"t^ gee the Genealogical descent, as given
with some variations of spelling names, by Rev.
with some variations of spelling names, by Rev.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
, p.
215.
'* Different portions of this work are au-
thenticated from poems composed by St. Ultan of Ardbrackan. "
'7 It is described in the catalogue very
circumstantially, by Mr. Owen Connellan. '* The author of this gives a description ofSt. David and his monastery in Wales, as also an account of a battle fought between the Saxons and Britons, during St. Maod- hog's visit to that country. This work is interspersed with accurate sketches of family
history, and of Irish antiquities, such as bells, croziers, &c. , Irish weights and mea-
='° " Acta Sanctorum Hibemise. " To this life, at 31st January, he has affixed valu- able notes and an appendix in five chapters.
"See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxxi. Januarii. Vita S. Aidani, pp. 1 1 1 1 to 1120.
"See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs,
and other Principal Saints," vol. i. , xxxi.
January.
^3 See appendix to " Lives of the Cambro-
British Saints. " There is to be found a
Vita Sancti Aidui, ii. Kal. Martii. , pp.
232 to 250.
'* See "Lives of the Saints," vol. i. , p.
467. "
'5 See Kalendars of Scottish Saints, "p.
403.
''Published at Louvain. St. Aydanus,
524 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
manuscripts, and in our Dublin libraries. Thus in Trinity College there is Life of St. various —some of them in
aMS. —
verse saidtohavebeendeliveredbySt. Maedhoghimself*^ InMarsh's Library, we also find a life of St. Edanus. '^ In the city of Oxford, certain copies, relating to the life of St. Aidnus, or Maidoic, as also to the life of St. Aidus or Aidan, abbot, are preserved. '^ In addition to the various inci- dental notices of Maidoc, already printed in general Ecclesiastical Histories, the Rev. William Reeves,^9 and a very competent writer, in " The Irish Ec- clesiastical Record,"3° have treated specially regarding this holy man ; and from their researches much has been gleaned to elucidate the present bio- graphy. It must be stated, however, there are just grounds, for reconsidering the accounts of more ancient writers, in reference to that series of transactions, ascribed to our saint, and then endeavouring to ascertain, if some recorded incidents be attributable to him, or to another distinguished and holy man, bearing the same appellation. There is reason to suspect a ready credence given to many popular and unauthenticated traditions, in the course of nar- rative, and the less reliable, as these approach nearer to our own times; while suspicions become more naturally confirmed, if we find local and his- torical unities apparently severed in various particulars. The more this tan- gled web of mistakes or congruities is examined, the more shall light and truth be evolved by St. Mogue's future biographers : if with the happiest is- sues, to the present writer is altogether unknown.
While describing the acts of St. Moedoc, Bishop of (Ferns, care must be taken not to confound them with the acts of St. Maidoc,3^ Abbot of Cluain- mor-Maedhoc,nowClonmoreparishinthecountyofCarlow. 3^ Thelatter
Maedhog, containing prophecies
^ This MS. is classed H. 2, 16. It is
noted 652, and No. 792, in the Catalogue
of English and Irish Manuscripts.
'^ In the Manuscript called "Codex Kil-
West in the same county, shown on Sheet
15. No objects of antiquarian interest is observable. There is a parish of Clonmore
in the barony of Iverk, marked on the
kenniensis. " Seefol. 52to57.
^'^ Their classification, date and
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
descrip- tion are thus given by Sir Thomas Duffus
County
Hardy : Vita Sancti Aidni, qui et Maidoic, MS. Cott. Vespas. A. xiv. , f. 94, loi, b. veil. 8vo, xii. cent De Sancto Aido, sive Aidano,Abbate. MS. Cott. Tiber,e. i. f. 44. MS. Bodl. Tanner, 15, veil, folio, XV. cent.
^ written ''On See a paper by him,
some Ecclesiastical Bells in the Collection of the Lord Primate. " In this allusion oc- curs to the Clog Mogue, or "Bell of St. Mogue. " This paper was read before the Royal Irish Academy, on Monday, Decem- ber 14th, 1863.
3° The initials of his name, appended to this communication are P. F. M. See vol. vii. , April, May and June, pp. 312 to 325,
and 361 to 369, also 393 to 407.
3' His feast occurs at the i ith of April.
3^ There are four parishes called Clon-
more, in Ireland : one of these is Clonmore in the barony of Rathvilly, marked on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Carlow," Sheets 4, 5, 9, 10. The townland bearing this name and its an- tiquities are noticed on Sheet 9. Again there is a townland of the same name in the parish of Old Leighlin, and barony of Idrone
Shelmalire West is noticed on the
nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Wexford," Sheets 25, 26, 31, 32. The townland and graveyard here without a ruin and so called are noted on Sheet 31, barony of Bantry. In this county, there is a town- land of Clonmore in Liskinfere parish, barony of Gorey, another in Toome parish, barony of Gorey, and another in Bally-
huskard parish, barony of Ballaghkeen. On these no old church or cemetery can be traced. See Sheets 1 1, 16, 26. Altogether there are no less than 35 tovmlands so called, simply or in combination, in various coun- ties of Ireland. See " General Alphabe- tical Index to the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Baronies of Ireland," pp. 256, 257.
"
of Kilkenny," Sheets 39, 42. The townland is on Sheet 42. Here on the east bank of the River Suir is the graveyard and an old ruined church occupying a very pic- turesque site. The parish and townland of Clonmore, in the barony of Ferrard, are noticed on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Louth," Sheets
See a notice of it at St.
18, 19. Ossene's
feast, on the ist of January. The parish of Clonmore in the baronies of Bantry and
''
Ord-
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 525
has been altogether ignored by some of our Irish ecclesiastical historians,33 Archdall is said to be in error regarding both saints, and even Colgan has fallen into various mistakes-^*
Some confusion exists in the accounts transmitted to us regarding this present saint's pedigree. 35 In a genealogy, attributed to St. CormacMac Cuillinan, we are told, that Maidoc was the son of Sedna,36 or Setna,37 son to Ere, son to Feredac, son to Amalgad, son to Muredach, son to Carthinn, son to Colla Huasius. 3S This latter prince was king of Ireland, and the reputed progenitor of the MacDonnells, MacAlisters, and MacDugalds in Scotland. 39 He was regarded as ancestor of several Airghialla clans, and among them of the Fer Luirg,'^° to which tribe St. Maedoc is said to have more immediately belonged. *^ In his Martyrology, at the 31st of January, Maguire traces our sainfs pedigree in a similar manner. 4» But while it agrees
with the account of St. Cormac, in drawing this saint's line direct from '* "
Carthenn, the Menologium Genealogicum makes Carthenn the son of Ere, son to Ethac, or Eochaidh,43 son of Colla Huasius. 44 This latter authority is thought to be most reliable for these following reasons. In a. c. 326, Colla Huasius, King of Ireland, was obliged to abdicate the sovereignty, and to become an exile in Scotland. +s It is argued as most probable, that St. Maidoc was not born until a. d. 550, or perhaps after it; and as a period of 224 years at least intervened, we may allow over thirty-two years for each generation, and not forty, as Colgan calculates. However, this statement is only based on a supposition, that Carthenn should have been bom, in the year of Colla Huasius's expulsion. By adding the name of those two inter- vening between Carthenn and Colla Huasius, we have nine generations, linking this latter king in ancestry to our saint. This should leave an interval of twenty-five years between each generation according to a previous compu- tation. However, such an interval must be . more or less extended, if we suppose the son of Colla Huasius and the ancestor of Maidoc, to have been bom previous to that king's departure from Ireland, and that our saint's birth had taken place after 550. What renders a statement of the " Meno- logic Genealogy," highly probable is, that pedigrees of eighteen saints are traced to Colla Huasius,*^ besides all of these saints are ancestrally referred
33 As by Dr. I/onigan, Brennan, Kelly.
3* The writer's attention has been first
called to this matter by Mr. John M'Call,
in a communication dated, Dublin, 25 dix BB, p. 293. Patrick-street, September i6th, 1873.
Antiquities
35 The 4to paper M. S. , No. 11, 4, in the
3* In the Irish language. Sedneus and Si-
donius are the Latin forms. Capgrave in-
correctly names the fatherjof our saint. See
Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibemite," in Eugene O'Curry's copy of Dudley Mac-
R. I. A. , contains a
hog of Dromleathan and of Ferns, carried up to Conn of the Hundred Battles.
pedigree
Ogygia," pars, iii. ,
xxxi. Januarii, n. 2, pp. 215, 216.
37 His pedigree was derived from the pro- vince of Connaught, as ,St Maidoc's Life
states.
3^ His reign is placed from A. D. 315 to
A. D. 3i9. SeeO'Mahony'sKeating's" History of Ireland," book i. , part ii. , chap, vii. , pp. 364, 365. This is too early.
39 See the author's "Catechism of Irish
History. " Lessonv. ,p. 33.
° Their district is now represented by the
Firbis' Genealogies, now in the Royal Irish Academy's Library, we find a family tree
for ITlAO'ooS ^re^pnA (Jan. 31st). See pp. 361 c, and 747 a. " Book of Lecan," fol. 39 ac.
s See O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 122, 123, and n. (m), where we learn, that Dr. O'Conor shows his expulsion to have taken place in the year329.
** So Colgan tells us. However, he only
of St. Maeod-
'See " O'Flaherty's
barony of Lurg, in the county of Fermanagh.
See Dr. Reeve's " Ecclesiastical
of Down, Connor, and Dromore. " Appen-
«'St. ^ngus states, "Aedh of Ferns, ». <». , Moedoc, of the men of Lurg, on Lock Erne. "
cap. Ixxvi. , p. 362.
"t^ gee the Genealogical descent, as given
with some variations of spelling names, by Rev. William Reeves,
'WFj-om the " Naomshanchus," as found
526 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
to this monarch's three sons, named Echac or Eochod, Fiach and Feradach. In no instance do we read of an immediate son, named Carthenn, although such a name occurs several times, in the third generation, from CoUa Huasius. Thus, we may suspect, and with just reason, that by some erroneous tran- scription, two names, which occur in our saint's direct line from the exiled king, had been omitted. Hence, in following an imperfect original, St. Cormac Mac Cullenan, and after him Maguire, must have copied such a mistake. His mother Ethnea or Eithne,*? derived her descent from Amalgad, son to Fiach. He was king over Connaught, in St. Patrick's time. ''^ The life of our saint*? states, that Ethne sprung from the posterity of Aulai ; and this latter appears coincident with the name of Amalgad. s° Our saint's parents were childless for some time ; but they prayed Almighty God to bestowanheiruponthem. Toobtainthisobjectoftheirhopes,theydis- tributed considerable alms. They also frequented a monastery then at Druim
Drumlane Round Tower and Church.
Lethan, and now known as Drumlahan or Drumlane, in the present barony of Lower Loughtee, Cavan County. ^' It lies about three miles from Beturbet village,anditisaparishinKilmorediocese. Itborderedontheconfinesofboth
"
gives the names of sixteen, although, incom- prehensibly enough, telling us, that he had enumerated saints in his
<7 She is so called in the
Martyrology of
eighteen genealogi- cal list, one of whom was descended from Feredach, three from Fiach, and thirteen fromEthacorEochod. Thislatterenume-
*^ See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nise," xxxi. Januarii, n. 3, p. |^2l6, and Appendix, cap. iii. , p. 222.
''s As published by Colgan.
ration, our readers will
seventeen saints, belonging to Colla Hua- from that prince, Tir-amalgaid, has for a
sius's family. This instance, and a few other passages, show, that Colgan himself made
some mistakes, even excluding many typo- graphical ones, which disfigure his works. See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xxxi. Januarii. Appendix ad Acta S. Maidoci, cap. iv. , pp. 323, 333.
long time back been called Tir-awly. "—Dr.
"
Lanigan's Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. ii. , chap, xiv. , sec. ix. , n. 121,
P- 335-
5' The parish of Dnmilane contams over
" 20,cxx) acres, and is marked on the Ord-
nance Survey Townland Maps for the
perceive,
gives us
Donegal. "
5° "Thus the territory anciently called
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 527
Breffneys ; and heretofore, it was a place of sepulture for the chiefs of both
principalities. From a very early period,^^ as would seem from this account, a religious establishment had been there founded, and at present some in- teresting antiquarian and ecclesiastical remains are to be seen. 53 The round tower and an ancient church, within the old cemetery, are objects of great curiosity. More immediately near the Lough is the ruined abbey. 54 These objects have been frequently delineated and described. 55 The place, too, has been always under the patronage of our St. Mogue, as he is usually called in Ulster. 56 The O'Farrellys were hereditary coarbs of St. Mogue, or Ere- nachs of Dromlane, in Cavan County, until the suppression of this monastery. 57 At the period before St. Maidoc's birth, his parents wished to obtain the intercession of holy monks, who dwelt there ; and prayers were offered up, that a son might be bom to them, in accordance with their most anxious desires.
One night, while his parents were sleeping, the vision of a star descending from the heavens and falling on each betokened the future greatness and sanctityoftheiryetunbornMaidoc. s^ Owingtothiscircumstance,hewas afterwards called " Son of the Star," by many persons. The day following, a report of this miraculous vision spread abroad, and many wise persons predicted, that as a star led the Magi to adore Christ,59 so in like manner did this same sign portend, that a son should be born to his parents, full of the Holy Spirit. And shortly afterwards, while travelling in a chariot, Ethnea was met by a Magus, on the way. Having heard the sound of the
"
king. " On meeting the chariot, and finding it occupied by Setna's wife and
"
vehicle, this magician said to his companions :
This chariot runs under a
her companion, he said to the former :
wonderful son, and he shall be full of God's grace. ^J
After such events, the infant Maidoc or ^Edan was born, in a small island,^* called jBrackley or Inis Breag-muigh. ^^ It lies within a lake,^3 now known as Brackly Lough, in the north-western part of Cavan County. ^^ Some very curious local legends relating to his infancy are there related. ^s The spot is situated in a certain part of East Breffney,^^ commonly called Tellagh Ethach,
County of Cavan," Sheets lo, ii, 14, 15, 19, 20. Drumlane proper is shown on 14,
15.
5=* Its first annalistic records appear to be
lost.
53 A little to the north of Drumlane Lough. 5< See "Ordnance Survey Townland
MapsfortheCountyofCavan," Sheet14.
55 The accompanying original sketch of the Round Tower and Church was drawn
on the spot by William F. Wakeman, and
engraved by George A. Hanlon.
5* A monastery remained in this parish,
niae,"xxxi. Januarii. VitaS. Maidoci,cap. i. , p. 208.
to the year 1025, at which period, Duibhinsi
Ua Faircheallaigh, or O'Farrelly, Abbot of nance Survey Townland Maps for the
Druimleathan, died, according to Dr. County Cavan," Sheet 9. On its northern O' Donovan's "Annals of the Four Mas- margin is the well called Toberpatrick.
ters," vol. ii. , pp. 808, 8og. *5 See W. F. Wakeman's "Lough Erne, 57 At present their descendants are very Enniskillen, Belleek, Ballyshannon, and
numerous throughout the country. See
Record," vol.
Bundoran," etc. , concluding chapter, p. 160.
ibid. ,
5^ See "
the and is now com- O'Reillys' territory,
prised in the county of Cavan. The race
derived its name from son of Eoch- Brian,
aidh Muighmedhoin, through Duach Galach.
n. 809. (c), p.
'*
This division of Hy Briuin Breiffne was
Irish_Ecclesiastical
vii. , p. 313. — 59SeeMatt,ii. , i
*• Sec
Colgan's
12.
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
*'
See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of
Woman, thou hast conceived a
the Saints," vol. i. , p 467.
*" It is said to mean " Wolf-field Island. "
Although 'a historic spot, it is not named on the Ordnance Survey Maps, but it seems
likeaspeckonthelake,withoutantiquarian remains marked. Lying east and south of Brackley Lough are the beautiful demesnes of Brackley and Bawnboy.
*3 See Bishop Challoner's "Britannia
Sancta," part i. , p. 85.
**See its position depicted on the
"
Ord-
528 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
and now known'as the barony of Tullahan or TuUaghagh, in Kilmore diocese. ^7 It bordered on West Breffney,^^ which is now represented by the county of Leitrim. This district formerly belonged to Connaught,^9 although the Cavan
portion has long been joined to the Ulster province.
The year of St. Maidoc's birth has not been ascertained with accuracy.
Various reasons have been adduced7° to show that he must have seen the
light after 550. The year 555, or thereabouts, is a conjecture of the Rev. William Reeves. 7' Again, the Rev John Lanigan refers his birth to about A. D. 560. 7' These are inferences mainly drawn from the period of King Ainmire's reign, and this has been variously calculated by different annalists and historians. Now, according to the Annals of the Four Masters, Ainmire commenced reigning over Ireland in a,d. 564; and after a rule of three years, he was slain by Fearghus, son of Nellin, a. d. 566. 73 The Annals of Ulster state that he died a. d. 568. 74 This is considered by Dr. O'Donovan to have been the true date for his death. The Annals of Clonmacnoise assert that this monarch was slain a. d. 569. We are told, likewise, that Ainmireus began his reign over Ireland, a. c. 566 ; and that he was killed in the year 569. 7s Another usually exact Chronographer,76 ^sid Dr. Reeves,77 informs us, that onlyjpn 568, Ainmire succeeded to the sovereignty. 7^ This monarch ruled over Ireland for a period of nine years, according to Dr. Keating. 79 Now should we refer the time of our saint's boyhood to one of those years when Ainmire reigned, it will be a difficult matter to determine accurately the date for his birth, especially when we must bear in mind that he was a disciple of St. David,^° Bishop of Menevia, in Wales. In like man- ner his Chronology has been so confused by various writers, that it ought to be extremely uncertain when he was born and died,^' or how long he lived. ^'
There seem to be reasonable grounds for supposing, that the birth of our Maidoc must be referred to the earlier period of the sixth century. A learned and critical investigator, in a peculiar hypothesis,^3 admits, he could not have
*^See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niae," xxxi. Januarii, n. 6, p. 216.
°^The O'Roorkes' country.
''See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical His-
lory of Ireland," vol ii. , chap, xiv. , sec. ix. , n. 123, p. 336.
7" By Father John Colgan.
7»In the paper "On some Ecclesiastical
Bells. "
'" See " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland,"
vol. i. , chap, ix. , sec. ix. , p. 470.
"See O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four
Masters," vol. i. , n. (b), p. 205.
7* The Annals of Ulster, through an evi-
dent oversight, refer his death a second time
land," vol. ii. , cap. xiL, sec. v. , and n. 58, pp. 198, 199. Also, chap, xiv. , sec. ix. , and n. 125, pp. 334, 336.
79 Such is the statement of Colgan, and
perhaps he had a copy of Keating's work, which had such an account. Yet in O'Ma-
hony's Keating's "History of Ireland," bookii. , part i. ,chap.
'* Different portions of this work are au-
thenticated from poems composed by St. Ultan of Ardbrackan. "
'7 It is described in the catalogue very
circumstantially, by Mr. Owen Connellan. '* The author of this gives a description ofSt. David and his monastery in Wales, as also an account of a battle fought between the Saxons and Britons, during St. Maod- hog's visit to that country. This work is interspersed with accurate sketches of family
history, and of Irish antiquities, such as bells, croziers, &c. , Irish weights and mea-
='° " Acta Sanctorum Hibemise. " To this life, at 31st January, he has affixed valu- able notes and an appendix in five chapters.
"See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xxxi. Januarii. Vita S. Aidani, pp. 1 1 1 1 to 1120.
"See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs,
and other Principal Saints," vol. i. , xxxi.
January.
^3 See appendix to " Lives of the Cambro-
British Saints. " There is to be found a
Vita Sancti Aidui, ii. Kal. Martii. , pp.
232 to 250.
'* See "Lives of the Saints," vol. i. , p.
467. "
'5 See Kalendars of Scottish Saints, "p.
403.
''Published at Louvain. St. Aydanus,
524 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
manuscripts, and in our Dublin libraries. Thus in Trinity College there is Life of St. various —some of them in
aMS. —
verse saidtohavebeendeliveredbySt. Maedhoghimself*^ InMarsh's Library, we also find a life of St. Edanus. '^ In the city of Oxford, certain copies, relating to the life of St. Aidnus, or Maidoic, as also to the life of St. Aidus or Aidan, abbot, are preserved. '^ In addition to the various inci- dental notices of Maidoc, already printed in general Ecclesiastical Histories, the Rev. William Reeves,^9 and a very competent writer, in " The Irish Ec- clesiastical Record,"3° have treated specially regarding this holy man ; and from their researches much has been gleaned to elucidate the present bio- graphy. It must be stated, however, there are just grounds, for reconsidering the accounts of more ancient writers, in reference to that series of transactions, ascribed to our saint, and then endeavouring to ascertain, if some recorded incidents be attributable to him, or to another distinguished and holy man, bearing the same appellation. There is reason to suspect a ready credence given to many popular and unauthenticated traditions, in the course of nar- rative, and the less reliable, as these approach nearer to our own times; while suspicions become more naturally confirmed, if we find local and his- torical unities apparently severed in various particulars. The more this tan- gled web of mistakes or congruities is examined, the more shall light and truth be evolved by St. Mogue's future biographers : if with the happiest is- sues, to the present writer is altogether unknown.
While describing the acts of St. Moedoc, Bishop of (Ferns, care must be taken not to confound them with the acts of St. Maidoc,3^ Abbot of Cluain- mor-Maedhoc,nowClonmoreparishinthecountyofCarlow. 3^ Thelatter
Maedhog, containing prophecies
^ This MS. is classed H. 2, 16. It is
noted 652, and No. 792, in the Catalogue
of English and Irish Manuscripts.
'^ In the Manuscript called "Codex Kil-
West in the same county, shown on Sheet
15. No objects of antiquarian interest is observable. There is a parish of Clonmore
in the barony of Iverk, marked on the
kenniensis. " Seefol. 52to57.
^'^ Their classification, date and
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
descrip- tion are thus given by Sir Thomas Duffus
County
Hardy : Vita Sancti Aidni, qui et Maidoic, MS. Cott. Vespas. A. xiv. , f. 94, loi, b. veil. 8vo, xii. cent De Sancto Aido, sive Aidano,Abbate. MS. Cott. Tiber,e. i. f. 44. MS. Bodl. Tanner, 15, veil, folio, XV. cent.
^ written ''On See a paper by him,
some Ecclesiastical Bells in the Collection of the Lord Primate. " In this allusion oc- curs to the Clog Mogue, or "Bell of St. Mogue. " This paper was read before the Royal Irish Academy, on Monday, Decem- ber 14th, 1863.
3° The initials of his name, appended to this communication are P. F. M. See vol. vii. , April, May and June, pp. 312 to 325,
and 361 to 369, also 393 to 407.
3' His feast occurs at the i ith of April.
3^ There are four parishes called Clon-
more, in Ireland : one of these is Clonmore in the barony of Rathvilly, marked on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Carlow," Sheets 4, 5, 9, 10. The townland bearing this name and its an- tiquities are noticed on Sheet 9. Again there is a townland of the same name in the parish of Old Leighlin, and barony of Idrone
Shelmalire West is noticed on the
nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Wexford," Sheets 25, 26, 31, 32. The townland and graveyard here without a ruin and so called are noted on Sheet 31, barony of Bantry. In this county, there is a town- land of Clonmore in Liskinfere parish, barony of Gorey, another in Toome parish, barony of Gorey, and another in Bally-
huskard parish, barony of Ballaghkeen. On these no old church or cemetery can be traced. See Sheets 1 1, 16, 26. Altogether there are no less than 35 tovmlands so called, simply or in combination, in various coun- ties of Ireland. See " General Alphabe- tical Index to the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Baronies of Ireland," pp. 256, 257.
"
of Kilkenny," Sheets 39, 42. The townland is on Sheet 42. Here on the east bank of the River Suir is the graveyard and an old ruined church occupying a very pic- turesque site. The parish and townland of Clonmore, in the barony of Ferrard, are noticed on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Louth," Sheets
See a notice of it at St.
18, 19. Ossene's
feast, on the ist of January. The parish of Clonmore in the baronies of Bantry and
''
Ord-
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 525
has been altogether ignored by some of our Irish ecclesiastical historians,33 Archdall is said to be in error regarding both saints, and even Colgan has fallen into various mistakes-^*
Some confusion exists in the accounts transmitted to us regarding this present saint's pedigree. 35 In a genealogy, attributed to St. CormacMac Cuillinan, we are told, that Maidoc was the son of Sedna,36 or Setna,37 son to Ere, son to Feredac, son to Amalgad, son to Muredach, son to Carthinn, son to Colla Huasius. 3S This latter prince was king of Ireland, and the reputed progenitor of the MacDonnells, MacAlisters, and MacDugalds in Scotland. 39 He was regarded as ancestor of several Airghialla clans, and among them of the Fer Luirg,'^° to which tribe St. Maedoc is said to have more immediately belonged. *^ In his Martyrology, at the 31st of January, Maguire traces our sainfs pedigree in a similar manner. 4» But while it agrees
with the account of St. Cormac, in drawing this saint's line direct from '* "
Carthenn, the Menologium Genealogicum makes Carthenn the son of Ere, son to Ethac, or Eochaidh,43 son of Colla Huasius. 44 This latter authority is thought to be most reliable for these following reasons. In a. c. 326, Colla Huasius, King of Ireland, was obliged to abdicate the sovereignty, and to become an exile in Scotland. +s It is argued as most probable, that St. Maidoc was not born until a. d. 550, or perhaps after it; and as a period of 224 years at least intervened, we may allow over thirty-two years for each generation, and not forty, as Colgan calculates. However, this statement is only based on a supposition, that Carthenn should have been bom, in the year of Colla Huasius's expulsion. By adding the name of those two inter- vening between Carthenn and Colla Huasius, we have nine generations, linking this latter king in ancestry to our saint. This should leave an interval of twenty-five years between each generation according to a previous compu- tation. However, such an interval must be . more or less extended, if we suppose the son of Colla Huasius and the ancestor of Maidoc, to have been bom previous to that king's departure from Ireland, and that our saint's birth had taken place after 550. What renders a statement of the " Meno- logic Genealogy," highly probable is, that pedigrees of eighteen saints are traced to Colla Huasius,*^ besides all of these saints are ancestrally referred
33 As by Dr. I/onigan, Brennan, Kelly.
3* The writer's attention has been first
called to this matter by Mr. John M'Call,
in a communication dated, Dublin, 25 dix BB, p. 293. Patrick-street, September i6th, 1873.
Antiquities
35 The 4to paper M. S. , No. 11, 4, in the
3* In the Irish language. Sedneus and Si-
donius are the Latin forms. Capgrave in-
correctly names the fatherjof our saint. See
Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibemite," in Eugene O'Curry's copy of Dudley Mac-
R. I. A. , contains a
hog of Dromleathan and of Ferns, carried up to Conn of the Hundred Battles.
pedigree
Ogygia," pars, iii. ,
xxxi. Januarii, n. 2, pp. 215, 216.
37 His pedigree was derived from the pro- vince of Connaught, as ,St Maidoc's Life
states.
3^ His reign is placed from A. D. 315 to
A. D. 3i9. SeeO'Mahony'sKeating's" History of Ireland," book i. , part ii. , chap, vii. , pp. 364, 365. This is too early.
39 See the author's "Catechism of Irish
History. " Lessonv. ,p. 33.
° Their district is now represented by the
Firbis' Genealogies, now in the Royal Irish Academy's Library, we find a family tree
for ITlAO'ooS ^re^pnA (Jan. 31st). See pp. 361 c, and 747 a. " Book of Lecan," fol. 39 ac.
s See O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 122, 123, and n. (m), where we learn, that Dr. O'Conor shows his expulsion to have taken place in the year329.
** So Colgan tells us. However, he only
of St. Maeod-
'See " O'Flaherty's
barony of Lurg, in the county of Fermanagh.
See Dr. Reeve's " Ecclesiastical
of Down, Connor, and Dromore. " Appen-
«'St. ^ngus states, "Aedh of Ferns, ». <». , Moedoc, of the men of Lurg, on Lock Erne. "
cap. Ixxvi. , p. 362.
"t^ gee the Genealogical descent, as given
with some variations of spelling names, by Rev. William Reeves,
'WFj-om the " Naomshanchus," as found
526 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
to this monarch's three sons, named Echac or Eochod, Fiach and Feradach. In no instance do we read of an immediate son, named Carthenn, although such a name occurs several times, in the third generation, from CoUa Huasius. Thus, we may suspect, and with just reason, that by some erroneous tran- scription, two names, which occur in our saint's direct line from the exiled king, had been omitted. Hence, in following an imperfect original, St. Cormac Mac Cullenan, and after him Maguire, must have copied such a mistake. His mother Ethnea or Eithne,*? derived her descent from Amalgad, son to Fiach. He was king over Connaught, in St. Patrick's time. ''^ The life of our saint*? states, that Ethne sprung from the posterity of Aulai ; and this latter appears coincident with the name of Amalgad. s° Our saint's parents were childless for some time ; but they prayed Almighty God to bestowanheiruponthem. Toobtainthisobjectoftheirhopes,theydis- tributed considerable alms. They also frequented a monastery then at Druim
Drumlane Round Tower and Church.
Lethan, and now known as Drumlahan or Drumlane, in the present barony of Lower Loughtee, Cavan County. ^' It lies about three miles from Beturbet village,anditisaparishinKilmorediocese. Itborderedontheconfinesofboth
"
gives the names of sixteen, although, incom- prehensibly enough, telling us, that he had enumerated saints in his
<7 She is so called in the
Martyrology of
eighteen genealogi- cal list, one of whom was descended from Feredach, three from Fiach, and thirteen fromEthacorEochod. Thislatterenume-
*^ See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nise," xxxi. Januarii, n. 3, p. |^2l6, and Appendix, cap. iii. , p. 222.
''s As published by Colgan.
ration, our readers will
seventeen saints, belonging to Colla Hua- from that prince, Tir-amalgaid, has for a
sius's family. This instance, and a few other passages, show, that Colgan himself made
some mistakes, even excluding many typo- graphical ones, which disfigure his works. See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xxxi. Januarii. Appendix ad Acta S. Maidoci, cap. iv. , pp. 323, 333.
long time back been called Tir-awly. "—Dr.
"
Lanigan's Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. ii. , chap, xiv. , sec. ix. , n. 121,
P- 335-
5' The parish of Dnmilane contams over
" 20,cxx) acres, and is marked on the Ord-
nance Survey Townland Maps for the
perceive,
gives us
Donegal. "
5° "Thus the territory anciently called
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 527
Breffneys ; and heretofore, it was a place of sepulture for the chiefs of both
principalities. From a very early period,^^ as would seem from this account, a religious establishment had been there founded, and at present some in- teresting antiquarian and ecclesiastical remains are to be seen. 53 The round tower and an ancient church, within the old cemetery, are objects of great curiosity. More immediately near the Lough is the ruined abbey. 54 These objects have been frequently delineated and described. 55 The place, too, has been always under the patronage of our St. Mogue, as he is usually called in Ulster. 56 The O'Farrellys were hereditary coarbs of St. Mogue, or Ere- nachs of Dromlane, in Cavan County, until the suppression of this monastery. 57 At the period before St. Maidoc's birth, his parents wished to obtain the intercession of holy monks, who dwelt there ; and prayers were offered up, that a son might be bom to them, in accordance with their most anxious desires.
One night, while his parents were sleeping, the vision of a star descending from the heavens and falling on each betokened the future greatness and sanctityoftheiryetunbornMaidoc. s^ Owingtothiscircumstance,hewas afterwards called " Son of the Star," by many persons. The day following, a report of this miraculous vision spread abroad, and many wise persons predicted, that as a star led the Magi to adore Christ,59 so in like manner did this same sign portend, that a son should be born to his parents, full of the Holy Spirit. And shortly afterwards, while travelling in a chariot, Ethnea was met by a Magus, on the way. Having heard the sound of the
"
king. " On meeting the chariot, and finding it occupied by Setna's wife and
"
vehicle, this magician said to his companions :
This chariot runs under a
her companion, he said to the former :
wonderful son, and he shall be full of God's grace. ^J
After such events, the infant Maidoc or ^Edan was born, in a small island,^* called jBrackley or Inis Breag-muigh. ^^ It lies within a lake,^3 now known as Brackly Lough, in the north-western part of Cavan County. ^^ Some very curious local legends relating to his infancy are there related. ^s The spot is situated in a certain part of East Breffney,^^ commonly called Tellagh Ethach,
County of Cavan," Sheets lo, ii, 14, 15, 19, 20. Drumlane proper is shown on 14,
15.
5=* Its first annalistic records appear to be
lost.
53 A little to the north of Drumlane Lough. 5< See "Ordnance Survey Townland
MapsfortheCountyofCavan," Sheet14.
55 The accompanying original sketch of the Round Tower and Church was drawn
on the spot by William F. Wakeman, and
engraved by George A. Hanlon.
5* A monastery remained in this parish,
niae,"xxxi. Januarii. VitaS. Maidoci,cap. i. , p. 208.
to the year 1025, at which period, Duibhinsi
Ua Faircheallaigh, or O'Farrelly, Abbot of nance Survey Townland Maps for the
Druimleathan, died, according to Dr. County Cavan," Sheet 9. On its northern O' Donovan's "Annals of the Four Mas- margin is the well called Toberpatrick.
ters," vol. ii. , pp. 808, 8og. *5 See W. F. Wakeman's "Lough Erne, 57 At present their descendants are very Enniskillen, Belleek, Ballyshannon, and
numerous throughout the country. See
Record," vol.
Bundoran," etc. , concluding chapter, p. 160.
ibid. ,
5^ See "
the and is now com- O'Reillys' territory,
prised in the county of Cavan. The race
derived its name from son of Eoch- Brian,
aidh Muighmedhoin, through Duach Galach.
n. 809. (c), p.
'*
This division of Hy Briuin Breiffne was
Irish_Ecclesiastical
vii. , p. 313. — 59SeeMatt,ii. , i
*• Sec
Colgan's
12.
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
*'
See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of
Woman, thou hast conceived a
the Saints," vol. i. , p 467.
*" It is said to mean " Wolf-field Island. "
Although 'a historic spot, it is not named on the Ordnance Survey Maps, but it seems
likeaspeckonthelake,withoutantiquarian remains marked. Lying east and south of Brackley Lough are the beautiful demesnes of Brackley and Bawnboy.
*3 See Bishop Challoner's "Britannia
Sancta," part i. , p. 85.
**See its position depicted on the
"
Ord-
528 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
and now known'as the barony of Tullahan or TuUaghagh, in Kilmore diocese. ^7 It bordered on West Breffney,^^ which is now represented by the county of Leitrim. This district formerly belonged to Connaught,^9 although the Cavan
portion has long been joined to the Ulster province.
The year of St. Maidoc's birth has not been ascertained with accuracy.
Various reasons have been adduced7° to show that he must have seen the
light after 550. The year 555, or thereabouts, is a conjecture of the Rev. William Reeves. 7' Again, the Rev John Lanigan refers his birth to about A. D. 560. 7' These are inferences mainly drawn from the period of King Ainmire's reign, and this has been variously calculated by different annalists and historians. Now, according to the Annals of the Four Masters, Ainmire commenced reigning over Ireland in a,d. 564; and after a rule of three years, he was slain by Fearghus, son of Nellin, a. d. 566. 73 The Annals of Ulster state that he died a. d. 568. 74 This is considered by Dr. O'Donovan to have been the true date for his death. The Annals of Clonmacnoise assert that this monarch was slain a. d. 569. We are told, likewise, that Ainmireus began his reign over Ireland, a. c. 566 ; and that he was killed in the year 569. 7s Another usually exact Chronographer,76 ^sid Dr. Reeves,77 informs us, that onlyjpn 568, Ainmire succeeded to the sovereignty. 7^ This monarch ruled over Ireland for a period of nine years, according to Dr. Keating. 79 Now should we refer the time of our saint's boyhood to one of those years when Ainmire reigned, it will be a difficult matter to determine accurately the date for his birth, especially when we must bear in mind that he was a disciple of St. David,^° Bishop of Menevia, in Wales. In like man- ner his Chronology has been so confused by various writers, that it ought to be extremely uncertain when he was born and died,^' or how long he lived. ^'
There seem to be reasonable grounds for supposing, that the birth of our Maidoc must be referred to the earlier period of the sixth century. A learned and critical investigator, in a peculiar hypothesis,^3 admits, he could not have
*^See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niae," xxxi. Januarii, n. 6, p. 216.
°^The O'Roorkes' country.
''See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical His-
lory of Ireland," vol ii. , chap, xiv. , sec. ix. , n. 123, p. 336.
7" By Father John Colgan.
7»In the paper "On some Ecclesiastical
Bells. "
'" See " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland,"
vol. i. , chap, ix. , sec. ix. , p. 470.
"See O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four
Masters," vol. i. , n. (b), p. 205.
7* The Annals of Ulster, through an evi-
dent oversight, refer his death a second time
land," vol. ii. , cap. xiL, sec. v. , and n. 58, pp. 198, 199. Also, chap, xiv. , sec. ix. , and n. 125, pp. 334, 336.
79 Such is the statement of Colgan, and
perhaps he had a copy of Keating's work, which had such an account. Yet in O'Ma-
hony's Keating's "History of Ireland," bookii. , part i. ,chap.
