No More Learning

'^ Now Magheralin, in the county of Down.
* See Du Pin's ** Nouvelle
des Auteurs Ecclesiastiques," tome vi,, siecleviii. , p. 129.
s See " Illustrium Scriptorum
Majoris Brytanniae, quam nunc Angliam et Scotiam
vocant," cent, xiv. , num.
^Seeibid. ; \
Bibliotheque
xxviii,y-j^''. l99.
'^See"ActaSanctorumHibernice,"xii.
^ is known. =^ With or Fergus
February 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 501
madeofaSediilius,sonofThesda,ofLismore,inMunster. Hemusthave flourished before a. d. 787, when St. Maelruan died; and, Colgan says, he seems distinguishable, from any of the eight SeduHuses, he has recorded. ^^
Seduhus, Abbot of Kinn Locha,^7 is noticed by Colgan,^^ among the eminent persons so called. He is distinguished as St. Siadhal Ua Commain, and he died on the 8th of March, a. d. 794. '9
There was another remarkable man, known as Siadhal or Shiel. To distinguish him from Caius Caelius Sedulius, he is usually recognised as a
2°
Scot, and he is called, Sedulius the Younger.
but less renowned than the former, the younger Sedulius is thought to have been, the son of Feredach. He is said to have flourished a. d. 818. Again, Dr. Lanigan considers him, to have been the successor of Muireadhach,^^ whodiedAbbotofKildarea. d. 821. " Aboutthisnotedwriter,afewob-
servations are required. Sedulius the Younger, although probably a con- temporary, must not be confounded with Sedulius, an abbot and a bishop of
Roscommon,=^3 who died in 813^4 or 814. ^5 To the younger Sedulius is attributed a commentary,^^ on all the Epistles of Saint Paul, which had been
drawn from the writings of Origin, of Eusebius, of Hilary, the Deacon, of Saint Ambrose, of Rufinus, of St. John Chrysostom, of St. Jerome, of St.
Augustin, of Pelagius, of Genade of Constantinople, of St. Gregory the Great,^7 and of some other Fathers. ^^ Thus, it was only a compilation of ancient
commentaries, on these epistles. This work of Sedulius was printed, for
the first time, at Basle, in 1528, and in 1534. ^^ Sedulius the Younger is believed to have been author of a commentary on St. Matthew, written in the same style, and divided into 355 chapters. 3°. It is likely, that several codices are extant, in which his works are contained. In the Imperial
"
Library, at Vienna,3^ there is a valuable vellum manuscript, intitled
Junioris Scoti Catena, sive Collectanea ex Patrum sententiis et dictis in Evangelium S. Mathaei. " 32 This popular work, on t'. ie Gospel of St.
Februarii. De S, Sedulio Episcopo Dub-
liniensi, p. 315, and n. 4, ibid.
^5 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 354, 355.
^^ See " Acta Sanctorum
Februarii. De S. Sedulio Episcopo Dub- liniensi, p. 315.
^^ There are several places in Ireland,
named Ceann-lacha, Kinn Locha, or Kin-
lough, "the head of the lake. " Dr.
O'Donovan thinks, that place here referred
to be at the north-west ex- may Kinlough,
tremity of Lough Melvin, in the barony of Rose Ciogher, and county of Leitrim. See
"
(a), p. 402.
Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n.
'^
Hibernise,"
xii.
See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xii.
Februarii. De S. Sedulio Episcopo Dub- S. J. , observes, at i. Cor. vi. , 5.
liniensi, p. 315.
ts See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 402, 403.
a monk of St. Gall's Mo- nastery, speaks, in his abridged Annals, of a Scot, named Sedulius, called the Younger, to distinguish him from the poet, bearing a
like name.
=' He is called the son of Ceallach.
^^
See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 432, 433.
^3 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
g^g supplement to the historic disser-
='°
Hepidanus,
Septimus. p. 152.
Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis,
Distinguished as a writer,
SeduHi
nise,"Februariixii. De vS. Sedulio Episcopo Dubliniensi, and n. 6, p. 315.
^^ See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i,, pp. 426, 427.
^s See Dr. " Ecclesiastical His- Lanigan's
"
tory of Ireland,
xii. , and nn. 126, 127, pp. 255 to 257. Dr. Lanigan is in the habit of adding one year additional to the Four Masters' computation, Dr. O'Donovan corrects it in a less uniform fashion.
^^ It is "Collectaneum usually intituled,
sive Explanatio in omnes Epistolas Sancti Pauli. "
=^7 The name of this saint is not mentioned, but his "Liber Moralium," xix. , on Job, cap. 21, is quoted, as Benedict Justiniani,
vol. iii. , chap, xx. , section
^s
tation on Cardinal Bellarmin's notice of Caius Cselius Sedulius, "Operum," tomus
De
^9 It afterwards appeared, in the " Biblio- theque des Peres. "
30 See Labbe, on Cardinal Bellarmin's
works, " De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis," at Sedulius.
31 Cod. Membr. Theol. , cix. (nunc vi. i. )
c.
502 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS [Februaryla.
Matthew, is by our fellow-countryman, Sedulius, that is, SiedJmil, or Shiel. Denis, in his catalogue,33 says that this manuscript is as old as the tenth
century. It now consists of 157 folia, of large quarto form, written in a fair and uniform hand, in two columns, with red initial letters. 34 According
to a taste, prevailing among scholars of the ninth age, little of an original character was produced ; but, to extract whatever seemed best, from
writings of their predecessors, or to compose commentaries, or other
compilationsfromthem,wasmuchinvogue. ThiscommentaryofSedulius
on St. had not issued from the when Ceillier wrote. 35 It Matthew, press,
existed in MS. only, and it was preserved in the college library, belonging to the Jesuits, at Paris. Not only do we find cited there, St. Eucherius, St.
Leo, Arnobius the Younger, Fauste de Riez, St. Gregory the Great, St. Isidore, Arculphc, and Venerable Bede, but even the Poet Sedulius. This demonstrates sufficiently, that commentary is not the work of the poet. To
"
Commentariolum inartemEutychii. "so TotheyoungerSeduliusdifferentworksareattributed, and which Trithemius accords to the elder ; namely, a book of epistles, a volume on Priscian, another on the second edition of Donatus, with some other tracts. Trithemius does not give the titles of these, as he ordinarily had done, for works he personally inspected. The book of epistles, he only
words,
to show, that the younger Sedulius was a bishop. Such facts, however, can be gleaned from no other source. Siadhal, the son of Fearadhach, Abbot of Kildare, died a. d. 828. 37 Bishop Tanner states, that Sedulius junior was either a Scotchman or an Irishman. 3^ Sir James Ware39 attributes to the elder some writings of the junior Sedulius on Bale's and Dempster's authority, according to Dr. Lanigan. The latter writer says, as we find a Sedulius whose reputation for learning was great about 818, why not suppose, he was author of such writings, rather than one regarding whose learning we have noaccount. 4° Anattempt,todistinguishthewritingsoftheelderandthe younger Sedulius, has been made by Colgan,^! from the internal evidences they afford.
A Sedulius—known also as Siadhal—of Disert-Chiarain, now Castle- kieran,^^ near the town and in the barony of Upper Kells, in the county of Meath, is set down by Colgan,*^ among the eminent Seduliuses. He died
the present Sedulius, Labbe' ascribes, also, a work called
commences with these
" Sedulius the Scot. " A in manuscript
says,
Leyden Library is cited, and it contains an explanation, given by Bishop Sedulius,regardingthefirsteditionofDonatus. Thisinscriptionmayserve
3' It contains a complete copy of the com-
mentary of St. Aileian, a writer of the
seventh century, on the genealogy of our Lord, according to St. Matthew.
33 Cod. MSS. Theol. Bibl. Imp. Vindo-
bon, vol. i. , p. 294.
3'» See a paper from Charles MacDonnell,
Esq. , read before the Royal Irish Academy, and having for its—title : On a manuscript of
3^ See
*'
the tract intituled Tipicus
ac
Tropologi-
cusJesuChristi Genealogicelntellectus quern Sanctus Aileranus Scottorum Sapientissimus
exposuit,'' preserved in the Imperial Library at Vienna.
3S See " Histoire Generale des Auteurs Sacres," tome xviii. , chap, xxxvi.
3^ This was to be found in Thuana Biblio- theca, and Goldast had a copy of it in 1610. 37 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 442, 443.
**
Bibliotheca Britannico-Hiber- nica," p. 660.
39 See " De Scriptoribus Hibemise," lib. i,, cap. i. , pp. 4 to 6.
40 gee "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland,"
vol. iii. , chap, xx. , sect, xii. , n. 125.
*' See " Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xii. Februarii.
Appendix ad Acta Venerabilis Sedulii, Scriptoris et Doctoris eximii, cap.
v. , pp. 325, 326.
''^ This townland and parish are marked
on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Meath. " Sheets 10, 16. A part of this parish is shown on Sheets 43, 44, in the barony of Castlerahan, on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cavan. "
"
43 See Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," xii.
Februarii. De S. Sedulio Episcopo Dub- liniensi, p. 315.
**
Premature died the abbot of lasthig Ben- cair
Great grief is Maenach's loss
The illustrious black-haired man of the
to Edward O'Reilly.
^^ See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xii.
Februarii. DeS. Sedulio,EpiscopoDub- liniensi, n. I, p. 315.
"^7 Inthisconnexion,wemaywellrecord, the patriot, orator and poet, Richard Lalor
Shiel, whose brilliant genius so admirably served the best interests of Ireland during
the — present century.
February 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 503
in the year 855, according to the Annals of the Four Masters,'»4 or a. d. 856, according to those of Ulster. Nor were the foregoing the sole distinguished men of the Irish family name Shiel. -^s In Colgan's day,^^ the people so called were numerous in various parts of Ireland, addicted to learning and science, inheriting from the example of our great Sedulius the prized gifts ot intellect and morality ; since his time, their claims, on our countrymen's veneration, have been augmented. 47 There is, after all, something in a name, especially, when it engages a nation's affection and reverence, while it awakens proud and holy recollections.
Article II. —St. Fethgna or Factna, Archbishop of Armagh.
[Ninth Century. '] On the 12th of February, the Martyrology of Tallagh' enters the name of S. Fethgna, as having been venerated. It states nothing, concerning the rank he attained in the Irish Church. On this day, is re- gistered, likewise, in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ Fethgna, the successor of Patrick, and head of the religion of the Gaoidhil. Mafisaettis^ is found added to the entry of this name, in the table, which follows this Martyrology. 4 He was the son of Neachtain, and he was born, probably, about the begin- ning of the ninth century. He succeeded Diarmaid O'Tighearnaigh, as
'*' See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. ,
pp. 488, 489. —
"s In addition to the foregoing enume- rated by her—Mrs. Barrett extracts from the Irish Annals, these names : —A. D. 606,
A gem of the full precious stone
As far as noble Rome it is a sign of
sorrow. "
A. D. 921, Moonagh Mac Siaghil, Chief of Learning [recte wisdom), in the Island of
St. Siollan, or Sillan na Caimmin, Abbot Ireland, died (Ann. Ulster) ; A. D. 924,
of Bangor, and successor of Comhgall, died. He is called Sillan na Comyn, and in the Annals of Ulster, Sillan M'Camain ; a. d. 610, St. Colman Eala, i. e. , Mac-Ui Selli died; A. D. 618, St. Siollan, Bishop and Abbot of Maghbile, died 25th August ; A. D. 658, St. Sillan, Bishop of Devenish, died 17th May; A. D, 720, Sealvagh, Lord of Dal Riada, went into holy orders ; A. D. 722, Endos, son of Mac Allelic, killed in the battle of Corcain ; A. D. 732, Aengus M'Ailella, Lord of Cianachta, died; A. D. 735, Forbasach M'Ailella, Lord of Ossory, died ; A. D. 910, Diarmid, son of Sealvagh, Lord of Dal Riada, died ; A. D. 914, Aedh MacAilella, Abbot of Cluanferta Brenain, died; A. D. 919, Maenach, son of Siadhil (Shell), Abbot of Beanchair (Bangor), and the best scribe of all the Irish race, died. Dh —
Colman, son of MacAililla (Ailealla A. c), Abbot of Cluan-mac-nois, a bishop and wise man, died ; it was by him, the Dam-
liagh, of Cluan-mac-nois, was built; A. D. 926, Colman Mac Ailella, Abbot of Cluan
Mac Nois, died ; A. D. 930, Duilister, son of Sealvagh, Abbot of Teach Moling, died ;
A. D. 932, Sealvagh, Abbot of Tymoling, and Lector of Glendaloch, died ; A. D. 935,
Diarmid, son of Ailella, Abbot of Cill
Cuilin, died; A. D. 950, Cormack O'Hail-
ella. Archdeacon of Kilcollyn, died (Ua-h-
ailela A. C. ) ; a. d. 1036, Ceallach Ua Sealb-
haich, a bishop, successor of Bairri, a learned
senior of Munster, died ; A. D. 1047, Sann,
daughter of M'Sealvagha, successor of
Brighid, died ; A. D. 1096, Sithfrich, son of
M'Sealvagh, Lord of Fearois, died ; a. d.
1 139, Domhall Ua Sealvagh, Archdeacon
is mute or rather
sung his requiem
Thus was
of died. In old e and
:
aspirated.
Corcah,
i are used sometimes
manuscripts, indifferently, according
charming face
The paragon of Ireland between seas The successor of mild Comghal
Head of counsel of the
Its golden crown to be sorrowfully re-
gretted
Grievous to me that the wise man of Inis-
fail
Died from the assembly of the brave
Gaedhil
= Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
46, 47-
3 This is probably inserted to signify, tnat
he was of a meek disposition.
just province,
Article ii. p. XV.
'
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
504 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February12.
Archbishop of Armagh, in 852. 5 During his incumbency, Amhlaeibh, or Amlaf, the Norwegian, plundered and set fire to Armagh, and its oratories, in 867,^ or 868,7 having slain or suffocated one thousand of its inhabitants. ^ Atthetime,itislikely,theoldcathedralhadbeendestroyed. 9 Factnasatfor
Mediaeval Cathedral of Armagh as Repaii^^l.
twenty-two years in the primatial chair of Armagh, according to the catalogue of its bishops, as furnished by the Psalter of Cashel. The city of Armagh is
reputedthechiefoneinthekingdomofIreland,byPhilipCluverius. '° The Annals of the Four Masters" place the death of Fethgna, under a. d. 872 ; those of Ulster write it, under a. d. 873 ; but, we are informed, that the true year of his decease was a. d. 874. ^^ He is said to have died, on the 6th of October. ^3 If such be the case, we are at a loss to know, why his festival should have been assigned to the present date.
Article III. —St. Simplex, Bishop of Cill Moduind, now Kilmude,
INHy-MANY,CountyofGalway. TheMartyrologyofDonegal'records, on this day. Simplex, Bishop, i. e. , Modiuid, of Cill Modiuid,= in Sodhan. The cantred of the six Sodhans was situated, within the old territory of Hy-
4 See ibid. , pp. 416,417.
s See Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Archbishops of Armagh," p. 45.
'° "
See Introductionis in Universam
Geographiam, tam veterem quam novam,
513-
"
See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. ,
^3 See Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Archbishops Armagh," p. 45.
According
Libri vi. ," lib. ii,, cap. xxv. , p. 92. Am- to Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals stelodami, Ex Officina Elzeviriana. Ao.
^
of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 510 to
Annals of Ulster. " 8"
7 According to the
See Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Archbishops
of Armagh," pp. 45, 46.
9 The — Protestant present
pp. 518, 519. Sceidid. , n. (t).
of the
from a photograph of Frederick—H. Mares,
and engraved by Mrs. Millard is on foundations of a much more ancient struc- ture.
hi. —' Edited by Drs. Todd
Armagh figured in the body
Cathedral
of text,
of
the
In
a// Modiuid, "Now Kilmude in Hy- Many. "
1672, i8mo.
"
Article
and Reeves, pp. 46, 47.
"
a note. Dr. Todd says, at this name,
February 12. ] LIVES 01 THE IRISH SAINTS. 505
Many. There, also, lay the church of Cill-Modhiuid, now Kilmude, which wasthechurchofSt. Simplex,accordingtotheFeilireAenguis. 3 Thismust besoughtfor,inanoteannexed. UndertheheadofCillModiut,Duald Mac Firbis enters, Simplex, bishop, i. e. , Modiut, of Kill modiut, in Soghan, atFebruarythe12th. 4 Thelast-namedplacewasthatdistrictoftheenslaved tribes, near the River Suck. s
Article IV. —Semplex and Daman, with Martyred Companions. It seems probable, that the first of these saints, commemorated in the "Feilire" of St. ^ngus, at the 12th of February,^ must be identified, with the holy bishop, whose notices already precede. It is remarkable, too, that at this same date, in the calendars, a Simplicius suffered martyrdom, at Alex-
"
Feilire," seems to have been the soldier and martyr, Damianus, in Africa, and who probably met his death, at Alexandria. 3 Much obscurity prevails, however, regarding the time, place
—this same andmodeofhismartyrdom. Again,at day,
reputedtohavedifferedfromtheformer andthoughttohavebeenaRoman,
who suffered martyrdom, at Salamanca, in Spain. ^ St. -^ngus appears to have drawn his notice, from the ancient Martyrology, ascribed to St.