Fan- chea, daughter to Crimthann, son to Guarius,
belonging
to the race of Leogaire, brother to
The copy in the Book of Lecan reads, ^15 riA hAp'OA, fol.
The copy in the Book of Lecan reads, ^15 riA hAp'OA, fol.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
.
.
586
Article IV. St. Sillan of Cill-Deilge, or Kildalkey, County of Meath . . . 593 —
Article V. Reputed Festival of St. Eusebius, Monk, at St. Gall, Switzerland.
596
— County of Waterford. [Sixth Century. ] . . . . . . 597 ArticleIX. St. Dathaedhog,SonofColga,orTaedaMacColgan,ofAchadh-
Article VI. ——
[Ninth Century. '] . . . . . . . . . 595 St. Oebhnat, Eabhnait, or Eabnait, of Ros-Enche, or Ros na Seanchae 596
Article VII.
Article VIII. St. Molanfide, or Maolanfaidh, Abbot of Dairinis or Molana,
Article X. —
. . . Docaem, Bishop
598 599
Article XIII.
601
St. Mittan, of Kilmadock, Scotland . . . . . .
dumha
. . . . . . . . .
St.
Article XL St. Caoman or Caiman, of Cill-Chaomain, or Kilcoman, County
—ofGalway. [PossiblyintheSixthandSeventhCenturies. ] . . . 599 Article XII. Reputed Festival of St. Brigid, Patroness of Ireland. [Fifth and
—Sixth Centuries. ]
. . .
and Son of Ua Chil.
. . . . . . 600
— St.
Article XIV. St. Gildas, Confessor, of Blavet, in Britany, France. [Seventh
Cainneach, Priest,
[Eighth Century. ]. . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . 602 Article XV. —St. Lug, or Lughaedh, Son to Eochaidh, of Tir-da-Chraobh, now Teemacreeve, Parish of Castletown Kindalen, County of West-
meath. [Sixth Century. ] . . . . . . . . . 607
Century. ]
Names of Original Subscbibers . . . . . . . . .
609
. . . . . . . . .
^s.
, OR NTY
4CE-
• ma tella- owed hy of
but ;lude rciful id to
ance, Irish
irally nan's
have
moir, rious oubt- irces, . that y of
Irish
2ngus ) the ;rated
;
chief
ARTICt- ARTICli Artici^ I I
Artici, Artici Artici
Artici
Artici
Artici
Artici
Artici
Artici
Artici
Names
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
Sit^t IBap of Sanuarp^
ARTICLE I. —ST. FANCHEA, VIRGIN, ABBESS OF ROSS OIRTHER, OR ROSSORY, COUNTY OF FERMANAGH, AND OF KILLANY, COUNTY OF LOUTH.
[FIFTH AND SIXTH CENTURIES. ^
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—SOURCES FOR ST. FANCHEA's BIOGRAPHY—HER PARENTAGE AND RACE— HER BIRTH^-HER HOLY DISPOSITIONS—SHE EMBRACES A RELIGIOUS LIFE.
and beautiful as may appear the fixed or isolated star in a
clear sky, yet brighter still and more magnificent shines that constella- BRILLIANT
tion which expands its rays over a larger surface, and which sheds a mellowed
yet more powerful light through the firmament. Our saints are worthy of
admiration, where they exist singly, among members of the same family ; but
when, as in the present instance, a group of saintly children seems to include all the dwellers in a particular household, we are taught to revere the merciful
and mysterious dispensations of grace, so abimdantly poured forth, and to exalt in our estimation those glorious creatures of light. As we advance, whole families and religious communities shall we find, in the early Irish Church, reflecting radiance even through the shadows of her later history.
Numerous have been the females of Ireland renowned for their naturally
moral and religious dispositions. Purity in thought and feeling is woman's chiefestornament. Thereforeweshouldnotfeelsurprisedthatsomanyhave beenrankedinasisterhoodofsanctity. Fanchea,thesubjectofthismemoir, obtained special heavenly favours. That the acts of this noble and illustrious virginwerenotgivenatgreaterlengthhasbeenlamentedbyColgan. ^ Doubt- less her eventful life was not devoid of great interest. From various sources, he has endeavoured to compile her biography f but it must be admitted that some of the legends therein related ought to be rejected as unworthy of credence.
'
Art. I. —Chap, i. — With St. Fan- Saints," vol. i. , p. 3.
the "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," I Januarii, VitaS. Fanchese, with notes, pp. I to 6. The Rev. Alban IJutler has some brief notices of St. Fanchea or "Lives of
== The oftheIrish Genealogical Menology
Saints, with the Martyrologies of St. ^ngus and of Marianus O'Gorman, as also the old Acts of St. Endeus, who is venerated at the 2 1st of March, furnished the chief materials.
chea's Acts
begin
Faine, Virgin, at the same date.
the — Fathers, Martyrs,
and other
principal
Vol. I.
No. i.
n
and now the MSS. preserved among
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i.
Tliis saint's name is found variedly written Fanchea, Fuinchea, Fainc, Fuinche, andFunchea, Fourotherholyvirginsbearingthisnameareinscribedonour IrishCalendars. 3 TothepresentSt. Fanchea'sname,-*thedenominationGarbh, is also found affixed. s She was daughter to Conall Dearg, prince of Oriel territory, in the Ulster province f while her mother was Briga,7 or Aibfinn,^ daughter to Anmiry, of the Dalaradian race. St. Fanchea was bom at a place called Rathmore,9 in the vicinity of Clogher. She was sister to the celebrated St. Endeus, Abbot of Aran,'° as also to Saints Lochina," Carecha," and
Darenia. ^3 When our saint grew up, she was distinguished for extraordinary beauty; butremarkablevirtuesrenderedherstillmoreadmirable.
^ngus, son of Natfraich, King of Munster, is said to have desired Fanchea's
hand in marriage. Notwithstanding all his pressing entreaties, however,
and rejecting those earthly dignities to which she might be advanced by yield- ing to his suit, the holy virgin's mind was intent on a life of celibacy, and on those rewards promised by Christ to his spouses. Even she was obliged to resist parental importunities in refusing this offer of a matrimonial alliance. In order to divert . Angus'-* from his solicitations, she had sufficient address, while declining his advances towards herself, to direct his attentions towards her sister Darenia. To her he was afterwards united in marriage. Darenia was the mother, or, according to another account, the aunt and nurse of St. Colman,'s who was Abbot and Bishop at Daremore or Derr}Tnore Monastery.
In the list of holy virgins, who received the veil from St. Patrick, St Fanchea
3 The Genealogical Menology of the Irish Saints, she is denominated Aibfinnia, chap. Saints thus distinguishes their race and pa- Ixxii. Here we are told she was the daughter ternity. I. Fanchea, daughter to Ronan of Ainmire, son to Ronan, King of Ferard.
Ninnid, &c. , of the Eugenian race. 2.
Fan- chea, daughter to Crimthann, son to Guarius, belonging to the race of Leogaire, brother to
The copy in the Book of Lecan reads, ^15 riA hAp'OA, fol. 90. But Aibfinnia, which signifies "the beautiful," appears to have
the same Eugenius. 3. Fanchea, daughter been used as an appellative. The Calendar to Bleden, son to Lugad, &c. , of Cailbad's of Cashel calls her "Briga" or "Aibfinnia. "
race. 4. Fanchea, daughter to ^ngus, son See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," to Crimthann, &c. , of the same Cailbad's xxi. Martii. Vita S. Endei, Appendix,
race. Colgan thinks the festival of this last named Fanchea was observed in Munster on the 1 2th of January.
* In the Martyrologyof Tallagh, published by Rev. Matthew Kelly, D. D. , at p. xi. , we find the entry, Finnche Lochari, at the 1st
of January. In the old copy of this Martyro- logy, extracted from the Book of Leinster,
cap. iii. , pp. 712, 713.
9 This was formerly a celebrated fortress
and a chief residence belonging to the
Princes of Oirgiell.
'° See the Life of this celebrated saint at
the 2 1 St of March. From his Acts we learn that Conall was his father, as also the parent of St. Fanchea and of St. Darenia.
" The in the first Menologic Genealogy,
and second chapters, states, likewise, that Conall was St. Lochina's father.
belong- ing to the Franciscan Convent, Merchant's-
quay, Dublin, the corresponding notice at
this date is pn'ochi tochA]\i. The latter
words seem referable to her place, near of March. The Calendar of Cashel makes
Lough Erne.
s In the Martyrology of Donegal, edited
by Dr. Todd and by Dr. Reeves, pp. 2, 3.
There too she is said to be descended from
the race of Eoghan, son of Niall.
*
In the Genealogies of the Irish Saints, Endeus, brother to this holy virgin, is said to be son of Conall the Red, son to Damen, son of Corpre, sumamed Damh-airgid, son to Eochod, son of Crimthann, son to Fieg, son of Deodad, son to Rochad, son of Colla, sumamed Dachrioch, &c. , chap. xiii.
^ She is called Briga, in the Acts of St. Endeus.
Conall father to this holy virgin.
'3 An ancestor of this holy family, Cairbre, is said to have received for himself and his posterity the blessing of St. Patrick. See
"
Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga, Septima
Vita S. Patricii, lib. iii. , cap. vi. , p. 150, and n. 12, p. 184, ibid.
' According to some accounts, this . (Tlngus was the father of twelve holy daughters and of as many sons. The fes- tival of the daughters of Angus is set down in our calendars, at the 23rd of February. To this day, we refer the reader for further notices.
's See some notices of this saint at the 31st of July.
8
on the Maternal Genealogies of the Irish
In the work of St. i^ngus, the Culdee,
" See notices regarding her at the 9th
January i. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAlNTS.
is numbered by Colgan'^ ; this statement, however, seems to rest on no good authority. Her reputation for piety was so great that several ladies of royal birth were numbered among her disciples, and placed under her rule. Having entirely consecrated herself to God, Fainche, in her own person, furnished a
bright example of self-denial and sanctity. Many others of her sex, desiring to walk in the way she had marked out, renounced the pleasures of this world, for happy enjoyments in the next. She built a nunnery, at a place called Ross Oirthir,'7 on the borders of Lough Erne, and within the present
county of Fermanagh. territory of Oriel. '^
^^
It appears to have been within the patrimonial
CHAPTER II.
SITUATION AND DESCRIPTION OF ROSSORY—ST. FANCHEA EFFECTS THE CONVERSION OF HER BROTHER, ST. ENDEUS—THE DEATH OF A NOBLE LADY INDUCES HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE WORLD.
The site of this foundation is said to have been in Tir Rathe, on Lough
Eme. ^ Rossory is now a parish, partly in the barony of Glenawley, and partly in that of Magheraboy. It lies on the shores of Lough Erne, and not far from Enniskillen. ^ About the year 1106 Lisgoole Abbey is said, incorrectly, to have been established on the site of Rossory by Mac Noellus
" Mackenleff, king of Ulster. 3 Of the ancient Ros-airthir, or the eastern
peninsula," only its cemetery remains. ^ There is a sublimity and chann in its present loneliness of aspect.
The old spot where St. Fanchea's establishment stood has been clearly ascertained. It immediately adjoined the cemetery, pictured in the accom- panying engraving, 5 and actually touched upon the burial-ground, right over the Sillees river. Here exist the remains of a very large earthwork of the Rath class. On the western side the mur is thirteen vards in thickness at its
'* "
See "Trias Thaumaturga. Quinta Ap-
pendix ad Acta S. Patricii. cap. xxiii.
p. 270.
'7 Because St. Fanchea's festival was
there celebrated, and because it lay within
the paternal territory of Fermanagh, near Lake Erne, Colgan so names the place, and identifies it with her. See "Acta Sane-
torum Hibemias," i Januarii, n. 10, p. 3.
of Glen Righe, Lough Neagh, and the Lower Bann. Originally the country of this sept
comprised the greater part of Ulster, but for many centuries it was confined to the present
counties of Louth, Armagh, and Monaghan. Shortly after the introduction of Christianity, the descendants of Eoghan, son to Niall of the Nine Hostages, deprived them of that part, represented by the present counties of LondonderryandTyrone. Seethe"Topo- graphical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O'Huidhrin. " Edited by JohnO'Donovan,LL. D. ,M. R. I. A. Notes n. 103, p. xi—x.
'
Chap. il "Leahbar Breac," 30 b,
R. I. A. There is another Rossory in Leitrim
county.
^ For a description and illustration the
reader is referred to B. " Tours J. Doyle's
in Ulster," chap, xx. , pp. 368 to 379.
"
Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. 538, 539.
* See W. F. Wakeman's " Lough Erne, Enniskillen, Belleek, Ballyshannon, and Bundoran, &c. ," concluding chapter, p. 151.
s By William Oldham, from an original drawing on wood in William F. Wake-
man's best style. This and every subsequent
engraving has been prepared expressly foi" the present work.
'^
Dr. Lanigan will not admit this asser-
tion of Colgan. The latter writer, as the
former remarks, found a parish church,
whereherfestivalwaskept,atRossOirthir,
in Fermanagh, and there he supposes her nunnery to have been. Harris and Archdall followthisstatement. AlthoughseveralSS. Fancheas existed, Dr. Lanigan maintains, nothing occurs, on good authority, to make us admit that of them founded a
any nunnery at Rossory in the fifth century. See"Eccle-
siastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap. viii. , § ix. , n. 114, p. 404. But Colgan had access to authorities and correct sources of information which Dr. Lanigan could hardly have surmised.
'9 This territory was formerly possessed by a great sept, descended from the three CoUas. These conquered the ancient Ul- tonians, and wrested from them that portion of the Ulster province which lay westwards
3 See Lewis's
Ross-airthir, was founded. St.
^
These particulars were communicated
627. Another Erenagh died A. D. 1379, vol. iv. , pp. 672, 673. Again, an Erenach died here A. D. 141 1. Maurice Maguire, lord of Ros-airthir, died A. D. 1423. Mat-
thew O'Conghaile, Erenach of Rossory, died A. D. 1434, vol. iv. , pp. 806, 807; 858,
859 ; 898,899. The religious establishment hereseemstohavelapsedintoaparochialone. ^ Dr. Lanigan remarks that what relates to St. Fanchea is the most fictitious part of
the tract.
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[January i.
base, and it is double at one part. The original buildings there are thought to have been entirely composed of timber ; but of these not a single trace remains. The original church, indeed, may have been of stone. How- ever, Rossory
Church of our fa- thers' time has been demolished, and in the memory of
people still living. The eastern and north-eastern sides of the ancient mur have become all but obliterated, owing
Ac- cording to the "An- nals of the Four Masters'V in the year 1084 the Mo- nastery of Fuinche,.
Fainche, however,
was foundress of
an earlier nunnery
there, as she flou-
rished about the
date of the fifth century's close, or the commencement of the sixth.
This holy virgin exercised a great and holy influence over her brother, St. Endeus. SomediscredithasbeenthrownonhisActs,whichareregarded as abounding in fables. ^ Yet those acts are the chief authority we can dis- cover to furnish us with particulars regarding St. Fanchea. From Endeus' life we learn how in a great measure she contributed to effect his conversion, and move him to a change of life. On the death of his father, Conall, St. Endeus succeeded in the chieftainship over his principality, and with the unanimous acclaim of his own people. The young prince preserved himself free from all corrupting influences of rank and station ; but, on a certain occasion, being urged by some clansmen to march against his enemies, Endeus gave a sort of unwilling assent to their intreaties. However, the young chief did not allow his mind to be filled with mahce or revenge against his adversaries. One hostile to Endeus having been killed by his soldiers, these returned towards their own country. As they approached St. Fanchea's house the band sang a triumphant song in praise of their recent victory. Hearing the approaching sounds, St. Fanchea said to her commu-
to
tillage. ^
i.
<? .
Article IV. St. Sillan of Cill-Deilge, or Kildalkey, County of Meath . . . 593 —
Article V. Reputed Festival of St. Eusebius, Monk, at St. Gall, Switzerland.
596
— County of Waterford. [Sixth Century. ] . . . . . . 597 ArticleIX. St. Dathaedhog,SonofColga,orTaedaMacColgan,ofAchadh-
Article VI. ——
[Ninth Century. '] . . . . . . . . . 595 St. Oebhnat, Eabhnait, or Eabnait, of Ros-Enche, or Ros na Seanchae 596
Article VII.
Article VIII. St. Molanfide, or Maolanfaidh, Abbot of Dairinis or Molana,
Article X. —
. . . Docaem, Bishop
598 599
Article XIII.
601
St. Mittan, of Kilmadock, Scotland . . . . . .
dumha
. . . . . . . . .
St.
Article XL St. Caoman or Caiman, of Cill-Chaomain, or Kilcoman, County
—ofGalway. [PossiblyintheSixthandSeventhCenturies. ] . . . 599 Article XII. Reputed Festival of St. Brigid, Patroness of Ireland. [Fifth and
—Sixth Centuries. ]
. . .
and Son of Ua Chil.
. . . . . . 600
— St.
Article XIV. St. Gildas, Confessor, of Blavet, in Britany, France. [Seventh
Cainneach, Priest,
[Eighth Century. ]. . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . 602 Article XV. —St. Lug, or Lughaedh, Son to Eochaidh, of Tir-da-Chraobh, now Teemacreeve, Parish of Castletown Kindalen, County of West-
meath. [Sixth Century. ] . . . . . . . . . 607
Century. ]
Names of Original Subscbibers . . . . . . . . .
609
. . . . . . . . .
^s.
, OR NTY
4CE-
• ma tella- owed hy of
but ;lude rciful id to
ance, Irish
irally nan's
have
moir, rious oubt- irces, . that y of
Irish
2ngus ) the ;rated
;
chief
ARTICt- ARTICli Artici^ I I
Artici, Artici Artici
Artici
Artici
Artici
Artici
Artici
Artici
Artici
Names
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
Sit^t IBap of Sanuarp^
ARTICLE I. —ST. FANCHEA, VIRGIN, ABBESS OF ROSS OIRTHER, OR ROSSORY, COUNTY OF FERMANAGH, AND OF KILLANY, COUNTY OF LOUTH.
[FIFTH AND SIXTH CENTURIES. ^
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—SOURCES FOR ST. FANCHEA's BIOGRAPHY—HER PARENTAGE AND RACE— HER BIRTH^-HER HOLY DISPOSITIONS—SHE EMBRACES A RELIGIOUS LIFE.
and beautiful as may appear the fixed or isolated star in a
clear sky, yet brighter still and more magnificent shines that constella- BRILLIANT
tion which expands its rays over a larger surface, and which sheds a mellowed
yet more powerful light through the firmament. Our saints are worthy of
admiration, where they exist singly, among members of the same family ; but
when, as in the present instance, a group of saintly children seems to include all the dwellers in a particular household, we are taught to revere the merciful
and mysterious dispensations of grace, so abimdantly poured forth, and to exalt in our estimation those glorious creatures of light. As we advance, whole families and religious communities shall we find, in the early Irish Church, reflecting radiance even through the shadows of her later history.
Numerous have been the females of Ireland renowned for their naturally
moral and religious dispositions. Purity in thought and feeling is woman's chiefestornament. Thereforeweshouldnotfeelsurprisedthatsomanyhave beenrankedinasisterhoodofsanctity. Fanchea,thesubjectofthismemoir, obtained special heavenly favours. That the acts of this noble and illustrious virginwerenotgivenatgreaterlengthhasbeenlamentedbyColgan. ^ Doubt- less her eventful life was not devoid of great interest. From various sources, he has endeavoured to compile her biography f but it must be admitted that some of the legends therein related ought to be rejected as unworthy of credence.
'
Art. I. —Chap, i. — With St. Fan- Saints," vol. i. , p. 3.
the "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," I Januarii, VitaS. Fanchese, with notes, pp. I to 6. The Rev. Alban IJutler has some brief notices of St. Fanchea or "Lives of
== The oftheIrish Genealogical Menology
Saints, with the Martyrologies of St. ^ngus and of Marianus O'Gorman, as also the old Acts of St. Endeus, who is venerated at the 2 1st of March, furnished the chief materials.
chea's Acts
begin
Faine, Virgin, at the same date.
the — Fathers, Martyrs,
and other
principal
Vol. I.
No. i.
n
and now the MSS. preserved among
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i.
Tliis saint's name is found variedly written Fanchea, Fuinchea, Fainc, Fuinche, andFunchea, Fourotherholyvirginsbearingthisnameareinscribedonour IrishCalendars. 3 TothepresentSt. Fanchea'sname,-*thedenominationGarbh, is also found affixed. s She was daughter to Conall Dearg, prince of Oriel territory, in the Ulster province f while her mother was Briga,7 or Aibfinn,^ daughter to Anmiry, of the Dalaradian race. St. Fanchea was bom at a place called Rathmore,9 in the vicinity of Clogher. She was sister to the celebrated St. Endeus, Abbot of Aran,'° as also to Saints Lochina," Carecha," and
Darenia. ^3 When our saint grew up, she was distinguished for extraordinary beauty; butremarkablevirtuesrenderedherstillmoreadmirable.
^ngus, son of Natfraich, King of Munster, is said to have desired Fanchea's
hand in marriage. Notwithstanding all his pressing entreaties, however,
and rejecting those earthly dignities to which she might be advanced by yield- ing to his suit, the holy virgin's mind was intent on a life of celibacy, and on those rewards promised by Christ to his spouses. Even she was obliged to resist parental importunities in refusing this offer of a matrimonial alliance. In order to divert . Angus'-* from his solicitations, she had sufficient address, while declining his advances towards herself, to direct his attentions towards her sister Darenia. To her he was afterwards united in marriage. Darenia was the mother, or, according to another account, the aunt and nurse of St. Colman,'s who was Abbot and Bishop at Daremore or Derr}Tnore Monastery.
In the list of holy virgins, who received the veil from St. Patrick, St Fanchea
3 The Genealogical Menology of the Irish Saints, she is denominated Aibfinnia, chap. Saints thus distinguishes their race and pa- Ixxii. Here we are told she was the daughter ternity. I. Fanchea, daughter to Ronan of Ainmire, son to Ronan, King of Ferard.
Ninnid, &c. , of the Eugenian race. 2.
Fan- chea, daughter to Crimthann, son to Guarius, belonging to the race of Leogaire, brother to
The copy in the Book of Lecan reads, ^15 riA hAp'OA, fol. 90. But Aibfinnia, which signifies "the beautiful," appears to have
the same Eugenius. 3. Fanchea, daughter been used as an appellative. The Calendar to Bleden, son to Lugad, &c. , of Cailbad's of Cashel calls her "Briga" or "Aibfinnia. "
race. 4. Fanchea, daughter to ^ngus, son See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," to Crimthann, &c. , of the same Cailbad's xxi. Martii. Vita S. Endei, Appendix,
race. Colgan thinks the festival of this last named Fanchea was observed in Munster on the 1 2th of January.
* In the Martyrologyof Tallagh, published by Rev. Matthew Kelly, D. D. , at p. xi. , we find the entry, Finnche Lochari, at the 1st
of January. In the old copy of this Martyro- logy, extracted from the Book of Leinster,
cap. iii. , pp. 712, 713.
9 This was formerly a celebrated fortress
and a chief residence belonging to the
Princes of Oirgiell.
'° See the Life of this celebrated saint at
the 2 1 St of March. From his Acts we learn that Conall was his father, as also the parent of St. Fanchea and of St. Darenia.
" The in the first Menologic Genealogy,
and second chapters, states, likewise, that Conall was St. Lochina's father.
belong- ing to the Franciscan Convent, Merchant's-
quay, Dublin, the corresponding notice at
this date is pn'ochi tochA]\i. The latter
words seem referable to her place, near of March. The Calendar of Cashel makes
Lough Erne.
s In the Martyrology of Donegal, edited
by Dr. Todd and by Dr. Reeves, pp. 2, 3.
There too she is said to be descended from
the race of Eoghan, son of Niall.
*
In the Genealogies of the Irish Saints, Endeus, brother to this holy virgin, is said to be son of Conall the Red, son to Damen, son of Corpre, sumamed Damh-airgid, son to Eochod, son of Crimthann, son to Fieg, son of Deodad, son to Rochad, son of Colla, sumamed Dachrioch, &c. , chap. xiii.
^ She is called Briga, in the Acts of St. Endeus.
Conall father to this holy virgin.
'3 An ancestor of this holy family, Cairbre, is said to have received for himself and his posterity the blessing of St. Patrick. See
"
Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga, Septima
Vita S. Patricii, lib. iii. , cap. vi. , p. 150, and n. 12, p. 184, ibid.
' According to some accounts, this . (Tlngus was the father of twelve holy daughters and of as many sons. The fes- tival of the daughters of Angus is set down in our calendars, at the 23rd of February. To this day, we refer the reader for further notices.
's See some notices of this saint at the 31st of July.
8
on the Maternal Genealogies of the Irish
In the work of St. i^ngus, the Culdee,
" See notices regarding her at the 9th
January i. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAlNTS.
is numbered by Colgan'^ ; this statement, however, seems to rest on no good authority. Her reputation for piety was so great that several ladies of royal birth were numbered among her disciples, and placed under her rule. Having entirely consecrated herself to God, Fainche, in her own person, furnished a
bright example of self-denial and sanctity. Many others of her sex, desiring to walk in the way she had marked out, renounced the pleasures of this world, for happy enjoyments in the next. She built a nunnery, at a place called Ross Oirthir,'7 on the borders of Lough Erne, and within the present
county of Fermanagh. territory of Oriel. '^
^^
It appears to have been within the patrimonial
CHAPTER II.
SITUATION AND DESCRIPTION OF ROSSORY—ST. FANCHEA EFFECTS THE CONVERSION OF HER BROTHER, ST. ENDEUS—THE DEATH OF A NOBLE LADY INDUCES HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE WORLD.
The site of this foundation is said to have been in Tir Rathe, on Lough
Eme. ^ Rossory is now a parish, partly in the barony of Glenawley, and partly in that of Magheraboy. It lies on the shores of Lough Erne, and not far from Enniskillen. ^ About the year 1106 Lisgoole Abbey is said, incorrectly, to have been established on the site of Rossory by Mac Noellus
" Mackenleff, king of Ulster. 3 Of the ancient Ros-airthir, or the eastern
peninsula," only its cemetery remains. ^ There is a sublimity and chann in its present loneliness of aspect.
The old spot where St. Fanchea's establishment stood has been clearly ascertained. It immediately adjoined the cemetery, pictured in the accom- panying engraving, 5 and actually touched upon the burial-ground, right over the Sillees river. Here exist the remains of a very large earthwork of the Rath class. On the western side the mur is thirteen vards in thickness at its
'* "
See "Trias Thaumaturga. Quinta Ap-
pendix ad Acta S. Patricii. cap. xxiii.
p. 270.
'7 Because St. Fanchea's festival was
there celebrated, and because it lay within
the paternal territory of Fermanagh, near Lake Erne, Colgan so names the place, and identifies it with her. See "Acta Sane-
torum Hibemias," i Januarii, n. 10, p. 3.
of Glen Righe, Lough Neagh, and the Lower Bann. Originally the country of this sept
comprised the greater part of Ulster, but for many centuries it was confined to the present
counties of Louth, Armagh, and Monaghan. Shortly after the introduction of Christianity, the descendants of Eoghan, son to Niall of the Nine Hostages, deprived them of that part, represented by the present counties of LondonderryandTyrone. Seethe"Topo- graphical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O'Huidhrin. " Edited by JohnO'Donovan,LL. D. ,M. R. I. A. Notes n. 103, p. xi—x.
'
Chap. il "Leahbar Breac," 30 b,
R. I. A. There is another Rossory in Leitrim
county.
^ For a description and illustration the
reader is referred to B. " Tours J. Doyle's
in Ulster," chap, xx. , pp. 368 to 379.
"
Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. 538, 539.
* See W. F. Wakeman's " Lough Erne, Enniskillen, Belleek, Ballyshannon, and Bundoran, &c. ," concluding chapter, p. 151.
s By William Oldham, from an original drawing on wood in William F. Wake-
man's best style. This and every subsequent
engraving has been prepared expressly foi" the present work.
'^
Dr. Lanigan will not admit this asser-
tion of Colgan. The latter writer, as the
former remarks, found a parish church,
whereherfestivalwaskept,atRossOirthir,
in Fermanagh, and there he supposes her nunnery to have been. Harris and Archdall followthisstatement. AlthoughseveralSS. Fancheas existed, Dr. Lanigan maintains, nothing occurs, on good authority, to make us admit that of them founded a
any nunnery at Rossory in the fifth century. See"Eccle-
siastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap. viii. , § ix. , n. 114, p. 404. But Colgan had access to authorities and correct sources of information which Dr. Lanigan could hardly have surmised.
'9 This territory was formerly possessed by a great sept, descended from the three CoUas. These conquered the ancient Ul- tonians, and wrested from them that portion of the Ulster province which lay westwards
3 See Lewis's
Ross-airthir, was founded. St.
^
These particulars were communicated
627. Another Erenagh died A. D. 1379, vol. iv. , pp. 672, 673. Again, an Erenach died here A. D. 141 1. Maurice Maguire, lord of Ros-airthir, died A. D. 1423. Mat-
thew O'Conghaile, Erenach of Rossory, died A. D. 1434, vol. iv. , pp. 806, 807; 858,
859 ; 898,899. The religious establishment hereseemstohavelapsedintoaparochialone. ^ Dr. Lanigan remarks that what relates to St. Fanchea is the most fictitious part of
the tract.
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[January i.
base, and it is double at one part. The original buildings there are thought to have been entirely composed of timber ; but of these not a single trace remains. The original church, indeed, may have been of stone. How- ever, Rossory
Church of our fa- thers' time has been demolished, and in the memory of
people still living. The eastern and north-eastern sides of the ancient mur have become all but obliterated, owing
Ac- cording to the "An- nals of the Four Masters'V in the year 1084 the Mo- nastery of Fuinche,.
Fainche, however,
was foundress of
an earlier nunnery
there, as she flou-
rished about the
date of the fifth century's close, or the commencement of the sixth.
This holy virgin exercised a great and holy influence over her brother, St. Endeus. SomediscredithasbeenthrownonhisActs,whichareregarded as abounding in fables. ^ Yet those acts are the chief authority we can dis- cover to furnish us with particulars regarding St. Fanchea. From Endeus' life we learn how in a great measure she contributed to effect his conversion, and move him to a change of life. On the death of his father, Conall, St. Endeus succeeded in the chieftainship over his principality, and with the unanimous acclaim of his own people. The young prince preserved himself free from all corrupting influences of rank and station ; but, on a certain occasion, being urged by some clansmen to march against his enemies, Endeus gave a sort of unwilling assent to their intreaties. However, the young chief did not allow his mind to be filled with mahce or revenge against his adversaries. One hostile to Endeus having been killed by his soldiers, these returned towards their own country. As they approached St. Fanchea's house the band sang a triumphant song in praise of their recent victory. Hearing the approaching sounds, St. Fanchea said to her commu-
to
tillage. ^
i.
<? .
