No More Learning

" Under this denomination, as found in St.
Ruadhan's Acts, it is not easy to identify the
locality, but we may suspect some error in
the orthography. ''TheVitaS. Rodanireads "subcasula
:
name of which was derived from Eile, the seventh in descent from Cian, son of Oiliol Olum, King of Munster, in the third cen- tury. Its situation is pointed out in "The Topographical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O'Huidhrin," by John O'Donovan, LL. D. , p. Ixxxiv. , n. 759.
3° The Bollandist editor remarks, after the foregoing relation, that another leeentj fol-
p. 386.
^ Anglicised O'Cnllen.
•* Most probably the territory of Eile, the
j64
lives of the IRISH SAINTS.
[April 15.
St. Ruadhan is said to have written the following works
:
' Contra Diar-
" " De mirabili Fontium in Hibernia Natura, Lib. 1. modReeem Lib. i.
" De miraculosa Arbore," Lib. i. 3' A very ancient vellum book as has been mentioned, in St. Brigifs Life, at the ist of February, states that Ruadhan of Lothra in manners and life, was like to Matthew the Apostle. ^^ „ . p „,
To St Ruadhan is attributed the foundation of an old church, calledBona- hum,33or"Bonaghum, in the parish of Dorrha, anditobe seen, about five miles from Lorrah. This very ancient structure is apparently one of the oldest Irish churches, now remaining. It measures 43 feet, in length, by 24 leet, inwidth,ontheexterior,whilethewallsarenearlythreefeet mthickness.
A fine fragment of a carved window-head, formed from cut limestone, was found lyinl on the ground, and within the ruins. 34 The old churcn was qua- drangular in shape, and the walls are vejy perfect all around excepting both
end gables, which only exhibit mere fragments, above the side walls. Many headstones and tombs lie around, and within the ancient building. The grave-
on one side, towards a rich pasture, was altogether unenclosed ; but, the extended graves proved, that its dimensions were formerly very consider- able The rude and massive limestone church walls are well jointed and cemented. A ruinous and narrow east-window, splayed on the mside, appears,inoneofthegables. Onthesouthside-wall,andneartheformer,was a vvindow of nearly similar shape. The entrance door of this antique church
lav farther down, on the same side-wall, and it appears to have been the only one entering this structure. The arch of this doorway was rudely, but com- pactly turned, with narrow upright stone, and on the modern principle of con_ struction. The country people have a great reverence for this place, and
yard,
they relate many curious traditions regarding it. 35
It is recorded, by Tighernach, in his Annals, that St. Ruadan died at
Lothra, in the year 584. 3^
,
35 Indeed, according to the account of Pal;t Carroll, he was nearly thirty years old, m the memorable year of 1798. At his t,me, he said, a man named Billy Haverty, imph- cated ik the rebellion, had been chased by some soldiers. He fled for protection tothe
lows in which it is Slated, that the soul of a certain Ode Egmech, a wicked man, had wTiberated from the lower regions, and
A . . r. ^Hp^vPn hv St Columkille,St. conducted to '^y
fh^°,„'^ t"^ric. Vhi:* lattT'as °St. ifdus, whose life should follow, at the loth of No- vei^ber At th s meeting of the three saints. St Co umba left his tablets, in St. Ruadan's
? hfedi'toTsa'y ;
his he knees,
^^^^^^^^i^'
^^
At this, or any other year, the O'Clerys have
hands and afterwards received them from
his dbctple BUhTn, or St. Baithen. This -fi^'yP^-^'. '^^^ ^^
discinle succeeded Columkille, in the govern- Soflona monastery, and like his mas-
vene~on the 9th of June. The editor add r-Sed rem totlm ne scandalo fore° ut plenam fabulosarum circumstantia- TMmomittimus aliostyloquilegerevolet, Covrum ade;t n Append. 2 Id Acta S. ColumbT cap 3," See " Acta Sanctorum. " tornus if; Ipr U xv. Vita S. Rodani, cap.
mterposition, m his b'e^hla^l^f',J^t. hfa. t'^trh^ence-' forward, he dropped Ins former name and would only allow his neighbours to call h. m
Ur he is
iHsect 86 /;i
This is the name actually cut on a headstone which he erected to in- dicate the grave of his father niother, bro- thers, sisters and ch, dren. AH this was very but, the continuation of this epitaph seemed buried far beneath the surface of the
tX 7
and n. (c), p. °'
where this local celebrity probably lie, interred, and where his own name might be
pp. 38s. 386,
earth,
'\ ^^k^T^t 'p' ;7""^
'"itch"^^ A ctn 'a's g? ;enin the " ^««. /. «„/eadem anno (ut Tigemaci
n-riP^s' Calendar
^snt'^ inthetownlandofDerry,and,itis
marked on the "Ordnance Survey Town-
"nd Maps fo^ the County of Ti/perary," '^
t, .
3. When visited by the writer, August lOlh,
,869.
Z«/^TM«« ^;W^I^n^d^e^x^^L^hro-
old church, where fallmg on
prayed for -St. Ruadhan's protection, and
gave himself up to he holy pat. on.
lost of him pursuers completely sight
His and
;
Billy Bonagham.
ligible
;
''^M^t'^ DI. XXXIV. , Ussher says =
cent Annales) mortuus est m
condito -^io
-^f lUe cognomentum
ados^e
a quo et ;—
-logi-^^- ;' Ecci^i^^a^r^r^i^^s^ rum Antiquitates, p. 533. bee, also,
Ware, vol, ii. . "Writers of Ireland. Book I, chap, ill. , p. 17-
accepit.
'^e Br. tann. carum
, ,. , .
April 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 165
made no allusion to his death, in their Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland. The Irish Calendars assign St. Ruadan's festival day, to the 15th of April. 37 Then he is noticed, by St. ^ngus, the Culdee, and with a high eulogy, in the Feilire. 38 In the Martyrology of Tallagh,39 we find entered the name of Ruadhan, Lothra, at the 1 5th of April. The Martyrology of Donegal <° at this
day registers Ruadhan—Latinized Ruffinus or Ruffilliis^'-—
son of
Abbot of Lothra. Under the head of Lothra, Duald Mac Firbis enters, Ruadhan, Bishop of Lorrha. ''" Veneration for this saint extended to Scot- land, where we find his festival celebrated, on the 15th of April, according to the Kalendar of Drummond. « The " Circle of the Seasons " has a notice
ofhis festival, for this day. ''*
A holy well, dedicated to St. Ruadhan, was pointed out at Lorrah. In
this was found a curious bell of the antique Celtic form ;*5 and this is thought*'
to have been the one used by Ruadhan, when his imprecations were directed
againstTara,andagainsttheMonarchofIreland,DiarmaidI. Itisofsquare
form, but somewhat projecting at the four sides, in the centre of each ; and,
it tapers upwards, to a loOp-like handle, which joins the bell, in two dra-
gonesque or serpent-shaped heads, having open mouths. The whole is of cast bronze. " We are informed, also, that the head of St. Ruadhan had been
preserved in a silver case, kept in his monaster)', at Lorrah, until the time of the suppression. ** About the year 1733, an ancient Book, called after St. Ruadhan of Lothra,*' had been kept, in the house, belonging to O' Kennedy
of Ormond ; and, this was seen, by Andrew M'Curtin, who composed an Irish Poem,5° in reference to it.
In closing the Acts of our saint, the author of these states, that Ruadhan had attained the extraordinary stature of seven feet, according to the most reliable accounts. s' We are told, that in reality he was a king, so outwardly he presented a monarch's majestic form; but, while beautiful, exteriorly, he was stillmoreso,interiorly; and,nobleinman'sestimation,hewasstillmoreso, in the esteem of God. Large he was in stature, and abounding in grace ; great before God and man ; higiily distinguished in the present, and in a fu-
^See Dr.
HistoryofIreland,"vol. ii. , chap,xii. ,sect.
lo.
Lanigan's
p.
xii. , and nn. 184, 185, pp. 233, 234.
*• In the Leabhar Breac copy we read
plMniT)A bneo n4t>AicVibe A^xpch C0U4 cochLd t)4C<iin mil A lu-igrndp RuADAti UjcVidpn LocVipA.
— :
lection of Irish
"Ecclesiastical
"
The is an translation — Christian Times," First series, Lecture v. .
in Joseph Anderson's following English : p. 187.
Scotland in early
" An excellent flame that wanes not :
he
<* See Archdall's " Monasticon Hibemi- cum," p. 667. He quotes War mon.
*' This seems to have been undiscoverable since, nor is it enumerated among the many lost books of ancient Erinn, in Professor
vanquished urgent desires : fair was ihe pre- cious stone, Ruadan lamp of Lothra. "
» Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxi. Franciscan copy has Tlua'OAtji Loch)va.
The pp.
" Lectures on the Manuscript Ma- terialsof Ancient Irish History," Lect. i.
5° This is a prophetic and political poem, consisting of 28 stanzas. It is yet preserved. among the Manuscripts, belonging to the
Royal Irish Academy.
s' The Bollandist editor adds, in a note,
"MS. xii. pedum: verum non forma Regis sed gigantis hsec fuisset. "—"Acta Sancto-
*" Edited 102, 103.
by
Drs. Todd and Reeves,
O'Curry's
*' See ibid. , pp. 462, 463.
'See "Proceedmgs of the Royal Irish Academy. " Irish MSS. Series, voU i. , Part i. , pp. 118, 119.
«J Thus, at xvii. Kl. Mail. , " In Hibemia Isola . sanctus presbyter et confessor Ruadan, mirande sanctitatis et miraculorum—vir, hoc
Vita S.
die conscendit ad Christum. " Bishop rum," tomus ii. , Aprilis xv. ,
"'
Forbes' Kalendars of Scottish Saints, cap. iii. , n. (d), p. 386.
Rodani,
**
*' It belonged to Dr. George Petrie's col-
See,atp. 106.
Antiquities.
<* By Professor Eugene O'Curry. See
" Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History," Lect. xv. , p. 337.
*^ A fine woodcut of this bell may be seen,
Ferghus,
I66 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[April 15.
ture life. Being exalted in charity, he was still greater in humility ; he was
renowned for patience, mercy, and other good works. Wherefore, owing to all these virtues, St. Ruadan obtained great honours and rewards, in Heaven, and in the sight of the Omnipotent God and eternal King, Christ Jesus him- self, to whom be honour and glory, for ever and everS' That faulty state of the original evidence, which renders discussions of credibility, and hesitations in the language of the judge, unavoidable, has been complained of by a dis- tinguished modern writer, in a truly magnificent work -p and, we can only re- gret, tha,t the legendary character of St. Ruadan's surviving Acts is lament-
ably inadequate, to satisfy the demands of enlightened curiosity, much less of religious edification.
Article II. —St. Paternus, or Padern, Bishop of Vennes, and Confessor,ofWales,andofBrittany,inFrance. \^FifthatidSixth Centuries^ It was the good fortune of many saints, in the early times, to make happy inroads on prevailing idolatry. The earliest record known of this holy man's Acts is supposed to have been- that, written by John, son of Sulgen, who was bishop of St. David's, in Wales, a. d. 1070. This Life was composed in metre. ' The name of Padarn, Patem, or Pedrwn, was that, by which he was first known, in the vernacular of his native country, and in Wales ; but, it has been Latinized to Paternus. John of Teignmouth wrote the Acts of this saint, in the Fourteenth Century.
After him, John Capgrave has written the Life of St. Paternus, bishop and confessor, for the xvti. of the May Kalends, which corresponds with the 1 5th of April. " The Acts of this holy prelate had been prepared for publication, at the present date, by ournationalhagiologist,beforehisdeath. ' TheLifeofSt. Paternus,bishop of Vennes,< is given, in various great collections of holy biographies ; such as, in the Annals of the Cistercian Monks,? in Mabillon,* and in the Gallia Christiana. 7 Nicolas Harpsfeld gives his biography. ^ The BoUandists,' Baillet,'° Roualt," Bishop Challenor," have issued biographical particulars, regarding this holy man. The Rev. Alban Butler '3 inserts his Life, but this account seems to abound in mistakes. The Rev. W. J. Rees has published the Acts of St. Paternus, in Latin,'* with an English translation. '' The Petits Bollandistes '^ and the Rev. S. Baring-Gould,'? have special notices of his fes-
tival, at the 15th of April. 5= See VrUi. , sect. 17, p. 386.
"
55 See George Grote's
Greece," vol. i. , Preface, pp. iv. , v. , London, 1862, 8vo.
' '° Article ii. — See Rev. S. Baring-
Gould's " Lives of the Saints," p. 200.
" See "Nova Legenda Angliae," fol.
cclviii. , cclix. , cclx.
"
Actuum Sane- torum quae MS. habentur, ordine Mensium
et Dierum. "
* By Adrien Baillet, in "Vies des Saints. "
s At pp. 471, 472.
' See "Acta Sanctorum Ordinis S. Bene-
dicti," s:ec ii. , p. 1103.
^ See tome xi. , p, 471.
^ In "llistoria Ecclesiastica Anglicana,"
cap. xxviii.
9 In " Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Aprilis
XV. , De Sancto Paterno Episcopo, Veneti in BritanniaArmorica. Acommentaryinthree
See "Les Vies des Saints," pp. 200 to 202.
3 See Colgan's
Catalc^s
critical hand. The author was
St. Paternus was bom, at Emyr Llydaw, and of sections precedes a Life, taken from John of
Teignmouth, as found among the legends of John Caj^rave, with notes. See pp. 378 to 382.
History of
" to the Rev. Alban Accordir^
Butler, this was published, in 1734, but it stands in
need of a
curate of St. Pair's,
"See"BritanniaSancta,"parti. , April 15, pp. 226, 227.
'3 See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol. iv. , April xv.
'•'See "Lives of the Cambro-British Saints," pp. 188 to 197,
'5 See (&</. , pp. 502 to 514.
"See "Vies des Saints," tome iv. , xv. d'Avril, pp. 412, 413.
' See " Lives of the Saints," vol. iv. , pp. 200to 202.
April 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 167
noble parents, in Little Britain, or Brittany, of France. By race, he was an Armorican. His birth took place, about the close of the fifth, or beginning
of the sixth, century. '* His father was called Petranus, according to'John of Teignmouth, while other writers have him named Padarn. »9 His mother is named Guean, Gwen, or Gueana. Their domestic life was particularly edifying. After the birth of their son, whom they named Patem, they parted, by mutual consent, from each other, resolving to consecrate themselves more freely to the love of God. For that purpose, Petranus left Lesser Britain, and went over into Ireland. There, to his dying day, the elder Petranus served his Maker, in watching, in fasting, and in prayer. *" His wife became a holy religious, imitating her husband's great example. Having come to man's estate,Patemusresolvedtofollowhisfather'sexample. Hetookalongwith him divers other pious pilgrims,^' who had the same resolution of dedicating themselves to God, and he sailed over into Great Britain, it is said, in the year 516. ''" It is stated,'^ that after his arrival in Wales, Padam became a member of the College » of St Iltud, or Illtyd. =5 In the Welsh Traids, he is regarded, with Teilo ^* and David,'' as one of the three blessed visitors. At a place, afterwards from him called St. Patern's, and by the Britons, Llan-Pademvaur,"* or the church of the Great Patemus, he founded a reli- gious establishment, which consisted of one hundred and twenty members. "? John of Teignmouth calls the place Mauritania,3° and it was in the northern part of Ceretica, now called Cardiganshire. 3' This monastery he left in charge of an Oeconomus, of a President, and of a Dean. Having thus provided for its government, and bestowing a blessing on the community, Patemus afterwards passed into Ireland, to visit his father. The mutual comfort of both was a result of this visit, and they gave thanks to the Almighty. Through his mediation, Padem reconciled two kings of different provinces inIreland,andwhowereengaged,atthattime,inabloodyconflict. ^' After several houses were burned, prey had been taken, and men were slain, the bishops of Hibemia had an angelic inspiration, that the holy stranger from Britain was most likely to appease the combatants. Accordingly, his ser- vices were sought, and standing between both opposed armies, Padern pleaded
earnestly for peace. His prayers were heard, and a truce was the prelude to a permanent union, between the contending parties. 33 Bidding farewell to his
"Godefrid Henschenn considers he was bom, about the year 490, or a little later. See "Acta Sanctorum. " tomus ii, Aprilis XV. De Sancto Patemo Episcopo, Veneti in Britannia Armorica, Commentarius Pra5vius, num.
Charles Wilkins' " Wales, Past and Pre-
sent," chap, ix. , p. 58.
'' See his Life, at the 1st day of March, in
this work.
"' Sometimes called Llanbadarn Fawr.
See Lewis' " of Topographical Dictionary
3, p. 379. '» See Rev. S.
" Lives ol the Saints," vol. iv. , April 15, p. 200.
vol.
"9 According to the Welsh accounts ; but,
John of Teignmouth swells the number to
847,
*" Ussher remaks: " in quo vocabulo de-
compositoprioraduomembraFanumPa- terni; postremum illud Vaur sive Maur (M enim et Vconsonans in Cambro-Britan- nici lingua permutari inter se notum est) a quo Mauritania nomen de—flexum videri pos- set. Magnum denotat. " "Britannicarum Ecclesiarum
Baring-Gould's
Wales,"
i. , p. 478.
" See Bishop Challenor's " Britannia Sancta," part i. , p. 226.
" According to John of Teignmouth 's ac- count,theincrediblenumberof847monks
accompanied them. ""
See Ussher's Britannicarum Ecclesia-
rum Antiquitates," cap. xiv. , p. 275, and
Index Chronologtcus, p. 526.
°3
By Achan-y-Saint.
•* This was situated, at Lantwit *
"* He founded Llandaff College, alter-
wards converted into a bishopric See Teignmouth.
Glamorganshire. "s See Rev. S.
" Lives of the Saints," vol. iv. , April 15, p. 201.
'» See " Britannia 226.
Baring-Gould's
Sancta," part i. , p.
Major,
in
Antiquitates," cap. xiv. , p. 275. 3> According to William Camden.
3' Such is the account, given by John of
i68 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[April 15.
father, and after spending about a year in Ireland,^* Padam thence returned intoBritain. There,hefoundallhismonks,intheenjoymentofgoodhealth.
Amongothers, one Nymannauc,35orMinonochon,3*who remained, after Padam had left Lesser Britain, could not endure the absence of his beloved master.
He pi-ayed to God, and he was transported beyond the sea, in a miraculous manner, so that he was now ready to salute Patern, on his return from Ire-
land. A rather legendary account is inserted, relating to Mailgunus,37 or
Maelgwn Gwynedd, King of the Northern Britons, who planned an expedi- tion, against the Southern Britons. 3^ He had sent before him two evil-dis-
posed persons, who brought the royal treasures, in a vessel,39 to deposit them withSt. Padam. But,thosemiscreantstookawaythetreasures,andthey sought to cast the robbery on St. Padarn. Then, a trial by cold and hot water^ was ordered, by the king, to detect who had been guilty of falsehood. St. Padarn placed his hand alternately in cold water, and in that heated, without suf- fering any injury; but, when the real thieves faced this trial, they were both scalded to death. On account of the insult offered our saint, the king was
deprived of sight ; however, on becoming penitent, and on asking pardon from Padarn, his vision was restored, and he recovered the use of his mem-
bers. •' The holy man had contracted a most intimate friendship with St. David,BishopofMenevia,andwithSt. Eliud,orTheliau. '*'' Withtheseholy men, also, he is said to have made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and to have
been there consecrated Bishop ;<3 while he received, as a special gift from the "
patriarch, a baculus, or staff," and a Cappa C/wralis,*^ or as otherwise ex-
3* See Ussher's
"
Britannicarum Ecclesia-
"
a tunic. " After his return from Jerusalem, the holy pilgrim held his episcopal See, at that place, which from him was called St. Patem's church. It became the seat of his administration. 'ts It is ascertained, that the last notice of its being an episcopal See occurs in 720. The diocese was then annexed to Menevia, owing to the turbulent character of the people, who killed their bishop, supposed <^ to have been Idnerth. '" Here, Paternus was eminent in all virtues. But, more especially was he noted, for his pastoral zeal, for his great charity, and for his rigorous mortifications. *^ However, while he was visited by a high potentate named Arthur,*' the latter was
pressed,
3* Such is the calculation of Godefrid Henschenn.
35 Thus is he called, by John of Teign- mouth.
3* In the Breviary of Vannes, he is so named.
3? He was otherwise known as Mailgon, who erected the episcopal See of Bangor, on the Strait of Menai.
*^ See "Britannia Sancta," part i. , p. 227.
** See a much fuller account of this pil- gi image, in the Life of St. David, at the 1st of March, chap. v.
*^ See Charles Wilkins' " Wales, Past and Present," chap, ix. , p. 58.
*' By Humphrey Lloyd.
*' To his memory, there is a monumental
inscription, in the church of Llandewy- Brevi.
<^ See "Britannia Sancta," part i.