Etchtenio
Epis-
Brigid, by
the name of "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol.
Brigid, by
the name of "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
^*^ With the
paid here. ^' —There is no church or ruin nothing but the townland, well and fair day dedicated to St. Gobinet in this district. The name Gobnet has been Anglicised Judith, in the southern parts of Ireland, and under either form, it is in vogue among the female peasantry. ^^
exception
of this o—ne
" rounds " are now
day, rarely
" Leabhar with its transla- Ereac," En£,^lish
: tion, by Professor O'Looney —
sure, — He desired the guests
to invite them—
Bishop Etchen, the beloved,
^'^ Edited by Rev, Dr. Kelly, p, xv.
'*
^^ See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xi. Februarii, De S. Gobnata, Vir-
gine, et Abbatissa Bornicensi, n. 7, 8, 9, 10,
p. 315.
'-"^ Edited Drs. Todd and by
Reeves, pp.
470 LIVES01'THElEISHSAINTS. [February1 1,
^\'as revered. The holy virgin Gobnat departed to Christ, on the iii. Ides—
corresponding with the nth—of February, according to the Kalendar of Driimmond. 3° It is a matter for regret, that we cannot at present obtain further particulars regarding this very celebrated virgin, who must have been very greatly distinguished in her age, and among her contemporaries.
Article II. —St. Etch^enius, Etghen, Ecian or Echen, Bishop
AND Patron of Cluain-Foda, now Clonfad, Parish of Killucan, County of Westmeath. \_Stxth Centu7y. '] The Acts of St. Etchsenius,
Bishop of Clonfad, have been compiled by Colgan from various sources ; yet, they do not seem to be connected, in all passages, with strict adherence to chronological consistency, and to historic accounts. ' Besides this, the Bollandists have a historic commentary regarding this saint f but, it seems chiefly to be drawn from Colgan's Acts. The parents of St. Etchen were highly respectable, and even of princely rank. 3 His father's name was Manius, and he was surnamed Ecces or Ecceas,'* which' is interpreted to mean " the poet. " ^ His mother is called Briga. According to St. ^ngus, she was the daughter of Cobthac, son to Crimthann, son of Endeus Kennse- lach, son of Labrad, son to Bressal, son of Fiach, son to Cathirius, son of
Fethlim, son to Cormac, son of Niethcorb. She was also mother to St. . Segen, and to St. Aidan, bishop,^ as also to Aldus, son of Anmire. 7 Both parents were thus descended in collateral lines, from Niathcorb, or Messin- corb, ancestor to all the Kings of Leinster. ^ Tlie father's genealogy is thus made out : Manius Ecceas, or Manine Eices, was the son of Fergus, sur- named Lamderg, son to Fothad, son of Eochaidh Lamdoit, son to Fothad, sonofEochaidhLamderg,sontoNiethcorborMessincorb. 9 Throughhis two sons, Cormac and Eochaidh, descend all the Kings of Leinster, many of its nobles, as also various saints. '° The parents of our saint seem to have been very religious persons. It is said, that the mother of Etchen or Ecian" had been a long time barren ; but, that owing to St. Brigid's prayers, she conceived the present saint. " We find such an account, in the old Acts of
=9 In a note, Ur. Todd says, •The words Saints," as found in the " Leabliar Lecan," in brackets are added in a more recent a manuscript belonging to the Royal Irish
hand. "
3° See Bishop Forbes'
Scottish Saints,—" p. 5. '
Academy.
9 For the foregoing pedigree, I feel in- debted to the Rev. John F. Shearman, C. C , Howtli, who extracted it, chiefly from tlie Keamsenchus in the " Lcabhar Breac. "
, Article ii. See "Acta Sanctorum
The Martyrology of Donegal states, that he descended from Laeghaire Lore of the Leinstermen.
Hibernian," xi. Februarii. De S. Etchaenio, Episcopo Cluainfodensi, Ex variis, pp. 304 to 306.
"^ Kalendars of
=" See "Acta Sanctonim," tomus ii. , Feb-
ruarii xi. De S. Kciano, sivc Echeno,
Episcopo Cluainfodiensi in Hibernia. Colgan quotes the "Catalogue of the CommcHtarius historicus, p. 551.
3 See Abbate D. Giacomo Certani's "La
Santita Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida Ibernese. " Libro Sesto, p. 517.
4 We also find this name, rendered by thewords,IcasusandEccasus.
Leinster Kings," chap. iii.
"In a note to the Third Life of St.
5 See
Tertia Vita S. Brigida:, n. 61, p. 545.
Brigid, Colgan says, that Ecccsus, is more properly Ecces ; for the father of St. Ethcian,
l)ishop, is called Manius, surnamed Ecces, thatisthepoet. Hepromised—totreatabout
this St. Echen or—
"Trias
Colgan's Thaumaturga. "
Etchianus and he ful-
February, ^ Of Glendalough, according to the See " Trias Thaumaturga. " VitaTcrtiaS.
"Boniimhe. " His pedigree and that of Aidus, son of Ainmire, are set down in like manner, in the Irish Menology, chap. xx.
7 Such is the statement in the tract of St. yEngus "On the Mothers of the Irish
Brigidre," nn. 61, 62, p, 545. Vita Quarta S. Brigida? , n. 20, p. 566. And "Acta Sanctorum Hibernia;," xi. Februarii. Vita
S. Etcha? nii, pp. 304 to 306.
"See Bishop Challoner's "Britannia
'° fn reference to our saint's pedigree,
filled such promise
at the nth of
February ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 471
the great patroness of Kildare,'^ who is said to have sjept, with some of her religious, at the house of this pious couple. This story does not seem well to accord with the genealogical pedigree, for there St. Etchen is made the brother of St. Edan or Moedoc, who died, April nth,'* a. d. 625, and of St. Seighin, of Cill-Seighan, who is venerated, at the 21st of January. '5 it has been thought, that Etchen might have been born, about a. d. 490, or towards the close of the fifth century. '^ This date is founded upon a supposition, that he became a bishop, before the death of St. Brigid. For this, however, there is no authority worth attention. Colgan quotes a long passage,^^ in which a Bishop Eclieus is mentioned, as being a contemporary with her, and withSt. MelofArdagh. Inthefirstplace,however,thenamesEclieusand Etchen are different ; and next, it may be asked, how could Colgan have imagined that Echeus was the same as Etchen ? The latter could not have been a bishop, in the time of St. Mel, who died a. d. 488,'^ St. Etchian, Bishop of Clonfad, has been placed, among the disciples of St. Patrick ; but, this statement is not reconcilable with chronology, nor indeed with any
known record. By a very strange anachronism, Colgan'^ supposes Etchen to have been bishop at Clonfad, in St. Patrick's days. For our national hagiographist makes him the same as a Bishop Ethian, who is said to have
=°
Magh-ai, county of Roscommon. ^^ This holy man is said to have made
great progress in virtue and learning, during his youth. It is thought, he
was a proficient in the physical sciences, and especially that he had a know-
ledge of medicine ; yet, this account seems hardly well established on very
clear evidence. For, it has been assumed, too hastily, that the Echeus,
mentioned as a in the Life of St. ^^ was identical with the physician, Brigid,
present Etchen. However, it is said, that he attained the episcopal dignity. He is also related, to have been that Ecian, the founder of a church, within the confines of Ossory, and who is mentioned in the Acts of St. Kieran,^^ Bishop of Saigir. ^* Flow far this is true requires further confirmation. About the middle of the sixth century, St. Etchen is said to have erected the monastery of Clonfad,^5 and, probably, it was here the great Apostle of the Picts and Scots received ordination. St. Etchen is said, likewise, to have been buried in the cemetery or church, at this place. Tradition still pre- serves the recollection of an unknown bishop here interred. When the his- torian of Meaih diocese visited this churchyard, in August, 1863, a very in- telligent peasant pointed out the fragment of an ancient stone cross. From
been reprimanded by St. Patrick,
for having ordained unworthy bishops, in
Sancta," part i. , p. 113.
'3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaiimaturga. "
Tertia Vita S. Brigidae, cap. iii, 112, p.
nia, sect. 2, p. 551.
^^ See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernioe,'
xviii. Martii. De S. Conallo, n. 2, p. 632. '° See Ussher's " Britannicarum Ecclesi-
arum Antiquitates," p. 1049.
=' " The account of that reprimand looks
very like a made-up story, and perhaps the contrivers of it, caring little about correct-
Also Vita S. Quarta
lib.
540.
cap. Ixxvi. , pp. 560, 561.
Brigidae,
'4 See his Life, at this date.
ii. ,
^s See the notices of him there given. That he must be selected, from other saints,
Episcopo Cluainfodensi, n. 10, p. 306.
^'^
See ibid. , cap. i. , p. 304.
^7 This is taken from the Life of St.
chronism. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus copo Cluainfodensi, cap. iv. , v. , p. 305.
ii. , xi. Februarii. De S. Eciano, sive =^5 See Dr. Todd's "Obits and Martyr- Echeno, Episcopo Cluainfodiensi in Hiber- ology of Christ Church," p. liii. •
this
bearing name, Colgan asserts,
ness of — meant Etchen dates,
because circumstances militate against their title to such a distinction. See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernian," xi. Februarii. De S. Etchaenio
by
Laurence of Durham.
^^ The Bollandists point out this ana- niae," xi. Februarii. De S.
Etchtenio Epis-
Brigid, by
the name of "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect.
Dr.
Ethian. " Lanigan's
ix. , n. loi, p. 127.
'''- See chapter iv. , in our account of her,
at the 1st of February.
=3 See his Life, at the 5th of March.
=4 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
472 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February ii.
childhood he had heard, it marked the resting-place of that bishop, who had
foundedthemonasteryofClonfad. ^^ Theoldwallshavebeentorndown,
and, for the most part, they have been iiprooted. ='7 Roads have been run
directly through the church and churchyard. This is indeed a sad desecra-
tion of the holy place, A short distance north-east of the church, it is said,
are traces of St. Etchen's old monastery. ^^ There is the fragment of a very
ancient, rude, unlettered cross in the cemetery. This, it is said, denotes the
resting-place of six bishops. A perch or so, east of the churchyard, along
the roadside, there is a green mound. This is thought to be the grave of
some bishop, but his name is not now remembered. The people call it
"the Bishop's Grave. " They often come here to pray, and to take away
with them portions of the clay. By some persons, this is considered to be
thetombofSt. Etchin. Thereareothercemeteriesanddesertedsanctuaries,
in this neighbourhood. ^9 Clonfad is also called Cluain Boetain Aba and
Cluainfota Boetain. The place with which the saint had been connected is
rendered in English, "the long Lawn," or " Meadow" of Baetan Abha. 30 It
is situated in the parish of Killucan, barony of Farbill, in the county of
Westmeath. 3^ ThereishardlyanyauthenticaccountregardingSt. Etchen's
proceedings, until we meet with him as bishop in Cluain Foda ;32 in the dis-
trict of Fera-bile, and as the ordainer of St. Columba. 33 Notwithstanding
Etchen's respectable family, his habits were simple and laborious. Being
arrived near Etchen's church, Saint Columba inquired for the bishop. He
was told, that the prelate he asked for was ploughing in a field. 34 Columba
then went up to him, and he was welcomed with the greatest kindness by
the holy prelate. On being apprized of the reason for St. Columba's visit,
Etchen did not hesitate to oi^dain him, soon afterwards, as if through some
supernatural instinct. If we are to believe some authors, a very singular cir-
cumstance occurred, in the accomplishment of this holy function. 35 They
tell us, that through some mistake, Etchen ordained him, not however as a
bishop, according to the general wish both of the clergy and the people, but
asa 36 After the priest. having spent
=^
Another bishop's grave is remembered, and it lies on the road-side, near the church- yard. See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. . chap. Ixxiv. , pp. 553, 554.
"
in and following night together prayer,
Dublin," introduction, p. liii.
3t The townland proper of Clonfad is
shown on the " Ordnance Survey Townland. MapsfortheCountyofWestmeath," Sheet 27. The large parish of Killucan itself is described on Sheets 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28,
=^^ Dr. remarks, he cannot 32 Jt is at or Yet, Lanigan called, present, Clonefad,
find any mention that Etchen had a monas- Clonfad. .
^^ See Lewis'
of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 156. 34.
Topographical Dictionary
tery. It will be seen, however, that Arch- dall, not only has a monastery Clonfad, but he gives a list of abbots, as . successors of St.
Ethchen, in the "Monasticonliibernicum," p. 708.
33 See his Life at the 9th of June,
34 The performance of St. Columba's ordi- nation by St. Etchen is adorned by certain
legendary accounts as found in Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Ilibernite," xi. Februarii.
De S. Etchoenio Episcopo Cluainfodensi, cap. vi,, vii. , viii. , ix. ,pp. 305, 306. Like- wise, the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum,"
=9 See RcY. Anthony Cogan's "Diocese
of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. ,
chap, xviii. , pp. 437, 438. The author re-
gretted his limited time denied him the xi. Februarii. De S. Eciano, sive Echcno,
pleasure of a pilgrimage to their sites. I—n- deed, it must be said, no single individual no ma—tter how competent for the task men- tally can ever hope to overcome the physical impossibility of reaching the various interest- ing antiquities scattered over Ireland.
Episcopo Cluainfodiensi in liibernia, sect,
3, 4, ]>. 551.
35 There is abundance of authorities to
prove that St. Echen ordained St. Colum- kille. The Calendar of Cashel has such a notice at the nth of February. Colgan quotes also Marianus O'Gorman, the ^iar- tyrology of Donegal, and other records.
36 in the " of al- Martyrology Donegal,"
3° See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (u), p. 209. Also,
" Obits and of Christ Martyrology
Church,
February ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 473
ondiscoveringhisrnistake,37EtchenOiTeredtoconsecratehimbishop. This
proposal Cokimba decHned, attributing what had happened to a special dis- pensation of Divine Providence. He declared he would remain, during the rest of his life, in that order, to which he had been admitted. In our times, such a mistake could scarcely occur, in any part of the Church ; and, it is difficult to believe, that it could have happened even in Columba's days, although the ritual was then more simple than it is at present. 3^ St. Colum- kille had declared, that he would not accept of any different order, than that ofthepriesthood,fromSt. Etchen,solongasheshouldhve. 39 Thisindeed he observed, and no one ever came to that church, to receive orders from that time forth. The Life of Colum Cille,'^° agrees with this account. ^^ Neither Etchen nor Columba could have been mistaken as to the nature of the act, during its celebration. Therefore, observes Dr. Lanigan, whatever was the oversight or mistake alluded to in that narrative, it must have been of some other kind. Etchen might have acted designedly in conferring at first only the order of priesthood, through a wish to observe the rule of not ordaining /5^r salhun, but with the intention o. f^aftervvards giving him episcopal ordination. TothisColumbasubmitted; and,meanwhile,heformedadeter- mination not to rise higher. In process of time, persons, who thought he shouldhawbeenmadebishop,ascribedthewholetoamistake; or,itmaybe supposed, ". hat through a particular interference of Providence, Etchen forgot that Columba had been sent to him for the purpose of being raised to the episcopal ader. Knowing that he was only a deacon, the bishop thought it sufficient to confer on St. Columba merely that order of priesthood. At any rate, this anecdote, whether true or not, plainly shows, that the distinction between bishops and priests was well understood in Ireland, during the sixth century. 42 /^|- i-j-^g gj;i(^ Qf |-|-^g month of March, the Martyrology of ^ngus, contained in the Leabhar Breac,43 relates the legend concerning St. Columba's ordination bj Bishop Etchen/'^ In this anecdote, it is presupposed, that it was intended to <onsecrate Columba, /^r saltum, that is, to raise him immediately from the rant of deacon to the episcopacy, without his passing through the priesthood. 45 There is a point connected with this anecdote, or rather with
\
the suppositidi that it might have taken place. It is indeed difficult of ex- planation. I: will be asked, could not the rites used during the ordination of a priest haie been mistaken for those practised in the episcopal consecra- tion ? It is ti^ae, that in later times, some ceremonies and prayers have been added in the performance of these acts, which mark more distinctly the dif-
lusion- is made p a legend, that Etchen commanded a will ox to approach him to plough, when hi bestowed the order of priest upon Colun Cille, instead of the epis- copal order.
i,
37 See iEngus, t)r his Scholiast, &c. , in "
oflirighit, chap. loi. "
42 ggg »' Ecclesiastical History of Ireland,'
vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect, ix. , n. 104, pp. 129, 130.
43 Pol. 42, b, (now fol. 32).
44 The Irish and a translation into Eng- Etchen's Acts. Also, O'Donnell's Life of lish of this narrative may be seen in John
St. Columkille," Ii). i. , cap. 47.
Clarke Crosthwaite's and Dr. Todd's "Book
of Obits and of the Cathedral Martyrology
ChurchoftheHolyTrinity,Dublin. " In-
troduction, pp. liv. , Iv.
45 Dr. Lanigan observes: "There are
certainly many instances of the kind in ancient times, notwithstanding the contrary
practice having been generally observed from
a as from St. very early period, appears
Cyprian [Ep. 52 alias 55 ad Anlonian. ) and confirmed by the Councils of Sardica, Bracara, and others. "
32 See Dr.
*' Ecclesiastical His-
Lani^n's
tory of Ireland," v4. ii. , chap, xi. , sect, ix. ,
p. 126. J
39 See "Trias Tjiaumaturga. " O'Don-
nell's Vita S. Colutiba;, lib, i. , cap. xlvii. ,
p. 396. 4°
Chapter 38.
4^ In a note Dr. Todd here
\
later hand adds herei-Af "oe goiyvceiA eciA-
x\Vi\ 1 Iatoi^, Acuf, echenu]" unbediAi-o
"biMj-oi, cap. loi ; '^t is he that is called Etianus in Latin, qxi\ Echenus in the Life
says,
"The
474 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS [Februaryir.
ference between them ; yet, they were always dearly distinguishable, by the respective rites and forms of prayer, used in administering orders. ^^ The situation of Clonfad affords an additional argument against O'Donnell's state- ment; viz. : that Columba was ordained a priest, before he founded the
monasteryofDerry. Accordingtohim,thesaintwasinhisowncountry, when it was thought advisable to direct him to St. Etchen for ordination.
It does not appear probable, he went, for this purpose, from Tyrconnell, to the south of Meath. There were bishops enough in the adjacent parts of Ulster, who might have ordained him. No other reason appears, when applying to Etchen, for that purpose, than the circumstance, that he lived not far from Columba's residence at Durrow ; and, in fact, the distance between this place and Clonfad is not very great. We may therefore infer, that his ordination, by Etchen, did not take place until, at the earliest, that time when Columkille founded — it was an universal and a
Dairmagh. '*7 Although very ancient rule, that seve—ral bishops or at least three, as established by the greatCouncilofNice shouldj^epresentattheconsecrationorordination of a bishop ; yet, here we find an instance of a person, who was to be conse- crated by one alone, and without any apparent necessity for such an urgent motive, as would at any time render it allowable. Whether the anecdote be true or not, it seems to indicate, that it was not unusual in Irelard to have persons consecrated by one bishop. Yet, it is certain, that the Irish clergy were well acquainted with the decrees of the Council of Nice, and with others, on this subject. To explain such a seeming paradox. Dr. Lanigan
observes, that the order of chorepiscopi was very general throughout Ireland. Very many of the chorepiscopi were invested with episcopal powers, although being subordinate to the regular bishop, in whose diocese they wee stationed, they were not allowed to exercise some parts of them without his permission. Now these chorepiscopi used to be ordained or consecrated b}' the bishop,
properly so called, or the ordinary of a diocese, without his beiig bound to apply for the assistance of other bishops. '^ In the case of St. Columba, it seems very natural to suppose, that the intention was to make iim simply a chorepiscopus, so as to entrust him with the care of that rura district, ad- joining Dairmagh. Accordingly, it was not necessary to appV for his con- secration to more than one bishop. As the Irish had but aie name for bishops and chorepiscopi, it is often difficult to know, whetherpersons men- tioned in our Church history were ordinaries of dioceses or wlrther they be- longedtothesubordinateclass.
paid here. ^' —There is no church or ruin nothing but the townland, well and fair day dedicated to St. Gobinet in this district. The name Gobnet has been Anglicised Judith, in the southern parts of Ireland, and under either form, it is in vogue among the female peasantry. ^^
exception
of this o—ne
" rounds " are now
day, rarely
" Leabhar with its transla- Ereac," En£,^lish
: tion, by Professor O'Looney —
sure, — He desired the guests
to invite them—
Bishop Etchen, the beloved,
^'^ Edited by Rev, Dr. Kelly, p, xv.
'*
^^ See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xi. Februarii, De S. Gobnata, Vir-
gine, et Abbatissa Bornicensi, n. 7, 8, 9, 10,
p. 315.
'-"^ Edited Drs. Todd and by
Reeves, pp.
470 LIVES01'THElEISHSAINTS. [February1 1,
^\'as revered. The holy virgin Gobnat departed to Christ, on the iii. Ides—
corresponding with the nth—of February, according to the Kalendar of Driimmond. 3° It is a matter for regret, that we cannot at present obtain further particulars regarding this very celebrated virgin, who must have been very greatly distinguished in her age, and among her contemporaries.
Article II. —St. Etch^enius, Etghen, Ecian or Echen, Bishop
AND Patron of Cluain-Foda, now Clonfad, Parish of Killucan, County of Westmeath. \_Stxth Centu7y. '] The Acts of St. Etchsenius,
Bishop of Clonfad, have been compiled by Colgan from various sources ; yet, they do not seem to be connected, in all passages, with strict adherence to chronological consistency, and to historic accounts. ' Besides this, the Bollandists have a historic commentary regarding this saint f but, it seems chiefly to be drawn from Colgan's Acts. The parents of St. Etchen were highly respectable, and even of princely rank. 3 His father's name was Manius, and he was surnamed Ecces or Ecceas,'* which' is interpreted to mean " the poet. " ^ His mother is called Briga. According to St. ^ngus, she was the daughter of Cobthac, son to Crimthann, son of Endeus Kennse- lach, son of Labrad, son to Bressal, son of Fiach, son to Cathirius, son of
Fethlim, son to Cormac, son of Niethcorb. She was also mother to St. . Segen, and to St. Aidan, bishop,^ as also to Aldus, son of Anmire. 7 Both parents were thus descended in collateral lines, from Niathcorb, or Messin- corb, ancestor to all the Kings of Leinster. ^ Tlie father's genealogy is thus made out : Manius Ecceas, or Manine Eices, was the son of Fergus, sur- named Lamderg, son to Fothad, son of Eochaidh Lamdoit, son to Fothad, sonofEochaidhLamderg,sontoNiethcorborMessincorb. 9 Throughhis two sons, Cormac and Eochaidh, descend all the Kings of Leinster, many of its nobles, as also various saints. '° The parents of our saint seem to have been very religious persons. It is said, that the mother of Etchen or Ecian" had been a long time barren ; but, that owing to St. Brigid's prayers, she conceived the present saint. " We find such an account, in the old Acts of
=9 In a note, Ur. Todd says, •The words Saints," as found in the " Leabliar Lecan," in brackets are added in a more recent a manuscript belonging to the Royal Irish
hand. "
3° See Bishop Forbes'
Scottish Saints,—" p. 5. '
Academy.
9 For the foregoing pedigree, I feel in- debted to the Rev. John F. Shearman, C. C , Howtli, who extracted it, chiefly from tlie Keamsenchus in the " Lcabhar Breac. "
, Article ii. See "Acta Sanctorum
The Martyrology of Donegal states, that he descended from Laeghaire Lore of the Leinstermen.
Hibernian," xi. Februarii. De S. Etchaenio, Episcopo Cluainfodensi, Ex variis, pp. 304 to 306.
"^ Kalendars of
=" See "Acta Sanctonim," tomus ii. , Feb-
ruarii xi. De S. Kciano, sivc Echeno,
Episcopo Cluainfodiensi in Hibernia. Colgan quotes the "Catalogue of the CommcHtarius historicus, p. 551.
3 See Abbate D. Giacomo Certani's "La
Santita Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida Ibernese. " Libro Sesto, p. 517.
4 We also find this name, rendered by thewords,IcasusandEccasus.
Leinster Kings," chap. iii.
"In a note to the Third Life of St.
5 See
Tertia Vita S. Brigida:, n. 61, p. 545.
Brigid, Colgan says, that Ecccsus, is more properly Ecces ; for the father of St. Ethcian,
l)ishop, is called Manius, surnamed Ecces, thatisthepoet. Hepromised—totreatabout
this St. Echen or—
"Trias
Colgan's Thaumaturga. "
Etchianus and he ful-
February, ^ Of Glendalough, according to the See " Trias Thaumaturga. " VitaTcrtiaS.
"Boniimhe. " His pedigree and that of Aidus, son of Ainmire, are set down in like manner, in the Irish Menology, chap. xx.
7 Such is the statement in the tract of St. yEngus "On the Mothers of the Irish
Brigidre," nn. 61, 62, p, 545. Vita Quarta S. Brigida? , n. 20, p. 566. And "Acta Sanctorum Hibernia;," xi. Februarii. Vita
S. Etcha? nii, pp. 304 to 306.
"See Bishop Challoner's "Britannia
'° fn reference to our saint's pedigree,
filled such promise
at the nth of
February ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 471
the great patroness of Kildare,'^ who is said to have sjept, with some of her religious, at the house of this pious couple. This story does not seem well to accord with the genealogical pedigree, for there St. Etchen is made the brother of St. Edan or Moedoc, who died, April nth,'* a. d. 625, and of St. Seighin, of Cill-Seighan, who is venerated, at the 21st of January. '5 it has been thought, that Etchen might have been born, about a. d. 490, or towards the close of the fifth century. '^ This date is founded upon a supposition, that he became a bishop, before the death of St. Brigid. For this, however, there is no authority worth attention. Colgan quotes a long passage,^^ in which a Bishop Eclieus is mentioned, as being a contemporary with her, and withSt. MelofArdagh. Inthefirstplace,however,thenamesEclieusand Etchen are different ; and next, it may be asked, how could Colgan have imagined that Echeus was the same as Etchen ? The latter could not have been a bishop, in the time of St. Mel, who died a. d. 488,'^ St. Etchian, Bishop of Clonfad, has been placed, among the disciples of St. Patrick ; but, this statement is not reconcilable with chronology, nor indeed with any
known record. By a very strange anachronism, Colgan'^ supposes Etchen to have been bishop at Clonfad, in St. Patrick's days. For our national hagiographist makes him the same as a Bishop Ethian, who is said to have
=°
Magh-ai, county of Roscommon. ^^ This holy man is said to have made
great progress in virtue and learning, during his youth. It is thought, he
was a proficient in the physical sciences, and especially that he had a know-
ledge of medicine ; yet, this account seems hardly well established on very
clear evidence. For, it has been assumed, too hastily, that the Echeus,
mentioned as a in the Life of St. ^^ was identical with the physician, Brigid,
present Etchen. However, it is said, that he attained the episcopal dignity. He is also related, to have been that Ecian, the founder of a church, within the confines of Ossory, and who is mentioned in the Acts of St. Kieran,^^ Bishop of Saigir. ^* Flow far this is true requires further confirmation. About the middle of the sixth century, St. Etchen is said to have erected the monastery of Clonfad,^5 and, probably, it was here the great Apostle of the Picts and Scots received ordination. St. Etchen is said, likewise, to have been buried in the cemetery or church, at this place. Tradition still pre- serves the recollection of an unknown bishop here interred. When the his- torian of Meaih diocese visited this churchyard, in August, 1863, a very in- telligent peasant pointed out the fragment of an ancient stone cross. From
been reprimanded by St. Patrick,
for having ordained unworthy bishops, in
Sancta," part i. , p. 113.
'3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaiimaturga. "
Tertia Vita S. Brigidae, cap. iii, 112, p.
nia, sect. 2, p. 551.
^^ See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernioe,'
xviii. Martii. De S. Conallo, n. 2, p. 632. '° See Ussher's " Britannicarum Ecclesi-
arum Antiquitates," p. 1049.
=' " The account of that reprimand looks
very like a made-up story, and perhaps the contrivers of it, caring little about correct-
Also Vita S. Quarta
lib.
540.
cap. Ixxvi. , pp. 560, 561.
Brigidae,
'4 See his Life, at this date.
ii. ,
^s See the notices of him there given. That he must be selected, from other saints,
Episcopo Cluainfodensi, n. 10, p. 306.
^'^
See ibid. , cap. i. , p. 304.
^7 This is taken from the Life of St.
chronism. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus copo Cluainfodensi, cap. iv. , v. , p. 305.
ii. , xi. Februarii. De S. Eciano, sive =^5 See Dr. Todd's "Obits and Martyr- Echeno, Episcopo Cluainfodiensi in Hiber- ology of Christ Church," p. liii. •
this
bearing name, Colgan asserts,
ness of — meant Etchen dates,
because circumstances militate against their title to such a distinction. See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernian," xi. Februarii. De S. Etchaenio
by
Laurence of Durham.
^^ The Bollandists point out this ana- niae," xi. Februarii. De S.
Etchtenio Epis-
Brigid, by
the name of "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect.
Dr.
Ethian. " Lanigan's
ix. , n. loi, p. 127.
'''- See chapter iv. , in our account of her,
at the 1st of February.
=3 See his Life, at the 5th of March.
=4 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
472 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February ii.
childhood he had heard, it marked the resting-place of that bishop, who had
foundedthemonasteryofClonfad. ^^ Theoldwallshavebeentorndown,
and, for the most part, they have been iiprooted. ='7 Roads have been run
directly through the church and churchyard. This is indeed a sad desecra-
tion of the holy place, A short distance north-east of the church, it is said,
are traces of St. Etchen's old monastery. ^^ There is the fragment of a very
ancient, rude, unlettered cross in the cemetery. This, it is said, denotes the
resting-place of six bishops. A perch or so, east of the churchyard, along
the roadside, there is a green mound. This is thought to be the grave of
some bishop, but his name is not now remembered. The people call it
"the Bishop's Grave. " They often come here to pray, and to take away
with them portions of the clay. By some persons, this is considered to be
thetombofSt. Etchin. Thereareothercemeteriesanddesertedsanctuaries,
in this neighbourhood. ^9 Clonfad is also called Cluain Boetain Aba and
Cluainfota Boetain. The place with which the saint had been connected is
rendered in English, "the long Lawn," or " Meadow" of Baetan Abha. 30 It
is situated in the parish of Killucan, barony of Farbill, in the county of
Westmeath. 3^ ThereishardlyanyauthenticaccountregardingSt. Etchen's
proceedings, until we meet with him as bishop in Cluain Foda ;32 in the dis-
trict of Fera-bile, and as the ordainer of St. Columba. 33 Notwithstanding
Etchen's respectable family, his habits were simple and laborious. Being
arrived near Etchen's church, Saint Columba inquired for the bishop. He
was told, that the prelate he asked for was ploughing in a field. 34 Columba
then went up to him, and he was welcomed with the greatest kindness by
the holy prelate. On being apprized of the reason for St. Columba's visit,
Etchen did not hesitate to oi^dain him, soon afterwards, as if through some
supernatural instinct. If we are to believe some authors, a very singular cir-
cumstance occurred, in the accomplishment of this holy function. 35 They
tell us, that through some mistake, Etchen ordained him, not however as a
bishop, according to the general wish both of the clergy and the people, but
asa 36 After the priest. having spent
=^
Another bishop's grave is remembered, and it lies on the road-side, near the church- yard. See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. . chap. Ixxiv. , pp. 553, 554.
"
in and following night together prayer,
Dublin," introduction, p. liii.
3t The townland proper of Clonfad is
shown on the " Ordnance Survey Townland. MapsfortheCountyofWestmeath," Sheet 27. The large parish of Killucan itself is described on Sheets 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28,
=^^ Dr. remarks, he cannot 32 Jt is at or Yet, Lanigan called, present, Clonefad,
find any mention that Etchen had a monas- Clonfad. .
^^ See Lewis'
of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 156. 34.
Topographical Dictionary
tery. It will be seen, however, that Arch- dall, not only has a monastery Clonfad, but he gives a list of abbots, as . successors of St.
Ethchen, in the "Monasticonliibernicum," p. 708.
33 See his Life at the 9th of June,
34 The performance of St. Columba's ordi- nation by St. Etchen is adorned by certain
legendary accounts as found in Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Ilibernite," xi. Februarii.
De S. Etchoenio Episcopo Cluainfodensi, cap. vi,, vii. , viii. , ix. ,pp. 305, 306. Like- wise, the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum,"
=9 See RcY. Anthony Cogan's "Diocese
of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. ,
chap, xviii. , pp. 437, 438. The author re-
gretted his limited time denied him the xi. Februarii. De S. Eciano, sive Echcno,
pleasure of a pilgrimage to their sites. I—n- deed, it must be said, no single individual no ma—tter how competent for the task men- tally can ever hope to overcome the physical impossibility of reaching the various interest- ing antiquities scattered over Ireland.
Episcopo Cluainfodiensi in liibernia, sect,
3, 4, ]>. 551.
35 There is abundance of authorities to
prove that St. Echen ordained St. Colum- kille. The Calendar of Cashel has such a notice at the nth of February. Colgan quotes also Marianus O'Gorman, the ^iar- tyrology of Donegal, and other records.
36 in the " of al- Martyrology Donegal,"
3° See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (u), p. 209. Also,
" Obits and of Christ Martyrology
Church,
February ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 473
ondiscoveringhisrnistake,37EtchenOiTeredtoconsecratehimbishop. This
proposal Cokimba decHned, attributing what had happened to a special dis- pensation of Divine Providence. He declared he would remain, during the rest of his life, in that order, to which he had been admitted. In our times, such a mistake could scarcely occur, in any part of the Church ; and, it is difficult to believe, that it could have happened even in Columba's days, although the ritual was then more simple than it is at present. 3^ St. Colum- kille had declared, that he would not accept of any different order, than that ofthepriesthood,fromSt. Etchen,solongasheshouldhve. 39 Thisindeed he observed, and no one ever came to that church, to receive orders from that time forth. The Life of Colum Cille,'^° agrees with this account. ^^ Neither Etchen nor Columba could have been mistaken as to the nature of the act, during its celebration. Therefore, observes Dr. Lanigan, whatever was the oversight or mistake alluded to in that narrative, it must have been of some other kind. Etchen might have acted designedly in conferring at first only the order of priesthood, through a wish to observe the rule of not ordaining /5^r salhun, but with the intention o. f^aftervvards giving him episcopal ordination. TothisColumbasubmitted; and,meanwhile,heformedadeter- mination not to rise higher. In process of time, persons, who thought he shouldhawbeenmadebishop,ascribedthewholetoamistake; or,itmaybe supposed, ". hat through a particular interference of Providence, Etchen forgot that Columba had been sent to him for the purpose of being raised to the episcopal ader. Knowing that he was only a deacon, the bishop thought it sufficient to confer on St. Columba merely that order of priesthood. At any rate, this anecdote, whether true or not, plainly shows, that the distinction between bishops and priests was well understood in Ireland, during the sixth century. 42 /^|- i-j-^g gj;i(^ Qf |-|-^g month of March, the Martyrology of ^ngus, contained in the Leabhar Breac,43 relates the legend concerning St. Columba's ordination bj Bishop Etchen/'^ In this anecdote, it is presupposed, that it was intended to <onsecrate Columba, /^r saltum, that is, to raise him immediately from the rant of deacon to the episcopacy, without his passing through the priesthood. 45 There is a point connected with this anecdote, or rather with
\
the suppositidi that it might have taken place. It is indeed difficult of ex- planation. I: will be asked, could not the rites used during the ordination of a priest haie been mistaken for those practised in the episcopal consecra- tion ? It is ti^ae, that in later times, some ceremonies and prayers have been added in the performance of these acts, which mark more distinctly the dif-
lusion- is made p a legend, that Etchen commanded a will ox to approach him to plough, when hi bestowed the order of priest upon Colun Cille, instead of the epis- copal order.
i,
37 See iEngus, t)r his Scholiast, &c. , in "
oflirighit, chap. loi. "
42 ggg »' Ecclesiastical History of Ireland,'
vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect, ix. , n. 104, pp. 129, 130.
43 Pol. 42, b, (now fol. 32).
44 The Irish and a translation into Eng- Etchen's Acts. Also, O'Donnell's Life of lish of this narrative may be seen in John
St. Columkille," Ii). i. , cap. 47.
Clarke Crosthwaite's and Dr. Todd's "Book
of Obits and of the Cathedral Martyrology
ChurchoftheHolyTrinity,Dublin. " In-
troduction, pp. liv. , Iv.
45 Dr. Lanigan observes: "There are
certainly many instances of the kind in ancient times, notwithstanding the contrary
practice having been generally observed from
a as from St. very early period, appears
Cyprian [Ep. 52 alias 55 ad Anlonian. ) and confirmed by the Councils of Sardica, Bracara, and others. "
32 See Dr.
*' Ecclesiastical His-
Lani^n's
tory of Ireland," v4. ii. , chap, xi. , sect, ix. ,
p. 126. J
39 See "Trias Tjiaumaturga. " O'Don-
nell's Vita S. Colutiba;, lib, i. , cap. xlvii. ,
p. 396. 4°
Chapter 38.
4^ In a note Dr. Todd here
\
later hand adds herei-Af "oe goiyvceiA eciA-
x\Vi\ 1 Iatoi^, Acuf, echenu]" unbediAi-o
"biMj-oi, cap. loi ; '^t is he that is called Etianus in Latin, qxi\ Echenus in the Life
says,
"The
474 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS [Februaryir.
ference between them ; yet, they were always dearly distinguishable, by the respective rites and forms of prayer, used in administering orders. ^^ The situation of Clonfad affords an additional argument against O'Donnell's state- ment; viz. : that Columba was ordained a priest, before he founded the
monasteryofDerry. Accordingtohim,thesaintwasinhisowncountry, when it was thought advisable to direct him to St. Etchen for ordination.
It does not appear probable, he went, for this purpose, from Tyrconnell, to the south of Meath. There were bishops enough in the adjacent parts of Ulster, who might have ordained him. No other reason appears, when applying to Etchen, for that purpose, than the circumstance, that he lived not far from Columba's residence at Durrow ; and, in fact, the distance between this place and Clonfad is not very great. We may therefore infer, that his ordination, by Etchen, did not take place until, at the earliest, that time when Columkille founded — it was an universal and a
Dairmagh. '*7 Although very ancient rule, that seve—ral bishops or at least three, as established by the greatCouncilofNice shouldj^epresentattheconsecrationorordination of a bishop ; yet, here we find an instance of a person, who was to be conse- crated by one alone, and without any apparent necessity for such an urgent motive, as would at any time render it allowable. Whether the anecdote be true or not, it seems to indicate, that it was not unusual in Irelard to have persons consecrated by one bishop. Yet, it is certain, that the Irish clergy were well acquainted with the decrees of the Council of Nice, and with others, on this subject. To explain such a seeming paradox. Dr. Lanigan
observes, that the order of chorepiscopi was very general throughout Ireland. Very many of the chorepiscopi were invested with episcopal powers, although being subordinate to the regular bishop, in whose diocese they wee stationed, they were not allowed to exercise some parts of them without his permission. Now these chorepiscopi used to be ordained or consecrated b}' the bishop,
properly so called, or the ordinary of a diocese, without his beiig bound to apply for the assistance of other bishops. '^ In the case of St. Columba, it seems very natural to suppose, that the intention was to make iim simply a chorepiscopus, so as to entrust him with the care of that rura district, ad- joining Dairmagh. Accordingly, it was not necessary to appV for his con- secration to more than one bishop. As the Irish had but aie name for bishops and chorepiscopi, it is often difficult to know, whetherpersons men- tioned in our Church history were ordinaries of dioceses or wlrther they be- longedtothesubordinateclass.
