Acta
Sanctorum
Hibemise," xiii.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
looi, as Claudius Robert states, when writing about the archbishops of that see.
Sttibid.
and n.
20.
=3 See "Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus iv. , lib. lii. , sec. xlv. , p. 169.
=^* Hughes de Flavigni, who finished his Chronicle at A. D. Iioi, speaking of St. Fingen, refers to the lost Life of Thierri I. , Bishop of Metz, for fuller details regarding his history.
=s See Fleury's "Histoire Ecclesiastique," tome xii,, liv, Iviii. , sec. Ix. , p. 435.
**
See "Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus iv. , lib. Hi. , sec. xii. , pp. 153, 154.
=7 We may feel assured, that Odilo would not have counselled them, to place them- selves under Fingen, were his disciples not
religiously strict in the matter of discipline.
Brothers, pp. 272, 273. Third edition, en-
larged, Dublin, 1863, 8vo.
='
Having got a copy of this diploma from the archives of the Church of Metz, through the kindness of Meuris, bishop of that see,
Colgan has annexed it to the Acts of Fingen. "
See Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," v. Feb- ruarii. De B. Fingeno, Abbate, p. 258.
=" The witness is subscribing
Hildebald,
'^ See
Fleury's
**Histoire
Ecclesiastique,"
February 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 357
that Odilon sent Richard and Frederick back to St. Vannes, under the per- suasion,thattheywouldreformtheestabHshment,'^is quiteamistake; for,
they could not be expected to do so, while they remained only simple monks,3° The Irish abbot instructed and trained his disciples so well, that they became two of the greatest and most useful men of their times. Richard especially was very much distinguished. St. Fingen, three years after he had received Richard,3^ died in the year 1004,32 and was succeeded by his holy disciple. It is singular, that in the Irish annals, the death of a Finghin, or Finguine,33 called Abbot of Roscrea, is marked, at a. d. 1005. 34 This date comes so near that of the death of our St. Fingen, that it might fairly be suspected they were one and the same person. 35 The day of St. Fingen's death was pro- bably the 8th of October, at which he is praised in the Necrologium of St. ClementofMetz,asabbot,havingbeenburiedinitschurch. Tofinishthis account of Irish ecclesiastics, who were distinguished in foreign countries, during the tenth century, which is supposed to have been a dark age, we shall add a curious circumstance related, regarding St. Gerard, Bishop of Toul. This prelate, in 986, gave a retreat, in his diocese, to several Greeks, who, mixed with Irishmen, performed the Church Service, in their own language. They all officiated, according to the Greek rite. Hence, we see,
that the Irish ecclesiastics still continued to cultivate Greek literature, and,
at a time, likewise, when learning had not been in the most flourishing state on the Continent.
ArticleIV. —St. Dubhthach,Priest,SonofDubhan. Thesimple entry of Dubtach, sac, occurs in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 5th of February. Fromthiswemayinfer,thathehadnotpassedtotheepiscopal order, the contraction meaning that he was a priest. On this day, according to the Martyrology of Donegal,^ was venerated, Dubhthach, son of Dubhan, son of Maeluidhir. He descended from the race of Conall Gulban, son of
man is to be found in the " of Genealogy
Niall. 3 The
of this
theSaintsofIreland. "'^ Thegrandfatherofthisholyman,Moeludhir,wasson
pedigree
holy
to Ferguss, son of Baithectra, son to Dichovasius, son of Congall, son to Falvey, son of Foelan, son of Aidan, son to Ginntech, son of Lugad, son to EnniusBogun,sonofConallGulban. Itwillthusbeseen,thathecame from a most respectable stock. Reference is made to him in the Martyrolo-
gies of ^ngus, of Tallagh, of Marianus O'Gorman, of Maguire, and of Donegal. 5 It seems pretty clear, that the present saint cannot be confounded
tome xii. , liv. Iviii. , sec. Ix. , p. 435. ^9 See ibid.
v. , n. 37, p. 409.
3' This happened A. D. looi, and, conse-
3S Remarking on this coincidence, Dr.
observes ** that Fin- Lanigan : Might it be,
had from Roscrea to — gen gone superintend
the establishment of St. Felix at Metz? " "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol.
iii. , chap, xxiii. , —sect, v. , n. 38, p. 410.
3° See Dr.
"Ecclesiastical His- tory of Ireland," vol, iii. , chap, xxiii. , sec.
See
pp. 3 In a note, Dr. Todd says at this word
Lanigan's
Article iv. Fingen died about three months after he Kelly, p. xiv.
'^
Edited Rev. Dr. by
quently Fleury mistakes in stating, that
had received Richard into the ^ Edited Drs. Todd and Reeves,
" monastery. by Histoire Ecclesiastique," tome xii. , 40, 41.
liv. Iviii. , sec. be, p. 435.
He should have
" The more recent hand adds, *Pres- byter, Mart. Taml. ,' />. , the Mart. Taml. styles him priest ; 'Dubhtach, sac. '"
4Seethefirstchapter. Theaccountalso
is in " Trias " given Colgan's Thaumaturga.
Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbae, cap. iii. , p. 480.
s See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
about three
3^ See Mabillon's "Annales Ordinis S.
Benedicti," tomus iv. , lib. Iii. , sec. xlv. , p. 169.
33 Thus is his name written in the "Annals of Ulster. "
34 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 754, 755.
said,
years.
Niall^
358 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS'. [February 5.
with the prelate, who is styled Duach, or Dubthach I. ,^ Archbishop of Ar- magh,7 by our historians, although Colgan is inconsiderate enough to do so, and to cite for this later opinion the authorities of the Martyrologies of Tallagh and of Marianus O'Gorman, at the 5 th of February, and at the 8th ofOctober. ^ Judgingbythegenealogicaldescentmadeoutforthepresent
saint, he probably flourished, some time during the ninth century ; but, it does not seem possible to throw any further light on his history.
ArticleV. —St. Cera,Virgin,ofRaithMoentich. Whatthefuture
may reveal is only vaguely presented to the mind of many a holy virgin ; herleadingideaistosaveherownsoul,andthesoulsofmanyothers. She,
feels, too, that under the directing hand of God, this holy inspiration must
assume in due a definite and time,
'^ The of Martyrology
practical shape.
Tallagh^^ registers a feast for Caera of Raith Moentich, at the 5th of February.
The place here named, and with which she appears to have had relations, has not been identified. There is a district, formerly kno\vn as Moentach, and which is situated to the south of Lifford, on the borders of Tyrone and Donegal counties. 3 Cera, virgin^—simply thus written—is recorded in the
Martyrology of Donegal,s as having a festival, at this date. Nothing more seems to be known regarding her.
Article VI. —St. Liadnan, Abbot of Fobhar, or Fore, County of
Westmeath. We find registered, on this day, in the Martyrologies of Tallagh,' andofDonegal,^Liadnan,AbbotofFobhar. 3 Thisplaceisnowknownas Fore,inthecountyofWestmeath. Wearetold,thattheancientnameof Fore was Baile-Fobhair,^ and that it had, likewise, the denomination of Belli Fechin or Bilefechin. But, the etymological inferences, drawn from the local etymon, in a modern work,5 are fanciful and extravagant, in the extreme. *^ The original meaning having become obsolete, as we are asked to believe, ecclesiastics changed Baal-Fechin to Belli Fechin, and ultimately to Fechin, as agreeing with the name of the saint,7 and to Bile, the name of the place.
Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Columbae, cap. iii. ,. p. 480.
^ He is said to have been Primate of the
Irish Church, from A. D. 497 to 513, thus
an of sixteen See having incumbency years.
s Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
40, 41.
Article vi. —^ Edited by Rev. Dr.
"" Edited Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Archbishops of pp. 38, 39.
by
Rev. Drs. Todd and
Reeves,
Armagh," p. 36.
7 In the second chapter of St. Tighernach's
Life, he is called the Venerable Duach, the
3 See Rev. A. Cogan's " Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. iii. , chap. Ixxiv. , n,, p. 562.
illustrious
^ *' See
of Patrick's see.
Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," xiii.
^ Marcus Keane " Fobhair is trans- says :
lated sick, injirm, weak—ihn? , answering to
Archbishop
n. — 62. Januarii, 10, p.
'
Baal Fechan—
or in humiliation. "
s See Marcus Keane's "Towers and
Article v.
See that biography, *'Nano Nagle :
very interesting Her Life, her Labours, and their Fruits," by Rev. "William
firmity,
Temples of Ancient Ireland ; their Origin Hutch, D. D. , chap, ii. , p. 14. Dublin, and History discussed from a new point of
1875. 8vo. view," p. 90.
"^ Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiv.
It is supposed there, that Fee has the
3 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. vi. , n. (p), p. 2350.
^ Dr. Todd says in a note at this word,
Virgin. "The latter hand
meaning of "feebleness" or "weakness," and that the other part of the word has a connexion with Baal, the Pagan deity.
This is to " Baal in humi- thought represent
liation. "
7 See his Life, at the 20th of January.
tTlAomcic ; Mart. Taml.
'
"
a Mit At Rath Maointich' from the
adds,
Kelly, p. xiv.
or under in- Baal, Achad,
February 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 359
Article VII. —St. Baothan, Son of Colman. The identification of
this holy man appears to be attended with difficulty, since we only find him
distinguished as Baetain mac Colmain, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. '' He
It is mentioned, on this day, in
Article VIII. —Reputed Festival of St. Modan. In the " Meno-
logium Scoticum," Dempster places the festival of St. Modan, Bishop in Scotia,atthe5thofFebruary. ^ Inanotherwork,hisfestivalisnotassigned to any particular day ; but, his period, by some is referred to a. d. 535, and by others, it is stated, more probably to 803. His place is said to be doubt- ful ; although he was venerated, at Brechin. = Hence, we may regard him as identical with the holy bishop, so named, at the previous day, whatever warrant there may be, for placing his feast at the present date.
Article IX. —St. Eachtach or Hechtach, Virgin. Chastity has ever been held in universal esteem. In Pagan Rome, as at Dephi, vestals, dedicated to their divinities, watched the sacred fires, and ministered in the temples. When these were polluted with sin, death was the doom of any wretch who insulted the priestess. ^ Nature planted deeply in the heart of man reverence for the pure-minded maiden, but Christianity consecrated the religiousvirgintothetrueGod. AccordingtotheMartyrologiesofTallagh^ and of Donegal,3 on this day was venerated, Hectach, or Eachtach, a virgin. No place has been given in connexion with her name.
Article X. —Festival of St. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr. [Third Century. '] The Irish Church honoured this illustrious virgin and
"
Leabhar Breac,"andtranslatedbyProfessorO'Looney. Itisfromthe"Feilire"of St. -^nguss. Herfestivalisreferredtothe5thdayofFebruary,whenshe
lived before, or during, the ninth century.
the of Martyrology
son of was venerated. Colman,3
=^ that
In the table postfixed to this Martyrology {yuvencus\ within brackets and
Donegal, italicised, occurs after his name. *
Baothan,
martyr, as appears from the following stanza, copied from the
is held in universal honour, throughout the whole Christian world. ^
4 See i^? ^. , pp. —362, 363. ^
"
*
Agatha's body was cruci—fied— The chaste one of purity
Through Jesus of whiteness Much grace hath come upon her.
^
Article vii. — Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xiv.
"
Edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, PP-38,39-
3 In a note, Dr. Todd says at this word, Colman^ "The more recent hand adds, no 'btiA'OAn mAc ColmAin," or, Buadan,
869, p. 459. —
Article ix. Lempriere's
son of Colman.
'*
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xii. , num.
-A. noti CtxcclTOA co^p xirAcTiA,
In se^xAic CO ti-stAinne;
La CO
l-pti n-gite,
-
CAcnttf ino|\
-mAicTi
Ai^Ae.
tained in the Bollandists' "Acta Sancto- Article VIII. See Bishop Forbes' rum," tomus i. , Februarii v. , pp. 595 to
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 191.
656, including previous and historic com- mentaries, with her ancient Acts, taken from different sources.
=" ** See Dempster's
* See sical Dictionary. " Vestales.
"Clas-
"" EditedbyRev. Dr. Kelly,p. xiv.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
40,41. — Article x.
*
The most
count of St. Agatha is probably that con-
.
complete
ac-
36o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, [February 6.
^i)ct6 I3ap of jfebruarp*
ARTICLE I. —ST. MEL, OR MELCHUO, BISHOP AND PATRON OF ARDAGII DIOCESE.
[FIFTH CENTURY. ^
CHAPTER I.
festival, commemorated by the Irish Church, on this day, recalls
INTRODUCTION—PARENTAGE AND CONNEXIONS OF ST. MEL—HIS MISSION IN IRELAND
AND CONSECRATION—BISHOP AND ABBOT AT ARDAGH— CATION OF ST. MEL'S AND OF ST. LUPITA'S CHARACTERS.
THE
we owe to our Christian mission- early
to our that
minds,
aries, who helped to gather and labour, in the same field of noble enterprise with St. Patrick. Fervently and eloquently, St. Mel laid before the Irish
Gentiles, that depth and richness of Divine love, which he declared had
supremely distinguished Jesus Christ. He could not fail, in making a solid and lasting impression, on the minds of his hearers. These had never ex-
perienced any better consolations, and they dreamed of no brighter prospects, than what had been gleaned from the dark and unintelligible teaching and
mysteries of Paganism. This holy man refuted errors, which prevailed in our island, while the shallow and empty professions of a Druidical priesthood were exposed to merited contempt, and in the course of a few generations they were consigned to utter extinction. This renowned saint is classed amongtheprimitivefathersofourIrishChurch. Hewasacontemporary,and, ithasbeenasserted,anearrelativetothegreatApostle,St. Patrick. Atthe
very dawn of Christianity in our island, an illustrious champion and preacher of the Gospel had been already prepared, for a strenuous encounter, with the spirit of darkness. He is named Mel or Melus, in old Latin acts ; and, this title was typical of those honied stores of Divine wisdom and of saintly qualities, which had been hived within his breast. ^ A special Life of this holy man is not known to exist. From various ancient Acts of St. Patrick, and of St. Brigid, as also from other sources, Colgan has compiled a Life of St. Mel, and he has admirably annotated it. '" In like manner, the Bollandists have inserted Acts of Saints Mel, Melchuo, Mune, and Rioc, Bishops, at the 6thdayofFebruary. 3 Fromtheseauthoritiesshallwechieflydrawsucceed- ing materials, to render intelligible the recorded actions of the holy Bishop Mel, the special patron of Ardagh diocese.
He seems to have been born, in the earHer part of the fifth century. It is said, Saint Mel or Melus^ was a nephew to the great Irish Apostle
3 See "Acta tonus Feb- Sanctorum," i. ,
ruarii vi. , pp. 778 to 782. These acts are comprised, in a historic commentary, con- sisting of four sections, and containing twenty-eight paragraphs.
* This form of the name, however, is changed into Msel and Mselus, by transmut-
Article i. —Chapter —== Such na-
i.
tural allusion to his name will be found in
"
Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. xxix. , p. 133.
Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga.
Septima
'
See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," vi. Februarii. De S. Mele, Episcopo Ardach- adensi, pp. 259 to 264.
gratitude
HIS PROPHECIES—VINDI-
February 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 361
Patrick,5 and whose sister Darerca^ is named as Mel's mother. She was
daughter to Ca! phurnius, if we are to credit ancient accounts, and her name, also, is found in the Calendars of our Saints. She was blessed, not alone
through her personal virtues and merits, but even through her sainted pro- geny of children. These she brought up in the fear of God, and their lives were nobly devoted to His service. Her brothers and sisters were distin- guished in a remarkable degree, likewise, for their services to religion. Whether by natural or supernatural descent, a race of holy persons derived origin, from these illustrious and saintly progenitors. According to a pre- vailing hypothesis, the two brothers of Darerca, and consequently the uncles to St. Mel, were St. Patrick, the great Apostle of Ireland,7 who is said to have been the director and spiritual father of over two hundred holy disciples,^ and who was father to St. Patrick the ^°
wereTygridia"andLupita. '3 Thesewereolder,itisstated,thanthemother of our saint. ^'^ Tygridia is said to have had no less than seventeen sons and five daughters, all of whom devoted themselves to a religious life. 's Darerca is styled mother of the holy bishops, Mel, Moch, or Rioch, and Munis, the
travelling companions,
instead of two, as stated by Joceline, Colgan tells us, the greater probability is, that Darerca had four sisters ; all of these being distinguished, either for their personal sanctity, or for the holiness of their offspring. There are
grave and ancient authors, likewise, who tell us, that the large family of seventeen sons and two daughters belonged, not to Tygridia, but to Darerca, assumed to have been mother of our saint. ^7 Again, other hagiological
writers say, that St. Patrick, the Irish Apostle, had five sisters,^^ bearing re- spectively the names, Richella,^9 Lupita, Tigrida, Liemania,2° and Darerca. ^^
Sannan,9 Younger.
According to another account," Darerca had two sisters, whose names
ing the vowel e into the dipthong se, accord-
ing to a prevailing mode of writing, and in accordance with peculiar idioms of the Irish
tongue.
5 See his Life, at the 17th of March.
^ See her Acts, at the 22nd of March.
7 See Jocelin's or Sexta Vita S. Patricii,
had been a different person from Sannan, or if Ructus had children ; indeed, he rather thinks, the latter name was wrongly written for Succhet. See "Trias Thaumaturga," n. ii, pp. 48, 62.
" That of Joceline. See his Life of St. Patrick, chap, i. , p. 76, ibid.
"
^3 See her Life at the 27th of September.
^4 St. Patrick the Younger was nephew to the Apostle of Ireland, and a son to the brother of our great St. Patrick. See Sexta Vita S.
=3 See "Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus iv. , lib. lii. , sec. xlv. , p. 169.
=^* Hughes de Flavigni, who finished his Chronicle at A. D. Iioi, speaking of St. Fingen, refers to the lost Life of Thierri I. , Bishop of Metz, for fuller details regarding his history.
=s See Fleury's "Histoire Ecclesiastique," tome xii,, liv, Iviii. , sec. Ix. , p. 435.
**
See "Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus iv. , lib. Hi. , sec. xii. , pp. 153, 154.
=7 We may feel assured, that Odilo would not have counselled them, to place them- selves under Fingen, were his disciples not
religiously strict in the matter of discipline.
Brothers, pp. 272, 273. Third edition, en-
larged, Dublin, 1863, 8vo.
='
Having got a copy of this diploma from the archives of the Church of Metz, through the kindness of Meuris, bishop of that see,
Colgan has annexed it to the Acts of Fingen. "
See Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," v. Feb- ruarii. De B. Fingeno, Abbate, p. 258.
=" The witness is subscribing
Hildebald,
'^ See
Fleury's
**Histoire
Ecclesiastique,"
February 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 357
that Odilon sent Richard and Frederick back to St. Vannes, under the per- suasion,thattheywouldreformtheestabHshment,'^is quiteamistake; for,
they could not be expected to do so, while they remained only simple monks,3° The Irish abbot instructed and trained his disciples so well, that they became two of the greatest and most useful men of their times. Richard especially was very much distinguished. St. Fingen, three years after he had received Richard,3^ died in the year 1004,32 and was succeeded by his holy disciple. It is singular, that in the Irish annals, the death of a Finghin, or Finguine,33 called Abbot of Roscrea, is marked, at a. d. 1005. 34 This date comes so near that of the death of our St. Fingen, that it might fairly be suspected they were one and the same person. 35 The day of St. Fingen's death was pro- bably the 8th of October, at which he is praised in the Necrologium of St. ClementofMetz,asabbot,havingbeenburiedinitschurch. Tofinishthis account of Irish ecclesiastics, who were distinguished in foreign countries, during the tenth century, which is supposed to have been a dark age, we shall add a curious circumstance related, regarding St. Gerard, Bishop of Toul. This prelate, in 986, gave a retreat, in his diocese, to several Greeks, who, mixed with Irishmen, performed the Church Service, in their own language. They all officiated, according to the Greek rite. Hence, we see,
that the Irish ecclesiastics still continued to cultivate Greek literature, and,
at a time, likewise, when learning had not been in the most flourishing state on the Continent.
ArticleIV. —St. Dubhthach,Priest,SonofDubhan. Thesimple entry of Dubtach, sac, occurs in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 5th of February. Fromthiswemayinfer,thathehadnotpassedtotheepiscopal order, the contraction meaning that he was a priest. On this day, according to the Martyrology of Donegal,^ was venerated, Dubhthach, son of Dubhan, son of Maeluidhir. He descended from the race of Conall Gulban, son of
man is to be found in the " of Genealogy
Niall. 3 The
of this
theSaintsofIreland. "'^ Thegrandfatherofthisholyman,Moeludhir,wasson
pedigree
holy
to Ferguss, son of Baithectra, son to Dichovasius, son of Congall, son to Falvey, son of Foelan, son of Aidan, son to Ginntech, son of Lugad, son to EnniusBogun,sonofConallGulban. Itwillthusbeseen,thathecame from a most respectable stock. Reference is made to him in the Martyrolo-
gies of ^ngus, of Tallagh, of Marianus O'Gorman, of Maguire, and of Donegal. 5 It seems pretty clear, that the present saint cannot be confounded
tome xii. , liv. Iviii. , sec. Ix. , p. 435. ^9 See ibid.
v. , n. 37, p. 409.
3' This happened A. D. looi, and, conse-
3S Remarking on this coincidence, Dr.
observes ** that Fin- Lanigan : Might it be,
had from Roscrea to — gen gone superintend
the establishment of St. Felix at Metz? " "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol.
iii. , chap, xxiii. , —sect, v. , n. 38, p. 410.
3° See Dr.
"Ecclesiastical His- tory of Ireland," vol, iii. , chap, xxiii. , sec.
See
pp. 3 In a note, Dr. Todd says at this word
Lanigan's
Article iv. Fingen died about three months after he Kelly, p. xiv.
'^
Edited Rev. Dr. by
quently Fleury mistakes in stating, that
had received Richard into the ^ Edited Drs. Todd and Reeves,
" monastery. by Histoire Ecclesiastique," tome xii. , 40, 41.
liv. Iviii. , sec. be, p. 435.
He should have
" The more recent hand adds, *Pres- byter, Mart. Taml. ,' />. , the Mart. Taml. styles him priest ; 'Dubhtach, sac. '"
4Seethefirstchapter. Theaccountalso
is in " Trias " given Colgan's Thaumaturga.
Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbae, cap. iii. , p. 480.
s See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
about three
3^ See Mabillon's "Annales Ordinis S.
Benedicti," tomus iv. , lib. Iii. , sec. xlv. , p. 169.
33 Thus is his name written in the "Annals of Ulster. "
34 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 754, 755.
said,
years.
Niall^
358 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS'. [February 5.
with the prelate, who is styled Duach, or Dubthach I. ,^ Archbishop of Ar- magh,7 by our historians, although Colgan is inconsiderate enough to do so, and to cite for this later opinion the authorities of the Martyrologies of Tallagh and of Marianus O'Gorman, at the 5 th of February, and at the 8th ofOctober. ^ Judgingbythegenealogicaldescentmadeoutforthepresent
saint, he probably flourished, some time during the ninth century ; but, it does not seem possible to throw any further light on his history.
ArticleV. —St. Cera,Virgin,ofRaithMoentich. Whatthefuture
may reveal is only vaguely presented to the mind of many a holy virgin ; herleadingideaistosaveherownsoul,andthesoulsofmanyothers. She,
feels, too, that under the directing hand of God, this holy inspiration must
assume in due a definite and time,
'^ The of Martyrology
practical shape.
Tallagh^^ registers a feast for Caera of Raith Moentich, at the 5th of February.
The place here named, and with which she appears to have had relations, has not been identified. There is a district, formerly kno\vn as Moentach, and which is situated to the south of Lifford, on the borders of Tyrone and Donegal counties. 3 Cera, virgin^—simply thus written—is recorded in the
Martyrology of Donegal,s as having a festival, at this date. Nothing more seems to be known regarding her.
Article VI. —St. Liadnan, Abbot of Fobhar, or Fore, County of
Westmeath. We find registered, on this day, in the Martyrologies of Tallagh,' andofDonegal,^Liadnan,AbbotofFobhar. 3 Thisplaceisnowknownas Fore,inthecountyofWestmeath. Wearetold,thattheancientnameof Fore was Baile-Fobhair,^ and that it had, likewise, the denomination of Belli Fechin or Bilefechin. But, the etymological inferences, drawn from the local etymon, in a modern work,5 are fanciful and extravagant, in the extreme. *^ The original meaning having become obsolete, as we are asked to believe, ecclesiastics changed Baal-Fechin to Belli Fechin, and ultimately to Fechin, as agreeing with the name of the saint,7 and to Bile, the name of the place.
Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Columbae, cap. iii. ,. p. 480.
^ He is said to have been Primate of the
Irish Church, from A. D. 497 to 513, thus
an of sixteen See having incumbency years.
s Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
40, 41.
Article vi. —^ Edited by Rev. Dr.
"" Edited Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Archbishops of pp. 38, 39.
by
Rev. Drs. Todd and
Reeves,
Armagh," p. 36.
7 In the second chapter of St. Tighernach's
Life, he is called the Venerable Duach, the
3 See Rev. A. Cogan's " Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. iii. , chap. Ixxiv. , n,, p. 562.
illustrious
^ *' See
of Patrick's see.
Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," xiii.
^ Marcus Keane " Fobhair is trans- says :
lated sick, injirm, weak—ihn? , answering to
Archbishop
n. — 62. Januarii, 10, p.
'
Baal Fechan—
or in humiliation. "
s See Marcus Keane's "Towers and
Article v.
See that biography, *'Nano Nagle :
very interesting Her Life, her Labours, and their Fruits," by Rev. "William
firmity,
Temples of Ancient Ireland ; their Origin Hutch, D. D. , chap, ii. , p. 14. Dublin, and History discussed from a new point of
1875. 8vo. view," p. 90.
"^ Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xiv.
It is supposed there, that Fee has the
3 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. vi. , n. (p), p. 2350.
^ Dr. Todd says in a note at this word,
Virgin. "The latter hand
meaning of "feebleness" or "weakness," and that the other part of the word has a connexion with Baal, the Pagan deity.
This is to " Baal in humi- thought represent
liation. "
7 See his Life, at the 20th of January.
tTlAomcic ; Mart. Taml.
'
"
a Mit At Rath Maointich' from the
adds,
Kelly, p. xiv.
or under in- Baal, Achad,
February 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 359
Article VII. —St. Baothan, Son of Colman. The identification of
this holy man appears to be attended with difficulty, since we only find him
distinguished as Baetain mac Colmain, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. '' He
It is mentioned, on this day, in
Article VIII. —Reputed Festival of St. Modan. In the " Meno-
logium Scoticum," Dempster places the festival of St. Modan, Bishop in Scotia,atthe5thofFebruary. ^ Inanotherwork,hisfestivalisnotassigned to any particular day ; but, his period, by some is referred to a. d. 535, and by others, it is stated, more probably to 803. His place is said to be doubt- ful ; although he was venerated, at Brechin. = Hence, we may regard him as identical with the holy bishop, so named, at the previous day, whatever warrant there may be, for placing his feast at the present date.
Article IX. —St. Eachtach or Hechtach, Virgin. Chastity has ever been held in universal esteem. In Pagan Rome, as at Dephi, vestals, dedicated to their divinities, watched the sacred fires, and ministered in the temples. When these were polluted with sin, death was the doom of any wretch who insulted the priestess. ^ Nature planted deeply in the heart of man reverence for the pure-minded maiden, but Christianity consecrated the religiousvirgintothetrueGod. AccordingtotheMartyrologiesofTallagh^ and of Donegal,3 on this day was venerated, Hectach, or Eachtach, a virgin. No place has been given in connexion with her name.
Article X. —Festival of St. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr. [Third Century. '] The Irish Church honoured this illustrious virgin and
"
Leabhar Breac,"andtranslatedbyProfessorO'Looney. Itisfromthe"Feilire"of St. -^nguss. Herfestivalisreferredtothe5thdayofFebruary,whenshe
lived before, or during, the ninth century.
the of Martyrology
son of was venerated. Colman,3
=^ that
In the table postfixed to this Martyrology {yuvencus\ within brackets and
Donegal, italicised, occurs after his name. *
Baothan,
martyr, as appears from the following stanza, copied from the
is held in universal honour, throughout the whole Christian world. ^
4 See i^? ^. , pp. —362, 363. ^
"
*
Agatha's body was cruci—fied— The chaste one of purity
Through Jesus of whiteness Much grace hath come upon her.
^
Article vii. — Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xiv.
"
Edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, PP-38,39-
3 In a note, Dr. Todd says at this word, Colman^ "The more recent hand adds, no 'btiA'OAn mAc ColmAin," or, Buadan,
869, p. 459. —
Article ix. Lempriere's
son of Colman.
'*
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xii. , num.
-A. noti CtxcclTOA co^p xirAcTiA,
In se^xAic CO ti-stAinne;
La CO
l-pti n-gite,
-
CAcnttf ino|\
-mAicTi
Ai^Ae.
tained in the Bollandists' "Acta Sancto- Article VIII. See Bishop Forbes' rum," tomus i. , Februarii v. , pp. 595 to
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 191.
656, including previous and historic com- mentaries, with her ancient Acts, taken from different sources.
=" ** See Dempster's
* See sical Dictionary. " Vestales.
"Clas-
"" EditedbyRev. Dr. Kelly,p. xiv.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
40,41. — Article x.
*
The most
count of St. Agatha is probably that con-
.
complete
ac-
36o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, [February 6.
^i)ct6 I3ap of jfebruarp*
ARTICLE I. —ST. MEL, OR MELCHUO, BISHOP AND PATRON OF ARDAGII DIOCESE.
[FIFTH CENTURY. ^
CHAPTER I.
festival, commemorated by the Irish Church, on this day, recalls
INTRODUCTION—PARENTAGE AND CONNEXIONS OF ST. MEL—HIS MISSION IN IRELAND
AND CONSECRATION—BISHOP AND ABBOT AT ARDAGH— CATION OF ST. MEL'S AND OF ST. LUPITA'S CHARACTERS.
THE
we owe to our Christian mission- early
to our that
minds,
aries, who helped to gather and labour, in the same field of noble enterprise with St. Patrick. Fervently and eloquently, St. Mel laid before the Irish
Gentiles, that depth and richness of Divine love, which he declared had
supremely distinguished Jesus Christ. He could not fail, in making a solid and lasting impression, on the minds of his hearers. These had never ex-
perienced any better consolations, and they dreamed of no brighter prospects, than what had been gleaned from the dark and unintelligible teaching and
mysteries of Paganism. This holy man refuted errors, which prevailed in our island, while the shallow and empty professions of a Druidical priesthood were exposed to merited contempt, and in the course of a few generations they were consigned to utter extinction. This renowned saint is classed amongtheprimitivefathersofourIrishChurch. Hewasacontemporary,and, ithasbeenasserted,anearrelativetothegreatApostle,St. Patrick. Atthe
very dawn of Christianity in our island, an illustrious champion and preacher of the Gospel had been already prepared, for a strenuous encounter, with the spirit of darkness. He is named Mel or Melus, in old Latin acts ; and, this title was typical of those honied stores of Divine wisdom and of saintly qualities, which had been hived within his breast. ^ A special Life of this holy man is not known to exist. From various ancient Acts of St. Patrick, and of St. Brigid, as also from other sources, Colgan has compiled a Life of St. Mel, and he has admirably annotated it. '" In like manner, the Bollandists have inserted Acts of Saints Mel, Melchuo, Mune, and Rioc, Bishops, at the 6thdayofFebruary. 3 Fromtheseauthoritiesshallwechieflydrawsucceed- ing materials, to render intelligible the recorded actions of the holy Bishop Mel, the special patron of Ardagh diocese.
He seems to have been born, in the earHer part of the fifth century. It is said, Saint Mel or Melus^ was a nephew to the great Irish Apostle
3 See "Acta tonus Feb- Sanctorum," i. ,
ruarii vi. , pp. 778 to 782. These acts are comprised, in a historic commentary, con- sisting of four sections, and containing twenty-eight paragraphs.
* This form of the name, however, is changed into Msel and Mselus, by transmut-
Article i. —Chapter —== Such na-
i.
tural allusion to his name will be found in
"
Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. xxix. , p. 133.
Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga.
Septima
'
See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," vi. Februarii. De S. Mele, Episcopo Ardach- adensi, pp. 259 to 264.
gratitude
HIS PROPHECIES—VINDI-
February 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 361
Patrick,5 and whose sister Darerca^ is named as Mel's mother. She was
daughter to Ca! phurnius, if we are to credit ancient accounts, and her name, also, is found in the Calendars of our Saints. She was blessed, not alone
through her personal virtues and merits, but even through her sainted pro- geny of children. These she brought up in the fear of God, and their lives were nobly devoted to His service. Her brothers and sisters were distin- guished in a remarkable degree, likewise, for their services to religion. Whether by natural or supernatural descent, a race of holy persons derived origin, from these illustrious and saintly progenitors. According to a pre- vailing hypothesis, the two brothers of Darerca, and consequently the uncles to St. Mel, were St. Patrick, the great Apostle of Ireland,7 who is said to have been the director and spiritual father of over two hundred holy disciples,^ and who was father to St. Patrick the ^°
wereTygridia"andLupita. '3 Thesewereolder,itisstated,thanthemother of our saint. ^'^ Tygridia is said to have had no less than seventeen sons and five daughters, all of whom devoted themselves to a religious life. 's Darerca is styled mother of the holy bishops, Mel, Moch, or Rioch, and Munis, the
travelling companions,
instead of two, as stated by Joceline, Colgan tells us, the greater probability is, that Darerca had four sisters ; all of these being distinguished, either for their personal sanctity, or for the holiness of their offspring. There are
grave and ancient authors, likewise, who tell us, that the large family of seventeen sons and two daughters belonged, not to Tygridia, but to Darerca, assumed to have been mother of our saint. ^7 Again, other hagiological
writers say, that St. Patrick, the Irish Apostle, had five sisters,^^ bearing re- spectively the names, Richella,^9 Lupita, Tigrida, Liemania,2° and Darerca. ^^
Sannan,9 Younger.
According to another account," Darerca had two sisters, whose names
ing the vowel e into the dipthong se, accord-
ing to a prevailing mode of writing, and in accordance with peculiar idioms of the Irish
tongue.
5 See his Life, at the 17th of March.
^ See her Acts, at the 22nd of March.
7 See Jocelin's or Sexta Vita S. Patricii,
had been a different person from Sannan, or if Ructus had children ; indeed, he rather thinks, the latter name was wrongly written for Succhet. See "Trias Thaumaturga," n. ii, pp. 48, 62.
" That of Joceline. See his Life of St. Patrick, chap, i. , p. 76, ibid.
"
^3 See her Life at the 27th of September.
^4 St. Patrick the Younger was nephew to the Apostle of Ireland, and a son to the brother of our great St. Patrick. See Sexta Vita S.
