No More Learning

65 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Tertia Vita S. Columbse, cap. xix. , p. 333 ; Quarta Vita S. Columbse, lib. ii. , cap. xxiv. , pp. 355, 356, and Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. ii. , cap. cii. , p. 428.
60 There is a holy man bearing this name,
and venerated at Tamlacht Finnloga or
Tamlachtfinlagan, in the county of London- derry, at the 3rd of January. An account of these transactions may be found more fully detailed, tn the First Volume of this work, at that date, Art. ii.
67 As Adamnan states "jaculo trans- fixus. "
to identify the spot—in William F. Skene's
"
Celtic Scotland : a History of Ancient Alban," vol. ii. , book ii. , chap, iii. , pp. 98, 99, and Map of part of Iona, showing Site of the Monasteries, at p. 100.
? 3 Mhuinter Port, or Port a Mhuinter, the People's Bay, is shown on that Map of Iona, prefixed to Henry Davenport Graham's "Antiquities of Iona. "
7+ It was usual among the Irish to mark with a cross the spot where any providen- tial visitation took place. See lib. iii. , cap. 23. This practice in Ireland seems to have prevailed from the time of the Irish Apostle.
: InoneofhisLivesweread "U—binunc
usque crux habetur in signum. " Vita S. Patricii, in Liber Armancanus, fol. 3, a a.
75 time of Adam- Both were shown, in the
nan. See Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. xlv.
1& Now Tiree. It is about thirteen miles
inlength,fromsouth-westtonorth-east. It
consists chiefly of gneiss, and in parts it is fertile. See "Gazetteer of the World,"
vol. xiii. , p. 116.
77 from ech or It is an appellative formed
68 Its exact
tained, but there are Islands, bearing this
name, and near Scarba, among the Hebri-
position
has not been ascer-
des.
—69 The date for his festival if one he had
seems doubtful
fell, most probably, on the 18th of Au- gust.
70 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. xlv. , p. 348, and n. 95, pp. 379, 380; Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. ii. , cap. Hi. , p. 418.
;
but, Colgan
thinks it
But,
monks,
Finlugan,
Finlugh,
one of the
or
6
Ernan, 9 an aged priest, to govern the monastery he had founded many years
before, in the Isle of Himba. ? ° At his departure, Columba embraced him
: verylovingly,andpronouncedthisprophecy "This,myfriend,whomInow
send away, I never hope to see him living again in this world. " Within a few days, Ernan fell sick, and would have himself carried back to the saint, who was very much rejoiced thereat, and who went forth to meet him near the har- bour. ? 1 The situation is of
appears the port of the island, on the coast of Mull. Thence a road led across that island, to the branch settlement in the Island of Hinba, under Ernan, Columba's uncle. Here it was, that the dying Ernan landed, when he had desired to be taken to Columba, who, having set out from his cell to meet the aged saint, saw him fall to the ground and expire, not far from the shore. ? 2 Adamnan's description of that touching incident, and the fragment of a poem, attributed to Columba, enable us to trace the road, from the Port na Muintir,73 at the landing-place, to the cell of the great Abbot. Though he was very weak and sickly, yet Ernan would walk on his feet, without assistance. But, on the way, he fell down and gave up the ghost suddenly, and before our saint could have a sight of him, although only the short dis- tance of twenty-four paces lay between them. Hence, before the entrance to a kiln, they raised a cross ? on that very death-spot, as likewise another
where our saint stopped. ? 5
Several monasteries were founded by Columba, or by his orders, in
by Conan,
Long Island. 68 The venerable Abbot Columba sent his maternal uncle,
capable
as opposite the landing place of the steamer, at Iona, and across the sound,
—
receiving
topographical illustration,
named
66 inter-
some
Baithen,
6 then called Ethica. ? ? This denomina-
an island of considerable
tion is not a substantive, as has been generally supposed, but rather
71 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's ich, "corn," and it signifies triticiJerax.
"8
See Adamnan's Vita S. Columbse, lib.
Life of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 45, pp. 86 to 88. —
72 See an account which seems exactly
?
i. , cap. xxxvi. , lib. ii. , cap. xv. , xxxix. , and lib. iii. , cap. viii.
43°
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9. 78 agreeing with insula or terra. TM The sea around its shore's
it is an
was sometimes called the Ethica Sea. Formerly called Tirieth,
adjective,
8°
8z
orregio,HythorHith. 84 Itsdimoutlineshouldbarelybeseenonthehorizon, were it not for the elevated promontory of Ceannavara, at the south end of
Tiree
is mentioned in the Lives of several Irish Saints,
as the terra, insula,
this island. Tyriage
changes
Tyriad,
85 88 and
of
8^ It is now known however as Tiree. 9° It is somewhat
has also the name It undergone
Tiereig.
86 87 Tereyd,
View over Tiree Island, looking West.
but it varies in from one mile to three miles. 9 1 long, breadth,
79 Artchain and Campus Lunge were situated in the Ethica terra. See Adam- nan's Vita S. Columbae, lib. i. , cap. xxx. , xxxvi. , xli. , lib. ii. , cap. xv. , xxxix. , and lib. iii. , cap. viii.
80
By Reginald of Durham, in the twelfth century.
It is a low
miles north-west of
ancient Gaelic poem, it is called " the low-lying land of barley. "93 Here, St.
and 2 about sandytract,? lying
rocky in an
87 In I354-
88 In 1390.
89 In 1496.
90 See the admirable paper on "The
Island Tiree," in the "Ulster Journal of Archaeology," vol. ii. , pp. 233 to 244.
91 In 1782, some men engaged in clearing away the foundations of an old wall in Tiree found an urn containing from fifteen to twenty
81
nan. 82
The denomination given to it by Adam-
twenty
Hy;and,
Fordun calls it Tyre-e, in his ounces of Anglo-Saxon silver coins in fine Scoti-Chronicon," vol. i. , lib. ii. , cap. preservation. Ninety of these are in the x. , p. 46. Bower's fol. edition. Edinburgh, Scottish Society's collection. See Daniel
"
1759
Wilson's
"
Archaeology and Prehistoric An-
83 "
See Innes' Origines Parochiales
nals of Scotland," part iv. , chap, iii. , p. 521. 92 The annexed illustration, taken from an approved view, has been drawn on the 84 From cip ica, the Irish compound wood, by William F. Wakeman,"and it has
Scotiae," under Soroby and Kirkapoll, vol. ii. , part i. , pp. 327, 331.
answering to Terra Heth.
8s See William F. Skene's "Celtic Scot-
land : a History of Ancient Alban," vol. ii. ,
been engraved by Mrs. Millard.
book
128.
86
ii. , chap, iv. , p. In 1343.
82 -
93 The Gaelic name is
Fordun describes it, "insula ubi hordei
See " vol. magna copia. " Scotichronicon,"
lib. ii. , cap. x. , p. 46.
Ethica
8l
or
ciyv ipoLiiAh-oj\rtA.
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 4 3 1
Comgall of Bangor is said to have erected a monastery, about the year 565, and he abode there for some time, until driven out of it by the Picts. 94 Afterwards, it seems to have been debatable ground, for which both Scots and Picts contended. The chief monastery, which Columba founded on this Island is called Campus Lunge, or the Plain of Lungers and over this pre- sided Baithen, his steward. Another religious house, called Artchain, is said
6
to have been established here by Findchan,9 one of Columba's monks.
On a certain day, while the venerable man was at Iona, a brother, named Berach,97 approached to ask his blessing, for he wished to sail to the Island
Berach steered out for an open arm of the sea, to Ethica; when suddenly, he and the sailors in his bark saw a whale of extraordinary size rising upwards like a mountain. Floating on the surface, the monster opened his huge mouth,bristlingwithbone. Struckwithterror,themarinershauledintheir sails, and they had a most narrow escape from the waves, caused by the lash- ing of this whale. They soon . remembered St. Columba's prophetic words, and had reason to congratulate themselves on their fortunate escape from this ocean peril. On the morning of that day, as Baithen 99 his disciple was going to sail on the same sea, St. Columba told him about this monster of
:
the deep. The holy Abbot said " Last night, a great whale rose from the
depths of the sea, about midnight ; and, he will float this day on the surface of ocean, between Hy or Iona and Ethica or Tiree 100 Islands. Baithen
answering replied :
then," said the saint,
this danger. " Having received the saint's blessing, Baithen sailed accord- ingly from the port ; and after crossing the sea IQI a considerable distance, 102 he and his companions saw the whale. While all others were much terrified, raising up both his hands without any fear, Baithen blessed the ocean and the monster. At the same moment, the enormous brute, diving under the
io
waves, never afterwards appeared to the navigators. 3 Baithen then sailed
of Ethica. ? 8 To whom the saint said
direct course towards Ethica, by sailing over the open sea, but rather take your winding navigation around the little Isles ; lest perchance, you be encountered by a prodigious monster, and be thrown into a state of terror, while scarcely able to effect your escape. " Berach departed, after receiving our saint's blessing; but, on spreading sail, Columba's admonitions were disregarded.
9* See his Life, in the Fifth Volume of this work, at May 10th, Art. i.
95 It was situated near the shore over
against Iona, and it had z. porttts, or harbour, which is probably the little creek or bay still known as Portnaluing ; and the site of the monastery has been identified with that of Soroby on the south-east side of the island, "where a large churchyard with some old tomb-stones and an ancient cross are the only remains of an ecclesiastical establish- ment. "—William F. Skene's " Celtic Scot- land : a History of. Ancient Alban," vol. ii. , book
deavoured, but unsuccessfully, to detain the saint in Scotland. See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernke," Februarii xv. , Vita S. Berachi, cap. xiv. , p. 342, and nn. 20, 21, pp. 346, 347.
98 See "Trias Thauniaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbse, n. 61, p. 377.
" The Irish form of this name is Oaocam ; that of Baitheneus is DAOicm.
I0° The direct course to Tiree lies in the open sea ; the circuitous route should lead northwards to Staffa, thence to the Fresh- nish isles, and from them westwards to the northern extremity of that island.
ii. , iv. , chap,
The form "Ethici Adamnan's account.
pelagi
occurs in
p. 130.
96 Kilfinichen, in the Island of Mull, is said
to have been called after him.
97 Berach an Abbot of Bangor, died in
663. Colgan supposes, that this was St. Berach, founder of Cluain Choirpthe, or
Kilbarry, but on the very insufficient grounds that a dispute in which he was engaged was referred to Aidan, son of Gabhran, who en-
I02
It is nearly twenty miles across from
:
" Beware, my son, you hold not your
"I and that monster are under God's " Go
"
power. "
in peace, for thy faith in Christ shall defend thee from
I01 "
Hy to Port-na-lung beside Soroby, in Tiree. I03 Martin gives an account of a Gallan
whale, which overturned a fishing boat, and "
devouredthreeofthecrew. See Western
Islands of Scotland," p. 5.
" Ecclesiastical
10* See Rev. Dr.
Lanigan's
432 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
out, to seek a desert in the great ocean; while he humbly asked St. Columkille's
blessing,beforeengaginguponhisperilousenterprise. Thispiousmanafter- wards succeeded as Abbot of Hy,'°4 and through life he was a devoutedly at- tached friend of his illustrious director. At one time, as we are told, Baithen, '°5 by family a grandson or descendant of Niadh Taloire, 106 set out with others to seek a desert in the ocean. IQ 7 Before doing so, however, he asked the saint's blessing. Thesaintbiddinghimadieupronouncedthispropheticwordregard-
:
inghim "Thisman,whoisgoingtoseekadesertintheocean,shallnotbe
buried in the desert, but he shall be buried in that place, where a woman will
lead sheep over his grave. " The same Baithen, after long wanderings on stormy seas, and not finding the desert, returned to his country. He remained
the master of a little which is church,
" Now is fulfilled the
yearsbefore. " This incident Adamnan was told regarding Baithen, by that same priest, who was Maolodran," 2 a soldier of Christ, and of the tribeof Mocurin. "3
The saint sat one day upon the top of a high mountain,"* hanging over his monastery. Whether this was Dun-I,"S die highest elevation on the
Island,orthehillcalledCnoc-mor,"6 whichoverhangsReilig-Orainonthe west, has been questioned. Turning to his familiar servant, Diarmitius,
11
approaching towards the haven. ? Then, showing it to the saint, the latter
said : "Rise in haste, and let us go meet this stranger, whose true penance Christ hath regarded. " The passenger Fechnaus II8 coming on shore fell down prostrate and wept bitterly upon his knees. He then confessed his
for
many years 100
called,
110 it
"Trias
Vita S. Columbse, n. 64, p. 377.
for Port-na-Mairten or — observation, Martyr's
Colgan's
Thaumaturga," Quarta
—where the Free Church now stands answers best to this description.
:
after his death and burial in
at the same time, that flying from some hostile inroad, some poor people with their wives and children fled for sanctuary to that church. 111 Whence it happened, that on a certain day, a woman was caught, pasturing her five poor sheep, on the grave of the very same man. Then a person who observed this, and a holy
reginden.
Shortly
Derry,
happened
priest, said,
prophecy
which St. Columba uttered
many
" I wonder what it is, that stays a ship coming out of Ireland,
Columba said
and which carries in it a wise man, who, for a certain sin into which he hath fallen, cometh hither with penitential tears. " Within a little while, the attendant brother, looking towards the south, saw the sails of this ship
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect. xiv. , p. 162, and nn, 167, 168. p. 168.
*°5 Colgan could not decide which of the many Baithens mentioned in our Annals and Calendars, this man had been. See " Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. xx. , n. 63, p. 377.
l0 ^ That is, Ua 11i<voh Caboipe. Niath occurs in Tirechan. See Liber Arma- chanus, fol. 14, a b, 15 £ b. It signifies a "champion," and the word is often given as a component in ancient names.
107 We find Tolorg in the " Annals of the Four Masters " at A. D. 842, 885; and, fre- quently the name occurs in the Catalogue of the Pictish Kings. See the "Irish Ver- sionof Nennius," at pp. 160, 164.
108 The term in the original is Scotice, but
it has this signification.
109 Unknown, but probably in Derry. See
110
Noted as the oak-grove of Galga- chus.
1,1
The church and its precincts were in- violate sanctuary by the ancient laws of the
Irish Church. The penalties of its violation
varied, according to the dignity of the church, and of the ecclesiastic who procured
for it protection.
"2 In the O'Clerys' Irish Calendar, there
is a saint of this name at January ioth, May31st, Novembernth,andDecember 2nd. See Rev. Dr. Todd's and Reeves' edition, pp. 12, 13, 140, 141, 304, 305, 324, 325.
"3 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 20, pp. 49, 50.
"4 This is an exaggerated descsiption, as
the highest hill on Iona—
that of Dun-I—
is
only 330 feet,
"S It is situated north- north -west of the
monastery. It is a conspicuous object from the sea.
II6 If Cnoc-mor were the place selected
Bay
"7 Port-Ronain lies near the and village,
it is the usual landing-place. It lies nearly due south of Duni.
in 108 Lath- Irish,
"
Campi Lunge,"
126 and
terra,
lying opposite
to Iona, is on the south-east side of the
122 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life
of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 41, and lib. iii. , cap. 8. ThereisanotherplacecalledMagh-
lung, near Ballaghaderreen, in the county of
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
sins, in presence of all the company. The saint out of compassion and weeping
June 9. ]
433
"
are forgiven, because it is written
with. him afterwards said :
Rise, my son, and be of good cheer, for your sins
:
* A contrite and humble heart, God will
not depise. '""9 Afterwards, being very lovingly entertained by our saint, he
sent Fechnaus to Baithan, living at a place called Maghlung,120 or " the plain
of the 121 He was the 122 I23 ships. " superior over this penitential station,
Loch Coiruisg, or Corriskin, Island of Skye.
I2+ now Tiree Island. Here St. Columba himself had built a monastery. The port of Maglunga, I2 s or as Latinized
which was situated in the Ethica
118 He is "
styled sapiens
vir " twice. In
the Irish Annals, we frequently find the
epithet fAoi, "sapiens," applied to ecclesias- tics. Finding St. Fachnan of Ross styled
" sapiens
"inthe Life ofSt.
that of Roscommon. Its
Mochaomoc, Colgan conjectured that he was the subject of the present narrative, but without good reason. Besides, Fachtnan and Fiachna
seem to be different names.
Mayo, adjoining
"9 1:0
See Adamnan's Vita S. Columbse,
See Psalms I. ,
See Adamnan's Life of St. Columba,"
123
lib. ii. , cap. 39.
19. "
lib. ii. , cap. 15. Among the obits in the An-
nals of Ulster, at A. D. 774, isConatb U1aij;iii
Lump, or "Conall of Magh-Luinge. " See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernicarum
Scriptores," tomus iv. , p. 105.
124 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. ii. , cap. Ixxxviii. , p. 426.
125 Allusions are made to Magh-Luinge,
Combustio Muighe Luinge,"
121 "
id est, Maglunga vocatur quodque per S. at a. d. 673. This event is placed at A,r>.
In monasterio quod Campus navis, Columbam in terra Heth fundatum est. "
Tigernach :
"
Vita S. Baitheni, cap. vii. , p. 237/'.
669, in the Annals of Clonmacnoise ; in those of the Four Masters, at A. D. 671 ; while the. Ulster Annals have it, at A D.