Thatisland,onwhichthemonasterywasbuilt,
contained
about two acres of dry ground.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v4
1.
, p 796.
and bones. See
I'opulai >. yclooedia ; or
April 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 519
At another time, St. Cronanand St. Mobay were guests with St. Kieran3'
ofClonmacnoise. 39 Afterdinner,takingaportionofhisfoodtliatremained,
Cronan distributed it, according to his custom, among the poor. Mobay left
his for use. this, tlie abbot " There shall be portion community Hearing said,
this difference between the places of both saints ; that of Cronan shall
abound with riches and charity, while that of Mobay shall be otherwise dis-
tinguished. " Again, when Cronan was alone in the same place, and praying at a certain house, some lepers came to him, but stood without, not wishing to interrupt his devotions. This being known to the saint, he prayed to God for them ; while, full of fiiith, these lepers washed themselves in water, which flowed from the roof of that house, in which Cronan resided ; for, at the time,
a great shower of rain was falling. Being cured of tlieir leprosy, they gave thanks to God, and to his saint. <° Leaving the place of his first settlement, Sl Cronan began to build many other liouses to God's honour, and to that of His Virgin Mother. Such was his disinterestedness, that not only did he leave houses he already occupied, to those who were in need of tliem, but even all things they contained, wiiile he set out in quest of a new habitation. *' He came to a certain place, within the present barony of Garrycastle, and in the King's County. It was called Lusmag,*' or Lusmagh,'»3 which means "a grassy plain. " It was situated, in the vicinity of tlie River Shannon.
Wiiile hving there, he performed many miracles. One day, being in a neigh- bouring wood, he saw a deer passing by, and, on i)eing called by the saint, it approached, took an apple from his hand, and became domesticated, until at last it was allowed to return into its native woods. ** On one occasion, Cronan asked a certain scribe, named l)im,i,*5 to write for him the text of the Gospels. Bur, the scribe wished to limit this labour to the duration of one day. Cronanthentoldhim,towritewithoutceasing,untilthesunshouldset. It is said, that for forty days and nights, the sun continued to shed its rays through the windows, and on the writer. During that whole period, Dima
felt no necessity for eating, drinking or sleeping ; while, he was so little wearied by his continuous labour, as to suppose this time not to have exceeded the limits of a natural day. This copy of the Gospels was not less beautifully than accurately written, by Dima. ** When such a miracle was known, many
" See " Acta Sanctorum," torn, iii. , xxviii. Aptilis. Vita S. Cronani, cap. i. num. 3, p. 580. It will be a difficult matter to re- concile this narrative with the Catholic doc- trine, that out of hell there is no redemp- tion. We must only regard it as an absurd
popular legend, and curient among very
ignor. mt persons.
3* His feast occurs, at the 9th of Sep-
tember.
BTheRev. S. — Baring-Gould remarks,
that "lie did not reniam there long. "
"Lives of the Saints," vol. iv. , April 28, p.
361.
*° See " Acta Sanctorum," torn, iii. ,
xxviii. Aprilis. Vita S. Cronani, cap. i. ,
num. 4, p. 580.
»' It is said, 'hat Cronan was in many
places, and that he built no less than fifty houses. These he left to Anchorets, who were seeking localiies for themselves. St. Cronan dil so for the pure love of God. See "Acta Sanctorum," tom. iii. , xxviii. Apiilis, cip. i. , num. 5, n. (i), p. 581.
** This is " a parish in the south of the
King's County, adjoining the county of Tip- perary, and bounded on the west by the River Shannon. This was part of O'Mad- den's country of SilAnamchy, and still belonjis to the diocese of Clonfeit. "—Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. vi. , p. 1991, n. (9).
" This parish is shown, on the " Ordnance
Survey Townland Maps for the King's
sheets 21,
County," 29. 30, 35.
•" "
See . ActaSancturum,"tom. iii. . xxviii.
Aprilis. Vita S. Cronani, cap. i. , num. 5, p. 581.
*5 Dima is thought to be the scribe, men- tioned ill the Act^. of . St. Cronan, who lived A. D. 634, ami who was employed to write a copy 01 the Gospels, afteiwarls preserved in the Ab'. iey ot Roscrea. -See James J. Gaskin's " Varieties of Irish History," sect. X-. PP- 336, 337-
,
*' See what has been already stated, re-
garding' St. Diman, or D nia Dubh, Bishop ol Connor, in his Life, at the 6th ofJanuary,
520 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 28.
were the praises bestowed on the Almighty, and on his saint. *' The place whereCronandweltwasinfestedwithamultitudeofdemons. Thesewould
not suffer any person to inhabit it, before the arrival of our saint.
the servant of God put them to flight, so that after his first arrival, they dared not molest him. At the request of a certain deaf man, our saint procured for him the sense of hearing, through devout prayers; and, again, when St. Cronan's monks had not the necessaries of life, on the Easter festival approach- ing, those asked their Abbot, to procure something for the occasion, through hisprayers. Thesaintpromised,thattheLordwhowasrichinmercywould provide for their wants. Shortly afterwards, the friends of Cronan appeared, and bearing with them a good store of provisions, which lasted until the time of Pentecost. At Lusmagh,'t9 he spent a considerable time. 5° Our saint asked nine soldiers who were " on the green banks of Shannon," to help him in raising his boat. This was covered by the water of the river. Yet, they refused to oblige him, with one single exception. The chastisement of heaven fell on the recusant eight, who perished on that same day, by the hands of their enemies. He who obeyed the saint's commands was saved, through the interposition of Heaven ; and, afterwards, assuming the habit of a monk, he devoted himself to a religious life. s'
CHAPTER II.
ST. CRONAN LEAVES CONNAUGHT AND RETURNS TO HIS OWN TERRITORY OF EILR—HE SETTLES AT LOUGH CRE—MONAHINCHA—RAID OF THE OSSORIANS—ENQUIRY AS TO WHETHER ST. CRONAN HAD BEEN A BISHOP, OR WHETHER HE WAS ONLY A PRIEST,
After the foregoing occurrences, some religious men, requiring a place of habitation,cametoSt. Cronan. Heimmediatelyrelinquishedhisowndwel- ling, in their favour ; and then, he ordered his disciples, not to take anything with them, when removing. However, it was known to the saint, one of them had disobeyed that order ; when he was obliged to return, with a sack he had taken, from that place they had left. Tliis disciple was obliged to do pen- ance, for the remainder of his days. Then, St. Cronan directed his course, to his native land of Hely, where he rested near a bog called Lurgan," oppo- site to or near the territory of Ossory, and on the western boundary of Leinster. However, he built a monastery, near Lough Cre. " Here, we are told, there was a lake. 3 Another Life of St. Cronan remarks, that in it there was a small island, in which several most religious monks lived, in after ages. '* Tiiat island isnowapproachable,overamorass; and,nodoubt,atnoveryremoteperiod, water surrounded it on every side. The Lough ormarsh,' to which allusion is
chap. i.
<' See "Acta Sanctorum," torn, iii. , xxviii.
iii. , of this work, chap. ii. There, the place is identified with Leigh, near Thiirles.
" In his it is " monas- Life, said, magnum
terium aedificavit ; et ibicrevit clara civitas, qua;vocaturA\wj--ow," SeeDr. Lanigan's '-Kcclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , sect. ii. , n. 28, p. 10.
Vita S. Cronani, Aprilis. cap.
p. 5^'- **Seeiitd.
ii. , num.
6,
<» See " The Parliamentary Gazetteer for Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. 711, 712.
5° See Rev. Dr.
cal History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, . wii. , sect, ii. , p. 7.
Lanigan's
prope
" Ecclesiasti-
^ 'ihe BoUandist Life has " it,
5' See "Acta Sanctorum,"tom. iii. , xxviii.
Aprilis. Vita S. Cronani, cap. ii,, n. 8, Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p.
p. 581. — Chapter ii.
' The reader is
^ Callem
referred, to what has been already stated, regarding the Stagnum Lurgan, in the Life of St.
Mochcemhog, at the 13th of March, in vol.
itaque prope St. ignum Cree (in rum) iedificavit ; quae Cella Sean-ross no-
stagnura Cre cellam oedificavit. "
4 This is stated, in the Life of our Saint,
as quoted by Ussher, in " Britannicarum 502. "
quo est insula niodica, in qua est monas-
terium monachorum semper religiosissimo-
However,
April 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 521
made, is thought to be the present bog of Monela f and, it extends, as already described, on the borders of the Ossorian territory. Some small lakes are still to be found over its present surface. We have been informed, by the people residing near this place, that decayed remnants of old boats have been found buried, in various parts of that bog ; while those indications prove, that for- merly a great lough covered a very considerable tract of country, the con- figuration of which shows, that the River Nore at one time expanded here into a large lake. Formerly, there were two remarkable islands on it ; the larger one containing an ancient church,' and the smaller one having a chapel. * About these very curious traditions were formerly current. ' That place, selected for Cronan's habitation, was not different from Monahincha,'° as it appearstons. Populartraditionevenasserts,thattheholymanlivedthere. The smaller island, at that place, was known as Insula Viventium, in the time of Gira- dus Carabrensis ;" because it was so salubrious, or rather owing to the merits of the patron saint, it had been supposed, that no person could die in it, let hismaladybeeversogreat.
Thatisland,onwhichthemonasterywasbuilt, contained about two acres of dry ground. We are informed, that in early times, the Cselibes, or Culdees, devoutly lived there ; and, at a much later period, a prior and community of Canons Regulars succeeded them," but these moved their habitation to Corballj',"' not far distant, and where are yet to be seen some very interesting ruins, and which have a history, dating back to
a period somewhat remote.
minatur. " See the old Life of our Saint, as
quoted by Ussher, ibid.
"See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni-
cum," p. 667.
'' The from a accompanying illustration,
drawing transferred to the wood, by William F'. Wakeman, shows the arched doorway, with a portion of the interior, and remains of the eastern window. It is engraved, by Mrs.
Millard.
'" "
' See Rev. Dr.
History ol Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xii. , n. 73, p. 203.
'Giraldus Cambrensis has it: "Major
ecclesiam habet antiquae rcligionis. " '"
"
Topographia Hibernica," Dist. ii. , cap.
iv. , p. 81. " See Sir
" De Hibemia et
Opera
Lanigan's
Giraldus adds, cui pauci caelibes, quos Cselicolas vel Colideos vocant, devote dcser- viunt. "
By Archdall, in his Monasticon Hibernicum," when treating about Roscrea,
» See Giraldi Cambrensis' "
v. , edited by James F. Dimock, M. A. To-
pographia ilibernica, Dist. ii. , cap. iv. , pp. 80, 81.
" Ecclesiastical
Opera,"
vol.
at
puzzled by the name Lou;^hree—, Archdall
"guessed at that of Louglikee. "
" This townland lies within the parish of astical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , cap.
Corbally, and barony of Ikerrin, being shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Town-
land Maps for the County of Tipperary,"
xvii. , sect, ii. , n. 25, p. 9. "" See Harris' Ware, vol.
Ireland," Book i. , p. 21.
ii. ,
" Writers of
sheets 12, 17, 18.
"'
While at Senniys, . St. Cronan is said to
" Giraldi Cambrensis,
" See "
edited by James F. Dimock, M. A. , vol. v.
have miracles. " wrought many
In "Notes on Irish Architecture," by Exlwin, third EarlofDunraven, edited by Miss Maryaret Stokes, the Cella Seanross is said to be "
properly
James Ware,
Antiquitatibus ejus, Disquisitiones," cap. ii. , p. 119.
xxvi. , pp. 206, 207. '3 The old name Ross Cre is rendered
" Now a parish, partly in the barony of "the wooded point of Cre," while another Ikerrin, and shown, on the "Ordnance Sur- derivation for it is said to be Riasc Cre,
vey Townland Maps for the County of Tip- perary," sheets 12, 17, 18; and portly in
or the moor, marsh, or fen of Cre. See ibiii.
the Baronies of
Ballybritt
and Clonlisk,
'* See Harris' vol. Ware,
"
shown on the "Ordnance Survey Townland
Maps for the King's County," sheets 42,
43. 45-
" See Archdall's " Motiasticon Hiberui-
cum," p. 672.
'5 See an article, intituled, "Ancient Irish
ii. ,
ties of Ireland," chap, xxxviii. , p. 267.
Wonders" by P. W. Joyce, in vol. ii, No. 2,p. 28.
"
sky about it is frequently most brilli. intly illu- minatedbynight. Aaoldman,ofneareighty
Ilibernia,"
p. 672.
'» Rev. Dr. Lanigan supposes, that being
called vol. Stagnura Cre,"
'5 Papebroke does not consider him to be the same as Fursoeus, Abbot of Lagny, venerated on the i6th of January.
" Near Monahincha, a local legend was
told the that the whole of the writer,
" Ecclesi-
Antiqui-
'
S. iints," tome v. , x. 'iviii^ Jourd'Avril, p. 57. ^° Jiiluana, the widow of . \la. -lrony O'Car- Mochoemoc, chap. x\ix. Prohauly, it was roll, lurnished the necessary funds. See
522 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 28.
The great Ballaghmore, or pass between Munster and Leinster, was not far reijioved from the spot; and, on this public road, several holy pilgrims and others were found to be travelling, even at this early period.
"
That great road, called the King's highway,""^ ])assed on to Roscrea,
and the present reconstructed public road deviates hardly at all from the very ancient one. On the Is-
. v;:"^'Ui
land of Monahincha yet stand the remains of a
verybeautifulold edifice,
the doorway of which,
with its curiously-carved and concentric semi-cir- cular archway, is the ad- miration of every be- holder. It is decidedly very ancient, and it is builtin the characteristic Irish style. The beauti- ful little chur—ch-ruin of M onahinsha
speaking population as
Inislmameo, or Inse-
" nam-beo,
Monahincha, County of Tipperary.
Masses of ivy mantle over jior- tioas of the walls. The materials, used in the construction of this very beau- tifuloldchurch,wereexcellent; and,thesemusthavebeentransportedthither, from some distance. —It is incorrectly said,'^ that Cronan built his cell, in an
island of Loughkee yet, it is evident, I. ough Cree should be substituted
;
for, Loughkee or Loughkay is in the county of Leitrim, and far from St. Cronan's country. '^ While he lived in or visited the Island of Ross-Cre, it is said, that St. Canice wrote a volume of tiie Four Evangelists, which was called by the ancients Glass-Kynnick. '-° In St. Cronan's time, the place was called Senruys;"" but,indeed,it is ralherdifficult to determine, whether this name be applicable 10 Monahincha,"' orto Roscrea. '^ We are inclined to believe, that
ment'? runs over them, in very regular form.
years in 1872, said he frequently witneised
this apparition.
»' Allusion is made 10 an irruption of the
pp. 581, 582,
•'See "Les Petits Bollandiste. ^, Vies des
Ossorians in'. o Eile, in the Life of . St.
noi diiferent rom the present raid.
'* "
See Acta Sanctorum," lom. iii. , xxviii.
num. 10, 1 1,
"
iJe Ililjernia et Antiquitalibus ejus Dis ,
Aprilis. Vila S. Crunani, cap. ii. ,
quisiiiones," ca;). xxvi. , p. 209.
3' It lias been since unilcd to the diocese
formerly known to the Irish-
. surmounted
while the zig-zag orna-
Isl—and of the
is about two miles from Ros- crea '5 The length of the church-ruin is about forty-four feet, and the width about eighteen. The windows had con- trasted arches. '* The recessed arches of the doorway rest on bases,
living people'
by capitals,
t
while St. Cronan lived at both places, and probably had a separate religious house in each locality, the narrative series of his acts in reference tobotli must
have been confused in the mind of that writer, whose text has been published by Papebroke. Harris assigns the foundation of Roscrea monastery, to tiie sixthcentury;'< and,itshouldbeadifficultmattertoprovehewasmistaken; but, to us it appears, that St. Cronan founded Monahincha, before he thought of removing to Roscrea. While living in this place, certain holy men came to St. Cronan seeking hospitality ; but, not finding his cell, which was removed from the public road, for the sake of greater retirement, tliey were obliged to spend a whole night without food or shelter. Hearing this, on the following day, our saint condoled with them, on account of their privations and mistake. Conducting a boy with him to the highway, Cronan said to him, " Return to thy place, while I remain here. " His monks entreating him to return towards
April 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 523
his home, our saint " I must not replied :
where the nestly desiring his return, the monks requested Fur? 2eus,=5 the Bishop, to ask
'•
to a desert
and strangers cannot find me, but I will remain on the public way. " Ear-
their superior to reside in his proper place. The Bishop replied :
opinion, your Abbot shall not change the place he has chosen ; for, as the bees on a summer's day fly around their hives, so also, around that place, the gates of Heaven are opened, and a concourse of Angels does not cease con- tinuously to approach it. '* Return therefore to your Abbot, and obey him. " Theydidso,accordingly,and tlierehe built a great monastery. In this, he gained many souls to Christ, and there he wroiigiit ni;iny miracles. Afterwards, the peopleofOssorymadeanirruption,amongtheinhabitantsofHely. '' Tliese fltd to St. Cronan, and besought his interposition, m their behalf. Even the monks, belonging to his monastery, feared theailvance of their enemies. To
"
comfort them, Cronan said,
otherwise to this hostile army, they shall do no injury to us. " It is said, that the people of Ossory were deceived into a belief, that they had killed many men, wasted many villages, and returned with eclat, into their country; whereas theyleftthepeopleandcountryofIlelyalmostuninjured. Therewasanex- ception, however, in the case of one man who was killed, because he refused to approach our saint with his country people. This miracle greatly increased the fame and veneration due to St. Cronan, in all parts of Hibernia. '*
Before this time, the monastery of Roscrea does not appear to have been built ;
however, its first foundation has been attributed to St. Cronan. '9 Indeed, Sir
James Ware altogether overlooks its early history, when treating about Irish religiousestablishments; for,heonlymentions,thatacommunityofMinorite brothers erected a house, in that place. ^" However, in our Irish Annals, there are numerous entries to prove, that not only an abbot and a monastic com- munity, with a school, were very early in existence there, but even Roscrea was the seat of a bishop,^' while i—t is frequently alluded to as the site of a celebrated city. —We do not read from any older record than in a Manu- script Florarius3» of St. Cronan having been a bishop, although the Bollan-
dist Papebroke was inclined to believe,'' he was the bishop Cronan, men- tioned by St. Adamnan, in his Life of St. Columba;34 however, as already seen, it is much more likely, he was that Cuaranus Sujjiens, or Cronan, son of
Nethsemon,whosefeastoccurs,atthe9thofFebruary. '' Feelingtheweak-
of Killaloe. . See Ussher's
"
Britannicarura
mium, num. 5> p- 579-
*• See Colyan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Quinta Vita S. Columbx, lil). i. , cap. x. \xxiv. , p. 348, and n 94, p. 379.
5' See kev. \)x. Reeves' Adamnan's
Ecclesiarum Aiitiquitaies,"cap, xvii. , p. 502. ^ This is remarked, by Culgaii, in Ins "Acta Sanctorum liiberni*," ix. Februajji,
tomus
rilis xxviii. De Sancto Cronano, &c. Prce-
n. II,
" '•
p. 303.
See Acta Sanctorum,"
" Life of Si.
n.
and bones. See
I'opulai >. yclooedia ; or
April 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 519
At another time, St. Cronanand St. Mobay were guests with St. Kieran3'
ofClonmacnoise. 39 Afterdinner,takingaportionofhisfoodtliatremained,
Cronan distributed it, according to his custom, among the poor. Mobay left
his for use. this, tlie abbot " There shall be portion community Hearing said,
this difference between the places of both saints ; that of Cronan shall
abound with riches and charity, while that of Mobay shall be otherwise dis-
tinguished. " Again, when Cronan was alone in the same place, and praying at a certain house, some lepers came to him, but stood without, not wishing to interrupt his devotions. This being known to the saint, he prayed to God for them ; while, full of fiiith, these lepers washed themselves in water, which flowed from the roof of that house, in which Cronan resided ; for, at the time,
a great shower of rain was falling. Being cured of tlieir leprosy, they gave thanks to God, and to his saint. <° Leaving the place of his first settlement, Sl Cronan began to build many other liouses to God's honour, and to that of His Virgin Mother. Such was his disinterestedness, that not only did he leave houses he already occupied, to those who were in need of tliem, but even all things they contained, wiiile he set out in quest of a new habitation. *' He came to a certain place, within the present barony of Garrycastle, and in the King's County. It was called Lusmag,*' or Lusmagh,'»3 which means "a grassy plain. " It was situated, in the vicinity of tlie River Shannon.
Wiiile hving there, he performed many miracles. One day, being in a neigh- bouring wood, he saw a deer passing by, and, on i)eing called by the saint, it approached, took an apple from his hand, and became domesticated, until at last it was allowed to return into its native woods. ** On one occasion, Cronan asked a certain scribe, named l)im,i,*5 to write for him the text of the Gospels. Bur, the scribe wished to limit this labour to the duration of one day. Cronanthentoldhim,towritewithoutceasing,untilthesunshouldset. It is said, that for forty days and nights, the sun continued to shed its rays through the windows, and on the writer. During that whole period, Dima
felt no necessity for eating, drinking or sleeping ; while, he was so little wearied by his continuous labour, as to suppose this time not to have exceeded the limits of a natural day. This copy of the Gospels was not less beautifully than accurately written, by Dima. ** When such a miracle was known, many
" See " Acta Sanctorum," torn, iii. , xxviii. Aptilis. Vita S. Cronani, cap. i. num. 3, p. 580. It will be a difficult matter to re- concile this narrative with the Catholic doc- trine, that out of hell there is no redemp- tion. We must only regard it as an absurd
popular legend, and curient among very
ignor. mt persons.
3* His feast occurs, at the 9th of Sep-
tember.
BTheRev. S. — Baring-Gould remarks,
that "lie did not reniam there long. "
"Lives of the Saints," vol. iv. , April 28, p.
361.
*° See " Acta Sanctorum," torn, iii. ,
xxviii. Aprilis. Vita S. Cronani, cap. i. ,
num. 4, p. 580.
»' It is said, 'hat Cronan was in many
places, and that he built no less than fifty houses. These he left to Anchorets, who were seeking localiies for themselves. St. Cronan dil so for the pure love of God. See "Acta Sanctorum," tom. iii. , xxviii. Apiilis, cip. i. , num. 5, n. (i), p. 581.
** This is " a parish in the south of the
King's County, adjoining the county of Tip- perary, and bounded on the west by the River Shannon. This was part of O'Mad- den's country of SilAnamchy, and still belonjis to the diocese of Clonfeit. "—Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. vi. , p. 1991, n. (9).
" This parish is shown, on the " Ordnance
Survey Townland Maps for the King's
sheets 21,
County," 29. 30, 35.
•" "
See . ActaSancturum,"tom. iii. . xxviii.
Aprilis. Vita S. Cronani, cap. i. , num. 5, p. 581.
*5 Dima is thought to be the scribe, men- tioned ill the Act^. of . St. Cronan, who lived A. D. 634, ami who was employed to write a copy 01 the Gospels, afteiwarls preserved in the Ab'. iey ot Roscrea. -See James J. Gaskin's " Varieties of Irish History," sect. X-. PP- 336, 337-
,
*' See what has been already stated, re-
garding' St. Diman, or D nia Dubh, Bishop ol Connor, in his Life, at the 6th ofJanuary,
520 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 28.
were the praises bestowed on the Almighty, and on his saint. *' The place whereCronandweltwasinfestedwithamultitudeofdemons. Thesewould
not suffer any person to inhabit it, before the arrival of our saint.
the servant of God put them to flight, so that after his first arrival, they dared not molest him. At the request of a certain deaf man, our saint procured for him the sense of hearing, through devout prayers; and, again, when St. Cronan's monks had not the necessaries of life, on the Easter festival approach- ing, those asked their Abbot, to procure something for the occasion, through hisprayers. Thesaintpromised,thattheLordwhowasrichinmercywould provide for their wants. Shortly afterwards, the friends of Cronan appeared, and bearing with them a good store of provisions, which lasted until the time of Pentecost. At Lusmagh,'t9 he spent a considerable time. 5° Our saint asked nine soldiers who were " on the green banks of Shannon," to help him in raising his boat. This was covered by the water of the river. Yet, they refused to oblige him, with one single exception. The chastisement of heaven fell on the recusant eight, who perished on that same day, by the hands of their enemies. He who obeyed the saint's commands was saved, through the interposition of Heaven ; and, afterwards, assuming the habit of a monk, he devoted himself to a religious life. s'
CHAPTER II.
ST. CRONAN LEAVES CONNAUGHT AND RETURNS TO HIS OWN TERRITORY OF EILR—HE SETTLES AT LOUGH CRE—MONAHINCHA—RAID OF THE OSSORIANS—ENQUIRY AS TO WHETHER ST. CRONAN HAD BEEN A BISHOP, OR WHETHER HE WAS ONLY A PRIEST,
After the foregoing occurrences, some religious men, requiring a place of habitation,cametoSt. Cronan. Heimmediatelyrelinquishedhisowndwel- ling, in their favour ; and then, he ordered his disciples, not to take anything with them, when removing. However, it was known to the saint, one of them had disobeyed that order ; when he was obliged to return, with a sack he had taken, from that place they had left. Tliis disciple was obliged to do pen- ance, for the remainder of his days. Then, St. Cronan directed his course, to his native land of Hely, where he rested near a bog called Lurgan," oppo- site to or near the territory of Ossory, and on the western boundary of Leinster. However, he built a monastery, near Lough Cre. " Here, we are told, there was a lake. 3 Another Life of St. Cronan remarks, that in it there was a small island, in which several most religious monks lived, in after ages. '* Tiiat island isnowapproachable,overamorass; and,nodoubt,atnoveryremoteperiod, water surrounded it on every side. The Lough ormarsh,' to which allusion is
chap. i.
<' See "Acta Sanctorum," torn, iii. , xxviii.
iii. , of this work, chap. ii. There, the place is identified with Leigh, near Thiirles.
" In his it is " monas- Life, said, magnum
terium aedificavit ; et ibicrevit clara civitas, qua;vocaturA\wj--ow," SeeDr. Lanigan's '-Kcclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , sect. ii. , n. 28, p. 10.
Vita S. Cronani, Aprilis. cap.
p. 5^'- **Seeiitd.
ii. , num.
6,
<» See " The Parliamentary Gazetteer for Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. 711, 712.
5° See Rev. Dr.
cal History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, . wii. , sect, ii. , p. 7.
Lanigan's
prope
" Ecclesiasti-
^ 'ihe BoUandist Life has " it,
5' See "Acta Sanctorum,"tom. iii. , xxviii.
Aprilis. Vita S. Cronani, cap. ii,, n. 8, Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p.
p. 581. — Chapter ii.
' The reader is
^ Callem
referred, to what has been already stated, regarding the Stagnum Lurgan, in the Life of St.
Mochcemhog, at the 13th of March, in vol.
itaque prope St. ignum Cree (in rum) iedificavit ; quae Cella Sean-ross no-
stagnura Cre cellam oedificavit. "
4 This is stated, in the Life of our Saint,
as quoted by Ussher, in " Britannicarum 502. "
quo est insula niodica, in qua est monas-
terium monachorum semper religiosissimo-
However,
April 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 521
made, is thought to be the present bog of Monela f and, it extends, as already described, on the borders of the Ossorian territory. Some small lakes are still to be found over its present surface. We have been informed, by the people residing near this place, that decayed remnants of old boats have been found buried, in various parts of that bog ; while those indications prove, that for- merly a great lough covered a very considerable tract of country, the con- figuration of which shows, that the River Nore at one time expanded here into a large lake. Formerly, there were two remarkable islands on it ; the larger one containing an ancient church,' and the smaller one having a chapel. * About these very curious traditions were formerly current. ' That place, selected for Cronan's habitation, was not different from Monahincha,'° as it appearstons. Populartraditionevenasserts,thattheholymanlivedthere. The smaller island, at that place, was known as Insula Viventium, in the time of Gira- dus Carabrensis ;" because it was so salubrious, or rather owing to the merits of the patron saint, it had been supposed, that no person could die in it, let hismaladybeeversogreat.
Thatisland,onwhichthemonasterywasbuilt, contained about two acres of dry ground. We are informed, that in early times, the Cselibes, or Culdees, devoutly lived there ; and, at a much later period, a prior and community of Canons Regulars succeeded them," but these moved their habitation to Corballj',"' not far distant, and where are yet to be seen some very interesting ruins, and which have a history, dating back to
a period somewhat remote.
minatur. " See the old Life of our Saint, as
quoted by Ussher, ibid.
"See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni-
cum," p. 667.
'' The from a accompanying illustration,
drawing transferred to the wood, by William F'. Wakeman, shows the arched doorway, with a portion of the interior, and remains of the eastern window. It is engraved, by Mrs.
Millard.
'" "
' See Rev. Dr.
History ol Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xii. , n. 73, p. 203.
'Giraldus Cambrensis has it: "Major
ecclesiam habet antiquae rcligionis. " '"
"
Topographia Hibernica," Dist. ii. , cap.
iv. , p. 81. " See Sir
" De Hibemia et
Opera
Lanigan's
Giraldus adds, cui pauci caelibes, quos Cselicolas vel Colideos vocant, devote dcser- viunt. "
By Archdall, in his Monasticon Hibernicum," when treating about Roscrea,
» See Giraldi Cambrensis' "
v. , edited by James F. Dimock, M. A. To-
pographia ilibernica, Dist. ii. , cap. iv. , pp. 80, 81.
" Ecclesiastical
Opera,"
vol.
at
puzzled by the name Lou;^hree—, Archdall
"guessed at that of Louglikee. "
" This townland lies within the parish of astical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , cap.
Corbally, and barony of Ikerrin, being shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Town-
land Maps for the County of Tipperary,"
xvii. , sect, ii. , n. 25, p. 9. "" See Harris' Ware, vol.
Ireland," Book i. , p. 21.
ii. ,
" Writers of
sheets 12, 17, 18.
"'
While at Senniys, . St. Cronan is said to
" Giraldi Cambrensis,
" See "
edited by James F. Dimock, M. A. , vol. v.
have miracles. " wrought many
In "Notes on Irish Architecture," by Exlwin, third EarlofDunraven, edited by Miss Maryaret Stokes, the Cella Seanross is said to be "
properly
James Ware,
Antiquitatibus ejus, Disquisitiones," cap. ii. , p. 119.
xxvi. , pp. 206, 207. '3 The old name Ross Cre is rendered
" Now a parish, partly in the barony of "the wooded point of Cre," while another Ikerrin, and shown, on the "Ordnance Sur- derivation for it is said to be Riasc Cre,
vey Townland Maps for the County of Tip- perary," sheets 12, 17, 18; and portly in
or the moor, marsh, or fen of Cre. See ibiii.
the Baronies of
Ballybritt
and Clonlisk,
'* See Harris' vol. Ware,
"
shown on the "Ordnance Survey Townland
Maps for the King's County," sheets 42,
43. 45-
" See Archdall's " Motiasticon Hiberui-
cum," p. 672.
'5 See an article, intituled, "Ancient Irish
ii. ,
ties of Ireland," chap, xxxviii. , p. 267.
Wonders" by P. W. Joyce, in vol. ii, No. 2,p. 28.
"
sky about it is frequently most brilli. intly illu- minatedbynight. Aaoldman,ofneareighty
Ilibernia,"
p. 672.
'» Rev. Dr. Lanigan supposes, that being
called vol. Stagnura Cre,"
'5 Papebroke does not consider him to be the same as Fursoeus, Abbot of Lagny, venerated on the i6th of January.
" Near Monahincha, a local legend was
told the that the whole of the writer,
" Ecclesi-
Antiqui-
'
S. iints," tome v. , x. 'iviii^ Jourd'Avril, p. 57. ^° Jiiluana, the widow of . \la. -lrony O'Car- Mochoemoc, chap. x\ix. Prohauly, it was roll, lurnished the necessary funds. See
522 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 28.
The great Ballaghmore, or pass between Munster and Leinster, was not far reijioved from the spot; and, on this public road, several holy pilgrims and others were found to be travelling, even at this early period.
"
That great road, called the King's highway,""^ ])assed on to Roscrea,
and the present reconstructed public road deviates hardly at all from the very ancient one. On the Is-
. v;:"^'Ui
land of Monahincha yet stand the remains of a
verybeautifulold edifice,
the doorway of which,
with its curiously-carved and concentric semi-cir- cular archway, is the ad- miration of every be- holder. It is decidedly very ancient, and it is builtin the characteristic Irish style. The beauti- ful little chur—ch-ruin of M onahinsha
speaking population as
Inislmameo, or Inse-
" nam-beo,
Monahincha, County of Tipperary.
Masses of ivy mantle over jior- tioas of the walls. The materials, used in the construction of this very beau- tifuloldchurch,wereexcellent; and,thesemusthavebeentransportedthither, from some distance. —It is incorrectly said,'^ that Cronan built his cell, in an
island of Loughkee yet, it is evident, I. ough Cree should be substituted
;
for, Loughkee or Loughkay is in the county of Leitrim, and far from St. Cronan's country. '^ While he lived in or visited the Island of Ross-Cre, it is said, that St. Canice wrote a volume of tiie Four Evangelists, which was called by the ancients Glass-Kynnick. '-° In St. Cronan's time, the place was called Senruys;"" but,indeed,it is ralherdifficult to determine, whether this name be applicable 10 Monahincha,"' orto Roscrea. '^ We are inclined to believe, that
ment'? runs over them, in very regular form.
years in 1872, said he frequently witneised
this apparition.
»' Allusion is made 10 an irruption of the
pp. 581, 582,
•'See "Les Petits Bollandiste. ^, Vies des
Ossorians in'. o Eile, in the Life of . St.
noi diiferent rom the present raid.
'* "
See Acta Sanctorum," lom. iii. , xxviii.
num. 10, 1 1,
"
iJe Ililjernia et Antiquitalibus ejus Dis ,
Aprilis. Vila S. Crunani, cap. ii. ,
quisiiiones," ca;). xxvi. , p. 209.
3' It lias been since unilcd to the diocese
formerly known to the Irish-
. surmounted
while the zig-zag orna-
Isl—and of the
is about two miles from Ros- crea '5 The length of the church-ruin is about forty-four feet, and the width about eighteen. The windows had con- trasted arches. '* The recessed arches of the doorway rest on bases,
living people'
by capitals,
t
while St. Cronan lived at both places, and probably had a separate religious house in each locality, the narrative series of his acts in reference tobotli must
have been confused in the mind of that writer, whose text has been published by Papebroke. Harris assigns the foundation of Roscrea monastery, to tiie sixthcentury;'< and,itshouldbeadifficultmattertoprovehewasmistaken; but, to us it appears, that St. Cronan founded Monahincha, before he thought of removing to Roscrea. While living in this place, certain holy men came to St. Cronan seeking hospitality ; but, not finding his cell, which was removed from the public road, for the sake of greater retirement, tliey were obliged to spend a whole night without food or shelter. Hearing this, on the following day, our saint condoled with them, on account of their privations and mistake. Conducting a boy with him to the highway, Cronan said to him, " Return to thy place, while I remain here. " His monks entreating him to return towards
April 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 523
his home, our saint " I must not replied :
where the nestly desiring his return, the monks requested Fur? 2eus,=5 the Bishop, to ask
'•
to a desert
and strangers cannot find me, but I will remain on the public way. " Ear-
their superior to reside in his proper place. The Bishop replied :
opinion, your Abbot shall not change the place he has chosen ; for, as the bees on a summer's day fly around their hives, so also, around that place, the gates of Heaven are opened, and a concourse of Angels does not cease con- tinuously to approach it. '* Return therefore to your Abbot, and obey him. " Theydidso,accordingly,and tlierehe built a great monastery. In this, he gained many souls to Christ, and there he wroiigiit ni;iny miracles. Afterwards, the peopleofOssorymadeanirruption,amongtheinhabitantsofHely. '' Tliese fltd to St. Cronan, and besought his interposition, m their behalf. Even the monks, belonging to his monastery, feared theailvance of their enemies. To
"
comfort them, Cronan said,
otherwise to this hostile army, they shall do no injury to us. " It is said, that the people of Ossory were deceived into a belief, that they had killed many men, wasted many villages, and returned with eclat, into their country; whereas theyleftthepeopleandcountryofIlelyalmostuninjured. Therewasanex- ception, however, in the case of one man who was killed, because he refused to approach our saint with his country people. This miracle greatly increased the fame and veneration due to St. Cronan, in all parts of Hibernia. '*
Before this time, the monastery of Roscrea does not appear to have been built ;
however, its first foundation has been attributed to St. Cronan. '9 Indeed, Sir
James Ware altogether overlooks its early history, when treating about Irish religiousestablishments; for,heonlymentions,thatacommunityofMinorite brothers erected a house, in that place. ^" However, in our Irish Annals, there are numerous entries to prove, that not only an abbot and a monastic com- munity, with a school, were very early in existence there, but even Roscrea was the seat of a bishop,^' while i—t is frequently alluded to as the site of a celebrated city. —We do not read from any older record than in a Manu- script Florarius3» of St. Cronan having been a bishop, although the Bollan-
dist Papebroke was inclined to believe,'' he was the bishop Cronan, men- tioned by St. Adamnan, in his Life of St. Columba;34 however, as already seen, it is much more likely, he was that Cuaranus Sujjiens, or Cronan, son of
Nethsemon,whosefeastoccurs,atthe9thofFebruary. '' Feelingtheweak-
of Killaloe. . See Ussher's
"
Britannicarura
mium, num. 5> p- 579-
*• See Colyan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Quinta Vita S. Columbx, lil). i. , cap. x. \xxiv. , p. 348, and n 94, p. 379.
5' See kev. \)x. Reeves' Adamnan's
Ecclesiarum Aiitiquitaies,"cap, xvii. , p. 502. ^ This is remarked, by Culgaii, in Ins "Acta Sanctorum liiberni*," ix. Februajji,
tomus
rilis xxviii. De Sancto Cronano, &c. Prce-
n. II,
" '•
p. 303.
See Acta Sanctorum,"
" Life of Si.
n.
