No More Learning

^ Thus: -rnAelchechAiTx ni<xc Uohaih.
chants, residing in Dingle before the time of Queen EHzabeth, and who traded with the Irish natives, lauilt this church. See " Natural and Civil History of the County of Kerry," chap, vii. , pp. 192, 193.
^ It lies towards the west of Brandon Hill, according to the O'Clerys.
' It is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Kerry," sheets 33, 34, 42, 43. Kilmalkedar town- land is on sheets 42, 43.
'° The parish of Dingle is also shown, on sheets 34, 42, 43, 53, ibid. The townland commons and town of Dingle are shown, on sheets 43, 53.
" Mr. Brash states, that portions of the stone roof still exist for a height of from 3 feet to 5 feet from the eaves, both in nave and chancel, and that the roof "was con- structed of rectangular flat-bedded blocks of stone, neatly dressed, and laid breaking joint. "—" Ecclesiastical Architecture of Ireland," p. 99.
"That is, each stone was horizontally bedded, but over-lapping, until the sides met, and were covered by a single course of flags and hea\7 stones to form the ridge.
3 xiv. 263.
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , JMaii Among the pretermitted saints, p.
—
276 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 14.
particulars; while our judgment must be exercised, in subjecting them to the test of sound criticism. They are often distinct from—yet not inconsistent
—
Article II. St. Maolcethair, Son of Ronan, of Kilmel- CHEDOR, County of Kerry. \_Frobably in the Sixth Century. '] In tlie publislied iMartyrology of Tallagh/ at the 14th of May, as also in the Franciscan copy,^ we find entered the name of Maelcetair mac Ronain. The Bollandists3 also quote this authority, for placing the feast of " Maelchedarius filius Ronani," at the same date. In that Table, appended to the Donegal Martyrology, this saint's name has been Latinized, Mallegarius. "* He was son to Ronan, who w^as son to the King of Uladh. He belonged, therefore, to the race of Fiatach Finn, monarch of Erin. The place selected for his religious retirement was off that remote part of Ireland, which after him has been called CillMelchedair,5 and it was near the shore of the sea, which is connected with the gi^eat Atlantic. Local tradition has it, that the old church, now to be seen at Kilmalkedar, had been erected by St. Brendan, and by his contemporary St. Malkedar. ^ If this be true, it throws the period of this latter holy man back to the sixth century ; and, local tradi- tions of this character are usually reliable. ^ Kilmalkedar is situated on the east of Smerwick Harbour, and it lies south-west of Brandon Hill. ^ Now, Kilmal- kedar9—alsowrittenKilmelchedor—is aparish,inthebaronyofCorkaguiney, countyofKerry. Theoldchurchthereissituatedinatownlandofthesame
name, about four Irish miles to the north-west of Dingle. '° It was an excel- lent specimen of masonry, and built of freestone, from the neighbouring cliffs. The nave was originally covered, by a high-pitched stone roof," constructed on the corbel principle," without employment of the arch. The side walls are terminated by a string-course, from which the roof slanted directly to the
Article n. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. was thought by the people, Spanish mer-
the object of Divine Faith; and, therefore, those legends are frequently reproduced, without attaching to them, or assigning for us any obligation requiring acknowledgment or credence in their authenticity.
See Drs. Todd's and Reeves' edition, pp. 440, 441.
s Most beautiful photograph illustrations of Cell Maelceadair, viz. , Plate xciii. West end of church, Plate xciv. East E. S. view. Plate xcv. . West doorway of Church. Plate xcvi. Chancel Arch of Church—are con- tained with descriptive letterpress—in "Notes on Irish Architecture," by Edwin, Third Earl of Dunraven, edited by Margaret Stokes, vol. ii. , part iv. , sect, i. , pp. 52 to 55. There are also woodcut engravings of the Interior of Doorway, and a ground-plan section of details and measurements.
* According to John O'Donovan, in the " Letters containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Kerry, col- lected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1841. " See Letter, dated Dingle, August 4lh, 1841, p. 84.
7 However, Dr. Smith, the historian of Kerry, has a statement, that in his day, it
May 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
277
ridge ; while inside, the form was curved gradually, from the upright line of the walls to the apex. '3 The chancel '4 was also stone roofed ; but, it is not thought to have Been so ancient as the nave, although still of the round- archedperiod. Thereisnopositiveevidenceforthedate,eitheroftheorigi- nal building, or of its addition. According to Mr. Hill, none of the work can be earlier than the twelfth century, as it has been asserted, that fine-jointed masonry and carving were not in use, in England or in Normandy, before that date ; and, it is thought to be far from likely, that the most western island of Europe took the lead of these countries, in the art of church build- ing. However, in the work of Edwin, Third Earl of Dunraven, it is assumed —and apparently with good reason—this church has been of a much more early age. 'S The parish of Kilmelkedar, is remarkable for its remains ofanti- quity. '^ The old church there is now in ruins ; but, it is one of the most ancient and interesting, within the county of Kerry. Like the generality of
primitive Irish churches, built before the Anglo-Norman Invasion, it consists of a nave,'7 and a choir, '^ or chancel. '9 The east gable of the chancel is orna-
mented by a projecting band, worked in the solid, from horizontal stones ;
while, the quoins differ from those of the nave, being without buttresses. A small cross, with another incised on its eastern face, still stands, on the east gable of the nave. A cross formerly stood on the west end, but it was blown down several years ago ; it is now disfigured, and laid prostrate, in the grave- yard beneath,*° The chisellings and ornamental bevels of the doors and
See " Kilmalkedar, County Kerry," by an addition, made at some time previous to
Arthur Hill, B. A.
'3 See ibid.
'* In its details, it affords a marked con-
trast with the nave. The east window in it, instead of being a simple opening with sloping jambs, is constructed with parallel jambs,mouldedontheexterior,anditismuch higher, in proportion to its width.
'S It is said, to judge from the existing remains, it " must have been an ecclesiasti- cal establishment of some note from an early period down to the twelfth century. "— " Notes on Irish Architecture," edited by Margaret Stokes, vol. i. , part i. , sect, ii. , p. 58.
the introduction of pointed architecture into this country.
^° See "Letters containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Kerry, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1841. " Letter of JohnO'Donovan,datedDingle,August4th, 1841, p. 88.
°' The windows are rather plain, as con- trasted with the other richly decorated fea- tures of the building. The east window is round-headed, and with vertical jambs. It measures 5 feet 10 inches high, by 8 inches wide, on the outside, while on the interior it splays to a width of 4 feet 8 inches. There is no dripstone, and inside each jamb is
'* There is a very particular and minute
description of the parish and old church of crowned with an animal's head. See
Kilmalkedar, by John O'Donovan, in " Let-
ters containing Information relative to the
Antiquities of the County of Kerry collected
during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey
in 1841," pp. 83 to 102. This letter is dated
August 4th, 1841, and it was apparently
written at Dingle. Various illustrations of
the old church accompany this communica-
tion, and drawn in ink, by William F. Architects, in 1870. " Besides a letterpress
Wakeman.
'7 The nave measures 27 feet 4 inches in
description preceding, we have the following Lithographs introduced : No. i. Plan and Elevation of West End. No. ii. Elevation of South Side. No. iii. Elevation of East
length, and 17 feet in width ; while its walls
are 3 feet 7 inches thick, and 12 feet high,
at the north-west angle. See " Notes on End and Section through Nave. No. iv. Irish Architecture," by Edwin, Third Earl Longitudinal Section. No. v. Detail of of Dunraven, edited by Miss Margaret West Door. No. vi. Detail of Chancel Stokes, vol. ii. , part iv. , sect, i. , p. 52.
'* The chancel is 16 feet long and 11 feet 3 inches wide ; while, the walls are 2 feet 9 inches thick. See ibid.
'9IntheopinionofMr. Hill,thislatteris
Arch. No. vii. RJeuld igs of West Door and Chancel Arch. No. viii. Details of Nave, Windows, &c. . East Window, and Western Cross. Photographs : No. i. GeneralViewoftheWestEnd. No. ii. .
" Notes on Irish Architecture," by Edwin, Third Earl of Dunraven, edited by Margaret Stokes, vol. ii. , part v. , sect, i. , p. 54.
^^ The most correct idea that can be formed—short of a visit to the spot—may be drawn from a Monograph, "Kilmalkedar, County Kerry, drawn by Arthur Hill, B. A. , Associate of the Royal Institute of British
278
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 14.
windows "' are yet exceedingly sharp, and the masonry is very perfect. '^ There are only two windows to light the nave. These are scarcely a superficial foot each, in area ; they are unmoulded, splayed on the inside, and not prepared to receive either shutters or glass. ""^ The old church walls, on the inside, dis- play a fine sculptured range of low pillasters, on both sides of the nave. The five recesses ^* in the side walls are separated from one another, by round pillasters. ^5 The altar stood independently from the walls. The entrance to Kilmalchedar old church—in the middle of the west gable—is a perfectly
^^--^^'^v^x
Kilmalkedar Old Church, County of Kerry.
rounded arch, with a rich carving of heads, balls, flowers, and foliage. These sculptures ^"^ are not very much injured, by time or climate. The doorway con- sists of three concentric arches; shafts, caps, and a label moulding, are intro- duced ; and, in the uppermost part is the rude representation of a human head, thouglit by the natives to represent that of St. Brendan or of St. Mel- chedor. ^7 The arch-way is filled by a plain tympanum, carried on independent
General View from the South-east. No. iii. Interior looking; East. No. iv. V^iew from the Chancel looking West.
*3 This church, with its interesting sur- roundings, has been drawn on the spot, by William Y. Wakeman. That sketch repre- sents St. Brandon's Mountain, in the back- ground. It has been transferred to the wood, by . Mr. Wakeman, and it is here presented as an illustration, engraved by Mrs. Mil- lard.
'* Each recess or niche is four feet, four inches, in lieii;]it, by three feet, five inches in width, and the bottom of each is five feet,
eight inches, above the present level of the floor.
"^5 Each of these is four feet, seven inches high.
*" It is remarkable, that the stones dug up on the summit of Brandon Mountain, which rises over it, are a foreign kind of marble ; several of them are pierced through, with dowel holes, appliances for gudgeons and cramps, clearly for the purpose of securing gi cater firmness and durability, in an ancient church building, to be found on this very elevated site.
°' See " Letters containing Information
May 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS,
279
piers, and on the inside ^^ of which a grotesque head projects, while it is worked from the soHd stone. There is a stone-roofed oratory or cell/9 not far from Kil- malkedar church, while tradition ascribes its erection to St. Brendan, and to hiscontemporarySt. Maelchedar. Thewallsofthisbuildinginclinetowardsone another, until they are closed at the top, with a row of flags extending along the ridge of the roof. Internally, it is perfect to the apex, on the western side; and, it is 12 feet, in height. The end walls are thicker than those at theside. 3° Surrounding the church,3' there is a well-filled graveyard. Some of the tomb- stones there are inscribed with Ogham, and with other antique characters; and, in the churchyard, there is a curious ancient stone cross of considerable size.
3^ A short distance to the north-east of Kilmalkedar church, there is another small cell, which measures 8 feet 3 inches in length, and 5 feet 5 inches in breadth, it being 6 feet in height. On the top ridge of the roof are five flags, laid horizontally. Thedoorwasonthenorthside,butits originalformhasbeen destroyed of late years. The window was in the west side, but now, also, it is disfigured. The original rude lintel remains. 33 Not far from the old grave- yard are the ruins of an ancient house, which seems to have been the former residence of ecclesiastics, who served the church. It consisted of two stories, with curious small doors and windows, appearing in various parts of the walls, now remaining; but, it is unroofed, and now unprotected, on every side. The
people there call it St. Brandon's House ; while they have no tradition what- ever of St. Maolcethair. No doubt, however, the celebrity of St, Brandon hasovershadowedthatofeveryotherlocalsaintthroughoutKerry. Nearthe ancient church of Kilmalkedar, an old ruined building is shown by the people; it is called the Chancellor's House. 34 The situation of Kilmalkedar is truly a romantic one ; and, it overlooks Smerwick Harbour,35 which is presented to view, with the frowning frontlet of Fort-del-Ore 3^ clearly defined. Near this
relative to the antiquities of the County of Kerry, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1841. " Letter of John O'Donovan, dated Dingle, August 4th, 1841, p. 87.
°^ An excellent woodcut illustration of the interior face of this doorway will be found, in "Notes on Irish Architecture," by Edwin, Third Earl of Dunraven, edited by Margaret Stokes, vol. ii. , part iv. , sect, i. , p. 53.
"9 A photograph of this ruin, plate xxxii. , illustrates "Notes on Irish Architecture," by Edwin, Third Earl of Dunraven, edited by Miss Stokes, vol. i. , part i. , sect, ii. , p. S8.
3° This cell has been described by George V. Du Noyer, in the "Journal of the Kil- kenny and South-east of Ireland Archaeolo- gical Society," vol. v. , 1864-1865, p. 29.
3' At the side of its west door, one of the most curious ancient monuments is a stand- ing pillar-stone, which offers a well preserved and a most interesting example of the whole alphabet in the I'loman character of the sixth or seventh century, and above it the invoca- tion, "Domine," is inscribed. See Miss Stokes' "Christian Inscriptions of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 7.
3^ See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 178.
33 The cell has been remodelled to form a pigstye ! See " Notes on Irish Architec-
ture," by Edwin, Third Earl of Dunraven, edited by Margaret Stokes, vol. i. , part i. , sect, ii. , p. 59.
^t Both the " Priest's House," and the " Chancellor's House," have been noticed, by Sir Denham Jephson Norreys, in a paper, written for " The Journal of the Royal His- torical and ArchDcoIogical Association of Ireland," vol. i. , Fourth Series, No. 8, Octo- ber, 1S71, pp. 577 to 579. Allusion is there made, to certain architectural peculiarities, which appear^ to have been engraved on plates, although such illustrations are not found, in that number of the Society's
Journal.
35 A copperplate view of this hermitage
and the neighbouring harbour is given, in Dr. Charles Smith's '" Ancient and Present Stale of the County of Kerry," chap, vii. , p. 191.
3° Philip II. of Spain, who had been mar- ried to Mary, Queen of Elngland, sought in concert with Pope Gregory XIIL, to assist the persecuted Irish Catholics. In July, 1579, an expedition of Spaniards and Italians landed at Smerwick, under the command of James Pitzmaurice, and these took up a position in Fort-del-Ore, which they forti- fied. But, the English navy, under Sir William Winter, sailed around to attack them, and in 1580, Lord D-puty Clrav marched forces from Dubim, for the same
28o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 14.
is the ancient hermitage of Gallerus, Not far from the direct road to Dingle, there is a very singular group of four bee-hive-shaped houses,37 formed of rude and large stones, placed in such a position, as to allow the rain to drip from them outwardly. ^^ These are now open on top, but the caps or roofs seem to have fallen in, or to have been removed. Around them, there is a rudewalledenclosure,andatrench. Similarhousesarefound,ingreatnum- bers, but ruined, in all the adjoining districts. Several old Cahirs, like that fort known as Staigue,39 are near ; while the old stone-roofed church of Galle- rus, St. Brandan's oratory, and penitential station, an old church near Feoha- nagh River, Templenacloonagh, and two other old oratories, or ecclesiastical edifices, Ogham stones, &c. , constitute a group of antique memorials, not fre- quently found in such close proximity. ° There is a holy well, near Kilmal- kedar old church. This extremely interesting structure is surrounded by slopes, leading to the summits of very high mountains, at the remote norlh-western
extremity of Dingle promontory. Direct from Kilmalkedar to the summit of Brandon runs a stone built pathway ; the meaning of which is eloquently told in its local title : " The pathway of the saints. " All the peninsula in this part of western Kerry abounds in most interesting objects. The late Mr. Richard Hitchcock has left us a list, made out from the Ordnance Survey, and from other sources, regarding the principal remains of antiquity, in the barony of Corkaguiny. Eleven stone cahers, three earns, and forty calluraghs, or obsolete burial grounds, where unbaptized children only are interred ; ten castles, eighteen artificial caves, twenty-one churches in ruins, and nine church sites, two hundred and eighteen cloghauns, or bee-hive-shaped stone houses, sixteen cromleacs, twelve large stone crosses, three hundred and seventy-six earthen forts or raths are to be found; one hundred and thirteen gallauns or immense rude standing stones, fifty-four monumental pillars, most of them bearing Ogham in- scriptions, exist; fifteen oratories, nine penitential stations, sixty wells, many of them bearing the name of some saint, and twenty-nine miscellaneous remains, areyettobeseen. -*' Thatthisdistrictwasancientlyremarkableforcultivation, fertility, and piety, is sufficiently proved, by the numerous remains of churches, monasteries, and other vestiges of advanced Christian civilization, that are still discoverable. Smith'shistoryenumeratesnofewerthantwentyparishchurches, existing in Corkaguiny,*^ over one hundred years ago, and he concludes from this
purpose. Afier a siege of forty days, riming its History, Buildings and Antiquities,"
the month of November, the Deputy showed a flag of truce, the garrison cajiitulated, were disarmed, and inliumanly massacred, in cold blood, to the number of 600. Hence, came the expression, " Graiae fides. " . '^ee O'SuUevnn Bearc's "Historic Catholicce Ibernicc Compendium," tomus ii. , lib. iv. , cap. XV. , pp. 112 to 116. Rev. Dr. Kelly's edition,
37 Houses of a similar desciiption were to be found in other parts of Ireland, at a com- paratively recent period. The Right Rev. Dr, French, Bishop of Ferns, took refuge in such ancient ecclesinstical structures to avoid the i)ersecutors, who sought his life in the
seventeenth century.
3'* The ordinary dwellings of the old races
part ii. , chap, i. , p. 249.
39 This remarkably perfect old fort is
on the townland of Staigue, in the parish of Kilcrohane, barony of Dunkerron South, and the townland is described, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Kerry," sheets 99. 107.
*° The foregoing observations are the re- suit of notes and observations made by the writer, during avisit to this locality, in July, 187 1, in company with Rev. James Gaffney, M. R. I. A.
•" How many more fine remains, he re- marks, have been lost during centuries of blind fanaticism, and internal warfare ! Vet, the list, as it stands, is such, that he ven- tures to say, no part of Ireland, covering the same extent as Corkaguiny, can number so many, and such a variety of ancient re-
seem to have been of a rude and uncom-
fortablc character, even among the most
civili/. cd nations. Thisisillustrated, in a wood mains, and in such a fine state of pre- engraving showing a cabin of the Aboriginal scrvation, as arc found in this interesting Latians, in Thomas II. Dyer's " Pompeii : barony.
—5
May 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 281
fact, that the barony was formerly better inhabited, than at that time when he wrote,*3eachparishhavinghaditsrespectivechurch. Mostofthechurcheswere verylarge,asappearsbytheirexistingruins. i'* Itisdifficult,atthepresenttime, to determine the exact era of the present holy man. We read, however, in the Martyrology of Donegal,'*^ that this day had been dedicated to the veneration of Maolcethair. -*^ As in and near the capital of the Christian world,^7 so in the remote district round Dingle, the traveller will find the relics of paganism, and the relics of Christianity. But, as the Christian has displaced the pagan temple, in Rome of the Saints, so has it happened, likewise, in that, as in every other quarter, throughout the Island of Saints.
Article III. St. Carthach the Eld^^r, of Manister Thuama. \Sixth Centu}-y. '\ St. Carthach the Elder was the preceptor of St. Mochuda, who is also called Carthach, qualified by the epithet Junior,^ and who is venerated, on this same day. ^ The Acts of his master have been published, byColgan,3whoassignshisfestivaltothe5thofMarch. Undertheheadof Manister Thuama, and at May 14th, Duald Mac Firbis enters, Carthach, i. e. , the old bishop. • The place here mentioned has not yet been identified. Already have we treated about St. Carthach, or Carthage, the Elder, at the 5th day of March.
Article IV. Reputed Feast of Silvanus, Archbishop of Dum- BLANE, IN Scotland. Quoting Dempster ' and Ferrarius,^ the Bollandists 3
^' He notices, as anotlier proof, that the " number of inhabitants is prodigiously de- creased," the fact that several of the moun- tains, though of but poor and stony soil, are
marked by old enclosures, and other signs of former culture, on their side, even to the very tops.
^^ There is a note by Rev. Dr. Todd, at Maolcethair : "The more recent hand has written in the margin, ' Maldegerius'—mean- ing to query, whether this may not have been the Latinized form of this name. "
^^ In connexion with this very subject, it is curious to compare the domestic architec- ture of ancient Italy, with that of ancient Ireland. The cottage of Romulus was ap-
*^ An account of a visit, paid by the Earl
of Cumberland to this district, was printed
inLondon,A. D. 1599. Thisrecords,"The parentlynotunliketheoldbee-hive-shaped
ground is very fruitful, and plentiful of grasse and graine, as may appear by the abundance of kine and cattel tliere, inso- much that we had good muttons (though somewhat less than ours in England), for two shillings or five groates a piece, good pigges and hennes for 3 pence a piece—good land was here to be had for foure pence yearly the acre ! "
^ So they became, after the desolating wars of Elizabeth's days. Spenser saw and described the ruin and desolation of those dreadful events. Within a short time, as he tells us, this most populous and plentiful country was suddenly left void of man and beast. HoUinshed's Chronicle affirms, that as the result of the cruel Desmond war, from one end of Munster to the other, from Waterford to Smerwick, a distance of 130 miles, no man, woman, or child was to be met, except in the towns ; nor any beast, but the very wolves, the foxes, and such like ravening animals.
*5EditedbyDrs. ToddandReeves,pp. 126, 127.
houses of the country near Kilmalkedar. Some illustrations of the antique houses of La-
Les Ruines de Pompei dessinees et mesurees par Fr. Mazois, archi- tecte pendent' les annees 1809, 1810 et 181 1," part ii. , p. 5. This fine work ap- peared at Paris, in four large folio volumes, containing nearly 200 plates, a. d. 1812 to 1838. It embraces the results of explora-
tium may be seen in '
'
tions made at Pompeii, from 1757 to 1821.
Article hi. —'
See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's " Ecclesiastical Plistory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect, v. , with notes pp. 98 to
102.
" See Art. i.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernioe," v.
Martii. De S. Carthagio Epis. et Confess. Ex variis, pp. 473 to 476.
t See " Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. 122, 123.
5 See the Third Volume of this work, and Art. ii. , at the 5th of March.
Articleiv. —' See'*MenologiumSco- ticum. "
——
282 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 14.
mention at the 14th of May, one Silvanus, called Archbishop of Dumblane. He is said to have succeeded St. Livinus, whose feast is kept, on the 12th of November. • The Bollandists hold out a promise or hope, that on the latter day, some account of him might be given. We are informed,5 that he had anoffice,comprisingNineLessons,atDumblane. ^ Thefeastofamostreli- gious man, called Siluanus, is set down in Thomas Dempster's " Menologium Scoticum,"? at the 14th of May. ^ At first, he is said to have been an Arch- deacon. InanotherworkofI'homasDempster,ontheassignedauthorityof the Breviary of the churcli of Ghent, and of Francis Hareeus' epitome of St.