He is also
distinguished
as Eoghan, son of Corcran.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v5
Among tlie pretermitted saints, p.
6n.
5 See " Acta Sanctorum Hibernire," Feb- ruarii xvii. Appendix ad Vitam S. Fintani, cap. i, p. 355.
* See " Slonaslicon Ilibernicum," p.
part i. ' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, Ixxxv.
On the Calendar of Oengus, p.
593.
pp. 124, 125.
Article iv. — ' lie writes
:
3 Edited by Dr. Whitley Stokes. See no ConmAC "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy,"
following legend is thus found inserted
'' in Arainn ata Ise ro imcomairce do diabol cinnas ro seisedh nemh. Ad quem Diabolus
:
—
May II. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
ill the west—rather should it be the east—of Leinster. ^ Such, however, is not a correct statement, according to another opinion. In the Rev. Dr. Kelly's edition of the Tallagh Martyrology, we find the feast of " Cormaic in Achadh Finnmaighi " placed, at the v. of the Ides, or at the nth of May. ? In a suc- ceeding page, Achadh Finnmaigh is identified, by the editor, with Finmoy, in Iveagh, county of Down f but, this may be regarded as a mistaken identifica- tion. 9 On the authority of tlie Tallagh Martyrology, the BoUandists '° insert a notice of him, in like manner, at this date. Colgan " thought Achadh- Finnigh to have been situated in the province of Leinster. " He has offered a conjecture, likewise, that the present Cormac may not be different from that son to the King of South Leinster, who seems to have studied at Clonenagh, under St. Fintan,'3 and who was afterwards kept a close prisoner by the King of North Leinster, until released, through the intercession of the holy Abbot. Then, he lived for a long time in the kingdom of Leinster, before he became a monk, under St. Comgall, Abbot of Bangor. ^ Here he died, in the odour of sanctity. 'S But, as we have already seen,'^ his place in Leinster was else- where,noris thereanyaccountofthatCormachavingbeenconnectedwith Achadh Finnigh. Tlie Ui-Dunchadha were a tribe, seated in that district of Dublin County, through which the River Dothair, now the Dodder, flows. '? This tribe descended from Dunchadh,'^ grandson of Bran Mut, the common ancester of the Leinster O'Byrnes and O'Tooles. There was another Ui-Donnchadha, or O'Donaghue territory, in Ireland; but, its situation has not been ascertained. '9 The Dodder has its source among the Mountains nearKippnre,inthesouthernpartofDublinCounty. Severalsmallstreams unite their branches, in the romantic valley of Glenismole, whence the River
vol. i. , part i. , p. Ixxix.
• Dothair (fern. ) Dothia.
5 See " teAbliA^A ha 5-CeAy\c, or Book of
Rights," edited by John O'Donovan, p. I2, n. (f).
* See Dr. Whitley Stokes, on the Calen- dar of Oengus. "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. , p. Ixxxv.
^ In the Fransciscan copy, we find, Co|\- 111AC111 <\c1nro pn'omiiji.
* See " Calendar of Irish Saints," &c. , pp. xxiii. and 9.
9 There appearsa second entry of Mocritoc or Critan Mac Illadon, and of Crumlhir Cormac, at the same day, and afterwards, ni the published Martyrology of Tallagh, the
dixit. Diamba Cieirech nirbat irach. " Ibid. , p. xxiv.
'» See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. . Mail xi. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 611.
" See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xvii. Februarii. Appendix ad Vitam S. Cormaci, cap. i. , p. 360.
'^ He writes : " S. Cormacus Prsesbyter de Acahdh-finnigh juxta fluvium Dothra, in Lagenia II. Mail.
'3 See his Life, in the Second Volume of this work, at the 17th of February, Art. i.
''» SeetheBoUandists'"ActaSanctorum,"
tomus ii. , Maiix. De SanctoComgalloAbbate Benchorensi in Hibernia. Vita ex MS. an- tiquo et editione Sirini, cap. iii. , num. ^^
586, 587.
'S SeeColgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nii-e," Februarii xvii. Vita S. Fintani Abbatis de Cluain-Edaech, cap. xviii. , and n. 19, pp. 352, 354-
'^ See his Life, at the day preceding, Art. i. , chap,iv.
'7 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Leabhar na g-Ceart, or Book of Ri^jhts," n. (f), p. 12.
'* According to another account, Dun- cuan, son of Tuatal, prince of I'Mureday, lived about a. d. iooo, the period when patronymics had been adopted in Ireland, "suivant I'invitation du roi Brian Borouma. " This Duncuan is said to have adopted first the name of Ua-Tuatal, or O'Toole. descendants formerent le clan ou la Tribu des O'Toole, laquelle aveccelle des O'Byrne, s'est particulierement illustree par sa con- stance dans la lutte contre la race Anglaise pendent 400 ans, quoique son territoire fut situe pour ainsi dire a—ux portes de Dublin, capitale de I'ennemi. " " Les O'Toole," &c. Extrait des collections Nationales Ireland- aises de Charles-Denis Cte. O'Kelly-Farrell, p. I, Folio, La Reole, 1S64.
'9 See Dr. O'Donovan's edition of " Topo- graphical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Coilla na Naomh O'lluidhrinn," pp. 72, 73, and n. 355, p. xlvi.
*°JohnD'Altonthusdescribesthecourse
»i5
40, pp.
"Ses
2l6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May II.
has its main issue, over a rock-impeded course,='° on towards Templeogue and Rathfarnham, until winding round Dublin city, it takes a north-easterly course, beforeitjoinstheLiffey,atRingsend. ''' ThechurchofAchadh-Finche"was situated on the Dodder's brink, as a gloss on the Feilire-Aenguis, at this day, slates. ^3 Cill IMochritoc appears to have been another name, for the same church. ^* That place has been clearly indicated, by the compiler of that Irish
View of the River Dodder, County Dublin.
Calendar,^5 now preserved in the Royal Irish Academy, at the nth of May, when uniting this saint's name and festival, with those of Criotan Mac lolladon. According to the Calendar of Cashel, St. Cormac rests in an Island of Tyrconnell, called Inis-Caoil. ^^ This Island, near the mouth of Gweebarra
of this river. "Its early character is wild =•' See Dr. O'Donovan's "Topographical and boisterous, foaming amidst rocks, and Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na usually swelled by mountain floods and Naonih O'Huidhrinn," n. 59, p. xiv.
showers; the close of its course, however, is gentle even to sluggishness. "—" History of the County of Dublin," Ninth Excursion, p. 847.
-5 In it, we have the following entry, Co|\- r»u\c Saj;ai\c. 111 <Xch<i-o V'^^'S r<Jl^ ^r^ Doc]\A muib •ouiicAt)A. —Ordnance Survey Office copy, formerly kept at Mountjoy Bar- racks, PJirenix Park, but now in the Royal Irish Academy. " Common Place Book F," p. 44. In a marginal note, in Mr. 0'I>ono-
*' The accompanying sketch, by William
F. Wakeman, taken on the spot, in June,
1884. and on the upper i)art of the Doiider,
about one mile west from Templeogue, has van's handwriting, at the word t)ori\,. \, I
been transferred by him to the wood, en- graved by Mrs. Mdlard.
" Achadh Finnidh, on the Dodder, is alluded to, in the "Dublin Extracts," for the Irish Ordnance Survey, at p. 129.
find, " qr. the I>odder. "
^' Acconling to Colgan's account : " quics-
cit in quadam Tirconnallice insula, Inis-caoil nuncupata, juxta Calendarium Casseiense. " —"'Acta Sanctorum Ilibcrnite," xvii. Feb-
'3 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the ruarii. Appendix ad Vitam S. Cormaci, Four Masters," vol. ii. , n. (q) p. 676. cap. i. , p. 360.
—
May II. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
Bay, belongs to Boylagh Barony, in the county of Donegal. It is now known as Inishkeel. ^7 St. Cormac's festival is assigned to this day. ^^ But, a mis- take probably has been committed, in confounding St. Cormac with St. Conall of Inis Gael, whose festival has been assigned to the 22nd of May, and concerning whom, other particulars will elsewhere be found. The scholiast, on the Calendar of Oengus, seems to place a feast for the latter, at this day. ^? The O'Clerys, likewise, have united Criotan, son of lolladon, and Corbmac, Priest, at this date. In Achadh Finnich, on the brink of the Dothar, in Ui Dunchadha, in the east of Leinster, they are said to lie,3° or to be interred. This latter statement is incorrect, as only Corbmac appears to have departed there, or to have been buried, in the locality just mentioned. The Kalendar of Drummond, at the nth of May, 3' has entered a Feast, for the holy con- fessors, Saints Cormic and Critoc. s^ As found so united, in our ancient Aleno- logia, there is colour given for supposing, that both saints may have been
contemporaries, and that some personal intimacy existed between them.
Article V. Reputed Feast of St. Mac Tail, of Cill Cuilinn, OR KiLCULLEN, CouNTY OF KiLDARE. Under the head of Cill-Cuilinn, Duald Mac Firbis records Mac Tail of Cill-Cuilinn,^ at the present date. How- ever,thisismanifestlyamistake,forthenthofJune; sincenoneofourcalen- dars have entered his feast, at the nth of May. It seems strange, that he is best known, by the patronymic, Mac Tail, or son of Tail. His own name was Eoghan, according to Duald Mac Firbiss. St. Mac Tail of KilcuUen must have flourished at a very early period, and he was born, probably, towards thecloseofthefifthcentury. Hewasappointedasbishop,overthatancient See, in the sixth century. He died a. d. 548,^ with which date other accounts do not agree. 3 If we trust the authority of Duald Mac Firbis, May nth 4 was his feast. However, the reader is referred to the real day, for its cele- bration, June nth, where further notices of St. Mac Tail occur.
He is also distinguished as Eoghan, son of Corcran. s
Article VI St. Senach, the Smith, of Derrybrusk, County of Fermanagh. [^Supposed to have lived in the Sixth Century? ^ We cannot ascer- tain, with certainty, the period when this holy man was born, or where he flourished ; but, it seems probable, he lived in the sixth century. We read, however, in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ that veneration was given on this day to Senach, the smith, son to Etchen, of Airiadh Brosca, on Loch Eirne.
^7 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. v. , p. i8ii,n. (k).
°^ In the Irish Calendar, at the v. of the Ides (nth) of May, Common Place Book F, at p. 44.
*' In a note, he writes : ^reit CoriAiLL \w\e CaiL hie . 1. o inif CaiL AniAT\chAi\ Ci^xe CoMAiLl, thus Englished by Dr. Whitley Stokes, " The feast of Conall of Inis Gael here i. e. , from Inis Cael in the west of Tyr- connell. "— "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p. Ixxxvi.
^° See "The Martyrology of Donegal," edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 124, 125, and n. 2. _
3'Thus: " V. Idus. Item inHibernia Natale
Sanctorum Confessorum Cormic et Critoc. " ^^ See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendarsof Scot-
tish Saints," p. 13.
Article v. — ' Old Kilcullen, county of
Kildare, according to William M. Hennessy's note.
^ See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 186, 187.
^ Thus the "Chronicum Scotorum," edited by William M. Hennessy. There his death is placed, at A. D. 551. See pp. 50, 51.
* See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. 94, 95.
5 See William M. Hennessy's "Chroni- cum Scotorum," pp. 50, 51.
Article vi. — ' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 124, 125.
217
2i8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May ii.
If we believe one account, this saint is reputed to have been brother of the illus- trious St. Columkille ;^ but, we doubt the accuracy of such a statement. His mother, according to Co]gan,3 was Ethnea,-* said to have been ninth in descent from Daire Barrach, second son to Cathair Mor, King of Leinster. 5 Accord- ing to this parentage, the present holy man must have been born, early in the sixth century. However, the father of St. Columkille is known to have been the son of Fedhlimidh, and he had only another junior son, named Eogan or Eugene,^ while the Either of our present saint is noted as Etchen. From the soubiiqnet attached to his name, we may suppose, that Senach was probably a metallic artist, and belonging to a profession, which, formerly in Ireland, produced some exquisite workmanship, in the more precious metals. Or, per- haps, he only practised the trade of a smith, which was an artisan calling very prevalent among our ancestors, long ages before cast iron articles had been produced. In connexion with this epithet, applied to St. Senach, it is very remarkable, that Killygowan, " the wood of the smith," is at present the deer- park of John Grey Vesey Porter, Esq. ,7 whose public spirited efforts to im- prove the social condition and trade of Ireland, and especially of this locality, are so well known. The place of Senach—called Airech-Brosga—is now identified as Derrjbrusk, a parish,^ partly in the barony of Magherastephana,? but chiefly in the barony of Tirkennedy,'° in the county of Fermanagh. " From the fourteenth century, at least, there was a parsonage at Airech Brosga," and a house of hospitality had been maintained there,^3 by a learned vicar, named Gilchreest O'Fiaicli, or O'Fey, who died, a. d. 1482. Port-Airidh- Broscaidh,'-* or the Port of Derrybrusk, is near Enniskillen. Down to the sixteenth century, the deaths of vicars, connected with Airidh Brosga, are commemorated in our Annals. Near Derrybrusk is Belleisle,'s formerly called Ballymacmanus. ^^ It was so called perhaps from the fact, that Mac Manus, the chief of this place, had founded a monastery for Dominican friars adjoin- ing Lough Erne. Here, too, tradition places a monastery, and, of this, some traces, it is supposed, yet exist. '? There are traces, likewise, of the village
* See his Life, at the 9th of June, Art. i.
3 See " Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Ap- pendix ad Acta S. Columba;, cap. x. , p. 492. SeAe at St. Natalis, Jan. 27.
sister of St. CoUimkille is called Sinech ; and hence appears to have arisen Colgan's mislake, by substituting her name, for a supposed brother, denominated Senacli.
5 See her descent traced, in Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba," Preface, p. Ixx. , and nn. (q, r), and p. 8, n. (u).
* See ibid. Additional Notes, A, S. Columbse Discipuli et Cognati, pp. 245 to 247, with notes.
7 See William F. Wakeman's "Lough Erne,
EnnisUillen. Belleek, Ballysliannon and gious establishment having been here ; but,
Bundonan," &c. . Second Excursion, p. 68. ^ " It is cut into the separate parts by in- sections of theparishes of Enniskillen. herry- vullen, and Cleenish. "—" Parliamentary
(jazettcer of Ireland," vol. ii. , \>. 13.
9 See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. iv. , n. (o), p. 693.
'0 This section has an area of 4, 373a. 32p. , and of which 217a. 2r. and 2p. are under
water. See "Parliamentary Gazetteer of
no traces of any such building now remain. Here, likewise, Cathal Maguire compiled the Annals ol Ulster.
'' Certain yew-groves, at Belleisle, are sujiposed tohavehad connexion with it. See William F. Wakeman's "Lough Erne, Enniskillen, Belkek, Ballyshannon . ind Bundoran," &c. Second Excursion, pp. 63 to 65.
'^ See, for an account of this pKice and cf
Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 13.
" This section has an area of 285a. ip. ,
and of which 23a. 31-. and 24p. are under Avater. See ibid.
'^
John j\IacGilla-Coi>gh, died.
In 1384, the master erenagh and parson,
'^ While the " Annals of the Four Mas- ters " state for eleven years, the " Annals of Ulster " have it, for forty years.
'* Alluded to by the Four Masters, at a. d. 1484.
'5 A beautiful demesne is to be seen here, and which belongs to John Grey Vesey I'ortcr, Esq. It was formerly the property of Lord Rosse, from whom the father of Mr. Porter purchased it.
'* There are traditions of an ancient reli-
"
May II. LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 219
and priory of Gola/^ in wliich place a Dominican house was situated. '9 The ruined niediseval church, now at Derrybrusk, is thickly mantled over with luxuriant ivy. ^° A handsome mullioned window, in two compartments, and pointed, under a coved arch, is in a tolerable state of preservation. In the Acts of St. Columba,^' we read of a certain holy smith, named Senach,
Interior of Derrybrusk Old Church.
whopresentedabelltothechurchofNaal. Hewaspossibly—ifnotproba- bly—identical with St. Natalis,^^ tlie patron saint of Kinnawly, in the county of Fermanagh ; for this place was quite contiguous to Derrybrusk. A great portion of this latter parish is upland, and most of the remainder has an inferior soil. Yet, all lies in the midst of an ornate country, and as it adjoins Lough Erne, towards the east, it shares in the brilliant lacustrine and fluvial land- scapes of that magnificent flood of water. ^3 Lough Erne is one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe f^ and, most certainly, none of these excel it for variety of scenery, and natural advantages, hitherto little developed in the locality. Save by anglers, few strangers or tourists are to be met with, on the
its religious house, De Burgo's " Hibernia
JJominicana," cap. ix. , sect, xli. , pp. 330 to
333-
'5 See Lewis' " Topographical Dictionary
ofIreland,"vol. i. , p. 452.
=° The accompanying illustration, drawn
on the spot by William F. Wakeman, and transferred by him to the wood, has been en- graved by Mrs. Millard.
°' See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,
Quinta Vita S. Columlxis, lib. iii. , cap. iii. ,
P- 431-
" See his Life, at the 27th day of January,
in vol. i. of this work, Art. i.
^3 As viewed from the high mountain, over
Ballyconnell, in the county of Cavan, the upper course of the Erne especially presents an enchanting prospect, with its broad waters enchaining a multitude of islands, and flow- ing in mazes, remarkable for their intricacies through a vast extent of territory. The writer had this advantage of a fine day and a clear view, in the summer of 1876.
^^ Richard Twiss' "'Tour in Ireland in 1775," p. 107.
5 See " Acta Sanctorum Hibernire," Feb- ruarii xvii. Appendix ad Vitam S. Fintani, cap. i, p. 355.
* See " Slonaslicon Ilibernicum," p.
part i. ' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, Ixxxv.
On the Calendar of Oengus, p.
593.
pp. 124, 125.
Article iv. — ' lie writes
:
3 Edited by Dr. Whitley Stokes. See no ConmAC "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy,"
following legend is thus found inserted
'' in Arainn ata Ise ro imcomairce do diabol cinnas ro seisedh nemh. Ad quem Diabolus
:
—
May II. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
ill the west—rather should it be the east—of Leinster. ^ Such, however, is not a correct statement, according to another opinion. In the Rev. Dr. Kelly's edition of the Tallagh Martyrology, we find the feast of " Cormaic in Achadh Finnmaighi " placed, at the v. of the Ides, or at the nth of May. ? In a suc- ceeding page, Achadh Finnmaigh is identified, by the editor, with Finmoy, in Iveagh, county of Down f but, this may be regarded as a mistaken identifica- tion. 9 On the authority of tlie Tallagh Martyrology, the BoUandists '° insert a notice of him, in like manner, at this date. Colgan " thought Achadh- Finnigh to have been situated in the province of Leinster. " He has offered a conjecture, likewise, that the present Cormac may not be different from that son to the King of South Leinster, who seems to have studied at Clonenagh, under St. Fintan,'3 and who was afterwards kept a close prisoner by the King of North Leinster, until released, through the intercession of the holy Abbot. Then, he lived for a long time in the kingdom of Leinster, before he became a monk, under St. Comgall, Abbot of Bangor. ^ Here he died, in the odour of sanctity. 'S But, as we have already seen,'^ his place in Leinster was else- where,noris thereanyaccountofthatCormachavingbeenconnectedwith Achadh Finnigh. Tlie Ui-Dunchadha were a tribe, seated in that district of Dublin County, through which the River Dothair, now the Dodder, flows. '? This tribe descended from Dunchadh,'^ grandson of Bran Mut, the common ancester of the Leinster O'Byrnes and O'Tooles. There was another Ui-Donnchadha, or O'Donaghue territory, in Ireland; but, its situation has not been ascertained. '9 The Dodder has its source among the Mountains nearKippnre,inthesouthernpartofDublinCounty. Severalsmallstreams unite their branches, in the romantic valley of Glenismole, whence the River
vol. i. , part i. , p. Ixxix.
• Dothair (fern. ) Dothia.
5 See " teAbliA^A ha 5-CeAy\c, or Book of
Rights," edited by John O'Donovan, p. I2, n. (f).
* See Dr. Whitley Stokes, on the Calen- dar of Oengus. "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. , p. Ixxxv.
^ In the Fransciscan copy, we find, Co|\- 111AC111 <\c1nro pn'omiiji.
* See " Calendar of Irish Saints," &c. , pp. xxiii. and 9.
9 There appearsa second entry of Mocritoc or Critan Mac Illadon, and of Crumlhir Cormac, at the same day, and afterwards, ni the published Martyrology of Tallagh, the
dixit. Diamba Cieirech nirbat irach. " Ibid. , p. xxiv.
'» See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. . Mail xi. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 611.
" See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xvii. Februarii. Appendix ad Vitam S. Cormaci, cap. i. , p. 360.
'^ He writes : " S. Cormacus Prsesbyter de Acahdh-finnigh juxta fluvium Dothra, in Lagenia II. Mail.
'3 See his Life, in the Second Volume of this work, at the 17th of February, Art. i.
''» SeetheBoUandists'"ActaSanctorum,"
tomus ii. , Maiix. De SanctoComgalloAbbate Benchorensi in Hibernia. Vita ex MS. an- tiquo et editione Sirini, cap. iii. , num. ^^
586, 587.
'S SeeColgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nii-e," Februarii xvii. Vita S. Fintani Abbatis de Cluain-Edaech, cap. xviii. , and n. 19, pp. 352, 354-
'^ See his Life, at the day preceding, Art. i. , chap,iv.
'7 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Leabhar na g-Ceart, or Book of Ri^jhts," n. (f), p. 12.
'* According to another account, Dun- cuan, son of Tuatal, prince of I'Mureday, lived about a. d. iooo, the period when patronymics had been adopted in Ireland, "suivant I'invitation du roi Brian Borouma. " This Duncuan is said to have adopted first the name of Ua-Tuatal, or O'Toole. descendants formerent le clan ou la Tribu des O'Toole, laquelle aveccelle des O'Byrne, s'est particulierement illustree par sa con- stance dans la lutte contre la race Anglaise pendent 400 ans, quoique son territoire fut situe pour ainsi dire a—ux portes de Dublin, capitale de I'ennemi. " " Les O'Toole," &c. Extrait des collections Nationales Ireland- aises de Charles-Denis Cte. O'Kelly-Farrell, p. I, Folio, La Reole, 1S64.
'9 See Dr. O'Donovan's edition of " Topo- graphical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Coilla na Naomh O'lluidhrinn," pp. 72, 73, and n. 355, p. xlvi.
*°JohnD'Altonthusdescribesthecourse
»i5
40, pp.
"Ses
2l6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May II.
has its main issue, over a rock-impeded course,='° on towards Templeogue and Rathfarnham, until winding round Dublin city, it takes a north-easterly course, beforeitjoinstheLiffey,atRingsend. ''' ThechurchofAchadh-Finche"was situated on the Dodder's brink, as a gloss on the Feilire-Aenguis, at this day, slates. ^3 Cill IMochritoc appears to have been another name, for the same church. ^* That place has been clearly indicated, by the compiler of that Irish
View of the River Dodder, County Dublin.
Calendar,^5 now preserved in the Royal Irish Academy, at the nth of May, when uniting this saint's name and festival, with those of Criotan Mac lolladon. According to the Calendar of Cashel, St. Cormac rests in an Island of Tyrconnell, called Inis-Caoil. ^^ This Island, near the mouth of Gweebarra
of this river. "Its early character is wild =•' See Dr. O'Donovan's "Topographical and boisterous, foaming amidst rocks, and Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na usually swelled by mountain floods and Naonih O'Huidhrinn," n. 59, p. xiv.
showers; the close of its course, however, is gentle even to sluggishness. "—" History of the County of Dublin," Ninth Excursion, p. 847.
-5 In it, we have the following entry, Co|\- r»u\c Saj;ai\c. 111 <Xch<i-o V'^^'S r<Jl^ ^r^ Doc]\A muib •ouiicAt)A. —Ordnance Survey Office copy, formerly kept at Mountjoy Bar- racks, PJirenix Park, but now in the Royal Irish Academy. " Common Place Book F," p. 44. In a marginal note, in Mr. 0'I>ono-
*' The accompanying sketch, by William
F. Wakeman, taken on the spot, in June,
1884. and on the upper i)art of the Doiider,
about one mile west from Templeogue, has van's handwriting, at the word t)ori\,. \, I
been transferred by him to the wood, en- graved by Mrs. Mdlard.
" Achadh Finnidh, on the Dodder, is alluded to, in the "Dublin Extracts," for the Irish Ordnance Survey, at p. 129.
find, " qr. the I>odder. "
^' Acconling to Colgan's account : " quics-
cit in quadam Tirconnallice insula, Inis-caoil nuncupata, juxta Calendarium Casseiense. " —"'Acta Sanctorum Ilibcrnite," xvii. Feb-
'3 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the ruarii. Appendix ad Vitam S. Cormaci, Four Masters," vol. ii. , n. (q) p. 676. cap. i. , p. 360.
—
May II. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
Bay, belongs to Boylagh Barony, in the county of Donegal. It is now known as Inishkeel. ^7 St. Cormac's festival is assigned to this day. ^^ But, a mis- take probably has been committed, in confounding St. Cormac with St. Conall of Inis Gael, whose festival has been assigned to the 22nd of May, and concerning whom, other particulars will elsewhere be found. The scholiast, on the Calendar of Oengus, seems to place a feast for the latter, at this day. ^? The O'Clerys, likewise, have united Criotan, son of lolladon, and Corbmac, Priest, at this date. In Achadh Finnich, on the brink of the Dothar, in Ui Dunchadha, in the east of Leinster, they are said to lie,3° or to be interred. This latter statement is incorrect, as only Corbmac appears to have departed there, or to have been buried, in the locality just mentioned. The Kalendar of Drummond, at the nth of May, 3' has entered a Feast, for the holy con- fessors, Saints Cormic and Critoc. s^ As found so united, in our ancient Aleno- logia, there is colour given for supposing, that both saints may have been
contemporaries, and that some personal intimacy existed between them.
Article V. Reputed Feast of St. Mac Tail, of Cill Cuilinn, OR KiLCULLEN, CouNTY OF KiLDARE. Under the head of Cill-Cuilinn, Duald Mac Firbis records Mac Tail of Cill-Cuilinn,^ at the present date. How- ever,thisismanifestlyamistake,forthenthofJune; sincenoneofourcalen- dars have entered his feast, at the nth of May. It seems strange, that he is best known, by the patronymic, Mac Tail, or son of Tail. His own name was Eoghan, according to Duald Mac Firbiss. St. Mac Tail of KilcuUen must have flourished at a very early period, and he was born, probably, towards thecloseofthefifthcentury. Hewasappointedasbishop,overthatancient See, in the sixth century. He died a. d. 548,^ with which date other accounts do not agree. 3 If we trust the authority of Duald Mac Firbis, May nth 4 was his feast. However, the reader is referred to the real day, for its cele- bration, June nth, where further notices of St. Mac Tail occur.
He is also distinguished as Eoghan, son of Corcran. s
Article VI St. Senach, the Smith, of Derrybrusk, County of Fermanagh. [^Supposed to have lived in the Sixth Century? ^ We cannot ascer- tain, with certainty, the period when this holy man was born, or where he flourished ; but, it seems probable, he lived in the sixth century. We read, however, in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ that veneration was given on this day to Senach, the smith, son to Etchen, of Airiadh Brosca, on Loch Eirne.
^7 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. v. , p. i8ii,n. (k).
°^ In the Irish Calendar, at the v. of the Ides (nth) of May, Common Place Book F, at p. 44.
*' In a note, he writes : ^reit CoriAiLL \w\e CaiL hie . 1. o inif CaiL AniAT\chAi\ Ci^xe CoMAiLl, thus Englished by Dr. Whitley Stokes, " The feast of Conall of Inis Gael here i. e. , from Inis Cael in the west of Tyr- connell. "— "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p. Ixxxvi.
^° See "The Martyrology of Donegal," edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 124, 125, and n. 2. _
3'Thus: " V. Idus. Item inHibernia Natale
Sanctorum Confessorum Cormic et Critoc. " ^^ See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendarsof Scot-
tish Saints," p. 13.
Article v. — ' Old Kilcullen, county of
Kildare, according to William M. Hennessy's note.
^ See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 186, 187.
^ Thus the "Chronicum Scotorum," edited by William M. Hennessy. There his death is placed, at A. D. 551. See pp. 50, 51.
* See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part i. , pp. 94, 95.
5 See William M. Hennessy's "Chroni- cum Scotorum," pp. 50, 51.
Article vi. — ' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 124, 125.
217
2i8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May ii.
If we believe one account, this saint is reputed to have been brother of the illus- trious St. Columkille ;^ but, we doubt the accuracy of such a statement. His mother, according to Co]gan,3 was Ethnea,-* said to have been ninth in descent from Daire Barrach, second son to Cathair Mor, King of Leinster. 5 Accord- ing to this parentage, the present holy man must have been born, early in the sixth century. However, the father of St. Columkille is known to have been the son of Fedhlimidh, and he had only another junior son, named Eogan or Eugene,^ while the Either of our present saint is noted as Etchen. From the soubiiqnet attached to his name, we may suppose, that Senach was probably a metallic artist, and belonging to a profession, which, formerly in Ireland, produced some exquisite workmanship, in the more precious metals. Or, per- haps, he only practised the trade of a smith, which was an artisan calling very prevalent among our ancestors, long ages before cast iron articles had been produced. In connexion with this epithet, applied to St. Senach, it is very remarkable, that Killygowan, " the wood of the smith," is at present the deer- park of John Grey Vesey Porter, Esq. ,7 whose public spirited efforts to im- prove the social condition and trade of Ireland, and especially of this locality, are so well known. The place of Senach—called Airech-Brosga—is now identified as Derrjbrusk, a parish,^ partly in the barony of Magherastephana,? but chiefly in the barony of Tirkennedy,'° in the county of Fermanagh. " From the fourteenth century, at least, there was a parsonage at Airech Brosga," and a house of hospitality had been maintained there,^3 by a learned vicar, named Gilchreest O'Fiaicli, or O'Fey, who died, a. d. 1482. Port-Airidh- Broscaidh,'-* or the Port of Derrybrusk, is near Enniskillen. Down to the sixteenth century, the deaths of vicars, connected with Airidh Brosga, are commemorated in our Annals. Near Derrybrusk is Belleisle,'s formerly called Ballymacmanus. ^^ It was so called perhaps from the fact, that Mac Manus, the chief of this place, had founded a monastery for Dominican friars adjoin- ing Lough Erne. Here, too, tradition places a monastery, and, of this, some traces, it is supposed, yet exist. '? There are traces, likewise, of the village
* See his Life, at the 9th of June, Art. i.
3 See " Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Ap- pendix ad Acta S. Columba;, cap. x. , p. 492. SeAe at St. Natalis, Jan. 27.
sister of St. CoUimkille is called Sinech ; and hence appears to have arisen Colgan's mislake, by substituting her name, for a supposed brother, denominated Senacli.
5 See her descent traced, in Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba," Preface, p. Ixx. , and nn. (q, r), and p. 8, n. (u).
* See ibid. Additional Notes, A, S. Columbse Discipuli et Cognati, pp. 245 to 247, with notes.
7 See William F. Wakeman's "Lough Erne,
EnnisUillen. Belleek, Ballysliannon and gious establishment having been here ; but,
Bundonan," &c. . Second Excursion, p. 68. ^ " It is cut into the separate parts by in- sections of theparishes of Enniskillen. herry- vullen, and Cleenish. "—" Parliamentary
(jazettcer of Ireland," vol. ii. , \>. 13.
9 See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. iv. , n. (o), p. 693.
'0 This section has an area of 4, 373a. 32p. , and of which 217a. 2r. and 2p. are under
water. See "Parliamentary Gazetteer of
no traces of any such building now remain. Here, likewise, Cathal Maguire compiled the Annals ol Ulster.
'' Certain yew-groves, at Belleisle, are sujiposed tohavehad connexion with it. See William F. Wakeman's "Lough Erne, Enniskillen, Belkek, Ballyshannon . ind Bundoran," &c. Second Excursion, pp. 63 to 65.
'^ See, for an account of this pKice and cf
Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 13.
" This section has an area of 285a. ip. ,
and of which 23a. 31-. and 24p. are under Avater. See ibid.
'^
John j\IacGilla-Coi>gh, died.
In 1384, the master erenagh and parson,
'^ While the " Annals of the Four Mas- ters " state for eleven years, the " Annals of Ulster " have it, for forty years.
'* Alluded to by the Four Masters, at a. d. 1484.
'5 A beautiful demesne is to be seen here, and which belongs to John Grey Vesey I'ortcr, Esq. It was formerly the property of Lord Rosse, from whom the father of Mr. Porter purchased it.
'* There are traditions of an ancient reli-
"
May II. LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 219
and priory of Gola/^ in wliich place a Dominican house was situated. '9 The ruined niediseval church, now at Derrybrusk, is thickly mantled over with luxuriant ivy. ^° A handsome mullioned window, in two compartments, and pointed, under a coved arch, is in a tolerable state of preservation. In the Acts of St. Columba,^' we read of a certain holy smith, named Senach,
Interior of Derrybrusk Old Church.
whopresentedabelltothechurchofNaal. Hewaspossibly—ifnotproba- bly—identical with St. Natalis,^^ tlie patron saint of Kinnawly, in the county of Fermanagh ; for this place was quite contiguous to Derrybrusk. A great portion of this latter parish is upland, and most of the remainder has an inferior soil. Yet, all lies in the midst of an ornate country, and as it adjoins Lough Erne, towards the east, it shares in the brilliant lacustrine and fluvial land- scapes of that magnificent flood of water. ^3 Lough Erne is one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe f^ and, most certainly, none of these excel it for variety of scenery, and natural advantages, hitherto little developed in the locality. Save by anglers, few strangers or tourists are to be met with, on the
its religious house, De Burgo's " Hibernia
JJominicana," cap. ix. , sect, xli. , pp. 330 to
333-
'5 See Lewis' " Topographical Dictionary
ofIreland,"vol. i. , p. 452.
=° The accompanying illustration, drawn
on the spot by William F. Wakeman, and transferred by him to the wood, has been en- graved by Mrs. Millard.
°' See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,
Quinta Vita S. Columlxis, lib. iii. , cap. iii. ,
P- 431-
" See his Life, at the 27th day of January,
in vol. i. of this work, Art. i.
^3 As viewed from the high mountain, over
Ballyconnell, in the county of Cavan, the upper course of the Erne especially presents an enchanting prospect, with its broad waters enchaining a multitude of islands, and flow- ing in mazes, remarkable for their intricacies through a vast extent of territory. The writer had this advantage of a fine day and a clear view, in the summer of 1876.
^^ Richard Twiss' "'Tour in Ireland in 1775," p. 107.
