5
According
to Father Hugh Menard's
Benedictine Martyrology.
Benedictine Martyrology.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v7
Among the parishes, however, there is one, denominated Taney2 orTauney,inthehalf-baronyofRathdown,andcountyofDublin.
Taken in its simple way, as Tawny orTawna, or Tawny, there are no less than sixteen townlands so denominated in Ireland \ while, in composition, there are one hundred and eleven places having relation besides with these etymons.
3 ThemotherchurchofTaneyorTawny,inthecountyofDublin, was the head of a rural deanery of great extent, and several other chapels were subservient to it/ The Archdeacon of Dublin s possessed the dignity
6
and prebend of Taney, at least from the time of Archbishop Luke, until the
Reformation, when the chapter of the cathedral church of the Most Holy
*
According to the Repertorium Viride of Archbishop Alan,
the present date, the Bollandists
Scottish Saints," p. 206. 2"
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Julii xviii. Among —the pretermitted feasts, p. 349.
s In the time of St. Laurence O'Toole, one
p.
xxix. 2
Already
i. Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
allusion has been made to this
was Archdeacon of Dublin.
Article l
—— Torquil evidently of Scandinavian origin
place, in the First Volume of this work, and
at the 23rd of January, when treating of St.
Lucain or Lucan, of Tamnach or Tawny, Art. vii.
3 See " General Alphabetical Index to the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Baro- nies of Ireland," pp. 850 to 852.
A. D. 1228 to 1255, in John DAlton's " Me- moirs of the Archbishops of Dublin," pp. 90 to 94.
6 See an account of his from episcopacy
7 See William Monck Mason's "
History and Antiquities of the Collegiate and Cathe- dral Church of St. Patrick, near Dublin,"
book i. , chap, ix. , sect, i. , pp. 44 to 46.
272 LIVES OF 7HE IRISH SAINTS.
[July 19.
Trinity had been dissolved by a mandate of King Henry VIII. An Inquisi- tion held in the 38th year of his reign, January 27th, reports the extent and value of the Archdiaconal possessions. At that time, there were six acres of glebe annexed to the benefice, and lying to the east and south-east of the church. ' The Regal Visitation of 16 15 returns the church and chancel to have been then in good repair. It is evident, that the deserted Protestant church there does not date back to that 8 In the
period.
to it are buried Mr. William Halliday, an accomplished Hiberno-Celtic
Taney Church and Cemetery, County of Dublin.
scholar and linguist, with some other persons of distinction. The former Protestant church has been closed for services, since the erection in 1818 of a
more modern one, cruciform and in the pointed style, yet architecturally and artistically very defective. The River Dodder runs for upwards of a mile along the northern boundary of Taney—or as sometimes called—Churchtown parish. The scenery around this locality is highly picturesque and charming. The summits of the Three Rock Mountain and of the Two Rock Mountain are other boundary lines of this parish, while there the surfaces become wild
andrugged,yetpresentingsuperbviews. 10 Ofcourseitcannotbeasserted,that the holy Abbot and his fifty monks had after all any connexion with this place.
Colgan hazards a conjecture, but allowing merely its possibility, that the pre-
8
The accompanying illustration, drawn 9 lie died in 1812, in the twenty-fourth. on the spot by William F. Wakeman, was year of his age. Beside his remains lie taken from the railway embankment near those of his distinguished brothers, Doctor Dundrum. By him it has been trans- Daniel Halliday and Charles Halliday.
10
ferred to the wood, engraved by Mrs. Mil- See "Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire-
lard. land," vol. iii. , pp. 310, 311.
graveyard attached
July 19. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 273
sent Ossin may have been identical with the Bishop Asicus, mentioned by Jocelyn," in his Life of St. Patrick.
It seems quite evident, however, that the present holy man cannot he con- founded with Asicus, the Bishop of Elphin, whose feast has been assigned to
the27thofApril. Atthe19thofJuly,intheMartyrologyofDonegal,"wefind recorded Oisseine, and fifty monks, of Tengaidh. In the Irish Calendar, which belonged to the Irish Ordnance Survey,13 there is an entry of this
T
Oseine, at the xiv. of the August Kalends, * which corresponds with the pre-
sent date. We cannot find any other records, to afford satisfactory informa- tion regarding St. Oissene and his fifty monks of Tengaidh.
Article II. —St. Aedhan, Abbot of Lismore, County of Water- ford. ThenameofSt. Aedhan,AbbotofLismoir,appearsintheMartyr-
1
at the 19th of July. In the list of Aids or Aedhans given byColgan,thepresentholyAbbotisincluded. 2 IntheIrishCalendar,com- piled for use of the Irish Ordnance Survey, at xiv. of the August Kalends, there is an entry of this holy man,3 who is not designated, however, as Abbot. His name also occurs in the Martyrology of Donegal,* at this date, as Aedhan of Lis-mor.
Article III. —St. Ciaran, of Tigh-na-Gortigh. Veneration was
at the of as we find recorded in the of
19th July, Martyrology Tallagh,
of Tigh-na-Gortigh.
Article IV. —St. Cobran, of Cluain. We find registered in the
of 1 that a festival to honour a St. Corbran, was Martyrology Tallagh Guana,
celebrated, at the 19th of July. There is a St. Cobhran, son of Enan, and a brother to St. Moab or Abban, and to a St. Moeldubh. Colgan thinks him to be identical possibly with St. Cobran, venerated in the church of Cluain Enaich, at the 19th of July. * A doubt seems to have been entertained, that the present holy man had been identical with St. Auxilius, a disciple of St. Patrick, and the patron of Killossy, in the county of Kildare, owing to some fancied resemblance of etymology, assimilating both names. 3 This
ology of Tallagh,
given,
to Ciaran o Tigh h. nGortigh. This place to which allusion is made has not been identified. He is entered in the of 3 as
11 See "Trias Thaumaturga," Vita Sexta S. Patricii, cap. cvii. , pp. 89, 90, and n. 122, p. 114.
12 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
196, 197.
13 Now in the Royal Irish Academy's
Library.
14 Thus : Oifeme ^5«r cao^ao mAnAch
6 UhengAi-on. See Common Place Book F, p. 63.
Article hi. — 1 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxix.
Article II.
*
tion of the "Martyrology of Donegal, Table appended, pp. 360, 361.
-'
—
pendix ad Acta S. Columbre, cap. iii. ,
p. 482.
3 See Rev. Drs. Todd's and Reeves' edi-
Edited by Rev. Dr.
JCelly, p. xxix.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xxxi.
Januarii, Appendix, cap. i. , p. 221. 3 Thus : ^o-OAn l/ior- moir\.
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 196, 197.
4 Edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 196, 197.
Martyrology Donegal, Ciaran,
2
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
196, 197. — Article iv.
Kelly, p. xxix. 2"
x
Edited by Rev.
Dr.
See Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Ap-
5 ByFatherJohnColgan. 6"
See Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Ap- pendix ad Acta S. Columbae, cap. x. , num.
1
274 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [July 19
saint is noticed in the Martyrology of Donegal/ at the 19th of July. It is supposed,* as an alternative conjecture, that he may have been the son of Enan, and of Micotha, a sister to St. Columkille. The church of Cluain, to which he was attached, is said to have been near Derry. He is classed
6
Article V. —St. Mocolmoc or Colman Mac h. Amla. We find entered
of Tallagh, 1 at the 19th of July, the name of Mocolmoc machAmla. ThetrueandoriginalnameofthisholymanwasColmoc,the mo being prefixed, as a term of endearment. Nor is it easy from the clue
among the disciples of St. Columba.
in the
Martyrology
given by the Martyrologist to find his family pedigree. His time and place 2
are alike unknown. The, Martyrology of Donegal, at this same date, registers Colman,i. e. , Mocholmog.
Article VI. —St. Ferghus. It is recorded in the Martyrology of
1
Tallagh, that a festival, in honour of FergusaSci, was celebrated at the 19th
a
of July. At the same date, the Martyrology of Donegal name as Ferghus.
simply enters his
Article VII. —St. Dimanus or Dimaus. Much uncertainty prevails
regarding the present saint, as may be gleaned from the conflicting statements
that succeed. No less than five different festivals for Dima or Dioma, monk
of Iona, are in various Calendars. The reader is referred to the 22nd of
1
February, for fuller notices. There we have considered his Acts, as relating
to his labours and preaching among the Mercians and Midland Angles.
According to one supposition, he left Ireland, probably in the first instance for Iona, which he left for another mission, and laboured with St. Chad 2
amongtheMidlandAngles. AccordingtoJohnLesley/aholymannamed Dimaus laboured with others to spread the faith in Scotland, during the reign of Donald or Donovald, the fifty-third King of Scotland. On such a state- ment seems to have been built the assignment of a feast for him at this day. By other writers, he is called Dimanus or Dimannus. The Martyrologium Anglicanum assigns a feast to the present day, for Dimanus, whose name is eulogized in the edition of 1608, as also in that of 1640. This pious servant of God is said to have been a disciple to St. Columkille, yet this seems hardly probable, as he flourished at a much later period. According to some writers, his festival is assigned to the present day. He is venerated according to others, on the 22nd of February, on the 8th of April/ on the 19th of June, 5 and at the 16th of November. 6 Dimannus is said to have been an Abbot,
First Volume of this work, Art. i.
3 In his of lib. iv. History Scotland,
*
According to Camerarius.
5 According to Father Hugh Menard's
Benedictine Martyrology.
6 to andtheKalen- According Dempster
dar of Philip Ferrarius.
7 Thus: "19 Die. Sanctus Dimannus
Abbas. Ccelo ipum dedit Strahnauernia Sco- Article VII. — In the Second Volume tiae prouincia sub Christi annum 670. "—
17, p. 488. Article v. — 1
Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xxix.
2 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
196, 197.
Articlevi. ~ Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xxix.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
196, 197.
"
See his Life at the 7th ofJanuary, in the Saints. " Scottish Entries in the Kalcndar
of this work, Art. ix. Bishop Forbes' a
Kalendars of Scottish
July 19. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
275
according to one account. His festival is entered at the 19th of July, by
Camerarius,' who cites King for an authority. The conjecture is, that he
Forbes, the present St. Dimanus is distinguished from the Scottish Diuma, one of the four priests who went a missionary to the Midland Angles, as men- tioned by Venerable Bede. 9 The Bollandists IO have notices of St. Dimanus, at the 19th of July, while they take occasion to rebuke the uncritical habits of the Scottish and Irish hagiologists, when treating about their saints.
Article VIII. —Reputed Feast of St. Bla—an or Blanus, Bishop of Dunblane, Scotland. The present St. Blanus as he is called by Demp-
—
died 670, but on this head nothing certain can be affirmed. By Bishop 8
'
is said to have been the son of an Irish mother, who was sister to St. 2
ster
Cathan, an Irish bishop, who lived in the Scottish Island of Bute. Accord- ing to Camerarius,3 St. Blanus had a feast at the 19th of July. Citing
Dempster and Camerarius for this feast, the Bollandists,'' likewise, enter it, but defer to the 10th of August further notices. The festival of St. Blann has been referred by Dempsters to the 19th of July. The Irish Calendars refer his feast to the 10th of August, where more concerning him maybe found.
Article IX. —Reputed Feast of St. Cathan, Bishop in the Island of Bute, Scotland. A feast has been entered, at the 19th of July, as noticed
1
on the authority of Dempster and Camerarius. How- ever, as his history is largely connected with that of St. Blaan, they reserve
by the Bollandists,
for the 10th of August more special observations regarding him.
ArticleX. —FestivalofSt. Sisinnius,Martyr. Inthe"Feilire"of
1
St. ^Engus, at the 19th of July, a feast is recorded for St. Sisinnius, Martyr.
of David Camerarius, p. 239.
8
See "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 324.
pasta, appulitque in portum Beutorne, ubi a Sanctis Conga) loet Kennetho repertus, sacro
fonte levatus, educatusque est, et ab avun-
culo ordinatus, impetvata a Papa Rom. bene-
dictione, filium Regis triduanum ad vitam
revocavit in Anglia, et sedem suam fixit
— nullus in Scotia sanctior. S. " Dunblani, quo
Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish
Saints," p. 206. — Article ix.
9 See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Sco- torum," lib. iii. , cap. xxi.
10
Julii p. 580.
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv ,
xix.
Among
the
pretermitted saints,
Article viii. — x
See " Historia Eccle-
siastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. ii. ,
num. 136, p. 77.
See "Acta
tomus iv. , Julii xix. Among the pretermitted
2
See ibid. , lib. iii. , num. 237, p. 138.
3 It is thus set down " Hoc eodem die :
saints, p. 580. — " " Article x. * In the Leabhar Breac
Sanctus Blanus Episcopus Dumblanensis. " copy the following rami, translated into "
—Bishop Forbes' Kalendars of Scottish English—by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. ,
Saints. " Scottish Entries in the Kalendar of David Camerarius, p. 239.
4 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Julii xix. Among the pretermitted feasts, PP- 579> 580.
5 In the "Menologium Scoticum," he
occurs
:
"
Blani episcopi primi qui in Insula Buta ab ignoto juvene, vi compressa matre Bertha genitus, et cum ea in exigua cimba sine fundo mari Oceano, ut perderetur, a S.
Cathano avunculo commissus, divina provi- dentia servatus, matre ab Lave Ihiraculose
rioemic^e Sifenm -Acmeipb WAnicppefCAi Cajuc em prvicopcAi Comopbuitun bpercAi.
states at the 19th of July :
Dunblani
" Sissinius' holy prayer, thou art weak unless thou hope it : quickly he comes at thy wish,
—" Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript
with a great, alert troop. "
On the Calendar of Oengus, p. cxi. See also pp. cxix. , cxx.
Series, vol. i. , part i.
Sanctorum,"
276 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 20.
In a gloss, which is added, we are informed, that he belonged to the family of Nero, but that he had been baptized by Pope Clement, with all his family. It is stated, that owing to Theodora his wife, Sisinnius first became a convert to the Faith ; while he was instrumental in bringing three hundred and three nobles, illustrious persons and friends of Nero, to believe in the Christian's
God. 2 His festival, taken from early copies of St. Jerome's Martyrology, is entered at this date by the Bollandists,3 and from such notices we glean, that Sisinnius suffered at Alexandria, but little more do they seem to know regarding him.
Ctoentteti; JBaj) of 3uIl>*
ARTICLE I. —ST. MOLOCA OF SLIEVE BLOOM.
Lord of the Vineyard assigns to each the place where He has best
THE
fitted him to work. chosen Him
is beautiful and blessed. In every one, His children shed around them the light of His grace, and the warmth of His charity. Many He leads to their place, by the circumstances of their lives, and by the direction He gives to their thoughts and feelings. In the case of religious vocation, the call is more distinct. It
vibrates to the core of the heart ; it is unmistakable, and it must not be resisted. The mere outlines of a few facts and dates even serve to aid our
knowledge of persons and of things ; but, they are rather tantalizing, when we fail to complete their bearing and sequence, in many of the notices we feel
bound to preserve, however incomplete. A saint bearing the title and desig- nation of Moloca occurs in the Irish Calendars, at the 20th of July ;* yet, we have no special data to dwell much on his life record. As his name occurs
in the published Martyrology of Tallagh, we may fairly infer, that he flourished most probably earlier than the tenth century. In this latter Calendar, his name is written "Molochse Sliebe Bladhma," at the xiii. of the Kalends of
Every place by
2 His
situated somewhere on or near Slieve Bloom, 3 a range of mountains, at present
separating the King's and Queen's Counties. -* Although some ancient religious foundations had formerly an existence there, yet we have no indication left to determine the precise locality of this saint. However, the romantic position and surroundings on all sides of Sliabh Bladhma, no doubt must have rendered his habitation a meet spot in those times for holy communing. On the face
August,
oratthe20thof
July.
place
ofresidence tohavebeen appears
3
The glossographer adds in Latin, "nee passio ejus narratur hie. "
mountain road extends into the King's County. On the old map of Leix and Ophaly. Baliyfin is shown as being a place of impor-
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv.
De
Sancto Si^innio— Martyre
Alexandria? , "
587. "Acta
tance.
The Mac Crossans were mediaeval
Article
I.
*
See
of this and their names after- occupiers place,
wards were changed into Crosbie. The Pole
family had their residence from the time of
Charles II. at It is now the King Baliyfin.
magnificent mansion of Sir Charles Coote.
The account of John Crosbie, Bishop of Ard- fert, being the first inhabitant of this house,
contained in the "Anthologia Ilibernica," is not correct. See vol. iv. , p. 1.
4 See Sir Charles Coote's " General View of the Agriculture and Manufactures of the
Colgan's Sanctorum Hibernice," xxix. Januarii, n. 4,
" Calendar of Irish
3 On the eastside of this range near Baliyfin House and Demesne is a tract known as O'Moore's Forest, and said to have been for- merly demesne land, belonging to the ancient tanists of Leix. Through the Gap of Giandine is a pass through which a steep
p. 188.
2 See Rev. Dr.
Kelly's Saints," &c, p. xxix.
p,
July 20. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 277
of those mountains, in the shadow of the woods,* in the murmurs of their rivers, the presence and the tones of an eternity were betokened ; not dark and decrepid, but ripe, vigorous, and crowned with an undecaying youth.
The red deer browsed at evening, or slept during mid-day in the sylvan covert, almost undisturbed by human presence. The heron and kingfisher dozed on those river banks, while hawks soared in the open firmament seek- ingforthequarry. WehavealreadytreatedofanotherSt. MolocaorMolagga,
6 but, to his Acts, we are led to the by referring
at the 20th of day
January;
conclusion, that he cannot be identified with the present holy man, for no
references in them have allusion of Slieve Bloom. However, it is thought he had connexion with Fingall* in the more eastern part of Leinster. ^It is
Interior of Timoleague Abbey, County of Cork
even stated, that he visited the western confines of the Leinster province, on his way to Clonmacnoise ; but, this could have been accomplished without hiscomingneartotheSliebhBloomMountains. ThereisaLifeofthisSt. Molagga in the old Book of Fermoy, and it is valuable for its topography and local allusions. The tract, however, seems to end abruptly and as if it had not been finished. ? More especially was this saint connected with Tech-
King's County," chap, i. , sect, i. , p. 3.
5 In the old leases of the Queen's County
whole districts—and especially the Slieve Bloom Mountains—while no adequate pro- vision has been made to plant various tracts and spots, where the soil can only profitably be engaged in growing timber.
6 First Volume of this
See the work,
"
Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," vol. i. , part i. , Irish Manuscript
Series, p. 30.
farmers and peasantiy the tenants, pre- "
viouslytothepresentcentury,were obliged
to cut, burn, or destroy so many acres —of
" wood, to clear the land for the plough.
Sir Charles Coote's " General View of the
Agriculture and Manufactures of the Queen's
County," chap, i. , sect. 4, p. 16. The result of such covenants has been to denude of wood
Art. i.
i See
278 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 20.
Molagga,nowTimoleague,inthesouthernpartofCorkCounty. Themost interesting ruins of a Franciscan monastery are still to be seen in that place, and these have been already described. 8 There is also a very interesting
present saint can be found. Regarding him our Calendars have only a brief
slopes, and to the very summits of this range, a variety of picturesque valleys,
through which winding streams generally flow, may be visited by pedestrian
excursionists. In the Irish Calendar, at the xiii.
6
and prebend of Taney, at least from the time of Archbishop Luke, until the
Reformation, when the chapter of the cathedral church of the Most Holy
*
According to the Repertorium Viride of Archbishop Alan,
the present date, the Bollandists
Scottish Saints," p. 206. 2"
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Julii xviii. Among —the pretermitted feasts, p. 349.
s In the time of St. Laurence O'Toole, one
p.
xxix. 2
Already
i. Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
allusion has been made to this
was Archdeacon of Dublin.
Article l
—— Torquil evidently of Scandinavian origin
place, in the First Volume of this work, and
at the 23rd of January, when treating of St.
Lucain or Lucan, of Tamnach or Tawny, Art. vii.
3 See " General Alphabetical Index to the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Baro- nies of Ireland," pp. 850 to 852.
A. D. 1228 to 1255, in John DAlton's " Me- moirs of the Archbishops of Dublin," pp. 90 to 94.
6 See an account of his from episcopacy
7 See William Monck Mason's "
History and Antiquities of the Collegiate and Cathe- dral Church of St. Patrick, near Dublin,"
book i. , chap, ix. , sect, i. , pp. 44 to 46.
272 LIVES OF 7HE IRISH SAINTS.
[July 19.
Trinity had been dissolved by a mandate of King Henry VIII. An Inquisi- tion held in the 38th year of his reign, January 27th, reports the extent and value of the Archdiaconal possessions. At that time, there were six acres of glebe annexed to the benefice, and lying to the east and south-east of the church. ' The Regal Visitation of 16 15 returns the church and chancel to have been then in good repair. It is evident, that the deserted Protestant church there does not date back to that 8 In the
period.
to it are buried Mr. William Halliday, an accomplished Hiberno-Celtic
Taney Church and Cemetery, County of Dublin.
scholar and linguist, with some other persons of distinction. The former Protestant church has been closed for services, since the erection in 1818 of a
more modern one, cruciform and in the pointed style, yet architecturally and artistically very defective. The River Dodder runs for upwards of a mile along the northern boundary of Taney—or as sometimes called—Churchtown parish. The scenery around this locality is highly picturesque and charming. The summits of the Three Rock Mountain and of the Two Rock Mountain are other boundary lines of this parish, while there the surfaces become wild
andrugged,yetpresentingsuperbviews. 10 Ofcourseitcannotbeasserted,that the holy Abbot and his fifty monks had after all any connexion with this place.
Colgan hazards a conjecture, but allowing merely its possibility, that the pre-
8
The accompanying illustration, drawn 9 lie died in 1812, in the twenty-fourth. on the spot by William F. Wakeman, was year of his age. Beside his remains lie taken from the railway embankment near those of his distinguished brothers, Doctor Dundrum. By him it has been trans- Daniel Halliday and Charles Halliday.
10
ferred to the wood, engraved by Mrs. Mil- See "Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire-
lard. land," vol. iii. , pp. 310, 311.
graveyard attached
July 19. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 273
sent Ossin may have been identical with the Bishop Asicus, mentioned by Jocelyn," in his Life of St. Patrick.
It seems quite evident, however, that the present holy man cannot he con- founded with Asicus, the Bishop of Elphin, whose feast has been assigned to
the27thofApril. Atthe19thofJuly,intheMartyrologyofDonegal,"wefind recorded Oisseine, and fifty monks, of Tengaidh. In the Irish Calendar, which belonged to the Irish Ordnance Survey,13 there is an entry of this
T
Oseine, at the xiv. of the August Kalends, * which corresponds with the pre-
sent date. We cannot find any other records, to afford satisfactory informa- tion regarding St. Oissene and his fifty monks of Tengaidh.
Article II. —St. Aedhan, Abbot of Lismore, County of Water- ford. ThenameofSt. Aedhan,AbbotofLismoir,appearsintheMartyr-
1
at the 19th of July. In the list of Aids or Aedhans given byColgan,thepresentholyAbbotisincluded. 2 IntheIrishCalendar,com- piled for use of the Irish Ordnance Survey, at xiv. of the August Kalends, there is an entry of this holy man,3 who is not designated, however, as Abbot. His name also occurs in the Martyrology of Donegal,* at this date, as Aedhan of Lis-mor.
Article III. —St. Ciaran, of Tigh-na-Gortigh. Veneration was
at the of as we find recorded in the of
19th July, Martyrology Tallagh,
of Tigh-na-Gortigh.
Article IV. —St. Cobran, of Cluain. We find registered in the
of 1 that a festival to honour a St. Corbran, was Martyrology Tallagh Guana,
celebrated, at the 19th of July. There is a St. Cobhran, son of Enan, and a brother to St. Moab or Abban, and to a St. Moeldubh. Colgan thinks him to be identical possibly with St. Cobran, venerated in the church of Cluain Enaich, at the 19th of July. * A doubt seems to have been entertained, that the present holy man had been identical with St. Auxilius, a disciple of St. Patrick, and the patron of Killossy, in the county of Kildare, owing to some fancied resemblance of etymology, assimilating both names. 3 This
ology of Tallagh,
given,
to Ciaran o Tigh h. nGortigh. This place to which allusion is made has not been identified. He is entered in the of 3 as
11 See "Trias Thaumaturga," Vita Sexta S. Patricii, cap. cvii. , pp. 89, 90, and n. 122, p. 114.
12 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
196, 197.
13 Now in the Royal Irish Academy's
Library.
14 Thus : Oifeme ^5«r cao^ao mAnAch
6 UhengAi-on. See Common Place Book F, p. 63.
Article hi. — 1 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxix.
Article II.
*
tion of the "Martyrology of Donegal, Table appended, pp. 360, 361.
-'
—
pendix ad Acta S. Columbre, cap. iii. ,
p. 482.
3 See Rev. Drs. Todd's and Reeves' edi-
Edited by Rev. Dr.
JCelly, p. xxix.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xxxi.
Januarii, Appendix, cap. i. , p. 221. 3 Thus : ^o-OAn l/ior- moir\.
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 196, 197.
4 Edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 196, 197.
Martyrology Donegal, Ciaran,
2
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
196, 197. — Article iv.
Kelly, p. xxix. 2"
x
Edited by Rev.
Dr.
See Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Ap-
5 ByFatherJohnColgan. 6"
See Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Ap- pendix ad Acta S. Columbae, cap. x. , num.
1
274 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [July 19
saint is noticed in the Martyrology of Donegal/ at the 19th of July. It is supposed,* as an alternative conjecture, that he may have been the son of Enan, and of Micotha, a sister to St. Columkille. The church of Cluain, to which he was attached, is said to have been near Derry. He is classed
6
Article V. —St. Mocolmoc or Colman Mac h. Amla. We find entered
of Tallagh, 1 at the 19th of July, the name of Mocolmoc machAmla. ThetrueandoriginalnameofthisholymanwasColmoc,the mo being prefixed, as a term of endearment. Nor is it easy from the clue
among the disciples of St. Columba.
in the
Martyrology
given by the Martyrologist to find his family pedigree. His time and place 2
are alike unknown. The, Martyrology of Donegal, at this same date, registers Colman,i. e. , Mocholmog.
Article VI. —St. Ferghus. It is recorded in the Martyrology of
1
Tallagh, that a festival, in honour of FergusaSci, was celebrated at the 19th
a
of July. At the same date, the Martyrology of Donegal name as Ferghus.
simply enters his
Article VII. —St. Dimanus or Dimaus. Much uncertainty prevails
regarding the present saint, as may be gleaned from the conflicting statements
that succeed. No less than five different festivals for Dima or Dioma, monk
of Iona, are in various Calendars. The reader is referred to the 22nd of
1
February, for fuller notices. There we have considered his Acts, as relating
to his labours and preaching among the Mercians and Midland Angles.
According to one supposition, he left Ireland, probably in the first instance for Iona, which he left for another mission, and laboured with St. Chad 2
amongtheMidlandAngles. AccordingtoJohnLesley/aholymannamed Dimaus laboured with others to spread the faith in Scotland, during the reign of Donald or Donovald, the fifty-third King of Scotland. On such a state- ment seems to have been built the assignment of a feast for him at this day. By other writers, he is called Dimanus or Dimannus. The Martyrologium Anglicanum assigns a feast to the present day, for Dimanus, whose name is eulogized in the edition of 1608, as also in that of 1640. This pious servant of God is said to have been a disciple to St. Columkille, yet this seems hardly probable, as he flourished at a much later period. According to some writers, his festival is assigned to the present day. He is venerated according to others, on the 22nd of February, on the 8th of April/ on the 19th of June, 5 and at the 16th of November. 6 Dimannus is said to have been an Abbot,
First Volume of this work, Art. i.
3 In his of lib. iv. History Scotland,
*
According to Camerarius.
5 According to Father Hugh Menard's
Benedictine Martyrology.
6 to andtheKalen- According Dempster
dar of Philip Ferrarius.
7 Thus: "19 Die. Sanctus Dimannus
Abbas. Ccelo ipum dedit Strahnauernia Sco- Article VII. — In the Second Volume tiae prouincia sub Christi annum 670. "—
17, p. 488. Article v. — 1
Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xxix.
2 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
196, 197.
Articlevi. ~ Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xxix.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
196, 197.
"
See his Life at the 7th ofJanuary, in the Saints. " Scottish Entries in the Kalcndar
of this work, Art. ix. Bishop Forbes' a
Kalendars of Scottish
July 19. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
275
according to one account. His festival is entered at the 19th of July, by
Camerarius,' who cites King for an authority. The conjecture is, that he
Forbes, the present St. Dimanus is distinguished from the Scottish Diuma, one of the four priests who went a missionary to the Midland Angles, as men- tioned by Venerable Bede. 9 The Bollandists IO have notices of St. Dimanus, at the 19th of July, while they take occasion to rebuke the uncritical habits of the Scottish and Irish hagiologists, when treating about their saints.
Article VIII. —Reputed Feast of St. Bla—an or Blanus, Bishop of Dunblane, Scotland. The present St. Blanus as he is called by Demp-
—
died 670, but on this head nothing certain can be affirmed. By Bishop 8
'
is said to have been the son of an Irish mother, who was sister to St. 2
ster
Cathan, an Irish bishop, who lived in the Scottish Island of Bute. Accord- ing to Camerarius,3 St. Blanus had a feast at the 19th of July. Citing
Dempster and Camerarius for this feast, the Bollandists,'' likewise, enter it, but defer to the 10th of August further notices. The festival of St. Blann has been referred by Dempsters to the 19th of July. The Irish Calendars refer his feast to the 10th of August, where more concerning him maybe found.
Article IX. —Reputed Feast of St. Cathan, Bishop in the Island of Bute, Scotland. A feast has been entered, at the 19th of July, as noticed
1
on the authority of Dempster and Camerarius. How- ever, as his history is largely connected with that of St. Blaan, they reserve
by the Bollandists,
for the 10th of August more special observations regarding him.
ArticleX. —FestivalofSt. Sisinnius,Martyr. Inthe"Feilire"of
1
St. ^Engus, at the 19th of July, a feast is recorded for St. Sisinnius, Martyr.
of David Camerarius, p. 239.
8
See "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 324.
pasta, appulitque in portum Beutorne, ubi a Sanctis Conga) loet Kennetho repertus, sacro
fonte levatus, educatusque est, et ab avun-
culo ordinatus, impetvata a Papa Rom. bene-
dictione, filium Regis triduanum ad vitam
revocavit in Anglia, et sedem suam fixit
— nullus in Scotia sanctior. S. " Dunblani, quo
Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish
Saints," p. 206. — Article ix.
9 See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Sco- torum," lib. iii. , cap. xxi.
10
Julii p. 580.
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv ,
xix.
Among
the
pretermitted saints,
Article viii. — x
See " Historia Eccle-
siastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. ii. ,
num. 136, p. 77.
See "Acta
tomus iv. , Julii xix. Among the pretermitted
2
See ibid. , lib. iii. , num. 237, p. 138.
3 It is thus set down " Hoc eodem die :
saints, p. 580. — " " Article x. * In the Leabhar Breac
Sanctus Blanus Episcopus Dumblanensis. " copy the following rami, translated into "
—Bishop Forbes' Kalendars of Scottish English—by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. ,
Saints. " Scottish Entries in the Kalendar of David Camerarius, p. 239.
4 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Julii xix. Among the pretermitted feasts, PP- 579> 580.
5 In the "Menologium Scoticum," he
occurs
:
"
Blani episcopi primi qui in Insula Buta ab ignoto juvene, vi compressa matre Bertha genitus, et cum ea in exigua cimba sine fundo mari Oceano, ut perderetur, a S.
Cathano avunculo commissus, divina provi- dentia servatus, matre ab Lave Ihiraculose
rioemic^e Sifenm -Acmeipb WAnicppefCAi Cajuc em prvicopcAi Comopbuitun bpercAi.
states at the 19th of July :
Dunblani
" Sissinius' holy prayer, thou art weak unless thou hope it : quickly he comes at thy wish,
—" Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript
with a great, alert troop. "
On the Calendar of Oengus, p. cxi. See also pp. cxix. , cxx.
Series, vol. i. , part i.
Sanctorum,"
276 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 20.
In a gloss, which is added, we are informed, that he belonged to the family of Nero, but that he had been baptized by Pope Clement, with all his family. It is stated, that owing to Theodora his wife, Sisinnius first became a convert to the Faith ; while he was instrumental in bringing three hundred and three nobles, illustrious persons and friends of Nero, to believe in the Christian's
God. 2 His festival, taken from early copies of St. Jerome's Martyrology, is entered at this date by the Bollandists,3 and from such notices we glean, that Sisinnius suffered at Alexandria, but little more do they seem to know regarding him.
Ctoentteti; JBaj) of 3uIl>*
ARTICLE I. —ST. MOLOCA OF SLIEVE BLOOM.
Lord of the Vineyard assigns to each the place where He has best
THE
fitted him to work. chosen Him
is beautiful and blessed. In every one, His children shed around them the light of His grace, and the warmth of His charity. Many He leads to their place, by the circumstances of their lives, and by the direction He gives to their thoughts and feelings. In the case of religious vocation, the call is more distinct. It
vibrates to the core of the heart ; it is unmistakable, and it must not be resisted. The mere outlines of a few facts and dates even serve to aid our
knowledge of persons and of things ; but, they are rather tantalizing, when we fail to complete their bearing and sequence, in many of the notices we feel
bound to preserve, however incomplete. A saint bearing the title and desig- nation of Moloca occurs in the Irish Calendars, at the 20th of July ;* yet, we have no special data to dwell much on his life record. As his name occurs
in the published Martyrology of Tallagh, we may fairly infer, that he flourished most probably earlier than the tenth century. In this latter Calendar, his name is written "Molochse Sliebe Bladhma," at the xiii. of the Kalends of
Every place by
2 His
situated somewhere on or near Slieve Bloom, 3 a range of mountains, at present
separating the King's and Queen's Counties. -* Although some ancient religious foundations had formerly an existence there, yet we have no indication left to determine the precise locality of this saint. However, the romantic position and surroundings on all sides of Sliabh Bladhma, no doubt must have rendered his habitation a meet spot in those times for holy communing. On the face
August,
oratthe20thof
July.
place
ofresidence tohavebeen appears
3
The glossographer adds in Latin, "nee passio ejus narratur hie. "
mountain road extends into the King's County. On the old map of Leix and Ophaly. Baliyfin is shown as being a place of impor-
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv.
De
Sancto Si^innio— Martyre
Alexandria? , "
587. "Acta
tance.
The Mac Crossans were mediaeval
Article
I.
*
See
of this and their names after- occupiers place,
wards were changed into Crosbie. The Pole
family had their residence from the time of
Charles II. at It is now the King Baliyfin.
magnificent mansion of Sir Charles Coote.
The account of John Crosbie, Bishop of Ard- fert, being the first inhabitant of this house,
contained in the "Anthologia Ilibernica," is not correct. See vol. iv. , p. 1.
4 See Sir Charles Coote's " General View of the Agriculture and Manufactures of the
Colgan's Sanctorum Hibernice," xxix. Januarii, n. 4,
" Calendar of Irish
3 On the eastside of this range near Baliyfin House and Demesne is a tract known as O'Moore's Forest, and said to have been for- merly demesne land, belonging to the ancient tanists of Leix. Through the Gap of Giandine is a pass through which a steep
p. 188.
2 See Rev. Dr.
Kelly's Saints," &c, p. xxix.
p,
July 20. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 277
of those mountains, in the shadow of the woods,* in the murmurs of their rivers, the presence and the tones of an eternity were betokened ; not dark and decrepid, but ripe, vigorous, and crowned with an undecaying youth.
The red deer browsed at evening, or slept during mid-day in the sylvan covert, almost undisturbed by human presence. The heron and kingfisher dozed on those river banks, while hawks soared in the open firmament seek- ingforthequarry. WehavealreadytreatedofanotherSt. MolocaorMolagga,
6 but, to his Acts, we are led to the by referring
at the 20th of day
January;
conclusion, that he cannot be identified with the present holy man, for no
references in them have allusion of Slieve Bloom. However, it is thought he had connexion with Fingall* in the more eastern part of Leinster. ^It is
Interior of Timoleague Abbey, County of Cork
even stated, that he visited the western confines of the Leinster province, on his way to Clonmacnoise ; but, this could have been accomplished without hiscomingneartotheSliebhBloomMountains. ThereisaLifeofthisSt. Molagga in the old Book of Fermoy, and it is valuable for its topography and local allusions. The tract, however, seems to end abruptly and as if it had not been finished. ? More especially was this saint connected with Tech-
King's County," chap, i. , sect, i. , p. 3.
5 In the old leases of the Queen's County
whole districts—and especially the Slieve Bloom Mountains—while no adequate pro- vision has been made to plant various tracts and spots, where the soil can only profitably be engaged in growing timber.
6 First Volume of this
See the work,
"
Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," vol. i. , part i. , Irish Manuscript
Series, p. 30.
farmers and peasantiy the tenants, pre- "
viouslytothepresentcentury,were obliged
to cut, burn, or destroy so many acres —of
" wood, to clear the land for the plough.
Sir Charles Coote's " General View of the
Agriculture and Manufactures of the Queen's
County," chap, i. , sect. 4, p. 16. The result of such covenants has been to denude of wood
Art. i.
i See
278 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 20.
Molagga,nowTimoleague,inthesouthernpartofCorkCounty. Themost interesting ruins of a Franciscan monastery are still to be seen in that place, and these have been already described. 8 There is also a very interesting
present saint can be found. Regarding him our Calendars have only a brief
slopes, and to the very summits of this range, a variety of picturesque valleys,
through which winding streams generally flow, may be visited by pedestrian
excursionists. In the Irish Calendar, at the xiii.
