They are built ^vith stones of
considerable
size.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
Fintane pryor in Scotland," in Adam King's Kalendar.
38 At xiii.
of the March Kalends, corresponding with the 17th of February, St.
Finian, a priest and confessor, a man remark-
=*' " Archdall mistakes this for the 13th of
Leabhar Breac," and translated into Eng- March, in his "Monasticon Hibemicum, lish, has —been furnished by Professor
"
P- 591- O'Looney :
'^^
In giving this date for his death, Dr.
animadverts on Archdall's — p. oc. m. kU Lanigan misap-
cAch co h-ott
prehension, in a characteristic style
** Bravo ! But finding that Colgan modem- ized tliat date into February 17th, he tells us, that Fintan, son of Gabhren, died on
co
tntii|i, n-jtAnb/Mi;
this day, to which he affixes also th—e death **
of his Fintan, son of Crimthann. " Ec- clesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xii. , sect, xi. , n. 17, p. 232.
;
"3 See " Officia Propria Sanctorum Hi- bemioe. " Officium S. Fintani, noct. ii. , lect. vi. , p. 17.
=4 This manuscript belongs to the Royal Irish Academy.
=s It states, "In Scotia S. Fintani Pres- byteri et Confessoris. "
man and Usuard at this date.
Martyrologies
to
give it,
420, 421.
35 See Clarke Crosthwaite and Dr. John
Introduction, pp. xliii. , xlvii. , Iv. , and pp. 62, 89.
3* It is classed B. i, 4.
37 See "De Duplici Statu veteris simul ac novae Ecclesise, et Infidelium Conver- sione," lib. i. , pars ii. , cap. iii. , sect. 2, p. 149.
3«See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints, pp. 5, 144.
=7 See
"
Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs
and other Principal Saints," vol. ii. , Feb-
ruary xvii.
=^
120 to 124.
See "Britannia Sancta," part i. , pp.
=9 See p. 48.
3° See "Lives of the Saints," vol. ii. ,
February xvii. , pp. 324, 325.
3* The following rann, extracted from the
:
^^
fers Fintan's feast to the Kalends of Feb- St. Fintan of Clonenagh. See ibid. ^ pp.
Yet, without apparent warrant, he re- ruary ; although he acknowledges, the Ro-
chu, fol. II, for further notices concerning
"Oloinchuf
felt cho|\mAiG
La feit pn-ocAin P5I15, CltiAriA e-omch A'obAiU
All men proclaim [even] to the great sea,
The festival of Cormac the chaste With the festival of Findtan the prayer-
ful.
Of Cluain Ednach the great.
3' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xvi.
33 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
50, SI-
34 In the superadded table to this work,
the reader is referred to a Life of St. Fionn-
Todd's edition.
596 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 17.
able for his great virtue, had been commemorated in Scocia, as we learn from
a manuscript folio volume,39 belonging to the University Library of Edin-
burgh,4° and partially published by David Laing, Esq. , F. S. A. , Scot. , with
notice. '*''
The date for St. Fintan's departure has not been exactly ascertained. It
occurred long before the end of the sixth century,^^ according to Colgan's inference. ^ Yet, Dempster^* would foolishly maintain, that he flourished in the ninth or tenth century. -^s Centuries have passed away since his demise, and even since the destruction of his monastery, at Clonenagh ; yet, the
prefatory
New Catholic Church of St. Fintan, Mountrath.
people there have a profound veneration for their patron. St. Fintan's old road, leading on in the direction of St. Fintan's church and well at Cromogue/^
39 It contains no vellum leaves, written in the early part of the sixteenth century, and intituled " Martyrologium secundum vsum Ecclesie Aberdonensis. "
*° It was presented by Laurence Char- teris, Professor of Divinity, in 1677.
or at furthest A. D. 597, dates assigned for St. Columkille's decease.
4* See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. vi. , num. 507, p. 275.
« He says: "Floruit anno Dcccxxi. , vel DCCCCLXXiii. " For this statement, he cites a Scottish Breviary.
^^ All these as also the objects named,
ruins, graveyards, and St. Fintan's Well, at Clonenagh, may be traced on the ** Ord- nance Survey Tovvnland Maps for the Queen's County. " Sheet 17. The town
of Mountrath, about one mile and a-half, west by south from Clonenagh is also de-
41 See "Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries —of Scotland. " Sessions
MDCCCLIV. -V. MDCCCLVI. -VII. ,
May 12, 1856, No. v. , pp. 256 to 272.
*" See •' Acta Sanctorum Hibernise,"
xvii. Februarii, n. 26, p. 355.
^3 Yet, from the narrative on which it
rests, there seems no reason for assuming, that St. Fintan died long before a. d. 592,
vol.
ii. ,
February 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 597
is yet pointed out by the country inhabitants, and it has an associated
legend. '*7
TheIrishclergycelebrateSt. Fintan'sfestivalasadouble. ByaDecree
of the Sacred Congregation of Rites,-*^ on this festival of his, falling on the
17th of February, a Duplex Majus, a Proper Office of Nine Lessons, com- piled by Bishop De Burgo, was to be recited by the secular and regular
clergy, as likewise by the nuns, throughout the kingdom of Ireland. ''? In Clonenagh parish, St. Fintan's festival is yearly commemorated, as one of great devotion, even to the present date ; and, it is remarkable, that from time im- memorial, a fair has been held there, on the patron's day. In the town of Mountrath, within this parish, of late years a fine Gothic parochial Catholic church has been erected, and dedicated under his invocation. This noble structure had been commenced and covered in by a former pastor of the
parish. Rev. James Dunne ; his successor. Rev. Martin Nolan, applied him- self zealously and tastefully to complete the internal decorations. The de-
sign was furnished by John S. Butler, Esq. , City Architect of Dublin, and the works were carried out, under his superintendence, 5° in a style of elegance and solidity, creditable to all concerned in this erection.
St. Fintan of Clonenagh also appears to have been patron saint of May- glassparish,inthebaronyofForth,andcountyofWexford. s^ Theruinsof an old church existed within this parish, in the year 1840. 5= These con- sisted of a nave and choir. The former measured 48 feet in length, and
19 in breadth, in the inside; the choir was 27 by 15 feet. About 17 feet
of the choir side-walls, which had been joined to the east gable, then remained.
This eastern gable contained a large pointed window, about 9 feet in height ;
being 8 feet and 3 inches in width, on the inside. On the outside, it was
7 feet high, and 4 feet 9 inches wide, where it arose 3 feet over the ground.
It was constructed of small chiselled granite stones, and it exhibited holes
for crossbars. There was a window in its south wall, placed at a distance
of 5 feet, from the east gable ; but, then, this had been entirely defaced.
The north wall contained another window, placed at a distance of 4 feet
from its middle, but, this was also ruined. The north wall of the nave was
completely destroyed ; yet, 30 feet of the south wall, adjoining the west
gable,remained. Thedoorwayopenedonthiswall,anditwasplacedata distance of 15 feet, from the west gable. It was rounded on top, and it
measured 7 feet 2 inches, in height, on the inside, by 4 feet 2 inches, in width. On the outside, its dimensions were 5 feet 8 inches in height, by 3 feet, in breadth. It appears to be of ancient construction. The west gable is surmounted by a high belfry, consisting of two pointed arches. It
scribed on the same sheet.
47 This may be found versified, with notes,
in "Legend Lays of Ireland," by Lage-
No. xxii. , to niensis. pp. 131 136.
4^ Granted on the 8th of July, A. D. 1741.
"
49 See
bernise," pp. 15 to 17.
Officia Propria Sanctorum Hi-
s° The accompanying engraving was exe- cuted by Mrs. Millard ; the drawing on wood-block having been copied by Williain F. Wakeman from the original working design, kindly given by the architect.
5^ "This parish is bounded on the north, by Kildavin and Rathmacnee parish ; on the east, by Killineck and Ballybrennan parishes ; on the south, by those of Bally-
more and Tomahaggard ; and on the west, ological Society. " New series, vol. iv. , by Mulrankin parish. The name of this part i. , p. 67, and n. (5).
parish is unquestionably ITlAJ glAf, in the *
original language, and it means the green plain. ' It is written Maglasse in the Liber
— and now
Regalis Visitationis, generally
"
Letters containing Informa- tion relative to the Antiquities of the County of Wexford, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1840," vol. i. John O'Donovan's Letter, not dated, but
written in the year 1 840, p. 288.
^2 This is probably the church, described
as dedicated to St. Fintan, in this parish, about the year 1680. A fine old mansion of the Deans of Ferns was then near it, but
"
in ruins at that time. See Journal of the
Kilkenny and South-East of Ireland Archas-
Mayglass. "
598 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS, [February17.
contains a window, rounded on top, and placed at a height of 14 feet from the ground. Apparently it was about 5 feet in height, and 2 in width. Fourteen stonestepsledfromthesouthwalltoptothebelfry. Thewallsofthischurch are well grouted, and about 2 feet 9 inches in thickness.
They are built ^vith stones of considerable size. About 300 yards southwards from this
there was a called St. Fintan's Well. At " Patterns " holy well, this,
church,
were annually held, on the 17th of February. These "Patterns" were abolished, about a. d. 1820. However, from such local circumstances, we may infer, that the patron saint of Mayglass parish, must have been the
celebratedSt. Fintan,AbbotofClonenagh. 53 AtLoughill,Queen'sCounty, he was venerated. Scotland likewise preserves memorials of this great saint. Thus, in Kilintag, Morven,54 a church had been dedicated to St. Fintan. ss
Another festival is said to have been held, in this holy abbot's memory, onthe15thofthemonthofNovember. s^ IntheLifeofSt. Fintan,wehave
a few particulars left, regarding his personal appearance, during his more advanced years. He is described, as then having a florid complexion, with a few white locks of hair remaining, his eyes being remarkable for their
brilliancy. As to the leading traits of his character, he possessed sincere humility, mildness of disposition, patience, zeal, and charity towards all men ;
to his brethren, he was particularly indulgent, so far as comported with their strict monastic observance, and he was beloved by them, in return for that
benignity and paternal kindness he manifested. In prayer, in fasting, in constant vigils, passed his years from youth to old age ; never relaxing the rigour of his strict observances, although allo\v^ing dispensations, from these practices, occasionally, to those subjects, over whom he exercised spiritual rule. 57 He wrought many miracles, some of which are contained in his Life. Tradition assigns to him several other miracles, which are not related in his biographies ; but, for the most part, these are rather of a legendary character. They attest, however, that abiding love and admiration for the saint's character, which survived all vicissitudes of time, and which will probably continue much longer to live in the pious regards of our people.
Article II. —St. Cormac, Archbishop of Armagh. [Fifth Century. ']
As the great Apostle of Ireland has been confounded with three Patricks,
who lived, at an early period in our history ;^ so his present saintly successor, in the see of Armagh, has been mistaken for a namesake, who presided at onetime,overtheancientseeofTrim. ^ Atthe17thdayofFebruary,the calendars have entered the present St. Cormac, who was not a Bishop of Trim,butwhowasanearlyArchbishopofArmagh. Yet,bysomewriters, and especially by Colgan, it has been supposed, that he ruled over both sees. At this date, the latter writer has given his Acts, which are necessarily shrouded in much obscurity. 3 To these, he has added an Appendix, in two
S3 «*
nance Survey, R. I. A. ," vol. i. , pp. izSS to
sz See "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nioe," xvii. Februarii. Vita S. Fintani,
xxii. , —n. 28,
cap. xxiii. , pp. 353, 355.
'
County
Wexford Letters of the Ord-
Mr. O'Donovan's
but written in the year 1840.
not
dated,
290.
Letter,
See that
s<See "Origines Parochiales Scotiae," tise, The Life of St. Patrick," &c. Col-
part ii. , p. 189.
55 See Bishop Forbes'
"
Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 349.
5^ At this day, Colgan intended to have
published another Life of this saint, taken fromtheBookoftheIsland. Thisissup- posed to be the feast of some translation of his remains.
Article ii. "
trea-
lected and edited by Rev. John Lynch, P. P. , Ballymena, p. 21, Dublin, 1870, 8vo.
"See Wills' "Lives of Illustrious and
Distinguished Irishmen," vol. i. , part i. Ecclesiastical and literary series. First
period, p. 107.
3 See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," xvii.
Februarii. De S. Cormaco Episcopo Ath-
interesting
February 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 599
chapters/ TheBollandistshavenospecialmentionofthisholyprelate,at
the present date ; unless, indeed, he may be classed with a Cormac, Bishop of Trim, who is entered in a Hst of saints, connected with that place. s A certain Gormac, called the son of Enda, is thought^ to have been a nephew to King Leogaire. 7 He is said, subsequently to have become Archbishop of Armagh. This Dr. Lanigan suspects to be a mistake ; since Enda's son, Cormac, whom his father had entrusted to the care of St. Patrick,* is not mentioned in the oldest accounts concerning him, as having ever become a bishop, although in the passages relative to him the see of Armagh is particularly mentioned. 9 The same writer doubts, that the present Cormac's father was Enda, brother of King Leogaire. His mother is said to have been Fuineacht, daughter of Maelfithrigh, son to Dioma,sonofColman. ^° ThatCormachadbeenBishopofTrim,beforehe was promoted to Armagh, has been the mistake of some writers. It is true, that certain compilers of our Calendars represent him to have been such ; but, it is easy to account for their having done so. There was a Cormac, Bishop of Trim, in the eighth century, whose memory, together with that of St. Luman and of several others, was revered there, on the 17th February. Dr. Lanigan asserts, that Trim was not an episcopal see in the fifth century, and that its first bishop, who is named Luman or Loman, belonged to the seventh. " Oneaccountmakeshimabbot,atthisplace. " ThatCormac,sonofEnda, said to have been consigned to St. Patrick,^3 ijsed to receive from certain bishops, whom the Apostle had appointed as his masters, some cows on each AllSaints'Daytowardshissupport. Astheseweregiventohim,inhonour of St. Patrick, their successors used to continue this sort of payment, it is said,totheseeofArmagh,afterthedeathofCormac. But,theTripartite Life of St. Patrick does not mention Cormac, as having been a bishop, and itgiveshimnoothernameortitle,thanthatofCormacSnithine. ''^ Jocelin, who usually follows the Tripartite, or, at least, certain documents, whence that work was in part derived, has an account of Enda, and of his consigning Cormac to St. Patrick's care, which account he thus concludes, by stating, that
trumensi, et postea Archiepiscopo Ardma- chano. Exvariis,pp. 358,359.
4 See ibid. , pp. 360, 361.
s See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii,, Feb-
ruarii xvii. Among the pretermitted saints, at p. 3.
^
By Sir James Ware, who appears to have followed Colgan's opinion.
7 See "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, viii,, sect, xii. , p. 415.
bishops of Armagh, although noticing his having—been also, as he states, Bishop of Trim. " " Memoir introductory to the early
History of the Primacy of Armagh," p. 69. ^3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. 18,
19.
^4 Dr. Lanigan remarks, that thus the
matter stands in the text, as quoted at full
length, by Colgan, at the 17th of February.
Yet, in his edition of the Tripartite in
" Trias has thrown Thaumaturga," Colgan
in some words, indicating that this Cormac
"Martyrology of Donegal," pp. 50, 51. read at the 1 7th of February, Et sic postea Yet, such parentage, on the mother's side, is haec servitus (of giving the cows) eorum ec- more probably referable to St. Cormac, clesiis adhaesit, donee Nuadhat abbas Ard-
^
See his Life at the 17th of March.
9 See ibid. Also nn.
150, 151, 152, p.
417.
"See Rev. Drs. Reeves' and Todd's
was Bishop of Armagh. Instead of, as we "
Bishop of Trim, likewise venerated on this day.
machanus," he swells up the text in
"
Trias
Thaumaturga" with the following words ;
" Et ille mos eorum successores postea apud
transiit in consuetudinem et debitum, ut
singuli nempe quotannis successoribus S. Cormaci vaccam debeant solvere, donee
Nuadhat," &c. Colgan thought, this tri- bute could not be paid to Armagh, unless
"
Ec- been abbot there, instead of at Armagh. clesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. ,
" See "Ecclesiastical
vol. i. , chap, viii. , sect, xii. , p. 416.
^^
Thus the Rev. Robert King writes : In the copy of the jp^/z>^, or Festilogy, of ^ngus, preserved in the Zm(5/5ar ^? -^«<r, this
"
"
Cormac is called
Trim," which would make him to have
History
of
Ireland,"
Coa7'b of Patrick in
Cormac had been bishop there. See Ware enumerates him among the Arch- chap, viii,, sect, xii. , n. 151, p. 417.
6oo LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[February 17.
St. Patrick baptized, educated,'s and imbued with a knowledge of letters, the boy who was called Cormac, surnamed Snithine. ^^ He grew in age, in wisdom and in sanctity ; and being renowned for his virtues and miracles, this Cormac happily slept in the Lord. '7
he had been raised to the
Archiepiscopal
see of
Armagh.
^^ At a
period,
when St. Patrick is said to have been very old, and wholly intent on Divine
contemplation, St. Cormac, having become an eminent example for innocence,
piety, learning, and a knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, was appointed
successor to Jarlath, a. d. 485, by the Irish Apostle himself. '^ This St.
Cormac, Archbishop of Armagh, is mentioned in many Irish Calendars, but withouttheadditionofhisbeingcalledthesonofEnda. Thiswouldhardly have been omitted, were he the same person. For Enda was a chieftain of high consideration ; and, were it merely to remind the reader of his having consigned his son Cormac to St. Patrick, the authors of these Calendars would have mentioned his name when treating of the Archbishop Cormac. =° Again, Colgan strives to distinguish a supposed Cormac junior from an older one,whowaslikewiseaBishopofTrim,ashethought. ThisolderCormac was assumed to have vacated the see of Trim, and then to have become Archbishop of Armagh. =^^ To the former see, it is said, St. Patrick had like* wise nominated him f^ but, this supposed appointment does not appear to be a well-founded statement. Now, it happened, that this was the very day forthefestivalordeathofCormac,ArchbishopofArmagh. Henceitcame to pass, that the two Cormacs were confounded together. Then it became necessarytosupposethetranslationofCormacfromTrimtoArmagh. This proceeding would not have been allowed by the Western Church, in the fifth century, without the greatest necessity existing for such a change. Next came another paradox, viz. , the burying of Cormac at Trim, because he, who was really Bishop of Trim had been buried there. Surely the clergy and people of Armagh would not have suffered the remains of their archbishop to be removed to another diocese. However, the two Cormacs are very clearly distinguished from each other in the Irish Annals. =3 Now, Jarlath, Archbishop of Armagh, died, early in the year 482. St. Cormac was his immediate successor, and he is thought to have governed this church for the cerm of fifteen years. ''^ He is called St. Patrick's heirj^'s because, as it is stated, he survived the illustrious founder. Again, this archbishop is distin- guished, in the Irish Annals, from many other Cormacs, by an addition that hewasfromthedistrictofErnaidhe. ^^ Thelocaleofthisregionwasasub-
^5 In Harris' Ware, it is stated, that he was educated under four of St. Patrick's
=° Dr. Lanigan adds to the foregoing re- marks: "How much more distinct would
See vol. i. , Armagh, p. 36.
^^
"
of
not his
have been — specification by marking
disciples.
"
Archbishops
Colgan thinks he received this cogno- men, because Snilhine was—the place where he received his education for this remark seems to be an addition to the original text.
"
See "Trias Thaumaturga. Septima Vita
S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. 19.
=*' " Archdall mistakes this for the 13th of
Leabhar Breac," and translated into Eng- March, in his "Monasticon Hibemicum, lish, has —been furnished by Professor
"
P- 591- O'Looney :
'^^
In giving this date for his death, Dr.
animadverts on Archdall's — p. oc. m. kU Lanigan misap-
cAch co h-ott
prehension, in a characteristic style
** Bravo ! But finding that Colgan modem- ized tliat date into February 17th, he tells us, that Fintan, son of Gabhren, died on
co
tntii|i, n-jtAnb/Mi;
this day, to which he affixes also th—e death **
of his Fintan, son of Crimthann. " Ec- clesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xii. , sect, xi. , n. 17, p. 232.
;
"3 See " Officia Propria Sanctorum Hi- bemioe. " Officium S. Fintani, noct. ii. , lect. vi. , p. 17.
=4 This manuscript belongs to the Royal Irish Academy.
=s It states, "In Scotia S. Fintani Pres- byteri et Confessoris. "
man and Usuard at this date.
Martyrologies
to
give it,
420, 421.
35 See Clarke Crosthwaite and Dr. John
Introduction, pp. xliii. , xlvii. , Iv. , and pp. 62, 89.
3* It is classed B. i, 4.
37 See "De Duplici Statu veteris simul ac novae Ecclesise, et Infidelium Conver- sione," lib. i. , pars ii. , cap. iii. , sect. 2, p. 149.
3«See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints, pp. 5, 144.
=7 See
"
Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs
and other Principal Saints," vol. ii. , Feb-
ruary xvii.
=^
120 to 124.
See "Britannia Sancta," part i. , pp.
=9 See p. 48.
3° See "Lives of the Saints," vol. ii. ,
February xvii. , pp. 324, 325.
3* The following rann, extracted from the
:
^^
fers Fintan's feast to the Kalends of Feb- St. Fintan of Clonenagh. See ibid. ^ pp.
Yet, without apparent warrant, he re- ruary ; although he acknowledges, the Ro-
chu, fol. II, for further notices concerning
"Oloinchuf
felt cho|\mAiG
La feit pn-ocAin P5I15, CltiAriA e-omch A'obAiU
All men proclaim [even] to the great sea,
The festival of Cormac the chaste With the festival of Findtan the prayer-
ful.
Of Cluain Ednach the great.
3' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xvi.
33 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
50, SI-
34 In the superadded table to this work,
the reader is referred to a Life of St. Fionn-
Todd's edition.
596 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 17.
able for his great virtue, had been commemorated in Scocia, as we learn from
a manuscript folio volume,39 belonging to the University Library of Edin-
burgh,4° and partially published by David Laing, Esq. , F. S. A. , Scot. , with
notice. '*''
The date for St. Fintan's departure has not been exactly ascertained. It
occurred long before the end of the sixth century,^^ according to Colgan's inference. ^ Yet, Dempster^* would foolishly maintain, that he flourished in the ninth or tenth century. -^s Centuries have passed away since his demise, and even since the destruction of his monastery, at Clonenagh ; yet, the
prefatory
New Catholic Church of St. Fintan, Mountrath.
people there have a profound veneration for their patron. St. Fintan's old road, leading on in the direction of St. Fintan's church and well at Cromogue/^
39 It contains no vellum leaves, written in the early part of the sixteenth century, and intituled " Martyrologium secundum vsum Ecclesie Aberdonensis. "
*° It was presented by Laurence Char- teris, Professor of Divinity, in 1677.
or at furthest A. D. 597, dates assigned for St. Columkille's decease.
4* See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. vi. , num. 507, p. 275.
« He says: "Floruit anno Dcccxxi. , vel DCCCCLXXiii. " For this statement, he cites a Scottish Breviary.
^^ All these as also the objects named,
ruins, graveyards, and St. Fintan's Well, at Clonenagh, may be traced on the ** Ord- nance Survey Tovvnland Maps for the Queen's County. " Sheet 17. The town
of Mountrath, about one mile and a-half, west by south from Clonenagh is also de-
41 See "Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries —of Scotland. " Sessions
MDCCCLIV. -V. MDCCCLVI. -VII. ,
May 12, 1856, No. v. , pp. 256 to 272.
*" See •' Acta Sanctorum Hibernise,"
xvii. Februarii, n. 26, p. 355.
^3 Yet, from the narrative on which it
rests, there seems no reason for assuming, that St. Fintan died long before a. d. 592,
vol.
ii. ,
February 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 597
is yet pointed out by the country inhabitants, and it has an associated
legend. '*7
TheIrishclergycelebrateSt. Fintan'sfestivalasadouble. ByaDecree
of the Sacred Congregation of Rites,-*^ on this festival of his, falling on the
17th of February, a Duplex Majus, a Proper Office of Nine Lessons, com- piled by Bishop De Burgo, was to be recited by the secular and regular
clergy, as likewise by the nuns, throughout the kingdom of Ireland. ''? In Clonenagh parish, St. Fintan's festival is yearly commemorated, as one of great devotion, even to the present date ; and, it is remarkable, that from time im- memorial, a fair has been held there, on the patron's day. In the town of Mountrath, within this parish, of late years a fine Gothic parochial Catholic church has been erected, and dedicated under his invocation. This noble structure had been commenced and covered in by a former pastor of the
parish. Rev. James Dunne ; his successor. Rev. Martin Nolan, applied him- self zealously and tastefully to complete the internal decorations. The de-
sign was furnished by John S. Butler, Esq. , City Architect of Dublin, and the works were carried out, under his superintendence, 5° in a style of elegance and solidity, creditable to all concerned in this erection.
St. Fintan of Clonenagh also appears to have been patron saint of May- glassparish,inthebaronyofForth,andcountyofWexford. s^ Theruinsof an old church existed within this parish, in the year 1840. 5= These con- sisted of a nave and choir. The former measured 48 feet in length, and
19 in breadth, in the inside; the choir was 27 by 15 feet. About 17 feet
of the choir side-walls, which had been joined to the east gable, then remained.
This eastern gable contained a large pointed window, about 9 feet in height ;
being 8 feet and 3 inches in width, on the inside. On the outside, it was
7 feet high, and 4 feet 9 inches wide, where it arose 3 feet over the ground.
It was constructed of small chiselled granite stones, and it exhibited holes
for crossbars. There was a window in its south wall, placed at a distance
of 5 feet, from the east gable ; but, then, this had been entirely defaced.
The north wall contained another window, placed at a distance of 4 feet
from its middle, but, this was also ruined. The north wall of the nave was
completely destroyed ; yet, 30 feet of the south wall, adjoining the west
gable,remained. Thedoorwayopenedonthiswall,anditwasplacedata distance of 15 feet, from the west gable. It was rounded on top, and it
measured 7 feet 2 inches, in height, on the inside, by 4 feet 2 inches, in width. On the outside, its dimensions were 5 feet 8 inches in height, by 3 feet, in breadth. It appears to be of ancient construction. The west gable is surmounted by a high belfry, consisting of two pointed arches. It
scribed on the same sheet.
47 This may be found versified, with notes,
in "Legend Lays of Ireland," by Lage-
No. xxii. , to niensis. pp. 131 136.
4^ Granted on the 8th of July, A. D. 1741.
"
49 See
bernise," pp. 15 to 17.
Officia Propria Sanctorum Hi-
s° The accompanying engraving was exe- cuted by Mrs. Millard ; the drawing on wood-block having been copied by Williain F. Wakeman from the original working design, kindly given by the architect.
5^ "This parish is bounded on the north, by Kildavin and Rathmacnee parish ; on the east, by Killineck and Ballybrennan parishes ; on the south, by those of Bally-
more and Tomahaggard ; and on the west, ological Society. " New series, vol. iv. , by Mulrankin parish. The name of this part i. , p. 67, and n. (5).
parish is unquestionably ITlAJ glAf, in the *
original language, and it means the green plain. ' It is written Maglasse in the Liber
— and now
Regalis Visitationis, generally
"
Letters containing Informa- tion relative to the Antiquities of the County of Wexford, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1840," vol. i. John O'Donovan's Letter, not dated, but
written in the year 1 840, p. 288.
^2 This is probably the church, described
as dedicated to St. Fintan, in this parish, about the year 1680. A fine old mansion of the Deans of Ferns was then near it, but
"
in ruins at that time. See Journal of the
Kilkenny and South-East of Ireland Archas-
Mayglass. "
598 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS, [February17.
contains a window, rounded on top, and placed at a height of 14 feet from the ground. Apparently it was about 5 feet in height, and 2 in width. Fourteen stonestepsledfromthesouthwalltoptothebelfry. Thewallsofthischurch are well grouted, and about 2 feet 9 inches in thickness.
They are built ^vith stones of considerable size. About 300 yards southwards from this
there was a called St. Fintan's Well. At " Patterns " holy well, this,
church,
were annually held, on the 17th of February. These "Patterns" were abolished, about a. d. 1820. However, from such local circumstances, we may infer, that the patron saint of Mayglass parish, must have been the
celebratedSt. Fintan,AbbotofClonenagh. 53 AtLoughill,Queen'sCounty, he was venerated. Scotland likewise preserves memorials of this great saint. Thus, in Kilintag, Morven,54 a church had been dedicated to St. Fintan. ss
Another festival is said to have been held, in this holy abbot's memory, onthe15thofthemonthofNovember. s^ IntheLifeofSt. Fintan,wehave
a few particulars left, regarding his personal appearance, during his more advanced years. He is described, as then having a florid complexion, with a few white locks of hair remaining, his eyes being remarkable for their
brilliancy. As to the leading traits of his character, he possessed sincere humility, mildness of disposition, patience, zeal, and charity towards all men ;
to his brethren, he was particularly indulgent, so far as comported with their strict monastic observance, and he was beloved by them, in return for that
benignity and paternal kindness he manifested. In prayer, in fasting, in constant vigils, passed his years from youth to old age ; never relaxing the rigour of his strict observances, although allo\v^ing dispensations, from these practices, occasionally, to those subjects, over whom he exercised spiritual rule. 57 He wrought many miracles, some of which are contained in his Life. Tradition assigns to him several other miracles, which are not related in his biographies ; but, for the most part, these are rather of a legendary character. They attest, however, that abiding love and admiration for the saint's character, which survived all vicissitudes of time, and which will probably continue much longer to live in the pious regards of our people.
Article II. —St. Cormac, Archbishop of Armagh. [Fifth Century. ']
As the great Apostle of Ireland has been confounded with three Patricks,
who lived, at an early period in our history ;^ so his present saintly successor, in the see of Armagh, has been mistaken for a namesake, who presided at onetime,overtheancientseeofTrim. ^ Atthe17thdayofFebruary,the calendars have entered the present St. Cormac, who was not a Bishop of Trim,butwhowasanearlyArchbishopofArmagh. Yet,bysomewriters, and especially by Colgan, it has been supposed, that he ruled over both sees. At this date, the latter writer has given his Acts, which are necessarily shrouded in much obscurity. 3 To these, he has added an Appendix, in two
S3 «*
nance Survey, R. I. A. ," vol. i. , pp. izSS to
sz See "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nioe," xvii. Februarii. Vita S. Fintani,
xxii. , —n. 28,
cap. xxiii. , pp. 353, 355.
'
County
Wexford Letters of the Ord-
Mr. O'Donovan's
but written in the year 1840.
not
dated,
290.
Letter,
See that
s<See "Origines Parochiales Scotiae," tise, The Life of St. Patrick," &c. Col-
part ii. , p. 189.
55 See Bishop Forbes'
"
Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 349.
5^ At this day, Colgan intended to have
published another Life of this saint, taken fromtheBookoftheIsland. Thisissup- posed to be the feast of some translation of his remains.
Article ii. "
trea-
lected and edited by Rev. John Lynch, P. P. , Ballymena, p. 21, Dublin, 1870, 8vo.
"See Wills' "Lives of Illustrious and
Distinguished Irishmen," vol. i. , part i. Ecclesiastical and literary series. First
period, p. 107.
3 See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," xvii.
Februarii. De S. Cormaco Episcopo Ath-
interesting
February 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 599
chapters/ TheBollandistshavenospecialmentionofthisholyprelate,at
the present date ; unless, indeed, he may be classed with a Cormac, Bishop of Trim, who is entered in a Hst of saints, connected with that place. s A certain Gormac, called the son of Enda, is thought^ to have been a nephew to King Leogaire. 7 He is said, subsequently to have become Archbishop of Armagh. This Dr. Lanigan suspects to be a mistake ; since Enda's son, Cormac, whom his father had entrusted to the care of St. Patrick,* is not mentioned in the oldest accounts concerning him, as having ever become a bishop, although in the passages relative to him the see of Armagh is particularly mentioned. 9 The same writer doubts, that the present Cormac's father was Enda, brother of King Leogaire. His mother is said to have been Fuineacht, daughter of Maelfithrigh, son to Dioma,sonofColman. ^° ThatCormachadbeenBishopofTrim,beforehe was promoted to Armagh, has been the mistake of some writers. It is true, that certain compilers of our Calendars represent him to have been such ; but, it is easy to account for their having done so. There was a Cormac, Bishop of Trim, in the eighth century, whose memory, together with that of St. Luman and of several others, was revered there, on the 17th February. Dr. Lanigan asserts, that Trim was not an episcopal see in the fifth century, and that its first bishop, who is named Luman or Loman, belonged to the seventh. " Oneaccountmakeshimabbot,atthisplace. " ThatCormac,sonofEnda, said to have been consigned to St. Patrick,^3 ijsed to receive from certain bishops, whom the Apostle had appointed as his masters, some cows on each AllSaints'Daytowardshissupport. Astheseweregiventohim,inhonour of St. Patrick, their successors used to continue this sort of payment, it is said,totheseeofArmagh,afterthedeathofCormac. But,theTripartite Life of St. Patrick does not mention Cormac, as having been a bishop, and itgiveshimnoothernameortitle,thanthatofCormacSnithine. ''^ Jocelin, who usually follows the Tripartite, or, at least, certain documents, whence that work was in part derived, has an account of Enda, and of his consigning Cormac to St. Patrick's care, which account he thus concludes, by stating, that
trumensi, et postea Archiepiscopo Ardma- chano. Exvariis,pp. 358,359.
4 See ibid. , pp. 360, 361.
s See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii,, Feb-
ruarii xvii. Among the pretermitted saints, at p. 3.
^
By Sir James Ware, who appears to have followed Colgan's opinion.
7 See "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, viii,, sect, xii. , p. 415.
bishops of Armagh, although noticing his having—been also, as he states, Bishop of Trim. " " Memoir introductory to the early
History of the Primacy of Armagh," p. 69. ^3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. 18,
19.
^4 Dr. Lanigan remarks, that thus the
matter stands in the text, as quoted at full
length, by Colgan, at the 17th of February.
Yet, in his edition of the Tripartite in
" Trias has thrown Thaumaturga," Colgan
in some words, indicating that this Cormac
"Martyrology of Donegal," pp. 50, 51. read at the 1 7th of February, Et sic postea Yet, such parentage, on the mother's side, is haec servitus (of giving the cows) eorum ec- more probably referable to St. Cormac, clesiis adhaesit, donee Nuadhat abbas Ard-
^
See his Life at the 17th of March.
9 See ibid. Also nn.
150, 151, 152, p.
417.
"See Rev. Drs. Reeves' and Todd's
was Bishop of Armagh. Instead of, as we "
Bishop of Trim, likewise venerated on this day.
machanus," he swells up the text in
"
Trias
Thaumaturga" with the following words ;
" Et ille mos eorum successores postea apud
transiit in consuetudinem et debitum, ut
singuli nempe quotannis successoribus S. Cormaci vaccam debeant solvere, donee
Nuadhat," &c. Colgan thought, this tri- bute could not be paid to Armagh, unless
"
Ec- been abbot there, instead of at Armagh. clesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. ,
" See "Ecclesiastical
vol. i. , chap, viii. , sect, xii. , p. 416.
^^
Thus the Rev. Robert King writes : In the copy of the jp^/z>^, or Festilogy, of ^ngus, preserved in the Zm(5/5ar ^? -^«<r, this
"
"
Cormac is called
Trim," which would make him to have
History
of
Ireland,"
Coa7'b of Patrick in
Cormac had been bishop there. See Ware enumerates him among the Arch- chap, viii,, sect, xii. , n. 151, p. 417.
6oo LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[February 17.
St. Patrick baptized, educated,'s and imbued with a knowledge of letters, the boy who was called Cormac, surnamed Snithine. ^^ He grew in age, in wisdom and in sanctity ; and being renowned for his virtues and miracles, this Cormac happily slept in the Lord. '7
he had been raised to the
Archiepiscopal
see of
Armagh.
^^ At a
period,
when St. Patrick is said to have been very old, and wholly intent on Divine
contemplation, St. Cormac, having become an eminent example for innocence,
piety, learning, and a knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, was appointed
successor to Jarlath, a. d. 485, by the Irish Apostle himself. '^ This St.
Cormac, Archbishop of Armagh, is mentioned in many Irish Calendars, but withouttheadditionofhisbeingcalledthesonofEnda. Thiswouldhardly have been omitted, were he the same person. For Enda was a chieftain of high consideration ; and, were it merely to remind the reader of his having consigned his son Cormac to St. Patrick, the authors of these Calendars would have mentioned his name when treating of the Archbishop Cormac. =° Again, Colgan strives to distinguish a supposed Cormac junior from an older one,whowaslikewiseaBishopofTrim,ashethought. ThisolderCormac was assumed to have vacated the see of Trim, and then to have become Archbishop of Armagh. =^^ To the former see, it is said, St. Patrick had like* wise nominated him f^ but, this supposed appointment does not appear to be a well-founded statement. Now, it happened, that this was the very day forthefestivalordeathofCormac,ArchbishopofArmagh. Henceitcame to pass, that the two Cormacs were confounded together. Then it became necessarytosupposethetranslationofCormacfromTrimtoArmagh. This proceeding would not have been allowed by the Western Church, in the fifth century, without the greatest necessity existing for such a change. Next came another paradox, viz. , the burying of Cormac at Trim, because he, who was really Bishop of Trim had been buried there. Surely the clergy and people of Armagh would not have suffered the remains of their archbishop to be removed to another diocese. However, the two Cormacs are very clearly distinguished from each other in the Irish Annals. =3 Now, Jarlath, Archbishop of Armagh, died, early in the year 482. St. Cormac was his immediate successor, and he is thought to have governed this church for the cerm of fifteen years. ''^ He is called St. Patrick's heirj^'s because, as it is stated, he survived the illustrious founder. Again, this archbishop is distin- guished, in the Irish Annals, from many other Cormacs, by an addition that hewasfromthedistrictofErnaidhe. ^^ Thelocaleofthisregionwasasub-
^5 In Harris' Ware, it is stated, that he was educated under four of St. Patrick's
=° Dr. Lanigan adds to the foregoing re- marks: "How much more distinct would
See vol. i. , Armagh, p. 36.
^^
"
of
not his
have been — specification by marking
disciples.
"
Archbishops
Colgan thinks he received this cogno- men, because Snilhine was—the place where he received his education for this remark seems to be an addition to the original text.
"
See "Trias Thaumaturga. Septima Vita
S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. 19.
