2 In a scholion, he is noticed as Moluoc of
19 See " Letters containing Information Edmund Byrne, as a slab on the wall states, relative to the Antiquities of the County of and it was consecrated, by Most Rev.
19 See " Letters containing Information Edmund Byrne, as a slab on the wall states, relative to the Antiquities of the County of and it was consecrated, by Most Rev.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
Todd and Reeves, pp.
"
In Aremoricis Golueni Leonensis episcopi VV. nonnulli Scotum putant, sed ego delibero. "—Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
Kelly, p.
•
iyS, 179. —x Article vi.
Thus :
by Rev.
this date
:
fli^gem I0111 baupcAifC
Donegal.
a\-<ileij\ |\o«pecmr
2D
786
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[June 25.
learned historic commentary, in seven chapters and four hundred and eighty- nineparagraphs,seemstoexhaustthesubject; whilevariousnotesareadded, serving to elucidate certain portions of the text.
Article VIII. —Feast of St. Brendan, Abbot. In a Manuscript
1
Benedictine Calendar, there is a feast at the 24th of June, for St. Brendan,
2
Abbot, whose Life has been already given at the 16th of May. Article IX. —Reputed Feast of St. Gillebert, or Agilbert.
In
1 atthe
Gillebert, according to Marianus O'Gorman ; but, Agilbertus, according to
Ctoentp-ffft! ) Bap of 3une,
ARTICLE I. —ST. SINCHEALL THE YOUNGER, OF KILLEIGH, KING'S COUNTY.
[SIXTH CENTURY. ]
present holy man appears to have figured, at an early period, in our ecclesiastical few him have
come down to our times. At this in the of 1 a date, Martyrology Tallagh,
festival is registered, in honour of Sincheall the Younger. The hoiy man
the of Martyrology
24th
Donegal, the Roman Martyrology.
THE
history, although particulars regarding
2
this name, and known as the Elder St. 2 was the son of Seancheall,
bearing
Ceanannan, or Ceannfhionnan, and he was venerated, at the 26th of March. 3 Ofhimwehavealreadytreated,atthatdate4 and,sofaraswecanascertain
;
from our Genealogies of the Irish Saints, the present St. Sincheall the
Younger must have flourished contemporaneously with his namesake, to whom he was related, and not in a very remote degree. 5 A certain district of ancient Ofalia territory was denominated Droma Foda, or " the long ridge;" and this was truly descriptive of an extended elevation over a plain, which is prolonged from the Slieve Bloom Mountains to the Hill of Allen, and
from Cruachan co the Hills of Killone near the Great Heath of
6
" Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii , Maii xvi. De S. Brendano seu Brandano Abbate de Cluainfertensi in Hibernia, cap. ii. , num. 15, p. 603.
Martyrology. —
2 See the Fifth Volume of the work, at that dat—e, Art. i.
present
Article ix. Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 178, 179.
2 A note
Gillebert, which with the references is found enclosed within brackets, that this entry in the more recent hand, signifies, the St. Gille- bert mentioned here by Marianus O'Gorman, is to be identified with the Agilbert, who is commemorated, on this day, in the Roman
niae," xxvi. Martii, De S. Senchello, Abbate
et Episc. de Kill-Achuidh, pp. 747, 74S.
* See the Third Volume of this work, at
26th March, Art. ii.
5 Thus, Cruac had two sons, Imchad and
Ere. Imchad was father to Ceannfhionan, father to the Elder St. Sincheall. Ere was father to Corcran, the father of the Younger St. Sincheall, according to the "Gencalo- gies of the Irish Saints, chap. xx.
by
Dr. Todd states, at this word
Article p. xxvii.
' I.
Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
Kelly,
a He
3 See
departed Colgan's
this life A. D.
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
of thenameof June, appears
Maryborough.
548.
June 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
787
There was likewise a Cill Achaidh celebrated in our ecclesiastical Annals, and it was situated in Eastern Breifney. ? The Elder St. Sinchaell seems to have been the first Abbot, and probably the founder of Cill or Gleann- achaidh of Droma Foda ; the term Cill having been prefixed, after St. Sincheall the Elder had placed his church there. Wherefore, the denomina- tion Cill Achaidh Droma Fota " the Church of the Field of the
long
Killeagh, and it stretches to the south-west. This place was identical with the
present neat group of houses, in the barony of Geashill, King's County. At this villageareseveraltracesofoldmonasticbuildings; someofwhich,however, arealmosteffaced. But,aconsiderablepartofthemoremodernportionsofan abbey which was there has been incorporated with a fine-looking old mansion anditsoffices,nearthatvillage. Inthe"Feilire"8ofSt. ^Engus,atthe25th of June, the Feast of this St. Sinchell occurs. On this, too, there is a comment,? which identifies him with Cell Achid Sinchill, in Offaly. It seems probable
enough, that the present holy man spent some time in the monastery of Kil- leigh with the Elder St. Sincheall, and that he succeeded him in the govern-
mentofacommunitythereestablished. Thiswasprobablysometimeafterthe
10
signifies
Ridge. " Such a rising ground is treacable immediately over the village of
that soon after the arrival of the English, the family of Warren had established a nunnery here, for nuns of the Augustinian Order. 11 According to the "Annals of the Four Masters," O'Conor Faly erected a monastery at Cill Achaidh in 1393 for Friars of the Order of St. Francis. A part of this modern religious house is said to be still standing, while tradition relates, that it was formerly very extensive, and that the friars who dwelt there were very numerous. 12 It is the opinion of John O'Donovan,thattheruinsofboththesereligiousfoundations*s arenearthe Protestant church and the 14 No less than nine
middle of the sixth century. It is stated,
cemetery adjoining.
holy wells were to be seen near the village ; and the old inhabitants had a
present
tradition, that these were dedicated only to the Patron. 1* Wherefore, they
6 See " Letters containing Information re- lative to the Antiquiiies of the King's County, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. i. Letter of John O'Donovan, dated Tullamore, Decern- ber 28th, 1837, pp. 70, 71.
7 See ibid. , p. 70.
the monastery of Cill Achaidh. See Dr. O' Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. iv. , pp. 952 to 955, and nn. (y, z, a).
a See "Letters containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the King's County, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. i. Letter of
John O'Donovan, dated Tullamore, Decem-
ber 28th, 1837, pp. 64, 65.
,3 The site of convent and abbey is shown
to be some distance apart, on different sides of a separating road, on the "Ordnance Sur- vey Tovvnland Maps for the King's County," sheet 25.
M In the ancient cemetery some interesting tombs of the O'Dunnes chiefs of Hy- Regan, of the O'Conors Faly, and of the O'Molloys, are here; as also one of Maximilian O'Demp- sey, Lord Viscount Clanmaleer, whodeparted
8 In the " Leabhar Breac "
lated by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. :—
peib Sinchill peil TJelli rjACAr* er-irro arvoA
l&mluoc 5IA11 jeloAi S-m&w birr mom oeAlbai.
•• Sinchell's feast, Telle's feast : they were
we find the following stanza thus given and trans-
Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of
Oengus. By Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. xcv. s' Seeibid pcvii.
~ By Allemand.
" In the year 1447, the two famous and
" Letters containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the King's County, col-
leetedduringtheProgressoftheOrdnance Survey in 1837," vol. i. Letter of John O'Donovan, dated Tullamore, December
copy,
heights of Ireland, with Moluoc pure, fair,
sun of Lismore of Alba. "— " Transactions of
the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript this life, 30th of November, a. d. 1690. See
beautiful ladies Finola, the daughter of 28th, 1837, pp. 66 to 68. _. „. .
O'ConorFaly, and Margaret, the daughter of O'Carroll, retired from this transitory life to prepare for life eternal, while they assumed the yoke of piety and devotion, in
"
Killeigh Ordnance Survey
,s Blessed \\ ells of
The Seven
are noted on the
Townland Maps for the kings County, sheet 25.
788 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[June 25.
should be denominated St. Sincheall's Wells ; but, at present, they are locally
called Killeagh Holy Wells. Formerly, they were much resorted to by great numbers of people, for the cure of various diseases. These several springs are in a rich meadow field near Killeigh. Even yet, they are resorted to by the people, who perform stations. No particular day, however, is selected for this purpose. The water is exceedingly clear and well-tasted, and for the most
the part, tiny
rivulet—for there is one — —
only chief stream is covered
6
cheall the Elder now appears to be lost. There is still extant a list of pious
with green cresse
The
of the
—s. '
memory
patron saint probably St. Sin-
Holy Wells at Killeigh, King's County.
customs and usages, which regulated St. Sinchell's school. It also comprises very instructive axioms and proverbs, replete with the wisdom of our ancestors in the Faith. xl Thiscollectionappears,however,tohavebeentheworkoftheElder St. Sincheall. It seems likely, moreover, that these usages had been received andpractisedbytheYoungerSt. Sincheall. Wefindnofurtheraccountr ingtheActsofthelatterholyman. Itisprobable,helivedanddiedinthe
monastery at Killeigh, although the year and place of his departure are not foundinourAnnals. Atthe25thofJune,however,thefeastofSt. Sincheall
the is set Younger
18 The of Kil- parish
of
patron's name is now forgotten, in that locality. The old church there was
in the
down,
tinnel, nearCourtown Harbour, in the barony of Ballaghkeen, county of Wex- ford, was probably dedicated to the present saint or to the Elder so called. The
Martyrology
Donegal.
16 The foregoing particulars have been
gleaned, from occasional personal observa-
tion. The accompanying illustration is from
a sketch, tnken by the writer on the spot, in
August, iSSS. It has been transferred to middle of page 17, third column.
18
the wood, by William F. Wakeman. It was Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
engraved by Mrs. Millard. 178, 179.
17 These are to be found, among the Ten
Folia of the " Hook of Leinster," now in
possession of the Franciscan Community,
Merchants' Quay, Dublin. See about the
June 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
789
17feet6inchesinbreadth; but,itslengthcannotatpresentbeeasilyascertained, as both of its gables are destroyed and levelled with the ground. Parts of the side walls remain, nevertheless, and from which it may be conjectured, this rude building was about five centuries old, in 1840. * There is a Kiltennel parish, also, in Carlow County. There a patron or pattern-day was lately—if not still- held on the 25th of June, when that day happened on a Sunday. 20 Other- wise, it was held on the next Sunday, following the 25th of June," as being the most convenient festival and a disengaged time. " The ruins of Kiltennel
church in the county of Carlow are described as being 16 yards Ion* by 7 yards broad, and covered with ivy, in 1839. On the south side wall near the
gable there was a doorway, 6 feet high, with a segmental arch of mason work. In breadth, it was 5 feet, on the outside, and 6 feet on the inside. On the east sideofthisentrance,thewallwasbrokenaway. Attheeastgable,thewall was partly pulled down, and that gable stood detached. On it, there was a window. A 23 nowin was
2 church. *
ArticleII. —St. MoluogofLiss-mor,Scotland. [SixthorSeventh Century-. ] One of the prominent features of the early Celtic Church was in- tense devotion towards the memory of those, who were the founders of its
20
This was ascertained, owing to a cor-
chapel, ruins,
attached to the east end of this
clan monasteries.
people, by their veneration of the great man, whose sons the clan claimed to be,andafterwhomtheywerenamed. Eventheecclesiasticalrevolutionof the sixteenth century, and an altered condition of things, did not extinguish that popular regard, which had long been cherished for the early founders of Celtic churches. The continued vitality of their memories has attracted the notice of many intelligent writers, even among those, not specially pre- possessed in favour of the Catholic Church. 1 As we have already seen, St. Moluoc is entered in the " Feilire" of St. ^Engus, at the 25th of June, and with very high commendation.
2 In a scholion, he is noticed as Moluoc of
19 See " Letters containing Information Edmund Byrne, as a slab on the wall states, relative to the Antiquities of the County of and it was consecrated, by Most Rev.
Wexford, collected during the Progress of
theOrdnance in vol. i. Letter Survey 1840,"
ofJohnO'Donovan,p. 11.
Edmund Byrne, Archbishop of Dublin in the
xxxi. , p. 342.
24 See " Letters relating to the Antiquities
of the County of Carlow, containing Infor- mation collected during the Progress of the
respondence between the Earl of Courtown
and the Rev. James Graves, in reference to
the first-named parish in Wexford, where
The like feeling manifested itself in the civil polity of the
some antiquities of a curious character were Ordnance Survey in 1839. " Letter of T.
"
Proceedings and Papers of the
found. See
Kilkenny and South-East Archaeological
O'Conor, dated Carlow, July 1st, 1839, pp.
*
legendary
early saints now remained. He adds: "But
in Scotland, even in spite of the vast counter- wave of the Reformation, the local attrac- tions of the primitive missionaries still hold
Society. " New Series, vol. iv. , part i. , a. d. 1862, pp. 144, 145, and pp. 198, 199.
297 to 300. — Article II.
Dr. the Stanley,
" See ibid. 22
Thus,
Dean of Westminster, in one of his recent Lectures, remarked that in England little association, or historical, of the
been made to the Rev. William Reeves, he was of opinion, that not only the Carlow Kiltennel, but also the Wexford Kiltennel, had been dedicated to the present saint. He thus unsolves the
Application having
problem: Cill u Sinchill, " Church of their ground, and their successive apparitions Sinchill, will exactly make this name, by may well recall for a moment the various eliding, the letter S, and also it will account stages of the original Celtic faith.
for a transition into the modern form—Cibl 2 See "Transactions of the Royal Irish c-Sinchitt, Kil-tinchill, Kil-tinhil, Kil- Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , tinnil, Kiltennel. part i. On the Calendar of Oengus. By
23 This had been erected, by Captain Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. xcv.
See AntiquitiesoftheCountyofCarlow,"chap.
year 1709.
John Ryan's
" and History
79° LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 25.
Lismore in Scotland, i. e. , of Cill Delga in Ardgal. 3 We read, in the Martyr- ology ofTallagh,4 that Moluoc Lis-moir is entered, as having a festival, at the 25th of June. There is a notice of St. Molocus, who is said to have flourished a. d. 590, in the Ecclesiastical History of Scotland, by Thomas Dempster ;5 and,asusual,withsomeofthatauthor'sinventions. 6 Thedateforhisfestival,
however, is not there stated. Also, by Camerarius,? there is an entry re-
Heisnoticed,likewise,byBishopChallenor,11 Rev. AlbanButler,"Rev. S. Baring-Gould,13 and Chambers. 14 This holy man flourished, according to some writers, in the sixth century,^ or in the seventh century, according to
garding St. Molocus, at the 25th of June.
St. Moloc or Molonach, Bishop in Scotia, at the 25th day of June; but, there is no further account of him, in the Fifth Volume of their work for that month. Their Acts 9 of him appear, however, in the succeeding Tome. 10
other accounts. 16 he was illustrious Formerly,
among
the Northern
Britons,
whose Apostle he became. It is thought, by Colgan, that he is the St.
Molugadius, Molugedus, or Lugadius, son of Lanneon, son to Fintan, son of
Lugad,sontoEnnaBogun,sonofConallGulban. 1? Amongthethirty-seven
18 MoluansmentionedbySt. yEngustheCuldee, thepresentoneiscalledSt.
Moluanus,10 the son of Lanneon. 20 His name is recorded in many of our native Calendars. According to the Breviary of Aberdeen, Molocus was
descended from a noble Scottish 21 His family.
original
The pedigree of this saint, who is variously called Molocus, Moluoc, Molua,
Lugaidh, pronounced Lua, Mo-Lugadius, Mo-Lugedus or Lugadius, is set downintheSanctilogiumGenealogicum. Withtheendearingsuffixoc,Lua becomes Luoc or Luoch, and with the honorific mo, he becomes Molua,
MoluocandMoloch. Afterwards,thisnamecametobegreatlycorrupted; for, it is written Moluach, Moloak, M'huluoc, Malogue, Emagola and Mul-
3 See ibid. , p. cvii.
4 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxvii.
s See tomus ii. , lib. xii. , num. 840,
P- 449-
6 As a specimen of Dempster's singular
facility for contradicting himself, he has this same holy disciple of St. Brendan under the
14 See " The Book of Days," vol. i. , June
25th, p. 820.
'5 St. Moloc flourished about A. D. 540,
according to Hector Boece. See "Histo-
rise Scotorum," lib. ix. , p. 478.
16 St. Moloch is set down at A. D. 697, in
Rev. Dr. J. F. S. Gordon's " Scotichroni- name of St. Molonathus, averring that he con," vol. i. , pp. 67, 68.
flourished in the year 628. See ibid. , num. 856, p. 455-
17 See "Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Ap-
pendix ad Acta S. Columbia, cap. iii. , num.
Libro Homonymorum Sancto-
19 In one of the work, on the copy
Genealogies of the Saints of Ireland this saint is named Mo-luanus, son of Lonnan ; while, in another, he is designated Molacus or Moluocu*, son of Lanan.
i- In Libro " De Scotorum Pietate,
at
34. p. 481. ,8 '•
xxv. Junii.
8 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. ,
In rum. "
xxv. Sancti coluntur, p. I.
qui
vii. Kalendas
Julii
Junii
9 They have a Preceding Sylloge, in seven paragraphs, and his Acts are from the
Lessons of an ancient Breviary, in six proper Lessons. These are edited and annotated
by Father Conrad Jannings, S. J.
10 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. ,
Appendix ad Diem xxv. Junii. De S. Moloco seu Monolacho, Episcopo in Rossia, Scotiae Hodiernae Provincia, pp. 240 to
20 See " Trias Colgan's
243-
" See " Britannia Sancta," part i. ,
25th
cap. iii. , p. 481.
21 See the Bollandists'" Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus vi. , Appendix ad Diem xxv: Junii. De S. Moloco seu Molonacho Episcopo in Rossia. Officium S. Moloci, Lect. i. , p. 241.
22
At the 29th of January, where the Life of St. Gildas occurs, among his brothers is one named Mailocus, and in a comment on his name, Colgan explains the various
June, pp. 386, 387.
" See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs
and other principal Saints," vol. vi. , June xxv.
"
13 See Lives of the Saints," vol. vi. , June changes to which it has been subjected, in
25th, p. 341. "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniac," xxix. Janua-
8
The Bollandists have noticed
name was 22 Lugaidh.
Thaumaturga," Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbas,
June 25. ] LIVES OF THE LRISH SAINTS.
791
nay. We find the name again written Mulvay 23 and 24 His Muluy.
pedi- gree is given, as being the son of Lucht, son to Finnchadh, son of Fodari, son to Fiacha Araidhe, from whom the Dalariadhe. 2* He is stated, but incor- rectly, to have been the Luanus, mentioned by St. Bernard,26 as having been the founder of one hundred monasteries. He is not to be confounded, how- ever,withthatLugidusorMoluaofClonfertMolua. 27 St. Molochbecamea disciple of the Abbot St. Brendan,28 a manofsingular sanctity and wisdom. 29 He was educated with great care from his infancy, as also he was instructed in sacred and profane literature. 30 He had a remarkably retentive memory,
and for his piety was distinguished while among his companions. When these
built houses for profane uses, Moloc was engaged erecting churches and
altars. 31 One day, requiring a square iron bell, Moloc asked a neighbouring artificer to fashion one. But, the latter excused himself, as not having coals. Moluoc then went out and collected a bundle of rushes or reeds, which mira- culously supplied their place. 32 Not chosing to be distinguished among his brethren, he went to the northern parts of Ireland, and he seems to have had a circuitous and dangerous passage by sea. 33 There he dwelt for a little time, and having at last found persons animated with his own spirit, a light ship was procured to sail away for more deserted places. However, knowing the number of miracles wrought by him, and proclaimed beyond the seas, which they desired to sail over ; his fellow-travellers resolved on sailing without him, and Moluoc was left behind on the sea-shore. At this juncture, St. Moluoc betook himself to prayer, earnestly desiring to visit Alba, and the Almighty favouredhisdesiresinamiraculousmanner. Atthattime,hehappenedto be standing on a rock, and this moved out to sea on which it floated, until it rested at the port of Lismore, 3 * in Scotland. Moreover, he reached that port inadvanceofthosewhosailedintheship. AtLismorewasafterwardsshown thatrock,onwhichSt. Moluocsailed; and,itsshapewassopeculiar,thatit was distinguished from all other stones on that Island. 3 * The spot, where the
egregius antistes, setate turn gravis, qui sa- cram doctrinam, primseva adolescentia a —Brandano venerabili abbate acceptam," &c.
" Sanctorum Historiae," lib. ix. , fol. clxxii.
3I According to the Officium S. Moloci, Lect. i.
32 That bell was afterwards preserved in 2* See also his account of Baul Muluy, the church of Lismore, where it was
rii.
"
In Aremoricis Golueni Leonensis episcopi VV. nonnulli Scotum putant, sed ego delibero. "—Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
Kelly, p.
•
iyS, 179. —x Article vi.
Thus :
by Rev.
this date
:
fli^gem I0111 baupcAifC
Donegal.
a\-<ileij\ |\o«pecmr
2D
786
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[June 25.
learned historic commentary, in seven chapters and four hundred and eighty- nineparagraphs,seemstoexhaustthesubject; whilevariousnotesareadded, serving to elucidate certain portions of the text.
Article VIII. —Feast of St. Brendan, Abbot. In a Manuscript
1
Benedictine Calendar, there is a feast at the 24th of June, for St. Brendan,
2
Abbot, whose Life has been already given at the 16th of May. Article IX. —Reputed Feast of St. Gillebert, or Agilbert.
In
1 atthe
Gillebert, according to Marianus O'Gorman ; but, Agilbertus, according to
Ctoentp-ffft! ) Bap of 3une,
ARTICLE I. —ST. SINCHEALL THE YOUNGER, OF KILLEIGH, KING'S COUNTY.
[SIXTH CENTURY. ]
present holy man appears to have figured, at an early period, in our ecclesiastical few him have
come down to our times. At this in the of 1 a date, Martyrology Tallagh,
festival is registered, in honour of Sincheall the Younger. The hoiy man
the of Martyrology
24th
Donegal, the Roman Martyrology.
THE
history, although particulars regarding
2
this name, and known as the Elder St. 2 was the son of Seancheall,
bearing
Ceanannan, or Ceannfhionnan, and he was venerated, at the 26th of March. 3 Ofhimwehavealreadytreated,atthatdate4 and,sofaraswecanascertain
;
from our Genealogies of the Irish Saints, the present St. Sincheall the
Younger must have flourished contemporaneously with his namesake, to whom he was related, and not in a very remote degree. 5 A certain district of ancient Ofalia territory was denominated Droma Foda, or " the long ridge;" and this was truly descriptive of an extended elevation over a plain, which is prolonged from the Slieve Bloom Mountains to the Hill of Allen, and
from Cruachan co the Hills of Killone near the Great Heath of
6
" Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii , Maii xvi. De S. Brendano seu Brandano Abbate de Cluainfertensi in Hibernia, cap. ii. , num. 15, p. 603.
Martyrology. —
2 See the Fifth Volume of the work, at that dat—e, Art. i.
present
Article ix. Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 178, 179.
2 A note
Gillebert, which with the references is found enclosed within brackets, that this entry in the more recent hand, signifies, the St. Gille- bert mentioned here by Marianus O'Gorman, is to be identified with the Agilbert, who is commemorated, on this day, in the Roman
niae," xxvi. Martii, De S. Senchello, Abbate
et Episc. de Kill-Achuidh, pp. 747, 74S.
* See the Third Volume of this work, at
26th March, Art. ii.
5 Thus, Cruac had two sons, Imchad and
Ere. Imchad was father to Ceannfhionan, father to the Elder St. Sincheall. Ere was father to Corcran, the father of the Younger St. Sincheall, according to the "Gencalo- gies of the Irish Saints, chap. xx.
by
Dr. Todd states, at this word
Article p. xxvii.
' I.
Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
Kelly,
a He
3 See
departed Colgan's
this life A. D.
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
of thenameof June, appears
Maryborough.
548.
June 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
787
There was likewise a Cill Achaidh celebrated in our ecclesiastical Annals, and it was situated in Eastern Breifney. ? The Elder St. Sinchaell seems to have been the first Abbot, and probably the founder of Cill or Gleann- achaidh of Droma Foda ; the term Cill having been prefixed, after St. Sincheall the Elder had placed his church there. Wherefore, the denomina- tion Cill Achaidh Droma Fota " the Church of the Field of the
long
Killeagh, and it stretches to the south-west. This place was identical with the
present neat group of houses, in the barony of Geashill, King's County. At this villageareseveraltracesofoldmonasticbuildings; someofwhich,however, arealmosteffaced. But,aconsiderablepartofthemoremodernportionsofan abbey which was there has been incorporated with a fine-looking old mansion anditsoffices,nearthatvillage. Inthe"Feilire"8ofSt. ^Engus,atthe25th of June, the Feast of this St. Sinchell occurs. On this, too, there is a comment,? which identifies him with Cell Achid Sinchill, in Offaly. It seems probable
enough, that the present holy man spent some time in the monastery of Kil- leigh with the Elder St. Sincheall, and that he succeeded him in the govern-
mentofacommunitythereestablished. Thiswasprobablysometimeafterthe
10
signifies
Ridge. " Such a rising ground is treacable immediately over the village of
that soon after the arrival of the English, the family of Warren had established a nunnery here, for nuns of the Augustinian Order. 11 According to the "Annals of the Four Masters," O'Conor Faly erected a monastery at Cill Achaidh in 1393 for Friars of the Order of St. Francis. A part of this modern religious house is said to be still standing, while tradition relates, that it was formerly very extensive, and that the friars who dwelt there were very numerous. 12 It is the opinion of John O'Donovan,thattheruinsofboththesereligiousfoundations*s arenearthe Protestant church and the 14 No less than nine
middle of the sixth century. It is stated,
cemetery adjoining.
holy wells were to be seen near the village ; and the old inhabitants had a
present
tradition, that these were dedicated only to the Patron. 1* Wherefore, they
6 See " Letters containing Information re- lative to the Antiquiiies of the King's County, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. i. Letter of John O'Donovan, dated Tullamore, Decern- ber 28th, 1837, pp. 70, 71.
7 See ibid. , p. 70.
the monastery of Cill Achaidh. See Dr. O' Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. iv. , pp. 952 to 955, and nn. (y, z, a).
a See "Letters containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the King's County, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. i. Letter of
John O'Donovan, dated Tullamore, Decem-
ber 28th, 1837, pp. 64, 65.
,3 The site of convent and abbey is shown
to be some distance apart, on different sides of a separating road, on the "Ordnance Sur- vey Tovvnland Maps for the King's County," sheet 25.
M In the ancient cemetery some interesting tombs of the O'Dunnes chiefs of Hy- Regan, of the O'Conors Faly, and of the O'Molloys, are here; as also one of Maximilian O'Demp- sey, Lord Viscount Clanmaleer, whodeparted
8 In the " Leabhar Breac "
lated by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. :—
peib Sinchill peil TJelli rjACAr* er-irro arvoA
l&mluoc 5IA11 jeloAi S-m&w birr mom oeAlbai.
•• Sinchell's feast, Telle's feast : they were
we find the following stanza thus given and trans-
Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of
Oengus. By Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. xcv. s' Seeibid pcvii.
~ By Allemand.
" In the year 1447, the two famous and
" Letters containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the King's County, col-
leetedduringtheProgressoftheOrdnance Survey in 1837," vol. i. Letter of John O'Donovan, dated Tullamore, December
copy,
heights of Ireland, with Moluoc pure, fair,
sun of Lismore of Alba. "— " Transactions of
the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript this life, 30th of November, a. d. 1690. See
beautiful ladies Finola, the daughter of 28th, 1837, pp. 66 to 68. _. „. .
O'ConorFaly, and Margaret, the daughter of O'Carroll, retired from this transitory life to prepare for life eternal, while they assumed the yoke of piety and devotion, in
"
Killeigh Ordnance Survey
,s Blessed \\ ells of
The Seven
are noted on the
Townland Maps for the kings County, sheet 25.
788 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[June 25.
should be denominated St. Sincheall's Wells ; but, at present, they are locally
called Killeagh Holy Wells. Formerly, they were much resorted to by great numbers of people, for the cure of various diseases. These several springs are in a rich meadow field near Killeigh. Even yet, they are resorted to by the people, who perform stations. No particular day, however, is selected for this purpose. The water is exceedingly clear and well-tasted, and for the most
the part, tiny
rivulet—for there is one — —
only chief stream is covered
6
cheall the Elder now appears to be lost. There is still extant a list of pious
with green cresse
The
of the
—s. '
memory
patron saint probably St. Sin-
Holy Wells at Killeigh, King's County.
customs and usages, which regulated St. Sinchell's school. It also comprises very instructive axioms and proverbs, replete with the wisdom of our ancestors in the Faith. xl Thiscollectionappears,however,tohavebeentheworkoftheElder St. Sincheall. It seems likely, moreover, that these usages had been received andpractisedbytheYoungerSt. Sincheall. Wefindnofurtheraccountr ingtheActsofthelatterholyman. Itisprobable,helivedanddiedinthe
monastery at Killeigh, although the year and place of his departure are not foundinourAnnals. Atthe25thofJune,however,thefeastofSt. Sincheall
the is set Younger
18 The of Kil- parish
of
patron's name is now forgotten, in that locality. The old church there was
in the
down,
tinnel, nearCourtown Harbour, in the barony of Ballaghkeen, county of Wex- ford, was probably dedicated to the present saint or to the Elder so called. The
Martyrology
Donegal.
16 The foregoing particulars have been
gleaned, from occasional personal observa-
tion. The accompanying illustration is from
a sketch, tnken by the writer on the spot, in
August, iSSS. It has been transferred to middle of page 17, third column.
18
the wood, by William F. Wakeman. It was Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
engraved by Mrs. Millard. 178, 179.
17 These are to be found, among the Ten
Folia of the " Hook of Leinster," now in
possession of the Franciscan Community,
Merchants' Quay, Dublin. See about the
June 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
789
17feet6inchesinbreadth; but,itslengthcannotatpresentbeeasilyascertained, as both of its gables are destroyed and levelled with the ground. Parts of the side walls remain, nevertheless, and from which it may be conjectured, this rude building was about five centuries old, in 1840. * There is a Kiltennel parish, also, in Carlow County. There a patron or pattern-day was lately—if not still- held on the 25th of June, when that day happened on a Sunday. 20 Other- wise, it was held on the next Sunday, following the 25th of June," as being the most convenient festival and a disengaged time. " The ruins of Kiltennel
church in the county of Carlow are described as being 16 yards Ion* by 7 yards broad, and covered with ivy, in 1839. On the south side wall near the
gable there was a doorway, 6 feet high, with a segmental arch of mason work. In breadth, it was 5 feet, on the outside, and 6 feet on the inside. On the east sideofthisentrance,thewallwasbrokenaway. Attheeastgable,thewall was partly pulled down, and that gable stood detached. On it, there was a window. A 23 nowin was
2 church. *
ArticleII. —St. MoluogofLiss-mor,Scotland. [SixthorSeventh Century-. ] One of the prominent features of the early Celtic Church was in- tense devotion towards the memory of those, who were the founders of its
20
This was ascertained, owing to a cor-
chapel, ruins,
attached to the east end of this
clan monasteries.
people, by their veneration of the great man, whose sons the clan claimed to be,andafterwhomtheywerenamed. Eventheecclesiasticalrevolutionof the sixteenth century, and an altered condition of things, did not extinguish that popular regard, which had long been cherished for the early founders of Celtic churches. The continued vitality of their memories has attracted the notice of many intelligent writers, even among those, not specially pre- possessed in favour of the Catholic Church. 1 As we have already seen, St. Moluoc is entered in the " Feilire" of St. ^Engus, at the 25th of June, and with very high commendation.
2 In a scholion, he is noticed as Moluoc of
19 See " Letters containing Information Edmund Byrne, as a slab on the wall states, relative to the Antiquities of the County of and it was consecrated, by Most Rev.
Wexford, collected during the Progress of
theOrdnance in vol. i. Letter Survey 1840,"
ofJohnO'Donovan,p. 11.
Edmund Byrne, Archbishop of Dublin in the
xxxi. , p. 342.
24 See " Letters relating to the Antiquities
of the County of Carlow, containing Infor- mation collected during the Progress of the
respondence between the Earl of Courtown
and the Rev. James Graves, in reference to
the first-named parish in Wexford, where
The like feeling manifested itself in the civil polity of the
some antiquities of a curious character were Ordnance Survey in 1839. " Letter of T.
"
Proceedings and Papers of the
found. See
Kilkenny and South-East Archaeological
O'Conor, dated Carlow, July 1st, 1839, pp.
*
legendary
early saints now remained. He adds: "But
in Scotland, even in spite of the vast counter- wave of the Reformation, the local attrac- tions of the primitive missionaries still hold
Society. " New Series, vol. iv. , part i. , a. d. 1862, pp. 144, 145, and pp. 198, 199.
297 to 300. — Article II.
Dr. the Stanley,
" See ibid. 22
Thus,
Dean of Westminster, in one of his recent Lectures, remarked that in England little association, or historical, of the
been made to the Rev. William Reeves, he was of opinion, that not only the Carlow Kiltennel, but also the Wexford Kiltennel, had been dedicated to the present saint. He thus unsolves the
Application having
problem: Cill u Sinchill, " Church of their ground, and their successive apparitions Sinchill, will exactly make this name, by may well recall for a moment the various eliding, the letter S, and also it will account stages of the original Celtic faith.
for a transition into the modern form—Cibl 2 See "Transactions of the Royal Irish c-Sinchitt, Kil-tinchill, Kil-tinhil, Kil- Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , tinnil, Kiltennel. part i. On the Calendar of Oengus. By
23 This had been erected, by Captain Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. xcv.
See AntiquitiesoftheCountyofCarlow,"chap.
year 1709.
John Ryan's
" and History
79° LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 25.
Lismore in Scotland, i. e. , of Cill Delga in Ardgal. 3 We read, in the Martyr- ology ofTallagh,4 that Moluoc Lis-moir is entered, as having a festival, at the 25th of June. There is a notice of St. Molocus, who is said to have flourished a. d. 590, in the Ecclesiastical History of Scotland, by Thomas Dempster ;5 and,asusual,withsomeofthatauthor'sinventions. 6 Thedateforhisfestival,
however, is not there stated. Also, by Camerarius,? there is an entry re-
Heisnoticed,likewise,byBishopChallenor,11 Rev. AlbanButler,"Rev. S. Baring-Gould,13 and Chambers. 14 This holy man flourished, according to some writers, in the sixth century,^ or in the seventh century, according to
garding St. Molocus, at the 25th of June.
St. Moloc or Molonach, Bishop in Scotia, at the 25th day of June; but, there is no further account of him, in the Fifth Volume of their work for that month. Their Acts 9 of him appear, however, in the succeeding Tome. 10
other accounts. 16 he was illustrious Formerly,
among
the Northern
Britons,
whose Apostle he became. It is thought, by Colgan, that he is the St.
Molugadius, Molugedus, or Lugadius, son of Lanneon, son to Fintan, son of
Lugad,sontoEnnaBogun,sonofConallGulban. 1? Amongthethirty-seven
18 MoluansmentionedbySt. yEngustheCuldee, thepresentoneiscalledSt.
Moluanus,10 the son of Lanneon. 20 His name is recorded in many of our native Calendars. According to the Breviary of Aberdeen, Molocus was
descended from a noble Scottish 21 His family.
original
The pedigree of this saint, who is variously called Molocus, Moluoc, Molua,
Lugaidh, pronounced Lua, Mo-Lugadius, Mo-Lugedus or Lugadius, is set downintheSanctilogiumGenealogicum. Withtheendearingsuffixoc,Lua becomes Luoc or Luoch, and with the honorific mo, he becomes Molua,
MoluocandMoloch. Afterwards,thisnamecametobegreatlycorrupted; for, it is written Moluach, Moloak, M'huluoc, Malogue, Emagola and Mul-
3 See ibid. , p. cvii.
4 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxvii.
s See tomus ii. , lib. xii. , num. 840,
P- 449-
6 As a specimen of Dempster's singular
facility for contradicting himself, he has this same holy disciple of St. Brendan under the
14 See " The Book of Days," vol. i. , June
25th, p. 820.
'5 St. Moloc flourished about A. D. 540,
according to Hector Boece. See "Histo-
rise Scotorum," lib. ix. , p. 478.
16 St. Moloch is set down at A. D. 697, in
Rev. Dr. J. F. S. Gordon's " Scotichroni- name of St. Molonathus, averring that he con," vol. i. , pp. 67, 68.
flourished in the year 628. See ibid. , num. 856, p. 455-
17 See "Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Ap-
pendix ad Acta S. Columbia, cap. iii. , num.
Libro Homonymorum Sancto-
19 In one of the work, on the copy
Genealogies of the Saints of Ireland this saint is named Mo-luanus, son of Lonnan ; while, in another, he is designated Molacus or Moluocu*, son of Lanan.
i- In Libro " De Scotorum Pietate,
at
34. p. 481. ,8 '•
xxv. Junii.
8 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. ,
In rum. "
xxv. Sancti coluntur, p. I.
qui
vii. Kalendas
Julii
Junii
9 They have a Preceding Sylloge, in seven paragraphs, and his Acts are from the
Lessons of an ancient Breviary, in six proper Lessons. These are edited and annotated
by Father Conrad Jannings, S. J.
10 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. ,
Appendix ad Diem xxv. Junii. De S. Moloco seu Monolacho, Episcopo in Rossia, Scotiae Hodiernae Provincia, pp. 240 to
20 See " Trias Colgan's
243-
" See " Britannia Sancta," part i. ,
25th
cap. iii. , p. 481.
21 See the Bollandists'" Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus vi. , Appendix ad Diem xxv: Junii. De S. Moloco seu Molonacho Episcopo in Rossia. Officium S. Moloci, Lect. i. , p. 241.
22
At the 29th of January, where the Life of St. Gildas occurs, among his brothers is one named Mailocus, and in a comment on his name, Colgan explains the various
June, pp. 386, 387.
" See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs
and other principal Saints," vol. vi. , June xxv.
"
13 See Lives of the Saints," vol. vi. , June changes to which it has been subjected, in
25th, p. 341. "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniac," xxix. Janua-
8
The Bollandists have noticed
name was 22 Lugaidh.
Thaumaturga," Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbas,
June 25. ] LIVES OF THE LRISH SAINTS.
791
nay. We find the name again written Mulvay 23 and 24 His Muluy.
pedi- gree is given, as being the son of Lucht, son to Finnchadh, son of Fodari, son to Fiacha Araidhe, from whom the Dalariadhe. 2* He is stated, but incor- rectly, to have been the Luanus, mentioned by St. Bernard,26 as having been the founder of one hundred monasteries. He is not to be confounded, how- ever,withthatLugidusorMoluaofClonfertMolua. 27 St. Molochbecamea disciple of the Abbot St. Brendan,28 a manofsingular sanctity and wisdom. 29 He was educated with great care from his infancy, as also he was instructed in sacred and profane literature. 30 He had a remarkably retentive memory,
and for his piety was distinguished while among his companions. When these
built houses for profane uses, Moloc was engaged erecting churches and
altars. 31 One day, requiring a square iron bell, Moloc asked a neighbouring artificer to fashion one. But, the latter excused himself, as not having coals. Moluoc then went out and collected a bundle of rushes or reeds, which mira- culously supplied their place. 32 Not chosing to be distinguished among his brethren, he went to the northern parts of Ireland, and he seems to have had a circuitous and dangerous passage by sea. 33 There he dwelt for a little time, and having at last found persons animated with his own spirit, a light ship was procured to sail away for more deserted places. However, knowing the number of miracles wrought by him, and proclaimed beyond the seas, which they desired to sail over ; his fellow-travellers resolved on sailing without him, and Moluoc was left behind on the sea-shore. At this juncture, St. Moluoc betook himself to prayer, earnestly desiring to visit Alba, and the Almighty favouredhisdesiresinamiraculousmanner. Atthattime,hehappenedto be standing on a rock, and this moved out to sea on which it floated, until it rested at the port of Lismore, 3 * in Scotland. Moreover, he reached that port inadvanceofthosewhosailedintheship. AtLismorewasafterwardsshown thatrock,onwhichSt. Moluocsailed; and,itsshapewassopeculiar,thatit was distinguished from all other stones on that Island. 3 * The spot, where the
egregius antistes, setate turn gravis, qui sa- cram doctrinam, primseva adolescentia a —Brandano venerabili abbate acceptam," &c.
" Sanctorum Historiae," lib. ix. , fol. clxxii.
3I According to the Officium S. Moloci, Lect. i.
32 That bell was afterwards preserved in 2* See also his account of Baul Muluy, the church of Lismore, where it was
rii.
