In the Sancti- logic Genealogy, '3 two holy men bearing this name are
mentioned
; one, St.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
Itconsistsof177largefoliosofparch-
ment : the firstisnuniTDered48, consequently
the forty-seven first leaves are wanting ; and
the MS. is written, in double columns, of
thirty-nine lines each, ornamented with some northern part, under the form of An- small illuminated letters, scattered through
the volume. Between folios 128 and 129 is
a semi-longitudinal page, upon which is found the following note, in the Irish lan-
guage :—
In the barony of Rathconrath. See A cACCAch fnif, A^ AinmAin 111 ci cue a ibid. , Sheets 17, 24, 31.
*3 At one point, it towers 1964 feet, sheer over the waves of the Atlantic Ocean, with a sublime escarpement of cliffs overhanging
glorious than is here presented.
'" This extensive parish, in the barony of
Banagh, is described, on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheets 81, 82, 90, 91, 96, 97. The town and townland are on Sheet 96.
'S See "Letters containing Information
relative to the of the of Antiquities County
"benriAcc CuAnriA •Ajuf (ha) tioem cai\oiii
Westmeath," Sheets 38, 39, 40. The town- land proper is to be found on Sheets 38, 40.
"
il-lAt)in in . 1. bechuj^A f^Mf
5Aex)Ailc-
lohif iriAc Ke|\uiLL "oe e^AjAltiA,
: Thus translated into English —
"The blessing of Cuanna, and (of the) saints who were in communion with him, be upon the soul of him, who translated this Life from the Irish into Latin, viz. . Brother John Mac Keruil of Oriel. "
them. On a clear
Besides this, th—e following
Latin
inscription
is to be found
:
upon both sides, although all the other pages are. Upon the back of the volume may be
seen the following title
SS. Hibernis II. " A table of contents upon paper will be found in the commencement of the volume, apparently laid there by some person who had possession of the book, and
: ofwhichthefollowingisacopy "Codicem
hunc Rector Collegij Salmanticensis Hiber- nici Soctis Jesu dono dedit nostro Patri Qigidio de Smidt qui eundem donavit P. lieriberto Roswaido. "
'°
identified ; but, it must be sought for, in the county of Tipperary, or in the county of Cork, most probably in the former, and in
"
This parish, in the barony of Moy-
:
" MS. Sahnantic. de
Thisplacedoesnotseemtohavebeen
nagh, simply or compounded.
"
vey Townland Maps for the County of
cashel, is described on the
Ordnance Sur-
the British Islanas might be searched in vain for a view more
day,
732 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS [February28.
Hnghy Breaky. 's T^Ioor-mould, covered with stunted heather, and solid or
shaley rocks crop np, at the present time, all around the solitary spot. This
saint selected a very exposed position, for his ancient church. " We are
told, that he is called by the country people St. Bricknia, It is said, he built
a church and a monastery here, at a time, when the great St. Columba'7
lived in the lower valley, not far away, and known as Glen Coknnkille. '^ St.
"
holy well/' with loose circular piles of flag stones around it, is Another well of clear water flows near it. Several (jurious piles
Bricknia's
yet shown.
of stone, each having one surmounting as an apex, besides a remarkable and
St. Aedh Mac Brio's Old Church, on the Summit of Slieve Leag Mountain, County of Donegal.
an inconvenient stone seat, under a small rude canopy of sand-stone, may there be noticed. The old church of St. Aedh presents nothing, at present, but heaps of loose and rough stones, scattered in profusion around the old walls. Some lower portions of these remain exposed and undisturbed, espe- cially at one end. This antique church measured about twenty-one feet in length from the east to the west end, by twelve north and south, on the inside. There is the trace of a ruined door-way, in one of the side walls, as is customary in many of our ancient churches. There seems an apartment
Donegal collected during the progress of the hermits, who placed themselves under his Ordnance Survey in 1835. " Letter of John direction and control. " See Kinnfaela's
"
Kilcar, October 20th, 1835, p. 216. chap, xii. , p. 86.
O'Donovan, headed, Kill Charthaigh, now
ClifT Scenery of South- Western Donegal,"
Near the summit of Sliab moun- '7 See his at the of Leag Life, 9th June.
_**
tain, and near the south-west coast of Uone-
pal, stand the ruins of a church, said to have
"
St. Aodh Mhac Briacna, or Breacan, Anglicised, Hugh Mac Bracan. There is also a cluster of Cyclopean struc- tures, used in those days as cells for the
*^ This maritime parish, in the barony of Banagh, abounds in very wild and stern scenery, a little to the north. It is described on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the Coiiniy of Donegal," Sheets 72, 80, 81, 89, 90, 96.
been dedicated to
February 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 733
near the church, about sixteen by ten feet. The walls were of great thick- ness,'9 and constructed very rudely. Near the ruins, a gigantic rock may be
seen, cropping up from the surface, almost on the very summit, and towards
the western peak of the mountain. Isolated rocks, of a somewhat similar
character, are to be found scattered over tlie mountain tops. In the be-
ginning of the present century, or towards the close of the last, solemn
tourasses or pilgrimages were here performed in the saint's honour. =° Even
yet, such practices have not been forgotten, as may be discovered, by a view
of certain curious objects, which lie near the cell. Over two dozen loose
stone piles, some of them formed in half-circles, like those on Lough Derg
Island, in this county, have been erected for stations. Pilgrims, here, often
go barefoot, from one of those stations to another, repeating Paters and Aves,
at each ; while, Rosaries are recited, at the old church. Tiirice, also, do
they drink at the well, the water of which is soft, and having that peculiar
flavour, which might be expected from the rock-shale and moors, from which
it springs. Having reached this spot, the temptation cannot be resisted of
extending one's rambles towards the sea-cliffs, not far distant, and to behold,
towards the south, the lofty mountains, extending along the Connaught shore,
and inimitably distant the horizon's verge of the broad Atlantic. It is a
trying feat for a man, with untrained feet and nerves, to stoop over the grey
"
lines of the
one man's path," and to gaze into the far rolling billows beneath.
The waves curl into the caves below, with a hollow and echoing murmur, or
move in slow green coils round and round huge detached rocks, now moan-
ing, then swelling into a roar. On the crags they fall, and with a crash, that
makes the solid earth vibrate even where you stand. As much at ease, as if
among the garden roses, and with that jovial jerkiness of demeanour, which gives these insects an air of dancing through life, the bees flutter about and
higher up in the sunshine, through the heath tufts. Nor has Hymettus itself more fragrant wild flowers and plants, wherefrom to draw honey, than has Slieve League, in the spring and summer seasons. Flocks of gulls dart from the depths of the flashing waters, airily floating overhead, and, peering on outstretched wings for awhile, they rush down. In a second, they are riding calmly towards the open sea, having dropped light as a snow-flake on the water. Majestic crags, and hazy distances, along the cliff-bound shores, formed objects, that filled the imagination with wonders of illimitable space and unwonted shapes, when we viewed the vast expanse.
Article IX. —St. Ernin, or Ermina, Daughter of Airchuin. In the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 28th of February, we find her described as Ernin, daughter of Airchuin, or Archenn. We are also told, she is iden- tical with a St. Febair, or Febaria. She is noticed as Ermina, a Virgin, in the Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman, at this date. ^ Little is known re- garding her. This day was celebrated a festival in honour of Ernin, as is written singly, in the Martyrology of Donegal. 3 No place of residence is assigned for this saint.
'9 Many of the foregoing observations, and those which follow, were taken down, on this elevated side, one warm day, in the month of July, 1868. A sketch was then taken of the ruins.
Ordnance Survey in 1835. " Letter of John O'Donovan, headed, Kill Charthaigh, now Kilcar, October 2—0th, 1835, pp. 216, 217.
Article ix. 'Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xvii.
^ See the BoUandists' "Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus iii. , P'ebruarii xxviii. Among the
pretermitted saints, p. 717.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
58, 59.
to the wood and Grey, of Dublin.
engraved, by
Mr.
Gregor
'° '• See
It has been transferred
Letters containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Donegal collected during the progress of the
734 LIVESOFTHEU^ISHSAINTS. [February28.
Article X. —Reputed Festival of St. Cormachus, Priest and Con- fessor. In the Kalendar of David Camerarius, we find such an entry, at the 28th day of February. ^ He is said to have had some connexion with St. Cokmiba,^ the great Caledonian Apostle. 3 In the hst of St. Coknnba's dis- ciples, as furnished by Colgan, we only find one saint bearing this name. This was St. Corbmac Hua Liethan,* Abbot of Durrow, in the Meathian territory. The Bollandists^ follow Camerarius, in recording the supposed festival, at this date, while stating, that Colgan has his feast, at the 21st of
June.
Article XI. —St. Dichuill, of Airiudh-muilt, Lough Erne. In
the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ and at the 28th of February, we find recorded, " Dichuill Mac Maelduibh in Airudh Muilt oc Locuibh Eirne. '' Marianus O'Gorman has an entry, which is somewhat similar. ^ The Martyrology of Donegal3 registers on this day, Diochuill, son of Maoldubh, of Airiudh-muilt, on Loch Eirne. It seems impossible, at present, to identify this saint's locality, or to determine whether it was on an island, or along the shores.
Article XII. —Reputed Festival of a St. Victor, said to have been
Bishop of Donaghmoyne, County of Monaghan. . The mercies of our
Divine Lord shine pre-eminent, in the succeeding history. At the 28th day of February, Colgan' and the Bollandists* have entered some notices, regard- ing a St. Victor. The latter writers are of opinion, that he does not difter from a St. Victor, who was a martyr, at Alexandria,3 who is not called a bishop, and, who, it would seem, can have no special relation with Ireland. Marianus O'Gorman, Cathald Maguire, and the Martyrology of Donegal, are said to record this saint, and his festival, at the present date. '^ However, Colgan seems to connect this holy man, with a Victor, who is named in the Acts of our great Irish Apostle,^ and as having flourished, about the middle of the fifth century, in the eastern part of Ulster, known as Mogdhorna. Several modern writers have been led astray, in assigning this district to a still more eastward situation, thinking it . to have been the modern barony of Mourne,^ including, according to the Catholic arrangements, the parishes of Upper and Lower Mourne, in the county of Down. But, Crioch Mughdhorna was that district, now represented, by the barony of Cremorne,^ in the county
Article X. —^ See Bishop Forbes' "Ka- lendars of Scottish Saints," p. 235.
Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Febniarii xxviii.
Among the pretermitted saints, p. 717.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and keeves, pp.
58, 59. — "
Article xii. * See Acta Sanctorum
Hibernia'," xxviii. Februarii. De S. Victory
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb- ruariixxviii. Amongthepretermittedsaints, p. 717.
3 lie is classed with others, who suffered
^ For this statement, the " Vita S. Co- "
lumba; is quoted.
3 See his Life, at the 9th of June.
^ His feast occurs, on the 21st of—
June. There was another named Gorman pro- bably Coman—a Monk of Hy, and said to havebeenthefirst,amongtlieScotsorIrisli, who preached the faith in Northumbria. It is stated, that he flourislicd a. d. 630, and that liis feast is held on the 12th of March.
Fps, Domnacensi, p, 424. ="
for the faith, under the
See "Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Ap- tis Martyribus Alexandrinis, &c. See
pendix ad Acta S. Columbae, cap. x. , num. 37. 38, p. 489.
s See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Februarii xxviii. Among the pretermitted
saints, p. 718. —
Article xi. ^Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xvii.
idid. , pp. 722, 723.
See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nire," xxviii. Februarii. De S. Victore Eps.
Domnacensi, n, 2, p. 424.
=" Thus :
Dichullus in Ared-muilt prope
lacum Erne. " See the Boilandists'
"
Acta
s
^"
It is described, on the Ordnance Sur-
vey Townland Maps for the County of Down," Sheets 48, 49, 52, 53, 55, 56, 57.
j^ee his Life, at the 17th of March.
heading, "
" De Sanc-
February 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 735
of Monaghan. ^ The people of this territory were called Mugdorni, because they were descendants of Mughdhorn Dubh, the son of CoUa Meann, one of
the ancestors of the Oirghiallans. 9 The Tripartite'° and Jocelin's" Lives of St. Patrick relate substantially, in a similar manner, the wonderful ways of Divine Providence, when effecting the conversion of this man, Victor, who seemed, at first, most determinedly bent, on rejecting that grace offered. O'SuUevan'^ has some notices of him. It is remarked, by Colgan, that under such a name, there is no notice of him, in the Irish Menologies ; however, Buadbheo, in our native language, may be Latinized Victor.
In the Sancti- logic Genealogy, '3 two holy men bearing this name are mentioned ; one, St. Buadhbeo, the son of Lugach, the son of Liathcon, son to Fiach Aradh, of the Roderician race, and the other is Buadhbeo, son of Eochaid, belonging tothesamefamily. Thefirstoftheseseemstohavelived,inthetimeofSt. Patrick. ^4 It is thought, by Colgan, that the Buaidbeo, whose feast occurs on the 17th of November, as stated in the Martyrologies of St. ^ngus, of Marianus, of Maguire, and of Donegal, may be identical with that Victor, who is regarded as the disciple of St. Patrick. ^5 Elsewhere, our learned Irish hagiologist says, that Buadhbeo may be Latinized, Victor, Vivax, or Vividus, andthatheseemstohavedescendedfromFiachAradb, whosefamily,inthe fifth and succeeding centuries, bore sway throughout the territory of Mugh- dornia ; which, we are told, is the mountainous region of Eastern Ultonia. *^ Here were they settled, when the Irish Apostle was engaged, prosecuting the work of his mission. Having left Hua-Meith, or Hua-Meith-tire, where he erected a church, called Teagh Tallain,''7 St. Patrick passed on to a place, called Domnach-Maigin, which is now known as Donaghmoyne,^^ in the barony of Cremorne, or Farney, and county of Monaghan. As it stood, in
1843, we have an engraving of the Castle of Donaghmoyne preserved to us, in the lately-published and interesting history of this latter county, by Evelyn Philip Shirley, Esq. '9 This place was situated, in the ancient territory of Crioch-Mughdhorna. ''° The owner of Domnach-Maigin, at that time it had been visited by the Irish Apostle, was called Victor. The lame of St. Patrick's eloquence and persuasive powers had already reached the ears of this local proprietor, who seems to have been greatly attached to pagan superstitions, and also very obstinately bent on rejecting the truths of Christianity. As emblematic of his mental blindness and indecision of character, at this junc- ture, Victor sought, by way of retirement from the light that was about to
"
7 See Dr. O'Donovan's Leabhar na g-
Ceart, or Book of Rights," n. (a), p, 149.
^ A of in Cremorne, is range heights,
called Sliabh Mughdhorn, or "the Moun- tains of Mughdhorn," in Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," at A. D. 1457. See vol. iv. , pp. 998, 999,
9 See ibid. , n. (s).
iii. , cap. xii. , n. 21, p. 184.
^^ Now Tehallen, in the barony of Mon-
^°
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " 2. Ibid.
Vita S. Patricii, lib.
Septima iii. , cap. xii. ,
p. 159.
"See ibid. Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap.
'^ Its bounds are described, on the "Ord-
nance Survey Townland Maps for the "
cxxxix. , pp. 95, 96.
" In Decade, lib. vi,, cap. iv.
n. 147, p. 115.
County of Monaghan, Sheets 25, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32. The townland proper is on
^3
Cliap. xxiii.
History of the County of Monaghan," chap, i. , p. 15.
'4 See
'° Sometimes called Mughdorn Maighean. The latter addition, it has been supposed, must be derivable from Domhnach-Maighen,
"Trias
Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. cxxxix,, n. 147,
Colgan's
Thaumaturga. "
S&Qibid. ,
Sheets 28, 31.
'^ See Shirley's
"
p. 115.
''S See ibid. Also, Quinta Appendix ad or Donnaghmoyne Church. See Dr.
Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxii. , p. 266. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters,"
^^
See ibid. Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. vol. i. , n. (e), p. 233.
aghan.
The foundation of the Church of
Donagh, in Trough, is not noticed in the Tri-
partite Life, but it is supposed to have been
founded by St. Patrick on this journey. See Evelyn Philip Shirley's "History of the County of Monaghan," chap, i. , p. 2, and'n.
^36 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS [February28.
shine on his district, the thick shades of a wood, where he remained hidden for a whole night. He had certain misgivings, that if he should meet St.
Patrick, the Apostle's powers of persuasion must prevail over his own preju- dices. But, the Almighty had miraculous graces in store for Victor, and it
pleased him to dissipate that darkness, which had been so industriously sought. The holy Patrick journeyed into the dense wood, and a supernatural bright- ness surrounding him revealed his advent to the fugitive. Victor became a
convert, and a disciple of the Irish A])Ostle. At length, it was deemed advis- able to have him elevated to episcopal rank, and in due course, he was conse- crated. Victor was then set over the Church of Domnach-Maigin, while his merits and the dutiful discharge of his responsible office caused him to be re- garded, not alone as its patron, but as the tutelary saint of Crioch-Mugh- dhorna. The day or year of his death is not found recorded.
Article XIII. —Reputed Festival of St. Nennius^' Abbot of Ben-
CHOR, IN the Hebridean Island Hu, or Hy, Scotland. This is, pro-
bably, the supposed St. Nennius, who laboured among the islands of Scotia,
and who is said, by Dempster, to have been greatly venerated, in Scotland,
although his name is not found in" any Martyrology. ^ According to the Ka-
lendar of David Camerarius, he was Abbot, over the Monastery of Bangor, in the Hebridean Island of Hu, or Hy, and he had a festival, at this date. ''
However, in alluding to this suppositious saint and his festival, the Bollandists3 are of opinion, that through some scribe's mistake, the name Nennius had been introduced into Venerable Bede's work4 for Segenius,5 who first sent from lona to Anglia, St. Aidan,^ the earliest Bishop of Lindisfarne. Then, it is thought, that some other copyist, finding two distinct names, in different copies ofBede,unitedthem. Accordingly,St. Finian7andothersaresaidtohave been sent to Anglia ; the former being made a disciple of Nennius^ and of Si- genius, in the monastery of Hu or Hy. Langseus Scotus is quoted, for this state- ment. 9 But,neitherinBede,'°norinanyotherauthority,dowefindmention of this Nennius, or of the title he receives. Abbot of Benchor. Notwithstand- ing, we are informed, no other person wrote more than he did, at that time, while the following works are mentioned, as having been composed by him :
" De Origine Britannorum,'' lib. i.
"Elogium Britanniae,'' lib. i. ;
AuTICLE XIII. —' See
toria Ecclesiasiica Geiuis Scoturum," lomus ii. , lib. xiii. , num. 950, p. 500.
Dempster's
" De Vatibus eorundem," lib. i. ;
Cosmographia Historiae Mundi," lib. i. "
; "
Altogether, we must question the propriety of introducing a saint, called
Nennius, either in connexion with Bangor, or with lona, at this date, on the foregoing very insufficient evidence.
? See his Life, at the of
9th January,
^
This is the statement of Dempster, in his "Historia Ecciesiastica Gentis Scotorum,"
" His-
"
'See Bishop Forbes' Kalendars of Scot- tomus ii. , Hb. xiii. , num. 950, p. 500.
tish Saints," p. 235.
•' See " Acta Sanctorum, "tomus iii. , Feb-
ruarii xxviii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 717.
9 In " De Vila et Moribus Haneticorum nostri Teniporis," Piitfacio. The Centu- riators of Magdeburgh, at cent, vii. , cap. x. ,
'*
'° "
See Historia Ecciesiastica Gentis
Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 25, where Bede specially treats of St. Finnan, and of his mis-
sionary career.
" Dempster adds
See his Life, at the 31st of August.
End OF Volume II.
endorse this account, in their ^ bee *'Historia Ecciesiastica Gentis ticoe Hisiorice," col. 525.
Ecclesias-
Anglorum," lib. lii. , cap, 5.
5 He was the fourili Abbot from St.
Columba. See J. A. Giles' note, p. 116.
Bolm's edition of Venerable Bede's History,
translated into English, London, 1847, 8vo.
His least occurs, at the 1 2th of August.
" Obiit in insulis He- bridibus, jam enim Orcades et Acmodes
*
lustra vcrat anno DCXX. "
:
IBX M659 I7L48 1875
v. ? C.
ment : the firstisnuniTDered48, consequently
the forty-seven first leaves are wanting ; and
the MS. is written, in double columns, of
thirty-nine lines each, ornamented with some northern part, under the form of An- small illuminated letters, scattered through
the volume. Between folios 128 and 129 is
a semi-longitudinal page, upon which is found the following note, in the Irish lan-
guage :—
In the barony of Rathconrath. See A cACCAch fnif, A^ AinmAin 111 ci cue a ibid. , Sheets 17, 24, 31.
*3 At one point, it towers 1964 feet, sheer over the waves of the Atlantic Ocean, with a sublime escarpement of cliffs overhanging
glorious than is here presented.
'" This extensive parish, in the barony of
Banagh, is described, on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheets 81, 82, 90, 91, 96, 97. The town and townland are on Sheet 96.
'S See "Letters containing Information
relative to the of the of Antiquities County
"benriAcc CuAnriA •Ajuf (ha) tioem cai\oiii
Westmeath," Sheets 38, 39, 40. The town- land proper is to be found on Sheets 38, 40.
"
il-lAt)in in . 1. bechuj^A f^Mf
5Aex)Ailc-
lohif iriAc Ke|\uiLL "oe e^AjAltiA,
: Thus translated into English —
"The blessing of Cuanna, and (of the) saints who were in communion with him, be upon the soul of him, who translated this Life from the Irish into Latin, viz. . Brother John Mac Keruil of Oriel. "
them. On a clear
Besides this, th—e following
Latin
inscription
is to be found
:
upon both sides, although all the other pages are. Upon the back of the volume may be
seen the following title
SS. Hibernis II. " A table of contents upon paper will be found in the commencement of the volume, apparently laid there by some person who had possession of the book, and
: ofwhichthefollowingisacopy "Codicem
hunc Rector Collegij Salmanticensis Hiber- nici Soctis Jesu dono dedit nostro Patri Qigidio de Smidt qui eundem donavit P. lieriberto Roswaido. "
'°
identified ; but, it must be sought for, in the county of Tipperary, or in the county of Cork, most probably in the former, and in
"
This parish, in the barony of Moy-
:
" MS. Sahnantic. de
Thisplacedoesnotseemtohavebeen
nagh, simply or compounded.
"
vey Townland Maps for the County of
cashel, is described on the
Ordnance Sur-
the British Islanas might be searched in vain for a view more
day,
732 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS [February28.
Hnghy Breaky. 's T^Ioor-mould, covered with stunted heather, and solid or
shaley rocks crop np, at the present time, all around the solitary spot. This
saint selected a very exposed position, for his ancient church. " We are
told, that he is called by the country people St. Bricknia, It is said, he built
a church and a monastery here, at a time, when the great St. Columba'7
lived in the lower valley, not far away, and known as Glen Coknnkille. '^ St.
"
holy well/' with loose circular piles of flag stones around it, is Another well of clear water flows near it. Several (jurious piles
Bricknia's
yet shown.
of stone, each having one surmounting as an apex, besides a remarkable and
St. Aedh Mac Brio's Old Church, on the Summit of Slieve Leag Mountain, County of Donegal.
an inconvenient stone seat, under a small rude canopy of sand-stone, may there be noticed. The old church of St. Aedh presents nothing, at present, but heaps of loose and rough stones, scattered in profusion around the old walls. Some lower portions of these remain exposed and undisturbed, espe- cially at one end. This antique church measured about twenty-one feet in length from the east to the west end, by twelve north and south, on the inside. There is the trace of a ruined door-way, in one of the side walls, as is customary in many of our ancient churches. There seems an apartment
Donegal collected during the progress of the hermits, who placed themselves under his Ordnance Survey in 1835. " Letter of John direction and control. " See Kinnfaela's
"
Kilcar, October 20th, 1835, p. 216. chap, xii. , p. 86.
O'Donovan, headed, Kill Charthaigh, now
ClifT Scenery of South- Western Donegal,"
Near the summit of Sliab moun- '7 See his at the of Leag Life, 9th June.
_**
tain, and near the south-west coast of Uone-
pal, stand the ruins of a church, said to have
"
St. Aodh Mhac Briacna, or Breacan, Anglicised, Hugh Mac Bracan. There is also a cluster of Cyclopean struc- tures, used in those days as cells for the
*^ This maritime parish, in the barony of Banagh, abounds in very wild and stern scenery, a little to the north. It is described on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the Coiiniy of Donegal," Sheets 72, 80, 81, 89, 90, 96.
been dedicated to
February 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 733
near the church, about sixteen by ten feet. The walls were of great thick- ness,'9 and constructed very rudely. Near the ruins, a gigantic rock may be
seen, cropping up from the surface, almost on the very summit, and towards
the western peak of the mountain. Isolated rocks, of a somewhat similar
character, are to be found scattered over tlie mountain tops. In the be-
ginning of the present century, or towards the close of the last, solemn
tourasses or pilgrimages were here performed in the saint's honour. =° Even
yet, such practices have not been forgotten, as may be discovered, by a view
of certain curious objects, which lie near the cell. Over two dozen loose
stone piles, some of them formed in half-circles, like those on Lough Derg
Island, in this county, have been erected for stations. Pilgrims, here, often
go barefoot, from one of those stations to another, repeating Paters and Aves,
at each ; while, Rosaries are recited, at the old church. Tiirice, also, do
they drink at the well, the water of which is soft, and having that peculiar
flavour, which might be expected from the rock-shale and moors, from which
it springs. Having reached this spot, the temptation cannot be resisted of
extending one's rambles towards the sea-cliffs, not far distant, and to behold,
towards the south, the lofty mountains, extending along the Connaught shore,
and inimitably distant the horizon's verge of the broad Atlantic. It is a
trying feat for a man, with untrained feet and nerves, to stoop over the grey
"
lines of the
one man's path," and to gaze into the far rolling billows beneath.
The waves curl into the caves below, with a hollow and echoing murmur, or
move in slow green coils round and round huge detached rocks, now moan-
ing, then swelling into a roar. On the crags they fall, and with a crash, that
makes the solid earth vibrate even where you stand. As much at ease, as if
among the garden roses, and with that jovial jerkiness of demeanour, which gives these insects an air of dancing through life, the bees flutter about and
higher up in the sunshine, through the heath tufts. Nor has Hymettus itself more fragrant wild flowers and plants, wherefrom to draw honey, than has Slieve League, in the spring and summer seasons. Flocks of gulls dart from the depths of the flashing waters, airily floating overhead, and, peering on outstretched wings for awhile, they rush down. In a second, they are riding calmly towards the open sea, having dropped light as a snow-flake on the water. Majestic crags, and hazy distances, along the cliff-bound shores, formed objects, that filled the imagination with wonders of illimitable space and unwonted shapes, when we viewed the vast expanse.
Article IX. —St. Ernin, or Ermina, Daughter of Airchuin. In the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 28th of February, we find her described as Ernin, daughter of Airchuin, or Archenn. We are also told, she is iden- tical with a St. Febair, or Febaria. She is noticed as Ermina, a Virgin, in the Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman, at this date. ^ Little is known re- garding her. This day was celebrated a festival in honour of Ernin, as is written singly, in the Martyrology of Donegal. 3 No place of residence is assigned for this saint.
'9 Many of the foregoing observations, and those which follow, were taken down, on this elevated side, one warm day, in the month of July, 1868. A sketch was then taken of the ruins.
Ordnance Survey in 1835. " Letter of John O'Donovan, headed, Kill Charthaigh, now Kilcar, October 2—0th, 1835, pp. 216, 217.
Article ix. 'Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xvii.
^ See the BoUandists' "Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus iii. , P'ebruarii xxviii. Among the
pretermitted saints, p. 717.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
58, 59.
to the wood and Grey, of Dublin.
engraved, by
Mr.
Gregor
'° '• See
It has been transferred
Letters containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Donegal collected during the progress of the
734 LIVESOFTHEU^ISHSAINTS. [February28.
Article X. —Reputed Festival of St. Cormachus, Priest and Con- fessor. In the Kalendar of David Camerarius, we find such an entry, at the 28th day of February. ^ He is said to have had some connexion with St. Cokmiba,^ the great Caledonian Apostle. 3 In the hst of St. Coknnba's dis- ciples, as furnished by Colgan, we only find one saint bearing this name. This was St. Corbmac Hua Liethan,* Abbot of Durrow, in the Meathian territory. The Bollandists^ follow Camerarius, in recording the supposed festival, at this date, while stating, that Colgan has his feast, at the 21st of
June.
Article XI. —St. Dichuill, of Airiudh-muilt, Lough Erne. In
the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ and at the 28th of February, we find recorded, " Dichuill Mac Maelduibh in Airudh Muilt oc Locuibh Eirne. '' Marianus O'Gorman has an entry, which is somewhat similar. ^ The Martyrology of Donegal3 registers on this day, Diochuill, son of Maoldubh, of Airiudh-muilt, on Loch Eirne. It seems impossible, at present, to identify this saint's locality, or to determine whether it was on an island, or along the shores.
Article XII. —Reputed Festival of a St. Victor, said to have been
Bishop of Donaghmoyne, County of Monaghan. . The mercies of our
Divine Lord shine pre-eminent, in the succeeding history. At the 28th day of February, Colgan' and the Bollandists* have entered some notices, regard- ing a St. Victor. The latter writers are of opinion, that he does not difter from a St. Victor, who was a martyr, at Alexandria,3 who is not called a bishop, and, who, it would seem, can have no special relation with Ireland. Marianus O'Gorman, Cathald Maguire, and the Martyrology of Donegal, are said to record this saint, and his festival, at the present date. '^ However, Colgan seems to connect this holy man, with a Victor, who is named in the Acts of our great Irish Apostle,^ and as having flourished, about the middle of the fifth century, in the eastern part of Ulster, known as Mogdhorna. Several modern writers have been led astray, in assigning this district to a still more eastward situation, thinking it . to have been the modern barony of Mourne,^ including, according to the Catholic arrangements, the parishes of Upper and Lower Mourne, in the county of Down. But, Crioch Mughdhorna was that district, now represented, by the barony of Cremorne,^ in the county
Article X. —^ See Bishop Forbes' "Ka- lendars of Scottish Saints," p. 235.
Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Febniarii xxviii.
Among the pretermitted saints, p. 717.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and keeves, pp.
58, 59. — "
Article xii. * See Acta Sanctorum
Hibernia'," xxviii. Februarii. De S. Victory
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb- ruariixxviii. Amongthepretermittedsaints, p. 717.
3 lie is classed with others, who suffered
^ For this statement, the " Vita S. Co- "
lumba; is quoted.
3 See his Life, at the 9th of June.
^ His feast occurs, on the 21st of—
June. There was another named Gorman pro- bably Coman—a Monk of Hy, and said to havebeenthefirst,amongtlieScotsorIrisli, who preached the faith in Northumbria. It is stated, that he flourislicd a. d. 630, and that liis feast is held on the 12th of March.
Fps, Domnacensi, p, 424. ="
for the faith, under the
See "Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Ap- tis Martyribus Alexandrinis, &c. See
pendix ad Acta S. Columbae, cap. x. , num. 37. 38, p. 489.
s See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Februarii xxviii. Among the pretermitted
saints, p. 718. —
Article xi. ^Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xvii.
idid. , pp. 722, 723.
See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nire," xxviii. Februarii. De S. Victore Eps.
Domnacensi, n, 2, p. 424.
=" Thus :
Dichullus in Ared-muilt prope
lacum Erne. " See the Boilandists'
"
Acta
s
^"
It is described, on the Ordnance Sur-
vey Townland Maps for the County of Down," Sheets 48, 49, 52, 53, 55, 56, 57.
j^ee his Life, at the 17th of March.
heading, "
" De Sanc-
February 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 735
of Monaghan. ^ The people of this territory were called Mugdorni, because they were descendants of Mughdhorn Dubh, the son of CoUa Meann, one of
the ancestors of the Oirghiallans. 9 The Tripartite'° and Jocelin's" Lives of St. Patrick relate substantially, in a similar manner, the wonderful ways of Divine Providence, when effecting the conversion of this man, Victor, who seemed, at first, most determinedly bent, on rejecting that grace offered. O'SuUevan'^ has some notices of him. It is remarked, by Colgan, that under such a name, there is no notice of him, in the Irish Menologies ; however, Buadbheo, in our native language, may be Latinized Victor.
In the Sancti- logic Genealogy, '3 two holy men bearing this name are mentioned ; one, St. Buadhbeo, the son of Lugach, the son of Liathcon, son to Fiach Aradh, of the Roderician race, and the other is Buadhbeo, son of Eochaid, belonging tothesamefamily. Thefirstoftheseseemstohavelived,inthetimeofSt. Patrick. ^4 It is thought, by Colgan, that the Buaidbeo, whose feast occurs on the 17th of November, as stated in the Martyrologies of St. ^ngus, of Marianus, of Maguire, and of Donegal, may be identical with that Victor, who is regarded as the disciple of St. Patrick. ^5 Elsewhere, our learned Irish hagiologist says, that Buadhbeo may be Latinized, Victor, Vivax, or Vividus, andthatheseemstohavedescendedfromFiachAradb, whosefamily,inthe fifth and succeeding centuries, bore sway throughout the territory of Mugh- dornia ; which, we are told, is the mountainous region of Eastern Ultonia. *^ Here were they settled, when the Irish Apostle was engaged, prosecuting the work of his mission. Having left Hua-Meith, or Hua-Meith-tire, where he erected a church, called Teagh Tallain,''7 St. Patrick passed on to a place, called Domnach-Maigin, which is now known as Donaghmoyne,^^ in the barony of Cremorne, or Farney, and county of Monaghan. As it stood, in
1843, we have an engraving of the Castle of Donaghmoyne preserved to us, in the lately-published and interesting history of this latter county, by Evelyn Philip Shirley, Esq. '9 This place was situated, in the ancient territory of Crioch-Mughdhorna. ''° The owner of Domnach-Maigin, at that time it had been visited by the Irish Apostle, was called Victor. The lame of St. Patrick's eloquence and persuasive powers had already reached the ears of this local proprietor, who seems to have been greatly attached to pagan superstitions, and also very obstinately bent on rejecting the truths of Christianity. As emblematic of his mental blindness and indecision of character, at this junc- ture, Victor sought, by way of retirement from the light that was about to
"
7 See Dr. O'Donovan's Leabhar na g-
Ceart, or Book of Rights," n. (a), p, 149.
^ A of in Cremorne, is range heights,
called Sliabh Mughdhorn, or "the Moun- tains of Mughdhorn," in Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," at A. D. 1457. See vol. iv. , pp. 998, 999,
9 See ibid. , n. (s).
iii. , cap. xii. , n. 21, p. 184.
^^ Now Tehallen, in the barony of Mon-
^°
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " 2. Ibid.
Vita S. Patricii, lib.
Septima iii. , cap. xii. ,
p. 159.
"See ibid. Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap.
'^ Its bounds are described, on the "Ord-
nance Survey Townland Maps for the "
cxxxix. , pp. 95, 96.
" In Decade, lib. vi,, cap. iv.
n. 147, p. 115.
County of Monaghan, Sheets 25, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32. The townland proper is on
^3
Cliap. xxiii.
History of the County of Monaghan," chap, i. , p. 15.
'4 See
'° Sometimes called Mughdorn Maighean. The latter addition, it has been supposed, must be derivable from Domhnach-Maighen,
"Trias
Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. cxxxix,, n. 147,
Colgan's
Thaumaturga. "
S&Qibid. ,
Sheets 28, 31.
'^ See Shirley's
"
p. 115.
''S See ibid. Also, Quinta Appendix ad or Donnaghmoyne Church. See Dr.
Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxii. , p. 266. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters,"
^^
See ibid. Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. vol. i. , n. (e), p. 233.
aghan.
The foundation of the Church of
Donagh, in Trough, is not noticed in the Tri-
partite Life, but it is supposed to have been
founded by St. Patrick on this journey. See Evelyn Philip Shirley's "History of the County of Monaghan," chap, i. , p. 2, and'n.
^36 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS [February28.
shine on his district, the thick shades of a wood, where he remained hidden for a whole night. He had certain misgivings, that if he should meet St.
Patrick, the Apostle's powers of persuasion must prevail over his own preju- dices. But, the Almighty had miraculous graces in store for Victor, and it
pleased him to dissipate that darkness, which had been so industriously sought. The holy Patrick journeyed into the dense wood, and a supernatural bright- ness surrounding him revealed his advent to the fugitive. Victor became a
convert, and a disciple of the Irish A])Ostle. At length, it was deemed advis- able to have him elevated to episcopal rank, and in due course, he was conse- crated. Victor was then set over the Church of Domnach-Maigin, while his merits and the dutiful discharge of his responsible office caused him to be re- garded, not alone as its patron, but as the tutelary saint of Crioch-Mugh- dhorna. The day or year of his death is not found recorded.
Article XIII. —Reputed Festival of St. Nennius^' Abbot of Ben-
CHOR, IN the Hebridean Island Hu, or Hy, Scotland. This is, pro-
bably, the supposed St. Nennius, who laboured among the islands of Scotia,
and who is said, by Dempster, to have been greatly venerated, in Scotland,
although his name is not found in" any Martyrology. ^ According to the Ka-
lendar of David Camerarius, he was Abbot, over the Monastery of Bangor, in the Hebridean Island of Hu, or Hy, and he had a festival, at this date. ''
However, in alluding to this suppositious saint and his festival, the Bollandists3 are of opinion, that through some scribe's mistake, the name Nennius had been introduced into Venerable Bede's work4 for Segenius,5 who first sent from lona to Anglia, St. Aidan,^ the earliest Bishop of Lindisfarne. Then, it is thought, that some other copyist, finding two distinct names, in different copies ofBede,unitedthem. Accordingly,St. Finian7andothersaresaidtohave been sent to Anglia ; the former being made a disciple of Nennius^ and of Si- genius, in the monastery of Hu or Hy. Langseus Scotus is quoted, for this state- ment. 9 But,neitherinBede,'°norinanyotherauthority,dowefindmention of this Nennius, or of the title he receives. Abbot of Benchor. Notwithstand- ing, we are informed, no other person wrote more than he did, at that time, while the following works are mentioned, as having been composed by him :
" De Origine Britannorum,'' lib. i.
"Elogium Britanniae,'' lib. i. ;
AuTICLE XIII. —' See
toria Ecclesiasiica Geiuis Scoturum," lomus ii. , lib. xiii. , num. 950, p. 500.
Dempster's
" De Vatibus eorundem," lib. i. ;
Cosmographia Historiae Mundi," lib. i. "
; "
Altogether, we must question the propriety of introducing a saint, called
Nennius, either in connexion with Bangor, or with lona, at this date, on the foregoing very insufficient evidence.
? See his Life, at the of
9th January,
^
This is the statement of Dempster, in his "Historia Ecciesiastica Gentis Scotorum,"
" His-
"
'See Bishop Forbes' Kalendars of Scot- tomus ii. , Hb. xiii. , num. 950, p. 500.
tish Saints," p. 235.
•' See " Acta Sanctorum, "tomus iii. , Feb-
ruarii xxviii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 717.
9 In " De Vila et Moribus Haneticorum nostri Teniporis," Piitfacio. The Centu- riators of Magdeburgh, at cent, vii. , cap. x. ,
'*
'° "
See Historia Ecciesiastica Gentis
Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. 25, where Bede specially treats of St. Finnan, and of his mis-
sionary career.
" Dempster adds
See his Life, at the 31st of August.
End OF Volume II.
endorse this account, in their ^ bee *'Historia Ecciesiastica Gentis ticoe Hisiorice," col. 525.
Ecclesias-
Anglorum," lib. lii. , cap, 5.
5 He was the fourili Abbot from St.
Columba. See J. A. Giles' note, p. 116.
Bolm's edition of Venerable Bede's History,
translated into English, London, 1847, 8vo.
His least occurs, at the 1 2th of August.
" Obiit in insulis He- bridibus, jam enim Orcades et Acmodes
*
lustra vcrat anno DCXX. "
:
IBX M659 I7L48 1875
v. ? C.
