No More Learning

t Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
240, 241.
73 See Dr. Forbes' " Kalendar of Scottish
Saints," pp. 377, 435-
The parishes comprised in it are Lis*- more and Appin, Ardchattan and Muckairn, Kilmore and and
76 Thus :
"
S. Queranus abot in Scotland
vnder King Ethus. "—Ibid. , p. 161. —
:
"
77 Thus abbatis. "
In Scotia Querani
Kilbride, Glenorchy Innishail, Kilbrandon and Kilchattan, Kil- chrenan and Dalavich, Kininver and
Kilmelfort.
82 See Francis II. Groome's "Ordnance
Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , p. 558.
September 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
235
by Keith. 8 3 He was venerated at Strathmore in Caithness.
8
Feteresso, * and near it in Glenbervie, where was his well ;
8 86
s
ran, in Kintyre
;
at Kilcheran, in Lismore
87 in Kilchoman
Kilkeran, parish, Islay ;
at 8* in the Island of Lewis,80
and at Dalkerran or -
1
Dailly parish, Ayrshire. ' Apparently
,/J in
this saint is confounded with his namesake, whose festival occurs on the
festival, he could have cleared up the matter better—than has been done.
5th
of March,
by
Dempster. '
further, by stating,
man venerated pilgrimages
to have been
l)alquherran.
Thomas
that St. Kieran, a holy bishop, lived chiefly in the Western Isles of Scot- land^ and that after a holy life he suffered martyrdom, having been slain by robbers. * But such accounts are manifestly absurd, and Colgan shows, that the statements of both Camerarius and Dempster are false. 95 However, if Colgan had been aware of the great veneration paid to St. Kieran in that country, and of the 9th of September having been the true date for the
06
of France we find a Saint
most an Irish- probably
Louis XVIII. , in 1814. 97 We cannot be sure, however, that he was identical with the Patron of Clonmacnoise.
8 IntheDioceseofArdaghandClonmacnoise,aProperOffice9 hasbeen
composed by its former venerated Bishop, Most Rev. Bartholomew Wood- lock, for the Patron Saint Kiaran ; while it is there recited on his chief
festival, by authority and prescription of the Holy See. 99 Among the proper Masses for Holy French and Irish Patrons, and in a Missal edited by order of Pope Clement XII. , we find a festival strangely prescribed for a Kiaran on the xi. of September. 100 Suyskens says, he would be inclined to identify this Saint, with the Kieran of whom we treat, but for a dubious phrase, about his belonging to Foilen Monastery ; since it nowhere appears, that the monastery styled Cluanense or Angicnse, of which our saint was
founder and abbot, had ever been known by this denomination of Foilense. There are circumstances, however, that might induce a suspicion of their
the e —astern
parts
Quiran
to his shrine
before the time of the French Republic, and even after the Restoration of
86 See
vol. ii. , p. 163.
Parochiales
"
" He
have learned from the
"Origines
Scoriae,"
|g
might
sup-
:
appear
customary,
83 See his " List of Bishops," p. 233.
84 "The plain but very ancient church, St. Caran's, at Feteresso hamlet, is still repre- sented by its walls or shell, and by its large kirkya—rd,oneofStonehaven'sthreecemete- ries. " Francis H. Groome's "Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , p. 18.
85 See " Parochiales vol. Origines Scotia? ,''
ii. , p. 12, and "Old Statistical Account of Scotland," vol. x. , pp. 534, 535.
660, which is not true of either Kieran, who lived more than a century earlier.
93 See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. x,, num. 774, p. 420. 94 How Dempster gleaned his information is not revealed, since he adds :" Nee plura
ejus acta supersunt, ita et scripta in teriere. " 9S See Acta Sanctorum Hibernian," Manii
v. Appendix ad Vitam S- Kierani, cap i. , p. 470,
87 See " New Statistical Account of Scot- land," vol. vii. Argyle, p. 647.
plement to Kieran's Acts quoted by himself
(ib. , p. 266) that his name was exceedingly
celebrated in Scotland "Nomen per Hiber- ;
88 See
niam et Abaniam celeberimum. "—
Origines ii. , p. 387.
Parochiales
Scoriae,"
vol.
Dr. Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
89 See "The
and Historical Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , p. 115.
x. , sect, xi. , n. 61. 187, p.
Topographical, Statistical,
land,"
ii. , chap,
entitled, "Waterloo, suite du consent de 90 See " New Statistical Account of 1813," sect, viii. , pp. 100, 101. Troisieme
Scotland," vol. v. Ayrshire. At Kilkerran edition.
are the ruins of a former strong castle, ^InNineLessons.
p. 384. 9» Obtained through application of Dr. 91 See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Woodlock.
ScottishSaints,"
90 He is said to have flourished in the year
,00Thus "InfestoSancti abbatis : Kirani,
Foilensis et patroni. "
p. 436.
Barvas,
3 He went still
Lanig. ui's
"
longe
Also, at
at Kilker-
; at Kilchieran or
vol.
97 See an interesting narrative in French,
In
236
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 9.
101
The Bollandist editor of our Saint's Acts
which explain the Mass of our Saint, as printed in that Missal, to which allusionhasbeenalreadymade. TheeditoroftheaforesaidMissalcertifies in his preface, that no saints, except those well known, and of no doubtful
102
reputation, were to be found in it.
quite evident, that by the Kieran there mentioned, we must understand the AbbotofClonmacnoise. 103 Heofferssomeconjectures,whichdonotappear to be very conclusive, to account for a festival to St. Kieran of Clonmacnoise
identity.
gives
several
extracts,
being placed
had been celebrated with an office, comprising nine lessons. 106
Both in ancient and modern times, churches and chapels have been built—in
Ireland to honour this saint. A — in Aran was dedicated to St. Kieran chapel
most likely the present holy Abbot and it stood on the site of a church whichhadbeendemolished. ThislatterwascalledMainisterConnachtach
or the 10? It is Connaught Monastery.
a
Macateer, in the parish of Ardnurcher, situated partly in the barony of
Kilcoursey, but chiefly in that of Moycashel, County Westmeath, had been y
founded by this saint. It was named after him Teampull mhic a t saoir, "the Church of the Son of the Artificer. " The ruin yet stands on a town- land, to which it gives name. Hence, our St. Kieran is supposed to have
108
been the ancient Patron Saint of Ardnurcher. TempleKieran,intheCountyofMeath. Itissaidtohavebeendedicated to a St. Kieran,100 but whether or not to the present one seems to be unknown. This old church was pulled down, and a Protestant edifice had
of 104 He
Irish and Scotch saints, and authors who sought for, in the fact, that as the 9th of
101 On
examining
that a reason be may
various
have treated on the holy man of Ireland and September had been dedicated to St.
Scotland, Suyskens declares he found no one named Kirianus Foilensis abbas, or bearing any similar title, in whose honour the Mass already mentioned could have been com- piled. First, a manuscript copy of the Aber- deen Breviary, possessed by the Bollandists, mentions Queranus, at no other day but the 9th of September. Secondly, Augustinus Lubinus has a
Osmanna, an Irish Virgin, who spent her last days in Gaul, having been venerated in Ireland and France ; it is thought she could not properly be disturbed from that place. And again, in the Roman Missal,—used by the Irish, as the 9th of February (? ) rather the 10th of September— had been pre-occu- pied by a double office for St. Nicholas of
catalogues
supposes
According to Father Suyskens, it is
at the nth of 10* We find too that his festival ios September.
said,
church,
called
Temple
u Erat abbas Tolentino, and as the nth of this day
peculiar entry :
Foilensis in Scotia," in his Geographical month had been left vacant, it might have
Tablet to the Roman Martyrology. Again, been thought a suitable day to be assigned Camerarius, in " De Scotorum Pietate," for St. Kieran's festival. See " Acta
lib. iii. , and who, among the Martyrologists Sanctorum," tomus iii. Septembris ix. De alone commemorates Kieran, at the nth of S. Kierano seu Querano, Abbate Cluain- September, seems to admit that he was mic-noisensi, Commentarius Ilistoricus,
sect. 1, num. 3, 4, 5, 6, p. 371.
identical with that saint, referred by others to the 9th of September. These ar% the words of Camerarius " Sanctus
I0
5At the 9th of September.
: Queranus abbas Foilensis in Scotia. De ipso vide
Trinity College, Dublin, classed B. 3, 12, contains a notice of it in the Calendar, at v. Ides of Septem-
ber : "Kerani. Conf. ix. Lect. "
107 According to Archbishop Keely's List
of Churches at 21st of March. See Colgan's
"1
Acta Sanctorum Hibernian' Vita S.
Endei, Appendix, cap. 7, p. 715.
108 See Rev. A. "Diocese of Cogan's
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. , chap. xix. ,p. 497.
Martyrologium Romanum, ad ix. Septem- bris, Wionem lib. iii-, Lignum Vitas Usuar- dum et alios. "
102 He writes, that all saints were ex- cluded from it, "quas celebrant prgeconiis et laudibus efferunt ipsa Martyrologia, et
memoriam celebrate usus fuit quorum olim,
ut attestatur turn Usuardi Martyrologium, turn Historia Bedse, turn denique Eccle- siarum aut Ordinum et Congregationum Missalia antiqua aeque ac recentiora. "
109 Possibly to St. Ciaran of Castlekieran, who was venerated at the 14th of June, where an account of him be found in the Sixth
103 The referring to him.
after
Usuard,
seem
may Volume of this work, Art. iii.
Martyrologists,
106 The in Manuscript
There is a place called
September 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 237
been erected on its site. 110 The ruins were situated in the parish of Loghan,
and there was a termon -cross at the
111 Another old church, now in
place.
ruins, and situated in the barony of Demifore, County of Meath, seems to
have been dedicated to this St. Kieran. It was called Loughcrew. 112 At Castledaly, near Moate, County of Westmeath, a new church, under the title and patronage of St. Kieran of Clonmacnoise was solemly dedicated to Catholic worship with the full and impressive ritual prescribed by the Church for such occasions On Wednesday, February *i 6th, 1876. The parish of Moate, in which the new edifice is situated, is nearly one of the
in the diocese of and Clonmacnoise. 1 ^ The Church con- Ardagh
largest
sists of a single nave with a heptagonal apse, in the gothic style. "4
The servants of God, by their daily and hourly toil in His service, resemble the builders of lofty structures, who, placing tier of masonry above tier, and on a solid foundation, gradually advance above earth's level towards the upper skies. So, their industry attains nearer its object by
constancy and perseverance. Within a short period, our Saint wrought incessantly, and therefore gradually became more perfect, as he advanced towards the limit of life. The spiritual edifice he erected was not on sand ; neither were the winds or torrents of temptation able to destroy his work. From the interest attaching to his name and memory, we may regard him as having neglected no portion of his allotted labours in the Irish Church ; and therefore his virtues and merits were rewarded with the meed of his people's approbation and reverence. As his works were still better approved by his Divine Master, this Saint has accordingly secured a distinguished place among the host of heavenly citizens.
Article II. —St. Osmana, or St. Osmanna, Virgin, Abbey of St.
Denis, France.
What has often happened in the case of many venerated
saints, having their true acts mingled with obscurities, uncertainties and fables,
must be predicated of St. Osmanna ; for, although some old Lives of her are
extant, they are negligently and injudiciously composed, while they are of a character not to merit implicit belief. Of those, a Life written by some
anonymous author, and apparently founded on accounts still more ancient, is to be found in a Manuscript, belonging to the church of St. Denis, near Paris ; but, it is imperfect or unreadable in some passages. St. Osmana is
1
entered in the Calendars, at the 1st of April; but this festival only has
reference to a Translation of her relics. Again, at the 25th of August, a
feast is said to have been assigned her, in a Breviary of St. Denis, near
2
Paris, by Breulius. This holy virgin has been celebrated by many writers.
Her earliest known manuscript Acts appear to be those found in the former Benedictine Library at St. Denis, near Paris ; but, in some passages, they are illegible or imperfecta Another manuscript Life of St. Osmanna was
110
See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of After the first Gospel this learned and
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. , chap. xv. , p. 242. Also, chap, xvi. , p. 281.
eloquent prelate preached the dedication sermon. A very full report of it and the proceedings is contained in the Free/nan's
of —
journal Thursday, February 17th, 1876.
111 112
See
113 This church owes its erection to Very
Rev. Canon Kearney, P. P. of Moate.
1,4 The ceremony of dedication was per- formed by the Most Rev. Dr Duggan, Lord Bishop of Clonfert, and directly afterwards commenced a Pontifical High Mass, the Most Rev. Dr. Conroy, Lord Bishop of
Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, pontificating.
See ibid.
ibid. , chap, xvi. , p. 334.
Article ii.
1
On this notices of her day,
are given in the Fourth Volume of our work,
Art. ix.
2
At that date, the Bollandists, among the pretermitted feasts, have some notices of her. 3 A copy of this MS. had been sent by Cas- tellan, Canon of Paris, to the Bollandist Fathers, in a communication, dated A. D.
238 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 9.
preserved at Anisolensis,* in the church of St. Carilefus, Carilulphe or
Marculf, diocese of Mans. ' As this is fuller in matter than the former one,
and yet frequently coincides with it in phrases and order of narrative ; Father
Suysken thinks its compiler used the former, so that he not only supplied the
lacuna, but enlarged its narrative, occasionally by conjecture, or otherwise
from a different source, or possibly from the fallacies of his own imagination.
Evidently taken from some old codex, the writer's name not known, John
Capgrave has fuller notices of this saint,6 and differing from the St. Denis
Life in certain places. This narrative is closely followed by Dean Jacques
Doublet,? a Benedictine Father, in his work on the History of the Abbey of
St. Denis. 8 Wilson,' Robert Buckland,10 11 and Lobineau12 John Saussay,
have accounts of St. Osrnana. The Bollandists give her Acts, 13 at the 9th of
1
September. * These are taken from an old Life of the saint, by some
anonymous writer, and they were found in a Manuscript belonging to the former Benedictine Abbey of St. Denis, near Paris. This Life has be—en
collated, by the editor, Father Constantine Suysken, with a more lengthy
yet not more correct— one sent to the Bollandists in 1630, which was copied
fromaManuscriptbelongingtothechurchofSt. Carilefus,'5 inthediocese
of Mans.
16
Again, also, he makes use of that Life published by John
Capgrave. A Previous Commentary is given in two sections and twenty- seven paragraphs, while the Acts and Appendix are comprised in eleven paragraphs, with accompanying notes. There are notices of St. Osmanna in Rev. Alban Butler's1? work, and in that of the Petits Bollandistes. '8
She was the daughter of an Irish prince, according to the Legend of 1
her Acts, ' and from her very infancy, she was remarkable for her
innocence, and for observing all the Divine precepts. We are told, also,20 that the name by which she was first known in Ireland was Agariarga, and which she bore to the time when Osmanna was given her in baptism. Her
1691. The original manuscript—now pro- bablylost—had been traced in Gothic letters.
The imperfect -passages were marked with dots, by Castellan.
4 This Latin name is not to be found in the "Novum Lexicon Geogiapliicum," edited by P. Ferrarius and M. A. Baudrand.
s A copy of this had been sent to the Bob landist Fathers in 1638, by Father Jean Daide of their Society.
6 In " Nova Legenda Anglise," fol. ccxlvii. , ccxlviii. , at quinto Idibus Septembris.
7 He was born in 1560 and he died in
1648, at the age of eighty-eight. See M. Le Dr. Hoefer's "Nouvelle Biographie Ge*ie- rale. " tome xiv. , col. 672.
James I. See Joannis Pitsei " Relationvm
Historicarvm de Rebus Anglicis," Aetas
In his Martyrologium Gallicanum. " I2 Se Lobineau's "Saints de Bretagne," tome ii. , cent, vii. , Septembre ix. , pp. I to 4. ' 3 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
l6 Cenomanum, now le Mans, was the chief city of the Cenomani, a people of 8 See "Histoire de l'Abbaye de Saint- Gallia Celtica, their country being now
Denys en France, contenant les Antiquites
known as le Maine.
' 7 See "Lives of the Fathers,
9 In "
Martyrologium Anglicanuin. "
tember ix.
,8 See "Vies des Saints," tome x. , ixe
les et Fondations, Prerogatives
Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol. ix. , Sep-
d'icelle,
Privileges," Paris, 1625, two tomes, 4to.
10 to Ferrarius in " According Catalogus
Generalis Sanctorum. " The Bollandist
Suysken does not know who this Robert
Buckland had been, unless he may be con-
sidered identical with one Rudolph Buck-
land, a Priest, who is said to have translated
into English all the volumes of Surius and
to have prepared them for the press. He earn OSMANAM, cum antea gentili nomine died in the year 161 1, during the reign of vocaretur Agariarga. "
decimaseptima, p. 816. ""
ix. Septembris, pp. 417 to 425.
:
,4 Headed " De S. Osmanna Virgine,
quae colitur in Abbatia S- Dionysii prope Parisios in Francia. "
,s Ex Anisolensi, St. Carilefus, also called
Cariulphe of Bayeux, and Masculphe or Mascoul, is venerated on the 1st of May.
Jour de Septembre, p. 595.
'• And likewise by John Capgrave.
" Beata virgo Osmanna clara stripe ac regali Iliberniensium progenita," &c.
2° The Anisolensen Manuscript Life states : "Tunc baptizavit illam episcopus, vocans
September 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 239
parents were idolaters, and were opposed to her inclinations for becoming a Christian. However, she required them to answer, could she be compelled, as a believer in the one true God, to adore mute idols having no power to aid her, and to follow the pagan customs. This reluctance on her part, to continue in the old superstitions, caused them great sadness, and they devised a means, as they thought, to divert her from leading a Christian life. They wished her to marry a pagan prince, in her country, which is called Hibernia. But, to avoid their importunities, Osmana left her home and native island, accompanied only by one of her female attendants, named Aclitenis. 21 Their destination was to Armoric22 Britain. 23 Having embarked on board a vessel, they were wafted towards the shores of Gaul, and there they disembarked on the coast near Saint-Brieuc. 2^ They sought a very solitary place, far from
2
human habitation, and* near the banks of the River Loire. 5 In that part of
the country, they constructed a sort of shieling, with the branches of trees ; and in it, for a long time, they passed a life of meditation and penance. The place of their retreat was at length accidentally discovered by a hunter, who, with his dogs, followed a boar, that fled before them, and sought refuge in the hut of St. Osmana. The animal lay down at her feet, and in that position was found by the hunter, who would not heed the pathetic remonstrances of the virgin. But, neither his hunting spear nor dirk was able to penetrate even the skin of the prostrate animal. Astonished at such an adventure, the
26
where he related what had occurred. Whereupon, the bishop of that see, to be better informed, went with a number of his clergy and people to the holy virgin's hermitage. Theretheyfoundher,coveredonlywiththerudestkindofgarment, woven from rushes and long grass into a sort of camlet, while her bed was covered with thorns on which she lay, so as to expose herself to the utmost bodily mortification. The bishop enquired if she believed in the Christian's doctrine, and desired to receive baptism. On signifying her earnestness to have that sacrament conferred on her, a vessel of water was procured, and in presence of those assembled, she was made a member of Christ's fold. At
that time, also, she wrought a remarkable miracle ; for a man who had been
blind for three years was restored to sight, by her touching him. All present
greatly rejoiced, and proclaimed Osmana a true sen-ant of Christ and a most
holy virgin. We are informed, that after her baptism, the bishop employed
a peasant to prepare a garden and lawn around Osmana's place of habita-
2
tion, 7 while another man was engaged to construct an oratory in which her
21
The Anisolensen Manuscript reads Ac- between the embouchures of the Seine and lytenis. However, Father Louis Jobert, the Loire. All Bretagne in France was
hunter returned to a city or town called Briscis or Brisis,
S. J. , Wrote to Father Papebroch in 1678,
that there was a village called St. Cerota, in
Le Vendosmois, diocese of Mans, and about
eight leagues distant from Le Mans. St.
Cerota was there venerated, on the 22nd of Saints,'' tome x. , ixe Jour de Septembre, June, and she had an office from the Common
of Virgins. She was considered by the people there, to have been the female ser- vant of Osmanna, the daughter of an Irish king, revered on the 9th of September, and whose relics had been preserved in the Church of St. Denis, near Paris. On the high altar of her place was the image of St. Cerota, clad in the Benedictine habit.
"
On the 3 This territory of ancient Gaul lies
"This Celtic word
a legend of this man having yielded
sea-borders. " ~
signifies
to the seductions of the Evil One, and of having entered into a compact with him to renounce
comprised within it. See Pierre Larousse's "Grand Dictionaire Universel du xixe
Siecle," tome i. , p. 671.
24 See Les Petits Bollandistes, Vies des
"
known to Father Suysken. By Doublet and Saussay, it was thought to have been St. Brioc or Brieu, on the British Channel, and so called from its Irish patron saint, wtfose feast occurs on the 1st of May.
2? In the Anisolensen Manuscript, there is
p. 595.
2= Latinized Liger or Ligeris.
26 Such place denominination was un-
»4o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 9.
devotions could be practised. It is related in her Acts, that she wrought
many miracles, in restoring sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and speech to the mute. One in particular was known to have been effected, in the case
of a rich man's daughter, whose name was Androchildis. A bone had accidentally stuck in her throat, which caused the loss of speech. Hearing
of St. Osmana's gift of miracles, her parents had their daughter brought to the holy virgin, who, having offered a fervent prayer to God, touched her throat, and the bone was ejected with some effusion of blood. Although we have no record or notice to divine her period ; yet, that she flourished in the sixth or seventh century seems most probable. The time or place of St. Osmana's death is not recorded. According to one statement,28 she dwelt
2
and was buried in a place called Jotrum, 9 in the province of Bria ^° and
these facts are said to have been made known through a revelation accorded
and
two leagues from Liege, in Belgium. Nor does Father Suysken think it at all
improbable, that St. Osmana, who at first lived in Lesser Britain, afterwards went to Bria, and that there she died and was buried in Jotrum, where she has been so long held in special veneration. Another opinion prevails, that our saint departed this life in Aremoiic Britain, and that about the time of the Norman Invasion, her remains were removed to Jotrum to save them from desecration. 32 After the death of St. Osmana the place of her burial became celebrated for the performance of many miracles. In the ninth century, a churchwasbuiltoverthesiteofoursaint'shermitage. Somewhatlater,ata little distance from that church, there was another oratory, and this gave rise to the parish of St. Osmane. 33 A considerable portion of this holy virgin's relics for many centuries has been preserved in the Abbey Church *of Saint Denis,3* near Paris.
to St. 1 the Lutgarde^
holy virgin
religious
of which lies about Aywieres,
thither from Jotrum.
In the opinion of Arturus, her remains were translated However, by others it has been held, that during the
As a punishment, the peasant was deprived of sight, and then he began to feel remorse for his error. He
applied to the holy virgin for his restoration,
and Osmana praying fervently, he recovered
the favour of seeing as before.
28
the service of St. Osmana.
quondam regis Sotiae et per miraculum
Domini ad partes Gallirc adducta, sancte
vixi, defunctaque ibidem ac sepulta solemni-
ter, mei tandem per negligentiam temporis incolae obliti sunt. Haec itaque cum pia
Lutgardis dicto viro referret, subjunxit:
being
3 ' Her feast is held on the 16th of
That of Thomas Cantipratanus, or
Vellem, ut hcec eadem tibi Dominus in Cantimpre, in his Life of St. Luitprande. testimonium veritatis ostenderet. Et ille,
He was a contemporary and friend of that holy Cistercian abbess, who died in the year 1246. His Life of the saint has been re- published, by Surius, who has changed, in several passages, the terminology of the original Acts. Thus, in the story there related of Osanna, by Thomas Cantipratanus, she is called Osinanna, by Surius.
29 About four miles from Meldensis or
Non sum, inquit dignus, ut mini talia de- monstrantur. Cui ilia : Etsi forte minus
dignus sis, tamen ilia digna est, cujus dignepneconiarevelenter.