No More Learning

March 31, LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
1031
called, Gilda Machai-beo,^ means, " servant of the living Mochai ;" and, Colgan, who has given an account of him, at the 3Tst day of March,== sup- poses the name to have been imposed,3 in honour of St. Mochai, Abbot of Nendnim,-* who is related to have lived one hundred and fifty years, in Heaven, and in a state of repose. The present saint was bom, in the year 1 104,5 as we collect from the Irish Annals. He embraced the monastic pro-
Cathedral, as restored, at Armagh.
fession, in the city of Armagh,^ and, in its former monastery, consecrated to St. Peter and St. Paul. He was probably a student, with the great St.
Malachy O'Morgair,? and under the tuition of that holy Abbot, Imar
O'Aedhacan. ^ It is also probable, that our saint succeeded this latter, by
the — after his in the — The office of governing monastery, death, year 1134.
Abbot he exercised if this opinion be well grounded
9
during forty years,
with the greatest sanctity. According to our ancient Martyrologies, he was the tower of Devotion and of Mildness in his time, the Ark of Wisdom and
ofScience,ofLabourandofPrudence. ^" Heisalsooneofthelatestsaints, recorded in the Martyrologies of our country. He died, on the 31st of
Article ii. —• Marianus O'Gorman and the Martyrology of Donegal have both ap- pellations applied to him.
^ His feast has been assigned to the 13th
of August.
9 This supposition is further confirmed by
* See " Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," the circumstance, that we do not find the
Martii xxxi. De S. Machabco Abbate Ard- machano, pp. 795, 796.
3 See ibtd. , n. i, p. 796.
^ His feast occurs, at the 23rd of June.
5 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. iii. , pp. 12, 13.
^ The accompanying illustration of the old Cathedral, as restored in our own times, was drawn by William F. Wakeman, and transferred to the wood-block, engraved by
Mrs. Millard.
"> See his Life, at the 3rd of November.
death of any Armagh Abbot recorded, in our ancient Annals, between that of Imar O'Aedhacan and of Machabeus. Yet, our Annalists, about this period, were in the habit, not only of recording the deaths of Archbishops and of Abbots m Armagh, but even the year when Scribes, Chronogra- phers, and Prefects of its schools, died, with others of inferior rank, distinguished by piety and learning.
" Such is the eulogy, pronounced on him. by Blessed Marianus O'Gorman, Abbot of
1033
* LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 31.
March, in 11 74, having attained the seventieth year of his age. " We find
mentioned, on this day, in the Martyrology of Donegal," Machabeus, />. , Gilla Mochaidhbeo, Abbot of the Monastery of Peter and Paul at Ardmacha.
The BoUandists briefly notice him, at this date,'3 but they print, incorrectly, Mcxxxiv. , as the year for his death.
ArticleIII. —St. Colman,ofCamachadh. Thebrightestandfairest flowers bloom in solitude and soon wither, while they still perfume nooks, in which they grow, with delicious odours. So have bloomed and have been forgotten the localities and memory of many holy persons. Thus, when in- troducing his commemoration of the three saints, Colman, Foilan, and Fethadius, at, the 31st of March, Colgan remarks, that he united their names, because he found little of a distinctive character, in their Acts ; indeed, he observes, that although the Irish saints, venerated on this day, were not few in number, as many of our domestic Martyrologies proved, yet, very few records of their lives were to be discovered. ' We prefer, however, to dis- tinguish those saints ; and, hence, we begin with St. Colman's name, which occurs, in the Irish Martyrologies, at this day. However, Colgan confesses himself unable to discover the exact location of Camachadh, with which place,St. Colmanappearstohavehadconnection. Therewasachurch,in the diocese of Ossory," which was called Camchluain ;3 as, also, another in that of Derry, named Cambos, and Camus,* in our Martyrologies, At this latter church, a St, Colman was venerated, on the 30th of October ; but, whether he was a distinct person from our saint, Colgan had not been able to determine. Another church stood, in the region of Clannuadach,5 in Connaught, and it was named Cammagh,^ while its ruins are yet to be seen, 7 Colgan conjectures this name to have more nearly resembled Camachadh, in sound and signification, than any of the former denominations. Reinterprets
Camachadh, or Cammagh,^ by the Latin words,
*'
campum procurvum," and
Louth Monastery, in the diocese of Armagh :
"S. Machabeus, qui et Gilda-Mochaibeo, abbas monasterii Divorum Petri et Pauli,
Kilkennix, in Synodo Dioecesana. Die 8
Junii, 1873," I do not find any St. Colman, referable to the present day.
^ Now known as Camcloon, in the parish of Offerlane, and barony of Upperwoods. It Prudentiae, &c. " Colgan's "Acta Sancto- is marked, on the "Ordnance Survey rum Hibemiie," xxxi. Martii. Vita S. Townland Maps for the Queen's County,"
Armachoe, Turris Pietatis et Mansuetudinis, Area Sapientise —et Scientiae, arx Piorum et
Machabei, p. 796. The Martyrologies of Sheet 23,
Donegal and of Cathal Maguire have a nearly similar panygeric, at the 31st of March.
" His death is thus recorded, at the year 1 174: "Gilla Mochaibeo, Abbot of the Monastery ofSS. Peter and Paul at Armagh, a diligent and faithful servant of the Lord, diedonthe31stdayofM—arch,intheseven- tieth year of his age. " Dr. O'Donovan's •'Annals of the Four Masters," vol. iii. , pp. 12, 13,
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
"
Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Martii xxxi. Among the pretermitted
^. This parish, in the barony of Lower
"
Strabane is shown, on the
vey Townland Maps for the County of Tyrone," Sheets 4, 5, 10. The townland is on the latter Sheet.
5 This was the territory of the O'Fallons. It was situated, in the barony of Athlone, and county of Roscommon. In Irish, it is written, cLAnn uAtJAch, and, it will be found so represented, on the Ancient Map, prefixed to "The Tribes and Customs of Hy-
Many," so judiciously edited by the late Dr. O'Donovan.
90, 91. '3 See
feasts, p. 897. —
Article hi. 'See Acta^ Sanctorum
as Cammoge, in the parish of Elphin, and barony of Roscommon, It is noticed, on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Roscommon," Sheet 22.
"> The church was called Camach formerly
Brighdi, and at present Camma, in the diocese of Elphin. It lies about eight miles,
"
Hibemise," xxxi, Martii, De SS. Colmano
Foilano et Fethadeo, Confessoribus, pp.
800.
799,
'
Among the Patron saints, as given in the "Statuta Dioecesis Ossoriensis edila
*
Now, probably, the townland, known
Ordnance Sur-
March 31. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 1033
" the
has not been recorded, nor even the age, in which he flourished. However, it must have been at a rather early period, since in the Martyrology of Tal- lagh,'° at the 31st of March, we find, Colman am (cam) Achaid. Also, Marianus O'Gorman and Cathal Maguire commemorate him. Colman, of Camachadh, occurs, in the Martyrology of Donegal," on this day. The Bollandists briefly notice this saint, at the 31st of March," It is likely, this pious man sought an asylum in a solitude, which the proud and ambitious so much disdain, but which furnish tranquillity and enjoyment to the truly religious.
Article IV. —St. Faolan, or Foilan, son of Aedh. The name of
it is
Anglicized,
very
crooked
plain. "
9 The of our saint's death year
Faolan,
sonof
Aedh,
isfoundinthe of ^ atthe of Martyrology Tallagh 31st
March, as also in that of Blessed Marianus O'Gorman. ^ In like manner,
Colgan places the festival of a St. Foilan, at this day 3 He is supposed to
be identical with that St. Failan, a notice of whom occurs, at the 4th of June,"* and who is called the son of Aedh, or Aidus. s being descended from a royal stem, belonging to the Munster province. The festival in honour of Faolan was celebrated, on this day, according to the Martyrology of Donegal. ^ The Bollandists 7 have entered a notice of this saint, at the 31st of March.
Article V. —St. Fethaidh, or Fecacius. An entry is found, in the
Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 31st of March, of St. Fethaidh. At the same
date, Colgan presents a few unsatisfactory notices, regarding St. Fethadius, or Fecacius. ^ TheBollandists3merelynoticeFethadiusseniorMur-Mugensis, said by the Irish Martyrologists to have had a festival, at this date. We are to presume, however, that Thas been substituted for F, in the first letter of the name. It has iDeen remarked, by Colgan, that he is called senior of Murmagense, which is interpreted, in Irish, Murmagh, which signifies, in
English,
plain. "
locality,
" the maritime
he be identified thinks, may
' This
with Mag Murthemne, the maritime plain of Conall Murthemne, in Ultonia,
north-westwards from Athlone. See "The Tribes and Customs of Hy-Many," n. (d),
•
pp. 78, 79.
^ This coincides with the name of a parish
church, in the barony of Athlone, and county of Roscommon, dedicated to St. Bridget. The small village of Tober Brighde, generally called in English Brides- well, is in it. We learn from a tract, pre- served in the Book of Lecan, fol. 92, treating of O'Kelly, and his people of Hy- many, that all the Hy-Many were baptized here. See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. iii. , n. (x), p. 258.
Kelly, p. xx. In the Franciscan copy, we
read, -pelAni ^itn, the rest obscure.
" See "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nise," xvi. Januarii. Appendix, cap. i. , p. 104.
3 See "JActa Sanctorum Hibemise," xxxi.
Martii. De SS. Colmano, Foilano et
Fethadio, p. 799.
See, at that date, the account of St.
Faithlenn, son of Aedh Diamhan.
= According to the Genealogies of the
Irish Saints, chap, xxxiv.
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
90, 91.
7 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
Martii xxxi. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 898.
Article v. —'Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xx. In the Franciscan copy, we
have ITechAiTDe.
' See "Acta xxxi. Sanctorym Hiberniae,"
Martii. De SS. Colmano, Foilano et Fetha- dio, pp. 799, 800.
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," xxxi. Martii. Acta SS. Colmani,
Foilani and Fethadii, p. 799.
" Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xx. In
the Franciscan copy, we find, Colman cam ^chAiT).
"
QQ gi^
" See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
9 See
Colgan's
Edited by Drs. Todd and;";^Reeves, pp.
^ Martii xxxi. Among the pretermitted See
'•
Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus
saints, p. 898.
Article iv. —-' Edited by Rev. Dr
Martii xxxi. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 898.
iii. ,
I034 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [^[ARCH 31.
in which Lughmagh, or Louth, had been situated. And, as among the other holy men, who died, a. d.
784,* we find mentioned the demise of Feadhach, son to Cormac, Abbot of Lughmhadh,5 Slaine and DaimhUag f so it has been conjectured, that the latter may have been identical, with the present saint. Marianus O'Gorman and Cathal Maguire, who mention his name, at the 31st of March, throw no further light on his age and locality. Separated by a line, and as if it were a distinct entry, we read, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,7 that Senior Murmaige's feast was celebrated, at this date. More- over, on this day, we find recorded, in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ Feth- aidh.
Article VI. —Reputed Festival of St. Regulus, or St. Rule,
Scotland. We have already alluded to the feast of this holy man, at the
preceding day ; but, the Bollandists,^ citing a Manuscript Martyrology, be- longing to Prague, as also a Kalendar of the church at Aquileia,^ and a Manuscript Kalendar of a Breviary, used about the Rhine, have a brief allusion to St. Regulus, Bishop and Confessor, at this day. In the Kalendar of the Breviary of Aberdeen,3 we find at the 31st of March, or Pridie Kalen- das Aprilis, St. Regulus, Bishop, with a Double Office. *
Article VII. —Reputed Festival of St. Patto, Bishop of Verden,
*
Saxony. At Verda, and as a Scottish saint, Dempster enters Patto, second
BishopofthatSee,atthe31stofMarch. ' TheBollandistsmerelyalludeto this entry. 3
Article VIII. —Feast of the Holy Anissus, and of his Com-
panions,Martyrs,inAfrica. AsinmanyoftheoldMartyrologies,the Feilire^ ofSt. . ^nguscontainsthecelebrationofSt. Anissus,andofhiscom- panions, who suffered death for the sake of Christ There can be no question, but that these were the holy African Martyrs, who are commemo- rated at this^day, in the ancient ^Iartyrology, attributed to St. Jerome,' as
See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
'See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 194.
3 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Martii xxxi. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 897.
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 390, 391. s Now Louth.
* Now Duleek.
7 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xx.
The
copy
and, afterwards, ttlAige.
the stanza is found following
— tomus iii. , Martii xxxi.
copy,
Professor O'Looney
:
Article vi.
' '* See
Article vii. cum. "
' In "
MenologiumlScoti-
However, in other are to be found copies
some changes or omissions of names.
——— has Article viii. 'In the Leabhar Breac
—Franciscan
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 90, 91.
Acta Sanctorum," Among the preter-
mitted feasts, p. 897.
' It states, he had an Office, containing
Thre2 Lessons.
3 See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 114.
^ This is added : "Si festa Sanctorum
olavi martyris et reguli abbatis infra passion- em do. contigerit seu oc. pas. transferri debent videlz dies olavi usque ad quartas. Kl's augusti quo die passio ejusdem celebra- tur et sancti reguli usque ad crastinum michaelis de morte tumba nisi in ecclesiis de eisdem dedicatis—. "
Semop apartillegible
its translation has also —been given to us by
p xii. kl» Ci\och mtiAch Aiiifi'i
Co clen\ bAin bAt) aicViiu
'
In apographo Lucensi et Blumiano.
T3o bei^A \>e). \! ^ c|\e bichu iYlAi\cA foyv fluAg fAigcliiu.
"
The vehement cross of Anissus. With pure clerics who were vigi-
lant
They put a (concluding) crown for ever
Upon the troopful host of March. "
March 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 1035
also in other old Calendars, and the BoUandists 3 record them, as Anesus,
Felix, Diodolus, Portus, Abda, Cornelia and Valeria, without being able to
furnish details of their glorious passage through siiiferings, to the happy rewards of the Blessed in Heaven.
Article IX. —Reputed Feast of St. Caidoc, and of St. Fricor, or Adrien,ApostlesoftheMorinl Bothofthesesaints,withtheirActs,so far as he could collect them, are placed by Colgan, at this day. ' He gives no satisfactory reason whatever, for this arrangement, which is purely arbitrary. The rather doubtful authority of Dempster, and of other writers, following him, have induced me to place their Acts, at the succeeding day, the ist of April. The BoUandists,^ also, have a brief note of allusion to the foregoing arrangement of Colgan, but deferring the Acts of those saints to the day succeeding.
Article X. —Reputed Festival of St. Daria, Mother of St. Ursula. The name of Daria—a peculiarly Irish appellative—is said to have been that given to the mother of St. Ursula ;' and it is found, among the entries of Camerarius,^ at this date, as the BoUandists 3 observe. They promised, that more might be given, regarding her, at the 21st of October, which day commemorated the Martyrdom of St. Ursula and of her com- panions.
In closing his invaluable volume with the month of March, our great Irish Hagiologist has observed,' that the purpose he had in view was to record only those saints of Ireland, regarding whom previous writers had been able to state some particulars, illustrating their race and family, their period, their pious labours, the religious offices they exercised, or the miracles which they wrought. Those saints, whose festival days, or place for celebration, could solely be found, in the Calendars or Martyrologies, without additional memorials to establish their place in history, he has intentionally omitted, and left to others the duty of commemorating. To this resolution he adhered, from the outset of his labours, although he might have offered suggestions and observations, in relation to the latter class of holy persons ; but, he deemed it better, to pass them over in silence, rather than speak of themwithdoubtoruncertainty. Evenmodestlydistrustinghisownopinions, when placing these as such before his readers, and loving historic truth so much, that he could not venture upon assertions or conclusions, which might servetodiscolouritsoutlines; heleftforotherstheresponsibility,oftreating about the more obscure personages and circumstances, likely to involve the investigators of our history and antiquities in difficulties and perplexities, which he candidly and admirably acknowledges were beyond his reach. While thoroughly appreciating and respecting the motives, which guided his
judgment in reference to this plan, and while urging on our readers the
"
3 See Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
Martii xxxi. De Sanctis Martyribus Afiis Aneso, Felice, Diodolo, Porto, Abda, Cor- nelia et Valeria, in three paragraphs, pp. 905, 906. —
Martii xxxi. Among the pretermitted
' See " Acta Sanctorum
October.
* In his Scottish Martyrology.
^"
gee Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
Martii xxxi. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 899.
'
See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber* nia," Martii xxxi,, p. 800.
Article ix.
Hibemise," xxxi. Martii. De SS. Adriano et Caidoco, Apostolis Morinorum. Ex Al- chuino, Jacobo Malbranco, et aliis, pp. 797,
'
798, 799. *"
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
saints, p. 898. — Article x.
'
See the Acts of St Ursula and of her companions, at the 2l8t of
1036 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 31.
necessity of cautiously weighing the evidence adduced, for any of our past or future statements ; it will be found, that the number of Irish saints and festival days here introduced is largely in excess of Colgan's Catalogue and Acts. It has been a cherished desire, to place upon record, so many names or biographies, as fairly fall within the scope of our national hagiography, and as have come to our cognizance from all accessible and accredited sources. Some years have elapsed, since the writer promised to publish the Acts of over five hundred principal Irish saints, including their Festivals and Com- memorations. That should give little more than one Biography or notice,
however, for each day of the year.
dimensions,
not then
contemplated
— one thousand Volume, nearly speqjal
of these
many comprising
Our plan and work have grown to
and —at the close of our Third now,
;
Articles
severalpages havebeenpresentedtothepublic. MoreArticles,thandouble
the latter number, are still in process of correction and arrangement for publica- tion; whilemorethanathirdpartofourwholework,ontheIrishSaints, has been now issued. Our succeeding Volumes may be considerably dimi- nished, in size and amount of pages, relatively to those which have already seen the light ; yet, it is to be hoped, their subject matter shall possess, at least equal and sustained interest, for all lovers of Irish Hagiology.
End of Volume III.