George the
triumphant
speeds over the wave,
To the long-cherish'd isle which he loved like his—bride.
To the long-cherish'd isle which he loved like his—bride.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
Among the known denominations of Irish places, this seems to accord best with Mona-Maolain.
4 The last-named of the three saints appears to have therefore, is it — he was the most
name to their
given place
and, distinguishedamongthem. —ThereisaKilcredans whichmightbederived
=9 See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 441.
3°See"MenologiumScoticum. " Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p.
191.
3^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. ,
Februarii vii. Prsetermissi et in alios dies
^ In a letter from Maurice Lenihan, Esq. , and dated Limerick, September 22nd, 1873, he gives a very interesting description of this place and its traditions. Not far from it is shown Lios Liathan, which is supposed to have been the fort held by Liathan, the
" own man" or " body servant," to the cele- brated Monarch of Ireland Brian Boroimhe. An account, regarding him will be found in
rejecti, p. 3.
Article vii. —^ Edited
Rev. Dr.
by "
xiv.
Kelly, p.
== Edited
by
Drs. Todd and
Reeves, pp.
*'TheWarsoftheGhaeilandGaill, asalso in Hardiman's "Irish Minstrelsy. " Here
again is Cragg Mountain, on which Eabul or Aibhile, the banshee or familiar sprite of the Dal-Cas is said to have lived. This too tradition says she haunted, and that she told Brian Boroimhe, he should not survive the great battle at Clontarf. This fact, it is stated, he told to his servant Liathan, when the Danes were approaching his tent to murder him.
7 General Sarsfield rode through this place, when he made the celebrated detour on Ballyneety, where he blew up King
William Third's battering train and ammuni- tion.
40, 41,
3 It is defined on the '* Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Wex- ford. " Sheets 16,17,21,22. The town and townland of this parish are shown on Sheet 16.
4 There is another townland of Monamo-
Ian, in the parish of Templeludigan, barony of Bantry, and county of Wexford. See
? <J/(/. , Sheets 18, 24.
s This townland lies in the parish of
O'Brien's bridge, barony of Lower TuUa. See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps fortheCountyofClare. " Sheet45.
;
probable,
one mile and a-half from O'Brien's Bridge, in the county of Clare. It lies within three miles and a-half mile south-west from Killaloe. Tradition has it, that a St. Credan built a church here ; yet, whether he was identical or not with the St. Cretan or St. Criotan this day venerated must be left for mere conjecture. It is in a very out of-the-way place ; yet, the spot is interesting for many reasons, and the people are greatly attached to it. ^ The cemetery of Kil- credan is approached by Ballycorney,^ through a series of fields, each field
from St. Criotan or Credan on the townland of Ross, about
398 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 7.
nearly one fourth of a mile in length. As you enter the churchyard, a
squared piece of granite, about five feet in length, is placed on the stile. It is usual to rest coffins on it, when funerals enter the cemetery. The view towards the north is bounded by a series of fine mountains ; south and west the Tipperary, Cork and Kerry mountains loom in the distance. The cemetery is well filled with deceased members of various local families. ^ Hardly a remnant of the old church now remains. 9 Near it is a holy well, which is furnished with cups and jugs, arranged in a row about it. ^° There is another Kilcredane, or Kilcredaune,"at the mouth of the Shannon, in the parish and barony of Moyarta, and in the county of Clare. " There is a parish and townland called Kilcredan, in the barony of Imokilly, in the east riding of Cork County. '3 In the county of Kerry, in the barony of Ma- gunihy, there is a parish, called Kilcredane. ^^^ Again, there is a Kilcreevin townland, in Kilmorgan parish, barony of Corran, and county of Sligo. ^s AH of the foregoing, however, are far apart from Monamolin, in point of situa- tion.
Article VIII. —St. Brigid, Daughter of Doma or Droma. The
name of St. Brigid, daughter to Doma, Dioma, Domma, Droma or Drona, as variously written by different authorities,^ is set down in our Irish Ca- lendars, at this day. Various distinct saints, called Brigid,^ are noticed in our calendars. In the Rev. Dr. Kelly's version of the Martyrology of Tal- lagh, the present saint is called Brigit ingean Droma, on the 7th of February. 3 At the same day, she is mentioned in the Martyrologies of Marianus O'Gor- man and of Charles Maguire. It is stated, likewise, that ^ngus the Culdee and Geoffrey Keating mention this saint. ** We read, in the Martyrology of
^s See " Ordnance Survey Townland
for the — of Sheet Maps County Sligo. " 33.
^
Article viii. Speaking of the many
saints, bearing the name of Brigid, in Ire- land, we find the following enumeration in Dermod O'Conor's translation of Keating's
" of Ireland :" " The wo- History religious
men that were known by the name of Brid-
get in that kingdom were fourteen, and were those that follow : Bridget, the daughter of
Dioma ; Bridget, the daughter of Mianaig ; Bridget, the daughter of Momhain ; Bridget,
the daughter of Eana ; Bridget, the daughter of Colla ; Bridget, the daughter of Eathtair
Ard ; Bridget, of Inis Bride ; Bridget, the daughter of Diamair ; Bridget, the daughter of Seannbotha; Bridget, the daughter of Fiadnait ; Bridget, the daughter of Hugh ; Bridget, the daughter of Luinge ; Bridget, the daughter of Fischmaine ; Bridget, the daughter of Flainge," book ii. , p. 389.
^
Many of the preceding proper names are altogether differently spelled, by Col- gan, in his Latin version of this extract from
"" Keating. See Trias Thaumaturga.
*3 See "Ordnance Survey Towniland Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Brigidse, cap.
^ The Minahans, the Ryans, the Hurleys
and the
Hickey, who gave the first vote to Daniel O'Connell, at the Clare election in 1828, is buried here, and the people point out his grave with a laudable pride.
Hickeys
are most numerous. Patt
9 The church was furnished with a which, the natives aver, rang of itself.
bell, however, was taken across the Shannon, about one quarter of a-mile distant, when the tongue fell out, and it never rang more.
" An antique quern, called a Druid's stone, lies in the cemetery, which is filled with trees, and lately enclosed, by the Li- merick Poor Law Guardians, with a good stone wall. The ancient rude stones of the
church are now used as grave-stones. ""
See Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Clare. " Sheets 65, 72.
" The foregoing communications, with a rough sketch of the first-iiamed Kilcredan Cemetery, were sent to tiie writer, in the letter to which allusion has been already made.
bell, The
Maps for the County of Cork. " The parish . is defined on Sheets 77, 78, 79, and the townland on the two former sheets.
'* This is shown on the " Ordnance Sur-
vey Townland Maps for the County of Domcer
Kerry. " Sheets 48, 58. * See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
i. , p. 611.
3 See vii. Idus. " Calendar of Irish
"
sed Mart. Tamlact. vocat filiam Droncc alii
Saints," p. xv. Colgan remarks,
February 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 399
Donegal,s concerning Brighit, a daughter of Domma, as being venerated on this day. Her history is furthermore exceedingly obscure.
Article IX. —St. Colman, Bishop. On this day is entered in the
Martyrologies of Tallagh' and of Donegal,^ Colman, Bishop. He is not distinguished in connexion with any place. Under the head of Cluain Mor,3 Duald Mac Firbis enters a Bishop Colman of Clonmore. '* We shall not presume, however, to assert, that he was identical with the saint of this date ; nor, indeed, do we know to which of the many holy men so called, and entered in our calendars, this notice should be applied.
ArticleX. —St. Colman,Bishop. Wefindinsertedasecondtimein the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 7th of February, the name of Colman, a bishop. It seems not unlikely, this was an unnecessary entry, and occurring through some oversight. It is probably referable, to the previously entered prelate.
Article XI. —St. Fionntain, Priest, of Clonkeen, probably Kill OFTHEGrange,CountyDublin. Inselectingthefinesiteforhishumble church—supposing its site to be thus identified—this holy man was distin- guished by his zeal for the glory of God's house. He gave neither sleep to his eyes, nor slumber to his eyelids, nor rest to his temples, till he found a
dwelling-place,
meet for the
Lord,
a tabernacle for the God of ^ And Jacob,
he selected the suitable and beautiful spot, near old Dunleary,^ when no
populous city was near, as at present. The good priest felt, likewise, that
wehaveanaltarwithanunchangingVictimofinfiniteprice; andwhetherin
—— is our Emmanuel our God with us
this, or in any material temple. He
during life ; and that we, by His grace, will be with Him in another temple,
"
Church felt, from earHest times for themselves and their flocks. The name
of Fintain, priest of Cluana cain, is met with in the Martyrology of Tallagh,3 at the 7th of February. There are various places bearing this name in Ire-
land. We find, likewise, Fionntain, priest of Cluain Caoin, set down in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ as having a festival at this date. Kill of the Granges was formerly called Clonkene, and it is situated in the county of Dublin. ^ Theoldchurchthere,inthevicinityofthepresentKingstown,7
not built with hands," for a blessed eternity. So have the pastors of the
^ The former from which fishing village,
the present fashionable Kingstown sprang, was near that comer of the harbour, now devoted to coaling and fishing vessels. See G. R. Powell's "Official Railway Hand- book to Bray, Kingstown, the Coast, and the County of Wicklow," p. 47.
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiv.
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reev€s, pp.
40, 41.
s in the parish of Kill, barony of Rath-
down. It is shown on the "Ordnance Sur-
vey Townland Maps for the County of Dub- -* See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish lin. " Sheet 23.
Appendix Quarta i. , p. 611.
ad Acta S.
Brigidae, cap.
5 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 40, 41.
Article ix. Kelly, p. XV.
^
* —
Edited by Rev. Dr.
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 40, 41.
3 There are so many places of this name, that it would be useless, without further
evidence, attempting to identify the one here referred to, as stated in William M.
Hennessy's note.
Irish MSS. Academy," series,
^ See an account of this interesting
vol.
i. , part Article x. —^ Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
place in D'Alton's "History of the County of
i. , pp. 102, 103.
p. XV. — Article XI.
^
Psalms cxxxi. 4, 5.
Dublin," pp. 934 to 936.
7 This name it received, in compliment to
George IV. , after his visit to Ireland, in
40O LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS [February 7.
is a very interesting ruin. In 16 15, this church was in repair for Protestant services, although the chancel was ruinous. ^ According to Archbishop
"
Liber Niger" this church of St. Fintan of Clonkene, together with St. Brigid's church at Stillorgan, was held to be in the marches. 9 The present ruins, at Kill of the Grange, consist of an aisle and a chancel ; the former measures eight yards by six, and the latter seven by six. Within and without the ruins, the graveyard attached has become so overcrowded, that of late years it has been closed for interments. Ivy creeps luxuriantly over the old
Alan's
Kill of the Grange, Co. Dublin.
walls,'"and. a number of large trees grow around them. '° The fragment of a stone cross stands north of the ruins, and it is perforated with two holes, each of a size to admit a hand passing through. There is another old cross on a bank, outside the consecrated space," and on the old entrance way to the cemetery. The present St. Fintan seems to have been the former patron ;^2 but^ of his period and parentage, we can form no idea. If we are to follow Colgan's opinion,^3 he had a second festival at the nth of May ;^^
1821, when adulation in abundance was
showered on the contemptible monarch, by the interested or mistaken clique, who dared to act and speak in the name of her people. It remained for a noble English poet, in "The Irish Avatar," to immortalize that event, in his own caustic and merited lan-
Lo !
George the triumphant speeds over the wave,
To the long-cherish'd isle which he loved like his—bride. "
8 The Royal Visitation of 1615, calls this
church Clonkene, alias Grange.
9 See D'Alton's " of the CoUt\ty History
of Dublin," p. 839.
'° The accompanying illustration was en-
guage.
"The and "the gluttonous despot,"
chain-kissing slaves" that welcomed him, received a deserved castigation, —in that
from a
graph furnished by PVederick H. Mares,
poem, which opens with the lines
giaved, by Dublin.
Mr.
Gregor Grey,
photo-
•'
:
Ere the daughter of Brunswick is cold in
her grave,
And her ashes still float to their home
o'er the tide.
^^
See ibid. y p. 839.
"
bee D'Alton's "History of the County
of Dublin," p. 935.
February 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 401
yet, although both the name of the saint and of his place accord with what is here noted, it does not establish for us sufficient evidence of identity.
Article XII. —St. Maenucan or Maonacan, of Ath-liag, or Ath- LEAGUE, County of Roscommon. In the western part of the King's County, the patron saint Manchan, of Lemanaghan,' has his name locally pronounced Monaghan, nearly corresponding with the spelling of the present
holyman'sname. Maonacan,ofAth-Hag,isrecordedintheMartyrologies of Tallagh^ and of Donegal, 3 as having a festival at this date. No doubt, it is from the nam—e of this saint, that his place has been denominated Ath- liag-Moenagain nowAthleague. '^ Atpresent,itformsavillageandparish,s lying on the River Suck,*^ in the north-western part of Athlone barony, in the county of Roscommon. It must, also, be distinguished from Athliag na Sinna,nowBallyleague,^atLanesborough,andinthesamecounty. ^ The period of this saint is unknown.
Article XIII. —Reputed Festival of a St. Cormac, Junior, Bishop OF Trim. \Said to have lived in the Eighth Century^ According to Col- gan,^ a festival for this bishop has been set down, at the present date, or at the 17th of February,^ where further notices are given, and to which the reader is referred.
Article XIV. —Reputed Festival of St. Altho, Founder of Alt-
MuNSTER,Bavaria. {^EighthCe7itury^ Atthe7thofFebruary,^Dempster enters^'thefeastofSt. Altho,thefounderofAltomunster. 3 TheBollandists onlynoticethisstatement,atthepresentdate;'^ but,theyreferhisfestivalan—d
and at the
another feast kept to his memory the reader will find further particulars, in
to the of this month. s —
Acts, 9th There, also,
5th
of
September
reference to him.
*3 ^ See "Acta Sanctorum. Hibernise/'xvii.
Februarii. Appendix ad Acta S. Fintani,
cap, i. , p. 355.
'-* See further allusions to him, at that
The townland and town, called Ath- league, are noted on Sheet 41, of the last- named series.
7 InCloontuskertparish,baronyofBallin- tober South. See ibid. . Sheet 37.
^ See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. iii. , n. (z), pp. 398,
and vol. — tbid. 399, vii. , Index, p. 7,
'
date.
Article xii. —^ See his Acts at the
ofJanuary. .
^
24th
Edited
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
40, 41.
4 A strong castle stood here, in the thir-
teenth This fortress was a century.
by
Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p.
xv.
frequent object for contention between the Irish and
^ See ibid. De S. Cormaco
Atht. , pp. 361, 362.
Juniore, Ep.
English.
See
John
D'Alton's " of History
Article xiv. — See Bishop Forbes' ;;
Ireland, and Annals of Boyle," vol. ii. , n.
(«), pp. 365, 366.
s The extensive parish so called is con- tained in the barony of Killian, and this
''
land Maps for the County of Roscommon. " Sheets 39, 41, 44.
"Calendars of Scottish Saints," p. 191. ="
portion is shown on the
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Galway. " Sheets 19, 20, 32, 33 ; as, also, in the barony of Athlone, and this part is repre-
ruarii vii. Among the pretermitted saints reserved for another day, p. 3, this notice
mentary in two sections precedes, pp. 358
to 361.
De S. Altone Abbate sented on the "Ordnance Survey Town- in Bavaria Superiore. " A previous corn-
Vol. II.
2D
See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernias," xvii. Februarii. Appendix ad Acta S. Cormaci, Episcopi, cap. i. , p. 360.
Article xiii.
In the Menologium Scoticum. "
3 For this statement, he quotes Hund.
-* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Feb-
will be found. " s There do we find
402 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 8.
(Kifffitf) JBap of JFebruarg*
ARTICLE L—ST. ONCHO, OR ONCHUO, CONFESSOR, OF CLONMORE, COUNTY OF CARLOW.
[SIX7H OR SEVENTH CENTURY. ]
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—ST. ONCHUO'S BIRTH-PLACE AND FAMILY—DOUBTFUL STATEMENTS
REGARDING HIM—
FINIAN THE LEPER—DESIRE TO COLLECT THE RELICS OF IRISH SAINTS—ST. ONCHUO'S TRAVELS FOR THIS PURPOSE.
THE
most interesting incidents of ancient Irish life are to be found in
the and
poetry
of this and romantic imaginative
HIS STUDY OF POETRY AND ANTIQUITIES—HE VISITS ST.
songs, minstrelsy,
people, whose history and traditions were carried back to such remote
periods. ^ Many poetic compositions survive. Their old songs are both lyricalandhistoric; while,fromearlyChristiantimes,numberlesspoems,on
various religious subjects, were recited in the monasteries, in the bieatachs, and in the shielings of the poor. ^' The songs of Ireland, which still linger on in the most remote valleys and mountains, are so ancient, that their authors
have sunk into oblivion. They are fervidly religious or patriotic. Inspired by the grand scenery of the country, by the patriarchal and moral life of its people, and by the incidents of their authentic and eventful history, while sometimes including the mythical, they are considered the finest of all heroic and pious songs, or recitations. The chiefs and chieftainesses loved to hear
themsungtothetouchoftheharpers. 3 Onthemountain,whereboystended
Article i, —Chapter i
published by Joseph Cooper Walker, and
"
^ A very in- which nature had infused her original in- teresting work, on this subject, has been spiration. " Alluding to the sixth century,
Historical Memoirs of the Irish Bards ; interpersed with anecdotes of, and occasional observations on, the Music of Ire- land. Also, an Historical and Descriptive Account of the Musical Instruments of the Ancient Irish. And an Appendix, con- taining several biographical and other papers, with select Irish Melodies. " Ap- pended to this work is a very interesting "An on the Poetical Ac-
in Ireland, and to its early melodies, and harpers, the great poet observes, that our
early harmony "was in some degree like the first music of the infant age of Greece, and partook of the freshness of that morn- ing of mind and hope, which was then awakening around them. "—"History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, xiv. , pp. 314, 315.
3 In the lately published learned work of
William Chappell, F. S. A. , to Egypt and some other eastern countries is the use of
intituled,
Essay
cents of the Irish," by "William Beauford,
paper,
A. M. ,Societ,Antiq. Hib. Soc. Appendix, No, iii. , pp. 29 to 36.
the lyre and harp attributed, long before the Greeks borrowed their musical instru- ments from that source. See "The His- tory of Music" (Art and Science), vol. i. From the earliest records to the fall of the Roman
"
In a brief historical allusion to the sub-
ject of his country's music, Thomas Moore
that *' some of the most exquisite efiFusions of this art have their origin among the simplest and most uncultivated people ; nor can all that taste and science bring afterwards to the task do more, in general, than diversify, by new combinations, those first wild strains of gaiety or passion into
iii,, iv. , pp. 39 to 90; From an Oriental source, we must pro- bably derive the origin of our ancient Irish harp, while at various periods it underwent considerable improvement in construction
remarks,
Empire, chap,
and furnishing with metallic strings.
February 8. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAIMS. 403
the flocks and herds, in the valley, where the reapers gathered the corn, in the depth of the forest, the stranger and the native heard alike the echo of these songs, ever the solace of the men, in all their various occupations. In the long winter evenings, when work was over, and the family had gathered about the roaring fire of oak or of turf, the spirit-stirring melodies and lyrics resounded, while the women spun and wove. Even the superiors of the monasteries, and the saints,^ sang to the harp and to other musical instru- ments, the fine compositions of bardic celebrities. s To a family of such bards, the present saint belonged, and from earliest youth, his ear and his mind were attuned to the melodies of his native country, and to strains of psalmody, which refine and elevate the soul. With home music, he also learned the interesting facts of home history.
Some notices of this holy man have been gleaned, from our ancient
calendars, and from various sources, by Colgan,^ at the 8th of February.
The Bollandists have only a brief and passing allusion to him, at this same
date. 7 Onchuo, or Onchu, was the son of a poet,^ and he was born in the
provinceofConnaught. Hedescendedfromarespectablefamily,sinceto
its members was assigned the important charge of preserving their country's institutes and antiquities, with the genealogies of her illustrious men. Such
appears, also, to have been the profession of our saint's father, as of his an-
cestors,whosenames,however,havenottranspired; while,Onchuohimself is said to have been a most skilful master, in these peculiar lines of pursuit. 9 Some doubts have arisen, in the mind of Dr. Lanigan, as to the time when this saint flourished ;'° but, there seems to be sufficient evidence to prove, that he lived during the sixth or seventh century. While Colgan says, that Onchuo flourished about the year 550," that he was contemporary with Maidoc of Clonmore, who was contemporaneous with his uterine brother, Aid," son of Ainmire,^3 and that both are buried at Clonmore '^^ Dr. Lanigan
* With a sufficiently discursive essay, on music and musical instruments generally, Giraldus Cambrensis gives a very minute description of Irish proficiency, in this most refiningofaccomplishments. Heobserves, that the bishops, abbots and saints of Ire- land, were accustomed to carry their harps about with them, and to touch them melo-
' ' in i—is modulando diously, pie
How
year. comprehen-
consueverint. " Giraldi Cambrensis' "Ope-
ra," vol. V. Edited by James F. Dimock,
"
Topographia Hibernica," Distinc- tio iii. , cap. xii. , p. 155. See, also, cap. xi. , xiii. , xiv. , xv. , pp. 153 to 161.
s The "Book of Conquests," contained in the Saltair of Cashel, relates, that at the very time Milesius landed in Ireland he had a poet, Cir, and a harper, Ona, in his train. See a series of lectures, by Professor Eugene
M. A.
O'Curry,
" On the Manners and Customs
of the Ancient Irish," vol. ii. , lect. i. ,PP«
4, S- Edited by W. K. Sullivan, Ph. D. ,
&c. ^
See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," viii.
"See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise. " Index ii. qui est Chronologicus, vi.
name to their
given place
and, distinguishedamongthem. —ThereisaKilcredans whichmightbederived
=9 See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 441.
3°See"MenologiumScoticum. " Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p.
191.
3^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. ,
Februarii vii. Prsetermissi et in alios dies
^ In a letter from Maurice Lenihan, Esq. , and dated Limerick, September 22nd, 1873, he gives a very interesting description of this place and its traditions. Not far from it is shown Lios Liathan, which is supposed to have been the fort held by Liathan, the
" own man" or " body servant," to the cele- brated Monarch of Ireland Brian Boroimhe. An account, regarding him will be found in
rejecti, p. 3.
Article vii. —^ Edited
Rev. Dr.
by "
xiv.
Kelly, p.
== Edited
by
Drs. Todd and
Reeves, pp.
*'TheWarsoftheGhaeilandGaill, asalso in Hardiman's "Irish Minstrelsy. " Here
again is Cragg Mountain, on which Eabul or Aibhile, the banshee or familiar sprite of the Dal-Cas is said to have lived. This too tradition says she haunted, and that she told Brian Boroimhe, he should not survive the great battle at Clontarf. This fact, it is stated, he told to his servant Liathan, when the Danes were approaching his tent to murder him.
7 General Sarsfield rode through this place, when he made the celebrated detour on Ballyneety, where he blew up King
William Third's battering train and ammuni- tion.
40, 41,
3 It is defined on the '* Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Wex- ford. " Sheets 16,17,21,22. The town and townland of this parish are shown on Sheet 16.
4 There is another townland of Monamo-
Ian, in the parish of Templeludigan, barony of Bantry, and county of Wexford. See
? <J/(/. , Sheets 18, 24.
s This townland lies in the parish of
O'Brien's bridge, barony of Lower TuUa. See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps fortheCountyofClare. " Sheet45.
;
probable,
one mile and a-half from O'Brien's Bridge, in the county of Clare. It lies within three miles and a-half mile south-west from Killaloe. Tradition has it, that a St. Credan built a church here ; yet, whether he was identical or not with the St. Cretan or St. Criotan this day venerated must be left for mere conjecture. It is in a very out of-the-way place ; yet, the spot is interesting for many reasons, and the people are greatly attached to it. ^ The cemetery of Kil- credan is approached by Ballycorney,^ through a series of fields, each field
from St. Criotan or Credan on the townland of Ross, about
398 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 7.
nearly one fourth of a mile in length. As you enter the churchyard, a
squared piece of granite, about five feet in length, is placed on the stile. It is usual to rest coffins on it, when funerals enter the cemetery. The view towards the north is bounded by a series of fine mountains ; south and west the Tipperary, Cork and Kerry mountains loom in the distance. The cemetery is well filled with deceased members of various local families. ^ Hardly a remnant of the old church now remains. 9 Near it is a holy well, which is furnished with cups and jugs, arranged in a row about it. ^° There is another Kilcredane, or Kilcredaune,"at the mouth of the Shannon, in the parish and barony of Moyarta, and in the county of Clare. " There is a parish and townland called Kilcredan, in the barony of Imokilly, in the east riding of Cork County. '3 In the county of Kerry, in the barony of Ma- gunihy, there is a parish, called Kilcredane. ^^^ Again, there is a Kilcreevin townland, in Kilmorgan parish, barony of Corran, and county of Sligo. ^s AH of the foregoing, however, are far apart from Monamolin, in point of situa- tion.
Article VIII. —St. Brigid, Daughter of Doma or Droma. The
name of St. Brigid, daughter to Doma, Dioma, Domma, Droma or Drona, as variously written by different authorities,^ is set down in our Irish Ca- lendars, at this day. Various distinct saints, called Brigid,^ are noticed in our calendars. In the Rev. Dr. Kelly's version of the Martyrology of Tal- lagh, the present saint is called Brigit ingean Droma, on the 7th of February. 3 At the same day, she is mentioned in the Martyrologies of Marianus O'Gor- man and of Charles Maguire. It is stated, likewise, that ^ngus the Culdee and Geoffrey Keating mention this saint. ** We read, in the Martyrology of
^s See " Ordnance Survey Townland
for the — of Sheet Maps County Sligo. " 33.
^
Article viii. Speaking of the many
saints, bearing the name of Brigid, in Ire- land, we find the following enumeration in Dermod O'Conor's translation of Keating's
" of Ireland :" " The wo- History religious
men that were known by the name of Brid-
get in that kingdom were fourteen, and were those that follow : Bridget, the daughter of
Dioma ; Bridget, the daughter of Mianaig ; Bridget, the daughter of Momhain ; Bridget,
the daughter of Eana ; Bridget, the daughter of Colla ; Bridget, the daughter of Eathtair
Ard ; Bridget, of Inis Bride ; Bridget, the daughter of Diamair ; Bridget, the daughter of Seannbotha; Bridget, the daughter of Fiadnait ; Bridget, the daughter of Hugh ; Bridget, the daughter of Luinge ; Bridget, the daughter of Fischmaine ; Bridget, the daughter of Flainge," book ii. , p. 389.
^
Many of the preceding proper names are altogether differently spelled, by Col- gan, in his Latin version of this extract from
"" Keating. See Trias Thaumaturga.
*3 See "Ordnance Survey Towniland Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Brigidse, cap.
^ The Minahans, the Ryans, the Hurleys
and the
Hickey, who gave the first vote to Daniel O'Connell, at the Clare election in 1828, is buried here, and the people point out his grave with a laudable pride.
Hickeys
are most numerous. Patt
9 The church was furnished with a which, the natives aver, rang of itself.
bell, however, was taken across the Shannon, about one quarter of a-mile distant, when the tongue fell out, and it never rang more.
" An antique quern, called a Druid's stone, lies in the cemetery, which is filled with trees, and lately enclosed, by the Li- merick Poor Law Guardians, with a good stone wall. The ancient rude stones of the
church are now used as grave-stones. ""
See Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Clare. " Sheets 65, 72.
" The foregoing communications, with a rough sketch of the first-iiamed Kilcredan Cemetery, were sent to tiie writer, in the letter to which allusion has been already made.
bell, The
Maps for the County of Cork. " The parish . is defined on Sheets 77, 78, 79, and the townland on the two former sheets.
'* This is shown on the " Ordnance Sur-
vey Townland Maps for the County of Domcer
Kerry. " Sheets 48, 58. * See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
i. , p. 611.
3 See vii. Idus. " Calendar of Irish
"
sed Mart. Tamlact. vocat filiam Droncc alii
Saints," p. xv. Colgan remarks,
February 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 399
Donegal,s concerning Brighit, a daughter of Domma, as being venerated on this day. Her history is furthermore exceedingly obscure.
Article IX. —St. Colman, Bishop. On this day is entered in the
Martyrologies of Tallagh' and of Donegal,^ Colman, Bishop. He is not distinguished in connexion with any place. Under the head of Cluain Mor,3 Duald Mac Firbis enters a Bishop Colman of Clonmore. '* We shall not presume, however, to assert, that he was identical with the saint of this date ; nor, indeed, do we know to which of the many holy men so called, and entered in our calendars, this notice should be applied.
ArticleX. —St. Colman,Bishop. Wefindinsertedasecondtimein the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 7th of February, the name of Colman, a bishop. It seems not unlikely, this was an unnecessary entry, and occurring through some oversight. It is probably referable, to the previously entered prelate.
Article XI. —St. Fionntain, Priest, of Clonkeen, probably Kill OFTHEGrange,CountyDublin. Inselectingthefinesiteforhishumble church—supposing its site to be thus identified—this holy man was distin- guished by his zeal for the glory of God's house. He gave neither sleep to his eyes, nor slumber to his eyelids, nor rest to his temples, till he found a
dwelling-place,
meet for the
Lord,
a tabernacle for the God of ^ And Jacob,
he selected the suitable and beautiful spot, near old Dunleary,^ when no
populous city was near, as at present. The good priest felt, likewise, that
wehaveanaltarwithanunchangingVictimofinfiniteprice; andwhetherin
—— is our Emmanuel our God with us
this, or in any material temple. He
during life ; and that we, by His grace, will be with Him in another temple,
"
Church felt, from earHest times for themselves and their flocks. The name
of Fintain, priest of Cluana cain, is met with in the Martyrology of Tallagh,3 at the 7th of February. There are various places bearing this name in Ire-
land. We find, likewise, Fionntain, priest of Cluain Caoin, set down in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ as having a festival at this date. Kill of the Granges was formerly called Clonkene, and it is situated in the county of Dublin. ^ Theoldchurchthere,inthevicinityofthepresentKingstown,7
not built with hands," for a blessed eternity. So have the pastors of the
^ The former from which fishing village,
the present fashionable Kingstown sprang, was near that comer of the harbour, now devoted to coaling and fishing vessels. See G. R. Powell's "Official Railway Hand- book to Bray, Kingstown, the Coast, and the County of Wicklow," p. 47.
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiv.
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reev€s, pp.
40, 41.
s in the parish of Kill, barony of Rath-
down. It is shown on the "Ordnance Sur-
vey Townland Maps for the County of Dub- -* See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish lin. " Sheet 23.
Appendix Quarta i. , p. 611.
ad Acta S.
Brigidae, cap.
5 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 40, 41.
Article ix. Kelly, p. XV.
^
* —
Edited by Rev. Dr.
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 40, 41.
3 There are so many places of this name, that it would be useless, without further
evidence, attempting to identify the one here referred to, as stated in William M.
Hennessy's note.
Irish MSS. Academy," series,
^ See an account of this interesting
vol.
i. , part Article x. —^ Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
place in D'Alton's "History of the County of
i. , pp. 102, 103.
p. XV. — Article XI.
^
Psalms cxxxi. 4, 5.
Dublin," pp. 934 to 936.
7 This name it received, in compliment to
George IV. , after his visit to Ireland, in
40O LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS [February 7.
is a very interesting ruin. In 16 15, this church was in repair for Protestant services, although the chancel was ruinous. ^ According to Archbishop
"
Liber Niger" this church of St. Fintan of Clonkene, together with St. Brigid's church at Stillorgan, was held to be in the marches. 9 The present ruins, at Kill of the Grange, consist of an aisle and a chancel ; the former measures eight yards by six, and the latter seven by six. Within and without the ruins, the graveyard attached has become so overcrowded, that of late years it has been closed for interments. Ivy creeps luxuriantly over the old
Alan's
Kill of the Grange, Co. Dublin.
walls,'"and. a number of large trees grow around them. '° The fragment of a stone cross stands north of the ruins, and it is perforated with two holes, each of a size to admit a hand passing through. There is another old cross on a bank, outside the consecrated space," and on the old entrance way to the cemetery. The present St. Fintan seems to have been the former patron ;^2 but^ of his period and parentage, we can form no idea. If we are to follow Colgan's opinion,^3 he had a second festival at the nth of May ;^^
1821, when adulation in abundance was
showered on the contemptible monarch, by the interested or mistaken clique, who dared to act and speak in the name of her people. It remained for a noble English poet, in "The Irish Avatar," to immortalize that event, in his own caustic and merited lan-
Lo !
George the triumphant speeds over the wave,
To the long-cherish'd isle which he loved like his—bride. "
8 The Royal Visitation of 1615, calls this
church Clonkene, alias Grange.
9 See D'Alton's " of the CoUt\ty History
of Dublin," p. 839.
'° The accompanying illustration was en-
guage.
"The and "the gluttonous despot,"
chain-kissing slaves" that welcomed him, received a deserved castigation, —in that
from a
graph furnished by PVederick H. Mares,
poem, which opens with the lines
giaved, by Dublin.
Mr.
Gregor Grey,
photo-
•'
:
Ere the daughter of Brunswick is cold in
her grave,
And her ashes still float to their home
o'er the tide.
^^
See ibid. y p. 839.
"
bee D'Alton's "History of the County
of Dublin," p. 935.
February 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 401
yet, although both the name of the saint and of his place accord with what is here noted, it does not establish for us sufficient evidence of identity.
Article XII. —St. Maenucan or Maonacan, of Ath-liag, or Ath- LEAGUE, County of Roscommon. In the western part of the King's County, the patron saint Manchan, of Lemanaghan,' has his name locally pronounced Monaghan, nearly corresponding with the spelling of the present
holyman'sname. Maonacan,ofAth-Hag,isrecordedintheMartyrologies of Tallagh^ and of Donegal, 3 as having a festival at this date. No doubt, it is from the nam—e of this saint, that his place has been denominated Ath- liag-Moenagain nowAthleague. '^ Atpresent,itformsavillageandparish,s lying on the River Suck,*^ in the north-western part of Athlone barony, in the county of Roscommon. It must, also, be distinguished from Athliag na Sinna,nowBallyleague,^atLanesborough,andinthesamecounty. ^ The period of this saint is unknown.
Article XIII. —Reputed Festival of a St. Cormac, Junior, Bishop OF Trim. \Said to have lived in the Eighth Century^ According to Col- gan,^ a festival for this bishop has been set down, at the present date, or at the 17th of February,^ where further notices are given, and to which the reader is referred.
Article XIV. —Reputed Festival of St. Altho, Founder of Alt-
MuNSTER,Bavaria. {^EighthCe7itury^ Atthe7thofFebruary,^Dempster enters^'thefeastofSt. Altho,thefounderofAltomunster. 3 TheBollandists onlynoticethisstatement,atthepresentdate;'^ but,theyreferhisfestivalan—d
and at the
another feast kept to his memory the reader will find further particulars, in
to the of this month. s —
Acts, 9th There, also,
5th
of
September
reference to him.
*3 ^ See "Acta Sanctorum. Hibernise/'xvii.
Februarii. Appendix ad Acta S. Fintani,
cap, i. , p. 355.
'-* See further allusions to him, at that
The townland and town, called Ath- league, are noted on Sheet 41, of the last- named series.
7 InCloontuskertparish,baronyofBallin- tober South. See ibid. . Sheet 37.
^ See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. iii. , n. (z), pp. 398,
and vol. — tbid. 399, vii. , Index, p. 7,
'
date.
Article xii. —^ See his Acts at the
ofJanuary. .
^
24th
Edited
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
40, 41.
4 A strong castle stood here, in the thir-
teenth This fortress was a century.
by
Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p.
xv.
frequent object for contention between the Irish and
^ See ibid. De S. Cormaco
Atht. , pp. 361, 362.
Juniore, Ep.
English.
See
John
D'Alton's " of History
Article xiv. — See Bishop Forbes' ;;
Ireland, and Annals of Boyle," vol. ii. , n.
(«), pp. 365, 366.
s The extensive parish so called is con- tained in the barony of Killian, and this
''
land Maps for the County of Roscommon. " Sheets 39, 41, 44.
"Calendars of Scottish Saints," p. 191. ="
portion is shown on the
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Galway. " Sheets 19, 20, 32, 33 ; as, also, in the barony of Athlone, and this part is repre-
ruarii vii. Among the pretermitted saints reserved for another day, p. 3, this notice
mentary in two sections precedes, pp. 358
to 361.
De S. Altone Abbate sented on the "Ordnance Survey Town- in Bavaria Superiore. " A previous corn-
Vol. II.
2D
See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernias," xvii. Februarii. Appendix ad Acta S. Cormaci, Episcopi, cap. i. , p. 360.
Article xiii.
In the Menologium Scoticum. "
3 For this statement, he quotes Hund.
-* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Feb-
will be found. " s There do we find
402 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 8.
(Kifffitf) JBap of JFebruarg*
ARTICLE L—ST. ONCHO, OR ONCHUO, CONFESSOR, OF CLONMORE, COUNTY OF CARLOW.
[SIX7H OR SEVENTH CENTURY. ]
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—ST. ONCHUO'S BIRTH-PLACE AND FAMILY—DOUBTFUL STATEMENTS
REGARDING HIM—
FINIAN THE LEPER—DESIRE TO COLLECT THE RELICS OF IRISH SAINTS—ST. ONCHUO'S TRAVELS FOR THIS PURPOSE.
THE
most interesting incidents of ancient Irish life are to be found in
the and
poetry
of this and romantic imaginative
HIS STUDY OF POETRY AND ANTIQUITIES—HE VISITS ST.
songs, minstrelsy,
people, whose history and traditions were carried back to such remote
periods. ^ Many poetic compositions survive. Their old songs are both lyricalandhistoric; while,fromearlyChristiantimes,numberlesspoems,on
various religious subjects, were recited in the monasteries, in the bieatachs, and in the shielings of the poor. ^' The songs of Ireland, which still linger on in the most remote valleys and mountains, are so ancient, that their authors
have sunk into oblivion. They are fervidly religious or patriotic. Inspired by the grand scenery of the country, by the patriarchal and moral life of its people, and by the incidents of their authentic and eventful history, while sometimes including the mythical, they are considered the finest of all heroic and pious songs, or recitations. The chiefs and chieftainesses loved to hear
themsungtothetouchoftheharpers. 3 Onthemountain,whereboystended
Article i, —Chapter i
published by Joseph Cooper Walker, and
"
^ A very in- which nature had infused her original in- teresting work, on this subject, has been spiration. " Alluding to the sixth century,
Historical Memoirs of the Irish Bards ; interpersed with anecdotes of, and occasional observations on, the Music of Ire- land. Also, an Historical and Descriptive Account of the Musical Instruments of the Ancient Irish. And an Appendix, con- taining several biographical and other papers, with select Irish Melodies. " Ap- pended to this work is a very interesting "An on the Poetical Ac-
in Ireland, and to its early melodies, and harpers, the great poet observes, that our
early harmony "was in some degree like the first music of the infant age of Greece, and partook of the freshness of that morn- ing of mind and hope, which was then awakening around them. "—"History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, xiv. , pp. 314, 315.
3 In the lately published learned work of
William Chappell, F. S. A. , to Egypt and some other eastern countries is the use of
intituled,
Essay
cents of the Irish," by "William Beauford,
paper,
A. M. ,Societ,Antiq. Hib. Soc. Appendix, No, iii. , pp. 29 to 36.
the lyre and harp attributed, long before the Greeks borrowed their musical instru- ments from that source. See "The His- tory of Music" (Art and Science), vol. i. From the earliest records to the fall of the Roman
"
In a brief historical allusion to the sub-
ject of his country's music, Thomas Moore
that *' some of the most exquisite efiFusions of this art have their origin among the simplest and most uncultivated people ; nor can all that taste and science bring afterwards to the task do more, in general, than diversify, by new combinations, those first wild strains of gaiety or passion into
iii,, iv. , pp. 39 to 90; From an Oriental source, we must pro- bably derive the origin of our ancient Irish harp, while at various periods it underwent considerable improvement in construction
remarks,
Empire, chap,
and furnishing with metallic strings.
February 8. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAIMS. 403
the flocks and herds, in the valley, where the reapers gathered the corn, in the depth of the forest, the stranger and the native heard alike the echo of these songs, ever the solace of the men, in all their various occupations. In the long winter evenings, when work was over, and the family had gathered about the roaring fire of oak or of turf, the spirit-stirring melodies and lyrics resounded, while the women spun and wove. Even the superiors of the monasteries, and the saints,^ sang to the harp and to other musical instru- ments, the fine compositions of bardic celebrities. s To a family of such bards, the present saint belonged, and from earliest youth, his ear and his mind were attuned to the melodies of his native country, and to strains of psalmody, which refine and elevate the soul. With home music, he also learned the interesting facts of home history.
Some notices of this holy man have been gleaned, from our ancient
calendars, and from various sources, by Colgan,^ at the 8th of February.
The Bollandists have only a brief and passing allusion to him, at this same
date. 7 Onchuo, or Onchu, was the son of a poet,^ and he was born in the
provinceofConnaught. Hedescendedfromarespectablefamily,sinceto
its members was assigned the important charge of preserving their country's institutes and antiquities, with the genealogies of her illustrious men. Such
appears, also, to have been the profession of our saint's father, as of his an-
cestors,whosenames,however,havenottranspired; while,Onchuohimself is said to have been a most skilful master, in these peculiar lines of pursuit. 9 Some doubts have arisen, in the mind of Dr. Lanigan, as to the time when this saint flourished ;'° but, there seems to be sufficient evidence to prove, that he lived during the sixth or seventh century. While Colgan says, that Onchuo flourished about the year 550," that he was contemporary with Maidoc of Clonmore, who was contemporaneous with his uterine brother, Aid," son of Ainmire,^3 and that both are buried at Clonmore '^^ Dr. Lanigan
* With a sufficiently discursive essay, on music and musical instruments generally, Giraldus Cambrensis gives a very minute description of Irish proficiency, in this most refiningofaccomplishments. Heobserves, that the bishops, abbots and saints of Ire- land, were accustomed to carry their harps about with them, and to touch them melo-
' ' in i—is modulando diously, pie
How
year. comprehen-
consueverint. " Giraldi Cambrensis' "Ope-
ra," vol. V. Edited by James F. Dimock,
"
Topographia Hibernica," Distinc- tio iii. , cap. xii. , p. 155. See, also, cap. xi. , xiii. , xiv. , xv. , pp. 153 to 161.
s The "Book of Conquests," contained in the Saltair of Cashel, relates, that at the very time Milesius landed in Ireland he had a poet, Cir, and a harper, Ona, in his train. See a series of lectures, by Professor Eugene
M. A.
O'Curry,
" On the Manners and Customs
of the Ancient Irish," vol. ii. , lect. i. ,PP«
4, S- Edited by W. K. Sullivan, Ph. D. ,
&c. ^
See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," viii.
"See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise. " Index ii. qui est Chronologicus, vi.
