Com-
mentarius
prsevius, sect.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v9
Comgalii citanda ad lit.
;;/.
"
writer's meaning appears to have been, that the latter was father of Fobrece.
—"Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Sep- tembris iii. Vita S. Macnissii, auctore incerto, n. (c), p. 665.
18
In alluding to the Cathedral Church of
ad diem tertium Septembris. intelligimus. "
daughter of Conchaid of Dal Cetherin, was his mother, or Mac [son] Cnis Patraic
iii. Vita S. Macnisii, n. (b), p. 655. 21 "
See the Rev. James O Eaverty's His-
torical Account of the Diocese of Down and
Connor,Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. , p. 270. 22 "
had been incorrectly confounded with him. 23 " Fabulosum id prorsus est: idem suspicor de vivo fonte, fortassis hue deri-
September 3] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 65
stated, that our saint was baptised by the Apostle of the Irish nation. After- wards, he was known as Mac Cneise or the son of Cnes. 2* The Christian
name bestowed on him was
mother. This is a more saidtohavebeenfosteredandaccustomedtosleepwithSt. Patrick. Where-
^Engus,
2s and his surname was derived from his
likely
as we find
under the of
placed charge Bishop
To
derivation than that one 26 where he is given,
he was
Patrick's skin. " Yet, as it was not unusual among the Irish to derive a surname from the mother, we might probably suppose her to have been of a more distinguished family than that of her husband, or to have been more remarkable for her mental endowments.
fore,
He—was
named,
reported,
Patrick while he was still very young.
entrusted as a foster-child, and from that holy bishop his education had been
received. When young, he was sent to take charge of certain cows and
their calves. A deep slumber then oppressed him. Meantime, the calves
took advantage of their youthful herdsman's sleep to approach the cows,
andtodrawtheaccustomedsustenancefromthem. Wearetold,thatthe
Bishop's mother—also the nurse of our saint—felt displeased at his neglect,
and struck the child. This, however, she did not with impunity; for that
hand,withwhichshechastisedtheyouth,becamepowerless. Whereupon,the
Bishop required his foster-son to pray for her. Immediately on complying
with such request, the offending member was again restored to its former
strength. From such a circumstance, and owing to other . miracles of a similar nature, the fame of this youthful soldier of Christ was greatly extended. Our saint was a most docile pupil to his master, while going through the course of elementary studies. When St. Patrick was on a journey through
28 met Bolcan with our 29 he thus addressed the Dalaradia, having saint,
former " You and your successors shall always be subject to the rule of :
this your companion and to his successors. " The Apostle's allusion, in this prophetic declaration, referred to the Bishopric subsequently obtained. 30
24 Yet, in the Scholion to the Calendar of mento Aradii, regis Ultonice, in ea olim yEngus, in the Leabhar Breac, we have the principatum tenente. "—"Trias Thauma- confusing and ridiculous statement, that she turga," Prima Vita S. Patricii, n. 18, was son of Nemainder, son to Ere, son of p. 8.
Eochaid Mundremar. See the translation in 29 In a comment on this narrative, the
:
Very Rev. James O'Laverty's "Historical Bollandist editor remarks " Id forte de-
Account of the Diocese of Down and Connor, Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. , p. 271.
25 Latinized /Eneus, and probably given when he had been baptised. On it is a note
sumptum est ex interpolatione Vitce Tripar- titce 8. Patricii num. 134, ubi puer aliquis Maccnissius et Sanctus noster perperam confounduntur ; cum hie secundum
Wareeum, qui diliqenter anliquitates patrias scrutatus est, primus fuerit ecclesice Conner- ensis episcopus et tundator : nee veteris Ecclesise simplicitas tulerit, ut ab uno episcopatu quis transiret ad alterum ; quod
" by the Bollandist editor :
Post Vitam scribitur Engula, quod forte diminutivum est ab Engus. "—"Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Septembris iii. Vita auctore incerto, n.
(2), p. 665.
26 In a gloss on the Festilogy of St. tamen factum oportuisset, si, qui prius
Connerensis erat, factus Arth-mugiensis 2? See an account of this holy bishop, in fuisset, uii observat Papebrochtus citatus.
/Engus.
the Second Volume of this work, at the Prceterea Olcanus discipulos non habuit
20th of February. Art. ii.
28 The words in the Saint's Life are, "in
ante annum 450, into ex Gallia non rediit ante 460 vel forte 470, ut putat Colganus: si ergo Sanctus nosterpost medium seculi 5 puer erat, quandonam a S. Patiicio
terra Aradensium. " The editor in a note
(e) here quotes the words of Colgan :
" Dal-aradia est maritima et orientalis ordinatus est ? " See "Acta Sanctorum,"
Tjitonice regio, ab oppido Ivorio usque tomus i. , Septembris iii. Vita auctore in-
montem Mis versus Aquilonem protensa. certo, n. (f), p. 665.
Nomen desumpsit a stiipe Fiachi, cogno- Vol. IX. —No. 2.
3°
See ibid. , sect 2, p. 664.
Mac Cnes " son of Patraic, i. e. ,
Bolcan 2? —a
him,
of St. the son of Ness was
disciple
e
66 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 3.
The latter illustrious man gave certain particular charges, regarding the
education and training of the child. These trusts, on being assumed, were
faithfully observed and fulfilled. It would appear, from some remarks in the
Irish Apostle's life, that the saint, when a boy, carried his master's books in
a leather case v that he had been entrusted with the care of those articles ;
necessary for Divine service ; and that he probably attended the Bishop in the capacity of servitor at his different episcopal ministrations. That the ancient Irish were accustomed to have their books thus preserved may be still proved from the specimens of ecclesiastical Manuscripts preserved to our time. Among these may be mentioned the celebrated Book of Armagh, the history of which is a curious one. 32
Already have we mentioned in the Life of St. Patrick,33 the opposition he met with from Saran, a tyrannical chief in the northern part of Ireland. This man pretended to repent, for the many acts of rapine and violence he had committed, and too readily did Bishop Olcan absolve him from those crimes. Having thus incurred St. Patrick's displeasure, the Apostle pre- dicted, that St. Olcan's possessions should afterwards be transferred to the boyMacnessius. 34 Thentakingoursaintunderhisownimmediatecharge, the Apostle instructed his youthful disciple in the principles of religion, and in those studies necessary for exercising the sacred ministry. 35 The disciple, it is stated, had the misfortune to lapse into grievous sin, and he suffered a visible punishment in consequence, according to that relation given in St. Patrick's Tripartite Life. 36 However, the Bollandist editor very justly characterizes this as a foolish fable, and he states, that there can be no doubt of our saint's sanctity, and that it would be utterly improbable he could have been ordained priest and afterwards consecrated bishop, when deprived of one of his hands, in the manner related. The anonymous writer of St. Macnessius' Acts does not mention this incident, although he introduces other fabulous accounts. 37
Having proved himself perfect in every good work, according to tradition, St. Macnessius had been raised to the episcopal dignity by St. Patrick. We know not the year of St. Macnissius' ordination ; Ware informs us, however,
31 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," cipulum, tunc prsesentem, ejusque in
Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars ii. , chap. cxxxiv. , p. 147.
32 Before the lamented death of Bishop William Reeves of Down and Connor, that learned man had undertaken the task of preparing the Book of Armagh for publica- tion. As it was in a case, to which a strap for hanging on a wall had been appended, Dr. Reeves was accustomed to carry it sus- pended frorn his neck, and it was placed under his vest, while travelling. Seethe Memoir by Norman Moore, in Sydney Lee's "National Biography. "
33 See the Third Volume of this work, at
the 17th of March, Art. i. The Life of St.
Patrick, chap xv.
34 Such is the account given in the Acts
of our saint written by the unknown author, and as published by the Bolland- ists. However, this matter is differently
quadam pellicea pera codices gestantem, nempe ad S. Macnessium, postea Episco- pum Conderensem : et ad quendam alium virum sanctum nondem natum, Sanctum scilicet Senamim de Inis Altich. Sic
delicta Sarani sunt ejus spirituali Patri, et regeneratori imputata, et in eo severe punita. "—Pars ii. , cap. cxxxiv. , p. 147.
3S In the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick we
"
disciplinis apud Patricium educaretur. " See
ibid. , cap. exxix. , p. 146. That our saint had been educated by the Irish Apostle is not stated in the Acts, as published by the Bollamlists.
36 See ibid.
37 It is added : Quales occurrunt apud
multos sctiptores Hibernicos, prodigia narrantes stupenda ? nagis quam vera, vel qua ab uno Sancto semel sunt facta, pluribus tribucntes aliter atque aliier composita:
sanctus et possessiones ejus esse devolendas potius opinor, quant falleudi voluntate
ad quendam puerum, ipsius S. Olcani dis- * * * Numero 3.
stated in Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," "
Vita Tripartita S. Patricii: Adjecit vir
read of St. Macnessius,
in pietate et bonis
.
September 3. ] LIVES OE THE IRISH SAINTS.
67
that he was advanced to the in the fifth episcopal dignity
38 St. Macnessius is said to have made a pilgrimage to the seat of the Apostles, and to Jerusalem, visiting also other remarkable places in the Holy Land. In the panegyric of our saint, as published by the Bollandists, we are told
during the pilgrimage, that he frequently offered up his prayers to God, and that he brought several relics with him, on his return from the Holy Land. Among these are enumerated a stone taken from our Lord's Sepulchre, a portion of the Blessed Virgin Mary's hair, a bone of the Apostle St. Thomas, portions of the garments belonging to the Apostles, and one of the bowls belonging to the great altar at Jerusalem. He returned by way of Rome, and lodged in the Apostolic curia, where he remained for some
There he had been treated with marked distinction. We are informed, moreover, that on a certain day, in Rome, Macnisius consecrated and ordained Bishops, Priests and Deacons, the Roman clergy acting as his assistants. On this same occasion, the poverty of the Irish mission was taken into consideration by certain Roman magnates, who bestowed on him many valuable gifts, among which were to be found several gold, silver, and brazen vessels. During his residence at Rome, through the efficacy of his prayers, a leper was cleansed from his foul disease. Having visited the shrines of various saints, and received the Sovereign Pontiff's benediction and prayers, he returned to his native country, bringing with him the many presents he had received. And we are told, that not only the people of his own country, but those of surrounding nations, received him with great rejoicing. 39 When Mac Nessius, with his remarkable relics,-* left Rome for
Ireland, the people went forth to meet him, from the churches, towns, villages, woodsandmountains. Theyreceivedhimwithmostaffectionatedemon- strations of joy, nor were any found absent on these occasions but evil doers, to whom the presence of our saint was a standing reproach.
Soon the seed of Divine wisdom was planted in every direction, the
trumpet of the Gospel was sounded, and churches were founded by our saint.
days.
The holy Bishop was distinguished for the performance of miracles, He was inebriated, also, with a spirit of prophesy, and illuminated with Divine Revelations. Among the many miracles which he wrought, St. Macnesius healed two men, one of whom was blind, and the other was a leper. They presented themselves to him in full confidence of being relieved from their infirmities ; and having first washed themselves, in a fountain of clear water, one of them received the gift of sight, and his companion was cleansed from his leprosy, through the prayers of our saint. He also delivered a boy, named Colman,41 from a violent death. A certain wicked man, who killed the father of this boy, had seized upon the youth, who was under the guardianship of his friends. The tyrant had resolved upon putting him to death. However, our saint interfered to preserve his life.
38 " Perhibetur S. Cailanus, S. Macnisii
episcopi Connorensis equalis, sed in episco- patu posterior, ex Nendrumenai abbate factus Dunensis ecclesiae episcopus sub exitum seculi post Christum natum quinti. " —Ware, p. 52.
39 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Sep- tembris iii. Vita auctore incerto, sect. 3,
4, pp. 664, 665.
40 See Very Rev. James O'Laverty's
" of Down and Connor," vol. v. , p. Bishops
222.
4T The Bollandist editor cites the follow- ing passage from a Ms. of Ward, in a previous Commentary on our saint's Acts,
Finding the cruel man inexorable,
which thus reads :
"
S. Colmannus, quern
is miraculo liberavit a morte, fuit episcopus
Kill-ruadhensis, quae nunc obsoleta sedes est in Aradeorum regione sita ; ad oram
stagni juvenci vulgo Loch-Laodh in Ultonia, ubi ejus festum tanquam patroni colitur xvi.
—"Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. . Septembris iii. De Sancto Macniscio.
Com- mentarius prsevius, sect. 3, p. 662.
Octobris. "
century.
68 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. September 3.
Macnessius asked as a favour, that the boy should not be slain until brought
8
to a pile of stones,* which was conspicuous at some distance. This request
he obtained, and afterwards our saint went to the place. There he engaged in prayer. The youth was thrown into the air, so that his body might be received on the points of his executioners' spears. Immediately, however, he was conveyed away by Angels, and deposited on the holy Bishop's bosom
free from all injury. Our saint afterwards nurtured, and diligently taught him the rudiments of Religion, and a knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures. He afterwards founded the church of Killruaird,43 now Kilroot,44 on the north side of Belfast Lough. In the townland so named,45 there is a large grave- yard, containing some portions of an old church, which was about sixty-six feet in length, by twenty-four in width/6 The spot is rendered memorable,
1
Templecorran Church Ruins,
not alone by its having become the primitive see of St. Colman,4? but owing to other interesting circumstances/8 In mediaeval times, Kilroot^ and
of a cromlech, or it may be one of those large cairns, so frequently met with, on eminences. in different places throughout Ireland.
43 Colgan, in his notes on the Life of St.
Corbmac, states, that Kilruaidh is within the
bounds of the former territory of Dal-aradia, and near Lochlaodh. See "Acta Sanc-
torum Hibernise," xxvi. Martii, n. 36, p. 756.
44 This parish contains 2,418a. op. i^r. , in the barony of Lower Belfast. It is shown on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Antrim," sheets 47, 53.
43 "Ad acervum &c. lapidum,"
47 His festival occurs on the 16th of suchapileasisnowknownunderthename October.
45 It contains See ibid. , sheet 53.
4*The south-east and south-west are all that remain standing.
48 Here, in the year 161 1, the first Presby-
terian congregat ion in 1 reland was est ablished,
and in the cemetery adjoiningthe little village
of Ballycarry, in Kilroot parish, is interred
the Rev. Edward Brice, M. A. , who emi-
grated from Scotland, and the first Presby-
terian minister who settled in Ireland. He
was promoted by the Protestant bishop to be
prebendary of Kilroot, in 1613. According
to the inscription on his tombstone, he died
at the age of 67, in the year 1636. See the
" Dublin Penny Journal," vol. iii. , No. 120,
p. 121, and Rev. Dr. James Seaton Reid's
" of the Church in History Presbyterian
Ireland," vol. i. , chap, i. , p. 98, and chap,
625 acres, 3 roods, 7 perches.
Perhaps
angles
iv. , p. 203.
edition, Belfast, 1867.
New
49 This parish was a vicarage, and part of
Skptkmbkr 3
j
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
69
Templecorran parishes constituted the Tuogh or District of Braden or Broad Island,nowknownasIslandMagee. TheunroofedruinsofTemplecorran Churchs° are still to be seen near the Antrim coast. It is remarkable as having been the church of the first prebendal benefice of Kilroot, to which Jonathan Swifts1—afterwards the celebrated Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin—
had been appointed ;
when he
resigned it,s
secretary, at Moor-park, in England. The parish of Templecorran was a vicarage and part of the benefice of Kilroot or Ballinure. It is traversed by the roads from Carrickfergus to Island Magee and Lame, having Belfast Lough for its southern boundary. 53
In that Life of our saint, contained in the Salamancan Manuscript, we read, that when Macnessius returned to his native country, he miraculously changed the current of a river named Curi. 5 * This he did, in order that the murmuring of its waters should not disturb infirm persons in a monastery, which he built at a place called Disart, or Desert. ss The waters afterwards took a distant course from that spot. On a certain day, when he laboured there with his monks, he had a revelation, that in company with other holy persons, St. Brigid56 was on the way to his house, in order to confer with him on religious subjects. Being greatly rejoiced at this interior admonition, he addressed his com- munity with these words: "Brethren, let us give over this work and retire to
the monastery; we must prepare whatever may be necessary for the holy guests, who are journeying hither, and who shall arrive during this week. "57 St. yEngus Macnessius is reputed to have been the first founder, and to
8
Its establishment is thus referred to the latter half of the fifth century. The present See59 com-
but, he held it only for the short term ot two years,
2 and went to reside with Sir William as his Temple,
have presided as Bishop over the Church of Connor. s
the benefice of Ballinure. The surface comes down from the basaltic uplands, a little east of Lough Mourne, to the margin of
"
Belfast Lough. See Parliamentary
Gazetteer of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 531.
that in the Dublin Penny Journal," has sought in the vicinity of his Church of been drawn on the wood, and engraved by Connor a place of holy retirement, wh—ere he Mr. Gregor Gray. mightenjoyundisturbedmeditation. " Very
s° The annexed illustration, copied from "
suspects it might have been a small stream, noted on some maps, as passing near Connor
"
towards the North. See Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus i. , Septembris hi. Acta S. Macniseii,
n. (k), p. 666.
ss Hibernice, " Disert. " "St. MacNissi
51 See the Life of Jonathan Swift, pre- Rev. James O'Laverty's fixed to Thomas Roscoe's edition ot his
works, vol. i. , pp. xvi. , xvii.
s2 The pathetic story, told by Sheridan,
and repeated by Sir Walter Scott, in his
Memoirs of Swift, prefixed to the volumi-
nous collection of the Dean's works, about
his having procured that poor clergyman
who lent his horse to obtain it, has no foun-
dation in fact, as proved by that ingenuous
and learned writer, William Monck Mason,
in his admirable and most researchful work,
11
The History and Antiquities of the Col- legiate and Cathedral Church of St. Patrick's,
near Dublin," book ii. , chap, v. , sect, i. , n. (x) p. 235. His account of that extraordi- nary genius is one of the most exact and authentic biographies of the Dean hitherto written.
Gazetteer of Ire-
Parliamentary land," vol. ii. , pp. 324, 325.
54 The Bollandist editor remarks, that he
cannot find a river called Curi : although he p. 272, c. 1 ; p. 502, c. I. The tvo in the
53 See "
chap, i. , sect, i. , p. 15.
59 in Irish records the name Connor
generally appears in the forms Convene, Conoipe, Cotvoeine, Comxvipe, which
Colgan occasionally Latinizes by Condoria.
" Historical Account of the Diocese of Down and
Connor, Ancient and Modern," p. 271.
s« See her Life, in the Second Volume of
this work, at the 1st of February, Art. i.
57 This miracle is recorded in the Acts of our Saint, published by the Bollandists, at the 3rd of September. See "Acta Sanc- torum," tomus i. , Septtmbris. iii. Acta S.
Macnissii, sect. 8, p. 665.
s8 The See of Down was united to that of
Connor by Pope Eugenius IV. Henry VI.
approved of this union, as appears by his
diploma, given in the sixteenth year of his
reign, A. D. , 1438. See Dubourdieu's
"
Statistical Survey of the County Antrim,"
See "Trias Thaumaturga," p. 146, col. 2 ;
7o LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September3. prises several churches, which on one or more occasions had been formerly
60
episcopal seats, and had conferred a title on their respective bishops.
Those churches within the limits whicli formerly enjoyed cathedral honours 61
were Connor, Arthirmuigh, Killanardh, Cuilraithen, Rechrann, and Rath-
62
sithe.
It would seem, from the Bollandist Acts of our Saint, that a monastery63
was founded at Connor, after the arrival of our saint in Ireland, and on his returnfromRome. TheepiscopalSeeofConnorappears,also,tohavehad a separate and an independent existence, at a time when his short Acts were written. 6-* The union of Connor with the See of Down has been referred to the year 1442. In 1458, Patrick Olynnan was vicar of the cathedral church of Connor. 6s The old cathedral of St, Saviour at Connor had been partly destroyed in the rebellion of 164 1. A portion of this having been re-roofed, and thatched with straw, was afterwards used for Protestant service. 66 The subsequent rectory church was built in 18 18, on the site of the old cathedral.
CHAPTER II.
ST. MACNESSIUS VISITS LANN-ELA IN COMPANY WITH ST. PATRICK AND ST. BRIGID— ADVISES ST. COLMANTO FOUND A MONASTERY AT DROMORE—ST. MACNESSIUS IS SAID TO HAVE ESTABLISHED A MONASTERY AT KELLS NEAR CONNOR—HIS MIRACLES AND PROPHECIES—HIS DEATH—FESTIVAL AND COMMEMORATIONS—CONCLUSION.
1
In his Acts, it is stated, that in company with St. Patrick and St. Brigid, 2
the holy bishop had been journeying through Momonia, and he passed through a place, called Lann-ela. 3 While his companions passed on, our saint
middle of the word subsequently passed into Camber, which Ware, in " De Hibernia et
"
«n. , as Mr. O'Donovan observes :
antient Irish manuscripts we find tro almost invariably written for tin of the modern Irish
—"Irish
The orign of the name is thus explained
marginalgloss
(Connor) in the Martyrology of . ^Engus, at the 3rd of September: . 1. T>Aine ha con . 1. •OAine Ambicir com aIIca pnuif ec m eo
See cap. xxvi. , p. 180.
orthography. " t0
Grammar," p. 34.
64 After to the foundation of alluding
in a
on the word Chon,oer\ib
"in hodie sedes quo usque
lupe
Via " Daire-na-conn, [bicaOAUc], i. e. ,
episcopalis habetur. " In a comment on this latter passage, the Bollandist editor infers, that the Life of St. Macnessius must have been written before a. d. , when the See of
i. e. , the oak wood, in which were wild dogs
formerly, and she-wolves used to dwell there-
In the Antiquitatibus ejus," calls Comerer, al Comber, which had been founded A. D. 1199.
in. " This etymology per metathesim was tomus i. , Septembris iii. De Sancio Moc-
common with the Irish, as Colgan observes.
He conjectures that Dercon, the Church of
St. Olcan, was identical with Connor,
"
adding :
per transpositionem nostratibus frequentem, idem sit quod Condere seu Condore. "— " Acta Sanctorum Hibernire," xx. Februarii. Vita S. Olcani seu Bolcani, n. 8, recte 9, p.
377. 61
By the country people the name is pro- nounced as if it was written Con-yer.
62 See Rev. Wm. Reeves' " Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore," note T, p. 237.
6J In a note at this place, the Bollandist editor states, that he could not find a Ccenobium bearing such a name, but that
near Conner there was a named monastery
nescio, nn. (g, h), p.
writer's meaning appears to have been, that the latter was father of Fobrece.
—"Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Sep- tembris iii. Vita S. Macnissii, auctore incerto, n. (c), p. 665.
18
In alluding to the Cathedral Church of
ad diem tertium Septembris. intelligimus. "
daughter of Conchaid of Dal Cetherin, was his mother, or Mac [son] Cnis Patraic
iii. Vita S. Macnisii, n. (b), p. 655. 21 "
See the Rev. James O Eaverty's His-
torical Account of the Diocese of Down and
Connor,Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. , p. 270. 22 "
had been incorrectly confounded with him. 23 " Fabulosum id prorsus est: idem suspicor de vivo fonte, fortassis hue deri-
September 3] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 65
stated, that our saint was baptised by the Apostle of the Irish nation. After- wards, he was known as Mac Cneise or the son of Cnes. 2* The Christian
name bestowed on him was
mother. This is a more saidtohavebeenfosteredandaccustomedtosleepwithSt. Patrick. Where-
^Engus,
2s and his surname was derived from his
likely
as we find
under the of
placed charge Bishop
To
derivation than that one 26 where he is given,
he was
Patrick's skin. " Yet, as it was not unusual among the Irish to derive a surname from the mother, we might probably suppose her to have been of a more distinguished family than that of her husband, or to have been more remarkable for her mental endowments.
fore,
He—was
named,
reported,
Patrick while he was still very young.
entrusted as a foster-child, and from that holy bishop his education had been
received. When young, he was sent to take charge of certain cows and
their calves. A deep slumber then oppressed him. Meantime, the calves
took advantage of their youthful herdsman's sleep to approach the cows,
andtodrawtheaccustomedsustenancefromthem. Wearetold,thatthe
Bishop's mother—also the nurse of our saint—felt displeased at his neglect,
and struck the child. This, however, she did not with impunity; for that
hand,withwhichshechastisedtheyouth,becamepowerless. Whereupon,the
Bishop required his foster-son to pray for her. Immediately on complying
with such request, the offending member was again restored to its former
strength. From such a circumstance, and owing to other . miracles of a similar nature, the fame of this youthful soldier of Christ was greatly extended. Our saint was a most docile pupil to his master, while going through the course of elementary studies. When St. Patrick was on a journey through
28 met Bolcan with our 29 he thus addressed the Dalaradia, having saint,
former " You and your successors shall always be subject to the rule of :
this your companion and to his successors. " The Apostle's allusion, in this prophetic declaration, referred to the Bishopric subsequently obtained. 30
24 Yet, in the Scholion to the Calendar of mento Aradii, regis Ultonice, in ea olim yEngus, in the Leabhar Breac, we have the principatum tenente. "—"Trias Thauma- confusing and ridiculous statement, that she turga," Prima Vita S. Patricii, n. 18, was son of Nemainder, son to Ere, son of p. 8.
Eochaid Mundremar. See the translation in 29 In a comment on this narrative, the
:
Very Rev. James O'Laverty's "Historical Bollandist editor remarks " Id forte de-
Account of the Diocese of Down and Connor, Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. , p. 271.
25 Latinized /Eneus, and probably given when he had been baptised. On it is a note
sumptum est ex interpolatione Vitce Tripar- titce 8. Patricii num. 134, ubi puer aliquis Maccnissius et Sanctus noster perperam confounduntur ; cum hie secundum
Wareeum, qui diliqenter anliquitates patrias scrutatus est, primus fuerit ecclesice Conner- ensis episcopus et tundator : nee veteris Ecclesise simplicitas tulerit, ut ab uno episcopatu quis transiret ad alterum ; quod
" by the Bollandist editor :
Post Vitam scribitur Engula, quod forte diminutivum est ab Engus. "—"Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Septembris iii. Vita auctore incerto, n.
(2), p. 665.
26 In a gloss on the Festilogy of St. tamen factum oportuisset, si, qui prius
Connerensis erat, factus Arth-mugiensis 2? See an account of this holy bishop, in fuisset, uii observat Papebrochtus citatus.
/Engus.
the Second Volume of this work, at the Prceterea Olcanus discipulos non habuit
20th of February. Art. ii.
28 The words in the Saint's Life are, "in
ante annum 450, into ex Gallia non rediit ante 460 vel forte 470, ut putat Colganus: si ergo Sanctus nosterpost medium seculi 5 puer erat, quandonam a S. Patiicio
terra Aradensium. " The editor in a note
(e) here quotes the words of Colgan :
" Dal-aradia est maritima et orientalis ordinatus est ? " See "Acta Sanctorum,"
Tjitonice regio, ab oppido Ivorio usque tomus i. , Septembris iii. Vita auctore in-
montem Mis versus Aquilonem protensa. certo, n. (f), p. 665.
Nomen desumpsit a stiipe Fiachi, cogno- Vol. IX. —No. 2.
3°
See ibid. , sect 2, p. 664.
Mac Cnes " son of Patraic, i. e. ,
Bolcan 2? —a
him,
of St. the son of Ness was
disciple
e
66 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 3.
The latter illustrious man gave certain particular charges, regarding the
education and training of the child. These trusts, on being assumed, were
faithfully observed and fulfilled. It would appear, from some remarks in the
Irish Apostle's life, that the saint, when a boy, carried his master's books in
a leather case v that he had been entrusted with the care of those articles ;
necessary for Divine service ; and that he probably attended the Bishop in the capacity of servitor at his different episcopal ministrations. That the ancient Irish were accustomed to have their books thus preserved may be still proved from the specimens of ecclesiastical Manuscripts preserved to our time. Among these may be mentioned the celebrated Book of Armagh, the history of which is a curious one. 32
Already have we mentioned in the Life of St. Patrick,33 the opposition he met with from Saran, a tyrannical chief in the northern part of Ireland. This man pretended to repent, for the many acts of rapine and violence he had committed, and too readily did Bishop Olcan absolve him from those crimes. Having thus incurred St. Patrick's displeasure, the Apostle pre- dicted, that St. Olcan's possessions should afterwards be transferred to the boyMacnessius. 34 Thentakingoursaintunderhisownimmediatecharge, the Apostle instructed his youthful disciple in the principles of religion, and in those studies necessary for exercising the sacred ministry. 35 The disciple, it is stated, had the misfortune to lapse into grievous sin, and he suffered a visible punishment in consequence, according to that relation given in St. Patrick's Tripartite Life. 36 However, the Bollandist editor very justly characterizes this as a foolish fable, and he states, that there can be no doubt of our saint's sanctity, and that it would be utterly improbable he could have been ordained priest and afterwards consecrated bishop, when deprived of one of his hands, in the manner related. The anonymous writer of St. Macnessius' Acts does not mention this incident, although he introduces other fabulous accounts. 37
Having proved himself perfect in every good work, according to tradition, St. Macnessius had been raised to the episcopal dignity by St. Patrick. We know not the year of St. Macnissius' ordination ; Ware informs us, however,
31 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," cipulum, tunc prsesentem, ejusque in
Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars ii. , chap. cxxxiv. , p. 147.
32 Before the lamented death of Bishop William Reeves of Down and Connor, that learned man had undertaken the task of preparing the Book of Armagh for publica- tion. As it was in a case, to which a strap for hanging on a wall had been appended, Dr. Reeves was accustomed to carry it sus- pended frorn his neck, and it was placed under his vest, while travelling. Seethe Memoir by Norman Moore, in Sydney Lee's "National Biography. "
33 See the Third Volume of this work, at
the 17th of March, Art. i. The Life of St.
Patrick, chap xv.
34 Such is the account given in the Acts
of our saint written by the unknown author, and as published by the Bolland- ists. However, this matter is differently
quadam pellicea pera codices gestantem, nempe ad S. Macnessium, postea Episco- pum Conderensem : et ad quendam alium virum sanctum nondem natum, Sanctum scilicet Senamim de Inis Altich. Sic
delicta Sarani sunt ejus spirituali Patri, et regeneratori imputata, et in eo severe punita. "—Pars ii. , cap. cxxxiv. , p. 147.
3S In the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick we
"
disciplinis apud Patricium educaretur. " See
ibid. , cap. exxix. , p. 146. That our saint had been educated by the Irish Apostle is not stated in the Acts, as published by the Bollamlists.
36 See ibid.
37 It is added : Quales occurrunt apud
multos sctiptores Hibernicos, prodigia narrantes stupenda ? nagis quam vera, vel qua ab uno Sancto semel sunt facta, pluribus tribucntes aliter atque aliier composita:
sanctus et possessiones ejus esse devolendas potius opinor, quant falleudi voluntate
ad quendam puerum, ipsius S. Olcani dis- * * * Numero 3.
stated in Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," "
Vita Tripartita S. Patricii: Adjecit vir
read of St. Macnessius,
in pietate et bonis
.
September 3. ] LIVES OE THE IRISH SAINTS.
67
that he was advanced to the in the fifth episcopal dignity
38 St. Macnessius is said to have made a pilgrimage to the seat of the Apostles, and to Jerusalem, visiting also other remarkable places in the Holy Land. In the panegyric of our saint, as published by the Bollandists, we are told
during the pilgrimage, that he frequently offered up his prayers to God, and that he brought several relics with him, on his return from the Holy Land. Among these are enumerated a stone taken from our Lord's Sepulchre, a portion of the Blessed Virgin Mary's hair, a bone of the Apostle St. Thomas, portions of the garments belonging to the Apostles, and one of the bowls belonging to the great altar at Jerusalem. He returned by way of Rome, and lodged in the Apostolic curia, where he remained for some
There he had been treated with marked distinction. We are informed, moreover, that on a certain day, in Rome, Macnisius consecrated and ordained Bishops, Priests and Deacons, the Roman clergy acting as his assistants. On this same occasion, the poverty of the Irish mission was taken into consideration by certain Roman magnates, who bestowed on him many valuable gifts, among which were to be found several gold, silver, and brazen vessels. During his residence at Rome, through the efficacy of his prayers, a leper was cleansed from his foul disease. Having visited the shrines of various saints, and received the Sovereign Pontiff's benediction and prayers, he returned to his native country, bringing with him the many presents he had received. And we are told, that not only the people of his own country, but those of surrounding nations, received him with great rejoicing. 39 When Mac Nessius, with his remarkable relics,-* left Rome for
Ireland, the people went forth to meet him, from the churches, towns, villages, woodsandmountains. Theyreceivedhimwithmostaffectionatedemon- strations of joy, nor were any found absent on these occasions but evil doers, to whom the presence of our saint was a standing reproach.
Soon the seed of Divine wisdom was planted in every direction, the
trumpet of the Gospel was sounded, and churches were founded by our saint.
days.
The holy Bishop was distinguished for the performance of miracles, He was inebriated, also, with a spirit of prophesy, and illuminated with Divine Revelations. Among the many miracles which he wrought, St. Macnesius healed two men, one of whom was blind, and the other was a leper. They presented themselves to him in full confidence of being relieved from their infirmities ; and having first washed themselves, in a fountain of clear water, one of them received the gift of sight, and his companion was cleansed from his leprosy, through the prayers of our saint. He also delivered a boy, named Colman,41 from a violent death. A certain wicked man, who killed the father of this boy, had seized upon the youth, who was under the guardianship of his friends. The tyrant had resolved upon putting him to death. However, our saint interfered to preserve his life.
38 " Perhibetur S. Cailanus, S. Macnisii
episcopi Connorensis equalis, sed in episco- patu posterior, ex Nendrumenai abbate factus Dunensis ecclesiae episcopus sub exitum seculi post Christum natum quinti. " —Ware, p. 52.
39 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Sep- tembris iii. Vita auctore incerto, sect. 3,
4, pp. 664, 665.
40 See Very Rev. James O'Laverty's
" of Down and Connor," vol. v. , p. Bishops
222.
4T The Bollandist editor cites the follow- ing passage from a Ms. of Ward, in a previous Commentary on our saint's Acts,
Finding the cruel man inexorable,
which thus reads :
"
S. Colmannus, quern
is miraculo liberavit a morte, fuit episcopus
Kill-ruadhensis, quae nunc obsoleta sedes est in Aradeorum regione sita ; ad oram
stagni juvenci vulgo Loch-Laodh in Ultonia, ubi ejus festum tanquam patroni colitur xvi.
—"Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. . Septembris iii. De Sancto Macniscio.
Com- mentarius prsevius, sect. 3, p. 662.
Octobris. "
century.
68 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. September 3.
Macnessius asked as a favour, that the boy should not be slain until brought
8
to a pile of stones,* which was conspicuous at some distance. This request
he obtained, and afterwards our saint went to the place. There he engaged in prayer. The youth was thrown into the air, so that his body might be received on the points of his executioners' spears. Immediately, however, he was conveyed away by Angels, and deposited on the holy Bishop's bosom
free from all injury. Our saint afterwards nurtured, and diligently taught him the rudiments of Religion, and a knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures. He afterwards founded the church of Killruaird,43 now Kilroot,44 on the north side of Belfast Lough. In the townland so named,45 there is a large grave- yard, containing some portions of an old church, which was about sixty-six feet in length, by twenty-four in width/6 The spot is rendered memorable,
1
Templecorran Church Ruins,
not alone by its having become the primitive see of St. Colman,4? but owing to other interesting circumstances/8 In mediaeval times, Kilroot^ and
of a cromlech, or it may be one of those large cairns, so frequently met with, on eminences. in different places throughout Ireland.
43 Colgan, in his notes on the Life of St.
Corbmac, states, that Kilruaidh is within the
bounds of the former territory of Dal-aradia, and near Lochlaodh. See "Acta Sanc-
torum Hibernise," xxvi. Martii, n. 36, p. 756.
44 This parish contains 2,418a. op. i^r. , in the barony of Lower Belfast. It is shown on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Antrim," sheets 47, 53.
43 "Ad acervum &c. lapidum,"
47 His festival occurs on the 16th of suchapileasisnowknownunderthename October.
45 It contains See ibid. , sheet 53.
4*The south-east and south-west are all that remain standing.
48 Here, in the year 161 1, the first Presby-
terian congregat ion in 1 reland was est ablished,
and in the cemetery adjoiningthe little village
of Ballycarry, in Kilroot parish, is interred
the Rev. Edward Brice, M. A. , who emi-
grated from Scotland, and the first Presby-
terian minister who settled in Ireland. He
was promoted by the Protestant bishop to be
prebendary of Kilroot, in 1613. According
to the inscription on his tombstone, he died
at the age of 67, in the year 1636. See the
" Dublin Penny Journal," vol. iii. , No. 120,
p. 121, and Rev. Dr. James Seaton Reid's
" of the Church in History Presbyterian
Ireland," vol. i. , chap, i. , p. 98, and chap,
625 acres, 3 roods, 7 perches.
Perhaps
angles
iv. , p. 203.
edition, Belfast, 1867.
New
49 This parish was a vicarage, and part of
Skptkmbkr 3
j
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
69
Templecorran parishes constituted the Tuogh or District of Braden or Broad Island,nowknownasIslandMagee. TheunroofedruinsofTemplecorran Churchs° are still to be seen near the Antrim coast. It is remarkable as having been the church of the first prebendal benefice of Kilroot, to which Jonathan Swifts1—afterwards the celebrated Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin—
had been appointed ;
when he
resigned it,s
secretary, at Moor-park, in England. The parish of Templecorran was a vicarage and part of the benefice of Kilroot or Ballinure. It is traversed by the roads from Carrickfergus to Island Magee and Lame, having Belfast Lough for its southern boundary. 53
In that Life of our saint, contained in the Salamancan Manuscript, we read, that when Macnessius returned to his native country, he miraculously changed the current of a river named Curi. 5 * This he did, in order that the murmuring of its waters should not disturb infirm persons in a monastery, which he built at a place called Disart, or Desert. ss The waters afterwards took a distant course from that spot. On a certain day, when he laboured there with his monks, he had a revelation, that in company with other holy persons, St. Brigid56 was on the way to his house, in order to confer with him on religious subjects. Being greatly rejoiced at this interior admonition, he addressed his com- munity with these words: "Brethren, let us give over this work and retire to
the monastery; we must prepare whatever may be necessary for the holy guests, who are journeying hither, and who shall arrive during this week. "57 St. yEngus Macnessius is reputed to have been the first founder, and to
8
Its establishment is thus referred to the latter half of the fifth century. The present See59 com-
but, he held it only for the short term ot two years,
2 and went to reside with Sir William as his Temple,
have presided as Bishop over the Church of Connor. s
the benefice of Ballinure. The surface comes down from the basaltic uplands, a little east of Lough Mourne, to the margin of
"
Belfast Lough. See Parliamentary
Gazetteer of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 531.
that in the Dublin Penny Journal," has sought in the vicinity of his Church of been drawn on the wood, and engraved by Connor a place of holy retirement, wh—ere he Mr. Gregor Gray. mightenjoyundisturbedmeditation. " Very
s° The annexed illustration, copied from "
suspects it might have been a small stream, noted on some maps, as passing near Connor
"
towards the North. See Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus i. , Septembris hi. Acta S. Macniseii,
n. (k), p. 666.
ss Hibernice, " Disert. " "St. MacNissi
51 See the Life of Jonathan Swift, pre- Rev. James O'Laverty's fixed to Thomas Roscoe's edition ot his
works, vol. i. , pp. xvi. , xvii.
s2 The pathetic story, told by Sheridan,
and repeated by Sir Walter Scott, in his
Memoirs of Swift, prefixed to the volumi-
nous collection of the Dean's works, about
his having procured that poor clergyman
who lent his horse to obtain it, has no foun-
dation in fact, as proved by that ingenuous
and learned writer, William Monck Mason,
in his admirable and most researchful work,
11
The History and Antiquities of the Col- legiate and Cathedral Church of St. Patrick's,
near Dublin," book ii. , chap, v. , sect, i. , n. (x) p. 235. His account of that extraordi- nary genius is one of the most exact and authentic biographies of the Dean hitherto written.
Gazetteer of Ire-
Parliamentary land," vol. ii. , pp. 324, 325.
54 The Bollandist editor remarks, that he
cannot find a river called Curi : although he p. 272, c. 1 ; p. 502, c. I. The tvo in the
53 See "
chap, i. , sect, i. , p. 15.
59 in Irish records the name Connor
generally appears in the forms Convene, Conoipe, Cotvoeine, Comxvipe, which
Colgan occasionally Latinizes by Condoria.
" Historical Account of the Diocese of Down and
Connor, Ancient and Modern," p. 271.
s« See her Life, in the Second Volume of
this work, at the 1st of February, Art. i.
57 This miracle is recorded in the Acts of our Saint, published by the Bollandists, at the 3rd of September. See "Acta Sanc- torum," tomus i. , Septtmbris. iii. Acta S.
Macnissii, sect. 8, p. 665.
s8 The See of Down was united to that of
Connor by Pope Eugenius IV. Henry VI.
approved of this union, as appears by his
diploma, given in the sixteenth year of his
reign, A. D. , 1438. See Dubourdieu's
"
Statistical Survey of the County Antrim,"
See "Trias Thaumaturga," p. 146, col. 2 ;
7o LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September3. prises several churches, which on one or more occasions had been formerly
60
episcopal seats, and had conferred a title on their respective bishops.
Those churches within the limits whicli formerly enjoyed cathedral honours 61
were Connor, Arthirmuigh, Killanardh, Cuilraithen, Rechrann, and Rath-
62
sithe.
It would seem, from the Bollandist Acts of our Saint, that a monastery63
was founded at Connor, after the arrival of our saint in Ireland, and on his returnfromRome. TheepiscopalSeeofConnorappears,also,tohavehad a separate and an independent existence, at a time when his short Acts were written. 6-* The union of Connor with the See of Down has been referred to the year 1442. In 1458, Patrick Olynnan was vicar of the cathedral church of Connor. 6s The old cathedral of St, Saviour at Connor had been partly destroyed in the rebellion of 164 1. A portion of this having been re-roofed, and thatched with straw, was afterwards used for Protestant service. 66 The subsequent rectory church was built in 18 18, on the site of the old cathedral.
CHAPTER II.
ST. MACNESSIUS VISITS LANN-ELA IN COMPANY WITH ST. PATRICK AND ST. BRIGID— ADVISES ST. COLMANTO FOUND A MONASTERY AT DROMORE—ST. MACNESSIUS IS SAID TO HAVE ESTABLISHED A MONASTERY AT KELLS NEAR CONNOR—HIS MIRACLES AND PROPHECIES—HIS DEATH—FESTIVAL AND COMMEMORATIONS—CONCLUSION.
1
In his Acts, it is stated, that in company with St. Patrick and St. Brigid, 2
the holy bishop had been journeying through Momonia, and he passed through a place, called Lann-ela. 3 While his companions passed on, our saint
middle of the word subsequently passed into Camber, which Ware, in " De Hibernia et
"
«n. , as Mr. O'Donovan observes :
antient Irish manuscripts we find tro almost invariably written for tin of the modern Irish
—"Irish
The orign of the name is thus explained
marginalgloss
(Connor) in the Martyrology of . ^Engus, at the 3rd of September: . 1. T>Aine ha con . 1. •OAine Ambicir com aIIca pnuif ec m eo
See cap. xxvi. , p. 180.
orthography. " t0
Grammar," p. 34.
64 After to the foundation of alluding
in a
on the word Chon,oer\ib
"in hodie sedes quo usque
lupe
Via " Daire-na-conn, [bicaOAUc], i. e. ,
episcopalis habetur. " In a comment on this latter passage, the Bollandist editor infers, that the Life of St. Macnessius must have been written before a. d. , when the See of
i. e. , the oak wood, in which were wild dogs
formerly, and she-wolves used to dwell there-
In the Antiquitatibus ejus," calls Comerer, al Comber, which had been founded A. D. 1199.
in. " This etymology per metathesim was tomus i. , Septembris iii. De Sancio Moc-
common with the Irish, as Colgan observes.
He conjectures that Dercon, the Church of
St. Olcan, was identical with Connor,
"
adding :
per transpositionem nostratibus frequentem, idem sit quod Condere seu Condore. "— " Acta Sanctorum Hibernire," xx. Februarii. Vita S. Olcani seu Bolcani, n. 8, recte 9, p.
377. 61
By the country people the name is pro- nounced as if it was written Con-yer.
62 See Rev. Wm. Reeves' " Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore," note T, p. 237.
6J In a note at this place, the Bollandist editor states, that he could not find a Ccenobium bearing such a name, but that
near Conner there was a named monastery
nescio, nn. (g, h), p.
