long subsequent
period, the great Cathedral Church or Templemore of Derry was founded; and, from it, the annexed parish was named Templemore.
period, the great Cathedral Church or Templemore of Derry was founded; and, from it, the annexed parish was named Templemore.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
, pp.
280 to 301.
The interpretation of this Irish word is 58 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
57
not given by O'Donnell.
397, 398.
59 See ibid. , lib. iii. , cap. xl. , pp. 437,
438.
6° "
3o2 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
wants of his
community,
61 and the very water of the place had an admirable
and a wholesome flavour, equal to the best wine. 62 St. Brendan 63 with one
hundred companions once came to visit the saint at Derry. Only nine griddle
loaves and as many fishes were then in the house. Yet, Columba prayed to
God, and afterwards there were loaves and fishes to satisfy the wants of two
hundred persons, while over and above remained the original nine loaves and
nine fishes. 64 Two persons, on a particular occasion, came to the door of St.
Colnmba'smonastery;onewasabeggar,andtheotheragambler. Theyre-
spectively asked him for a gift. Columba gave only one coin to the beggar ;
while he gave many more to the gambler. The brethren present were sur-
prised at this distribution, and asked their Abbot why it was so. " Go," said
he, "and see if the beggar will better distribute his alms. " They went to
the gamester's house, and there they found him distributing alms to
persons entering it. They also found the beggar dead on the way, and ten
gold pieces, with St. Columba's small coin sewed in his patched garments.
Returning they told Columba what they had discovered. " And I, too," said
"
clearly knowing
what should out in the manner I happen, paid
he,
thought must be most discriminating. "65
The bardic professors of Ireland were a class, that addicted them-
selves to the composition of Irish verse, in different kinds of metre,
and who often chaunted their strains to a harp accompaniment. They
were held in great esteem by the people, especially those of the first
order. But soon, many of them began to grow arrogant, and even inso-
lent. They had already incurred the resentment of Irish princes ; and,
Connor Mac Nessa, King of Ulster, designed to prosecute them with severity.
The chiefs and people also called for their expulsion from the kingdom. How-
ever, they promised amendment, and observed moderation for a time ; but,
atintervals, becameobnoxioustothestate,and 66 Thebards they unpopular.
—and especially the most inferior and forward among them—had become at
this time simply intolerable. They had multiplied beyond precedent, and their privileges were greatly abused. Their exactions were impoverishing the people, and especially the superior classes, who feared to incur their dis- pleasure and satire. A very singular custom is recorded to have prevailed, among those of their profession, and that from a very remote period. The bards were in the habit of travelling through the country in groups or com- panies of thirty, composed of teachers and their pupils, under a single chief or master. Each company of poets had a silver pot, which was called Coire Sainnte,67 or "the Pot of Avarice;" every pot had nine chains of bronze attached to it, by golden hooks ; and, it was suspended from spear points of nine persons among the company. Their spear-points were thrust through linksatotherendsofthechains. 68 Duringtheseprogresses,whentheycame
6t See "Trias " Colgan's Thaumaturga,
Quinta p. 398.
Vita S. lib. Hi. Columbae, i. , cap.
,
Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , p. 398.
62
cap. li. ,
This is said to have been sung in ele-
gant metre, by Baethin, the son of Cuonach.
He is supposed to have been the same as St.
Baoithin or Baetin, Bishop of Teach Baoit-
hin or Taghboyne, county of Westmeath,
whose feast occurs at February 9th, and some
notices of whom may be found in the Second Mor Duna Doighre, called the Leabhar Volume of this work, at that date, Art. ii. Breac [R. I. A. ]—that the pot was called the
63 Most probably St. Brendan, Abbot of " Pot of Avarice," was because it was into it Birr, whose feast falls on the 29th of whatever gold or silver they received was
November.
64 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,
"
put; andwhilstthepoemwasbeingchanted, the best nip* musicians in the company
"
6s See ibid. , cap. liii. , p. 398.
66
See Dermod O'Connor's Keating's General History of Ire'and," part ii. , pp.
370, 371. Duffy's edition.
6? In the Irish—written coro rAVici.
68 The reason according to the account
of this custom preserved in the Leahhar
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 303
to a house, where profuse hospitality was always expected, the first bard that entered began to chant the first verse of a poem ; the last man of the party re-
sponded to him ; and so, the whole poem was sung, each taking a part, in an arranged order. The houses of the monks were not spared from their intru- sion. To furnish an idea of the extravagance to which the bards at diis time carried their demands, we are told, that once, while St. Columba was at a
1 ata
him. Then, it is related, that Columba went to a neighbouring fountain, where invoking the Almighty, water was turned into wine ; while, at the same time, from an ancient mound near it, an Angel showed him a spot, from which goblets and drinking vessels were to be obtained. There, the saint entertained the bards at a banquet, and afterwards, that place was called Rathnafleidhe, 7 *
6? he felt when he had not a reward to offer ashamed,
called
some of those poetical professors. Yet, in a miraculous manner was he sup- plied with a talent of gold, which served to satisfy their avarice, and to save his own reputation, as a professor and patron of their art. 7° At another time,
place
Fiodhbeg,
a numberofbardshelda great
between and Deny
convention,?
Oileach,72 which was formerly a royal castle. " St. Columba, likewise, loved Oileach, because of its familyassociations. Thosebards demanded a gift from
or " on account of the bounty it had proved to be the means for conferring. "
or the " Rath of the The well also Banquet. "
got
the name
Maith,
good. "
St. Columba likewise loved secret contemplation, and, especially he
delighted in rambling on the shore, near the sea-waves. He used very fre-
quently resort to a lonely rock, which hung over the ocean. It was called
6 Carraig-colairg. ?
While he was there one a monk
brought
stopping
day,
8 andsonto Aidus, had died. ? ? However, there must clearly be a mistake of identifica-
him it is word,
stated,
that
Maol-chabhius,
77 his
alumnus,?
King
played music around the pot. This custom 74 This place has not been identified. was, no doubt, very picturesque; but the 7S See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," actors in it were capable of showing them- Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. lv. , selves in two different characters, according
to the result of their application. If their 7
Pot of Avarice received the approbation of
the man of the house, in gold or silver, a
laudatory poem was written for him; but if
he did not, he was satirized in the virulent
terms that a copious an—d highly expressive language could supply. " Professor Eugene
"
Customs of the Ancient
O'Curry's
Lectures on the Manners and
Lect. iii. , pp. 56, 57.
69 This means " the little wood. " It does
not seem to be capable of identification, at present.
70 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbte, lib. i. , cap. liv. , p. 398.
very generally held, in Ireland ; although few in comparison have obtained any special notice in our Annals.
73 Otherwise called Aileach, of which an
account may be found in the Life of St.
Bessy Bell, a short distance south of New- town-Stewart, in the barony of Strabane, and county of Tyrone. See ibid. , n. (q),
Irish,"
vol.
ii. ,
7? His successor, Suibne Menn, is said to have killed him, a. d. 610, in the battle of classes seem to have been frequently and Sliabh Truim Tuoth, Anglicized to Sieve- tryn, on a Map of Ulster, date 1590, by Francis Jobson. At present, it is called
71 Conventionsorconferencesoftribesand
Patrick, at March 17th, in the Third Volume and vol. iii. , pp. 424, 425, and n. (a),
of this Art. xiv. work, i. , chap.
There, also,
8o While his death is to usually assigned
a. d. 597, that of Maolcobha, son of Aedh, is assigned to a. d. 615, in the " Chronicon
illustrations of it are introduced.
73 " It was simply a fortress and residen—ce
of the kind styled in Irish cashel or lis" W. F. Wakeman's " Tourists' Guide to Ire- land," p. 192.
Scotorum," pp. 74, 75,
M. Hennessy, M. K. I. A.
edited William by
place
p. 398.
°
vol. i. , pp. 226, 227.
? 8 Father Hugh Ward, in his papers, makes
him a monk and afterwards a bishop over
Clogher, for nine years, stating also that Drumleas church had been dedicated to him. Selbach, or whoever was author of the me- trical Sanctilogic Menology, seems to rank him among the saints.
It is a place, in the Diocese of Derry, "ad marginem Eurypi Feuolii. "
77 According to Dr. Jeoffry Keating's "General History of Ireland," part ii. , p. 393, he was afterwards King of Ireland for
"
of the Four Masters," state for three. See
four years, or as Dr. O'Donovan's
Annals
8l
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
3o4 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
tion, in the account of this circumstance; or, it must be one of the many unreliable fictions, created by legend-mongers, who have dealt so unwarrant-
80
ably with the Acts of St. Columba.
the narrative as it stands. Feeling for his loss most sensibly, our saint at once hastened to the place where the dead man lay, and on bended knees, he thrice recited the Psalter. Then, he touched the body with the cusped
extremity of his cross.
Maol-chabbius to arise.
In a loud voice, he afterwards called on the dead
He immediately came to life, as a consequence of The king felt so grateful for such a favour, that he
Columb's interposition.
selected from his herds and flocks thirty animals, as an offering to the saint.
On his own account, the prince promised, that he and his posterity should present an equal annual number to St. Columb, and to his successors. After
living some years, and enjoying regal honours, this prince departed from life a second time, and with a general opinion he had a most holy end. 81 While Columba lived at Derry, an infant was brought to him for baptism, but water was wanting for that purpose. Yet, impressing a sign of the cross on a steep rock, a fountain of living water poured out, and in this the child was baptized. Afterwards, it was called St. Columb's Well. 82 Many other great miracles he performed, while at Derry; and, there he dwelt for a considerable time.
Long afterwards, the house of his foundation seems to have obtained the denomination " Cella Nigra S. Columba? de Deria," which leads us to infer, that the monks of his order wore a black habit. 83 He built the Duibh- regleas 84 church at Derry, chiefly with the wood of those trees, which grew there, but he did not wish to destroy many of them. 8* It was a truly poetic taste of the saint to admire his trees, and to have a desire to preserve them, as much as possible. He caused this church to be built more long than broad, from north to south; so that, according to the common rite, the build- ing could not be duly orientated. Yet, he placed that altar, on which he celebrated, at the east side of the building. When O'Donnell wrote his Life of St. Columba, traces of the chapel were preserved, to illustrate the unusual characteristics of that 86 In times to Columba's
building.
long subsequent
period, the great Cathedral Church or Templemore of Derry was founded; and, from it, the annexed parish was named Templemore. This mediaeval cathe- dral was situated near the Dubh Regies; and, with their accompanying buildings, both were outside the present city walls. 8? When a storm had blown down trees, or when they fell through age, and after a lapse of nine days, the tenth part of such timber was allowed for use of the poor, a third was
82
Vita S. lib. i. , Columbae, cap.
8s See Le Comtede Montalembert's "Les
Moines d'Occident," tome iii. , liv. xi. ,
Quinta
398, and 1111. 49, 50, p. 450.
lvi. ,
p.
There are still shown three distinct
wells at Derry, at present, and all called by
the name of our saint. See " Memoir of the
City and North-Western Liberties of p. 398.
Londonderry," part ii. , sect. I, p. 26.
83 See il Acts of Archbishop Colton in his Metropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of Derry, A. n. , mcccxcvii. " &c, edited by
Rev. William Reeves, p. 56, and n. (r).
84 This was the original church, and after- wards it came into possession of the Regular Canons of the Order of St. Augustine. For anaccount of their various Orders, see " His- toire Complete et Costumes des Ordres Monastiques, Reliyieux et Militaires," &C, par le Pere Helyot, tome ii. , pp. 267 to 338.
Edition of V. Phillipon de la Madelaine, 1839, 8vo.
8? See M Memoir of the City and North*
Western Liberties of Londonderry," part ii. ,
sect. 1, pp. 24. 25.
8S
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columboe, lib. i. , cap. lvii. , p. 398.
Notwithstanding, we can only resume
chap, i. , p. 117.
*•
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbia, lib. i. , cap. lvii. ,
89 In an ancient Irish poem, attributed to the saint, and as rendered into English, be
: thus expresses his feelings —
" Were the tribute of Alba mine
From its centre to its border,
I would prefer the site of one house In the middle of fair Derry.
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 305
drawn for the guest-house at the monastery, and the rest he distributed among the inhabitants of Deny. 88 This tradition seems to indicate, that a number of artisans and labourers must have congregated there, in the sixth century, when the colony of monks and seculars formed the nucleus of a town. In after years, Columba's heart ever turned with an indescribable love to this his first foundation, and from the place of his exile would he strain his gaze to catch even a glimpse of the distant hills, that environed his beloved oak-
2 Atthesame
a long lapse, this church should be destroyed, by the English, and that its
stones should be brought to build a secular edifice, at a place called Bun- seantuinne,nearDerry. 93 AlittletimebeforeO'DonnellwroteSt. Columb's
Acts, Nicholas Weston,94 an English Bishop, pulled down the materials, and brought them to build a palace, which, however, he was not suffered to com-
plete, the Almighty thus showing his displeasure, because our saint's church had been so wantonly desecrated. In the place, anciently called Rathbotha, at present Raphoe, is said to have been one of the earliest churches selected
for building or restoration, and Columba also blessed this place. However,
the authority and arguments for such statement seem to be very question- able. '5 Some writers have not hesitated to assert, that St. Columba erected a monastery at this place, and even with less grounds than for the assertion that a church had been built here, before the holy man went into Britain. Here, too, he raised to life a smith, who had been drowned in a millrace. The inhabitants of that place complained, that they had no persons of his trade to furnish them with ploughshares. The saint blessed the hands of
" The reason I love Deny is,
grove
Doire-Calgach.
Lough Foyle, opposite 1
to
Derry,
thetwo knownas Loughs
Enagh. '
time,
he thatafter predicted,
''
"
•
9 " Here the O'Cahans had their chief re- sidence, and from them that whole tract from the Foyle to the Bann was called the Country of O'Kane. In 1555, Calvach O'Donnell demolishedtheircastleof situated on an island of the Eastern Lough. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four
Masters," vol. v. , pp. 1540, 1541, andn. (h). However, it must have been re-edified shortly afterwards ; for, it is shown on Maps of Ulster made during the reigns of Queen ElizabethandJamesI. Atpresentnoruins of it exist.
For its quietness, for its purity, And for its crowds of white angels, From the one end to the other.
The reason why I love Derry is,
For its quietness, for its purity.
Crowded full of heaven's
Is eveiy leaf of the oaks of Derry.
My Derry, my little oak grove, My dwelling, and my little cell, O eternal God, in heaven above, Woe be to him who violates it. "
was venerated, on the 22nd of September. "
—Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St.
288.
Clandermod, in the corps of the Deanery. See "Acts of Archbishop Colton in his Me- tropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of Derry, A. D. , mcccxcvii. ," &c, edited by Rev. William Reeves, D. D. , M. R. I. A. , pp. 28, 29, and n. (b).
91 Colgan says, it was near Enagh, where the O'Cahan's castle stood. If was chapelry of the Derry Diocese, afterwards known as Cluain-enaich, where St. Columba Cregensis
93 This was in an Irish expressed,
Columba. " Additional Notes
G, p.
90 An ancient cemetery, containing the ruins of an ecclesiastical building, marks its site. It is in the townland called Temple- town. In former times, it was a chapel of
poem,
89 On the side of
of
hebuiltachurch,9°ataplacecalledCluan. 9 Itlayabouttwomilestowards the north-east of that city, and on the left side of the Coleraine road, near
angels
Enagh,
See Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbse, n. 51, p. 450.
lamenting the change.
94 Prince O'Donnell's Life has it Boston,
but this we take to have been a misprint, For an account of the Bishop's name given in the text, and who lived in the fifteenth century, the reader is referred to Harris'
x. , and n. 112, pp. 132, 135, 136.
"
9S See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's
Bishops of Derry," p. 291.
"
Ecclesiastical HistoryofIreland,"vol. ii. , chap,xi. , sect.
Ware, vol. i. ,
"
Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. lviii. ,
»* See Colgan's
Trias Thaumaturga,"
pp. 398, 399.
97 See "The Irish Ecclesiastical Record,
'
U
3o6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
one Fergna, who immediately became expert at this trade. 06 St. Columba felt a great desire to extend his institute, already so well established at Derry, throughout other parts of Ireland. He therefore resolved to visit the cities, towns and villages of its various provinces, and to bring under religious influ- ences its people of every rank, age, and condition. His purpose was to per- fect ecclesiastical discipline, where it was flourishing, and to revive religious practices, where they fell into decay ; he resolved to repair old churches and monasteries, wherever these had become ruinous, and to build new ones, where necessary ; he desired to provide suitable church requisites and furni- ture, as also proper persons to be charged with their care. Wherefore, con- signing the charge of his establishment at Derry to one of the elder monks, he proceeded to the southern parts of ancient Meath.
From about the year 546 to 563, St. Columba appears to have laboured in Ireland founding new churches and new monasteries. During this period, he seems to have travelled over the most remote places in our Island. ? Although in his Life of St. Columba, O'Donnell is rather circumstantial about the various incidents of his missionary career in Ireland ; it seems most pro- bable, too, that he fails to observe their exact chronological order. We have endeavoured somewhat to recast the series of acts, and it is our opinion, these following incidents should nearly succeed the former. This indefatigable workman in the Lord's now visited the middle °8 of Ireland.
He came to the district of Teffia, where he obtained from the King Aedh, or
;
vol. ii. A Day at Iona : Saint Columba, p. 120.
Recollections of
obtained a victory over Dairmaid, in a battle fought at Cuil-Uinnsenn, "the Corner or Angle of the Ash Trees," in Teffia. The
Still,
vineyard region
a chieftain named 00 a tract of known as 100 on which
Brendan, land,
he afterwards built the noble monastery of Durrow,
Dairmagh,
situated, in the present
101
We have it on excellent authority, that the name of this place was obtained from the abundant oaks, that grew around it. On the death of Crimthann, the lordship of Teffia de- scended a. d. 553, to his nephew Aedh,Ioa whose father Brendan survived
to have
it was not at the time St. Columba wholly completed,
Barony of Ballycowan, and in the King's County.
he does not
precise year when this foundation took place is not known ; yet, it was pro- bably after a. d. 553, judging by some recorded incidents. However, we know, that it was built some time before Columba set out on his first journey
till l0i
appear
enjoyed
573
but,
to Britain. 10'*
s8 The Umbilicus Hibernian has been vari-
ously placed at Usnagh Hill, at Clonmac- place is now unknown. See Dr. O'Dono-
noise, and at Birr, which belonged to the south-west of the great plain of Meath.
van's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 196, 197, andn. (y).
,03 According to the authority immediately preceding, he died A. D. 573 ; but, again, his or tteArwnAgh, which is found Latinized death is entered, at A. D. 585. See ibid. ,
» He was father to the aforesaid Aedh. ,
100The Irish form ofthis place is 0<M|\ mag,
"Roboris campus. " Adamnan, in his "Life of St. Columba," employs the Latin equiva-
"
lent
49, lib. ii. , cap. 39, lib. iii. , cap. 15; and Roboris Campus at lib. ii. , cap. 2.
102 According to Tighernach Aex>h mac *s This was probably the earliest erection brveanoain rnih CeohcA At)]-o bhaipc period as the " magna domus " was building, OarvmAch x>o Cholum chilX. See Rev. Dr. when St. Columba dwelt in Iona.
The interpretation of this Irish word is 58 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
57
not given by O'Donnell.
397, 398.
59 See ibid. , lib. iii. , cap. xl. , pp. 437,
438.
6° "
3o2 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
wants of his
community,
61 and the very water of the place had an admirable
and a wholesome flavour, equal to the best wine. 62 St. Brendan 63 with one
hundred companions once came to visit the saint at Derry. Only nine griddle
loaves and as many fishes were then in the house. Yet, Columba prayed to
God, and afterwards there were loaves and fishes to satisfy the wants of two
hundred persons, while over and above remained the original nine loaves and
nine fishes. 64 Two persons, on a particular occasion, came to the door of St.
Colnmba'smonastery;onewasabeggar,andtheotheragambler. Theyre-
spectively asked him for a gift. Columba gave only one coin to the beggar ;
while he gave many more to the gambler. The brethren present were sur-
prised at this distribution, and asked their Abbot why it was so. " Go," said
he, "and see if the beggar will better distribute his alms. " They went to
the gamester's house, and there they found him distributing alms to
persons entering it. They also found the beggar dead on the way, and ten
gold pieces, with St. Columba's small coin sewed in his patched garments.
Returning they told Columba what they had discovered. " And I, too," said
"
clearly knowing
what should out in the manner I happen, paid
he,
thought must be most discriminating. "65
The bardic professors of Ireland were a class, that addicted them-
selves to the composition of Irish verse, in different kinds of metre,
and who often chaunted their strains to a harp accompaniment. They
were held in great esteem by the people, especially those of the first
order. But soon, many of them began to grow arrogant, and even inso-
lent. They had already incurred the resentment of Irish princes ; and,
Connor Mac Nessa, King of Ulster, designed to prosecute them with severity.
The chiefs and people also called for their expulsion from the kingdom. How-
ever, they promised amendment, and observed moderation for a time ; but,
atintervals, becameobnoxioustothestate,and 66 Thebards they unpopular.
—and especially the most inferior and forward among them—had become at
this time simply intolerable. They had multiplied beyond precedent, and their privileges were greatly abused. Their exactions were impoverishing the people, and especially the superior classes, who feared to incur their dis- pleasure and satire. A very singular custom is recorded to have prevailed, among those of their profession, and that from a very remote period. The bards were in the habit of travelling through the country in groups or com- panies of thirty, composed of teachers and their pupils, under a single chief or master. Each company of poets had a silver pot, which was called Coire Sainnte,67 or "the Pot of Avarice;" every pot had nine chains of bronze attached to it, by golden hooks ; and, it was suspended from spear points of nine persons among the company. Their spear-points were thrust through linksatotherendsofthechains. 68 Duringtheseprogresses,whentheycame
6t See "Trias " Colgan's Thaumaturga,
Quinta p. 398.
Vita S. lib. Hi. Columbae, i. , cap.
,
Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , p. 398.
62
cap. li. ,
This is said to have been sung in ele-
gant metre, by Baethin, the son of Cuonach.
He is supposed to have been the same as St.
Baoithin or Baetin, Bishop of Teach Baoit-
hin or Taghboyne, county of Westmeath,
whose feast occurs at February 9th, and some
notices of whom may be found in the Second Mor Duna Doighre, called the Leabhar Volume of this work, at that date, Art. ii. Breac [R. I. A. ]—that the pot was called the
63 Most probably St. Brendan, Abbot of " Pot of Avarice," was because it was into it Birr, whose feast falls on the 29th of whatever gold or silver they received was
November.
64 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,
"
put; andwhilstthepoemwasbeingchanted, the best nip* musicians in the company
"
6s See ibid. , cap. liii. , p. 398.
66
See Dermod O'Connor's Keating's General History of Ire'and," part ii. , pp.
370, 371. Duffy's edition.
6? In the Irish—written coro rAVici.
68 The reason according to the account
of this custom preserved in the Leahhar
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 303
to a house, where profuse hospitality was always expected, the first bard that entered began to chant the first verse of a poem ; the last man of the party re-
sponded to him ; and so, the whole poem was sung, each taking a part, in an arranged order. The houses of the monks were not spared from their intru- sion. To furnish an idea of the extravagance to which the bards at diis time carried their demands, we are told, that once, while St. Columba was at a
1 ata
him. Then, it is related, that Columba went to a neighbouring fountain, where invoking the Almighty, water was turned into wine ; while, at the same time, from an ancient mound near it, an Angel showed him a spot, from which goblets and drinking vessels were to be obtained. There, the saint entertained the bards at a banquet, and afterwards, that place was called Rathnafleidhe, 7 *
6? he felt when he had not a reward to offer ashamed,
called
some of those poetical professors. Yet, in a miraculous manner was he sup- plied with a talent of gold, which served to satisfy their avarice, and to save his own reputation, as a professor and patron of their art. 7° At another time,
place
Fiodhbeg,
a numberofbardshelda great
between and Deny
convention,?
Oileach,72 which was formerly a royal castle. " St. Columba, likewise, loved Oileach, because of its familyassociations. Thosebards demanded a gift from
or " on account of the bounty it had proved to be the means for conferring. "
or the " Rath of the The well also Banquet. "
got
the name
Maith,
good. "
St. Columba likewise loved secret contemplation, and, especially he
delighted in rambling on the shore, near the sea-waves. He used very fre-
quently resort to a lonely rock, which hung over the ocean. It was called
6 Carraig-colairg. ?
While he was there one a monk
brought
stopping
day,
8 andsonto Aidus, had died. ? ? However, there must clearly be a mistake of identifica-
him it is word,
stated,
that
Maol-chabhius,
77 his
alumnus,?
King
played music around the pot. This custom 74 This place has not been identified. was, no doubt, very picturesque; but the 7S See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," actors in it were capable of showing them- Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. lv. , selves in two different characters, according
to the result of their application. If their 7
Pot of Avarice received the approbation of
the man of the house, in gold or silver, a
laudatory poem was written for him; but if
he did not, he was satirized in the virulent
terms that a copious an—d highly expressive language could supply. " Professor Eugene
"
Customs of the Ancient
O'Curry's
Lectures on the Manners and
Lect. iii. , pp. 56, 57.
69 This means " the little wood. " It does
not seem to be capable of identification, at present.
70 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbte, lib. i. , cap. liv. , p. 398.
very generally held, in Ireland ; although few in comparison have obtained any special notice in our Annals.
73 Otherwise called Aileach, of which an
account may be found in the Life of St.
Bessy Bell, a short distance south of New- town-Stewart, in the barony of Strabane, and county of Tyrone. See ibid. , n. (q),
Irish,"
vol.
ii. ,
7? His successor, Suibne Menn, is said to have killed him, a. d. 610, in the battle of classes seem to have been frequently and Sliabh Truim Tuoth, Anglicized to Sieve- tryn, on a Map of Ulster, date 1590, by Francis Jobson. At present, it is called
71 Conventionsorconferencesoftribesand
Patrick, at March 17th, in the Third Volume and vol. iii. , pp. 424, 425, and n. (a),
of this Art. xiv. work, i. , chap.
There, also,
8o While his death is to usually assigned
a. d. 597, that of Maolcobha, son of Aedh, is assigned to a. d. 615, in the " Chronicon
illustrations of it are introduced.
73 " It was simply a fortress and residen—ce
of the kind styled in Irish cashel or lis" W. F. Wakeman's " Tourists' Guide to Ire- land," p. 192.
Scotorum," pp. 74, 75,
M. Hennessy, M. K. I. A.
edited William by
place
p. 398.
°
vol. i. , pp. 226, 227.
? 8 Father Hugh Ward, in his papers, makes
him a monk and afterwards a bishop over
Clogher, for nine years, stating also that Drumleas church had been dedicated to him. Selbach, or whoever was author of the me- trical Sanctilogic Menology, seems to rank him among the saints.
It is a place, in the Diocese of Derry, "ad marginem Eurypi Feuolii. "
77 According to Dr. Jeoffry Keating's "General History of Ireland," part ii. , p. 393, he was afterwards King of Ireland for
"
of the Four Masters," state for three. See
four years, or as Dr. O'Donovan's
Annals
8l
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
3o4 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
tion, in the account of this circumstance; or, it must be one of the many unreliable fictions, created by legend-mongers, who have dealt so unwarrant-
80
ably with the Acts of St. Columba.
the narrative as it stands. Feeling for his loss most sensibly, our saint at once hastened to the place where the dead man lay, and on bended knees, he thrice recited the Psalter. Then, he touched the body with the cusped
extremity of his cross.
Maol-chabbius to arise.
In a loud voice, he afterwards called on the dead
He immediately came to life, as a consequence of The king felt so grateful for such a favour, that he
Columb's interposition.
selected from his herds and flocks thirty animals, as an offering to the saint.
On his own account, the prince promised, that he and his posterity should present an equal annual number to St. Columb, and to his successors. After
living some years, and enjoying regal honours, this prince departed from life a second time, and with a general opinion he had a most holy end. 81 While Columba lived at Derry, an infant was brought to him for baptism, but water was wanting for that purpose. Yet, impressing a sign of the cross on a steep rock, a fountain of living water poured out, and in this the child was baptized. Afterwards, it was called St. Columb's Well. 82 Many other great miracles he performed, while at Derry; and, there he dwelt for a considerable time.
Long afterwards, the house of his foundation seems to have obtained the denomination " Cella Nigra S. Columba? de Deria," which leads us to infer, that the monks of his order wore a black habit. 83 He built the Duibh- regleas 84 church at Derry, chiefly with the wood of those trees, which grew there, but he did not wish to destroy many of them. 8* It was a truly poetic taste of the saint to admire his trees, and to have a desire to preserve them, as much as possible. He caused this church to be built more long than broad, from north to south; so that, according to the common rite, the build- ing could not be duly orientated. Yet, he placed that altar, on which he celebrated, at the east side of the building. When O'Donnell wrote his Life of St. Columba, traces of the chapel were preserved, to illustrate the unusual characteristics of that 86 In times to Columba's
building.
long subsequent
period, the great Cathedral Church or Templemore of Derry was founded; and, from it, the annexed parish was named Templemore. This mediaeval cathe- dral was situated near the Dubh Regies; and, with their accompanying buildings, both were outside the present city walls. 8? When a storm had blown down trees, or when they fell through age, and after a lapse of nine days, the tenth part of such timber was allowed for use of the poor, a third was
82
Vita S. lib. i. , Columbae, cap.
8s See Le Comtede Montalembert's "Les
Moines d'Occident," tome iii. , liv. xi. ,
Quinta
398, and 1111. 49, 50, p. 450.
lvi. ,
p.
There are still shown three distinct
wells at Derry, at present, and all called by
the name of our saint. See " Memoir of the
City and North-Western Liberties of p. 398.
Londonderry," part ii. , sect. I, p. 26.
83 See il Acts of Archbishop Colton in his Metropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of Derry, A. n. , mcccxcvii. " &c, edited by
Rev. William Reeves, p. 56, and n. (r).
84 This was the original church, and after- wards it came into possession of the Regular Canons of the Order of St. Augustine. For anaccount of their various Orders, see " His- toire Complete et Costumes des Ordres Monastiques, Reliyieux et Militaires," &C, par le Pere Helyot, tome ii. , pp. 267 to 338.
Edition of V. Phillipon de la Madelaine, 1839, 8vo.
8? See M Memoir of the City and North*
Western Liberties of Londonderry," part ii. ,
sect. 1, pp. 24. 25.
8S
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columboe, lib. i. , cap. lvii. , p. 398.
Notwithstanding, we can only resume
chap, i. , p. 117.
*•
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbia, lib. i. , cap. lvii. ,
89 In an ancient Irish poem, attributed to the saint, and as rendered into English, be
: thus expresses his feelings —
" Were the tribute of Alba mine
From its centre to its border,
I would prefer the site of one house In the middle of fair Derry.
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 305
drawn for the guest-house at the monastery, and the rest he distributed among the inhabitants of Deny. 88 This tradition seems to indicate, that a number of artisans and labourers must have congregated there, in the sixth century, when the colony of monks and seculars formed the nucleus of a town. In after years, Columba's heart ever turned with an indescribable love to this his first foundation, and from the place of his exile would he strain his gaze to catch even a glimpse of the distant hills, that environed his beloved oak-
2 Atthesame
a long lapse, this church should be destroyed, by the English, and that its
stones should be brought to build a secular edifice, at a place called Bun- seantuinne,nearDerry. 93 AlittletimebeforeO'DonnellwroteSt. Columb's
Acts, Nicholas Weston,94 an English Bishop, pulled down the materials, and brought them to build a palace, which, however, he was not suffered to com-
plete, the Almighty thus showing his displeasure, because our saint's church had been so wantonly desecrated. In the place, anciently called Rathbotha, at present Raphoe, is said to have been one of the earliest churches selected
for building or restoration, and Columba also blessed this place. However,
the authority and arguments for such statement seem to be very question- able. '5 Some writers have not hesitated to assert, that St. Columba erected a monastery at this place, and even with less grounds than for the assertion that a church had been built here, before the holy man went into Britain. Here, too, he raised to life a smith, who had been drowned in a millrace. The inhabitants of that place complained, that they had no persons of his trade to furnish them with ploughshares. The saint blessed the hands of
" The reason I love Deny is,
grove
Doire-Calgach.
Lough Foyle, opposite 1
to
Derry,
thetwo knownas Loughs
Enagh. '
time,
he thatafter predicted,
''
"
•
9 " Here the O'Cahans had their chief re- sidence, and from them that whole tract from the Foyle to the Bann was called the Country of O'Kane. In 1555, Calvach O'Donnell demolishedtheircastleof situated on an island of the Eastern Lough. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four
Masters," vol. v. , pp. 1540, 1541, andn. (h). However, it must have been re-edified shortly afterwards ; for, it is shown on Maps of Ulster made during the reigns of Queen ElizabethandJamesI. Atpresentnoruins of it exist.
For its quietness, for its purity, And for its crowds of white angels, From the one end to the other.
The reason why I love Derry is,
For its quietness, for its purity.
Crowded full of heaven's
Is eveiy leaf of the oaks of Derry.
My Derry, my little oak grove, My dwelling, and my little cell, O eternal God, in heaven above, Woe be to him who violates it. "
was venerated, on the 22nd of September. "
—Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St.
288.
Clandermod, in the corps of the Deanery. See "Acts of Archbishop Colton in his Me- tropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of Derry, A. D. , mcccxcvii. ," &c, edited by Rev. William Reeves, D. D. , M. R. I. A. , pp. 28, 29, and n. (b).
91 Colgan says, it was near Enagh, where the O'Cahan's castle stood. If was chapelry of the Derry Diocese, afterwards known as Cluain-enaich, where St. Columba Cregensis
93 This was in an Irish expressed,
Columba. " Additional Notes
G, p.
90 An ancient cemetery, containing the ruins of an ecclesiastical building, marks its site. It is in the townland called Temple- town. In former times, it was a chapel of
poem,
89 On the side of
of
hebuiltachurch,9°ataplacecalledCluan. 9 Itlayabouttwomilestowards the north-east of that city, and on the left side of the Coleraine road, near
angels
Enagh,
See Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbse, n. 51, p. 450.
lamenting the change.
94 Prince O'Donnell's Life has it Boston,
but this we take to have been a misprint, For an account of the Bishop's name given in the text, and who lived in the fifteenth century, the reader is referred to Harris'
x. , and n. 112, pp. 132, 135, 136.
"
9S See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's
Bishops of Derry," p. 291.
"
Ecclesiastical HistoryofIreland,"vol. ii. , chap,xi. , sect.
Ware, vol. i. ,
"
Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. lviii. ,
»* See Colgan's
Trias Thaumaturga,"
pp. 398, 399.
97 See "The Irish Ecclesiastical Record,
'
U
3o6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
one Fergna, who immediately became expert at this trade. 06 St. Columba felt a great desire to extend his institute, already so well established at Derry, throughout other parts of Ireland. He therefore resolved to visit the cities, towns and villages of its various provinces, and to bring under religious influ- ences its people of every rank, age, and condition. His purpose was to per- fect ecclesiastical discipline, where it was flourishing, and to revive religious practices, where they fell into decay ; he resolved to repair old churches and monasteries, wherever these had become ruinous, and to build new ones, where necessary ; he desired to provide suitable church requisites and furni- ture, as also proper persons to be charged with their care. Wherefore, con- signing the charge of his establishment at Derry to one of the elder monks, he proceeded to the southern parts of ancient Meath.
From about the year 546 to 563, St. Columba appears to have laboured in Ireland founding new churches and new monasteries. During this period, he seems to have travelled over the most remote places in our Island. ? Although in his Life of St. Columba, O'Donnell is rather circumstantial about the various incidents of his missionary career in Ireland ; it seems most pro- bable, too, that he fails to observe their exact chronological order. We have endeavoured somewhat to recast the series of acts, and it is our opinion, these following incidents should nearly succeed the former. This indefatigable workman in the Lord's now visited the middle °8 of Ireland.
He came to the district of Teffia, where he obtained from the King Aedh, or
;
vol. ii. A Day at Iona : Saint Columba, p. 120.
Recollections of
obtained a victory over Dairmaid, in a battle fought at Cuil-Uinnsenn, "the Corner or Angle of the Ash Trees," in Teffia. The
Still,
vineyard region
a chieftain named 00 a tract of known as 100 on which
Brendan, land,
he afterwards built the noble monastery of Durrow,
Dairmagh,
situated, in the present
101
We have it on excellent authority, that the name of this place was obtained from the abundant oaks, that grew around it. On the death of Crimthann, the lordship of Teffia de- scended a. d. 553, to his nephew Aedh,Ioa whose father Brendan survived
to have
it was not at the time St. Columba wholly completed,
Barony of Ballycowan, and in the King's County.
he does not
precise year when this foundation took place is not known ; yet, it was pro- bably after a. d. 553, judging by some recorded incidents. However, we know, that it was built some time before Columba set out on his first journey
till l0i
appear
enjoyed
573
but,
to Britain. 10'*
s8 The Umbilicus Hibernian has been vari-
ously placed at Usnagh Hill, at Clonmac- place is now unknown. See Dr. O'Dono-
noise, and at Birr, which belonged to the south-west of the great plain of Meath.
van's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 196, 197, andn. (y).
,03 According to the authority immediately preceding, he died A. D. 573 ; but, again, his or tteArwnAgh, which is found Latinized death is entered, at A. D. 585. See ibid. ,
» He was father to the aforesaid Aedh. ,
100The Irish form ofthis place is 0<M|\ mag,
"Roboris campus. " Adamnan, in his "Life of St. Columba," employs the Latin equiva-
"
lent
49, lib. ii. , cap. 39, lib. iii. , cap. 15; and Roboris Campus at lib. ii. , cap. 2.
102 According to Tighernach Aex>h mac *s This was probably the earliest erection brveanoain rnih CeohcA At)]-o bhaipc period as the " magna domus " was building, OarvmAch x>o Cholum chilX. See Rev. Dr. when St. Columba dwelt in Iona.
