9 In
following
Colgan's statement, Walter Harris '° and Rev.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v5
676.
* See his Life, at the ist of May, in the present volume, Art. iv.
' See his Life, at the 3rd of June, Volume the . Sixth of this work, Art. i.
* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 210, 211.
' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 138, 139.
'° See ibid. , pp. 472, 473.
" See Archbishop Ussher's " Britannica- rum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 501, and '• Index Chronologicus," p. 538.
'' See "Legendary History of Ireland," by L. Tachet De Barneval, Professor in the Lyceum at Douay, translated from the French by John Gilmary Shea, p. 12.
Article ii. — ' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxv.
° In the county of Tipperary.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. ,
p. 352.
'^ The "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," at
xx. Januarii, Vita S. Molagga, n. 10, and at
——— ;
May 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
575
person, who was venerated on this day, at Terryglass, on the eastern border of Lough Dearg, Other writers—such as Archbishop Ussher" and our annalists—call him by the name of ColmanusStellanus. However, there can hardly beany doubt, thatthislattermustbe the proper entry, for in the "Annals of the Four Masters,"'^ we read, that St. Colman Stellan of Tir-da-ghlas, died on the 26th of May, a. d. 624. With this agrees, likewise, the entry of his departure, in the " Chronicum Scotorum. "'3 Other accounts'* place his death at 625 ; while. Archbishop Ussher 's has it so late as 634. Tlie festival of Stellan was observed on the 25th of May, as we find it in the "Feilire " of St, ^ngus;'^ and, appended to this notice is an Irish comment,'? in that copy, contained in the " Leabhar Breac," which is followed by a Latin one, giving the series of Abbots,'^ for Tir-da-glas and Cluain eidnech. It seems doubtful, notwithstanding, whether Colman should oe separated from Stellan
;
but, many writers regard them as one and the same person.
Article III St. Colman. The feast of Colman was kept on this date, as we find it recorded, in the Calendar of St. ^ngus,' and as if he were dis- tinguisliable from the preceding saint, In a distinct manner, also, the name of Colman appears, and in a separate line, as if he were a different person from Steallan or Stellain. It is entered, in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ that Colman, 3 simply and undistinguished, had been venerated, on this day. Ac- cording to the Martyrology of Drummond/ this holy man's name was cele-
brated, also, in Scotland, at the 26th of May.
Article IV. Festival of St. Augustine, Bishop of Canterburv, England. [_StxthandSeventhCenturies? ^ ThefestivalofthisgreatApostle of the Saxons was formerly celebrated, with an office of nine Lessons, in Ire- land, as we find from the Calendars and Martyrologies;' but, chiefly was his memory held in benediction, by its inhabitants of the Anglo-Norman race. The Bollandists ^ have very fully set forth his Acts ; however, as he was not
" See Dr. O'Donovan's Edition, vol. i. , pp. 246, 247.
'3 Edition of William M. Hennessey, pp. 76 to 79.
'• See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," Februarii iii. Vita S. Colmani vulgo Mac Duach, n. 2.
dar of Oengus, by Whitley, Stokes, LL. D,, p. Ixxxi.
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 138, 139.
''In a note, Dr. Todd says, "The more recent hand adds here 'CoLmAn SceAtl<Mti [Cohnan Steallan] unus et idem Sanctus vide Martyrologia. Obiit an. 624.
Vide
'S See " Britannicaium Ecclesiarum Anti-
quitates," cap. xvii. , p. 501, and "Index Acta Sanctorum et aliud exemplar, m. d. '
Chronologicus," at A. D. Dcxxxiv. , p. 538. '° See "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. ,
[/. e. , Martyrologii Dungalensis] referring to the other copy of this Martyrology, which is in the Brussels Library. Marianus Gorman
part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, by and the Martyrology of Tamlacht have
Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. Ixxxi.
"' We find, in the margin, o Chi^ oAgl^f
ScebtAn, thus rendered into English "of Tir da-glas (was) Stellan. " Ibid. , p. xc.
'^ Thus are they given :" Colum Natcasim Finntan Colman Siellae. ut est de coeli arce Colmani nomine Stellarum sacri fulgentis. ut rubique {sic) Fintan Moeldub Natcseim. ibid. , p. xc. —
Article hi. ' See "Transactions of Introduction by James Henthorn Todd the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manu- D. D. ,pp. 65, 119.
script Series, vol. i. , part. i. On the Calen- *See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi,, Maii
'Colman Stellain, of Tir-da-glas,' as one saint. "
• See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scot- tish Saints," p. 14.
Article iv. — ' See "The Book of Obits and Martyrology of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, commonly called Christ Church, Dublin," edited by John Clarke Crosthwaite, A. M. , with an
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 27.
specially connected with Ireland, by birth, mission, or death, it will be only necessary, briefly to refer the reader to that account, illustrated by learned comments from the editor. The early life of this renowned saint appears to be involved in great obscurity. Towards the close of the sixth century, a. d. 596,3 sent by Pope St. Gregory the Great, at the head of a missionary band, St. Augustine landed in the Isle of Thanet, on the east side of Kent. There he converted Etiielbert, the King, and soon followed the conversion of thou- sands among his subjects. The Martyrology of Aberdeen enters'* the festival for St. Augustine, Bishop and Confessor, who was sent by Pope Gregory to preach the Gospel to the Angh', at the 26th of May. His death is referred totheyearofourLord,608,bySigebertandbyMatthewofWestminster. 5 His labours and virtues Avere eminent, as his apostolate was successful and meritorious.
Eijjrutg^srbcntij ©at? of IHag,
ARTICLE I. —ST. CILLIN, OR KILLIN, BISHOP OF TIGH TALAIN, NOW TEHALLAN, COUNTY OF MONAGHAN.
[FIFTH CENTURY. ]
ACCORDING to our Irish Calendars, there were many saints, bearing thenameofKillen;^ and,besides,someoftheseareundistinguished by pedigree, even when the names of their places are given. It is very difficult, therefore, to decide among these Killens, about the family and race of the pre- sent saint; although, he is set down, by Colgan, as having been a bishop of Teg- Talain, in Orgeillia,^ who had been venerated, at the 27th of May. Besides, St. Cillin is mentioned, also, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,3 at this date. How- ever, the name of the territory, in which Tigh Talain lay, has not been given,t in
576
xxvi. De Sancto Avgvstino Episcopo Cant- variensi in Anglia, pp. 37310443. They give a previous commentary, by Fatlier Papc- l)roke, in five paragraphs ; then follows Vita auctore Gocclino Monacho, having a pro- logueand fifty-threechapters, subdivided into five ; then follows an Ap|)endix from John Brompton ; afterwards Al. racles related by the aforesaid Monk Gocelin, in twenty-nine chapters, again subdivided into lour ; next succeeds a History of the Translation of his Relics by the same author, in two booi<s, the first containing fifty-five chapters, subdivided into eight ; an Appendix from tiie Chronicle of William Thorn ; besides the second book in forty-two paragraphs, subdivided into five chapters.
3 See Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. v. , May xxvi.
* Thus it says, at vii. Kalendas Junij ;
" In Britanniis Sancti Augustini episcopi et
confessoris qui missus a Beato Gregorio pri- mus genti Anglorum Christi euuangelium predicauit. —" Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, vol. ii. , sessions MDCCCLIV. —V. —MDCCCLVI. —vil. JMartyr- ology for the u>e of the Church of Aberdeen, from a MS. of the sixteenth century, com- municated by David Laing, Esq. , F. S. A. , Scot.
^ See "Flores Ilistoriarum," p. 20S.
ARTICLE I. — ' See Colgan s ''Acta Sanctorum Ilibernite," Februarii xiv. Ue . S. Killani Martyris et Sociorum ejus Trans- latione, n. 3, p. 331.
- This, however, ap"pears not to have been the territory, in which Teg-Talain h. ad been situated ; but, rather was it in Ui- Meiili-M icha.
^ Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxv.
• It merely states, " Esp. Cillin o Tigh Talain," at the vi. of the June Kalends, or May 27th.
577
this record. Again, Marianus O'Gorman and Maguire have an entry of this saint's festival, at the 27th of May. The Bollandisls,s hkewise, enter the feast ofKiUinus, Bishop of Tegh-Talain, at the same day.
We learn, that St. Patrick^ proceeded at one time, from a northern region about Clogher, towards the territory of Hua-Meith-tire. This has been placed by Colgan, in the eastern part of Ultonia; and hence, in his opinion, it had been distinguished from Hua-Meith-mare—a part near the sea—as Airthear, or Oriental, 7 deriving its denomination HuaMeith, or the posterity of Meith, from the descendants of Muredach,^ surnamed Meith or the Fat. In the time of St. Patrick and afterwards, that people held possession of the interior land.
9 In following Colgan's statement, Walter Harris '° and Rev. Mervyn Archdall" were mistaken, when making Hy-Meith-Tire, or inland Hy- Meith, identical with the present barony of Orior, in A. rmagh County. But, in a small portion only, situated in the barony ofCremorne," Tehallan lies in the barony '3 and county of Monaghan. ^+ Its position is determined, where a ceme- tery frequently used surrounds the modern Protestant church, built on the town- land of Temple-tate,'S that is, " the church land. " This church is a very plain structure, having a square tower ;^^ the rest of its fabric having been built, pro- bably in the latter part of the last century. '? There, St. Patrick is said to have erected a church, the place having been called Teach Tallain. '^ But, in various mediaeval documents, its orthography has been varied to Thechtalbi,'^ Taghtallan,^° Techtalan,^' Tehallowne," Teghallan,^3 Techallon, Tyhallon,^'' Teehallon,^5 Tehallon,^'^ and Tihallon. ^? The locality, as well known, is now Tehallan parish f^ but, it is vulgarly called Teholland. Several tablets are within the modern church, and various head and tomb stones are without but, none bear any very ancient inscription. ^? The names and history of the townlands of this parish, as contained in the barony of Monaghan division, are set forth with Irish and English significations ;3° while those, contained within the barony of Cremorne portion, have been similarly given. s'' Here,
5 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Mail xxvii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 657.
it was erected m 1S27.
'^ The history of this church and parisli is
very clearly set forth, in Evelyn Pliilip Shirley's " History of the County of Mona- ghan," chap, xi. , p. 305.
'® In Irish CeAc'h CaIaiii, '-House of
* See the Third Volume of this work, at
the 17th of March, Art. i. , in the xvi. chap.
of his Life, for a description of Hy-Meith,
or Hy-Meith-Tire, as also the locality of Talan. "
Tehallan.
7 Colgan also calls it " Hua-methia-terrse
sive continentis. "
® He was son to Imchad, son of Colla
Dachrioch, according to the " Sanctilogium Genealogicum, " cap. xiii.
9 See "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, iii. , cap. ix. , and n. 16, pp. 150, 184.
"SeeHarris'Ware,vol. ii. , "Antiquities of Ireland," chap, vii. , sect, i. , p. 51.
" See " Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 35, and n. (k).
"Thisconsistsof823a. Ir. lop.
'3 This part consists of 5,126a. ir.
'"• See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical
History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect. iii. , and nn. 28, 29, pp. 266, 269, 270.
'S It is described, on the "Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Monaghan," sheet 10.
'^ Over it is an inscription that, with a bell, Vol. V. —No. lo.
"' Taxation, 1306.
°° Register of Prene, 1432, fol. 130a.
^' Register of Dowdall, 1540, p. 20.
^ Ulster Visitation, 1622.
"^ Regal Visitation, 1634.
''• Triennial Visitation, 1661.
=s Triennial Visitation, 1664.
^9 Triennial Visitation, 1679.
^^ Triennial Visitation, 1754.
-^ On the Ordnance Survey Index Map of
the County of Monaghan, this parish of Tehallan appears bounded on the north and west by Donagh parish ; on the west and south, by Monaghan parish; and on the east, by Clontibert parish, and part of Armagh County.
=» See Evelyn Philip Shirley's "History of the County of Monaghan," chap, xi. , pp. 304 to 307.
30 gge iVw/. , chap, xv. , pp. 480 to 483.
^^ Seeiiid. , chap, xvi. , pj). 516, 517.
^2 it is thought to be identical with the
i o
;
May 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
578
1S35, pp. 109, no.
^6 j^ t^^ barony and county ofMonaghan,
shown on the "' Ordnance Survey Towniand Maps for the County Monaghan," sheets 9, 13, 14,18, 19.
33 See the County of Armagh and Mo-
naghan Letters belonging to the Ordnance
Survey C)ffice, and formerly kept in the
Phoenix I'ark, now in the Royal Irish Aca-
demy. Mr. O'Donovan's Letter, dated
Clones, May 29th, 1835, P- I37- Also, Ex-
tracts, bound within this same volume, pre-
sent notices of Teag-talain, taken from Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. iii. , cap. ix. , Colgan's "Tiias Thaumaturga," from " An-
nals of the Four Masters," and from the Irish Calendar. See pp. 162, 189.
34 In Latin, " regio Mugdornorum. "
Ouramlisdonny, mentioned in the Ulster Inquisitions, on the borders of Armagh County, and, probably, it is the present Omra or Oram, in the parish of Muckno, barony of Cremorne, and county of Monaghan.
35 See the " County of Armagh and of
Monaghan Letters of the Ordnance Survey,"
vol. i. Mr. O'Donovnn's Letter, dated
Monaghan, May 4th, 1835, p. 43. Also, Land," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect, iii. , n. 29, p. 270.
May 8th, 1S35, PP- 63, 64. Also, his Letter, dated Carrickmacross, May 20th, 1835, pp. 99, 100, and one dated Cootehill, Way 25th,
« In chap. xiii. of the " Sanctilogium Gencajogicum. "
44 Rev. Dr. Lanigan thinks, there can be
37 ^n the barony of Cremorne. See ibid. , sheets 10, 14, 15, 19, 20, 24, 25.
38 j^ the parish of Muckno, and barony ot Cremorne, shown on sheet 20. ibid.
39 yge John O'Donovan's " Leabhar-na-g- Ceart, or Book of Rights," p. 148.
•o y^g Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
p. 150.
*^ Several Irish churches were denomin-
ated in like manner, after their founders, as for instance Tegh or Teach Munnu, "the house of Munnu," or Teach-Mochua, " the house of Mochua. "
4^ See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
;
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 27.
St. Patrick converted Eugenius, the son of Brian, and the dynast of that dis- trict. He also resuscitated his father Muredach. He was afterwards interred, ataplacecalledOmnarenne3^—interpretedtheOakofRenne—ontheconfines of Hy-Meth and Mugdorne territory, but belonging to the latter. The fore- going account clearly shows, that the territory of Hy-Meth, in which the church of Tehallan was situated, adjoined the territory of the Mugdorni yet, by some strange and unaccountable mistake, Colgan makes the territory of the Mugdorni the mountainous barony of Mourne in Down, although he should have known, that between Tehallan and IMourne, in Down, several distinctterritorieslay,inthetimeofSt. Patrick. However,heplacesTehal- lan in the territory of Orgeillia, and this shows, how much he had been mis- taken. For, he should have known, that the route of St. Patrick was south- wards, and that he passed from the territory of the Hy-Methii, into the adjoining territory of the Mugdorni. He knew that the church of Tehallan—the situa- tion of which he indicated right well, in Diocoesi Ardmachani—was within
theterritoryoftheHy-Methii. 33 Heknew,also,thattheterritoryofCriochMugh- dhorna 34 was not many miles south from Tehallan. Again, this latter is placed in the region of Hy-Meith, which was a large district in this county, north of the territory called Fearnmhagh, and originally comprising the barony of Monaghan,aswellasofCremourne. 35 Colganshouldhaveknown,likewise, that the church of Domnach Maigen—now Donoughmoyne—was not many milessouthwardsfromTehallan. TheterritoryknownasUi-MeithMachacom- prised the parishes of Tehallan—the Tech-Thalain of our text—Monaghan, Kilmore,3^ TuUycorbet, Clontibret,37 and Muckno, near Castleblaney. 38 These churches are all in the county of Monaghan. 39 This saint is said to have been consecrated by St. Patrick, when visiting the district of Hua- meith-tire. ''° The name Teagh-Talain, the " house of Talan,''*' seems to indi- cate a church, founded by one Talan. We are not bound to believe, how- ever, in the opinion of Dr. Lanigan,^^ that he had been placed there, by St. Patrick. Colgan would not undertake to define, whether this place derived its name from St. Tellan, son to Legan, son to Colgan, dynast of this same part of the country, and who is mentioned 43 in our Menologies, at the 25th of June ;** or from St. Tolan, or Tola, son to Donchad, named 45 at the 30th
—
May 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
of March. 46 However, it is stated, in the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, that he not only endowed Tegh Talain with lands, but that he even bestowed tlie reHcs ofsomesaints,andwhichreUcs,hehadbroughtfrombeyondthesea. TheIrish Apostle selected, from among his disciples, those, who had been the com- panions of his missionary labours, and the faithful imitators of his pious example. These pious men he left withSt. Killian. 47 Thefestival ofthepresent St. Killen was kept, at Tehallan, county of Monaghan, on the 27th of May, according to our Irish Calendars. Besides, as we are told, Stickillin, a small parish in the county of Louth, near Ardee, is called from this saint, its name having been originally Tech-Cillin. ts Thus, the name Cillin, Bishop, of Tegh Talain, in Orighialla, is set down in the Martyrology of Donegal,49 as having been venerated, at this day. His festival is noteil, at the 27th of May, by Father John Colgan. 5° Under the head of Teach-Talain,5^ Duald Mac Firbis enters Gillian, bishop from Tech-Tallian, in Airghill, for May 2 7th. 52 At this same date, also, his festival occurs, in that Irish Calendar,53 kept in the Royal Irish Academy.
Article II. St. Commaigh, Comagia, or Comaigh, Virgin, of Snawlooher, or Slanore, County of Cavan. {^Sixth or Seventh Century? ^ At this date, the Martyrology of Tallagh ' records the name of this holy virgin, under the designation Commaigh, daughter of Eachdach, of Snamha luthair. TheBollandists^ havealsoalikeentry,atthe27thofMay,forComagiaof Snam-Luthir. It appears, that this holy virgin was daughter of Eochaidh, her father, and Aigleann 3 or Ailgend, her mother. She was fifth in descent, by the father's side, from Laeghaire, monarch of Ireland, in the time of St. Patrick. Her father was son to Ailill, son of Guaire, son to Lughaidh, son of King Laeghaire. Her brothers were St. Fintan,4 St. Lughaidh,5 and St. Coluim. ^ Besides these uterine brothers, her father had been married to Ligach Bred- mainech, by whom he had St. Fursey,? St. Nainnidh,^ and St. Muiredach. 9 The monastery at Snam-luthir had been founded, by the brother of St. Comaigh, a holy man named Columbanus, or Golman. ^° It was supposed, by Golgan," that Snam-Luthir had been identical with a monastery, founded at Garbre Gabhra, otherwise Carbre Mor, in the maritime part of northern
little doubt, that from him this church got its name ; if so, it was not founded by St. Patrick. See " Ecclesiastical History of Ire- land," chap, vi. , sect, iii.
* See his Life, at the ist of May, in the present volume, Art. iv.
' See his Life, at the 3rd of June, Volume the . Sixth of this work, Art. i.
* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 210, 211.
' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 138, 139.
'° See ibid. , pp. 472, 473.
" See Archbishop Ussher's " Britannica- rum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 501, and '• Index Chronologicus," p. 538.
'' See "Legendary History of Ireland," by L. Tachet De Barneval, Professor in the Lyceum at Douay, translated from the French by John Gilmary Shea, p. 12.
Article ii. — ' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxv.
° In the county of Tipperary.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. ,
p. 352.
'^ The "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," at
xx. Januarii, Vita S. Molagga, n. 10, and at
——— ;
May 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
575
person, who was venerated on this day, at Terryglass, on the eastern border of Lough Dearg, Other writers—such as Archbishop Ussher" and our annalists—call him by the name of ColmanusStellanus. However, there can hardly beany doubt, thatthislattermustbe the proper entry, for in the "Annals of the Four Masters,"'^ we read, that St. Colman Stellan of Tir-da-ghlas, died on the 26th of May, a. d. 624. With this agrees, likewise, the entry of his departure, in the " Chronicum Scotorum. "'3 Other accounts'* place his death at 625 ; while. Archbishop Ussher 's has it so late as 634. Tlie festival of Stellan was observed on the 25th of May, as we find it in the "Feilire " of St, ^ngus;'^ and, appended to this notice is an Irish comment,'? in that copy, contained in the " Leabhar Breac," which is followed by a Latin one, giving the series of Abbots,'^ for Tir-da-glas and Cluain eidnech. It seems doubtful, notwithstanding, whether Colman should oe separated from Stellan
;
but, many writers regard them as one and the same person.
Article III St. Colman. The feast of Colman was kept on this date, as we find it recorded, in the Calendar of St. ^ngus,' and as if he were dis- tinguisliable from the preceding saint, In a distinct manner, also, the name of Colman appears, and in a separate line, as if he were a different person from Steallan or Stellain. It is entered, in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ that Colman, 3 simply and undistinguished, had been venerated, on this day. Ac- cording to the Martyrology of Drummond/ this holy man's name was cele-
brated, also, in Scotland, at the 26th of May.
Article IV. Festival of St. Augustine, Bishop of Canterburv, England. [_StxthandSeventhCenturies? ^ ThefestivalofthisgreatApostle of the Saxons was formerly celebrated, with an office of nine Lessons, in Ire- land, as we find from the Calendars and Martyrologies;' but, chiefly was his memory held in benediction, by its inhabitants of the Anglo-Norman race. The Bollandists ^ have very fully set forth his Acts ; however, as he was not
" See Dr. O'Donovan's Edition, vol. i. , pp. 246, 247.
'3 Edition of William M. Hennessey, pp. 76 to 79.
'• See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," Februarii iii. Vita S. Colmani vulgo Mac Duach, n. 2.
dar of Oengus, by Whitley, Stokes, LL. D,, p. Ixxxi.
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 138, 139.
''In a note, Dr. Todd says, "The more recent hand adds here 'CoLmAn SceAtl<Mti [Cohnan Steallan] unus et idem Sanctus vide Martyrologia. Obiit an. 624.
Vide
'S See " Britannicaium Ecclesiarum Anti-
quitates," cap. xvii. , p. 501, and "Index Acta Sanctorum et aliud exemplar, m. d. '
Chronologicus," at A. D. Dcxxxiv. , p. 538. '° See "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. ,
[/. e. , Martyrologii Dungalensis] referring to the other copy of this Martyrology, which is in the Brussels Library. Marianus Gorman
part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, by and the Martyrology of Tamlacht have
Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. Ixxxi.
"' We find, in the margin, o Chi^ oAgl^f
ScebtAn, thus rendered into English "of Tir da-glas (was) Stellan. " Ibid. , p. xc.
'^ Thus are they given :" Colum Natcasim Finntan Colman Siellae. ut est de coeli arce Colmani nomine Stellarum sacri fulgentis. ut rubique {sic) Fintan Moeldub Natcseim. ibid. , p. xc. —
Article hi. ' See "Transactions of Introduction by James Henthorn Todd the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manu- D. D. ,pp. 65, 119.
script Series, vol. i. , part. i. On the Calen- *See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi,, Maii
'Colman Stellain, of Tir-da-glas,' as one saint. "
• See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scot- tish Saints," p. 14.
Article iv. — ' See "The Book of Obits and Martyrology of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, commonly called Christ Church, Dublin," edited by John Clarke Crosthwaite, A. M. , with an
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 27.
specially connected with Ireland, by birth, mission, or death, it will be only necessary, briefly to refer the reader to that account, illustrated by learned comments from the editor. The early life of this renowned saint appears to be involved in great obscurity. Towards the close of the sixth century, a. d. 596,3 sent by Pope St. Gregory the Great, at the head of a missionary band, St. Augustine landed in the Isle of Thanet, on the east side of Kent. There he converted Etiielbert, the King, and soon followed the conversion of thou- sands among his subjects. The Martyrology of Aberdeen enters'* the festival for St. Augustine, Bishop and Confessor, who was sent by Pope Gregory to preach the Gospel to the Angh', at the 26th of May. His death is referred totheyearofourLord,608,bySigebertandbyMatthewofWestminster. 5 His labours and virtues Avere eminent, as his apostolate was successful and meritorious.
Eijjrutg^srbcntij ©at? of IHag,
ARTICLE I. —ST. CILLIN, OR KILLIN, BISHOP OF TIGH TALAIN, NOW TEHALLAN, COUNTY OF MONAGHAN.
[FIFTH CENTURY. ]
ACCORDING to our Irish Calendars, there were many saints, bearing thenameofKillen;^ and,besides,someoftheseareundistinguished by pedigree, even when the names of their places are given. It is very difficult, therefore, to decide among these Killens, about the family and race of the pre- sent saint; although, he is set down, by Colgan, as having been a bishop of Teg- Talain, in Orgeillia,^ who had been venerated, at the 27th of May. Besides, St. Cillin is mentioned, also, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,3 at this date. How- ever, the name of the territory, in which Tigh Talain lay, has not been given,t in
576
xxvi. De Sancto Avgvstino Episcopo Cant- variensi in Anglia, pp. 37310443. They give a previous commentary, by Fatlier Papc- l)roke, in five paragraphs ; then follows Vita auctore Gocclino Monacho, having a pro- logueand fifty-threechapters, subdivided into five ; then follows an Ap|)endix from John Brompton ; afterwards Al. racles related by the aforesaid Monk Gocelin, in twenty-nine chapters, again subdivided into lour ; next succeeds a History of the Translation of his Relics by the same author, in two booi<s, the first containing fifty-five chapters, subdivided into eight ; an Appendix from tiie Chronicle of William Thorn ; besides the second book in forty-two paragraphs, subdivided into five chapters.
3 See Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. v. , May xxvi.
* Thus it says, at vii. Kalendas Junij ;
" In Britanniis Sancti Augustini episcopi et
confessoris qui missus a Beato Gregorio pri- mus genti Anglorum Christi euuangelium predicauit. —" Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, vol. ii. , sessions MDCCCLIV. —V. —MDCCCLVI. —vil. JMartyr- ology for the u>e of the Church of Aberdeen, from a MS. of the sixteenth century, com- municated by David Laing, Esq. , F. S. A. , Scot.
^ See "Flores Ilistoriarum," p. 20S.
ARTICLE I. — ' See Colgan s ''Acta Sanctorum Ilibernite," Februarii xiv. Ue . S. Killani Martyris et Sociorum ejus Trans- latione, n. 3, p. 331.
- This, however, ap"pears not to have been the territory, in which Teg-Talain h. ad been situated ; but, rather was it in Ui- Meiili-M icha.
^ Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxv.
• It merely states, " Esp. Cillin o Tigh Talain," at the vi. of the June Kalends, or May 27th.
577
this record. Again, Marianus O'Gorman and Maguire have an entry of this saint's festival, at the 27th of May. The Bollandisls,s hkewise, enter the feast ofKiUinus, Bishop of Tegh-Talain, at the same day.
We learn, that St. Patrick^ proceeded at one time, from a northern region about Clogher, towards the territory of Hua-Meith-tire. This has been placed by Colgan, in the eastern part of Ultonia; and hence, in his opinion, it had been distinguished from Hua-Meith-mare—a part near the sea—as Airthear, or Oriental, 7 deriving its denomination HuaMeith, or the posterity of Meith, from the descendants of Muredach,^ surnamed Meith or the Fat. In the time of St. Patrick and afterwards, that people held possession of the interior land.
9 In following Colgan's statement, Walter Harris '° and Rev. Mervyn Archdall" were mistaken, when making Hy-Meith-Tire, or inland Hy- Meith, identical with the present barony of Orior, in A. rmagh County. But, in a small portion only, situated in the barony ofCremorne," Tehallan lies in the barony '3 and county of Monaghan. ^+ Its position is determined, where a ceme- tery frequently used surrounds the modern Protestant church, built on the town- land of Temple-tate,'S that is, " the church land. " This church is a very plain structure, having a square tower ;^^ the rest of its fabric having been built, pro- bably in the latter part of the last century. '? There, St. Patrick is said to have erected a church, the place having been called Teach Tallain. '^ But, in various mediaeval documents, its orthography has been varied to Thechtalbi,'^ Taghtallan,^° Techtalan,^' Tehallowne," Teghallan,^3 Techallon, Tyhallon,^'' Teehallon,^5 Tehallon,^'^ and Tihallon. ^? The locality, as well known, is now Tehallan parish f^ but, it is vulgarly called Teholland. Several tablets are within the modern church, and various head and tomb stones are without but, none bear any very ancient inscription. ^? The names and history of the townlands of this parish, as contained in the barony of Monaghan division, are set forth with Irish and English significations ;3° while those, contained within the barony of Cremorne portion, have been similarly given. s'' Here,
5 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Mail xxvii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 657.
it was erected m 1S27.
'^ The history of this church and parisli is
very clearly set forth, in Evelyn Pliilip Shirley's " History of the County of Mona- ghan," chap, xi. , p. 305.
'® In Irish CeAc'h CaIaiii, '-House of
* See the Third Volume of this work, at
the 17th of March, Art. i. , in the xvi. chap.
of his Life, for a description of Hy-Meith,
or Hy-Meith-Tire, as also the locality of Talan. "
Tehallan.
7 Colgan also calls it " Hua-methia-terrse
sive continentis. "
® He was son to Imchad, son of Colla
Dachrioch, according to the " Sanctilogium Genealogicum, " cap. xiii.
9 See "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, iii. , cap. ix. , and n. 16, pp. 150, 184.
"SeeHarris'Ware,vol. ii. , "Antiquities of Ireland," chap, vii. , sect, i. , p. 51.
" See " Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 35, and n. (k).
"Thisconsistsof823a. Ir. lop.
'3 This part consists of 5,126a. ir.
'"• See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical
History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect. iii. , and nn. 28, 29, pp. 266, 269, 270.
'S It is described, on the "Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Monaghan," sheet 10.
'^ Over it is an inscription that, with a bell, Vol. V. —No. lo.
"' Taxation, 1306.
°° Register of Prene, 1432, fol. 130a.
^' Register of Dowdall, 1540, p. 20.
^ Ulster Visitation, 1622.
"^ Regal Visitation, 1634.
''• Triennial Visitation, 1661.
=s Triennial Visitation, 1664.
^9 Triennial Visitation, 1679.
^^ Triennial Visitation, 1754.
-^ On the Ordnance Survey Index Map of
the County of Monaghan, this parish of Tehallan appears bounded on the north and west by Donagh parish ; on the west and south, by Monaghan parish; and on the east, by Clontibert parish, and part of Armagh County.
=» See Evelyn Philip Shirley's "History of the County of Monaghan," chap, xi. , pp. 304 to 307.
30 gge iVw/. , chap, xv. , pp. 480 to 483.
^^ Seeiiid. , chap, xvi. , pj). 516, 517.
^2 it is thought to be identical with the
i o
;
May 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
578
1S35, pp. 109, no.
^6 j^ t^^ barony and county ofMonaghan,
shown on the "' Ordnance Survey Towniand Maps for the County Monaghan," sheets 9, 13, 14,18, 19.
33 See the County of Armagh and Mo-
naghan Letters belonging to the Ordnance
Survey C)ffice, and formerly kept in the
Phoenix I'ark, now in the Royal Irish Aca-
demy. Mr. O'Donovan's Letter, dated
Clones, May 29th, 1835, P- I37- Also, Ex-
tracts, bound within this same volume, pre-
sent notices of Teag-talain, taken from Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. iii. , cap. ix. , Colgan's "Tiias Thaumaturga," from " An-
nals of the Four Masters," and from the Irish Calendar. See pp. 162, 189.
34 In Latin, " regio Mugdornorum. "
Ouramlisdonny, mentioned in the Ulster Inquisitions, on the borders of Armagh County, and, probably, it is the present Omra or Oram, in the parish of Muckno, barony of Cremorne, and county of Monaghan.
35 See the " County of Armagh and of
Monaghan Letters of the Ordnance Survey,"
vol. i. Mr. O'Donovnn's Letter, dated
Monaghan, May 4th, 1835, p. 43. Also, Land," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect, iii. , n. 29, p. 270.
May 8th, 1S35, PP- 63, 64. Also, his Letter, dated Carrickmacross, May 20th, 1835, pp. 99, 100, and one dated Cootehill, Way 25th,
« In chap. xiii. of the " Sanctilogium Gencajogicum. "
44 Rev. Dr. Lanigan thinks, there can be
37 ^n the barony of Cremorne. See ibid. , sheets 10, 14, 15, 19, 20, 24, 25.
38 j^ the parish of Muckno, and barony ot Cremorne, shown on sheet 20. ibid.
39 yge John O'Donovan's " Leabhar-na-g- Ceart, or Book of Rights," p. 148.
•o y^g Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
p. 150.
*^ Several Irish churches were denomin-
ated in like manner, after their founders, as for instance Tegh or Teach Munnu, "the house of Munnu," or Teach-Mochua, " the house of Mochua. "
4^ See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
;
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 27.
St. Patrick converted Eugenius, the son of Brian, and the dynast of that dis- trict. He also resuscitated his father Muredach. He was afterwards interred, ataplacecalledOmnarenne3^—interpretedtheOakofRenne—ontheconfines of Hy-Meth and Mugdorne territory, but belonging to the latter. The fore- going account clearly shows, that the territory of Hy-Meth, in which the church of Tehallan was situated, adjoined the territory of the Mugdorni yet, by some strange and unaccountable mistake, Colgan makes the territory of the Mugdorni the mountainous barony of Mourne in Down, although he should have known, that between Tehallan and IMourne, in Down, several distinctterritorieslay,inthetimeofSt. Patrick. However,heplacesTehal- lan in the territory of Orgeillia, and this shows, how much he had been mis- taken. For, he should have known, that the route of St. Patrick was south- wards, and that he passed from the territory of the Hy-Methii, into the adjoining territory of the Mugdorni. He knew that the church of Tehallan—the situa- tion of which he indicated right well, in Diocoesi Ardmachani—was within
theterritoryoftheHy-Methii. 33 Heknew,also,thattheterritoryofCriochMugh- dhorna 34 was not many miles south from Tehallan. Again, this latter is placed in the region of Hy-Meith, which was a large district in this county, north of the territory called Fearnmhagh, and originally comprising the barony of Monaghan,aswellasofCremourne. 35 Colganshouldhaveknown,likewise, that the church of Domnach Maigen—now Donoughmoyne—was not many milessouthwardsfromTehallan. TheterritoryknownasUi-MeithMachacom- prised the parishes of Tehallan—the Tech-Thalain of our text—Monaghan, Kilmore,3^ TuUycorbet, Clontibret,37 and Muckno, near Castleblaney. 38 These churches are all in the county of Monaghan. 39 This saint is said to have been consecrated by St. Patrick, when visiting the district of Hua- meith-tire. ''° The name Teagh-Talain, the " house of Talan,''*' seems to indi- cate a church, founded by one Talan. We are not bound to believe, how- ever, in the opinion of Dr. Lanigan,^^ that he had been placed there, by St. Patrick. Colgan would not undertake to define, whether this place derived its name from St. Tellan, son to Legan, son to Colgan, dynast of this same part of the country, and who is mentioned 43 in our Menologies, at the 25th of June ;** or from St. Tolan, or Tola, son to Donchad, named 45 at the 30th
—
May 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
of March. 46 However, it is stated, in the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, that he not only endowed Tegh Talain with lands, but that he even bestowed tlie reHcs ofsomesaints,andwhichreUcs,hehadbroughtfrombeyondthesea. TheIrish Apostle selected, from among his disciples, those, who had been the com- panions of his missionary labours, and the faithful imitators of his pious example. These pious men he left withSt. Killian. 47 Thefestival ofthepresent St. Killen was kept, at Tehallan, county of Monaghan, on the 27th of May, according to our Irish Calendars. Besides, as we are told, Stickillin, a small parish in the county of Louth, near Ardee, is called from this saint, its name having been originally Tech-Cillin. ts Thus, the name Cillin, Bishop, of Tegh Talain, in Orighialla, is set down in the Martyrology of Donegal,49 as having been venerated, at this day. His festival is noteil, at the 27th of May, by Father John Colgan. 5° Under the head of Teach-Talain,5^ Duald Mac Firbis enters Gillian, bishop from Tech-Tallian, in Airghill, for May 2 7th. 52 At this same date, also, his festival occurs, in that Irish Calendar,53 kept in the Royal Irish Academy.
Article II. St. Commaigh, Comagia, or Comaigh, Virgin, of Snawlooher, or Slanore, County of Cavan. {^Sixth or Seventh Century? ^ At this date, the Martyrology of Tallagh ' records the name of this holy virgin, under the designation Commaigh, daughter of Eachdach, of Snamha luthair. TheBollandists^ havealsoalikeentry,atthe27thofMay,forComagiaof Snam-Luthir. It appears, that this holy virgin was daughter of Eochaidh, her father, and Aigleann 3 or Ailgend, her mother. She was fifth in descent, by the father's side, from Laeghaire, monarch of Ireland, in the time of St. Patrick. Her father was son to Ailill, son of Guaire, son to Lughaidh, son of King Laeghaire. Her brothers were St. Fintan,4 St. Lughaidh,5 and St. Coluim. ^ Besides these uterine brothers, her father had been married to Ligach Bred- mainech, by whom he had St. Fursey,? St. Nainnidh,^ and St. Muiredach. 9 The monastery at Snam-luthir had been founded, by the brother of St. Comaigh, a holy man named Columbanus, or Golman. ^° It was supposed, by Golgan," that Snam-Luthir had been identical with a monastery, founded at Garbre Gabhra, otherwise Carbre Mor, in the maritime part of northern
little doubt, that from him this church got its name ; if so, it was not founded by St. Patrick. See " Ecclesiastical History of Ire- land," chap, vi. , sect, iii.
