No More Learning

i. , lib. iii. , cap. iv.
goes
further, and he even
deceived,
260 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September io.
into wine. St. Finian and his community gave thanks to the Almighty for that miracle, which through humility the holy young deacon chose to ascribe
rather to the merits of his superior than to his own.
21
According to the Irish
32 and he afterwards from the assistants how such a highly superior quality of wine had
been found.
Besides Movilla, he was the founder of Druim-fionn, in the territory of
Conall Muirthemne, and now Dromin in Louth -p here the dispute between him and St. Columba respecting the manuscript of the Gospels is said to h'ave
Life of St. St. Finian had been the Columkille,
celebrant,
enquired
occurred. 24
Allusion has been already made25 to the circumstances related
26 and which are to have fomented the battle of Cuil- reported
in this
fable,
2? near
two years before the coming of St. Columba to Scotland. ^ In his Life of St. Columba, Adamnan relates a miraculous occurrence in connexion with
him, of a young man learning the Holy Scriptures in Scotia, and of a bishop Findbarr. Could this refer to the teaching of St. Finnian of Movilla,3° it
renders the legend, regarding the quarrel between him and St. Columba, both as to cause and effect, extremely improbable. 31 When St. Columba32 was a young man, and under the tuition of Finnion his master, the latter saw an in his
company,
Oremne,
Sligo,
in the
province
of
Connaught. *
8 Thatbattle took
place
33 and this he said to his other rt Now disciples :
angel
behold Columba coming, who for his merits deserves to have a denizen of Heaven for his companion. '^ The Irish Life states, that on leaving St. Finnian of Maghbile, St. Columba placed himself under a senior called Gemman. 35 In the Life of St. Fintan of Dunbleisch,36 there is a story told of this same St. Finnian refusing to lend him a copy of the Gospels. 37 The particular account has already been given, in the Life of the former saint. 38 ThisholybishopofMaghbilewasacontemporary. ofSt. Comgall,39 Abbot
21
Columba, in the Sixth Volume of this work,
See the Life of St. Columkille or tures. See the various testimonies collected by Colgan from the Lives of his disciples,
June ix. , Art. i. , chap. ii.
in Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," Appendix ad Acta S. Finniani, cap. ii. , iii. ,
23
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Vita Quinta S. Columbae, lib. i. , cap. xxxix. ,
p. 395.
23 Called "Ecclesia S. Fintani de Dro-
myng. "—Fleming's "Registrum," fol. 44 a. 24 For the particulars relating to this legend, see Prince O'Doniiell's Life of St.
iv. and v. , pp. 403 to 407. 3I See Rev. Dr. Reeves'
"
Sixth Volume of this work, Art. i.
33 This anecdote appears to have been turga," lib. ii. , cap. i. , p. 408 et seq. Also, borrowed from Cummian's Life. See Col-
Columkille, in Colgan's "Trias Thauma-
the Rev. Dr. Keating's "History of Ire- gan's
Trias Thaumaturga. " Vita Secunda
land," at the reign of Aodh.
=5 See the Life of St. Columkille or
S. Columba, cap. iv. , pp. 325, 326.
34 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' " Adamnan's Life
Columba, in the Sixth Volume of this work, of St. Columba," lib. iii. , cap. iv. , pp. 195,
June 9, Art. i. , chap. vii.
96 See Thomas Moore's " History of Ire-
land," vol. i. , chap, xii. , pp. 243, 244.
2
? See an account of the assigned causes, in Archbishop Ussher's "Britannicarum Eccle- siarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , pp. 467 to 469.
196, and n. (a. )
3s From him, St. Columba removed to St.
Finnian of Clonard. See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Vita Quinta S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. xl. , p. 395.
36 See him noticed, at the 3rd of January, First Volume of this work, Art. i.
28 In Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," the battle of Cul-Dreimhne is set down at a. d. 555. See vol. i. , pp. 192 to 195, and accompanying notes.
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nioe," iii. Januarii. Vita S. Fintani, Abb. , cap. v. , p. II, and Vita S. Fridiani, Appen-
3
*See the Second Preface to Rev. Dr.
dix, cap. iii. , pp. , 643, 644. 38 See ibid. , chap. ii.
3«See his — the 10th of
Reeves' "Adamnan's Vita S. Columbae,"
confessedly a famous teacher of the Scrip- work, Art. i.
the date 30 The other St. Finnian, hovvever, was for his festival in the Fifth Volume of tlm
p. 9.
Life. at May—
Adamnan's Life of St. Columba," lib. ii. , cap. i. , and n. (b. ),
pp. 103, 104.
32 See his Life at the 9th of June, in the
"
37 See
Colgan's
September io. J LIVES OF THE IRISH SAIN1S. 261
ot Bangor, and was accustomed to visit hiui. On a particular occasion, which is related in the Acts of this latter Saint, lie induced Comgall to relax the austerity of his rule, especially as regarded the old and inhrm monks of
his monastery/
The present St. Finian has been styled Bishop of Moville, and he is con-
sidered to have been the first founder of a religious establishment there. According to Camerarius, before he became bishop, he was abbot of some monastery in Fife. *' The Breviary of Aberdeen states, that he often visited foreignregions,anddesiredtoleadasolitarylifeawayfromhisparents. In this connexion, he is said, to have been accompanied by some fellow warriors, and to have been carried to Scotia Minor, where they landed at a place called Coninghame. In the Saltair-na-rann attributed to St. ^ngus the Culdee, it is affirmed, that he was honoured as principal patron in all the province of Ulster, as St. Brigid42 was in that of Leinster, St. Kieran^ of Cluain-mic-nois in that of Connaught, and St. Ailbeus44 in that of Munster. In the list of the chief Irish Saints as Patrons, and in that metrical composi- tion's the name of St. Finnian of Maghbile is introduced as special Patron of all Ulster. However, his memory was more especially venerated in that district of Ulster, called Ullagh, or Ulidia, comprising some parts of eastern
He was visited, in fine, by a painful illness, which confined him for twelve months to his bed. 4 ? Having prepared himself for an exit to the happiness of Heaven, by receiving the divine mysteries, the day at last came, and St. Finnian breathed out his pure soul, into the keeping of his great Creator. Having then received the Sacred Viaticum, in holy resignation, that Bishop fell asleep in our Lord. St. Comgall, Abbot of Bangor, who survived him,48 had a miraculous intuition regarding his death, as one night, while his
:
monks were assembled in the church, he said " Let us pray, dearly beloved,
for the soul of our father Bishop Findbarr. He is now borne to Heaven by the Angels. 40 On the following day, authentic intelligence arrived of our saint's happy departure.
the
too, as one of the chief Patron Saints belonging to the diocese of Down.
Ultonia,and chiefly including
present county
is
regarded,
He died on the tenth of —and on this his festival September, day, was
—ted. At the iv. Idus
month John Capgrave has that account, regarding St. Finan, Bishop and
40 See ibid. , chap. iii. Momonii omnes cum suis proceribus, sub 41 See " De Scotorum Pietate," p. 88. patrocinio Ailbei :
42 See her Life, in the Second Volume of Archipraesules sancti cum suis monachis
celebra
Septembris corresponding
with the 10th of this
this work, at the 1st of February, Art. i.
43
See his Life, at the previous day, in the present volume, Art. i.
44 See his Acts, at the 12th of September, in the present volume, Ait. i.
45 The following is Colgan's rendering of some lines in Latin :—
Posteri Nielli sub patrocinio Columbae, non subrubo:
Sub patrocinio Finniani Magbilensis Ultonii
universi
Conatii omnes sub patrocinio Kierani, esto
sine perditione :
Dal-Aradii nobiles et inclyti, sub patrocinio
Comgalli :
finanliter quacumque procedunt via, omnes sub patricinio Patricii.
—"Acta Sanctorum Hibernioe," Martii xviii. Vita S. Fridiani. Appendix, cap. iii. , p. 646.
47 See Bishop Challenor's "Britannia Sancta," part ii. , September 10, p. 126.
48 st. Comgall of Bangor survived to about the year 602. See Rev. Dr. Reeves'
:
Lagenii sub patrocinio Brigidse nomine rum," tomus ii. , Maii x. Vita S. Comgalli,
famosse :
cap. ii. ,
num.
27, 28, p. 585.
of Down/6 He
*6 see Dr.
tory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, vi. , and n. 90, pp. 26, 28.
Lanigan's
" Adamnan's Life of St. Columba," lib.
i. ,
cap. 49, n. (e), p. 93.
49 See the Bollaudists' " Acta Sancto-
" Ecclesiastical His-
262 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [Septemberio.
Confessor. 5° The Annals of Innisfallen refer his death to the year 572 51 ;
and at that date, we find such an entry, as Quies Finniae Moigebile," in the
2
Codex Bodleianus,s yet not in the Codex Dubliniensis. In the Annals of
Ulster at a. d. 578,53 under the form of Vinniani, the rest of this saint is announced. Thisisalsothedatefoundinthe"ChronicumScotorum,"54for FinnianUaFiatuchtheBislfbp. HisobitisrecordedbyTighernach. ssat579. We find no entry in the Annals of the Four Masters, regarding the year when
6
hedied. ColganconfoundsthisFinianwithSt. Frigidianus,sBishopofLucca,
and he our saint had been buried in that 5? The Irish writers supposes city.
maintain, that he was buried, either in the church of Magbile, or in that of Dair
Inis. Cap'grare and John of Tinmouth affirm, that he was interred in
8
Kill-Winning in Cunningham of Scotland.
In the Martyrology of Tallagh,s° we find it mentioned, that a festival was
celebratedatthe10thofSeptember,inhonourofEnniomach. Fiatach. In
the anonymous list of Irish Saints, published by O'Sullivan Beare, the name
Finianus occurs at the same date. 60
Under the head of Magh-Bile, Duald
Mac Firbis 61 enters, Finnen,
Finnia Mac Ui-Fiatach
The Rev. William Reeves also notes him, in that Calendar he compiled, for the three Ulster dioceses, about which he treated, in his very learned and researchful work. 6* In that copy. of the Martyrology of Tallagh, found in the Book of Leinster, there is—an entry of Finnio mac h. Fiatach65 for the vii. of the Ides of September but intended for the 10th of this
month. That notice in the 66 is Ennio mac published Martyrology (Finnio)
was his other as likewise Fionnbar of name,
02 In the
bishop
of
Magh-Bile.
Magh-Bile.
ology of Donegal °^ at this same date, Finnen, Bishop of Magh-bile, is
registered.
h. Fiatach. More correctly than the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the iv. of
the September Ides—10th day—the-O'Clerys enter Finnen, Bishop of Magh- 6
bile. 7 This saint was also venerated in Scotland, and his festival is noticed,
at the 10th of September, in the Kalendarium Drummondiense. 68 At this
6
date Finian, bishop, is noted in the Circle of the Seasons. ^ In Scotland, his
feast used to be observed on the 21st of January, at Kilwinning, and a little
50 See "Nova Legenda Anglise," fol. cxlviii. , cxlix.
51 See Dr. Reeves' " Ecclesiastical Anti-
quities of Down, Connor and Dromore,"
Appendix A, p. 151.
s2 See Rev. Dr. Charles O'Conor's
" Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus
ii. , p. 8.
53 Thus : Quies Vinniani episcopi, unc
[filii] Nepotis fiiatach as in the Dublin MS. ;
though O'Conor's text unmeaningly gives Umaniain as the Saint's name.
54 See William M. Hennessy's edition, pp. 60, 61.
55 Thus: "Quies Finniani episcopi Nepotis Fiatach. " There, Rev. Dr O'Conor cor- ruptly for Finniani reads Mani.
s6 See his Life, at the 18th of November.
has two different Lives of Colgan published
this Saint, at the 18th of March.
57 See " Acta Sanctorum Hibernise/'xviii.
Martii, Vita S. Fridiani, sive, Findiani, Epis. pp. 633 to 651, and especially in the Appendix to St. Frigidian's Acts, cap. vii. ,
p. 650, ibid.
5* ** Wallice nomine Kilwinnin. " —Cap-
" grave's "Nova Legenda Anglise, fol.
cxlvii.
59 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxiv.
^ See " Historic Catholicse Iberniae
Compendium," tomus. i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. ,
p. 51.
6l Finnin is the same as Finnian or Finnia.
William M. Hennessy's note.
63 See " Proceedings of the Royal Irish
Academy," Irish MSS. series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. 120, 121.
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
242, 243.
64 See " Ecclesiastical Antiquities of
Down, Connor and Dromore," Appendix, LL. , p. 380.
6s Thus : pnnio mac h pleach.
*5 See Rev. Dr. Kelly's edition, p. xxxiv. ^ See The " of Donegal,"
Martyrology
edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
242. 243.
68 Thus " Et in Hibernia Natale Beatis- :
simi Episcopi et Confessoris Sancti Fin- niani. "—Bishop Forbes' M Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 24.
6? See p. 254.
Martyr-
September io. J LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 263
south of the manse there is St. Winning's Well. The feast was afterwards representedbyanannualfair,andknownasSt. Winning'sDay. ? AtHoly- wood, in Dumfries-shire, was St. Winning's Well, and the place was anciently
1
called Dercongal. There are ruins of an old abbey in Holywood. ?
There is a hill, with a fort on the top, apparently having had three concentric
3
circles, and it is called Caer-Wmning. 7
Naturalists tell us, that the Aloe plant flourishes in the most rocky and
sandy African soils -p but it only blooms after a long series of years,? * and then a wonderful bud at its crown breaks into a thousand flowers, but the plant often becomes a sacrifice to these flowers and dies. Each one of the flowers, however, as they drop, is said to form a new plant; on the spot, and it lives to produce other blooming buds. Thus dying in a fruitful state of virtue, the saints leave behind them in their places those germs, which in the lives of others perpetuate flowers fit for Heaven.
Article II. —St. Otger or Odger, Deacon, at Rurimond, Bel-
gium. [Eighth Century. '] The holy deacon, St. Otger or Ogder, being the 1
missionary companion of St. Wiro, Bishop in Ireland, and Apostle of Gueldres, as also of St. Plechelmus, Bishop of Odensal and Rurimond, in Belgium ; a reference to their Acts must serve to illustrate his career, and the incidents which were connected with it. At the—10th of September, t—he Bollandists3 have published a Life of St. Odgerus 3 as he is there called
by some unknown writer, who evidently indulges his imagination in a rhetorical fashion, so as to overload those few facts of the saint's history
that are really known. To this has been prefixed the Commentarius Praevius,*
written by Father John Boland, S. J. ; while there is an Appendix to the
Life, added by Father John Stilting, S. J. 5 The anonymous Life of Odger seems to have been chiefly drawn from an older Life of St. Wiro. In the
M Acta Sanctorum
Deacon, who is venerated on the 10th September, republished.
Father
some notices of this saint, at the 10th of September, as we learn from the posthumous list of MSS. ° In various collections of saints' Acts, the festival
previouscommentaryby
and the
8 some Life, by
Belgii Selecta,"
6 we have these same Acts of St.
There is a
JohnBollandus,?
anonymous author. It would seem, that Colgan had intended publishing
70 See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 466.
71 See ibid. Also " New Statistical Ac-
count of Scotland," vol. iv. Dumfries, pp. 553 fo 559-
tembris x. De S. Odgero Diacono Rime- mundse in Belgio, pp. 612 to 616.
3 This is comprised in six paragraphs, and it is taken from a manuscript which formerly belonged to the church of St. Martin at Utrecht; but,afterwards,itwastransferred to the monastery of the Carthusians at Cologne.
* It is comprised in nine paragraphs.
5 This is headed, Appendix de Ecclesia de Berg. SS. Wironi, Plechelmo et Odgero consecrata, tianslatisque in earn illorum Sanctorum reliquiis : ac de distinctione S.