ever, that the 13th of February is a mistake, fallen into by writers, for the 15th of this
month—said
to have been the date for his death.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
ii.
, p.
627.
^^SeeRev. AlbanButler's"Livesofthe Fathers, Martyrs, and other Principal Saints," vol. ii. , February xiii.
^^ See ibid.
^^ There is a Toberaghny, near Carric—k-
on-Suir, in Ivaerk. Ciob^AiT) 'pAchcriA. MS. note of William M. Hennessy.
'5 See notices at the in
day question.
^°
This conclusion is arrived at, because
Topographical Dictionary
our saint was renowned for his miraculous
powers, in the time of St. David, Bishop of
Menevia, who died it is supposed about the
year 544, and because Murchertach, King of Ireland, was his uncle, who flourished A. D.
500, and died A. D. 527, according to the Annals of the Four Masters, or in A. D. 533, according to Ussher. See Ussher's " Bri- tannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates. " In- dex Chronologicus, p. 530, and O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp.
174 to 177, and notes (i, j, k), ibid. The
year of Murchertach's death, as given by the Annals of Ulster, and those of Clonmac-
b. i. ix) Vi-I
" In Modomnoc's little
Westward over the bright sea ; Wasbroughtwithgreatrenown, The auspicious seed of the bees
of Erin. "
: ^"^Thereisfoundwritten "S. Dominicus,
de Tobar-Fachtna inter Ossorios & Desios, ad ripam Siuri fluvii : ipse est qui apes primo tulit in Hiberniam. Hie autem est dies obitus ejus, aut dies quo cum apibus
appulit. "
=^3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xv. He
is there " Modimoc o Facht- styled Tiprat
na. "
'^ In the text of Marianus, he is called
Domangen ; but, in an interlineal gloss, it is remarked, he was Modomnoc, of Tiprat Fachtna, in the western district of Ossory.
=^5 At this day, he observes, it was the natal feast of St. Modomnoc, of Tiprat Fachtna, in Ossory.
=^ On this day was venerated, according to the " Martyrology of Donegal," Modhom- hnog, of Triprat Fachtna, in the (south) westofOsraighe. Hesprungfromtherace of Eoghan, son of Niall. See Drs. Todd's and Reeves' edition, pp. 48, 49.
"7 See p. 44.
Cu^cliAti lllo-ooTrinoc,
-AriAi^ 'OA]\ inui|v n-5te"oeiTo ; "Oo byvecli b]\i5Ach n-UAiAn-o, Sil m-buA'OAch beAC n-eTAenx).
5i6 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February13.
of Dnimmond. This is also stated to be the date for his departure to Christ. =^ There can be no doubt, but this holy man was one who possessed, in an eminent degree, all the higher attributes of human excellence, purified, sanctified, and elevated by supernatural virtue.
Article II. —Festival of a Reputed St. Domhangin. As we have already seen, the commentator on the text of Marianus O'Gorman makes Domangen the same as Modomnoc of Tiprat Fachtna ; it is probable, we are not to consider the present Domhangin, as a different person. Yet, there is a distinct entry of both names, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. Perhaps, however, this is the result of interpolation, in the latter Calendar. The name, Domhangin, simply appears in tlie Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 13th of February; but, in other Calendars, it does not appear, if we except that of Marianus O'Gorman.
Article III. —Festival of St. Conan, or Canoc, Pilgrim, Abbot OF Gallen, King's County, and of Kilmuccraise. \Fifth or Sixth Century? ^ From what Colgan states, in his note,' that St. Canoc or Mo- chanoc, pilgrim,^' was venerated on this day, under the name Conan, it would seem, that we can find little difficulty, in identifying this saint. Conan is entered, in the Martyrology of Donegal,3 on this day. It appears to be the second festival, to his memory \ another was held, on the i8th of November.
Article IV. —St. Ermen, Virgin. We are at a loss to identify the
— flourished. At this date, holy virgin
and Marianus O'Gorman ha—
time
when,
place
where, this
s a St.
from this pious woman in his Calendar. In the Martyrology of Donegal,'
"
Ernengilda probably
we find Ermea,^ virgin, registered on this day. Her virtues were very
Queen of Virtues," was her special characteristic. It so pervaded her every thought, word, and act, that she was never heard
many, but charity, the
to say an unkind word ot anyone, much less to do an unkind act.
Article V. —St. Darcus. A festival, in honour of St. Darcus, is said
to have been celebrated, at the 13th of February, as we find the name
entered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. ^ Elsewhere, we do not find Jiim noticed.
Article VI. —St. Cuachnat, or Cruachnat, Virgin, of Ros-raithe. Very scant information can be obtained, regarding this holy woman's time, and the place, where she had been venerated, is equally difficult to be identified. Her name is found differently spelled, in our Martyrologies. She is called, Cruachnat, of Cros Fachtna, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^
=*See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
*
Article iv. — Edited by Drs. Todd
andReeves, 48,49. pp.
ScottishSaints,^'— p. 5.
"The later hand notes here, in Roman characters,
Article ii.
Kelly, p, XV. Article hi.
*
Rev. Dr. "Acta Sanctorum
=In a note Todd Dr.
— Hiberniae," xi. Februarii.
" Videtur esse nengildam voca—t. "
n. 29, p. 314.
=*
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
*
quam
Edited by See
says,
Marianus hoc die Er-
See notices of this saint, already given, at the nth of this month.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 48, 49.
*
Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
Vita S. Canoci,
Article v. p. xv.
Article vi Kelly, p. xv.
*
—
not to be
distinguished
February 13. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 517
atthat13thofFebruary. CroshereisprobablyamistakeforRos. Yet,
we find, in Irish local topography, the nearest approach to this denomination,
in Crossrah,^ parish of Kilbride, barony of Clonmahon, county of Cavan ; in
Crossreagh,3 parish of Ballywillan, barony of Lower Dunluce, county of
Antrim; inCrossreagh,4parishofMullagh,andbaronyofCastlerahan,also
in Crossreagh,5 parish of Castleterra, and barony of Upper Loughtee—both
oftheseinthecountyofCavan; inCrossreagh,^parishofBallyvvillin,barony
North- East Liberties of Coleraine, county of Londonderry ; in Crossreagh,
parish of Killeevan, barony of Dartree, county of Monaghan ;7 in Cross-
reagh,^ or Doohat, in the parish of Derrynoose, barony of Tiranny, county
of . Armagh ; in Crossreagh^ East, parish of Ballyaghran, barony North East
Liberties of Coleraine, county of Londonderry, as also in Crossreagh'° West,
in the same parish, barony and county. Besides the foregoing notice in our
earliest Calendar, we find, that Cuachnat, virgin, of Ros-raithe," is mentioned,
in the of ^^ on this We meet with a townland Martyrology Donegal, day.
denomination of Rossreagh,^3 in the parish of Tullyfern, barony of Kilma- crenan, and county of Donegal.
Article VII. —St. Columbanus, or Columban, Abbot and Recluse, AT Ghent, in Belgium. [Tenth Century. '] At the 13th of February,
^^ It is described on the "Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Cavan. " Sheet42.
Mart, of Tallaght reads, 'of Ros-Fachtna. ' The gloss over the name Cuachnat in the BrusselsMS. oftheMart,ofO'Gormanis
3 It is described on the Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Antrim. " Sheet 6.
"
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cavan. "
Sheet 40.
s See ibid. . Sheets 20, 21.
^ See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
for the County of Londonderry. " Sheet 3.
65, oc lloff flAiche, virgin of Ross Raithe ;' and the Mart. Taml. , in the sam—e
MS. , has Cruachnat, oc Ros Fachtna ''
4 It is defined on the
Cruachnat, at Ros Fachtna, there is there- fore some confusion. "
7
See
Townland Survey Maps
of — Sheets County Donegal. " 45, 46.
"Ordnance
48, 49.
'3 its bounds are marked, on the " Ord-
nance Survey Townland Maps for the
for the County of Monaghan. " Sheet 17.
^ See its limits on the " Ordnance Survey
TownlandMapsfortheCountyofArmagh. "
'
Sheets 19, 23.
9 Its lands are shown on the
"
tholicse Iberniae Compendium," tomus i. , lib.
iv,, cap. xi. , p. 49, and cap. xii. , p. 53.
"
3 in SeehisActs,atthei8thofJanuary.
s See the Bollandists' " Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus ii. , Februarii xiii. Prsetermissi et in
alios dies rejecti, p. 664. Also, xv. Feb- ruarii. De S. Columbano Abbate, sect. 2,
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of
Menologium Scoticum. "
Londonderry. " Sheet3.
" See ibid.
" In a note, Dr. Todd says at this word,
" The later hand adds here, '6 Uof IT^ccnA, M. T. ,' meaning that the
Ros-raithe,
"
'^
Catalogus aliquorum Sanctorum Ibernise Columbanus, abbot and recluse. Reference is made to Molanus. ^ In the
""
anonymous catalogue of Irish Saints, Columbanus Recluses is entered at
this day,=' and there is every reason to suppose it has reference to the holy recluse at Ghent, in Belgium, about whom we have already treated, at the
seconddayofthismonth. TheBollandists,amongthepretermittedsaints, have allusion to this recorded festival, at the present date, where they take
occasion to reprove the Scotchman, Dempster, for the error he commits, by citing Molanus, in reference to the Columban, as understood by the Irish Calendarists. At the 13th of February, Dempster has a notice of St. Columban, Abbot of Sutri, and styled a recluse. 3 This holy man is men- tionedintheActsofSt. Deicolus. * DempsterconfoundshereSt. Columban, AbbotofLure,withSt. Columban,RecluseofGhent. s Wesuspect,how-
Henry Fitzsimon in his
enters
** '
"
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
"
Article vii. In NataUbus Sancto-
rum Belgii. " ^"
SeeO'SullevanBeare's Historiae Ca-
5i8 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February13.
ever, that the 13th of February is a mistake, fallen into by writers, for the 15th of this month—said to have been the date for his death.
Article VIII. —St. Fionan, said to have been of Druim-Neoid, OR Dromhabrad. The Martyrology of Tallagh' has the single name of S. Finan entered, at the 13th of February. Among the saints related by family to the great St. Brigid, we find a St. Finan, son of Fergna, son to
Cobthach, son of Muredach, son to Laisre, son of Daire, son to Denius, son ofConla,sonofArturusCorb,&c. ' Wearetoldthathewaseithervenerated on this day, or on the 4th of October. 3 So it seems difficult to identify him. It is mentioned, in the Martyrology of Donegal,'^ that veneration was paid to Fionan, of Druim-neoid, on this day. The writers state, that he descended from the race of Brian, son of Eoachaid Muighmhedhoin. However, the Finan of Drumneods is called the son of Aldus, son to Ectach, son of -^ngus, son to Muredach, surnamed the Bald, son of Eogan Sreibh. The place to which allusion is made cannot be ascertained, with certainty ; however, it may be well to state, that it seems to be derived from the Iris—h words, Drum,
or— which means " a
Drom, Drim, Druim,^ ridge,"
and Neod
same as Nead^ which signifies "a nest. " The latter is traceable under the forms of Net, Nad, Neth, Nid, or Ned. ^ Thus, Drumnid, also Drimna, a
townland near Mohill, in the parish and barony of this name, county of Leitrim,9 and Drumneth,^° in the parish of Magherally or Magheravally, barony of Lower Iveagh, county of Down, means " the ridge of the nests ;"
"
while, Derrynaned, in Mayo, has the signification of
the oak-wood of the
birds' nests. " " There is a Drumnigh,^"* in the parish of Kinsaley, and barony
of Coolock,—as also a Drimnagh,'3 townland and parish, ^+ in the barony of
Uppercross these are to be found in the county of Dublin. We find a
Drimnagh, in the parish of Ogulla, in the barony and county of Koscommon. 's There is a Drimna Beg and a Drimna More, in the parish of Kilcrohane,
of ^^ We also find a Drimna Kerry.
of Dunkerron
East and a Drimna West, in the parish of Tynagh, barony of Leitrim, and
barony
South, county
p. 84. 7.
Article viii.
derived.
Kelly, p. XV. " •*
—*
Santilogium Genealogicum, chap. Sheets 28, 32.
Edited by Rev. Dr. "
» on It is shown,
xiv. or XV. This latter was son to Carbre, "
'°
**
Its limits are to be seen, on the sumamcd Niadh. See Colgan's Acta nance Survey Townland Maps for the
Sanctorum Hibernise. " Appendix ad Acta S. Finani, cap, I, p. 46.
3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Brigidae, cap. 3, p. 613.
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
48, 49-
s See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niae," ix. Januarii. Appendix ad Acta S. Finani, cap. i. There, the Menologic Ge- nealogies are cited (cap. viii. ) as authority.
* This form is multiple, in its combina-
tions, with Irish places.
' Under its varieties of spelling, this word
has a variety of compounds, in Irish topo- graphy.
County of Down. " Sheet 27.
" See Dr. P. W. Joyce's "Origin and
History of Irish Names of Places," part iv. , chap, vii. , p. 473.
"See "Ordnance Survey Townland
Maps for the County of Dublin. " Sheet
IS-
'3 See ibid. Sheets 17, 18, 22.
'* About three miles south-west from
Dublin. The parish and the castle in it took name from those little sand-ridges, now known as the Green Hills. See Dr. P. W. Joyce's ' ' Origin and History of Irish Names of Places, part iv. , chap, ix,, p. 507.
'S See "Ordnance Survey Townland
for the of Roscommon. " Maps County
Sheet 22.
'^ See " Ordnance Survey Townland
** InCormac's
theoldIrishform
Glossary,
\snet; in "Welsh, nyth ; in Cornish, neid ;
in Breton, neiz ; in Manx, edd. Yxova some
one or other of these originals, it is probable,
the Latin nidus^ "a nest," has been 99, 100.
^
the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Leitrim. *'
Maps for the County of Kerry. " Sheets
probably
the
Ord-
February 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 519
countyofGalway. ^7 Likewise,thereisaDrimna,intheparishofKilrush, barony of Moyarta, and county of Clare. ^^ There is a Drumna, in the parish of Cloon, barony of Mohill, and county of Leitrim/9 There is a Drumnee, in the parish of Cashel, barony of Kathclinc, and county of Longford. ^'^ Besides the foregoing, we find a Drumny in the parish of Donaghmoyne, baronyofFarney,andcountyofMonaghan. ^^ Thereisasaintofthissame name, Finanus, who is stated to have been connected with a place, called Dromhabrad. Yet, this denomination of Dromhabrad does not appear to be recognisable under any existing form of name, shown on the Ordnance Survey Maps of Ireland. He is called the son of Garuan, son to Amalgad, son of Endeus,^^ son to Olild, son of Nadfraich. 23 His feast has been
assigned by Colgan^** to this day.
Article IX. —Feast of St. Kilian, Martyr, and Patron of Wurtz-
BURGH. \Sei'enthCentury^ Atthisdate,Colganhasalengthyaccountof St. Kilian, and his martyr companions, Colman and Totnan. ^ Yet, it seems not to have been their chief festival, which occurs on the 8th of July, wheretheirconsecutiveActswillbefound. TheBoUandistsnotethisfeast,^ but they assert, that in the various breviaries of the diocese of Wurtzburgh
they possessed, no notice had been taken of it. Still, Galesinus,3 Dempster^ and Wions have their respective entries. The latter supposes it, to have been the feast for a Translation of the Martyrs' ReHcs \ and John Wilson, in his English Martyrology, coincides with such an opinion.
Article X. —Feast of the Translation of the Relics of St.
LiviNUS, Bishop and Martyr, at Ghent. \Seventh Century. '] The BoUandists have observed, in a Carthusian record, at Bruxelles, the notice of a translation of the relics of this holy martyr, at Ghent, assigned to this date. ^ The Life of St. Livinus will be found, at the 12th of November,
jfourtenttft JBag of jf^Jjruarg*
ARTICLE L—ST. MANCHAN, ABBOT OF MOHILL, COUNTY LEITRIM.
[PROBABLY IN THE SEVENTH CENTURY. ^
AS we must feel assured, that the lives of saintly men are studded over
with wondrous a direct of manifestations, indicating interposition
*7 See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Monaghan. " Sheet
Maps for the County of Galway. " Sheet 28.
126. ^' From him the territory, Hibh-Endeus,
^^ See ** Ordnance Survey Townland derived its name.
Maps for the County of Clare. " Sheet 67. =3 The «'Menologic Genealogy," cap.
*9 See " Ordnance Survey Townland xxxv. , and Seluacius are cited as authorities Maps for the County of Leitrim. " Sheet for this pedigree.
=4 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," ix. =° See " Ordnance Survey Townland Januarii. Appendix ad Acta S. Finani,
Maps for the County of Leitrim. 'V Sheets cap. i. , p. 46. —^
22,26. Article ix. See "Acta Sanctorum
29.
"See "Ordnance Survey Townland Hibernise," xiv. —a mistake for xiii. —Feb-
520 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS [February14.
Providence, while acts of devotion, at which the worldly may well stand amazed, are comprised in their noble courses of being ; so have we propor- tionately to regret the loss of materials, which might place their actions more
prominently before our view. Colgan'' has some very confusing entries, re- garding St. Manchan, Abbot of Mohill, at this date ; while the Bollandists^ have even briefer notices. It is said, that Archbishop Ussher had in his possession the Life of St. Manchan,^ written by Richard, Archbishop of Armagh. * Yet,thisdoesnotappeartohavebeenawell-foundedstatements In a sort of conjectural way—but with little probability—this saint has been classed with Menath (? Monach), said to have been one of St. Patrick's disciples. ^ Following Archbishop Richard's Life of our saint, he is said to have had seven churches subject to his jurisdiction, or to have been patron over that number of religious estabHshments,and to have beenaCanon Regular of St. Augustine. By his sanctified example, he converted many, living in various parts of Ireland, to the faith of Christ. In this life, it is stated, likewise, that the monastery of Canons Regular, at Mohill, in MonteroHs,7 had been first founded by him, and that, on this house, divers grants of glebe-lands, feudal privileges, vassals, tithes, first fruits, rents, dues, returns, oblations, &c. , were conferred. At present, a townland and town,^ in a parish? and barony, so named, are in the county of Leitrim ; and; here, it seems to be allowed, his religious establishment formerly existed. With consent of the clergy and people, all those donations were ratified and acknowledged, during every age, from a. d. 608, in which, it is said, St. Manchan flourished, to the time when this Life had been written. It is also stated, that grants were spontaneously, liberally, and piously conferred, on
of Mohill monastery. ^° A learned Irish historian observes, how- ever, that there were no Canons Regular in Ireland, so early as the year 608; while,fiefsandtitheswerenotknownthere,atsucharemoteepoch.
He then concludes, that the account, given by Richard Fitz-Ralph, Archbishop ofArmagh,savoursofamuchlaterperiod. " Bythiswearetounderstand,
the
prior
ruarii. De S. Kiliani Martyris et Sociorum ejus Translaiione, pp. 328 to 330.
= See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xiii. Februarii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 644.
*3lnhisMartyrology.
* In his " Menologium Scoticum. "
**
Trinity College, June 23rd, 1836, Dr. Todd
"
I have not been able to find the Life of St. Manchan in Ussher's Library, and I much doubt, whether Colgan was not too hasty in inferring from Ussher's
Primord,, p, 969, that it ever was there. There is no question, that Ussher had seen
the Life ; but, he does not
S In his — Martyrologium.
in his own
say
Colgan represents him
^
" " Acta
that it was
See
tomus ii. , xiii. Februarii. Among the pre- to do. " See the Breifny(Cavan and Leitrim)
Article X. termitted saints, p. 644.
Sanctorum,"
library,
as
i. Article —
Letters of the Irish Ordnance Survey, now
* *' Acta Sanctorum Hi- See
in the Irish lodged Royal
Academy's Library,
bernise," xiv. Februarii. De S. Mancheno sive Manchano Abbate Moethalensi, pp.
at p. 202.
^See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxii. , p. 268.
7ThisterritorywasinthecountyofLei- trim. It is frequently mentioned in Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters. " See vol. vii. . Index Locorum, p. 93.
''Both are shown, on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Leitrim. " Sheet32.
^^SeeRev. AlbanButler's"Livesofthe Fathers, Martyrs, and other Principal Saints," vol. ii. , February xiii.
^^ See ibid.
^^ There is a Toberaghny, near Carric—k-
on-Suir, in Ivaerk. Ciob^AiT) 'pAchcriA. MS. note of William M. Hennessy.
'5 See notices at the in
day question.
^°
This conclusion is arrived at, because
Topographical Dictionary
our saint was renowned for his miraculous
powers, in the time of St. David, Bishop of
Menevia, who died it is supposed about the
year 544, and because Murchertach, King of Ireland, was his uncle, who flourished A. D.
500, and died A. D. 527, according to the Annals of the Four Masters, or in A. D. 533, according to Ussher. See Ussher's " Bri- tannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates. " In- dex Chronologicus, p. 530, and O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp.
174 to 177, and notes (i, j, k), ibid. The
year of Murchertach's death, as given by the Annals of Ulster, and those of Clonmac-
b. i. ix) Vi-I
" In Modomnoc's little
Westward over the bright sea ; Wasbroughtwithgreatrenown, The auspicious seed of the bees
of Erin. "
: ^"^Thereisfoundwritten "S. Dominicus,
de Tobar-Fachtna inter Ossorios & Desios, ad ripam Siuri fluvii : ipse est qui apes primo tulit in Hiberniam. Hie autem est dies obitus ejus, aut dies quo cum apibus
appulit. "
=^3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xv. He
is there " Modimoc o Facht- styled Tiprat
na. "
'^ In the text of Marianus, he is called
Domangen ; but, in an interlineal gloss, it is remarked, he was Modomnoc, of Tiprat Fachtna, in the western district of Ossory.
=^5 At this day, he observes, it was the natal feast of St. Modomnoc, of Tiprat Fachtna, in Ossory.
=^ On this day was venerated, according to the " Martyrology of Donegal," Modhom- hnog, of Triprat Fachtna, in the (south) westofOsraighe. Hesprungfromtherace of Eoghan, son of Niall. See Drs. Todd's and Reeves' edition, pp. 48, 49.
"7 See p. 44.
Cu^cliAti lllo-ooTrinoc,
-AriAi^ 'OA]\ inui|v n-5te"oeiTo ; "Oo byvecli b]\i5Ach n-UAiAn-o, Sil m-buA'OAch beAC n-eTAenx).
5i6 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February13.
of Dnimmond. This is also stated to be the date for his departure to Christ. =^ There can be no doubt, but this holy man was one who possessed, in an eminent degree, all the higher attributes of human excellence, purified, sanctified, and elevated by supernatural virtue.
Article II. —Festival of a Reputed St. Domhangin. As we have already seen, the commentator on the text of Marianus O'Gorman makes Domangen the same as Modomnoc of Tiprat Fachtna ; it is probable, we are not to consider the present Domhangin, as a different person. Yet, there is a distinct entry of both names, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. Perhaps, however, this is the result of interpolation, in the latter Calendar. The name, Domhangin, simply appears in tlie Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 13th of February; but, in other Calendars, it does not appear, if we except that of Marianus O'Gorman.
Article III. —Festival of St. Conan, or Canoc, Pilgrim, Abbot OF Gallen, King's County, and of Kilmuccraise. \Fifth or Sixth Century? ^ From what Colgan states, in his note,' that St. Canoc or Mo- chanoc, pilgrim,^' was venerated on this day, under the name Conan, it would seem, that we can find little difficulty, in identifying this saint. Conan is entered, in the Martyrology of Donegal,3 on this day. It appears to be the second festival, to his memory \ another was held, on the i8th of November.
Article IV. —St. Ermen, Virgin. We are at a loss to identify the
— flourished. At this date, holy virgin
and Marianus O'Gorman ha—
time
when,
place
where, this
s a St.
from this pious woman in his Calendar. In the Martyrology of Donegal,'
"
Ernengilda probably
we find Ermea,^ virgin, registered on this day. Her virtues were very
Queen of Virtues," was her special characteristic. It so pervaded her every thought, word, and act, that she was never heard
many, but charity, the
to say an unkind word ot anyone, much less to do an unkind act.
Article V. —St. Darcus. A festival, in honour of St. Darcus, is said
to have been celebrated, at the 13th of February, as we find the name
entered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. ^ Elsewhere, we do not find Jiim noticed.
Article VI. —St. Cuachnat, or Cruachnat, Virgin, of Ros-raithe. Very scant information can be obtained, regarding this holy woman's time, and the place, where she had been venerated, is equally difficult to be identified. Her name is found differently spelled, in our Martyrologies. She is called, Cruachnat, of Cros Fachtna, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^
=*See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
*
Article iv. — Edited by Drs. Todd
andReeves, 48,49. pp.
ScottishSaints,^'— p. 5.
"The later hand notes here, in Roman characters,
Article ii.
Kelly, p, XV. Article hi.
*
Rev. Dr. "Acta Sanctorum
=In a note Todd Dr.
— Hiberniae," xi. Februarii.
" Videtur esse nengildam voca—t. "
n. 29, p. 314.
=*
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
*
quam
Edited by See
says,
Marianus hoc die Er-
See notices of this saint, already given, at the nth of this month.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 48, 49.
*
Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
Vita S. Canoci,
Article v. p. xv.
Article vi Kelly, p. xv.
*
—
not to be
distinguished
February 13. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 517
atthat13thofFebruary. CroshereisprobablyamistakeforRos. Yet,
we find, in Irish local topography, the nearest approach to this denomination,
in Crossrah,^ parish of Kilbride, barony of Clonmahon, county of Cavan ; in
Crossreagh,3 parish of Ballywillan, barony of Lower Dunluce, county of
Antrim; inCrossreagh,4parishofMullagh,andbaronyofCastlerahan,also
in Crossreagh,5 parish of Castleterra, and barony of Upper Loughtee—both
oftheseinthecountyofCavan; inCrossreagh,^parishofBallyvvillin,barony
North- East Liberties of Coleraine, county of Londonderry ; in Crossreagh,
parish of Killeevan, barony of Dartree, county of Monaghan ;7 in Cross-
reagh,^ or Doohat, in the parish of Derrynoose, barony of Tiranny, county
of . Armagh ; in Crossreagh^ East, parish of Ballyaghran, barony North East
Liberties of Coleraine, county of Londonderry, as also in Crossreagh'° West,
in the same parish, barony and county. Besides the foregoing notice in our
earliest Calendar, we find, that Cuachnat, virgin, of Ros-raithe," is mentioned,
in the of ^^ on this We meet with a townland Martyrology Donegal, day.
denomination of Rossreagh,^3 in the parish of Tullyfern, barony of Kilma- crenan, and county of Donegal.
Article VII. —St. Columbanus, or Columban, Abbot and Recluse, AT Ghent, in Belgium. [Tenth Century. '] At the 13th of February,
^^ It is described on the "Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Cavan. " Sheet42.
Mart, of Tallaght reads, 'of Ros-Fachtna. ' The gloss over the name Cuachnat in the BrusselsMS. oftheMart,ofO'Gormanis
3 It is described on the Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Antrim. " Sheet 6.
"
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cavan. "
Sheet 40.
s See ibid. . Sheets 20, 21.
^ See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
for the County of Londonderry. " Sheet 3.
65, oc lloff flAiche, virgin of Ross Raithe ;' and the Mart. Taml. , in the sam—e
MS. , has Cruachnat, oc Ros Fachtna ''
4 It is defined on the
Cruachnat, at Ros Fachtna, there is there- fore some confusion. "
7
See
Townland Survey Maps
of — Sheets County Donegal. " 45, 46.
"Ordnance
48, 49.
'3 its bounds are marked, on the " Ord-
nance Survey Townland Maps for the
for the County of Monaghan. " Sheet 17.
^ See its limits on the " Ordnance Survey
TownlandMapsfortheCountyofArmagh. "
'
Sheets 19, 23.
9 Its lands are shown on the
"
tholicse Iberniae Compendium," tomus i. , lib.
iv,, cap. xi. , p. 49, and cap. xii. , p. 53.
"
3 in SeehisActs,atthei8thofJanuary.
s See the Bollandists' " Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus ii. , Februarii xiii. Prsetermissi et in
alios dies rejecti, p. 664. Also, xv. Feb- ruarii. De S. Columbano Abbate, sect. 2,
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of
Menologium Scoticum. "
Londonderry. " Sheet3.
" See ibid.
" In a note, Dr. Todd says at this word,
" The later hand adds here, '6 Uof IT^ccnA, M. T. ,' meaning that the
Ros-raithe,
"
'^
Catalogus aliquorum Sanctorum Ibernise Columbanus, abbot and recluse. Reference is made to Molanus. ^ In the
""
anonymous catalogue of Irish Saints, Columbanus Recluses is entered at
this day,=' and there is every reason to suppose it has reference to the holy recluse at Ghent, in Belgium, about whom we have already treated, at the
seconddayofthismonth. TheBollandists,amongthepretermittedsaints, have allusion to this recorded festival, at the present date, where they take
occasion to reprove the Scotchman, Dempster, for the error he commits, by citing Molanus, in reference to the Columban, as understood by the Irish Calendarists. At the 13th of February, Dempster has a notice of St. Columban, Abbot of Sutri, and styled a recluse. 3 This holy man is men- tionedintheActsofSt. Deicolus. * DempsterconfoundshereSt. Columban, AbbotofLure,withSt. Columban,RecluseofGhent. s Wesuspect,how-
Henry Fitzsimon in his
enters
** '
"
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
"
Article vii. In NataUbus Sancto-
rum Belgii. " ^"
SeeO'SullevanBeare's Historiae Ca-
5i8 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February13.
ever, that the 13th of February is a mistake, fallen into by writers, for the 15th of this month—said to have been the date for his death.
Article VIII. —St. Fionan, said to have been of Druim-Neoid, OR Dromhabrad. The Martyrology of Tallagh' has the single name of S. Finan entered, at the 13th of February. Among the saints related by family to the great St. Brigid, we find a St. Finan, son of Fergna, son to
Cobthach, son of Muredach, son to Laisre, son of Daire, son to Denius, son ofConla,sonofArturusCorb,&c. ' Wearetoldthathewaseithervenerated on this day, or on the 4th of October. 3 So it seems difficult to identify him. It is mentioned, in the Martyrology of Donegal,'^ that veneration was paid to Fionan, of Druim-neoid, on this day. The writers state, that he descended from the race of Brian, son of Eoachaid Muighmhedhoin. However, the Finan of Drumneods is called the son of Aldus, son to Ectach, son of -^ngus, son to Muredach, surnamed the Bald, son of Eogan Sreibh. The place to which allusion is made cannot be ascertained, with certainty ; however, it may be well to state, that it seems to be derived from the Iris—h words, Drum,
or— which means " a
Drom, Drim, Druim,^ ridge,"
and Neod
same as Nead^ which signifies "a nest. " The latter is traceable under the forms of Net, Nad, Neth, Nid, or Ned. ^ Thus, Drumnid, also Drimna, a
townland near Mohill, in the parish and barony of this name, county of Leitrim,9 and Drumneth,^° in the parish of Magherally or Magheravally, barony of Lower Iveagh, county of Down, means " the ridge of the nests ;"
"
while, Derrynaned, in Mayo, has the signification of
the oak-wood of the
birds' nests. " " There is a Drumnigh,^"* in the parish of Kinsaley, and barony
of Coolock,—as also a Drimnagh,'3 townland and parish, ^+ in the barony of
Uppercross these are to be found in the county of Dublin. We find a
Drimnagh, in the parish of Ogulla, in the barony and county of Koscommon. 's There is a Drimna Beg and a Drimna More, in the parish of Kilcrohane,
of ^^ We also find a Drimna Kerry.
of Dunkerron
East and a Drimna West, in the parish of Tynagh, barony of Leitrim, and
barony
South, county
p. 84. 7.
Article viii.
derived.
Kelly, p. XV. " •*
—*
Santilogium Genealogicum, chap. Sheets 28, 32.
Edited by Rev. Dr. "
» on It is shown,
xiv. or XV. This latter was son to Carbre, "
'°
**
Its limits are to be seen, on the sumamcd Niadh. See Colgan's Acta nance Survey Townland Maps for the
Sanctorum Hibernise. " Appendix ad Acta S. Finani, cap, I, p. 46.
3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Brigidae, cap. 3, p. 613.
* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
48, 49-
s See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niae," ix. Januarii. Appendix ad Acta S. Finani, cap. i. There, the Menologic Ge- nealogies are cited (cap. viii. ) as authority.
* This form is multiple, in its combina-
tions, with Irish places.
' Under its varieties of spelling, this word
has a variety of compounds, in Irish topo- graphy.
County of Down. " Sheet 27.
" See Dr. P. W. Joyce's "Origin and
History of Irish Names of Places," part iv. , chap, vii. , p. 473.
"See "Ordnance Survey Townland
Maps for the County of Dublin. " Sheet
IS-
'3 See ibid. Sheets 17, 18, 22.
'* About three miles south-west from
Dublin. The parish and the castle in it took name from those little sand-ridges, now known as the Green Hills. See Dr. P. W. Joyce's ' ' Origin and History of Irish Names of Places, part iv. , chap, ix,, p. 507.
'S See "Ordnance Survey Townland
for the of Roscommon. " Maps County
Sheet 22.
'^ See " Ordnance Survey Townland
** InCormac's
theoldIrishform
Glossary,
\snet; in "Welsh, nyth ; in Cornish, neid ;
in Breton, neiz ; in Manx, edd. Yxova some
one or other of these originals, it is probable,
the Latin nidus^ "a nest," has been 99, 100.
^
the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Leitrim. *'
Maps for the County of Kerry. " Sheets
probably
the
Ord-
February 14. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 519
countyofGalway. ^7 Likewise,thereisaDrimna,intheparishofKilrush, barony of Moyarta, and county of Clare. ^^ There is a Drumna, in the parish of Cloon, barony of Mohill, and county of Leitrim/9 There is a Drumnee, in the parish of Cashel, barony of Kathclinc, and county of Longford. ^'^ Besides the foregoing, we find a Drumny in the parish of Donaghmoyne, baronyofFarney,andcountyofMonaghan. ^^ Thereisasaintofthissame name, Finanus, who is stated to have been connected with a place, called Dromhabrad. Yet, this denomination of Dromhabrad does not appear to be recognisable under any existing form of name, shown on the Ordnance Survey Maps of Ireland. He is called the son of Garuan, son to Amalgad, son of Endeus,^^ son to Olild, son of Nadfraich. 23 His feast has been
assigned by Colgan^** to this day.
Article IX. —Feast of St. Kilian, Martyr, and Patron of Wurtz-
BURGH. \Sei'enthCentury^ Atthisdate,Colganhasalengthyaccountof St. Kilian, and his martyr companions, Colman and Totnan. ^ Yet, it seems not to have been their chief festival, which occurs on the 8th of July, wheretheirconsecutiveActswillbefound. TheBoUandistsnotethisfeast,^ but they assert, that in the various breviaries of the diocese of Wurtzburgh
they possessed, no notice had been taken of it. Still, Galesinus,3 Dempster^ and Wions have their respective entries. The latter supposes it, to have been the feast for a Translation of the Martyrs' ReHcs \ and John Wilson, in his English Martyrology, coincides with such an opinion.
Article X. —Feast of the Translation of the Relics of St.
LiviNUS, Bishop and Martyr, at Ghent. \Seventh Century. '] The BoUandists have observed, in a Carthusian record, at Bruxelles, the notice of a translation of the relics of this holy martyr, at Ghent, assigned to this date. ^ The Life of St. Livinus will be found, at the 12th of November,
jfourtenttft JBag of jf^Jjruarg*
ARTICLE L—ST. MANCHAN, ABBOT OF MOHILL, COUNTY LEITRIM.
[PROBABLY IN THE SEVENTH CENTURY. ^
AS we must feel assured, that the lives of saintly men are studded over
with wondrous a direct of manifestations, indicating interposition
*7 See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Monaghan. " Sheet
Maps for the County of Galway. " Sheet 28.
126. ^' From him the territory, Hibh-Endeus,
^^ See ** Ordnance Survey Townland derived its name.
Maps for the County of Clare. " Sheet 67. =3 The «'Menologic Genealogy," cap.
*9 See " Ordnance Survey Townland xxxv. , and Seluacius are cited as authorities Maps for the County of Leitrim. " Sheet for this pedigree.
=4 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," ix. =° See " Ordnance Survey Townland Januarii. Appendix ad Acta S. Finani,
Maps for the County of Leitrim. 'V Sheets cap. i. , p. 46. —^
22,26. Article ix. See "Acta Sanctorum
29.
"See "Ordnance Survey Townland Hibernise," xiv. —a mistake for xiii. —Feb-
520 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS [February14.
Providence, while acts of devotion, at which the worldly may well stand amazed, are comprised in their noble courses of being ; so have we propor- tionately to regret the loss of materials, which might place their actions more
prominently before our view. Colgan'' has some very confusing entries, re- garding St. Manchan, Abbot of Mohill, at this date ; while the Bollandists^ have even briefer notices. It is said, that Archbishop Ussher had in his possession the Life of St. Manchan,^ written by Richard, Archbishop of Armagh. * Yet,thisdoesnotappeartohavebeenawell-foundedstatements In a sort of conjectural way—but with little probability—this saint has been classed with Menath (? Monach), said to have been one of St. Patrick's disciples. ^ Following Archbishop Richard's Life of our saint, he is said to have had seven churches subject to his jurisdiction, or to have been patron over that number of religious estabHshments,and to have beenaCanon Regular of St. Augustine. By his sanctified example, he converted many, living in various parts of Ireland, to the faith of Christ. In this life, it is stated, likewise, that the monastery of Canons Regular, at Mohill, in MonteroHs,7 had been first founded by him, and that, on this house, divers grants of glebe-lands, feudal privileges, vassals, tithes, first fruits, rents, dues, returns, oblations, &c. , were conferred. At present, a townland and town,^ in a parish? and barony, so named, are in the county of Leitrim ; and; here, it seems to be allowed, his religious establishment formerly existed. With consent of the clergy and people, all those donations were ratified and acknowledged, during every age, from a. d. 608, in which, it is said, St. Manchan flourished, to the time when this Life had been written. It is also stated, that grants were spontaneously, liberally, and piously conferred, on
of Mohill monastery. ^° A learned Irish historian observes, how- ever, that there were no Canons Regular in Ireland, so early as the year 608; while,fiefsandtitheswerenotknownthere,atsucharemoteepoch.
He then concludes, that the account, given by Richard Fitz-Ralph, Archbishop ofArmagh,savoursofamuchlaterperiod. " Bythiswearetounderstand,
the
prior
ruarii. De S. Kiliani Martyris et Sociorum ejus Translaiione, pp. 328 to 330.
= See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , xiii. Februarii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 644.
*3lnhisMartyrology.
* In his " Menologium Scoticum. "
**
Trinity College, June 23rd, 1836, Dr. Todd
"
I have not been able to find the Life of St. Manchan in Ussher's Library, and I much doubt, whether Colgan was not too hasty in inferring from Ussher's
Primord,, p, 969, that it ever was there. There is no question, that Ussher had seen
the Life ; but, he does not
S In his — Martyrologium.
in his own
say
Colgan represents him
^
" " Acta
that it was
See
tomus ii. , xiii. Februarii. Among the pre- to do. " See the Breifny(Cavan and Leitrim)
Article X. termitted saints, p. 644.
Sanctorum,"
library,
as
i. Article —
Letters of the Irish Ordnance Survey, now
* *' Acta Sanctorum Hi- See
in the Irish lodged Royal
Academy's Library,
bernise," xiv. Februarii. De S. Mancheno sive Manchano Abbate Moethalensi, pp.
at p. 202.
^See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxii. , p. 268.
7ThisterritorywasinthecountyofLei- trim. It is frequently mentioned in Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters. " See vol. vii. . Index Locorum, p. 93.
''Both are shown, on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Leitrim. " Sheet32.
