JGngus must have been his
disciple
before the year 767.
Life and Works of St Aneguissiums Hagographicus
-- Literary pursuits of our Saint.
--Engages on the Felire or Festology.
--
Presents a copy of it to Fothadius the Canonist Probable date, origin,
and object of the Felire, . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Chapter V. -- Description and analysis of St. Angus' Festology. --He resided
. . . . . . 17 at Tallaght. -- Trea
Chapter VII. --Modes of life at Tallagh until the time arrived for depar
ture. --'-t. iEngus returns to Clonenagh, where he is chosen as Abbot. -- Supposed to have been a Chorepiscopus. -- Occasional retirement to Dysart Enos. -- His death and burial. --Value of St. iEngus' hagiogra-
phical works. -- Conclusion, . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
at Dysart Bethach at the period of its completion. --Its first circulation in the reign of Aidus the Sixth. -- The Martyrology of Tallagh, and
interesting particulars regarding this composition, Chapter VI. -- St. . ffingus was probably ordained Priest
tise of St. iEngus " De Sanctis Hibernisa -- The
" Saltair-na-rann". -- Pedigrees of Irish Saints attributed to his authorship, . . . . . . 28
/
TltE
LIFE AND WOEKS or
ST. ,3ENGUSIUS HAGIOGKRAPHUS, OR
ST. iENGUS THE CULDEE,
BISHOP AND ABBOT AT CLONENAGH AND DYSARTENOS, COUNTY.
QUEEN'S
I. --Introduction. --Sources of biography to illustrate the acts of
St. *dZngus. -- Bis pedigree and early life. -- He studies at monastery of Clonenagh. -- Monastic training and learning.
the
If the life of every good man can be presented " to point a moral and adorn a tale", some account regarding the labours, learning, and life of a holy Irish monk, who flourished in the eighth and ninth centuries, may claim attention and interest, ? when brought before Irish readers. They serve to illustrate the habits and usages of our early monasticism. Our regards can not be lessened towards the subject of this biographical notice, because he has deserved to rank among the host of Irish saints. As a poet, too, his life abounds in the romance of reality. Much could we desire to glean fuller particulars respecting him, and to render his name and works more popularly known and appre ciated, than they have hitherto been. We can only offer some brief biographical statements, and a necessarily imperfect analysis regarding his valuable writings. The time must soon arrive, when more satisfactory and learned efforts will make the vene rable name of ,3? ngus the Culdee be remembered and invoked, by every pious and enlightened Irish Catholic.
The acts of this illustrious saint, known generally to Irish scholars as JEngus the Hagiologist, have been published by
2 t The Life and Works of
Colgan, at the 11th of March. 1 This latter researchful writer doubted not, that the life of Saint _iEngus had been written at full length, and had been accessible, at a more remote period. But Colgan complains that this life was not available, at the time he had been engaged in publishing the acts of our Irish saints. However, the virtues of iEngus have been specially recorded, by some old writer, who prefixes an argument or an introduc tion to this saint's existing writings. Another Irish poet, like wise bearing the name of iEngus, has celebrated the Culdee's praises in certain verses, sufficiently indicative of great anti quity. 2
iEngus the Culdee, sometimes named ^ngusius Hagiogra- phus, or ^neas, is said to have been descended from Coelbach, king of Ireland. 3 The name of his father was iEngavan, called in Harris' Ware* Oengobhan, the son of Oblein, the son of Fid- hraus, according to a genealogy made out for him in our Mar- tyrologies. 5 He was sprung from the royal race of the Dalara
1 See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii. Vita JEngussii, pp. 579 to 683.
2 Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii. Vita S. JEngussii, cap. ii. p. 579. In note 5, p. 582, Colgan remarks, the author of this metrical life, in the penultimate verse of his panegyric on the saiut, prays that he may enjoy with his namesake the bliss of eternal life. He extols St. iEngus with surpass ing encomiums, stating that the saint was of ten engaged in colloquies with celes
tial spirits. He styles St. iEngus the Sun of Western Europe. On account of those things related regarding the studies of our saint in his youthful days, his daily and wonderful exercises, his rare humility and austerity, the day of his death, being feria sexta, the place of his burial, and such like notices, Colgan is under an impression, that the writer must have been a friend of St. iEngus, and have lived contemporaneously with him. Wherefore, owing to the concur rences of time, neighbourhood, and great erudition, it is supposed, that the writer had been no other than iEngus, Abbot of Cluain-fearta-Molua, who died in the year 858. See O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters, vol. i. pp. 492, 493. Colgan says, from the metrical panegyric, and the scholiast wbo wrote a pre face to the Festilogy of iEngus, he derived all his materials for the life of this saint. A few particulars only are excepted, and these were drawn from other sources. See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii, n. 5, p. 5S2.
3 The following is St. iEngus' pedigree, as contained in a preface to his Felire', in the Leabhar Breac, R. I. A. , Dublin : " Aengus, the son of Oengoba, son of Oblen, son of Fidru, son of Diarmuit, son of Ainmire, son of Cellar, son of Oengus, son of Naisluagh, son of Caelbad [of the Rudrician or Ultonian race, who was monarch of Erinn, and was slain, a. d. 357], son of Crumbadrai, son of Eochaidh Cobai'. See Professor Eugene O'Curry's Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History, Lect. xvii. p. 363, and Appendix, No. cxi.
p. 609.
4 Vol. ii. J7ie Writers of Ireland. Book i. p. 51.
6 Such is an account left us by the anonymous scholiast on the Festilogium of
Aengus, and to whom allusion has been made, as also in the Sanctilogium Genealogicum, cap. 23, where his genealogy is given in these words : " S. JEngus- sius alius 2Engavani, F. Hoblenii, F. Fidrai, F. Diermitii, F. Anmirechi, F. Cel- larii, F. Mngussii, F Natsluagii, F. Coelbadii, F. Crunnii Badhrai, F. Eochadii
Cobhae, F. Lugadii, F. Rossii, F. Imchadii, F. Fethlemidii, F. Cassii, F. Fiach Aradii, a quo Dalaradiorum familia nominatur". See Colgan's Acta Sancto rum Hiberniae, xi. Martii. Vita S ^Engussii, nn. 1 et 3 p- 682.
"\
St. dSngusim Hagiographus. . 3
dians in Ulster,1 and he was born in Ireland, about the middle of the eighth century. Almost from infancy, he deserved the appellation Culdee,2 or worshipper of God, which surname he afterwards bore. From the dawning perceptions of childhood, he felt an earnest desire of devoting himself to a religious life. He practised mortification to an extraordinary degree, even in bis youth ; and he conceived most exalted ideas of Christian per fection, the attainment of which was an object, ever uppermost in his mind.
About this time, the great monastery of Clonenagh, in Ossory, under direction of the saintly Abbot Malathgenius,3 enjoyed a high reputation, both for the number and sanctity of its inmates. _^Engus preferred his suit for admission within its enclosure, and his request was favourably received. But his early noviciate, in the exercise of all virtues, had preceded the care bestowed by that holy abbot, on his youthful disciple. His daily progress in the paths of Christian sanctity, and his advancement in sacred learning, were aided by application and capacity, to such an ex traordinary degree, that in a short time he bore the reputation of being one among the most sanctifiedand erudite men, of whom Ireland could then boast.
An ingenious and a distinguished French writer,4 capable from his peculiar line of study to pronounce opinions on this subject, has ably vindicated the progress made in sacred learning
1 Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii. \ Vita S. JEngussii, cap. i. p. 579.
1 " 'Poland pretends (Nazarenus, Letter ii. sect. 3) that the surname Ceile De given to iEngus indicated an office or particular sort of profession, and that ha ? was one of that sort of clergymen, who have been afterwards called Culdees. But jEngus was a monk; whereas the Culdees, as will be seen elsewhere, were
the secular canons of cathedral or collegiate churches, such as we call preben daries. It is a palpable mistake to suppose, that they were a monastic order. The title, Ceile De, as applied to . ^Engus, had nothing to do with them; and it is more than probable that in his time there was not as yet any such institution as that of those so much talked of Culdees. JEngus's surname was peculiar to himself, unless it should be supposed that all that is said of his having been a monk, etc. , is false. Many Irish names began with Ceile, Cele, or with the corres ponding word Gilta, followed by that of our Saviour or some Saint"--Lanigan's Ecclesiastical History of Ireland, vol. iii. c. xx. ? x. n. 96, p. 248.
3 The death of " Maelaithgen, Abbot of Cluain-Eidhneach", occurred in the year 767. See O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters, vol. i. pp. 870, 371. The feast of St. Malathgenius is observed on the 21st of October, and St.
JGngus must have been his disciple before the year 767. For as that other TEngus, who wrote the eulogy of our Saint in elegant metre, has told us that JEngus the Culdee studied from boyhood in the monastery of Clonenagh, and
afterwards, when he had been celebrated for his miracles, he lived in the monas tery of Tallagh, before St. Melruan's death, a. d. 787. It is supposed, therefore, to follow, that he studied in the monastery of Clonenagh under the aforesaid abbot. See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii, n. 4, p. 582.
4 M. de la Villemarque, of the French Institute, has published a most inter- resting article on the Poetry of the Celtic Cloisters. It appeared in the No
vember number of Le Correspondant for 1863.
IB
S
4 The Life and Works of
and science among the pupils of our early schools. When the Celt became a Christian and a monk, his love of numbers still remained, and his conceptions becoming spiritualised by the aspirations after perfection, which he daily breathed heavenward, poetic inspiration was the happy result. Study, with manual labour, divided cloistral occupations, and through study this inspiration became fruitful. The saints of Ireland, intent only on making their disciples spiritual men, one day found to their surprise they had created poets. The genius of these poets was varied, as the crowd of strangers that thronged the schools. Their compositions may be reduced under the heads of didactic poetry, lyrical poetry, Amras or panegyrics, legends strictly so called, Felires or Festologies, visions, and navigations or voyages. All these have their special features of interest and edification. However, owing to various causes, facts were now and then changed into fictions. But M. de la Villemarque is far from agreeing with those, who consider ro mances regarding the saints as worthless. According to him,
the portraits of saints simply underwent the fate of all heroes
belonging to early ages ; and yet, between the sacred and pro fane legends there exists a great difference. In what profane legend do we ever find an express caution to the reader, that, beside the literal and historical sense, there is also a spiritual meaning to be drawn from the narrative? 1 That delicate and sound morality which marks the legends of the Breton and Irish saints, has been specially dwelt on by a modern critic. For freshness, richness of invention, and national characteristics, no church has aught to compare with them. And all Celtic scholars will acknowledge this high degree of praise to be fully
deserved.
Accounts which are given respecting the miracles and
sanctity of -<Engus, and the evidences of his learning that yet remain, are more than equalled by that profound humility which led him to form a most abject opinion regarding his own
deserts. The manner in which he renounced this world and the applause of mankind, must deserve unbounded admiration, although it may fail to induce the imitation of all professing Christians. His mind was replenished with heavenly graces, and he was favoured with celestial visions. He combined the rare gifts of profound wisdom and singular zeal, in all his
1 M. de la Villemarque shows that Dante fully realized this double nature
of the ancient legends.
" Ye of intellect,
Sound and entire, mark well the lore conccal'd
Under close texture of the mystic strain".
Inferno, IX. , 62. -- Cary's Transl.
? |f St. uffingwius Hagiographus. 5
actions and affections ; while it would be a difficult question to decide, whether his virtues were greater than his miracles in sight of God and man. One thing, however, is certain, that the nobility of his descent was more than surpassed by the lustre of his virtues.
II. --St. ^Engus retires to Dysart Enos. --His austeritits --Repu tation for sanctity. -- He visits the Church of Coolbanaghtr. -- A vision of angels TJie purpose it evoked.
Some six or seven miles from Clonenagh, JEngus had built a cell1 for himself. Thither he frequently retired, to put in prac tice, unknown and unnoticed, those rigorous observances which he followed. The locality of this cell hence derived its name, Dysartenos, or the desert of JEngus,2 which it yet retains. A broken range of limestone hills, of romantic and rugged outline, probably suggested to him the idea of its suitableness as a place for seclusion and retreat. At the present day, the scenes of his retirement present an aspect of solitude and grandeur, the effect
of which must have been considerably heightened in that early
An extensive tract of morass and bog now intervenes between the ruins of Clonenagh's old monastery and Dysart
1 That he built a cell for himself at Dysart Enos may be inferred, not only from the expression of Colgan, ' ' coluit eremum", but also from a statement that he recited the first fifty psalms " in oratorio", and the second fifty, " sub diu juxta proceram arborem oratorio adjacentem". See Acta Sanctorum Miberniae, xi. Martii, Vita S. Aengussii, cap. iii. p. 579.
2 The anonymous scholiast, already mentioned, calls it Disert jEnguis : and the other . /Engus, who wrote our saint's eulogy, writes it down as Disert- Bethech. He likewise indicates that it lay very near to Clonenagh. Colgan adds, " vel forte ab ipso non esse diversum, in quatenus ait in S. jEngussiuui esse in jam memorato deserto (et non addit quod non in Cluain-edhneach), et educatum et sepultum". Wherefore, Colgan thinks the Desert in question was identical with Cluain-edneach, or at least that ^Engus perchance died and had been buried in the place first named. Our annals certainly show
that a Desertum JEngussii differed from Cluain-edhneach. These record that Conn, son of Maelpadraig, Archinnech of Disert-Oenghusa and of Mungairit, died a. d. 1033. See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii, n. 6, p. 582 ; and O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters, vol. ii. pp. 826, 827. In a note (y) ibid. , I am certain, Dr. O'Donovan fell into an error, by identifying the latter Disert-Aengusa with Dysart-Enos, in the Queen's county. I feel satisfied the Disert-Aengussa and Mungairit, already named, were both situated within the present county of Limerick. The former lay near Ballin- garry, and the latter near Limerick city.
3 Near the Dysart Hills, lies a beautiful demesne called Lamberton Park. Here, during the Wizard of the North's tour through Ireland in 1825, he was hospitably entertained by a former proprietor, the Bight Hon. Judge Moore, as may be seen, by consulting Lockhart's Life of Sir Walter Scott, chap, lxiii. What Lockhart forgets to state, however, is yet traditionally remembered in this neighbourhood. Sir Walter is said to have expressed himself, as being highly gratified by the scenic beauty of all this surrounding locality ; and it must be allowed, few persons had truer perceptions of taste and judgment, in reference
such matters.
age. 3
6 The Life and Works of
enos. This moorland must have rendered access between both places, a matter of some difficulty to our saint. In this favourite retreat, we are told by his biographers, he was in the
habit of making three hundred genuflections each day, and of reciting the entire Psalter. This latter office he divided into three separate portions : the first was said within the cell ; the second under a spreading tree of large growth, that cast its branches over his rude habitation ; and the third he repeated whilst tied by the neck to a stake, with half of his body plunged in a tub of cold water. Besides these extraordinary practices, he was continually employed in singing the praises of God, and in
such an ascendancy over his passions, that to all save himself, jEngus seemed to be an angel concealed in human form.
Another and a learned authority has stated, that after leaving
St. iEngus travelled into Munster, and that he founded the church of Disert Aengusa, at a place situated near Ballingarry, in the present county of Limerick. 1 We are told also that the primitive belfry, or round tower of this church, yet remains. There are good reasons for believing, however, that the latter church must have had its name from some other saint, or person, named JEngus ; for our saint is known to have settled not far from Clonenagh --in fact, so very near, that the localities Clonenagh and Dysartenos have been confounded by ancient scholiasts on his works. 2 Other circumstances, relating to his acts and incidents of his life, confirm our conclusions, that
he lived, for some short time at least, in Dysartenos, a parish
so denominated, near the celebrated Rock of Dunamase, and a
few miles from Maryborough.
The fame of his sanctity diffused itself, to most distant parts
of the country. Numbers flocked towards his retreat, to enjoy the pious conversation and exhortations of this holy anchorite, and to derive from his example and instructions those lessons of ? virtue which he could so well inculcate. Fearing the sugges
acquiring
Clonenagh,
1 See Professor Eugene O'Curry's Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History. Lect xvii. p. 364.
2 " All the country about Cluainenach for many miles, was, in the memory of men yet living, a great forest. * * * ? Desert JEngus (though the name be now lost) was some part of this great wood". --Harris' Ware, ? vol. iii.
Writers of Ireland, book i. pp. 61, 62, note D. Harris lived in the earlier part of the last century, when his principal works were published. He inti mates, likewise, that the place of his birth was at or near Brittas, where hit father, Captain Lieutenant Hopton Harris of the Militia, took part in an en gagement, during the Jacobite and Williamite wars in 1691. See Walter Harris* History of the Life and Reign of William the Third, book ix. pp. 316, 317. Hence, we may, take it for granted, this writer had a good local know ledge respecting Clonenagh and Disart Enos. But, because he did not advert to the possible identity of the later denomination with Desart TEngus, he thought this place where St. yEngus resided could not then be identified.
St. ^Engusius Hagiographus. 7
tions of vain-glory, and finding it a matter of utter impossibility to enjoy, in his present abode, that perfect seclusion desired, in the practice of his austerities and devotions, . flSngus took the resolution of departing in a secret manner, towards some other place of retirement.
Before his departure, however, and on the route to his se
lected retreat, it was his intention to visit the church of Cool-
banagher,1 for the purpose of offering up prayers to that God, whom he so faithfully served. Whilst engaged in this exercise, a vision of angels appeared to him. These blessed spirits seemed to surround a particular tomb. Celestial songs were heard by him, at the same time, the ravishing harmony of which gave him a foretaste of canticles, entoned by the beatified
in heaven. He noted the tomb thus distinguished, and imme diately directed his steps to a priest serving the church. -3? ngus made inquiries regarding the name and character of the deceased. He soon learned that the occupant of the tomb in question had been in early life a warrior, who retired from the profession of arms and devoted himself to a life of penance. This soldier of Christ had closed a long life of holy and spiritual warfare, a few days before such event. -<Engus was still more desirous to learn the practices, devotions, and penitential exercises of the soldier.
His curiosity being gratified, he was unable to discover anything very unusual, in these his religious observances, with the ex
ception of a practice he followed each morning and night, which was that of invoking the prayers of all saints, whose names occurred to his memory. From this relation given by the priest, the idea of composing a metrical hymn, in honour of
1 The old church of Coolbanagher yet remains in a ruinous state, and its surrounding graveyard is now used as a place of burial. Tradition assigns to the building an early date of erection. There are two divisions in this church yet visible --most probably the nave and choir. A wall appears to have sepa rated both, but a large pointed doorway afforded a communication. The nave, on the outside, measures thirty-two feet in length by twenty-two feet in breadth. The outside wall of the choir measures twenty-eight feet, in length, by sixteen feet, in breadth. The inside of the building is filled with loose stones and rubbish. A narrow low door, now stopped up with masonry, appears beneath an overshadowing mass of ivy, on the western gable ; and a door seems to have been subsequently opened, on the southern side wall, probably, when the former one had been closed. A splayed window opened on either side of the nave. A splayed and ruinous east window formerly lighted the choir, the side walls of which are now nearly level with the ground. These are some descriptive particulars noticed during a visit to the spot, on the 10th of December, 1853. On that occasion, the writer took a pencil sketch of the old church ruins, as they appeared from the south-east side of the building. There are no tombs, at present, in the graveyard or church, but such as bear modern inscriptions. The old building is apparently of very great an tiquity. It adjoins the ruins of Coolbanagher Castle, near the great Heath of Maryborough. In Sir Charles Coote's Statistical Survey of the Queerit County, we are simply informed that " at Coolbanagher are the ruins of a church and also of a castle". Chap. xi. ? i. p. 136.
8 The Life and Works of
all the saints, took possession of his mind. 1 This hymn he in tended to repeat to his death, although his sincere humility deterred him from the immediate prosecution of his project. JEngus, we are told, judged himself unfitted for such a task,
and feared that the praises of the saints might be commemo rated in a manner, hardly suited to the dignity and importance of his subject.
III. --St. utEngus proceeds to the Monastery of Tallagh. --Seeks admission there in guise of a servant. -- Manual labour at agri
cultural operations. -- His humility and mortifications. -- An accident which befel him, and his miraculous cure.
At this time St. Molruan presided over a great monastery on Tallagh Hill, in the present county of Dublin. Towards this religious house, our saint proceeded. 2 He appeared at the gate
1 To this incident, allusion has been made by Thomas D'Arcy M'Gee, in that beautiful dirge, composed on the lamented death of his friend Eugene
O'Curry:--
" Let those who love and lose him most, In their great sorrow comfort find,
Remembering how heaven's mighty host Were ever present to his mind ;
Descending on his grave at even, -- May they a radiant phalanx see
Such wondrous sight as once was given In vision to the rapt Culdee". .
Instead of the buried person being called a " soldier", according to an account found in Professor O'Curry's Lectures " on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History, he is said to have been a poor old man, who formerly lived at the place. What good did he do ? said Aengus. I saw no particular good by him, said the priest, but that his customary practice was to recount and invoke the saints of the world, as far as he could remember them, at his going to bed and getting up, in accordance with the custom of the old devotees. Ah ! my God, said Aengus, he who would make a poetical composition in praise of the saints should doubtless have a high reward, when so much has been vouch safed to the efforts of this old devotee! And Aengus then commenced his poem on the spot. He subsequently continued it gradually, and finished it as we have already seen". Lect. xvii. p. 365. According to the same learned authority, our saint commenced this poem, known as the Festology, at Cuil Bennchair in Offaly, continued it at Cluain Eidhnech, and finished it during his servitude at Tallagh. Ibid. If such be the case, it is probable St. JEngus left Dysartenos, and spent some time in his alma mater at Clonenagh, before he proceeded to Tallagh.
1 In this Report of the Census Commissioners of Ireland for the year 1851, part v. vol. we find most valuable annalistic reference to diseases and pes tilences in this country from the earliest times to the present. In this able report, which does so much credit to the learning and research of Sir William Wilde, we find various accounts, which serve to furnish derivation for Tal- laght or Tamlacht. The Annals commence with the first recorded pestilence, or Tamh --namely, that which destroyed Partbalon's colony, and which referred by the Four Masters to a. m. 2820, according to the long chronology of the Septuagint. The entry by those annalists is, " Nine thousand of Partha- lon's people died in one week on Sean-Mhagh-Ealta-Edair --namely, five thou-
is
a
i. ,
a
St. ^ngusius Uagiographus. 9
of this monastery, and begged admission amongst the members
of its religious fraternity, in quality of lay brother, according to Colgan and Harris;1 although Dr. Lanigan tells us, that such a title was unknown in religious houses before the eleventh cen tury.
Presents a copy of it to Fothadius the Canonist Probable date, origin,
and object of the Felire, . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Chapter V. -- Description and analysis of St. Angus' Festology. --He resided
. . . . . . 17 at Tallaght. -- Trea
Chapter VII. --Modes of life at Tallagh until the time arrived for depar
ture. --'-t. iEngus returns to Clonenagh, where he is chosen as Abbot. -- Supposed to have been a Chorepiscopus. -- Occasional retirement to Dysart Enos. -- His death and burial. --Value of St. iEngus' hagiogra-
phical works. -- Conclusion, . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
at Dysart Bethach at the period of its completion. --Its first circulation in the reign of Aidus the Sixth. -- The Martyrology of Tallagh, and
interesting particulars regarding this composition, Chapter VI. -- St. . ffingus was probably ordained Priest
tise of St. iEngus " De Sanctis Hibernisa -- The
" Saltair-na-rann". -- Pedigrees of Irish Saints attributed to his authorship, . . . . . . 28
/
TltE
LIFE AND WOEKS or
ST. ,3ENGUSIUS HAGIOGKRAPHUS, OR
ST. iENGUS THE CULDEE,
BISHOP AND ABBOT AT CLONENAGH AND DYSARTENOS, COUNTY.
QUEEN'S
I. --Introduction. --Sources of biography to illustrate the acts of
St. *dZngus. -- Bis pedigree and early life. -- He studies at monastery of Clonenagh. -- Monastic training and learning.
the
If the life of every good man can be presented " to point a moral and adorn a tale", some account regarding the labours, learning, and life of a holy Irish monk, who flourished in the eighth and ninth centuries, may claim attention and interest, ? when brought before Irish readers. They serve to illustrate the habits and usages of our early monasticism. Our regards can not be lessened towards the subject of this biographical notice, because he has deserved to rank among the host of Irish saints. As a poet, too, his life abounds in the romance of reality. Much could we desire to glean fuller particulars respecting him, and to render his name and works more popularly known and appre ciated, than they have hitherto been. We can only offer some brief biographical statements, and a necessarily imperfect analysis regarding his valuable writings. The time must soon arrive, when more satisfactory and learned efforts will make the vene rable name of ,3? ngus the Culdee be remembered and invoked, by every pious and enlightened Irish Catholic.
The acts of this illustrious saint, known generally to Irish scholars as JEngus the Hagiologist, have been published by
2 t The Life and Works of
Colgan, at the 11th of March. 1 This latter researchful writer doubted not, that the life of Saint _iEngus had been written at full length, and had been accessible, at a more remote period. But Colgan complains that this life was not available, at the time he had been engaged in publishing the acts of our Irish saints. However, the virtues of iEngus have been specially recorded, by some old writer, who prefixes an argument or an introduc tion to this saint's existing writings. Another Irish poet, like wise bearing the name of iEngus, has celebrated the Culdee's praises in certain verses, sufficiently indicative of great anti quity. 2
iEngus the Culdee, sometimes named ^ngusius Hagiogra- phus, or ^neas, is said to have been descended from Coelbach, king of Ireland. 3 The name of his father was iEngavan, called in Harris' Ware* Oengobhan, the son of Oblein, the son of Fid- hraus, according to a genealogy made out for him in our Mar- tyrologies. 5 He was sprung from the royal race of the Dalara
1 See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii. Vita JEngussii, pp. 579 to 683.
2 Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii. Vita S. JEngussii, cap. ii. p. 579. In note 5, p. 582, Colgan remarks, the author of this metrical life, in the penultimate verse of his panegyric on the saiut, prays that he may enjoy with his namesake the bliss of eternal life. He extols St. iEngus with surpass ing encomiums, stating that the saint was of ten engaged in colloquies with celes
tial spirits. He styles St. iEngus the Sun of Western Europe. On account of those things related regarding the studies of our saint in his youthful days, his daily and wonderful exercises, his rare humility and austerity, the day of his death, being feria sexta, the place of his burial, and such like notices, Colgan is under an impression, that the writer must have been a friend of St. iEngus, and have lived contemporaneously with him. Wherefore, owing to the concur rences of time, neighbourhood, and great erudition, it is supposed, that the writer had been no other than iEngus, Abbot of Cluain-fearta-Molua, who died in the year 858. See O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters, vol. i. pp. 492, 493. Colgan says, from the metrical panegyric, and the scholiast wbo wrote a pre face to the Festilogy of iEngus, he derived all his materials for the life of this saint. A few particulars only are excepted, and these were drawn from other sources. See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii, n. 5, p. 5S2.
3 The following is St. iEngus' pedigree, as contained in a preface to his Felire', in the Leabhar Breac, R. I. A. , Dublin : " Aengus, the son of Oengoba, son of Oblen, son of Fidru, son of Diarmuit, son of Ainmire, son of Cellar, son of Oengus, son of Naisluagh, son of Caelbad [of the Rudrician or Ultonian race, who was monarch of Erinn, and was slain, a. d. 357], son of Crumbadrai, son of Eochaidh Cobai'. See Professor Eugene O'Curry's Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History, Lect. xvii. p. 363, and Appendix, No. cxi.
p. 609.
4 Vol. ii. J7ie Writers of Ireland. Book i. p. 51.
6 Such is an account left us by the anonymous scholiast on the Festilogium of
Aengus, and to whom allusion has been made, as also in the Sanctilogium Genealogicum, cap. 23, where his genealogy is given in these words : " S. JEngus- sius alius 2Engavani, F. Hoblenii, F. Fidrai, F. Diermitii, F. Anmirechi, F. Cel- larii, F. Mngussii, F Natsluagii, F. Coelbadii, F. Crunnii Badhrai, F. Eochadii
Cobhae, F. Lugadii, F. Rossii, F. Imchadii, F. Fethlemidii, F. Cassii, F. Fiach Aradii, a quo Dalaradiorum familia nominatur". See Colgan's Acta Sancto rum Hiberniae, xi. Martii. Vita S ^Engussii, nn. 1 et 3 p- 682.
"\
St. dSngusim Hagiographus. . 3
dians in Ulster,1 and he was born in Ireland, about the middle of the eighth century. Almost from infancy, he deserved the appellation Culdee,2 or worshipper of God, which surname he afterwards bore. From the dawning perceptions of childhood, he felt an earnest desire of devoting himself to a religious life. He practised mortification to an extraordinary degree, even in bis youth ; and he conceived most exalted ideas of Christian per fection, the attainment of which was an object, ever uppermost in his mind.
About this time, the great monastery of Clonenagh, in Ossory, under direction of the saintly Abbot Malathgenius,3 enjoyed a high reputation, both for the number and sanctity of its inmates. _^Engus preferred his suit for admission within its enclosure, and his request was favourably received. But his early noviciate, in the exercise of all virtues, had preceded the care bestowed by that holy abbot, on his youthful disciple. His daily progress in the paths of Christian sanctity, and his advancement in sacred learning, were aided by application and capacity, to such an ex traordinary degree, that in a short time he bore the reputation of being one among the most sanctifiedand erudite men, of whom Ireland could then boast.
An ingenious and a distinguished French writer,4 capable from his peculiar line of study to pronounce opinions on this subject, has ably vindicated the progress made in sacred learning
1 Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii. \ Vita S. JEngussii, cap. i. p. 579.
1 " 'Poland pretends (Nazarenus, Letter ii. sect. 3) that the surname Ceile De given to iEngus indicated an office or particular sort of profession, and that ha ? was one of that sort of clergymen, who have been afterwards called Culdees. But jEngus was a monk; whereas the Culdees, as will be seen elsewhere, were
the secular canons of cathedral or collegiate churches, such as we call preben daries. It is a palpable mistake to suppose, that they were a monastic order. The title, Ceile De, as applied to . ^Engus, had nothing to do with them; and it is more than probable that in his time there was not as yet any such institution as that of those so much talked of Culdees. JEngus's surname was peculiar to himself, unless it should be supposed that all that is said of his having been a monk, etc. , is false. Many Irish names began with Ceile, Cele, or with the corres ponding word Gilta, followed by that of our Saviour or some Saint"--Lanigan's Ecclesiastical History of Ireland, vol. iii. c. xx. ? x. n. 96, p. 248.
3 The death of " Maelaithgen, Abbot of Cluain-Eidhneach", occurred in the year 767. See O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters, vol. i. pp. 870, 371. The feast of St. Malathgenius is observed on the 21st of October, and St.
JGngus must have been his disciple before the year 767. For as that other TEngus, who wrote the eulogy of our Saint in elegant metre, has told us that JEngus the Culdee studied from boyhood in the monastery of Clonenagh, and
afterwards, when he had been celebrated for his miracles, he lived in the monas tery of Tallagh, before St. Melruan's death, a. d. 787. It is supposed, therefore, to follow, that he studied in the monastery of Clonenagh under the aforesaid abbot. See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii, n. 4, p. 582.
4 M. de la Villemarque, of the French Institute, has published a most inter- resting article on the Poetry of the Celtic Cloisters. It appeared in the No
vember number of Le Correspondant for 1863.
IB
S
4 The Life and Works of
and science among the pupils of our early schools. When the Celt became a Christian and a monk, his love of numbers still remained, and his conceptions becoming spiritualised by the aspirations after perfection, which he daily breathed heavenward, poetic inspiration was the happy result. Study, with manual labour, divided cloistral occupations, and through study this inspiration became fruitful. The saints of Ireland, intent only on making their disciples spiritual men, one day found to their surprise they had created poets. The genius of these poets was varied, as the crowd of strangers that thronged the schools. Their compositions may be reduced under the heads of didactic poetry, lyrical poetry, Amras or panegyrics, legends strictly so called, Felires or Festologies, visions, and navigations or voyages. All these have their special features of interest and edification. However, owing to various causes, facts were now and then changed into fictions. But M. de la Villemarque is far from agreeing with those, who consider ro mances regarding the saints as worthless. According to him,
the portraits of saints simply underwent the fate of all heroes
belonging to early ages ; and yet, between the sacred and pro fane legends there exists a great difference. In what profane legend do we ever find an express caution to the reader, that, beside the literal and historical sense, there is also a spiritual meaning to be drawn from the narrative? 1 That delicate and sound morality which marks the legends of the Breton and Irish saints, has been specially dwelt on by a modern critic. For freshness, richness of invention, and national characteristics, no church has aught to compare with them. And all Celtic scholars will acknowledge this high degree of praise to be fully
deserved.
Accounts which are given respecting the miracles and
sanctity of -<Engus, and the evidences of his learning that yet remain, are more than equalled by that profound humility which led him to form a most abject opinion regarding his own
deserts. The manner in which he renounced this world and the applause of mankind, must deserve unbounded admiration, although it may fail to induce the imitation of all professing Christians. His mind was replenished with heavenly graces, and he was favoured with celestial visions. He combined the rare gifts of profound wisdom and singular zeal, in all his
1 M. de la Villemarque shows that Dante fully realized this double nature
of the ancient legends.
" Ye of intellect,
Sound and entire, mark well the lore conccal'd
Under close texture of the mystic strain".
Inferno, IX. , 62. -- Cary's Transl.
? |f St. uffingwius Hagiographus. 5
actions and affections ; while it would be a difficult question to decide, whether his virtues were greater than his miracles in sight of God and man. One thing, however, is certain, that the nobility of his descent was more than surpassed by the lustre of his virtues.
II. --St. ^Engus retires to Dysart Enos. --His austeritits --Repu tation for sanctity. -- He visits the Church of Coolbanaghtr. -- A vision of angels TJie purpose it evoked.
Some six or seven miles from Clonenagh, JEngus had built a cell1 for himself. Thither he frequently retired, to put in prac tice, unknown and unnoticed, those rigorous observances which he followed. The locality of this cell hence derived its name, Dysartenos, or the desert of JEngus,2 which it yet retains. A broken range of limestone hills, of romantic and rugged outline, probably suggested to him the idea of its suitableness as a place for seclusion and retreat. At the present day, the scenes of his retirement present an aspect of solitude and grandeur, the effect
of which must have been considerably heightened in that early
An extensive tract of morass and bog now intervenes between the ruins of Clonenagh's old monastery and Dysart
1 That he built a cell for himself at Dysart Enos may be inferred, not only from the expression of Colgan, ' ' coluit eremum", but also from a statement that he recited the first fifty psalms " in oratorio", and the second fifty, " sub diu juxta proceram arborem oratorio adjacentem". See Acta Sanctorum Miberniae, xi. Martii, Vita S. Aengussii, cap. iii. p. 579.
2 The anonymous scholiast, already mentioned, calls it Disert jEnguis : and the other . /Engus, who wrote our saint's eulogy, writes it down as Disert- Bethech. He likewise indicates that it lay very near to Clonenagh. Colgan adds, " vel forte ab ipso non esse diversum, in quatenus ait in S. jEngussiuui esse in jam memorato deserto (et non addit quod non in Cluain-edhneach), et educatum et sepultum". Wherefore, Colgan thinks the Desert in question was identical with Cluain-edneach, or at least that ^Engus perchance died and had been buried in the place first named. Our annals certainly show
that a Desertum JEngussii differed from Cluain-edhneach. These record that Conn, son of Maelpadraig, Archinnech of Disert-Oenghusa and of Mungairit, died a. d. 1033. See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii, n. 6, p. 582 ; and O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters, vol. ii. pp. 826, 827. In a note (y) ibid. , I am certain, Dr. O'Donovan fell into an error, by identifying the latter Disert-Aengusa with Dysart-Enos, in the Queen's county. I feel satisfied the Disert-Aengussa and Mungairit, already named, were both situated within the present county of Limerick. The former lay near Ballin- garry, and the latter near Limerick city.
3 Near the Dysart Hills, lies a beautiful demesne called Lamberton Park. Here, during the Wizard of the North's tour through Ireland in 1825, he was hospitably entertained by a former proprietor, the Bight Hon. Judge Moore, as may be seen, by consulting Lockhart's Life of Sir Walter Scott, chap, lxiii. What Lockhart forgets to state, however, is yet traditionally remembered in this neighbourhood. Sir Walter is said to have expressed himself, as being highly gratified by the scenic beauty of all this surrounding locality ; and it must be allowed, few persons had truer perceptions of taste and judgment, in reference
such matters.
age. 3
6 The Life and Works of
enos. This moorland must have rendered access between both places, a matter of some difficulty to our saint. In this favourite retreat, we are told by his biographers, he was in the
habit of making three hundred genuflections each day, and of reciting the entire Psalter. This latter office he divided into three separate portions : the first was said within the cell ; the second under a spreading tree of large growth, that cast its branches over his rude habitation ; and the third he repeated whilst tied by the neck to a stake, with half of his body plunged in a tub of cold water. Besides these extraordinary practices, he was continually employed in singing the praises of God, and in
such an ascendancy over his passions, that to all save himself, jEngus seemed to be an angel concealed in human form.
Another and a learned authority has stated, that after leaving
St. iEngus travelled into Munster, and that he founded the church of Disert Aengusa, at a place situated near Ballingarry, in the present county of Limerick. 1 We are told also that the primitive belfry, or round tower of this church, yet remains. There are good reasons for believing, however, that the latter church must have had its name from some other saint, or person, named JEngus ; for our saint is known to have settled not far from Clonenagh --in fact, so very near, that the localities Clonenagh and Dysartenos have been confounded by ancient scholiasts on his works. 2 Other circumstances, relating to his acts and incidents of his life, confirm our conclusions, that
he lived, for some short time at least, in Dysartenos, a parish
so denominated, near the celebrated Rock of Dunamase, and a
few miles from Maryborough.
The fame of his sanctity diffused itself, to most distant parts
of the country. Numbers flocked towards his retreat, to enjoy the pious conversation and exhortations of this holy anchorite, and to derive from his example and instructions those lessons of ? virtue which he could so well inculcate. Fearing the sugges
acquiring
Clonenagh,
1 See Professor Eugene O'Curry's Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History. Lect xvii. p. 364.
2 " All the country about Cluainenach for many miles, was, in the memory of men yet living, a great forest. * * * ? Desert JEngus (though the name be now lost) was some part of this great wood". --Harris' Ware, ? vol. iii.
Writers of Ireland, book i. pp. 61, 62, note D. Harris lived in the earlier part of the last century, when his principal works were published. He inti mates, likewise, that the place of his birth was at or near Brittas, where hit father, Captain Lieutenant Hopton Harris of the Militia, took part in an en gagement, during the Jacobite and Williamite wars in 1691. See Walter Harris* History of the Life and Reign of William the Third, book ix. pp. 316, 317. Hence, we may, take it for granted, this writer had a good local know ledge respecting Clonenagh and Disart Enos. But, because he did not advert to the possible identity of the later denomination with Desart TEngus, he thought this place where St. yEngus resided could not then be identified.
St. ^Engusius Hagiographus. 7
tions of vain-glory, and finding it a matter of utter impossibility to enjoy, in his present abode, that perfect seclusion desired, in the practice of his austerities and devotions, . flSngus took the resolution of departing in a secret manner, towards some other place of retirement.
Before his departure, however, and on the route to his se
lected retreat, it was his intention to visit the church of Cool-
banagher,1 for the purpose of offering up prayers to that God, whom he so faithfully served. Whilst engaged in this exercise, a vision of angels appeared to him. These blessed spirits seemed to surround a particular tomb. Celestial songs were heard by him, at the same time, the ravishing harmony of which gave him a foretaste of canticles, entoned by the beatified
in heaven. He noted the tomb thus distinguished, and imme diately directed his steps to a priest serving the church. -3? ngus made inquiries regarding the name and character of the deceased. He soon learned that the occupant of the tomb in question had been in early life a warrior, who retired from the profession of arms and devoted himself to a life of penance. This soldier of Christ had closed a long life of holy and spiritual warfare, a few days before such event. -<Engus was still more desirous to learn the practices, devotions, and penitential exercises of the soldier.
His curiosity being gratified, he was unable to discover anything very unusual, in these his religious observances, with the ex
ception of a practice he followed each morning and night, which was that of invoking the prayers of all saints, whose names occurred to his memory. From this relation given by the priest, the idea of composing a metrical hymn, in honour of
1 The old church of Coolbanagher yet remains in a ruinous state, and its surrounding graveyard is now used as a place of burial. Tradition assigns to the building an early date of erection. There are two divisions in this church yet visible --most probably the nave and choir. A wall appears to have sepa rated both, but a large pointed doorway afforded a communication. The nave, on the outside, measures thirty-two feet in length by twenty-two feet in breadth. The outside wall of the choir measures twenty-eight feet, in length, by sixteen feet, in breadth. The inside of the building is filled with loose stones and rubbish. A narrow low door, now stopped up with masonry, appears beneath an overshadowing mass of ivy, on the western gable ; and a door seems to have been subsequently opened, on the southern side wall, probably, when the former one had been closed. A splayed window opened on either side of the nave. A splayed and ruinous east window formerly lighted the choir, the side walls of which are now nearly level with the ground. These are some descriptive particulars noticed during a visit to the spot, on the 10th of December, 1853. On that occasion, the writer took a pencil sketch of the old church ruins, as they appeared from the south-east side of the building. There are no tombs, at present, in the graveyard or church, but such as bear modern inscriptions. The old building is apparently of very great an tiquity. It adjoins the ruins of Coolbanagher Castle, near the great Heath of Maryborough. In Sir Charles Coote's Statistical Survey of the Queerit County, we are simply informed that " at Coolbanagher are the ruins of a church and also of a castle". Chap. xi. ? i. p. 136.
8 The Life and Works of
all the saints, took possession of his mind. 1 This hymn he in tended to repeat to his death, although his sincere humility deterred him from the immediate prosecution of his project. JEngus, we are told, judged himself unfitted for such a task,
and feared that the praises of the saints might be commemo rated in a manner, hardly suited to the dignity and importance of his subject.
III. --St. utEngus proceeds to the Monastery of Tallagh. --Seeks admission there in guise of a servant. -- Manual labour at agri
cultural operations. -- His humility and mortifications. -- An accident which befel him, and his miraculous cure.
At this time St. Molruan presided over a great monastery on Tallagh Hill, in the present county of Dublin. Towards this religious house, our saint proceeded. 2 He appeared at the gate
1 To this incident, allusion has been made by Thomas D'Arcy M'Gee, in that beautiful dirge, composed on the lamented death of his friend Eugene
O'Curry:--
" Let those who love and lose him most, In their great sorrow comfort find,
Remembering how heaven's mighty host Were ever present to his mind ;
Descending on his grave at even, -- May they a radiant phalanx see
Such wondrous sight as once was given In vision to the rapt Culdee". .
Instead of the buried person being called a " soldier", according to an account found in Professor O'Curry's Lectures " on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History, he is said to have been a poor old man, who formerly lived at the place. What good did he do ? said Aengus. I saw no particular good by him, said the priest, but that his customary practice was to recount and invoke the saints of the world, as far as he could remember them, at his going to bed and getting up, in accordance with the custom of the old devotees. Ah ! my God, said Aengus, he who would make a poetical composition in praise of the saints should doubtless have a high reward, when so much has been vouch safed to the efforts of this old devotee! And Aengus then commenced his poem on the spot. He subsequently continued it gradually, and finished it as we have already seen". Lect. xvii. p. 365. According to the same learned authority, our saint commenced this poem, known as the Festology, at Cuil Bennchair in Offaly, continued it at Cluain Eidhnech, and finished it during his servitude at Tallagh. Ibid. If such be the case, it is probable St. JEngus left Dysartenos, and spent some time in his alma mater at Clonenagh, before he proceeded to Tallagh.
1 In this Report of the Census Commissioners of Ireland for the year 1851, part v. vol. we find most valuable annalistic reference to diseases and pes tilences in this country from the earliest times to the present. In this able report, which does so much credit to the learning and research of Sir William Wilde, we find various accounts, which serve to furnish derivation for Tal- laght or Tamlacht. The Annals commence with the first recorded pestilence, or Tamh --namely, that which destroyed Partbalon's colony, and which referred by the Four Masters to a. m. 2820, according to the long chronology of the Septuagint. The entry by those annalists is, " Nine thousand of Partha- lon's people died in one week on Sean-Mhagh-Ealta-Edair --namely, five thou-
is
a
i. ,
a
St. ^ngusius Uagiographus. 9
of this monastery, and begged admission amongst the members
of its religious fraternity, in quality of lay brother, according to Colgan and Harris;1 although Dr. Lanigan tells us, that such a title was unknown in religious houses before the eleventh cen tury.
