^ The
Martyrologists
of Donegal think,
Come, so
Scenery and
712 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
Come, so
Scenery and
712 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
^ It is probable, his place was near the village of Kinsaly,^ some three miles from Howth, in the
ASt. MoennaisveneratedinJesu-Mond,dioceseof
erected on its site. ^s
Ossory, on the 26th of February. '^ This concurrence would seem to make the present saint its patron.
Kinsaly Old Church, County of Dublin.
present county of Dublin. 4 This saint appears, from the epithet applied to him, to have laboured under the loss of sight. Becan, the Blind, of Ceann- saile, had a festival, celebrated on this day, as we read in the Martyrology of Donegal. 5 At the present time, the ruined church at Kinsaly is only a litde
nance Survey Townland Maps for the A. D. 1873, sect. 8. De Sanctis Parochia-
ofMeath,"Sheets ThetownlandproperisonSheets32,33,38.
44 See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol, i,,chap.
XXV. , p. 146.
rumPatronis, —28. p.
'
Article h. Edited by Rev. Dr.
See the Bollandists' Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Februarii xxvi. Among the pre- termitted saints, p, 625.
3 Here, according to Dr. Rutty, there is
County
32, 33, 38, 39.
'^
4^ See "Statuta Dioecesis Ossoriensis,"
Ibid. , p. 147.
Kelly, p. xvi.
2 *'
LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February26.
distance from the village, and to the south of a pure, limpid stream, that runs into a small bay, north of Baldoyle. ^ It exhibits ivy-covered walls, with a nave, about 34 feet in length, by 11 in width, and a double belfried gable. 7 There are some traces of a window, stopped up under the belfry. ^ In the sidewallsarerepresentedtwodoor-ways,onenearlyoppositetheother. 9 A pointed choir-arch remains, and beyond this was probably the chancel, now
destroyed to make room for a modern vault. '° The walls are about 3 feet in thickness. An ancient graveyard surrounds the ruins, and it is yet much used for interments. Some large trees grow around the church. Its early patronwasprobablySt. Beccan. " Ifdeprivedofcorporalvision,aswould seem to have been the case, we can hardly doubt, this pious servant of God had his mind enlightened with the knowledge, which removes darkness, and which conducts to the light of eternal glory.
ArticleIII. —FestivalofAlexanderandofTarcellorus. The '•'Feilire" of St. ^ngus, at the 26th of February, enters the feast of two foreign saints. The former of these was the renowned Patriarch of Alex-
A. 1111. kl. CojAi^Mii ^vIaxaitoim,
1 •po]^|'A'0 •pAncco|\um ; po|\ oen licli Laii ceni,
who lived in the third and fourth centuries. =" This con- holy bishop
andria,'
tended against the heraisiarch, Arius, and excommunicated him. He also assisted, at the great Nicene Council, held a. d. 325. We can find no notice whatev—er of Tarcellorus, at this date. The stanza of St.
reads
:
Semi UA^AceliopuiTi.
Thus translated into English, by Professor O'Looney : —
See "An Essay towards a Natural History of the County of
Dublin," vol. ii. Minerals, p. loi.
» It is in the barony of Coolock, and it is
'"Within it, as a mural slab states, are deposited the remains of Austin Cooper, Esq. , R. S. A. and M. R. I. A. , a learned Irish Antiquary, as also a great lover of Art and
a bed of excellent marble.
*'
Into the seat [abode] of the saints ;
The calling of Alexander,
On the same festival, a full fire. The birth of Tarcellorus. "
shown on the "Ordnance Survey Town- Literature. He died August 30th, A. D.
land Maps for the County of Dublin," Sheets ii, 12, 15. The townland proper is on Sheets 12, 15.
s Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
58, 59.
''See John D'Alton's "History of the
County of Dublin," p. 219.
^ The accompanying illustration is after a
drawing, made on the spot, in April, 1S77,
by Rev. John Francis Shearman, C. C. ,
Huwth, and transferred to the wood and yEgypto. His Acts are there found in three
engraved by Gregor Grey, ol Dublin.
^ A considerable portion of the nave is
enclosed by iron railing, to distinguish the interment plots of various families.
' A curious and small loop-hole window remains in the south side-wall, as shown in the engraving, and it is an interesting feature of the old building.
sections, compiled liy Godefrid Henbcheim. See pp. 634 to 639.
'-^
Besides his festival being entered in the Roman and several ancient Martyrologies, Marianus O'Gorman has recorded him, at this date, adding also Nestor, Bishop of
Magydensis, and Martyr of Perga, in I'am- phylia, and Salomon. See ibui. Among
1^30, aged 72 years.
" According to Mr. D' Alton's **
History of the County of Dublin, "at an early period, too, a church was built here and dedicated
to St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. See pp. 220,221. —
Article hi. 'The Bollandists have
given his Acts, in their great work, "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii , Februarius xxvi.
De S. Alexandro, Episcopo Alexantlrino in
February 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 711
Article IV. —St. Talmach, Monk, supposed to ee of Lough Irce, County of Cork, and of Armoric Britain. [Sixih Century. ] There are uncertainties to be cleared up, regarding this holy ascetic's true history, which may be understood, from reading the account of him, as giv|en by Colgan, at this day. '' Talmacus is entered in the Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman, nt the present date, as also in that of Cathal Maguire. The BoUandists have short notices, in reference to him. '' This day, the Martyrology of Donegal^ registers a St. Talmach, among our Irish saints. Bucelin follows Colgan's account of this holy monk, whom he has inserted in his Benedictine Martyr- ology. A conjecture has been hazarded, that like St. Enna or Moen, like- wise venerated on this day, St. Talmach or Talmachus was his contemporary and a fellow-disciple with St. Brendan. ^ It has been asserted, that he followed the latter, as his intimate, and servant,5 before the year 550, when hejourneyedtoArmoricBritain. Thereheprovedapiousandanobedient monk. It is related, that one winter, while snow covered the earth, St. Brendan and his companions were patiently waiting outside the bolted doors
"
of a certain monastery. The door-keeper from within cried out,
that your merits may open the gate for you. " None of the snow fell on the holy abbot or on his companions. Then St. Brendan said to his disciple
" Go, and in Christ's name, open the door for us. " Immediately Talmach extended his hand; the bolts were withdrawn, and the party obtained shelter. ^ Another anecdote is related of his obedience, in removing a certain wild animal, which destroyed men and other animals, in the place whereSt. Gildaslived. ThisTalmachdid,atthespecialrequestofSt. Brendan. The wild animal and her cubs followed the holy men, as if those had been domesticated, and thenceforward they did no further injury. 7 A question may be raised, as to whether the present holy monk returned to Ireland, or not f or, if he be the hermit, who appears to have selected for his instruction the celebrated monastic establishment, founded by St. Barry,9 in a—wild region of southern Ireland. In after — a named Talmach the exact
Talmach
:
time, disciple
site of whose church is not known placed it under the guardianship
of his the Life of St. Barre states, ''^ that Talmach gave his church to God and to Barre ; for, he was at Barre's school, at Loch Irce. Yet, he may have been altogether a different Talmach from the disciple, who was with St. Brendan, in Armoric Britain. That Lough Irce, to which allusion is here made, was the now celebrated Gougane Barra, in the western part of the county of Cork, in the opinion of some writers, although others state,thisLake-eircwasinthehollowpartofthepresentcityofCork. " A charming illustration on steel of the island hermitage, the lake and wild
*'
mountain steeps around Gougane Barra, will be found in the
Antiquities of Ireland," by W. H. Bartlett. " The lake itself is in a deep
renowned Master.
Thus,
the pretermitted saints, p. 625. The Bol- landists remark, that elsewhere, they find
s According to the Irish Life of St. Bren-
SeeRt. Rev. PatrickF. Moran's Acta in their copy of Marianus O'Gorman, they Sancti Brendani. " Vita &c. , cap. xv.
no mention of Salomon, on this day
but,
meet his name enclosed within a circle, for what reason, they do not know.
macho Monacho, pp. 414, 415.
5 See his Life, at the 25th of September.
^° This refers to the Life of St. Chap. x.
Barr or Finbarr of Cork,
"
See Plarris' Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops of Cork," p. 556. Also, Rev. Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. ,
chap. . \iv,, sect, iv. , and n. 59>pp. 3M» S^^*
=^
See the BoUandists' "Acta Sancto-
rum," tomus iii. , Februarii xxvi. Among
the pretermitted saints, p. 625.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
58, 59.
^ See his Life, at the i6th of May.
;
Articlp: IV. —' See "Acta Sanctorum
Ilibevnice," xxvi. Februarii. De B. Tal- this saint is that same Talmach.
dan, chap. Iv. ^"
p. 13.
7 See ibid. , cap. xvi. , p. 15.
^ The Martyrologists of Donegal think,
Come, so
Scenery and
712 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 26.
mountain recess, enclosed on every side, except at the east, with steep and rocky crags, down which in their crevasses pour several mountain streams into the placid waters beneath. It has been suggested, by way of a con- jecture, that the monk or disciple of St. Barry is the Talniach, who, on the
"
14th of March, has a festival.
I see of the name, but the. :e only," is the
concluding remark of the writer, ^3 alluding to the fact, that two Talmachs, solely, and having two distinct festivals, are to be found in our Irish Calen- dars.
Article V. —St. ^. dhlug, or Aidlugus, Abbot of Clonmacnois, King's County. \Seventh Century. '] Some brief notices of St. ^dhlug are inserted by Colgan,^ for the 26th of February, and the BoUandists'' com- memorate him, at the same date. This holy abbot is called in Irish, Oedh- lugh, or Aedhlug, and, in Latin, Aidlogus or ^dlugus. It is probable, this saint was born in the sixth century. His father's name was Coman. 3 Having chosen for his inheritance the monastic profession, y^dlug became a cenobite, in the great Monastery of Clonmacnois. A line of gravel hills, forming the Aisgir Reada, comes from the east, and it cuts the line of the Shannon, at right angles, causing the great river to form a reach or bend ; while the hills, breaking their direct line, as they approach the stream, below Athlone, form an amphitheatre. On the southern curve of this bank were erected the Seven
Churches, at Clonmacnoise,^ as that remarkable group of ruins has been
very generally designated. There ^dlug was distinguished, for all the virtues and perfections of his state. After the death of St. Cronan Mac Ui
Loeghdea, who ruled over this establishment, until the year 637,5 our saint was appointed to succeed. Having faithfully discharged the duties of his trust, this holy abbot depvirted life, on the 26th of February. ^ On this day, in the Martyrologies of Tallagh,7 of Marianus O'Gorman,^ and of Donegal,^ is recorded, Aedlugh, or ^dlog. The latter record tells us, he was the son ofCamman,andanabbot,atCluain-mic-Nois,wherehisfeastwaskept. In the table, postfixed to this Martyrology, it is suggested, in a note, that he may be the Atalongus, mentioned in the Life of St. Gertrude. '° The year of his decease is set down in the Ulster Annals," and it is generally allowed to have been 651. " According to Ussher, however, St. u^dhlug died a. d.
thus record his death at A. D. 651. St.
son of Abbotof — ^dhlug, Cummain, Cluain-
mic-Nois [died] on the 26th of February. " Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. , pp. 264, 265.
7 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xvi.
""
See vol. ii. , p. 51.
See
Rev. Drs. Todd's and Reeves' "
*3
edition of the Martyrology of Donegal,"
PP- 58, 59' —
Article v. See Acta Sanctorum
^ **
Iliberniae," xxvi. Februarii. De S. Aedh-
lugo Abbate de Cluainmicnois, p. 417.
As stated by the BoUandists, Marianus
"" See the BoUandists'
tomus iii. , Februarii xxvi.
Acta Sanctorum," Among the pre-
"
xxvi. Februarii. De S- i^dliliigo Abbate
de Cluainmicnois, nn. 2, 3, p. 417.
9 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
56, 57. *°
See ibid,, pp. 358, 359.
*' See Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hiberni-
carum Scriptores," tomus iv. Annales Ul-
termitted saints, p. 625,
3 Marianus O'Gorman and his Scholiast
have this statement.
* See Rev. Csesar Otway's "Tour in Con-
naught," chap, iii. , p. 71.
The fourteenth
of Domhnall. St. Cronan Mac Ui Loegde, Abbot of Cluain-mic-Nois, died on the l8th
of
July. "
" See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
5 of Christ ''Age
637.
year
—Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of
tonienses, A. D. DOLL, p. 50.
the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 254, 255.
The Annals of Ulster agree with tfiis ac-
count, as to the year. See Dr. O'Conor's
nice,"i. Martii,p. 437,n. 4. Atxxvi. Feb- ruarii, p. 417, it is stated, that our saint died in 551 or 552, and this is again re-
peated, in note 4 ; but, it is quite evident,
these are typographical errors. Yet, relying on such false dates, Archdall tells us, that
"
Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus
iv. Annales Ultonienses, p. 47.
*The "Annals of the Four Masters"
*
makeshimAbbotofCluan-micnoseu. See,
also, Colgan's
Acta Sanctorum Hibernise,"
February 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 713
652. ^3 Among the highly interesting monuments, described and so beauti- fully delineated, on stone, by Miss Stokes, there is a fragmentary inscribed cross, with the letters Aed, in the Irish character, and distinctly legible. '* ThiswasfoundatClonmacnois;'5 but,althoughofgreatantiquity,itcannot be proved to record the present abbot's memory.
Article VI. —Reputed Festival of a St. Mathilde, Mathilda, or
Mechtildis, a Scottish Virgin. ^Thirteenth Century. '] Very unsatisfac-
tory are the ensuing notices, we have drawn together, regarding a holy
female, to whose birth Ireland may possibly lay a claim. Dempster' states,
that at the town, Lapiona,^ or Lapion,3 on the 26th of February, was held
the feast of St. Mechtildis, a virgin, and the daughter of a Scottish King, who,
withherbrother,Alexander,-^ despisingthedelightsofthisworld,retiredinto
a wildernesSjS in Gaul. In life and after her death, she was renowned for
miracles. It is said, she addressed a Book to Alexander, and it was designated,
"AdFratremdeMundiContemptu. " Molanus,^JohnofTrittenhem,7and
AntoniusDauroultius,^ have treated concerning this holy virgin, who flourished,
it is stated, about the year 1238. 9 At the present date, the Bollandists
furnish notices of no less than three holy women, named Mathilda or Mech-
thildis. ^° One was a nun of Elpediana, in Saxony ;" one was an Andecensian
virgin,andanabbess,atDiessen;'^ whiletheotherwasanincliisa,atSpan-
heim,'3 where she died, in the odour of sanctity,'* a. d. 1154. A concert of
angels, at this time, was heard. '^ Various visions proclaimed her exalted
favours, and St. Hildegarde, then living, furnished testimony regarding her holiness. ^^ The St. Matilda or Mechtildis, about whom we are treating, at
an Abbot, Oedhlui^h, died at Clonmacnois,
"
Dempster adds,
^ " Catechismus
nisi ea sit alia. "
" Tit. xxiv. ,
on the 26th of
February 551.
—See " Mon-
Historialis,
asticon Hibernicum," p. 380.
'3 See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum An- 9 See Dempster's Historia Ecclesiastica
sect, v. , cap. Iix. ""
tiquitates," cap. xvii,, p. 502, and "Index Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xii. , num.
Chronologicus," at a. d, dclii. , p. 538.
^'' See tiiat accomplished lady's invaluable artistic and archaeological work, "Christian
Inscriptions in the Irish Language," vol. i. ,
a rubbing taken of the stone, by Rev. James Graves and by W. M. Hennessy, in the
year 1869. —
Article vi. See "Menologium See-
841, p. 449.
^° See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
Februarii xxvi. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 626.
" She is at this in " Kalen- noticed, day,
darium Marianum," of Balinghem, and by
Bucelin. Accordingtosome,herfeastbe-
and
xxix.
*5 It has been drawn by Miss Stokes, from
p. 37,
plate
Fig. 74.
==
According to Matthew Rader, in Ba- varia Sancta. " her feast is on this day.
Others state, she died, on the 31st of May, ^3 Ferrarius seems to confound the present Mechtildis with the Abbess of Diessen, in Bavaria, saying, that she was born in the Baudrand's edition of Ferrarius' "Novum latter place, although she lived at Span-
ticum. " —
^
divided into Swe—- dish, Norwegian and Muscovite lapland
Lappa or Lapponia
is a country of Northern Europe. See
Lexicon Geographicum," tomus i. , p. 407. Yet, the place named represents some town, probably in a more southern part of Europe.
3 In his history, Dempster says, it was near a Cistercian Monastery. See " His- toria Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xii. , num. 841, p. 449.
heim.
''' At this date, Arnold Wion, Hugh
Menard, Gabriel Bucelin and Eugene Dor- gain have her noted as a saint.
*5 Thus Trithemius writes, in his Chro- nicle of Spanheim, and in that of Hirsau- gien. Yet, from his narrative, it does not appear, any public veneration was accorded to her by the church.
4
See notices of him, at the 14th of Ja-
and at the 6th of
nuary, August.
** Her
Eberhard and
•'
5 For this, Thomas de
Cantiprato,
in are
parents,
said, by Trithemius,
Hiltrude, to have lived in the
village of Sponheim, under the castle, and Saints," p. 193. Stephen, Count of Sponheim, for many
See
Bishop Forbes' Kalendars of Scottish her father bravely served in war under
Apiario," lib. ii. , cap. x. , is quoted. "
*
7 In Chronico Hirsaugce, A. D. MCLIV.
In his additions to Usuard.
years.
longs to the 19th of November. ""
714 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February26.
this date, seems rather to have been that holy virgin, Mathilde, respecting whom notices will be found, at the ist of January ; unless, indeed, there be a confusion of names, places, and statements, regarding different holy women, bearing a similar name, and this appears to be no unlikely version of the case.
626.
ASt. MoennaisveneratedinJesu-Mond,dioceseof
erected on its site. ^s
Ossory, on the 26th of February. '^ This concurrence would seem to make the present saint its patron.
Kinsaly Old Church, County of Dublin.
present county of Dublin. 4 This saint appears, from the epithet applied to him, to have laboured under the loss of sight. Becan, the Blind, of Ceann- saile, had a festival, celebrated on this day, as we read in the Martyrology of Donegal. 5 At the present time, the ruined church at Kinsaly is only a litde
nance Survey Townland Maps for the A. D. 1873, sect. 8. De Sanctis Parochia-
ofMeath,"Sheets ThetownlandproperisonSheets32,33,38.
44 See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol, i,,chap.
XXV. , p. 146.
rumPatronis, —28. p.
'
Article h. Edited by Rev. Dr.
See the Bollandists' Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Februarii xxvi. Among the pre- termitted saints, p, 625.
3 Here, according to Dr. Rutty, there is
County
32, 33, 38, 39.
'^
4^ See "Statuta Dioecesis Ossoriensis,"
Ibid. , p. 147.
Kelly, p. xvi.
2 *'
LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February26.
distance from the village, and to the south of a pure, limpid stream, that runs into a small bay, north of Baldoyle. ^ It exhibits ivy-covered walls, with a nave, about 34 feet in length, by 11 in width, and a double belfried gable. 7 There are some traces of a window, stopped up under the belfry. ^ In the sidewallsarerepresentedtwodoor-ways,onenearlyoppositetheother. 9 A pointed choir-arch remains, and beyond this was probably the chancel, now
destroyed to make room for a modern vault. '° The walls are about 3 feet in thickness. An ancient graveyard surrounds the ruins, and it is yet much used for interments. Some large trees grow around the church. Its early patronwasprobablySt. Beccan. " Ifdeprivedofcorporalvision,aswould seem to have been the case, we can hardly doubt, this pious servant of God had his mind enlightened with the knowledge, which removes darkness, and which conducts to the light of eternal glory.
ArticleIII. —FestivalofAlexanderandofTarcellorus. The '•'Feilire" of St. ^ngus, at the 26th of February, enters the feast of two foreign saints. The former of these was the renowned Patriarch of Alex-
A. 1111. kl. CojAi^Mii ^vIaxaitoim,
1 •po]^|'A'0 •pAncco|\um ; po|\ oen licli Laii ceni,
who lived in the third and fourth centuries. =" This con- holy bishop
andria,'
tended against the heraisiarch, Arius, and excommunicated him. He also assisted, at the great Nicene Council, held a. d. 325. We can find no notice whatev—er of Tarcellorus, at this date. The stanza of St.
reads
:
Semi UA^AceliopuiTi.
Thus translated into English, by Professor O'Looney : —
See "An Essay towards a Natural History of the County of
Dublin," vol. ii. Minerals, p. loi.
» It is in the barony of Coolock, and it is
'"Within it, as a mural slab states, are deposited the remains of Austin Cooper, Esq. , R. S. A. and M. R. I. A. , a learned Irish Antiquary, as also a great lover of Art and
a bed of excellent marble.
*'
Into the seat [abode] of the saints ;
The calling of Alexander,
On the same festival, a full fire. The birth of Tarcellorus. "
shown on the "Ordnance Survey Town- Literature. He died August 30th, A. D.
land Maps for the County of Dublin," Sheets ii, 12, 15. The townland proper is on Sheets 12, 15.
s Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
58, 59.
''See John D'Alton's "History of the
County of Dublin," p. 219.
^ The accompanying illustration is after a
drawing, made on the spot, in April, 1S77,
by Rev. John Francis Shearman, C. C. ,
Huwth, and transferred to the wood and yEgypto. His Acts are there found in three
engraved by Gregor Grey, ol Dublin.
^ A considerable portion of the nave is
enclosed by iron railing, to distinguish the interment plots of various families.
' A curious and small loop-hole window remains in the south side-wall, as shown in the engraving, and it is an interesting feature of the old building.
sections, compiled liy Godefrid Henbcheim. See pp. 634 to 639.
'-^
Besides his festival being entered in the Roman and several ancient Martyrologies, Marianus O'Gorman has recorded him, at this date, adding also Nestor, Bishop of
Magydensis, and Martyr of Perga, in I'am- phylia, and Salomon. See ibui. Among
1^30, aged 72 years.
" According to Mr. D' Alton's **
History of the County of Dublin, "at an early period, too, a church was built here and dedicated
to St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. See pp. 220,221. —
Article hi. 'The Bollandists have
given his Acts, in their great work, "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii , Februarius xxvi.
De S. Alexandro, Episcopo Alexantlrino in
February 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 711
Article IV. —St. Talmach, Monk, supposed to ee of Lough Irce, County of Cork, and of Armoric Britain. [Sixih Century. ] There are uncertainties to be cleared up, regarding this holy ascetic's true history, which may be understood, from reading the account of him, as giv|en by Colgan, at this day. '' Talmacus is entered in the Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman, nt the present date, as also in that of Cathal Maguire. The BoUandists have short notices, in reference to him. '' This day, the Martyrology of Donegal^ registers a St. Talmach, among our Irish saints. Bucelin follows Colgan's account of this holy monk, whom he has inserted in his Benedictine Martyr- ology. A conjecture has been hazarded, that like St. Enna or Moen, like- wise venerated on this day, St. Talmach or Talmachus was his contemporary and a fellow-disciple with St. Brendan. ^ It has been asserted, that he followed the latter, as his intimate, and servant,5 before the year 550, when hejourneyedtoArmoricBritain. Thereheprovedapiousandanobedient monk. It is related, that one winter, while snow covered the earth, St. Brendan and his companions were patiently waiting outside the bolted doors
"
of a certain monastery. The door-keeper from within cried out,
that your merits may open the gate for you. " None of the snow fell on the holy abbot or on his companions. Then St. Brendan said to his disciple
" Go, and in Christ's name, open the door for us. " Immediately Talmach extended his hand; the bolts were withdrawn, and the party obtained shelter. ^ Another anecdote is related of his obedience, in removing a certain wild animal, which destroyed men and other animals, in the place whereSt. Gildaslived. ThisTalmachdid,atthespecialrequestofSt. Brendan. The wild animal and her cubs followed the holy men, as if those had been domesticated, and thenceforward they did no further injury. 7 A question may be raised, as to whether the present holy monk returned to Ireland, or not f or, if he be the hermit, who appears to have selected for his instruction the celebrated monastic establishment, founded by St. Barry,9 in a—wild region of southern Ireland. In after — a named Talmach the exact
Talmach
:
time, disciple
site of whose church is not known placed it under the guardianship
of his the Life of St. Barre states, ''^ that Talmach gave his church to God and to Barre ; for, he was at Barre's school, at Loch Irce. Yet, he may have been altogether a different Talmach from the disciple, who was with St. Brendan, in Armoric Britain. That Lough Irce, to which allusion is here made, was the now celebrated Gougane Barra, in the western part of the county of Cork, in the opinion of some writers, although others state,thisLake-eircwasinthehollowpartofthepresentcityofCork. " A charming illustration on steel of the island hermitage, the lake and wild
*'
mountain steeps around Gougane Barra, will be found in the
Antiquities of Ireland," by W. H. Bartlett. " The lake itself is in a deep
renowned Master.
Thus,
the pretermitted saints, p. 625. The Bol- landists remark, that elsewhere, they find
s According to the Irish Life of St. Bren-
SeeRt. Rev. PatrickF. Moran's Acta in their copy of Marianus O'Gorman, they Sancti Brendani. " Vita &c. , cap. xv.
no mention of Salomon, on this day
but,
meet his name enclosed within a circle, for what reason, they do not know.
macho Monacho, pp. 414, 415.
5 See his Life, at the 25th of September.
^° This refers to the Life of St. Chap. x.
Barr or Finbarr of Cork,
"
See Plarris' Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops of Cork," p. 556. Also, Rev. Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. ,
chap. . \iv,, sect, iv. , and n. 59>pp. 3M» S^^*
=^
See the BoUandists' "Acta Sancto-
rum," tomus iii. , Februarii xxvi. Among
the pretermitted saints, p. 625.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
58, 59.
^ See his Life, at the i6th of May.
;
Articlp: IV. —' See "Acta Sanctorum
Ilibevnice," xxvi. Februarii. De B. Tal- this saint is that same Talmach.
dan, chap. Iv. ^"
p. 13.
7 See ibid. , cap. xvi. , p. 15.
^ The Martyrologists of Donegal think,
Come, so
Scenery and
712 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 26.
mountain recess, enclosed on every side, except at the east, with steep and rocky crags, down which in their crevasses pour several mountain streams into the placid waters beneath. It has been suggested, by way of a con- jecture, that the monk or disciple of St. Barry is the Talniach, who, on the
"
14th of March, has a festival.
I see of the name, but the. :e only," is the
concluding remark of the writer, ^3 alluding to the fact, that two Talmachs, solely, and having two distinct festivals, are to be found in our Irish Calen- dars.
Article V. —St. ^. dhlug, or Aidlugus, Abbot of Clonmacnois, King's County. \Seventh Century. '] Some brief notices of St. ^dhlug are inserted by Colgan,^ for the 26th of February, and the BoUandists'' com- memorate him, at the same date. This holy abbot is called in Irish, Oedh- lugh, or Aedhlug, and, in Latin, Aidlogus or ^dlugus. It is probable, this saint was born in the sixth century. His father's name was Coman. 3 Having chosen for his inheritance the monastic profession, y^dlug became a cenobite, in the great Monastery of Clonmacnois. A line of gravel hills, forming the Aisgir Reada, comes from the east, and it cuts the line of the Shannon, at right angles, causing the great river to form a reach or bend ; while the hills, breaking their direct line, as they approach the stream, below Athlone, form an amphitheatre. On the southern curve of this bank were erected the Seven
Churches, at Clonmacnoise,^ as that remarkable group of ruins has been
very generally designated. There ^dlug was distinguished, for all the virtues and perfections of his state. After the death of St. Cronan Mac Ui
Loeghdea, who ruled over this establishment, until the year 637,5 our saint was appointed to succeed. Having faithfully discharged the duties of his trust, this holy abbot depvirted life, on the 26th of February. ^ On this day, in the Martyrologies of Tallagh,7 of Marianus O'Gorman,^ and of Donegal,^ is recorded, Aedlugh, or ^dlog. The latter record tells us, he was the son ofCamman,andanabbot,atCluain-mic-Nois,wherehisfeastwaskept. In the table, postfixed to this Martyrology, it is suggested, in a note, that he may be the Atalongus, mentioned in the Life of St. Gertrude. '° The year of his decease is set down in the Ulster Annals," and it is generally allowed to have been 651. " According to Ussher, however, St. u^dhlug died a. d.
thus record his death at A. D. 651. St.
son of Abbotof — ^dhlug, Cummain, Cluain-
mic-Nois [died] on the 26th of February. " Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. , pp. 264, 265.
7 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xvi.
""
See vol. ii. , p. 51.
See
Rev. Drs. Todd's and Reeves' "
*3
edition of the Martyrology of Donegal,"
PP- 58, 59' —
Article v. See Acta Sanctorum
^ **
Iliberniae," xxvi. Februarii. De S. Aedh-
lugo Abbate de Cluainmicnois, p. 417.
As stated by the BoUandists, Marianus
"" See the BoUandists'
tomus iii. , Februarii xxvi.
Acta Sanctorum," Among the pre-
"
xxvi. Februarii. De S- i^dliliigo Abbate
de Cluainmicnois, nn. 2, 3, p. 417.
9 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
56, 57. *°
See ibid,, pp. 358, 359.
*' See Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hiberni-
carum Scriptores," tomus iv. Annales Ul-
termitted saints, p. 625,
3 Marianus O'Gorman and his Scholiast
have this statement.
* See Rev. Csesar Otway's "Tour in Con-
naught," chap, iii. , p. 71.
The fourteenth
of Domhnall. St. Cronan Mac Ui Loegde, Abbot of Cluain-mic-Nois, died on the l8th
of
July. "
" See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
5 of Christ ''Age
637.
year
—Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of
tonienses, A. D. DOLL, p. 50.
the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 254, 255.
The Annals of Ulster agree with tfiis ac-
count, as to the year. See Dr. O'Conor's
nice,"i. Martii,p. 437,n. 4. Atxxvi. Feb- ruarii, p. 417, it is stated, that our saint died in 551 or 552, and this is again re-
peated, in note 4 ; but, it is quite evident,
these are typographical errors. Yet, relying on such false dates, Archdall tells us, that
"
Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus
iv. Annales Ultonienses, p. 47.
*The "Annals of the Four Masters"
*
makeshimAbbotofCluan-micnoseu. See,
also, Colgan's
Acta Sanctorum Hibernise,"
February 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 713
652. ^3 Among the highly interesting monuments, described and so beauti- fully delineated, on stone, by Miss Stokes, there is a fragmentary inscribed cross, with the letters Aed, in the Irish character, and distinctly legible. '* ThiswasfoundatClonmacnois;'5 but,althoughofgreatantiquity,itcannot be proved to record the present abbot's memory.
Article VI. —Reputed Festival of a St. Mathilde, Mathilda, or
Mechtildis, a Scottish Virgin. ^Thirteenth Century. '] Very unsatisfac-
tory are the ensuing notices, we have drawn together, regarding a holy
female, to whose birth Ireland may possibly lay a claim. Dempster' states,
that at the town, Lapiona,^ or Lapion,3 on the 26th of February, was held
the feast of St. Mechtildis, a virgin, and the daughter of a Scottish King, who,
withherbrother,Alexander,-^ despisingthedelightsofthisworld,retiredinto
a wildernesSjS in Gaul. In life and after her death, she was renowned for
miracles. It is said, she addressed a Book to Alexander, and it was designated,
"AdFratremdeMundiContemptu. " Molanus,^JohnofTrittenhem,7and
AntoniusDauroultius,^ have treated concerning this holy virgin, who flourished,
it is stated, about the year 1238. 9 At the present date, the Bollandists
furnish notices of no less than three holy women, named Mathilda or Mech-
thildis. ^° One was a nun of Elpediana, in Saxony ;" one was an Andecensian
virgin,andanabbess,atDiessen;'^ whiletheotherwasanincliisa,atSpan-
heim,'3 where she died, in the odour of sanctity,'* a. d. 1154. A concert of
angels, at this time, was heard. '^ Various visions proclaimed her exalted
favours, and St. Hildegarde, then living, furnished testimony regarding her holiness. ^^ The St. Matilda or Mechtildis, about whom we are treating, at
an Abbot, Oedhlui^h, died at Clonmacnois,
"
Dempster adds,
^ " Catechismus
nisi ea sit alia. "
" Tit. xxiv. ,
on the 26th of
February 551.
—See " Mon-
Historialis,
asticon Hibernicum," p. 380.
'3 See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum An- 9 See Dempster's Historia Ecclesiastica
sect, v. , cap. Iix. ""
tiquitates," cap. xvii,, p. 502, and "Index Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xii. , num.
Chronologicus," at a. d, dclii. , p. 538.
^'' See tiiat accomplished lady's invaluable artistic and archaeological work, "Christian
Inscriptions in the Irish Language," vol. i. ,
a rubbing taken of the stone, by Rev. James Graves and by W. M. Hennessy, in the
year 1869. —
Article vi. See "Menologium See-
841, p. 449.
^° See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
Februarii xxvi. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 626.
" She is at this in " Kalen- noticed, day,
darium Marianum," of Balinghem, and by
Bucelin. Accordingtosome,herfeastbe-
and
xxix.
*5 It has been drawn by Miss Stokes, from
p. 37,
plate
Fig. 74.
==
According to Matthew Rader, in Ba- varia Sancta. " her feast is on this day.
Others state, she died, on the 31st of May, ^3 Ferrarius seems to confound the present Mechtildis with the Abbess of Diessen, in Bavaria, saying, that she was born in the Baudrand's edition of Ferrarius' "Novum latter place, although she lived at Span-
ticum. " —
^
divided into Swe—- dish, Norwegian and Muscovite lapland
Lappa or Lapponia
is a country of Northern Europe. See
Lexicon Geographicum," tomus i. , p. 407. Yet, the place named represents some town, probably in a more southern part of Europe.
3 In his history, Dempster says, it was near a Cistercian Monastery. See " His- toria Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xii. , num. 841, p. 449.
heim.
''' At this date, Arnold Wion, Hugh
Menard, Gabriel Bucelin and Eugene Dor- gain have her noted as a saint.
*5 Thus Trithemius writes, in his Chro- nicle of Spanheim, and in that of Hirsau- gien. Yet, from his narrative, it does not appear, any public veneration was accorded to her by the church.
4
See notices of him, at the 14th of Ja-
and at the 6th of
nuary, August.
** Her
Eberhard and
•'
5 For this, Thomas de
Cantiprato,
in are
parents,
said, by Trithemius,
Hiltrude, to have lived in the
village of Sponheim, under the castle, and Saints," p. 193. Stephen, Count of Sponheim, for many
See
Bishop Forbes' Kalendars of Scottish her father bravely served in war under
Apiario," lib. ii. , cap. x. , is quoted. "
*
7 In Chronico Hirsaugce, A. D. MCLIV.
In his additions to Usuard.
years.
longs to the 19th of November. ""
714 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February26.
this date, seems rather to have been that holy virgin, Mathilde, respecting whom notices will be found, at the ist of January ; unless, indeed, there be a confusion of names, places, and statements, regarding different holy women, bearing a similar name, and this appears to be no unlikely version of the case.
626.
