No one can follow the lucid rea-
soning, which fixes man's obligations to his Creator, without deriving untold benefit.
soning, which fixes man's obligations to his Creator, without deriving untold benefit.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
Kelly, p.
xv.
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
50, 51.
"'Iw June, 1870, the writer had an oppor-
tunity tor examining the local features of the
' to the Mart, of But, according
Tallaght, this was the Bishop of Rath-na-nespoc. Perhaps he was Aengus Laimhiodhan, Bishop of Rath-na-nespoc, and he was of the race of Bresal Brec from whom descend
.
p
sect. 8, p. 25. —^ Edited Rev. Dr. ARTICLE IV. by
p. xv.
Kelly,
^ Edited Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, by
pp. 50, 51.
572 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [Februaryi6.
Article V. —St. Berotius, or Berasius, Bishop. St. Berotius is
entered at the i6th of February, in an anonymous Catalogue of Irish Saints, published by O'Sullevan Beare. He receives the name Berasius, bishop, at the same date, in Henry Fitzsimon's Catalogue. ^ He also quotes the Car- thusian Martyrology, and Floratius, as authorities. By referring to the Acts of St. Berach, at the 15th of February, it will be seen, that one name given to him was Berasius. ^^ There is probably a mistake here, in assigning this holy man's feast, to the present date.
ArticleVI. —St. Berchan,Confessor. ThefestivalofaSt. Berchan, confessor, is entered in the ancient Martyrology of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, Dublin, at the xiv. of the Kalends of March, correspond-
ing with the 1 6th of February. ^ The feast, however, is omitted in the pre- ceding Calendar. Dr. Todd has vainly attempted to discover what St. Berchan^ is here intended ; for, this saint and his festival do not recur, in any other authority. It may be asked, if he could be identified with the St. Berotius or Berasius recorded, at this same date.
Article VII. —Reputed Feast of St. Fechin, of Lemmaigh. The
festival of a St. Fechin," son to VacaicchCj^* is said to have been observed, at
aplace,calledLemmaigh,onthei6thofFebruary. 3 Adoubtisexpressed, by Colgan, as to whether or not, he was the saint left by St. Senan, at
Inniscarra,'^ on the River Lee, or if he be St. Fechin Valughba, whose festival occurs, on the 28th of December. In connexion with this latter saint, some notices will be found, at the same day, in subsequent pages.
ArticleVIII. —ReputedFestivalofSt. Finan,Bishop. \Sevejith Century? ^ At this day, some writers on British hagiology have placed the festival of a St. Finan, bishop, without any very clear notions apparently as to his true identity. So far as we can glean, he seems to have been taken for the first Bishop of Lindisfarne, and Apostle of Northumbria, whose Life has been already given, at the 9th day of January. In Anglia, Dempster has the festival of a St. Finan, a bishop, and an apostle of that nation. ^ By reason of his adhesion, to the Scottish mode of observing Easter, the Venerable Bede is less favourable to him f however, he gives a very high idea of his virtues, his love of poverty and disinterestedness ; his contempt for the world ; and his great diligence in preaching the word of life, to a people, who respected their pastors, and who heard from them, and who practised, the lessons of salvation. Bishop Challoners has inserted some short notices of St. Finan, bishop, at this day. He is said to have departed, on the loth of September, a. d. 661. It is difficult to discover, how Challoner
Article v. —"See O'Sullevan Beare's "Historiae Catholicse Ibemiae Compen- dium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , p. 49, and
cap. xii. , p. 52.
^ See article i—. , chap. i.
'Most probably intended for UaChainche.
3 This is clearly a typographical error, for the 19th of February,
* The of Inishcarra is situated in parish
the barony of East Muskerry, in the East
Article VI.
' edition of
See the John
It is defined on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cork. " Sheets 6—1, 62, 72, 73.
' **
Article viii. See Menologium Sco-
ticum," at the i6th of February. In
Clarke Crosthwaite and Dr. Todd.
Intro-
duction, p. Iv. , and p. 89.
"" See notices of saints bearing this name
at April loth, May 23rd, June 5th, October
December — and
2th, 4th 24th.
"Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," viii. Martii. Vita S. Senani, Episcopi et Confessoris, n. 14, p.
539, recte 535.
Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish
1
Bishop Saints," p. 192.
'
Article vii. See Colgan's
Riding.
' See * ' Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis An-
glorum," lib. iii. , cap. 17, 21, 25. 3 **
See Britannia Sancta," part i. , p. 119.
February i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 573
could have considered him, in the latter case, identical with the Finan, who
evangelized Northumbria ; as he should rather be thought identical with St.
Finian, Abbot of Moville, whose Life is given, at the loth of September. The Bollandists-^ quote Dempster and Ferrarius, for notices of St. Finnanus, at the 1 6th of February.
Article IX. —St. Babolen, Abbot of Fossey, Belgium. \Sei'enth
Century. '] Among the pretermitted saints, at the i6th of February, the Bollandists notice St. Babolenus, Abbot of Fossey, in Belgium. ' His feast
is assigned, to this day, by a manuscript Calendar, relating to the Order St. Benedict. Others place his festival, at the 26th of June. ^
ArticleX. —FestivalofSt. Julian. Thefollowingstanza,extracted
"""
from the Feilire," i—n the Leabhar Breac copy, is thus translated by
Professor O'Looney
:
e. ociin. kl. X)on 015 1tiliAni,
-AriAinm nel. co li-itnbeL ;
La -pceich fceoiL a AnriAicli,
Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Februarii xvi. , p. 855.
^
See his Acts, ibid. , tomus v. , Junii
xxvi. , pp. 195,—196.
Sanctorum" of the
xvi. Februarii, pp. 868 to 884.
=
See ibid. , p. 885. 3 See ibid. , p. 886.
tomus
^ See the Bollandists' " Acta
tomus ii. , Februarii xvi. , pp. 863, 864.
'
referable to those of St.
feast occurs at the 21st of October.
whose
An account of this
Article x.
virgin and martyr will be found in the "Acta
Bollandists,
ii. ,
Sanctonxm,"
"Oemon -oo
iriAi^
itToel.
To the virgin Julian,
The name [honoured] to the borders of the clouds ;
By the relation of the tidings of his adventures, The demon he completely extirpated (or fettered).
holy
Ursula,
venerated as and — saints, virgins martyrs,
There are no less than four female
in the ancient Church Kalendars, at the i6th of February. These are Juliana, a virgin, of Nicomedia, and a martyr, venerated at Bruxelles, in Belgium •,'^ Juliana, virgin and martyr, at Verona, in Italy f Juliana, a
Roman virgin and martyr, at Bononia, in Italy ;3 as also, a Jtiliana,^ one of the companions of St. Ursula, a virgin and martyr, whose name is inscribed on the Kalendar, and whose relics are preserved in the Cathedral Church of Osnaburgh, in Westphalia,s But, in addition to the foregoing, and at this same date, there was a St. Julian, a bishop, and a martyr, with a vast number of companions, martyrs, in Egypt f as also, a St. Julian, a martyr, with many other martyr companions, at Caesarea, in Palestine. 7 To the former of these latter saints, we beHeve the stanza in the " Feilire " has special reference, especially, as this holy man and his festival have been noticed in the ancient Martyrology, attributed to St. Jerome. It is said, that no less than five thousand shared his passion in Asia, while their memories are celebrated, both in the Eastern and Western Churches.
4 See among the pretermitted saints, in * See ibid. , p. 855. In Adam King's Ka- *'Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Februarii lendar at the i6th of February, we read,
xvi. , p. 855.
Article ix. —^ See "Acta
" S. Juliana —virgine et mart, at cunis vnder
Maximinus. " Forbes' "Kalendars Bishop
of Scottish Saints," p. 144.
s There she has a proper office, but the
Acts of her martyrdom are more properly
7 See ibid,, p. 855.
:
574 LIVES OP THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 17.
^ebenteentl) Baj) of jfrtruarp*
ARTICLE I. —ST. FINTAN, ABBOT AND PATRON OF CLONENAGH, QUEEN'S COUNTY.
[SIXTff CENTURY. I
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—ACTS OF ST. FINTAN—HIS PARENTAGE-MIRACLE PRECEDING HIS BIRTH—PERIOD WHEN THIS OCCURRED—CLONKEEN—ST. FINTAN's BAPTISM AND EARLY EDUCATION—HE LIVES FOR SOME TIME UNDER ST. COLUMBA MAC CKIM- THAINN AT TIRDAGLAS—ACCOMPANIED BY THE LATTER HOLY MAN, AND WITH TWO DISCIPLES, ST, FINTAN VISITS THE SITE OF CLONENAGH AND SELECTS IT FOR HIS PLACE OF HABITATION.
THE
adoptation of monastic life usually happens at an age, when the mind is firm and and from the the cenobite shows
clear, very outset, holy
a passion for spiritual exercises. He seems to live only in and for prayer. Direct communion with heaven becomes the occupation of his existence. Thus, the great master of a spiritual life guides his subjects in this practice, and those who come to him were given to prayer, since they adopted it as a panacea, for all ills. This sacred fire consumed their very souls, and yet did
not prevent our early monks from the laborious occupations of agricultural and mechanical pursuits. The brain was evolving lessons from its well-
stored chambers, and the mind was enlightened by those lessons, which the daily course of life served to consecrate.
No one can follow the lucid rea-
soning, which fixes man's obligations to his Creator, without deriving untold benefit. The great saint of our present consideration led the life of an exemplar ; he has left sufficient for record, to teach mankind, how to strive for the possession of virtue ; and no religious mind ought to be without the aid, which such a holy contemplative's and worker's career is calculated to inspire or direct.
An ancient Life of this saint, extracted from the Codex-Kilkenniensis,^
is published by Colgan, at this day. '' He supposed it to have been written, shortly after Fintan's death. It cannot, with certainty, be allowed such an
early date of composition ; and the i)assage cited, to prove this position, does not at all establish it. 3 That the Life, however, is a very ancient one cannot be disputed. Several old copies of St. Fintan's Life are yet pre- served. 4 His Acts, in four chapters, and in twenty-six sections, with a previous commentary, will be found, likewise, in the great Bollandist coUec-
Article I. —Chapter i. —^ The manu-
'•
Codex Kilkenniensis," con- tained in Marsh's Library, Dublin, gives a
3 " Videntes proeterita completa secundum vaticinium viri Dei," does not indicate, that the author of this Life was an eye-witness
script, called
Lile of St. Fintanus, fol. 74 to 77. This of events he records; and, "quod est in-
probably does not differ from a Vita S. Fin- tani, in a large folio manuscript, vol. xxii. , belonging to the Burgundiau Library, Bruxelles, fol. loi to 106.
It has an appendix in five chapters, pp. 355 to 357.
futuro," manifestly refers to tho day of judgment, of whicfi he speaks, or perhaps, to his belief, in the fullilment of St. Fintan's prophecy, in the other Life. See iOid. ,
"Acta Sanctonim Iliber-
'' See
nia:," xvii. Februarii. Vita S. P'intani, Abbatis de Cluain-Ednech, pp. 349 to 355.
cap. xiii. ,
* Among these are the following : MS.
Bodl. Rawl. B. 505, pp. 214-217, veil. folio, xiv. cent. Also, MS. Bodl. Rawl, B. 485, fol. 220, veil. 4to, xiv. cent.
Colgan's
p. 351.
February 17. J LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 575
tion. s From this work, likewise, Bishop Challenor purports to have drawn hisbiographyofSt. Fintan. ^ TheRev. AlbanButlerhasanaccountofSt. Fintan of Cluain Ednech. 7 So, in like manner, the Rev, S. Baring-Gould includesabriefnoticeofhim,inhiswork. ^ Besidestheforegoing,Bishop Forbes has an interesting account of this very holy abbot. 9
The father of our saint was named Gabhren,^° son to Corcran, son of Echach, son to Bressal, son of Denius, son to Conla, son of Arti or Artur Corb, son to Corbre Niadh, son of Cormac, son of ^nguss Meann, son of Echach, son of Echadh Finn. " The mother of our saint was named Findath," or Findathea. ^3 In his appendix to our saint's Life, Colgan conjectured, that she may have been sister to St. Lugedius, of Coolbannagher. ^+ St. Fintan descended from the race of Eochaidh Finnfuathairt ; and, from this stock, likewise, the great St. Brigid^s derived her origin. '^
According to the most probable conjecture, St. Fintan was born in Lagenia, or Leinster, during the sixth century. ^7 His nativity took place, after 520,'^ sometime between the years 525 and 530; for, St. Columkille,'^ who first saw the light, about a. d. 521, is spoken of as a young man, while Fintanwasyetaboy. ^° Whenaboutgivingbirthtotheinfantinherwomb, an angel appeared to Findath, and warned her to retire into a secret place, where she should be removed from all intercourse with men, until the time of her delivery. The angel promised, also, that her son should be holy and great, both in the sight of God and of man. She complied with this admo- nition, and spent seven days under the shade of a certain tree, whilst in the meantime she was miraculously sustained by food from Heaven. ^^ Her child was born, at the end of this time. According to the conjectures of a learned Irish ecclesiastical historian, this event happened, in the neighbour- hood of New Ross. "*^ Were we to follow local tradition, however, St. Fintan wasbornnearMaryborough,intheQueen'sCounty. ^3 Now,hisplaceof
"
ruarii xvii. , pp. i6 to 21. been St. Finneda venerated at the nth of
Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb- if such were the case, whether she may have See "Britannia Sancta," part i. , pp. August, or the mother of a St. Mochua,
s See
^
120 to 124.
called Finnachta. See ibid. , n. 3, p. 353.
^ See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs,
and other Principal Saints," vol. ii. , Feb-
See Lives of the Saints," vol. ii. , Feb- ruary xvii. , pp. 324, 325.
'^ ^s ^^
gge Appendix, cap. ii. , p. 355, ibid, gee her Life, at the 1st of this month,
ruaryxvii. ^"
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Brigidse, cap, 3, p. 613.
'7 See Bishop Challoner's "Britannia Sancta," part i. , p. 120.
^^ See Dr. " Ecclesiastical His- Lanigan's
tory of Ireland," vol. ii. , cap. xii. , sect, xi. , p. 227, and n. 162, p. 229.
'5, tjee his Life, at the 9th of June,
"
9 See
349.
*° See
been a mistake of the writer.
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p.
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," xvii. Februarii. Vita S. Fintani, cap. i. , p. 349. The father is called Gau- renus, son of Corcran, by other genealogies, in appendix, cap. ii. , p. 355, and cap. v. , p. 356; but, the names of their ancestors are the same, as those given in our text. In the Manuscript Lives of St. Fintan, as found in the Codex Insulensis and in the Sala- mancan copy, his father's name is given as Crimthan. This Colgan supposes to have
2, p. 353.
Colgan's
to the "
ology of Irish Saints," chapter xv.
" This seems to have been derived from
the Irish words, Finn, which signifies "fair," or " white," and Z>a^/^, which means "colour. "
*3 Colgan seems in doubt, as to whether she had a festival in the Irish Church 3 and,
" According
Men- Wexford is Genealogic county,
Set ibid. , n.
De S. Fintano Presbytero, &c. , cap. i. ,
num. i. , p. 17.
^^
In one Life, which Colgan quotes, the place for St. Fintan's birth is called Cluain- mhic-Trein, i. e. , "Cluain of the sons of Trein. " As the ancient name of Ross, in
^°
ter of St. Fintan's Life,
^'
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii.
Such is a statement in the second chap*
Ros-mhic-Trein, Dr. Lanigan thinks, it may be "justly inferred, that said Cluain and Ross lay in one and
=3 During a visit to Clonenagh, on the 29th of August, 1856, and in compauy with
—" Ecclesiastical
the same district. "
of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xii. , sec. xi. , n. 161, p. 229.
History
576 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February17.
birth was Cluain, as given in St. Fintan's Acts ; but, Colgan appears doubt- ful, as to whether Cluain, was identical with Ross, or with Cluain-chain, a place near Clonenagh. Here, too, was the site of an ancient monastery. =** Afterwards, the same writer appears to consider, the ancient territory of Leix, as having been that, in which St. Fintan was born. ^s
Clonkeen^^ is situated in the united parishes of Clonenagh and of Clona-
gheen, in the barony of Maryborough West, Queen's County. The site of its ancient church may be reached, through an intricate old roadway, which debouches from the Dublin and Limerick great road, on the south side, betweenMaryboroughandMountrath. Acuriousandveryancienthollow way leads immediately to the spot, on the verge of a very extensive bog,
Site of Churchfield Cemetery, at Clonkeen, Queen's County.
Stretching to the south and east. Several fine and fertile arable, meadow, and pasture fields, lying low, however, surround it to the north and west. ^7
The place is designated Churchfield, which proves that a church formerly stood there, on the site of the present obliterated cemetery. Within the
memory of persons living, corpses were there interred ; but, of late years, the land has been occupied by a farmer, and the graveyard, having been opened for a sheep range, was deserted. ^'^ The headstones have been re- moved, and not even the trace of a grave now remains.
FolloAving the account in St. Fintan's Life, it appears to have been on
the eighth day succeeding his birth, that Findath's infant was brought to, and baptized by, a holy man, who dwelt at this place. The child was afterwards
instructed, by the same person, until he made great progress in virtue and learning. While yet a boy, Fintan told his instructor to prepare a banquet
residing in the neighbourhood, furnished This townland is defined on the Ord- information, to this effect. It also admir- nance Survey Townland Maps for the ably agrees, with the historic record. How- Queen's County. " Sheets 12, 17, iS.
ever, I have now quite forgotten that place, ^^ The accompanying illustration, after a as named to me by the countryman. sketch taken by the author, in July, 1873,
^* See " Acta Sanctorum HibemicC," was transferred to the wood by William F. xvii. Februarii, n. 4, p. 353. Wakeman, and engraved by Mrs. Millard.
an antiquarian friend, an intelligent peasant, ^s See ibid. .
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
50, 51.
"'Iw June, 1870, the writer had an oppor-
tunity tor examining the local features of the
' to the Mart, of But, according
Tallaght, this was the Bishop of Rath-na-nespoc. Perhaps he was Aengus Laimhiodhan, Bishop of Rath-na-nespoc, and he was of the race of Bresal Brec from whom descend
.
p
sect. 8, p. 25. —^ Edited Rev. Dr. ARTICLE IV. by
p. xv.
Kelly,
^ Edited Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, by
pp. 50, 51.
572 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [Februaryi6.
Article V. —St. Berotius, or Berasius, Bishop. St. Berotius is
entered at the i6th of February, in an anonymous Catalogue of Irish Saints, published by O'Sullevan Beare. He receives the name Berasius, bishop, at the same date, in Henry Fitzsimon's Catalogue. ^ He also quotes the Car- thusian Martyrology, and Floratius, as authorities. By referring to the Acts of St. Berach, at the 15th of February, it will be seen, that one name given to him was Berasius. ^^ There is probably a mistake here, in assigning this holy man's feast, to the present date.
ArticleVI. —St. Berchan,Confessor. ThefestivalofaSt. Berchan, confessor, is entered in the ancient Martyrology of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, Dublin, at the xiv. of the Kalends of March, correspond-
ing with the 1 6th of February. ^ The feast, however, is omitted in the pre- ceding Calendar. Dr. Todd has vainly attempted to discover what St. Berchan^ is here intended ; for, this saint and his festival do not recur, in any other authority. It may be asked, if he could be identified with the St. Berotius or Berasius recorded, at this same date.
Article VII. —Reputed Feast of St. Fechin, of Lemmaigh. The
festival of a St. Fechin," son to VacaicchCj^* is said to have been observed, at
aplace,calledLemmaigh,onthei6thofFebruary. 3 Adoubtisexpressed, by Colgan, as to whether or not, he was the saint left by St. Senan, at
Inniscarra,'^ on the River Lee, or if he be St. Fechin Valughba, whose festival occurs, on the 28th of December. In connexion with this latter saint, some notices will be found, at the same day, in subsequent pages.
ArticleVIII. —ReputedFestivalofSt. Finan,Bishop. \Sevejith Century? ^ At this day, some writers on British hagiology have placed the festival of a St. Finan, bishop, without any very clear notions apparently as to his true identity. So far as we can glean, he seems to have been taken for the first Bishop of Lindisfarne, and Apostle of Northumbria, whose Life has been already given, at the 9th day of January. In Anglia, Dempster has the festival of a St. Finan, a bishop, and an apostle of that nation. ^ By reason of his adhesion, to the Scottish mode of observing Easter, the Venerable Bede is less favourable to him f however, he gives a very high idea of his virtues, his love of poverty and disinterestedness ; his contempt for the world ; and his great diligence in preaching the word of life, to a people, who respected their pastors, and who heard from them, and who practised, the lessons of salvation. Bishop Challoners has inserted some short notices of St. Finan, bishop, at this day. He is said to have departed, on the loth of September, a. d. 661. It is difficult to discover, how Challoner
Article v. —"See O'Sullevan Beare's "Historiae Catholicse Ibemiae Compen- dium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , p. 49, and
cap. xii. , p. 52.
^ See article i—. , chap. i.
'Most probably intended for UaChainche.
3 This is clearly a typographical error, for the 19th of February,
* The of Inishcarra is situated in parish
the barony of East Muskerry, in the East
Article VI.
' edition of
See the John
It is defined on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cork. " Sheets 6—1, 62, 72, 73.
' **
Article viii. See Menologium Sco-
ticum," at the i6th of February. In
Clarke Crosthwaite and Dr. Todd.
Intro-
duction, p. Iv. , and p. 89.
"" See notices of saints bearing this name
at April loth, May 23rd, June 5th, October
December — and
2th, 4th 24th.
"Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," viii. Martii. Vita S. Senani, Episcopi et Confessoris, n. 14, p.
539, recte 535.
Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish
1
Bishop Saints," p. 192.
'
Article vii. See Colgan's
Riding.
' See * ' Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis An-
glorum," lib. iii. , cap. 17, 21, 25. 3 **
See Britannia Sancta," part i. , p. 119.
February i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 573
could have considered him, in the latter case, identical with the Finan, who
evangelized Northumbria ; as he should rather be thought identical with St.
Finian, Abbot of Moville, whose Life is given, at the loth of September. The Bollandists-^ quote Dempster and Ferrarius, for notices of St. Finnanus, at the 1 6th of February.
Article IX. —St. Babolen, Abbot of Fossey, Belgium. \Sei'enth
Century. '] Among the pretermitted saints, at the i6th of February, the Bollandists notice St. Babolenus, Abbot of Fossey, in Belgium. ' His feast
is assigned, to this day, by a manuscript Calendar, relating to the Order St. Benedict. Others place his festival, at the 26th of June. ^
ArticleX. —FestivalofSt. Julian. Thefollowingstanza,extracted
"""
from the Feilire," i—n the Leabhar Breac copy, is thus translated by
Professor O'Looney
:
e. ociin. kl. X)on 015 1tiliAni,
-AriAinm nel. co li-itnbeL ;
La -pceich fceoiL a AnriAicli,
Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Februarii xvi. , p. 855.
^
See his Acts, ibid. , tomus v. , Junii
xxvi. , pp. 195,—196.
Sanctorum" of the
xvi. Februarii, pp. 868 to 884.
=
See ibid. , p. 885. 3 See ibid. , p. 886.
tomus
^ See the Bollandists' " Acta
tomus ii. , Februarii xvi. , pp. 863, 864.
'
referable to those of St.
feast occurs at the 21st of October.
whose
An account of this
Article x.
virgin and martyr will be found in the "Acta
Bollandists,
ii. ,
Sanctonxm,"
"Oemon -oo
iriAi^
itToel.
To the virgin Julian,
The name [honoured] to the borders of the clouds ;
By the relation of the tidings of his adventures, The demon he completely extirpated (or fettered).
holy
Ursula,
venerated as and — saints, virgins martyrs,
There are no less than four female
in the ancient Church Kalendars, at the i6th of February. These are Juliana, a virgin, of Nicomedia, and a martyr, venerated at Bruxelles, in Belgium •,'^ Juliana, virgin and martyr, at Verona, in Italy f Juliana, a
Roman virgin and martyr, at Bononia, in Italy ;3 as also, a Jtiliana,^ one of the companions of St. Ursula, a virgin and martyr, whose name is inscribed on the Kalendar, and whose relics are preserved in the Cathedral Church of Osnaburgh, in Westphalia,s But, in addition to the foregoing, and at this same date, there was a St. Julian, a bishop, and a martyr, with a vast number of companions, martyrs, in Egypt f as also, a St. Julian, a martyr, with many other martyr companions, at Caesarea, in Palestine. 7 To the former of these latter saints, we beHeve the stanza in the " Feilire " has special reference, especially, as this holy man and his festival have been noticed in the ancient Martyrology, attributed to St. Jerome. It is said, that no less than five thousand shared his passion in Asia, while their memories are celebrated, both in the Eastern and Western Churches.
4 See among the pretermitted saints, in * See ibid. , p. 855. In Adam King's Ka- *'Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Februarii lendar at the i6th of February, we read,
xvi. , p. 855.
Article ix. —^ See "Acta
" S. Juliana —virgine et mart, at cunis vnder
Maximinus. " Forbes' "Kalendars Bishop
of Scottish Saints," p. 144.
s There she has a proper office, but the
Acts of her martyrdom are more properly
7 See ibid,, p. 855.
:
574 LIVES OP THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 17.
^ebenteentl) Baj) of jfrtruarp*
ARTICLE I. —ST. FINTAN, ABBOT AND PATRON OF CLONENAGH, QUEEN'S COUNTY.
[SIXTff CENTURY. I
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—ACTS OF ST. FINTAN—HIS PARENTAGE-MIRACLE PRECEDING HIS BIRTH—PERIOD WHEN THIS OCCURRED—CLONKEEN—ST. FINTAN's BAPTISM AND EARLY EDUCATION—HE LIVES FOR SOME TIME UNDER ST. COLUMBA MAC CKIM- THAINN AT TIRDAGLAS—ACCOMPANIED BY THE LATTER HOLY MAN, AND WITH TWO DISCIPLES, ST, FINTAN VISITS THE SITE OF CLONENAGH AND SELECTS IT FOR HIS PLACE OF HABITATION.
THE
adoptation of monastic life usually happens at an age, when the mind is firm and and from the the cenobite shows
clear, very outset, holy
a passion for spiritual exercises. He seems to live only in and for prayer. Direct communion with heaven becomes the occupation of his existence. Thus, the great master of a spiritual life guides his subjects in this practice, and those who come to him were given to prayer, since they adopted it as a panacea, for all ills. This sacred fire consumed their very souls, and yet did
not prevent our early monks from the laborious occupations of agricultural and mechanical pursuits. The brain was evolving lessons from its well-
stored chambers, and the mind was enlightened by those lessons, which the daily course of life served to consecrate.
No one can follow the lucid rea-
soning, which fixes man's obligations to his Creator, without deriving untold benefit. The great saint of our present consideration led the life of an exemplar ; he has left sufficient for record, to teach mankind, how to strive for the possession of virtue ; and no religious mind ought to be without the aid, which such a holy contemplative's and worker's career is calculated to inspire or direct.
An ancient Life of this saint, extracted from the Codex-Kilkenniensis,^
is published by Colgan, at this day. '' He supposed it to have been written, shortly after Fintan's death. It cannot, with certainty, be allowed such an
early date of composition ; and the i)assage cited, to prove this position, does not at all establish it. 3 That the Life, however, is a very ancient one cannot be disputed. Several old copies of St. Fintan's Life are yet pre- served. 4 His Acts, in four chapters, and in twenty-six sections, with a previous commentary, will be found, likewise, in the great Bollandist coUec-
Article I. —Chapter i. —^ The manu-
'•
Codex Kilkenniensis," con- tained in Marsh's Library, Dublin, gives a
3 " Videntes proeterita completa secundum vaticinium viri Dei," does not indicate, that the author of this Life was an eye-witness
script, called
Lile of St. Fintanus, fol. 74 to 77. This of events he records; and, "quod est in-
probably does not differ from a Vita S. Fin- tani, in a large folio manuscript, vol. xxii. , belonging to the Burgundiau Library, Bruxelles, fol. loi to 106.
It has an appendix in five chapters, pp. 355 to 357.
futuro," manifestly refers to tho day of judgment, of whicfi he speaks, or perhaps, to his belief, in the fullilment of St. Fintan's prophecy, in the other Life. See iOid. ,
"Acta Sanctonim Iliber-
'' See
nia:," xvii. Februarii. Vita S. P'intani, Abbatis de Cluain-Ednech, pp. 349 to 355.
cap. xiii. ,
* Among these are the following : MS.
Bodl. Rawl. B. 505, pp. 214-217, veil. folio, xiv. cent. Also, MS. Bodl. Rawl, B. 485, fol. 220, veil. 4to, xiv. cent.
Colgan's
p. 351.
February 17. J LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 575
tion. s From this work, likewise, Bishop Challenor purports to have drawn hisbiographyofSt. Fintan. ^ TheRev. AlbanButlerhasanaccountofSt. Fintan of Cluain Ednech. 7 So, in like manner, the Rev, S. Baring-Gould includesabriefnoticeofhim,inhiswork. ^ Besidestheforegoing,Bishop Forbes has an interesting account of this very holy abbot. 9
The father of our saint was named Gabhren,^° son to Corcran, son of Echach, son to Bressal, son of Denius, son to Conla, son of Arti or Artur Corb, son to Corbre Niadh, son of Cormac, son of ^nguss Meann, son of Echach, son of Echadh Finn. " The mother of our saint was named Findath," or Findathea. ^3 In his appendix to our saint's Life, Colgan conjectured, that she may have been sister to St. Lugedius, of Coolbannagher. ^+ St. Fintan descended from the race of Eochaidh Finnfuathairt ; and, from this stock, likewise, the great St. Brigid^s derived her origin. '^
According to the most probable conjecture, St. Fintan was born in Lagenia, or Leinster, during the sixth century. ^7 His nativity took place, after 520,'^ sometime between the years 525 and 530; for, St. Columkille,'^ who first saw the light, about a. d. 521, is spoken of as a young man, while Fintanwasyetaboy. ^° Whenaboutgivingbirthtotheinfantinherwomb, an angel appeared to Findath, and warned her to retire into a secret place, where she should be removed from all intercourse with men, until the time of her delivery. The angel promised, also, that her son should be holy and great, both in the sight of God and of man. She complied with this admo- nition, and spent seven days under the shade of a certain tree, whilst in the meantime she was miraculously sustained by food from Heaven. ^^ Her child was born, at the end of this time. According to the conjectures of a learned Irish ecclesiastical historian, this event happened, in the neighbour- hood of New Ross. "*^ Were we to follow local tradition, however, St. Fintan wasbornnearMaryborough,intheQueen'sCounty. ^3 Now,hisplaceof
"
ruarii xvii. , pp. i6 to 21. been St. Finneda venerated at the nth of
Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb- if such were the case, whether she may have See "Britannia Sancta," part i. , pp. August, or the mother of a St. Mochua,
s See
^
120 to 124.
called Finnachta. See ibid. , n. 3, p. 353.
^ See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs,
and other Principal Saints," vol. ii. , Feb-
See Lives of the Saints," vol. ii. , Feb- ruary xvii. , pp. 324, 325.
'^ ^s ^^
gge Appendix, cap. ii. , p. 355, ibid, gee her Life, at the 1st of this month,
ruaryxvii. ^"
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Brigidse, cap, 3, p. 613.
'7 See Bishop Challoner's "Britannia Sancta," part i. , p. 120.
^^ See Dr. " Ecclesiastical His- Lanigan's
tory of Ireland," vol. ii. , cap. xii. , sect, xi. , p. 227, and n. 162, p. 229.
'5, tjee his Life, at the 9th of June,
"
9 See
349.
*° See
been a mistake of the writer.
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p.
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," xvii. Februarii. Vita S. Fintani, cap. i. , p. 349. The father is called Gau- renus, son of Corcran, by other genealogies, in appendix, cap. ii. , p. 355, and cap. v. , p. 356; but, the names of their ancestors are the same, as those given in our text. In the Manuscript Lives of St. Fintan, as found in the Codex Insulensis and in the Sala- mancan copy, his father's name is given as Crimthan. This Colgan supposes to have
2, p. 353.
Colgan's
to the "
ology of Irish Saints," chapter xv.
" This seems to have been derived from
the Irish words, Finn, which signifies "fair," or " white," and Z>a^/^, which means "colour. "
*3 Colgan seems in doubt, as to whether she had a festival in the Irish Church 3 and,
" According
Men- Wexford is Genealogic county,
Set ibid. , n.
De S. Fintano Presbytero, &c. , cap. i. ,
num. i. , p. 17.
^^
In one Life, which Colgan quotes, the place for St. Fintan's birth is called Cluain- mhic-Trein, i. e. , "Cluain of the sons of Trein. " As the ancient name of Ross, in
^°
ter of St. Fintan's Life,
^'
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii.
Such is a statement in the second chap*
Ros-mhic-Trein, Dr. Lanigan thinks, it may be "justly inferred, that said Cluain and Ross lay in one and
=3 During a visit to Clonenagh, on the 29th of August, 1856, and in compauy with
—" Ecclesiastical
the same district. "
of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xii. , sec. xi. , n. 161, p. 229.
History
576 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February17.
birth was Cluain, as given in St. Fintan's Acts ; but, Colgan appears doubt- ful, as to whether Cluain, was identical with Ross, or with Cluain-chain, a place near Clonenagh. Here, too, was the site of an ancient monastery. =** Afterwards, the same writer appears to consider, the ancient territory of Leix, as having been that, in which St. Fintan was born. ^s
Clonkeen^^ is situated in the united parishes of Clonenagh and of Clona-
gheen, in the barony of Maryborough West, Queen's County. The site of its ancient church may be reached, through an intricate old roadway, which debouches from the Dublin and Limerick great road, on the south side, betweenMaryboroughandMountrath. Acuriousandveryancienthollow way leads immediately to the spot, on the verge of a very extensive bog,
Site of Churchfield Cemetery, at Clonkeen, Queen's County.
Stretching to the south and east. Several fine and fertile arable, meadow, and pasture fields, lying low, however, surround it to the north and west. ^7
The place is designated Churchfield, which proves that a church formerly stood there, on the site of the present obliterated cemetery. Within the
memory of persons living, corpses were there interred ; but, of late years, the land has been occupied by a farmer, and the graveyard, having been opened for a sheep range, was deserted. ^'^ The headstones have been re- moved, and not even the trace of a grave now remains.
FolloAving the account in St. Fintan's Life, it appears to have been on
the eighth day succeeding his birth, that Findath's infant was brought to, and baptized by, a holy man, who dwelt at this place. The child was afterwards
instructed, by the same person, until he made great progress in virtue and learning. While yet a boy, Fintan told his instructor to prepare a banquet
residing in the neighbourhood, furnished This townland is defined on the Ord- information, to this effect. It also admir- nance Survey Townland Maps for the ably agrees, with the historic record. How- Queen's County. " Sheets 12, 17, iS.
ever, I have now quite forgotten that place, ^^ The accompanying illustration, after a as named to me by the countryman. sketch taken by the author, in July, 1873,
^* See " Acta Sanctorum HibemicC," was transferred to the wood by William F. xvii. Februarii, n. 4, p. 353. Wakeman, and engraved by Mrs. Millard.
an antiquarian friend, an intelligent peasant, ^s See ibid. .
