The
earliest
authentic record of Ninian, the Pictish Apostle, is to be found in the History of Venerable Bede.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v9
248, 249.
Abbatis de Cluain- Krainl, nn. 26, 27, p. 399.
headings Lassar and Laissi, in the "Martyrology of Donegal," edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and
b Now in the Irish Academy. kept Royal
See "Common—I'lace Book," F. , p. 78.
•
Article iv. At the 30th August.
2 Allusion is here made to that intrepid Christian Martyr, who professed his faith in Reeves, in the Table of the Martyrology, Christ, when St. Felix had been led to
pp. 430to433.
4 In a letter, dated Dublin, 25 Patrick-
martyrdom. Beingapprehendedandunited in death with St. Felix, he was thenceforth called Adauctus, and for this reason, "quod
street, August 3rd, 1873.
5 See at that date, the Second Volume of sancto martyri Felici adauctus sit ad
this work, Art. i. coronam. "
main," p. 176.
» Edited Drs. Todd and Reeves, by
September 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 383
the Book of Leinster3 is the entry of a feast at the 15th of September, for the son or sons of Taide. Such name has been omitted from the published version by the Rev. Matthew Kelly, D. D. , at this date. Also, at the 15th of September, in the Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman, are commemorated Tadg's sons for their austerity. * We read, in the Martyrology of Donegal,' that a festival to honour the sons of Tadhg was celebrated on the 15th of September.
ArticleV. —St. CyrinusandhisCompanions,Martyrs. Thefeast of this holy Bishop and Martyr, with that of his companions, was celebrated on this day in the early Irish Church, as we learn from the Feilire1 of St.
Article VI. —Octave of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the early Irish Church, the Octave Day of the Blessed Virgin Mary's Nativity was observed as a Feast of Devotion, as we learn from the Feilire
—Dr. ^ Whitley Stokes' main," p. 176.
Felire Hui Gor-
A brief note is attached. 2 This festival to have been taken appears
^Engus.
from the ancient Hieronymian Martyrology,3 in which the names of Saints Cyrinus, Serapion, Leontius and Crocus are to be found. In the Martyr- ology of Raban Maur, only the names of Serapion and Leontius arc mentioned, at the 15th of September/ The Bollandists, who record \}r< feast at the present date, refer to the 12th of this month, as the one known to the Greeks, and also to be met with in the Roman Martyrology. s
1 An allusion to the consecration of a Basilica to her honour has
of
not been explained ; but, probably it had reference to some church erected in Ireland, and solemnly dedicated under her patronage, on this Octave of her Festival. The great Octave of Mary is celebrated on the 15th of
^Engus.
in the
commemoration of such a feast in Usuard and in other Latin Fasti, the Bollandists note it on this day. 3 It is also inserted in the Roman Martyrology. *
September,
"MaicTaidgaratenne. "
"
of Marianus O'Gorman. 2 the Finding
us—rnAC CA1'oe ? ? * •
3
4 Thus
3 There are
go by the title of Codices Hieronymiani, but which aPPear to have been taken from Calendars and Martyrologies, that date back to a period still more remote than the age of St. Jerome. Several of these belonged to
Martyrology
s Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, particular Churches. The Greeks and
posed, that Eusebius compiled a Greek Martyrology, afterwards used by St. Jerome
in the composition of one in Latin. Ancient
versions of this had been used in Ireland by
ourCalendarists. SeePereVictordeBucks
"
Recherches sur les Calendriers Ecclesias- tiques. " Bruxelles, 1877. 8vo.
4 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v,
Septembris xv. Among the pretermitted Saints, p. 2.
S Leaving out the name ot Cyrinus, we there read—" Alexandria; natalis sanctorum
Martyrum Ilieronidis, Leontii, Serapionis, Selesii, Valeriani et Stratonis, qui sub
pp. 248, 249. —
Article v. In the Leabhar Breac among the most ancient. It has been sup-
*
copy we have the following stanza at the 15th September :—
LACoireq\<vo mbAirlicc 111AipemupcocaIcu
CitMnur- cenfoccUi
luit) corluag mop mApcpai.
Thus translated by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. —
•'
At the consecration of the Basilica, Mary,
a rampart with strength, Cyrinus, without
vainglory, went with a great host of iMartyr-
dom. "— " Transactions of the Royal Irish
Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. ,
parti. OntheCalendarofOengus,pp. MaximimoImperatoreobChristinomin—is
cxxxvn. , cxxxviii. confessionem in mare sunt demersi. "
"" Martyrologium Romanum, Edifio
novissima, p. 135.
2"
ibid. , p. cxlvi.
Cyrinus," i. , escop. agus martir. See
many
ancient
copies,
which
Oriental Martyrologies are known to be
384 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 15.
Article VII. —Reputed Feast of St. Muredac. The Bollandists remark, likewise, that Ferrarius, at the 5 th of October, has Murdachus, a bishop in Argadia, and they defer possibly to the latter date any further investigation of the Saint's history. The Florarium Manuscript, in their possession, notes Murdacus as a bishop, at this date, without assigning him
1 The Kalendar of Arbuthnott enters the festival of St. Murdac, as bishop and confessor, at the xvii kalends of October, or
2
Article VIII. —Reputed Feast of St. Cormac, of Munster. Vener-
1
ation was given to Cormac of Munster, at the 15th of September, according
2
to Marianus O'Gorman, followed by the Martyrology of Donegal. 3
this Cormac could have been, if not Cormac MacCuoillainan, King of
Munster, and Archbishop of Cashel, is not apparent. We have already treated about him on the day preceding.
Article IX. —Feast of Nicomedes, Martyr. At the 15th of September, Marianus O'Gorman enters the feast of the noble Nicomedes. 1 This holy priest suffered martyrdom at Rome, under the Emperor Domitian. 2 The Bollandists, who find this his Natalis in the ancient Martyrologies, have endeavoured to investigate his Acts in their great collection. 3 Father Constantine Suysken, in a commentary comprising three sections, deals with his cultus and memorials in thirty-nine paragraphs. 4
Article vi. —' See " Transactions of the Which is thus translated—" lauded Cormac Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript of Munster, without niggardliness, without Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of oppressiveness. ' — Dr. Whitley Stokes'
any particular place.
15th of September.
Oengus, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. . pp. cxxxvii.
Thus—
" Octauus mor Maire. "
—Dr. Whitley Stokes' " Felire Hui Gor- main," p. 176.
3 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , Septembris xv. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 4.
Romanum,"
Sanctorum,"
" Felire Hui Gormain," pp. 176, 177.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves,
" Felire Hui Gormain," pp. 176, 177.
2
He ruled from A. D. 81 to September 1 8th, A. I). 96, when he was assassinated. See the chief events of his reign set forth
in Philip Smith's "Ancient History,"
4 See "
vol. book ill. ,
xxxviii. ,
pp. 463
Martyrologium Editio novissima, p. 137.
Article vii. — ' See " Acta
viii. , chap,
tomus v. , Septembris xv. Among the
pretermitted feats, pp. 4, 5.
2 See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," —
p. 104.
to 480.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. ,
Septembris xv. De S. Nicomede Pnsl>.
Mart. Romje, pp. 5 to 12.
4 The history of this saint is thus com-
" :
A note by Dr. Reeves
at this Romse via Nomentana natalis bead
Article viii.
says at ihis word Munster—"This entry, borrowed from Marian O'Gorman, is in the more recent hand with Marian annexed. "
3 Thus— 11
'
mumhanmolea Can T>occ4, can -oenj;e. "
cum
Komanum. " Editionovissima,
Copbrnac
tyrologium P. 137.
pp. 248, 249. — Article ix.
Thus—"Nicomeid saer sunna," rendered —into English, "noble Nicomedes here. " Dr. Whitley Stokes'
l
in the Roman
pressed Martyrology
day
Nicomedis Presbyter] et Martyris ; qui diceret compellentibus se sacrificare : Ego non sacrifico nisi Deo omnipotenti, qui regnat in coelis ; plumbatis diutissime ciesus migravit ad Dominum. "—"Mar-
Who
September i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 385
MfUtwW) IBaj) of September.
ARTICLE T. —ST. MONENN OR MAOINEANN, BISHOP, OF CLONCURRY, COUNTY OF KILDARE, AND SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN IDENTICAL WITH ST. NINIAN, APOSTLE OF THE SOUTHERN PICTS.
[FOURTH AND FIFTH CENTURIES. ]
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—WRITERS OF ST. NINIAN's ACTS—SUPPOSED IDENTITY OF NINIAN WITH MONEEN OR MAOINEAN—BIRTH AND EARLY YEARS OF NINIAN—HIS JOURNEYS TO GAUL, ON HIS WAY TO ROME—HIS STUDIES THERE—HIS ORDINATION AS PRIEST AND HIS CONSECRATION AS BISHOP—HIS VISIT TO ST. MARTIN, BISHOP OF TOURS— HIS RETURN TO SCOTLAND.
time; probable,
chiefly the record of local and popular traditions. We cannot be sure, that such narratives are to be trusted in all particulars. It should be a great honour conferred on our Island, to have had the celebrated Apostle of the Southern Picts spend the closing years of his grand career among us, as has been asserted in an old Irish Life. It is thought to be not improbable, that St. Ninian of Candida Casa may have been identical with St. Monean or
early writers, who have treated about the present Saint, lived long after his and it seems their notices of him have been
THE
Maioneann of Cluain Conaire in Ireland, and whose feast falls on this
• day.
We must only lay before our readers, the combined statements of other
writers, in reference to such matters ; our own opinions not lining been
conclusively matured on the subject. Again, it is said, the Irish called him
9 Ringan.
Already have we treated about St. Ninian at considerable length, on the 25th ot Julys —supposed by some writers to have been one of his festivals. Yet, certain omissions of narrative there to be detected are here inserted. In the order of Scottish Episcopal succession, St. Ninian is placed first,* among the eminent prelates.
The earliest authentic record of Ninian, the Pictish Apostle, is to be found in the History of Venerable Bede. 5 In our Irish Martyrologies, which are supposed to supply the next conjectural
notices regarding the Saint, his name is to be found under the forms of
"
Moinenn or Moinend, whic—h have been rendered into the English of Nenn" or " Nennius" the of " "
My endearing epithet my being placed before his name, a practice peculiar to the Irish, in reference to their holy men so greatly venerated. Thus, the festival of St. Moinenn or Moinend is
My
commemorated on the 16th of September, in the "Felire" of St. ^Engus.
Article l—Chapter 1. —1 See Bishop
6
« See Rev. Dr. J. F. S. Gordon's " Scoti-
chronicon," vol. i. , p. 25.
5 See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. iv.
6 In the " Leabhar Breac" copy is the
" 421.
2
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. Under such form, likewise, it is applied
Forbes'
to the St. Ninian's church,
parish
and
— :
village in Stirlingshire. See William "
following stanza, at this day
1rl terpen ronA1 uLA1f„en m0n men*.
Thus translated by Whitley Stokes, 1b
Nimmo's HistoryofStirlingshire,"vol. i. , chap, xxi. , p. 376. Third Edition. Re- vised, enlarged, and brought down to the Present Time, by R. Gillespie.
3 See at that date, the Seventh Volume of this work, Art. i.
Vol. IX. -No. 7.
m
^chenghat) oon* mom^ent) nuAll cechgetiAi
386 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September16.
In a comment, his place in Ireland is particularised. 7 The published
of 8 records a festival to honour Monenn of Cluana Martyrology Tallagh
Conaire, at the 16th of September, but incorrectly under the heading Idus, instead of the xvi Kalends. The same error appears in the Book of Leinster Copy,9 for this day. An Irish Life of St. Ninian was extant, and it has been
quoted by Archbishop Ussher.
10
This, however, contains matter not always
reconcilable with that
Ailred. Of the Irish 11 Life,
written
the Bollandists had a translation made by Father Henry Fitzsimon, but they
biography
think it of little value, and to abound in false statements.
12
T3
who 1 * in Lincolnshire, and who died a. d. 1166, wrote the Life of St. Ninian,1' while in the composition of that 16 Ailred's Life of our Saint was first printed by John Pinkerton, ? from a beautiful
became the Cistercian Abbot of
Revesby, Memoir he had the assistance of a " Liber barbaris
(sic) scriptus. " 1
18
manuscript in the Bodleian Library, at Oxford. Moreover, this Latin Life
1
of Ailred has been translated into English. ? Various manuscript Lives of
St. Ninian have been preserved. In the Bodleian Library, Oxford, there is
20 21
a Vita S. Niniani. Also, in the Cottonian collection, there are copies of
Vita S. Niniani. In the Burgundian Library at Bruxelles, there is a volume of Lives of the Saints, in which St. Ninian's Life appears in an abridged form. 22
A metrical Life of St. Ninian, by Barbour, has been found, in the University Library of Cambridge, by Mr. Henry Bradshaw. The Bollandists have
2
inserted Acts of St. Nennius, at this day. 3 These consist of a Commentarius
2 Historico-Criticus, in four sections, containing forty-nine paragraphs. *
L. L. D. : — "A great triad-of-champions that are not wretched. Moinenn the cry of every mouth ; in Iona Laisren the happy, with Laisr£n* the great of Men. " —" Trans- actions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p. cxxxviii.
14 This happened in 1 142, and the next year he was Abbot of Rievaux.
15 See Pinkerton's " Vita? Antiquae Sanc- torum in Scotia. " Vita S. Niniani, per Ailredum Abbatem Rievall.
16 In the " Relationvm Historicarvm de Rebus Anglicis," of John Pitts, there is a list of the works written by Ealred Rieual-
7 There he is said to have been Moinend
of Cluain Conaire-Tomain, in the north of lensis, in tomus i. —all published—Aetas
Ui-Foelain. See ibid. , p. cxlvi.
8 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxiv.
9 There, too, at this date we have a feast
for monenn Cluain Confine.
duodecima, num. 227, pp. 229 230.
17 See "Vita; Antiquae Sanctorum," qui habitaverunt in ea parte Britannia? nunc vocata Scotia vel in ejus insulis. Quasdam
edidit ex MSS. , quasdam collegit J. Pinker- ton, qui et variantes lectiones et notas
10
Rev. Dr. Elrington's edition.
See his works, vol. vi. , pp. 209, and 565.
11
This was procured from Ireland, to serve the purposes of the early Bollandists.
12
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , Sep- tembris xvi. De S. Niniano Episcopo, Pic- torum Australium Apostolo. Commentarius Historico-Criticus, sect, ii. , num. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, pp, 321, 322.
13 His name has been softened from the SaxonEthelred. HeisalsoknownasAilre- dus, Alredus, ^Elredus, Elredus, Adelre- dus, Hetheldredus. Altredus, Atheldredus,
Ealredus, Hailredus, Baldredus, Aluredus, Ealfredus, and Valredus. This Holy Abbot was the son of Eilef Lawreu, who held the revenues and had charge of the church at Hexham, which he afterwards surrendered, and became a Benedictine monk at Dur- ham. See Prior Richard's " of the
pauculas adjecit. Londini. 1789.
18
Noted as Laud. F. xv. ,cent. xii. ; Laud. Misc. 668, ff. 78-89.
19 See Rev. Dr. W. M. Medcalfe's
ho lie,
"
History
Church of Hexham," p. 50. St. Ailred was Pictorum Australian! Apostolo Candida?
born, in the year 1 109, and began his life at the Court of David I. , King of Scotland, whose Life he afterwards wrote, in two Books.
Casae in Scotia, pp. 318 to 328.
24 The editor was Father Urban Sticker,
P. M.
by
cient Lives of Scottish Saints," Paisley,
1895, 8vo.
20
Classed, Laud. Misc. 668, ff. 78-89. "Classed, Tib. D. cent, xiii. , hi. , fob 186-
192 ; and Tib. E. i.
22
It seems to have been that from which
Capgrave produced his Vita S. Niniani.
See " Nova Legenda Anglie," impressa
Londonias in domo Winandi de Worde, commorantis ad Signum Solis, in vico nun- cupate (the flete strete) A. D. Mcccccxvi. , xxvii. die Februarii.
23 See "Acta Sancforum," tomus v. ,
xvi. De S. Niniano Septembris Episcopo,
St. Ailred,
An-
September 16. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 387
Although using the Life by John Capgrave, and commenting on it, the Bollandists have not reproduced it. They mention two other manuscripts of the Life, as being known to themes One of these belonged to the Monas- terium Rubeae Vallis, and the other to the Carthusian Convent*6 at Cologne.
An account of St. Ninian will be found in the works of many medieval
as in John of Fordun, 2 7 Andrew of
29 in
Also his Memoirs may be found in the Works of Archbishop Ussher, Dean
2 34
Cressy,3 Bishop Challenor,33 Bishop Tanner, Rev. Alban Butler,35 George
6 Rev. Dr. 38 Rev. Cun- Chalmers,3 John Pinkerton,37 Lanigan, Grub,39 John
1 42
ningham,4° Darras,* Le Comte de Montalembert, Les Petits Bollandistes,*'
the Encyclopaedia Britannica,44 Chambers's Encyclopaedia's Rev. S. Baring- Gould'6 William F. Skene,47 and William Nimmo. 48 Of late, a most
interesting andL learned Church History of Scotland has been written in
German49 by the Very Rev. Alphons Bellesheim, D. D. , Canon of Aix-la- Chapelle, and it contains an account of our Saint in the opening chapter^
°1
Among the Lives of the English Saints,"* there is a Life of St. Ninian,
36 See ' 'Caledonia," vol. i. , book ii. , chap, ii. , pp. 315 to 317, and vol. iii. , chap. iv. , sect, viii. , pp. 410 to 414.
37See ' into the of Enquiry History
'
Scottish and English Chroniclers ;
Wyntoun,
28 in
John Capgrave,
John Leland,3°
and in
Johi\
Pitts. 31
has been made for these, but Such of the Manuscripts of this convent,
25
they cannot be found.
Abbatis de Cluain- Krainl, nn. 26, 27, p. 399.
headings Lassar and Laissi, in the "Martyrology of Donegal," edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and
b Now in the Irish Academy. kept Royal
See "Common—I'lace Book," F. , p. 78.
•
Article iv. At the 30th August.
2 Allusion is here made to that intrepid Christian Martyr, who professed his faith in Reeves, in the Table of the Martyrology, Christ, when St. Felix had been led to
pp. 430to433.
4 In a letter, dated Dublin, 25 Patrick-
martyrdom. Beingapprehendedandunited in death with St. Felix, he was thenceforth called Adauctus, and for this reason, "quod
street, August 3rd, 1873.
5 See at that date, the Second Volume of sancto martyri Felici adauctus sit ad
this work, Art. i. coronam. "
main," p. 176.
» Edited Drs. Todd and Reeves, by
September 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 383
the Book of Leinster3 is the entry of a feast at the 15th of September, for the son or sons of Taide. Such name has been omitted from the published version by the Rev. Matthew Kelly, D. D. , at this date. Also, at the 15th of September, in the Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman, are commemorated Tadg's sons for their austerity. * We read, in the Martyrology of Donegal,' that a festival to honour the sons of Tadhg was celebrated on the 15th of September.
ArticleV. —St. CyrinusandhisCompanions,Martyrs. Thefeast of this holy Bishop and Martyr, with that of his companions, was celebrated on this day in the early Irish Church, as we learn from the Feilire1 of St.
Article VI. —Octave of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the early Irish Church, the Octave Day of the Blessed Virgin Mary's Nativity was observed as a Feast of Devotion, as we learn from the Feilire
—Dr. ^ Whitley Stokes' main," p. 176.
Felire Hui Gor-
A brief note is attached. 2 This festival to have been taken appears
^Engus.
from the ancient Hieronymian Martyrology,3 in which the names of Saints Cyrinus, Serapion, Leontius and Crocus are to be found. In the Martyr- ology of Raban Maur, only the names of Serapion and Leontius arc mentioned, at the 15th of September/ The Bollandists, who record \}r< feast at the present date, refer to the 12th of this month, as the one known to the Greeks, and also to be met with in the Roman Martyrology. s
1 An allusion to the consecration of a Basilica to her honour has
of
not been explained ; but, probably it had reference to some church erected in Ireland, and solemnly dedicated under her patronage, on this Octave of her Festival. The great Octave of Mary is celebrated on the 15th of
^Engus.
in the
commemoration of such a feast in Usuard and in other Latin Fasti, the Bollandists note it on this day. 3 It is also inserted in the Roman Martyrology. *
September,
"MaicTaidgaratenne. "
"
of Marianus O'Gorman. 2 the Finding
us—rnAC CA1'oe ? ? * •
3
4 Thus
3 There are
go by the title of Codices Hieronymiani, but which aPPear to have been taken from Calendars and Martyrologies, that date back to a period still more remote than the age of St. Jerome. Several of these belonged to
Martyrology
s Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, particular Churches. The Greeks and
posed, that Eusebius compiled a Greek Martyrology, afterwards used by St. Jerome
in the composition of one in Latin. Ancient
versions of this had been used in Ireland by
ourCalendarists. SeePereVictordeBucks
"
Recherches sur les Calendriers Ecclesias- tiques. " Bruxelles, 1877. 8vo.
4 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v,
Septembris xv. Among the pretermitted Saints, p. 2.
S Leaving out the name ot Cyrinus, we there read—" Alexandria; natalis sanctorum
Martyrum Ilieronidis, Leontii, Serapionis, Selesii, Valeriani et Stratonis, qui sub
pp. 248, 249. —
Article v. In the Leabhar Breac among the most ancient. It has been sup-
*
copy we have the following stanza at the 15th September :—
LACoireq\<vo mbAirlicc 111AipemupcocaIcu
CitMnur- cenfoccUi
luit) corluag mop mApcpai.
Thus translated by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. —
•'
At the consecration of the Basilica, Mary,
a rampart with strength, Cyrinus, without
vainglory, went with a great host of iMartyr-
dom. "— " Transactions of the Royal Irish
Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. ,
parti. OntheCalendarofOengus,pp. MaximimoImperatoreobChristinomin—is
cxxxvn. , cxxxviii. confessionem in mare sunt demersi. "
"" Martyrologium Romanum, Edifio
novissima, p. 135.
2"
ibid. , p. cxlvi.
Cyrinus," i. , escop. agus martir. See
many
ancient
copies,
which
Oriental Martyrologies are known to be
384 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 15.
Article VII. —Reputed Feast of St. Muredac. The Bollandists remark, likewise, that Ferrarius, at the 5 th of October, has Murdachus, a bishop in Argadia, and they defer possibly to the latter date any further investigation of the Saint's history. The Florarium Manuscript, in their possession, notes Murdacus as a bishop, at this date, without assigning him
1 The Kalendar of Arbuthnott enters the festival of St. Murdac, as bishop and confessor, at the xvii kalends of October, or
2
Article VIII. —Reputed Feast of St. Cormac, of Munster. Vener-
1
ation was given to Cormac of Munster, at the 15th of September, according
2
to Marianus O'Gorman, followed by the Martyrology of Donegal. 3
this Cormac could have been, if not Cormac MacCuoillainan, King of
Munster, and Archbishop of Cashel, is not apparent. We have already treated about him on the day preceding.
Article IX. —Feast of Nicomedes, Martyr. At the 15th of September, Marianus O'Gorman enters the feast of the noble Nicomedes. 1 This holy priest suffered martyrdom at Rome, under the Emperor Domitian. 2 The Bollandists, who find this his Natalis in the ancient Martyrologies, have endeavoured to investigate his Acts in their great collection. 3 Father Constantine Suysken, in a commentary comprising three sections, deals with his cultus and memorials in thirty-nine paragraphs. 4
Article vi. —' See " Transactions of the Which is thus translated—" lauded Cormac Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript of Munster, without niggardliness, without Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of oppressiveness. ' — Dr. Whitley Stokes'
any particular place.
15th of September.
Oengus, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. . pp. cxxxvii.
Thus—
" Octauus mor Maire. "
—Dr. Whitley Stokes' " Felire Hui Gor- main," p. 176.
3 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , Septembris xv. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 4.
Romanum,"
Sanctorum,"
" Felire Hui Gormain," pp. 176, 177.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves,
" Felire Hui Gormain," pp. 176, 177.
2
He ruled from A. D. 81 to September 1 8th, A. I). 96, when he was assassinated. See the chief events of his reign set forth
in Philip Smith's "Ancient History,"
4 See "
vol. book ill. ,
xxxviii. ,
pp. 463
Martyrologium Editio novissima, p. 137.
Article vii. — ' See " Acta
viii. , chap,
tomus v. , Septembris xv. Among the
pretermitted feats, pp. 4, 5.
2 See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," —
p. 104.
to 480.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. ,
Septembris xv. De S. Nicomede Pnsl>.
Mart. Romje, pp. 5 to 12.
4 The history of this saint is thus com-
" :
A note by Dr. Reeves
at this Romse via Nomentana natalis bead
Article viii.
says at ihis word Munster—"This entry, borrowed from Marian O'Gorman, is in the more recent hand with Marian annexed. "
3 Thus— 11
'
mumhanmolea Can T>occ4, can -oenj;e. "
cum
Komanum. " Editionovissima,
Copbrnac
tyrologium P. 137.
pp. 248, 249. — Article ix.
Thus—"Nicomeid saer sunna," rendered —into English, "noble Nicomedes here. " Dr. Whitley Stokes'
l
in the Roman
pressed Martyrology
day
Nicomedis Presbyter] et Martyris ; qui diceret compellentibus se sacrificare : Ego non sacrifico nisi Deo omnipotenti, qui regnat in coelis ; plumbatis diutissime ciesus migravit ad Dominum. "—"Mar-
Who
September i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 385
MfUtwW) IBaj) of September.
ARTICLE T. —ST. MONENN OR MAOINEANN, BISHOP, OF CLONCURRY, COUNTY OF KILDARE, AND SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN IDENTICAL WITH ST. NINIAN, APOSTLE OF THE SOUTHERN PICTS.
[FOURTH AND FIFTH CENTURIES. ]
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—WRITERS OF ST. NINIAN's ACTS—SUPPOSED IDENTITY OF NINIAN WITH MONEEN OR MAOINEAN—BIRTH AND EARLY YEARS OF NINIAN—HIS JOURNEYS TO GAUL, ON HIS WAY TO ROME—HIS STUDIES THERE—HIS ORDINATION AS PRIEST AND HIS CONSECRATION AS BISHOP—HIS VISIT TO ST. MARTIN, BISHOP OF TOURS— HIS RETURN TO SCOTLAND.
time; probable,
chiefly the record of local and popular traditions. We cannot be sure, that such narratives are to be trusted in all particulars. It should be a great honour conferred on our Island, to have had the celebrated Apostle of the Southern Picts spend the closing years of his grand career among us, as has been asserted in an old Irish Life. It is thought to be not improbable, that St. Ninian of Candida Casa may have been identical with St. Monean or
early writers, who have treated about the present Saint, lived long after his and it seems their notices of him have been
THE
Maioneann of Cluain Conaire in Ireland, and whose feast falls on this
• day.
We must only lay before our readers, the combined statements of other
writers, in reference to such matters ; our own opinions not lining been
conclusively matured on the subject. Again, it is said, the Irish called him
9 Ringan.
Already have we treated about St. Ninian at considerable length, on the 25th ot Julys —supposed by some writers to have been one of his festivals. Yet, certain omissions of narrative there to be detected are here inserted. In the order of Scottish Episcopal succession, St. Ninian is placed first,* among the eminent prelates.
The earliest authentic record of Ninian, the Pictish Apostle, is to be found in the History of Venerable Bede. 5 In our Irish Martyrologies, which are supposed to supply the next conjectural
notices regarding the Saint, his name is to be found under the forms of
"
Moinenn or Moinend, whic—h have been rendered into the English of Nenn" or " Nennius" the of " "
My endearing epithet my being placed before his name, a practice peculiar to the Irish, in reference to their holy men so greatly venerated. Thus, the festival of St. Moinenn or Moinend is
My
commemorated on the 16th of September, in the "Felire" of St. ^Engus.
Article l—Chapter 1. —1 See Bishop
6
« See Rev. Dr. J. F. S. Gordon's " Scoti-
chronicon," vol. i. , p. 25.
5 See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. iv.
6 In the " Leabhar Breac" copy is the
" 421.
2
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. Under such form, likewise, it is applied
Forbes'
to the St. Ninian's church,
parish
and
— :
village in Stirlingshire. See William "
following stanza, at this day
1rl terpen ronA1 uLA1f„en m0n men*.
Thus translated by Whitley Stokes, 1b
Nimmo's HistoryofStirlingshire,"vol. i. , chap, xxi. , p. 376. Third Edition. Re- vised, enlarged, and brought down to the Present Time, by R. Gillespie.
3 See at that date, the Seventh Volume of this work, Art. i.
Vol. IX. -No. 7.
m
^chenghat) oon* mom^ent) nuAll cechgetiAi
386 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September16.
In a comment, his place in Ireland is particularised. 7 The published
of 8 records a festival to honour Monenn of Cluana Martyrology Tallagh
Conaire, at the 16th of September, but incorrectly under the heading Idus, instead of the xvi Kalends. The same error appears in the Book of Leinster Copy,9 for this day. An Irish Life of St. Ninian was extant, and it has been
quoted by Archbishop Ussher.
10
This, however, contains matter not always
reconcilable with that
Ailred. Of the Irish 11 Life,
written
the Bollandists had a translation made by Father Henry Fitzsimon, but they
biography
think it of little value, and to abound in false statements.
12
T3
who 1 * in Lincolnshire, and who died a. d. 1166, wrote the Life of St. Ninian,1' while in the composition of that 16 Ailred's Life of our Saint was first printed by John Pinkerton, ? from a beautiful
became the Cistercian Abbot of
Revesby, Memoir he had the assistance of a " Liber barbaris
(sic) scriptus. " 1
18
manuscript in the Bodleian Library, at Oxford. Moreover, this Latin Life
1
of Ailred has been translated into English. ? Various manuscript Lives of
St. Ninian have been preserved. In the Bodleian Library, Oxford, there is
20 21
a Vita S. Niniani. Also, in the Cottonian collection, there are copies of
Vita S. Niniani. In the Burgundian Library at Bruxelles, there is a volume of Lives of the Saints, in which St. Ninian's Life appears in an abridged form. 22
A metrical Life of St. Ninian, by Barbour, has been found, in the University Library of Cambridge, by Mr. Henry Bradshaw. The Bollandists have
2
inserted Acts of St. Nennius, at this day. 3 These consist of a Commentarius
2 Historico-Criticus, in four sections, containing forty-nine paragraphs. *
L. L. D. : — "A great triad-of-champions that are not wretched. Moinenn the cry of every mouth ; in Iona Laisren the happy, with Laisr£n* the great of Men. " —" Trans- actions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p. cxxxviii.
14 This happened in 1 142, and the next year he was Abbot of Rievaux.
15 See Pinkerton's " Vita? Antiquae Sanc- torum in Scotia. " Vita S. Niniani, per Ailredum Abbatem Rievall.
16 In the " Relationvm Historicarvm de Rebus Anglicis," of John Pitts, there is a list of the works written by Ealred Rieual-
7 There he is said to have been Moinend
of Cluain Conaire-Tomain, in the north of lensis, in tomus i. —all published—Aetas
Ui-Foelain. See ibid. , p. cxlvi.
8 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxxiv.
9 There, too, at this date we have a feast
for monenn Cluain Confine.
duodecima, num. 227, pp. 229 230.
17 See "Vita; Antiquae Sanctorum," qui habitaverunt in ea parte Britannia? nunc vocata Scotia vel in ejus insulis. Quasdam
edidit ex MSS. , quasdam collegit J. Pinker- ton, qui et variantes lectiones et notas
10
Rev. Dr. Elrington's edition.
See his works, vol. vi. , pp. 209, and 565.
11
This was procured from Ireland, to serve the purposes of the early Bollandists.
12
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus v. , Sep- tembris xvi. De S. Niniano Episcopo, Pic- torum Australium Apostolo. Commentarius Historico-Criticus, sect, ii. , num. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, pp, 321, 322.
13 His name has been softened from the SaxonEthelred. HeisalsoknownasAilre- dus, Alredus, ^Elredus, Elredus, Adelre- dus, Hetheldredus. Altredus, Atheldredus,
Ealredus, Hailredus, Baldredus, Aluredus, Ealfredus, and Valredus. This Holy Abbot was the son of Eilef Lawreu, who held the revenues and had charge of the church at Hexham, which he afterwards surrendered, and became a Benedictine monk at Dur- ham. See Prior Richard's " of the
pauculas adjecit. Londini. 1789.
18
Noted as Laud. F. xv. ,cent. xii. ; Laud. Misc. 668, ff. 78-89.
19 See Rev. Dr. W. M. Medcalfe's
ho lie,
"
History
Church of Hexham," p. 50. St. Ailred was Pictorum Australian! Apostolo Candida?
born, in the year 1 109, and began his life at the Court of David I. , King of Scotland, whose Life he afterwards wrote, in two Books.
Casae in Scotia, pp. 318 to 328.
24 The editor was Father Urban Sticker,
P. M.
by
cient Lives of Scottish Saints," Paisley,
1895, 8vo.
20
Classed, Laud. Misc. 668, ff. 78-89. "Classed, Tib. D. cent, xiii. , hi. , fob 186-
192 ; and Tib. E. i.
22
It seems to have been that from which
Capgrave produced his Vita S. Niniani.
See " Nova Legenda Anglie," impressa
Londonias in domo Winandi de Worde, commorantis ad Signum Solis, in vico nun- cupate (the flete strete) A. D. Mcccccxvi. , xxvii. die Februarii.
23 See "Acta Sancforum," tomus v. ,
xvi. De S. Niniano Septembris Episcopo,
St. Ailred,
An-
September 16. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 387
Although using the Life by John Capgrave, and commenting on it, the Bollandists have not reproduced it. They mention two other manuscripts of the Life, as being known to themes One of these belonged to the Monas- terium Rubeae Vallis, and the other to the Carthusian Convent*6 at Cologne.
An account of St. Ninian will be found in the works of many medieval
as in John of Fordun, 2 7 Andrew of
29 in
Also his Memoirs may be found in the Works of Archbishop Ussher, Dean
2 34
Cressy,3 Bishop Challenor,33 Bishop Tanner, Rev. Alban Butler,35 George
6 Rev. Dr. 38 Rev. Cun- Chalmers,3 John Pinkerton,37 Lanigan, Grub,39 John
1 42
ningham,4° Darras,* Le Comte de Montalembert, Les Petits Bollandistes,*'
the Encyclopaedia Britannica,44 Chambers's Encyclopaedia's Rev. S. Baring- Gould'6 William F. Skene,47 and William Nimmo. 48 Of late, a most
interesting andL learned Church History of Scotland has been written in
German49 by the Very Rev. Alphons Bellesheim, D. D. , Canon of Aix-la- Chapelle, and it contains an account of our Saint in the opening chapter^
°1
Among the Lives of the English Saints,"* there is a Life of St. Ninian,
36 See ' 'Caledonia," vol. i. , book ii. , chap, ii. , pp. 315 to 317, and vol. iii. , chap. iv. , sect, viii. , pp. 410 to 414.
37See ' into the of Enquiry History
'
Scottish and English Chroniclers ;
Wyntoun,
28 in
John Capgrave,
John Leland,3°
and in
Johi\
Pitts. 31
has been made for these, but Such of the Manuscripts of this convent,
25
they cannot be found.
