nine years)—were past, the people were ordered to hold the jubilee on the fiftieth year, when " remission was to be proclaimed to all the inhabitants of
1
This
or its
equivalent, Aelmhagh, signifying
Lime,"
place,
was in Calraighe ;
But, it is needless to multiply examples from the Old Testament,
the land.
1
This
or its
equivalent, Aelmhagh, signifying
Lime,"
place,
was in Calraighe ;
But, it is needless to multiply examples from the Old Testament,
the land.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v8
Its Christian growth may be said to date from the time of Columkille.
But that transfer of episcopal jurisdiction is held to have occurred about the twelfth or thirteenth century.
That Island, known as the Doire-Calgach, is said to have been bestowed upon St.
Columb, by his royal kinsman, Aid ; and, there he established a monastery, where he gathered round him crowds of holy men,35 who, wearied with the turmoils of the world, sought in that retreat for the peace and con- solations of religion.
However, it must be observed, that in the time of St.
Columba, and for nearly a thousand years later, Derry and the lands adjacent were within the territory of the Kinel-Owen, or people of Eoghan, another son of Niall the Great, to whom the Aileach Tir or country of Aileach, which included Derry and the barony of Inishowen, was given as a patri-
6
mony for his descendants. 3
It is stated, that the See of Derry was first established,—a. d. 1158. 37 The
38
successor of St. Columkille,
—FlaithbertachO'Brolchain alsothenameis
writtenFlahertyO'Brollaghan^ andnowAnglicizedBradley,
a man of great note at the time when he lived. The person, named by the Annalists as his successor in the see, is styled Bishop of Derry and Raphoe ; but, it is by no means certain, that he ever held either See, and most im- probable that he held both Sees united. The five succeeding bishops are all styled Bishops of Tyrone or Ardstraw ; and it would appear, that this ancient See of St. Eugene was not properly amalgamated with that of Derry till 1295, when Henry of Ardagh,* Cistercian monk, was elected by the Dean and chapter of Derry. A sad account of religious persecution and in- tolerance follows during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The Catholic clergy and laity were not even allowed to reside within the walls of Londonderry. Theywereobligedtoassemble,duringthatperiod,inoutof the way places, to celebrate the Divine mysteries. 41
QuintaVita S. Columbae, lib. i. , cap. xlviii. , p. 397.
36 According to the Book of Lecan, fol.
70. See "Memoir of the City and North
Western Liberties of Londonderry," parish
of Templemore, part ii. , sect, i. , p. 1 8.
chain, coarb of Columbkille, tower of wisdom
and hospitality, to whom for his wisdom
and great virtues, the clergy of Ireland had
presented a bishop's chair (See), and who had been offered the superintendence of
the monastery of Iona, after having borne the pains of a long infirmity with patience,
3?
"
By a decree of synod held in 1 158,
Brigh-mac-Thaig, in Meath, in which
Gelasius, the Primate, and Christian, Bishop
of Lismore, and Legate Apostolic, with Mac Laig O'Branan. See Dr. O'Donovan's
twenty-five other bishops assisted, the Epis- copal See of Derry was founded, and Flath- bert O'Brolchain, Abbot of Derry, a learned
man, was preferred to the See, and its
" Annals of the Four Masters," vol. hi. , pp. 48, 49.
*° His family name was Geraghty, and he
was a member of a distinguished Connaught
cathedral was erected by him, with the family. From his death in 1297, there is no
assistance of Maurice — in the links of the
King of Ireland, A. D. 1 164. "
chain, snapped afterwards asunder for a time by the cruel murder of Bishop Redmond O'Gallagher, who, as the Four Masters tersely state, "was killed by the English in
O'Kane's country, on the 15th of March, 1601. " O'Gallagher was translated from the diocese of Killala, and he seems to have succeeded Dr. Eugene O'Doherty, who was consecrated Bishop of Derry in 1558, and
Walsh's
"
died most piously in the monastery of Derry. He was succeeded in the Abbey by Gilla
M'Laughlin (O'Neill), difficulty finding episcopal
Rev. Thomas Ecclesiastical History of Ireland. 38 See his Life in the Sixth Volume of this work, at the 9th of June, Art. i. He is said to have founded a Monastery called Cella Nigra, for Canons Regular, at Derry, A. D. 545. It was the parent house, whence originated the Monastery of St. Peter and St. Paul, at Armagh, as appears from the
Register of John Bole, Archbishop of who died in 1 569. This latter bishop was Armagh. SeeSirJamesWare,"DeHiber- anearkinsmanoftheill-fatedSirCahir,and
nia et Antiquitatibus ejus," cap. xxvi. ,
accompanied him to Derry in 1 566, to meet the lord deputy Sydney. See Rev. Charles P. Meehan's " of the 288.
Note, 2nd Ed.
p. 184.
*>
Recording
Masters write
his death in
thus : Flahertach
the Four O'Brol-
1175,
Flight Earls," p.
it is was said,
344 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 33.
Between the years 1840 and 1850, great exertions were made to collect funds for building a new Cathedral in honour of God and of St. Eugene/3 just outside the walls of Deny. Soon after the latter year, the foundation stone was laid by the Most Rev. Dr. Kelly, Bishop of the Diocese, a number of priests and a vast concourse of people being present. The building was prosecuted with spirit and zeal for a great number of years, to avoid incurring a crushing debt during its erection. In the beginning of 1873, the works hadnearlyapproachedcompletion. OnSundaythe4thofMayfollowing, the grand ceremonies of a dedication took place, the Most Rev. Dr. Kelly, Bishop of Derry, officiating. -" A Pontifical High Mass was celebrated, at
which the Most Rev. Dr. Lynch, Coadjutor Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin,
preached; whileintheeveningatVespers,theMostRev. GeorgeConroy,
Bishop of Ardagh, was the preacher.
The nave of the church is most spacious, and it is sufficient to accom-
modate an immense number of people. It is 160 feet in length, and 35 feet
in breadth. It is approached through the grand entrance, at the base of the
spire. The groined roof is supported on a double series of massive stone
pillars. All along each side are the heads in stone, representative of saints
and benefactors of the Church. ** The chancel is worthy of note for its
richness and unrivalled elegance. The railings which separate the chancel
from the other parts of the church are in Caen stone and formed of Irish and
Sicilian marbles. They present a series of Gothic-headed arches, enriched with
carvings. A polished Sicilian marble slab is supported upon a red marble
shaft, placed between each arch. The high altar is graceful, yet varied in a
most artistic manner. Its rustic spirals and numerous clusterings are very
beautiful. It is composed of Caen stone, Irish red and green, and Sicilian
marbles. It is twelve feet long on the table, which is one continuous
slab of polished marble. The tabernacle and thrones are, like the
altar,amassofclusteringsanddisplayingbeautifuldesigns. OntheGospel and Epistle side of the tabernacle are placed three canopies, with gablets,«s
41 The "old people living in Derry could tell of attending Mass on the top of Greenan
Hill, at Creggan Burn, and at Ballyma- groarty, when Father O'Donnell, afterwards Bishop of Derry, officiated. Toleration at first, and liberty at length were granted. With the lingering memories of bygone days still living within them, the Catholic people once more assembled for divine worship on the site of the Dew-Regies—the Black Abbey Church—of St. Columkille A little covering formed of boards sheltered the celebrating priest, and his timid flock knelt on the damp grass among the waving osiers, with which the spot was overgrown. In 1784, Dr. Lynch, a priest of the parish ofTemplemore, set about building a chapel, which was completed in two years. Towards the erection of this, the Earl of Bristol, then Protestant Bishop of Derry, contributed 200 guineas. In the time between 1810 and 18 1 2, a new aisle and galleries were added, and the entire building then was estimated as having cost ^2,700. Great it was for its time, and truly zealous were the priests and laics who struggled so nobly for its erection.
4a An illustration of this structure has been
presented already in the Sixth Volume of this work, and at the 9th of June, in the Life of St. Columkille or Columba, Abbot of Iona, andApostleofCaledonia,chap. xvi. There, however, a mis-statement has been made, that the Derry Cathedral had been dedicated to that saint, and not to the Patron St. Eugene.
43 Several prelates were also present, be- sides the Most Rev. Dr. McGettigan, Arch- bishop of Armagh, and Primate of all Ireland ; together with a large attendance of Clergy, and a densely crowded congre-
gation.
44 The organ was built by Messrs. Telford
and Telford, of Dublin, and its erection was superintended by Mr. John Horan of Lon-
donderry. Many of the foregoing and succeeding particulars are taken from a description in the Freeman's Journal of January 29th, 1873.
4S In a space between the gablets, on a
marble shaft, stands an angel. The sculptures
in the lower part, under the string-course, are as follows : 1st panel, under the figure
of St. Eugene,—on the Gospel-side of the
altar. — The
Subject Cottage
of Nazareth. 2nd subject The finding of our Blessed
August 23. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 345
&c, and finials, supported by six red marble columns, having carved capitals. The altar of the Blessed Sacrament, and the altar of the Blessed Virgin, on either side, are each elaborately carved, and composed of Caen stone and of Irish marbles/6 The sculptures and columns are most beautiful. *? The pulpit is in stone, the same as the altars, and struck out in panels carved in relief. It is approached by a flight of steps in stone, with a richly-wrought balustrade. It is of the same material as the railings, and it is a perfect mass
8
of carving, supported upon marble columns with capitals/
In seven of its sides are deeply-sunk niches with canopied heads and carvings,** supported
by triplet columns, and with crocketted hood-mouldings. *
Like the charming flowers, that cover the face of our fair Island on each
returning May-day, and whose places and forms soon fade even from our
•view,aremanyofourholycountrymen. Thefragranceoftheirvirtueshow- ever remains, and after death again they arise and bloom in a state of immortality, while their remembrance is still treasured among our best inheritances. Their examples yet inspire us to labour for the heavenly crown. Weshouldbearinmindtoattainsuchareward,thatfourthings especially concur in justification : the infusion of grace, the motion arising from grace and free-will, contrition and the pardon of sin. s1 The saints had an early intuition of God's purpose to make them vessels of election ; they corresponded with the Divine call with alacrity and zeal ; they were humble and contrite ; while such dispositions were sure to give them place among the true followers of Christ on earth, and a high degree of happiness and glory among the beatified in Heaven.
Article II. —The Seven Bishops of Aelmhagh, i. e. at Donihnach- mor, probably in the County of Leitrim. The mystic number seven marked some of the most important events and regulations among the Jews. Thus, the seventh day was the Sabbath ; the seventh year was the sabbath of the land, in which the people were commanded not to sow t—he land, nor to prune the vineyards. And again, when seven weeks of years (i. e. forty-
Lord in the Temple. 3rd subject—The Derry, as the Most Rev. John Keys
Marriage Feast at Cana. The next panels,
which form the altar front, are filled with
medallions, with floriated crosses, and the
I. H. S. carved therein. 7th subject—Our «• The subjects are as follows: Our Blessed Lord giving sight to the Blind. Blessed Lord's Sermon on the Mount. St. 8th subject—Healing the Paralytic. 9th Peter preaching. St. Patrick preaching subject—The Raising of Lazarus. 1st. before the Kings of Tara. SS. Matthew
Above the string-course, on the Gospel-side,
St. Eugene, the patron saint of the diocese.
2nd. Group of adoring angels. 3rd. Group—
The Nativity of our Blessed Lord. 4th.
Group of adoring angels. Here comes the
Throne. — of
5th. Group adoring angels.
and Mark. SS. Luke and John. St. Patrick. St. Bridget.
so The Irish Builder of 1873, thus describes the pulpit :—" The base of the work is stinted and stooled to receive the bases of the pillars or shafts, upon which are placed the caps, each one of which is carved
6th. Group The Presentation of our Blessed
Lord in the Temple. 7th. Group of adoring in natural and conventional foliage, all
angels. 8th. Figure under canopy ; St. ^
Columkille, in a monk's garb, with a crown at his feet.
46 Chiefly Galway green and Cork red.
*i For particulars stated in the text, see the Londonderry /ourna/ of May 5th, 1873. This admirable description was written by the Very Rev. and learned Parish Priest of Newtownstewart, at that time, and since he has been elevated to the episcopal see of
different in design. Upon the capitals is placed a boldly projecting cornice in one stone, which serves for the platform of the pulpit. Above this line, it assumes the
octangular form. "
5t See "Cistercian Legends of the
Thirteenth Century," translated from the Latin, by Henry Collins, p. 19, London, 1872. i2mo.
Article ii. —' See Leviticus, xxv.
O'Dogherty, D. D.
48 Its design and execution are the work
of Messrs. Early and Powell, Dublin.
U„
346 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 23.
nine years)—were past, the people were ordered to hold the jubilee on the fiftieth year, when " remission was to be proclaimed to all the inhabitants of
1
This
or its
equivalent, Aelmhagh, signifying
Lime,"
place,
was in Calraighe ;
But, it is needless to multiply examples from the Old Testament,
the land. "
where the word occurs nearly one hundred times, as a sacred and peculiar modeofenumeration. Soarewestruckwiththeuseofthewordseven,in our old Litanies and Calendars. It is entered in the —
published Martyrology of Tallagh, that veneration was given at the 23rd of August, to Sect
Septem—nesp. Domnaighmoir, Elmaighi. Somewhat differently is this entered in the Book of Leinster copy of the Martyrology, at the same date. 3
" Plain of the
but, we are not told, in which of the many districts thus called in Ireland it had been situated. « There were several tribes called Calraidhe or Calry, and so noticed as being descended from Lewy Cal. s The names of the places so called serve to perpetuate the memory of those clans. Thus, one of them settled in the ancient Tenia, and the denomination is
6
locally preserved in Slievegolry, near Ardagh, in the County of Longford. '
Moreover, Calry, in the County of Sligo, and it is thought Calary in Wicklow, stillpreservethenamesofthosetribes. AlthoughinthenoticeofAelmhagh,
at a. m. 3790, Dr. O'Donovan does not attempt to identify Aelmhagh, in
8
2
when he meets an account of the
of at Aelmhagh,
Calraighe ;
a. d. 781, he says, this Sept was probably one, otherwise called Calraighe-an- Chala, and seated in the barony of Clonlonan, in the County of Westmeath. 9 Under the heading of Domhnach-mor-Aolmaighe, Duald Mac Firbis records theseven
old Irish
yet,
Calraighe
bishops Litany,"
of at 10 Inthat Domhnach-mor-Aolmaighe, August, 23rd.
ascribed to St. — there is an invocation of the seven Aengus,
bishops of Domnach Calliraigi most probably referring to those of Aelmaighe, although the latter denomination has not been introduced. 12 The history of those bishops we are unable to unfold ; nor is it possible for us to state when they lived, or if all had been contemporaries. It seems
3 Edited Rev. Dr. xxxii. by Kelly, p.
3 Thus : Sechc n epy lOotnnAij; moi|\ eLiriAige.
4 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (a), p. 50.
defective in the commencement—
in the
5 He was the grand-uncle of Maccon, fessor Bryan O'Looney, it has been care- King of Ireland, in the third century. fully collated with the original, and published
6
tain of the Calry people. " Ferguson, by the Royal Irish Academy in a "
county Longford ; which shows that Calry with the ten missing folia, belonging to the
of north Teffia extended northward as far Library of the Franciscans, Merchant's-quay,
as these two townlands. "—Dr. Patrick W. Dublin, published by the Royal Irish
'*
Origin and History of Irish Names of Places," part ii. , chap, ii. , p. 119.
8 In his edition of the " Annals of the Four Masters," at a. d. 239, Dr. O'Donovan says a place called Allamagh was probably
intended for Ealamhagh, t. e. , the plain of the River Alio, in the County of Cork. See vol. i. , n. (t), p. 112.
Academy, Dublin, in a fine folio volume, 1880, under the able editorship of Robert Atkinson, M. A. , LL. D. The work itself was transcribed from the originals, by Mr. Joseph O'Longan, who departed this life before the publication appeared.
13 The reader who desires a fuller
acquaintance with the Litany itself, may find the Irish text published, with an English translation and a critical description of it, in " The Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. iii. , May and June Numbers, 1867.
Joyce's
9 See ibid. , n. (h), p. 387. 10 "
See Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. 106, 107.
" A copy of this is to be found—but
'3 William M. Hennessy, M. R. I. A.
Leabhar Breac, a Manuscript belonging to the Royal Irish Academy. This valuable MS. has been transcribed by Mr. Joseph O'Longan, and in conjunction with Pro-
Namely, Sliabh g Calraidhe, or "Moun- under direction of the late Sir Samuel
7 There is a townland called Drumhalry fine folio volume in 1876. However, a
(Druim Chalraidhe, the ridge of the Calry),
near Carrigallen in Leitrim ; and another of
the same name in the parish of Killoe,
perfect copy of the Litany is to be found in the Book of Leinster, a Manuscript belong- ing to the Library of Trinity College, and
August 23. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 347
most probable, however, that they were commemorated, as having passed out of this world, in successive periods, and as having been buried subse- quentlyintheplacewhichhasbeenmentioned. WeareassuredbyDuald Mac Firbis, and by his learned Irish topographical commentator,^ that Domhnach-mor-Aelmhagh or Aolmaighe is in Breifne-O'Ruiarc ; and con-
sequently,
Donaghmore, ofLeitrim. 1* Wefindrecorded,
barony
15 See "
of the
Irish
states : of the Saints "4. Catalogue
that it is now known as
1 * in the likewise,
of Droma-
and
6 at this same date, The Seven Domhnach-mor.
inthe
hire,
County
Martyrology
of
of the Carthusian Martyrology, at the 23rd of August, Henry Fitzsimon, S. J. ,
1 The Bollandists, at this same date, cite the same
2
but, remarking, also, that his festival is noted at the previous day, in Scotia or Hibernia, and
without the title of Martyr. They consider him to be identical with St.
Barr ; Bishop and Patron of Cork, whose chief feast is celebrated on the
25th of September; and therefore, to this latter day, they defer further
notices regarding him. 3 However, the Bishop of Cork alluded to has not
the designation of Martyr applied to him, in our ancient Irish Calendars. *
At the 23rd of August, Thomas Dempster enters St. Barr, a bishop and
5
Article IV. —St. Nectan, Bishop of Aberdeen, in Scotland.
Donegal,'
Article III. —Reputed Feast of St. Barrea, Bishop. On authority
enters Barrea,
Bishop.
authority for a festival to "S. Barrsea episcopus martyr ";
confessor.
In the Scottish Calendar of David Camerarius, at the 23rd of August, there is mentioned a St. Nectan, Bishop of Aberdeen. We do not know if his origin be referable to Ireland or to Scotland. There are some special notices of this holy ma—n, in the admirable work of Bishop Forbes. 1 Howeve—r, this saint's name like that of many Irish saints vene- rated in Scotland does not appear in our native Calendars. We are told,
14 In the parish of Cloonclare. It is of the Society of Jesus. Illustrated from
represented on the " Ordnance Survey contemporary Documents, correspondence
{Twelfth Century. ~\
Townland Maps for the County of Leitrim," sheets u, 12.
of Irish Jesuits, and Government Officials, In giving a list of his writings, Father
Proceedings
Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. ,
part i. , p. 85, and n. 18. Also, allusion to this place occurs at the 14th of December.
16
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 226, 227.
3
1615 and 1619 ;
Liege, 1619 ;
Lisbon,
— "HistoriaeCatholicselbernise Compendium,"
Article hi.
tomus i. , lib. iv. , chap, xii. , p. 52.
•
See O'Sullevan Beare's 1620
Antwerp
1621
Royal
Hogan
of Ireland, MS. , finished the 9th April, 161 1; ed. in 1611 or 1612, says Dr. Rothe. The Bollandists cite the editiens of i6u and 1619 ; there were also those of Douay,
There is no warrant for the latter
epithet, in the Calendar of Fitzsimon, which
we have seen ; however, there were various Augusti xxiii. Among the pretermitted editions of this work, as we learn from the
researchful and interesting sketch of Father
Fitzsimon's Life, by Father Edmund Hogan,
S. J. , and postfixed to this editor's valuable
and learned
to persecuted Catholics: written in Exile,
anno 1607. Letters from a cell in Dublin p. 209.
Castle, and Diary of the Bohemian War of Article iv.
publication,
Menologium Scotorum, "
Bishop
" Words of comfort
September, in the succeeding Volume of this work, Art i.
— 1620," by Father Henry Fitzsimon, Priest Saints," pp. 239, 419.
;
;
Antwerp, 1627
;
of i. e. , at Bishops, Aelmhagh,
also at Antwerp in Vtndicia Ibernice, 1621— ;
and in Rome, 1690, in Porter's Annates. " Sect. 18, pp. 281, 282.
3 sCe "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. ,
Saints, p. 554.
4 See his Life, written at the 25th
s See Forbes'
in Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
'See "Kalendarsof Scottish
348 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 24.
that he was bishop of Mortlach, in the reign of King David, and that he was translated to Aberdeen, in the year 1136. " In a charter of that king, he is mentioned, as obtaining certain lands given to God, to St. Mary, to St. Machar, and to Nectan, Bishop of Aberdeen, and to be held in sole and free alms. 3 We are informed, that he was in such favour with King David,4 that the latter consulted him in all affairs of moment, and that on his wise counsels the monarch was always accustomed to act. *
Article V. —Feast of St. Fortunatus and of his Companions, Martyrs. IntheearlyIrishChurch,aswelearnfromthe"Feilire"ofSt. ^Engus, the feast of St. Fortunatus and of his companions, Martyrs, was held
1
All that can possibly be known, regarding these holy persons who underwent martyrdom at Aquileia and Rome, in Italy, has been given by the Bollandists,* at this same date. Those saints are mentioned in that ancient Martyrology, which Florentinius has attributed to
St. Jerome.
Ctoentpsfourtf) JBap of august.
ARTICLE I. —ST. PATRICK, ABBOT AND BISHOP OF RUIS DELA, PROBABLY ROSSDALLA, COUNTY OF WESTMEATH.
[PROBABLY IN THE FIFTH CENTURY. }
very frequently happens, that the few glimmerings of historic light IT coming down to our times, and in reference especially to the Saints of
Ireland, have to be interpreted by conjectures, which are neither satisfactory nor reliable. There were three distinct Saints thus named, and thus
distinguished, viz. , St. Patrick, the great Apostle of Ireland, St. Patrick
supposed to have presided over Glastonbury Abbey, in England, and who is said to have been there interred. By many old writers, even this latter was confounded with the great Irish Apostle. This subject has been
8 See "View of the Diocese of Vberdeen," p. 143.
3 See " Registrum Episcopatus Aberdo- nensis," vol. i. , p. 4.
4 He ascended the Scottish throne, a. d. 1 124, and reigned to a. d. 1 153. See Rev. Dr. James Taylor's "Pictorial History of
Scotland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , pp. 60 to 66.
5 According to the Scottish Entries in the
on the 23rd of August.
and St. Patrick 1 No doubt, a considerable amount of error Junior.
Senior,
has crept into medieval chronicles, when dealing with former loose traditions in reference to those holy persons. This St. Patrick, Abbot and Bishop of Ruis Dela, is probably confounded with a certain St. Patrick Senior, who is
Calendar of Da—vid Camerarius.
6
mony for his descendants. 3
It is stated, that the See of Derry was first established,—a. d. 1158. 37 The
38
successor of St. Columkille,
—FlaithbertachO'Brolchain alsothenameis
writtenFlahertyO'Brollaghan^ andnowAnglicizedBradley,
a man of great note at the time when he lived. The person, named by the Annalists as his successor in the see, is styled Bishop of Derry and Raphoe ; but, it is by no means certain, that he ever held either See, and most im- probable that he held both Sees united. The five succeeding bishops are all styled Bishops of Tyrone or Ardstraw ; and it would appear, that this ancient See of St. Eugene was not properly amalgamated with that of Derry till 1295, when Henry of Ardagh,* Cistercian monk, was elected by the Dean and chapter of Derry. A sad account of religious persecution and in- tolerance follows during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The Catholic clergy and laity were not even allowed to reside within the walls of Londonderry. Theywereobligedtoassemble,duringthatperiod,inoutof the way places, to celebrate the Divine mysteries. 41
QuintaVita S. Columbae, lib. i. , cap. xlviii. , p. 397.
36 According to the Book of Lecan, fol.
70. See "Memoir of the City and North
Western Liberties of Londonderry," parish
of Templemore, part ii. , sect, i. , p. 1 8.
chain, coarb of Columbkille, tower of wisdom
and hospitality, to whom for his wisdom
and great virtues, the clergy of Ireland had
presented a bishop's chair (See), and who had been offered the superintendence of
the monastery of Iona, after having borne the pains of a long infirmity with patience,
3?
"
By a decree of synod held in 1 158,
Brigh-mac-Thaig, in Meath, in which
Gelasius, the Primate, and Christian, Bishop
of Lismore, and Legate Apostolic, with Mac Laig O'Branan. See Dr. O'Donovan's
twenty-five other bishops assisted, the Epis- copal See of Derry was founded, and Flath- bert O'Brolchain, Abbot of Derry, a learned
man, was preferred to the See, and its
" Annals of the Four Masters," vol. hi. , pp. 48, 49.
*° His family name was Geraghty, and he
was a member of a distinguished Connaught
cathedral was erected by him, with the family. From his death in 1297, there is no
assistance of Maurice — in the links of the
King of Ireland, A. D. 1 164. "
chain, snapped afterwards asunder for a time by the cruel murder of Bishop Redmond O'Gallagher, who, as the Four Masters tersely state, "was killed by the English in
O'Kane's country, on the 15th of March, 1601. " O'Gallagher was translated from the diocese of Killala, and he seems to have succeeded Dr. Eugene O'Doherty, who was consecrated Bishop of Derry in 1558, and
Walsh's
"
died most piously in the monastery of Derry. He was succeeded in the Abbey by Gilla
M'Laughlin (O'Neill), difficulty finding episcopal
Rev. Thomas Ecclesiastical History of Ireland. 38 See his Life in the Sixth Volume of this work, at the 9th of June, Art. i. He is said to have founded a Monastery called Cella Nigra, for Canons Regular, at Derry, A. D. 545. It was the parent house, whence originated the Monastery of St. Peter and St. Paul, at Armagh, as appears from the
Register of John Bole, Archbishop of who died in 1 569. This latter bishop was Armagh. SeeSirJamesWare,"DeHiber- anearkinsmanoftheill-fatedSirCahir,and
nia et Antiquitatibus ejus," cap. xxvi. ,
accompanied him to Derry in 1 566, to meet the lord deputy Sydney. See Rev. Charles P. Meehan's " of the 288.
Note, 2nd Ed.
p. 184.
*>
Recording
Masters write
his death in
thus : Flahertach
the Four O'Brol-
1175,
Flight Earls," p.
it is was said,
344 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 33.
Between the years 1840 and 1850, great exertions were made to collect funds for building a new Cathedral in honour of God and of St. Eugene/3 just outside the walls of Deny. Soon after the latter year, the foundation stone was laid by the Most Rev. Dr. Kelly, Bishop of the Diocese, a number of priests and a vast concourse of people being present. The building was prosecuted with spirit and zeal for a great number of years, to avoid incurring a crushing debt during its erection. In the beginning of 1873, the works hadnearlyapproachedcompletion. OnSundaythe4thofMayfollowing, the grand ceremonies of a dedication took place, the Most Rev. Dr. Kelly, Bishop of Derry, officiating. -" A Pontifical High Mass was celebrated, at
which the Most Rev. Dr. Lynch, Coadjutor Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin,
preached; whileintheeveningatVespers,theMostRev. GeorgeConroy,
Bishop of Ardagh, was the preacher.
The nave of the church is most spacious, and it is sufficient to accom-
modate an immense number of people. It is 160 feet in length, and 35 feet
in breadth. It is approached through the grand entrance, at the base of the
spire. The groined roof is supported on a double series of massive stone
pillars. All along each side are the heads in stone, representative of saints
and benefactors of the Church. ** The chancel is worthy of note for its
richness and unrivalled elegance. The railings which separate the chancel
from the other parts of the church are in Caen stone and formed of Irish and
Sicilian marbles. They present a series of Gothic-headed arches, enriched with
carvings. A polished Sicilian marble slab is supported upon a red marble
shaft, placed between each arch. The high altar is graceful, yet varied in a
most artistic manner. Its rustic spirals and numerous clusterings are very
beautiful. It is composed of Caen stone, Irish red and green, and Sicilian
marbles. It is twelve feet long on the table, which is one continuous
slab of polished marble. The tabernacle and thrones are, like the
altar,amassofclusteringsanddisplayingbeautifuldesigns. OntheGospel and Epistle side of the tabernacle are placed three canopies, with gablets,«s
41 The "old people living in Derry could tell of attending Mass on the top of Greenan
Hill, at Creggan Burn, and at Ballyma- groarty, when Father O'Donnell, afterwards Bishop of Derry, officiated. Toleration at first, and liberty at length were granted. With the lingering memories of bygone days still living within them, the Catholic people once more assembled for divine worship on the site of the Dew-Regies—the Black Abbey Church—of St. Columkille A little covering formed of boards sheltered the celebrating priest, and his timid flock knelt on the damp grass among the waving osiers, with which the spot was overgrown. In 1784, Dr. Lynch, a priest of the parish ofTemplemore, set about building a chapel, which was completed in two years. Towards the erection of this, the Earl of Bristol, then Protestant Bishop of Derry, contributed 200 guineas. In the time between 1810 and 18 1 2, a new aisle and galleries were added, and the entire building then was estimated as having cost ^2,700. Great it was for its time, and truly zealous were the priests and laics who struggled so nobly for its erection.
4a An illustration of this structure has been
presented already in the Sixth Volume of this work, and at the 9th of June, in the Life of St. Columkille or Columba, Abbot of Iona, andApostleofCaledonia,chap. xvi. There, however, a mis-statement has been made, that the Derry Cathedral had been dedicated to that saint, and not to the Patron St. Eugene.
43 Several prelates were also present, be- sides the Most Rev. Dr. McGettigan, Arch- bishop of Armagh, and Primate of all Ireland ; together with a large attendance of Clergy, and a densely crowded congre-
gation.
44 The organ was built by Messrs. Telford
and Telford, of Dublin, and its erection was superintended by Mr. John Horan of Lon-
donderry. Many of the foregoing and succeeding particulars are taken from a description in the Freeman's Journal of January 29th, 1873.
4S In a space between the gablets, on a
marble shaft, stands an angel. The sculptures
in the lower part, under the string-course, are as follows : 1st panel, under the figure
of St. Eugene,—on the Gospel-side of the
altar. — The
Subject Cottage
of Nazareth. 2nd subject The finding of our Blessed
August 23. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 345
&c, and finials, supported by six red marble columns, having carved capitals. The altar of the Blessed Sacrament, and the altar of the Blessed Virgin, on either side, are each elaborately carved, and composed of Caen stone and of Irish marbles/6 The sculptures and columns are most beautiful. *? The pulpit is in stone, the same as the altars, and struck out in panels carved in relief. It is approached by a flight of steps in stone, with a richly-wrought balustrade. It is of the same material as the railings, and it is a perfect mass
8
of carving, supported upon marble columns with capitals/
In seven of its sides are deeply-sunk niches with canopied heads and carvings,** supported
by triplet columns, and with crocketted hood-mouldings. *
Like the charming flowers, that cover the face of our fair Island on each
returning May-day, and whose places and forms soon fade even from our
•view,aremanyofourholycountrymen. Thefragranceoftheirvirtueshow- ever remains, and after death again they arise and bloom in a state of immortality, while their remembrance is still treasured among our best inheritances. Their examples yet inspire us to labour for the heavenly crown. Weshouldbearinmindtoattainsuchareward,thatfourthings especially concur in justification : the infusion of grace, the motion arising from grace and free-will, contrition and the pardon of sin. s1 The saints had an early intuition of God's purpose to make them vessels of election ; they corresponded with the Divine call with alacrity and zeal ; they were humble and contrite ; while such dispositions were sure to give them place among the true followers of Christ on earth, and a high degree of happiness and glory among the beatified in Heaven.
Article II. —The Seven Bishops of Aelmhagh, i. e. at Donihnach- mor, probably in the County of Leitrim. The mystic number seven marked some of the most important events and regulations among the Jews. Thus, the seventh day was the Sabbath ; the seventh year was the sabbath of the land, in which the people were commanded not to sow t—he land, nor to prune the vineyards. And again, when seven weeks of years (i. e. forty-
Lord in the Temple. 3rd subject—The Derry, as the Most Rev. John Keys
Marriage Feast at Cana. The next panels,
which form the altar front, are filled with
medallions, with floriated crosses, and the
I. H. S. carved therein. 7th subject—Our «• The subjects are as follows: Our Blessed Lord giving sight to the Blind. Blessed Lord's Sermon on the Mount. St. 8th subject—Healing the Paralytic. 9th Peter preaching. St. Patrick preaching subject—The Raising of Lazarus. 1st. before the Kings of Tara. SS. Matthew
Above the string-course, on the Gospel-side,
St. Eugene, the patron saint of the diocese.
2nd. Group of adoring angels. 3rd. Group—
The Nativity of our Blessed Lord. 4th.
Group of adoring angels. Here comes the
Throne. — of
5th. Group adoring angels.
and Mark. SS. Luke and John. St. Patrick. St. Bridget.
so The Irish Builder of 1873, thus describes the pulpit :—" The base of the work is stinted and stooled to receive the bases of the pillars or shafts, upon which are placed the caps, each one of which is carved
6th. Group The Presentation of our Blessed
Lord in the Temple. 7th. Group of adoring in natural and conventional foliage, all
angels. 8th. Figure under canopy ; St. ^
Columkille, in a monk's garb, with a crown at his feet.
46 Chiefly Galway green and Cork red.
*i For particulars stated in the text, see the Londonderry /ourna/ of May 5th, 1873. This admirable description was written by the Very Rev. and learned Parish Priest of Newtownstewart, at that time, and since he has been elevated to the episcopal see of
different in design. Upon the capitals is placed a boldly projecting cornice in one stone, which serves for the platform of the pulpit. Above this line, it assumes the
octangular form. "
5t See "Cistercian Legends of the
Thirteenth Century," translated from the Latin, by Henry Collins, p. 19, London, 1872. i2mo.
Article ii. —' See Leviticus, xxv.
O'Dogherty, D. D.
48 Its design and execution are the work
of Messrs. Early and Powell, Dublin.
U„
346 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 23.
nine years)—were past, the people were ordered to hold the jubilee on the fiftieth year, when " remission was to be proclaimed to all the inhabitants of
1
This
or its
equivalent, Aelmhagh, signifying
Lime,"
place,
was in Calraighe ;
But, it is needless to multiply examples from the Old Testament,
the land. "
where the word occurs nearly one hundred times, as a sacred and peculiar modeofenumeration. Soarewestruckwiththeuseofthewordseven,in our old Litanies and Calendars. It is entered in the —
published Martyrology of Tallagh, that veneration was given at the 23rd of August, to Sect
Septem—nesp. Domnaighmoir, Elmaighi. Somewhat differently is this entered in the Book of Leinster copy of the Martyrology, at the same date. 3
" Plain of the
but, we are not told, in which of the many districts thus called in Ireland it had been situated. « There were several tribes called Calraidhe or Calry, and so noticed as being descended from Lewy Cal. s The names of the places so called serve to perpetuate the memory of those clans. Thus, one of them settled in the ancient Tenia, and the denomination is
6
locally preserved in Slievegolry, near Ardagh, in the County of Longford. '
Moreover, Calry, in the County of Sligo, and it is thought Calary in Wicklow, stillpreservethenamesofthosetribes. AlthoughinthenoticeofAelmhagh,
at a. m. 3790, Dr. O'Donovan does not attempt to identify Aelmhagh, in
8
2
when he meets an account of the
of at Aelmhagh,
Calraighe ;
a. d. 781, he says, this Sept was probably one, otherwise called Calraighe-an- Chala, and seated in the barony of Clonlonan, in the County of Westmeath. 9 Under the heading of Domhnach-mor-Aolmaighe, Duald Mac Firbis records theseven
old Irish
yet,
Calraighe
bishops Litany,"
of at 10 Inthat Domhnach-mor-Aolmaighe, August, 23rd.
ascribed to St. — there is an invocation of the seven Aengus,
bishops of Domnach Calliraigi most probably referring to those of Aelmaighe, although the latter denomination has not been introduced. 12 The history of those bishops we are unable to unfold ; nor is it possible for us to state when they lived, or if all had been contemporaries. It seems
3 Edited Rev. Dr. xxxii. by Kelly, p.
3 Thus : Sechc n epy lOotnnAij; moi|\ eLiriAige.
4 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (a), p. 50.
defective in the commencement—
in the
5 He was the grand-uncle of Maccon, fessor Bryan O'Looney, it has been care- King of Ireland, in the third century. fully collated with the original, and published
6
tain of the Calry people. " Ferguson, by the Royal Irish Academy in a "
county Longford ; which shows that Calry with the ten missing folia, belonging to the
of north Teffia extended northward as far Library of the Franciscans, Merchant's-quay,
as these two townlands. "—Dr. Patrick W. Dublin, published by the Royal Irish
'*
Origin and History of Irish Names of Places," part ii. , chap, ii. , p. 119.
8 In his edition of the " Annals of the Four Masters," at a. d. 239, Dr. O'Donovan says a place called Allamagh was probably
intended for Ealamhagh, t. e. , the plain of the River Alio, in the County of Cork. See vol. i. , n. (t), p. 112.
Academy, Dublin, in a fine folio volume, 1880, under the able editorship of Robert Atkinson, M. A. , LL. D. The work itself was transcribed from the originals, by Mr. Joseph O'Longan, who departed this life before the publication appeared.
13 The reader who desires a fuller
acquaintance with the Litany itself, may find the Irish text published, with an English translation and a critical description of it, in " The Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. iii. , May and June Numbers, 1867.
Joyce's
9 See ibid. , n. (h), p. 387. 10 "
See Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. 106, 107.
" A copy of this is to be found—but
'3 William M. Hennessy, M. R. I. A.
Leabhar Breac, a Manuscript belonging to the Royal Irish Academy. This valuable MS. has been transcribed by Mr. Joseph O'Longan, and in conjunction with Pro-
Namely, Sliabh g Calraidhe, or "Moun- under direction of the late Sir Samuel
7 There is a townland called Drumhalry fine folio volume in 1876. However, a
(Druim Chalraidhe, the ridge of the Calry),
near Carrigallen in Leitrim ; and another of
the same name in the parish of Killoe,
perfect copy of the Litany is to be found in the Book of Leinster, a Manuscript belong- ing to the Library of Trinity College, and
August 23. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 347
most probable, however, that they were commemorated, as having passed out of this world, in successive periods, and as having been buried subse- quentlyintheplacewhichhasbeenmentioned. WeareassuredbyDuald Mac Firbis, and by his learned Irish topographical commentator,^ that Domhnach-mor-Aelmhagh or Aolmaighe is in Breifne-O'Ruiarc ; and con-
sequently,
Donaghmore, ofLeitrim. 1* Wefindrecorded,
barony
15 See "
of the
Irish
states : of the Saints "4. Catalogue
that it is now known as
1 * in the likewise,
of Droma-
and
6 at this same date, The Seven Domhnach-mor.
inthe
hire,
County
Martyrology
of
of the Carthusian Martyrology, at the 23rd of August, Henry Fitzsimon, S. J. ,
1 The Bollandists, at this same date, cite the same
2
but, remarking, also, that his festival is noted at the previous day, in Scotia or Hibernia, and
without the title of Martyr. They consider him to be identical with St.
Barr ; Bishop and Patron of Cork, whose chief feast is celebrated on the
25th of September; and therefore, to this latter day, they defer further
notices regarding him. 3 However, the Bishop of Cork alluded to has not
the designation of Martyr applied to him, in our ancient Irish Calendars. *
At the 23rd of August, Thomas Dempster enters St. Barr, a bishop and
5
Article IV. —St. Nectan, Bishop of Aberdeen, in Scotland.
Donegal,'
Article III. —Reputed Feast of St. Barrea, Bishop. On authority
enters Barrea,
Bishop.
authority for a festival to "S. Barrsea episcopus martyr ";
confessor.
In the Scottish Calendar of David Camerarius, at the 23rd of August, there is mentioned a St. Nectan, Bishop of Aberdeen. We do not know if his origin be referable to Ireland or to Scotland. There are some special notices of this holy ma—n, in the admirable work of Bishop Forbes. 1 Howeve—r, this saint's name like that of many Irish saints vene- rated in Scotland does not appear in our native Calendars. We are told,
14 In the parish of Cloonclare. It is of the Society of Jesus. Illustrated from
represented on the " Ordnance Survey contemporary Documents, correspondence
{Twelfth Century. ~\
Townland Maps for the County of Leitrim," sheets u, 12.
of Irish Jesuits, and Government Officials, In giving a list of his writings, Father
Proceedings
Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. ,
part i. , p. 85, and n. 18. Also, allusion to this place occurs at the 14th of December.
16
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 226, 227.
3
1615 and 1619 ;
Liege, 1619 ;
Lisbon,
— "HistoriaeCatholicselbernise Compendium,"
Article hi.
tomus i. , lib. iv. , chap, xii. , p. 52.
•
See O'Sullevan Beare's 1620
Antwerp
1621
Royal
Hogan
of Ireland, MS. , finished the 9th April, 161 1; ed. in 1611 or 1612, says Dr. Rothe. The Bollandists cite the editiens of i6u and 1619 ; there were also those of Douay,
There is no warrant for the latter
epithet, in the Calendar of Fitzsimon, which
we have seen ; however, there were various Augusti xxiii. Among the pretermitted editions of this work, as we learn from the
researchful and interesting sketch of Father
Fitzsimon's Life, by Father Edmund Hogan,
S. J. , and postfixed to this editor's valuable
and learned
to persecuted Catholics: written in Exile,
anno 1607. Letters from a cell in Dublin p. 209.
Castle, and Diary of the Bohemian War of Article iv.
publication,
Menologium Scotorum, "
Bishop
" Words of comfort
September, in the succeeding Volume of this work, Art i.
— 1620," by Father Henry Fitzsimon, Priest Saints," pp. 239, 419.
;
;
Antwerp, 1627
;
of i. e. , at Bishops, Aelmhagh,
also at Antwerp in Vtndicia Ibernice, 1621— ;
and in Rome, 1690, in Porter's Annates. " Sect. 18, pp. 281, 282.
3 sCe "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. ,
Saints, p. 554.
4 See his Life, written at the 25th
s See Forbes'
in Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
'See "Kalendarsof Scottish
348 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 24.
that he was bishop of Mortlach, in the reign of King David, and that he was translated to Aberdeen, in the year 1136. " In a charter of that king, he is mentioned, as obtaining certain lands given to God, to St. Mary, to St. Machar, and to Nectan, Bishop of Aberdeen, and to be held in sole and free alms. 3 We are informed, that he was in such favour with King David,4 that the latter consulted him in all affairs of moment, and that on his wise counsels the monarch was always accustomed to act. *
Article V. —Feast of St. Fortunatus and of his Companions, Martyrs. IntheearlyIrishChurch,aswelearnfromthe"Feilire"ofSt. ^Engus, the feast of St. Fortunatus and of his companions, Martyrs, was held
1
All that can possibly be known, regarding these holy persons who underwent martyrdom at Aquileia and Rome, in Italy, has been given by the Bollandists,* at this same date. Those saints are mentioned in that ancient Martyrology, which Florentinius has attributed to
St. Jerome.
Ctoentpsfourtf) JBap of august.
ARTICLE I. —ST. PATRICK, ABBOT AND BISHOP OF RUIS DELA, PROBABLY ROSSDALLA, COUNTY OF WESTMEATH.
[PROBABLY IN THE FIFTH CENTURY. }
very frequently happens, that the few glimmerings of historic light IT coming down to our times, and in reference especially to the Saints of
Ireland, have to be interpreted by conjectures, which are neither satisfactory nor reliable. There were three distinct Saints thus named, and thus
distinguished, viz. , St. Patrick, the great Apostle of Ireland, St. Patrick
supposed to have presided over Glastonbury Abbey, in England, and who is said to have been there interred. By many old writers, even this latter was confounded with the great Irish Apostle. This subject has been
8 See "View of the Diocese of Vberdeen," p. 143.
3 See " Registrum Episcopatus Aberdo- nensis," vol. i. , p. 4.
4 He ascended the Scottish throne, a. d. 1 124, and reigned to a. d. 1 153. See Rev. Dr. James Taylor's "Pictorial History of
Scotland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , pp. 60 to 66.
5 According to the Scottish Entries in the
on the 23rd of August.
and St. Patrick 1 No doubt, a considerable amount of error Junior.
Senior,
has crept into medieval chronicles, when dealing with former loose traditions in reference to those holy persons. This St. Patrick, Abbot and Bishop of Ruis Dela, is probably confounded with a certain St. Patrick Senior, who is
Calendar of Da—vid Camerarius.
