Martin's Monastery at Tours ; and, in one of his poems, Alcuin73 speaks
regarding
certain altars, erected to the Scottish or Irish virgins, Brigid and Ita.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
1394,3^ according to Bishop Forbes.
39 Besides the foregoing, St.
Bride's Chapel and bum are
^^ "
See Mrs. Anastasia O'Byme's Saints
of Ireland. " February i. , p. 15.
^7 Macpherson says he has "reason to
ii. , p. 305.
23 Forbes' "Kalendars of See Bishop
Scottish Saints," p. 290.
=''* See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 291. He quotes p.
42, and again at p. 57, St. Brigide's of Lou-
that the western isles of Scotland were, in some one period or other during the reign of popery, put under the particu-
suspect,
tiquities, Language, Government, Manners, and Religion of the Ancient Caledonians, their posterity the Picts, and the British and IrishScots. " Dissertationxv. , p.
History of the City of Glasgow," by Rev. Dr. J. F. S. Gordon.
Forbes' "Kalendars of
2^ See " View of the Diocese of Aber-
'^
Bishop Scottish Saints," p. 291.
glas,
to their great patroness :
Collections for the of the History
'*
Scottish
and Social
35 Ure's " of and Kil- History Rutherglen
bride. "
3^ See an account of this parish in " The
History chap, i. , pp. 137, 138.
Scottish Saints," p. 291.
^^ ** See Hector Boetius'
Scotorum His-
Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. 172, 173.
toric, 158.
a
prima
Gentis
Origine,"
lib.
ix. , p.
37 See " New Statistical
Survey
of Scot-
and — blacket is recorded. Bridget, perhaps
of St.
in a great measure appropriated to her. " Page 153.
240.
In connexion with th^ family of Dou- we read the — in reference
="7 See
following lines,
,
The folk upon the Sonounday
Held to Saynct Bridis Kyrk thair way ; And thai that in the Castell war
Ischyt owt, both les and mar,
And went thair palmys for to ber. "
deen. "
Shires of Aberdeen and Banff".
Club, p. 593.
Spaulding
—"The Bruce ; or, The Metrical History
of Robert I. , King of Scots," by Master John Barbour, Archdeacon of Aberdeen. Buke Feyrd, 11. 335 to 339, vol. i. Edited
by John Jamieson, D. D,
^9 See Cosmo Innes' " Sketches of Early
Progress,"
^° See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
^'^ Ibid. , p. 279.
32 See " New Statistical Account of Scot-
land," Lanark, p. 877.
33 See " The Imperial Gazetteer of Scot-
=^ The word "Law" is an Anglo-Saxon
prefix or suffix, signifying an isolated hill or
land. " Perth, p. 426.
3^ See Jervise's "Memorials of Angus,"
p. 448.
39 See "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
p. 291.
mount, generally of a conical form. See "
The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol.
tory of modern historical works is
''
The
=9
^°
Ibid. , p. 589.
Ibid. , p. 642.
land," vol. ii. , p. 188.
34 See Daniel Wilson's
"
Archaeology and Prehistoric Annals of Scotland," chap, iii. ,
PP- 55. 56, 71.
214
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS
[February i.
tobeseen,atKilbarchan,inRenfrewshire. ^® Again,thereisaspringofSt.
Bride, at Traquair. -*^ Also, we find St. Brigid's or Bride's Spring at Dunsyre in Lanarkshire. 42 There is a Kilbride, in Lorn,43 This wildly beautiful dis- trict of Argyleshire'*'* is said to have derived its name from Labhrin or Loam. '^s Also, St. Bride's Chapel and Well were at Beath in Ayrshire. ^^ Here there is a parish called Kilbride. 47 The lands of S. Brydehill, in Dumfries- shire,-*^ are noted, in the Retours. 49 There is a Kilbride, in Arran. There is a Kilbride, in Cromarty. There is a Kilbride, in Uist. 5° St. Bride had a chapel at Rothesay,s^ a royal burgh, in Bute. s^ In the parish of Kilmoire, in Bute,53 a convent had been erected to St. Bride. S4 There was a St. Bride's Church, at Kirkcolm,55 at Kirkmabreck, in Wigtonshire. s^ This is situated, on the western side of Lough Ryan, entering Stranraer. The dedication of St. Bride is found in the Lewes,57 at Borve. s^ Besides this, at the remote OrcadianS9 extremity of Scotland, St. Bride's dedication is found in Stronsay and Papa,^ in the Orkney Islands. ^^ There, our saint is associated with St. Nicholas. ^^' Again, the Church of St. Brigid, in the province of Athol, was
reputed as being famous for miracles. ^3 We are told, that fairs were held in
St. Bride's honour, at Forres and Inverness. ^* We read, in the Retours,^s
aboutSt. Brigid'sChapel,atClackmannan,^^whereitismentioned. ^7 Other
churches and religious houses, dedicated to her in North Britain, might pro- bably be enumerated.
On the continent of Europe, the cultus of this illustrious abbess was ob- served by the faithful, in various countries. It is to be regretted, that no
4° See " New Statistical Account of Scot-
land," No. 53, pp. 354 to 366.
4^ See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 290.
4" See •• New Statistical Account of Scot-
land," vol. iii. , p, 66.
43 See "Old Statistical Account of Scot-
land," vol. ii. , p. 826.
44 See an account of it in " The Imperial
Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. ii. , pp. 374, 375.
45 He emigrated from Ireland, and estab-
lished a dynasty among the south-western land. " Ros^ p. 145.
Picts in the year 503. He is said to have 59 For information regarding this group of
ruled there ten years. See O'Flaherty's isles, the reader is referred to the Rev. *• "
Ogygia," pars iii. Scotiae Regum Cata- logus Chronologico-Genealogicus, p. 470,
4* See "New Statistical Account of Scot- land. " Ayr,p. 581.
*7 See a very complete and an interesting
account of the parish of Xilbride, in Ayr-
shire, to be found in George Robertson's
"
Topographical Description of Ayrshire ; moreparticularlyofCunninghame: together with a Genealogical Account of the princi- pal families in that Bailiwick," pp. 114 to 145-
*« See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 290.
49 See Dumfries, No. 212.
5° See " New Statistical Account of Scot- land," No. 27, 1.
5' See " New Statistical Account of Scot- land. " Bute, p, 103.
5= See a description of it, in "The Tourists' Shilling Handy Guide of Scotland," sect.
George Barry's History of the Orkney Islands. " Edinburgh, 1805, 4to.
theCoastsandIslandsofScotland,"gives
several interesting particulars, regarding the Orkney Islands.
IX. , p. 90.
53 See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of the
Scottish Saints," p. 290.
54 See " New Statistical Account of Scot-
land. " Bute, p. 54.
ss See the map prefixed to John Nichol-
son's " of
History Galloway. "
5*^ See " New Statistical Account of Scot-
land. " Wigton, p. HI. 57 See Bishop Forbes'
"
Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 290.
5^ See "New Statistical Account of Scot-
°° Lord Teignmouth, in his " Sketches of
^^ " See Bishop Forbes'
Scottish Saints, p. 290.
6=
Kalendars of
See ibid.
^3 See Rev. Alban's Butler's " Lives of
the Fathers, Martyrs and other Prmcipal Saints," vol. ii. , I February.
^4 See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 290.
^5 See Clackmannan, No. 26.
^^ Here there is a tower nearly 80 feet high and said to have been built by Robert
Bruce. See ' * The Tourists'
Guide to Scotland," sect, viii. , p. 71.
''7 See Bishop P'orbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," pp. 290, 291.
Shilling Handy
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 215
complete list can be obtained, at present, to prove the extent to which it had
gone, or the various localities, in which religious houses, and churches,^^ dedicated to her, had been established. In British Armorica,^9 and in other
parts of France, St. Brigid was invoked, 7° and very special honour was paid to her memory. At the present day, a very fine carved statue of the holy
virgin, represented nearly life-size in the garb of her order, and attired as an abbess, is to be seen, in the noble old cathedral church of St. Orner. 71 Among other foundations erected to her honour, in France, we read of an hospital at Bisuntinum, which existed in the year 1438. 72 There was a chapel or an altar, dedicated to our saint, in St.
Martin's Monastery at Tours ; and, in one of his poems, Alcuin73 speaks regarding certain altars, erected to the Scottish or Irish virgins, Brigid and Ita. 74 Classed with the saints of Germany, our Scottish virgin, St. Brigid, is held to have been among the most celebrated. 75 We are told, not only of a parish church being dedicated to St. Brigid, the Scottish virgin, at Cologne, but we are further informed, that it was one of the most remarkable in that city. It bordered on the street, called Lankgassen. 76 Candidus, who was a monk of Fulda, and a writer who lived in the ninth century, gives us a description of relics there
preserved. He mentions a chapel or an altar, dedicated to St. Brigid and to other virgins, before the year 818. 77 In Belgium, likewise, our holy abbess
was venerated in a distinguished manner. By Molanus,78 she is ranked among the saints of that country. There was a church, erected to our saint,
near Fossey, in the diocese of Namur, Belgium, This was frequented by pious pilgrims, and by the local. inhabitants. The Reverend Dean of Fossey was engaged, in the work of repairing this church, before the middle of the . seventeenth century. 79 In his collections regarding St. Brigid, Father Ward tells us, that a church or an altar was dedicated to this great virgin, at Hispalis, in Spain ; and. Roth says, that her relics were kept at Lisbon, in
<^8 Alan Dial, ii. , 22. Cope, cap.
^ Her Office of Nine Lessons is to be
xxxviii. , pp. i86 to i88, lib. xxvi. , lib. xxvii. , ibid. He died on the 19th of May,
a. d, 804.
found in the old tensis. "
"
Breviarium Chorisopo-
7° St. Alcuin compiled a Litany, in which
her name is included, and this form of prayer
Charlemagne was accustomed to recite, as part of his daily devotions.
7' During a visit made to this place in July, 1863, the writer was pleased to be-
hold this object of popular respect. Several votive oflferings were suspended near it. — Beside the foregoing statue, was a minia-
No.
^5 See Petiiis Cratepolius, "De Sanctis
ture one, representing the small image of a young maiden engaged in the act of churn-
ing. Doubtless, both these objects had been the gift of some former Irish resident, at St. Omer's, to the cathedral church.
72 At this year, we have the subsequent
Germanias. "
7^ See Erhard Winheim, "In Sacrario
of over John Chifflet, archbishop
**
& Geneoufa, Susanna, Agnes Euphemia,
Columba,
Hoc altare ornant rite suis precibus.
Cum quels tu Brigida, & tu Virgo Scho- lastica semper,
Placatum nobis Altithronum facias. "
^s See his Kalendar, at the 1st of Febru-
testimony
this city, who thus writes: "Hoc anno Capitulum Bisuntinum ratam habuitunionem Hospitalis S. Brigida factum Cantorise Bis- untinse : ex actis Capituli, in quibus actis 7 Decemb. , 1530, dicitur fundatio illius domus nuUibi reperiri ; atque idipsum innuit vetus- tus anno
Pars ii. , cap. 79.
73 See an account of this celebrated writer in Mabillon's "Annales Ordinis S. Bene- dicti," tomus ii,, lib. xxiii. , sects, xjcxvii,,
" Natales Sanctorum Belgii, et eorum
1363 conscriptus
codex," &c. —
ary.
74
«'
virginibus sacris praesens haec ara dicata est,
Quarum clara fuit Scottorum vita per
urbes,
Brigida sancta fsemina Christo simul
Ita fidelis
Hsec nobis salutem per suffragia
sancta," &c.
Alcuinus, "Poemata,"
247.
Agrippinog. " —
77
He
says
:
Chronica recapitulatio. " ""
79 See Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga. Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Brigidoe, cap, xiv. , xv. ,pp. 623, 624.
2i6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i,
Portugal. ^ There had been a foundation in her honour, at Placentia,^^ in
Italy; but,Colgancouldnotpronouncewithcertainty,whetheritexistedin his time. ^^*
In England and Scotland, the following modern churches, chapels and religious houses have been consecrated or placed under the invocation of our
great virgin saint. In the diocese of Westminster, and in the city of London, there is a St. Brigid's Church, at Baldwin's Gardens, E. G. , at Isleworth. There is a church, jointly dedicated to Our Lady of the Immaculate Con- ception and to St. Brigid. In the diocese of Beverly, and in the great manu- facturing town of Leeds, is a church, dedicated to St. Brigid. In the diocese and great commercial town of Liverpool, there is a church of St. Brigid, at Bevington Hill, N. , there are also a seminary and schools of St. Brigid.
In the western district of Scotland, a church of St. Brigid was built, in 1871,atNewmains,inLanarkshire; andanotheratKilbirnie,Ayrshire,was erected in 1862 ; one at Eaglesham, Renfrewshire, was built in 1858. ^3
In the New World, and especially since the beginning of the present century, several churches, schools, and other religious institutions, have been built, in honour of our illustrious saint, and these have been placed under
her protection. The following enumeration, because drawn from the most recent and authentic official source,^* is deemed to be accurate, so far as it goes, and tolerably complete. We shall commence with the great Western Republic,theUnitedStatesofAmerica. Thus,inthearchdioceseofBalti- more, there is a church, dedicated to St. Brigid, at Ganton, and St. Brigid's school is to be found at Baltimore. In the diocese of Wheeling, there is a church of St. Brigid, at Murray's, Lewis County, State of Virginia. In the archdiocese of Boston, there is a St. Brigid's Church, at Abington, one at Framingham, one at Maynard, and one at Melrose. In the diocese of Burlington, there is a church of St. Brigid, at West Rutland, and parochial schoolsareattached,underthesamepatronage. InthedioceseofHartford, there is a church to St. Brigid, at Cheshire, one at Cornwall, one at Man- chester,andoneatMoodus. ThereisanacademyofSt. Brigid,atMeriden, underchargeoftheSistersofMercy. InthedioceseofPortland,thereisa church of St. Brigid at Vassalboro. In the diocese of Springfield, there is a church of St. Brigid, at East Hampton, and another at Millbury. There is another St. Brigid's Church, at Warren. In the archdiocese of Cincinatti, there is a church to St. Brigid at Xenia. In the diocese of Cleveland, and
in the city so called, there is a church of St. Brigid, now building. In the diocese of Detroit, there is a church of St. Brigid, at Northfield. In the diocese of Fort Wayne, there is a church of St. Brigid, at Logansport. In the diocese of Louisville, and in the city so called, is St. Brigid's Church. At Hickman, there is another church, dedicated to her. St. Brigid's School, in Louisville, is conducted by the Sisters of Loretto. In the diocese of Vincennes, there are churches of St. Brigid, at Liberty, and at Nebraska. In the archdiocese of Milwaukee, there is a church to St. Brigid, at Kewaskee, andoneatRidgeway. InthedioceseofGreenBay,thereisachurchofSt. Brigid,atNorthport. InthedioceseofLaCrosse,thereisachurchofSt. Brigid,atBeaverGreek,asalsooneatWestford. InthedioceseofSt. Paul,
^ In " Dissertatione de S. Brigida. " tical Register and Almanac, for the year of
^*
Brigid, chap. 50. ^4 See Sadliers' " Catholic Directory, *" **
various dioceses in the United States and
This is stated, in an Irish Life of St. our Lord, 1876. " London : 1876, 8vo.
See Trias Thaumaturga. " Appendix Almanac, and Ordo, for the year of our Quarta ad Acta S. Brigidse, cap. xv. , p. I^ord, 1876. " With full returns of the
624. ^3The
BritishAmerica. PublishedinNew 1876, 8vo.
listhasbeen
from "The Catholic Directory, Ecclesias-
York,
foregoing
extracted,
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 217
thereisachurchofSt. Brigid,atPleasantGrove. InthedioceseofMobile, which belongs to the province of New Orleans, there is a church of St. Brigid at Whistler, with a convent and school attached, also dedicated to St. Brigid, and attended by the Sisters of Charity. In the archdiocese of New York, are a church to St. Brigid, in the city, and also St. Brigid's Academy, with St. Brigid's Male School, taught by the Christian Brothers ; also, St. Brigid's Female School, taught by the Sisters of Charity. In the diocese of Albany, there is a church of St. Brigid, at Port Schuyler, one at Salisbury, one at Copake, and one at Skaneateles Falls. In the diocese of Brooklyn, there isachurchofSt. Brigid,atWestbury. InthedioceseofBuffalo,andinthe city so named, there is a church of St. Brigid. Again, at Cuba and at Bergen, there are churches to St. Brigid. St. Brigid's Schools in Buffalo, are under the care of the Sisters of Mercy. In the diocese of Newark, there are churches of St. Brigid, at Glassboro, at High Bridge (now building), and at Jersey City. St. Bride's Academy, Jersey City, is taught by Sisters of Charity, and they also teach in parochial schools attached. In the diocese of Ogdensburg, there is a church of St. Brigid, at Trout River. In the diocese of Rochester, and in the city of that name, there is a church of St. Brigid, and there is one in East Bloomfield. In the city, St. Brigid's Free School is taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph. In the archdiocese of Philadelphia, there is a church of St. Brigid, at the Falls of Schuylkill. In the diocese of Erie, there is a church of St. Brigid, at James- town, and one at Meadville. At the latter place, is St. Brigid's Academy, under care of the Sisters of St. Joseph, besides a parochial school, under her invocation. In the diocese of Pittsburgh, and in the city so named, there is a church of St. Brigid, and one also at McNeill's Settlement, as likewise one at Wellesburgh. St. Brigid's Schools are in the city of Pittsburgh. In the diocese of Scranton, there is a Mission of St. Brigid, at Keiser Valley. In the archdiocese of St. Louis there are churches, one to St. Bridgid in the city of St. Louis, and one at Pacific City. In the city of St. Louis are St.
Brigid's Christian Brothers' Schools, St. Brigid's Half-Orphan Asylum, and St. Brigid's Female Schools, conducted by the Sisters of St. Joseph. In the diocese of Alton, there is a church to St. Brigid at Liberty, and one at Delhi. In the diocese of Chicago, and at Bridge Port, Chicago, there is a church of St. Brigid. There is another at Tremont. In Chicago are St.
^^ "
See Mrs. Anastasia O'Byme's Saints
of Ireland. " February i. , p. 15.
^7 Macpherson says he has "reason to
ii. , p. 305.
23 Forbes' "Kalendars of See Bishop
Scottish Saints," p. 290.
=''* See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 291. He quotes p.
42, and again at p. 57, St. Brigide's of Lou-
that the western isles of Scotland were, in some one period or other during the reign of popery, put under the particu-
suspect,
tiquities, Language, Government, Manners, and Religion of the Ancient Caledonians, their posterity the Picts, and the British and IrishScots. " Dissertationxv. , p.
History of the City of Glasgow," by Rev. Dr. J. F. S. Gordon.
Forbes' "Kalendars of
2^ See " View of the Diocese of Aber-
'^
Bishop Scottish Saints," p. 291.
glas,
to their great patroness :
Collections for the of the History
'*
Scottish
and Social
35 Ure's " of and Kil- History Rutherglen
bride. "
3^ See an account of this parish in " The
History chap, i. , pp. 137, 138.
Scottish Saints," p. 291.
^^ ** See Hector Boetius'
Scotorum His-
Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. 172, 173.
toric, 158.
a
prima
Gentis
Origine,"
lib.
ix. , p.
37 See " New Statistical
Survey
of Scot-
and — blacket is recorded. Bridget, perhaps
of St.
in a great measure appropriated to her. " Page 153.
240.
In connexion with th^ family of Dou- we read the — in reference
="7 See
following lines,
,
The folk upon the Sonounday
Held to Saynct Bridis Kyrk thair way ; And thai that in the Castell war
Ischyt owt, both les and mar,
And went thair palmys for to ber. "
deen. "
Shires of Aberdeen and Banff".
Club, p. 593.
Spaulding
—"The Bruce ; or, The Metrical History
of Robert I. , King of Scots," by Master John Barbour, Archdeacon of Aberdeen. Buke Feyrd, 11. 335 to 339, vol. i. Edited
by John Jamieson, D. D,
^9 See Cosmo Innes' " Sketches of Early
Progress,"
^° See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
^'^ Ibid. , p. 279.
32 See " New Statistical Account of Scot-
land," Lanark, p. 877.
33 See " The Imperial Gazetteer of Scot-
=^ The word "Law" is an Anglo-Saxon
prefix or suffix, signifying an isolated hill or
land. " Perth, p. 426.
3^ See Jervise's "Memorials of Angus,"
p. 448.
39 See "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
p. 291.
mount, generally of a conical form. See "
The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol.
tory of modern historical works is
''
The
=9
^°
Ibid. , p. 589.
Ibid. , p. 642.
land," vol. ii. , p. 188.
34 See Daniel Wilson's
"
Archaeology and Prehistoric Annals of Scotland," chap, iii. ,
PP- 55. 56, 71.
214
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS
[February i.
tobeseen,atKilbarchan,inRenfrewshire. ^® Again,thereisaspringofSt.
Bride, at Traquair. -*^ Also, we find St. Brigid's or Bride's Spring at Dunsyre in Lanarkshire. 42 There is a Kilbride, in Lorn,43 This wildly beautiful dis- trict of Argyleshire'*'* is said to have derived its name from Labhrin or Loam. '^s Also, St. Bride's Chapel and Well were at Beath in Ayrshire. ^^ Here there is a parish called Kilbride. 47 The lands of S. Brydehill, in Dumfries- shire,-*^ are noted, in the Retours. 49 There is a Kilbride, in Arran. There is a Kilbride, in Cromarty. There is a Kilbride, in Uist. 5° St. Bride had a chapel at Rothesay,s^ a royal burgh, in Bute. s^ In the parish of Kilmoire, in Bute,53 a convent had been erected to St. Bride. S4 There was a St. Bride's Church, at Kirkcolm,55 at Kirkmabreck, in Wigtonshire. s^ This is situated, on the western side of Lough Ryan, entering Stranraer. The dedication of St. Bride is found in the Lewes,57 at Borve. s^ Besides this, at the remote OrcadianS9 extremity of Scotland, St. Bride's dedication is found in Stronsay and Papa,^ in the Orkney Islands. ^^ There, our saint is associated with St. Nicholas. ^^' Again, the Church of St. Brigid, in the province of Athol, was
reputed as being famous for miracles. ^3 We are told, that fairs were held in
St. Bride's honour, at Forres and Inverness. ^* We read, in the Retours,^s
aboutSt. Brigid'sChapel,atClackmannan,^^whereitismentioned. ^7 Other
churches and religious houses, dedicated to her in North Britain, might pro- bably be enumerated.
On the continent of Europe, the cultus of this illustrious abbess was ob- served by the faithful, in various countries. It is to be regretted, that no
4° See " New Statistical Account of Scot-
land," No. 53, pp. 354 to 366.
4^ See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 290.
4" See •• New Statistical Account of Scot-
land," vol. iii. , p, 66.
43 See "Old Statistical Account of Scot-
land," vol. ii. , p. 826.
44 See an account of it in " The Imperial
Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. ii. , pp. 374, 375.
45 He emigrated from Ireland, and estab-
lished a dynasty among the south-western land. " Ros^ p. 145.
Picts in the year 503. He is said to have 59 For information regarding this group of
ruled there ten years. See O'Flaherty's isles, the reader is referred to the Rev. *• "
Ogygia," pars iii. Scotiae Regum Cata- logus Chronologico-Genealogicus, p. 470,
4* See "New Statistical Account of Scot- land. " Ayr,p. 581.
*7 See a very complete and an interesting
account of the parish of Xilbride, in Ayr-
shire, to be found in George Robertson's
"
Topographical Description of Ayrshire ; moreparticularlyofCunninghame: together with a Genealogical Account of the princi- pal families in that Bailiwick," pp. 114 to 145-
*« See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 290.
49 See Dumfries, No. 212.
5° See " New Statistical Account of Scot- land," No. 27, 1.
5' See " New Statistical Account of Scot- land. " Bute, p, 103.
5= See a description of it, in "The Tourists' Shilling Handy Guide of Scotland," sect.
George Barry's History of the Orkney Islands. " Edinburgh, 1805, 4to.
theCoastsandIslandsofScotland,"gives
several interesting particulars, regarding the Orkney Islands.
IX. , p. 90.
53 See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of the
Scottish Saints," p. 290.
54 See " New Statistical Account of Scot-
land. " Bute, p. 54.
ss See the map prefixed to John Nichol-
son's " of
History Galloway. "
5*^ See " New Statistical Account of Scot-
land. " Wigton, p. HI. 57 See Bishop Forbes'
"
Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 290.
5^ See "New Statistical Account of Scot-
°° Lord Teignmouth, in his " Sketches of
^^ " See Bishop Forbes'
Scottish Saints, p. 290.
6=
Kalendars of
See ibid.
^3 See Rev. Alban's Butler's " Lives of
the Fathers, Martyrs and other Prmcipal Saints," vol. ii. , I February.
^4 See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 290.
^5 See Clackmannan, No. 26.
^^ Here there is a tower nearly 80 feet high and said to have been built by Robert
Bruce. See ' * The Tourists'
Guide to Scotland," sect, viii. , p. 71.
''7 See Bishop P'orbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," pp. 290, 291.
Shilling Handy
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 215
complete list can be obtained, at present, to prove the extent to which it had
gone, or the various localities, in which religious houses, and churches,^^ dedicated to her, had been established. In British Armorica,^9 and in other
parts of France, St. Brigid was invoked, 7° and very special honour was paid to her memory. At the present day, a very fine carved statue of the holy
virgin, represented nearly life-size in the garb of her order, and attired as an abbess, is to be seen, in the noble old cathedral church of St. Orner. 71 Among other foundations erected to her honour, in France, we read of an hospital at Bisuntinum, which existed in the year 1438. 72 There was a chapel or an altar, dedicated to our saint, in St.
Martin's Monastery at Tours ; and, in one of his poems, Alcuin73 speaks regarding certain altars, erected to the Scottish or Irish virgins, Brigid and Ita. 74 Classed with the saints of Germany, our Scottish virgin, St. Brigid, is held to have been among the most celebrated. 75 We are told, not only of a parish church being dedicated to St. Brigid, the Scottish virgin, at Cologne, but we are further informed, that it was one of the most remarkable in that city. It bordered on the street, called Lankgassen. 76 Candidus, who was a monk of Fulda, and a writer who lived in the ninth century, gives us a description of relics there
preserved. He mentions a chapel or an altar, dedicated to St. Brigid and to other virgins, before the year 818. 77 In Belgium, likewise, our holy abbess
was venerated in a distinguished manner. By Molanus,78 she is ranked among the saints of that country. There was a church, erected to our saint,
near Fossey, in the diocese of Namur, Belgium, This was frequented by pious pilgrims, and by the local. inhabitants. The Reverend Dean of Fossey was engaged, in the work of repairing this church, before the middle of the . seventeenth century. 79 In his collections regarding St. Brigid, Father Ward tells us, that a church or an altar was dedicated to this great virgin, at Hispalis, in Spain ; and. Roth says, that her relics were kept at Lisbon, in
<^8 Alan Dial, ii. , 22. Cope, cap.
^ Her Office of Nine Lessons is to be
xxxviii. , pp. i86 to i88, lib. xxvi. , lib. xxvii. , ibid. He died on the 19th of May,
a. d, 804.
found in the old tensis. "
"
Breviarium Chorisopo-
7° St. Alcuin compiled a Litany, in which
her name is included, and this form of prayer
Charlemagne was accustomed to recite, as part of his daily devotions.
7' During a visit made to this place in July, 1863, the writer was pleased to be-
hold this object of popular respect. Several votive oflferings were suspended near it. — Beside the foregoing statue, was a minia-
No.
^5 See Petiiis Cratepolius, "De Sanctis
ture one, representing the small image of a young maiden engaged in the act of churn-
ing. Doubtless, both these objects had been the gift of some former Irish resident, at St. Omer's, to the cathedral church.
72 At this year, we have the subsequent
Germanias. "
7^ See Erhard Winheim, "In Sacrario
of over John Chifflet, archbishop
**
& Geneoufa, Susanna, Agnes Euphemia,
Columba,
Hoc altare ornant rite suis precibus.
Cum quels tu Brigida, & tu Virgo Scho- lastica semper,
Placatum nobis Altithronum facias. "
^s See his Kalendar, at the 1st of Febru-
testimony
this city, who thus writes: "Hoc anno Capitulum Bisuntinum ratam habuitunionem Hospitalis S. Brigida factum Cantorise Bis- untinse : ex actis Capituli, in quibus actis 7 Decemb. , 1530, dicitur fundatio illius domus nuUibi reperiri ; atque idipsum innuit vetus- tus anno
Pars ii. , cap. 79.
73 See an account of this celebrated writer in Mabillon's "Annales Ordinis S. Bene- dicti," tomus ii,, lib. xxiii. , sects, xjcxvii,,
" Natales Sanctorum Belgii, et eorum
1363 conscriptus
codex," &c. —
ary.
74
«'
virginibus sacris praesens haec ara dicata est,
Quarum clara fuit Scottorum vita per
urbes,
Brigida sancta fsemina Christo simul
Ita fidelis
Hsec nobis salutem per suffragia
sancta," &c.
Alcuinus, "Poemata,"
247.
Agrippinog. " —
77
He
says
:
Chronica recapitulatio. " ""
79 See Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga. Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Brigidoe, cap, xiv. , xv. ,pp. 623, 624.
2i6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i,
Portugal. ^ There had been a foundation in her honour, at Placentia,^^ in
Italy; but,Colgancouldnotpronouncewithcertainty,whetheritexistedin his time. ^^*
In England and Scotland, the following modern churches, chapels and religious houses have been consecrated or placed under the invocation of our
great virgin saint. In the diocese of Westminster, and in the city of London, there is a St. Brigid's Church, at Baldwin's Gardens, E. G. , at Isleworth. There is a church, jointly dedicated to Our Lady of the Immaculate Con- ception and to St. Brigid. In the diocese of Beverly, and in the great manu- facturing town of Leeds, is a church, dedicated to St. Brigid. In the diocese and great commercial town of Liverpool, there is a church of St. Brigid, at Bevington Hill, N. , there are also a seminary and schools of St. Brigid.
In the western district of Scotland, a church of St. Brigid was built, in 1871,atNewmains,inLanarkshire; andanotheratKilbirnie,Ayrshire,was erected in 1862 ; one at Eaglesham, Renfrewshire, was built in 1858. ^3
In the New World, and especially since the beginning of the present century, several churches, schools, and other religious institutions, have been built, in honour of our illustrious saint, and these have been placed under
her protection. The following enumeration, because drawn from the most recent and authentic official source,^* is deemed to be accurate, so far as it goes, and tolerably complete. We shall commence with the great Western Republic,theUnitedStatesofAmerica. Thus,inthearchdioceseofBalti- more, there is a church, dedicated to St. Brigid, at Ganton, and St. Brigid's school is to be found at Baltimore. In the diocese of Wheeling, there is a church of St. Brigid, at Murray's, Lewis County, State of Virginia. In the archdiocese of Boston, there is a St. Brigid's Church, at Abington, one at Framingham, one at Maynard, and one at Melrose. In the diocese of Burlington, there is a church of St. Brigid, at West Rutland, and parochial schoolsareattached,underthesamepatronage. InthedioceseofHartford, there is a church to St. Brigid, at Cheshire, one at Cornwall, one at Man- chester,andoneatMoodus. ThereisanacademyofSt. Brigid,atMeriden, underchargeoftheSistersofMercy. InthedioceseofPortland,thereisa church of St. Brigid at Vassalboro. In the diocese of Springfield, there is a church of St. Brigid, at East Hampton, and another at Millbury. There is another St. Brigid's Church, at Warren. In the archdiocese of Cincinatti, there is a church to St. Brigid at Xenia. In the diocese of Cleveland, and
in the city so called, there is a church of St. Brigid, now building. In the diocese of Detroit, there is a church of St. Brigid, at Northfield. In the diocese of Fort Wayne, there is a church of St. Brigid, at Logansport. In the diocese of Louisville, and in the city so called, is St. Brigid's Church. At Hickman, there is another church, dedicated to her. St. Brigid's School, in Louisville, is conducted by the Sisters of Loretto. In the diocese of Vincennes, there are churches of St. Brigid, at Liberty, and at Nebraska. In the archdiocese of Milwaukee, there is a church to St. Brigid, at Kewaskee, andoneatRidgeway. InthedioceseofGreenBay,thereisachurchofSt. Brigid,atNorthport. InthedioceseofLaCrosse,thereisachurchofSt. Brigid,atBeaverGreek,asalsooneatWestford. InthedioceseofSt. Paul,
^ In " Dissertatione de S. Brigida. " tical Register and Almanac, for the year of
^*
Brigid, chap. 50. ^4 See Sadliers' " Catholic Directory, *" **
various dioceses in the United States and
This is stated, in an Irish Life of St. our Lord, 1876. " London : 1876, 8vo.
See Trias Thaumaturga. " Appendix Almanac, and Ordo, for the year of our Quarta ad Acta S. Brigidse, cap. xv. , p. I^ord, 1876. " With full returns of the
624. ^3The
BritishAmerica. PublishedinNew 1876, 8vo.
listhasbeen
from "The Catholic Directory, Ecclesias-
York,
foregoing
extracted,
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 217
thereisachurchofSt. Brigid,atPleasantGrove. InthedioceseofMobile, which belongs to the province of New Orleans, there is a church of St. Brigid at Whistler, with a convent and school attached, also dedicated to St. Brigid, and attended by the Sisters of Charity. In the archdiocese of New York, are a church to St. Brigid, in the city, and also St. Brigid's Academy, with St. Brigid's Male School, taught by the Christian Brothers ; also, St. Brigid's Female School, taught by the Sisters of Charity. In the diocese of Albany, there is a church of St. Brigid, at Port Schuyler, one at Salisbury, one at Copake, and one at Skaneateles Falls. In the diocese of Brooklyn, there isachurchofSt. Brigid,atWestbury. InthedioceseofBuffalo,andinthe city so named, there is a church of St. Brigid. Again, at Cuba and at Bergen, there are churches to St. Brigid. St. Brigid's Schools in Buffalo, are under the care of the Sisters of Mercy. In the diocese of Newark, there are churches of St. Brigid, at Glassboro, at High Bridge (now building), and at Jersey City. St. Bride's Academy, Jersey City, is taught by Sisters of Charity, and they also teach in parochial schools attached. In the diocese of Ogdensburg, there is a church of St. Brigid, at Trout River. In the diocese of Rochester, and in the city of that name, there is a church of St. Brigid, and there is one in East Bloomfield. In the city, St. Brigid's Free School is taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph. In the archdiocese of Philadelphia, there is a church of St. Brigid, at the Falls of Schuylkill. In the diocese of Erie, there is a church of St. Brigid, at James- town, and one at Meadville. At the latter place, is St. Brigid's Academy, under care of the Sisters of St. Joseph, besides a parochial school, under her invocation. In the diocese of Pittsburgh, and in the city so named, there is a church of St. Brigid, and one also at McNeill's Settlement, as likewise one at Wellesburgh. St. Brigid's Schools are in the city of Pittsburgh. In the diocese of Scranton, there is a Mission of St. Brigid, at Keiser Valley. In the archdiocese of St. Louis there are churches, one to St. Bridgid in the city of St. Louis, and one at Pacific City. In the city of St. Louis are St.
Brigid's Christian Brothers' Schools, St. Brigid's Half-Orphan Asylum, and St. Brigid's Female Schools, conducted by the Sisters of St. Joseph. In the diocese of Alton, there is a church to St. Brigid at Liberty, and one at Delhi. In the diocese of Chicago, and at Bridge Port, Chicago, there is a church of St. Brigid. There is another at Tremont. In Chicago are St.
