7 See Colgan's Acta
Sanctorum
Hiber-
niae," xii.
niae," xii.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v8
, p.
267.
"
ibid, pp. 366, 367.
of of the Society
See 2I
S. Blane, bischop and con-
See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part
13 Thus :
fess. in Scotland quhom fra domb—lane is
named vnder kink kennst 3. " Bishop "See an account of it, in Origines Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p.
159.
14 He thus enters this saint at August loth: "In Scotia Blaani episcopi et con- fessoris qui circa—annum millesimum vive- bat. K. B. T. Ibid. , p. 208.
,s Thus : "10 Die. Sanctus Blanus Epis- copus Sodorensis. Ab illo ciuitas ilia cui
2J See Notes on the Buidhean, or Bell of
Strowan and other Primitive Kcclesiastical
Bells of Scotland, by Dr. Daniel Wilson,
in of the of "Proceedings Society
Antiquaries of Scotland," vol. i. , n. 3, p. 21.
saint—is
at this same 1 ? given day.
18 at this date, as
Blaan,
holy
Dumblan nomen in Scotia indigitatur. "—
Ibid. , p. 239.
,6 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxi. In
i. , pp. 98, 99.
"
parish.
(
epi Cin-ogaruyo in ^AllgAet).
* 7 See O'Sullevan Beare's " Historise Ca-
tholicse Ibernise Compendium," tomus i. ,
,8
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
Parochiales Scotia? ," vol. ii. , part i. , pp. 9,
10, and part ii. , Appendix, p. 820.
August io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 147
responsibilities unwillingly assumed as superior. To his flock, he broke the bread of life, and preached the words of wisdom, so that when called from earth his virtues were eternally rewarded in the companionship of God's faithful servants.
Article II. —St. Cuimmin, Abbot of Drumbo, County of Down. Men should love each other, as Jesus Christ hath loved us, according to His particular and specific injunction. He would commend this precept to
1 The love of God, —and the dying legacy. therefore,
us all, as a last and
love of our neighbour are of one and the self-same essential nature so con- nected in theory and so intertwined in the souls of faithful men, that they cannot be separated. There was ever a union of both degrees of love in the souls of the saints. The present holy man was one among a band of
saintly brothers, a who were the sons of Derinilla, surnamed Cethuir- ""
chicheach, or of the four provinces. Her holy progeny is noticed by St. ^Engus the Culdee. 3 These various brothers are called St. Domangart,4 St.
6 St. Muran,? and St. Cillen. 8 uterine Although
St.
brothers, these were not all children by the same father, for Derinilla is said to have married four different husbands. 9 His place of habitation was Drumbo, Drumboe,10 or Druimbo, and as Jocelin called it " oppidum Druimbo," we have sufficient authority for placing a town here, in or before the twelfth century. It is situated within the present County of Down. In the grave-yard stands a considerable portion of a Round Tower, " which had the following measurements : viz. , 34 feet, 2 inches in height ; the diameter at top 8 feet, 5J inches in the clear ; 15 feet 6 inches, out to out ; the dia- meter at the base 8 feet 8J inches; and 16 feet 8£ inches, out to out. Towards the close of the last century, this Round Tower appears to have
beentoitsfullheight; atleast,nocontraryobservationismadebyRev. Daniel
hearing near it several gentiles constructing a rath or wall, on a Sunday.
Articleii. —'St. John,xiii. ,34,35. stone. Thereisanentranceonitssouthern
2
See what has been already stated, at the side, i. e. , an opening about 5 feet from the observations in connection with St. ground. This opening is about 3 feet in
Aillean,s
Aidan,
12
sented as visiting this place, which we learn from his ancient Lives, ** and as
Augustus Beaufort, LL. D. , who had then seen it.
St. Patrick^ is repre-
Machumma ^or Documma, Bishop of Inis Mahee,atth*e3istofJanuary,Art. ii.
3 In his Tract " On the Mothers of Irish Saints. "
4
See his Acts, at the 24th March, in the Third Volume of this work, Art. i.
5 Also called Ailleoc or Oilleoc, venerated
on the 24th of July. See at that date, the
6
height, and one foot broad ; and the bottom oftheTower,thatis thegroundinside,is one foot below the sill of the entrance. In the interior there are holds in the wall, commencing at about 5 feet from the bot- torn, continuing above each other in three lines, and distant about 5 feet. They are
irregularly placed with respect to their dis-
tances from each other laterally, but they The date of his festival is not known. are all on the same level. There is a small
Seventh Volume of this work, Art. v.
7 Abbot of Fahan. See an account of him at the 12th of March—the date for his feast—in the Third Volume of this work, Art. i.
8
His festival day has not been discovered. 9 See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nioe," xii. Martii. Vita S. Muri, sive
Murani, nn. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, p. 587.
10 To it allusion is made in " Hiberniae
Antiquse et Novae Nomencletura," published in I77 1 -
opening in its eastern side, about 2 feet below its present top. Such is the substance of a description given by Lieutenant Bordes of the Royal Engineers, in a paper in- tituled "Statistical Returns of Drumbo Parish," belonging to the Tower.
"See "Memoir of a. Map of Ireland," &c. Sect, iv. , p. 139.
I3 See his Life, in the Third Volume ot this work, at the 17th March, Art. i. , chap. xxi.
""
It is built of rough Greywacke stone: on one side of the entrance—on the right going in—there is a piece of white sand
,4 See Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga. "
Vita Tripartita S. Patricii,J pars, hi. , cap. 62, p. 161.
i 4S
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [Auoust ia.
This a being clay
of rest and devotion for him,15 he the labourers prohibited
from prosecuting their work. ' 6 They mocked him, however, and would not cease. An abbey or a church is said to have been founded here, during the lifetime of the great Irish Apostle. The printed survey of Down, by Walter Harris, describes the old church ruins at this place, as they were before the middle of the last century. '? However, careless copyists of monastic story
Martyrology
Tallagh,
Marianus, Donegal,
18 that the ruined church there was the
of an
founded
by
John O'Donovan has written : "This Fretum is now Belfast Lough, then called after Drumbo, the nearest and most celebrated town in this part of Uladh. Belfast, after which- this strait is now called, was not in existence for centuries afterwards. "* 2 This place was near the sea, as we are told, at a port in the northern part of Ireland, and opposite the town of Drumbo, called in Latin " Collis Bovis. "a3 It has been 2* that the Drumbo, in the
assert,
St. Patiick,^ and in the beginning of the seventh century presided over by St. Mochumma. 20 In the Book of Armagh, the patron saint of Ireland is saidtohavebeennear"Fretum CollumBovisvocatur. "21 Wefind
quod
thought, present
Barony of Upper Castlereagh, can hardly be die spot there alluded to, and it is supposedtobeprobable,thattheinnerbayofDundrummayhavebeen intended. 2 s A festival was celebrated at this date, as we find registered in the 26 of 2? and of 28 in honour of
of
Cuimmin, Abbot of Druimbo, in Uladh.
Article III. —St. Malchus, Bishop of Lismore. {Eleventh and
Twelfth Centuries^ We learn most about this holy Bishop, through the
writings
Already
2 onwhich
of St. Bernard. 1
we have treated about at some him,
hewas
to some Calendarists. Colgan intended publishing a Life of St. Malchus, at the ioth of August, as would seem from his posthumous list. 3 The Bollandists have given his acts,* in three paragraphs, at this date. He is noticed, likewise, in the work of Rev. S. Baring-Gould. 5 St. Malchus was born in Ireland, about the middle of the eleventh century. He became a monk at Winchester. From that religious house, he was drawn to preside over the See of Lismore, in the Southern part of Ireland. He was probably the immediate successor of Mac Mic who died A. D. 6 In or
length,
attheiothof
April,
day
venerated, according
•s Joceline states : " Sed ibidem navi q—uiescens eandem devotione solemnizavit. "
Ibid. , cap. clx. , p. 100.
16 See Sir William Bctham's " Anti-
quarian Researches. " Appendix, p xi.
17 See " Ancient and Present State of the
2 * By the Rev. William Reeves, D. D.
25 See "Ecclesiastical Antiquities of
Down, Connor and Dromore. " Appendix
s. pp. 235, 236, and Appendix LL, p. 379. "Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxi. In the Book of Leinstei copy, at this date,
vestige
Aeducan, 1113.
thereadingis Ctmne&b"Oponnbo. "'"
CountyofDown,"chap. i. , sect,iv. ,pp. 73,74. 5ee Parliamentary Gazetteer ol Ire-
land," vol. ii. , p. 81. .
7 See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niae," xii. Januarii, n. 6, p. 59. Colgan here calls him Abbot of Dromore.
M Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
'9 See Archdall's cum," p. 119.
"
Monasticon Iliberni-
30
See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Iliber-
niae. " Martii xii. , De S. Muro sive Articlein.
wi urano, p. 587, and n. 5, ibid. chiiv. "
'" 2 Fol. 680.
*•
These remarks are met with on loose sheets, intituled, "Correspondence, &c, concerningnamesofrPlaces,Antiquities,&C. , Co. Down. " They are part of the Irish Ordnance Survey Records.
Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. clx. , p. 100,
'
23 See " Trias Colgan's
De S. Malcho Conf. Episcopo
Thaumaturga. " Probus or Quinta Vita S. Patricii, pars. ii. , cap. xxxviii. , p. 61, and Jocelyn's or
Augusti x. ,
Li^nori in Hibernia, p. 561.
214, 215. —
In his " Vita S. Mala-
abbey
See at that date, the Fourth Volume of this work, Art. v.
Dierum. "
'•Sec "Acta Sanctorum. " tomus ii. ,
' See "
Actuum Sanctorum qua: MS. habentur Ordine Mensium et
Catalogus
5 See "Lives of the Saints," vol. viii. , August 10, p. 112,
August to. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 149
about the year n 20, St. Malachy O'Morgair? became his disciple, and after- wards spent some time with him. At this time, Malchus seems to have been
very old ; but, he had been distinguished for his learning and his virtues, and even for his miracles. When St. Malchus died has not been ascertained
exactly; but, after the year n30, seems to have been the probable epoch. The name of this holy Bishop is entered, at the 10th of August, in the
8 anonymousCalendarofIrishSaints,publishedbyO'SullevanBeare. Bishop
Malchus is mentioned, at the same date, on Father Henry Fitzsimons' list,9 where reference is given for further notice of him to St. Bernard's Life
ofSt. Malachy.
Article IV. —The Arrival or St. Maolruain, with the Relics of
VirginsandofotherSaints,atTallagh,CountyofDublin. Inthe
of 1 we find a festival for this as characterized at Martyrology Tallagh, day,
the head of this paragraph. We learn from the Life of St. ^Engus, the
2
Culdee, that he often travelled about, engaged on inquiries, which enabled
him to illustrate the Saint-History of Ireland. Doubtless, he failed not to
collectsomerelicsofthoseholypersons,wheneverhetravelledabroad; and,
it is likely, that his distinguished superior and local contemporary, St. Maelruan,3 who had kindred tastes, made special journeys for similar purposes. Oneofthesereturnsmusthavebeensolemnlycommemoratedat Tallagh, in the eighth century, and before the death of St. Maelruan, on the 7th July, 792. That commemoration was probably continued annually, on
this day, and at that particular place, in recognition of those treasures deposited by the holy founder in the house of his religious community.
Article V. —Feast of St. Laurence, Deacon and Martyr. In the Irish Church was commemorated on this day the Feast of that illustrious Deacon. St. Laurence, who submitted to a glorious martyrdom, for the sake
" *' 1
of Christ. In the Feilire of St. ^Engus the festival is entered, and a
Latin comment is found affixed in the ki Leabhar Breac "
copy.
3 The Acts
of this holy Deacon are set forth in full by the Bollandists,3 at the 10th of
August, in a previous commentary of twelve sections, containing 128 para-
graphs, with a closing Latin hymn,-* and notes : afterwards, follow Acts from theMartyrologyofAdo,5 andanAccountoftheposthumouscommemora- tions, miracles, and glories of the Saint, in six sections, containing 59 paragraphs.
Article VI. —Festival of Soldiers, Martyrs. In the general way of
commemorating a host of soldiers, who are highly eulogized as martyrs, a festival was celebrated in the Irish Church, on the 10th of Ajigust, as we
learn from the ' 4 Feilire "* of St. yEngus. In a comment attached, these are stated to have been seventy in number. 2 However, I cannot find in any
6 See Harris' Lismore," p. 550.
vol. i. "
of
<vo Cambachcam uetiic. See the Third Volume of this work, at
the nthot March, Art. i.
3 His festival occurs, at the 7th of July,
where his Acts may be seen in the Seventh
Volume of this— i. work, Ajrt.
x
8
See "Historian Catholicae Ibernix
Compendium," tomus xi. , P- 5°-
Article v.
9 See ibid. , p. 55. Article iv. —*
Ware,
Bishops
fAticcopum eu'tiqx 3
1 His feast occurs, on the 3rd of Novem-
ber, at which date his Life may be found in
the Eleventh Volume of this work, Art. i.
Edited
Kelly, p. xxxi. In the Book of Leinster
the Rev. Dr. copy, we find melruiArn cum rf pelivpnr-
dar of
i. , lib.
iv. , cap.
See "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. " Irish Manu- script Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calen-
by
Oengus, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , cxxiii.
"Thus: "*•*. Martir[i]um ejus i. e.
p.
150 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August ii.
other Calendar a similar enumeration of martyr soldiers; but the Bollandists, at this same date, have a feast and notice for seven soldiers, with other martyrs, 3 and, moreover, they have a festival for one hundred and sixty-five soldiers, with other martyrs, for the ioth of August. *
©lebentfj ©arj of August,
ARTICLE I. —ST. ATTRACTA, VIRGIN AND PATRONESS OF KIL- LARAUGHT, COUNTY OF SLIGO.
[FIFTH OR SIXTH CENTURY. ]
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY—WRITERS OF ST. ATTRACTA's BIOGRAPHY—THE PERIOD OF ST. AT- TRACTA—SUPPOSED PARENTAGE AND RELATIONS OF THE HOLY VIRGIN—HER EARLY PIOUS DISPOSITIONS—SHE RESOLVES ON LEADING A RELIGIOUS LIFE— SHE RECEIVES THE VEIL FROM ST. PATRICK.
is to be regretted, that so many of our earlier saints failed to have the ITstory oftheir lives recorded, by writers familiar with their company and conversation on earth. Among those pious and meritorious Christians was St. Attracta, of whom only popular traditions have been committed to rather late record. As a consequence, no very reliable materials for her Life remain. Those we possess are of a legendary character ; but, the morals culture and patriotism of the reader cannot be injured in the story of a chaste woman's career on earth. In exaggerated tales, religious sentiments may be over-strained, but they usually give right and virtue their due reward,
and they often afford examples of retribution against the wrong-doer.
A brief illusion to this holy virgin has been made already, at the 9th of
1
February, which was a festival held in her honour, and where her Life is to
;
Laurentius Archidiaconus Sixti Militum VII. See "Acta Sanctorum," Papaje]
Romae fuit et sub Decio passus est ba. uii. , tomus ii. , Aprilis x. , p. 533.
fuit [sic] sub D£cio pasus est in Romae. "— 4 See ibid. De Sanctis Martyribus
Ibid. , p. cxxx.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. ,
Augusti x. , De S. Laurentio Archidiacono
Romania Militibus ci. xv. Item de Claudio,
Severo, Crescentione, et Romano, pp. 534,
i. See the —Chapter —'
Art. viii.
ac Romse, &c, Martyre,
to
535. Article
pp. 485 * By Aurelius Prudentius.
532.
i.
Second Volume of this work, at that date,
5 These are set forth in twelve paragraphs, with notes.
2
These are published in Father John
Article vi.
—
'
See "Transactions of the
"Acta Sanctorum Hibernioe," Kebruarii ix. Vita S. Attracta Virginia. Partim ex. MS. Insulensi, partim ex aliis, pp.
27710282. See also n. I, p. 2S1.
3 Its foundation is referred to A. D. 1 148. See "The History of Ireland and the Annals of Boyle," &c. , by John D'Alton,
Esq. , vol. i. , p. 179.
Royal Irish Academy. " Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of
Oengus, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. cxxiii.
3 See ibid. , p. cxxx.
3 Thus headed : De Sanctis Martyribus Viris XL, et Virginibus XIIL, item Afraa et
of several the nth of —
be found, in the
appears to us, to ha—ve been her principal feast. Her Life and Acts 2 but in a mutilated state are taken from an old manuscript, which is supposed to have been written by a Cistercian Monk, belonging to the Abbey of Boyle,*
writings hagiologists
but, August
Colgan's
August ii.
"
ibid, pp. 366, 367.
of of the Society
See 2I
S. Blane, bischop and con-
See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish MSS. Series, vol. i. , part
13 Thus :
fess. in Scotland quhom fra domb—lane is
named vnder kink kennst 3. " Bishop "See an account of it, in Origines Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p.
159.
14 He thus enters this saint at August loth: "In Scotia Blaani episcopi et con- fessoris qui circa—annum millesimum vive- bat. K. B. T. Ibid. , p. 208.
,s Thus : "10 Die. Sanctus Blanus Epis- copus Sodorensis. Ab illo ciuitas ilia cui
2J See Notes on the Buidhean, or Bell of
Strowan and other Primitive Kcclesiastical
Bells of Scotland, by Dr. Daniel Wilson,
in of the of "Proceedings Society
Antiquaries of Scotland," vol. i. , n. 3, p. 21.
saint—is
at this same 1 ? given day.
18 at this date, as
Blaan,
holy
Dumblan nomen in Scotia indigitatur. "—
Ibid. , p. 239.
,6 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxi. In
i. , pp. 98, 99.
"
parish.
(
epi Cin-ogaruyo in ^AllgAet).
* 7 See O'Sullevan Beare's " Historise Ca-
tholicse Ibernise Compendium," tomus i. ,
,8
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
Parochiales Scotia? ," vol. ii. , part i. , pp. 9,
10, and part ii. , Appendix, p. 820.
August io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 147
responsibilities unwillingly assumed as superior. To his flock, he broke the bread of life, and preached the words of wisdom, so that when called from earth his virtues were eternally rewarded in the companionship of God's faithful servants.
Article II. —St. Cuimmin, Abbot of Drumbo, County of Down. Men should love each other, as Jesus Christ hath loved us, according to His particular and specific injunction. He would commend this precept to
1 The love of God, —and the dying legacy. therefore,
us all, as a last and
love of our neighbour are of one and the self-same essential nature so con- nected in theory and so intertwined in the souls of faithful men, that they cannot be separated. There was ever a union of both degrees of love in the souls of the saints. The present holy man was one among a band of
saintly brothers, a who were the sons of Derinilla, surnamed Cethuir- ""
chicheach, or of the four provinces. Her holy progeny is noticed by St. ^Engus the Culdee. 3 These various brothers are called St. Domangart,4 St.
6 St. Muran,? and St. Cillen. 8 uterine Although
St.
brothers, these were not all children by the same father, for Derinilla is said to have married four different husbands. 9 His place of habitation was Drumbo, Drumboe,10 or Druimbo, and as Jocelin called it " oppidum Druimbo," we have sufficient authority for placing a town here, in or before the twelfth century. It is situated within the present County of Down. In the grave-yard stands a considerable portion of a Round Tower, " which had the following measurements : viz. , 34 feet, 2 inches in height ; the diameter at top 8 feet, 5J inches in the clear ; 15 feet 6 inches, out to out ; the dia- meter at the base 8 feet 8J inches; and 16 feet 8£ inches, out to out. Towards the close of the last century, this Round Tower appears to have
beentoitsfullheight; atleast,nocontraryobservationismadebyRev. Daniel
hearing near it several gentiles constructing a rath or wall, on a Sunday.
Articleii. —'St. John,xiii. ,34,35. stone. Thereisanentranceonitssouthern
2
See what has been already stated, at the side, i. e. , an opening about 5 feet from the observations in connection with St. ground. This opening is about 3 feet in
Aillean,s
Aidan,
12
sented as visiting this place, which we learn from his ancient Lives, ** and as
Augustus Beaufort, LL. D. , who had then seen it.
St. Patrick^ is repre-
Machumma ^or Documma, Bishop of Inis Mahee,atth*e3istofJanuary,Art. ii.
3 In his Tract " On the Mothers of Irish Saints. "
4
See his Acts, at the 24th March, in the Third Volume of this work, Art. i.
5 Also called Ailleoc or Oilleoc, venerated
on the 24th of July. See at that date, the
6
height, and one foot broad ; and the bottom oftheTower,thatis thegroundinside,is one foot below the sill of the entrance. In the interior there are holds in the wall, commencing at about 5 feet from the bot- torn, continuing above each other in three lines, and distant about 5 feet. They are
irregularly placed with respect to their dis-
tances from each other laterally, but they The date of his festival is not known. are all on the same level. There is a small
Seventh Volume of this work, Art. v.
7 Abbot of Fahan. See an account of him at the 12th of March—the date for his feast—in the Third Volume of this work, Art. i.
8
His festival day has not been discovered. 9 See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nioe," xii. Martii. Vita S. Muri, sive
Murani, nn. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, p. 587.
10 To it allusion is made in " Hiberniae
Antiquse et Novae Nomencletura," published in I77 1 -
opening in its eastern side, about 2 feet below its present top. Such is the substance of a description given by Lieutenant Bordes of the Royal Engineers, in a paper in- tituled "Statistical Returns of Drumbo Parish," belonging to the Tower.
"See "Memoir of a. Map of Ireland," &c. Sect, iv. , p. 139.
I3 See his Life, in the Third Volume ot this work, at the 17th March, Art. i. , chap. xxi.
""
It is built of rough Greywacke stone: on one side of the entrance—on the right going in—there is a piece of white sand
,4 See Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga. "
Vita Tripartita S. Patricii,J pars, hi. , cap. 62, p. 161.
i 4S
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [Auoust ia.
This a being clay
of rest and devotion for him,15 he the labourers prohibited
from prosecuting their work. ' 6 They mocked him, however, and would not cease. An abbey or a church is said to have been founded here, during the lifetime of the great Irish Apostle. The printed survey of Down, by Walter Harris, describes the old church ruins at this place, as they were before the middle of the last century. '? However, careless copyists of monastic story
Martyrology
Tallagh,
Marianus, Donegal,
18 that the ruined church there was the
of an
founded
by
John O'Donovan has written : "This Fretum is now Belfast Lough, then called after Drumbo, the nearest and most celebrated town in this part of Uladh. Belfast, after which- this strait is now called, was not in existence for centuries afterwards. "* 2 This place was near the sea, as we are told, at a port in the northern part of Ireland, and opposite the town of Drumbo, called in Latin " Collis Bovis. "a3 It has been 2* that the Drumbo, in the
assert,
St. Patiick,^ and in the beginning of the seventh century presided over by St. Mochumma. 20 In the Book of Armagh, the patron saint of Ireland is saidtohavebeennear"Fretum CollumBovisvocatur. "21 Wefind
quod
thought, present
Barony of Upper Castlereagh, can hardly be die spot there alluded to, and it is supposedtobeprobable,thattheinnerbayofDundrummayhavebeen intended. 2 s A festival was celebrated at this date, as we find registered in the 26 of 2? and of 28 in honour of
of
Cuimmin, Abbot of Druimbo, in Uladh.
Article III. —St. Malchus, Bishop of Lismore. {Eleventh and
Twelfth Centuries^ We learn most about this holy Bishop, through the
writings
Already
2 onwhich
of St. Bernard. 1
we have treated about at some him,
hewas
to some Calendarists. Colgan intended publishing a Life of St. Malchus, at the ioth of August, as would seem from his posthumous list. 3 The Bollandists have given his acts,* in three paragraphs, at this date. He is noticed, likewise, in the work of Rev. S. Baring-Gould. 5 St. Malchus was born in Ireland, about the middle of the eleventh century. He became a monk at Winchester. From that religious house, he was drawn to preside over the See of Lismore, in the Southern part of Ireland. He was probably the immediate successor of Mac Mic who died A. D. 6 In or
length,
attheiothof
April,
day
venerated, according
•s Joceline states : " Sed ibidem navi q—uiescens eandem devotione solemnizavit. "
Ibid. , cap. clx. , p. 100.
16 See Sir William Bctham's " Anti-
quarian Researches. " Appendix, p xi.
17 See " Ancient and Present State of the
2 * By the Rev. William Reeves, D. D.
25 See "Ecclesiastical Antiquities of
Down, Connor and Dromore. " Appendix
s. pp. 235, 236, and Appendix LL, p. 379. "Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxi. In the Book of Leinstei copy, at this date,
vestige
Aeducan, 1113.
thereadingis Ctmne&b"Oponnbo. "'"
CountyofDown,"chap. i. , sect,iv. ,pp. 73,74. 5ee Parliamentary Gazetteer ol Ire-
land," vol. ii. , p. 81. .
7 See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niae," xii. Januarii, n. 6, p. 59. Colgan here calls him Abbot of Dromore.
M Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
'9 See Archdall's cum," p. 119.
"
Monasticon Iliberni-
30
See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Iliber-
niae. " Martii xii. , De S. Muro sive Articlein.
wi urano, p. 587, and n. 5, ibid. chiiv. "
'" 2 Fol. 680.
*•
These remarks are met with on loose sheets, intituled, "Correspondence, &c, concerningnamesofrPlaces,Antiquities,&C. , Co. Down. " They are part of the Irish Ordnance Survey Records.
Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. clx. , p. 100,
'
23 See " Trias Colgan's
De S. Malcho Conf. Episcopo
Thaumaturga. " Probus or Quinta Vita S. Patricii, pars. ii. , cap. xxxviii. , p. 61, and Jocelyn's or
Augusti x. ,
Li^nori in Hibernia, p. 561.
214, 215. —
In his " Vita S. Mala-
abbey
See at that date, the Fourth Volume of this work, Art. v.
Dierum. "
'•Sec "Acta Sanctorum. " tomus ii. ,
' See "
Actuum Sanctorum qua: MS. habentur Ordine Mensium et
Catalogus
5 See "Lives of the Saints," vol. viii. , August 10, p. 112,
August to. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 149
about the year n 20, St. Malachy O'Morgair? became his disciple, and after- wards spent some time with him. At this time, Malchus seems to have been
very old ; but, he had been distinguished for his learning and his virtues, and even for his miracles. When St. Malchus died has not been ascertained
exactly; but, after the year n30, seems to have been the probable epoch. The name of this holy Bishop is entered, at the 10th of August, in the
8 anonymousCalendarofIrishSaints,publishedbyO'SullevanBeare. Bishop
Malchus is mentioned, at the same date, on Father Henry Fitzsimons' list,9 where reference is given for further notice of him to St. Bernard's Life
ofSt. Malachy.
Article IV. —The Arrival or St. Maolruain, with the Relics of
VirginsandofotherSaints,atTallagh,CountyofDublin. Inthe
of 1 we find a festival for this as characterized at Martyrology Tallagh, day,
the head of this paragraph. We learn from the Life of St. ^Engus, the
2
Culdee, that he often travelled about, engaged on inquiries, which enabled
him to illustrate the Saint-History of Ireland. Doubtless, he failed not to
collectsomerelicsofthoseholypersons,wheneverhetravelledabroad; and,
it is likely, that his distinguished superior and local contemporary, St. Maelruan,3 who had kindred tastes, made special journeys for similar purposes. Oneofthesereturnsmusthavebeensolemnlycommemoratedat Tallagh, in the eighth century, and before the death of St. Maelruan, on the 7th July, 792. That commemoration was probably continued annually, on
this day, and at that particular place, in recognition of those treasures deposited by the holy founder in the house of his religious community.
Article V. —Feast of St. Laurence, Deacon and Martyr. In the Irish Church was commemorated on this day the Feast of that illustrious Deacon. St. Laurence, who submitted to a glorious martyrdom, for the sake
" *' 1
of Christ. In the Feilire of St. ^Engus the festival is entered, and a
Latin comment is found affixed in the ki Leabhar Breac "
copy.
3 The Acts
of this holy Deacon are set forth in full by the Bollandists,3 at the 10th of
August, in a previous commentary of twelve sections, containing 128 para-
graphs, with a closing Latin hymn,-* and notes : afterwards, follow Acts from theMartyrologyofAdo,5 andanAccountoftheposthumouscommemora- tions, miracles, and glories of the Saint, in six sections, containing 59 paragraphs.
Article VI. —Festival of Soldiers, Martyrs. In the general way of
commemorating a host of soldiers, who are highly eulogized as martyrs, a festival was celebrated in the Irish Church, on the 10th of Ajigust, as we
learn from the ' 4 Feilire "* of St. yEngus. In a comment attached, these are stated to have been seventy in number. 2 However, I cannot find in any
6 See Harris' Lismore," p. 550.
vol. i. "
of
<vo Cambachcam uetiic. See the Third Volume of this work, at
the nthot March, Art. i.
3 His festival occurs, at the 7th of July,
where his Acts may be seen in the Seventh
Volume of this— i. work, Ajrt.
x
8
See "Historian Catholicae Ibernix
Compendium," tomus xi. , P- 5°-
Article v.
9 See ibid. , p. 55. Article iv. —*
Ware,
Bishops
fAticcopum eu'tiqx 3
1 His feast occurs, on the 3rd of Novem-
ber, at which date his Life may be found in
the Eleventh Volume of this work, Art. i.
Edited
Kelly, p. xxxi. In the Book of Leinster
the Rev. Dr. copy, we find melruiArn cum rf pelivpnr-
dar of
i. , lib.
iv. , cap.
See "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. " Irish Manu- script Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calen-
by
Oengus, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , cxxiii.
"Thus: "*•*. Martir[i]um ejus i. e.
p.
150 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August ii.
other Calendar a similar enumeration of martyr soldiers; but the Bollandists, at this same date, have a feast and notice for seven soldiers, with other martyrs, 3 and, moreover, they have a festival for one hundred and sixty-five soldiers, with other martyrs, for the ioth of August. *
©lebentfj ©arj of August,
ARTICLE I. —ST. ATTRACTA, VIRGIN AND PATRONESS OF KIL- LARAUGHT, COUNTY OF SLIGO.
[FIFTH OR SIXTH CENTURY. ]
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY—WRITERS OF ST. ATTRACTA's BIOGRAPHY—THE PERIOD OF ST. AT- TRACTA—SUPPOSED PARENTAGE AND RELATIONS OF THE HOLY VIRGIN—HER EARLY PIOUS DISPOSITIONS—SHE RESOLVES ON LEADING A RELIGIOUS LIFE— SHE RECEIVES THE VEIL FROM ST. PATRICK.
is to be regretted, that so many of our earlier saints failed to have the ITstory oftheir lives recorded, by writers familiar with their company and conversation on earth. Among those pious and meritorious Christians was St. Attracta, of whom only popular traditions have been committed to rather late record. As a consequence, no very reliable materials for her Life remain. Those we possess are of a legendary character ; but, the morals culture and patriotism of the reader cannot be injured in the story of a chaste woman's career on earth. In exaggerated tales, religious sentiments may be over-strained, but they usually give right and virtue their due reward,
and they often afford examples of retribution against the wrong-doer.
A brief illusion to this holy virgin has been made already, at the 9th of
1
February, which was a festival held in her honour, and where her Life is to
;
Laurentius Archidiaconus Sixti Militum VII. See "Acta Sanctorum," Papaje]
Romae fuit et sub Decio passus est ba. uii. , tomus ii. , Aprilis x. , p. 533.
fuit [sic] sub D£cio pasus est in Romae. "— 4 See ibid. De Sanctis Martyribus
Ibid. , p. cxxx.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. ,
Augusti x. , De S. Laurentio Archidiacono
Romania Militibus ci. xv. Item de Claudio,
Severo, Crescentione, et Romano, pp. 534,
i. See the —Chapter —'
Art. viii.
ac Romse, &c, Martyre,
to
535. Article
pp. 485 * By Aurelius Prudentius.
532.
i.
Second Volume of this work, at that date,
5 These are set forth in twelve paragraphs, with notes.
2
These are published in Father John
Article vi.
—
'
See "Transactions of the
"Acta Sanctorum Hibernioe," Kebruarii ix. Vita S. Attracta Virginia. Partim ex. MS. Insulensi, partim ex aliis, pp.
27710282. See also n. I, p. 2S1.
3 Its foundation is referred to A. D. 1 148. See "The History of Ireland and the Annals of Boyle," &c. , by John D'Alton,
Esq. , vol. i. , p. 179.
Royal Irish Academy. " Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of
Oengus, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. cxxiii.
3 See ibid. , p. cxxx.
3 Thus headed : De Sanctis Martyribus Viris XL, et Virginibus XIIL, item Afraa et
of several the nth of —
be found, in the
appears to us, to ha—ve been her principal feast. Her Life and Acts 2 but in a mutilated state are taken from an old manuscript, which is supposed to have been written by a Cistercian Monk, belonging to the Abbey of Boyle,*
writings hagiologists
but, August
Colgan's
August ii.
