Thus, one of his most ancient biographers has recorded
the incident of our saint having received priestly ordination from the Apostle of Ireland.
the incident of our saint having received priestly ordination from the Apostle of Ireland.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v9
22, p.
29.
83 From A. D. 89 to 98, according to a pro-
bable computation. See Berti's " Ecclesias- ticae Histotiae Breviariuin," pars i. , sec. i. ,
quarto "Through a typographical error, the
cap. i. , 84
iv. , p. 63.
Bollandists insert a. d.
paragraph to which allusion has been made, at p. 582.
ccccxli. ,
a. d. — and on the died, 1047,
of the
Idus
sec.
Only for a short term after Gregory VI.
hadabdicatedthisoffice. Clementissaidto
menti," tomus x. , Saeculum Quintum, cap. ii. , Art. vii. , pp. 17 to 19.
3 months, and 10 days. See William M.
opinione praecipua, quae
in the have
October Calends. Ibid. , pars ii. ,
cap. i. , p. 45.
from a. d. 79 to 461
81 The -AntiAlA ul<Yoh, or Annals of Ulster, state, the Hilary, bishop of the
the Chair of Peter 6 and occupied years,
7th sect. ,
xi. ,
i
September 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 285
Peter. The Pope who was in Rome, when Ailbe arrived there, is said to have very graciously received our Saint, who remained with him for a year and fifty days. Then it is related, that fifty holy men from Ireland followed Ailbe to Rome. They went to where the Pope and Ailbe were. The Sovereign Pontiff bestowed on them a remote cell, and he directed Ailbe to preside over them. Among these disciples of our Saint, we find enumerated St. Declan, with some others, bearing identical names \ as for instance, twelve Colmans, twelve Coemgens, and twelve Fintans. 83 According to the Acts of St. Kiaran, which Ussher saw, St. Ailbe was sent by the Apostolic See to preach the Gospel of Christ as an Apostle, among the gentiles, before
the time of St. Patrick.
86
Where the scene of his labours lay we are not
told ; but. a great number of pagans are said to have received the faith, and
to have been baptized at his hands. Moreover, in that country, St. Ailbe
built a monastery, in which he left the holy sons of Guill. He blessed the
whole of this and then them. 87 After this, our Saint is com-
region, quitted
pared to a sagacious bee, loaded with honey, and returning to his own land
88
of Hibernia.
When he had reached the sea, he blessed it. He and all his companions
embarked in a vessel by no means seaworthy. Yet, after a serene and" prosperous voyage they reached some port in the northern part of Ireland.
There one of his fellow-passengers and familiars, named Colman, built a cell, at the desire of St. Ailbe. This was afterwards called Chell-ruaid. 89 It is said,90 that this place was situated within the territory of Dalaradia, and that St. Ailbe derived his descent from people belonging to this district. The
" O ! Saint of God, I, a miserable man, have
over it was a and he was named Fintan. 91 He had gentile,
then
just waged war with the people of Connaught, and had been defeated. Three of his sons were slain in that war, but the father brought their dead
King
ruling
bodies to St. Ailbe and said
come to you for aid, for I have heard that you work great miracles. " To
:
received instruction in the faith of Christ, believed, and was baptized. St. - Ailbe approached the spot where his dead sons lay and prayed for them before the Lord Jesus Christ. All were restored to life and to the embraces of their father. They also became Christians. Then St. Ailbe blessed them, and he predicted, that as they had embraced the true faith they should prevailovertheirenemies. Inaccordancewithsuchprophesy,whentheKing afterwards warred with the Conacians, he fully avenged his former reverses.
Having received hostages, he returned home in triumph. Then it is said
St. Ailbe went through all Ireland^12 preaching on baptism and converting many, but not all of its people, to the true faith. 93 Notwithstanding the
85 " In reference to these accounts, the 88 In his Chronological Index, Ussher
him St. Ailbe " If replied :
believe and be I will ask the baptized,
you
Divine clemency on behalf of yourself and your three sons. " This King
"
sanctus noster nondum Episcopus Romse p. 514.
Bollandist editor writes :
Quod autem refers this mission to A. D. 412. See ibid. ,
a S. Hilario sive Hilaro degens, jussus
fuerit tribus annis illius porcos pascere, messemque colligere, inter nugatoris fabulas
reputamus. Nee credimus, socios ejus quad- raginta vel quinquaginta numero, et inter hos duodecim Colmannos, et duodecim
Coemgenos, et duodecim Fintanos, ut Acta volunt, fuisse. "
86 "
See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti-
quitates,'"' cap. xvi. , pp. 408, 409. 87 See ibid. , p. 414.
8' in the of Probably Killroot, County
Antrim, is here meant, and about it we have already treated in a previous Article.
*> In the old Life of St. Aiibe, which
Ussher quotes.
9t He does not seem otherwise to have
been historically commemorated.
92 Of the assumed incidents related in the
text, we have no account in any of our Irish Annals.
93 The foregoing accounts are taken by
286 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 12.
foregoing relation, it is not at all credible, that our Saint could have
preached even a single year, not to speak of some years, before a. d. 432,
the when St. Patrick's commenced. 94 year apostleship
CHAPTER II.
ST. PALLADIUS AND ST. PATRICK RECOGNISED AS THE FIRST APOSTLES OF THE IRISH CHURCH—ST. AILBE A DISCIPLE OF ST. PATRICK—FIRST MEETING OF ST. PATRICK AND ST. AILBE—THE IRISH APOSTLE AND KING /ENGUS FIX THE SKE OF ST. AILBE AT EMLY—DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCALITY—THE RULE OF ST. AILBE— MISSIONARY INCIDENTS OF HIS CAREER—HIS DEATH AND PLACE OF BURIAL— FESTIVALS AND COMMEMORATIONS—CONCLUSION,
•Among those, who contend that St. Ailbe preached the Gospel in Ireland before the time of St. Patrick, Colgan asserts the affirmative, relying on some ancient Lives of Irish Saints in his possession. These, he asserts, were written at least a thousand years before his day. On their authority, not only were many believers in Christ to be found in various parts of this
Island, but several were eminent for sanctity.
1
In the Acts of St. Declan,
2
published by the Bollandists, at the 24th of July, it is stated, that the four
bishops, Saints Ailbe, Declan, Kieran and Ibar were in Ireland, before St. Patrick. While St. Ailbe, St. Declan, and St. Ibar formed ties of fraternity, social intercourse and affection amongst themselves, and their respective disciples; a union between the two former was so close, as St. Declau's Acts tell us, that they were scarcely ever separated, except in cases of extreme necessity. It is strange, after all the various efforts made by Protestant writers in our days, to prove that St. Patrick had not received a mission from the Roman See,3 that they have not resorted to more ancient accounts for an earlier apostleship, and their peculiar theory of an independent system in church government and doctrine. However circumstantial the details already related may be, it is expressly stated by our best authorities/
that Palladius was the first bishop sent by Pope Celestine from Rome to Ireland. 5 In the dispositions of Divine Providence, the Holy Bishop, St. Patrick, who is said to have come after St. Ailbe to Ireland, converted this
6
Ussher from a Life of St. Ailbe in his pos- 24th of July, in the Seventh Volume of this "
whole Island to Christianity.
session. See Britannicarum Ecclesiartun work, Art. i. , chap, i. , ii.
"
Antiquitates," cap. xvi. , p. 414.
3 See the Rev. Mr. Phelan's
Case of the
Lanigan's
" Ecclesiastical His- 's"
94 See Dr.
tory of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, i. , sect, xi. ,
Church of Ireland stated Declan. " by
pp. 23, 24.
Chapter ii. — Among these, he enume-
rates Kiaran, Albeus, Declan, and Ibar, with many others, that flourished in Ireland, before the time of St. Patrick and St. Pal- ladius. See " Trias Thaumatur^a," Quinta Appendix, ad Acta S. Patricii. De Patria et Gcnere S. Patricii, cap. xv. , pp. 250 to
252.
at the year 431.
See, likewise, the Acta Sanctorum" of
the Bollandists, where the Acts of St. Palladius are written. See toinus ii. , Julii vi. De S. Palladio Episc. et Conf. Scotorum Apostolo. Sylloge Historica, sect, ii. , num.
2
See, also, the Life of St. Declan, at the
arum Antiquitates," cap. xvi. , p. 414. Some such account appears to have been contained
*This is related in St. Prosper's Chronicle,
II, 12, 13, p. 288. 6"
See Ussher's Britannicarum Ecclesi-
September 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 287
It seems to be most probable, that Ailbe's mission in Ireland did not
commence until after the arrival of the great Irish Apostle in 432. Thus we
find him in Colgan's list, and classed among St. Patrick's disciples. 7 By some, it has been supposed, that Ailbe had not received the gift of Divine Faith, until St. Patrick visited the province of Munster during the course of
8
his Irish mission.
Thus, one of his most ancient biographers has recorded
the incident of our saint having received priestly ordination from the Apostle of Ireland. Again, in the Tripartite life of the latter, Ailbe and Ibar, bishops, are mentioned, as observing a particular injunction of their father
10
But, the most convincing argument, which might be alleged, is an account of St. Ailbe's death, referred to a. d. 527, by the usually accurate Annals of Ulster and Innisfallen. This statement appears to have convinced both Sir James
Ware" and Ussher. 12
The opinion most generally received is, that St. Patrick and St. Ailbe
met for the first time, when the Irish Apostle visited the south of Ireland, andconverted^Engus,sontoNatfraich,thePrinceofMunster. Atthistime, according to some writers, Ailbe received the faith under the instruction of. St. Patrick ; while others state, he had been ordained priest, and subsequently consecrated bishop, for the work of the ministry. It is said, that King ^Engus and St. Patrick greatly rejoiced at Ailbe's arrival, in the royal city of Cashel ; and while our saint remained there with other holy men, many Christian laws,13 regarding ecclesiastical rule and discipline, were framed. These tended much, as we are told, towards a future propagation of the faith. T * The meeting of St. Patrick and St. Ailbe is referred by Ussher, to the year 449. 15 Although at first, not in accord with the Irish Apostle, it is said that Ailbe, Declan, Ibar and Kieran were afterwards his friends. Among them, we are told, that St. Ailbe went to the City of Cashel, where he met St. Patrick. Whileinthebeginningdisinclinedtosubmitinthepresenceof King ^Engus ; nevertheless, Ailbe afterwards made obeisance to the Irish Apostle, acknowledging him as a master with all humility. By a truly learned historian of the Irish Church, it is thought to be quite improbable, that any question ever arose between them about the matter of disputed precedence or 16 It is
Patricks Jocelyn, also, especially calls those saints his disciples.
how the
and St. Patrick, resolved, that the See of Ailbe should be fixed at Imleach-
jurisdiction.
related,
King
of Cashel, with all his
people,
Jubhair,
1 ? now known as of St. Patrick Emly. Moreover,byappointment
in the Kilkenny MS. , belonging to the
Patricii, Ibernorum Apostoli, Synodi, Canones, Opuscula," &c. , might engage the investigator of this subject,
*< Yet, if such events took place, we may
Bollandists. Yet, Suyskens observes :
"
Sed
ex eod«m apographo cum duobus aliis collato
contrarium evincitur. " "
7 See Trias Thaumaturga. ," Quinta Ap- regard it as very strange, that they are not
pendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. p. recorded in any of St. Patrick's Lives,
265. which are accessible. ? ]
Tirechan, as quoted by Sir James Ware. s See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti- 9 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," quitates," Index Chronolcgicus, p. 517.
Septima p. 156-
Vita S.
Patricii,
lib.
iii. , cap. xxxiii. ,
l0 See Dr. " Ecclesiastical Ilis- Lanigan's
tory of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect, vii. , pp. 283, 284.
'7 Rendered into English, by Dr. O'Dono-
the Helm or Strath of the Yew. "— "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , p. 182, n. (c). In Latin documents, this see is usually called Imelaca. It also bears the names Emely and Imleca-Ibar. See
10
See ibid. , Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap.
1 xxxiii. , p. 84. ""
11 See, Opuscula adscripta S. Patricio," Annotationes.
12 "
See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti-
quitates, cap. xvii. , pp. 451, 452.
13 Whether any of these are to be found
in the work, so learnedly edited by Father
van,
Joachim Laurence Villaneueva,
"
Sancti
"
Antiquitates, cap. xvii. , p. 450.
Ussher's
Britannicarum Ecclesiarum
288 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 12.
and King iEngus or ^Eneas, son to Natfraich, the church and city of St. Ailbe are stated to have been regarded as Archiepiscopal for all Minister. 18
Near a lake, which is now nearly dried up, St. Ailbe built his Cathedral Church. Incourseoftime,ImleachorEmlygrewuptobeafamouscity;but, at present, it has declined in population, and is only a small village. The site of the old cathedral was within the graveyard, and on it a Protestant
church had been built, in the year 1825, which replaced a mediaeval 1
structure. ? At this time, great Vandalism had been practised ; and several
Old Cathedral Church, Emly.
old monuments were mutilated ; while, in the surrounding walls of the en-
closure are some extremely ancient sculpturings, including the mitred head
of a and the heads of two 20 bishop priests.
Formerly the lake covered 200 acres or more of what is now excellent
pasturage. A ferry was kept there, so that people might be conveyed over that lake to the church. Although drained almost dry in the year 171 7 or
Such statements are to be found, in the Acts of St. Declan.
19 A pencil sketch of this building, and
while it stood, was taken by a member of a
Protestant family, who have since become shamrocks, all built into the walls, and Catholics. A true copy of the original was
drawn by an English convert lady, in 1847,
at Aix-les-Bains, in Savoy, and presented
to the Very Rev. Maurice Canon Power,
the present Parish Priest of Emly, who
kindly lent it to the writer, for the purpose
of giving the illustration here presented. It
was drawn on the wood and engraved by
21 there was a Lane, called "Lane of the Cot or Bothar-y-Coit, i. e. ,
1718,
Boat,"andthisledfromEmlytothelowbottoms,coveredbywater. Long after the ferry-boat ceased plying, and even when the lake had been com- pletely drained, a Crown-Rent was charged for such obsolete service. 22 The
18
Gregor Grey. It represents the church as it appeared, about the year 1650.
20 " Inserted in the walls are portions of ancient tombstones, carvings, sculpturings,
utilised by the Vandals without decency or
—" of and as it respect. " Emly Old, Emly
is," p. 6.
31
By Robert Reeves, Esq.
""About the year 1703," writes Harris,
" some people digging turf in the neighbour-
ing bog, discovered a large post standing in the ground, and an iron ring fixed in it
September 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 289
country around is very fertile, and the scenery beautiful. Formerly this see
was rich in landed possessions. Emly lies within the County of Tipperary, 2
in South Munster, near the River Glason. 3 It is doubtful, however, whether
this city was ever properly regarded as an archiepiscopal see. That it was an ancient episcopal town seems certain ; but, with the exception of Cashel, no other Munster city at any time enjoyed such rank. 2* Yet, we occasionally
2* Although there would seem to have been some sort of pre-eminence annexed
find a prelate of Emly dignified in old records with the title of Archbishop.
to Emly, as it had been a bishop's see, the first erected in Munster ;
26
still, there is no clear evidence of any jurisdiction attaching to an archbishopric
established in its favour.
Before the rise of Cashel city, Emly had been regarded as the most
respectable see in Munster. It is thought to have been founded by the 2
great Irish Apostle and by King ^Engus. ? Ailbe has always been recognised as its first bishop; and, he is said to have been actively engaged, while a
prelate, in forwarding the interests of religion throughout Munster, during a8 29"
the reign of King ^Engus. Moreover, it is asserted, that the Law of "
Ailbe was embraced in Munster. It has been stated by Sir James Ware, 3°
that a " Monastica," written our Saint, had been Manuscript Regula by
extant in the seventeenth century. Among our Irish Manuscripts, in the Royal Irish Academy, there is in verse A Rule of Ailbhe Imbleach or St
1
It is probable, St. Ailbe could not have been a bishop before the middle of the fifth century, as he lived on to the year 527. He must have been very young, therefore, when St. Patrick took him in charge, which we cannot suppose to have been
Ailbe of Emly, instructing Eoghan, the son of Saran. 3
prior to his arrival in Munster. 3
2
which was
fastening the ferry-boat to. " Harris'
seliensium et Tuamensium Vitse," Dublinii, 1626, sm. 4to.
Ware, vol. i. , 490.
"
Bishops of Emly," pp. 489,
27 Sir James Ware, quoting the old author of the Life of St. Declan, has the following
" Rex iEngusa et Sanctus
to be —there for supposed placed
p.
I.
23 According to Gough's Camden's " Bri- tannia," vol. iii. , County of Tipperary, p.
statement
Patricius cum omni populo ordinaverunt archiepiscopatum Momonise in civitate et in
520.
24 See
book ii.
clergy of Cashel had been obliged in the
ninth century to quit that city and seek a
refuge from the Danish persecution of Tur-
gesius, in the fastness of Emly, where they
remained for a time ; therefore it had been
supposed, by Keating, that Emly had or Ulster Annals, at the year 792. See Wil-
become an archiepiscopal see.
25 In an ancient Life of St. Pulcherius, we
find that in the sixth or seventh century an
archbishop of Emly is there mentioned.
Among the Emly episcopacy is also men-
tioned Maelbrigid, Archbishop of Munster,
who died A. D. 895. See Harris' Ware, vol. i. ,
" 26
i. 2. i. , cap. , p.
31 It contains 216 verses, and is to be found
among the O'Longan MSS. , vol. xiv. , p. 186.
"
sede S. tunc ab eisdem archie-
of
Because the archbishop and piscopus ordinatus est. "
Keating's
History
Ireland,"
Albei, qui —"De
Bishops of Emly," p. 492.
Sir James Ware, treating about the
32 "If it be true that Ailbe studied under a Bishop Hilarius on the Continent, the most " Cum probable conjecture is that he was Hilarius Casselia per annos cccclx. S. Albei et of Aries. Besides other circumstances there successorum Episcoporum Emelacensium touched upon, the time answers very well ;
Cormacus filius Culinani (iam regno Casseliensi potitus)
Casseliae novam Ecclesiam Cathedralem Rev. Dr. " Ecclesiastical Lanigan's
Archbishops of Cashel, writes
:
jurisdictioni subfuisset
for Ailbe
to Hilarius, who lived until the year 449. "
;
have been sent about — might 446
History erexit : ubi ipse "Episcopi munus (quod of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect, viii. , n.
mireris) obivit. "— Archi Episcoporum Cas- 76, p. 290.
:
Hiberniae," lib. i. , cap. i. , p. 2. 28 "
See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vii. , sect, vii. , pp, 347, 348.
29 By the compiler of tbe -AnnAlA uLvoh,
liam M. Hennessy's edition, vol. i. , pp. 272, 273-
3° See " De Scriptoribus Hiberniae," lib.
83 From A. D. 89 to 98, according to a pro-
bable computation. See Berti's " Ecclesias- ticae Histotiae Breviariuin," pars i. , sec. i. ,
quarto "Through a typographical error, the
cap. i. , 84
iv. , p. 63.
Bollandists insert a. d.
paragraph to which allusion has been made, at p. 582.
ccccxli. ,
a. d. — and on the died, 1047,
of the
Idus
sec.
Only for a short term after Gregory VI.
hadabdicatedthisoffice. Clementissaidto
menti," tomus x. , Saeculum Quintum, cap. ii. , Art. vii. , pp. 17 to 19.
3 months, and 10 days. See William M.
opinione praecipua, quae
in the have
October Calends. Ibid. , pars ii. ,
cap. i. , p. 45.
from a. d. 79 to 461
81 The -AntiAlA ul<Yoh, or Annals of Ulster, state, the Hilary, bishop of the
the Chair of Peter 6 and occupied years,
7th sect. ,
xi. ,
i
September 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 285
Peter. The Pope who was in Rome, when Ailbe arrived there, is said to have very graciously received our Saint, who remained with him for a year and fifty days. Then it is related, that fifty holy men from Ireland followed Ailbe to Rome. They went to where the Pope and Ailbe were. The Sovereign Pontiff bestowed on them a remote cell, and he directed Ailbe to preside over them. Among these disciples of our Saint, we find enumerated St. Declan, with some others, bearing identical names \ as for instance, twelve Colmans, twelve Coemgens, and twelve Fintans. 83 According to the Acts of St. Kiaran, which Ussher saw, St. Ailbe was sent by the Apostolic See to preach the Gospel of Christ as an Apostle, among the gentiles, before
the time of St. Patrick.
86
Where the scene of his labours lay we are not
told ; but. a great number of pagans are said to have received the faith, and
to have been baptized at his hands. Moreover, in that country, St. Ailbe
built a monastery, in which he left the holy sons of Guill. He blessed the
whole of this and then them. 87 After this, our Saint is com-
region, quitted
pared to a sagacious bee, loaded with honey, and returning to his own land
88
of Hibernia.
When he had reached the sea, he blessed it. He and all his companions
embarked in a vessel by no means seaworthy. Yet, after a serene and" prosperous voyage they reached some port in the northern part of Ireland.
There one of his fellow-passengers and familiars, named Colman, built a cell, at the desire of St. Ailbe. This was afterwards called Chell-ruaid. 89 It is said,90 that this place was situated within the territory of Dalaradia, and that St. Ailbe derived his descent from people belonging to this district. The
" O ! Saint of God, I, a miserable man, have
over it was a and he was named Fintan. 91 He had gentile,
then
just waged war with the people of Connaught, and had been defeated. Three of his sons were slain in that war, but the father brought their dead
King
ruling
bodies to St. Ailbe and said
come to you for aid, for I have heard that you work great miracles. " To
:
received instruction in the faith of Christ, believed, and was baptized. St. - Ailbe approached the spot where his dead sons lay and prayed for them before the Lord Jesus Christ. All were restored to life and to the embraces of their father. They also became Christians. Then St. Ailbe blessed them, and he predicted, that as they had embraced the true faith they should prevailovertheirenemies. Inaccordancewithsuchprophesy,whentheKing afterwards warred with the Conacians, he fully avenged his former reverses.
Having received hostages, he returned home in triumph. Then it is said
St. Ailbe went through all Ireland^12 preaching on baptism and converting many, but not all of its people, to the true faith. 93 Notwithstanding the
85 " In reference to these accounts, the 88 In his Chronological Index, Ussher
him St. Ailbe " If replied :
believe and be I will ask the baptized,
you
Divine clemency on behalf of yourself and your three sons. " This King
"
sanctus noster nondum Episcopus Romse p. 514.
Bollandist editor writes :
Quod autem refers this mission to A. D. 412. See ibid. ,
a S. Hilario sive Hilaro degens, jussus
fuerit tribus annis illius porcos pascere, messemque colligere, inter nugatoris fabulas
reputamus. Nee credimus, socios ejus quad- raginta vel quinquaginta numero, et inter hos duodecim Colmannos, et duodecim
Coemgenos, et duodecim Fintanos, ut Acta volunt, fuisse. "
86 "
See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti-
quitates,'"' cap. xvi. , pp. 408, 409. 87 See ibid. , p. 414.
8' in the of Probably Killroot, County
Antrim, is here meant, and about it we have already treated in a previous Article.
*> In the old Life of St. Aiibe, which
Ussher quotes.
9t He does not seem otherwise to have
been historically commemorated.
92 Of the assumed incidents related in the
text, we have no account in any of our Irish Annals.
93 The foregoing accounts are taken by
286 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 12.
foregoing relation, it is not at all credible, that our Saint could have
preached even a single year, not to speak of some years, before a. d. 432,
the when St. Patrick's commenced. 94 year apostleship
CHAPTER II.
ST. PALLADIUS AND ST. PATRICK RECOGNISED AS THE FIRST APOSTLES OF THE IRISH CHURCH—ST. AILBE A DISCIPLE OF ST. PATRICK—FIRST MEETING OF ST. PATRICK AND ST. AILBE—THE IRISH APOSTLE AND KING /ENGUS FIX THE SKE OF ST. AILBE AT EMLY—DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCALITY—THE RULE OF ST. AILBE— MISSIONARY INCIDENTS OF HIS CAREER—HIS DEATH AND PLACE OF BURIAL— FESTIVALS AND COMMEMORATIONS—CONCLUSION,
•Among those, who contend that St. Ailbe preached the Gospel in Ireland before the time of St. Patrick, Colgan asserts the affirmative, relying on some ancient Lives of Irish Saints in his possession. These, he asserts, were written at least a thousand years before his day. On their authority, not only were many believers in Christ to be found in various parts of this
Island, but several were eminent for sanctity.
1
In the Acts of St. Declan,
2
published by the Bollandists, at the 24th of July, it is stated, that the four
bishops, Saints Ailbe, Declan, Kieran and Ibar were in Ireland, before St. Patrick. While St. Ailbe, St. Declan, and St. Ibar formed ties of fraternity, social intercourse and affection amongst themselves, and their respective disciples; a union between the two former was so close, as St. Declau's Acts tell us, that they were scarcely ever separated, except in cases of extreme necessity. It is strange, after all the various efforts made by Protestant writers in our days, to prove that St. Patrick had not received a mission from the Roman See,3 that they have not resorted to more ancient accounts for an earlier apostleship, and their peculiar theory of an independent system in church government and doctrine. However circumstantial the details already related may be, it is expressly stated by our best authorities/
that Palladius was the first bishop sent by Pope Celestine from Rome to Ireland. 5 In the dispositions of Divine Providence, the Holy Bishop, St. Patrick, who is said to have come after St. Ailbe to Ireland, converted this
6
Ussher from a Life of St. Ailbe in his pos- 24th of July, in the Seventh Volume of this "
whole Island to Christianity.
session. See Britannicarum Ecclesiartun work, Art. i. , chap, i. , ii.
"
Antiquitates," cap. xvi. , p. 414.
3 See the Rev. Mr. Phelan's
Case of the
Lanigan's
" Ecclesiastical His- 's"
94 See Dr.
tory of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, i. , sect, xi. ,
Church of Ireland stated Declan. " by
pp. 23, 24.
Chapter ii. — Among these, he enume-
rates Kiaran, Albeus, Declan, and Ibar, with many others, that flourished in Ireland, before the time of St. Patrick and St. Pal- ladius. See " Trias Thaumatur^a," Quinta Appendix, ad Acta S. Patricii. De Patria et Gcnere S. Patricii, cap. xv. , pp. 250 to
252.
at the year 431.
See, likewise, the Acta Sanctorum" of
the Bollandists, where the Acts of St. Palladius are written. See toinus ii. , Julii vi. De S. Palladio Episc. et Conf. Scotorum Apostolo. Sylloge Historica, sect, ii. , num.
2
See, also, the Life of St. Declan, at the
arum Antiquitates," cap. xvi. , p. 414. Some such account appears to have been contained
*This is related in St. Prosper's Chronicle,
II, 12, 13, p. 288. 6"
See Ussher's Britannicarum Ecclesi-
September 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 287
It seems to be most probable, that Ailbe's mission in Ireland did not
commence until after the arrival of the great Irish Apostle in 432. Thus we
find him in Colgan's list, and classed among St. Patrick's disciples. 7 By some, it has been supposed, that Ailbe had not received the gift of Divine Faith, until St. Patrick visited the province of Munster during the course of
8
his Irish mission.
Thus, one of his most ancient biographers has recorded
the incident of our saint having received priestly ordination from the Apostle of Ireland. Again, in the Tripartite life of the latter, Ailbe and Ibar, bishops, are mentioned, as observing a particular injunction of their father
10
But, the most convincing argument, which might be alleged, is an account of St. Ailbe's death, referred to a. d. 527, by the usually accurate Annals of Ulster and Innisfallen. This statement appears to have convinced both Sir James
Ware" and Ussher. 12
The opinion most generally received is, that St. Patrick and St. Ailbe
met for the first time, when the Irish Apostle visited the south of Ireland, andconverted^Engus,sontoNatfraich,thePrinceofMunster. Atthistime, according to some writers, Ailbe received the faith under the instruction of. St. Patrick ; while others state, he had been ordained priest, and subsequently consecrated bishop, for the work of the ministry. It is said, that King ^Engus and St. Patrick greatly rejoiced at Ailbe's arrival, in the royal city of Cashel ; and while our saint remained there with other holy men, many Christian laws,13 regarding ecclesiastical rule and discipline, were framed. These tended much, as we are told, towards a future propagation of the faith. T * The meeting of St. Patrick and St. Ailbe is referred by Ussher, to the year 449. 15 Although at first, not in accord with the Irish Apostle, it is said that Ailbe, Declan, Ibar and Kieran were afterwards his friends. Among them, we are told, that St. Ailbe went to the City of Cashel, where he met St. Patrick. Whileinthebeginningdisinclinedtosubmitinthepresenceof King ^Engus ; nevertheless, Ailbe afterwards made obeisance to the Irish Apostle, acknowledging him as a master with all humility. By a truly learned historian of the Irish Church, it is thought to be quite improbable, that any question ever arose between them about the matter of disputed precedence or 16 It is
Patricks Jocelyn, also, especially calls those saints his disciples.
how the
and St. Patrick, resolved, that the See of Ailbe should be fixed at Imleach-
jurisdiction.
related,
King
of Cashel, with all his
people,
Jubhair,
1 ? now known as of St. Patrick Emly. Moreover,byappointment
in the Kilkenny MS. , belonging to the
Patricii, Ibernorum Apostoli, Synodi, Canones, Opuscula," &c. , might engage the investigator of this subject,
*< Yet, if such events took place, we may
Bollandists. Yet, Suyskens observes :
"
Sed
ex eod«m apographo cum duobus aliis collato
contrarium evincitur. " "
7 See Trias Thaumaturga. ," Quinta Ap- regard it as very strange, that they are not
pendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. p. recorded in any of St. Patrick's Lives,
265. which are accessible. ? ]
Tirechan, as quoted by Sir James Ware. s See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti- 9 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," quitates," Index Chronolcgicus, p. 517.
Septima p. 156-
Vita S.
Patricii,
lib.
iii. , cap. xxxiii. ,
l0 See Dr. " Ecclesiastical Ilis- Lanigan's
tory of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect, vii. , pp. 283, 284.
'7 Rendered into English, by Dr. O'Dono-
the Helm or Strath of the Yew. "— "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , p. 182, n. (c). In Latin documents, this see is usually called Imelaca. It also bears the names Emely and Imleca-Ibar. See
10
See ibid. , Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap.
1 xxxiii. , p. 84. ""
11 See, Opuscula adscripta S. Patricio," Annotationes.
12 "
See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti-
quitates, cap. xvii. , pp. 451, 452.
13 Whether any of these are to be found
in the work, so learnedly edited by Father
van,
Joachim Laurence Villaneueva,
"
Sancti
"
Antiquitates, cap. xvii. , p. 450.
Ussher's
Britannicarum Ecclesiarum
288 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 12.
and King iEngus or ^Eneas, son to Natfraich, the church and city of St. Ailbe are stated to have been regarded as Archiepiscopal for all Minister. 18
Near a lake, which is now nearly dried up, St. Ailbe built his Cathedral Church. Incourseoftime,ImleachorEmlygrewuptobeafamouscity;but, at present, it has declined in population, and is only a small village. The site of the old cathedral was within the graveyard, and on it a Protestant
church had been built, in the year 1825, which replaced a mediaeval 1
structure. ? At this time, great Vandalism had been practised ; and several
Old Cathedral Church, Emly.
old monuments were mutilated ; while, in the surrounding walls of the en-
closure are some extremely ancient sculpturings, including the mitred head
of a and the heads of two 20 bishop priests.
Formerly the lake covered 200 acres or more of what is now excellent
pasturage. A ferry was kept there, so that people might be conveyed over that lake to the church. Although drained almost dry in the year 171 7 or
Such statements are to be found, in the Acts of St. Declan.
19 A pencil sketch of this building, and
while it stood, was taken by a member of a
Protestant family, who have since become shamrocks, all built into the walls, and Catholics. A true copy of the original was
drawn by an English convert lady, in 1847,
at Aix-les-Bains, in Savoy, and presented
to the Very Rev. Maurice Canon Power,
the present Parish Priest of Emly, who
kindly lent it to the writer, for the purpose
of giving the illustration here presented. It
was drawn on the wood and engraved by
21 there was a Lane, called "Lane of the Cot or Bothar-y-Coit, i. e. ,
1718,
Boat,"andthisledfromEmlytothelowbottoms,coveredbywater. Long after the ferry-boat ceased plying, and even when the lake had been com- pletely drained, a Crown-Rent was charged for such obsolete service. 22 The
18
Gregor Grey. It represents the church as it appeared, about the year 1650.
20 " Inserted in the walls are portions of ancient tombstones, carvings, sculpturings,
utilised by the Vandals without decency or
—" of and as it respect. " Emly Old, Emly
is," p. 6.
31
By Robert Reeves, Esq.
""About the year 1703," writes Harris,
" some people digging turf in the neighbour-
ing bog, discovered a large post standing in the ground, and an iron ring fixed in it
September 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 289
country around is very fertile, and the scenery beautiful. Formerly this see
was rich in landed possessions. Emly lies within the County of Tipperary, 2
in South Munster, near the River Glason. 3 It is doubtful, however, whether
this city was ever properly regarded as an archiepiscopal see. That it was an ancient episcopal town seems certain ; but, with the exception of Cashel, no other Munster city at any time enjoyed such rank. 2* Yet, we occasionally
2* Although there would seem to have been some sort of pre-eminence annexed
find a prelate of Emly dignified in old records with the title of Archbishop.
to Emly, as it had been a bishop's see, the first erected in Munster ;
26
still, there is no clear evidence of any jurisdiction attaching to an archbishopric
established in its favour.
Before the rise of Cashel city, Emly had been regarded as the most
respectable see in Munster. It is thought to have been founded by the 2
great Irish Apostle and by King ^Engus. ? Ailbe has always been recognised as its first bishop; and, he is said to have been actively engaged, while a
prelate, in forwarding the interests of religion throughout Munster, during a8 29"
the reign of King ^Engus. Moreover, it is asserted, that the Law of "
Ailbe was embraced in Munster. It has been stated by Sir James Ware, 3°
that a " Monastica," written our Saint, had been Manuscript Regula by
extant in the seventeenth century. Among our Irish Manuscripts, in the Royal Irish Academy, there is in verse A Rule of Ailbhe Imbleach or St
1
It is probable, St. Ailbe could not have been a bishop before the middle of the fifth century, as he lived on to the year 527. He must have been very young, therefore, when St. Patrick took him in charge, which we cannot suppose to have been
Ailbe of Emly, instructing Eoghan, the son of Saran. 3
prior to his arrival in Munster. 3
2
which was
fastening the ferry-boat to. " Harris'
seliensium et Tuamensium Vitse," Dublinii, 1626, sm. 4to.
Ware, vol. i. , 490.
"
Bishops of Emly," pp. 489,
27 Sir James Ware, quoting the old author of the Life of St. Declan, has the following
" Rex iEngusa et Sanctus
to be —there for supposed placed
p.
I.
23 According to Gough's Camden's " Bri- tannia," vol. iii. , County of Tipperary, p.
statement
Patricius cum omni populo ordinaverunt archiepiscopatum Momonise in civitate et in
520.
24 See
book ii.
clergy of Cashel had been obliged in the
ninth century to quit that city and seek a
refuge from the Danish persecution of Tur-
gesius, in the fastness of Emly, where they
remained for a time ; therefore it had been
supposed, by Keating, that Emly had or Ulster Annals, at the year 792. See Wil-
become an archiepiscopal see.
25 In an ancient Life of St. Pulcherius, we
find that in the sixth or seventh century an
archbishop of Emly is there mentioned.
Among the Emly episcopacy is also men-
tioned Maelbrigid, Archbishop of Munster,
who died A. D. 895. See Harris' Ware, vol. i. ,
" 26
i. 2. i. , cap. , p.
31 It contains 216 verses, and is to be found
among the O'Longan MSS. , vol. xiv. , p. 186.
"
sede S. tunc ab eisdem archie-
of
Because the archbishop and piscopus ordinatus est. "
Keating's
History
Ireland,"
Albei, qui —"De
Bishops of Emly," p. 492.
Sir James Ware, treating about the
32 "If it be true that Ailbe studied under a Bishop Hilarius on the Continent, the most " Cum probable conjecture is that he was Hilarius Casselia per annos cccclx. S. Albei et of Aries. Besides other circumstances there successorum Episcoporum Emelacensium touched upon, the time answers very well ;
Cormacus filius Culinani (iam regno Casseliensi potitus)
Casseliae novam Ecclesiam Cathedralem Rev. Dr. " Ecclesiastical Lanigan's
Archbishops of Cashel, writes
:
jurisdictioni subfuisset
for Ailbe
to Hilarius, who lived until the year 449. "
;
have been sent about — might 446
History erexit : ubi ipse "Episcopi munus (quod of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect, viii. , n.
mireris) obivit. "— Archi Episcoporum Cas- 76, p. 290.
:
Hiberniae," lib. i. , cap. i. , p. 2. 28 "
See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vii. , sect, vii. , pp, 347, 348.
29 By the compiler of tbe -AnnAlA uLvoh,
liam M. Hennessy's edition, vol. i. , pp. 272, 273-
3° See " De Scriptoribus Hiberniae," lib.
