No More Learning

of May. 2 We are informed, that this saint was the patron of Cill-Dioma, now Kildimo,3 in Caenraighe, belonging to the county and diocese of Lime-
rick. There, he had a hohday, as also, a festival, and a station.
to have been the master of Dec! an,4 and of Coirbre, son of Colman, bishop. HehadrelationswiththeDesiofMumhain. AmongstourIrishmissiona- ries of the fourth of fifth centuries, who preached and founded religious establishments in Ireland, was the pious Dima. This holy man's name is said to have been given to a church, called Kildimo, in the county of Lime- rick. s It is still retained, in connexion with that locality,^ which is near Adare. 7 Besides the Bollandist notice of him,^ this Dimma, son of Cass, is entered in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ at the same date.
Article VII. —The Festival of St. Cvriacus, with Three Hundred CoMPANiOx^JS, Martyks. The Fcilire ' of St. yEngus commemorates, at the 12thofMay,themartyrdomofSt. Cyriacus^ andofhisthreehundredcom- panions. The Bollandists 3 quote various ancient Martyrologies, at this same (lay, in reference to those holy Martyrs. In some records, it is found stated, that they numbered over fifty-four ; while, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, l. 'csides Cyriacus, said to have found the cross of our Lord, there are others named, and in addition to them three hundred and six Martyrs. The date for iheir passion is not recorded, nor the occasion that caused their fidelity to ihe Faith ; but, it is thought, that they suffered at Rome.
Article VIII. St. Hernen, or Ernin. The name, Hernen, occurs in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 12th of May; as also, in the Franciscan copy. ^ From the same source, the Bollandists 3 notice Ernenus, or Hernanus, for the same date. Nothing further seems to be known, in reference to him, or to his place, in our ecclesiastical history. The
= See Ferrar's "History of Limerick," tuor. Item Alexandro, Moisete, Lucio. pp.
part iii. , chap, iii. , p. 184.
*See Dr. Sylvester O'Halloran's " Gene-
ral Histoiy of Ireland," vol ii. , Book vii. , chap, ii. , p. 9.
^ This parish, situated in the baronies of Upper Connello, Coshma and Kenry, is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Mapsfor the County of Limerick, "sheets II, 12, 20, 21, 30. The town and townland are
25, 26. — Article viii.
Kelly, p. xxiv. Thus he^neni.
'
Edited by Rev. Dr.
~ On his name, the scholiast has observed, " qui invenit crucem Domini et Judas nomen ejus prius. " Note at p. Ixxxvi. Ibid.
^ See " Acta Sanctorum," Maii xii. De Sanctis Martyribus Cyriaco, Maximo, Grado, Sothere Virg. Rothere, Joanne, Achille, iloiseo, Aphiodito, et aliis Quingentis Qua-
'^ See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Maii xii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 2.
'» Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, 124, 125.
pp.
He is said
329
230
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 12.
festival, in honour of Ernin, was celebrated on this day, as we read in the Martyrology of Donegal. *
Article IX. Reputed Feast of St. Coxgal, or Comgall, in Dercomgal, or Holywood, Scotland. \Sixih and Sevetith Centuries. ^ At the 1 2th of May, the festival of St. Congal was celebrated, in the Church of Scotland. ' However, it would seem, that he is not a different person from St. Congal, or Comgall, Abbot of Bangor; but, his feast was celebrated, in
Scotland, at the present date. He was an Irish Pict, who, after a rule of seven years over Bangor, is said to have crossed over to that part of Britain, now called Scotland, in 598, and to have founded a church in Terra Heth,^ or Tiree. His differences with St. Coluniba led to the battle of Culdremy. 3 In the Antiphonary of Bangor, there is an alphabetical Hymn, concerning St. Comgall. '* An ancient Life of him, quoted by Fordun,5 gives an account of the arrival from Ireland of Fergus, son to Ferquhard. ^ The Breviary of Aberdeen makes him tutor to the blessed Merenus ; and, it assigns the site for his ailius to Drum Congal, by which Dercongal is probably meant. How- ever, the latter place is usually associated with St. Drostan,? in the Scottish Kalendars. Ithasbeenconjectured,^also,thattheCongal,inDercongal,? has nothing whatever to do with the name of Comgall ; but, that in a primary sense, it may be regarded as meaning " a habitation," and in a secondary sense, as "a monastery," or "an ecclesiastical establishment. " His churches in Scotland are Dercongal, or Holywood,'° and Durris, where his fair is still held. According to Dempster," St. Congallus, Abbot of Haliwode, was
remarkable for his sanctity of life ; an observer and a maintainer of virginity ;
so that, by association with him, even the most dissolute were attracted to the virtue of continence. This is said to have been declared in the Book of his Miracles. " The Bollandists '3 who notice St. Comgall, Abbot of Haly- woode (Latinized Sacri Nemoris) in Scotia, state, on the authority of Thomas Dempster, that he was illustrious for his religious continence, while they add, that Camerarius has attributed to him many things, taken from the Life of St. Comgall, Abbot of Bangor, in Ultonia, which they had published, at the loth of May. There our biography of him will be found. If such be the case, not only have several of the Scottish writers mistaken his identity, but even the period, when he flourished. Thus, at the 12th of May,'+ Adam King
Article ix. — ' See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," pp. 30S to 310.
" See a paper on the Island of Tiree, in
the "Ulster Journal of Archeology," vol. ii. ,
pp. 233 to 244.
3 Tliis was fought in 561, according to
the Annals of Tigernach. See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernicarum Scrip- tores," tomusii. , p. 142.
^ See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," lib. iii. , cap. 17, n. (b), p. 220.
s III his " Scotichronicon," vol. i. , lib. ii. , chap. 12, p. 48. Goodall's edition.
7 Hisfeastoccurs,atthe15thofDecern- ber.
^ By "William F. Skene.
' This has been interpreted " the Oak- wood of Congal," from an Irish recluse, so named. See the "Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , p. 89.
" According to " Registrum Episcoporum Glasgua:," vol. i. , p. 117.
" See " Ilistoria Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomui i. , lib. iii. , num. 266, p. 158.
" Dempster adds, "quern Patricius An- dersonus se vidisse scribit. "
"^ 5^5 "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , * On this subject, sec the remarks of Maii xii. Among the pretermitted saints,
William F. . Skene, in his preface to tiie "Chronicles of the Picls, Chronicles of the Scots, and otiier early Mcmori. ils of Scottish History," pp. clxxi. to clxxviii.
p. 2.
'•Sec Bishop Forbes' " Kalendare of
Scottish Saints," p. 151.
'S Thus : " S. Congall abet of haliwode
—
May 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
enters in his Kalendar,'S St. Comgall, Abbot of Holywood, a confessor in Scotland, under King Malcolm II. , who flourished, a. d. 10 13. With some additions of his own, Thomas Dempster'^ quotes King, for this entry, at the same date. '? He is followed by Ferrarius. '^ The Bollandists '9 cite, like- wise, a Manuscript Catalogue, in their possession, in whicli his name, position, place,andperiod,aremarked. ^° HewroteTrophaeaCruceSignatorum,'' lib. i. , in elegant verse, and Catenam Bibliorum, MS. Parisiis, lib. i. , accord- ing to Dempster. Among the Scottish entries in the Kalendar of David Camerarius^^ is one for St. Comgall, at the 12th of May. ^s According to one authority,^'^ his body was preserved at Fulda ; but, we do not attach much credit to this statement, especially if the present saint has been con- founded with St. Comgall of Bangor. Churches are said to have been decU- cated to him, in various parts of the kingdom of Scotland. =5
Article X. Reputed Feast of another St. Congallus, in Scot- land. Thereseemstobenojustfoundationforintroducingthisnotice,from any of the Kalendars. At the 12th of May, however, Dempster,' quoting the authority of King," has an account of a St. Congallus, who flourished a. d. 446. He is said to have been distinct from and to have preceded the former, by nearly six hundred years ; that he was an abbot, and a holy bishop of the Culdees,3 is also asserted. It is possible, this notice is drawn from that of Camerarius, who has a St. Comgallus,* at the 2nd of January; his period being fixed at a. d. 600. He appears to have been confounded with St. Com- gall, of May loth, whose Life has been there given.
ArticleXI. ReputedFeastofSt. AntoninaandSixCompanion Virgins and Martyrs of St. Ursula, Cologne. In the Church of St. John the Baptist, in the city of Cologne, these holy Virgins and Martyrs are said to have been venerated, on the 12th of May. As companions of St. Ursula, their commemoration may be referred to her chief feast, celebrated on the 2ist of October. '
cites the Scottish Breviaiy.
See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. iii. , num. 266, p. 159.
Article x. — ' See " Historia Ecclesias- tica Gentis Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. iii. , num. 248, p. 149.
^ Now it is amusing to find, that King's Congallus is said to have flourished, under King Malcolm II. , a. d, 1013, and at Hali- wode.
^ jje adds : " dum Ertha ab insula Buta cum S. Blano filio in ulteriorem Scotiam ap- °° In this form: " Congellus Abbas de pulit, ut ex Hist. EcclesiDe Dumblanensis et Sacro-Bosco et Confessor anno 1013. " Vita S. Blani ex Georgio Neutono archidia- "' Fordun is said to have praised it. cono liquet, S. Kennethi collega. Vide supra " See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of lib. 11. in S. Blano. Scripsit Conciones ad
Scottish Saints," p. 237. Scotos et Pictos, lib. i. Homiliarum Opus, °3 Thus: "12 Die. Sanctus Congallus lib. i. Contra, Arrianos, lib. i.
and conf. in Scotland vnder king mal- colme 2. "
'* In "Menologium Scoticum. "—Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 199.
' Thus : " Monasterio Sacri Nemoris Haly VVoode Congalli abbatis, religiosa continentia clari. K.
'* In " Catalogus Generalis Sanctorum. "
"' See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Mali xii. Among the pretermiited saints, p. 2.
Abbas Rathurelfigi monasterii in Scotia. " This is the Rathmelsigi of Venerable Bede.
^t See Fordun's " Scotichronicon," vol. i. ,
• See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scot- tish Saints," p. 310.
Article xi. —' See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Mali xii,
lib. vii. , cap. 28, p. 406, Goodall's edition.
^s For the latter statements, Dempster Among the pretermitted saints, p. 4.
231
ArticleXII. —' Atthexxvii. Junii.
rum,tomusv. , MarianiScottiChronicon,
ji. 557.
' SeehisLife,alreadygivenatthe30thof
January, in the First \'ohimc of this work, Art. i.
* See Rev. James O'Laverty's " Historical Account of the Diocese of Down and Connor, Ancient and Modern," vol. i. , p. 10.
5 See Dr. O'Donovan's Annals of the
—
232 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. May 13.
ArticleXII. ReputedFeastofSt. Merexus,AbbotofBangor. On the authority of Camerarius/ the BoUandists^ have noted a feast on this day, for Merenus, as he stated, it was held, as also on the 28th of June. For this, the Aberdeen Breviary is quoted ; but, the Bollandists remark, in their copy of it, printed a. d. 1509, at neither date is there such an entry. Whether this presumed Abbot of Bangor had connexion with Ireland, or otherwise, is not made very clear.
CI)utfrntI) Gap of i¥la|>
ARTICLE I. —S'l\ TIGHERXACH, OF HOIRCHE, OR MOURNE, COUNTY OF DOWN.
{ELEVENTH CENTURY. ]
DURING this lovely month of May, we are introduced to the genial warmthofsummer. Thebeautyandfragranceofflowersovers[)read theland; but,thesweetodourofvirtuecanbeextractedonlyfromtheflowers of Heaven. From age to age, the spirit of sanctity is perpetuated in the Church of Christ. This distinguished and holy teacher was universally esteemed and beloved by the clergy of Ireland. The scene of his labours was but a small island, set in the bosom of the Atlantic ; but, the seed he had sowed was destined to produce a harvest of souls among his pupils. This pious doctor is supposed to have been master to Marianus Scotus,' and he is called the chief anmchara of Ireland. St. Tighernach—or as styled also by his disciple Tigernncb Borchecb ^—probably belonged to the eleventh cen- tury. Even those faults of character, which to the world seem trivial and of little consequence, are otherwise viewed by the saints, and, represented in their full deformity. They are judged by holy persons, according to the standard of Heaven, and when weighed in the balance of their estimation, the com- pensating merits are found wanting, without acts of great penitence. Marianus Scotus declares, that from his superior Tigernach, he learned the causeofAmnchad'sorAnmchad's3 exile,ontheoccasionofhishavingcom- mitted a slight fault. That superior of the celebrated chronologist is supposed to be identical with the present holy man. We are told, he was one of the Abbots of Bangor ;* yet, I cannot find his name on the list of Archdall, of Rev. Dr. Reeves, or of Dr. O'Donovan, when treating about that place. The Annals of the Four Masters relate, that a certain Tighernach Boircheach, chief anmchara of Ireland, was an anchoret and a successor of Finnen, Abbot of Clonard. By the i)ostfix to the name Tighearnach, we are to understand, that he was of Beanna-Boirche Mountains, near the source of the Upper Bann, in
" See "Acta Sanctorum," toinus iii. , Maii xii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 3.
Article i. — • See Colgan's *' Acta . Sane- torum Hibcrnia:," xxx. Januarii, De B. Anmichado Confessorc, n. 8, p. 206.
'See Monumenta Gernianire Ilistorica," edited by Professor George Waitz, Scriplo-
May 1 3.
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 233
J
the county of Down. s This grand congeries of sublime ranges spread over thewholebaronyofMourne. Theseextendconsiderably,intoUpperand Lower Iveagh. *^ A narrow band of country stretches, however, along the sea coast. 7 On the east side, they rise stupendously high over the Irish sea, and on the north side, they screen the south shores of Lough Strangford. One road runs round their sea base, from Rostrevor^ to Newcastle,^ a distance of eighteen miles. Two run across them from Hilltown,^° respectively to Kil- keel and Rostrevor. Eoirche is known to have been identical with the Chersonese district of Mourne," or Mugarna, said to have derived its name fromMugharna,inOrighillia—anancientterritory,whichincludedthecountyof
Tlie Mourne Mountains, County of Down.
Monaghan. '^ This Chersonese is bounded on the north-east by that exceedingly high mountain, celebrated in the Western world, which formerly bore the name
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 878 to 881, and n. (o), ibid.
* These are sometimes called the Ivea^h Mountains, and sometimes the Hen and Chickens.
' . See the " Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland,'' vol. ii. , p. 808.
" See Rev. William Reeves' "Ecclesias- tical Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dro- more," Appendix K, pp. 205 to 210, and Appendix LL, p. 37S.
'= The " Irish Itinerary" of Father Edmund MacCana, as translated by Dr. Reeves from the original, and which is preserved among other treasures of Irish literature, in the Bur-
^ In the parish of Kilbroney. It is de-
scribed, on the "Ordnance Survey Town- gundian Library at Brussels, adds, that
land Maps for the County of Down," sheets
5I' 54-
9 Newcastle is in the parish of Kilcoe, and
" when the family of MacMahon were driven by the English, through craft and force, from the lands of Bregia (the great plain of Bre-
it is shown, on the "Ordnance Survey gia embraced East Meath with some of the Townland Alaps for the County of Down," adjacent portions of Louth into the fastnesses sheet 49. Tiie parish itself is on sheets 42, of Origillia, and when the one small terri-
43' 48, 49, 52.
'° In the parish of Clonduff.
48. Ibid.
See sheet
tory was not sufficient to accommodate the two families—namely, the MacMahons and the MacEochys—the latter sought for them-
——
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 13.
of Slanga. In the common use of modern times, afterwards, from a patron saint,'3 it bore the name of Domangart—pronounced Donard. '-* This huge mass of land towers high over the sea, between which and its base, neverthe- less, was a thicket which the Irish called Bellach-a-Neaghri—that is, the "Pass of the JFood ;" and, there still exist the ruins of sacred buildings, once tenanted by some of our country's saints. This district is most romantic, and it will well repay the health-inspiring toil of the adventurous and robust tourist, who may desire to explore the passes and heights of tliose wild moun- tains. 's Colgan states,'^ that this Tighearnach was abbot over Clonard, where a celebrated monastery had been founded, in the sixth century. He was an anchoret, likewise, and a successor of St. Finnen,'? in that place. We read from the Irish Annals,'^ that in 1059, great diseases '£» prevailed in Laighin, and which caused the death of a great number of persons there. This holy and learned servant of Christ died of the plague, in a. d. 1061. "^° This is the date assigned by Tighernach, tlie Irish Annalist, for the great pestilence,^' which raged in Leinster, and which seems to have extended its ravages to other parts of Ireland. " At the 13th of May,^3 the Natalis of St. Tighernach, Anchoret and Confessor, in Ireland, is entered in the Kalendar of Driim- mond. ^+ On this day was venerated, as we find set down, in the Martyr- ologies of Marianus O'Gorman, and of Donegal,^5 St. Tighernach, of Boirche.
Article II. St. Moeldod, or IMoeldodius, Abbot of Mucnaimh, OR MucKNOE, County of Monaghan. At this date, in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,' we meet with the name of J^Ioeilidoid ; while, a nearlysimilarentryisintheFranciscancopy. ' TheBollandistshavegiven some brief Acts of this saint,3 at the 13th of May. Father Godefrid Henn-
234
selves another settlement—namely, this
Mugharna, which they subdued by force of
arm's and called after the name of their for-
mer inheritance. Of this they retained *' the small-pox," and the 'I'reaghait, or "the possession even unto the times Heniy VIII. " colic. "
So the writer learned from the mouth of '° See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the many aged men. See the Rev. James Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 878 to 881, and
O'Laverty's "Historical Account of the Dio- cese of Down and Connor, Ancient and Modern," pp. 24, 25.
»3 See the Acts of St. Domangart, or Donard, at the 24th of March, Art. i. , in the Third Volume of this work.
'« A view of this scenery is here given, from a Photograi>h drawn on the wood, by William F. Wakeman, and engraved by Mrs. Millard. The town of Newcastle is represented on the coast line, and Slieve Donard is the highest mountain top, tower- ing in the distance.
'5 A very excellent description and direc- tionmaybefound—withagoodmapofthat district embmcing the Mourne . Mountains in Black's "Guide to Belfast, the Giant's Causeway and the North of Ireland," pp. 356 to 364.
•*See "Acta Sanctorum I liberniae," XXX.
Januarii, Dc B. Anmichado Confcssore, n.
8, p.