3 There was a
religious
establishment at a place called Killiadhuin,
supposed to have been founded by the present saint, and named after her.
supposed to have been founded by the present saint, and named after her.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v8
A holy and child-like simplicity of manner and feeling, combined with solid common sense and virtuous dispositions, are qualifications requisite to form the perfect religious.
A seeming contrariety in his character constitutes the greatest charm, and in our early Christian society many venerable persons were so distinguished.
We cannot doubt, from the epithet bestowed on the present distinguished ecclesiastic, but that with great sanctity he united great
judgment and ability, natural and acquired. He thought of the Lord in
goodness,
and
sought
Him in
simplicity
of heart. 1 at the 10th of Already,
February, some account of Airennan or Airendan, Bishop of Tallagh, in the 2
CountyofDublin,maybefound, butwhetherhebethesameastheholyand Wise man, venerated on this day, is rather questionable. The first noticed is titled a Bishop, while the present saint only obtains the designation of Abbot. In the " Feilire " of St. ^Engus,3 at the nth of August, there is a commemoration of St. Aireran. It is stated, likewise, that for wisdom he was famous. An Irish comment is affixed, however, in which the scholiast expresses doubt, as tohisparticularplace/ Atthissamedate,afestivaloccursintheMartyro- logies of Tallagh,s to honour Aireran, denominated The Wise. He is said, also, to have been Abbot of Tamlachtan,6 for Maeileruain. The Bollandists 7 have a passing allusion to Aileranus or Eleranus the Wise, at this date ; but, they regret not being able to find much matter for the elucidation of his Acts.
Again we are told, that he was Abbot of Tamlacht, next after Maelruain, in 8
the Martyrology of Donegal, while that of Tallagh seems to intimate, that he
chain was Abbot of Boyle, and he died in
Heis
"Beseech Aireran of the wisdom whose
"headofthe
fameis not
the
wisdom, knowledge and instruction of Tiburtius the strenuous and prudent. "
year 1441.
styled
withValerianthe — hidden, pure,
Connaught. " See Dr. John O'Donovan's "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy,"
"Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i v. pp.
922, 923.
38 See John O'Donovan's " Genealogies,
Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. Calendar of CEngus, p. cxxiii.
On the
* The English translation is Aireran, i. e. , Tribes, and Customs of Hy-Fichrach, com- of Tech Airerain in Meath, and lector of
monly called —O'Dowd's country," pp. 41,
42, and n. (p). —Ibid.
Cluain was he. Or in Clondalkin. Or (he was) Abbot of Tamlacht, Maelruain. " See
* Article ii. Wisdom
cxxx.
s Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxi.
6 In the Book of Leinster copy is the
-<Mr\er\Airt eu -Ab CAmlacc entry fApiencir"
pr\o rrlelr\UAir).
7 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Au-
gusti xi. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 607.
« Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 216, 217.
i. , 1.
See, at that date, in the Second Volume
ibid. , p.
a
of this work, Art. vi.
3 In the " Leabhar Breac "
we find the following stanza, and thus rendered into
English by Whitley Stokes, LL. D :— 5uit> 4ir\er\Att inoecrtai
-AfAclu riAccebari
La tlAl]MAn niT)An
Urubuaur1
cpen cr\ebAj\.
copy,
1 68 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August ii,
was Abbot for Maelruan, but this probably conveys the same meaning. There is a place in the County of Westmeath, formerly written Tigh-Airindan, where there had been a religious establishment, so early as the ninth century, if not before that period. It was so called to the present century,9 although gene-
11
Making allowance for probable mis- spelling, it would seem this was the locality in which the present saint lived, and after whom it received a local designation yet subsisting. From this place, it is possible he proceeded to Tallagh, in the County of Dublin. He
was there, it is stated, in company with the holy founder, St. Maelruan, 12 and probably with St. yEngus the Culdee. ^ It appears, he succeeded as Abbot of
Tifarnanor 10 Thisis thenameofatownlandand Tyfarnham.
rally anglicized
parish, in the barony of Corkaree, and the place lies about five and a half
miles, north-east from Mullingar.
that monastery, immediately after the death of Maelruan. Again, according to 1
some writers, he had been identical with the St. Airennan, * who, as Bishop of
Tallagh, is venerated at the ioth of February. If such conjecture be correct, there must have been a double festival instituted to honour him. However, this festival may have been held, on one of these days, associated with his name, in that particular locality of Meath, while on the other day, his memory may have been separately commemorated at Tallagh. This distinguished man flourished—it has been thought—late in the eighth and he died early in the ninth century. There is also a St. Aireran or Aileran, surnamed " the Wise,"
1^
is venerated on the of December, and he as Abbot over
who
Clonard, in the County of Meath. To all men, the present holy man was ever the same—the true, perfect religious, whose very appearance commanded respect and won esteem. His character was one very rarely found, combining high qualifications of mind and a clear penetrating intellect, with the most beautiful simplicity of character and disposition.
Article III. —St. ^Engus, or Maccridhe, of Mochta, of Lughmhagh, or of Louth, County of Louth. No one could be more thoroughly im- pressed with the responsibility and dignity of his mission than was this saint,
and, for that reason, his every-day existence exemplified the disciple earnestly striving to walk at a humble distance in the footsteps of his Master. We
• See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath,
Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. , chap, lxxiv. ,
'5 His Acts are set down at that date, in the Twelfth Volume of this work,
Article hi. —« Edited Drs. Todd and by
Reeves, pp. 216, 217.
3 A note by Dr. Todd states at this
denomination, Son of the heart, i. e. , "son of
affection or adoption. ''
3 Here, as Dr. Todd remarks, the more
recent hand adds :" I'oiius S. Ailbeo nt
constat ex ejus vita," meaning that Mac- endhe was rather the pupil and adopted son of St Aiibe, and not of St. Mochta of Louth. "
* His Acts may be seen at the 19th of August—the date for his feast—in the pre- sent volume.
5 It is classed in the catalogue, vol. iv. ,
608.
p.
10 " See Dr. O'Donovan's
Annals of the
Four Masters, vol. i. , pp. 526, 527, and n. (h. )—Ibid.
11
This parish is marked, on the "Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Westmeath," sheets 7, II, 12. 18. The townland proper is on sheet 12.
" See notices of this saint, at the 7th of July, in the Seventh Volume of this work, Art. i.
13 See his life, at the nth of March, in the Third Volume of this work, Art. i.
14 See notices of him, at that date, in the Second Volume of this work, Art. vf.
29th presided
in the of 1 that at the nth of was vene- Martyrology Donegal, August
read,
rated one called Maccridhe, />. , son of the heart," of Mochta, of Lughmhagh. This title he obtained, because he was a dear pupil to St. Mochta. ^Enghuswashisfirstname. ' Whetherthepresentsainthadbeenconnected with St. Mochta of Louth/ or with his locality, does not appear to be very
"2
August ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 169
certain. This is probably the St. Maccretius, whose Acts Colgan had pre- pared for publication at the nth of August, as we learn from the posthumous
list of his Manuscripts. And, we find, moreover, that Brother Michael O'Clery has left a tract, which he transcribed, while it is among the Manu-
"
scripts, preserved in the Burgundian Library of Bruxelles. s It is intituled,
S.
MacreciiVita. "6 Forwantofamoreperfectdescription,wecanonlysurmise,
it must have reference to the present saint. Some extracts from it are given,
by Professor Eugene O'Curry,? who transcribed a copy of it, from the
ing
541.
in 8 We are informed, that Mac Creiche lived in the
Manuscript question.
time of St. Ailbhe,9 Bishop of Imleach-Jubhair, now Emly, and who, accord-
to the Annals of the Four Masters, died a. d.
terrible pestilence, known as the Crom Chonnaill^ broke out, and spread over Ireland, and this caused the death of great numbers of its inhabitants. 11 It is stated, in the ancient Irish Life of St. Mac Creiche, of Thomond,that the Crom, or, more correctly, Crumh Cho—nnaill—which in the passage referred to means an animal of the maggot kind was destroyed by a fiery bolt from heaven, through the prayers of the saint in Magh Uladh, in Kerry. The plague in question was also called Buidhe ChonnaillTM There can be no doubt, but that
its ravages must have proved fatal in most instances, as the mortality was so great. A very interesting account of the first Buidhe Chonnaill'^ has been given by Sir William R. Wilde, in his Treatise on the History of Irish Diseases. ^ He tells us, that the term Buidhe Chonnaill has been, even by writers of authority, long misunderstood, several supposing that Connall was a man's name, whereas it is the stalk of corn, and more particularly the stubble, which assumes a blay or grayish-yellow appearance, after being cut ; and the term may have been applied from the similitude of the colour of the skin to the yellow hue of recent stubble. Crom Chonnaill is a synonyme for the same disease, in perhaps a more aggravated form, crom or cron being a
dull-black or dark-grey colour, and buidhe a bright-yellow, as people still say in popular language, the yellow jaundice, Galar Buidhe, and the black jaundice, Galar Dubh. The earliest appearance of the terrible epidemic, known as the Buidhe Chonnaill, is said to have been the first special pestilence, re- corded in the Irish Christian annals. It commenced about the year 539, and
1 it lasted nearly thirty years. *
parti. Nos. 2324-2340.
6
Fol. 89.
7 See " Lectures on the
It was preceded by famine, and followed by
circumstance, but leave a record of the io- calities which it visited, with the duration
Ma- terials of Ancient Irish History. " Appendix
and extent of the
" In the Cambrian Annals this epidemic
is styled Vail Ve—len, Lalwellen or VadVehn
—flava pestis expressive of the same disease known in Ireland as Buidhe Chon- nuill.
^Acknowledgments are made to Pro- fessor O'Curry tor reference to the Crumh Chonnaill,. as found in the Irish Life of St. MacCreiche.
*« This appeared in Reports of the Irish
Census of 185 1, part v. , published by au- thorization of the Imperial Parliament,
cli. , pp. 630 to 632.
8
See Ibid. Appendix clvii. , p. 647. 'His feast occurs on the 12th of Septem-
ber, at which date notices of him may be found.
^
See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol i. ,
10
pp. 182, 183.
*l
The Annals of Ulster and of Clonmac- noise state, that the disease was preceded by a famine, the dates varying from a. d. 535 to 539>and this great plague is said to have commencedin at nowa
J5 Amultitude of
ravages of this disease in other countries as well as in Ireland, during this period, are collected by Sir Wm. R. Wilde from various sources. Reference is also made to Adam- nan's "Life of St. Columba," edited by Rev. Dr. Reeves, and then in preparation,
by the Irish Archaeological Society,
x
Article iv. — Edited by Drs. Todd and
Ireland, Glasnevin, village a short distance to the north of the city of Dublin, and where at that time St. Mobhihadhisseminary. HenumberedSt. Columbkille among his pupils. It spread thence upon all sides over the island, and carried off many men of high repute, whose names are specified. References to these persons not only authenticates the
records, relating to the
Manuscript
epidemic.
10 his life, a During
170 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August ii,
Crom —or Buidhe Qhonnaill— Blefed Chonnaill,
The disease was called
leprosy.
literally, the corn or stubble and coloured yellowness or Buidhechair, jaun- dice. It was probably a form of yellow fever, or the bilious remittent, still observed to prevail as an epidemic, especially in the West Indies and in the southernpartsofAmerica. Thedateforthissaint'sdeathisnotknown,but he flourished'in the sixth century.
Article IV. —St, Liadhain, Abbess, of Killvon, King's Countv.
[Fifth or Sixth Century. '] This holy woman, according to received traditions,
must have flourished during the very infancy of Christianity in Ireland. 1
According to the Martyrology of Donegal, a festival was celebrated, at the nthofAugust,tohonourLiadhain,daughterofEochaidh. Shedescended from the race of Laighaire, the son of Niall. We are told, she was mother to Ciaranof 2andthefirstAbbess
Saigher,
of Ireland.
3 There was a religious establishment at a place called Killiadhuin,
supposed to have been founded by the present saint, and named after her. It
is now identified with Killyon, near Seir-Kieran. * Two acres of land are said
tohavebeenundertheoldbuildings; but,onlyasmallportionofthewallsare
now be seen. s Already allusion is made to this place, on the banks of the small
stream, called the Camcor River. 6 At one time, John O'Donovan thought
the parish of Killyon,? in the barony of Upper Moyfenrath, in the County of
Meath, had been that specially dedicated to St. Lidania. 8 This parish of
Killyon is bounded on the north by the parish of Killaconnican ; on the east
by the parishes of Castlerickard and Clonard; oh the south by the latter
parish,andonthewestbytheCountyofWestmeath. Thereweredetached
portions of this parish within that of Clonard. However, this opinion of Mr.
O'Donovan was afterwards retracted,^ although, as he supposes, and with a
great possibility of conjecture, that the parish of Killian, in the County of Meath, had also been dedicated to the present saint. The remains of an
ancient church are in a cemetery. There was a holy well in the church- yard, at the gable of the old church. This was said to have been dedicated to the Virgin Mary ; but, as the traditions were just extinct in the district, when he visited that locality, Mr. O'Donovan could place little reliance on them. Under the rule of St. Liadhain or Liadania, lived St. Brunsecha, 10 a holy virgin. Both are supposed to have flourished in the fifth or sixth century.
ArticleV. —St. Lelia,Virgin,DiocesesofLimerickandKerry. It is greatly to be lamented, that any clue to a recovery of the once well-known
Reeves, pp. 216, 217. described on the "Ordnance Survey Town-
a
the — female—saints among virgins i. e. ,
I lis Acts are to be found, in the Third land Maps for the County of Meath,"
Volume of this work, at the 5th of March, Art, i.
8 See "Letters
In the Barony of Ballybritt, King's lative to the Antiquities of the County of
3 See
*
Donegal Martyrology, pp. 432, 433.
containing Information re-
County.
s See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath,
Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. , chap, ix. , p. 5°9-
Meath, collected during the Progress of the
Ordnance Survey in 1836. " John O'Donovan's letter dated Nuaghconghbhail,
Novane, or Navan, and written underneath in pencil marks, "Received at the O. S. O. , 15th August, 1836," pp. 214 to 216.
'On the 13th February, 183S.
,0
See an account of her, at the 29th of May, in the Fifth Volume of this work, Art. i.
6
the 29th of May, when treating about St.
In the Fifth Volume of this work, at
Brunsecha, Virgin, of Magh-Trea, and of Killyon Parish, King's County, Art. i.
1 This Killyon parish contains an area of 4,316 acres, 2 roods, 5 perches. It is
Sheets 35, 40, 41, 47. The townland pro- per is on Sheet 41.
August ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 171
memorials of many an Irish saint cannot be better traced, at present.
Thus, the pious Lelia, a Virgin, has been specially commemorated, in the Dioceses of Limerick, and of Kerry, from a former period. Her Acts are not
discoverable, at the present time. Latterly, a Double Office, but of the Common Lessons, has been obtained, by authority of the Roman Pontiff, for her feast, at this date. An Office and a Mass have been extended, likewise, to the other Irish Dioceses. According to a local tradition, in Limerick, she was a
J
sister to St. Munchin, Patron of the Diocese ;
and, it is said, her place is
nowknownas Liberties of Limerick
2
This
;
is situated, within the North partly
does it lie, in the of Bun- barony
Killeely. City
parish
3 but,
Near Killamey, this virgin is reputed to be the
chiefly
ratty, and County of Clare. 1*
titular 5 of an old church, which is now called Killilee. This latter local denomination is not found noted down, on the Irish Ordnance Survey Maps.
6
Besides the foregoing places, there is a Killilagh parish, in the barony of
Corcumroe, County of Clare. It seems likely enough, judging from the original compounds and the existing euphony of parts, that these places were formerly under this holy woman's patronage, especially as her memory is partially preserved so vividly in peasant traditional lore, throughout the south-western parts of Ireland. Perhaps, indeed, we may be justified in associatingthemwithscenesinthelife-actionsofthedevoutLelia. However, her era and her locality have not been distinctly revealed to us ; but, there is good reason for supposing, that she lived at a remote period, and most pro- bably, she led a life of strict observance, if she did not preside over some religious institution, in the province of Minister. It may be possible, her name was connected with other places in Ireland. There is a parish, denominated Killely, or Killila, in the Barony of Ballaghkeen, County of Wexford. There is another Killily, or Killeely, partly in the Barony of Loughrea, partly in that
ofKiltartan,butchieflyinthatofDunkellin,CountyofGalway. 7 Thislatter place, especially, may have derived its name from St. Lelia. Perhaps, some
legends of the people might give us a little more light, regarding her ; but, it
is to be feared, we are not likely to ascertain anything, which could satisfac-
torilyrestoreherholymanneroflivingtoourrecords. InPustet'snewedition "
of the Vesperale Romanum," in the Supplement, will be found St. Lelia's commemoration. It seems strange, that her name or festival does not appear, in our Irish Calendars or Martyrologies.
whom named.
2
Kilrush,
in the
County
of
Clare,
is
4 See Lewis' "
Article VI. —St. Tella, Virgin, of Inis Daighre, probably Inish-
County of Roscommon. In the of 1 at the nth Martyrology Donegal,
terry,
of August, we have inserted the name Talla, Virgin, of Inis Daighre, as having been venerated. This place, no doubt, is identical with Inis-Doighre, mentioned in the Annals of the Four
Article v. —T Another tradition states that she was a sister to a St. Rush, from
"Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Clare," Sheets 52, 53, 62, 63.
Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 139.
s Information furnished to the writer, by
the Most Rev. David Moriarty, Bishop of
Such was the account, given to the writer, by Rev. P. Meehan, D. D. , Parish Priest of St. Patrick's Parish, Limerick city,
in August, 1872.
3 This division of the parish is situated with-
in Limerick city bounds, in part, and within Pubblebrien Barony, in part, and it is de-
"
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Limerick, Sheets 4. 5. Lying northwards from this, the other
and much is defined on the larger portion
Kerry, in a letter, dated April 15th 1873. 6"
fined, on the
1 See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary
of Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. 139, 146, 147. 1
Masters,
2 at a. d.
1343.
If Dr. so,
Its bounds are marked, on the Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Clare," Sheets 4, 8, 14, 15.
Article VI. — Edited by Drs; Todd and
Reeves, pp. 216, 217. 3 See O'Donovan's
Edition,
vol.
iii. , pp.
172 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August it,
O'Donovan says, it is probably that Island in the River Boyle, now known as Inisterry. 3 Todile is mentioned in the Martyrology of Tallagh,* and it is probably intended to specify the present saint, under such a designation.
ArticleVII. —St. Donnan. —In the of 1 a festival Martyrology Donegal,
is set down at the nth of August, in honour of Donnan. It is probable, says
the Calendarist, that this was Donnan the Deacon, son of Beoaidh, brother
3
to Ciaran, of Cluain-mic-Nois. 3 There is a Beoaidh, descended from the
race of Core, son of Fergus, son to Ross, son of Rudhraighe. Donnan was at Cluain-mic-Nois along with Ciaran, as the History of the Saints states. In
the published Martyrology of Tallagh,* at this date, there is what we may
consider an incorrect entry, and set down as " Inghena Dondain," meaning
theDaughtersofDondain. However,intheBookofLeinstercopy,wehave
u
inthe of 1 at thenthof Therewasa Martyrology Donegal, August.
Maenach, son of Siadhail, who was one of the wisest men of his time, being
regarded as a saint. He was Abbot over the monastery of Disart-Diarmada, now Castledermot, in the beginning of the tenth century. He was greatly
respected both by the clergy and laity of that period, and his friendly offices were requested to establish a peace between King Cormac Mac Cuillinan 3 and the King of Leinster. 3 It cannot be asserted, however, that he was identical with the present Mianach.
ArticleIX. —TheDaughterofSenach. —Theesteem in which this religious woman was held is evinced by the veneration paid her. Many had personally known and loved her. Not a few looked upon it, as a special privilege, to have been permitted to know her. Thus, honour was given to the daughter of Senach, at the i ith of August, as appears in the Martyrology of the 1 Another
Ingena Donnan,"s the proper reading.
Article VIII. —St. Mianach. —The simple entry, Mianach, is set down
rendering
of her name was as inti- Senochide,
O'Clerys.
mated at the proper place of entry, in a table affixed in this latter work. *
But,intheMartyrologyofTallagh,3theentryis "IngenaSenaich,"which means the Daughters of Senaich.
58°i 58i.
3 See ibid. , n. (y. ) and "Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Roscom- mon," Sheet 7.
* Edited by the Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxi. In the Book of Leinster Copy, the reading is Uoi-oib<\.
a
See his Life, at the 14th of September. 3 There is a pretty full account of this transaction and subsequent matters in refer- ence to the celebrated battle of Ballymoon, in the " Three Fragments of Irish Annals,"
copied from Ancient Sources, by Dubhal- tach Mac Fribisigh, and edited with a trans-
Article vil—' Edited and Reeves, pp. 216, 217.
2
by
Drs. Todd lation and Dr. notes, by
See his Acts, at the 9th of September, in the Ninth Volume of this work, Art i.
pp. 200 to 221. — Article ix.
3
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxii.
4 A note Todd by Dr,
a See
regarding Nois, the latter part of this word, states, that it had been omitted in the text, by an obvious
error of the scribe.
5 In the Irish characterslngeiM'OonrKMn. Article viii. -• Edited by Drs. Todd
and
' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, the Book of Leinster copy the entry
Reeves, pp. 216, 217.
• In
JohnO'Donovan,
pp. 216, 217.
ibid. , pp. 430, 431.
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxii. In
the Book of Leinster copy, the entry is IngenA Senaich.
—
See "The
Donegal," edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves,
Article x. p. xxxii.
x
Martyrology of
August i i . ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 173
Article X. —The Daughters of Dutu. —The of
enters u Ingena Dutu,"2 while that of DonegaP also mentions a festival, at the nth of August, to honour the Daughters of Dutu. More we cannot find regarding them ; nor, as in the previous case, can we learn anything about their parentage or race, their number, their period, or the place where respectively their virtues and labours were exercised.
Article XI. —St. Finneacht, Virgin. —We find, that veneration was
given to Finneacht, Virgin, at the nth of August, as is mentioned in the
12
Martyrology of Donegal. In that of Tallagh there seems to have been a
mistake committed, in entering her name as Indecta Vir. , which latter contrac- tion stands for Virgin.
Article XII. —St. Banbnatan, or Banbhnat, Virgin.
judgment and ability, natural and acquired. He thought of the Lord in
goodness,
and
sought
Him in
simplicity
of heart. 1 at the 10th of Already,
February, some account of Airennan or Airendan, Bishop of Tallagh, in the 2
CountyofDublin,maybefound, butwhetherhebethesameastheholyand Wise man, venerated on this day, is rather questionable. The first noticed is titled a Bishop, while the present saint only obtains the designation of Abbot. In the " Feilire " of St. ^Engus,3 at the nth of August, there is a commemoration of St. Aireran. It is stated, likewise, that for wisdom he was famous. An Irish comment is affixed, however, in which the scholiast expresses doubt, as tohisparticularplace/ Atthissamedate,afestivaloccursintheMartyro- logies of Tallagh,s to honour Aireran, denominated The Wise. He is said, also, to have been Abbot of Tamlachtan,6 for Maeileruain. The Bollandists 7 have a passing allusion to Aileranus or Eleranus the Wise, at this date ; but, they regret not being able to find much matter for the elucidation of his Acts.
Again we are told, that he was Abbot of Tamlacht, next after Maelruain, in 8
the Martyrology of Donegal, while that of Tallagh seems to intimate, that he
chain was Abbot of Boyle, and he died in
Heis
"Beseech Aireran of the wisdom whose
"headofthe
fameis not
the
wisdom, knowledge and instruction of Tiburtius the strenuous and prudent. "
year 1441.
styled
withValerianthe — hidden, pure,
Connaught. " See Dr. John O'Donovan's "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy,"
"Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i v. pp.
922, 923.
38 See John O'Donovan's " Genealogies,
Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. Calendar of CEngus, p. cxxiii.
On the
* The English translation is Aireran, i. e. , Tribes, and Customs of Hy-Fichrach, com- of Tech Airerain in Meath, and lector of
monly called —O'Dowd's country," pp. 41,
42, and n. (p). —Ibid.
Cluain was he. Or in Clondalkin. Or (he was) Abbot of Tamlacht, Maelruain. " See
* Article ii. Wisdom
cxxx.
s Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxi.
6 In the Book of Leinster copy is the
-<Mr\er\Airt eu -Ab CAmlacc entry fApiencir"
pr\o rrlelr\UAir).
7 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Au-
gusti xi. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 607.
« Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 216, 217.
i. , 1.
See, at that date, in the Second Volume
ibid. , p.
a
of this work, Art. vi.
3 In the " Leabhar Breac "
we find the following stanza, and thus rendered into
English by Whitley Stokes, LL. D :— 5uit> 4ir\er\Att inoecrtai
-AfAclu riAccebari
La tlAl]MAn niT)An
Urubuaur1
cpen cr\ebAj\.
copy,
1 68 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August ii,
was Abbot for Maelruan, but this probably conveys the same meaning. There is a place in the County of Westmeath, formerly written Tigh-Airindan, where there had been a religious establishment, so early as the ninth century, if not before that period. It was so called to the present century,9 although gene-
11
Making allowance for probable mis- spelling, it would seem this was the locality in which the present saint lived, and after whom it received a local designation yet subsisting. From this place, it is possible he proceeded to Tallagh, in the County of Dublin. He
was there, it is stated, in company with the holy founder, St. Maelruan, 12 and probably with St. yEngus the Culdee. ^ It appears, he succeeded as Abbot of
Tifarnanor 10 Thisis thenameofatownlandand Tyfarnham.
rally anglicized
parish, in the barony of Corkaree, and the place lies about five and a half
miles, north-east from Mullingar.
that monastery, immediately after the death of Maelruan. Again, according to 1
some writers, he had been identical with the St. Airennan, * who, as Bishop of
Tallagh, is venerated at the ioth of February. If such conjecture be correct, there must have been a double festival instituted to honour him. However, this festival may have been held, on one of these days, associated with his name, in that particular locality of Meath, while on the other day, his memory may have been separately commemorated at Tallagh. This distinguished man flourished—it has been thought—late in the eighth and he died early in the ninth century. There is also a St. Aireran or Aileran, surnamed " the Wise,"
1^
is venerated on the of December, and he as Abbot over
who
Clonard, in the County of Meath. To all men, the present holy man was ever the same—the true, perfect religious, whose very appearance commanded respect and won esteem. His character was one very rarely found, combining high qualifications of mind and a clear penetrating intellect, with the most beautiful simplicity of character and disposition.
Article III. —St. ^Engus, or Maccridhe, of Mochta, of Lughmhagh, or of Louth, County of Louth. No one could be more thoroughly im- pressed with the responsibility and dignity of his mission than was this saint,
and, for that reason, his every-day existence exemplified the disciple earnestly striving to walk at a humble distance in the footsteps of his Master. We
• See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath,
Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. , chap, lxxiv. ,
'5 His Acts are set down at that date, in the Twelfth Volume of this work,
Article hi. —« Edited Drs. Todd and by
Reeves, pp. 216, 217.
3 A note by Dr. Todd states at this
denomination, Son of the heart, i. e. , "son of
affection or adoption. ''
3 Here, as Dr. Todd remarks, the more
recent hand adds :" I'oiius S. Ailbeo nt
constat ex ejus vita," meaning that Mac- endhe was rather the pupil and adopted son of St Aiibe, and not of St. Mochta of Louth. "
* His Acts may be seen at the 19th of August—the date for his feast—in the pre- sent volume.
5 It is classed in the catalogue, vol. iv. ,
608.
p.
10 " See Dr. O'Donovan's
Annals of the
Four Masters, vol. i. , pp. 526, 527, and n. (h. )—Ibid.
11
This parish is marked, on the "Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Westmeath," sheets 7, II, 12. 18. The townland proper is on sheet 12.
" See notices of this saint, at the 7th of July, in the Seventh Volume of this work, Art. i.
13 See his life, at the nth of March, in the Third Volume of this work, Art. i.
14 See notices of him, at that date, in the Second Volume of this work, Art. vf.
29th presided
in the of 1 that at the nth of was vene- Martyrology Donegal, August
read,
rated one called Maccridhe, />. , son of the heart," of Mochta, of Lughmhagh. This title he obtained, because he was a dear pupil to St. Mochta. ^Enghuswashisfirstname. ' Whetherthepresentsainthadbeenconnected with St. Mochta of Louth/ or with his locality, does not appear to be very
"2
August ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 169
certain. This is probably the St. Maccretius, whose Acts Colgan had pre- pared for publication at the nth of August, as we learn from the posthumous
list of his Manuscripts. And, we find, moreover, that Brother Michael O'Clery has left a tract, which he transcribed, while it is among the Manu-
"
scripts, preserved in the Burgundian Library of Bruxelles. s It is intituled,
S.
MacreciiVita. "6 Forwantofamoreperfectdescription,wecanonlysurmise,
it must have reference to the present saint. Some extracts from it are given,
by Professor Eugene O'Curry,? who transcribed a copy of it, from the
ing
541.
in 8 We are informed, that Mac Creiche lived in the
Manuscript question.
time of St. Ailbhe,9 Bishop of Imleach-Jubhair, now Emly, and who, accord-
to the Annals of the Four Masters, died a. d.
terrible pestilence, known as the Crom Chonnaill^ broke out, and spread over Ireland, and this caused the death of great numbers of its inhabitants. 11 It is stated, in the ancient Irish Life of St. Mac Creiche, of Thomond,that the Crom, or, more correctly, Crumh Cho—nnaill—which in the passage referred to means an animal of the maggot kind was destroyed by a fiery bolt from heaven, through the prayers of the saint in Magh Uladh, in Kerry. The plague in question was also called Buidhe ChonnaillTM There can be no doubt, but that
its ravages must have proved fatal in most instances, as the mortality was so great. A very interesting account of the first Buidhe Chonnaill'^ has been given by Sir William R. Wilde, in his Treatise on the History of Irish Diseases. ^ He tells us, that the term Buidhe Chonnaill has been, even by writers of authority, long misunderstood, several supposing that Connall was a man's name, whereas it is the stalk of corn, and more particularly the stubble, which assumes a blay or grayish-yellow appearance, after being cut ; and the term may have been applied from the similitude of the colour of the skin to the yellow hue of recent stubble. Crom Chonnaill is a synonyme for the same disease, in perhaps a more aggravated form, crom or cron being a
dull-black or dark-grey colour, and buidhe a bright-yellow, as people still say in popular language, the yellow jaundice, Galar Buidhe, and the black jaundice, Galar Dubh. The earliest appearance of the terrible epidemic, known as the Buidhe Chonnaill, is said to have been the first special pestilence, re- corded in the Irish Christian annals. It commenced about the year 539, and
1 it lasted nearly thirty years. *
parti. Nos. 2324-2340.
6
Fol. 89.
7 See " Lectures on the
It was preceded by famine, and followed by
circumstance, but leave a record of the io- calities which it visited, with the duration
Ma- terials of Ancient Irish History. " Appendix
and extent of the
" In the Cambrian Annals this epidemic
is styled Vail Ve—len, Lalwellen or VadVehn
—flava pestis expressive of the same disease known in Ireland as Buidhe Chon- nuill.
^Acknowledgments are made to Pro- fessor O'Curry tor reference to the Crumh Chonnaill,. as found in the Irish Life of St. MacCreiche.
*« This appeared in Reports of the Irish
Census of 185 1, part v. , published by au- thorization of the Imperial Parliament,
cli. , pp. 630 to 632.
8
See Ibid. Appendix clvii. , p. 647. 'His feast occurs on the 12th of Septem-
ber, at which date notices of him may be found.
^
See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol i. ,
10
pp. 182, 183.
*l
The Annals of Ulster and of Clonmac- noise state, that the disease was preceded by a famine, the dates varying from a. d. 535 to 539>and this great plague is said to have commencedin at nowa
J5 Amultitude of
ravages of this disease in other countries as well as in Ireland, during this period, are collected by Sir Wm. R. Wilde from various sources. Reference is also made to Adam- nan's "Life of St. Columba," edited by Rev. Dr. Reeves, and then in preparation,
by the Irish Archaeological Society,
x
Article iv. — Edited by Drs. Todd and
Ireland, Glasnevin, village a short distance to the north of the city of Dublin, and where at that time St. Mobhihadhisseminary. HenumberedSt. Columbkille among his pupils. It spread thence upon all sides over the island, and carried off many men of high repute, whose names are specified. References to these persons not only authenticates the
records, relating to the
Manuscript
epidemic.
10 his life, a During
170 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August ii,
Crom —or Buidhe Qhonnaill— Blefed Chonnaill,
The disease was called
leprosy.
literally, the corn or stubble and coloured yellowness or Buidhechair, jaun- dice. It was probably a form of yellow fever, or the bilious remittent, still observed to prevail as an epidemic, especially in the West Indies and in the southernpartsofAmerica. Thedateforthissaint'sdeathisnotknown,but he flourished'in the sixth century.
Article IV. —St, Liadhain, Abbess, of Killvon, King's Countv.
[Fifth or Sixth Century. '] This holy woman, according to received traditions,
must have flourished during the very infancy of Christianity in Ireland. 1
According to the Martyrology of Donegal, a festival was celebrated, at the nthofAugust,tohonourLiadhain,daughterofEochaidh. Shedescended from the race of Laighaire, the son of Niall. We are told, she was mother to Ciaranof 2andthefirstAbbess
Saigher,
of Ireland.
3 There was a religious establishment at a place called Killiadhuin,
supposed to have been founded by the present saint, and named after her. It
is now identified with Killyon, near Seir-Kieran. * Two acres of land are said
tohavebeenundertheoldbuildings; but,onlyasmallportionofthewallsare
now be seen. s Already allusion is made to this place, on the banks of the small
stream, called the Camcor River. 6 At one time, John O'Donovan thought
the parish of Killyon,? in the barony of Upper Moyfenrath, in the County of
Meath, had been that specially dedicated to St. Lidania. 8 This parish of
Killyon is bounded on the north by the parish of Killaconnican ; on the east
by the parishes of Castlerickard and Clonard; oh the south by the latter
parish,andonthewestbytheCountyofWestmeath. Thereweredetached
portions of this parish within that of Clonard. However, this opinion of Mr.
O'Donovan was afterwards retracted,^ although, as he supposes, and with a
great possibility of conjecture, that the parish of Killian, in the County of Meath, had also been dedicated to the present saint. The remains of an
ancient church are in a cemetery. There was a holy well in the church- yard, at the gable of the old church. This was said to have been dedicated to the Virgin Mary ; but, as the traditions were just extinct in the district, when he visited that locality, Mr. O'Donovan could place little reliance on them. Under the rule of St. Liadhain or Liadania, lived St. Brunsecha, 10 a holy virgin. Both are supposed to have flourished in the fifth or sixth century.
ArticleV. —St. Lelia,Virgin,DiocesesofLimerickandKerry. It is greatly to be lamented, that any clue to a recovery of the once well-known
Reeves, pp. 216, 217. described on the "Ordnance Survey Town-
a
the — female—saints among virgins i. e. ,
I lis Acts are to be found, in the Third land Maps for the County of Meath,"
Volume of this work, at the 5th of March, Art, i.
8 See "Letters
In the Barony of Ballybritt, King's lative to the Antiquities of the County of
3 See
*
Donegal Martyrology, pp. 432, 433.
containing Information re-
County.
s See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath,
Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. , chap, ix. , p. 5°9-
Meath, collected during the Progress of the
Ordnance Survey in 1836. " John O'Donovan's letter dated Nuaghconghbhail,
Novane, or Navan, and written underneath in pencil marks, "Received at the O. S. O. , 15th August, 1836," pp. 214 to 216.
'On the 13th February, 183S.
,0
See an account of her, at the 29th of May, in the Fifth Volume of this work, Art. i.
6
the 29th of May, when treating about St.
In the Fifth Volume of this work, at
Brunsecha, Virgin, of Magh-Trea, and of Killyon Parish, King's County, Art. i.
1 This Killyon parish contains an area of 4,316 acres, 2 roods, 5 perches. It is
Sheets 35, 40, 41, 47. The townland pro- per is on Sheet 41.
August ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 171
memorials of many an Irish saint cannot be better traced, at present.
Thus, the pious Lelia, a Virgin, has been specially commemorated, in the Dioceses of Limerick, and of Kerry, from a former period. Her Acts are not
discoverable, at the present time. Latterly, a Double Office, but of the Common Lessons, has been obtained, by authority of the Roman Pontiff, for her feast, at this date. An Office and a Mass have been extended, likewise, to the other Irish Dioceses. According to a local tradition, in Limerick, she was a
J
sister to St. Munchin, Patron of the Diocese ;
and, it is said, her place is
nowknownas Liberties of Limerick
2
This
;
is situated, within the North partly
does it lie, in the of Bun- barony
Killeely. City
parish
3 but,
Near Killamey, this virgin is reputed to be the
chiefly
ratty, and County of Clare. 1*
titular 5 of an old church, which is now called Killilee. This latter local denomination is not found noted down, on the Irish Ordnance Survey Maps.
6
Besides the foregoing places, there is a Killilagh parish, in the barony of
Corcumroe, County of Clare. It seems likely enough, judging from the original compounds and the existing euphony of parts, that these places were formerly under this holy woman's patronage, especially as her memory is partially preserved so vividly in peasant traditional lore, throughout the south-western parts of Ireland. Perhaps, indeed, we may be justified in associatingthemwithscenesinthelife-actionsofthedevoutLelia. However, her era and her locality have not been distinctly revealed to us ; but, there is good reason for supposing, that she lived at a remote period, and most pro- bably, she led a life of strict observance, if she did not preside over some religious institution, in the province of Minister. It may be possible, her name was connected with other places in Ireland. There is a parish, denominated Killely, or Killila, in the Barony of Ballaghkeen, County of Wexford. There is another Killily, or Killeely, partly in the Barony of Loughrea, partly in that
ofKiltartan,butchieflyinthatofDunkellin,CountyofGalway. 7 Thislatter place, especially, may have derived its name from St. Lelia. Perhaps, some
legends of the people might give us a little more light, regarding her ; but, it
is to be feared, we are not likely to ascertain anything, which could satisfac-
torilyrestoreherholymanneroflivingtoourrecords. InPustet'snewedition "
of the Vesperale Romanum," in the Supplement, will be found St. Lelia's commemoration. It seems strange, that her name or festival does not appear, in our Irish Calendars or Martyrologies.
whom named.
2
Kilrush,
in the
County
of
Clare,
is
4 See Lewis' "
Article VI. —St. Tella, Virgin, of Inis Daighre, probably Inish-
County of Roscommon. In the of 1 at the nth Martyrology Donegal,
terry,
of August, we have inserted the name Talla, Virgin, of Inis Daighre, as having been venerated. This place, no doubt, is identical with Inis-Doighre, mentioned in the Annals of the Four
Article v. —T Another tradition states that she was a sister to a St. Rush, from
"Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Clare," Sheets 52, 53, 62, 63.
Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 139.
s Information furnished to the writer, by
the Most Rev. David Moriarty, Bishop of
Such was the account, given to the writer, by Rev. P. Meehan, D. D. , Parish Priest of St. Patrick's Parish, Limerick city,
in August, 1872.
3 This division of the parish is situated with-
in Limerick city bounds, in part, and within Pubblebrien Barony, in part, and it is de-
"
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Limerick, Sheets 4. 5. Lying northwards from this, the other
and much is defined on the larger portion
Kerry, in a letter, dated April 15th 1873. 6"
fined, on the
1 See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary
of Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. 139, 146, 147. 1
Masters,
2 at a. d.
1343.
If Dr. so,
Its bounds are marked, on the Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Clare," Sheets 4, 8, 14, 15.
Article VI. — Edited by Drs; Todd and
Reeves, pp. 216, 217. 3 See O'Donovan's
Edition,
vol.
iii. , pp.
172 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August it,
O'Donovan says, it is probably that Island in the River Boyle, now known as Inisterry. 3 Todile is mentioned in the Martyrology of Tallagh,* and it is probably intended to specify the present saint, under such a designation.
ArticleVII. —St. Donnan. —In the of 1 a festival Martyrology Donegal,
is set down at the nth of August, in honour of Donnan. It is probable, says
the Calendarist, that this was Donnan the Deacon, son of Beoaidh, brother
3
to Ciaran, of Cluain-mic-Nois. 3 There is a Beoaidh, descended from the
race of Core, son of Fergus, son to Ross, son of Rudhraighe. Donnan was at Cluain-mic-Nois along with Ciaran, as the History of the Saints states. In
the published Martyrology of Tallagh,* at this date, there is what we may
consider an incorrect entry, and set down as " Inghena Dondain," meaning
theDaughtersofDondain. However,intheBookofLeinstercopy,wehave
u
inthe of 1 at thenthof Therewasa Martyrology Donegal, August.
Maenach, son of Siadhail, who was one of the wisest men of his time, being
regarded as a saint. He was Abbot over the monastery of Disart-Diarmada, now Castledermot, in the beginning of the tenth century. He was greatly
respected both by the clergy and laity of that period, and his friendly offices were requested to establish a peace between King Cormac Mac Cuillinan 3 and the King of Leinster. 3 It cannot be asserted, however, that he was identical with the present Mianach.
ArticleIX. —TheDaughterofSenach. —Theesteem in which this religious woman was held is evinced by the veneration paid her. Many had personally known and loved her. Not a few looked upon it, as a special privilege, to have been permitted to know her. Thus, honour was given to the daughter of Senach, at the i ith of August, as appears in the Martyrology of the 1 Another
Ingena Donnan,"s the proper reading.
Article VIII. —St. Mianach. —The simple entry, Mianach, is set down
rendering
of her name was as inti- Senochide,
O'Clerys.
mated at the proper place of entry, in a table affixed in this latter work. *
But,intheMartyrologyofTallagh,3theentryis "IngenaSenaich,"which means the Daughters of Senaich.
58°i 58i.
3 See ibid. , n. (y. ) and "Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Roscom- mon," Sheet 7.
* Edited by the Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxi. In the Book of Leinster Copy, the reading is Uoi-oib<\.
a
See his Life, at the 14th of September. 3 There is a pretty full account of this transaction and subsequent matters in refer- ence to the celebrated battle of Ballymoon, in the " Three Fragments of Irish Annals,"
copied from Ancient Sources, by Dubhal- tach Mac Fribisigh, and edited with a trans-
Article vil—' Edited and Reeves, pp. 216, 217.
2
by
Drs. Todd lation and Dr. notes, by
See his Acts, at the 9th of September, in the Ninth Volume of this work, Art i.
pp. 200 to 221. — Article ix.
3
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxii.
4 A note Todd by Dr,
a See
regarding Nois, the latter part of this word, states, that it had been omitted in the text, by an obvious
error of the scribe.
5 In the Irish characterslngeiM'OonrKMn. Article viii. -• Edited by Drs. Todd
and
' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, the Book of Leinster copy the entry
Reeves, pp. 216, 217.
• In
JohnO'Donovan,
pp. 216, 217.
ibid. , pp. 430, 431.
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxii. In
the Book of Leinster copy, the entry is IngenA Senaich.
—
See "The
Donegal," edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves,
Article x. p. xxxii.
x
Martyrology of
August i i . ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 173
Article X. —The Daughters of Dutu. —The of
enters u Ingena Dutu,"2 while that of DonegaP also mentions a festival, at the nth of August, to honour the Daughters of Dutu. More we cannot find regarding them ; nor, as in the previous case, can we learn anything about their parentage or race, their number, their period, or the place where respectively their virtues and labours were exercised.
Article XI. —St. Finneacht, Virgin. —We find, that veneration was
given to Finneacht, Virgin, at the nth of August, as is mentioned in the
12
Martyrology of Donegal. In that of Tallagh there seems to have been a
mistake committed, in entering her name as Indecta Vir. , which latter contrac- tion stands for Virgin.
Article XII. —St. Banbnatan, or Banbhnat, Virgin.
