26 See " Acta
Sanctorum
Hiberniae," xv.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v8
Mochta replied : "No, for during last night, in a vision, I saw the boy delivered by the Lord of Heaven into the hands of a certain young man, who shall be born after some years.
" That person of whom the holy Abbot spoke was
1
thought to have been no other than St. Kieran, the renowned Abbot of
Clonmacnoise.
Whereupon, that deacon, with the boy Dageus, returned to his brother St.
Laserian,2 the Abbot and founder of a monastery at Daimhinis, now Devenish,
in Lough Erne. We learn, that adjoining the great monastery at that place, there was a smaller one, 3 apart from it, and which was a school. In this, Dageus
fully learned the arts of writing, and of metal-working, as also the knowledge
of literature. There, too, he was obliged constantly to reside and, on a ;
certain occasion, when the monks slept, he was enjoined by the Abbot Laserian to keep watch, for the protection of that house. However, the pupil only hung his cape on a wooden peg, when so ordered ; and, for that night, nothing occurred to do any injury to the place or to its inhabitants. However, on the next day, the Abbot upbraided him for his disobedience. Whereupon, Dageus prophetically stated, that never should that little monas- tery be exempt from some damage.
Afterwards, having obtained the requisite permission from St. Lassrian,
theyouthwenttothemonasteryofSt. Comgall,*atBangor. s Therehewas initiatedtotheruleanddisciplineestablishedbythatholyAbbot. Byday
3' See Sir William Betham's " Irish An-
tiquarian Researches, "p. 244 ; Henry Shaw's "Handbook of Mediaeval Alphabets,"
London, 1853 ; Henry Noel Humphreys' " Illuminated Works of the Middle Ages ;"
"
the Evangelia Augustini Gregoriana,"
edited by James Godwin, Fellow of Cam-
bridge University ; M. Digby Wyatt's Handbook to the Byzantine Court in the
Crystal Palace, at Sydenham," and his "Art of Illuminating ;" Silvestre's " Palseo- graphia Universelle. "
Chapter il — * His Life is given, in the Ninth Volume of this work, at the 9th of September, the day for his festival. Art. i.
He died A. D. 563, according to Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Mas- ters," vol. i. , pp. 202, 203.
3 It is called " monasteriolum," in the Latin Life.
* The Life of this holy Abbot has been already given, in the Fifth Volume of this work, at the 10th of May, Art. i.
5 As we have already stated, the founda-
The Rev. Dr.
3+
Zurich, and Dr. Waagen both excellent critics on ancient styles of art—bear willing
Ferdinand of — Keller,
has been referred to
testimony to the superior designs of the Irish schools.
tion of
A. D. 551, or to various other lateryears down to A. D. 561. Sec ibid. , chap. ii. The death of St. Comgall is referred to the beginning of the seventh century. See chap. iv.
this
monastery
August 18. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 257
he studied and exercised his art of metallurgy ; while his nights were spent in
writing, with the exception of a few hours left for sleep. There, too, with his own hands, many utensils for the monastery were fashioned.
Three cymbals or small sounding bells he wrought for St. Comgall f and finally, he transcribed a most elegant Book of the Gospels, while he designed a truly artistic cover, or case, which he manufactured to enclose it.
Having spent several years in the Ccenobium at Bangor, the blessed Daigh, knowing that he had been consigned by Divine Providence to the care of St. Kiaran of Clonmacnoise, and to his successors, left the former place with a prayer and benediction to seek the latter holy master. To him it had been revealed, by the Almighty, that certain holy visitors were on their way to his monastery. Having finished the celebration of Mass, the Abbot went forth to meet them. Last in the train of his companions was Daigh, who carried their vestments and books. While on his way from St. Comgall's monastery to that of St. Kieran's, Daigh tasted neither food nor drink, remarking that without the head the body should not be able to take nourishment. Whereupon, Kieran said : "I wonder to see the great gift of the Holy Spirit not coming hither before those clerics arriving but after them. " Then Dageus approaching him fell on his knees, humbly and gratefully resigninghimselftotheruleofhisnewmaster. AsSt. Kieranissaidtohave departed this life, a. d. 548,7 the visit of our saint to him must be placed in all probability, previous to, or, at least, in that year. While at Clonmacnoise, our saint must have rendered himself useful to the community in various ways. Thus, Dageus is said to have been smith to St. Kieran,8 which only means, however, that he exercised the art of working in the precious metals, and chiefly for ecclesiastical purposes.
Not long afterwards, the holy Abbot of Clonmacnois directed him to return and to found a monastery of his own, in the territory where he was born. WefinditcalledInyscam,9intheoldcopyofoursaint'sActs,while a modern writer IO calls it Iniskin, and places it in the upper half-barony of Dundalk, County of Louth. The name is also written Inishkeen, Enniskeen, or Inniskeen.
The foregoing location, however, is a mistake, as the site is really in the BaronyofFarney,andCountyofMonaghan. AremarkableRoundTower stands in the cemetery, where the Protestant church of unknown date has beenerected. 11 ThedooroftheRoundTowerisonalevelwiththeground; thus differing from most of its class, and probably, it is not of very remote
12
antiquity.
proportions with the oldest remaining in Ireland. Contiguous to it, there is a circular mound, enclosed with lime and stone walls, having some resem- blance to one near Aghavoe in the Queen's County,13 in after time, this saint's name is found associated with the place, called Inis-caoin-Deghadh,14
It has also a window, nor does it seem to be of equally graceful
6 The writer of our saint's ancient Acts
states, that these were preserved in great veneration to the time when he wrote, "qua; usque hodie in magno habentur. "
7 According to Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters,'' vol. i. , pp. 184,185.
8
Account of the Territory or Dominion of Farney," chap, vii. , p. 184. London, 1845, 4*°-
9 Probaby the error of a scribe. Vol. VIII. —No. 5.
I0 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiber-
nicum," p. 465.
" See "Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire-
land," vol. ii. , pp. 182, 183.
" The illustration here presented is from
a photograph, and drawn by William F. See Evelyn Philip Shirley's "Some Wakeman, on the wood, engraved by Mrs.
Millard.
*a According to the Statist of the County
of Monaghan.
m « Deghadh was probably the bishop's
r
2=;8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 18.
is
after him. Inishkeen Glebe contains 69a. 2r. 3p. , and it was in the ancient
diocese of Clogher, being a rectory and a separate benefice. The River Fane runs through this parish ; its course on the eastern boundary is very rapid, and it is crossed near the church by an excellent stone bridge of five arehes. The river takes an eastward course, through the County of Louth, and it falls into the Bay of Dundalk. That place selected for St. Daigh's foundation was in the ancient territory of Orgiel or Oriel; and, in Colgan's
1*
time, it had only a parish church,
Inniskeen Church and Round Tower, County of Monaghan.
x WhenDaigharrivedthere,hefoundColumba? atthatplace,whenboth
united in blessing it,
18
and the monastery which was there to be founded.
" souls shall pass from this sacred Many
The latter man holy
prophesied :
spot to the kingdom of Heaven. " We are told, however, that the secular
brothers of our saint were jealous, because he had resolved to settle and build his monastery there. They even entered into a conspiracy to kill him. We are told in the Acts, that Naindeich, the son of Mayne, and one of his
resolved to sacrifice his own life to save that of his master. Whereupon, assuming the Abbot's cape, the brothers rushed upon him with their spears, but these struck on it in vain. However, both Naindeich and the Abbot forgave their evil intent, especially when filled with compunction
real name, which has been latinized into niae," Supplementum Vitae S. Uerachi, ex Dagaeus ; so that Iniscaoin-Deghadh Codice MS. Hibernico Ecclesiae ejusdem means the Iniscaoin of Dagaeus, and was Sancti, n. 4, p. 348.
thus distinguished from Iniscaoin, an island 17 This was probably the celebrated Abbot in Lough Erne. " — Rev. Dr. Lanigan's of Iona, whose Life has been given in the
disciples,
"Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, xiv. , n. 246, p. 79.
15 It is marked in the parish of Inishkeen,
"
Sixth Volume of this work, at June 9th, the day for his feast, Art. i.
18
If this Columba happened to be the founder of Iona, the incident here related most probably occurred before he left Ire-
land for Scotland about A. D. 562.
'9
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of
and barony of Farney. See
Monaghan," sheet 29.
l* See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
Probably
the old
territory
of
Beare,
August 18. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 259
for their crime, those brothers fell on their knees to ask pardon from Daigeus.
He imposed on them as a penance, that they should leave that part of the
x
country, for a place called Beyr » or Beare, in the southern parts of Ireland,
whence they were not to return. There the posterity of those brothers lived, at that time when the old Acts of our saint were written. 20
A or college
been him 21
is mentioned, as
and, according to the old Acts of our saint, he lived in a little monastery
calledDelenna. However,asthisplacecannotwellbeidentified,wedonot
think it is different from Inish-caoin, which seems to have been his per-
22
manent place of residence. It is also stated, that St. Berach, of Cluain
Coirpthi,
washis
TheIrishLifeof 23 is as
Berach, quoted authority
monastery
having
governed by
;
disciple.
for this statement. We have already seen, that in connection with St. Daigh's
2
monastery, in Magh Muirtheimhne, * there was a mill, not alone for the com-
munityuse,butforthatofpeopleresidingintheneighbourhood. Therea miraculous occurrence is stated to have occurred, through the agency of St. Berach, when he is said to have brought to life a woman and her son. 2*
The performance of that remarkable miracle, as given in the Irish Life
of St. Berach, 20 is with incidents which seem to published by Colgan, fraught
be irreconcilable with the account of this same legend, in the old Acts of St.
Dega Maccayrill. In the latter, we are told, that the woman, who went to have some grain ground in the mill, had been wounded by a certain man ; but, St. Daigh having sent his disciple St. Berach to her, she was healed. Having left her son behind, when she returned to her home, he was acciden- tally drowned in the mill-race. In great grief for his loss, when the body had been found in the river, the mother went in tears to St. Daigh, who, com- passionating her distress, sent his disciple to that place where the corpse lay in the bed of the stream. Berach then prayed with great fervour for the boy's recovery, and he was restored to life. Moreover, Berach declared, that thenceforward, no other person should ever be drowned in that part of the river. In commemoration of such a wonderful event, the spot was afterwards called the Piscina of Berach, in popular tradition, even to that time, when the old Acts of St. Dega Maccayrill were written.
While was in the Dageus
monastery
of St.
Finnian,
27 at 28 St. Clonard,
once in possession of the O'Driscolls, but
from which they had been expelled by the
O'Sullivans, after the English Invasion. It is commensurate with the present barony, socalled,intheCountyofCork. SeeDr. O'Donovan's "Topographical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O'Huidhrin," p. lxvii. , n. 576.
Muirtheimne, from the descendants ofConall Cearnach of the Clann Ruidhraidhe race, and it reached from the mountain of Bregh, near Drogheda, to the neighbourhood of Dundalk, taking in the County of Louth, andsomepartofMonaghanCounty. See the "LeAbh^\ iia j;-Ce<M\c, or Book of Rights," edited by John O'Donovan, pp. 166,167,11. (1).
25 See the account in the Second given
Volume of this work, at the 15th of Feb- ruary, Art. i. St. Berach or Berachius, Abbot, Patron of Kilbarry, County of Ros-
20
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
Augusti
xviii. De S.
Dega Maccayrill Ep.
Conf. Vita auctore anonymo, num. 4, 5, 6,
7> P- 659.
21
See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xv. Februarii. Supplementum Vitae common, chap, i. , ii.
S. Berachi, ex Codice MS. Hibernico Ecclesiae eiusdem Sancti, cap. iii. , p. 345.
26 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xv. Februarii, Supplementum Vitas S. Berachi, cap. iv. , pp. 344, 345.
22
Volume of this work, at the 15th of Feb-
See the Life of this saint, in the Second
ruary, Art. i.
2? This saint had a festival on the 23rd of February, at which date, in the Second Volume of this some notices of him
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise. " Supplementum Vitse S. Berachi, cap.
iii,, v. pp. 344, 345.
24 This territory is also called Conaille
23 See
Colgan's
work,
may be found, Art. ix. However, his chief
festival was kept on the 12th of December. 28 Saint Finian, founder of Clonard, died
260 LIVES OE THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 18.
Ruadhan 29 was also there j when a candle having been accidentally extin- guished in presence of the latter, our saint blew his breath upon it, and the flame
once more appeared. Again, in a convent of the holy daughters of Fintan,3° one of them died. However, it so happened, when St. Daigh came to that
monastery, the dead sister was miraculously restored to life. Whereupon, the nuns of that house placed it afterwards under the guardianship of St Daigh and of his successors.
A saint, named 1 who ruled over a CayrelljS
monastery
asked the holy Abbot of Inishkeen to make a small altar ;33 but the latter
excusing himself, that he had not materials for such a purpose, the legend relates,thatalumpofgoldfellfromHeavenonhisbosom. Fromthis,the required object was fashioned, and with what remained of that precious metal, so miraculously obtained, land was bought, and it was called the Field ofGold. Whereupon,St. Cayrellgavehimselfandhisplaceovertotherule
of St. Daigh.
While Daigh was at Inishkeen, or it may have been at the place of St.
Cayrell, the chief of Ui Crimthann 34 held in captivity the only son of a woman, who besought the saint to intercede on his behalf. Instead of grant- ing the mother's prayer for his release, that most cruel chief put her son to death. Notwithstanding, Daigh raised him to life ; and, in due course, the chief and his posterity ceased to rule in that territory. When the holy Abbot left that place, he found dead, on the way, three daughters 35 of a certain man, namedColumba. Theseheraisedtolife,andafterwardsheinstructedthem in literary science. He founded a nunnery for them, likewise, and it was thenceforth known as the house of Columba's Daughters. 36 Although this Dagaeus is called bishop, yet it does not appear that he was one, when he attended Moctheus in his last illness. 37 Owing to this circumstance, he must have been a priest before a. d. 535, the year assigned for Moctheus' death. 38
A. n. 548, according to some writers ; others hach-Meith (the Fort), son of Imchadh,
have it at A. D. 552, or even later. Yet, the acts of our saint do not say, that when he was in that monastery the founder of it was living.
29 Abbot of Lorha, County of Tipperary.
His feast was held on the 15th of April, and of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na
on that day his Life is given in the Fourih
Volume of this work, Art. i. He died a. d.
584, according to the Annals of Tigher- nach.
30 Under such designation we do not find any entry of a feast to them in the Irish Calendars.
31 A St. Cairell, Bishop of Tir-rois, is venerated on the 13th June, at which date notices of him may be found, in the Sixth Volume of this work, Art. i. Tir-Rois is said to have been in the County of Monahan ; and probably it was inhabited by the Feara Rois, or men of Ross, comprised within the parishes of Carrickmacross and Clonany, in that county, with parts of the adjoining Counties of Meath and Louth, although its exact limits have not yet been
"
leab- hapna5-CeApe,orBookofRights,"n. (m. )
determined. See Dr. O'Donovan's
pp. 154, 155.
32 This place has not been identified.
However, there was a sept, known as the Ui-Meith-Macha, descended from Muiread-
who was the^son of Colla-da-Crioch. This people had been seated in the parishes of Tullycorbet, Kilmore, and Tehallon, in the baronyandCountyofMonaghan. SeeDr.
Naomh O'Huidhrin," p. xxii. , n. 127. 33TheLatinwordusedis "altariolum. " 34 The Crimpthanni are said to have been
a people living in Ulster, according to Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise. "
Index Quintus Topographicus, p. 873. However, there was a small territory called Chrimthann in Southern Orgiell, now belonging to the Barony of Slane. See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricil, pars, iii. , cap. ii. , p. 149,
and n. II, p. 184. See also Roderick "
O'Flaherty's Ogygia," pars, iii. , cap. Ixxvi. , p. 364. This seems likely to have been that place mentioned in the text.
35 Their feast was celebrated on the 13th of September, at which date notices of them may be found in the Ninth Volume of this woik.
36 InIrish written, ChighIngenColuun,
and Anglicized, Tech-ingen-Coluim.
3? See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Iliber- nkt," xxiv. Martii. Vita S. Mochtei Epis-
copi Lugmadensis, cap. xx. , p. 731.
John O'Donovan's "Topographical Poems
called a Metheus,3
August 18. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 261
However, it is difficult to reconcile this statement with that of his having spent several years in the ccenobium at Bangor, which was not founded before the middle of the sixth century, and where he seems to have made his studies preparatory to receiving Holy Orders. Nevertheless, supposing St. Daigh to have lived to between eighty and ninety years of age, he might have been that person who as a priest attended Moctheus, during his last illness.
CHAPTER III.
THE FAME OF ST. DAIGH BECOMES DIFFUSED THROUGHOUT IRELAND—MANY HOLY PERSONS PLACE THEMSELVES UNDER HIS DIRECTION, AND LANDS ARE BESTOWED ON HIM FOR THE FOUNDATION OF RELIGIOUS HOUSES—HE RAISES SEVERAL DEAD PERSONS TO LIFE—HIS DEATH—HIS FESTIVALS—CONCLUSION.
It had been publicly spread abroad, that St. Daigh performed several great
1
miracles, andhisfamewassoonextendedtothemostdistantpartsofIreland.
Several holy virgins desired to place themselves under his rule and direction.
objected
proceeding. Wherefore he sent messengers to remonstrate, but having had
a premonition regarding their coming, St. Daigh ordered the nuns to receive them humbly and to serve them courteously. We are told, that one of those sisters bore fire on her bosom, without any injury occurring to her person or garments, while another carried water, as if it were enclosed in a sound vessel. These miracles caused the messengers to repent for their errand. But, the blessed Daggeus brought those pious nuns towards the northern parts ; and, having built for them different houses, in divers places, with other virgins, they served God in the religious state.
Proceeding with a holy virgin, named Cunne,? to a place called Eda,8 the son of a chief belonging to that district had been drowned, at the mouth ofacertainriver,whichflowedthroughit, andwhereagreatquantityoffish
these 2 his andDulvina5 arementioned Cumena, Lassara,3 sister,*
Among
name. TheAbbotofClonmacnois,whowasnamedOenu,6
by tothat
38 See Rev. Dr.
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect. xiv. , p. 76. —
Chapter hi. x See Colgan's "Acta
Sanctorum Hibernise," xix. Februarii. De
S. Dagseo Episcopo, p. 374.
aT 18th. April
Lanigan's
29th. 4. Lassar,
5. Lassar, at July 23.
Ros-Rain, at July 27th. 7. Lassar of CHI- Archalgach, at August 20th. 8. Lassar, of Cluain-mor, at September 15th. 9. Lassar, daughter of Lochan, at September 30th. 10. Lassar, of Achadh-beithe, at November 13th. II. Lassar, daughter of Fionntan, March 23rd. 12. Lassar, virgin, at May
2
namesof three holy women, named Cumman.
In our Irish Calendars, we find the
" Ecclesiastical
One is St. Cumman, virgin, of Daire-inghen-
Aillen, whose feast occurs on the 29th of 7tn- 13. Lassar, virgin, at May nth. 14.
May, and of whom some notices maybe found at that date, in the Fifth Volume of this work, Art. ii. Another is Cumman Beg, virgin, of Cill-Cuimne, venerated on the 14th of June, and of whom a notice may be found at that date, in the Sixth Volume of this work, Art. ii. The third is Cumman, or Cumana, venerated at the 6th of July, and of whom some account maybe seen, in the
Seventh Volume of this work, Art. iv.
3 No less than fourteen holy virgins called Lassar, or Lassara, occur in our Calendars. 1. Lassar of Achadh-foda, at January 6th.
Lassar, at May 14th.
4 This relationship to our Saint does not
appear in any other account of his family descent.
s We cannot find this name inscribed on any of our Irish Calendars.
6 He seems to have been St. Oenna
MacUaLaighisi, Abbot of Clonmacnois, who died a. d. 569. See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 206, 207.
» This name we do not find in our Iris Calendars.
of Gleann-Medhoin, at
8 We are not able to the identify
as here given.
2. Lassar,
February 18th. 3. Lassar, virgin, at March
virgin,
locality
virgin,
6. Lassar, of Tioprat-
262 LIVES 01 THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 18.
had been usually taken. Him St. Daigh restored to life. Whereupon, the
chief granted that land and estuary to them and to their successors. After
our saint went to the land of Lugne,9 in Connaught, he visited the monastery
of the sons of 10 and that of the Riteilla. " There he was Flescaig, holy virgin
reverently received. During the time of his repast, a cup was wanting, until a golden vessel came to him from Heaven. This was afterwards sold, on
behalf of the monks there living. Subsequently, Daigh went to the lands, where dwelt the posterity of Ailell. 13 There Cathbot J 3 was chief, and his
son Diarmit had recently departed. However, through a miracle, he was once more restored to life. Having been instructed in the liberal sciences, Diarmit «* lived in a monastery of his foundation. We might pass over some of those miracles attributed to the saint, but for the names of former places, with which they are said to have been connected. While Daigh was at a cer-
tain monastery, called Cruymterntj's the Almighty was pleased to work a miracle, on behalf of the brethren ; for, some thieves having removed the bottom from a milking-pail, still it was brought filled with milk from the byre or cattle-shed to the monastery.
6
Thence going into the territory of Corprorum/ he there founded a
monastery. Not having beer to entertain the guests, at that place, on a cer- tain occasion, water was converted into wine.
1
thought to have been no other than St. Kieran, the renowned Abbot of
Clonmacnoise.
Whereupon, that deacon, with the boy Dageus, returned to his brother St.
Laserian,2 the Abbot and founder of a monastery at Daimhinis, now Devenish,
in Lough Erne. We learn, that adjoining the great monastery at that place, there was a smaller one, 3 apart from it, and which was a school. In this, Dageus
fully learned the arts of writing, and of metal-working, as also the knowledge
of literature. There, too, he was obliged constantly to reside and, on a ;
certain occasion, when the monks slept, he was enjoined by the Abbot Laserian to keep watch, for the protection of that house. However, the pupil only hung his cape on a wooden peg, when so ordered ; and, for that night, nothing occurred to do any injury to the place or to its inhabitants. However, on the next day, the Abbot upbraided him for his disobedience. Whereupon, Dageus prophetically stated, that never should that little monas- tery be exempt from some damage.
Afterwards, having obtained the requisite permission from St. Lassrian,
theyouthwenttothemonasteryofSt. Comgall,*atBangor. s Therehewas initiatedtotheruleanddisciplineestablishedbythatholyAbbot. Byday
3' See Sir William Betham's " Irish An-
tiquarian Researches, "p. 244 ; Henry Shaw's "Handbook of Mediaeval Alphabets,"
London, 1853 ; Henry Noel Humphreys' " Illuminated Works of the Middle Ages ;"
"
the Evangelia Augustini Gregoriana,"
edited by James Godwin, Fellow of Cam-
bridge University ; M. Digby Wyatt's Handbook to the Byzantine Court in the
Crystal Palace, at Sydenham," and his "Art of Illuminating ;" Silvestre's " Palseo- graphia Universelle. "
Chapter il — * His Life is given, in the Ninth Volume of this work, at the 9th of September, the day for his festival. Art. i.
He died A. D. 563, according to Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Mas- ters," vol. i. , pp. 202, 203.
3 It is called " monasteriolum," in the Latin Life.
* The Life of this holy Abbot has been already given, in the Fifth Volume of this work, at the 10th of May, Art. i.
5 As we have already stated, the founda-
The Rev. Dr.
3+
Zurich, and Dr. Waagen both excellent critics on ancient styles of art—bear willing
Ferdinand of — Keller,
has been referred to
testimony to the superior designs of the Irish schools.
tion of
A. D. 551, or to various other lateryears down to A. D. 561. Sec ibid. , chap. ii. The death of St. Comgall is referred to the beginning of the seventh century. See chap. iv.
this
monastery
August 18. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 257
he studied and exercised his art of metallurgy ; while his nights were spent in
writing, with the exception of a few hours left for sleep. There, too, with his own hands, many utensils for the monastery were fashioned.
Three cymbals or small sounding bells he wrought for St. Comgall f and finally, he transcribed a most elegant Book of the Gospels, while he designed a truly artistic cover, or case, which he manufactured to enclose it.
Having spent several years in the Ccenobium at Bangor, the blessed Daigh, knowing that he had been consigned by Divine Providence to the care of St. Kiaran of Clonmacnoise, and to his successors, left the former place with a prayer and benediction to seek the latter holy master. To him it had been revealed, by the Almighty, that certain holy visitors were on their way to his monastery. Having finished the celebration of Mass, the Abbot went forth to meet them. Last in the train of his companions was Daigh, who carried their vestments and books. While on his way from St. Comgall's monastery to that of St. Kieran's, Daigh tasted neither food nor drink, remarking that without the head the body should not be able to take nourishment. Whereupon, Kieran said : "I wonder to see the great gift of the Holy Spirit not coming hither before those clerics arriving but after them. " Then Dageus approaching him fell on his knees, humbly and gratefully resigninghimselftotheruleofhisnewmaster. AsSt. Kieranissaidtohave departed this life, a. d. 548,7 the visit of our saint to him must be placed in all probability, previous to, or, at least, in that year. While at Clonmacnoise, our saint must have rendered himself useful to the community in various ways. Thus, Dageus is said to have been smith to St. Kieran,8 which only means, however, that he exercised the art of working in the precious metals, and chiefly for ecclesiastical purposes.
Not long afterwards, the holy Abbot of Clonmacnois directed him to return and to found a monastery of his own, in the territory where he was born. WefinditcalledInyscam,9intheoldcopyofoursaint'sActs,while a modern writer IO calls it Iniskin, and places it in the upper half-barony of Dundalk, County of Louth. The name is also written Inishkeen, Enniskeen, or Inniskeen.
The foregoing location, however, is a mistake, as the site is really in the BaronyofFarney,andCountyofMonaghan. AremarkableRoundTower stands in the cemetery, where the Protestant church of unknown date has beenerected. 11 ThedooroftheRoundTowerisonalevelwiththeground; thus differing from most of its class, and probably, it is not of very remote
12
antiquity.
proportions with the oldest remaining in Ireland. Contiguous to it, there is a circular mound, enclosed with lime and stone walls, having some resem- blance to one near Aghavoe in the Queen's County,13 in after time, this saint's name is found associated with the place, called Inis-caoin-Deghadh,14
It has also a window, nor does it seem to be of equally graceful
6 The writer of our saint's ancient Acts
states, that these were preserved in great veneration to the time when he wrote, "qua; usque hodie in magno habentur. "
7 According to Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters,'' vol. i. , pp. 184,185.
8
Account of the Territory or Dominion of Farney," chap, vii. , p. 184. London, 1845, 4*°-
9 Probaby the error of a scribe. Vol. VIII. —No. 5.
I0 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiber-
nicum," p. 465.
" See "Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire-
land," vol. ii. , pp. 182, 183.
" The illustration here presented is from
a photograph, and drawn by William F. See Evelyn Philip Shirley's "Some Wakeman, on the wood, engraved by Mrs.
Millard.
*a According to the Statist of the County
of Monaghan.
m « Deghadh was probably the bishop's
r
2=;8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 18.
is
after him. Inishkeen Glebe contains 69a. 2r. 3p. , and it was in the ancient
diocese of Clogher, being a rectory and a separate benefice. The River Fane runs through this parish ; its course on the eastern boundary is very rapid, and it is crossed near the church by an excellent stone bridge of five arehes. The river takes an eastward course, through the County of Louth, and it falls into the Bay of Dundalk. That place selected for St. Daigh's foundation was in the ancient territory of Orgiel or Oriel; and, in Colgan's
1*
time, it had only a parish church,
Inniskeen Church and Round Tower, County of Monaghan.
x WhenDaigharrivedthere,hefoundColumba? atthatplace,whenboth
united in blessing it,
18
and the monastery which was there to be founded.
" souls shall pass from this sacred Many
The latter man holy
prophesied :
spot to the kingdom of Heaven. " We are told, however, that the secular
brothers of our saint were jealous, because he had resolved to settle and build his monastery there. They even entered into a conspiracy to kill him. We are told in the Acts, that Naindeich, the son of Mayne, and one of his
resolved to sacrifice his own life to save that of his master. Whereupon, assuming the Abbot's cape, the brothers rushed upon him with their spears, but these struck on it in vain. However, both Naindeich and the Abbot forgave their evil intent, especially when filled with compunction
real name, which has been latinized into niae," Supplementum Vitae S. Uerachi, ex Dagaeus ; so that Iniscaoin-Deghadh Codice MS. Hibernico Ecclesiae ejusdem means the Iniscaoin of Dagaeus, and was Sancti, n. 4, p. 348.
thus distinguished from Iniscaoin, an island 17 This was probably the celebrated Abbot in Lough Erne. " — Rev. Dr. Lanigan's of Iona, whose Life has been given in the
disciples,
"Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, xiv. , n. 246, p. 79.
15 It is marked in the parish of Inishkeen,
"
Sixth Volume of this work, at June 9th, the day for his feast, Art. i.
18
If this Columba happened to be the founder of Iona, the incident here related most probably occurred before he left Ire-
land for Scotland about A. D. 562.
'9
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of
and barony of Farney. See
Monaghan," sheet 29.
l* See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
Probably
the old
territory
of
Beare,
August 18. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 259
for their crime, those brothers fell on their knees to ask pardon from Daigeus.
He imposed on them as a penance, that they should leave that part of the
x
country, for a place called Beyr » or Beare, in the southern parts of Ireland,
whence they were not to return. There the posterity of those brothers lived, at that time when the old Acts of our saint were written. 20
A or college
been him 21
is mentioned, as
and, according to the old Acts of our saint, he lived in a little monastery
calledDelenna. However,asthisplacecannotwellbeidentified,wedonot
think it is different from Inish-caoin, which seems to have been his per-
22
manent place of residence. It is also stated, that St. Berach, of Cluain
Coirpthi,
washis
TheIrishLifeof 23 is as
Berach, quoted authority
monastery
having
governed by
;
disciple.
for this statement. We have already seen, that in connection with St. Daigh's
2
monastery, in Magh Muirtheimhne, * there was a mill, not alone for the com-
munityuse,butforthatofpeopleresidingintheneighbourhood. Therea miraculous occurrence is stated to have occurred, through the agency of St. Berach, when he is said to have brought to life a woman and her son. 2*
The performance of that remarkable miracle, as given in the Irish Life
of St. Berach, 20 is with incidents which seem to published by Colgan, fraught
be irreconcilable with the account of this same legend, in the old Acts of St.
Dega Maccayrill. In the latter, we are told, that the woman, who went to have some grain ground in the mill, had been wounded by a certain man ; but, St. Daigh having sent his disciple St. Berach to her, she was healed. Having left her son behind, when she returned to her home, he was acciden- tally drowned in the mill-race. In great grief for his loss, when the body had been found in the river, the mother went in tears to St. Daigh, who, com- passionating her distress, sent his disciple to that place where the corpse lay in the bed of the stream. Berach then prayed with great fervour for the boy's recovery, and he was restored to life. Moreover, Berach declared, that thenceforward, no other person should ever be drowned in that part of the river. In commemoration of such a wonderful event, the spot was afterwards called the Piscina of Berach, in popular tradition, even to that time, when the old Acts of St. Dega Maccayrill were written.
While was in the Dageus
monastery
of St.
Finnian,
27 at 28 St. Clonard,
once in possession of the O'Driscolls, but
from which they had been expelled by the
O'Sullivans, after the English Invasion. It is commensurate with the present barony, socalled,intheCountyofCork. SeeDr. O'Donovan's "Topographical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O'Huidhrin," p. lxvii. , n. 576.
Muirtheimne, from the descendants ofConall Cearnach of the Clann Ruidhraidhe race, and it reached from the mountain of Bregh, near Drogheda, to the neighbourhood of Dundalk, taking in the County of Louth, andsomepartofMonaghanCounty. See the "LeAbh^\ iia j;-Ce<M\c, or Book of Rights," edited by John O'Donovan, pp. 166,167,11. (1).
25 See the account in the Second given
Volume of this work, at the 15th of Feb- ruary, Art. i. St. Berach or Berachius, Abbot, Patron of Kilbarry, County of Ros-
20
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
Augusti
xviii. De S.
Dega Maccayrill Ep.
Conf. Vita auctore anonymo, num. 4, 5, 6,
7> P- 659.
21
See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xv. Februarii. Supplementum Vitae common, chap, i. , ii.
S. Berachi, ex Codice MS. Hibernico Ecclesiae eiusdem Sancti, cap. iii. , p. 345.
26 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xv. Februarii, Supplementum Vitas S. Berachi, cap. iv. , pp. 344, 345.
22
Volume of this work, at the 15th of Feb-
See the Life of this saint, in the Second
ruary, Art. i.
2? This saint had a festival on the 23rd of February, at which date, in the Second Volume of this some notices of him
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise. " Supplementum Vitse S. Berachi, cap.
iii,, v. pp. 344, 345.
24 This territory is also called Conaille
23 See
Colgan's
work,
may be found, Art. ix. However, his chief
festival was kept on the 12th of December. 28 Saint Finian, founder of Clonard, died
260 LIVES OE THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 18.
Ruadhan 29 was also there j when a candle having been accidentally extin- guished in presence of the latter, our saint blew his breath upon it, and the flame
once more appeared. Again, in a convent of the holy daughters of Fintan,3° one of them died. However, it so happened, when St. Daigh came to that
monastery, the dead sister was miraculously restored to life. Whereupon, the nuns of that house placed it afterwards under the guardianship of St Daigh and of his successors.
A saint, named 1 who ruled over a CayrelljS
monastery
asked the holy Abbot of Inishkeen to make a small altar ;33 but the latter
excusing himself, that he had not materials for such a purpose, the legend relates,thatalumpofgoldfellfromHeavenonhisbosom. Fromthis,the required object was fashioned, and with what remained of that precious metal, so miraculously obtained, land was bought, and it was called the Field ofGold. Whereupon,St. Cayrellgavehimselfandhisplaceovertotherule
of St. Daigh.
While Daigh was at Inishkeen, or it may have been at the place of St.
Cayrell, the chief of Ui Crimthann 34 held in captivity the only son of a woman, who besought the saint to intercede on his behalf. Instead of grant- ing the mother's prayer for his release, that most cruel chief put her son to death. Notwithstanding, Daigh raised him to life ; and, in due course, the chief and his posterity ceased to rule in that territory. When the holy Abbot left that place, he found dead, on the way, three daughters 35 of a certain man, namedColumba. Theseheraisedtolife,andafterwardsheinstructedthem in literary science. He founded a nunnery for them, likewise, and it was thenceforth known as the house of Columba's Daughters. 36 Although this Dagaeus is called bishop, yet it does not appear that he was one, when he attended Moctheus in his last illness. 37 Owing to this circumstance, he must have been a priest before a. d. 535, the year assigned for Moctheus' death. 38
A. n. 548, according to some writers ; others hach-Meith (the Fort), son of Imchadh,
have it at A. D. 552, or even later. Yet, the acts of our saint do not say, that when he was in that monastery the founder of it was living.
29 Abbot of Lorha, County of Tipperary.
His feast was held on the 15th of April, and of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na
on that day his Life is given in the Fourih
Volume of this work, Art. i. He died a. d.
584, according to the Annals of Tigher- nach.
30 Under such designation we do not find any entry of a feast to them in the Irish Calendars.
31 A St. Cairell, Bishop of Tir-rois, is venerated on the 13th June, at which date notices of him may be found, in the Sixth Volume of this work, Art. i. Tir-Rois is said to have been in the County of Monahan ; and probably it was inhabited by the Feara Rois, or men of Ross, comprised within the parishes of Carrickmacross and Clonany, in that county, with parts of the adjoining Counties of Meath and Louth, although its exact limits have not yet been
"
leab- hapna5-CeApe,orBookofRights,"n. (m. )
determined. See Dr. O'Donovan's
pp. 154, 155.
32 This place has not been identified.
However, there was a sept, known as the Ui-Meith-Macha, descended from Muiread-
who was the^son of Colla-da-Crioch. This people had been seated in the parishes of Tullycorbet, Kilmore, and Tehallon, in the baronyandCountyofMonaghan. SeeDr.
Naomh O'Huidhrin," p. xxii. , n. 127. 33TheLatinwordusedis "altariolum. " 34 The Crimpthanni are said to have been
a people living in Ulster, according to Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise. "
Index Quintus Topographicus, p. 873. However, there was a small territory called Chrimthann in Southern Orgiell, now belonging to the Barony of Slane. See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricil, pars, iii. , cap. ii. , p. 149,
and n. II, p. 184. See also Roderick "
O'Flaherty's Ogygia," pars, iii. , cap. Ixxvi. , p. 364. This seems likely to have been that place mentioned in the text.
35 Their feast was celebrated on the 13th of September, at which date notices of them may be found in the Ninth Volume of this woik.
36 InIrish written, ChighIngenColuun,
and Anglicized, Tech-ingen-Coluim.
3? See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Iliber- nkt," xxiv. Martii. Vita S. Mochtei Epis-
copi Lugmadensis, cap. xx. , p. 731.
John O'Donovan's "Topographical Poems
called a Metheus,3
August 18. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 261
However, it is difficult to reconcile this statement with that of his having spent several years in the ccenobium at Bangor, which was not founded before the middle of the sixth century, and where he seems to have made his studies preparatory to receiving Holy Orders. Nevertheless, supposing St. Daigh to have lived to between eighty and ninety years of age, he might have been that person who as a priest attended Moctheus, during his last illness.
CHAPTER III.
THE FAME OF ST. DAIGH BECOMES DIFFUSED THROUGHOUT IRELAND—MANY HOLY PERSONS PLACE THEMSELVES UNDER HIS DIRECTION, AND LANDS ARE BESTOWED ON HIM FOR THE FOUNDATION OF RELIGIOUS HOUSES—HE RAISES SEVERAL DEAD PERSONS TO LIFE—HIS DEATH—HIS FESTIVALS—CONCLUSION.
It had been publicly spread abroad, that St. Daigh performed several great
1
miracles, andhisfamewassoonextendedtothemostdistantpartsofIreland.
Several holy virgins desired to place themselves under his rule and direction.
objected
proceeding. Wherefore he sent messengers to remonstrate, but having had
a premonition regarding their coming, St. Daigh ordered the nuns to receive them humbly and to serve them courteously. We are told, that one of those sisters bore fire on her bosom, without any injury occurring to her person or garments, while another carried water, as if it were enclosed in a sound vessel. These miracles caused the messengers to repent for their errand. But, the blessed Daggeus brought those pious nuns towards the northern parts ; and, having built for them different houses, in divers places, with other virgins, they served God in the religious state.
Proceeding with a holy virgin, named Cunne,? to a place called Eda,8 the son of a chief belonging to that district had been drowned, at the mouth ofacertainriver,whichflowedthroughit, andwhereagreatquantityoffish
these 2 his andDulvina5 arementioned Cumena, Lassara,3 sister,*
Among
name. TheAbbotofClonmacnois,whowasnamedOenu,6
by tothat
38 See Rev. Dr.
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect. xiv. , p. 76. —
Chapter hi. x See Colgan's "Acta
Sanctorum Hibernise," xix. Februarii. De
S. Dagseo Episcopo, p. 374.
aT 18th. April
Lanigan's
29th. 4. Lassar,
5. Lassar, at July 23.
Ros-Rain, at July 27th. 7. Lassar of CHI- Archalgach, at August 20th. 8. Lassar, of Cluain-mor, at September 15th. 9. Lassar, daughter of Lochan, at September 30th. 10. Lassar, of Achadh-beithe, at November 13th. II. Lassar, daughter of Fionntan, March 23rd. 12. Lassar, virgin, at May
2
namesof three holy women, named Cumman.
In our Irish Calendars, we find the
" Ecclesiastical
One is St. Cumman, virgin, of Daire-inghen-
Aillen, whose feast occurs on the 29th of 7tn- 13. Lassar, virgin, at May nth. 14.
May, and of whom some notices maybe found at that date, in the Fifth Volume of this work, Art. ii. Another is Cumman Beg, virgin, of Cill-Cuimne, venerated on the 14th of June, and of whom a notice may be found at that date, in the Sixth Volume of this work, Art. ii. The third is Cumman, or Cumana, venerated at the 6th of July, and of whom some account maybe seen, in the
Seventh Volume of this work, Art. iv.
3 No less than fourteen holy virgins called Lassar, or Lassara, occur in our Calendars. 1. Lassar of Achadh-foda, at January 6th.
Lassar, at May 14th.
4 This relationship to our Saint does not
appear in any other account of his family descent.
s We cannot find this name inscribed on any of our Irish Calendars.
6 He seems to have been St. Oenna
MacUaLaighisi, Abbot of Clonmacnois, who died a. d. 569. See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 206, 207.
» This name we do not find in our Iris Calendars.
of Gleann-Medhoin, at
8 We are not able to the identify
as here given.
2. Lassar,
February 18th. 3. Lassar, virgin, at March
virgin,
locality
virgin,
6. Lassar, of Tioprat-
262 LIVES 01 THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 18.
had been usually taken. Him St. Daigh restored to life. Whereupon, the
chief granted that land and estuary to them and to their successors. After
our saint went to the land of Lugne,9 in Connaught, he visited the monastery
of the sons of 10 and that of the Riteilla. " There he was Flescaig, holy virgin
reverently received. During the time of his repast, a cup was wanting, until a golden vessel came to him from Heaven. This was afterwards sold, on
behalf of the monks there living. Subsequently, Daigh went to the lands, where dwelt the posterity of Ailell. 13 There Cathbot J 3 was chief, and his
son Diarmit had recently departed. However, through a miracle, he was once more restored to life. Having been instructed in the liberal sciences, Diarmit «* lived in a monastery of his foundation. We might pass over some of those miracles attributed to the saint, but for the names of former places, with which they are said to have been connected. While Daigh was at a cer-
tain monastery, called Cruymterntj's the Almighty was pleased to work a miracle, on behalf of the brethren ; for, some thieves having removed the bottom from a milking-pail, still it was brought filled with milk from the byre or cattle-shed to the monastery.
6
Thence going into the territory of Corprorum/ he there founded a
monastery. Not having beer to entertain the guests, at that place, on a cer- tain occasion, water was converted into wine.
