80 See
Extracts
from the Annals of Ulster,
in " Celto-Xor- Johnstone's Antiquitates
manicse," p.
in " Celto-Xor- Johnstone's Antiquitates
manicse," p.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v9
Aidi, p.
420.
Also, in "Trias Thaumaturya," Vita S.
Patricii, p.
136, and Vita S.
Columbae, p.
392, &c.
ss In the Acts of St. Finnian, at the 23rd of February, p. 395, and in the Life of St. Senan, at p. 610, recte 520.
s6 In Vita S. Endei, p. 708.
57 In Aleninus, carm. 246.
s8 See his Life, at the 5th of March, in
44 Joceline adds to this account
enim locus ille inter Midiam et Connactiam in quo sita est civitas Cluanensis, in qua
"
habetur hodie sedes episcopalis. " "
Bangor,
according
abound in fable. 47 Moreover, as we are
of Brandub or Brenainn, on Ard Abla. 52
The name of this saint has been variously written by different
authors. Some him Ciarain and others, Kieranus 4 whilst style Queranus ;53 ;*
Kyeranus. ss Keranus s6 and Cheranus 5? are likewise names applied to him. The reasons for this variation are adduced by Colgan, in his Acts of St.
Kieran, Abbot of Saigir and Bishop. s8 Suyskens adheres to Colgan's usual mode of spelling our saint's name, viz. , Kieranus. Among more recent writers, Castellan and the author of the Parisian Martyrology, call this saint Kiaranus. There are many saints bearing the name Ciarain or Kiarain in our Irish Calendars. 59
Comgall,
These statements
him, when she beheld the flame and the angel fifty years before Ciardn. 49 Bee Mac D6 S° also prophesied of him, when he said: "There, O son of the wright, in thy beautiful chasuble, with thy choirs, with thy melodies, with thy chariots, with thy songs. " Again, it is stated, that St. Columkille 51 prophesied of him to Aed, son
told,
St.
Brigid
« The matter is thus related. When St.
Munis returned from Rome, and had been
overtaken by night at the present site of
Clonmacnoise, he was astonished to behold
a vision of angels, hovering around the spot,
where St. Patrick had formerly buried a
leper's body. Munia had deposited a
casket, containing certain relics, in the
hollow of an adjoining tree. When morning
dawned, the substance and bark of that tree
were found to have grown around the
precious deposit, so as entirely to conceal
it. Then Munis said: "There is some
man of God here interred, for there I be-
hold a service rendered by Angels. " As- covered. See the Anecdota Oxoniensia. "
:
" Est
48 See her Life, in the Second Volume of this work, at the 1st of February, Art, i.
49 This is stated in that sermon on our saint,
contained in the Book of Lismore, and the
prophecy was—in the place whereon Brigid's
—sstood we
crosse may presume
atClonmac- noise on that particular feast-day of its
delivery.
s° He is venerated as a saint, on the 12th
of October.
*' See the Life of St. Columkille, at the
9th of June, in the Sixth Volume of this work, Art. i.
52 Where this place was has not been dis- "
the third volume of this work, Art. i.
59 an" Father Sirin or O'Sheet states,
Che-
ranos seu—Kieranos viginti-sex,ejusdem stirpis u
multos. " Sancti Rumoldi Martyris In-
clyti,"&c. DissertatioHistorica,&c,sect. 10, num. 21, p. 198.
204 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September9.
Beoaidh was the name of his father, who was a carpenter, according to ancient accounts. 60 Darerca was his mother's name. She was daughter of
son to Glas,6' the
Irluachair. 6* The unknown author of Kieran's Acts calls his father Beord or
Boeo. 6* That he descended from the race of Core, son to Fergus, son of
Ross,sontoRudhraighe,isthegeneralaccount. Weareinformed,byColgan, that our saint's father was called Beoanus or Beoadus. 6* He is represented^ as having been an artificer or a smith. 66 He is said, likewise, to have been of noble and religious descent, although a . chariot-maker, while the mother of Kieran is called Darerca. 6? Whatever may be thought about the nobility of St. Kieran's descent, nearly all accounts left us agree in considering his
son to
Earcan, Buachall,
poet
of the 62 of Ciarraighe,
father as a mechanic. 68 Yet, the commentator on the " Feilire" of
calls our saint the son of Nos. However, Colgan states, that his parents belonged to the race of Roderick 7° in Ultonia. St. Kiaran had four brothers,
holy
were the three sisters. ?
2
Deacon, Lughbet, Pata, and Raithbeo
" Est hie sanctus Kieranus abbas de
fabri, ut con- appellatur,
Trias Thaumaturga," p. 402, and n. 75, p. 451.
LL. D. , n. p. cxliii.
7° Or Mor, from the line of Rudhraighe
Ir, son of Mileadh. The princes who occu- pied Emania, the Ultonian seat of royalty,
at an
family,
early date, had been engrafted into the Clanna Rudraighe, and had attained con- siderable power at A. D. 332, when it shared their fortunes in the joint limitations of their circumscribed territory of Uladh. See Rev.
"
60 As we are informed, our saint was called
Kyeranus filius artificis," or Kieran son of
writer,
Cluain-muc-nois, qui agnomine patronimico
the artificer, which is also
" Mac-
id
stat ex ejus vita exhibenda ad ix. Septem-
sisters -J1 viz. , Cronan the Deacon, Donnan the
and three
Luachall the Priest, and Odhran the Priest ;
an-tsair," in the Acts of St. Finian of Clo-
nard.
bris. " See
"
61
Contrary to his own pedigree, which is
identical with that in the text, the Life in
the Book of Lismore states incorrectly, that
Glas was Darerca's grandfather.
6*
See u Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. " Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Aengus, by Whitley Stokes,
Glasraige was the particular spot in that territory to which she belonged.
63 See the " of Martyrology Donegal,"
edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
ries back is the following
Beoit, son to Olchan, son of Dichu, son to Core, son of Cuindiu, son of Cuinnid, son to Fiac, son of Maelcatrach, son to Laise, son of Lairne, son to Cuiltre, son of Gluinech, son to Coirpre, son of Lug, son of Meidle, son of Dub, son of Lugna, son to Feidlimid, son of Eochu, son to Bresal, son of Degha, son of Reo-soirche, son to Tigernmas, son of Follach, son of Eithrial, son to Irial the prophet, son of Eremon, son to Mil of Spain.
° 5 The genealogy of St. Ciaran of Cluain-
,k
macnois is contained in the Leabhar
240, 241.
64 The parental genealogy of our saint
— as unders—tood at Clonmacnoise many centu-
Clanna Rudhraighe descent. The Dal Fiatach
Breac," at page 16, col. I, line 26. 66" '
See Acta Sanctorum Iliberniae, xv.
Januarii. Vita S. Itae, n. 15.
67 In that Life of our saint contained in
the Book of Lismore, we are told, that this
was the manner of their
courtship :
" When
daughter,
piolis widow. These are the graveyards in
Beoit went to visit his brothers, who dwelt
in the district of CeneM Fiacha, and when lie
saw the girl Darerca before them, he asked
her relations and her parents to give her to
him, and sooth she was given to him. "
6H
Thus, when allusion is made to our
saint, in the Fifth Life of St. Columba, at
lib. i. , cap. lxxxi , as published by Colgan,
we find this note subjoined by the latter
interpreted
filius saoir,
est,
:
Ciaran, son of
descended from Heremon,
69 In the " Leabhar Breac "
were, with few exceptions, of the
"
of Down, Connor and Dromore. " Appen-
dix II. , pp. 252 to 369.
' The Life in the Book of Lismore states,
•'
this is the order in which they were born, to wit, Lucholl, her first born, Donnan, the second, Ciaran, the third, Odian, the fourth, Cronan, the fifth, and he was a deacon, but the other four sons were archpresbyters. Then she bore three daughters to him, and two of them were virgins, even Lugbec and Rathbeo. Now, Pata was the third and she was a
which are the relics of those saints, to wit, Lucholl and Odran in Isel Ciarain. Donnan and Ciaran in Clonmacnois. Deacon Cronan and Beoit, and the three daughters in Tech Meic int-saeir. "
? 2 See the " Martyrology of Donegal," edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
242, 243.
William Reeves'
Ecclesiastical Antiquities
five brothers, and
Oengus,
69
copy.
September 9. ] LIVES OE THE IRISH SAINTS. 205
Some controversy has been excited in reference to the exact place of this
St. KTaran's birth. Although he is said to have been of Ultonian descent ;
yet, St. Patrick is represented, in one place, as prophesying, that St. Kieran should be born in the southern parts of Ireland. 73 Such account is thought reconcilable, however, with a statement, that he was a native of Media ter- ritory, as mentioned in the beginning of his acts. ? * This mensal territory of Media or Midia was anciently regarded as a kingdom,75 or the supreme ^Monarch's portion, and one among the five divisions of Ireland or ancient Scotia. In our Saint's Manuscript Life, possessed by the Bollandists, he is related to have been born in the Connaught province, as an impious king, named Ainmire, the son of Colgan, ruled over the territory of Hiii Neill, and he imposed a very heavy tribute on its tribes and kindred. St. Kieran's father is said to have been oppressed by that tribute which Ainmire76 exacted, and that he had been obliged in consequence to retire beyond the Shannon. In this province, where Crimthann, son of Lugaid, son of Dalian, reigned, and in the plain of Ri, Queranus is stated to have been born. However, Rath Cremthainn in Magh Ai is the reading to be found in our saint's Life, as contained in the Book of Lismore. 77 According to the account found in
the Annals of Innisfallen,78 St. Kieran was born in the year 506. Another learned writer declares, that the most probable account should assign his birth to a. d. 507. In this case, he should have lived to the age of forty-two, supposed to have been sufficient for the various transactions of his life, and still not long enough for ranking him among persons much advanced in years. 7' In the Annals of
Ulster,
" See " Trias Thaumaturga. "
his birth is set under a. d. 8o in which down, 511,
Vita Tri- partita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. cxxiii. , p. 145.
on the sixth of the calends of June, and that
he was born on the sixth of the calends of
March. It is also said, that his birth was
foretold by Lugbrann, who was the wizard
of King Crimthann, as it is recorded in Irish
verse. "On a certain day, when the wizard
heard the noise of the chariot, he said this,
''
Look,' saith he, my lads, who there is in
the chariot ; for here is a noise of chariot
under king. ' When the gillies went out, they saw nothing save Beoit and Darerca in the chariot. When the lads laughed at the
wizard, he said this ' The child that lies in
74 Referring to St. Patrick's reputed pro- phesy, Dr. Lanigan writes: "Whether it was pronounced or not is of little conse- quence ; but the denomination of Southern parts seems to show, that Kieran's birth- place was not only in Meath, but in a dis- trict of it far to the south of Armagh ; and, it is very probable, that it was somewhere in the neighbourhood of where he afterwards established his great monastery of Clon- macnoise. This tract was
comprised
ancient Meath. Ware and Harris
saith ' will be a he,
(Bishops at Clonmacnois) say, that he was of the sept of the Arads, or of a /amily from the part of Ulster called Dalaradia. This, how- ever, does not prevent his having been born
womb,'
and as the sun shineth among
in Meath. —" Ecclesiastical
land," vol. ii. , chap, x. , § xi. , n. 165, p. 53.
75 Afterwards the English divided this territory into Meath proper and West Meath.
told. '
78 Thus u
:
A. D. Nativitas Ciarani 506.
76
Regarding this King, the Bollandist
filii artificis. "
79 See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's u Ecclesiastical
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, xi. , p. 50, and n. 166, pp. 53, 54.
80 See Extracts from the Annals of Ulster,
in " Celto-Xor- Johnstone's Antiquitates
manicse," p. 57. "This date," says Dr. Lanigan, "would give us 37 years for the whole life of Kieran, which number of years is little enough to enable us to account for his various transactions, and for the extra- ordinary estimatio—n in which he wa§ held
1 66, pp. 53, 54.
editor observes, that Anmereus or Anmire
seems to have been identical with him
named in the Vila S. Columbae, in "the
M
Trias Thaumaturga," and in the Acts of St. Gildas Badonicus, and who is denomi- nated Anmericus. However, he was not King of Ireland before St. Kieran's birth, as may be collected from the aforesaid Vita S. Columbse, and from Colgan's annotations at
page 374, and nn. 39, 40.
77 In it is stated, that Ciaran was conceived
before his death. "
History
of Ire-
in the
:
the woman's
mighty king ;
the stars of heaven, so will he shine on earth
in miracles and marvels that cannot be
"
"Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, xi. , n.
206
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 9.
of the sun is also recorded. 81 It is referred to the 82 year 5. 1 6,
an
by Ussher, who appears to have calculated such date from the Book of Navan,8^ which states, that our saint lived 8* If this
year
eclipse
only thirty-three years.
account were true, Ussher's calculation should be right, because it is well known that Kieran died in 549. In the apocryphal Life of our saint, pos- sessed by the Bollandists, there is mention made of his captivity under a
King Turbithus. 85
According
to 86 Kieran was a certain man named
report, 8? This title also
baptized by
determined his character. 88 Whether
Justus.
or not, he be the person alluded to in the Vita Tripartita S. Patricii, and in connexion with our saint, can hardly be determined. The word used seems to indicate, only a popular report or tradition, and afterwards com- mitted to writing ; however, we may naturally suspect, that his years could have been so prolonged, as to confer baptism on St. Kieran. 89 Moreover, much doubt has been thrown9° on the story of St. Patrick moving down to
the district of and Hy-maine,
81 See the annals uLvoh or Annals of
Ulster, edited by William M. Hennessy,
M. R. I. A. , vol. i. , pp. 36, 37.
82 " "
named 1 over a Justus,?
church he at a founded, place
He was a
of St.
accurately
a
called Fidhart. *2
placing
deacon,
disciple Patrick, distinguished as well for his prolonged years, as for his great sanc- tity. 93 He is said to have baptised St. Kieran, in the one hundred and fortieth year of his age ; and to have read the form and rite of baptism, from a Ritual book, left him by St. Patrick. 94 But, in the doubtful Acts of our
See Ussher's Index Chronologicus
at A. u. dvi. , and Rev. Dr. Lanigan's cum magnus ille Hibernorum apostolus
"
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, v. , § x. , n. 91, and chap, viii. , § xiii. , pp. 246, 419.
83 The Annala Ul<voh or Annals of Ulster, also state, that according to another book, the birth of Ciaran happened in 516. See vol. i. , pp. 38, 39, edition of William
M. Hennessy.
84 " The authority, however, of that book
is of little weight, and it is more than pro-
bable, that those 33 years were merely story better, places it both in Roscommon
guessed at to make his life the same length and Galway ; founded, he says, by St.
86 "
The word used is fertur," in the in his time. " Ibid. , n. 91 pp. 246, 247.
with that of our Saviour, as is observed in
said book. In Kieran *s Life it was remarked
that he died rather young ; and hence a
conjecture was s—tarted that his age might calling it an abbey ; for the church of have been 33. " See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's Fidhart, according to even the Tripartite, M Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. ,
chap, x. , § xi. , n. 166, p. 53.
85 Probably a misprint for " Furbithus. "
account of this circumstance. See Colgan's
'"Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii. , lib. ii. , cap. xlix. , p. 136.
8? In the Acts of St. Patrick, edited by
91 In reference to this saint, Dr. Lanigan remarks, that what has been ridiculously said about the 140th year is more than sufficient to show Justus could not have been placed
Papebroke at the 17th day of March, over a church so early as the Tripartite- Suyskens observes, that a certain holy states. It is also to be observed, that in hermit, named Justus, is said to have been Kieran's Life, Justus is said not only to
kindly received by St. Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland.
88 The Life of St. Kiaran, in the Book of
Lismore, calls him Deacon Justus.
: 89TheBollandisteditoradds "Uttamen
have baptised Kieran, but likewise to have instructed him.
94 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Vita Tripartita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. xlix. , p. 136.
admittamus, sanctum Abbatem ab aliquo a Patricii discipulis eo Sacramento initiatum fuisse, non propterea necesse est tarn singu- larem in eo longe vitam adstruire ; quippe
anno 460, ut in ipsius Actis ostendit Pape-
brochius, ad supros emigraverit, sanctus vero Kieranus anno 516 natus perhibeatur, ut
hanc ab illius baptizari potuisse
intelligitur,
discipulo, qui octogenario non esset major. "
»° By Rev. Dr. Lanigan. "
91 See Ecclesiastical History of Ireland,"
vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, x. , p. 244.
91 In his usual manner, Archdall gives us
an abbey of Fidhart, "and to make the
Patrick, who consigned it to Justus. Besides the incorrectness of the latter part of this statement, Archdall was mistaken also in
was no more than a deaconry, although afterwards it became a parochial church, in the diocese o—f Elphin, as Colgan says it was
September 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 207
saint, possessed by the Bollandists, it is related, that Kieran of Clonmacnoise
was baptised and brought up, by a very holy man, Dermitius by name. 95 Which of these accounts—if either statement be accepted—is more correct, it would prove a difficult matter to decide.
As usual in the Acts of all our most celebrated Irish saints, where no authentic accounts have been preserved of their youth, the legend-mongers are quite ready to supply incredible fictions. So in the Life of St. Ciaran, many of these are thoroughly ridiculous j and it may even be questioned, if some allusions in such narratives tend to exhibit the social customs and habits of his time, or whether they serve to elucidate matters connected with contemporaneous history. Only in such cases do we regard them as worthy of enumeration, and most certainly requiring much abridgment of circum- stantial details. Thus, for bringing to life a horse belonging to Oengus, the son of Cremthann, our saint received a tract of land denominated Tir-na- Gabra, or the Land of the Steed ; honey, which he miraculously procured for his mother, was given as a fee to Justus for baptizing him ; when a hound attacked him, he chaunted this verse, " Ne tradas bestiis animam confitentem
mihi," and the hound fell dead; after the manner of Jacob, of David son of
6 his set him over herds, and the parents
and of other
Almighty knew that in future times he would be a faithful herdsman over the faithful j he also kept the herds of his foster-father, the Deacon Justus, at Fidarta ; likewise, allusion is made to the preparation of blue dye-stuff, as a practice of his mother j moreover, while herding kine, a wolf came and devouredacalf,whichthesaintbroughtoncemoretolife; besides,onacertain day, robbers from Offaly raided the district of Cenel Fiachrach, and among others, they attempted to kill St. Ciaran, but they were struck with blindness and could not move, until after repentance they were released ; again, his father sent him with the present of a caldron to king Furban, but he bestowed it on some poor men he met on the way, so that he incurred the king's dis- pleasure, and was condemned to grind at a quern, when lo ! it began to turn of its own accord, and the angels of the Lord were supposed to have been the agents ; not long afterwards, smiths came from Munster bearing three caldrons as a present for Ciaran, and these he presented to the king, who released him from slavery. ^?
Jesse,
patriarchs,9
In the Monastery of Clonard, on the confines of Leinster and Meath, it
8
is stated, that St. Kieran received his early education. 9
relates, that when about to proceed thither, Ciaran asked his parents for a cowasapresentforhismaster,butthiswasrefused; yetthecow99withher calf followed the youthful scholar to Clonard, where she gave milk to twelve
95 The Bollandist editor remarks, that in
the Acts of St. Columba, Abbot of Iona, and
certain Diermitius mentioned, and he was a disciple to that Abbot. But, as St. Columba is said to have died A. D. 597, and St. Kieran is supposed to have been born A. D. 516, this last-named must have been a junior to the "Diermitius" in question.
96 As found in the Book of Lismore.
9 ? See " Anecdota Oxoniensia," edited by Whitley Stokes, D. C. L. , pp. 265 to 267.
cap. xix. , p. 395. The Bollandists deferred giving the Acts of Saint Finian to the 12th of December ; but, in their previous corn- mentary on the Life of St. Kyran of Saigir, and published at the 5th of March, sect. 2, it is shown, that no chronological objection can fairly be offered to the statement, that St. Kieran of Clonmacnoise could have been a disciple to St. Finian of Clonard.
9' St. Ciaran blessed this cow, and after- wards it bore the name of Odar Ciarain, or Ciaran's Dun. In the narrator's day, the hide of that cow was said to have beer* pre- served in Clonmacnoise, and whatever soul
published at the 9th day of June, there is a ""
98 See nige. "
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Februarii xxiii. Vita S, Finiani.
from its on that hide was body
Colgan's
separated
thought to possess eteinal life.
Another legend
208 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 9.
bishops and other guests, who lived in St. Finian's establishment. 100 By others, it is said he received from St. Justus his first lessons. 101 In case we admit Ussher's chronology regarding his birth, Kieran of Clonmacnoise could not have been advanced beyond his years of early infancy, when he entered the school of St. Finian at Clonard. However, it is generally admitted, that our saint was a disciple of St. Finian, Abbot of Clonard,103 and contempo-
raneously
with him were his namesake Kieran of 10^ Columkille,10* Saigre,
Columba mac Crimthaind, 108
10* 106 Brendan son of Finlog,
10?
Brendan of Birr, Cainec of Daland's 110 Ruadan of Lothra,"1 Lamdere,"2 Killicu-
Laistrian son of Nathfraich, Sinell son of Maenac, posterity, Nannyd
100
mulus,"3 Bishop Sennach,"* and many others. " 5
and highly distinguished for their great virtues.
gave certain possessions to Finian, his teacher, and to his successors, as like-
8 110
and who became a respectable abbot, both in Clonmacnoise and in Aingen. But, as St. Finian lived to a. d. 565,"° and according to the Acts of St. Columba, as he exceeded the one hundred and tenth year of his age, Pape- broke thinks, that Ussher's authority may be disputed, and that there can be some reasons assigned for a different opinion. Suyskens considers, if this donation were made by either of the Kierans, it should seem rather referable
wise to Clonard he left much of its landed
supposed to have reference to our own St. Kieran, known as the younger,"
100 An Irish verse alluding to this legend, is thus translated into English :—
noise, as found in the Book of Lismore, they are enumerated from an Irish poem, and the account is thus translated into English :
11 Now the twelve of Ireland abode bishops
in Findian's school at Clonard, as (a poet) said :
" Full
Ciaran's Dun used to feed,
Both guests, and weaklings,
And folk of the refectory and upper
,01 See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xviii. Januarii, Vita S. Nennidhii, cap.
vii. ,p. 113-
102
His festival occurs on the 12th of De- cember, at which date his Acts may be found.
fifty
and a hundred
See
103 His feast is held on the 5th of March. quitates," cap. xvii. , p. 471. See also p.
See his Life, at that date, in the Third Volume of this work, Art. i.
ss In the Acts of St. Finnian, at the 23rd of February, p. 395, and in the Life of St. Senan, at p. 610, recte 520.
s6 In Vita S. Endei, p. 708.
57 In Aleninus, carm. 246.
s8 See his Life, at the 5th of March, in
44 Joceline adds to this account
enim locus ille inter Midiam et Connactiam in quo sita est civitas Cluanensis, in qua
"
habetur hodie sedes episcopalis. " "
Bangor,
according
abound in fable. 47 Moreover, as we are
of Brandub or Brenainn, on Ard Abla. 52
The name of this saint has been variously written by different
authors. Some him Ciarain and others, Kieranus 4 whilst style Queranus ;53 ;*
Kyeranus. ss Keranus s6 and Cheranus 5? are likewise names applied to him. The reasons for this variation are adduced by Colgan, in his Acts of St.
Kieran, Abbot of Saigir and Bishop. s8 Suyskens adheres to Colgan's usual mode of spelling our saint's name, viz. , Kieranus. Among more recent writers, Castellan and the author of the Parisian Martyrology, call this saint Kiaranus. There are many saints bearing the name Ciarain or Kiarain in our Irish Calendars. 59
Comgall,
These statements
him, when she beheld the flame and the angel fifty years before Ciardn. 49 Bee Mac D6 S° also prophesied of him, when he said: "There, O son of the wright, in thy beautiful chasuble, with thy choirs, with thy melodies, with thy chariots, with thy songs. " Again, it is stated, that St. Columkille 51 prophesied of him to Aed, son
told,
St.
Brigid
« The matter is thus related. When St.
Munis returned from Rome, and had been
overtaken by night at the present site of
Clonmacnoise, he was astonished to behold
a vision of angels, hovering around the spot,
where St. Patrick had formerly buried a
leper's body. Munia had deposited a
casket, containing certain relics, in the
hollow of an adjoining tree. When morning
dawned, the substance and bark of that tree
were found to have grown around the
precious deposit, so as entirely to conceal
it. Then Munis said: "There is some
man of God here interred, for there I be-
hold a service rendered by Angels. " As- covered. See the Anecdota Oxoniensia. "
:
" Est
48 See her Life, in the Second Volume of this work, at the 1st of February, Art, i.
49 This is stated in that sermon on our saint,
contained in the Book of Lismore, and the
prophecy was—in the place whereon Brigid's
—sstood we
crosse may presume
atClonmac- noise on that particular feast-day of its
delivery.
s° He is venerated as a saint, on the 12th
of October.
*' See the Life of St. Columkille, at the
9th of June, in the Sixth Volume of this work, Art. i.
52 Where this place was has not been dis- "
the third volume of this work, Art. i.
59 an" Father Sirin or O'Sheet states,
Che-
ranos seu—Kieranos viginti-sex,ejusdem stirpis u
multos. " Sancti Rumoldi Martyris In-
clyti,"&c. DissertatioHistorica,&c,sect. 10, num. 21, p. 198.
204 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September9.
Beoaidh was the name of his father, who was a carpenter, according to ancient accounts. 60 Darerca was his mother's name. She was daughter of
son to Glas,6' the
Irluachair. 6* The unknown author of Kieran's Acts calls his father Beord or
Boeo. 6* That he descended from the race of Core, son to Fergus, son of
Ross,sontoRudhraighe,isthegeneralaccount. Weareinformed,byColgan, that our saint's father was called Beoanus or Beoadus. 6* He is represented^ as having been an artificer or a smith. 66 He is said, likewise, to have been of noble and religious descent, although a . chariot-maker, while the mother of Kieran is called Darerca. 6? Whatever may be thought about the nobility of St. Kieran's descent, nearly all accounts left us agree in considering his
son to
Earcan, Buachall,
poet
of the 62 of Ciarraighe,
father as a mechanic. 68 Yet, the commentator on the " Feilire" of
calls our saint the son of Nos. However, Colgan states, that his parents belonged to the race of Roderick 7° in Ultonia. St. Kiaran had four brothers,
holy
were the three sisters. ?
2
Deacon, Lughbet, Pata, and Raithbeo
" Est hie sanctus Kieranus abbas de
fabri, ut con- appellatur,
Trias Thaumaturga," p. 402, and n. 75, p. 451.
LL. D. , n. p. cxliii.
7° Or Mor, from the line of Rudhraighe
Ir, son of Mileadh. The princes who occu- pied Emania, the Ultonian seat of royalty,
at an
family,
early date, had been engrafted into the Clanna Rudraighe, and had attained con- siderable power at A. D. 332, when it shared their fortunes in the joint limitations of their circumscribed territory of Uladh. See Rev.
"
60 As we are informed, our saint was called
Kyeranus filius artificis," or Kieran son of
writer,
Cluain-muc-nois, qui agnomine patronimico
the artificer, which is also
" Mac-
id
stat ex ejus vita exhibenda ad ix. Septem-
sisters -J1 viz. , Cronan the Deacon, Donnan the
and three
Luachall the Priest, and Odhran the Priest ;
an-tsair," in the Acts of St. Finian of Clo-
nard.
bris. " See
"
61
Contrary to his own pedigree, which is
identical with that in the text, the Life in
the Book of Lismore states incorrectly, that
Glas was Darerca's grandfather.
6*
See u Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. " Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Aengus, by Whitley Stokes,
Glasraige was the particular spot in that territory to which she belonged.
63 See the " of Martyrology Donegal,"
edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
ries back is the following
Beoit, son to Olchan, son of Dichu, son to Core, son of Cuindiu, son of Cuinnid, son to Fiac, son of Maelcatrach, son to Laise, son of Lairne, son to Cuiltre, son of Gluinech, son to Coirpre, son of Lug, son of Meidle, son of Dub, son of Lugna, son to Feidlimid, son of Eochu, son to Bresal, son of Degha, son of Reo-soirche, son to Tigernmas, son of Follach, son of Eithrial, son to Irial the prophet, son of Eremon, son to Mil of Spain.
° 5 The genealogy of St. Ciaran of Cluain-
,k
macnois is contained in the Leabhar
240, 241.
64 The parental genealogy of our saint
— as unders—tood at Clonmacnoise many centu-
Clanna Rudhraighe descent. The Dal Fiatach
Breac," at page 16, col. I, line 26. 66" '
See Acta Sanctorum Iliberniae, xv.
Januarii. Vita S. Itae, n. 15.
67 In that Life of our saint contained in
the Book of Lismore, we are told, that this
was the manner of their
courtship :
" When
daughter,
piolis widow. These are the graveyards in
Beoit went to visit his brothers, who dwelt
in the district of CeneM Fiacha, and when lie
saw the girl Darerca before them, he asked
her relations and her parents to give her to
him, and sooth she was given to him. "
6H
Thus, when allusion is made to our
saint, in the Fifth Life of St. Columba, at
lib. i. , cap. lxxxi , as published by Colgan,
we find this note subjoined by the latter
interpreted
filius saoir,
est,
:
Ciaran, son of
descended from Heremon,
69 In the " Leabhar Breac "
were, with few exceptions, of the
"
of Down, Connor and Dromore. " Appen-
dix II. , pp. 252 to 369.
' The Life in the Book of Lismore states,
•'
this is the order in which they were born, to wit, Lucholl, her first born, Donnan, the second, Ciaran, the third, Odian, the fourth, Cronan, the fifth, and he was a deacon, but the other four sons were archpresbyters. Then she bore three daughters to him, and two of them were virgins, even Lugbec and Rathbeo. Now, Pata was the third and she was a
which are the relics of those saints, to wit, Lucholl and Odran in Isel Ciarain. Donnan and Ciaran in Clonmacnois. Deacon Cronan and Beoit, and the three daughters in Tech Meic int-saeir. "
? 2 See the " Martyrology of Donegal," edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
242, 243.
William Reeves'
Ecclesiastical Antiquities
five brothers, and
Oengus,
69
copy.
September 9. ] LIVES OE THE IRISH SAINTS. 205
Some controversy has been excited in reference to the exact place of this
St. KTaran's birth. Although he is said to have been of Ultonian descent ;
yet, St. Patrick is represented, in one place, as prophesying, that St. Kieran should be born in the southern parts of Ireland. 73 Such account is thought reconcilable, however, with a statement, that he was a native of Media ter- ritory, as mentioned in the beginning of his acts. ? * This mensal territory of Media or Midia was anciently regarded as a kingdom,75 or the supreme ^Monarch's portion, and one among the five divisions of Ireland or ancient Scotia. In our Saint's Manuscript Life, possessed by the Bollandists, he is related to have been born in the Connaught province, as an impious king, named Ainmire, the son of Colgan, ruled over the territory of Hiii Neill, and he imposed a very heavy tribute on its tribes and kindred. St. Kieran's father is said to have been oppressed by that tribute which Ainmire76 exacted, and that he had been obliged in consequence to retire beyond the Shannon. In this province, where Crimthann, son of Lugaid, son of Dalian, reigned, and in the plain of Ri, Queranus is stated to have been born. However, Rath Cremthainn in Magh Ai is the reading to be found in our saint's Life, as contained in the Book of Lismore. 77 According to the account found in
the Annals of Innisfallen,78 St. Kieran was born in the year 506. Another learned writer declares, that the most probable account should assign his birth to a. d. 507. In this case, he should have lived to the age of forty-two, supposed to have been sufficient for the various transactions of his life, and still not long enough for ranking him among persons much advanced in years. 7' In the Annals of
Ulster,
" See " Trias Thaumaturga. "
his birth is set under a. d. 8o in which down, 511,
Vita Tri- partita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. cxxiii. , p. 145.
on the sixth of the calends of June, and that
he was born on the sixth of the calends of
March. It is also said, that his birth was
foretold by Lugbrann, who was the wizard
of King Crimthann, as it is recorded in Irish
verse. "On a certain day, when the wizard
heard the noise of the chariot, he said this,
''
Look,' saith he, my lads, who there is in
the chariot ; for here is a noise of chariot
under king. ' When the gillies went out, they saw nothing save Beoit and Darerca in the chariot. When the lads laughed at the
wizard, he said this ' The child that lies in
74 Referring to St. Patrick's reputed pro- phesy, Dr. Lanigan writes: "Whether it was pronounced or not is of little conse- quence ; but the denomination of Southern parts seems to show, that Kieran's birth- place was not only in Meath, but in a dis- trict of it far to the south of Armagh ; and, it is very probable, that it was somewhere in the neighbourhood of where he afterwards established his great monastery of Clon- macnoise. This tract was
comprised
ancient Meath. Ware and Harris
saith ' will be a he,
(Bishops at Clonmacnois) say, that he was of the sept of the Arads, or of a /amily from the part of Ulster called Dalaradia. This, how- ever, does not prevent his having been born
womb,'
and as the sun shineth among
in Meath. —" Ecclesiastical
land," vol. ii. , chap, x. , § xi. , n. 165, p. 53.
75 Afterwards the English divided this territory into Meath proper and West Meath.
told. '
78 Thus u
:
A. D. Nativitas Ciarani 506.
76
Regarding this King, the Bollandist
filii artificis. "
79 See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's u Ecclesiastical
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, xi. , p. 50, and n. 166, pp. 53, 54.
80 See Extracts from the Annals of Ulster,
in " Celto-Xor- Johnstone's Antiquitates
manicse," p. 57. "This date," says Dr. Lanigan, "would give us 37 years for the whole life of Kieran, which number of years is little enough to enable us to account for his various transactions, and for the extra- ordinary estimatio—n in which he wa§ held
1 66, pp. 53, 54.
editor observes, that Anmereus or Anmire
seems to have been identical with him
named in the Vila S. Columbae, in "the
M
Trias Thaumaturga," and in the Acts of St. Gildas Badonicus, and who is denomi- nated Anmericus. However, he was not King of Ireland before St. Kieran's birth, as may be collected from the aforesaid Vita S. Columbse, and from Colgan's annotations at
page 374, and nn. 39, 40.
77 In it is stated, that Ciaran was conceived
before his death. "
History
of Ire-
in the
:
the woman's
mighty king ;
the stars of heaven, so will he shine on earth
in miracles and marvels that cannot be
"
"Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, xi. , n.
206
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 9.
of the sun is also recorded. 81 It is referred to the 82 year 5. 1 6,
an
by Ussher, who appears to have calculated such date from the Book of Navan,8^ which states, that our saint lived 8* If this
year
eclipse
only thirty-three years.
account were true, Ussher's calculation should be right, because it is well known that Kieran died in 549. In the apocryphal Life of our saint, pos- sessed by the Bollandists, there is mention made of his captivity under a
King Turbithus. 85
According
to 86 Kieran was a certain man named
report, 8? This title also
baptized by
determined his character. 88 Whether
Justus.
or not, he be the person alluded to in the Vita Tripartita S. Patricii, and in connexion with our saint, can hardly be determined. The word used seems to indicate, only a popular report or tradition, and afterwards com- mitted to writing ; however, we may naturally suspect, that his years could have been so prolonged, as to confer baptism on St. Kieran. 89 Moreover, much doubt has been thrown9° on the story of St. Patrick moving down to
the district of and Hy-maine,
81 See the annals uLvoh or Annals of
Ulster, edited by William M. Hennessy,
M. R. I. A. , vol. i. , pp. 36, 37.
82 " "
named 1 over a Justus,?
church he at a founded, place
He was a
of St.
accurately
a
called Fidhart. *2
placing
deacon,
disciple Patrick, distinguished as well for his prolonged years, as for his great sanc- tity. 93 He is said to have baptised St. Kieran, in the one hundred and fortieth year of his age ; and to have read the form and rite of baptism, from a Ritual book, left him by St. Patrick. 94 But, in the doubtful Acts of our
See Ussher's Index Chronologicus
at A. u. dvi. , and Rev. Dr. Lanigan's cum magnus ille Hibernorum apostolus
"
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, v. , § x. , n. 91, and chap, viii. , § xiii. , pp. 246, 419.
83 The Annala Ul<voh or Annals of Ulster, also state, that according to another book, the birth of Ciaran happened in 516. See vol. i. , pp. 38, 39, edition of William
M. Hennessy.
84 " The authority, however, of that book
is of little weight, and it is more than pro-
bable, that those 33 years were merely story better, places it both in Roscommon
guessed at to make his life the same length and Galway ; founded, he says, by St.
86 "
The word used is fertur," in the in his time. " Ibid. , n. 91 pp. 246, 247.
with that of our Saviour, as is observed in
said book. In Kieran *s Life it was remarked
that he died rather young ; and hence a
conjecture was s—tarted that his age might calling it an abbey ; for the church of have been 33. " See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's Fidhart, according to even the Tripartite, M Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. ,
chap, x. , § xi. , n. 166, p. 53.
85 Probably a misprint for " Furbithus. "
account of this circumstance. See Colgan's
'"Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii. , lib. ii. , cap. xlix. , p. 136.
8? In the Acts of St. Patrick, edited by
91 In reference to this saint, Dr. Lanigan remarks, that what has been ridiculously said about the 140th year is more than sufficient to show Justus could not have been placed
Papebroke at the 17th day of March, over a church so early as the Tripartite- Suyskens observes, that a certain holy states. It is also to be observed, that in hermit, named Justus, is said to have been Kieran's Life, Justus is said not only to
kindly received by St. Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland.
88 The Life of St. Kiaran, in the Book of
Lismore, calls him Deacon Justus.
: 89TheBollandisteditoradds "Uttamen
have baptised Kieran, but likewise to have instructed him.
94 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Vita Tripartita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. xlix. , p. 136.
admittamus, sanctum Abbatem ab aliquo a Patricii discipulis eo Sacramento initiatum fuisse, non propterea necesse est tarn singu- larem in eo longe vitam adstruire ; quippe
anno 460, ut in ipsius Actis ostendit Pape-
brochius, ad supros emigraverit, sanctus vero Kieranus anno 516 natus perhibeatur, ut
hanc ab illius baptizari potuisse
intelligitur,
discipulo, qui octogenario non esset major. "
»° By Rev. Dr. Lanigan. "
91 See Ecclesiastical History of Ireland,"
vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, x. , p. 244.
91 In his usual manner, Archdall gives us
an abbey of Fidhart, "and to make the
Patrick, who consigned it to Justus. Besides the incorrectness of the latter part of this statement, Archdall was mistaken also in
was no more than a deaconry, although afterwards it became a parochial church, in the diocese o—f Elphin, as Colgan says it was
September 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 207
saint, possessed by the Bollandists, it is related, that Kieran of Clonmacnoise
was baptised and brought up, by a very holy man, Dermitius by name. 95 Which of these accounts—if either statement be accepted—is more correct, it would prove a difficult matter to decide.
As usual in the Acts of all our most celebrated Irish saints, where no authentic accounts have been preserved of their youth, the legend-mongers are quite ready to supply incredible fictions. So in the Life of St. Ciaran, many of these are thoroughly ridiculous j and it may even be questioned, if some allusions in such narratives tend to exhibit the social customs and habits of his time, or whether they serve to elucidate matters connected with contemporaneous history. Only in such cases do we regard them as worthy of enumeration, and most certainly requiring much abridgment of circum- stantial details. Thus, for bringing to life a horse belonging to Oengus, the son of Cremthann, our saint received a tract of land denominated Tir-na- Gabra, or the Land of the Steed ; honey, which he miraculously procured for his mother, was given as a fee to Justus for baptizing him ; when a hound attacked him, he chaunted this verse, " Ne tradas bestiis animam confitentem
mihi," and the hound fell dead; after the manner of Jacob, of David son of
6 his set him over herds, and the parents
and of other
Almighty knew that in future times he would be a faithful herdsman over the faithful j he also kept the herds of his foster-father, the Deacon Justus, at Fidarta ; likewise, allusion is made to the preparation of blue dye-stuff, as a practice of his mother j moreover, while herding kine, a wolf came and devouredacalf,whichthesaintbroughtoncemoretolife; besides,onacertain day, robbers from Offaly raided the district of Cenel Fiachrach, and among others, they attempted to kill St. Ciaran, but they were struck with blindness and could not move, until after repentance they were released ; again, his father sent him with the present of a caldron to king Furban, but he bestowed it on some poor men he met on the way, so that he incurred the king's dis- pleasure, and was condemned to grind at a quern, when lo ! it began to turn of its own accord, and the angels of the Lord were supposed to have been the agents ; not long afterwards, smiths came from Munster bearing three caldrons as a present for Ciaran, and these he presented to the king, who released him from slavery. ^?
Jesse,
patriarchs,9
In the Monastery of Clonard, on the confines of Leinster and Meath, it
8
is stated, that St. Kieran received his early education. 9
relates, that when about to proceed thither, Ciaran asked his parents for a cowasapresentforhismaster,butthiswasrefused; yetthecow99withher calf followed the youthful scholar to Clonard, where she gave milk to twelve
95 The Bollandist editor remarks, that in
the Acts of St. Columba, Abbot of Iona, and
certain Diermitius mentioned, and he was a disciple to that Abbot. But, as St. Columba is said to have died A. D. 597, and St. Kieran is supposed to have been born A. D. 516, this last-named must have been a junior to the "Diermitius" in question.
96 As found in the Book of Lismore.
9 ? See " Anecdota Oxoniensia," edited by Whitley Stokes, D. C. L. , pp. 265 to 267.
cap. xix. , p. 395. The Bollandists deferred giving the Acts of Saint Finian to the 12th of December ; but, in their previous corn- mentary on the Life of St. Kyran of Saigir, and published at the 5th of March, sect. 2, it is shown, that no chronological objection can fairly be offered to the statement, that St. Kieran of Clonmacnoise could have been a disciple to St. Finian of Clonard.
9' St. Ciaran blessed this cow, and after- wards it bore the name of Odar Ciarain, or Ciaran's Dun. In the narrator's day, the hide of that cow was said to have beer* pre- served in Clonmacnoise, and whatever soul
published at the 9th day of June, there is a ""
98 See nige. "
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Februarii xxiii. Vita S, Finiani.
from its on that hide was body
Colgan's
separated
thought to possess eteinal life.
Another legend
208 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 9.
bishops and other guests, who lived in St. Finian's establishment. 100 By others, it is said he received from St. Justus his first lessons. 101 In case we admit Ussher's chronology regarding his birth, Kieran of Clonmacnoise could not have been advanced beyond his years of early infancy, when he entered the school of St. Finian at Clonard. However, it is generally admitted, that our saint was a disciple of St. Finian, Abbot of Clonard,103 and contempo-
raneously
with him were his namesake Kieran of 10^ Columkille,10* Saigre,
Columba mac Crimthaind, 108
10* 106 Brendan son of Finlog,
10?
Brendan of Birr, Cainec of Daland's 110 Ruadan of Lothra,"1 Lamdere,"2 Killicu-
Laistrian son of Nathfraich, Sinell son of Maenac, posterity, Nannyd
100
mulus,"3 Bishop Sennach,"* and many others. " 5
and highly distinguished for their great virtues.
gave certain possessions to Finian, his teacher, and to his successors, as like-
8 110
and who became a respectable abbot, both in Clonmacnoise and in Aingen. But, as St. Finian lived to a. d. 565,"° and according to the Acts of St. Columba, as he exceeded the one hundred and tenth year of his age, Pape- broke thinks, that Ussher's authority may be disputed, and that there can be some reasons assigned for a different opinion. Suyskens considers, if this donation were made by either of the Kierans, it should seem rather referable
wise to Clonard he left much of its landed
supposed to have reference to our own St. Kieran, known as the younger,"
100 An Irish verse alluding to this legend, is thus translated into English :—
noise, as found in the Book of Lismore, they are enumerated from an Irish poem, and the account is thus translated into English :
11 Now the twelve of Ireland abode bishops
in Findian's school at Clonard, as (a poet) said :
" Full
Ciaran's Dun used to feed,
Both guests, and weaklings,
And folk of the refectory and upper
,01 See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xviii. Januarii, Vita S. Nennidhii, cap.
vii. ,p. 113-
102
His festival occurs on the 12th of De- cember, at which date his Acts may be found.
fifty
and a hundred
See
103 His feast is held on the 5th of March. quitates," cap. xvii. , p. 471. See also p.
See his Life, at that date, in the Third Volume of this work, Art. i.
