Quarta
Appendix
ad Acta S.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
Bishop Challenor,3i and the " Circle of the Seasons," 3^ followthesameauthority.
Itissaid,hehadbeenburiedinhisownchurch.
33 The Martyrology of Donegal 34 mentions a veneration paid, on this day, to St.
Caimin, of Inis-cealtra, in Loch Deirgdheirc, now Lough Derg, on the Lower Shannon, near unto Magh-neo-n-Orbruighe, and to Tuaim Grdine, the townofCronan.
MostofourMartyrologistsandCalendaristssetdownhis festival, on the 24th of March ; thus, Marianus 0'Gorman,35 the Calendar of Cashel,3^ Maguire, the Carthusian Martyrology, Patrus Canisius, and Philip
Ferrarius. Others refer his feast to the day succeeding.
Article III. —St. Scire, or Scire, Virgin, of Cill-Sgire, now Kil-
SKYRE, County of Meath. [Sixth Century.
entry regarding her, that we find, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 24th of March. The Bollandists have a mere notice of her feast, at the same date. ^ The Blessed Sgire, and her sister Corcaira Caoin, belonged to the
race of Fergus, son of Eochaidh Muighmhedhoin. 3 According to the Martyr- ology of Donegal,^ veneration was given, on this day, to Sgire, Virgin, of Cill-
and Round Tower, there is one in the col-
lection of sketches, made for the Irish Ord-
nance Survey for Galway County, and to be found in the Royal Irish Academy.
"^^
By the old Scholiast of ^ngus.
'''His feast is assigned to the I2th of
November, and to the 2nd of December.
3° See Lewis' "
p.
203.
3* See at p. 85.
33 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hibemi-
cum," p. 47.
s-t Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, see
pp. 84 to 87.
36<'s. Caminus sive Caninus de Inis- Keltra. "
Article hi.
Kelly, p. xix.
Sci]Ae tJi]\.
^
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Martii xxiv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 473.
nuator of yEngus,
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
86, 87.
s "S5it\e o Cill S5H\e 1 bjTeivMTiAtiAcli
Agtif An 1ai\cai\ mi'oe. H. I. 10. 124 a. " 30
Topographical Dictionary ii. , pp. 18, 19.
^ This saint was the of daughter
of Ireland," vol.
3' See "Britannia Sancta," part i. ,
Eugene, son to Carannan, son of Alild, son to Fergus, son of Eochard Moimedonius, according to the Genealogy of the Saints, and the Conti-
3S
««
Caminus de Inis-Kelltra. "
'\
Scire, Virgin, is the only
—
The Franciscan copy has
'
Edited by Rev. Dr.
946
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 24.
Sgire, in Meath. As if doubtful regarding her exact locality, the writer remarks, that there is, also, a Cill-Scires in Fera-Manach, or Fermanagh, in Ulster. The
parish of Kilskyre, or Kilskeer, is situated in the barony of Upper Kells, county of Meath. '^ The church and monastery in this place, and which
be " the church of St Scire," was founded at an Anglicised, early age,
may
and they were dedicated to St. Schirra. The present holy woman probably
founded a nunnery in Kilskyre, and lived in it. However, she is held in great veneration, at this place. 7 St. Skyria, of Kill-Skyria, assisted at the
great Council, which was held, a. d. 580. ^ She is named, as one of the principal saints of the race of Cumna, who met St. Columba, at the place, calledEasdra. Thisholywomandied,aboutthecloseofthesixthcentury,^ and her feast was celebrated, on the 24th of March. St. . ^ngus," the Martyrology of Tallagh, and the Calendar of Cashel, are authorities for that statement. In the Kalendar of Drummond, likewise, she is noticed. "
Article IV. —Reputed Festival of St. Montan, of Kill-mantain, County of Wicklow. [^Fifth Century. '] A feast has been assigned to St. Montan, of Killmantain, near the town of Wicklow, on this day. His Acts have been given, already, at the 2nd of this month.
Article V. —St. Lughaidh, son of Eochaidh, of Cluain-laogh, NOW Clonleigh, County of Donegal. [Si'xf/i Century. '] A holy man is recorded, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 24th of March, as Lughaidh, mac Eachach. He is classed, among the disciples of St. Columkille. '' The Bollandists pass him over, with a few brief remarks. 3 We are told, that LugaidMocu-Theimne,or"thesonofTeimne," wasthesonofEochaid, son of Ulan, son to Eogan, son to Niall of the Nine Hostages, as his paternal pedigreehasbeentraced,intheGenealogiesoftheIrishSaints. s Hewasa relation of St. Columba,^ and his companion, when the latter first set out on hisvoyagetotheshoresofBritain. Asweareinformed,bytheMartyrology of Tallagh, this saint belonged to Cluain Laigh. This place is at present
" The lustrous couple
Who hath been washed with
arduous repentance,
Scire the gentle, who loved fast«
ing,
The fervent pious Mochta. "
MS. Note in Wm. M. Hennessy's copy of the Donegal Martyrology, and appended at this passage.
^ It is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey
"
Townland Maps for the County of Meath, Sheets 9, lo, 15, 16, 23. The townland, so called, is on the two latter Sheets.
" "In Hibernia, the Holy Virgin Scire of this parish will be found, in Rev. A. and the Holy Confessors, Mochta and
7 A very interesting and complete account
"Dioceseof Ancientand went to Christ. "— Meath, Comin, Companions
Cogan's
Modern," vol. ii. , chap, xvi, pp. 321 to 326.
^
Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish
See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Farannani,
Saints," p. 8. — Article v.
' Edited Rev. Dr. by
nioe," XV. Februarii. Vita S.
Kelly, p. xix. The Franciscan copy has tugAio
cap. vii. , p. 337.
9 See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of mAc eAcliAi.
vol.
3 See "Acta fessor O'Looney : saints, p. 473,
Meath, xxvi. , p. 147.
i. , chap
Thaumaturga. " Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columba? ,
Ancient and
=* See " Trias Colgan's
Modern,"
" The following extract from the " Leab-
V. I5e. kl. A. W tAtiAmAiM liroAcTi i:iMpii5 eclA Aitioecli
Sci^ve CAin ca]\ c^xeDAn
mochcA
harBreac" of the " copy
cap. x. , num. 74, p. 491.
and its
English translation—, were furnished by Pro- Martii xxiv. Among the pretermitted
Feilire,"
tomus
See
Western Liberties of Londonderry," part ii. , sect. 2, p. 27.
s Chapter i.
* See his
c^e'OAl c^vAibtjech.
Life,
at the
9th
of
June.
"
Memoir of the City and North-
Sanctorum,"
iii. ,
March 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 947
the "
of the calves. " This parish is situated, on the western bank of the River
Foyle, about two miles northward from Lifford,^ in the barony of Raphoe, and
inthecountyofDonegal,? formerlyTyrconnell. Therewasamonasteryof considerable importance,'" in this place. " Marianus O'Gorman and Cathal Maguire have this holy man, in their respective Calendars. " On this day is entered, likewise, in the Martyrology of Donegal/3 Lughaidh, son to Eochaidh, of Cluain-laogh.
ArticleVI. —St. Fergusa. Atthe24thofMarch,theMartyrologyof
called
Clonleigh,7 meaning
pasturage,"
Tallagh
* records the name
Fergusa,
without
any
further
designation.
Article VII. —Feast of St. Manchan, of Lemanaghan, King's County. In the Martyrology of Donegal,^ we find, that on this day was celebratedafestival,inhonourofManchan,sonofFailbhe. Hedescended from the race of Conall Gulban, son to Niall. There is a church, called Leth-Manchain, in Dealbhna Mac Cochlain, adds the writer. It is now
known as Lemanaghan, a parish in the barony of Garrycastle, King's County. Within five miles of this place, we are told, Manchan's well and station " were
to be seen. 3 This saint has been noticed, already, at the 24th day of January.
Article VIIL—St. Cairlon, or Caorlan, Archbishop of Armagh,
County of Armagh. [^Sixth Century. '] In Colgan's work, there are a few
paragraphs and notes, commemorating this saintly prelate, at the 24th of March. ^ The BoUandists, likewise, have a brief notice of him. ^ He died, atthisday,onwhichourAnnalistsandMartyrologistsrecordhisfeast. The Martyrology of Tallagh 3 merely enters the name, Cairlon, Bishop, at the 24th of Marcli. Marianus O'Gorman, and Cathal Maguire have a notice of his death, on the same day, in their respective Martyrologies. 4 Caorlan, Bishop, of Ard Macha, is set down, likewise, in the Martyrology of Donegal,? as having a festival at this date. Belonging to the diocese of Armagh, and probably born there,^ this saint was descended from the Hy-Niellan7 or
7 This parish is described, on the " Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheets 62, 63, 70, 71,
79-
^ " A—d ripam Eurypi, Lochfezhhml nun-
"
cupati? ' Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga. "
Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbas, cap. X. , p. 491.
9 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. iv. , n. (q), pp. H13,
See the Ulster Inquisitions. "
" Also, Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbas, cap.
ii. , num. 53, p. 495.
" See ibid.
Quarta Appendix ad Acta S.
Columbse, cap. x. , p. 491.
'3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
86, 87. —
Article vt. Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xix. The Franciscan copy has
and Reeves, pp. 86, 87.
* The Irish word employed for this is
cu|\u|', meaning a station, a pilgrimage, a circuit.
^ Stt, ibid. Appendix to the Introduc-
tion, p. xlv. Article vill. —
1114.
'° "
Archiepiscopo Ardmachano, p. 744.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Martii xxiv. Among the pretermitted
saints, p. 473.
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xix. The
V^t^Sr^' —' Article vii.
makes use of these words, in a note
:
'
nise," n. 5, p. 744.
s Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
84, 85.
* refers to his of the Four Colgan copy
to this statement. When Masters, prove
treating on his death, at the year 587, he
Edited by Drs. Todd
" or " insulated meadow lawn,"
"
Hibernise," Martii xxvi. De S. Cairlano
Franciscan copy has ©pf Caii\Laii.
'
See
Acta Sanctorum
* " Hiber- See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum
" De eo ad eundem annum in Annalibus sic scri-
948 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 24.
O'Niallan family. He flourished at an early period of our history. He was abbot over a community of monks, in this part of the country, about a. d. 546 ; at which time, he was restored to life, by St. Dagseus. This we find recorded, in the latter saint's Acts, at the i8th of August. Cairlan subjected himself and his monastery to the saint, in token of gratitude. But, as a counterpoise, Dagaeus placed himself and his own monastery, under the rule
of our saint, who was called to preside over the Primatial See of Armagh, on the death of Fedlimid Fionn,^ a. d. 577. ^ St. Cairlan ruled over this church,
^°
for a duration of ten years.
according to the Annals of Clonmacnoise, and of the Four Masters ;" or A. D. 588, according to Sir James Ware. Walter Harris notices this difference of year, for which the Rev. Dr. Lanigan " takes him to task ; yet, in his re- marks, the latter writer labours under a mistake, by supposing, that the Four Masters have antedated their events, by one year, in all the earlier centuries. However, in his splendid edition of the Annals of the Four Masters, Dr. O'Donovan has completely set at rest this misapprehension, as may be seen byreferringtohisvolumes. '3 Discrepanciesoccur,nodoubt,betweenthe Four Masters and other ancient annalists in date ; but, these irregularities of chronology are by no means uniformly presented by exact annual differences, and the learned editor when necessary supplies new data, to resolve them. ^* It is remarkable, that the actions of St. Cairlan are little known, although the memory of his sanctity is not left unrecorded, in all our Calendars and Martyrologies.
bunt Quatuor Magistri. Anno Christi 587. jSt" vigessimo Aidi, filii Anmirii, Hibemiae Regis, . S". Cairlanus Episcopus Ardnmcha- nus, de—Hi Niellan oriundus, obiit 24. Martii. " Acta Sanctorum Hiberniaj, xxiv. Marlii. Vita S. Cairlani, n, 4, p. 744. It must be remarked, however, that in Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," at the same year, although we find this saint's death recorded, there is no mention of the place, in which he was born, either in the original Irish, or in the English transla- tion.
7 "This tribe, who furnished so many
9 Although called Abbot of Armagh, ac-
cording to an ancient custom, by our Anna-
lists ; yet is he recognised, as Bishop of
Armagh, by the Psalter of Cashel, and, like-
Avise, in the Catalogue of Primates governing the former See.
" See ibid. , pp. 38, 39.
"
the reason why the same person is some-
to this Prelate, Harris remarks :
Possibly
times called
and sometimes Arch-
" He is set down as Primate in the
Abbot,
bishop of Armagh, may be this : that as
there was a celebrated Abbey at Armagh, the Abbots were often elected into the Archiepiscopal Chair ; and after their election, many fof them have retained the
says :
which
and from thence came to be called Abbots, after their advancement. Or, it may be ; as Abbot, in the Syriack language, signifieth a Father ; so the Archbishop of Armagh may in this sense be called. Abbot, as being the comm—on father of all the Bishops of Ireland. " Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Arch- bishops of Armagh," p. 38.
'* In O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four
Masters," vol. i. , pp. 212, 213, Caerlan's death is thus recorded: "The age of Christ 587. The twentieth year of Aedh. St. Caerlan, Bishop of Ard-Macha, died on the twenty-fourth day of March. "
name, by
they
were known before
;
This saintly prelate died, in the year 587,
Archbishops to the See of Armagh, were
seatedinthepresentbaronie—sofOneilland, whichCairlanoranyArchbishopofArmagh
in the County of Armagh. " O'Donovan's "AnnalsoftheFourMasters,"vol. i. ,n. (o), p. 327-
^ With regard to the term Abbot, applied
died. Itmerelystatesthenumberofyears,
duringwhicheachofth—emheldtheSee,
"
and gives ten to Cairlan. " Ecclesiastical
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xii. , sect, i. , n. 4, p. 184.
'3 Of Feidhlimidh Finn, Dr. O'Donovan
" See, O'Donovan's Edition, vol. i. , pp. 212, 213, and n. (o). Ibid.
" Referring to Harris' statement, that the Psalter of Cashel places Cairlin's death, in
587 ; Dr. Lanigan says, "had he looked into Tr. Th. , p. 292, where said Psalter is quoted, he could have found that it does not mention the year of the Christian era, in
list of the Archbishops of Armagh given in
the Psalter of Cashel, published by Colgan
in Trias —and in the Bod- Thaum. , p. 293,
Laud. 610. " "Annals of the
leian
MS. ,
Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (x), pp. 209, 2io.
—'See "Acta Sanctorum
Article ix.
Hibemias," xxiv. Martii. Vita S. Mochtei, pp. 729 to 737.
March 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 949
Article IX. —St. Mochteus, or Mochta, Bishop of Lugmagh, or Louth. [^Ftfth Century. '] Colgan received the Acts of this saint, taken fromaSalamancanMS. ,andwrittenbysomeunknownauthor. '' Tothesehe has added notes, with an Appendix, comprising five distinct chapters. The Bollandistsnoticehimmerely,atthisdate. ^ Theholyman,weareinformed, drew his first breath in Great Britain, where he gave indications of future ex- cellence. He is classed among St. Patrick's disciples,3 and he was contem- poraneous. He is called Macteus, in the Salamancan copy, from which Colgan takes a considerable portion of his Acts. At this date, we find a festival recorded, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,* to honour Mochta, of Lugh- magh. He lived to a great age ; but, according to some accounts, he died
A. D. 534. Such is the date found, in the Annals of the Four Masters. ^ Another festival to his memory occurs, on the 19th of August, at which day, further notices may be seen, regarding him.
Article X. —St. Maccarthenn, Bishop of Clogher, or supposed
BY SOME to be St. Maccarthenn, Patron of Domnach-mor Muighe-to-
CHUiR,ORDonaghParish,CountyofDonegal. [^ProbablyFifthand
of ^ haselaborateaccountsof March, Colgan
Sixth Atthe Centuries. ]
24th
St. Macarthann, Bishop of Clogher. The Bollandists have only a brief
notice. ^ In the time of St. Patrick, lived two holy sons of Carthenn, or Caerthenn, and by his patronymic, each is usually known, as Mac Carthenn,
'*
or
of Cathal Maguire, and of Donegal, as also in the Calendar of Cashcl, we have two distinct festivals for a St. Maccaerthenn : one feast, at the 24th of March;and,another,atthe15thofAugust. Althoughsomeoftheafore- said authorities seem to refer both festivals to St. Maccaerthenn, Bishop of
Clogher ; yet, others speak more indefinitely, so that Colgan is much inclined to believe, that the feast for the 24th of March belongs exclusively to a St.
Maccarthenn, Bishop, who was left by St. Patrick, in charge of the church of Domnach-mor Muighe-tochuir,3 now known as^Donagh,-* in the barony and
peninsula of Inishowen, county of Donegal. However this may be, at present, the Irish Church celebrates the festival of St. Maccarthen, Bishop of
Clogher, as a Double, at this date, March 24th ; while, in the diocese of Clogher, as the patron, he is honoured with a Double Feast of the First
Class. To obtain more explicit information, on this subject, during the un- certainty now existing, we defer to the 15 th of August, the Life of the latter saint.
Article XI. —Festivals of Bishop Mac Cairthinn and of Mael- DOTUS. TheKalendarofDrummond,"atthe24thofMarch,states: Like- wise, this same day, the Natale of the Holy Confessors, Esco Mac Cairthinn
= See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Article x. —'See "Acta Sanctorum Martii xxiv. Among the pretermitted Hibernise," xxiv. Martii. De S. Macaer-
son of Carthenn. " Now, in the Martyrologies of Marianus O'Gorman,
saints," p. 474.
3 See " Trias Thaumaturga. " Quinta Ap-
thenno Epis. Clochorensi, with Notes and
Appendix, pp. 737 to 742.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
pendixadActaS. Patricii,cap. xxiii. ,p. 266.
* Edited by Rev.
Ferrarius. Others refer his feast to the day succeeding.
Article III. —St. Scire, or Scire, Virgin, of Cill-Sgire, now Kil-
SKYRE, County of Meath. [Sixth Century.
entry regarding her, that we find, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 24th of March. The Bollandists have a mere notice of her feast, at the same date. ^ The Blessed Sgire, and her sister Corcaira Caoin, belonged to the
race of Fergus, son of Eochaidh Muighmhedhoin. 3 According to the Martyr- ology of Donegal,^ veneration was given, on this day, to Sgire, Virgin, of Cill-
and Round Tower, there is one in the col-
lection of sketches, made for the Irish Ord-
nance Survey for Galway County, and to be found in the Royal Irish Academy.
"^^
By the old Scholiast of ^ngus.
'''His feast is assigned to the I2th of
November, and to the 2nd of December.
3° See Lewis' "
p.
203.
3* See at p. 85.
33 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hibemi-
cum," p. 47.
s-t Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, see
pp. 84 to 87.
36<'s. Caminus sive Caninus de Inis- Keltra. "
Article hi.
Kelly, p. xix.
Sci]Ae tJi]\.
^
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Martii xxiv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 473.
nuator of yEngus,
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
86, 87.
s "S5it\e o Cill S5H\e 1 bjTeivMTiAtiAcli
Agtif An 1ai\cai\ mi'oe. H. I. 10. 124 a. " 30
Topographical Dictionary ii. , pp. 18, 19.
^ This saint was the of daughter
of Ireland," vol.
3' See "Britannia Sancta," part i. ,
Eugene, son to Carannan, son of Alild, son to Fergus, son of Eochard Moimedonius, according to the Genealogy of the Saints, and the Conti-
3S
««
Caminus de Inis-Kelltra. "
'\
Scire, Virgin, is the only
—
The Franciscan copy has
'
Edited by Rev. Dr.
946
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 24.
Sgire, in Meath. As if doubtful regarding her exact locality, the writer remarks, that there is, also, a Cill-Scires in Fera-Manach, or Fermanagh, in Ulster. The
parish of Kilskyre, or Kilskeer, is situated in the barony of Upper Kells, county of Meath. '^ The church and monastery in this place, and which
be " the church of St Scire," was founded at an Anglicised, early age,
may
and they were dedicated to St. Schirra. The present holy woman probably
founded a nunnery in Kilskyre, and lived in it. However, she is held in great veneration, at this place. 7 St. Skyria, of Kill-Skyria, assisted at the
great Council, which was held, a. d. 580. ^ She is named, as one of the principal saints of the race of Cumna, who met St. Columba, at the place, calledEasdra. Thisholywomandied,aboutthecloseofthesixthcentury,^ and her feast was celebrated, on the 24th of March. St. . ^ngus," the Martyrology of Tallagh, and the Calendar of Cashel, are authorities for that statement. In the Kalendar of Drummond, likewise, she is noticed. "
Article IV. —Reputed Festival of St. Montan, of Kill-mantain, County of Wicklow. [^Fifth Century. '] A feast has been assigned to St. Montan, of Killmantain, near the town of Wicklow, on this day. His Acts have been given, already, at the 2nd of this month.
Article V. —St. Lughaidh, son of Eochaidh, of Cluain-laogh, NOW Clonleigh, County of Donegal. [Si'xf/i Century. '] A holy man is recorded, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 24th of March, as Lughaidh, mac Eachach. He is classed, among the disciples of St. Columkille. '' The Bollandists pass him over, with a few brief remarks. 3 We are told, that LugaidMocu-Theimne,or"thesonofTeimne," wasthesonofEochaid, son of Ulan, son to Eogan, son to Niall of the Nine Hostages, as his paternal pedigreehasbeentraced,intheGenealogiesoftheIrishSaints. s Hewasa relation of St. Columba,^ and his companion, when the latter first set out on hisvoyagetotheshoresofBritain. Asweareinformed,bytheMartyrology of Tallagh, this saint belonged to Cluain Laigh. This place is at present
" The lustrous couple
Who hath been washed with
arduous repentance,
Scire the gentle, who loved fast«
ing,
The fervent pious Mochta. "
MS. Note in Wm. M. Hennessy's copy of the Donegal Martyrology, and appended at this passage.
^ It is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey
"
Townland Maps for the County of Meath, Sheets 9, lo, 15, 16, 23. The townland, so called, is on the two latter Sheets.
" "In Hibernia, the Holy Virgin Scire of this parish will be found, in Rev. A. and the Holy Confessors, Mochta and
7 A very interesting and complete account
"Dioceseof Ancientand went to Christ. "— Meath, Comin, Companions
Cogan's
Modern," vol. ii. , chap, xvi, pp. 321 to 326.
^
Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish
See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Farannani,
Saints," p. 8. — Article v.
' Edited Rev. Dr. by
nioe," XV. Februarii. Vita S.
Kelly, p. xix. The Franciscan copy has tugAio
cap. vii. , p. 337.
9 See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of mAc eAcliAi.
vol.
3 See "Acta fessor O'Looney : saints, p. 473,
Meath, xxvi. , p. 147.
i. , chap
Thaumaturga. " Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columba? ,
Ancient and
=* See " Trias Colgan's
Modern,"
" The following extract from the " Leab-
V. I5e. kl. A. W tAtiAmAiM liroAcTi i:iMpii5 eclA Aitioecli
Sci^ve CAin ca]\ c^xeDAn
mochcA
harBreac" of the " copy
cap. x. , num. 74, p. 491.
and its
English translation—, were furnished by Pro- Martii xxiv. Among the pretermitted
Feilire,"
tomus
See
Western Liberties of Londonderry," part ii. , sect. 2, p. 27.
s Chapter i.
* See his
c^e'OAl c^vAibtjech.
Life,
at the
9th
of
June.
"
Memoir of the City and North-
Sanctorum,"
iii. ,
March 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 947
the "
of the calves. " This parish is situated, on the western bank of the River
Foyle, about two miles northward from Lifford,^ in the barony of Raphoe, and
inthecountyofDonegal,? formerlyTyrconnell. Therewasamonasteryof considerable importance,'" in this place. " Marianus O'Gorman and Cathal Maguire have this holy man, in their respective Calendars. " On this day is entered, likewise, in the Martyrology of Donegal/3 Lughaidh, son to Eochaidh, of Cluain-laogh.
ArticleVI. —St. Fergusa. Atthe24thofMarch,theMartyrologyof
called
Clonleigh,7 meaning
pasturage,"
Tallagh
* records the name
Fergusa,
without
any
further
designation.
Article VII. —Feast of St. Manchan, of Lemanaghan, King's County. In the Martyrology of Donegal,^ we find, that on this day was celebratedafestival,inhonourofManchan,sonofFailbhe. Hedescended from the race of Conall Gulban, son to Niall. There is a church, called Leth-Manchain, in Dealbhna Mac Cochlain, adds the writer. It is now
known as Lemanaghan, a parish in the barony of Garrycastle, King's County. Within five miles of this place, we are told, Manchan's well and station " were
to be seen. 3 This saint has been noticed, already, at the 24th day of January.
Article VIIL—St. Cairlon, or Caorlan, Archbishop of Armagh,
County of Armagh. [^Sixth Century. '] In Colgan's work, there are a few
paragraphs and notes, commemorating this saintly prelate, at the 24th of March. ^ The BoUandists, likewise, have a brief notice of him. ^ He died, atthisday,onwhichourAnnalistsandMartyrologistsrecordhisfeast. The Martyrology of Tallagh 3 merely enters the name, Cairlon, Bishop, at the 24th of Marcli. Marianus O'Gorman, and Cathal Maguire have a notice of his death, on the same day, in their respective Martyrologies. 4 Caorlan, Bishop, of Ard Macha, is set down, likewise, in the Martyrology of Donegal,? as having a festival at this date. Belonging to the diocese of Armagh, and probably born there,^ this saint was descended from the Hy-Niellan7 or
7 This parish is described, on the " Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheets 62, 63, 70, 71,
79-
^ " A—d ripam Eurypi, Lochfezhhml nun-
"
cupati? ' Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga. "
Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbas, cap. X. , p. 491.
9 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. iv. , n. (q), pp. H13,
See the Ulster Inquisitions. "
" Also, Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbas, cap.
ii. , num. 53, p. 495.
" See ibid.
Quarta Appendix ad Acta S.
Columbse, cap. x. , p. 491.
'3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
86, 87. —
Article vt. Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xix. The Franciscan copy has
and Reeves, pp. 86, 87.
* The Irish word employed for this is
cu|\u|', meaning a station, a pilgrimage, a circuit.
^ Stt, ibid. Appendix to the Introduc-
tion, p. xlv. Article vill. —
1114.
'° "
Archiepiscopo Ardmachano, p. 744.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Martii xxiv. Among the pretermitted
saints, p. 473.
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xix. The
V^t^Sr^' —' Article vii.
makes use of these words, in a note
:
'
nise," n. 5, p. 744.
s Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
84, 85.
* refers to his of the Four Colgan copy
to this statement. When Masters, prove
treating on his death, at the year 587, he
Edited by Drs. Todd
" or " insulated meadow lawn,"
"
Hibernise," Martii xxvi. De S. Cairlano
Franciscan copy has ©pf Caii\Laii.
'
See
Acta Sanctorum
* " Hiber- See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum
" De eo ad eundem annum in Annalibus sic scri-
948 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 24.
O'Niallan family. He flourished at an early period of our history. He was abbot over a community of monks, in this part of the country, about a. d. 546 ; at which time, he was restored to life, by St. Dagseus. This we find recorded, in the latter saint's Acts, at the i8th of August. Cairlan subjected himself and his monastery to the saint, in token of gratitude. But, as a counterpoise, Dagaeus placed himself and his own monastery, under the rule
of our saint, who was called to preside over the Primatial See of Armagh, on the death of Fedlimid Fionn,^ a. d. 577. ^ St. Cairlan ruled over this church,
^°
for a duration of ten years.
according to the Annals of Clonmacnoise, and of the Four Masters ;" or A. D. 588, according to Sir James Ware. Walter Harris notices this difference of year, for which the Rev. Dr. Lanigan " takes him to task ; yet, in his re- marks, the latter writer labours under a mistake, by supposing, that the Four Masters have antedated their events, by one year, in all the earlier centuries. However, in his splendid edition of the Annals of the Four Masters, Dr. O'Donovan has completely set at rest this misapprehension, as may be seen byreferringtohisvolumes. '3 Discrepanciesoccur,nodoubt,betweenthe Four Masters and other ancient annalists in date ; but, these irregularities of chronology are by no means uniformly presented by exact annual differences, and the learned editor when necessary supplies new data, to resolve them. ^* It is remarkable, that the actions of St. Cairlan are little known, although the memory of his sanctity is not left unrecorded, in all our Calendars and Martyrologies.
bunt Quatuor Magistri. Anno Christi 587. jSt" vigessimo Aidi, filii Anmirii, Hibemiae Regis, . S". Cairlanus Episcopus Ardnmcha- nus, de—Hi Niellan oriundus, obiit 24. Martii. " Acta Sanctorum Hiberniaj, xxiv. Marlii. Vita S. Cairlani, n, 4, p. 744. It must be remarked, however, that in Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," at the same year, although we find this saint's death recorded, there is no mention of the place, in which he was born, either in the original Irish, or in the English transla- tion.
7 "This tribe, who furnished so many
9 Although called Abbot of Armagh, ac-
cording to an ancient custom, by our Anna-
lists ; yet is he recognised, as Bishop of
Armagh, by the Psalter of Cashel, and, like-
Avise, in the Catalogue of Primates governing the former See.
" See ibid. , pp. 38, 39.
"
the reason why the same person is some-
to this Prelate, Harris remarks :
Possibly
times called
and sometimes Arch-
" He is set down as Primate in the
Abbot,
bishop of Armagh, may be this : that as
there was a celebrated Abbey at Armagh, the Abbots were often elected into the Archiepiscopal Chair ; and after their election, many fof them have retained the
says :
which
and from thence came to be called Abbots, after their advancement. Or, it may be ; as Abbot, in the Syriack language, signifieth a Father ; so the Archbishop of Armagh may in this sense be called. Abbot, as being the comm—on father of all the Bishops of Ireland. " Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Arch- bishops of Armagh," p. 38.
'* In O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four
Masters," vol. i. , pp. 212, 213, Caerlan's death is thus recorded: "The age of Christ 587. The twentieth year of Aedh. St. Caerlan, Bishop of Ard-Macha, died on the twenty-fourth day of March. "
name, by
they
were known before
;
This saintly prelate died, in the year 587,
Archbishops to the See of Armagh, were
seatedinthepresentbaronie—sofOneilland, whichCairlanoranyArchbishopofArmagh
in the County of Armagh. " O'Donovan's "AnnalsoftheFourMasters,"vol. i. ,n. (o), p. 327-
^ With regard to the term Abbot, applied
died. Itmerelystatesthenumberofyears,
duringwhicheachofth—emheldtheSee,
"
and gives ten to Cairlan. " Ecclesiastical
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xii. , sect, i. , n. 4, p. 184.
'3 Of Feidhlimidh Finn, Dr. O'Donovan
" See, O'Donovan's Edition, vol. i. , pp. 212, 213, and n. (o). Ibid.
" Referring to Harris' statement, that the Psalter of Cashel places Cairlin's death, in
587 ; Dr. Lanigan says, "had he looked into Tr. Th. , p. 292, where said Psalter is quoted, he could have found that it does not mention the year of the Christian era, in
list of the Archbishops of Armagh given in
the Psalter of Cashel, published by Colgan
in Trias —and in the Bod- Thaum. , p. 293,
Laud. 610. " "Annals of the
leian
MS. ,
Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (x), pp. 209, 2io.
—'See "Acta Sanctorum
Article ix.
Hibemias," xxiv. Martii. Vita S. Mochtei, pp. 729 to 737.
March 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 949
Article IX. —St. Mochteus, or Mochta, Bishop of Lugmagh, or Louth. [^Ftfth Century. '] Colgan received the Acts of this saint, taken fromaSalamancanMS. ,andwrittenbysomeunknownauthor. '' Tothesehe has added notes, with an Appendix, comprising five distinct chapters. The Bollandistsnoticehimmerely,atthisdate. ^ Theholyman,weareinformed, drew his first breath in Great Britain, where he gave indications of future ex- cellence. He is classed among St. Patrick's disciples,3 and he was contem- poraneous. He is called Macteus, in the Salamancan copy, from which Colgan takes a considerable portion of his Acts. At this date, we find a festival recorded, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,* to honour Mochta, of Lugh- magh. He lived to a great age ; but, according to some accounts, he died
A. D. 534. Such is the date found, in the Annals of the Four Masters. ^ Another festival to his memory occurs, on the 19th of August, at which day, further notices may be seen, regarding him.
Article X. —St. Maccarthenn, Bishop of Clogher, or supposed
BY SOME to be St. Maccarthenn, Patron of Domnach-mor Muighe-to-
CHUiR,ORDonaghParish,CountyofDonegal. [^ProbablyFifthand
of ^ haselaborateaccountsof March, Colgan
Sixth Atthe Centuries. ]
24th
St. Macarthann, Bishop of Clogher. The Bollandists have only a brief
notice. ^ In the time of St. Patrick, lived two holy sons of Carthenn, or Caerthenn, and by his patronymic, each is usually known, as Mac Carthenn,
'*
or
of Cathal Maguire, and of Donegal, as also in the Calendar of Cashcl, we have two distinct festivals for a St. Maccaerthenn : one feast, at the 24th of March;and,another,atthe15thofAugust. Althoughsomeoftheafore- said authorities seem to refer both festivals to St. Maccaerthenn, Bishop of
Clogher ; yet, others speak more indefinitely, so that Colgan is much inclined to believe, that the feast for the 24th of March belongs exclusively to a St.
Maccarthenn, Bishop, who was left by St. Patrick, in charge of the church of Domnach-mor Muighe-tochuir,3 now known as^Donagh,-* in the barony and
peninsula of Inishowen, county of Donegal. However this may be, at present, the Irish Church celebrates the festival of St. Maccarthen, Bishop of
Clogher, as a Double, at this date, March 24th ; while, in the diocese of Clogher, as the patron, he is honoured with a Double Feast of the First
Class. To obtain more explicit information, on this subject, during the un- certainty now existing, we defer to the 15 th of August, the Life of the latter saint.
Article XI. —Festivals of Bishop Mac Cairthinn and of Mael- DOTUS. TheKalendarofDrummond,"atthe24thofMarch,states: Like- wise, this same day, the Natale of the Holy Confessors, Esco Mac Cairthinn
= See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Article x. —'See "Acta Sanctorum Martii xxiv. Among the pretermitted Hibernise," xxiv. Martii. De S. Macaer-
son of Carthenn. " Now, in the Martyrologies of Marianus O'Gorman,
saints," p. 474.
3 See " Trias Thaumaturga. " Quinta Ap-
thenno Epis. Clochorensi, with Notes and
Appendix, pp. 737 to 742.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
pendixadActaS. Patricii,cap. xxiii. ,p. 266.
* Edited by Rev.
