"
Thisfortseemstohavederivedits
denomination from the celebrated Leinster king.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
iv.
, p.
36.
^ See "Tigemaci Annales," tom. ii. , pp. 178, 179.
tablishments or hospitals. See ' ' Rerum Hibemicarum Scriptores," tom. iv. , n. 2, PP- 36, 37-
^ His slayer is called Saranus, manus
rubrse, by the Four Masters, S-a^aii ]-Aeb-
oe]\c, by Tigemach, and Saran Saebderg, in the Annals of Ulster.
^' We leam that the " Airchinnechs" "'
Richey. See Ancient Laws of Ireland," vol. iii. , p. 113.
*^
By the Rev. William Reeves the name
Oircinneach,"
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 545
from the south of Ireland. It appears irreconcilable, with the busy occupa- tion of those wars in which he was engaged towards the close of life, and from some casual allusions to Brandubh in our saint's acts, to suppose, that Ferns monastery had not been built some years before the close of the sixth century. ^s Even after this building and occupation took place, a town or city gradually grew up near it, and this caused Brandubh to intend its subse- quent precedence over Sletty, which since the time of St. Fiech^^ had been regarded as the chief ecclesiastical see in Leinster. Hence, perhaps, about A. D. 570 we may regard the foundation of the church at Ferns^7 as having been laid. Maidoc was certainly the first bishop over this see. ^^
When this saintly superior had erected a noble monastery at Femas, or Guerwin, as Ricemare calls it, the experienced director collected together some disciples, and proposed to them a state of life formed on the rule and observanceofholyDavid. ^9 Itappearsreconcilablewithprobability,that St. Scuthinus7° was one of those, before he founded for himself a religious establishment at Tascoffin. 7' At Ferns, the holy superior led a most per- fect life, giving edification, not only to his brethren in the monastery, but to extems. While here, too, his life was characterized by the performance of several miracles. ? ^ When Maidoc was engaged in building Ferns monas- tery, his disciples complained to him that no water could be found in the place. He told them to cut down a certain tree, which stood before him, and he promised, that a clear fountain should spring up, on the spot. His orders having been obeyed, a well of pure water was found substituted for the fallen tree, and this spring was afterwards called Tiobrad Moedoc. 73 Certain women were accustomed to visit a rivulet, flowing from this fountain, for the purpose of washing their garments. A man in humble circumstances named Beec, had a place of residence, near our saint's monastery ; and his fieldextendedtothebanksoftherivuletalreadymentioned. Maidocre- quested the women not to come so near his monastery, but they refused to attend to his injunctions, asserting they had a right to act as they did, not having intruded on any portion of his ecclesiastical property. A daughter
of Beec ranked among the number of these recusants. She was engaged at the time washing garments, which she pressed beneath her feet. At length these were found firmly fastened to the clothes, which could not be removed
from the spot, on which they rested.
Thus she became immovable as a
^ See Rev. S. " Lives o Baring-Gould's
the Saints," vol. i. , January xxxi. , p. 468. "
*5 In the
appendix
to the Dublin edition
of the Rev. Alban Butler's "Lives of the
Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal
*' See Giraldus Cambrensis' Opera," ""
Saints, published in 1802, a strange ana-
chronism seems to be admitted, viz. : that
the present saint was consecrated Bishop of
Ferns about a. d. 598, that he was bishop
there about fifty years, and that he died
January 31st, A. D. 632. It is evident that
such computation must leave him only thirty-
four a See '* A Chrono- years bishop.
edited by J. S. Brewer, vol. iii. Historia de Vita S. Davidis Menevensis Archiepis- copi," lect. v. , sec. 2, p. 391.
^° See ibid. , p. 392. An inference fairly deducible from the anecdote there related.
? ' See his Life at the 2nd of January,
7' Many accounts regarding him are to be
considered as which accu- fables, probably
mulated in process of time, before his life was committed to writing in the twelfth century. See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's
"
"Lives of the Saints, January xxxi. , pp.
"
Maidoc's foun- 20. It is partly in the barony of Gorey and tain. " This is probably the St. Mogue's
logical Table of the Prelates of Ireland," &c. , vol. vi. , p. 394.
"
" See his Life at the 1 2th of October.
*' The parish of Ferns is shown on the Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
County of Wexford," Sheets 10, 11, 15, 16,
467, 468.
73 it may be Anglicized
partly in that of Scarawalsh. The town,
its antiquities, and surrounding objects of beauty and interest are to be seen on Sheet
15'
Vol. I. 3N
Well, popularly said to have been sunk by St. Moling, his successor in the see, as we
"
learn from Lewis'
Topographical Diction- ary of Ireland," vol. i. , p. 626.
546 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
statue, to her great surprise and terror. Hearing of the condition in which she had been placed, her father came to St. Maidoc, and humbly requested her release. On thus praying, the woman was set at liberty, and in gratitude for such a favour, her father presented himself, his posterity, and possessions, as an offering to God, and to St. Maidoc. A herdsman, living near the monastery of Ferns, whose mother had been seized with a grievous sickness, came to obtain blessed water from St. Maidoc. Then, he requested this holy bishop to visit the woman, who lay at the point of death. Going before the bishop, and entering that house, the herdsman found his mother already
" Do not yourself to any further trouble, O holy saint, for my mother has died. "
and tell that she shall come to salute your mother,
dead. to the servant of Immediately returning
God,
he
said,
put
Maidoc " replied :
Go,
me. " Obedienttothesaint'smandate,themancriedtohisdeceasedparent,
that Bishop Maidoc summoned her to him. Immediately she arose, as if
from a profound sleep, and giving thanks to God, she went forth to meet
his holy servant. 74 Such were the popular traditions, regarding his power and miracles, which survived his translation to the kingdom of heaven.
CHAPTER IV.
MOUNT LEINSTER AND TEMPLESHANBO—MAIDOC APPEASES A HUNGRY WOLF—THE INVASIONS OF LEINSTER BY CUMUSCAGH AND THE MONARCH AEDH—ACCOUNT OF MAIDOC'S INTERVENTION—THE SAINT'S SOJOURN AT CLUAIN DICHOLLA GAIRBIR— KING BRANDUBH's CHARITY AND HIS REMARKABLE VISION—HIS LARGESSES BE- STOWED ON ST. MAIDOC—A SYNOD CONVOKED AT FERNS—MEMORANDA OF THIS CITY—MAIDOC'S VISIT TO THE MONASTERY OF ST. FINTAN MUNNU—OUR SAINT'S RETURN TO ST. DAVID—MAIDOC'S FAST OF FORTY DAYS, AND HIS PETITIONS OFFERED TO THE ALMIGHTY.
The dark and lofty mountain, formerly known as Stuagh Laighean^ by the Irish,= and Latinized " Sessio Lageniensium,"3 is now denominated Mount Leinster. 4 It rises on the western confines of the county of Wexford, while along its slopes and towards the River Barrow, lies the county of Carlow. s In the time of St. Maidoc, a monastery^ stood at its foot, and bearing east-
74 Colgan's "Acta Sanctoram Hibemiae," xxxi. Januarii. VitaS. Maidoci,cap. xxxi. ,
nomination derived from the circumstance of its being selected by the Lagenians, as a place for meetings. From it, on a clear day, they could view the greater part of their province.
4 '<
one of Patrick Kennedy's first published works of fiction. Its racy, agreeable style
and
P- 211. —' Chap. iv.
In Colgan's life of our saint, it is called Suighe Lagin, or Suidhe Lai-
"
It means the " or " the pinnacle,"
'I
At the Royal Oak, in the county of
The Legends of Mount Leinster" was
ghean.
highest point of Leinster.
— the Kilkenny,
to say
peasantry
were accustomed
matter at once established the author's
:
fame in literary circles, as holding a fore-
ScuAJ LAijeAn Aguf Scuaj leicsliriti ^n •OA rcuAj i-p Ay^OQ A n-eit\inn
OA Tn-bei'oeA-o c«iApAiciti b^xeAriAiU Ai|\ fcUAj leicjlmn.
3 This may be rendered into English,
"the sitting," or "sitting place of the Lagenians. " In the Latin life of St. IMogue,
"" preserved in the Codex Kilkenniensis, it
ls thus named. In all probability its de-
s inthe "Bookof "fol. Glendalough,
most rank among genuine Irish story-tellers.
23, a. b. , there is an Irish poem on Mount Leinster. It has been copied by Eugene
O'Curry, and this portion may be seen in "
the Ordnance Survey County Wexford
Extracts," vol. i. , p. 427.
* It was situated in the diocese of Ferns.
Here St. Colman Hua Fiachrach was vene- rated. His feast falls on the 27th of Ge- tober.
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 547
wards from it : this was anciently called Sean Botha^ or Senboithe Sine. ^ The modem name for it is Templeshanbo. 9 This parish is situated in the western extremity of Scarawalsh barony ; but it seems difficult to give its
its extent. ^° We well may
as authorities do not suppose,asthescenesaroundaresostemandwildinourdays; thatinthe timesofMaidoc,theymusthavefurnishedalairforsavageanimals. Ac- cordingly, while proceeding one day towards Seanboth monastery, our saint encounteredahungrywolfontheway. Thenaturalbenignityoftheholy man had some sort of spell over the natural ferocity of that animal. It seemed to be depressed and wearied, as well as nearly famished, while it ap- proachedinasupplicatingmanner. AboyhappenedtobenearMaidoc,at the time, and he bore a loaf, with part of a fish ; these were intended, how- ever, as a meal for his master. This food the saint took and presented to the hungry wolf With some agitation, the boy declared to our saint, how he feared his master's anger, on account of parting with the provisions. Maidoc ordered leaves to be brought, which on receiving he blessed. The youth soon found them converted into a substitute for that food he had given away, while he returned thanks to God, for favours received, owing to the accomplishment of this miracle. "
boundaries,
agree regarding
Cumuscach had wantonly invaded Leinster, towards the close of the sixth century. He crossed the River Rye, which separated it from the province of Meath, and he advanced towards Bealach-Chonglais. " This is now Baltinglass, in the county of Wicklow. ^3 Near it, Brandubh, King of Leinster, resided,ataplacecalledRathbran. ^4 ThisUltonianinroadseemstohave
' In the Irish life of St. Mogue, it is called
SeAn bocliA. It is written SeAn bocAib,
in the ablative plural, by the Commentator ''"
in an ancient historical treatise, intituled,
" Borumha-Laighean. "
'3 The parish of Baltinglass is partly with- in the barony of Rathvilly, and this is shown on the ' ' Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Carlow," Sheet 4 ; while
on the Festilogy of ^ngus, preserved in
the " Laebhar Breac," at the 27th of Oc-
tober. The meaning of the name is unques-
tionably, "the old tents or booths. " This the vastly greater portion of it lies within place seems to have been so called, before
the erection of any church there.
^ See the " Annals of the Four Masters. "
Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. , pp. 228, 229, and note (p).
9 The parish of Templeshanbo, in the barony of Scarawalsh, is represented on Sheets 8, 9, 13, 14, 18, 19, of "The Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Wexford. "
'°In the "Liber Regalis Visitationis," this parish is placed in the deanery of Duffry. In the beginning of the seventeenth century, the church there had a nave and chancel. In our time, this district has been fami- liarized to the lovers of simple, quaint and humourous narrative, by a Wexford writer of undoubted talent, and having great know- ledge of national manners and customs, the late Patrick Kennedy. His book, "Even-
ings in the Duffrey," is a charming picture of Irish agricultural life. This district is said to have been the Dubthir of our ancient
is described on the
writers.
" See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xxxi. Januarii. Vita S. Maidoci, cap.
xxvi. , p. 211.
" The account of these events is contained
Various raths however are found within this parish, while two very re- markable and extensive raths are to be seen at its southernmost extremity, in the vicinity
of Baltinglass.
topographical
cognizable.
the barony of Upper Talbotsto-woi, and this
"
Ordnance Survey Maps for the County of Wicklow," Sheets 26, 27, 32. ThetownlandandtoMTiproper,divided into east and west, lie on either bank of the Slaney. A very excellent account of this place will be found in Lewis' "Topogra-
phical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. i. , pp. I73> 174-
^ 'It may be Anglicized, "the Rath of Bran.
" Thisfortseemstohavederivedits denomination from the celebrated Leinster king. The parish of Rathbran in the barony of Upper Talbotstown is sho^vn on the "Ord- nance Survey Maps for the County of Wick- low," Sheets 20, 21, 26, 27. The townland of Rathbran proper is represented on Sheets 20 and 21, but on these are not to be found a trace of Brandubh's ancient fort. Never- theless, the writer has be—en informed by the Rev. John F. Shearma—n who has a know- ledge of the townland that the locality of Brandubh's ancient fort is there clearly re-
548 LIVES OF 7HE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31,
been a well-planned surprise, while Brandubh, with his queen, was obliged to employ stratagem, in order to escape from the dangers impending. 'S Having attired himself in the garb of a menial, Brandubh set fire to a house, in which
Cumuscagh lodged. In order to escape the flames, dressing himself in the clothes of a satirical poet,'^ that prince climbed to the ridge-pole of an open- ing. From this position he escaped, and fled to a spot, afterwards called MonaidhCumascaigh. '7 ItwasattheendofCill-Rannairech'^green,which is now known as Kilranelagh,'9 and it is situated near Baltinglass. Here Loichine Lonn, who was Erenach of that church, and an ancestor to the O'Lonainfamily,discoveredwhothefugitivewas. ^° HethencutoffCumus- cach's head. =" The Erenach afterwards brought it to Rathbran. " There he
presented it to the King of Leinster. '^ Following the chronology of the Four Masters,"^ these events appear to have taken place in the year 593.
The death of Cumascach was soon followed by that of his father, Aedh, Monarch of Ireland. To avenge the murder of his son, and to exact the Borumha tribute^s from the Leinstermen, Aedh set out from his palace of Ailech,^^ which then occupied a most commanding position, at the head of Lough Foyle and Lough Swilly, in the northern part of Ulster. =^7 He as-
'S Cumuscagh's designs against the virtue of the Leinster queen were happily prevented. A pretext enabled her to fly from her palace for concealment, into the fastnesses of Dun- Buichet forest.
It is added, that the whole of this poem had been written, in another part of the book. But, it cannot now be found, in any known copies.
" If we are to credit that romantic history,
recording the dissolute Cumuscagh's acts, his death was not an unjust punishment for his crimes.
'3 For this great service, the church of Cill- Rannairech enjoyed an exemption from fu- ture charge or tribute.
"^ See Dr. O'Donovan's edition. Vol. i. ,
pp. 216, 217, and nn. (d, e, f).
'S The Abbe Ma-Geoghegan calls it " Boi-
rive ou Tribut. " See " Histoire de I'lr-
'*
This incident serves to illustrate what is
matter of contemporaneous history, viz. , that the satirical poets about this period
were exceedingly numerous throughout Ire- land, and their exactions required strict
legal repression. The habit of such a poet was no unlikely one for Cumascach to as-
sume, in trying to effect his escape.
'7 It does not now seem to be known,
'*
O'Conor translates Cill-Rannairech ab- ii. , chap, iii. , p. 301.
^'
In the ancient historical tract, called
donderry Journal," during the month of Oc- tober, 1874. The title is " Aileach of the Kings : a short sketch of its History and Traditions, from authentic sources. " The author is Rev. John K. O'Dogherty, P. P. , of Newtownstewart. His first paper opens
According to Dr. O'Donovan, Dr.
lande, Ancienne et Modeme," tome i. , partie
surdly, omnes. " The
years Innishowen,"
" ecclesia ad manifestandura
** Several
Sir Charles Gavan
"
—
" God bless the gyey mountains of dark
Donegal !
God bless royal Aileach, the pride of them
all;
For she sits evermore, like a queen on her
"the
or "church of Rannairc" the name ballad of
celebrated, in his this remarkable
—is, proper rendering
'9 The parish of Kilranelagh in the barony of Upper Talbotstown is shown on the "Ord-
nance Survey Maps for the County of Wick- low," Sheets 27, 32. The townland proper isontheformersheet. KilranelaghChurch, in ruins, is to be seen on it, and near there is a holy well.
=~ The " Annals of the Four Masters," al- luding to Cumuscach's death, cite two lines, taken from an Irish poem, attributed to St. Maidoc. TheyarethusrenderedintoEng- lish :—
" I implore the powerful Lord, near Cill- Rannairech,
It was he that took revenge of Comus- cach, that slew Aedh Mac Ainmirech. "
Duffy
cell,"
of a man.
ruined object
:
"Borumha Laighean," two lines of the fore-
going quartain are given in Irish. The ver-
sion is somewhat different. —The first line is
—"On the eastern shore of the Swilly, on the summit of a hill eight hundred and two feet above the level of the lie the remains of a
closely interwoven the story of our country,
thus translated, in English
sea,
Cyclopean fortress, with whose history was
"
:
I pray the [al] mighty Lord, the principal incumbent ©f Cill-Rannairtch. "
supra
have now since elapsed,
throne,
And smiles on the valleys of Green Innish-
owen. "—See Edward Hayes' "Ballads of Ireland," vol. i. , p. 33, 34.
°^ A series of admirable papers has ap-
peared in successive numbers of the
''
Lon-
with the following description
:
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 549
sembled the forces of Leath Chuiiin. '* Marching southwards, he soon crossed the River Rye'9 and proceeded directly to the place where his son had been killed. He afterwards pitched his camp at Baeth-Eabha,3° close toDun-Buice. 3^ Aboutthistime,Brandubhwasstayingataplacecalled Scadhairc—Anglicized Skerks'—in the south of Ui-Ceinnseallagh. 33 Soon as he heard of King Aedh's arrival at the Rye, the King of Leinster moved northwards towards his principal fort of Rath-Brain Duibh,34 near Baltinglass,3S in the county of Wicklow. On the way,36 ^g passed over Mointeach,37 Muinchin, Daimhne,33 Etar,39 ArdchoilUd, and Ard-m Bresta. He then crossed the River Slaney,'»° and proceeded over the land of Fe to Bal- tinglass. +' Here he was met by Bishop Aidan, King Aedh's half brother. If, as seems most probable,'*^ this prelate was a distinct person from our
intheforgottenyearsofthehazypast. Few fromthejourneytakenbyBrandubhnorth*
of the pleasure-seekers, who visit it in the glowing summer or the mellow autumn, and
who gaze enraptured on the glorious scenery
it presents to their view, think for a moment
wards, and the localities named during his
march, we can hardly suppose the Leinster king set out from the Ossoronian Skeirke.
33 In ancient times, as we are told, the territory of Ui Cinnseallaigh comprised the present county of Wexford, with parts of Wicklow and Carlow. The River Suir di- vided it from the country of the Decies. See "County Wexford Extracts," I. O. S. , vol. i. , p. 277,
3< Now Rathbran.
35 Formerly called Bealach-Conghlais; but it would seem to have had a yet more ancient name, Bealach-Dubhthaire. This was pro- bably owing to the fact, that it was on the old high-way, which led to Eas-Duthaire, the ancient name for Poulaphoka Waterfall. Or it may refer to the Duffry.
3'^ The following denominations, in the
text, have not been identified from the
" General Index to the Town- Alphabetical
lands and Towns, Parishes and Baronies of Ireland. "
37 "The adjective mointeach signifies a boggy place, and it gives name to several
that the soil they tread on is both royal and
sacred—the former court of kings and the
arena of Patrick's combat with Paganism.
Yet so it is ; for here on Greenan Hill was
the Northern Tara—known to us in history
as Ailcach of the Kings ; and here did Ire-
land's when " great apostle, — visiting
Tyr- owen of the Islands" as Innishowen was then called—confront and conquer the learn- ing of the Druids, and win to the faith the
monarch himself. "
^'
This was the northern division of Ire- land, said to have been divided from the southern one, called Leath Mogha, by a chain of sand-hills denominated Esker Riada, extending from Dublin city to the head of
See " of
"
Galway Bay. Haverty's
Ireland, Ancient and Modem, chap. v. , p. 35-
^ This small stream skirts the northern
bounds of Kildare county, and falls into the
River Liffey at Leixlip. 3° Not identified.
3' Now Dunboyke, a townland so called,
owing to an ancient dim, or earthen fort, in
the parish of Hollywood, barony of Lower
Talbotstown. Thereisalsoagrave-yardon
the townland, and a church in ruins. See
places now called Montiagh,and Montiaghs. "
"
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of
History
County of Wicklow," Sheet 15.
3= There is a parish of Skeirke, in the
Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Wexford," Sheets 26, 32. It lies east- ward of the River Slaney, and the townland, cular area enclosed with a stone rampart, with its modem house and ornamental
barony of Upper Ossory in the Queen's County. We are told in a modern work,
barony of Ballaghkeen shown on the
*'
and surrounded with a fosse ; in the centre of the area is a pyramidal stone, about six feet high, with fragments of several others ; towards the eastern side are the remains of a cromlech, and towards the north is a high mound with a fiat summit. There are also some ruins of the ancient castle of Garran. " —Lewis'"TopographicalDictionai7ofIre- land," vol. ii. , p. 556. There is an old ruined church in the grave-yard of Skeirke. Vet
are some Druidical remains, situ-
that in it
ated on a high hill, and consisting of a cir-
Dr. P. W. " and of Joyce's Origin History
Irish Names of Places," part iv. , chap, vi. , p. 452.
3^ There is a Upper and a Lower Damna townland shown in the parish of Ballycallan,
and barony of Cranagh on the
"
Kilkenny," Sheets 18, 19.
3* There is a parish of Edermine in the
"
grounds, has a most picturesque appearance immediatelyontheriver'sbanks. Itisde- scribed on the former sheet.
^ This river rises from the western slopes
of the Wicklow mountains. and takes a south-
easterlycoursethroughWexfordcounty. It enters the Irish Sea through Wexford haven. *' RathbranandBaltinglassliewestwards
of the River Slaney,
•^ See the genealogy of this St. Maodhog,
55° LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
saint; yet,bothwerelivingatplacescalledClonmore,'*3andbothwerecon-
temporaneous.
It would appear, from all that can be gleaned out of the present St. Maidoc's
acts, that he was living, but at the monastery of Cluain Dicholla Gairbir44 in Wexford,4s at that exact time, when the celebrated battle of Dunbolg^^ had been fought, a. d. 598. 47 Here, by means of a well-devised stratagem, the warlike King of Leinster, Brandubh, obtained a complete victory over theforcesofAedh,thesonofAinmire. ^^ Inthisdecisivebattle,theIrish monarch was slain. 49
Very confused and unchronologically placed are those accounts, in our saint's published acts, regarding the order in which Brandubh's battles were fought. s° By our annals and other records, they can only be rendered in- telligible. Thus the battle of Dunbolg, in which King Aidus was defeated and lost his life, is related^' before that just retribution which the King of Leinster visited on his son Cumuscagh. s^ A conjecture has been offeredS3 that a battle, of which mention is made towards the close of St. Maidoc's life,54 must have been diiferent from that one, in which Cumuscach lost his life ; especially as the first conflict narrated was intended to avenge the death of this prince. It must also have been different from that, in which King yEdus was slain ; for he is said to have been killed, not only before the battle alluded to, but even before that account given regarding the death ofCumuscach. 55 Yet,anothersolutionmaybefoundforsuchstatements.
of Cluain-mor at tlie nth of April. For lands, all to be devoted to God's service.
that date, it would seem, those details, re-
garding this foray and campaign, are better reserved.
43 A lengthened extract in the Irish cha- racter, from a MS. life of St. Maodhoge, belonging to the R. I. A. , as we are informed by Mr. O'Cmry, relates to Ferns, Clonmore, &c. See "County Wexford Extracts," in I. O. S. MSS. , vol. i. , p. 379.
See "Irish Ecclesiastical Record, "vol. vii. ,
p. 364.
4» It is stated by Abbe Ma-Geoghegan,
that his death occurred on the 9th of Janu- ary, A. D. 599, at the age of sixty-six, apd in
the twenty-seventh year of his reign. See " Histoire de I'Irlande, Ancienne et Mo-
deme," tome i. , partie ii. , chap, iii. , p. 301. 5° Thus we have an account, regarding a
44 Now known as Clonmore.
the Rev. William Reeves, this is a
in the barony of Bantry, in the centre of the
coimty of Wexford. It was formerly called
Cluain-mor-Dicholla Gairbh. This is not
to be confounded with Cluain-mor Maedhoc,
which is mentioned in the Annals, and which
was so called from another St. Moedhoc, Januarii. Vita S. Maidoci, cap. xvi. whose day is April ii ; his church is Clon-
more, in the county of Carlow. " See his
paper, "On Some Ecclesiastical Bells," &c.
45 Archdall falls into the error of con- founding two different saints with their re- spective churches. See his "Monasticon Hibemicum,"p. 734.
4«0r "the fort of the sacks," so called from the remarkable stratagem which de- cided this battle. See "
S3 By Colgan.
5* The object of this expedition, we are told, was to assert northern superiority over and to devastate the more southern portion of our island. It was intended, likewise, to humble the acquired pretensions of the Leinster people, owing to their recent suc- cesses.
of
p. 86.
and he there
that very glaring anachronisms must be re- marked. These are the inversions of historic incidents, which are not found mentioned in the "Codex Insulensis. " He appears to have supposed that a third battle, not dis- coverable from our records, might have been fought between the men of Leinster and of the North. See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xxxi. Januarii, n. 49, p. 220.
Ireland,
Ancient and
Modem," chap, x. ,
55 has a Colgan
note,
observes,
47 See Rev.
^ See "Tigemaci Annales," tom. ii. , pp. 178, 179.
tablishments or hospitals. See ' ' Rerum Hibemicarum Scriptores," tom. iv. , n. 2, PP- 36, 37-
^ His slayer is called Saranus, manus
rubrse, by the Four Masters, S-a^aii ]-Aeb-
oe]\c, by Tigemach, and Saran Saebderg, in the Annals of Ulster.
^' We leam that the " Airchinnechs" "'
Richey. See Ancient Laws of Ireland," vol. iii. , p. 113.
*^
By the Rev. William Reeves the name
Oircinneach,"
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 545
from the south of Ireland. It appears irreconcilable, with the busy occupa- tion of those wars in which he was engaged towards the close of life, and from some casual allusions to Brandubh in our saint's acts, to suppose, that Ferns monastery had not been built some years before the close of the sixth century. ^s Even after this building and occupation took place, a town or city gradually grew up near it, and this caused Brandubh to intend its subse- quent precedence over Sletty, which since the time of St. Fiech^^ had been regarded as the chief ecclesiastical see in Leinster. Hence, perhaps, about A. D. 570 we may regard the foundation of the church at Ferns^7 as having been laid. Maidoc was certainly the first bishop over this see. ^^
When this saintly superior had erected a noble monastery at Femas, or Guerwin, as Ricemare calls it, the experienced director collected together some disciples, and proposed to them a state of life formed on the rule and observanceofholyDavid. ^9 Itappearsreconcilablewithprobability,that St. Scuthinus7° was one of those, before he founded for himself a religious establishment at Tascoffin. 7' At Ferns, the holy superior led a most per- fect life, giving edification, not only to his brethren in the monastery, but to extems. While here, too, his life was characterized by the performance of several miracles. ? ^ When Maidoc was engaged in building Ferns monas- tery, his disciples complained to him that no water could be found in the place. He told them to cut down a certain tree, which stood before him, and he promised, that a clear fountain should spring up, on the spot. His orders having been obeyed, a well of pure water was found substituted for the fallen tree, and this spring was afterwards called Tiobrad Moedoc. 73 Certain women were accustomed to visit a rivulet, flowing from this fountain, for the purpose of washing their garments. A man in humble circumstances named Beec, had a place of residence, near our saint's monastery ; and his fieldextendedtothebanksoftherivuletalreadymentioned. Maidocre- quested the women not to come so near his monastery, but they refused to attend to his injunctions, asserting they had a right to act as they did, not having intruded on any portion of his ecclesiastical property. A daughter
of Beec ranked among the number of these recusants. She was engaged at the time washing garments, which she pressed beneath her feet. At length these were found firmly fastened to the clothes, which could not be removed
from the spot, on which they rested.
Thus she became immovable as a
^ See Rev. S. " Lives o Baring-Gould's
the Saints," vol. i. , January xxxi. , p. 468. "
*5 In the
appendix
to the Dublin edition
of the Rev. Alban Butler's "Lives of the
Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal
*' See Giraldus Cambrensis' Opera," ""
Saints, published in 1802, a strange ana-
chronism seems to be admitted, viz. : that
the present saint was consecrated Bishop of
Ferns about a. d. 598, that he was bishop
there about fifty years, and that he died
January 31st, A. D. 632. It is evident that
such computation must leave him only thirty-
four a See '* A Chrono- years bishop.
edited by J. S. Brewer, vol. iii. Historia de Vita S. Davidis Menevensis Archiepis- copi," lect. v. , sec. 2, p. 391.
^° See ibid. , p. 392. An inference fairly deducible from the anecdote there related.
? ' See his Life at the 2nd of January,
7' Many accounts regarding him are to be
considered as which accu- fables, probably
mulated in process of time, before his life was committed to writing in the twelfth century. See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's
"
"Lives of the Saints, January xxxi. , pp.
"
Maidoc's foun- 20. It is partly in the barony of Gorey and tain. " This is probably the St. Mogue's
logical Table of the Prelates of Ireland," &c. , vol. vi. , p. 394.
"
" See his Life at the 1 2th of October.
*' The parish of Ferns is shown on the Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
County of Wexford," Sheets 10, 11, 15, 16,
467, 468.
73 it may be Anglicized
partly in that of Scarawalsh. The town,
its antiquities, and surrounding objects of beauty and interest are to be seen on Sheet
15'
Vol. I. 3N
Well, popularly said to have been sunk by St. Moling, his successor in the see, as we
"
learn from Lewis'
Topographical Diction- ary of Ireland," vol. i. , p. 626.
546 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
statue, to her great surprise and terror. Hearing of the condition in which she had been placed, her father came to St. Maidoc, and humbly requested her release. On thus praying, the woman was set at liberty, and in gratitude for such a favour, her father presented himself, his posterity, and possessions, as an offering to God, and to St. Maidoc. A herdsman, living near the monastery of Ferns, whose mother had been seized with a grievous sickness, came to obtain blessed water from St. Maidoc. Then, he requested this holy bishop to visit the woman, who lay at the point of death. Going before the bishop, and entering that house, the herdsman found his mother already
" Do not yourself to any further trouble, O holy saint, for my mother has died. "
and tell that she shall come to salute your mother,
dead. to the servant of Immediately returning
God,
he
said,
put
Maidoc " replied :
Go,
me. " Obedienttothesaint'smandate,themancriedtohisdeceasedparent,
that Bishop Maidoc summoned her to him. Immediately she arose, as if
from a profound sleep, and giving thanks to God, she went forth to meet
his holy servant. 74 Such were the popular traditions, regarding his power and miracles, which survived his translation to the kingdom of heaven.
CHAPTER IV.
MOUNT LEINSTER AND TEMPLESHANBO—MAIDOC APPEASES A HUNGRY WOLF—THE INVASIONS OF LEINSTER BY CUMUSCAGH AND THE MONARCH AEDH—ACCOUNT OF MAIDOC'S INTERVENTION—THE SAINT'S SOJOURN AT CLUAIN DICHOLLA GAIRBIR— KING BRANDUBH's CHARITY AND HIS REMARKABLE VISION—HIS LARGESSES BE- STOWED ON ST. MAIDOC—A SYNOD CONVOKED AT FERNS—MEMORANDA OF THIS CITY—MAIDOC'S VISIT TO THE MONASTERY OF ST. FINTAN MUNNU—OUR SAINT'S RETURN TO ST. DAVID—MAIDOC'S FAST OF FORTY DAYS, AND HIS PETITIONS OFFERED TO THE ALMIGHTY.
The dark and lofty mountain, formerly known as Stuagh Laighean^ by the Irish,= and Latinized " Sessio Lageniensium,"3 is now denominated Mount Leinster. 4 It rises on the western confines of the county of Wexford, while along its slopes and towards the River Barrow, lies the county of Carlow. s In the time of St. Maidoc, a monastery^ stood at its foot, and bearing east-
74 Colgan's "Acta Sanctoram Hibemiae," xxxi. Januarii. VitaS. Maidoci,cap. xxxi. ,
nomination derived from the circumstance of its being selected by the Lagenians, as a place for meetings. From it, on a clear day, they could view the greater part of their province.
4 '<
one of Patrick Kennedy's first published works of fiction. Its racy, agreeable style
and
P- 211. —' Chap. iv.
In Colgan's life of our saint, it is called Suighe Lagin, or Suidhe Lai-
"
It means the " or " the pinnacle,"
'I
At the Royal Oak, in the county of
The Legends of Mount Leinster" was
ghean.
highest point of Leinster.
— the Kilkenny,
to say
peasantry
were accustomed
matter at once established the author's
:
fame in literary circles, as holding a fore-
ScuAJ LAijeAn Aguf Scuaj leicsliriti ^n •OA rcuAj i-p Ay^OQ A n-eit\inn
OA Tn-bei'oeA-o c«iApAiciti b^xeAriAiU Ai|\ fcUAj leicjlmn.
3 This may be rendered into English,
"the sitting," or "sitting place of the Lagenians. " In the Latin life of St. IMogue,
"" preserved in the Codex Kilkenniensis, it
ls thus named. In all probability its de-
s inthe "Bookof "fol. Glendalough,
most rank among genuine Irish story-tellers.
23, a. b. , there is an Irish poem on Mount Leinster. It has been copied by Eugene
O'Curry, and this portion may be seen in "
the Ordnance Survey County Wexford
Extracts," vol. i. , p. 427.
* It was situated in the diocese of Ferns.
Here St. Colman Hua Fiachrach was vene- rated. His feast falls on the 27th of Ge- tober.
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 547
wards from it : this was anciently called Sean Botha^ or Senboithe Sine. ^ The modem name for it is Templeshanbo. 9 This parish is situated in the western extremity of Scarawalsh barony ; but it seems difficult to give its
its extent. ^° We well may
as authorities do not suppose,asthescenesaroundaresostemandwildinourdays; thatinthe timesofMaidoc,theymusthavefurnishedalairforsavageanimals. Ac- cordingly, while proceeding one day towards Seanboth monastery, our saint encounteredahungrywolfontheway. Thenaturalbenignityoftheholy man had some sort of spell over the natural ferocity of that animal. It seemed to be depressed and wearied, as well as nearly famished, while it ap- proachedinasupplicatingmanner. AboyhappenedtobenearMaidoc,at the time, and he bore a loaf, with part of a fish ; these were intended, how- ever, as a meal for his master. This food the saint took and presented to the hungry wolf With some agitation, the boy declared to our saint, how he feared his master's anger, on account of parting with the provisions. Maidoc ordered leaves to be brought, which on receiving he blessed. The youth soon found them converted into a substitute for that food he had given away, while he returned thanks to God, for favours received, owing to the accomplishment of this miracle. "
boundaries,
agree regarding
Cumuscach had wantonly invaded Leinster, towards the close of the sixth century. He crossed the River Rye, which separated it from the province of Meath, and he advanced towards Bealach-Chonglais. " This is now Baltinglass, in the county of Wicklow. ^3 Near it, Brandubh, King of Leinster, resided,ataplacecalledRathbran. ^4 ThisUltonianinroadseemstohave
' In the Irish life of St. Mogue, it is called
SeAn bocliA. It is written SeAn bocAib,
in the ablative plural, by the Commentator ''"
in an ancient historical treatise, intituled,
" Borumha-Laighean. "
'3 The parish of Baltinglass is partly with- in the barony of Rathvilly, and this is shown on the ' ' Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Carlow," Sheet 4 ; while
on the Festilogy of ^ngus, preserved in
the " Laebhar Breac," at the 27th of Oc-
tober. The meaning of the name is unques-
tionably, "the old tents or booths. " This the vastly greater portion of it lies within place seems to have been so called, before
the erection of any church there.
^ See the " Annals of the Four Masters. "
Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. , pp. 228, 229, and note (p).
9 The parish of Templeshanbo, in the barony of Scarawalsh, is represented on Sheets 8, 9, 13, 14, 18, 19, of "The Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Wexford. "
'°In the "Liber Regalis Visitationis," this parish is placed in the deanery of Duffry. In the beginning of the seventeenth century, the church there had a nave and chancel. In our time, this district has been fami- liarized to the lovers of simple, quaint and humourous narrative, by a Wexford writer of undoubted talent, and having great know- ledge of national manners and customs, the late Patrick Kennedy. His book, "Even-
ings in the Duffrey," is a charming picture of Irish agricultural life. This district is said to have been the Dubthir of our ancient
is described on the
writers.
" See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xxxi. Januarii. Vita S. Maidoci, cap.
xxvi. , p. 211.
" The account of these events is contained
Various raths however are found within this parish, while two very re- markable and extensive raths are to be seen at its southernmost extremity, in the vicinity
of Baltinglass.
topographical
cognizable.
the barony of Upper Talbotsto-woi, and this
"
Ordnance Survey Maps for the County of Wicklow," Sheets 26, 27, 32. ThetownlandandtoMTiproper,divided into east and west, lie on either bank of the Slaney. A very excellent account of this place will be found in Lewis' "Topogra-
phical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. i. , pp. I73> 174-
^ 'It may be Anglicized, "the Rath of Bran.
" Thisfortseemstohavederivedits denomination from the celebrated Leinster king. The parish of Rathbran in the barony of Upper Talbotstown is sho^vn on the "Ord- nance Survey Maps for the County of Wick- low," Sheets 20, 21, 26, 27. The townland of Rathbran proper is represented on Sheets 20 and 21, but on these are not to be found a trace of Brandubh's ancient fort. Never- theless, the writer has be—en informed by the Rev. John F. Shearma—n who has a know- ledge of the townland that the locality of Brandubh's ancient fort is there clearly re-
548 LIVES OF 7HE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31,
been a well-planned surprise, while Brandubh, with his queen, was obliged to employ stratagem, in order to escape from the dangers impending. 'S Having attired himself in the garb of a menial, Brandubh set fire to a house, in which
Cumuscagh lodged. In order to escape the flames, dressing himself in the clothes of a satirical poet,'^ that prince climbed to the ridge-pole of an open- ing. From this position he escaped, and fled to a spot, afterwards called MonaidhCumascaigh. '7 ItwasattheendofCill-Rannairech'^green,which is now known as Kilranelagh,'9 and it is situated near Baltinglass. Here Loichine Lonn, who was Erenach of that church, and an ancestor to the O'Lonainfamily,discoveredwhothefugitivewas. ^° HethencutoffCumus- cach's head. =" The Erenach afterwards brought it to Rathbran. " There he
presented it to the King of Leinster. '^ Following the chronology of the Four Masters,"^ these events appear to have taken place in the year 593.
The death of Cumascach was soon followed by that of his father, Aedh, Monarch of Ireland. To avenge the murder of his son, and to exact the Borumha tribute^s from the Leinstermen, Aedh set out from his palace of Ailech,^^ which then occupied a most commanding position, at the head of Lough Foyle and Lough Swilly, in the northern part of Ulster. =^7 He as-
'S Cumuscagh's designs against the virtue of the Leinster queen were happily prevented. A pretext enabled her to fly from her palace for concealment, into the fastnesses of Dun- Buichet forest.
It is added, that the whole of this poem had been written, in another part of the book. But, it cannot now be found, in any known copies.
" If we are to credit that romantic history,
recording the dissolute Cumuscagh's acts, his death was not an unjust punishment for his crimes.
'3 For this great service, the church of Cill- Rannairech enjoyed an exemption from fu- ture charge or tribute.
"^ See Dr. O'Donovan's edition. Vol. i. ,
pp. 216, 217, and nn. (d, e, f).
'S The Abbe Ma-Geoghegan calls it " Boi-
rive ou Tribut. " See " Histoire de I'lr-
'*
This incident serves to illustrate what is
matter of contemporaneous history, viz. , that the satirical poets about this period
were exceedingly numerous throughout Ire- land, and their exactions required strict
legal repression. The habit of such a poet was no unlikely one for Cumascach to as-
sume, in trying to effect his escape.
'7 It does not now seem to be known,
'*
O'Conor translates Cill-Rannairech ab- ii. , chap, iii. , p. 301.
^'
In the ancient historical tract, called
donderry Journal," during the month of Oc- tober, 1874. The title is " Aileach of the Kings : a short sketch of its History and Traditions, from authentic sources. " The author is Rev. John K. O'Dogherty, P. P. , of Newtownstewart. His first paper opens
According to Dr. O'Donovan, Dr.
lande, Ancienne et Modeme," tome i. , partie
surdly, omnes. " The
years Innishowen,"
" ecclesia ad manifestandura
** Several
Sir Charles Gavan
"
—
" God bless the gyey mountains of dark
Donegal !
God bless royal Aileach, the pride of them
all;
For she sits evermore, like a queen on her
"the
or "church of Rannairc" the name ballad of
celebrated, in his this remarkable
—is, proper rendering
'9 The parish of Kilranelagh in the barony of Upper Talbotstown is shown on the "Ord-
nance Survey Maps for the County of Wick- low," Sheets 27, 32. The townland proper isontheformersheet. KilranelaghChurch, in ruins, is to be seen on it, and near there is a holy well.
=~ The " Annals of the Four Masters," al- luding to Cumuscach's death, cite two lines, taken from an Irish poem, attributed to St. Maidoc. TheyarethusrenderedintoEng- lish :—
" I implore the powerful Lord, near Cill- Rannairech,
It was he that took revenge of Comus- cach, that slew Aedh Mac Ainmirech. "
Duffy
cell,"
of a man.
ruined object
:
"Borumha Laighean," two lines of the fore-
going quartain are given in Irish. The ver-
sion is somewhat different. —The first line is
—"On the eastern shore of the Swilly, on the summit of a hill eight hundred and two feet above the level of the lie the remains of a
closely interwoven the story of our country,
thus translated, in English
sea,
Cyclopean fortress, with whose history was
"
:
I pray the [al] mighty Lord, the principal incumbent ©f Cill-Rannairtch. "
supra
have now since elapsed,
throne,
And smiles on the valleys of Green Innish-
owen. "—See Edward Hayes' "Ballads of Ireland," vol. i. , p. 33, 34.
°^ A series of admirable papers has ap-
peared in successive numbers of the
''
Lon-
with the following description
:
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 549
sembled the forces of Leath Chuiiin. '* Marching southwards, he soon crossed the River Rye'9 and proceeded directly to the place where his son had been killed. He afterwards pitched his camp at Baeth-Eabha,3° close toDun-Buice. 3^ Aboutthistime,Brandubhwasstayingataplacecalled Scadhairc—Anglicized Skerks'—in the south of Ui-Ceinnseallagh. 33 Soon as he heard of King Aedh's arrival at the Rye, the King of Leinster moved northwards towards his principal fort of Rath-Brain Duibh,34 near Baltinglass,3S in the county of Wicklow. On the way,36 ^g passed over Mointeach,37 Muinchin, Daimhne,33 Etar,39 ArdchoilUd, and Ard-m Bresta. He then crossed the River Slaney,'»° and proceeded over the land of Fe to Bal- tinglass. +' Here he was met by Bishop Aidan, King Aedh's half brother. If, as seems most probable,'*^ this prelate was a distinct person from our
intheforgottenyearsofthehazypast. Few fromthejourneytakenbyBrandubhnorth*
of the pleasure-seekers, who visit it in the glowing summer or the mellow autumn, and
who gaze enraptured on the glorious scenery
it presents to their view, think for a moment
wards, and the localities named during his
march, we can hardly suppose the Leinster king set out from the Ossoronian Skeirke.
33 In ancient times, as we are told, the territory of Ui Cinnseallaigh comprised the present county of Wexford, with parts of Wicklow and Carlow. The River Suir di- vided it from the country of the Decies. See "County Wexford Extracts," I. O. S. , vol. i. , p. 277,
3< Now Rathbran.
35 Formerly called Bealach-Conghlais; but it would seem to have had a yet more ancient name, Bealach-Dubhthaire. This was pro- bably owing to the fact, that it was on the old high-way, which led to Eas-Duthaire, the ancient name for Poulaphoka Waterfall. Or it may refer to the Duffry.
3'^ The following denominations, in the
text, have not been identified from the
" General Index to the Town- Alphabetical
lands and Towns, Parishes and Baronies of Ireland. "
37 "The adjective mointeach signifies a boggy place, and it gives name to several
that the soil they tread on is both royal and
sacred—the former court of kings and the
arena of Patrick's combat with Paganism.
Yet so it is ; for here on Greenan Hill was
the Northern Tara—known to us in history
as Ailcach of the Kings ; and here did Ire-
land's when " great apostle, — visiting
Tyr- owen of the Islands" as Innishowen was then called—confront and conquer the learn- ing of the Druids, and win to the faith the
monarch himself. "
^'
This was the northern division of Ire- land, said to have been divided from the southern one, called Leath Mogha, by a chain of sand-hills denominated Esker Riada, extending from Dublin city to the head of
See " of
"
Galway Bay. Haverty's
Ireland, Ancient and Modem, chap. v. , p. 35-
^ This small stream skirts the northern
bounds of Kildare county, and falls into the
River Liffey at Leixlip. 3° Not identified.
3' Now Dunboyke, a townland so called,
owing to an ancient dim, or earthen fort, in
the parish of Hollywood, barony of Lower
Talbotstown. Thereisalsoagrave-yardon
the townland, and a church in ruins. See
places now called Montiagh,and Montiaghs. "
"
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of
History
County of Wicklow," Sheet 15.
3= There is a parish of Skeirke, in the
Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Wexford," Sheets 26, 32. It lies east- ward of the River Slaney, and the townland, cular area enclosed with a stone rampart, with its modem house and ornamental
barony of Upper Ossory in the Queen's County. We are told in a modern work,
barony of Ballaghkeen shown on the
*'
and surrounded with a fosse ; in the centre of the area is a pyramidal stone, about six feet high, with fragments of several others ; towards the eastern side are the remains of a cromlech, and towards the north is a high mound with a fiat summit. There are also some ruins of the ancient castle of Garran. " —Lewis'"TopographicalDictionai7ofIre- land," vol. ii. , p. 556. There is an old ruined church in the grave-yard of Skeirke. Vet
are some Druidical remains, situ-
that in it
ated on a high hill, and consisting of a cir-
Dr. P. W. " and of Joyce's Origin History
Irish Names of Places," part iv. , chap, vi. , p. 452.
3^ There is a Upper and a Lower Damna townland shown in the parish of Ballycallan,
and barony of Cranagh on the
"
Kilkenny," Sheets 18, 19.
3* There is a parish of Edermine in the
"
grounds, has a most picturesque appearance immediatelyontheriver'sbanks. Itisde- scribed on the former sheet.
^ This river rises from the western slopes
of the Wicklow mountains. and takes a south-
easterlycoursethroughWexfordcounty. It enters the Irish Sea through Wexford haven. *' RathbranandBaltinglassliewestwards
of the River Slaney,
•^ See the genealogy of this St. Maodhog,
55° LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
saint; yet,bothwerelivingatplacescalledClonmore,'*3andbothwerecon-
temporaneous.
It would appear, from all that can be gleaned out of the present St. Maidoc's
acts, that he was living, but at the monastery of Cluain Dicholla Gairbir44 in Wexford,4s at that exact time, when the celebrated battle of Dunbolg^^ had been fought, a. d. 598. 47 Here, by means of a well-devised stratagem, the warlike King of Leinster, Brandubh, obtained a complete victory over theforcesofAedh,thesonofAinmire. ^^ Inthisdecisivebattle,theIrish monarch was slain. 49
Very confused and unchronologically placed are those accounts, in our saint's published acts, regarding the order in which Brandubh's battles were fought. s° By our annals and other records, they can only be rendered in- telligible. Thus the battle of Dunbolg, in which King Aidus was defeated and lost his life, is related^' before that just retribution which the King of Leinster visited on his son Cumuscagh. s^ A conjecture has been offeredS3 that a battle, of which mention is made towards the close of St. Maidoc's life,54 must have been diiferent from that one, in which Cumuscach lost his life ; especially as the first conflict narrated was intended to avenge the death of this prince. It must also have been different from that, in which King yEdus was slain ; for he is said to have been killed, not only before the battle alluded to, but even before that account given regarding the death ofCumuscach. 55 Yet,anothersolutionmaybefoundforsuchstatements.
of Cluain-mor at tlie nth of April. For lands, all to be devoted to God's service.
that date, it would seem, those details, re-
garding this foray and campaign, are better reserved.
43 A lengthened extract in the Irish cha- racter, from a MS. life of St. Maodhoge, belonging to the R. I. A. , as we are informed by Mr. O'Cmry, relates to Ferns, Clonmore, &c. See "County Wexford Extracts," in I. O. S. MSS. , vol. i. , p. 379.
See "Irish Ecclesiastical Record, "vol. vii. ,
p. 364.
4» It is stated by Abbe Ma-Geoghegan,
that his death occurred on the 9th of Janu- ary, A. D. 599, at the age of sixty-six, apd in
the twenty-seventh year of his reign. See " Histoire de I'Irlande, Ancienne et Mo-
deme," tome i. , partie ii. , chap, iii. , p. 301. 5° Thus we have an account, regarding a
44 Now known as Clonmore.
the Rev. William Reeves, this is a
in the barony of Bantry, in the centre of the
coimty of Wexford. It was formerly called
Cluain-mor-Dicholla Gairbh. This is not
to be confounded with Cluain-mor Maedhoc,
which is mentioned in the Annals, and which
was so called from another St. Moedhoc, Januarii. Vita S. Maidoci, cap. xvi. whose day is April ii ; his church is Clon-
more, in the county of Carlow. " See his
paper, "On Some Ecclesiastical Bells," &c.
45 Archdall falls into the error of con- founding two different saints with their re- spective churches. See his "Monasticon Hibemicum,"p. 734.
4«0r "the fort of the sacks," so called from the remarkable stratagem which de- cided this battle. See "
S3 By Colgan.
5* The object of this expedition, we are told, was to assert northern superiority over and to devastate the more southern portion of our island. It was intended, likewise, to humble the acquired pretensions of the Leinster people, owing to their recent suc- cesses.
of
p. 86.
and he there
that very glaring anachronisms must be re- marked. These are the inversions of historic incidents, which are not found mentioned in the "Codex Insulensis. " He appears to have supposed that a third battle, not dis- coverable from our records, might have been fought between the men of Leinster and of the North. See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xxxi. Januarii, n. 49, p. 220.
Ireland,
Ancient and
Modem," chap, x. ,
55 has a Colgan
note,
observes,
47 See Rev.
