^^ The
Bollandist
editor27 doubts,
Article hi.
Article hi.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
Lomman's family and pedigree are assigned to altogether a different stock.
He sprang from the race of ConallGulban.
St.
LomanwasthesonofErnan,sontoCesperius,sonof Lathimius, son of Fergus, son to Conall Gulban.
^3 This saint, who was the
fifth, in descent, must have been a relation of the great St. Columkille ; but, he appears to have flourished after the time of the latter. At least, a difference
who, probably, was the founder. It was called TempuU Lommain, or
oftwo is generations
down as
in their — We respective pedigrees.
he
there-
have
noted,
may might
that St. Loma—n
fore set it
beenborntowardsthecloseofthesixthcentury yet,didnottakeanactive partintheaffairsoflife,untiltheseventhagehadsomewhatadvanced. As we have mentioned,^"* in another place, on the island of Inishmore, in Lough Gill, county of Sligo, a St. Loman is said to have founded a church, in the time of St. Columkille. 's it may well be questioned, if he were not iden- tical with the present holy man. Perhaps, it might be said, St. Loman of Lough Ovvel migrated to Lough Gill, at some period of his life ; or, it might be, that St. Loman of Lough Gill chose afterwards to live near or on Lough Owel. Yet,ourpreviouscalculations,andthedataalreadygiven,seemto establish a different case. ^^ We must observe, however, the similarity of a coincidence in taste, when a St, Loman of the seventh century chose to live near the lake scenery of a loch, lovely as any could be found elsewhere in the ancient province of Meath, while a St. Loman of the sixth age selected
highly probable,
although
his lake-island, in the ancient province of Connaught. As the church and residence of St. Loman, at Lough Gill, were completely insulated, so did we
find a very low-lying green dot, far away from Portloman, and on the surface of Lough Owel. It was greatly our wish to visit it, and happily the oppor-
tunity was presented. '7 After a pleasant row of two miles, in a direct course,
Thaumaturga.
side of this The site of this ruin ** building.
and
was visited by the writer, who noticed two chap, i,, as quoted in Colgan's "Trias
apartment.
merely
periods, of both saints, clearly distinguish both these
divisions,
interiorly,
separated
It now top of a side wall.
S. Columbse, cap. iii. , p. 481, and cap. x. ,
p. 491.
'* See Article iii. at the 4th of February, ^s Some beautiful church ruins on Church
"
Island are engraved in Grose's Antiquities
of Ireland," vol. i. , pp. 58, 59. The view was taken by Bigari, and descriptive letter-
press accompanies it.
completely matted over with ivy.
holy men, bearing the name Loman.
^7 Through the kind offer of Mr. De
'°
See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Blaquiere, who, on casually learning a
clergyman's desire to see the old church there, with the ready courtesy of an Irish gentleman sent his pleasure boat and servant for the purpose, with instructions, that both were to be at the writer's disposal whatever
and
The church proper, as
" ad Acta Quarta Appendix
distinct
by a cross-wall.
measured within, was found to be thirty- eight feet in length, by twenty-one feet in width. What might be deemed a priest's dwelling was attached, and it measured thirty-five feet in length, by seventeen feet in width, allowing for a stone stair-way,
which appeared leading to a former upper
conducts to the Like all other parts of the ancient building, this appears now to be
'^ The as well as the pedigrees,
Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. iii. , chap. Ixxiv. , p. 601.
" See her Acts at the 22nd of March.
^~
See his Life at the 1 7th of March.
'3 See his genealogy, taken from the
Vol. II. —No. 7.
2 c
Sanctilogic Genealogy,"
Seluacius,
386 LIVES OF 2HE IRISH SAINTS. [February 7.
over the still waters of the lough, and on a exceptionally warm day, the writer was landed on Church Island. '^ Here, indeed, were found subjects for solemn consideration. A very interesting old church stands, but in a ruinous state, on the small islet. '9 It was built of fine limestone. Interiorly, it measured thirty-five feet in length, by eighteen feet in width. The walls were three feet in thickness. An end eastern and circularly-headed window was in the gable, as yet tolerably perfect. A window can be seen in the
Chi d, Lough Owel.
north sidewall, while a door was in the southern side wall. 2° The west
gable has completely disappeared. Elder trees grow within and around the ruins, which are also covered with ivy. An old cemetery extended without
the church, and about fifty years before, the last corpse had been conveyed toitbyboatsandattendantsfromthemainland. Twodistinctlymarked
piles of building stones are to be seen, on the very margin of the lake, and formerly these were more elevated over its surface than at present. ^' They,
however, are the debris of old anchoretical houses, now completely dilapi- dated, but apparently resembling, in former times, the beehive-shaped houses to be found in the west and south of Ireland. ''* It is said, St.
time he might deem necessary for explora- tion on Lough Owel.
Edited by Aquilla Smith. See "Tracts relating to Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. i. -viii. , 1-26. Dublin, 1842, 4to.
=^ the water-level has been Probably high
caused by drainage extended around the shores, or storage of water for the Royal Canal, which is largely supplied from Lough Owel.
==
Some illustrations and references to these objects, wil—l be found in a Paper by the writer, XVI. On the Identification of
'^
The aspect of Church Island, as
sketched from the
shore, south-east,
in
June, 1876, has been represented by Mrs.
Millard in the engraving, which illustrates the text.
*9 These are prominent objects, as the railway train from Mullingar to Longford passes along the east-shore of Lough Owel.
"°
This old church lies half way between
Mullingar, to the south, and Multifamham,
to the north. The Irish Archaeological
vSociety has published the Annales de Monte
Femandi. {Annals of Multifamham. ) Irish Academy," vol. i. , series ii.
*'
St. Malachy O'Morgair's Monasterium
Ibracense," read February 26th, 1872, pp. 107 to 113. "Proceedings of the Royal
February 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 387
Lomman built a small house, in an island of Loch Uair, near Portlomain, andthisseemsmostlikelytohavebeentheidenticalplace. ^3 Exceptatthe landing-place, and on the higher earth, near the old church and its grave-
yard, lake-flaggers and reedy-grass lift their tops amid the waters on the islet's margins. St. Lomman is said to have lived on Alexandric'* herbs, of which there was a great abundance on his island. ''s The Martyrology of Donegal*^ enters the festival of St. Lomman, uf Loch h Uair, in Ui-Mac- Uais,=*7 in Midhe, at the 7th of February. At the vii. ides of this month, we find, likewise, Lomman, confessor, in Hibernia, is set down^^ as having de- parted to Christ. ='9 We are informed, that he had another festival, at the i ith of October j3o this, however, is a mistake. 3' In the seventeenth century, there was a holydays^ to honour this saint at Portloman, near Multi-Faran- nain,33 or Multyfarnham. 34 Then, too, his bachall or crozier was held by
WalterMacEdward
become of both these objects cannot at present be ascertained.
inPortlommain. 35 Hischain,3^too,was preservedthere,towardsthemiddleoftheseventeenthcentury,37 Whathas
Dr. O' Donovan makes this identical
Father Luke " Annalium Mino- Wadding's
y
with the barony of Moygoish, in the county ofWestmeath. TheUiMac-Uaiswerea tribe of the race of Colla Uais, Monarch of
rum," tomus i. 34Intheyear1460,thishousewastrans-
ferred by the Conventual Fathers to the
Monks of the Strict Observance. See Sir
James Ware, " De Hibernia et Antiquita- "
teenth The name is still extant century.
of Done- gal," edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 434,435. ItISremarkedinthisconnexion,
[Fitzward ? ]
Article IIL—St. Augulus, Augurius, or Augulius, Bishop of Augusta, in Britain. {Third or Foui-th Century^ The light of the Gospel seems to have illuminated the souls of many among our countrymen, at a period much earher than most students of antiquuy have supposed.
•'
'3 See the
edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves. Appen- dix to the Introduction, p, xlii.
"* This was the Smyrnium Olus-atrum,
commonly called Alexanders, which was
^robably a corruption of Olus-atrum. See ^9 See Bishop Forbes' Kalendars of
"
thering's Botany," vol, ii. , n. , p. 392.
Seventh edition.
"5 The Irish name, Alistrin, for them, is
certainly a corruption of Alexandrine. Hip- poselinum seu Smyrmium vulgare is the name given to this plant in Dr. Threlkeld's
"" SynopsisStirpiumHibernias, printedat
Dublin, in 1727.
=^
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 40, 41.
Ireland, in the fourth century. According to John O'Dugan's Poem, the 0'Coni|\Ai'6e was the head chief of this tribe in the four-
; but, tor many centuries, the family has been reduced to poverty and obscurity. It was Anglicised (Jowry, in the sixteenth century ; yet, now it is more usually Corry or Curry. This form is to be distinguished, however,
Martyrology of Donegal,"
LL. D. From what is—stated in the text, the barony of Corkaree or some portions of it—was probably a part of this ancient
3° It was believed, that women labouring from O Corra of Ulster, as well as from in child-birth, when girt with it, should
O'Comhraidhe of Thomond, and from
O'Comhraidhe of Corca-Laighe, in southern
Cork. See " The Topographical Poems of
John O'Dubhagain and GioUa na Naomh it seems far more probable, they had re- O'Huidhrin," pp. 12, 13, and n. 51, p. xiii. ference to the present St. Lomman. See Also, 5eineAlAc Co|\ca LAi-oe, n. (h), p. "Martyrology of Donegal," edited by Drs. 54. Tlie "Miscellany of the Celtic So- Todd and Reeves. Appendix to the Intro- ciety," edited by John O'Donovan, Esq. , duction, p. xiii.
territory.
^^ *'
In the Kalendarium Drummondiense. " "
Scottish
3° See Rev. Anthony Cogan's
Saints," p. 4.
"
Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. ,
chap. Ixxiv. , p. 601.
3* St. Lomman, the reputed nephew of
St. Patrick, was venerated at that date. 3^Mostprobablyatthepresentdate.
33 There a Franciscan Monastery had been
founded by William Delamer, in the reign
of Henry III. , a. d. 1236, according to
tibus ejus,
35 See table to the "
cap. xxvi. , p. 1 70.
that there are two rivers flowing out, and no river going into the lake.
have a safe delivery.
37 Although these objects are said to have
belonged to St. Lomman of Ath-Trim ; yet,
Martyrology
388 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 7.
Colgan^ and the Bollandists preserve some brief notices of this holy bishop. ^ We recognise him under different forms of spelHng appHed to his name.
Yet, the Acts of Augurius,3 Augulus,^ AugiiHnus,5 AuguHiis,^ or Augustus,7 do not appear now to exist. ^ Various writers have alluded to this holy man
under the varied inflexions of name bestowed on him : thus, Venerable Bede,9 Usuard,'° Raban Maur," Ado, Wandelbert,^^ the Roman Martyrology,'3
Petrus Equilinus,^4 Phillipus Ferarius,'5 Genebrand,^^ Joannes Horolanus,^7 Marianus O'Gorman, Molanus, Father Henry Fitzsimon/^ Constantinus Ghinius, the Martyrology of SaUsbury,^9 the English Martyrology, Challoner,='° Rev. Alban Butler," the Irish Cistercian Monk,=^=' Rev. S. Baring-Gould,=3 with a number of other martyrologists, calendarists and chroniclers, place his festival, at the 7th of February. This saint is said to have been of Irish origin. He is titled bishop, in various martyrologies. He is said to have
presided over Augusta, in Brittany. =*4 This Augusta is supposed to have been an ancient name, for many cities in the Roman empire. ^s it has been applied to the present city of London.
^^ The Bollandist editor27 doubts,
Article hi. —^ See '* Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," vii. Februarii. De S. Augurio sive Augulio Londinensi in Anglia Episcopo, pp. 275, 276.
Britannia martyrium passus est : Hie enim Pontifex Augustae Civitatis Britannias setate ac viribus procursum temporis per martyrium
complens, teterna meruit suscipere praemia
^ Februarii.
edited in six
Father Godefrid Henschen—
are
of
" :
In
Hibernia,
Au-
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , vi—i. The Acts of St. Augulius
7.
Idus Februarii, ut ait Ado. "
by
paragraphs, pp. 6, 17.
7th
gurii Episcopi. "
1
3 This is the form of name given by Gene-
'^ Genebrand, in his Chronology of the
brard, Horolanus, Ferrarius, Farther Henry Fitzsimon, and various writers.
^ Thus is he distinguished by Venerable
Bede, Raban Maur, Usuard, Galesinius, that Genebrand, in his "Chronology,"
Vandelbert, and by several other writers. The Roman Martyrology coincides.
5 By Ricemarc.
^ By Petrus Equilinus, and Petnis de Natalibus, lib. iii,, cap. 105.
7 In the ancient copy of Bede's Martyro- logy, which was used at St. Agnan's at Or- leans, he is called St. Augustus ; in some others, St. Augurius.
wrongfully calls him an Irish Bishop. See
"Church History of Brittany," book vi. , chap. XX vii. , p. 116. Genebrard's observa-
tion may better be rendered, "a bishop of Ireland. "
**
^^ Joannes Horolanus, in his
rium Ecclesiasticum," writes, "7. Februarii S. Augurii Episcopi Hiberniae sub Valenti- niano anno 361. "
^^ See O'Sullevan Beare's " Historic Ca- tholicao Ibemiae Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xii. , p. 52.
^ See Bishop Challoner's Sancta," part i. , p. in.
" Britannia
9 Venerable Bede, in his Martyrology says, at the vii. of the Ides, or 7th of Feb-
*'
ruary :
natale S. Auguli Episcopi et Martyris.
^° He remarks : "In Britanniis Civitate
Augusta, natalis Beati Auguli Episcopi :
qui cursum temporis per martyrium explens
aeterna meruit suscipere praimia. "
^^
Rabanus, in his Martyrology, at the 7th
n. 3, p. 275.
=° See "Britannia Sancta," part i. , p.
III. -^
See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal Saints," vol. IL, Feb- ruary vii.
Martyris. "
=3 See
"
Lives of the Saints," vol. ii. ,
" *'
^s
Pliilip Ferrarius,
in his
Catalogue
at the
"
In Britaniis, Civitate Augusta, niae," vii. Februarii. Vita S. Augurii, and
of February, says : "In Britanniis in Civi-
tate Augusta Nativitas Auguli Episcopi «&
" See "Lives of the Irish Saints," at the 7th of February, pp. 213, 214.
Wandelbert observes at the same day : Augule spernendum raundum vincendo
plens, ffiterna prsemia suscipere meruit. "
February vii. , p. 190.
=4 See Petrus de Natalibus, lib. iii. , cap.
105, Galesinius, the English Martyrology, and various other authorities.
'5 See Dio " Historia Romana," lib. liv.
^* " Ammianus Marcellinus says, Tendens
ad Londinum vetus oppidum, quod Augus*
thriumphas. "
^3 The Roman
has: "Au- gustse in Britannia natalis B. Auguli Epis- copi, qui setatis cursum per martyrium ex-
'*
Petrus Equilinus, "In Catalogo," lib. ""
Martyrology
tam posteritas appellavit," lib. xxvii. And, iii. , cap. 105. Augulinus Episcopus in afterwards, he remarks, Ab Augusta pro-
February, says
Roman Calendar, at the 7th of February, "
says: Augurii Episcopi Hiberniae sub
Valentiniano anno 361. " Cressy observes,
'5» See Colgan's
Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Calenda-
February 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 389
however, if there were not other cities in Britain, likewise bearing such a name. '^ York is even thought to have been his place. ^9 At an advanced age, Augurius suffered martyrdom, not as said by some, a. d. 253,3° under the Emperor Decius ;3i but, as Colgan thinks, after a. d. 300. 32 ^pj^g EngUsh
Martyrology33 and Cressy state, that his triumph took place on the 7 th of February, about the year of Christ, 305,34 and a little vvhile35 after the mar- tyrdomofSt. Alban36orSt. Albinus. 37 Thusshouldhistriumphbeascribed to the period of the Emperor Diocletian. 3^ A Scottish writer, Hunibert, is cited by Dempster to prove, that the mission, preaching, labours and miracles of this holy martyr were confined to Scotia, 39 It has been falsely asserted by the same writer, that the early teachings of Christianity had vanished entirely from England, about the year 360. 4° But Father Henschenius endeavours to show from authorities quoted, how untrue is the assertion of Dempster, in reference to British history at that period. t^ Some writers place the death of Augulus, so late as the year 361 ;42 and, among these are Genebrard,Horolanus,andtheScottishwriter,Dempster. 43 Inhiskalendar,
fectus, quam veteres appellarere Londinam," lib. xxviii. Hence, Colgan concludes, that London was commonly called Augusta, in
Matthew of Westminster and other writers state, under the latter year. See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernijse," vii, Februarii, n. 4, p. 275. Matthew of Westminster gives a very lengthened account of St. Alban,
the time of Marcellinus. See
"
Acta Sanc-
torum Hiberniae," vii. Februarii, n. 2, p.
275-
^^ Henschennius.
*^ Ussher, and after him, Colgan, under- stand the civitas Augusta in Britain, of which he was bishop, to be the same as London.
^9 So seems to think Henschennius, who
imagines it was then the capital of Britain.
However, he preferred leaving this matter in doubt. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii,, Februarii vii. De S. Augulo, sect. 2, pp. 16, 17.
3° Constaiitinus Ghinius, "In Natalibus "
and of his martyrdom. See
"
Flores His-
p. 511.
Sanctorum Canonicorum, at the 7th of ring it to the year succeeding, states in a
February, relates, that this saint suffered
under Decius, who began to reign in A. D. 253, and ceased his rule A, D. 254.
3^ Such is the statement of Galesinius.
According to another account, Decius reigned from A. D. 249 to 251. See Fredet's " Modem
History," part i. , p. 87.
32 In this uncertain discrepancy of date,
Colgan would not undertake to pronounce
See "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
subsequent edition, that Augulus was slain, about the year 300, and by order of the Bri-
tish governor or president.
39See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. i. , num. 40.
'*° Before the close of the third century, a
regular hierarclay was established in Britain, and the first persecution of the Christians took place here, A. D. 303, under Diocletian. See the "Historical Class-Book," of the Christian Brothers. Outlines of English History, p. 401.
4^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. ,
Februarii. DeS. AvgvloEpiscopoMartyre in Civitate Britannia^ Augusta. Commen-
tarius historicus, num. 5, p. 17.
*2 This will be seen, from the foregoing
note, in which it is stated, our saint suffered during this year, under the Emperor Valen-
tinian ; but, Colgan remarks, that Julian the Apostate commenced his reign in A. D. 361 ; whilst, according to Baronius and other writers, Valentinian began first to reign, in A. D, 364, See "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
an
niae, vii. Februarii, n, 5, p, 275.
opinion.
33Itstates,atthe7thofFebruary "Eo- ;
dem die Londini depositio S. Auguli Epis- copi et Martyris, qui in persecutione Diocle- tiani Imperatoris propter fidei Christianaj in nostra magnoB Britannioe insula praedica- tionem a veritatis inimicis enecatus est circa annum Christi 305 paulo post S. Albani
passionem," " 34 See Cressy's
Church History of Brit- tany," book vi,, chap, xxvii,, p, 116. This
writer, also, remarks ;
''
whereas he is called
a martyr, it is to be understood that in the
late persecution he suffered many things for
Chrisfs cause, and this year received the niae," vii, Februarii. Vita S. Augurii and
reward of his confession,"
35 St, Alban, regarded as protomartyr of Britain, did not suffer before A. D, 303, as
n. 6, pp. 275, 276.
43 See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. i. , num. 40.
toriarum," A. D. ccciii. , pp. 124 to 129.
3^ His feast occurs on the 22nd of June. 37 The Rev. Alban Butler writes regard-
" He probably r—eceived that
ing our saint
crown soon after St. Alban," "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal Saints," vol. ii. , February vii.
:
^^ Ussher, in his Index Chronologicus, has the date of his suffering A. D. ccciv. See
"
Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates,"
The refer- English Martyrology,
390 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 7.
"
Adam King has entered at the 7th of February,
landvnderValentiniane. "^4 Thesamestatementismade,withthedate361, in Radulph de Rivo's Ecclesiastical Kalendar, yet this is too early for Valen- tinian's reign. '^s Dr. Lanigan is of opinion, that St. Augurius of Ireland, is improperly confounded with the British bishop, Augulus or Augulius. ^^ However, he does not assign any satisfactory reason for this statement. '*7 Dempster attributes to this saint the writing of two books. One of these,
cerning him in these words :
"
Fuit ergo in
Episcopus
et
martyr.
Cceiera,
quce
e variis librum
unum,
et De — alte- fuga peisecutionis
"
De fide plantanda," lib. i. ,
and the
Brigantes.
fifth, in descent, must have been a relation of the great St. Columkille ; but, he appears to have flourished after the time of the latter. At least, a difference
who, probably, was the founder. It was called TempuU Lommain, or
oftwo is generations
down as
in their — We respective pedigrees.
he
there-
have
noted,
may might
that St. Loma—n
fore set it
beenborntowardsthecloseofthesixthcentury yet,didnottakeanactive partintheaffairsoflife,untiltheseventhagehadsomewhatadvanced. As we have mentioned,^"* in another place, on the island of Inishmore, in Lough Gill, county of Sligo, a St. Loman is said to have founded a church, in the time of St. Columkille. 's it may well be questioned, if he were not iden- tical with the present holy man. Perhaps, it might be said, St. Loman of Lough Ovvel migrated to Lough Gill, at some period of his life ; or, it might be, that St. Loman of Lough Gill chose afterwards to live near or on Lough Owel. Yet,ourpreviouscalculations,andthedataalreadygiven,seemto establish a different case. ^^ We must observe, however, the similarity of a coincidence in taste, when a St, Loman of the seventh century chose to live near the lake scenery of a loch, lovely as any could be found elsewhere in the ancient province of Meath, while a St. Loman of the sixth age selected
highly probable,
although
his lake-island, in the ancient province of Connaught. As the church and residence of St. Loman, at Lough Gill, were completely insulated, so did we
find a very low-lying green dot, far away from Portloman, and on the surface of Lough Owel. It was greatly our wish to visit it, and happily the oppor-
tunity was presented. '7 After a pleasant row of two miles, in a direct course,
Thaumaturga.
side of this The site of this ruin ** building.
and
was visited by the writer, who noticed two chap, i,, as quoted in Colgan's "Trias
apartment.
merely
periods, of both saints, clearly distinguish both these
divisions,
interiorly,
separated
It now top of a side wall.
S. Columbse, cap. iii. , p. 481, and cap. x. ,
p. 491.
'* See Article iii. at the 4th of February, ^s Some beautiful church ruins on Church
"
Island are engraved in Grose's Antiquities
of Ireland," vol. i. , pp. 58, 59. The view was taken by Bigari, and descriptive letter-
press accompanies it.
completely matted over with ivy.
holy men, bearing the name Loman.
^7 Through the kind offer of Mr. De
'°
See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Blaquiere, who, on casually learning a
clergyman's desire to see the old church there, with the ready courtesy of an Irish gentleman sent his pleasure boat and servant for the purpose, with instructions, that both were to be at the writer's disposal whatever
and
The church proper, as
" ad Acta Quarta Appendix
distinct
by a cross-wall.
measured within, was found to be thirty- eight feet in length, by twenty-one feet in width. What might be deemed a priest's dwelling was attached, and it measured thirty-five feet in length, by seventeen feet in width, allowing for a stone stair-way,
which appeared leading to a former upper
conducts to the Like all other parts of the ancient building, this appears now to be
'^ The as well as the pedigrees,
Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. iii. , chap. Ixxiv. , p. 601.
" See her Acts at the 22nd of March.
^~
See his Life at the 1 7th of March.
'3 See his genealogy, taken from the
Vol. II. —No. 7.
2 c
Sanctilogic Genealogy,"
Seluacius,
386 LIVES OF 2HE IRISH SAINTS. [February 7.
over the still waters of the lough, and on a exceptionally warm day, the writer was landed on Church Island. '^ Here, indeed, were found subjects for solemn consideration. A very interesting old church stands, but in a ruinous state, on the small islet. '9 It was built of fine limestone. Interiorly, it measured thirty-five feet in length, by eighteen feet in width. The walls were three feet in thickness. An end eastern and circularly-headed window was in the gable, as yet tolerably perfect. A window can be seen in the
Chi d, Lough Owel.
north sidewall, while a door was in the southern side wall. 2° The west
gable has completely disappeared. Elder trees grow within and around the ruins, which are also covered with ivy. An old cemetery extended without
the church, and about fifty years before, the last corpse had been conveyed toitbyboatsandattendantsfromthemainland. Twodistinctlymarked
piles of building stones are to be seen, on the very margin of the lake, and formerly these were more elevated over its surface than at present. ^' They,
however, are the debris of old anchoretical houses, now completely dilapi- dated, but apparently resembling, in former times, the beehive-shaped houses to be found in the west and south of Ireland. ''* It is said, St.
time he might deem necessary for explora- tion on Lough Owel.
Edited by Aquilla Smith. See "Tracts relating to Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. i. -viii. , 1-26. Dublin, 1842, 4to.
=^ the water-level has been Probably high
caused by drainage extended around the shores, or storage of water for the Royal Canal, which is largely supplied from Lough Owel.
==
Some illustrations and references to these objects, wil—l be found in a Paper by the writer, XVI. On the Identification of
'^
The aspect of Church Island, as
sketched from the
shore, south-east,
in
June, 1876, has been represented by Mrs.
Millard in the engraving, which illustrates the text.
*9 These are prominent objects, as the railway train from Mullingar to Longford passes along the east-shore of Lough Owel.
"°
This old church lies half way between
Mullingar, to the south, and Multifamham,
to the north. The Irish Archaeological
vSociety has published the Annales de Monte
Femandi. {Annals of Multifamham. ) Irish Academy," vol. i. , series ii.
*'
St. Malachy O'Morgair's Monasterium
Ibracense," read February 26th, 1872, pp. 107 to 113. "Proceedings of the Royal
February 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 387
Lomman built a small house, in an island of Loch Uair, near Portlomain, andthisseemsmostlikelytohavebeentheidenticalplace. ^3 Exceptatthe landing-place, and on the higher earth, near the old church and its grave-
yard, lake-flaggers and reedy-grass lift their tops amid the waters on the islet's margins. St. Lomman is said to have lived on Alexandric'* herbs, of which there was a great abundance on his island. ''s The Martyrology of Donegal*^ enters the festival of St. Lomman, uf Loch h Uair, in Ui-Mac- Uais,=*7 in Midhe, at the 7th of February. At the vii. ides of this month, we find, likewise, Lomman, confessor, in Hibernia, is set down^^ as having de- parted to Christ. ='9 We are informed, that he had another festival, at the i ith of October j3o this, however, is a mistake. 3' In the seventeenth century, there was a holydays^ to honour this saint at Portloman, near Multi-Faran- nain,33 or Multyfarnham. 34 Then, too, his bachall or crozier was held by
WalterMacEdward
become of both these objects cannot at present be ascertained.
inPortlommain. 35 Hischain,3^too,was preservedthere,towardsthemiddleoftheseventeenthcentury,37 Whathas
Dr. O' Donovan makes this identical
Father Luke " Annalium Mino- Wadding's
y
with the barony of Moygoish, in the county ofWestmeath. TheUiMac-Uaiswerea tribe of the race of Colla Uais, Monarch of
rum," tomus i. 34Intheyear1460,thishousewastrans-
ferred by the Conventual Fathers to the
Monks of the Strict Observance. See Sir
James Ware, " De Hibernia et Antiquita- "
teenth The name is still extant century.
of Done- gal," edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 434,435. ItISremarkedinthisconnexion,
[Fitzward ? ]
Article IIL—St. Augulus, Augurius, or Augulius, Bishop of Augusta, in Britain. {Third or Foui-th Century^ The light of the Gospel seems to have illuminated the souls of many among our countrymen, at a period much earher than most students of antiquuy have supposed.
•'
'3 See the
edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves. Appen- dix to the Introduction, p, xlii.
"* This was the Smyrnium Olus-atrum,
commonly called Alexanders, which was
^robably a corruption of Olus-atrum. See ^9 See Bishop Forbes' Kalendars of
"
thering's Botany," vol, ii. , n. , p. 392.
Seventh edition.
"5 The Irish name, Alistrin, for them, is
certainly a corruption of Alexandrine. Hip- poselinum seu Smyrmium vulgare is the name given to this plant in Dr. Threlkeld's
"" SynopsisStirpiumHibernias, printedat
Dublin, in 1727.
=^
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 40, 41.
Ireland, in the fourth century. According to John O'Dugan's Poem, the 0'Coni|\Ai'6e was the head chief of this tribe in the four-
; but, tor many centuries, the family has been reduced to poverty and obscurity. It was Anglicised (Jowry, in the sixteenth century ; yet, now it is more usually Corry or Curry. This form is to be distinguished, however,
Martyrology of Donegal,"
LL. D. From what is—stated in the text, the barony of Corkaree or some portions of it—was probably a part of this ancient
3° It was believed, that women labouring from O Corra of Ulster, as well as from in child-birth, when girt with it, should
O'Comhraidhe of Thomond, and from
O'Comhraidhe of Corca-Laighe, in southern
Cork. See " The Topographical Poems of
John O'Dubhagain and GioUa na Naomh it seems far more probable, they had re- O'Huidhrin," pp. 12, 13, and n. 51, p. xiii. ference to the present St. Lomman. See Also, 5eineAlAc Co|\ca LAi-oe, n. (h), p. "Martyrology of Donegal," edited by Drs. 54. Tlie "Miscellany of the Celtic So- Todd and Reeves. Appendix to the Intro- ciety," edited by John O'Donovan, Esq. , duction, p. xiii.
territory.
^^ *'
In the Kalendarium Drummondiense. " "
Scottish
3° See Rev. Anthony Cogan's
Saints," p. 4.
"
Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. ,
chap. Ixxiv. , p. 601.
3* St. Lomman, the reputed nephew of
St. Patrick, was venerated at that date. 3^Mostprobablyatthepresentdate.
33 There a Franciscan Monastery had been
founded by William Delamer, in the reign
of Henry III. , a. d. 1236, according to
tibus ejus,
35 See table to the "
cap. xxvi. , p. 1 70.
that there are two rivers flowing out, and no river going into the lake.
have a safe delivery.
37 Although these objects are said to have
belonged to St. Lomman of Ath-Trim ; yet,
Martyrology
388 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 7.
Colgan^ and the Bollandists preserve some brief notices of this holy bishop. ^ We recognise him under different forms of spelHng appHed to his name.
Yet, the Acts of Augurius,3 Augulus,^ AugiiHnus,5 AuguHiis,^ or Augustus,7 do not appear now to exist. ^ Various writers have alluded to this holy man
under the varied inflexions of name bestowed on him : thus, Venerable Bede,9 Usuard,'° Raban Maur," Ado, Wandelbert,^^ the Roman Martyrology,'3
Petrus Equilinus,^4 Phillipus Ferarius,'5 Genebrand,^^ Joannes Horolanus,^7 Marianus O'Gorman, Molanus, Father Henry Fitzsimon/^ Constantinus Ghinius, the Martyrology of SaUsbury,^9 the English Martyrology, Challoner,='° Rev. Alban Butler," the Irish Cistercian Monk,=^=' Rev. S. Baring-Gould,=3 with a number of other martyrologists, calendarists and chroniclers, place his festival, at the 7th of February. This saint is said to have been of Irish origin. He is titled bishop, in various martyrologies. He is said to have
presided over Augusta, in Brittany. =*4 This Augusta is supposed to have been an ancient name, for many cities in the Roman empire. ^s it has been applied to the present city of London.
^^ The Bollandist editor27 doubts,
Article hi. —^ See '* Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," vii. Februarii. De S. Augurio sive Augulio Londinensi in Anglia Episcopo, pp. 275, 276.
Britannia martyrium passus est : Hie enim Pontifex Augustae Civitatis Britannias setate ac viribus procursum temporis per martyrium
complens, teterna meruit suscipere praemia
^ Februarii.
edited in six
Father Godefrid Henschen—
are
of
" :
In
Hibernia,
Au-
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , vi—i. The Acts of St. Augulius
7.
Idus Februarii, ut ait Ado. "
by
paragraphs, pp. 6, 17.
7th
gurii Episcopi. "
1
3 This is the form of name given by Gene-
'^ Genebrand, in his Chronology of the
brard, Horolanus, Ferrarius, Farther Henry Fitzsimon, and various writers.
^ Thus is he distinguished by Venerable
Bede, Raban Maur, Usuard, Galesinius, that Genebrand, in his "Chronology,"
Vandelbert, and by several other writers. The Roman Martyrology coincides.
5 By Ricemarc.
^ By Petrus Equilinus, and Petnis de Natalibus, lib. iii,, cap. 105.
7 In the ancient copy of Bede's Martyro- logy, which was used at St. Agnan's at Or- leans, he is called St. Augustus ; in some others, St. Augurius.
wrongfully calls him an Irish Bishop. See
"Church History of Brittany," book vi. , chap. XX vii. , p. 116. Genebrard's observa-
tion may better be rendered, "a bishop of Ireland. "
**
^^ Joannes Horolanus, in his
rium Ecclesiasticum," writes, "7. Februarii S. Augurii Episcopi Hiberniae sub Valenti- niano anno 361. "
^^ See O'Sullevan Beare's " Historic Ca- tholicao Ibemiae Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xii. , p. 52.
^ See Bishop Challoner's Sancta," part i. , p. in.
" Britannia
9 Venerable Bede, in his Martyrology says, at the vii. of the Ides, or 7th of Feb-
*'
ruary :
natale S. Auguli Episcopi et Martyris.
^° He remarks : "In Britanniis Civitate
Augusta, natalis Beati Auguli Episcopi :
qui cursum temporis per martyrium explens
aeterna meruit suscipere praimia. "
^^
Rabanus, in his Martyrology, at the 7th
n. 3, p. 275.
=° See "Britannia Sancta," part i. , p.
III. -^
See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal Saints," vol. IL, Feb- ruary vii.
Martyris. "
=3 See
"
Lives of the Saints," vol. ii. ,
" *'
^s
Pliilip Ferrarius,
in his
Catalogue
at the
"
In Britaniis, Civitate Augusta, niae," vii. Februarii. Vita S. Augurii, and
of February, says : "In Britanniis in Civi-
tate Augusta Nativitas Auguli Episcopi «&
" See "Lives of the Irish Saints," at the 7th of February, pp. 213, 214.
Wandelbert observes at the same day : Augule spernendum raundum vincendo
plens, ffiterna prsemia suscipere meruit. "
February vii. , p. 190.
=4 See Petrus de Natalibus, lib. iii. , cap.
105, Galesinius, the English Martyrology, and various other authorities.
'5 See Dio " Historia Romana," lib. liv.
^* " Ammianus Marcellinus says, Tendens
ad Londinum vetus oppidum, quod Augus*
thriumphas. "
^3 The Roman
has: "Au- gustse in Britannia natalis B. Auguli Epis- copi, qui setatis cursum per martyrium ex-
'*
Petrus Equilinus, "In Catalogo," lib. ""
Martyrology
tam posteritas appellavit," lib. xxvii. And, iii. , cap. 105. Augulinus Episcopus in afterwards, he remarks, Ab Augusta pro-
February, says
Roman Calendar, at the 7th of February, "
says: Augurii Episcopi Hiberniae sub
Valentiniano anno 361. " Cressy observes,
'5» See Colgan's
Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Calenda-
February 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 389
however, if there were not other cities in Britain, likewise bearing such a name. '^ York is even thought to have been his place. ^9 At an advanced age, Augurius suffered martyrdom, not as said by some, a. d. 253,3° under the Emperor Decius ;3i but, as Colgan thinks, after a. d. 300. 32 ^pj^g EngUsh
Martyrology33 and Cressy state, that his triumph took place on the 7 th of February, about the year of Christ, 305,34 and a little vvhile35 after the mar- tyrdomofSt. Alban36orSt. Albinus. 37 Thusshouldhistriumphbeascribed to the period of the Emperor Diocletian. 3^ A Scottish writer, Hunibert, is cited by Dempster to prove, that the mission, preaching, labours and miracles of this holy martyr were confined to Scotia, 39 It has been falsely asserted by the same writer, that the early teachings of Christianity had vanished entirely from England, about the year 360. 4° But Father Henschenius endeavours to show from authorities quoted, how untrue is the assertion of Dempster, in reference to British history at that period. t^ Some writers place the death of Augulus, so late as the year 361 ;42 and, among these are Genebrard,Horolanus,andtheScottishwriter,Dempster. 43 Inhiskalendar,
fectus, quam veteres appellarere Londinam," lib. xxviii. Hence, Colgan concludes, that London was commonly called Augusta, in
Matthew of Westminster and other writers state, under the latter year. See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernijse," vii, Februarii, n. 4, p. 275. Matthew of Westminster gives a very lengthened account of St. Alban,
the time of Marcellinus. See
"
Acta Sanc-
torum Hiberniae," vii. Februarii, n. 2, p.
275-
^^ Henschennius.
*^ Ussher, and after him, Colgan, under- stand the civitas Augusta in Britain, of which he was bishop, to be the same as London.
^9 So seems to think Henschennius, who
imagines it was then the capital of Britain.
However, he preferred leaving this matter in doubt. See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii,, Februarii vii. De S. Augulo, sect. 2, pp. 16, 17.
3° Constaiitinus Ghinius, "In Natalibus "
and of his martyrdom. See
"
Flores His-
p. 511.
Sanctorum Canonicorum, at the 7th of ring it to the year succeeding, states in a
February, relates, that this saint suffered
under Decius, who began to reign in A. D. 253, and ceased his rule A, D. 254.
3^ Such is the statement of Galesinius.
According to another account, Decius reigned from A. D. 249 to 251. See Fredet's " Modem
History," part i. , p. 87.
32 In this uncertain discrepancy of date,
Colgan would not undertake to pronounce
See "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
subsequent edition, that Augulus was slain, about the year 300, and by order of the Bri-
tish governor or president.
39See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. i. , num. 40.
'*° Before the close of the third century, a
regular hierarclay was established in Britain, and the first persecution of the Christians took place here, A. D. 303, under Diocletian. See the "Historical Class-Book," of the Christian Brothers. Outlines of English History, p. 401.
4^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. ,
Februarii. DeS. AvgvloEpiscopoMartyre in Civitate Britannia^ Augusta. Commen-
tarius historicus, num. 5, p. 17.
*2 This will be seen, from the foregoing
note, in which it is stated, our saint suffered during this year, under the Emperor Valen-
tinian ; but, Colgan remarks, that Julian the Apostate commenced his reign in A. D. 361 ; whilst, according to Baronius and other writers, Valentinian began first to reign, in A. D, 364, See "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
an
niae, vii. Februarii, n, 5, p, 275.
opinion.
33Itstates,atthe7thofFebruary "Eo- ;
dem die Londini depositio S. Auguli Epis- copi et Martyris, qui in persecutione Diocle- tiani Imperatoris propter fidei Christianaj in nostra magnoB Britannioe insula praedica- tionem a veritatis inimicis enecatus est circa annum Christi 305 paulo post S. Albani
passionem," " 34 See Cressy's
Church History of Brit- tany," book vi,, chap, xxvii,, p, 116. This
writer, also, remarks ;
''
whereas he is called
a martyr, it is to be understood that in the
late persecution he suffered many things for
Chrisfs cause, and this year received the niae," vii, Februarii. Vita S. Augurii and
reward of his confession,"
35 St, Alban, regarded as protomartyr of Britain, did not suffer before A. D, 303, as
n. 6, pp. 275, 276.
43 See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. i. , num. 40.
toriarum," A. D. ccciii. , pp. 124 to 129.
3^ His feast occurs on the 22nd of June. 37 The Rev. Alban Butler writes regard-
" He probably r—eceived that
ing our saint
crown soon after St. Alban," "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal Saints," vol. ii. , February vii.
:
^^ Ussher, in his Index Chronologicus, has the date of his suffering A. D. ccciv. See
"
Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates,"
The refer- English Martyrology,
390 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February 7.
"
Adam King has entered at the 7th of February,
landvnderValentiniane. "^4 Thesamestatementismade,withthedate361, in Radulph de Rivo's Ecclesiastical Kalendar, yet this is too early for Valen- tinian's reign. '^s Dr. Lanigan is of opinion, that St. Augurius of Ireland, is improperly confounded with the British bishop, Augulus or Augulius. ^^ However, he does not assign any satisfactory reason for this statement. '*7 Dempster attributes to this saint the writing of two books. One of these,
cerning him in these words :
"
Fuit ergo in
Episcopus
et
martyr.
Cceiera,
quce
e variis librum
unum,
et De — alte- fuga peisecutionis
"
De fide plantanda," lib. i. ,
and the
Brigantes.
