Carthage entered the cemetery of the
departed
brethren.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v5
7' Obe- dience was a virtue particularly enjoined, among the subjects of our saint, and it was exemplified, on many occasions.
One day, while bread was in the oven, our saint said to one of his brethren : "The loaves are burning take them away.
" But, just at the time, an iron shovel, with which the bread was removed, fell from its handle.
The brother at once rushed through fire, near the entrance, and with his hands removed the loaves from the heated oven, without sustaining any injury.
Another day, while our saint's monks were abroad and near a river, one of them who was in authority told a monk, named Colman, to enter the water, on some emergency.
At once, twelve monks bearing a similar name rushed clothed into the water, not stopping to enquireabouttheparticularone,whohadbeendesignated.
Thisgavemuch edification to the other brethren, because at the sound of a superior's voice, they showed perfect examples of obedience.
7^ The virtue of patience also characterized those monks of Carthage, as illustrated in the following instance.
A certain religious continued his daily toil, without seeking to avoid it, while heappearedtotheothermonksverypaleandemaciated. HolyCarthageone day made enquiry, as to the cause of his disease. But, this brother, wishing to conceal his infirmity, at last acknowledged, that one day, while engaged with his fellow-religious, he drew a heavy log of timber from the wood, when his cincture broke. Then a boy, on seeing his garments loose, put a rough girdle around him. This soon caused his flesh to mortify. Our saint asked, why he had not removed this girdle ; but, the brother answered, that such was not his desire, as the boy had tied it. This monk was advanced in years. Mochuda said to him, " Brother, thou hast borne much suftering ; wherefore, take thy choice, that to-day thoumayst be healed, or go to Heaven. " Having received Holy Couununion, he made his will known and departed to Christ. The boy was blamed for his negligence and indiscretion, in having caused the
cap. iii. , num. 35, for tlie forcLjoing account. iii. , num. 36, for these st. ilemcnts.
'" See Vita ex antique MS. Hibernico, cap. ? ' See Vita ex antique MS. Ilibernico, cap.
May 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 263
monksuclisuffering. 73 Awoman,namedBrigh,havingahandwithered,and adhering powerlessly to her side, came with her husband to St. Carthage. She asked the saint to heal her hand, in Christ's name. At this time, she hap- pened to be pregnant ; but, our saint, as in the case of the chieftain's daugh- ter, presented her with an apple. He told her to raise the withered hand, in order to receive it. Immediately, her hand was restored, and she received that apple from our saint. Having tasted it, she brought forth her child without pain, and then returned withmuch joy to her friends. 74
Already, St. Columba and other holy persons had prophesied, that our saint should be expelled from Rathin, towards the close of his life. So it happened. For, it appears, that the Meathian prince, together with the clergy 75 of Cluain Kiarraigh,7fi bore some envious feelings towards our saint; and, between them, theyresolvedonhisexpulsion. 77 Elsewhere,itisttated,thatthemonksofJobh Neill orClanna Neill excited against him the resentment of Blathmac and Diar- muid,7^ son to Aid or Aedh-Slaine. The former requested Mochudda to leave his present settlement, and repair to his own country, in the provinceof Mun- ster. This our saint refused to do, unless compelled by violence. The mandate senttohimmusthavebeenconveyed,longbeforeeitherBlaithmac79 orDiar- maidhadbeenrecognisedasmonarchsoverIreland. Atthisperiod,theycould
but, the author of St. Mochuda's Life speaks of them, by anticipation, as it were, of the dominion they subse- quentlyacquired,overtheotherkingsofIreland. ComingtoRaithen,aswe are informed, the chiefs of that district said to St. Mochuda : " Depart from this city, with your monks, and seek a settlement in some other country. " The holy senior answered : " I wish to end my days here, for I have served God many years in this place, and I have almost finished my course. Wherefore, Ishallnotdepartfromit, unlesssomepersonviolentlycompelme,lestmen consider me inconstant in my purposes. It would be disgraceful for me to become a wanderer in my old age. " Those chiefs returned to Blaithmach, afterwards King of Termoria,^° and falsely accusing Carthage of insolence, they requested that king himself to come and to expel the saint. Roused by these representations. King Blaithmach, his chiefs and leaders, with his brother Diarmaid, his sons, and a large retinue, set out for Raithin. In the meantime, St. Carthage prophesied to his monks, saying : " My dearly beloved, pray you and bundle up your effects, for soon a violent persecution shall overtake us. Theprincesofthisplaceshallexpelus,fromourrenownedsettlement. " The king sent his brother, with many chiefs, to Rathen. On coming there, these found St. Carthage in the choir. ^' The prince then stood in the choir vesti-
only have been provincial chiefs or rulers
;
iii. num. 37, for this anecdote.
" See Vita ex antique MS. Hibernico,
cap. iii. , num. 38.
'•* See Vita ex antique MS. Hibernico,
cap. iii. , num. 39.
75 They are said to have lived in the Con-
vent of Jobh Neill, in Rev. Jeoffrey Keat- ing's "General History of Ireland," Book ii. , p. 394. Duffy's edition.
'^ "This place was somewhere not far
" There is a curious Tract headed. The Banishment of Mochuda out of Rathin, in theBookofFermoy. See"Proceedingsof the Royal Irish Academy," vol. i. , part i. ,
Irish MSS. Series, p. 20.
''^ Both of these, afterwards regarded as
joint rulers over Ireland, from . ^. D. 658 to 666, died of the plague, after a reign of seven years. See Roderick O'Flaherty's "Ogygin," pars, iii. , cap. xciii. , p. 431.
7' According to the " Chronicum Scoto- rum," his reign as monarch ceased a. d. 658, after the battle of Ogaman at Cenn Corba- dan, where he was vanquished. Then, as some say, the reign of Diarmaid commenced, See edition of William M. Hennessy, pp. 96, 97.
^° See Rev. Dr. T>anigan's " Ecclesiasti-al History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xiv. , sect. xiv. , num 191, p. 354.
^'Dr. Laniganplacestheexpulsionofour saint from Rathen at the year 630.
from Rathen how it is now called 1 cannot ;
discover. "—" Rev. Dr. Lanigan's " Eccle- siastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap. xiv. , sect, xiv. , n. 190, p. 354.
264 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 14.
bule, when our saint asked him, on what business he came. Diarmaid replied : " My brother, King Blaithmach, and tlie Meathian chiefs, sent me, that I might take you by tlie liand, and eject you, witli your monks, from this city. " Our saint to him : " Be it, as thou wiliest, since we are ready to bear all things, forChrist'ssake. " Diarmaid,fullofremorse,thenreplied: "Ishallneverdo this wrong, for thou art a saint of God. " Carthage then said : "Thou shalt have an inheritance in Heaven, and soon shalt thou be king, in place of tliy brother. Tiiy face, which is full of reverence before me, shall not be put to shame, before thy enemies. That disgrace,^^ which the king, thy brother, shall shortly seek to inflict on thee, because thou dost not execute his demands, shall be converted into personal praise, and a blessing. But, because thou hast thought evil of me in thy heart, and wert more ready to expel me than others, thy son shall not reign after thee. " Then, Diavmoid returned to his brother's castle, saying he could not find it in his heart, to expel our saint. In anger, the king cried out: " Ruanaidh, he is full of joy. " Diarmoid replied : "It will come to pass, as tlie servant of God Mochuda promised me. "^3 Then all who were present applauding, said : " Truly, Ruanaidh, he is joyful. " After this, the cliiefs cast lots amongst themselves, to see who should take our saint, bythehand,andsodrivehimawayfromhismonastery, Thislotfellupon the Prince of Cluana. The king, with his magnates, then entered Rathin. He found our saint and his monks together, in the church, A certain rich man, named Cronan, said in a loud voice : " Speedily perform the work, for which youcome. " Oursaintreplied: "Quicklyshaltthoudie,butbecausethou Iiast given me many gifts, in Christ's name, and because tliou wert always a friend until now, tliy riches shall be with thy posterity hereafter. " So it hap- pened ; he immediately died, and his posterity remained in possession of his wealth. Another man, named IDublisuileach, derided St. Mochuda, and his monks, with an unmannerly glance of the eye. The saint thereupon said : " So shalt thou appear ridiculous, to the day of thy death, and many of thy posterity shall be like thee. " And so it came to pass. Another mocker, named Cailhhe, was likewise punished by sudden death, for his want of feel- ing and irreverence towards our saint. ^4 King Blaithmach and the chief of
Cluana, being angry, grasjied the hand of this venerable old man, and brought him forth from Raithin city. Their satellites acted in like manner towards his monks. ^5 However, many of the king's soldiers wept, with the people of
^'The disgrace here alluded to appears to have been reproachful terms applied to Diar- maid by Blathmac, as mentioned in Dermod O'Connor's Kcating's History of Ireland, Book ii. , p. 396. Mochudda besides praying for spiritual and temporal blessings to dc- scend on Diarmaid and his posterity re-
marks: " Nor would I have you to be con- cerned at the scoffs and indignities you will be apt to receive on your return to Blathmac and his profane companions ; for they will in derision bestow a title upon you, and call you by the name of Diarmaid Ruaighnigh, yet that name shall be a distinction of honour to yourself and your posterity.
*3 See the Bollandists' "Acta Sancto- rum," tomus iii. , iMaii xiv. De . S. Carihaco, &c. Vita ex antiquo MS. Ilibernico, caji. iv. , num, 40. Vita ex du|)lici MS. Legcn- dario, num. 11. When, according to the Rev. Jeoffrey Kcating's account, Diarmaid declared his unwillingness to offer violence
to our saint, Blathmac is said to have replied in a scoffing manner, "that, I confess, was Ruaighmigli," which we are told, was as much as to say, " it was charitably done. " Tiie word Ruaighnigh in the Irish language signifies "charitable. " We are also told, that the whole company derided him with the same appellation, whereby the prediction of ihe saint was accomplished. Upon account uf this circumstance, the descendants of Diarmaid were called Sliocht Diarmuida Kuaighnigh, for many generations. See "General History of Ireland," Book ii. , p. 3<^6.
'^^ . "^ce Vita ex antiquo MS. Ilibernico, cap. iv. , num. 41.
'5 Xhe manner of this expulsion is thus differently related by Rev. Dr. Jeoffrey Keating :" Wlien St. Carthage learned their design for expelling him by violence on the
;
appro. ich of his enemies, he sent a Pictish nul)leman, who was a lay monk in his house,
May 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
365
Rathan, when they saw such an affecting sight. One of the monks, being unable to walk, without great pain, the holy Bishop besought his persecutors, in the name of Christ, to allow this infirm man to remain in his monastery. This request was even refused. Carthage then called the brother to him, and in the name of Christ ordered, that pain should leave liis foot, and be transferred into that of Colman—a chief, who was remarkably officious, while seeking to injure him. The pain instantly left the monk's foot, and transferred itself to Colman's, for the rest of his life; while the relieved monk without any inconvenience arose, and went with his master St. Carthage. Another old monk, wishing to die in Rathan monastery, as he had resolved, obtained such permission from St. Carthage. This old man, having received Holy Eucharist trom the Bishop's hands, departed to Heaven, before all who were present. He was buried in Rathin, as he had desired. ^" Going out from his monastery, St.
Carthage entered the cemetery of the departed brethren. He asked a blessing from those who were buried there. While pouring forth his prayers, at the grave of a certain monk, who had been a long time interred, thetombwasmiraculouslyopened. Suddenly,thatdeadpersonraisedhis head from the tomb, and cried aloud : " Our most holy protector, Mochuda, bless us thy children, and through thy blessing, all of us rising shall go with thee. '' Our saint said to him : " I will not make a new body, nor procure the resurrection of so many men, before the human race shall arise. " The dead man again said : " Why, father, do you leave, although promising our union with thee, and thine for us. " Mochuda said : " Hear this proverb, my son, 'Necessity moveth decrees and councils,' but here rest in your sepulchre. On the day of Resurrection, with all my monks, I shall return to thee, and to that cross, which stands at the doors of our church. ^7 In like manner shall we all go together, before the judgment-seat of God. " The saint having spoke these words, the dead man returned to that tomb, which closed upon him. Taking a last farewell of the tomb, our holy Bishop went outside of the city, with his people, to a certain cross. This bore for its title " The cross of the Angels. "S8
According to Archbishop Ussher ^9 and the Rev. Dr. Lanigan,9° tliis expulsion of St. Carthage and of his monks from Rathen is placed, at the
to treat witli Blathmac, and to desire that the abbot might be allowed to continue witli his monks at Rathain, for the term of one 3'ear. ThisrequestoftheScottishnobleman, named Constantine, was granted by the king. But, at the end of the time stipulated, the king urged his former demand. Moc- hudda, still unwilling to leave his convent, despatched the pious Constantine once more to deprecate a violent expulsion. He pro- mised at the same time, that if allowed to remain with his monks for another year, he would withdraw and without further diffi- culty. The request of our saint was again complied with, although reluctantly, on the king's part. Mochudda was tolerated in possession, however, for another entire year. When this time again expired, Blathmac and his clergy returned to Rathan. Finding Mochudda and his monks still disposed to resist the mandate of expulsion, a company of turbulent men was raised in the neighbour- hood, under the leadership of a person, named Diarmuid Ruaighnigh. This man, we are told, was followed by the principal
part of the Cluain Aongusa tril)e. The manner in which Diarmuid executed his commission accords in substance with the narrative contained in the text. However, many of its incidents, are not contained in Keating's account. See " General Plistory
ofIreland," Bookii. ,p. 395.
^* See Vita ex anticjuo MS. Hibernico,
cap. iii. , num. 42.
''' This was probably one of those fine
Irish crosses, which seem to have adorned our cemeteries and other ecclesiastical sites, even from the early Christian ages,
^^ See Vita ex antiquo MS. Hibernico, cap. iii. , "num. 43.
®' See " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum An- tiquitates," Index Chronologicus, p. 537.
9° See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. ii. , chap, xiv. , sect, xiv. , p.
352. ^i
Under the year 631, we read: "Car- thach, ? >. , Mochuda, son of Finnall was banished from Rathain. "—Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 252, 253.
266' LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 14.
year630; otheraccountshaveitat631f^whilethe"ChronicumScotorum" has A. D. 635 ,92 and the Annals of Inisfallen refer it to a. d. 636. 93 This latter is too late a period ; for. it took place, before the death of the famous warrior Failbhe Fland, King of Cashel, which fell in the year 634. 9* Some accounts place his departure, however, at a. d. 636. 95 Turn- ing to the king, when about to leave, St. Carthage said to him : " Be- hold, O king, the Heavens above and the earth beneath you shall
;
not possess Heaven, and you shall quickly be expelled from your earthly
kingdom. Your brother Diarmaid, whom you have reproved, because he honoured me, shall reign rather than you, and you shall be despised by all. For your humiliation, you shalt be despised in the camp, being left without food. You, and your posterity shall die in evil. After a little time, even none of your race shall remain. Thus denouncing the king, St. ISIochuda rang a small bell against him, and his posterity. In the Scottish dialect, this bell was called, Clograbbaigh Blaichmei, which is interpreted, " the extin- guishing bell of Blaichmaich ;" because after its ringing, the king with his pos- terity soon afterwards became extinct, although he had many sons and daughters, at that time. Our saint likewise said to the chief, who held his hand : " Thou shalt be a servant before thy death ; because thou shalt be expelled from thy principality, and thy seed shall be almost extinct. " As in the former instance, this prediction likewise came to pass. Again, Carthage said to another, who held him: " Why hast thou drawn me, by the hand, from my seat ? " The man answered : " Lest a Munster man should have too much honour, in this part of the country. " The holy man replied : "Thy face shall always be filled with confusion, and the hand which hath grasped mine shall ever be accursed. " Immediately, the eyesight of this man was extinguished. Afterwards, turning to the prince and people of Demaige city, Carthage said : " A grievous discord shall arise among you, and then you shall suffer heavy losses ; for, in great measure, you have excited this per- secution against me. " This predicted event was likewise realized. 9^ Those circumstances, connected with the expulsion of our saint from Rathain, are
somewhat differently related in other accounts. »7
CHAPTER IV.
DEPARTURE OF ST. CARTHAGE AND HIS MONKS FROM RAHIN—THEY TRAVEL SOUTH- WARDS BY WAY OF DRUMCULLEN, SAIGIR, ROSCREA, CASHEL, MUSCRAIGHE, AND ARDFINNAN, TOWARDS LISMORE—ST. CARTHAGE RECEIVES A GRANT OF THIS PLACE, FKOM THE TERRITORIAL CHIEF, MAELOCTRICH—YEAR OF HIS ARRIVAL AT LISMORE—ESTABLISHMENT OF ST. CARTHAGE, IN THIS PLACE—HIS SUBSE- QUENT PROCEEDINGS AND MANNER OF LIVING—HIS DEPARTURE FROM LIFE— HIS FESTIVAL AND MEMORIALS—CONCLUSION.
Although the saint was then extremely advanced in years,' he gave orders to his people, and in a stern voice, that they should proceed on their journey,
'' See William M. Ilennes^y's edition, pp. 84, 85.
»' According to these Annals, however, Cartha<;h died in 637, nnd time could hardly be found for his transactions subsequent to the expulsion, in case it occurreil so late as 636.
9* See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xiv. , sect. xiv. , n. 192, p. 354.
95 See William M. Hennessy's "Chroni-
cum Scotorum," pp. 84. 85.
9' See the Bollandists' "Acta Saiicto-
rum," tonius iii. , Maii xiv. De S. Carthaco seu Mochudda, &c. Vita ex antique MS. llibcrnico, cap. iv. , num. 44, p. 3S6.
'^ See Dcrnnul O'Connor's Keating's
"History of Ireland," Book ii. , pp. 394 to
397.
Chapter iv. — ' See Sir James Ware,
"De Scriploribus Hibcrnia:," lib. i. , cap. iii. , p. 20.
May 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 267
thenceforward leaving King Blaithmaic and his subjects. ^ With his disciples, who were in number 867,2 Carthage resolutely set out, about the year 630. 4 The Annals of Ulster s have this expulsion, however, at a. d. 635, and at Easter time, while those of Tigernach ^ place it under a. d. 636. Many of these holy men, who left Rathain, became Bishops and Abbots, in due course of time, and they raised many structures to God's glory. It is said, that nearly an equal number of his monks were buried in Rathain city, at the time when the saint and his brethren left ; wliile, many other disciples of Carthage, living and dead, had been dispersed throughout Ireland. Besides his own community, St. Carthage had a great number of lepers, in Rathain. These he kept in a cell, apart from his monastery,? and he ministered to their wants, with great affection. ^ For, many afflicted persons, belonging to tliis class of sufferers, in different parts of Ireland, heard aoout his care and attention to their poor brethren. They came to our saint, and they were charitably received by him. These patients, also, he brought with him, from Raithin city, to that of Lismore. 9 While the evicted pilgrims proceeded on their way, with chariots and waggons, and while journeying through a thick wood, they found that a large oak had blocked up their road, it having been uprooted through some cause. The attention of St. Carthnge was called to this circumstance, by one ofhismonks. Thisdisciplestated,itwasimpossibletofindanyotherroute, but that one they were taking. While he marked the wood with his hand, Carthage commanded the oak tree to resume its former position, in God's holy name. That tree became subservient to our saint's command. At the time his biographer lived, it was to be found, standing in its former place, and having a large heap of stones piled up at its roots, in commemoration of this miracle. '°
After leaving Raithin, the first stopping place which the pilgrims reached was the monastcn- of Druym Culium," on the confines of Munster, Leinster,andMeath. Itlaywiihintheterritoriesofthelatter,however,and among the people of Fearceall. There, a monastery had been erected
and, in it, the Abbot Barrin,^^ or Barindus, was renowned for his miracles. '3
^ See the BoUandists' "Acta Sancto- rum," tomus iii. , Maii xiv. De S. Car- thaco seu Mochudda. Vita ex antiquo MS. Ilibernico, cap. iv. , nuui. 45, p. 386.
;
s gee z(J/i/. , tomus iv. , p. 46.
' See ? '^/V/. , tomus ii. , p. 193.
' The Life states, ''ipse enim magnam
3 Archhisliop Ussher thus writes : "Idem
qiioque author expulsionem . S. Caiiliag'e
monasterio Ratheniensi postea enairans ;
Perrexit, inquit, Sanctus in viam cum disci-
pulis suis, qui erant numero dccclxvii. et
cosequalis numerus in civitate Raythen in
sepuichris mansit : et phues in aliis locis per
Hiberniam tie discipulis S. Mochuda, vivi
et defuncti fuerunt. Et qui secuti sunt
sanctum senem Carthngum de civitate Ray-
then, pleni gratia Dei erant : et plures ex
eis postea Sancti Epibcopi et Abbates facti,
loca Domino sedificaverunt. Ab alia Vita
ejusdem scriptore, exceptis parvulis et ser-
vientib'js, sanctorum monachorum numerus
DCCCXLVii. fuisse proditur, labore manuum
suarum victum sibi ac pnuperibus acquiren-
tium. Alius, iisdem exceptis. dcccxliv.
tantum numeral," &c. —"Hritannicarum,
Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. p. bishop Llssher, "ISarrindeus mnnasterii 472. Druim-cuillin Abbas claruit. "—" Britanni-
* According to the Bodleian copy of the carum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," Index Annals of Inisfallen. See Rev. Dr. Chronologicus, p. 534.
O'Connor's "Rerum Hibernicarum Scrip- '3 This was most likely the saint of that
tores," tomiis ii. p. 13. ,
turbam leprosorum in sua civitate in cella deorsum cum magna dignitate habeliat, et quemdain corporis valetuo dimisit.
A certain religious continued his daily toil, without seeking to avoid it, while heappearedtotheothermonksverypaleandemaciated. HolyCarthageone day made enquiry, as to the cause of his disease. But, this brother, wishing to conceal his infirmity, at last acknowledged, that one day, while engaged with his fellow-religious, he drew a heavy log of timber from the wood, when his cincture broke. Then a boy, on seeing his garments loose, put a rough girdle around him. This soon caused his flesh to mortify. Our saint asked, why he had not removed this girdle ; but, the brother answered, that such was not his desire, as the boy had tied it. This monk was advanced in years. Mochuda said to him, " Brother, thou hast borne much suftering ; wherefore, take thy choice, that to-day thoumayst be healed, or go to Heaven. " Having received Holy Couununion, he made his will known and departed to Christ. The boy was blamed for his negligence and indiscretion, in having caused the
cap. iii. , num. 35, for tlie forcLjoing account. iii. , num. 36, for these st. ilemcnts.
'" See Vita ex antique MS. Hibernico, cap. ? ' See Vita ex antique MS. Ilibernico, cap.
May 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 263
monksuclisuffering. 73 Awoman,namedBrigh,havingahandwithered,and adhering powerlessly to her side, came with her husband to St. Carthage. She asked the saint to heal her hand, in Christ's name. At this time, she hap- pened to be pregnant ; but, our saint, as in the case of the chieftain's daugh- ter, presented her with an apple. He told her to raise the withered hand, in order to receive it. Immediately, her hand was restored, and she received that apple from our saint. Having tasted it, she brought forth her child without pain, and then returned withmuch joy to her friends. 74
Already, St. Columba and other holy persons had prophesied, that our saint should be expelled from Rathin, towards the close of his life. So it happened. For, it appears, that the Meathian prince, together with the clergy 75 of Cluain Kiarraigh,7fi bore some envious feelings towards our saint; and, between them, theyresolvedonhisexpulsion. 77 Elsewhere,itisttated,thatthemonksofJobh Neill orClanna Neill excited against him the resentment of Blathmac and Diar- muid,7^ son to Aid or Aedh-Slaine. The former requested Mochudda to leave his present settlement, and repair to his own country, in the provinceof Mun- ster. This our saint refused to do, unless compelled by violence. The mandate senttohimmusthavebeenconveyed,longbeforeeitherBlaithmac79 orDiar- maidhadbeenrecognisedasmonarchsoverIreland. Atthisperiod,theycould
but, the author of St. Mochuda's Life speaks of them, by anticipation, as it were, of the dominion they subse- quentlyacquired,overtheotherkingsofIreland. ComingtoRaithen,aswe are informed, the chiefs of that district said to St. Mochuda : " Depart from this city, with your monks, and seek a settlement in some other country. " The holy senior answered : " I wish to end my days here, for I have served God many years in this place, and I have almost finished my course. Wherefore, Ishallnotdepartfromit, unlesssomepersonviolentlycompelme,lestmen consider me inconstant in my purposes. It would be disgraceful for me to become a wanderer in my old age. " Those chiefs returned to Blaithmach, afterwards King of Termoria,^° and falsely accusing Carthage of insolence, they requested that king himself to come and to expel the saint. Roused by these representations. King Blaithmach, his chiefs and leaders, with his brother Diarmaid, his sons, and a large retinue, set out for Raithin. In the meantime, St. Carthage prophesied to his monks, saying : " My dearly beloved, pray you and bundle up your effects, for soon a violent persecution shall overtake us. Theprincesofthisplaceshallexpelus,fromourrenownedsettlement. " The king sent his brother, with many chiefs, to Rathen. On coming there, these found St. Carthage in the choir. ^' The prince then stood in the choir vesti-
only have been provincial chiefs or rulers
;
iii. num. 37, for this anecdote.
" See Vita ex antique MS. Hibernico,
cap. iii. , num. 38.
'•* See Vita ex antique MS. Hibernico,
cap. iii. , num. 39.
75 They are said to have lived in the Con-
vent of Jobh Neill, in Rev. Jeoffrey Keat- ing's "General History of Ireland," Book ii. , p. 394. Duffy's edition.
'^ "This place was somewhere not far
" There is a curious Tract headed. The Banishment of Mochuda out of Rathin, in theBookofFermoy. See"Proceedingsof the Royal Irish Academy," vol. i. , part i. ,
Irish MSS. Series, p. 20.
''^ Both of these, afterwards regarded as
joint rulers over Ireland, from . ^. D. 658 to 666, died of the plague, after a reign of seven years. See Roderick O'Flaherty's "Ogygin," pars, iii. , cap. xciii. , p. 431.
7' According to the " Chronicum Scoto- rum," his reign as monarch ceased a. d. 658, after the battle of Ogaman at Cenn Corba- dan, where he was vanquished. Then, as some say, the reign of Diarmaid commenced, See edition of William M. Hennessy, pp. 96, 97.
^° See Rev. Dr. T>anigan's " Ecclesiasti-al History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xiv. , sect. xiv. , num 191, p. 354.
^'Dr. Laniganplacestheexpulsionofour saint from Rathen at the year 630.
from Rathen how it is now called 1 cannot ;
discover. "—" Rev. Dr. Lanigan's " Eccle- siastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap. xiv. , sect, xiv. , n. 190, p. 354.
264 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 14.
bule, when our saint asked him, on what business he came. Diarmaid replied : " My brother, King Blaithmach, and tlie Meathian chiefs, sent me, that I might take you by tlie liand, and eject you, witli your monks, from this city. " Our saint to him : " Be it, as thou wiliest, since we are ready to bear all things, forChrist'ssake. " Diarmaid,fullofremorse,thenreplied: "Ishallneverdo this wrong, for thou art a saint of God. " Carthage then said : "Thou shalt have an inheritance in Heaven, and soon shalt thou be king, in place of tliy brother. Tiiy face, which is full of reverence before me, shall not be put to shame, before thy enemies. That disgrace,^^ which the king, thy brother, shall shortly seek to inflict on thee, because thou dost not execute his demands, shall be converted into personal praise, and a blessing. But, because thou hast thought evil of me in thy heart, and wert more ready to expel me than others, thy son shall not reign after thee. " Then, Diavmoid returned to his brother's castle, saying he could not find it in his heart, to expel our saint. In anger, the king cried out: " Ruanaidh, he is full of joy. " Diarmoid replied : "It will come to pass, as tlie servant of God Mochuda promised me. "^3 Then all who were present applauding, said : " Truly, Ruanaidh, he is joyful. " After this, the cliiefs cast lots amongst themselves, to see who should take our saint, bythehand,andsodrivehimawayfromhismonastery, Thislotfellupon the Prince of Cluana. The king, with his magnates, then entered Rathin. He found our saint and his monks together, in the church, A certain rich man, named Cronan, said in a loud voice : " Speedily perform the work, for which youcome. " Oursaintreplied: "Quicklyshaltthoudie,butbecausethou Iiast given me many gifts, in Christ's name, and because tliou wert always a friend until now, tliy riches shall be with thy posterity hereafter. " So it hap- pened ; he immediately died, and his posterity remained in possession of his wealth. Another man, named IDublisuileach, derided St. Mochuda, and his monks, with an unmannerly glance of the eye. The saint thereupon said : " So shalt thou appear ridiculous, to the day of thy death, and many of thy posterity shall be like thee. " And so it came to pass. Another mocker, named Cailhhe, was likewise punished by sudden death, for his want of feel- ing and irreverence towards our saint. ^4 King Blaithmach and the chief of
Cluana, being angry, grasjied the hand of this venerable old man, and brought him forth from Raithin city. Their satellites acted in like manner towards his monks. ^5 However, many of the king's soldiers wept, with the people of
^'The disgrace here alluded to appears to have been reproachful terms applied to Diar- maid by Blathmac, as mentioned in Dermod O'Connor's Kcating's History of Ireland, Book ii. , p. 396. Mochudda besides praying for spiritual and temporal blessings to dc- scend on Diarmaid and his posterity re-
marks: " Nor would I have you to be con- cerned at the scoffs and indignities you will be apt to receive on your return to Blathmac and his profane companions ; for they will in derision bestow a title upon you, and call you by the name of Diarmaid Ruaighnigh, yet that name shall be a distinction of honour to yourself and your posterity.
*3 See the Bollandists' "Acta Sancto- rum," tomus iii. , iMaii xiv. De . S. Carihaco, &c. Vita ex antiquo MS. Ilibernico, caji. iv. , num, 40. Vita ex du|)lici MS. Legcn- dario, num. 11. When, according to the Rev. Jeoffrey Kcating's account, Diarmaid declared his unwillingness to offer violence
to our saint, Blathmac is said to have replied in a scoffing manner, "that, I confess, was Ruaighmigli," which we are told, was as much as to say, " it was charitably done. " Tiie word Ruaighnigh in the Irish language signifies "charitable. " We are also told, that the whole company derided him with the same appellation, whereby the prediction of ihe saint was accomplished. Upon account uf this circumstance, the descendants of Diarmaid were called Sliocht Diarmuida Kuaighnigh, for many generations. See "General History of Ireland," Book ii. , p. 3<^6.
'^^ . "^ce Vita ex antiquo MS. Ilibernico, cap. iv. , num. 41.
'5 Xhe manner of this expulsion is thus differently related by Rev. Dr. Jeoffrey Keating :" Wlien St. Carthage learned their design for expelling him by violence on the
;
appro. ich of his enemies, he sent a Pictish nul)leman, who was a lay monk in his house,
May 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
365
Rathan, when they saw such an affecting sight. One of the monks, being unable to walk, without great pain, the holy Bishop besought his persecutors, in the name of Christ, to allow this infirm man to remain in his monastery. This request was even refused. Carthage then called the brother to him, and in the name of Christ ordered, that pain should leave liis foot, and be transferred into that of Colman—a chief, who was remarkably officious, while seeking to injure him. The pain instantly left the monk's foot, and transferred itself to Colman's, for the rest of his life; while the relieved monk without any inconvenience arose, and went with his master St. Carthage. Another old monk, wishing to die in Rathan monastery, as he had resolved, obtained such permission from St. Carthage. This old man, having received Holy Eucharist trom the Bishop's hands, departed to Heaven, before all who were present. He was buried in Rathin, as he had desired. ^" Going out from his monastery, St.
Carthage entered the cemetery of the departed brethren. He asked a blessing from those who were buried there. While pouring forth his prayers, at the grave of a certain monk, who had been a long time interred, thetombwasmiraculouslyopened. Suddenly,thatdeadpersonraisedhis head from the tomb, and cried aloud : " Our most holy protector, Mochuda, bless us thy children, and through thy blessing, all of us rising shall go with thee. '' Our saint said to him : " I will not make a new body, nor procure the resurrection of so many men, before the human race shall arise. " The dead man again said : " Why, father, do you leave, although promising our union with thee, and thine for us. " Mochuda said : " Hear this proverb, my son, 'Necessity moveth decrees and councils,' but here rest in your sepulchre. On the day of Resurrection, with all my monks, I shall return to thee, and to that cross, which stands at the doors of our church. ^7 In like manner shall we all go together, before the judgment-seat of God. " The saint having spoke these words, the dead man returned to that tomb, which closed upon him. Taking a last farewell of the tomb, our holy Bishop went outside of the city, with his people, to a certain cross. This bore for its title " The cross of the Angels. "S8
According to Archbishop Ussher ^9 and the Rev. Dr. Lanigan,9° tliis expulsion of St. Carthage and of his monks from Rathen is placed, at the
to treat witli Blathmac, and to desire that the abbot might be allowed to continue witli his monks at Rathain, for the term of one 3'ear. ThisrequestoftheScottishnobleman, named Constantine, was granted by the king. But, at the end of the time stipulated, the king urged his former demand. Moc- hudda, still unwilling to leave his convent, despatched the pious Constantine once more to deprecate a violent expulsion. He pro- mised at the same time, that if allowed to remain with his monks for another year, he would withdraw and without further diffi- culty. The request of our saint was again complied with, although reluctantly, on the king's part. Mochudda was tolerated in possession, however, for another entire year. When this time again expired, Blathmac and his clergy returned to Rathan. Finding Mochudda and his monks still disposed to resist the mandate of expulsion, a company of turbulent men was raised in the neighbour- hood, under the leadership of a person, named Diarmuid Ruaighnigh. This man, we are told, was followed by the principal
part of the Cluain Aongusa tril)e. The manner in which Diarmuid executed his commission accords in substance with the narrative contained in the text. However, many of its incidents, are not contained in Keating's account. See " General Plistory
ofIreland," Bookii. ,p. 395.
^* See Vita ex anticjuo MS. Hibernico,
cap. iii. , num. 42.
''' This was probably one of those fine
Irish crosses, which seem to have adorned our cemeteries and other ecclesiastical sites, even from the early Christian ages,
^^ See Vita ex antiquo MS. Hibernico, cap. iii. , "num. 43.
®' See " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum An- tiquitates," Index Chronologicus, p. 537.
9° See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. ii. , chap, xiv. , sect, xiv. , p.
352. ^i
Under the year 631, we read: "Car- thach, ? >. , Mochuda, son of Finnall was banished from Rathain. "—Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 252, 253.
266' LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 14.
year630; otheraccountshaveitat631f^whilethe"ChronicumScotorum" has A. D. 635 ,92 and the Annals of Inisfallen refer it to a. d. 636. 93 This latter is too late a period ; for. it took place, before the death of the famous warrior Failbhe Fland, King of Cashel, which fell in the year 634. 9* Some accounts place his departure, however, at a. d. 636. 95 Turn- ing to the king, when about to leave, St. Carthage said to him : " Be- hold, O king, the Heavens above and the earth beneath you shall
;
not possess Heaven, and you shall quickly be expelled from your earthly
kingdom. Your brother Diarmaid, whom you have reproved, because he honoured me, shall reign rather than you, and you shall be despised by all. For your humiliation, you shalt be despised in the camp, being left without food. You, and your posterity shall die in evil. After a little time, even none of your race shall remain. Thus denouncing the king, St. ISIochuda rang a small bell against him, and his posterity. In the Scottish dialect, this bell was called, Clograbbaigh Blaichmei, which is interpreted, " the extin- guishing bell of Blaichmaich ;" because after its ringing, the king with his pos- terity soon afterwards became extinct, although he had many sons and daughters, at that time. Our saint likewise said to the chief, who held his hand : " Thou shalt be a servant before thy death ; because thou shalt be expelled from thy principality, and thy seed shall be almost extinct. " As in the former instance, this prediction likewise came to pass. Again, Carthage said to another, who held him: " Why hast thou drawn me, by the hand, from my seat ? " The man answered : " Lest a Munster man should have too much honour, in this part of the country. " The holy man replied : "Thy face shall always be filled with confusion, and the hand which hath grasped mine shall ever be accursed. " Immediately, the eyesight of this man was extinguished. Afterwards, turning to the prince and people of Demaige city, Carthage said : " A grievous discord shall arise among you, and then you shall suffer heavy losses ; for, in great measure, you have excited this per- secution against me. " This predicted event was likewise realized. 9^ Those circumstances, connected with the expulsion of our saint from Rathain, are
somewhat differently related in other accounts. »7
CHAPTER IV.
DEPARTURE OF ST. CARTHAGE AND HIS MONKS FROM RAHIN—THEY TRAVEL SOUTH- WARDS BY WAY OF DRUMCULLEN, SAIGIR, ROSCREA, CASHEL, MUSCRAIGHE, AND ARDFINNAN, TOWARDS LISMORE—ST. CARTHAGE RECEIVES A GRANT OF THIS PLACE, FKOM THE TERRITORIAL CHIEF, MAELOCTRICH—YEAR OF HIS ARRIVAL AT LISMORE—ESTABLISHMENT OF ST. CARTHAGE, IN THIS PLACE—HIS SUBSE- QUENT PROCEEDINGS AND MANNER OF LIVING—HIS DEPARTURE FROM LIFE— HIS FESTIVAL AND MEMORIALS—CONCLUSION.
Although the saint was then extremely advanced in years,' he gave orders to his people, and in a stern voice, that they should proceed on their journey,
'' See William M. Ilennes^y's edition, pp. 84, 85.
»' According to these Annals, however, Cartha<;h died in 637, nnd time could hardly be found for his transactions subsequent to the expulsion, in case it occurreil so late as 636.
9* See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xiv. , sect. xiv. , n. 192, p. 354.
95 See William M. Hennessy's "Chroni-
cum Scotorum," pp. 84. 85.
9' See the Bollandists' "Acta Saiicto-
rum," tonius iii. , Maii xiv. De S. Carthaco seu Mochudda, &c. Vita ex antique MS. llibcrnico, cap. iv. , num. 44, p. 3S6.
'^ See Dcrnnul O'Connor's Keating's
"History of Ireland," Book ii. , pp. 394 to
397.
Chapter iv. — ' See Sir James Ware,
"De Scriploribus Hibcrnia:," lib. i. , cap. iii. , p. 20.
May 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 267
thenceforward leaving King Blaithmaic and his subjects. ^ With his disciples, who were in number 867,2 Carthage resolutely set out, about the year 630. 4 The Annals of Ulster s have this expulsion, however, at a. d. 635, and at Easter time, while those of Tigernach ^ place it under a. d. 636. Many of these holy men, who left Rathain, became Bishops and Abbots, in due course of time, and they raised many structures to God's glory. It is said, that nearly an equal number of his monks were buried in Rathain city, at the time when the saint and his brethren left ; wliile, many other disciples of Carthage, living and dead, had been dispersed throughout Ireland. Besides his own community, St. Carthage had a great number of lepers, in Rathain. These he kept in a cell, apart from his monastery,? and he ministered to their wants, with great affection. ^ For, many afflicted persons, belonging to tliis class of sufferers, in different parts of Ireland, heard aoout his care and attention to their poor brethren. They came to our saint, and they were charitably received by him. These patients, also, he brought with him, from Raithin city, to that of Lismore. 9 While the evicted pilgrims proceeded on their way, with chariots and waggons, and while journeying through a thick wood, they found that a large oak had blocked up their road, it having been uprooted through some cause. The attention of St. Carthnge was called to this circumstance, by one ofhismonks. Thisdisciplestated,itwasimpossibletofindanyotherroute, but that one they were taking. While he marked the wood with his hand, Carthage commanded the oak tree to resume its former position, in God's holy name. That tree became subservient to our saint's command. At the time his biographer lived, it was to be found, standing in its former place, and having a large heap of stones piled up at its roots, in commemoration of this miracle. '°
After leaving Raithin, the first stopping place which the pilgrims reached was the monastcn- of Druym Culium," on the confines of Munster, Leinster,andMeath. Itlaywiihintheterritoriesofthelatter,however,and among the people of Fearceall. There, a monastery had been erected
and, in it, the Abbot Barrin,^^ or Barindus, was renowned for his miracles. '3
^ See the BoUandists' "Acta Sancto- rum," tomus iii. , Maii xiv. De S. Car- thaco seu Mochudda. Vita ex antiquo MS. Ilibernico, cap. iv. , nuui. 45, p. 386.
;
s gee z(J/i/. , tomus iv. , p. 46.
' See ? '^/V/. , tomus ii. , p. 193.
' The Life states, ''ipse enim magnam
3 Archhisliop Ussher thus writes : "Idem
qiioque author expulsionem . S. Caiiliag'e
monasterio Ratheniensi postea enairans ;
Perrexit, inquit, Sanctus in viam cum disci-
pulis suis, qui erant numero dccclxvii. et
cosequalis numerus in civitate Raythen in
sepuichris mansit : et phues in aliis locis per
Hiberniam tie discipulis S. Mochuda, vivi
et defuncti fuerunt. Et qui secuti sunt
sanctum senem Carthngum de civitate Ray-
then, pleni gratia Dei erant : et plures ex
eis postea Sancti Epibcopi et Abbates facti,
loca Domino sedificaverunt. Ab alia Vita
ejusdem scriptore, exceptis parvulis et ser-
vientib'js, sanctorum monachorum numerus
DCCCXLVii. fuisse proditur, labore manuum
suarum victum sibi ac pnuperibus acquiren-
tium. Alius, iisdem exceptis. dcccxliv.
tantum numeral," &c. —"Hritannicarum,
Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. p. bishop Llssher, "ISarrindeus mnnasterii 472. Druim-cuillin Abbas claruit. "—" Britanni-
* According to the Bodleian copy of the carum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," Index Annals of Inisfallen. See Rev. Dr. Chronologicus, p. 534.
O'Connor's "Rerum Hibernicarum Scrip- '3 This was most likely the saint of that
tores," tomiis ii. p. 13. ,
turbam leprosorum in sua civitate in cella deorsum cum magna dignitate habeliat, et quemdain corporis valetuo dimisit.
