'ihment of surnames, these were its most
distinguished
families.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v4
From FJeurus to the church at Wasor, his corpse was borne ; and then, with solemn rites, it was deposited in that tomb, which had been built by himself, and for such a purpose.
'* This religious nobleman is said to have died, on tiie 28th of March, a.
d.
977, and during the third year "5 of the Emperor Otho II.
's reign.
'*
:
If we are to credit Dempster,"' St. Forannan wrote two works " Ser-
mones in Passionem," lib. i. , and " Pro Monasterio Suo," lib. i.
The latter
seems to be a pure fiction of the mendacious Dempster. This idea was probably
suggested, by the fact of Forannan having obtainedprivileges and a confirma-
tion for his monastery, from Pope Benedict VII. '* St. Forannan continued to direct the religious affairs of this abbey, with zeal and prudence ; and, under his rule, the spirit of St. Benedict, in a wonderful manner, was revived amongthesubjectsofhisorder. Owingtohiscare,inthevillageofGruthen,on the boundaries of the diocese of Melz, Forannan secured a house, to which two vineyards were attached; and these were deemed necessary to provide wine forthemonastery,atWasor. Oneofthesevineyards,inaftertime,wasalso called Wasor. Desirous to improve the talents committed to his care, the holy Abbot laboured towards his i^ersonai saactification ; he repelled all the snares of the evil one, by putting on the armour of justice. His whole thoughts were now directed towards God, and like St. Paul, he earnestly desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ. His ciiarity towards the poor had no bounds, and it was actively e. \ercised. He prayed witii great com- punction of spirit, and he truly sighed for the company of the Angels. As well before as after his death, great miracles were wrought, owing to his merits before God.
But, the period of our saint's life was already drawing to a close.
After a short illness, this light of the sanctuary was extuiguished, on the3otliof. April,980,thedayofhispresentcominemoration. 's Hedied, A. D. 982, if we accept other accounts. Such is the statement of Mabillon,""
'* See the Bollandists' " Act. a Sanctorum," ' . See " Historia Ecclesiastica Genlis Sco- tomus lii. , AprilU xxx. Alia Acta S. Foran- toruni," tomus I, lib. vi. , num. 523, pp.
nani, cap. iii. , pp. 820 to 822.
'5 According to Papebroke, this was a cal-
287, 288.
culation, based on the death of his father
Otho I. , but in reality it should be regarded
as the ninth year of his son's reign. See ut aUi scribuni. Colitur Xxx. Aprilis. "
ibid. , n. (g), p. 822.
" It wa^ in the fifth indiction, and not in
the third, as wrongly set down, in the
"
"
llistoiia Ecclesiastica Gcntis Scotorum,"
Chrunicon Walsiodorense,"
tomus iv. , lib. xlix. , num. xv. , p. 9.
" This is even noted, by Dempster. "
'' According to Dempster :
Depositus est anno Dccc. xxci, vel centum annis seriu—s,
tomus i. , lib. vi. , num. 523, P- 288.
'" "
See Annales Ordinis S. Jienedicti,"
$66 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 30.
andithasbeenverygenerallyfollowed. " Afterhisdeath,theremainswere placed in a coffin of lead, and this again was put into a marble tomb, built
" S.
within the church of Wasor. - Over it was an inscription to this effect Forannane ora pro nobis. "'' The place chosen for his deposition was on the left side of the church ;'3 while he was interred with public honours and with great solemnity. '* But, as damp had penetrated to the sarcophagus, in wliich his body was enclosed, atranslation of his relics again took place. Numbers of ])ious pilgrims came to visit it, and a variety of miracles there wrought are recorded. In the sacristy, an arm of the saint was preserved witiiin a separate shrine. A certain visitor to Wasor, and who came from Ireland, declared thatsomecluircheswereerectedtohonourhim,inthecountryofhisbirth; and, even that these were served by choirs of monks and of clerics. 's This statement has been called into question,'* however, because no other corroborative evidence of it has been produced. In the year 1617, his relics were taken up, and placed in a rich urn. To the middle of the last century, these were preserved in it, and they were held in great veneration, by the faithful. '' Among the relics of St. Forannan, preserved in the church at Wasor, is a curious stole, wherewith he is said to have cured the bite of a mad dog. ''
His canonical office was recited solemnly at Wasor, where his feast is held ; and his name occurs in several Martyrologies, although it is not in the Roman Alartyrology. In the year 1526, under such pretext, the reformers of Church OfficesatBursfeldundertooktheretrenchmentofForannan'sfestival. Inthis attempt, they were zealously resisted, by the religious brethren of Wasor. '? Many miracles attested his sanctity; and, witli sanction of the Bishops of Metz and Liege, his invocation, throughout the Low Countries, in France, and among the religious of St. Benedict's order, was authorized. Tliis day the Martyrology of Donegal 3° registers his name witliin brackets, and without further designation, simply as Farannan. In his catalogue 3' of our national saints, Father Henry Fitzsimon ranks this holy man as Forinanus, Bishop and Abbot. He quotes Molanus 3' for the statement.
Also, Father Stephen White has a notice of Forannan. 33 In Dempster's
" Menologium Scotorum," his feast is entered. 3< It is certain, that during his lifetime, and after his death, the sceneof this holy bishop's and abbot's minis- tration had been visited by pious pilgrims, arriving from Ireland. Ordinary mortals esteemed him, as one deserving to rank in holiness above themselves. In Belgium, the country where he spent the last years of his pilgrimage on earth, the pious servant of God was even better known and remembered, than in his native country.
"See, also, "Gallia Christiana Nova," Sancta," Part i. , p. 273.
tomus iii. , p. 571.
"Meaning, "Saint Forannan, pray for
us. " See Molanus; "De Natalibus Sancto-
rum Belgii. "
'3 So states his Life, by Robert, the Monk
of Wasor, "de tuniulatio sacra, seorsum in laeva monasterii fuit facta," &c. , cap. ii. ,
"
'*
. See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of the Saints," vol. iv. , April 30, p. 377.
"^ See Molanus, "De Natalibus Sanctorum
Belgii. "
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
114, 115.
3' See "Catalogus aliquorum Sanctorum Hibernite. "
^'' InVitaS.
Eloquii.
Apologia pro HIbernia," cap. v. ,
num. 9. See
. Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
81 1.
'« See Molanus, " In Natalibus Sanctorum
XXX.
Belgii. "
Aprili-, p.
" ggg n
p. 42. Rev. Dr. Kelly's edition.
tomus
-' By Papebroke. See ibid. , n. (c), p.
814.
"'See Bishop Challoner's "Britannia
3« xxx. "Vahiidori
See
Sanctorum,"
iii. ,
Ap-
depositio
Forannani
"Acta
'5
rilis XXX. Vita . S. Forannani Ab. Walciodor. . Tuctore Roberto Monacho Walciodorensi, cnp. ii. , iii. , pp. 811 10S14.
abbatis, qui episcopali tilulo ad convertendas
gentes ornatus cum in Scotia Archiepiscopa-
tum gessisset, M. L. hoc est ; cum Scotorum Antistitum maximus fuisset, cumulatus gloria excessit. Gh. S. " See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of . Scottish Saints," p. 197.
:
April 30. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 567
Article II. —St. Ciaran, of Cluain-Sosta, or Clonsost, King's
'
County. The Martyrology of Tallagli records iiis name and place, at the
30th of April. The locality is written Cluana Sasta,' in the edition by Rev. Dr. Kelly. The Bollandists 3 refer to that same authority, and at this date, for Kieranus of Cluain-Sosta. This place is said to have been situated, in Lei. \ ;* but, it does not form a part of the present Queen's County. We are of opinion, however, that the residence of this saint must be identified with Clonsast, or Cloncast, also called Clonbollogue, a parish, in the barony of Coolestown, and in the present King:'s County. It seems rather to have been within the ancient territory of Ui Failghe, which was called after Ros of the Rings. 5 A ruined and a very ancient church is found there, while the site is now seldom frequented. It lies within the present townland of Clonsast, in that parish, bearing a like name. The parish is most commonly called ClonbuUoge,* and,itisskirtedbyalargeextentofbog. Theoldchurchoccupiesaslight
Clonsast Old Church, King's County.
elevation ; but, it is surrounded nearly altogether by nioory meadow and pas- ture land, with some reclaimed tillage soil. ' The cemetery around it is at
present quite disused for interments, nor have the people near any tradition regarding its former venerable associations. The existing ruined gables and
Article n. —'
xiii.
' This also agrees with the Franciscan
copy, which has CiAi\<in CLuain fAfCd.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Aprihs XXX. Among the pretermitted saints,
p. 722.
<O"
See Professor Eugene Curry s Lec-
tures on th« Manuscript Materials of Ancient
Kelly, p.
Edited by Rev. Dr.
Irish History," Lect. i. , p. 21.
5 He was the common from ancestor,
whom were derived O'Conchobhair P'ailghe, O'Conor P'aly, ODiomasai^'h Clann Maei-
liaghra, or O'Dcmpsey of Clanmalier, and O'Uuinn or O'Dunne of Iregan. After the estaMi.
'ihment of surnames, these were its most distinguished families. See tejbhjp na 5-Ceapc, or the " Book of Rights,"
S68 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[April 30.
side walls show, that they had been built with large and finely-dressed blocks of limestone ;. wliile they are now mantled over with ivy. Some few scattered trees, with liawthorn bushes, grow within the enclosure. We read, in the Martyrology of Donegal^, tliat on this day, a festival was celebrated in honour of Ciaran, of Ciuain-Sosta. Tlie Leabhar Chluana Sost, or Book of Clonsost, is sliil one of the missing " books of Erinn. 9 This is said to liave been written, by St. Berchdn"", patron of the place ; and, he flourished so early as the sixth century. It contained a Life of Alexander the Great. "
Article III. —St. Michomer, or Michomores, Confessor, of
ToRNODOR, in Gallic Campania. \Fifth Century. ^ The Bollandists
furnish notices of St. Michomer, at the 30th day of April ; and, this holy man
is called a confessor from Ireland.
graphs, by Father Daniel Papebroke ; however, he not only seeks to invali- date the ancient traditions, by unwarrantable and misplaced conjectures, but even the records of olden times, which state, tliat Michomer or Michomores was a native of Hibernia. ' A Manuscript belonging to Auxerre has such a statement, and it relates, moreover, that he was of royal or noble birth, having first seen the light, about tlie year 410. He seems to have been brought up as a pagan, until the year 431, when he became a disciple of St. Germanus,3 Bishop of Auxerre, who instructed him in the principles of t! ie Christian faith, and at a time, when in company with St. Lupus,'' Bishop of Troyes, he had been sent to evangelize the Britons, among whom Pelagianism had began to spread. 5 In the year 432, St. Michomeres, with St. Germanus,* went to France.
might be substituted, for Hibernia, as the country of his birth. Again, it is supposed, that the name of Michomer or Michomores could not have been Irish, nor could lie have followed Germanus, as a disciple, from Ire- land, which Eric states. Indeed, no solid objection to Michomer's birth has been raised, in the over criticism of Papebroke. It may well be allowed, that even before
Christianity had been generally introduced,
St. the
by Patrick, among Irish, many of
these had visited the continent, and had become Christians. Even Irish names had
often been corrupted there, especially when converted into Latinized forms, as was also the case, where Csesar transforms the Celtic and Gallic denominations into the Latin of his celebrated commentaries.
3 His foast occurs, at the 25th ofJuly. His
Life was originally written, by Eric, a monk of Auxerre, who flourished in the ninth cen- tury ; and, in it, allusions are made to our saint, as " unus discipulorum ejus, qui sanc- tum virum de Hibernia fuerat prosecutus, cui Michomeri vocabulum fuit," &c.
edited by John O'Donovan, n. (b), p. 193. '"
See Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire- land," vol. i. , p. 462.
' The accompanying illustration was drawn by the writer on tlie spot, in August, 1883, it has been transferred to the wood, by William F. Wakeman, and it has been engr. aved, by Mrs. Millard.
'Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
114, 115.
' See Professor "
O'Curry's Manuscript
Materials of Ancient Irish History," Lect. i. , p. 21.
" His feast occurs, at the 4th of Decem- ber.
" This was copied into the Leabhar Mor Duna Doiyhra, commonly called the Leab- har Breac, now preserved, in the Royal Irish Academy. See ibid. , Lect. xvi. pp. 352, 353- —
"
tomus iii. , Aprilis xxx. De Sancto Micho-
Article hi.
'
See
Acta Sanctorum,"
mere, Tornodori in Campania Gallicana, pp. 775 to 777.
—"Pap-broke conceives, that for Hibernia
which lie imagines to have been an error
•
His feast is held, on the 24th of July.
ofEric,the — ofSt.
biographer Germanus,
5SeeRev. "
John Lingard's Antiquities
of the Anglo-Saxon Church," chap, i. , p. 19.
' A
or of his copyist Nivernia should have been used ; while Averni or Ar\erni may have been substituted for Hiberni, Iverni, or Iberni, in certain cases. Thus, he conjec- tures, that Michomer had been born in
critical account of this celebrated saint and of his writings will be found, in the " Hisloire Literaire de la France," by the
Their disquisition is written in ten para-
Nivernia, near the diocese of Auxerre, of Benedictines. See tome ii. , Siecle v. , sect,
Franc or of Saxon parents ; and, again, if i. ,ii. , pp. 256 to 261. this be not allowed, the word Britannia
very
April 30. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 569
Here, he is thought to have spent some years, with his celebrated master, while serving at the cathedral church of Auxerre, or in a seminary attached to it. Even, it is said, he returned with St. Germanus to Britain, when the latter visited it a second time, in the year 443. ' Having undertaken a jour- ney, for the transaction of some important ecclesiastical affairs one account
—— has it, that he was on the way to assist at a council held in Besan^on * St.
Germanus was accompanied by Mochomer. They arrived at a fortified place, calledTharnor,'morecorrectlyTonnerre. '" Therehisdisciplefellsick,and
he could not proceed further on his journey. There, too, according to the account of Eric, he did not long survive ; and, he was buried on the declivity of a hill, through the pious attentions of the faithful. The Manu- script of Auxerre conveys another impression, that he remained ill while St. Germanus prosecuted his journey, and that he did not depart this life, until after the council had been held at Besangon," in the year 444. " Selecting the place for his habitation, Michomer appears to have led the life of a recluse
at Tornodor, a town of Champagne,'^ near Burgundy,"'' in the diocese of
Langres. 's There, St. Michomer probably had a chapel or an oratory ; at least, one existed, which had been dedicated to him, in after time, and it was
situated outside of the fortress. His departure from this life has been assigned, to the year 446 ; and, he is said to have been buried by St. Lupus, Bishop of Troyes,'* the ancient capital of Champagne. '' St. Germanus, it is thought, hadsomedivineadmonition,reganlinghisdisciple'sdeath; when,aftersome
time,hereturnedfromBesan^on,bywayofTharnor. Here,seekingthe tomb of his disciple, he ordered the covering to be raised, and he called Michomer by name. Once more, the latter came to life, and he was asked by Germanus, if he wished to engage again in missionary labours ; but, Michomer declared, if it should not be a cause of regret for his master, and if it were not necessary for the service of Christ, that he should continue in the world, he desired rather to be dissolved, and to be with him in heaven. The holy bishop assenting to his wishes, Michomer reclined his head, and wenttohisfinalrest,allwhowerepresentbeingingreatadmiration; Then, in honour of the holy pilgrim, an oratory was built over his remains ; and, in ages long subsequent, these relics were visited by crowds of the faithful, who receivedvariousbenefits,throughhisintercession. Abouttheyear1231,N. , Count of Tornodor, built or rebuilt the chapel over St. Michomer's tomb ;
' This is stated, in the Auxerre Manu- script.
' In the time of the
Nero, A. d.
which remained longest in the possession of the Roman Emperors. Its history is well set forth, in " Memoires Histori-
Emperor
69, the city of Bcsan9on was besieged, by
the Roman General Rufus. . See Le Sieur K. de Mezeray's "Ilisloire de France," &c. ,
tome i. , liv. ii. , sect, v. , p. 63.
' Thus it is called, in Eric's Vita S.
Germani. "
Beaugier's
ques de la Province de Champagne," and in
" The " Oppidum Tomodorum," or ""
Themadorum, lay in Celtic Gaul, and within the Duchy of Biiri^ndy. See Bavd- rand's " Novum Lexicon Geographicum," tomusii. , p. 275.
" An interesting description and view of this city will be fuund m Elisee Rectus'
" Nouvelle Geographic Universelle," tome ii. , pp. 376 to 380.
" A view of this city will be found in A. "
" In it, Celidonius, a bishop, was deposed.
Hugo's France Pittoresque,"&c. , tome i. , p. 191.
See Sir Harris Nicolas' "
' See an interesting account of this place in Elisee Reclus' "Nouvelle Gdographie Universelle," tome ii. , pp. 698, 699.
of '^ This was one of the parts of Gaul,
History," p. 218.
"
Beraut's " Hisioire de Comtes de Cham-
pagne et de Brie," Paris, 1839.
' Also called Bour};ogne. In ancient
times, this country was chiefly inhabited by the ^Edui, a powerful Celtic tribe, whose capital was Bibracte, the modem Autun.
See Charles Knight's "English Cyclope- dia," Geography, vol. ii. , col. 76.
'^ See Elisee Reclus' " Nouvelle Geogra-
phie Universelle," tome ii , pp. 698 to 700,
for a description of this city, and for a map of its immediate surroundings.
Chronolc^y
570 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 30.
but, although it formerly bore his name, afterwards, it was called the chapel of St. Loup le Reclus. '^ Formerly, a stone statue of our saint had been
placed on the top of that oratory, and it represented him, holding a travel- ler's staff in his hand, with a large and peculiarly-shaped head-gear, while at
"
the base was this inscription :
Deioratores,annoDominimdxi. "'9 AparchmentManuscriptMissalhas a special Missa de Heato Michomere,'° in which there is a remarkable Bene- diction for wine to be used for sick persons, and in which the intercession of Micomir, confessor, from Hibernia,^' is invoked. A large tomb, elevated two or three feet over the ground, was formerly seen in the middle of that chapel, and near the altar ; but, owing to practices savouring of superstition, it is said to have been demolished in 1628, when the remains of St. Michomer are thought to have been disturbed, without a capability of these being now identified.
Article IV. —St. Ronan, of Liath Ros, probably in the County
OF Louth. This holy man must have lived, at a remote period, for he has
an early commemoration, in our calendars. So far as we can learn, from the
""
Feilire of St. ^ngns,' at this date, he was known as Ronan the gray, and
his place was called Ross Uainni. The commentator on this Tract in the " Leabhar Breac " seems to be doubtful, regarding the site of that habitation ;
for, he offers a conjecture, that it was at Senbuaile, in Conaill Muirthemne, Ronan lived, or, as lie adds, in anotlier place. Then Ronan of Liath-ross, or Lethross, is said to be one name, while, it is thought, he had been a mis- sionary out of Ireland. The territory of Conaille-Muirtheimhne is also called Magh-Muirtheimhne,' and Machaire-Oirghiall. It is a level plain, extend- ing from the River Boyne to the mountains of Cuailgne, or Carlingford, and it is situated in the present county of Loudi. 3 Dundalk, Louth, Druimiskin and Monasterboice are mentioned, as having been within this level district of country. ^ The name Ronan, of Liath Ross, is found in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,s at the 30th of April ; and, witli this corresponds the Franciscan copy. ' In like manner, and from the same authority, the Bol- landists? merely record Ronanus de Liathros, in Conallia Murtheninensi. On this day, likewise, the Martyrology of Donegal ' mentions, that venera-
" Papebroke, in noticing this chapel, soris ab Hibernia, Aquilonica et remota re-
states
:
" niiiu aS. Liipo dkliiin :quod mill-
gione," &c. — Article iv.
tis ante seciilis titulum S. Michomeris/^'«/! <-
lisse, pratti- constantem tnajorum tradi-
tionem ; charta tabularii Molismensis docent : in quibus Guilielmns Comes Tornodorensis dedisse insuper scribitttr Domino Roberto Abbati Molismensi Capella—m S. Michome- ris, qu£E est extra castrum. " "Acta Sane- torum," tomus iii. , Aprilis xxx. De Sancto Michomere Tornodori in Campania Galli- cana, num. I, p. 775.
'Such is tlie account given by Robert Luyt, a canon ofTornodor, in a little French book, which was published, AD. 1656.
'
See "Transactions of
Vocor Micomeres, convocans ad Reclusium
* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the "" In the Collect of his Mass, this prayer Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (u), p. 10.
is found: " Deus qui B. Michomerem ex
Hibernia ad hunc clivum rupis venire fecisti,
concede propitius, ut per ejus adventum ad
electorum tuorum pervenire meieamur con- rilis xxx. Among the pretermitted saints, sortium. "
:
»' The words are
p. 722.
" Micomiris confes ' FMited by Drs, Todd and Reeves. See
the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On tiie Calendar of
Oengus, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. Ixxvii.
"
See Ussher's" Primordia," pp. 627, 705, 827, 902.
:
If we are to credit Dempster,"' St. Forannan wrote two works " Ser-
mones in Passionem," lib. i. , and " Pro Monasterio Suo," lib. i.
The latter
seems to be a pure fiction of the mendacious Dempster. This idea was probably
suggested, by the fact of Forannan having obtainedprivileges and a confirma-
tion for his monastery, from Pope Benedict VII. '* St. Forannan continued to direct the religious affairs of this abbey, with zeal and prudence ; and, under his rule, the spirit of St. Benedict, in a wonderful manner, was revived amongthesubjectsofhisorder. Owingtohiscare,inthevillageofGruthen,on the boundaries of the diocese of Melz, Forannan secured a house, to which two vineyards were attached; and these were deemed necessary to provide wine forthemonastery,atWasor. Oneofthesevineyards,inaftertime,wasalso called Wasor. Desirous to improve the talents committed to his care, the holy Abbot laboured towards his i^ersonai saactification ; he repelled all the snares of the evil one, by putting on the armour of justice. His whole thoughts were now directed towards God, and like St. Paul, he earnestly desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ. His ciiarity towards the poor had no bounds, and it was actively e. \ercised. He prayed witii great com- punction of spirit, and he truly sighed for the company of the Angels. As well before as after his death, great miracles were wrought, owing to his merits before God.
But, the period of our saint's life was already drawing to a close.
After a short illness, this light of the sanctuary was extuiguished, on the3otliof. April,980,thedayofhispresentcominemoration. 's Hedied, A. D. 982, if we accept other accounts. Such is the statement of Mabillon,""
'* See the Bollandists' " Act. a Sanctorum," ' . See " Historia Ecclesiastica Genlis Sco- tomus lii. , AprilU xxx. Alia Acta S. Foran- toruni," tomus I, lib. vi. , num. 523, pp.
nani, cap. iii. , pp. 820 to 822.
'5 According to Papebroke, this was a cal-
287, 288.
culation, based on the death of his father
Otho I. , but in reality it should be regarded
as the ninth year of his son's reign. See ut aUi scribuni. Colitur Xxx. Aprilis. "
ibid. , n. (g), p. 822.
" It wa^ in the fifth indiction, and not in
the third, as wrongly set down, in the
"
"
llistoiia Ecclesiastica Gcntis Scotorum,"
Chrunicon Walsiodorense,"
tomus iv. , lib. xlix. , num. xv. , p. 9.
" This is even noted, by Dempster. "
'' According to Dempster :
Depositus est anno Dccc. xxci, vel centum annis seriu—s,
tomus i. , lib. vi. , num. 523, P- 288.
'" "
See Annales Ordinis S. Jienedicti,"
$66 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 30.
andithasbeenverygenerallyfollowed. " Afterhisdeath,theremainswere placed in a coffin of lead, and this again was put into a marble tomb, built
" S.
within the church of Wasor. - Over it was an inscription to this effect Forannane ora pro nobis. "'' The place chosen for his deposition was on the left side of the church ;'3 while he was interred with public honours and with great solemnity. '* But, as damp had penetrated to the sarcophagus, in wliich his body was enclosed, atranslation of his relics again took place. Numbers of ])ious pilgrims came to visit it, and a variety of miracles there wrought are recorded. In the sacristy, an arm of the saint was preserved witiiin a separate shrine. A certain visitor to Wasor, and who came from Ireland, declared thatsomecluircheswereerectedtohonourhim,inthecountryofhisbirth; and, even that these were served by choirs of monks and of clerics. 's This statement has been called into question,'* however, because no other corroborative evidence of it has been produced. In the year 1617, his relics were taken up, and placed in a rich urn. To the middle of the last century, these were preserved in it, and they were held in great veneration, by the faithful. '' Among the relics of St. Forannan, preserved in the church at Wasor, is a curious stole, wherewith he is said to have cured the bite of a mad dog. ''
His canonical office was recited solemnly at Wasor, where his feast is held ; and his name occurs in several Martyrologies, although it is not in the Roman Alartyrology. In the year 1526, under such pretext, the reformers of Church OfficesatBursfeldundertooktheretrenchmentofForannan'sfestival. Inthis attempt, they were zealously resisted, by the religious brethren of Wasor. '? Many miracles attested his sanctity; and, witli sanction of the Bishops of Metz and Liege, his invocation, throughout the Low Countries, in France, and among the religious of St. Benedict's order, was authorized. Tliis day the Martyrology of Donegal 3° registers his name witliin brackets, and without further designation, simply as Farannan. In his catalogue 3' of our national saints, Father Henry Fitzsimon ranks this holy man as Forinanus, Bishop and Abbot. He quotes Molanus 3' for the statement.
Also, Father Stephen White has a notice of Forannan. 33 In Dempster's
" Menologium Scotorum," his feast is entered. 3< It is certain, that during his lifetime, and after his death, the sceneof this holy bishop's and abbot's minis- tration had been visited by pious pilgrims, arriving from Ireland. Ordinary mortals esteemed him, as one deserving to rank in holiness above themselves. In Belgium, the country where he spent the last years of his pilgrimage on earth, the pious servant of God was even better known and remembered, than in his native country.
"See, also, "Gallia Christiana Nova," Sancta," Part i. , p. 273.
tomus iii. , p. 571.
"Meaning, "Saint Forannan, pray for
us. " See Molanus; "De Natalibus Sancto-
rum Belgii. "
'3 So states his Life, by Robert, the Monk
of Wasor, "de tuniulatio sacra, seorsum in laeva monasterii fuit facta," &c. , cap. ii. ,
"
'*
. See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of the Saints," vol. iv. , April 30, p. 377.
"^ See Molanus, "De Natalibus Sanctorum
Belgii. "
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
114, 115.
3' See "Catalogus aliquorum Sanctorum Hibernite. "
^'' InVitaS.
Eloquii.
Apologia pro HIbernia," cap. v. ,
num. 9. See
. Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
81 1.
'« See Molanus, " In Natalibus Sanctorum
XXX.
Belgii. "
Aprili-, p.
" ggg n
p. 42. Rev. Dr. Kelly's edition.
tomus
-' By Papebroke. See ibid. , n. (c), p.
814.
"'See Bishop Challoner's "Britannia
3« xxx. "Vahiidori
See
Sanctorum,"
iii. ,
Ap-
depositio
Forannani
"Acta
'5
rilis XXX. Vita . S. Forannani Ab. Walciodor. . Tuctore Roberto Monacho Walciodorensi, cnp. ii. , iii. , pp. 811 10S14.
abbatis, qui episcopali tilulo ad convertendas
gentes ornatus cum in Scotia Archiepiscopa-
tum gessisset, M. L. hoc est ; cum Scotorum Antistitum maximus fuisset, cumulatus gloria excessit. Gh. S. " See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of . Scottish Saints," p. 197.
:
April 30. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 567
Article II. —St. Ciaran, of Cluain-Sosta, or Clonsost, King's
'
County. The Martyrology of Tallagli records iiis name and place, at the
30th of April. The locality is written Cluana Sasta,' in the edition by Rev. Dr. Kelly. The Bollandists 3 refer to that same authority, and at this date, for Kieranus of Cluain-Sosta. This place is said to have been situated, in Lei. \ ;* but, it does not form a part of the present Queen's County. We are of opinion, however, that the residence of this saint must be identified with Clonsast, or Cloncast, also called Clonbollogue, a parish, in the barony of Coolestown, and in the present King:'s County. It seems rather to have been within the ancient territory of Ui Failghe, which was called after Ros of the Rings. 5 A ruined and a very ancient church is found there, while the site is now seldom frequented. It lies within the present townland of Clonsast, in that parish, bearing a like name. The parish is most commonly called ClonbuUoge,* and,itisskirtedbyalargeextentofbog. Theoldchurchoccupiesaslight
Clonsast Old Church, King's County.
elevation ; but, it is surrounded nearly altogether by nioory meadow and pas- ture land, with some reclaimed tillage soil. ' The cemetery around it is at
present quite disused for interments, nor have the people near any tradition regarding its former venerable associations. The existing ruined gables and
Article n. —'
xiii.
' This also agrees with the Franciscan
copy, which has CiAi\<in CLuain fAfCd.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Aprihs XXX. Among the pretermitted saints,
p. 722.
<O"
See Professor Eugene Curry s Lec-
tures on th« Manuscript Materials of Ancient
Kelly, p.
Edited by Rev. Dr.
Irish History," Lect. i. , p. 21.
5 He was the common from ancestor,
whom were derived O'Conchobhair P'ailghe, O'Conor P'aly, ODiomasai^'h Clann Maei-
liaghra, or O'Dcmpsey of Clanmalier, and O'Uuinn or O'Dunne of Iregan. After the estaMi.
'ihment of surnames, these were its most distinguished families. See tejbhjp na 5-Ceapc, or the " Book of Rights,"
S68 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[April 30.
side walls show, that they had been built with large and finely-dressed blocks of limestone ;. wliile they are now mantled over with ivy. Some few scattered trees, with liawthorn bushes, grow within the enclosure. We read, in the Martyrology of Donegal^, tliat on this day, a festival was celebrated in honour of Ciaran, of Ciuain-Sosta. Tlie Leabhar Chluana Sost, or Book of Clonsost, is sliil one of the missing " books of Erinn. 9 This is said to liave been written, by St. Berchdn"", patron of the place ; and, he flourished so early as the sixth century. It contained a Life of Alexander the Great. "
Article III. —St. Michomer, or Michomores, Confessor, of
ToRNODOR, in Gallic Campania. \Fifth Century. ^ The Bollandists
furnish notices of St. Michomer, at the 30th day of April ; and, this holy man
is called a confessor from Ireland.
graphs, by Father Daniel Papebroke ; however, he not only seeks to invali- date the ancient traditions, by unwarrantable and misplaced conjectures, but even the records of olden times, which state, tliat Michomer or Michomores was a native of Hibernia. ' A Manuscript belonging to Auxerre has such a statement, and it relates, moreover, that he was of royal or noble birth, having first seen the light, about tlie year 410. He seems to have been brought up as a pagan, until the year 431, when he became a disciple of St. Germanus,3 Bishop of Auxerre, who instructed him in the principles of t! ie Christian faith, and at a time, when in company with St. Lupus,'' Bishop of Troyes, he had been sent to evangelize the Britons, among whom Pelagianism had began to spread. 5 In the year 432, St. Michomeres, with St. Germanus,* went to France.
might be substituted, for Hibernia, as the country of his birth. Again, it is supposed, that the name of Michomer or Michomores could not have been Irish, nor could lie have followed Germanus, as a disciple, from Ire- land, which Eric states. Indeed, no solid objection to Michomer's birth has been raised, in the over criticism of Papebroke. It may well be allowed, that even before
Christianity had been generally introduced,
St. the
by Patrick, among Irish, many of
these had visited the continent, and had become Christians. Even Irish names had
often been corrupted there, especially when converted into Latinized forms, as was also the case, where Csesar transforms the Celtic and Gallic denominations into the Latin of his celebrated commentaries.
3 His foast occurs, at the 25th ofJuly. His
Life was originally written, by Eric, a monk of Auxerre, who flourished in the ninth cen- tury ; and, in it, allusions are made to our saint, as " unus discipulorum ejus, qui sanc- tum virum de Hibernia fuerat prosecutus, cui Michomeri vocabulum fuit," &c.
edited by John O'Donovan, n. (b), p. 193. '"
See Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire- land," vol. i. , p. 462.
' The accompanying illustration was drawn by the writer on tlie spot, in August, 1883, it has been transferred to the wood, by William F. Wakeman, and it has been engr. aved, by Mrs. Millard.
'Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
114, 115.
' See Professor "
O'Curry's Manuscript
Materials of Ancient Irish History," Lect. i. , p. 21.
" His feast occurs, at the 4th of Decem- ber.
" This was copied into the Leabhar Mor Duna Doiyhra, commonly called the Leab- har Breac, now preserved, in the Royal Irish Academy. See ibid. , Lect. xvi. pp. 352, 353- —
"
tomus iii. , Aprilis xxx. De Sancto Micho-
Article hi.
'
See
Acta Sanctorum,"
mere, Tornodori in Campania Gallicana, pp. 775 to 777.
—"Pap-broke conceives, that for Hibernia
which lie imagines to have been an error
•
His feast is held, on the 24th of July.
ofEric,the — ofSt.
biographer Germanus,
5SeeRev. "
John Lingard's Antiquities
of the Anglo-Saxon Church," chap, i. , p. 19.
' A
or of his copyist Nivernia should have been used ; while Averni or Ar\erni may have been substituted for Hiberni, Iverni, or Iberni, in certain cases. Thus, he conjec- tures, that Michomer had been born in
critical account of this celebrated saint and of his writings will be found, in the " Hisloire Literaire de la France," by the
Their disquisition is written in ten para-
Nivernia, near the diocese of Auxerre, of Benedictines. See tome ii. , Siecle v. , sect,
Franc or of Saxon parents ; and, again, if i. ,ii. , pp. 256 to 261. this be not allowed, the word Britannia
very
April 30. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 569
Here, he is thought to have spent some years, with his celebrated master, while serving at the cathedral church of Auxerre, or in a seminary attached to it. Even, it is said, he returned with St. Germanus to Britain, when the latter visited it a second time, in the year 443. ' Having undertaken a jour- ney, for the transaction of some important ecclesiastical affairs one account
—— has it, that he was on the way to assist at a council held in Besan^on * St.
Germanus was accompanied by Mochomer. They arrived at a fortified place, calledTharnor,'morecorrectlyTonnerre. '" Therehisdisciplefellsick,and
he could not proceed further on his journey. There, too, according to the account of Eric, he did not long survive ; and, he was buried on the declivity of a hill, through the pious attentions of the faithful. The Manu- script of Auxerre conveys another impression, that he remained ill while St. Germanus prosecuted his journey, and that he did not depart this life, until after the council had been held at Besangon," in the year 444. " Selecting the place for his habitation, Michomer appears to have led the life of a recluse
at Tornodor, a town of Champagne,'^ near Burgundy,"'' in the diocese of
Langres. 's There, St. Michomer probably had a chapel or an oratory ; at least, one existed, which had been dedicated to him, in after time, and it was
situated outside of the fortress. His departure from this life has been assigned, to the year 446 ; and, he is said to have been buried by St. Lupus, Bishop of Troyes,'* the ancient capital of Champagne. '' St. Germanus, it is thought, hadsomedivineadmonition,reganlinghisdisciple'sdeath; when,aftersome
time,hereturnedfromBesan^on,bywayofTharnor. Here,seekingthe tomb of his disciple, he ordered the covering to be raised, and he called Michomer by name. Once more, the latter came to life, and he was asked by Germanus, if he wished to engage again in missionary labours ; but, Michomer declared, if it should not be a cause of regret for his master, and if it were not necessary for the service of Christ, that he should continue in the world, he desired rather to be dissolved, and to be with him in heaven. The holy bishop assenting to his wishes, Michomer reclined his head, and wenttohisfinalrest,allwhowerepresentbeingingreatadmiration; Then, in honour of the holy pilgrim, an oratory was built over his remains ; and, in ages long subsequent, these relics were visited by crowds of the faithful, who receivedvariousbenefits,throughhisintercession. Abouttheyear1231,N. , Count of Tornodor, built or rebuilt the chapel over St. Michomer's tomb ;
' This is stated, in the Auxerre Manu- script.
' In the time of the
Nero, A. d.
which remained longest in the possession of the Roman Emperors. Its history is well set forth, in " Memoires Histori-
Emperor
69, the city of Bcsan9on was besieged, by
the Roman General Rufus. . See Le Sieur K. de Mezeray's "Ilisloire de France," &c. ,
tome i. , liv. ii. , sect, v. , p. 63.
' Thus it is called, in Eric's Vita S.
Germani. "
Beaugier's
ques de la Province de Champagne," and in
" The " Oppidum Tomodorum," or ""
Themadorum, lay in Celtic Gaul, and within the Duchy of Biiri^ndy. See Bavd- rand's " Novum Lexicon Geographicum," tomusii. , p. 275.
" An interesting description and view of this city will be fuund m Elisee Rectus'
" Nouvelle Geographic Universelle," tome ii. , pp. 376 to 380.
" A view of this city will be found in A. "
" In it, Celidonius, a bishop, was deposed.
Hugo's France Pittoresque,"&c. , tome i. , p. 191.
See Sir Harris Nicolas' "
' See an interesting account of this place in Elisee Reclus' "Nouvelle Gdographie Universelle," tome ii. , pp. 698, 699.
of '^ This was one of the parts of Gaul,
History," p. 218.
"
Beraut's " Hisioire de Comtes de Cham-
pagne et de Brie," Paris, 1839.
' Also called Bour};ogne. In ancient
times, this country was chiefly inhabited by the ^Edui, a powerful Celtic tribe, whose capital was Bibracte, the modem Autun.
See Charles Knight's "English Cyclope- dia," Geography, vol. ii. , col. 76.
'^ See Elisee Reclus' " Nouvelle Geogra-
phie Universelle," tome ii , pp. 698 to 700,
for a description of this city, and for a map of its immediate surroundings.
Chronolc^y
570 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 30.
but, although it formerly bore his name, afterwards, it was called the chapel of St. Loup le Reclus. '^ Formerly, a stone statue of our saint had been
placed on the top of that oratory, and it represented him, holding a travel- ler's staff in his hand, with a large and peculiarly-shaped head-gear, while at
"
the base was this inscription :
Deioratores,annoDominimdxi. "'9 AparchmentManuscriptMissalhas a special Missa de Heato Michomere,'° in which there is a remarkable Bene- diction for wine to be used for sick persons, and in which the intercession of Micomir, confessor, from Hibernia,^' is invoked. A large tomb, elevated two or three feet over the ground, was formerly seen in the middle of that chapel, and near the altar ; but, owing to practices savouring of superstition, it is said to have been demolished in 1628, when the remains of St. Michomer are thought to have been disturbed, without a capability of these being now identified.
Article IV. —St. Ronan, of Liath Ros, probably in the County
OF Louth. This holy man must have lived, at a remote period, for he has
an early commemoration, in our calendars. So far as we can learn, from the
""
Feilire of St. ^ngns,' at this date, he was known as Ronan the gray, and
his place was called Ross Uainni. The commentator on this Tract in the " Leabhar Breac " seems to be doubtful, regarding the site of that habitation ;
for, he offers a conjecture, that it was at Senbuaile, in Conaill Muirthemne, Ronan lived, or, as lie adds, in anotlier place. Then Ronan of Liath-ross, or Lethross, is said to be one name, while, it is thought, he had been a mis- sionary out of Ireland. The territory of Conaille-Muirtheimhne is also called Magh-Muirtheimhne,' and Machaire-Oirghiall. It is a level plain, extend- ing from the River Boyne to the mountains of Cuailgne, or Carlingford, and it is situated in the present county of Loudi. 3 Dundalk, Louth, Druimiskin and Monasterboice are mentioned, as having been within this level district of country. ^ The name Ronan, of Liath Ross, is found in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,s at the 30th of April ; and, witli this corresponds the Franciscan copy. ' In like manner, and from the same authority, the Bol- landists? merely record Ronanus de Liathros, in Conallia Murtheninensi. On this day, likewise, the Martyrology of Donegal ' mentions, that venera-
" Papebroke, in noticing this chapel, soris ab Hibernia, Aquilonica et remota re-
states
:
" niiiu aS. Liipo dkliiin :quod mill-
gione," &c. — Article iv.
tis ante seciilis titulum S. Michomeris/^'«/! <-
lisse, pratti- constantem tnajorum tradi-
tionem ; charta tabularii Molismensis docent : in quibus Guilielmns Comes Tornodorensis dedisse insuper scribitttr Domino Roberto Abbati Molismensi Capella—m S. Michome- ris, qu£E est extra castrum. " "Acta Sane- torum," tomus iii. , Aprilis xxx. De Sancto Michomere Tornodori in Campania Galli- cana, num. I, p. 775.
'Such is tlie account given by Robert Luyt, a canon ofTornodor, in a little French book, which was published, AD. 1656.
'
See "Transactions of
Vocor Micomeres, convocans ad Reclusium
* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the "" In the Collect of his Mass, this prayer Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (u), p. 10.
is found: " Deus qui B. Michomerem ex
Hibernia ad hunc clivum rupis venire fecisti,
concede propitius, ut per ejus adventum ad
electorum tuorum pervenire meieamur con- rilis xxx. Among the pretermitted saints, sortium. "
:
»' The words are
p. 722.
" Micomiris confes ' FMited by Drs, Todd and Reeves. See
the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On tiie Calendar of
Oengus, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. Ixxvii.
"
See Ussher's" Primordia," pp. 627, 705, 827, 902.
