'^ We are
inclined
to believe, that
ment'?
ment'?
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v4
The chastisement of heaven fell on the recusant eight, who perished on that same day, by the hands of their enemies.
He who obeyed the saint's commands was saved, through the interposition of Heaven ; and, afterwards, assuming the habit of a monk, he devoted himself to a religious life.
s'
CHAPTER II.
ST. CRONAN LEAVES CONNAUGHT AND RETURNS TO HIS OWN TERRITORY OF EILR—HE SETTLES AT LOUGH CRE—MONAHINCHA—RAID OF THE OSSORIANS—ENQUIRY AS TO WHETHER ST. CRONAN HAD BEEN A BISHOP, OR WHETHER HE WAS ONLY A PRIEST,
After the foregoing occurrences, some religious men, requiring a place of habitation,cametoSt. Cronan. Heimmediatelyrelinquishedhisowndwel- ling, in their favour ; and then, he ordered his disciples, not to take anything with them, when removing. However, it was known to the saint, one of them had disobeyed that order ; when he was obliged to return, with a sack he had taken, from that place they had left. Tliis disciple was obliged to do pen- ance, for the remainder of his days. Then, St. Cronan directed his course, to his native land of Hely, where he rested near a bog called Lurgan," oppo- site to or near the territory of Ossory, and on the western boundary of Leinster. However, he built a monastery, near Lough Cre. " Here, we are told, there was a lake. 3 Another Life of St. Cronan remarks, that in it there was a small island, in which several most religious monks lived, in after ages. '* Tiiat island isnowapproachable,overamorass; and,nodoubt,atnoveryremoteperiod, water surrounded it on every side. The Lough ormarsh,' to which allusion is
chap. i.
<' See "Acta Sanctorum," torn, iii. , xxviii.
iii. , of this work, chap. ii. There, the place is identified with Leigh, near Thiirles.
" In his it is " monas- Life, said, magnum
terium aedificavit ; et ibicrevit clara civitas, qua;vocaturA\wj--ow," SeeDr. Lanigan's '-Kcclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , sect. ii. , n. 28, p. 10.
Vita S. Cronani, Aprilis. cap.
p. 5^'- **Seeiitd.
ii. , num.
6,
<» See " The Parliamentary Gazetteer for Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. 711, 712.
5° See Rev. Dr.
cal History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, . wii. , sect, ii. , p. 7.
Lanigan's
prope
" Ecclesiasti-
^ 'ihe BoUandist Life has " it,
5' See "Acta Sanctorum,"tom. iii. , xxviii.
Aprilis. Vita S. Cronani, cap. ii,, n. 8, Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p.
p. 581. — Chapter ii.
' The reader is
^ Callem
referred, to what has been already stated, regarding the Stagnum Lurgan, in the Life of St.
Mochcemhog, at the 13th of March, in vol.
itaque prope St. ignum Cree (in rum) iedificavit ; quae Cella Sean-ross no-
stagnura Cre cellam oedificavit. "
4 This is stated, in the Life of our Saint,
as quoted by Ussher, in " Britannicarum 502. "
quo est insula niodica, in qua est monas-
terium monachorum semper religiosissimo-
However,
April 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 521
made, is thought to be the present bog of Monela f and, it extends, as already described, on the borders of the Ossorian territory. Some small lakes are still to be found over its present surface. We have been informed, by the people residing near this place, that decayed remnants of old boats have been found buried, in various parts of that bog ; while those indications prove, that for- merly a great lough covered a very considerable tract of country, the con- figuration of which shows, that the River Nore at one time expanded here into a large lake. Formerly, there were two remarkable islands on it ; the larger one containing an ancient church,' and the smaller one having a chapel. * About these very curious traditions were formerly current. ' That place, selected for Cronan's habitation, was not different from Monahincha,'° as it appearstons. Populartraditionevenasserts,thattheholymanlivedthere. The smaller island, at that place, was known as Insula Viventium, in the time of Gira- dus Carabrensis ;" because it was so salubrious, or rather owing to the merits of the patron saint, it had been supposed, that no person could die in it, let hismaladybeeversogreat. Thatisland,onwhichthemonasterywasbuilt, contained about two acres of dry ground. We are informed, that in early times, the Cselibes, or Culdees, devoutly lived there ; and, at a much later period, a prior and community of Canons Regulars succeeded them," but these moved their habitation to Corballj',"' not far distant, and where are yet to be seen some very interesting ruins, and which have a history, dating back to
a period somewhat remote.
minatur. " See the old Life of our Saint, as
quoted by Ussher, ibid.
"See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni-
cum," p. 667.
'' The from a accompanying illustration,
drawing transferred to the wood, by William F'. Wakeman, shows the arched doorway, with a portion of the interior, and remains of the eastern window. It is engraved, by Mrs.
Millard.
'" "
' See Rev. Dr.
History ol Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xii. , n. 73, p. 203.
'Giraldus Cambrensis has it: "Major
ecclesiam habet antiquae rcligionis. " '"
"
Topographia Hibernica," Dist. ii. , cap.
iv. , p. 81. " See Sir
" De Hibemia et
Opera
Lanigan's
Giraldus adds, cui pauci caelibes, quos Cselicolas vel Colideos vocant, devote dcser- viunt. "
By Archdall, in his Monasticon Hibernicum," when treating about Roscrea,
» See Giraldi Cambrensis' "
v. , edited by James F. Dimock, M. A. To-
pographia ilibernica, Dist. ii. , cap. iv. , pp. 80, 81.
" Ecclesiastical
Opera,"
vol.
at
puzzled by the name Lou;^hree—, Archdall
"guessed at that of Louglikee. "
" This townland lies within the parish of astical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , cap.
Corbally, and barony of Ikerrin, being shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Town-
land Maps for the County of Tipperary,"
xvii. , sect, ii. , n. 25, p. 9. "" See Harris' Ware, vol.
Ireland," Book i. , p. 21.
ii. ,
" Writers of
sheets 12, 17, 18.
"'
While at Senniys, . St. Cronan is said to
" Giraldi Cambrensis,
" See "
edited by James F. Dimock, M. A. , vol. v.
have miracles. " wrought many
In "Notes on Irish Architecture," by Exlwin, third EarlofDunraven, edited by Miss Maryaret Stokes, the Cella Seanross is said to be "
properly
James Ware,
Antiquitatibus ejus, Disquisitiones," cap. ii. , p. 119.
xxvi. , pp. 206, 207. '3 The old name Ross Cre is rendered
" Now a parish, partly in the barony of "the wooded point of Cre," while another Ikerrin, and shown, on the "Ordnance Sur- derivation for it is said to be Riasc Cre,
vey Townland Maps for the County of Tip- perary," sheets 12, 17, 18; and portly in
or the moor, marsh, or fen of Cre. See ibiii.
the Baronies of
Ballybritt
and Clonlisk,
'* See Harris' vol. Ware,
"
shown on the "Ordnance Survey Townland
Maps for the King's County," sheets 42,
43. 45-
" See Archdall's " Motiasticon Hiberui-
cum," p. 672.
'5 See an article, intituled, "Ancient Irish
ii. ,
ties of Ireland," chap, xxxviii. , p. 267.
Wonders" by P. W. Joyce, in vol. ii, No. 2,p. 28.
"
sky about it is frequently most brilli. intly illu- minatedbynight. Aaoldman,ofneareighty
Ilibernia,"
p. 672.
'» Rev. Dr. Lanigan supposes, that being
called vol. Stagnura Cre,"
'5 Papebroke does not consider him to be the same as Fursoeus, Abbot of Lagny, venerated on the i6th of January.
" Near Monahincha, a local legend was
told the that the whole of the writer,
" Ecclesi-
Antiqui-
'
S. iints," tome v. , x. 'iviii^ Jourd'Avril, p. 57. ^° Jiiluana, the widow of . \la. -lrony O'Car- Mochoemoc, chap. x\ix. Prohauly, it was roll, lurnished the necessary funds. See
522 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 28.
The great Ballaghmore, or pass between Munster and Leinster, was not far reijioved from the spot; and, on this public road, several holy pilgrims and others were found to be travelling, even at this early period.
"
That great road, called the King's highway,""^ ])assed on to Roscrea,
and the present reconstructed public road deviates hardly at all from the very ancient one. On the Is-
. v;:"^'Ui
land of Monahincha yet stand the remains of a
verybeautifulold edifice,
the doorway of which,
with its curiously-carved and concentric semi-cir- cular archway, is the ad- miration of every be- holder. It is decidedly very ancient, and it is builtin the characteristic Irish style. The beauti- ful little chur—ch-ruin of M onahinsha
speaking population as
Inislmameo, or Inse-
" nam-beo,
Monahincha, County of Tipperary.
Masses of ivy mantle over jior- tioas of the walls. The materials, used in the construction of this very beau- tifuloldchurch,wereexcellent; and,thesemusthavebeentransportedthither, from some distance. —It is incorrectly said,'^ that Cronan built his cell, in an
island of Loughkee yet, it is evident, I. ough Cree should be substituted
;
for, Loughkee or Loughkay is in the county of Leitrim, and far from St. Cronan's country. '^ While he lived in or visited the Island of Ross-Cre, it is said, that St. Canice wrote a volume of tiie Four Evangelists, which was called by the ancients Glass-Kynnick. '-° In St. Cronan's time, the place was called Senruys;"" but,indeed,it is ralherdifficult to determine, whether this name be applicable 10 Monahincha,"' orto Roscrea.
'^ We are inclined to believe, that
ment'? runs over them, in very regular form.
years in 1872, said he frequently witneised
this apparition.
»' Allusion is made 10 an irruption of the
pp. 581, 582,
•'See "Les Petits Bollandiste. ^, Vies des
Ossorians in'. o Eile, in the Life of . St.
noi diiferent rom the present raid.
'* "
See Acta Sanctorum," lom. iii. , xxviii.
num. 10, 1 1,
"
iJe Ililjernia et Antiquitalibus ejus Dis ,
Aprilis. Vila S. Crunani, cap. ii. ,
quisiiiones," ca;). xxvi. , p. 209.
3' It lias been since unilcd to the diocese
formerly known to the Irish-
. surmounted
while the zig-zag orna-
Isl—and of the
is about two miles from Ros- crea '5 The length of the church-ruin is about forty-four feet, and the width about eighteen. The windows had con- trasted arches. '* The recessed arches of the doorway rest on bases,
living people'
by capitals,
t
while St. Cronan lived at both places, and probably had a separate religious house in each locality, the narrative series of his acts in reference tobotli must
have been confused in the mind of that writer, whose text has been published by Papebroke. Harris assigns the foundation of Roscrea monastery, to tiie sixthcentury;'< and,itshouldbeadifficultmattertoprovehewasmistaken; but, to us it appears, that St. Cronan founded Monahincha, before he thought of removing to Roscrea. While living in this place, certain holy men came to St. Cronan seeking hospitality ; but, not finding his cell, which was removed from the public road, for the sake of greater retirement, tliey were obliged to spend a whole night without food or shelter. Hearing this, on the following day, our saint condoled with them, on account of their privations and mistake. Conducting a boy with him to the highway, Cronan said to him, " Return to thy place, while I remain here. " His monks entreating him to return towards
April 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 523
his home, our saint " I must not replied :
where the nestly desiring his return, the monks requested Fur? 2eus,=5 the Bishop, to ask
'•
to a desert
and strangers cannot find me, but I will remain on the public way. " Ear-
their superior to reside in his proper place. The Bishop replied :
opinion, your Abbot shall not change the place he has chosen ; for, as the bees on a summer's day fly around their hives, so also, around that place, the gates of Heaven are opened, and a concourse of Angels does not cease con- tinuously to approach it. '* Return therefore to your Abbot, and obey him. " Theydidso,accordingly,and tlierehe built a great monastery. In this, he gained many souls to Christ, and there he wroiigiit ni;iny miracles. Afterwards, the peopleofOssorymadeanirruption,amongtheinhabitantsofHely. '' Tliese fltd to St. Cronan, and besought his interposition, m their behalf. Even the monks, belonging to his monastery, feared theailvance of their enemies. To
"
comfort them, Cronan said,
otherwise to this hostile army, they shall do no injury to us. " It is said, that the people of Ossory were deceived into a belief, that they had killed many men, wasted many villages, and returned with eclat, into their country; whereas theyleftthepeopleandcountryofIlelyalmostuninjured. Therewasanex- ception, however, in the case of one man who was killed, because he refused to approach our saint with his country people. This miracle greatly increased the fame and veneration due to St. Cronan, in all parts of Hibernia. '*
Before this time, the monastery of Roscrea does not appear to have been built ;
however, its first foundation has been attributed to St. Cronan. '9 Indeed, Sir
James Ware altogether overlooks its early history, when treating about Irish religiousestablishments; for,heonlymentions,thatacommunityofMinorite brothers erected a house, in that place. ^" However, in our Irish Annals, there are numerous entries to prove, that not only an abbot and a monastic com- munity, with a school, were very early in existence there, but even Roscrea was the seat of a bishop,^' while i—t is frequently alluded to as the site of a celebrated city. —We do not read from any older record than in a Manu- script Florarius3» of St. Cronan having been a bishop, although the Bollan-
dist Papebroke was inclined to believe,'' he was the bishop Cronan, men- tioned by St. Adamnan, in his Life of St. Columba;34 however, as already seen, it is much more likely, he was that Cuaranus Sujjiens, or Cronan, son of
Nethsemon,whosefeastoccurs,atthe9thofFebruary. '' Feelingtheweak-
of Killaloe. . See Ussher's
"
Britannicarura
mium, num. 5> p- 579-
*• See Colyan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Quinta Vita S. Columbx, lil). i. , cap. x. \xxiv. , p. 348, and n 94, p. 379.
5' See kev. \)x. Reeves' Adamnan's
Ecclesiarum Aiitiquitaies,"cap, xvii. , p. 502. ^ This is remarked, by Culgaii, in Ins "Acta Sanctorum liiberni*," ix. Februajji,
tomus
rilis xxviii. De Sancto Cronano, &c. Prce-
n. II,
" '•
p. 303.
See Acta Sanctorum,"
" Life of Si.
n. (a), pp. 85, 86.
go
place,
poor
My children, fear not, for although it shall seem
iii. ,
Ap-
Coluniba," lib. i. , cap. 44, and
In my
S24 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 28.
ness of that conjecture, however, the Bollandist Papebroke lays down as almost certain, that our saint was the priest Cronan of the Third Order ;3* and, in fact, it is difficult to suppose, that so celebrated a saint should have been omitted in that catalogue,^' as must have been the case, unless he was one Cronan, who is reckoned among the priests. 3* St. Cronan was old enough to be a bishop, before the deatii of St. ColumkiIIe. 39 But, there are circum- stances which prove, that, if he ever had been a bishop, he was not so until after it. t° Cronan is called only a priest, in the Life of St. Molua ;' and hence, it appears, that if he ever became a bishop, it must have been after the death of Molua, and consequently, several years after that of Columkille. Thus we see, that he could not have been the bishop Cronan, mentioned by Adamnan. Molua's applying to Cronan for the Blessed Eucharist, and taking it with him, was in conformity with tlie ancient practice of holy persons sending it to each other, in token of communion and of brotherly love. ^^ Thus, so far back as the times of St. lren£eus,''3 and even earlier, the Popes used to send it to bishops, even when placed over far distant churches. ^* Equally impro- bable is the conjecture of Papebroke, •s that a Cronan, mentioned among the Irish bishops and priests to whom a Roman letter had been directed, could have been the Abbot of Roscrea. That Cronan was quite a different person from the present holy man ;'»* nor could Cronan of Roscrea, even if then alive, and whether bishop or priest, have been among those, to whom said letter was directed ; whereas, they were all northerns, and he was a southern. Had the BoUandists known the time of Fingen's reign, they would not have imagined, that Cronan could be alive in 640. To this date, however, the " Les Petits BoUandists "^^ refer St. Cronan's period. The Rev. Ur. Lanigan ts ^as greatly inclined to suppose, that the Cronan, mentioned in the Third Class of Irish Saints,*' had been identical with Cronan of Roscrea, were there not some rea-
son to think, this latter had attained to episcopal rank.
CHAPTER III.
ST. CRONAN RECEIVES A VISIT FROM ST. MOCHOEMOC—OTHER COTEMPORARIES— FINGHEN KING OFCASHEL—ST. CRONAN DEPARTS THIS LIFE AT SENRUYS OR LOUGH CRE—DATE FOR HIS DEATH UNCERTAIN—. MEMORIALS TO HIM—CALENDAR COMME- MORATIONS—CONCLUSION.
At a certain time, St. Mochemoc,' with others, came on a visit, when the monastic procurator told our saint, that only a small quantity of meal, butter
" rilis xxviii.
secum
locum meum, ut eum a persecutoribus defendas. "
"Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Aprilis xxviii. De Sancto Cronano, num. g, p. 580.
"
'•' See the Rev. Dr.
astical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap. xvii. , sect, ii. , n. 26, pp. 9, 10.
" ggg Eusgbius, "Historia Ecclesiastica," lib. v. , cap. 24.
" See Bingham's "Orgines Ecclesiasticse ; The Antiquities of the Christian Church," Book xv. , chap, iv. , sect. 8.
3'' See
Acta . Sanctorum,'' tomus De Sancto Cronano, &c.
; et dedit ei Cronanus.
mium, num. 7, pp 579. 580.
" Published by Archbishop Ussher. ''See Rev. Dr. Lauigan's "Ecclesiastical
of Ireland," vol. sect. ii. , n. 20, p. 8.
Ecclesi-
History
iii. , chap, xvii. ,
Lanigan's
3' This, however, has been called in ques- tion by Colgan. See "Acta . Sanctorum Hibernia;," ix. Februarii. IJe S. Cronano qui et Cuaranus, n. 11, p. 303.
^^ . See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. . sect, ii. , n. 20, p. 8.
iii,, Ap-
Pioe- Cui
<5 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , . \p- < Thus, it issaid of St. Molua : "Venit ad rilis xxviii. De Sancto Cronano, &c. I'roe-
S. Cronanum de Ruiscree sedentem tunc in mium, num. 8, p. 580.
ceUa Senruis, et postulavit. ab eo sacrilicium *' See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical
quod
portaret
Tecum
ait —
Liigidius relinquo
:
April 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 525
and beer remained. But Cvonan, trusting in God's bounty, blessed what remained, and he ordered these provisions to be laid before his guests and monks ; when they were found sufficient, for the use of one hundred and fifty men. Whilstattable,duringthenight,oneofthelaybrotherssaid,"Ifind that on this night, matins has not yet been said. " Cronan then replied,
" in our Brother,
is Christ therefore should we continue our received,
guest
banquet, and be joyful at His coming. But, if you had not thus spoken, God's Angels would have prayed for us, on this night. " Having finished their meal, they gave thanks to God. ' We are reminded, by Colgan, thatCronanflourished A. D. 625, when he was present at the death of St.
CHAPTER II.
ST. CRONAN LEAVES CONNAUGHT AND RETURNS TO HIS OWN TERRITORY OF EILR—HE SETTLES AT LOUGH CRE—MONAHINCHA—RAID OF THE OSSORIANS—ENQUIRY AS TO WHETHER ST. CRONAN HAD BEEN A BISHOP, OR WHETHER HE WAS ONLY A PRIEST,
After the foregoing occurrences, some religious men, requiring a place of habitation,cametoSt. Cronan. Heimmediatelyrelinquishedhisowndwel- ling, in their favour ; and then, he ordered his disciples, not to take anything with them, when removing. However, it was known to the saint, one of them had disobeyed that order ; when he was obliged to return, with a sack he had taken, from that place they had left. Tliis disciple was obliged to do pen- ance, for the remainder of his days. Then, St. Cronan directed his course, to his native land of Hely, where he rested near a bog called Lurgan," oppo- site to or near the territory of Ossory, and on the western boundary of Leinster. However, he built a monastery, near Lough Cre. " Here, we are told, there was a lake. 3 Another Life of St. Cronan remarks, that in it there was a small island, in which several most religious monks lived, in after ages. '* Tiiat island isnowapproachable,overamorass; and,nodoubt,atnoveryremoteperiod, water surrounded it on every side. The Lough ormarsh,' to which allusion is
chap. i.
<' See "Acta Sanctorum," torn, iii. , xxviii.
iii. , of this work, chap. ii. There, the place is identified with Leigh, near Thiirles.
" In his it is " monas- Life, said, magnum
terium aedificavit ; et ibicrevit clara civitas, qua;vocaturA\wj--ow," SeeDr. Lanigan's '-Kcclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , sect. ii. , n. 28, p. 10.
Vita S. Cronani, Aprilis. cap.
p. 5^'- **Seeiitd.
ii. , num.
6,
<» See " The Parliamentary Gazetteer for Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. 711, 712.
5° See Rev. Dr.
cal History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, . wii. , sect, ii. , p. 7.
Lanigan's
prope
" Ecclesiasti-
^ 'ihe BoUandist Life has " it,
5' See "Acta Sanctorum,"tom. iii. , xxviii.
Aprilis. Vita S. Cronani, cap. ii,, n. 8, Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p.
p. 581. — Chapter ii.
' The reader is
^ Callem
referred, to what has been already stated, regarding the Stagnum Lurgan, in the Life of St.
Mochcemhog, at the 13th of March, in vol.
itaque prope St. ignum Cree (in rum) iedificavit ; quae Cella Sean-ross no-
stagnura Cre cellam oedificavit. "
4 This is stated, in the Life of our Saint,
as quoted by Ussher, in " Britannicarum 502. "
quo est insula niodica, in qua est monas-
terium monachorum semper religiosissimo-
However,
April 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 521
made, is thought to be the present bog of Monela f and, it extends, as already described, on the borders of the Ossorian territory. Some small lakes are still to be found over its present surface. We have been informed, by the people residing near this place, that decayed remnants of old boats have been found buried, in various parts of that bog ; while those indications prove, that for- merly a great lough covered a very considerable tract of country, the con- figuration of which shows, that the River Nore at one time expanded here into a large lake. Formerly, there were two remarkable islands on it ; the larger one containing an ancient church,' and the smaller one having a chapel. * About these very curious traditions were formerly current. ' That place, selected for Cronan's habitation, was not different from Monahincha,'° as it appearstons. Populartraditionevenasserts,thattheholymanlivedthere. The smaller island, at that place, was known as Insula Viventium, in the time of Gira- dus Carabrensis ;" because it was so salubrious, or rather owing to the merits of the patron saint, it had been supposed, that no person could die in it, let hismaladybeeversogreat. Thatisland,onwhichthemonasterywasbuilt, contained about two acres of dry ground. We are informed, that in early times, the Cselibes, or Culdees, devoutly lived there ; and, at a much later period, a prior and community of Canons Regulars succeeded them," but these moved their habitation to Corballj',"' not far distant, and where are yet to be seen some very interesting ruins, and which have a history, dating back to
a period somewhat remote.
minatur. " See the old Life of our Saint, as
quoted by Ussher, ibid.
"See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni-
cum," p. 667.
'' The from a accompanying illustration,
drawing transferred to the wood, by William F'. Wakeman, shows the arched doorway, with a portion of the interior, and remains of the eastern window. It is engraved, by Mrs.
Millard.
'" "
' See Rev. Dr.
History ol Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xii. , n. 73, p. 203.
'Giraldus Cambrensis has it: "Major
ecclesiam habet antiquae rcligionis. " '"
"
Topographia Hibernica," Dist. ii. , cap.
iv. , p. 81. " See Sir
" De Hibemia et
Opera
Lanigan's
Giraldus adds, cui pauci caelibes, quos Cselicolas vel Colideos vocant, devote dcser- viunt. "
By Archdall, in his Monasticon Hibernicum," when treating about Roscrea,
» See Giraldi Cambrensis' "
v. , edited by James F. Dimock, M. A. To-
pographia ilibernica, Dist. ii. , cap. iv. , pp. 80, 81.
" Ecclesiastical
Opera,"
vol.
at
puzzled by the name Lou;^hree—, Archdall
"guessed at that of Louglikee. "
" This townland lies within the parish of astical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , cap.
Corbally, and barony of Ikerrin, being shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Town-
land Maps for the County of Tipperary,"
xvii. , sect, ii. , n. 25, p. 9. "" See Harris' Ware, vol.
Ireland," Book i. , p. 21.
ii. ,
" Writers of
sheets 12, 17, 18.
"'
While at Senniys, . St. Cronan is said to
" Giraldi Cambrensis,
" See "
edited by James F. Dimock, M. A. , vol. v.
have miracles. " wrought many
In "Notes on Irish Architecture," by Exlwin, third EarlofDunraven, edited by Miss Maryaret Stokes, the Cella Seanross is said to be "
properly
James Ware,
Antiquitatibus ejus, Disquisitiones," cap. ii. , p. 119.
xxvi. , pp. 206, 207. '3 The old name Ross Cre is rendered
" Now a parish, partly in the barony of "the wooded point of Cre," while another Ikerrin, and shown, on the "Ordnance Sur- derivation for it is said to be Riasc Cre,
vey Townland Maps for the County of Tip- perary," sheets 12, 17, 18; and portly in
or the moor, marsh, or fen of Cre. See ibiii.
the Baronies of
Ballybritt
and Clonlisk,
'* See Harris' vol. Ware,
"
shown on the "Ordnance Survey Townland
Maps for the King's County," sheets 42,
43. 45-
" See Archdall's " Motiasticon Hiberui-
cum," p. 672.
'5 See an article, intituled, "Ancient Irish
ii. ,
ties of Ireland," chap, xxxviii. , p. 267.
Wonders" by P. W. Joyce, in vol. ii, No. 2,p. 28.
"
sky about it is frequently most brilli. intly illu- minatedbynight. Aaoldman,ofneareighty
Ilibernia,"
p. 672.
'» Rev. Dr. Lanigan supposes, that being
called vol. Stagnura Cre,"
'5 Papebroke does not consider him to be the same as Fursoeus, Abbot of Lagny, venerated on the i6th of January.
" Near Monahincha, a local legend was
told the that the whole of the writer,
" Ecclesi-
Antiqui-
'
S. iints," tome v. , x. 'iviii^ Jourd'Avril, p. 57. ^° Jiiluana, the widow of . \la. -lrony O'Car- Mochoemoc, chap. x\ix. Prohauly, it was roll, lurnished the necessary funds. See
522 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 28.
The great Ballaghmore, or pass between Munster and Leinster, was not far reijioved from the spot; and, on this public road, several holy pilgrims and others were found to be travelling, even at this early period.
"
That great road, called the King's highway,""^ ])assed on to Roscrea,
and the present reconstructed public road deviates hardly at all from the very ancient one. On the Is-
. v;:"^'Ui
land of Monahincha yet stand the remains of a
verybeautifulold edifice,
the doorway of which,
with its curiously-carved and concentric semi-cir- cular archway, is the ad- miration of every be- holder. It is decidedly very ancient, and it is builtin the characteristic Irish style. The beauti- ful little chur—ch-ruin of M onahinsha
speaking population as
Inislmameo, or Inse-
" nam-beo,
Monahincha, County of Tipperary.
Masses of ivy mantle over jior- tioas of the walls. The materials, used in the construction of this very beau- tifuloldchurch,wereexcellent; and,thesemusthavebeentransportedthither, from some distance. —It is incorrectly said,'^ that Cronan built his cell, in an
island of Loughkee yet, it is evident, I. ough Cree should be substituted
;
for, Loughkee or Loughkay is in the county of Leitrim, and far from St. Cronan's country. '^ While he lived in or visited the Island of Ross-Cre, it is said, that St. Canice wrote a volume of tiie Four Evangelists, which was called by the ancients Glass-Kynnick. '-° In St. Cronan's time, the place was called Senruys;"" but,indeed,it is ralherdifficult to determine, whether this name be applicable 10 Monahincha,"' orto Roscrea.
'^ We are inclined to believe, that
ment'? runs over them, in very regular form.
years in 1872, said he frequently witneised
this apparition.
»' Allusion is made 10 an irruption of the
pp. 581, 582,
•'See "Les Petits Bollandiste. ^, Vies des
Ossorians in'. o Eile, in the Life of . St.
noi diiferent rom the present raid.
'* "
See Acta Sanctorum," lom. iii. , xxviii.
num. 10, 1 1,
"
iJe Ililjernia et Antiquitalibus ejus Dis ,
Aprilis. Vila S. Crunani, cap. ii. ,
quisiiiones," ca;). xxvi. , p. 209.
3' It lias been since unilcd to the diocese
formerly known to the Irish-
. surmounted
while the zig-zag orna-
Isl—and of the
is about two miles from Ros- crea '5 The length of the church-ruin is about forty-four feet, and the width about eighteen. The windows had con- trasted arches. '* The recessed arches of the doorway rest on bases,
living people'
by capitals,
t
while St. Cronan lived at both places, and probably had a separate religious house in each locality, the narrative series of his acts in reference tobotli must
have been confused in the mind of that writer, whose text has been published by Papebroke. Harris assigns the foundation of Roscrea monastery, to tiie sixthcentury;'< and,itshouldbeadifficultmattertoprovehewasmistaken; but, to us it appears, that St. Cronan founded Monahincha, before he thought of removing to Roscrea. While living in this place, certain holy men came to St. Cronan seeking hospitality ; but, not finding his cell, which was removed from the public road, for the sake of greater retirement, tliey were obliged to spend a whole night without food or shelter. Hearing this, on the following day, our saint condoled with them, on account of their privations and mistake. Conducting a boy with him to the highway, Cronan said to him, " Return to thy place, while I remain here. " His monks entreating him to return towards
April 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 523
his home, our saint " I must not replied :
where the nestly desiring his return, the monks requested Fur? 2eus,=5 the Bishop, to ask
'•
to a desert
and strangers cannot find me, but I will remain on the public way. " Ear-
their superior to reside in his proper place. The Bishop replied :
opinion, your Abbot shall not change the place he has chosen ; for, as the bees on a summer's day fly around their hives, so also, around that place, the gates of Heaven are opened, and a concourse of Angels does not cease con- tinuously to approach it. '* Return therefore to your Abbot, and obey him. " Theydidso,accordingly,and tlierehe built a great monastery. In this, he gained many souls to Christ, and there he wroiigiit ni;iny miracles. Afterwards, the peopleofOssorymadeanirruption,amongtheinhabitantsofHely. '' Tliese fltd to St. Cronan, and besought his interposition, m their behalf. Even the monks, belonging to his monastery, feared theailvance of their enemies. To
"
comfort them, Cronan said,
otherwise to this hostile army, they shall do no injury to us. " It is said, that the people of Ossory were deceived into a belief, that they had killed many men, wasted many villages, and returned with eclat, into their country; whereas theyleftthepeopleandcountryofIlelyalmostuninjured. Therewasanex- ception, however, in the case of one man who was killed, because he refused to approach our saint with his country people. This miracle greatly increased the fame and veneration due to St. Cronan, in all parts of Hibernia. '*
Before this time, the monastery of Roscrea does not appear to have been built ;
however, its first foundation has been attributed to St. Cronan. '9 Indeed, Sir
James Ware altogether overlooks its early history, when treating about Irish religiousestablishments; for,heonlymentions,thatacommunityofMinorite brothers erected a house, in that place. ^" However, in our Irish Annals, there are numerous entries to prove, that not only an abbot and a monastic com- munity, with a school, were very early in existence there, but even Roscrea was the seat of a bishop,^' while i—t is frequently alluded to as the site of a celebrated city. —We do not read from any older record than in a Manu- script Florarius3» of St. Cronan having been a bishop, although the Bollan-
dist Papebroke was inclined to believe,'' he was the bishop Cronan, men- tioned by St. Adamnan, in his Life of St. Columba;34 however, as already seen, it is much more likely, he was that Cuaranus Sujjiens, or Cronan, son of
Nethsemon,whosefeastoccurs,atthe9thofFebruary. '' Feelingtheweak-
of Killaloe. . See Ussher's
"
Britannicarura
mium, num. 5> p- 579-
*• See Colyan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Quinta Vita S. Columbx, lil). i. , cap. x. \xxiv. , p. 348, and n 94, p. 379.
5' See kev. \)x. Reeves' Adamnan's
Ecclesiarum Aiitiquitaies,"cap, xvii. , p. 502. ^ This is remarked, by Culgaii, in Ins "Acta Sanctorum liiberni*," ix. Februajji,
tomus
rilis xxviii. De Sancto Cronano, &c. Prce-
n. II,
" '•
p. 303.
See Acta Sanctorum,"
" Life of Si.
n. (a), pp. 85, 86.
go
place,
poor
My children, fear not, for although it shall seem
iii. ,
Ap-
Coluniba," lib. i. , cap. 44, and
In my
S24 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 28.
ness of that conjecture, however, the Bollandist Papebroke lays down as almost certain, that our saint was the priest Cronan of the Third Order ;3* and, in fact, it is difficult to suppose, that so celebrated a saint should have been omitted in that catalogue,^' as must have been the case, unless he was one Cronan, who is reckoned among the priests. 3* St. Cronan was old enough to be a bishop, before the deatii of St. ColumkiIIe. 39 But, there are circum- stances which prove, that, if he ever had been a bishop, he was not so until after it. t° Cronan is called only a priest, in the Life of St. Molua ;' and hence, it appears, that if he ever became a bishop, it must have been after the death of Molua, and consequently, several years after that of Columkille. Thus we see, that he could not have been the bishop Cronan, mentioned by Adamnan. Molua's applying to Cronan for the Blessed Eucharist, and taking it with him, was in conformity with tlie ancient practice of holy persons sending it to each other, in token of communion and of brotherly love. ^^ Thus, so far back as the times of St. lren£eus,''3 and even earlier, the Popes used to send it to bishops, even when placed over far distant churches. ^* Equally impro- bable is the conjecture of Papebroke, •s that a Cronan, mentioned among the Irish bishops and priests to whom a Roman letter had been directed, could have been the Abbot of Roscrea. That Cronan was quite a different person from the present holy man ;'»* nor could Cronan of Roscrea, even if then alive, and whether bishop or priest, have been among those, to whom said letter was directed ; whereas, they were all northerns, and he was a southern. Had the BoUandists known the time of Fingen's reign, they would not have imagined, that Cronan could be alive in 640. To this date, however, the " Les Petits BoUandists "^^ refer St. Cronan's period. The Rev. Ur. Lanigan ts ^as greatly inclined to suppose, that the Cronan, mentioned in the Third Class of Irish Saints,*' had been identical with Cronan of Roscrea, were there not some rea-
son to think, this latter had attained to episcopal rank.
CHAPTER III.
ST. CRONAN RECEIVES A VISIT FROM ST. MOCHOEMOC—OTHER COTEMPORARIES— FINGHEN KING OFCASHEL—ST. CRONAN DEPARTS THIS LIFE AT SENRUYS OR LOUGH CRE—DATE FOR HIS DEATH UNCERTAIN—. MEMORIALS TO HIM—CALENDAR COMME- MORATIONS—CONCLUSION.
At a certain time, St. Mochemoc,' with others, came on a visit, when the monastic procurator told our saint, that only a small quantity of meal, butter
" rilis xxviii.
secum
locum meum, ut eum a persecutoribus defendas. "
"Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Aprilis xxviii. De Sancto Cronano, num. g, p. 580.
"
'•' See the Rev. Dr.
astical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap. xvii. , sect, ii. , n. 26, pp. 9, 10.
" ggg Eusgbius, "Historia Ecclesiastica," lib. v. , cap. 24.
" See Bingham's "Orgines Ecclesiasticse ; The Antiquities of the Christian Church," Book xv. , chap, iv. , sect. 8.
3'' See
Acta . Sanctorum,'' tomus De Sancto Cronano, &c.
; et dedit ei Cronanus.
mium, num. 7, pp 579. 580.
" Published by Archbishop Ussher. ''See Rev. Dr. Lauigan's "Ecclesiastical
of Ireland," vol. sect. ii. , n. 20, p. 8.
Ecclesi-
History
iii. , chap, xvii. ,
Lanigan's
3' This, however, has been called in ques- tion by Colgan. See "Acta . Sanctorum Hibernia;," ix. Februarii. IJe S. Cronano qui et Cuaranus, n. 11, p. 303.
^^ . See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. . sect, ii. , n. 20, p. 8.
iii,, Ap-
Pioe- Cui
<5 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , . \p- < Thus, it issaid of St. Molua : "Venit ad rilis xxviii. De Sancto Cronano, &c. I'roe-
S. Cronanum de Ruiscree sedentem tunc in mium, num. 8, p. 580.
ceUa Senruis, et postulavit. ab eo sacrilicium *' See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical
quod
portaret
Tecum
ait —
Liigidius relinquo
:
April 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 525
and beer remained. But Cvonan, trusting in God's bounty, blessed what remained, and he ordered these provisions to be laid before his guests and monks ; when they were found sufficient, for the use of one hundred and fifty men. Whilstattable,duringthenight,oneofthelaybrotherssaid,"Ifind that on this night, matins has not yet been said. " Cronan then replied,
" in our Brother,
is Christ therefore should we continue our received,
guest
banquet, and be joyful at His coming. But, if you had not thus spoken, God's Angels would have prayed for us, on this night. " Having finished their meal, they gave thanks to God. ' We are reminded, by Colgan, thatCronanflourished A. D. 625, when he was present at the death of St.
