1595; and in 1597, he again
encamped
for a short time, south-west of this place.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
3 This was probably her natal place.
It is now known as Drum-cliffe, a parish in the barony of Lower Carbery, and county of Sligo.
4 It lies near the sea-shore, a little to the north of Sligo, and it is situated within the diocese of Elphin.
A portion of its round towerhereremains,asaproofofitsancientconsequence.
^ St.
Columkille is said to have been the first founder of a religious establishment, at this place.
^ From the sixth century, Drumcliffe had its abbatial succession,
Art. VI. —' In the original it is •Oi^-oi Cq\cl. .
nise," xv. Febmarii. Vita S. Farannani, n. 36, pp. 339, 340.
of Drumcliff
="
Edited-
the Rev. Dr.
3 There is a
Thomas O'Conor in the
by
by Letters Contain- 3 Edited by the Rev. Drs. Todd and ing Information relative to the County of Reeves, pp. 8, 9. Sligo, collected during the Progress of the Art. VII. —' Edited by Drs. Todd and Ordnance Survey in 1836. " R. I. A. , pp.
_ xi.
Kelly, p.
description "
Reeves, pp. 8—, 9. 83 to 131, and subsequently to p. 401.
'*"
Art. VIII. in the original it is 'OiAnAi\c O^D.
'
Edited by the Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xi.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves.
4 See ibid. , pp. 18, 19.
Art. IX. —' See his Life at the 12th of
September.
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
=
See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
See
of the County of Sligo. " Sheet 8.
s The annexed engraving by Mrs. Millard is from a photograph taken by Frederick II. Mares, 79 Grafton St. , DubHn.
^ See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbse (O'Donell's), lib, i. ^ cap. Ix. , p. 399.
January 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 85
and the herenachy of the Church became limited in the eleventh century to thefamilyofO'BeollainorO'Boland. 7 To—St. Columkilleisattributedthe
poetic sentiment of attachment to this spot
:
Beloved to my heart also in the West— Dnimcliffe at Culcinne's strand. ^
Its situation is one of great attractiveness to the tourist, and yet in a district
but little frequented. The present Protes- tant church stands on the site of an ancient religious es- tablishment while
;
many relics of the
past are observable
throughout the par- ish. 9 Wearetold/°
that areligioushouse had been founded
here by a St. Fintan, a disciple of St. Co-
lumba, at a place called Cailleavin- de. " This was pro- bably the Cai 1 1 e, where St. Muadh- nat's Convent stood. St. Muadhnat is men- tioned in the Martyr-
ology of Donegal," as having had a fes-
tival on this day. She lived in the sixth century. Inthetable appended, she is also called Muagh- neat, i. e. , Mo-Aig- nes. ^3 In the pub-
lished Martyrology '
a notice at the 6th
Drumcliffe Round Tower, County Sli&go.
,•
. , ,-r\
>
/
of January, Ingen Natfraich, in Enach-airdd. There is probably a mistake
^ See Rev. William Reeves' Adamnan's residence. See " Ordnance Survey To^vnland "Life of St. Columba. " Additional Notes, Maps of the County of Sligo. " Sheet 8.
and O. '^ Edited Drs. Todd and p. 279, pp. 393, 394, 399, 400. by
^
"rich Drumcliff," in that wonderful poem
of James Clarence Mangan, " most musical,
G.
Reeves, pp.
See ibid. , p. 289. Allusion is made to 8,9.
'3 In a marginal note. Dr. Reeves here
says, "The name Agnes is written in the most melancholy. " It is well known as margin opposite this entry; meaning that
" The Lament of the Princes. " See Hayes' "Ballads of Ireland," vol. i. , p. 147.
"
5 See Lewis'
of Ireland," vol. i. , pp. 266, 512, 513.
'°/l>id. , p. 513.
" A little to the north and north-west of Drumcliffe Round Tower are the denomina- tions of CuUaghmore and Cullaghbeg. Here it is likely the present holy woman had hpr
Agnes is the Latin of Aignes, who is in the Irish Calendar called Mo-Aignes, MyAgnes or Muaghneat. This however cannot be the St. Agnes of the Roman Calendar, as her commemoration is Jan. 21 and 28. Molanus has two other Agneses at 2 and 16 Sept. " See Hid. , pp. 454, 455.
"* Edited by Dr. Kelly, p. xi. In the Franciscan MS. copy, we can only decipher,
Topographical Dictionary
86 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 6.
for Ingena, the plural form, and which relates to the festival of Natfraich's
daughters. Likewise, incorrectly joined, there is an entry together with St. Diarmaid, whose feast occurs this same day.
Article X. —St. Tallulla or Tulilach, Virgin, and Abbess of Kil- DARE, County of Kildare. \Sixth Ceufury. ] The spouse of Christ leaves her home ^vith its comforts, its joys, and its happy associations, as thebirdleavesearthbeneathit, soaringupwardtowardstheskies,whereit feels exposed to less danger and enjoys truer liberty. A sister to the fore- mentioned holy Virgin was St. Tallulla or TuUilach. By ArchdalP she is incorrectly called Falulla, and apparently without authority he assigns her rule over a community to a. d. 580. Tallulla, Abbess of Cill-Dara, or Kildare, occurs in the Martyrologies of Marianus O'Gorman and of Donegal," on this day. The epithet. Virgin, is affixed to a nearly similar entry in the Martyrology of Tallagh3 at the 6th of January. Here she is called Tuilila- tha. 4 It cannot be ascertained, whether she preceded or succeeded St. Comnats in the government of nuns at Kildare f for we only learn that the
present holy abbess flourished about the year 590. 7
Article XI. —St. Osnat or Osnata, Virgin, of Gleann Dallain, PatronessoftheParishofKillasnet,CountyofLeitrim. [Si'xf/i Century. '] This saint was the daughter of Nadfraic. She appears to have lived in retirement, and within that romantic valley, known as Glendallain, or Dalian's glen, in the parish of Killasnet, barony of Rossclogher, and
county of Leitrim. It is now generally called Glencar. ^ Colgan erroneously placed this saint's church in Carbry. ^ It is true, the valley extends into the
barony of Carbury, in the county of Sligo. The church of St. Osnata, Anglicised to Killasnet, and called after the patron, is situated in that part of the glen3 which belongs to the present county of Leitrim. * Now Glencar extends for about five miles in length. There was a tradition among the people, that the old church in this parish was first built in Castletown town- land ; but that it was afterwards removed and built in one night, where the old churchyard, called Killasnat, is now situated. 5 In this parish, there isanotheroldcemetery,. whereachurchformerlystood,andthisgivesname
Injen riA—CfiMcli 1 enriAic, '''"
should have Breffny for Carbry. See n. 36,
p. 339.
3 See " Ordnance Survey'Townland Maps
of the County of Leitrim. " Sheets 6, 7.
* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four " vol. Masters,
Art. X. See
Monasticon Hibemicum,
p. 323.
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
CuLi^Ach.
5 See some notices of her already at the
1st of this month.
* The abbey or cathedral church and
round tower of Kildare, drawn by Dr. Wynne, will be found engraved in Grose's "Antiquities of Ireland," vol. i. , pp. 25, 26.
7 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"Ap-
8, 9.
3 Edited
to A 1465.
Rev. Dr.
* The Franciscan copy, at this day, has
pendix Quinta p. 629.
ad Acta S.
Brigidae, cap. ii. ,
eastern side of Glenn-Dallain Lough. In
a. d. 1541, this stronghold was the subject of a'contest between the O'Roorkes. Through
Glenn-Dallain, the host of Red Hugh O'Don- nell marched a. d.
1595; and in 1597, he again encamped for a short time, south-west of this place. See ibid. , vol. vi. , pp. 1976,
1977, 2036, 2037.
s Hence it was the the thought by people,
church ought to have got for its name, Killa-
"the church of the This journey. "
by
Kelly, p.
xi.
v. , pp. 1462
fortified Crannog and a village were on the
Art. XI. —'From O'Rourke's called Caislean a' Chartha.
Castle, stair,
however, is a worthless tradition, which only
"See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," xv. Februarii. Vita S. Farannani, cap. vii. , p. 336. Read by the comment, the Irish Life
serves to obscure the real origin of the name ; although Irish local traditions are in the main highly valuable.
January 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 87
to the townland of Killroose. There was also a church called Killmhinorach ;
but Dr. O'Donovan was unable to learn in what townland it was situated. ^
The name of Osnat, Virgin, is enrolled in the Martyrology of Donegal. ? But afterwards we find added: "These three were the three sisters of Molaisse of Damhinis. "^ Reference is made, of course, to the previous saints, Muadnuat and Tallula, venerated on this same day. 9 The present St. Osnata is supposed to have visited St. Farannan,'° at Drumcliff. She is thought likewise to have belonged to Gleann Dallain, said to have been situated in the territory of Carbry. " This appears, however, to be a mis- take of Colgan. This saint lived in the sixth century ; but the date of her death does not seem to be on record.
Article XII. —Reputed Feast of St. Erhard, Bishop of Ratisbon,
Bavaria. [Eighth Century. '\ In Father Stephen White's work,^ the Feast
of St. Erhard, Bishop of Ratisbon, in Bavaria, is assigned to the 6th of January. This seems to have been an error. The Acts of this saint will be found at the 8th of this month.
^t\imt\) ©ap of Sanuarp.
ARTICLE I. —ST. CEDDA, CHAD, CHEADDAN, OR CEDD, BISHOP OF LONDON, AND APOSTLE AMONG THE MIDLAND ENGLISH, AND EAST SAXONS.
[SEVENTH CENTURY. ^
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—IRISH SCHOOLS—ST. CHAD'S BIRTH AND EDUCATION—HIS MISSION TO THE MIDLAND ENGLISH AND EAST SAXONS—HE RETURNS TO LINDISFARNE—CONSE- CRATED BISHOP, AND CHARGED WITH THE ECCLESIASTICAL GOVERNMENT OF THE EAST SAXONS.
the seventh century, as the Venerable Bede states, numbers of
nglish DURING
the nobles and
of the middle class left their for homes,
persons
the purpose of pursuing sacred studies, or of leading religious lives, in Ireland,
orunderIrishdirectors. Manyembracedthemonasticprofession. Othersagain went their rounds to the cells of the most celebrated masters, who instructed theminlearning. Itwasanage,wheneducationwasgratuitouslyobtainedin
E
* See "Letters containing information relative to the Antiquities of the Counties of Cavan and Leitrim (Breifney), collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1836," p. 256.
7 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
man says nothing of the sort.
^ in the Bruxelles MS. of Marianus'
Martyrology, the corresponding gloss on the name of this present saint agrees with that comment in the text. It states that Muadh- nat, Talulla, and Osnat, were the three
sisters to Molaisse of Damhinis.
8, 9.
* '°
In a note appended to the foregoing word in the text. Dr. Todd remarks, that a more recent hand has added here in the
"
Sed Marianus non prece- dentes sed sequentes dicit esse sorores S.
See his Acts at the 15th of February, "See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hi- berniae," xv. Februarii. Vita S. Farannani,
§ vii. , 337, a—nd n. 36,"p. 339. '
original record,
Art. xii. See Apologia pro Hiber- Molassii. " This appears however to be a nia," cap. iv. , p. 44.
mistake forMarianusorMaolmaireO'Gor- ;
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 7.
Ireland. Willingly did the Irish receive their Anglo-Saxon and British visitors : daily food was given to these without cost ; books they received without payment; and masters were provided to teach them without fees. '
For biographical and historical notices regarding this distinguished pre- late and missionary, we are chiefly indebted to Venerable Bede. ^
The Acts of St. Cedd or Chad more properly are found connected with England, and noted in English martyrologies and records. The educational direction of this saint's mind was received, however, from Irishmen, and in Irish-founded schools. 3 Ceadda or Cedda is variously called Cedd and Ceddus,+asalsoChad,Chada,andCheaddan. s Probably,hefirstsawthe light about the beginning of the seventh century. This saint was a native of the Kingdom of Northumbria; but Cressy says he was born at London, in East Anglia. ^ His earliest education was received in the famous Monas- tery of Lindisfame or Holy Island. This estabhshment had been founded by the great Saint Aidan,7 an Irishman. Retired from the noise and distrac- tions of this world, here St. Chadd learned from that excellent master the science of the saints. He was, in course of time, esteemed worthy to attain the priestly dignity. Among so many other servants of God, who then
flourished in the Kingdom of Northumbria, St. Cedd was selected as most eligible to be sent as a missionary, first to the Midland English,^ and after- wardstotheEastSaxons. 9 TheselatterinhabitedEssexandMiddlesex.
To the former of these missions St. Chad was sent, together with three
other holy priests, Adda,'° Betti," and Diuma,'^ after King Peada had em- braced the Christian faith. 's This prince was baptized by St. Finan,'*
Bishop of Lindisfame. All the King's cornpanions, his soldiers, and their servants, that came along with him, were regenerated at Atwell, or Walton. '5 ThiswasthecountryresidenceofOswy,KingofNorthumbria. '^ Fortheir erudition and godliness of life the missionaries already named were esteemed
— —'
Art. I. Chap. i. "SeeHistoria Ec- of January,
"
Camerarius tells us, but without citing 27, pp. 240, 241. Cambridge edition, authority, that his feast was held on the
clesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap.
1644, fol.
^ See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis An-
glorum," lib. iii. , cap. 2i, 22, 23, 25, 26. ; lib. iv. , cap. 3.
3 In the collection of Irish Saints, by a
Cistercian monk, we find mentioned, St.
Cedd, Bishop of London, at this date. See Then Oswy, King of Northumbria, ruled pp. 32,33. overthem; buthegenerouslybestowedthe
"t His acts are given by Colgan, in "Acta southern part of Mercia on Peada, son to Sanctorum Hibernise," vii. Januarii. Vita King Penda. Peada is said to have been
s See ibid. , nn. 2, 3, p. 20. the Northern from the Southern Mercians.
^ See " Church History of Brittany under See Matthew of Westminster, " Flores
S. CeddsesiveCeddiEpiscopi,§§i. toxvi. ,
pp. 18 to 20. wife A. D. 657. The River Trent separated
the Saxon Heptarchy," book xv. , chap.
xvii. , p. 368.
7 See his Life at the 31st of August.
"
Historiarum, pp. 230 to 232.
"• See his Life at the of
9th January.
'S This was near the great northern wall built by the Romans,
^ The Midland English or Middelengli,
as called by Venerable Bede, are distin-
guished by this historian from the Mer- killed 5th of August, a. d. 644, by Penda,
cians. The former inhabited Leicestershire,
according to Ussher. Perhaps, too, they occupied some other adjacent countries. At this time, King Penda had transferred them as subjects to his son Peada.
King of the Mercians. Oswy is said to have
reigned twenty-eight years over the King- dom of the Bernici, and to have died a. d. 670. See Matthew of Westminster, "Flores Historiarum," pp. 224, 235. Oswy's
"
9 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's Lives of daughter, Alchfleda, became the wife of
the Saints," vol. i. , pp. 91, 92. Peada.
'°
The Bollandists give his Acts at the 1 7th
nth of February.
^'^ Some writers state his festival was held
on the 22nd of February, and others on the
19thofJuly.
'3 His father was Penda, King of the
Mercians, and he was killed A. D. 655.
murdered through the treachery of his own
'* He succeeded his brother St. Oswald,
JANUARY 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 89
fit to teach and baptize Peada's nation of the Midland EngHsh. This potentate returned home with much joy to prepare for the reception of those priests. Diuma, the last-named, was a Scot/7 while the others belonged to the Angli race. Arriving in the province, with the Prince, these holy mis-
^^
the
by the people. The nobility and the humbler inhabitants, renouncing the
filthofidolatry,weredailybaptizedingreatnumbers. '9 NordidKingPenda offer any obstruction to their^ preaching the Word among his people, the Mercians, if any of these were willing to hear it. ^° But he hated and des- pised such as had received the Gospel of Christ, yet who did not live up to their faith. He most truly declared, that these wretches deserved to be
despised, when they would not obey their God, in whom they professed to believe. ^'^
Saint Cedd was labouring with great success on his midland field of duty, when called away to be sent upon another holy expedition. His next desti- nation was to the Eastern Saxons. ^^ For Sigbercht or Sigebert,^^ the monarch ofthatprovince,hadvisitedOswy,KingofNorthumbria. '^^ Thisreligious
prince, omitting no opportunity for exhorting his friends to embrace the true way of salvation, had induced his guest to accept the sweet yoke of the Christian faith. ^s Sigebert was baptized by Bishop Finan. ^^ Having now become a citizen of the Eternal Kingdom, Sigebert returned to the seat of his temporal kingdom, and requested King Oswy that he would despatch teachers, who might convert his nation to the faith of Christ. Leaving the province of the Midland English, the man of God, Cedda, obtained another priest for his companion. ^7 These went as preachers to the nation of the East Saxons. ^^ After travelling through all the country, when they had gathered a numerous Church to our Lord, Cedda returned to Lindisfarne Church to confer with Bishop Finan. ^9 Finding how successful he had been in the work of the Gospel, after the year 652, Finan constituted him bishop over the Church of the East Saxons, while calling two other bishops to assist at the consecration. 3° Having received the episcopal degree, Cedd returned to his province. Pursuing the work he had begun with more ample authority,
'7 This Venerable Bede states expressly, rated on the 24th of April.
Art. VI. —' In the original it is •Oi^-oi Cq\cl. .
nise," xv. Febmarii. Vita S. Farannani, n. 36, pp. 339, 340.
of Drumcliff
="
Edited-
the Rev. Dr.
3 There is a
Thomas O'Conor in the
by
by Letters Contain- 3 Edited by the Rev. Drs. Todd and ing Information relative to the County of Reeves, pp. 8, 9. Sligo, collected during the Progress of the Art. VII. —' Edited by Drs. Todd and Ordnance Survey in 1836. " R. I. A. , pp.
_ xi.
Kelly, p.
description "
Reeves, pp. 8—, 9. 83 to 131, and subsequently to p. 401.
'*"
Art. VIII. in the original it is 'OiAnAi\c O^D.
'
Edited by the Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xi.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves.
4 See ibid. , pp. 18, 19.
Art. IX. —' See his Life at the 12th of
September.
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
=
See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
See
of the County of Sligo. " Sheet 8.
s The annexed engraving by Mrs. Millard is from a photograph taken by Frederick II. Mares, 79 Grafton St. , DubHn.
^ See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbse (O'Donell's), lib, i. ^ cap. Ix. , p. 399.
January 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 85
and the herenachy of the Church became limited in the eleventh century to thefamilyofO'BeollainorO'Boland. 7 To—St. Columkilleisattributedthe
poetic sentiment of attachment to this spot
:
Beloved to my heart also in the West— Dnimcliffe at Culcinne's strand. ^
Its situation is one of great attractiveness to the tourist, and yet in a district
but little frequented. The present Protes- tant church stands on the site of an ancient religious es- tablishment while
;
many relics of the
past are observable
throughout the par- ish. 9 Wearetold/°
that areligioushouse had been founded
here by a St. Fintan, a disciple of St. Co-
lumba, at a place called Cailleavin- de. " This was pro- bably the Cai 1 1 e, where St. Muadh- nat's Convent stood. St. Muadhnat is men- tioned in the Martyr-
ology of Donegal," as having had a fes-
tival on this day. She lived in the sixth century. Inthetable appended, she is also called Muagh- neat, i. e. , Mo-Aig- nes. ^3 In the pub-
lished Martyrology '
a notice at the 6th
Drumcliffe Round Tower, County Sli&go.
,•
. , ,-r\
>
/
of January, Ingen Natfraich, in Enach-airdd. There is probably a mistake
^ See Rev. William Reeves' Adamnan's residence. See " Ordnance Survey To^vnland "Life of St. Columba. " Additional Notes, Maps of the County of Sligo. " Sheet 8.
and O. '^ Edited Drs. Todd and p. 279, pp. 393, 394, 399, 400. by
^
"rich Drumcliff," in that wonderful poem
of James Clarence Mangan, " most musical,
G.
Reeves, pp.
See ibid. , p. 289. Allusion is made to 8,9.
'3 In a marginal note. Dr. Reeves here
says, "The name Agnes is written in the most melancholy. " It is well known as margin opposite this entry; meaning that
" The Lament of the Princes. " See Hayes' "Ballads of Ireland," vol. i. , p. 147.
"
5 See Lewis'
of Ireland," vol. i. , pp. 266, 512, 513.
'°/l>id. , p. 513.
" A little to the north and north-west of Drumcliffe Round Tower are the denomina- tions of CuUaghmore and Cullaghbeg. Here it is likely the present holy woman had hpr
Agnes is the Latin of Aignes, who is in the Irish Calendar called Mo-Aignes, MyAgnes or Muaghneat. This however cannot be the St. Agnes of the Roman Calendar, as her commemoration is Jan. 21 and 28. Molanus has two other Agneses at 2 and 16 Sept. " See Hid. , pp. 454, 455.
"* Edited by Dr. Kelly, p. xi. In the Franciscan MS. copy, we can only decipher,
Topographical Dictionary
86 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 6.
for Ingena, the plural form, and which relates to the festival of Natfraich's
daughters. Likewise, incorrectly joined, there is an entry together with St. Diarmaid, whose feast occurs this same day.
Article X. —St. Tallulla or Tulilach, Virgin, and Abbess of Kil- DARE, County of Kildare. \Sixth Ceufury. ] The spouse of Christ leaves her home ^vith its comforts, its joys, and its happy associations, as thebirdleavesearthbeneathit, soaringupwardtowardstheskies,whereit feels exposed to less danger and enjoys truer liberty. A sister to the fore- mentioned holy Virgin was St. Tallulla or TuUilach. By ArchdalP she is incorrectly called Falulla, and apparently without authority he assigns her rule over a community to a. d. 580. Tallulla, Abbess of Cill-Dara, or Kildare, occurs in the Martyrologies of Marianus O'Gorman and of Donegal," on this day. The epithet. Virgin, is affixed to a nearly similar entry in the Martyrology of Tallagh3 at the 6th of January. Here she is called Tuilila- tha. 4 It cannot be ascertained, whether she preceded or succeeded St. Comnats in the government of nuns at Kildare f for we only learn that the
present holy abbess flourished about the year 590. 7
Article XI. —St. Osnat or Osnata, Virgin, of Gleann Dallain, PatronessoftheParishofKillasnet,CountyofLeitrim. [Si'xf/i Century. '] This saint was the daughter of Nadfraic. She appears to have lived in retirement, and within that romantic valley, known as Glendallain, or Dalian's glen, in the parish of Killasnet, barony of Rossclogher, and
county of Leitrim. It is now generally called Glencar. ^ Colgan erroneously placed this saint's church in Carbry. ^ It is true, the valley extends into the
barony of Carbury, in the county of Sligo. The church of St. Osnata, Anglicised to Killasnet, and called after the patron, is situated in that part of the glen3 which belongs to the present county of Leitrim. * Now Glencar extends for about five miles in length. There was a tradition among the people, that the old church in this parish was first built in Castletown town- land ; but that it was afterwards removed and built in one night, where the old churchyard, called Killasnat, is now situated. 5 In this parish, there isanotheroldcemetery,. whereachurchformerlystood,andthisgivesname
Injen riA—CfiMcli 1 enriAic, '''"
should have Breffny for Carbry. See n. 36,
p. 339.
3 See " Ordnance Survey'Townland Maps
of the County of Leitrim. " Sheets 6, 7.
* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four " vol. Masters,
Art. X. See
Monasticon Hibemicum,
p. 323.
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
CuLi^Ach.
5 See some notices of her already at the
1st of this month.
* The abbey or cathedral church and
round tower of Kildare, drawn by Dr. Wynne, will be found engraved in Grose's "Antiquities of Ireland," vol. i. , pp. 25, 26.
7 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"Ap-
8, 9.
3 Edited
to A 1465.
Rev. Dr.
* The Franciscan copy, at this day, has
pendix Quinta p. 629.
ad Acta S.
Brigidae, cap. ii. ,
eastern side of Glenn-Dallain Lough. In
a. d. 1541, this stronghold was the subject of a'contest between the O'Roorkes. Through
Glenn-Dallain, the host of Red Hugh O'Don- nell marched a. d.
1595; and in 1597, he again encamped for a short time, south-west of this place. See ibid. , vol. vi. , pp. 1976,
1977, 2036, 2037.
s Hence it was the the thought by people,
church ought to have got for its name, Killa-
"the church of the This journey. "
by
Kelly, p.
xi.
v. , pp. 1462
fortified Crannog and a village were on the
Art. XI. —'From O'Rourke's called Caislean a' Chartha.
Castle, stair,
however, is a worthless tradition, which only
"See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," xv. Februarii. Vita S. Farannani, cap. vii. , p. 336. Read by the comment, the Irish Life
serves to obscure the real origin of the name ; although Irish local traditions are in the main highly valuable.
January 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 87
to the townland of Killroose. There was also a church called Killmhinorach ;
but Dr. O'Donovan was unable to learn in what townland it was situated. ^
The name of Osnat, Virgin, is enrolled in the Martyrology of Donegal. ? But afterwards we find added: "These three were the three sisters of Molaisse of Damhinis. "^ Reference is made, of course, to the previous saints, Muadnuat and Tallula, venerated on this same day. 9 The present St. Osnata is supposed to have visited St. Farannan,'° at Drumcliff. She is thought likewise to have belonged to Gleann Dallain, said to have been situated in the territory of Carbry. " This appears, however, to be a mis- take of Colgan. This saint lived in the sixth century ; but the date of her death does not seem to be on record.
Article XII. —Reputed Feast of St. Erhard, Bishop of Ratisbon,
Bavaria. [Eighth Century. '\ In Father Stephen White's work,^ the Feast
of St. Erhard, Bishop of Ratisbon, in Bavaria, is assigned to the 6th of January. This seems to have been an error. The Acts of this saint will be found at the 8th of this month.
^t\imt\) ©ap of Sanuarp.
ARTICLE I. —ST. CEDDA, CHAD, CHEADDAN, OR CEDD, BISHOP OF LONDON, AND APOSTLE AMONG THE MIDLAND ENGLISH, AND EAST SAXONS.
[SEVENTH CENTURY. ^
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—IRISH SCHOOLS—ST. CHAD'S BIRTH AND EDUCATION—HIS MISSION TO THE MIDLAND ENGLISH AND EAST SAXONS—HE RETURNS TO LINDISFARNE—CONSE- CRATED BISHOP, AND CHARGED WITH THE ECCLESIASTICAL GOVERNMENT OF THE EAST SAXONS.
the seventh century, as the Venerable Bede states, numbers of
nglish DURING
the nobles and
of the middle class left their for homes,
persons
the purpose of pursuing sacred studies, or of leading religious lives, in Ireland,
orunderIrishdirectors. Manyembracedthemonasticprofession. Othersagain went their rounds to the cells of the most celebrated masters, who instructed theminlearning. Itwasanage,wheneducationwasgratuitouslyobtainedin
E
* See "Letters containing information relative to the Antiquities of the Counties of Cavan and Leitrim (Breifney), collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1836," p. 256.
7 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
man says nothing of the sort.
^ in the Bruxelles MS. of Marianus'
Martyrology, the corresponding gloss on the name of this present saint agrees with that comment in the text. It states that Muadh- nat, Talulla, and Osnat, were the three
sisters to Molaisse of Damhinis.
8, 9.
* '°
In a note appended to the foregoing word in the text. Dr. Todd remarks, that a more recent hand has added here in the
"
Sed Marianus non prece- dentes sed sequentes dicit esse sorores S.
See his Acts at the 15th of February, "See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hi- berniae," xv. Februarii. Vita S. Farannani,
§ vii. , 337, a—nd n. 36,"p. 339. '
original record,
Art. xii. See Apologia pro Hiber- Molassii. " This appears however to be a nia," cap. iv. , p. 44.
mistake forMarianusorMaolmaireO'Gor- ;
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 7.
Ireland. Willingly did the Irish receive their Anglo-Saxon and British visitors : daily food was given to these without cost ; books they received without payment; and masters were provided to teach them without fees. '
For biographical and historical notices regarding this distinguished pre- late and missionary, we are chiefly indebted to Venerable Bede. ^
The Acts of St. Cedd or Chad more properly are found connected with England, and noted in English martyrologies and records. The educational direction of this saint's mind was received, however, from Irishmen, and in Irish-founded schools. 3 Ceadda or Cedda is variously called Cedd and Ceddus,+asalsoChad,Chada,andCheaddan. s Probably,hefirstsawthe light about the beginning of the seventh century. This saint was a native of the Kingdom of Northumbria; but Cressy says he was born at London, in East Anglia. ^ His earliest education was received in the famous Monas- tery of Lindisfame or Holy Island. This estabhshment had been founded by the great Saint Aidan,7 an Irishman. Retired from the noise and distrac- tions of this world, here St. Chadd learned from that excellent master the science of the saints. He was, in course of time, esteemed worthy to attain the priestly dignity. Among so many other servants of God, who then
flourished in the Kingdom of Northumbria, St. Cedd was selected as most eligible to be sent as a missionary, first to the Midland English,^ and after- wardstotheEastSaxons. 9 TheselatterinhabitedEssexandMiddlesex.
To the former of these missions St. Chad was sent, together with three
other holy priests, Adda,'° Betti," and Diuma,'^ after King Peada had em- braced the Christian faith. 's This prince was baptized by St. Finan,'*
Bishop of Lindisfame. All the King's cornpanions, his soldiers, and their servants, that came along with him, were regenerated at Atwell, or Walton. '5 ThiswasthecountryresidenceofOswy,KingofNorthumbria. '^ Fortheir erudition and godliness of life the missionaries already named were esteemed
— —'
Art. I. Chap. i. "SeeHistoria Ec- of January,
"
Camerarius tells us, but without citing 27, pp. 240, 241. Cambridge edition, authority, that his feast was held on the
clesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap.
1644, fol.
^ See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis An-
glorum," lib. iii. , cap. 2i, 22, 23, 25, 26. ; lib. iv. , cap. 3.
3 In the collection of Irish Saints, by a
Cistercian monk, we find mentioned, St.
Cedd, Bishop of London, at this date. See Then Oswy, King of Northumbria, ruled pp. 32,33. overthem; buthegenerouslybestowedthe
"t His acts are given by Colgan, in "Acta southern part of Mercia on Peada, son to Sanctorum Hibernise," vii. Januarii. Vita King Penda. Peada is said to have been
s See ibid. , nn. 2, 3, p. 20. the Northern from the Southern Mercians.
^ See " Church History of Brittany under See Matthew of Westminster, " Flores
S. CeddsesiveCeddiEpiscopi,§§i. toxvi. ,
pp. 18 to 20. wife A. D. 657. The River Trent separated
the Saxon Heptarchy," book xv. , chap.
xvii. , p. 368.
7 See his Life at the 31st of August.
"
Historiarum, pp. 230 to 232.
"• See his Life at the of
9th January.
'S This was near the great northern wall built by the Romans,
^ The Midland English or Middelengli,
as called by Venerable Bede, are distin-
guished by this historian from the Mer- killed 5th of August, a. d. 644, by Penda,
cians. The former inhabited Leicestershire,
according to Ussher. Perhaps, too, they occupied some other adjacent countries. At this time, King Penda had transferred them as subjects to his son Peada.
King of the Mercians. Oswy is said to have
reigned twenty-eight years over the King- dom of the Bernici, and to have died a. d. 670. See Matthew of Westminster, "Flores Historiarum," pp. 224, 235. Oswy's
"
9 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's Lives of daughter, Alchfleda, became the wife of
the Saints," vol. i. , pp. 91, 92. Peada.
'°
The Bollandists give his Acts at the 1 7th
nth of February.
^'^ Some writers state his festival was held
on the 22nd of February, and others on the
19thofJuly.
'3 His father was Penda, King of the
Mercians, and he was killed A. D. 655.
murdered through the treachery of his own
'* He succeeded his brother St. Oswald,
JANUARY 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 89
fit to teach and baptize Peada's nation of the Midland EngHsh. This potentate returned home with much joy to prepare for the reception of those priests. Diuma, the last-named, was a Scot/7 while the others belonged to the Angli race. Arriving in the province, with the Prince, these holy mis-
^^
the
by the people. The nobility and the humbler inhabitants, renouncing the
filthofidolatry,weredailybaptizedingreatnumbers. '9 NordidKingPenda offer any obstruction to their^ preaching the Word among his people, the Mercians, if any of these were willing to hear it. ^° But he hated and des- pised such as had received the Gospel of Christ, yet who did not live up to their faith. He most truly declared, that these wretches deserved to be
despised, when they would not obey their God, in whom they professed to believe. ^'^
Saint Cedd was labouring with great success on his midland field of duty, when called away to be sent upon another holy expedition. His next desti- nation was to the Eastern Saxons. ^^ For Sigbercht or Sigebert,^^ the monarch ofthatprovince,hadvisitedOswy,KingofNorthumbria. '^^ Thisreligious
prince, omitting no opportunity for exhorting his friends to embrace the true way of salvation, had induced his guest to accept the sweet yoke of the Christian faith. ^s Sigebert was baptized by Bishop Finan. ^^ Having now become a citizen of the Eternal Kingdom, Sigebert returned to the seat of his temporal kingdom, and requested King Oswy that he would despatch teachers, who might convert his nation to the faith of Christ. Leaving the province of the Midland English, the man of God, Cedda, obtained another priest for his companion. ^7 These went as preachers to the nation of the East Saxons. ^^ After travelling through all the country, when they had gathered a numerous Church to our Lord, Cedda returned to Lindisfarne Church to confer with Bishop Finan. ^9 Finding how successful he had been in the work of the Gospel, after the year 652, Finan constituted him bishop over the Church of the East Saxons, while calling two other bishops to assist at the consecration. 3° Having received the episcopal degree, Cedd returned to his province. Pursuing the work he had begun with more ample authority,
'7 This Venerable Bede states expressly, rated on the 24th of April.
