Kieran, a gentleman s well versed in Irish
ecclesiastical
and profane his-
tory has furnished the writer with elaborate notes, referring to St.
tory has furnished the writer with elaborate notes, referring to St.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
165
this distinguished prelate, in the
'
The other chief Islands
tomus i. , lib. Hi. , num. 255, p. 153. 6"
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 6.
Having thus brought together those few records bearing on the life of the
holy Patron, so greatly venerated where he lived, and where he is so regularly invoked ; we agree with the observation of a learned writer, that it is not unusual for historians to draw moral conclusions from those facts they relate, for the instruction or imitation of their readers. 67 Our inferences must be, that holy servants of God, while specially commemorated in their several localities, deserve to be held in great respect elsewhere, on account of their virtues and the services they have rendered to religion, while on earth ; nor can they prove unmindful of that devout veneration, which exalts them in the esteem of individuals, living remote from the scene of their labours, and who, as Catholics invoking them, share in the communion of saints now glori- fied in Heaven.
Article II. —St. Colman, or Colmoc, or Colmus, Bishop of the OrkneyIslands,Scotland. [SaidtohavebeenoftheTenthandEleventh Centuries? ^ Off the extreme northern mainland of Scotland, and separated from Caithness by the Pentland Frith, lies that group of Islands, known as the
of which Pomona « is the and where Kirkwall the is Orkneys, chief, capital
situated. At an early period, the Faith was established in these bleak, barren
and desolate 2 some thousands of to Islands, where,however, peoplemanage
live, chiefly through the fisheries, and partly by means of tillage and pasturage. Already, at the 9th of March,3 allusion has been made to a St. Colman, or Colmus, or Colmoc, who is stated to have been a Bishop in the Orkney Islands of Scotland. Again, at the 4th of May,* a St. Colmoc, called Bishop of Banff, is venerated. 5 It is said, that a St. Sylvester was Patron of the Orkney
8 Itisstated,thatSt. Palladius'appointedSt. SerforServanus tobehiscoad-
jutor or assistant Bishop, so early as a. d. 443,5 and then to have sent him to the Orkneys to convert the heathens living there. This was many centuries be- fore the time of St. Colman or Colmoc. Some account of this Orkney Bishop
is tobe foundin 10 it is Dempster; but,
"
and that he was honoured
are doubtful, whether the present Bishop be a native of Ireland or of Scot- land; but, he is thought to have lived, during the Tenth and Eleventh Centuries.
Islands,
there,
an
and in a fashion, which leaves it open to the suspicion of doubt. The Bol-
untrustworthy writer, landists have notices " of a St. Colmoc, or Colmus, at this date;" but, they
gatory, Dogmatic and Scholastic ; the vari-
ous Questions connected with it considered
and proved," chap, iv. , p. 10. Dublin,
1886. M. H. Gill and Son, O'Connell- to the 5th of February, a. d. 670. See
street, i2mo. — Article II.
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum,"
here are Westray, Papa Westray, Hoy, Stronsa, Sanda, North and South Ronald-
See Rev. Alban Butler's Lives of the
Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints,"
sha, Egleshay, Rousay, Eda, Shapinsha, vol. ii. , February xiv. Account of St.
and Buira.
'
if you enter a cottage and ask for a gla>s of
water, they would think it inhospitable to
bring you anything but milk. As a rule
they will accept nothing in payment. Such
is the account given in an article, "The chronicon," &c, vol. i. , p. 42.
,0
See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis appeared in the "Argosy" for the Month Scotorum," tomus i. , lib, iii. , num. 255, p.
In these islands, wherever you wander,
Orkney and Shetland Islands," which
of March, 1883.
3 In the Third Volume of this work,
Art. vii.
153, and num. 267, p. 159.
on the th of 6 We 5 day February.
given by
* See the Fifth Volume of this work, Art. v.
s By Dempster, his translation is assigned
Conran, Bishop of the Orkneys, and Con- fessor.
7 See his Life, at the 6th of July, volume vii. of this work, Art. i.
8
9 See Rev. Dr. J. F. S. Gordon's " Scoti-
His feast occurs, at the 1st of July,
" In four paragraphs.
""
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , vi.
June 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 213
are chiefly extracted from Scottish Calendars. They express grave doubts, however,regardingwhathasbeensaidofhim,intheBreviaryofAberdeen. '3 It is supposed, he flourished, during the reign ofKennethlll. /^and thathe lived
contemporaneously with the holy Bishops Moveanus, Medanus, Blaan, and Englatius. 15 Now, Kenneth, son of Dubh, was a distinguished warrior, who
to a. d. or l6 when he was slain in a war of 1004 1005,
from a. d.
succession by Malcolm, son of Kenneth, at Moeghavard or Monzievaird, in
reigned
997
Stratherne. 1 ? If we are to believe
his integrity of life ; he was familiar with Pope Benedict VII f9 he was con- secrated at Rome ; he became a most learned Bishop over the Orkneys ; while he flourished in the year 1010. However, it seems, that Dempster has confounded—him with another St. Colmoc,20 said to have been venerated at the
4th of May it not be if, indeed, may
had been distinct
thought they persons.
In Bishop Forbes'
"
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," he has notices of St.
King
3, entry
Dempster
Dempster,
18 St. Colmus was renowned for
Colmoc,21 and of St. Colmus,22 at the 6th day ofJune, as also of a St. Colmaig
orColman23atthe6thand7thofthesamemonth. Weknownot,ifhebe
identical with a St. Colmach or a St. Colman, mentioned in a Manuscript
Scotichronicon by Prior Brockie of St. James, Ratisbon, as invoked in a Pro-
cessional of Dunkeld 2* In the Kalendar of the Aber-
Litany Monastery.
2 s and also in the Martyrology of Aberdeen,26 the Feast of St.
Kalendar, we find noticed " S. Colme bischop and confess, in Scotland
deen
Colmoc, Bishop and Confessor, occurs at the 6th of June. In Adam King's
Breviary ,
:
Kennethe 2 ? and Thomas 28 has another allusion to
vnder
him. We find an
regarding a Bishop Colman, without any further notice ; and, again, on this day is registered, in the Martyrology of Donegal,3° a festival in honour of Colman, Bishop.
Article III. —St. Cocca, Cucca, Cuach, Cuaca, or Coc, Patroness ofKilcockParish,CountyofKildare. Thatthepresentholywoman
flourished, at an early period, can hardly be doubted ; although it is difficult, for want of satisfactory proofs, to furnish authentic statements, even regarding her identity. What seems certain is, that she lived—most probably long—
Junii. De S. Colmoco seu Colmo, Episcopo in Scotia, p. 761.
Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. iii. , num. 267,
p. 159.
'9 He ruled from a. d. to A. D. See 975 983.
Sir Harris Nicolas' "Chronology of His-
tory," p. 208.
20 Said to be of Banff. See an account of
him, in the Fifth Volume of this work, at the 4th of May, Art. v.
13 In hac enim
ad Episcopatum Ultonise Dromorensem, ubi
apud Jacobum Waraeum Episcopus Col-
manus dicitur et a vetusto
; ^Eugusiani
Martyrologii Scholiaste appellatur Mocol- moc ; affingunturque stupenda miracula, ex Vita S. Colmani Episcopi : sed cum hie dicatuv sexto Chiisti seculo flourisse, a S. Col-
ipse Sanctus,
transmittitur
moco seu Colmo, d—e hie
quo agimus,
debuit
23 See
diversus sestimaii. " Ibid.
14 See John Lesley, "De Rebus Gestis
Scotorum. " lib. v. , cnp. lxxx.
15 See Hector Boetius' " Historise Scoto-
rum," lib. ix.
24
p. 294. See Rev. Dr.
F. S. Gordon's
"
Scoti-
16 " 2 According to the Annales Ultonien-
See ibid. , p. 131. ? See ibid. , p. 154.
ses," in Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibemicarum Scriptores," tomus iv.
17 See William F. Skene's "Celtic Scot- land : a History of Ancient Alban," vol. i. , chap, vii. , pp. 3S2, 383.
"
See Historia Ecclesiastica Geniis
28 Thus, in iMenologium Scotorum, at the "
in the
of 2^ at this Martyrology Tallagh,
date,
2I 22
See p. 304. See p. 306.
J. chronicon," &c, vol. i. , p. 68.
25 See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 117.
i6
6th ofJune, we read
— Kirkuae Colmi Or- :
cadum Apostoli. K. " Jbid. ,p. 202.
^ Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxvi.
3° Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
146, 147.
214 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 6.
before the eighth century,—when we have a passing record of the place—
2
named Kilcock » after her in our Irish Annals. It means "the Church of
St. Coc," or as Latinized Ecclesia S. Coccece. Its locality gave name to a
parish,3 within the present barony of Ikeathy and Oughterany, in the county of Kildare. Incidentally, Father John Colgan introduces a St. Cocca, as the
nurse of St. Kieran,* Bishop of Saigir ; but, it cannot be ascertained, that she
was the same as that holy woman, whose festival is recorded, at this date.
Assuming the Patroness of Kilcock to have been in early years the nurse of
St.
Kieran, a gentleman s well versed in Irish ecclesiastical and profane his-
tory has furnished the writer with elaborate notes, referring to St. Cocha and
to Kilcock. He suggests, that as she acted in that capacity, St. Cocca may
have accompanied St. Kieran to Rome, where he received from the Supreme
Pontiff permission to preach the Gospel in Ireland, even before the coming of
St. Patrick, its great Apostle. The Bollandists 6 have a notice of this holy
virgin, at the 6th of June, but they express only a desire to learn more regard-
ingher,thanhasbeenstatedbyColgan. 7 ThenameandfeastofSt. Choca,
virgin, in the province of Meath, Ireland, is commemorated, at the 6th of
June, by Chastelain,8 and also, in Right Rev. Bishop Challenor's " Memorial
of Ancient British at the 8th of 10 we have Piety. "9 Already, day January,
given some notices of a St. Cocca, Cucca, Cuach, or Cuaca, who is called a Virgin of Cill-Cuaiche—said to have been in Cairbre-na-Ciardha—identical with Kilcock, in the north-western part of Kildare County. However, her chief festival seems referable to this date. Again, there was a St. Cuach, or Coiningean, a Virgin, of Fionnmagh Church, and said to have been of Kil- leen Cormac, county of Kildare, whose feast occurs, at the 29th of April. " She flourished, in the fifth or sixth century ; and, it has been supposed, she was identical with the Patroness of Kilcock. Indeed, the time, place, and circumstances, concerning her, render it possible enough ; however, this is stillonlyamatterforvagueconjecture. AnIrishcomment"isaddedinthe table subjoined to the Martyrology of Donegal ;*3 and, the writer of it sup- poses this present saint to have been the nurse of St. Kieran, Bishop of
Article hi. —' A battle was there A. D. 774.
de l'Annee la Serie des Saints, Saintes, etc. , honores dans toutes les Eglises de la Chretiente, avec un Diction- naire Universel des ces Saints," ouvraye redige sur celui de l'ahbe de Chastelain, et 3 It is shown, on the Ordnance Survey considerablement augmente, par de St.
a See Dr. John O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , and n. (u), pp.
378, 379-
Townland Maps for the County of Kildare,"
10. On the former of these is to be found the Town and Townland of Kil- cock.
4 See his Life, published in the Thir—d Volume of this woik, at the 5th of March the date for his Festival—Art. i.
5 Shackleton Hallett, Esq. , 1 Hare Court,
sheets
5,
Allais, Paris, 1823, 8vo.
9 See A or Additions and Supplement
Amendments to the British Martyrology, p. 17.
10 See Volume the First of this work, Art. v. , with notes.
"
See an account of her in Volume the Fourth of this work, Art. ii. , with notes.
London. He had also communi- cated the substance of these notes to Very Rev. Thomas Geoghegan, V. G. , of the Dio- cese of Kildare and Leighlin, and P. P. of Kilcock.
6 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. ,
Junii vi. , Among the pretermitted saints, p. 616.
12 The is an translation following English
Temple,
:
"
fought
pour chaque Jour
» In "Acta Sanctorum Hibemias," state by Mr. Curry is oi-oeAcfi, /if. 'a. night's
Martii v. Vita S. Kierani,
8 See " Martyrologe Universel, traduit in
FraiK;ais du Maityrologe Romain, offrant
'
n. 29.
Oitiedcc
ing place on the journey from Dublin. '"
"There is a Cill-Choea in Midhe, « day's journey from Ath-Cliath. She seems to be the nurse of Ciaran of Saighir. But see. There is a fair, holiday, and church here. " To the original Irish of the foregoing com- ment, Dr. Todd has appended this note : " The word left in its original contracted
' the first
13 See Rev. Drs. Todd's and Reeves'
lodging.
lae,
day's sleep-
June 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 215
Saigir. However, he advances such an opinion with doubt. Now, as St. Kieran was born in the Island of Cape Clear, off the remote southern coast of Ire- land,itseemslikelyhisnurseCochoeabelongedtothesameregion; but,at all events, she was afterwards placed over the monastic institute of Ross- Bennchoir, near the western sea of Ireland, which was very far removed from Saigir. Thepresentholywoman,wesuspect,mustbedistinguishedfromthat St. Cocha or Cocca, 1 * of Ros-Bennchair, who was nurse to St. Kiaran of the former place. This is also the opinion of Father John Colgan. 's We can only
observe, that the present holy virgin is recognised and distinguished as patronessofKilcock,onthebordersofthecountyofMeath. Thelocalities already alluded to are far distant from each other, having apparently no con- nexion. In the Introduction l6 to the O'Clerys' Calendar, we are informed, that Cill-Choca is in Meath. When this holy virgin settled there is unknown ; but, it is thought, that she presided at Kilcock over a community of nuns, in quality of Abbess, and local tradition has it, that a religious house formerly stoodonthespot,latelyoccupiedtherebytheNationalSchool. TheParish Register styles this locality Parochia Sanctge Cogae, while the former church
1
was called Ecclesia Assumptae Virginis de Kilcock. ? That ground, on which
the Protestant church until lately stood, is pointed out by tradition, as having been in past times the site of the former Catholic church. 18 The remains of that Protestant church have been carted away, while the enclosure is now used exclusively as a public cemetery. Preparations having been made for building a fine parochial church to be dedicated to St. Coca, the Virgin Patroness at Kilcock, a former parish priest, Very Rev. William Treacy, com- menced its erection in 1862 IQ and, having expended ,£1,000 on the work, he
;
was called to his reward. 20 After his demise, the Very Rev. Thomas
Geoghegan was appointed Pastor. He proceeded with great zeal and energy, in the successful prosecution of the building, which was placed under the in- vocation of St. Coca, in 1867. The architect was J. J. MacCarthy. The plan of Kilcock Catholic Church consists of nave and sanctuary ; the aisles terminate in chapels ; a tower 2X is at the west end of the nave ; and the
sacristy is at the north side of the sanctuary.
and
bays
each bay. The east window of the sanctuary is a triplet of lancets, filled with
the six aisles, by
of arches at each
on 22 granite pillars.
side,
These arches support a clerestory containing couplets of foliated circles on
V Martyrology of Donegal," pp. 378, 379.
14 See an account of her, in this
20 "He
of his own and means,
volume,
at the 29th of June—the day for her feast— partly the result of subscriptions received,
Art. i.
15 See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae,"
Martii v. Vila S. Kierani Episcopi et Con-
fessoris, cap. xxiv. , p. 461, and n. 29,
p. 465.
towards its —to effect ^3,000 completion,
which cost some . £6,000 more. " Ibid.
2I The tower and spire, when complete,
shall rise to a height of 170 feet.
22
The roof linings are panelled in wood. 23 The frontal of the high Altar, containing the Agnus Dei in the centre, has groups of kings adoring in the side panels. The great reredos contains under canopied arches, in the centre, the monograms of the sacred name, surrounded by seraphim, and at the base garlands of vine leaves, grapes and heads of wheat. At the Gospel side of the monogram is a figure of St. Augustine, and
on the side is that of St. Teresa. In Epistle
the remaining niches are sculptured groups, representing the sacrifices of Abel, Noah, Melchisedech and Abraham, with figures of St. Clare and of St. Mary Magdalen.
16
11
See Rev. Dns. Todd's and Reeves'
Martyrology of Donegal," p. xxxix.
17 See Very Rev. Michael Comerford's Collections relating to the Dioceses of Kil-
"
dare and Leighlin," vol. ii. , p. 156.
18
From the Very Rev. Thomas Geoghe- gan, V. G. , of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin, and P. P. of Kilcock, in a letter dated March 28th, 1886, the writer has been
w; ththeinformation here and given,
supplied
with that which immediately follows in the text.
19 See Rev. Michael Comerford's " Col- lections relating to the Dioceses of Kildare
The nave is separated from
and Leighlin," vol. ii. , p. 155.
resting
left, partly
2l6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 6.
stained glass. The clear dimensions of the church are 131 feet in length, in- cluding tower, and the width is 60 feet. The style is of early Gothic architec- ture. The Altars 33 are made of marble and Caen stone, while a reredos com- pletes the accessories of the choir. The reredos is supported by marble shafts,24 while it is ornamented with devotional panels and crystal bulbs. This church is truly a very solid and an elegant structure. 25 Although the me-
of St. Coca was
still there were local memorials, such as Tubbermohocca, or the Holy Well of Chocca, to perpetuate her celebrity. It sprang as a stream, in what is now
mory
displaced,
in former
times,
St. Coca's Catholic Church, Kilcock.
an enclosed yard of the town. 2 ? Kilcock also extends as a town land into the
adjoining parish of Rodanstown, in the barony of Upper Deece and county of Meath. 28 In the of there is a townland of 29 divided
county Kerry,
Kilcock,
'* The pedestal of reredos is filled in
according to the List of Churches furnished to him, by the Bishop of Kildare.
"
About forty years ago, it was shut up by the occupant of the premises, and the stream diverted to what was —considered a
panels with diaper, containing harps, round towers, and oilier national emblems. The 27
lesser reredos consists of arched panels,
illuminated in gold and colours. The chapel
of the Blessed Virgin contains an Altar, the more convenient situation. " Very Rev. frontal of which is filled with a sculptured Michael Comerford's "Collections relating panel in the centre, and representing the to the Diocese of Kildare and Lcighlin," Coronation of the Blessed Virgin, with vol. ii. , p. 155.
and adoring angels at the sides.
28
This townland is described, on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Meath," sheet 49.
25 The accompanying photographic illus-
tration, kindly procured for the writer, by
Very Rev. Thomas Geoghegan. P. P. , Kil-
cock, and V. G. , has been transferred to the of Iraghticonnor. It is described, on the
wood, by William F. Wakeman, and it has been engraved, by Mrs. Millard.
" Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
County of Kerry," sheet 5.
" It is in the of Kilmore, and parish
26 This was the case, in the time of
Colgan,
to introduce that of St. 26 Gall,
29 In the parish of Lisselton, and barony
June 6. J LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 217
into the distinct denominations of Upper and Lower. A townland is called 1
Kilcock,3° in the county of Roscommon, as also a Kilcoke^ in the Queen's County, and in the North Riding of Tipperary p* but, we cannot state if any of these were called after this holy virgin. With regard to the present saint, an entry is found in the Martyrology of Tallagh," at the 6th of June. More- over, a feast in honour of Cocca was celebrated, on this day, as we read, like-
wise, in the Martyrology of Donegal. 3* Her festival is noticed by Archdall,3S atthesamedate; but,wefinditimpossibletothrowfurtherlightonherhis-
tory or period.
Article IV. —St. Gurvall, Bishop of Aleth, in Armorica, France.
\Sixth and Seventh Centuries. '] Evidently, the history of this holy personage is surrounded with several obscurities, and tradition has been confused, by the compilers of his Acts. The ancient Breviary of St. Malo contains three
Lessons, giving an abridgment of Gurval's Life. reproduced, in Proper ones of the same church.
of St. Gurval.
this distinguished prelate, in the
'
The other chief Islands
tomus i. , lib. Hi. , num. 255, p. 153. 6"
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 6.
Having thus brought together those few records bearing on the life of the
holy Patron, so greatly venerated where he lived, and where he is so regularly invoked ; we agree with the observation of a learned writer, that it is not unusual for historians to draw moral conclusions from those facts they relate, for the instruction or imitation of their readers. 67 Our inferences must be, that holy servants of God, while specially commemorated in their several localities, deserve to be held in great respect elsewhere, on account of their virtues and the services they have rendered to religion, while on earth ; nor can they prove unmindful of that devout veneration, which exalts them in the esteem of individuals, living remote from the scene of their labours, and who, as Catholics invoking them, share in the communion of saints now glori- fied in Heaven.
Article II. —St. Colman, or Colmoc, or Colmus, Bishop of the OrkneyIslands,Scotland. [SaidtohavebeenoftheTenthandEleventh Centuries? ^ Off the extreme northern mainland of Scotland, and separated from Caithness by the Pentland Frith, lies that group of Islands, known as the
of which Pomona « is the and where Kirkwall the is Orkneys, chief, capital
situated. At an early period, the Faith was established in these bleak, barren
and desolate 2 some thousands of to Islands, where,however, peoplemanage
live, chiefly through the fisheries, and partly by means of tillage and pasturage. Already, at the 9th of March,3 allusion has been made to a St. Colman, or Colmus, or Colmoc, who is stated to have been a Bishop in the Orkney Islands of Scotland. Again, at the 4th of May,* a St. Colmoc, called Bishop of Banff, is venerated. 5 It is said, that a St. Sylvester was Patron of the Orkney
8 Itisstated,thatSt. Palladius'appointedSt. SerforServanus tobehiscoad-
jutor or assistant Bishop, so early as a. d. 443,5 and then to have sent him to the Orkneys to convert the heathens living there. This was many centuries be- fore the time of St. Colman or Colmoc. Some account of this Orkney Bishop
is tobe foundin 10 it is Dempster; but,
"
and that he was honoured
are doubtful, whether the present Bishop be a native of Ireland or of Scot- land; but, he is thought to have lived, during the Tenth and Eleventh Centuries.
Islands,
there,
an
and in a fashion, which leaves it open to the suspicion of doubt. The Bol-
untrustworthy writer, landists have notices " of a St. Colmoc, or Colmus, at this date;" but, they
gatory, Dogmatic and Scholastic ; the vari-
ous Questions connected with it considered
and proved," chap, iv. , p. 10. Dublin,
1886. M. H. Gill and Son, O'Connell- to the 5th of February, a. d. 670. See
street, i2mo. — Article II.
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum,"
here are Westray, Papa Westray, Hoy, Stronsa, Sanda, North and South Ronald-
See Rev. Alban Butler's Lives of the
Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints,"
sha, Egleshay, Rousay, Eda, Shapinsha, vol. ii. , February xiv. Account of St.
and Buira.
'
if you enter a cottage and ask for a gla>s of
water, they would think it inhospitable to
bring you anything but milk. As a rule
they will accept nothing in payment. Such
is the account given in an article, "The chronicon," &c, vol. i. , p. 42.
,0
See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis appeared in the "Argosy" for the Month Scotorum," tomus i. , lib, iii. , num. 255, p.
In these islands, wherever you wander,
Orkney and Shetland Islands," which
of March, 1883.
3 In the Third Volume of this work,
Art. vii.
153, and num. 267, p. 159.
on the th of 6 We 5 day February.
given by
* See the Fifth Volume of this work, Art. v.
s By Dempster, his translation is assigned
Conran, Bishop of the Orkneys, and Con- fessor.
7 See his Life, at the 6th of July, volume vii. of this work, Art. i.
8
9 See Rev. Dr. J. F. S. Gordon's " Scoti-
His feast occurs, at the 1st of July,
" In four paragraphs.
""
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , vi.
June 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 213
are chiefly extracted from Scottish Calendars. They express grave doubts, however,regardingwhathasbeensaidofhim,intheBreviaryofAberdeen. '3 It is supposed, he flourished, during the reign ofKennethlll. /^and thathe lived
contemporaneously with the holy Bishops Moveanus, Medanus, Blaan, and Englatius. 15 Now, Kenneth, son of Dubh, was a distinguished warrior, who
to a. d. or l6 when he was slain in a war of 1004 1005,
from a. d.
succession by Malcolm, son of Kenneth, at Moeghavard or Monzievaird, in
reigned
997
Stratherne. 1 ? If we are to believe
his integrity of life ; he was familiar with Pope Benedict VII f9 he was con- secrated at Rome ; he became a most learned Bishop over the Orkneys ; while he flourished in the year 1010. However, it seems, that Dempster has confounded—him with another St. Colmoc,20 said to have been venerated at the
4th of May it not be if, indeed, may
had been distinct
thought they persons.
In Bishop Forbes'
"
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," he has notices of St.
King
3, entry
Dempster
Dempster,
18 St. Colmus was renowned for
Colmoc,21 and of St. Colmus,22 at the 6th day ofJune, as also of a St. Colmaig
orColman23atthe6thand7thofthesamemonth. Weknownot,ifhebe
identical with a St. Colmach or a St. Colman, mentioned in a Manuscript
Scotichronicon by Prior Brockie of St. James, Ratisbon, as invoked in a Pro-
cessional of Dunkeld 2* In the Kalendar of the Aber-
Litany Monastery.
2 s and also in the Martyrology of Aberdeen,26 the Feast of St.
Kalendar, we find noticed " S. Colme bischop and confess, in Scotland
deen
Colmoc, Bishop and Confessor, occurs at the 6th of June. In Adam King's
Breviary ,
:
Kennethe 2 ? and Thomas 28 has another allusion to
vnder
him. We find an
regarding a Bishop Colman, without any further notice ; and, again, on this day is registered, in the Martyrology of Donegal,3° a festival in honour of Colman, Bishop.
Article III. —St. Cocca, Cucca, Cuach, Cuaca, or Coc, Patroness ofKilcockParish,CountyofKildare. Thatthepresentholywoman
flourished, at an early period, can hardly be doubted ; although it is difficult, for want of satisfactory proofs, to furnish authentic statements, even regarding her identity. What seems certain is, that she lived—most probably long—
Junii. De S. Colmoco seu Colmo, Episcopo in Scotia, p. 761.
Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. iii. , num. 267,
p. 159.
'9 He ruled from a. d. to A. D. See 975 983.
Sir Harris Nicolas' "Chronology of His-
tory," p. 208.
20 Said to be of Banff. See an account of
him, in the Fifth Volume of this work, at the 4th of May, Art. v.
13 In hac enim
ad Episcopatum Ultonise Dromorensem, ubi
apud Jacobum Waraeum Episcopus Col-
manus dicitur et a vetusto
; ^Eugusiani
Martyrologii Scholiaste appellatur Mocol- moc ; affingunturque stupenda miracula, ex Vita S. Colmani Episcopi : sed cum hie dicatuv sexto Chiisti seculo flourisse, a S. Col-
ipse Sanctus,
transmittitur
moco seu Colmo, d—e hie
quo agimus,
debuit
23 See
diversus sestimaii. " Ibid.
14 See John Lesley, "De Rebus Gestis
Scotorum. " lib. v. , cnp. lxxx.
15 See Hector Boetius' " Historise Scoto-
rum," lib. ix.
24
p. 294. See Rev. Dr.
F. S. Gordon's
"
Scoti-
16 " 2 According to the Annales Ultonien-
See ibid. , p. 131. ? See ibid. , p. 154.
ses," in Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibemicarum Scriptores," tomus iv.
17 See William F. Skene's "Celtic Scot- land : a History of Ancient Alban," vol. i. , chap, vii. , pp. 3S2, 383.
"
See Historia Ecclesiastica Geniis
28 Thus, in iMenologium Scotorum, at the "
in the
of 2^ at this Martyrology Tallagh,
date,
2I 22
See p. 304. See p. 306.
J. chronicon," &c, vol. i. , p. 68.
25 See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 117.
i6
6th ofJune, we read
— Kirkuae Colmi Or- :
cadum Apostoli. K. " Jbid. ,p. 202.
^ Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxvi.
3° Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
146, 147.
214 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 6.
before the eighth century,—when we have a passing record of the place—
2
named Kilcock » after her in our Irish Annals. It means "the Church of
St. Coc," or as Latinized Ecclesia S. Coccece. Its locality gave name to a
parish,3 within the present barony of Ikeathy and Oughterany, in the county of Kildare. Incidentally, Father John Colgan introduces a St. Cocca, as the
nurse of St. Kieran,* Bishop of Saigir ; but, it cannot be ascertained, that she
was the same as that holy woman, whose festival is recorded, at this date.
Assuming the Patroness of Kilcock to have been in early years the nurse of
St.
Kieran, a gentleman s well versed in Irish ecclesiastical and profane his-
tory has furnished the writer with elaborate notes, referring to St. Cocha and
to Kilcock. He suggests, that as she acted in that capacity, St. Cocca may
have accompanied St. Kieran to Rome, where he received from the Supreme
Pontiff permission to preach the Gospel in Ireland, even before the coming of
St. Patrick, its great Apostle. The Bollandists 6 have a notice of this holy
virgin, at the 6th of June, but they express only a desire to learn more regard-
ingher,thanhasbeenstatedbyColgan. 7 ThenameandfeastofSt. Choca,
virgin, in the province of Meath, Ireland, is commemorated, at the 6th of
June, by Chastelain,8 and also, in Right Rev. Bishop Challenor's " Memorial
of Ancient British at the 8th of 10 we have Piety. "9 Already, day January,
given some notices of a St. Cocca, Cucca, Cuach, or Cuaca, who is called a Virgin of Cill-Cuaiche—said to have been in Cairbre-na-Ciardha—identical with Kilcock, in the north-western part of Kildare County. However, her chief festival seems referable to this date. Again, there was a St. Cuach, or Coiningean, a Virgin, of Fionnmagh Church, and said to have been of Kil- leen Cormac, county of Kildare, whose feast occurs, at the 29th of April. " She flourished, in the fifth or sixth century ; and, it has been supposed, she was identical with the Patroness of Kilcock. Indeed, the time, place, and circumstances, concerning her, render it possible enough ; however, this is stillonlyamatterforvagueconjecture. AnIrishcomment"isaddedinthe table subjoined to the Martyrology of Donegal ;*3 and, the writer of it sup- poses this present saint to have been the nurse of St. Kieran, Bishop of
Article hi. —' A battle was there A. D. 774.
de l'Annee la Serie des Saints, Saintes, etc. , honores dans toutes les Eglises de la Chretiente, avec un Diction- naire Universel des ces Saints," ouvraye redige sur celui de l'ahbe de Chastelain, et 3 It is shown, on the Ordnance Survey considerablement augmente, par de St.
a See Dr. John O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , and n. (u), pp.
378, 379-
Townland Maps for the County of Kildare,"
10. On the former of these is to be found the Town and Townland of Kil- cock.
4 See his Life, published in the Thir—d Volume of this woik, at the 5th of March the date for his Festival—Art. i.
5 Shackleton Hallett, Esq. , 1 Hare Court,
sheets
5,
Allais, Paris, 1823, 8vo.
9 See A or Additions and Supplement
Amendments to the British Martyrology, p. 17.
10 See Volume the First of this work, Art. v. , with notes.
"
See an account of her in Volume the Fourth of this work, Art. ii. , with notes.
London. He had also communi- cated the substance of these notes to Very Rev. Thomas Geoghegan, V. G. , of the Dio- cese of Kildare and Leighlin, and P. P. of Kilcock.
6 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. ,
Junii vi. , Among the pretermitted saints, p. 616.
12 The is an translation following English
Temple,
:
"
fought
pour chaque Jour
» In "Acta Sanctorum Hibemias," state by Mr. Curry is oi-oeAcfi, /if. 'a. night's
Martii v. Vita S. Kierani,
8 See " Martyrologe Universel, traduit in
FraiK;ais du Maityrologe Romain, offrant
'
n. 29.
Oitiedcc
ing place on the journey from Dublin. '"
"There is a Cill-Choea in Midhe, « day's journey from Ath-Cliath. She seems to be the nurse of Ciaran of Saighir. But see. There is a fair, holiday, and church here. " To the original Irish of the foregoing com- ment, Dr. Todd has appended this note : " The word left in its original contracted
' the first
13 See Rev. Drs. Todd's and Reeves'
lodging.
lae,
day's sleep-
June 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 215
Saigir. However, he advances such an opinion with doubt. Now, as St. Kieran was born in the Island of Cape Clear, off the remote southern coast of Ire- land,itseemslikelyhisnurseCochoeabelongedtothesameregion; but,at all events, she was afterwards placed over the monastic institute of Ross- Bennchoir, near the western sea of Ireland, which was very far removed from Saigir. Thepresentholywoman,wesuspect,mustbedistinguishedfromthat St. Cocha or Cocca, 1 * of Ros-Bennchair, who was nurse to St. Kiaran of the former place. This is also the opinion of Father John Colgan. 's We can only
observe, that the present holy virgin is recognised and distinguished as patronessofKilcock,onthebordersofthecountyofMeath. Thelocalities already alluded to are far distant from each other, having apparently no con- nexion. In the Introduction l6 to the O'Clerys' Calendar, we are informed, that Cill-Choca is in Meath. When this holy virgin settled there is unknown ; but, it is thought, that she presided at Kilcock over a community of nuns, in quality of Abbess, and local tradition has it, that a religious house formerly stoodonthespot,latelyoccupiedtherebytheNationalSchool. TheParish Register styles this locality Parochia Sanctge Cogae, while the former church
1
was called Ecclesia Assumptae Virginis de Kilcock. ? That ground, on which
the Protestant church until lately stood, is pointed out by tradition, as having been in past times the site of the former Catholic church. 18 The remains of that Protestant church have been carted away, while the enclosure is now used exclusively as a public cemetery. Preparations having been made for building a fine parochial church to be dedicated to St. Coca, the Virgin Patroness at Kilcock, a former parish priest, Very Rev. William Treacy, com- menced its erection in 1862 IQ and, having expended ,£1,000 on the work, he
;
was called to his reward. 20 After his demise, the Very Rev. Thomas
Geoghegan was appointed Pastor. He proceeded with great zeal and energy, in the successful prosecution of the building, which was placed under the in- vocation of St. Coca, in 1867. The architect was J. J. MacCarthy. The plan of Kilcock Catholic Church consists of nave and sanctuary ; the aisles terminate in chapels ; a tower 2X is at the west end of the nave ; and the
sacristy is at the north side of the sanctuary.
and
bays
each bay. The east window of the sanctuary is a triplet of lancets, filled with
the six aisles, by
of arches at each
on 22 granite pillars.
side,
These arches support a clerestory containing couplets of foliated circles on
V Martyrology of Donegal," pp. 378, 379.
14 See an account of her, in this
20 "He
of his own and means,
volume,
at the 29th of June—the day for her feast— partly the result of subscriptions received,
Art. i.
15 See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae,"
Martii v. Vila S. Kierani Episcopi et Con-
fessoris, cap. xxiv. , p. 461, and n. 29,
p. 465.
towards its —to effect ^3,000 completion,
which cost some . £6,000 more. " Ibid.
2I The tower and spire, when complete,
shall rise to a height of 170 feet.
22
The roof linings are panelled in wood. 23 The frontal of the high Altar, containing the Agnus Dei in the centre, has groups of kings adoring in the side panels. The great reredos contains under canopied arches, in the centre, the monograms of the sacred name, surrounded by seraphim, and at the base garlands of vine leaves, grapes and heads of wheat. At the Gospel side of the monogram is a figure of St. Augustine, and
on the side is that of St. Teresa. In Epistle
the remaining niches are sculptured groups, representing the sacrifices of Abel, Noah, Melchisedech and Abraham, with figures of St. Clare and of St. Mary Magdalen.
16
11
See Rev. Dns. Todd's and Reeves'
Martyrology of Donegal," p. xxxix.
17 See Very Rev. Michael Comerford's Collections relating to the Dioceses of Kil-
"
dare and Leighlin," vol. ii. , p. 156.
18
From the Very Rev. Thomas Geoghe- gan, V. G. , of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin, and P. P. of Kilcock, in a letter dated March 28th, 1886, the writer has been
w; ththeinformation here and given,
supplied
with that which immediately follows in the text.
19 See Rev. Michael Comerford's " Col- lections relating to the Dioceses of Kildare
The nave is separated from
and Leighlin," vol. ii. , p. 155.
resting
left, partly
2l6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 6.
stained glass. The clear dimensions of the church are 131 feet in length, in- cluding tower, and the width is 60 feet. The style is of early Gothic architec- ture. The Altars 33 are made of marble and Caen stone, while a reredos com- pletes the accessories of the choir. The reredos is supported by marble shafts,24 while it is ornamented with devotional panels and crystal bulbs. This church is truly a very solid and an elegant structure. 25 Although the me-
of St. Coca was
still there were local memorials, such as Tubbermohocca, or the Holy Well of Chocca, to perpetuate her celebrity. It sprang as a stream, in what is now
mory
displaced,
in former
times,
St. Coca's Catholic Church, Kilcock.
an enclosed yard of the town. 2 ? Kilcock also extends as a town land into the
adjoining parish of Rodanstown, in the barony of Upper Deece and county of Meath. 28 In the of there is a townland of 29 divided
county Kerry,
Kilcock,
'* The pedestal of reredos is filled in
according to the List of Churches furnished to him, by the Bishop of Kildare.
"
About forty years ago, it was shut up by the occupant of the premises, and the stream diverted to what was —considered a
panels with diaper, containing harps, round towers, and oilier national emblems. The 27
lesser reredos consists of arched panels,
illuminated in gold and colours. The chapel
of the Blessed Virgin contains an Altar, the more convenient situation. " Very Rev. frontal of which is filled with a sculptured Michael Comerford's "Collections relating panel in the centre, and representing the to the Diocese of Kildare and Lcighlin," Coronation of the Blessed Virgin, with vol. ii. , p. 155.
and adoring angels at the sides.
28
This townland is described, on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Meath," sheet 49.
25 The accompanying photographic illus-
tration, kindly procured for the writer, by
Very Rev. Thomas Geoghegan. P. P. , Kil-
cock, and V. G. , has been transferred to the of Iraghticonnor. It is described, on the
wood, by William F. Wakeman, and it has been engraved, by Mrs. Millard.
" Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
County of Kerry," sheet 5.
" It is in the of Kilmore, and parish
26 This was the case, in the time of
Colgan,
to introduce that of St. 26 Gall,
29 In the parish of Lisselton, and barony
June 6. J LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 217
into the distinct denominations of Upper and Lower. A townland is called 1
Kilcock,3° in the county of Roscommon, as also a Kilcoke^ in the Queen's County, and in the North Riding of Tipperary p* but, we cannot state if any of these were called after this holy virgin. With regard to the present saint, an entry is found in the Martyrology of Tallagh," at the 6th of June. More- over, a feast in honour of Cocca was celebrated, on this day, as we read, like-
wise, in the Martyrology of Donegal. 3* Her festival is noticed by Archdall,3S atthesamedate; but,wefinditimpossibletothrowfurtherlightonherhis-
tory or period.
Article IV. —St. Gurvall, Bishop of Aleth, in Armorica, France.
\Sixth and Seventh Centuries. '] Evidently, the history of this holy personage is surrounded with several obscurities, and tradition has been confused, by the compilers of his Acts. The ancient Breviary of St. Malo contains three
Lessons, giving an abridgment of Gurval's Life. reproduced, in Proper ones of the same church.
of St. Gurval.
