59 This plain was in the level county of
Kildare ; but, the exact locality is not
specified.
Kildare ; but, the exact locality is not
specified.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
178, 179.
44 Allusion is probably made to the cele- Book of Rights," pp. 208, 209, n. (g).
by Brandubh, King of Leinster, over Cumuscagh, son of Aedh, and the Ulstermen, at the " Munimentum death of Aidus II. , Father Baert remarks, Dunbuiced," or Dunbolg. a. d. 597. See
i. ,
43
Kevin's Life, the Pine Tree of the King was portion of South Leinster. See John to be seen. O'Donovan's "Leabridrv w& g-CearvC, or the
There, in the time of the writer of St.
Dr. Charles O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernica-
rum Scriptores," tomus ii. , Annales Tiger- nachi, p, 160.
45 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii iii. Vita S. Coemgeni, cap. v. , num. 40, p. 320.
46 SeeUssher's "
rum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 474.
47 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii iii. Vita S. Coemgeni, cap. v. , num. 41, p. 320.
48 This district is said to have been in "regione Kenselach," or in the "Territory of Kinsellagh. " The people there dwelling were known as the Ui Ceinnsealaigh, and their country comprised a very considerable
Britannicarum Ecclesia-
62 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[June 3.
man's prompt obedience. He was safely led to the village and back, by a mira-
culous light. Giving thanks for this favour, the villagers betook themselves
to places of security, and the robbers departed without obtaining any booty. Then is told the story of a monk, named Berchan,49 who was sent on a journey by St. Kevin, to his tanner Cronan, who had desired a faithful person, to convey a confidential message to the holy Abbot. Cronan appears to have lived at a very considerable distance from Glendalough. We are told, that the monk Berchan had been sent alone, according to an ancient custom. Proceeding on his journey through the woods and lonely mountains, he was exposed to a great temptation. He met a young and beautiful woman on the way. Being alone, she represented herself as needing a guide through the wilderness, and besought the monk to allow her to proceed in his company.
Moved by her unprotected situation, Berchan promised he would conduct her in safety, through the desert towards her own habitation. Being a young man and of comely appearance, that female entertained an unlawful affection for him, and she sought to tempt him to a violation of his religious profession. He repelled, however, these advances, and even had recourse to force, that he might restrain her importunkies. Her conduct at length moved him to indignation, and he struck her several times. St. Cronan had a divine intima-
: tion,inhiscell,regardingwhathadoccurred,andhecriedout *'Ogood
brother,Berchan,actcourageouslybychastisingthatimproperwoman. " St. Kevin had a like intimation concerning this occurrence, while in his monastery,
:
andhetoocriedout "Omyson,mydearlybelovedBerchan,beindulgent,
and do not strike that wretch any more. " Afar from both saints, Berchan miraculously heard their words in the desert, and on recognising the com- mand of his holy superior, he did not chastise the woman longer. She became
a penitent. Berchan led her with him through the wilderness, as he had pro- mised. Afterwards, that female told her friends what had occurred on the way. She took occasion to extol the great sanctity of her conductor. After this, Berchan came to the cell of St. Cronan, who received him with joy, and praised him for his fortitude in resisting temptation. The monk was then sentbacktoSt. Kevin. Amongothermessages,Cronansaidtohim "Tell
:
our Father Kevin, that on the same day, I desire to depart with him to Christ. " On hearing this, St. Kevin said prophetically: "Both of us shall not go to Heaven,onthesamedayofthesameyear; however,onthefestivalofmy departure, but some time after it, he shall rest in Christ. Hereafter, our festival shall be solemnized, on the same day. 50 Such was afterwards the case. 51
A certain cruel soldier had frequently perpetrated robberies among those mountainridges. 52 Hehadneverdoneagoodactionbutone,whichwaspray- ing each day, that through St. Kevin's merits, his soul might be saved. On a
particular occasion, being surrounded by those who were in pursuit of him,
he was put to death, and afterwards cut to pieces.
An Angel of the Lord
" A certain wretched
invoked thee to ward off danger from his soul, is slain on this day. Do you,
then to Kevin appeared
saying :
who hath man, daily
*' He appears to have been a different
person, from one bearing the same name, and already mentioned.
50 Of the many St. Cronans mentioned in
the Martyrology of Tallagh, we do not find one set down at the 3rd of June. However, in
the Martyrology of Donegal, there is a Mochua, at this date, and he is probably to be identified with this Cronan.
51 See " Acta Sanctorum, "tomus i. , Junii iii. Vita S. Coemgeni, cap. vi. , num. 42,
43, 44, p. 321.
sa It should seem from this account, that
these wild desert mountains had given re- cesses of shelter for banditti and lawless persons, from very remote times. Such out- laws appear to have occasioned the utter ruin of the Once celebrated city of Glenda- lough, in the beginning of the thirteenth century, when this See was united to that of Dublin. See Harris Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops
of Glendalough," pp. 375 to 378.
June 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 63
therefore, act valiantly in the Lord's name, and follow the demons who drag
his soul to torments. For, although his body is destroyed, yet through the power of God, you shall snatch his soul from destruction. " Then, the holy Abbot felt comforted. Guided by the Angel, he was taken up from earth to the higher regions of air, where he remained from the ninth hour to the fol- lowing day, engaged in a contest with demons. In fine, through the mercy ofGod,hereleasedthewretchedman'ssoulfromtheirpower. Meantime, not knowing the cause of their holy Abbot's absence, his monks felt sorrow- ful, on finding their venerable superior missing. When he returned to them,
k ' O my brethren, bury the body of that culprit in your cemetery, for on his account, I ascended towards heaven. His soul is now liberated from the demons, and is at rest in God's presence. " The monks did as they were commanded, while admiring those wonders wrought bytheAlmighty,throughhisholyservant. " Acertainholyvirgin,named Cassayr,5* daughter to Aedha, on seeing the holy old man Kevin in the air, and clothed with rough skins, asked him in God's name, to receive better garments from her. But, the servant of God rejected them, lest Satan might tempt him through avarice. The virgin felt sorrowful, on account of his re- fusal. She afterwards placed herself, with all her religious daughters and her monastery, under the rule of St. Kevin. Then, the Angel of the Lord, taking his rough vesture from the holy old Abbot, who was decrepid, clothed him with garments offered by the virgin. Wherefore, St. Kevin, St. Cassayr, and
her nuns, returned thanks to God, on account of what had occurred. According to local tradition, that celebrated " Bed of St. Kevin,ss where this holy recluse was accustomed to retire for contemplation, had been formed by himselfartificiallyintoacave. Itisscoped,also,fromthefaceofaperpendicular rock, which rises steeply above the w—aters of the Upper Lake. This he appears to have chosenas aplace for retreat especially in his younger years; but, it is probable, in deciininglife,it must have become less accessible to him. Acertain man named Critan, and his enemies, had entered into a bond of peace, in St. Kevin's presence. He had enjoined, upon both parties, its solemn observance. But, after some time, a new occasion of disagreement arose between the dispu- tants. Nevertheless,theyagreedtorevisitSt. Kevin,andtorenewtheirengage- ments in his presence. But, his enemies quarrelled with Critan, on the way, and slew him. Afterwards, coming to St. Kevin, they began to slander the
deceased, by representing their own conduct, in the most justifiable light. St.
:
Kevin said to them " O wretches, what is this you falsely state, in my pre-
sence? Youhavekilledthismanto-day,notobservingyourengagements; and, I was present in spirit, when you slew him. Return to him, immedi-
ately, and say to him, he must come with you to me, that you may know, how
on the following day, he said
:
53 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. . Junii
Kevin's Bed, in Leinster. Latin verses of Father D.
See the Elegiac Nicholas Aylmer
iii. Vita S.
Coemgeni, cap. vi. ,
num.
45,
—
P- 321
s* Among the female saints of Ireland, we
search in vain for one so called. However, there are many holy women, named Lassar ; and, it is possible, this may have been the name found in the original account, the letter C having been substituted for L. It is pro- bable, she lived in or near Glendalough.
an Irish
with
the lines
-
Priest, beginning
:
" Historica
Hiberniae, seu Majoris Scotise, Insulae Sanc- for pilgrimage, in Ireland : these being, the torum," p. 47. New edition by Patrick
55 This became one of the four chief places
Mountain of Croagh Patrick in Connaught ; the Purgatory of St. Patrick, in Ulster ; St. Michael's Rock, in Munster j and St.
O'Kelly, translator of L'Abbe Ma-Geoghe- gan's "History of Ireland," Dublinii, 1838, 8vo.
" Quot loca devote cceli meditantibus arces,
Sanctorum meritis percelebrata tenet ? "
—
Guil. D.
O'Kelly's
Descriptio
64 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 3.
precious in the sight of. Christ is the observance of good faith. " Doing as they had been commanded, the man who was killed arose from the dead, and came with them to St. Kevin ; when all of them did penance, at the blessed Abbot'srecommendation. Hewhohadbeenraisedtolife,gavethanksto the saint, magnifying the Lord in his works. 56
Near the portals of the cathedral at Glendalough 57 once grew "St. Kevin's yew-tree," which had an extraordinary width of trunk, and it stood until of late years. 58 That tree had become an object of great veneration to the neighbouring people. Traditionally, it was said to have been planted by our saint. Two men, being condemned to death by the King of Leinster, were led out for execution, to the plain of the Liffey. s° When they came to the place of execution, both offered up a prayer to St. Kevin, at the same time ; one of them asked, that he might obtain eternal life, the other, that he might live yet longer in this world. Although absent in body, the venerable Kevin was present in spirit ; and, in his cell, he besought the Lord, that their peti- tions might be granted. The Almighty heard their prayers, through the merits of his holy servant. One of those men was executed, and while com- mending himself to God, and to the aged Kevin's patronage, Angels conducted his soul to Heaven. But, the king's executioners vainly endeavoured,duringthewholeday,toputtheothermantodeath. 60 Towards evening, they asked him by what means or magic arts he was enabled to set
their efforts and at defiance. This man " You have heard weapons replied :
to-day, how I and my companion besought holy Kevin. He prayed for eternal and I for temporal life. Him you killed immediately, and the Angels of God received his soul ; but, I now see our holy Patron Kevin near me, warding off your weapons and strokes. " When these words had been reported to the king, he ordered this man to be set free, in honour of God and of St. Kevin. Being thus released, the culprit gave thanks to the Almighty and
61
to his venerable servant.
About the close of our saint's career, as his Acts narrate, a holy man
namedMocherog 62—who was by birth a Briton—seems to have had intimate spiritualrelationshipwiththeillustriousAbbot. Weareinformed,thathiscell
56 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii iii. Vita S. Coemgeni, cap. vi. , num. 46, 47, pp. 321, 322.
Beheading and hanging appear to have been the most common modes for taking life,
to expiate capital offences.
6l See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii
iii. Vita S. Coemgeni, cap. vi. , num. 48, p. 322.
57 The drawing of Glendalough, by Dr. "
Wynne, and published in Grose's
Antiqui- ties of Ireland," p. 96, assumes to present several of the old churches, but without cor-
62
There is a St. — or Mochua- Mochiarog
rect perspective, and probably with inaccu- racies of delineation, which so greatly dis- figure that fine pictorial work. Its antiqui- ties and illustrations are not always reliable.
s8 It had been cut down, by a neighbour- ing landed proprietor ; while some fragments of it had been procured and preserved in the summer of 1855, when the writer first visited
Glendalough.
59 This plain was in the level county of
Kildare ; but, the exact locality is not
specified.
60 Crucifixion was the kind of death,
sought to be inflicted, according to our saint's Acts ; and, in another instance, here, we find allusion to a similar cruel punishment. Yet, it is extremely doubtful, if such revolting executions ever took place, at least after the introduction of Christianity, into our Island.
rogof Doire —Echdroma this locality being undiscovered and his feast occurs at the 7th of May, where some account of him may be found in the Fifth Volume of this work, at that date, Art. ii. There was also a St. Mochorog, son of Brachan, of Deirgne, venerated at the 23rd of December ; and, as he was a Briton, there can hardly be a doubt, that he may be identified with the present holy man. Deirgne has been inter- preted to be identical with Delgany, in the countyofWicklow. TheRev. Dr. Lanigan observes, it can scarcely be doubted, this was St. Mogoroc of Delgany. "And hence we
see, th—at this saint lived in the seventh cen- "
tury. " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, x. , num. 159, p. 49. Yet, Delgany lies, some miles north-east- wards from Glendalough.
June 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 65
lay eastwards from Glendalough. Owing to the position here indicated, an
opinion has been generally entertained, that its locality may be on the site of 6
the present ruined church, called Tempul na Trinoite, 3 or Church of the
Trinity,
6* the most eastern of the
group
of what are known as ** the popularly
SevenChurchesofGlendalough. " Itissituated,inthemoreopenpartofthe
valley, and on a rising bank, at the north side of the Glendasan River. It
had been called the Ivy Church, from being enveloped in the umbrage 6s of
that " decorator. "66 It was built of undressed mica with
glorious green slate, good-sized stones, especially near the bottom of the wall. The chancel quoins
and some blocks of a similar stone are in the walls. 6? It was the most perfect in the valley, but the trees were beginning to destroy the walls,
are
previous to the late restorations.
granite,
wall. ? * chancel
Tempul an Trinoite, Glendalough.
The chancel was 13 feet, 6 inches, long, by 9 feet wide. ? 5 A fine
arch,?
6 with dressed blocks of
granite stone,
divides the nave from
63 There is a description of this old church, with two autotypes, and two woodcut illus- trations, in "Notes on Irish Architecture," by Edwin, third Earl of Dunraven, edited by Miss Stokes, vol. i. , pp. 98 to 101.
64 This is thought to have been a title,
not originally given to it.
65 See Rev. Dr. Ledwich's "Antiquities
it from Trinity Church, pp. 38, 41.
66 See Sir William R. Wilde's " Memoir of Gabriel Beranger, and his Labours in the Cause of Irish Art, Literature, and Antiqui- ties from 1760 to 1780, with Illustrations," in "The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland,"
vol. ii. , part ii. , Fourth Series, p. 457.
6? One of these, in the south wall of the
of Ireland ;" but, he
Vol. VI. —No. 2.
incorrectly distinguishes
The south nave window was considerably distorted by them, and some of its stones had been forcedout. Thecen- tral voussoir of the fine chancel arch had
considerably. The square building at the west end, which
originally carried a Round Tower,68 was
very ruinous,' and the curious south door- way 6o of the nave had become a shape- less breach. ? Oflate years, some efforts have been made
sank
to arrest
Trinity Church shows a nave and a chan- cel,72 running a little to the south of east. ? 3 In the clear, the nave is 29 feet, 6 inches, by 1 7 feet, 6 inches ; and, in addition to its doors, it was
lighted by a small round-headed win- dow, in the south-east
1 decay. ?
66 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 3.
the choir. Formerly, a Round Tower Belfry surmounted the western end of
the building ; but, as the foundations, which are square,? ? had not been incor- porated with the church, these are supposed to have been laid and built upon, subsequently to the original structure. ? 8 The remains of an arch are to be seen, which formerly supported the Round Tower Belfry ;? ° while an old doorway, with a square head, enters it from the interior. 80 In the
81
first instance, it would seem, that Archdall, with other mistakes, had set
downTrinityChurchandIvyChurch,astwodistinctchurches; whilethismis- take has been copied by Ledwich,82 and by Grose. 83 However, this is a most
egregious blunder, as Trinity Church has been called the Ivy Church, on account of the profuse growth of that creeping plant over its ruins. 8* The original doorway 8 5 is in the west end of the nave, and it has a horizontal lintel with inclined sides, very massive in construction, and formed of well- chiselled granite blocks. There was also a doorway, in the south wall, and a
nave, measures 6 feet long, by I foot, 6 in-
"
ches, in height. See Notes on Irish Archi-
tecture," by Edwin, third Earl of Dun- raven, edited by Miss Stokes, vol. i. , p. 98.
68 The Round Tower, 40 feet in height, fell to the ground, during the winter of 181 8. SeeJ. N. Brewer's "Beauties of Ireland," vol. i. , p. 313.
_
69 It had a triangular head, if we can trust
that drawing, in Rev. Dr. Ledwich's "Anti- quities of Ireland," see p. 305.
book of Irish Antiquities, Pagan and Chris-
tian," part ii. , chap, ii. , p. 73.
77 This square base was built, in an inferior
way to the rest of the church ; and, at pre- sent, its walls are not higher than 10 or 12 feet.
78 The drawing of this old church, as it stood in 1779, by Beranger, has been faith- fully reproduced in the annexed illustration by William F. Wakeman, and drawn on the wood, engraved by Mrs. Millard.
70 See the Report ofJ. A. Purefoy Colles,
Esq. , M. D. , read at a general meeting of the
Association, on Wednesday, July 6th, 1870,
among the Proceedings and Papers, in " The drawn by William F. Wakeman for Sir
Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeo- logical Association of Ireland," vol. i. , part i. , Fourth Series, p. 195.
f In 1873, Sir William R. Wilde, and the Rev. Eugene Clarke, P. P. , of Derrylassey, the parish in which Glendalough is situated,
obtained — from
permission Major Longfield
andCaptainHugoonwhos—ejointproperty
WilliamR. Wilde'sPaperin "TheJournal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland," vol. ii. , part ii. , Fourth Series, p. 458.
80
For a view of this latter, see ibid. , p. 462.
this building was situated
restorations. Soonafterwards,therootsand branches of trees were cut away from the wallsandfoundations, whentheyhadbulged out the largest stones, and some necessary repairs were executed.
72 Its walls are about seven feet high, to the commencement of the gable.
73 The old Irish churches do not always lie due east and west ; hence, some antiqua- ries have started the fanciful theory of their orientation, at that season of the year, when their foundations were laid.
74 Very admirable illustrations and de- scriptions of this window, with the interior of the choir and nave, will be found in Dr.
"
George Petrie's
and Round Towers of Ireland," part ii. , sect, iii. , subs. 2, pp. 183, 186.
to effect some
Ecclesiastical Architecture
75 The walls are 2 feet, 6 inches in thick- "
ness. See Notes on Irish Architecture," by Edwin, third Earl of Dunraven, edited by Miss Stokes, vol. i. , p. 98.
76 Said to be the finest of its period in Ire- and. See William F. Wakeman's " Hand-
p. 277.
86 now remains of this Nothing
aperture,
79 The condition of this church, as it stood with the Belfry in October, 1779, is shown in Gabriel Beranger's sketch, which has been
81 See his dalough,in"MonasticonHibernicum,"pp.
to
765 776.
82 See "Antiquities of Ireland," p. 38.
83 See "Antiquities of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 96.
84 For a very accurate description, accom- panied with some diagrams and measure- ments of details, the reader is referred to John O'Donovan's Essay on the Antiquities of Glendalough, in April, 1840, where he devotes a Fifth Section to the Ivy Church or the tChurch of the Blessed Trinity. See " Letters containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Wicklow, collected during the Progress of the Ord- nance Survey in 1838," vol. i. , pp. 488 to
495-
85 It is 6 feet, 2 inches in height, by 2
feet, 7 inches wide, at the base ; 2 feet 5 in- ches, at the top, and 2 feet, 6 inches, deep. The granite blocks of which it is formed are the full thickness of the wall. See the "Gentleman's Magazine," New Series, vol. xvi. , Notes on the Architecture of Ireland,
description
and
history
of Glen-
June 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 67
few feet from the west end. 86
This was evidently an insertion of a later date,
the west had been added. 88 The walls door,
when the 8? built belfry,
against
of the nave are about 10 feet high, and the gable is rather of a steep pitch.
The north and west walls of the small quadrangular structure added are still
8 tolerably perfect, and in the former, there is a small circular-headed light. ?
The east window 9° of this church is small and round-headed, both on the inside and on the outside. The arch is cut out of one stone. There is a
1 The nave south window is of chiselled stone, and it splays to a good width. To the right of the east window, in the gable, there is a small recess. 92 The chancel- arch of semicircular form is constructed of well chiselled granite, having two faces, with an arch of rubble stone between the voussoirs. It is without chamfer or moulding, while it springs without imposts from jambs, which slightly incline. 93 The church has outside stones, projecting about one foot,
at both ends of the nave and on the chancel. 94 Over the outside of the east window, a flat table projection of 2 feet in depth extends. This church has
an old character about it, in all respects, except that the granite quoin- blocks are well cut and chiselled. 95 Trinity Church is described by Mr.
O' Donovan, as " the most perfect specimen of an ancient Irish Daimhliag,"
the in the remark,
triangularly-headed window, in the south wall of the chancel. 9
that he had seen 6 its ;9 and,
present appearance justifies characteristics which are preserved.
CHAPTER V.
DECLINING YEARS OF ST. KEVIN—HE SEEMS ONLY TO HAVE BEEN ABBOT AT GLENDA- LOUGH—HIS FIRST SUPPOSED CHURCH, BUILT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT VALLEY —HIS HOUSE OR CELL THERE—ATTENDED IN HIS LAST ILLNESS BY ST. MOCHAROG —HIS DEATH AND BURIAL-PLACE—HIS FESTIVALS, COMMEMORATIONS, AND MEMORIALS—SCENERY, EARLY HISTORY, AND ANTIQUITIES OF GLENDALOUGH— CONCLUSION.
Havingnowattainedamostvenerableage,St. Kevinwishedtopassoutof this life, to be with Christ. From his infancy to his declining years, he
but some of the stones forming the lower part of the jambs.
87 According to Mr. Petrie's Manuscript Notes, it was about 60 feet in height, and 40
feet in circumference, the lower story being square to the height of 15 feet.
top. There is a flat table projection, 2 feet in depth, over the outside arch.
9 * The jambs of the inner arch are upright. It is 8 inches wide, at the bottom, 7^ in- ches at the top ; 1 foot, 5 inches high, and 6 inches, to the springing of the arch. The lower cill-stone is bevelled off".
92 See "Notes on Irish Architecture," by Edwin, third Earl of Dunraven, edited by Miss Stokes, vol. i. , p. 99.
93 Archdall incorrectly places Trinity Church north of the Abbey, at Glendalough. See " Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 772.
94SirWilliamWildesuggests,thatthese may have been early attempts at gargoyls.
44 Allusion is probably made to the cele- Book of Rights," pp. 208, 209, n. (g).
by Brandubh, King of Leinster, over Cumuscagh, son of Aedh, and the Ulstermen, at the " Munimentum death of Aidus II. , Father Baert remarks, Dunbuiced," or Dunbolg. a. d. 597. See
i. ,
43
Kevin's Life, the Pine Tree of the King was portion of South Leinster. See John to be seen. O'Donovan's "Leabridrv w& g-CearvC, or the
There, in the time of the writer of St.
Dr. Charles O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernica-
rum Scriptores," tomus ii. , Annales Tiger- nachi, p, 160.
45 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii iii. Vita S. Coemgeni, cap. v. , num. 40, p. 320.
46 SeeUssher's "
rum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 474.
47 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii iii. Vita S. Coemgeni, cap. v. , num. 41, p. 320.
48 This district is said to have been in "regione Kenselach," or in the "Territory of Kinsellagh. " The people there dwelling were known as the Ui Ceinnsealaigh, and their country comprised a very considerable
Britannicarum Ecclesia-
62 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[June 3.
man's prompt obedience. He was safely led to the village and back, by a mira-
culous light. Giving thanks for this favour, the villagers betook themselves
to places of security, and the robbers departed without obtaining any booty. Then is told the story of a monk, named Berchan,49 who was sent on a journey by St. Kevin, to his tanner Cronan, who had desired a faithful person, to convey a confidential message to the holy Abbot. Cronan appears to have lived at a very considerable distance from Glendalough. We are told, that the monk Berchan had been sent alone, according to an ancient custom. Proceeding on his journey through the woods and lonely mountains, he was exposed to a great temptation. He met a young and beautiful woman on the way. Being alone, she represented herself as needing a guide through the wilderness, and besought the monk to allow her to proceed in his company.
Moved by her unprotected situation, Berchan promised he would conduct her in safety, through the desert towards her own habitation. Being a young man and of comely appearance, that female entertained an unlawful affection for him, and she sought to tempt him to a violation of his religious profession. He repelled, however, these advances, and even had recourse to force, that he might restrain her importunkies. Her conduct at length moved him to indignation, and he struck her several times. St. Cronan had a divine intima-
: tion,inhiscell,regardingwhathadoccurred,andhecriedout *'Ogood
brother,Berchan,actcourageouslybychastisingthatimproperwoman. " St. Kevin had a like intimation concerning this occurrence, while in his monastery,
:
andhetoocriedout "Omyson,mydearlybelovedBerchan,beindulgent,
and do not strike that wretch any more. " Afar from both saints, Berchan miraculously heard their words in the desert, and on recognising the com- mand of his holy superior, he did not chastise the woman longer. She became
a penitent. Berchan led her with him through the wilderness, as he had pro- mised. Afterwards, that female told her friends what had occurred on the way. She took occasion to extol the great sanctity of her conductor. After this, Berchan came to the cell of St. Cronan, who received him with joy, and praised him for his fortitude in resisting temptation. The monk was then sentbacktoSt. Kevin. Amongothermessages,Cronansaidtohim "Tell
:
our Father Kevin, that on the same day, I desire to depart with him to Christ. " On hearing this, St. Kevin said prophetically: "Both of us shall not go to Heaven,onthesamedayofthesameyear; however,onthefestivalofmy departure, but some time after it, he shall rest in Christ. Hereafter, our festival shall be solemnized, on the same day. 50 Such was afterwards the case. 51
A certain cruel soldier had frequently perpetrated robberies among those mountainridges. 52 Hehadneverdoneagoodactionbutone,whichwaspray- ing each day, that through St. Kevin's merits, his soul might be saved. On a
particular occasion, being surrounded by those who were in pursuit of him,
he was put to death, and afterwards cut to pieces.
An Angel of the Lord
" A certain wretched
invoked thee to ward off danger from his soul, is slain on this day. Do you,
then to Kevin appeared
saying :
who hath man, daily
*' He appears to have been a different
person, from one bearing the same name, and already mentioned.
50 Of the many St. Cronans mentioned in
the Martyrology of Tallagh, we do not find one set down at the 3rd of June. However, in
the Martyrology of Donegal, there is a Mochua, at this date, and he is probably to be identified with this Cronan.
51 See " Acta Sanctorum, "tomus i. , Junii iii. Vita S. Coemgeni, cap. vi. , num. 42,
43, 44, p. 321.
sa It should seem from this account, that
these wild desert mountains had given re- cesses of shelter for banditti and lawless persons, from very remote times. Such out- laws appear to have occasioned the utter ruin of the Once celebrated city of Glenda- lough, in the beginning of the thirteenth century, when this See was united to that of Dublin. See Harris Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops
of Glendalough," pp. 375 to 378.
June 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 63
therefore, act valiantly in the Lord's name, and follow the demons who drag
his soul to torments. For, although his body is destroyed, yet through the power of God, you shall snatch his soul from destruction. " Then, the holy Abbot felt comforted. Guided by the Angel, he was taken up from earth to the higher regions of air, where he remained from the ninth hour to the fol- lowing day, engaged in a contest with demons. In fine, through the mercy ofGod,hereleasedthewretchedman'ssoulfromtheirpower. Meantime, not knowing the cause of their holy Abbot's absence, his monks felt sorrow- ful, on finding their venerable superior missing. When he returned to them,
k ' O my brethren, bury the body of that culprit in your cemetery, for on his account, I ascended towards heaven. His soul is now liberated from the demons, and is at rest in God's presence. " The monks did as they were commanded, while admiring those wonders wrought bytheAlmighty,throughhisholyservant. " Acertainholyvirgin,named Cassayr,5* daughter to Aedha, on seeing the holy old man Kevin in the air, and clothed with rough skins, asked him in God's name, to receive better garments from her. But, the servant of God rejected them, lest Satan might tempt him through avarice. The virgin felt sorrowful, on account of his re- fusal. She afterwards placed herself, with all her religious daughters and her monastery, under the rule of St. Kevin. Then, the Angel of the Lord, taking his rough vesture from the holy old Abbot, who was decrepid, clothed him with garments offered by the virgin. Wherefore, St. Kevin, St. Cassayr, and
her nuns, returned thanks to God, on account of what had occurred. According to local tradition, that celebrated " Bed of St. Kevin,ss where this holy recluse was accustomed to retire for contemplation, had been formed by himselfartificiallyintoacave. Itisscoped,also,fromthefaceofaperpendicular rock, which rises steeply above the w—aters of the Upper Lake. This he appears to have chosenas aplace for retreat especially in his younger years; but, it is probable, in deciininglife,it must have become less accessible to him. Acertain man named Critan, and his enemies, had entered into a bond of peace, in St. Kevin's presence. He had enjoined, upon both parties, its solemn observance. But, after some time, a new occasion of disagreement arose between the dispu- tants. Nevertheless,theyagreedtorevisitSt. Kevin,andtorenewtheirengage- ments in his presence. But, his enemies quarrelled with Critan, on the way, and slew him. Afterwards, coming to St. Kevin, they began to slander the
deceased, by representing their own conduct, in the most justifiable light. St.
:
Kevin said to them " O wretches, what is this you falsely state, in my pre-
sence? Youhavekilledthismanto-day,notobservingyourengagements; and, I was present in spirit, when you slew him. Return to him, immedi-
ately, and say to him, he must come with you to me, that you may know, how
on the following day, he said
:
53 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. . Junii
Kevin's Bed, in Leinster. Latin verses of Father D.
See the Elegiac Nicholas Aylmer
iii. Vita S.
Coemgeni, cap. vi. ,
num.
45,
—
P- 321
s* Among the female saints of Ireland, we
search in vain for one so called. However, there are many holy women, named Lassar ; and, it is possible, this may have been the name found in the original account, the letter C having been substituted for L. It is pro- bable, she lived in or near Glendalough.
an Irish
with
the lines
-
Priest, beginning
:
" Historica
Hiberniae, seu Majoris Scotise, Insulae Sanc- for pilgrimage, in Ireland : these being, the torum," p. 47. New edition by Patrick
55 This became one of the four chief places
Mountain of Croagh Patrick in Connaught ; the Purgatory of St. Patrick, in Ulster ; St. Michael's Rock, in Munster j and St.
O'Kelly, translator of L'Abbe Ma-Geoghe- gan's "History of Ireland," Dublinii, 1838, 8vo.
" Quot loca devote cceli meditantibus arces,
Sanctorum meritis percelebrata tenet ? "
—
Guil. D.
O'Kelly's
Descriptio
64 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 3.
precious in the sight of. Christ is the observance of good faith. " Doing as they had been commanded, the man who was killed arose from the dead, and came with them to St. Kevin ; when all of them did penance, at the blessed Abbot'srecommendation. Hewhohadbeenraisedtolife,gavethanksto the saint, magnifying the Lord in his works. 56
Near the portals of the cathedral at Glendalough 57 once grew "St. Kevin's yew-tree," which had an extraordinary width of trunk, and it stood until of late years. 58 That tree had become an object of great veneration to the neighbouring people. Traditionally, it was said to have been planted by our saint. Two men, being condemned to death by the King of Leinster, were led out for execution, to the plain of the Liffey. s° When they came to the place of execution, both offered up a prayer to St. Kevin, at the same time ; one of them asked, that he might obtain eternal life, the other, that he might live yet longer in this world. Although absent in body, the venerable Kevin was present in spirit ; and, in his cell, he besought the Lord, that their peti- tions might be granted. The Almighty heard their prayers, through the merits of his holy servant. One of those men was executed, and while com- mending himself to God, and to the aged Kevin's patronage, Angels conducted his soul to Heaven. But, the king's executioners vainly endeavoured,duringthewholeday,toputtheothermantodeath. 60 Towards evening, they asked him by what means or magic arts he was enabled to set
their efforts and at defiance. This man " You have heard weapons replied :
to-day, how I and my companion besought holy Kevin. He prayed for eternal and I for temporal life. Him you killed immediately, and the Angels of God received his soul ; but, I now see our holy Patron Kevin near me, warding off your weapons and strokes. " When these words had been reported to the king, he ordered this man to be set free, in honour of God and of St. Kevin. Being thus released, the culprit gave thanks to the Almighty and
61
to his venerable servant.
About the close of our saint's career, as his Acts narrate, a holy man
namedMocherog 62—who was by birth a Briton—seems to have had intimate spiritualrelationshipwiththeillustriousAbbot. Weareinformed,thathiscell
56 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii iii. Vita S. Coemgeni, cap. vi. , num. 46, 47, pp. 321, 322.
Beheading and hanging appear to have been the most common modes for taking life,
to expiate capital offences.
6l See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii
iii. Vita S. Coemgeni, cap. vi. , num. 48, p. 322.
57 The drawing of Glendalough, by Dr. "
Wynne, and published in Grose's
Antiqui- ties of Ireland," p. 96, assumes to present several of the old churches, but without cor-
62
There is a St. — or Mochua- Mochiarog
rect perspective, and probably with inaccu- racies of delineation, which so greatly dis- figure that fine pictorial work. Its antiqui- ties and illustrations are not always reliable.
s8 It had been cut down, by a neighbour- ing landed proprietor ; while some fragments of it had been procured and preserved in the summer of 1855, when the writer first visited
Glendalough.
59 This plain was in the level county of
Kildare ; but, the exact locality is not
specified.
60 Crucifixion was the kind of death,
sought to be inflicted, according to our saint's Acts ; and, in another instance, here, we find allusion to a similar cruel punishment. Yet, it is extremely doubtful, if such revolting executions ever took place, at least after the introduction of Christianity, into our Island.
rogof Doire —Echdroma this locality being undiscovered and his feast occurs at the 7th of May, where some account of him may be found in the Fifth Volume of this work, at that date, Art. ii. There was also a St. Mochorog, son of Brachan, of Deirgne, venerated at the 23rd of December ; and, as he was a Briton, there can hardly be a doubt, that he may be identified with the present holy man. Deirgne has been inter- preted to be identical with Delgany, in the countyofWicklow. TheRev. Dr. Lanigan observes, it can scarcely be doubted, this was St. Mogoroc of Delgany. "And hence we
see, th—at this saint lived in the seventh cen- "
tury. " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, x. , num. 159, p. 49. Yet, Delgany lies, some miles north-east- wards from Glendalough.
June 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 65
lay eastwards from Glendalough. Owing to the position here indicated, an
opinion has been generally entertained, that its locality may be on the site of 6
the present ruined church, called Tempul na Trinoite, 3 or Church of the
Trinity,
6* the most eastern of the
group
of what are known as ** the popularly
SevenChurchesofGlendalough. " Itissituated,inthemoreopenpartofthe
valley, and on a rising bank, at the north side of the Glendasan River. It
had been called the Ivy Church, from being enveloped in the umbrage 6s of
that " decorator. "66 It was built of undressed mica with
glorious green slate, good-sized stones, especially near the bottom of the wall. The chancel quoins
and some blocks of a similar stone are in the walls. 6? It was the most perfect in the valley, but the trees were beginning to destroy the walls,
are
previous to the late restorations.
granite,
wall. ? * chancel
Tempul an Trinoite, Glendalough.
The chancel was 13 feet, 6 inches, long, by 9 feet wide. ? 5 A fine
arch,?
6 with dressed blocks of
granite stone,
divides the nave from
63 There is a description of this old church, with two autotypes, and two woodcut illus- trations, in "Notes on Irish Architecture," by Edwin, third Earl of Dunraven, edited by Miss Stokes, vol. i. , pp. 98 to 101.
64 This is thought to have been a title,
not originally given to it.
65 See Rev. Dr. Ledwich's "Antiquities
it from Trinity Church, pp. 38, 41.
66 See Sir William R. Wilde's " Memoir of Gabriel Beranger, and his Labours in the Cause of Irish Art, Literature, and Antiqui- ties from 1760 to 1780, with Illustrations," in "The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland,"
vol. ii. , part ii. , Fourth Series, p. 457.
6? One of these, in the south wall of the
of Ireland ;" but, he
Vol. VI. —No. 2.
incorrectly distinguishes
The south nave window was considerably distorted by them, and some of its stones had been forcedout. Thecen- tral voussoir of the fine chancel arch had
considerably. The square building at the west end, which
originally carried a Round Tower,68 was
very ruinous,' and the curious south door- way 6o of the nave had become a shape- less breach. ? Oflate years, some efforts have been made
sank
to arrest
Trinity Church shows a nave and a chan- cel,72 running a little to the south of east. ? 3 In the clear, the nave is 29 feet, 6 inches, by 1 7 feet, 6 inches ; and, in addition to its doors, it was
lighted by a small round-headed win- dow, in the south-east
1 decay. ?
66 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 3.
the choir. Formerly, a Round Tower Belfry surmounted the western end of
the building ; but, as the foundations, which are square,? ? had not been incor- porated with the church, these are supposed to have been laid and built upon, subsequently to the original structure. ? 8 The remains of an arch are to be seen, which formerly supported the Round Tower Belfry ;? ° while an old doorway, with a square head, enters it from the interior. 80 In the
81
first instance, it would seem, that Archdall, with other mistakes, had set
downTrinityChurchandIvyChurch,astwodistinctchurches; whilethismis- take has been copied by Ledwich,82 and by Grose. 83 However, this is a most
egregious blunder, as Trinity Church has been called the Ivy Church, on account of the profuse growth of that creeping plant over its ruins. 8* The original doorway 8 5 is in the west end of the nave, and it has a horizontal lintel with inclined sides, very massive in construction, and formed of well- chiselled granite blocks. There was also a doorway, in the south wall, and a
nave, measures 6 feet long, by I foot, 6 in-
"
ches, in height. See Notes on Irish Archi-
tecture," by Edwin, third Earl of Dun- raven, edited by Miss Stokes, vol. i. , p. 98.
68 The Round Tower, 40 feet in height, fell to the ground, during the winter of 181 8. SeeJ. N. Brewer's "Beauties of Ireland," vol. i. , p. 313.
_
69 It had a triangular head, if we can trust
that drawing, in Rev. Dr. Ledwich's "Anti- quities of Ireland," see p. 305.
book of Irish Antiquities, Pagan and Chris-
tian," part ii. , chap, ii. , p. 73.
77 This square base was built, in an inferior
way to the rest of the church ; and, at pre- sent, its walls are not higher than 10 or 12 feet.
78 The drawing of this old church, as it stood in 1779, by Beranger, has been faith- fully reproduced in the annexed illustration by William F. Wakeman, and drawn on the wood, engraved by Mrs. Millard.
70 See the Report ofJ. A. Purefoy Colles,
Esq. , M. D. , read at a general meeting of the
Association, on Wednesday, July 6th, 1870,
among the Proceedings and Papers, in " The drawn by William F. Wakeman for Sir
Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeo- logical Association of Ireland," vol. i. , part i. , Fourth Series, p. 195.
f In 1873, Sir William R. Wilde, and the Rev. Eugene Clarke, P. P. , of Derrylassey, the parish in which Glendalough is situated,
obtained — from
permission Major Longfield
andCaptainHugoonwhos—ejointproperty
WilliamR. Wilde'sPaperin "TheJournal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland," vol. ii. , part ii. , Fourth Series, p. 458.
80
For a view of this latter, see ibid. , p. 462.
this building was situated
restorations. Soonafterwards,therootsand branches of trees were cut away from the wallsandfoundations, whentheyhadbulged out the largest stones, and some necessary repairs were executed.
72 Its walls are about seven feet high, to the commencement of the gable.
73 The old Irish churches do not always lie due east and west ; hence, some antiqua- ries have started the fanciful theory of their orientation, at that season of the year, when their foundations were laid.
74 Very admirable illustrations and de- scriptions of this window, with the interior of the choir and nave, will be found in Dr.
"
George Petrie's
and Round Towers of Ireland," part ii. , sect, iii. , subs. 2, pp. 183, 186.
to effect some
Ecclesiastical Architecture
75 The walls are 2 feet, 6 inches in thick- "
ness. See Notes on Irish Architecture," by Edwin, third Earl of Dunraven, edited by Miss Stokes, vol. i. , p. 98.
76 Said to be the finest of its period in Ire- and. See William F. Wakeman's " Hand-
p. 277.
86 now remains of this Nothing
aperture,
79 The condition of this church, as it stood with the Belfry in October, 1779, is shown in Gabriel Beranger's sketch, which has been
81 See his dalough,in"MonasticonHibernicum,"pp.
to
765 776.
82 See "Antiquities of Ireland," p. 38.
83 See "Antiquities of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 96.
84 For a very accurate description, accom- panied with some diagrams and measure- ments of details, the reader is referred to John O'Donovan's Essay on the Antiquities of Glendalough, in April, 1840, where he devotes a Fifth Section to the Ivy Church or the tChurch of the Blessed Trinity. See " Letters containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Wicklow, collected during the Progress of the Ord- nance Survey in 1838," vol. i. , pp. 488 to
495-
85 It is 6 feet, 2 inches in height, by 2
feet, 7 inches wide, at the base ; 2 feet 5 in- ches, at the top, and 2 feet, 6 inches, deep. The granite blocks of which it is formed are the full thickness of the wall. See the "Gentleman's Magazine," New Series, vol. xvi. , Notes on the Architecture of Ireland,
description
and
history
of Glen-
June 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 67
few feet from the west end. 86
This was evidently an insertion of a later date,
the west had been added. 88 The walls door,
when the 8? built belfry,
against
of the nave are about 10 feet high, and the gable is rather of a steep pitch.
The north and west walls of the small quadrangular structure added are still
8 tolerably perfect, and in the former, there is a small circular-headed light. ?
The east window 9° of this church is small and round-headed, both on the inside and on the outside. The arch is cut out of one stone. There is a
1 The nave south window is of chiselled stone, and it splays to a good width. To the right of the east window, in the gable, there is a small recess. 92 The chancel- arch of semicircular form is constructed of well chiselled granite, having two faces, with an arch of rubble stone between the voussoirs. It is without chamfer or moulding, while it springs without imposts from jambs, which slightly incline. 93 The church has outside stones, projecting about one foot,
at both ends of the nave and on the chancel. 94 Over the outside of the east window, a flat table projection of 2 feet in depth extends. This church has
an old character about it, in all respects, except that the granite quoin- blocks are well cut and chiselled. 95 Trinity Church is described by Mr.
O' Donovan, as " the most perfect specimen of an ancient Irish Daimhliag,"
the in the remark,
triangularly-headed window, in the south wall of the chancel. 9
that he had seen 6 its ;9 and,
present appearance justifies characteristics which are preserved.
CHAPTER V.
DECLINING YEARS OF ST. KEVIN—HE SEEMS ONLY TO HAVE BEEN ABBOT AT GLENDA- LOUGH—HIS FIRST SUPPOSED CHURCH, BUILT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT VALLEY —HIS HOUSE OR CELL THERE—ATTENDED IN HIS LAST ILLNESS BY ST. MOCHAROG —HIS DEATH AND BURIAL-PLACE—HIS FESTIVALS, COMMEMORATIONS, AND MEMORIALS—SCENERY, EARLY HISTORY, AND ANTIQUITIES OF GLENDALOUGH— CONCLUSION.
Havingnowattainedamostvenerableage,St. Kevinwishedtopassoutof this life, to be with Christ. From his infancy to his declining years, he
but some of the stones forming the lower part of the jambs.
87 According to Mr. Petrie's Manuscript Notes, it was about 60 feet in height, and 40
feet in circumference, the lower story being square to the height of 15 feet.
top. There is a flat table projection, 2 feet in depth, over the outside arch.
9 * The jambs of the inner arch are upright. It is 8 inches wide, at the bottom, 7^ in- ches at the top ; 1 foot, 5 inches high, and 6 inches, to the springing of the arch. The lower cill-stone is bevelled off".
92 See "Notes on Irish Architecture," by Edwin, third Earl of Dunraven, edited by Miss Stokes, vol. i. , p. 99.
93 Archdall incorrectly places Trinity Church north of the Abbey, at Glendalough. See " Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 772.
94SirWilliamWildesuggests,thatthese may have been early attempts at gargoyls.
