He is identical with the Euprepius, who
suffered
Martyrdom with St.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v9
See
Dr. Stokes' "Feilire Hui
Whitley Gormain,"
pp. 184, 185.
4 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
pp. 51, 56. — ARTICLE X.
*
Hit feast occurs in the
260, 261. — Article IX.
'
Calendars, at the 6th of April.
'Thus " Marcelli monachi ct Sangalli
scholarchae, sancti Notkeri Balbuli pnecep- toris sanctissimi. '' He adds B. C. , which initials furnish no clue to the verification of his extract. See "Menologium Scoticum," in Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 221.
3 See " Generalis Sanctorum. " Catalogus
Ferrarius always slavishly follows the doubt-
See his Life at the 17th of March, in the Third Volume of this work,
Art. i. , and chap. xxi.
3 See at that date an account of
in
4 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. , Sep- tembris xxvii. Among the pretermitted
him, the Second Volume of this work, Art. i.
» Thus he writes : "In Ilibernia S. Oranni episcopi. "
ful authority of Dempster, -» "
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. ,
Septembris xxvii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 379.
September 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 619
Article XI. —Festival of St. Barry, in Scotland. Already have
we treated about St. Barr or St. Barry—otherwise known as Finbarr, at the
25th of this month—but in the Isle of Barraand parish of Barray, his feast is
referred to this day. —The parish so named is formed from a cluster of more
than twenty Islands of which the main Island of Barray, properly so called,
is chief—while some of those are considerable in size, about ten being
inhabited, and the rest serve for grazing purposes. The Island of Barray
proper is about 12 miles in length, but varying in breadth from three to six
miles, being much indented by bays and arms of the sea, chiefly on the
1
eastern side.
name from Barr, the patron saint. 2 Killbarr, the chief town on the Island, isspeciallydedicatedtohim,andtheretheCatholicsobservehisfestival. It waskeptintheIslandofBarrayonthe27thofSeptember. Wearetold,* one of the ceremonies was performed by riding on horseback, and that the solemnity was concluded by three turns round St. Barr's church. Several ruined pre-Reformation chapels are still on the Island, besides numerous duns and standing stones, supposed to have been of Scandinavian origin ; but one stone Celtic monument found its way in 1S80 to the Edinburgh
Antiquarian Museum/
Article XII. —Festival of Saints Cosmas and Damian. In the
1
early Irish Church, as we learn from the Feilire of St. ^Engus, Saints Cosmas
and Damian were venerated and invoked, with distinguished eulogy, on the
It has been supposed, that the Island and Parish derive their
At this same date, the Acts of these holy Martyrs have
2 with a
Article XL—* See the " New Statisti- Irish Series, vol. i. , Academy," Manuscript
cal Account of Scotland," vol. xiv. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p.
However, the Rev. Alexander Nicolson, See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. , Minister, who wrote the foregoing account, Septembris xxvii. De S. Cosma, Damiano, holds, that it is much more probable the Anthimo, Leontio et Euprepio. MM. name of Barray was originally derived from its
27th of September.
been
Father John Stilting, S. J. 4 Those saints were brothers, and born in Arabia. s They became eminent as physicians, but they took no fees for the practice of their profession, through motives of Christian zeal and charity. They lived at Egsea, in Cilicia, but were apprehended by Lysias, governor of that pro- vince, and after enduring various torments, they were beheaded, during the
published by
the
Bollandists,
previous
learned 3 commentary, by
Inverness, Parish of Barray, p. 199. exxxix. 22
particular situation or bearing, i. e. , from Ay or I, an island, near Bar, a point or top ; Barray forming the point or top island of the Hebrides. See ibid. , p. 198.
-<Egis in Cilicia, pp. 428 to 478.
3 Containing fourteen sections and Con-
3 See Martin's " Western Islands," p. 99. Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , p. 131.
sisting of two hundred and twenty-five
paragraphs.
4 The first of these Acts by an anonymous
author is in Greek, and taken from a Vatican 4 See Francis H. Greome's " Ordnance Manuscript. The second of these Acts is
Articl—exil. —' IntheLeabharBreac
from the edition of Mombritius, and likewise
we read
:
anonymous
author is from the
by Manuscript
Ayo ,ce|wiu chrome Acpocfc nirbo Aintnirr ftonpiAwiJ; t>i^nt>iltir CornertMmiJiurr.
1
JLS5. T^(oTh
th A°tS
S f*b"lous -! l"F
fl
Thus translated into English by Dr. Whitley Stokes :" Our two heart's-champions, their
? "T-n f? ^ Manuscripts. TheseActsarealldlustrated
by critical notes.
5 Their mother is named Theodota. She
cross was not deserved
Leontius and — Euprepius
all of
us to their possession, Cosmas and Damianus. "
may they protect —"Transactions of the Royal Irish day.
;
Anthimus,
an author. Thethird copy by anonymous
an 1'. belonging to the Bollandist Library.
°/
a d Collated a"d coTMPded
T
>
had five sons, named Cosmas, Damian,
whom are noted in ancient Calendars, on this
6io LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 27
persecution of Dioclesian. They suffered about the beginning of the fourth century. Their bodies were at first carried into Syria and buried at Cyrus. In course of time, Pope St. Felix built a church in their honour, at Rome, to which their relics were conveyed, and where they are religiously preserved to the present day. Marianus O'Gorman has the festival of Cosmas and Damian, at this same date. 6 The feast of both saints is also to be found in the Scottish Calendars. At the 27th of September, they are entered in the Roman Martyrology,7 and in nearly all the Latin Martyrologies. The
8
Greeks, Russians, and Arabians keep their festivals at various other dates.
Article XIII. —Leoint or Leontius. The Feilire of Marianus
O'Gorman enters Leoint—or, according to another Manuscript copy—
at the of 1 The Latinized form of the name is Leoaint, 27th September.
Leontius. His Acts are included in those of his brothers, St. Cosmas and Damian, as furnished by the Bollandists.
Article XIV. —Antim or Anthimus. Marianus O'Gorman1 has the entry of "Antim ergna" or u Wise Anthimus," at this date. His Acts are included in those of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, his brothers, and as furnished by the Bollandists.
Article XV. —Adulf. The festival of Adulf is set down in the Feilire
1
Adulphus is the Latinized form. This is doubtless the Adulphus Martyr, who with his brother John, suffered at Cordova, in Spain, and whose Acts are recorded by the Bollan-
dists3 at this date. A Commentary3 precedes their Acts* as contained in John Tamayus' Spanish Martyrology.
Article XVI. —Petar. In the Feilire of Marianus O'Gorman at the
of Marianus O'Gorman at the 27th of September.
27th of September is entered Petar's festival,
1
The name, Latinized Petrus,
•In his Feilire we read: —Coym*,
X) Ami An, T>e5 fin
Dr. Whitley Stokes " Cosmas (and) Dami-
:
moration, on Oct. 28. Many versions of the Acts in Greek and Latin exist, but all are fabulous. The original proconsular Acts
It is thus translated by
—" —
anus, good men. " Feilire Hui Gormain," possibly subsist under a gradually growing
pp. 184, 185. accretion of fable. " Rev. S. Baring-Gould's 7 Thus; " JEgex natalis sanctorum "Lives of the Saints," vol. ix. , September
Martyrum Cosmas et DamUni fratium, qui
in persecuti6ne Diocletiani post multa
tormenta, vincula, et carceres, post mare, et
ignes, cruces, lapidationem, et sagittas
27, p. 397. — Article XIII.
divinitus superatas, capite plectuntur : cum
quibus etiam referuntur passi tres eorum " Article xv. See Dr. Whitley Stokes'
ratres — Anthimus, Leontius et FeilireHuiGormain,"pp. 184,185. germdmi,
"a Euprepius. " Martyrologium Komanum," See
"Acta
tomus editio novissima, Quinto Kalendas Octobris. Septembris xxvii, De SS. Adulpho et
vii. ,
Joanne Fratribus Martyribus Cordubae Hispania, pp. 507 to 51 1.
3
It consists of twenty-one paragraphs, edited by Father Constantine Suysken, S. J. * By the Bollandist' editor, they are Russians. In the Arabic Kalendar published characterised as Acta sublestae fidei ex
by Simoni, on July I and Nov. I, and in the
Arabic Martyrology again on Oct. 17. In many Greek Menaeas, also a fourth comme-
pp. 143, 144.
8 " By the Greeks on July I ; again on
October 17 with their brothers Leontius,
Anthimius, and Euprepius ; again on Nov. I, Cosmas and Damian alone. So also the
" "
' See Dr. Whitley Stokes' Feilire Hui Gormain," pp. 184, 185.
ARTICLE xiv.
—'See Dr. Stokes' Whitley
Feilire Hui Gor—main," pp. 184, 185. *
Sanctorum,"
Legendario Ms. A—sturicensi. Article xvi. 'See Dr. Whitley
Stokes' "Feilire Hui Gormain," pp. 184, 185.
September 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 62]
is known as Peter. It seems most probable, that this commemoration refers to Peter, regarded in succession as the twenty-fifth bishop of Metz,2 and who
died during the reign of Tiberius Constantinus,3 while Pelagius II. was Pope/ That bishop flourished in the sixth century. The Bollandistss doubt his claim to be inscribed on the Calendar of the Saints, as he is only comme-
6
morated in the more recent Martyrologies.
in that of Marianus O'Gorman? appears to have escaped their notice, and it is to be inferred, he borrowed this insertion from more ancient Continental records.
Article XVII. —Kupkeip. The name of Eupreip—Latinized Eupre
—occurs in the
and are disfigured with fables by the more modern Greek writers.
Ctoentp'tig&tl) 2Ba{> of September.
ARTICLE L—ST. SINACH MAC DARA, OF INIS CRUACH MAC DARA, COUNTY OF GALWA\.
OFthis holy anchorite little is positively known, and yet his name and veneration have survived for many ages. He is much venerated by inhabitants on the western shores of Galway. He must have flourished at a very early period, however, and most probably at a time, when his remote position secluded him from cognizance of our ancient chroniclers. Tradition asserts,thatthenameofourSaint'sfatherwasDara; andSinach,hisown peculiar name, was placed before Mac Dara, that by which he is now popularly known. 1 However, the St. Mac Dara of the western coasts should be called
of Marianus O'Gorman,1 at this date.
He is identical with the Euprepius, who suffered Martyrdom with St. Cosmas and St. Damian, his brothers. Their Acts have been interpolated, however,
pius
Martyrology
2
In a catalogue of the Bishops of Metz, edited by b'Achery, he is thus commemo-
Florarius MS. Maurolycus, Canisius, Felicius, Saussay, and Ferrarius.
7 As seen in the Introduction to already
this work, First Volume, he flourished in the
rated. " Villico successit Petrus
Metensis xxv : sedit annosx Obiit v. Kal.
maxime Benedictinorum, latuerunt, Spicile- Article after October 25th, a. d. 574. See Henry
' I.
episcopus,
Octobris sub Papa Pelagio II. , regnante twelfth century. —
Tiberio Constantino. "—" Veterum aliquot Article xvii. ' See Dr. Whitley Stokes'
Scriptorum, qui in Galliae Bibliothecis, " Feilire Hui G—ormain," pp. 184, 185.
de- gium," tomus vi. , p. 650. rived from the Irish word Sionnac. Aug, 3 The first year of his reign commenced "a fox. " "It is a curious coincidence, that the name of this favourite saint of our Western fishermen, should be that of an animal, which, of all others, they most abhor. So great is their aver-ion to a fox, hare or rabbit, that never so much as
Fynes Clinton's Tables, p. 841.
"
Encyclopedic Catholique,"
Fasti Romani," vol. i. 4 He occupied ihe Papal chair from A. D.
to See " 578 590.
M. fAbbe Glaire et M. le Vte-
Walsh,
5 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. others.
par
tome xv. , p. 514.
*****
Septembrisxxvii. Amongthepretermitted
feasts, p. 376.
they endure even to hear them named by
j h,
t has een
pleasantly remarked by Mr. O'Donovan, that if a man of the name of Fox, Hare, or
Rabbit, wished <o settle amongthe Claddagh
6
Such as the continuators of Usuard, the
However, the fact of his entry
The name Sinach is
they
mention their names themselves, nor can
622 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September28. Sionnach, which was his real name. At the 28th of September, Marianus
O'Gorman sets down Sinach in his Festilogy.
2
His commentator has a note
appended to his name which states, that he was from Cruach mac Daro. 3
From other Irish Martyrologies regarding this saint, we can glean no parti-
culars. On the south-western shore of a peninsula, anciently called Torrasainteach,* and comprising the southern portion of the present Ballyna-
hinch Barony, and in the parish of Moyrus,s lies a small Island, presenting to the sea on all sides rocks which are high and precipitous, except towards the eastern part, where boats can safely touch. The appearance of this Island
Island Oratory of Cruach Mac Dara.
from a distance, coupled with its relation to our saint, gave it the name of Cruach Mac Dara, which when anglicised means, "The Rick of Mac Dara," or '« The Island of Mac Dara. " Near the on this St.
landing place Island, Sinach Mac Dara is supposed to have built a small stone church,
the ruins of which yet remain, and are in a good state of preservation.
6
fishermen, he should change his name to Pike, Coddle, or Salmon, or some such ; for that hi j name would destroy the hick
Conmaicne—meaning " maritime"—terri-
tory, is very fully described by John O* Donovan in " Letters containing Informa- tion relative to tlie Antiquities of the County ot Galway collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1839. " Vol. iii. , Letter dated Taylor's Hill near Galway, July 22nd, 1839, pp. 112 to 125.
6 An — account of the ruins on interesting
this Island taken chiefly from that given
—
by John O'Donovan and a beautiful
and happiness of this strnnge people. "—
"
Roderick O'Flaherty's
Description of West or H-Iar Connaught,"
edited by James llardiman n. (d. ) pp. ioo, 101.
3 Rendered in Irish o Crvudich nielcDapo.
2 See Dr.
Gorniain," pp. 186, 187.
4 This is
by Tohn O'Donovan.
" the
the stone
may be seen, by referring to Dr. l'etrie's splendid work, " The Round Towers and Ecclesiastical Architecture of Ireland," part
ii. , sect, iii. , subs, i. , pp. 189 to 191.
Whitley
Stokes' "Feilire Ui
interpreted
stormy Irros,"
engraving representing
church,
5 This parish, bounded on the south and south-west by the Atlantic Ocean, forms the southern portion of Conmaicne-mara or
Chorographical
September 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 623
These evince a date of erection, almost coeval with the first establishment of Christianity in Ireland. This church is built with stones of massive size, and in the ancient Cyclopean style of primitive and rude architecture. 7 It has, however, angular projections or plain-faced pilasters, carried up to the apex of its gables, at both ends. It is small in dimensions, only fifteen feet in length by eleven in breadth, and its walls, extending beyond this area, are nearly three feet in thickness. * Besides this ruin, a circular or rather oval stone-house, twenty-four feet by eighteen, with walls seven feet in thick- ness, is yet to be seen, although in a very dilapidated condition. This was probably our saint's usual habitation, and the church might have been chiefly in use, as an oratory. At the distance of 300 feet from this church, and on its northern side, a square altar, surmounted by a cross, and a holy well near it, are pointed out to strangers. 9 Both are dedicated to St. Mac Dara. He seems to have led a secluded life on the Island bearing his name, and one devoted to the practice of most austere religious rules and duties. According to a custom,10 usual in our old Irish churches," the wooden statue of this saint —was preserved in his chapel for many centuries subsequent to his death thisimagebeingcommemorativeofthefounderandpatron,whose intercession was invoked. However, for special weighty reasons, the Arch-
12
tai s of its door-way and small windows, is "
preserved in the Letters containing Infor- mation relative to the Antiquities of the
withstanding the utmost vigilance of the u
County of Galway collected during the
Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1839,"
vol. iii. , p. 136.
a
The annexed illustration, which has been faithfully copied from Dr. Petrie's work,
clergy to prevent it. " See Chorogra-
presents the ruin on a somewhat enlarged 99, n. (a).
. -cale in its isolated It has
present position. very parish
been copied and drawn on the wood, en-
graved by Gregor Grey.
9 Mr. Petrie says of St. Mac Dara, " his
XS There is a ground-plan and a beautiful drawing of the old church of Moyrus, with details of its round-headed door- way, and a small
bronze cross, which was preserved in his church, still exists and is supposed to pos-
sess miraculous powers. "
—" Round Towers
square-headed window, by George Petrie, together with a description in his handwriting, setting forth that the church was thirty-eight feet in length, by eighteen feet six inches interiorly, and that it ori^i- nally had two door-ways. The eastern gable contained a fine window, now nearly destroyed. The remaining door-way is
and Ancient Architecture of Ireland," part
ii. , sec. iii. , subs, i. , p. 190.
10
Alluded to by Giraldus Cambrensis, in his time, when many wooden effigies ot the primitive Irish saints were preserved in the ehurches of which they were founders or patrons.
" Hibernia Dominicana," cap. ix. , sec. xx. , num. iv. , p.
11 See De Bishop
caused its removal during the time of
bishop of Tuam, Malachy Queely,
his incumbency, and had it buried under the ground. 3 Besides the venera- tion paid our saint on this Island, the inhabitants of Moyrus Parish, 14 on the shore of the opposite mainland, point out the ruins of an old parish church, which is dedicated to him. 1 * There, in the time of Roderick O'Flaherty, " his altar stone, by the name of Leac Sinach," was kept as a venerable relic, This church likewise may have been one of Sionnach's erection. It had two
7 A view of Mac Dara's church, with de-
x
vent the islanders from asseverating by the
saint, as was then, and is still practised, on the relics of saints, in other places, not-
of three concentric arches in beautifully cut stone ; it was buried several feet in the earth when measured as four feet two inches in height, and only two feet, five list of the churches and chapels in his inches in breadth. See " Letters containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Galway collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1839,"
vol. iii. , pp. 139, 140.
273, and cap. x. , sec. iv. , num. v. , p. 344.
12 He was the prelate, who sent Colgan a
diocese, shortly before the year 1645, as
mentioned in
"
Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," 13 This was done, most probably to pre-
p. 7*4-
Burgo's
composed
phical Description of West or H-Iar Connaught," written a. d. 1684, by Roderick O'Flaherty. Edited with notes and illus- trations by James Hardiman, Esq. , pp. 98,
'•» This extensive and its islands, in the baruny of Ballynahinch and County of Gal way, covers 101,510a. 3r. and 8p.
624 LIVES Of THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 28.
doorways, formerly ; one in the north, and the other in its south side. The northern one is now built up ; but the other is formed of cut-stone, and it has three concentric arches directly over the entrance. The eastern gable- window is now a melancholy ruin. Here, the coast inhabitants, who are
16
principally fishermen, assemble on the 16th of July each year, to celebrate
the festival of their of 1' At this date, however, we find patron Moyrus parish.
no mention of Sinach Mac Dara, in our Martyrologies. The principal festival of our saint is noted in the Irish Calendar, as occurring on the 28th
day of September. This day may probably be assigned, as that for his departure. Many miraculous occurrences are recorded, and some super- stitious observances are said to have been practised in connection with this
One of the latter practices at low water, by women, in order to obtain the release of some friend in captivity : this reprieve, however, they expected should be obtained chiefly through the intercession of our
saint's memory by recurring to local tradition. was the collection of Dunleasg or salt sea-leaf,
This practice of gathering Dunleasg has been disused for many years although old people are yet living, who remember its frequent observ- In the time of Roderick O' Flaherty, it was customary for all boats, passing between Mason-head and the Island, to lower their sails three times, in honour of Mac Dara. 1 ? In the year 1672, a certain captain of Galway
garrison, passing without the usual mark of reverence, experienced such a
violent gale, that he made a vow of never again sailing by without a proper
obeisance ae he was shipwrecked shortly afterwards, and never reached his ;
destination. One Gill, a fisherman of Galway, during the prevalence of fair weather before and after the occurrence, was struck dead almost instanta- neously, by a stroke from the mast of his own boat, when it fell on his head. This accident, like the former, was attributed to that contempt shown towards our saint by a departure from the time-honoured custom. His altar-stone, called " Leac Shinac," was said to have been preserved to the middle of the present century ; but its whereabouts is not now known. The name Mac Dara is a very common prefix to surnames of many Islanders and borderers, on the Galway coast, and even boats and hookers belonging to its fishermen are inscribed with the name, in token of veneration for our saint.
Article II. —Feast of St. Fursey. A Feast in honour of St. Fursey
1
saint.
past ; ance.
was kept on the 28th day of September, according to Petrus de Natalibus,
,6 At that date, a "
honour, on the shore opposite his island, and in the town of Clifdeu.
however it may have originated, few sea- faring natives of the coasts would now venture to omit that accustomed mark of
name truly descriptive of the land on which
the ancient church of the
18 Called in Latin Rhodomenia
by Mr. Hardiman.
*> To this custom, allusion is made in
Denis Florence Mac Carthy's "Voyage of St. Brendan. " The Navigator is repre- sented as saying,
by the botanists.
19 " This is scrupulously observed to the
present day ; and it is performed by lower-
the main-sail a little, three times. The custom is supposed to have originated with some pious boatmen, who probably in the life-time of the saint, first adopted that mode of salutation on sailing by the Island. That
precedent a few times repeated, and a wreck
a boat which would be suffi- cient to establish the ceremony. But,
' '
Borne on the tide or driven before the
And as I passed Mac Dara's Sacred Isle, Thrice bowed my mast, and thrice let
ing
gale;
Article ii. —' "Fursaeus anno Episcopus
or other accident
befalling might happen to neglect it,
Constantis qui & Constantinus, in iiibernia claruit ut dicit Sigebertus. Hie
pattern"
is held in his
18
respect to St. Mac Dara. " — Roderick ""
'7 Moyrus, an Anglicised form of the Irish
max; Uuip, meaning the plain or field of O'Flaherty's Chorographical Description the point or promontory"; and this is a of Iar or West Connaught," p. ioo, note c,
parish
stands.
palmata,
— downmysail. " Part ii. , stanza io.
5.
Sep r ember 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 625
Maurolycus Felicis, Ferrarius, and Wion. 2 The latter writer supposes this to have been the Feast for the finding of St. Fursey's relics. The particulars of St. Fursey's life will be found at the 1 6th of January. 3 which is the day for his chief festival. * Colgan refers to the Lives of various Irish saints, for testi- monies regarding the miracles and virtues of St. Fursey, besides giving those special Acts, which he has published, at the 16th of January, and at the 9th of February. Among those we are referred to the Life of St. Cronan,5 to the
6
close of St. Cuan's Acts, to the Life of St. Molaga, to the Life of St. Barr,7
&c. St.
Dr. Stokes' "Feilire Hui
Whitley Gormain,"
pp. 184, 185.
4 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
pp. 51, 56. — ARTICLE X.
*
Hit feast occurs in the
260, 261. — Article IX.
'
Calendars, at the 6th of April.
'Thus " Marcelli monachi ct Sangalli
scholarchae, sancti Notkeri Balbuli pnecep- toris sanctissimi. '' He adds B. C. , which initials furnish no clue to the verification of his extract. See "Menologium Scoticum," in Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 221.
3 See " Generalis Sanctorum. " Catalogus
Ferrarius always slavishly follows the doubt-
See his Life at the 17th of March, in the Third Volume of this work,
Art. i. , and chap. xxi.
3 See at that date an account of
in
4 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. , Sep- tembris xxvii. Among the pretermitted
him, the Second Volume of this work, Art. i.
» Thus he writes : "In Ilibernia S. Oranni episcopi. "
ful authority of Dempster, -» "
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. ,
Septembris xxvii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 379.
September 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 619
Article XI. —Festival of St. Barry, in Scotland. Already have
we treated about St. Barr or St. Barry—otherwise known as Finbarr, at the
25th of this month—but in the Isle of Barraand parish of Barray, his feast is
referred to this day. —The parish so named is formed from a cluster of more
than twenty Islands of which the main Island of Barray, properly so called,
is chief—while some of those are considerable in size, about ten being
inhabited, and the rest serve for grazing purposes. The Island of Barray
proper is about 12 miles in length, but varying in breadth from three to six
miles, being much indented by bays and arms of the sea, chiefly on the
1
eastern side.
name from Barr, the patron saint. 2 Killbarr, the chief town on the Island, isspeciallydedicatedtohim,andtheretheCatholicsobservehisfestival. It waskeptintheIslandofBarrayonthe27thofSeptember. Wearetold,* one of the ceremonies was performed by riding on horseback, and that the solemnity was concluded by three turns round St. Barr's church. Several ruined pre-Reformation chapels are still on the Island, besides numerous duns and standing stones, supposed to have been of Scandinavian origin ; but one stone Celtic monument found its way in 1S80 to the Edinburgh
Antiquarian Museum/
Article XII. —Festival of Saints Cosmas and Damian. In the
1
early Irish Church, as we learn from the Feilire of St. ^Engus, Saints Cosmas
and Damian were venerated and invoked, with distinguished eulogy, on the
It has been supposed, that the Island and Parish derive their
At this same date, the Acts of these holy Martyrs have
2 with a
Article XL—* See the " New Statisti- Irish Series, vol. i. , Academy," Manuscript
cal Account of Scotland," vol. xiv. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p.
However, the Rev. Alexander Nicolson, See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. , Minister, who wrote the foregoing account, Septembris xxvii. De S. Cosma, Damiano, holds, that it is much more probable the Anthimo, Leontio et Euprepio. MM. name of Barray was originally derived from its
27th of September.
been
Father John Stilting, S. J. 4 Those saints were brothers, and born in Arabia. s They became eminent as physicians, but they took no fees for the practice of their profession, through motives of Christian zeal and charity. They lived at Egsea, in Cilicia, but were apprehended by Lysias, governor of that pro- vince, and after enduring various torments, they were beheaded, during the
published by
the
Bollandists,
previous
learned 3 commentary, by
Inverness, Parish of Barray, p. 199. exxxix. 22
particular situation or bearing, i. e. , from Ay or I, an island, near Bar, a point or top ; Barray forming the point or top island of the Hebrides. See ibid. , p. 198.
-<Egis in Cilicia, pp. 428 to 478.
3 Containing fourteen sections and Con-
3 See Martin's " Western Islands," p. 99. Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , p. 131.
sisting of two hundred and twenty-five
paragraphs.
4 The first of these Acts by an anonymous
author is in Greek, and taken from a Vatican 4 See Francis H. Greome's " Ordnance Manuscript. The second of these Acts is
Articl—exil. —' IntheLeabharBreac
from the edition of Mombritius, and likewise
we read
:
anonymous
author is from the
by Manuscript
Ayo ,ce|wiu chrome Acpocfc nirbo Aintnirr ftonpiAwiJ; t>i^nt>iltir CornertMmiJiurr.
1
JLS5. T^(oTh
th A°tS
S f*b"lous -! l"F
fl
Thus translated into English by Dr. Whitley Stokes :" Our two heart's-champions, their
? "T-n f? ^ Manuscripts. TheseActsarealldlustrated
by critical notes.
5 Their mother is named Theodota. She
cross was not deserved
Leontius and — Euprepius
all of
us to their possession, Cosmas and Damianus. "
may they protect —"Transactions of the Royal Irish day.
;
Anthimus,
an author. Thethird copy by anonymous
an 1'. belonging to the Bollandist Library.
°/
a d Collated a"d coTMPded
T
>
had five sons, named Cosmas, Damian,
whom are noted in ancient Calendars, on this
6io LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 27
persecution of Dioclesian. They suffered about the beginning of the fourth century. Their bodies were at first carried into Syria and buried at Cyrus. In course of time, Pope St. Felix built a church in their honour, at Rome, to which their relics were conveyed, and where they are religiously preserved to the present day. Marianus O'Gorman has the festival of Cosmas and Damian, at this same date. 6 The feast of both saints is also to be found in the Scottish Calendars. At the 27th of September, they are entered in the Roman Martyrology,7 and in nearly all the Latin Martyrologies. The
8
Greeks, Russians, and Arabians keep their festivals at various other dates.
Article XIII. —Leoint or Leontius. The Feilire of Marianus
O'Gorman enters Leoint—or, according to another Manuscript copy—
at the of 1 The Latinized form of the name is Leoaint, 27th September.
Leontius. His Acts are included in those of his brothers, St. Cosmas and Damian, as furnished by the Bollandists.
Article XIV. —Antim or Anthimus. Marianus O'Gorman1 has the entry of "Antim ergna" or u Wise Anthimus," at this date. His Acts are included in those of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, his brothers, and as furnished by the Bollandists.
Article XV. —Adulf. The festival of Adulf is set down in the Feilire
1
Adulphus is the Latinized form. This is doubtless the Adulphus Martyr, who with his brother John, suffered at Cordova, in Spain, and whose Acts are recorded by the Bollan-
dists3 at this date. A Commentary3 precedes their Acts* as contained in John Tamayus' Spanish Martyrology.
Article XVI. —Petar. In the Feilire of Marianus O'Gorman at the
of Marianus O'Gorman at the 27th of September.
27th of September is entered Petar's festival,
1
The name, Latinized Petrus,
•In his Feilire we read: —Coym*,
X) Ami An, T>e5 fin
Dr. Whitley Stokes " Cosmas (and) Dami-
:
moration, on Oct. 28. Many versions of the Acts in Greek and Latin exist, but all are fabulous. The original proconsular Acts
It is thus translated by
—" —
anus, good men. " Feilire Hui Gormain," possibly subsist under a gradually growing
pp. 184, 185. accretion of fable. " Rev. S. Baring-Gould's 7 Thus; " JEgex natalis sanctorum "Lives of the Saints," vol. ix. , September
Martyrum Cosmas et DamUni fratium, qui
in persecuti6ne Diocletiani post multa
tormenta, vincula, et carceres, post mare, et
ignes, cruces, lapidationem, et sagittas
27, p. 397. — Article XIII.
divinitus superatas, capite plectuntur : cum
quibus etiam referuntur passi tres eorum " Article xv. See Dr. Whitley Stokes'
ratres — Anthimus, Leontius et FeilireHuiGormain,"pp. 184,185. germdmi,
"a Euprepius. " Martyrologium Komanum," See
"Acta
tomus editio novissima, Quinto Kalendas Octobris. Septembris xxvii, De SS. Adulpho et
vii. ,
Joanne Fratribus Martyribus Cordubae Hispania, pp. 507 to 51 1.
3
It consists of twenty-one paragraphs, edited by Father Constantine Suysken, S. J. * By the Bollandist' editor, they are Russians. In the Arabic Kalendar published characterised as Acta sublestae fidei ex
by Simoni, on July I and Nov. I, and in the
Arabic Martyrology again on Oct. 17. In many Greek Menaeas, also a fourth comme-
pp. 143, 144.
8 " By the Greeks on July I ; again on
October 17 with their brothers Leontius,
Anthimius, and Euprepius ; again on Nov. I, Cosmas and Damian alone. So also the
" "
' See Dr. Whitley Stokes' Feilire Hui Gormain," pp. 184, 185.
ARTICLE xiv.
—'See Dr. Stokes' Whitley
Feilire Hui Gor—main," pp. 184, 185. *
Sanctorum,"
Legendario Ms. A—sturicensi. Article xvi. 'See Dr. Whitley
Stokes' "Feilire Hui Gormain," pp. 184, 185.
September 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 62]
is known as Peter. It seems most probable, that this commemoration refers to Peter, regarded in succession as the twenty-fifth bishop of Metz,2 and who
died during the reign of Tiberius Constantinus,3 while Pelagius II. was Pope/ That bishop flourished in the sixth century. The Bollandistss doubt his claim to be inscribed on the Calendar of the Saints, as he is only comme-
6
morated in the more recent Martyrologies.
in that of Marianus O'Gorman? appears to have escaped their notice, and it is to be inferred, he borrowed this insertion from more ancient Continental records.
Article XVII. —Kupkeip. The name of Eupreip—Latinized Eupre
—occurs in the
and are disfigured with fables by the more modern Greek writers.
Ctoentp'tig&tl) 2Ba{> of September.
ARTICLE L—ST. SINACH MAC DARA, OF INIS CRUACH MAC DARA, COUNTY OF GALWA\.
OFthis holy anchorite little is positively known, and yet his name and veneration have survived for many ages. He is much venerated by inhabitants on the western shores of Galway. He must have flourished at a very early period, however, and most probably at a time, when his remote position secluded him from cognizance of our ancient chroniclers. Tradition asserts,thatthenameofourSaint'sfatherwasDara; andSinach,hisown peculiar name, was placed before Mac Dara, that by which he is now popularly known. 1 However, the St. Mac Dara of the western coasts should be called
of Marianus O'Gorman,1 at this date.
He is identical with the Euprepius, who suffered Martyrdom with St. Cosmas and St. Damian, his brothers. Their Acts have been interpolated, however,
pius
Martyrology
2
In a catalogue of the Bishops of Metz, edited by b'Achery, he is thus commemo-
Florarius MS. Maurolycus, Canisius, Felicius, Saussay, and Ferrarius.
7 As seen in the Introduction to already
this work, First Volume, he flourished in the
rated. " Villico successit Petrus
Metensis xxv : sedit annosx Obiit v. Kal.
maxime Benedictinorum, latuerunt, Spicile- Article after October 25th, a. d. 574. See Henry
' I.
episcopus,
Octobris sub Papa Pelagio II. , regnante twelfth century. —
Tiberio Constantino. "—" Veterum aliquot Article xvii. ' See Dr. Whitley Stokes'
Scriptorum, qui in Galliae Bibliothecis, " Feilire Hui G—ormain," pp. 184, 185.
de- gium," tomus vi. , p. 650. rived from the Irish word Sionnac. Aug, 3 The first year of his reign commenced "a fox. " "It is a curious coincidence, that the name of this favourite saint of our Western fishermen, should be that of an animal, which, of all others, they most abhor. So great is their aver-ion to a fox, hare or rabbit, that never so much as
Fynes Clinton's Tables, p. 841.
"
Encyclopedic Catholique,"
Fasti Romani," vol. i. 4 He occupied ihe Papal chair from A. D.
to See " 578 590.
M. fAbbe Glaire et M. le Vte-
Walsh,
5 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. others.
par
tome xv. , p. 514.
*****
Septembrisxxvii. Amongthepretermitted
feasts, p. 376.
they endure even to hear them named by
j h,
t has een
pleasantly remarked by Mr. O'Donovan, that if a man of the name of Fox, Hare, or
Rabbit, wished <o settle amongthe Claddagh
6
Such as the continuators of Usuard, the
However, the fact of his entry
The name Sinach is
they
mention their names themselves, nor can
622 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September28. Sionnach, which was his real name. At the 28th of September, Marianus
O'Gorman sets down Sinach in his Festilogy.
2
His commentator has a note
appended to his name which states, that he was from Cruach mac Daro. 3
From other Irish Martyrologies regarding this saint, we can glean no parti-
culars. On the south-western shore of a peninsula, anciently called Torrasainteach,* and comprising the southern portion of the present Ballyna-
hinch Barony, and in the parish of Moyrus,s lies a small Island, presenting to the sea on all sides rocks which are high and precipitous, except towards the eastern part, where boats can safely touch. The appearance of this Island
Island Oratory of Cruach Mac Dara.
from a distance, coupled with its relation to our saint, gave it the name of Cruach Mac Dara, which when anglicised means, "The Rick of Mac Dara," or '« The Island of Mac Dara. " Near the on this St.
landing place Island, Sinach Mac Dara is supposed to have built a small stone church,
the ruins of which yet remain, and are in a good state of preservation.
6
fishermen, he should change his name to Pike, Coddle, or Salmon, or some such ; for that hi j name would destroy the hick
Conmaicne—meaning " maritime"—terri-
tory, is very fully described by John O* Donovan in " Letters containing Informa- tion relative to tlie Antiquities of the County ot Galway collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1839. " Vol. iii. , Letter dated Taylor's Hill near Galway, July 22nd, 1839, pp. 112 to 125.
6 An — account of the ruins on interesting
this Island taken chiefly from that given
—
by John O'Donovan and a beautiful
and happiness of this strnnge people. "—
"
Roderick O'Flaherty's
Description of West or H-Iar Connaught,"
edited by James llardiman n. (d. ) pp. ioo, 101.
3 Rendered in Irish o Crvudich nielcDapo.
2 See Dr.
Gorniain," pp. 186, 187.
4 This is
by Tohn O'Donovan.
" the
the stone
may be seen, by referring to Dr. l'etrie's splendid work, " The Round Towers and Ecclesiastical Architecture of Ireland," part
ii. , sect, iii. , subs, i. , pp. 189 to 191.
Whitley
Stokes' "Feilire Ui
interpreted
stormy Irros,"
engraving representing
church,
5 This parish, bounded on the south and south-west by the Atlantic Ocean, forms the southern portion of Conmaicne-mara or
Chorographical
September 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 623
These evince a date of erection, almost coeval with the first establishment of Christianity in Ireland. This church is built with stones of massive size, and in the ancient Cyclopean style of primitive and rude architecture. 7 It has, however, angular projections or plain-faced pilasters, carried up to the apex of its gables, at both ends. It is small in dimensions, only fifteen feet in length by eleven in breadth, and its walls, extending beyond this area, are nearly three feet in thickness. * Besides this ruin, a circular or rather oval stone-house, twenty-four feet by eighteen, with walls seven feet in thick- ness, is yet to be seen, although in a very dilapidated condition. This was probably our saint's usual habitation, and the church might have been chiefly in use, as an oratory. At the distance of 300 feet from this church, and on its northern side, a square altar, surmounted by a cross, and a holy well near it, are pointed out to strangers. 9 Both are dedicated to St. Mac Dara. He seems to have led a secluded life on the Island bearing his name, and one devoted to the practice of most austere religious rules and duties. According to a custom,10 usual in our old Irish churches," the wooden statue of this saint —was preserved in his chapel for many centuries subsequent to his death thisimagebeingcommemorativeofthefounderandpatron,whose intercession was invoked. However, for special weighty reasons, the Arch-
12
tai s of its door-way and small windows, is "
preserved in the Letters containing Infor- mation relative to the Antiquities of the
withstanding the utmost vigilance of the u
County of Galway collected during the
Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1839,"
vol. iii. , p. 136.
a
The annexed illustration, which has been faithfully copied from Dr. Petrie's work,
clergy to prevent it. " See Chorogra-
presents the ruin on a somewhat enlarged 99, n. (a).
. -cale in its isolated It has
present position. very parish
been copied and drawn on the wood, en-
graved by Gregor Grey.
9 Mr. Petrie says of St. Mac Dara, " his
XS There is a ground-plan and a beautiful drawing of the old church of Moyrus, with details of its round-headed door- way, and a small
bronze cross, which was preserved in his church, still exists and is supposed to pos-
sess miraculous powers. "
—" Round Towers
square-headed window, by George Petrie, together with a description in his handwriting, setting forth that the church was thirty-eight feet in length, by eighteen feet six inches interiorly, and that it ori^i- nally had two door-ways. The eastern gable contained a fine window, now nearly destroyed. The remaining door-way is
and Ancient Architecture of Ireland," part
ii. , sec. iii. , subs, i. , p. 190.
10
Alluded to by Giraldus Cambrensis, in his time, when many wooden effigies ot the primitive Irish saints were preserved in the ehurches of which they were founders or patrons.
" Hibernia Dominicana," cap. ix. , sec. xx. , num. iv. , p.
11 See De Bishop
caused its removal during the time of
bishop of Tuam, Malachy Queely,
his incumbency, and had it buried under the ground. 3 Besides the venera- tion paid our saint on this Island, the inhabitants of Moyrus Parish, 14 on the shore of the opposite mainland, point out the ruins of an old parish church, which is dedicated to him. 1 * There, in the time of Roderick O'Flaherty, " his altar stone, by the name of Leac Sinach," was kept as a venerable relic, This church likewise may have been one of Sionnach's erection. It had two
7 A view of Mac Dara's church, with de-
x
vent the islanders from asseverating by the
saint, as was then, and is still practised, on the relics of saints, in other places, not-
of three concentric arches in beautifully cut stone ; it was buried several feet in the earth when measured as four feet two inches in height, and only two feet, five list of the churches and chapels in his inches in breadth. See " Letters containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Galway collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1839,"
vol. iii. , pp. 139, 140.
273, and cap. x. , sec. iv. , num. v. , p. 344.
12 He was the prelate, who sent Colgan a
diocese, shortly before the year 1645, as
mentioned in
"
Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," 13 This was done, most probably to pre-
p. 7*4-
Burgo's
composed
phical Description of West or H-Iar Connaught," written a. d. 1684, by Roderick O'Flaherty. Edited with notes and illus- trations by James Hardiman, Esq. , pp. 98,
'•» This extensive and its islands, in the baruny of Ballynahinch and County of Gal way, covers 101,510a. 3r. and 8p.
624 LIVES Of THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 28.
doorways, formerly ; one in the north, and the other in its south side. The northern one is now built up ; but the other is formed of cut-stone, and it has three concentric arches directly over the entrance. The eastern gable- window is now a melancholy ruin. Here, the coast inhabitants, who are
16
principally fishermen, assemble on the 16th of July each year, to celebrate
the festival of their of 1' At this date, however, we find patron Moyrus parish.
no mention of Sinach Mac Dara, in our Martyrologies. The principal festival of our saint is noted in the Irish Calendar, as occurring on the 28th
day of September. This day may probably be assigned, as that for his departure. Many miraculous occurrences are recorded, and some super- stitious observances are said to have been practised in connection with this
One of the latter practices at low water, by women, in order to obtain the release of some friend in captivity : this reprieve, however, they expected should be obtained chiefly through the intercession of our
saint's memory by recurring to local tradition. was the collection of Dunleasg or salt sea-leaf,
This practice of gathering Dunleasg has been disused for many years although old people are yet living, who remember its frequent observ- In the time of Roderick O' Flaherty, it was customary for all boats, passing between Mason-head and the Island, to lower their sails three times, in honour of Mac Dara. 1 ? In the year 1672, a certain captain of Galway
garrison, passing without the usual mark of reverence, experienced such a
violent gale, that he made a vow of never again sailing by without a proper
obeisance ae he was shipwrecked shortly afterwards, and never reached his ;
destination. One Gill, a fisherman of Galway, during the prevalence of fair weather before and after the occurrence, was struck dead almost instanta- neously, by a stroke from the mast of his own boat, when it fell on his head. This accident, like the former, was attributed to that contempt shown towards our saint by a departure from the time-honoured custom. His altar-stone, called " Leac Shinac," was said to have been preserved to the middle of the present century ; but its whereabouts is not now known. The name Mac Dara is a very common prefix to surnames of many Islanders and borderers, on the Galway coast, and even boats and hookers belonging to its fishermen are inscribed with the name, in token of veneration for our saint.
Article II. —Feast of St. Fursey. A Feast in honour of St. Fursey
1
saint.
past ; ance.
was kept on the 28th day of September, according to Petrus de Natalibus,
,6 At that date, a "
honour, on the shore opposite his island, and in the town of Clifdeu.
however it may have originated, few sea- faring natives of the coasts would now venture to omit that accustomed mark of
name truly descriptive of the land on which
the ancient church of the
18 Called in Latin Rhodomenia
by Mr. Hardiman.
*> To this custom, allusion is made in
Denis Florence Mac Carthy's "Voyage of St. Brendan. " The Navigator is repre- sented as saying,
by the botanists.
19 " This is scrupulously observed to the
present day ; and it is performed by lower-
the main-sail a little, three times. The custom is supposed to have originated with some pious boatmen, who probably in the life-time of the saint, first adopted that mode of salutation on sailing by the Island. That
precedent a few times repeated, and a wreck
a boat which would be suffi- cient to establish the ceremony. But,
' '
Borne on the tide or driven before the
And as I passed Mac Dara's Sacred Isle, Thrice bowed my mast, and thrice let
ing
gale;
Article ii. —' "Fursaeus anno Episcopus
or other accident
befalling might happen to neglect it,
Constantis qui & Constantinus, in iiibernia claruit ut dicit Sigebertus. Hie
pattern"
is held in his
18
respect to St. Mac Dara. " — Roderick ""
'7 Moyrus, an Anglicised form of the Irish
max; Uuip, meaning the plain or field of O'Flaherty's Chorographical Description the point or promontory"; and this is a of Iar or West Connaught," p. ioo, note c,
parish
stands.
palmata,
— downmysail. " Part ii. , stanza io.
5.
Sep r ember 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 625
Maurolycus Felicis, Ferrarius, and Wion. 2 The latter writer supposes this to have been the Feast for the finding of St. Fursey's relics. The particulars of St. Fursey's life will be found at the 1 6th of January. 3 which is the day for his chief festival. * Colgan refers to the Lives of various Irish saints, for testi- monies regarding the miracles and virtues of St. Fursey, besides giving those special Acts, which he has published, at the 16th of January, and at the 9th of February. Among those we are referred to the Life of St. Cronan,5 to the
6
close of St. Cuan's Acts, to the Life of St. Molaga, to the Life of St. Barr,7
&c. St.
