with this part of tlie country, is said to be provable from other circumstances ;
such as an aUusion to the chieftains of Kiarraighe, and of the shore of
Leamhna, thought to be no other than Lough Leane, or the Lake of
Killarney.
such as an aUusion to the chieftains of Kiarraighe, and of the shore of
Leamhna, thought to be no other than Lough Leane, or the Lake of
Killarney.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
Patrick and King ^ngus visited that place, a.
d.
455, and that after this date,
he spent seven years of his life away from Ireland. =^5 St. Carthage is said to havebeenconsecratedatRomef^althoughthisisnotcertain. Forthelove of God, whom he served, St. Kiaran of Saigir used to be often immersed in a vat of cold water. ^7 In pursuance of his accustomed mortification, and in company with a holy stranger, called German, he had one day gone into a cold stream, which the pilgrim told him he found it too difficult to remain in much longer. Then St. Kieran signed the water with a cross, and it seemed warm about him, as if it had been a tepid bath, and at the same time he pre- dicted to German the immediate return of his disciple, St. Carthage, while he desired a large fish swimming near them to be caught for his refreshment. The very next day, Carthage came to the place. When he returned back to Ireland, St. Ciaran welcomed him with great joy, and it is thought, our saint once more was received under his direction, and admitted to his confidence. He obtained holy orders not long afterwards, as seems probable, and fiom St. Ciaran himself. ^^ The pious disciple's life was after^vards a most exemplary one, and soon he began to cultivate the Lord's vineyard, in which he worthily laboured, and he even set about the erection of various monasteries, in different parts of Ireland. It is said, that Ciaran dedicated his congregation to God and to Carthach,=9 and, that this happened, a little before the death of the former. 3° Hence, it has been concluded, that our saint immediately succeeded the founder in the see of Saighir. Yet, it is thought, that what- ever superintendence Carthagh might have exercised for some time in the place, he may have acted in the capacity of a friend, and not as a bishop. The Irish Calendars only call him the alumnus, and not the comorban, or successor, of St. Cieran. Supposing that the latter died, about a. d. 540, Colgan thinks, that Carthagh became his inheritor of the see, at that period. 3' However, Harris mentions him, as having been a bishop at Saigir y^ yet, the time when he ruled there does not seem possible to be determined. This matter, on the whole, is rather doubtful ; still, it is not questioned, that he be- came a bishop, in course of time, but when, or by whom, he was consecrated, we cannot discover. 33 One of his places, we are told, was Druimfertain, and in Cairbre Ua Ciardhes* is Druimfertain. 35 Under this latter head, Duald
*° See her Life, at the nth of August.
=' The incident is also alluded foregoing
*' According to his Irish Life, as quoted
in Rev. Drs. Todd's and Reeves' ' '
Martyr- Ecclesias-
chap,
to, in Capgrave's account of St. Ciaran or
ology of Donegal," pp. 64, 65.
*" "
Piran.
" See Miss M. F. Cusack's "
See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's
of
'* See ibid. , n. 46, p. lOO.
"5 See "St. Ciaran, Patron of Ossory,"
tical of Ireland," vol. ii. , History
sect, v. , p. 98.
History the Kingdom of Kerry," chap, iv. , p. 58.
xi. ,
^3 See Rev. Dr.
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect. v. , p. 98.
part ii. , chap, xix. , p. 158.
'\Monasticon Hibemicum," p. 404.
3' See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernire," v.
Martii. ad Vitam S. Kierani, Appendix
Carthagio Epis. et Confess. , cap. vii. , viii. , pp. 474, 475-
Ossory," p. 402.
^^ See Dr. Lanigan's
"' According
Aenghus :
to these
lines,
translated from
—
and De S.
Lanigan's
"Thesilentmanwentwithrenown Eastwards over the sea,
Carthage, the royal one of Rome. "
cap. v. , p. 473,
3»geeHarris'Ware,vol. i. , "Bishopsof
" Ecclesiastical
*' to the Irish Life of St. Cia- According
ran, chapter xxxiv.
30 Archdall has this made appointment
by St. Kieran, when on his death-bed. See
"
Ecclesiastical His-
March 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 151
Mac Firbis enters, Carthach, bishop,35 ^-^^ ^j- ^g added, that Drum Feartan belongs to him. 37 This denomination, however, does not appear on the Ordnance Survey Maps. Inis Uachtair,3S on the upper Island of Lough Sheelin, bordering on the half barony of Fore, in the county of Westmeath, is stated39 to have been another of his places. Here, it is stated, the saint's abbey had been erected, in the sixth century •,''° and, Archdall assigns its
-foundation, on this island, to about the year 540, while a little after this period, St. Carthag is said to have presided over it, as abbot. 4'= Under the
head of Inis-Uachter,t2 Duald Mac Firbis enters Carthach, bishop. 43 This island seems also to have obtained from him the name of Inis-Carthaigh. 44
However, a mistake probably occurs here, in confounding him with his cele- bratednamesake,theBishopofLismore. ^s Tohim,likewise,belongedCill Charthaigh, in Tir Boghaine, in Cinel Conaill, state the O'Clerys. This place is supposed, by Archdall, to be represented by Kilcarr, a parish church inthedioceseofRaphoe,andinthecountyofDonegal. i^ Yet,Dr. Lani- gan suspects, this church got its name from some other Carthaich or Carthagh, rather than from him. The Calendar of Cashel, which may be considered as good authority regarding this saint, does not place it among his churches, anditsgreatdistancefromMunsterstrengthensthedoubt. ^ Thenameof a monastery, Thuaim, is introduced by Colgan, as one where St. Carthagh and his companions happened to be entertained, on a particular occasion. This, he supposes, to have been the same as Tuaim-nava, alias Iniscarra. Kerry is said to have been the see or scene of his labours,^^ and, as conjectured by Dr. Lanigan, his place there was near the River Mang. It is thought by him, that Thuaim perhaps may have some reference to the mountain, called Toomish, in the barony of Dunkerron. 49 Here, he met with St. Carthage the younger, or Mochuda,5° a native of Kerry, who became his scholar, and who was afterwards advanced by him to priesthood. This is thought referable to abouttheyear577,orperhapsevenlater,whenoursaintwasold. ^^ Hence, it is supposed, an inference may be drawn, that towards the close of life, he must have been living in the kingdom of Kerry. That he was connected,
tory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect, v. , p. 99.
'' This place is identical with Carbury, county of Kildare, according to William M. Hennessy's note.
35 Dr. Todd
Dndmfertam. "The more recent hand adds: 'no -peiTOAini, T. ;' meaning that the
"
Mart. Taml. reads Druim ferdaimh.
3° His feast is assigned, to the 5th of
March.
37 See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. 108, 109.
3» In the townland and parish of Foyran, there is a ruined church marked on the
-t' See"MonasticonHibemicum,"p. 716.
says,
in a note at this
etymon,
Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part
i. , pp. 116, 117.
43 His feast is referred, to the 5th of March.
••* See z'i^/i:/. , pp. 114, 115.
-ts His feast is also wrongly placed, at March 3rd. However, he is the same, whose name appears under Druim-fertain and Inis-Uochtar as above. See William M. Hennessy's note. Ibid. , pp. 118, 119.
'^ See " Monasticon Hibernicum," p. loi.
Here our saint is placed as Bishop of Killen,
about the year 540.
47 See"EcclesiasticalHistoryofIreland,"
"
County of Westmeath," Sheet i. Near it
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect, v. , n. 47, pp. lOO, loi.
is Tober Aidan or
48 " of gee Miss M. F. Cusack's History
Bishop Hugh's Well. From the Ordnance Survey Maps, however, it does not seem possible to identify the obsolete Inis Uchtair, with any island on
Lough Sheelin.
39 See Rev. Dr. Todd's and Dr. Reeves'
"
Martyrology of Donegal," pp. 64, 65.
*° See Rev. Anthony Cogan's "Diocese
of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. , chap. Ixxiv. , p. 572.
the Kingdom of Kerry," chap, iv. , pp. 58 to 60.
49 See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire- land," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect, v. , and n. 50,
-t^ See
"
Proceedings of the Royal Irish
102.
5° Sec his Life, at the 14th of May.
S' This would be, to allow about sixty
years, for the priesthood of St. Carthage, Junior, who died A. D. 637.
pp. 99,
152 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 5.
with this part of tlie country, is said to be provable from other circumstances ;
such as an aUusion to the chieftains of Kiarraighe, and of the shore of
Leamhna, thought to be no other than Lough Leane, or the Lake of
Killarney. 52 Being at a spot, called Feoran, near the shore of Learaha, St. Carthage the Elder recommended the Chieftain Moeltul to his disciple St.
Carthage, the Younger, who was to become Patron of Kerry. 53 Aloreover, the former offered his church and see to the latter, and this resignation be- tokened our saint's great humility, while it indicated a Providential disposal of the privileges both were to enjoy. It does not seem at all likely, that our saint followed his disciple to Lismore, near which, it is said, the church of Inis-Carthach54 had been dedicated to him. This his great age, would hardly allow ;55 yet, it may well be supposed, that as master and instructor of the great St. JMochuda, his memory had been afterwards revered in that district. 5^ The year date of his death is unknown, but by some it is placed about a. d. 540 ;57 yet, probably it happened, about or after a. d. 580 f^ for, it is thought, from certain dates and circumstances, that it could not have been prior to this period. 59 In many churches, his feast was kept on the 5th of March— probably that of his demise, or possibly for the sake of convenience, to make it accord with the festival of his great predecessor. The ^Martyrology of Tallagh^° enters the name, at the 5th of March, as Carthach, son of -^nguss, ofDromaFerdaim. Thereseemseventobeadoubleentryofthissaint's name, in the foregoing record. ^* The Calendars of Cashel, of Marianus O'Gorman, and of Cathald Maguire, are of accord, as to the date for his festival. ^^ TheMartyrologyofDonegal,^^thisdayrecords,Carthach,Bishop, alumnus of Ciaran of Saighir. As we have already seen, under diflferent headings and i)laces, this holy man is commemorated by Duald Mac Firbis, at the 5 th of March, and, in our early Irish Church, he must have acquired considerable
celebrity.
Article III. —St. Colman, surnamed the Thirsty. {Supposed to be
of the Fifth CentHry. \ Obedience is better than sacrifice has often been
advanced, as a maxim, by spiritual writers ; but, in the present instance, we
may discover both virtues, distinctly placed, and yet combined. Colgan
assigns the festival of a particular St. Colman, to this day ; although, he con- fesses himself unable to determine such a position, with a full degree of
certainty. ^ This saint is thought assignable, to the early period of our Christian histor}'. Still, our national hagiologist seems to err in his conjec- ture, that the present saint may have been a St. Colman, son of Enan, and a brother to three other saints. '' Elsewhere, he is of opinion, that the present
" Ecclesiastical His-
n. 50, p. 102.
53 See this account more fully related in
the old Irish Life of St. Carthage the
s* See Dr.
ss gee Miss Cusack's of the "History
Kingdom of Kerry," chap, iv. , pp, 59, 60.
I-anigan's
lory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect, v. ,
"
Ecclesiastical liis- tory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect v. ,
*^ " " ^'
Younger, chap, i. , luim. 8, as contained in
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xvii.
Thus, "Carthach i Saighir in uno die
ocus," &c. , precedes the textual notice.
'^ See " Acta Sanctorum Uiber- Colgan's
nise," v. Martii, nn. 14, 15, p. 476.
*3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
64, 65.
Article hi. —' See "Acta Sanctorum
the Bollandists' Acta Sanctorum, iii. , Maii xiv.
tomus that this
5-1 The Calendar of Cashel was one of his churches.
states,
55 See Colgan's nice," Martii v.
Confess. , cap. xi. ,
"
De S. Carihagio Epis. et
and n.
12, pp. 475, 476. " Ecclesiastical His-
5* See Dr.
Martii v. De B.
Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Lanigan's
tory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect, v. ,
Hibernia;,"
n. 53, p. 102.
57 See Harris' Ware, vol. i. ,
Ossory," p. 402.
dicto Sitiente, p. 476. ="
"Bishops of
59 See Dr. Lanigan's nn. 51, 52, pp. 99, 102.
Colmano,
See Trias Thaumaturga. " Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. (^olumbic, cap. iii. , p. 482, and cap, x. , p. 489.
March 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 153
holy man was one of St. Patrick's disciples. 3 The Bollandists have some briefnoticesofhim. ^ AccordingtoColgan'sinferences,thisColmanwasa monkjS under the rule of St. Patrick. ^ So exact was he, in complying with allthingsrequired,thathebecameamartyrtomonasticdiscipline. Whilstem- ployed with other monks in collecting the harvest, at a place denominated Trian Conchobhuir,7 one of these called Colman felt extremely thirsty. ^ Although a tub of cold water had been placed in the field, to be used by the labourers ; yet, an injunction was issued, that no one should drink from it, until the hour for saying Vespers had passed. 9 Colman's strength began to fail, how- ever, on account of the intolerable thirst experienced ; still, the patient monk did not wish to infringe an established rule. At length, unable to bear this
privation, to which he had voluntarily subjected himself, the holy servant yielded up his spirit to the Maker of all things, having sunk on the ground exhausted and lifeless. He was buried at the cross, which had been erected before the newly-built Cathedral Church of Armagh ; and, on being con- signed to the tomb, in this consecrated spot of ground, much as he no doubt lamented the circumstances attending this death,^° the Irish Apostle felt gratified, that the body of a saint should repose in his graveyard, as the first fruits of deposition. He is even said to have prophesied, that the church, which was consecrated by such a happy sepulture, should afterwards be
^^
prosperous, and should abound in riches and honours.
the soul of his departed brother ascend to heaven, where it found rest, in company with the martyrs. ^^ The 5th of March was the Natal day of a St. Colman—probably the present—according to our Irish Martyrologies.
At this dale, the Martyrology of Tallagh'3 records a festival in honour of Col- man, designated Isirni. Marianus O'Gorman and Charles Maguire record
l^. im ; but, they neither add time, place, or other circumstances, to identify him. '-t The name of a Saint Colman has been omitted from the published
Martyrology of Donegal,'^ at this day ; but, the simple name, Colman, has been inserted by the compiler of a table subjoined, with the remark ap- pended, that he had not been noticed in the body of this work. '^ About the year 445 must have been the period for his death, were we to credit Ussher's statement, that at this date, the foundations of Armagh church were laid. '7
The O'Clerys, however, refer this event, to the year 457. '^ As many bodies, no doubt, were early interred within the cemetery of Armagh, and as Saint
3 See ibid. Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 268.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ! . ,
from food, but even from the simplest kind of drink, imtil tlie time allowed for refection had come.
'° Had the saint been of tlie apprized
danger Colman was in, he would certainly
have dispensed with his n—ot observing the
Martii v. p. 359-
Among
the
pretermitted saints,
5 This, however, he acknowledges to be a
negative inference only as ;
one rules on that occasion. " Dr.
among hundred and twenty or more saints, named
Lanigan's " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. ,
chap, vii. , sect. I, p. 320.
"See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"'
Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, iii. , cap. Ixxvii.
'^ See ibid. Jocelin's or Sexta Vita S.
Patricii, cap. 165.
'3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xvii.
'^ See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Colman, and mentioned in our Calendars, circumstances seem most favourable to place him, at the 5th of March—misprinted the 2nd.
* See his Life, at the 17th of March.
7 This means, "Conor's Quarter," or
" 8
district,"
According to the Tripartite Life of St.
he was afterwards called " Martii v. De B. /toi'rt<f/? , nise,"
Patrick,
i. e. Sitiens. "—Colgan's "Trias Thauma- Sitiente, n. 2, p. 476.
turga. " Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars. iii. , cap. Ixxvii. In Irish, iocac means, "thirsty. "
9 Many of the early Christians, on fasting days, were accustomed to abstain, not only
See, ibid. , pp. 380, 381. "
St. Patrick, also, saw
Cohnano, diclo
'S Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, '*
'7 See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum An-
tiquitates," Index Chronologicus, A. D. ccccxLV. ,p. 518,
154 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 5. ,
Colman's remains were the first therein deposited, we may probably refer his
death and burial, to that very year, in which the church foundations had been
laid. His cognomen of the Thirsty was obtained, not from his being often
obliged to satisfy such a distressing want of nature ; but, owing to that heroic
yet misconceived resolution, whereby he overcome natural requirements,
even at the sacrifice of his own life. What an example of abstemiousness
ought not this be for many unhappy drunkards, who end their days prema-
turely, when indulging in habits of intoxication, and in the frequent use of
spirituous liquors. That wholesome beverage, pure water, is abundant, espe-
*'
cially in
charge or hindrance. It usually promotes health, and it can hardly be used to excess by any of our people, while it never can deprive them of reason or
sense. Notwithstanding his exemption from rule, for grave moral and physical reasons, yet, it is to be lamented, that a conscientious and good
man, in the present instance, mistook the nature of his engagements, when by a moderate draught of this pure element, he might have saved a valuable and an exemplary life.
Article IV. —Reputed Festival of a Saint Moggrudo, Muggins OR MuCKOLiNUS. On the 5th of March, in Molanus' edition of Usuard, there is notice of the mart>TS of St, Adrian, at Caesarea, in Palestine. ^ But, the saint, with whom we have to deal, is he whom Usuard describes as ^Mug- grudo, a Bishop and a Confessor, unknown to that time. The honorific " mo," added to the Celtic name, Odran, gives a name similar to Macgidran, to whom are dedicated the churches of Lindores and Flisk, where he appears
as St, Muggins, wliile both within the parochia of S. Andrew. ' There, he appears, also, as Muckolinus. 3 His name is found, in the dedication of a
church, near Dron, Exmacgirdle; also, possibly, at Mugdrum; and, as Magidrin, he appears in Macduff's Cross. There is a St. Odran, at March
6th,intheMartyrologyofDonegal. * Wearcobligedtorequestthereader, to examine again what has been stated, at the 4th of this month, when treat-
ing about St.
he spent seven years of his life away from Ireland. =^5 St. Carthage is said to havebeenconsecratedatRomef^althoughthisisnotcertain. Forthelove of God, whom he served, St. Kiaran of Saigir used to be often immersed in a vat of cold water. ^7 In pursuance of his accustomed mortification, and in company with a holy stranger, called German, he had one day gone into a cold stream, which the pilgrim told him he found it too difficult to remain in much longer. Then St. Kieran signed the water with a cross, and it seemed warm about him, as if it had been a tepid bath, and at the same time he pre- dicted to German the immediate return of his disciple, St. Carthage, while he desired a large fish swimming near them to be caught for his refreshment. The very next day, Carthage came to the place. When he returned back to Ireland, St. Ciaran welcomed him with great joy, and it is thought, our saint once more was received under his direction, and admitted to his confidence. He obtained holy orders not long afterwards, as seems probable, and fiom St. Ciaran himself. ^^ The pious disciple's life was after^vards a most exemplary one, and soon he began to cultivate the Lord's vineyard, in which he worthily laboured, and he even set about the erection of various monasteries, in different parts of Ireland. It is said, that Ciaran dedicated his congregation to God and to Carthach,=9 and, that this happened, a little before the death of the former. 3° Hence, it has been concluded, that our saint immediately succeeded the founder in the see of Saighir. Yet, it is thought, that what- ever superintendence Carthagh might have exercised for some time in the place, he may have acted in the capacity of a friend, and not as a bishop. The Irish Calendars only call him the alumnus, and not the comorban, or successor, of St. Cieran. Supposing that the latter died, about a. d. 540, Colgan thinks, that Carthagh became his inheritor of the see, at that period. 3' However, Harris mentions him, as having been a bishop at Saigir y^ yet, the time when he ruled there does not seem possible to be determined. This matter, on the whole, is rather doubtful ; still, it is not questioned, that he be- came a bishop, in course of time, but when, or by whom, he was consecrated, we cannot discover. 33 One of his places, we are told, was Druimfertain, and in Cairbre Ua Ciardhes* is Druimfertain. 35 Under this latter head, Duald
*° See her Life, at the nth of August.
=' The incident is also alluded foregoing
*' According to his Irish Life, as quoted
in Rev. Drs. Todd's and Reeves' ' '
Martyr- Ecclesias-
chap,
to, in Capgrave's account of St. Ciaran or
ology of Donegal," pp. 64, 65.
*" "
Piran.
" See Miss M. F. Cusack's "
See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's
of
'* See ibid. , n. 46, p. lOO.
"5 See "St. Ciaran, Patron of Ossory,"
tical of Ireland," vol. ii. , History
sect, v. , p. 98.
History the Kingdom of Kerry," chap, iv. , p. 58.
xi. ,
^3 See Rev. Dr.
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect. v. , p. 98.
part ii. , chap, xix. , p. 158.
'\Monasticon Hibemicum," p. 404.
3' See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernire," v.
Martii. ad Vitam S. Kierani, Appendix
Carthagio Epis. et Confess. , cap. vii. , viii. , pp. 474, 475-
Ossory," p. 402.
^^ See Dr. Lanigan's
"' According
Aenghus :
to these
lines,
translated from
—
and De S.
Lanigan's
"Thesilentmanwentwithrenown Eastwards over the sea,
Carthage, the royal one of Rome. "
cap. v. , p. 473,
3»geeHarris'Ware,vol. i. , "Bishopsof
" Ecclesiastical
*' to the Irish Life of St. Cia- According
ran, chapter xxxiv.
30 Archdall has this made appointment
by St. Kieran, when on his death-bed. See
"
Ecclesiastical His-
March 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 151
Mac Firbis enters, Carthach, bishop,35 ^-^^ ^j- ^g added, that Drum Feartan belongs to him. 37 This denomination, however, does not appear on the Ordnance Survey Maps. Inis Uachtair,3S on the upper Island of Lough Sheelin, bordering on the half barony of Fore, in the county of Westmeath, is stated39 to have been another of his places. Here, it is stated, the saint's abbey had been erected, in the sixth century •,''° and, Archdall assigns its
-foundation, on this island, to about the year 540, while a little after this period, St. Carthag is said to have presided over it, as abbot. 4'= Under the
head of Inis-Uachter,t2 Duald Mac Firbis enters Carthach, bishop. 43 This island seems also to have obtained from him the name of Inis-Carthaigh. 44
However, a mistake probably occurs here, in confounding him with his cele- bratednamesake,theBishopofLismore. ^s Tohim,likewise,belongedCill Charthaigh, in Tir Boghaine, in Cinel Conaill, state the O'Clerys. This place is supposed, by Archdall, to be represented by Kilcarr, a parish church inthedioceseofRaphoe,andinthecountyofDonegal. i^ Yet,Dr. Lani- gan suspects, this church got its name from some other Carthaich or Carthagh, rather than from him. The Calendar of Cashel, which may be considered as good authority regarding this saint, does not place it among his churches, anditsgreatdistancefromMunsterstrengthensthedoubt. ^ Thenameof a monastery, Thuaim, is introduced by Colgan, as one where St. Carthagh and his companions happened to be entertained, on a particular occasion. This, he supposes, to have been the same as Tuaim-nava, alias Iniscarra. Kerry is said to have been the see or scene of his labours,^^ and, as conjectured by Dr. Lanigan, his place there was near the River Mang. It is thought by him, that Thuaim perhaps may have some reference to the mountain, called Toomish, in the barony of Dunkerron. 49 Here, he met with St. Carthage the younger, or Mochuda,5° a native of Kerry, who became his scholar, and who was afterwards advanced by him to priesthood. This is thought referable to abouttheyear577,orperhapsevenlater,whenoursaintwasold. ^^ Hence, it is supposed, an inference may be drawn, that towards the close of life, he must have been living in the kingdom of Kerry. That he was connected,
tory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect, v. , p. 99.
'' This place is identical with Carbury, county of Kildare, according to William M. Hennessy's note.
35 Dr. Todd
Dndmfertam. "The more recent hand adds: 'no -peiTOAini, T. ;' meaning that the
"
Mart. Taml. reads Druim ferdaimh.
3° His feast is assigned, to the 5th of
March.
37 See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. 108, 109.
3» In the townland and parish of Foyran, there is a ruined church marked on the
-t' See"MonasticonHibemicum,"p. 716.
says,
in a note at this
etymon,
Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part
i. , pp. 116, 117.
43 His feast is referred, to the 5th of March.
••* See z'i^/i:/. , pp. 114, 115.
-ts His feast is also wrongly placed, at March 3rd. However, he is the same, whose name appears under Druim-fertain and Inis-Uochtar as above. See William M. Hennessy's note. Ibid. , pp. 118, 119.
'^ See " Monasticon Hibernicum," p. loi.
Here our saint is placed as Bishop of Killen,
about the year 540.
47 See"EcclesiasticalHistoryofIreland,"
"
County of Westmeath," Sheet i. Near it
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect, v. , n. 47, pp. lOO, loi.
is Tober Aidan or
48 " of gee Miss M. F. Cusack's History
Bishop Hugh's Well. From the Ordnance Survey Maps, however, it does not seem possible to identify the obsolete Inis Uchtair, with any island on
Lough Sheelin.
39 See Rev. Dr. Todd's and Dr. Reeves'
"
Martyrology of Donegal," pp. 64, 65.
*° See Rev. Anthony Cogan's "Diocese
of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. , chap. Ixxiv. , p. 572.
the Kingdom of Kerry," chap, iv. , pp. 58 to 60.
49 See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire- land," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect, v. , and n. 50,
-t^ See
"
Proceedings of the Royal Irish
102.
5° Sec his Life, at the 14th of May.
S' This would be, to allow about sixty
years, for the priesthood of St. Carthage, Junior, who died A. D. 637.
pp. 99,
152 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 5.
with this part of tlie country, is said to be provable from other circumstances ;
such as an aUusion to the chieftains of Kiarraighe, and of the shore of
Leamhna, thought to be no other than Lough Leane, or the Lake of
Killarney. 52 Being at a spot, called Feoran, near the shore of Learaha, St. Carthage the Elder recommended the Chieftain Moeltul to his disciple St.
Carthage, the Younger, who was to become Patron of Kerry. 53 Aloreover, the former offered his church and see to the latter, and this resignation be- tokened our saint's great humility, while it indicated a Providential disposal of the privileges both were to enjoy. It does not seem at all likely, that our saint followed his disciple to Lismore, near which, it is said, the church of Inis-Carthach54 had been dedicated to him. This his great age, would hardly allow ;55 yet, it may well be supposed, that as master and instructor of the great St. JMochuda, his memory had been afterwards revered in that district. 5^ The year date of his death is unknown, but by some it is placed about a. d. 540 ;57 yet, probably it happened, about or after a. d. 580 f^ for, it is thought, from certain dates and circumstances, that it could not have been prior to this period. 59 In many churches, his feast was kept on the 5th of March— probably that of his demise, or possibly for the sake of convenience, to make it accord with the festival of his great predecessor. The ^Martyrology of Tallagh^° enters the name, at the 5th of March, as Carthach, son of -^nguss, ofDromaFerdaim. Thereseemseventobeadoubleentryofthissaint's name, in the foregoing record. ^* The Calendars of Cashel, of Marianus O'Gorman, and of Cathald Maguire, are of accord, as to the date for his festival. ^^ TheMartyrologyofDonegal,^^thisdayrecords,Carthach,Bishop, alumnus of Ciaran of Saighir. As we have already seen, under diflferent headings and i)laces, this holy man is commemorated by Duald Mac Firbis, at the 5 th of March, and, in our early Irish Church, he must have acquired considerable
celebrity.
Article III. —St. Colman, surnamed the Thirsty. {Supposed to be
of the Fifth CentHry. \ Obedience is better than sacrifice has often been
advanced, as a maxim, by spiritual writers ; but, in the present instance, we
may discover both virtues, distinctly placed, and yet combined. Colgan
assigns the festival of a particular St. Colman, to this day ; although, he con- fesses himself unable to determine such a position, with a full degree of
certainty. ^ This saint is thought assignable, to the early period of our Christian histor}'. Still, our national hagiologist seems to err in his conjec- ture, that the present saint may have been a St. Colman, son of Enan, and a brother to three other saints. '' Elsewhere, he is of opinion, that the present
" Ecclesiastical His-
n. 50, p. 102.
53 See this account more fully related in
the old Irish Life of St. Carthage the
s* See Dr.
ss gee Miss Cusack's of the "History
Kingdom of Kerry," chap, iv. , pp, 59, 60.
I-anigan's
lory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect, v. ,
"
Ecclesiastical liis- tory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect v. ,
*^ " " ^'
Younger, chap, i. , luim. 8, as contained in
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xvii.
Thus, "Carthach i Saighir in uno die
ocus," &c. , precedes the textual notice.
'^ See " Acta Sanctorum Uiber- Colgan's
nise," v. Martii, nn. 14, 15, p. 476.
*3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
64, 65.
Article hi. —' See "Acta Sanctorum
the Bollandists' Acta Sanctorum, iii. , Maii xiv.
tomus that this
5-1 The Calendar of Cashel was one of his churches.
states,
55 See Colgan's nice," Martii v.
Confess. , cap. xi. ,
"
De S. Carihagio Epis. et
and n.
12, pp. 475, 476. " Ecclesiastical His-
5* See Dr.
Martii v. De B.
Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Lanigan's
tory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect, v. ,
Hibernia;,"
n. 53, p. 102.
57 See Harris' Ware, vol. i. ,
Ossory," p. 402.
dicto Sitiente, p. 476. ="
"Bishops of
59 See Dr. Lanigan's nn. 51, 52, pp. 99, 102.
Colmano,
See Trias Thaumaturga. " Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. (^olumbic, cap. iii. , p. 482, and cap, x. , p. 489.
March 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 153
holy man was one of St. Patrick's disciples. 3 The Bollandists have some briefnoticesofhim. ^ AccordingtoColgan'sinferences,thisColmanwasa monkjS under the rule of St. Patrick. ^ So exact was he, in complying with allthingsrequired,thathebecameamartyrtomonasticdiscipline. Whilstem- ployed with other monks in collecting the harvest, at a place denominated Trian Conchobhuir,7 one of these called Colman felt extremely thirsty. ^ Although a tub of cold water had been placed in the field, to be used by the labourers ; yet, an injunction was issued, that no one should drink from it, until the hour for saying Vespers had passed. 9 Colman's strength began to fail, how- ever, on account of the intolerable thirst experienced ; still, the patient monk did not wish to infringe an established rule. At length, unable to bear this
privation, to which he had voluntarily subjected himself, the holy servant yielded up his spirit to the Maker of all things, having sunk on the ground exhausted and lifeless. He was buried at the cross, which had been erected before the newly-built Cathedral Church of Armagh ; and, on being con- signed to the tomb, in this consecrated spot of ground, much as he no doubt lamented the circumstances attending this death,^° the Irish Apostle felt gratified, that the body of a saint should repose in his graveyard, as the first fruits of deposition. He is even said to have prophesied, that the church, which was consecrated by such a happy sepulture, should afterwards be
^^
prosperous, and should abound in riches and honours.
the soul of his departed brother ascend to heaven, where it found rest, in company with the martyrs. ^^ The 5th of March was the Natal day of a St. Colman—probably the present—according to our Irish Martyrologies.
At this dale, the Martyrology of Tallagh'3 records a festival in honour of Col- man, designated Isirni. Marianus O'Gorman and Charles Maguire record
l^. im ; but, they neither add time, place, or other circumstances, to identify him. '-t The name of a Saint Colman has been omitted from the published
Martyrology of Donegal,'^ at this day ; but, the simple name, Colman, has been inserted by the compiler of a table subjoined, with the remark ap- pended, that he had not been noticed in the body of this work. '^ About the year 445 must have been the period for his death, were we to credit Ussher's statement, that at this date, the foundations of Armagh church were laid. '7
The O'Clerys, however, refer this event, to the year 457. '^ As many bodies, no doubt, were early interred within the cemetery of Armagh, and as Saint
3 See ibid. Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 268.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ! . ,
from food, but even from the simplest kind of drink, imtil tlie time allowed for refection had come.
'° Had the saint been of tlie apprized
danger Colman was in, he would certainly
have dispensed with his n—ot observing the
Martii v. p. 359-
Among
the
pretermitted saints,
5 This, however, he acknowledges to be a
negative inference only as ;
one rules on that occasion. " Dr.
among hundred and twenty or more saints, named
Lanigan's " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. ,
chap, vii. , sect. I, p. 320.
"See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"'
Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, iii. , cap. Ixxvii.
'^ See ibid. Jocelin's or Sexta Vita S.
Patricii, cap. 165.
'3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xvii.
'^ See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Colman, and mentioned in our Calendars, circumstances seem most favourable to place him, at the 5th of March—misprinted the 2nd.
* See his Life, at the 17th of March.
7 This means, "Conor's Quarter," or
" 8
district,"
According to the Tripartite Life of St.
he was afterwards called " Martii v. De B. /toi'rt<f/? , nise,"
Patrick,
i. e. Sitiens. "—Colgan's "Trias Thauma- Sitiente, n. 2, p. 476.
turga. " Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars. iii. , cap. Ixxvii. In Irish, iocac means, "thirsty. "
9 Many of the early Christians, on fasting days, were accustomed to abstain, not only
See, ibid. , pp. 380, 381. "
St. Patrick, also, saw
Cohnano, diclo
'S Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, '*
'7 See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum An-
tiquitates," Index Chronologicus, A. D. ccccxLV. ,p. 518,
154 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 5. ,
Colman's remains were the first therein deposited, we may probably refer his
death and burial, to that very year, in which the church foundations had been
laid. His cognomen of the Thirsty was obtained, not from his being often
obliged to satisfy such a distressing want of nature ; but, owing to that heroic
yet misconceived resolution, whereby he overcome natural requirements,
even at the sacrifice of his own life. What an example of abstemiousness
ought not this be for many unhappy drunkards, who end their days prema-
turely, when indulging in habits of intoxication, and in the frequent use of
spirituous liquors. That wholesome beverage, pure water, is abundant, espe-
*'
cially in
charge or hindrance. It usually promotes health, and it can hardly be used to excess by any of our people, while it never can deprive them of reason or
sense. Notwithstanding his exemption from rule, for grave moral and physical reasons, yet, it is to be lamented, that a conscientious and good
man, in the present instance, mistook the nature of his engagements, when by a moderate draught of this pure element, he might have saved a valuable and an exemplary life.
Article IV. —Reputed Festival of a Saint Moggrudo, Muggins OR MuCKOLiNUS. On the 5th of March, in Molanus' edition of Usuard, there is notice of the mart>TS of St, Adrian, at Caesarea, in Palestine. ^ But, the saint, with whom we have to deal, is he whom Usuard describes as ^Mug- grudo, a Bishop and a Confessor, unknown to that time. The honorific " mo," added to the Celtic name, Odran, gives a name similar to Macgidran, to whom are dedicated the churches of Lindores and Flisk, where he appears
as St, Muggins, wliile both within the parochia of S. Andrew. ' There, he appears, also, as Muckolinus. 3 His name is found, in the dedication of a
church, near Dron, Exmacgirdle; also, possibly, at Mugdrum; and, as Magidrin, he appears in Macduff's Cross. There is a St. Odran, at March
6th,intheMartyrologyofDonegal. * Wearcobligedtorequestthereader, to examine again what has been stated, at the 4th of this month, when treat-
ing about St.
