It seems likely enough, that
Duinsech
lived there at an early period, although the date cannot now be ascertained.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v8
, cap.
xi.
, xii.
,
92 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 5.
place bore also the denomination of Druim Relgrach, and it was situated in the territory of ancient Meath. 3 Marianus O'Gorman furnishes an authority for this statement. This saint assisted at the great synod of Dromceat, held a. d. 580. 3 By one writer* we are informed, that St. Ernin was Abbot of Cluain Reilgeach or Druim Reilgeach, in the time of St. Columb,5 and that he was honoured there on the of
5th day
6 This writer, of treating
August.
the religious establishments in Westmeath, yet places Cluain Reilgeach or
Druim Reilgeach, in Kianechta, a territory of ancient Meath ; but, he adds, that the place was probably in Meath, although now unknown. A certain Cruimther Collait is mentioned as having been from Druim Roilgech, as being one of the learned in Erinn, and as being a writer, among others, of St. Patrick's miracles. ' The Rev. Dr. 8 also alludes to the same Col-
Lanigan
latus, a priest of Druim-relgeach in Meath ; but, no more particular identifi-
cation of the place is given by him. This monastery, as we are told, was situatedinancientMeath. 9 ProbablyitwasintheneighbourhoodofDuleek. Such is the identification of Rev. Anthony Cogan, diocesan ecclesiastical historian. 10 The present saint is commemorated by Cathal Maguire and byMarianusO'Gorman. " Wefinditrecorded,likewise,intheMartyrology
12 at the of that veneration was to Ernin of 5th August, given
of
Cluain Railgheach.
Donegaf,
Article V. —St. Echi, of Cill-Glais, or Kilglas, and of Senlis, near 1
SliAbh-Badhbhghna. In the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 6th of August,
the name is simply entered Echi of Cille Glais. This feast is entered, also,
of Leinster, yet in such a manner as to give the impression that he was a man. However,theprobabilityis,thatEchi—astheregiven—wasnoother than St. Echea, the sister of St. Lalloca of Senlios, in Connaught. Again, as if to increase a confusion of statement, the Bollandists have made Achia, Echea, Ethehea or Lalloca one and the same person. Thus, at the 5th of August, they have assigned an alternative feast to this saint,3 alluding to the fact, that mention had been made of her at the 6th of February, when treating on that day about her brother, St. Mel,* Bishop and Patron of Ardagh. 5 However, they can find no other particulars to illustrate her cultus or Acts, while allowing that her festival may have been on the 15th of
6
January. Darerca, sister of St. Patrick, was her mother. By referring to the
at the 6th of August, in the copy of the Martyrology of Tallaght, in the Book 2
a See "Trias Colgan's
,0 See "The Diocese of Ancient Meath,
and Modern," vol. Hi. , chap, lxxiii. , p. 547.
Thaumaturga. " Septima Vita S. Patricii, nn. 45 to 49, p. 173.
"See " Trias Colgan's
3 See
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Thaumaturga," Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse,
Colgan's
nise," xv. Februarii, n. 27, p. 339.
4 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiber- cap. ii. , num. 10, p. 478.
nicum," p. 709. ' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
5 For this statement, Colgan's "Acta 212, 213.
—
Sanctorum Hibernioe," is quoted. See at the 15th of February, Vita S. Farannani, Confessoris, n. 27, p. 339.
'The "Trias Thaumaturga," p. 478, of Colgan, is quoted for this statement.
Article v. p. xxxi.
l
Edited
Rev. Dr.
7 See
the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish
land," vol. i. , chap, iii. , sect iv. , p. 87.
9 See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
"
Eugene O'Curry's
"Lectures on
History," Appendix, 8"
p.
No. cvi. ,
s His Acts be found in the Second may
608.
See his Ecclesiastical History of Ire- Volume of this Work, at February 6th,
Trias Thauma- turga. " Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Co-
niae," n. 27, p. 339, and lumbse, cap. ii. , num. 10, p. 478.
v.
2
Thus : echi 1
3 See Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Maii
Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 2.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus Feb- i. ,
C1IL Slarp.
ruaiii vi. , pp. 778 to 782.
Art. i.
6 Her festival is celebrated at the 22nd of
March, where notices of her are to be found, in the Third Volume of this work, at that date, Art. ii.
by
Kelly,
August 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
93
life of St. Patrick,? the reader may readily perceive what difficulties beset the endeavour to determine the names of Darerca's sons and daughters, or even their exact number, as different writers have given such discordant state- ments in reference to them. Situated within the ancient of 8
name of Saint Echi's 10 There is another place.
territory Teffia, Kilglas,9 in the County of Longford, is said to represent now the ancient
parish
in the Barony of Ballintober North, and partly in that of Roscommon, in the
of Achea or
was in the
1 * had been venerated at the latter
of 16
which
of Roscommon. Another 12 the is parish, having denomination,
County
situated in the barony of Tireragh and County of Sligo. Other townlands, bearing the name of Kilglass, are to be found in the Counties of Galway, Kildare and Limerick. The O'Clerys appear to have been confused, more-
over, in drawing up their Calendar. Thus, in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ it is related, likewise, that veneration was paid at the 5th of August, to Echi of Cill-Glais. The record adds, and of Senlis, near unto Sliabh
1* it should rather be that the sister Badhbhghna. However, stated, Lalloca,
Echea,
province Connaught.
place, Senlios,
Article VI. —St. Duinsech, Virgin, of Dunsy Island, County of
Down. Thenameofthis in the virgin appears
Martyrology
the 6th of August, as Dusech for Loch Cuan, the ancient name for that beau-
tiful expanse of water, which is bounded on all sides by the county of Down, in the province of Ulster. Such account gives us to understand, that this holy virgin had formerly lived on Strangford Lough. Its su—rface is studded
with innumerable
and the little town of
so called from
—islets
its modern name lies on the west shore. Near it, on an eminence, and not
7 See ibid. , at March 17th. Art. i. , chap.
also called Sliabh-Baghna-na-dTuath.
»S Colgan acknowledges, that he could not find a distinct festival for either of these
sisters, unless, indeed, the latter might be identical with Achech, venerated at the 23rd of April. See a notice of St. Aicheach, at that date, in the Fourth Volume of this work, Art. vi.
l6 See Trias " Colgan's Thaumaturga, Vita
Septima S. Patricii, pars, ii. , cap. xxi. , p.
and n. — 132, 59, p. 175.
iii. , n. 63. 8"
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga, Vita Septima S. Patricii, pars ii. , cap. xxi. , p. 132, and n. 58, p. 175.
9 This parish, lying partly in the barony of Ardagh, partly in that of Moydow, and partly in that of Shrule, is described on the " Ordnance Townland for the
;
Strangford
— It adjoins Lord Bangor's beautiful demesne, and from its topmost parapets, a fine view of Lough Strangford may be obtained. 3 The Island of Dunsay, or
—es a tall and
far from the margin of the Lough, ris squarely-built fortalice
2
still in a good state of preservation and known as Audley Castle.
Survey Maps County of Longford," Sheets 19, 20, 23, 24.
The townland is on Sheets proper 19, 23.
10
to a MS. note in William M. Hennessey's copy of the Martyrology of
Donegal.
11 This is shown on the " Ordnance Sur-
vey Townland Maps for the County of Ros- common," Sheets 17, 18, 23, 24, 29, 30.
Article vi. '
Kelly, p. xxvi. In the Book of Leinster copy is "Ouirrech £ Loch Cuan.
2 It is said to be the ruin of an edifice, and to have been one of twenty-seven castles, built round Lough Strangford by DeCourcey. This fortified mansion was erected by one of his followers, named Audley, the ancestor of a family long known in that neighbour- hood,butnowextinct. See"Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland," vol. i. , p. 106.
3 The castle and scene on Lough Strang- ford, here depicted, were sketched on the 14 This has been identified at Slieve spot, by W. Gray, Esq. , C. E. , M. R. I. A. , Baune, in the County of Roscommon. It is and afterwards drawn by William F. Wake-
the
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
12
"
According
Edited Rev. Dr. by
This parish of Kilglas is presented on
the County of Sligo," Sheets 10, 11, 16, 17, 23. The townland bearing the same name is noted on sheet 16.
13 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 210, 211.
called 11 Kilglas, partly
ot 1 at Tallagh,
94 LIVES OE THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 5.
Dunsy,* in Lough Strangford, appears to have taken its name from this holy virgin. * It contains thirty-three acres, and it lies outside Ringhaddy. South- east is Dunsy rock, half an acre in extent. 6 There is no ecclesiastical building upon the Island at present, nor any popular tradition of such having ever been there -? yet, numbers of human bones were discovered, on and around a site, now occupied by a farm-house and in the memory of persons
8
of this
posed to indicate the former existence ofa burial ground.
who lived the during
early part
century.
Those remains are sup-
View on Strangford Lough, County of Down.
It seems likely enough, that Duinsech lived there at an early period, although the date cannot now be ascertained. Again, it has been stated, that veneration was given to Duinsech, virgin, on Loch Cuan, in Uladh, at the5thofAugust. ThiswereadintheMartyrologyofDonegal. 9
Article VII. —St. Rethna Rathnat, or Rathnata, of Cill-Raith, in the Plain of the Liffey. [Probably in the Sixth Century. ] We find that a St. Rethna is mentioned in the Acts of St. 1 with whom
shewascontemporaneous. However,wehavereservedforthisdatethose
particulars that have a special relation to that holy virgin. In those Acts of
St. a she is called Rethna while her name is also found written Ita, usually ;
man on the wood, engraved by Mrs. Millard.
4 It is marked on the "Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Down," Sheets 17, 24. Dunsey Rock is shown on the latter sheet.
5 In a manuscript note, attached to Wil- liam M. Hennessy's copy of the Martyr-
tical Antiquities of Down, Connor, and
Dromore. " Appendix E, p. 186, and Ap-
pendix IX, p. 379.
8
There was a rector of Kilduney, County of Down, a. d. 1427 ; and, in the Inqui- sitions of 1605, the place is called Dunshagh Isle.
9 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 210, 211. —
Article VII. 'See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernian," xv. , januarii. Vita S. Itse, cap. xxi. , p. 69.
ology of Donegal. He adds og for loc Cuan. "
:
" Duinseach
6
Both Dunsy Island and Dunsy Rock are
in the parish of Killinchy and barony of Dufferin.
7 See Rev. William Reeves' " Ecclesias-
2 See her Life, at the 15th of January, i
specially Ita,
August 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 95
Rethnata. Another name given to her is Ruthena, as also Rathnota. The Bollandists notice her feast at this date,3 and merely allude to her as having been a disciple of St. Ita but, they regret not having found elsewhere any-
j— thing more reliable as relating to her. Again, we are told, that Raghnaid
identified with the present saint—according to the poem,* belonged to the race of Corbmac Cas, son to Oilioll Olum. Hence, she descended from a
—
lived, however, in the plain of the River Liffey, and probably somewhere within the present County of Kildare. 5 It is probable she had been married, as we are told Rethna had a daughter, and that she was a foster mother also to St. Columbanus,6 who afterwards became a disciple of the great St. Columkille, in Iona Island. About him, St. Adamnan treats in more than one passage of his biography,7 and his feast was celebrated on the 26th of
8 there seem to be of date his September. However, objections regarding
having been the person designated in the Acts of St. Ita. It is more than likely, that the Leinster Bishop, St. Colman or St Columbanus,9 Mac Ua Laoighse, of Oughval, Queen's County, had been the foster-son of Rethna. The daughter being seized with some infirmity, Rathna resolved on bringing her to St. Ita, that through the prayers of this great servant of God, her child might be restored to health. At th—is time, her foster son, Columbanus—
now promoted to the episcopal office opportunely returned. He was pre- vailed upon to accompany the matron and her daughter, on their journey to Cluain Credhuil, now Killady, County of Limerick. Without being informed concerning this journey and its object, St. Ita had a fore- knowledge of its taking place; when she told her nuns to prepare baths and a banquet for their expected guests. On their arrival, the holy Abbess and the Bishop gave and received a mutual blessing. As yet, being uninformed regarding the infirmity that afflicted Rathna's daughter, St. Ita alluded to the circumstance, asking her guests whether they preferred this girl should be restored to health, and die in sin, or that she might yet suffer, and enjoy eternal life after her death. Ita remarked at the same time, the Apostle said that virtue shall be perfected in infirmity. The three visitors, including the afflicted maiden, preferred the truly Christian choice, and this girl shortly afterwards departed to a better life. Then, St Ita told our saint, that she had acted prudently, by taking with her the holy Bishop as a companion of her journey ; for otherwise, she should inevitably expose herself to temptations, which persons of her sex ought especially avoid. After a short delay with St. Ita, Rathna asked an opinion from that Abbess, as to whether or not she should pay a visit to a virgin, living in the southern parts of Ireland, and who also was her most dear companion, at a former period. Ita told her not to do so, but to direct her course homewards, while
stating, that virgin should meet her on the confines of Leinster and of Munster. Having received a blessing from the Abbess, her guests departed, Afterwards, they met that virgin, who was about to pay Rathna a visit,
Munster family. The holy woman named Rethna in the Acts of St. Ita
the First Volume of this work, Art. i.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Mail
v. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 2.
4 Meaning the Naomhsenchus, or Genea-
logy of the Irish Saints.
5 See "Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xv. Januarii. Vita S. Itse, cap. xxi. , p. 69.
p. 72.
7 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Admanan's "Life
of St. Columba. " Vita S. Columke, lib. i.
cap. v. , p. 29, and n. (d) ibid. ; also lib. ii. ,
cap. xv. , pp. 124, 125, and n. (e) ibid.
8 He is thus identified with St. Colman Eala, Abbot of Lynally, in Westmeath County; but,Rev. Dr. Reevesshowsthathe was not of age to have been consecrated in St. Ita's lifetime. See ibid. , n. (e)
6
Colgan writes in reference to this matter :
"Aliis Columbanus — in re idem (aliis, quod
bishop est) Colmanus appellatur. " Ibid. , n. 21, p. 125.
96 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 5.
10
according to St. Ita's prediction. It seems probable, that St. Rathna
afterwards embraced a religious life. She must have lived in the sixth century. A feast was kept at a place called Kill-Raith, in honour of this holy woman. Nodoubt,thelocalityderiveditsnamefromachurchdedicatedto
her. It seems most the likely,
11 also 12 spelled Kilrenny,
present Kilrainy,
a parish and townland in the barony of Carbury, and County of Kildare, is
to be identified with that place, and of which she must be regarded as Patroness. The year of her death is unknown. We read in the Martyr- ologies of Marianus O'Gorman and of Donegal,^ at the 5th of August, that a festival was celebrated to honour Rathna, Rathnata or Rathnat, of Cill- raith. H
Article VIII. —Feast of St. Cassianus, Cassanus, or Cassenus,
Bishop or Presbyter. {Fifth Century! \ Already notices of St. Cassan
1
have been given, at the 4th of June, which seems to have been his chief
festival. A feast has been assigned to St. Cassianus, a Bishop, at the 5th of
August, in the Book of Leinster copy of the Martyrology of Tallaght j but there, he seems to have been set down with the foreign saints. 3 This holy man is thought to have lived in the very infancy of our National Church, and he is commemorated by some of the biographers of our glorious Apostle St. Patrick. 3 He was one of St. Patrick's disciples. Some modern writers are careful to record his festival, at the present date. Thus, Henry Fitzsimon and the author of that anonymous Catalogue of Irish Saints, published by O'Sullevan-Beare,* mention a St. Cassianus, Cassanus or Cassenus, a holy bishop, according to one account, and a Priest of Domnach-mor, in Magh- Ech-nach. s according to another.
Article IX. —Reputed Feast of Saints Cassinus or Cassianus, and
of Maslininus or Masculinus. The Bollandists1 state, at the
of August, that in printed Catalogues of the Irish Saints, they find set down the foregoing names, yet variedly spelled. However, they notice that further knowledge of them they could not obtain. To us, it seems probable, that Cassinus or Cassianus may have been intended to represent Cassianus, Cassanus or Cassenus, already noted for this date. 2 The anonymous Irish Calendar, quoted by O'Sullevan-Beare,3 has Masculinus, at the 6th of
5th
*
Article viii. — See, at that date, in the
Sixth Volume of this work, Art. xi.
2 The entry is Carp am Orvi.
3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. xciii. , cxliv. pp.
"This parish is defined on the "Ord- 86, 96, and n. 104, 153, pp. 113, n5-
nance Survey Townland Maps for the Count v 4 See " Historia; Catholics Iliberniye
of Kildare," Sheets 1, 2, 3. The townland Compendium, tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. ,
9 His feast occurs on the 15th of May. See his Acts, at that date, in the Fifth Volume of this work, Art. iv.
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
10 See
Colgan's
niae," xv. Januarii. VitaS. Itce, cap. xxi. ,p. 96.
proper is on Sheets 2, 3.
"Of this parish it is written " The land :
is good and almost equally divided between an improving system of tillage and pasture ;
"
—there is but little bog, and no waste land Lewis, "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 202.
13 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 212, 213.
14 A note by Dr. Todd states at CM- Kaith: "The second hand inserts again Cile r\Aic, Mar. '*
xii. , pp. 50, 53.
s See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, ii. , cap. ix. , x. , xi.
92 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 5.
place bore also the denomination of Druim Relgrach, and it was situated in the territory of ancient Meath. 3 Marianus O'Gorman furnishes an authority for this statement. This saint assisted at the great synod of Dromceat, held a. d. 580. 3 By one writer* we are informed, that St. Ernin was Abbot of Cluain Reilgeach or Druim Reilgeach, in the time of St. Columb,5 and that he was honoured there on the of
5th day
6 This writer, of treating
August.
the religious establishments in Westmeath, yet places Cluain Reilgeach or
Druim Reilgeach, in Kianechta, a territory of ancient Meath ; but, he adds, that the place was probably in Meath, although now unknown. A certain Cruimther Collait is mentioned as having been from Druim Roilgech, as being one of the learned in Erinn, and as being a writer, among others, of St. Patrick's miracles. ' The Rev. Dr. 8 also alludes to the same Col-
Lanigan
latus, a priest of Druim-relgeach in Meath ; but, no more particular identifi-
cation of the place is given by him. This monastery, as we are told, was situatedinancientMeath. 9 ProbablyitwasintheneighbourhoodofDuleek. Such is the identification of Rev. Anthony Cogan, diocesan ecclesiastical historian. 10 The present saint is commemorated by Cathal Maguire and byMarianusO'Gorman. " Wefinditrecorded,likewise,intheMartyrology
12 at the of that veneration was to Ernin of 5th August, given
of
Cluain Railgheach.
Donegaf,
Article V. —St. Echi, of Cill-Glais, or Kilglas, and of Senlis, near 1
SliAbh-Badhbhghna. In the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 6th of August,
the name is simply entered Echi of Cille Glais. This feast is entered, also,
of Leinster, yet in such a manner as to give the impression that he was a man. However,theprobabilityis,thatEchi—astheregiven—wasnoother than St. Echea, the sister of St. Lalloca of Senlios, in Connaught. Again, as if to increase a confusion of statement, the Bollandists have made Achia, Echea, Ethehea or Lalloca one and the same person. Thus, at the 5th of August, they have assigned an alternative feast to this saint,3 alluding to the fact, that mention had been made of her at the 6th of February, when treating on that day about her brother, St. Mel,* Bishop and Patron of Ardagh. 5 However, they can find no other particulars to illustrate her cultus or Acts, while allowing that her festival may have been on the 15th of
6
January. Darerca, sister of St. Patrick, was her mother. By referring to the
at the 6th of August, in the copy of the Martyrology of Tallaght, in the Book 2
a See "Trias Colgan's
,0 See "The Diocese of Ancient Meath,
and Modern," vol. Hi. , chap, lxxiii. , p. 547.
Thaumaturga. " Septima Vita S. Patricii, nn. 45 to 49, p. 173.
"See " Trias Colgan's
3 See
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Thaumaturga," Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse,
Colgan's
nise," xv. Februarii, n. 27, p. 339.
4 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiber- cap. ii. , num. 10, p. 478.
nicum," p. 709. ' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
5 For this statement, Colgan's "Acta 212, 213.
—
Sanctorum Hibernioe," is quoted. See at the 15th of February, Vita S. Farannani, Confessoris, n. 27, p. 339.
'The "Trias Thaumaturga," p. 478, of Colgan, is quoted for this statement.
Article v. p. xxxi.
l
Edited
Rev. Dr.
7 See
the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish
land," vol. i. , chap, iii. , sect iv. , p. 87.
9 See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
"
Eugene O'Curry's
"Lectures on
History," Appendix, 8"
p.
No. cvi. ,
s His Acts be found in the Second may
608.
See his Ecclesiastical History of Ire- Volume of this Work, at February 6th,
Trias Thauma- turga. " Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Co-
niae," n. 27, p. 339, and lumbse, cap. ii. , num. 10, p. 478.
v.
2
Thus : echi 1
3 See Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Maii
Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 2.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus Feb- i. ,
C1IL Slarp.
ruaiii vi. , pp. 778 to 782.
Art. i.
6 Her festival is celebrated at the 22nd of
March, where notices of her are to be found, in the Third Volume of this work, at that date, Art. ii.
by
Kelly,
August 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
93
life of St. Patrick,? the reader may readily perceive what difficulties beset the endeavour to determine the names of Darerca's sons and daughters, or even their exact number, as different writers have given such discordant state- ments in reference to them. Situated within the ancient of 8
name of Saint Echi's 10 There is another place.
territory Teffia, Kilglas,9 in the County of Longford, is said to represent now the ancient
parish
in the Barony of Ballintober North, and partly in that of Roscommon, in the
of Achea or
was in the
1 * had been venerated at the latter
of 16
which
of Roscommon. Another 12 the is parish, having denomination,
County
situated in the barony of Tireragh and County of Sligo. Other townlands, bearing the name of Kilglass, are to be found in the Counties of Galway, Kildare and Limerick. The O'Clerys appear to have been confused, more-
over, in drawing up their Calendar. Thus, in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ it is related, likewise, that veneration was paid at the 5th of August, to Echi of Cill-Glais. The record adds, and of Senlis, near unto Sliabh
1* it should rather be that the sister Badhbhghna. However, stated, Lalloca,
Echea,
province Connaught.
place, Senlios,
Article VI. —St. Duinsech, Virgin, of Dunsy Island, County of
Down. Thenameofthis in the virgin appears
Martyrology
the 6th of August, as Dusech for Loch Cuan, the ancient name for that beau-
tiful expanse of water, which is bounded on all sides by the county of Down, in the province of Ulster. Such account gives us to understand, that this holy virgin had formerly lived on Strangford Lough. Its su—rface is studded
with innumerable
and the little town of
so called from
—islets
its modern name lies on the west shore. Near it, on an eminence, and not
7 See ibid. , at March 17th. Art. i. , chap.
also called Sliabh-Baghna-na-dTuath.
»S Colgan acknowledges, that he could not find a distinct festival for either of these
sisters, unless, indeed, the latter might be identical with Achech, venerated at the 23rd of April. See a notice of St. Aicheach, at that date, in the Fourth Volume of this work, Art. vi.
l6 See Trias " Colgan's Thaumaturga, Vita
Septima S. Patricii, pars, ii. , cap. xxi. , p.
and n. — 132, 59, p. 175.
iii. , n. 63. 8"
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga, Vita Septima S. Patricii, pars ii. , cap. xxi. , p. 132, and n. 58, p. 175.
9 This parish, lying partly in the barony of Ardagh, partly in that of Moydow, and partly in that of Shrule, is described on the " Ordnance Townland for the
;
Strangford
— It adjoins Lord Bangor's beautiful demesne, and from its topmost parapets, a fine view of Lough Strangford may be obtained. 3 The Island of Dunsay, or
—es a tall and
far from the margin of the Lough, ris squarely-built fortalice
2
still in a good state of preservation and known as Audley Castle.
Survey Maps County of Longford," Sheets 19, 20, 23, 24.
The townland is on Sheets proper 19, 23.
10
to a MS. note in William M. Hennessey's copy of the Martyrology of
Donegal.
11 This is shown on the " Ordnance Sur-
vey Townland Maps for the County of Ros- common," Sheets 17, 18, 23, 24, 29, 30.
Article vi. '
Kelly, p. xxvi. In the Book of Leinster copy is "Ouirrech £ Loch Cuan.
2 It is said to be the ruin of an edifice, and to have been one of twenty-seven castles, built round Lough Strangford by DeCourcey. This fortified mansion was erected by one of his followers, named Audley, the ancestor of a family long known in that neighbour- hood,butnowextinct. See"Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland," vol. i. , p. 106.
3 The castle and scene on Lough Strang- ford, here depicted, were sketched on the 14 This has been identified at Slieve spot, by W. Gray, Esq. , C. E. , M. R. I. A. , Baune, in the County of Roscommon. It is and afterwards drawn by William F. Wake-
the
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
12
"
According
Edited Rev. Dr. by
This parish of Kilglas is presented on
the County of Sligo," Sheets 10, 11, 16, 17, 23. The townland bearing the same name is noted on sheet 16.
13 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 210, 211.
called 11 Kilglas, partly
ot 1 at Tallagh,
94 LIVES OE THE IRISH SAINTS.
[August 5.
Dunsy,* in Lough Strangford, appears to have taken its name from this holy virgin. * It contains thirty-three acres, and it lies outside Ringhaddy. South- east is Dunsy rock, half an acre in extent. 6 There is no ecclesiastical building upon the Island at present, nor any popular tradition of such having ever been there -? yet, numbers of human bones were discovered, on and around a site, now occupied by a farm-house and in the memory of persons
8
of this
posed to indicate the former existence ofa burial ground.
who lived the during
early part
century.
Those remains are sup-
View on Strangford Lough, County of Down.
It seems likely enough, that Duinsech lived there at an early period, although the date cannot now be ascertained. Again, it has been stated, that veneration was given to Duinsech, virgin, on Loch Cuan, in Uladh, at the5thofAugust. ThiswereadintheMartyrologyofDonegal. 9
Article VII. —St. Rethna Rathnat, or Rathnata, of Cill-Raith, in the Plain of the Liffey. [Probably in the Sixth Century. ] We find that a St. Rethna is mentioned in the Acts of St. 1 with whom
shewascontemporaneous. However,wehavereservedforthisdatethose
particulars that have a special relation to that holy virgin. In those Acts of
St. a she is called Rethna while her name is also found written Ita, usually ;
man on the wood, engraved by Mrs. Millard.
4 It is marked on the "Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Down," Sheets 17, 24. Dunsey Rock is shown on the latter sheet.
5 In a manuscript note, attached to Wil- liam M. Hennessy's copy of the Martyr-
tical Antiquities of Down, Connor, and
Dromore. " Appendix E, p. 186, and Ap-
pendix IX, p. 379.
8
There was a rector of Kilduney, County of Down, a. d. 1427 ; and, in the Inqui- sitions of 1605, the place is called Dunshagh Isle.
9 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 210, 211. —
Article VII. 'See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernian," xv. , januarii. Vita S. Itse, cap. xxi. , p. 69.
ology of Donegal. He adds og for loc Cuan. "
:
" Duinseach
6
Both Dunsy Island and Dunsy Rock are
in the parish of Killinchy and barony of Dufferin.
7 See Rev. William Reeves' " Ecclesias-
2 See her Life, at the 15th of January, i
specially Ita,
August 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 95
Rethnata. Another name given to her is Ruthena, as also Rathnota. The Bollandists notice her feast at this date,3 and merely allude to her as having been a disciple of St. Ita but, they regret not having found elsewhere any-
j— thing more reliable as relating to her. Again, we are told, that Raghnaid
identified with the present saint—according to the poem,* belonged to the race of Corbmac Cas, son to Oilioll Olum. Hence, she descended from a
—
lived, however, in the plain of the River Liffey, and probably somewhere within the present County of Kildare. 5 It is probable she had been married, as we are told Rethna had a daughter, and that she was a foster mother also to St. Columbanus,6 who afterwards became a disciple of the great St. Columkille, in Iona Island. About him, St. Adamnan treats in more than one passage of his biography,7 and his feast was celebrated on the 26th of
8 there seem to be of date his September. However, objections regarding
having been the person designated in the Acts of St. Ita. It is more than likely, that the Leinster Bishop, St. Colman or St Columbanus,9 Mac Ua Laoighse, of Oughval, Queen's County, had been the foster-son of Rethna. The daughter being seized with some infirmity, Rathna resolved on bringing her to St. Ita, that through the prayers of this great servant of God, her child might be restored to health. At th—is time, her foster son, Columbanus—
now promoted to the episcopal office opportunely returned. He was pre- vailed upon to accompany the matron and her daughter, on their journey to Cluain Credhuil, now Killady, County of Limerick. Without being informed concerning this journey and its object, St. Ita had a fore- knowledge of its taking place; when she told her nuns to prepare baths and a banquet for their expected guests. On their arrival, the holy Abbess and the Bishop gave and received a mutual blessing. As yet, being uninformed regarding the infirmity that afflicted Rathna's daughter, St. Ita alluded to the circumstance, asking her guests whether they preferred this girl should be restored to health, and die in sin, or that she might yet suffer, and enjoy eternal life after her death. Ita remarked at the same time, the Apostle said that virtue shall be perfected in infirmity. The three visitors, including the afflicted maiden, preferred the truly Christian choice, and this girl shortly afterwards departed to a better life. Then, St Ita told our saint, that she had acted prudently, by taking with her the holy Bishop as a companion of her journey ; for otherwise, she should inevitably expose herself to temptations, which persons of her sex ought especially avoid. After a short delay with St. Ita, Rathna asked an opinion from that Abbess, as to whether or not she should pay a visit to a virgin, living in the southern parts of Ireland, and who also was her most dear companion, at a former period. Ita told her not to do so, but to direct her course homewards, while
stating, that virgin should meet her on the confines of Leinster and of Munster. Having received a blessing from the Abbess, her guests departed, Afterwards, they met that virgin, who was about to pay Rathna a visit,
Munster family. The holy woman named Rethna in the Acts of St. Ita
the First Volume of this work, Art. i.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Mail
v. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 2.
4 Meaning the Naomhsenchus, or Genea-
logy of the Irish Saints.
5 See "Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xv. Januarii. Vita S. Itse, cap. xxi. , p. 69.
p. 72.
7 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Admanan's "Life
of St. Columba. " Vita S. Columke, lib. i.
cap. v. , p. 29, and n. (d) ibid. ; also lib. ii. ,
cap. xv. , pp. 124, 125, and n. (e) ibid.
8 He is thus identified with St. Colman Eala, Abbot of Lynally, in Westmeath County; but,Rev. Dr. Reevesshowsthathe was not of age to have been consecrated in St. Ita's lifetime. See ibid. , n. (e)
6
Colgan writes in reference to this matter :
"Aliis Columbanus — in re idem (aliis, quod
bishop est) Colmanus appellatur. " Ibid. , n. 21, p. 125.
96 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [August 5.
10
according to St. Ita's prediction. It seems probable, that St. Rathna
afterwards embraced a religious life. She must have lived in the sixth century. A feast was kept at a place called Kill-Raith, in honour of this holy woman. Nodoubt,thelocalityderiveditsnamefromachurchdedicatedto
her. It seems most the likely,
11 also 12 spelled Kilrenny,
present Kilrainy,
a parish and townland in the barony of Carbury, and County of Kildare, is
to be identified with that place, and of which she must be regarded as Patroness. The year of her death is unknown. We read in the Martyr- ologies of Marianus O'Gorman and of Donegal,^ at the 5th of August, that a festival was celebrated to honour Rathna, Rathnata or Rathnat, of Cill- raith. H
Article VIII. —Feast of St. Cassianus, Cassanus, or Cassenus,
Bishop or Presbyter. {Fifth Century! \ Already notices of St. Cassan
1
have been given, at the 4th of June, which seems to have been his chief
festival. A feast has been assigned to St. Cassianus, a Bishop, at the 5th of
August, in the Book of Leinster copy of the Martyrology of Tallaght j but there, he seems to have been set down with the foreign saints. 3 This holy man is thought to have lived in the very infancy of our National Church, and he is commemorated by some of the biographers of our glorious Apostle St. Patrick. 3 He was one of St. Patrick's disciples. Some modern writers are careful to record his festival, at the present date. Thus, Henry Fitzsimon and the author of that anonymous Catalogue of Irish Saints, published by O'Sullevan-Beare,* mention a St. Cassianus, Cassanus or Cassenus, a holy bishop, according to one account, and a Priest of Domnach-mor, in Magh- Ech-nach. s according to another.
Article IX. —Reputed Feast of Saints Cassinus or Cassianus, and
of Maslininus or Masculinus. The Bollandists1 state, at the
of August, that in printed Catalogues of the Irish Saints, they find set down the foregoing names, yet variedly spelled. However, they notice that further knowledge of them they could not obtain. To us, it seems probable, that Cassinus or Cassianus may have been intended to represent Cassianus, Cassanus or Cassenus, already noted for this date. 2 The anonymous Irish Calendar, quoted by O'Sullevan-Beare,3 has Masculinus, at the 6th of
5th
*
Article viii. — See, at that date, in the
Sixth Volume of this work, Art. xi.
2 The entry is Carp am Orvi.
3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. xciii. , cxliv. pp.
"This parish is defined on the "Ord- 86, 96, and n. 104, 153, pp. 113, n5-
nance Survey Townland Maps for the Count v 4 See " Historia; Catholics Iliberniye
of Kildare," Sheets 1, 2, 3. The townland Compendium, tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. ,
9 His feast occurs on the 15th of May. See his Acts, at that date, in the Fifth Volume of this work, Art. iv.
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
10 See
Colgan's
niae," xv. Januarii. VitaS. Itce, cap. xxi. ,p. 96.
proper is on Sheets 2, 3.
"Of this parish it is written " The land :
is good and almost equally divided between an improving system of tillage and pasture ;
"
—there is but little bog, and no waste land Lewis, "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 202.
13 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 212, 213.
14 A note by Dr. Todd states at CM- Kaith: "The second hand inserts again Cile r\Aic, Mar. '*
xii. , pp. 50, 53.
s See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, ii. , cap. ix. , x. , xi.
