Moc- hoemoc are cited, for the
foregoinLj
state- ments ; while, in Colgan, the Chapter is noted as the Sixteenth.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v5
" — On the Calendar of Oengus.
See " Trans- actions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol.
i.
, part i.
, p.
Ixxx.
° In the Franciscan copy, we read such an account.
3 See Edward Gibbon's " History of the
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,"
vol. ii. , chap, xvi. , pp. 260, 261. Edition of rum," tomus ii. , lib. xvi. , num. 1037, pp. Dr. William Smith.
* See the "Popular Encyclopedia; or Conversations Lexicon," vol. ii. , p. 619.
5 See this account, in " The Ancient Part of Universal History," vol. xiii. The Ko- man History, chap. Iviii. , p. 479.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Maii
545 to 551. — See "Acta Sancto- Article xii. '
xix. De Sanctis Martyribus ^Romanis Pa- terno, Gallicolo, Urbana, Indico, Slevco, Felice, Clonico Crescentio, Calonica, Julia, Urbana, Ingenva, Saturno, Via Appia, in Ccemeterio Callisti, pp. 308, 309.
"> This is described by Aringlius, in " Roma Subterranea," lib. iii. , cap. 11.
Article xi. —'
For a full account of his Life and Writings, see the Second Volume of
this work, at the 4th of February, Art. iv.
- "FuldoedepositioHrabaniMauriAb- batis S. Alcuini in omnibus socii sed junio- ris. "—Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scot-
tish Saints," p. 200.
3 See "Acta Sanctonim," tonius iv. ,
Maii xix. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 294.
•* In"HistoriaEcclesiasticaGentisScoto-
rum," tomus iv. , Maii xix. Among the pre- termitted saints, p. 296.
' Their names or acts do not appear in the valuable work of Myles O'Reilly, B. A. , LL. D. . intituled : "Memorials of those who
May 20. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 515
CluentietJ) ©ay of iiflap*
ARTICLE I. —ST. COLMAN OF DOIRE MOR, OR KILCOLMAN, KING'S COUNTY.
{SIXTH AND SEVENTH CENTURIES. 'X
ALTHOUGH our old and venerable churches throughout. Ireland have gone to decay, still our feelings are awakened to a religious impres- siveness,whenwerecalltheirpastglories. AsundertheHebrewdispensation, when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, the Tabernacle and its enclosure constituted a holy place round which, as round a centre of sanctity,
the whole encampment was pitched ; so, while the Tabernacles of those sanc- tuaries can no longer be found, the evidences of their former location are to be met with, in many a modern waste. Still are the living Faith and the living Temple flourishing around the mouldering monuments of time ; nor are the souls of our people cold to religious influences, nor to the memories our ecclesiastical remains are sure to excite, especially when associated with the acts of our long-buried saints.
There is only a mere reference to this holy man—known as Colmanus Doremariensis—copied from the feasts in the Tallagh Martyrology, by the Bollandists,^ at the 20th of May. The present St. Colman was descended, fromthedistinguishedEoghanachtfamilyofMunster. Heissaid,^tohave been the son of yEngus, King of Munster, who had been baptized by St. Patrick,3 according to the Menologium Genealogicum and Selbach, as also according to the Lives of St. Declan 4 and of St. Endeus. s The Life of St. Mochoemoc ^ of Liath-more 1 expressly states, however, that this St. Colman, Bishop of Derrymore, was the son of Daire. Now, to us, it seems very pro- bable, that owing to some mistake, the name of his place has been substituted for his patronymic. However, he is said, by various writers, to have been the son of Darene ; and, Colgan ^ thinks this to be a more correct account. It seems probable, that he was born some time, towards the close of the sixth century. Ofhisearlycareer,wefindnoparticulars,beforeheformedareligious establishment. We are equally at a loss, to discover the exact time when he established a religious institute ; and although some recorded details are given, in reference to its locality, this latter has been questioned, by different writers. He belonged to Doire Mdr, said to have been on the confines of Munster and of Leinster, in that territory,? which is called Eile. '° A little
s See his Life, at the 21st of March, in the Third Volume of this work, Art. i.
* Taken from the Codex Killkenniensis.
'' See it published, by Colgan, at the 13th of March, chap. xvi.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xiii. = See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Martii. Vita S. Mochoemoci Abbatis de
nise," xiii. Martii. Vita S. Mochoemoci Liath-mor in Ilelia, n. 20, p. 597.
suffered for the Catholic Faith, in Ireland in the l6th, 17th, and iSth centuries. London,
1868, 8vo. — Article i.
' See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , Maii XX. Among the pretermitted
saints, p. 170.
Abbatis de Liath-mor in Helia, n. 21, p.
597.
3 See his Life, at the 17th of March, in the
ThirdVolumeofthiswork. Art. i. ,chap. xix. 4 See his Life, at the 24th of July.
9 1,1 a note by Dr. O'Donovau at this sup- plied word, Territory, he says : "If this be
true, Doire-mor is in O'Fogarty. " "IntheLifeofSt. Mochoemoc,pub-
lished by Colgan, Derrymore is stated to be
6—
5 1 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAIN2S. [May 20.
more than one mile only, as we are informed, lies between Doire-moir and Liath-mor Mochaemhdg. While Archdall places Leithmore, in tlie King's County ;" I find, that William M. Hennessy " has it in Eliogarty, county of Tipperary. In tiie former case, however, it is not easy to reconcile ourselves to Dr. O'Donovan's placing St. Mochoemoc's '3 church at the present Leaniokevoge, in the parish of Two-Mile-Burris, or Glankeen, in the barony of Elyogarty, and county of Tipperary. '•*
The holy Bishop Colman, descended from the Royal family of Momonia,'5 appears to have lived in Doire Mor, before St. Pulcherius '^ formed his reli- gious colony, at Liath-Mor Mochaemhog, Although we have already hazarded a conjecture,'7 that Derrymore was probably in the county of Tipperary, as also the Liath-mor of St. Mochoemoc yet, we now ralher sus-
;
pect, that at least the former place was situated, in the southern part of the present King's County. One of St. Colman's monks, having rambled through the Great Wood before St. Pulcherius visited it, brought some apples there- from, which had an agreeable flavour, although they appear to have grown there in a wild state. These were presented to St. Colman, who, on enquiry, was told the exact spot, where the fruit had been gathered. Then, this holy bishop said, " A multitude of Angels, ascending and descending in that wood, often appears to me, and they are numerous as a swarm of bees ; there shall a great host of the Lord's family live, indue course. " The monk replied, " O Father, then grant me leave to go thither, and to live in that place. " St. Colmanreturnedforanswer,"Goinpeace,anddwellthere,ifyoucan; and, I shall join you, that so our resurrection may be from that locality. " But, when the monk went thither, he found five strange monks beginning to work there ; and, he returned without delay to report this circumstance to St. Colman, who said, " The place is reserved for them, by the Almighty, but return, dear brother, and ask their Abbot, if he will come to me, or if I shall go to him. " When the saintly Abbot Pulcherius heard this, he answered, " I shall go to the chief Bishop,'^ for I ought to be guided by his holy example. " St. Colman greatly rejoiced, on the arrival of hisdistinguished guest, and prepared for him a bath, which through obedience the holy Abbot
Pulcheriusused. Then,boththeseservantsofGodentereduponacolloquy. Bishop Colman prophecied, saying, " Brother and fellow servant in Christ, frequently shall this my habitation be deserted, so that not even a single priest can dwell in it, owing to wars waged between the borderers of distinct pro- vinces ; but, your place shall always be inhabited, and it shall receive daily increase. " Then said Pulcherius, "O Father, on account of the reverence I owe you, I shall order a Priest from my house to come thither and to cele- brate, whenever your place may be abandoned. For, between both our places,
not more than four miles intervene. "'9
specially "in regione Muminensium. " cap xvi.
" See '" Monasticon Hibernicum," p.
402.
'^ In a note, to his copy of the Martyr-
ology of Donegal.
'3 St. Mochoemoc, also Latinized Pul-
cherius, has a festival, at the 13th of March. '•See l)r. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Imparting mutual benedictions, and
Mochoemhoq;, now Leigh, in the parish of Two-Mile-Bonis, county of Tipperary.
'' See Ibid. , chap. ii.
'^ Colgan thinks, St. Cohnan is called " Sunimus Pontifex, ' not because he had been an Archbishop, or set over other Bishops, or on account of any special exalted office in the Irisli Church—for he is simj^ly called Bishop of Doiie-Mor—but bec;iuse of his distinguished merits and sanctity, and of that reverence, which all persons enter-
>
Four Masters," vol. i. . n. (b), pp. 266, 267.
'5 " Id est, Eoganacht natus est. "
" See the Third Volume of this work, tained for him. See Colgan's " Acta Sane-
Art, i. , at the 13th of March, for a Life of . St. Mocha'mhog, or Mocha'moc, also called Pulcherius, Abbot of Liath-more, or Liath-
torum Ilibernix," -xiii . Nlartii. Vita S. Moc- ha-moci, cap. xvi. , p. 591, and n. 22, p. 597' '' If Dr. O'Donovan's identification of
May 20. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
517
entertaining a friendly intercommunication, between their respective religious families, while St. Colman, the Bishop, remained in his place, St. Pulcherius returned, with his companions, to found the celebrated monastery of Liath-mdr Mochaemhdg, where a city arose in due course,^° and thither a great number of religious flocked, to place themselves under his guid- ances^
The Great Wood, or Doire-Mor, has long since disappeared ; but, we cannot doubt the truth of a statement, that the parish, now known as Kil- colnian, partly in the barony of Ballybritt, and partly in the barony of Clon- lisk, in the southern part of the King's County, derived its name from a reli- gious house founded there, in the sixth century, by the present St. Colman. Subsequently it became a p. u'ish church. ^^ It is not correct to state, that
m
Kilcolman Old Church, King's County.
no trace of the ruins remains. ^3 The old church walls lie two or three miles south-east of Birr, and within a graveyard now enclosed, by a modern stone wallofirregularshape. TheoldruinedchurchofKilcolmanparishmeasures about 42 feet in length, interiorly, by about 21 feet in width, while the walls are about 3 feet in thickness. There was a door in the south side wall, and a window. In the western gable, which stands, there is a small window. The other gable is destroyed. Those portions of the ruins, which remain, are
Laith-mor-MochaemhogwithLeamokevoge, . in the parish of Two-mile-Burris, county of Tippernry, be correct, this is an incorrect statement of the writer, who probably was unacquainted with the real distance between
it and Kilcolman, in the King's County.
^° See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
=' According to the compiler of the Donesral Martyrology. the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Chapters of the Life of St.
Moc- hoemoc are cited, for the foregoinLj state- ments ; while, in Colgan, the Chapter is noted as the Sixteenth.
=^ See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary
nise," xiii. Martii. Vita S. Mochoemoci, of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 64. cap. xvi,, pp. 591, 592. '^ See ibid.
——
5i8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 20,
thickly capped with ivy. ^* The graveyard around is yet much used for inter- ments, and it is considerably elevated over the adjoining fields. An ancient road winds towards it from the more modern high road ; while ash trees of venerable growth are around, so that the scene looks exceedingly picturesque. A branch of the Little Brosna flows in a valley beneath. Higher up on the hill are the ruins of an old castle. An oak-wood probably shaded the valley andtheadjoiningcountry,ataformerperiod. Populartraditions,regarding the church or its former patron, are not now remembered. ^^ We have already alluded ^^ to that incident in the Life of St. Mochsemoc, when Failbe Fland, King of Cashel, had offended Colman, the Bishop, and son to Daire, and as a consequence, both St. JNIochsemoc and St. Colman proceeded together, so that redress might be obtained from the king, in his city of Cashel. The king repented of his act, and of other crimes. He then bestowed honours and
blessings on both saints, when parting for their respective places.
In the published Martyrology of Tallagli,-? we have Colman Daire-mor en- tered at this date; but, we cannot find the year for his decease noted, in our Irish Annals. The Natalis of St. Coleman was celebrated, however, in Doiremor, betweenHeliandOssory,onthe20thofMay. ^^ Thisplace,whichformerly bore the title of Doire-mor, or " the Great Wood," seems afterwards to have obtained the designation of Kilcolman, from the present saint. We find set down, likewise, in tlie Martyrology of Donegal,^9 how on this day was vene- rated Colman, of Doire Mor. Under the head of Doire Mor, also, Duald Mac Firbis enters Cohiian, bishop, at the 20th of May. 3° A St. Colonatus is com- memorated, in the work of Bishop Forbes,^' and his feast is referred either to March lytli. May 20th, or July 9th. The feast of a St. Colman, referred, by
Father John Colgan 32 to May 2otIi, can hardly be any other, than that of the present saint ; although, he is styled Bishop of Doremoronsis—evidently a mistakeforDoiremor. Furtherillustrationsortraditionsofthisoncegreatly venerated Bishop, we have been unable to glean.
Article II. St. Conall, Abbot of Iniscaoil, County of Donegal. The present holy Abbot seems to have had a double festival, within this month. The Bollandists ^ notice Conallus of Iniscail, at this day, for which they quote Colgan,^ who incorrectly places his feast at the 12th of May possibly a typographical error for the 22nd. This St. Conall was son to Mann Coelius, son of Caither, son to Ennius, surnamed Bagan, the son of Conall Gubhan, according to the " Sanctilogium Genealogicum. " He was reverenced in the church of Iniscaoil, in the coiuity of Tyrconnell, on the 20th of ^lay. At present, the fertile Island there gives name to the large parish oflnish- keel,3inthebaroniesofBanagh^andBoylagh,5andcountyofDonegal. It
'"' The accompanying illustration of the 134, 135.
ruins was sketched by tlie \vriter in June, *" See "Proceedings oi the Royal Irish 1885. It was transferred to tlie wood, by Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part William F. Wakeman, and, it was engraved,
by Mrs. Millard.
"5 Notes taken, after a visit to the place, in August. 1872.
=' See the Third Volume of this work, at March I3tli, Art. i. , chap. iii.
^' See Rev. Dr. Kelly's "Calendar of Irish Saints," p. xxiv.
"^ See Coigan's " Acta Sanctorum Ilibei- nirc," xiii. Martii. Vita S. Mochoemoci, n. 20, p. 597.
^' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
306.
3= See " Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Ap-
pendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p.
269. — " Sanctorum," Article n. ' See Acta
tomus v. , Mali xx. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 170.
-'See "Trias Thaumaturga," Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Columba;, cap. iii. . num. 10, p. 4S0.
i. , pp. 104, 105.
3" gee " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p.
—
May 20. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
contains about eighty green acres f and, its old church was built on a rocky ledge, not far from the mainland. ? A beautiful velvety soft strand stretches from it, towards the shore ; and, from this latter, at low tides, the Island can be reached on foot. ^ It is a lonely and an uninhabited spot. It may be doubted, if the present saint were identical with St. Conald Coel, Abbot on the same Island, and whose festival, with some biographical notices, has beensetdown,forthe22ndofthismonth. Ifso,however,additionalparti- culars regarding him will be found, at that date. On the vigil of their patron's festival, the people of Iniscoel neighbourhood were accustomed to observe a rigid fast, even to the time of Colgan. 9 This writer tells us, that St. Conall was Abbot of Inis-caoil. '° Father John Colgan intended," also, to have given the acts of this saint, at the 20th of May.
Article III. —St. Daniel, of Tulach. An entry is found, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 20th of May, respecting Daniel Tulchan. Quoting the same record, the Bollandists ^ enter, at this date Daniel Tulacen- sis. The latter word seems referable to a locality ; and, it has been thus ren- dered by the O'Clerys, when stating, on this day was venerated Daniel, of Tulach, in the Martyrology of Donegal. 3 Places, known as Tulach or Tul- lagh, simply, or in composition, are very numerous, throughout the whole of Ireland.
Article IV. St. Laidhgenn, or Laidcind. In the published Martyrology of Tallagh,^ this saint's name is called Laidcind ; but, it has beenmisplacedbysomescribe. Underadifferentform,hisnamealsoappears, when the Bollandists ^ assert, that Luidgenius is venerated, at the 20th of May, in the Tallagh Martyrology ; and, reference is made to Colgan, at the 12th of January, 3 with the possible remarks, which some of his successors might have to offer of a reliable character, at the 20th of May. Veneration was given on this day, as we read in the Martyrology of Donegal. ^ to [Laidhgenn. ] s Marianus and the Martyrology of Tamlacht are quoted for the foregoing statement.
Article V. St. Cromdithruibh, of Inis-crainn. This name as entered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 20th May, is Cruim Ditruib,^
3 It;is described, on the "Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," sheets 50, 58, 59, 64, 65, 66, 67, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 81, 82, 83, 84, 91, 92.
p. 205. —
Article hi. ' Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xxiv.
"" See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , Mali
^ This portion contains 21,627a. 2r. 27p. xx. S This portion contains 80,453a. 3r. 9p. 170.
Among the pretermitted saints, p.
^ These are within the barony of Boylagh, and marked on sheet 64, ibid.
^ More to the west, and under a bold jut- ting cliff, out on the Atlantic, the visitor by boat can enter a magnificent and vast ocean cavern, hollowed out by the ocean waves.
^ These observations are made, from a visit to this Island, in July, 1868.
9 See "Trias Thaumaturga," Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Columbse, cap. iii. , n. 10, p. 480.
'° See ibid. Appendix Quinta ad Acta S. Columbas, cap. x. , n. 32, p. 489.
^EditedbyDrs. ToddandReeves. See Appendix to the Introduction, p. xlvii, and pp. 134, 135. —
Article iv. ' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxiv.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , Mali xx. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 170. ^ When treating about the Life of St. Luidgenn,in "ActaSanctorumHibernise,"
n. i, p. 58.
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
134, 135.
s in a note, Dr. Todd tells us, that a para-
" See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernia;," graph, within brackets in the original MS. , xxix. Januarii. De S. Dallano Martyre, n. l6, has been added by the more recent hand.
519
—— — "
520 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 20
o Inis Criiind. The Bollandists 3 also notice Crondithubhus or Croudi- thunius de Ivi Craind, and the Tallagh MartyroloL^y is quoted, at tlie same date ; but, evidently, with some typographical errors. It seems to be the fact, that they quote from a copy Colgan possessed, and distinct from what is not to be found in the Franciscan copy. There is a small island, in Lough Corrib, and which is called Iniscreamha, translated Wildgarlick Isle. + It is situated, near Cargan,5 and within this parish,^ in the barony of Clare, and county of Galway. 7 Certain old walls of a clyclopean character are yet remaining at this place. * It cannot be positively asserted, however, that the present Inis-crainn, or Inis Cruind, corresponds with that Wildgarlick Isle; indeed, it seems improbable, that any religious edifice was in the place, alluded to by Roderick O'Flaherty. According to the Martyrology of Done- gal,? St. Cromdithruibh, of Inis-crainn, had a festival, at this date.
ArticleVI.
° In the Franciscan copy, we read such an account.
3 See Edward Gibbon's " History of the
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,"
vol. ii. , chap, xvi. , pp. 260, 261. Edition of rum," tomus ii. , lib. xvi. , num. 1037, pp. Dr. William Smith.
* See the "Popular Encyclopedia; or Conversations Lexicon," vol. ii. , p. 619.
5 See this account, in " The Ancient Part of Universal History," vol. xiii. The Ko- man History, chap. Iviii. , p. 479.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Maii
545 to 551. — See "Acta Sancto- Article xii. '
xix. De Sanctis Martyribus ^Romanis Pa- terno, Gallicolo, Urbana, Indico, Slevco, Felice, Clonico Crescentio, Calonica, Julia, Urbana, Ingenva, Saturno, Via Appia, in Ccemeterio Callisti, pp. 308, 309.
"> This is described by Aringlius, in " Roma Subterranea," lib. iii. , cap. 11.
Article xi. —'
For a full account of his Life and Writings, see the Second Volume of
this work, at the 4th of February, Art. iv.
- "FuldoedepositioHrabaniMauriAb- batis S. Alcuini in omnibus socii sed junio- ris. "—Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scot-
tish Saints," p. 200.
3 See "Acta Sanctonim," tonius iv. ,
Maii xix. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 294.
•* In"HistoriaEcclesiasticaGentisScoto-
rum," tomus iv. , Maii xix. Among the pre- termitted saints, p. 296.
' Their names or acts do not appear in the valuable work of Myles O'Reilly, B. A. , LL. D. . intituled : "Memorials of those who
May 20. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 515
CluentietJ) ©ay of iiflap*
ARTICLE I. —ST. COLMAN OF DOIRE MOR, OR KILCOLMAN, KING'S COUNTY.
{SIXTH AND SEVENTH CENTURIES. 'X
ALTHOUGH our old and venerable churches throughout. Ireland have gone to decay, still our feelings are awakened to a religious impres- siveness,whenwerecalltheirpastglories. AsundertheHebrewdispensation, when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, the Tabernacle and its enclosure constituted a holy place round which, as round a centre of sanctity,
the whole encampment was pitched ; so, while the Tabernacles of those sanc- tuaries can no longer be found, the evidences of their former location are to be met with, in many a modern waste. Still are the living Faith and the living Temple flourishing around the mouldering monuments of time ; nor are the souls of our people cold to religious influences, nor to the memories our ecclesiastical remains are sure to excite, especially when associated with the acts of our long-buried saints.
There is only a mere reference to this holy man—known as Colmanus Doremariensis—copied from the feasts in the Tallagh Martyrology, by the Bollandists,^ at the 20th of May. The present St. Colman was descended, fromthedistinguishedEoghanachtfamilyofMunster. Heissaid,^tohave been the son of yEngus, King of Munster, who had been baptized by St. Patrick,3 according to the Menologium Genealogicum and Selbach, as also according to the Lives of St. Declan 4 and of St. Endeus. s The Life of St. Mochoemoc ^ of Liath-more 1 expressly states, however, that this St. Colman, Bishop of Derrymore, was the son of Daire. Now, to us, it seems very pro- bable, that owing to some mistake, the name of his place has been substituted for his patronymic. However, he is said, by various writers, to have been the son of Darene ; and, Colgan ^ thinks this to be a more correct account. It seems probable, that he was born some time, towards the close of the sixth century. Ofhisearlycareer,wefindnoparticulars,beforeheformedareligious establishment. We are equally at a loss, to discover the exact time when he established a religious institute ; and although some recorded details are given, in reference to its locality, this latter has been questioned, by different writers. He belonged to Doire Mdr, said to have been on the confines of Munster and of Leinster, in that territory,? which is called Eile. '° A little
s See his Life, at the 21st of March, in the Third Volume of this work, Art. i.
* Taken from the Codex Killkenniensis.
'' See it published, by Colgan, at the 13th of March, chap. xvi.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xiii. = See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Martii. Vita S. Mochoemoci Abbatis de
nise," xiii. Martii. Vita S. Mochoemoci Liath-mor in Ilelia, n. 20, p. 597.
suffered for the Catholic Faith, in Ireland in the l6th, 17th, and iSth centuries. London,
1868, 8vo. — Article i.
' See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , Maii XX. Among the pretermitted
saints, p. 170.
Abbatis de Liath-mor in Helia, n. 21, p.
597.
3 See his Life, at the 17th of March, in the
ThirdVolumeofthiswork. Art. i. ,chap. xix. 4 See his Life, at the 24th of July.
9 1,1 a note by Dr. O'Donovau at this sup- plied word, Territory, he says : "If this be
true, Doire-mor is in O'Fogarty. " "IntheLifeofSt. Mochoemoc,pub-
lished by Colgan, Derrymore is stated to be
6—
5 1 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAIN2S. [May 20.
more than one mile only, as we are informed, lies between Doire-moir and Liath-mor Mochaemhdg. While Archdall places Leithmore, in tlie King's County ;" I find, that William M. Hennessy " has it in Eliogarty, county of Tipperary. In tiie former case, however, it is not easy to reconcile ourselves to Dr. O'Donovan's placing St. Mochoemoc's '3 church at the present Leaniokevoge, in the parish of Two-Mile-Burris, or Glankeen, in the barony of Elyogarty, and county of Tipperary. '•*
The holy Bishop Colman, descended from the Royal family of Momonia,'5 appears to have lived in Doire Mor, before St. Pulcherius '^ formed his reli- gious colony, at Liath-Mor Mochaemhog, Although we have already hazarded a conjecture,'7 that Derrymore was probably in the county of Tipperary, as also the Liath-mor of St. Mochoemoc yet, we now ralher sus-
;
pect, that at least the former place was situated, in the southern part of the present King's County. One of St. Colman's monks, having rambled through the Great Wood before St. Pulcherius visited it, brought some apples there- from, which had an agreeable flavour, although they appear to have grown there in a wild state. These were presented to St. Colman, who, on enquiry, was told the exact spot, where the fruit had been gathered. Then, this holy bishop said, " A multitude of Angels, ascending and descending in that wood, often appears to me, and they are numerous as a swarm of bees ; there shall a great host of the Lord's family live, indue course. " The monk replied, " O Father, then grant me leave to go thither, and to live in that place. " St. Colmanreturnedforanswer,"Goinpeace,anddwellthere,ifyoucan; and, I shall join you, that so our resurrection may be from that locality. " But, when the monk went thither, he found five strange monks beginning to work there ; and, he returned without delay to report this circumstance to St. Colman, who said, " The place is reserved for them, by the Almighty, but return, dear brother, and ask their Abbot, if he will come to me, or if I shall go to him. " When the saintly Abbot Pulcherius heard this, he answered, " I shall go to the chief Bishop,'^ for I ought to be guided by his holy example. " St. Colman greatly rejoiced, on the arrival of hisdistinguished guest, and prepared for him a bath, which through obedience the holy Abbot
Pulcheriusused. Then,boththeseservantsofGodentereduponacolloquy. Bishop Colman prophecied, saying, " Brother and fellow servant in Christ, frequently shall this my habitation be deserted, so that not even a single priest can dwell in it, owing to wars waged between the borderers of distinct pro- vinces ; but, your place shall always be inhabited, and it shall receive daily increase. " Then said Pulcherius, "O Father, on account of the reverence I owe you, I shall order a Priest from my house to come thither and to cele- brate, whenever your place may be abandoned. For, between both our places,
not more than four miles intervene. "'9
specially "in regione Muminensium. " cap xvi.
" See '" Monasticon Hibernicum," p.
402.
'^ In a note, to his copy of the Martyr-
ology of Donegal.
'3 St. Mochoemoc, also Latinized Pul-
cherius, has a festival, at the 13th of March. '•See l)r. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Imparting mutual benedictions, and
Mochoemhoq;, now Leigh, in the parish of Two-Mile-Bonis, county of Tipperary.
'' See Ibid. , chap. ii.
'^ Colgan thinks, St. Cohnan is called " Sunimus Pontifex, ' not because he had been an Archbishop, or set over other Bishops, or on account of any special exalted office in the Irisli Church—for he is simj^ly called Bishop of Doiie-Mor—but bec;iuse of his distinguished merits and sanctity, and of that reverence, which all persons enter-
>
Four Masters," vol. i. . n. (b), pp. 266, 267.
'5 " Id est, Eoganacht natus est. "
" See the Third Volume of this work, tained for him. See Colgan's " Acta Sane-
Art, i. , at the 13th of March, for a Life of . St. Mocha'mhog, or Mocha'moc, also called Pulcherius, Abbot of Liath-more, or Liath-
torum Ilibernix," -xiii . Nlartii. Vita S. Moc- ha-moci, cap. xvi. , p. 591, and n. 22, p. 597' '' If Dr. O'Donovan's identification of
May 20. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
517
entertaining a friendly intercommunication, between their respective religious families, while St. Colman, the Bishop, remained in his place, St. Pulcherius returned, with his companions, to found the celebrated monastery of Liath-mdr Mochaemhdg, where a city arose in due course,^° and thither a great number of religious flocked, to place themselves under his guid- ances^
The Great Wood, or Doire-Mor, has long since disappeared ; but, we cannot doubt the truth of a statement, that the parish, now known as Kil- colnian, partly in the barony of Ballybritt, and partly in the barony of Clon- lisk, in the southern part of the King's County, derived its name from a reli- gious house founded there, in the sixth century, by the present St. Colman. Subsequently it became a p. u'ish church. ^^ It is not correct to state, that
m
Kilcolman Old Church, King's County.
no trace of the ruins remains. ^3 The old church walls lie two or three miles south-east of Birr, and within a graveyard now enclosed, by a modern stone wallofirregularshape. TheoldruinedchurchofKilcolmanparishmeasures about 42 feet in length, interiorly, by about 21 feet in width, while the walls are about 3 feet in thickness. There was a door in the south side wall, and a window. In the western gable, which stands, there is a small window. The other gable is destroyed. Those portions of the ruins, which remain, are
Laith-mor-MochaemhogwithLeamokevoge, . in the parish of Two-mile-Burris, county of Tippernry, be correct, this is an incorrect statement of the writer, who probably was unacquainted with the real distance between
it and Kilcolman, in the King's County.
^° See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
=' According to the compiler of the Donesral Martyrology. the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Chapters of the Life of St.
Moc- hoemoc are cited, for the foregoinLj state- ments ; while, in Colgan, the Chapter is noted as the Sixteenth.
=^ See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary
nise," xiii. Martii. Vita S. Mochoemoci, of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 64. cap. xvi,, pp. 591, 592. '^ See ibid.
——
5i8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 20,
thickly capped with ivy. ^* The graveyard around is yet much used for inter- ments, and it is considerably elevated over the adjoining fields. An ancient road winds towards it from the more modern high road ; while ash trees of venerable growth are around, so that the scene looks exceedingly picturesque. A branch of the Little Brosna flows in a valley beneath. Higher up on the hill are the ruins of an old castle. An oak-wood probably shaded the valley andtheadjoiningcountry,ataformerperiod. Populartraditions,regarding the church or its former patron, are not now remembered. ^^ We have already alluded ^^ to that incident in the Life of St. Mochsemoc, when Failbe Fland, King of Cashel, had offended Colman, the Bishop, and son to Daire, and as a consequence, both St. JNIochsemoc and St. Colman proceeded together, so that redress might be obtained from the king, in his city of Cashel. The king repented of his act, and of other crimes. He then bestowed honours and
blessings on both saints, when parting for their respective places.
In the published Martyrology of Tallagli,-? we have Colman Daire-mor en- tered at this date; but, we cannot find the year for his decease noted, in our Irish Annals. The Natalis of St. Coleman was celebrated, however, in Doiremor, betweenHeliandOssory,onthe20thofMay. ^^ Thisplace,whichformerly bore the title of Doire-mor, or " the Great Wood," seems afterwards to have obtained the designation of Kilcolman, from the present saint. We find set down, likewise, in tlie Martyrology of Donegal,^9 how on this day was vene- rated Colman, of Doire Mor. Under the head of Doire Mor, also, Duald Mac Firbis enters Cohiian, bishop, at the 20th of May. 3° A St. Colonatus is com- memorated, in the work of Bishop Forbes,^' and his feast is referred either to March lytli. May 20th, or July 9th. The feast of a St. Colman, referred, by
Father John Colgan 32 to May 2otIi, can hardly be any other, than that of the present saint ; although, he is styled Bishop of Doremoronsis—evidently a mistakeforDoiremor. Furtherillustrationsortraditionsofthisoncegreatly venerated Bishop, we have been unable to glean.
Article II. St. Conall, Abbot of Iniscaoil, County of Donegal. The present holy Abbot seems to have had a double festival, within this month. The Bollandists ^ notice Conallus of Iniscail, at this day, for which they quote Colgan,^ who incorrectly places his feast at the 12th of May possibly a typographical error for the 22nd. This St. Conall was son to Mann Coelius, son of Caither, son to Ennius, surnamed Bagan, the son of Conall Gubhan, according to the " Sanctilogium Genealogicum. " He was reverenced in the church of Iniscaoil, in the coiuity of Tyrconnell, on the 20th of ^lay. At present, the fertile Island there gives name to the large parish oflnish- keel,3inthebaroniesofBanagh^andBoylagh,5andcountyofDonegal. It
'"' The accompanying illustration of the 134, 135.
ruins was sketched by tlie \vriter in June, *" See "Proceedings oi the Royal Irish 1885. It was transferred to tlie wood, by Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part William F. Wakeman, and, it was engraved,
by Mrs. Millard.
"5 Notes taken, after a visit to the place, in August. 1872.
=' See the Third Volume of this work, at March I3tli, Art. i. , chap. iii.
^' See Rev. Dr. Kelly's "Calendar of Irish Saints," p. xxiv.
"^ See Coigan's " Acta Sanctorum Ilibei- nirc," xiii. Martii. Vita S. Mochoemoci, n. 20, p. 597.
^' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
306.
3= See " Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Ap-
pendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p.
269. — " Sanctorum," Article n. ' See Acta
tomus v. , Mali xx. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 170.
-'See "Trias Thaumaturga," Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Columba;, cap. iii. . num. 10, p. 4S0.
i. , pp. 104, 105.
3" gee " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p.
—
May 20. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
contains about eighty green acres f and, its old church was built on a rocky ledge, not far from the mainland. ? A beautiful velvety soft strand stretches from it, towards the shore ; and, from this latter, at low tides, the Island can be reached on foot. ^ It is a lonely and an uninhabited spot. It may be doubted, if the present saint were identical with St. Conald Coel, Abbot on the same Island, and whose festival, with some biographical notices, has beensetdown,forthe22ndofthismonth. Ifso,however,additionalparti- culars regarding him will be found, at that date. On the vigil of their patron's festival, the people of Iniscoel neighbourhood were accustomed to observe a rigid fast, even to the time of Colgan. 9 This writer tells us, that St. Conall was Abbot of Inis-caoil. '° Father John Colgan intended," also, to have given the acts of this saint, at the 20th of May.
Article III. —St. Daniel, of Tulach. An entry is found, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 20th of May, respecting Daniel Tulchan. Quoting the same record, the Bollandists ^ enter, at this date Daniel Tulacen- sis. The latter word seems referable to a locality ; and, it has been thus ren- dered by the O'Clerys, when stating, on this day was venerated Daniel, of Tulach, in the Martyrology of Donegal. 3 Places, known as Tulach or Tul- lagh, simply, or in composition, are very numerous, throughout the whole of Ireland.
Article IV. St. Laidhgenn, or Laidcind. In the published Martyrology of Tallagh,^ this saint's name is called Laidcind ; but, it has beenmisplacedbysomescribe. Underadifferentform,hisnamealsoappears, when the Bollandists ^ assert, that Luidgenius is venerated, at the 20th of May, in the Tallagh Martyrology ; and, reference is made to Colgan, at the 12th of January, 3 with the possible remarks, which some of his successors might have to offer of a reliable character, at the 20th of May. Veneration was given on this day, as we read in the Martyrology of Donegal. ^ to [Laidhgenn. ] s Marianus and the Martyrology of Tamlacht are quoted for the foregoing statement.
Article V. St. Cromdithruibh, of Inis-crainn. This name as entered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 20th May, is Cruim Ditruib,^
3 It;is described, on the "Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," sheets 50, 58, 59, 64, 65, 66, 67, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 81, 82, 83, 84, 91, 92.
p. 205. —
Article hi. ' Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xxiv.
"" See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , Mali
^ This portion contains 21,627a. 2r. 27p. xx. S This portion contains 80,453a. 3r. 9p. 170.
Among the pretermitted saints, p.
^ These are within the barony of Boylagh, and marked on sheet 64, ibid.
^ More to the west, and under a bold jut- ting cliff, out on the Atlantic, the visitor by boat can enter a magnificent and vast ocean cavern, hollowed out by the ocean waves.
^ These observations are made, from a visit to this Island, in July, 1868.
9 See "Trias Thaumaturga," Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Columbse, cap. iii. , n. 10, p. 480.
'° See ibid. Appendix Quinta ad Acta S. Columbas, cap. x. , n. 32, p. 489.
^EditedbyDrs. ToddandReeves. See Appendix to the Introduction, p. xlvii, and pp. 134, 135. —
Article iv. ' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxiv.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , Mali xx. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 170. ^ When treating about the Life of St. Luidgenn,in "ActaSanctorumHibernise,"
n. i, p. 58.
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
134, 135.
s in a note, Dr. Todd tells us, that a para-
" See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernia;," graph, within brackets in the original MS. , xxix. Januarii. De S. Dallano Martyre, n. l6, has been added by the more recent hand.
519
—— — "
520 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 20
o Inis Criiind. The Bollandists 3 also notice Crondithubhus or Croudi- thunius de Ivi Craind, and the Tallagh MartyroloL^y is quoted, at tlie same date ; but, evidently, with some typographical errors. It seems to be the fact, that they quote from a copy Colgan possessed, and distinct from what is not to be found in the Franciscan copy. There is a small island, in Lough Corrib, and which is called Iniscreamha, translated Wildgarlick Isle. + It is situated, near Cargan,5 and within this parish,^ in the barony of Clare, and county of Galway. 7 Certain old walls of a clyclopean character are yet remaining at this place. * It cannot be positively asserted, however, that the present Inis-crainn, or Inis Cruind, corresponds with that Wildgarlick Isle; indeed, it seems improbable, that any religious edifice was in the place, alluded to by Roderick O'Flaherty. According to the Martyrology of Done- gal,? St. Cromdithruibh, of Inis-crainn, had a festival, at this date.
ArticleVI.
