INTRODUCTION—AUTHORITIES FOR HIS
ACTS—FAMILY
AND DESCENT OF ST.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v8
In the of 1 Caeman Martyrology Tallagh, Cummine,
and Aicclig, are the names set down in separate lines and in the preceding
order, but without any further designation of their parentage. In that copy, containedintheBookofLeinster,theyareplacedinlikeorder. 2 IntheMartyr- ology of Marianus 0'Gorman,3 these saints are commemorated at this date. In the Martyrology of Donegal, the entries for this day commence with the wordMidhaighre,*whichisfoundenclosedwithinbrackets. s Thereisaparish dedicated to a saint having the name of Cummein, and which is called Kil- cummin. 6 It is situated in the barony of Magunihy, County of Kerry. The old church belonging to this parish is situated on a ridge of fertile land, within the glebe of Kilcummin. In 1841, it measured on the inside 56 feet in length, and 19 feet 6 inches in breadth. Its side walls were 3 feet 5 inches in thickness, and 10 feet in height; being built of green unequally sized
stones, cemented with lime and sand mortar. The west gable was destroyed
nearly down to the ground ; only 3 feet of its height then remaining, but the other walls were nearly perfect. The internal portion of the east window was disfigured, but its external part was in a state of excellent preservation. The window, measuring 5 feet 2 inches in height, and 11 inches in width, was pointed and formed of cut lime-stone ; the sill was 4 feet 8 inches, from the outside ground level. At the distance of 8 feet from an east gable, there was a window in the south wall. This had been destroyed on both sides, with the exception of one stone left on either external side, These were chiselled lime-stones, and the distance between them was only 7 inches. 7 A rude
6
7 See " Historian Catholicse Ibernise Com- irregular in form, being bounded on the
Sancta," part ii. , pp. 82, 83.
This parish is of great extent and very north, by the parishesof Ballincuslane, Dysert,
pendium," tom—us i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , p. 50. "
Article v. Edited by the Rev. Dr. Kelly,p'. xxxii,
3
-diccbj;.
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
doe,andKillaha; andontheeast,byCork
on the ofKilcredaneandAghadoe; onthesouth,
Thus entered: Cutnn CoeniAin, by the parishes of Killarney, partofAgha-
3 See
ni*," xii. Januarii. De S. Cumiano Epis- ctnmin, which means the "church" or
Colgan's
county.
Irish,
this is called Cilt parish
copo, n. 6, p. 59.
4 Dr. Todd says : "This name is added
"
7 "At the distance of 12 feet 6 inches by the more recent hand, quoting 'Mar. ' from the west gable there is a doorway on as authority. But Mar. O'Gorman, at least the south wall ; its internal part, which is
in Mr. Curry's copy of the Erussels MS. formed of hammered stones, forms a segment '
mentions not Midhaighre,' but meic arch at top, and measures 5 feet 10 inches in
Daigre,i. e. ,
therefore some confusion.
'
thesonsofDaigre. ' Thereis
height,butitsbreadthcannotbedetermined, as its east side is destroyed. On the outside
it is pointed, and formed of cut lime-stone, and measures 5 feet 8 inches in height, and 3 feet 5 inches in width. There was another doorway on the north wall, at the distance of 9 feet from the west gable, but it
"
5 In a superadded comment, the Rev. Dr.
"
Reeves continues :
for meic "OxMgjxe, and a blundering anticipa-
tionof thecal meiCOAi5hr\e,four lines lower down. "
It is evidently an error
Killeentierna
;
west, by
the
parishes
In
cell of St. Cummin. "
206 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 14.
representation of the head and face of St. Cummin—as is believed—was carved on brown sand stone, which projected from the wall, near the northern extremityoftheeastgableandontheoutside. Therewasalsoalargegrave- yard attached to this church. In the townland of Gortnagowan, in the east division of this parish, there stood aca/ierov circular stone fort, called Caher- Crovderg, i. e. , the Fort of the Red-handed. 8 On the eastern side of it, a holy well lay, at which stations were performed by the peasantry, on May eve. They also drove their cattle into the fort, and made them drink the water of this holy well, which was believed to possess the efficacy of preserving their animals from all contagious distempers, during the ensuing year. 9 Colgan thinks St. Coeman,a deacon, and a disciple of St. Patrick, to be identical with one of these saints. He was set over the church of Ard-lice, commonly called Sean Domhnach. 10 In the
O'Clerys'
the three sons of 12
Daighre, Echlech,
Calendar of 1 we find Donegal,'
Cuimmein and tion given them at the 14th of August.
Caemhan,
had venera-
Article VI. —St. Dinil. In the copy of the Tallagh Martyrology, to
1 there
Leinster, nameandfeast,occurringonthe14thofAugust. Wehavemoreconfusedly
Article VII. —St. Brocan or Broeadh, Son of Lugdach. The Martyrology of Tallagh * enters a festival at the 14th of August in honour of
is now filled up with rude mason-work, and portion of that of Killaha. But Slicve
befoundintheBookof
appears
tobeacorrect ofthis entry
inthe
Eps,ocusAbb. Hence,itwouldseem,thatbeingdenominated"sonofthe carpenter," he is likewise recognized as a bishop and an abbot. These latter appellations,however,seemmoreproperlybelongingtoadifferentsaint. 3 The Martyrology of Donegal 4 merely registers Dinil, s at this same date.
recorded, also,
published Martyrology
there is a vault built up against it on the in-
side. It was formed of cut lime-stone on
the inside, and of hammered stones on the
outside In the townland of River in Cork. And the engraved map Kilquan in this parish is an old graveyard, from the Down Survey places a part of the in which a church formerly stood, but no mountain of Sliabh Luach, in the parish of part of its walls is now visible. And there Ballycaslane, in the barony of Trugha- is a similar graveyard in the townland of
Freemount, but no remains of a church ;
the church which stood in this latter — grave-
yard was called Knockacappul church. "
" Letters containing Information relative to
the Antiquities of the County Kerry, collected during the Progress of the Ord- nance Survey in 1841. " Letter of Mr.
9 See ibid. , pp. 193, 194. I0 "
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
218, 219.
" A note by Dr. Todd states at Daighre,
"The more recent hand adds ' Sed here,
Marian videtur alios vocare 1111c An c-Saoij\. '
O'Donovan,
1841, pp. 191 to 193.
dated
Killarney, August 30th,
8 " We have no historical reference to
this fort unless it be the Teamhair Luachra
of the ancient writers ; but it is now difficult
to determine whether it is, or not, as the we find 'Dinil mac an t Sair eps. et abb, name Teamhair Luachra is no longer re- but in O'Gorman he is simply called Dinil, membered. The mountainous district of uieic 'OAijpe—La Dinil, 'sons of Daigre
Sliabh Luachra on which Teamhair Luachra
ma sitmted, is well known, and forms a
Roman Catholic parish, comprising the cfAlP«,
parish of Kilcummin, and a considerable
"
'
of 2 DinilMacantsair Tallagh,
Luachra was originally a far more extensive district than it is considered at present. Dr. Smith shows it as east of the lilackwater
nacmy. "—Ibid. , p. 194.
See Colgan's Trias
Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. xlvii. , p. 136, and n. 88, p. 177.
There is nothing, however, in Mr. Curry's copy of M. O'Gorman about Mac an t Saoir
(son of the carpenter). In the Mart. Taml. ,
with Dinil. — Ibid. ,
Article vi.
l
p. 219.
Thus: "Dnul iuac 111
'
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxii.
Thaumaturga. "
August 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 207 BrocanmacLugdach. Therefore,welearnthathewasthesonofLugdach,
or more of 9 At the same date, the simple perhaps correctly Lughdu.
Brocadh,3 appears in the Martyrology of Donegal/
entry
Article VIII. —Reputed Feast of Forty Martyrs, in Mayo, 1
Ireland. According to Chrysostom Henriquez, in the very celebrated Monastery of Mayo, and during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, no less than forty monks belonging to the Cistercian Order, together with their Abbot, suffered for the Faith ; but, the Bollandists 3 who allude to his statement at this day, treat it with doubt, since he does not give any date for the occur- rence, nor do they find any corroborated account from Irish authorities. Although Queen Elizabeths was a notorious persecutor of the Catholics,4 during her reign ; yet, she had little power to exercise her authority over those living in Mayo, and, moreover, in our Irish Annals, no allusion whatever is tobefoundregardingsuchanevent. Besides,theconcludingportionofthat narrative is evidently fabulous.
ArticleIX. —ReputedFeastofSilvesterScotus. Atthe14thof
1
August, the Bollandists remark, that Camerarius has entered a festival for
Silvester Scotus. Whether venerated as a saint or otherwise they desire further information.
Article X. —Reputed Festival of Betta, First Apostle among the Mercians. \_Sevenih Century]. Already at the nth of February,
some notices of this have been holy Missionary
1 At the
however, Dempster 2 and Camerarius 3 have given him a feast, as the
Bollandists remark,4 at the 14th day of August.
3
They are also apparently misplaced, as
they now read in the Book of Leinster copy,
coming immediately after the entry already
given, and in this form : ItlAc in cfAein
epr- aj;ur- <\bb. T>Air\1nir- 1YUebiAntMiT>.
4 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
218,219.
s A note by Dr. Todd at Dinil, " Here runt. "
the more recent hand has 'Mar et M. Tarn. quod vocat true &x\ cSAor\. '"
Article vil—j Edited Kelly, p. xxxii.
by
Rev. Dr.
2
TJrxoccAm mac Lu^rm.
3 A note by Dr. Todd, at Brocadh, states, "The more recent hand adds br»o§An, mac
tuj'oAc (Brogan, son of Lughaidh), Mart. Taml. "
4 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
In the Book of Leinster copy, we read :
218, 219. " Article viii. — x He thus relates :
In
Hibernia
passio quadraginta
monachorum
coenobii Magiensis, Ordinis Cistertiensis,
qui simul cum suo abbate pro fide feliciter occubuerunt. Nam cum hseretici in eorum
monasterium armata manu
x
irruerent, ipsi
Article x. — ' Seethe
Second
Volume
given.
ante venerabile Sacramentum hostem expec-
tantes, intrepidi eorum se gladiis objecerunt, seque invicem ad mortem pro Christi amore tolerandam invitantes, capitis obtruncatione vitam finierunt. Sed eodem die, resumptis miraculose capitibus, Vesperas in honorem Deiparse Virginis in choro suaviter cecine-
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Augusti xiv. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 145.
3 She reigned ever England and Ireland, from November 17th, 1558, to the 24th of March, 1603.
4 In the " Analecta Sacra Nova et Mire,
de Rebus Catholicorvm in Hibernia, pro
Fide et Religione gestis," and published at first in 1617, although numerous instances are adduced in proof, yet there is no men- tion made of such martyrdom. See new edition of that work, by Most Rev. Patrick
F. — of
Moran, Bishop Ossory.
Articleix.
tomus iii. , Augusti xiv. mitted saints, p. 145.
"ActaSanctorum," Among the preter-
See
present date,
2 o8 LIVES OP THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August. 15.
ArticleXI. —FeastofSt. Fortunatus,MartyrinSyria. Inthe
u"1
Feilire of St. ^Engus, at the 14th of August, the feast of St. Fortunatus, a
martyr in Syria, is announced. With other companions in martyrdom, the Bollandists, at this same date, present us with a few notices of them, as found
a
jftfteentl) 23ap of august.
ARTICLE I. —ST. MACCARTHEN, BISHOP OF CLOGHER, COUNTY OF TYRONE.
[FIFTH AND SIXTH CENTURIES. ]
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—AUTHORITIES FOR HIS ACTS—FAMILY AND DESCENT OF ST. MACCARTHEN—A DISCIPLE OF ST. PATRICK—A CONSTANT COMPANION OF THE IRISH APOSTLE—PROPHECY OF ST. PATRICK IN REFERENCE TO THE SEES OF CLOGHER AND OF DOMNACH-MOR MUIGETOCHUIR.
bishop in the Church is a direct and lineal descendant from the
in ancient Martyrologies.
EVERY thus
Apostles, establishing
and
the
his glorious office. Hovv numerous have been the labourers thus established
in the Lord's vineyard, and how extended the fields on which they have
wrought, may be gleaned from general ecclesiastical History. Restricting our regards to Ireland alone, we find along list of holy chief pastors to adorn her annals. Like the Apostles, all virtuous missionaries cast away not only the open but the occult occasions of sin, thus doing nothing unworthy of their ministry, and rejecting everthing that might bring with it disgrace or the ruin ofsouls. Moreover,theyengagedonactivedutiestoprocuretheirownandthe salvation of others, while leading most exemplary lives. Such models for admiration and imitation have nourished in the primitive Christian times, while in all our Irish dioceses, as patrons, many bishops and saints are still
venerated, as in the present instance.
of this work, at that date, Art. xi.
3 In his Menologium Scotorum, he writes: "Xiv. In Noithumbria Beati Bettae gentis Apostoli, qui cum S. Aidano e Scotia veniens innumeram muhitudinem pio labore convertit ct Fenda ie^e praesente baptizavit.
B. F. "—Bishop Scottish Saints," p. 208.
Forbes' "Kalendars of into _
3 He also has a feast for this saint, at the nth of February. See " De Duplici Statu Hominis, veteris simul ac novae Ecclesia;, et Infidelium Conversione," lib. i. , pars, ii. , cap. iii. , sect. 2, p. 147.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
Augusii xiv. Among the pretermitted
saints, p. 145.
Article XI. — 1 See "Transactions of
the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manu- script Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calen- dar of Oengus, p. cxxiii.
Tlimopjreit ariAicriiriec ppmAchaip Apnachap
—
3
teaching
missionary
character of
x
The " Feilire " of St. y£ngus having no festival, at the 24th of March,
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Augustixiv. DeSS. MM. Fortunato,Euse- bio, Titulo et Conditore, in Syria, p. 149.
Article — — copy
Chapter
at this date the following Rann, rendered
I.
contained in the "Lcabhar Breac," we find
English prose by LL. D. :—
Whitley
Stokes,
CofLog jug r\Ati clochap yenx)* chnich cam CAchafx.
"On a great feast is her commemoration, our Father's true Mother. With a king's
host—right splendid assembly—
Fer-da- chrich (' man of two districts') a fair shield? "
"
Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy,"
Irish Manuscript series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, pp, cxxiii. , cxxiv.
i. 'In that
August 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 209
in any way relating to St. Maccarthenn—yet, at the 15 th of August commemo- rates with eulogy Fer-da-chrich—the title usually applied to the Patron Saint of Clogher diocese. The scholiast has affixed an explanatory comment,2 to the entry. At the 24th of March, Father John Colgan published a fragmen- tary Life of St. Maccarthen, from a Salamancan Manuscript. 3
Archbishop Ussher had seen a copy of our saint's Acts, different, perhaps, from the muti- lated one, which fell into Colgan's hands, as that learned British Church historian cites passages from it, which are not found in his copy. * Still nothing prevents our assuming, they may both have been copies of an identical work, especially as the acephalous and incomplete Acts given by Colgan have nothing referring to particulars extracted by Ussher. Yet, these we must suppose essential, to complete even the most meagre biography of our saint.
There is an acephalous Latin Life of St. Mac Cartininus among the Burgun-
dian Library Manuscripts, at Bruxelles. s This has lately been published, by Fathers Carolus de Smedt and Joseph de Backer,6 under the auspices of the Rt. Hon. John Patrick Marquis of Bute. It was Colgan's intention also to have published these Acts of St. Maccarthinin, at the 15th of August, as we learn from the posthumous list of Manuscripts published by Charles M'Donnell, Esq. ? The Bollandists 8 have given us Acts 9 of this saint, at the present date. A brief and previous commentary is added with notes postfixed.
In the works of 10 of Rev. Alban Bishop Challoner,
11 of
and of Rev. S. Baring-Gould,^ some notices of this saint may
12 likewise be found.
The following lengthened genealogy of St. Maccarthen of Clogher, called
Lugid, son to Laren, son to Loga, son to Cultre, son to Cluan, son to Conle, son to Alild, son to Corpre, son to Lugad, son to Med, son to Dubius, son to Robric, son to Tressac, son to Lugna, son to Mattha, son to Fethlim, son to Salius, son to Clothad, son to Clothal, son to Roe, son to Carthac,
mad, son to Irial, son to Degad, son to Reosorcha, son to Roe- dorcha, son to Mured, son to Ammasius, son to Singitt, son to Inbotha,
Bollandistes,
also is taken from an ancient 1 * From Aidus, Manuscript authority,
it weare informed that St. Maccarthen, or Aidus, Bishop of Clogher, was the son of Caerthen, son to Cannech, son to Fethlim, son to Eochad, son to Clothchuo, son to Cared, son to Fieg, son to Mail, son to Carthac, son to Larius, son to
son to son to Clithram,
1* son to
Bressal, son to Almon, son to Moethgelt, son to Rohiel, son to Cer-
2
Thus at Ferdachrich : . 1. Abb 'OAinitt'ori.
Augusti xv. De S. Maccarthenno Ep. Conf. Clochorae in Iiibernia, pp. 208 to 210.
» These are taken from the Salamanca Manuscript.
I0
See "Britannia Sancta," part ii. , p. 83.
£e]\ x>& cpich . 1. cAicVifep no CAcnAjvoA. The following is the English translation
given : "i. e. , abbot of Dairinis, fer da chrich, i. e. , a champion or enthroned. "— Ibid. , p. cxxxi.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," Mar- tii xxiv. De S. Macaerthenno Epis. Clochorensi. Ex Variis. To this has been subjoined an Appendix, in four chapters, pp. 737 to 742.
4 See " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti- quitates," cap. xvii. , p. 445.
5 It is in vol. xxii. , and it commences at fol. 190.
6
In "Acta Sanctorum Hibernke," ex Codice Salmanticensi, cols. 799 to 804.
7 See "Catalogus Actuum Sanctorum qu* MS. habentur, ordine Mensium et Dierum. "
"See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. viii. , August xv.
See "Acta tomus Sanctorum,"
iii. ,
mon. l6
See Colgan's
"Acta lliber- Sanctorum
Eochad,
Mured,
son
to Cared
Butler,
Les Petits
"See " Les Vies des Saints," tome ix. ,
xv« Jour d'Aout, p. 545.
I3 See "Lives of the Saints," vol. viii. ,
August 15, p. 148.
I4 Known as the Sanctilogium Genealogi-
cum.
*S According to the O'Clerys, the pedi-
gree of Aedh, Bishop Mac Cairthinn, of Clochar, is traced to 'Eochaidh, son of Muiredach, and from Eochaidh to Here-
2io LIVES 0E THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 15,
son to Tigernmas, son to Follac, son to Ethriel, son to Iriel, son to Erimon,
son to Milesius, the
Spaniard.
16 The Calendar and Psalter of Cashel trace
the genealogy of this saint, in a shorter manner, and with some slight varia-
tions. This they appear to do, by omitting some links in the generations
and progenitors of our saint, as found in the foregoing line, and by inserting
others omitted. Thus, the Calendar of Cashel makes our saint the son of Cannech, omitting Caerthen, the name of his father, as given in the Sancti-
logium Genealogicum, and it makes Clodhchuo, the fourth immediate pro- genitor of Maccarthen, instead of the fifth, as given in this last-named work. '7 Then Clodhchuo is said to have been the son of Ared, son to Mailed, son to Bressal, son to Buan of Clogher, descended from the sons of Damenius, inOrgiell. ThePsalterofCashelagreeswiththeSanctilogiumGenealogicum, in the names and order of our saint's ancestors, back to the same Clothchuo, who is then said to have been son of Ared, son to Mailed, son of Bressal, son
the name of Maccarthen is identical with Mac Carron, so common in the neighbourhoodofErrigalTruagh. Thisopinionhasbeenadopted,also,in an Essay on St. Maccarthin, delivered by Rev. Philip Connolly, P. P. ,
to &c, of Dai Buain Arad or Ararenses. 18 Buain,
to
the Calendar and Psalter of Cashel authorities for the pedigree of this saint. ? Besides, Ussher quotes an ancient Life of our saint, in which he is said to have been descended from the noble family of the Aradenses. ao This holy man's name is generally found written, in all our ancient records, Epscop Mac Cairthin or Mac Cairthind. " It has long since been suggested," that
"
hUS 1H lhe Insh TriPartite Life of rF 'i
Clogher,
rated on the 15th of August—may be found in the Third Volume of this work, at the
a. d. m —
over the church denied,
2 * in Inish- following grounds : first,
of 2?
nise," xxiv. Martii, Appendix ad Acta S. Macaerthenni, cap. ii. , p. 740.
* See ibid. , pp. 740, 741.
18
This family is supposed to have derived its name from Ared, mentioned by theCalen- dar and Psalter of Cashel, as father to Clodh- chuo.
" The reason chiefly given is because St. Maccarthen's own race has been traced back to the aforesaid Buan. He is also of opinion, that either Carthac or Larius, men- tioned in the Sanctilogium Genealogicum, had been the father to that Buan. This he shows 111 lus Appendix to our saint's Life, ibid. , cap. ii. , p. 741.
20
See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti- quitates," cap. xvn. , p. 445.
placed
Domnach-mor-Muige-tochuir,
St. Patrick, translated into English, by Wilham M. Hennessy, and published by M.
17th of March, Art. i. , and in the Life of St. Patrick, chap, xiv. , as also at the 24th of March, in the same volume, Art. x. This is indeed a very probable supposition, and it is the more entitled to as
I . Cusack in
"
The Life of St. Patrick,
Apostlcof Ireland," part ii. , pp. 431, 438,451.
32 the late Rev. Mr. M
By Very 'Loughran,
P. P. , of Tempo. A learned correspondent
respect, Colgan himself was a native of Donagh, or Carn-
adds: "A glance
at an Irish will grammar
donagh, as it is more generally called.
and Aicclig, are the names set down in separate lines and in the preceding
order, but without any further designation of their parentage. In that copy, containedintheBookofLeinster,theyareplacedinlikeorder. 2 IntheMartyr- ology of Marianus 0'Gorman,3 these saints are commemorated at this date. In the Martyrology of Donegal, the entries for this day commence with the wordMidhaighre,*whichisfoundenclosedwithinbrackets. s Thereisaparish dedicated to a saint having the name of Cummein, and which is called Kil- cummin. 6 It is situated in the barony of Magunihy, County of Kerry. The old church belonging to this parish is situated on a ridge of fertile land, within the glebe of Kilcummin. In 1841, it measured on the inside 56 feet in length, and 19 feet 6 inches in breadth. Its side walls were 3 feet 5 inches in thickness, and 10 feet in height; being built of green unequally sized
stones, cemented with lime and sand mortar. The west gable was destroyed
nearly down to the ground ; only 3 feet of its height then remaining, but the other walls were nearly perfect. The internal portion of the east window was disfigured, but its external part was in a state of excellent preservation. The window, measuring 5 feet 2 inches in height, and 11 inches in width, was pointed and formed of cut lime-stone ; the sill was 4 feet 8 inches, from the outside ground level. At the distance of 8 feet from an east gable, there was a window in the south wall. This had been destroyed on both sides, with the exception of one stone left on either external side, These were chiselled lime-stones, and the distance between them was only 7 inches. 7 A rude
6
7 See " Historian Catholicse Ibernise Com- irregular in form, being bounded on the
Sancta," part ii. , pp. 82, 83.
This parish is of great extent and very north, by the parishesof Ballincuslane, Dysert,
pendium," tom—us i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , p. 50. "
Article v. Edited by the Rev. Dr. Kelly,p'. xxxii,
3
-diccbj;.
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
doe,andKillaha; andontheeast,byCork
on the ofKilcredaneandAghadoe; onthesouth,
Thus entered: Cutnn CoeniAin, by the parishes of Killarney, partofAgha-
3 See
ni*," xii. Januarii. De S. Cumiano Epis- ctnmin, which means the "church" or
Colgan's
county.
Irish,
this is called Cilt parish
copo, n. 6, p. 59.
4 Dr. Todd says : "This name is added
"
7 "At the distance of 12 feet 6 inches by the more recent hand, quoting 'Mar. ' from the west gable there is a doorway on as authority. But Mar. O'Gorman, at least the south wall ; its internal part, which is
in Mr. Curry's copy of the Erussels MS. formed of hammered stones, forms a segment '
mentions not Midhaighre,' but meic arch at top, and measures 5 feet 10 inches in
Daigre,i. e. ,
therefore some confusion.
'
thesonsofDaigre. ' Thereis
height,butitsbreadthcannotbedetermined, as its east side is destroyed. On the outside
it is pointed, and formed of cut lime-stone, and measures 5 feet 8 inches in height, and 3 feet 5 inches in width. There was another doorway on the north wall, at the distance of 9 feet from the west gable, but it
"
5 In a superadded comment, the Rev. Dr.
"
Reeves continues :
for meic "OxMgjxe, and a blundering anticipa-
tionof thecal meiCOAi5hr\e,four lines lower down. "
It is evidently an error
Killeentierna
;
west, by
the
parishes
In
cell of St. Cummin. "
206 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 14.
representation of the head and face of St. Cummin—as is believed—was carved on brown sand stone, which projected from the wall, near the northern extremityoftheeastgableandontheoutside. Therewasalsoalargegrave- yard attached to this church. In the townland of Gortnagowan, in the east division of this parish, there stood aca/ierov circular stone fort, called Caher- Crovderg, i. e. , the Fort of the Red-handed. 8 On the eastern side of it, a holy well lay, at which stations were performed by the peasantry, on May eve. They also drove their cattle into the fort, and made them drink the water of this holy well, which was believed to possess the efficacy of preserving their animals from all contagious distempers, during the ensuing year. 9 Colgan thinks St. Coeman,a deacon, and a disciple of St. Patrick, to be identical with one of these saints. He was set over the church of Ard-lice, commonly called Sean Domhnach. 10 In the
O'Clerys'
the three sons of 12
Daighre, Echlech,
Calendar of 1 we find Donegal,'
Cuimmein and tion given them at the 14th of August.
Caemhan,
had venera-
Article VI. —St. Dinil. In the copy of the Tallagh Martyrology, to
1 there
Leinster, nameandfeast,occurringonthe14thofAugust. Wehavemoreconfusedly
Article VII. —St. Brocan or Broeadh, Son of Lugdach. The Martyrology of Tallagh * enters a festival at the 14th of August in honour of
is now filled up with rude mason-work, and portion of that of Killaha. But Slicve
befoundintheBookof
appears
tobeacorrect ofthis entry
inthe
Eps,ocusAbb. Hence,itwouldseem,thatbeingdenominated"sonofthe carpenter," he is likewise recognized as a bishop and an abbot. These latter appellations,however,seemmoreproperlybelongingtoadifferentsaint. 3 The Martyrology of Donegal 4 merely registers Dinil, s at this same date.
recorded, also,
published Martyrology
there is a vault built up against it on the in-
side. It was formed of cut lime-stone on
the inside, and of hammered stones on the
outside In the townland of River in Cork. And the engraved map Kilquan in this parish is an old graveyard, from the Down Survey places a part of the in which a church formerly stood, but no mountain of Sliabh Luach, in the parish of part of its walls is now visible. And there Ballycaslane, in the barony of Trugha- is a similar graveyard in the townland of
Freemount, but no remains of a church ;
the church which stood in this latter — grave-
yard was called Knockacappul church. "
" Letters containing Information relative to
the Antiquities of the County Kerry, collected during the Progress of the Ord- nance Survey in 1841. " Letter of Mr.
9 See ibid. , pp. 193, 194. I0 "
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
218, 219.
" A note by Dr. Todd states at Daighre,
"The more recent hand adds ' Sed here,
Marian videtur alios vocare 1111c An c-Saoij\. '
O'Donovan,
1841, pp. 191 to 193.
dated
Killarney, August 30th,
8 " We have no historical reference to
this fort unless it be the Teamhair Luachra
of the ancient writers ; but it is now difficult
to determine whether it is, or not, as the we find 'Dinil mac an t Sair eps. et abb, name Teamhair Luachra is no longer re- but in O'Gorman he is simply called Dinil, membered. The mountainous district of uieic 'OAijpe—La Dinil, 'sons of Daigre
Sliabh Luachra on which Teamhair Luachra
ma sitmted, is well known, and forms a
Roman Catholic parish, comprising the cfAlP«,
parish of Kilcummin, and a considerable
"
'
of 2 DinilMacantsair Tallagh,
Luachra was originally a far more extensive district than it is considered at present. Dr. Smith shows it as east of the lilackwater
nacmy. "—Ibid. , p. 194.
See Colgan's Trias
Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. xlvii. , p. 136, and n. 88, p. 177.
There is nothing, however, in Mr. Curry's copy of M. O'Gorman about Mac an t Saoir
(son of the carpenter). In the Mart. Taml. ,
with Dinil. — Ibid. ,
Article vi.
l
p. 219.
Thus: "Dnul iuac 111
'
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxii.
Thaumaturga. "
August 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 207 BrocanmacLugdach. Therefore,welearnthathewasthesonofLugdach,
or more of 9 At the same date, the simple perhaps correctly Lughdu.
Brocadh,3 appears in the Martyrology of Donegal/
entry
Article VIII. —Reputed Feast of Forty Martyrs, in Mayo, 1
Ireland. According to Chrysostom Henriquez, in the very celebrated Monastery of Mayo, and during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, no less than forty monks belonging to the Cistercian Order, together with their Abbot, suffered for the Faith ; but, the Bollandists 3 who allude to his statement at this day, treat it with doubt, since he does not give any date for the occur- rence, nor do they find any corroborated account from Irish authorities. Although Queen Elizabeths was a notorious persecutor of the Catholics,4 during her reign ; yet, she had little power to exercise her authority over those living in Mayo, and, moreover, in our Irish Annals, no allusion whatever is tobefoundregardingsuchanevent. Besides,theconcludingportionofthat narrative is evidently fabulous.
ArticleIX. —ReputedFeastofSilvesterScotus. Atthe14thof
1
August, the Bollandists remark, that Camerarius has entered a festival for
Silvester Scotus. Whether venerated as a saint or otherwise they desire further information.
Article X. —Reputed Festival of Betta, First Apostle among the Mercians. \_Sevenih Century]. Already at the nth of February,
some notices of this have been holy Missionary
1 At the
however, Dempster 2 and Camerarius 3 have given him a feast, as the
Bollandists remark,4 at the 14th day of August.
3
They are also apparently misplaced, as
they now read in the Book of Leinster copy,
coming immediately after the entry already
given, and in this form : ItlAc in cfAein
epr- aj;ur- <\bb. T>Air\1nir- 1YUebiAntMiT>.
4 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
218,219.
s A note by Dr. Todd at Dinil, " Here runt. "
the more recent hand has 'Mar et M. Tarn. quod vocat true &x\ cSAor\. '"
Article vil—j Edited Kelly, p. xxxii.
by
Rev. Dr.
2
TJrxoccAm mac Lu^rm.
3 A note by Dr. Todd, at Brocadh, states, "The more recent hand adds br»o§An, mac
tuj'oAc (Brogan, son of Lughaidh), Mart. Taml. "
4 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
In the Book of Leinster copy, we read :
218, 219. " Article viii. — x He thus relates :
In
Hibernia
passio quadraginta
monachorum
coenobii Magiensis, Ordinis Cistertiensis,
qui simul cum suo abbate pro fide feliciter occubuerunt. Nam cum hseretici in eorum
monasterium armata manu
x
irruerent, ipsi
Article x. — ' Seethe
Second
Volume
given.
ante venerabile Sacramentum hostem expec-
tantes, intrepidi eorum se gladiis objecerunt, seque invicem ad mortem pro Christi amore tolerandam invitantes, capitis obtruncatione vitam finierunt. Sed eodem die, resumptis miraculose capitibus, Vesperas in honorem Deiparse Virginis in choro suaviter cecine-
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Augusti xiv. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 145.
3 She reigned ever England and Ireland, from November 17th, 1558, to the 24th of March, 1603.
4 In the " Analecta Sacra Nova et Mire,
de Rebus Catholicorvm in Hibernia, pro
Fide et Religione gestis," and published at first in 1617, although numerous instances are adduced in proof, yet there is no men- tion made of such martyrdom. See new edition of that work, by Most Rev. Patrick
F. — of
Moran, Bishop Ossory.
Articleix.
tomus iii. , Augusti xiv. mitted saints, p. 145.
"ActaSanctorum," Among the preter-
See
present date,
2 o8 LIVES OP THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August. 15.
ArticleXI. —FeastofSt. Fortunatus,MartyrinSyria. Inthe
u"1
Feilire of St. ^Engus, at the 14th of August, the feast of St. Fortunatus, a
martyr in Syria, is announced. With other companions in martyrdom, the Bollandists, at this same date, present us with a few notices of them, as found
a
jftfteentl) 23ap of august.
ARTICLE I. —ST. MACCARTHEN, BISHOP OF CLOGHER, COUNTY OF TYRONE.
[FIFTH AND SIXTH CENTURIES. ]
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—AUTHORITIES FOR HIS ACTS—FAMILY AND DESCENT OF ST. MACCARTHEN—A DISCIPLE OF ST. PATRICK—A CONSTANT COMPANION OF THE IRISH APOSTLE—PROPHECY OF ST. PATRICK IN REFERENCE TO THE SEES OF CLOGHER AND OF DOMNACH-MOR MUIGETOCHUIR.
bishop in the Church is a direct and lineal descendant from the
in ancient Martyrologies.
EVERY thus
Apostles, establishing
and
the
his glorious office. Hovv numerous have been the labourers thus established
in the Lord's vineyard, and how extended the fields on which they have
wrought, may be gleaned from general ecclesiastical History. Restricting our regards to Ireland alone, we find along list of holy chief pastors to adorn her annals. Like the Apostles, all virtuous missionaries cast away not only the open but the occult occasions of sin, thus doing nothing unworthy of their ministry, and rejecting everthing that might bring with it disgrace or the ruin ofsouls. Moreover,theyengagedonactivedutiestoprocuretheirownandthe salvation of others, while leading most exemplary lives. Such models for admiration and imitation have nourished in the primitive Christian times, while in all our Irish dioceses, as patrons, many bishops and saints are still
venerated, as in the present instance.
of this work, at that date, Art. xi.
3 In his Menologium Scotorum, he writes: "Xiv. In Noithumbria Beati Bettae gentis Apostoli, qui cum S. Aidano e Scotia veniens innumeram muhitudinem pio labore convertit ct Fenda ie^e praesente baptizavit.
B. F. "—Bishop Scottish Saints," p. 208.
Forbes' "Kalendars of into _
3 He also has a feast for this saint, at the nth of February. See " De Duplici Statu Hominis, veteris simul ac novae Ecclesia;, et Infidelium Conversione," lib. i. , pars, ii. , cap. iii. , sect. 2, p. 147.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
Augusii xiv. Among the pretermitted
saints, p. 145.
Article XI. — 1 See "Transactions of
the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manu- script Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calen- dar of Oengus, p. cxxiii.
Tlimopjreit ariAicriiriec ppmAchaip Apnachap
—
3
teaching
missionary
character of
x
The " Feilire " of St. y£ngus having no festival, at the 24th of March,
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Augustixiv. DeSS. MM. Fortunato,Euse- bio, Titulo et Conditore, in Syria, p. 149.
Article — — copy
Chapter
at this date the following Rann, rendered
I.
contained in the "Lcabhar Breac," we find
English prose by LL. D. :—
Whitley
Stokes,
CofLog jug r\Ati clochap yenx)* chnich cam CAchafx.
"On a great feast is her commemoration, our Father's true Mother. With a king's
host—right splendid assembly—
Fer-da- chrich (' man of two districts') a fair shield? "
"
Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy,"
Irish Manuscript series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, pp, cxxiii. , cxxiv.
i. 'In that
August 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 209
in any way relating to St. Maccarthenn—yet, at the 15 th of August commemo- rates with eulogy Fer-da-chrich—the title usually applied to the Patron Saint of Clogher diocese. The scholiast has affixed an explanatory comment,2 to the entry. At the 24th of March, Father John Colgan published a fragmen- tary Life of St. Maccarthen, from a Salamancan Manuscript. 3
Archbishop Ussher had seen a copy of our saint's Acts, different, perhaps, from the muti- lated one, which fell into Colgan's hands, as that learned British Church historian cites passages from it, which are not found in his copy. * Still nothing prevents our assuming, they may both have been copies of an identical work, especially as the acephalous and incomplete Acts given by Colgan have nothing referring to particulars extracted by Ussher. Yet, these we must suppose essential, to complete even the most meagre biography of our saint.
There is an acephalous Latin Life of St. Mac Cartininus among the Burgun-
dian Library Manuscripts, at Bruxelles. s This has lately been published, by Fathers Carolus de Smedt and Joseph de Backer,6 under the auspices of the Rt. Hon. John Patrick Marquis of Bute. It was Colgan's intention also to have published these Acts of St. Maccarthinin, at the 15th of August, as we learn from the posthumous list of Manuscripts published by Charles M'Donnell, Esq. ? The Bollandists 8 have given us Acts 9 of this saint, at the present date. A brief and previous commentary is added with notes postfixed.
In the works of 10 of Rev. Alban Bishop Challoner,
11 of
and of Rev. S. Baring-Gould,^ some notices of this saint may
12 likewise be found.
The following lengthened genealogy of St. Maccarthen of Clogher, called
Lugid, son to Laren, son to Loga, son to Cultre, son to Cluan, son to Conle, son to Alild, son to Corpre, son to Lugad, son to Med, son to Dubius, son to Robric, son to Tressac, son to Lugna, son to Mattha, son to Fethlim, son to Salius, son to Clothad, son to Clothal, son to Roe, son to Carthac,
mad, son to Irial, son to Degad, son to Reosorcha, son to Roe- dorcha, son to Mured, son to Ammasius, son to Singitt, son to Inbotha,
Bollandistes,
also is taken from an ancient 1 * From Aidus, Manuscript authority,
it weare informed that St. Maccarthen, or Aidus, Bishop of Clogher, was the son of Caerthen, son to Cannech, son to Fethlim, son to Eochad, son to Clothchuo, son to Cared, son to Fieg, son to Mail, son to Carthac, son to Larius, son to
son to son to Clithram,
1* son to
Bressal, son to Almon, son to Moethgelt, son to Rohiel, son to Cer-
2
Thus at Ferdachrich : . 1. Abb 'OAinitt'ori.
Augusti xv. De S. Maccarthenno Ep. Conf. Clochorae in Iiibernia, pp. 208 to 210.
» These are taken from the Salamanca Manuscript.
I0
See "Britannia Sancta," part ii. , p. 83.
£e]\ x>& cpich . 1. cAicVifep no CAcnAjvoA. The following is the English translation
given : "i. e. , abbot of Dairinis, fer da chrich, i. e. , a champion or enthroned. "— Ibid. , p. cxxxi.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," Mar- tii xxiv. De S. Macaerthenno Epis. Clochorensi. Ex Variis. To this has been subjoined an Appendix, in four chapters, pp. 737 to 742.
4 See " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti- quitates," cap. xvii. , p. 445.
5 It is in vol. xxii. , and it commences at fol. 190.
6
In "Acta Sanctorum Hibernke," ex Codice Salmanticensi, cols. 799 to 804.
7 See "Catalogus Actuum Sanctorum qu* MS. habentur, ordine Mensium et Dierum. "
"See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. viii. , August xv.
See "Acta tomus Sanctorum,"
iii. ,
mon. l6
See Colgan's
"Acta lliber- Sanctorum
Eochad,
Mured,
son
to Cared
Butler,
Les Petits
"See " Les Vies des Saints," tome ix. ,
xv« Jour d'Aout, p. 545.
I3 See "Lives of the Saints," vol. viii. ,
August 15, p. 148.
I4 Known as the Sanctilogium Genealogi-
cum.
*S According to the O'Clerys, the pedi-
gree of Aedh, Bishop Mac Cairthinn, of Clochar, is traced to 'Eochaidh, son of Muiredach, and from Eochaidh to Here-
2io LIVES 0E THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 15,
son to Tigernmas, son to Follac, son to Ethriel, son to Iriel, son to Erimon,
son to Milesius, the
Spaniard.
16 The Calendar and Psalter of Cashel trace
the genealogy of this saint, in a shorter manner, and with some slight varia-
tions. This they appear to do, by omitting some links in the generations
and progenitors of our saint, as found in the foregoing line, and by inserting
others omitted. Thus, the Calendar of Cashel makes our saint the son of Cannech, omitting Caerthen, the name of his father, as given in the Sancti-
logium Genealogicum, and it makes Clodhchuo, the fourth immediate pro- genitor of Maccarthen, instead of the fifth, as given in this last-named work. '7 Then Clodhchuo is said to have been the son of Ared, son to Mailed, son to Bressal, son to Buan of Clogher, descended from the sons of Damenius, inOrgiell. ThePsalterofCashelagreeswiththeSanctilogiumGenealogicum, in the names and order of our saint's ancestors, back to the same Clothchuo, who is then said to have been son of Ared, son to Mailed, son of Bressal, son
the name of Maccarthen is identical with Mac Carron, so common in the neighbourhoodofErrigalTruagh. Thisopinionhasbeenadopted,also,in an Essay on St. Maccarthin, delivered by Rev. Philip Connolly, P. P. ,
to &c, of Dai Buain Arad or Ararenses. 18 Buain,
to
the Calendar and Psalter of Cashel authorities for the pedigree of this saint. ? Besides, Ussher quotes an ancient Life of our saint, in which he is said to have been descended from the noble family of the Aradenses. ao This holy man's name is generally found written, in all our ancient records, Epscop Mac Cairthin or Mac Cairthind. " It has long since been suggested," that
"
hUS 1H lhe Insh TriPartite Life of rF 'i
Clogher,
rated on the 15th of August—may be found in the Third Volume of this work, at the
a. d. m —
over the church denied,
2 * in Inish- following grounds : first,
of 2?
nise," xxiv. Martii, Appendix ad Acta S. Macaerthenni, cap. ii. , p. 740.
* See ibid. , pp. 740, 741.
18
This family is supposed to have derived its name from Ared, mentioned by theCalen- dar and Psalter of Cashel, as father to Clodh- chuo.
" The reason chiefly given is because St. Maccarthen's own race has been traced back to the aforesaid Buan. He is also of opinion, that either Carthac or Larius, men- tioned in the Sanctilogium Genealogicum, had been the father to that Buan. This he shows 111 lus Appendix to our saint's Life, ibid. , cap. ii. , p. 741.
20
See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti- quitates," cap. xvn. , p. 445.
placed
Domnach-mor-Muige-tochuir,
St. Patrick, translated into English, by Wilham M. Hennessy, and published by M.
17th of March, Art. i. , and in the Life of St. Patrick, chap, xiv. , as also at the 24th of March, in the same volume, Art. x. This is indeed a very probable supposition, and it is the more entitled to as
I . Cusack in
"
The Life of St. Patrick,
Apostlcof Ireland," part ii. , pp. 431, 438,451.
32 the late Rev. Mr. M
By Very 'Loughran,
P. P. , of Tempo. A learned correspondent
respect, Colgan himself was a native of Donagh, or Carn-
adds: "A glance
at an Irish will grammar
donagh, as it is more generally called.
