Com- gall that his alumnus should s—ettle at Dun
And there immortal honors he will : gain
Bleisce, its more ancient name
"SebATO ino 'DAtcAn iti tnu^
bbeii'ce.
And there immortal honors he will : gain
Bleisce, its more ancient name
"SebATO ino 'DAtcAn iti tnu^
bbeii'ce.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
Fintani, cap.
i.
, p.
'3 There were seven districts in Munster, according to Colgan, each division of which had been denominated Eoghanacht. He
gia," pars iii. cap. Ixvii. , p. 328, and "
44 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 3.
province/4 To the king Fintan had resolved on preaching God's holy word, but the dynast was unwilling to receive our saint on the object
of his mission. Hearing that Fintan, accompanied by a number of holy monks, was on the way, orders were despatched to certain mowers in a field to bar the further progress of God's servants on that highway by which these travelled. At the same time the king expressed himself in very opprobrious terms regarding his expected visitants, in calling them impos- tors or seducers. Having arrived at a place denominated Keall-ruis,^s where there was water, the mowers were stationed in a field to oppose their passage. In vain God's holy servants asked permission to proceed, but insult was added to the refusal. However a mighty tempest arose on the instant, and a great commotion of the elements ensued, accompanied by thunder and lightning. The very crops there matured began to blaze, while the mowers, unable to pass the hedges^^ on fire, were nearly blinded with smoke. Then humbly asking pardon for their offences, St. Fintan blessed some water, which was applied to their eyes, when the faculty of vision was restored. Wherefore these men bound themselves to his perpetual service. Not only were certain temporal possessions bestowed, but even their children, grand- children, and posterity, were dedicated to him, in the manner then understood by such engagements.
CHAPTER II.
ANCIENT IRISH ECCLESIASTICAL TRIBUTES—ST. FINTAN STUDIES UNDER ST. COMGALL— PIRATES INVADE BANGOR—MIRACLE WROUGHT BY ST. FINTAN—VARIOUS PLACES VISITED BY HIM—THE DUBH-LABHAR—REMARKABLE EXORCISM—ST. FINTAN SETTLES AT DOONE—VARIOUS RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENTS THERE—TOBAR FIONTAIN.
In the lives of our Irish saints we find several instances, similar to the fore-
going, Where individuals, families, and even whole clans, are said to have bound themselves and their posterity to the service of particular saints. The exact nature of these services is not definitely described ; but it may be supposed, in most instances, such vows or dedications included a bond, expressed or implied, of giving tribute in money or in kind, for the building, repair, or maintenance of churches, monasteries, or other religious establish- ments, and for the support of clerics or monks attached to them. ^
In a succeeding chapter of our sainfs acts, we have only a portion of the first sentence preserved. From this we learn how Fintan was in St. Comgall's school, where his master imposed a certain command, the nature of which is unknown. The remainder of this chapter was illegible in that copy of St. Fintan's Biography, which Colgan used, it having been blotted with ink;
* From these words, used by the writer
territory of Eoghanachta Ros-airgid.
round fields are obviously of remote origin, and incidental passages, like the present, may be discovered in the acts of Irish
and —
usages habits of our ancestors.
'
of St. Fintan's "nunc vero acts,
'* From this
Eog- hanacht dicitur," we are led to infer he
account, at an early date, agricultural operations seem to have been well carried on in Ireland. Hedges set
lived at a remote period. In Colgan's time,
and many years before, no district in Munster
had been commonly known by such a name.
'S
place, there was a church so called in the saints, serving to illustrate many social
Answering to the description of this
of and of territory Corcabaschind, kingdom
Thomond. It lay within the diocese of Killaloe, and in the southern part of the county Clare. It is Anglicised Kilrush.
However, Colgan supposes the place here mentioned was named Ros-airgid, in the
Chap. ii.
opinion, the reader is referred to St. Grellan's acts at the 1 7th of September, where a tribute of this kind was paid by the people of Hy- Maine.
In of this corroboration
January 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 45
but he infers from the imperfect sentence remaining, Fintan had been a disciple to St. Comgall, Abbot of Bangor,^ who there founded his celebrated school about the middle of the sixth century. 3 From such account we may
southern parts of Ireland.
From the acts of our saint, it is stated, that sea-rovers were accustomed
tohauntourshoresevenbeforetheDanishinvasionscommenced. St. Fintan once asked St. Finian of Maghbile,+ to lend him a book of the Gospels for purposes of study; but he could not obtain that favour. His master, St.
"
at least —that our saint was
suppose contemporaneous
with St. tobepresumed ofBangor,andthathemusthaveflourishedaftera. d. 550. In the fifth and sixth chapters of Fintan's life we have some rather doubtful incidents described, which appear as having reference to that time he spent with St. Comgall. From the names of places contained in this life, his future mission and miracles, for the most part, seem to have been confined to the
Comgall, heard of this refusal, and said to our saint :
If faithful, perhaps,
next day you will be in possession of that book of the Gospels. " On the
succeeding night St. Fintan and his companions, fearing the approach ot
pirates, were on guard at the port. s It had been rumoured that sea-rovers
were about to despoil St. Comgall's religious establishment. In the beginning of this same night, however, their course had been directed to Magh-bile, which was St. Finian's city, and, among other robberies there perpetrated, they took away the aforesaid book of Gospels. Then, by a circuitous route, those pirates reached that place where Fintan and his companions were on guard. They had resolved on attacking the city of Bangor. But, behold ! a large tree, near which St. Fintan watched and prayed, was suddenly uprooted by aviolenttempestandcastupontheirships,lyingneartheshore. Exceptone of these, all the other vessels were broken to pieces and submerged. The book of Gospels and other effects in possession of those pirates were then recovered.
St.
with his
had been —the companions, engaged reading Gospel
In the schools of Bangor, Scriptural studies were not neglected. As
Fintan,
during—a spring season, a certain leper came to St. Comgall so runs the legend and he demanded bread, which should be made from corn lately
ripened. At that season, it seemed impossible to procure what he required ; nevertheless, St. Fintan desired this leper to follow the oxen and plant seed in a field they were ploughing. Seed having been cast into the first furrow turned, com immediately grew up and ripened ; so that bread was obtained for this leper in a miraculous manner, and it was taken from grain thus prema- turely produced. ^
While Fintan was resting in a place called Kell Fintain,7 a certain very corpulent man, named Lothraid, then labouring under some loathsome bodily
He is said to have died of
iii. Januarii. Vita S. Fintani, cap. iv. , p. ii.
p. II, and nn. ii, 12, p. 13.
"t The feast of this saint is celebrated on
the I oth of — September.
s Of Bangor a semicircular bay at the
outer part of Belfast Lough, opening to the sea, and on the north shore of Down County. The harbour affords a refuge for fishing craft of considerable tonnage, and the town itself is now in easy commimication with Belfast by means of steamers, which arrive and depart daily.
distemper, ruled over this part of the country.
^ See his life at the lothof ^ May.
"Acta Sanctoram
3 Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," iii. Januarii. Vita S. Fintani, cap. v. , vi. ,
Colgan's
Hibemige,"
^ Dr. Lanigan says that this place was
" in. the of Lime- probably Killfinan, county
"" rick. " Ecclesiastical of
History Ireland, vol. ii. , chap, xii. , § xii. , n. 179, p. 234. See Ordnance Survey Townland Maps of the
County Limerick, sheet 48. There a St. Finnen's well is noted. Dr. O'Donovan, however, thinks Dr. Lanigan's identification of this place with Kill-Fintain, mentioned in the text, as very doubtful. See "Letters con- taining information relative to the antiquities
Comgall—
it is
46 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 3.
this complaint after he had become a great burden to himself and to his servants. Afterwards people living in this part of the country desired the saint to take up his abode there, so that they might manifest the highest respect towards him. But Fintan went to a place named Tulach Bennain,^ where he intended to reside. Certain British strangers, notwithstanding, would not allow him to remain in this place. Departing from it our saint
" Although you expel me hence you shall not be honored here, and
said
your name shall be known only to very few ; but a certain woman, and a stranger,willdwellinit,whilethesameplacewillhonorme. " Thisprophecy
:
inflict further on injury
any
human ^^ being.
of the County of Limerick, collected during
the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1840,"
vol. i. , p. 207.
^
Colgan remarks that both Kill-Fintan and Tulach Bennain were probably in Mun- ster. Yet he does not attempt to identify them. See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemias, iii. Januarii, n. 14, p. 13.
9 The Natalis of this virgin was observed
on the loth of April, according to the Mar-
tyrologies of Tallagh, Marianus O'Gorman, and the enlarger or commentator of ^ngus.
'"'
Another wonderful miracle is afterwards recorded as having taken place in Tulach Bennain.
"In the acts it is called "campana. "
Another name for a bell in Latin is "nola. "
These are comparatively modern terms to
express a more ancient name, "tintinnabu-
"
and Labhar, Labhj-a, or Labhairt, means
signifying "a little bell. " The former terms are thought to have come into use about the time of St. Jerome, when we are informed Paulinus, Bishop of Nola, a city in
'3 Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernite," iii. Januarii. Vita S. Fintani, cap. vii. , viii. , ix. , p. 13.
'• Colgan says, he appears to have been St. Cuanus, of Moethal Brogain, whose Natalis occurs on the lOthof July, according
to St. iEngus. The Martyrologies of Tal- lagh and Marianus O'Gorman state that his memory was venerated in the territory of Kenselach, in Leinster, and of the Decies, in Munster. Veneration was paid to other saints(Cuans)at the 15th and agthof October.
'S in Irish pagan mythology it was believed that local genii or evil spirits haunted certain places, and various legends are told concern- ing them.
'^ In a note, Colgan writes to state, that if
it be meant the demon there continued, and
was no longer able to injure any person, this is not to be regarded as irrational ; for, on earth, and in the air, as in hell, devils exist and use their tempting powers or arts against men, nor can they escape that punishment inflicted on them by the Almighty ; or, if the meaning be, that the demon entered and had been enclosed within a rock, leaving
lum,
Campania, first converted the "
''
tintinnabu- lum to sacred purposes, and used bells in
connection with his church services.
'^ Colgan thus interprets this word Dubh, which has the Latin signification of "nigra,"
A holy virgin named Ernait,^ daughter to King
was afterwards fulfilled.
Kiannacht, came from the northern part of Ireland, and dwelt in Tulach Bennain. ^° Afterwards St. Fintan went to a certain hill, which was called Cabhair, at a time the writer of his acts lived. There Fintan intended to
:
remain butanangelappearingsaidtohim "Itisnotdecreedthatyouwill
;
remain here ; however, this place must honor you, and, as token of my
promise, you shall see a bell coming hither through the air. " Wherefore, looking towards heaven, they saw a bell," which was heard tolling as it descended. It rested on a rock, and full in their presence. This bell was of a black colour ; hence it was called Dubh-labhar," which in Latin is inter-
"
preted, Nigra soiians, or in English,
objects among the Irish and Britons, it was formerly held in great veneration.
Much about the same time a rehgious man, named Cuan,'* sent one of his disciples to visit St. Fintan. Whilst this disciple moved on his way, it
was thought a demon approached and took bodily possession of him. Colgan's religious faith in this instance, and in many similar narratives, leads him to defend from censorious doubters the possibility of such an incident. Nor does he even find anything incredible in this narrative. St. Fintan is related to have exorcised this demon. Immediately he departed from the monk and entered a neighbouring rock. 'S By the power of God, we are told, he remained here in a state of perpetual imprisonment, not being able to
the black toller. "^^ Like many similar
"
sonus. "
January 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 47
After this occurrence, St. Fintain is said to have reached a place denomi- nated Dunbleisque. This the Lord had destined for his habitation. ^? It was situatedwithintheterritoryofCuanach,inMunster, Withhisusualextraor- dinary sagacity, when unveiling objects and names relating to Irish topography,
Dr. O'Donovan has been enabled to identify its precise locality,
^^
It is
identical with Doone, a parish situated partly in the barony of Owneybeg, but mostly in that of Coonagh, in the county of Limerick. '9 The townland Doone gave a distinctiveness to the parish, and its name is not of ecclesiastical origin. Thetownlandderivedits etymonfromanearthernDunwhichstillremains, and from a person named Blesc, who appears to have resided there, or from a river near the place. It is absolutely certain, this is the Dun Bleisce of ancient Irish writers. They describe the Dun as situated in the territory of
^
Convent of Mercy, and St. Fintan's Convent and Chapel, Doone.
Cuanach, and as having taken its name from Blesc. Here the original parish church was placed. Besides this one, there is no other church in the barony
some impress thereon, but not being able to Fintan, by whom the dun will be obtained —;
effect further mischief this is equally intelli- His city of sacred protection shall be gible and reasonable. In either case, God That which is called Dun-Bleiske.
might have wished to manifest his power over this demon through the merits and " prayersoftwoholymen. Itmightalsobe regarded as an instance of divine favour shown to his
can presume to question such possible exer-
cise of omnipotent bounty.
J^ree Translation.
My Dalta Fintan shall erect \i\%fane
At that old fort which now we Dun-Blesc
call
;
people.
'7 In the "Leabhar Breac," the following'
quartain is given as a prophecy of St.
Com- gall that his alumnus should s—ettle at Dun
And there immortal honors he will : gain
Bleisce, its more ancient name
"SebATO ino 'DAtcAn iti tnu^
bbeii'ce. "
ThedunoiBlesc andthenheshall ;
•oxxn ^'^\ AcliACAi]\ corriAbb n-jl^
all. "
'^ See his letter, dated Tipperary, August
•pincAti ^j&x fAjebcheiA "OiA m-bA coiii-Ainni •oun
" CountyofLimerick,"I. O. S. ,vol. i. , pp. 433,
Dr. O'Donovan
translation in the following version
"
:
the_/&;-/r^jj
parish
of Doone. Townland
My
little foster-son shall obtain [mur] J
Survey
Maps
No devout Christian
:
protect The poor and weak, and pray for mankind
a —lite^-al supplies very
434.
other in the objects
'9 See Ordnance
of the County of Limerick, sheet 16,
His
city
will a termon be to all.
—
or thus :
" My dear alumnus Fintan shall erect
His sacred city at the fort we call
1 8th, 1840.
Antiquarian Letters for the Afterwards follows some account of
48 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 3.
of Coonagh, the name of which begins with Doon. Every ambiguity is removed, however, by the existence, to this very day, of the patron saint's holy well.
The site of St. Fintan's old monastery is not known at present in Doone,
nor can the oldest inhabitant give any information as to where it stood, nor is
its existence even remembered in any current popular tradition. However,
about twenty years ago, an old church stood just opposite to the Mercy
Convent, which was then the dwelling of a former parish priest. This, it has
been supposed, must be the actual site of St. Fintan's Church, but at present
little or no trace of the ruins appear. This very spot is now occupied by a
^° potato garden.
Convent Schools of St. Fintan, Doone.
The Rev. Father Hickey, late parish priest of Doone, and Rev. Father O'Dwyer,C. C,hadagreatdevotionforSt. Fintan. " Whentheparishchurch was built they desired to place it under his protection ; but, at the time it was dedicated, they found it difficult to get any trustworthy information regarding the saint's biography. The Rev. Mr. Hickey left a provision for founding the Sisters' Convent of Mercy and Schools, with some land attached. ^^
The Christian Brothers' Schools, to be placed under the invocation of St. Fintan of Dunbleische, will form a very attractive feature in this locality. The Rev. Patrick Hickey, P. P. , Doon, who died in the year 1864, bequeathed
^° The foregoing and succeeding items of
information have been —
obligingly supplied by
Sister Mary Patrick Joseph a nun belong- ing to the Mercy Convent at Doone. The
St. Fintan, by Mr. Charles M. Grey, Gardi-
ner-street, Dublin.
he had expressed an intention to ask permis-
good and patriotic community there have
most kindly, and at their own expense, en-
gaged the services of an accomplished artist
and photographer, Mr. T. O'Connor, of
Limerick, to furnish these subjects : the arranging to obtain certified industrial Convent and Chapel of St. Fintan, engraved schools, which will greatly improve the by Mr. Oldham, and the Convent Schools of
'''
Before the death of Father O'Dwyer,
condition of the juvenile females of the neighbourhood, and it is intended to have this educational establishment dedicated to the local patron, St. Fintan,
sion from the
have St. Fintan's festival observed as a half holiday in the parish of Doone.
archbishop of the diocese to
^= The convent is not yet quite finished, and the Chapel of St. Fintan has yet to be
built ; but, according to the plans prefigured in the engraving, the Sisters of Mercy are
January 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 49
to the Rev. Br. P. Walsh, Director of the Christian Brothers' Schools, Limerick, sufficient funds for the establishment of a branch of their useful institute at Doon. The buildings, as in the annexed engraving,^3 are now nearlycompleted,accordingtotheprovisionsofhiswill; andinashorttime,
Christian Brothers' House and Schools of St. Fintan, Doone.
it is hoped, they must diffuse the blessings of a sound religious education in that neighbourhood. They are built about one hundred yards from the supposedoldsiteofSt. Fintan'sChurch. Thewellofthissaintflowsatthe other end of the village of Doone. ^'^ Tobar Fiontain is situated in a grove of fir trees, in the east comer of Lower Kilmoyhn townland. The people often make use of its water in cases of sickness. On the feast-day the peasantry were accustomed to assemble and pray beside St. Fintan's well. ^s it lies west of the road which nms through Kilmoylin townland. Many resorted thither to be healed of various infirmities.
"
The religious erections of the present day, and objects connected with the veneration of our early saints, may not interest an antiquary to the same degree that representations and descriptions of antique churches or monastic ruins might afford him pleasure. But, altogether apart from their utility and civilizing influences, modem churches, conventual establishments, charitable institutions, chapels,andschools,haveanarchaicvaluepeculiarlytheirown. Whenafew
»3 By Mr. Charles M. Grey, of Gardiner- 1840, in the "Limerick Letters of the Irish street, Dublin, from a photograph taken by Ordnance Survey," vol. i. , pp. 433, 434,
Mr. T. O'Connor, of Limerick. The cost has been kindly borne by Rev. Brother P. Walsh. To him, as to his admirable insti- tute and its members, the author feels bound to record his deep sense of obligation for practical and generous efforts made in sus- tainment of the work now commenced.
^ Dr. O'Donovan's letter of August l8th, Vol. L
R. I. A.
^5 It is accurately represented in a sketch of Mr. T. O'Connor, from which the an-
nexed woodcut, by Mrs. Millard, has been
engraved.
^"Original Poems and Ljrrics," by
Stephen Nolan Elrington, Jun. , "The Blind Girl," p. 69.
They have left their cot for the holy well, Near the cross, in the valley flowing ; Its bright blue tide hath a seraph's spell,
Light and joy to the blind bestowing. "^
56 LIV£S OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 3.
hundred years shall have passed, future generations will desire to realize
some idea of our present religious foundations ;
and, it is to be hoped,
national
feeling
mustbe gratified to know that in our
day so many had been dedicated under the invoca- tion of Irish saints.
Exact pictorial il- lustrations will best
•
for all time the forms of
buildings, which,
preserve
various accidents, may lapse into ruins, or which may be
replaced by further
architectural chan-
ges or erections.
However much
some persons may object to several
through
long devotional
established
prac- tices of the people at holy wells on the feasts of saints,
who
blessed them many centuries ago with solemn rites and ceremonies ; yet, as in the case of Tobar
Fiontain, surviving usage on the patron day has
probably
St. FIntan's Holy Well on the festival day at Doone.
or pilgrimage,"withapeculiarimportance,sinceitservedasacluetodis- cover the special patron saint of Doone parish.
CHAPTER III.
ENTERTAINMENT AND PREDICTION OF ST. FINTAN—MIRACULOUS INCIDENTS—BESTOWAL OF KILL-MAITOGE—CHARITY OF ST. FINTAN—HIS MIRACLES—REPUTED LONGEVITY —FESTIVAL DAY AND ITS CELEBRATION AT DOONE—CHARACTER OF THE SAINT, AND CONCLUSION.
At Dunbleisque'' St. Fintan was received with much honour, and he was hospitably entertained by Columbanus, son to Kynchadha. The flesh of a
invested the turas, "
Chap, hi,—' By some it is called Dun-
flesche, according to Colgan. The Irish
Commentator on St. ^ngus, using Latin, as he often does, at the 3rd day of January, deduces the etymology of this word from an evil woman called Blesc, who lived there,
or from a swineherd of the king who ruled over Ua-Cuanach, now the barony of Coon-
agh, county Limerick ; or from Flesk, the name of a river, so called from a former city near its banks.
January 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 51
cow and calf, with some milk, had been prepared at a banquet, where seven companions sat down with St. Fintan. One of these was his brother, named
Finlogh, or Finloghait. ^ Fintan predicted that his brother should pass over the sea and die an exile from his native country. At a time when the author
of our saint's acts flourished, Finlog's memory was venerated in many places.
"
Columbanus,3 the entertainer of our saint, said to Fintan,
I assign this
place to thee, and for thy honour. Show me, therefore, that spot to which I
mustremove. " St. Fintan,hiscompanions,andSt. Columbanus,wentsouth
of the city, and near its principal street. There a mutual agreement was
entered into between those saints. Columbanus asked how his baggage
should be conveyed. Fintan then rang his bell. Immediately two deer*
issued from an adjoining wood, and tamely presented themselves before those
devout men. Having placed St. Columbanus' effects on the horns of one,
where Finlogh found a vessel. On board of this he passed over into Alba- nia. 5 As had been ordained, in Scotland he lived and died. Afterwards he there awaited a future resurrection of the living and dead. ^
On a certain day, being afflicted with a grievous headache, an attendant,
our saint " O said,
follow this deer wheresoever he shall cede until you come to where foxes shall issue from their dens, and there shall you remain. " Having placed the luggage of his brother, Finlogh, on
Columbanus,
pre-
the horns of the other Fintan then deer,
'' Do follow this animal in you
said,
whatever direction he shall go. " That course taken led towards the sea,
named
Feradach, coming
to St. " there Fintan, said, To-day
appear " And
to be
of health and in
joy your
countenance. " Fintan
signs
shouldIrejoice; foronto-morrowourdearly-belovedfriend,Columba,shall come to visit us. Therefore do you quickly prepare some com for the mill. " " That I would
said " if there were water to turn it. " Feradach,
willingly do,"
However, through the intervention of St. Fintan the mill-stone began to move and to grind for three days and three nights without cessation. This was looked upon as a great miracle, because there had been no water or human assistance afforded during the process of grinding. During this visit which was made to our saint, with whom Columba and a number of holy men remained for some time, abundance of bread was supplied for their use. Then St. Columba bestowed in perpetuity to St. Fintan a city, which was called Kell-maitoge,7 with all those services due by its inhabitants to the possessor.
^
His festival is likewise observed on this
s From the circumstance that the writer of this life of our saint called Scotia Minor, or North Britain, by the name Albania. Col- gan is of opinion he must have flourished at least 500 years, if not more, previous to the time at which Colgan himself wrote, From the epoch of St. Bernard, who lived in the twelfth century, Scotland was not called Albania, but rather Scotia.
^Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," iii. Januarii. Vita S. Fintani, cap. x. , xi. , xii. , pp. 11, 12.
' In a note at this word, Colgan says he knows not whether Cell Martoige, Mac- toige, or rather Maodhoige, should be read, The Martyrologies of Tallagh, Marianus O'Gorman, and the commentator on iEngus, treat of a St. Mattocus, at the 25th of April, But Colgan knew not where a church had beendedicatedtohismemory. Inthedio- cese and county of Kildare, in the Leinster province, there is a place called Cell-Mao-
day, and some accomit of him follows im-
mediately after the present biography.
3 Colgan has reason to suppose that this Columbanus was a holy man ; but he is at a loss to discover among many saints bearing this same name who he was. Colgan offers a conjecture, however, that he may have been identical with Columbanus, or Colu- manus, abbot, son to Kortgidh. According to the Martyrologies of Tallagh, Marianus O'Gorman, and^ngus, he was venerated on the 1 8th of October. Perchance some error had been perpetrated by the writer of these acts, or his copyist, when calling him son to Kynchadha instead of Korchidh or Cor- chidha.
'' In connexion with legends relating to our saints deer are frequently introduced ; while these timid and wild animals are most generally represented as obedient to the com-
mand or serving the purposes of holy persons.
repHed,
justly
52 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 3.
While St. Fintan was stopping near a great river^ in the city of Tyr-da- glass,9 certain mimics and buffoons approached him. They asked Fintan to
He told them truly he had not what
to remove this fish's bones, they found it impossible to separate them, even "
by the aid of an iron instrument. Whereupon they said, Although our fish is a tough one, however, it shall not be left here by us. " Taking their depar- ture, they then carried it along with them ; but an eagle, hovering over their party, suddenly descended, and snatching away the fish, bore it to a tree. Thisstoodoverthewellalreadymentioned. Thefishwasdroppedintothe spring whence it had been taken. " The author of our saint's acts informs us, that for the sake of brevity he omitted writing many other miracles that, through Fintan, the Almighty was pleased to effect. He adds, also, on account of the numerous miracles which Fintan wrought and continued to work in his biographer's time, it would be impossible for man to recount, or even to retain them in memory.
In his Acts, our saint is said to have attained the incredible age of 260 years," and to have been quite decrepit at the time of his death. The year when this occurred is not recorded. His ancient biographer asserts, that God, who can accomplish whatever He pleases on the earth, in heaven, on the sea, or under the abyss, was specially desirous of prolonging St. Fintan's life. '3 When very old, this saint's cheeks were furrowed by wrinkles.
The author of St. Fintan's Acts gives us no particulars regarding the day and year of his death. "* Nor even does he mention that particular place
supply them with some fish to eat.
One of the mimics then
thou art that holy man thou art said to be, we shall easily obtain what we
they sought.
said,
" The water is near and if thee,
*' It is not more difficult for the to Almighty procure
ask. " ^° Fintan
a fish than to produce the water itself. " Then calling his disciples, he sent them to a well which lay nearer to them than the river. In a vessel, together with some water, they brought a large fish. But when those mimics thought
replied,
dog ; yet it cannot with certainty be affirmed that this was the locahty alluded to in the
might have been written for clx. or cxl. It is said that Irish biography affords many instances of life having been prolonged to 140 or even to 160 years.
text. Colgan adds, that from this passage
we may infer St. Fintan lived before A. D.
565, when St. Columkille left Ireland; or
at least before a.
'3 There were seven districts in Munster, according to Colgan, each division of which had been denominated Eoghanacht. He
gia," pars iii. cap. Ixvii. , p. 328, and "
44 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 3.
province/4 To the king Fintan had resolved on preaching God's holy word, but the dynast was unwilling to receive our saint on the object
of his mission. Hearing that Fintan, accompanied by a number of holy monks, was on the way, orders were despatched to certain mowers in a field to bar the further progress of God's servants on that highway by which these travelled. At the same time the king expressed himself in very opprobrious terms regarding his expected visitants, in calling them impos- tors or seducers. Having arrived at a place denominated Keall-ruis,^s where there was water, the mowers were stationed in a field to oppose their passage. In vain God's holy servants asked permission to proceed, but insult was added to the refusal. However a mighty tempest arose on the instant, and a great commotion of the elements ensued, accompanied by thunder and lightning. The very crops there matured began to blaze, while the mowers, unable to pass the hedges^^ on fire, were nearly blinded with smoke. Then humbly asking pardon for their offences, St. Fintan blessed some water, which was applied to their eyes, when the faculty of vision was restored. Wherefore these men bound themselves to his perpetual service. Not only were certain temporal possessions bestowed, but even their children, grand- children, and posterity, were dedicated to him, in the manner then understood by such engagements.
CHAPTER II.
ANCIENT IRISH ECCLESIASTICAL TRIBUTES—ST. FINTAN STUDIES UNDER ST. COMGALL— PIRATES INVADE BANGOR—MIRACLE WROUGHT BY ST. FINTAN—VARIOUS PLACES VISITED BY HIM—THE DUBH-LABHAR—REMARKABLE EXORCISM—ST. FINTAN SETTLES AT DOONE—VARIOUS RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENTS THERE—TOBAR FIONTAIN.
In the lives of our Irish saints we find several instances, similar to the fore-
going, Where individuals, families, and even whole clans, are said to have bound themselves and their posterity to the service of particular saints. The exact nature of these services is not definitely described ; but it may be supposed, in most instances, such vows or dedications included a bond, expressed or implied, of giving tribute in money or in kind, for the building, repair, or maintenance of churches, monasteries, or other religious establish- ments, and for the support of clerics or monks attached to them. ^
In a succeeding chapter of our sainfs acts, we have only a portion of the first sentence preserved. From this we learn how Fintan was in St. Comgall's school, where his master imposed a certain command, the nature of which is unknown. The remainder of this chapter was illegible in that copy of St. Fintan's Biography, which Colgan used, it having been blotted with ink;
* From these words, used by the writer
territory of Eoghanachta Ros-airgid.
round fields are obviously of remote origin, and incidental passages, like the present, may be discovered in the acts of Irish
and —
usages habits of our ancestors.
'
of St. Fintan's "nunc vero acts,
'* From this
Eog- hanacht dicitur," we are led to infer he
account, at an early date, agricultural operations seem to have been well carried on in Ireland. Hedges set
lived at a remote period. In Colgan's time,
and many years before, no district in Munster
had been commonly known by such a name.
'S
place, there was a church so called in the saints, serving to illustrate many social
Answering to the description of this
of and of territory Corcabaschind, kingdom
Thomond. It lay within the diocese of Killaloe, and in the southern part of the county Clare. It is Anglicised Kilrush.
However, Colgan supposes the place here mentioned was named Ros-airgid, in the
Chap. ii.
opinion, the reader is referred to St. Grellan's acts at the 1 7th of September, where a tribute of this kind was paid by the people of Hy- Maine.
In of this corroboration
January 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 45
but he infers from the imperfect sentence remaining, Fintan had been a disciple to St. Comgall, Abbot of Bangor,^ who there founded his celebrated school about the middle of the sixth century. 3 From such account we may
southern parts of Ireland.
From the acts of our saint, it is stated, that sea-rovers were accustomed
tohauntourshoresevenbeforetheDanishinvasionscommenced. St. Fintan once asked St. Finian of Maghbile,+ to lend him a book of the Gospels for purposes of study; but he could not obtain that favour. His master, St.
"
at least —that our saint was
suppose contemporaneous
with St. tobepresumed ofBangor,andthathemusthaveflourishedaftera. d. 550. In the fifth and sixth chapters of Fintan's life we have some rather doubtful incidents described, which appear as having reference to that time he spent with St. Comgall. From the names of places contained in this life, his future mission and miracles, for the most part, seem to have been confined to the
Comgall, heard of this refusal, and said to our saint :
If faithful, perhaps,
next day you will be in possession of that book of the Gospels. " On the
succeeding night St. Fintan and his companions, fearing the approach ot
pirates, were on guard at the port. s It had been rumoured that sea-rovers
were about to despoil St. Comgall's religious establishment. In the beginning of this same night, however, their course had been directed to Magh-bile, which was St. Finian's city, and, among other robberies there perpetrated, they took away the aforesaid book of Gospels. Then, by a circuitous route, those pirates reached that place where Fintan and his companions were on guard. They had resolved on attacking the city of Bangor. But, behold ! a large tree, near which St. Fintan watched and prayed, was suddenly uprooted by aviolenttempestandcastupontheirships,lyingneartheshore. Exceptone of these, all the other vessels were broken to pieces and submerged. The book of Gospels and other effects in possession of those pirates were then recovered.
St.
with his
had been —the companions, engaged reading Gospel
In the schools of Bangor, Scriptural studies were not neglected. As
Fintan,
during—a spring season, a certain leper came to St. Comgall so runs the legend and he demanded bread, which should be made from corn lately
ripened. At that season, it seemed impossible to procure what he required ; nevertheless, St. Fintan desired this leper to follow the oxen and plant seed in a field they were ploughing. Seed having been cast into the first furrow turned, com immediately grew up and ripened ; so that bread was obtained for this leper in a miraculous manner, and it was taken from grain thus prema- turely produced. ^
While Fintan was resting in a place called Kell Fintain,7 a certain very corpulent man, named Lothraid, then labouring under some loathsome bodily
He is said to have died of
iii. Januarii. Vita S. Fintani, cap. iv. , p. ii.
p. II, and nn. ii, 12, p. 13.
"t The feast of this saint is celebrated on
the I oth of — September.
s Of Bangor a semicircular bay at the
outer part of Belfast Lough, opening to the sea, and on the north shore of Down County. The harbour affords a refuge for fishing craft of considerable tonnage, and the town itself is now in easy commimication with Belfast by means of steamers, which arrive and depart daily.
distemper, ruled over this part of the country.
^ See his life at the lothof ^ May.
"Acta Sanctoram
3 Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," iii. Januarii. Vita S. Fintani, cap. v. , vi. ,
Colgan's
Hibemige,"
^ Dr. Lanigan says that this place was
" in. the of Lime- probably Killfinan, county
"" rick. " Ecclesiastical of
History Ireland, vol. ii. , chap, xii. , § xii. , n. 179, p. 234. See Ordnance Survey Townland Maps of the
County Limerick, sheet 48. There a St. Finnen's well is noted. Dr. O'Donovan, however, thinks Dr. Lanigan's identification of this place with Kill-Fintain, mentioned in the text, as very doubtful. See "Letters con- taining information relative to the antiquities
Comgall—
it is
46 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 3.
this complaint after he had become a great burden to himself and to his servants. Afterwards people living in this part of the country desired the saint to take up his abode there, so that they might manifest the highest respect towards him. But Fintan went to a place named Tulach Bennain,^ where he intended to reside. Certain British strangers, notwithstanding, would not allow him to remain in this place. Departing from it our saint
" Although you expel me hence you shall not be honored here, and
said
your name shall be known only to very few ; but a certain woman, and a stranger,willdwellinit,whilethesameplacewillhonorme. " Thisprophecy
:
inflict further on injury
any
human ^^ being.
of the County of Limerick, collected during
the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1840,"
vol. i. , p. 207.
^
Colgan remarks that both Kill-Fintan and Tulach Bennain were probably in Mun- ster. Yet he does not attempt to identify them. See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemias, iii. Januarii, n. 14, p. 13.
9 The Natalis of this virgin was observed
on the loth of April, according to the Mar-
tyrologies of Tallagh, Marianus O'Gorman, and the enlarger or commentator of ^ngus.
'"'
Another wonderful miracle is afterwards recorded as having taken place in Tulach Bennain.
"In the acts it is called "campana. "
Another name for a bell in Latin is "nola. "
These are comparatively modern terms to
express a more ancient name, "tintinnabu-
"
and Labhar, Labhj-a, or Labhairt, means
signifying "a little bell. " The former terms are thought to have come into use about the time of St. Jerome, when we are informed Paulinus, Bishop of Nola, a city in
'3 Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernite," iii. Januarii. Vita S. Fintani, cap. vii. , viii. , ix. , p. 13.
'• Colgan says, he appears to have been St. Cuanus, of Moethal Brogain, whose Natalis occurs on the lOthof July, according
to St. iEngus. The Martyrologies of Tal- lagh and Marianus O'Gorman state that his memory was venerated in the territory of Kenselach, in Leinster, and of the Decies, in Munster. Veneration was paid to other saints(Cuans)at the 15th and agthof October.
'S in Irish pagan mythology it was believed that local genii or evil spirits haunted certain places, and various legends are told concern- ing them.
'^ In a note, Colgan writes to state, that if
it be meant the demon there continued, and
was no longer able to injure any person, this is not to be regarded as irrational ; for, on earth, and in the air, as in hell, devils exist and use their tempting powers or arts against men, nor can they escape that punishment inflicted on them by the Almighty ; or, if the meaning be, that the demon entered and had been enclosed within a rock, leaving
lum,
Campania, first converted the "
''
tintinnabu- lum to sacred purposes, and used bells in
connection with his church services.
'^ Colgan thus interprets this word Dubh, which has the Latin signification of "nigra,"
A holy virgin named Ernait,^ daughter to King
was afterwards fulfilled.
Kiannacht, came from the northern part of Ireland, and dwelt in Tulach Bennain. ^° Afterwards St. Fintan went to a certain hill, which was called Cabhair, at a time the writer of his acts lived. There Fintan intended to
:
remain butanangelappearingsaidtohim "Itisnotdecreedthatyouwill
;
remain here ; however, this place must honor you, and, as token of my
promise, you shall see a bell coming hither through the air. " Wherefore, looking towards heaven, they saw a bell," which was heard tolling as it descended. It rested on a rock, and full in their presence. This bell was of a black colour ; hence it was called Dubh-labhar," which in Latin is inter-
"
preted, Nigra soiians, or in English,
objects among the Irish and Britons, it was formerly held in great veneration.
Much about the same time a rehgious man, named Cuan,'* sent one of his disciples to visit St. Fintan. Whilst this disciple moved on his way, it
was thought a demon approached and took bodily possession of him. Colgan's religious faith in this instance, and in many similar narratives, leads him to defend from censorious doubters the possibility of such an incident. Nor does he even find anything incredible in this narrative. St. Fintan is related to have exorcised this demon. Immediately he departed from the monk and entered a neighbouring rock. 'S By the power of God, we are told, he remained here in a state of perpetual imprisonment, not being able to
the black toller. "^^ Like many similar
"
sonus. "
January 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 47
After this occurrence, St. Fintain is said to have reached a place denomi- nated Dunbleisque. This the Lord had destined for his habitation. ^? It was situatedwithintheterritoryofCuanach,inMunster, Withhisusualextraor- dinary sagacity, when unveiling objects and names relating to Irish topography,
Dr. O'Donovan has been enabled to identify its precise locality,
^^
It is
identical with Doone, a parish situated partly in the barony of Owneybeg, but mostly in that of Coonagh, in the county of Limerick. '9 The townland Doone gave a distinctiveness to the parish, and its name is not of ecclesiastical origin. Thetownlandderivedits etymonfromanearthernDunwhichstillremains, and from a person named Blesc, who appears to have resided there, or from a river near the place. It is absolutely certain, this is the Dun Bleisce of ancient Irish writers. They describe the Dun as situated in the territory of
^
Convent of Mercy, and St. Fintan's Convent and Chapel, Doone.
Cuanach, and as having taken its name from Blesc. Here the original parish church was placed. Besides this one, there is no other church in the barony
some impress thereon, but not being able to Fintan, by whom the dun will be obtained —;
effect further mischief this is equally intelli- His city of sacred protection shall be gible and reasonable. In either case, God That which is called Dun-Bleiske.
might have wished to manifest his power over this demon through the merits and " prayersoftwoholymen. Itmightalsobe regarded as an instance of divine favour shown to his
can presume to question such possible exer-
cise of omnipotent bounty.
J^ree Translation.
My Dalta Fintan shall erect \i\%fane
At that old fort which now we Dun-Blesc
call
;
people.
'7 In the "Leabhar Breac," the following'
quartain is given as a prophecy of St.
Com- gall that his alumnus should s—ettle at Dun
And there immortal honors he will : gain
Bleisce, its more ancient name
"SebATO ino 'DAtcAn iti tnu^
bbeii'ce. "
ThedunoiBlesc andthenheshall ;
•oxxn ^'^\ AcliACAi]\ corriAbb n-jl^
all. "
'^ See his letter, dated Tipperary, August
•pincAti ^j&x fAjebcheiA "OiA m-bA coiii-Ainni •oun
" CountyofLimerick,"I. O. S. ,vol. i. , pp. 433,
Dr. O'Donovan
translation in the following version
"
:
the_/&;-/r^jj
parish
of Doone. Townland
My
little foster-son shall obtain [mur] J
Survey
Maps
No devout Christian
:
protect The poor and weak, and pray for mankind
a —lite^-al supplies very
434.
other in the objects
'9 See Ordnance
of the County of Limerick, sheet 16,
His
city
will a termon be to all.
—
or thus :
" My dear alumnus Fintan shall erect
His sacred city at the fort we call
1 8th, 1840.
Antiquarian Letters for the Afterwards follows some account of
48 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 3.
of Coonagh, the name of which begins with Doon. Every ambiguity is removed, however, by the existence, to this very day, of the patron saint's holy well.
The site of St. Fintan's old monastery is not known at present in Doone,
nor can the oldest inhabitant give any information as to where it stood, nor is
its existence even remembered in any current popular tradition. However,
about twenty years ago, an old church stood just opposite to the Mercy
Convent, which was then the dwelling of a former parish priest. This, it has
been supposed, must be the actual site of St. Fintan's Church, but at present
little or no trace of the ruins appear. This very spot is now occupied by a
^° potato garden.
Convent Schools of St. Fintan, Doone.
The Rev. Father Hickey, late parish priest of Doone, and Rev. Father O'Dwyer,C. C,hadagreatdevotionforSt. Fintan. " Whentheparishchurch was built they desired to place it under his protection ; but, at the time it was dedicated, they found it difficult to get any trustworthy information regarding the saint's biography. The Rev. Mr. Hickey left a provision for founding the Sisters' Convent of Mercy and Schools, with some land attached. ^^
The Christian Brothers' Schools, to be placed under the invocation of St. Fintan of Dunbleische, will form a very attractive feature in this locality. The Rev. Patrick Hickey, P. P. , Doon, who died in the year 1864, bequeathed
^° The foregoing and succeeding items of
information have been —
obligingly supplied by
Sister Mary Patrick Joseph a nun belong- ing to the Mercy Convent at Doone. The
St. Fintan, by Mr. Charles M. Grey, Gardi-
ner-street, Dublin.
he had expressed an intention to ask permis-
good and patriotic community there have
most kindly, and at their own expense, en-
gaged the services of an accomplished artist
and photographer, Mr. T. O'Connor, of
Limerick, to furnish these subjects : the arranging to obtain certified industrial Convent and Chapel of St. Fintan, engraved schools, which will greatly improve the by Mr. Oldham, and the Convent Schools of
'''
Before the death of Father O'Dwyer,
condition of the juvenile females of the neighbourhood, and it is intended to have this educational establishment dedicated to the local patron, St. Fintan,
sion from the
have St. Fintan's festival observed as a half holiday in the parish of Doone.
archbishop of the diocese to
^= The convent is not yet quite finished, and the Chapel of St. Fintan has yet to be
built ; but, according to the plans prefigured in the engraving, the Sisters of Mercy are
January 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 49
to the Rev. Br. P. Walsh, Director of the Christian Brothers' Schools, Limerick, sufficient funds for the establishment of a branch of their useful institute at Doon. The buildings, as in the annexed engraving,^3 are now nearlycompleted,accordingtotheprovisionsofhiswill; andinashorttime,
Christian Brothers' House and Schools of St. Fintan, Doone.
it is hoped, they must diffuse the blessings of a sound religious education in that neighbourhood. They are built about one hundred yards from the supposedoldsiteofSt. Fintan'sChurch. Thewellofthissaintflowsatthe other end of the village of Doone. ^'^ Tobar Fiontain is situated in a grove of fir trees, in the east comer of Lower Kilmoyhn townland. The people often make use of its water in cases of sickness. On the feast-day the peasantry were accustomed to assemble and pray beside St. Fintan's well. ^s it lies west of the road which nms through Kilmoylin townland. Many resorted thither to be healed of various infirmities.
"
The religious erections of the present day, and objects connected with the veneration of our early saints, may not interest an antiquary to the same degree that representations and descriptions of antique churches or monastic ruins might afford him pleasure. But, altogether apart from their utility and civilizing influences, modem churches, conventual establishments, charitable institutions, chapels,andschools,haveanarchaicvaluepeculiarlytheirown. Whenafew
»3 By Mr. Charles M. Grey, of Gardiner- 1840, in the "Limerick Letters of the Irish street, Dublin, from a photograph taken by Ordnance Survey," vol. i. , pp. 433, 434,
Mr. T. O'Connor, of Limerick. The cost has been kindly borne by Rev. Brother P. Walsh. To him, as to his admirable insti- tute and its members, the author feels bound to record his deep sense of obligation for practical and generous efforts made in sus- tainment of the work now commenced.
^ Dr. O'Donovan's letter of August l8th, Vol. L
R. I. A.
^5 It is accurately represented in a sketch of Mr. T. O'Connor, from which the an-
nexed woodcut, by Mrs. Millard, has been
engraved.
^"Original Poems and Ljrrics," by
Stephen Nolan Elrington, Jun. , "The Blind Girl," p. 69.
They have left their cot for the holy well, Near the cross, in the valley flowing ; Its bright blue tide hath a seraph's spell,
Light and joy to the blind bestowing. "^
56 LIV£S OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 3.
hundred years shall have passed, future generations will desire to realize
some idea of our present religious foundations ;
and, it is to be hoped,
national
feeling
mustbe gratified to know that in our
day so many had been dedicated under the invoca- tion of Irish saints.
Exact pictorial il- lustrations will best
•
for all time the forms of
buildings, which,
preserve
various accidents, may lapse into ruins, or which may be
replaced by further
architectural chan-
ges or erections.
However much
some persons may object to several
through
long devotional
established
prac- tices of the people at holy wells on the feasts of saints,
who
blessed them many centuries ago with solemn rites and ceremonies ; yet, as in the case of Tobar
Fiontain, surviving usage on the patron day has
probably
St. FIntan's Holy Well on the festival day at Doone.
or pilgrimage,"withapeculiarimportance,sinceitservedasacluetodis- cover the special patron saint of Doone parish.
CHAPTER III.
ENTERTAINMENT AND PREDICTION OF ST. FINTAN—MIRACULOUS INCIDENTS—BESTOWAL OF KILL-MAITOGE—CHARITY OF ST. FINTAN—HIS MIRACLES—REPUTED LONGEVITY —FESTIVAL DAY AND ITS CELEBRATION AT DOONE—CHARACTER OF THE SAINT, AND CONCLUSION.
At Dunbleisque'' St. Fintan was received with much honour, and he was hospitably entertained by Columbanus, son to Kynchadha. The flesh of a
invested the turas, "
Chap, hi,—' By some it is called Dun-
flesche, according to Colgan. The Irish
Commentator on St. ^ngus, using Latin, as he often does, at the 3rd day of January, deduces the etymology of this word from an evil woman called Blesc, who lived there,
or from a swineherd of the king who ruled over Ua-Cuanach, now the barony of Coon-
agh, county Limerick ; or from Flesk, the name of a river, so called from a former city near its banks.
January 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 51
cow and calf, with some milk, had been prepared at a banquet, where seven companions sat down with St. Fintan. One of these was his brother, named
Finlogh, or Finloghait. ^ Fintan predicted that his brother should pass over the sea and die an exile from his native country. At a time when the author
of our saint's acts flourished, Finlog's memory was venerated in many places.
"
Columbanus,3 the entertainer of our saint, said to Fintan,
I assign this
place to thee, and for thy honour. Show me, therefore, that spot to which I
mustremove. " St. Fintan,hiscompanions,andSt. Columbanus,wentsouth
of the city, and near its principal street. There a mutual agreement was
entered into between those saints. Columbanus asked how his baggage
should be conveyed. Fintan then rang his bell. Immediately two deer*
issued from an adjoining wood, and tamely presented themselves before those
devout men. Having placed St. Columbanus' effects on the horns of one,
where Finlogh found a vessel. On board of this he passed over into Alba- nia. 5 As had been ordained, in Scotland he lived and died. Afterwards he there awaited a future resurrection of the living and dead. ^
On a certain day, being afflicted with a grievous headache, an attendant,
our saint " O said,
follow this deer wheresoever he shall cede until you come to where foxes shall issue from their dens, and there shall you remain. " Having placed the luggage of his brother, Finlogh, on
Columbanus,
pre-
the horns of the other Fintan then deer,
'' Do follow this animal in you
said,
whatever direction he shall go. " That course taken led towards the sea,
named
Feradach, coming
to St. " there Fintan, said, To-day
appear " And
to be
of health and in
joy your
countenance. " Fintan
signs
shouldIrejoice; foronto-morrowourdearly-belovedfriend,Columba,shall come to visit us. Therefore do you quickly prepare some com for the mill. " " That I would
said " if there were water to turn it. " Feradach,
willingly do,"
However, through the intervention of St. Fintan the mill-stone began to move and to grind for three days and three nights without cessation. This was looked upon as a great miracle, because there had been no water or human assistance afforded during the process of grinding. During this visit which was made to our saint, with whom Columba and a number of holy men remained for some time, abundance of bread was supplied for their use. Then St. Columba bestowed in perpetuity to St. Fintan a city, which was called Kell-maitoge,7 with all those services due by its inhabitants to the possessor.
^
His festival is likewise observed on this
s From the circumstance that the writer of this life of our saint called Scotia Minor, or North Britain, by the name Albania. Col- gan is of opinion he must have flourished at least 500 years, if not more, previous to the time at which Colgan himself wrote, From the epoch of St. Bernard, who lived in the twelfth century, Scotland was not called Albania, but rather Scotia.
^Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," iii. Januarii. Vita S. Fintani, cap. x. , xi. , xii. , pp. 11, 12.
' In a note at this word, Colgan says he knows not whether Cell Martoige, Mac- toige, or rather Maodhoige, should be read, The Martyrologies of Tallagh, Marianus O'Gorman, and the commentator on iEngus, treat of a St. Mattocus, at the 25th of April, But Colgan knew not where a church had beendedicatedtohismemory. Inthedio- cese and county of Kildare, in the Leinster province, there is a place called Cell-Mao-
day, and some accomit of him follows im-
mediately after the present biography.
3 Colgan has reason to suppose that this Columbanus was a holy man ; but he is at a loss to discover among many saints bearing this same name who he was. Colgan offers a conjecture, however, that he may have been identical with Columbanus, or Colu- manus, abbot, son to Kortgidh. According to the Martyrologies of Tallagh, Marianus O'Gorman, and^ngus, he was venerated on the 1 8th of October. Perchance some error had been perpetrated by the writer of these acts, or his copyist, when calling him son to Kynchadha instead of Korchidh or Cor- chidha.
'' In connexion with legends relating to our saints deer are frequently introduced ; while these timid and wild animals are most generally represented as obedient to the com-
mand or serving the purposes of holy persons.
repHed,
justly
52 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 3.
While St. Fintan was stopping near a great river^ in the city of Tyr-da- glass,9 certain mimics and buffoons approached him. They asked Fintan to
He told them truly he had not what
to remove this fish's bones, they found it impossible to separate them, even "
by the aid of an iron instrument. Whereupon they said, Although our fish is a tough one, however, it shall not be left here by us. " Taking their depar- ture, they then carried it along with them ; but an eagle, hovering over their party, suddenly descended, and snatching away the fish, bore it to a tree. Thisstoodoverthewellalreadymentioned. Thefishwasdroppedintothe spring whence it had been taken. " The author of our saint's acts informs us, that for the sake of brevity he omitted writing many other miracles that, through Fintan, the Almighty was pleased to effect. He adds, also, on account of the numerous miracles which Fintan wrought and continued to work in his biographer's time, it would be impossible for man to recount, or even to retain them in memory.
In his Acts, our saint is said to have attained the incredible age of 260 years," and to have been quite decrepit at the time of his death. The year when this occurred is not recorded. His ancient biographer asserts, that God, who can accomplish whatever He pleases on the earth, in heaven, on the sea, or under the abyss, was specially desirous of prolonging St. Fintan's life. '3 When very old, this saint's cheeks were furrowed by wrinkles.
The author of St. Fintan's Acts gives us no particulars regarding the day and year of his death. "* Nor even does he mention that particular place
supply them with some fish to eat.
One of the mimics then
thou art that holy man thou art said to be, we shall easily obtain what we
they sought.
said,
" The water is near and if thee,
*' It is not more difficult for the to Almighty procure
ask. " ^° Fintan
a fish than to produce the water itself. " Then calling his disciples, he sent them to a well which lay nearer to them than the river. In a vessel, together with some water, they brought a large fish. But when those mimics thought
replied,
dog ; yet it cannot with certainty be affirmed that this was the locahty alluded to in the
might have been written for clx. or cxl. It is said that Irish biography affords many instances of life having been prolonged to 140 or even to 160 years.
text. Colgan adds, that from this passage
we may infer St. Fintan lived before A. D.
565, when St. Columkille left Ireland; or
at least before a.
