Gobnet's Stone, he met with several graves, that
contained
human skulls and bones.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
Gobnata, as abbess.
Dr.
Lanigan seems to discredit the statement, that this nunnery had been erected by St.
Abban.
He rather supposes, the property on which it was built," belonged to St.
Gobnat's family.
Yet, we cannot find anything improbable, in the incidents related; for,evenallowingthetruthofthislatterpartofhishypothesis,can we not well conceive, that a tract of land might have been given him, by the proprietor, for ecclesiastical purposes, whereas.
Saint Abban would naturally select a member of the family, or an inhabitant of that part of the country, to take charge of his future religious house ?
Especially, when he could find one so well qualified, as in the present instance, to assume its direction, no- thing ought to appear more natural, than the selection of Gobnata, to preside over it as superioress.
A curious legend is related by the people at Ballyvourney, and it con- nects St. Abban with the place. It is said, a sister of St. Gobnait took ill of a fever, and at the same time, the death of St. Abban took place—where it occurred,however,doesnotseemtobeknown. Thecaoineorfuneralcry was raised by the mourners for his decease. St. Gobnait poured forth her prayers, that her sister might not hear it, lest her nervous system should be disturbed, and fatal results might then be expected to ensue. Her prayers were granted, and her sister never heard this caoifie. It is believed, by the
simple-minded people, that a person standing on that same spot afterwards, could not hear even the loudest thunder. ^^ Our saint is supposed to have
Sanctorum Hibernise," xi. Februarii. De south. See *' Ecclesiastical
History
of Ire«
S. Gobnata,Virgine,etAbbatissaBornicensi, land," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , sect, iv. , n. 50,
p. 315- P- 21.
^^ See it, among the saints passed over, or
left for another day, in their "Acta Sane-
torum," tomus ii. , Februarii xi. , p, 506.
3 He was son to Modh-Lamha, Monarch
Genealogical Sanctilogy" states, that Gobnat, of Boirenn, on the confines of
Muscraige-Mutine and of Eoganacht Loch- lein, belonged to the race of King Conaire, chap. xvii. The "Calendar of Cashel" coincides with this statement, as also the
" Martyrology of Donegal. "
s The account of Smith, is very inaccurate,
that she is said to be thedaughterof O'Connor Sligo. See "History of the County and
City of Cork," vol. i. , book ii. , chap, ii,, p. 185. But, according to Dr. Lanigan, this was contrary to every statement he had met with ; for she was certainly a native of the
So is her place called in the Calendar of Cashel, and in the "Genealogical Sancti* logy," chap. xvii.
? This is the reading preferred by Colgan.
of Erinn. ^ The "
^
So is it called, in the Latin Life of St.
Abban, published by Colgan, March.
at the i6th
of
9 See chapter xx. The reader will find
the Life of this holy abbot, in our collection, at the 27th of October,
'°
ItadjoinsthecountyofKerry. This extensive parish is described on the " Ord* nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cork. " Sheets 57, 58, 59, 68, 69, 70.
" See "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , cap. xvii. , n. 50, p. 2I.
'^
This legend was communicated in a letter, headed, Ballyvourney, and dated Oc- tober 4th, 1873.
464 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February1j.
flourished, after the early part of the sixth century ;^3 and to have been dis- tinguished, for her virtues and miracles. Some of the latter are related in the locality, as popular traditions. One legend is thus told. In the olden times, when Irish chieftains thought it justifiable to attack their neighbours, and to take away creaghts or cattle-spoils ; an invading chief and his host made a descent, on the country around Ballyvourney. St. Gobnet came, however, to deliver her people from this scourge. She is said to have held in her hand, at the time, a square box, or beehive, full of holes, at the sides. ^'^ These were so formed, that a bee flying could go in and out through them.
"
This instrument has been called, in Gaelic, the beachairc^ i. e. ,
hold bees. " It is supposed to have been soft and elastic. St. Gobnet prayed for some moments, when she saw the invader making towards her. After this, the bees flew out of their hive, and effectually stayed the ravages of the haughty chief. ^s
Another miracle related of her was, a staying of the progress of a pestilence in the eastern borders of the parish. She is said to have gone in person to the place, and to have marked it as consecrated ground, across which the plague durst not make it appearance. The spot is known ever since, by the
"
fact, that sickness of a pestilential character never since made its way there.
"
the town of the beloved," it hes six miles west of Macroom. ^7 In this small village, there is a ruined church, seated on a hill, to the south of the River Sullane,^^ which runs due east from this to Macroom, having its rise a little more to the west. This church was dedicated to St. Gobnata. The steeple was ready to fall with age, in the beginning of the last century. ^9 On the north side of the altar, there was a tomb of the O'Hierlys, who were the
2°
ancient proprietors of this rugged country. North of the river stood their
old castle, which is now a heap of stones. The Irish used to visit this place
on Whit-Mondays, as we are told by Smith, and on the 14th of February, which last is said to have been the patron-day of this saint. About thirty yards from the west end of the church, there was a small stone cross,^^ where
*3 This has been inferred from ^^ See by Colgan,
name, of Gorten-na-Plagha, or the
Field of the Plague. "' It is a well-known
In reference to St. Gobnat's Ballyvourney,^^ which Smith interprets
Smith,
the circumstance of St. Abban having been County and City of Cork," vol. i. , book
her contemporary, and because his master St. Ibar died a. d. 500. See "Acta Sane- torum Hibernise," xi. Februarii. De S. Gobnata, Virgine et Abbatissa Bornicensi, "• 5» P- 315-
'* The account herein contained has been furnished to the writer, by an inhabitant of Ballyvourney, in a letter, dated October 4th, 1873.
'5 The wardens of the old church at Bally-
voumey were in possession of this relic, until some one of the family of the O'Herlihys
took it away to Kerry. There it stayed
ever since, although the people of Bally-
voumey yet expect its recovery.
'^
ii. , chap, ii. , p. 185.
In a letter, received from Rev. John Lyons, C. C, of Inchigeelagh, and dated November 6th, 1873, in reference to the name of this he writes " It
wall, over a window, to the east of the door-
way, in the old church.
='
This has now disappeared, according to Mr. Windale's account,
'^~ also tied their handkerchiefs about They
the neck of this image, and this practice was
thought to serve as a preventive against various diseases.
'^ Smith adds " I have been informed, :
that the devotion used to this image, has
Ballyvourney, : cannot be determined from the word,
"voumey," whether the V is an aspirated b or m ; but, fortunately, there is a townland near, which is called mui^ne^c beg, this proves that the letter should be m not b. "
'^
The derivation of this stream is said to
be Suil abhan, "the eye of the river," as
being one of the principal tributaries to the
Les> according to John Windale, in one of
his " of Cork manuscripts, County
Topo- graphy," p. 281, now preserved in the Royal
Irish Academy.
'^ When Mr. Windale visited this place,
several years ago, this tower had fallen, and was reduced to a mere heap of stones, ac- cording to his manuscript "County of Cork Topography," p. 286.
-°
The effigy of St. Gobnat is shown in a
something to
in his " of the History
I
February ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 465
her rood or image was set up, on those days. Here devotees—the more simple and humble Irish-speaking people—went round it on their knees, and
repeated a certain number of prayers. ^^ The Catholic Bishop of Cloyne diocese had, however, sought to put an end to these formulas of popular veneration. ^3 Near this cross, there is a stone, fixed in the ground, and worn by the knees of those, who come here in pilgrimage. Adjacent, there is a well, dedicated to St. Gobnet ; the water is pure, soft and light. A little
^^'i<5 . ,.
St, Gobnct's Cloghaun, Ballyvourney.
to the north of this well, there is a circle of stones. This is about two feet high, and about nine feet in diameter. It seems to be, according to Smith, the foundation for one of the small round towers, placed in churchyards ; and,
" the circle," =4 round this, and the well, there are paths worn by the knees of voteeiis. The image was kept in a chest very private, and never exposed,
but upon festival days, and when it was carried to sick people. ^s At one time, it had been taken to Bandon, and only after very energetic efforts, on the part of a parish priest, at Ballyvourney, was it restored. ^^ The church
Mr. Windale calls the ulla or it,
Tullig uacht? 'a,
which
means,
upper
been, of late, prohibited by the titular bishop of the diocese ; but, so strong are the ig- norant Irish prejudiced in its favour, that they still persevere in their superstition, which is not a little kept up by the gain it brings to the proprietor of this image, who, as I hear, farms it at a considerable—rent to
of Dublin. Three old trees were within it, when visited by Mr. Windale ; at present the number seems diminished to a single tree.
^5 When Charles Smith, the historian, was there, the person, in charge of it, in- formed him, this image had been carried
the person who exposes n. 25, p. 185.
it to view. "
Ibid. ,
into an Iveleary,
adjacent
wild to be tract,
=4 This object is represented in George V. Du Noyer's Sketches of Irish Antiquities, and it is called St. Gobinet's Cloghaun. See vol. iv. , No. 11. It is represented, in
the annexed engraving, by Mr. Gregor Grev Vol. II.
sworn upon.
""^ It is now kept in the vestry of the Ca-
tholic church, at Ballyvourney, and only ex- posed to viev/, on the saint's patron day, February the nth.
2 H
4^6 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [Fkbruaryii.
of St. Gobnet there is seated on a small green spot, on the side of a hill. Thence, there is a fine view of the Kerry mountains, which extend in im- menserangesseveralmiles,fromnorthtosouth. Thesedividetwocounties. They are mostly rude, naked rocks, of a prodigious height, being worn into numberless furrows, by torrents, which, for so many ages, have been flowing down their sides. ='7
CHAPTER II.
Antiquities at ballyvourney—st. gobnat's virtues and death—legends re- lating TO her—places and objects dedicated to her me*iory—her fes- tival—conclusion.
In the central part of Ballyvourney parish, some antiquarian objects, con- nected with St. Gobnet, or Gobnata, are still to be noticed. ' Several obser-
vations, regarding these ancient remains, to which we have already alluded, are to be found in the " Cork Letters, Memorandums, Sketches and Ancient
^
Maps," whichbelongedtotheIrishOrdnanceSurveyOffice. 3 Suchnotices
are accompanied by an excellent ground plan, representing the enclosure of a graveyard, nearly oblong in shape, and containing traces of ruined old church foundations adjoining, but rather to the rere of a modern church. This trace appears to represent a riave and chancel. '^ In front of the modern church, there is an object called St. Gobnet's Flag or Inner Altar. Im-
mediately without the entrance to this graveyard, are marked, in a circular shape, some ruins of what has been thought to be an ancient round tower, withtreesgrowinginthecentreofthos—eremains. Besidethisobject,there
*'
is another, called the Outward Altar" it is to be presumed of St. Gobnet.
Near the glebe house, and without the graveyard, is represented St. Gobnet's Well, and beside a tree, which overshadows it. On another corner of this plan, there is a representation of St. Gobnet's Stone,s in Killen townland. ^
**
'7 See 'Charles Smith's
County and City of Cork," vol. i. , book ii. , chap. . ii. , pp. 18—5, 186, 187.
"^
Chapter ii. By referring to the Ord-
nance Survey Index Map of Cork, and to Sheet 58, of the Townland Survey, for the same county, their position will be seen.
=* Vol. i.
3 These are now preserved in the Royal Irish Academy.
he be found in the morning by the workmen, but running around the intended church.
As a warning to all other thieves, his effigy
"* Some of the local
legends,
related of St.
This curious effigy is known to-day, by the
name, jADAige 5obnAC<\, or "Gobnata's
thief. "
5 Information had been furnished, by
John Healy, of Killeen, in this part of the country, that while removing some earth, near St.
Gobnet's Stone, he met with several graves, that contained human skulls and bones. He had no doubt, this was the site of an ancient burial-ground. This same man declared, there had been formerly a well, in Killeen townland ; but, as it had been closed up, no trace of it is now visible, He said, it had no particular name, and that it was not dedicated to St. Gobnet.
^
There is a stone at Clondrohid Glebe, called by the peasantry, "St. Gobinet's Stone. " Itwasfixedintheground,alittle to the west of Clondrohid church, in the year 1844. The English name of St. Gobi- net, or Gobnet, is said to be St. Abigail, by Rev. John T. Kyle of Clondrohid Rectory ;
Gobnate and of her church, by the pea-
santry, are exceedingly whimsical. One of
them is thus told. In the eastern end of
the old church, there is an effigy in relief, and worked into the wall. This is said to
have been an image of a thief, who essayed to steal the tools of the masons, while work-
ing at the building. One night, he came to its half-finished wall, and he found before him a white mare, which the masons and tradesmen had for working and carrying stones. He at once mounted the mare and took away the tools. He galloped on at a very smart pace, during the whole night ; still, to his great astonishment, where should
History of tlie
was cut in stone, and placed
in the wall,
l^EBRUARY 11. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 4(^7
On the upper part of this stone may be seen a Maltese cross, within a circular
compartment. 7 Again, this is surmounted by a figure, greatly disproportioned, and holding a short crozier, in the right hand, which is extended before the
breast. It appears intended to have represented St. Gobnata, as the general characteristics of drapery resemble female attire. About a. d. 1844, when the sketch and accompanying papers seem to have been' drawn up, the so- called round tower remains were only about two feet in height, and twelve in diameter. ^
Three stunted lime trees grew within the enclosure of that circle, which
some have been disposed to consider the round tower walls, and their bark
used to be stripped off every year, for purposes best known to the people. According to the Rev. Mr. Kilchoffer, St. Gobnet's Well was a place of
great resort, on Whit-Sunday, as also on the 12 th of February, which is said to have been called the day of this saint. 9 However, such a statement does not accord with that contained in the calendars. '"^
St. Gobnate's pure mind continually burned, with the flames of Divine
love ;" nor, can we doubt, that the holy woman, while securing for herself
that glow of heavenly consolation, was not wanting, in the discharge of those duties she owed to others. The exact date for her death does not
seem to be known ; but, it happened, most probably, during the sixth cen- tury. She was considered the patron saint of Muskerry," and—her festival
was cele
From the following local tradition, it may be inferred, that the saint's day was formerly kept at Ballyvourney, as a holyday, with an obligation to hear Mass, and to abstain from all servile works. '4 The site of a castle,
but Mr. O'Donovan doubts the propriety of nait aqus ErnaigJithe ainm in Baile ata oc- "
vol.
object onthe "Town- land Ordnance Survey Maps for the County
ofCork. " Sheet70.
7 A rough drawing of this object appears.
Maps,"
ii. , pp. 164
only well,'
in
question
isfound
engraved
'spring,' saint. "
^
This spot was visited by devotees, as
"Thismaybegleaned,fromastatement
regarding her, in the " Feilire " of St.
ylingus,
" Dr. Geoffrey Keating, in his " General
History of Ireland," when enumerating the patron saints of particular Irish famihes and
districts, says, that St. Gobnata was recog- nised as patroness of MuskryMac-Diarmuid. See book ii. , p. 391.
'3 The reader is referred to subsequent
calendar notices, for confirmation of this
statement. We think, however, that here, there are some mistakes, regarding identifi- cation.
^^ An indulgence was granted by Pope Clement VIII. to such as go in devotion to this church of Ballyvourney, in the diocese of Cloyne, on the festival-day of St. Gobnat, and who piously confess and receive Holy
one of St. Gobnet's penitential stations, there
being a stone near the supposed tower, which was called the "outward altar," and a
mound in the churchyard denominated, St. Gobnet's "inner altar. " These objects
were visited by pilgrims, who there made "rounds," or offered up prayers. These devotions were terminated, at St. Gobnet's Well, according to a statement of the Pro- testant Rector of the parish, Rev. Mr. Kil- chofiFer.
atthechurchesofBurneach now special honour, Bally-
—bratedwith
vourney at Ernuidhe, and at Moinmor. ^3 The two latter places have not been identified, with certainty. Her feast or natalis is marked, in the calendars, on the i ith of February.
his translation. See County Cork Letters, "curs, at nth February. " Mr, O'Donovan
Memorandums, Sketches and Ancient
appends a marginal note, to these remarks :
to 168. The
" Tubrit is
or '
the word to denote a and not the name of a
9 It seems strange, another writer, in the
manuscript volume referred to, states, that
near the ruins of a church, founded by St.
Abban, and presented to St. Gobnata, there
was a holy well, much resorted to, on the
nth of February, the festival of St. Gob- Communion. A copy of it will be found in
nata, as also on Whit-Monday.
" Regarding a mistake made in transmit-
ting information from this place, the same
the Lambeth Library, lib. N. N. numb. 77. Another copy will be found, in Trinity
College Library, Dublin, classed E. 2, 14. The conditions were, to visit the parish church of Ballyvourney, between the first
"
in the calendar, but, St, Gobnait no inogob-
writer adds :
I do not find any St. Tubrit
468 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [Februaryit.
called Carrig a Cushlaun, is shown, and a local tradition connects it, with St. Gobnat. Itissaid,thecastle,intendedtohavebeenbuiltthere,wasnever finished ; because the builders dared to work on her festival-day. After- wards, what they tried to build by day fell down during the night. An ancient bronze bell of St. Gobnate was preserved in Ballyvourney parish. ^s This, no doubt, had some special connexion, with the religious services, which were here practised. The mediseval building, which now stands, con- sisted of a nave and choir ; and, it is said by Smith, to have measured 1 04 feet in length, by 24 in breadth. The door was in the south side wall, and a few small windows lent a dim light to the interior. In the western gable
St. Gobnet's Church, Ballyvourney.
end oi St. Gobnat's old church,'^ there is a small square hole ; and, a round bowl of dark-coloured stone, i)olished and smooth as ivory, may be seen. About the beginning of the last century, this was found buried among some debris,nearthefoundationsoftheoldbuilding. This,too,hasitsassociated legend, and the people say, it was a missive, used by St. Gobnait, in levelling a castle, which some Pagan chief designed erecting on a neighbouring height. The mason-work, done by day, was destroyed each night, by a stroke from this bowl. ^7 This had been removed from its place,'^ and had been missing
vespers of the feast of St. Gobnata, to sun- set, on the clay of her feast, and there to
pray for peace among Christian princes, for
the extirpation of heresy, and for the exalta-
tion of our holy Mother the Church. This quary, and to be found among his manu- was given at Rome, at St. Mark's, under the
fisherman's seal, on the 12th day of July,
A. D. 1 601, and in the tenth year of Pope
Clement VIII. 's pontificate.
'5 A curious sketch of this object, by the
Cork antiquary, John Windale, will be affected.
found in a
Windale's
'** It is an old woman, who ex- said, by
perienced nothing but "ill-luck," until she brought it back.
manuscript, intituled, "Miscellany," now preserved among his manuscripts, in the Library of the Royal
Irish Academy.
'^ The accompanying illustration was
copied by Mr. Gregor Grey from an original
sketch, by John Windale, the Cork anti-
scripts in the Royal Irisli Academy. It has been engraved by Mr. Gregor Grey.
*7 Those persons, afflicted with sores, and
who came to perform penitential stations, were accustomed to rub it on the part
February ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 469
for a long time, but at last it was re:^>tored. In Ballyvourney parish, there
are two holy wells, called respectively, Toberaneena and Tobernasangny. '9 St. Gobnata may be considered as the special Patroness of Ballyvourney parish. In other parts of the south of Ireland, her veneration also extended. Thus, in the county of Waterford there is a mountainous parish, called Kil- gobonet, dedicated to this saint. Here, a cattle fair is held annually, on the nth of February. There is also a church called Kilgobinet, in Dun- kerron barony, county of Kerry ; and, no doubt, from the denomination, it had been dedicated to this saint.
In the tow—nland of Kilgobinet, Catholic parish of Ballygran—Protestant,
Corcomohide of barony
is
when many persons then come to pay rounds and pray at the well, and to in- voke the intercession of St. Gobinet or Deborah, as the saint is indifferently
In terms of the highest eulogy, we find this holy virgin commemorated, by St. ^ngus, in his " Feilire. '' =^3 The designation, Gobnat Ernaidhe, i
Muscraidhe Mitine, occurs, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,24 at the nth of February, The"CalendarofCashel"enters,atthesamedate,St. Gobnata,
the nun, of the village of Boirne, or Bairnigh, in Munster, and she belonged to the race of Conaire. Charles Maguire says likewise, at this day, Gobnata, of Ernuidhe—I know not where it is—or Gobnata, of Burneach of Moinm- hor, in the southern part of Ireland, and she is of the race of Conaire.
Marianus O'Gorman, also, states, St. Gobnata, virgin of Moinmor; her church lies in the southern part of Ireland. ^s
In the Martyrology of Donegal,^^ we read as having a festival on this
day, Gobnat, virgin, at M6in-m6r,=7 in the south of Erinn, is her church. ^^ Then is added, " and at Baile Mhuirne. " ^9 In Scotland, too, her memory
'9 See " of Cork INIemo- County Letters,
randums, Sketches, and Ancient Maps," vol. i. , pp. 297 to 306.
^°
In a letter, headed Kilbolane Cottage,
5. 111. 1-0. . ino ^obnAic co n-glAii bdil 1m|^e]\c 'oe bA h-ilTnAni
Charleville, dated August 9th, 1876, and
written by Mr. D. A. O'Leary, these parti-
culars were kindly transmitted to the writei".
"
Quite close to the well, on its eastern side, was a moat, known as Cnockan a Bou- chilli—the Boys' Fort—on which whosoever stood, on St. Gobinet's Day, would infallibly be married against that day twelvemonth. During the past two years, this moat has been levelled by parties carrying away gravel for road metal. Then a strange dis- covery was made, viz, : a large quantity of bones, skulls, &c. , were found, it being ap- parently a place of sepulture, at some remote
the oldest men now period —although living
never heard of any such. A portion of a
coffin and the breastplate of the same, were
found, as Mr. O'Leary was informed.
^'
rriAich bAif SlAefp oia 5A|\mAiin e-pptic eccen mmAin.
My Gobnat of chaste condition
In God's love she was a complete trea-
^-
Mr. Richard J. O'Mulrenin, of the R. I, A.
46, 47.
'^^ This place is said by W. ]\I, Hennessy
to be identical with Moinmore, near Mallow.
^^ Mr. Hennessy also appends the follow-
'*
So the writer has been inrormed, by
The following Irish stanza, for the nth
^3
of February, has been furnished from the
ing memorandum: iii6i]\ iti "Oeiixe^c,"
JobnAC og 1110111.
—and diocese of
Upper Connello, county Limerick,
""
St. Gobinet's
—Well. " a cattle-fair known as the fair of St.
Here, large
Gobinet'sWell" isannuallyheld,oneachrecurringfeast,nthofFebruary,
called here. ^*^ With the
paid here. ^' —There is no church or ruin nothing but the townland, well and fair day dedicated to St. Gobinet in this district. The name Gobnet has been Anglicised Judith, in the southern parts of Ireland, and under either form, it is in vogue among the female peasantry. ^^
exception
of this o—ne
" rounds " are now
day, rarely
" Leabhar with its transla- Ereac," En£,^lish
: tion, by Professor O'Looney —
sure, — He desired the guests
to invite them—
Bishop Etchen, the beloved,
^'^ Edited by Rev, Dr. Kelly, p, xv.
'*
^^ See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xi. Februarii, De S. Gobnata, Vir-
gine, et Abbatissa Bornicensi, n. 7, 8, 9, 10,
p. 315.
'-"^ Edited Drs. Todd and by
Reeves, pp.
470 LIVES01'THElEISHSAINTS. [February1 1,
^\'as revered. The holy virgin Gobnat departed to Christ, on the iii. Ides—
corresponding with the nth—of February, according to the Kalendar of Driimmond. 3° It is a matter for regret, that we cannot at present obtain further particulars regarding this very celebrated virgin, who must have been very greatly distinguished in her age, and among her contemporaries.
Article II. —St. Etch^enius, Etghen, Ecian or Echen, Bishop
AND Patron of Cluain-Foda, now Clonfad, Parish of Killucan, County of Westmeath. \_Stxth Centu7y. '] The Acts of St. Etchsenius,
Bishop of Clonfad, have been compiled by Colgan from various sources ; yet, they do not seem to be connected, in all passages, with strict adherence to chronological consistency, and to historic accounts. ' Besides this, the Bollandists have a historic commentary regarding this saint f but, it seems chiefly to be drawn from Colgan's Acts. The parents of St. Etchen were highly respectable, and even of princely rank. 3 His father's name was Manius, and he was surnamed Ecces or Ecceas,'* which' is interpreted to mean " the poet. " ^ His mother is called Briga. According to St. ^ngus, she was the daughter of Cobthac, son to Crimthann, son of Endeus Kennse- lach, son of Labrad, son to Bressal, son of Fiach, son to Cathirius, son of
Fethlim, son to Cormac, son of Niethcorb. She was also mother to St. .
A curious legend is related by the people at Ballyvourney, and it con- nects St. Abban with the place. It is said, a sister of St. Gobnait took ill of a fever, and at the same time, the death of St. Abban took place—where it occurred,however,doesnotseemtobeknown. Thecaoineorfuneralcry was raised by the mourners for his decease. St. Gobnait poured forth her prayers, that her sister might not hear it, lest her nervous system should be disturbed, and fatal results might then be expected to ensue. Her prayers were granted, and her sister never heard this caoifie. It is believed, by the
simple-minded people, that a person standing on that same spot afterwards, could not hear even the loudest thunder. ^^ Our saint is supposed to have
Sanctorum Hibernise," xi. Februarii. De south. See *' Ecclesiastical
History
of Ire«
S. Gobnata,Virgine,etAbbatissaBornicensi, land," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , sect, iv. , n. 50,
p. 315- P- 21.
^^ See it, among the saints passed over, or
left for another day, in their "Acta Sane-
torum," tomus ii. , Februarii xi. , p, 506.
3 He was son to Modh-Lamha, Monarch
Genealogical Sanctilogy" states, that Gobnat, of Boirenn, on the confines of
Muscraige-Mutine and of Eoganacht Loch- lein, belonged to the race of King Conaire, chap. xvii. The "Calendar of Cashel" coincides with this statement, as also the
" Martyrology of Donegal. "
s The account of Smith, is very inaccurate,
that she is said to be thedaughterof O'Connor Sligo. See "History of the County and
City of Cork," vol. i. , book ii. , chap, ii,, p. 185. But, according to Dr. Lanigan, this was contrary to every statement he had met with ; for she was certainly a native of the
So is her place called in the Calendar of Cashel, and in the "Genealogical Sancti* logy," chap. xvii.
? This is the reading preferred by Colgan.
of Erinn. ^ The "
^
So is it called, in the Latin Life of St.
Abban, published by Colgan, March.
at the i6th
of
9 See chapter xx. The reader will find
the Life of this holy abbot, in our collection, at the 27th of October,
'°
ItadjoinsthecountyofKerry. This extensive parish is described on the " Ord* nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cork. " Sheets 57, 58, 59, 68, 69, 70.
" See "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , cap. xvii. , n. 50, p. 2I.
'^
This legend was communicated in a letter, headed, Ballyvourney, and dated Oc- tober 4th, 1873.
464 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February1j.
flourished, after the early part of the sixth century ;^3 and to have been dis- tinguished, for her virtues and miracles. Some of the latter are related in the locality, as popular traditions. One legend is thus told. In the olden times, when Irish chieftains thought it justifiable to attack their neighbours, and to take away creaghts or cattle-spoils ; an invading chief and his host made a descent, on the country around Ballyvourney. St. Gobnet came, however, to deliver her people from this scourge. She is said to have held in her hand, at the time, a square box, or beehive, full of holes, at the sides. ^'^ These were so formed, that a bee flying could go in and out through them.
"
This instrument has been called, in Gaelic, the beachairc^ i. e. ,
hold bees. " It is supposed to have been soft and elastic. St. Gobnet prayed for some moments, when she saw the invader making towards her. After this, the bees flew out of their hive, and effectually stayed the ravages of the haughty chief. ^s
Another miracle related of her was, a staying of the progress of a pestilence in the eastern borders of the parish. She is said to have gone in person to the place, and to have marked it as consecrated ground, across which the plague durst not make it appearance. The spot is known ever since, by the
"
fact, that sickness of a pestilential character never since made its way there.
"
the town of the beloved," it hes six miles west of Macroom. ^7 In this small village, there is a ruined church, seated on a hill, to the south of the River Sullane,^^ which runs due east from this to Macroom, having its rise a little more to the west. This church was dedicated to St. Gobnata. The steeple was ready to fall with age, in the beginning of the last century. ^9 On the north side of the altar, there was a tomb of the O'Hierlys, who were the
2°
ancient proprietors of this rugged country. North of the river stood their
old castle, which is now a heap of stones. The Irish used to visit this place
on Whit-Mondays, as we are told by Smith, and on the 14th of February, which last is said to have been the patron-day of this saint. About thirty yards from the west end of the church, there was a small stone cross,^^ where
*3 This has been inferred from ^^ See by Colgan,
name, of Gorten-na-Plagha, or the
Field of the Plague. "' It is a well-known
In reference to St. Gobnat's Ballyvourney,^^ which Smith interprets
Smith,
the circumstance of St. Abban having been County and City of Cork," vol. i. , book
her contemporary, and because his master St. Ibar died a. d. 500. See "Acta Sane- torum Hibernise," xi. Februarii. De S. Gobnata, Virgine et Abbatissa Bornicensi, "• 5» P- 315-
'* The account herein contained has been furnished to the writer, by an inhabitant of Ballyvourney, in a letter, dated October 4th, 1873.
'5 The wardens of the old church at Bally-
voumey were in possession of this relic, until some one of the family of the O'Herlihys
took it away to Kerry. There it stayed
ever since, although the people of Bally-
voumey yet expect its recovery.
'^
ii. , chap, ii. , p. 185.
In a letter, received from Rev. John Lyons, C. C, of Inchigeelagh, and dated November 6th, 1873, in reference to the name of this he writes " It
wall, over a window, to the east of the door-
way, in the old church.
='
This has now disappeared, according to Mr. Windale's account,
'^~ also tied their handkerchiefs about They
the neck of this image, and this practice was
thought to serve as a preventive against various diseases.
'^ Smith adds " I have been informed, :
that the devotion used to this image, has
Ballyvourney, : cannot be determined from the word,
"voumey," whether the V is an aspirated b or m ; but, fortunately, there is a townland near, which is called mui^ne^c beg, this proves that the letter should be m not b. "
'^
The derivation of this stream is said to
be Suil abhan, "the eye of the river," as
being one of the principal tributaries to the
Les> according to John Windale, in one of
his " of Cork manuscripts, County
Topo- graphy," p. 281, now preserved in the Royal
Irish Academy.
'^ When Mr. Windale visited this place,
several years ago, this tower had fallen, and was reduced to a mere heap of stones, ac- cording to his manuscript "County of Cork Topography," p. 286.
-°
The effigy of St. Gobnat is shown in a
something to
in his " of the History
I
February ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 465
her rood or image was set up, on those days. Here devotees—the more simple and humble Irish-speaking people—went round it on their knees, and
repeated a certain number of prayers. ^^ The Catholic Bishop of Cloyne diocese had, however, sought to put an end to these formulas of popular veneration. ^3 Near this cross, there is a stone, fixed in the ground, and worn by the knees of those, who come here in pilgrimage. Adjacent, there is a well, dedicated to St. Gobnet ; the water is pure, soft and light. A little
^^'i<5 . ,.
St, Gobnct's Cloghaun, Ballyvourney.
to the north of this well, there is a circle of stones. This is about two feet high, and about nine feet in diameter. It seems to be, according to Smith, the foundation for one of the small round towers, placed in churchyards ; and,
" the circle," =4 round this, and the well, there are paths worn by the knees of voteeiis. The image was kept in a chest very private, and never exposed,
but upon festival days, and when it was carried to sick people. ^s At one time, it had been taken to Bandon, and only after very energetic efforts, on the part of a parish priest, at Ballyvourney, was it restored. ^^ The church
Mr. Windale calls the ulla or it,
Tullig uacht? 'a,
which
means,
upper
been, of late, prohibited by the titular bishop of the diocese ; but, so strong are the ig- norant Irish prejudiced in its favour, that they still persevere in their superstition, which is not a little kept up by the gain it brings to the proprietor of this image, who, as I hear, farms it at a considerable—rent to
of Dublin. Three old trees were within it, when visited by Mr. Windale ; at present the number seems diminished to a single tree.
^5 When Charles Smith, the historian, was there, the person, in charge of it, in- formed him, this image had been carried
the person who exposes n. 25, p. 185.
it to view. "
Ibid. ,
into an Iveleary,
adjacent
wild to be tract,
=4 This object is represented in George V. Du Noyer's Sketches of Irish Antiquities, and it is called St. Gobinet's Cloghaun. See vol. iv. , No. 11. It is represented, in
the annexed engraving, by Mr. Gregor Grev Vol. II.
sworn upon.
""^ It is now kept in the vestry of the Ca-
tholic church, at Ballyvourney, and only ex- posed to viev/, on the saint's patron day, February the nth.
2 H
4^6 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [Fkbruaryii.
of St. Gobnet there is seated on a small green spot, on the side of a hill. Thence, there is a fine view of the Kerry mountains, which extend in im- menserangesseveralmiles,fromnorthtosouth. Thesedividetwocounties. They are mostly rude, naked rocks, of a prodigious height, being worn into numberless furrows, by torrents, which, for so many ages, have been flowing down their sides. ='7
CHAPTER II.
Antiquities at ballyvourney—st. gobnat's virtues and death—legends re- lating TO her—places and objects dedicated to her me*iory—her fes- tival—conclusion.
In the central part of Ballyvourney parish, some antiquarian objects, con- nected with St. Gobnet, or Gobnata, are still to be noticed. ' Several obser-
vations, regarding these ancient remains, to which we have already alluded, are to be found in the " Cork Letters, Memorandums, Sketches and Ancient
^
Maps," whichbelongedtotheIrishOrdnanceSurveyOffice. 3 Suchnotices
are accompanied by an excellent ground plan, representing the enclosure of a graveyard, nearly oblong in shape, and containing traces of ruined old church foundations adjoining, but rather to the rere of a modern church. This trace appears to represent a riave and chancel. '^ In front of the modern church, there is an object called St. Gobnet's Flag or Inner Altar. Im-
mediately without the entrance to this graveyard, are marked, in a circular shape, some ruins of what has been thought to be an ancient round tower, withtreesgrowinginthecentreofthos—eremains. Besidethisobject,there
*'
is another, called the Outward Altar" it is to be presumed of St. Gobnet.
Near the glebe house, and without the graveyard, is represented St. Gobnet's Well, and beside a tree, which overshadows it. On another corner of this plan, there is a representation of St. Gobnet's Stone,s in Killen townland. ^
**
'7 See 'Charles Smith's
County and City of Cork," vol. i. , book ii. , chap. . ii. , pp. 18—5, 186, 187.
"^
Chapter ii. By referring to the Ord-
nance Survey Index Map of Cork, and to Sheet 58, of the Townland Survey, for the same county, their position will be seen.
=* Vol. i.
3 These are now preserved in the Royal Irish Academy.
he be found in the morning by the workmen, but running around the intended church.
As a warning to all other thieves, his effigy
"* Some of the local
legends,
related of St.
This curious effigy is known to-day, by the
name, jADAige 5obnAC<\, or "Gobnata's
thief. "
5 Information had been furnished, by
John Healy, of Killeen, in this part of the country, that while removing some earth, near St.
Gobnet's Stone, he met with several graves, that contained human skulls and bones. He had no doubt, this was the site of an ancient burial-ground. This same man declared, there had been formerly a well, in Killeen townland ; but, as it had been closed up, no trace of it is now visible, He said, it had no particular name, and that it was not dedicated to St. Gobnet.
^
There is a stone at Clondrohid Glebe, called by the peasantry, "St. Gobinet's Stone. " Itwasfixedintheground,alittle to the west of Clondrohid church, in the year 1844. The English name of St. Gobi- net, or Gobnet, is said to be St. Abigail, by Rev. John T. Kyle of Clondrohid Rectory ;
Gobnate and of her church, by the pea-
santry, are exceedingly whimsical. One of
them is thus told. In the eastern end of
the old church, there is an effigy in relief, and worked into the wall. This is said to
have been an image of a thief, who essayed to steal the tools of the masons, while work-
ing at the building. One night, he came to its half-finished wall, and he found before him a white mare, which the masons and tradesmen had for working and carrying stones. He at once mounted the mare and took away the tools. He galloped on at a very smart pace, during the whole night ; still, to his great astonishment, where should
History of tlie
was cut in stone, and placed
in the wall,
l^EBRUARY 11. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 4(^7
On the upper part of this stone may be seen a Maltese cross, within a circular
compartment. 7 Again, this is surmounted by a figure, greatly disproportioned, and holding a short crozier, in the right hand, which is extended before the
breast. It appears intended to have represented St. Gobnata, as the general characteristics of drapery resemble female attire. About a. d. 1844, when the sketch and accompanying papers seem to have been' drawn up, the so- called round tower remains were only about two feet in height, and twelve in diameter. ^
Three stunted lime trees grew within the enclosure of that circle, which
some have been disposed to consider the round tower walls, and their bark
used to be stripped off every year, for purposes best known to the people. According to the Rev. Mr. Kilchoffer, St. Gobnet's Well was a place of
great resort, on Whit-Sunday, as also on the 12 th of February, which is said to have been called the day of this saint. 9 However, such a statement does not accord with that contained in the calendars. '"^
St. Gobnate's pure mind continually burned, with the flames of Divine
love ;" nor, can we doubt, that the holy woman, while securing for herself
that glow of heavenly consolation, was not wanting, in the discharge of those duties she owed to others. The exact date for her death does not
seem to be known ; but, it happened, most probably, during the sixth cen- tury. She was considered the patron saint of Muskerry," and—her festival
was cele
From the following local tradition, it may be inferred, that the saint's day was formerly kept at Ballyvourney, as a holyday, with an obligation to hear Mass, and to abstain from all servile works. '4 The site of a castle,
but Mr. O'Donovan doubts the propriety of nait aqus ErnaigJithe ainm in Baile ata oc- "
vol.
object onthe "Town- land Ordnance Survey Maps for the County
ofCork. " Sheet70.
7 A rough drawing of this object appears.
Maps,"
ii. , pp. 164
only well,'
in
question
isfound
engraved
'spring,' saint. "
^
This spot was visited by devotees, as
"Thismaybegleaned,fromastatement
regarding her, in the " Feilire " of St.
ylingus,
" Dr. Geoffrey Keating, in his " General
History of Ireland," when enumerating the patron saints of particular Irish famihes and
districts, says, that St. Gobnata was recog- nised as patroness of MuskryMac-Diarmuid. See book ii. , p. 391.
'3 The reader is referred to subsequent
calendar notices, for confirmation of this
statement. We think, however, that here, there are some mistakes, regarding identifi- cation.
^^ An indulgence was granted by Pope Clement VIII. to such as go in devotion to this church of Ballyvourney, in the diocese of Cloyne, on the festival-day of St. Gobnat, and who piously confess and receive Holy
one of St. Gobnet's penitential stations, there
being a stone near the supposed tower, which was called the "outward altar," and a
mound in the churchyard denominated, St. Gobnet's "inner altar. " These objects
were visited by pilgrims, who there made "rounds," or offered up prayers. These devotions were terminated, at St. Gobnet's Well, according to a statement of the Pro- testant Rector of the parish, Rev. Mr. Kil- chofiFer.
atthechurchesofBurneach now special honour, Bally-
—bratedwith
vourney at Ernuidhe, and at Moinmor. ^3 The two latter places have not been identified, with certainty. Her feast or natalis is marked, in the calendars, on the i ith of February.
his translation. See County Cork Letters, "curs, at nth February. " Mr, O'Donovan
Memorandums, Sketches and Ancient
appends a marginal note, to these remarks :
to 168. The
" Tubrit is
or '
the word to denote a and not the name of a
9 It seems strange, another writer, in the
manuscript volume referred to, states, that
near the ruins of a church, founded by St.
Abban, and presented to St. Gobnata, there
was a holy well, much resorted to, on the
nth of February, the festival of St. Gob- Communion. A copy of it will be found in
nata, as also on Whit-Monday.
" Regarding a mistake made in transmit-
ting information from this place, the same
the Lambeth Library, lib. N. N. numb. 77. Another copy will be found, in Trinity
College Library, Dublin, classed E. 2, 14. The conditions were, to visit the parish church of Ballyvourney, between the first
"
in the calendar, but, St, Gobnait no inogob-
writer adds :
I do not find any St. Tubrit
468 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [Februaryit.
called Carrig a Cushlaun, is shown, and a local tradition connects it, with St. Gobnat. Itissaid,thecastle,intendedtohavebeenbuiltthere,wasnever finished ; because the builders dared to work on her festival-day. After- wards, what they tried to build by day fell down during the night. An ancient bronze bell of St. Gobnate was preserved in Ballyvourney parish. ^s This, no doubt, had some special connexion, with the religious services, which were here practised. The mediseval building, which now stands, con- sisted of a nave and choir ; and, it is said by Smith, to have measured 1 04 feet in length, by 24 in breadth. The door was in the south side wall, and a few small windows lent a dim light to the interior. In the western gable
St. Gobnet's Church, Ballyvourney.
end oi St. Gobnat's old church,'^ there is a small square hole ; and, a round bowl of dark-coloured stone, i)olished and smooth as ivory, may be seen. About the beginning of the last century, this was found buried among some debris,nearthefoundationsoftheoldbuilding. This,too,hasitsassociated legend, and the people say, it was a missive, used by St. Gobnait, in levelling a castle, which some Pagan chief designed erecting on a neighbouring height. The mason-work, done by day, was destroyed each night, by a stroke from this bowl. ^7 This had been removed from its place,'^ and had been missing
vespers of the feast of St. Gobnata, to sun- set, on the clay of her feast, and there to
pray for peace among Christian princes, for
the extirpation of heresy, and for the exalta-
tion of our holy Mother the Church. This quary, and to be found among his manu- was given at Rome, at St. Mark's, under the
fisherman's seal, on the 12th day of July,
A. D. 1 601, and in the tenth year of Pope
Clement VIII. 's pontificate.
'5 A curious sketch of this object, by the
Cork antiquary, John Windale, will be affected.
found in a
Windale's
'** It is an old woman, who ex- said, by
perienced nothing but "ill-luck," until she brought it back.
manuscript, intituled, "Miscellany," now preserved among his manuscripts, in the Library of the Royal
Irish Academy.
'^ The accompanying illustration was
copied by Mr. Gregor Grey from an original
sketch, by John Windale, the Cork anti-
scripts in the Royal Irisli Academy. It has been engraved by Mr. Gregor Grey.
*7 Those persons, afflicted with sores, and
who came to perform penitential stations, were accustomed to rub it on the part
February ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 469
for a long time, but at last it was re:^>tored. In Ballyvourney parish, there
are two holy wells, called respectively, Toberaneena and Tobernasangny. '9 St. Gobnata may be considered as the special Patroness of Ballyvourney parish. In other parts of the south of Ireland, her veneration also extended. Thus, in the county of Waterford there is a mountainous parish, called Kil- gobonet, dedicated to this saint. Here, a cattle fair is held annually, on the nth of February. There is also a church called Kilgobinet, in Dun- kerron barony, county of Kerry ; and, no doubt, from the denomination, it had been dedicated to this saint.
In the tow—nland of Kilgobinet, Catholic parish of Ballygran—Protestant,
Corcomohide of barony
is
when many persons then come to pay rounds and pray at the well, and to in- voke the intercession of St. Gobinet or Deborah, as the saint is indifferently
In terms of the highest eulogy, we find this holy virgin commemorated, by St. ^ngus, in his " Feilire. '' =^3 The designation, Gobnat Ernaidhe, i
Muscraidhe Mitine, occurs, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,24 at the nth of February, The"CalendarofCashel"enters,atthesamedate,St. Gobnata,
the nun, of the village of Boirne, or Bairnigh, in Munster, and she belonged to the race of Conaire. Charles Maguire says likewise, at this day, Gobnata, of Ernuidhe—I know not where it is—or Gobnata, of Burneach of Moinm- hor, in the southern part of Ireland, and she is of the race of Conaire.
Marianus O'Gorman, also, states, St. Gobnata, virgin of Moinmor; her church lies in the southern part of Ireland. ^s
In the Martyrology of Donegal,^^ we read as having a festival on this
day, Gobnat, virgin, at M6in-m6r,=7 in the south of Erinn, is her church. ^^ Then is added, " and at Baile Mhuirne. " ^9 In Scotland, too, her memory
'9 See " of Cork INIemo- County Letters,
randums, Sketches, and Ancient Maps," vol. i. , pp. 297 to 306.
^°
In a letter, headed Kilbolane Cottage,
5. 111. 1-0. . ino ^obnAic co n-glAii bdil 1m|^e]\c 'oe bA h-ilTnAni
Charleville, dated August 9th, 1876, and
written by Mr. D. A. O'Leary, these parti-
culars were kindly transmitted to the writei".
"
Quite close to the well, on its eastern side, was a moat, known as Cnockan a Bou- chilli—the Boys' Fort—on which whosoever stood, on St. Gobinet's Day, would infallibly be married against that day twelvemonth. During the past two years, this moat has been levelled by parties carrying away gravel for road metal. Then a strange dis- covery was made, viz, : a large quantity of bones, skulls, &c. , were found, it being ap- parently a place of sepulture, at some remote
the oldest men now period —although living
never heard of any such. A portion of a
coffin and the breastplate of the same, were
found, as Mr. O'Leary was informed.
^'
rriAich bAif SlAefp oia 5A|\mAiin e-pptic eccen mmAin.
My Gobnat of chaste condition
In God's love she was a complete trea-
^-
Mr. Richard J. O'Mulrenin, of the R. I, A.
46, 47.
'^^ This place is said by W. ]\I, Hennessy
to be identical with Moinmore, near Mallow.
^^ Mr. Hennessy also appends the follow-
'*
So the writer has been inrormed, by
The following Irish stanza, for the nth
^3
of February, has been furnished from the
ing memorandum: iii6i]\ iti "Oeiixe^c,"
JobnAC og 1110111.
—and diocese of
Upper Connello, county Limerick,
""
St. Gobinet's
—Well. " a cattle-fair known as the fair of St.
Here, large
Gobinet'sWell" isannuallyheld,oneachrecurringfeast,nthofFebruary,
called here. ^*^ With the
paid here. ^' —There is no church or ruin nothing but the townland, well and fair day dedicated to St. Gobinet in this district. The name Gobnet has been Anglicised Judith, in the southern parts of Ireland, and under either form, it is in vogue among the female peasantry. ^^
exception
of this o—ne
" rounds " are now
day, rarely
" Leabhar with its transla- Ereac," En£,^lish
: tion, by Professor O'Looney —
sure, — He desired the guests
to invite them—
Bishop Etchen, the beloved,
^'^ Edited by Rev, Dr. Kelly, p, xv.
'*
^^ See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xi. Februarii, De S. Gobnata, Vir-
gine, et Abbatissa Bornicensi, n. 7, 8, 9, 10,
p. 315.
'-"^ Edited Drs. Todd and by
Reeves, pp.
470 LIVES01'THElEISHSAINTS. [February1 1,
^\'as revered. The holy virgin Gobnat departed to Christ, on the iii. Ides—
corresponding with the nth—of February, according to the Kalendar of Driimmond. 3° It is a matter for regret, that we cannot at present obtain further particulars regarding this very celebrated virgin, who must have been very greatly distinguished in her age, and among her contemporaries.
Article II. —St. Etch^enius, Etghen, Ecian or Echen, Bishop
AND Patron of Cluain-Foda, now Clonfad, Parish of Killucan, County of Westmeath. \_Stxth Centu7y. '] The Acts of St. Etchsenius,
Bishop of Clonfad, have been compiled by Colgan from various sources ; yet, they do not seem to be connected, in all passages, with strict adherence to chronological consistency, and to historic accounts. ' Besides this, the Bollandists have a historic commentary regarding this saint f but, it seems chiefly to be drawn from Colgan's Acts. The parents of St. Etchen were highly respectable, and even of princely rank. 3 His father's name was Manius, and he was surnamed Ecces or Ecceas,'* which' is interpreted to mean " the poet. " ^ His mother is called Briga. According to St. ^ngus, she was the daughter of Cobthac, son to Crimthann, son of Endeus Kennse- lach, son of Labrad, son to Bressal, son of Fiach, son to Cathirius, son of
Fethlim, son to Cormac, son of Niethcorb. She was also mother to St. .
