As there were many Irish saints, called Ciaran, it seems probable, that to some other than to the patron of Ossory must such
apostolate
be accorded.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
, p.
350.
Duffy's edition.
'3 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Iliber-
nire," Martii v. First Life, chap. xix.
as edited and translated, by Mr. John
O'Daly.
Colgan has
had been in Ireland. preached
; for, the author leaves us
Wherefore, this particular Ailill seems to have been called King of Cashel, because he was son to that king, and because he lived at Cashel.
"
See, Colgan's
V. Martii, nn. 27, 28, pp. 464, 465. I find Colgan's assertion fully borne out, that there
had been no Ailill, as King of Cashel, after the preaching of St. Patrick, by referring to " of the Race of Ebhear,"
"^
Thus do the Bollandists rightly name
Acta Sanctorum HiberniK,"
March 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 137
to repletion, and afterwards left fragments uneaten. All, who were encamped
there, gave thanks to God ; and, the saint's reputation was widely divulged, in consequence of this miracle. ^9
Among his other Acts, St. Kieran, first Bishop of Saigir, is said to have composed a rule for monks. It was traditionally held, by local antiquaries, that it had been written, in St. Crohan's hermitage,3° at Kilcroghan, or Kil- crohanes^ parish, in the barony of Dunkerron South, and within the present countyofKerry. s^ Abandofrobbers,havingpenetratedintotheterritories of Munster, caused devastation and loss of life, during their foray. A Mun-
ster chief, named Lonan,33 opposed them, and put them to flight ; when, despairing of escape, they threw themselves under the protection of St. Kieran. WhenLonanwishedtofollowuphisvictory,bytheirutterdestruc-
tion,afieryglobe^*fellbetweenhisforcesandtheretreatingband. Being terrified at this apparition, the pursuers returned, without further molesting theirenemies. Theselatter,knowingthattheyhadbeensaved,throughour saint's intervention, gave him an account of what had taken place. After
mature deliberation, they became monks, under his guidance, persevering in a religious life, for the remainder of their days. 3S Another time, a Leinster robber, named Carbre, stole an excellent cow, belonging to the monks of our saint. On coming to the mountain, Smoil, now better known as Slieve Bloom, a sudden darkness surrounded him. Then, losing his way, and falling into a river, he was drowned ; while the cow returned, by a direct path, to the herd, from which she had been taken. 3^ A holy woman, named Cocchea or Coca,37 who had been his nurse, lived a holy life, at Ross-Benn- choir. We are told, in his Irish Life,38 that St. Kieran of Saigir often went to the sea-rock, which was far distant from the shore, where his nurse, i. e. Coca lived, and this he used to accomplish, without ship or boat. He was
wont to return again, as appears from his own Life. 39
A woman, named Eathylla fell, and such a severe fracture of her body
had been caused, that death soon followed ; but, in three days afterwards,
it ; apparently, through a press error, it is printedBroscach,inColgan'saccount.
=^9 See Vita S. Kierani, ex Codice Kilken- niensi, cap. xxi. , p. 461. Vita S. Kierani, ex MS. Salmanticensi, Officium, lect. 8, p. 468.
Mount Kea, and who was visited by St. Pati-ick? Ifsothereaderwillfindmorere- garding him, in the Life of St. Montan or Mantan, at the 2nd of this month.
^ The writer cannot forbear mentioning a remarkable phenomenon, of a nearly similar character, which took place, ^d on a bog-
3° In a wild mountain range, —the writer
visited this remarkable cave whether road, not many miles distant from Seir
natural or artificial he cannot undertake to
Kieran. I have been told, by a highly re-
—in
say July, 1871,
with the
and— her servant—now spectable lady by
in
Rev. James GafFney, M. R. I. A. , and Rev.
Eugene Murphy, C. C. of the place, and a very learned Irish scholar, since dead, and
who compiled a valuable Irish Dictionary, yet extant, but unpublished.
3' Its bounds are described on the " Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Kerry," Sheets 82, 90, 91, 92, 98, 99, 100, loi, 105, 106, 107, 108.
"
3^
adds Smith. " Be this as it may, the stalac- tical exudations of the above-mentioned cell are held in great estimation by the country people, who carefully preserve them, as imagining them to have many virtues in
over forty years ago
a fashionable vehicle, a globe of fire sud-
denly appeared, beside the road, and almost as instantly vanished. The horse became
terrified, and with much difficulty could be
restrained from running away, or causing imminent danger Lo the travellers,
33 See Vita S. Kierani, ex Codice Kilken- niensi, cap. xxii. , p. 461. Vita S. Kierani, ex MS. Salmanticensi, Officium, lect. 9, pp. 468,469.
35 See Vita S. Kierani, ex Codice Kilken- niensi, cap. xxiii. , p. 461. Vita S. Kierani, ex MS. Salmanticensi, Officium, lect. 9, p. 469.
37 See her Life, at the 29th of June,
38 Chapter xix.
39 See Rev. Drs. Todd's and Reeves'
" Martyrology of Donegal," pp. 64, 65.
t° See Vitu S, Kierani, ex Codice Kilken-
Others sayit wasinan adjacent grotto,"
them from the supposed sanctity of the place "
they grow in. "— Natural and Civil His- tory of Kerry," chap, v. , p. 93.
33 It may be asked, could this have been the Lonan, the chieftain, who lived on
company
that while in driving
138 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS [March 5,
she was restored to life, through the prayers of our saint. As a mark of her
gratitude for this favour, she bestowed a portion of her property on St. Kieran, giving thanks at the same time to God, for his mercies to her. This
" the wood of
An officer of the Munster king, called Keandfoylius, having killed a man named Cronan, the friend of our saint, Kieran restored him to life in the name of Christ, after an interval of seven days had elapsed. '^' One day, Ailill, King of Munster, spoke certain reproachful words, in presence of the saint. Immediately afterwards, he was deprived of the use of speech, for seven whole days. ^^ At the end of this time, he returned a penitent to Kieran,andprostratedhimself,atthefeetofoursaint. Seeinghiscontrition for the former offence, St. Kieran blessed Ailill's tongue ; when, in the presence of all, the king spoke, and employed his speech thenceforward, in magnifying the power of God. Having received the saint's blessing, Ailill
returned towards the palace, together with his retinue. ''^
A most interesting and an elaborate modern work supplies many inci-
dents, connected with Seir-Kieran and its patron saint, with a history and dissertation regarding the antiquities of this locality. The letter-press
descriptions are accompanied, by beautifully engraved illustrations. '''^ That very ancient and interesting place, commonly called St. Kyran's, is reputed to have been the seat of the oldest bishopric in Ireland. ts While St. Ciaran
lived here, besides the holy persons already mentioned, St. Carthage''^ and St. Baythen"*' were disciples under him ; and, he was visited by St. Medran^^ and St. Odhran,*^ who were brothers ; by a religious pilgrim, called Ger- man f° by St. Kieran,si Abbot of ClonmacnoisejS^ who is said to have been his fellow-disciple, 53 under St. Finian,54 Abbot of Clonard ; by the two Saints
place
was called from her own
name,
in after
time,
Eathylla. "<°
niensi, cap. xxix. , p. 461. In the English MS. Life of our saint, this place is called, Leim Eitill, or " Etell's Leap. " Most pro- bably this is the townland, now known as Leap, in the parish of Aghancon, in the barony of Ballybritt, and which is shown on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
the King's County," Sheet 39.
*' See Vita S. Kierani, ex Codice Kilken-
niensi, cap. xxx. , p. 461. The English MS. Life of St. Kieran adds, " and on his being
made whol^, in . the presence of others,
Ciaran ' He that murdered unlaw- said, you
fully, i. e. f Ceamfaela, soon shall be mur-
dered himself and his body burnt, in the
castle, called Rathmoy, in Eilean or Eil-
tory of the Town of Birr," &c. , chap, x. , p. 166.
** It is thought, by Colgan, that he lived after the year 540.
*' It is suspected, he may have been the St. Baithen of Inis-Baithin, venerated on the 22nd of May, and who flourished about A. D. 550.
** Colgan supposes him, to have been venerated, at the 6th of June. His death does not appear on record.
49 Colgan thinks, his feast should be re-
ferred to the 2nd of and that he October,
died A. D. 548.
5° Colgan supposes, he was the same as
German, who was bishop in the Isle of Man, and whose festival was kept, on the 30th of July. He is thought to have lived contem- poraneously with St. Patrick, the Irish Apostle.
s' He is said to have died rather young, and about a. d. 549.
each.
'"
This is probably, the present town-
land of Rathmoy, in the parish of Glankeen,
barony of Upper Kilnamanagh, and shown
on the
"
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
for the County of Tipperary," Sheet 34.
North Riding.
^* "
Eight days," according
tothe
s^ See his at the of
English Life, 9th September.
MS. Life.
^3 See Vita S. Kierani, ex MS. Salmanti-
censi, Officium, lect. 6, p. 468. Vita S. Kierani, ex Codice Kilkenniensi, cap. xxxi. , p. 462.
'^'' See, "The History, Architecture, and Antiquities of the Cathedral Church of St.
Canice, Kilkenny. " By the Rev. James Graves, A. B. , and John Augustus Prim, sect, i. , chap, i. , pp. 2 to 14, with accom-
53 In that list of illustrious men, men- tioned in Finnian's Acts, as having studied under him, the two Kierans are placed first. Dr. Lanigan does not pretend to state, as certain, that our Kieran was a bishop, at A. D. 538. He adds, however, "yet, it is more than probable, that he was not, prior to it. But, as he is not named, among the second-class of Irish saints, who flourished after the year 544, we may suppose, that he had become distinguished some years
panying notes.
^5 Sec Thomas Lalor Cooke's "
Earlj'
His-
earlier,"—Rev. Dr. " Ecclesias- Lanigan's
March 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 139
Brendan—lie of Birr,55 and he of Clonfert f^ as also by St. Ruadhan, Abbot
of Lothra. 57 The latter, who enjoyed this distinction, it is supposed, from A. D. 550,5^ had aftenvards intercommunication with our saint; while this circumstance and the contemporaneous persons, mentioned in his Life, seem to carry the series of our St. Kieran's Acts beyond the middle of the sixth century.
CHAPTER V.
STATEMENTS REGARDING ST. CIARAN'S MISSIONARY CAREER, AMONG THE BRITONS
HIS YEARS AND DEATH— AND SCOTS—HIS LEARNING AND VIRTUES— CLOSING
PLACES WHERE HE IS REGARDED AS SPECIAL PATRON—MEMORIALS AND FESTIVAL— CONCLUSION,
Various accounts have received currency, that this holy bishop and abbot
left Ireland, for the purpose of labouring on the mission, among the Britons and Scots. However, he may have been venerated, in after time, by these people ; there appear to be no authentic records, that might establish his preaching and founding of religious houses in Britain, or on the Continent.
As there were many Irish saints, called Ciaran, it seems probable, that to some other than to the patron of Ossory must such apostolate be accorded.
However, our St. Kieran, is placed second on the list,' in an ancient CatalogueoftheAbbotsoverSt. Iltud'smonastery. Aroundittherewere no mountains or steep inequalities, but an open and a fertile plain ; there was a wood, very thick, with various trees growing in it, while many wild beasts inhabited it ; a very pleasing river flowed therein, and spring-fountains, mingled with a rivulet, ran in delightful courses. ^ It is thought, that about A. D. 505, St. Kieran dwelt there. Thence, he proceeded, it is said, to a small island,intheRiverWye,whereheerectedamonastery. Thither,manydevout persons flocked, to receive at his lips lessons of heavenly instruction. Soon after, he returned to Saigher. In Brittany, he is supposed to have laboured ; and, he is honoured there still, in many places, it is said, as St. Sezin. This, however, is clearly a mistake. Thence, he went to Cornwall, which retains many memorials of St. Ciaran's or Piran's Apostolate,3 and several churches there have such a name. * In our own days, the church of Peranzabulo,^ or " St. Kieran's in the Sands "^ has been brought to light, after having been imbedden on the strand, for about 800 years. 7 It is almost perfect, in its
tical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, ii. , n. 22, p. 8.
5-» See his Life, at the 12th of December. He died, about the middle of the sixth century.
55 See his Life, at the 29th of November.
His death took place, after the middle of
Pieran, at Perranzabuloe, a parish in the Union of Truro, on the west coast of Corn- wall, in the days of King Edward the Con- fessor. The church was endowed with lands, and the privilege of a sanctuary. See Tanner's " Notitia Monastica," Cornwall x. St. Piran's College and its possessions arc also alluded to, in the Doomsday Survey, tomus fol. col. 2.
Irish Missions," No. i. , p. 24.
5 gee Rev. C. T. Collins Trevellyan's
" Peranzabuloe : The lost Church found. "
It has a frontispiece, and it was published, A. D. 1843, in 8vo.
^ Near Lambourne is the well of St. Peran, to which a miraculous efficacy was attributed, in the cure of diseases; and about one mile and a-half from it is St. Peran's Round, an ancient Cornish amphi-
the sixth century.
5*' See his
death is usually referred to A. D. 577.
His
Life,
at the i6th of
May.
i. , 121,
Rt. Rev. Patrick F. Moran's "Early
57 See his Life, at the 15th of April.
5* His death is usually assigned to A. D,
See Ussher's " Britannicarum Eccle- siarum Antiquitates," Index Chronologicus, P- 533"
Chapter v. —' See Williams' "Eccle- siastical Antiquities. "
584.
*
See Rees' "Lives of the Welsh Saints,"
p. 163.
3 There were a Dean and Canons of St.
140 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 5.
rude masonry. It has sculptured corbels and zig-zag ornaments so complete, that we might be almost tempted to imagine, that one of our old Irish oratories had been transplanted to its site, on the Cornish shore. ^ Again, Camden mentions a chapel,s dedicated in his name, on the road between Padstow'° and St. lies. The Kyran, however, to whom the Cornish churches had been dedicated, and who is generally called there Piran, was the holy Abbot of Clonmacnoise, in the opinion of Sir Thomas Duffus Hardy," of William F. Skene," and of Bishop Forbes. '3 The oratory of St. Gothian, near Hayle, Cornwall, is the second instance of a church, which had been buriedinthesandsforcenturies,beingbroughttolightoncemore. ^'^ Inthe parish of Tintagel, Shire of Cornwall, there was formerly a chapel dedicated to St. Piran. 'S Were we to credit Dempster,'^ this holy man lived chiefly in the western Isles of Scotland. Yet, Dr. Lanigan avers, that the St. Kieran, so much respected in that country, and to whom the Scottish writer alluded, was not Kiaran of Ossory, venerated on the 5th of March, but Kieran of Clonmacnoise, whose festival was kept, on the 9th of September,'? Nor do our ancient Irish writers sanction any different conclusion. '^
Our saint was distinguished for his great humility, and for his love of
Sacred Scripture, which he delighted in hearing and reading, even in his old age. But, what we are told, that in common with other saints, Kieran be- came a disciple of St. Finian of Clonard, with whom he studied the inspired writings, towards his closing years,'^ seems wholly inadmissible ; although, it imposed on the inadvertence of Sir James Ware,^° when referring to the Life of St. Finnian, what is found only in the Life of St. Kieran. It must be very strange, if, after twenty years of study, at Rome, and after having become a bishop, in a. d. 402, as stated by some, he should be found studying under Finnian, about the year 540. Nor, can these studies of his be reconciled with St. Kieran having been a disciple of Patrick, and of his exercising, during that time, the duties of a bishop. Yet, in the Lives of Finnian and of Kieran of Clonmacnoise, there is not the least hint of his great age, when at-
theatre for the celebration of games and No. 1653, p. 539. Saturday, June 3, 1871. '*"
sports. See Lewis' Topographical Dic- tionary of England," vol. iii. , p. 556.
7 Leland writes: "S. Piranes, alias
Kenerine, wher the Sanctuarie was . . . . Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. x. , No. 774, p.
Miles from S. Ani—onics : and not a Mile
from the Main se. " "Itinerary," vol. iii. ,
p. 24.
*
See Rt. Rev. Patrick F. Moran's
" Irish Early
No.
Missions," 9 See "Britannia. "
i. , p. 25.
" Also called St. Petrock, a seaport in the Union of St. Columb Major, on the west coast of Cornwall.
" See "Descriptive Catalogue of Mate- rials relating to the History of Great Britain and Ireland, to the end of the reign of Henry VII. " vol. i. , p. 102.
niensi, cap. xxxix. , p. 463. Dr. Lanigan
"See "Four Ancient Books of Wales, containing the Cymric Poems attributed to the Bards of the Sixth Century," vol. i. , chap, viii. , p. 124.
knowing that Finnian's school was held in
the sixth century, and acknowledging that
Kieran was universally considered as a pupil
of Finnian, cunningly endeavoured to recon-
cile this circumstance with his former posi-
tions, by telling us, that Kieran was then
very old, but that he M'as so humble as not
—to be ashamed to attend Finnian's lectures. "
'3 See " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p.
"
i. , chap, i. , sect, xiv. , n. 124, p. 32.
='° See " S. Patricii. " Annota- Opuscula
tiones, p. 106.
"' See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical
HistoryofIreland,"vol. i. , chap,i. , sect. \
435-
' Front the rudeness of the work, St.
Ecclesiastical Histoiy of Ireland," vol.
Gothian
date than the church of St. Pyran, which was found a few years ago at Perranzabuloe. SeeTheIllustratedLoudonNcius,vol. Iviii. ,
appears
to be of a still more ancient
'5 See Lewis' Topographical Dictionary of England," vol. iv. , p. 363.
420.
'''See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect. 2, n. 32,
p. 9.
'* See "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nise," Martii v. Appendix ad Acta S. Kie-
rani, cap. i. , pp. 470 to 472.
'9 See Vita S. Kierani, ex Codice Kilken-
'^ See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
remarks: " The author^ of that Life, well
March 5-] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 141
tending at the school of Clonard ', and, he is simply mentioned, as one of
the ordinary pupils. ^^
This great saint, from his youth to the very day of death, denied himself
the use of fine garments, flesh meat, and intoxicating drink. What an admi- rable example is here set, by a man, whose passions were always under con-
trol ! From it we may infer, that total abstinence is almost the only remedy
for those, who cannot control their passion for drink, once they have taken
any ; but, to impose such restriction indiscriminately upon all, old and
young, temperate and intemperate, taking people as they are, is likely to be
violated, in many cases, and, once broken, the proclivity to further indul- genceistoofrequentlyincreased. Religioushabitsandsacramentalaidsare
required, to secure the entire victory. St. Kieran slept little, and he despised all carnal delights. He converted the Ossorians and many others, from the errors of paganism to Gospel truths and morality ; he consecrated and ordained a great number of bishops, priests and minor clergy. He had frequent angelic visions ; while miracles were wrought, through God's celes- tial messengers. Amongst other things recorded, having asked for the pro- duction of a fountain, in a certain place, shown him by an Angel, his prayer was soon granted ; and many sick persons were afterwards healed, by the waterofthisspring,whichwascalled"theWellofKieran. " Mostlikely
it is not the one in only
Our saint's office informs us, that he was a faithful practitioner of virtuous
acts of humility, prudence, bounty, chastity, faith, hope and charity. He
lived in poverty, during his term of life, but he was rich in grace. He is
called, a balance of the law, an ark of justice, a doctor of youth, the guide of
old persons, and the incomparable tower of all.
nire," Martii v. First Life, chap. xix.
as edited and translated, by Mr. John
O'Daly.
Colgan has
had been in Ireland. preached
; for, the author leaves us
Wherefore, this particular Ailill seems to have been called King of Cashel, because he was son to that king, and because he lived at Cashel.
"
See, Colgan's
V. Martii, nn. 27, 28, pp. 464, 465. I find Colgan's assertion fully borne out, that there
had been no Ailill, as King of Cashel, after the preaching of St. Patrick, by referring to " of the Race of Ebhear,"
"^
Thus do the Bollandists rightly name
Acta Sanctorum HiberniK,"
March 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 137
to repletion, and afterwards left fragments uneaten. All, who were encamped
there, gave thanks to God ; and, the saint's reputation was widely divulged, in consequence of this miracle. ^9
Among his other Acts, St. Kieran, first Bishop of Saigir, is said to have composed a rule for monks. It was traditionally held, by local antiquaries, that it had been written, in St. Crohan's hermitage,3° at Kilcroghan, or Kil- crohanes^ parish, in the barony of Dunkerron South, and within the present countyofKerry. s^ Abandofrobbers,havingpenetratedintotheterritories of Munster, caused devastation and loss of life, during their foray. A Mun-
ster chief, named Lonan,33 opposed them, and put them to flight ; when, despairing of escape, they threw themselves under the protection of St. Kieran. WhenLonanwishedtofollowuphisvictory,bytheirutterdestruc-
tion,afieryglobe^*fellbetweenhisforcesandtheretreatingband. Being terrified at this apparition, the pursuers returned, without further molesting theirenemies. Theselatter,knowingthattheyhadbeensaved,throughour saint's intervention, gave him an account of what had taken place. After
mature deliberation, they became monks, under his guidance, persevering in a religious life, for the remainder of their days. 3S Another time, a Leinster robber, named Carbre, stole an excellent cow, belonging to the monks of our saint. On coming to the mountain, Smoil, now better known as Slieve Bloom, a sudden darkness surrounded him. Then, losing his way, and falling into a river, he was drowned ; while the cow returned, by a direct path, to the herd, from which she had been taken. 3^ A holy woman, named Cocchea or Coca,37 who had been his nurse, lived a holy life, at Ross-Benn- choir. We are told, in his Irish Life,38 that St. Kieran of Saigir often went to the sea-rock, which was far distant from the shore, where his nurse, i. e. Coca lived, and this he used to accomplish, without ship or boat. He was
wont to return again, as appears from his own Life. 39
A woman, named Eathylla fell, and such a severe fracture of her body
had been caused, that death soon followed ; but, in three days afterwards,
it ; apparently, through a press error, it is printedBroscach,inColgan'saccount.
=^9 See Vita S. Kierani, ex Codice Kilken- niensi, cap. xxi. , p. 461. Vita S. Kierani, ex MS. Salmanticensi, Officium, lect. 8, p. 468.
Mount Kea, and who was visited by St. Pati-ick? Ifsothereaderwillfindmorere- garding him, in the Life of St. Montan or Mantan, at the 2nd of this month.
^ The writer cannot forbear mentioning a remarkable phenomenon, of a nearly similar character, which took place, ^d on a bog-
3° In a wild mountain range, —the writer
visited this remarkable cave whether road, not many miles distant from Seir
natural or artificial he cannot undertake to
Kieran. I have been told, by a highly re-
—in
say July, 1871,
with the
and— her servant—now spectable lady by
in
Rev. James GafFney, M. R. I. A. , and Rev.
Eugene Murphy, C. C. of the place, and a very learned Irish scholar, since dead, and
who compiled a valuable Irish Dictionary, yet extant, but unpublished.
3' Its bounds are described on the " Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Kerry," Sheets 82, 90, 91, 92, 98, 99, 100, loi, 105, 106, 107, 108.
"
3^
adds Smith. " Be this as it may, the stalac- tical exudations of the above-mentioned cell are held in great estimation by the country people, who carefully preserve them, as imagining them to have many virtues in
over forty years ago
a fashionable vehicle, a globe of fire sud-
denly appeared, beside the road, and almost as instantly vanished. The horse became
terrified, and with much difficulty could be
restrained from running away, or causing imminent danger Lo the travellers,
33 See Vita S. Kierani, ex Codice Kilken- niensi, cap. xxii. , p. 461. Vita S. Kierani, ex MS. Salmanticensi, Officium, lect. 9, pp. 468,469.
35 See Vita S. Kierani, ex Codice Kilken- niensi, cap. xxiii. , p. 461. Vita S. Kierani, ex MS. Salmanticensi, Officium, lect. 9, p. 469.
37 See her Life, at the 29th of June,
38 Chapter xix.
39 See Rev. Drs. Todd's and Reeves'
" Martyrology of Donegal," pp. 64, 65.
t° See Vitu S, Kierani, ex Codice Kilken-
Others sayit wasinan adjacent grotto,"
them from the supposed sanctity of the place "
they grow in. "— Natural and Civil His- tory of Kerry," chap, v. , p. 93.
33 It may be asked, could this have been the Lonan, the chieftain, who lived on
company
that while in driving
138 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS [March 5,
she was restored to life, through the prayers of our saint. As a mark of her
gratitude for this favour, she bestowed a portion of her property on St. Kieran, giving thanks at the same time to God, for his mercies to her. This
" the wood of
An officer of the Munster king, called Keandfoylius, having killed a man named Cronan, the friend of our saint, Kieran restored him to life in the name of Christ, after an interval of seven days had elapsed. '^' One day, Ailill, King of Munster, spoke certain reproachful words, in presence of the saint. Immediately afterwards, he was deprived of the use of speech, for seven whole days. ^^ At the end of this time, he returned a penitent to Kieran,andprostratedhimself,atthefeetofoursaint. Seeinghiscontrition for the former offence, St. Kieran blessed Ailill's tongue ; when, in the presence of all, the king spoke, and employed his speech thenceforward, in magnifying the power of God. Having received the saint's blessing, Ailill
returned towards the palace, together with his retinue. ''^
A most interesting and an elaborate modern work supplies many inci-
dents, connected with Seir-Kieran and its patron saint, with a history and dissertation regarding the antiquities of this locality. The letter-press
descriptions are accompanied, by beautifully engraved illustrations. '''^ That very ancient and interesting place, commonly called St. Kyran's, is reputed to have been the seat of the oldest bishopric in Ireland. ts While St. Ciaran
lived here, besides the holy persons already mentioned, St. Carthage''^ and St. Baythen"*' were disciples under him ; and, he was visited by St. Medran^^ and St. Odhran,*^ who were brothers ; by a religious pilgrim, called Ger- man f° by St. Kieran,si Abbot of ClonmacnoisejS^ who is said to have been his fellow-disciple, 53 under St. Finian,54 Abbot of Clonard ; by the two Saints
place
was called from her own
name,
in after
time,
Eathylla. "<°
niensi, cap. xxix. , p. 461. In the English MS. Life of our saint, this place is called, Leim Eitill, or " Etell's Leap. " Most pro- bably this is the townland, now known as Leap, in the parish of Aghancon, in the barony of Ballybritt, and which is shown on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
the King's County," Sheet 39.
*' See Vita S. Kierani, ex Codice Kilken-
niensi, cap. xxx. , p. 461. The English MS. Life of St. Kieran adds, " and on his being
made whol^, in . the presence of others,
Ciaran ' He that murdered unlaw- said, you
fully, i. e. f Ceamfaela, soon shall be mur-
dered himself and his body burnt, in the
castle, called Rathmoy, in Eilean or Eil-
tory of the Town of Birr," &c. , chap, x. , p. 166.
** It is thought, by Colgan, that he lived after the year 540.
*' It is suspected, he may have been the St. Baithen of Inis-Baithin, venerated on the 22nd of May, and who flourished about A. D. 550.
** Colgan supposes him, to have been venerated, at the 6th of June. His death does not appear on record.
49 Colgan thinks, his feast should be re-
ferred to the 2nd of and that he October,
died A. D. 548.
5° Colgan supposes, he was the same as
German, who was bishop in the Isle of Man, and whose festival was kept, on the 30th of July. He is thought to have lived contem- poraneously with St. Patrick, the Irish Apostle.
s' He is said to have died rather young, and about a. d. 549.
each.
'"
This is probably, the present town-
land of Rathmoy, in the parish of Glankeen,
barony of Upper Kilnamanagh, and shown
on the
"
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
for the County of Tipperary," Sheet 34.
North Riding.
^* "
Eight days," according
tothe
s^ See his at the of
English Life, 9th September.
MS. Life.
^3 See Vita S. Kierani, ex MS. Salmanti-
censi, Officium, lect. 6, p. 468. Vita S. Kierani, ex Codice Kilkenniensi, cap. xxxi. , p. 462.
'^'' See, "The History, Architecture, and Antiquities of the Cathedral Church of St.
Canice, Kilkenny. " By the Rev. James Graves, A. B. , and John Augustus Prim, sect, i. , chap, i. , pp. 2 to 14, with accom-
53 In that list of illustrious men, men- tioned in Finnian's Acts, as having studied under him, the two Kierans are placed first. Dr. Lanigan does not pretend to state, as certain, that our Kieran was a bishop, at A. D. 538. He adds, however, "yet, it is more than probable, that he was not, prior to it. But, as he is not named, among the second-class of Irish saints, who flourished after the year 544, we may suppose, that he had become distinguished some years
panying notes.
^5 Sec Thomas Lalor Cooke's "
Earlj'
His-
earlier,"—Rev. Dr. " Ecclesias- Lanigan's
March 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 139
Brendan—lie of Birr,55 and he of Clonfert f^ as also by St. Ruadhan, Abbot
of Lothra. 57 The latter, who enjoyed this distinction, it is supposed, from A. D. 550,5^ had aftenvards intercommunication with our saint; while this circumstance and the contemporaneous persons, mentioned in his Life, seem to carry the series of our St. Kieran's Acts beyond the middle of the sixth century.
CHAPTER V.
STATEMENTS REGARDING ST. CIARAN'S MISSIONARY CAREER, AMONG THE BRITONS
HIS YEARS AND DEATH— AND SCOTS—HIS LEARNING AND VIRTUES— CLOSING
PLACES WHERE HE IS REGARDED AS SPECIAL PATRON—MEMORIALS AND FESTIVAL— CONCLUSION,
Various accounts have received currency, that this holy bishop and abbot
left Ireland, for the purpose of labouring on the mission, among the Britons and Scots. However, he may have been venerated, in after time, by these people ; there appear to be no authentic records, that might establish his preaching and founding of religious houses in Britain, or on the Continent.
As there were many Irish saints, called Ciaran, it seems probable, that to some other than to the patron of Ossory must such apostolate be accorded.
However, our St. Kieran, is placed second on the list,' in an ancient CatalogueoftheAbbotsoverSt. Iltud'smonastery. Aroundittherewere no mountains or steep inequalities, but an open and a fertile plain ; there was a wood, very thick, with various trees growing in it, while many wild beasts inhabited it ; a very pleasing river flowed therein, and spring-fountains, mingled with a rivulet, ran in delightful courses. ^ It is thought, that about A. D. 505, St. Kieran dwelt there. Thence, he proceeded, it is said, to a small island,intheRiverWye,whereheerectedamonastery. Thither,manydevout persons flocked, to receive at his lips lessons of heavenly instruction. Soon after, he returned to Saigher. In Brittany, he is supposed to have laboured ; and, he is honoured there still, in many places, it is said, as St. Sezin. This, however, is clearly a mistake. Thence, he went to Cornwall, which retains many memorials of St. Ciaran's or Piran's Apostolate,3 and several churches there have such a name. * In our own days, the church of Peranzabulo,^ or " St. Kieran's in the Sands "^ has been brought to light, after having been imbedden on the strand, for about 800 years. 7 It is almost perfect, in its
tical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, ii. , n. 22, p. 8.
5-» See his Life, at the 12th of December. He died, about the middle of the sixth century.
55 See his Life, at the 29th of November.
His death took place, after the middle of
Pieran, at Perranzabuloe, a parish in the Union of Truro, on the west coast of Corn- wall, in the days of King Edward the Con- fessor. The church was endowed with lands, and the privilege of a sanctuary. See Tanner's " Notitia Monastica," Cornwall x. St. Piran's College and its possessions arc also alluded to, in the Doomsday Survey, tomus fol. col. 2.
Irish Missions," No. i. , p. 24.
5 gee Rev. C. T. Collins Trevellyan's
" Peranzabuloe : The lost Church found. "
It has a frontispiece, and it was published, A. D. 1843, in 8vo.
^ Near Lambourne is the well of St. Peran, to which a miraculous efficacy was attributed, in the cure of diseases; and about one mile and a-half from it is St. Peran's Round, an ancient Cornish amphi-
the sixth century.
5*' See his
death is usually referred to A. D. 577.
His
Life,
at the i6th of
May.
i. , 121,
Rt. Rev. Patrick F. Moran's "Early
57 See his Life, at the 15th of April.
5* His death is usually assigned to A. D,
See Ussher's " Britannicarum Eccle- siarum Antiquitates," Index Chronologicus, P- 533"
Chapter v. —' See Williams' "Eccle- siastical Antiquities. "
584.
*
See Rees' "Lives of the Welsh Saints,"
p. 163.
3 There were a Dean and Canons of St.
140 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 5.
rude masonry. It has sculptured corbels and zig-zag ornaments so complete, that we might be almost tempted to imagine, that one of our old Irish oratories had been transplanted to its site, on the Cornish shore. ^ Again, Camden mentions a chapel,s dedicated in his name, on the road between Padstow'° and St. lies. The Kyran, however, to whom the Cornish churches had been dedicated, and who is generally called there Piran, was the holy Abbot of Clonmacnoise, in the opinion of Sir Thomas Duffus Hardy," of William F. Skene," and of Bishop Forbes. '3 The oratory of St. Gothian, near Hayle, Cornwall, is the second instance of a church, which had been buriedinthesandsforcenturies,beingbroughttolightoncemore. ^'^ Inthe parish of Tintagel, Shire of Cornwall, there was formerly a chapel dedicated to St. Piran. 'S Were we to credit Dempster,'^ this holy man lived chiefly in the western Isles of Scotland. Yet, Dr. Lanigan avers, that the St. Kieran, so much respected in that country, and to whom the Scottish writer alluded, was not Kiaran of Ossory, venerated on the 5th of March, but Kieran of Clonmacnoise, whose festival was kept, on the 9th of September,'? Nor do our ancient Irish writers sanction any different conclusion. '^
Our saint was distinguished for his great humility, and for his love of
Sacred Scripture, which he delighted in hearing and reading, even in his old age. But, what we are told, that in common with other saints, Kieran be- came a disciple of St. Finian of Clonard, with whom he studied the inspired writings, towards his closing years,'^ seems wholly inadmissible ; although, it imposed on the inadvertence of Sir James Ware,^° when referring to the Life of St. Finnian, what is found only in the Life of St. Kieran. It must be very strange, if, after twenty years of study, at Rome, and after having become a bishop, in a. d. 402, as stated by some, he should be found studying under Finnian, about the year 540. Nor, can these studies of his be reconciled with St. Kieran having been a disciple of Patrick, and of his exercising, during that time, the duties of a bishop. Yet, in the Lives of Finnian and of Kieran of Clonmacnoise, there is not the least hint of his great age, when at-
theatre for the celebration of games and No. 1653, p. 539. Saturday, June 3, 1871. '*"
sports. See Lewis' Topographical Dic- tionary of England," vol. iii. , p. 556.
7 Leland writes: "S. Piranes, alias
Kenerine, wher the Sanctuarie was . . . . Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. x. , No. 774, p.
Miles from S. Ani—onics : and not a Mile
from the Main se. " "Itinerary," vol. iii. ,
p. 24.
*
See Rt. Rev. Patrick F. Moran's
" Irish Early
No.
Missions," 9 See "Britannia. "
i. , p. 25.
" Also called St. Petrock, a seaport in the Union of St. Columb Major, on the west coast of Cornwall.
" See "Descriptive Catalogue of Mate- rials relating to the History of Great Britain and Ireland, to the end of the reign of Henry VII. " vol. i. , p. 102.
niensi, cap. xxxix. , p. 463. Dr. Lanigan
"See "Four Ancient Books of Wales, containing the Cymric Poems attributed to the Bards of the Sixth Century," vol. i. , chap, viii. , p. 124.
knowing that Finnian's school was held in
the sixth century, and acknowledging that
Kieran was universally considered as a pupil
of Finnian, cunningly endeavoured to recon-
cile this circumstance with his former posi-
tions, by telling us, that Kieran was then
very old, but that he M'as so humble as not
—to be ashamed to attend Finnian's lectures. "
'3 See " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p.
"
i. , chap, i. , sect, xiv. , n. 124, p. 32.
='° See " S. Patricii. " Annota- Opuscula
tiones, p. 106.
"' See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical
HistoryofIreland,"vol. i. , chap,i. , sect. \
435-
' Front the rudeness of the work, St.
Ecclesiastical Histoiy of Ireland," vol.
Gothian
date than the church of St. Pyran, which was found a few years ago at Perranzabuloe. SeeTheIllustratedLoudonNcius,vol. Iviii. ,
appears
to be of a still more ancient
'5 See Lewis' Topographical Dictionary of England," vol. iv. , p. 363.
420.
'''See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect. 2, n. 32,
p. 9.
'* See "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nise," Martii v. Appendix ad Acta S. Kie-
rani, cap. i. , pp. 470 to 472.
'9 See Vita S. Kierani, ex Codice Kilken-
'^ See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
remarks: " The author^ of that Life, well
March 5-] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 141
tending at the school of Clonard ', and, he is simply mentioned, as one of
the ordinary pupils. ^^
This great saint, from his youth to the very day of death, denied himself
the use of fine garments, flesh meat, and intoxicating drink. What an admi- rable example is here set, by a man, whose passions were always under con-
trol ! From it we may infer, that total abstinence is almost the only remedy
for those, who cannot control their passion for drink, once they have taken
any ; but, to impose such restriction indiscriminately upon all, old and
young, temperate and intemperate, taking people as they are, is likely to be
violated, in many cases, and, once broken, the proclivity to further indul- genceistoofrequentlyincreased. Religioushabitsandsacramentalaidsare
required, to secure the entire victory. St. Kieran slept little, and he despised all carnal delights. He converted the Ossorians and many others, from the errors of paganism to Gospel truths and morality ; he consecrated and ordained a great number of bishops, priests and minor clergy. He had frequent angelic visions ; while miracles were wrought, through God's celes- tial messengers. Amongst other things recorded, having asked for the pro- duction of a fountain, in a certain place, shown him by an Angel, his prayer was soon granted ; and many sick persons were afterwards healed, by the waterofthisspring,whichwascalled"theWellofKieran. " Mostlikely
it is not the one in only
Our saint's office informs us, that he was a faithful practitioner of virtuous
acts of humility, prudence, bounty, chastity, faith, hope and charity. He
lived in poverty, during his term of life, but he was rich in grace. He is
called, a balance of the law, an ark of justice, a doctor of youth, the guide of
old persons, and the incomparable tower of all.
