Maidoc shortly
afterwards
arrived.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
D.
, vol.
i.
, pp.
cccli.
'and ccclv.
, n.
614.
'' This proves his own step-son Maidoc was not the hostage.
^^^See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nise," xxxi. Januarii. Vita S. Maidoci, cap.
ii. , p. 208,
by
John
usually
to our saints and chiefs,
*s — ^' Aedh or Aedhan appears to have been
calledwhen the name of Maidoc seems to have
name in I—
a
especially in the northern parts during the
very prevalent
boy;
been acquired when he went to Wales,
reland and a
'* were Hostages
So he appears to have been
ac-
January 3 1. J LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 533
of performing miracles. He had a special love for the Adorable Trinity.
His occupation appears to have been of a pastoral character, for he is repre- sented as having been in the company of some shepherds, when one of those manifestationsoccurred. Itwasasourceofedificationforpersonslivinginthe neighbourhood, who had heard and seen him. His acquaintances magnified the Lord's name, in the person of His favoured child. ^"^ When Aidan's parents saw him gifted with so many graces, they consigned him to the care of a certain holy man,23 that their child might receive a liberal education. At length, the fame of his extraordinary sanctity began to spread abroad, and it reached throughout the whole extent of his native island. ^*
About this time, some holy men prayed to God, that they might specially know the place of their resurrection, so that there they might serve our Lord
while living. ^s The angel of God appeared to them and said
Maidoc, and he will show you the place of your resurrection. "
:
" Go to St.
On coming
:
to him, our saint said to them " Have you heard the sound of a cymbal or
bell,''^ on your way hither? " They answered in the negative. Our saint
" Come with me and I shall
arise from the dead. " Having joined company, Maidoc showed them the place destined for their future departure ; and here those servants of God remained to the very day of their death. ="7 While our saint was one day engaged in reading, and in a retired place, wearied after a chase by dogs, a deer stood before him, as if beseeching his protection. Having a knowledge of this poor animal's case, he placed some object^^ upon his horns. ^9 The dogs thencomingup,theirtremblingquarrybecameamerephantom. Notbeing able to find the animal there, nor to trace him further, the deer-hounds de- sisted from their chase. Thus the deer escaped free, and shook Maidoc's offering from his horns. 3°
St. Maidoc appears to have had some early Divine admonition regarding his future connexion with the city of Ferns, as a place selected for his settle- ment. WithLasserianofDevenish,3iwhoseemstohavebeenhisdearest friend,32 before the erection of the monastery in that island on Lough Erne, a miraculous sign was afforded, to determine the direction of their respective
replied :
point
out the
spot
in which must you
cording to John of Teignmouth and John Capgrave. See Ussher's " Britannicarum
Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p.
^^ In the Latin life published by Colgan, the original word is " ceraculum," probably because manufactured from wax. In another
MS. , it is called " Oraculum," as being an
article connected with In the Irish prayers.
language, it is known as a. paitrin ox paidrin. ^ It has been suggested, that as formerly boys were taught to write on waxen tablets, and that as the Lord's Prayer inscribed on them was a customary writing exercise, the " Ce- a '* Pater Noster," and a "Paitrin," corresponding with a
500.
" See
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Vita S. Maidoci, cap.
iii. , p. 208.
^3 We are left in ignorance of this teacher's
name and place of habitation ; but probably he lived near that spot where St. Maidoc was bom and nurtured.
re-
Colgan's nise," xxxi. Januarii.
^* See
niae," xxxi. Januarii. iv. , p. 208.
^s Here
Colgan's
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Vita S. Maidoci, cap.
several relations between these raculum," "Oraculum,"
terms,
we are left in
3° See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
again
garding the holy persons alluded to, and the churches or places where they were to live and die are also unnamed.
ignorance
**
the air, to fix the spot for an ecclesiastical
establishment, is one frequently occurring in ters,"vol. i. , pp. 202, 203. The "Chroni-
This indication of a bell, sounding in
32 gt. Laserian died A. D. 563, according to Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Mas-
the lives of our Irish Saints.
^ See Colgan's "Acta Sanctomm Hiber-
niffi," xxxi. Januarii. Vita S. Maidoci, cap. v. , p. 208.
"
con Scotorum has his death at A. D. 564.
See pp. 56, 57. Now, as according to tlie
sameauthorities,St. Maidoc died A. D. 624 or 625; the latter must have been very young-
Rosary, may readily be discovered.
niae," xxxi. Januarii, Vita S. Maidoci, cap. vi. , p. 208.
"" See his Life at the I2th of September.
534 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
missions. We are next told,33 that one day, Maidoc was walking on a mountain, known as Beatha,34 Sliabh Beagh,3s or Slieve Baha,36 an early-
legendary or fabled landmark,37 called after a mythic personage of the pre- historic times. 38 When there, he wished to visit a place, known as Ardain- nygh. 39 Here a St. Aired4° is said then to have lived. 4' Night began to close upon Maidoc's journey. Beseeching the Lord's assistance, angels came to him, and took him in their hands. ^^ They led him to that very spot selected, where they set him down in the midst of a castle. 43 Here, in com-
at the time of this interview.
33 In the seventh chapter of Maidoc's acts,
according to Colgan, our saint went to the
south and Laserian to the north. In the
Rev. W. Rees' ' ' Lives of the Cambro- J.
British Saints," Molassus was directed to go southwards "to the island of Boum, and Aidus to the right, to the borders of the
observes, that the stories of Irish invasions before the Flood are possibly remnants of
Druidic mythology, adopted by Christian
bards and antiquaries to suit their own ideas
of in accord with Revelation. See History
also O'Flaherty's "Ogygia," pars, iii. , cap. i. , p. 162.
^^Bith, in the genitive Betha, means "life," in modem Gaelic. He is called a son of Noah, by the bards, and he is said to have been refused permission to enter the
ark. counsel with an those Taking idol,
afterwards named fitted out a ship and put to sea. They landed in Ireland, after a long voyage. According to the English version
" See
34 This mountain is said to have been called
Laginensians.
after Bith—according to the Bards the father
p. 556.
be obtained. SeelDr. O'Donovan's "An- nals of the Four Masters," vol. v. , n. (n), pp. 1260 to 1262, and vol. vi. , n. (f), p. 1940, Hid.
it. There is a townland, Erdinagh, in the parish of Aghalurcher, barony of Magher-
—who
of the female leader Ceasair or Kesair
died in Ireland only a few days before the Flood, and who was buried under a cam, which is still shown on that part of Slieve Beagh, extending across a portion of Clones parish, in the county of Fermanagh. The site is known as Carnmore. See " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Feimanagh," Sheet 35.
35 So it is called in the Down Survey. It
forms a long range, extending in a north-
eastern direction, through the barony of
Magherastepana, and parishes of Clones and
Tedavnet, in the county of Fermanagh, and
along the western boundary of the barony of
Trough, in the county of Monaghan, and
through a part of the parish of Clogher, in
the county of Tyrone. From the top of is the only object of antiquity exhibited on Clones moat a good view of Carnmore can
" 3*0'Flaherty calls it Sliaw-beatha. See met Avith on this townland. These seem to
Ogygia," pars, iii. , cap. i. , p. 162 ; but in
Seward's "Topographical Dictionary of Ire- "
land, itisincorrectlyspelledSlieveBaugh. The O'Clerys' "I,eabhar Gabhala" gives some account of its denominational origin. Its local and aboriginal pronunciation will be recognised by the Irish scholar from the natives of Clones parish, when welcoming strangers: Sex>ohe&tAa^ShbiAbbeACA.
37 We are told, in the bardic legends, that
forty days before the universal Deluge,
according to the Eusebian and Septuagint
computation, A. M. 2242, that Ceasair came
to Ireland, -with three men and fifty women.
As may be seen, in O'Mahony's Keating's
be the only probable modem equivalents for Aired, Ard-rinnygh, or Ard-airidh.
4° According to the Martyrologies of Mari- anus O'Gorman and of Tamlacht, he is com- memorated on the 26th of August. In the Rev. W. J. Rees'"LivesoftheCambro- British Saints," it is said "he would go to the place where Airid Siniuch dwelt. " See p. 556.
*'AccordingtoJohnCapgrave. Colgan says, however, he fears that author incor- rectly substituted Aired for Ardrinnigh ; or at ileast, that Ardrinnigh was put for Ard- Airidh. See " Acta Sanctorum HibemijE," xxxi. Januarii, n. 13, p. 216.
*^The writer adds, after the example of the Prophet Habacuc. This is probably an allusion to the closing verse of his prophecy,
iii. , 19.
3 The allusion here is probably to the
"
History of Ireland," book i. , part i. , chap.
v. , pp. 105 to 112, various wild, contradic-
toiy yet interesting romances were formerly
in vogue, regarding these antediluvian co- lonists. In a note ( i ), the editor very fairly
ofa "
translated Irish verse :
Twice twenty days before the Flood, Came Kesair into Eri,
With Fintann, Bith, and Ladra from
—
the sea,
And fifty beauteous damsels. "
See O'Mahony's Keating's "History of Ireland," book i. , part i. , chap, v. , p. 107. 39 There is a townland called Ardarragh,
in the parish of Killashandra and barony of Tullyhunco, shown on the " Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Ca- van," Sheet 19. An earthem fort, however,
"
astephana, to be seen on the
Survey Maps for the County of Fermanagh," Sheet 24. No object of antiquity is to be
Ordnance
January ji. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 535
memoration of this miracle, a cross was afterwards placed. '*'* It was called
" the cross of St. Maidoc. " No trace of it can probably be found at the
present day.
About this time, it chanced that Damh-airghidj-'s the son of Echdach or
Ethach, with two other boys, had been drowned in Lough Erne, and their bodies could not be found. In an Irish Life of St. Maidoc, however, the
youth who perished is named Daminis,4^ the son of Damh-airgid,-*' while in a life by Capgrave*^ he is called a boy, named Bos. That he was historically celebrated as Daimhin Damhairgif*? seems to be pretty clear. 5° The mother of this unfortunate young man went to ask the prayers of many holy persons,
that at least she might have a melancholy satisfaction, in paying the last rites to his remains. These she hoped to recover from the waters. Among
thee, for I know that, through God's assistance, he shall find their bodies, and by his grace raise them to life. " With some companions, she repaired to the appointed place, where St.
Maidoc shortly afterwards arrived. To him the afflicted mother related all that had rendered her so inconsolable. Then, trusting in the mercy of God, and in the prophecy of St. Laserian, that he should be an instrument for restoring those dead boys to life, St. Maidoc entered the water, where their bodies lay. Praying to God, he led them forth alive. Maidoc presented to his mother and to her companions, that youth, for whose loss she had so greatly grieved. On seeing his son re- stored to life, as a token of gratitude, the noble father presented himself and his whole posterity for ever as the subjects of Maidoc,5^ since God had been pleased to work such a miracle, in favour of his family, and through the merits of our saint,s^
Afterthisevent,thefameofSt. Maidocwasgreatlyaugmented. Many
St. Laserian's
near the spot where this accident occurred, until blessed Maidoc comes to
others, having besought
assistance,
city of Ferns, where a castle must have stood at the time St. Maidoc's Latin Life had been written.
^5 Damh-airgid, the cognomen of Corbre, son to Ethach, Prince of Oirgiell, is rendered
in Latin, by Colgan, Bos argenteus.
** Daminus, it is said, signifies Bosjuvencus
*' Dr. O'Donovan renders this name as the "Little Silver Ox. " He is said to have been ascestor of the MacMahons of Oir-
Oirghialla septs, Account of the Territory or
5° in Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , we read, that Daim- hin Damhairgit, i. e. , Cairbre, died A. D.
560, and from him descended the Airghialla. "
^ See
nice," xxxi. Januarii. viii. , p. 209.
Colgan's
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Vita S. Maidoci, cap.
but not of all the
ox parvus. With some diffidence, Colgan See pp. 202, 203. In the Chronicon
thinks, that there is question here of Damin, son to Damh-airgid, or of some other Damin
Scotorum," edited and translated by William M. Hennessy, we have the death of Daim- hin, son of Coirpre Damhairgaid, set down
at a. d. 566. See pp. 56, 57,
si The meaning seems to be, that this
chief bound himself and his posterity to be-
or Damen, a prince of the Oirgiell family.
Yet in the Rev. W, J. Rees' " Lives of the
Cambro-British Saints" the drowned boy is
called Bosargente, the son of Echdach,
"
mater Oruntham," it seems to us wrongly
stow gifts on Maidoc's religious establish- translated "mother of Oruntham. " See ment, in acknowledgment of his gratitude
" Vita Sancti Aidui," p. 234, and " Life of St. Aldus," p. 556.
and indebtedness towards the saint. In the
Rev. W. J. Rees' "Lives of the Cambro-
British Saints," we find this transaction thus
"
'^ St. Endeus his grandson, and son to
Conall, flourished before St. Maidoc, as is stated,
shown at the 21st of March. See Colgan's
"Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," n. 14, p.
216. Also Appendix ad Acta S. Endei. , same son and all his family. " See Life of
xxi. Martii, cap. iii,, p. 712, ibid.
St. Aidus," p. 557.
*^ If we attend to its verbal
as Colgan tells us, this writer's statement can easily be reconciled with the foregoing account
s^ See
*'
Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
signification,
Colgan's
nice," xxxi. Januarii. Vita S. Maidoci, cap. ix. , p. 209.
he said " Go and wait ;
ghialla,
See Shirley's
Dominion of Farney," p. 148.
"
And King Cuchait offered his son with all his family to Saint Aldus for ever ; and Saint Aldus gave to Saint Molassus the
"
536 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
came to him, desiring to embrace a religious life, and to remain under his direction. Through humility, and a desire to avoid distinction, our saint wished to leave his own part of the country. But this desire was opposed by the Hy-Brian dynast, named Aedus the Fair,53 or Beautiful. This chief,
who was son to Fergna, and who belonged to the royal family of Connaught, ruled over the aforesaid principality, which included both divisions of Breff- ney. s4 This territory, divided into districts, was so called because a race, who inhabited, it, descended from Brian, son to Eochod Mogmedonius, King of Ireland. 55 The holy Maidoc sought permission from Aedus to retire in a quiet manner, and he promised the prince a future repose in heaven, if com- pliance with his request were granted. From the posterity of this Aedus de- scended the two noble families of O'Reilly and O'Roorke ; Kellachan and
Maelmordha,
sons to
the heads of those celebrated s^ septs.
Kernachan, being
Yet, notwithstanding an opposition, which our saint still experienced, the
Lord favoured his servant's desires, and he was conducted in peace to a frontier of the Leinster province. Thence this celebrated saint sailed over to Menevia,57 in Wales. In the published life of our saint, this city is called Kill-Muine,58 and here he remained with holy Bishop David for a consider- able time. According to Ussher,59 Swithun, otherwise Scolan,^° appears to have been the master^* of Aidan or Maidoc, Bishop of Ferns, while he so- journed in Wales. ^^ However, it seems much more probable, that this
53 He was thus called, because from being very deformed, he was rendered very hand- some, after St. Maidoc baptized him, so that he resembled Aidan, son to Egnech, who was considered the most beautiful man in Ire- land. Before baptism he was surnamed
59 See "Works," toI. v. " Britanni-
carum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xi. ,
p. 390.
'° This is stated, on the authority of Gi-
raldus Cambrensis, in his " Historia de Vita
S. Davidis Archiepiscopi Menevensis," Lec-
Dubh, or "Black," as we learn from an tio v. , sec. 2, p. 392. See Giraldi Cam- ""
Irish Life of St. Maidoc, quothed by Colgan. brensis Opera, edited by J. S. Brewer, In the Rev. W. J. Rees' " Lives of the Cam- vol. iii. Here, notwithstanding Swithun or bro-British Saints" he is called "Albus. " Scolan is represented as having been the
See p. 557.
^ That part of their race, which dwelt in
Mughaoi territory was called the Hy-Brian- aoi ; that which dwelt in Maghseola was called the Hy-Brien seola ; that which lived near the Shannon was called the Hy-Brien- Sinnse.
disciple of St. Aidan, who sent him on a miraculous journey to Wales, that he might
save the life of St. David from an attempt made to poison him. In Capgrave's "Vita S. Davidis," St. Aidan and St. Scuithin are called fellow-disciples of St. David : this statement is likely to have been correct, and all were in consequence contemporaries.
ss O'Flaherty makes him the 133rd in de-
scent, and places the events of his reign from
A. D. 358 to 366. See "Ogygia. " Pars, with St. Swithin, Bishop and Patron of
iii. , cap. Ixxix. , Ixxx. , pp. 373 to 380,
•5* These renowned clans reverenced St.
Maidoc, as their protecting saint. He is
also regarded as patron of the O'Kinsellaghs. See Mrs. Anastasia O'Byme's " Saints of
Ireland," p. 12.
S7 There is a very interesting account ot
Winchester, who departed this life on the 2nd of July, A. D. 862, but whose feast in
England was generally held on July 15th, when his relics were translated from the graveyard to the Cathedral Church A. D. 964. See Rev. Alban Butler's "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal
"
''
De Jure et Statu M—ene-
Saints," vol. vii. , July xv. Also Bishop
this ancient See in
vensis Ecclesise. " Distinctiones vil. See Milner's valuable History of the City
Giraldi Cambrensis "
" edited
by J.
of Winchester. " But Ricemare more cor- rectly renders this master's name Scutinus,
who was a contemporary and a disciple of St. David, and whose life may be found at the 2nd of January. See Giraldus Cam- brensis "Opera," vol. iii. "Historia de Vita
Opera,
S. Brewer, vol. iii. , pp. loi to 373.
5* There is a place called Kill-muine or
Kill -moon, within a short distance of Kil-
dare town, in Ireland. Of course it is dis-
tinct from the place already mentioned.
But, could it have been called after the an- S. Davidis Archiepiscopi Menevensis. cient Celtic name bestowed on Menevia, as
after the English invasion so many Norman Welsh settled in Kildare ?
Lectio v. , sec. 2, p. 392, nn. i, 2, 3.
^= Here his fellow-disciples were Elind, otherwise called Tcliau and Ysmacl. A
^' Giraldus Cambrensis confounds him
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 537
Scuithinwashisfellow-disciple. Duringhisresidenceatthatplace,asteward, placed over St. David's monastery, entertained feelings of aversion towards Maidoc. TheirritatedGEconomusenteredoneday,andreproachfullytold Maidoc, who was reading, to go with others among his brethren, out of the cell to bear wood from a forest, which grew at some distance. Thither his companions had gone in the morning, but without the knowledge of Maidoc. Instantly, our meek young Irishman obeyed this rudely enjoined mandate ; and he left the open book he had been reading without doors, in his haste to obey. ^3 Having no favourable regards for the saint, this steward ordered him to harness a pair of untamed oxen, to a waggon, and then gave him a yolk without irons. Notwithstanding, those oxen appeared quite tame, and the yolk adhered to their necks, as accompanied by a small boy, Maidoc followed theothermonksorworkmenwithhiswaggon. ^* Alargebogormarshex- tended between them and the forest. In consequence, their way could only be followed by taking a circuit. On approaching this obstruction, the boy
" Oh how much sooner we should come to our if this road said, ! brethren,
" Make a
published life had been at first written. Afterwards this road proved one of great utility for all travellers. When Maidoc came to his fellow-disciples, all ofthemgavethankstoGod. ^s TheholyBishopDavid—becamecognizant
of what his CEconomus —
did towards the student for in such
led
answered,
sign
thy
the Maidoc through bog. "
of the cross on heart and eyes, and thou shall see the power of God. " St. Maidoc then turned his oxen and waggon towards the bog. Immediately a direct way opened before him ; and this road was to be seen, at the time St. Maidoc's
young
mustjweregardMaidoc andrespectinghisaction,whenleavingabookex-
posed, in open air. On this day a heavy shower of rain chanced to fall. Mindful of the book, St. David went out to remove it ; but, he found that a single drop of rain had not fallen on it, to cause the slightest injury. ^^ See- ing such a miracle, he left that book where it remained. Then he set out; towards the sea-shore to meet his brethren. ^7 Near the sea-side St. David found Maidoc, and asked, why he had left his book exposed to the rain. Whereupon, with great humility, this humble young man prostrated himself on the earth.
'' This proves his own step-son Maidoc was not the hostage.
^^^See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nise," xxxi. Januarii. Vita S. Maidoci, cap.
ii. , p. 208,
by
John
usually
to our saints and chiefs,
*s — ^' Aedh or Aedhan appears to have been
calledwhen the name of Maidoc seems to have
name in I—
a
especially in the northern parts during the
very prevalent
boy;
been acquired when he went to Wales,
reland and a
'* were Hostages
So he appears to have been
ac-
January 3 1. J LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 533
of performing miracles. He had a special love for the Adorable Trinity.
His occupation appears to have been of a pastoral character, for he is repre- sented as having been in the company of some shepherds, when one of those manifestationsoccurred. Itwasasourceofedificationforpersonslivinginthe neighbourhood, who had heard and seen him. His acquaintances magnified the Lord's name, in the person of His favoured child. ^"^ When Aidan's parents saw him gifted with so many graces, they consigned him to the care of a certain holy man,23 that their child might receive a liberal education. At length, the fame of his extraordinary sanctity began to spread abroad, and it reached throughout the whole extent of his native island. ^*
About this time, some holy men prayed to God, that they might specially know the place of their resurrection, so that there they might serve our Lord
while living. ^s The angel of God appeared to them and said
Maidoc, and he will show you the place of your resurrection. "
:
" Go to St.
On coming
:
to him, our saint said to them " Have you heard the sound of a cymbal or
bell,''^ on your way hither? " They answered in the negative. Our saint
" Come with me and I shall
arise from the dead. " Having joined company, Maidoc showed them the place destined for their future departure ; and here those servants of God remained to the very day of their death. ="7 While our saint was one day engaged in reading, and in a retired place, wearied after a chase by dogs, a deer stood before him, as if beseeching his protection. Having a knowledge of this poor animal's case, he placed some object^^ upon his horns. ^9 The dogs thencomingup,theirtremblingquarrybecameamerephantom. Notbeing able to find the animal there, nor to trace him further, the deer-hounds de- sisted from their chase. Thus the deer escaped free, and shook Maidoc's offering from his horns. 3°
St. Maidoc appears to have had some early Divine admonition regarding his future connexion with the city of Ferns, as a place selected for his settle- ment. WithLasserianofDevenish,3iwhoseemstohavebeenhisdearest friend,32 before the erection of the monastery in that island on Lough Erne, a miraculous sign was afforded, to determine the direction of their respective
replied :
point
out the
spot
in which must you
cording to John of Teignmouth and John Capgrave. See Ussher's " Britannicarum
Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p.
^^ In the Latin life published by Colgan, the original word is " ceraculum," probably because manufactured from wax. In another
MS. , it is called " Oraculum," as being an
article connected with In the Irish prayers.
language, it is known as a. paitrin ox paidrin. ^ It has been suggested, that as formerly boys were taught to write on waxen tablets, and that as the Lord's Prayer inscribed on them was a customary writing exercise, the " Ce- a '* Pater Noster," and a "Paitrin," corresponding with a
500.
" See
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Vita S. Maidoci, cap.
iii. , p. 208.
^3 We are left in ignorance of this teacher's
name and place of habitation ; but probably he lived near that spot where St. Maidoc was bom and nurtured.
re-
Colgan's nise," xxxi. Januarii.
^* See
niae," xxxi. Januarii. iv. , p. 208.
^s Here
Colgan's
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Vita S. Maidoci, cap.
several relations between these raculum," "Oraculum,"
terms,
we are left in
3° See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
again
garding the holy persons alluded to, and the churches or places where they were to live and die are also unnamed.
ignorance
**
the air, to fix the spot for an ecclesiastical
establishment, is one frequently occurring in ters,"vol. i. , pp. 202, 203. The "Chroni-
This indication of a bell, sounding in
32 gt. Laserian died A. D. 563, according to Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Mas-
the lives of our Irish Saints.
^ See Colgan's "Acta Sanctomm Hiber-
niffi," xxxi. Januarii. Vita S. Maidoci, cap. v. , p. 208.
"
con Scotorum has his death at A. D. 564.
See pp. 56, 57. Now, as according to tlie
sameauthorities,St. Maidoc died A. D. 624 or 625; the latter must have been very young-
Rosary, may readily be discovered.
niae," xxxi. Januarii, Vita S. Maidoci, cap. vi. , p. 208.
"" See his Life at the I2th of September.
534 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
missions. We are next told,33 that one day, Maidoc was walking on a mountain, known as Beatha,34 Sliabh Beagh,3s or Slieve Baha,36 an early-
legendary or fabled landmark,37 called after a mythic personage of the pre- historic times. 38 When there, he wished to visit a place, known as Ardain- nygh. 39 Here a St. Aired4° is said then to have lived. 4' Night began to close upon Maidoc's journey. Beseeching the Lord's assistance, angels came to him, and took him in their hands. ^^ They led him to that very spot selected, where they set him down in the midst of a castle. 43 Here, in com-
at the time of this interview.
33 In the seventh chapter of Maidoc's acts,
according to Colgan, our saint went to the
south and Laserian to the north. In the
Rev. W. Rees' ' ' Lives of the Cambro- J.
British Saints," Molassus was directed to go southwards "to the island of Boum, and Aidus to the right, to the borders of the
observes, that the stories of Irish invasions before the Flood are possibly remnants of
Druidic mythology, adopted by Christian
bards and antiquaries to suit their own ideas
of in accord with Revelation. See History
also O'Flaherty's "Ogygia," pars, iii. , cap. i. , p. 162.
^^Bith, in the genitive Betha, means "life," in modem Gaelic. He is called a son of Noah, by the bards, and he is said to have been refused permission to enter the
ark. counsel with an those Taking idol,
afterwards named fitted out a ship and put to sea. They landed in Ireland, after a long voyage. According to the English version
" See
34 This mountain is said to have been called
Laginensians.
after Bith—according to the Bards the father
p. 556.
be obtained. SeelDr. O'Donovan's "An- nals of the Four Masters," vol. v. , n. (n), pp. 1260 to 1262, and vol. vi. , n. (f), p. 1940, Hid.
it. There is a townland, Erdinagh, in the parish of Aghalurcher, barony of Magher-
—who
of the female leader Ceasair or Kesair
died in Ireland only a few days before the Flood, and who was buried under a cam, which is still shown on that part of Slieve Beagh, extending across a portion of Clones parish, in the county of Fermanagh. The site is known as Carnmore. See " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Feimanagh," Sheet 35.
35 So it is called in the Down Survey. It
forms a long range, extending in a north-
eastern direction, through the barony of
Magherastepana, and parishes of Clones and
Tedavnet, in the county of Fermanagh, and
along the western boundary of the barony of
Trough, in the county of Monaghan, and
through a part of the parish of Clogher, in
the county of Tyrone. From the top of is the only object of antiquity exhibited on Clones moat a good view of Carnmore can
" 3*0'Flaherty calls it Sliaw-beatha. See met Avith on this townland. These seem to
Ogygia," pars, iii. , cap. i. , p. 162 ; but in
Seward's "Topographical Dictionary of Ire- "
land, itisincorrectlyspelledSlieveBaugh. The O'Clerys' "I,eabhar Gabhala" gives some account of its denominational origin. Its local and aboriginal pronunciation will be recognised by the Irish scholar from the natives of Clones parish, when welcoming strangers: Sex>ohe&tAa^ShbiAbbeACA.
37 We are told, in the bardic legends, that
forty days before the universal Deluge,
according to the Eusebian and Septuagint
computation, A. M. 2242, that Ceasair came
to Ireland, -with three men and fifty women.
As may be seen, in O'Mahony's Keating's
be the only probable modem equivalents for Aired, Ard-rinnygh, or Ard-airidh.
4° According to the Martyrologies of Mari- anus O'Gorman and of Tamlacht, he is com- memorated on the 26th of August. In the Rev. W. J. Rees'"LivesoftheCambro- British Saints," it is said "he would go to the place where Airid Siniuch dwelt. " See p. 556.
*'AccordingtoJohnCapgrave. Colgan says, however, he fears that author incor- rectly substituted Aired for Ardrinnigh ; or at ileast, that Ardrinnigh was put for Ard- Airidh. See " Acta Sanctorum HibemijE," xxxi. Januarii, n. 13, p. 216.
*^The writer adds, after the example of the Prophet Habacuc. This is probably an allusion to the closing verse of his prophecy,
iii. , 19.
3 The allusion here is probably to the
"
History of Ireland," book i. , part i. , chap.
v. , pp. 105 to 112, various wild, contradic-
toiy yet interesting romances were formerly
in vogue, regarding these antediluvian co- lonists. In a note ( i ), the editor very fairly
ofa "
translated Irish verse :
Twice twenty days before the Flood, Came Kesair into Eri,
With Fintann, Bith, and Ladra from
—
the sea,
And fifty beauteous damsels. "
See O'Mahony's Keating's "History of Ireland," book i. , part i. , chap, v. , p. 107. 39 There is a townland called Ardarragh,
in the parish of Killashandra and barony of Tullyhunco, shown on the " Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Ca- van," Sheet 19. An earthem fort, however,
"
astephana, to be seen on the
Survey Maps for the County of Fermanagh," Sheet 24. No object of antiquity is to be
Ordnance
January ji. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 535
memoration of this miracle, a cross was afterwards placed. '*'* It was called
" the cross of St. Maidoc. " No trace of it can probably be found at the
present day.
About this time, it chanced that Damh-airghidj-'s the son of Echdach or
Ethach, with two other boys, had been drowned in Lough Erne, and their bodies could not be found. In an Irish Life of St. Maidoc, however, the
youth who perished is named Daminis,4^ the son of Damh-airgid,-*' while in a life by Capgrave*^ he is called a boy, named Bos. That he was historically celebrated as Daimhin Damhairgif*? seems to be pretty clear. 5° The mother of this unfortunate young man went to ask the prayers of many holy persons,
that at least she might have a melancholy satisfaction, in paying the last rites to his remains. These she hoped to recover from the waters. Among
thee, for I know that, through God's assistance, he shall find their bodies, and by his grace raise them to life. " With some companions, she repaired to the appointed place, where St.
Maidoc shortly afterwards arrived. To him the afflicted mother related all that had rendered her so inconsolable. Then, trusting in the mercy of God, and in the prophecy of St. Laserian, that he should be an instrument for restoring those dead boys to life, St. Maidoc entered the water, where their bodies lay. Praying to God, he led them forth alive. Maidoc presented to his mother and to her companions, that youth, for whose loss she had so greatly grieved. On seeing his son re- stored to life, as a token of gratitude, the noble father presented himself and his whole posterity for ever as the subjects of Maidoc,5^ since God had been pleased to work such a miracle, in favour of his family, and through the merits of our saint,s^
Afterthisevent,thefameofSt. Maidocwasgreatlyaugmented. Many
St. Laserian's
near the spot where this accident occurred, until blessed Maidoc comes to
others, having besought
assistance,
city of Ferns, where a castle must have stood at the time St. Maidoc's Latin Life had been written.
^5 Damh-airgid, the cognomen of Corbre, son to Ethach, Prince of Oirgiell, is rendered
in Latin, by Colgan, Bos argenteus.
** Daminus, it is said, signifies Bosjuvencus
*' Dr. O'Donovan renders this name as the "Little Silver Ox. " He is said to have been ascestor of the MacMahons of Oir-
Oirghialla septs, Account of the Territory or
5° in Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , we read, that Daim- hin Damhairgit, i. e. , Cairbre, died A. D.
560, and from him descended the Airghialla. "
^ See
nice," xxxi. Januarii. viii. , p. 209.
Colgan's
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Vita S. Maidoci, cap.
but not of all the
ox parvus. With some diffidence, Colgan See pp. 202, 203. In the Chronicon
thinks, that there is question here of Damin, son to Damh-airgid, or of some other Damin
Scotorum," edited and translated by William M. Hennessy, we have the death of Daim- hin, son of Coirpre Damhairgaid, set down
at a. d. 566. See pp. 56, 57,
si The meaning seems to be, that this
chief bound himself and his posterity to be-
or Damen, a prince of the Oirgiell family.
Yet in the Rev. W, J. Rees' " Lives of the
Cambro-British Saints" the drowned boy is
called Bosargente, the son of Echdach,
"
mater Oruntham," it seems to us wrongly
stow gifts on Maidoc's religious establish- translated "mother of Oruntham. " See ment, in acknowledgment of his gratitude
" Vita Sancti Aidui," p. 234, and " Life of St. Aldus," p. 556.
and indebtedness towards the saint. In the
Rev. W. J. Rees' "Lives of the Cambro-
British Saints," we find this transaction thus
"
'^ St. Endeus his grandson, and son to
Conall, flourished before St. Maidoc, as is stated,
shown at the 21st of March. See Colgan's
"Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," n. 14, p.
216. Also Appendix ad Acta S. Endei. , same son and all his family. " See Life of
xxi. Martii, cap. iii,, p. 712, ibid.
St. Aidus," p. 557.
*^ If we attend to its verbal
as Colgan tells us, this writer's statement can easily be reconciled with the foregoing account
s^ See
*'
Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
signification,
Colgan's
nice," xxxi. Januarii. Vita S. Maidoci, cap. ix. , p. 209.
he said " Go and wait ;
ghialla,
See Shirley's
Dominion of Farney," p. 148.
"
And King Cuchait offered his son with all his family to Saint Aldus for ever ; and Saint Aldus gave to Saint Molassus the
"
536 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
came to him, desiring to embrace a religious life, and to remain under his direction. Through humility, and a desire to avoid distinction, our saint wished to leave his own part of the country. But this desire was opposed by the Hy-Brian dynast, named Aedus the Fair,53 or Beautiful. This chief,
who was son to Fergna, and who belonged to the royal family of Connaught, ruled over the aforesaid principality, which included both divisions of Breff- ney. s4 This territory, divided into districts, was so called because a race, who inhabited, it, descended from Brian, son to Eochod Mogmedonius, King of Ireland. 55 The holy Maidoc sought permission from Aedus to retire in a quiet manner, and he promised the prince a future repose in heaven, if com- pliance with his request were granted. From the posterity of this Aedus de- scended the two noble families of O'Reilly and O'Roorke ; Kellachan and
Maelmordha,
sons to
the heads of those celebrated s^ septs.
Kernachan, being
Yet, notwithstanding an opposition, which our saint still experienced, the
Lord favoured his servant's desires, and he was conducted in peace to a frontier of the Leinster province. Thence this celebrated saint sailed over to Menevia,57 in Wales. In the published life of our saint, this city is called Kill-Muine,58 and here he remained with holy Bishop David for a consider- able time. According to Ussher,59 Swithun, otherwise Scolan,^° appears to have been the master^* of Aidan or Maidoc, Bishop of Ferns, while he so- journed in Wales. ^^ However, it seems much more probable, that this
53 He was thus called, because from being very deformed, he was rendered very hand- some, after St. Maidoc baptized him, so that he resembled Aidan, son to Egnech, who was considered the most beautiful man in Ire- land. Before baptism he was surnamed
59 See "Works," toI. v. " Britanni-
carum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xi. ,
p. 390.
'° This is stated, on the authority of Gi-
raldus Cambrensis, in his " Historia de Vita
S. Davidis Archiepiscopi Menevensis," Lec-
Dubh, or "Black," as we learn from an tio v. , sec. 2, p. 392. See Giraldi Cam- ""
Irish Life of St. Maidoc, quothed by Colgan. brensis Opera, edited by J. S. Brewer, In the Rev. W. J. Rees' " Lives of the Cam- vol. iii. Here, notwithstanding Swithun or bro-British Saints" he is called "Albus. " Scolan is represented as having been the
See p. 557.
^ That part of their race, which dwelt in
Mughaoi territory was called the Hy-Brian- aoi ; that which dwelt in Maghseola was called the Hy-Brien seola ; that which lived near the Shannon was called the Hy-Brien- Sinnse.
disciple of St. Aidan, who sent him on a miraculous journey to Wales, that he might
save the life of St. David from an attempt made to poison him. In Capgrave's "Vita S. Davidis," St. Aidan and St. Scuithin are called fellow-disciples of St. David : this statement is likely to have been correct, and all were in consequence contemporaries.
ss O'Flaherty makes him the 133rd in de-
scent, and places the events of his reign from
A. D. 358 to 366. See "Ogygia. " Pars, with St. Swithin, Bishop and Patron of
iii. , cap. Ixxix. , Ixxx. , pp. 373 to 380,
•5* These renowned clans reverenced St.
Maidoc, as their protecting saint. He is
also regarded as patron of the O'Kinsellaghs. See Mrs. Anastasia O'Byme's " Saints of
Ireland," p. 12.
S7 There is a very interesting account ot
Winchester, who departed this life on the 2nd of July, A. D. 862, but whose feast in
England was generally held on July 15th, when his relics were translated from the graveyard to the Cathedral Church A. D. 964. See Rev. Alban Butler's "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal
"
''
De Jure et Statu M—ene-
Saints," vol. vii. , July xv. Also Bishop
this ancient See in
vensis Ecclesise. " Distinctiones vil. See Milner's valuable History of the City
Giraldi Cambrensis "
" edited
by J.
of Winchester. " But Ricemare more cor- rectly renders this master's name Scutinus,
who was a contemporary and a disciple of St. David, and whose life may be found at the 2nd of January. See Giraldus Cam- brensis "Opera," vol. iii. "Historia de Vita
Opera,
S. Brewer, vol. iii. , pp. loi to 373.
5* There is a place called Kill-muine or
Kill -moon, within a short distance of Kil-
dare town, in Ireland. Of course it is dis-
tinct from the place already mentioned.
But, could it have been called after the an- S. Davidis Archiepiscopi Menevensis. cient Celtic name bestowed on Menevia, as
after the English invasion so many Norman Welsh settled in Kildare ?
Lectio v. , sec. 2, p. 392, nn. i, 2, 3.
^= Here his fellow-disciples were Elind, otherwise called Tcliau and Ysmacl. A
^' Giraldus Cambrensis confounds him
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 537
Scuithinwashisfellow-disciple. Duringhisresidenceatthatplace,asteward, placed over St. David's monastery, entertained feelings of aversion towards Maidoc. TheirritatedGEconomusenteredoneday,andreproachfullytold Maidoc, who was reading, to go with others among his brethren, out of the cell to bear wood from a forest, which grew at some distance. Thither his companions had gone in the morning, but without the knowledge of Maidoc. Instantly, our meek young Irishman obeyed this rudely enjoined mandate ; and he left the open book he had been reading without doors, in his haste to obey. ^3 Having no favourable regards for the saint, this steward ordered him to harness a pair of untamed oxen, to a waggon, and then gave him a yolk without irons. Notwithstanding, those oxen appeared quite tame, and the yolk adhered to their necks, as accompanied by a small boy, Maidoc followed theothermonksorworkmenwithhiswaggon. ^* Alargebogormarshex- tended between them and the forest. In consequence, their way could only be followed by taking a circuit. On approaching this obstruction, the boy
" Oh how much sooner we should come to our if this road said, ! brethren,
" Make a
published life had been at first written. Afterwards this road proved one of great utility for all travellers. When Maidoc came to his fellow-disciples, all ofthemgavethankstoGod. ^s TheholyBishopDavid—becamecognizant
of what his CEconomus —
did towards the student for in such
led
answered,
sign
thy
the Maidoc through bog. "
of the cross on heart and eyes, and thou shall see the power of God. " St. Maidoc then turned his oxen and waggon towards the bog. Immediately a direct way opened before him ; and this road was to be seen, at the time St. Maidoc's
young
mustjweregardMaidoc andrespectinghisaction,whenleavingabookex-
posed, in open air. On this day a heavy shower of rain chanced to fall. Mindful of the book, St. David went out to remove it ; but, he found that a single drop of rain had not fallen on it, to cause the slightest injury. ^^ See- ing such a miracle, he left that book where it remained. Then he set out; towards the sea-shore to meet his brethren. ^7 Near the sea-side St. David found Maidoc, and asked, why he had left his book exposed to the rain. Whereupon, with great humility, this humble young man prostrated himself on the earth.
