He is probably
identical
with a Mac Decill of h-Eachach Uisneach, who seems to have been entered as a different person in the same record and on the same day.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
Usney, or Usneach, was the seat of many conven- tions, conferences, and synods.
From eariiest times it had been a place of great note in our Irish Annals.
^ There is also a parish in the barony of Ballyboy, King's County, and within the diocese of Meath, called Killaughey, or Killaghey.
It means " the Church of St.
Eochey.
"^ The hill of Ushnagh and its environs are covered ^vith antique curiosities.
^" It seems probable enough, that the present saint had some connexion with the old Church of Killare, which is near that remarkable eminence.
Article VII. —St. Scethe, or Sciath, Virgin and Patroness of
Feart-Sceithe,nowArdskeagh,CountyCork. Intheworldwehave
many instances of benevolent individuals actively engaged in philanthropic
works,withonlypartialself-denial; butintheCatholicChurchherreligious
children are educated and inspired to practise good works, to a degree of per-
fection sublime in its absolute self-sacrifice. Scethe, a virgin, from Fert
Sceithe, is found on record in the "Martyrology of Tallagh,"^ at the ist day
of From the " of "3 we learn that venera- January. ^ Martyrology Donegal
tion was given on this day to Sciath, virgin, and daughter to Meachair, of Feart-Sceithe, in Muscraighe-Aedha. This territory seems to have been identical with Muscraidhe Luachra,-* which lay along the Abhain Mor, or Blackwater,intheprovinceofMunster. s St. Scethebelongedtotheraceof Conaire, son to Mogh-lamha, monarch of Ireland. Thus she was descended from the race of Heremon. The Church of Fiort-sceithe is placed by the Calendars of Marianus and of the Four Masters^ in Muscraighe-tri-maighe, or Muskerry of the Three Plains. 7 It is known at present by the name of
Ardskeagh, a small parish in that part of Fermoy barony bordering on the baroniesofOrreryandKilmore,countyofCork. TheoldChurchofFer- sketh^ lay within the rural deanery of Muskrydonnegan, in the diocese of
5 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (e), p. i66.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, p. 5.
Kerry. O'Brian incorrectly places this ter- ritory within the county of Limerick. Mus- craidhe Luachra extended on both sides of the Blackwater, near its source in the north- west of Cork county. It is also known as the country of the O'h-Aodha, now Angli- cised O'Hea, and sometimes Hayes. See "The Topographical Poems of O'Dubhagain and O'Huidhrin," edited by Dr. O'Dono- van, nn. 603, 604.
"
Leabhar na g- Ceart," or the "Book of Rights," n. (v),
pp. 42, 44.
* At the 6th of another festival September
of this saint then occurs.
^See Dr. O'Brien's "Focaloir Gaoidhilge-
sax-Bhearia," or "An Irish-English Dic- tionary, st/^ voce, Muiscrith, with its various subdenominations," p. 358.
* See Giraldus Cambrensis' "
Topographia
< From Sliabh this Luachra,
Hibemiae," Dist. iii. , cap. iv. 7 See Rev. A. Cogan's
"
territory ap- parently derived its denomination, Sliabh Luachra, which was a mountain range in
Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. ii. ,
chap. xviii. , n. , p. 427.
^Seeiind. , p. 425.
5 The old church here measures 63 feet
internally, including the belfry, by 19 feet in width. Its east end has been torn down.
A cross was in the churchyard. See ii>id. , chap, xix. , p. 514 and n. From its tolerable
proximity tcUsney, this church may have been dedicated to the present saint. Near
Killoughy townland, in the parish so called, the ruined church and cemetery are marked
on the King's County Ordnance Survey
s See Dr. O'Donovan's
Townland
" See County
sheet
Maps,
32.
of Westmeath
Survey Townl—and Maps, sheet 24.
Art. vn. "Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
p. xi.
'
In the Franciscan copy we can only de-
Ordnance
"SeechAe i. e Sc ^
cipher ui]a, . . . " (;;jjijg(j ^^dskagh in 1615.
Umbilicus Hibemise. "^
some soldiers of Scotia.
Both during life and after death, her merits were
of miracles. ^ On the ist many great
rendered manifest the by
LIV:B:S OF THE IRISH SAINTS. it
January l]
Cloyne. 9 ItsdenominationseemstohavebeenderivedfromtheIrishword
i:eA]\c, having these various EngHsh significations, "an act," "action," "virtue," "attribute," repute," "a miracle," "a grave," "a tomb," "a
Article VIII. —Festival of St. Ernan, Abbot of Druim-Tomma, NOW Drumhome, County of Donegal. \Sixth and Seventh Centuries? ^ At first view, on entering a garden where flowers are growing, we are dis- posed to cull some which are desirable for our purpose, while we leave others untouched as serving to supply our requirements on some occasion for a more suitable selection. Thus, although Ernan Mac Eoghain's feast is men-
tioned in the "Martyrology of Tallagh"^ at the ist day of January,^ we find it a preferable arrangement to refer his acts to another festival at the 23rd of
December. This saint was of a princely and renowned family. He was
son to Eoghan, son of Feilim, consequently he was a nephew to the great
St. Columbkille ;3 he therefore belonged to the Cinel-Conaill race. The
" of "* is found with this date for his fes- Martyrology Donegal corresponding
tival. His place is now recognised under the appellation Drumhome. It is situated in the barony of Tirhugh and county of Donegal. This is said to have been one of St. Adamnan's churches,s It is referred to under the Latinizednameof"DorsumTommge. "^ Colganhaspublishedactsofthis saint at the ist of January. 7 These he has collected from various sources.
Article IX. —St. Mathilde, Virgin. {Thirteenth Centuryi\ This
pious lady is said to have been the daughter of a Scottish king. She had
four brothers, all of whom embraced a religious life. One was a duke or
chief, who left his wife, but in a Christian manner, to embrace a state of
poverty ; another was a count, or a subordinate chief, who chose to lead an
eremitical life ; another became an archbishop, but he abdicated this func-
tion to enter the Cistercian order ; while the junior among them, named
Alexander, owing to his holy sister's persuasion, left his native country. He
accompanied her to Fogny, in the diocese of Laon, in Gaul. ^ Here she left
him, as a lay brother, to discharge menial offices in a Cistercian monastery.
Then the holy virgin herself appears to have retired from this world.
Although she wished to conceal her person and rank from the knowledge of
men, yet nine years before her death, she was discovered and recognised by
"a
the virgin patroness, belonging to this locality.
country," "land,"
fair-green,"
'° withsciacTi, the nameof joined proper
performance
of January, a. d. 1269, Camerarius, who claims this noble virgin as a native of
9 See a note communicated by Dr. Reeves vol. iii. , n. (c), p. iii.
in ''The Topographical Poems of O'Dub- ^ See Rev. Dr. Reeves' "Adamnan's hagain and O'Huidhrin," edited by Dr. Vita S. Columbse," lib. iii. , cap. xxiii. , p.
O'Donovan, n. 605, pp. Ixix. , Ixx.
"See "O'Reilly's Irish-English Die-
\Xqx\. 2. vj, sub vo—ce" '
'*
223, and n. (m), ibid. Also Ussher's
Primordia," p. 969.
7 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," i.
Art. VIII. Edited by the Rev. Dr. Januarii. Vita S. Emani, pp. 7 to 9. Bis-
Kelly, p. xi.
hop Forbes, in his Saints,"
'
Kalendars of Scottish
* In the Franciscan "
copy e^MiAn
tTlAc
Go . . . " is only legible.
3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
See p. 332. — Art. ix.
Colgan gives his Acts at the Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse, 14th of January. See "Acta Sanctorum cap. iii. , p. 482, cap. x. , p. 490. Hibemise," xiv. Januarii. Vita S. Alexandri,
'^ Edited by the Rev. Drs. Todd and pp. 64, 65.
^
Reeves, p. 5. Such is the substance of what Thomas
5 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , n. (m), p. 602, and Miraculis," lib. ii. , cap. x.
Cantipratensis
"
has notices of him at this date.
relates in his " De work,
22 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[January i.
Scotland, says she departed to eternal happiness. 3 By a series of well- drawn negative and historic proofs, Colgan asserts that Mathilda could not have been daughter to any of the regal Scottish monarchs ; while he endea- voured to show how Ireland might probably \vith better reason claim the honour of her nativity. Yet Colgan honestly affirms he could not advance this latter claim beyond all question. '^ Unless the names of Alexander and Mathilda received some alteration, during the years of their exile, they seem to accord more with Scottish than Irish use during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.
Article X. —St. Aedhan, son of Deigill, of Cluain-Fionna- BHRACH,ClONKEEN,CoUNTYOFLoUTH,ANDOFCiLL-IlJNLEITH. NotchcS and shadows on the distant landscape just reflect forms of beauty, which the eye cannot search in detail, because the reach of vision is too great. Imagi- nation and judgment vaguely combine to fill up the dreamy outline. This present saint possibly may have lived during the very infancy of our Christian establishments. One of St. Patrick's disciples is called Mac Dichoill, and he is thought by Colgan^ to have been the same as the holy man, who is here
"
commemorated. In the Martyrology of Tallagh"^^ Aedhan-h-Fiachna ap-
pears at the I St of January.
He is probably identical with a Mac Decill of h-Eachach Uisneach, who seems to have been entered as a different person in the same record and on the same day. 3 Marianus O'Gorman, or his
"
scholiast, at the ist of January, as also the Martyrology of Donegal,"*
record a commemoration of Aedhan, son to Deigill, of Cluain-Fionnabhrach,s and of Cill-Ilialeith,^ at the north of Fochard. ? His places are likewise called Cluain-Chaoin Fionnabhrach and Kill-alinn. On this account, how- ever, it may be doubted if this saint can be identified with St. Patrick's disciple, Mac Dichoill,^ who is known to have been connected with the people of Assal,9 and to have built a church a little to the south of a ford on the River Ethne,'° and near a place known as Ath-Maigne. " Yet there is
3 " De Pietate Scotorum," at the ist of
January, lib. iii.
See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," i.
Januarii. Vi—ta S. Mathildis, pp. 6, 7. ^
thiana," book i. , plate xiv. , p. 9, and book
iii. , plate xx. , p. 19, there are engravings of a moat and some curious ecclesiastical anti- quities, called after St. Brigid, and with
Art. X. See "Trias Thaumaturga" letter-press descriptions to illustrate the
Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, ii. , cap. xvi. , p. 131, and n. 49, p. 174.
* Edited by the Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xi.
In the Franciscan copy one entry reads, of Dichoill, Dechill, or Deicola. Hence
" -Ae-OAni. h. -piAchriA;" but there is another,
he who is called in one place Mac Dichuill, elsewhere may have been named Mac Dechil.
» In one instance, Dr. O'Donovan attempts to identify Assal with a district lying round Tory Hill, near Croom, in Limerick. See "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (f), p. 58. With a happier effort, Colgan says, these people inhabited that part of Meath (Westmeath) known in his day as Magassil (Moycashel). See "Trias Thau- maturga," n. 46, p. 174.
'°This seems to be the River Inny, south
of the county of Longford. Very near it, and to the south, in the county of West-
meath, there is a Temple-Patrick parish. This might give a clue to the site of the
church, and the disciple might have dedi> cated it to his great master,
" This place is now said to be known as
"
ITlAc "OACit Ach upiij," at this date.
3 See ibid.
< Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, p. 2. 5 Now Clonkeen, barony of Ardee, county
of Louth.
'This place must have lain near the
boundaries of the counties of Louth and
Armagh. Perhaps it is represented in the modem townland, Killeen, in the parish of Killevy, coimty of Armagh.
^For a description of this place see "The History of Dundalk and its Environs," by John D'Alton, Esq. , and J. R. O'Flanagan, Esq. , M. R. I. A. , pp. 277 to 281. Also William Shaw Mason's " Statistical Ac- count,^ or Parochial Survey of Ireland," voL ii. , No. xii. , pp. 207 to 214. This latter account is from the pen of Rev. Ger- vais Tinley, rector. In Wright's "Lou-
plates,
^Colgan remarks, that this name ac-
cords with Mac Dechill, meaning the son
January l] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 23
nothing improbable apparently in giving him other establishments at Cluain- Chaoin" Finnabhrach, in Ferrois,'3 and at Cill-Alinn, or Cill-Ilialeith. If such be the case, according to Colgan, this saint was the son of Dechill, son
of Bruin, to whom St. Brigid sent an admonitory epistle, dissuading him fromundertakingapilgrimagetoRome. Thetimeandnameseemtofavour Colgan's supposition, as he asserts ; still it must be urged, the name and places mentioned rather cause us to adopt a doubtful, if not an opposite, pronouncement. '* When the Latin "Tripartite Life of St. Patrick," pub- hshed by Colgan, had been composed, the former servers of Mac DichoilFs Church,'S near Lissmoyny, allowed it to lapse from a previous dedication, and to come under the patronage of St. Columkille. '^
Article XL—Feast of St. Mochua, or Cuan, Abbot and Patron
OF Teach-Mochua, or Timahoe, Queen's County. \Sixth or Seventh Century^ Atthisdate,theRev. AlbanButlerhasaverybriefnoticeofSt. Mochua, whom he calls hkewise by the name Moncain and Claunus. The I St of January is said to have been the day of his death, at Dayrinis. ' This day, the Bollandists have published his acts, which had been presented to them by the Rev. Father Hugh Ward. ^ Notwithstanding, they state that some Irish Martyrologies refer his festival to the month of April. This life is said to have been compiled from Irish records worthy of credit. The Bollandists, however, remark, that it contains some wonderful accounts, but not unusual ones, for the single-minded and holy nation to which they apply. This may be known by referring to other acts of Irish saints. They allow, indeed, that there may be some errors or amplifications, owing to faults of ignorant compilers. The learned Henry Fitzsimon, an Irish Jesuit theolo- gian of eminence, put the Bollandists on their guard, against giving implicit belief to many Irish documentary statements. Being ignorant of our island's profane history, the BoUandist -writers acknowledge their difficulty in distin- guishingbetweengenuineandspuriousrecords. Theywarnreaderstoreceive cautiously accounts of many wonderful miracles that appear in acts of different
Lismoyny, a townland in the parish of Ard-
nurcher, barony of Moycashel, and county of Westmeath. In his translation of the
"Annals of Clonmacnoise," at A. D. 1158 and 12 13, Connell Mageoghegan thus iden- titles it. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , n. (o), pp. 1106, I107, and vol. iii. , n. (f), p. 182.
"This place has been Anglicised "the
beautiful lawn," or "meadow. " It is now
knovvn as Clonkeen, in the barony of Ardee, and county of Louth.
uamach, which was a lough in Breffny, near the Buannad river, towards the south, writes
Colgan. The same author conjectures his feast to have been kept on the 1st of January, or on the 9th of October. See "Trias
"
Thaumaturga, Vita Septima S. Patricii, lib.
ii. , cap. cii. , p. 143, and n. 148, p. 180. The "Annals of Ulster" place the death of St. Aedhan O'Fiachrach at A. D. 569, al. 562, while those of the Four Masters have it at A. D. 557. See Dr. O'Donovan's edi- tion, vol. i. , pp. 196 to 199, and n. (b).
'3 This church
in the old
'^ n cannot be
Fera Rois. See Colgan's
that all the disciples or founders of churches
under St. Patrick are inscribed on our calen-
dars.
lay
of Trias Thauma-
safely asserted, moreover,
turga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, iii. ,
cap. Ixv. , pp. 161, 162, and nn. 96, 97, p.
185.
''* Elsewhere, when allusion is made to
Cochnamach, Colgan says St. Aidan, of Clann Eochuille, of the Hy-Fiachta race,
flourished in Corann, a part of Connaught, through which St. Patrick passed. He may be identical with St. Aidan, of Loch-
'*
This statement serves to show, that in its
"
territory
present state, at least, all the Tripartite Life
cannot be ascribed to the authorship of St. ten in his text of the Tripartite Life, of Evin. —
a St. Aidan, of Lochhuamhach, or, as writ-
Art. xi. 'See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and other Principal Saints," vol. i. , January i.
^ Franciscan guardian over St. Anthony's convent, Louvain.
24 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i.
Irish saints, unless the authors of these lives are known to have been per- sons of discrimination. The Bollandists only proposed to expunge in those Irish lives of saints whatever may be repugnant to faith and good morals, or whatever account might be manifestly absurd. St. Mochua's life they give from old MSS. It is contained in six chapters, comprising twelve different sections;3 butasreferringmoreappropriatelytothe24thofDecember,fuller notices of this saint are deferred to that day.
Article XII. —Feast of St. Mochua, or Cronan, Abbot of Balla. \Sixth and Seventh Centuries. '] The Rev. Alban Butler' has a notice at January ist in relation to St. Mochua, of Balla, who otherwise is called Cronan. We prefer, however, reserving for the 30th of March a further account of this saint, as it iDetter accords with the arrangement in our calendars. The place where he was most specially venerated is now known as Ballagh, or Bal, a market to\vn and parish in the barony of Clanmorris, countyofMayo. ThistownissituatedontheroadfromCastlebartoClare- morris, and it is surrounded by fertile pasture and tillage lands. ^ The Bol- landists have inserted the Acts of this saint at the ist day of the year. 3 The original, in Irish, had been translated by O'Sullevan Beare. With one acknowledged omission it was published in the great Bollandist collection.
Article XIII. —St. Fintan, son of Eochach, of Bealach. [Sixth
or Seventh Century. '] As in the twilight, when a few objects appear distinct, the more possible it becomes to shape an outline of images less clear ; so
the patronymic and locality of a saint being kno\vn, are aids that may assist in evolving further information, and in stimulating more painstaking research.
Fintan Mac of Eochach, Bealach,
has been set down in the " of Martyrology
Tallagh *'
"' at the ist of
It is not
to discover where the
January. "
easy Atthisdatethe"
a" "or" pass
Martyro-
sixth or beginning of the seventh century,^ he passed to a blessed life, pro- mised to faithful servants, in the household of the Lord.
Article XIV. —St. Connat, or Comnatan, Abbess of Kildare, County of Kildare. [Sixth Century. ] Meekly have the true spouses of Christ chosenthebetterpartbyretiringfromtheworldtothecloister. Likethedove,
bealach," meaning
logy of Donegal "* like^vise registers Fuintain, son of Eochaidh, descended from the race of Laeghaire, son to Niall of the Nine Hostages. 5 At the period of his death, which probably occurred sometime about the close of the
3 See "Acta Sanctoram," Januarii, tomus
p. xi.
'The words "pnc^n TJIac ec . '.
Article VII. —St. Scethe, or Sciath, Virgin and Patroness of
Feart-Sceithe,nowArdskeagh,CountyCork. Intheworldwehave
many instances of benevolent individuals actively engaged in philanthropic
works,withonlypartialself-denial; butintheCatholicChurchherreligious
children are educated and inspired to practise good works, to a degree of per-
fection sublime in its absolute self-sacrifice. Scethe, a virgin, from Fert
Sceithe, is found on record in the "Martyrology of Tallagh,"^ at the ist day
of From the " of "3 we learn that venera- January. ^ Martyrology Donegal
tion was given on this day to Sciath, virgin, and daughter to Meachair, of Feart-Sceithe, in Muscraighe-Aedha. This territory seems to have been identical with Muscraidhe Luachra,-* which lay along the Abhain Mor, or Blackwater,intheprovinceofMunster. s St. Scethebelongedtotheraceof Conaire, son to Mogh-lamha, monarch of Ireland. Thus she was descended from the race of Heremon. The Church of Fiort-sceithe is placed by the Calendars of Marianus and of the Four Masters^ in Muscraighe-tri-maighe, or Muskerry of the Three Plains. 7 It is known at present by the name of
Ardskeagh, a small parish in that part of Fermoy barony bordering on the baroniesofOrreryandKilmore,countyofCork. TheoldChurchofFer- sketh^ lay within the rural deanery of Muskrydonnegan, in the diocese of
5 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (e), p. i66.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, p. 5.
Kerry. O'Brian incorrectly places this ter- ritory within the county of Limerick. Mus- craidhe Luachra extended on both sides of the Blackwater, near its source in the north- west of Cork county. It is also known as the country of the O'h-Aodha, now Angli- cised O'Hea, and sometimes Hayes. See "The Topographical Poems of O'Dubhagain and O'Huidhrin," edited by Dr. O'Dono- van, nn. 603, 604.
"
Leabhar na g- Ceart," or the "Book of Rights," n. (v),
pp. 42, 44.
* At the 6th of another festival September
of this saint then occurs.
^See Dr. O'Brien's "Focaloir Gaoidhilge-
sax-Bhearia," or "An Irish-English Dic- tionary, st/^ voce, Muiscrith, with its various subdenominations," p. 358.
* See Giraldus Cambrensis' "
Topographia
< From Sliabh this Luachra,
Hibemiae," Dist. iii. , cap. iv. 7 See Rev. A. Cogan's
"
territory ap- parently derived its denomination, Sliabh Luachra, which was a mountain range in
Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. ii. ,
chap. xviii. , n. , p. 427.
^Seeiind. , p. 425.
5 The old church here measures 63 feet
internally, including the belfry, by 19 feet in width. Its east end has been torn down.
A cross was in the churchyard. See ii>id. , chap, xix. , p. 514 and n. From its tolerable
proximity tcUsney, this church may have been dedicated to the present saint. Near
Killoughy townland, in the parish so called, the ruined church and cemetery are marked
on the King's County Ordnance Survey
s See Dr. O'Donovan's
Townland
" See County
sheet
Maps,
32.
of Westmeath
Survey Townl—and Maps, sheet 24.
Art. vn. "Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
p. xi.
'
In the Franciscan copy we can only de-
Ordnance
"SeechAe i. e Sc ^
cipher ui]a, . . . " (;;jjijg(j ^^dskagh in 1615.
Umbilicus Hibemise. "^
some soldiers of Scotia.
Both during life and after death, her merits were
of miracles. ^ On the ist many great
rendered manifest the by
LIV:B:S OF THE IRISH SAINTS. it
January l]
Cloyne. 9 ItsdenominationseemstohavebeenderivedfromtheIrishword
i:eA]\c, having these various EngHsh significations, "an act," "action," "virtue," "attribute," repute," "a miracle," "a grave," "a tomb," "a
Article VIII. —Festival of St. Ernan, Abbot of Druim-Tomma, NOW Drumhome, County of Donegal. \Sixth and Seventh Centuries? ^ At first view, on entering a garden where flowers are growing, we are dis- posed to cull some which are desirable for our purpose, while we leave others untouched as serving to supply our requirements on some occasion for a more suitable selection. Thus, although Ernan Mac Eoghain's feast is men-
tioned in the "Martyrology of Tallagh"^ at the ist day of January,^ we find it a preferable arrangement to refer his acts to another festival at the 23rd of
December. This saint was of a princely and renowned family. He was
son to Eoghan, son of Feilim, consequently he was a nephew to the great
St. Columbkille ;3 he therefore belonged to the Cinel-Conaill race. The
" of "* is found with this date for his fes- Martyrology Donegal corresponding
tival. His place is now recognised under the appellation Drumhome. It is situated in the barony of Tirhugh and county of Donegal. This is said to have been one of St. Adamnan's churches,s It is referred to under the Latinizednameof"DorsumTommge. "^ Colganhaspublishedactsofthis saint at the ist of January. 7 These he has collected from various sources.
Article IX. —St. Mathilde, Virgin. {Thirteenth Centuryi\ This
pious lady is said to have been the daughter of a Scottish king. She had
four brothers, all of whom embraced a religious life. One was a duke or
chief, who left his wife, but in a Christian manner, to embrace a state of
poverty ; another was a count, or a subordinate chief, who chose to lead an
eremitical life ; another became an archbishop, but he abdicated this func-
tion to enter the Cistercian order ; while the junior among them, named
Alexander, owing to his holy sister's persuasion, left his native country. He
accompanied her to Fogny, in the diocese of Laon, in Gaul. ^ Here she left
him, as a lay brother, to discharge menial offices in a Cistercian monastery.
Then the holy virgin herself appears to have retired from this world.
Although she wished to conceal her person and rank from the knowledge of
men, yet nine years before her death, she was discovered and recognised by
"a
the virgin patroness, belonging to this locality.
country," "land,"
fair-green,"
'° withsciacTi, the nameof joined proper
performance
of January, a. d. 1269, Camerarius, who claims this noble virgin as a native of
9 See a note communicated by Dr. Reeves vol. iii. , n. (c), p. iii.
in ''The Topographical Poems of O'Dub- ^ See Rev. Dr. Reeves' "Adamnan's hagain and O'Huidhrin," edited by Dr. Vita S. Columbse," lib. iii. , cap. xxiii. , p.
O'Donovan, n. 605, pp. Ixix. , Ixx.
"See "O'Reilly's Irish-English Die-
\Xqx\. 2. vj, sub vo—ce" '
'*
223, and n. (m), ibid. Also Ussher's
Primordia," p. 969.
7 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," i.
Art. VIII. Edited by the Rev. Dr. Januarii. Vita S. Emani, pp. 7 to 9. Bis-
Kelly, p. xi.
hop Forbes, in his Saints,"
'
Kalendars of Scottish
* In the Franciscan "
copy e^MiAn
tTlAc
Go . . . " is only legible.
3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
See p. 332. — Art. ix.
Colgan gives his Acts at the Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse, 14th of January. See "Acta Sanctorum cap. iii. , p. 482, cap. x. , p. 490. Hibemise," xiv. Januarii. Vita S. Alexandri,
'^ Edited by the Rev. Drs. Todd and pp. 64, 65.
^
Reeves, p. 5. Such is the substance of what Thomas
5 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , n. (m), p. 602, and Miraculis," lib. ii. , cap. x.
Cantipratensis
"
has notices of him at this date.
relates in his " De work,
22 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[January i.
Scotland, says she departed to eternal happiness. 3 By a series of well- drawn negative and historic proofs, Colgan asserts that Mathilda could not have been daughter to any of the regal Scottish monarchs ; while he endea- voured to show how Ireland might probably \vith better reason claim the honour of her nativity. Yet Colgan honestly affirms he could not advance this latter claim beyond all question. '^ Unless the names of Alexander and Mathilda received some alteration, during the years of their exile, they seem to accord more with Scottish than Irish use during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.
Article X. —St. Aedhan, son of Deigill, of Cluain-Fionna- BHRACH,ClONKEEN,CoUNTYOFLoUTH,ANDOFCiLL-IlJNLEITH. NotchcS and shadows on the distant landscape just reflect forms of beauty, which the eye cannot search in detail, because the reach of vision is too great. Imagi- nation and judgment vaguely combine to fill up the dreamy outline. This present saint possibly may have lived during the very infancy of our Christian establishments. One of St. Patrick's disciples is called Mac Dichoill, and he is thought by Colgan^ to have been the same as the holy man, who is here
"
commemorated. In the Martyrology of Tallagh"^^ Aedhan-h-Fiachna ap-
pears at the I St of January.
He is probably identical with a Mac Decill of h-Eachach Uisneach, who seems to have been entered as a different person in the same record and on the same day. 3 Marianus O'Gorman, or his
"
scholiast, at the ist of January, as also the Martyrology of Donegal,"*
record a commemoration of Aedhan, son to Deigill, of Cluain-Fionnabhrach,s and of Cill-Ilialeith,^ at the north of Fochard. ? His places are likewise called Cluain-Chaoin Fionnabhrach and Kill-alinn. On this account, how- ever, it may be doubted if this saint can be identified with St. Patrick's disciple, Mac Dichoill,^ who is known to have been connected with the people of Assal,9 and to have built a church a little to the south of a ford on the River Ethne,'° and near a place known as Ath-Maigne. " Yet there is
3 " De Pietate Scotorum," at the ist of
January, lib. iii.
See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," i.
Januarii. Vi—ta S. Mathildis, pp. 6, 7. ^
thiana," book i. , plate xiv. , p. 9, and book
iii. , plate xx. , p. 19, there are engravings of a moat and some curious ecclesiastical anti- quities, called after St. Brigid, and with
Art. X. See "Trias Thaumaturga" letter-press descriptions to illustrate the
Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, ii. , cap. xvi. , p. 131, and n. 49, p. 174.
* Edited by the Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xi.
In the Franciscan copy one entry reads, of Dichoill, Dechill, or Deicola. Hence
" -Ae-OAni. h. -piAchriA;" but there is another,
he who is called in one place Mac Dichuill, elsewhere may have been named Mac Dechil.
» In one instance, Dr. O'Donovan attempts to identify Assal with a district lying round Tory Hill, near Croom, in Limerick. See "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (f), p. 58. With a happier effort, Colgan says, these people inhabited that part of Meath (Westmeath) known in his day as Magassil (Moycashel). See "Trias Thau- maturga," n. 46, p. 174.
'°This seems to be the River Inny, south
of the county of Longford. Very near it, and to the south, in the county of West-
meath, there is a Temple-Patrick parish. This might give a clue to the site of the
church, and the disciple might have dedi> cated it to his great master,
" This place is now said to be known as
"
ITlAc "OACit Ach upiij," at this date.
3 See ibid.
< Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, p. 2. 5 Now Clonkeen, barony of Ardee, county
of Louth.
'This place must have lain near the
boundaries of the counties of Louth and
Armagh. Perhaps it is represented in the modem townland, Killeen, in the parish of Killevy, coimty of Armagh.
^For a description of this place see "The History of Dundalk and its Environs," by John D'Alton, Esq. , and J. R. O'Flanagan, Esq. , M. R. I. A. , pp. 277 to 281. Also William Shaw Mason's " Statistical Ac- count,^ or Parochial Survey of Ireland," voL ii. , No. xii. , pp. 207 to 214. This latter account is from the pen of Rev. Ger- vais Tinley, rector. In Wright's "Lou-
plates,
^Colgan remarks, that this name ac-
cords with Mac Dechill, meaning the son
January l] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 23
nothing improbable apparently in giving him other establishments at Cluain- Chaoin" Finnabhrach, in Ferrois,'3 and at Cill-Alinn, or Cill-Ilialeith. If such be the case, according to Colgan, this saint was the son of Dechill, son
of Bruin, to whom St. Brigid sent an admonitory epistle, dissuading him fromundertakingapilgrimagetoRome. Thetimeandnameseemtofavour Colgan's supposition, as he asserts ; still it must be urged, the name and places mentioned rather cause us to adopt a doubtful, if not an opposite, pronouncement. '* When the Latin "Tripartite Life of St. Patrick," pub- hshed by Colgan, had been composed, the former servers of Mac DichoilFs Church,'S near Lissmoyny, allowed it to lapse from a previous dedication, and to come under the patronage of St. Columkille. '^
Article XL—Feast of St. Mochua, or Cuan, Abbot and Patron
OF Teach-Mochua, or Timahoe, Queen's County. \Sixth or Seventh Century^ Atthisdate,theRev. AlbanButlerhasaverybriefnoticeofSt. Mochua, whom he calls hkewise by the name Moncain and Claunus. The I St of January is said to have been the day of his death, at Dayrinis. ' This day, the Bollandists have published his acts, which had been presented to them by the Rev. Father Hugh Ward. ^ Notwithstanding, they state that some Irish Martyrologies refer his festival to the month of April. This life is said to have been compiled from Irish records worthy of credit. The Bollandists, however, remark, that it contains some wonderful accounts, but not unusual ones, for the single-minded and holy nation to which they apply. This may be known by referring to other acts of Irish saints. They allow, indeed, that there may be some errors or amplifications, owing to faults of ignorant compilers. The learned Henry Fitzsimon, an Irish Jesuit theolo- gian of eminence, put the Bollandists on their guard, against giving implicit belief to many Irish documentary statements. Being ignorant of our island's profane history, the BoUandist -writers acknowledge their difficulty in distin- guishingbetweengenuineandspuriousrecords. Theywarnreaderstoreceive cautiously accounts of many wonderful miracles that appear in acts of different
Lismoyny, a townland in the parish of Ard-
nurcher, barony of Moycashel, and county of Westmeath. In his translation of the
"Annals of Clonmacnoise," at A. D. 1158 and 12 13, Connell Mageoghegan thus iden- titles it. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , n. (o), pp. 1106, I107, and vol. iii. , n. (f), p. 182.
"This place has been Anglicised "the
beautiful lawn," or "meadow. " It is now
knovvn as Clonkeen, in the barony of Ardee, and county of Louth.
uamach, which was a lough in Breffny, near the Buannad river, towards the south, writes
Colgan. The same author conjectures his feast to have been kept on the 1st of January, or on the 9th of October. See "Trias
"
Thaumaturga, Vita Septima S. Patricii, lib.
ii. , cap. cii. , p. 143, and n. 148, p. 180. The "Annals of Ulster" place the death of St. Aedhan O'Fiachrach at A. D. 569, al. 562, while those of the Four Masters have it at A. D. 557. See Dr. O'Donovan's edi- tion, vol. i. , pp. 196 to 199, and n. (b).
'3 This church
in the old
'^ n cannot be
Fera Rois. See Colgan's
that all the disciples or founders of churches
under St. Patrick are inscribed on our calen-
dars.
lay
of Trias Thauma-
safely asserted, moreover,
turga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, iii. ,
cap. Ixv. , pp. 161, 162, and nn. 96, 97, p.
185.
''* Elsewhere, when allusion is made to
Cochnamach, Colgan says St. Aidan, of Clann Eochuille, of the Hy-Fiachta race,
flourished in Corann, a part of Connaught, through which St. Patrick passed. He may be identical with St. Aidan, of Loch-
'*
This statement serves to show, that in its
"
territory
present state, at least, all the Tripartite Life
cannot be ascribed to the authorship of St. ten in his text of the Tripartite Life, of Evin. —
a St. Aidan, of Lochhuamhach, or, as writ-
Art. xi. 'See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and other Principal Saints," vol. i. , January i.
^ Franciscan guardian over St. Anthony's convent, Louvain.
24 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i.
Irish saints, unless the authors of these lives are known to have been per- sons of discrimination. The Bollandists only proposed to expunge in those Irish lives of saints whatever may be repugnant to faith and good morals, or whatever account might be manifestly absurd. St. Mochua's life they give from old MSS. It is contained in six chapters, comprising twelve different sections;3 butasreferringmoreappropriatelytothe24thofDecember,fuller notices of this saint are deferred to that day.
Article XII. —Feast of St. Mochua, or Cronan, Abbot of Balla. \Sixth and Seventh Centuries. '] The Rev. Alban Butler' has a notice at January ist in relation to St. Mochua, of Balla, who otherwise is called Cronan. We prefer, however, reserving for the 30th of March a further account of this saint, as it iDetter accords with the arrangement in our calendars. The place where he was most specially venerated is now known as Ballagh, or Bal, a market to\vn and parish in the barony of Clanmorris, countyofMayo. ThistownissituatedontheroadfromCastlebartoClare- morris, and it is surrounded by fertile pasture and tillage lands. ^ The Bol- landists have inserted the Acts of this saint at the ist day of the year. 3 The original, in Irish, had been translated by O'Sullevan Beare. With one acknowledged omission it was published in the great Bollandist collection.
Article XIII. —St. Fintan, son of Eochach, of Bealach. [Sixth
or Seventh Century. '] As in the twilight, when a few objects appear distinct, the more possible it becomes to shape an outline of images less clear ; so
the patronymic and locality of a saint being kno\vn, are aids that may assist in evolving further information, and in stimulating more painstaking research.
Fintan Mac of Eochach, Bealach,
has been set down in the " of Martyrology
Tallagh *'
"' at the ist of
It is not
to discover where the
January. "
easy Atthisdatethe"
a" "or" pass
Martyro-
sixth or beginning of the seventh century,^ he passed to a blessed life, pro- mised to faithful servants, in the household of the Lord.
Article XIV. —St. Connat, or Comnatan, Abbess of Kildare, County of Kildare. [Sixth Century. ] Meekly have the true spouses of Christ chosenthebetterpartbyretiringfromtheworldtothecloister. Likethedove,
bealach," meaning
logy of Donegal "* like^vise registers Fuintain, son of Eochaidh, descended from the race of Laeghaire, son to Niall of the Nine Hostages. 5 At the period of his death, which probably occurred sometime about the close of the
3 See "Acta Sanctoram," Januarii, tomus
p. xi.
'The words "pnc^n TJIac ec . '.
