" " Louth Letters, containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County, collected dur- ing the Progress of the
Ordnance
Survey in 1S35-36.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v5
It seems to us, that we can hardly separate St.
Erca, said to have been a virgin, from the former holy personage; in the first place, because the names Ere, or Earc, are so nearly similar with Erca, and, in the second place, because both festi- vals are recorded on the same date.
Thus, do we read, that St.
Erca, a virgin, whose feast is held on the 12th of May, was the daughter of Ernin, son to Trian, son of Dunius, son to Eochod, son of Bronfinn, son to Eugene, sonofArtcorb,sonofFiachSuighdhe,founderoftheDeciesfamily.
^ Here again, her race is derived from a common progenitor with Ere, or Earc, to whom allusion has been previously made.
Article IV. Reputed Feast of St. Bearnosga, of Tullylish, County of Down. There can scarcely be a doubt, that under the present form of name, we are to recognise Nasca of Tulaeh Leis ; but, we are at a loss to learn, if he should be regarded as identical with, or distinct from. Ere, Earc, or Erca. We suspect a confounding of two diverse individuals, by our Martyrologists. The Rev. William Reeves appears to have had, from a different copy of the Donegal Martyrology, than from that one afterwards edited by him, an account of Bearnosga—called Bearnasga in his calendar of Tullach-lis, or "fort of the hill," in Iveagh, of Ulidia. ' Already has sufficient allusion been made to this locality, in our previous notice.
Article V. St. Lugid, or Lughaedh, of Drumiskin, County of Louth, and said to have been Priest, of Tigh Luta, in Fotharta- MORA. {_Supposed to have lived in the Fifth Century. '] We have not been able to clear up doubts which obtrude, when treating about this saint's his- tory. Some of the Irish Martyrologies assign a festival for St. Lugaedh, or Lugad, at this day. Thus, at the 12th of May, we find entered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' as also, in that of Marianus O'Gorman, the name of Lughaeth, or Lugadh, Mac Aengusa. ^ This latter is said to have been the celebrated King of Munster, who was baptized by St. , Patrick ;3 and, who is related to have left a very numerous posterity of sons, many of whom are ranked among the'saints. 4 According to such supposition, the mother of our saint should be Ethnea, daughter to Crimthann, King of Leinster. His brothers were Eochadh, Felemidh, Cronan, Olild, Bressal, who, with others,
The Franciscan copy has LugAech ITlAC OenjufA.
3 See his Life, in the Third Volume of this Article hi. — ' See Colgan's "Acta work, at the 17th of March, Art. i. , chap. xix.
Scottish Saints," p. 13.
"^ Thus : " iv. Idus. Et apud Iliberniam
Sancti Confessoris Erci Natale celebratur. "
Sanctorum Hiberniae," xv. Januarii. Ap- pendix ad Acta S. Itae, cap. ii. , p. 73.
Article iv. — ' See "Ecclesiastical Anti- quities of Down, Connor and Dromore," Appendix EE. , p. 316, and n. (w). Also, Appendix LL, p. 378.
Article v. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxiv.
' See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nire," xxvii. Januarii. De S. Natali Abbate et Confessore, ex diversis, cap. ii. , p. 169, and nn. i to 13, pp. 173, I74-
s The words of an old author, quoted by Colgan, are: "Aengussius filius Naitfraich genuit 24 filios, et 24 filias, et obtulit Deo et S. Patricio 12 filios, et 12 filias : qui omnes
2 26 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 12.
wereheadsofthemostnoblefamilies,inMunster. s Besidesthesewerethe following holy men, who lived religious lives, viz. : St. Carthage, Senior,* the instructor of St. Carthage,^ Junior, St. Colman of Derrymore,^ St. Foilan,9 Abbot of Kill-foelain, in Leinster, and of Rath Erenn, in Albania, St. Folio- man,'° bishop, St. Pappan," St. Naal'= of Kilnamanagh, besides many others. '3 If we make the present saint a son of . ^ngus Nathfraich, he must have lived, in the fifth century ; and, probably, he was baptized by St. Patrick. '^ If, afterwards, he became a disciple of Ireland's illustrious Apostle, thiseventshouldbeassignedtothecloseoftheholymissionary'scareer. By some, Lugaidh has been identified, with one of the two following, placed by him at Druim-in-esglainn. There, St. Patrick's two disciples,'5 Daluanus '* of Croebheach, and Lugadius,'^ are said to have lived. '^ Following the autho- rity of Archdall, '9 who quotes Colgan^° for his own mistake, the place of St. Lugad, and which is called Druim-in-esglainn, or Druim Inisclainn, in the territory of Dealbna, is thought, by Rev. Dr. Lanigan,=" to have been Drum- shallon," in the county of Louth. However, jNIr. O'Donovan tells us, that the former name is yet retained, and applied to a village, now called Drumiskin, which is near to Castle Bellingham,^3 in Louth County. A monastery seems to have been there, from a remote period ;''*• and, even one of its Abbots is also called a bishop. '5 It is always pronounced Druminisklin, by natives of the Fews and of Cuailgne, who are said to have spoken the Irish language, with great fluency. ^* At the time, when this parish was visited by antiquarians,''^ connected with the Irish Ordnance Survey, an old graveyard and some anti- quitiesexisted,inthetownlandofDromiskin. There,aconsiderableportion of a round tower still remains. ^^ The graveyard was used as a place of
burial. ^' There were no ruins in it,
Sancti et Sanctse celebrantur. " The Psalter of Cashel and the Genealogies of IMunster have such a statement.
* His feast is assigned, to the 5th of March.
7 His feast is held, on the 14th of May.
' His festival is kept, on the 20th of May. 9 His feast was celebrated, on the 20th of
June.
'°We do not find his name in the Irish
Calendars,
" The only saint we find, called Pappan,
or Poppon, is he venerated, at the 25th of January. See some notices, in the First Volume of this work, at that date. Art. xiii. Again, at the 31st of July, we have another feast for St. Pappan, supposed to be of San- try, in the county of Dublin.
" See his feast, at the 31st of July.
'3 According to the Mcenology of the Irish Saints, the Catalogue of the Munster Kings, and the Munster Genealogies.
'• See his Life, at the 17th of March, vol. iii. , Art. i. , chap. x.
'5 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 226.
'* See what has been already stated, in the First Volume of this work, at the 7th of January, Art. ix.
' See an account of them, at the 17th of March, in the Life of St. Patrick, Art. i. , chap. x. Tliird Volume of this work.
save those of a deserted parish church,
'* See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, ii. , cap. xii. , p. 131, and nn. 40, 41, p. 174.
'' See " Monasticon Hibemicum," p. 461.
=° See " Acta Sanctorum Hibernioe," xx. Januarii, Secunda Vita S. Fechini, n. 17, p. 141, and xxvii. Januarii, De S. Natali Ab- bate et Confessore, cap. ii. , p. 169, and n. 8,
p. 173.
-' See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , sect, xi. , n. 145, p. 52.
" This parish, in the barony of Ferrard, is shown, on the " Ordnance . Survey Town- land Maps for the County of Louth," sheets
19, 21, 22.
=3 a neat town, in tlie parish of Gernons-
town, and barony of Ardee, shown on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
the County of Louth, "sheet 15.
-* In tlic year 7S8, or rccte 793, the death
of Cronnmhael of Druim-Inesglainn and Abbot of Cluain-Iraird, now Clonard, is re- corded.
=5 At A. D. 876, the death of Tighearnach, son of Muireadhach, Bishop and Abbot, is placed.
'* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (y), pp. 394, 395 ; pp. 522, 523; at A. D. 887, pp. 549. 541; as also vol. ii. ,at a. d. 908, pp. 578, 579.
'? Messrs. Patrick O'Kcefe and Tho O'Conor.
May 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
2Vl
in which parts of the wall of Druiminisclinn old church were said to have been included. But, in the north-west corner of this graveyard, a perfect round tower—called Tor by some—and rising about 50 or 60 feet in height, is to be seen. On its south side, an entrance, about five feet and a-half high, and three feet broad, at bottom, appeared.
Outwardly, this tower had been much shattered, on both sides. s^ On the south-east side, about twenty feet from the ground, another entrance was shown, being about seven feet high,
Diomiskin Round Tower, County of Louth.
by two broad. Dressed stones around its edges had partly fallen off. There were four openings, immediately under the cap of this building, and looking towards the east, west, north and south. These were about four feet high, by two feet and a-half broad ; and, to the north side of the west one, there was also another small pointed opening, about eighteen inches high, by ten inches broad. 3' Whether or not Druimiskin had any affinity with another place, mentioned by the O'Clerys, cannot well be ascertained. However,
^' The accompanyhig ilhistralion was drawn, by the writer, on the spot in August,
this sketch has been transferred to the wood, by William F. Wakeman, and it has been engraved, by Mrs. Millard.
^9 Thomas Duffy, a respectable resident farmer of Diomiskin townland, gave those engaged on the Irish Ordnance Survey much information regarding this locality, as thus acknowledged. " Dromiskin parish situated one mile to the north of Castlebellingham, is invariably called by the people 'Oi\uni 1<inAfc tm, pA|\<M'pce O^Aum, &C. Thomas Duffy says, the name is '0|uiim, dorsinn, \w\\ insii- IcBf CluAin sccessits—CluAin he says signifies
' a church,' or * resting place ;' but, this last
from the Abbe Mageoghagan.
" " Louth Letters, containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County, collected dur- ing the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1S35-36. " JointLetterofP. O'KeefeandT. O'Conor, dated Castlebellingham, January 22nd, 1836, vol. i. , p. 152.
3° Abellwashungontheinside,whichwas considered to be the identical one, which be- longed originally to this tower. It had been used, until a short time before this visit, when a chain, by which it was tolled, hap- pened to become broken.
1883
name he acknowledges to have been taken —
:
——
228 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 1
from them we learn, in t'ne Martyrology of Donegal,3^ that Lughaedh, son of Aenghus, Priest of Tigh Lata, in Fotharta-mora, had a festival celebrated, on this day. It seems a difficult matter to discover, where the special locality of Tigh Luta lay, or which was the Fothart thus denominated. There are various districts—especially in the province of Leinster—formerly known as Fotharta, or Fotliadh, with some other addition. These are said to have taken their name from Eochaidh Finn Fothart,33 brother to the Monarch Conn of the Hundred Battles,34 and who had been banished from Midhe, or Meath, by his nephew Art, settled in Leinster, where his descendants acquired considerable territories. 35 Among these are distinguished Fotharta Osnad- haigh,36or Fotharta Fea,37 now the barony of Forth, in the county of Carlow; Fotharta an Chairn,? ^ from which the barony of Forth, in the county of Wex- ford, had its name ; Fothart Airbreach, around the Hill of Cruachan Bri File ;39 Fothart Oirthir Life,4° in the present county of Wicklow ; as also, Fothadh-tire, probably the barony of Iffa and Offa West, in the county of Tipperary;4i however, according to another writer, it is identified with the barony of Forth, in tlie county of Carlow. -t^ The Fotharta sank under other tribes, at an early period /3 and, their history is one of great obscurity, when occasionally alluded to, in our Irish Annals. Besides what is already set down, the reader is referred to notices, regarding St. Lugadius, at the 2nd of November, when Marianus O'Gorman enters again his Natalis, in connexion with the church of Druim Iniscluinn, belonging to the Diocese of Armagh. '''*
Article VI. St. Diomma, of Kildimo, County of Limerick. The name Dimma Mac Caiss appears, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 12th
3' The common name for the tower was Airbreach, quae et Bri-eli dicta est, coluerunt Clogap or f ; because, as Duffy said, it was posteri Corci, Lugadii et Crumathii (ex
used as a Belfry. The tradition is, that both it, and the old church to which it belonged, were erected by St. Patrick. Within the churchyard lay the arms of an ancient cross, which was said to have been taken from an old monastery. This was at Baltray (bAile An C^AOigA) on the sea shore. This Baltray is now included, in the townland of Dromis- kin. Ibid. , p. 153.
3^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 124, 125.
,
yEnea filio) nepotero Achaii, Fothartam LifTei orientalis nepotes Fergusii Tarbra;i, Fothartam Imchlair juxta Ardmacham sobo- les Sednaei filii Artcorbi, Fothartam Fea semen Adnadii filius Artcorbi, a cujus Ad- nadii semine Fotharta de Moy-itha quoque habitata. Sunt etiam Fotherta File, Fotherta Thuile, et Fotharta Bile. Bressalius Conlce filii Arlcorbii ex Denio filio nepos, a quo Hy-bresail in Hyfalgia proavus extitit Sanc- tissim. -e virginis Thaumaturgce Brigida; com- munis Hiberniae patronce. "—Cap. Ixiv. , pp. 324. 325-
3° It was thus called, from one of its prin- cipal churches, Cill Osnadha, now known as Kellistown.
37 So called, fiom Magh Fea, according to the Book of Ballymote, fol. 77b.
3^ Or Fothart of the Carn, so called from Carnsore Point. See " The Topographical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O'lluidhrin," edited by Dr. O'Donovan, n. 469, p. Ivi.
39 Now the Hill of Croghaii.
'° This was eastward of the present River Liffey.
< According to Dr. O'Donovan's " An- nals of the Four Masters," vol, i. , pp. 482, 483, and n. (z).
•" Sec William M. Hennessy, "Chronicum Scotorum," Index, p. 386.
*3Seethe"LcAbh^iA11. \ 5-Ccon\c,orthe
33 Otherwise written Ohy Finn Foihart [Fohart]. See Dr. Patrick W. Joyce's " Origin and IIi-,tory of Irish Names of Places," part ii. , chap. ii.
p. 126.
^ So called on account of his numerous battles. He ruled over Ireland from a. d. 153 to A. D. 182, according to Dr. Sylvester O'Halloran, who relates his adventures in the "General History of Ireland," vol. i. ,
Book v. , chap, vii. , pp. 231 to 241.
35 See Roderick O'FIahcrty's "Ogygia," pars iii. He states : " Quare in Lageniam perrexit, ct rex illius provincise duas plagas Fothaitas ex ejus agnomine dictas, unani . \ Momoniae conlinio ad ostium Slanii, alteram ab ad versa ripa, Slanio intcrutiamque meilio in Wexfordix sinum occurrcnle. Ibi do- minati sunt nepotes per multa sKCula ad in- territum non ita pridcm O Nuallan ultimi domini. Alias quoquc rcgioncs contlidcrunt, quae Fotharta; dicuntur ; utpote Fotliartam
Book of Rights," edited with translation and notes by John O'Donovan, Esq. , p. 211, and n. (j), and p. 221, n. (y).
'*' See Colgan's '• Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nix," xxvii. Januarii, De S. Nalali, Abbate et Confessore, n. —8, p. 173.
marked, on sheet 21.
^ " Dima filius Cassii. " See the " Acta
Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Maii xii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 2.
Article vi. ' Kelly, p. xxiv.
Edited by Rev. Dr.
' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 124, 125. See, also the Table, appended to that work, pp. 402, 403.
= In the Franciscan copy, we find OininiAe niAC CAij'f.
3 This parish, in the barony of Kenry, is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Towiiland Maps for the County of Limerick," sheets 4, 11, 12. The town and townland are on sheet 12.
* The patron saint of Ardmore. See his Life, at the 24th of July.
Article vii. —' See "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p. Ixxix.
—
'AY 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
of May. 2 We are informed, that this saint was the patron of Cill-Dioma, now Kildimo,3 in Caenraighe, belonging to the county and diocese of Lime-
rick. There, he had a hohday, as also, a festival, and a station.
to have been the master of Dec! an,4 and of Coirbre, son of Colman, bishop. HehadrelationswiththeDesiofMumhain. AmongstourIrishmissiona- ries of the fourth of fifth centuries, who preached and founded religious establishments in Ireland, was the pious Dima. This holy man's name is said to have been given to a church, called Kildimo, in the county of Lime- rick. s It is still retained, in connexion with that locality,^ which is near Adare. 7 Besides the Bollandist notice of him,^ this Dimma, son of Cass, is entered in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ at the same date.
Article VII. —The Festival of St. Cvriacus, with Three Hundred CoMPANiOx^JS, Martyks. The Fcilire ' of St. yEngus commemorates, at the 12thofMay,themartyrdomofSt. Cyriacus^ andofhisthreehundredcom- panions. The Bollandists 3 quote various ancient Martyrologies, at this same (lay, in reference to those holy Martyrs. In some records, it is found stated, that they numbered over fifty-four ; while, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, l. 'csides Cyriacus, said to have found the cross of our Lord, there are others named, and in addition to them three hundred and six Martyrs. The date for iheir passion is not recorded, nor the occasion that caused their fidelity to ihe Faith ; but, it is thought, that they suffered at Rome.
Article VIII. St. Hernen, or Ernin. The name, Hernen, occurs in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 12th of May; as also, in the Franciscan copy. ^ From the same source, the Bollandists 3 notice Ernenus, or Hernanus, for the same date. Nothing further seems to be known, in reference to him, or to his place, in our ecclesiastical history. The
= See Ferrar's "History of Limerick," tuor. Item Alexandro, Moisete, Lucio. pp.
part iii. , chap, iii. , p. 184.
*See Dr. Sylvester O'Halloran's " Gene-
ral Histoiy of Ireland," vol ii. , Book vii. , chap, ii. , p. 9.
^ This parish, situated in the baronies of Upper Connello, Coshma and Kenry, is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Mapsfor the County of Limerick, "sheets II, 12, 20, 21, 30. The town and townland are
25, 26. — Article viii.
Kelly, p. xxiv. Thus he^neni.
'
Edited by Rev. Dr.
~ On his name, the scholiast has observed, " qui invenit crucem Domini et Judas nomen ejus prius. " Note at p. Ixxxvi. Ibid.
^ See " Acta Sanctorum," Maii xii. De Sanctis Martyribus Cyriaco, Maximo, Grado, Sothere Virg. Rothere, Joanne, Achille, iloiseo, Aphiodito, et aliis Quingentis Qua-
'^ See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Maii xii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 2.
'» Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, 124, 125.
pp.
He is said
329
230
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 12.
festival, in honour of Ernin, was celebrated on this day, as we read in the Martyrology of Donegal. *
Article IX. Reputed Feast of St. Coxgal, or Comgall, in Dercomgal, or Holywood, Scotland. \Sixih and Sevetith Centuries. ^ At the 1 2th of May, the festival of St. Congal was celebrated, in the Church of Scotland. ' However, it would seem, that he is not a different person from St. Congal, or Comgall, Abbot of Bangor; but, his feast was celebrated, in
Scotland, at the present date. He was an Irish Pict, who, after a rule of seven years over Bangor, is said to have crossed over to that part of Britain, now called Scotland, in 598, and to have founded a church in Terra Heth,^ or Tiree. His differences with St. Coluniba led to the battle of Culdremy. 3 In the Antiphonary of Bangor, there is an alphabetical Hymn, concerning St. Comgall.
Article IV. Reputed Feast of St. Bearnosga, of Tullylish, County of Down. There can scarcely be a doubt, that under the present form of name, we are to recognise Nasca of Tulaeh Leis ; but, we are at a loss to learn, if he should be regarded as identical with, or distinct from. Ere, Earc, or Erca. We suspect a confounding of two diverse individuals, by our Martyrologists. The Rev. William Reeves appears to have had, from a different copy of the Donegal Martyrology, than from that one afterwards edited by him, an account of Bearnosga—called Bearnasga in his calendar of Tullach-lis, or "fort of the hill," in Iveagh, of Ulidia. ' Already has sufficient allusion been made to this locality, in our previous notice.
Article V. St. Lugid, or Lughaedh, of Drumiskin, County of Louth, and said to have been Priest, of Tigh Luta, in Fotharta- MORA. {_Supposed to have lived in the Fifth Century. '] We have not been able to clear up doubts which obtrude, when treating about this saint's his- tory. Some of the Irish Martyrologies assign a festival for St. Lugaedh, or Lugad, at this day. Thus, at the 12th of May, we find entered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' as also, in that of Marianus O'Gorman, the name of Lughaeth, or Lugadh, Mac Aengusa. ^ This latter is said to have been the celebrated King of Munster, who was baptized by St. , Patrick ;3 and, who is related to have left a very numerous posterity of sons, many of whom are ranked among the'saints. 4 According to such supposition, the mother of our saint should be Ethnea, daughter to Crimthann, King of Leinster. His brothers were Eochadh, Felemidh, Cronan, Olild, Bressal, who, with others,
The Franciscan copy has LugAech ITlAC OenjufA.
3 See his Life, in the Third Volume of this Article hi. — ' See Colgan's "Acta work, at the 17th of March, Art. i. , chap. xix.
Scottish Saints," p. 13.
"^ Thus : " iv. Idus. Et apud Iliberniam
Sancti Confessoris Erci Natale celebratur. "
Sanctorum Hiberniae," xv. Januarii. Ap- pendix ad Acta S. Itae, cap. ii. , p. 73.
Article iv. — ' See "Ecclesiastical Anti- quities of Down, Connor and Dromore," Appendix EE. , p. 316, and n. (w). Also, Appendix LL, p. 378.
Article v. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxiv.
' See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nire," xxvii. Januarii. De S. Natali Abbate et Confessore, ex diversis, cap. ii. , p. 169, and nn. i to 13, pp. 173, I74-
s The words of an old author, quoted by Colgan, are: "Aengussius filius Naitfraich genuit 24 filios, et 24 filias, et obtulit Deo et S. Patricio 12 filios, et 12 filias : qui omnes
2 26 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 12.
wereheadsofthemostnoblefamilies,inMunster. s Besidesthesewerethe following holy men, who lived religious lives, viz. : St. Carthage, Senior,* the instructor of St. Carthage,^ Junior, St. Colman of Derrymore,^ St. Foilan,9 Abbot of Kill-foelain, in Leinster, and of Rath Erenn, in Albania, St. Folio- man,'° bishop, St. Pappan," St. Naal'= of Kilnamanagh, besides many others. '3 If we make the present saint a son of . ^ngus Nathfraich, he must have lived, in the fifth century ; and, probably, he was baptized by St. Patrick. '^ If, afterwards, he became a disciple of Ireland's illustrious Apostle, thiseventshouldbeassignedtothecloseoftheholymissionary'scareer. By some, Lugaidh has been identified, with one of the two following, placed by him at Druim-in-esglainn. There, St. Patrick's two disciples,'5 Daluanus '* of Croebheach, and Lugadius,'^ are said to have lived. '^ Following the autho- rity of Archdall, '9 who quotes Colgan^° for his own mistake, the place of St. Lugad, and which is called Druim-in-esglainn, or Druim Inisclainn, in the territory of Dealbna, is thought, by Rev. Dr. Lanigan,=" to have been Drum- shallon," in the county of Louth. However, jNIr. O'Donovan tells us, that the former name is yet retained, and applied to a village, now called Drumiskin, which is near to Castle Bellingham,^3 in Louth County. A monastery seems to have been there, from a remote period ;''*• and, even one of its Abbots is also called a bishop. '5 It is always pronounced Druminisklin, by natives of the Fews and of Cuailgne, who are said to have spoken the Irish language, with great fluency. ^* At the time, when this parish was visited by antiquarians,''^ connected with the Irish Ordnance Survey, an old graveyard and some anti- quitiesexisted,inthetownlandofDromiskin. There,aconsiderableportion of a round tower still remains. ^^ The graveyard was used as a place of
burial. ^' There were no ruins in it,
Sancti et Sanctse celebrantur. " The Psalter of Cashel and the Genealogies of IMunster have such a statement.
* His feast is assigned, to the 5th of March.
7 His feast is held, on the 14th of May.
' His festival is kept, on the 20th of May. 9 His feast was celebrated, on the 20th of
June.
'°We do not find his name in the Irish
Calendars,
" The only saint we find, called Pappan,
or Poppon, is he venerated, at the 25th of January. See some notices, in the First Volume of this work, at that date. Art. xiii. Again, at the 31st of July, we have another feast for St. Pappan, supposed to be of San- try, in the county of Dublin.
" See his feast, at the 31st of July.
'3 According to the Mcenology of the Irish Saints, the Catalogue of the Munster Kings, and the Munster Genealogies.
'• See his Life, at the 17th of March, vol. iii. , Art. i. , chap. x.
'5 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 226.
'* See what has been already stated, in the First Volume of this work, at the 7th of January, Art. ix.
' See an account of them, at the 17th of March, in the Life of St. Patrick, Art. i. , chap. x. Tliird Volume of this work.
save those of a deserted parish church,
'* See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars, ii. , cap. xii. , p. 131, and nn. 40, 41, p. 174.
'' See " Monasticon Hibemicum," p. 461.
=° See " Acta Sanctorum Hibernioe," xx. Januarii, Secunda Vita S. Fechini, n. 17, p. 141, and xxvii. Januarii, De S. Natali Ab- bate et Confessore, cap. ii. , p. 169, and n. 8,
p. 173.
-' See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , sect, xi. , n. 145, p. 52.
" This parish, in the barony of Ferrard, is shown, on the " Ordnance . Survey Town- land Maps for the County of Louth," sheets
19, 21, 22.
=3 a neat town, in tlie parish of Gernons-
town, and barony of Ardee, shown on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
the County of Louth, "sheet 15.
-* In tlic year 7S8, or rccte 793, the death
of Cronnmhael of Druim-Inesglainn and Abbot of Cluain-Iraird, now Clonard, is re- corded.
=5 At A. D. 876, the death of Tighearnach, son of Muireadhach, Bishop and Abbot, is placed.
'* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (y), pp. 394, 395 ; pp. 522, 523; at A. D. 887, pp. 549. 541; as also vol. ii. ,at a. d. 908, pp. 578, 579.
'? Messrs. Patrick O'Kcefe and Tho O'Conor.
May 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
2Vl
in which parts of the wall of Druiminisclinn old church were said to have been included. But, in the north-west corner of this graveyard, a perfect round tower—called Tor by some—and rising about 50 or 60 feet in height, is to be seen. On its south side, an entrance, about five feet and a-half high, and three feet broad, at bottom, appeared.
Outwardly, this tower had been much shattered, on both sides. s^ On the south-east side, about twenty feet from the ground, another entrance was shown, being about seven feet high,
Diomiskin Round Tower, County of Louth.
by two broad. Dressed stones around its edges had partly fallen off. There were four openings, immediately under the cap of this building, and looking towards the east, west, north and south. These were about four feet high, by two feet and a-half broad ; and, to the north side of the west one, there was also another small pointed opening, about eighteen inches high, by ten inches broad. 3' Whether or not Druimiskin had any affinity with another place, mentioned by the O'Clerys, cannot well be ascertained. However,
^' The accompanyhig ilhistralion was drawn, by the writer, on the spot in August,
this sketch has been transferred to the wood, by William F. Wakeman, and it has been engraved, by Mrs. Millard.
^9 Thomas Duffy, a respectable resident farmer of Diomiskin townland, gave those engaged on the Irish Ordnance Survey much information regarding this locality, as thus acknowledged. " Dromiskin parish situated one mile to the north of Castlebellingham, is invariably called by the people 'Oi\uni 1<inAfc tm, pA|\<M'pce O^Aum, &C. Thomas Duffy says, the name is '0|uiim, dorsinn, \w\\ insii- IcBf CluAin sccessits—CluAin he says signifies
' a church,' or * resting place ;' but, this last
from the Abbe Mageoghagan.
" " Louth Letters, containing Information relative to the Antiquities of the County, collected dur- ing the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1S35-36. " JointLetterofP. O'KeefeandT. O'Conor, dated Castlebellingham, January 22nd, 1836, vol. i. , p. 152.
3° Abellwashungontheinside,whichwas considered to be the identical one, which be- longed originally to this tower. It had been used, until a short time before this visit, when a chain, by which it was tolled, hap- pened to become broken.
1883
name he acknowledges to have been taken —
:
——
228 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 1
from them we learn, in t'ne Martyrology of Donegal,3^ that Lughaedh, son of Aenghus, Priest of Tigh Lata, in Fotharta-mora, had a festival celebrated, on this day. It seems a difficult matter to discover, where the special locality of Tigh Luta lay, or which was the Fothart thus denominated. There are various districts—especially in the province of Leinster—formerly known as Fotharta, or Fotliadh, with some other addition. These are said to have taken their name from Eochaidh Finn Fothart,33 brother to the Monarch Conn of the Hundred Battles,34 and who had been banished from Midhe, or Meath, by his nephew Art, settled in Leinster, where his descendants acquired considerable territories. 35 Among these are distinguished Fotharta Osnad- haigh,36or Fotharta Fea,37 now the barony of Forth, in the county of Carlow; Fotharta an Chairn,? ^ from which the barony of Forth, in the county of Wex- ford, had its name ; Fothart Airbreach, around the Hill of Cruachan Bri File ;39 Fothart Oirthir Life,4° in the present county of Wicklow ; as also, Fothadh-tire, probably the barony of Iffa and Offa West, in the county of Tipperary;4i however, according to another writer, it is identified with the barony of Forth, in tlie county of Carlow. -t^ The Fotharta sank under other tribes, at an early period /3 and, their history is one of great obscurity, when occasionally alluded to, in our Irish Annals. Besides what is already set down, the reader is referred to notices, regarding St. Lugadius, at the 2nd of November, when Marianus O'Gorman enters again his Natalis, in connexion with the church of Druim Iniscluinn, belonging to the Diocese of Armagh. '''*
Article VI. St. Diomma, of Kildimo, County of Limerick. The name Dimma Mac Caiss appears, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 12th
3' The common name for the tower was Airbreach, quae et Bri-eli dicta est, coluerunt Clogap or f ; because, as Duffy said, it was posteri Corci, Lugadii et Crumathii (ex
used as a Belfry. The tradition is, that both it, and the old church to which it belonged, were erected by St. Patrick. Within the churchyard lay the arms of an ancient cross, which was said to have been taken from an old monastery. This was at Baltray (bAile An C^AOigA) on the sea shore. This Baltray is now included, in the townland of Dromis- kin. Ibid. , p. 153.
3^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 124, 125.
,
yEnea filio) nepotero Achaii, Fothartam LifTei orientalis nepotes Fergusii Tarbra;i, Fothartam Imchlair juxta Ardmacham sobo- les Sednaei filii Artcorbi, Fothartam Fea semen Adnadii filius Artcorbi, a cujus Ad- nadii semine Fotharta de Moy-itha quoque habitata. Sunt etiam Fotherta File, Fotherta Thuile, et Fotharta Bile. Bressalius Conlce filii Arlcorbii ex Denio filio nepos, a quo Hy-bresail in Hyfalgia proavus extitit Sanc- tissim. -e virginis Thaumaturgce Brigida; com- munis Hiberniae patronce. "—Cap. Ixiv. , pp. 324. 325-
3° It was thus called, from one of its prin- cipal churches, Cill Osnadha, now known as Kellistown.
37 So called, fiom Magh Fea, according to the Book of Ballymote, fol. 77b.
3^ Or Fothart of the Carn, so called from Carnsore Point. See " The Topographical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O'lluidhrin," edited by Dr. O'Donovan, n. 469, p. Ivi.
39 Now the Hill of Croghaii.
'° This was eastward of the present River Liffey.
< According to Dr. O'Donovan's " An- nals of the Four Masters," vol, i. , pp. 482, 483, and n. (z).
•" Sec William M. Hennessy, "Chronicum Scotorum," Index, p. 386.
*3Seethe"LcAbh^iA11. \ 5-Ccon\c,orthe
33 Otherwise written Ohy Finn Foihart [Fohart]. See Dr. Patrick W. Joyce's " Origin and IIi-,tory of Irish Names of Places," part ii. , chap. ii.
p. 126.
^ So called on account of his numerous battles. He ruled over Ireland from a. d. 153 to A. D. 182, according to Dr. Sylvester O'Halloran, who relates his adventures in the "General History of Ireland," vol. i. ,
Book v. , chap, vii. , pp. 231 to 241.
35 See Roderick O'FIahcrty's "Ogygia," pars iii. He states : " Quare in Lageniam perrexit, ct rex illius provincise duas plagas Fothaitas ex ejus agnomine dictas, unani . \ Momoniae conlinio ad ostium Slanii, alteram ab ad versa ripa, Slanio intcrutiamque meilio in Wexfordix sinum occurrcnle. Ibi do- minati sunt nepotes per multa sKCula ad in- territum non ita pridcm O Nuallan ultimi domini. Alias quoquc rcgioncs contlidcrunt, quae Fotharta; dicuntur ; utpote Fotliartam
Book of Rights," edited with translation and notes by John O'Donovan, Esq. , p. 211, and n. (j), and p. 221, n. (y).
'*' See Colgan's '• Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nix," xxvii. Januarii, De S. Nalali, Abbate et Confessore, n. —8, p. 173.
marked, on sheet 21.
^ " Dima filius Cassii. " See the " Acta
Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Maii xii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 2.
Article vi. ' Kelly, p. xxiv.
Edited by Rev. Dr.
' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 124, 125. See, also the Table, appended to that work, pp. 402, 403.
= In the Franciscan copy, we find OininiAe niAC CAij'f.
3 This parish, in the barony of Kenry, is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Towiiland Maps for the County of Limerick," sheets 4, 11, 12. The town and townland are on sheet 12.
* The patron saint of Ardmore. See his Life, at the 24th of July.
Article vii. —' See "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p. Ixxix.
—
'AY 12. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
of May. 2 We are informed, that this saint was the patron of Cill-Dioma, now Kildimo,3 in Caenraighe, belonging to the county and diocese of Lime-
rick. There, he had a hohday, as also, a festival, and a station.
to have been the master of Dec! an,4 and of Coirbre, son of Colman, bishop. HehadrelationswiththeDesiofMumhain. AmongstourIrishmissiona- ries of the fourth of fifth centuries, who preached and founded religious establishments in Ireland, was the pious Dima. This holy man's name is said to have been given to a church, called Kildimo, in the county of Lime- rick. s It is still retained, in connexion with that locality,^ which is near Adare. 7 Besides the Bollandist notice of him,^ this Dimma, son of Cass, is entered in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ at the same date.
Article VII. —The Festival of St. Cvriacus, with Three Hundred CoMPANiOx^JS, Martyks. The Fcilire ' of St. yEngus commemorates, at the 12thofMay,themartyrdomofSt. Cyriacus^ andofhisthreehundredcom- panions. The Bollandists 3 quote various ancient Martyrologies, at this same (lay, in reference to those holy Martyrs. In some records, it is found stated, that they numbered over fifty-four ; while, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, l. 'csides Cyriacus, said to have found the cross of our Lord, there are others named, and in addition to them three hundred and six Martyrs. The date for iheir passion is not recorded, nor the occasion that caused their fidelity to ihe Faith ; but, it is thought, that they suffered at Rome.
Article VIII. St. Hernen, or Ernin. The name, Hernen, occurs in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 12th of May; as also, in the Franciscan copy. ^ From the same source, the Bollandists 3 notice Ernenus, or Hernanus, for the same date. Nothing further seems to be known, in reference to him, or to his place, in our ecclesiastical history. The
= See Ferrar's "History of Limerick," tuor. Item Alexandro, Moisete, Lucio. pp.
part iii. , chap, iii. , p. 184.
*See Dr. Sylvester O'Halloran's " Gene-
ral Histoiy of Ireland," vol ii. , Book vii. , chap, ii. , p. 9.
^ This parish, situated in the baronies of Upper Connello, Coshma and Kenry, is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Mapsfor the County of Limerick, "sheets II, 12, 20, 21, 30. The town and townland are
25, 26. — Article viii.
Kelly, p. xxiv. Thus he^neni.
'
Edited by Rev. Dr.
~ On his name, the scholiast has observed, " qui invenit crucem Domini et Judas nomen ejus prius. " Note at p. Ixxxvi. Ibid.
^ See " Acta Sanctorum," Maii xii. De Sanctis Martyribus Cyriaco, Maximo, Grado, Sothere Virg. Rothere, Joanne, Achille, iloiseo, Aphiodito, et aliis Quingentis Qua-
'^ See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Maii xii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 2.
'» Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, 124, 125.
pp.
He is said
329
230
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 12.
festival, in honour of Ernin, was celebrated on this day, as we read in the Martyrology of Donegal. *
Article IX. Reputed Feast of St. Coxgal, or Comgall, in Dercomgal, or Holywood, Scotland. \Sixih and Sevetith Centuries. ^ At the 1 2th of May, the festival of St. Congal was celebrated, in the Church of Scotland. ' However, it would seem, that he is not a different person from St. Congal, or Comgall, Abbot of Bangor; but, his feast was celebrated, in
Scotland, at the present date. He was an Irish Pict, who, after a rule of seven years over Bangor, is said to have crossed over to that part of Britain, now called Scotland, in 598, and to have founded a church in Terra Heth,^ or Tiree. His differences with St. Coluniba led to the battle of Culdremy. 3 In the Antiphonary of Bangor, there is an alphabetical Hymn, concerning St. Comgall.
