At present, there are no ruins or any
traditions
about St.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v9
Cyricus, a Thracian, hermit and con- fessor,—is honoured on the 27th day of March, and a St.
Cyricus, a martyr at Rome whose period has not been ascertained—is venerated on the 4th of
are
published by
the
Bollandists,
2 and
interesting
they are preceded by a previous commentary,3 with notes appended, by Father John Perier, S. J. , at this day. He suffered martyrdom under the Emperor Antoninus, and his Acts were written by an eye-witness, the Priest Crisentianus.
whom I love. " 1 such a festival at this date ;
**
Cyricus,
July.
" See ibid. , cap. xii. , p. 56.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Sep-
tembrisxxi. Amwgthepretermittedfeasts,
p. 183.
4 " Nanius episcopus bis annunciatur apud
Ferrarium, ante in Hibernia, deinde in
Article VI. —'See Dr. Whitley Stokes' " Felire Hui Gormain," pp. 180, 181.
3
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Septembris xxi. De S. Samphilo Martyre Romse, Sylloge. De Memoria in Martyro- logiis, Cultu et Reliquiis. In five paragraphs, pp. 236, 237.
'
Article vii. — See Dr. Whitley Stokes'
"Felire Hui Gormain," pp. 180, 181.
Scotia.
**
Ferrarius enim laudat
Canisium, qui Ninianum habet duobus
diebus, numquam Naninum, sicut etiam in
alicpiot catalogis Sanctorum Hiberniae
2
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Sep-
Naninus ad hunc diem ponitur, Maninus tembris xxi. De S. Alexandro Episc. Mart,
etiam uno loco dictus, sed nuspiam via Claudia in Italia.
Ninianus. "—Ilnf.
s
also at that date in the volume, Art. i.
3 In eighteen paragraphs.
Articleviil—' SeeDr. Stokes' Whitley
"Felire Hui Gormain," pp. 180, 181. Article ix. —' See Dr. Whitley Stokes'
" Felire Hui Gormain," pp. 1S0, 181.
See
present
' See "Menologium Scoticum " in Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 2 12.
September 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 467
Article X. —Claudus. Marianus O'Gorman commemorates Claudus
molaimm, rendered "Claudus, whom I praise," on the 21st day of Septem-
1
ber. In no other Calendar is to be found such a saint's name, at this date.
ArticleXI. —Laudus. Atthe21stofSeptember,MarianusO'Gorman
1
This is noted, likewise by the Bollandists, at the present day, under the various names of Laudus, Laudonus, and Lautonus, on the authority of some additions to Usuard, and as noticed by Canisius, Ferrarius, Saussay, Castellan, as also in the Florarian and Parisian Martyrologies. However, with the Roman and other Martyrologies, they
defer his chief commemoration to the day succeeding. 3
Article XII. —St. Matthew, Apostle. In the Church of Ireland, the festival of St. Matthew was commemorated, on the 21st of September, and
has entered a feast for Laudus.
St. at that ^Engus date,
2
alludes to him with a 1 A Latin—note special eulogy.
is found — appended.
This
and
" 2
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. ,
shining! "
Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengns, p. cxxxviii.
Septembris xxi. feasts, p. I85.
3
Among the pretermitted
2 "i Thus :
They remark, that Saussay in his Series of Saints joins St. Laudus and St. Possessor in the same cultus.
Articlexil—' Inthe"LeabharBre—ac" copy of his Feilire, we have the stanza
StiAi-orium intMb rWsAch
Matha —
. i. euangelista qui apud
Iforr-vo
nAtvo noiblech
elt
P^ C°rP°ratl0n °{}^\ Vty'
by John T' -
iJ^iAt. 5
cotisDAch
glib"! , Dubl n l8
**
Ro a *vo. X
nUrhA murt 1
r^
'
en
corotecti.
'
s Many of the Saints specially venerated
in England are in it, but only a few of the Irish patrons.
Thus rendered into English by Dr. Whitley
Stokes :
"
May the hostful sage protect us
2
also called Levi was at first a tax-gatherer, and called early in his mission by our Divine Lord to become His disciple. After Christ's Resurrection, he preached among the Jews, and wrote his Gospel in the Hebrew tongue. He subsequently preached in Ethiopia, and his labours in that missionary field were confirmed by the performance of many miracles. He converted its King and the whole nation to the Christian religion. However, on the death of that potentate, because St. Matthew had induced Iphigenia to lead a life of celibacy, her father, Hirtacus, caused him to be slain while celebrating the Holy Mystery of the Altar, on the nth of the October Kalends. His body was translated to Salernum, where a church dedicated to him had been erected by the Sovereign Pontiff Gregory VII. There he was held in special veneration, and his tomb was frequented by great numbers of his pious votaries. On this day, likewise, Marianus O'Gorman
distinguished Apostle
Evangelist
records the festival of Matthew, an Apostle of Jesus. 3 The Chain Book of the City of Dublin,4 which is preceded by a Calendar of the well-known saints venerated in the Church,* has the Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, at the xi. of the October Kalends, (September 21st) with a noticethathehadanOfficecontainingNineLessons. Thisnumberalso corresponds with that set down at this date, in the Roman Breviary.
Article x. — * See Dr. Whitley Stokes'
into a high, sparkling station ! the sun white with beauty, Matthaeus a rampart, strong,
" Felire Hui Gormaiiy' pp. 180, 1 8 1. *
Article xi. — See Dr. Whitley Stokes' Felire Hui Gormain," pp. 180, 181.
—
"
Transactions of the-Royal Irish
Etiopiam marterio coronatus est. " cxlvi.
Ibid. , p.
3 See Dr. Whitley Stokes' 'Felire Hui
181.
* See the " Calendar of Ancient Records
Gormain," pp. 180,
of Dublin, in the Possession of the Munid-
1
oA
F. S. A M. R. I. A. , vol. 1. , p. 215.
/r
,
468 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 22.
CtoentMeronfc JBap of September.
ARTICLE I. —ST. COLUM, OR COLOMB CRAG, PRIEST AT ENACLI COUNTY OF LONDONDERRY.
[SIXTH CENTURY. ]
servant of God1 seems to have been born in the present early
sixth THE
Soon arrived monks from Derry, who brought news to Eanach from Iona, that the great archimandrite was dead. All who heard this shed tears in abundance. Nevertheless, when informed, that Columbkille had appointed St. Baithan* as his successor, Columb Crag asked Fintan what he then desired to do. The latter replied, that he should still persist in his purpose of going to Iona to place himself under the rule of that pious and wise man Baithen as his Abbot. The Church of Columb Crag was at Enach, in the
northern part of Ireland, at this time, when he was regarded as a venerable oldman. Astowhetherhehadbeenasuperiorofmonkswehavenoreco—rd
has allusion been made to him in the Life
century. Already
of St. Columkille. 2 The parentage of this St. Columb—surnamed Crag is unknown ; but by Colgan he has been considered identical with a very wise and venerable man, who was the friend of St. Fintan Munnu,3 in the youngeryearsofthelatter,andprobablyalsoaspiritualdirector. However this may be, when Fintan Munnu desired to take a voyage from Derry to Iona, in order to visit St. Columba, he sought the advice of Columb Crag, who then resided at Eanach,* and northwards from Derry. By our saint, Fintan was confirmed in that purpose, in the earlier part of June, a. d. 597.
left. About two miles to the north-east of
Derry,
this church of — Enagh
between the two small Loughs of Eastern and Western Enagh was
situated in the townland of 6 of Clondermot, and
present Templetown, parish
barony of Tirkeeran, County of Londonderry. ? There is a cemetery
the remains of an ecclesiastical 8 The ruins containing interesting building.
of this church measure ninety-one by twenty-one feet, with a transept on the south twenty-three feet square. Here the O'Cahans had their chief residence,* and from them the whole tract from the Foyle to the Bann got
I.
Article —' See an account of him in
at that date, an account of him is
in the Sixth Volume of this work, Art. iii.
6 It is shown on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of London- derry," Sheet 14.
7 See Acts of Archbishop Colton, in his "Metropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of Derry, a. d. mcccxcvii. " Edited by Dr. Reeves, n. (6), p. 28.
*In former times, it was a ohapel of Clondermot in the corps of Derry Deanery
Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
Life of St.
Columba," lib. i. , cap. 2, pp. 18 to 23, with
accompanying notes.
a
See the Sixth Volume of this work, at
June 9th, Art. i. Life of St. Columkille,chap. xvii.
3 His festival occurs on the 2 1 st of October, at which date some notices of him may be found.
4 It was near a castle, belonging to the
O'Cahan family. See Colgan's "Trias and Diocese.
Thaumaturga. " Quarta Vita S. Columbae,
lib. i. , cap. ii. , n. 22, p. 393.
s His feast is held on the 9th of June, and
'In Speed's Map of Ulster it is called Anoghe and placed on the west edge of the lake. Mercator and Bleau call it Anagh.
"
presented
—
September 22. I LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS
469
the name of 0'Kane's
country.
10 Their castle was situated on an island
in 11 The two small Lough Enagh.
of 1* lie between the Enagh
Loughs
mouth of the Foyle and Faughan Rivers, and near the western bank of the
latter stream, which has a romantic course in its rise from the Eagle's Nest
rocks,^ at the base of Sawel mountain, on the boundary of Tyrone County.
At present, there are no ruins or any traditions about St. Columb Crag, at
1
Templetown. * There are few townland denomi—nations more numerous
in Ireland than those known as Anna, or Annagh the modern equivalent
Enach Lough, County Londonderry-
x
for Enach. The compounds of this form are still more numerous. s It
therefore would not be easy of accomplishment to identify this exact locality, but that Colgan gives us a further clue, by calling the present Saint Columba Cragius, superior of Enagh, or the church of Cluainenaich, near Derry, in
10 In the middle ages, the O'Kanes were called Chiefs of Kienachta and Creeve.
11 In 1555, this castle was destroyed by Calvach O'Donnell, as related in Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. v. , pp. 1540, 1 541, and n. (h), ibid. It was afterwards re-edified. In 1591, Tyrone and the present County ot Londonderry had been converted into shire ground by Queen Elizabeth. In 1603, an Inquisition held at Anagh, this very place, found that O'Kane had endowed the church and its herenach in perpetuity, with " 2 quarteria terrse omnis generis proxime dictse ecclesise adjacentia. "
by the Rev. William O'Doherty, C. C. ,of St Columb's Church, Derry. It has been drawn on the wood and engraved by Gregor Grey.
13 " Several of the lateral glens in the up-
land part of its course have much romance
of character, and a large proportion of the low country which it washes is amongst the finest in the county. Large tracts of its vale are owned, and have been considerably improved, by the London Incorporated Companies. "—" Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 197-
x< Statement of Rev. William O'Doherty,
in a letter to the writer, dated Derry, May
6th, 1899.
i s See " General Alphabetical Index to
the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Baronies of Ireland," pp. 17 to 22.
12 The
accompanying
illustration of
Lough
Enagh is from a photograph, representing one of its best views, and kindly furnished
47© LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September22.
Ulster. 16 For this statement, too, he cites the authority of Adamnan. ^ St. Columb Crag survived St. Columbkille, but whether or not he lived into the seventh century is unknown. In the Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorraan, at the 22nd of September, there is a festival for Colomb, vehement, delightful (? ) as the Calendarist pleases to style him l8 while the scholion
;
x
observes he was a priest from Enach. 9 According to the Martyrology of
Donegal,20 Colum, Priest of Enach, was venerated at the 22nd of September. In the year 1197, this church of Cluain-i Eanach was plundered by Rostel Pyton, a partisan of John De Courcy and the English of Ulidia, during a
21
Article II. —St. Colman, Son of Cathbhadh, of Midhe-iseal. The anxious endeavours and desires of prudent parents should be directed to train their children, and make them walk in the paths of virtue. If such care were always taken, the world would rejoice in the example of saints.
1
At the 22nd of September, the Martyrology of Tallagh records a festival to
honour Colman, son of Cathbhadh, of Midisiul. The O'Clerys state, that Aighlenn, daughter of Lenin, was his mother. That his parents had well fulfilledtheirdutiestowardstheirsonseemstoadmitoflittledoubt. With the other saints venerated on this day, Marianus O'Gorman calls on godly, pure-coloured Colman, son of Cathbad, to help us. * The commentator adds, that he belonged to Midhisiul, interpreted Lower Meath. s At the same date, the Martyrology of Donegal* has an entry of Colman, son of Cathbhadh, from Mide isiul.
Article III. —St. Barrfhinn, said to have been a son of Ernin.
1
In the published Martyrology of Tallagh, a festival for Barrfin is entered at
the 22nd day of September, Nearly the same record is in that copy con- tained in the Book of Leinster. 2 On Little Island, on the River Suir, County of Waterford, a hermitage or monastery is said to have been founded in the sixth century by a St. Bairfionn, a disciple of St. Comgall. 3 However, we cannot state, that he is identical with the present holy man. The Martyr- ology of Marianus O'Gorman calls the saint here entered Barrfind mor, or "great Barrfind," while a commentator on that work states, he was mac Ernin, or u a son of Ernin. "4 A festival in honour of Barrlhinn, son of Ernin, is found recorded in the Martyrology of Donegal,* at this date.
predatory excursion.
16 See "Trias
pendix ad Acta S. Columbae, cap. x. , p. 489.
17 See Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. lxiv. , and n. 22, ibid. , p. 373.
:
18Hiswordsare "Columdiancomhaig. "
—Dr. Whitley Stokes'" Felire Hui Gor- main," p. 182.
2 Thus run the lines — Colman diada dathglan,
19 Thus 183.
"——
As edited by Rev. Dr.
ii.
sect,—
History, i. , pp. 22, 23.
part 3, p. 348.
20
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
"Thus :bArvtMnx>.
3
Article ii.
*
* See Dr.
:
Sacarl 6 Enach. " Ibid. , p.
Article hi. Kelly, p. xxxiv.
•
Thaumaturga," Quarta Ap-
:
252, 253.
21 See " Memoir of the City and North
Western Liberties of Londonderry," part
See "Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland " for Quarter ending 30th September, 1897. Fifth Series, vol. iii. ,
Stokes' " Felire Hui
Whitley Gormain," pp. 182, 183.
s Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 252,253.
Edited
In the Irish copy of the
Kelly, p. xxxiv.
Book of Leinster we read CoLniAn tYlac
CAch1 TYlroiput.
by
Rev. Dr.
— Mac Cat [h] bad diar cobair. "
Dr. Whitley Stokes' Felire ITui Gormain," p. 182.
3Seeibid,andnotes,pp,182,183.
4 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
254, 255.
September 22. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 47:
Article IV. —St. Aedh, or Aidus, Son of Senach. In the 1
Martyrology of Tallaght, at the 22nd of September, the name Aedh, mac Senaigh, is set down as having been venerated. In that copy found
in the Book of he is called Aed mac Leinster,
Senaigh,
mac Ernin. 3 With
a eulogy he is entered, at this same date, in the Martyrology of Marianus
O'Gorman. 3 Colgan alludes, likewise, to this Aidus, son of Senach. * The
O'Clerys state, that he was one of the twos saints, who went with Moling of
Luachair,
6 toaskforaremissionoftheBorumhatributeontheLeinstermen
from Fionuachta, King of Erin. Forannan was the second saint, and
Colman, of Cluain Credhaii, was another of the two. ? So runs the
Calendarist's statement ; yet, it must be acknowledged, there is much
ambiguity in it. 8 He is described more fully than by the earlier Calendarists
in the Martyrology of Donegal,9 at this same date, as Aedh, son of Senach.
In the Manuscript copy of the Calendar which belonged to the Irish
Ordnance Survey Office, the name of Aodh mac Seanaig occurs at the 22nd
10
ArticleV. —MartyrdomofSt. MauriceandhisCompanions. In
the Feilire of St yEngus, the Martyrdom of St. Maurice and Companions is
set at the 22nd of 1 A comment is in which down, day September. postfixed,*
it is stated, that they underwent martyrdom at the hands of the Emperor Maximiantothenumberof12,600. Thisappears,however,tobeanexaggera- tion of the number of those slain, according to the most reliable ancient accounts. Under the Emperor Diocletian,3 who had been invested by his army with the Roman purple a. d. 284, Maximian had been created Caesar, and to him was assigned the care and defence of —the West. * While engaged on an expedition to Gaul, the Thebean Legion so called because it had been chiefly recruited in Thebais or Upper Egypt
of September.
—was under the command of Saint Maurice, and composed almost exclusively of zealous Christians. When they had marched to Octodurum, then a considerable city on the
Article iv. — z Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xxxiv.
a Thus : Aer> mAC Sen-Aijh mac eftnn.
:
3Thus "AedminogmacSenaig,"which
"
n See p. 80.
Article v. —' In the " Leabhar Breac " copy we read :
ttAncAteo tnwtiic '. . „„,,,. *\
V°* "°lb TMtlb -°eAC
It is thus translated by Dr. Whitley Stokes :
is rendered by Dr. Whitley Stokes,
gentle
4 See « Acta Sanctorum Hiberni*," xxxi. Januarii. Vita S. Moedoci. Appendix, cap. i. , p. 221.
5 A note by Drs. Todd and Reeves, says
: at this word Two "
"
Pantaleo, Mauricius, their great hosts,
"Carva
in the manuscript, but over it is written
cpef (three) to reconcile it with the sequel. " Then we are referred to the 7th of October, at p. 269, in the work which they have jointly edited.
'See his Life, at the 17th June, in the Sixth Volume of this work, Art. i.
Irish Manuscript Series," vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, pp. cxxxviii, cxxxix.
2"
At the words fUug occ. . i. dochuatar
amart—rai lamaxim imper . i. dc. ar dib m. dec. " Ibid. , p. cxlvi.
3 See an account of him in the " Dic- tionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology," edited by William Smith,
LL. D. , vol. 1. , pp. ion to 1014.
4 See a full account of him in Muratori's
"Annali d'ltalia dal Principio dell* Era
Volgare sino all' Anno 1750," tomo secondo,
pp. 155 to 213.
s See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Sep-
tembris xxii. De SS.
are
published by
the
Bollandists,
2 and
interesting
they are preceded by a previous commentary,3 with notes appended, by Father John Perier, S. J. , at this day. He suffered martyrdom under the Emperor Antoninus, and his Acts were written by an eye-witness, the Priest Crisentianus.
whom I love. " 1 such a festival at this date ;
**
Cyricus,
July.
" See ibid. , cap. xii. , p. 56.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Sep-
tembrisxxi. Amwgthepretermittedfeasts,
p. 183.
4 " Nanius episcopus bis annunciatur apud
Ferrarium, ante in Hibernia, deinde in
Article VI. —'See Dr. Whitley Stokes' " Felire Hui Gormain," pp. 180, 181.
3
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Septembris xxi. De S. Samphilo Martyre Romse, Sylloge. De Memoria in Martyro- logiis, Cultu et Reliquiis. In five paragraphs, pp. 236, 237.
'
Article vii. — See Dr. Whitley Stokes'
"Felire Hui Gormain," pp. 180, 181.
Scotia.
**
Ferrarius enim laudat
Canisium, qui Ninianum habet duobus
diebus, numquam Naninum, sicut etiam in
alicpiot catalogis Sanctorum Hiberniae
2
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Sep-
Naninus ad hunc diem ponitur, Maninus tembris xxi. De S. Alexandro Episc. Mart,
etiam uno loco dictus, sed nuspiam via Claudia in Italia.
Ninianus. "—Ilnf.
s
also at that date in the volume, Art. i.
3 In eighteen paragraphs.
Articleviil—' SeeDr. Stokes' Whitley
"Felire Hui Gormain," pp. 180, 181. Article ix. —' See Dr. Whitley Stokes'
" Felire Hui Gormain," pp. 1S0, 181.
See
present
' See "Menologium Scoticum " in Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 2 12.
September 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 467
Article X. —Claudus. Marianus O'Gorman commemorates Claudus
molaimm, rendered "Claudus, whom I praise," on the 21st day of Septem-
1
ber. In no other Calendar is to be found such a saint's name, at this date.
ArticleXI. —Laudus. Atthe21stofSeptember,MarianusO'Gorman
1
This is noted, likewise by the Bollandists, at the present day, under the various names of Laudus, Laudonus, and Lautonus, on the authority of some additions to Usuard, and as noticed by Canisius, Ferrarius, Saussay, Castellan, as also in the Florarian and Parisian Martyrologies. However, with the Roman and other Martyrologies, they
defer his chief commemoration to the day succeeding. 3
Article XII. —St. Matthew, Apostle. In the Church of Ireland, the festival of St. Matthew was commemorated, on the 21st of September, and
has entered a feast for Laudus.
St. at that ^Engus date,
2
alludes to him with a 1 A Latin—note special eulogy.
is found — appended.
This
and
" 2
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. ,
shining! "
Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengns, p. cxxxviii.
Septembris xxi. feasts, p. I85.
3
Among the pretermitted
2 "i Thus :
They remark, that Saussay in his Series of Saints joins St. Laudus and St. Possessor in the same cultus.
Articlexil—' Inthe"LeabharBre—ac" copy of his Feilire, we have the stanza
StiAi-orium intMb rWsAch
Matha —
. i. euangelista qui apud
Iforr-vo
nAtvo noiblech
elt
P^ C°rP°ratl0n °{}^\ Vty'
by John T' -
iJ^iAt. 5
cotisDAch
glib"! , Dubl n l8
**
Ro a *vo. X
nUrhA murt 1
r^
'
en
corotecti.
'
s Many of the Saints specially venerated
in England are in it, but only a few of the Irish patrons.
Thus rendered into English by Dr. Whitley
Stokes :
"
May the hostful sage protect us
2
also called Levi was at first a tax-gatherer, and called early in his mission by our Divine Lord to become His disciple. After Christ's Resurrection, he preached among the Jews, and wrote his Gospel in the Hebrew tongue. He subsequently preached in Ethiopia, and his labours in that missionary field were confirmed by the performance of many miracles. He converted its King and the whole nation to the Christian religion. However, on the death of that potentate, because St. Matthew had induced Iphigenia to lead a life of celibacy, her father, Hirtacus, caused him to be slain while celebrating the Holy Mystery of the Altar, on the nth of the October Kalends. His body was translated to Salernum, where a church dedicated to him had been erected by the Sovereign Pontiff Gregory VII. There he was held in special veneration, and his tomb was frequented by great numbers of his pious votaries. On this day, likewise, Marianus O'Gorman
distinguished Apostle
Evangelist
records the festival of Matthew, an Apostle of Jesus. 3 The Chain Book of the City of Dublin,4 which is preceded by a Calendar of the well-known saints venerated in the Church,* has the Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, at the xi. of the October Kalends, (September 21st) with a noticethathehadanOfficecontainingNineLessons. Thisnumberalso corresponds with that set down at this date, in the Roman Breviary.
Article x. — * See Dr. Whitley Stokes'
into a high, sparkling station ! the sun white with beauty, Matthaeus a rampart, strong,
" Felire Hui Gormaiiy' pp. 180, 1 8 1. *
Article xi. — See Dr. Whitley Stokes' Felire Hui Gormain," pp. 180, 181.
—
"
Transactions of the-Royal Irish
Etiopiam marterio coronatus est. " cxlvi.
Ibid. , p.
3 See Dr. Whitley Stokes' 'Felire Hui
181.
* See the " Calendar of Ancient Records
Gormain," pp. 180,
of Dublin, in the Possession of the Munid-
1
oA
F. S. A M. R. I. A. , vol. 1. , p. 215.
/r
,
468 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 22.
CtoentMeronfc JBap of September.
ARTICLE I. —ST. COLUM, OR COLOMB CRAG, PRIEST AT ENACLI COUNTY OF LONDONDERRY.
[SIXTH CENTURY. ]
servant of God1 seems to have been born in the present early
sixth THE
Soon arrived monks from Derry, who brought news to Eanach from Iona, that the great archimandrite was dead. All who heard this shed tears in abundance. Nevertheless, when informed, that Columbkille had appointed St. Baithan* as his successor, Columb Crag asked Fintan what he then desired to do. The latter replied, that he should still persist in his purpose of going to Iona to place himself under the rule of that pious and wise man Baithen as his Abbot. The Church of Columb Crag was at Enach, in the
northern part of Ireland, at this time, when he was regarded as a venerable oldman. Astowhetherhehadbeenasuperiorofmonkswehavenoreco—rd
has allusion been made to him in the Life
century. Already
of St. Columkille. 2 The parentage of this St. Columb—surnamed Crag is unknown ; but by Colgan he has been considered identical with a very wise and venerable man, who was the friend of St. Fintan Munnu,3 in the youngeryearsofthelatter,andprobablyalsoaspiritualdirector. However this may be, when Fintan Munnu desired to take a voyage from Derry to Iona, in order to visit St. Columba, he sought the advice of Columb Crag, who then resided at Eanach,* and northwards from Derry. By our saint, Fintan was confirmed in that purpose, in the earlier part of June, a. d. 597.
left. About two miles to the north-east of
Derry,
this church of — Enagh
between the two small Loughs of Eastern and Western Enagh was
situated in the townland of 6 of Clondermot, and
present Templetown, parish
barony of Tirkeeran, County of Londonderry. ? There is a cemetery
the remains of an ecclesiastical 8 The ruins containing interesting building.
of this church measure ninety-one by twenty-one feet, with a transept on the south twenty-three feet square. Here the O'Cahans had their chief residence,* and from them the whole tract from the Foyle to the Bann got
I.
Article —' See an account of him in
at that date, an account of him is
in the Sixth Volume of this work, Art. iii.
6 It is shown on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of London- derry," Sheet 14.
7 See Acts of Archbishop Colton, in his "Metropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of Derry, a. d. mcccxcvii. " Edited by Dr. Reeves, n. (6), p. 28.
*In former times, it was a ohapel of Clondermot in the corps of Derry Deanery
Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
Life of St.
Columba," lib. i. , cap. 2, pp. 18 to 23, with
accompanying notes.
a
See the Sixth Volume of this work, at
June 9th, Art. i. Life of St. Columkille,chap. xvii.
3 His festival occurs on the 2 1 st of October, at which date some notices of him may be found.
4 It was near a castle, belonging to the
O'Cahan family. See Colgan's "Trias and Diocese.
Thaumaturga. " Quarta Vita S. Columbae,
lib. i. , cap. ii. , n. 22, p. 393.
s His feast is held on the 9th of June, and
'In Speed's Map of Ulster it is called Anoghe and placed on the west edge of the lake. Mercator and Bleau call it Anagh.
"
presented
—
September 22. I LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS
469
the name of 0'Kane's
country.
10 Their castle was situated on an island
in 11 The two small Lough Enagh.
of 1* lie between the Enagh
Loughs
mouth of the Foyle and Faughan Rivers, and near the western bank of the
latter stream, which has a romantic course in its rise from the Eagle's Nest
rocks,^ at the base of Sawel mountain, on the boundary of Tyrone County.
At present, there are no ruins or any traditions about St. Columb Crag, at
1
Templetown. * There are few townland denomi—nations more numerous
in Ireland than those known as Anna, or Annagh the modern equivalent
Enach Lough, County Londonderry-
x
for Enach. The compounds of this form are still more numerous. s It
therefore would not be easy of accomplishment to identify this exact locality, but that Colgan gives us a further clue, by calling the present Saint Columba Cragius, superior of Enagh, or the church of Cluainenaich, near Derry, in
10 In the middle ages, the O'Kanes were called Chiefs of Kienachta and Creeve.
11 In 1555, this castle was destroyed by Calvach O'Donnell, as related in Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. v. , pp. 1540, 1 541, and n. (h), ibid. It was afterwards re-edified. In 1591, Tyrone and the present County ot Londonderry had been converted into shire ground by Queen Elizabeth. In 1603, an Inquisition held at Anagh, this very place, found that O'Kane had endowed the church and its herenach in perpetuity, with " 2 quarteria terrse omnis generis proxime dictse ecclesise adjacentia. "
by the Rev. William O'Doherty, C. C. ,of St Columb's Church, Derry. It has been drawn on the wood and engraved by Gregor Grey.
13 " Several of the lateral glens in the up-
land part of its course have much romance
of character, and a large proportion of the low country which it washes is amongst the finest in the county. Large tracts of its vale are owned, and have been considerably improved, by the London Incorporated Companies. "—" Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 197-
x< Statement of Rev. William O'Doherty,
in a letter to the writer, dated Derry, May
6th, 1899.
i s See " General Alphabetical Index to
the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Baronies of Ireland," pp. 17 to 22.
12 The
accompanying
illustration of
Lough
Enagh is from a photograph, representing one of its best views, and kindly furnished
47© LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September22.
Ulster. 16 For this statement, too, he cites the authority of Adamnan. ^ St. Columb Crag survived St. Columbkille, but whether or not he lived into the seventh century is unknown. In the Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorraan, at the 22nd of September, there is a festival for Colomb, vehement, delightful (? ) as the Calendarist pleases to style him l8 while the scholion
;
x
observes he was a priest from Enach. 9 According to the Martyrology of
Donegal,20 Colum, Priest of Enach, was venerated at the 22nd of September. In the year 1197, this church of Cluain-i Eanach was plundered by Rostel Pyton, a partisan of John De Courcy and the English of Ulidia, during a
21
Article II. —St. Colman, Son of Cathbhadh, of Midhe-iseal. The anxious endeavours and desires of prudent parents should be directed to train their children, and make them walk in the paths of virtue. If such care were always taken, the world would rejoice in the example of saints.
1
At the 22nd of September, the Martyrology of Tallagh records a festival to
honour Colman, son of Cathbhadh, of Midisiul. The O'Clerys state, that Aighlenn, daughter of Lenin, was his mother. That his parents had well fulfilledtheirdutiestowardstheirsonseemstoadmitoflittledoubt. With the other saints venerated on this day, Marianus O'Gorman calls on godly, pure-coloured Colman, son of Cathbad, to help us. * The commentator adds, that he belonged to Midhisiul, interpreted Lower Meath. s At the same date, the Martyrology of Donegal* has an entry of Colman, son of Cathbhadh, from Mide isiul.
Article III. —St. Barrfhinn, said to have been a son of Ernin.
1
In the published Martyrology of Tallagh, a festival for Barrfin is entered at
the 22nd day of September, Nearly the same record is in that copy con- tained in the Book of Leinster. 2 On Little Island, on the River Suir, County of Waterford, a hermitage or monastery is said to have been founded in the sixth century by a St. Bairfionn, a disciple of St. Comgall. 3 However, we cannot state, that he is identical with the present holy man. The Martyr- ology of Marianus O'Gorman calls the saint here entered Barrfind mor, or "great Barrfind," while a commentator on that work states, he was mac Ernin, or u a son of Ernin. "4 A festival in honour of Barrlhinn, son of Ernin, is found recorded in the Martyrology of Donegal,* at this date.
predatory excursion.
16 See "Trias
pendix ad Acta S. Columbae, cap. x. , p. 489.
17 See Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. lxiv. , and n. 22, ibid. , p. 373.
:
18Hiswordsare "Columdiancomhaig. "
—Dr. Whitley Stokes'" Felire Hui Gor- main," p. 182.
2 Thus run the lines — Colman diada dathglan,
19 Thus 183.
"——
As edited by Rev. Dr.
ii.
sect,—
History, i. , pp. 22, 23.
part 3, p. 348.
20
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
"Thus :bArvtMnx>.
3
Article ii.
*
* See Dr.
:
Sacarl 6 Enach. " Ibid. , p.
Article hi. Kelly, p. xxxiv.
•
Thaumaturga," Quarta Ap-
:
252, 253.
21 See " Memoir of the City and North
Western Liberties of Londonderry," part
See "Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland " for Quarter ending 30th September, 1897. Fifth Series, vol. iii. ,
Stokes' " Felire Hui
Whitley Gormain," pp. 182, 183.
s Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 252,253.
Edited
In the Irish copy of the
Kelly, p. xxxiv.
Book of Leinster we read CoLniAn tYlac
CAch1 TYlroiput.
by
Rev. Dr.
— Mac Cat [h] bad diar cobair. "
Dr. Whitley Stokes' Felire ITui Gormain," p. 182.
3Seeibid,andnotes,pp,182,183.
4 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
254, 255.
September 22. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 47:
Article IV. —St. Aedh, or Aidus, Son of Senach. In the 1
Martyrology of Tallaght, at the 22nd of September, the name Aedh, mac Senaigh, is set down as having been venerated. In that copy found
in the Book of he is called Aed mac Leinster,
Senaigh,
mac Ernin. 3 With
a eulogy he is entered, at this same date, in the Martyrology of Marianus
O'Gorman. 3 Colgan alludes, likewise, to this Aidus, son of Senach. * The
O'Clerys state, that he was one of the twos saints, who went with Moling of
Luachair,
6 toaskforaremissionoftheBorumhatributeontheLeinstermen
from Fionuachta, King of Erin. Forannan was the second saint, and
Colman, of Cluain Credhaii, was another of the two. ? So runs the
Calendarist's statement ; yet, it must be acknowledged, there is much
ambiguity in it. 8 He is described more fully than by the earlier Calendarists
in the Martyrology of Donegal,9 at this same date, as Aedh, son of Senach.
In the Manuscript copy of the Calendar which belonged to the Irish
Ordnance Survey Office, the name of Aodh mac Seanaig occurs at the 22nd
10
ArticleV. —MartyrdomofSt. MauriceandhisCompanions. In
the Feilire of St yEngus, the Martyrdom of St. Maurice and Companions is
set at the 22nd of 1 A comment is in which down, day September. postfixed,*
it is stated, that they underwent martyrdom at the hands of the Emperor Maximiantothenumberof12,600. Thisappears,however,tobeanexaggera- tion of the number of those slain, according to the most reliable ancient accounts. Under the Emperor Diocletian,3 who had been invested by his army with the Roman purple a. d. 284, Maximian had been created Caesar, and to him was assigned the care and defence of —the West. * While engaged on an expedition to Gaul, the Thebean Legion so called because it had been chiefly recruited in Thebais or Upper Egypt
of September.
—was under the command of Saint Maurice, and composed almost exclusively of zealous Christians. When they had marched to Octodurum, then a considerable city on the
Article iv. — z Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xxxiv.
a Thus : Aer> mAC Sen-Aijh mac eftnn.
:
3Thus "AedminogmacSenaig,"which
"
n See p. 80.
Article v. —' In the " Leabhar Breac " copy we read :
ttAncAteo tnwtiic '. . „„,,,. *\
V°* "°lb TMtlb -°eAC
It is thus translated by Dr. Whitley Stokes :
is rendered by Dr. Whitley Stokes,
gentle
4 See « Acta Sanctorum Hiberni*," xxxi. Januarii. Vita S. Moedoci. Appendix, cap. i. , p. 221.
5 A note by Drs. Todd and Reeves, says
: at this word Two "
"
Pantaleo, Mauricius, their great hosts,
"Carva
in the manuscript, but over it is written
cpef (three) to reconcile it with the sequel. " Then we are referred to the 7th of October, at p. 269, in the work which they have jointly edited.
'See his Life, at the 17th June, in the Sixth Volume of this work, Art. i.
Irish Manuscript Series," vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, pp. cxxxviii, cxxxix.
2"
At the words fUug occ. . i. dochuatar
amart—rai lamaxim imper . i. dc. ar dib m. dec. " Ibid. , p. cxlvi.
3 See an account of him in the " Dic- tionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology," edited by William Smith,
LL. D. , vol. 1. , pp. ion to 1014.
4 See a full account of him in Muratori's
"Annali d'ltalia dal Principio dell* Era
Volgare sino all' Anno 1750," tomo secondo,
pp. 155 to 213.
s See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Sep-
tembris xxii. De SS.
