No More Learning

He states : "In Bethnei, quam villam recentiores Stadford nominant, sancti Bertellini, eremitse et con- fessoris. "
"
39 See ibid, in
40 See "Martyrologium Benediclinum. " 41 In Menologio sui Ordinis.
42 In "Catalogus Generalis Sanctorum,"
—
of our Lord 1386. "
he has "Statfordiae in Anglia S. Berthelmi of the September Kalends—August 26th— eremitse. " In a note, he adds, that some
and on the third day after their arrival at Croyland.
write the name Bertelinus, but he deems this to be through error.
43 written In his Universal Martyrology,
in French, he notices Bertelmus the penitent,
at Statefurt, in England, but known in France as Berteaume.
44 Printed in 1608.
4s Printed in 1640.
46 Father Suysken knows not the reason
for such departure from received accounts, unless, perhaps, Wilson has confounded the
36
Saints," tome x. Jour ixe P- 596.
**
Vies des de Septembre,
See Les Petits Bollandistes,
37 "There was, says the anonymous writer, M in the town of Stafford, a man named Willmot, a cook by trade. This man, for many years, almost sixteen, had lost his sight, so as not to be able to go out of doors without someone to lead him. At length,
.
English Saints," vol. v. , Hermit Saints, pp. 71, 72.
Lignum Vitae," lib. iii.
248 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September9
Bertellin, hermit, is referred to this day in the Circle of the Seasons. *? The writer of his Acts ends " this is all that is and more
English— by stating, than all yet nothing to what the angels know
— known,
of the life of a servant of God,
who sinned and repented, and did penance, and washed out his sins, and became a saint, and reigns with Christ in heaven. "*8
Article V. —St. Moctean, Abbot of Clonard. [Probably in the Tenth Ctntury. '] The true saint is never surprised, at the approach of death ; when it comes, he is prepared, and he passes happily to the joys of
1
our Lord. There is a festival entered in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the
of in honour of Mochota of Droma, i. e. mac 2 9th September, Dergain.
Many places in Ireland are called Droma or Drum, either simply, or in
composition. The present locality is therefore difficult to be identified with
accuracy. St. Moctean,sometimescalledMal-Moctaeus,wasdistinguishedfor
his learning and piety ; and, on the death of Abbot Ferdomnach, in the year
930,3hewasprobablyappointedsuccessor,overClonardMonastery. Such had been the reputation of our saint, that he was called, the Fountain of
Religion and of Wisdom, among the Irish, according to the Annals of the Four Masters. * It is possible, he may not be different from the present Samt. s He was, also, a most accomplished scribe. Towards the close of his life,
and in the 6 Ceallachan, assisted year 937,
the Danes of
plundered Clonard Abbey. Our Saint was gathered to his fathers, on the
of
of Dergan, occurs in the Martyrology of Donegal,? at this same date.
Article VI. —St. Aithgein or Maclaithgein, Bishop of Moville, County of Down. The good bishop makes himself singularly acceptable
Lives of two Bertillins, neither of whom and Abbot of Cluain-Iraird died ; he was the
9th day
September,?
in the
year
of
grace, 940.
belonged to Stafford, nor were venerated on the v. Ides of September. Another con-
jecture may be allowed, that as Wilson
uses the term commemoratio, there may have
been at Stafford some local festival in his
honour, at both days, and not known to
other martyrologists. In the margin of his
work, Wilson takes occasion to praise
"
ecclesioe StafFordensis et monu- menta antiqua ejusdem provincial. "
* See p. 253.
48 See "Lives of the English Saints,"
head of the piety and wisdom of Ireland.
Registrum
Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four
Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 644, 645. To the word Mugain Dr. O'Donovan appends the
5 See Rev. A. " Diocese of Meath, Cogan's
Ancient and Modern," vol. i. , chap, ii. , p. 17. 6 In Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," at this year, the foreigners and the men of Munster, under the com-
mand of Ceallachan, King of Munster, are said to have plundered Clonenagh and Kill-
achaidh churches, with the territory of Meath, as far as Clonard. See vol. ii. , pp. 638, 639. 7 See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
vol. v. , Hermit Saints, p. 72.
Article v. — ' xxxiii.
p.
Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
Kelly,
2 In the Book of Leinster copy we have
mochocAe OrioniA, i. e. mac Deng^m.
3 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 626, 627. "The year 930 of the Annals of the Four Masters
corresponds with 931, alias 932, of the Annals of Ulster, and with 926 of the Annals of Clonmacnoise, which give a few of the
events of that year (ccrcc communis 932) as
"""
A. D. 931 [at. 932]. Fer-
Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 644, 645. 8"
follows :
dovnach, mac Flannagan, prince o—
See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
f Clon- Iraird, scriba optimus, quievit" . &c. Ibid. ,
nioe," Februarii xxiii. Vita S. Finniani,
Appendix, cap. v. , p. 407.
» Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
242, 243.
n.
(9).
4 At the year 940, when his departure is
recorded, we read :
"
Maelmochta, scribe
by
Waterford,
8 The name son Mochta,
— Great grief is the beauteous sweet
Maelmochta of the plain of Meath,
branch,—
The chief of spiritual direction, — The centre of the praise of Mugain. "
" This is probably intended
following note
for Bealach-Mughna, or Mughna Moshenog, near Carlow. "—Ibid. , n. (9).
:
September 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 249
both to the clergy and laity of his flock. He wins their esteem and their
respect, without at all sacrificing the authority of his position. An entry of 1
this Saint's name as Aithgein is found in the Martyrology of Tallaght, at
this same date, with the addition Eps. Maigh Bile.
2
However, in the published
Martyrology of Donegal,3 we cannot find any corresponding account, at the
9th of September ; but, probably Maclaithgein is to be taken for it.
The
yearofhisdeathhasnotbeenrecorded; norcanweascertainthetimewhen
he flourished. '* Under the head of Magh-Bile, Duald, Mac Firbis enters
Maelaithghin, bishop cf Magh Bile, at September 9th. 5 The Martyrology
6 records a festival at the 9th of September, in honour of
of
Irish Saints may have a local celebrity in their former places of which we are
not aware, through reference to known records. At the 9th of September,
inthe of 1 wefindthatvenerationwas toFindbarr Martyrology Tallagh, given
of Cille Cunge,2 i. e. Brcednea. 3 The nearest denominational equivalent, we can find to this latter name among the parishes of Ireland, is Kilcoona parish, inthebaronyofClare,andCountyofGalway. Amongthetownlandsare Kilcooney,* in the parish of Clonrush, in the barony of Leitrim, County of Galway ; another Kilcooney,5 in the parish of Ballykean, in the barony of
the following entry. In the Martyrology of Donegal,? at this same date, appears the name Fionnbharr, that is, Brodna, of Cill Cunga.
Article VIII. —The Daughter or Daughters of Enach. —[Supposed
to be of the Fifth Century. '] At the 9th of September, the Martyrology of
1 a festival in honour of Naebh 2 Tallaghregisters ingenaEnaighloeg. Colgan
thinks it possible, these were nine daughters of the Lombard King, who,
Article vi. —« Edited by Rev. Dr. Book of Leinster copy, and as already
Donegal,
Maclaithgein, Bishop of Magh-bile. In the table superadded to this work, his name is Latinized, Malachenus. ?
Article VII. —St. Findbarr or Fionnbharr, of Cill-Cunga. —Many
and another
Seskinan, in the barony of Decies without Drum, County of Waterford.
Upper Phillipstown, King's County,
There is also a Kilcoony,? in the parish of Ballyclog, barony of Upper Dun-
and
yet,
of
name and its application, appears to have occurred, either in the foregoing or
gannon,
County
Tyrone.
8 Some
mistake, regarding
the latter
proper
Kelly, p. xxxiv.
noticed, in his Acts. We think it is here
misplaced,
* Described on the "Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Leitrim,"
2
In the Book of Leinster copy we read,
-Aichgen epr iruige bile.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves.
4 See Rev. William Reeves' " Ecclesiasti-
cal Antiquities of Down, Connor, and
Sheet
s See " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
Dromore," Appendix A, p. 152 ; and for the King's County," Sheet 26.
Appendix LL, p. 380.
5 See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish
Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part i„ pp. 120, 121.
6"
See Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
for the County of Waterford," Sheets 13, 22. 1 See " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
6 Edited 242, 243.
by
Drs. Todd and
Reeves, pp.
8 See " General Index to the Alphabetical
7 See ibid. , pp. 440, 441. l
Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Baro-
nie's of Ireland," pp. 555, 556 and 930.
» Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
Article vii. — Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p.
2 In that
in the Book of Leinster we
242, 243. Article viii.
—
•
Edited
Rev. Dr.
xxxiii.
copy
find, pnt)bApn C1II1 Cunge.
by
3 This follows immediately the entry of St. Ciaran's name, of Clonmacnoise, in the
Kelly, p. xxxiv.
2 In the Book of Leinster copy written
noeb mgenA en^ig loeg.
135.
6 in the of parish
for the County of Tyrone," Sheets 39, 47.
j5© LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September9.
leaving their kindred and country, set out with the daughter of a British ruler to visit Ireland and St. Patricks and they may be identified with the daughters of Enoch, a name not unfamiliar to the Irish.
* Before the Roman conquest, the country, now known as Lombardy, had been occupied by a powerful colony of Gauls, who, settling along the banks of the Po, from Pied- mont to Romagna, carried their arms and diffused their name from the Alps to the. Apennines. 5 When conquered by the Romans, it was called Gallia Cisal- pina ; and Christianity was early established in its cities and towns. 6 Where- fore, we can detect no historic inaccuracy in supposing that as Christians, the nine daughters of a Lombard prince may have resolved on emigrating to Ireland. However, Jocelyn does not mention the country or rank of those so-called Lombardic princesses ; for, he only calls them nine holy maidens. ?
duringthefifthandsucceedingcenturies, mighthavedrivenmanyChristians to leave that country and seek religious peace and security as exiles in far distant lands. The Lombardic princesses are said to have journeyed to a place, called Ferta minor,? whence they sent a notice of their arrival to St. Patrick. He received them very graciously, and assigned different places for their residence. They are classed, moreover, among the holy women
Still, it may be urged, that the disorders, which reigned in Northern Italy 8
veiled St. Patrick. 10 These by
served God most in religiously
holy virgins
the various places assigned for their residence to the latest day of their lives. There were preserved the relics of those holy virgins, to the time when the author of the Fourth Life of St. Patrick wrote, and God wrought many miracles through their intercession. " In another form and in a later Calendar, this Saint has been differently entered. The Martyrology of Donegal," at the same date, records the Daughter of Enach, whom, as we
are subsequently told, the Martyrologies appear to commemorate on this 1
day, under the name of Osmanna. ^
Article IX. —St. Teiccess or Tecce, Tega or Tegan, said to have
been of Kiltegan, County of Wicklow. [Possibly Fifth and Sixth
Century. ] Teicess is an entry found in the published Martyrology of
particular
3 See his Life, in the Third Volume of this work, at March 17th, Art. i.
4 See " Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ixxxviii. , p. 46, and
Tallagh,
date. 2 In the Book of Leinster it is inserted Copy,
1 at this
in small letters,3 between the name of St. Darerca, immediately preceding, and that of Conali Mac Oengusa, immediately following. Most probably,
nn. 69, 70, 71, p. 50.
Christianity," vol. i. , book ii. , chap, iv. , pp. 273 to 275.
9 In the Tripartite Life, it is said they came to Coll-naningean, where three of the company remained, while the rest went to
Druim Fennedha. See " Colgan's Trias
s Edward Gibbon's u See
of the
History
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii,
vol. i. , chap, i. , p. 157. Dr. William lib. iii. , cap. lxxiii. , p. 163.
Smith's edition.
6
Towards the middle of the fifth century, Attila over-ran that district : b—ut, later still,
I0
See ibid. Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 270.
"
See ibid. Quarta Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ixxxviii. , p. 46.
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 242, 243.
'3Seeibid. , —
pp. 430, 431.
in the next age, the Lombards region,
the name of Lombardy. See Muratori's
German or Scandinavian origin—under their
king Alboin effected the conquest of all the
"
Annali d'ltalia," tome v. , pp. 164 to 180.
7 See "Trias Colgan's
Kelly, D. D. , p. xxxiii.
Conali mac an /Engusa i.
i. e. , m Ceicer\
whichfromthemafterwardsretained
Thaumaturga," Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. clxv. , p. 101.
2 Thus Teicess.
• See Dean Milman's " History of Latin
placed, 3 In this form :
a
people of
Article ix.
'
Edited by the Rev. Mr.
September 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 251
however, this is the Tecan or Tegan,* alluded to by Miss M. F. Cusack,5 as having been a distinguished disciple of St. Fiacc o—f Sleibte or Sletty, near
—
quicks, and some young trees, rising at intervals around the fence. This is circularlyshaped,atoneside,andobtusely-angularatanother; thecemetery
Carlow, and whose feast
with the present date. If so, he may have lived at Domnach-Fiac, and he must have flourished, towards the close of the fifth or beginning of the sixth century. There is a small village, known as Kiltegan, a few miles south-east from Baltinglass, within the parish so named, barony of Talbotstown, and County of Wicklow. Near it is a lonely grave-yard, still much used for interments, and crowded with graves. It has been lately enclosed, and in a tasteful manner, with a high ditch, thickly set with flourishing hawthorn
near the
Marianus M'Guire and O'Gorman,
John
being
pastures ;
village.
According
if he be in the Calendars
to
appears correspond
Kiltegan Grave Yard, County of Wicklow.
6
isolated amid
McCall,7 here St. Tagan or Tecca, the third named in order of St. Fiac's disciples, at Minbeag, founded a little church in the fifth century, and his festivalwasformerlyobserved,inthisplace,onthe9thofSeptember. The surrounding country is fertile and picturesque, while a screen of elevated hills encircles the site, in a south-westerly direction. In the Martyrologies of
Donegal,
Tegan occurs, as having been venerated on the 9th of September.
ArticleX-St. Conall,Sonof^Engus. Venerationwasgiven,atthe
of as weread in the 9th September,
of 1 to Conall Mac Martyrology Tallagh,
4 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. iii. , cap. Grey.
xxii. , p. 153, and n. 39, p. 185.
s See "Life of St. Patrick, Apostle of
Ireland," chap, ii. , p. 47.
6 The accompanying sketch was taken by
the author, August 23rd, 1882. It has been
? In a communication made to the writer. 8 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
to Mr.
8 the name of or Tecce, Tega
drawn on the wood and engraved by Gregor
242, 243. — Article x.
p. xxxiii.
Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
Kelly,
252 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 9.
^Engusa, i. e. an Teiccess. In that entry found in the Book of Leinster Copy, Conall Mac Oengusa follows the entry of i. e. in Teices, and seems to have no particular connexion with it. A conjecture has been offered by Colgan, as
to whether this 2 who was a Saint,
poet
or an
antiquary, might
be
identified
with St. Onchu or Onchuo, venerated at the 8th of February 3
j yet,
this position does not seem to be probable. The Bollandists have a notice of him at this day,* and allude to Colgan's doubt, as to whether he might not
be identified with Onchuo, whose feast occurs at the 8th of February. The writer adds, he shares the doubt, nor . does he know that either of the persons alluded to should have a festival assigned. There was, also, another saint having the like name, viz. Onchuo, son to Blathmac, who is venerated, at the church of Killonchon, in Corcomroe territory, on the 9th and 14th of
July, according to St. ^Engus, Marianus O'Gorman, and the Martyrology of
At this same in the of Conall, Son Aengus.
6
Tallagh. s date, Martyrology Donegal, appears,
Article XI. —St. Ferdacrich or Fer-da-chrioch. The simple record, 1
Ferdacrich, is found in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 9th of September. At this same date, he is entered, likewise, in the Martyrology of Donegal. 3
ArticleXII. —St. Fialan,Fertach. Itisimpossiblenottosympathize
with those, who are unable to carry their recollections far back into the dim 1
past; for, especially, in a religious point of view, much lost biography
should tend, not alone to gratify intellectual curiosity, but to edify the pious 2
soul. According to the Martyrology of Donegal, veneration was given to Fialan, Fertach, at the 9th of September. The latter epithet admits as a
"
are unable to report concerning him.
meaning, in English, either
the Virtuous," or the Miraculous. 3 But more, we
Article XIII. —Reputed Festival of St, Babolen, Abbot of Fossey. At the 26th of June, his chief festival, we have already treated about this
1
holy Abbot.
noticed by the Bollandists.
2
By Camerarius, he has been given a festival at this date, as 2
According to Colgan, he is thus entered
elaborate and elegantly illustrated volume,
" The Ancient Stone Implements, Weapons and Ornaments, of Great Britain," chap, xxv. , p. 622.
2 Edited by Drs, Todd and Reeves, pp.
in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at this date M Conallus filius Aengussii nempe va^es sive antiquarius. "
3 See his Life ay given at this date, in the Second Volume of this work, Art. i.
" tembris ix.
242, 243.
3 A note Rev. Dr. at this word
4
See
Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Sep- Among the pretermitted Saints,
by Fertach, states :
Reeves,
"That is, 'Virtuous, and
p. 326.
5 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Iliber-
" Miraculous. ' —
nise," Februarii viii. , n. 2, p. 277.
Drs. Todd and Reeves,
pp.
—
p. xxxiii. Also in that copy contained in
the Book of Leinster we have |? er* x>& cjuch.
' See " Acta
Septembris ix. Saints, p. 326.
ARTICLE XIV.