\
WEhave frequently to lament the loss of records, which might preserve
the virtues and actions of individuals for the edification particular
and emulation of all true Christians.
WEhave frequently to lament the loss of records, which might preserve
the virtues and actions of individuals for the edification particular
and emulation of all true Christians.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v9
Dr.
Kelly, p.
xxxiii.
'
Article vii. See at this date, in the
Second Volume of this work, some notices of the present saint, Art. i.
Catalogus
Actuum
Article vi. —
1lon. ain 1 cluAin ^ipbetaij;.
2
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
28 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September t.
and deposition of St. Anatolius' relics, by Hugo, Archbishop of BesancOD, in a magnificent tomb, at which various illustrious miracles had been wrought; Nicholas, Archbishop of Besancon, in the thirteenth century, had them removed, on the Kalends of September, and placed in a precious
2
shrine, prepared for their reception.
saint, blind, lame, mute, deaf, crippled, weak and infirm persons, were frequently restored to health. Once, when St. Anatolius' salt spring sud-
denly went dry, on bringing his sacred head thither, the water immediately
sprang forth again. Fires were extinguished, through his intercession ; demoniacs were cured ; cities were relieved from siege, and victories were obtained over enemies of the French rain and fine weather were alike
j
obtained ; while numbers, placed in imminent danger, were saved through
his invocation. Well may we deem this holy Confessor to be inscribed in
whom the " To Royal Prophet sung,
ArticleVIII. —TheSonsofCaimene. AfestivaltohonourtheSons
1
of Caimene is set down, in the Martyrology of Donegal, at the ist of Sep-
tember. Itseemsprobable,thoseholybrothersflourished,aftertheeighth
century, as they are not contained, in that copy of the Martyrology of Tallaght in the Book of Leinster, at the Kalends of September, nor in that published by the Rev. Dr. Kelly, for which day entries are missing. Their particular names do not seem to be ascertainable.
Article IX. —Feast of St. Cecilia, with other Companions. In the ancient Irish Church, at the ist of September, we find a festival set down for St. Cecilia, with a great number of other saints, in the " Feilire M of St.
the of the Company
elect,3 regarding
me, Thy friends, O God, are exceedingly honourable j their principality is
exceedingly strengthened. "
4
Stokes
Kalends Cecilia See
Les Petits Fevrier, p. 444.
with
jour
do
:
September's
four hundred with vir- xie
Bollandistes,"
1 To this
a commentator has added some remarks,2 intended
^Kngus.
to be explanatory.
entry,
The Bollandists have no mention of this festival, at the
istofSeptember. Amongthemartyrs,whosuffereda. d. 303,3atAbytina,
in Africa, under the Emperor Diocletian, is named a Cecilia. 4 Their festival
a An account of this solemnity is con- tained in Jean Jaques Chifflet's " Veson- lionis," pars ii. , p. 268. See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Septembris i. , among the Prretermissi, et in alios dies relati, p. 2.
3 See ibid. , tomus i. , Februarii hi. , De S.
Anatolio Episcopo, Salinis in Burgundia. Alia Vita, ex Schedis Pet. Franc. Chiffletii,
ginity, thirty and three thousand. "—" Trans-
actions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish
Manuscript Series, vol. i, part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p. exxxvi.
2"
These are : Decimus mensis apud
Graecos Sgorpeos, Cen Kalne, cennona,
cen idu icgrecaib agus icegeptacdaib. Solifl xxx. , luna; xxx. , Sextus ebreorum mensis elul. " The first sentence is thus translated : "With the Greeks the tenth month is Yopmaios. Without Kalends, without nones. without ides, were the Greeks and the
Soc. Jesu, sect. 3, p. 360.
4 Psalms exxxviii. , 17. Article viii. —1 Edited
by
and Reeves, —
pp. 232, 233.
Articleix. copy In that
Drs. Todd found in the
tians. "
Again : Greek,
"Cicilia i. ,
Egyp-
et niartir.
'
cccc. xx. et ihu. naue. "- The comment u
—
. xxx. lAceop mile.
Thus tra—nslated into English by Dr. Whitley tines, Bar-le-Duc.
Leabhar Breac, the entry thus appears fflop Sepcimber* kt
cotToijvcje . cccc. conuaige
:
added in p. cxli.
'ItjsoOs Navrj. " See ibid. ,
CiciliA
3 At this in Baronius'
"4"
On righteousness :
tome ii. ,
Through the aid and merits of this
uirgo i. , " —
there is an account of them Annales Ecclesiastici," tomus hi. , sect, lviii. , p. 392, edition of the Celes-
year, "
September i. ] LIVES OF THK IRISH SAINTS. 29
occurs on the nth of February. Again, among the martyrs, who suffered at
Constantinople, in the same year and under the same Emperor, a Cecilia is
also mentioned. Their feast is observed on the 8th of May. s Another
Cecilia, recorded in the Martyrology of St. Jerome, suffered for the Faith of
6
Christ at Sirmium, in Panonia, with the Martyrs Ostratus or Sostratus, Spire,
Eracle, and Eperence, their festival being observed on the 8th of July. ?
Another still more celebrated Virgin and Martyr was Cecilia, of a noble
and Maximin, were executed in the year of our Lord 230, while Alexander SeveruswasEmperor. Herfestivaliscelebratedonthe22ndofNovember. 9 As four hundred persons are said to have received with her the grace of Baptism, at the hands of the Pontiff, St. Urban, it seems most probable, this wis the virgin, whose memory was celebrated in the ancient Irish Church, and who is commemorated in the Feilire of St. ^Engus, at the present date. Also, in the Kalendarium Drummondiense,10 the feast of a holy Virgin, Cecilia, is entered.
Article X. —Reputed Feast of St. Muredach, Bishop of Killala.
According to Castellan, a feast in honour of St. Muredach, Bishop of Killala, was observed on this day by the Irish. The Bollandists, who note this account, observe at the 1st of September, that Ferrarius alludes to Muredach at the of October, when
Roman family, and who, with her spouse Valerian, her brother Tiburtius, 8
they give promise
of about him. 1 treating again
5th
They remark, also, that among the Masses assigned for the holy patrons and titulars of France and Ireland, printed at Paris in 1734, a Mass is set down at the nth of July, with the title, "in festo sancti Muredaci Ep. et Conf.
Alladensis patroni generalis. " His festival, however, is observed as a greater
2
Double, on the 12th of August, in the Irish Church.
ArticleXI. —ReputedFestivalofSt. SarbileofFochard. Inthat
copy of the Tallagh Martyrology, in the Book of Leinster, there is an entry 1
of Sarbile of Fochard, with other unintelligible words, at the Kalends of
September. These probably mean, that he was a man belonging to Muirtheimhne,2 the present County of Louth. 3 His feast seems referable to the 4th of this month.
5 See ibid,, tome v. , viiie jour de Mai, p. 393.
Now Sirmich or Mitrewitz.
7 See ibid. , tome viii. , viii. de
jour Juillet,
p. 163.
8 See zfotf. , tome xiii. , xxiie jour de Novem-
See the Eighth Volume of this work, at that date, for some notices concerning him, Art. i.
bre, pp. 541 to 561.
9 See R. P. Dom Prosper Gueranger's
uir\ -pocriAirvoe tnup.
2 This ancient district was called Magh
Muirtheimhne and Conaille Muirtheimhne,
from the descendants of Conall Cearnach of
the Clanna Rudhraighe race, who flourished
there for many centuries. In Ussher's time
it was still known as Maghery-Conall. See
•' Histoire de Saint Cecile. "
10 In Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scot-
" Item eodem die Ceciliam Sanctam Virginem quidam
ferunt esse coronatam. " See p. 23. Article x. —* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Septembiis i. Among the preter-
mitted Saints, p. 5.
tish Saints," at Kalend,
Sept.
"
Article xi. —
t Thusentered:—
Sarbile
Primordia," pp. 705, 706.
3 Its situation is thus pointed out by
in his "Trias Thaumaturga," St. Fiach's Hymn, or Prima Vita S. Patricii, n. 16, p. 8.
Colgan,
3o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 2.
ArticleXII. —ReputedFestivalofSt. Fiachrach. AttheKalends of September, in that copy of the Tallagh Martyrology found in the Book of
1
Article XIII. —Reputed Feast of St. Ultan Mac Ua Conchobair ofArdbraccain. InthatcopyoftheMartyrologyofTallaghcontainedin the Book of Leinster, a feast is set down for St. Ultan Mac Ua Conchobair of
1
Leinster, there is an entry of Fiachrach.
This seems to have been the mistake of a scribe, as his festival belongs to the 4th of this month, where he
Ardbraccan, at the Kalends of September. is more fully noticed.
Article XIV. —Reputed Feast of St. Senain. At the Kalends of
1
September, there is a Feast for Senain, in that copy of the Tallagh Martyr-
ology contained in the Book of Leinster. It is probably a misplaced entry for the day following.
ArticleXV. —ReputedFestivalofComgallofBothConais. At
the Kalends of September, in that copy of the Martyrology of Tallagh, found
intheBookofLeinster,thereisanentryofComgallofBothConaisx but ;
elsewhere, his name is not noticed at this date. His festival is more probably referable to the 4th day of this month.
Article XVI. —Reputed Feast for a Translation of St. Columban's
1
Relics at Bobbio. In the Calendar of Ferrnrius is mentioned a Translation
of the Relics of St. Columban, Abbot, at Bobbio, on the 1st day of September.
The Bollandists also record this of November.
entry.
2 His chief festival to the 21st belongs
£>eamti fflap of September.
ARTICLE I. —ST. SEANAN, OF LAITHRECH-BRIUIN, NOW LARAGII- BRINE, COUNTY OF KILDARE.
[SIXTH CENTURY.
\
WEhave frequently to lament the loss of records, which might preserve
the virtues and actions of individuals for the edification particular
and emulation of all true Christians. As noticeable throughout all the previous volumes of this work, with the most earnest desire to render its several articles, more complete, documentary or traditional materials are not accessible, to rescue from obscurity the earthly ca—reer of so many among the children of —
to learn their names sometimes also those of their old places and to know that they had lived, are all that can now be
light. Merely
ascertained.
Article xil—' Thus s pAchnAch.
Article xvi. —' " Translatio S. Colum-
bani abbatis Bobii. "—" Generalis Catalogus
Sanctorum. "
2 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Sep-
Article xiii. —« Thus entered rriAch. ConcViobhair*1 <Xirvobr»ec. An.
Article xiv. —' Thus: Senain.
Ulcan
:
Artici. e xv. —1 Thus : Comgell boch tembris i. Among the pretermitted Saints,
Conair.
p. 5.
September 2. ] LIVES OE THE IRISH SAINTS. 31
1
According to the Feilire-Aenguis, the Feast of St. Senan was celebrated
2
in Lathrach Briuin, or Laraghbrine, in Ui-Foelain, on the 2nd of September. 3
In conjunction with two other holy persons, Molotha and Theodota, the saint
is praised for his noble qualities, and for their reward through Christ. The
commentator identifies the present saint as connected with a well-known
place. According to the Calendar of the O'Clerys,* he belonged to the
race of Eochaidh, son of Muireadh, who descended from the seed of
Heremon. We are told, likewise, that Deidi, daughter to Trian, son of
Dubhthach,washismother. * ThepedigreeofSt. SenanofLaraghbrineis
M6
contained in the Sanctilogic Genealogy. " There he is called the son of
Fintan, son to Strened, son of Glinder, son to Core, son of Conned, son to iEngus, son of Fieg, son to Mail, son of Carthage, &cJ His genealogy is
8
then carried back to Heremon for fifty generations, or for about 1600 Marianus O'Gorman has noted this saint, in his Martyrology, at the present date. 9 St. Senan must have flourished in the sixth century, and been a contemporary of the great St. Columbkille,TO for he is named as one of
JI 12
x 3 where there is an old church and a cemetery, near
those ecclesiastics who attended the great Synod, held at Dromcreat in 580. On the 2nd of September, a festival is entered in the Martyrology of Donegal, tohonourSeanan,ofLaithrechBriuin,intheterritoryofHy-Faelain. This place is also written Lathrach-Briuin. At present it is known as Laraghbrine,
or
Maynooth, in the Barony of North Salt, and County of Kildare.
Laraghbryan,
The mediaeval church ruins of Laraghbrien are to be seen embowered
with stately lime trees, and within a squarely-formed grave-yard, surrounded by a quadrangular wall. A gravel walk runs parallel with the walls on the
interior. The church ruins measure 87 feet in length, exteriorly: they are 19 feet, 8 inches, in breadth. The walls are nearly 3 feet in thickness. There is a square tower, 13 feet by 15 feet, on the outside ; and, it is entered by a low, arched door-way from the interior. Several square-headed opes are inside of it, and a ruined spiral stairway occupies one angle. This leads to a broken part of the wall, and showing that it ran much higher. There is a
—*
" copyoftheFeilireofOengus,isthefollowing recenthand. "—Ibid. ,n. I. Thatmeansthe
Article
I.
In the Leabhar Breac
The clause within brackets is in the more last sentence in the text.
6
Chapter xxii. In this record, Colgan states his Life is to be found.
7 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
stanza, at this date — :
molocliA CeochocAm La SenAn icfAenfAm
La Cmfc cAm AmbuATopnm Con<5cnLein iccoenifAm
nioe," Martii viii.
Appendix ad Vitam S. 541, recte 537.
Thus rendered into
English
:
—"
Molotha, —
Senani,
8
the " Book of Leinster," fol. 35, col. 2, line 3.
9 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nice," Vita S. Farannani, n. 26, p. 339.
I0 See his Life, at the 9th of June, in the
Sixth Volume of this work, Art i.
" See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nire," XV. Februarii. Vita S. Farannani,
sect, vii. , p. 337, and n. 26, p. 339.
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
232, 233.
Theodota (Theotimus? ) with Senan they
In the "Leabhar Breac," and in
arenoble withfairChrististheir
: — guerdon: to his train they are dear. " "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manu- script Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. exxxvi.
"
2InanotetoLaSenan,a onthe
gloss
i. e. lathrach briuin iniiib foe-
Feilire has
lain. " Itisthustranslated,"'withSenan—,' i. e. of Lathrach Briuin in Ui-Foelain. " ibid. , p. cxli.
3 See Dr. O'Doaovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (b), pp. 365, 366.
'3
it con—tains the two to wnlands of Laraghbryan East containing273^. \r. \p. —andLara—gh-
4 See the "Martyrology of Donegal," bryan West—containing 119a. edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
232, 233.
15 A note by Dr. Todd states at Mother :
i. , cap. p.
It is the head of an ancient parish, and
or.
the Barony of North Salt. Both are described on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
for the County of Kildare," Sheet 5.
years.
4p.
in
32 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September2.
large breach in either side wall. Some ruined windows remain. Two of them have elegantly dressed heading and side stones, and in these formerly were iron bars. The building materials are of excellent limestone and mortar. There was a door in the north side-wall, parallel with the road from
Laraghbrine, County Kildare.
MaynoothtoKilcock. Circularly-archeddoor-waysandwindowssplayedare
still to be seen in the walls. Traces of plaster are inside and outside the
1* that it had been used for of and at no building, showing purposes worship,
very remote date.
Article II. —St. Maine, Son of Coechan, Bishop of Tyroilill. [Fifth or Sixth Century. '] This holy bishop is said to have lived in Ireland, during the period of St. Patrick's mission. According to a commentary on
1
the Felire of ^Engus, it is stated, that veneration was given to St. Maine.
However, we do not find such statement verified on examination of that
2
copy, published by the Royal Irish Academy, neither in the text or notes.
It is related, that St. Maine 3 was son to Coechan, son of Ere, son to Ross, son of Oilioll,4 son to Eochaidh Muighmedhoin, Monarch of Ireland. He sprung from the seed of Heremon. From Oilioll the district Tyroilioll was named. Already have we alluded to him, in treating the Life of St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, at the 17th of March. s Maine appears to
14 These observations and measurements
were taken on the spot by the writer,
in July, 1873. On that occasion, also, a sketch of the ruined church was obtained, which has been drawn, as here represented, on the wood and engraved by Gregor Grey.
3 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum IIUkt-
nia:," xv. Februarii. Vita S. Farannani,
sect, vii. , p. 337.
* Such is his pedigree as cot down in the
"SanctilogiuniGenenlogicum. " Seen. 20, p. 339, ' h'J-
s In the Third Volume of this work, Art.
" Acta Sanc- Edited by Whitley Stokes, LL. D.
Article 11. — '
See
Colgan's
xiii. There he is called the Son of Eochaidh Muighmedhoin ; but, tins must be understood, as in the remote degree of a fifth generation.
"
i. , chap.
torum Iliherniiv, xxiii. Febrnarii, nn. 30,
3». P- 399-
2
September 2. ] LIVES Ob THE IRISH SAINTS. 33
have been baptized by St. Patrick, when the Irish Apostle visited Connaught. Afterwards,theneophytewasordainedbyBishopBron,6ofCassel-Irra. ? Heis
consequently reckoned among the disciples of St. Patrick. 8 Wherefore, it may be inferred, that he flourished towards the middle of the fifth century. He is commemorated by the Bollandists,9 at this date ; although they are unable to furnish further details of his history When St. Patrick travelled
10
through Magh-Luirg, the Cenel-Mic-Erca stole his horses, and greatly
incurred his displeasure. But owing to Bishop Maine's intercession, the censure pronounced against them was afterwards modified, and the stolen horses were restored. Then St. Patrick declared, a great portion of that
district should afterwards belong to his jurisdiction.
11
However, be it
observed, that he must have lived to a very old age, if he were the Manius,
Bishop of Tyroilioll, who assisted at the Synod of Dromceat, a. d. 580, as
12 The same writer tells that Maine is us,
seems to
commemorated at this date in the Martyrology of Tallaght,^ and by
Colgan
suppose.
Maguire, or the enlarger of ^Engus. At the 2nd of September, this holy
man is recorded in the
Martyrology
of Marianus O'Gorman. 1 * in the Also,
1* on the same
Calendar, belonging to the Ordnance Survey Records,16 his feast occurs.
Article III. —St. Geinten, Priest, of Tir-Guaire. This holy man's name is to be found in the Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman. Little
seems to be known regarding his family or descent ; although he probably was born in that part of Ireland, where, in a spirit of prophecy, St. Patrick declared he should rule over a church. 1 As allusion has been already made to this incident of the Irish Apostle's career, in the previous account of St. Maine, we are to assume the place of his nativity must have been in Magh Luirg ; but, we cannot infer from that narrative, at what particular time he lived. In the Tripartite Life of St. -Patrick, allusion is made to the present saint. There he is called Genthenn of Each-ainech, in the territory of
Tiroilell. 2 This latter is now represented by the present Barony of Tirerill, in the County of Sligo. 3 Among the townland denominations of Ireland, we are unable to identify the locality of Each-ainech. In the Martyrology
of Martyrology Donegal,
day,
and in that
copy
of the Irish
6 See the Sixth Volume of this work, for notices of him, at the 8th of June, the day for his festival, Art. i.
7 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii.
'
Article vii. See at this date, in the
Second Volume of this work, some notices of the present saint, Art. i.
Catalogus
Actuum
Article vi. —
1lon. ain 1 cluAin ^ipbetaij;.
2
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
28 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September t.
and deposition of St. Anatolius' relics, by Hugo, Archbishop of BesancOD, in a magnificent tomb, at which various illustrious miracles had been wrought; Nicholas, Archbishop of Besancon, in the thirteenth century, had them removed, on the Kalends of September, and placed in a precious
2
shrine, prepared for their reception.
saint, blind, lame, mute, deaf, crippled, weak and infirm persons, were frequently restored to health. Once, when St. Anatolius' salt spring sud-
denly went dry, on bringing his sacred head thither, the water immediately
sprang forth again. Fires were extinguished, through his intercession ; demoniacs were cured ; cities were relieved from siege, and victories were obtained over enemies of the French rain and fine weather were alike
j
obtained ; while numbers, placed in imminent danger, were saved through
his invocation. Well may we deem this holy Confessor to be inscribed in
whom the " To Royal Prophet sung,
ArticleVIII. —TheSonsofCaimene. AfestivaltohonourtheSons
1
of Caimene is set down, in the Martyrology of Donegal, at the ist of Sep-
tember. Itseemsprobable,thoseholybrothersflourished,aftertheeighth
century, as they are not contained, in that copy of the Martyrology of Tallaght in the Book of Leinster, at the Kalends of September, nor in that published by the Rev. Dr. Kelly, for which day entries are missing. Their particular names do not seem to be ascertainable.
Article IX. —Feast of St. Cecilia, with other Companions. In the ancient Irish Church, at the ist of September, we find a festival set down for St. Cecilia, with a great number of other saints, in the " Feilire M of St.
the of the Company
elect,3 regarding
me, Thy friends, O God, are exceedingly honourable j their principality is
exceedingly strengthened. "
4
Stokes
Kalends Cecilia See
Les Petits Fevrier, p. 444.
with
jour
do
:
September's
four hundred with vir- xie
Bollandistes,"
1 To this
a commentator has added some remarks,2 intended
^Kngus.
to be explanatory.
entry,
The Bollandists have no mention of this festival, at the
istofSeptember. Amongthemartyrs,whosuffereda. d. 303,3atAbytina,
in Africa, under the Emperor Diocletian, is named a Cecilia. 4 Their festival
a An account of this solemnity is con- tained in Jean Jaques Chifflet's " Veson- lionis," pars ii. , p. 268. See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Septembris i. , among the Prretermissi, et in alios dies relati, p. 2.
3 See ibid. , tomus i. , Februarii hi. , De S.
Anatolio Episcopo, Salinis in Burgundia. Alia Vita, ex Schedis Pet. Franc. Chiffletii,
ginity, thirty and three thousand. "—" Trans-
actions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish
Manuscript Series, vol. i, part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p. exxxvi.
2"
These are : Decimus mensis apud
Graecos Sgorpeos, Cen Kalne, cennona,
cen idu icgrecaib agus icegeptacdaib. Solifl xxx. , luna; xxx. , Sextus ebreorum mensis elul. " The first sentence is thus translated : "With the Greeks the tenth month is Yopmaios. Without Kalends, without nones. without ides, were the Greeks and the
Soc. Jesu, sect. 3, p. 360.
4 Psalms exxxviii. , 17. Article viii. —1 Edited
by
and Reeves, —
pp. 232, 233.
Articleix. copy In that
Drs. Todd found in the
tians. "
Again : Greek,
"Cicilia i. ,
Egyp-
et niartir.
'
cccc. xx. et ihu. naue. "- The comment u
—
. xxx. lAceop mile.
Thus tra—nslated into English by Dr. Whitley tines, Bar-le-Duc.
Leabhar Breac, the entry thus appears fflop Sepcimber* kt
cotToijvcje . cccc. conuaige
:
added in p. cxli.
'ItjsoOs Navrj. " See ibid. ,
CiciliA
3 At this in Baronius'
"4"
On righteousness :
tome ii. ,
Through the aid and merits of this
uirgo i. , " —
there is an account of them Annales Ecclesiastici," tomus hi. , sect, lviii. , p. 392, edition of the Celes-
year, "
September i. ] LIVES OF THK IRISH SAINTS. 29
occurs on the nth of February. Again, among the martyrs, who suffered at
Constantinople, in the same year and under the same Emperor, a Cecilia is
also mentioned. Their feast is observed on the 8th of May. s Another
Cecilia, recorded in the Martyrology of St. Jerome, suffered for the Faith of
6
Christ at Sirmium, in Panonia, with the Martyrs Ostratus or Sostratus, Spire,
Eracle, and Eperence, their festival being observed on the 8th of July. ?
Another still more celebrated Virgin and Martyr was Cecilia, of a noble
and Maximin, were executed in the year of our Lord 230, while Alexander SeveruswasEmperor. Herfestivaliscelebratedonthe22ndofNovember. 9 As four hundred persons are said to have received with her the grace of Baptism, at the hands of the Pontiff, St. Urban, it seems most probable, this wis the virgin, whose memory was celebrated in the ancient Irish Church, and who is commemorated in the Feilire of St. ^Engus, at the present date. Also, in the Kalendarium Drummondiense,10 the feast of a holy Virgin, Cecilia, is entered.
Article X. —Reputed Feast of St. Muredach, Bishop of Killala.
According to Castellan, a feast in honour of St. Muredach, Bishop of Killala, was observed on this day by the Irish. The Bollandists, who note this account, observe at the 1st of September, that Ferrarius alludes to Muredach at the of October, when
Roman family, and who, with her spouse Valerian, her brother Tiburtius, 8
they give promise
of about him. 1 treating again
5th
They remark, also, that among the Masses assigned for the holy patrons and titulars of France and Ireland, printed at Paris in 1734, a Mass is set down at the nth of July, with the title, "in festo sancti Muredaci Ep. et Conf.
Alladensis patroni generalis. " His festival, however, is observed as a greater
2
Double, on the 12th of August, in the Irish Church.
ArticleXI. —ReputedFestivalofSt. SarbileofFochard. Inthat
copy of the Tallagh Martyrology, in the Book of Leinster, there is an entry 1
of Sarbile of Fochard, with other unintelligible words, at the Kalends of
September. These probably mean, that he was a man belonging to Muirtheimhne,2 the present County of Louth. 3 His feast seems referable to the 4th of this month.
5 See ibid,, tome v. , viiie jour de Mai, p. 393.
Now Sirmich or Mitrewitz.
7 See ibid. , tome viii. , viii. de
jour Juillet,
p. 163.
8 See zfotf. , tome xiii. , xxiie jour de Novem-
See the Eighth Volume of this work, at that date, for some notices concerning him, Art. i.
bre, pp. 541 to 561.
9 See R. P. Dom Prosper Gueranger's
uir\ -pocriAirvoe tnup.
2 This ancient district was called Magh
Muirtheimhne and Conaille Muirtheimhne,
from the descendants of Conall Cearnach of
the Clanna Rudhraighe race, who flourished
there for many centuries. In Ussher's time
it was still known as Maghery-Conall. See
•' Histoire de Saint Cecile. "
10 In Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scot-
" Item eodem die Ceciliam Sanctam Virginem quidam
ferunt esse coronatam. " See p. 23. Article x. —* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Septembiis i. Among the preter-
mitted Saints, p. 5.
tish Saints," at Kalend,
Sept.
"
Article xi. —
t Thusentered:—
Sarbile
Primordia," pp. 705, 706.
3 Its situation is thus pointed out by
in his "Trias Thaumaturga," St. Fiach's Hymn, or Prima Vita S. Patricii, n. 16, p. 8.
Colgan,
3o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 2.
ArticleXII. —ReputedFestivalofSt. Fiachrach. AttheKalends of September, in that copy of the Tallagh Martyrology found in the Book of
1
Article XIII. —Reputed Feast of St. Ultan Mac Ua Conchobair ofArdbraccain. InthatcopyoftheMartyrologyofTallaghcontainedin the Book of Leinster, a feast is set down for St. Ultan Mac Ua Conchobair of
1
Leinster, there is an entry of Fiachrach.
This seems to have been the mistake of a scribe, as his festival belongs to the 4th of this month, where he
Ardbraccan, at the Kalends of September. is more fully noticed.
Article XIV. —Reputed Feast of St. Senain. At the Kalends of
1
September, there is a Feast for Senain, in that copy of the Tallagh Martyr-
ology contained in the Book of Leinster. It is probably a misplaced entry for the day following.
ArticleXV. —ReputedFestivalofComgallofBothConais. At
the Kalends of September, in that copy of the Martyrology of Tallagh, found
intheBookofLeinster,thereisanentryofComgallofBothConaisx but ;
elsewhere, his name is not noticed at this date. His festival is more probably referable to the 4th day of this month.
Article XVI. —Reputed Feast for a Translation of St. Columban's
1
Relics at Bobbio. In the Calendar of Ferrnrius is mentioned a Translation
of the Relics of St. Columban, Abbot, at Bobbio, on the 1st day of September.
The Bollandists also record this of November.
entry.
2 His chief festival to the 21st belongs
£>eamti fflap of September.
ARTICLE I. —ST. SEANAN, OF LAITHRECH-BRIUIN, NOW LARAGII- BRINE, COUNTY OF KILDARE.
[SIXTH CENTURY.
\
WEhave frequently to lament the loss of records, which might preserve
the virtues and actions of individuals for the edification particular
and emulation of all true Christians. As noticeable throughout all the previous volumes of this work, with the most earnest desire to render its several articles, more complete, documentary or traditional materials are not accessible, to rescue from obscurity the earthly ca—reer of so many among the children of —
to learn their names sometimes also those of their old places and to know that they had lived, are all that can now be
light. Merely
ascertained.
Article xil—' Thus s pAchnAch.
Article xvi. —' " Translatio S. Colum-
bani abbatis Bobii. "—" Generalis Catalogus
Sanctorum. "
2 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Sep-
Article xiii. —« Thus entered rriAch. ConcViobhair*1 <Xirvobr»ec. An.
Article xiv. —' Thus: Senain.
Ulcan
:
Artici. e xv. —1 Thus : Comgell boch tembris i. Among the pretermitted Saints,
Conair.
p. 5.
September 2. ] LIVES OE THE IRISH SAINTS. 31
1
According to the Feilire-Aenguis, the Feast of St. Senan was celebrated
2
in Lathrach Briuin, or Laraghbrine, in Ui-Foelain, on the 2nd of September. 3
In conjunction with two other holy persons, Molotha and Theodota, the saint
is praised for his noble qualities, and for their reward through Christ. The
commentator identifies the present saint as connected with a well-known
place. According to the Calendar of the O'Clerys,* he belonged to the
race of Eochaidh, son of Muireadh, who descended from the seed of
Heremon. We are told, likewise, that Deidi, daughter to Trian, son of
Dubhthach,washismother. * ThepedigreeofSt. SenanofLaraghbrineis
M6
contained in the Sanctilogic Genealogy. " There he is called the son of
Fintan, son to Strened, son of Glinder, son to Core, son of Conned, son to iEngus, son of Fieg, son to Mail, son of Carthage, &cJ His genealogy is
8
then carried back to Heremon for fifty generations, or for about 1600 Marianus O'Gorman has noted this saint, in his Martyrology, at the present date. 9 St. Senan must have flourished in the sixth century, and been a contemporary of the great St. Columbkille,TO for he is named as one of
JI 12
x 3 where there is an old church and a cemetery, near
those ecclesiastics who attended the great Synod, held at Dromcreat in 580. On the 2nd of September, a festival is entered in the Martyrology of Donegal, tohonourSeanan,ofLaithrechBriuin,intheterritoryofHy-Faelain. This place is also written Lathrach-Briuin. At present it is known as Laraghbrine,
or
Maynooth, in the Barony of North Salt, and County of Kildare.
Laraghbryan,
The mediaeval church ruins of Laraghbrien are to be seen embowered
with stately lime trees, and within a squarely-formed grave-yard, surrounded by a quadrangular wall. A gravel walk runs parallel with the walls on the
interior. The church ruins measure 87 feet in length, exteriorly: they are 19 feet, 8 inches, in breadth. The walls are nearly 3 feet in thickness. There is a square tower, 13 feet by 15 feet, on the outside ; and, it is entered by a low, arched door-way from the interior. Several square-headed opes are inside of it, and a ruined spiral stairway occupies one angle. This leads to a broken part of the wall, and showing that it ran much higher. There is a
—*
" copyoftheFeilireofOengus,isthefollowing recenthand. "—Ibid. ,n. I. Thatmeansthe
Article
I.
In the Leabhar Breac
The clause within brackets is in the more last sentence in the text.
6
Chapter xxii. In this record, Colgan states his Life is to be found.
7 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
stanza, at this date — :
molocliA CeochocAm La SenAn icfAenfAm
La Cmfc cAm AmbuATopnm Con<5cnLein iccoenifAm
nioe," Martii viii.
Appendix ad Vitam S. 541, recte 537.
Thus rendered into
English
:
—"
Molotha, —
Senani,
8
the " Book of Leinster," fol. 35, col. 2, line 3.
9 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nice," Vita S. Farannani, n. 26, p. 339.
I0 See his Life, at the 9th of June, in the
Sixth Volume of this work, Art i.
" See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nire," XV. Februarii. Vita S. Farannani,
sect, vii. , p. 337, and n. 26, p. 339.
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
232, 233.
Theodota (Theotimus? ) with Senan they
In the "Leabhar Breac," and in
arenoble withfairChrististheir
: — guerdon: to his train they are dear. " "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manu- script Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. exxxvi.
"
2InanotetoLaSenan,a onthe
gloss
i. e. lathrach briuin iniiib foe-
Feilire has
lain. " Itisthustranslated,"'withSenan—,' i. e. of Lathrach Briuin in Ui-Foelain. " ibid. , p. cxli.
3 See Dr. O'Doaovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (b), pp. 365, 366.
'3
it con—tains the two to wnlands of Laraghbryan East containing273^. \r. \p. —andLara—gh-
4 See the "Martyrology of Donegal," bryan West—containing 119a. edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
232, 233.
15 A note by Dr. Todd states at Mother :
i. , cap. p.
It is the head of an ancient parish, and
or.
the Barony of North Salt. Both are described on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
for the County of Kildare," Sheet 5.
years.
4p.
in
32 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September2.
large breach in either side wall. Some ruined windows remain. Two of them have elegantly dressed heading and side stones, and in these formerly were iron bars. The building materials are of excellent limestone and mortar. There was a door in the north side-wall, parallel with the road from
Laraghbrine, County Kildare.
MaynoothtoKilcock. Circularly-archeddoor-waysandwindowssplayedare
still to be seen in the walls. Traces of plaster are inside and outside the
1* that it had been used for of and at no building, showing purposes worship,
very remote date.
Article II. —St. Maine, Son of Coechan, Bishop of Tyroilill. [Fifth or Sixth Century. '] This holy bishop is said to have lived in Ireland, during the period of St. Patrick's mission. According to a commentary on
1
the Felire of ^Engus, it is stated, that veneration was given to St. Maine.
However, we do not find such statement verified on examination of that
2
copy, published by the Royal Irish Academy, neither in the text or notes.
It is related, that St. Maine 3 was son to Coechan, son of Ere, son to Ross, son of Oilioll,4 son to Eochaidh Muighmedhoin, Monarch of Ireland. He sprung from the seed of Heremon. From Oilioll the district Tyroilioll was named. Already have we alluded to him, in treating the Life of St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, at the 17th of March. s Maine appears to
14 These observations and measurements
were taken on the spot by the writer,
in July, 1873. On that occasion, also, a sketch of the ruined church was obtained, which has been drawn, as here represented, on the wood and engraved by Gregor Grey.
3 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum IIUkt-
nia:," xv. Februarii. Vita S. Farannani,
sect, vii. , p. 337.
* Such is his pedigree as cot down in the
"SanctilogiuniGenenlogicum. " Seen. 20, p. 339, ' h'J-
s In the Third Volume of this work, Art.
" Acta Sanc- Edited by Whitley Stokes, LL. D.
Article 11. — '
See
Colgan's
xiii. There he is called the Son of Eochaidh Muighmedhoin ; but, tins must be understood, as in the remote degree of a fifth generation.
"
i. , chap.
torum Iliherniiv, xxiii. Febrnarii, nn. 30,
3». P- 399-
2
September 2. ] LIVES Ob THE IRISH SAINTS. 33
have been baptized by St. Patrick, when the Irish Apostle visited Connaught. Afterwards,theneophytewasordainedbyBishopBron,6ofCassel-Irra. ? Heis
consequently reckoned among the disciples of St. Patrick. 8 Wherefore, it may be inferred, that he flourished towards the middle of the fifth century. He is commemorated by the Bollandists,9 at this date ; although they are unable to furnish further details of his history When St. Patrick travelled
10
through Magh-Luirg, the Cenel-Mic-Erca stole his horses, and greatly
incurred his displeasure. But owing to Bishop Maine's intercession, the censure pronounced against them was afterwards modified, and the stolen horses were restored. Then St. Patrick declared, a great portion of that
district should afterwards belong to his jurisdiction.
11
However, be it
observed, that he must have lived to a very old age, if he were the Manius,
Bishop of Tyroilioll, who assisted at the Synod of Dromceat, a. d. 580, as
12 The same writer tells that Maine is us,
seems to
commemorated at this date in the Martyrology of Tallaght,^ and by
Colgan
suppose.
Maguire, or the enlarger of ^Engus. At the 2nd of September, this holy
man is recorded in the
Martyrology
of Marianus O'Gorman. 1 * in the Also,
1* on the same
Calendar, belonging to the Ordnance Survey Records,16 his feast occurs.
Article III. —St. Geinten, Priest, of Tir-Guaire. This holy man's name is to be found in the Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman. Little
seems to be known regarding his family or descent ; although he probably was born in that part of Ireland, where, in a spirit of prophecy, St. Patrick declared he should rule over a church. 1 As allusion has been already made to this incident of the Irish Apostle's career, in the previous account of St. Maine, we are to assume the place of his nativity must have been in Magh Luirg ; but, we cannot infer from that narrative, at what particular time he lived. In the Tripartite Life of St. -Patrick, allusion is made to the present saint. There he is called Genthenn of Each-ainech, in the territory of
Tiroilell. 2 This latter is now represented by the present Barony of Tirerill, in the County of Sligo. 3 Among the townland denominations of Ireland, we are unable to identify the locality of Each-ainech. In the Martyrology
of Martyrology Donegal,
day,
and in that
copy
of the Irish
6 See the Sixth Volume of this work, for notices of him, at the 8th of June, the day for his festival, Art. i.
7 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii.
