s
According
to one account, when St.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v4
loio.
s Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 94. 95-
"
tome v. , Les Poesies de Jacopone, p. 240.
'See Ozanam's
j^iuvres Completes,"
,^.
Kelly,
April 4. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 33
within a well-wooded demesne,' known as Whaley Abbey, near Avondale House and Demesne,' as also, near the celebrated Meeting of the Waters. " The festival, in honour of Caemh,'° Virgin, of Cill Caoimhe, was celebrated on this day, as we read, in the Martyrology of Donegal. " The first successor of St. Peter, in his chair at Rome, had decreed, that all women should enter the churches, with their heads veiled," as a mark of respect for the hoUness of God's House. In after time, this veiling of pious females was peculiarly a
distinctive usage of religious Virgins.
Article V. —St. Croinseach, or Cronsecha. Simply the festival
Cronsigi, is found, in the Martyrology of Tallagh," at the 4th of April. The Bollandists ' enter Cronsecha, at the same date. We find the name of Croin-
seach entered, likewise, in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ as having been vene- rated on this day.
Article VI. —St. Beghanus, or Beganus, Abbot. Such is the name of a Saint, found at this day, in the Anonymous Catalogue of our National Saints, published by O'SuUivan Beare. " His name as Beganus, Abbot, at
"
the 4th of April, is to be met with, likewise, in Henry Fitzsimon's
Aliquorum Sanctorum Iberniae ;" and, he —cites the Carthusian Martyrology, for
the Bollandists ' the of —a Manu quoting authority
this statement.
script Copy of Florarius, and Greven, in his additions to Usuard have a notice of Abbot Beganus, in Hibernia, at the 4th of April.
'
nell, Esq. , M. P. ;
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Ap- Among the pretermitted saints, p.
Again,
Article VII. —St. Colman Fionn, or Colmanus Candidus. The poor and unpretending minister of God is often the greatest attraction the lowly and humble find, in a large extent of country. The humble pastor, too,
phabetical Index to the Townlands and
depart,
Ere the bloom of that valley shall fade
from myheart. "
" In a note, Dr. Todd here
Towns, Parishes, and Baronies of Ireland.
"
*Thisparishissituated,intheBaronyof
Ballinacor South, and it is described, on the-
"
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Wicklow," sheets 29, 30, 34, 35, 39, 40.
5 See his life, at the 3rd of June.
' The accompanying sketch was taken, by the writer, on the spot, in July, 1873. It was drawn, on the wood, by William F. Wakeman, and engraved by Mrs. Millard.
' The Demesne, and church ruins within it, are noted, on the townland of Bahana. They are shown, on the '-Ordnance Survey
TownlandMapsfortheCounty of Wicklow, sheet 35.
" The more recent hand notes, Caoine CiLle CAOine,Mart. Tamlact; meaningthatshe is called Caoine of Cille Caoine, in the
The residence of Charles Stewart Par-
and, for a beautiful descrip-
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
tion of this place, the reader is referred to J. "
94, 95. — Article vi.
N. Brewer's Beauties of Ireland," vol. i. .
pp. 324 to 326.
' Immortalized by Thomas Moore, in the
charming Ir—ish Melody, which begins with
these lines
" 319-—
:
There is not in the wide world a valley so sweet,
As that vale in whose bosom the bright waters meet.
Oh! the last ray of feeling and life must
rilis iv. the saints Among pretermitted
, p.
Martyrology of Tallagh. "
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
94,95-
" See " Breviarium Romanum," at the
Feast of St. Li—nus, the 23rd of September. '
Article v. Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
p. xx. The Franciscan copy has Cjuni-
feachi.
319.
^
" rilis iv.
See "Historiae Catho- licae IbemiaeCompendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. ,
cap. xi. , p. 50.
"
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Ap-
Article vii. Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xx. The Franciscan copy has CoLmAni
ptiv>.
'See Acta Sanctorum, tomus i. , Ap-
rilisiv. Among thepretermitted saints, p. 319. C
""
Catalogus
says,
34 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 4.
effect on a
is good, and therefore love him," than could the most eloquent and courtly
of preachers, by the most cultivated art of rhetoric, or by the most eloquent sermon he could preach. We have no doubt, many of the almost unknown saintsofIrelandmightbeinstancedasexamples. Anentryappears,ofCol- man Find, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 4th of April. The BoUandists '^ mark this festival, also, as one sacred to the memory of Col- manusCandidus. Afestival, inhonourofColmanFionn,wascelebratedon this day, according to the Martyrology of Donegal. ^
Article VIII. —King Conuallus, said to have been venerated,
IN Scotland. [Sixth Century. ] According to Camerarius, there was a King, named Conuallus, and the first bearing this name, who was venerated
in Scotland, at the 4th of April. " He was remarkable, for his piety, and for his respect to the clergy f while, he is said, to have merited the commenda- tion of St. Columba himself. The name is Irish, but little seems to be known, regarding the origin of this Conuallus.
Article IX. —Deposition of St. Celsus, Archbishop of Ar. magh.
\_Eleventh and Tivelfth Centuries. "] Already we have alluded to the death of St. Celsus, as having occurred, on the ist of April ; and, on this day, the Annals
that he was interred at Lis-mor-Mochuda. ' How- ever, the chief celebration of this holy man, at present, is on the 6th of this month ; on which day, it is noticed, in the Roman Martyrology. This is said to have been owing to an oversight of Baronius, the compiler, who mistook
a IV. for a vi. ,' in consulting his authority for the insertion.
ArticleX. —St. Ultan,SonofCait. Anentryofthisnameisfound, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 4th of April. The BoUandists ^ re- cord a festival, for Ultanus filius Caidi, at this same date. Again, Ultan, son
of Cait, is registered, in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ as having veneration paid him, on this day.
Article XI. —St. Aithbe. \V'eread,in the Martyrology of Donegal,' that
a St. Aithbe was venerated, at this date. In Kilturk Parish, County of Wex-
ford, a patron had been formerly held, on the 4th day of April. ' Whether it referred to any of the foregoing holy persons, or to same local saint, not specified, we are quite unable to state.
generally produces greater
congregation, by simply saying,
of the Four Masters
state,
3
Edited by
Drs. Todd and
Article x. —' Edited Rev. Dr. by
Reeves, pp.
—
the Kalendar of David Camerarius, in Bis-
hop Korbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
p. 236. See, also, p. 3'5-
"See Boethius " Historia Scotice. " Lib.
-p. XX. tllcAn
Kelly, In the Franciscan copy it is written
94, 95.
Article viii.
'
See Scottish entries in
itiac CAicce.
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Ap-
ix. , fol. i66a. Par. ed. 1575. Likewise, 94, 95. —'
Edited by Drs. Todd . ind
Lesley, "De Origine Scotorum. " Lib. iv. ,
p. 147-
Article ix. —' See Dr. O'Donovan's edi-
tion,vol. i. , pp. 1034,1035.
'See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of
the Saints," vol. iv. , April 6, p. 109.
ARTICLE XI.
=
rilis iv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 319-
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
Reeves, pp. 94, 95.
" See the County of Wexford Irish Ord-
nanceSurveyRecords,nowpreserved,inthe Library of the Royal Irish Academy, voL ii.
" God
April 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 35
Jfi'ftl) 33ap of aprtl.
ARTICLE I. - -ST. BEGAN, AT IMLECH-FIAICH, IN FERA-CUL-BREAGH, NOW EMLAGH, COUNTY OF MEATH.
[SIXTH CENTURY. ']
THE present holy man was distinguished, among the Saints of Ireland.
The his at this calls him MartyrologyofTallagh,' recording festival, date,
St. BegainmicCule; and,aswearetold,thenameisthusderived,fromhis mother. Referring to tlie same authority, the Bollandists briefly enter, on the sth of April, Beccanus filius Culje. " The same paternity is assigned to him, in the "Feilire" of St. . ^Engus. He descended from the race of Eoghan Mor, son of Oilioll Oluim, according to the O'Clerys' Calen- dar. St. Becan, or Began, is said to have lived contemporaneously with St. Columkille. 3 He founded a monastery, about the close of the sixth or the beginning of the seventh century, at Kilbeggan,4 a town, situated on the River Brosna.
s According to one account, when St. Colum-CiUe ^ and the King of Erinn, Diarmait, son of Fergus Cearbheoil, after killing Bresal, -his son, came to where Becan was, they found him erecting a fort, with a wet cloak about him, and he praying. ? The saint felt highly incensed against the monarch, whom he humbled in a miraculous manner ; but, afterwards, he re- lented, owing to the prayers of Columba. ' However, we cannot find these statements, in the proper Acts of the latter saint. That locality with which Becan was connected, Imleach Fia, or Imleach Fise, was also denominated Imleach-Becain,9 from this saint. His old church, at Emlagh,'° gave name to a parish, so called, and lying in the barony of Lower Kells, towards the north-eastofthetownofKells,inthecountyofMeath. " AftertheAnglo-
Article I. —' Edited by Rev Dr.
Kelly, p. XX. The Franciscan copy has
See ActaSanctorum,"tomusi. ,Apri- lis V. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 396. 3 See Rev. Anthony Cogan's " Ecclesias-
" Hand on a stone, hand lifted up,
Knee bent to set a rock.
Eye shedding tears, other lamentation.
Andmouthpraying. "
becjAin mac Culise. '"
of
dem," vol. iii. , chap. Ixxiv. . p. 576.
* The parish so called is situated, in the barony of Moycashel, and, it isshown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
County of Westmeath," sheets 32, 37, 38. The to^vn, and townland, in its separate divi- sions, north and south, are noted, on sheet 38.
5 Its after history seems lost, but a Cister-
tical
History
Meath,
Ancient and Mrf-
cian
Abbey
was
founded
See Archdall's "Monas-
"
Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , at A. i). 990, pp. 726,
727.
'"> It is on the "Ordnance noticed, Survey
for the ofMeath," County
about A. D. 1200.
subsequently
here,
from the dead. '
ticon Hibemicum," pp. 717 10720.
'
His Life will be found, at the 9th of June.
» See Dr. O'Donovan's
"
' It was —
said, by
an old
poet, regarding
this saint
"Makinga wall, praying.
Kneeling, pure prayer,
Townland
:
Maps sheets II, 17.
His tears flowing without unwillingness. Were the virtues of Becan without fault.
" See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. n. (y), p. 329.
^
occurrence in that dramatic form of narra- tive, which was so peculiar a usage among
The O'Clerys' Calendar thus states the
old Irish writers
:
—
"Becan looked aside, and he saw Diar- njaid. 'Into the earth, thou murderer,' said he. Diarmaid sunk into the earth and
'
to his knees.
has come to thee,' said Colum Cille, *to resuscitate his son for him. ' Becan, after- wards, resuscitated Bresal this king's son,
Under my protection, he
36 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 5.
Norman invasion, Emlagh became a parish church. " By some writers, the
present holy man is represented as the patron of Kilbeggan,'3 a town ofsome importance,intheCountyofVVestmeath. '< Herethereweretwochurches,here, theabbeyandparochialchurch. Thesiteofoneisoccupied,byaProtestant
"
the Church of the Relic," marks the other spot. The site of the Cistercian Abbey is now a green field ; every stone of that fine and once-frequented structure having been removed. Only the cross, on the modern tombstones of the faithful, remains, to afford a trace of former Catholicity. 's TheMartyrology of Donegal,"* on this day, re- cords a festival, in honour of Becan, son of Cula,"? at Imlech Fiaich, in Fera- Cul-Breagh. The Rev. Alban Burler,"' and the " Circle of the Seasons,"'? com- memorate St. Beacon, Abbot, at the 5th of April. He is noticed, likewise, in theKalendar of Drummond. ^° At the Nones, corresponding with the present
date, the obiit of this holy man being there is recorded.
Article II. —St. Vincent Ferrer, Confessor, and a Missionary IN Ireland. Fourteenth andFifteenth Centuries. '] This illustrious saint, so distinguished for his missionary zeal and virtues, deigned to honour our
Island, by his living presence. To God, he gained many souls abroad, by the force of example and precept ; while in Ireland, it is to be hoped, his short stay had been productive of incalculably good results. The Acts of this saint are recorded, by many writers. Among the earliest composed may be mentioned the Life of St. Vincent Ferrier, by Pedro Ranzano, in 1455,' and another account, which vyas drawn up, by Francis Castilione, in 1470. Both of these Acts are to be found, in the Bollandists' great collection,^ while they are edited and annotated, by Father Godefrid Henschenn. s The first of these Lives is the most complete narrative of his saintly morals, learning, labours,miracles,prophecies,andzeal,whichhasbeendiscovered; whilethe latter account is chiefly a narrative of miracles, wrought after his death, in Armoric Britain. The Bull of this Saint's canonization has an account of various miracles, wrought by him during life, and through his intercession, when called out of this world. St. Antoninus treated about St. Vincent
"
Ferrer's virtues and miracles, in the fifteenth century. * In Hispania Biblio-
theca, seu De Academiis," &c. ,s the reader will find an account of this holy man. An anonymous Spaniard, belonging to the Convent of Placentia, Surius, Joannes Antonius Flaminius, and Leander Albertus, wrote Lives of
house of worship, while a green mound, called
"See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. i. , chap. xxiii. , p. 136.
3 According to some, the Anglicised ren- dering of this denomination should be "the Church of the Small Stream. "
'* See the "
Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. 363, 364.
^Thereweread:"ApudHiberniamSanc- tus Confessor Becan hoc die ad Christum migravit. "—Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 9.
Parliamentary
Gazetteer of
publish it,
from a Utrecht
Manuscript.
It
's See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. , chap, xix. , pp. 520, 521.
has Four Prologues, and it is contained in
Four Books, comprising Fourteen Chapters.
°
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Ap- rilisv. DeS. VincentioFerrerioOrdinis Prx- dicatorum Veneti in Armoricis, pp. 477 to 529-
94. 95-
' Archdall makes the present saint the son
of Murchade, of the blood royal of Munster.
See "Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 717.
'* See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
other principal Saints," vol. iv. , April v. "At p. 96.
. ,
3 He has prefixed a commentary, in four different sections, comprising seventeen para-
— became Bishop of Lucera.
Article ii.
'
Afterwards, the author The Bollandists
graphs.
* In"Historiarmn,"pars. iii. ,titulus xxiii. ,
cap. 8.
5 See tomus ii. , pp. 187, 188.
April 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 37
St. Vincent Ferrer. * The Annals of the Cistercian Monks contain notices of this celebrated saint. 7 Also, Surius,* Touron,' Du Pin,'° Adrien Baillet," Godescard,"the Rev. Alban Butler,'3 L'Abb^ Rohrbacher,'^ Rev. S. Baring- Gould,'5 and Bishop Forbes,'* relate the particulars of St. Vincent Ferrer's life. In " Les Petits BoUandistes,"'? there is a long biographical notice of this renowned Saint ; and, the chief events of his life are there narrated. From several of these various sources, the following incidents are chiefly gleaned and succinctly arranged. The pious parents of this illustrious saint were William Ferrier and Constance Mignell. He was bom at Valentia, in Spain, on the 23rd of January, a. d. 1357. '^ From his earliest years, St. Vin- cent was remarkable for his precocity of intellect and for his deep spirit of piety. His personal appearance was most attractive, his features were beau- tiful, and his body was distinguished for form and grace. He received a very excellent education, and he improved it, by habits of close and of constant study. Yet, he took care, that devotion should direct it, and his chief maxim was, that it ought conduce more to sanctification than to mental adornments. '9 He had a very retentive memory, and especially was he able to bear in mind the good sermons he had heard preached in the churches. Such instructions he was accustomed to repeat, afterwards, to those little companions with whom he associated. "^ When he had grown to be a young man, the Saint's
father proposed to him, that he might accept of three diflferent conditions.
Itwassuggested,thatheshouldmarry,andsettleinhisnativetown; oragain,
it was permitted him, to cultivate his talents, especially in elocution, by re-
moving to the Universities, at Paris or at Rome ; or, in fine, that he might chose the religious state, and become a friar of the Dominican Order. The
latter state of life was most congenial to his wishes, and, accordingly, he ap- plied for admission, to the monastery of St. Dominic. This he entered, in the year 1374. " Among this fraternity of preachers, very soon he became one of the most distinguished pulpit orators. On a certain occasion, taking great pains to frame his discourse, on the approved rules of Rhetoric, having to preach before a great noble, his sermon proved to be a failure, and it made
little impression, on those who were present. Next day, being also required to preach, he took care to kneel before the crucifix, and to fix his mind in meditation, on the wounds of our Divine Redeemer. Afterwards, he preached with great fervour andjpathos, so that his hearers felt, as it were, spell-bound, by his eloquence. The prince happened to be present, and when speaking to the preacher, afterwards, he asked how there happened to be such a rc-
' See the BolUndists' "Acta Sanctorum,"
other principal . Saints," vol, iv. April v.
V. De S. Vincentio Fer- rerio, Commentarius Praevius, sec. i. , pp.
477 to 479-
' See vol. iv. , at 5th of April, pp. 428 to
433.
" See "De Probatis Sanctorum Vitis," &c. ,
"• See "Vies des Saints tous les pour
tomus i. ,
Aprilis
jours de I'annce," tome ii. , S Avril, pp. 309 to
tomus ii. , Aprilis v. , pp. 64 to 82, Edition p. 458.
Colonise Agippinae, A. D. cb lac xviii. fol. 'In"HommeslUustre*deI'ordredeSt.
s Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 94. 95-
"
tome v. , Les Poesies de Jacopone, p. 240.
'See Ozanam's
j^iuvres Completes,"
,^.
Kelly,
April 4. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 33
within a well-wooded demesne,' known as Whaley Abbey, near Avondale House and Demesne,' as also, near the celebrated Meeting of the Waters. " The festival, in honour of Caemh,'° Virgin, of Cill Caoimhe, was celebrated on this day, as we read, in the Martyrology of Donegal. " The first successor of St. Peter, in his chair at Rome, had decreed, that all women should enter the churches, with their heads veiled," as a mark of respect for the hoUness of God's House. In after time, this veiling of pious females was peculiarly a
distinctive usage of religious Virgins.
Article V. —St. Croinseach, or Cronsecha. Simply the festival
Cronsigi, is found, in the Martyrology of Tallagh," at the 4th of April. The Bollandists ' enter Cronsecha, at the same date. We find the name of Croin-
seach entered, likewise, in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ as having been vene- rated on this day.
Article VI. —St. Beghanus, or Beganus, Abbot. Such is the name of a Saint, found at this day, in the Anonymous Catalogue of our National Saints, published by O'SuUivan Beare. " His name as Beganus, Abbot, at
"
the 4th of April, is to be met with, likewise, in Henry Fitzsimon's
Aliquorum Sanctorum Iberniae ;" and, he —cites the Carthusian Martyrology, for
the Bollandists ' the of —a Manu quoting authority
this statement.
script Copy of Florarius, and Greven, in his additions to Usuard have a notice of Abbot Beganus, in Hibernia, at the 4th of April.
'
nell, Esq. , M. P. ;
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Ap- Among the pretermitted saints, p.
Again,
Article VII. —St. Colman Fionn, or Colmanus Candidus. The poor and unpretending minister of God is often the greatest attraction the lowly and humble find, in a large extent of country. The humble pastor, too,
phabetical Index to the Townlands and
depart,
Ere the bloom of that valley shall fade
from myheart. "
" In a note, Dr. Todd here
Towns, Parishes, and Baronies of Ireland.
"
*Thisparishissituated,intheBaronyof
Ballinacor South, and it is described, on the-
"
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Wicklow," sheets 29, 30, 34, 35, 39, 40.
5 See his life, at the 3rd of June.
' The accompanying sketch was taken, by the writer, on the spot, in July, 1873. It was drawn, on the wood, by William F. Wakeman, and engraved by Mrs. Millard.
' The Demesne, and church ruins within it, are noted, on the townland of Bahana. They are shown, on the '-Ordnance Survey
TownlandMapsfortheCounty of Wicklow, sheet 35.
" The more recent hand notes, Caoine CiLle CAOine,Mart. Tamlact; meaningthatshe is called Caoine of Cille Caoine, in the
The residence of Charles Stewart Par-
and, for a beautiful descrip-
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
tion of this place, the reader is referred to J. "
94, 95. — Article vi.
N. Brewer's Beauties of Ireland," vol. i. .
pp. 324 to 326.
' Immortalized by Thomas Moore, in the
charming Ir—ish Melody, which begins with
these lines
" 319-—
:
There is not in the wide world a valley so sweet,
As that vale in whose bosom the bright waters meet.
Oh! the last ray of feeling and life must
rilis iv. the saints Among pretermitted
, p.
Martyrology of Tallagh. "
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
94,95-
" See " Breviarium Romanum," at the
Feast of St. Li—nus, the 23rd of September. '
Article v. Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
p. xx. The Franciscan copy has Cjuni-
feachi.
319.
^
" rilis iv.
See "Historiae Catho- licae IbemiaeCompendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. ,
cap. xi. , p. 50.
"
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Ap-
Article vii. Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xx. The Franciscan copy has CoLmAni
ptiv>.
'See Acta Sanctorum, tomus i. , Ap-
rilisiv. Among thepretermitted saints, p. 319. C
""
Catalogus
says,
34 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 4.
effect on a
is good, and therefore love him," than could the most eloquent and courtly
of preachers, by the most cultivated art of rhetoric, or by the most eloquent sermon he could preach. We have no doubt, many of the almost unknown saintsofIrelandmightbeinstancedasexamples. Anentryappears,ofCol- man Find, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 4th of April. The BoUandists '^ mark this festival, also, as one sacred to the memory of Col- manusCandidus. Afestival, inhonourofColmanFionn,wascelebratedon this day, according to the Martyrology of Donegal. ^
Article VIII. —King Conuallus, said to have been venerated,
IN Scotland. [Sixth Century. ] According to Camerarius, there was a King, named Conuallus, and the first bearing this name, who was venerated
in Scotland, at the 4th of April. " He was remarkable, for his piety, and for his respect to the clergy f while, he is said, to have merited the commenda- tion of St. Columba himself. The name is Irish, but little seems to be known, regarding the origin of this Conuallus.
Article IX. —Deposition of St. Celsus, Archbishop of Ar. magh.
\_Eleventh and Tivelfth Centuries. "] Already we have alluded to the death of St. Celsus, as having occurred, on the ist of April ; and, on this day, the Annals
that he was interred at Lis-mor-Mochuda. ' How- ever, the chief celebration of this holy man, at present, is on the 6th of this month ; on which day, it is noticed, in the Roman Martyrology. This is said to have been owing to an oversight of Baronius, the compiler, who mistook
a IV. for a vi. ,' in consulting his authority for the insertion.
ArticleX. —St. Ultan,SonofCait. Anentryofthisnameisfound, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 4th of April. The BoUandists ^ re- cord a festival, for Ultanus filius Caidi, at this same date. Again, Ultan, son
of Cait, is registered, in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ as having veneration paid him, on this day.
Article XI. —St. Aithbe. \V'eread,in the Martyrology of Donegal,' that
a St. Aithbe was venerated, at this date. In Kilturk Parish, County of Wex-
ford, a patron had been formerly held, on the 4th day of April. ' Whether it referred to any of the foregoing holy persons, or to same local saint, not specified, we are quite unable to state.
generally produces greater
congregation, by simply saying,
of the Four Masters
state,
3
Edited by
Drs. Todd and
Article x. —' Edited Rev. Dr. by
Reeves, pp.
—
the Kalendar of David Camerarius, in Bis-
hop Korbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
p. 236. See, also, p. 3'5-
"See Boethius " Historia Scotice. " Lib.
-p. XX. tllcAn
Kelly, In the Franciscan copy it is written
94, 95.
Article viii.
'
See Scottish entries in
itiac CAicce.
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Ap-
ix. , fol. i66a. Par. ed. 1575. Likewise, 94, 95. —'
Edited by Drs. Todd . ind
Lesley, "De Origine Scotorum. " Lib. iv. ,
p. 147-
Article ix. —' See Dr. O'Donovan's edi-
tion,vol. i. , pp. 1034,1035.
'See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of
the Saints," vol. iv. , April 6, p. 109.
ARTICLE XI.
=
rilis iv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 319-
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
Reeves, pp. 94, 95.
" See the County of Wexford Irish Ord-
nanceSurveyRecords,nowpreserved,inthe Library of the Royal Irish Academy, voL ii.
" God
April 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 35
Jfi'ftl) 33ap of aprtl.
ARTICLE I. - -ST. BEGAN, AT IMLECH-FIAICH, IN FERA-CUL-BREAGH, NOW EMLAGH, COUNTY OF MEATH.
[SIXTH CENTURY. ']
THE present holy man was distinguished, among the Saints of Ireland.
The his at this calls him MartyrologyofTallagh,' recording festival, date,
St. BegainmicCule; and,aswearetold,thenameisthusderived,fromhis mother. Referring to tlie same authority, the Bollandists briefly enter, on the sth of April, Beccanus filius Culje. " The same paternity is assigned to him, in the "Feilire" of St. . ^Engus. He descended from the race of Eoghan Mor, son of Oilioll Oluim, according to the O'Clerys' Calen- dar. St. Becan, or Began, is said to have lived contemporaneously with St. Columkille. 3 He founded a monastery, about the close of the sixth or the beginning of the seventh century, at Kilbeggan,4 a town, situated on the River Brosna.
s According to one account, when St. Colum-CiUe ^ and the King of Erinn, Diarmait, son of Fergus Cearbheoil, after killing Bresal, -his son, came to where Becan was, they found him erecting a fort, with a wet cloak about him, and he praying. ? The saint felt highly incensed against the monarch, whom he humbled in a miraculous manner ; but, afterwards, he re- lented, owing to the prayers of Columba. ' However, we cannot find these statements, in the proper Acts of the latter saint. That locality with which Becan was connected, Imleach Fia, or Imleach Fise, was also denominated Imleach-Becain,9 from this saint. His old church, at Emlagh,'° gave name to a parish, so called, and lying in the barony of Lower Kells, towards the north-eastofthetownofKells,inthecountyofMeath. " AftertheAnglo-
Article I. —' Edited by Rev Dr.
Kelly, p. XX. The Franciscan copy has
See ActaSanctorum,"tomusi. ,Apri- lis V. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 396. 3 See Rev. Anthony Cogan's " Ecclesias-
" Hand on a stone, hand lifted up,
Knee bent to set a rock.
Eye shedding tears, other lamentation.
Andmouthpraying. "
becjAin mac Culise. '"
of
dem," vol. iii. , chap. Ixxiv. . p. 576.
* The parish so called is situated, in the barony of Moycashel, and, it isshown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
County of Westmeath," sheets 32, 37, 38. The to^vn, and townland, in its separate divi- sions, north and south, are noted, on sheet 38.
5 Its after history seems lost, but a Cister-
tical
History
Meath,
Ancient and Mrf-
cian
Abbey
was
founded
See Archdall's "Monas-
"
Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , at A. i). 990, pp. 726,
727.
'"> It is on the "Ordnance noticed, Survey
for the ofMeath," County
about A. D. 1200.
subsequently
here,
from the dead. '
ticon Hibemicum," pp. 717 10720.
'
His Life will be found, at the 9th of June.
» See Dr. O'Donovan's
"
' It was —
said, by
an old
poet, regarding
this saint
"Makinga wall, praying.
Kneeling, pure prayer,
Townland
:
Maps sheets II, 17.
His tears flowing without unwillingness. Were the virtues of Becan without fault.
" See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. n. (y), p. 329.
^
occurrence in that dramatic form of narra- tive, which was so peculiar a usage among
The O'Clerys' Calendar thus states the
old Irish writers
:
—
"Becan looked aside, and he saw Diar- njaid. 'Into the earth, thou murderer,' said he. Diarmaid sunk into the earth and
'
to his knees.
has come to thee,' said Colum Cille, *to resuscitate his son for him. ' Becan, after- wards, resuscitated Bresal this king's son,
Under my protection, he
36 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 5.
Norman invasion, Emlagh became a parish church. " By some writers, the
present holy man is represented as the patron of Kilbeggan,'3 a town ofsome importance,intheCountyofVVestmeath. '< Herethereweretwochurches,here, theabbeyandparochialchurch. Thesiteofoneisoccupied,byaProtestant
"
the Church of the Relic," marks the other spot. The site of the Cistercian Abbey is now a green field ; every stone of that fine and once-frequented structure having been removed. Only the cross, on the modern tombstones of the faithful, remains, to afford a trace of former Catholicity. 's TheMartyrology of Donegal,"* on this day, re- cords a festival, in honour of Becan, son of Cula,"? at Imlech Fiaich, in Fera- Cul-Breagh. The Rev. Alban Burler,"' and the " Circle of the Seasons,"'? com- memorate St. Beacon, Abbot, at the 5th of April. He is noticed, likewise, in theKalendar of Drummond. ^° At the Nones, corresponding with the present
date, the obiit of this holy man being there is recorded.
Article II. —St. Vincent Ferrer, Confessor, and a Missionary IN Ireland. Fourteenth andFifteenth Centuries. '] This illustrious saint, so distinguished for his missionary zeal and virtues, deigned to honour our
Island, by his living presence. To God, he gained many souls abroad, by the force of example and precept ; while in Ireland, it is to be hoped, his short stay had been productive of incalculably good results. The Acts of this saint are recorded, by many writers. Among the earliest composed may be mentioned the Life of St. Vincent Ferrier, by Pedro Ranzano, in 1455,' and another account, which vyas drawn up, by Francis Castilione, in 1470. Both of these Acts are to be found, in the Bollandists' great collection,^ while they are edited and annotated, by Father Godefrid Henschenn. s The first of these Lives is the most complete narrative of his saintly morals, learning, labours,miracles,prophecies,andzeal,whichhasbeendiscovered; whilethe latter account is chiefly a narrative of miracles, wrought after his death, in Armoric Britain. The Bull of this Saint's canonization has an account of various miracles, wrought by him during life, and through his intercession, when called out of this world. St. Antoninus treated about St. Vincent
"
Ferrer's virtues and miracles, in the fifteenth century. * In Hispania Biblio-
theca, seu De Academiis," &c. ,s the reader will find an account of this holy man. An anonymous Spaniard, belonging to the Convent of Placentia, Surius, Joannes Antonius Flaminius, and Leander Albertus, wrote Lives of
house of worship, while a green mound, called
"See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. i. , chap. xxiii. , p. 136.
3 According to some, the Anglicised ren- dering of this denomination should be "the Church of the Small Stream. "
'* See the "
Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. 363, 364.
^Thereweread:"ApudHiberniamSanc- tus Confessor Becan hoc die ad Christum migravit. "—Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 9.
Parliamentary
Gazetteer of
publish it,
from a Utrecht
Manuscript.
It
's See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. , chap, xix. , pp. 520, 521.
has Four Prologues, and it is contained in
Four Books, comprising Fourteen Chapters.
°
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Ap- rilisv. DeS. VincentioFerrerioOrdinis Prx- dicatorum Veneti in Armoricis, pp. 477 to 529-
94. 95-
' Archdall makes the present saint the son
of Murchade, of the blood royal of Munster.
See "Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 717.
'* See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
other principal Saints," vol. iv. , April v. "At p. 96.
. ,
3 He has prefixed a commentary, in four different sections, comprising seventeen para-
— became Bishop of Lucera.
Article ii.
'
Afterwards, the author The Bollandists
graphs.
* In"Historiarmn,"pars. iii. ,titulus xxiii. ,
cap. 8.
5 See tomus ii. , pp. 187, 188.
April 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 37
St. Vincent Ferrer. * The Annals of the Cistercian Monks contain notices of this celebrated saint. 7 Also, Surius,* Touron,' Du Pin,'° Adrien Baillet," Godescard,"the Rev. Alban Butler,'3 L'Abb^ Rohrbacher,'^ Rev. S. Baring- Gould,'5 and Bishop Forbes,'* relate the particulars of St. Vincent Ferrer's life. In " Les Petits BoUandistes,"'? there is a long biographical notice of this renowned Saint ; and, the chief events of his life are there narrated. From several of these various sources, the following incidents are chiefly gleaned and succinctly arranged. The pious parents of this illustrious saint were William Ferrier and Constance Mignell. He was bom at Valentia, in Spain, on the 23rd of January, a. d. 1357. '^ From his earliest years, St. Vin- cent was remarkable for his precocity of intellect and for his deep spirit of piety. His personal appearance was most attractive, his features were beau- tiful, and his body was distinguished for form and grace. He received a very excellent education, and he improved it, by habits of close and of constant study. Yet, he took care, that devotion should direct it, and his chief maxim was, that it ought conduce more to sanctification than to mental adornments. '9 He had a very retentive memory, and especially was he able to bear in mind the good sermons he had heard preached in the churches. Such instructions he was accustomed to repeat, afterwards, to those little companions with whom he associated. "^ When he had grown to be a young man, the Saint's
father proposed to him, that he might accept of three diflferent conditions.
Itwassuggested,thatheshouldmarry,andsettleinhisnativetown; oragain,
it was permitted him, to cultivate his talents, especially in elocution, by re-
moving to the Universities, at Paris or at Rome ; or, in fine, that he might chose the religious state, and become a friar of the Dominican Order. The
latter state of life was most congenial to his wishes, and, accordingly, he ap- plied for admission, to the monastery of St. Dominic. This he entered, in the year 1374. " Among this fraternity of preachers, very soon he became one of the most distinguished pulpit orators. On a certain occasion, taking great pains to frame his discourse, on the approved rules of Rhetoric, having to preach before a great noble, his sermon proved to be a failure, and it made
little impression, on those who were present. Next day, being also required to preach, he took care to kneel before the crucifix, and to fix his mind in meditation, on the wounds of our Divine Redeemer. Afterwards, he preached with great fervour andjpathos, so that his hearers felt, as it were, spell-bound, by his eloquence. The prince happened to be present, and when speaking to the preacher, afterwards, he asked how there happened to be such a rc-
' See the BolUndists' "Acta Sanctorum,"
other principal . Saints," vol, iv. April v.
V. De S. Vincentio Fer- rerio, Commentarius Praevius, sec. i. , pp.
477 to 479-
' See vol. iv. , at 5th of April, pp. 428 to
433.
" See "De Probatis Sanctorum Vitis," &c. ,
"• See "Vies des Saints tous les pour
tomus i. ,
Aprilis
jours de I'annce," tome ii. , S Avril, pp. 309 to
tomus ii. , Aprilis v. , pp. 64 to 82, Edition p. 458.
Colonise Agippinae, A. D. cb lac xviii. fol. 'In"HommeslUustre*deI'ordredeSt.
