The parents of Bracan^ were his father Bracha/° or Bracmeoc, an Irish-bom prince, and Marcella, a noble British lady, the
daughter
of Theodoric, son to Tetphalt, the ruler of a district called Gartmathrin.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
D.
500.
Itmightbeurged, however, that a more modem Benedictine monastery had been built on the ruins or site of that erected by Endeus.
^ As Endeus was ordained at Rome, and had collected some disciples, who were Italians, or from Latium, the ancient name for Italy, his establishment might have been afterwards called the Monastery of the La-
^ The Life of St. Endeus adds, that it
was appositely called " Latinum Monaste- tins, or people of Latium. No doubt, it
rium," as there the mandate of love towards God and towards our neighbour was exactly observed. Yet it is difficult to discover an affinity between such a monastic name and the precept of charity. Colgan conjectures that Laetinum would have been a better reading, as spiritual joy is the companion of exalted love.
had some other local name which it is diffi-
cult, if not impossible, now to discover, as we are unacquainted with any document that could throw further light on this ques- tion. Itisnotprobablethatthosedisciples, collected in a foreign country, could have been natives of Ireland, especially in that early age. It is also quite probable that
5 Colgan says he did not think that any most of them, if not all, were Latins, monastery called Latinmn existed in his They might have settled in Rome, in Italy, time. It was not likely that Latiniacum, in France, or in some place outside their which was built by St. Fursey in Gaul, own country. As their Irish superior and about the year 640, could have been the
same as Latinum. There is a place called Lsetitia, on the river Helpra, in Hannonia. There was a house of Benedictine Fathers,
his community spoke the Latin language and observed the Latin customs, hence their house was probably called "the Latin Mo- nastery"bypeople of the surrounding country.
January i. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
CHAPTER V.
ST. ENDEUS HAS A PRETERNATURAL KNOWLEDGE OF ST. FANCHEA's APPROACH—THEIR INTERVIEW—RECEIVING HER BROTHER'S BENEDICTION, THE HOLY VIRGIN RETURNS TO IRELAND—HER DEATH—CONTENTION AMONG THE PEOPLE OF MEATH AND LEINSTER FOR THE POSSESSION OF HER REMAINS—SUPPOSED BURIAL AT KILL-AINE —CONCLUSION.
The Almighty, who reveals wonderful secrets to his friends, was
pleased to enlighten Endeus regarding the approaching visit of those religious females from Ireland. His brethren were directed to prepare all things necessary for their expected arrival. While the monks were thus
engaged, the holy virgins appeared at their monastery gate. St. Fanchea preferredarequesttosee—herbrother; butshewastoldshemighthaveher choice of two alternatives either to receive his greetings without seeing him, ortoseehimwithoutreceivinghissalutations. Thevirginsaidshepreferred the choice of conversation without the permission of seeing him, thus con- ceiving she should derive more advantage from her visit. Endeus then had a tent erected in the grounds of his monastery. Being veiled from her sight, the abbot entered into conversation with his sister. Fanchea advised that as God had gifted him with talents, he ought to exercise these among the people of his native land, and thus enhance doubly their value.
" When a
hope the Almighty may permit me to follow you. "
the entrance to Galway Bay,3 and out in the Atlantic Ocean. *
Having thus advised her brother, she received his benediction, and after-
wards she appears to have passed over into Ireland with her virgins. Under
the guidance of angels, they escaped all sea dangers, and landed safely in
their native country. It would appear, however, St. Fanchea did not long
survive her arrival in Ireland. As a further favour, she obtained from heaven
that her soul might be permitted to escape from the prison of the body.
She wished it to ascend with the celestial attendants of her voyage to that
replied,
year
your
Fanchea then said to her
brother,
you
your nativity
" When
shall have after elapsed
return to I Ireland,
come to Ireland do not enter the land of
at first, but rather seek out a certain island called Aran,'' which is situated off the Irish western coast. =^ The interesting group of Aran islands lies at
where " follow the lamb whithersoever he From
kingdom,
Chap. v. —' This island is more properly
designated ^ra, /. ^. , ren ; for, in the nomi- native case it is called Ara, in the genitive
mars, the proper name -A]aa, Aran, in the » nominative makes A-^&xk in the genitive, and ^]\<xin in the dative. According to the
forms of the fifth declension of Irish nouns, A\^ is classed among nouns of this latter declension by the Very Rev. Canon Ulick
goeth. "s
virgins
and in the dative Arann. This
the extremities,
3 in "Transactions of the Royal Irish
Academy," vol. xv. , pp. 19 to 140, there is
a most valuable " A Sketch paper intituled,
of the History and Antiquities of the South- em Islands of Aran, lying off the West Coast of Ireland ; with Observations on the Religion of the Celtic Nations, Pagan Monuments, of the early Irish, Druidic Rites, &c. ," by John T. O'Flaherty, A. B. This interesting paper was read at a meet- ing of the Royal Irish Academy, held on the 26th of January, 1824.
They are included within the boundaries
of the Connaught province, and they lie within the limits of Tuam archdiocese. Formerly they were inhabited by a number of holy persons, while remains of ecclesias- tical buildings and monuments furnish suffi- cient evidence of their former importance in a religious point of view,
s Apocalypse, xiv. 4.
Arainn,
form of declension, however, is somewhat incorrect ; for according to the number and order of declensions adopted by Dr. O'Do- novan and by Very Rev. Canon Ulick J. Bourke in their respective Irish gram-
Bourke in his " Irish Grammar. " College
J.
See chap, ii. , section 6, p. 38.
^
The writer of St. Endeus' Acts then tells us, that Aran island in Latin is so called because it bears some resemblance in shape to the kidney of an animal. In the middle this diminishes, while it is greater at
Hereupon Endeus
10 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[January i.
the obscurity of that narrative, contained in St. Endeus' Hfe, it is not possible to discover whether our saint hved to reach her native shore, or whether she died during her last sea voyage. Her religious sisters greatly lamented her decease.
A contention arose between people belonging to the provinces of Meath and Leinster for possession of this holy virgin's body. What claim the Lein- ster people had to her remains does not appear, unless her death took place among them. This quarrel was appeased in a miraculous manner. Fan- chea's remains seemed to rest on a vehicle borne by two oxen. These animals are said to have preceded the people of Leinster, bearing the sup- posed body of this holy virgin towards a cell, which was called Barrigh,^ in Magh-Lifife. There the Leinster people deposited what they had conceived to be St. Fanchea's body ^ but the people of Meath in like manner saw oxen preceding them and bearing the real body of St. Fanchea, while the companions of her voyage were present at this funeral procession. Having arrived at the nunnery, commonly called Kill-aine,^ the remains of our holy virgin were there deposited to await the day of final resurrection. This most pure virgin, the spouse of her Heavenly Bridegroom, is thought to have departed to her long-desired and beatific rest on the feast of our Lord's Circumcision,^ This day her natalis is kept, according to our Irish Martyrologies. It seems probable, however, that her feast had been more solemnly observed on a different day. Some held this opinion for various reasons. ^° St. Fanchea lived in the fifth and died," it is thought, about the commencement of the
^ in his time this had Colgan says place
been called Baile Bairrigh. It was situated on the banks of the river Liffey, in the county and diocese of Kildare. But he would not decide whether the place took its name from St. Barr, an Irish bishop, whose feast is observed on the 25th of September, or from a St. Barruch, hermit, whose feast has been assigned to the 29th of November in the English Martyrology. See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," I Januarii, n. 22, p. 24.
7 A miracle similar to the present is re-
"
Vita S. Patricii," cap. 195, as also in St. Abban's life, which will be found at the 27th October. Many simi- lar contentions about possessing the remains of holy persons are related in various Acts
of our saints.
^ In the Acts of St. Endeus we read
that he founded this monastery while yet a
neophyte, or but lately strengthened in the faith. He commenced to build it for his sister's accommodation.
—because a Eoghnacht-Chaisell. Thirdly
feast of St. Carecha, at the 9th of March, is thought to have been identical with St. Fanchea's. The admonition, which had been given by St. Fanchea to St. Endeus, as found in Acts of the latter, is related by St. ^ngus, at the 21st of March, to have been offered by the same Endeus to his sis- ter, St. Carecha. Wherefore it would ap- pear that no distinct person is intended to have been meant under these different names. The first of the foregoing rea- sons, however, is one which bears most weight in support of an opinion advanced in the text. The second is by no means con- clusive, for St. Fanchea, who is venerated in Munster on the 21st of January, differs from Conall's daughter. This latter is not said to have had any connexion with Mun- ster in what can be learned regarding her ; while the parentage and country of both Fancheas appear to have been quite different.
"
corded in Jocelin's
Menologic Gene- there were four other holy virgins in Ireland bearing the name of Fanchea, be- sides our saint. Nor has the third reason had been observed in the parish church of much weight ; for it is easy to fall into an
9 The Martyrologies of Tallagh and Ma- rianus O'Gorman state that on the ist of
Again, according to the "
January, the natal day of this holy virgin Ross-airther, near Lough Erne, in the dio-
cese of — Clogher.
error in describing the actions of two sisters,
and to one an act
by attributing which, per-
haps,
saints, whose names, places, and festivals indicate that they were altogether different persons, may have been confounded for
'° First
val of the Circumcision, which falls on the 1st of January, a minor festival of this holy virgin could not supersede the f—ormer feast
had reference to the other. Two
on account of that
greater
festi-
held on her natalis. Secondly
tyrologies of Tallagh and Marianus O'Gor- man assign a natalis on the 21st of January to St. Fanchea at the Church of Cluain- Chaoin, within that district of Munster called
So Colgan. See his " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niae," i Januarii, n. 25, p. 4.
" See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," I Januarii. Vita St. Fanchese, cap.
the Mar-
want of sufficient examination.
says
alogy
January I. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. ii
sixth century. Long ago has this noble virgin, drawing life from the foun- tain of Divine love while on earth, passed away from its unrealities to peren- nial enjoyment with the blessed in heaven.
ARTICLE II. —ST. BEOC, BEOG, MOBHEOC, BEANUS, DABEOC, OR DAB- HEOC, ABBOT AT LOUGH DERG, TEMPLECARN PARISH, COUNTY
OF DONEGAL.
\FIFTH OR SIXTH CENTURY. } CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—PARENTAGE AND BIRTH OF THIS SAINT IN WALES—HIS FAMILY AND RELATIONSHIP—PERIOD WHEN HE FLOURISHED.
Ireland has ever been remarkable for the hospitality and welcome accorded to strangers. She receives and regards as her own those coming from other
nations, in a kindly and sympathetic spirit. This is more especially the case,
when, as ministers of the Gospel, missionaries arrive with the glad tidings of
salvation. In early times the family circles of our island were distinguished
for holiness, and, in like manner, what seems very notable, the ecclesias-
tical history of the Kymry, or Welsh, presents a similar peculiarity of
sanctity prevailing in certain houses for many generations, and running through various branches of kindred. The habit of tracing and preserving
pedigrees, as among the Irish, is characteristic of their clannish dispositions. A modem historian of Wales tells us that the saints of greatest renown, as heads of monasteries or choirs, were really teachers, while the brethren under them were really learners of such wisdom as their masters had to impart. "^
We are informed that Dabeoc is the same as Mobheoc of Glenn Geirg, who is commemorated on the 24th of July. It is probable Da and Mo are toberegardedasaffixestotheoriginalname,BeocorBheoc. Thissaintwas descended from a very noble or regal line. He appears to have been the junior of ten sanctified sons, all belonging to the same father and mother. ^ Seven or eight holy sisters are even enumerated in this same family. 3 Ac- cording to some ancient chronicles,"* no less than twenty-four daughters, and all classed among the beatified, were the happy issue of this marriage. ^ This latter account seems ratified by the learned antiquary, Camden f but it is
probable some numerical exaggeration crept into the pages of earlier chroniclers.
xi. , p. 3. This is partly collected from the " Acts of St. Endeus," who lived at the time when she flourished, as also from ac- counts of St. Kieran of Clonmacnoise, of St. Columba, and of many other saints who lived about the middle of the sixth century. It is thought, too, that she died before St. Monnenia, who, according to our Annals, departed A. D. 515. See ibid. n. 23, p. 4. Such an inference is to be
grave, and in the "Martyrologyof Salsbury," at the 8th of October, it is said, that the father of this saint had twelve holy sons and as many holy daughters.
3 According to some writers, twenty-four children of the same parents are classed among
supposed
drawn from this virgin's published acts.
Sections ix. and xi.
Art. II. —Chap. i. —' See the elegantly
illustrated and learned
"
History of Wales,"
by B. B. Woodward, B. A. , part i. , chap, x. ,
fairly
"
Hiberniae," xi. Februarii. Vita S. Canoci,
pp. 311 to 314, with accompanying notes.
<* Which are described as "British His- tories," by Giraldus Cambrensis in his
" Itinerarium Cambrise," lib. i. , cap. iii.
^ I11 the time of Cambrensis, he tells us, that many remarkable basilicas were existing and dedicated to these holy women in Cam-
the saints. See Colgan's
Acta Sanctorum
bria, ibid.
In the "Life of St. Keyne," by John Cap- See his description of Brecknockshire,
pp. 143, 144. "^
12 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[January i.
St. Beoc, Dabeog, or Mobheoc, was the son of Brecan, or Braccan,7 who ruled over a territory in Wales, formerly denominated Brechonia, or Brechinia. ^ In the ancient British dialect it was called Brechinoc.
The parents of Bracan^ were his father Bracha/° or Bracmeoc, an Irish-bom prince, and Marcella, a noble British lady, the daughter of Theodoric, son to Tetphalt, the ruler of a district called Gartmathrin. " It has been supposed as probable" that Bracmeoc had been grandson to Caelbadh,^3 King of Ireland, who was slain^4 A. D. 35 7,'Safter a brief reign of only one year/^ Yet, according to another authority,^? St. Mobeoc, or Dabeoc, is called the son of Luainim,^^ son to Dibracha, of the race of Dichuo,^9 whom St. Patrick first converted to the Christian faith in Ulster.
The celebrated Welsh Triads make this Brychan Brycheiniawg belong to the
third of the holy families of the isle of Britain. Various chronicles state that
he was a king's son from Ireland. There being a contemporary, probably he received the faith from St. Patrick's preaching. As a petty king, or chieftain, in the fifth century, he took possession^" of that mountainous and romantic
of =^^ calledBreconafter andsinceknownasBrecknockshire. part Wales, him,
He brought up his children and grandchildren in all generous learning, so as
Britannia, p. 502.
'' Albert le Grand states that he was king
over a part of Ireland. Although this name
does not appear among the Ard-Righs of mother's estate. " As the ancient British the country ; yet, among the Magnates of idiom differed little from the Irish, Colgan
Erin, Bracan often occurs. The genealogies of our saints have this name very frequently in the family line.
^ We are told that Bemhard de Novomer- catu was the first of the English who subdued Brechinia. See Sir Humphrey Llwyd's " Britannicse Descriptionis Commentario- lum, necnon de Mona Insula, et Britannica, Arce sive Armamentario Romano Discepta- tio Epistolaris. Accedunt ^re Cambrobri- tannicae. Accurante Mose Gulielmio," A. M. R. S. Soc, p. 104.
9 The Welsh state that
their principality, took its name from this
'^ See " O'Flaherty's
prince. '°
See Camden's "Britannia. "
p. 156.
'7 The "
cap. xix. '^
Genealogies
of the Irish
Saints,"
Brecknockshire,
in
Ogygia," pars, ii. ,
By some writers he has been called
or See Camden in his Hualuph, Hauluph.
notes on the "Itinerarium Cambrias," lib. i. ,
cap. 2. This name does not occur among
the Irish, and hence Colgan thinks Hua
Laga, or "descendant of Lagh," should
rather be read ; for the name Lagh, Logh, cognomen of Bracan, the Irish race and
or Lugh, was frequently applied in this island. If, instead of Hauluph, we read Hua Lagh, or Hua Lugh, i. e. , "descendant of Lugh," which seems a very probable rendering, St. Mobeoc or Dabeoc may be considered as be- longing to the chiefs of Leix, in Leinster, thus : Bracan, son of Lugh Longaidh, son
as
district of Bracan would be known as belong- ing to the Ulster province. See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," xi. Februarii. Vita S. Canoci, nn. 2, 3, 4, 5, pp. 312, 313.
'9 He belonged to the Dalfiatach race in Ulster.
^°Jones says "either by marriageorbyforce. "
"
to this Lugh Laigseach. If, again,
See the
-' See the " Historic of Cambria, now
Bracan, called the son of Bracha, could be identified
History of Wales," chap, ii. , p. 31.
with the family name of Barrche, or Barraich, our saint might be connected with the race of Barrche, called after Daire, surnamed Barraich. Formerly the Hua Barrche, or Hua-Bartha sept was a powerful one in Leinster. Whatever may be thought of these suggestions, it seems certain that several of Bracan's holy [children had been connected
called Wales : a part of the most famous Yland of Brytaine, written in the Brytish
language above two hundreth yeares past, translated into English by H. Lhoyd, Gen-
tleman ; corrected, augmented, and con- tinued out of Records and best approved authors by David Powel, Doctor in Divi- nitie," p. 20.
with and venerated in various parts of Lein- ster.
conjectures that it might have been the former name of Brechinia, called after Bracan, and which he held in right of ma- ternal descent.
'^ By Rev. John F. Shearman, C. C, of Howth.
'3 He descended from the Rudrician race of Ulster.
'» By Eochaidh Muighmheadhoin.
'5 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 124, 125, and n. (w) ibid.
" Gortmathrin, in Irish, means "a
observes that if we
Luainim was the name of Bracan's father, and that if Braca or Dibracha, who is called his father,
Colgan
say
were considered his grandfather, or, at least,
that Luainim— might happen
—were a
January l]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
n
to enable them to show the faith of Christ to the Kymry nation, where they had been without faith. "
Besides the numerous band of St. Dabeoc's holy brothers, the following names of his sisters have been recorded by approved authors. The first- named of Bracan's daughters is the blessed Gladusa,^3the wife of St. Gundleus j^^
the second is Melaria, or Nonnita, mother of St. David, Archbishop of Mene- •
via^s thethirdisthecelebratedvirgin,St. Keynef^thefourthisSt. Almeda, or Elmetha f^ the fifth is St. Nennoca, Virgin and Abbess of Len-Nennoch, in Armoric Britain f^ the sixth is St. Carennia, or Canneria,^9 Abbess of Kill- charenne, or Kill-channere ; while the seventh is Tydwael,3° the wife of Congen, son to Caddell, Prince of Powis. If there were other sisters they appear to have been less celebrated, and their names have not come under our notice.
Digna, Dina, or Din, daughter to a Saxon king, was St. Dabhoeg's mother. 3' She was the parent of many other saints. Then follows their enumeration -^^ how she was mother, namely, to Mogoroc, of Sruthair j33 to Mo[chonog],34 pilgrim, of Gill Mucraissi ;35 to Diraidh, of Eadardrum ;36 to Dubhan, of Rinn-Dubhain,37 pilgrim j38 to Cairinne,39 of Cill-Cairinne ;'*° to
Cairbre, pilgrim,
'^' founder of
Kill-Chairpre,
Isiol Faranain
;42
to
Jast,
of
=« See Woodward's "History of Wales,"
own, independently of their holy lineage. "
3° She was mother to Brochmael, sumamed
Scithroch, who killed Ethelfred, of the King
Northumbrians, and who defeated his army about the year 603. See "Giraldus Cam-
brensis'ItinerariumCambrise,"lib. i. , cap. ii. , in notis.
3' St. the Culdee, makes Din the ^ngus,
mother of ten holy sons by Bracan, lib. iv. ,
cap. 76.
3^ Her family and descent do not seem to
have been discovered.
33 See some account of this saint, but for a
*' He is also said to have
part, i. , chap. vi. :
had twenty-four sons and twenty-five daugh- ters, several of whom are recorded in the long list of Welsh saints for graces of their
See
=3 Mother of St. Cadoc, Aboot. See
Capgrave and John of Teignmouth, in the " Legends of the British Saints. "
^'' King of the southern Britons, and after- wards a hermit.
*s See the life of this holy man at the ist
of March. It will thus be found that he
wasthe of and nephew many very saintly
renowned uncles and aunts.
^ Her Acts occur at the 8th of Octo-
ber.
^ She was a holy virgin and martyr. A church was erected to her memory, on the summit of a hill, not far from the principal town of Aberhodni, in the province of Bre- chinoc. See ' ' Giraldus Cambrensis' Itiner- arium Cambrise/' lib. i. , cap. i.
^^ Her feast occurs at the 4th of June. See "Albertus le Grand, De Vitis Sancto- rum Britannicae Armoricse. "
pp.
80, 81, ibid.
^ This name seems to be resolvable into ''"
Donegal Martyro- logy" is torn, and the latter part of the name is defective. The defect is supplied, however, from December 19th, while Dr. Todd refers for comparison to December
23rd.
35 A notice of this saint occurs at the iSth
of November.
3^ A notice of this saint occurs at the 13th
of January.
37 Now Hook Point, county of Wex-
ford.
3^ See a notice of him at the nth of
February.
39 This Cairinn, Carennia, or Caneria, was
a female saint, and a sister to all the other brothers here enumerated.
4°SaidtobenearWexford. Forillustra-
tions of these notes, and for other interesting
notices regarding the present saint's genea- logy, the writer feels greatly indebted to the
Rev. J. F. Shearman, C. C, Howth.
"*' Colgansupposeshisfeasttohavebeen held on the 1st of November. See notices
at that date.
'^ Colgan thinks this Isiol Faranain may
be identical with Aill Farannain in Tirfiacha, Connaught.
Cainder. In the Martyrology of Donegal, edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, there is a
St. Cainder, daughter of Cruithneachan, venerated at the 28th of January, and a Cainder, daughter of Caelan, venerated at the 5th of November. See pp. 28, 29, 298, 299. While acknowledging the name of Carennia, used among the Irish, has not beenfoundamongoursaints,Colgan,think- ing Canneria to be the correct reading, tells us that in the Irish Festilogies there are three holy virgins so called, and venerated
respectively at the 28th of January, at the 1 2th of June, and at the 5th of October.
different place, at the 23rd of December.
34 At this word, Mochonog, the original
MS. ofthe " published
14 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i.
Slemhna, in Alba ;43 to EUoc, of Cill MocUoc ;44 to Paan, of Cill Phaain,45 in Ossory ; and to Caomhan,^^ pilgrim, of Cill Chaomhain. 47 From the
parentage of Saint Beoc, or Dabeoc, it is just to conclude that Irish, Saxon, and Cymric blood flowed in his veins. By race, if not by birth, he was a Cambro-Briton. HeseemstohaveflourishedaboutthetimeofSt. Patrick, or, at least, not very long after him ; since Mobeoc is said to have foretold
many things regarding the sanctity and merits of the great St. Columkille, and that, too, many years before the birth of this latter illustrious man. '^^ Perhaps, too, it may be allowed that those dreadful contestsis which were waged against the Cambro-Britains,5° from the middle to the close of the fifth century,s^ may have influe—nced so many of the holy sons of Bracan to seek a peaceful refuge in Ireland the country of their kindred, and the cradle of their paternal race.
CHAPTER 11.
ARRIVAL OF ST. BEOC, OR DABEOC, IN IRELAND—SITUATION AND DESCRIPTION OF LOUGH DERG—AUSTERITIES AND PROPHECY OF ST. DABEOC—HIS DEATH—TEARMON DABHEOG—CONCLUSION.
In the "Martyrology of Tallagh"^ we find this insertion : Aedh, Lochagerg, alias Daibheog. We may take it for granted that this saint lived probably about the close of the fifth or the beginning of the sixth century. It is likely hecameoverfromWales; whetheraloneorwithsomeofhisfamilydoesnot appear. Probably he landed at first on the eastern or south-eastern coast of Ireland. Thence he travelled northwards, and he appears to have taken pos- session of a lonely island, which was situated within a lake of some extent amongthewildsofDonegal. Afterwards,itbecameveryfamousasaplace forpilgrimages. WhiletheSaxonsextendedtheirconquestsovertheBritons,^ here the saint appears to have found a quiet retreat.
In a wild and romantic district of Templecam parish, within the barony
of Tirhugh, and county of Donegal, the pilgrim or tourist will find the spread- ing waters of renowned Lough Derg, with its three separate islands. 3 The largest of these was known as the Island of St. Dabeoc* Probably it
3SeenoticesofSt. — — Justus supposed by
so gee the
of written "History Wales,"
Colgan to have been the present Jast 29th of July.
''4 There are notices of a saint
name at the 7th of March, and there appears to have been a homonymous one at the 24th of July.
Nothing ap- pears to have transpired regarding this saint, unless he be identical with one Mophiog, venerated on the i6th of December, accord-
ing to Marianus O'Gorman.
'^^ See the Acts of St. Coeman, or Mochoe-
moe, at the 3rd of November.
^7 See "Calendar of the Saints of Ireland,"
edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, p. 3.
f' See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," xi. Februarii. VitaS. Canoci, n. 22,
"
of
ii. Also that reliable work, Sharon Turner's
"History of the Anglo Saxons," vol. i. , book iii. , chap, i. , ii.
of Llan-
''S Now known as Kilfane.
;
Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford, &c. , pp. i to 8.
SI These contests are very graphically de-
P- 314- '•s See
Jones's
History
Wales," chap.
the "Saxon Chronicle," with an English translation and notes, critical and explana-
tory, edited by the Rev. J. Ingram, B. D. , pp. 141021.
^ As Endeus was ordained at Rome, and had collected some disciples, who were Italians, or from Latium, the ancient name for Italy, his establishment might have been afterwards called the Monastery of the La-
^ The Life of St. Endeus adds, that it
was appositely called " Latinum Monaste- tins, or people of Latium. No doubt, it
rium," as there the mandate of love towards God and towards our neighbour was exactly observed. Yet it is difficult to discover an affinity between such a monastic name and the precept of charity. Colgan conjectures that Laetinum would have been a better reading, as spiritual joy is the companion of exalted love.
had some other local name which it is diffi-
cult, if not impossible, now to discover, as we are unacquainted with any document that could throw further light on this ques- tion. Itisnotprobablethatthosedisciples, collected in a foreign country, could have been natives of Ireland, especially in that early age. It is also quite probable that
5 Colgan says he did not think that any most of them, if not all, were Latins, monastery called Latinmn existed in his They might have settled in Rome, in Italy, time. It was not likely that Latiniacum, in France, or in some place outside their which was built by St. Fursey in Gaul, own country. As their Irish superior and about the year 640, could have been the
same as Latinum. There is a place called Lsetitia, on the river Helpra, in Hannonia. There was a house of Benedictine Fathers,
his community spoke the Latin language and observed the Latin customs, hence their house was probably called "the Latin Mo- nastery"bypeople of the surrounding country.
January i. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
CHAPTER V.
ST. ENDEUS HAS A PRETERNATURAL KNOWLEDGE OF ST. FANCHEA's APPROACH—THEIR INTERVIEW—RECEIVING HER BROTHER'S BENEDICTION, THE HOLY VIRGIN RETURNS TO IRELAND—HER DEATH—CONTENTION AMONG THE PEOPLE OF MEATH AND LEINSTER FOR THE POSSESSION OF HER REMAINS—SUPPOSED BURIAL AT KILL-AINE —CONCLUSION.
The Almighty, who reveals wonderful secrets to his friends, was
pleased to enlighten Endeus regarding the approaching visit of those religious females from Ireland. His brethren were directed to prepare all things necessary for their expected arrival. While the monks were thus
engaged, the holy virgins appeared at their monastery gate. St. Fanchea preferredarequesttosee—herbrother; butshewastoldshemighthaveher choice of two alternatives either to receive his greetings without seeing him, ortoseehimwithoutreceivinghissalutations. Thevirginsaidshepreferred the choice of conversation without the permission of seeing him, thus con- ceiving she should derive more advantage from her visit. Endeus then had a tent erected in the grounds of his monastery. Being veiled from her sight, the abbot entered into conversation with his sister. Fanchea advised that as God had gifted him with talents, he ought to exercise these among the people of his native land, and thus enhance doubly their value.
" When a
hope the Almighty may permit me to follow you. "
the entrance to Galway Bay,3 and out in the Atlantic Ocean. *
Having thus advised her brother, she received his benediction, and after-
wards she appears to have passed over into Ireland with her virgins. Under
the guidance of angels, they escaped all sea dangers, and landed safely in
their native country. It would appear, however, St. Fanchea did not long
survive her arrival in Ireland. As a further favour, she obtained from heaven
that her soul might be permitted to escape from the prison of the body.
She wished it to ascend with the celestial attendants of her voyage to that
replied,
year
your
Fanchea then said to her
brother,
you
your nativity
" When
shall have after elapsed
return to I Ireland,
come to Ireland do not enter the land of
at first, but rather seek out a certain island called Aran,'' which is situated off the Irish western coast. =^ The interesting group of Aran islands lies at
where " follow the lamb whithersoever he From
kingdom,
Chap. v. —' This island is more properly
designated ^ra, /. ^. , ren ; for, in the nomi- native case it is called Ara, in the genitive
mars, the proper name -A]aa, Aran, in the » nominative makes A-^&xk in the genitive, and ^]\<xin in the dative. According to the
forms of the fifth declension of Irish nouns, A\^ is classed among nouns of this latter declension by the Very Rev. Canon Ulick
goeth. "s
virgins
and in the dative Arann. This
the extremities,
3 in "Transactions of the Royal Irish
Academy," vol. xv. , pp. 19 to 140, there is
a most valuable " A Sketch paper intituled,
of the History and Antiquities of the South- em Islands of Aran, lying off the West Coast of Ireland ; with Observations on the Religion of the Celtic Nations, Pagan Monuments, of the early Irish, Druidic Rites, &c. ," by John T. O'Flaherty, A. B. This interesting paper was read at a meet- ing of the Royal Irish Academy, held on the 26th of January, 1824.
They are included within the boundaries
of the Connaught province, and they lie within the limits of Tuam archdiocese. Formerly they were inhabited by a number of holy persons, while remains of ecclesias- tical buildings and monuments furnish suffi- cient evidence of their former importance in a religious point of view,
s Apocalypse, xiv. 4.
Arainn,
form of declension, however, is somewhat incorrect ; for according to the number and order of declensions adopted by Dr. O'Do- novan and by Very Rev. Canon Ulick J. Bourke in their respective Irish gram-
Bourke in his " Irish Grammar. " College
J.
See chap, ii. , section 6, p. 38.
^
The writer of St. Endeus' Acts then tells us, that Aran island in Latin is so called because it bears some resemblance in shape to the kidney of an animal. In the middle this diminishes, while it is greater at
Hereupon Endeus
10 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[January i.
the obscurity of that narrative, contained in St. Endeus' Hfe, it is not possible to discover whether our saint hved to reach her native shore, or whether she died during her last sea voyage. Her religious sisters greatly lamented her decease.
A contention arose between people belonging to the provinces of Meath and Leinster for possession of this holy virgin's body. What claim the Lein- ster people had to her remains does not appear, unless her death took place among them. This quarrel was appeased in a miraculous manner. Fan- chea's remains seemed to rest on a vehicle borne by two oxen. These animals are said to have preceded the people of Leinster, bearing the sup- posed body of this holy virgin towards a cell, which was called Barrigh,^ in Magh-Lifife. There the Leinster people deposited what they had conceived to be St. Fanchea's body ^ but the people of Meath in like manner saw oxen preceding them and bearing the real body of St. Fanchea, while the companions of her voyage were present at this funeral procession. Having arrived at the nunnery, commonly called Kill-aine,^ the remains of our holy virgin were there deposited to await the day of final resurrection. This most pure virgin, the spouse of her Heavenly Bridegroom, is thought to have departed to her long-desired and beatific rest on the feast of our Lord's Circumcision,^ This day her natalis is kept, according to our Irish Martyrologies. It seems probable, however, that her feast had been more solemnly observed on a different day. Some held this opinion for various reasons. ^° St. Fanchea lived in the fifth and died," it is thought, about the commencement of the
^ in his time this had Colgan says place
been called Baile Bairrigh. It was situated on the banks of the river Liffey, in the county and diocese of Kildare. But he would not decide whether the place took its name from St. Barr, an Irish bishop, whose feast is observed on the 25th of September, or from a St. Barruch, hermit, whose feast has been assigned to the 29th of November in the English Martyrology. See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," I Januarii, n. 22, p. 24.
7 A miracle similar to the present is re-
"
Vita S. Patricii," cap. 195, as also in St. Abban's life, which will be found at the 27th October. Many simi- lar contentions about possessing the remains of holy persons are related in various Acts
of our saints.
^ In the Acts of St. Endeus we read
that he founded this monastery while yet a
neophyte, or but lately strengthened in the faith. He commenced to build it for his sister's accommodation.
—because a Eoghnacht-Chaisell. Thirdly
feast of St. Carecha, at the 9th of March, is thought to have been identical with St. Fanchea's. The admonition, which had been given by St. Fanchea to St. Endeus, as found in Acts of the latter, is related by St. ^ngus, at the 21st of March, to have been offered by the same Endeus to his sis- ter, St. Carecha. Wherefore it would ap- pear that no distinct person is intended to have been meant under these different names. The first of the foregoing rea- sons, however, is one which bears most weight in support of an opinion advanced in the text. The second is by no means con- clusive, for St. Fanchea, who is venerated in Munster on the 21st of January, differs from Conall's daughter. This latter is not said to have had any connexion with Mun- ster in what can be learned regarding her ; while the parentage and country of both Fancheas appear to have been quite different.
"
corded in Jocelin's
Menologic Gene- there were four other holy virgins in Ireland bearing the name of Fanchea, be- sides our saint. Nor has the third reason had been observed in the parish church of much weight ; for it is easy to fall into an
9 The Martyrologies of Tallagh and Ma- rianus O'Gorman state that on the ist of
Again, according to the "
January, the natal day of this holy virgin Ross-airther, near Lough Erne, in the dio-
cese of — Clogher.
error in describing the actions of two sisters,
and to one an act
by attributing which, per-
haps,
saints, whose names, places, and festivals indicate that they were altogether different persons, may have been confounded for
'° First
val of the Circumcision, which falls on the 1st of January, a minor festival of this holy virgin could not supersede the f—ormer feast
had reference to the other. Two
on account of that
greater
festi-
held on her natalis. Secondly
tyrologies of Tallagh and Marianus O'Gor- man assign a natalis on the 21st of January to St. Fanchea at the Church of Cluain- Chaoin, within that district of Munster called
So Colgan. See his " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niae," i Januarii, n. 25, p. 4.
" See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," I Januarii. Vita St. Fanchese, cap.
the Mar-
want of sufficient examination.
says
alogy
January I. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. ii
sixth century. Long ago has this noble virgin, drawing life from the foun- tain of Divine love while on earth, passed away from its unrealities to peren- nial enjoyment with the blessed in heaven.
ARTICLE II. —ST. BEOC, BEOG, MOBHEOC, BEANUS, DABEOC, OR DAB- HEOC, ABBOT AT LOUGH DERG, TEMPLECARN PARISH, COUNTY
OF DONEGAL.
\FIFTH OR SIXTH CENTURY. } CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—PARENTAGE AND BIRTH OF THIS SAINT IN WALES—HIS FAMILY AND RELATIONSHIP—PERIOD WHEN HE FLOURISHED.
Ireland has ever been remarkable for the hospitality and welcome accorded to strangers. She receives and regards as her own those coming from other
nations, in a kindly and sympathetic spirit. This is more especially the case,
when, as ministers of the Gospel, missionaries arrive with the glad tidings of
salvation. In early times the family circles of our island were distinguished
for holiness, and, in like manner, what seems very notable, the ecclesias-
tical history of the Kymry, or Welsh, presents a similar peculiarity of
sanctity prevailing in certain houses for many generations, and running through various branches of kindred. The habit of tracing and preserving
pedigrees, as among the Irish, is characteristic of their clannish dispositions. A modem historian of Wales tells us that the saints of greatest renown, as heads of monasteries or choirs, were really teachers, while the brethren under them were really learners of such wisdom as their masters had to impart. "^
We are informed that Dabeoc is the same as Mobheoc of Glenn Geirg, who is commemorated on the 24th of July. It is probable Da and Mo are toberegardedasaffixestotheoriginalname,BeocorBheoc. Thissaintwas descended from a very noble or regal line. He appears to have been the junior of ten sanctified sons, all belonging to the same father and mother. ^ Seven or eight holy sisters are even enumerated in this same family. 3 Ac- cording to some ancient chronicles,"* no less than twenty-four daughters, and all classed among the beatified, were the happy issue of this marriage. ^ This latter account seems ratified by the learned antiquary, Camden f but it is
probable some numerical exaggeration crept into the pages of earlier chroniclers.
xi. , p. 3. This is partly collected from the " Acts of St. Endeus," who lived at the time when she flourished, as also from ac- counts of St. Kieran of Clonmacnoise, of St. Columba, and of many other saints who lived about the middle of the sixth century. It is thought, too, that she died before St. Monnenia, who, according to our Annals, departed A. D. 515. See ibid. n. 23, p. 4. Such an inference is to be
grave, and in the "Martyrologyof Salsbury," at the 8th of October, it is said, that the father of this saint had twelve holy sons and as many holy daughters.
3 According to some writers, twenty-four children of the same parents are classed among
supposed
drawn from this virgin's published acts.
Sections ix. and xi.
Art. II. —Chap. i. —' See the elegantly
illustrated and learned
"
History of Wales,"
by B. B. Woodward, B. A. , part i. , chap, x. ,
fairly
"
Hiberniae," xi. Februarii. Vita S. Canoci,
pp. 311 to 314, with accompanying notes.
<* Which are described as "British His- tories," by Giraldus Cambrensis in his
" Itinerarium Cambrise," lib. i. , cap. iii.
^ I11 the time of Cambrensis, he tells us, that many remarkable basilicas were existing and dedicated to these holy women in Cam-
the saints. See Colgan's
Acta Sanctorum
bria, ibid.
In the "Life of St. Keyne," by John Cap- See his description of Brecknockshire,
pp. 143, 144. "^
12 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[January i.
St. Beoc, Dabeog, or Mobheoc, was the son of Brecan, or Braccan,7 who ruled over a territory in Wales, formerly denominated Brechonia, or Brechinia. ^ In the ancient British dialect it was called Brechinoc.
The parents of Bracan^ were his father Bracha/° or Bracmeoc, an Irish-bom prince, and Marcella, a noble British lady, the daughter of Theodoric, son to Tetphalt, the ruler of a district called Gartmathrin. " It has been supposed as probable" that Bracmeoc had been grandson to Caelbadh,^3 King of Ireland, who was slain^4 A. D. 35 7,'Safter a brief reign of only one year/^ Yet, according to another authority,^? St. Mobeoc, or Dabeoc, is called the son of Luainim,^^ son to Dibracha, of the race of Dichuo,^9 whom St. Patrick first converted to the Christian faith in Ulster.
The celebrated Welsh Triads make this Brychan Brycheiniawg belong to the
third of the holy families of the isle of Britain. Various chronicles state that
he was a king's son from Ireland. There being a contemporary, probably he received the faith from St. Patrick's preaching. As a petty king, or chieftain, in the fifth century, he took possession^" of that mountainous and romantic
of =^^ calledBreconafter andsinceknownasBrecknockshire. part Wales, him,
He brought up his children and grandchildren in all generous learning, so as
Britannia, p. 502.
'' Albert le Grand states that he was king
over a part of Ireland. Although this name
does not appear among the Ard-Righs of mother's estate. " As the ancient British the country ; yet, among the Magnates of idiom differed little from the Irish, Colgan
Erin, Bracan often occurs. The genealogies of our saints have this name very frequently in the family line.
^ We are told that Bemhard de Novomer- catu was the first of the English who subdued Brechinia. See Sir Humphrey Llwyd's " Britannicse Descriptionis Commentario- lum, necnon de Mona Insula, et Britannica, Arce sive Armamentario Romano Discepta- tio Epistolaris. Accedunt ^re Cambrobri- tannicae. Accurante Mose Gulielmio," A. M. R. S. Soc, p. 104.
9 The Welsh state that
their principality, took its name from this
'^ See " O'Flaherty's
prince. '°
See Camden's "Britannia. "
p. 156.
'7 The "
cap. xix. '^
Genealogies
of the Irish
Saints,"
Brecknockshire,
in
Ogygia," pars, ii. ,
By some writers he has been called
or See Camden in his Hualuph, Hauluph.
notes on the "Itinerarium Cambrias," lib. i. ,
cap. 2. This name does not occur among
the Irish, and hence Colgan thinks Hua
Laga, or "descendant of Lagh," should
rather be read ; for the name Lagh, Logh, cognomen of Bracan, the Irish race and
or Lugh, was frequently applied in this island. If, instead of Hauluph, we read Hua Lagh, or Hua Lugh, i. e. , "descendant of Lugh," which seems a very probable rendering, St. Mobeoc or Dabeoc may be considered as be- longing to the chiefs of Leix, in Leinster, thus : Bracan, son of Lugh Longaidh, son
as
district of Bracan would be known as belong- ing to the Ulster province. See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," xi. Februarii. Vita S. Canoci, nn. 2, 3, 4, 5, pp. 312, 313.
'9 He belonged to the Dalfiatach race in Ulster.
^°Jones says "either by marriageorbyforce. "
"
to this Lugh Laigseach. If, again,
See the
-' See the " Historic of Cambria, now
Bracan, called the son of Bracha, could be identified
History of Wales," chap, ii. , p. 31.
with the family name of Barrche, or Barraich, our saint might be connected with the race of Barrche, called after Daire, surnamed Barraich. Formerly the Hua Barrche, or Hua-Bartha sept was a powerful one in Leinster. Whatever may be thought of these suggestions, it seems certain that several of Bracan's holy [children had been connected
called Wales : a part of the most famous Yland of Brytaine, written in the Brytish
language above two hundreth yeares past, translated into English by H. Lhoyd, Gen-
tleman ; corrected, augmented, and con- tinued out of Records and best approved authors by David Powel, Doctor in Divi- nitie," p. 20.
with and venerated in various parts of Lein- ster.
conjectures that it might have been the former name of Brechinia, called after Bracan, and which he held in right of ma- ternal descent.
'^ By Rev. John F. Shearman, C. C, of Howth.
'3 He descended from the Rudrician race of Ulster.
'» By Eochaidh Muighmheadhoin.
'5 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 124, 125, and n. (w) ibid.
" Gortmathrin, in Irish, means "a
observes that if we
Luainim was the name of Bracan's father, and that if Braca or Dibracha, who is called his father,
Colgan
say
were considered his grandfather, or, at least,
that Luainim— might happen
—were a
January l]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
n
to enable them to show the faith of Christ to the Kymry nation, where they had been without faith. "
Besides the numerous band of St. Dabeoc's holy brothers, the following names of his sisters have been recorded by approved authors. The first- named of Bracan's daughters is the blessed Gladusa,^3the wife of St. Gundleus j^^
the second is Melaria, or Nonnita, mother of St. David, Archbishop of Mene- •
via^s thethirdisthecelebratedvirgin,St. Keynef^thefourthisSt. Almeda, or Elmetha f^ the fifth is St. Nennoca, Virgin and Abbess of Len-Nennoch, in Armoric Britain f^ the sixth is St. Carennia, or Canneria,^9 Abbess of Kill- charenne, or Kill-channere ; while the seventh is Tydwael,3° the wife of Congen, son to Caddell, Prince of Powis. If there were other sisters they appear to have been less celebrated, and their names have not come under our notice.
Digna, Dina, or Din, daughter to a Saxon king, was St. Dabhoeg's mother. 3' She was the parent of many other saints. Then follows their enumeration -^^ how she was mother, namely, to Mogoroc, of Sruthair j33 to Mo[chonog],34 pilgrim, of Gill Mucraissi ;35 to Diraidh, of Eadardrum ;36 to Dubhan, of Rinn-Dubhain,37 pilgrim j38 to Cairinne,39 of Cill-Cairinne ;'*° to
Cairbre, pilgrim,
'^' founder of
Kill-Chairpre,
Isiol Faranain
;42
to
Jast,
of
=« See Woodward's "History of Wales,"
own, independently of their holy lineage. "
3° She was mother to Brochmael, sumamed
Scithroch, who killed Ethelfred, of the King
Northumbrians, and who defeated his army about the year 603. See "Giraldus Cam-
brensis'ItinerariumCambrise,"lib. i. , cap. ii. , in notis.
3' St. the Culdee, makes Din the ^ngus,
mother of ten holy sons by Bracan, lib. iv. ,
cap. 76.
3^ Her family and descent do not seem to
have been discovered.
33 See some account of this saint, but for a
*' He is also said to have
part, i. , chap. vi. :
had twenty-four sons and twenty-five daugh- ters, several of whom are recorded in the long list of Welsh saints for graces of their
See
=3 Mother of St. Cadoc, Aboot. See
Capgrave and John of Teignmouth, in the " Legends of the British Saints. "
^'' King of the southern Britons, and after- wards a hermit.
*s See the life of this holy man at the ist
of March. It will thus be found that he
wasthe of and nephew many very saintly
renowned uncles and aunts.
^ Her Acts occur at the 8th of Octo-
ber.
^ She was a holy virgin and martyr. A church was erected to her memory, on the summit of a hill, not far from the principal town of Aberhodni, in the province of Bre- chinoc. See ' ' Giraldus Cambrensis' Itiner- arium Cambrise/' lib. i. , cap. i.
^^ Her feast occurs at the 4th of June. See "Albertus le Grand, De Vitis Sancto- rum Britannicae Armoricse. "
pp.
80, 81, ibid.
^ This name seems to be resolvable into ''"
Donegal Martyro- logy" is torn, and the latter part of the name is defective. The defect is supplied, however, from December 19th, while Dr. Todd refers for comparison to December
23rd.
35 A notice of this saint occurs at the iSth
of November.
3^ A notice of this saint occurs at the 13th
of January.
37 Now Hook Point, county of Wex-
ford.
3^ See a notice of him at the nth of
February.
39 This Cairinn, Carennia, or Caneria, was
a female saint, and a sister to all the other brothers here enumerated.
4°SaidtobenearWexford. Forillustra-
tions of these notes, and for other interesting
notices regarding the present saint's genea- logy, the writer feels greatly indebted to the
Rev. J. F. Shearman, C. C, Howth.
"*' Colgansupposeshisfeasttohavebeen held on the 1st of November. See notices
at that date.
'^ Colgan thinks this Isiol Faranain may
be identical with Aill Farannain in Tirfiacha, Connaught.
Cainder. In the Martyrology of Donegal, edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, there is a
St. Cainder, daughter of Cruithneachan, venerated at the 28th of January, and a Cainder, daughter of Caelan, venerated at the 5th of November. See pp. 28, 29, 298, 299. While acknowledging the name of Carennia, used among the Irish, has not beenfoundamongoursaints,Colgan,think- ing Canneria to be the correct reading, tells us that in the Irish Festilogies there are three holy virgins so called, and venerated
respectively at the 28th of January, at the 1 2th of June, and at the 5th of October.
different place, at the 23rd of December.
34 At this word, Mochonog, the original
MS. ofthe " published
14 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i.
Slemhna, in Alba ;43 to EUoc, of Cill MocUoc ;44 to Paan, of Cill Phaain,45 in Ossory ; and to Caomhan,^^ pilgrim, of Cill Chaomhain. 47 From the
parentage of Saint Beoc, or Dabeoc, it is just to conclude that Irish, Saxon, and Cymric blood flowed in his veins. By race, if not by birth, he was a Cambro-Briton. HeseemstohaveflourishedaboutthetimeofSt. Patrick, or, at least, not very long after him ; since Mobeoc is said to have foretold
many things regarding the sanctity and merits of the great St. Columkille, and that, too, many years before the birth of this latter illustrious man. '^^ Perhaps, too, it may be allowed that those dreadful contestsis which were waged against the Cambro-Britains,5° from the middle to the close of the fifth century,s^ may have influe—nced so many of the holy sons of Bracan to seek a peaceful refuge in Ireland the country of their kindred, and the cradle of their paternal race.
CHAPTER 11.
ARRIVAL OF ST. BEOC, OR DABEOC, IN IRELAND—SITUATION AND DESCRIPTION OF LOUGH DERG—AUSTERITIES AND PROPHECY OF ST. DABEOC—HIS DEATH—TEARMON DABHEOG—CONCLUSION.
In the "Martyrology of Tallagh"^ we find this insertion : Aedh, Lochagerg, alias Daibheog. We may take it for granted that this saint lived probably about the close of the fifth or the beginning of the sixth century. It is likely hecameoverfromWales; whetheraloneorwithsomeofhisfamilydoesnot appear. Probably he landed at first on the eastern or south-eastern coast of Ireland. Thence he travelled northwards, and he appears to have taken pos- session of a lonely island, which was situated within a lake of some extent amongthewildsofDonegal. Afterwards,itbecameveryfamousasaplace forpilgrimages. WhiletheSaxonsextendedtheirconquestsovertheBritons,^ here the saint appears to have found a quiet retreat.
In a wild and romantic district of Templecam parish, within the barony
of Tirhugh, and county of Donegal, the pilgrim or tourist will find the spread- ing waters of renowned Lough Derg, with its three separate islands. 3 The largest of these was known as the Island of St. Dabeoc* Probably it
3SeenoticesofSt. — — Justus supposed by
so gee the
of written "History Wales,"
Colgan to have been the present Jast 29th of July.
''4 There are notices of a saint
name at the 7th of March, and there appears to have been a homonymous one at the 24th of July.
Nothing ap- pears to have transpired regarding this saint, unless he be identical with one Mophiog, venerated on the i6th of December, accord-
ing to Marianus O'Gorman.
'^^ See the Acts of St. Coeman, or Mochoe-
moe, at the 3rd of November.
^7 See "Calendar of the Saints of Ireland,"
edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, p. 3.
f' See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," xi. Februarii. VitaS. Canoci, n. 22,
"
of
ii. Also that reliable work, Sharon Turner's
"History of the Anglo Saxons," vol. i. , book iii. , chap, i. , ii.
of Llan-
''S Now known as Kilfane.
;
Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford, &c. , pp. i to 8.
SI These contests are very graphically de-
P- 314- '•s See
Jones's
History
Wales," chap.
the "Saxon Chronicle," with an English translation and notes, critical and explana-
tory, edited by the Rev. J. Ingram, B. D. , pp. 141021.
