probably
bishop
at Kildalkey.
at Kildalkey.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
8, p.
226.
**Bede applies the words "sublimiter
"
In Legenda Sanctorum Anglise. " Vita S. EabbK.
"
were on an elevated site, rather than of a
erecta
to them. This probably means, they
Historia Eccle- siastica Gentis Scotorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25,
special great height. See P- 337-
592 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
brother had no sooner arrived at the monastery, than he communicated to
the superioress Ebba,^5 what had been predicted by Adamnan. Greatly disturbed at this announcement, the abbess^^ held an interview with our
saint. Then she inquired from him, how it happened, that he had been able to ""predict such a misfortune. ^^ The holy man replied, on a late occasion, while occupied during night at his accustomed vigils, and in the recitation of psalms, a certain person, whose features were unknown, presented himself.
Then, feeling alarmed, our saint was desired by this strange visitor to allay ""
his fears. For," said the apparition, and in a familiar voice, you act rightly, who not only remain during night depriving yourself of rest, but,
moreover, you spend
it
and salutary vigils,
" I know well,"
replied
God's
monastery is composed,? " I have observed yourself alone occupied with the great affair of salvation. All other persons, men and women, are either buried in profound sleep, or are awake in the commission of some sin ; since those little houses,? ^ which were destined for prayer or study, are now con- verted into chambers where eating, drinking, idle conversation, or trans- gressions of some other kind, are committed. Even virgins, consecrated to God, in contempt of their sacred profession, apply themselves to weaving rich stuffs, often as they are at leisure. 7* With these they either clothe them- selves, with detriment to their holy state, or they prepare them for externs of the other sex, to procure their friendship. On this account, the place and its inhabitants are destined for Heaven's vengeance, which will be manifested by consuming flames. " The Abbess Ebba73 asked, why the saint had not
the " I have need of saint,
anger, for my previous transgressions. '''^^
*s There are notices of this holywoman
''
Historia Anglicana Eccle- siastica," Ssec. vii. , cap. 2, 7.
•^She must not be confounded with St.
Ebba, virgin and martyr, who was abbess, at a later period, over this same nunnery of Coldingham. Thelatterreceivedhercrown of martyrdom at the hands of the Danes, on
? « Bede calls them " domunculoe. " See ibid. These were probably fashioned after the early Irish cells.
^^ See Father Innes' "Civil and Eccle-
siastical History of Scotland. " Chonolo-
gical Memoirs, p. 273.
"Prefixed to Rev. Mackenzie E. C.
Walcott's account of the Abbess Ebba and
the at —are cited the nunnery Coldingham,
in Harpsfeld's
watching
praying. "^^ that thus I
may deprecate
The strange visitor responded : " You say, indeed, what is true; for you and many others have need, by the exercise of good works, to atone for past sins, and when ceasing from tem- poral labours, the more eagerly should you endeavour for spiritual benefits. These things, however, are done by very few persons. For, even now, whilst I have in succession visited all the cottages and beds of which this
the 2nd of
A. D. 870,
according
to the
April,
English Martyrology, Matthew of West-
minster, and other authorities. In his
" Martyrologium Benedictinum," Hugh Menard places her festival at the foregoing date.
following appropriate lines
" There was an ancient house not far away Renowned throughout the world for
^ tany,'. '
' ' Church
of Brit-
sacred lore,
And so pure, unspotted life,
^
book xviii. , chap, xv. , p. 456. ''
say,
It governed was and guided evermore,
Through wisdom of a matron grave and
hoar,
Whose only joy was to relieve the
See Cressy's
History
well, they
See Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica
Gentis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 338. ^See Father Innes' " Civil and Ecclesi-
astical History of Scotland. " Chronological Memoirs, p. 273.
needs
Of wretched and souls,
7° Bede uses the words, "
singulorum
help
the
helpless
casas ac lectos inspexi," which give us an
idea, that this monastic institute consisted
of detached huts, grouped together over
some considerable space of ground. See
poor.
All night she spent in bidding of her
beads,
And all the day in doing good and " Godly deeds. "
"
lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 338,
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," —
See
Scoti-Monasticon," p. 376.
:
JANUARY 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 593
heretofore revealed his vision ; and she was answered by Adamnan, that he did not wish to disturb the venerable lady's repose. He declared, moreover, she might be consoled, since the destruction of Coldingham should not happen during her life-time. 74
The vision being made known to that community, its monastic inmates
were justly alarmed. A visible reformation in the manners of most took
place. But, after the death of their saintly abbess, many relapsed into former courses, or even into a state of life still more objectionable. The punish-
mentpredictedbyAdamnanfellupontheirmonastery. Thiswasconsigned to the flames, in the year 679. 75 Venerable Bede obtained his information from a fellow-priest, named Edgils,? ^ who had lived for some time in Cold- ingham, and who died afterwards in that house, to which the illustrious writer was attached. ^? Thus, in the exercise of great austerity and penance, Adamnan spent the remainder of life^^ endeavouring to atone for his youth- ful irregularities. Distinguished, as we have already seen, by the gifts of a prophetic spirit, as also by those merits and virtues which become a saint, he passed out of this life to enjoy the rewards of the just, in Heaven, about or after a. d. 680, and on the last day of January,79 according to the English Martyrology. ^° Thislatterrecordandotherauthoritiesplacehisdemiseat A. D. 690. ^' In his conclusion of the foregoing narrative, the Venerable and pious Bede observes,^^ regarding the terrible and mysterious judgments, visitedsofrequentlybyGodonthechildrenofmen; whilethosedispensa- tions ought to warn us concerning the wrath to come, and the temporal calamities, which often befall persons led away by evil illusions. Above and before all, it is a grievous calamity to pass out of this world, and to meet without sufficient preparation the award of inflexible justice.
Article IV. —St. Sillan of Cill-Deilge, or Kildalkey, County OF Meath. It. has not been at all clearly determined when this holy man flourished. The Martyrology of Tallagh^ mentions, that veneration was given on the 31st of January, to St. Sillan, of Cill Delge. This place was identicalwithKildalkey,intheCountyofMeath. ^ Wefindrecorded,like-
have ah-eady noticed at that day.
**" At this he is set down in the date, also,
''' See Cressy's
Church History of Brit-
tany,"
book
"
xviii. , chap, xv. , p. 456.
75 See Maitland's " and History
of Irish published by O'SuLivan Beare, in " Histo- rise Catholicse Ibernije Compendium," tomus Anno 1437. And from that Period to the i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , p. 49. Also in Henry
Antiqui- ties of Scotland, from the earliest account of Time to the Death of James the First,
Accession of the to the Crown James Sixth,
of England, Anno 1603, by another Hand.
The whole compiled from the most authentic nus Abbas. See ibid. , cap. xii. , p. 52.
vouchers," vol. i. , book ii. , chap, xx. , p. 255. 7^ He is called " Reverendissimus meus
conpraesbyterEdgils. " Colganwonderswhy this priest was thus designated, when he was neither an abbot over the Venerable Bede, nor is his name found among English bishops or saints. See "Acta Sanctorum
HibernisE," xxxi. Januarii, n. 7, p. 225.
77 See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 339.
"
Civil and Ecclesi- asticalHistoryofScotland. " Chronological
Memoirs, p. 273.
79 Camerarius, however, gives the date of
his feast, at the 27th of this month, as we Vol. L
There, too, a second festival seems assigned for him, at the 2nd of September. Yet, this may have been intended for St. Adamnaii of lona.
*' The death of St. Ebba is referred to A. D. 683. See Father Innes' " Civil and EcclesiasticalHistoryofScotland. " Chrono- logical Memoirs, p. 270. It is probable, St. Adamnan survived her some
^2
lib. —
Anglorum," iv. , cap. 25, pp. 339, 340.
Articleiv. by Rev. Dr. 'Edited the
Kelly, p. xiv.
* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (l), pp. 320, 321. 2 ^
7^ See Father Innes'
anonymous "Catalogue
Saints,"
Fitzsimon's " Sancto- Catalogus aliquorum
rum Ibernise," where he is called Adomna-
years.
g^g "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
594 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
wise, in the Martyrology of Donegal,3 as having a festival at this same date, Sillan of Cill Deilge. A commentator on this latter work, in that table
superadded, suggests, his synonymn is possibly Stlvanus, which name occurs in St. Paul's Second Epistle to the Thessalonians,-* and in the Life of Livinus. s The old church of Cill-Deilge gave name to a parish, situated between the parish of Trim, in East Meath, and the eastern boundary of Westmeath County. ^ It was dedicated to St. Damhnat,? or Dymphna, whose festival wastherecelebratedonthe15thofMay. ^ Nearthechurchsitewasaholy well,calledTober-Damhnata. Itwasnearlydriedup,whenDr. O'Donovan examined this locality. 9 Kildalkey is a parish in the barony of Lune, county of Meath. ^° The earliest historical notice, regarding this place, as found in the Annals of the Four Masters," is at a. d, 721, when Cuanan of Cill-Delge died. Next, Fidhbhadhach, of Cill-Delge, died, a. d. 753 ; Cill-Delge was burned, a. d. 774; Suibhne, of Cill-Delge, died, a. d. 794. " Again, Fedach, Abbot of Cill-Delge, died a. d, 836 ; and Egnech, of Cill-Delge, bishop, abbot, and scribe, was killed, with all his people, by the Gaileanga,^3 in 837^4 Conghal,sonofFeadach,AbbotofCill-Dealga,andadistinguished scribe, died a. d. 866. 'S A battle was gained over Flann, son ofMaelsech- naill, A. D. 885, by the foreigners of Athcliath,'^ when Donnchadh, son of Maelduin, Abbot of Cill-Delge and of other churches,^? was killed, with many people. Amongallthepropernamesinourannals,andconnectedwiththis
that of St. Sillan is ^^ He was a or an abbot place, missing.
probably bishop
at Kildalkey. After the year 885, we lose sight of the monastery here, when consulting ancient annals. '9 We do not find any allusion to this old church,
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
32, 33-
* There called Sylvanus.
dently the same place. " See County of
5
adds a note. " We must understand this, not as suggesting that Siollan of Cill Delgge was a contemporary of SL Paul, but that the Latin form Silvanus occurs in 2 Thess. , i. , I, and in the Life of Livinus. " Dr.
See ibid. , pp. 468, 469. Dr.
error, regarding identifica- tion of Westerloo as will be seen in the Life of St. Dympna, at the 15th of May. This latter place was in a more northern
part of Belgium, nor far from Gheel.
Reeves again remarks. "Molanus styles '
9 See
''
Annals of the Four Masters," vol.
S. Livinus Archiepiscopus Scotorum,' and
i. , n. (1), pp. 320, 321.
'" The townland and of
parish Kildalkey,
cum
no fructu administrasset, reliquit Syluano
archidiacono. ' Indiculus Sanctorum
(Lovan, 1573)-"
*The Irish called this church, Cill
TJcaIja. See John O'Donovan's Letter,
" containing Information relative to the An- tiquities of the County of Meath, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey
in 1836," p. 174.
7 John O'Donovan was doubtfiil if the
patroness of this place were or not the same
adds,
Quod munus,
aliquot
mag- Belgii
'
annis
dated Trim, Aug. 6th, 1836, in
Letters
County of Meath," Sheets 29, 30, 35, 36. The site of Kildalkey old church and of its graveyard is marked on Sheet 29, a little to the north of Kildalkey village, shown on Sheet 35.
" See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i.
"See ibid. , pp. 320, 321, 356, 357, 378, 379, 402, 403.
'3 They were seated in the present barony of Morgallion, county of Meath.
as Davnat of Slieve He Beagh.
'< See ibid. ,
'SSee tbid. , pp. 504, 505.
inquires, " Is St. OAmnAC of Gill "OeAljA mentioned
pp. , 454, 455, 456, 457.
in the Calendar, on the 15th of May? " See ibid. To this shrewd guess, on the spot, and founded on the local tradition of her veneration there, George Petrie replies in the affirmative. The latter adds, " Your dis- covery of St. Damhnat in the parish of Kil- dalkey, is very curious and interesting, as it is probable, if not certain, that she, and not St. Damhnat of Tidavnet, is the real martyr, who suffered at Waterloo ! ! ! or, as it is
'*See ibid. , pp. 536, 537.
'7 See ibid. The "Annals of Ulster,"
''
'' In Archdall's " Monasticon Hibemi-
cuni," under the head. County of Meath, there is no notice either of this saint or of
his place.
''See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of
stated in her life, Westerloo, which is evi- "
Meath Extracts," vol. i. , p. 233. Mr. Todd Petriewasin — his
*
See her Life, given at that date.
barony of Lune, are represented on the
" Ordnance' Townland for the Survey Maps
Duncha mac Maeilduin,
however, have it
Prince of Killdelga, et aliarum Civitatum, etc. Codex Clarendon, tom. 49.
"
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 595
which is near Trim, in Sir William R. Wilde's admirable work,=^° although the ruins at and near this latter town are well described and copiously illustrated in it. There was a disciple of the great St. Columkille," and who was known as Silvan," son of Neman^s Don Mucusogoin. ='+ It cannot be asserted, nevertheless, that he must be identified^s with the holy man now under notice. There are the foundations of an old church visible at Kil- dellig,^^ a parish^? in the barony of Clarmallagh,='^ Queen's County. They lie about one mile distant, and towards the east from the Ballybrophy*? station on the Great Southern and Western Railway. On the interior, these ruins measure about thirty feet in length, by eighteen feet in width. The walls, of which only a few fragments remain, are nearly levelled to the ground. They seem to have been nearly four feet in thickness. They are mostly grass-covered, and the graveyard had clearly defined oblong boundaries,
informed,^' that a religious establishment existed here, at a very early period. The last mention of it is supposed to have been at a. d. 885, when its abbot is wrongly said to have been killed by the Danes. 3' This parish is also called Kildellygly. 33 There is a place denominated Deilge or Delliga,34 in the parish of Kilbolane,35 baronies of Orrery and Kilmore, county of Cork. We do not consider, however, that either of the latter places are connected with the present saint's particular veneration.
Article V. —Reputed Festival of St. Eusebius, Monk, at St. Gall, Switzerland. [Nijifk Century. ^ To the previous day, our readers
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. i. , chap. Letters and Papers illustrative of the His- XXV. , p. 142. tory of the Irish Church from the Reforma- *» Allusion is made to " The Beauties of tion to the year 1800. " First Series, ii.
although unenclosed, in that field surrounding it.
covered by graves was very considerable, and interments are not yet wholly discontinued, as the writer learned by inquiries made on the spot. 3° We are
the Boyne, and its Tributary, the Black- Avater. "
^' '^
Patron Saints of the Churches of Ossory,
p. 7.
^^The townland and parish of Kildellig,
barony of Clarmallagh, are represented on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
the Queen's County," Sheets 22, 28. There is also a Kildellig townland in the parish of
"son of the posterity of Soghain. " See the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for ibid. , and n. (c), p. 108. See, likewise, the Queen's County," Sheets 22, 28.
See his Life at the 9th of June.
Sometimes called Silnanus. See Rev. William Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 41, and n. (c), p. 77. Also, lib. ii. , cap. 4, p. 108.
*3 In Dr. Reeves' work, just quoted, he
is called " Silnanum, filium Nemanidon Mo-
cusogin. " The latter was a clan name, Sheet 22. Ibid.
formed probably from tTlocu SoJAin, "of ^This townland, in the parish of Agha- the sons of Soghain," or from tn ac u So^Ain, boe, and barony of Clandonagh is shown on
Dr. O'Donovan's "Tribes and Customs of Hy-Many," pp. 72, 73, n. (d. )
^^See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Vita S. Columbae, lib. ii. , cap. iv. , p. 351•
=^5 See ibid. , n. 3, p. 381.
^^ To this place Archdall seems to refer
the present vSt. Sillan. See "Monasticon
3° jn the month of May, 1870.
3' By Archdall, in his " Monasticon Hi-
bernicum," p. 594. He assigns St. Sillan and St. [Cuanan to this church, which he
supposes to have merged into a parochial, after it had ceased to be a religious estab- lishment.
3^ This entry clearly refers to Kildalkey, in the County of Meath.
Hibemicum," p. 594.
signed to the ist of January. See the Right
33 See Lewis' "
of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 87.
^^ The saint of patron
in
Kildelgy church, the'deanery of Aghaboe, was St. Ernanusor Senanus, abbot, and whose festival is as-
Topographical Dictionary
" Ossoriense; being a Collection of Original
34 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. v. , pp. 1730, 1731, and n. (b. ) Ibid.
35 This parish is described on the "Ord-
Rev. Patrick Francis Moran's
Spicilegium
The extent of surface
Aghaboe, in the parish of Aghaboe, in the same barony and county. It is shown on
596 LIV^S OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
are referred for details regarding the life of this holy recluse. That appears to have been his proper festival. However, on this day, before the Kalends
of February—January 31st—the Necrology of St. Gall's Monastery,^ in Switzerland, records the death of Blessed Eusebius, a former monk and martyr, born in Scotia. He afterwards embraced a religious life, in the Coenobium of St. Gall. His death occurred about the year of Christ, 884. He was decapitated by some wicked inhabitants, whom he had reproved, and who were living near Mount St. Victor, whither he had retired to a solitary cell. Thither his head was miraculously brought, and afterwards it was preserved there with great religious veneration. The people used to flock in great numbers, to offer their devotions at his shrine. "^
Article VL—St. Oebhnat, Eabhnait, or Eabnait, of Ros-Enche, ORRosNASeanchae. Theholypersonthusnoticedappearstohavestood
a in our national mononymn calendars,
find the less
though in a confused and conflicting form of spelling ought to assist still more in the consummation devoutly to be desired. Yet our searches f—ail
under every head for investigation. The concluding form of this name judging by the general Irish analogies—would seem referable to a female ;
and, therefore, it is probable, we must regard this saint as some pious virgin. A festival in honour of Oebhnat find' of Ros na Seanchae, is entered in the
Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 31st of January. She probably lived before the tenth century. Again, on this day, in the Martyrology of Donegal,3 is likewise registered, Eabhnait, or Eabnat, of Ros Eanche. Where Ros-na- Seanche or Ros Eanche was situated, we have not been able to determine.
ArticleVII. —St.
"
In Legenda Sanctorum Anglise. " Vita S. EabbK.
"
were on an elevated site, rather than of a
erecta
to them. This probably means, they
Historia Eccle- siastica Gentis Scotorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25,
special great height. See P- 337-
592 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
brother had no sooner arrived at the monastery, than he communicated to
the superioress Ebba,^5 what had been predicted by Adamnan. Greatly disturbed at this announcement, the abbess^^ held an interview with our
saint. Then she inquired from him, how it happened, that he had been able to ""predict such a misfortune. ^^ The holy man replied, on a late occasion, while occupied during night at his accustomed vigils, and in the recitation of psalms, a certain person, whose features were unknown, presented himself.
Then, feeling alarmed, our saint was desired by this strange visitor to allay ""
his fears. For," said the apparition, and in a familiar voice, you act rightly, who not only remain during night depriving yourself of rest, but,
moreover, you spend
it
and salutary vigils,
" I know well,"
replied
God's
monastery is composed,? " I have observed yourself alone occupied with the great affair of salvation. All other persons, men and women, are either buried in profound sleep, or are awake in the commission of some sin ; since those little houses,? ^ which were destined for prayer or study, are now con- verted into chambers where eating, drinking, idle conversation, or trans- gressions of some other kind, are committed. Even virgins, consecrated to God, in contempt of their sacred profession, apply themselves to weaving rich stuffs, often as they are at leisure. 7* With these they either clothe them- selves, with detriment to their holy state, or they prepare them for externs of the other sex, to procure their friendship. On this account, the place and its inhabitants are destined for Heaven's vengeance, which will be manifested by consuming flames. " The Abbess Ebba73 asked, why the saint had not
the " I have need of saint,
anger, for my previous transgressions. '''^^
*s There are notices of this holywoman
''
Historia Anglicana Eccle- siastica," Ssec. vii. , cap. 2, 7.
•^She must not be confounded with St.
Ebba, virgin and martyr, who was abbess, at a later period, over this same nunnery of Coldingham. Thelatterreceivedhercrown of martyrdom at the hands of the Danes, on
? « Bede calls them " domunculoe. " See ibid. These were probably fashioned after the early Irish cells.
^^ See Father Innes' "Civil and Eccle-
siastical History of Scotland. " Chonolo-
gical Memoirs, p. 273.
"Prefixed to Rev. Mackenzie E. C.
Walcott's account of the Abbess Ebba and
the at —are cited the nunnery Coldingham,
in Harpsfeld's
watching
praying. "^^ that thus I
may deprecate
The strange visitor responded : " You say, indeed, what is true; for you and many others have need, by the exercise of good works, to atone for past sins, and when ceasing from tem- poral labours, the more eagerly should you endeavour for spiritual benefits. These things, however, are done by very few persons. For, even now, whilst I have in succession visited all the cottages and beds of which this
the 2nd of
A. D. 870,
according
to the
April,
English Martyrology, Matthew of West-
minster, and other authorities. In his
" Martyrologium Benedictinum," Hugh Menard places her festival at the foregoing date.
following appropriate lines
" There was an ancient house not far away Renowned throughout the world for
^ tany,'. '
' ' Church
of Brit-
sacred lore,
And so pure, unspotted life,
^
book xviii. , chap, xv. , p. 456. ''
say,
It governed was and guided evermore,
Through wisdom of a matron grave and
hoar,
Whose only joy was to relieve the
See Cressy's
History
well, they
See Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica
Gentis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 338. ^See Father Innes' " Civil and Ecclesi-
astical History of Scotland. " Chronological Memoirs, p. 273.
needs
Of wretched and souls,
7° Bede uses the words, "
singulorum
help
the
helpless
casas ac lectos inspexi," which give us an
idea, that this monastic institute consisted
of detached huts, grouped together over
some considerable space of ground. See
poor.
All night she spent in bidding of her
beads,
And all the day in doing good and " Godly deeds. "
"
lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 338,
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," —
See
Scoti-Monasticon," p. 376.
:
JANUARY 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 593
heretofore revealed his vision ; and she was answered by Adamnan, that he did not wish to disturb the venerable lady's repose. He declared, moreover, she might be consoled, since the destruction of Coldingham should not happen during her life-time. 74
The vision being made known to that community, its monastic inmates
were justly alarmed. A visible reformation in the manners of most took
place. But, after the death of their saintly abbess, many relapsed into former courses, or even into a state of life still more objectionable. The punish-
mentpredictedbyAdamnanfellupontheirmonastery. Thiswasconsigned to the flames, in the year 679. 75 Venerable Bede obtained his information from a fellow-priest, named Edgils,? ^ who had lived for some time in Cold- ingham, and who died afterwards in that house, to which the illustrious writer was attached. ^? Thus, in the exercise of great austerity and penance, Adamnan spent the remainder of life^^ endeavouring to atone for his youth- ful irregularities. Distinguished, as we have already seen, by the gifts of a prophetic spirit, as also by those merits and virtues which become a saint, he passed out of this life to enjoy the rewards of the just, in Heaven, about or after a. d. 680, and on the last day of January,79 according to the English Martyrology. ^° Thislatterrecordandotherauthoritiesplacehisdemiseat A. D. 690. ^' In his conclusion of the foregoing narrative, the Venerable and pious Bede observes,^^ regarding the terrible and mysterious judgments, visitedsofrequentlybyGodonthechildrenofmen; whilethosedispensa- tions ought to warn us concerning the wrath to come, and the temporal calamities, which often befall persons led away by evil illusions. Above and before all, it is a grievous calamity to pass out of this world, and to meet without sufficient preparation the award of inflexible justice.
Article IV. —St. Sillan of Cill-Deilge, or Kildalkey, County OF Meath. It. has not been at all clearly determined when this holy man flourished. The Martyrology of Tallagh^ mentions, that veneration was given on the 31st of January, to St. Sillan, of Cill Delge. This place was identicalwithKildalkey,intheCountyofMeath. ^ Wefindrecorded,like-
have ah-eady noticed at that day.
**" At this he is set down in the date, also,
''' See Cressy's
Church History of Brit-
tany,"
book
"
xviii. , chap, xv. , p. 456.
75 See Maitland's " and History
of Irish published by O'SuLivan Beare, in " Histo- rise Catholicse Ibernije Compendium," tomus Anno 1437. And from that Period to the i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , p. 49. Also in Henry
Antiqui- ties of Scotland, from the earliest account of Time to the Death of James the First,
Accession of the to the Crown James Sixth,
of England, Anno 1603, by another Hand.
The whole compiled from the most authentic nus Abbas. See ibid. , cap. xii. , p. 52.
vouchers," vol. i. , book ii. , chap, xx. , p. 255. 7^ He is called " Reverendissimus meus
conpraesbyterEdgils. " Colganwonderswhy this priest was thus designated, when he was neither an abbot over the Venerable Bede, nor is his name found among English bishops or saints. See "Acta Sanctorum
HibernisE," xxxi. Januarii, n. 7, p. 225.
77 See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 339.
"
Civil and Ecclesi- asticalHistoryofScotland. " Chronological
Memoirs, p. 273.
79 Camerarius, however, gives the date of
his feast, at the 27th of this month, as we Vol. L
There, too, a second festival seems assigned for him, at the 2nd of September. Yet, this may have been intended for St. Adamnaii of lona.
*' The death of St. Ebba is referred to A. D. 683. See Father Innes' " Civil and EcclesiasticalHistoryofScotland. " Chrono- logical Memoirs, p. 270. It is probable, St. Adamnan survived her some
^2
lib. —
Anglorum," iv. , cap. 25, pp. 339, 340.
Articleiv. by Rev. Dr. 'Edited the
Kelly, p. xiv.
* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (l), pp. 320, 321. 2 ^
7^ See Father Innes'
anonymous "Catalogue
Saints,"
Fitzsimon's " Sancto- Catalogus aliquorum
rum Ibernise," where he is called Adomna-
years.
g^g "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
594 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
wise, in the Martyrology of Donegal,3 as having a festival at this same date, Sillan of Cill Deilge. A commentator on this latter work, in that table
superadded, suggests, his synonymn is possibly Stlvanus, which name occurs in St. Paul's Second Epistle to the Thessalonians,-* and in the Life of Livinus. s The old church of Cill-Deilge gave name to a parish, situated between the parish of Trim, in East Meath, and the eastern boundary of Westmeath County. ^ It was dedicated to St. Damhnat,? or Dymphna, whose festival wastherecelebratedonthe15thofMay. ^ Nearthechurchsitewasaholy well,calledTober-Damhnata. Itwasnearlydriedup,whenDr. O'Donovan examined this locality. 9 Kildalkey is a parish in the barony of Lune, county of Meath. ^° The earliest historical notice, regarding this place, as found in the Annals of the Four Masters," is at a. d, 721, when Cuanan of Cill-Delge died. Next, Fidhbhadhach, of Cill-Delge, died, a. d. 753 ; Cill-Delge was burned, a. d. 774; Suibhne, of Cill-Delge, died, a. d. 794. " Again, Fedach, Abbot of Cill-Delge, died a. d, 836 ; and Egnech, of Cill-Delge, bishop, abbot, and scribe, was killed, with all his people, by the Gaileanga,^3 in 837^4 Conghal,sonofFeadach,AbbotofCill-Dealga,andadistinguished scribe, died a. d. 866. 'S A battle was gained over Flann, son ofMaelsech- naill, A. D. 885, by the foreigners of Athcliath,'^ when Donnchadh, son of Maelduin, Abbot of Cill-Delge and of other churches,^? was killed, with many people. Amongallthepropernamesinourannals,andconnectedwiththis
that of St. Sillan is ^^ He was a or an abbot place, missing.
probably bishop
at Kildalkey. After the year 885, we lose sight of the monastery here, when consulting ancient annals. '9 We do not find any allusion to this old church,
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
32, 33-
* There called Sylvanus.
dently the same place. " See County of
5
adds a note. " We must understand this, not as suggesting that Siollan of Cill Delgge was a contemporary of SL Paul, but that the Latin form Silvanus occurs in 2 Thess. , i. , I, and in the Life of Livinus. " Dr.
See ibid. , pp. 468, 469. Dr.
error, regarding identifica- tion of Westerloo as will be seen in the Life of St. Dympna, at the 15th of May. This latter place was in a more northern
part of Belgium, nor far from Gheel.
Reeves again remarks. "Molanus styles '
9 See
''
Annals of the Four Masters," vol.
S. Livinus Archiepiscopus Scotorum,' and
i. , n. (1), pp. 320, 321.
'" The townland and of
parish Kildalkey,
cum
no fructu administrasset, reliquit Syluano
archidiacono. ' Indiculus Sanctorum
(Lovan, 1573)-"
*The Irish called this church, Cill
TJcaIja. See John O'Donovan's Letter,
" containing Information relative to the An- tiquities of the County of Meath, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey
in 1836," p. 174.
7 John O'Donovan was doubtfiil if the
patroness of this place were or not the same
adds,
Quod munus,
aliquot
mag- Belgii
'
annis
dated Trim, Aug. 6th, 1836, in
Letters
County of Meath," Sheets 29, 30, 35, 36. The site of Kildalkey old church and of its graveyard is marked on Sheet 29, a little to the north of Kildalkey village, shown on Sheet 35.
" See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i.
"See ibid. , pp. 320, 321, 356, 357, 378, 379, 402, 403.
'3 They were seated in the present barony of Morgallion, county of Meath.
as Davnat of Slieve He Beagh.
'< See ibid. ,
'SSee tbid. , pp. 504, 505.
inquires, " Is St. OAmnAC of Gill "OeAljA mentioned
pp. , 454, 455, 456, 457.
in the Calendar, on the 15th of May? " See ibid. To this shrewd guess, on the spot, and founded on the local tradition of her veneration there, George Petrie replies in the affirmative. The latter adds, " Your dis- covery of St. Damhnat in the parish of Kil- dalkey, is very curious and interesting, as it is probable, if not certain, that she, and not St. Damhnat of Tidavnet, is the real martyr, who suffered at Waterloo ! ! ! or, as it is
'*See ibid. , pp. 536, 537.
'7 See ibid. The "Annals of Ulster,"
''
'' In Archdall's " Monasticon Hibemi-
cuni," under the head. County of Meath, there is no notice either of this saint or of
his place.
''See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of
stated in her life, Westerloo, which is evi- "
Meath Extracts," vol. i. , p. 233. Mr. Todd Petriewasin — his
*
See her Life, given at that date.
barony of Lune, are represented on the
" Ordnance' Townland for the Survey Maps
Duncha mac Maeilduin,
however, have it
Prince of Killdelga, et aliarum Civitatum, etc. Codex Clarendon, tom. 49.
"
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 595
which is near Trim, in Sir William R. Wilde's admirable work,=^° although the ruins at and near this latter town are well described and copiously illustrated in it. There was a disciple of the great St. Columkille," and who was known as Silvan," son of Neman^s Don Mucusogoin. ='+ It cannot be asserted, nevertheless, that he must be identified^s with the holy man now under notice. There are the foundations of an old church visible at Kil- dellig,^^ a parish^? in the barony of Clarmallagh,='^ Queen's County. They lie about one mile distant, and towards the east from the Ballybrophy*? station on the Great Southern and Western Railway. On the interior, these ruins measure about thirty feet in length, by eighteen feet in width. The walls, of which only a few fragments remain, are nearly levelled to the ground. They seem to have been nearly four feet in thickness. They are mostly grass-covered, and the graveyard had clearly defined oblong boundaries,
informed,^' that a religious establishment existed here, at a very early period. The last mention of it is supposed to have been at a. d. 885, when its abbot is wrongly said to have been killed by the Danes. 3' This parish is also called Kildellygly. 33 There is a place denominated Deilge or Delliga,34 in the parish of Kilbolane,35 baronies of Orrery and Kilmore, county of Cork. We do not consider, however, that either of the latter places are connected with the present saint's particular veneration.
Article V. —Reputed Festival of St. Eusebius, Monk, at St. Gall, Switzerland. [Nijifk Century. ^ To the previous day, our readers
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. i. , chap. Letters and Papers illustrative of the His- XXV. , p. 142. tory of the Irish Church from the Reforma- *» Allusion is made to " The Beauties of tion to the year 1800. " First Series, ii.
although unenclosed, in that field surrounding it.
covered by graves was very considerable, and interments are not yet wholly discontinued, as the writer learned by inquiries made on the spot. 3° We are
the Boyne, and its Tributary, the Black- Avater. "
^' '^
Patron Saints of the Churches of Ossory,
p. 7.
^^The townland and parish of Kildellig,
barony of Clarmallagh, are represented on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
the Queen's County," Sheets 22, 28. There is also a Kildellig townland in the parish of
"son of the posterity of Soghain. " See the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for ibid. , and n. (c), p. 108. See, likewise, the Queen's County," Sheets 22, 28.
See his Life at the 9th of June.
Sometimes called Silnanus. See Rev. William Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 41, and n. (c), p. 77. Also, lib. ii. , cap. 4, p. 108.
*3 In Dr. Reeves' work, just quoted, he
is called " Silnanum, filium Nemanidon Mo-
cusogin. " The latter was a clan name, Sheet 22. Ibid.
formed probably from tTlocu SoJAin, "of ^This townland, in the parish of Agha- the sons of Soghain," or from tn ac u So^Ain, boe, and barony of Clandonagh is shown on
Dr. O'Donovan's "Tribes and Customs of Hy-Many," pp. 72, 73, n. (d. )
^^See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Vita S. Columbae, lib. ii. , cap. iv. , p. 351•
=^5 See ibid. , n. 3, p. 381.
^^ To this place Archdall seems to refer
the present vSt. Sillan. See "Monasticon
3° jn the month of May, 1870.
3' By Archdall, in his " Monasticon Hi-
bernicum," p. 594. He assigns St. Sillan and St. [Cuanan to this church, which he
supposes to have merged into a parochial, after it had ceased to be a religious estab- lishment.
3^ This entry clearly refers to Kildalkey, in the County of Meath.
Hibemicum," p. 594.
signed to the ist of January. See the Right
33 See Lewis' "
of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 87.
^^ The saint of patron
in
Kildelgy church, the'deanery of Aghaboe, was St. Ernanusor Senanus, abbot, and whose festival is as-
Topographical Dictionary
" Ossoriense; being a Collection of Original
34 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. v. , pp. 1730, 1731, and n. (b. ) Ibid.
35 This parish is described on the "Ord-
Rev. Patrick Francis Moran's
Spicilegium
The extent of surface
Aghaboe, in the parish of Aghaboe, in the same barony and county. It is shown on
596 LIV^S OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
are referred for details regarding the life of this holy recluse. That appears to have been his proper festival. However, on this day, before the Kalends
of February—January 31st—the Necrology of St. Gall's Monastery,^ in Switzerland, records the death of Blessed Eusebius, a former monk and martyr, born in Scotia. He afterwards embraced a religious life, in the Coenobium of St. Gall. His death occurred about the year of Christ, 884. He was decapitated by some wicked inhabitants, whom he had reproved, and who were living near Mount St. Victor, whither he had retired to a solitary cell. Thither his head was miraculously brought, and afterwards it was preserved there with great religious veneration. The people used to flock in great numbers, to offer their devotions at his shrine. "^
Article VL—St. Oebhnat, Eabhnait, or Eabnait, of Ros-Enche, ORRosNASeanchae. Theholypersonthusnoticedappearstohavestood
a in our national mononymn calendars,
find the less
though in a confused and conflicting form of spelling ought to assist still more in the consummation devoutly to be desired. Yet our searches f—ail
under every head for investigation. The concluding form of this name judging by the general Irish analogies—would seem referable to a female ;
and, therefore, it is probable, we must regard this saint as some pious virgin. A festival in honour of Oebhnat find' of Ros na Seanchae, is entered in the
Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 31st of January. She probably lived before the tenth century. Again, on this day, in the Martyrology of Donegal,3 is likewise registered, Eabhnait, or Eabnat, of Ros Eanche. Where Ros-na- Seanche or Ros Eanche was situated, we have not been able to determine.
ArticleVII. —St.
