of the
Gweedore
tideway and under ;
VV.
VV.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v7
In the year 785, this holy bishop signed a deed,9° whereby he gave to the monastery of Fulda certain lands and possessions.
St.
Willibald flourished under Pippin,^ father to Charlemagne ; and, during forty-five years he ruled over his diocese, until he had attained his eighty-seventh year.
His fasts were very austere, nor did he allow the slightest relaxation of his austerities, until his strength was quite exhausted.
He is known to have been living in the month of October, 785 ; and, it is generally believed, that he departed this life in the eighty-eighth year of his
rum places this consecration, at A. D. 745.
See cap. xii. , pp. 110, 11 1. However, it is
more generally assigned to A. D. 741.
79 In a record so early as the time of Char-
8s Such is the chronology of his Acts as given by Father John Baptist Soller, S. J.
"
Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxiii. , sect, x. ,
"
lemagne, this place is denominated ca—s- p. 172.
trum Rubilocus, quod Eichsteti dicitur. "
Goldast's " Alamanicaium Rerum Scrip-
tores," tomus iii. , p. 123.
80 See Les Petits Bollandistes, " Vies des
Saints," tome viii. , viie Jour dejuillet, p. 102. 81 He is noticed, with other holy bishops, in that German Synod, held on the eleventh
oftheMayKalends,A. D. 742.
82 See Mabillon's "Annales Ordinis S.
Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxii. , sect, xvii. ,
p. 135-
83 See Rev. Alban Butler's "Lives of the
Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints,"
vol. vii. , July vii.
8* He died a. d. 761.
His martyrdom took place, on the 5th of June, 755.
8?
Mabillon's
& See the Life of St. Boniface, Apostle of
Germany, in the Sixth Volume of this work,
at June 5th, Art. i, chap, i. , and nn. 7, 8, 9, ibid.
8» See "Catalogus Scriptorum Ecclesias- ticorum,"fol. Hi. , <5v;c.
*> See Mabillon's "Annales Ordinis S.
Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxv. , sect, lv. ,
2
P- 75-
»« He died, on the 1 8th or the 24th of September, A. D. 768. See M. Le Dr.
"
tome xxxix. , col. 541.
Hoefer's
Nouvelle Biographie General,"
July 7. ] LIVES OP THE IRISH SAINTS. 117
age, and about the year 788. 92 According to other statements, on the 7 th of July, a. d. 790, he breathed his last, and in the place where his episcopal See had been established. He was buried in his own cathedral. 93 In 938, Pope Leo VII. canonized him, according to some accounts;04 and a translation of
his remains took place in 989. 95 Subsequently, Engelhard, the thirty-fourth bishop in succession of this See, erected a chapel to St. Willibald, and which has been converted since into the choir of the existing cathedral. 96 There is now to be seen a beautiful representation of St. Willibald, and seated between two columns ; on a pediment over it is a large crucifix, with statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. John of the Cross, resting on the aforesaid columns and one on either side of the crucifix. 97 Several relics of St. Willibald had been formerly preserved at Aichstadt. Various miracles are recorded, as
and soon after his 8 to the merits of this death,9 owing
recorded. 100 The first was to the altar of St. Vitus
middle of the church ; the third was to the choir of the Blessed Virgin ; and
taken
holy bishop. 99 No less than four different translations of his relics are
having
place,
101
Hildebrand built a cathedral church in his honour. To it, his relics were
In the year 1270, the Bishop brought with great solemnity, by his successor Engelhard, and there they
the fourth to the choir of St. Willibald.
have been with preserved
to the
102
However,
great veneration,
present day.
it was feared, that during the war with the Swedes, when many places in
Aichstadt were burned or desecrated, that some of the relics of St. Willibald
had not been io3 At Furnes in Flanders a of his relics was
spared. portion
preserved. The tomb of Willibald is now to be seen in the cathedral of
Eichstadt. ,04 In this diocese, his festival had been ritually celebrated as a
DoubleoftheFirst-Class. In —diocese
itwascelebrated of canons called Willibaldin in honour of this saint has been attached to his cathedral. An old office of St. Willibald
—ouble. io5 A
as a D chapter
Augsburg adjoining,
had been preserved at Aichstadt. 106
Both the Roman io 7 and the English
Martyrologies
venerate his on this IoS In the memory, day.
anonymous
92 Such is the statement of J. H. N. (Car- dinal Newman), in his elegantly written Life of St. Willibald, contained in '• Lives of the English Saints," vol. iii. , p. 71.
93 See Mabillon's " Annales Ordinis S. Be-
been questioned, by Father John Baptist Soller.
10- SeeLesPetitsBollandistes'"Viesdes Saints," tome viii. , viie Jour de Juillet, pp 102, 103, n. I.
It>3 to the account of the Most According
Rev. and noble Bishop John Adam (Dio- clensis), it was not well known, how much of St. Willibald's body remainded in the vaults of the church, as his tomb had not been opened.
I04 See " Gazetteer of the World," vol. v. ,
p. 178.
105 This seems to be established from an
Index to the Divine Office of that diocese,
printed a. d. 1685.
lo6 Extracts from it are given by the Bol-
nedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxv. , sect, lix. ,
94 Soller takes exception to this statement, as the solemnities for canonization were not
then instituted.
95 nient.
90 In the year 1276, this same bishop had a cut-stone tomb prepared to receive tbe relics.
97
Copperplate illustrations of this artistic object, and of the altar there, are given by the Bollandists, as illustrations for St. Willi- bald's Acts.
276.
According to Bishop Philips' state-
landists.
98 10"
This is stated, by an ancient but anony-
mous writer, and it is to be found in Gretser's
"Catalogus Episcoporum Eystettensium,"
p. 428.
Thus
? —"
p.
99 Io8 "
Bishop Philip relates, in no less than See Dean Cressy's Church His-
eighteen paragraphs, the miracles wrought tory of Brittany," book xxiv. , chap, xvii. ,
through his intercession.
100
According to Bishop Philip's account,
cap. xxxviii.
p. 644.
109 See Historic Catholicae Iberniae
Compendium," tomus i. , liv. iv. , cap. xi. , p. 50,
101
The foregoing statement in the text has
:
In Saxonia sancti Willebaldi
;
the second was to the
priini Eistetensis Episcopi," Sec.
ologium Roraanum Gregorii XIII. ," p. 97. Romae, 1878, fol. ed.
'*
Martyr*
u8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[July 7,
10
Calendar of Irish Saints, published by O'Sullevan Beare, ? this great saint's
name is written Wilchibald, where it is entered, at the 7th of July. As a Scottish saint, Thomas Dempster has likewise entered the feast of this holy
bishop, in his Calendar,
at the 7th of July.
110
111
In summing up the virtues of St. Willibald, one of his biographers, Bishop Philip, states, that he was bountiful in alms-giving, assiduous in vigils, devout in prayer, perfect in charity, filled with a humane spirit, distinguished for his learning, fluent in eloquence, and most holy in conversation. The serenity of his looks mani- fested the candour of his mind, while his gentle words indicated a kindly heart j and all his exterior appearance conveyed truthfully the reign of sanc-
in his soul.
tity
Article III. —St. Cronia, Cronae or Croine Beg, Virgin, of
Tempull-Crone,CountyofDonegal. Thesimpleentry,Cronae,occurs 1
in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 7th of July. There is nothing more to
indicateherplaceorperiod,inthatrecord. TheBollandists2 receivedfrom
Father Thomas O'Sheerin their notice of Crona parva or Crona parva virgo,
for entry, at this date. We are told, she belonged to the race of Conall
Gulban,sonto Niall. This St. Cronia, virgin, was the daughter of Diermit,
son to Garuan, son to Brandub, son to Malge, son to Ennius Bogun, the son
ofConallGulban. AccordingtotheSanctilogiumandSelvacius,thisvirgin
was venerated, on the 7th of July, in the church of Tempull Crone, within
the district of Tyrconnell. 3 Hence then, her church is to be sought for in
the extreme north-western districts of Ireland. It is now identified with
Templecroan,4 a most extensive parish,* in the barony of Boylagh, and county
of 6 The church of this no doubt, derived its name from this Donegal. parish,
present saint. Yet, we cannot discover, in what manner she had relation
with it. The greater part of that dreary district, known as " the Rosses,"? lies within the parish of Templecroan. A wilderness of rugged mountain wastes and heaths are broken towards the west, into abrupt and rocky heights. Several islands, separated by inlets of the sea, are scattered along the western
8
coast of the mainland.
a festival is entered in honour of Croine Beg, virgin, of Tempull Croine, in Tir Conaill.
Article IV. —St. Comgell or Coimgell, Virgin, and Daughter to Diarmaid. In the holiness of woman's life, the poor may discover a wealth of resources, where good will predominates ; while the rich may find
In the Martyrology of Donegal, at this same date,
1,0 The Menologium Scoticum.
" Kalendars of
Article hi. Edited by Rev. Dr. Black's "Guide to Belfast, the Giants'
111 Thus : "In Thuringia Vvillibakli Eis- tetensis episcopi primi, et gentis Apostoli,
s It contains 52,921 acres. These include
4. 355a. or. 37p. , on Aran Island; 989a. ir.
27p.
of the Gweedore tideway and under ;
VV. F. "—Bishop Forbes'
Loughs, 2,896a. I r. 9p.
Scottish Saints,"—
p. 205.
There is a
good Map
of this district in
x
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Julii vii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 452.
3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Appendix ad Vitam S. Columbse, cap. iii. , p. 480.
4 It is described, on the " Ordnance Stir-
veyTownland Maps for the County of Done- gal," sheets 32, 40, 41, 48, 49, 50, 56, 57, 58.
Kelly, p. xxviii.
2
6
Causeway and the North of Ireland. " Edin-
burgh, 1872, l2mo.
7 It comprises a total area of about thirty
square miles, which is well described in
Eraser's "Handbook for Travellers in Ire*
land. " No. 146, pp. 601 10603. 8"
See Lewis' Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. 603, 604.
9 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 188, 189.
July 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 119 by contrast, the sad waste of their wearisome idleness, and the empty results
1
on this day, Comgell ingen Diarmata, or Comgell, daughter to Diarmaid, was com-
of a profitless industry. According to the Martyrology of Tallagh,
memorated. Accordingtotheentryforthisday,andwhichtheBollandists acknowledge as having been received from Father Thomas O'Sheerin, Com- gella, the daughter of Diermitu, was sister to the preceding Crona. The name of this pious lady has been Latinized Candida; and, it has been supposed, as
occurring in our Irish Calendars, that it comes nearest in phonetic pronuncia- tion to that of a St. Keevil, venerated in Ballybrennan parish, county of Wexford. St. Keevil'swellisthereknown,andapatronwasformerlyheld
onthe27thofAugust. 3 AccordingtotheMartyrologyofDonegal,*venera-
tion was paid at the 7th of July to Coimgell, virgin, and daughter of Diar- maid.
Article V. —St. Fiadabair, or Fiadhabhair, of Uachtar-achadh, now Ballinamore, Countv Leitrim. At the 7th of July, the Martyr-
x
records a festival to honour Fiadabair, of Uachtair Achaid. This district comprised the entire of the parish of Oughteragh, or Ballina- more, in the north of the barony of Carrigallen, and county of Leitrim. 2 Father Thomas O'Sheerin furnished the Bollandists 3 with a notice of a Fiadabaria, for this day. Again, in the Martyrology of Donegal,* at the same date, the name appears, as Fiadhabhair, of Uachtar-achadh, in Cinel Luachain.
Article VI. —St. Tingmaich or Trighmeach, Bishop. We find en-
1
tered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, Tingmaich, at this day. Neither his
Article VII. —Reputed Festival for St. Medran and St. Odhrain. These holy brothers were illustrious for their sanctity. However, it is not likely, they should be commemorated at this date ; but, from the meagre data and unreliable references to them in various records, we follow only in the wake of other writers. At present, their Acts are not known to be extant. Hence, it is difficult to give reliable particulars regarding them. Notices of these two
ology of Tallagh
norhis
at the 7 th of July, there is a festival in honour of Trighmeach, a Bishop. Fur- nishedwiththeentrybyFatherO'Sheerin,theBollandists3 haveTrigmechus Episcopus, at the present date.
place
period appears
tobeknown. Inthe
Martyrology
saints,
Article iv. — 1 Kelly, p. xxviii.
2
7th
by Rev.
the Bollandists' great
Julii vii. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 452
4 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
on the
Edited
of are contained l in July,
See', Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Julii vii. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 452, 3 See "Letters containing Information rela- tive to the Antiquities of theCounty of Wex- ford, collected during the Progress of the
188, 189. Article vi. —
*
Edited by Rev. Dr.
Ordnance Survey in 1840," vol. i. John Kelly, p. xxviii.
O'Donovan's
2 Edited Drs. Todd and by
4
280.
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
188, 189. Article v. —1
Letter, p.
Reeves, pp s See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. ,
Edited
See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Kelly, p. xxviii. 2
Article vii.
—
by
Rev.
Dr.
vii.
Julii p. 452.
Among
the
pretermitted saints, ' In two sections, by
Dr.
Four vol. Masters,"
n.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. ,
188, 189.
iv. ,
(c), p. 719.
of 2 Donegal,
3
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[July 7.
work f although it is stated, that we look in vain for a record of them, in any of the Irish Calendars, whether published or in Manuscript. In the Universal
Martyrology of Castellan, there is an entry of St. Medranus alone, at this
date; while, the feast of his brother St. Odranus is referred, to the nth of
October. This arrangement he appears to have adopted, from different
annotations of Colgan, yet which do not seem mutually to accord. Thus, in
one instance, St. Medranus or Medragius, besides being regarded as a monk
under St. Kieran,3 of Saigir, is also classed among St. Patrick's disciples. *
There, however, he is assigned a feast, for the 6th of June,5 at which date,
we have already noticed a St. Medhran or Medrain, Bishop. Elsewhere, he
is mentioned, as Medhranus or Medhragius, in connexion with a brother,
named Odranus,6 and both of these are stated to have been sons of Mac-
craith, son to Trochall, son of Esomon, son to Daigrse, son of Nuadhat, &c.
However, another pair of brothers, St. Medranus and St. Murchu, are vene-
rated on the 8th of and these are called sons of Hua Macten. 8 day June,?
Again, both St. Medranus and St. Odranus, the sons of Maccraith, are men- tioned, as belonging to the race of Cairbre Baschaoin, and thus they become related to St. Senan of Inis-cathaigh. There, while the feast of the former is thought to be on the 6th or 8th of June ; the festival of the latter has been assigned to the 2nd or to the -26th of October. 9 According to the account contained in the Life of St. Kieran of Saighir, proceeding from Muscraige Thire, and from the village of Lettir, St. Medran and St. Odhrain were brothers, who came to visit his monastery. The province of Connaught they specially desired to seek, and there they intended to settle, at a place called Tulach-ruaidh. But, St. Medran chose to remain at Saigir, to become a dis- ciple of St. Kiaran the Elder, in his monastery. For this change of purpose, he was reproached by Odhran, who besought St. Kieran to refuse Medran admission. St. Kieran replied: "Let the Lord decide between you, if he should remain here or depart with you. Let him now hold a lamp in his hand, and if it be kindled into a flame with his breath, he ought to remain here, but, if otherwise, let him depart with you. " Immediately, Median's breath lighted the lamp, and accordingly, he remained at Saighir, to the end of his days, and with a reputation for great sanctity. Then, St. Kieran said
:
to Odhran " Hear me, brother Odhran, I tell you truly, that even if you
10
Wherefore, return and remain there, because from thy name,
work, notices will be found of both in Ait. v. , vi.
visited the four quarters of the world,
you shall die notwithstanding, in your
village of Lettir.
11
Father John Baptist Soller, S. J. 2"
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Julii
vii. De SS. Medrano et Odrano Fiat.
ConfessoribusLethreci in Ilibernia, pp. 477, niae," Martii v. Vita S. Kierani Fpiscopi
478.
3 See his Life, in the Third Volume of
thiswork,atthe5thofMarch,Art. i.
4 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap.
xxiii. , p. 268.
s In the Sixth Volume of this work,
Art. vi.
et Confessoris. cap. xxviii. , p. 461, and nn. 31, 32, p. 465.
»See//-/>/. , Martiiviii. ,AppendixadVitam S. Senani, cap. iiL, p. 542 rteU 53$.
6
According to the Genealogic Pedigrees
rhundi plagas circumiveris," &c. A curious question arises from this passage in tiie old Life: Did the writer believe, there were lour great Continents then known in Ire- land to exist ? It seems most probable, that besides the geographical knowledge of Europe, Asia and Africa, then undoubtedly possessed, that of (beat Ireland, or the pre* sent American Continent, was equally a fact of which the early Irish had cognizance long before the age of Christopher Columbus.
ofthe Irish Saints, chap, xvii. , tiiese are re-
spectively called St. Medhragius of Saigir
and St. Odhranus the Master. The former as we are told is called Medhranus, also, in various Irish Calendars, as may be seen by referring to the 6th and 8th of June.
"i At that date, in the Sixth Volume of this
8 See " Acta Sanctorum iber- Colgan's 1 1
10
The Latin words are: "et si quatuor
July 7. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAIN1S.
that village shall henceforward be distinguished/' And so it happened. According to the word of Kieran, Odhran returned to that place, where he erected a religious establishment. The latter was Abbot over that monas- tery in Muscraigia, or Muskerry. It was called from him Leitter Odhrain. There, he was distinguished for great virtue, and many miracles, as hath been recorded in his Life. 12 There, too, he passed away from this earth, to enjoy the rewards of eternal bliss.
Article VIII. —Reputed Festival of St. Boisilus.
rum places this consecration, at A. D. 745.
See cap. xii. , pp. 110, 11 1. However, it is
more generally assigned to A. D. 741.
79 In a record so early as the time of Char-
8s Such is the chronology of his Acts as given by Father John Baptist Soller, S. J.
"
Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxiii. , sect, x. ,
"
lemagne, this place is denominated ca—s- p. 172.
trum Rubilocus, quod Eichsteti dicitur. "
Goldast's " Alamanicaium Rerum Scrip-
tores," tomus iii. , p. 123.
80 See Les Petits Bollandistes, " Vies des
Saints," tome viii. , viie Jour dejuillet, p. 102. 81 He is noticed, with other holy bishops, in that German Synod, held on the eleventh
oftheMayKalends,A. D. 742.
82 See Mabillon's "Annales Ordinis S.
Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxii. , sect, xvii. ,
p. 135-
83 See Rev. Alban Butler's "Lives of the
Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints,"
vol. vii. , July vii.
8* He died a. d. 761.
His martyrdom took place, on the 5th of June, 755.
8?
Mabillon's
& See the Life of St. Boniface, Apostle of
Germany, in the Sixth Volume of this work,
at June 5th, Art. i, chap, i. , and nn. 7, 8, 9, ibid.
8» See "Catalogus Scriptorum Ecclesias- ticorum,"fol. Hi. , <5v;c.
*> See Mabillon's "Annales Ordinis S.
Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxv. , sect, lv. ,
2
P- 75-
»« He died, on the 1 8th or the 24th of September, A. D. 768. See M. Le Dr.
"
tome xxxix. , col. 541.
Hoefer's
Nouvelle Biographie General,"
July 7. ] LIVES OP THE IRISH SAINTS. 117
age, and about the year 788. 92 According to other statements, on the 7 th of July, a. d. 790, he breathed his last, and in the place where his episcopal See had been established. He was buried in his own cathedral. 93 In 938, Pope Leo VII. canonized him, according to some accounts;04 and a translation of
his remains took place in 989. 95 Subsequently, Engelhard, the thirty-fourth bishop in succession of this See, erected a chapel to St. Willibald, and which has been converted since into the choir of the existing cathedral. 96 There is now to be seen a beautiful representation of St. Willibald, and seated between two columns ; on a pediment over it is a large crucifix, with statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. John of the Cross, resting on the aforesaid columns and one on either side of the crucifix. 97 Several relics of St. Willibald had been formerly preserved at Aichstadt. Various miracles are recorded, as
and soon after his 8 to the merits of this death,9 owing
recorded. 100 The first was to the altar of St. Vitus
middle of the church ; the third was to the choir of the Blessed Virgin ; and
taken
holy bishop. 99 No less than four different translations of his relics are
having
place,
101
Hildebrand built a cathedral church in his honour. To it, his relics were
In the year 1270, the Bishop brought with great solemnity, by his successor Engelhard, and there they
the fourth to the choir of St. Willibald.
have been with preserved
to the
102
However,
great veneration,
present day.
it was feared, that during the war with the Swedes, when many places in
Aichstadt were burned or desecrated, that some of the relics of St. Willibald
had not been io3 At Furnes in Flanders a of his relics was
spared. portion
preserved. The tomb of Willibald is now to be seen in the cathedral of
Eichstadt. ,04 In this diocese, his festival had been ritually celebrated as a
DoubleoftheFirst-Class. In —diocese
itwascelebrated of canons called Willibaldin in honour of this saint has been attached to his cathedral. An old office of St. Willibald
—ouble. io5 A
as a D chapter
Augsburg adjoining,
had been preserved at Aichstadt. 106
Both the Roman io 7 and the English
Martyrologies
venerate his on this IoS In the memory, day.
anonymous
92 Such is the statement of J. H. N. (Car- dinal Newman), in his elegantly written Life of St. Willibald, contained in '• Lives of the English Saints," vol. iii. , p. 71.
93 See Mabillon's " Annales Ordinis S. Be-
been questioned, by Father John Baptist Soller.
10- SeeLesPetitsBollandistes'"Viesdes Saints," tome viii. , viie Jour de Juillet, pp 102, 103, n. I.
It>3 to the account of the Most According
Rev. and noble Bishop John Adam (Dio- clensis), it was not well known, how much of St. Willibald's body remainded in the vaults of the church, as his tomb had not been opened.
I04 See " Gazetteer of the World," vol. v. ,
p. 178.
105 This seems to be established from an
Index to the Divine Office of that diocese,
printed a. d. 1685.
lo6 Extracts from it are given by the Bol-
nedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxv. , sect, lix. ,
94 Soller takes exception to this statement, as the solemnities for canonization were not
then instituted.
95 nient.
90 In the year 1276, this same bishop had a cut-stone tomb prepared to receive tbe relics.
97
Copperplate illustrations of this artistic object, and of the altar there, are given by the Bollandists, as illustrations for St. Willi- bald's Acts.
276.
According to Bishop Philips' state-
landists.
98 10"
This is stated, by an ancient but anony-
mous writer, and it is to be found in Gretser's
"Catalogus Episcoporum Eystettensium,"
p. 428.
Thus
? —"
p.
99 Io8 "
Bishop Philip relates, in no less than See Dean Cressy's Church His-
eighteen paragraphs, the miracles wrought tory of Brittany," book xxiv. , chap, xvii. ,
through his intercession.
100
According to Bishop Philip's account,
cap. xxxviii.
p. 644.
109 See Historic Catholicae Iberniae
Compendium," tomus i. , liv. iv. , cap. xi. , p. 50,
101
The foregoing statement in the text has
:
In Saxonia sancti Willebaldi
;
the second was to the
priini Eistetensis Episcopi," Sec.
ologium Roraanum Gregorii XIII. ," p. 97. Romae, 1878, fol. ed.
'*
Martyr*
u8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[July 7,
10
Calendar of Irish Saints, published by O'Sullevan Beare, ? this great saint's
name is written Wilchibald, where it is entered, at the 7th of July. As a Scottish saint, Thomas Dempster has likewise entered the feast of this holy
bishop, in his Calendar,
at the 7th of July.
110
111
In summing up the virtues of St. Willibald, one of his biographers, Bishop Philip, states, that he was bountiful in alms-giving, assiduous in vigils, devout in prayer, perfect in charity, filled with a humane spirit, distinguished for his learning, fluent in eloquence, and most holy in conversation. The serenity of his looks mani- fested the candour of his mind, while his gentle words indicated a kindly heart j and all his exterior appearance conveyed truthfully the reign of sanc-
in his soul.
tity
Article III. —St. Cronia, Cronae or Croine Beg, Virgin, of
Tempull-Crone,CountyofDonegal. Thesimpleentry,Cronae,occurs 1
in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 7th of July. There is nothing more to
indicateherplaceorperiod,inthatrecord. TheBollandists2 receivedfrom
Father Thomas O'Sheerin their notice of Crona parva or Crona parva virgo,
for entry, at this date. We are told, she belonged to the race of Conall
Gulban,sonto Niall. This St. Cronia, virgin, was the daughter of Diermit,
son to Garuan, son to Brandub, son to Malge, son to Ennius Bogun, the son
ofConallGulban. AccordingtotheSanctilogiumandSelvacius,thisvirgin
was venerated, on the 7th of July, in the church of Tempull Crone, within
the district of Tyrconnell. 3 Hence then, her church is to be sought for in
the extreme north-western districts of Ireland. It is now identified with
Templecroan,4 a most extensive parish,* in the barony of Boylagh, and county
of 6 The church of this no doubt, derived its name from this Donegal. parish,
present saint. Yet, we cannot discover, in what manner she had relation
with it. The greater part of that dreary district, known as " the Rosses,"? lies within the parish of Templecroan. A wilderness of rugged mountain wastes and heaths are broken towards the west, into abrupt and rocky heights. Several islands, separated by inlets of the sea, are scattered along the western
8
coast of the mainland.
a festival is entered in honour of Croine Beg, virgin, of Tempull Croine, in Tir Conaill.
Article IV. —St. Comgell or Coimgell, Virgin, and Daughter to Diarmaid. In the holiness of woman's life, the poor may discover a wealth of resources, where good will predominates ; while the rich may find
In the Martyrology of Donegal, at this same date,
1,0 The Menologium Scoticum.
" Kalendars of
Article hi. Edited by Rev. Dr. Black's "Guide to Belfast, the Giants'
111 Thus : "In Thuringia Vvillibakli Eis- tetensis episcopi primi, et gentis Apostoli,
s It contains 52,921 acres. These include
4. 355a. or. 37p. , on Aran Island; 989a. ir.
27p.
of the Gweedore tideway and under ;
VV. F. "—Bishop Forbes'
Loughs, 2,896a. I r. 9p.
Scottish Saints,"—
p. 205.
There is a
good Map
of this district in
x
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Julii vii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 452.
3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Appendix ad Vitam S. Columbse, cap. iii. , p. 480.
4 It is described, on the " Ordnance Stir-
veyTownland Maps for the County of Done- gal," sheets 32, 40, 41, 48, 49, 50, 56, 57, 58.
Kelly, p. xxviii.
2
6
Causeway and the North of Ireland. " Edin-
burgh, 1872, l2mo.
7 It comprises a total area of about thirty
square miles, which is well described in
Eraser's "Handbook for Travellers in Ire*
land. " No. 146, pp. 601 10603. 8"
See Lewis' Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. 603, 604.
9 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 188, 189.
July 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 119 by contrast, the sad waste of their wearisome idleness, and the empty results
1
on this day, Comgell ingen Diarmata, or Comgell, daughter to Diarmaid, was com-
of a profitless industry. According to the Martyrology of Tallagh,
memorated. Accordingtotheentryforthisday,andwhichtheBollandists acknowledge as having been received from Father Thomas O'Sheerin, Com- gella, the daughter of Diermitu, was sister to the preceding Crona. The name of this pious lady has been Latinized Candida; and, it has been supposed, as
occurring in our Irish Calendars, that it comes nearest in phonetic pronuncia- tion to that of a St. Keevil, venerated in Ballybrennan parish, county of Wexford. St. Keevil'swellisthereknown,andapatronwasformerlyheld
onthe27thofAugust. 3 AccordingtotheMartyrologyofDonegal,*venera-
tion was paid at the 7th of July to Coimgell, virgin, and daughter of Diar- maid.
Article V. —St. Fiadabair, or Fiadhabhair, of Uachtar-achadh, now Ballinamore, Countv Leitrim. At the 7th of July, the Martyr-
x
records a festival to honour Fiadabair, of Uachtair Achaid. This district comprised the entire of the parish of Oughteragh, or Ballina- more, in the north of the barony of Carrigallen, and county of Leitrim. 2 Father Thomas O'Sheerin furnished the Bollandists 3 with a notice of a Fiadabaria, for this day. Again, in the Martyrology of Donegal,* at the same date, the name appears, as Fiadhabhair, of Uachtar-achadh, in Cinel Luachain.
Article VI. —St. Tingmaich or Trighmeach, Bishop. We find en-
1
tered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, Tingmaich, at this day. Neither his
Article VII. —Reputed Festival for St. Medran and St. Odhrain. These holy brothers were illustrious for their sanctity. However, it is not likely, they should be commemorated at this date ; but, from the meagre data and unreliable references to them in various records, we follow only in the wake of other writers. At present, their Acts are not known to be extant. Hence, it is difficult to give reliable particulars regarding them. Notices of these two
ology of Tallagh
norhis
at the 7 th of July, there is a festival in honour of Trighmeach, a Bishop. Fur- nishedwiththeentrybyFatherO'Sheerin,theBollandists3 haveTrigmechus Episcopus, at the present date.
place
period appears
tobeknown. Inthe
Martyrology
saints,
Article iv. — 1 Kelly, p. xxviii.
2
7th
by Rev.
the Bollandists' great
Julii vii. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 452
4 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
on the
Edited
of are contained l in July,
See', Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Julii vii. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 452, 3 See "Letters containing Information rela- tive to the Antiquities of theCounty of Wex- ford, collected during the Progress of the
188, 189. Article vi. —
*
Edited by Rev. Dr.
Ordnance Survey in 1840," vol. i. John Kelly, p. xxviii.
O'Donovan's
2 Edited Drs. Todd and by
4
280.
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
188, 189. Article v. —1
Letter, p.
Reeves, pp s See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. ,
Edited
See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Kelly, p. xxviii. 2
Article vii.
—
by
Rev.
Dr.
vii.
Julii p. 452.
Among
the
pretermitted saints, ' In two sections, by
Dr.
Four vol. Masters,"
n.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. ,
188, 189.
iv. ,
(c), p. 719.
of 2 Donegal,
3
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[July 7.
work f although it is stated, that we look in vain for a record of them, in any of the Irish Calendars, whether published or in Manuscript. In the Universal
Martyrology of Castellan, there is an entry of St. Medranus alone, at this
date; while, the feast of his brother St. Odranus is referred, to the nth of
October. This arrangement he appears to have adopted, from different
annotations of Colgan, yet which do not seem mutually to accord. Thus, in
one instance, St. Medranus or Medragius, besides being regarded as a monk
under St. Kieran,3 of Saigir, is also classed among St. Patrick's disciples. *
There, however, he is assigned a feast, for the 6th of June,5 at which date,
we have already noticed a St. Medhran or Medrain, Bishop. Elsewhere, he
is mentioned, as Medhranus or Medhragius, in connexion with a brother,
named Odranus,6 and both of these are stated to have been sons of Mac-
craith, son to Trochall, son of Esomon, son to Daigrse, son of Nuadhat, &c.
However, another pair of brothers, St. Medranus and St. Murchu, are vene-
rated on the 8th of and these are called sons of Hua Macten. 8 day June,?
Again, both St. Medranus and St. Odranus, the sons of Maccraith, are men- tioned, as belonging to the race of Cairbre Baschaoin, and thus they become related to St. Senan of Inis-cathaigh. There, while the feast of the former is thought to be on the 6th or 8th of June ; the festival of the latter has been assigned to the 2nd or to the -26th of October. 9 According to the account contained in the Life of St. Kieran of Saighir, proceeding from Muscraige Thire, and from the village of Lettir, St. Medran and St. Odhrain were brothers, who came to visit his monastery. The province of Connaught they specially desired to seek, and there they intended to settle, at a place called Tulach-ruaidh. But, St. Medran chose to remain at Saigir, to become a dis- ciple of St. Kiaran the Elder, in his monastery. For this change of purpose, he was reproached by Odhran, who besought St. Kieran to refuse Medran admission. St. Kieran replied: "Let the Lord decide between you, if he should remain here or depart with you. Let him now hold a lamp in his hand, and if it be kindled into a flame with his breath, he ought to remain here, but, if otherwise, let him depart with you. " Immediately, Median's breath lighted the lamp, and accordingly, he remained at Saighir, to the end of his days, and with a reputation for great sanctity. Then, St. Kieran said
:
to Odhran " Hear me, brother Odhran, I tell you truly, that even if you
10
Wherefore, return and remain there, because from thy name,
work, notices will be found of both in Ait. v. , vi.
visited the four quarters of the world,
you shall die notwithstanding, in your
village of Lettir.
11
Father John Baptist Soller, S. J. 2"
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Julii
vii. De SS. Medrano et Odrano Fiat.
ConfessoribusLethreci in Ilibernia, pp. 477, niae," Martii v. Vita S. Kierani Fpiscopi
478.
3 See his Life, in the Third Volume of
thiswork,atthe5thofMarch,Art. i.
4 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap.
xxiii. , p. 268.
s In the Sixth Volume of this work,
Art. vi.
et Confessoris. cap. xxviii. , p. 461, and nn. 31, 32, p. 465.
»See//-/>/. , Martiiviii. ,AppendixadVitam S. Senani, cap. iiL, p. 542 rteU 53$.
6
According to the Genealogic Pedigrees
rhundi plagas circumiveris," &c. A curious question arises from this passage in tiie old Life: Did the writer believe, there were lour great Continents then known in Ire- land to exist ? It seems most probable, that besides the geographical knowledge of Europe, Asia and Africa, then undoubtedly possessed, that of (beat Ireland, or the pre* sent American Continent, was equally a fact of which the early Irish had cognizance long before the age of Christopher Columbus.
ofthe Irish Saints, chap, xvii. , tiiese are re-
spectively called St. Medhragius of Saigir
and St. Odhranus the Master. The former as we are told is called Medhranus, also, in various Irish Calendars, as may be seen by referring to the 6th and 8th of June.
"i At that date, in the Sixth Volume of this
8 See " Acta Sanctorum iber- Colgan's 1 1
10
The Latin words are: "et si quatuor
July 7. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAIN1S.
that village shall henceforward be distinguished/' And so it happened. According to the word of Kieran, Odhran returned to that place, where he erected a religious establishment. The latter was Abbot over that monas- tery in Muscraigia, or Muskerry. It was called from him Leitter Odhrain. There, he was distinguished for great virtue, and many miracles, as hath been recorded in his Life. 12 There, too, he passed away from this earth, to enjoy the rewards of eternal bliss.
Article VIII. —Reputed Festival of St. Boisilus.
