*' See " New
Statistical
Account of Scot-
land," Perth, p.
land," Perth, p.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
,
Ibid.
284
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 10
down from wood-crowned eminences, that are interspersed throughout all this varied scene. To culminate the glories of nature, that surround our vision, the eye is uplifted to the Dublin Mountains, that raise their ranges into a blue sky, and link our looks with heaven. A thousand times, no doubt, this fairy scene, so near the Irish Metropolis, is thoughtlessly passed, by many a wayfarer and loiterer, hardly conscious of its beauties, both natural and artificial. When thicker woods waved around it, in the olden time, here
Clondalkin Old Church, County of Dublin.
St. Mochua* first established his monastery. A remarkable Round TowerS yetremains,tomarkthatsite; and,ontheoppositesideofthepresenthigh
road, are mere fragments of an old church, surrounded by a burial-ground. ^ Ivy thickly mantles the wasted gable of that ancient church. Besides filling
the episcopal office, it seems not unlikely, that Ferfugil likewise enjoyed the dignity of Abbot, over the monastery here established. Moreover, he may have lived in this monastery, as he ruled over its church, with great prudence and sanctity. He departed to a better life, on the loth day of March. It
is said, that the Martyrologies of Tallagh,7 of Marianus O'Gorman, and of
Donegal,^ are authorities for this date. 9
Martii x. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 2.
The year 789 is set down as that of
Dublin Sketches, Plate I, among his lately produced " Round Towers of Ireland. "
3 The parish of Clondalkin, situated in
the baronies of Newcastle and of Upper
Cross, is shown on the " Ordnance Survey ^ The accompanying illuslration was Townland Maps for the County of Dublin," sketched, by tlie writer, in July, i^SS* ^'
Plate 2.
has since been transferred to the wood, by William F. Wakeman, and it was engraved by Mrs. Millard, Harcourt-street, Dublin.
7 In the edition, by Rev. Dr. Kelly, we have Ferfuighill Kps. entered, at ]>. xviii.
*Inthe Drs. Toddand printed edition, by
Reeves, however, there is an omission of his Henry O'Neill, in the series of County name, on this day.
Sheets 17, 18, 21, 22. The town and town- land, on Sheets 17, 21, lie within the barony of Newcastle.
See an account of him, at the 6th of August.
5Acharacteristic
ofit is
representation
given, in an elegant coloured lithograph, by
The doorway, drawn to scale, follows, in
March io] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 285
his death, by Dr. O'Donovan, while the Annalsof the Four Masters place it, so early as a. d. 784. '°
Article III. —St. Kessog, Mackessog, or Makkessagus, Bishop, AND Confessor, Patron of Lennox, Scotland. \Sixth Century^ This holy bishop is venerated, and not unmeritedly, in the church of Scud,' on his natalday,^aselsewhereinScotland. There,whilelivingonearth,hesought out the true way of living for ever in heaven. 3 The Bollandists* have the Acts of St. Kessog, at the loth of March. These consist of two preliminary sections, with the lection of his Life, as found in the Breviary of Aberdeen. From this we learn, that it had been compiled, from a special Life of St. Kessog. s Bishop Forbes^ gives an interesting account of this Scottish bishop. The Rev. S. Baring-Gould has some notices about St. Kessog. 7 He was born, as we are told, in Cashel, the capital city of Munster, while his name and family were derived from the royal race of Irish Kings. From early youth, his virtues were remarkable, and he was distinguished for his miracles. His father was King of Cashel ; and, in that station, he not only desired to culti- vate the friendship of other Irish kings, but he hospitably invited them to banquets, and he even desired, that his noble guests should be accompanied by their sons. We learn, from the Aberdeen Breviary, that the King of Cashel was accustomed to receive his visitors, in great state, when trumpets and musical instruments^ welcomed them to his royal city. On one of those
occasions, while Kessog, still a child, played with tAvo other handsome young princes, who were sons of a visitor, near a lake, or pond, all fell into it, and
Kessog alone escaped with life.
He told the tale in secret to his father. A
certain Elinthus, a citizen of Cashel, feared that such intelligence should cause
a great commotion among the kings ; and, he endeavoured, as best he could,
to relate all the circumstances of the sad accident, so as to excuse Kessog, who, in some manner, seems to have been blamed, in connexion with its
occurrence. Filled with grief and indignation, the strange kings vowed they would burn the city of the King of Cashel, and that they should devastate all
his province. But, after a night spent in prayer by Kessog, at the request of his aftrighted father, the boy heard an angel of the Lord say to him, towards
"
Kessog, rise at once from prayer, for the Lord hath heard you, since the kings' sons, for whom you prayed, have come to life and are restored. " Soon were their parents satisfied on the matter, and their rejoicing was very great. Many other miracles were wrought by him, as related in his special Life. 9 According to their National Breviary, St. Makkessagus ruled overtheScots,asabishop. Hisfeastoccurs,onthelothofMarch,andhe flourished, it is said, a. d. 520. According to Dempster's conjecture, he was
morning,
elected from the Culdee order.
His church was in Levinia, near the county
of it was Menteth, and,
"
Templum
Portus. "
Celebrated for its
9 See
niae,'" x. Martii, n. 3, p. 577.
of of vol. Society Antiquaries Scotland," ii. ,
Colgan's
called,
fair,
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
"
Bishop of Cluain-Dolcain [Clondalkin] Martii x. De S. Kessogo Episcopo in
"° At this we date,
Sanctorum,"
tomus
read,
died. " See Dr. O'Donovan's Edition, vol.
i. , pp. 390, 391. — Article hi.
' Over this, he was the
Scotia, pp. 35, 36.
5 This now seems to have been lost.
* See " Kalendars of the Scottish Saints,"
pp. 373, 374.
'See "Lives of the Saints," vol. iii. ,
March x. , p. 208.
^ Of these, we have several antique spe-
in the Irish Mu- cimens, Royal Academy's
special Patron.
^ The vi. of the March Ides, correspond-
ing with the lOth day.
3 Thus is it beautifully expressed, in the
" for the use of the Church of Martyrology "
Aberdeen. " See Proceedings of the seum, Dublin.
Fearfughuil,
ii. .
p. 262.
t See the "Acta
286 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March io.
the place was much resorted to by crowds. He is stated to have wTitten,
" Manipulum Precum," lib. i. , and " Catechesin ad Neophytos," lib. i. '° He is thought to have lived, in the Island of Inchta-vanach," where he devoted
himself to prayer and to evangelizing the neighbourhood. According to tradition, St. Kessog suffered martyrdom for the truth, at Bandry. There a cairn, and a large stone, on which an ecclesiastic's effigy is carved, were erected to his memory. Another account has it, that he was martyred in a
foreign land, and that, embalmed in sweet herbs, his body was brought to the church of Luss, his native place. There he was buried, according to the
BreviaryofAberdeen. Theseherbs,calledLuss,inGaelic,germinated,and gave name to the parish. At the place of his burial is Carn-ma-cheasaig. "
*'
for the reve- rence and honour of our patron the most holy man, the blessed Kessog. " In 13 13, Robert Bruce granted a sanctuary-girth of three miles,'* to the church
of Luss, in a charter,'5 which is preserved at Buchanan. In the Lennox, a bell of St. Kessog was held in reverence, during the seventeenth century. '^ The church of Auchterarder'7 is dedicated to him,'^ and he was honoured at Callander. In this latter place was a curious conical hill, or mound, which seems to be artificial. It is called Tom-ma-chessaig,'9 and there an old church stood.
Malcolm, Earl of Lennox, granted a charter^^ to John of Luss,
21Stof
March,
the
old
^° Thereisa
in on Cumbrae,
In like manner, the fair of Fel-ma-chessaig is held, on the
loth,
the 3rd Wednesday in March,^' and there is a Kessog Ferry, at Inverness. *'
The Rev. Dr. Todd identifies this saint with Moshenoc, of Beitheach, at the iith of March. =^3 According to the Kalendar of Arbuthnott, we find, at the
loth of March, or vi. Ides, St. Kessog, Bishop, and Confessor ; while, the same notice occurs, in the Kalendar of the Breviary of Aberdeen, having the addition, that his Office was celebrated with Nine Lessons. Adam King's Kalendar, at the loth of this month, enters S. Makkessage bisch. and cof. in
"
Menologium Scoticum," at this same date, has in Levinia, Makkessag, bishop, who is depicted in a military habit, and whose intercession is earnestly implored by soldiers. Also, in the Scottish entries,
as found in the Kalendar of David Camerarius, we have, at the loth of
Scotl. Dempster, in his
his hand, and a quiver at his back.
"
' See the Bollandists'
tomus ii. , Martii x. De S. Kessogo Epis- copo in Scotia. Vitse Initium, ex Breviario Aberdonensi, p. 36.
" See
Dempster's
" Historia Ecclesiastica
'? It was a. d. granted,
Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xii. , num.
853. P- 454-
"Or Monk's Island, in Loch
near the village of Luss, in Luss parish, Dumbartonshire. See FuUarton's " Im-
1200, by Gilbert, Earl of Strathearn, to the Abbey of In-
style.
Kessog's fair,
" in Boina Scotie provincia," celebrated for the lustre of his miracles. ="* The " Circle of the Seasons " has its note of St. Kessog, at this date. ^5 in art, it is said,^^ he was represented as a soldier, with a stretched bow and arrows in
St. who is also called March, Makkessog,
Confessor and
Acta Sanctorum,"
perial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. ii. , p.
107. See
"
part i. , p. 30. Also "Old Statistical Ac- count of Scotland," vol. xvii. , p. 264.
'3 A. D. 1292-1333.
' It is expressed, "Deo et Beato Kes-
Old Statistical Account of Scot- land," vol. xi. , pp. 597, 610.
"See ibid. Inverness, vol. ii. , p. 28,
See "Origines Parochiales Scotiae,"
" See " New Statistical Account of Scot- land," Bute, p. 161.
Lomond,
chaffray.
'* See "Liber Insul.
Missarum," pp.
Ross, pp. 61, 229. "'"
sogo.
"5 This is engraved, together wath the
efi&gy of St. Kessog, now at Rossdhu, in
23See ' of pp. Martyrology Donegal,
74, 75, and n. i.
^* See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
Bishop
that very interesting work, "The Chiefs of
Colquhoun and their Country," vol. ii. , pp.
54, 58.
Kessog,
'*
Retours, Perth, 708, 880.
viii. , 4, 8, 18, 70.
*' See " New Statistical Account of Scot-
land," Perth, p. 356.
='° "
March io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. . 287
Article IV. —St. Setna or Sedna, Bishop, and Confessor.
pcsed to have lived in the Sixth Ce? ituryJ\ Nothing of a very definite nature seems to be known, regarding a St. Setna or Sedna, venerated on the lothday of March, although Colgan records some conjectural particulars respecting him, at that date,^ and we also find him called by the Latin form, Sidonius or Sedonius. The Bollandists have a passing notice of him. * The present holy man is thought to have been identical with that cowherd, who was mute from his birth, and who was met on the mountains of Slieve Bloom, by St. Columba3 of Terryglass, and by St, Fintan+ of Clonenagh. The former of thesesaintsbestowedablessing,whenherecoveredtheuseofspeech. Two
otherholymenwerepresentwiththem. Sednawasrequired,inthenameof
our Lord Jesus Christ, to predict the places for their respective sepultures, andthishedidmostaccurately,assucceedingeventsestablished-^ Itispro-
bable, too, that on this occasion, he received the gift of prophesying. Among our Irish Manuscripts, there is extant a copy of St. Sedna's Prophecy, delivered to St. Columkille. ^ It contains 80 verses. 7 We may probably attribute it, to the present holy man ; who, in other respects, too, was en- dowed with poetic powers and fancy. Poems of a prophetical character, ascribed to St. Sedna, are to be found in the Messrs. Hodges and Smith's collection of MSS. , belonging to the Royal Irish Academy, Nos. 27,^ 221,9 and 223. '° St. Sedna is thought to have become a bishop of Ossory," and to have lived contemporaneously with St. Molua,'* of Clonfert Molua. With him, the latter was intimate, and their places were not very far apart. St. Sedna is placed third in order, among the bishops of Seirkieran, by Colgan,andabouta. d. 570. ^3 However,whenquotingthisstatement,Arch- dall had no warrant for referring his death to the ist of March, in the same year. '4 The name, S. Setna, is the simple entry found in the Martyrology of Tallagh,'satthelothofMarch. Heisclassedasabishop,bytheauthorof a Tract, on the Homonymous Saints of Ireland,'^ as also by Marianus O'Gorman. It is recorded, in the Martyrology of Donegal,'? that Sedna,
Bishop, had a festival on this day. Colgan is doubtful, however, regarding '^
the application of this festival, to the present Sedna, or to another, so called, who is mentioned in the Acts of St. Senan,'? Abbot of Scattery Island.
Article V. —Reputed Festival of a St. Sedonius, Bishop, and a Disciple of St. Senan, Abbot of Scattery Island. \Probably in the SixthCentury^ AmongthedisciplesofBlessedSenan,'AbbotofScattery
Scottish Saints," pp. 97, 113, 146, 194, 235.
? See the O'Longan MSS. , R. I. A. , vol. XV. , p. 172. This vol. contains 200 pages,
the son of Peter O'Lon-
* Asmall MS. 4to paper
«
p.
2.
3 His feast occurs, at the 13th of Decern-
'3 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
'^ See
'* "
written
p. 70.
See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's
Lives of 208.
by Michael,
gan, about the year 1760.
March
the Saints," vol. — x. , p.
iii.
Article IV. 'See, "Acta Sanctorum A
folio
MS.
Hibemise," x, Martii. De S. Sedna sive
Sedonio Episcopo et Confessore, p. 572. *"
paper
'° A large 4to parchment MS.
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. ,
" See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- niae," xvii. Februarii, n. 10, p. 354.
Martii x.
Among the pretermitted saints,
" See his Life, at the 4th of August.
ber.
* See his Life, at the 17th of February.
s See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," xvii. Februarii. Vita S. Fintani Ab- batis de Cluain-Ednech, cap. iii. , iv. , p.
nix," Martii v. Appendix ad Vitam S.
Kierani, cap. v. , p. 473.
•• See " Monasticon Hibernicum,"p. 404. 'S Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xviii.
'* Lib. i. , cap. iii. , xlvii. This treatise
has been attributed to St. ^Engus the Cul- dee, by Colgan.
350. *
See his Life, at the 9th of June.
[6'«/-
288 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March io.
Island, was one Sedna or Sedonius, remarkable for his virtues and miracles, who dwelt with his master, and with a fellow-religious, called Libemus or Liberius,* on the Island, called Inismore. There the latter seems to have chiefly lived. Among St. Senan's disciples, at this place, were three holy bishops, Dalan,3 Sedonius, and Ere,* whom he brought away to live on the island,calledInis-Caorach. ButColgan,whohasafullernotice,ontheloth of MarchjS remarks, that he does not suppose they were bishops, when living underSt. Senan'srule; but,aftertheyhadpartedfromhim,toassumewhat- ever positions of responsibility had been assigned to each. The circum- stances of country and of time render it probable, in Colgan's opinion, that this St. Sedna or Sedonius was the son of Eren or Ere, a nobleman, and his mother was Magna, sister of St. David,^ of Kill-muine, following an account in the work of St. . ^ngus. 7 He is said, to have been bom in Altraige Cliach,^ in Muuster. He had two holy brothers, likewise ; one is called Mo- Gaban or Goban,9 and the other Melteoc or Eltin. '° This Sedna, to whom we allude, presided over the Church of Cluain, between the Mountains of Crot" and Mirge. It was situated within Munster. He is buried in Kinn- sale,^' a maritime town of southern Munster. What more confirms Colgan, in his attempted identification, is the account of that strict friendship and alliance, between St. Senan and St. David. No wonder, therefore, that the nephew of this latter should be ranked, among the favoured disciples of the great Abbot of Scattery Island. If all the foregoing speculations can be re- conciled, we may justly infer, that St. Sedna lived about the middle of the
sixth century.
Article VI. —St. Hymelin, or Himelinus, Confessor, of Vissen-
AEKEN, Brabant. \Eighth Century. \ Among the many holy Irishmen, who made their way to foreign countries in past ages, Hymelin or Himelinus was distinguished, and we have his Acts recorded, at the loth of March, in Colgan. ' ThesearetakenfiromanaccountofFatherHeribertRoaweyde, and from a Life, founded on notices in the Martyrologies, and fi'om popular
'7 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. county of Limerick.
" Martyrology
72, 73.
'^ See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," of
" treats of
Martii x. De S. Sedna sive Sedonio Epis-
copo et Confessore, p. 572, and n. 3.
•9 His Life is already given, at the 8th of
March. Article v.
March.
—
'
See his Life, at the 8th of
' '° See an account of him, at the 1st of
August.
3 He was venerated, probably on the 14th
of December, according to Colgan's conjee- ture.
* Colgan thinks, he had been venerated, either on the 13th of July, or on the 17th of October.
5 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," viiL MartiL Secunda Vita S. Senani, n. 19, p. 540 (nrrfe) 536. Also, x. MartiL De S. SedonioEpiscopoS. SenaniDiscipulo,' pp. 572. 573-
* See his Life, already given at the 1st of March. • -
' His " Opuscula," lib. iv. , cap. 81, we
find quoted.
His feast is referred, to the lith of December.
" Crota Cliach was the ancient name for the Galtee Mountains, in the county of Tipperary. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Topo- graphical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O Huidhrin," n. 753, p. Ixxxiii.
" The town of Kinsale, in the parishes of
Kinsale and Ringcurran, in the barony of Kinsale, is described on the "Ordnance
Survey Townland Maps for the County of
*
Very probably Ara-Cliach, in the
Hiberniae," x. Martii. Vita S. Hymelini Praesbyteri et Conf. authore Heriberto Ros-
wedio. Also, Alia Vita ejusdem, &c. , pp. 574 to 576.
9 Colgan tells us, that the
noted already, at that day ; or, according to Marianus and other authorities, he was the Goban, venerated on the 26th or 30th of March.
at the llth of February, where he is called Mogoboc or Goban, of Rath Lampaighe, as we have
Tallagh
him,
Cork. " (East Riding). Sheets 112, 125.
Article vi.
"
—'See AcU Sanctorum
March lo. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 289
traditions, by John Gillemann,' and written about 1480. The Belgian writers, Jean Ver Meulen, or John Molanus,3 and Autbertus Miraeus,* have recorded St. Himelin. The Bollandists have inserted his Acts, at the same date, as found in Gilleman's work ; and, these are preceded by two elucida-
toryparagraphs. 5 Saussay,^Willot,?
Ibid.
284
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 10
down from wood-crowned eminences, that are interspersed throughout all this varied scene. To culminate the glories of nature, that surround our vision, the eye is uplifted to the Dublin Mountains, that raise their ranges into a blue sky, and link our looks with heaven. A thousand times, no doubt, this fairy scene, so near the Irish Metropolis, is thoughtlessly passed, by many a wayfarer and loiterer, hardly conscious of its beauties, both natural and artificial. When thicker woods waved around it, in the olden time, here
Clondalkin Old Church, County of Dublin.
St. Mochua* first established his monastery. A remarkable Round TowerS yetremains,tomarkthatsite; and,ontheoppositesideofthepresenthigh
road, are mere fragments of an old church, surrounded by a burial-ground. ^ Ivy thickly mantles the wasted gable of that ancient church. Besides filling
the episcopal office, it seems not unlikely, that Ferfugil likewise enjoyed the dignity of Abbot, over the monastery here established. Moreover, he may have lived in this monastery, as he ruled over its church, with great prudence and sanctity. He departed to a better life, on the loth day of March. It
is said, that the Martyrologies of Tallagh,7 of Marianus O'Gorman, and of
Donegal,^ are authorities for this date. 9
Martii x. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 2.
The year 789 is set down as that of
Dublin Sketches, Plate I, among his lately produced " Round Towers of Ireland. "
3 The parish of Clondalkin, situated in
the baronies of Newcastle and of Upper
Cross, is shown on the " Ordnance Survey ^ The accompanying illuslration was Townland Maps for the County of Dublin," sketched, by tlie writer, in July, i^SS* ^'
Plate 2.
has since been transferred to the wood, by William F. Wakeman, and it was engraved by Mrs. Millard, Harcourt-street, Dublin.
7 In the edition, by Rev. Dr. Kelly, we have Ferfuighill Kps. entered, at ]>. xviii.
*Inthe Drs. Toddand printed edition, by
Reeves, however, there is an omission of his Henry O'Neill, in the series of County name, on this day.
Sheets 17, 18, 21, 22. The town and town- land, on Sheets 17, 21, lie within the barony of Newcastle.
See an account of him, at the 6th of August.
5Acharacteristic
ofit is
representation
given, in an elegant coloured lithograph, by
The doorway, drawn to scale, follows, in
March io] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 285
his death, by Dr. O'Donovan, while the Annalsof the Four Masters place it, so early as a. d. 784. '°
Article III. —St. Kessog, Mackessog, or Makkessagus, Bishop, AND Confessor, Patron of Lennox, Scotland. \Sixth Century^ This holy bishop is venerated, and not unmeritedly, in the church of Scud,' on his natalday,^aselsewhereinScotland. There,whilelivingonearth,hesought out the true way of living for ever in heaven. 3 The Bollandists* have the Acts of St. Kessog, at the loth of March. These consist of two preliminary sections, with the lection of his Life, as found in the Breviary of Aberdeen. From this we learn, that it had been compiled, from a special Life of St. Kessog. s Bishop Forbes^ gives an interesting account of this Scottish bishop. The Rev. S. Baring-Gould has some notices about St. Kessog. 7 He was born, as we are told, in Cashel, the capital city of Munster, while his name and family were derived from the royal race of Irish Kings. From early youth, his virtues were remarkable, and he was distinguished for his miracles. His father was King of Cashel ; and, in that station, he not only desired to culti- vate the friendship of other Irish kings, but he hospitably invited them to banquets, and he even desired, that his noble guests should be accompanied by their sons. We learn, from the Aberdeen Breviary, that the King of Cashel was accustomed to receive his visitors, in great state, when trumpets and musical instruments^ welcomed them to his royal city. On one of those
occasions, while Kessog, still a child, played with tAvo other handsome young princes, who were sons of a visitor, near a lake, or pond, all fell into it, and
Kessog alone escaped with life.
He told the tale in secret to his father. A
certain Elinthus, a citizen of Cashel, feared that such intelligence should cause
a great commotion among the kings ; and, he endeavoured, as best he could,
to relate all the circumstances of the sad accident, so as to excuse Kessog, who, in some manner, seems to have been blamed, in connexion with its
occurrence. Filled with grief and indignation, the strange kings vowed they would burn the city of the King of Cashel, and that they should devastate all
his province. But, after a night spent in prayer by Kessog, at the request of his aftrighted father, the boy heard an angel of the Lord say to him, towards
"
Kessog, rise at once from prayer, for the Lord hath heard you, since the kings' sons, for whom you prayed, have come to life and are restored. " Soon were their parents satisfied on the matter, and their rejoicing was very great. Many other miracles were wrought by him, as related in his special Life. 9 According to their National Breviary, St. Makkessagus ruled overtheScots,asabishop. Hisfeastoccurs,onthelothofMarch,andhe flourished, it is said, a. d. 520. According to Dempster's conjecture, he was
morning,
elected from the Culdee order.
His church was in Levinia, near the county
of it was Menteth, and,
"
Templum
Portus. "
Celebrated for its
9 See
niae,'" x. Martii, n. 3, p. 577.
of of vol. Society Antiquaries Scotland," ii. ,
Colgan's
called,
fair,
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
"
Bishop of Cluain-Dolcain [Clondalkin] Martii x. De S. Kessogo Episcopo in
"° At this we date,
Sanctorum,"
tomus
read,
died. " See Dr. O'Donovan's Edition, vol.
i. , pp. 390, 391. — Article hi.
' Over this, he was the
Scotia, pp. 35, 36.
5 This now seems to have been lost.
* See " Kalendars of the Scottish Saints,"
pp. 373, 374.
'See "Lives of the Saints," vol. iii. ,
March x. , p. 208.
^ Of these, we have several antique spe-
in the Irish Mu- cimens, Royal Academy's
special Patron.
^ The vi. of the March Ides, correspond-
ing with the lOth day.
3 Thus is it beautifully expressed, in the
" for the use of the Church of Martyrology "
Aberdeen. " See Proceedings of the seum, Dublin.
Fearfughuil,
ii. .
p. 262.
t See the "Acta
286 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March io.
the place was much resorted to by crowds. He is stated to have wTitten,
" Manipulum Precum," lib. i. , and " Catechesin ad Neophytos," lib. i. '° He is thought to have lived, in the Island of Inchta-vanach," where he devoted
himself to prayer and to evangelizing the neighbourhood. According to tradition, St. Kessog suffered martyrdom for the truth, at Bandry. There a cairn, and a large stone, on which an ecclesiastic's effigy is carved, were erected to his memory. Another account has it, that he was martyred in a
foreign land, and that, embalmed in sweet herbs, his body was brought to the church of Luss, his native place. There he was buried, according to the
BreviaryofAberdeen. Theseherbs,calledLuss,inGaelic,germinated,and gave name to the parish. At the place of his burial is Carn-ma-cheasaig. "
*'
for the reve- rence and honour of our patron the most holy man, the blessed Kessog. " In 13 13, Robert Bruce granted a sanctuary-girth of three miles,'* to the church
of Luss, in a charter,'5 which is preserved at Buchanan. In the Lennox, a bell of St. Kessog was held in reverence, during the seventeenth century. '^ The church of Auchterarder'7 is dedicated to him,'^ and he was honoured at Callander. In this latter place was a curious conical hill, or mound, which seems to be artificial. It is called Tom-ma-chessaig,'9 and there an old church stood.
Malcolm, Earl of Lennox, granted a charter^^ to John of Luss,
21Stof
March,
the
old
^° Thereisa
in on Cumbrae,
In like manner, the fair of Fel-ma-chessaig is held, on the
loth,
the 3rd Wednesday in March,^' and there is a Kessog Ferry, at Inverness. *'
The Rev. Dr. Todd identifies this saint with Moshenoc, of Beitheach, at the iith of March. =^3 According to the Kalendar of Arbuthnott, we find, at the
loth of March, or vi. Ides, St. Kessog, Bishop, and Confessor ; while, the same notice occurs, in the Kalendar of the Breviary of Aberdeen, having the addition, that his Office was celebrated with Nine Lessons. Adam King's Kalendar, at the loth of this month, enters S. Makkessage bisch. and cof. in
"
Menologium Scoticum," at this same date, has in Levinia, Makkessag, bishop, who is depicted in a military habit, and whose intercession is earnestly implored by soldiers. Also, in the Scottish entries,
as found in the Kalendar of David Camerarius, we have, at the loth of
Scotl. Dempster, in his
his hand, and a quiver at his back.
"
' See the Bollandists'
tomus ii. , Martii x. De S. Kessogo Epis- copo in Scotia. Vitse Initium, ex Breviario Aberdonensi, p. 36.
" See
Dempster's
" Historia Ecclesiastica
'? It was a. d. granted,
Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xii. , num.
853. P- 454-
"Or Monk's Island, in Loch
near the village of Luss, in Luss parish, Dumbartonshire. See FuUarton's " Im-
1200, by Gilbert, Earl of Strathearn, to the Abbey of In-
style.
Kessog's fair,
" in Boina Scotie provincia," celebrated for the lustre of his miracles. ="* The " Circle of the Seasons " has its note of St. Kessog, at this date. ^5 in art, it is said,^^ he was represented as a soldier, with a stretched bow and arrows in
St. who is also called March, Makkessog,
Confessor and
Acta Sanctorum,"
perial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. ii. , p.
107. See
"
part i. , p. 30. Also "Old Statistical Ac- count of Scotland," vol. xvii. , p. 264.
'3 A. D. 1292-1333.
' It is expressed, "Deo et Beato Kes-
Old Statistical Account of Scot- land," vol. xi. , pp. 597, 610.
"See ibid. Inverness, vol. ii. , p. 28,
See "Origines Parochiales Scotiae,"
" See " New Statistical Account of Scot- land," Bute, p. 161.
Lomond,
chaffray.
'* See "Liber Insul.
Missarum," pp.
Ross, pp. 61, 229. "'"
sogo.
"5 This is engraved, together wath the
efi&gy of St. Kessog, now at Rossdhu, in
23See ' of pp. Martyrology Donegal,
74, 75, and n. i.
^* See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
Bishop
that very interesting work, "The Chiefs of
Colquhoun and their Country," vol. ii. , pp.
54, 58.
Kessog,
'*
Retours, Perth, 708, 880.
viii. , 4, 8, 18, 70.
*' See " New Statistical Account of Scot-
land," Perth, p. 356.
='° "
March io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. . 287
Article IV. —St. Setna or Sedna, Bishop, and Confessor.
pcsed to have lived in the Sixth Ce? ituryJ\ Nothing of a very definite nature seems to be known, regarding a St. Setna or Sedna, venerated on the lothday of March, although Colgan records some conjectural particulars respecting him, at that date,^ and we also find him called by the Latin form, Sidonius or Sedonius. The Bollandists have a passing notice of him. * The present holy man is thought to have been identical with that cowherd, who was mute from his birth, and who was met on the mountains of Slieve Bloom, by St. Columba3 of Terryglass, and by St, Fintan+ of Clonenagh. The former of thesesaintsbestowedablessing,whenherecoveredtheuseofspeech. Two
otherholymenwerepresentwiththem. Sednawasrequired,inthenameof
our Lord Jesus Christ, to predict the places for their respective sepultures, andthishedidmostaccurately,assucceedingeventsestablished-^ Itispro-
bable, too, that on this occasion, he received the gift of prophesying. Among our Irish Manuscripts, there is extant a copy of St. Sedna's Prophecy, delivered to St. Columkille. ^ It contains 80 verses. 7 We may probably attribute it, to the present holy man ; who, in other respects, too, was en- dowed with poetic powers and fancy. Poems of a prophetical character, ascribed to St. Sedna, are to be found in the Messrs. Hodges and Smith's collection of MSS. , belonging to the Royal Irish Academy, Nos. 27,^ 221,9 and 223. '° St. Sedna is thought to have become a bishop of Ossory," and to have lived contemporaneously with St. Molua,'* of Clonfert Molua. With him, the latter was intimate, and their places were not very far apart. St. Sedna is placed third in order, among the bishops of Seirkieran, by Colgan,andabouta. d. 570. ^3 However,whenquotingthisstatement,Arch- dall had no warrant for referring his death to the ist of March, in the same year. '4 The name, S. Setna, is the simple entry found in the Martyrology of Tallagh,'satthelothofMarch. Heisclassedasabishop,bytheauthorof a Tract, on the Homonymous Saints of Ireland,'^ as also by Marianus O'Gorman. It is recorded, in the Martyrology of Donegal,'? that Sedna,
Bishop, had a festival on this day. Colgan is doubtful, however, regarding '^
the application of this festival, to the present Sedna, or to another, so called, who is mentioned in the Acts of St. Senan,'? Abbot of Scattery Island.
Article V. —Reputed Festival of a St. Sedonius, Bishop, and a Disciple of St. Senan, Abbot of Scattery Island. \Probably in the SixthCentury^ AmongthedisciplesofBlessedSenan,'AbbotofScattery
Scottish Saints," pp. 97, 113, 146, 194, 235.
? See the O'Longan MSS. , R. I. A. , vol. XV. , p. 172. This vol. contains 200 pages,
the son of Peter O'Lon-
* Asmall MS. 4to paper
«
p.
2.
3 His feast occurs, at the 13th of Decern-
'3 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
'^ See
'* "
written
p. 70.
See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's
Lives of 208.
by Michael,
gan, about the year 1760.
March
the Saints," vol. — x. , p.
iii.
Article IV. 'See, "Acta Sanctorum A
folio
MS.
Hibemise," x, Martii. De S. Sedna sive
Sedonio Episcopo et Confessore, p. 572. *"
paper
'° A large 4to parchment MS.
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. ,
" See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- niae," xvii. Februarii, n. 10, p. 354.
Martii x.
Among the pretermitted saints,
" See his Life, at the 4th of August.
ber.
* See his Life, at the 17th of February.
s See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," xvii. Februarii. Vita S. Fintani Ab- batis de Cluain-Ednech, cap. iii. , iv. , p.
nix," Martii v. Appendix ad Vitam S.
Kierani, cap. v. , p. 473.
•• See " Monasticon Hibernicum,"p. 404. 'S Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xviii.
'* Lib. i. , cap. iii. , xlvii. This treatise
has been attributed to St. ^Engus the Cul- dee, by Colgan.
350. *
See his Life, at the 9th of June.
[6'«/-
288 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March io.
Island, was one Sedna or Sedonius, remarkable for his virtues and miracles, who dwelt with his master, and with a fellow-religious, called Libemus or Liberius,* on the Island, called Inismore. There the latter seems to have chiefly lived. Among St. Senan's disciples, at this place, were three holy bishops, Dalan,3 Sedonius, and Ere,* whom he brought away to live on the island,calledInis-Caorach. ButColgan,whohasafullernotice,ontheloth of MarchjS remarks, that he does not suppose they were bishops, when living underSt. Senan'srule; but,aftertheyhadpartedfromhim,toassumewhat- ever positions of responsibility had been assigned to each. The circum- stances of country and of time render it probable, in Colgan's opinion, that this St. Sedna or Sedonius was the son of Eren or Ere, a nobleman, and his mother was Magna, sister of St. David,^ of Kill-muine, following an account in the work of St. . ^ngus. 7 He is said, to have been bom in Altraige Cliach,^ in Muuster. He had two holy brothers, likewise ; one is called Mo- Gaban or Goban,9 and the other Melteoc or Eltin. '° This Sedna, to whom we allude, presided over the Church of Cluain, between the Mountains of Crot" and Mirge. It was situated within Munster. He is buried in Kinn- sale,^' a maritime town of southern Munster. What more confirms Colgan, in his attempted identification, is the account of that strict friendship and alliance, between St. Senan and St. David. No wonder, therefore, that the nephew of this latter should be ranked, among the favoured disciples of the great Abbot of Scattery Island. If all the foregoing speculations can be re- conciled, we may justly infer, that St. Sedna lived about the middle of the
sixth century.
Article VI. —St. Hymelin, or Himelinus, Confessor, of Vissen-
AEKEN, Brabant. \Eighth Century. \ Among the many holy Irishmen, who made their way to foreign countries in past ages, Hymelin or Himelinus was distinguished, and we have his Acts recorded, at the loth of March, in Colgan. ' ThesearetakenfiromanaccountofFatherHeribertRoaweyde, and from a Life, founded on notices in the Martyrologies, and fi'om popular
'7 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. county of Limerick.
" Martyrology
72, 73.
'^ See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," of
" treats of
Martii x. De S. Sedna sive Sedonio Epis-
copo et Confessore, p. 572, and n. 3.
•9 His Life is already given, at the 8th of
March. Article v.
March.
—
'
See his Life, at the 8th of
' '° See an account of him, at the 1st of
August.
3 He was venerated, probably on the 14th
of December, according to Colgan's conjee- ture.
* Colgan thinks, he had been venerated, either on the 13th of July, or on the 17th of October.
5 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," viiL MartiL Secunda Vita S. Senani, n. 19, p. 540 (nrrfe) 536. Also, x. MartiL De S. SedonioEpiscopoS. SenaniDiscipulo,' pp. 572. 573-
* See his Life, already given at the 1st of March. • -
' His " Opuscula," lib. iv. , cap. 81, we
find quoted.
His feast is referred, to the lith of December.
" Crota Cliach was the ancient name for the Galtee Mountains, in the county of Tipperary. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Topo- graphical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O Huidhrin," n. 753, p. Ixxxiii.
" The town of Kinsale, in the parishes of
Kinsale and Ringcurran, in the barony of Kinsale, is described on the "Ordnance
Survey Townland Maps for the County of
*
Very probably Ara-Cliach, in the
Hiberniae," x. Martii. Vita S. Hymelini Praesbyteri et Conf. authore Heriberto Ros-
wedio. Also, Alia Vita ejusdem, &c. , pp. 574 to 576.
9 Colgan tells us, that the
noted already, at that day ; or, according to Marianus and other authorities, he was the Goban, venerated on the 26th or 30th of March.
at the llth of February, where he is called Mogoboc or Goban, of Rath Lampaighe, as we have
Tallagh
him,
Cork. " (East Riding). Sheets 112, 125.
Article vi.
"
—'See AcU Sanctorum
March lo. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 289
traditions, by John Gillemann,' and written about 1480. The Belgian writers, Jean Ver Meulen, or John Molanus,3 and Autbertus Miraeus,* have recorded St. Himelin. The Bollandists have inserted his Acts, at the same date, as found in Gilleman's work ; and, these are preceded by two elucida-
toryparagraphs. 5 Saussay,^Willot,?
