No More Learning

O' Donovan, as " the most perfect specimen of an ancient Irish Daimhliag,"
the in the remark,
triangularly-headed window, in the south wall of the chancel. 9
that he had seen 6 its ;9 and,
present appearance justifies characteristics which are preserved.
CHAPTER V.
DECLINING YEARS OF ST. KEVIN—HE SEEMS ONLY TO HAVE BEEN ABBOT AT GLENDA- LOUGH—HIS FIRST SUPPOSED CHURCH, BUILT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT VALLEY —HIS HOUSE OR CELL THERE—ATTENDED IN HIS LAST ILLNESS BY ST. MOCHAROG —HIS DEATH AND BURIAL-PLACE—HIS FESTIVALS, COMMEMORATIONS, AND MEMORIALS—SCENERY, EARLY HISTORY, AND ANTIQUITIES OF GLENDALOUGH— CONCLUSION.
Havingnowattainedamostvenerableage,St. Kevinwishedtopassoutof this life, to be with Christ. From his infancy to his declining years, he
but some of the stones forming the lower part of the jambs.
87 According to Mr. Petrie's Manuscript Notes, it was about 60 feet in height, and 40
feet in circumference, the lower story being square to the height of 15 feet.
top. There is a flat table projection, 2 feet in depth, over the outside arch.
9 * The jambs of the inner arch are upright. It is 8 inches wide, at the bottom, 7^ in- ches at the top ; 1 foot, 5 inches high, and 6 inches, to the springing of the arch. The lower cill-stone is bevelled off".
92 See "Notes on Irish Architecture," by Edwin, third Earl of Dunraven, edited by Miss Stokes, vol. i. , p. 99.
93 Archdall incorrectly places Trinity Church north of the Abbey, at Glendalough. See " Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 772.
94SirWilliamWildesuggests,thatthese may have been early attempts at gargoyls. See "Journal of the Royal Historical and
"
Wilde's Paper, Memoir of Gabriel Archaeological Association of Ireland,"
88
Fortunately, a correct representation of
this doorway has been preserved, by Gabriel
Beranger.
89
measures 3 feet, 10 inches high, and 1 foot, 11 inches, across, at the middle; but, it
It is deeply splayed internally, where it
widens below like the ancient square door- "
ways. See JournaloftheRoyalHistorical and Archaeological Association of Ireland," Fourth Series, vol. ii. , part ii. Sir William
Beranger, and his Labours in the Cause of
Irish Art, Literature and Antiquities, from
1760 to 1780, with Illustrations," p. 461.
Fourth Series, vol. ii. , part ii. , p. 461.
95 See " Notes on Irish Architecture," by Edwin, third Earl of Dunraven, edited by
Miss Stokes, vol. i. , pp. 98 to 100.
^ See " Letters containing Information
90
1 foot wide at the base, and 10 inches, at the
It measures 2 feet, 6 inches, high : it is
68 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [J une 3.
always ran in the Commandments of God without blame, in holiness, and
in justice, adorned with many virtues, and performing various miracles. Now, he called together twelve of his most religious brethren, and he sent them to the place, where the Apostle of Ireland stood, when his hymn had been sung three several times. 1 These monks betook themselves to that in-
holy spot, dicatedbythevenerableAbbot. Here,accordingtohisorders,theyprayed, that the Lord would grant his petition to our saint. However, they received
no intimation, whatever, regarding its object. On ending their prayer, they returned to the venerable superior. Knowing their request had been granted, he told them, that he had asked to be released from the prison of his body, and that the Lord had formerly told him, he should not pass out of life, until hepreferredsucharequestandofhisownaccordtotheAlmighty. Hearing this, the brethren felt very sorrowful. But, our saint consoled them, by saying, that hitherto he had seen God's kingdom, while living in the flesh. He encouraged them, likewise, to observe diligently his Rule, and all God's Com-
mandments. Afterwards, elevating his hands, he blessed them and their 2
place.
It has been stated, by some writers, that St. Kevin attained the episcopal
dignity. 3 It is generally supposed, that he was only an Abbot ; but, that
Glendalough became an episcopal See,* not long after his death. There is
nothing in St. Kevin's Life to induce us to think, that he belonged to the
episcopal order. However, as the See of Glendalough was undoubtedly very
ancient, and as he was the founder of that monastery, which gave rise to it,
somewritersthought,thathehadbeenbishopthere. 5 Moreover,St. Libba,or
6
Molibba, anephewofSt. Coemgen,is calledbishopofGlendalough. ? If
he were so, it seems pretty evident, that the antiquity of its See can be traced
back, to the early part of the seventh century. A city soon grew up there,
and near the site of St. Kevin's
monastery.
8 From the circumstance of two
Lakes being conspicuous objects, Hoveden has Latinized the name of the See,
established at Glendalough, into Episcopatus Bistagniensis. The Cathedral
Church there is said to have been placed under the invocation of St. Peter and
10
St. Paul.
When St. Kevin had been warned by the Angel, to leave the upper part of
the valley at Glendalough, it is supposed, that he commenced the erection of
relative to the Antiquities of the County of siastical historian. Several manuscript notes Wicklow, collected during the Progress of of his in addition are to be found, in his own the Ordnance Survey in 1838," vol. i. , Essay copy of the work, now contained in the of John O'Donovan on the Antiquities of Library of the Royal Irish Academy, and Glendalough, written in April, 1840, p. which was used to prepare a Second Edi-
488. — Chapter v.
tion.
'5 Seethe account already
given, in a former chapter of this Life.
2"
See the Bollandists' Acta Sanctorum,"
See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect. x. , n. 161, pp. 49, 50.
6 See an account of in the First him,
Volume of this work, at January 8th, the day for his feast, Art. viii.
7 Sec Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nia? ," Januarii viii. De S. Molibba, p. 43.
tomus i. ,
vi. , num. 49. p. 322.
Junii
hi. Vita S.
Coemgeni, cap.
3 See Harris Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops of Glendalough," pp. 372, 373. Also, Rev.
Mervyn ArchdaH's cum,"p. 766.
"
Monasticon Hiberni-
4 In his "Antiquities of Ireland," the Rev. Dr. Ledwich has a separate Essay, on the
History and Antiquities of Glendalough, in
the county of Wicklow, pp. 31 to 54. It is
not only disfigured by gross inaccuracies, but
loco clara et religosa civitas in honore S.
it evinces a
bined with sectarian rancour and prejudice, unworthy the spirit and feeling of any eccle-
» See Harris' vol. "
contemptible ignorance,
com-
Ware, Glendalough," p. 371.
,0 See ibid. , p. 372.
i. ,
Bishops of
8"
"InCoemgen'sLifeweread
in qua ipsa est Gleandaloch vocatur. " See
"
Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti- quitates," cap. xvii. , pp. 494, 495.
Coemgeni crevit, quae nomine prasdictsevallis,
Ussher's
:
In
ipso
June 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 69 hischurch,"alittletothenorth-westoft—heoldcathedral. Aruinedbuilding—
Church 12 the and it stands out- occupies site,
now called the popularly
Lady
side the line of that great cashel,^ which enclosed the present cemetery. In
its later state, this church consisted of a nave ,4 and a chancel. 15 The latter is lightlybondedintothenave; but,thewallsaregreatlyruined,andtosucha
degree, that it is impossible to say with certainty, whether or not it had pro- jecting stones at the corners. No pilasters or plinths appear to have been in
it. 16 to a According
it was the first church erected l8
respectable authority,^
by the holy Abbot, within the precincts of Glendalough valley, in the middle
part. Nor is such conclusion at all weakened from the fact, that this build- ing had been afterwards dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. ^
the — ancient remains at is St. Kevin's Among undoubtedly Glendalough
" 21
House or Cell 2° commonly called his kitchen. " It was kept in a better
state of preservation, than most of the other churches. 22 Its name is thought to have been derived from some ancient tradition, that during the latest life- time of St. Kevin, it had actually been the house in which he resided. This cell consisted, originally, we are told,23 of nave 24 and choir, with an Erdam or lateralapartment,offthechoir,onthenorthside. Formerly,itwascalledCro- Coemhghin, and this is the name it seems to have borne, before the Anglo-
NormanInvasion. 25 Thewest
gable
11 A woodcut delineation of the western
gable and a portion of the southern side wall
26 containsa a? withan 28 doorway, arch,
that many years before his great work was
written, the old natives of Glendalough had
of this ancient church, with a description, by communicated this as the local tradition,
William F. Wakeman, may be seen, in the while it seems to be fully confirmed in that
"
Irish Literary Gazette," vol. iii. , No. xlvi. , passage, he quotes from the old Life of St.
PP- 54, 57'
*. 18"
Art,
ties from 1760 to 1780, with Illustrations, by
20 The artists who examined
for Colonel Burton Conyngham called it St. Kevin's house or kitchen.
Antiqui-
Glendalough
Sir William R. Wilde, p. 479.
14 It is 32 feet long, and 20 feet, 6 inches
wide, according to Miss Stokes. With some
slight variation of measurement, John but, that it is now extended to the whole
O'Donovan introduces his own, in an Essay structure.
" 22 on the Valley of Glendalough, present Re-
mains and Features mentioned in the Life of
the Patron St. Kevin, written in April, 1840. "
See "Letters containing Information rela-
tive to the Antiquities of the County of See No. xlviii. , p. 186. There is also a pic- Wicklow, collected during the Progress of
the Ordnance Survey in 1838," vol. i. , pp. 480, 481.
ture of it, drawn by him, and engraved by George Hanlon, at p. 185.
23 See "Letters containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County of 6 inches wide, according to Miss Stokes. A Wicklow, collected during the Progress of
15 It is 21 feet, 4 inches long, and 19 feet,
writer in the " Gentleman's Magazine," New
Series, vol xiv. , thinks that this has been an
addition made to the nave, at a later period ;
its rubble work being more regular, and of
smaller stones, than that in the nave. See
the Ordnance . Survey in 1838," vol. i. John
**
Notes on the Architecture of Ireland," p.
lough, present Remains, and Features, men- tioned in the Life of the Patron St. Kevin,"
sect. 3. St. Kevin's Kitchen, anciently Cro Coemghgin, pp. 471 to 477.
24 The nave measures, on the inside, 32 feet, %y2 inches, in length, by 15 feet, 5 inches, in breadth, and the walls are 3 feet, 6 inches, in thickness.
25 It was burned, A. D. 1163. See O'Dono- van's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. ,
277. But, Miss Stokes holds a different
opinion.
16 "
See Notes on Irish Architecture," by Edwin, third Earl of Dunraven, edited by Miss Stokes, vol. i. , p. 101.
17 That of Dr. George Petrie, who states,
Kevin.
The length of this building externally is Dr.
Petrie thinks that its erection may
62 feet. be
referred to the middle of the sixth
13 See "Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland," Fourth Series, vol. ii. , part ii. Memoir of Gabriel Beranger, and his Labours in the Cause of Irish Literature and
fairly century. "
"
tecture and Round Towers of Ireland," part
ii. , sect, iii. , subs. I, pp. 170 to 173.
19 See Dr. Petrie's
Ecclesiastical Archi-
21 Dr. Colles believed, this name was at ""
first applied by the guides to the erdam ;
There is an interesting description of this cell, in an article, headed "Glenda- lough," and written for the "Irish Literary Gazette," vol. iii. , by William F. Wakeman.
O'Donovan's Essay on
"
Valley of Glenda-
70 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 3.
2 similar to one over the western doorway of the cathedral. Its lintel 9 of
projects present, arched over head, with remarkably firm work. It has a concave arch, the apex of which is about 18 feet, from the level of the floor. 32 There is aRound Tower, or Cloightheach, 33 on the west end of this building. It is surmounted by a Bencover, or'pointed top. 34 It contains six apertures or windows of a quadrangularform. 35 Thechoiris nowdestroyed,butits dimensionscanbe
°
mica slate in the middle. As the nave 3 appears at 31 it is
St. Kevin's Cell, or House, Glendalough.
calculated, as it was of the same length, with what has been called the little Erdams6 or lateral apartment,3? which still remains uninjured, while its breadth can be determined from the tracks of its walls, in the external face on the east gable of the nave. The choir arch 38 is solidly built, and still in good preservation ; but, it is so plastered over with mortar, that the shape of the
pp. 1 1 50, 1 1 51, and n. (x), ibid.
him transferred to the wood, has been en- graved by Mrs. Millard.
33 It surmounts the gable, on which its base partly rests, about 20 feet, the gable itself being about 22 feet from the ground. The Rev. Dr. Ledwich very loosely and in- correctly states, that this Round Tower is
26 roof.
It has a very steep-pitched
stone
27 It is 7 feet, in height, and in breadth, it is 2 feet, 4 inches, at the top, and 2 feet 1 1 inches, at the bottom. There is a rude draw- ingof thestones, composing this doorway, by Mr.
See "
with measurements.
28 From north corner of the gable, to this
doorway, it is 9 feet, 8 inches.
39 It is 5 feet, 6 inches, long, and 1 1 inches
high.
30 The ridge of its roof is estimated, by Rev.
about feet in 45
O'Donovan,
height, of Ireland," p. 40,
Antiquities
Dr. Ledwich, to be
"
about 30 feet above the
34 From the ground to its vertex, the height is nearly 45 feet.
33 Two are placed near the base, one at the eastandanotheratthewestside; whilefour face the cardinal points, near the top, and immediately under the Bencover or conical cap.
ground. "
3I |The height of its side wall to the roof is
36 According to Mr. O'Donovan, this little 32 The accompanying illustration, drawn Erdam, rendered sacristy, leading off the on the spot, by William F. Wakeman, and by choir to the north, is a stone-roofed cell,
1 1 feet.
June 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 7i
stones constructing it are not now observable. Over the coved arch of the
nave is a loft,39 and near the west gable, there is a quadrangular aperture in the ceiling, through which from below the inside of the Round Tower, on the west end, can be partially seen. The chancel at St. Kevin's House fell, or was pulled down, about the year 1840. 40 Yet, the roofs of its nave and belfry wanted some repairs, as the rain began to percolate through them, and to in- jurethevault; but,withinthelastfewyears,thisrestorationhasbeencare- fully made. An iron doorway, with gratings, enables all visitors to see the
1
interior, without the necessity of entering this building. *
When St. Kevin had consoled his monks and imparted his benediction,
his thoughts were solely devoted to preparation for his departure from that place, so endeared to him by religious associations ; and, he now turned his mind, on the abiding home he sought for in Heaven. He then received Christ'smostSacredBodyandBlood,fromthehandsofSt. Mocherog. 42 This holy man, it was thought, dwelt in a cell,43 or oratory, at Delgany, when he was called to administer the last rites of the Church to St. Kevin ; but, to us, it seems more likely, that he lived quite convenient to Glendalough. His monks stood around, in tears and lamentations, when their venerable superior breathed his last. Having lived, in this world, according to common report, for the extraordinary and lengthened period of one hundred and twenty years,44 he departed to join choirs of Angels and Archangels, in the HeavenlyJerusalem. TheThirdofJuneNones4$ isthedateassignedfor his death ; and, on the 3rd of June, accordingly, his festival is celebrated. 46
measuring on the inside 10 feet, 2 inches, in length, which was also the exact length of the choir, and 7 feet, 9^ inches, in breadth, which is somewhat less than the breadth of the choir. It contains a doorway on the south side, by which it communicated with the choir, and which measures 5 (? ) feet in height, and in breadth at the top 2 feet, and 2 feet, 3 inches, at the bottom. It also has a window in the east gable, placed at the height of 4 feet, from the ground. It is broad, on the inside, and it gradually narrows to the breadth of 6 inches, on the outside. Its dimensions are : breadth inside, 2 feet, 6 in- ches, height inside, 4 feet, breadth outside, 6 inches, height outside, 2 feet.
37 It had sunk to the northward ; and, it
was very ruinous, before the late repairs had been executed. A great part of its stone-
Round Tower of the cathedral, in the dis- tance.
40 The stones of which it had been built
were piled up into a large square mass, at a little distance to the eastward, until the late restorations had been carried out.
41 Within the nave of St. Kevin's kitchen are now collected all carved stones, where- ever found, and which could not be replaced in their original position, as also, all frag- ments of crosses, sepulchral slabs, &c, which are not in situ.
43 Of this saint, Baert observes, that he
knewnothing about thisjMocherog the Briton, unless perchance he was the same as Mochuarocus the Abbot, who is venerated on the 9th of February, according to Colgan : "in cujus festo dicitur obiisse inclitus Prin- ceps Donmaldus Hua Lochlainx, apud eum-
den — Martii, in Gelasio Abbate Colganum 27
43 Assuming the locality to be established, ontheauthorityofRev. Dr. Lanigan; Mrs. A. O'Byrne writes, with a good knowledge
roof had
ing from the remains.
and a thorn bush was fallen, grow-
38 It measures 8 feet, 10 inches, in height, and 5 feet, 2 inches, in breadth.
39 Over this is an apartment, lighted by the two windows, at the base of the tower,
and by a small quadrangular aperture, near the top of the choir west gable. It looked
into the choir through a window, placed im-
n. IV. "
iii. De S. Coemgino, siveKeivino, Abbate Glindelacensi in Hibernia, cap. vi. , n. (f), p. 322-
mediately
under the choir roof. The fore-
one whose ruins — exist in the demesne of yet
Down's Lodge. " "Saints of Ireland," p. 100.
44 See the O'Clerys' Calendar.
46 See Sir James Ware, " De Scriptoribus Hibernise," lib. i. , cap. hi. , p. 19.
—descriptions are rendered quite intelli- going
gible even to those who have not had an
oppo—rtunity for inspecting the building on its site by referring to two distinct pen and ink
sketches, from opposite points, by William F. Wakeman. He also gives an imaginary third view of St. Kevin's Kitchen, before the choir had been removed, with the great
45
iii. Vita S. Coemgeni, cap. vi. , num. 49, p. 322.
"Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii
of local topography, that it is
"
possible the
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus
i. ,
Junii
72
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 3.
8 This saint's death has been variously assigned, to the years 617,47 6i8,4 and
622. 49 If this latter were the real year of St. Coemgen's death, it will follow, that he was born in 502, or late in 501, supposing that he lived to the age of
120 years. s°
According to a former tradition, 51 St. Kevin was said to have been buried,
52 but, now, there is not a vestige of his tomb," which is believed to have remained unbroken, down to the middle of the last century. Again, the supposed tomb of this saint is said to have rested, within a small chapel or oratory, 54 about fourteen feet long, by twelve wide. For many centuries subsequent to St. Kevin's death, great numbers were accustomed to visit Glendalough, in order to celebrate the festival of its holypatron. 55 Thepenaltimeswereevencharacterizedbydevotionspeculiar to the memory of this saint, within the secluded recesses of Glendalough valley. 56 At a much later period, that singular and interesting ruin, which is locally called " St. Kevin's Kitchen," served as a place of worship, for CatholicslivingintheparishofGlendalough. Yet,itmusthavebeenquite insufficient to afford proper accommodation for the congregated worshippers,
at Our Lady's Church, in Glendalough ;
owing to its very limited dimensions. 5?
47 "The Age of Christ, 617. The seventh year of Suibhna. St. Caemhghin, Abbot of
ss The Rev, Dr. Lanigan has some well-
directed against the
"
tury was the era of the saintship of St.
Kevin," while he had already told us, that St. Coemgen was not known until after the
"
merited Gleann-da-locha, 3rd June, mighty
sarcasms, Ledwich, who
in his "
died on the of
Antiqui- ties of Ireland," p. 46, that the ninth cen-
after having spent one h—undred and twenty years of his age till then. " Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 240, 241. The Annals of Ulster have the same date.
"
48 The Annals of Tigernach, Harris Ware, Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, x. , n. 163,
vol. i. ,
Bishops of Glendalough," p. 373 ;
p. 50.
50 Within the
"
chap, hi. , p. 22. See also, Rev. Dr. rounding the ruined cathedral, are still
vol.
Lanigan's
Writers of Ireland," book
enclosure, sur-
and,
ii. ,
"
i. ,
Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
graveyard
land," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, x. , p. 44.
Through amisprint, the death of St. Coemgen
of Ireland is put down at 1618, in the " Circle of the Seasons. " See p. 155.
pointed out to strangers, the tombs of two priests, who died about the middle of the last century. Here they were interred. One of these ecclesiastics is said to have died in the odour of sanctity, and his memory is tradi-
"9 " Annis cxx. vitse exactis. iii. Nonas tionally held in great veneration, by the
Junii, circa annum dcxviii. vil dcxxii. a—d
Christum Coemgenus migravisse, dicitur. " Ussher's " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti-
neighbouring peasantry. These were in the habit of removing and preserving clay that covered his remains. To their faith and
quitates," cap. xvii. , p. 495. In his Index prayers, in its application, miraculous results Chronologicus, p. 537, Ussher places the are attributed ; but, it must be remarked,
death of our saint, at the year 618.
these and similar practices have been dis-
50 See Rev. Dr.
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect. x. , n. 160, p. 49.