7= Several fine specimens of ancient bronze
and iron spear-heads are yet preserved in the Royal Irish Academy Museum,
^^ So explained by Colgan, in a note, See, Vita Tertia S.
and iron spear-heads are yet preserved in the Royal Irish Academy Museum,
^^ So explained by Colgan, in a note, See, Vita Tertia S.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
, p.
534.
48 "
Vita S. Brigidae, lib. ii,, cap. xv. , p. 552. In the First Metrical Life, we are told, she returned from tending her sheep. This duty had caused the rain to drench her garments. Ibid. Vita Prima S. Brigidae, sec. 17, p. 516.
49 In the Second Life, this same occupa-
p. 583, ibid.
^s Petrus de Natalibus has a similar ac-
count. See also De " Officia Pro- Burgo's
tion is as a cause for her assigned
exposure
to the shower ; but, it is there stated, that pria Sanctorum Hiberniae. i. Februarii,
through a defect of vision, she saw not a OfficiumS. Brigidae, Noct. ii , Lect. v. ,p. 12.
"
line, but a tree, taking the form of a sun- s^ See,
beam. —/(! 5zV! ^. Vita SecundaS. Brigidae, cap. tia S. Brigidae, cap, xciii. , p. 539. Vita
vii. , p, 519,
5° The legends in several cases—as in the
present instance— give us an insight regard- ing many domestic usages of our ancestors.
QuartaS. Brigida;, lib. ii. , cap. xvi. , p. 552. ^7 And, as we are informed, these were
furnished to celebrate that festival,
^s Probably the King of Leinster. His
53 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's
"
Lives of
the Saints," vol. ii. February i. , p. 19.
Trias Thaumaturga. " Vita Ter-
134 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i.
it was a Providential circumstance, that he had thus strayed, although in a well-known country. He promised, likewise, to prepare some other provi- sions for his lord, the king. Receiving an account of what had happened, the latter transferred that villager, with all his family, to serve God and the
holy virgin, Brigid, as a perpetual vassal, living on her own property. The king, moreover, sent another waggon, loaded with provisions, for the use of our saint, on occasion of this great solemnity, so that she was fully enabled to supply the wants of all her guests. 59 The holy abbess thus realized, even
in a material way, the force of these Gospel words, that for religious fidelity she should receive an hundred fold. ^° A certain queen,^^ among other
valuable presents to St. Brigid, had presented her with an ornamental silver chain. ^2 Having received our Saint's blessing, that queen returned home, while Brigid's nuns, taking the chain from the hands of their abbess, deposited* it among their church treasures. Yet, as the holy abbess was accustomed to distribute all her possessions to the poor, a destitute person coming to her received the aforesaid chain. ^3 Our saint took it from her church valuables, as she had nothing else to bestow.
"
monstrances, our Saint said :
go and seek your chain,^+ which, perhaps, you will find. " Obeying her com- mands, they found a chain, exactly resembling the one which had been given
away. Then they presented it to St. Brigid, asking her pardon. The holy
to God He will return and earthly things : you earthly
The nuns ever afterwards preserved that chain,^^ as a
" O
we lose whatever God gives us through charitable Christians ; for, you
said to their
to
mother, owing
leave us nothing, since you bestow all upon the poor. " To evade their re-
learning this,
superioress,
your generosity,
abbess
heavenly favours. '^^s
replied:
" Give
My daughters, whilst I remain in the church,
standing memorial of the extraordinary charity characterizing their holy superioress. A certain leper, belonging to the race of Neill,^7 coming to St.
name or district, However, is not recorded, conclusive evidences of our early civiliza- in St. Brigid's ancient Lives ; although, tion.
^* The Abbate D. Giacomo re- Certani,
lating these occurrences, without any seem- ing warrant, but the promptings of his own
bright Italian imagination, converts the "chain of silver" in St. Brigid's ancient
"
Lives into "Collana d'oro," or
necklace. " See " La Santit^ Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida Ibernese;" Libro Quarto,
^s See Trias Thaumaturga. VitaQuar- ta S. Brigida^, lib. ii. , cap. xviii. , p. 552. Vita Tertia S. Brigidae, cap. 1. , p. 532, ibid. Vita Sexta S. Brigidse, sec. xlii. , p. 591. ibid.
^ In the Metrical Acts, we have foUow- ing minute description of this ornament :
" Vertice cui summo fuerat formata Humani capitis : subtilis lucet imago Filis argenti preciosa, ac textilis hamis Spherula in alternis fulvis prsefulgida
gemmis. "
From the minute foregoing
Abbate D. Giacomo Certani
—who chroni-
cles these incidents—makes all this occur at
Kildare, without any apparent authority.
See "La Santith, Prodigiosa. Vita di S.
Brigida Ibernese. " Libro Quarto, pp. 280
10283.
59 See "Trias Thaumaturga. " Vita
Quarta S. Brigidse, lib. ii. , cap. xvii. , p. 552. Vita Tertia S. Brigidse, cap. xlix. , p. 532, ibid. Vita Sexta S. Brigidse, sec.
xli. , pp. 590, 591, ibid.
St. Luke, vi. 38.
Her name or place of residence is not
given, in St. Brigid's Latin Lives. But, in
Professor O'Looney's Irish Life of the Saint,
she is called the Queen of Crimthan, son
of Enna Cennsellach, King of Leinster.
east of Leinster.
a golden
^ ^*
See From this we pp. 35, 36.
may pro- bably draw an inference, that St. Brigid was then living somewhere in the east or south-
figura
fashioned.
^' This leper appears to have belonged to the territory of Meath, which is usually
^'
man attached to one of its ends.
It is said to have had the figure of a
*'3 Almost are daily
objects of ancient Irish art and ornament among " the finds " of our rural population ; and, several most interestin£T specimens have found their place in our museums. These furnish the most
this chain must have been elaborately and richly
pp. 283 to 287. ""
Brigid's nuns, on
description,
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 135
Brigid, asked her for a cow and calf, which the abbess directed her herdsman to give. He enquired from our saint, what sort of a cow and calf he should select. She told him, to choose the best out of their herd. ^^ Then the herd- man and the leper selected those of prime shape and condition. Yet, they found it a matter of great difficulty to separate the calf from a particular cow belongingtotheherd,althoughthatcowwasnotitsdam. Thiswastoldto the saint by the poor leper, when Brigid desired one of her servants,^9 then engaged at cooking,7° to go and assist him in driving home those animals. Her servant enquired, who had been left to cook, when our abbess said, he should return to take charge of that work, within a very short time. The
man did as he had been desired, and, with the leper, he accomplished a journey usually occupying of two days, but he effected it within an hour.
Their destination was towards the north, and to a place, called Brigh-Chob- thuigh Chaoil. 7^ It escapes our present power of identification. On return- ing to St. Brigid, her servant found the flesh-meat in the cauldron, but not yet cooked. These miraculous events are accorded to St. Brigid's merits. All, to whom they became known, were greatly edified. ^^
A certain king, accompanied by a large retinue, came to celebrate the feast of Pentecost, where St. Brigid Hved. 73 He spent the eve of this festival
with her. On the following morning, having heard Mass, he set out, with his horsemen and chariots, for his own castle. When this day's solemnities
had been celebrated, according to custom, our pious abbess superintended those tables that were set for the abundant refection of rich and poor. But, among the number of her guests, an insolent or a demented leper,74 through some whimsical impulse, refused to partake of food, if he did not first obtain a spear 7S which belonged to the king. The leper was asked, why he had not demanded it, on the previous day ; while, at the same time, all who were present pressed him to eat. They could not, however, procure his compliance. The leper remarked, it was only on the present occasion he desired that gift. The compassionate abbess could not bring herself to par- take of food, while that leper was fasting. She immediately despatched messengers on horseback after the king, to ask his spear as a gift. These
set out, and overtook the dynast, as he was crossing the ford of a small
stream. There they preferred our saint's request. ? ^ The king joyfully pre- sented his spear to them, with the remark, that he would give up all his
"
called in St. Brigid's Lives,
Neill,"thatis, oftheSouthernO'Neills. The Northern O'Neills principally lived in Ultonia or Ulster, during our Saint's life-
Brigidse, sec. xlv. , p. 592. 73TheAbbateD. GiacomoCertaniwrites:
** II Re della Lagena era venuto a Killda-
time. See Colgan's n. 26,p. 543.
Trias Thaumaturga,"
"
ria," &c.
Prodigiosa.
regio nepotum
^2 These incidents are related, as if occur- -
ring while St. Brigid was at Kildare—a came to Kildare, on this occasion, cannot gratuitous, yet a probable supposition—of be established from those accounts con- Abbate D. Giacomo Certani. See "La tained in St. Brigid's more ancient Lives.
Santitk Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida Ibernese. " Libro Quarto, pp. 290 to 292.
^ The Third Life calls him a carter or
groom.
7° As we are told, the servant was boiling
some meat in a cauldron.
74 in Professor O'Looney's Irish Life of St. Brigid, pp. 35, 36, he is called "Lo- man, Brigid's leper," as if he were some person kept in her employment, or some charitably maintained poor simpleton, whose mind and body were wasted through disease.
7= Several fine specimens of ancient bronze
and iron spear-heads are yet preserved in the Royal Irish Academy Museum,
^^ So explained by Colgan, in a note, See, Vita Tertia S. Brigida, n. 29, p. 543.
7' See •' Trias Colgan's
Thaumaturga. " Prima Vita S. Brigidse, stanza 26, p. 516.
72 See ibid. Secunda Vita S. Brigidse, cap. xvi. , p. 520, Tertia Vita S. Brigidse, cap. lii,, p. 532, Quarta Vita S. Brigidae, lib. ii. , cap. xxii. , p. 553. Sexta Vita S.
—La Santita S. Brigida Ibernese. "
Vita di Libre Quarto, p. 303, Yet,althoughitmayfairlybeinferred, that he was the King of Leinster, that he
13^ LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, [February i.
arms, if Brigid required him. Our saint's messengers then asked what caused a delay, which prevented the king from proceeding further on his
journey.
His retinue repUed, although riding much, they knew God's pro-
vidence had delayed them, that Brigid might be released from the leper's
importunity. Giving praise to God and to our saint, the royal cortege soon
arrived at their home. Her messengers returned to the holy abbess with the king's spear. This she immediately handed to the leper. Then, the
saint and her guests partook of the banquet provided, 77 and while thankmg the Almighty for favours received,7S there can hardly be a doubt, she felt grateful to the high-minded and generous dynast, who had so great a re- verence for his pious hostess.
Unless referred to an early period of her life, it is very difficult to recon-
cile with exact chronology the following statements, contained in St. Brigid's
Acts. The holy abbess possessed that benign and ingenious power, which
could pacify those fiery and passionate spirits, whose ebullitions gave rise to
so and public quarrels. Her blessing was the — of many private harbinger
peace. 79 One day, walking near the road-side, Connall, son to Niall sup- posed to be the Monarch of the Nine Hostages—came towards Brigid, who was accompanied by her nuns. Now, the last-mentioned celebrated king had two sons2° so named ; one being distinguished as Connall Crimthann,^^ while the other was called Connall Gulban. ^" As the latter^3 died, a. d. 464,^*
"
77 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. great prey of horses ; but, he was pursued
Vita Quarta S. Brigidse, lib. , ii. , cap. xxv. , and overtaken at Loch Saloch, near Fe- P- 553- See also, Vita Tertia S. Brigidse, nagh, in the county of Leitrim. Here, he cap. Iv. , p. 533, ibid. was slain and buried. The account of
7** See the Abbate D. Giacomo Certani's Conall Gulban having been buried by St. accountoftheforegoingoccurrencesin"La Caillinissaidtobeananachronismanda Santitk Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida fabrication of the writer of St. Caillin's
Ibernese. " Libro Quarto, pp. 303 to 308. 79 See L. Tachet de Barneval's "Histoire
Legendaire de I'lrlande," chap, viii. , pp. 80,81.
^° Their respective deaths are commemo- rated, in Dr. O' Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i.
^' Conall Cremthoinn was ancestor to the
O'Melaghlins, who bore the tribe-name of
Clann-Colmain, and to other ancient and
powerful families in Meath. From this
prince were descended seventeen Irish
monarchs. There were nine monarchs of contractions resolved, and (as far as pos- Ireland, belonging to the race of Aedh sible) the original Text restored. The Slaine, who was himself monarch of Ire-
land, from A. D. 599 to 605. When sur- names had been established, the chief fa- mily of his race took the surname of U'Kelly Breagh. This clan settled in the great plain of Bregia, towards the east of ancient Meath. SeeO "
whole carefully revised, indexed, and cor- rectly annotated, by W. M. Hennessy, M. R. I. A. , and done into English by D. II.
Flaherty's Ogygia," pars iii. , cap. Ixxxv. , p. 410, and cap. xciii. , p. 431.
Kelly, M. R. I. A. See pp. 89, 91, 93, 95, 97, 139, 141, 143, 147, 15s. 157, 159, 161, 225, 235, 243, 253,265, 313, 317, 323, 325, 359. 395. 405, 409.
8^ The Cinel-Conaill, or Conall's race,
are the O'Donnells and their correlative
families, in Tyrconnell, or the county of Tigernach," an account of the death of Donegal} ; while Magh-Slecht was the plain Conallus Gulban, from whom the family of around Ballymagauran, in the north-west Tir-Connel derives its origin. Seep. 113,
part of Cavan County. Here Conall Gul- ban was killed by the Masraidhe, an an- cient Firbolg tribe, who lived in that place, as the Book of Fenagh mentions. The prince had gone into their territory on a predatory excursion, and he had seized a
Life, preserved in the
St. Caillin is reputed a contemporary of St. Columkille, and consequently he could hardly have been born in 464, much less have been abbot of Fenagh in Magh-Rein. There is much to be read—not, however, of a very well-authenticated character — re- garding Conall Gulban in "The Book of Fenagh," in Irish and English, originally compiled by St. Caillin, Archbishop, Ab- bot, and Founder of Fenagh alias Dunbally of Moy-Rein, tempore S. Patricii ; with the
^3 In Dr. ©'Conor's " Rerum Hibemica- rum Scriptores," at A. D. 464, we find, in the
"
tomus ii.
84 In Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," at A. D, 464, we read: " Conall Gulban, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages (from whom are descended the Cinel-Conaill), was slain by the old tribes
hiatus, which supplies the
Annals of
"
Book of Fenagh. "
February i. ] LIVES 01' THE IRISH SAINTS. 137
and as the former lived to a. d. ^s or even later 475,
reasonable to
it is
suppose, that Conall Crimlhann was the prince, who addressed the abbess in
:
theseterms "Oholyvirgin,bestowonmeyourspecialbenediction,lest
my brother Ca^:brey^7 kill me, on account of the kingdom. " God's pious
servant said to him " Let your soldiers precede me, and I will bless you,
:
following them. " At her request, the soldiers preceded them, on their march. When the whole company advanced through the hills, one of her
nuns said to St. " O mother, what shall we do ? Behold, Brigid :
Carbrey,^^ the brother of this prince, approaches, and these brothers will strike
each other. " Our saint replied, that the Almighty would prevent such an accident. ^5 At the same time, Carbrey came up to Brigid, and he said to
:
her "Oholyvirgin,blessme,becauseIfearmeetingmybrotherConall,9°
in these parts. " A film was drawn over the brothers' eyes. ^'' Afterwards, all went together with the abbess, while the hostile brothers did not recognise
each other, owing to our saint's prayers. 9^ At length, parting in different directions, the brothers Connall93 and Carbrey94 even kissed each other, as
of Magh-Slecht, he having been found un- protected, and he was buried at Fidhnach-
Conall Cremthoinn's lands in Meath. For- merly this tract was called Carbre Teffia, to distinguish it from the other.
5° On both the foregoing accounts, Carbrey could be committed to a quarrel with either
Conall ; yet, Colgan thinks the dispute in question lay between him and Conall Crim- thann, for these reasons. As St. Brigid is supposed to have been bom in 453, she was not a nun, and could only have been twelve years of age, at the time of Conall Gulban's death, in 464, while she was an abbess, and distinguishedforhermiracles,abouttheyear 475, when Conall Crimthann ig thought to
Maighe-Rein, by St. Caillin, as the life of the aforesaid saint relates. "—Vol. i. , p. 147. Also, see "The Book of Fenagh," edited by W. M. Hennessy and D. H. Kelly, pp. 96, 97.
8s In Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," at A. D. 475, we find: "Conall Cremhthoinn, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, from whom are sprung the Clann Colmain, and the race ofAedh Slaine, died. "—Vol. i. , p. 149.
8* At the year 480, the "Ulster Annals" record the death of Conaill mc Cremtainne mc Neill. In a note, Dr. O'Conor observes, that the territory of Tyrconnell derived its name from him. See " Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus iv. , p. 6, and n. ibid. This is incorrect, however, as all Irish ge- nealogists and historians are unanimous in stating, Tyrconnell district derived its name from his brother, Connall Gulban,
®7At A. D. 500, the "Annals of Ulster"
state, that Carbre, the son of Neill, fought the battle of the White Hill or Chnuic Ailbe against the Leinstermen. See Dr. O'Conor's "Rerum Hibernicarum Scrip- tores," tomus iv. , p. 10.
88 See "The Life of St. Brigid," by an Irish Priest, chap, ix. , pp. 121, 122.
have died. See "Trias Thaumaturga.
"
O'Neills are derived, and the race of Aedh 89Colgan remarks, that it is doubtful Slane. Seep. 116, ibid.
which Conall had been mentioned in the 9* This is said to have been the same Car- text ; whether Conall Gulban, or Conall brey or Carprey, an infidel, who refused to
Cremthainn. He thinks, that the quarrel,
here alluded to between Conall and his bro-
ther Carpry or Carbrey, must have had re-
ference to some extension or arrangement of
territory. At this period, Carbrey held a Life of St. Patrick, part ii. , in Miss M. F. tract of country, called after his own name Cusack's "Life of St, Patrick, Apostle of Carbre, even to times less remote. It was Ireland," p. 396. Yet, he must have re- situated in the province of Connaught, and it
lay conterminous to the principality of Conall Gulban. He had another tract in the district of Teffia, near the bounds of
f^
only
Vita Tertia S. Brigidae, n. 38, p. 544.
9' See the account of this adventure in L. Tachet de Barneval's " Histoire Legendaire
de rirlande," chap, viii. , pp. 77, 78.
"
52 At A. D.
48 "
Vita S. Brigidae, lib. ii,, cap. xv. , p. 552. In the First Metrical Life, we are told, she returned from tending her sheep. This duty had caused the rain to drench her garments. Ibid. Vita Prima S. Brigidae, sec. 17, p. 516.
49 In the Second Life, this same occupa-
p. 583, ibid.
^s Petrus de Natalibus has a similar ac-
count. See also De " Officia Pro- Burgo's
tion is as a cause for her assigned
exposure
to the shower ; but, it is there stated, that pria Sanctorum Hiberniae. i. Februarii,
through a defect of vision, she saw not a OfficiumS. Brigidae, Noct. ii , Lect. v. ,p. 12.
"
line, but a tree, taking the form of a sun- s^ See,
beam. —/(! 5zV! ^. Vita SecundaS. Brigidae, cap. tia S. Brigidae, cap, xciii. , p. 539. Vita
vii. , p, 519,
5° The legends in several cases—as in the
present instance— give us an insight regard- ing many domestic usages of our ancestors.
QuartaS. Brigida;, lib. ii. , cap. xvi. , p. 552. ^7 And, as we are informed, these were
furnished to celebrate that festival,
^s Probably the King of Leinster. His
53 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's
"
Lives of
the Saints," vol. ii. February i. , p. 19.
Trias Thaumaturga. " Vita Ter-
134 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i.
it was a Providential circumstance, that he had thus strayed, although in a well-known country. He promised, likewise, to prepare some other provi- sions for his lord, the king. Receiving an account of what had happened, the latter transferred that villager, with all his family, to serve God and the
holy virgin, Brigid, as a perpetual vassal, living on her own property. The king, moreover, sent another waggon, loaded with provisions, for the use of our saint, on occasion of this great solemnity, so that she was fully enabled to supply the wants of all her guests. 59 The holy abbess thus realized, even
in a material way, the force of these Gospel words, that for religious fidelity she should receive an hundred fold. ^° A certain queen,^^ among other
valuable presents to St. Brigid, had presented her with an ornamental silver chain. ^2 Having received our Saint's blessing, that queen returned home, while Brigid's nuns, taking the chain from the hands of their abbess, deposited* it among their church treasures. Yet, as the holy abbess was accustomed to distribute all her possessions to the poor, a destitute person coming to her received the aforesaid chain. ^3 Our saint took it from her church valuables, as she had nothing else to bestow.
"
monstrances, our Saint said :
go and seek your chain,^+ which, perhaps, you will find. " Obeying her com- mands, they found a chain, exactly resembling the one which had been given
away. Then they presented it to St. Brigid, asking her pardon. The holy
to God He will return and earthly things : you earthly
The nuns ever afterwards preserved that chain,^^ as a
" O
we lose whatever God gives us through charitable Christians ; for, you
said to their
to
mother, owing
leave us nothing, since you bestow all upon the poor. " To evade their re-
learning this,
superioress,
your generosity,
abbess
heavenly favours. '^^s
replied:
" Give
My daughters, whilst I remain in the church,
standing memorial of the extraordinary charity characterizing their holy superioress. A certain leper, belonging to the race of Neill,^7 coming to St.
name or district, However, is not recorded, conclusive evidences of our early civiliza- in St. Brigid's ancient Lives ; although, tion.
^* The Abbate D. Giacomo re- Certani,
lating these occurrences, without any seem- ing warrant, but the promptings of his own
bright Italian imagination, converts the "chain of silver" in St. Brigid's ancient
"
Lives into "Collana d'oro," or
necklace. " See " La Santit^ Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida Ibernese;" Libro Quarto,
^s See Trias Thaumaturga. VitaQuar- ta S. Brigida^, lib. ii. , cap. xviii. , p. 552. Vita Tertia S. Brigidae, cap. 1. , p. 532, ibid. Vita Sexta S. Brigidse, sec. xlii. , p. 591. ibid.
^ In the Metrical Acts, we have foUow- ing minute description of this ornament :
" Vertice cui summo fuerat formata Humani capitis : subtilis lucet imago Filis argenti preciosa, ac textilis hamis Spherula in alternis fulvis prsefulgida
gemmis. "
From the minute foregoing
Abbate D. Giacomo Certani
—who chroni-
cles these incidents—makes all this occur at
Kildare, without any apparent authority.
See "La Santith, Prodigiosa. Vita di S.
Brigida Ibernese. " Libro Quarto, pp. 280
10283.
59 See "Trias Thaumaturga. " Vita
Quarta S. Brigidse, lib. ii. , cap. xvii. , p. 552. Vita Tertia S. Brigidse, cap. xlix. , p. 532, ibid. Vita Sexta S. Brigidse, sec.
xli. , pp. 590, 591, ibid.
St. Luke, vi. 38.
Her name or place of residence is not
given, in St. Brigid's Latin Lives. But, in
Professor O'Looney's Irish Life of the Saint,
she is called the Queen of Crimthan, son
of Enna Cennsellach, King of Leinster.
east of Leinster.
a golden
^ ^*
See From this we pp. 35, 36.
may pro- bably draw an inference, that St. Brigid was then living somewhere in the east or south-
figura
fashioned.
^' This leper appears to have belonged to the territory of Meath, which is usually
^'
man attached to one of its ends.
It is said to have had the figure of a
*'3 Almost are daily
objects of ancient Irish art and ornament among " the finds " of our rural population ; and, several most interestin£T specimens have found their place in our museums. These furnish the most
this chain must have been elaborately and richly
pp. 283 to 287. ""
Brigid's nuns, on
description,
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 135
Brigid, asked her for a cow and calf, which the abbess directed her herdsman to give. He enquired from our saint, what sort of a cow and calf he should select. She told him, to choose the best out of their herd. ^^ Then the herd- man and the leper selected those of prime shape and condition. Yet, they found it a matter of great difficulty to separate the calf from a particular cow belongingtotheherd,althoughthatcowwasnotitsdam. Thiswastoldto the saint by the poor leper, when Brigid desired one of her servants,^9 then engaged at cooking,7° to go and assist him in driving home those animals. Her servant enquired, who had been left to cook, when our abbess said, he should return to take charge of that work, within a very short time. The
man did as he had been desired, and, with the leper, he accomplished a journey usually occupying of two days, but he effected it within an hour.
Their destination was towards the north, and to a place, called Brigh-Chob- thuigh Chaoil. 7^ It escapes our present power of identification. On return- ing to St. Brigid, her servant found the flesh-meat in the cauldron, but not yet cooked. These miraculous events are accorded to St. Brigid's merits. All, to whom they became known, were greatly edified. ^^
A certain king, accompanied by a large retinue, came to celebrate the feast of Pentecost, where St. Brigid Hved. 73 He spent the eve of this festival
with her. On the following morning, having heard Mass, he set out, with his horsemen and chariots, for his own castle. When this day's solemnities
had been celebrated, according to custom, our pious abbess superintended those tables that were set for the abundant refection of rich and poor. But, among the number of her guests, an insolent or a demented leper,74 through some whimsical impulse, refused to partake of food, if he did not first obtain a spear 7S which belonged to the king. The leper was asked, why he had not demanded it, on the previous day ; while, at the same time, all who were present pressed him to eat. They could not, however, procure his compliance. The leper remarked, it was only on the present occasion he desired that gift. The compassionate abbess could not bring herself to par- take of food, while that leper was fasting. She immediately despatched messengers on horseback after the king, to ask his spear as a gift. These
set out, and overtook the dynast, as he was crossing the ford of a small
stream. There they preferred our saint's request. ? ^ The king joyfully pre- sented his spear to them, with the remark, that he would give up all his
"
called in St. Brigid's Lives,
Neill,"thatis, oftheSouthernO'Neills. The Northern O'Neills principally lived in Ultonia or Ulster, during our Saint's life-
Brigidse, sec. xlv. , p. 592. 73TheAbbateD. GiacomoCertaniwrites:
** II Re della Lagena era venuto a Killda-
time. See Colgan's n. 26,p. 543.
Trias Thaumaturga,"
"
ria," &c.
Prodigiosa.
regio nepotum
^2 These incidents are related, as if occur- -
ring while St. Brigid was at Kildare—a came to Kildare, on this occasion, cannot gratuitous, yet a probable supposition—of be established from those accounts con- Abbate D. Giacomo Certani. See "La tained in St. Brigid's more ancient Lives.
Santitk Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida Ibernese. " Libro Quarto, pp. 290 to 292.
^ The Third Life calls him a carter or
groom.
7° As we are told, the servant was boiling
some meat in a cauldron.
74 in Professor O'Looney's Irish Life of St. Brigid, pp. 35, 36, he is called "Lo- man, Brigid's leper," as if he were some person kept in her employment, or some charitably maintained poor simpleton, whose mind and body were wasted through disease.
7= Several fine specimens of ancient bronze
and iron spear-heads are yet preserved in the Royal Irish Academy Museum,
^^ So explained by Colgan, in a note, See, Vita Tertia S. Brigida, n. 29, p. 543.
7' See •' Trias Colgan's
Thaumaturga. " Prima Vita S. Brigidse, stanza 26, p. 516.
72 See ibid. Secunda Vita S. Brigidse, cap. xvi. , p. 520, Tertia Vita S. Brigidse, cap. lii,, p. 532, Quarta Vita S. Brigidae, lib. ii. , cap. xxii. , p. 553. Sexta Vita S.
—La Santita S. Brigida Ibernese. "
Vita di Libre Quarto, p. 303, Yet,althoughitmayfairlybeinferred, that he was the King of Leinster, that he
13^ LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, [February i.
arms, if Brigid required him. Our saint's messengers then asked what caused a delay, which prevented the king from proceeding further on his
journey.
His retinue repUed, although riding much, they knew God's pro-
vidence had delayed them, that Brigid might be released from the leper's
importunity. Giving praise to God and to our saint, the royal cortege soon
arrived at their home. Her messengers returned to the holy abbess with the king's spear. This she immediately handed to the leper. Then, the
saint and her guests partook of the banquet provided, 77 and while thankmg the Almighty for favours received,7S there can hardly be a doubt, she felt grateful to the high-minded and generous dynast, who had so great a re- verence for his pious hostess.
Unless referred to an early period of her life, it is very difficult to recon-
cile with exact chronology the following statements, contained in St. Brigid's
Acts. The holy abbess possessed that benign and ingenious power, which
could pacify those fiery and passionate spirits, whose ebullitions gave rise to
so and public quarrels. Her blessing was the — of many private harbinger
peace. 79 One day, walking near the road-side, Connall, son to Niall sup- posed to be the Monarch of the Nine Hostages—came towards Brigid, who was accompanied by her nuns. Now, the last-mentioned celebrated king had two sons2° so named ; one being distinguished as Connall Crimthann,^^ while the other was called Connall Gulban. ^" As the latter^3 died, a. d. 464,^*
"
77 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. great prey of horses ; but, he was pursued
Vita Quarta S. Brigidse, lib. , ii. , cap. xxv. , and overtaken at Loch Saloch, near Fe- P- 553- See also, Vita Tertia S. Brigidse, nagh, in the county of Leitrim. Here, he cap. Iv. , p. 533, ibid. was slain and buried. The account of
7** See the Abbate D. Giacomo Certani's Conall Gulban having been buried by St. accountoftheforegoingoccurrencesin"La Caillinissaidtobeananachronismanda Santitk Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida fabrication of the writer of St. Caillin's
Ibernese. " Libro Quarto, pp. 303 to 308. 79 See L. Tachet de Barneval's "Histoire
Legendaire de I'lrlande," chap, viii. , pp. 80,81.
^° Their respective deaths are commemo- rated, in Dr. O' Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i.
^' Conall Cremthoinn was ancestor to the
O'Melaghlins, who bore the tribe-name of
Clann-Colmain, and to other ancient and
powerful families in Meath. From this
prince were descended seventeen Irish
monarchs. There were nine monarchs of contractions resolved, and (as far as pos- Ireland, belonging to the race of Aedh sible) the original Text restored. The Slaine, who was himself monarch of Ire-
land, from A. D. 599 to 605. When sur- names had been established, the chief fa- mily of his race took the surname of U'Kelly Breagh. This clan settled in the great plain of Bregia, towards the east of ancient Meath. SeeO "
whole carefully revised, indexed, and cor- rectly annotated, by W. M. Hennessy, M. R. I. A. , and done into English by D. II.
Flaherty's Ogygia," pars iii. , cap. Ixxxv. , p. 410, and cap. xciii. , p. 431.
Kelly, M. R. I. A. See pp. 89, 91, 93, 95, 97, 139, 141, 143, 147, 15s. 157, 159, 161, 225, 235, 243, 253,265, 313, 317, 323, 325, 359. 395. 405, 409.
8^ The Cinel-Conaill, or Conall's race,
are the O'Donnells and their correlative
families, in Tyrconnell, or the county of Tigernach," an account of the death of Donegal} ; while Magh-Slecht was the plain Conallus Gulban, from whom the family of around Ballymagauran, in the north-west Tir-Connel derives its origin. Seep. 113,
part of Cavan County. Here Conall Gul- ban was killed by the Masraidhe, an an- cient Firbolg tribe, who lived in that place, as the Book of Fenagh mentions. The prince had gone into their territory on a predatory excursion, and he had seized a
Life, preserved in the
St. Caillin is reputed a contemporary of St. Columkille, and consequently he could hardly have been born in 464, much less have been abbot of Fenagh in Magh-Rein. There is much to be read—not, however, of a very well-authenticated character — re- garding Conall Gulban in "The Book of Fenagh," in Irish and English, originally compiled by St. Caillin, Archbishop, Ab- bot, and Founder of Fenagh alias Dunbally of Moy-Rein, tempore S. Patricii ; with the
^3 In Dr. ©'Conor's " Rerum Hibemica- rum Scriptores," at A. D. 464, we find, in the
"
tomus ii.
84 In Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," at A. D, 464, we read: " Conall Gulban, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages (from whom are descended the Cinel-Conaill), was slain by the old tribes
hiatus, which supplies the
Annals of
"
Book of Fenagh. "
February i. ] LIVES 01' THE IRISH SAINTS. 137
and as the former lived to a. d. ^s or even later 475,
reasonable to
it is
suppose, that Conall Crimlhann was the prince, who addressed the abbess in
:
theseterms "Oholyvirgin,bestowonmeyourspecialbenediction,lest
my brother Ca^:brey^7 kill me, on account of the kingdom. " God's pious
servant said to him " Let your soldiers precede me, and I will bless you,
:
following them. " At her request, the soldiers preceded them, on their march. When the whole company advanced through the hills, one of her
nuns said to St. " O mother, what shall we do ? Behold, Brigid :
Carbrey,^^ the brother of this prince, approaches, and these brothers will strike
each other. " Our saint replied, that the Almighty would prevent such an accident. ^5 At the same time, Carbrey came up to Brigid, and he said to
:
her "Oholyvirgin,blessme,becauseIfearmeetingmybrotherConall,9°
in these parts. " A film was drawn over the brothers' eyes. ^'' Afterwards, all went together with the abbess, while the hostile brothers did not recognise
each other, owing to our saint's prayers. 9^ At length, parting in different directions, the brothers Connall93 and Carbrey94 even kissed each other, as
of Magh-Slecht, he having been found un- protected, and he was buried at Fidhnach-
Conall Cremthoinn's lands in Meath. For- merly this tract was called Carbre Teffia, to distinguish it from the other.
5° On both the foregoing accounts, Carbrey could be committed to a quarrel with either
Conall ; yet, Colgan thinks the dispute in question lay between him and Conall Crim- thann, for these reasons. As St. Brigid is supposed to have been bom in 453, she was not a nun, and could only have been twelve years of age, at the time of Conall Gulban's death, in 464, while she was an abbess, and distinguishedforhermiracles,abouttheyear 475, when Conall Crimthann ig thought to
Maighe-Rein, by St. Caillin, as the life of the aforesaid saint relates. "—Vol. i. , p. 147. Also, see "The Book of Fenagh," edited by W. M. Hennessy and D. H. Kelly, pp. 96, 97.
8s In Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," at A. D. 475, we find: "Conall Cremhthoinn, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, from whom are sprung the Clann Colmain, and the race ofAedh Slaine, died. "—Vol. i. , p. 149.
8* At the year 480, the "Ulster Annals" record the death of Conaill mc Cremtainne mc Neill. In a note, Dr. O'Conor observes, that the territory of Tyrconnell derived its name from him. See " Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus iv. , p. 6, and n. ibid. This is incorrect, however, as all Irish ge- nealogists and historians are unanimous in stating, Tyrconnell district derived its name from his brother, Connall Gulban,
®7At A. D. 500, the "Annals of Ulster"
state, that Carbre, the son of Neill, fought the battle of the White Hill or Chnuic Ailbe against the Leinstermen. See Dr. O'Conor's "Rerum Hibernicarum Scrip- tores," tomus iv. , p. 10.
88 See "The Life of St. Brigid," by an Irish Priest, chap, ix. , pp. 121, 122.
have died. See "Trias Thaumaturga.
"
O'Neills are derived, and the race of Aedh 89Colgan remarks, that it is doubtful Slane. Seep. 116, ibid.
which Conall had been mentioned in the 9* This is said to have been the same Car- text ; whether Conall Gulban, or Conall brey or Carprey, an infidel, who refused to
Cremthainn. He thinks, that the quarrel,
here alluded to between Conall and his bro-
ther Carpry or Carbrey, must have had re-
ference to some extension or arrangement of
territory. At this period, Carbrey held a Life of St. Patrick, part ii. , in Miss M. F. tract of country, called after his own name Cusack's "Life of St, Patrick, Apostle of Carbre, even to times less remote. It was Ireland," p. 396. Yet, he must have re- situated in the province of Connaught, and it
lay conterminous to the principality of Conall Gulban. He had another tract in the district of Teffia, near the bounds of
f^
only
Vita Tertia S. Brigidae, n. 38, p. 544.
9' See the account of this adventure in L. Tachet de Barneval's " Histoire Legendaire
de rirlande," chap, viii. , pp. 77, 78.
"
52 At A. D.
