
and various
antiquities
2:1 These include the monasteries and churches of St. Columba both in Ireland and in Scotland.
2" See "Trias" Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse, cap. L,
sect. 2, pp. 493 to 495- . ,
"3 See his learnedly edited work, "Adam-
nan's Life of St. Columba," Additional
Notes G, pp. 276 to 289.
"<* In addition, we shall refer to Father
2
233 The transition form of the
even yet, many interest-
ing antiquities remain, and, among these, an
old ruin, known locally as St. Columkille's stone-roofed house, has a very remarkable ap- pearance. 235 It is sup- posed to have been used as a chapel or oratory, as well as a
36
dwelling-house . * Over the arched roof, there is a croft or chamber, about six feet in height, and
lighted by a small aperture at the east
end. In this chamber there is a flat stone,23? now called St. Co- lumba's Penitential Bed. 238
4. Tory. — This was an island,23^ situated off the north
,. „. . -
552 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
In Irish, the name is written Druira Cliabh. 241 It is situated a little to the north of Sligo, in the barony of Carbury, and in t—he diocese of Elphin. A round tower is to be seen at the place. 6. Swords. Formerly this place was calledSord-Choluim-Cille. 2*2 Thisplaceis nowaparish,aboutsixorseven miles from the city of Dublin, in the same county and diocese. — The founda-
tion ofthis church is ascribed to St. Columba. 2^ 7. Raphoe. This place
gives name to the barony and diocese, and it is situated in the county of
Donegal. According to some authorities, St. Columba is regarded as the
founderofachurchhere245 although—inaftertime,St. Adamnan24° orEunan ;
became the chief patron. 8. Kilmore. It was formerly distinguished as Cill- mor-Dithribh,24 ? bythe Irish, and the name has been Latinized Cella-Magna- Deathrib. 248 ItwassituatedinthebaronyofBallintoberNorth,inthecounty of Roscommon. It is now a parish, known simply as Kilmore, in the diocese
St. Columba is — to have founded a church Elphin. thought here,
of
visited Scotland. 9. Lambay. This is a considerable island, a little to the northofHowth,andofftheeastcoastofDublincounty. Itsancientnameamong the Irish was Rechra. 240 St. Columkille is reputed to have founded a church there, and to have spent some time on that island. 250 From a very remote period,thisislandwasadependencyofChristChurch,Dublin. Amongthe Laud Manuscripts, there is —a poem on Rechra, and it is ascribed to St. Columkille. 2^ 10. Moone. The parish of Moone is situated in the diocese
Colgan's order of description, with his enumeration.
25 It was anciently called Hop Spencha, in Irish, but at a later period oaip ttiaj, having as the Latin equivalent Roboreti Campus, Roboris Campus, and Roboreus Campus, in English, "the Plain of the Oaks. " An old Irish Life of our saint calls
*'
Archceologia Ilibernica," part ii. ,
abbey church. " Having given Ily or Iona the first
quities,
chap, ii. , p. 76. This latter illustration has served also for Sir William Robert Wilde's work. The illustration in our text also differs in point of view from that of Dr. George Petrie.
it peeler-, equivalent to 226
in his
He furnishes its chronicles, at Quinta Ap-
pendix ad Acta S. Columbce, cap. iv. , sect, i. , ii. , pp. 507, 508.
227 See especially chap. iii.
223 Colgan notes it as Num. 2. Its history
and necrology are very fully set forth in cap. iii. , sect. I, 2, 3, pp. 502 to 506.
in
place
list, Colgnn
notes this as Num.
3.
229 See a fuller account of
chap, iii. , 230 Colgan has it as Kenannasensis, at
of this biography.
it,
its Annals at
num.
He also
gives
241 notes it at num. 22. Colgan
its annals at cap. x. , p. 510.
242 Colgan notes it at num. 27.
He
gives
23. p. 508.
cap. v. ,
231 Here Fiacha Finnailches erected a fort or habitation, so early as a. m. 3991. See Dr.
