einster," and now
preserved
among the MS.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v5
But, the parish priest supposes, that during the time of the Lutheran and Calvinist wars, these remains were buried, and that no person knows with certainty where they nowrest.
Thosemassivestonescomposingthealtarhaveneverbeenopened, so far as he had been able to ascertain.
The relics of St.
Gerebern may possi- bly repose within.
Still, the pastor had no reliable tradition, observation, or historicrecord,toauthenticatetheirpreservation.
Hehad,however,latelypro- cured from Ghecl, some of relics of the St.
Dympna and of St.
Gerebern, which he intended to carry around in procession, on the recurrence of future local festivals.
^' The good pastor of Sonsbeck told the writer, that he intended to
ask permission from his bishop, to open the place near St. Gerebern's altar,
within the chapel. He felt desirous to search diligently underneath the altar,
and ascertain, if any trace of this saint's relics could be found, in accordance
with existing popular traditions and immemorial pious usages. There can
hardly exist any reasonable doubt, that the remains of St. Bern had been
placed under the altar, which is yet held in such veneration, by the common
people. If this permission were accorded to the Very Rev. Mr. Frankeser, the
result of his researches must be regarded with archseological, and especially
with religious, interest. If carefully noted and examined, all the knowledge
possible to be procured on this matter must be obtained ; for, the pastor had
already in his possession, that amount of traditional information and access
to historic records, which should enable him to identify the remains of St.
Gerebern, in case they might be disinterred. The present parish church,
dedicated to St. Mary Magdalen, is a very large structure, within the town of
Sonsbeck yet,likemanyoftheGermanchurches,notremarkableforarchi- ;
tectural beauties, exteriorly, although worthy of the beholder's admiration, when within its walls. Having no very immediate relation to the subject of this biography, the reader will the more readily excuse an omission, in describ- ing its genenil appeara,nce and structural details. However, it may be observed, there is a small painted wooden statue, representing St. Dympna holding a sword in the right hand, the point of which rests near one foot, whilst in the left hand she supports a book, from which she appears to be read- ing. A figure of the devil, painted in brown colours, is represented as writh- ing beneath her feet. This little image stands on a corbel, which looks into the nave of the church. St. Dympna wears a coronet and she is clad in royal habiliments. There appears to be no representation or memorial of St. Gere- bern, within the parochial church ; although his memory is held in such great veneration, by the parishioners of Sonsbeck. Such were the notes and observations limited time and opportunities enabled the present writer to take, during his short sojourn, in this particular portion of tlie Rhenish province of
°' Allusion has been already made to tlie with diamonds or jewels, maybe seen ; and, ancient practice of blessing St. Gerebern's they are worn to prevent diseases, especially rings at Sonsbeck. This custom yet pre- fever. -, and all oiher kinds of temporal
vails, and the blessing takes place, on the morning of the Saint's dominical festival. The people of Sonsbeck city and parish, male and female, provide those rings in a mate- rial and style of embellishment, suited to the taste and circumstances of their respective wearers. On the fingers of many ladies, single as well as married, gold rings, set
calamities. The common people usually we. ir silver, or at least gilt brass rings. The pastor blesses these rings, by a short form of prayer, found in his ritual, afterwards he sprinkles them with holy water. They are then distributed to their various owners, and worn on all occasions ; their possession being regarded as a pious manifestation.
——
374 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 15.
Prussia. ThechurchrecordsofSonsbeckhadbeenremovedtoamoredistant city, at the time, in order to furnish evidence on matters pending judicial trial. This circumstance will in a great measure account for want of more detailed documentary illustration and information, which might otherwise be obtained. It is to be hoped, however, that hereafter some additional light will be thrown on the acts of St. Gerebern, and on the history of that interesting little com- inune, which claims this early Irish ecclesiastic as a special patron.
Article III. St. Dubhlitir, Abbot of Finglas, County of Dublin. [Eighth Centuiy. '\ The oldest church erected at Finglas—unless its foundations be considered—no longer exists; but, it covered the site of a more modernone. ThislatterhadbeenusedforProtestantworship,intheearlierpart of the present century, and until the erection of a newer and more architec- turally correct building, which rises near the ornate rectory grounds. In the parsonage, and as rector here, the poet Dr. Thomas Parnell lived, but only for
Finglas Cemetery and Village, County Dublin
a short time, about the commencement of the last century. ' The graveyard almost triangular—is enclosed by a stone wall. Along two of its sides, ranges of fine sycamore trees have been set. The church ruins are within and near a corner of the cemetery, entered from the public road through an iron gate. Whole generations of the dead rest under the nink grass, wild celery, and hemlock, of this burial-ground. Within the existing ruins, flag-tombstones
Article hi. —' He w. -xs born in r)ul)lin, A. n. 1679, . nnd died at Chester, on his way to Ireland, in the ninnth of July, 1717. Dr. Oliver Goldsmith and Dr. Samuel [ohnson
liave sketchctl tlie bfe of this classic writer.
Alexander Pope and Dr. Jonathan Swift lircpaied posthumous editions of his works. . \ fine folio edition and elegantly printed of his poetical works appeared from the Glas-
gow PrcbS, in 1786.
» Our accompanying illustration pre- sents a view of the present entrance to this graveyard ; and the deserted medireval church ruin appears just within the enclos- ing wall. It has been drawn on the wood, by William F. Wakeman, from a photograph furnished by the Rev. John Henebery Green, U. S. A. , and it has been engraved, by Mrs. Millard.
3 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 360, 361.
down at the 24th
-RAch in fiDnii\uA i^eccA SenAich ^o^x cleiiA n5elinAi]\ ; CiAnroAi, SA-t\An fAiiDbiis "pent OuibLiC|\ech x)ei\niAi]A.
" The grace of the seven-fold Spirit Poured on great-bright clerics, Timothy, the rich Saran,
On the festival of renowned Dubh-
litir. "
" The following is Dr. Whitley Stokes'
t
day of September.
— :
See his festival, set
s Dr. O'Donovan, however, corrects the
—
May 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
cover vaults, in which persons, once of high social position, are now moulder- ingindecay. 2 ThedeathofFaelchu,ofFinnghlais,isnoticedata. d. 758. 3 He is supposed to have been identical with a saint similarly designated. * Again, Caencomhrac, bishop of this place, died a. d. 786. 5 Contempora- neously with this bishop, and possibly ruling over a monastery during his term of incumbency, Dublitir lived. When he began to govern the monks there has not been ascertained ; or what age he had reached, at the date assigned for his death, must yet remain an open question. St. Dubhlitir appears to have lived as a contemporary with St. . ^ngus the Culdee. Tallagh and Finglas were not very distantly separated, and both of these holy men may have enjoyed the privilege and happiness of a personal acquaintance. As St. ^ngus survived, however, it seems pretty certain, he must have known perfectly well the character of this deceased guardian over Finglas Monastery. ^ In the " Felire of ^ngus,"? as preserved in the "I. eabhar Breac,"^ and in that copy formerly belonging to St. Isidore's con- vent, at Rome,9 a special eulogy has been pronounced, in reference to this holy Abbot,'° in common with other saints, mentioned in the stanza. " However fanciful etymological derivations of Irish names may be regarded, thepresentholyman'snamecanliterallybeAnglicized"black-letter. " This term is usually applied to students, who closely apply themselves to books
; and, in a double sense, it was most probably appropriate to St. Dubhlitir, whosefeasthasbeenassignedforthe15thMay. ThisDubhlittir,nodoubt," was the person referred to in the following entry, '3 in the " Annals of Ulster," at A. D. 779 (780): "An assembly of the synods of the Ui-Neill and the Leinsterinen, where there were many anchorites and scribes, over whom Dubhlitter was President. "'* He is briefly alluded to by Colgan,'s in the Bol-
" The grace of the Septenary Spirit dropped on a date to A. D. 791. See his " Annals of the fair great clergy. Timothy wealthy Saran:
:—
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 392, 393. the feast of vast Duibliter. " "Transactions
* There was also a Dubhlittir Ua of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manu-
h-Uathgaile, author of a historical poem,
given in the Book ofLemster[^. 141 b), and
in other ancient Manuscripts. He seems to
have lived in the tenth century, and he is
called Donnchuad, in Edward O'Reilly's
'•Chronological Account of nearly Four descended on one hundred and twenty ; and. Hundred Irish Writers," p. Ixxix. he adds, that it dropped or showered "in
7 At the 15th of May. coenaculo in die Pentecostes in Jerusalem. "
^ Belonging to the Royal Irish Aca- See ibid. , p. Lxxxvi.
(]enjy_
9 Now in the custody of the Franciscans,
at their convent in Dubbin. .
'° The original Irish rnnn has been oblig-
" According to the opinion of William M. Hennessy, M. R. I. A.
"^ The writer has been informed, by William M. Hennessy—at present engaged in editing a new edition of the Ulster Annals
ingly copied and collated, while the English
translation has been supplied, by William —that the present ecclesiastical historic
M. Hennessy, Esq. , M. R. I. A. ;
event is not elsewhere recorded, so far as
translation of the foregoing stanza
script Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calen- dar of Oengus, p. Ixxx. On the first lines, the commentator in the " Leabhar Breac," notes, that reference is made to Quinqua- gessima, or Pentecost, when the Holy Ghost
375
376
Archdall3° evidently confounds this saint with an
"' Thus, at the Ides of May : " Et apud " Congressio Hiherniam Natale Sancti Confessoris Dub- senodorum (sic) nepotum Neill Laginen- litrech. "—Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
ScoUish Saints," p. 13.
°5 Thus, Dr. O'Donovan most unaccount-
of the sixth century. ^9
he is aware.
'* It "is thus Latinized :
tiumquse in opido Temro, ubi fuerunt an- coritse et scribe multi, quibus dux erat Dublitter. "
ably mistakes, when he writes: " The fes- »5 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernioe," tival of St. Cainneach, of this place, is set xvi. Martii. Vila S. Abbaiii, n. 24, p. 623. down in ' Feilire-xEnguis,' and in O'Clery's 'Irish Calendar,' at 15th of May. " See " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (i), p, 361. He must have confounded St. Cainneach with another Saint, whose festi- '^ In tlie " Leabhar Breac " copy. He val is set down for this same day, in O'Clery's adds, in a scholium: . 1. Abb pnogLApTi "Irish Calendar," belonging to the Royal CAni'oij icAeb x\chA cIacIi, or Abbot of Irish Academy, as " Cainneoc, virgin,
'* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Mali XV. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 440.
'7 See p. 76.
Findglas Cainnig bcsilc Dublin.
'9 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves,
daughter of Bersu, of the [race] of Niall of the Nine Hostages. "
*
'* In the gloss to the copy of the "Felire, preserved in the " Leabliar-Breac," Find- " Also, Oublicn\ Ah&n ^rnnsglAj-i. glais is described as " i-taebh Atba Cliath, ' i. e. , "by the side of Dublin. " See Dr, O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters,"
pp. 128, 129.
°° By Dr. Mathew Ke'. ly, p. 24.
Entry as found in the copy of the " -M. 'irtyr- ology of Tallagh," cxiracled from the"Book of I.
einster," and now preserved among the MS. S. belonging to the Franciscan Library, Dublin,
". See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. , pp. 398, 399. The date of his death is said to be (/rr/^) A. D. 796.
'3 Thus : " Dublittir Finnglaissi. " See Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum llibernicarum Scriptores," torn, iv. , p. 118.
vol. i. , n. (i), p. 361.
'"
See his Life, elsewhere written, at the nth of October.
-^ Sec Drs. Todd and Reeves' edition of the " Martyrology of Donegal," at October 12th, when his feast occurs, pp. 272 to 273.
'' Ussher tells us, that he died A. n. 599, in the 72nd year of his age. See " Britan-
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 15.
fendist collection ,^^ and also in Manuscript Book of " Extracts," among the Records for Dublin County, at present kept in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy. '? On this day, likewise, the commentator on St. ^ngiis,'^ and also the Martyrology of Donegal,'9 register Dubhlitir, Abbot of Finnglais- Cainnigh, near Ath-cliatli. It must be regarded as the correct date for his death. The present saint's name occurs, at the 15th of May, in the published '° Martyrology of Tallagh. ^'' Tiie year when his demise took place is set down, in the Annals of the Four Masters," as 791. The Annals of Ulster write it, at A. D. ^3 795. His remains were deposited, probabl)', within the old church walls, or unfler some now unnoticed sod of the present cemetery, which rises high over the " bright stream," that rushes onward to join the classic Tolka River. The present holy man was also venerated in Scotland, at the 15th of
May, as we find from the entry in the Kalendar of Drummond. '* A con- siderable share of misunderstanding has prevailed—while even distinguished Irish historians and topographers appear to have fallen into errors ^5—in refer- ence to the special Patron Saint of Finglas. ^^ The original name of this village seems to have been derived from the small, rapid, and tortuous " bright stream," that runs through a sort of ravine, beside the present cemetery. Towards the close of the eightli, or in the beginning of the ninth century as we find in the "Feilireof ^ngusa"—this place had been denominated Finnghlais-Cainnigh, after some earlier patron, called Cainnigh or Canice. He is generally thought to have been the Patron Saint of Ossory,'7 as no other one, bearing such a name, can be found in connexion with this spot. Whether or not, a monastery had been founded by Cainneach, while under the tuition of Mobhi Clairenech, Abbot of Glasnevin, and who died in 544,*^ can scarcely be determined. It seems probable, at least, that a cell, or monastic institute, had been here erected by St. Canice, and before the close
—
May 15. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
377
assumed Kenicus or Keny,3' whose feast it said to have been kept here, on the12thofOctober. 32 Wearetold,anoldbook,containingtheLifeofSt. Canice, had been preserved in this church. Such information Primate Ussher had received from Sir Christopher Plunkett. 33 When appointed Chancellor of St. Patrick's Cathedral, in the beginning of the seventeenth century, Ussher obtained tlie rectory of Finglas. There he preached every Sunday, and he lived in a hospitable style for some years. 34 We are told, again, that the name of St. Canice was to be found on some ancient communion service plate, sup- posed to be there preserved. 35 In the graveyard, an ancient stone cross, long buried in the earth, has been discovered, and set up on a pedestal. 3^ The parish of Finglas, situated partly in the barony of Nethercross, and partly in that of Coolock, county of Dublin, 37 adds to its antiquarian literary and his- toric interest 3^ various picturesque views. It likewise includes fertile and well cultivated fields, abounding in different vegetable and natural pro- ducts.
Article IV. St. Colman, or St. Columban, Mac Ua Laoighse, of OuGHAVAL, Queen's County. \_Sixth Century. '\ His relations with the great Abbot of lona, St. Columkille,' and with St. Fintan,^ Abbot of Clone- nagh,havegivenspecialcelebritytothepresentholyman. IntheMartyr- ology of Tallagh,3 the name of Colman Mac h Laighsi, is simply inserted, at the 15th of May, or at the Ides of this same month. 4 From the foregoing record, the Bollandists s have given insertion to his feast, at the same date, in their collection, calling him Colmanus, filius Hua-Laigsi, sen Mac-ua- Laigse. He belonged to the race of Laoighsigh Ceannmoir,^ son ofConall Cearnach,7 a celebrated Ultonian hero, living in the first century. His pedi- gree occurs, in the Genealogies of Irish Saints;^ and, it serves to show, how Colmanderivedthetribe-nameMacUaLoighse. 9 Accordingtothisautho- rity, he was son to Lugna, son of Eugene, son to Guaire, the son of Ere, son to Bracan, son of Lugad Eaighsech, son to Laigisius Cenn-mor, son
nicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. ,p. 495.
3° See " Monasticon Hibernicarum," p. 215.
3? See Lewis' " Topographical Dictionary ofIreland,"vol. i. , pp. 629,630.
38 ggg j^'/^iton's " History of the County of Dublin," pp. 369 to 383.
Article iv. —' See his Life, in the Sixth Volume of this Work, at the 9th day of June, Art. i.
3' It is said by Giraldus Cambrensis, that
"nobilis Abbas Chenachus," and other holy
men, had planted beeches, yew, and other
trees, for ornament around the church
cemetery of Finglas. See Opera, vol. v. ,
" Topographia Hibernica," Dist. ii. , cap.
liv. , p. 135. Edition by James F. Dimock, Saints," &c. , p. xxiv.
4 The Franciscan copy has Colin An rtlAc I1. tAigp.
s gee "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Mail xv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 441.
^ Lughaidh Laeihseach, who also had the title of Ceann-mor affixed to his name, ob- 3'» See Dr. Parr's " Life of Ussher," as tained, from the King of Leinster, a tract in also that by Dr. Elrington, prefixed to his this province. In that district he settled, and it received from his descendants the name of Laighis, also written Leix. —" ColmAH
M. A.
3^ I can find no saint of this name men-
tioned in our Calendars, at the above date. It is probable, Archdall meant the nth of October.
33 For this statement, Archdall quotes War. MSS. vol. 34.
Collected Edition of Ussher's complete M'orks, vol. i. , pp. 24, 25.
35 See yix. and Mrs. Hall's " Ireland : its Scenery, Character," vol. ii. , p. 343.
' The pedigree is thus traced :
iiiac Ua LAoijhfeo CuIaij mic ComgAilb a ii'Diuninmb C05A . 1. ipn nuAcon^bAib a
3^ See ibid. , p. 344. An engraving of,
with a curious story referring to, this ancient LA0151]' LAigeAn. X)o ^iiochc tAOigfij cross maybe found, in " The Dublin Penny CeAnn-moi]\ niic ConAibi CeA)\nAi5 •00. " Journal," vol. ii. , No. 63, pp. 84, 85. * At chapter xxiv.
^ See his Life, in the Second Volume of this Work, at the 17th of February, Art. i.
3 gee Rev. Dr. Kelly's " Calendar of Irish
378
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 15.
of Conall Kearnach, who belonged to the noble Roderician family. This pedigree is evidently defective, however, in several generations/" as nine degrees are quite insufficient to fill five centuries. His kinsman, Oennu Ua Laighse, who died about the same time," is thirteen generations removed fromConallCearnach. '^ BesidesthenameofColman,heisknownbythat of Columbanus—an exchange of names often occurring in the Lives of our Irish Saints, and applying to the same individual. '^ Thus, we find Colman- Eala '-^ called Colmanellus Colman,'5 or Columbanus;'^ again, the Colman Mor of Irish history, is also called Columbanus;'? while, the Colman of Bede is called Columbanus, in the Annals of Ulster, at a. d. 667, 675, and in those of Tighernach, at a. d. 676. '^ In the Life of St. Fintan, Abbot of Clonenagh, whose Acts have been already published, at the i7tli of February, we are told, that this religious youth, who is there called Columbanus, was a native ofLeix,intheLeinsterprovince. Forthesakeofmakingapilgrimage,andof engaging in prayer, this Columbanus directed his course to the island of lona, in order to visit St. Coluniba. Here, he remained for some time, and he lived with this latter holy Abbot. When Colman wished to return again to his own country, he asked Columba, how he should live there, not being able to con- fess his sins to the holy Abbot. St. Columba said, " Go to that pious man, whom I see standing among the Angels and before the tribunal of Christ, on each Sunday night. " The holy youth asked, who and what sort of man he was. St. Columbaanswered,"Tliereisacertainsaindyandhandsomeman, in your part of the country, whose complexion is florid, whose eyes are brio-htly sparkling, and whose white locks of hair are thinly scattered on his head. " Theyoung man then said, "Iknowof no man answering to this descrip- tion, in my country, except St. Fintan. "'9 Then St. Columba joyfully said to him : " He it is, my son, whom I see before the tribunal of Christ, as I have already told you. Go to him, for he is a good shepherd of Christ's flock, and he shall bring many souls with him to the kingdom of God. '' St. Colman or Columbanus—as he is here called—having received permission to revisit Ire- land, and having the benediction of St. Columba, afterwards set out for his own country. Coming to St. Fintan, Columban told him all that the saintly Abbot of lona had said. The holy old man, Fintan, hearing these words, blusheddeeply,sothathisfaceseemedasifonfire. Hetoldtheyoungman, to be careful and not to relate these circumstances to any other person, at least, during his own lifetime. This condition imposed a great restraint on Colman; for, St. Fintan, shortly after their interview, departed this life. ^° From the foregoing account, we may infer, that St. Colman, after his return from loiiii, was still a young man, who had probably learned the rudiments of monastic discipline, under that great master of a spiritual life, St. Colum- kille. The date regarding St. Fintan's death is questioned. Colgan says, he died
9 See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum IIil)ei-- 'S See title of cap. v. , lib. i. , in Adamnan's
niK," xvii. Februarii. Vita S. Fin-
" Life of St. Columba. "
'^ He is so called, in the text of the same
tani', n. 25, p.
ask permission from his bishop, to open the place near St. Gerebern's altar,
within the chapel. He felt desirous to search diligently underneath the altar,
and ascertain, if any trace of this saint's relics could be found, in accordance
with existing popular traditions and immemorial pious usages. There can
hardly exist any reasonable doubt, that the remains of St. Bern had been
placed under the altar, which is yet held in such veneration, by the common
people. If this permission were accorded to the Very Rev. Mr. Frankeser, the
result of his researches must be regarded with archseological, and especially
with religious, interest. If carefully noted and examined, all the knowledge
possible to be procured on this matter must be obtained ; for, the pastor had
already in his possession, that amount of traditional information and access
to historic records, which should enable him to identify the remains of St.
Gerebern, in case they might be disinterred. The present parish church,
dedicated to St. Mary Magdalen, is a very large structure, within the town of
Sonsbeck yet,likemanyoftheGermanchurches,notremarkableforarchi- ;
tectural beauties, exteriorly, although worthy of the beholder's admiration, when within its walls. Having no very immediate relation to the subject of this biography, the reader will the more readily excuse an omission, in describ- ing its genenil appeara,nce and structural details. However, it may be observed, there is a small painted wooden statue, representing St. Dympna holding a sword in the right hand, the point of which rests near one foot, whilst in the left hand she supports a book, from which she appears to be read- ing. A figure of the devil, painted in brown colours, is represented as writh- ing beneath her feet. This little image stands on a corbel, which looks into the nave of the church. St. Dympna wears a coronet and she is clad in royal habiliments. There appears to be no representation or memorial of St. Gere- bern, within the parochial church ; although his memory is held in such great veneration, by the parishioners of Sonsbeck. Such were the notes and observations limited time and opportunities enabled the present writer to take, during his short sojourn, in this particular portion of tlie Rhenish province of
°' Allusion has been already made to tlie with diamonds or jewels, maybe seen ; and, ancient practice of blessing St. Gerebern's they are worn to prevent diseases, especially rings at Sonsbeck. This custom yet pre- fever. -, and all oiher kinds of temporal
vails, and the blessing takes place, on the morning of the Saint's dominical festival. The people of Sonsbeck city and parish, male and female, provide those rings in a mate- rial and style of embellishment, suited to the taste and circumstances of their respective wearers. On the fingers of many ladies, single as well as married, gold rings, set
calamities. The common people usually we. ir silver, or at least gilt brass rings. The pastor blesses these rings, by a short form of prayer, found in his ritual, afterwards he sprinkles them with holy water. They are then distributed to their various owners, and worn on all occasions ; their possession being regarded as a pious manifestation.
——
374 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 15.
Prussia. ThechurchrecordsofSonsbeckhadbeenremovedtoamoredistant city, at the time, in order to furnish evidence on matters pending judicial trial. This circumstance will in a great measure account for want of more detailed documentary illustration and information, which might otherwise be obtained. It is to be hoped, however, that hereafter some additional light will be thrown on the acts of St. Gerebern, and on the history of that interesting little com- inune, which claims this early Irish ecclesiastic as a special patron.
Article III. St. Dubhlitir, Abbot of Finglas, County of Dublin. [Eighth Centuiy. '\ The oldest church erected at Finglas—unless its foundations be considered—no longer exists; but, it covered the site of a more modernone. ThislatterhadbeenusedforProtestantworship,intheearlierpart of the present century, and until the erection of a newer and more architec- turally correct building, which rises near the ornate rectory grounds. In the parsonage, and as rector here, the poet Dr. Thomas Parnell lived, but only for
Finglas Cemetery and Village, County Dublin
a short time, about the commencement of the last century. ' The graveyard almost triangular—is enclosed by a stone wall. Along two of its sides, ranges of fine sycamore trees have been set. The church ruins are within and near a corner of the cemetery, entered from the public road through an iron gate. Whole generations of the dead rest under the nink grass, wild celery, and hemlock, of this burial-ground. Within the existing ruins, flag-tombstones
Article hi. —' He w. -xs born in r)ul)lin, A. n. 1679, . nnd died at Chester, on his way to Ireland, in the ninnth of July, 1717. Dr. Oliver Goldsmith and Dr. Samuel [ohnson
liave sketchctl tlie bfe of this classic writer.
Alexander Pope and Dr. Jonathan Swift lircpaied posthumous editions of his works. . \ fine folio edition and elegantly printed of his poetical works appeared from the Glas-
gow PrcbS, in 1786.
» Our accompanying illustration pre- sents a view of the present entrance to this graveyard ; and the deserted medireval church ruin appears just within the enclos- ing wall. It has been drawn on the wood, by William F. Wakeman, from a photograph furnished by the Rev. John Henebery Green, U. S. A. , and it has been engraved, by Mrs. Millard.
3 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 360, 361.
down at the 24th
-RAch in fiDnii\uA i^eccA SenAich ^o^x cleiiA n5elinAi]\ ; CiAnroAi, SA-t\An fAiiDbiis "pent OuibLiC|\ech x)ei\niAi]A.
" The grace of the seven-fold Spirit Poured on great-bright clerics, Timothy, the rich Saran,
On the festival of renowned Dubh-
litir. "
" The following is Dr. Whitley Stokes'
t
day of September.
— :
See his festival, set
s Dr. O'Donovan, however, corrects the
—
May 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
cover vaults, in which persons, once of high social position, are now moulder- ingindecay. 2 ThedeathofFaelchu,ofFinnghlais,isnoticedata. d. 758. 3 He is supposed to have been identical with a saint similarly designated. * Again, Caencomhrac, bishop of this place, died a. d. 786. 5 Contempora- neously with this bishop, and possibly ruling over a monastery during his term of incumbency, Dublitir lived. When he began to govern the monks there has not been ascertained ; or what age he had reached, at the date assigned for his death, must yet remain an open question. St. Dubhlitir appears to have lived as a contemporary with St. . ^ngus the Culdee. Tallagh and Finglas were not very distantly separated, and both of these holy men may have enjoyed the privilege and happiness of a personal acquaintance. As St. ^ngus survived, however, it seems pretty certain, he must have known perfectly well the character of this deceased guardian over Finglas Monastery. ^ In the " Felire of ^ngus,"? as preserved in the "I. eabhar Breac,"^ and in that copy formerly belonging to St. Isidore's con- vent, at Rome,9 a special eulogy has been pronounced, in reference to this holy Abbot,'° in common with other saints, mentioned in the stanza. " However fanciful etymological derivations of Irish names may be regarded, thepresentholyman'snamecanliterallybeAnglicized"black-letter. " This term is usually applied to students, who closely apply themselves to books
; and, in a double sense, it was most probably appropriate to St. Dubhlitir, whosefeasthasbeenassignedforthe15thMay. ThisDubhlittir,nodoubt," was the person referred to in the following entry, '3 in the " Annals of Ulster," at A. D. 779 (780): "An assembly of the synods of the Ui-Neill and the Leinsterinen, where there were many anchorites and scribes, over whom Dubhlitter was President. "'* He is briefly alluded to by Colgan,'s in the Bol-
" The grace of the Septenary Spirit dropped on a date to A. D. 791. See his " Annals of the fair great clergy. Timothy wealthy Saran:
:—
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 392, 393. the feast of vast Duibliter. " "Transactions
* There was also a Dubhlittir Ua of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manu-
h-Uathgaile, author of a historical poem,
given in the Book ofLemster[^. 141 b), and
in other ancient Manuscripts. He seems to
have lived in the tenth century, and he is
called Donnchuad, in Edward O'Reilly's
'•Chronological Account of nearly Four descended on one hundred and twenty ; and. Hundred Irish Writers," p. Ixxix. he adds, that it dropped or showered "in
7 At the 15th of May. coenaculo in die Pentecostes in Jerusalem. "
^ Belonging to the Royal Irish Aca- See ibid. , p. Lxxxvi.
(]enjy_
9 Now in the custody of the Franciscans,
at their convent in Dubbin. .
'° The original Irish rnnn has been oblig-
" According to the opinion of William M. Hennessy, M. R. I. A.
"^ The writer has been informed, by William M. Hennessy—at present engaged in editing a new edition of the Ulster Annals
ingly copied and collated, while the English
translation has been supplied, by William —that the present ecclesiastical historic
M. Hennessy, Esq. , M. R. I. A. ;
event is not elsewhere recorded, so far as
translation of the foregoing stanza
script Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calen- dar of Oengus, p. Ixxx. On the first lines, the commentator in the " Leabhar Breac," notes, that reference is made to Quinqua- gessima, or Pentecost, when the Holy Ghost
375
376
Archdall3° evidently confounds this saint with an
"' Thus, at the Ides of May : " Et apud " Congressio Hiherniam Natale Sancti Confessoris Dub- senodorum (sic) nepotum Neill Laginen- litrech. "—Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
ScoUish Saints," p. 13.
°5 Thus, Dr. O'Donovan most unaccount-
of the sixth century. ^9
he is aware.
'* It "is thus Latinized :
tiumquse in opido Temro, ubi fuerunt an- coritse et scribe multi, quibus dux erat Dublitter. "
ably mistakes, when he writes: " The fes- »5 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernioe," tival of St. Cainneach, of this place, is set xvi. Martii. Vila S. Abbaiii, n. 24, p. 623. down in ' Feilire-xEnguis,' and in O'Clery's 'Irish Calendar,' at 15th of May. " See " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (i), p, 361. He must have confounded St. Cainneach with another Saint, whose festi- '^ In tlie " Leabhar Breac " copy. He val is set down for this same day, in O'Clery's adds, in a scholium: . 1. Abb pnogLApTi "Irish Calendar," belonging to the Royal CAni'oij icAeb x\chA cIacIi, or Abbot of Irish Academy, as " Cainneoc, virgin,
'* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Mali XV. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 440.
'7 See p. 76.
Findglas Cainnig bcsilc Dublin.
'9 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves,
daughter of Bersu, of the [race] of Niall of the Nine Hostages. "
*
'* In the gloss to the copy of the "Felire, preserved in the " Leabliar-Breac," Find- " Also, Oublicn\ Ah&n ^rnnsglAj-i. glais is described as " i-taebh Atba Cliath, ' i. e. , "by the side of Dublin. " See Dr, O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters,"
pp. 128, 129.
°° By Dr. Mathew Ke'. ly, p. 24.
Entry as found in the copy of the " -M. 'irtyr- ology of Tallagh," cxiracled from the"Book of I.
einster," and now preserved among the MS. S. belonging to the Franciscan Library, Dublin,
". See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. , pp. 398, 399. The date of his death is said to be (/rr/^) A. D. 796.
'3 Thus : " Dublittir Finnglaissi. " See Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum llibernicarum Scriptores," torn, iv. , p. 118.
vol. i. , n. (i), p. 361.
'"
See his Life, elsewhere written, at the nth of October.
-^ Sec Drs. Todd and Reeves' edition of the " Martyrology of Donegal," at October 12th, when his feast occurs, pp. 272 to 273.
'' Ussher tells us, that he died A. n. 599, in the 72nd year of his age. See " Britan-
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LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 15.
fendist collection ,^^ and also in Manuscript Book of " Extracts," among the Records for Dublin County, at present kept in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy. '? On this day, likewise, the commentator on St. ^ngiis,'^ and also the Martyrology of Donegal,'9 register Dubhlitir, Abbot of Finnglais- Cainnigh, near Ath-cliatli. It must be regarded as the correct date for his death. The present saint's name occurs, at the 15th of May, in the published '° Martyrology of Tallagh. ^'' Tiie year when his demise took place is set down, in the Annals of the Four Masters," as 791. The Annals of Ulster write it, at A. D. ^3 795. His remains were deposited, probabl)', within the old church walls, or unfler some now unnoticed sod of the present cemetery, which rises high over the " bright stream," that rushes onward to join the classic Tolka River. The present holy man was also venerated in Scotland, at the 15th of
May, as we find from the entry in the Kalendar of Drummond. '* A con- siderable share of misunderstanding has prevailed—while even distinguished Irish historians and topographers appear to have fallen into errors ^5—in refer- ence to the special Patron Saint of Finglas. ^^ The original name of this village seems to have been derived from the small, rapid, and tortuous " bright stream," that runs through a sort of ravine, beside the present cemetery. Towards the close of the eightli, or in the beginning of the ninth century as we find in the "Feilireof ^ngusa"—this place had been denominated Finnghlais-Cainnigh, after some earlier patron, called Cainnigh or Canice. He is generally thought to have been the Patron Saint of Ossory,'7 as no other one, bearing such a name, can be found in connexion with this spot. Whether or not, a monastery had been founded by Cainneach, while under the tuition of Mobhi Clairenech, Abbot of Glasnevin, and who died in 544,*^ can scarcely be determined. It seems probable, at least, that a cell, or monastic institute, had been here erected by St. Canice, and before the close
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May 15. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
377
assumed Kenicus or Keny,3' whose feast it said to have been kept here, on the12thofOctober. 32 Wearetold,anoldbook,containingtheLifeofSt. Canice, had been preserved in this church. Such information Primate Ussher had received from Sir Christopher Plunkett. 33 When appointed Chancellor of St. Patrick's Cathedral, in the beginning of the seventeenth century, Ussher obtained tlie rectory of Finglas. There he preached every Sunday, and he lived in a hospitable style for some years. 34 We are told, again, that the name of St. Canice was to be found on some ancient communion service plate, sup- posed to be there preserved. 35 In the graveyard, an ancient stone cross, long buried in the earth, has been discovered, and set up on a pedestal. 3^ The parish of Finglas, situated partly in the barony of Nethercross, and partly in that of Coolock, county of Dublin, 37 adds to its antiquarian literary and his- toric interest 3^ various picturesque views. It likewise includes fertile and well cultivated fields, abounding in different vegetable and natural pro- ducts.
Article IV. St. Colman, or St. Columban, Mac Ua Laoighse, of OuGHAVAL, Queen's County. \_Sixth Century. '\ His relations with the great Abbot of lona, St. Columkille,' and with St. Fintan,^ Abbot of Clone- nagh,havegivenspecialcelebritytothepresentholyman. IntheMartyr- ology of Tallagh,3 the name of Colman Mac h Laighsi, is simply inserted, at the 15th of May, or at the Ides of this same month. 4 From the foregoing record, the Bollandists s have given insertion to his feast, at the same date, in their collection, calling him Colmanus, filius Hua-Laigsi, sen Mac-ua- Laigse. He belonged to the race of Laoighsigh Ceannmoir,^ son ofConall Cearnach,7 a celebrated Ultonian hero, living in the first century. His pedi- gree occurs, in the Genealogies of Irish Saints;^ and, it serves to show, how Colmanderivedthetribe-nameMacUaLoighse. 9 Accordingtothisautho- rity, he was son to Lugna, son of Eugene, son to Guaire, the son of Ere, son to Bracan, son of Lugad Eaighsech, son to Laigisius Cenn-mor, son
nicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. ,p. 495.
3° See " Monasticon Hibernicarum," p. 215.
3? See Lewis' " Topographical Dictionary ofIreland,"vol. i. , pp. 629,630.
38 ggg j^'/^iton's " History of the County of Dublin," pp. 369 to 383.
Article iv. —' See his Life, in the Sixth Volume of this Work, at the 9th day of June, Art. i.
3' It is said by Giraldus Cambrensis, that
"nobilis Abbas Chenachus," and other holy
men, had planted beeches, yew, and other
trees, for ornament around the church
cemetery of Finglas. See Opera, vol. v. ,
" Topographia Hibernica," Dist. ii. , cap.
liv. , p. 135. Edition by James F. Dimock, Saints," &c. , p. xxiv.
4 The Franciscan copy has Colin An rtlAc I1. tAigp.
s gee "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Mail xv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 441.
^ Lughaidh Laeihseach, who also had the title of Ceann-mor affixed to his name, ob- 3'» See Dr. Parr's " Life of Ussher," as tained, from the King of Leinster, a tract in also that by Dr. Elrington, prefixed to his this province. In that district he settled, and it received from his descendants the name of Laighis, also written Leix. —" ColmAH
M. A.
3^ I can find no saint of this name men-
tioned in our Calendars, at the above date. It is probable, Archdall meant the nth of October.
33 For this statement, Archdall quotes War. MSS. vol. 34.
Collected Edition of Ussher's complete M'orks, vol. i. , pp. 24, 25.
35 See yix. and Mrs. Hall's " Ireland : its Scenery, Character," vol. ii. , p. 343.
' The pedigree is thus traced :
iiiac Ua LAoijhfeo CuIaij mic ComgAilb a ii'Diuninmb C05A . 1. ipn nuAcon^bAib a
3^ See ibid. , p. 344. An engraving of,
with a curious story referring to, this ancient LA0151]' LAigeAn. X)o ^iiochc tAOigfij cross maybe found, in " The Dublin Penny CeAnn-moi]\ niic ConAibi CeA)\nAi5 •00. " Journal," vol. ii. , No. 63, pp. 84, 85. * At chapter xxiv.
^ See his Life, in the Second Volume of this Work, at the 17th of February, Art. i.
3 gee Rev. Dr. Kelly's " Calendar of Irish
378
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 15.
of Conall Kearnach, who belonged to the noble Roderician family. This pedigree is evidently defective, however, in several generations/" as nine degrees are quite insufficient to fill five centuries. His kinsman, Oennu Ua Laighse, who died about the same time," is thirteen generations removed fromConallCearnach. '^ BesidesthenameofColman,heisknownbythat of Columbanus—an exchange of names often occurring in the Lives of our Irish Saints, and applying to the same individual. '^ Thus, we find Colman- Eala '-^ called Colmanellus Colman,'5 or Columbanus;'^ again, the Colman Mor of Irish history, is also called Columbanus;'? while, the Colman of Bede is called Columbanus, in the Annals of Ulster, at a. d. 667, 675, and in those of Tighernach, at a. d. 676. '^ In the Life of St. Fintan, Abbot of Clonenagh, whose Acts have been already published, at the i7tli of February, we are told, that this religious youth, who is there called Columbanus, was a native ofLeix,intheLeinsterprovince. Forthesakeofmakingapilgrimage,andof engaging in prayer, this Columbanus directed his course to the island of lona, in order to visit St. Coluniba. Here, he remained for some time, and he lived with this latter holy Abbot. When Colman wished to return again to his own country, he asked Columba, how he should live there, not being able to con- fess his sins to the holy Abbot. St. Columba said, " Go to that pious man, whom I see standing among the Angels and before the tribunal of Christ, on each Sunday night. " The holy youth asked, who and what sort of man he was. St. Columbaanswered,"Tliereisacertainsaindyandhandsomeman, in your part of the country, whose complexion is florid, whose eyes are brio-htly sparkling, and whose white locks of hair are thinly scattered on his head. " Theyoung man then said, "Iknowof no man answering to this descrip- tion, in my country, except St. Fintan. "'9 Then St. Columba joyfully said to him : " He it is, my son, whom I see before the tribunal of Christ, as I have already told you. Go to him, for he is a good shepherd of Christ's flock, and he shall bring many souls with him to the kingdom of God. '' St. Colman or Columbanus—as he is here called—having received permission to revisit Ire- land, and having the benediction of St. Columba, afterwards set out for his own country. Coming to St. Fintan, Columban told him all that the saintly Abbot of lona had said. The holy old man, Fintan, hearing these words, blusheddeeply,sothathisfaceseemedasifonfire. Hetoldtheyoungman, to be careful and not to relate these circumstances to any other person, at least, during his own lifetime. This condition imposed a great restraint on Colman; for, St. Fintan, shortly after their interview, departed this life. ^° From the foregoing account, we may infer, that St. Colman, after his return from loiiii, was still a young man, who had probably learned the rudiments of monastic discipline, under that great master of a spiritual life, St. Colum- kille. The date regarding St. Fintan's death is questioned. Colgan says, he died
9 See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum IIil)ei-- 'S See title of cap. v. , lib. i. , in Adamnan's
niK," xvii. Februarii. Vita S. Fin-
" Life of St. Columba. "
'^ He is so called, in the text of the same
tani', n. 25, p.
