His father, who was called Hodran,'' belonged to the
district
of Hely
0'Carroll,'9 which was in the eastern part of Munster, and on the western
boundary of Leinster, adjoining the territory of Ossory.
0'Carroll,'9 which was in the eastern part of Munster, and on the western
boundary of Leinster, adjoining the territory of Ossory.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v4
, p.
266.
There, however,
104
Jocelinum, ut
3
See idid. Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap.
xciii. , p. 86, and n. 104, p, 113.
< See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , p. 1107, and n. (o). 5 It is shown, in the barony of Clonlonan,
"
on the
for the County ol Westmeath," sheets 29, 30, 35, 36. Fariirum townland is on sheets 29. 35-
Ordnance Survey 'I'ownland Maps
"" bee "Acta tomus Sanctorum,"
iii. , Aprilis XX vii. Among the pretermitted saints,
ad
in illo, vel saltern in Marimi Gormani ac
:
abest a nostro
April 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 515
of April. About his time and place, we are uninformed. However, on this
day was celebrated a festival, in honour of Ultan, brother of Fursa, as we find
recorded, in the Martyrology of Donegal. " At the ist of May, and at the
31st of October, there are more particular notices of St. Fursey's^ martyred brother St. Ultan.
Article VI. —St. Leccax, Bishop. To bishops are specially recom-
mendedthedutyandpracticeofpreachingGod'sholyword. Thescriptural recommendations come with ten-fold force from those, who put the most diffi- cult of them into a daily exercise, and who acquire them by habit. Accord- ing to the Martyrology of Donegal," veneration was given on this day to Leccan, a Bishop, who faithfully fultilled his varied duties.
Article VII. —St. Baain. Veneration was paid to Baain, at this date,
as we find recorded, in the published Martyrology of Tallagh. ' A similar entry is in the Franciscan copy. "
ArticleVIII. —St. Furudrain. Afestival,inhonourofFurudrain,is
set down, in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 27th of April. In the Franciscan copy, we have a similar reading. "
Article IX —St. Fergusa. The name F'ergusa, without any further designation, appears in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 27th ot April.
Article X. —Feast of St. Trudpert, Martyr, and Hermit, in Brisgau, Germany. \ Sixth and Sei'entli Centuries. ^ Owing to the occur- rence of the Festival of St. Cletus and of St. Marcellinus, PontifTs, in the Church of Constance, by prescription of the Roman Breviary, the Office of St. Trudpert, with full Lessons from his Life for the Second Nocturn, is recited there, on the 27th of April. ' His Acts may be seen, at the previous day.
Article XI. —Festival of Alexander, Abbot of Rome. In the ""
'"' See HistoriaEcclesiasticiGentisSco-
Feilire of St. . ^ngus,' the noble and pious Alexander, Abbot of Rome,
torum," lomusii. , lilj. vi. , num. 509.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Aprilisxxvii. Among the pretermiited saints,
p. 474.
Article v. — Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
p. xxii. The Franciscan copy enters uLcAn, at the v. of the May K:ilends.
Article ix. — Kditeii by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxii. Tlie Franciscan copy, likewise, has the entry of fep^ufd.
' Edited
112, 113.
liy
Dts. Todd and Reeves,
pp.
5 — the See his Life, at
of
l6th January.
Whitley Stokes, LL. U. ,
is found
:
'
. \RTICLE VI. E'iited by and
Reeves, pp. 112, —113.
Article vii. 'Edited by
Kelly, p. xxii.
' Thus noted b^—ain.
Article viii. Edited by
Kelly, p. xxii.
Rev. Dr.
Rev. Dr.
himocuipcif AinpL hicd)\ci\Atb cij,cliei)-eo <iLe3C4ti-Dii\ u. \f<\l,
<ibb Uom<ie inc|vefeTi.
Dr<. Todd
Thus,itisgiven,pu]\UT>i\<iiri. '
—
goia, Proloyus, sect. 2, p. 425.
Article xi. —' In the " Leabhar Breac"
version, the followinj; stanza, iran—slated by
Article x.
"Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Aprilis xxvi. De . S. Tru Iperto Martyre, Eremita in Bris-
"
Angels used to carry him out, though be
'
See the Bollandists'
5i6 LIVES OF THE IRIS. H SAINTS. [April 28.
has a festival assigned him, at the 27th of April. He is not mentioned, by the Bollandists, at tliis date ; nor elsewhere, do I find him, except in the Franciscan copy of the Tallagh Martyrology. '
Article XII. —Feast of Eusebius, Companion of St. Regulus, Scotland. In the Scottish entries of theKalendar of David Camerarius,'at the 27th of April,'' there is a notice of St. Eusebius, one of the companions of St.
How far he can be claimed as a Scottish saint does not seem to be very clear.
Cluenti|). 'eigl)tl) I3au of SlpiiU
ARTICLE I. —ST. CRONAN, ABBOT AND PATRON OF ROSCRE. A, COUNTY OF TIPPERARY.
[SIXTH AND SEVENTH CENTUJiZES. ]
CHAPTER I .
INTRODUCTION—LIVES OF ST. CRONAN—HIS I'ARENTAGE, BIRTH AND NATAL PLACE—HE EMBRACES A RELIGIOUS PROFESSION. AND HE PROCEEDS TO CONNAUGHT—MANY DIS- CIPLES LIVE THERE UNDER HIM—HE BUILDS SEVERAL RELIGIOUS HOUSES, AND THEN TAKES UP HIS ABODE AT LUSMAGH—THE SCRIBE DIMA—VARIOUS MIRACLES WROUGHT BY ST. CRONAN.
impression, which the personal excellence of man makes over
tradition preserves the fame of our many local saints.
There is Vita S. Cronani ' still preserved, and among those Manuscripts,
belonging to Trinity College, Dublin. Again, in the Codex Kiikenniensis,' belonging to Marsh's Library, Dublin, his Life is to be found,3 in that Manu-
script, assigned to tlie thirteenth century. Besides, there is a Vita S. Cronani,'*
in a Manuscript,5 belonging to the Library of the Duke of Burgundy, at Bruxelles. Father John Coigan intended to give his Acts, which he had ready
Regulus. 3
THAT is often
man, very wonderful; but,
the influence of a saint over his fellow mortals is sure to bring many to the practice of a virtuous life. Thou- sands approach him, in his time, witli feelings of deep reverence. Tliese happily experienced on leaving him, that they found religious consolation, which so many seek, and which still greater numbers unfortunately neglect obtaining. A saint's influence lives on, and among our Celtic ancestors, the mementoes of his virtues were recorded. Even when records have perished,
went in dungeons, noble Alexander, Abbot
with the
March. Article
—Chapter —
' Itis
ofRome,the '
one. "
At the vth of the May Kalends, we meet
1.
E. 3. II. , and it commences at fol. 55.
pious
entry, <Xle. \<),ti-o)M.
i.
' Under the heading St. Cronanus, fol. 89 to 91.
* This is found, in a. Salamancan Manu-
script.
s Vol. xxii. , at fol. 147.
Article xii. —' Thus " 27 Die. Sane-
' A vellum folio.
tus Eusebius Sancti Reguli socius. "
° See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scot-
tish Saints," p. 237.
3 See an account of him, at the 30th of
:
classed,
i
Rev. Dr.
King's County. "— Lanigan's
April 28. ] Z/yJSS OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 517
for publication, at this date. ^ The Bollandists ^ have presented a Vita S. Cronani, in their great collection. ^ This Life, in the opinion of Father Pape-
broke,9 was written by a monk or cleric, belonging to Roscrea, and some four or five centuries after our saint's death, for the use and edification of the brethren connected with that monastery. The author of this composition is unknown, but he appears to have indulged in exaggerated statements, or somewhat doubtful traditionary accounts, concerning the subject of his bio- graphy. '" A previous commentary is added ; and, the Acts of St. Cronan are divided into three chapters, comprising eighteen distinct paragraphs, with notes. A more perfect copy was procured, by Father Thomas Sirinus, as the Salamancan Manuscript, used by the Bollandists, was mutilated. " The Protestant Archbishop Ussher of Armagh quotes a Life of St. Cronan, and he gives some extracts from it ;" while this seems to have been in no manner different from the Acts, to which allusion has been made, and which are still preserved in Marsh's Library. Bishop Challoner '3 has inserted a few short notices regarding this saint, and these are chiefly extracted from Ussher. At the 28th of April, we find biographical particulars of St. Cronan, Abbot of Roscrea, in Rev. Alban Butler's, '< Rev. Dr. Lanigan's. 's and Rev. S. Baring- Gould's'*works. Amerenoticeofhimoccurs,in"LesPetitsBollaudistes Vies des Saints. '"?
His father, who was called Hodran,'' belonged to the district of Hely
0'Carroll,'9 which was in the eastern part of Munster, and on the western
boundary of Leinster, adjoining the territory of Ossory. *° His mother," named Coemri, was from the Corcobaschin district, in the western part of the present County Clare. " We are told,^3 that the mother of our saint, the mother of St. Mobai,'* and the mother of St. Mochonna,*' were three sisters. '*
'"
See Catalogus Actuum Sanctorum
quae MS. habentur, ordine Mensium et Dierum. "
' See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Ap- ribs xxviii. De Sancto Cronano, Abbate
p. 8.
' He is the editor of this Tract.
'" The two last sections of the Third
Chapter were supplied, by Fatlier Thomas Sheeran, of the Irish Franciscan house, at I. ouvain.
". See "Acta Sanctorum," tom. iii. ,
indeed, this is a correction made by Arch- bishop Ussher.
'» " That district, or at least a part of it,
is, as often observed, now comprised in the
Koscreensi in to Hibernia, pp. 579
"
Ecclesiastical of
History Ireland,"
vol. iii. ,
583.
' The Rev. Dr. Lanigan calls it " a re- spectable and very circumstantial docu- ment. "—"Ecclesiastical History of . Ire- land," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , sect, ii. , n. 20,
chap, xvii. , sect, ii. , n. 21, p. 9.
"" Thus it is located, in the Life of St.
Mochoemoc or Pulcherius, published by
Colgan, at the 13th day of March,
" North of the River Shannon.
" According to the account left us in the
Salamancan Manuscript, published by the Bollandists.
"\\'e read in the Vita S. Cronani: " Mater S. Cronani et S. Mobai mater, et mater S. —Mochoniiae tres germanae sorores
»s He might have been an Abbot, bearing that name, and who seems to have governed a monastery, somewhere in Leinster. He was living in St. Kevin's time. See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernia," viii. Martii, De S. Mochonna, Abbate, p. 505. However, the Rev. Dr. Laniyan remarks, "as there were other St. Mochonnas about th—at period this
xxviii. Aprilis, num. 10, p. 580. ""
fuerunt. " Cap. i. ,
See Antiquitates liritannicarum F. c- clesiarum," cap. xvii. , p. 502.
sect. i.
•< His identity has not been discovered.
'^ See "Britannia Sancta," part i. , p. a68.
'* Sec " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs
and other principal Saints," vol. , iv. , April xxviii.
'5 See "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , «ect. ii. , pp. 6 to 10.
'See "Lives of the Samts," vol. iv. ,
April 28, pp. 361, 362.
''See tome v. , xxviii' Jour d'Avril,
p. 57.
" More probably Odran, a name which
was known in that part of the country ; and,
"Ecclesias- tical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap.
pointmust remain undecided. "
xvii. , sect, ii, n. 22, p. 9.
»* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
Apiilis xxviii. , p. 580.
'' See the edition of Dr. Whitley Stokes,
5i8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 28.
With regard to lier celebrated son, if we are to credit the conjecture of a Scholiast on tlie Festilogy of St. ^ngus. '? he was born at Tuaim Findlocha,'*
whicii place may be rendered Tomfinlough/"s However, other accounts seem to be irreconcilable with such a statement \'° for, they have it, that St. CionanwasanativeofF;ie,3'intheprovinceofMunster. 3= Atfirst,aswe are informed, he was called Mochua. The parents of our saint had three sons. The most renowned among them was Cronan, who from his earliest youth seemed devoted without reserve, to the service of his Creator. Having renounced the ])leasures of this world, and having left his parents, Cronan became initiated in the practices of a religious life, under the government of some holy directors. Our saint was joined in his religious profession, as in relationship,withSt. Mobai. Thislatter,andlikewiseSt. Mochonna,wasa cousin to St. Cronan.
Having directed his course to the province of Connaught, our saint dwelt
there,asweareinformed,andneartoaplace,calledPuayd. 33 Norwasit
long, until attracted by his fame and sanctity, many placed themselves under
his spiritual guidance. It is said, that while in this place, our saint saw a
man, who was about to be executed, according to the king's command.
Moved with compassion, Cronan entreated the monarch to grant him pardon.
This request was refused, and the man was accordingly cast into a lake,
called Feas-ruayd. ''* Here his body was supposed to lie beneath the water,
for a great part of the day ; when, at last, in the presence of the king, the
drowned man was seen approaching towards the shore. Much astonished,
theruleraskedhowhehademerged. Thenanswerwasgiven,thatwhilehe
was under the water, Cronan seemed to cherish him in his bosom, and after-
wards to conduct him safely towards the shore. On hearing this, the king
wasmovedtocompassion,andhethengavethemanhisliberty. Meanwhile,
on bended knees, the king acknowledged God's power, manifest through his
servant Cronan. 35 At another time, and while in the same place, our saint
and his disciples were walking near a large cairn, 3* or sepulchre, on the road-
""
side. Father," they said, if the occupier of this tomb could speak, he
would be able to relate many things, unknown to us. " The saint replied, it would be an easy matter for God to grant. Saying this, he went to the tomb, and blessing it, Cronan ordered the dead to arise, in the name Christ. A man of large stature immediately arose, and told them, that living the life of a heathen, he had been buried in a certain place in hell. Earnestly he en- treated, at the same time, the grace of Christian baptism. Being baptized, he gave thanks to God, and to his saint, and afterwards he slept in the Lord. 3J
" On tlie Calendar of Oengus," p. Ixxvii. "Transactions of the Royal Iiish Academy," Irish Manuscript Scrits, vol. i.
=' Munster. It is said to have been in North
"> 'I'here is a parish of this name, in the
"
Ecclesiastical Hi>tory of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , sect, ii. , n. 23, p. 9.
3< Under . such name, it has not Ix en iden- tifii'd; but,itseemsmorethanprobable,not to be distinguished from PAayd.
33. See "'Acta Sanctorum," torn, iii. , Ap-
rilis xxviii. , Vita S. Cronani, cap. i. , num. 2,
p. 580.
-' Some of the cairns are evidently sepul-
chrnl, and they cuniaiu urns, stone che. sts
of Lower Bunratty, and its bounds
are defined, on the '-Ordnance Survey in Connaught called Puayd. '' Ur. Langans
Barony
Townlaiid Maps for the County of Clare," sheets 42, 43, 51. .
the commentator confounds our saint's place, with that of St. Luchtighern,
who is vtncratfd on tliis same day.
3' In Theatra Geogr^^phico Nfonarchias
Britannicie, John Speed calls it Haly, a little terriioiy, included within the Ki\ers Shan-
Hi'osn. -i and Nore, and v»hicli he places within the King's County, and in the Pro- vince of Leinstei .
3' Ele territory does uot appear to have
non,
3°
Perliaps,
ever extended beyond the Shannon ; nor within it can we find a local denomination of Tuaim Findlocha.
33 " Whetherthe Prope gurgitem Puayd.
author meant by gurgitein a pool, or a gulf, I cannot determine ; nor cm 1 find any place
—
"
Conversations Lexicon," vol. 1. , p 796.
and bones. See
I'opulai >. yclooedia ; or
April 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 519
At another time, St. Cronanand St. Mobay were guests with St. Kieran3'
ofClonmacnoise. 39 Afterdinner,takingaportionofhisfoodtliatremained,
Cronan distributed it, according to his custom, among the poor. Mobay left
his for use. this, tlie abbot " There shall be portion community Hearing said,
this difference between the places of both saints ; that of Cronan shall
abound with riches and charity, while that of Mobay shall be otherwise dis-
tinguished. " Again, when Cronan was alone in the same place, and praying at a certain house, some lepers came to him, but stood without, not wishing to interrupt his devotions. This being known to the saint, he prayed to God for them ; while, full of fiiith, these lepers washed themselves in water, which flowed from the roof of that house, in which Cronan resided ; for, at the time,
a great shower of rain was falling. Being cured of tlieir leprosy, they gave thanks to God, and to his saint. <° Leaving the place of his first settlement, Sl Cronan began to build many other liouses to God's honour, and to that of His Virgin Mother. Such was his disinterestedness, that not only did he leave houses he already occupied, to those who were in need of tliem, but even all things they contained, wiiile he set out in quest of a new habitation. *' He came to a certain place, within the present barony of Garrycastle, and in the King's County. It was called Lusmag,*' or Lusmagh,'»3 which means "a grassy plain. " It was situated, in the vicinity of tlie River Shannon.
Wiiile hving there, he performed many miracles. One day, being in a neigh- bouring wood, he saw a deer passing by, and, on i)eing called by the saint, it approached, took an apple from his hand, and became domesticated, until at last it was allowed to return into its native woods. ** On one occasion, Cronan asked a certain scribe, named l)im,i,*5 to write for him the text of the Gospels. Bur, the scribe wished to limit this labour to the duration of one day. Cronanthentoldhim,towritewithoutceasing,untilthesunshouldset. It is said, that for forty days and nights, the sun continued to shed its rays through the windows, and on the writer. During that whole period, Dima
felt no necessity for eating, drinking or sleeping ; while, he was so little wearied by his continuous labour, as to suppose this time not to have exceeded the limits of a natural day. This copy of the Gospels was not less beautifully than accurately written, by Dima. ** When such a miracle was known, many
" See " Acta Sanctorum," torn, iii. , xxviii. Aptilis.
104
Jocelinum, ut
3
See idid. Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap.
xciii. , p. 86, and n. 104, p, 113.
< See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. ii. , p. 1107, and n. (o). 5 It is shown, in the barony of Clonlonan,
"
on the
for the County ol Westmeath," sheets 29, 30, 35, 36. Fariirum townland is on sheets 29. 35-
Ordnance Survey 'I'ownland Maps
"" bee "Acta tomus Sanctorum,"
iii. , Aprilis XX vii. Among the pretermitted saints,
ad
in illo, vel saltern in Marimi Gormani ac
:
abest a nostro
April 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 515
of April. About his time and place, we are uninformed. However, on this
day was celebrated a festival, in honour of Ultan, brother of Fursa, as we find
recorded, in the Martyrology of Donegal. " At the ist of May, and at the
31st of October, there are more particular notices of St. Fursey's^ martyred brother St. Ultan.
Article VI. —St. Leccax, Bishop. To bishops are specially recom-
mendedthedutyandpracticeofpreachingGod'sholyword. Thescriptural recommendations come with ten-fold force from those, who put the most diffi- cult of them into a daily exercise, and who acquire them by habit. Accord- ing to the Martyrology of Donegal," veneration was given on this day to Leccan, a Bishop, who faithfully fultilled his varied duties.
Article VII. —St. Baain. Veneration was paid to Baain, at this date,
as we find recorded, in the published Martyrology of Tallagh. ' A similar entry is in the Franciscan copy. "
ArticleVIII. —St. Furudrain. Afestival,inhonourofFurudrain,is
set down, in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 27th of April. In the Franciscan copy, we have a similar reading. "
Article IX —St. Fergusa. The name F'ergusa, without any further designation, appears in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 27th ot April.
Article X. —Feast of St. Trudpert, Martyr, and Hermit, in Brisgau, Germany. \ Sixth and Sei'entli Centuries. ^ Owing to the occur- rence of the Festival of St. Cletus and of St. Marcellinus, PontifTs, in the Church of Constance, by prescription of the Roman Breviary, the Office of St. Trudpert, with full Lessons from his Life for the Second Nocturn, is recited there, on the 27th of April. ' His Acts may be seen, at the previous day.
Article XI. —Festival of Alexander, Abbot of Rome. In the ""
'"' See HistoriaEcclesiasticiGentisSco-
Feilire of St. . ^ngus,' the noble and pious Alexander, Abbot of Rome,
torum," lomusii. , lilj. vi. , num. 509.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Aprilisxxvii. Among the pretermiited saints,
p. 474.
Article v. — Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
p. xxii. The Franciscan copy enters uLcAn, at the v. of the May K:ilends.
Article ix. — Kditeii by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxii. Tlie Franciscan copy, likewise, has the entry of fep^ufd.
' Edited
112, 113.
liy
Dts. Todd and Reeves,
pp.
5 — the See his Life, at
of
l6th January.
Whitley Stokes, LL. U. ,
is found
:
'
. \RTICLE VI. E'iited by and
Reeves, pp. 112, —113.
Article vii. 'Edited by
Kelly, p. xxii.
' Thus noted b^—ain.
Article viii. Edited by
Kelly, p. xxii.
Rev. Dr.
Rev. Dr.
himocuipcif AinpL hicd)\ci\Atb cij,cliei)-eo <iLe3C4ti-Dii\ u. \f<\l,
<ibb Uom<ie inc|vefeTi.
Dr<. Todd
Thus,itisgiven,pu]\UT>i\<iiri. '
—
goia, Proloyus, sect. 2, p. 425.
Article xi. —' In the " Leabhar Breac"
version, the followinj; stanza, iran—slated by
Article x.
"Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Aprilis xxvi. De . S. Tru Iperto Martyre, Eremita in Bris-
"
Angels used to carry him out, though be
'
See the Bollandists'
5i6 LIVES OF THE IRIS. H SAINTS. [April 28.
has a festival assigned him, at the 27th of April. He is not mentioned, by the Bollandists, at tliis date ; nor elsewhere, do I find him, except in the Franciscan copy of the Tallagh Martyrology. '
Article XII. —Feast of Eusebius, Companion of St. Regulus, Scotland. In the Scottish entries of theKalendar of David Camerarius,'at the 27th of April,'' there is a notice of St. Eusebius, one of the companions of St.
How far he can be claimed as a Scottish saint does not seem to be very clear.
Cluenti|). 'eigl)tl) I3au of SlpiiU
ARTICLE I. —ST. CRONAN, ABBOT AND PATRON OF ROSCRE. A, COUNTY OF TIPPERARY.
[SIXTH AND SEVENTH CENTUJiZES. ]
CHAPTER I .
INTRODUCTION—LIVES OF ST. CRONAN—HIS I'ARENTAGE, BIRTH AND NATAL PLACE—HE EMBRACES A RELIGIOUS PROFESSION. AND HE PROCEEDS TO CONNAUGHT—MANY DIS- CIPLES LIVE THERE UNDER HIM—HE BUILDS SEVERAL RELIGIOUS HOUSES, AND THEN TAKES UP HIS ABODE AT LUSMAGH—THE SCRIBE DIMA—VARIOUS MIRACLES WROUGHT BY ST. CRONAN.
impression, which the personal excellence of man makes over
tradition preserves the fame of our many local saints.
There is Vita S. Cronani ' still preserved, and among those Manuscripts,
belonging to Trinity College, Dublin. Again, in the Codex Kiikenniensis,' belonging to Marsh's Library, Dublin, his Life is to be found,3 in that Manu-
script, assigned to tlie thirteenth century. Besides, there is a Vita S. Cronani,'*
in a Manuscript,5 belonging to the Library of the Duke of Burgundy, at Bruxelles. Father John Coigan intended to give his Acts, which he had ready
Regulus. 3
THAT is often
man, very wonderful; but,
the influence of a saint over his fellow mortals is sure to bring many to the practice of a virtuous life. Thou- sands approach him, in his time, witli feelings of deep reverence. Tliese happily experienced on leaving him, that they found religious consolation, which so many seek, and which still greater numbers unfortunately neglect obtaining. A saint's influence lives on, and among our Celtic ancestors, the mementoes of his virtues were recorded. Even when records have perished,
went in dungeons, noble Alexander, Abbot
with the
March. Article
—Chapter —
' Itis
ofRome,the '
one. "
At the vth of the May Kalends, we meet
1.
E. 3. II. , and it commences at fol. 55.
pious
entry, <Xle. \<),ti-o)M.
i.
' Under the heading St. Cronanus, fol. 89 to 91.
* This is found, in a. Salamancan Manu-
script.
s Vol. xxii. , at fol. 147.
Article xii. —' Thus " 27 Die. Sane-
' A vellum folio.
tus Eusebius Sancti Reguli socius. "
° See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scot-
tish Saints," p. 237.
3 See an account of him, at the 30th of
:
classed,
i
Rev. Dr.
King's County. "— Lanigan's
April 28. ] Z/yJSS OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 517
for publication, at this date. ^ The Bollandists ^ have presented a Vita S. Cronani, in their great collection. ^ This Life, in the opinion of Father Pape-
broke,9 was written by a monk or cleric, belonging to Roscrea, and some four or five centuries after our saint's death, for the use and edification of the brethren connected with that monastery. The author of this composition is unknown, but he appears to have indulged in exaggerated statements, or somewhat doubtful traditionary accounts, concerning the subject of his bio- graphy. '" A previous commentary is added ; and, the Acts of St. Cronan are divided into three chapters, comprising eighteen distinct paragraphs, with notes. A more perfect copy was procured, by Father Thomas Sirinus, as the Salamancan Manuscript, used by the Bollandists, was mutilated. " The Protestant Archbishop Ussher of Armagh quotes a Life of St. Cronan, and he gives some extracts from it ;" while this seems to have been in no manner different from the Acts, to which allusion has been made, and which are still preserved in Marsh's Library. Bishop Challoner '3 has inserted a few short notices regarding this saint, and these are chiefly extracted from Ussher. At the 28th of April, we find biographical particulars of St. Cronan, Abbot of Roscrea, in Rev. Alban Butler's, '< Rev. Dr. Lanigan's. 's and Rev. S. Baring- Gould's'*works. Amerenoticeofhimoccurs,in"LesPetitsBollaudistes Vies des Saints. '"?
His father, who was called Hodran,'' belonged to the district of Hely
0'Carroll,'9 which was in the eastern part of Munster, and on the western
boundary of Leinster, adjoining the territory of Ossory. *° His mother," named Coemri, was from the Corcobaschin district, in the western part of the present County Clare. " We are told,^3 that the mother of our saint, the mother of St. Mobai,'* and the mother of St. Mochonna,*' were three sisters. '*
'"
See Catalogus Actuum Sanctorum
quae MS. habentur, ordine Mensium et Dierum. "
' See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Ap- ribs xxviii. De Sancto Cronano, Abbate
p. 8.
' He is the editor of this Tract.
'" The two last sections of the Third
Chapter were supplied, by Fatlier Thomas Sheeran, of the Irish Franciscan house, at I. ouvain.
". See "Acta Sanctorum," tom. iii. ,
indeed, this is a correction made by Arch- bishop Ussher.
'» " That district, or at least a part of it,
is, as often observed, now comprised in the
Koscreensi in to Hibernia, pp. 579
"
Ecclesiastical of
History Ireland,"
vol. iii. ,
583.
' The Rev. Dr. Lanigan calls it " a re- spectable and very circumstantial docu- ment. "—"Ecclesiastical History of . Ire- land," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , sect, ii. , n. 20,
chap, xvii. , sect, ii. , n. 21, p. 9.
"" Thus it is located, in the Life of St.
Mochoemoc or Pulcherius, published by
Colgan, at the 13th day of March,
" North of the River Shannon.
" According to the account left us in the
Salamancan Manuscript, published by the Bollandists.
"\\'e read in the Vita S. Cronani: " Mater S. Cronani et S. Mobai mater, et mater S. —Mochoniiae tres germanae sorores
»s He might have been an Abbot, bearing that name, and who seems to have governed a monastery, somewhere in Leinster. He was living in St. Kevin's time. See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernia," viii. Martii, De S. Mochonna, Abbate, p. 505. However, the Rev. Dr. Laniyan remarks, "as there were other St. Mochonnas about th—at period this
xxviii. Aprilis, num. 10, p. 580. ""
fuerunt. " Cap. i. ,
See Antiquitates liritannicarum F. c- clesiarum," cap. xvii. , p. 502.
sect. i.
•< His identity has not been discovered.
'^ See "Britannia Sancta," part i. , p. a68.
'* Sec " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs
and other principal Saints," vol. , iv. , April xxviii.
'5 See "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , «ect. ii. , pp. 6 to 10.
'See "Lives of the Samts," vol. iv. ,
April 28, pp. 361, 362.
''See tome v. , xxviii' Jour d'Avril,
p. 57.
" More probably Odran, a name which
was known in that part of the country ; and,
"Ecclesias- tical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap.
pointmust remain undecided. "
xvii. , sect, ii, n. 22, p. 9.
»* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
Apiilis xxviii. , p. 580.
'' See the edition of Dr. Whitley Stokes,
5i8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 28.
With regard to lier celebrated son, if we are to credit the conjecture of a Scholiast on tlie Festilogy of St. ^ngus. '? he was born at Tuaim Findlocha,'*
whicii place may be rendered Tomfinlough/"s However, other accounts seem to be irreconcilable with such a statement \'° for, they have it, that St. CionanwasanativeofF;ie,3'intheprovinceofMunster. 3= Atfirst,aswe are informed, he was called Mochua. The parents of our saint had three sons. The most renowned among them was Cronan, who from his earliest youth seemed devoted without reserve, to the service of his Creator. Having renounced the ])leasures of this world, and having left his parents, Cronan became initiated in the practices of a religious life, under the government of some holy directors. Our saint was joined in his religious profession, as in relationship,withSt. Mobai. Thislatter,andlikewiseSt. Mochonna,wasa cousin to St. Cronan.
Having directed his course to the province of Connaught, our saint dwelt
there,asweareinformed,andneartoaplace,calledPuayd. 33 Norwasit
long, until attracted by his fame and sanctity, many placed themselves under
his spiritual guidance. It is said, that while in this place, our saint saw a
man, who was about to be executed, according to the king's command.
Moved with compassion, Cronan entreated the monarch to grant him pardon.
This request was refused, and the man was accordingly cast into a lake,
called Feas-ruayd. ''* Here his body was supposed to lie beneath the water,
for a great part of the day ; when, at last, in the presence of the king, the
drowned man was seen approaching towards the shore. Much astonished,
theruleraskedhowhehademerged. Thenanswerwasgiven,thatwhilehe
was under the water, Cronan seemed to cherish him in his bosom, and after-
wards to conduct him safely towards the shore. On hearing this, the king
wasmovedtocompassion,andhethengavethemanhisliberty. Meanwhile,
on bended knees, the king acknowledged God's power, manifest through his
servant Cronan. 35 At another time, and while in the same place, our saint
and his disciples were walking near a large cairn, 3* or sepulchre, on the road-
""
side. Father," they said, if the occupier of this tomb could speak, he
would be able to relate many things, unknown to us. " The saint replied, it would be an easy matter for God to grant. Saying this, he went to the tomb, and blessing it, Cronan ordered the dead to arise, in the name Christ. A man of large stature immediately arose, and told them, that living the life of a heathen, he had been buried in a certain place in hell. Earnestly he en- treated, at the same time, the grace of Christian baptism. Being baptized, he gave thanks to God, and to his saint, and afterwards he slept in the Lord. 3J
" On tlie Calendar of Oengus," p. Ixxvii. "Transactions of the Royal Iiish Academy," Irish Manuscript Scrits, vol. i.
=' Munster. It is said to have been in North
"> 'I'here is a parish of this name, in the
"
Ecclesiastical Hi>tory of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , sect, ii. , n. 23, p. 9.
3< Under . such name, it has not Ix en iden- tifii'd; but,itseemsmorethanprobable,not to be distinguished from PAayd.
33. See "'Acta Sanctorum," torn, iii. , Ap-
rilis xxviii. , Vita S. Cronani, cap. i. , num. 2,
p. 580.
-' Some of the cairns are evidently sepul-
chrnl, and they cuniaiu urns, stone che. sts
of Lower Bunratty, and its bounds
are defined, on the '-Ordnance Survey in Connaught called Puayd. '' Ur. Langans
Barony
Townlaiid Maps for the County of Clare," sheets 42, 43, 51. .
the commentator confounds our saint's place, with that of St. Luchtighern,
who is vtncratfd on tliis same day.
3' In Theatra Geogr^^phico Nfonarchias
Britannicie, John Speed calls it Haly, a little terriioiy, included within the Ki\ers Shan-
Hi'osn. -i and Nore, and v»hicli he places within the King's County, and in the Pro- vince of Leinstei .
3' Ele territory does uot appear to have
non,
3°
Perliaps,
ever extended beyond the Shannon ; nor within it can we find a local denomination of Tuaim Findlocha.
33 " Whetherthe Prope gurgitem Puayd.
author meant by gurgitein a pool, or a gulf, I cannot determine ; nor cm 1 find any place
—
"
Conversations Lexicon," vol. 1. , p 796.
and bones. See
I'opulai >. yclooedia ; or
April 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 519
At another time, St. Cronanand St. Mobay were guests with St. Kieran3'
ofClonmacnoise. 39 Afterdinner,takingaportionofhisfoodtliatremained,
Cronan distributed it, according to his custom, among the poor. Mobay left
his for use. this, tlie abbot " There shall be portion community Hearing said,
this difference between the places of both saints ; that of Cronan shall
abound with riches and charity, while that of Mobay shall be otherwise dis-
tinguished. " Again, when Cronan was alone in the same place, and praying at a certain house, some lepers came to him, but stood without, not wishing to interrupt his devotions. This being known to the saint, he prayed to God for them ; while, full of fiiith, these lepers washed themselves in water, which flowed from the roof of that house, in which Cronan resided ; for, at the time,
a great shower of rain was falling. Being cured of tlieir leprosy, they gave thanks to God, and to his saint. <° Leaving the place of his first settlement, Sl Cronan began to build many other liouses to God's honour, and to that of His Virgin Mother. Such was his disinterestedness, that not only did he leave houses he already occupied, to those who were in need of tliem, but even all things they contained, wiiile he set out in quest of a new habitation. *' He came to a certain place, within the present barony of Garrycastle, and in the King's County. It was called Lusmag,*' or Lusmagh,'»3 which means "a grassy plain. " It was situated, in the vicinity of tlie River Shannon.
Wiiile hving there, he performed many miracles. One day, being in a neigh- bouring wood, he saw a deer passing by, and, on i)eing called by the saint, it approached, took an apple from his hand, and became domesticated, until at last it was allowed to return into its native woods. ** On one occasion, Cronan asked a certain scribe, named l)im,i,*5 to write for him the text of the Gospels. Bur, the scribe wished to limit this labour to the duration of one day. Cronanthentoldhim,towritewithoutceasing,untilthesunshouldset. It is said, that for forty days and nights, the sun continued to shed its rays through the windows, and on the writer. During that whole period, Dima
felt no necessity for eating, drinking or sleeping ; while, he was so little wearied by his continuous labour, as to suppose this time not to have exceeded the limits of a natural day. This copy of the Gospels was not less beautifully than accurately written, by Dima. ** When such a miracle was known, many
" See " Acta Sanctorum," torn, iii. , xxviii. Aptilis.
