No More Learning

'*
juxta vadum Quarta Vita S. Brigidae," lib.
is here said, that she came,
^'< It seems unaccountable, when Marcus
Keane in his " Towers and Temples of An-
cient Ireland" alludes to St. Luan alias Mo-
lua—whom he identifies with a Pagan divi-
nity, the Moon—that the writer did not dis-
cover such fanciful derivation for the town, Athlone. Colgan, who mentions it, pub- and did not connect St. Luan in some way
with Ath-luain, which is missing from his curious list of cognate localities. See pp.
59, 60.
"S A very interesting account of this town,
and the sieges it stood, first when Lieutenant- General Douglas arrived before the place, July 17th, 1690, and when a second time General de Ginckell appeared before it, June
19th, 1 691, at the head of 27,000 men, are presented in Charles Ffrench Blake Foster's
"Irish Chieftains; or a Struggle for the
lished his work in 1647, many years pre- vious. The inscription on a door-way over the well must reveal some earlier date. See
were unintelligible to the finders. "
Ibid. ,
note 86, p. 495.
"7Colgan informs us that on account of
p. 544. It must be incorrectly stated by Frazer, that the first Earl of Antrim in 1685 erected an old building, which encloses the sacred fountain at Brideswell, in Roscom- mon county, about six and a-half miles from
••
Hand Book for Travellers in Ireland. "
No. 105, p. 479.
"^ In the Third Life of our saint, it is
said, they asked for a cloak or a blanket, belonging to these virgins, as a recompense for the service required.
"' During very dry seasons, the Shannon was formerly fordable at Athlone,
—
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 93
vants. "° Thentheybesoughttheirholyabbesstomakeasignofthecross
over the Shannon waters, that they might decrease, so as to become fordable.
This request she heard most favourably : with her sisters she entered the
river, and in presence of people belonging to both contending factions. To
the wonder and admiration of beholders, although without the aid of boats,
the strongest men and soldiers there assembled could not pass, it was found,
the waters did not reach the knees of this holy company of virgins, then
crossing. Before the saint and her companions entered the river, some
clerics, who had hired a small vessel, asked one of Brigid's nuns to accom-
pany them. She permitted a young and timid sister to cross the river before
her in that vessel. "^ This virgin had previously asked the blessing of her
superioress, from whom she feared to be separated in crossing over ; and
:
Brigid said *' Go in peace, the Lord will preserve you. " But, in sight of
all, the bark sunk in the mid-stream, when, fearful of danger, the men invoked aid from the holy abbess. Brigid blessed and prayed for her nun ; the waves carried this sister safely to her destination, without even wetting her garments. All, who were near the spot, gave glory to God, and lauded the wonders it pleased Heaven to accomplish through the merits of our illus- trious saint. "^ Yet greater moral miracles than these was she destined to effectj and,filledwithahappyinspiration,shedirectedhercoursetothat place, which aftenvards became inseparably connected with her heroic actions while living, and with their memory, when she was called away to her eternal reward.
CHAPTER VI.
KINGS OF IRELAND IN THE FOURTH AND FIFTH CENTURIES—CONDITION OF LEINSTER AFTER THE MIDDLE OF THE FIFTH CENTURY—KILDARE—PERIOD WHEN SELECTED BY ST. BRIGID FOR HER CHIEF MONASTERY—GRADUAL GROWTH AND IMPORTANCE OF THE PLACE—INSTANCES OF HER PROTECTION.
The Annals of Ireland relate certain revolutionary changes, whereby the
supreme sovereignty passed from one family line to another, during the fourth and fifth centuries. Ambitious and enterprising warriors aspired to rule the island, as fortune or the force of circumstances favoured their designs. After the middle of the fourth century,^ the monarch Eochaidh, surnamed
Muigh Mheadhoin,'' slew his predecessor, Caelbadh, a. d. 3 5 7,3 and afterwards he reigned for eight years,^ when he died at Tara,5 a. d. 365. ^ Twice had he
"° Exodus, xvi. 22.
»" See "The Life of St. Brigid," by an
Irish Priest, chap, v. , pp. 65, 66. "^ "
3 This is set down to A. d. 353 in O'Ma- hony's Keating's "History of Ireland," booki. , chap, vii,, p. 367. He only reigned
See Colgan's JTrias Thaumaturga. " one year. See Gratianus Lucius (Dr. John
Vita Quarta S. Brigidse, lib. ii. , cap. i. , ii. , and n. i, pp. 550, 564. Vita Tertia S. Bri-
gidse, cap. xcvii. , and n. 56, pp. 539, 545, ibid. Vita Sexta S. Brigidae, § Iviii. , p. 594, and n. 1—6, p, 598, ibid.
'
Chap, vi, In the following historical
resume, we chiefly follow the chronology of the Four Masters in the text.
=^ He received this name, rendered " Cam-
porum Amplificator," according to Dr.
Charles O'Conor, probably because he was
an extender or improver of lands. See
Lynch), "Cambrensis Eversus," vol. i,,
chap, viii. , pp. 492, 493. Rev. Dr. Kelly's edition.
See an account of this king and his
*'
epoch in O'Flaherty's
cap. Ixxix, Ixxx. , pp. 373 to 380.
s During his reign, it is said, St. Patrick was carried as a captive into Hibemia.
"
ii. Tigemachi Annales, pp. 72, 73.
Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus
See William M. Scotorum," pp. 14, 15.
"Chronicum
Hennessy's
^
ment in Dr. John Lynch's Cambrensis
Eversus," vol. i. , chap, viii. , pp. 492,493. See Rev. Dr. Kelly's edition.
Or A. M. 5564, according to the state- "
Ogygia," pars, iii. ,
94 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [Februa r i.
been married. 7 Crimhthann,^ son of Fidhach, a warlike and an accomplished prince, succeeded Eochaidh Muighmeadhoin. It is recorded, that he made successful predatory inroads on the shores of France, Britain and Scotland, from which countries he obtained tribute and submission, returning to Ire-
land with and hostages
of thirteen '° he is years,
After a
said to have died of poison, administered by his own sister, Mongfinn. "
Thus she hoped to obtain the succession for her favourite son Brian," as Crimthaandiedwithoutissue; but,inthisexpectationshewasdisappointed, and her own death is said to have happened, about the same time, a. d. 378. Her step-son, the celebrated Niall of the Nine Hostages,'3 next came on the throne. This king commenced his reign, a. d. 379,''* and distinguished his career by a series of brilliant and successful expeditions against the Alba- nians, Britons, Picts and Gauls, from whom he carried away valuable spoils
and several captives. Among the latter, as generally supposed, was our illustrious national saint, at a subsequent period destined by Divine Provi-
dence to become the great apostle of Ireland. It is said, that when Niall arrived in Albyn or Albania, now Scotland, to assist the Dailriads of Irish extraction against the incursions of the Picts, he changed the name of that countrytoScotiaattheirrequest. ScotlandwasthenceforwardknownasScotia Minor, to distinguish it from Ireland, which was denominated Scotia Major. The reason why this heroic monarch received the name of Niall of the Nine Hostages is said to have been owing to the circumstance of his having had four noble hostages from Scotland, and five other distinguished pledges from the different provinces of Ireland, confined at Tara. Yet, accounts are somewhat discordant as to the nine regions from which these hostages were taken. The people of Leinster are represented as having surrendered
7 This monarch had four sons by his first oin's second wife ; so that, she had either wife Mongfinn,whowasdaughterto Fidhach, been divorced by the monarch, or, as seems of the royal family of Munster. Her sons likely enough, a plurality of wives was in were : I. Bryan, ancestor of the O'Conors vogue among some of the Pagan Irish.
"
captives. 9
reign
of Connaught and their kindred ; 2. Fiachra, ^*See O'Mahony's Keating's
History of
ancestor of the O'Dowdas, O'Heynes and Ireland," book i. , chap, vii. , pp. 371, 372.
O'Shaughnessys; 3. Fearghus; and 4. '3Niallhadfourteensons,eightofwhom
OilioU, whose people were formerly located left issue : viz. , I. Laeghaire, from whom
in Tir-Oiliolla, now the barony of Tirerrill, the O'Coindhealbhains or Kendellans of
in the county of Sligo. By his second Ui-Laeghaire are descended ; 2. Conall
wife, Carinna, a Saxon or Pictish lady, the Crimhthainne, from whom the O'Melagh-
most illustrious of his sons, Niall of the lins are derived ; 3. Fiacha, the ancestor of
Nine Hostages, descended.
^
Crimthann ascended the throne A. D. 360, according to O'Mahony's Keating's "History of Ireland," book i. , chap, vii. , p. 369, According to Tigernach, his reign commenced about A. D. 366.
the MacGeoghegans and O'Molloys ; 4. Maine, the progenitor of the O'Caharneys, O'Breens and MacGawleys, with their co- relatives in Teffia. All these sons setded in Meath. The other four acquired exten-
sive possessions in Ulster, where they re- 9 To his predatory excursions, Eumenius, sided : viz. , I. Eoghan, ancestor of the
Claudian, Ammianus Marcellinus, Gildas,
and Venerable Bede, allude. Tnose raids
checked the Roman conquests in Britain,
but they so harrassed the Britons, that these
in turn were induced to call the Saxons to
O'Neills and various kindred families; 2. Conall Gulban, ancestor of the O'Donnells ; 3. Cairbre, whose posterity dwelt in the
barony of Carbury, in the present county of Sligo, and in the barony of Granard in the
protect them. This led to the settlement county of Longford ; 4. Enda Finn, whose
of that warlike race in England. See John descendants settled in Tir-Enda of Tyr-
D'Alton's
"
History of Irv-dand and Annals
connell, and in Kinel-Enda, near the hill of Uisneach, County Westmeath.
'* See Dr. Charles O'Conor's " Rerura
of Boyle," vol. ii. , pp. 55, 56.
" In the " Chronicum Scotorum," how-
ever, it is said he only reigned five years,
and died A. D. 376. See pp. 16, 17. Edited In O'Mahony's Keating's History of Ire- by W. M. Hennessy. land," the date for his accession is A. D.
"
same time with Eochaidh Muigh Mheadh-
She appears to have been living at the 577. See book i. , chap, vii. , p. 372.
Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. , p. 80. "
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 95
Eochaidh, son of Enna Ceinnseallach, king of the province, for a pledge of their allegiance. This prince, however, contrived to escape from his guards, and followed the King of Ireland on a warlike expedition. At the sea, called Muir-n-Icht, between France and England, and supposed to have been situated near the site of the present Boulogne, the Prince of Leinster assas- sinated the warlike Niall, a. d. 405, after the latter monarch had reigned
gloriously, during the term of twenty-seven years. Other accounts have it,
that he was killed near the banks of the Loire. The posterity of this re-
nowned warrior were known as the northern and southern Hy-Niall, or
descendants of Niall. From this distinguished race, nearly all the kings of
Ireland derive their origin down to the twelfth century. 's Dathi, grandson
of the former monarch of Ireland, Eochaidh Muighmheadhoin, succeeded.
This prince was remarkable for activity of body and a spirit of military ad-
venture.
He pushed his conquests with great success in the territories of
France, where he was at length killed by a stroke of lightning at the Alps.
His body was carried home to Ireland, and interred with military honours at
Rathcroghan, where his grave was marked by a red pillar-stone, according to the accounts contained in some old and trustworthy records. ^^ Dathi closed
his reign of twenty-three years, a. d. 428. He was immediately succeeded by the last king who ruled over Pagan Ireland, Leaghaire,^7 son to Niall, the hero of the Nine Hostages. During his reign, the illustrious St. Patrick
preached the Gospel in Ireland,^^ and it is probable, also, St. Brigid first saw the light. This monarch's chief engagements were fought with the people
of Leinster. '9 When a reign of thirty years had been completed, Leaghaire, who does not appear to have embraced the Christian religion, died, a. d. 458. ^° He was succeeded by OilioU Molt,^^ son of Dathi. After a dis- turbed reign of twenty years, during which he contended with the Leinster- men, Oilioil was slain at the battle of Ocha, in Meath, a. d. 478, by Lughaidh, son of Leaghaire, who succeeded. ^^ It does not seem to be well established that even this monarch had been a believer in the sublime truths of
^5 A very complete account of this mon-
arch, and of the incidents during his reign,
will be found in O'Mahony's Keating's
*'
History of Ireland," book i. , chap, vii. , pp. 372 to 394.
^^See an illustration of the "Pillar of Dathi, Rathcroghan," with a description of Relig*na-ree, as also a ground plan of the
*'
tumuli there, in
Irish Academy," vol. i. , series ii. ; a paper, by Samuel Ferguson, LL. D,, " On Ancient Cemeteries at Rathcroghan and elsewhere in Ireland," read February 26, 1872, pp. 114 to 118.
Leogaire is stated to have begun his reign A. D. 426 and to have ended it A. D. 470,
thus giving him a rule of 44 years. See pp. 64, 69,
'^The "Annales Inisfalenses," edited
the Clarendon MSS. , No. 4795, BibI, Harl. , it is stated, that the illustrious future mis- sionary arrived in Ireland in the twelfth year of this king's reign. See 7^/a'. , tomus iv. , p. I.
'9 Dr. Charles O'Conor, who supplies the hiatus in the "Annals of Tighernach,'* assigns to A. D. 452 a great battle fought by King Laogaire against the Leinstermen.
See ibid. , tomus ii. , p. 109.
^° Yet the " Annales Buellani," or " An*
nals of Boyle," state that, at A. D. 460, a
fierce war was waged by Laegare Mac Neill,
and again at a. d. 465, that the Leinster-
was made a prisoner, but afterwards ran-
John
History
of Ireland
Proceedings of the Royal
D' Alton's **
men him at Atha-dara or the fought against
^^ In
and the Annals of Boyle," vol. ii. , King "ford of the oaks," in which the monarch
from the Bodleian MS. No. Rawlinson,
" His accession to the throne is at placed
503, state, that St. Patrick commenced his mis- sion A. D. ccccxxxii. , in the fourth year of
"
"King Leagaremeicc Neiirs xt\gr\. See Dr.
Charles O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernicarum
41o.
"The date given for this event is A. D.
Scriptores," tomus ii. , p, i. In an addition 477 by Keating. See ibid. , p. 420. The
"'
to the Annales Ultonienses, found among Four Masters have A. D. 479.
somed, he swearing by the sun and wind, that he should send them a number of oxen. See Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibemicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. , p. 2.
His- tory of Ireland," book i. , chap, vii. , p.
A. D. 457 in O'Mahony's Keating's
96 LTVES 01' THE IRISH SAINTS. [February t.
Christianity. =3 Some battles are on record during the rule of this king, who was killed by a flash of lightning, a. d. 503, after holding the sovereignty of Ireland for twenty-five years. '*
During the course of these foregoing public events, Enna or Endeus Kinnselach, descended from Catheir Moxj^^ had founded the tribe and district of Ui-Kinnselach, in South Leinster, to which he gave name. '''^ After the father's death, his son Crimthann took possession of this inheritance, and afterwards, it is thought, he was king over the whole of Leinster. This
warrior dynast^7 joined in a confederacy with Lugaid^^ son to the monarch Leaghaire, Fiachra, Muircheartach Mac Earca, and Fearghus Cerbhell. The Leinstermen were led by Crimthann, and the Dal-Araidhe^'^ by their Dynast Fiachra. Different versions of their proceedings are given ; however, it is
generally allowed, that the supreme monarch, OilioU Molt, either gave or was obliged to accept battle at Ocha, which is said to have been near The- moria or Tara. This celebrated engagement took place, according to some accounts,a. d. 478,3°whileothersdeferittoa. d. 4823^or483. 32 Crimthann
«3 "The Annals of the Four Masters" tell
us that St. Patrick died, A. D. 493, in the
fifteenth year of Lughaidh's reign, and that he was buried at Down. See Dr. O'Dono-
van's edition, vol. i. , pp. 154 to 159, with
accompanying notes.
'^ See the Author's " Catechism of Irish
History," Lesson v. , pp. 33 to 37, and Lesson vi. , pp. 39 to 42.
Dalaradia. IntheActsofSt. Kieran,how- ever, this victory is attributed to Crimthann.
"
Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," V. Martii. Vita S. Kierani, cap. xix. , p.
=5
deserved authority, says, that none of the Leinster kings, after Cathair More, were
and carnage to Lugad, son to Laogaire, the immediate successor of OiliU in the sove- reignty of Ireland.
^9 "St. mac De" or *' son of Beg Beccus,
Dea," a celebrated Irish prophet, died in the
year 557. In a certain fragment of a work
he "Onthe of and wrote, Kings Ireland,"
which is cited in the " Annals of the Four
Gilla-mo-dudius,
a historical writer of
the monarchs over Ire- land. Gilla-mo-dudius wrote an esteemed
enumerated
among
" extending from A. D. 431 to A. D. 1 143, where
tract,'*On
the Christian Monarchs of
Ireland,
at A. D. — this Masters," 478, regarding
battle,
his history ends. In the
"
Journal of the
Royal Historical and Archaeological Asso-
ciation of Ireland," there is an interesting
tract, translated and edited by J. O'Beime
Crowe, A. B. , and No. ii. among his series,
'*
Ancient Lake Legends of Ireland. " It is intituled: "The Vision of l athair Mor, King of Leinster, and afterwai ds Monarch of Ireland, foreboding the origin of Loch Garman (Wexford Haven). " See vol. ii. Fourth Series, No. 9, pp. 26 to 49. This is edited from three different copies, taken re- spectively from the Books of Leinster, Lecan and Ballymote.
'^ See the Genealogies, which form Part
"
**
The great battle of Ocha was fought In which many battalions were cut off,
Against OilioU Molt, son of Nathi, Who was defeated by the Dal-Araide. "
iii. of O'Mahony's Keating's Ireland," chap, x. , pp. 693 to 697.
=7 Therewas a ' ' of the Catalogue Kings
of the " murder of jugulatio"or
of Ireland," by an anonymous author, to be found in O'Malchonrian's book. This was
in Colgan's possession, and it thus gives the names of Oilill's three principal opponents,
King of Ireland, and the son of Dathy, son to Fiach, son of Eochaid Macmeadon, had reigned twenty years, he was killed by
Murchertach, Fergus Kerrbheoil, and by Fiach Lonn, the son of Caelbad, King of
"
cap. xvii. , p. 490, and at "Index Chronolo- gicus,"A. D. CCCCLXXXm,
History of
Crimthainn, son of Enna Censelach, son to Bresal Belac, King of Leinster. But, as if doubtful regard- ing the date for both events, it is again stated, after noting the first war atGranearad, without making mention of Crimthann or at A. D. 485, that it was probably there Lugad. It states, that after Olild Molt, Crimthann received his death-wound. See
See Colgan's 460.
=^
Gilla-mo-dudius ascribes this victory
the English translation runs
:
See O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. , pp. 150, 151, andn. (f), ibid.
3° See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. . 148 to 1 5 1, with
''
Annates Inis- falenses" place it at this year. See Dr. Charles O Conor's " Rerum Hibernicanun
Scriptores,"tomusii. , pp. 3,4.
3' In the " Annales Ultonienses," at A. D.
482, the battle of Ocha is placed, and in the following year 483 we have an account
ibid. f tomus iv. , p. 7.
3' Ussher places it at this year. See
accompanying notes. The
Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates,"
February i. ] LIVES OP THE IRISH SAINTS. 97
is related to have killed Oilioll Molt in this battle. 33 Moreover, in the Acts of St. Kieran,34 it would appear to be stated, that this Crimthann ob- tained supreme sovereignty over the country after the fight of Ocha. 35
Doubtless, his power was great, and his influence was respected by the supreme monarch who succeeded ; but, Crimthann himself does not seem to have aspired to the sovereignty of Ireland. He survived this battle of Ocha, as we might infer, only one year ; for, it is said, he received a mortal wound in the battle ofGranaird, fought in the year 478,3^ yet, most strangely, the very same authority defers his death to 480. 37 Perhaps, he was instru- mental in aiding St. Brigid to found her nunnery and church at Kildare, while he was chief ruler over the Leinster province. 3^ His daughter Ethnea, surnamed Huathach,39 is said to have been married to the religious -^ngus, Prince of Munster, who had been baptized by St. Patrick.
When the illustrious lady reached the Leinster province, its chiefs and people welcomed her with the liveliest demonstrations of respect and re-
She sought a spot, but slightly elevated over the surrounding ex- plain of the Liffy. ''4o There the ground was gently undulating and
or " the
33 This is stated, in the old historical tract, was victor in this battle, while others have
"" *' called Borumha-Laighean.