"
Additional
Notes G,
Annales Ordinis S.
Annales Ordinis S.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
41, pp.
164 t 166.
'9 About nine miles from Dublin City, and to the north. The O'Clerys place the church
From that day forward, to her last
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect. x. , p. 132.
82
His feast occurs, at the 10th of May. 83 His festival is held, on the nth of
October.
8* See "Trias ' "Colgan's Thaumaturga,'
Quinta Vita S. Columba;, lib. i. , cap. lxvii. , p. 400.
85 Now a parish, in the barony so named, and described, on the " Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Meath," sheets 31, 32, 37, 38. The town and town-
here, among dar.
80
his
erections,
in their Calen-
See his Life, at the 16th of March.
81 The Rev. Dr . Lanigan states, that the house of Swords was not established by him, nor before the year 563, but some time in
"
the seventh century. See Ecclesiastical
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 3 1 9
breath, the woman's soul was linked with indissoluble affection to her husband; so that, both of them lived happily together, until death dissolved their mar- riage bonds. ? 8 At Swords,? 9 St. Columb is said to have built a church, and to have committed its care to St. Finan Lobhuir. 80 However, this may not be correct. 8 ' He left there a Missal, which he had transcribed himself. There, also, he blessed a fountain, called Glan. There, too, while celebrating Mass, St. Comgall 8z and St. Caineach 83 saw a fiery column lighting on his head, and
coming
from Heaven. 84 At 8s also called there Skreen, Scrin-Cholaim-chille,
was a church dedicated to our saint, but — not founded probably by
—rived its modern name its ancient
place apparently de pagan
him. This
one Aichill or Achaill 86 from the fact of its being the repository of a shrine, which contained some of St. Columkille's relics. The old church stood on a Near it was erected a building for Augustinian Lord Francis de 88 about one
hill, but it is now destroyed.
8? in the fourteenth
century, by Feipo,
Eremites,
mile and a-half from Tara, in the county of Meath ; and, this place gives title
8
to a rural deanery of the Diocese. ? St. Columkille's well is noted, on the
north-western side of the church.
During the saint's abode, in that particular region of Ireland, and then
known as the plains of Breagh, he went one Sunday to a neighbouring 12
small monastery,9° named Trivet,? now Trevet. ? In Irish, it was called Treoit,93 or Trefoit. 9* It lay in the plain of Bregia, and on the Boyne. 95 That
same day, a certain Priest was celebrating the holy mysteries of the Eucharist, and he was one of the monks made choice of for that purpose, for they
deemed him a very holy and religious man. However, St. Columba suddenly pronounced this fearful sentence, on seeing him: " Clean and unclean things
are now mingled together, to wit, the clean mysteries of the Sacred Oblation, handled by an unclean man, who hideth in his conscience an enormous sin. " The bystanders were struck with fear, while the person regarding whom he had thus spoken confessed his sin before all the company. With great astonish- ment, the pious servants of Christ, who were present in the church, admired in the saint this stupendous knowledge, penetrating even to the secrets of men's hearts. They gave praise to the Almighty for His wonders, thus mani- fested. ? 6 At one time, St. Columba and St. Canice ? ? were walking by the sea-shore, during the prevalence of a great storm. Being asked, who were thenindangerontheocean,St. Columbareplied,thatsomeofSt. Canice's people were exposed to misfortune, and that one should lose his life, while in
Annals,andintheAnnalsofUlster; and,
sometimes, it is found allied with the epithet
mop, "great. "
94 in the "Annals of the Four Masters,"
landareshownonsheet32.
86 "
See Rev. Anthony Cogan's Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. i. , chap, xxvii. , p. 151.
87 The accompanying illustration, drawn
on the spot, by William F. Wakeman, and
by him transferred to the wood, en- " three sods," given in some ancient autho-
graved by Mrs. Millard, gives an accurate view of the existing remains of that religious house.
88 See Archdall's "Monasticon Hiberni-
cum," pp. 569, 570.
rities, cited by Drs. O'Donovan and Petrie.
9S See Dr. Todd's and Dr. Reeves' "Martyrology of Donegal," at November 1st, pp. 290, 291.
^ The foregoing account is to be found, in
89 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
"
p. 282. xxxx. , p. 347, and likewise, in O'Donnell's
90 The Latin word used by Adamnan for Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. xcviii. See
Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes G, Adamnan's Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap.
"
it is
9' It lies a little south-eastwards from the
church of Skreen.
92 A parish in the barony of Skreen and
county of Meath.
*>3 It is written cpeoic, in Tigernach's
monasteriolum. "
Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," pp. 347, 405.
9? His festival occurs on the nth of Octo- ber, where his Life may be found. He died a. d. 599, in the 84th year of his age.
* See ibid. , cap. lxviii. , p. 400.
the form, cpej? 01c is occasionally found, This is agreeable to the etymon, cpi poic, or
being
3 2o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9. the morning others should safely reach the shore. The result corresponded
8
with this prediction. 9
While St. Columba and Boethan^ his disciple were once rambling along
the shore, they saw a ship go down in the waves. Beholding this sad spec- tacle, Boethan asked his superior why the Almighty permitted that ship to be lost. St. Columba replied, that one of the crew had been a great sinner, and that the others had suffered shipwreck, on account of his crimes. Boe- than remarked, how it hardly seemed just, that so many should suffer death for the crimes of one person. However, St. Columb kept silent, because he knew, that Boethan rather spoke these words indeterminately, than because
they expressed his matured opinion. A curious occasion for reprehending Baethan soon occurred ; for, on the way, Columba took a beehive, which he asked his companion to carry home. It happened, that one of the bees escaped, and stung Baethan's hand. At once he let fall the hive, when the honey-combs were broken in pieces. Columba slily asked, why Baethan had destroyed the hive, and he was told, because one of the bees had severely pained him. " Then," said Columba, " because you got a slight sting in one hand from a single bee, you consider the whole hive may fitly be destroyed ; so, the justice of God is not violated, although for the very grievous sin of one a wholemultitudemaypaythepenalty. " This,0°admonitionconvincedBaethen of his error, and he promised, never thenceforth to enquire too curiously into God'sways,orrashlytocriticisethem. 101 Amongothergreatmen,themost illustrious Patriarch io2 of the Irish Church in his day was St. Finian,I03 and Columbawenttovisithisoldpreceptor,atClonard. Onapproaching,thelatter
10* This must have in or happened,
saw him surrounded a choir of by
Angels.
before a. d. 552, which is the date usually assigned for the demise of St. Finian.
The latter directed the attention of his disciples to the circumstance, and cried
:
out " Behold how Columba approaches us, and he deserves to have as a
!
companion the Angel of the Lord. " 105 St. Columba once went to the place, known as Damhliag Cianain, now Duleek. St. Cianain Io6 lived in the time of St. Patrick. There, he had an opportunity for examining the remains pre- served. No person afterwards dared to touch the body of St. Cianain, or to open his tomb, until St. Adamnan io7 did so, and even the latter lost the sight
of his which was eyes,
108 At 10* Mornington,
restored after fervent
formerly called Villa Maris or Marinerstown, there was a church, which had
been dedicated to St. Columba. 110 Mornington now forms a portion of the UnionofColpe,inthecountyanddioceseofMeath. 111 Oneverywarmday,
while St. Columba and St. Baithen were
99 No doubt the holy disciple, who after- wards succeeded St, Columb as Abbot of Iona, and whose festival is held on this same day.
100WemayregardSt. Columba'sillustra- "
passing by
the River
Boind,
1 " saw they
only
prayer.
I0' Hisfeastoccurs,atthe23rdofSep- tion here, as an argumentum ad homi- tember.
nem. "
lo8 See " Trias Colgan's
101
102 " See Mabillon's
Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columba? , lib. i. , cap. cvii. ,
See ibid. , cap. lxix. , p. 400.
tomus lib. Benedicti," i. ,
viii. ,
sect,
v. , p.
parish of Colp, and barony of Lower Duleek, shown on the '* Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
208.
103 His festival is on the 23rd of February,
and at the 12th of December.
104 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Quinta Vita S. Columbae, lib. i. , cap. lxvi. , p. 400.
ios This is stated, in ibid. , Vita Prima S.
Columbse, cap. iii. , p. 321. It is also related in Arlqmn^n^e *' T if» rtf Qt f~*/\ln»viKi " UK
for the County of Meath," sheet 21.
,I0 It is mentioned in Dopping's Visita- tion, preserved in Primate Marsh's Library,
Dublin.
: " See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's Life of St. Columba.
" Additional Notes G,
Annales Ordinis S.
p. 407.
'°9 A town and townland in the
iii. , cap. 4, pp. 195, 196. Rev. Dr. Reeves' edition.
Io6 ber.
His Life occurs, at the 24th of Novem-
"
p^ 284.
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 321
very wicked king **3 bathing in the water; He was known to be depraved in morals, and to be void of piety or fraternal charity. St. Columba had a revela- tion, that this king led a bad life, and that his death was also near at hand. Then, too, Columba began to consider, if he could be converted from his evil ways, and thus escape everlasting punishment. Therefore, he told St. Baithen to approach him, and to ask for an alms. If he gave anything, it was supposed God might be propitious to him, in this extreme moment, and might hear a prayer offered for him. St. Baithen obeyed, but when he ap- proached the king with this request, he was received with reproaches only, and he brought back such news to Columba. Full of sorrow and anxiety, our saint next went forward himself. Then the king, still more furiously inclined, threatened, and proceeded to take up a stone from the river, which he in- tended to cast at him. The Almighty prevented this, for instantly the king sank beneath the water. When St. Columba was departing from the place, he wrapped himself in some fine linen, and in a royal purple garment, which the king left hanging on those boughs that were near. Seeing this and not perceiving as yet that the king was drowned, Baithen said in astonishment to
:
St. Columba " Why take you that garment and justly expose us to the king's
anger, since it belongs to him, and while without cause he just now threa-
king. " it can- "Do not make such an assertion, for whoever gives alms voluntarily and with a right inten- tion deserves a reward, but whatever servant of Christ uses the temporal goods of one who has unwillingly given them, often obtains a reward, if the giver do not, and I trust such shall be the case, in this present instance. " On looking back over that spot where the king had been drowned, a great number of evil spirits were seen in the air, preparing punishments for him^ and urging him downwards to hell. Yet, that garment St. Columba bore proved to be the means, whereby the king was rescued from the demons' struggle. The holy manprayedhemightbeagainrestoredtolife, sothathemighthaveare-
tened us ? " St. Columba " This I as an alms from the
Boyne. 113 Some called him
p. 235.
son to Maolmith ; but, Prince O'Donnell states, he must have been a different person, as other-
wise he could not have been with St. Columba.
II6 See " Trias Thaumaturga," Colgan's
Congalach,
replied : carry
"
not be available for him as an alms. " Columba answered :
Baithen then
replied :
as he has not it of his own But, given
accord,
11 *
At Druimfinchoill,115 in Ireland, a religious house is said to have
newed chance for
doing penance.
been in a united founded,
St. 6 Lugad ;"
and
where in the province of Meath. "8 For this statement, however, there
appears to be no more specific warrant, than a mere passing allusion to it, in the Acts of our saint. 11 ' At Cluain-mor of Fer-arda, now Clonmore, a parish
situated in the Barony of Ferrard, county of Louth, and diocese of Armagh, it is related, that St. Columba founded a church, and committed the care of
Columkille, but,thatplaceisnowunknown,11? althoughsupposedtohavebeensome-
112 Nowthe
"LifeofSt. n. (a), Columba,"
synchronous
114 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," lxxiii. , p. 548.
capacity, by
by
Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. cii. ,
alludes to this place as being near Ros-na- Columbse, lib. iii. , cap. lx. ,d. 442.
p. 406.
"5 This is
"9 See " Trias Colgan's
" Meadow of the White Hazel. " An old Irish Romance, in-
Thaumaturga," Quarta Vita S. Columbse, lib. iii. , cap. xxiii. , tituled CAchrveim T)Achi tlUc pAchyvAch, num. 10, p. 370, and Quinta Vita S.
interpreted
riogh, now known as Rossnaree, a townland on the Boyne, and in the parish of Knock- common. See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
I20 His feast occurs, at the 1st Of January, where notices of him may be found in the First Volume of this work, Art. iii.
Vol. VI. —No. 6.
X
St.
Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse, cap. ii. , p. 493.
"7 See Rev. A. " Diocese of Cogan's
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. , chap.
"8
See Archdall's "Monasticon Hiberni- cum," p. 532.
322 LIVES OF THE IRISH SA1X7S. [June 9
it to Oissein," the son of Ceallach. Afterwards, that church went by the title of St. Columba of Clonmore, and there was a patron held in the place,
of his chief festival, the 9th of June. 121 On another occasion, some hardy fishermen, companions of the saint, had taken five fish with their net in the River Sale. 122 The waters abounded in fish, and the saint said to them, " Cast your net again into the stream, and you shall find a large fish, which the Lord has destined for me. " Obeying the saint's command, they hauled in
on the
Divine revelation, and he predicted, that city, although then full of people, powerful in its garrison, noble in its chiefs, sublime in its royal pre-eminence,
abounding in provisions, having its tables furnished, as also pleasant in its courts, entrances and surroundings, yet should become a scene of desolation
in the should be forsaken 126 and remain void of other
future, by kings, require-
ments, as a melancholy example of human instability. He predicted the same regarding Cruachain, Daillind, and Emhain Macha. All this as foretold was
12 subsequentlyrealized. ?
When Columba was returning with his monks at one time after prayers, they noticed his sad appearance, and they enquired its cause. Then, in a prophe-
ticspiritheanswered "MyIrishpeoplearetomeacauseforsorrow,since
:
in time to come, they shall wage war on each other, shall injure, hate, and wickedly slay, shall shed innocent blood, shall oppress the poor, and violate churchesandholyplaces; forthesecrimes,theyshallexciteandincurthe angerofGodandofhissaints,whosechurchestheyprofaned. Wherefore,to avenge such evils, God shall arm against them the forces and courage of foreigners, so that they shall be driven from their own seats and houses to the mountains, rough places, marshes, and deserts, unfit and inconvenient for human habitation. However, I feel abundantly consoled, because taught by such calamities, our people shall be converted to God, and shall recover their love of justice and right, they shall venerate the saints, and they shall invio- lably observe their church privileges.
day
a fish I23 of size, which was astonishing
the 12* Almighty.
"'
See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
residence most convenient or agreeable, but
usually within his own hereditary principa- lity. The kings of the northern Hy-Neill usually resided at their ancient fortress of Aileach, in the barony of Inishowen, near
for him
Some time before the desertion of Temoria,12* or Tara, Columba had a
" Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes G,
pp. 280, 281.
i22 We are told by Colgan, that the River
Sele, as referred to in the Quarta Vita S.
Patricii, cap. li. , p. 42, and in the Septima Derry ; and those of the southern Hy-Niall,
Vita S. Patricii, pars ii. , cap. iv. , p. 129, was identical with the Abha-dhubh, i. e. , Jluvius niger, now the Blackwater River in Meath. See "Trias Thaumaturga," n. 14,
P- 173-
123 In Adamnan's Life of our saint it is
termed an essoc. By this is understood, a
salmon or a pike, by some ; but, Colgan deems it to be an eel, and derivable from the Irish term efcoti, applied to the latter fish.
"* See ibid. , Quarta Vita S. Columbae,
at first lived at Dun-Torgeis, near Castle- pollard in Westmeath, and afterwards at Dun-na-Sgiath, at the north-western margin of Loch Annin, now Lough Ennell, near Mullingar. Seeidid. ,n. (p).
"'See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columba? , lib. i. , cap. lxxxiv. , p. 402.
ib. 3*3-
and n.
" When that which 19, p. cup,
ii. , cap. xix. , p. 354,
for others the Had brimm'd full of bitterness,
125 This is usually placed at A. D. 554, when the last feast of Teamhair was cele-
brated, by Diarmaid, King of Ireland. See
drench'd her own
And the world she had trampled on
" Masters," vol. i. , pp. 190, 191.
Dr. O'Donovan's
Annals of the Four
heard without
The howl in her halls, and the cry
136
monarch of Ireland chose for himself the
pity from her ships.
Alter this desertion of Tara, each
prepared
by
In fine, the Almighty shall regard the
128 This passage will forcibly recall those lines, in that beautiful lyric, and the political
: meaning they convey, in "The Parallel" —
proud Golden City
lips,
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 323 multiplied wickedness, and the cup brimful of impiety, heaped up by their
conquerors
persecutors ;
then,
turn,
hatreds,
you very certain,
tain Columba
that
life shall be even so much
"
,2S
and
bounds of Ireland, while the Irish, through the intercession of their own
12
saints, shall recover laws and usages, they had previously lost. " ? Another
time, travelling towards Temoria,T3° our saint met a certain holy prophet, called Bee, the son of De. ' 31 On account of his spirit of prophecy and pre-
dictions, he was very dear to and familiar with Diennit, son to Kerval, King
of Ireland. After mutual salutations, and speaking on the subject of pro-
phecy, Columba asked Bee, if he knew the term of his own life, or the hour
of his death ? Bee " I well know for now seven of life re- replied : it, years my
main. " Then,Columbasaid,thatmanypiousworkscouldbeperformedin a briefer time, and he asked again, if Bee were certain, he had so long a term to survive. Hesitating a little, Bee replied, that he should recall what lie said, and that he had only seven months to live. Then, asked Columba, " Are
in
quarrels, and wars, shall succeed, and the foreigners shall be driven from the
your
fession of my past sins, to give me communion, and to prepare me for my last end. This request Columba complied with, and on that very day, St. Bee
132 mac De went to Heaven. —
Truly, holy Father," said Bee, "all your former predictions regarding me must be fulfilled, and I have been deceived regarding myself, as now I know I have only seven hours to live. Wherefore, I earnestly entreat you, to hear the con-
Acer—
I33
our saint is said to have visited St. Fintan of Dunbleisque, and to have
Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbae, lib. i. , cap. lxxxv. ,
Art. at the of the date for i. , 3rd January,
pp. 402, 403.
*3°Inthe" foundin Tigernachi Annales,"
Rev. Dr. O'Connor's "Rerum Hibernicarum
131 In the Leabhar Breac, he is represented as poet and counsellor to Diarmait Mac
his festival.
I35 "
See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum
Hiber-
tomus the last convention at ii. ,
Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse, cap. ii. ,
Scriptores,"
Temoria, is placed at a. d. 560. See p. 141.
Thaumaturga,"
mutual dissensions,
but nevertheless he cannot well be identified with 13*
bestowed upon the latter a city called Kill-maitoge, with the services, which
its inhabitants owed to the 1 ^ This church is 136 possessor. placed, by Colgan,
in the Diocese of Meath, although in another passage, he does not undertake to define the locality.
'9 About nine miles from Dublin City, and to the north. The O'Clerys place the church
From that day forward, to her last
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect. x. , p. 132.
82
His feast occurs, at the 10th of May. 83 His festival is held, on the nth of
October.
8* See "Trias ' "Colgan's Thaumaturga,'
Quinta Vita S. Columba;, lib. i. , cap. lxvii. , p. 400.
85 Now a parish, in the barony so named, and described, on the " Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Meath," sheets 31, 32, 37, 38. The town and town-
here, among dar.
80
his
erections,
in their Calen-
See his Life, at the 16th of March.
81 The Rev. Dr . Lanigan states, that the house of Swords was not established by him, nor before the year 563, but some time in
"
the seventh century. See Ecclesiastical
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 3 1 9
breath, the woman's soul was linked with indissoluble affection to her husband; so that, both of them lived happily together, until death dissolved their mar- riage bonds. ? 8 At Swords,? 9 St. Columb is said to have built a church, and to have committed its care to St. Finan Lobhuir. 80 However, this may not be correct. 8 ' He left there a Missal, which he had transcribed himself. There, also, he blessed a fountain, called Glan. There, too, while celebrating Mass, St. Comgall 8z and St. Caineach 83 saw a fiery column lighting on his head, and
coming
from Heaven. 84 At 8s also called there Skreen, Scrin-Cholaim-chille,
was a church dedicated to our saint, but — not founded probably by
—rived its modern name its ancient
place apparently de pagan
him. This
one Aichill or Achaill 86 from the fact of its being the repository of a shrine, which contained some of St. Columkille's relics. The old church stood on a Near it was erected a building for Augustinian Lord Francis de 88 about one
hill, but it is now destroyed.
8? in the fourteenth
century, by Feipo,
Eremites,
mile and a-half from Tara, in the county of Meath ; and, this place gives title
8
to a rural deanery of the Diocese. ? St. Columkille's well is noted, on the
north-western side of the church.
During the saint's abode, in that particular region of Ireland, and then
known as the plains of Breagh, he went one Sunday to a neighbouring 12
small monastery,9° named Trivet,? now Trevet. ? In Irish, it was called Treoit,93 or Trefoit. 9* It lay in the plain of Bregia, and on the Boyne. 95 That
same day, a certain Priest was celebrating the holy mysteries of the Eucharist, and he was one of the monks made choice of for that purpose, for they
deemed him a very holy and religious man. However, St. Columba suddenly pronounced this fearful sentence, on seeing him: " Clean and unclean things
are now mingled together, to wit, the clean mysteries of the Sacred Oblation, handled by an unclean man, who hideth in his conscience an enormous sin. " The bystanders were struck with fear, while the person regarding whom he had thus spoken confessed his sin before all the company. With great astonish- ment, the pious servants of Christ, who were present in the church, admired in the saint this stupendous knowledge, penetrating even to the secrets of men's hearts. They gave praise to the Almighty for His wonders, thus mani- fested. ? 6 At one time, St. Columba and St. Canice ? ? were walking by the sea-shore, during the prevalence of a great storm. Being asked, who were thenindangerontheocean,St. Columbareplied,thatsomeofSt. Canice's people were exposed to misfortune, and that one should lose his life, while in
Annals,andintheAnnalsofUlster; and,
sometimes, it is found allied with the epithet
mop, "great. "
94 in the "Annals of the Four Masters,"
landareshownonsheet32.
86 "
See Rev. Anthony Cogan's Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. i. , chap, xxvii. , p. 151.
87 The accompanying illustration, drawn
on the spot, by William F. Wakeman, and
by him transferred to the wood, en- " three sods," given in some ancient autho-
graved by Mrs. Millard, gives an accurate view of the existing remains of that religious house.
88 See Archdall's "Monasticon Hiberni-
cum," pp. 569, 570.
rities, cited by Drs. O'Donovan and Petrie.
9S See Dr. Todd's and Dr. Reeves' "Martyrology of Donegal," at November 1st, pp. 290, 291.
^ The foregoing account is to be found, in
89 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
"
p. 282. xxxx. , p. 347, and likewise, in O'Donnell's
90 The Latin word used by Adamnan for Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. xcviii. See
Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes G, Adamnan's Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap.
"
it is
9' It lies a little south-eastwards from the
church of Skreen.
92 A parish in the barony of Skreen and
county of Meath.
*>3 It is written cpeoic, in Tigernach's
monasteriolum. "
Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," pp. 347, 405.
9? His festival occurs on the nth of Octo- ber, where his Life may be found. He died a. d. 599, in the 84th year of his age.
* See ibid. , cap. lxviii. , p. 400.
the form, cpej? 01c is occasionally found, This is agreeable to the etymon, cpi poic, or
being
3 2o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9. the morning others should safely reach the shore. The result corresponded
8
with this prediction. 9
While St. Columba and Boethan^ his disciple were once rambling along
the shore, they saw a ship go down in the waves. Beholding this sad spec- tacle, Boethan asked his superior why the Almighty permitted that ship to be lost. St. Columba replied, that one of the crew had been a great sinner, and that the others had suffered shipwreck, on account of his crimes. Boe- than remarked, how it hardly seemed just, that so many should suffer death for the crimes of one person. However, St. Columb kept silent, because he knew, that Boethan rather spoke these words indeterminately, than because
they expressed his matured opinion. A curious occasion for reprehending Baethan soon occurred ; for, on the way, Columba took a beehive, which he asked his companion to carry home. It happened, that one of the bees escaped, and stung Baethan's hand. At once he let fall the hive, when the honey-combs were broken in pieces. Columba slily asked, why Baethan had destroyed the hive, and he was told, because one of the bees had severely pained him. " Then," said Columba, " because you got a slight sting in one hand from a single bee, you consider the whole hive may fitly be destroyed ; so, the justice of God is not violated, although for the very grievous sin of one a wholemultitudemaypaythepenalty. " This,0°admonitionconvincedBaethen of his error, and he promised, never thenceforth to enquire too curiously into God'sways,orrashlytocriticisethem. 101 Amongothergreatmen,themost illustrious Patriarch io2 of the Irish Church in his day was St. Finian,I03 and Columbawenttovisithisoldpreceptor,atClonard. Onapproaching,thelatter
10* This must have in or happened,
saw him surrounded a choir of by
Angels.
before a. d. 552, which is the date usually assigned for the demise of St. Finian.
The latter directed the attention of his disciples to the circumstance, and cried
:
out " Behold how Columba approaches us, and he deserves to have as a
!
companion the Angel of the Lord. " 105 St. Columba once went to the place, known as Damhliag Cianain, now Duleek. St. Cianain Io6 lived in the time of St. Patrick. There, he had an opportunity for examining the remains pre- served. No person afterwards dared to touch the body of St. Cianain, or to open his tomb, until St. Adamnan io7 did so, and even the latter lost the sight
of his which was eyes,
108 At 10* Mornington,
restored after fervent
formerly called Villa Maris or Marinerstown, there was a church, which had
been dedicated to St. Columba. 110 Mornington now forms a portion of the UnionofColpe,inthecountyanddioceseofMeath. 111 Oneverywarmday,
while St. Columba and St. Baithen were
99 No doubt the holy disciple, who after- wards succeeded St, Columb as Abbot of Iona, and whose festival is held on this same day.
100WemayregardSt. Columba'sillustra- "
passing by
the River
Boind,
1 " saw they
only
prayer.
I0' Hisfeastoccurs,atthe23rdofSep- tion here, as an argumentum ad homi- tember.
nem. "
lo8 See " Trias Colgan's
101
102 " See Mabillon's
Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columba? , lib. i. , cap. cvii. ,
See ibid. , cap. lxix. , p. 400.
tomus lib. Benedicti," i. ,
viii. ,
sect,
v. , p.
parish of Colp, and barony of Lower Duleek, shown on the '* Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
208.
103 His festival is on the 23rd of February,
and at the 12th of December.
104 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Quinta Vita S. Columbae, lib. i. , cap. lxvi. , p. 400.
ios This is stated, in ibid. , Vita Prima S.
Columbse, cap. iii. , p. 321. It is also related in Arlqmn^n^e *' T if» rtf Qt f~*/\ln»viKi " UK
for the County of Meath," sheet 21.
,I0 It is mentioned in Dopping's Visita- tion, preserved in Primate Marsh's Library,
Dublin.
: " See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's Life of St. Columba.
" Additional Notes G,
Annales Ordinis S.
p. 407.
'°9 A town and townland in the
iii. , cap. 4, pp. 195, 196. Rev. Dr. Reeves' edition.
Io6 ber.
His Life occurs, at the 24th of Novem-
"
p^ 284.
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 321
very wicked king **3 bathing in the water; He was known to be depraved in morals, and to be void of piety or fraternal charity. St. Columba had a revela- tion, that this king led a bad life, and that his death was also near at hand. Then, too, Columba began to consider, if he could be converted from his evil ways, and thus escape everlasting punishment. Therefore, he told St. Baithen to approach him, and to ask for an alms. If he gave anything, it was supposed God might be propitious to him, in this extreme moment, and might hear a prayer offered for him. St. Baithen obeyed, but when he ap- proached the king with this request, he was received with reproaches only, and he brought back such news to Columba. Full of sorrow and anxiety, our saint next went forward himself. Then the king, still more furiously inclined, threatened, and proceeded to take up a stone from the river, which he in- tended to cast at him. The Almighty prevented this, for instantly the king sank beneath the water. When St. Columba was departing from the place, he wrapped himself in some fine linen, and in a royal purple garment, which the king left hanging on those boughs that were near. Seeing this and not perceiving as yet that the king was drowned, Baithen said in astonishment to
:
St. Columba " Why take you that garment and justly expose us to the king's
anger, since it belongs to him, and while without cause he just now threa-
king. " it can- "Do not make such an assertion, for whoever gives alms voluntarily and with a right inten- tion deserves a reward, but whatever servant of Christ uses the temporal goods of one who has unwillingly given them, often obtains a reward, if the giver do not, and I trust such shall be the case, in this present instance. " On looking back over that spot where the king had been drowned, a great number of evil spirits were seen in the air, preparing punishments for him^ and urging him downwards to hell. Yet, that garment St. Columba bore proved to be the means, whereby the king was rescued from the demons' struggle. The holy manprayedhemightbeagainrestoredtolife, sothathemighthaveare-
tened us ? " St. Columba " This I as an alms from the
Boyne. 113 Some called him
p. 235.
son to Maolmith ; but, Prince O'Donnell states, he must have been a different person, as other-
wise he could not have been with St. Columba.
II6 See " Trias Thaumaturga," Colgan's
Congalach,
replied : carry
"
not be available for him as an alms. " Columba answered :
Baithen then
replied :
as he has not it of his own But, given
accord,
11 *
At Druimfinchoill,115 in Ireland, a religious house is said to have
newed chance for
doing penance.
been in a united founded,
St. 6 Lugad ;"
and
where in the province of Meath. "8 For this statement, however, there
appears to be no more specific warrant, than a mere passing allusion to it, in the Acts of our saint. 11 ' At Cluain-mor of Fer-arda, now Clonmore, a parish
situated in the Barony of Ferrard, county of Louth, and diocese of Armagh, it is related, that St. Columba founded a church, and committed the care of
Columkille, but,thatplaceisnowunknown,11? althoughsupposedtohavebeensome-
112 Nowthe
"LifeofSt. n. (a), Columba,"
synchronous
114 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," lxxiii. , p. 548.
capacity, by
by
Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. cii. ,
alludes to this place as being near Ros-na- Columbse, lib. iii. , cap. lx. ,d. 442.
p. 406.
"5 This is
"9 See " Trias Colgan's
" Meadow of the White Hazel. " An old Irish Romance, in-
Thaumaturga," Quarta Vita S. Columbse, lib. iii. , cap. xxiii. , tituled CAchrveim T)Achi tlUc pAchyvAch, num. 10, p. 370, and Quinta Vita S.
interpreted
riogh, now known as Rossnaree, a townland on the Boyne, and in the parish of Knock- common. See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
I20 His feast occurs, at the 1st Of January, where notices of him may be found in the First Volume of this work, Art. iii.
Vol. VI. —No. 6.
X
St.
Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse, cap. ii. , p. 493.
"7 See Rev. A. " Diocese of Cogan's
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. , chap.
"8
See Archdall's "Monasticon Hiberni- cum," p. 532.
322 LIVES OF THE IRISH SA1X7S. [June 9
it to Oissein," the son of Ceallach. Afterwards, that church went by the title of St. Columba of Clonmore, and there was a patron held in the place,
of his chief festival, the 9th of June. 121 On another occasion, some hardy fishermen, companions of the saint, had taken five fish with their net in the River Sale. 122 The waters abounded in fish, and the saint said to them, " Cast your net again into the stream, and you shall find a large fish, which the Lord has destined for me. " Obeying the saint's command, they hauled in
on the
Divine revelation, and he predicted, that city, although then full of people, powerful in its garrison, noble in its chiefs, sublime in its royal pre-eminence,
abounding in provisions, having its tables furnished, as also pleasant in its courts, entrances and surroundings, yet should become a scene of desolation
in the should be forsaken 126 and remain void of other
future, by kings, require-
ments, as a melancholy example of human instability. He predicted the same regarding Cruachain, Daillind, and Emhain Macha. All this as foretold was
12 subsequentlyrealized. ?
When Columba was returning with his monks at one time after prayers, they noticed his sad appearance, and they enquired its cause. Then, in a prophe-
ticspiritheanswered "MyIrishpeoplearetomeacauseforsorrow,since
:
in time to come, they shall wage war on each other, shall injure, hate, and wickedly slay, shall shed innocent blood, shall oppress the poor, and violate churchesandholyplaces; forthesecrimes,theyshallexciteandincurthe angerofGodandofhissaints,whosechurchestheyprofaned. Wherefore,to avenge such evils, God shall arm against them the forces and courage of foreigners, so that they shall be driven from their own seats and houses to the mountains, rough places, marshes, and deserts, unfit and inconvenient for human habitation. However, I feel abundantly consoled, because taught by such calamities, our people shall be converted to God, and shall recover their love of justice and right, they shall venerate the saints, and they shall invio- lably observe their church privileges.
day
a fish I23 of size, which was astonishing
the 12* Almighty.
"'
See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
residence most convenient or agreeable, but
usually within his own hereditary principa- lity. The kings of the northern Hy-Neill usually resided at their ancient fortress of Aileach, in the barony of Inishowen, near
for him
Some time before the desertion of Temoria,12* or Tara, Columba had a
" Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes G,
pp. 280, 281.
i22 We are told by Colgan, that the River
Sele, as referred to in the Quarta Vita S.
Patricii, cap. li. , p. 42, and in the Septima Derry ; and those of the southern Hy-Niall,
Vita S. Patricii, pars ii. , cap. iv. , p. 129, was identical with the Abha-dhubh, i. e. , Jluvius niger, now the Blackwater River in Meath. See "Trias Thaumaturga," n. 14,
P- 173-
123 In Adamnan's Life of our saint it is
termed an essoc. By this is understood, a
salmon or a pike, by some ; but, Colgan deems it to be an eel, and derivable from the Irish term efcoti, applied to the latter fish.
"* See ibid. , Quarta Vita S. Columbae,
at first lived at Dun-Torgeis, near Castle- pollard in Westmeath, and afterwards at Dun-na-Sgiath, at the north-western margin of Loch Annin, now Lough Ennell, near Mullingar. Seeidid. ,n. (p).
"'See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columba? , lib. i. , cap. lxxxiv. , p. 402.
ib. 3*3-
and n.
" When that which 19, p. cup,
ii. , cap. xix. , p. 354,
for others the Had brimm'd full of bitterness,
125 This is usually placed at A. D. 554, when the last feast of Teamhair was cele-
brated, by Diarmaid, King of Ireland. See
drench'd her own
And the world she had trampled on
" Masters," vol. i. , pp. 190, 191.
Dr. O'Donovan's
Annals of the Four
heard without
The howl in her halls, and the cry
136
monarch of Ireland chose for himself the
pity from her ships.
Alter this desertion of Tara, each
prepared
by
In fine, the Almighty shall regard the
128 This passage will forcibly recall those lines, in that beautiful lyric, and the political
: meaning they convey, in "The Parallel" —
proud Golden City
lips,
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 323 multiplied wickedness, and the cup brimful of impiety, heaped up by their
conquerors
persecutors ;
then,
turn,
hatreds,
you very certain,
tain Columba
that
life shall be even so much
"
,2S
and
bounds of Ireland, while the Irish, through the intercession of their own
12
saints, shall recover laws and usages, they had previously lost. " ? Another
time, travelling towards Temoria,T3° our saint met a certain holy prophet, called Bee, the son of De. ' 31 On account of his spirit of prophecy and pre-
dictions, he was very dear to and familiar with Diennit, son to Kerval, King
of Ireland. After mutual salutations, and speaking on the subject of pro-
phecy, Columba asked Bee, if he knew the term of his own life, or the hour
of his death ? Bee " I well know for now seven of life re- replied : it, years my
main. " Then,Columbasaid,thatmanypiousworkscouldbeperformedin a briefer time, and he asked again, if Bee were certain, he had so long a term to survive. Hesitating a little, Bee replied, that he should recall what lie said, and that he had only seven months to live. Then, asked Columba, " Are
in
quarrels, and wars, shall succeed, and the foreigners shall be driven from the
your
fession of my past sins, to give me communion, and to prepare me for my last end. This request Columba complied with, and on that very day, St. Bee
132 mac De went to Heaven. —
Truly, holy Father," said Bee, "all your former predictions regarding me must be fulfilled, and I have been deceived regarding myself, as now I know I have only seven hours to live. Wherefore, I earnestly entreat you, to hear the con-
Acer—
I33
our saint is said to have visited St. Fintan of Dunbleisque, and to have
Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbae, lib. i. , cap. lxxxv. ,
Art. at the of the date for i. , 3rd January,
pp. 402, 403.
*3°Inthe" foundin Tigernachi Annales,"
Rev. Dr. O'Connor's "Rerum Hibernicarum
131 In the Leabhar Breac, he is represented as poet and counsellor to Diarmait Mac
his festival.
I35 "
See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum
Hiber-
tomus the last convention at ii. ,
Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse, cap. ii. ,
Scriptores,"
Temoria, is placed at a. d. 560. See p. 141.
Thaumaturga,"
mutual dissensions,
but nevertheless he cannot well be identified with 13*
bestowed upon the latter a city called Kill-maitoge, with the services, which
its inhabitants owed to the 1 ^ This church is 136 possessor. placed, by Colgan,
in the Diocese of Meath, although in another passage, he does not undertake to define the locality.
