^ When
Christianity
had been first introduced by St.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
^ The Bol- landists have inserted the Acts of this saint at the ist day of the year.
3 The original, in Irish, had been translated by O'Sullevan Beare.
With one acknowledged omission it was published in the great Bollandist collection.
Article XIII. —St. Fintan, son of Eochach, of Bealach. [Sixth
or Seventh Century. '] As in the twilight, when a few objects appear distinct, the more possible it becomes to shape an outline of images less clear ; so
the patronymic and locality of a saint being kno\vn, are aids that may assist in evolving further information, and in stimulating more painstaking research.
Fintan Mac of Eochach, Bealach,
has been set down in the " of Martyrology
Tallagh *'
"' at the ist of
It is not
to discover where the
January. "
easy Atthisdatethe"
a" "or" pass
Martyro-
sixth or beginning of the seventh century,^ he passed to a blessed life, pro- mised to faithful servants, in the household of the Lord.
Article XIV. —St. Connat, or Comnatan, Abbess of Kildare, County of Kildare. [Sixth Century. ] Meekly have the true spouses of Christ chosenthebetterpartbyretiringfromtheworldtothecloister. Likethedove,
bealach," meaning
logy of Donegal "* like^vise registers Fuintain, son of Eochaidh, descended from the race of Laeghaire, son to Niall of the Nine Hostages. 5 At the period of his death, which probably occurred sometime about the close of the
3 See "Acta Sanctoram," Januarii, tomus
p. xi.
'The words "pnc^n TJIac ec . '. . "
only appear in the Franciscan copy.
3 See "Edward O'Reilly's Irish-English
Dictionary, j«(J z'^«. "
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, p. 5.
s son of Eachach, son to Ailealla, Fintan,
"
to the Franciscan Library, Dublin.
i. , prgemium,—&c. , pp. 45, 46, 47.
"
Art. XII. See Lives of the Fathers,
'
Martyrs, and other Principal Saints," vol. i.
"
See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. i. , pp. loi, 102.
3See "Acta i Sanctorum," Januarii.
Vita S. Mochuae Ballensi, sive Cronani.
This life is divided into six chapters, with a
son of Guaire, son to Luighdeach, son of Laoghaire, son of Neill Naoighiall. The foregoing pedigree is in the MS. " Genealo-
road,"3 lay.
premonitory notice. Tomus i. , pp. 47, to 49.
Colgan has reproduced it at the 30th of gia Regum et Sanctorum Hibemiae be-*
March, with additional matter and illustra- tive notes.
Art. xiii. —* Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
longing
°
duced from the genealogical line.
Judging by probable inferences de-
January i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 25 with its emblem of rest, the ark and the sanctuary receive them in safety.
a without further Comnatan, virgin
is met with in the "
Martyrology of Tallagh,"' at the ist of January. ' Elsewhere she has been particularized. We find at the same date a festival to Comnat, virgin, abbess of Cill-dara, in
Leinster. This ancient city was very renowed after the death of its early foundress, St. Brigid; and venerable ruins there yet attest its former import- ance. 3 St. Comnatis no- ticed by Marianus O'Gor-
man, and her feast occurs "
in the Martyrology of Donegal. "* Accordingto Colgan, she must have flourished in the sixth
century. How long she ruled over the nuns at
designation,
Kildare does not appear,s
Herdeathis assignedto
A. D. 590. ^ We may rest
assured, likewise, that her
thoughts and affections
were purified by the holy
life she led, and that they
procured her a peaceful
dissolution. The virgins
of Christ hear the Gospel,
and the evangelical coun-
sels are practised by them
on earth. When death
seals their eyes to its
scenes, like those newly
recovering sight, or like
those awaking from sleep, their souls open to the transports of light supernal. No more can shadows return, for their crowns of glory are encircled with a- radiance that can never pale.
Article XV. —St. Fintan, son of Tioctheach. While under the bondage of centuries our people clung with tenacity to the creed of their ancestors, and suffered much for their religious opinions, it seems most singu- lar, that in so many instances, they have lost the traces of several holy persons
who blessed our island in the olden time. Finntan Mac Tuicthech is
" "'
recorded in the Martyrology of Tallagh at the ist day of January. *
Art. XIV. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
daughter of Nadfraich, and sister to St. MO" lasius, flourished about the year 590, and she was abbess at Kildare. Whether or not the present saint preceded or succeeded her in that office seems undetermined.
p. xi.
^ In the Franciscan copy we find
" Coin-
MACAn. U. "
3 The annexed wood engraving of the
round tower and cathedral ruins, by Mrs.
*
See "Trias Thaumaturga," Appendix
Kildare Round Tower and Old Cathedral.
Millard, is from a photograph, taken by Quinta ad Ac—ta S. Brigidse, cap. ii. , p. 629.
Frederick H. Mares, 79 Grafton-street, Dublin.
4 Edited by Drs, Todd and Reeves, p. 5. s According to Colgan, a St. Talulla,
'
Art. XV. Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
p. xi. '"
i:incAiri -nUc C01C . . . " is found in the Franciscan copy.
26 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[January i.
Probably he lived before the ninth century began ; but hardly more can be gleaned from this mere entry. Finntain, son of Toictheach, appears in the
" of Martyrology
"3 on this
day ; yet
such record is
only
a
Donegal of the earlier notice.
repetition
Article XVI. —St, Colman, son of Eochaidh. Many of our saints and their actions have been described with very considerable distinctness ; but regarding several others, as in the present instance, we search in vain for satisfactory details. We do not meet with any notice of this particular saint in the published "Martyrology of Tallagh"^ at the ist of January,^ How-
ever,
we find that
Colman,
son of
Eochaidh,
is set down in the "
Martyrology
of Donegal "3 on this particular day. When he flourished seems uncertain.
There is a St. Colman, or St. Columbanus, the founder of Snamh-Luthir, who
issaidtohavebeenveneratedontheistdayofJanuary. * Perhapshemay be identified with the present saint.
ArticleXVII—St. Tobrea,orTobia. Thatveneratednamesshould
live in history, having left an impress on their age, while their acts should
have all but perished and been totally forgotten, within the historic period,
too, are facts that appear almost incomprehensible, and fill us with surprise.
At the ist of in the " of we day January, pubhshed Martyrology Tallagh,"'
" Tobrea. " In the Franciscan it is " Tobiae. " copy
find the
Nothing more seems recoverable in reference to this saint.
simple entry,
Article XVIII. —St. Crone, Galma, In the "Martyrology of Tal- lagh,"' at the ist of January, Crone Galma is recorded, without any further distinguishing epithet.
Article XIX,—St, Brocan, son of Enda. After the time of St.
Patrick, and for several succeeding ages, the Irish Church was guarded by a
succession of religious men. Brocan, son of Enda, is mentioned in the
" of "' on this His name occurs likewise in the
Martyrology Donegal day.
" Martyrology
"^asBrocanMacEnnae. 3 We conclude may fairly
of
that he flourished before the commencement of the ninth century : to fix the exact time is attended with more difficulty.
Article XX. —Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord. —This fes- tival, which is traced to the very earliest ages of Christianity, seems likewise to have been celebrated in Ireland, from the time St. Patrick first introduced the light of the Gospel among our people. It is remarkable that our cele-
3 Edited
—Drs. Todd and
Art, xvin,—'
p. xi. In the Franciscan copy we can only make out "C]\one5Alm . . . "
by Art. XVI.
'
Reeves, p. 5. As edited by Rev. Dr.
Edited by Rev, Dr. Kelly,
Kelly, Seep. xi.
= In the Franciscan
—
by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xi,
we meet the
reading
ap- Reeves, p. 2. =" Edited
parently
3 Edited
Drs, Todd and "
"
Tallagh
Art. copy, notwithstanding, xix.
'Edited by Drs. Todd and
" CoLiriAnn ech" intendedforthissaint.
3 in
*See Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga," -niAC eine<\," Twenty-three foreign saints'
Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbae, names precede this entry, in that copy,
by
Reeves, p. 5.
the Franciscan copy it is
bpoccAim
cap, x. , p. 488.
Art. XVII. - ' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
P' '''•
at the ist of January ; and these are fol- lowed by the present saint, with sixteen other Irish saints' names, for this day alone.
January 2. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 27
brated hagiologist, St. yEngus, the Culdee, devotes solely the opening stanza of his elegant metrical Irish Calendar, known as the Felire, to record this feast. '
^ewntr ®a|) of Sanua^p*
ARTICLE I. ~ST. MUNCHIN, BISHOP AND PATRON OF LIMERICK CITY AND DIOCESE.
[PROBABLY ABOUT THE FIFTH OR SIXTH CENTURY. '\
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—ENQUIRY CONCERNING THE IDENTIFICATION OF ST. MUNCHIN—CALLED
—
FIRST VISITS LIMERICK—DIVERS SAINTS BEARING THE NAME OF MUNCHIN, OR MUN-
THE SON OF SEDNA—SAID TO HAVE BUILT A CHURCH CHEN.
IN
FIDH-INIS
ST. PATRICK
man is perfect who desires not greater perfection ; and in this especially NO does a man prove himself a proficient in the knowledge of God, when he ever tends to the highest degree of perfection. The holy bishops of our Irish Church studied well the course to be pursued for the exercise of their pastoral charge. In charity and humility they excelled, and therefore it does not appear strange that so many, with a great fervour of affection, aspired to anintimateunionwiththetruePastorofSouls. Adornedwithallthegraces of solid virtue, the great guilt of sin had no abiding place in souls devotedly
attached to the duties of their sacred profession.
Not only are conflicting opinions held regarding St. Munchin's identity with various holy men similarly named, but great doubts prevail with respect to the exact period when he lived. The best authorities on Irish ecclesias-
tical history seem to agree pretty generally in calling the patron saint of Limerick,thesonofSedna. Fromwhatwecanlearnthisparentageconnects him apparently by birth, or at least by extraction, with the district in which Lumneach, as called by the old chroniclers, was situated.
Some writers beheve St. Munchin of Limerick may be identical with a Mancenus,' who is reputed to have been a very religious man, and a master well versed in a knowledge of the Holy Scriptures.
^ When Christianity had been first introduced by St. Patrick among the subjects of Amalgaid, King of Connaught, about a. d. 434,3 this Mancenus was placed as bishop over the
Art. XX. —'The following copy of this stanza has been obligingly transcribed by Mr. Joseph O'Longan from the Leabhar Breac version, fol. 79, belonging to the RoyalIrishAcademy. TheEnglishtrans- lation has been furnished by Mr. Bryan O'Looney, M. R. I. A.
A. cU llefiL T)AiAcli oome Caitdo-o in ^1 |\eniAiii
tuTo CO ^\echc A]\'o e^Ait Ct\ifC 1 cAllAin-o enAi|»i
A. Kal. "Before the multitudinous race of men,
Let the king proceed before us, To the high noble law submitted
Christ,onthekalendsofJanuary,
— —'
Art. i. Chap. i. Mentioned by
" p. 78.
*
Sexta Vita S. Patricii," cap. lix. ,
Jocelyn,
3
SeeUssher's"BritannicarumEcclesiarum "
See Colgan's "Trias Thauraaturga," Sep-
tima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. Ixxxvii. ,
p. 141.
Antiquitates, Index Chronologicus, p. 517.
28 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 2.
people in that part of the country. Yet it does not seem probable, that such an efficient and a distinguished pastor had been called away from his own field of missionary labour to assume the charge of a see established at
Limerick, long subsequent to the date of his appointment.
St. Munchin, called the son of Sedna, was grandson to Cas,'^ and great
grandson to Conell of the Dalgais. s He was nephew to Bloid, King of Thomond. Nothingmorehavewebeenabletocollectregardinghiseduca- tion, pursuits, and preparation for his call to Holy Orders. Neither docu- mentary fragments nor popular tradition aid our endeavours to clear up his personalhistory. Ithasbeenasserted,thatSt. Munchin,BishopofLimerick, built a church in the island of Fidh-Inis, which lies within the large estuary wheretheRiverFergusenterstheRiverShannon. Hereheissaidtohave
. lived for a long time, and, it is thought possible, a St. Brigid,^ who was his kinswoman,? may have lived there after he left it. ^
By the erudite, local, and modem historian9 of Limerick, we are informed that St. Patrick crossed the Shannon near this city, and at a place called Sois Angel, now Singland. Not long ago there was a round tower at this place. The holy well with the stony bed and altar of the Irish Apostle may yet be seen there. '" He is said to have had a vision of angels at this spot, and to have preached. Then we are told, that St. Manchen, a religious man who had a complete knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures, was appointed by St. Patrick first bishop over Limerick. He also ruled spiritually, it is said, over the subjects of Amailgaid, King of Connaught. This prince, at the time, had been a recent convert to Christianity. " Notwithstanding what has been so frequently asserted in reference to this matter, if, as appears probable enough, St. Patrick founded the See of Limerick, as also the Abbey of Mungret, and if he appointed a bishop over the former, most likely he would have selected a Dalcassian to hold the office, especially were one to be found capable and worthy to assume this responsible charge. So conflicting are the statements, however, and so unsatisfactory the evidence yet brought to light, that on such a subject, it would be useless to hazard a conjecture, and it seems still more difficult to form even an opinion.
St. Manchinus, the disciple of St. Patrick, and who, from his proficiency in sacred erudition, has been sumamed " The Master," is said to have flourished
about the year 460. He is, therefore, to be clearly distinguished from St. Manchin of Dysert Gallen, from St. Manchin of Mena Droichit, from St. Manchin of Mohill, from St. Manchin of Leth, as also from other holy men bearing this name, since all of these latter are known to have lived at a much later period. " There was another St. Manchin, who was a disciple of St. Declan'3 of Ardmore, and who was only a boy at the time St. Patrick is sup-
* He is called Cassius the ^ See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Tail, Dalcassian, Colgan's
by Colgan in "Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," nije," viii. Martii. Vita S. Senani, n. 24,
n. 24, p. 540. Oliol Olum, King of Mun- ster, A. D. 125, is said to have divided his principality between his two sons. North Munster, including Limerick, fell to the lot of Cormac Cas the Younger. See Gough's "Camden's Britannia," vol. iii. , p. 516.
5 This is borne out by the Genealogies of the Irish Saints. He is also associated with
p. 240 recte 236.
' Maurice Lenihan, Esq. , M. R. I. A. '°See likewise Ferrar's "History of Lime*
rick," part i. , chap, i. , p. 4.
" " We thus catch a glimpse," adds the
historian, "through the dimness and ob- scurity of distant time of the halo that en- circled the name and character of Limerick. " Lenihan's "
Limerick. See
Colgan's
"Acta Sanctorum
History of Limerick," chap, i. ,
Hibemiae,"xiv. Februarii. VitaS. Mancheni,
n. 4, P- 332.
*
See some notices of her at the 30th of September, presumedly the day of her feast. ^ Her descent is traced through the same
Dalcassian line.
p. 4.
" See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niae," xiv. Februarii. Vita S. Mancheni, n.
6, p. 333.
'^ He is mentioned in "Vita S. Declani,"
cap. xix.
January 2. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 29
posedtohavebeenatLimerick/* Itseemsnotunlikelyhemayhavebeen consecrated for the work of the ministry, and he might have been the first to preside over that church.
It is barely possible, but hardly probable, that Mainchen, or Munchin, of Limerick, can be identified with the learned Mainchin, who presided over the Monastery of Rosnat, in Britain,''s and who was the master of so many renowned saints. Yet the circumstances of time, of station, and of erudition, would not render this an extravagant supposition. This holy man, with one hundred and fifty of his disciples, has been invoked in the Litany of St. ^ngus. '^ Yet it seems difficult to assign his exact festival, owing as well to the confused orthographies, Munchin, Manchen, Mainchein, and Manchan, not to speak of Mansen, Manicheus, and other varied Latinized forms with
which we meet, as also to the great number of saints thus called, but whose
festival days are not sufficiently distinguished by predicates, in our Martyro- logies. '7
Certain \vriters confound St. Munchin of Limerick with St. Manchan ot Menadrochid. ^^ Notalonearetheseplacesfarapart,buttheperiodswhen both holy men flourished seem to mark a wide difference. St. Manchan of
Menadrochid'9 died a. d. 648, according to the "Annals of the Four Masters. " "
The "Annals of Clonmacnoise record his demise at a. d. 649. Dr. O'Donovan regards this latter date even as antecedent to his dormition. =° The " Annals of Ulster " the death of Abbot of Menadro-
assign Maencha,
chit, to A. D. 651. This place is now known as Monadrehid, a townland
situated in the south-west end of Magh-Thuat plain, or parish of Offerailan.
It lies about one mile, north-east from Borris-in-Ossory, Queen's County. ^^' If St. Munchin of Limerick, flourished in the time of St. Patrick, we must then fairly conclude he cannot be confounded with St. Mainchein the Wise, or Manchene, Abbot of Menedrochaidh, who died a. d. 651,^^ or 652. ^3 How- ever, it is thought that St. Manchin of Limerick lived at least two centuries before that period assigned by our Martyrologies to St. Manchen, Abbot of Menedrochit. ^4
CHAPTER II.
ST. MUNCHIN AND ST. MOLUA REGARDED AS PATRON SAINTS OF THE THOMOND O'BRIENS—SAID TO HAVE BEEN ABBOT OVER MUNGRET—DESCRIPTIVE PARTICULARS OF THIS PLACE—SISTERS OF ST. MUNCHIN—ORIGIN OF THE CITY AND SEE OF LIMERICK—ST. MUNCHIN SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN ITS FIRST BISHOP.
St. Munchin thus belonged, as tradition holds, to the blood royal of North Munster. St. Molua and he were regarded as tutelary saints of the
'^
See "Harris' Ware," vol. i. ; Bishops of Limerick, p. 503.
'9 Colgan thinkshim to be identical with St.
Manchein the Sage, of Dysart Gallen, and whose festival follows on this same day.
^° See "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 262, 263, and n. (n. )
^' There are still some ruins here, which
monk.
were substituted it is thought for cognomens,
and thus they are probably sometimes read
as proper names of saints, and sometimes as
a characteristic of their profession. See nach. "
'* Trias Thaumaturga,"Sexta Vita S. Patricii, ** See Lenihan's " History of Limerick," n. 67, p. loi. chap, i. , p. 5.
""^
Ibid, n. 3. , p. 332.
'S He is specially noticed in the Acts of
St. David, of St. Tighernach, of St. Enda, and of St. Modwenna.
'* Num. 60.
'7 It has been remarked by Colgan that
the various forms of this name are derivable
from the Irish Manath, which means "a
"
These appellations in many cases
are described at St. Laisren's feast day, the
i6th of September.
^ According to the " Annals of Ulster. "
^3 According to the " Annals of Tigher-
30
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
Article XIII. —St. Fintan, son of Eochach, of Bealach. [Sixth
or Seventh Century. '] As in the twilight, when a few objects appear distinct, the more possible it becomes to shape an outline of images less clear ; so
the patronymic and locality of a saint being kno\vn, are aids that may assist in evolving further information, and in stimulating more painstaking research.
Fintan Mac of Eochach, Bealach,
has been set down in the " of Martyrology
Tallagh *'
"' at the ist of
It is not
to discover where the
January. "
easy Atthisdatethe"
a" "or" pass
Martyro-
sixth or beginning of the seventh century,^ he passed to a blessed life, pro- mised to faithful servants, in the household of the Lord.
Article XIV. —St. Connat, or Comnatan, Abbess of Kildare, County of Kildare. [Sixth Century. ] Meekly have the true spouses of Christ chosenthebetterpartbyretiringfromtheworldtothecloister. Likethedove,
bealach," meaning
logy of Donegal "* like^vise registers Fuintain, son of Eochaidh, descended from the race of Laeghaire, son to Niall of the Nine Hostages. 5 At the period of his death, which probably occurred sometime about the close of the
3 See "Acta Sanctoram," Januarii, tomus
p. xi.
'The words "pnc^n TJIac ec . '. . "
only appear in the Franciscan copy.
3 See "Edward O'Reilly's Irish-English
Dictionary, j«(J z'^«. "
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, p. 5.
s son of Eachach, son to Ailealla, Fintan,
"
to the Franciscan Library, Dublin.
i. , prgemium,—&c. , pp. 45, 46, 47.
"
Art. XII. See Lives of the Fathers,
'
Martyrs, and other Principal Saints," vol. i.
"
See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. i. , pp. loi, 102.
3See "Acta i Sanctorum," Januarii.
Vita S. Mochuae Ballensi, sive Cronani.
This life is divided into six chapters, with a
son of Guaire, son to Luighdeach, son of Laoghaire, son of Neill Naoighiall. The foregoing pedigree is in the MS. " Genealo-
road,"3 lay.
premonitory notice. Tomus i. , pp. 47, to 49.
Colgan has reproduced it at the 30th of gia Regum et Sanctorum Hibemiae be-*
March, with additional matter and illustra- tive notes.
Art. xiii. —* Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
longing
°
duced from the genealogical line.
Judging by probable inferences de-
January i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 25 with its emblem of rest, the ark and the sanctuary receive them in safety.
a without further Comnatan, virgin
is met with in the "
Martyrology of Tallagh,"' at the ist of January. ' Elsewhere she has been particularized. We find at the same date a festival to Comnat, virgin, abbess of Cill-dara, in
Leinster. This ancient city was very renowed after the death of its early foundress, St. Brigid; and venerable ruins there yet attest its former import- ance. 3 St. Comnatis no- ticed by Marianus O'Gor-
man, and her feast occurs "
in the Martyrology of Donegal. "* Accordingto Colgan, she must have flourished in the sixth
century. How long she ruled over the nuns at
designation,
Kildare does not appear,s
Herdeathis assignedto
A. D. 590. ^ We may rest
assured, likewise, that her
thoughts and affections
were purified by the holy
life she led, and that they
procured her a peaceful
dissolution. The virgins
of Christ hear the Gospel,
and the evangelical coun-
sels are practised by them
on earth. When death
seals their eyes to its
scenes, like those newly
recovering sight, or like
those awaking from sleep, their souls open to the transports of light supernal. No more can shadows return, for their crowns of glory are encircled with a- radiance that can never pale.
Article XV. —St. Fintan, son of Tioctheach. While under the bondage of centuries our people clung with tenacity to the creed of their ancestors, and suffered much for their religious opinions, it seems most singu- lar, that in so many instances, they have lost the traces of several holy persons
who blessed our island in the olden time. Finntan Mac Tuicthech is
" "'
recorded in the Martyrology of Tallagh at the ist day of January. *
Art. XIV. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
daughter of Nadfraich, and sister to St. MO" lasius, flourished about the year 590, and she was abbess at Kildare. Whether or not the present saint preceded or succeeded her in that office seems undetermined.
p. xi.
^ In the Franciscan copy we find
" Coin-
MACAn. U. "
3 The annexed wood engraving of the
round tower and cathedral ruins, by Mrs.
*
See "Trias Thaumaturga," Appendix
Kildare Round Tower and Old Cathedral.
Millard, is from a photograph, taken by Quinta ad Ac—ta S. Brigidse, cap. ii. , p. 629.
Frederick H. Mares, 79 Grafton-street, Dublin.
4 Edited by Drs, Todd and Reeves, p. 5. s According to Colgan, a St. Talulla,
'
Art. XV. Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
p. xi. '"
i:incAiri -nUc C01C . . . " is found in the Franciscan copy.
26 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[January i.
Probably he lived before the ninth century began ; but hardly more can be gleaned from this mere entry. Finntain, son of Toictheach, appears in the
" of Martyrology
"3 on this
day ; yet
such record is
only
a
Donegal of the earlier notice.
repetition
Article XVI. —St, Colman, son of Eochaidh. Many of our saints and their actions have been described with very considerable distinctness ; but regarding several others, as in the present instance, we search in vain for satisfactory details. We do not meet with any notice of this particular saint in the published "Martyrology of Tallagh"^ at the ist of January,^ How-
ever,
we find that
Colman,
son of
Eochaidh,
is set down in the "
Martyrology
of Donegal "3 on this particular day. When he flourished seems uncertain.
There is a St. Colman, or St. Columbanus, the founder of Snamh-Luthir, who
issaidtohavebeenveneratedontheistdayofJanuary. * Perhapshemay be identified with the present saint.
ArticleXVII—St. Tobrea,orTobia. Thatveneratednamesshould
live in history, having left an impress on their age, while their acts should
have all but perished and been totally forgotten, within the historic period,
too, are facts that appear almost incomprehensible, and fill us with surprise.
At the ist of in the " of we day January, pubhshed Martyrology Tallagh,"'
" Tobrea. " In the Franciscan it is " Tobiae. " copy
find the
Nothing more seems recoverable in reference to this saint.
simple entry,
Article XVIII. —St. Crone, Galma, In the "Martyrology of Tal- lagh,"' at the ist of January, Crone Galma is recorded, without any further distinguishing epithet.
Article XIX,—St, Brocan, son of Enda. After the time of St.
Patrick, and for several succeeding ages, the Irish Church was guarded by a
succession of religious men. Brocan, son of Enda, is mentioned in the
" of "' on this His name occurs likewise in the
Martyrology Donegal day.
" Martyrology
"^asBrocanMacEnnae. 3 We conclude may fairly
of
that he flourished before the commencement of the ninth century : to fix the exact time is attended with more difficulty.
Article XX. —Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord. —This fes- tival, which is traced to the very earliest ages of Christianity, seems likewise to have been celebrated in Ireland, from the time St. Patrick first introduced the light of the Gospel among our people. It is remarkable that our cele-
3 Edited
—Drs. Todd and
Art, xvin,—'
p. xi. In the Franciscan copy we can only make out "C]\one5Alm . . . "
by Art. XVI.
'
Reeves, p. 5. As edited by Rev. Dr.
Edited by Rev, Dr. Kelly,
Kelly, Seep. xi.
= In the Franciscan
—
by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xi,
we meet the
reading
ap- Reeves, p. 2. =" Edited
parently
3 Edited
Drs, Todd and "
"
Tallagh
Art. copy, notwithstanding, xix.
'Edited by Drs. Todd and
" CoLiriAnn ech" intendedforthissaint.
3 in
*See Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga," -niAC eine<\," Twenty-three foreign saints'
Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbae, names precede this entry, in that copy,
by
Reeves, p. 5.
the Franciscan copy it is
bpoccAim
cap, x. , p. 488.
Art. XVII. - ' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
P' '''•
at the ist of January ; and these are fol- lowed by the present saint, with sixteen other Irish saints' names, for this day alone.
January 2. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 27
brated hagiologist, St. yEngus, the Culdee, devotes solely the opening stanza of his elegant metrical Irish Calendar, known as the Felire, to record this feast. '
^ewntr ®a|) of Sanua^p*
ARTICLE I. ~ST. MUNCHIN, BISHOP AND PATRON OF LIMERICK CITY AND DIOCESE.
[PROBABLY ABOUT THE FIFTH OR SIXTH CENTURY. '\
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—ENQUIRY CONCERNING THE IDENTIFICATION OF ST. MUNCHIN—CALLED
—
FIRST VISITS LIMERICK—DIVERS SAINTS BEARING THE NAME OF MUNCHIN, OR MUN-
THE SON OF SEDNA—SAID TO HAVE BUILT A CHURCH CHEN.
IN
FIDH-INIS
ST. PATRICK
man is perfect who desires not greater perfection ; and in this especially NO does a man prove himself a proficient in the knowledge of God, when he ever tends to the highest degree of perfection. The holy bishops of our Irish Church studied well the course to be pursued for the exercise of their pastoral charge. In charity and humility they excelled, and therefore it does not appear strange that so many, with a great fervour of affection, aspired to anintimateunionwiththetruePastorofSouls. Adornedwithallthegraces of solid virtue, the great guilt of sin had no abiding place in souls devotedly
attached to the duties of their sacred profession.
Not only are conflicting opinions held regarding St. Munchin's identity with various holy men similarly named, but great doubts prevail with respect to the exact period when he lived. The best authorities on Irish ecclesias-
tical history seem to agree pretty generally in calling the patron saint of Limerick,thesonofSedna. Fromwhatwecanlearnthisparentageconnects him apparently by birth, or at least by extraction, with the district in which Lumneach, as called by the old chroniclers, was situated.
Some writers beheve St. Munchin of Limerick may be identical with a Mancenus,' who is reputed to have been a very religious man, and a master well versed in a knowledge of the Holy Scriptures.
^ When Christianity had been first introduced by St. Patrick among the subjects of Amalgaid, King of Connaught, about a. d. 434,3 this Mancenus was placed as bishop over the
Art. XX. —'The following copy of this stanza has been obligingly transcribed by Mr. Joseph O'Longan from the Leabhar Breac version, fol. 79, belonging to the RoyalIrishAcademy. TheEnglishtrans- lation has been furnished by Mr. Bryan O'Looney, M. R. I. A.
A. cU llefiL T)AiAcli oome Caitdo-o in ^1 |\eniAiii
tuTo CO ^\echc A]\'o e^Ait Ct\ifC 1 cAllAin-o enAi|»i
A. Kal. "Before the multitudinous race of men,
Let the king proceed before us, To the high noble law submitted
Christ,onthekalendsofJanuary,
— —'
Art. i. Chap. i. Mentioned by
" p. 78.
*
Sexta Vita S. Patricii," cap. lix. ,
Jocelyn,
3
SeeUssher's"BritannicarumEcclesiarum "
See Colgan's "Trias Thauraaturga," Sep-
tima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. Ixxxvii. ,
p. 141.
Antiquitates, Index Chronologicus, p. 517.
28 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 2.
people in that part of the country. Yet it does not seem probable, that such an efficient and a distinguished pastor had been called away from his own field of missionary labour to assume the charge of a see established at
Limerick, long subsequent to the date of his appointment.
St. Munchin, called the son of Sedna, was grandson to Cas,'^ and great
grandson to Conell of the Dalgais. s He was nephew to Bloid, King of Thomond. Nothingmorehavewebeenabletocollectregardinghiseduca- tion, pursuits, and preparation for his call to Holy Orders. Neither docu- mentary fragments nor popular tradition aid our endeavours to clear up his personalhistory. Ithasbeenasserted,thatSt. Munchin,BishopofLimerick, built a church in the island of Fidh-Inis, which lies within the large estuary wheretheRiverFergusenterstheRiverShannon. Hereheissaidtohave
. lived for a long time, and, it is thought possible, a St. Brigid,^ who was his kinswoman,? may have lived there after he left it. ^
By the erudite, local, and modem historian9 of Limerick, we are informed that St. Patrick crossed the Shannon near this city, and at a place called Sois Angel, now Singland. Not long ago there was a round tower at this place. The holy well with the stony bed and altar of the Irish Apostle may yet be seen there. '" He is said to have had a vision of angels at this spot, and to have preached. Then we are told, that St. Manchen, a religious man who had a complete knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures, was appointed by St. Patrick first bishop over Limerick. He also ruled spiritually, it is said, over the subjects of Amailgaid, King of Connaught. This prince, at the time, had been a recent convert to Christianity. " Notwithstanding what has been so frequently asserted in reference to this matter, if, as appears probable enough, St. Patrick founded the See of Limerick, as also the Abbey of Mungret, and if he appointed a bishop over the former, most likely he would have selected a Dalcassian to hold the office, especially were one to be found capable and worthy to assume this responsible charge. So conflicting are the statements, however, and so unsatisfactory the evidence yet brought to light, that on such a subject, it would be useless to hazard a conjecture, and it seems still more difficult to form even an opinion.
St. Manchinus, the disciple of St. Patrick, and who, from his proficiency in sacred erudition, has been sumamed " The Master," is said to have flourished
about the year 460. He is, therefore, to be clearly distinguished from St. Manchin of Dysert Gallen, from St. Manchin of Mena Droichit, from St. Manchin of Mohill, from St. Manchin of Leth, as also from other holy men bearing this name, since all of these latter are known to have lived at a much later period. " There was another St. Manchin, who was a disciple of St. Declan'3 of Ardmore, and who was only a boy at the time St. Patrick is sup-
* He is called Cassius the ^ See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Tail, Dalcassian, Colgan's
by Colgan in "Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," nije," viii. Martii. Vita S. Senani, n. 24,
n. 24, p. 540. Oliol Olum, King of Mun- ster, A. D. 125, is said to have divided his principality between his two sons. North Munster, including Limerick, fell to the lot of Cormac Cas the Younger. See Gough's "Camden's Britannia," vol. iii. , p. 516.
5 This is borne out by the Genealogies of the Irish Saints. He is also associated with
p. 240 recte 236.
' Maurice Lenihan, Esq. , M. R. I. A. '°See likewise Ferrar's "History of Lime*
rick," part i. , chap, i. , p. 4.
" " We thus catch a glimpse," adds the
historian, "through the dimness and ob- scurity of distant time of the halo that en- circled the name and character of Limerick. " Lenihan's "
Limerick. See
Colgan's
"Acta Sanctorum
History of Limerick," chap, i. ,
Hibemiae,"xiv. Februarii. VitaS. Mancheni,
n. 4, P- 332.
*
See some notices of her at the 30th of September, presumedly the day of her feast. ^ Her descent is traced through the same
Dalcassian line.
p. 4.
" See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niae," xiv. Februarii. Vita S. Mancheni, n.
6, p. 333.
'^ He is mentioned in "Vita S. Declani,"
cap. xix.
January 2. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 29
posedtohavebeenatLimerick/* Itseemsnotunlikelyhemayhavebeen consecrated for the work of the ministry, and he might have been the first to preside over that church.
It is barely possible, but hardly probable, that Mainchen, or Munchin, of Limerick, can be identified with the learned Mainchin, who presided over the Monastery of Rosnat, in Britain,''s and who was the master of so many renowned saints. Yet the circumstances of time, of station, and of erudition, would not render this an extravagant supposition. This holy man, with one hundred and fifty of his disciples, has been invoked in the Litany of St. ^ngus. '^ Yet it seems difficult to assign his exact festival, owing as well to the confused orthographies, Munchin, Manchen, Mainchein, and Manchan, not to speak of Mansen, Manicheus, and other varied Latinized forms with
which we meet, as also to the great number of saints thus called, but whose
festival days are not sufficiently distinguished by predicates, in our Martyro- logies. '7
Certain \vriters confound St. Munchin of Limerick with St. Manchan ot Menadrochid. ^^ Notalonearetheseplacesfarapart,buttheperiodswhen both holy men flourished seem to mark a wide difference. St. Manchan of
Menadrochid'9 died a. d. 648, according to the "Annals of the Four Masters. " "
The "Annals of Clonmacnoise record his demise at a. d. 649. Dr. O'Donovan regards this latter date even as antecedent to his dormition. =° The " Annals of Ulster " the death of Abbot of Menadro-
assign Maencha,
chit, to A. D. 651. This place is now known as Monadrehid, a townland
situated in the south-west end of Magh-Thuat plain, or parish of Offerailan.
It lies about one mile, north-east from Borris-in-Ossory, Queen's County. ^^' If St. Munchin of Limerick, flourished in the time of St. Patrick, we must then fairly conclude he cannot be confounded with St. Mainchein the Wise, or Manchene, Abbot of Menedrochaidh, who died a. d. 651,^^ or 652. ^3 How- ever, it is thought that St. Manchin of Limerick lived at least two centuries before that period assigned by our Martyrologies to St. Manchen, Abbot of Menedrochit. ^4
CHAPTER II.
ST. MUNCHIN AND ST. MOLUA REGARDED AS PATRON SAINTS OF THE THOMOND O'BRIENS—SAID TO HAVE BEEN ABBOT OVER MUNGRET—DESCRIPTIVE PARTICULARS OF THIS PLACE—SISTERS OF ST. MUNCHIN—ORIGIN OF THE CITY AND SEE OF LIMERICK—ST. MUNCHIN SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN ITS FIRST BISHOP.
St. Munchin thus belonged, as tradition holds, to the blood royal of North Munster. St. Molua and he were regarded as tutelary saints of the
'^
See "Harris' Ware," vol. i. ; Bishops of Limerick, p. 503.
'9 Colgan thinkshim to be identical with St.
Manchein the Sage, of Dysart Gallen, and whose festival follows on this same day.
^° See "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 262, 263, and n. (n. )
^' There are still some ruins here, which
monk.
were substituted it is thought for cognomens,
and thus they are probably sometimes read
as proper names of saints, and sometimes as
a characteristic of their profession. See nach. "
'* Trias Thaumaturga,"Sexta Vita S. Patricii, ** See Lenihan's " History of Limerick," n. 67, p. loi. chap, i. , p. 5.
""^
Ibid, n. 3. , p. 332.
'S He is specially noticed in the Acts of
St. David, of St. Tighernach, of St. Enda, and of St. Modwenna.
'* Num. 60.
'7 It has been remarked by Colgan that
the various forms of this name are derivable
from the Irish Manath, which means "a
"
These appellations in many cases
are described at St. Laisren's feast day, the
i6th of September.
^ According to the " Annals of Ulster. "
^3 According to the " Annals of Tigher-
30
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
