No More Learning

''
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xvii.
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
61.
'3 At A. D. 660, we read, "BaedanMac
Ui Cormaic (whose tribe was of the Con-
maicne — Abbot of
Mara), Cluain-muc-Nois,
quievit. " \V. M. Hennessy's Edition, pp. 98, 99.
^^^ These state: "A. D. 660. Boyhan Mac Cowcomiick died. "
* The ' '
thus weaves his pedigree : Beodan, of abbas Cluano," is mentioned. See Dr.
p. 3.
3 See, Colgan's
"
Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," i. Martii. Vita S. Baitani, n. i. , p.
437.
* This is indicated by the name applied to
his "filius HuaCormaic also, father, ;" as,
because the place and day, where venerated, have a corresponding diversity.
60,
5 We are told,
venerated, at the 13th of December, and for this statement, he cites St. /Engus, ^larianus, and the Calendar of Cashel. However, this seems to be an incorrect quotation.
"
by Colgan,
that he was
Sanctilogium Genealogicum
'^ AtA. D. ' ' Baeta mc Cucormaicc 663,
Cluain-andobhuir, was son to Senell, son of Natfraich, son to Fiacrius, son of Alta, son to Ogaman, son of Fitchar, &c.
O'Conor's " Rerum Hibemicarum Scrip- tores," tomus iv. Annales Ultonienses, p. 56.
7 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
** "The Age of Christ, 663. The seventh
6o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March i.
IStdayofMarch. HisnamehasalsothediminutiveterminationMarnoch or Mamock. ^ The old Breviary and Martyrology, for the use of Aberdeen
Church,seemtobethechiefsourcesforillustratinghisbiography. But,no- where do we clearly find the place or date for his nativity. The Bollandists have endeavoured to throw some light on his history, and yet only with an indifferent amount of success. ' That St. Marnan or Mamock was born in Ireland is sufficiently probable, although yet doubtful. According to Bishop Forbes,3 he seems to be identical with St. Erneneus, the son of Crasenus, the naughty and despised child, who sought to touch the hem of St. Colum- ba's-^ garment at Clonmacnoise. s If so, he is thought to be the Ernin, i. e. , Mernog of Rath-noi, in Ui Garchon, i. e. , in Fotharta of Leinster, and of Cill-Draighnech, in Ui Drona. *^ The Scottish writers, Dempster and Came- rarius, appear particularly to have placed the genuineness of his Acts in question, owing to their unaccountable statements, in reference to him. The latter tells us, that Marnan executed various labours in the Scottish Church. ' Aidan,^ King of the Scots, is said to have ruled during his period. In 593, JEthelfrith, or Ethelfrid, became King of the Northumbrians, and in 560 Ceawlin had began to reign over the West Saxons. 9 The latter, especially, was a renowned warrior, and he fought against the Britons, or the Picts, or theScots. Hisdevastationswereasourceofconstantalarm,andsoonKing Aidanwasobligedtoappearinarms,againsttheSaxonunitedforces. ^° Owing to their inferior numbers, his Scots were fearful, regarding the issue of a campaignthenplanned; however,theircouragewasgreatlyanimated,when St. Marnan, through whose advice King Aidan assumed the defensive, began to exhort the soldiers to place all their trust in the Lord of Hosts. Marnan then ordered them to make the sign of the cross on their foreheads ; and when the signal for battle was given, all rushed forward to the shock of anns, loudly invoking the name and aid of our Lord Jesus Christ. " Of this great engagement, it is said, that Sf. Columba, then living in the Island of Hy, had a Divine intuition, and to his prayers, and to those of St. Marnan, was the result piously attributed. " The Saxons were utterly routed, and an immense slaughter of them followed. Their chiefs and men turned in flight, while Ceaulin, Cuichelm and Crida perished. '3 This great battle was con- tested, A. D. 593. '* King Aidan fought, also, with ^thelfrith, who was not present in the foregoing engagement. 's in 603, a terrible battle took place,
'*
year of Diarmaid and Blathmac. Baetan' 'See
Mac-Ua-Corraaic, Abbot of Cluain-mic- " Monumenta Historica Britannica," vol. i. , Nois died. H—e was of the sept of Con- pp. 302, 305.
maicne-mara. " See Dr. O'Donovan's edi- "See the account of his wars, in the
vol. — Scottish Histories of Hector Boece and tion, i. , pp. 274, 275.
'
Article iv. Sea Bishop Forbes' John Lesley. An account of Ceawlin or
"
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 392. 'See "Acta Sanctorum," tonius i. ,
Ceaulin and his warlike enterprises will be
foundinHenryofHuntingdon's"Historioe
Anglorum," lib. ii. , from a. d. 556 to 590. " Such is the account given in Camerarius,
" De Scotorura Pietate," lib. iii.
" Such is the made without statement,
sufficient authority, apparently, by some Scottish ^vriters.
'3 See " Chronicon ex ab initio Chronicis,
Mundi usque ad annum Domini M. C. XVIII. deductum," auctore Florentio Wigorniensi Monacho, A. D. D. xciii. , p. 526. "Monu- menta Historica Britannica," vol. i.
p. 504.
De S. Marnano Episcopo in Scotia, pp. 63 to 65.
Martii i.
3 See *' Kalendars of Scottish
Saints," p.
392.
* See his Life, at the 9th of June.
s See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamuan's Life
of St. lib. Columba,"
pp. 25, 26.
^
"
and n.
i. , cap. 3, (i),
See his Life, at the iSthof August.
7 See Camerarius, "De Scotorum Pie-
tate," lib. iii.
*
George Buchanan,
forty-ninth king of the Scots, has an account of his reign in "Rerum Scoticarum His-
toria," lib. v. , pp. 142 to 144.
* See Fabii Ethelewerdi "
who makes him the
Chronicorum, ab Urbe Condito, scilicet, adusque A. D. dcccc. lxxv. " Libri Quatuor, lib. i. Und. ^
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle," in
March i. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 6x
^^ which ended in the utter overthrow of Aidan, with a great loss to his army. ^7 The death of this celebrated Scottish King soon afterwards followed. St. Marnan is said to have survived him for many years, and when his son, Eugenius IV. , succeeded to the throne,^^ he was advised by that Christian prelate to treat even the Pagan Angles coming intoScotland,withconsiderationandfavour. Soweretheirmindsgradually prepared, for a future reception of the Divine truths of religion. '9 There is a tradition, that St. Marnock retired to do penance, where, in a small field, called Ard Marnock, near the sea, and about three miles south from Kilfinan Church, the foundation and part of a chapel wall, surrounded by a church- yard, may be seen. ^° The holy Marnan was an assiduous preacher of the Gospel. ^' Withcontinuouscareandsolicitudeforthepoor,thisholybishop spent his life in the subjugation of his body to the yoke of severe discipline, avoiding honours, and worldly ambition or comforts. ^^ At length, borne
down by age and infirmity, Marnan resigned his spirit to the Lord, and in thatplace,whichhadbeenchieflyblessedthroughhiszealandcharity. We are informed, that he died in the province of Annandia, and in a place called Abirkerdoure, Aberkerdor,'3 or Aberkerdour, on the beautiful River Duverne, not far from Anglia. There, too, his remains were entombed. It is stated, thatpilgrimageswerefrequentlymadetohisshrine. Itisgenerallythought, that St. Marnan lived to a. d. ^^ or thereabouts
at or Degsastan,
Degsa Lapis,
while other writers long his period to the reign of King Indulph, who flourished in the tenth century. ^5 This latter statement is on the authority of Adam King's Kalen- dar. Dempster tells us,^^ that Marnan flourished a. d. 962, and that he wrote many tracts,''^ which we may well doubt. The head of St. Marnan'^ is said to have been preserved in Murray, where the Innes family and tribe had an especial veneration for the holy relic, which was frequently borne in solemn procession, to procure from God the favour of good weather. The cofiin and head of St. Marnan were used on certain occasions, for persons to make solemn asseverations before ^s and a Mass of St. Marnock
'S Yet, such a statement has been made by Camerarius.
'* This place, formerly so noted, is not now known. It is thought, however, to be
Dalston, near Carlisle, or Dawston, near
Jedborough.
'7 Thenceforward to the time of Venerable
Bede, no king over the Scots in Britain durst invade the Anglo-Saxons. See "His- toria Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. i. , cap. xxxiv.
Historia," lib. v. , p. 144.
'9 See Camerarius, " De Scotorum Pie-
tate," lib. iii. This author professes to draw his account of St. Marnan, from the Chron- icles of Scone, from the Aberdeen Breviary, and from Adam King's Kalendar.
^° "About 300 yards above this chapel,
on an eminence, a cell and part of another
land," vol. xiv. , p. 258.
=" See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 392. We are told, also,
that men honoured him " tanquam Deum in
terris. "
** "
See Proceedings of the Society of
625,
;
pro-
;
special
Antiquarie—s of Scotland," vol. ii. Sessions MDCCCLIV V. MDCCCLVI—vil. , p. 261.
^3 The Martyrology of Aberdeen states
" diem ibidem clausit extremum. "
°* See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 392.
'^ See George Buchanan's " Rerum Scoti-
carum Historia," lib. vi. , pp. 165, 166,
"* See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xii. , num. 852, p. 454.
*? Among the titles of these, he tells us, George Buchanan, "Rerum Scoticarum are "Pro Fsedere servando," lib. i. , and,
"
'^ This happened A. D. 605, according to
in the end of a of stones or appears pile
" of the Proceedings
v. mdccclvi vii. , p. 261.
"' This appears from a Perambulation of
the lands of the Church of Aber-Ke)n-dor, called Yochry and Achbrady. See " Re- gistrum Nigrum de Aberbrothock," p. 277.
borradh. " Old Statistical Survey of Scot- of Scotland," vol. ii. Sessions MDCCCLIV —" ——
Monitorium ad Ecclesias patrias," lib. i.
He also incorrectly places the festival of this
saint, at the 2nd of March,
^^
In reference to it and to his remains,
the Aberdeen Martyrology states, that as a
sweet-smelling balsam, these brought each day joy and health to all the people of the
province, where they had been kept. See
Society
of
Antiquaries
62 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March
was celebrated on the day of his feast. 3° The clergy and people were accustomed each Sunday, to have lights placed around the head, which was washed with water. This again was used by the infirm and sick, who deemed it an effective restorative. Some remarkable instances are adduced, in the Breviary of Aberdeen, of miracles wrought, through the intervention of St. Marnan. Certain persons, who had plundered the lands of Abirkerdoure Church, were unable to light the tapers, held in their hands. A chief, who wished to carry off a tree from Lochellis Church lands, in the diocese of Aberdeen, could not remove it beyond the bounds, but the clergy very readily carried it back. s' The Kalendar of Arbuthnott notes St. Marnoc, Bishop, with an office of nine Lessons, at the ist of March. 3^ The Martyr- ology, compiled for the use of the church at Aberdeen,33 has the festival of St. Marnan, Bishop and Confessor, at Aberkerdor, of Moray, in Scotia, on the Kalends of March. 34 In Adam " St. bisch.
King's Kalendar, Mamane,
and confess, in Scotland vnder King indulphe," is noticed, at the ist of March. 35 TheBreviaryofAberdeenhasanOfficeandLessonsforSt. Mar- nan's festival, at this date. In it, he is regarded as a Bishop and Confessor. 3^
The Kalendar of David Camerarius enters the feast of St. Marnanus, Bishop and Confessor, at the ist of March. 37 The parish of Aberchirder, in the presbyteryofStrathbogie,iscalledSt. Marnoch. Nearthemanseisawell, called after him. Here, too, on the 2nd Tuesday of March, is held Marnoch fair. 33 TheparishofKilmarnock,Ayrshire 39 Leochel ^° Foulis-Easter '
Dalmarnock, at Little Dunkeld ^" Inchmarnock, a suppressed parish, now ;
united to Glentaner and Aboyne ^3 Boith Chapelry <+ Inchmarnock, on ;;
the Isle of Bute *s all were where his ; places
formerly celebrated. Among the Scone Charters, there is mention of a gift to the
"
convent, attached to St. Mernoc's Chapel, infra Fossata," as also allusion
to St. Mernock's croft, with the chapel-yard and chapel of St. Mernock. "*^ At Benholm, there is a St. Marny's Well. -*? There is a Portmarnock ^^ townland
; but, and parish, in the barony of Coolock, county of Dublin ^9
whether its name has been derived from the present saint, or from another bearing a
similar name, may be questioned.
Article V. —St. Moinend or Maoineann, Bishop of Clonfert, County of Galway. \Sixth Century^ Doubts have been entertained,^ that the present holy man, called Moen, Moena, Maoineann, Maineann,
"
3° See Registrum Episcopatus Brechin-
12.
'" As related in the legend,
» See " Prioratus S. Registrum
Andree," of Scot-
ensis," p. "
3» Brcviarium Aberdonense," Pars Hye-
fol. b. Ixi. • malis, Ix. ,
s' See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 97.
33 Communicated by David Laing, Esq. ,
p. 348.
*•' See "Old Statistical
Survey
F. S. A. , Scot.
nensis," pp. 12, 14.
*s See " New Statistical
land," Bute, pp. 96, 104.
s* See "
of Sessions MDCCCLVi—VII. , p. 261. 35 See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 146.
3* See the Bollandists' " Acta Sancto-
rum," tomus i. , Martii i. De S. Marnano
Episcopo in Scotia, num. i. , p. 63.
37 See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
—of Antiquaries
Scotland,"
vol. ii.
MDCCCLiv V.
**
See "Liber Ecclesia^ de Scon," pp.
Proceedings
of the
Society
Survey
of Scot-
Scottish Saints," p. 235.
3* See " New Staliatical land," Banfl", pp. 382, 386.
Survey
of Scot-
186,231.
7 See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," pp. 392, 393.
*" Rendered St. Mernoc's Port or landing-
place.
*' The townland is shown on Sheet 15,
"
and the parish on Sheets 12, 14, 15, Ord-
nance Townland for the Survey Maps
County of Dubl—in. "
'
Article v. See Dr. Lanigan's "Ec
39 Sec ibid. , Ayr, p. 535.
3;;
memory
had been
land," vol. vi. , p. 381.
'3 See ibid. , vol. xix. , p. 296.
<^ See "Registrum Episcopatus Brechi-
March i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 63
Moeneann, Moenenn, Moenu, Moenen, Moinend, and as in Scotland Min- nan, INIonan or Monanus,^^ may not be different from the saint, whom we have already noticed, at the 26th of February. So far as he had been able to build upon conjecture and inference, the Life of this bishop is published by Colgan, at the ist of March,3 and it is drawn from many sources. The Bollandists merely notice Mxnx^'' and cautiously avoid entering upon
particulars already given ; nor, is it known, that any special Acts are avail- "
able, to throw light on his history. Mo, which signifies my," is prefixed very frequently to the proper names of Irish Saints, out of respect and tender-
ness. Removing this prefix, the original and true name probably was Nen- nius or Nennio. But, it being common with the Irish to add the monosyllable,
the name in spelling has been considerably metamorphosed. Mo-Nennius and Mon-Nennio, too, are held to have been other forms. 5 In the opinion of
Dr. Lanigan,^ this Monennus, venerated at the ist of March, was undoubtedly
the same persop as Nennio, who had been abbot and bishop over what was
called the great monastery in Britain. This, which was known as Rosnat, is
thought to be a sufficiently probable conjecture, by Colgan ; and, therefore, our saint might be regarded as teacher of the most celebrated among our
IrishSaints. Again,heisthoughttohavebeenacompanionofSt. Brendan,? the Navigator, by whom he was installed as Bishop of Clonfert. ^ Following Dr. Lanigan's hypothesis, the present holy man should have been the teacher
'° ofSt. Tighernach,9BishopofClones,ofSt. Eugene, BishopofArdstraw,of
St. Carpreus or Carbrei," and of St. -^-ndseus of Aran. " Likewise, Cailan or Mochai,'3 of Nendrum, is said to have sent Finnian of Maghbile,^* to Nennius or Monenius. ^s But, even the foregoing should not close the list of his celebrated disciples. Another supposition has confounded the present St. Moinend, with the St. Mannan, to whom allusion has been already made, at the 23rd of February, and who has been thought identical with a St. Monan, called Archdeacon of St. Andrew's Church, in Scotland. He is said to have preached the Word of God, in the country about Fife. By some of the Scottish writers, he is also called Mynnanus. The Bollandists have the Acts of this St. Monon, Archdeacon, taken from the Aberdeen Breviary,^^ at the ist of March. ^7 T—he legend relates, that he and several companions camefromHungary^^ certainScottishwritersthinkthemrathertohavebeen
clesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , feast takes place on the 1 1 th of November ;
chap. X. , sect, vii. , n. Ii6, p. 36. or perhaps St. Cairbrc, Bishop of Magh ^ See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Bile, venerated on the 3rd ; or St. Coirpre,
Scottish Saints," pp. 412, 413.
3 See, "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," i.
Abbot of Magh Bile, venerated on the 31st of May.
'-
His feast is celebrated, on the 2 1st of March.
'3 His feast occurs, at the 23rd of June.
'^ His festival is referred to the lOth of
September.
's See Ussher's " Primordia Eccl^siarum
Britannicarum," p. 954.
Martii. Vita S. Moinenni, sive Mon-Nen- nil, pp. 437 to 439.
See Martii i.
Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. ,
"
Among the pretermitted Saints,
p. 3-
5 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niK," Martii i. De S. Moinenno sive Mon-
Nennio, Episcopo Cluanfertensi, p. 437,
'^
First printed, A. D. MDIX. , at the ex-
and n. 1, 439. ^"
pense of Walter Chepman, a citizen of Edin-
burgh,
'7 See " Acta Sanctorum," Martii i. De S. Monano Archidiacono Andreopoleos in Scotia, tomus i. , pp. 86 to 88.
'^ The Bollandists discredit this statement, however, by showing, that in the ninth cen- tury, the period assumed for their arrival, the Hungarians were not Christians. The
See Ecclesiastical History of Ireland,"
vol. i. , chap, ix. , sect, ii.