Patrick by Tirechan^^ relates that Mael had
previously
the magical i-ule on his head.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
" But the saint admonished them rather to believe in his God, than to inquire about his descent or his dweUing-place.
Then the damsels, desiring to know
more assuredly of God, earnestly questioned regarding his power, riches, and
" Who is God ? Where does He your
The elder
dwell ? Whether is He in the skies or under them ? Does He dwell on earth ? Is He to be found in the mountains, or in the valleys, in the sea, or in rivers ? Hath He sons beautiful in form and appearance ? Doth He possess gold and silver, or doth His kingdom abound in all manner of wealth? By what, sort of worship is He to be adored? Is He young or is He old ? Are his years to fail after a definite period, or are they to be lasting ? "" These were the natural outpourings of a curiosity and Want of Christian knowledge in such youthful maidens, and eagerly they listened to Patrick's reply. From such questions, also, we may probably infer, that the pagan deities of Ireland were topical beings or serial genii, supposed to inhabit the mountains, plains, rivers, and fountains. ^3 The saint instructed them in the Catholic faith, truly affirming God to be the Creator and ruler oftheheavensandtheearth,thesea,andofallthatistherein; thatHehad one Son, with Himself co-eternal, co-equal, and consubstantial, everywhere reigning, governing all things, possessing all things. He also promised them that they should exchange an earthly and a transitory kingdom for a heavenly and an eternal kingdom ; for that if they obeyed his counsel, they should be united with the celestial King, in a pure and an indissoluble union. St.
glory.
daughter asked,
Patrick said " Our God is the God of all the God of heaven and earth
:
;; the God of seas and rivers ; the God of sun, moon, and stars ; the God of
mountainheightsandvalleydepths; Godabovetheheavens,inheaven,and under heaven. Many mansions He has, heaven, earth, sea, and all these contain. From Him the sun and moon, these luminaries of the world, have their light. On earth He produced ranges of mountains, rivers, and foun- tains, with beautiful islands in the sea. From nothing He created all things, visible and invisible. He sustains all, inspires all, vivifies all ; He has a Son congenital with the Father, and neither is the Father prior to the Son, nor the Son later in time than the Father. Nor is the Holy Spirit separated from the Father and the Son, but he proceeds from the Father and the Son, co-eternal with and equal to both persons. Yet, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are not three Gods, but one God, true, holy, and omnipotent. Those three persons are one and united. Wherefore, as you are the daughters of a temporal king, it is meet and just, that your thoughts and
eyes should be drawn away from perishable things to those that are eternal, from things lowly to those that are above, and that your nuptials, chaste and
" in which the had been trained as princesses
"See "Trias Colgan's
Thaumaturga.
Tertia Vita S. Patricii, cap. xlviii. , p. 25. Gentiles. See Dr. Todd's "St. Patrick,
The term itself, meaning "Fairies," has
reference to a very old Irish superstition.
These immaterial beings were supposed to
inhabit pleasant raths and rounded hills,
un-ler which they lived. The daughters of
King Laoighaire thought St. Patrick and
his companions belonged to this fanciful
race of beings. A remnant of this old under various fairy forms. Nor did they pagan creed yet lingers in the minds of some
ignorant
and credulous
or Roman deities. See " iii. , cap. xxii,, pp. 200, 201.
Ogygia,", pars
people.
"The dialogue here introduced, as found
in Tirechan, serves to indicate the notions
Apostle of Ireland," chap, iii. , pp. 452, 453. '^ Such is the opinion of O'Flaherty, who believes, that these genii were supposed by the pagans never to pass far away from their places, and to have been local guardians posted there by some Divine intelligence, These were thought to have been disguised
bear any striking affinity with the Grecian
1 68 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January ii.
indissoluble, should be sought with the Son of the King of Heaven, whose duration hath no bounds, and whose happiness hath no limit, rather than with the sons of kings and their perishable fortunes, which are transitory, and which must be relinquished in a very short time. " Having heard this dis- course, the noble maidens were filled with enthusiasm and ardour, as if darts of Divine love had already transfixed their hearts. Both exclaimed
" Would reverence teach us how we must the your procure
simultaneously,
favours of so great a king, and accomplish His will ? Can we behold Him
face to face ? What you desire us to do, we shall willingly perform. " ""
Believe you, then," replied the saint, that by the power of such a King, all your sins and imperfections can be washed away through the waters of Baptism, or if after its administration faults be committed, that these can be
effaced and expiated through Penance ? " The Holy Spirit took possession of their souls, and urged both of those devout maidens to signify their assent, with a firm faith in the mysteries he announced.
CHAPTER III.
THE DAUGHTERS OF KING LEAGHAIRE ARE BAPTIZED AT THE FOUNTAIN—AFTERWARDS THEY TAKE THE VEIL FROM ST. PATRICK AND RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION AT HIS HANDS—THEIR HOLY DEPARTURE TO THE LORD—THE PLACES WHERE THEIR RELICS WERE DEPOSITED—SUBSEQUENT CONVERSION OF THEIR MAGI TUTORS— CONCLUSION.
WhEK St. Patrick had thus preached to them, with persuasive eloquence, he baptized them in the same fountain beside which this happy conference had been held. ^ Nor was this the sole result of St. Patrick's earnest and fervent preaching ; for the royal sisters sought the white veil of virginity" at hishands. 3 SothatinrealitytheybecamethedevotedspousesofChrist. '*
In every circumstance of this miraculous conversion, we are edified with the noble and single-minded sacrifices these holy sisters were prepared to make. HavingrenouncedalleartjjilypleasuresandbecomeChristians,they besought the saint, that according to his promise, he would s—how them the
:
face of Christ, their beloved Spouse. Patrick thus answered " You must
first, with the mouth of your heart and of your body, devoutly receive the
flesh and the blood of your Spouse. Thus being quickened with the living food, and having tasted of death, you may pass fi-om this impure world unto the starry bride-chamber. " Then the virgins, believing in the word of the man of God, devoutly entreated him to administer the Holy Eucharist. They expressed also a wish to be freed firom the prison of the body,s so that they
Chap. hi. —' In a small tract, by Joseph S. Smithson, and intituled, "St. Patrick, the Missionary of Ireland," the author seems to think these royal virgins belonged to the familyoftheKingofConnaught. Seep. 53.
"See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Quarta Vita S. Patricii, cap. Iv. , p. 42. L. Tachet de Bameval writes : "II les baptisa et l—es revetis d'habits d'une blancheur
"
^clatante. " Histoire Legendaire de ITr-
lande," chap, iv. , p. 34.
3 These sisters are ranked among the holy
females veiled by St. Patrick. See Colgan's
"Trias Thaumaturga. " Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 269.
* Dr. Todd is of opinion, that there is no
proofoftheseroyalprincessesha%angtaken the white veil of virginity, but that they re- ceived the white garment put on them at baptism, and which was formerly worn by neophytes for eight days afterwards. See "St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," chap, iii. , p. 454, and n. l, p. 457, ibid.
^ fix. Lanigan remarks, the story of their
January ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 169
might behold the Lord of their most earnest choice. ^ St. Patrick yielded to
their request, and his prophetic spirit revealed to him the Divine decree. Re-
posing in one bed, both of those holy maidens quitted their earthly tabernacle,?
and Avent to meet their Heavenly Spouse, sweetly falling asleep m the Lord. ^ These incidents must have happened in the immediate vicinity of Croghan
or Rathcroghan -p and perhaps even it may be related, they brought mourn- ing into the palace of the King of Connaught, as they must have into the royal court of King Leaghaire at Tara. Their friends and their kindred gathered together, and bewailed them for three days, as was the custom of the country; andthenplacedtheirsacredremainsinthewomboftheMotherof
all human kind. And, on that spot was erected a church,
'^^
which was col-
lated to the metropolitan seat of Ardmach, at a subsequent period.
This church" is called Domhnach or Seann Domhnach^^ of Maghaoi. The relics of those holy sisters were transferred, '3 some time after their de-
parture, to the Metropolitan Church of Armagh, ^4 and most probably during the life-time of their holy baptizer and spiritual father, St. Patrick. There they await resurrection with the just.
The two magicians, because they had educated the damsels, were sorely grieved at their deaths, and reproached the saint with bitter and angry
immediate deatlis, after receiving tlie veil, miglit liave originated from this circumstance, that dying to the world they became nearer to God. St- Patrick himself relates, a young lady of illustrious family came to tell him she
was admonished by a heavenly messenger after her baptism to become a virgin of
ratlier then to remain on earth. In accor-
dance with these desires, they passed once more to the joys of heaven.
9 All that Mr. Isaac Weld has to state, describing this place, is, that it lies two miles and a-half from Tulsk to the north-west. He observes, that Rathcroghan and Relick na Riagh "are remarkable for caves and ancient burial-grounds, as well as for some
Christ. See
"
Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. i. , chap, v. , § ix. , p. 242, and n.
83» P- 244- *"
St. Patrick, rejoicing in the fervent spirit
of his converts, declares, that several sons of
the Scoti and the daughters of their rulers
wished to become monks and nuns, even
when their parents were dissatisfied. See
Villanueva's '' Sancti Patricii, Ibernorum
Apostoli, Synodi, Canones, Opuscula," 8zc.
S. Patricii Confessio, cap. iv. , § iS, p.
202.
"
Statistical Survey of the County of Ros-
""
For they lay on one bed, like brides
new-wed.
By Clebach well ; and the dirge-days
over,
On their smiling faces a veil was spread.
And a green mound raised that bed to cover.
Such wer—e the ways of those ancient
days
To Patrick for aye that grave was
given ;
And above it a church he built in their
praise ;
For in them had Eire been spoused to
heaven. "
impossible to identify this place on the Ordnance Survey Maps, if it were either in Roscommon or Mayo county. It is remark- able, that the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, lib. ii. , cap. xlvi. , after thus particularizing the name of this church, resumes the nar- rative at cap. xlvii. , by stating, that the Apostle thence passed on to the part of Con- naught called Tir-Chairedha, and there he built a church at Ard-lice, and gave it in charge to Deacon Cccman. It was called also Sean-Domnach. We may ask, can it be a distinct one from that mentioned in the text?
"! Tirechan says the friends of these ho—ly virgins made a circular ditch like toaFeart—a
a se):)ulchral mound covered with grass as the . Scotic gentile people were wont to do. Fearta denotes almost always a pagan ceme- tery. See Rev. William Reeves' "Churches of
Reliquiae, with the bones of the holy virgins, had been granted to Patrick and to his suc- cessors for ever.
—Aubrey De Vere's "Legends of St. Patrick. " St. Patrick and the Two Prin-
cesses, p. 59.
^ The "
Vita S.
Armagh," p. 49.
'* Tirechan only states, that the Fearta or
Quarta
Patricii," cap.
Ivii. , p. 42, has it that St. Patrick again
brought them to life. But the holy virgins
giving thanks to God and to St. Patrick wished to return to their state of beatitude,
rude remains, connected by tradition with the history of the kings of Connaught. See
common," p. 374.
'° See Probusor "Quinta VitaS. Patricii,"
lib. ii. , cap, xvii. , p. 58.
" Tirechan tells us it was built of earth,
'-
Under either of these forms, it seems
17© LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January ii.
words,^s They complained, not only that he had directly procured their death, but that he had caused them to renounce their countr/s gods, and
turn to strange gods. Capiat was the first to urge these invectives, in grief
and tears. But holy Patrick endeavoured to assuage this outburst of natural
feeling and sorrow, by tender and soothing remonstrances. ^^ He reasoned
calmly, and showed how the royal maidens had passed away from earthly
trials to everlasting delights, and that their innocent souls had been translated
from exile to a kingdom, and from death to life eternal. St. Patrick con-
tinued to urge on him an exposition regarding the mysteries of Faith and
the kingdom of God. The soothsayer at length was moved to a sincere
conversion. Not only did he profess his belief and his desire to be baptized,
but he also asked to receive tonsure and the monastic habit. This soon
came to the knowledge of his brother Mael, whose indignation was the more
excited, because Capiat, as well as his former pupils, had renounced GentiHsm,
He inveighed against St. Patrick as a seducer, and Mael declared that he
should not only remain inflexible in pagan worship, but that he should bring
back Capiat to his former way of thinking. Yet the rare and all-searching eloquence of St. Patrick cast forth the word of God, like arrows piercing to
the very depths of the heart. Mael too became a convert, was baptized, and he took the habit and tonsure of a monk. '7 The ancient Life of St.
Patrick by Tirechan^^ relates that Mael had previously the magical i-ule on his head. Thishadbeenremovedafterhisconversion. TheIrishwordsuseddesignated this magical rule—a form of cutting the hair—as a band of Gehenna ; and as in the case of his brother Caplit, although the hair of his head had been cut off, this need not imply that either or both received Christian tonsure. '9 It rather expresses, in the opinion of Dr. Todd, that they removed all traces of their pagan and magic fashion. ^"
Our Irish calendars hardly reveal to us the fact, that both of these holy
sisters belong to the saints of Ireland. It is true, however, that a festival in
honour of Feidelmai, virgin, is entered at the nth of January, in the published Martyrology of Tallagh. ^' She is also called Fedella in Henry Fitzsimon's list. ^^ With her is united Ethnea,—also called Athna, Ethna or Hethna—
virgin,^3 in nearly all our sacred biographies of St. Patrick. This is noticed, too, by Colgan, who remarks, that a St. Ethnea was venerated at the 28th of
February, according to the Martyrology of Tallagh, Marianus O'Gorman and others; yetitisnoteasytopronouncewhetherornotthecelebrationbethat
'SThe foregoing is Jocelyn's account of these holy virgins. Probus has the same in
substance ; but in opposition to Jocelyn he calls one Aethne Alba and the other Fethlem
Ruffa. The fountain he
" Dabhach,
in the Vita S. Septima
in lateribus Cruachon, contra ortum solis. "
Yet in a succeeding passage he calls it
Clebach, near which the holy sisters were buried, and a trench rounded, according to
the
appearance
secrated by St. Patrick, as indicating the site of their sepulture.
Trias Thaumaturga. "
styles
lib.
xliv. , xlv. , xlvi. , pp. 135, 136. Colgan's
"
of cut stonework, was con-
'» Probus alludes to this Druidic
custom,
'*
exhortation of St. Patrick to both brothers, " But he, touching the harp of David, and preaching the kingdom of God, converted them to the faith, and they were baptized. "
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. Iviii. p. 78.
''Thus in every respect he imitated his brother, and hence, in after time, the Irish
See St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," cap. iii. , p. 455 and n. i, ibitf.
="
Edited by the Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xii. " He also thinks, she is the same, as St.
Fethlin, a virgin, mentioned by Probus.
*3 See Fitzsimon's " ali- Henry Catalogus
quorum Sanctoram Hibernire. "— O'Sullevan Beare's " Historiae Catholica Tberniae Com- pendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xii. , pp. 52, 54.
Thus Joceiine poetically alludes to this
had a proverb, when one followed the ways of another, CofifiuiL ITIaoL "Do CApLaic
"
count of these transactions is that contained
LikeisMaoltoCapiat. " Thefullestac-
'^ Contained in the Book of Armagh, fol. 12, a. a.
which he appears to have well understood, '" "
Patricii,
ii. , cap.
January ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 171
of the present Saint Ethnea. However our national hagiologist alleged very sufficient reasons for including both of those heroic virgins among our national saints. ^-* First, all the Acts of St. Patrick concur in recording their admirable innocence of life, their miraculous conversion, and their no less miraculous passage to the society of their Spouse, Jesus Christ. Secondly, the fact of a church having been erected to their memory, at the place where they died, manifests the affectionate reverence entertained for them by St. Patrick him- self Thirdly, the transmission of their relics, from the first place of their de- position to the Metropolitan See of Armagh, indicates still more the respect in which those noble virgins were held, long after their departure, and which seems corroborative of their having been in the odour of sanctity. The only reason Colgan had for placing the festival of both holy virgins at this day was the circumstance of a St. Fedelmia first occurring in our calendars, and a want of knowing that day to which their Acts could more appropriately be as- signed. Wholly to omit them from a collection of Irish saints' lives should be a subject for regret to all who admire truly noble virtues, as also that regal devotion, which soars beyond the poor troublous ambitions of life, and which longs to be at rest in the mansions of God's peaceful kingdom.
Article II. -^St. Suibhne, or Suineus, Abbot of Iona. \Seventh Cen- tury^ We are led to believe that St. Suibhne or Suinne,' the son o—f Cuirtre, Cuir-
or was bom in Ireland most —
but
This holy man
in the sixth
3
was moved with a desire of leading a religious life, and he sought the island of Iona, where Segenius'' then ruled over a monastery, founded by St. Columkille.
For many years St. Suibhne dwelt as a monk, in this retreatof pietyandleaming,s while his humility and fervent dispositions of soul endeared him to the abbot and his community. He made such great progress in ecclesiastical learning and monastic perfection, that on the death of Segenius in 651,^ or 652,7 the brethren of Iona unanimously proceeded to the election of our saint as suc- cessor. By all Suibhne was allowed to excel in the virtues and talents requisite for his exalted position. Illustrious by his virtues and sanctity, this saint ruled over the community with great prudence for a period not longer thanthreeyears,^inColgan'sopinion; inaccordancewithanotherstatement,'
**See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- niae," xi. Januarii, n. i, p. 56.
the "Annals of the Four Masters," from the seventh to the eleventh century.
* According to the "Martyrology of Tal- lagh," the "Commentator on St. ^ngus," the "Annals of Clonmacnoise," and those of Senat-Mac-Magnus.
3 Colgan has collected what notices could be obtained, regarding this holy abbot, in "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xi. Januarii. Vita S. Suibhnei, p. 57.
'• The feast of this saint occurs on the 12th
of August.
5 According to a usual practice of Colgan
in reference to St. Columkille's successors
at Iona, this saint is classed as one of his
tri, Curthre,'' probably not later than the commencement of the seventh
certainly
Art. II. —
The Annals of Clonmacnoise, of the
'No less than
lustrious men, bearing this name, occur in
Island of All Saints, of Senat-Mac-Magnus, and of Roscrea, agree in this statement, He had governed the house for the term of twenty-nine years.
^ The "Annals of Inisfallen" incorrectly have a. d. 642; those of Tighemach more correctly a. d. 652. See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's"LifeofSt. Columba. " Addi- tional Notes O, p. 375.
^
Colgan assumes that his predecessor Segene died a. d. 651, and that Suibhne died a. d. 654, wherefore he could not con- ceive how this saint's rule should have been extended to five years by Ussher.
' See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," xi. Januarii. Vita S. Suibhnei, p. 57. "Juxta Annales Cluanenses et Senatenses
twenty-four
il-
disciples. This, however, is by no means an, 654. sed juxta Usserum et Martyr, ""
certain. See Trias Thaumaturga, Quarta Dungallen. an. 656 obiit," n. 7. Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse, cap. x,,
century.
p. 492. ^""
172 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January ii.
nearly four years and five months;" while according to some other authorities, his term was five years. To credit one account he died in the year 654 ;
according to others in 656, or 657, and on the nth day of January, which is that of his festival and commemoration. The Martyrology of Tallagh," of Marianus O'Gorman, of the Commentator on ^ngus, and the Martyrology of Donegal,^^ confirm this statement. This saintly superior was buried with all due reverence, ^vithin those precints of lona's sacred enclosure, where so many sleep in death. '3 Relating to his necrology, the Annals of Clonmacnoise statethatSt. Suibhnediedintheyear653. ^* TheAnnalsoftheFourMasters, Ussher, and the Martyrology of Donegal, place this sainfs death under a. d. 654. There the Four Masters say, "Suibhne,^s son of Cuirtre, Abbot of la, died. "'^ Again the Annals of Ulster refer his death to the year of 6<^6^^ while the Rev. William Reeves prolongs his government of lona Monastery from a. d. 652 to A. D. 657. ^^ We are reminded how this Saint Suibhneus or Suinneus, as the name is Latinized, is the first Abbot of Hy, whose genealogy is not given in the histories. '9
Article III. —St, Amphadhan, or Anfadan, Bishop of Glenda- LOUGH, County of Wicklow. We can only discover, in reference to this holy successor of St. Kevin, that an entry is made in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the nth of January,* Anfadan, Bishop of Glendalough. The period of this bishop's rule, we have not been able to ascertain. In the Annals of the Four Masters,3 there is mention of Anfadan, Abbot of Linn- Duachail, who died a. d. 758, but he does not appear to have had any con- nectionwithGlendalough. Weread,likewise,intheMartyrologyofDonegal. -^
"See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , sec. viii. , n. 105,
p. 37. Dr. Lanigan refers —for authority to
Ussher, p. 705, and adds: "He has five
years for Suibne's administration. This must
be understood as reckoning in round num- '5 Colgan remarks this name is so bers. For Suibne died on the iithofja- written in Irish, and that "bVi" is pro-
nuary, and accordingly, counting from the 1 2th of August, 652 (the day marked for Segenius), was abbot only four years and nearly five months. " Dr. Lanigan, as usual, is one year behind in his computation.
"
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xii. Ih
Besides the present saint, Suibhne, our ca- lendars have a St. Suibhne, at the 19th of January ; one at the 28th of April ; one- at the 21st, and another at the 22nd of June ; one at the 27th of September ; and one at
the Franciscan copy, at this date, we read
Suibni Abb. t^e.
"
and the re-edification of cottages
Many votive chapels seem to have once
the 28th of October. See the "
Alartyrology
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
great
of Donegal," edited by Drs. Todd and
12, 13.
'3 "Thenumberofthetombshereis
Reeves, pp. 472, 473.
'* See O'Donovan's vol. Edition,
i. , pp.
; but much disturbance has taken place among them from recent interments ; and it is pro- bable, that many also have disappeared in consequence of the progress of agriculture,
266, 267.
'' " a. d. 656. Obitus Suibnii mic Cuirtre,
Abbatis la. "
existed in this sacred ground
but
have
they entirelydisappeared, together with the greater number of the 360 crosses, which it is said once to have possessed, and of which the greatest portion was probably also of votive ©"'gin Three only remain at lona, of which one, entire and uninjured, is formed of a very long and thin slab of mica slate, and covered with ornamented sculptures
;
ofveryperfectworkmanship. " MaccuUoch's "Description of the Western Islands of
Scotland," vol. i. , pp. 13, 14.
'*
of Hugh, died.
"A.
more assuredly of God, earnestly questioned regarding his power, riches, and
" Who is God ? Where does He your
The elder
dwell ? Whether is He in the skies or under them ? Does He dwell on earth ? Is He to be found in the mountains, or in the valleys, in the sea, or in rivers ? Hath He sons beautiful in form and appearance ? Doth He possess gold and silver, or doth His kingdom abound in all manner of wealth? By what, sort of worship is He to be adored? Is He young or is He old ? Are his years to fail after a definite period, or are they to be lasting ? "" These were the natural outpourings of a curiosity and Want of Christian knowledge in such youthful maidens, and eagerly they listened to Patrick's reply. From such questions, also, we may probably infer, that the pagan deities of Ireland were topical beings or serial genii, supposed to inhabit the mountains, plains, rivers, and fountains. ^3 The saint instructed them in the Catholic faith, truly affirming God to be the Creator and ruler oftheheavensandtheearth,thesea,andofallthatistherein; thatHehad one Son, with Himself co-eternal, co-equal, and consubstantial, everywhere reigning, governing all things, possessing all things. He also promised them that they should exchange an earthly and a transitory kingdom for a heavenly and an eternal kingdom ; for that if they obeyed his counsel, they should be united with the celestial King, in a pure and an indissoluble union. St.
glory.
daughter asked,
Patrick said " Our God is the God of all the God of heaven and earth
:
;; the God of seas and rivers ; the God of sun, moon, and stars ; the God of
mountainheightsandvalleydepths; Godabovetheheavens,inheaven,and under heaven. Many mansions He has, heaven, earth, sea, and all these contain. From Him the sun and moon, these luminaries of the world, have their light. On earth He produced ranges of mountains, rivers, and foun- tains, with beautiful islands in the sea. From nothing He created all things, visible and invisible. He sustains all, inspires all, vivifies all ; He has a Son congenital with the Father, and neither is the Father prior to the Son, nor the Son later in time than the Father. Nor is the Holy Spirit separated from the Father and the Son, but he proceeds from the Father and the Son, co-eternal with and equal to both persons. Yet, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are not three Gods, but one God, true, holy, and omnipotent. Those three persons are one and united. Wherefore, as you are the daughters of a temporal king, it is meet and just, that your thoughts and
eyes should be drawn away from perishable things to those that are eternal, from things lowly to those that are above, and that your nuptials, chaste and
" in which the had been trained as princesses
"See "Trias Colgan's
Thaumaturga.
Tertia Vita S. Patricii, cap. xlviii. , p. 25. Gentiles. See Dr. Todd's "St. Patrick,
The term itself, meaning "Fairies," has
reference to a very old Irish superstition.
These immaterial beings were supposed to
inhabit pleasant raths and rounded hills,
un-ler which they lived. The daughters of
King Laoighaire thought St. Patrick and
his companions belonged to this fanciful
race of beings. A remnant of this old under various fairy forms. Nor did they pagan creed yet lingers in the minds of some
ignorant
and credulous
or Roman deities. See " iii. , cap. xxii,, pp. 200, 201.
Ogygia,", pars
people.
"The dialogue here introduced, as found
in Tirechan, serves to indicate the notions
Apostle of Ireland," chap, iii. , pp. 452, 453. '^ Such is the opinion of O'Flaherty, who believes, that these genii were supposed by the pagans never to pass far away from their places, and to have been local guardians posted there by some Divine intelligence, These were thought to have been disguised
bear any striking affinity with the Grecian
1 68 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January ii.
indissoluble, should be sought with the Son of the King of Heaven, whose duration hath no bounds, and whose happiness hath no limit, rather than with the sons of kings and their perishable fortunes, which are transitory, and which must be relinquished in a very short time. " Having heard this dis- course, the noble maidens were filled with enthusiasm and ardour, as if darts of Divine love had already transfixed their hearts. Both exclaimed
" Would reverence teach us how we must the your procure
simultaneously,
favours of so great a king, and accomplish His will ? Can we behold Him
face to face ? What you desire us to do, we shall willingly perform. " ""
Believe you, then," replied the saint, that by the power of such a King, all your sins and imperfections can be washed away through the waters of Baptism, or if after its administration faults be committed, that these can be
effaced and expiated through Penance ? " The Holy Spirit took possession of their souls, and urged both of those devout maidens to signify their assent, with a firm faith in the mysteries he announced.
CHAPTER III.
THE DAUGHTERS OF KING LEAGHAIRE ARE BAPTIZED AT THE FOUNTAIN—AFTERWARDS THEY TAKE THE VEIL FROM ST. PATRICK AND RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION AT HIS HANDS—THEIR HOLY DEPARTURE TO THE LORD—THE PLACES WHERE THEIR RELICS WERE DEPOSITED—SUBSEQUENT CONVERSION OF THEIR MAGI TUTORS— CONCLUSION.
WhEK St. Patrick had thus preached to them, with persuasive eloquence, he baptized them in the same fountain beside which this happy conference had been held. ^ Nor was this the sole result of St. Patrick's earnest and fervent preaching ; for the royal sisters sought the white veil of virginity" at hishands. 3 SothatinrealitytheybecamethedevotedspousesofChrist. '*
In every circumstance of this miraculous conversion, we are edified with the noble and single-minded sacrifices these holy sisters were prepared to make. HavingrenouncedalleartjjilypleasuresandbecomeChristians,they besought the saint, that according to his promise, he would s—how them the
:
face of Christ, their beloved Spouse. Patrick thus answered " You must
first, with the mouth of your heart and of your body, devoutly receive the
flesh and the blood of your Spouse. Thus being quickened with the living food, and having tasted of death, you may pass fi-om this impure world unto the starry bride-chamber. " Then the virgins, believing in the word of the man of God, devoutly entreated him to administer the Holy Eucharist. They expressed also a wish to be freed firom the prison of the body,s so that they
Chap. hi. —' In a small tract, by Joseph S. Smithson, and intituled, "St. Patrick, the Missionary of Ireland," the author seems to think these royal virgins belonged to the familyoftheKingofConnaught. Seep. 53.
"See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Quarta Vita S. Patricii, cap. Iv. , p. 42. L. Tachet de Bameval writes : "II les baptisa et l—es revetis d'habits d'une blancheur
"
^clatante. " Histoire Legendaire de ITr-
lande," chap, iv. , p. 34.
3 These sisters are ranked among the holy
females veiled by St. Patrick. See Colgan's
"Trias Thaumaturga. " Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 269.
* Dr. Todd is of opinion, that there is no
proofoftheseroyalprincessesha%angtaken the white veil of virginity, but that they re- ceived the white garment put on them at baptism, and which was formerly worn by neophytes for eight days afterwards. See "St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," chap, iii. , p. 454, and n. l, p. 457, ibid.
^ fix. Lanigan remarks, the story of their
January ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 169
might behold the Lord of their most earnest choice. ^ St. Patrick yielded to
their request, and his prophetic spirit revealed to him the Divine decree. Re-
posing in one bed, both of those holy maidens quitted their earthly tabernacle,?
and Avent to meet their Heavenly Spouse, sweetly falling asleep m the Lord. ^ These incidents must have happened in the immediate vicinity of Croghan
or Rathcroghan -p and perhaps even it may be related, they brought mourn- ing into the palace of the King of Connaught, as they must have into the royal court of King Leaghaire at Tara. Their friends and their kindred gathered together, and bewailed them for three days, as was the custom of the country; andthenplacedtheirsacredremainsinthewomboftheMotherof
all human kind. And, on that spot was erected a church,
'^^
which was col-
lated to the metropolitan seat of Ardmach, at a subsequent period.
This church" is called Domhnach or Seann Domhnach^^ of Maghaoi. The relics of those holy sisters were transferred, '3 some time after their de-
parture, to the Metropolitan Church of Armagh, ^4 and most probably during the life-time of their holy baptizer and spiritual father, St. Patrick. There they await resurrection with the just.
The two magicians, because they had educated the damsels, were sorely grieved at their deaths, and reproached the saint with bitter and angry
immediate deatlis, after receiving tlie veil, miglit liave originated from this circumstance, that dying to the world they became nearer to God. St- Patrick himself relates, a young lady of illustrious family came to tell him she
was admonished by a heavenly messenger after her baptism to become a virgin of
ratlier then to remain on earth. In accor-
dance with these desires, they passed once more to the joys of heaven.
9 All that Mr. Isaac Weld has to state, describing this place, is, that it lies two miles and a-half from Tulsk to the north-west. He observes, that Rathcroghan and Relick na Riagh "are remarkable for caves and ancient burial-grounds, as well as for some
Christ. See
"
Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. i. , chap, v. , § ix. , p. 242, and n.
83» P- 244- *"
St. Patrick, rejoicing in the fervent spirit
of his converts, declares, that several sons of
the Scoti and the daughters of their rulers
wished to become monks and nuns, even
when their parents were dissatisfied. See
Villanueva's '' Sancti Patricii, Ibernorum
Apostoli, Synodi, Canones, Opuscula," 8zc.
S. Patricii Confessio, cap. iv. , § iS, p.
202.
"
Statistical Survey of the County of Ros-
""
For they lay on one bed, like brides
new-wed.
By Clebach well ; and the dirge-days
over,
On their smiling faces a veil was spread.
And a green mound raised that bed to cover.
Such wer—e the ways of those ancient
days
To Patrick for aye that grave was
given ;
And above it a church he built in their
praise ;
For in them had Eire been spoused to
heaven. "
impossible to identify this place on the Ordnance Survey Maps, if it were either in Roscommon or Mayo county. It is remark- able, that the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, lib. ii. , cap. xlvi. , after thus particularizing the name of this church, resumes the nar- rative at cap. xlvii. , by stating, that the Apostle thence passed on to the part of Con- naught called Tir-Chairedha, and there he built a church at Ard-lice, and gave it in charge to Deacon Cccman. It was called also Sean-Domnach. We may ask, can it be a distinct one from that mentioned in the text?
"! Tirechan says the friends of these ho—ly virgins made a circular ditch like toaFeart—a
a se):)ulchral mound covered with grass as the . Scotic gentile people were wont to do. Fearta denotes almost always a pagan ceme- tery. See Rev. William Reeves' "Churches of
Reliquiae, with the bones of the holy virgins, had been granted to Patrick and to his suc- cessors for ever.
—Aubrey De Vere's "Legends of St. Patrick. " St. Patrick and the Two Prin-
cesses, p. 59.
^ The "
Vita S.
Armagh," p. 49.
'* Tirechan only states, that the Fearta or
Quarta
Patricii," cap.
Ivii. , p. 42, has it that St. Patrick again
brought them to life. But the holy virgins
giving thanks to God and to St. Patrick wished to return to their state of beatitude,
rude remains, connected by tradition with the history of the kings of Connaught. See
common," p. 374.
'° See Probusor "Quinta VitaS. Patricii,"
lib. ii. , cap, xvii. , p. 58.
" Tirechan tells us it was built of earth,
'-
Under either of these forms, it seems
17© LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January ii.
words,^s They complained, not only that he had directly procured their death, but that he had caused them to renounce their countr/s gods, and
turn to strange gods. Capiat was the first to urge these invectives, in grief
and tears. But holy Patrick endeavoured to assuage this outburst of natural
feeling and sorrow, by tender and soothing remonstrances. ^^ He reasoned
calmly, and showed how the royal maidens had passed away from earthly
trials to everlasting delights, and that their innocent souls had been translated
from exile to a kingdom, and from death to life eternal. St. Patrick con-
tinued to urge on him an exposition regarding the mysteries of Faith and
the kingdom of God. The soothsayer at length was moved to a sincere
conversion. Not only did he profess his belief and his desire to be baptized,
but he also asked to receive tonsure and the monastic habit. This soon
came to the knowledge of his brother Mael, whose indignation was the more
excited, because Capiat, as well as his former pupils, had renounced GentiHsm,
He inveighed against St. Patrick as a seducer, and Mael declared that he
should not only remain inflexible in pagan worship, but that he should bring
back Capiat to his former way of thinking. Yet the rare and all-searching eloquence of St. Patrick cast forth the word of God, like arrows piercing to
the very depths of the heart. Mael too became a convert, was baptized, and he took the habit and tonsure of a monk. '7 The ancient Life of St.
Patrick by Tirechan^^ relates that Mael had previously the magical i-ule on his head. Thishadbeenremovedafterhisconversion. TheIrishwordsuseddesignated this magical rule—a form of cutting the hair—as a band of Gehenna ; and as in the case of his brother Caplit, although the hair of his head had been cut off, this need not imply that either or both received Christian tonsure. '9 It rather expresses, in the opinion of Dr. Todd, that they removed all traces of their pagan and magic fashion. ^"
Our Irish calendars hardly reveal to us the fact, that both of these holy
sisters belong to the saints of Ireland. It is true, however, that a festival in
honour of Feidelmai, virgin, is entered at the nth of January, in the published Martyrology of Tallagh. ^' She is also called Fedella in Henry Fitzsimon's list. ^^ With her is united Ethnea,—also called Athna, Ethna or Hethna—
virgin,^3 in nearly all our sacred biographies of St. Patrick. This is noticed, too, by Colgan, who remarks, that a St. Ethnea was venerated at the 28th of
February, according to the Martyrology of Tallagh, Marianus O'Gorman and others; yetitisnoteasytopronouncewhetherornotthecelebrationbethat
'SThe foregoing is Jocelyn's account of these holy virgins. Probus has the same in
substance ; but in opposition to Jocelyn he calls one Aethne Alba and the other Fethlem
Ruffa. The fountain he
" Dabhach,
in the Vita S. Septima
in lateribus Cruachon, contra ortum solis. "
Yet in a succeeding passage he calls it
Clebach, near which the holy sisters were buried, and a trench rounded, according to
the
appearance
secrated by St. Patrick, as indicating the site of their sepulture.
Trias Thaumaturga. "
styles
lib.
xliv. , xlv. , xlvi. , pp. 135, 136. Colgan's
"
of cut stonework, was con-
'» Probus alludes to this Druidic
custom,
'*
exhortation of St. Patrick to both brothers, " But he, touching the harp of David, and preaching the kingdom of God, converted them to the faith, and they were baptized. "
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. Iviii. p. 78.
''Thus in every respect he imitated his brother, and hence, in after time, the Irish
See St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," cap. iii. , p. 455 and n. i, ibitf.
="
Edited by the Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xii. " He also thinks, she is the same, as St.
Fethlin, a virgin, mentioned by Probus.
*3 See Fitzsimon's " ali- Henry Catalogus
quorum Sanctoram Hibernire. "— O'Sullevan Beare's " Historiae Catholica Tberniae Com- pendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xii. , pp. 52, 54.
Thus Joceiine poetically alludes to this
had a proverb, when one followed the ways of another, CofifiuiL ITIaoL "Do CApLaic
"
count of these transactions is that contained
LikeisMaoltoCapiat. " Thefullestac-
'^ Contained in the Book of Armagh, fol. 12, a. a.
which he appears to have well understood, '" "
Patricii,
ii. , cap.
January ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 171
of the present Saint Ethnea. However our national hagiologist alleged very sufficient reasons for including both of those heroic virgins among our national saints. ^-* First, all the Acts of St. Patrick concur in recording their admirable innocence of life, their miraculous conversion, and their no less miraculous passage to the society of their Spouse, Jesus Christ. Secondly, the fact of a church having been erected to their memory, at the place where they died, manifests the affectionate reverence entertained for them by St. Patrick him- self Thirdly, the transmission of their relics, from the first place of their de- position to the Metropolitan See of Armagh, indicates still more the respect in which those noble virgins were held, long after their departure, and which seems corroborative of their having been in the odour of sanctity. The only reason Colgan had for placing the festival of both holy virgins at this day was the circumstance of a St. Fedelmia first occurring in our calendars, and a want of knowing that day to which their Acts could more appropriately be as- signed. Wholly to omit them from a collection of Irish saints' lives should be a subject for regret to all who admire truly noble virtues, as also that regal devotion, which soars beyond the poor troublous ambitions of life, and which longs to be at rest in the mansions of God's peaceful kingdom.
Article II. -^St. Suibhne, or Suineus, Abbot of Iona. \Seventh Cen- tury^ We are led to believe that St. Suibhne or Suinne,' the son o—f Cuirtre, Cuir-
or was bom in Ireland most —
but
This holy man
in the sixth
3
was moved with a desire of leading a religious life, and he sought the island of Iona, where Segenius'' then ruled over a monastery, founded by St. Columkille.
For many years St. Suibhne dwelt as a monk, in this retreatof pietyandleaming,s while his humility and fervent dispositions of soul endeared him to the abbot and his community. He made such great progress in ecclesiastical learning and monastic perfection, that on the death of Segenius in 651,^ or 652,7 the brethren of Iona unanimously proceeded to the election of our saint as suc- cessor. By all Suibhne was allowed to excel in the virtues and talents requisite for his exalted position. Illustrious by his virtues and sanctity, this saint ruled over the community with great prudence for a period not longer thanthreeyears,^inColgan'sopinion; inaccordancewithanotherstatement,'
**See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- niae," xi. Januarii, n. i, p. 56.
the "Annals of the Four Masters," from the seventh to the eleventh century.
* According to the "Martyrology of Tal- lagh," the "Commentator on St. ^ngus," the "Annals of Clonmacnoise," and those of Senat-Mac-Magnus.
3 Colgan has collected what notices could be obtained, regarding this holy abbot, in "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xi. Januarii. Vita S. Suibhnei, p. 57.
'• The feast of this saint occurs on the 12th
of August.
5 According to a usual practice of Colgan
in reference to St. Columkille's successors
at Iona, this saint is classed as one of his
tri, Curthre,'' probably not later than the commencement of the seventh
certainly
Art. II. —
The Annals of Clonmacnoise, of the
'No less than
lustrious men, bearing this name, occur in
Island of All Saints, of Senat-Mac-Magnus, and of Roscrea, agree in this statement, He had governed the house for the term of twenty-nine years.
^ The "Annals of Inisfallen" incorrectly have a. d. 642; those of Tighemach more correctly a. d. 652. See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's"LifeofSt. Columba. " Addi- tional Notes O, p. 375.
^
Colgan assumes that his predecessor Segene died a. d. 651, and that Suibhne died a. d. 654, wherefore he could not con- ceive how this saint's rule should have been extended to five years by Ussher.
' See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," xi. Januarii. Vita S. Suibhnei, p. 57. "Juxta Annales Cluanenses et Senatenses
twenty-four
il-
disciples. This, however, is by no means an, 654. sed juxta Usserum et Martyr, ""
certain. See Trias Thaumaturga, Quarta Dungallen. an. 656 obiit," n. 7. Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse, cap. x,,
century.
p. 492. ^""
172 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January ii.
nearly four years and five months;" while according to some other authorities, his term was five years. To credit one account he died in the year 654 ;
according to others in 656, or 657, and on the nth day of January, which is that of his festival and commemoration. The Martyrology of Tallagh," of Marianus O'Gorman, of the Commentator on ^ngus, and the Martyrology of Donegal,^^ confirm this statement. This saintly superior was buried with all due reverence, ^vithin those precints of lona's sacred enclosure, where so many sleep in death. '3 Relating to his necrology, the Annals of Clonmacnoise statethatSt. Suibhnediedintheyear653. ^* TheAnnalsoftheFourMasters, Ussher, and the Martyrology of Donegal, place this sainfs death under a. d. 654. There the Four Masters say, "Suibhne,^s son of Cuirtre, Abbot of la, died. "'^ Again the Annals of Ulster refer his death to the year of 6<^6^^ while the Rev. William Reeves prolongs his government of lona Monastery from a. d. 652 to A. D. 657. ^^ We are reminded how this Saint Suibhneus or Suinneus, as the name is Latinized, is the first Abbot of Hy, whose genealogy is not given in the histories. '9
Article III. —St, Amphadhan, or Anfadan, Bishop of Glenda- LOUGH, County of Wicklow. We can only discover, in reference to this holy successor of St. Kevin, that an entry is made in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the nth of January,* Anfadan, Bishop of Glendalough. The period of this bishop's rule, we have not been able to ascertain. In the Annals of the Four Masters,3 there is mention of Anfadan, Abbot of Linn- Duachail, who died a. d. 758, but he does not appear to have had any con- nectionwithGlendalough. Weread,likewise,intheMartyrologyofDonegal. -^
"See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , sec. viii. , n. 105,
p. 37. Dr. Lanigan refers —for authority to
Ussher, p. 705, and adds: "He has five
years for Suibne's administration. This must
be understood as reckoning in round num- '5 Colgan remarks this name is so bers. For Suibne died on the iithofja- written in Irish, and that "bVi" is pro-
nuary, and accordingly, counting from the 1 2th of August, 652 (the day marked for Segenius), was abbot only four years and nearly five months. " Dr. Lanigan, as usual, is one year behind in his computation.
"
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xii. Ih
Besides the present saint, Suibhne, our ca- lendars have a St. Suibhne, at the 19th of January ; one at the 28th of April ; one- at the 21st, and another at the 22nd of June ; one at the 27th of September ; and one at
the Franciscan copy, at this date, we read
Suibni Abb. t^e.
"
and the re-edification of cottages
Many votive chapels seem to have once
the 28th of October. See the "
Alartyrology
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
great
of Donegal," edited by Drs. Todd and
12, 13.
'3 "Thenumberofthetombshereis
Reeves, pp. 472, 473.
'* See O'Donovan's vol. Edition,
i. , pp.
; but much disturbance has taken place among them from recent interments ; and it is pro- bable, that many also have disappeared in consequence of the progress of agriculture,
266, 267.
'' " a. d. 656. Obitus Suibnii mic Cuirtre,
Abbatis la. "
existed in this sacred ground
but
have
they entirelydisappeared, together with the greater number of the 360 crosses, which it is said once to have possessed, and of which the greatest portion was probably also of votive ©"'gin Three only remain at lona, of which one, entire and uninjured, is formed of a very long and thin slab of mica slate, and covered with ornamented sculptures
;
ofveryperfectworkmanship. " MaccuUoch's "Description of the Western Islands of
Scotland," vol. i. , pp. 13, 14.
'*
of Hugh, died.
"A.
