This he constantly received, and to
practise
the virtue of mortification in a super- natural manner, without any other food, he remained for several successive days.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v7
Samson.
In the British and Irish Churches, his Office of Nine Lessons had been recited, on the day of his festival, as we find on consulting old records.
Likewise, in the ancient Breviaries of Dol, of Leon, and ofSaint-Brieuc, at the 28th of July, there are nineLessons.
TherearetwelveLessonsinaBreviaryconnectedwiththe AbbeyofSt.
M£en.
HismemoryiscelebratedintheBreviariesofNantes, of Quimper, of Rennes, of Treguier, and of Orleans.
The Bollandists 7° give proper portions of a Mass, which had been celebrated on his festival, and from a Codex Sacramentorum, which had been printed by Ratold, Abbot ot Corbie, so early as 1480.
St.
Samson is honoured with a proper office, as well in the Sarum Liturgy, as in the Breviaries of Paris, and as in those of divers other churches.
His Natalis is universally celebrated on the 28th of July.
The name of this holy bishop occurs in our Irish Calendars, because
1
his education had been received in Ireland. ?
saint, however, at the 28th of July, in the published Martyrology of Tallagh. Heismissing,likewise,fromtheMartyrologyofDonegal. Itisremarkable, moreover, that in none of the classic or well-known Martyrologies is the name of Samson included ; as in those of Venerable Bede, of Florus, of Wandel-
a
bert, of Ado, of Raban, and of Notker. 7
festival is entered, at the 28th of July. In the Kalendarium de Hyrdmanis- town,73 in the Kalendarium De Nova Farina,74 in the Kalendarium de Arbuthnott,75 and in the Kalendarium Breviarii Aberdonensis,? 6 we find
place.
as St. Samson's de South
66 Letter addressed to the writer,
John W. Hanna, and headed, Downpatrick,
30th of May, 1872.
67 According to a writ directed to the
sheriff of Cornwall, for levying a subsidy of
,£50,000, granted to King Edward III. See "
11 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nise," xxix. Januarii. Vita S. Gildae Badonici, Abbatis et Confessoris, n. 8, pp. 188, 189.
^ See Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Julii xxviii. De S. Samsone Episcopo Conf. Dolae in Britannia Armorica.
by
Mr.
Carew's Survey of Cornwall," p. 442. Commentarius Prsevius, sect, ii. , num. 10,
Edition of 181 1.
p. 569.
73 Thus : "28th. v. Kal. Sancti Psamp-
sonisEpiscopi. " See Bishop Forbes' "Kalen- dars of Scottish Saints," p. 42.
74 Thus " 28 v. Kal. Sampsonis Epis-
:
copi. " See ibid. , p. 73.
"Thus: " 28 v. Kal. S. Sampsonis Epis-
copi. " See ibid. , p. 102.
? 6 Thus: " 28th v. Kal. Sampsonis Epis-
68 This is a compound of two Cornish "
words, Gol, "holy," and Lan, an enclo- sure. "
6» See Rev. John Adam's " Life of St. Samson. "
7° See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Julii xxviii. De S. Samsone Episcopo Conf. Dolse in Britannia Armorica, p. 591.
68 and this was its probably
There is no mention of this
In the Scottish Calendars, his
432 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [July 28.
records of his festival. In his Menologium Scotorum, Dempster has St.
SampsonenteredforSt. Samson,atthe28thofJuly. 77 Hisfeastisassignedto
thev. ofthe withthe28thof 8 Inthe August Kalends, corresponding July. ?
imperfect Calendar of Irish Saints, in what is called the Breviary of Kil- moon,79 B. 1. 5. T. C. D. , St. Samson is noted, at this date. There was an office of Three Lessons for St. Samson, Bishop and Confessor, at the Fifth of the August Kalends, or 28th of July, according to the Calendar in the Trinity College Manuscript, Dublin, classed B. 3. 18, 19. Parts i. andii. of the Sarum Breviary, England. This is mentioned in the second part. His festival is noted
at this same
in the of 8° of Ado,81 of 82
of Martyrology,
many
8* at the 28th of
place Sampson, Bishop,
Saussay,
date,
83 and of
Martyrologies Usuard,
others. St. Samson has a
Bucelin, in the Roman
July. June
Dean 86 of 87 of Rev. Alban Cressy, Bishop Challenor,
at the 28th of
in the Saurum 8* In the succinct Breviary.
DolaeSampsonisepiscopi,qui
with
tation, is in a tolerably perfect state. On
Responses,
margin
Piety,"
of the Manuscript, at St.
book xi. , chap, xxviii. , pp. 252, 253. 8? See "A Memorial of British
the
Patrick's office, there are additional glosses.
80 Thus " In Britannia minori, Dolo :
monasterio, S. Samsonis episcopi et con- fessoris. "
81 One copy (Morinensis) has: "In Bri- tannia minore Dolo monasterio, S. Sam-
sonis episcopi et confessoris, cujus beatitu-
pp. 109, no.
" See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs
and other principal Saints," vol. vii. , July xxviii.
8s> See "Vies des Saints pour tous les Jours de l'Annde," tome iv. , xxviii* Jour de Juillet, p. 277.
nam cuminnumeris refulgeat virtutibus, speciali-
9° See "Lives of the vol. [Saints,"
July 20th, p. 602.
dinem miraculorum gloria testatur ;
vii. ,
For St.
there was a
proper prayer,
Calendar, prefixed to the " Heures de Nostre-Dame a l'usage du Mans," we find the feast of S. Samson, at Jvillet 28. At the 28th of July, likewise, in all the saint-writers, the festival of St. Samson is noted ;
Rohrbacher,89 and of Rev. S. Baring-Gould. 9°
There can be no doubt, that this celebrated saint was one of the most perfect
and admirable prelates in his day ; for, he laboured with unremitting zeal to extend the kingdom of Christ upon earth. It seems incredible, how he had
been able to accomplish such great things for God's glory, while he brought so many souls on the road to salvation. The great secret lay in the care he had for his own personal sanctification j and, his whole life is filled with examples of those solid virtues, which from youth he so perseveringly culti- vated. With him self-government was thoroughly predominant, and he never
copi in dup. , iii. lect. " See ibid. , p. 118.
"
? 7 Thus:
sanctorum Brandani et Maclouii discipulus, Gallicanam—monarchiam mentis suis illus- trat. VV. " Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 207.
78 Among the Trinity College Antiphona- riums, classed B. 1. 3. , there is a notice, at this date, that his office as a Bishop and Confessor contained ix. Lessons. Also, in that classed B. 1. 4. , and B. 1. 5. , similar information is given, with allusion to its being a Duplex, and having an Invitatorium. A " Breviarium Romanum," classed B. 3. 9. , and another B. 3. 13. , have our saint on their Calendars at this date.
79 The page of its Calendar remaining is so stained or written in such pale ink, as to be almost illegible. In many instances, the characters are quite effaced. In it, an office for St. Patrick, consisting of Nine Lessons,
Antiphons, and musical no-
ter tamen mortuos tres ante obitum, unum
vero post ad vitam perduxit, quod postre- mum Aurelianensibus innotuit miraculum. " In the more ancient copies, however, the name of St. Samson does not appear to have
received either notice or insertion. 82 "
as in the works of
Butler,
88 ofTAbbd
In his MartyrologiumBenedictinum. "
83 "
In his Martyrologium Gallicanum. "
8*Thus: "InBritanniamiuorisanc—ti Sampsoni Episcopi et Confessoris. "
" Martyrologium Romanum Gregorii XIII. jussu editum Urbani VIII. et ClementisX. ," p. 109. Romae, 1878, fol.
8$ A new edition of this work has been
edited by Rev. Francis Procter, A. M. ,
and Rev. Christopher Wordsworth, A. M. ,
and it was published at Cambridge, 1879, 1882, and 1886, in three 8vo volumes, under
'*
K See his " of Church-History Brittany,"
the title to each Fasciculus of
ad Usum Insignis Ecclesiae Sarum. " See Fasc. iii. , col. 557.
Breviarium
July 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 433
ceasedtowaragainsteverytemptationtosin. Inprayerandretreat,heloved to spend a great part of his precious time ; while such habits served to refresh his soul for the active pursuits of his most useful ministry. Not only Chris- tians but pagans were brought by him to a sense of their evil ways. During Lent,heretiredfromallconversationwithmen. Hesoughtsomeremote place,wherehemightconversewithGodalone. Inhisselectedsolitude,he was miraculously sustained until Easter came round, by offering the Divine Oblation, that is to say, by partaking solely of the Blessed Sacrament.
This he constantly received, and to practise the virtue of mortification in a super- natural manner, without any other food, he remained for several successive days. His gift of miracles was often exercised. He gave sight to the blind, he cleansed the lepers, and he cast out devils. Even, he is related to have raisedthedeadtolife. ThemostnotedhagiographershaveplacedtheActsof St. Samson among their sacred biographies, nor can we conceive any that are more edifying and instructive. To recount all that has been written regarding him should require a still greater detail, than could well be presented in the foregoing narrative.
Article II. —St. Colman, or Comhghall, of Gabla liuin, or Gob-
in Dartraighe Coininnsi. In the of 1 we Martyrology Tallagh,
halliuin,
find entered at the 28th of July, Colman, of Gabla liuin. Although the names are quite different, we cannot doubt but one and the same saint is
2
meant in a later Calendar. In the Martyrology of Donegal, at this same
date, the name recorded is Comhghall, of Gobhal-liuin, in Dartraighe Cin- innsi. This district is at the head of Loch Eirne, adds the Calendarist. It is identified with Galloon parish, in the county of Fermanagh. 3 In one instance, there is mention of an Abbot * of Cluain-mac-Nois, and of Daim- hinis, said to have belonged to the sept of Dartraighe Daimhinsi, which meansDartryofDevenish. But,wearetoldonhighauthority,thatthisis clearly a mistake for Dartraighe-Coininnsi,s which was an ancient name for
6
There is a townland called Gubalaun, in the parish of Rossinver, barony of Rosclogher,
last named was also called 8 and Dartry,
the barony of Dartry, in the south-west of Monaghan County.
and of Leitrim. ? The county
barony
sometimes Dartraighe Mag-Fhlannchaidh 9 in West Breifne, to the north of
10 I incline to the sought for within this latter district.
the
saint's must be place
Leitrim
County.
opinion,
present
"
Article ii. — Edited by Rev. Dr. this territory. See Dr. O'Donovan's Leah*
Kelly, p. xxx.
2 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves. See
h&\\ na j;-Ce^\c, or the Book of Rights, p. 153, n. (i).
Appendix to the Introduction, p. xlvii. , and pp. 204, 205.
6
See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
3 See " Letters containing Information re-
Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (x), pp. 510, 511, 7 See " General Alphabetical Index to the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Baro-
nies of Ireland," p. 521.
8 See " The Poems of Topographical
John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O'Huidhrin," edited by Dr. John O'Dono- van, p. xxxvii. , n. 268.
9 This was the Mac Clancy family name,
They are now more generally called Clancy, without the prefix of Mac.
10 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , n. (d), p. 679, and
lative to the Antiquities of the County of
Fermanagh, collected during the Progress of
the Irish Ordnance in Survey
1834-5. " Letter of John O'Donovan, dated March
26th, 1835, p. 127.
4 This was Martin, a learned scribe who
died A. D. 867. See Colgan's "Trias Thau- maturga," Appendix Quinta ad Acta S. Brigidae, cap. 2, p. 632.
5 According to O'Dubhagain, the sept of O'Baeigheallain—now O'Boylan—ruled in
IE
434 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 28.
Article III. —St. Lenican or Liuican, said to be of Killucan,
CountyofWestmeath. Inthe of as 1 St. Martyrology Tallagh, published,
Lenican—probably a typographical error—is entered on this day. But, in
2
the Martyrology of Donegal, at the 28th of July, is inserted, Liuican.
Marianus O'Gorman and the Martyrology of Tallagh seem cited, in confirma- tion of this latter statement. The Rev. Mervyn Archdall 3 and Rev. Anthony Cogan state, that St. Luican founded an abbey at Killucan or Killuquin, in the barony of Farbill, a few miles east of Mullingar, in the county of West- meath, and at an early period. 4
Article IV. —St. Furudrain, or Furadhran. At the 28th of July, 12
the Martyrology of Tallagh enters Furudrainus, and that of Donegal records a festival, in honour of St. Furadhran, without any further designation, unless the letter S. postfixed to his name in the Tallagh Martyrology be interpreted
" tosignifySacerdos,meaning apriest. "
Article V. —St. Uisseoit, of Druim Uisseoit. We find recorded
1
intheMartyrologyofTallagh, atthe28thofJuly,thatvenerationwasgiven
to a saint named Uisseoit. At the same date, in the of 2 Martyrology Donegal,
the name is entered as Uis-seoit, of Druim Uisseoit. Wherever this place
was situated, it appears to have derived its name from the present saint.
However, we cannot find any near approach to it in spelling, among the etymons -of localities, in any part of Ireland.
1
Article VI. —St. Celsus. The simple entry, Celsus, appears in the
of 2 at the 28th of Moreover, Marianus O'Gorman Martyrology Donegal, July.
seems to be cited, as authority for this statement ; but, we have no means left for discovering who this holy man had been, or when he flourished.
Article VII. —Festival of St. Theophilus. In the ancient Irish
also vol. vii. Ind Locorum,
by
pp.
Article ill. Kelly, p. xxx.
a
x
p. 46. Edited by Rev. Dr.
—ex ibid. ,
Edited
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. •204, 205.
3 See "Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 721.
4 See "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and •Modern," vol. iii. , chap, lxxiv. , p. 579.
In the
Breac "copy is the following stanza; the
Article iv. — ' Edited
cAm-olech
Dr. 3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
Kelly, p. xxx.
by
Edited by Rev. Dr.
204, 205. Article v.
Kelly, p. xxx.
—x
2
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
204, 205.
Article vi. — ' A note
by
Rev. Dr.
ToddstatesatCelsus "Thisnameandthe :
next, with the authorities annexed, are in the second hand. "
p.
cxii.
2" It is thus prin—ted :
Rev.
2
Drs. Todd and Reeves,
"
Leabhar translation int—o English is by Whitley
Stokes, LL. D.
1 fAt>bub Acobai r\
ConArluaguo
Ceophil cop oip Ainglech pancAleo LAint>pecVi.
" withhis radiant
Vast is his aid, hosting :
Theophilus,—angelic tower ofgold : Pantaleo the lucid. " "Transactions of the Royal
Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series,
vol. i. , i. On the Calendar of Oengus, part
204, 205. Article vii.
—
«
:
pus antiochiae. " p. Ibid. , exxi.
Teophil . i.
episco-
July 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 435
Church, there was a festival at the 28th of July, to commemorate St. Theo- philus,aswefind,fromthe"Feilire"r ofSt. JEngus. Acommentis added,2 which may help to identify him. The Bollandists have a festival for a St. Theophilus and for other holy Martyrs, at Laodicea, for this date. 3 Their ac- count is taken from the Martyrology of St. Jerome ; yet, little seems to be known regarding these soldiers of Christ.
Article VIII. —Festival of St. Pantaleon, Martyr. At the 28th
of intheancientIrishChurch,wefindintheMFeilire"l ofSt. July,
^Engus, thatSt. Pantaleonwashonouredwithacommemoration. Ascholionaffixed
states, he was a martyr, and that he suffered in Nicomedia. 2 This entry seems to have been taken from the ancient copies of St. Jerome's Martyr- ology. However, the Bollandists,3 who refer to his commemoration at this date, remark, that in the Roman Martyrology,4 his feast is assigned to the 27th of July, on which day they have also treated his Acts,3 and at con- siderable length.
Article IX. —Reputed Feast of St. Tessan, or Tressan. The entry
of St. Tessan's feast by Camerarius, at the 28th of July, is supposed by the
1
Bollandists as having reference to St. Tressan, the brother of St. Gibrian,
and whose festival more belongs to the 7 th of 2 At this properly February.
date, the Acts of St. Tressan have been already inserted. Those of St. Gibrian may be found, at the 8th of May,3 which is the date for his festival.
Article X. —Reputed Feast for a Translation of St. Livinus'
Relics, Ghent, Belgium. In his Menologium Scotorum, Thomas Dempster, at the 25th of July, has a Feast for the Translation of St. Livinus' Relics at Ghent. 1 The chief festival for this renowned saint is held on the 1 2 th of November, at which date his Life may be seen.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. ,
XIII. ," &c, p. 108. Romse, 1878, fol. 5 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus
xxviii.
1
his education had been received in Ireland. ?
saint, however, at the 28th of July, in the published Martyrology of Tallagh. Heismissing,likewise,fromtheMartyrologyofDonegal. Itisremarkable, moreover, that in none of the classic or well-known Martyrologies is the name of Samson included ; as in those of Venerable Bede, of Florus, of Wandel-
a
bert, of Ado, of Raban, and of Notker. 7
festival is entered, at the 28th of July. In the Kalendarium de Hyrdmanis- town,73 in the Kalendarium De Nova Farina,74 in the Kalendarium de Arbuthnott,75 and in the Kalendarium Breviarii Aberdonensis,? 6 we find
place.
as St. Samson's de South
66 Letter addressed to the writer,
John W. Hanna, and headed, Downpatrick,
30th of May, 1872.
67 According to a writ directed to the
sheriff of Cornwall, for levying a subsidy of
,£50,000, granted to King Edward III. See "
11 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nise," xxix. Januarii. Vita S. Gildae Badonici, Abbatis et Confessoris, n. 8, pp. 188, 189.
^ See Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Julii xxviii. De S. Samsone Episcopo Conf. Dolae in Britannia Armorica.
by
Mr.
Carew's Survey of Cornwall," p. 442. Commentarius Prsevius, sect, ii. , num. 10,
Edition of 181 1.
p. 569.
73 Thus : "28th. v. Kal. Sancti Psamp-
sonisEpiscopi. " See Bishop Forbes' "Kalen- dars of Scottish Saints," p. 42.
74 Thus " 28 v. Kal. Sampsonis Epis-
:
copi. " See ibid. , p. 73.
"Thus: " 28 v. Kal. S. Sampsonis Epis-
copi. " See ibid. , p. 102.
? 6 Thus: " 28th v. Kal. Sampsonis Epis-
68 This is a compound of two Cornish "
words, Gol, "holy," and Lan, an enclo- sure. "
6» See Rev. John Adam's " Life of St. Samson. "
7° See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Julii xxviii. De S. Samsone Episcopo Conf. Dolse in Britannia Armorica, p. 591.
68 and this was its probably
There is no mention of this
In the Scottish Calendars, his
432 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [July 28.
records of his festival. In his Menologium Scotorum, Dempster has St.
SampsonenteredforSt. Samson,atthe28thofJuly. 77 Hisfeastisassignedto
thev. ofthe withthe28thof 8 Inthe August Kalends, corresponding July. ?
imperfect Calendar of Irish Saints, in what is called the Breviary of Kil- moon,79 B. 1. 5. T. C. D. , St. Samson is noted, at this date. There was an office of Three Lessons for St. Samson, Bishop and Confessor, at the Fifth of the August Kalends, or 28th of July, according to the Calendar in the Trinity College Manuscript, Dublin, classed B. 3. 18, 19. Parts i. andii. of the Sarum Breviary, England. This is mentioned in the second part. His festival is noted
at this same
in the of 8° of Ado,81 of 82
of Martyrology,
many
8* at the 28th of
place Sampson, Bishop,
Saussay,
date,
83 and of
Martyrologies Usuard,
others. St. Samson has a
Bucelin, in the Roman
July. June
Dean 86 of 87 of Rev. Alban Cressy, Bishop Challenor,
at the 28th of
in the Saurum 8* In the succinct Breviary.
DolaeSampsonisepiscopi,qui
with
tation, is in a tolerably perfect state. On
Responses,
margin
Piety,"
of the Manuscript, at St.
book xi. , chap, xxviii. , pp. 252, 253. 8? See "A Memorial of British
the
Patrick's office, there are additional glosses.
80 Thus " In Britannia minori, Dolo :
monasterio, S. Samsonis episcopi et con- fessoris. "
81 One copy (Morinensis) has: "In Bri- tannia minore Dolo monasterio, S. Sam-
sonis episcopi et confessoris, cujus beatitu-
pp. 109, no.
" See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs
and other principal Saints," vol. vii. , July xxviii.
8s> See "Vies des Saints pour tous les Jours de l'Annde," tome iv. , xxviii* Jour de Juillet, p. 277.
nam cuminnumeris refulgeat virtutibus, speciali-
9° See "Lives of the vol. [Saints,"
July 20th, p. 602.
dinem miraculorum gloria testatur ;
vii. ,
For St.
there was a
proper prayer,
Calendar, prefixed to the " Heures de Nostre-Dame a l'usage du Mans," we find the feast of S. Samson, at Jvillet 28. At the 28th of July, likewise, in all the saint-writers, the festival of St. Samson is noted ;
Rohrbacher,89 and of Rev. S. Baring-Gould. 9°
There can be no doubt, that this celebrated saint was one of the most perfect
and admirable prelates in his day ; for, he laboured with unremitting zeal to extend the kingdom of Christ upon earth. It seems incredible, how he had
been able to accomplish such great things for God's glory, while he brought so many souls on the road to salvation. The great secret lay in the care he had for his own personal sanctification j and, his whole life is filled with examples of those solid virtues, which from youth he so perseveringly culti- vated. With him self-government was thoroughly predominant, and he never
copi in dup. , iii. lect. " See ibid. , p. 118.
"
? 7 Thus:
sanctorum Brandani et Maclouii discipulus, Gallicanam—monarchiam mentis suis illus- trat. VV. " Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 207.
78 Among the Trinity College Antiphona- riums, classed B. 1. 3. , there is a notice, at this date, that his office as a Bishop and Confessor contained ix. Lessons. Also, in that classed B. 1. 4. , and B. 1. 5. , similar information is given, with allusion to its being a Duplex, and having an Invitatorium. A " Breviarium Romanum," classed B. 3. 9. , and another B. 3. 13. , have our saint on their Calendars at this date.
79 The page of its Calendar remaining is so stained or written in such pale ink, as to be almost illegible. In many instances, the characters are quite effaced. In it, an office for St. Patrick, consisting of Nine Lessons,
Antiphons, and musical no-
ter tamen mortuos tres ante obitum, unum
vero post ad vitam perduxit, quod postre- mum Aurelianensibus innotuit miraculum. " In the more ancient copies, however, the name of St. Samson does not appear to have
received either notice or insertion. 82 "
as in the works of
Butler,
88 ofTAbbd
In his MartyrologiumBenedictinum. "
83 "
In his Martyrologium Gallicanum. "
8*Thus: "InBritanniamiuorisanc—ti Sampsoni Episcopi et Confessoris. "
" Martyrologium Romanum Gregorii XIII. jussu editum Urbani VIII. et ClementisX. ," p. 109. Romae, 1878, fol.
8$ A new edition of this work has been
edited by Rev. Francis Procter, A. M. ,
and Rev. Christopher Wordsworth, A. M. ,
and it was published at Cambridge, 1879, 1882, and 1886, in three 8vo volumes, under
'*
K See his " of Church-History Brittany,"
the title to each Fasciculus of
ad Usum Insignis Ecclesiae Sarum. " See Fasc. iii. , col. 557.
Breviarium
July 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 433
ceasedtowaragainsteverytemptationtosin. Inprayerandretreat,heloved to spend a great part of his precious time ; while such habits served to refresh his soul for the active pursuits of his most useful ministry. Not only Chris- tians but pagans were brought by him to a sense of their evil ways. During Lent,heretiredfromallconversationwithmen. Hesoughtsomeremote place,wherehemightconversewithGodalone. Inhisselectedsolitude,he was miraculously sustained until Easter came round, by offering the Divine Oblation, that is to say, by partaking solely of the Blessed Sacrament.
This he constantly received, and to practise the virtue of mortification in a super- natural manner, without any other food, he remained for several successive days. His gift of miracles was often exercised. He gave sight to the blind, he cleansed the lepers, and he cast out devils. Even, he is related to have raisedthedeadtolife. ThemostnotedhagiographershaveplacedtheActsof St. Samson among their sacred biographies, nor can we conceive any that are more edifying and instructive. To recount all that has been written regarding him should require a still greater detail, than could well be presented in the foregoing narrative.
Article II. —St. Colman, or Comhghall, of Gabla liuin, or Gob-
in Dartraighe Coininnsi. In the of 1 we Martyrology Tallagh,
halliuin,
find entered at the 28th of July, Colman, of Gabla liuin. Although the names are quite different, we cannot doubt but one and the same saint is
2
meant in a later Calendar. In the Martyrology of Donegal, at this same
date, the name recorded is Comhghall, of Gobhal-liuin, in Dartraighe Cin- innsi. This district is at the head of Loch Eirne, adds the Calendarist. It is identified with Galloon parish, in the county of Fermanagh. 3 In one instance, there is mention of an Abbot * of Cluain-mac-Nois, and of Daim- hinis, said to have belonged to the sept of Dartraighe Daimhinsi, which meansDartryofDevenish. But,wearetoldonhighauthority,thatthisis clearly a mistake for Dartraighe-Coininnsi,s which was an ancient name for
6
There is a townland called Gubalaun, in the parish of Rossinver, barony of Rosclogher,
last named was also called 8 and Dartry,
the barony of Dartry, in the south-west of Monaghan County.
and of Leitrim. ? The county
barony
sometimes Dartraighe Mag-Fhlannchaidh 9 in West Breifne, to the north of
10 I incline to the sought for within this latter district.
the
saint's must be place
Leitrim
County.
opinion,
present
"
Article ii. — Edited by Rev. Dr. this territory. See Dr. O'Donovan's Leah*
Kelly, p. xxx.
2 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves. See
h&\\ na j;-Ce^\c, or the Book of Rights, p. 153, n. (i).
Appendix to the Introduction, p. xlvii. , and pp. 204, 205.
6
See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
3 See " Letters containing Information re-
Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (x), pp. 510, 511, 7 See " General Alphabetical Index to the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Baro-
nies of Ireland," p. 521.
8 See " The Poems of Topographical
John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O'Huidhrin," edited by Dr. John O'Dono- van, p. xxxvii. , n. 268.
9 This was the Mac Clancy family name,
They are now more generally called Clancy, without the prefix of Mac.
10 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , n. (d), p. 679, and
lative to the Antiquities of the County of
Fermanagh, collected during the Progress of
the Irish Ordnance in Survey
1834-5. " Letter of John O'Donovan, dated March
26th, 1835, p. 127.
4 This was Martin, a learned scribe who
died A. D. 867. See Colgan's "Trias Thau- maturga," Appendix Quinta ad Acta S. Brigidae, cap. 2, p. 632.
5 According to O'Dubhagain, the sept of O'Baeigheallain—now O'Boylan—ruled in
IE
434 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 28.
Article III. —St. Lenican or Liuican, said to be of Killucan,
CountyofWestmeath. Inthe of as 1 St. Martyrology Tallagh, published,
Lenican—probably a typographical error—is entered on this day. But, in
2
the Martyrology of Donegal, at the 28th of July, is inserted, Liuican.
Marianus O'Gorman and the Martyrology of Tallagh seem cited, in confirma- tion of this latter statement. The Rev. Mervyn Archdall 3 and Rev. Anthony Cogan state, that St. Luican founded an abbey at Killucan or Killuquin, in the barony of Farbill, a few miles east of Mullingar, in the county of West- meath, and at an early period. 4
Article IV. —St. Furudrain, or Furadhran. At the 28th of July, 12
the Martyrology of Tallagh enters Furudrainus, and that of Donegal records a festival, in honour of St. Furadhran, without any further designation, unless the letter S. postfixed to his name in the Tallagh Martyrology be interpreted
" tosignifySacerdos,meaning apriest. "
Article V. —St. Uisseoit, of Druim Uisseoit. We find recorded
1
intheMartyrologyofTallagh, atthe28thofJuly,thatvenerationwasgiven
to a saint named Uisseoit. At the same date, in the of 2 Martyrology Donegal,
the name is entered as Uis-seoit, of Druim Uisseoit. Wherever this place
was situated, it appears to have derived its name from the present saint.
However, we cannot find any near approach to it in spelling, among the etymons -of localities, in any part of Ireland.
1
Article VI. —St. Celsus. The simple entry, Celsus, appears in the
of 2 at the 28th of Moreover, Marianus O'Gorman Martyrology Donegal, July.
seems to be cited, as authority for this statement ; but, we have no means left for discovering who this holy man had been, or when he flourished.
Article VII. —Festival of St. Theophilus. In the ancient Irish
also vol. vii. Ind Locorum,
by
pp.
Article ill. Kelly, p. xxx.
a
x
p. 46. Edited by Rev. Dr.
—ex ibid. ,
Edited
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. •204, 205.
3 See "Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 721.
4 See "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and •Modern," vol. iii. , chap, lxxiv. , p. 579.
In the
Breac "copy is the following stanza; the
Article iv. — ' Edited
cAm-olech
Dr. 3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
Kelly, p. xxx.
by
Edited by Rev. Dr.
204, 205. Article v.
Kelly, p. xxx.
—x
2
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
204, 205.
Article vi. — ' A note
by
Rev. Dr.
ToddstatesatCelsus "Thisnameandthe :
next, with the authorities annexed, are in the second hand. "
p.
cxii.
2" It is thus prin—ted :
Rev.
2
Drs. Todd and Reeves,
"
Leabhar translation int—o English is by Whitley
Stokes, LL. D.
1 fAt>bub Acobai r\
ConArluaguo
Ceophil cop oip Ainglech pancAleo LAint>pecVi.
" withhis radiant
Vast is his aid, hosting :
Theophilus,—angelic tower ofgold : Pantaleo the lucid. " "Transactions of the Royal
Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series,
vol. i. , i. On the Calendar of Oengus, part
204, 205. Article vii.
—
«
:
pus antiochiae. " p. Ibid. , exxi.
Teophil . i.
episco-
July 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 435
Church, there was a festival at the 28th of July, to commemorate St. Theo- philus,aswefind,fromthe"Feilire"r ofSt. JEngus. Acommentis added,2 which may help to identify him. The Bollandists have a festival for a St. Theophilus and for other holy Martyrs, at Laodicea, for this date. 3 Their ac- count is taken from the Martyrology of St. Jerome ; yet, little seems to be known regarding these soldiers of Christ.
Article VIII. —Festival of St. Pantaleon, Martyr. At the 28th
of intheancientIrishChurch,wefindintheMFeilire"l ofSt. July,
^Engus, thatSt. Pantaleonwashonouredwithacommemoration. Ascholionaffixed
states, he was a martyr, and that he suffered in Nicomedia. 2 This entry seems to have been taken from the ancient copies of St. Jerome's Martyr- ology. However, the Bollandists,3 who refer to his commemoration at this date, remark, that in the Roman Martyrology,4 his feast is assigned to the 27th of July, on which day they have also treated his Acts,3 and at con- siderable length.
Article IX. —Reputed Feast of St. Tessan, or Tressan. The entry
of St. Tessan's feast by Camerarius, at the 28th of July, is supposed by the
1
Bollandists as having reference to St. Tressan, the brother of St. Gibrian,
and whose festival more belongs to the 7 th of 2 At this properly February.
date, the Acts of St. Tressan have been already inserted. Those of St. Gibrian may be found, at the 8th of May,3 which is the date for his festival.
Article X. —Reputed Feast for a Translation of St. Livinus'
Relics, Ghent, Belgium. In his Menologium Scotorum, Thomas Dempster, at the 25th of July, has a Feast for the Translation of St. Livinus' Relics at Ghent. 1 The chief festival for this renowned saint is held on the 1 2 th of November, at which date his Life may be seen.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. ,
XIII. ," &c, p. 108. Romse, 1878, fol. 5 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus
xxviii.
