It must have been a remarkable in
Ulster," °* The name of this parish was originally
place ages gone
—— Ra- Rath-murbhuilg pronounced nearly
*9 This Dr.
Ulster," °* The name of this parish was originally
place ages gone
—— Ra- Rath-murbhuilg pronounced nearly
*9 This Dr.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
Patrick's feet.
Then, having been baptized by him, the Irish Apostle blessed the child, at that time, borne in her womb.
'3
*
Martii xxiv. De Sancto Domangarto Epis- copo in Hibemia, pp. 483, 484.
7 In the table, added to the Martyrology of Donegal, we find the following comment within brackets. It is thus rendered from
"
the Irish into English : [Domangart, son
of Eochaidh, M. Gen. : Domangort, the Pilgrim, son of Saran. M. Gen. ]" And in
"
laiius" and Donard as " Dominicus. " Thus, we read: "This is a reference to the
Downart. Sometimes he is called, by the people of Mourne, St. Donnaght. See
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
"
Legend Lays of Ireland," by Lageniensis.
No. XX. A Legend of Slieve Donard, n. i,
p. 122.
^
The letters in and g are silent, according to the Irish rules for pronouncing his name, as it is usually found spelled.
3 Alluding to the monastery of Maghera,
Giraldus Cambrensis names Slainge as
a note, added by Dr. Todd, at this passage,
. SVz-
he alludes to that exceeding high mountain, which overhangs the sea, that flows between Ireland and Britain, and which is called Salanga. And because at the foot of it, after the lapse of many ages, as he states, St. Dominicus had erected a distinguished mon- astery, it more commonly bears the name of
Martyroloziuni Genealogicuvt, where the genealogy of Domhangort, son of Eochaidh,
is given up to Fergus Dubhdedach, Book of Ltcan, fol. 39, a. e. But the other Domhan- gort, here called the Pilgrim, does not appear to be there mentioned. " See, ibid. ,
pp. 404, 405.
"^ Dominicus' mountain. See TopogTaphi^e
Hibernicae," Dist. iii. , cap. ii. , p. 141, in Giraldi, "Opera," Edited by James F. Dimock, M. A. , vol. v.
* In the Poem, '* Diarmid's Chase," —Miss Stewart thus distinctively alludes to it :
*' The evening sun vnth golden gleam Upon the mountain shed its beam.
And yet did play with softening glow. Upon the bright waves' rippling flow ;
It is said, for twenty-four years. By some writers, his death is placed at A. D.
503 ; but, Colgan thinks he departed many years before, and during the lifetime of St. Patrick.
9
Slieve Donard's
Presided over rock and tree. "
—"MiiTor of the or Heart,"
towering majesty
"
See Rev. William Reeves'
Lays Loyalty, Patriotism, Chivalry and Devotion,
Down, Connor and Dromore," Appendix S. , p.
p. 40. Dublin, 186 1, 4to sm.
5 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemise,"
Martii xxiv. De S. Domangardo Episcopo, pp. 742 to 744, with notes.
236.
'- This, we are told, was owing to no un-
natural deformity; but, because, she suckled four different progenies, the children of her
of "
Ecclesiastical of Antiquities
xix.
'° He is said to have died, in the time of
OilioU Molt, King of Ireland, who reigned twenty years, and who lived to 478, accord- ing to Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," pp. 148 to 151.
" Some call her Derinilla Cethuir-Chich-
Chapter
each, which may be rendered, provinces. "
of the four
938 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 34.
Domangard was born, towards the close of the fifth century,^* as we may infer from such accounts ;^3 and, he was afterwards called Domangart, according to the more correct rendering in Irish, although more commonly pronouncedbythevulgarDomhangard. '^ Anamegiventohim,likewise,
is that of Donagh, or Donat, and it is popularly thought, that by his applica- tion, much money was collected, for building the Cathedral of Down, which is supposed to be the first one erected there, in the fifth century. '7 It does not appear, that when a child, he had ever seen St. Patrick ; however, Jocelyn
mentions this St. Dovengardus,'^ as a disciple of the great Irish Apostle. '? Slieve Donard towers over the range of lofty mountains which stretch
away from its sides. It involuntarily forces on the imagination a feeling of total severance from mankind, and it forcibly recalls to our minds, how the saintsvaluedheaven,andwhatpricetheywerepreparedtopayforit. Little more can be said, but that it afforded a rugged welcome to the austere patron, who had selected it for his lonely dwelling. A tradition in this neighbour- hood highly celebrates the virtues, devotion, and miracles of St. Donard. '° It would seem, that he desired seclusion from the world, and, therefore, he sought a place removed from all society with worldlings. This holy retreat of St. Donard was perched on the very high mountain, which still perpetuates his name. ^' Here, it is thought, by the people, that their patron appears to celebrate Mass every Sunday. The church or hermitage was situated, on the highest top of that same mountain, far away from every human dwelling. '* It is about nine miles S. W. from Downpatrick ; and, the appearance of these upper regions has been well described, by Dr. O'Donovan, who ascended to the spot, in the year i834. '3 The ruins of that hermitage on Slieve Donard,
four successive husbands. Among her holy
sons are enumerated : St. Mura, Abbot of
Fahan, who is venerated, at the 12th of
March ; St. Cillen of Achadh-cail, in the Vita Sexta S. Patricii, cap. cxxix. , cxxx. , territory of Leith-Cathuil ; St. Machumma,
or Dochumma, either of Inis Mahee, vene- rated on the 3 1 st of January, or of Druimbo ; St. Aillean, or Aillaloc, venerated, perhaps, at the 24th of July ; and St. Aidan, whose festival is not so easily determined. Some conjecture seems to be offered, that St.
and n. 131, p. 114. Ibid.
'9 See ibid. Appendix Quinta ad Acta S.
and St. Mochumma were Domangart, sons,
rary," says :
" But I cannot forbear to ob-
the same father. See " at- Opuscula,"
serve how our saints, the earth scorning
about which the miserable race of man so
vehemently contends, sought a loftier range ; for it is a fact for which I can vouch that, on the summit of that lofty pile, and in a different region of the world, as it were,
they sought an abode of holy retirement, of which heavenly seclusion the traces still re-
by
tributed to St. ^ngus the Culdee, lib. iv. ,
Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xii. Martii, nn. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, p.
cap. vii. Also Colgan's
587.
'3 The Bollandists comment on some ana-
chronisms of statement, as foimd in the at- tributed relationships.
'* See the Life of St. Patrick,
chap,
xxi. ,
main
; forinthatelevated ofthe region
sky
where such an account is given, in more de-
tail. 'S
there exists a hermitage sacred to St. Do-
manghart. "
*" See Rev. William Reeves' " Ecclesias-
"
" Acta Sanctorum Hi-
berniae," xxiv. Martii. Vita S. Domangardi, tical Antiquities of Down, Connor and
See, Colgan's
pp. 742 to 744.
'* On this saint, and his localities in
Down, the reader will find exhaustive and
correct information, in Rev. James dated at Castlewellan, April 23rd, 1834,
O'Laverty's "Historical Account of the Diocese of Down and Connor, Ancient and Modern," vol. i. Preface, pp. ix. , xxix. ,
and, also pp. 25, 46, 48 to 52.
''See Harris' "Ancient and P. ' cnt
when engaged on the Irish Ordnance Sur- vey. The account will be found, in n. i, to
"
Legend *< In " The Irish Educational Journal and
State of the County of Down," chap, v. , p. 121.
'* See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Patricii, p. 266.
TM See Walter Harris' "Ancient and
Present State of the County of Down,"
chap, v. , p. 121.
** Father M—acCana, in his " Irish Itine-
Dromore," pp. 27, 28, and Appendix A,
Also, Calendar LL,
'3 This visit he has described, in a letter
pp. 154, 155.
p. 377.
the legend of Slieve Donard, in
Lays of Ireland," pp. 121 to 126.
March 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 939
may still be seen, covering a deep and once sacred well. It is supposed to
have had an internal communication, reaching into the Irish Sea, at Donagh's Cave, southwards of Newcastle. ^4 On the very summit of Slieve Donard were two remarkable objects, in 1 744. ^5 These lay on the north-east side. One wrecked edifice was composed of rude walls, and partitions, called chapels. ^^ Perhaps this was the oratory and cell, erected by St. Domangard, according toHarris'conjecture. Anotherwasaheapofstones,piledupinapyramidi- cal figure. In this were several cavities, wherein devotees sheltered them- selves in bad weather, while they heard Mass f^ and, in the centre of this heap, there was a cave, formed by broad, flat stones, so disposed as to sup- porteachother,withoutthehelpofcement. Wearetold,byColgan,that during the severe and terrible persecution of the heretics, this mountain her- mitage of St. Domangard used to be frequented, by a great concourse of people; while frequent pilgrimages, in honour of that wonder-working servant of God, were made by the Catholics of those northern parts. Here, two churcheswereconsecratedtohim,accordingtoFatherColgan; oneofthese was at the base of a very high mountain, overhanging the sea, in the eastern parts, which was called Rath-murlbulg, or Rath-murlow, now Machaire- Ratha, or Maghera'^- However, Murlough on the coast of the County Antrim, has been confounded with Murlough, on Dundrum Bay, by some of our Calendarists, who thought his place was in the territory of Dalriada, which lies in the northern part of Antrim County. ^9
A little north-westwards from the ruins of the old church of St. Doman-
gard, in Maghera, there is the stump of a round tower, 3° in a ruinous state,
only twenty feet of it now remaining. Its doorway faces towards the east, and it is just seven feet from the ground, while its walls are topped with vegetation. This round tower was thrown down, about the year 17 10 or 171 2. 3^ The chief church of St. Domangart is said to have been at Maghera ; while ruins of its ancient church, of which the western gable and the south wall remain, measure forty-five feet nine inches, in length, and twenty-one
National Teachers' Gazette," we read as follows :—"It is not easy to say whether
even in times. We find
by, pagan Bishop,
about one hundred and fifty years ago, mentioning those localities in connexion with Croni dii^h at Lammas time of the year. Holy Bay is the name for Dundrom bay on a map preserved in T. C. D. The Three big Sundays are still kept up in New- castle at Lammas, and also at The Twelve Cairns, within two or three miles of Dro- marra, and at the S. W. extremity of the Moume range. They may, however, have their origin, at least some of them, in the great national gathering of the people, insti- tuted by Lewy of the Long-hand, one of the Tuatha de Danann kings of Ireland. "
*s See Harris' "Ancient and Present
State of the County of Down," chap, v. , p. 121.
26 i <
gjj. William Petty mentions, in his maps, a 'chappel' on the N. E. side of Slieve Donard, which he calls Leniord's Chappel; but,probablyforwantofduein- formation, he has corrupted the name, and
the true name of it is Donard's Chappel. "— Ibid.
p. 69.
frightful
sea-monster called the Muir-
^^ See B. "Tours in J. Doyle's
the
dris, did not use this passage to show itself at the top of S. Donard at times.
It must have been a remarkable in
Ulster," °* The name of this parish was originally
place ages gone
—— Ra- Rath-murbhuilg pronounced nearly
*9 This Dr. Reeves shows, by the—follow-
which ' ' the rath at the signifies
murlough
sea inlet. " There are two townlands, named Murlough. One of these is in this parish, and the other in the parish of Kilmegan.
ing quotation from an ancient MS.
"2? ^- nard, from Rath-murbulg, in Dalriada
{xtciQ'Ds\sx3. A\z. ),fromSliabh-Slan^a. "
^° In the " Dublin Penny Journal," of
June 4th, 1836, vol. iv. , No. 205, p. 388,
there is given a drawing of it, and it is called
a Clog- Teagk. It is erroneously stated to be on Slieve Donard mountain, thus con-
founding Slieve Donard, with Maghera, whose patron saint was Domanghort.
3i Thus — of the
speaking graveyard,
Walter
stood a
Harris says: "Near it formerly
high round tower, which, about thirty years
ago, was overturned by a violent storm, and lay at length and entire on the ground, like a huge gun, without breaking to pieces, so
wonderfullyha—rdandbindingwasthecement in this work. " " Ancient and Present State
:
940 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 24.
feet six inches, in breadth. These are in the churchyard. The beautiful Norman arch, at the western entrance, is in good preservation ; the windows in the south wall are narrow, and of elegant design. s* Writing in 1645,
Colgan 33 states, that in the church of Maghera there were preserved in great veneration a bell, called The Glunan, which formerly belonged to St. Doman- gard, and one of his shoes, enshrined in a precious covering of silver and gold. These sacred articles are now entirely unknown, in the locality, nor is there the slightest tradition respecting . them, according to the Rev. James O'Laverty. 34 The founder and patron saint of Maghera was St. Donard, whose festival was religiously kept there, on the 24th day of March ; although. Father MacCana was unable to name the patron, when he wrote. 35 The parish of Maghera,3^ sometimes called, from one of its churches, the parish of Bryansford, consists of the civil parish of Maghera, and those townlands of the civil parish of Kilcoo, which are not included in the ecclesiastical parish of Kilcoo. It may have been, because Maghera 37 was a See, that it enjoyed the privilege of having a round tower, according to the opinion of the Rev. James O'Laverty, who entertains no doubt, that when the whole question of the round towers is investigated, it will be found, that they were the insignia of cathedral churches. There is not preserved the name of any, among St. Donard's successors in the See, however ; and, it would seem, that at an early date, like many other minor Sees, Maghera 3^ became incorporated in thedioceseofDown,whilethebishopenjoyeditsancientSeelands. These,
notwithstanding, appear to have been encroached upon, by lay impropriators, and notably by the Mageniss family, in 1622. 39 It is not unlikely, that the
jurisdiction of the Bishop of Maghera extended over the parish of Maghera, and over the parishes of Kilkeel, Kilcoo, and Kilmegan, which in later times
""
were under the jurisdiction of the Plebanus of Kilkeel, though the parish
of Maghera was never under the spiritual care of that dignitary, it being immediately subject to the bishop.
of the County of Down," chap, iii. , sect, vi. , p. 82.
se See "Papers on Down and Connor," intheUlsterExamineroi]\Ay^'Ca, 1870.
33 See "Acta Sanctormn Hibernire," xxiv. Martii. De S. Domangardo Episcopo, p. 743.
34 See an article in the Ulster Examiner, of July 9th, 1870, under the heading
"From the foot of the mountain
Donard) on the east there stretches an
agreeable plain, wliere there is a fortress of
the Magenis family, called New Castle, shillings. But in the "Terrier" of 1615 which was burned by the hostile Scots in the entry is " Matherira, it is a mensal, and 1643. In this plain, not far from the afore- hath four townlands ; it pays in proxies, 4s. ; said castle, is situate the parish church of in refections, 4s. ; in synodals, 2s. "
38 j^ the report of the Protestant bishop,
in 1622, it is described " Magherah, a
chappel ruynous, consisting of four or five townes very small. The Bps. Mensall, the two partes of all the Tithes belong to ye Bp," This was probably the old Catholic arrangement,
39 Thus, the Protestant bishop complains
** on Down and
Papers Connor,"
Down and Ancient and
Connor, Modern,"
vol. i. , pp. 50, $1.
No. xvii—i. 35 In his "Irish Itinerary," he remarks:
Maghare-rath (Maghera) ; the name of the saint to whom it is sacred my memory does not at this moment supply. One thing I can state, that it, as well as many other sacred places, was endowed with no incon- siderable estates by the chiefs of the MacCartan family, who formerly enjoyed an extensive rule in these parts, and I may add that I know not of
—"
other nobles who were more generous to the Church of God than the lords of that most ancient family, for it is an acknowledged fact that they both
Item the foure townes of
being ancyently known by the Bps. landes were lately found by an Inquisition to Sr. Arthur Magnely (Magenis), and to some of
any
Magherera
(Slieve
36 gee
built all the churches in the territories of
Ivechia (Iveagh) and Kinnalfagartay (Kina-
larty) and endowed them with the choicest
lands. " However, it seems, Father MacCana
ascribes too much to the MacCartans, for
many of those churches were endowed by
the Magenises and other co-relatives of the
MacCartans. SeeRev. JamesO'Laverty's
"
Historical Account of the Diocese of
/(5/^. , p. 47.
37 in the Pope Nicholas' taxation the
parish of Maghera was valued at twenty
March 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. ^M
The "Calendar of the Four Masters
"
places the death of St. Donard, at the
very beginning of the sixth century; but, notwithstanding, it considerably ante- dates the event. " Domangort, son ofEachach, Bishop of Rathmurbulg, in Dalriada and Dalaradia, a. d. 506. " An Office was composed, in honour of this
saint ; and, Colgan gives a portion, consisting of Antiphon, Verse, Response andPrayer. Inthislatter,allusionismadetoSt. Patrickrestoringoursaintto life,intheRomanCuria. Theyearofoursaint'sdeath,inreality,isnotknown. This circumstance may have given rise to a legend, that St. Donard is preserved alive, to raise the relics of St. Patrick, before the general judgment, and, it appears to have be—en long current in Ireland. We find it thus told, in a recently
work :+° Erinn living still. .
" There
in of St. Patrick's —
published
are,
keepers people
. .
moreover,
There is another man from him in
Sliabh-Slainge thatis,Domangart,sonofEochaidh. ItishethatwillraisePatrick'srelicsa
little before the judgment. His cell is in Rath-murbhuilg, at the side of
Sliabh-Slainge. And there is always a leg (of mutton), with its accessories, and a vessel of ale before him every Easter, which is given to Mass people
on Easter Monday always. ^^ According to an ingenious writer, on this matter, such story seems to indicate, that St. Donard was at the translation of St. Patrick's relics, as referred to in the " Book of Armagh. " ^^ In our Calendars, Domangart mac Eochach, is the simple entry, found in the Martyrology of Tallagh,''3 at this date. His feast occurs, likewise, in the Martyrology of Cashel, where his pedigree is given ; yet, according to Colgan, it is defective by two links, thus differing from the Genealogies of the Irish saints, to which allusion has been made. Marianus O'Gorman enters him thus : Domangartus Rathensis, Filius Fselix Eochodii de Rath- murbuilg in Dalaradia. Under the head of Rath-Muirbuilg,*'^ Duald Mac Firbis enters, Domangart, son of Eochaidh, an eminent bishop, for March 24th. '»5 Again,heissetdown,inHenryFitzsimon'sListofIrishSaints; but, no special festival day has been assigned there to this holy man. ^^ Also, we read, in the Martyrology of Donegal,'t7 that on this day was venerated, Domhang- hort, son of Eochaidh, Bishop of Rath-Muirbhuilg, in Dalriada. But this is a mistake for Dalaradia. This distinguished man was venerated, moreover, in Scotland ; for, we read, at this date, in the Kalendar of Drummond : Also on tliis day, the Holy Confessor and Priest Domhangart, descended from a noble race of kingly ancestors. t^ The virtues and the memory of St. Donard are still enshrined, in the veneration of a pious people, who live within the mountain range of Mourne, and throughout the adjoining districts.
Article IT. —St. Caiimin, Abbot of Inis-caltra, on Lough Derg, County of Clare. \Sixth ajid Seventh Centuries. ^ Unrivalled scenes of
his freeholders of the which Inquisition a
greatpartoftheJurorswereofthenameof
Magyness. "
'^ See Miss M. F. Cusack's Irish " Tri-
partite Life of St. Patrick," at p. 418, the
original of which is now preserved, in the Bodleian Collection.
The
Monday, in Maghera church.
^^ When the church was being built over
the body, the men who were digging the ground saw fire bursting forth out of the sepulchre, and, flying back, they were afraid
of the scorching fire and of the flames, ^^EditedbyRev. Dr. Kelly,p. xix. The Franciscan copy has 'Oomon54i\c m<ic ech.
<'
accessories may have had its origin in the belief, that plenty should attend during the year the person who heard Mass on Easter
See — . Sanctorum Catalogus Aliquorum
story
of the
leg
of mutton and its
i. , pp. 124, 125. *° "
•'* NowMaghera,CountyDown, "
''5 See Proceedings of the Royal Irish
Academy," Irish MS5. Series, vol. i. , part
Ibernise. " O'Sullevan Beare's "Historic Catholicae Ibernia; Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xii. , p. 53.
^' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 84, 85.
•' See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
Scottish Saints,—" p. 8.
'
Article ii. Innis-Cealtrach is inter*
942 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 24.
beauty, in various parts of our island, were adorned, likewise, with those noble souls, aspiring to brighter realms in God's everlasting kingdom. There
imperishablebeautyalonereigns. But,asaregionofenchantmentonearth, we may instance the island of Iniscaltra,^ with which St. Caimin is specially
associated. It is also called Inniscaltra, Iniscaltro, Inniskeltair, Island of Saints, or Holy Island. ^ This spot involuntarily awakens reverence and admiration, in the mind of every tourist. It lies, in that part of the parish of Inniscaltra, which is within the barony of TuUa, and county of CIare. 3 How- ever, the greater part of this parish is situated, in the barony of Leitrim, and in the county of Galway. * By a worthy lover and cultivator of his country's language and antiquities,s we are informed, that the history of this place, even in the dark days of paganism, was most interesting, and that it is in great part preserved, through prose and verse, in our native records. It was then known, under a pagan name, as the retreat of kings, druids, and warriors, and it was the scene of many an adventure and enterprise, in which the ancestors of several, belonging to the surrounding districts, were actors. Thus, it continued to be a favourite resort of chiefs and druids and bards, while it was made the home of chivalry and song, by our pagan ancestors, down to the dawn of Christianity. ^ Among the saints of the third order, and among the most celebrated saints of Ireland, the holy man Caimin, or Cam- minus,ofInish-Keltair,iscommemorated,bythelearnedUssher. 7 There seems to be an Irish metrical Life of this saint extant. It was copied by Michael O'Clery, from some older documents, and it is kept, in the Burgun- dian Library, at Bruxelles. ^ This appears to have come under Colgan's observation ; for, he alludes to it, at the 25th of March, as having been in part ascribed to St. Dalbach. 9 Yet, containing fabulous and apochryphal matter, he suspects this compilation to be worthless, however eulogistic of St Caimin's virtues. Therefore, Colgan chiefly introduces for illustration of his subject the account of an old commentator on St. ^ngus, with some other remarks and a few notes. '° The descent of this holy man is thus given, intheGenealogiesoftheIrishsaints,"andbySelbach. " Hisfatherwas Dima, the son of Ferguss, son to Alild, son of Dathy, son to Crimthann, son of Enna Kennselach, son to Laurad, son of Breassail Belach. Thus, he camefromthenobleraceofCathairMor,theKingofLeinster. Hismother is called Cumania, the daughter of Dalbron ; and, he seems to have been born about, or after, the middle of the sixth century. This holy man is said to have been a half-brother to the celebrated and hospitable Guaire, King of
preted,
O'Looney. '"
"
Island of Churches," by Professor
in which SS. Iber and Ailbe, of Emly, in the present county of Tipperary, are said to
have preached and predicted the coming of the true faith into Ireland, before the advent of St. Patrick. It is stated, that St. Ciaran, of Ossory, planted the cross in Corcalayda thirty years before the coming of St. Patrick into Ireland, and one of the best episodes of liis life is the account of his retreat in the Innis, now called Holy Island. "
"> See " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti- quitates," cap. xvii. , p. 503.
* MSS. vol. iv. , part ii. , p. 156.
' Said to have been venerated, at the 231 d of October.
See Notes on Irish Architecture, by Edwin, Third Earl of Dunraven," Edited
by Margaret Stokes, vol. ii. , pp. 55 to 60, where a very interesting history of the place, accompanied by several beautiful illustra- tions, will be found.
3 That portion of Inishcaltra, in the barony of Upper Tulla, is described, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
" CountyofClare, Sheet29,
* The portion in the barony of Leitrim is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Galway," Sheets 131,134,136.
5 Prolessor Brian — O'Looney.
'°
See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae,"
"
fact in its history, that it is one of the places
Martii xxv. De S. Camino Abbate Inis*
Keltraensi, pp. 746, 747.
® Mr. O'Looney adds
:
It is a curious
"
Chapter xx.
March 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 943
Connaught, who died a. d. 662.
*
Martii xxiv. De Sancto Domangarto Epis- copo in Hibemia, pp. 483, 484.
7 In the table, added to the Martyrology of Donegal, we find the following comment within brackets. It is thus rendered from
"
the Irish into English : [Domangart, son
of Eochaidh, M. Gen. : Domangort, the Pilgrim, son of Saran. M. Gen. ]" And in
"
laiius" and Donard as " Dominicus. " Thus, we read: "This is a reference to the
Downart. Sometimes he is called, by the people of Mourne, St. Donnaght. See
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
"
Legend Lays of Ireland," by Lageniensis.
No. XX. A Legend of Slieve Donard, n. i,
p. 122.
^
The letters in and g are silent, according to the Irish rules for pronouncing his name, as it is usually found spelled.
3 Alluding to the monastery of Maghera,
Giraldus Cambrensis names Slainge as
a note, added by Dr. Todd, at this passage,
. SVz-
he alludes to that exceeding high mountain, which overhangs the sea, that flows between Ireland and Britain, and which is called Salanga. And because at the foot of it, after the lapse of many ages, as he states, St. Dominicus had erected a distinguished mon- astery, it more commonly bears the name of
Martyroloziuni Genealogicuvt, where the genealogy of Domhangort, son of Eochaidh,
is given up to Fergus Dubhdedach, Book of Ltcan, fol. 39, a. e. But the other Domhan- gort, here called the Pilgrim, does not appear to be there mentioned. " See, ibid. ,
pp. 404, 405.
"^ Dominicus' mountain. See TopogTaphi^e
Hibernicae," Dist. iii. , cap. ii. , p. 141, in Giraldi, "Opera," Edited by James F. Dimock, M. A. , vol. v.
* In the Poem, '* Diarmid's Chase," —Miss Stewart thus distinctively alludes to it :
*' The evening sun vnth golden gleam Upon the mountain shed its beam.
And yet did play with softening glow. Upon the bright waves' rippling flow ;
It is said, for twenty-four years. By some writers, his death is placed at A. D.
503 ; but, Colgan thinks he departed many years before, and during the lifetime of St. Patrick.
9
Slieve Donard's
Presided over rock and tree. "
—"MiiTor of the or Heart,"
towering majesty
"
See Rev. William Reeves'
Lays Loyalty, Patriotism, Chivalry and Devotion,
Down, Connor and Dromore," Appendix S. , p.
p. 40. Dublin, 186 1, 4to sm.
5 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemise,"
Martii xxiv. De S. Domangardo Episcopo, pp. 742 to 744, with notes.
236.
'- This, we are told, was owing to no un-
natural deformity; but, because, she suckled four different progenies, the children of her
of "
Ecclesiastical of Antiquities
xix.
'° He is said to have died, in the time of
OilioU Molt, King of Ireland, who reigned twenty years, and who lived to 478, accord- ing to Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," pp. 148 to 151.
" Some call her Derinilla Cethuir-Chich-
Chapter
each, which may be rendered, provinces. "
of the four
938 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 34.
Domangard was born, towards the close of the fifth century,^* as we may infer from such accounts ;^3 and, he was afterwards called Domangart, according to the more correct rendering in Irish, although more commonly pronouncedbythevulgarDomhangard. '^ Anamegiventohim,likewise,
is that of Donagh, or Donat, and it is popularly thought, that by his applica- tion, much money was collected, for building the Cathedral of Down, which is supposed to be the first one erected there, in the fifth century. '7 It does not appear, that when a child, he had ever seen St. Patrick ; however, Jocelyn
mentions this St. Dovengardus,'^ as a disciple of the great Irish Apostle. '? Slieve Donard towers over the range of lofty mountains which stretch
away from its sides. It involuntarily forces on the imagination a feeling of total severance from mankind, and it forcibly recalls to our minds, how the saintsvaluedheaven,andwhatpricetheywerepreparedtopayforit. Little more can be said, but that it afforded a rugged welcome to the austere patron, who had selected it for his lonely dwelling. A tradition in this neighbour- hood highly celebrates the virtues, devotion, and miracles of St. Donard. '° It would seem, that he desired seclusion from the world, and, therefore, he sought a place removed from all society with worldlings. This holy retreat of St. Donard was perched on the very high mountain, which still perpetuates his name. ^' Here, it is thought, by the people, that their patron appears to celebrate Mass every Sunday. The church or hermitage was situated, on the highest top of that same mountain, far away from every human dwelling. '* It is about nine miles S. W. from Downpatrick ; and, the appearance of these upper regions has been well described, by Dr. O'Donovan, who ascended to the spot, in the year i834. '3 The ruins of that hermitage on Slieve Donard,
four successive husbands. Among her holy
sons are enumerated : St. Mura, Abbot of
Fahan, who is venerated, at the 12th of
March ; St. Cillen of Achadh-cail, in the Vita Sexta S. Patricii, cap. cxxix. , cxxx. , territory of Leith-Cathuil ; St. Machumma,
or Dochumma, either of Inis Mahee, vene- rated on the 3 1 st of January, or of Druimbo ; St. Aillean, or Aillaloc, venerated, perhaps, at the 24th of July ; and St. Aidan, whose festival is not so easily determined. Some conjecture seems to be offered, that St.
and n. 131, p. 114. Ibid.
'9 See ibid. Appendix Quinta ad Acta S.
and St. Mochumma were Domangart, sons,
rary," says :
" But I cannot forbear to ob-
the same father. See " at- Opuscula,"
serve how our saints, the earth scorning
about which the miserable race of man so
vehemently contends, sought a loftier range ; for it is a fact for which I can vouch that, on the summit of that lofty pile, and in a different region of the world, as it were,
they sought an abode of holy retirement, of which heavenly seclusion the traces still re-
by
tributed to St. ^ngus the Culdee, lib. iv. ,
Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xii. Martii, nn. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, p.
cap. vii. Also Colgan's
587.
'3 The Bollandists comment on some ana-
chronisms of statement, as foimd in the at- tributed relationships.
'* See the Life of St. Patrick,
chap,
xxi. ,
main
; forinthatelevated ofthe region
sky
where such an account is given, in more de-
tail. 'S
there exists a hermitage sacred to St. Do-
manghart. "
*" See Rev. William Reeves' " Ecclesias-
"
" Acta Sanctorum Hi-
berniae," xxiv. Martii. Vita S. Domangardi, tical Antiquities of Down, Connor and
See, Colgan's
pp. 742 to 744.
'* On this saint, and his localities in
Down, the reader will find exhaustive and
correct information, in Rev. James dated at Castlewellan, April 23rd, 1834,
O'Laverty's "Historical Account of the Diocese of Down and Connor, Ancient and Modern," vol. i. Preface, pp. ix. , xxix. ,
and, also pp. 25, 46, 48 to 52.
''See Harris' "Ancient and P. ' cnt
when engaged on the Irish Ordnance Sur- vey. The account will be found, in n. i, to
"
Legend *< In " The Irish Educational Journal and
State of the County of Down," chap, v. , p. 121.
'* See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Patricii, p. 266.
TM See Walter Harris' "Ancient and
Present State of the County of Down,"
chap, v. , p. 121.
** Father M—acCana, in his " Irish Itine-
Dromore," pp. 27, 28, and Appendix A,
Also, Calendar LL,
'3 This visit he has described, in a letter
pp. 154, 155.
p. 377.
the legend of Slieve Donard, in
Lays of Ireland," pp. 121 to 126.
March 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 939
may still be seen, covering a deep and once sacred well. It is supposed to
have had an internal communication, reaching into the Irish Sea, at Donagh's Cave, southwards of Newcastle. ^4 On the very summit of Slieve Donard were two remarkable objects, in 1 744. ^5 These lay on the north-east side. One wrecked edifice was composed of rude walls, and partitions, called chapels. ^^ Perhaps this was the oratory and cell, erected by St. Domangard, according toHarris'conjecture. Anotherwasaheapofstones,piledupinapyramidi- cal figure. In this were several cavities, wherein devotees sheltered them- selves in bad weather, while they heard Mass f^ and, in the centre of this heap, there was a cave, formed by broad, flat stones, so disposed as to sup- porteachother,withoutthehelpofcement. Wearetold,byColgan,that during the severe and terrible persecution of the heretics, this mountain her- mitage of St. Domangard used to be frequented, by a great concourse of people; while frequent pilgrimages, in honour of that wonder-working servant of God, were made by the Catholics of those northern parts. Here, two churcheswereconsecratedtohim,accordingtoFatherColgan; oneofthese was at the base of a very high mountain, overhanging the sea, in the eastern parts, which was called Rath-murlbulg, or Rath-murlow, now Machaire- Ratha, or Maghera'^- However, Murlough on the coast of the County Antrim, has been confounded with Murlough, on Dundrum Bay, by some of our Calendarists, who thought his place was in the territory of Dalriada, which lies in the northern part of Antrim County. ^9
A little north-westwards from the ruins of the old church of St. Doman-
gard, in Maghera, there is the stump of a round tower, 3° in a ruinous state,
only twenty feet of it now remaining. Its doorway faces towards the east, and it is just seven feet from the ground, while its walls are topped with vegetation. This round tower was thrown down, about the year 17 10 or 171 2. 3^ The chief church of St. Domangart is said to have been at Maghera ; while ruins of its ancient church, of which the western gable and the south wall remain, measure forty-five feet nine inches, in length, and twenty-one
National Teachers' Gazette," we read as follows :—"It is not easy to say whether
even in times. We find
by, pagan Bishop,
about one hundred and fifty years ago, mentioning those localities in connexion with Croni dii^h at Lammas time of the year. Holy Bay is the name for Dundrom bay on a map preserved in T. C. D. The Three big Sundays are still kept up in New- castle at Lammas, and also at The Twelve Cairns, within two or three miles of Dro- marra, and at the S. W. extremity of the Moume range. They may, however, have their origin, at least some of them, in the great national gathering of the people, insti- tuted by Lewy of the Long-hand, one of the Tuatha de Danann kings of Ireland. "
*s See Harris' "Ancient and Present
State of the County of Down," chap, v. , p. 121.
26 i <
gjj. William Petty mentions, in his maps, a 'chappel' on the N. E. side of Slieve Donard, which he calls Leniord's Chappel; but,probablyforwantofduein- formation, he has corrupted the name, and
the true name of it is Donard's Chappel. "— Ibid.
p. 69.
frightful
sea-monster called the Muir-
^^ See B. "Tours in J. Doyle's
the
dris, did not use this passage to show itself at the top of S. Donard at times.
It must have been a remarkable in
Ulster," °* The name of this parish was originally
place ages gone
—— Ra- Rath-murbhuilg pronounced nearly
*9 This Dr. Reeves shows, by the—follow-
which ' ' the rath at the signifies
murlough
sea inlet. " There are two townlands, named Murlough. One of these is in this parish, and the other in the parish of Kilmegan.
ing quotation from an ancient MS.
"2? ^- nard, from Rath-murbulg, in Dalriada
{xtciQ'Ds\sx3. A\z. ),fromSliabh-Slan^a. "
^° In the " Dublin Penny Journal," of
June 4th, 1836, vol. iv. , No. 205, p. 388,
there is given a drawing of it, and it is called
a Clog- Teagk. It is erroneously stated to be on Slieve Donard mountain, thus con-
founding Slieve Donard, with Maghera, whose patron saint was Domanghort.
3i Thus — of the
speaking graveyard,
Walter
stood a
Harris says: "Near it formerly
high round tower, which, about thirty years
ago, was overturned by a violent storm, and lay at length and entire on the ground, like a huge gun, without breaking to pieces, so
wonderfullyha—rdandbindingwasthecement in this work. " " Ancient and Present State
:
940 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 24.
feet six inches, in breadth. These are in the churchyard. The beautiful Norman arch, at the western entrance, is in good preservation ; the windows in the south wall are narrow, and of elegant design. s* Writing in 1645,
Colgan 33 states, that in the church of Maghera there were preserved in great veneration a bell, called The Glunan, which formerly belonged to St. Doman- gard, and one of his shoes, enshrined in a precious covering of silver and gold. These sacred articles are now entirely unknown, in the locality, nor is there the slightest tradition respecting . them, according to the Rev. James O'Laverty. 34 The founder and patron saint of Maghera was St. Donard, whose festival was religiously kept there, on the 24th day of March ; although. Father MacCana was unable to name the patron, when he wrote. 35 The parish of Maghera,3^ sometimes called, from one of its churches, the parish of Bryansford, consists of the civil parish of Maghera, and those townlands of the civil parish of Kilcoo, which are not included in the ecclesiastical parish of Kilcoo. It may have been, because Maghera 37 was a See, that it enjoyed the privilege of having a round tower, according to the opinion of the Rev. James O'Laverty, who entertains no doubt, that when the whole question of the round towers is investigated, it will be found, that they were the insignia of cathedral churches. There is not preserved the name of any, among St. Donard's successors in the See, however ; and, it would seem, that at an early date, like many other minor Sees, Maghera 3^ became incorporated in thedioceseofDown,whilethebishopenjoyeditsancientSeelands. These,
notwithstanding, appear to have been encroached upon, by lay impropriators, and notably by the Mageniss family, in 1622. 39 It is not unlikely, that the
jurisdiction of the Bishop of Maghera extended over the parish of Maghera, and over the parishes of Kilkeel, Kilcoo, and Kilmegan, which in later times
""
were under the jurisdiction of the Plebanus of Kilkeel, though the parish
of Maghera was never under the spiritual care of that dignitary, it being immediately subject to the bishop.
of the County of Down," chap, iii. , sect, vi. , p. 82.
se See "Papers on Down and Connor," intheUlsterExamineroi]\Ay^'Ca, 1870.
33 See "Acta Sanctormn Hibernire," xxiv. Martii. De S. Domangardo Episcopo, p. 743.
34 See an article in the Ulster Examiner, of July 9th, 1870, under the heading
"From the foot of the mountain
Donard) on the east there stretches an
agreeable plain, wliere there is a fortress of
the Magenis family, called New Castle, shillings. But in the "Terrier" of 1615 which was burned by the hostile Scots in the entry is " Matherira, it is a mensal, and 1643. In this plain, not far from the afore- hath four townlands ; it pays in proxies, 4s. ; said castle, is situate the parish church of in refections, 4s. ; in synodals, 2s. "
38 j^ the report of the Protestant bishop,
in 1622, it is described " Magherah, a
chappel ruynous, consisting of four or five townes very small. The Bps. Mensall, the two partes of all the Tithes belong to ye Bp," This was probably the old Catholic arrangement,
39 Thus, the Protestant bishop complains
** on Down and
Papers Connor,"
Down and Ancient and
Connor, Modern,"
vol. i. , pp. 50, $1.
No. xvii—i. 35 In his "Irish Itinerary," he remarks:
Maghare-rath (Maghera) ; the name of the saint to whom it is sacred my memory does not at this moment supply. One thing I can state, that it, as well as many other sacred places, was endowed with no incon- siderable estates by the chiefs of the MacCartan family, who formerly enjoyed an extensive rule in these parts, and I may add that I know not of
—"
other nobles who were more generous to the Church of God than the lords of that most ancient family, for it is an acknowledged fact that they both
Item the foure townes of
being ancyently known by the Bps. landes were lately found by an Inquisition to Sr. Arthur Magnely (Magenis), and to some of
any
Magherera
(Slieve
36 gee
built all the churches in the territories of
Ivechia (Iveagh) and Kinnalfagartay (Kina-
larty) and endowed them with the choicest
lands. " However, it seems, Father MacCana
ascribes too much to the MacCartans, for
many of those churches were endowed by
the Magenises and other co-relatives of the
MacCartans. SeeRev. JamesO'Laverty's
"
Historical Account of the Diocese of
/(5/^. , p. 47.
37 in the Pope Nicholas' taxation the
parish of Maghera was valued at twenty
March 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. ^M
The "Calendar of the Four Masters
"
places the death of St. Donard, at the
very beginning of the sixth century; but, notwithstanding, it considerably ante- dates the event. " Domangort, son ofEachach, Bishop of Rathmurbulg, in Dalriada and Dalaradia, a. d. 506. " An Office was composed, in honour of this
saint ; and, Colgan gives a portion, consisting of Antiphon, Verse, Response andPrayer. Inthislatter,allusionismadetoSt. Patrickrestoringoursaintto life,intheRomanCuria. Theyearofoursaint'sdeath,inreality,isnotknown. This circumstance may have given rise to a legend, that St. Donard is preserved alive, to raise the relics of St. Patrick, before the general judgment, and, it appears to have be—en long current in Ireland. We find it thus told, in a recently
work :+° Erinn living still. .
" There
in of St. Patrick's —
published
are,
keepers people
. .
moreover,
There is another man from him in
Sliabh-Slainge thatis,Domangart,sonofEochaidh. ItishethatwillraisePatrick'srelicsa
little before the judgment. His cell is in Rath-murbhuilg, at the side of
Sliabh-Slainge. And there is always a leg (of mutton), with its accessories, and a vessel of ale before him every Easter, which is given to Mass people
on Easter Monday always. ^^ According to an ingenious writer, on this matter, such story seems to indicate, that St. Donard was at the translation of St. Patrick's relics, as referred to in the " Book of Armagh. " ^^ In our Calendars, Domangart mac Eochach, is the simple entry, found in the Martyrology of Tallagh,''3 at this date. His feast occurs, likewise, in the Martyrology of Cashel, where his pedigree is given ; yet, according to Colgan, it is defective by two links, thus differing from the Genealogies of the Irish saints, to which allusion has been made. Marianus O'Gorman enters him thus : Domangartus Rathensis, Filius Fselix Eochodii de Rath- murbuilg in Dalaradia. Under the head of Rath-Muirbuilg,*'^ Duald Mac Firbis enters, Domangart, son of Eochaidh, an eminent bishop, for March 24th. '»5 Again,heissetdown,inHenryFitzsimon'sListofIrishSaints; but, no special festival day has been assigned there to this holy man. ^^ Also, we read, in the Martyrology of Donegal,'t7 that on this day was venerated, Domhang- hort, son of Eochaidh, Bishop of Rath-Muirbhuilg, in Dalriada. But this is a mistake for Dalaradia. This distinguished man was venerated, moreover, in Scotland ; for, we read, at this date, in the Kalendar of Drummond : Also on tliis day, the Holy Confessor and Priest Domhangart, descended from a noble race of kingly ancestors. t^ The virtues and the memory of St. Donard are still enshrined, in the veneration of a pious people, who live within the mountain range of Mourne, and throughout the adjoining districts.
Article IT. —St. Caiimin, Abbot of Inis-caltra, on Lough Derg, County of Clare. \Sixth ajid Seventh Centuries. ^ Unrivalled scenes of
his freeholders of the which Inquisition a
greatpartoftheJurorswereofthenameof
Magyness. "
'^ See Miss M. F. Cusack's Irish " Tri-
partite Life of St. Patrick," at p. 418, the
original of which is now preserved, in the Bodleian Collection.
The
Monday, in Maghera church.
^^ When the church was being built over
the body, the men who were digging the ground saw fire bursting forth out of the sepulchre, and, flying back, they were afraid
of the scorching fire and of the flames, ^^EditedbyRev. Dr. Kelly,p. xix. The Franciscan copy has 'Oomon54i\c m<ic ech.
<'
accessories may have had its origin in the belief, that plenty should attend during the year the person who heard Mass on Easter
See — . Sanctorum Catalogus Aliquorum
story
of the
leg
of mutton and its
i. , pp. 124, 125. *° "
•'* NowMaghera,CountyDown, "
''5 See Proceedings of the Royal Irish
Academy," Irish MS5. Series, vol. i. , part
Ibernise. " O'Sullevan Beare's "Historic Catholicae Ibernia; Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xii. , p. 53.
^' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 84, 85.
•' See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
Scottish Saints,—" p. 8.
'
Article ii. Innis-Cealtrach is inter*
942 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 24.
beauty, in various parts of our island, were adorned, likewise, with those noble souls, aspiring to brighter realms in God's everlasting kingdom. There
imperishablebeautyalonereigns. But,asaregionofenchantmentonearth, we may instance the island of Iniscaltra,^ with which St. Caimin is specially
associated. It is also called Inniscaltra, Iniscaltro, Inniskeltair, Island of Saints, or Holy Island. ^ This spot involuntarily awakens reverence and admiration, in the mind of every tourist. It lies, in that part of the parish of Inniscaltra, which is within the barony of TuUa, and county of CIare. 3 How- ever, the greater part of this parish is situated, in the barony of Leitrim, and in the county of Galway. * By a worthy lover and cultivator of his country's language and antiquities,s we are informed, that the history of this place, even in the dark days of paganism, was most interesting, and that it is in great part preserved, through prose and verse, in our native records. It was then known, under a pagan name, as the retreat of kings, druids, and warriors, and it was the scene of many an adventure and enterprise, in which the ancestors of several, belonging to the surrounding districts, were actors. Thus, it continued to be a favourite resort of chiefs and druids and bards, while it was made the home of chivalry and song, by our pagan ancestors, down to the dawn of Christianity. ^ Among the saints of the third order, and among the most celebrated saints of Ireland, the holy man Caimin, or Cam- minus,ofInish-Keltair,iscommemorated,bythelearnedUssher. 7 There seems to be an Irish metrical Life of this saint extant. It was copied by Michael O'Clery, from some older documents, and it is kept, in the Burgun- dian Library, at Bruxelles. ^ This appears to have come under Colgan's observation ; for, he alludes to it, at the 25th of March, as having been in part ascribed to St. Dalbach. 9 Yet, containing fabulous and apochryphal matter, he suspects this compilation to be worthless, however eulogistic of St Caimin's virtues. Therefore, Colgan chiefly introduces for illustration of his subject the account of an old commentator on St. ^ngus, with some other remarks and a few notes. '° The descent of this holy man is thus given, intheGenealogiesoftheIrishsaints,"andbySelbach. " Hisfatherwas Dima, the son of Ferguss, son to Alild, son of Dathy, son to Crimthann, son of Enna Kennselach, son to Laurad, son of Breassail Belach. Thus, he camefromthenobleraceofCathairMor,theKingofLeinster. Hismother is called Cumania, the daughter of Dalbron ; and, he seems to have been born about, or after, the middle of the sixth century. This holy man is said to have been a half-brother to the celebrated and hospitable Guaire, King of
preted,
O'Looney. '"
"
Island of Churches," by Professor
in which SS. Iber and Ailbe, of Emly, in the present county of Tipperary, are said to
have preached and predicted the coming of the true faith into Ireland, before the advent of St. Patrick. It is stated, that St. Ciaran, of Ossory, planted the cross in Corcalayda thirty years before the coming of St. Patrick into Ireland, and one of the best episodes of liis life is the account of his retreat in the Innis, now called Holy Island. "
"> See " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti- quitates," cap. xvii. , p. 503.
* MSS. vol. iv. , part ii. , p. 156.
' Said to have been venerated, at the 231 d of October.
See Notes on Irish Architecture, by Edwin, Third Earl of Dunraven," Edited
by Margaret Stokes, vol. ii. , pp. 55 to 60, where a very interesting history of the place, accompanied by several beautiful illustra- tions, will be found.
3 That portion of Inishcaltra, in the barony of Upper Tulla, is described, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
" CountyofClare, Sheet29,
* The portion in the barony of Leitrim is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Galway," Sheets 131,134,136.
5 Prolessor Brian — O'Looney.
'°
See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae,"
"
fact in its history, that it is one of the places
Martii xxv. De S. Camino Abbate Inis*
Keltraensi, pp. 746, 747.
® Mr. O'Looney adds
:
It is a curious
"
Chapter xx.
March 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 943
Connaught, who died a. d. 662.
