From the tuition of Bishop Conon, Doneualdus was called away by the universal
suffrages
of the Scottish people, to take on himself the direction of their affairs.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
Quiteriam aliasque novem ejus sanctas sorores uno partu natas, suo loco daturi sumus.
Ipsi ex Leonardo Paludano V.
CI.
dicimus, duas nunc in honorario ser- vitio Ducissae BuUoniensis versari puellas,
quarum parens unus fuisse fertur e 33, quos mater triplici partu edidit, bis imdenos,semet denos. "
^ Incredible as this statement may appear, we find an account, contained in an Ameri- can paper of a rather late date, in which a parallel case is recorded, at least as nearly regards the number of St. Notburga's chil- dren surviving their birth. The New York Tribune published the following extraor-
announcement. "It is dated — dinary John-
son, Trumbull county, O. , Aug. 4, 1859 On the 2nd of August Mrs. Timothy Brad-
saint, that after%vards crowds of people were ac- customed to resort to this fountain, and many miracles were there wrought. The inhabitants of the place, however, were un- willing strangers should drink at this foun- tain ; but they were admonished by St. Notburga that they should feel grateful to
God for favours granted them, without- seeking to deprive others of like benefits.
Finding her admonitions were disregarded, she directed the waters of this fountain to an adjoining wood. Shortly before and even at the time the Bollandists wrote, the well was to be seen in this place. It is remarked in their work, that its waters brought bene- fits to many, not so much from their abun- dance, as from their salubrity.
:
5 Colgan's
"
Acta Sanctorum Hibemije,"
Vita S. i. , Notburgse, cap.
xxvi.
ii. , iii. , viii. , pp. 168, 169.
Januarii.
446 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 26.
an elegant chapel was erected there, to which, in after years, many pious
pilgrims resorted. During periods of public calamity, the Catholics of Kleggovia flocked thither in great numbers to implore her intercession. Nu-
merous testimonials, hung up in the church, and indicating rewards or benefits obtained after those pious pilgrimages, proved the efficacy of our saint's
prayers. The memory of St. Notburga was held in special veneration by the people of Buel, who esteemed her as patron of this place. They cele- brated her festival with great solemnity, each 26th of January. On this day, all public business was there suspended ; pleadings being even inter- dicted within the law courts. In some ancient pictures our saint was repre- sentedcarryingeightinfantsinherarms; theninthchild,whohaddiedwith- out receiving baptism, being placed at her feet. '° This holy parent of a nu- merous and happy offspring, who had endured much persecution in her native country, and many inconveniences during her exile, was destined to attain the crown of eternal glory, and to rejoice for ever with her children. "
The Bollandists relate some miracles, which took place a short time be-
fore they WTOte. In the year 1639, a noble matron, who was afflicted with
dropsy, vowed that she would make a pilgrimage to St. Notburga's Church.
Having fulfilled this promise, and off"ered up her prayers, she was relieved
from her malady. Full of joy and gratitude for this result, she suspended in
the church a token, commemorative of such event. A certain man, who
lived in the village of Griessen, had received a severe hurt, which could
neither be cured by medical aid nor by use of baths. His wife resolved
upon a visit to our saint's chapel, there to entreat intercession on behalf of
her infirm husband. This woman returned from her pilgrimage, and full
confident that her petitions should be granted. To the admiration of many,
her husband was instantly restored to health. During this same year, the
Rev, Christopher Wideman, Parish Priest of Buel, saw a Protestant woman,
from the adjoining village of Wilchlingen, in St. Notburga's Church. She
was forth and as her —a of engaged pouring prayers, giving offering pound
wax.
Having
asked for what
these — so purpose religious practices
contrary
tothoseofpersonsbelongingtoherpersuasion wereintended,thewoman
replied, she had a daughter, who was subject to epileptic fits. She had
learned fi"om experience, that if annual gifts and prayers were offered to St. Notburga, her daughter should be free from any recurrence of these fits, for a whole year ; but if the mother neglected this practice, her child might be seized with horrible convulsions, nor would the daughter suffer any person to assist during her attacks, while the whole house was disturbed by fearful outcries. Thus, it appeared, that persons without the Church's pale did not cease,onthataccount,toderivebenefitsfromSt. Notburga'smerits. " As this holy woman had lived only for God, so in death He was not unmindful of her. All the consolations that our holy and beautiful religion affords were hers during the entire period of her life, and during her last illness. While on this earth, she had a foretaste of the happiness reserved for the elect. Her death was happy as her life had been holy ; she passed away with a smile upon her lips, and her face still bright with the reflection of the vision, which shone upon her last moments.
Article II. —St. Conon or Conan, Bishop of Sodor and the
"See Very Rev. F. C. Husenbeth's Emblems of Saints," p. 125.
" See
"
"See " Acta Sanctorum," tomusii. , xxvi. Januarii, pp. 750, 751. Also Colgan's
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
" Acta Sanctorum p. 169.
Colgan's
niae," xxvi. Januarii. Vita S. Notburgae, &€. , cap. iv. , ix. , pp. 168, 169.
Hibemiae,"
Janu-
xxvi.
arii. Vita S. Notburgse, cap. v. , yi. , vii. ,
January 26. ]
447
that this
asserting holy prelate
did not —with Fiacre, agree
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
'
Isle of Man. \_Sixth and Seventh Centuries? ^ The Bollandists^ pass over
the notices of St. Conan, Bishop of Sodor, at this date, because they dis-
covered that the statements of Lesley,^ of George Conseus, and of Camerarius,^
was the master of
accounts in the—life of this latter saint. * Boece mentions a Connane pro-
bably this saint among the distinguished persons who lived in Scotland. s Our own Colgan seems to have mistaken the present saint's identity and festival,^ as has been shown already, when treating on St. Mochonna, Doconna,
orConnan,BishopofInis-Patrick,countyofDublin. ? Owingtothefollow- ing circumstances, it is said, the denomination of Inis-Patrick was given to the Isle of Man,^ while the coincidences of proper names, of persons and places, obviously caused the mistake. It is stated, that St. Patrick had re- turned from Ireland to Britain, for the purpose of obtaining more missionaries toaidonhisIrishmission. 9 MakingasecondvoyagetoIreland,withthirty rehgious persons, he was driven by a storm to the Isle of Eubonia'° or Man, about the year 444. Finding the people much addicted to magic practices and Druidism," he stayed there three years, and he was instrumental in con- verting them to the true faith. The holy Apostle of Ireland soon afterwards placedabishopoverthem; andasuccessionofholypastorscanbenamed as his successors. " Many of these were from Ireland, and it is supposed the present pious prelate was a native of our country. Whether or not the Archbishop of Armagh, as successor of St. Patrick, was acknowledged as Metropolitan over Eubonia or Inis-Patrick, at an early period, is uncertain. Originally the diocese was restricted to the Isle of Man ; afterwards, it is said, some of the Southern Hebrides, called the Sudereys or Southern Islands, gave the name Sodor to the group of thirty, constituting this diocese. The terms. Bishop of the Sudoer, and Bishop of the Isles, were convertible. In 838, Pope Gregory IV. ,'3 instituted this see. In 1098, Magnus,'* King of Norway,'s having conquered, not only the Western Isles but Man, the bishopricsofSodorandManwereunited. " Theycontinuedthus,untilthe close of the fourteenth century. '? On the death of John Dunkan, a. d. 1380,
Articlen. —' See"ActaSanctorum,"
tomus ii. , xxvi. Januarii. Prsetermissi et in
"SeeRev. AlbanButler's"Livesofthe
Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal Saints," at the 26th of January, where there is a no- tice of St. Conon, Bishop of the Isle of
alios dies rejecti, p. 690.
' " De Gestis Scotorum," lib. iv.
3 See the account of this saint, in " De Man.
Statu Hominis, Veteris simul ac Novas Ecclesise, et Sanctis Regni Scotiae," lib. i. , cap. iii. , sec. 2, p. 135.
" Yet the " Chronicon Mannise," states, that the names of the earliest bishops were neither recorded in writing, or known from tradition. See *'
< See his Life at the of
Johnstone's Antiquitates Celto-Normanicae," p. 44.
30th August. History of Scotland," book ix. , chap. 21, Bollanden's translation, tomus ii. ,
p. 108. Ed. 1821.
' See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," xiii.
Januarii. De S. Connano Episcop. Mannice, pp. 59, 60.
' At the 13th of January. Article ix.
5 " Sec
^
instructive article, on the Isle of Man, vol. Chronicon Manniae, pp. 10 to 12.
'*
" Isle of Man ; its History, Physical, Ec- princes was acknowledged in the Isle of
vi. , pp. 295, 296.
clesiastical, Civil, and Legendary. " Appen- dix P. , pp. 341, 342.
Man, there might have been a close con- nexion between the Manx Church and the ancient British Church in Wales,
'°
See the account of this transaction re-
corded by Jocelyn in Colgan's
''
Trias Thau-
^^ had ofthe Then the English possession
maturga. " Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. xcii. , p. 86.
"
Isle of Man. See Chambers' Enclyclo-
'^ He sat in the Papal chair from A. D.
827to 843. See Sir Harris Nicolas' "Chrono-
logy of History," p. 391.
'* See H. A. Bullock's "History of the
Isle of Man," chap, i. , pp. 8, 9.
*s See an account of his exploits in John-
See in Chambers' "EncyclopDsdia," an stone's "Antiquitates Celto-Normanicae. "
It is not improbable, that during the 9 See Rev. Joseph George Cumming's period when the authority of the Welsh
paedia," vol. vi. , art. , Isle of Man, p. 296.
nerally
to
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 26.
the clergy of Man elected Robert Waldby, for their prelate ;^^ at the same time, the bishops of Man still retained their title, bishops of Sodor ; giving the name of Sodor to a little island near Peel, in which the cathedral of St. German was built. ^9
St. Conon appears to have been born during the latter part of the sixth
century. Although no record regarding this matter is known to remain, it is
probable he left Ireland to join the religious community at lona, where his education may have been received, and where his talents and virtues, no doubt, caused him to attain distinction. His youth was devoted to prayer andtopenitentialexercises: heentertainedlikewiseagreatdevotiontowards theholyMotherofGod. ^° Theseyouthfulpracticesgrewwithhisyears;=' and the greatest purity characterized his every thought, word and act. In fine, Conanus was appointed tutor to the three sons^^ of Eugenius the Fourth, King of Scotland. ^3 These young princes are described as having made great progress in learning and good morals. Afterwards Conon sat as bishop in the Isle of Man, it is said, about the year 600. These, at least, are the only tangible accounts we can glean from writers who have alluded to him.
From the tuition of Bishop Conon, Doneualdus was called away by the universal suffrages of the Scottish people, to take on himself the direction of their affairs. ''^
This is probably the St. Conan who is placed among the southern Pictish bishops, in that magnificent and learned work of Dr. Gordon,'3 and whose
is
period assigned
to a. d. It is the date to which his death is— 648. ^^ ge-
In — placing
his festival at the 26th of
day January
referred. ^7
which Colgan demiirs^^ Camerarius appears to be more correct than his learned criticiser.
This Conan was greatly venerated in Scotland. He was remembered at Kilconan in Fortingal, and at the well of St. Conan, near Dalmally. ^9 Conan's fair is held on the third Wednesday in March, in Glenorchy;3° but,
'* The civil government of the Manx is and Donualdus, according to some of the
"
liament The islanders make their own Historiae a Prima Gentis Origine," etc. ,
altogether independent of the Imperial Par- Scotch writers. See Boethius'
Scotorum
laws, and appoint their own authorities, judges and law officers. Their parliament is styled the Court of Tynwald. It is com- posed of the Lieutenant-Governor, and the Council, and the House of Keys. The Council is made up of the Bishop, the At- torney-General, two judges, the Clerk of the Rolls, the Water Bailiff, the Archdeacon, and the Vicar-General. The House of Keys is formed of the twenty-four legal re-
lib. ix. , foL 173.
'3 See an account of him in George Bu-
•'
chanan's Rerum Scoticarum Historia,"
lib. v. , pp. 144, 145.
^••See Hector Boetius, "Scotorum His-
torise a Prima Gentis Originse," etc. , lib. ix. , p. 174.
=sSee Rev. J. F. S. Gordon's " Scoti- chronicon," vol. i. . Episcopal Succession in the Church of Scotland, p. 26.
ofthe Anewmea- **Thisis the ofhis people. year
presentatives
sure is introduced into the House of Keys
and debated upon ; it is then sent to the
Council, and finally to the Queen of Eng- land for her assent. It becomes law by
promulgation from t—he Tynwald Hill in English and in Manx a dialect of the latter closely allied to Irish.
'9 See Rev. Joseph George Cumming's
"Isle of Man," &c. , Appendix P. , pp. 338
death, according to Camerarius' "De Statu Hominis veteris
simul ac Novae Ecclesise et Sanctis Regni Scotiae," lib. i. , cap. iii. , sec. 2, p. 136.
=7 See Keith's "Calendar of Scottish
Bishops," p. 296. Russel Ed.
*®See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," De
S. Connano Episcop. Mannise, cap. iv. , p. 60.
to 343-
'° "
According to Camerarius, at the 26th of January;
30 See " New Statistical Account of Scot- land. " Perthshire, p. 103. At the 20th of March, there is a Conan, son of Corre,
"'
to the " Breviarium Lemoui-
According
censis," Limoges, at the 30th of August.
" These are called St. Fiacre, Ferquhard,
=^See the old "Statistical Account of Scotland," vol. ii. , p. 449, and vol. viii. , p. 351. Also Origines Parochrales Scotiae," part ii. , p. 135.
January 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 449
it seems doubtful, if Conan of Glenorchy were identical with the Bishop of Sodor. 3* There was likewise an old parish church called Kilchonan, on the northsideofLochRannoch,anditisno—wunitedtoFortingal. ^^ Asinmany otherinstances,thenameofSt. Conon evenalthoughhemightbeclaimed as connected with our island—has not been inserted in our Irish Calendars.
Article III. —Festival of St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, Martyr.
This noble champion of the Faith is thought to have received instruction
from the Apostles themselves, during the first age of Christianity. The FeiHre of St. ^ngus contains no Irish saint's festival at the 26th of January. The following, however, is the Irish stanza fo—r this date, with its English translation, as furnished by Professor O'Looney:
e. till. kt. 1f biM^Ach All-ocTiec La ]M5 t)0 ooujrAi|\ci
mentioned in the "
He
gal. " probably
saint.
of Done-
and other
Fathers, Martyrs, Principal
xxv. — Saints," January.
'
e. uii. kl.
SLuAg OpCA 1A]\ n-50]\CA La pAij- poLicA]\pci. '
They are a powerful torch
For the king to whom they came
The host who were killed after privation With the passion of Polycarp.
The Acts of St. Polycarp were written immediately after his glorious martyr-
dom, and this most illustrious father of the Church suffered for the Faith
at an extreme old and after the middle of the second '^ It must age, century.
be of interest for us to know, that his festival appears to have been religiously observed in the early ages of Christian fervour in the Irish Church, as in her Mass and offices, even at the present time.
Article IV. —St. Calb, or Calbh, of Tulach Carpait, now Tully- CORBET, in Menna Tire, IN Ui-Meith-Macha, County of Monaghan. It is to be regretted, we cannot find the period when this holy saint graced our ecclesiastical annals. However, we find that the Martyrology of Donegal' records a festival on this day, for a priest (Cruimther) Calbh, of Tulach Carpait, in Ui-Meith-Macha. In the table subjoined to this Martyrology, it is erroneously stated, that this place was situated in O'Meith, in Orior- O'Hanlon, diocese of Ardmagh. ' This saint is entered in the published Martyr-
Martyrology differs from the
present
3» The original chapel and hermitage of St. Fechin or Vigean were at Grange of Conan, There are to be found a small grove and the foundations of a chapel, as likewise a most copious fountain, which pre- serves his name. See " New Statistical Ac- countofScotland. " Forfar,p. 490.
3* " The honorific name of Conon was
in which form his name — Mochonog, appears
is situated ; while the latter lies far
away
on
" Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish
the eastern verge of Armagh and Louth
counties. See »i^;V/. , pp. 396, 397. We are
as the patron of Inverkeillor in Angus.
Saints," p. 308. —
Article hi. 'Leabhar Breac copy,
R. I, A.
''See Rev. Alban Butler's "Lives of the
told by William M. Hennessy, that Tehel- likewise in the of
Vol. I. —No. 8,
20
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 26, 27.
'
The whole paragraph there is erroneous, arising from the confusion between Ui Meith Macha and Ui Meith Mara. The former territory formed a district in the county and barony of Monaghan, and dio- cese of Clogher, in which the above-named parish of Tulach-charpait, now TuUycorbet,
Article iv.
Ian was situated Ui Meith Macha.
territory
450 LIVES 01 THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 27.
ology ofTallagh,3 at the 26th of January, under the designation of Bishop Calb, of Thilaigh Cairpat, in Menna Tin, in h. Meith. This place is identical
with the present Tullycorbet,^ a parish, chiefly in the barony and county of Monaghan, but a part of this parish lies within the barony of Cremorne. s In the Franciscan copy of the Tallagh Martyrology, after the entry of thirteen foreign saints, the name of Bishop Calb first occurs, at this date. ^ Likewise, under the head of Tulagh Carbuid,? Duald Mac Firbis enters, Bishop Calbh, from Tulach-Carbaid, in Menna-tire, in Ui Meith, at January the 26th. ^ This is all that seems to be known regarding him.
Article V. —St. Ernen or Ernin, Bishop. We have no means left for discovering the time when or the place where this holy prelate lived. But we may rest assured he was a man who had been elevated, not as the result of any selfish ambition, but by the sheer force of an innocent and a holylife, ofagreatandmightymind,andofimmeasurabledevotednessto thecauseofourgloriousChurch. IntheFranciscancopyoftheMart)a- ology of Tallagh,^ the name of Ernen, bishop, is to be found in the entries for this particular date. ^ In the Martyrology of Donegal,3 on this day, occurs the name of Ernin, bishop. No further light is thrown on his acts.
iluentp-'Siebettt! ) IBap of Saituarp*
ARTICLE I. —ST. NATALIS OR NAAL, ABBOT AND PATRON OF INVER- NAILE, COUNTY OF DONEGAL, AND OF KINNAWLY, COUNTY OF FERMANAGH.
[SIXTH CENTURY. ']
study of holy men's lives promotes solid instruction and kindly
THE it disarms rancour and feeling ; dispels
it exercises the mind in a love and reverence for religion ; it preserves the fear of God in our souls ; while it puts man in sweet relationship with himself and with
mankind. Colgan professed to give the acts of this saint at the 27th of
January. Yet,heappearstohavebeenundersomemistake,byconfounding this saint with a St. Natalis or Naal, Abbot of Kilmanagh, in the county of Kil-
kenny. '' Butthepresentholyman,similarlynamed,andwhoselocalitywasin the northern parts of Ireland, most probably had been quite a distinct person. '
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiii.
*Thisparishis representedonthe *' Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Monaghan. " Sheets 13, 14, 18,
Dictionary
^The reading is Opf CAtb o rhulAlg cAi^vpAic in menriA Ci^m in h. meich.
^ Tally corbet in the county of Monaghan is identified with this place in "William M.
Hennessy's note.
8 See " Proceedings of the Royal Irish
Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , pait
i. , pp. 132, 133.
Articlev. —' Wetherereadepieniepi.
19.
s See Lewis' "
"Calendar of Irish Saints," published by Rev. Matthew Kelly, D. D. Seep. xiii.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
Topopjraphical of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 658.
evil
temper ;
^
ptesent bishop's festival is omitted from the
It is remarkable, that at this date, the
26,27. —
at the 31st of July.
'See Dr. P. W. Joyce's "Origin and
History of Irish Names of Places," part ii. , chap, iii. , p. 140.
ARTICLE
'
The Life
of St.
quarum parens unus fuisse fertur e 33, quos mater triplici partu edidit, bis imdenos,semet denos. "
^ Incredible as this statement may appear, we find an account, contained in an Ameri- can paper of a rather late date, in which a parallel case is recorded, at least as nearly regards the number of St. Notburga's chil- dren surviving their birth. The New York Tribune published the following extraor-
announcement. "It is dated — dinary John-
son, Trumbull county, O. , Aug. 4, 1859 On the 2nd of August Mrs. Timothy Brad-
saint, that after%vards crowds of people were ac- customed to resort to this fountain, and many miracles were there wrought. The inhabitants of the place, however, were un- willing strangers should drink at this foun- tain ; but they were admonished by St. Notburga that they should feel grateful to
God for favours granted them, without- seeking to deprive others of like benefits.
Finding her admonitions were disregarded, she directed the waters of this fountain to an adjoining wood. Shortly before and even at the time the Bollandists wrote, the well was to be seen in this place. It is remarked in their work, that its waters brought bene- fits to many, not so much from their abun- dance, as from their salubrity.
:
5 Colgan's
"
Acta Sanctorum Hibemije,"
Vita S. i. , Notburgse, cap.
xxvi.
ii. , iii. , viii. , pp. 168, 169.
Januarii.
446 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 26.
an elegant chapel was erected there, to which, in after years, many pious
pilgrims resorted. During periods of public calamity, the Catholics of Kleggovia flocked thither in great numbers to implore her intercession. Nu-
merous testimonials, hung up in the church, and indicating rewards or benefits obtained after those pious pilgrimages, proved the efficacy of our saint's
prayers. The memory of St. Notburga was held in special veneration by the people of Buel, who esteemed her as patron of this place. They cele- brated her festival with great solemnity, each 26th of January. On this day, all public business was there suspended ; pleadings being even inter- dicted within the law courts. In some ancient pictures our saint was repre- sentedcarryingeightinfantsinherarms; theninthchild,whohaddiedwith- out receiving baptism, being placed at her feet. '° This holy parent of a nu- merous and happy offspring, who had endured much persecution in her native country, and many inconveniences during her exile, was destined to attain the crown of eternal glory, and to rejoice for ever with her children. "
The Bollandists relate some miracles, which took place a short time be-
fore they WTOte. In the year 1639, a noble matron, who was afflicted with
dropsy, vowed that she would make a pilgrimage to St. Notburga's Church.
Having fulfilled this promise, and off"ered up her prayers, she was relieved
from her malady. Full of joy and gratitude for this result, she suspended in
the church a token, commemorative of such event. A certain man, who
lived in the village of Griessen, had received a severe hurt, which could
neither be cured by medical aid nor by use of baths. His wife resolved
upon a visit to our saint's chapel, there to entreat intercession on behalf of
her infirm husband. This woman returned from her pilgrimage, and full
confident that her petitions should be granted. To the admiration of many,
her husband was instantly restored to health. During this same year, the
Rev, Christopher Wideman, Parish Priest of Buel, saw a Protestant woman,
from the adjoining village of Wilchlingen, in St. Notburga's Church. She
was forth and as her —a of engaged pouring prayers, giving offering pound
wax.
Having
asked for what
these — so purpose religious practices
contrary
tothoseofpersonsbelongingtoherpersuasion wereintended,thewoman
replied, she had a daughter, who was subject to epileptic fits. She had
learned fi"om experience, that if annual gifts and prayers were offered to St. Notburga, her daughter should be free from any recurrence of these fits, for a whole year ; but if the mother neglected this practice, her child might be seized with horrible convulsions, nor would the daughter suffer any person to assist during her attacks, while the whole house was disturbed by fearful outcries. Thus, it appeared, that persons without the Church's pale did not cease,onthataccount,toderivebenefitsfromSt. Notburga'smerits. " As this holy woman had lived only for God, so in death He was not unmindful of her. All the consolations that our holy and beautiful religion affords were hers during the entire period of her life, and during her last illness. While on this earth, she had a foretaste of the happiness reserved for the elect. Her death was happy as her life had been holy ; she passed away with a smile upon her lips, and her face still bright with the reflection of the vision, which shone upon her last moments.
Article II. —St. Conon or Conan, Bishop of Sodor and the
"See Very Rev. F. C. Husenbeth's Emblems of Saints," p. 125.
" See
"
"See " Acta Sanctorum," tomusii. , xxvi. Januarii, pp. 750, 751. Also Colgan's
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
" Acta Sanctorum p. 169.
Colgan's
niae," xxvi. Januarii. Vita S. Notburgae, &€. , cap. iv. , ix. , pp. 168, 169.
Hibemiae,"
Janu-
xxvi.
arii. Vita S. Notburgse, cap. v. , yi. , vii. ,
January 26. ]
447
that this
asserting holy prelate
did not —with Fiacre, agree
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
'
Isle of Man. \_Sixth and Seventh Centuries? ^ The Bollandists^ pass over
the notices of St. Conan, Bishop of Sodor, at this date, because they dis-
covered that the statements of Lesley,^ of George Conseus, and of Camerarius,^
was the master of
accounts in the—life of this latter saint. * Boece mentions a Connane pro-
bably this saint among the distinguished persons who lived in Scotland. s Our own Colgan seems to have mistaken the present saint's identity and festival,^ as has been shown already, when treating on St. Mochonna, Doconna,
orConnan,BishopofInis-Patrick,countyofDublin. ? Owingtothefollow- ing circumstances, it is said, the denomination of Inis-Patrick was given to the Isle of Man,^ while the coincidences of proper names, of persons and places, obviously caused the mistake. It is stated, that St. Patrick had re- turned from Ireland to Britain, for the purpose of obtaining more missionaries toaidonhisIrishmission. 9 MakingasecondvoyagetoIreland,withthirty rehgious persons, he was driven by a storm to the Isle of Eubonia'° or Man, about the year 444. Finding the people much addicted to magic practices and Druidism," he stayed there three years, and he was instrumental in con- verting them to the true faith. The holy Apostle of Ireland soon afterwards placedabishopoverthem; andasuccessionofholypastorscanbenamed as his successors. " Many of these were from Ireland, and it is supposed the present pious prelate was a native of our country. Whether or not the Archbishop of Armagh, as successor of St. Patrick, was acknowledged as Metropolitan over Eubonia or Inis-Patrick, at an early period, is uncertain. Originally the diocese was restricted to the Isle of Man ; afterwards, it is said, some of the Southern Hebrides, called the Sudereys or Southern Islands, gave the name Sodor to the group of thirty, constituting this diocese. The terms. Bishop of the Sudoer, and Bishop of the Isles, were convertible. In 838, Pope Gregory IV. ,'3 instituted this see. In 1098, Magnus,'* King of Norway,'s having conquered, not only the Western Isles but Man, the bishopricsofSodorandManwereunited. " Theycontinuedthus,untilthe close of the fourteenth century. '? On the death of John Dunkan, a. d. 1380,
Articlen. —' See"ActaSanctorum,"
tomus ii. , xxvi. Januarii. Prsetermissi et in
"SeeRev. AlbanButler's"Livesofthe
Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal Saints," at the 26th of January, where there is a no- tice of St. Conon, Bishop of the Isle of
alios dies rejecti, p. 690.
' " De Gestis Scotorum," lib. iv.
3 See the account of this saint, in " De Man.
Statu Hominis, Veteris simul ac Novas Ecclesise, et Sanctis Regni Scotiae," lib. i. , cap. iii. , sec. 2, p. 135.
" Yet the " Chronicon Mannise," states, that the names of the earliest bishops were neither recorded in writing, or known from tradition. See *'
< See his Life at the of
Johnstone's Antiquitates Celto-Normanicae," p. 44.
30th August. History of Scotland," book ix. , chap. 21, Bollanden's translation, tomus ii. ,
p. 108. Ed. 1821.
' See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," xiii.
Januarii. De S. Connano Episcop. Mannice, pp. 59, 60.
' At the 13th of January. Article ix.
5 " Sec
^
instructive article, on the Isle of Man, vol. Chronicon Manniae, pp. 10 to 12.
'*
" Isle of Man ; its History, Physical, Ec- princes was acknowledged in the Isle of
vi. , pp. 295, 296.
clesiastical, Civil, and Legendary. " Appen- dix P. , pp. 341, 342.
Man, there might have been a close con- nexion between the Manx Church and the ancient British Church in Wales,
'°
See the account of this transaction re-
corded by Jocelyn in Colgan's
''
Trias Thau-
^^ had ofthe Then the English possession
maturga. " Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. xcii. , p. 86.
"
Isle of Man. See Chambers' Enclyclo-
'^ He sat in the Papal chair from A. D.
827to 843. See Sir Harris Nicolas' "Chrono-
logy of History," p. 391.
'* See H. A. Bullock's "History of the
Isle of Man," chap, i. , pp. 8, 9.
*s See an account of his exploits in John-
See in Chambers' "EncyclopDsdia," an stone's "Antiquitates Celto-Normanicae. "
It is not improbable, that during the 9 See Rev. Joseph George Cumming's period when the authority of the Welsh
paedia," vol. vi. , art. , Isle of Man, p. 296.
nerally
to
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 26.
the clergy of Man elected Robert Waldby, for their prelate ;^^ at the same time, the bishops of Man still retained their title, bishops of Sodor ; giving the name of Sodor to a little island near Peel, in which the cathedral of St. German was built. ^9
St. Conon appears to have been born during the latter part of the sixth
century. Although no record regarding this matter is known to remain, it is
probable he left Ireland to join the religious community at lona, where his education may have been received, and where his talents and virtues, no doubt, caused him to attain distinction. His youth was devoted to prayer andtopenitentialexercises: heentertainedlikewiseagreatdevotiontowards theholyMotherofGod. ^° Theseyouthfulpracticesgrewwithhisyears;=' and the greatest purity characterized his every thought, word and act. In fine, Conanus was appointed tutor to the three sons^^ of Eugenius the Fourth, King of Scotland. ^3 These young princes are described as having made great progress in learning and good morals. Afterwards Conon sat as bishop in the Isle of Man, it is said, about the year 600. These, at least, are the only tangible accounts we can glean from writers who have alluded to him.
From the tuition of Bishop Conon, Doneualdus was called away by the universal suffrages of the Scottish people, to take on himself the direction of their affairs. ''^
This is probably the St. Conan who is placed among the southern Pictish bishops, in that magnificent and learned work of Dr. Gordon,'3 and whose
is
period assigned
to a. d. It is the date to which his death is— 648. ^^ ge-
In — placing
his festival at the 26th of
day January
referred. ^7
which Colgan demiirs^^ Camerarius appears to be more correct than his learned criticiser.
This Conan was greatly venerated in Scotland. He was remembered at Kilconan in Fortingal, and at the well of St. Conan, near Dalmally. ^9 Conan's fair is held on the third Wednesday in March, in Glenorchy;3° but,
'* The civil government of the Manx is and Donualdus, according to some of the
"
liament The islanders make their own Historiae a Prima Gentis Origine," etc. ,
altogether independent of the Imperial Par- Scotch writers. See Boethius'
Scotorum
laws, and appoint their own authorities, judges and law officers. Their parliament is styled the Court of Tynwald. It is com- posed of the Lieutenant-Governor, and the Council, and the House of Keys. The Council is made up of the Bishop, the At- torney-General, two judges, the Clerk of the Rolls, the Water Bailiff, the Archdeacon, and the Vicar-General. The House of Keys is formed of the twenty-four legal re-
lib. ix. , foL 173.
'3 See an account of him in George Bu-
•'
chanan's Rerum Scoticarum Historia,"
lib. v. , pp. 144, 145.
^••See Hector Boetius, "Scotorum His-
torise a Prima Gentis Originse," etc. , lib. ix. , p. 174.
=sSee Rev. J. F. S. Gordon's " Scoti- chronicon," vol. i. . Episcopal Succession in the Church of Scotland, p. 26.
ofthe Anewmea- **Thisis the ofhis people. year
presentatives
sure is introduced into the House of Keys
and debated upon ; it is then sent to the
Council, and finally to the Queen of Eng- land for her assent. It becomes law by
promulgation from t—he Tynwald Hill in English and in Manx a dialect of the latter closely allied to Irish.
'9 See Rev. Joseph George Cumming's
"Isle of Man," &c. , Appendix P. , pp. 338
death, according to Camerarius' "De Statu Hominis veteris
simul ac Novae Ecclesise et Sanctis Regni Scotiae," lib. i. , cap. iii. , sec. 2, p. 136.
=7 See Keith's "Calendar of Scottish
Bishops," p. 296. Russel Ed.
*®See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," De
S. Connano Episcop. Mannise, cap. iv. , p. 60.
to 343-
'° "
According to Camerarius, at the 26th of January;
30 See " New Statistical Account of Scot- land. " Perthshire, p. 103. At the 20th of March, there is a Conan, son of Corre,
"'
to the " Breviarium Lemoui-
According
censis," Limoges, at the 30th of August.
" These are called St. Fiacre, Ferquhard,
=^See the old "Statistical Account of Scotland," vol. ii. , p. 449, and vol. viii. , p. 351. Also Origines Parochrales Scotiae," part ii. , p. 135.
January 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 449
it seems doubtful, if Conan of Glenorchy were identical with the Bishop of Sodor. 3* There was likewise an old parish church called Kilchonan, on the northsideofLochRannoch,anditisno—wunitedtoFortingal. ^^ Asinmany otherinstances,thenameofSt. Conon evenalthoughhemightbeclaimed as connected with our island—has not been inserted in our Irish Calendars.
Article III. —Festival of St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, Martyr.
This noble champion of the Faith is thought to have received instruction
from the Apostles themselves, during the first age of Christianity. The FeiHre of St. ^ngus contains no Irish saint's festival at the 26th of January. The following, however, is the Irish stanza fo—r this date, with its English translation, as furnished by Professor O'Looney:
e. till. kt. 1f biM^Ach All-ocTiec La ]M5 t)0 ooujrAi|\ci
mentioned in the "
He
gal. " probably
saint.
of Done-
and other
Fathers, Martyrs, Principal
xxv. — Saints," January.
'
e. uii. kl.
SLuAg OpCA 1A]\ n-50]\CA La pAij- poLicA]\pci. '
They are a powerful torch
For the king to whom they came
The host who were killed after privation With the passion of Polycarp.
The Acts of St. Polycarp were written immediately after his glorious martyr-
dom, and this most illustrious father of the Church suffered for the Faith
at an extreme old and after the middle of the second '^ It must age, century.
be of interest for us to know, that his festival appears to have been religiously observed in the early ages of Christian fervour in the Irish Church, as in her Mass and offices, even at the present time.
Article IV. —St. Calb, or Calbh, of Tulach Carpait, now Tully- CORBET, in Menna Tire, IN Ui-Meith-Macha, County of Monaghan. It is to be regretted, we cannot find the period when this holy saint graced our ecclesiastical annals. However, we find that the Martyrology of Donegal' records a festival on this day, for a priest (Cruimther) Calbh, of Tulach Carpait, in Ui-Meith-Macha. In the table subjoined to this Martyrology, it is erroneously stated, that this place was situated in O'Meith, in Orior- O'Hanlon, diocese of Ardmagh. ' This saint is entered in the published Martyr-
Martyrology differs from the
present
3» The original chapel and hermitage of St. Fechin or Vigean were at Grange of Conan, There are to be found a small grove and the foundations of a chapel, as likewise a most copious fountain, which pre- serves his name. See " New Statistical Ac- countofScotland. " Forfar,p. 490.
3* " The honorific name of Conon was
in which form his name — Mochonog, appears
is situated ; while the latter lies far
away
on
" Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish
the eastern verge of Armagh and Louth
counties. See »i^;V/. , pp. 396, 397. We are
as the patron of Inverkeillor in Angus.
Saints," p. 308. —
Article hi. 'Leabhar Breac copy,
R. I, A.
''See Rev. Alban Butler's "Lives of the
told by William M. Hennessy, that Tehel- likewise in the of
Vol. I. —No. 8,
20
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 26, 27.
'
The whole paragraph there is erroneous, arising from the confusion between Ui Meith Macha and Ui Meith Mara. The former territory formed a district in the county and barony of Monaghan, and dio- cese of Clogher, in which the above-named parish of Tulach-charpait, now TuUycorbet,
Article iv.
Ian was situated Ui Meith Macha.
territory
450 LIVES 01 THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 27.
ology ofTallagh,3 at the 26th of January, under the designation of Bishop Calb, of Thilaigh Cairpat, in Menna Tin, in h. Meith. This place is identical
with the present Tullycorbet,^ a parish, chiefly in the barony and county of Monaghan, but a part of this parish lies within the barony of Cremorne. s In the Franciscan copy of the Tallagh Martyrology, after the entry of thirteen foreign saints, the name of Bishop Calb first occurs, at this date. ^ Likewise, under the head of Tulagh Carbuid,? Duald Mac Firbis enters, Bishop Calbh, from Tulach-Carbaid, in Menna-tire, in Ui Meith, at January the 26th. ^ This is all that seems to be known regarding him.
Article V. —St. Ernen or Ernin, Bishop. We have no means left for discovering the time when or the place where this holy prelate lived. But we may rest assured he was a man who had been elevated, not as the result of any selfish ambition, but by the sheer force of an innocent and a holylife, ofagreatandmightymind,andofimmeasurabledevotednessto thecauseofourgloriousChurch. IntheFranciscancopyoftheMart)a- ology of Tallagh,^ the name of Ernen, bishop, is to be found in the entries for this particular date. ^ In the Martyrology of Donegal,3 on this day, occurs the name of Ernin, bishop. No further light is thrown on his acts.
iluentp-'Siebettt! ) IBap of Saituarp*
ARTICLE I. —ST. NATALIS OR NAAL, ABBOT AND PATRON OF INVER- NAILE, COUNTY OF DONEGAL, AND OF KINNAWLY, COUNTY OF FERMANAGH.
[SIXTH CENTURY. ']
study of holy men's lives promotes solid instruction and kindly
THE it disarms rancour and feeling ; dispels
it exercises the mind in a love and reverence for religion ; it preserves the fear of God in our souls ; while it puts man in sweet relationship with himself and with
mankind. Colgan professed to give the acts of this saint at the 27th of
January. Yet,heappearstohavebeenundersomemistake,byconfounding this saint with a St. Natalis or Naal, Abbot of Kilmanagh, in the county of Kil-
kenny. '' Butthepresentholyman,similarlynamed,andwhoselocalitywasin the northern parts of Ireland, most probably had been quite a distinct person. '
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiii.
*Thisparishis representedonthe *' Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Monaghan. " Sheets 13, 14, 18,
Dictionary
^The reading is Opf CAtb o rhulAlg cAi^vpAic in menriA Ci^m in h. meich.
^ Tally corbet in the county of Monaghan is identified with this place in "William M.
Hennessy's note.
8 See " Proceedings of the Royal Irish
Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , pait
i. , pp. 132, 133.
Articlev. —' Wetherereadepieniepi.
19.
s See Lewis' "
"Calendar of Irish Saints," published by Rev. Matthew Kelly, D. D. Seep. xiii.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
Topopjraphical of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 658.
evil
temper ;
^
ptesent bishop's festival is omitted from the
It is remarkable, that at this date, the
26,27. —
at the 31st of July.
'See Dr. P. W. Joyce's "Origin and
History of Irish Names of Places," part ii. , chap, iii. , p. 140.
ARTICLE
'
The Life
of St.
