O'Longan, and
translated
by Mr.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
O'Connor, of
Limerick, to furnish these subjects : the arranging to obtain certified industrial Convent and Chapel of St. Fintan, engraved schools, which will greatly improve the by Mr. Oldham, and the Convent Schools of
'''
Before the death of Father O'Dwyer,
condition of the juvenile females of the neighbourhood, and it is intended to have this educational establishment dedicated to the local patron, St. Fintan,
sion from the
have St. Fintan's festival observed as a half holiday in the parish of Doone.
archbishop of the diocese to
^= The convent is not yet quite finished, and the Chapel of St. Fintan has yet to be
built ; but, according to the plans prefigured in the engraving, the Sisters of Mercy are
January 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 49
to the Rev. Br. P. Walsh, Director of the Christian Brothers' Schools, Limerick, sufficient funds for the establishment of a branch of their useful institute at Doon. The buildings, as in the annexed engraving,^3 are now nearlycompleted,accordingtotheprovisionsofhiswill; andinashorttime,
Christian Brothers' House and Schools of St. Fintan, Doone.
it is hoped, they must diffuse the blessings of a sound religious education in that neighbourhood. They are built about one hundred yards from the supposedoldsiteofSt. Fintan'sChurch. Thewellofthissaintflowsatthe other end of the village of Doone. ^'^ Tobar Fiontain is situated in a grove of fir trees, in the east comer of Lower Kilmoyhn townland. The people often make use of its water in cases of sickness. On the feast-day the peasantry were accustomed to assemble and pray beside St. Fintan's well. ^s it lies west of the road which nms through Kilmoylin townland. Many resorted thither to be healed of various infirmities.
"
The religious erections of the present day, and objects connected with the veneration of our early saints, may not interest an antiquary to the same degree that representations and descriptions of antique churches or monastic ruins might afford him pleasure. But, altogether apart from their utility and civilizing influences, modem churches, conventual establishments, charitable institutions, chapels,andschools,haveanarchaicvaluepeculiarlytheirown. Whenafew
»3 By Mr. Charles M. Grey, of Gardiner- 1840, in the "Limerick Letters of the Irish street, Dublin, from a photograph taken by Ordnance Survey," vol. i. , pp. 433, 434,
Mr. T. O'Connor, of Limerick. The cost has been kindly borne by Rev. Brother P. Walsh. To him, as to his admirable insti- tute and its members, the author feels bound to record his deep sense of obligation for practical and generous efforts made in sus- tainment of the work now commenced.
^ Dr. O'Donovan's letter of August l8th, Vol. L
R. I. A.
^5 It is accurately represented in a sketch of Mr. T. O'Connor, from which the an-
nexed woodcut, by Mrs. Millard, has been
engraved.
^"Original Poems and Ljrrics," by
Stephen Nolan Elrington, Jun. , "The Blind Girl," p. 69.
They have left their cot for the holy well, Near the cross, in the valley flowing ; Its bright blue tide hath a seraph's spell,
Light and joy to the blind bestowing. "^
56 LIV£S OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 3.
hundred years shall have passed, future generations will desire to realize
some idea of our present religious foundations ;
and, it is to be hoped,
national
feeling
mustbe gratified to know that in our
day so many had been dedicated under the invoca- tion of Irish saints.
Exact pictorial il- lustrations will best
•
for all time the forms of
buildings, which,
preserve
various accidents, may lapse into ruins, or which may be
replaced by further
architectural chan-
ges or erections.
However much
some persons may object to several
through
long devotional
established
prac- tices of the people at holy wells on the feasts of saints,
who
blessed them many centuries ago with solemn rites and ceremonies ; yet, as in the case of Tobar
Fiontain, surviving usage on the patron day has
probably
St. FIntan's Holy Well on the festival day at Doone.
or pilgrimage,"withapeculiarimportance,sinceitservedasacluetodis- cover the special patron saint of Doone parish.
CHAPTER III.
ENTERTAINMENT AND PREDICTION OF ST. FINTAN—MIRACULOUS INCIDENTS—BESTOWAL OF KILL-MAITOGE—CHARITY OF ST. FINTAN—HIS MIRACLES—REPUTED LONGEVITY —FESTIVAL DAY AND ITS CELEBRATION AT DOONE—CHARACTER OF THE SAINT, AND CONCLUSION.
At Dunbleisque'' St. Fintan was received with much honour, and he was hospitably entertained by Columbanus, son to Kynchadha. The flesh of a
invested the turas, "
Chap, hi,—' By some it is called Dun-
flesche, according to Colgan. The Irish
Commentator on St. ^ngus, using Latin, as he often does, at the 3rd day of January, deduces the etymology of this word from an evil woman called Blesc, who lived there,
or from a swineherd of the king who ruled over Ua-Cuanach, now the barony of Coon-
agh, county Limerick ; or from Flesk, the name of a river, so called from a former city near its banks.
January 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 51
cow and calf, with some milk, had been prepared at a banquet, where seven companions sat down with St. Fintan. One of these was his brother, named
Finlogh, or Finloghait. ^ Fintan predicted that his brother should pass over the sea and die an exile from his native country. At a time when the author
of our saint's acts flourished, Finlog's memory was venerated in many places.
"
Columbanus,3 the entertainer of our saint, said to Fintan,
I assign this
place to thee, and for thy honour. Show me, therefore, that spot to which I
mustremove. " St. Fintan,hiscompanions,andSt. Columbanus,wentsouth
of the city, and near its principal street. There a mutual agreement was
entered into between those saints. Columbanus asked how his baggage
should be conveyed. Fintan then rang his bell. Immediately two deer*
issued from an adjoining wood, and tamely presented themselves before those
devout men. Having placed St. Columbanus' effects on the horns of one,
where Finlogh found a vessel. On board of this he passed over into Alba- nia. 5 As had been ordained, in Scotland he lived and died. Afterwards he there awaited a future resurrection of the living and dead. ^
On a certain day, being afflicted with a grievous headache, an attendant,
our saint " O said,
follow this deer wheresoever he shall cede until you come to where foxes shall issue from their dens, and there shall you remain. " Having placed the luggage of his brother, Finlogh, on
Columbanus,
pre-
the horns of the other Fintan then deer,
'' Do follow this animal in you
said,
whatever direction he shall go. " That course taken led towards the sea,
named
Feradach, coming
to St. " there Fintan, said, To-day
appear " And
to be
of health and in
joy your
countenance. " Fintan
signs
shouldIrejoice; foronto-morrowourdearly-belovedfriend,Columba,shall come to visit us. Therefore do you quickly prepare some com for the mill. " " That I would
said " if there were water to turn it. " Feradach,
willingly do,"
However, through the intervention of St. Fintan the mill-stone began to move and to grind for three days and three nights without cessation. This was looked upon as a great miracle, because there had been no water or human assistance afforded during the process of grinding. During this visit which was made to our saint, with whom Columba and a number of holy men remained for some time, abundance of bread was supplied for their use. Then St. Columba bestowed in perpetuity to St. Fintan a city, which was called Kell-maitoge,7 with all those services due by its inhabitants to the possessor.
^
His festival is likewise observed on this
s From the circumstance that the writer of this life of our saint called Scotia Minor, or North Britain, by the name Albania. Col- gan is of opinion he must have flourished at least 500 years, if not more, previous to the time at which Colgan himself wrote, From the epoch of St. Bernard, who lived in the twelfth century, Scotland was not called Albania, but rather Scotia.
^Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," iii. Januarii. Vita S. Fintani, cap. x. , xi. , xii. , pp. 11, 12.
' In a note at this word, Colgan says he knows not whether Cell Martoige, Mac- toige, or rather Maodhoige, should be read, The Martyrologies of Tallagh, Marianus O'Gorman, and the commentator on iEngus, treat of a St. Mattocus, at the 25th of April, But Colgan knew not where a church had beendedicatedtohismemory. Inthedio- cese and county of Kildare, in the Leinster province, there is a place called Cell-Mao-
day, and some accomit of him follows im-
mediately after the present biography.
3 Colgan has reason to suppose that this Columbanus was a holy man ; but he is at a loss to discover among many saints bearing this same name who he was. Colgan offers a conjecture, however, that he may have been identical with Columbanus, or Colu- manus, abbot, son to Kortgidh. According to the Martyrologies of Tallagh, Marianus O'Gorman, and^ngus, he was venerated on the 1 8th of October. Perchance some error had been perpetrated by the writer of these acts, or his copyist, when calling him son to Kynchadha instead of Korchidh or Cor- chidha.
'' In connexion with legends relating to our saints deer are frequently introduced ; while these timid and wild animals are most generally represented as obedient to the com-
mand or serving the purposes of holy persons.
repHed,
justly
52 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 3.
While St. Fintan was stopping near a great river^ in the city of Tyr-da- glass,9 certain mimics and buffoons approached him. They asked Fintan to
He told them truly he had not what
to remove this fish's bones, they found it impossible to separate them, even "
by the aid of an iron instrument. Whereupon they said, Although our fish is a tough one, however, it shall not be left here by us. " Taking their depar- ture, they then carried it along with them ; but an eagle, hovering over their party, suddenly descended, and snatching away the fish, bore it to a tree. Thisstoodoverthewellalreadymentioned. Thefishwasdroppedintothe spring whence it had been taken. " The author of our saint's acts informs us, that for the sake of brevity he omitted writing many other miracles that, through Fintan, the Almighty was pleased to effect. He adds, also, on account of the numerous miracles which Fintan wrought and continued to work in his biographer's time, it would be impossible for man to recount, or even to retain them in memory.
In his Acts, our saint is said to have attained the incredible age of 260 years," and to have been quite decrepit at the time of his death. The year when this occurred is not recorded. His ancient biographer asserts, that God, who can accomplish whatever He pleases on the earth, in heaven, on the sea, or under the abyss, was specially desirous of prolonging St. Fintan's life. '3 When very old, this saint's cheeks were furrowed by wrinkles.
The author of St. Fintan's Acts gives us no particulars regarding the day and year of his death. "* Nor even does he mention that particular place
supply them with some fish to eat.
One of the mimics then
thou art that holy man thou art said to be, we shall easily obtain what we
they sought.
said,
" The water is near and if thee,
*' It is not more difficult for the to Almighty procure
ask. " ^° Fintan
a fish than to produce the water itself. " Then calling his disciples, he sent them to a well which lay nearer to them than the river. In a vessel, together with some water, they brought a large fish. But when those mimics thought
replied,
dog ; yet it cannot with certainty be affirmed that this was the locahty alluded to in the
might have been written for clx. or cxl. It is said that Irish biography affords many instances of life having been prolonged to 140 or even to 160 years.
text. Colgan adds, that from this passage
we may infer St. Fintan lived before A. D.
565, when St. Columkille left Ireland; or
at least before a. d. 597, when St. Colum-
kille died. However, there is nothing in age of 260, as recorded in his Acts. Al- these acts of St. Fintan to indicate the Co- though there is frequent mention of this
lumba mentioned as having been identical with the great St. Columkille.
saint by domestic writers, yet we do not find
any biographer, annalist, or historian relates that he lived about or after the middle of
the eighth century ; and he could not possi- bly have attained 260 years of age without having lived to a much later period. He was also a disciple of St. Comgall, A. D. 550. His great grandfather, Dinan, son to Carill, King of Ulster, died A. D. 565 ; and Mured, King of Ulster, father to this Carill, and grandfather to this same Dinan, died in A. D.
^
Doubtless the Shannon, on the borders of
which Tyr-da-glas, now known as Terry- glass, near Lough Derg, had been situated. ' This place is situated within the diocese of Killaloe, county of Tipperary, and pro-
vince of Munster.
'"This early social custom of insolent and
strolling players frequently travelling from
one place to another in Ireland, and levying
gifts from the people, is fully proved from 479. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the various passages in the acts of our national Four Masters," vol. ii. , p. 1190. Addenda saints.
"Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibemise,"
3 Januarii. Vita S. Fintani, cap. xiii, xiv. , p. 12.
etCorrigenda. Colgansaysincorrectlythis latter died in the year 503. According to the Four Masters it was Eochaidh, son to
Muireadhach, Muindearg, King of Ulster, " It seems perfectly possible that the who died at the latter date. See Dr. O'Do-
writer or compiler of the MS. copy of St. Fintan's Acts may have transcribed it from one more ancient, and that some wrong numeral was allowed to creep in j thus cclx.
novan's edition, vol. i. , p. 165.
'-* The third stanza of the Feilire of St.
. ^ngus, transcribed by Mr.
O'Longan, and translated by Mr. O'Looney, records with
'3 Colgan, however, is persuaded that St. Fintan did not survive to the extraordinary
January 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 53
where it occurred, nor the circumstances attending it. But from St. Angus'
commentators, and from other sources, we learn that the day of St. Fintan's
death fell on the 3rd of January. 'S It is generally allowed, however, that he must have flourished in the sixth century. On the 3rd day of January the festival of St. Fintan had been celebrated formerly in the parish of Doone, and county of Limerick. It forms a portion of the archdiocese of Cashel, or diocese of Emly. At this date, the saint is commemorated in the " Feilire Unguis" in the Martyrologies of Tallagh^"^ and of Donegal. '7 According to the latter calendar, this saint belonged to the race of Fiatach Finn, monarch of Ireland, and he was a descendant of Heremon.
After the example of his Master, our Lord Jesus Christ, this saint minis- tered as a servant not only to his guests, but even to his brethren. He often unloosed the shoes from their feet, which he washed after their labours. In him no guile was found ; he judged and condemned no person ; to none did he return evil for evil. He was never found to be angry or disturbed in mind. Hewasneverknowntomockanyperson,nortogrieveatanycala-
supreme felicity, more brightly than the sun shines in the firmament, and more effulgent than its rays are spread over illuminated space.
Article II. —St. Finlugh, Lugad or Finn-Lugain, Patron of Tam-
LACHTFiNLAGAN, CouNTY OF LONDONDERRY. [^Stxth Century. '] This holy
man was brother to the preceding saint, but whether senior or junior to him
does not appear. He is variously named. Sometimes he is called Finlog or
Finlugh,Lugad,Lagan,orLogha. Thelatterformsappeartorepresenthis
original name,
" was afterwards added. This
fair," appellation
'5
Colgan's
" Acta Sanctorum Hibernise,"
pinnlug •oe(\b
C. iii. n. —The Rodanus,
"Ouin
defective. There we illius ore nisi
corde nisi —
" in Nunquam
—"
belonging to the Royal Irjsh Academy, by
William M. M. R. I. A. , I find Hennessy,
Ailgend, daughter of Lenin, mother of Fin-
tan, and Coluim, and Lugada, fol. 89 b.
3 Januarii, Vita S. Fintani, cap. xv. , p.
12, and n. 25, p. 14.
great martyrdom
of
pietas, pax,
et misericordia," &c.
"With his brilliant clergy ; Fintan, of noble practices, Finlug, the truthful, of Dunblesc.
Leabhar Breac," R. I. A. , fol. 79.
Art. ii. 'In a copy of the tract attributed
to St. ^ngus "On the Mothers of the Irish
"
copied from the
and were throned in his heart. '^ He
piety always
mity. Peace, compassion,
manifested the same equanimity of temper ; he preserved such a heavenly serenity of countenance that he seemed to have abandoned even the imper- fections of human nature. For these and such like virtues, he now reigns in
to which the Finn or which " white " or
prefix
Fionn,
signifies
was
account of some quality of complexion, or from the colour of his hair. He
had the same father and mother' as Fintan ; and to the former biography thereaderisreferredfornoticesregardingthem. Atthe3rddayofJanuary," St. Finlog, as well as his brother Fintan, was venerated at Dunbleisque, or Doone ; and again do we learn from St. ^ngus and his commentator,3 from
the foreign saint Rodanus, two other Irish saints at this day.
of this saint's'name in Rev. Dr. Kelly's edi^ tion, at this date.
'7 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
6, 7.
'^ In the published Acts of our saint this
C. 111. ri.
rno^ mAT\ci\A •Ro'OATiii' Con A cLein cAinefce pncAn CO peib uAifle
tefce.
read,
Nunquam in illius
^* * After introducing the names of twenty-
four foreign saints at this day, the first
Irish saint's record stands pncAni in the
Franciscan copy. There is a total omission brother to St. Fintan of Dunbleisque, and
probably
bestowed on
sentence, in the former part, appears slightly
Saints,
transcribed for the writer, and
"
Leabhar Lecan," a MS.
Through misprint, the 5th of January is set down in Colgan's work.
3 He that says,
Finnluga
was and disciple
. LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 3.
"
die an exile from the country of his birth. In the former life we have already related the manner of his departure. It is thought probable, that he went to lona, and that he was the identical Findluganus, who interposed to save the life of his great master, St. Columkille, in the island of Hinba. We are informed,? that while living here St. Columkille had resolved on excommuni-
cating certain oppressors of religious houses. Among these, Joan, the son of Conall, was especially conspicuous. One of his wicked associates was called Lamh Dess. Instigated by the devil, he rushed on the saint with a spear intending to kill Columba. To prevent this dreaded result, one of the brethren, named Findlugan,^ put on the saint's garment and interposed his person, being ready to die for sake of the holy man. But St. Columba's garment served as a kind of strong and impenetrable shield, which could not be pierced by the thrust of a very sharp spear, although made by a powerful man. The brother who wore it remained safe and uninjured under divine protection. The ruffian who attempted this outrage, and whose name is found Latinized Manus Dextra,9 retired, thinking he had transfixed the saint^° with his spear. Exactly one year afterwards, when the saint was in the island of
54
Finnlogain, in the territory of Kiennacht, of
Quinta lib. ii. , cap. cii. , p. 428.
Glenn Gemin. See
maturga" Quarta Vita S. Columbae, n. 23, p. 383.
* In the edition published by Rev. Dr. Kelly, this saint's festival is thus entered at
the present day:
"
of Tallagh,"4 from the " Calendar of Cashel," and from
the "
Marianus O'Gorman, as also from the
Finlog had been venerated at Tamlacht Finnlogha, or Finlagan,^ in the territory of Cianachta Glinne Geimhin, on this same day. Finlog seems to have been originally the disciple of his brother, at Dunbleisque, where, as has been- already related, it was predicted that he should pass over the sea, and
Martyrology
Colgan's
" Trias Thau-
^ Saints this name are honoured in bearing
our Irish calendars, respectively, at January •3rd, May nth, June 5th, and November 13th. Besides, we find a Lugh venerated at the
i6th of June, and a Lughan at the 21st of July. In addition, there are twelve Lugh-
Finnlag Duinbleisci, i.
Blesc ainm Mucida Righ, h-Cuanach, ise
roboi. is in ionad seu artus unde nominatur
locus," p. xi. The Franciscan copy has
pn'otvi5Ae'Ounblefa,i. e. ,bleifCAnn. muc-
cit)A nigh CuAriAcn Tpe |\oboi
pp. 6, 7. It is added, that he was a disciple and brother of the previous St. Fintan, and that both were the sons of or
aidhs or Lughaedhs, respectively, venerated at the 31st of January, 12th February, 2nd, 9th, and 24th of March, 1 7th of |April, 12th of May, ist of July, 6th of Augiist, 30th of September, 6th of October, and 2nd of No- vember. See table of the " of
The latter is part
Martyrology Donegal," as edited by Dr. Todd and Dr.
quite illegible.
5 See Dr. Todd's and Dr. Reeves' edition,
son to son of Fingen,
son of
Deman, son to Muiredhach Muinderg.
Cairell,
Diman, Deman, Irish,
^
vedy, in the county of Londonderry. See lugan, although from the context it seems
''
It adjoins Drumachose or Newtownlima-
had been thrust at St. Columkille or at Find-
Rev, Dr. Reeves'
Columba," n. (d. ) p. 136. ''There are islands of this name near
Adamnan's Life of St. probable enough the latter was meant. 7 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Scarba, among the Hebrides.
Martyrology of Donegal/'s that St.
" A year has just now elapsed since that day when Lamh-dess
Hy, he said
did his best to put Findlugan to death in my place, but that man is now slain, as I believe, and on this very hour. " So it happened ; for at that moment,
according
:
to the saint's in an island which is Latinized " revelation,
Longa,""
" a battle was Long Island,"
between a number of Lamh-dess alone was slain by Conan, son of Baithen, and trans-
in
warriors.
fixedwithadart. Itissaid,thisstrokewasgiveninthenameofSt. Columba. After the fall of Lamh-dess the battle ceased. Whether these events occurred before or after what remains to be noted regarding St. Finlog cannot very
English,
fought
opposing
therefore both are named together ; that this
saintjoumeyedto Albania, and that he is the saint who had been venerated in Tamlacht-
"Adamnan's,"or"QuartaVitaS. Columbae,"
lib. ii. , cap. xxiv. , pp. 355,
Vita S.
356, and Columbse,"
O'Donnell's or "
Reeves, pp. 418, 419, 436, 437.
^ That is "Right Hand," rendered into
" Lamh-dess. "
'° Neither in Adamnan's nor O'Donnell's
life is it sufficiently clear whether the spear
January 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 55
clearly be ascertained. Again, St. Columkille is said to have founded a
religious establishment at a place near Lough Foyle, in the barony of Kenaught, county of Londonderry. " The townland is called Tamlacht. ^3 Over the house thus established the great father of Irish monasticism placed his disciple, Finlog, as first abbot. Hence the place seems to have derived itsappellationofTamlachtfinlaghan,'+ Itisnowaparishinthedioceseof Deny. '5 The place of the old monastic site is marked by a much frequented
cemetery, within the enclosure of which are the ruins of an old church. Whether any portion of this building dates back to the time of St. Finlog may very fairly be questioned.
'^
OLl Church at Tamlacht Finlagan.
The old church at Tamlacht was drawn by George V. Du Noyer, in 1836,'^ and this sketch is faithfully produced in the accompanying engraving. '7 The
" According to one authority this happened A. D. 585. See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 592. No
more correctly declares the word Taimh- leacht to mean "a plague monument," or a
place when people who died of an epidemic had been buried. The word is said to be of
reference, however, is given for the date. '3""The
Pagan origin,
and considered as
Tam-lechta, plague -graves.
applicable by adoption only to Christian cemeteries, like other Pagan terms. In the northern coun- ties it is generally written Tamlaght and Tamlat, while in other places it takes the
forms, Tawlaght, Towlaght, and Towlett.
See " and of Irish Names of Origin History
Places," part ii. , chap, iv. , p. 151.
'5 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse,
cap. ii. , p. 495.
'^
It was designed for illustration of the antiquities of the county of Londonderry, and intended for the engraver. It is preserved in the " Oblong Book of Sketches for Lon-
root-word is supposed to be tam-tzbes, by "
Whitley Stokes, editor of Sanas Chor-
maic," or "Cormac's Glossary," p. 160. In the same manner Tamlacht is explained by
O'Flaherty when treating about Tallagh,
nearDublin. See
"Ogygia," pars. iii. , cap,
v. ,
pp. 168, 169. To the foregoing opinions
Dr.
Limerick, to furnish these subjects : the arranging to obtain certified industrial Convent and Chapel of St. Fintan, engraved schools, which will greatly improve the by Mr. Oldham, and the Convent Schools of
'''
Before the death of Father O'Dwyer,
condition of the juvenile females of the neighbourhood, and it is intended to have this educational establishment dedicated to the local patron, St. Fintan,
sion from the
have St. Fintan's festival observed as a half holiday in the parish of Doone.
archbishop of the diocese to
^= The convent is not yet quite finished, and the Chapel of St. Fintan has yet to be
built ; but, according to the plans prefigured in the engraving, the Sisters of Mercy are
January 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 49
to the Rev. Br. P. Walsh, Director of the Christian Brothers' Schools, Limerick, sufficient funds for the establishment of a branch of their useful institute at Doon. The buildings, as in the annexed engraving,^3 are now nearlycompleted,accordingtotheprovisionsofhiswill; andinashorttime,
Christian Brothers' House and Schools of St. Fintan, Doone.
it is hoped, they must diffuse the blessings of a sound religious education in that neighbourhood. They are built about one hundred yards from the supposedoldsiteofSt. Fintan'sChurch. Thewellofthissaintflowsatthe other end of the village of Doone. ^'^ Tobar Fiontain is situated in a grove of fir trees, in the east comer of Lower Kilmoyhn townland. The people often make use of its water in cases of sickness. On the feast-day the peasantry were accustomed to assemble and pray beside St. Fintan's well. ^s it lies west of the road which nms through Kilmoylin townland. Many resorted thither to be healed of various infirmities.
"
The religious erections of the present day, and objects connected with the veneration of our early saints, may not interest an antiquary to the same degree that representations and descriptions of antique churches or monastic ruins might afford him pleasure. But, altogether apart from their utility and civilizing influences, modem churches, conventual establishments, charitable institutions, chapels,andschools,haveanarchaicvaluepeculiarlytheirown. Whenafew
»3 By Mr. Charles M. Grey, of Gardiner- 1840, in the "Limerick Letters of the Irish street, Dublin, from a photograph taken by Ordnance Survey," vol. i. , pp. 433, 434,
Mr. T. O'Connor, of Limerick. The cost has been kindly borne by Rev. Brother P. Walsh. To him, as to his admirable insti- tute and its members, the author feels bound to record his deep sense of obligation for practical and generous efforts made in sus- tainment of the work now commenced.
^ Dr. O'Donovan's letter of August l8th, Vol. L
R. I. A.
^5 It is accurately represented in a sketch of Mr. T. O'Connor, from which the an-
nexed woodcut, by Mrs. Millard, has been
engraved.
^"Original Poems and Ljrrics," by
Stephen Nolan Elrington, Jun. , "The Blind Girl," p. 69.
They have left their cot for the holy well, Near the cross, in the valley flowing ; Its bright blue tide hath a seraph's spell,
Light and joy to the blind bestowing. "^
56 LIV£S OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 3.
hundred years shall have passed, future generations will desire to realize
some idea of our present religious foundations ;
and, it is to be hoped,
national
feeling
mustbe gratified to know that in our
day so many had been dedicated under the invoca- tion of Irish saints.
Exact pictorial il- lustrations will best
•
for all time the forms of
buildings, which,
preserve
various accidents, may lapse into ruins, or which may be
replaced by further
architectural chan-
ges or erections.
However much
some persons may object to several
through
long devotional
established
prac- tices of the people at holy wells on the feasts of saints,
who
blessed them many centuries ago with solemn rites and ceremonies ; yet, as in the case of Tobar
Fiontain, surviving usage on the patron day has
probably
St. FIntan's Holy Well on the festival day at Doone.
or pilgrimage,"withapeculiarimportance,sinceitservedasacluetodis- cover the special patron saint of Doone parish.
CHAPTER III.
ENTERTAINMENT AND PREDICTION OF ST. FINTAN—MIRACULOUS INCIDENTS—BESTOWAL OF KILL-MAITOGE—CHARITY OF ST. FINTAN—HIS MIRACLES—REPUTED LONGEVITY —FESTIVAL DAY AND ITS CELEBRATION AT DOONE—CHARACTER OF THE SAINT, AND CONCLUSION.
At Dunbleisque'' St. Fintan was received with much honour, and he was hospitably entertained by Columbanus, son to Kynchadha. The flesh of a
invested the turas, "
Chap, hi,—' By some it is called Dun-
flesche, according to Colgan. The Irish
Commentator on St. ^ngus, using Latin, as he often does, at the 3rd day of January, deduces the etymology of this word from an evil woman called Blesc, who lived there,
or from a swineherd of the king who ruled over Ua-Cuanach, now the barony of Coon-
agh, county Limerick ; or from Flesk, the name of a river, so called from a former city near its banks.
January 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 51
cow and calf, with some milk, had been prepared at a banquet, where seven companions sat down with St. Fintan. One of these was his brother, named
Finlogh, or Finloghait. ^ Fintan predicted that his brother should pass over the sea and die an exile from his native country. At a time when the author
of our saint's acts flourished, Finlog's memory was venerated in many places.
"
Columbanus,3 the entertainer of our saint, said to Fintan,
I assign this
place to thee, and for thy honour. Show me, therefore, that spot to which I
mustremove. " St. Fintan,hiscompanions,andSt. Columbanus,wentsouth
of the city, and near its principal street. There a mutual agreement was
entered into between those saints. Columbanus asked how his baggage
should be conveyed. Fintan then rang his bell. Immediately two deer*
issued from an adjoining wood, and tamely presented themselves before those
devout men. Having placed St. Columbanus' effects on the horns of one,
where Finlogh found a vessel. On board of this he passed over into Alba- nia. 5 As had been ordained, in Scotland he lived and died. Afterwards he there awaited a future resurrection of the living and dead. ^
On a certain day, being afflicted with a grievous headache, an attendant,
our saint " O said,
follow this deer wheresoever he shall cede until you come to where foxes shall issue from their dens, and there shall you remain. " Having placed the luggage of his brother, Finlogh, on
Columbanus,
pre-
the horns of the other Fintan then deer,
'' Do follow this animal in you
said,
whatever direction he shall go. " That course taken led towards the sea,
named
Feradach, coming
to St. " there Fintan, said, To-day
appear " And
to be
of health and in
joy your
countenance. " Fintan
signs
shouldIrejoice; foronto-morrowourdearly-belovedfriend,Columba,shall come to visit us. Therefore do you quickly prepare some com for the mill. " " That I would
said " if there were water to turn it. " Feradach,
willingly do,"
However, through the intervention of St. Fintan the mill-stone began to move and to grind for three days and three nights without cessation. This was looked upon as a great miracle, because there had been no water or human assistance afforded during the process of grinding. During this visit which was made to our saint, with whom Columba and a number of holy men remained for some time, abundance of bread was supplied for their use. Then St. Columba bestowed in perpetuity to St. Fintan a city, which was called Kell-maitoge,7 with all those services due by its inhabitants to the possessor.
^
His festival is likewise observed on this
s From the circumstance that the writer of this life of our saint called Scotia Minor, or North Britain, by the name Albania. Col- gan is of opinion he must have flourished at least 500 years, if not more, previous to the time at which Colgan himself wrote, From the epoch of St. Bernard, who lived in the twelfth century, Scotland was not called Albania, but rather Scotia.
^Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," iii. Januarii. Vita S. Fintani, cap. x. , xi. , xii. , pp. 11, 12.
' In a note at this word, Colgan says he knows not whether Cell Martoige, Mac- toige, or rather Maodhoige, should be read, The Martyrologies of Tallagh, Marianus O'Gorman, and the commentator on iEngus, treat of a St. Mattocus, at the 25th of April, But Colgan knew not where a church had beendedicatedtohismemory. Inthedio- cese and county of Kildare, in the Leinster province, there is a place called Cell-Mao-
day, and some accomit of him follows im-
mediately after the present biography.
3 Colgan has reason to suppose that this Columbanus was a holy man ; but he is at a loss to discover among many saints bearing this same name who he was. Colgan offers a conjecture, however, that he may have been identical with Columbanus, or Colu- manus, abbot, son to Kortgidh. According to the Martyrologies of Tallagh, Marianus O'Gorman, and^ngus, he was venerated on the 1 8th of October. Perchance some error had been perpetrated by the writer of these acts, or his copyist, when calling him son to Kynchadha instead of Korchidh or Cor- chidha.
'' In connexion with legends relating to our saints deer are frequently introduced ; while these timid and wild animals are most generally represented as obedient to the com-
mand or serving the purposes of holy persons.
repHed,
justly
52 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 3.
While St. Fintan was stopping near a great river^ in the city of Tyr-da- glass,9 certain mimics and buffoons approached him. They asked Fintan to
He told them truly he had not what
to remove this fish's bones, they found it impossible to separate them, even "
by the aid of an iron instrument. Whereupon they said, Although our fish is a tough one, however, it shall not be left here by us. " Taking their depar- ture, they then carried it along with them ; but an eagle, hovering over their party, suddenly descended, and snatching away the fish, bore it to a tree. Thisstoodoverthewellalreadymentioned. Thefishwasdroppedintothe spring whence it had been taken. " The author of our saint's acts informs us, that for the sake of brevity he omitted writing many other miracles that, through Fintan, the Almighty was pleased to effect. He adds, also, on account of the numerous miracles which Fintan wrought and continued to work in his biographer's time, it would be impossible for man to recount, or even to retain them in memory.
In his Acts, our saint is said to have attained the incredible age of 260 years," and to have been quite decrepit at the time of his death. The year when this occurred is not recorded. His ancient biographer asserts, that God, who can accomplish whatever He pleases on the earth, in heaven, on the sea, or under the abyss, was specially desirous of prolonging St. Fintan's life. '3 When very old, this saint's cheeks were furrowed by wrinkles.
The author of St. Fintan's Acts gives us no particulars regarding the day and year of his death. "* Nor even does he mention that particular place
supply them with some fish to eat.
One of the mimics then
thou art that holy man thou art said to be, we shall easily obtain what we
they sought.
said,
" The water is near and if thee,
*' It is not more difficult for the to Almighty procure
ask. " ^° Fintan
a fish than to produce the water itself. " Then calling his disciples, he sent them to a well which lay nearer to them than the river. In a vessel, together with some water, they brought a large fish. But when those mimics thought
replied,
dog ; yet it cannot with certainty be affirmed that this was the locahty alluded to in the
might have been written for clx. or cxl. It is said that Irish biography affords many instances of life having been prolonged to 140 or even to 160 years.
text. Colgan adds, that from this passage
we may infer St. Fintan lived before A. D.
565, when St. Columkille left Ireland; or
at least before a. d. 597, when St. Colum-
kille died. However, there is nothing in age of 260, as recorded in his Acts. Al- these acts of St. Fintan to indicate the Co- though there is frequent mention of this
lumba mentioned as having been identical with the great St. Columkille.
saint by domestic writers, yet we do not find
any biographer, annalist, or historian relates that he lived about or after the middle of
the eighth century ; and he could not possi- bly have attained 260 years of age without having lived to a much later period. He was also a disciple of St. Comgall, A. D. 550. His great grandfather, Dinan, son to Carill, King of Ulster, died A. D. 565 ; and Mured, King of Ulster, father to this Carill, and grandfather to this same Dinan, died in A. D.
^
Doubtless the Shannon, on the borders of
which Tyr-da-glas, now known as Terry- glass, near Lough Derg, had been situated. ' This place is situated within the diocese of Killaloe, county of Tipperary, and pro-
vince of Munster.
'"This early social custom of insolent and
strolling players frequently travelling from
one place to another in Ireland, and levying
gifts from the people, is fully proved from 479. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the various passages in the acts of our national Four Masters," vol. ii. , p. 1190. Addenda saints.
"Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibemise,"
3 Januarii. Vita S. Fintani, cap. xiii, xiv. , p. 12.
etCorrigenda. Colgansaysincorrectlythis latter died in the year 503. According to the Four Masters it was Eochaidh, son to
Muireadhach, Muindearg, King of Ulster, " It seems perfectly possible that the who died at the latter date. See Dr. O'Do-
writer or compiler of the MS. copy of St. Fintan's Acts may have transcribed it from one more ancient, and that some wrong numeral was allowed to creep in j thus cclx.
novan's edition, vol. i. , p. 165.
'-* The third stanza of the Feilire of St.
. ^ngus, transcribed by Mr.
O'Longan, and translated by Mr. O'Looney, records with
'3 Colgan, however, is persuaded that St. Fintan did not survive to the extraordinary
January 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 53
where it occurred, nor the circumstances attending it. But from St. Angus'
commentators, and from other sources, we learn that the day of St. Fintan's
death fell on the 3rd of January. 'S It is generally allowed, however, that he must have flourished in the sixth century. On the 3rd day of January the festival of St. Fintan had been celebrated formerly in the parish of Doone, and county of Limerick. It forms a portion of the archdiocese of Cashel, or diocese of Emly. At this date, the saint is commemorated in the " Feilire Unguis" in the Martyrologies of Tallagh^"^ and of Donegal. '7 According to the latter calendar, this saint belonged to the race of Fiatach Finn, monarch of Ireland, and he was a descendant of Heremon.
After the example of his Master, our Lord Jesus Christ, this saint minis- tered as a servant not only to his guests, but even to his brethren. He often unloosed the shoes from their feet, which he washed after their labours. In him no guile was found ; he judged and condemned no person ; to none did he return evil for evil. He was never found to be angry or disturbed in mind. Hewasneverknowntomockanyperson,nortogrieveatanycala-
supreme felicity, more brightly than the sun shines in the firmament, and more effulgent than its rays are spread over illuminated space.
Article II. —St. Finlugh, Lugad or Finn-Lugain, Patron of Tam-
LACHTFiNLAGAN, CouNTY OF LONDONDERRY. [^Stxth Century. '] This holy
man was brother to the preceding saint, but whether senior or junior to him
does not appear. He is variously named. Sometimes he is called Finlog or
Finlugh,Lugad,Lagan,orLogha. Thelatterformsappeartorepresenthis
original name,
" was afterwards added. This
fair," appellation
'5
Colgan's
" Acta Sanctorum Hibernise,"
pinnlug •oe(\b
C. iii. n. —The Rodanus,
"Ouin
defective. There we illius ore nisi
corde nisi —
" in Nunquam
—"
belonging to the Royal Irjsh Academy, by
William M. M. R. I. A. , I find Hennessy,
Ailgend, daughter of Lenin, mother of Fin-
tan, and Coluim, and Lugada, fol. 89 b.
3 Januarii, Vita S. Fintani, cap. xv. , p.
12, and n. 25, p. 14.
great martyrdom
of
pietas, pax,
et misericordia," &c.
"With his brilliant clergy ; Fintan, of noble practices, Finlug, the truthful, of Dunblesc.
Leabhar Breac," R. I. A. , fol. 79.
Art. ii. 'In a copy of the tract attributed
to St. ^ngus "On the Mothers of the Irish
"
copied from the
and were throned in his heart. '^ He
piety always
mity. Peace, compassion,
manifested the same equanimity of temper ; he preserved such a heavenly serenity of countenance that he seemed to have abandoned even the imper- fections of human nature. For these and such like virtues, he now reigns in
to which the Finn or which " white " or
prefix
Fionn,
signifies
was
account of some quality of complexion, or from the colour of his hair. He
had the same father and mother' as Fintan ; and to the former biography thereaderisreferredfornoticesregardingthem. Atthe3rddayofJanuary," St. Finlog, as well as his brother Fintan, was venerated at Dunbleisque, or Doone ; and again do we learn from St. ^ngus and his commentator,3 from
the foreign saint Rodanus, two other Irish saints at this day.
of this saint's'name in Rev. Dr. Kelly's edi^ tion, at this date.
'7 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
6, 7.
'^ In the published Acts of our saint this
C. 111. ri.
rno^ mAT\ci\A •Ro'OATiii' Con A cLein cAinefce pncAn CO peib uAifle
tefce.
read,
Nunquam in illius
^* * After introducing the names of twenty-
four foreign saints at this day, the first
Irish saint's record stands pncAni in the
Franciscan copy. There is a total omission brother to St. Fintan of Dunbleisque, and
probably
bestowed on
sentence, in the former part, appears slightly
Saints,
transcribed for the writer, and
"
Leabhar Lecan," a MS.
Through misprint, the 5th of January is set down in Colgan's work.
3 He that says,
Finnluga
was and disciple
. LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 3.
"
die an exile from the country of his birth. In the former life we have already related the manner of his departure. It is thought probable, that he went to lona, and that he was the identical Findluganus, who interposed to save the life of his great master, St. Columkille, in the island of Hinba. We are informed,? that while living here St. Columkille had resolved on excommuni-
cating certain oppressors of religious houses. Among these, Joan, the son of Conall, was especially conspicuous. One of his wicked associates was called Lamh Dess. Instigated by the devil, he rushed on the saint with a spear intending to kill Columba. To prevent this dreaded result, one of the brethren, named Findlugan,^ put on the saint's garment and interposed his person, being ready to die for sake of the holy man. But St. Columba's garment served as a kind of strong and impenetrable shield, which could not be pierced by the thrust of a very sharp spear, although made by a powerful man. The brother who wore it remained safe and uninjured under divine protection. The ruffian who attempted this outrage, and whose name is found Latinized Manus Dextra,9 retired, thinking he had transfixed the saint^° with his spear. Exactly one year afterwards, when the saint was in the island of
54
Finnlogain, in the territory of Kiennacht, of
Quinta lib. ii. , cap. cii. , p. 428.
Glenn Gemin. See
maturga" Quarta Vita S. Columbae, n. 23, p. 383.
* In the edition published by Rev. Dr. Kelly, this saint's festival is thus entered at
the present day:
"
of Tallagh,"4 from the " Calendar of Cashel," and from
the "
Marianus O'Gorman, as also from the
Finlog had been venerated at Tamlacht Finnlogha, or Finlagan,^ in the territory of Cianachta Glinne Geimhin, on this same day. Finlog seems to have been originally the disciple of his brother, at Dunbleisque, where, as has been- already related, it was predicted that he should pass over the sea, and
Martyrology
Colgan's
" Trias Thau-
^ Saints this name are honoured in bearing
our Irish calendars, respectively, at January •3rd, May nth, June 5th, and November 13th. Besides, we find a Lugh venerated at the
i6th of June, and a Lughan at the 21st of July. In addition, there are twelve Lugh-
Finnlag Duinbleisci, i.
Blesc ainm Mucida Righ, h-Cuanach, ise
roboi. is in ionad seu artus unde nominatur
locus," p. xi. The Franciscan copy has
pn'otvi5Ae'Ounblefa,i. e. ,bleifCAnn. muc-
cit)A nigh CuAriAcn Tpe |\oboi
pp. 6, 7. It is added, that he was a disciple and brother of the previous St. Fintan, and that both were the sons of or
aidhs or Lughaedhs, respectively, venerated at the 31st of January, 12th February, 2nd, 9th, and 24th of March, 1 7th of |April, 12th of May, ist of July, 6th of Augiist, 30th of September, 6th of October, and 2nd of No- vember. See table of the " of
The latter is part
Martyrology Donegal," as edited by Dr. Todd and Dr.
quite illegible.
5 See Dr. Todd's and Dr. Reeves' edition,
son to son of Fingen,
son of
Deman, son to Muiredhach Muinderg.
Cairell,
Diman, Deman, Irish,
^
vedy, in the county of Londonderry. See lugan, although from the context it seems
''
It adjoins Drumachose or Newtownlima-
had been thrust at St. Columkille or at Find-
Rev, Dr. Reeves'
Columba," n. (d. ) p. 136. ''There are islands of this name near
Adamnan's Life of St. probable enough the latter was meant. 7 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Scarba, among the Hebrides.
Martyrology of Donegal/'s that St.
" A year has just now elapsed since that day when Lamh-dess
Hy, he said
did his best to put Findlugan to death in my place, but that man is now slain, as I believe, and on this very hour. " So it happened ; for at that moment,
according
:
to the saint's in an island which is Latinized " revelation,
Longa,""
" a battle was Long Island,"
between a number of Lamh-dess alone was slain by Conan, son of Baithen, and trans-
in
warriors.
fixedwithadart. Itissaid,thisstrokewasgiveninthenameofSt. Columba. After the fall of Lamh-dess the battle ceased. Whether these events occurred before or after what remains to be noted regarding St. Finlog cannot very
English,
fought
opposing
therefore both are named together ; that this
saintjoumeyedto Albania, and that he is the saint who had been venerated in Tamlacht-
"Adamnan's,"or"QuartaVitaS. Columbae,"
lib. ii. , cap. xxiv. , pp. 355,
Vita S.
356, and Columbse,"
O'Donnell's or "
Reeves, pp. 418, 419, 436, 437.
^ That is "Right Hand," rendered into
" Lamh-dess. "
'° Neither in Adamnan's nor O'Donnell's
life is it sufficiently clear whether the spear
January 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 55
clearly be ascertained. Again, St. Columkille is said to have founded a
religious establishment at a place near Lough Foyle, in the barony of Kenaught, county of Londonderry. " The townland is called Tamlacht. ^3 Over the house thus established the great father of Irish monasticism placed his disciple, Finlog, as first abbot. Hence the place seems to have derived itsappellationofTamlachtfinlaghan,'+ Itisnowaparishinthedioceseof Deny. '5 The place of the old monastic site is marked by a much frequented
cemetery, within the enclosure of which are the ruins of an old church. Whether any portion of this building dates back to the time of St. Finlog may very fairly be questioned.
'^
OLl Church at Tamlacht Finlagan.
The old church at Tamlacht was drawn by George V. Du Noyer, in 1836,'^ and this sketch is faithfully produced in the accompanying engraving. '7 The
" According to one authority this happened A. D. 585. See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 592. No
more correctly declares the word Taimh- leacht to mean "a plague monument," or a
place when people who died of an epidemic had been buried. The word is said to be of
reference, however, is given for the date. '3""The
Pagan origin,
and considered as
Tam-lechta, plague -graves.
applicable by adoption only to Christian cemeteries, like other Pagan terms. In the northern coun- ties it is generally written Tamlaght and Tamlat, while in other places it takes the
forms, Tawlaght, Towlaght, and Towlett.
See " and of Irish Names of Origin History
Places," part ii. , chap, iv. , p. 151.
'5 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse,
cap. ii. , p. 495.
'^
It was designed for illustration of the antiquities of the county of Londonderry, and intended for the engraver. It is preserved in the " Oblong Book of Sketches for Lon-
root-word is supposed to be tam-tzbes, by "
Whitley Stokes, editor of Sanas Chor-
maic," or "Cormac's Glossary," p. 160. In the same manner Tamlacht is explained by
O'Flaherty when treating about Tallagh,
nearDublin. See
"Ogygia," pars. iii. , cap,
v. ,
pp. 168, 169. To the foregoing opinions
Dr.
