How could I ask that poor man to sing a
canticle
of joy, who has now met with an untimely end, at the hands of his enemies?
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
Columba, that never thenceforth should he be guilty of carnal sins, or ever serve the purposes of so deformed a
51 spectre.
x. , pp. 72, 73.
44 He is supposed by Colgan to have been
4?
See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
the St. Ternoc, venerated at the 28th of
February. He is thought to have been one
of the name, whose pedigree is thus given in
the Sanctilogic Genealogy, as having been
the son of Ciaroc, son of Saran, son to Nar-
sluag, son of Coelbad, son to Crunn,
Badhrai, cap. 23. Saran, his grandfather,
lived in the time of St. Patrick, as men- G, p. 284.
tioned in his Tripartite Life, part ii. , cap. 130.
45 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
lib.
s° Its situation is pointed out in Stuart's
VitaS.
5I See "Trias Colgan's
Columbae, p. 406, and n. 84, p. 451.
Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columba;, lib. i. , cap. lxxix. ,
Quinta
46 See ibid. , cap. civ. , p. 406.
i. , cap. ciii. ,
" Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes
G, p. 282.
"
"Historical Memoirs of the City of Ar-
magh," chap. p. 96.
48 Allusion is made to it, in Dr. O'Dono- van's "Annals of the Four Masters," at a. d. 1415, when Eman mac Findbairr was prior. Also at a. d. 1500.
49 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes
p. 402.
only
34o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
Before St. Columba took up his abode in the glen of Donegal, which afterwards bore his name, certain tribes of Iberian or Celtiberian race are sup- posedtohaveevensettledinthosewesterndeserts. 53 Thatplace,nowknown as Glencolumkill Parish, in the barony of Banagh," and county of Donegal, is celebrated in the poems attributed to our saint, asGleann Gairge. 5* It is also called Seangleann, and the whole district is composed of rugged moun- tains and deep valleys. It seems to have been a haunt of paganism in St. Columba's time. The holy man received a summons from an Angel to enter those wilds, 55 and to consecrate those tracts to God, having expelled there- fromalldemoniacinfluences. Tothattime,thisplacehadbeendeemedthe haunt of malignant spirits, who, having been expelled by St. Patrick from
Cruachan Oigli and driven to the sea, betook themselves to Sean-gleann, whereintheshadowsofdenseclouds,theywereconcealedfrommen. Itis said, too, they had infected a river there with poison. With a great band of holy men, and obeying the Angelic monition, St. Columb entered this glen. When they approached one side of the river, the infernal spirit thence raised a spear or barb, which killed a servant of Columba, named Cearc. Imme- diately, with awakened zeal against the evil spirits, our saint hurled the spear in another direction, and caused it to clear the horizon from clouds and mists, far and wide. At length this stake or spear lighted on the ground, and there it remained fixed. The legend states, it soon took root, and grew up to be a great tree. 56 Then, Columba blessed the river, and immediately, the water was purified from poison. On passing over, the Angel of God was seen to prepare for him an azure-coloured and angular stone, which he was directed to cast against the demons. He obeyed, and soon were they driven from the remainder of that glen. All darkness vanished to the opening of the ocean, where in after time was to be seen a curious stone hanging on the very brow of a rock. On this occasion, the saint threw after them a bell, called Dubh-Duaibseach. Following the Angelic prescription, he invoked the name of Christ, and then ordered the demons to sink down from that rock into the ocean, so that thenceforth they might not be able to hurt any person. Obeying the holy man's orders, and having heard the Almighty's name invoked, those evil spirits were compelled to fly. In after times, the people showed a great rent in that rock, through which the foul spectres passed,
before rushing headlong into the ocean. 5? Another wonder is related. On praying to God for the recovery of the stone and bell, both are said to have floated through the air, and to have fallen down near where St. Columba stood. The bell sunk deeply into the earth and the tongue fell out, yet the saintwouldnotsufferanothertotakeitsplace. Then,theholymanblessed that place, afterwards known as Columkille's Glen. He desired, that for the future, it should be regarded as holy, and possess immunities from the secular power. Atthatrock,variousmiracleswerewrought. Thetonguelessbell was also kept there,58 as a sacred pledge. Columba also predicted, that any violater of the ecclesiastical privileges obtained should die
within a year from that day, when his transgression had occurred. 59
52 See James Ferguson's " Rude Stone Monuments in all Countries ; their Age and
Uses," chap, v. , pp. 225 to 228, and Appen- dix A, pp. 520 to 525. London, 1872, 8vo.
s6 In the time of Prince O'Donnell, it
continued to flourish, according to the popular tradition.
57 See Colgan's '-Trias Thaumaturga," 53 The district known now as Banagh Quinta Vita S. Columbre, lib. i. , cap. lxxxix. ,
Barony was formerly called Tir Boghaine. 5* See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes
p. 403.
58 The herenachy ofGlencolumkille was in
the Mac Eneilis family.
59 gee ibid. , cap. xc, p, 403.
*> See Kinnfaela's " Cliff of Scenery
South-western Donegal," chap, xix. , p. 137.
G. p. 281.
55 Here St. Columb is said,
by theO'Clerys, to have had some religious establishment.
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 341
On the way to the Glen Head precipice, we pass a holy well, sacred to the
memory of St. Colum Cille, as also a large stone called the " Saint's Bed. "60
By turning round occasionally, we get very romantic views of the winding valley, and its river, which latter runs southwards into Donegal Bay. In Glen Columkille and Glen Malin More, a small valley running parallel with it, and about two miles southward, various interesting groups of pre-Christian anti-
quities
gaze
of the tourist in these secluded 61 There are no spots.
meet the
less than five ancient crosses, standing at different points, through this remote vale. All of these are said to date back even to the of St. Colum 63
days Cille, and it is customary to hold stations at them. There are many interesting legends, regarding their patron saint, and still current among the inhabitants of this glen. In due course, the holy man left Seangleann, and he moved towards
6^ his kinsman. 6* When arrived, at the intermediate river called Fuinseanach, and at the place where it is discharged into the ocean, St. Columba asked his companion, where was the staff, which he usually carried. Barrind replied, that in Seangleann he cast it against the demons, and that it had been lost. Then said Columba, " If Christ grant my request, that which was lost shall be restored to you. " No sooner were these words pronounced, than the desired baculus seemed impelled over an adjoining rock, and its end fell into the ground. From that spot afterwards sprung a fountain, which in commemoration of the event was called Bachall Barrinn, or " the staff of Barind. "65 Thence St. Columba departed, and he came to the Erne's banks, at that place where the waters flow in broken courses, and with thundering sound, over the rocks at the
cataract of ^Es-Ruaidh. To that time, although the Erne's waters were very
clear, and near the sea ; yet, they did not abound with fish, although they had previously obtained the blessing of St. Patrick. 66 This is said to have been occasioned by the fact, that the cataract was too steep for the fish to ascend it from the sea. However, the blessing of Columba was now extended to it, and in Christ's name he prayed the rocks might be so depressed, that the fish could more readily surmount the obstacle. Thenceforward, the sal- mon were able to bound upwards, and the capture offish became so great and so valuable, that as an offering, a custom grew among the fishermen, to pre- sent all the fish taken on St. Columba's day to the Comorban of the adjoin-
6 ing church, and without any diminution or subtraction. ?
As St. Columba seems to have visited Connaught on two different occa-
the river in Erne,
company
with St.
Barrind,
they
61 See Mr. Norman Moore's interesting de-
and traces, in the illus- beautifully
in
dig- ging a grave in the churchyard, came upon a flat flag, which he found necessary to re-
63 See his Life, at the 2ist of May.
64 He was the son of Muredach, son to Eochod, son to Conall Gulban.
6s See "Trias Thaumaturga," Colgan's
Quinta Vita S. Columbge, lib. i. , cap. xci. , p. 404, and n. 76, p. 451.
scriptions
trated work of Mr. Ferguson.
62 "Some a years ago
man, engaged
M However, it is stated, elsewhere, that St. Patrick only blessed the southern half of a stone stairway led to some chambers the Erne, which belonged to Conall. See
move. On raising it, he was surprised to find that he had opened a passage by which
below. Going down, he discovered several
large halls communicating with each other
underground. Many were the speculations
which this discovery led to ; but as some an- Quinta Vita S. Columbae, lib. i. , cap. xcii. ,
noyance was experienced from the passage
left it was soon after closed in being open,
again. A mark, however, was set up to in- dicate the spot where lies the opening to
—Kinn- faela's "Cliff Scenery of South-western
in D'Alton's John
"
History of Ireland and
these newly-discovered catacombs. " Donegal'" chap, xix. , pp. 135, 136.
Annals of Boyle," vol. i. , pp. 20 to 84.
^ From Dachonna or Mochonna, the son
Sister Mary F. Cusack's "Life of St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 434.
p. 404.
68 to Assylyn, or Isselyn, one Anglicized
of the names for the present parish of Boyle, See a very complete account of this locality,
6? See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
342
LIVES 01 THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
Ireland for and — when he sions—once at least before he left Alba, afterwards,
returned to attend the great convention held at Drumceat it is not an easy matter to determine the respective dates and sequence for his religious foun- dations in that province. However, we shall deal with this portion of his Acts, as they are found related. During his travels through Connaught, St. Columba come to a cataract, on the River Boyle, known as Eas Ua Floin,68 afterwards called Eas mic Earc69 St. Patrick had already prophesied, that he should build a church there. ' Here, St. Columba, with his love of fine
2 This
sheet of water, covers 2,276 acres, and allusion to it is frequent in the Irish Annals. It is situated near the town of Boyle, 73 towards the north-east, and in the northern part of the county of Roscomm—on. With his monks, Columba sat
scenery,
visited
Lough Cee,
71 now known as
Lough Key. '
magnificent
or with the Irish equivalent Bo to feast his eyes on the beautiful prospect. An Irish poet," named Cronan, wandered towards the spot, and after a short interview
" Before he went away, why did you not ask the poet Cronanus to sing us a sweet
"
down at the mouth of t—
74
he River said to be Latinized
Bos,
Boyle
with Columkille he retired. Then the brethren said to our saint
:
76 Thesaint
dear
utter such idle words ?
How could I ask that poor man to sing a canticle of joy, who has now met with an untimely end, at the hands of his enemies? " The saint had just said these words, and instantly a man cried out, from
with
beyond the river
now dead, having been killed by his enemies. " Then, all that were present wondered very much, and looked at one another in amazement. 77 Over the church St. Columba is said to have founded here,78 he placed one of his disciples, called Dachonna. 70 At another time, when the saint was stopping
song,
accompaniment. "
replied :
Why, my
children,
" That poet, who left you in safety a few minutes ago, is
:
some
from
river
find two large river salmon taken in the net. And so, after two short days, casting their nets, they hauled in two fish of most extraordinary size, which they found in the River Bo. 8a In the capture of fish on these two occasions, the
the Four vol. Masters,"
at A. D.
8l The river runs out of Boyle
in
to fish as
near
Lough Cei,
8° he his prevented
days going
8l
of Earc, who is venerated on the Sthof March. 79 See Sister Mary F. Cusack s " Life of
St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 430.
71 In Irish, it is called Loch Ce, in Moy-
Lurg.
72 It flows into the River Boyle, and has
its source in Lough Gara.
73 A monastery, anciently called Ath-da- laarg, from a ford on the river, became affiliated to Mellifont in 1 161, and it was subsequently known by the name of mAimr-cerx nA-buille, "Monastery of the Boyle. " See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of
companions " No fish shall be found in the
hi. , pp. 14, 15, and n. (r), ibid.
1174,
Lough Key, and it enters the Shannon, a little north-west of Kilmore, anciently called Cibt-*nop-t)ichr\Aib, the Cella Magna Deal- hrib, in Adamnan's Life of our Saint, lib. i. ,
Magh-Lairg,
they desired, saying :
to-day or to-morrow ; I will send you on the third day, and you shall
74 This river, which gives its name to the
town and barony of Boyle, is always written in Irish built, and Latinized Buellia.
H In Irish the word is pbe.
and
"
Ireland. See Colgan's
Hiberniae," xx. Januarii, Vita S. Molaggae, 8j See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," seu Molaci Confessoris, n. 15, p. 149. Quarta Vita S. Columbae, lib. ii. , cap. xix. ,
O'Roddy,
poets as the representatives, under Christia- nity, of the old pagan Magi or Druids of
Colgan, regard
76 Rev. Dr. O'Conor understands this ofa
p. 354.
O'Donnell, the bards or
song accompanied by the harp. See " Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," vol. iv. , Annales
Ultoniensis, p. 154.
77 See, in illustration, an interesting chap-
ter on Irish National Music, in the
"
His-
tory of Music," by the late Ven. President of
Maynooth College, Very. Rev. Laurence F.
Renehan, D. D. Dublin, a. d. 1858, 8vo.
? 8 This, however, is not stated by Adam-
nan.
79 He is venerated at the 8th of March.
8o
Lough Key, in the county of Roscom- mon.
cap. 50.
** Now the River near which was Boyle,
the church of Kilman, founded, it is said,
by Columba, during his travels in Con- Acta Sanctorum naught.
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 343
power of miracles appears accomplished by a prophetic fore-knowledge, for which the saint and his companions gave fervent thanks to God. 83
From Boyle, Columba went northwards over the Corsleibh or Curlieu moun- tains, and reached the territory of Corann, where in a place called Imleach- fada, towards the western side of the declivity of Tulach-segra,84 he built a
8 s over which he
called 86 the son of Enna,
founder or 00 he was patron,
venerated,
it is
said,
in the church of
Killukin,
one of his
This place is now known as Emlaghfad,88 a parish
church,
Nuadhain, a holy man. 8?
church in the diocese of
there he disseminated the word of God among his kindred, and among the
posterityofOilill,sontoEochadMughmeadhain. Inthatplace,thepeople gave him a tract called Druimnamac, afterwards known as Druim Colum Cille. 00 There he raised a church,01 and he set over it his disciple St. Fin- barr. 02 It is situated in the barony ofTirerrill, and county of Sligo. °3 There he left a bell called Glassan, and he erected a tall cross, as a monument, near the church, and to the south. He declared, that so long as these objects were there preserved, that church should be prosperous and celebrated. 9* Drumcolumb 95 is now a parish church, in the diocese of Elphin. Either as
placed
disciples
Achonry.
8° From
Corann,
he went to and Tiroilill,
now a parish in the same diocese. " However, the St. Columba then
reverenced had his feast on the 1st of September. Our saint is thought to
have established a church at Kill-Colgan, in the diocese of Clonfert, and pro-
vince of It was thus named from St. 08 a of St.
Connaught. Colgan, disciple
Columba, and who was the first Abbot placed over it.
u0
—Another church of
thesam—ediocese,anddenominatedCluain-ogcormacain nowCloonygormi-
IQI
can IO° is said to have been founded by him, among the Siol Mured-haigh,
and in which a St. Columba was venerated, on the 5th of March. 102 Like-
wise, the church of Kill-tuama,I03 now Kiltoom, in the same diocese, and in the territory of Tir-Maine, in which a St. Columba was reverenced at the 15th
84 Now Tully, in Toomur. 95 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," 85 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni- Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbre,
cum," p. 633.
86 He is venerated, at the 18th of Sep-
cap. ii. , p. 494.
97 This statement is made by Colgan, on
the authority of a list of churches in this
tember.
87 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," diocese, furnished to him.
Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. civ. , p. 406, and n. 86, p. 451.
88 Deiived from the Irish ImLeAch " the long marsh. "
98 Said to have been the son of Kellach, and to have been venerated, at the 20th of
the
"
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
89 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's cap. 35, n. (a), p. 65.
"Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes G, p. 282.
90 Latinized, " Dor6um Columbse-cille. "
91 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni-
cum," p. 632.
92 Colgan thinks he was either Finbarr,
the Priest venerated at the 25th of July, or
Firbarr of venerated on the Kill-Chunga, 9th
of September.
m See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
"Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes G, p. 282.
94 See Colgan's " Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. civ. , pp. 406, 407, and n. 87, p. 451.
95 The extent of this parish is shown, on
99 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse, cap. ii. , p. 495.
'°° This parish lies in the barony of Bally-
the County of Sligo," sheets 26, 27, 34, 40. The townland proper is described on sheets
27, 34.
See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adam- nan's "Life of St. Columba," lib. i. ,
r:<YOA, February.
"
vey Townland Maps for the County of Ros-
common," sheets 27, 28, 34, 35.
101 On the of the list already authority
quoted.
I02 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse,
cap. ii. , p. 494.
,03 This was one of its possessions, as noted
in the Registry of Clonmacnoise. See John O'Donovan's "Tribes and Customs of Hy- Many, commonly called O'Kelly'sCountry," n. (a), p. 15.
I04 On the authority of the list already
quoted.
I05 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
moe, and it is shown on the
Ordnance Sur-
344 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
of May, is stated I04 to have been one of our saint's erections. 10*
[June 9.
He also Besides a church or monastery at Serin in Meath, and also at places so called in the north of Ireland, the O'Clerys will have it, that St. Columba erected one at
10? in
Serin,
Maoile, or Cnoc na Maoili,100 which was granted to St. Columba, by Tiprad, chief of the Hy Fiachrach. 110 Killchuanna was another place bestowed on
travelled into the more remote regions of the western province.
106
reposes Santal,
Jerusalem,
city,
moved the fame by
Quinta Appendix cap. ii. , p. 494.
ad Acta S.
Columbse,
114 See Roderick " Choro- O'Flaherty's
graphical Description of West or H-Iar Connaught," &c, edited by James Hardi- man, p. 63.
215 On Mackensie's chart Moerras is called Murris.
Connaught.
108 This was at a called Cnoc na place, originally
106
period of his life. See the Life of St. Farannen, at the 1 5th of February, in the Second Volume of this work, Art. ii. , chap, ii. , iii.
107 So called, because it contained the shrine of St. Adamnan.
''
Three or four religious houses or churches
This was probably at a more advanced
108 The Rev. Dr.
Lanigan
observes :
" Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes
G, pp. 283, 284.
1. 7 See Roderick " Choro- O'Flaherty's
graphical Description of West or H-Ira
Connaught," &c, edited by James Hardi-
man, p. 63, and n. (c).
1. 8
Doubtless, the future Abbot of Iona, whose feast occurs on this day.
1. 9 His festival is held, on the 21st of March.
120 Several of these, pagan and Christian, have been drawn on the spot, by William F.
Wakeman, and they are yet preserved in the Royal Irish Academy, among the Ordnance Survey Records.
called Skrine or the Shrine ofSt.
51 spectre.
x. , pp. 72, 73.
44 He is supposed by Colgan to have been
4?
See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
the St. Ternoc, venerated at the 28th of
February. He is thought to have been one
of the name, whose pedigree is thus given in
the Sanctilogic Genealogy, as having been
the son of Ciaroc, son of Saran, son to Nar-
sluag, son of Coelbad, son to Crunn,
Badhrai, cap. 23. Saran, his grandfather,
lived in the time of St. Patrick, as men- G, p. 284.
tioned in his Tripartite Life, part ii. , cap. 130.
45 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
lib.
s° Its situation is pointed out in Stuart's
VitaS.
5I See "Trias Colgan's
Columbae, p. 406, and n. 84, p. 451.
Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columba;, lib. i. , cap. lxxix. ,
Quinta
46 See ibid. , cap. civ. , p. 406.
i. , cap. ciii. ,
" Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes
G, p. 282.
"
"Historical Memoirs of the City of Ar-
magh," chap. p. 96.
48 Allusion is made to it, in Dr. O'Dono- van's "Annals of the Four Masters," at a. d. 1415, when Eman mac Findbairr was prior. Also at a. d. 1500.
49 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes
p. 402.
only
34o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
Before St. Columba took up his abode in the glen of Donegal, which afterwards bore his name, certain tribes of Iberian or Celtiberian race are sup- posedtohaveevensettledinthosewesterndeserts. 53 Thatplace,nowknown as Glencolumkill Parish, in the barony of Banagh," and county of Donegal, is celebrated in the poems attributed to our saint, asGleann Gairge. 5* It is also called Seangleann, and the whole district is composed of rugged moun- tains and deep valleys. It seems to have been a haunt of paganism in St. Columba's time. The holy man received a summons from an Angel to enter those wilds, 55 and to consecrate those tracts to God, having expelled there- fromalldemoniacinfluences. Tothattime,thisplacehadbeendeemedthe haunt of malignant spirits, who, having been expelled by St. Patrick from
Cruachan Oigli and driven to the sea, betook themselves to Sean-gleann, whereintheshadowsofdenseclouds,theywereconcealedfrommen. Itis said, too, they had infected a river there with poison. With a great band of holy men, and obeying the Angelic monition, St. Columb entered this glen. When they approached one side of the river, the infernal spirit thence raised a spear or barb, which killed a servant of Columba, named Cearc. Imme- diately, with awakened zeal against the evil spirits, our saint hurled the spear in another direction, and caused it to clear the horizon from clouds and mists, far and wide. At length this stake or spear lighted on the ground, and there it remained fixed. The legend states, it soon took root, and grew up to be a great tree. 56 Then, Columba blessed the river, and immediately, the water was purified from poison. On passing over, the Angel of God was seen to prepare for him an azure-coloured and angular stone, which he was directed to cast against the demons. He obeyed, and soon were they driven from the remainder of that glen. All darkness vanished to the opening of the ocean, where in after time was to be seen a curious stone hanging on the very brow of a rock. On this occasion, the saint threw after them a bell, called Dubh-Duaibseach. Following the Angelic prescription, he invoked the name of Christ, and then ordered the demons to sink down from that rock into the ocean, so that thenceforth they might not be able to hurt any person. Obeying the holy man's orders, and having heard the Almighty's name invoked, those evil spirits were compelled to fly. In after times, the people showed a great rent in that rock, through which the foul spectres passed,
before rushing headlong into the ocean. 5? Another wonder is related. On praying to God for the recovery of the stone and bell, both are said to have floated through the air, and to have fallen down near where St. Columba stood. The bell sunk deeply into the earth and the tongue fell out, yet the saintwouldnotsufferanothertotakeitsplace. Then,theholymanblessed that place, afterwards known as Columkille's Glen. He desired, that for the future, it should be regarded as holy, and possess immunities from the secular power. Atthatrock,variousmiracleswerewrought. Thetonguelessbell was also kept there,58 as a sacred pledge. Columba also predicted, that any violater of the ecclesiastical privileges obtained should die
within a year from that day, when his transgression had occurred. 59
52 See James Ferguson's " Rude Stone Monuments in all Countries ; their Age and
Uses," chap, v. , pp. 225 to 228, and Appen- dix A, pp. 520 to 525. London, 1872, 8vo.
s6 In the time of Prince O'Donnell, it
continued to flourish, according to the popular tradition.
57 See Colgan's '-Trias Thaumaturga," 53 The district known now as Banagh Quinta Vita S. Columbre, lib. i. , cap. lxxxix. ,
Barony was formerly called Tir Boghaine. 5* See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes
p. 403.
58 The herenachy ofGlencolumkille was in
the Mac Eneilis family.
59 gee ibid. , cap. xc, p, 403.
*> See Kinnfaela's " Cliff of Scenery
South-western Donegal," chap, xix. , p. 137.
G. p. 281.
55 Here St. Columb is said,
by theO'Clerys, to have had some religious establishment.
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 341
On the way to the Glen Head precipice, we pass a holy well, sacred to the
memory of St. Colum Cille, as also a large stone called the " Saint's Bed. "60
By turning round occasionally, we get very romantic views of the winding valley, and its river, which latter runs southwards into Donegal Bay. In Glen Columkille and Glen Malin More, a small valley running parallel with it, and about two miles southward, various interesting groups of pre-Christian anti-
quities
gaze
of the tourist in these secluded 61 There are no spots.
meet the
less than five ancient crosses, standing at different points, through this remote vale. All of these are said to date back even to the of St. Colum 63
days Cille, and it is customary to hold stations at them. There are many interesting legends, regarding their patron saint, and still current among the inhabitants of this glen. In due course, the holy man left Seangleann, and he moved towards
6^ his kinsman. 6* When arrived, at the intermediate river called Fuinseanach, and at the place where it is discharged into the ocean, St. Columba asked his companion, where was the staff, which he usually carried. Barrind replied, that in Seangleann he cast it against the demons, and that it had been lost. Then said Columba, " If Christ grant my request, that which was lost shall be restored to you. " No sooner were these words pronounced, than the desired baculus seemed impelled over an adjoining rock, and its end fell into the ground. From that spot afterwards sprung a fountain, which in commemoration of the event was called Bachall Barrinn, or " the staff of Barind. "65 Thence St. Columba departed, and he came to the Erne's banks, at that place where the waters flow in broken courses, and with thundering sound, over the rocks at the
cataract of ^Es-Ruaidh. To that time, although the Erne's waters were very
clear, and near the sea ; yet, they did not abound with fish, although they had previously obtained the blessing of St. Patrick. 66 This is said to have been occasioned by the fact, that the cataract was too steep for the fish to ascend it from the sea. However, the blessing of Columba was now extended to it, and in Christ's name he prayed the rocks might be so depressed, that the fish could more readily surmount the obstacle. Thenceforward, the sal- mon were able to bound upwards, and the capture offish became so great and so valuable, that as an offering, a custom grew among the fishermen, to pre- sent all the fish taken on St. Columba's day to the Comorban of the adjoin-
6 ing church, and without any diminution or subtraction. ?
As St. Columba seems to have visited Connaught on two different occa-
the river in Erne,
company
with St.
Barrind,
they
61 See Mr. Norman Moore's interesting de-
and traces, in the illus- beautifully
in
dig- ging a grave in the churchyard, came upon a flat flag, which he found necessary to re-
63 See his Life, at the 2ist of May.
64 He was the son of Muredach, son to Eochod, son to Conall Gulban.
6s See "Trias Thaumaturga," Colgan's
Quinta Vita S. Columbge, lib. i. , cap. xci. , p. 404, and n. 76, p. 451.
scriptions
trated work of Mr. Ferguson.
62 "Some a years ago
man, engaged
M However, it is stated, elsewhere, that St. Patrick only blessed the southern half of a stone stairway led to some chambers the Erne, which belonged to Conall. See
move. On raising it, he was surprised to find that he had opened a passage by which
below. Going down, he discovered several
large halls communicating with each other
underground. Many were the speculations
which this discovery led to ; but as some an- Quinta Vita S. Columbae, lib. i. , cap. xcii. ,
noyance was experienced from the passage
left it was soon after closed in being open,
again. A mark, however, was set up to in- dicate the spot where lies the opening to
—Kinn- faela's "Cliff Scenery of South-western
in D'Alton's John
"
History of Ireland and
these newly-discovered catacombs. " Donegal'" chap, xix. , pp. 135, 136.
Annals of Boyle," vol. i. , pp. 20 to 84.
^ From Dachonna or Mochonna, the son
Sister Mary F. Cusack's "Life of St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 434.
p. 404.
68 to Assylyn, or Isselyn, one Anglicized
of the names for the present parish of Boyle, See a very complete account of this locality,
6? See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
342
LIVES 01 THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
Ireland for and — when he sions—once at least before he left Alba, afterwards,
returned to attend the great convention held at Drumceat it is not an easy matter to determine the respective dates and sequence for his religious foun- dations in that province. However, we shall deal with this portion of his Acts, as they are found related. During his travels through Connaught, St. Columba come to a cataract, on the River Boyle, known as Eas Ua Floin,68 afterwards called Eas mic Earc69 St. Patrick had already prophesied, that he should build a church there. ' Here, St. Columba, with his love of fine
2 This
sheet of water, covers 2,276 acres, and allusion to it is frequent in the Irish Annals. It is situated near the town of Boyle, 73 towards the north-east, and in the northern part of the county of Roscomm—on. With his monks, Columba sat
scenery,
visited
Lough Cee,
71 now known as
Lough Key. '
magnificent
or with the Irish equivalent Bo to feast his eyes on the beautiful prospect. An Irish poet," named Cronan, wandered towards the spot, and after a short interview
" Before he went away, why did you not ask the poet Cronanus to sing us a sweet
"
down at the mouth of t—
74
he River said to be Latinized
Bos,
Boyle
with Columkille he retired. Then the brethren said to our saint
:
76 Thesaint
dear
utter such idle words ?
How could I ask that poor man to sing a canticle of joy, who has now met with an untimely end, at the hands of his enemies? " The saint had just said these words, and instantly a man cried out, from
with
beyond the river
now dead, having been killed by his enemies. " Then, all that were present wondered very much, and looked at one another in amazement. 77 Over the church St. Columba is said to have founded here,78 he placed one of his disciples, called Dachonna. 70 At another time, when the saint was stopping
song,
accompaniment. "
replied :
Why, my
children,
" That poet, who left you in safety a few minutes ago, is
:
some
from
river
find two large river salmon taken in the net. And so, after two short days, casting their nets, they hauled in two fish of most extraordinary size, which they found in the River Bo. 8a In the capture of fish on these two occasions, the
the Four vol. Masters,"
at A. D.
8l The river runs out of Boyle
in
to fish as
near
Lough Cei,
8° he his prevented
days going
8l
of Earc, who is venerated on the Sthof March. 79 See Sister Mary F. Cusack s " Life of
St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 430.
71 In Irish, it is called Loch Ce, in Moy-
Lurg.
72 It flows into the River Boyle, and has
its source in Lough Gara.
73 A monastery, anciently called Ath-da- laarg, from a ford on the river, became affiliated to Mellifont in 1 161, and it was subsequently known by the name of mAimr-cerx nA-buille, "Monastery of the Boyle. " See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of
companions " No fish shall be found in the
hi. , pp. 14, 15, and n. (r), ibid.
1174,
Lough Key, and it enters the Shannon, a little north-west of Kilmore, anciently called Cibt-*nop-t)ichr\Aib, the Cella Magna Deal- hrib, in Adamnan's Life of our Saint, lib. i. ,
Magh-Lairg,
they desired, saying :
to-day or to-morrow ; I will send you on the third day, and you shall
74 This river, which gives its name to the
town and barony of Boyle, is always written in Irish built, and Latinized Buellia.
H In Irish the word is pbe.
and
"
Ireland. See Colgan's
Hiberniae," xx. Januarii, Vita S. Molaggae, 8j See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," seu Molaci Confessoris, n. 15, p. 149. Quarta Vita S. Columbae, lib. ii. , cap. xix. ,
O'Roddy,
poets as the representatives, under Christia- nity, of the old pagan Magi or Druids of
Colgan, regard
76 Rev. Dr. O'Conor understands this ofa
p. 354.
O'Donnell, the bards or
song accompanied by the harp. See " Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," vol. iv. , Annales
Ultoniensis, p. 154.
77 See, in illustration, an interesting chap-
ter on Irish National Music, in the
"
His-
tory of Music," by the late Ven. President of
Maynooth College, Very. Rev. Laurence F.
Renehan, D. D. Dublin, a. d. 1858, 8vo.
? 8 This, however, is not stated by Adam-
nan.
79 He is venerated at the 8th of March.
8o
Lough Key, in the county of Roscom- mon.
cap. 50.
** Now the River near which was Boyle,
the church of Kilman, founded, it is said,
by Columba, during his travels in Con- Acta Sanctorum naught.
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 343
power of miracles appears accomplished by a prophetic fore-knowledge, for which the saint and his companions gave fervent thanks to God. 83
From Boyle, Columba went northwards over the Corsleibh or Curlieu moun- tains, and reached the territory of Corann, where in a place called Imleach- fada, towards the western side of the declivity of Tulach-segra,84 he built a
8 s over which he
called 86 the son of Enna,
founder or 00 he was patron,
venerated,
it is
said,
in the church of
Killukin,
one of his
This place is now known as Emlaghfad,88 a parish
church,
Nuadhain, a holy man. 8?
church in the diocese of
there he disseminated the word of God among his kindred, and among the
posterityofOilill,sontoEochadMughmeadhain. Inthatplace,thepeople gave him a tract called Druimnamac, afterwards known as Druim Colum Cille. 00 There he raised a church,01 and he set over it his disciple St. Fin- barr. 02 It is situated in the barony ofTirerrill, and county of Sligo. °3 There he left a bell called Glassan, and he erected a tall cross, as a monument, near the church, and to the south. He declared, that so long as these objects were there preserved, that church should be prosperous and celebrated. 9* Drumcolumb 95 is now a parish church, in the diocese of Elphin. Either as
placed
disciples
Achonry.
8° From
Corann,
he went to and Tiroilill,
now a parish in the same diocese. " However, the St. Columba then
reverenced had his feast on the 1st of September. Our saint is thought to
have established a church at Kill-Colgan, in the diocese of Clonfert, and pro-
vince of It was thus named from St. 08 a of St.
Connaught. Colgan, disciple
Columba, and who was the first Abbot placed over it.
u0
—Another church of
thesam—ediocese,anddenominatedCluain-ogcormacain nowCloonygormi-
IQI
can IO° is said to have been founded by him, among the Siol Mured-haigh,
and in which a St. Columba was venerated, on the 5th of March. 102 Like-
wise, the church of Kill-tuama,I03 now Kiltoom, in the same diocese, and in the territory of Tir-Maine, in which a St. Columba was reverenced at the 15th
84 Now Tully, in Toomur. 95 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," 85 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni- Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbre,
cum," p. 633.
86 He is venerated, at the 18th of Sep-
cap. ii. , p. 494.
97 This statement is made by Colgan, on
the authority of a list of churches in this
tember.
87 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," diocese, furnished to him.
Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. civ. , p. 406, and n. 86, p. 451.
88 Deiived from the Irish ImLeAch " the long marsh. "
98 Said to have been the son of Kellach, and to have been venerated, at the 20th of
the
"
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
89 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's cap. 35, n. (a), p. 65.
"Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes G, p. 282.
90 Latinized, " Dor6um Columbse-cille. "
91 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni-
cum," p. 632.
92 Colgan thinks he was either Finbarr,
the Priest venerated at the 25th of July, or
Firbarr of venerated on the Kill-Chunga, 9th
of September.
m See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
"Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes G, p. 282.
94 See Colgan's " Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. civ. , pp. 406, 407, and n. 87, p. 451.
95 The extent of this parish is shown, on
99 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse, cap. ii. , p. 495.
'°° This parish lies in the barony of Bally-
the County of Sligo," sheets 26, 27, 34, 40. The townland proper is described on sheets
27, 34.
See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adam- nan's "Life of St. Columba," lib. i. ,
r:<YOA, February.
"
vey Townland Maps for the County of Ros-
common," sheets 27, 28, 34, 35.
101 On the of the list already authority
quoted.
I02 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse,
cap. ii. , p. 494.
,03 This was one of its possessions, as noted
in the Registry of Clonmacnoise. See John O'Donovan's "Tribes and Customs of Hy- Many, commonly called O'Kelly'sCountry," n. (a), p. 15.
I04 On the authority of the list already
quoted.
I05 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
moe, and it is shown on the
Ordnance Sur-
344 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
of May, is stated I04 to have been one of our saint's erections. 10*
[June 9.
He also Besides a church or monastery at Serin in Meath, and also at places so called in the north of Ireland, the O'Clerys will have it, that St. Columba erected one at
10? in
Serin,
Maoile, or Cnoc na Maoili,100 which was granted to St. Columba, by Tiprad, chief of the Hy Fiachrach. 110 Killchuanna was another place bestowed on
travelled into the more remote regions of the western province.
106
reposes Santal,
Jerusalem,
city,
moved the fame by
Quinta Appendix cap. ii. , p. 494.
ad Acta S.
Columbse,
114 See Roderick " Choro- O'Flaherty's
graphical Description of West or H-Iar Connaught," &c, edited by James Hardi- man, p. 63.
215 On Mackensie's chart Moerras is called Murris.
Connaught.
108 This was at a called Cnoc na place, originally
106
period of his life. See the Life of St. Farannen, at the 1 5th of February, in the Second Volume of this work, Art. ii. , chap, ii. , iii.
107 So called, because it contained the shrine of St. Adamnan.
''
Three or four religious houses or churches
This was probably at a more advanced
108 The Rev. Dr.
Lanigan
observes :
" Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes
G, pp. 283, 284.
1. 7 See Roderick " Choro- O'Flaherty's
graphical Description of West or H-Ira
Connaught," &c, edited by James Hardi-
man, p. 63, and n. (c).
1. 8
Doubtless, the future Abbot of Iona, whose feast occurs on this day.
1. 9 His festival is held, on the 21st of March.
120 Several of these, pagan and Christian, have been drawn on the spot, by William F.
Wakeman, and they are yet preserved in the Royal Irish Academy, among the Ordnance Survey Records.
called Skrine or the Shrine ofSt.
