In the
Martyrologies
cited.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
Amongst other valuable documents, they discovered two fine copies of the Martyr- ology of ^ngus the Culdee, and the Psalter- na-Rann, comprising five books on the Irish
March ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. _• ___^
311
work ; but with a less copious gloss or scholia. It had been used by Colgan, at Louvain ; subsequently it was preserved in St. Isidore's conventual
Library, at Rome ; and, at present, it is in the Franciscan Convent Library, Dublin. It is a MS. of the fifteenth century. ^^ The Brussels copy, of which
Dr, Todd obtained a transcript made by Mr. O'Curry in 185 1, was evidently taken from the St, Isidore MS. Edward O'Reilly describes an imperfect
perhaps, the oldest copy of that work now in existence. ^3
In the Introduction to this we have alluded to the " work, already Tract, De
Sanctis Hibernise," said to have been one of Angus's works. Only partially has this been published ; and that is the fifth part, or " Book of Litanies. " ^4 This portion of the work is especially valuable, and it furnishes a proof, that from its establishment, to the beginning of the ninth century, the Irish Churchheldandinculcatedthedoctrineofinvokingthesaints. Theauthor, having flourished in the latter half of the eighth century, the Litany more immediately and directly refers to that period. We can, perhaps, go even somewhat farther back. Bearing in mind the religious opinions of ^ngus, and his intimate acquaintance with the Hagiology of his native land, it follows, that when beseeching the intercession of the servants of God, whose holy deeds he had rendered so familiar to his countrymen, he would jealously
avoid introducing any persons, whose convictions with regard to this impor- tant subject had not been such as he himself entertained. Therefore, this Litany is at once a proof and a result of his knowing those mentioned in it to have held, no less than himself, such a dogma of Catholic Faith,^5
copy,
being
Royal
on besides the " Leabhar Breac " as vellum, one,
in the
Irish Academy's Library, Dublin ; while, in his own possession, was another copy beautifully written on vellum. In his opinion, from its orthography, and other internal marks of antiquity, it may be concluded, that this MS. was written, at least as early as the eleventh century, and it is, he considers,
The " Psalter-na-Rann " ^^ is also attributed—but, perhaps, incorrectly— to the pen of . ^ngus,^? while this composition has been already described,"^^ and analyzed. Various Pedigrees or Catalogues of Irish Saints are extant, in our public Libraries. ^9 In verse and prose, the families and race-stock of different holy men and women have been celebrated. ^" One of the oldest Tracts among these, and even some other old genealogical Treatises, are re- puted to have been compiled by our saint. Poems, said tp have been com-
more recent hand attributes the Scholia, to Cathal or Charles Maguire, Canon of Ar- magh, and Dean of Clogher, who died A. D. 1470. Charles Maguire may have been the transcriber of this latter ; but most certainly not the original compiler, for the copy in the Leabhar Breac had been written at the end of the fourteenth century, and the Bodleian copy nearly one hundred years before, so that the larger collection existed before Maguire was born. See, " The Martyrology of Donegal," edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves.
Oxford copy of his Psalter na Rann 600
"
years old. See
p. xcvi. London Ed. , 1656, 8vo.
^ " ^ngus who lived in the ninth century could know nothing of Brian Boromh, who was killed in the battle of Clontarf in 1014. All the parts of that MS. (Oxford), which relate to the tenth and eleventh centuries, are additions to the works of yEngus,—which areaccurately mentioned by Colgan. " Rev. Dr. Charles O'Conor's " Bibliotheca MS. Stowensis," vol. i. , p. 30, n. 3.
Introduction, p.
Catalogue
*3 See "
Four Hundred Irish Writers," pp. liii. , liv.
** It has appeared, in the " Irish Eccle- siastical Record," vol. ill. The months of May and June, 1867, pp. 385 to 397, and 461 to 477. An introductory and critical notice precedes, signed B. M. C . , while notes and various readings accompany it.
*s See ibid. May, 1867, p. 388.
"*
and See inaccurately.
Chronological
nearly
Sir James Ware's authority makes the
xiv, Account of
=^ In the Oxford "
appears imperfectly
fol. 1697, p. 4. Neither was Bishop Nicol- son accurately informedaboutthetitleorcon- tents of this MS.
^' A Manuscript, belonging to Trinity College, Dublin, and classed H. i, li, con- tains a Catalogue of Male and Female Irish
Saints, in Alphabetical order.
3o in the Manuscript of Trinity College,
Dublin, classed H, 1, 1 1, we find an account
Antiquitates Hiberniae,"
" of MSS. it
312 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March ii.
posed by^ngus the Culdee, are to be found among the O'Longan Manuscripts, in the Royal Irish Academy. 3» There is a Poems^ of 412 verses,33 on Adam and the Patriarchs to the flood, on Noah and his descendants, to the building of the Tower of Babel, on its measurement, and on the Conquests or Colo- nizationsofIreland,anteriortotheMilesianConquest. 34 ThisPoemiseven brought down to the time of Brian Boru. The author says, in the last stanza, that it was not lawful for him to make any false statement, in his composition, and the writer calls " noble Hence, this Poem has some-
himself, Aengus. "
times been ascribed to St. ^ngus Ceile De, but, perhaps, more correctly it
should be assigned to Angus Roe O'Daly, who died in 1350. 35
But, until we have had a critical examination and analysis of all these attributed works, it will be impossible to decide with more authoritative statements, regarding their authenticity, and number. The Irish Archaeolo- gical Society has announced the intention of supplying a desideratum^ long
" The
Works of St. ^ngus the Culdee. " We fear, however, an indefinite postpone- ment regarding this project, although it is one of the highest national and
philological importance.
CHAPTER IV.
MODES OF LIFE AT TALLAGH, UNTIL THE TIME ARRIVED FOR DEPARTURE—ST. i^NGUS RETURNS TO CLONENAGH, WHERE HE IS CHOSEN AS ABBOT—SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN A CHOREPISCOPUS—OCCASIONAL RETIREMENT TO DYSART ENOS OR TO DYSERT- BEAGH—HIS DEATH AND BURIAL—VALUE OF ST. VENGUS' HAGIOGRAPHICAL WORKS —CONCLUSION.
We may well conceive, how affectionately and agreeably passed their hours of occasional relaxation, as of study, while the holy Abbot Melruan and
. zEngus were companions, in the ccenobmm, at Tallagh. Their interchange of pious and cultivated thought must have proved mutually conducive to the accuracy and unction of those hagiographical and sacred historic works, whichseemspeciallytohavehadaliteraryfascinationforthem. Theteach- ing of ecclesiastical and secular learning probably engaged a considerable part of their daily monastic routine. For we cannot doubt, but native and foreign literature, as also the science of the period, was then taught in the school of Tallagh, with the religious training and dogma, peculiar to such an establishment. It seems evident, from references made to Eusebius and St. Jerome, that ^ngus was well versed in the Greek, as in the Latin language. So long as Melruan lived, peace and security reigned within the Irish mon- asticenclosures. Hadhesurvivedafewyears,thetocsinofalarmmusthave sounded the first approach of Northman invasions; while, many of the shrines and illuminated Books of Erinn were destined to suffer wreck and ruin, from the Pagan spoilers. It is supposed, that not to our saint, person- ally, but to an order which claimed him, had been applied the title of Cel^- de. Thiswasareceivedterm,denotingrigidmonasticobservance,especially intheOrderofDivineService. To. ^ngusitwasattachedespecially,asone
felt in native at a future literature, by publishing
period
Hagiographical
of the mothers,of some amongst the most re-
markable Irish Saints ; likewise, pedigrees of Irish Saints ; as also the sacred history or pedigree of the Saints of Ireland, in verse.
3' See vol. vi. , pp. 52 to 54.
34 Professor Eugene O'Curry quotes the first Irish stanza, and gives an English trans-
''
Catalogue of Irish Manu- scripts of the Royal Irish Academy," First
Series, vol. iii. , p. 912.
35 See Edward "
O'Reilly's Chronological
Account of nearly Four Hundred Irish
Writers," p. xcvii.
Chapter iv. —' See Rev. Dr. Reeves,
3^ It is contained in the " Leabhar and it commences at fol. 39, b. b. , 1. 7.
33
448 verses, according to Edward O'Reilly.
According to Eugene O'Curry ; but, of
Breac,"
lation, in his
March ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 313
who contributed to the devotional compositions of the Church, and who
lived according to the strictest rule of religion. It may appear strange, this title is not oftener applied to saints of conventual distinction, amid the hosts of saints that crowd the Irish Calendar ; but, it must be remenibered, that the term only came into use, with anything like a determinate application, towards the end of the eighth century, when the Irish Calendar was nearly closed. '
Wlien holy Melruan had been called to bliss, our saint keenly felt the loss of his society and gentle rule. The sylvan shades around Tallagh had less attraction, during the noontide walk, and more lonely seemed the solitudes of scarped ravines and mountains. Climbing topmost heights of the latter, the eyes of ^ngus were often turned towards the rich plains beneath, through which the Lififey and Barrow flowed. Peering beyond their bounds, the hills of Dysart were seen, on a distant south-western horizon. Old associations were revived ; nor were the monastery and monks of Clonenagh forgotten, in the train of awakened recollections. Perhaps, some message from its superior and inmates urged his return. In prosecuting his archaic studies, ^ngus had travelled to many places, and always with some holy and useful object in view. It now seemed the will of Heaven, that he should turn once more, to-
wards the land of Leix and Ossory \ and, accordingly, we may suppose a sympathetic tear coursed down his cheeks, and those of his fellow-religious, when he took scrip and staff, bidding adieu, for the last time, to those bliss- ful haunts of science and religion, where he had spent some of his life's best years. We know not the exact period, when he left this mountain home ;
but, it appears altogether likely, his renowned superior had departed this life, before ^ngus thought of leaving, nor had the eighth century drawn quite to its close.
-^ngus survived his friend, the holy Abbot of Tallagh, for a very consider-
able period. The name of St. Molruan is found in his Festilogium, where
that man is called the " Sun of Ireland. " ^ This circumstance holy Bright
seems to prove, that the work, in its finished state, must have been composed,
subsequently to the year 792. After remaining some years at Tallagh, how-
ever, ^ngus returned to Clonenagh. His ascetic and literary fame must
have — to a at the time his reverted to the culminated, high degree, thoughts
old retreat
:
" Here to return and die at home at last. " ^
Doubtless, he was welcomed by the good abbot and his community, at
Clonenagh. Over this great monastery, it is thought, he was chosen as abbot. 4 He is said, probably to have succeeded Melathgenius, who died in
"On the Celi-de, commonly called Cul- died " Abbot of this house in 824. " Ibid. dees," part ii. , sect, ii. , p. 127. This most 3 See Oliver Goldsnaith's "Poetical
exhaustive Treatise on the subject, is to be
found in "Transactions of the Royal Irish
Academy," vol. xxiv. Antiquities.
^A
one, occurs in Dalton's
County of Dublin," p. 761, where the death of Saint Molruan, or Maelruan, is referred to the year 787, whereas the year 788 is named, for the first arrival of yEngus, at Tallaght. The real date for St. Molruan's death is the 7th day of July, 792. This ac- complished and usually accurate historian
incorrectly tells us, when giving the history of Tallaght, and speaking of . i^ngus, that he
Works. "—The Traveller,
^ Another ^ngus, who was almost con-
temporary with this saint, has left an elegant
in ofhim. Fromthis
a
mistake, probably typographical poem praise
"
History of the
poem, Colgan derives a great part of St. Aengus Cede De's Acts. That the writer of this poem was abbot at Clonenagh, as also at
Disert-Aengus, is possible, and Colgan ob- serves, that his hints are even stronger as to the latter place. The matter can easily be settled. As both places lay near each other, within the barony of Maryborough, Aengus might have been abbot over both these establishments. Disert- Aengus, which com.
314 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March ir.
767. 5 If he immediately succeeded this abbot, as seems possible enough, the administration of St. -^ngus, at Clonenagh, must have preceded his arrival, at Tallagh, Perhaps, on his return from the latter place, he may have re-as-
sumed the government of Clonenagh,^
He was also elevated, as has been
reported,
episcopal dignity ;
retreat at
Dysart
'° seems to have been ever dear to his recollections. Find-
to the
?
it was a
usual then practice,
very
with this exalted rank. But, we may regard this dignity he obtained, as qualifying him to be classed, only with the inferior prelates, kno\^'as Chore-
piscopi, in early times. Dr. Lanigan thinks it probable, that St. ^ngus had been abbot, over a monastery at Dysartenos, which, he is supposed to have founded, while he also presided over Clonenagh. ^ However, it seems in- correct to state, that if Desert-^nguis took its name from this saint, and had been anciently a place of great devotion, that it was in consequence stocked with a numerous community of monks. 9
But, notwithstanding his elevation, and the duties that devolved upon him, in virtue of his high office, as abbot over the greater monastery, that favourite
for,
prevailing in Ireland, to invest the superiors of all our great religious houses,
ing his end approaching, ^ngus withdrew to the scenes of his former retire-
ment and austerities. However, we may be quite astray in supposing, that
Dysartenos was the place ; for, after leaving Tallagh, he is known to have
dwelt—at least, for a time—at the other Dysart, nearer to Clonenagh. Thus, St. wiEngus resided at his church, adjoining
" The greenwood-shadowed waters of the Nore," "
in that place called Disert Bethech, which lay on the northern bank of the River n-Eoir. We are told, that his religious abode was a few miles, above the present Monasterevan," in the King's County. '3 This, however, must be
menced with himself, may be considered
simply as a cell to the older and greater
monastery at Clonenagh. At Clonenagh
and Disertenos, or Disert-Aengus, Archdall
has inverted the order of Aengus' trans-
actions. After making Aengus found an
Abbey at Disert-Aengus, Archdall sends
him to Tallaght, where, it is said, he died.
Now, it is clear from the Acts, that Aengus
was no more than a simple monk, when he
removed to Tallaght. As to the place of his
death, it could not have been Tallaght ; for,
as we find in said Acts, he was buried at
Clonenagh. That Aengus, who was pane-
gyrist of our saint, seems to have been, as
Colgan justly conjectures, Abbot Aengus, 579)> i^ sometimes used in ancient Irish
surnamed the Wise. He Iselonged to Clon- fert-Molua, and died in 858 or 859. See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical Hisiory of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xx. , sect, x. , nn. 98, 99, pp. 248, 249.
5 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 370, 371.
^ It is not probable, however, that our saint was the immediate successor of Malath- f^enius.
^ By his namesake, . iEngus Ceile De is called abbot.
In the Martyrologies cited. in a succeeding note, it will be seen, that he was also styled Bishop.
^Inanote,Dr. Laniganremarks: "Con- sideling the Irish practice of promoting
^lanuscripts, to denote a hermitage, or an asylum for pilgrims or penitents. It occurs in this latter sense in the Z^aMcr ^r^ar, fol.
eminent abbots to the episcopacy, we need not look for any other See for him than one of the above-mentioned monasteries. "— "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xx. , sect, x. , n. 99, p. 249.
'See Bishop Challoner's "Britannia Sacra," part i. , p. 168.
'°
Mr. O'Donovan, in the Tenth Article
of his edited "Miscellany of the Irish
Archaeological Society," vol. i. , note g. , comments on the term Disert, a common to-
pographical prefix to Irish localities. He
says: "This word, which is translated ^^- '
sertus locus in Cormac's Glossary,' and desertum by Colgan {Acta Sanctorum, p.
loo, a. a. , and in the Book of Leinster, in the MS. Library of Trinity College, Dublin,
— H. 2, 12, fol. 113, b. a. " "
Irish Charters
in the Book of Kells," n. (g), p. 112. "
" See Lines by Charles J. Kickham, This parish, in the barony of West
OfTaly, is defined on the
"
Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County Kildare," Sheets 21, 22, 26, 27. The town is shown on Sheets 21, 26.
'^ See Professor
the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History," lect. xvii. , p. 364.
O'Curry's
" Lectures on
March ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
an incorrect topographical description of the locality, -^ngus, while he re- sided at Dysartbeagh, had finished his Festilogy. A friendship was here formed between our saint and Fothadh the Canonist, who showed the poem he had composed for Aedh's decision. Before presenting it to the king, he desired and received the warm approval of his brother poet, St. ^ngus.
The penitential and most useful earthly career of this holy ascetic was
destined, at last, for one of immortal glory. Professor Eugene O'Curry thinks St. ^ngus Ceile De must have died, about the year 815. '+ But, he breathed his last prayers with his last breath, about the year 824, according tothemostprobableconjecture,onFriday,thenthdayofMarch. '5 How- ever, one or other of the years 819, 824, or 830, is named conjecturally, as referring to our saint's death, from the circumstance of the nth March falling on the feria sexta, or Friday, at each of these dates. Still, the question re- mains unsolved. Did he die on the nth of March ? We know not how many years ^ngus the Culdee lived ; but, probably this holy man had not
attained a very advanced age, when his death occurred.
^ngus was buried at Clonenagh, according to his Acts, as given by Col- gan. ^^ But, whether he died there or at Disert Bethech, or at Dysartenos, has been contested. '? If he built a monastery at the latter place, no trace of
'^ and
by the present or some other St. . ^ngus, for his sole accommodation and re- tirement. Again, such remarks may apply to Disert Bethech ; but, here, we think, the celebrated Culdee really founded a house of some sort, for his particular order of monks. Here, also, he lived, and most probably for several years ; here, perhaps, some of his works were composed ; here, possibly he had a hermitage, while guiding a community of religious ; here, too, according to one account, he died ,; and, we are inclined to think, he mustberegarded,asspecialpatronofDysartbeagh. Theevidenceforthese surmiseswenowsubmit. ProfessorO'CurryalludestoanIrishPoem,which he thinks was written soon after our saint's death. He deems it a fine com- position, and while giving the original of the first stanza, he adds a literal
^*See i^id. , p. 362. Scholiast says, that our saint was both
'5 "There being good reason to think, educated and buried at Disert-^ngus. It that _^ngus survived the year 806. Colgan is certain, however, that . ^ngus had been conjectures that the year of his death was educated at Clonenagh. Colgan remarks,
itsruinscanbe
discovered,
at
it beasafecon- might
hence,
jecture to suppose, Dysartenos liad been only a cell or hermitage, constructed
either 819, 824, or S30 ; whereas in each —of them the nth of March fell on a Friday. "
that the Disert named, either is not different
Dr. Lanigan's
"
Ecclesiastical History of
probably died, and had been buried, at the fust place, his body having been afterwards translated
Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xx. , sect, x. , n. "
present ;
100, p. 249. Ita eodem die Martyrologium and deposited at Clonenagh. But, he
Tamlact. ^ngussii Episcopi Hoblenii ne- potis. Marian. Magmis JEngtcssius Hob-
lenii nepos Episcopus. Mart. Dungnll. ^in^ssius nepos Hoblenii, Episcopus, est qid compostnt festilogiiim. In ipso etiam ^n- gussii Festilogio in quibusdam exemplaribus ponitur nata hac die : sed ilia insula additio est : quae idcirco in vetustioribus exemplar bus non
acknowledges that our Annals make a dis-
tinction, between both places, as in reality they were bound to do. A distance of some
miles intervenes, between Dysartenos and Clonenagh. A lesser distance separates Dysartbeagh and Clonenagh. The present writer is fully cognizant of those facts, and he has long been conversant with the bearing
reperitur. " Colgan's
" Acta Sane
and local
of all those
torum liibernias," xi.
'^ to this Alluding
n.
See, likewise, the prefatory notice, given by
of
however, a writer well knowing its folk-lore
the BoUandists, in their " Acta Sanctorum,' edeo Abbate et Episcopo, in Hibernia, p. 85
'^
See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xi Martii. De S. ^ngussio Hagiographo Episcopo et Confessore, cap. xvi. , p. 582,
*7 In a note, already given, the anonymous
Martii,
15, p. 583
locality
observes: "Not many years ago, the re- tomus ii. , Martii xi. De B. ^ngussio Kel mains of the foundation of St. Angus's
from or our saint most Clonenagh,
peculiarities
places. Dysartenos,
sacred edifice were discovered by a farmer, who professed the doctrines of the Church of England. This farmer, much to his
credit, reverentially would not suffer the re- mains to be disturbed. He re-covered with
3i6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS: [March ii.
translation of the whole. '9 We present a few of the first stanzas, and the closing stanza, as of historical value, in elucidating some phases of his life. ^°
From the foregoing, and especially from the last lines, it ought to be inferred, that Disert Bethech, and not Disert Aengusa, was the ancient name for his
church. At Dysartbeagh, too, the Poem states, he departed this life, and
that there he was buried. ^^ We find this on St. in the elegy yEngus quoted
learned lectures, delivered by Professor Matthew Arnold, at Oxford, and published as contributions to a widely-circulating English periodical. ^^ The
Professor proves, that there is a complete want of style,^3 in the compositions of the Teutonic nations, while the contrary characteristic distinguishes the Celtic effusions. Professor Arnold remarks, in reference to this beautiful and pathetic elegy, that it was composed by no eminent bard ; and, yet, a Greek epitaph could not show a finer perception of what constitutes propriety and felicityofstyle,incompositionsofthisnature. Wecouldhardlyresistgiving this testimony of the Oxford Professor, so honourable to his own taste, and to the genius of our native poetry. A difficulty exists, about the exact date for the festival of this St. ^ngus. The Martyrology of Tallagh^* enters ^nghus Eps. h. Aibleni, at the present day. Marianus O'Gorman, and the Martyrology of Donegal concur, in this arrangement. ^5 St. ^ngus has his feast at the nth of March, according to Rev. Alban Butler,^^ the " Circle of the Seasons," ^i and Rev. S. Baring-Gould. '^^ However, there are very good
grounds for supposing, that the festival of Aengus Mac Oengobann oj O'Oiblen was on the i8th of February, in the opinion of Professor Eugene
earth the stone steps, that rested at the foot of the once altar, on which the holy ancho- ret offered the Sacrifice of the Mass. The field in which this discovery was made is
" When ^ngus was in the narrow cell con-
fined.
By permission of the Son of God at Tamh-
lachta, (Tallaght,)
It was not a condition meet for devotion, To be in the kiln "
Then follow other stanzas, relating to his
ipanner of life, at Tallagh.
" The poem conclude—s with this stanza, as
n—ear to the dwelling of Mr. James Lawler.
''
A religious city, by crosses enclosed. In which resided Mac Oiblen, Aengus.
Aengus of the host of Heaven,
Here is his Leacht, (monument,) and
death-bed. Itwasfromthisplaceheascended Upon the Friday up into Heaven.
to a wonderful measure. Style is the most
striking quality of their poetry ; Celtic
poetry seems to make up to itself for being
unable to master the world and give an
adequate interpretation of it, by throwing all its force into style, by bending language at any rate to its will, and expressing the ideas
it has with unsurpassable intensity, eleva- tion, and effect. "
="* Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xviii.
O'Byme's History
constantly drying.
County," chap, xxi. , p. 57. "
of
" the
'9 See his Catalogue of Irish Manu- scripts of the Royal Irish Academy," First Series, vol. ii. , pp. 624 to 626.
'° If we are to rely on this poem, as refer-
ring to an early date ; we may possibly glean
some facts of our saint's — from the biography,
translated by O'Curry
writer's account. It runs thus
:
" Delightful to sit here, himself, (or by himself),
By the side of the cold, clear Nore, Although populous, it was not the path of
plunder,
In sacred Disert Bethech.
" Disert Bethech where dwelt the man, Whom legions of Angels visited,
over verses.
The Sun of the Western World,
" It was at Cluain Eidnech he was reared, At Cluain Eidnech he was interred.
At Cluain Eidnech of He first read, his Psalms.
=^ See "Lives of the vol. Saints,"
March xL, pp. 217, 218.
many crosses,
iii. ,
" Queen's
" From this
:
is a man who place departed
presided
The place where he took his disease of
the head,
The place which is said to be delightful.
=- "The Cornhill of 1866. Magazine,"
^3 He
says :
" The Celts
certainly
'' ActaSanctorumHiber-
n.
^* See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
other principal Saints," vol. iii. , March xi. '^ See p. 71.
^5See
Colgan's
nise,"
Martii
xi. ,
15, p. 583.
"
have it
March ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 317 0'Curry. =9 TheO'Clerysseemtoconjecture,inlikemanner,andbecause,
"
also, there is no notice of an ^ngus, in the
there is notice of some different Aengus, in it, at the present day. Professor
Feilire," at that date, whereas O'Curry thinks, that Colgan and those who follow him are deceived, in
making the nth of March the festival for St. ^ngus the Culdee. It
— —is,
in- deed very certain as a distinguished Irish Scholar3° well observes that St. Aengus Ceile De cannot be set down, for an ignorant nor a superstitious
monk ; but, on the contrary, he must ever be regarded as a gifted writer, deeply read in the Holy Scriptures, and in the civil and ecclesiastical history of the world. He was especially versed in that historic lore, contained in
what he calls
" The Host of the Books of Erinn. "
Taking
pean country which possesses so earlyandsoauthenticanational document, and onehavingacharactersoimportant. AgreatnumberoftheprimitiveChristian inhabitants and strangers, in our island, have been introduced by name, into this valuable treatise. Their festival days, with copious references to the early denominations and exact situations of our old churches and monas- teries, severally founded by many of them, are accurately given ; and, already, by means of this tract, if not all, at least nearly all, of these foundations may be or have been identified, by competent archaeologists. His other writings are hardly less valuable, for their historic, national, and religious interest.
The truly learned are ever truly humble. But, to raise this latter qualifi- cation to the degree of heroic virtue, requires the special intervention of the Spirit of wisdom. Towards our saint, God's choicest graces appear to have been vouchsafed. From his early years, he was gifted with a docile mind, an
ardent love of true perfection, humility of disposition, an understanding capable of comprehending a wide circle of science, human and divine, with an imagination, fervid, brilliant, chaste, and correct, as ever gifted a poet. Our Church and country have received no inconsiderable services, from the literary labours and learning of this saint, while his life had been beautifully and edifyingly consistent with his 'teaching and acquirements. Some men possess dazzling qualities and acquire renown, in this world, while their minds and dispositions are cold, vitiated, and corrupt ; they may shine among their fellow-mortals, as the skin of the venomous snake or crawling reptile appears radiant with variegated colours, under the rays of a bright sun. On the contrary, in solitude and retirement, wishing to avoid the applause or re- wards of the world, under a rude garb and exterior, our saint, like the glow- worm, luminous even through the darkness of night, has diffused a steady and an undiminished light, over the obscurity of our scattered ecclesiastical re- cords and traditions, in his own time and for preceding ages. He has like- wise transmitted to us some of the most venerable remains of our ancient and holy Uterature, so long and so providentially preserved in Ireland, and in more distant countries. Let us hope, that under the careful editorship of a competent Irish scholar, these fragments will be gathered, ere they perish, that they will be committed to type, published, and thus rendered accessible, to the generality of readers. While such documents serve to excite and sustain our rehgious feelings, they also fan the spirit of patriotism, and serve to extend still more the real fame of our beloved country. The holy Aengus Ceild De laboured wisely and well in his generation. He has left to this day,
enthusiastically,
the Festilogy of St. ^ngus as a purely historic tract, largely interwoven with the early civil and ecclesiastical history of Ireland, there is probably no Euro-
'^ In his " of Irish Catalogue
3° See Professor
"Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History," lect. xvii,, p. 370.
Manuscripts of the Royal Irish Academy," First Series,
Eugene O'Curry's
vol. ii,, p.
March ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. _• ___^
311
work ; but with a less copious gloss or scholia. It had been used by Colgan, at Louvain ; subsequently it was preserved in St. Isidore's conventual
Library, at Rome ; and, at present, it is in the Franciscan Convent Library, Dublin. It is a MS. of the fifteenth century. ^^ The Brussels copy, of which
Dr, Todd obtained a transcript made by Mr. O'Curry in 185 1, was evidently taken from the St, Isidore MS. Edward O'Reilly describes an imperfect
perhaps, the oldest copy of that work now in existence. ^3
In the Introduction to this we have alluded to the " work, already Tract, De
Sanctis Hibernise," said to have been one of Angus's works. Only partially has this been published ; and that is the fifth part, or " Book of Litanies. " ^4 This portion of the work is especially valuable, and it furnishes a proof, that from its establishment, to the beginning of the ninth century, the Irish Churchheldandinculcatedthedoctrineofinvokingthesaints. Theauthor, having flourished in the latter half of the eighth century, the Litany more immediately and directly refers to that period. We can, perhaps, go even somewhat farther back. Bearing in mind the religious opinions of ^ngus, and his intimate acquaintance with the Hagiology of his native land, it follows, that when beseeching the intercession of the servants of God, whose holy deeds he had rendered so familiar to his countrymen, he would jealously
avoid introducing any persons, whose convictions with regard to this impor- tant subject had not been such as he himself entertained. Therefore, this Litany is at once a proof and a result of his knowing those mentioned in it to have held, no less than himself, such a dogma of Catholic Faith,^5
copy,
being
Royal
on besides the " Leabhar Breac " as vellum, one,
in the
Irish Academy's Library, Dublin ; while, in his own possession, was another copy beautifully written on vellum. In his opinion, from its orthography, and other internal marks of antiquity, it may be concluded, that this MS. was written, at least as early as the eleventh century, and it is, he considers,
The " Psalter-na-Rann " ^^ is also attributed—but, perhaps, incorrectly— to the pen of . ^ngus,^? while this composition has been already described,"^^ and analyzed. Various Pedigrees or Catalogues of Irish Saints are extant, in our public Libraries. ^9 In verse and prose, the families and race-stock of different holy men and women have been celebrated. ^" One of the oldest Tracts among these, and even some other old genealogical Treatises, are re- puted to have been compiled by our saint. Poems, said tp have been com-
more recent hand attributes the Scholia, to Cathal or Charles Maguire, Canon of Ar- magh, and Dean of Clogher, who died A. D. 1470. Charles Maguire may have been the transcriber of this latter ; but most certainly not the original compiler, for the copy in the Leabhar Breac had been written at the end of the fourteenth century, and the Bodleian copy nearly one hundred years before, so that the larger collection existed before Maguire was born. See, " The Martyrology of Donegal," edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves.
Oxford copy of his Psalter na Rann 600
"
years old. See
p. xcvi. London Ed. , 1656, 8vo.
^ " ^ngus who lived in the ninth century could know nothing of Brian Boromh, who was killed in the battle of Clontarf in 1014. All the parts of that MS. (Oxford), which relate to the tenth and eleventh centuries, are additions to the works of yEngus,—which areaccurately mentioned by Colgan. " Rev. Dr. Charles O'Conor's " Bibliotheca MS. Stowensis," vol. i. , p. 30, n. 3.
Introduction, p.
Catalogue
*3 See "
Four Hundred Irish Writers," pp. liii. , liv.
** It has appeared, in the " Irish Eccle- siastical Record," vol. ill. The months of May and June, 1867, pp. 385 to 397, and 461 to 477. An introductory and critical notice precedes, signed B. M. C . , while notes and various readings accompany it.
*s See ibid. May, 1867, p. 388.
"*
and See inaccurately.
Chronological
nearly
Sir James Ware's authority makes the
xiv, Account of
=^ In the Oxford "
appears imperfectly
fol. 1697, p. 4. Neither was Bishop Nicol- son accurately informedaboutthetitleorcon- tents of this MS.
^' A Manuscript, belonging to Trinity College, Dublin, and classed H. i, li, con- tains a Catalogue of Male and Female Irish
Saints, in Alphabetical order.
3o in the Manuscript of Trinity College,
Dublin, classed H, 1, 1 1, we find an account
Antiquitates Hiberniae,"
" of MSS. it
312 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March ii.
posed by^ngus the Culdee, are to be found among the O'Longan Manuscripts, in the Royal Irish Academy. 3» There is a Poems^ of 412 verses,33 on Adam and the Patriarchs to the flood, on Noah and his descendants, to the building of the Tower of Babel, on its measurement, and on the Conquests or Colo- nizationsofIreland,anteriortotheMilesianConquest. 34 ThisPoemiseven brought down to the time of Brian Boru. The author says, in the last stanza, that it was not lawful for him to make any false statement, in his composition, and the writer calls " noble Hence, this Poem has some-
himself, Aengus. "
times been ascribed to St. ^ngus Ceile De, but, perhaps, more correctly it
should be assigned to Angus Roe O'Daly, who died in 1350. 35
But, until we have had a critical examination and analysis of all these attributed works, it will be impossible to decide with more authoritative statements, regarding their authenticity, and number. The Irish Archaeolo- gical Society has announced the intention of supplying a desideratum^ long
" The
Works of St. ^ngus the Culdee. " We fear, however, an indefinite postpone- ment regarding this project, although it is one of the highest national and
philological importance.
CHAPTER IV.
MODES OF LIFE AT TALLAGH, UNTIL THE TIME ARRIVED FOR DEPARTURE—ST. i^NGUS RETURNS TO CLONENAGH, WHERE HE IS CHOSEN AS ABBOT—SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN A CHOREPISCOPUS—OCCASIONAL RETIREMENT TO DYSART ENOS OR TO DYSERT- BEAGH—HIS DEATH AND BURIAL—VALUE OF ST. VENGUS' HAGIOGRAPHICAL WORKS —CONCLUSION.
We may well conceive, how affectionately and agreeably passed their hours of occasional relaxation, as of study, while the holy Abbot Melruan and
. zEngus were companions, in the ccenobmm, at Tallagh. Their interchange of pious and cultivated thought must have proved mutually conducive to the accuracy and unction of those hagiographical and sacred historic works, whichseemspeciallytohavehadaliteraryfascinationforthem. Theteach- ing of ecclesiastical and secular learning probably engaged a considerable part of their daily monastic routine. For we cannot doubt, but native and foreign literature, as also the science of the period, was then taught in the school of Tallagh, with the religious training and dogma, peculiar to such an establishment. It seems evident, from references made to Eusebius and St. Jerome, that ^ngus was well versed in the Greek, as in the Latin language. So long as Melruan lived, peace and security reigned within the Irish mon- asticenclosures. Hadhesurvivedafewyears,thetocsinofalarmmusthave sounded the first approach of Northman invasions; while, many of the shrines and illuminated Books of Erinn were destined to suffer wreck and ruin, from the Pagan spoilers. It is supposed, that not to our saint, person- ally, but to an order which claimed him, had been applied the title of Cel^- de. Thiswasareceivedterm,denotingrigidmonasticobservance,especially intheOrderofDivineService. To. ^ngusitwasattachedespecially,asone
felt in native at a future literature, by publishing
period
Hagiographical
of the mothers,of some amongst the most re-
markable Irish Saints ; likewise, pedigrees of Irish Saints ; as also the sacred history or pedigree of the Saints of Ireland, in verse.
3' See vol. vi. , pp. 52 to 54.
34 Professor Eugene O'Curry quotes the first Irish stanza, and gives an English trans-
''
Catalogue of Irish Manu- scripts of the Royal Irish Academy," First
Series, vol. iii. , p. 912.
35 See Edward "
O'Reilly's Chronological
Account of nearly Four Hundred Irish
Writers," p. xcvii.
Chapter iv. —' See Rev. Dr. Reeves,
3^ It is contained in the " Leabhar and it commences at fol. 39, b. b. , 1. 7.
33
448 verses, according to Edward O'Reilly.
According to Eugene O'Curry ; but, of
Breac,"
lation, in his
March ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 313
who contributed to the devotional compositions of the Church, and who
lived according to the strictest rule of religion. It may appear strange, this title is not oftener applied to saints of conventual distinction, amid the hosts of saints that crowd the Irish Calendar ; but, it must be remenibered, that the term only came into use, with anything like a determinate application, towards the end of the eighth century, when the Irish Calendar was nearly closed. '
Wlien holy Melruan had been called to bliss, our saint keenly felt the loss of his society and gentle rule. The sylvan shades around Tallagh had less attraction, during the noontide walk, and more lonely seemed the solitudes of scarped ravines and mountains. Climbing topmost heights of the latter, the eyes of ^ngus were often turned towards the rich plains beneath, through which the Lififey and Barrow flowed. Peering beyond their bounds, the hills of Dysart were seen, on a distant south-western horizon. Old associations were revived ; nor were the monastery and monks of Clonenagh forgotten, in the train of awakened recollections. Perhaps, some message from its superior and inmates urged his return. In prosecuting his archaic studies, ^ngus had travelled to many places, and always with some holy and useful object in view. It now seemed the will of Heaven, that he should turn once more, to-
wards the land of Leix and Ossory \ and, accordingly, we may suppose a sympathetic tear coursed down his cheeks, and those of his fellow-religious, when he took scrip and staff, bidding adieu, for the last time, to those bliss- ful haunts of science and religion, where he had spent some of his life's best years. We know not the exact period, when he left this mountain home ;
but, it appears altogether likely, his renowned superior had departed this life, before ^ngus thought of leaving, nor had the eighth century drawn quite to its close.
-^ngus survived his friend, the holy Abbot of Tallagh, for a very consider-
able period. The name of St. Molruan is found in his Festilogium, where
that man is called the " Sun of Ireland. " ^ This circumstance holy Bright
seems to prove, that the work, in its finished state, must have been composed,
subsequently to the year 792. After remaining some years at Tallagh, how-
ever, ^ngus returned to Clonenagh. His ascetic and literary fame must
have — to a at the time his reverted to the culminated, high degree, thoughts
old retreat
:
" Here to return and die at home at last. " ^
Doubtless, he was welcomed by the good abbot and his community, at
Clonenagh. Over this great monastery, it is thought, he was chosen as abbot. 4 He is said, probably to have succeeded Melathgenius, who died in
"On the Celi-de, commonly called Cul- died " Abbot of this house in 824. " Ibid. dees," part ii. , sect, ii. , p. 127. This most 3 See Oliver Goldsnaith's "Poetical
exhaustive Treatise on the subject, is to be
found in "Transactions of the Royal Irish
Academy," vol. xxiv. Antiquities.
^A
one, occurs in Dalton's
County of Dublin," p. 761, where the death of Saint Molruan, or Maelruan, is referred to the year 787, whereas the year 788 is named, for the first arrival of yEngus, at Tallaght. The real date for St. Molruan's death is the 7th day of July, 792. This ac- complished and usually accurate historian
incorrectly tells us, when giving the history of Tallaght, and speaking of . i^ngus, that he
Works. "—The Traveller,
^ Another ^ngus, who was almost con-
temporary with this saint, has left an elegant
in ofhim. Fromthis
a
mistake, probably typographical poem praise
"
History of the
poem, Colgan derives a great part of St. Aengus Cede De's Acts. That the writer of this poem was abbot at Clonenagh, as also at
Disert-Aengus, is possible, and Colgan ob- serves, that his hints are even stronger as to the latter place. The matter can easily be settled. As both places lay near each other, within the barony of Maryborough, Aengus might have been abbot over both these establishments. Disert- Aengus, which com.
314 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March ir.
767. 5 If he immediately succeeded this abbot, as seems possible enough, the administration of St. -^ngus, at Clonenagh, must have preceded his arrival, at Tallagh, Perhaps, on his return from the latter place, he may have re-as-
sumed the government of Clonenagh,^
He was also elevated, as has been
reported,
episcopal dignity ;
retreat at
Dysart
'° seems to have been ever dear to his recollections. Find-
to the
?
it was a
usual then practice,
very
with this exalted rank. But, we may regard this dignity he obtained, as qualifying him to be classed, only with the inferior prelates, kno\^'as Chore-
piscopi, in early times. Dr. Lanigan thinks it probable, that St. ^ngus had been abbot, over a monastery at Dysartenos, which, he is supposed to have founded, while he also presided over Clonenagh. ^ However, it seems in- correct to state, that if Desert-^nguis took its name from this saint, and had been anciently a place of great devotion, that it was in consequence stocked with a numerous community of monks. 9
But, notwithstanding his elevation, and the duties that devolved upon him, in virtue of his high office, as abbot over the greater monastery, that favourite
for,
prevailing in Ireland, to invest the superiors of all our great religious houses,
ing his end approaching, ^ngus withdrew to the scenes of his former retire-
ment and austerities. However, we may be quite astray in supposing, that
Dysartenos was the place ; for, after leaving Tallagh, he is known to have
dwelt—at least, for a time—at the other Dysart, nearer to Clonenagh. Thus, St. wiEngus resided at his church, adjoining
" The greenwood-shadowed waters of the Nore," "
in that place called Disert Bethech, which lay on the northern bank of the River n-Eoir. We are told, that his religious abode was a few miles, above the present Monasterevan," in the King's County. '3 This, however, must be
menced with himself, may be considered
simply as a cell to the older and greater
monastery at Clonenagh. At Clonenagh
and Disertenos, or Disert-Aengus, Archdall
has inverted the order of Aengus' trans-
actions. After making Aengus found an
Abbey at Disert-Aengus, Archdall sends
him to Tallaght, where, it is said, he died.
Now, it is clear from the Acts, that Aengus
was no more than a simple monk, when he
removed to Tallaght. As to the place of his
death, it could not have been Tallaght ; for,
as we find in said Acts, he was buried at
Clonenagh. That Aengus, who was pane-
gyrist of our saint, seems to have been, as
Colgan justly conjectures, Abbot Aengus, 579)> i^ sometimes used in ancient Irish
surnamed the Wise. He Iselonged to Clon- fert-Molua, and died in 858 or 859. See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical Hisiory of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xx. , sect, x. , nn. 98, 99, pp. 248, 249.
5 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 370, 371.
^ It is not probable, however, that our saint was the immediate successor of Malath- f^enius.
^ By his namesake, . iEngus Ceile De is called abbot.
In the Martyrologies cited. in a succeeding note, it will be seen, that he was also styled Bishop.
^Inanote,Dr. Laniganremarks: "Con- sideling the Irish practice of promoting
^lanuscripts, to denote a hermitage, or an asylum for pilgrims or penitents. It occurs in this latter sense in the Z^aMcr ^r^ar, fol.
eminent abbots to the episcopacy, we need not look for any other See for him than one of the above-mentioned monasteries. "— "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xx. , sect, x. , n. 99, p. 249.
'See Bishop Challoner's "Britannia Sacra," part i. , p. 168.
'°
Mr. O'Donovan, in the Tenth Article
of his edited "Miscellany of the Irish
Archaeological Society," vol. i. , note g. , comments on the term Disert, a common to-
pographical prefix to Irish localities. He
says: "This word, which is translated ^^- '
sertus locus in Cormac's Glossary,' and desertum by Colgan {Acta Sanctorum, p.
loo, a. a. , and in the Book of Leinster, in the MS. Library of Trinity College, Dublin,
— H. 2, 12, fol. 113, b. a. " "
Irish Charters
in the Book of Kells," n. (g), p. 112. "
" See Lines by Charles J. Kickham, This parish, in the barony of West
OfTaly, is defined on the
"
Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County Kildare," Sheets 21, 22, 26, 27. The town is shown on Sheets 21, 26.
'^ See Professor
the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History," lect. xvii. , p. 364.
O'Curry's
" Lectures on
March ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
an incorrect topographical description of the locality, -^ngus, while he re- sided at Dysartbeagh, had finished his Festilogy. A friendship was here formed between our saint and Fothadh the Canonist, who showed the poem he had composed for Aedh's decision. Before presenting it to the king, he desired and received the warm approval of his brother poet, St. ^ngus.
The penitential and most useful earthly career of this holy ascetic was
destined, at last, for one of immortal glory. Professor Eugene O'Curry thinks St. ^ngus Ceile De must have died, about the year 815. '+ But, he breathed his last prayers with his last breath, about the year 824, according tothemostprobableconjecture,onFriday,thenthdayofMarch. '5 How- ever, one or other of the years 819, 824, or 830, is named conjecturally, as referring to our saint's death, from the circumstance of the nth March falling on the feria sexta, or Friday, at each of these dates. Still, the question re- mains unsolved. Did he die on the nth of March ? We know not how many years ^ngus the Culdee lived ; but, probably this holy man had not
attained a very advanced age, when his death occurred.
^ngus was buried at Clonenagh, according to his Acts, as given by Col- gan. ^^ But, whether he died there or at Disert Bethech, or at Dysartenos, has been contested. '? If he built a monastery at the latter place, no trace of
'^ and
by the present or some other St. . ^ngus, for his sole accommodation and re- tirement. Again, such remarks may apply to Disert Bethech ; but, here, we think, the celebrated Culdee really founded a house of some sort, for his particular order of monks. Here, also, he lived, and most probably for several years ; here, perhaps, some of his works were composed ; here, possibly he had a hermitage, while guiding a community of religious ; here, too, according to one account, he died ,; and, we are inclined to think, he mustberegarded,asspecialpatronofDysartbeagh. Theevidenceforthese surmiseswenowsubmit. ProfessorO'CurryalludestoanIrishPoem,which he thinks was written soon after our saint's death. He deems it a fine com- position, and while giving the original of the first stanza, he adds a literal
^*See i^id. , p. 362. Scholiast says, that our saint was both
'5 "There being good reason to think, educated and buried at Disert-^ngus. It that _^ngus survived the year 806. Colgan is certain, however, that . ^ngus had been conjectures that the year of his death was educated at Clonenagh. Colgan remarks,
itsruinscanbe
discovered,
at
it beasafecon- might
hence,
jecture to suppose, Dysartenos liad been only a cell or hermitage, constructed
either 819, 824, or S30 ; whereas in each —of them the nth of March fell on a Friday. "
that the Disert named, either is not different
Dr. Lanigan's
"
Ecclesiastical History of
probably died, and had been buried, at the fust place, his body having been afterwards translated
Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xx. , sect, x. , n. "
present ;
100, p. 249. Ita eodem die Martyrologium and deposited at Clonenagh. But, he
Tamlact. ^ngussii Episcopi Hoblenii ne- potis. Marian. Magmis JEngtcssius Hob-
lenii nepos Episcopus. Mart. Dungnll. ^in^ssius nepos Hoblenii, Episcopus, est qid compostnt festilogiiim. In ipso etiam ^n- gussii Festilogio in quibusdam exemplaribus ponitur nata hac die : sed ilia insula additio est : quae idcirco in vetustioribus exemplar bus non
acknowledges that our Annals make a dis-
tinction, between both places, as in reality they were bound to do. A distance of some
miles intervenes, between Dysartenos and Clonenagh. A lesser distance separates Dysartbeagh and Clonenagh. The present writer is fully cognizant of those facts, and he has long been conversant with the bearing
reperitur. " Colgan's
" Acta Sane
and local
of all those
torum liibernias," xi.
'^ to this Alluding
n.
See, likewise, the prefatory notice, given by
of
however, a writer well knowing its folk-lore
the BoUandists, in their " Acta Sanctorum,' edeo Abbate et Episcopo, in Hibernia, p. 85
'^
See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xi Martii. De S. ^ngussio Hagiographo Episcopo et Confessore, cap. xvi. , p. 582,
*7 In a note, already given, the anonymous
Martii,
15, p. 583
locality
observes: "Not many years ago, the re- tomus ii. , Martii xi. De B. ^ngussio Kel mains of the foundation of St. Angus's
from or our saint most Clonenagh,
peculiarities
places. Dysartenos,
sacred edifice were discovered by a farmer, who professed the doctrines of the Church of England. This farmer, much to his
credit, reverentially would not suffer the re- mains to be disturbed. He re-covered with
3i6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS: [March ii.
translation of the whole. '9 We present a few of the first stanzas, and the closing stanza, as of historical value, in elucidating some phases of his life. ^°
From the foregoing, and especially from the last lines, it ought to be inferred, that Disert Bethech, and not Disert Aengusa, was the ancient name for his
church. At Dysartbeagh, too, the Poem states, he departed this life, and
that there he was buried. ^^ We find this on St. in the elegy yEngus quoted
learned lectures, delivered by Professor Matthew Arnold, at Oxford, and published as contributions to a widely-circulating English periodical. ^^ The
Professor proves, that there is a complete want of style,^3 in the compositions of the Teutonic nations, while the contrary characteristic distinguishes the Celtic effusions. Professor Arnold remarks, in reference to this beautiful and pathetic elegy, that it was composed by no eminent bard ; and, yet, a Greek epitaph could not show a finer perception of what constitutes propriety and felicityofstyle,incompositionsofthisnature. Wecouldhardlyresistgiving this testimony of the Oxford Professor, so honourable to his own taste, and to the genius of our native poetry. A difficulty exists, about the exact date for the festival of this St. ^ngus. The Martyrology of Tallagh^* enters ^nghus Eps. h. Aibleni, at the present day. Marianus O'Gorman, and the Martyrology of Donegal concur, in this arrangement. ^5 St. ^ngus has his feast at the nth of March, according to Rev. Alban Butler,^^ the " Circle of the Seasons," ^i and Rev. S. Baring-Gould. '^^ However, there are very good
grounds for supposing, that the festival of Aengus Mac Oengobann oj O'Oiblen was on the i8th of February, in the opinion of Professor Eugene
earth the stone steps, that rested at the foot of the once altar, on which the holy ancho- ret offered the Sacrifice of the Mass. The field in which this discovery was made is
" When ^ngus was in the narrow cell con-
fined.
By permission of the Son of God at Tamh-
lachta, (Tallaght,)
It was not a condition meet for devotion, To be in the kiln "
Then follow other stanzas, relating to his
ipanner of life, at Tallagh.
" The poem conclude—s with this stanza, as
n—ear to the dwelling of Mr. James Lawler.
''
A religious city, by crosses enclosed. In which resided Mac Oiblen, Aengus.
Aengus of the host of Heaven,
Here is his Leacht, (monument,) and
death-bed. Itwasfromthisplaceheascended Upon the Friday up into Heaven.
to a wonderful measure. Style is the most
striking quality of their poetry ; Celtic
poetry seems to make up to itself for being
unable to master the world and give an
adequate interpretation of it, by throwing all its force into style, by bending language at any rate to its will, and expressing the ideas
it has with unsurpassable intensity, eleva- tion, and effect. "
="* Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xviii.
O'Byme's History
constantly drying.
County," chap, xxi. , p. 57. "
of
" the
'9 See his Catalogue of Irish Manu- scripts of the Royal Irish Academy," First Series, vol. ii. , pp. 624 to 626.
'° If we are to rely on this poem, as refer-
ring to an early date ; we may possibly glean
some facts of our saint's — from the biography,
translated by O'Curry
writer's account. It runs thus
:
" Delightful to sit here, himself, (or by himself),
By the side of the cold, clear Nore, Although populous, it was not the path of
plunder,
In sacred Disert Bethech.
" Disert Bethech where dwelt the man, Whom legions of Angels visited,
over verses.
The Sun of the Western World,
" It was at Cluain Eidnech he was reared, At Cluain Eidnech he was interred.
At Cluain Eidnech of He first read, his Psalms.
=^ See "Lives of the vol. Saints,"
March xL, pp. 217, 218.
many crosses,
iii. ,
" Queen's
" From this
:
is a man who place departed
presided
The place where he took his disease of
the head,
The place which is said to be delightful.
=- "The Cornhill of 1866. Magazine,"
^3 He
says :
" The Celts
certainly
'' ActaSanctorumHiber-
n.
^* See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
other principal Saints," vol. iii. , March xi. '^ See p. 71.
^5See
Colgan's
nise,"
Martii
xi. ,
15, p. 583.
"
have it
March ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 317 0'Curry. =9 TheO'Clerysseemtoconjecture,inlikemanner,andbecause,
"
also, there is no notice of an ^ngus, in the
there is notice of some different Aengus, in it, at the present day. Professor
Feilire," at that date, whereas O'Curry thinks, that Colgan and those who follow him are deceived, in
making the nth of March the festival for St. ^ngus the Culdee. It
— —is,
in- deed very certain as a distinguished Irish Scholar3° well observes that St. Aengus Ceile De cannot be set down, for an ignorant nor a superstitious
monk ; but, on the contrary, he must ever be regarded as a gifted writer, deeply read in the Holy Scriptures, and in the civil and ecclesiastical history of the world. He was especially versed in that historic lore, contained in
what he calls
" The Host of the Books of Erinn. "
Taking
pean country which possesses so earlyandsoauthenticanational document, and onehavingacharactersoimportant. AgreatnumberoftheprimitiveChristian inhabitants and strangers, in our island, have been introduced by name, into this valuable treatise. Their festival days, with copious references to the early denominations and exact situations of our old churches and monas- teries, severally founded by many of them, are accurately given ; and, already, by means of this tract, if not all, at least nearly all, of these foundations may be or have been identified, by competent archaeologists. His other writings are hardly less valuable, for their historic, national, and religious interest.
The truly learned are ever truly humble. But, to raise this latter qualifi- cation to the degree of heroic virtue, requires the special intervention of the Spirit of wisdom. Towards our saint, God's choicest graces appear to have been vouchsafed. From his early years, he was gifted with a docile mind, an
ardent love of true perfection, humility of disposition, an understanding capable of comprehending a wide circle of science, human and divine, with an imagination, fervid, brilliant, chaste, and correct, as ever gifted a poet. Our Church and country have received no inconsiderable services, from the literary labours and learning of this saint, while his life had been beautifully and edifyingly consistent with his 'teaching and acquirements. Some men possess dazzling qualities and acquire renown, in this world, while their minds and dispositions are cold, vitiated, and corrupt ; they may shine among their fellow-mortals, as the skin of the venomous snake or crawling reptile appears radiant with variegated colours, under the rays of a bright sun. On the contrary, in solitude and retirement, wishing to avoid the applause or re- wards of the world, under a rude garb and exterior, our saint, like the glow- worm, luminous even through the darkness of night, has diffused a steady and an undiminished light, over the obscurity of our scattered ecclesiastical re- cords and traditions, in his own time and for preceding ages. He has like- wise transmitted to us some of the most venerable remains of our ancient and holy Uterature, so long and so providentially preserved in Ireland, and in more distant countries. Let us hope, that under the careful editorship of a competent Irish scholar, these fragments will be gathered, ere they perish, that they will be committed to type, published, and thus rendered accessible, to the generality of readers. While such documents serve to excite and sustain our rehgious feelings, they also fan the spirit of patriotism, and serve to extend still more the real fame of our beloved country. The holy Aengus Ceild De laboured wisely and well in his generation. He has left to this day,
enthusiastically,
the Festilogy of St. ^ngus as a purely historic tract, largely interwoven with the early civil and ecclesiastical history of Ireland, there is probably no Euro-
'^ In his " of Irish Catalogue
3° See Professor
"Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History," lect. xvii,, p. 370.
Manuscripts of the Royal Irish Academy," First Series,
Eugene O'Curry's
vol. ii,, p.
