" =7 And the saint confiding in,
**
Lives of the Irish Saints," by a Cistercian Monk,
Aubrey De Vere bea—utifully resolves in :
Saints," vol, ii.
**
Lives of the Irish Saints," by a Cistercian Monk,
Aubrey De Vere bea—utifully resolves in :
Saints," vol, ii.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
See "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol.
i.
, chap, ix.
, sect.
vii. , and n. 99, pp. 460, 461, 462. '* **
See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Iliber- niae," i. Februarii. Vita S. Derlugdachae, pp. 229, 230, and nn. 5, 6, 7, ibid.
-^ This is the date, noted by Rev. S. Bar- ""
ing-Gould. See Lives of the Saints," vol.
ii. , February i. , p. 22. ^^ "
See Civil and Ecclesiastical History of Scotland," book ii. , sec. ix. , p. 128.
"9 See "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
pp. 321, 322.
30 Edited by Rev, Dr. Kelly, p. xiv.
3» See " Historige Catholicse Ibemise
Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. ,
p. 49.
3^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
36, 37.
33 For further notices, the reader is re-
ferred to that date.
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 229
date, the particulars of this holy woman's Acts have been noticed, in various collections of Saints' Lives. Thus, O'Sullivan Beare alludes to St. Cinnia. ^ Father John Colgan has an account of her, in his great national work. '* TheBollandistspresenttheActsofSt. Cinnia,orKinnia,virgin,in three paragraphs. 3 Under the name Kiennta, the Irish Cistercian Monk has noticed this saint. ^ The Rev. Alban Butler has devoted a short para- graph to record her. s Mrs. Anastasia O'Byme gives some brief notices of
this saint. *^ Our — to a noble and
ful hou
or Cinne as this
woman is
—se.
Kinnia, Cinnia,7
Patrick, lib. v. , cap. ii.
the son of Muredach, was King of Ultonia, whereas the present Eochaidh was King of
Oirgiell.
^^
Also a ruler over Orgiell.
^3 He in like manner was the son of Deo*
dat, son of Rochad, son to Colla Dachrioch, according to the " Menelogic Sanctilogy,"
chap. xiii. St. Cinnia's sister, Derfraechia, orDerrichia,hasalikepedigree. Shewas mother to St. Tigernach of Clones. See
Drs. Todd and " of Reeves, Martyrology.
Donegal," pp. 94, 95.
'* He was destined to die, prematurely
without leaving any heir to succeed him.
distinguished subject belonged
very
power- holy variedly styled^ was the daughter of Echa, Eochaidh or Eochod,9 son of Crim- thann,^° and who ruled over a very extensive tract of country, in the northern parts of Ireland. " This district was known as Orgiell. Her grandfather
was named Crimthann," the son of Fieg. ^3 He gave name to a family, known as the Hy-Crimthann, formerly very powerful in Ulster. King Echa or Echu had two sons and two daughters. One of his sons, Bressal, re- mained unconverted, at the preaching of St. Patrick ; and, thus, he incurred Divine displeasure, in a very remarkable manner. ^-^ The other son, Carbre,^5 surnamed Damh-airgid, became a convert, when St. Patrick preached the
Gospel, near Clogher. He sought the grace of baptism, and the Irish Apostle prophesied, that he should abound in wealth and temporal pros-
perity ; while blessed by God, he was proclaimed, likewise, the father of several princes^^ and saints of OrgielV7 who should descend from him. ''^
Cinnia, also, had a sister, named Derfraechia or Derrichia,^s> who is aggregated Article hi. —^ In his Acts of St. Catillus. Lib. v. , cap. iii. Now Eochaidh,
^
Februarii. Acta S. Cinnia, sive Kinnia,
Virgine, pp. 234, 235. This is gleaned from various sources, and it is illustrated by notes.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , i.
Februarii. Vita S. Cinnise, pp. 96, 97.
* See " Lives of the Irish Saints," p. II.
s See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs
See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," i.
and Other ruary i.
"^
Principal
Saints," vol. ii. , Feb-
See "Saints of Ireland," February i. , pp. 18, 19.
7 The letter c before z, in Irish, has the sound of k in English.
^ The present virgin has sometimes been called—incorrectly, however—the sister of
See O'Flaherty's Ixxvi,, p. 364.
"
Ogygia,"pars iii. , cap.
St. Patrick.
"
Cynnenum means Cinna-
^5 He had seven sons, the following of whom I find named in O'Flaherty. Dami- nus, Natsluagh, Cormac, Longseach, Ud- hirus, Imchad. Set ibid. , p. 365.
naomh, or holy Cynna or Cynnia. Being of royal parentage she was also called
Ricinne or Richinne, i. e. , royal Cynna. From Richinne was formed Richell—a, an- other pretended sister of the saint. " Rev.
"
Michael J. O'Farrell's
Patrick, Apostle and Patron of Ireland,"
^^
whom the MacMahons sprung, and Cormac,
Popular Life of St.
from whom the Maguires descended, are al-
luded to by Colgan.
^7 See the names and pedigree of several
in Appendix ad Acta S. Endsei, cap. iv. , pp. "
chap, xiii. , n. , p. 186. New York, 1863, 713, 714. Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hi-
i2mo.
9 The name is Latinized Echodius. See
Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sec. iii. , p. 266. '° See Miss Mary F. Cusack's "Life of
St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 453.
" O'Sullevan Beare, in his Acts of St. Patrick, has committed a mistake, in calling
Eochaidh's father Muredach and his brother
berniae. "
^^ See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars iii. , cap. vi. , p. 150.
*9 Her feast is assigned to the 23rd of
March, or to the nth of November. See
Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xxi. Martii. Vita S. Endsei. Appendix, cap.
iv. , p- 713-
Only two of his sons, Natsluagh, from
230 LIVES OF 2HE IRISH SAINTS. [February i.
tothecompanyofsaintedIrishwomen. St. Kinniaissaidtohavereceived baptism at the hands of St. Patrick. ^° This holy Cinnia was not alone numbered among the Irish Apostle's converts to the Faith ; but, she even took the veil of virginity from his hands, and, consequently, she may be re-
garded as one of his spiritual children.
=^^
In the Acts of St. Patrick are re-
lated the following incidents. When he came unto the country of Neyll,''"
as afterwards called, a king named Echu, was the reigning dynast of a parti-
cular district. He belonged to the family of Oirgiell, and his whole house seemed to be moved with varied emotions, at the approach of the strange missionary. Her father wished his daughter Cinnia to espouse a certain Cormac,^3 son of Carbre, and descended from the great Niell, King of Ire- land. Some holy instinct urged her to refuse her consent, as she was des- tined for a nobler spouse. ^* Providence at last brought a release from these importunities. When Saint Patrick, on his first arrival in the territory about Clogher, met the king's daughter, Keine, in the forest, he preached to the innocent girl, who yearned after divine love, though as yet she knew it not. ^s The illustrious Apostle soon became acquainted with the happy dispositions ofthisyoungmaiden. TheDynastEchuhadintendedatafittingtime,to give in a suitable marriage contract,^^ his beloved daughter, Cynnia. This damsel unfolded to the saint her father's purpose, and he exhorted her to deserve the reward of virginity even an hundred-fold. Therefore, rejecting worldly nuptials, she determined to give herself an undefiled offering to her celestial spouse, and to cherish him in her heart. The king, beholding her thus steadily to preserve her virgin purity, called to him the saint, and thus
"» See Rev. Alban Butler's *' Lives of the niae," Februarii i. De S. Cinnia sive Kin- Fathers, Martyrs and Other Principal nia, Virgine, sec. i. , ii. , iii. , pp. 234, 235.
spake :
my daughter
long
" I had determined that
should continue to me a descending progeny, for the confirmation of my kingdom, and the solace of mine age ; but the succession is cut off, and mine hope is defeated by thee ; if therefore, thou wilt promise to me the heavenly kingdom, yet, not compel me unwillingly to receive baptism, my daughter shall become the servant of thyGod,evenasthouhastexhortedher; otherwise,willInotbeprevented in my desire, nor shall thy preaching prevail.
" =7 And the saint confiding in,
**
Lives of the Irish Saints," by a Cistercian Monk,
Aubrey De Vere bea—utifully resolves in :
Saints," vol, ii. , February
i. Also,
*s
verse her state of mind
No arduous was thing
II.
p.
*' See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
"Forher
ere she yet
QuintaAppendix xxiii. , p. 269.
ad Acta S.
" Patricii, cap.
faith,
heard
In heart believing ; and as when a babe Marks some bright shape, if near or far,
unknown,
And stretches forth a witless hand to
clasp
Phantom or form, even so with wild sur-
mise,
And guesses erring first, and questions
apt,
She chased the flying light, and round it
closed Atlast,andsubstancefoundit;"
" of Saint Patrick. " Saint Patrick Legends
and King Eochaidh, p. 151.
"''See this account in "Trias Thauma-
of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 180 to turga. " Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. iii,,
182, and n. (z), ibid. cap, vii. , p. 150, and n. 15, p. 184,
" The meaning is not, that it then be-
longed to the posterity of Neill, which was true, however, some ages after St. Patrick's
time. Then, it belonged to the Oirgiallians, who were a very potent clan or tribe in Ulster.
"3 He was called Cormac Caech, and he was father to Tuathal Maelgarbh, who was King of Ireland for eleven years, and who was slain in 538, by Maelmor, tutor of Diar- maidMacCearbhaill,whosucceeded. The AnnalsofUlsterplaceTuathal's deathat A. D. 543 ; those of Clonmacnoise at 547 ; those of
and the Chronicon Sco- torum have it 544. Dr. O'Donovan's thinks the latter is the true date. See "Annals
"^
See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- "^ The saint, knowing Eochaidh's heart.
Tighernach
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAIJSITS, 231
and committing all to, the Lord, faithfully promised what the king required,'^ forheknewhowProvidencehaddecreed. Topoeticlicencemustbeas- signed some portion of the following narrative, for elsewhere we cannot find its authentication. She resolves to embrace a religious life, but the king, who loves his daughter, will not consent to her leaving him, as his only son has been taken prisoner, and retained for a hostage by a neighbouring chief. ^9 As he speaks, however, his son returns, accompanied by a joyous embassy from his conqueror, who has been converted by Patrick, and bringing with him that king's daughter as his bride. 3° Eochaidh thereupon conforms to
Keine's desire, and consents to the conversion of his people. 3^ After the conversion of the virgin Cinnia, St. Patrick commended her to the care of the holy virgin Cathuberis,3=^ who first of all women in Ireland had received fromhimtheveil; andtowhom,beingplacedoverthemonasteryofDruim- dubhan,33 with a great multitude of virgins serving Christ, the saint himself addressed an exhortatory epistle. 34 The holy virgin Cuthuberis is also called Ethemoria,35inasubsequentpassagebyJocelyn. s^ St. Patrickthendeparts,
"which miracle had hardened more," ac- cepts his conditions, saying :—
** Far otherwise than in that way thou weet'st,
Thy daughter's prayers shall speed thee. With thy word
mirable biography, so pleasingly and so learnedly compiled, the incidents relating to St. Cinnia are taken from Jocelyn's account. See "A Popular Life of Saint Patrick,
Apostle and Patron of Ireland," chap, xiii. ,
pp. 185, 186.
3' The king even agreed to believe him-
I close, that word to frustrate. God be self, yet "upon conditions. " They were
with thee !
Thou living, I return not.
that he should be admitted to hea-
well. "
Fare thee
of Saint
;
Experience taught I love not rigid bond and written pledge. 'Tis well to brand mark on or
lamb :
are of lion breed and of my house Kings ;
'Tis known there never yet was king bap- tized.
This pact concluded, preach within my realm
faith and wed my daughter to thy Thy ;
God. "
—
Patrick," p. 159.
=8
"
Aubrey
De Vere's
"Legends
of Aubrey De Ve—re ;
and, in the words of
King Eochaidh
*' *
:
"
Sexta Vita S. Patri-
your sheep
See Jocelyn's or
cii," cap. Ixxix,, and n. 81, p. 1 12, ibid.
^^ So is the incident related, in the lines
Within three weeks my son was trapped and snared
By Aodh of Hy Briuin, him whose hosts Number my warriors fourfold. Three
—Aubrey De Vere's "Legends of Saint Patrick. " King Eochaidh's Choice, p. 159. 32 This is the name given to her by She is also called Cetamaria.
long years
Beyond west
those
mountains in the Lightly Eochaidh spoke
Hostage he lies.
'
Jocelyn.
See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History
purple
Andturned butshakenchinthat ;
betrayed
Which lived beneath his lightness.
grief
of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sec. iii. , p. 266.
33 This place was near Clogher. It has been incorrectly written Druim Duchain by
Sudden thronged High on the neighbouring hills a jubilant
some scribes. ^^- 34 In the Acts of St. Brigid, we find men- tion of a certain holy virgin called Kinna, Kinnia, Hymna, or Hinna. Yet, she was The midway vale resounded. Patrick probably distinct from the present saint.
*
and harp
spake : Rejoice, thy
comes
But in his hand a
princess,
fair and "
good,
Ibernese. " Libro Sesto, pp. 546, 547.
35 Colgan thinks she may be the St. Aedhamair, of whom notices have been
already given, at the i8th of January.
vSee Co'. cjan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ixxix. , clxxxviii,, pp. 83, 107.
A kingdom
for her
dowry. '
these
ven, but should be exempted from baptism.
-.
See Abbate D. Giacomo Certani's "La
son returns not sole he Santita Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida !
troop,
Their banners waving, while with horn
—"Legends of Saint Patrick. " Saint Pa- trick and King Eochaidh, pp. 154, 155.
3° In the Rev. Michael O'Farreli's ad- J.
3^
232
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS
[February i.
and Kein^ prays unceasingly for her father in her convent, ruled by Ethembria,
" Green Erin's earliest nun. " ^
Here, too, with many religious sisters, St. Cinnia was constantly engaged, laying up treasures for Heaven. s^ We find the name of that holy abbess, under whom she lived, varied to Cetemaria 39 and to Cechtumbar. 40 It has been conjectured, that the foregoing forms have to a certain extent been changed, owing to the oversight of scribes when copying manuscripts. -*^ Many years aftenvards, King Echu was called out of this life ; but, knowing his hour was approaching, a request was made to preserve his body from burial, until St. Patrick had come to him from Sabhall-Patrick, in the eastern parts of Ulster. 42 The holy Apostle, in like manner, had a revelation, that Eochu was about to die, and he resolved on setting out for Clochar-mac- Damhain. The king had been four-and-twenty hours dead, on his arrival there ; but, Patrick went into the house, where his dead body lay, and he ordered the attendants to leave it. 43
37 Aubrey De Vere's " Legends of Saint Patrick. " St. PatrickandKingEochaidh, p. 160.
Upon his bed, and lay with eyes half closed
Murmuring at times one prayer, five words
or six
Then like an infant slumbered till the sun,
Sinking beneath a great cloud's fiery skirt.
Smote his old in his eyelids. Waking,
ears
"Whispered the ripening corn-fields 'neath
the breeze,
For wide were all the casements, that the
soul
By death delivered hindrance none might
3^ See
nise," Februarii i.
** Acta Sanctorum Hiber- De S. Cinnia sive Kin-
brey
poem, intituled, "*
spake Nought fields
Colgan's
;
nia, Virgine, cap. iv. , p. 235.
35 See "Trias " Colgan's Thaumaturga.
Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars iii. , cap. vii. , p. 150.
4° See Miss M. F. Cusack's «* Life of St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 453.
4' See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ixxix. , and n. 83, pp. 83, 112.
4" This incident is thus expressed in Au-
find
(Careful of this the king) ;
and thus he
De Vere's
trick and King Eochaid
"
— Saint Pa-
"The leech beside the bed Sobbed where he stood, yet swore,
*
The
Of harvest, waving wide from hill to hill,
All bread-full for my people. Hale me forth :
When I have looked once more upon that sight,
My blessing I will give them and depart. '
Then in the fields they laid him, and he spake :
fit will
Ten years the king may live. '
frowned : *
My
grandsire
died at
sixty-nine.
my people
!
word
His hands down-falling back once more
he sank.
Andlayasdead; yet,sudden,risingnot,
Nor moving, nor his eyes unclosing, said :
*
Mybodyinthetombofancientkings ^ Inter not till beside it Patrick stands, And looks upon my brow. ' A little sigh Then breathed the king, and died. "
—"Legends of Saint Patrick," pp. 162 to
164.
« See Miss M. F. Cusack's " Life of St.
Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 454.
pass
:
Shall I, thy fame to patch, live ten years
more,
My death-time come ?
are sped :
My seventy years
sire and
Like Aodh, shall I lengthen out my days
Toothless, nor fit to vindicate my clan, Some losel's song ? The kingdom is my
son's
Strike from my little milk-white horse
theshoes,
And loose him where the freshets make
* He that to May
sends the
With that
themead
Greenest in Spring-tide. ere long ;
He must die
And not to him did Patrick open Heaven. Praise be to Patrick's God ! May He my
sins, Known and
' !
:
ever raised
my
heart to God like
unknown, forgive
Backward he sank
Eochaidh
He then bent his knees and shed tears,
:
bread
Send grace to all who eat it !
'
^)
February i.
while he
kingship of the country, or to enter Heaven immediately, if he preferred it.
the
sovereignty
rae, and though I might live for many years, I should count all as nothing
in comparison with the good shown to me. Hence it is, I pray the more to be delivered from miseries of this present life, and be sent to those eternal
exhibited to me. '' ^s Patrick then " Go in joys said,
The " king said,
Though
of this entire
globe44
were to given
At first
*' Saul of Patrick
The king had sickened. he sent,
Message none
spake :
Soul from the dead sent back to earth
Though knowing all ; had come,
and when the end
once more,
What seek'st thou from God's Church ?
He answer made, ''
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
"
233
in an audible
Almighty God. " At this command, the king arose, while the grief and la- mentations of his people were changed to joy. Forthwith Patrick instructed thekingintheFaith,andafterwardsbaptizedhim. ThentheApostleasked Eochod, to describe the pains of the impious and the happiness of the saints, to confirm the people present in the doctrine which had been preached to them. The king did as he had been directed. Afterwards, Patrick offered him a choice, either to live piously and truthfully fifteen years in the chief
prayed
voice,
Rise,
peace,
the Lord. " ^^ Echu or Eochad gave thanks to God, in the presence of his
** The writer had a knowledge of the
The hoar head gazing forth. Upon the face
Had passed a change, the greatest earth may know ;
For what the majesty of death began The majesties of worlds unseen and life
Resurgent ere its time had perfected ;
All accidents of flesh and sorrowful years
earth's rotundity, as here evinced. ''
45 See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niae," Februarii i. De S. Cinnia sive Kinnia,
Virgine, cap. v. , p. 235.
4'' The whole foregoing narrative is ele-
gantly rendered into blank verse by Aubrey De Vere. Towards its conclusion, the lines run as follows :—
"Far away, dwelt the saint when
Cancelled and
quelled.
Yet horror from
And heralds now besought him day by
day,
No answer made he till o'er Eastern seas Advanced the third fair morning. Then
Baptism. ThenPatricko'erhimpoured
he rose,
And took the Staff of
Stood by the old dead king, and on his
brow
Fixed a sad eye.
vii. , and n. 99, pp. 460, 461, 462. '* **
See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Iliber- niae," i. Februarii. Vita S. Derlugdachae, pp. 229, 230, and nn. 5, 6, 7, ibid.
-^ This is the date, noted by Rev. S. Bar- ""
ing-Gould. See Lives of the Saints," vol.
ii. , February i. , p. 22. ^^ "
See Civil and Ecclesiastical History of Scotland," book ii. , sec. ix. , p. 128.
"9 See "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
pp. 321, 322.
30 Edited by Rev, Dr. Kelly, p. xiv.
3» See " Historige Catholicse Ibemise
Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. ,
p. 49.
3^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
36, 37.
33 For further notices, the reader is re-
ferred to that date.
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 229
date, the particulars of this holy woman's Acts have been noticed, in various collections of Saints' Lives. Thus, O'Sullivan Beare alludes to St. Cinnia. ^ Father John Colgan has an account of her, in his great national work. '* TheBollandistspresenttheActsofSt. Cinnia,orKinnia,virgin,in three paragraphs. 3 Under the name Kiennta, the Irish Cistercian Monk has noticed this saint. ^ The Rev. Alban Butler has devoted a short para- graph to record her. s Mrs. Anastasia O'Byme gives some brief notices of
this saint. *^ Our — to a noble and
ful hou
or Cinne as this
woman is
—se.
Kinnia, Cinnia,7
Patrick, lib. v. , cap. ii.
the son of Muredach, was King of Ultonia, whereas the present Eochaidh was King of
Oirgiell.
^^
Also a ruler over Orgiell.
^3 He in like manner was the son of Deo*
dat, son of Rochad, son to Colla Dachrioch, according to the " Menelogic Sanctilogy,"
chap. xiii. St. Cinnia's sister, Derfraechia, orDerrichia,hasalikepedigree. Shewas mother to St. Tigernach of Clones. See
Drs. Todd and " of Reeves, Martyrology.
Donegal," pp. 94, 95.
'* He was destined to die, prematurely
without leaving any heir to succeed him.
distinguished subject belonged
very
power- holy variedly styled^ was the daughter of Echa, Eochaidh or Eochod,9 son of Crim- thann,^° and who ruled over a very extensive tract of country, in the northern parts of Ireland. " This district was known as Orgiell. Her grandfather
was named Crimthann," the son of Fieg. ^3 He gave name to a family, known as the Hy-Crimthann, formerly very powerful in Ulster. King Echa or Echu had two sons and two daughters. One of his sons, Bressal, re- mained unconverted, at the preaching of St. Patrick ; and, thus, he incurred Divine displeasure, in a very remarkable manner. ^-^ The other son, Carbre,^5 surnamed Damh-airgid, became a convert, when St. Patrick preached the
Gospel, near Clogher. He sought the grace of baptism, and the Irish Apostle prophesied, that he should abound in wealth and temporal pros-
perity ; while blessed by God, he was proclaimed, likewise, the father of several princes^^ and saints of OrgielV7 who should descend from him. ''^
Cinnia, also, had a sister, named Derfraechia or Derrichia,^s> who is aggregated Article hi. —^ In his Acts of St. Catillus. Lib. v. , cap. iii. Now Eochaidh,
^
Februarii. Acta S. Cinnia, sive Kinnia,
Virgine, pp. 234, 235. This is gleaned from various sources, and it is illustrated by notes.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , i.
Februarii. Vita S. Cinnise, pp. 96, 97.
* See " Lives of the Irish Saints," p. II.
s See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs
See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," i.
and Other ruary i.
"^
Principal
Saints," vol. ii. , Feb-
See "Saints of Ireland," February i. , pp. 18, 19.
7 The letter c before z, in Irish, has the sound of k in English.
^ The present virgin has sometimes been called—incorrectly, however—the sister of
See O'Flaherty's Ixxvi,, p. 364.
"
Ogygia,"pars iii. , cap.
St. Patrick.
"
Cynnenum means Cinna-
^5 He had seven sons, the following of whom I find named in O'Flaherty. Dami- nus, Natsluagh, Cormac, Longseach, Ud- hirus, Imchad. Set ibid. , p. 365.
naomh, or holy Cynna or Cynnia. Being of royal parentage she was also called
Ricinne or Richinne, i. e. , royal Cynna. From Richinne was formed Richell—a, an- other pretended sister of the saint. " Rev.
"
Michael J. O'Farrell's
Patrick, Apostle and Patron of Ireland,"
^^
whom the MacMahons sprung, and Cormac,
Popular Life of St.
from whom the Maguires descended, are al-
luded to by Colgan.
^7 See the names and pedigree of several
in Appendix ad Acta S. Endsei, cap. iv. , pp. "
chap, xiii. , n. , p. 186. New York, 1863, 713, 714. Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hi-
i2mo.
9 The name is Latinized Echodius. See
Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sec. iii. , p. 266. '° See Miss Mary F. Cusack's "Life of
St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 453.
" O'Sullevan Beare, in his Acts of St. Patrick, has committed a mistake, in calling
Eochaidh's father Muredach and his brother
berniae. "
^^ See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars iii. , cap. vi. , p. 150.
*9 Her feast is assigned to the 23rd of
March, or to the nth of November. See
Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xxi. Martii. Vita S. Endsei. Appendix, cap.
iv. , p- 713-
Only two of his sons, Natsluagh, from
230 LIVES OF 2HE IRISH SAINTS. [February i.
tothecompanyofsaintedIrishwomen. St. Kinniaissaidtohavereceived baptism at the hands of St. Patrick. ^° This holy Cinnia was not alone numbered among the Irish Apostle's converts to the Faith ; but, she even took the veil of virginity from his hands, and, consequently, she may be re-
garded as one of his spiritual children.
=^^
In the Acts of St. Patrick are re-
lated the following incidents. When he came unto the country of Neyll,''"
as afterwards called, a king named Echu, was the reigning dynast of a parti-
cular district. He belonged to the family of Oirgiell, and his whole house seemed to be moved with varied emotions, at the approach of the strange missionary. Her father wished his daughter Cinnia to espouse a certain Cormac,^3 son of Carbre, and descended from the great Niell, King of Ire- land. Some holy instinct urged her to refuse her consent, as she was des- tined for a nobler spouse. ^* Providence at last brought a release from these importunities. When Saint Patrick, on his first arrival in the territory about Clogher, met the king's daughter, Keine, in the forest, he preached to the innocent girl, who yearned after divine love, though as yet she knew it not. ^s The illustrious Apostle soon became acquainted with the happy dispositions ofthisyoungmaiden. TheDynastEchuhadintendedatafittingtime,to give in a suitable marriage contract,^^ his beloved daughter, Cynnia. This damsel unfolded to the saint her father's purpose, and he exhorted her to deserve the reward of virginity even an hundred-fold. Therefore, rejecting worldly nuptials, she determined to give herself an undefiled offering to her celestial spouse, and to cherish him in her heart. The king, beholding her thus steadily to preserve her virgin purity, called to him the saint, and thus
"» See Rev. Alban Butler's *' Lives of the niae," Februarii i. De S. Cinnia sive Kin- Fathers, Martyrs and Other Principal nia, Virgine, sec. i. , ii. , iii. , pp. 234, 235.
spake :
my daughter
long
" I had determined that
should continue to me a descending progeny, for the confirmation of my kingdom, and the solace of mine age ; but the succession is cut off, and mine hope is defeated by thee ; if therefore, thou wilt promise to me the heavenly kingdom, yet, not compel me unwillingly to receive baptism, my daughter shall become the servant of thyGod,evenasthouhastexhortedher; otherwise,willInotbeprevented in my desire, nor shall thy preaching prevail.
" =7 And the saint confiding in,
**
Lives of the Irish Saints," by a Cistercian Monk,
Aubrey De Vere bea—utifully resolves in :
Saints," vol, ii. , February
i. Also,
*s
verse her state of mind
No arduous was thing
II.
p.
*' See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
"Forher
ere she yet
QuintaAppendix xxiii. , p. 269.
ad Acta S.
" Patricii, cap.
faith,
heard
In heart believing ; and as when a babe Marks some bright shape, if near or far,
unknown,
And stretches forth a witless hand to
clasp
Phantom or form, even so with wild sur-
mise,
And guesses erring first, and questions
apt,
She chased the flying light, and round it
closed Atlast,andsubstancefoundit;"
" of Saint Patrick. " Saint Patrick Legends
and King Eochaidh, p. 151.
"''See this account in "Trias Thauma-
of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 180 to turga. " Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. iii,,
182, and n. (z), ibid. cap, vii. , p. 150, and n. 15, p. 184,
" The meaning is not, that it then be-
longed to the posterity of Neill, which was true, however, some ages after St. Patrick's
time. Then, it belonged to the Oirgiallians, who were a very potent clan or tribe in Ulster.
"3 He was called Cormac Caech, and he was father to Tuathal Maelgarbh, who was King of Ireland for eleven years, and who was slain in 538, by Maelmor, tutor of Diar- maidMacCearbhaill,whosucceeded. The AnnalsofUlsterplaceTuathal's deathat A. D. 543 ; those of Clonmacnoise at 547 ; those of
and the Chronicon Sco- torum have it 544. Dr. O'Donovan's thinks the latter is the true date. See "Annals
"^
See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- "^ The saint, knowing Eochaidh's heart.
Tighernach
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAIJSITS, 231
and committing all to, the Lord, faithfully promised what the king required,'^ forheknewhowProvidencehaddecreed. Topoeticlicencemustbeas- signed some portion of the following narrative, for elsewhere we cannot find its authentication. She resolves to embrace a religious life, but the king, who loves his daughter, will not consent to her leaving him, as his only son has been taken prisoner, and retained for a hostage by a neighbouring chief. ^9 As he speaks, however, his son returns, accompanied by a joyous embassy from his conqueror, who has been converted by Patrick, and bringing with him that king's daughter as his bride. 3° Eochaidh thereupon conforms to
Keine's desire, and consents to the conversion of his people. 3^ After the conversion of the virgin Cinnia, St. Patrick commended her to the care of the holy virgin Cathuberis,3=^ who first of all women in Ireland had received fromhimtheveil; andtowhom,beingplacedoverthemonasteryofDruim- dubhan,33 with a great multitude of virgins serving Christ, the saint himself addressed an exhortatory epistle. 34 The holy virgin Cuthuberis is also called Ethemoria,35inasubsequentpassagebyJocelyn. s^ St. Patrickthendeparts,
"which miracle had hardened more," ac- cepts his conditions, saying :—
** Far otherwise than in that way thou weet'st,
Thy daughter's prayers shall speed thee. With thy word
mirable biography, so pleasingly and so learnedly compiled, the incidents relating to St. Cinnia are taken from Jocelyn's account. See "A Popular Life of Saint Patrick,
Apostle and Patron of Ireland," chap, xiii. ,
pp. 185, 186.
3' The king even agreed to believe him-
I close, that word to frustrate. God be self, yet "upon conditions. " They were
with thee !
Thou living, I return not.
that he should be admitted to hea-
well. "
Fare thee
of Saint
;
Experience taught I love not rigid bond and written pledge. 'Tis well to brand mark on or
lamb :
are of lion breed and of my house Kings ;
'Tis known there never yet was king bap- tized.
This pact concluded, preach within my realm
faith and wed my daughter to thy Thy ;
God. "
—
Patrick," p. 159.
=8
"
Aubrey
De Vere's
"Legends
of Aubrey De Ve—re ;
and, in the words of
King Eochaidh
*' *
:
"
Sexta Vita S. Patri-
your sheep
See Jocelyn's or
cii," cap. Ixxix,, and n. 81, p. 1 12, ibid.
^^ So is the incident related, in the lines
Within three weeks my son was trapped and snared
By Aodh of Hy Briuin, him whose hosts Number my warriors fourfold. Three
—Aubrey De Vere's "Legends of Saint Patrick. " King Eochaidh's Choice, p. 159. 32 This is the name given to her by She is also called Cetamaria.
long years
Beyond west
those
mountains in the Lightly Eochaidh spoke
Hostage he lies.
'
Jocelyn.
See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History
purple
Andturned butshakenchinthat ;
betrayed
Which lived beneath his lightness.
grief
of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sec. iii. , p. 266.
33 This place was near Clogher. It has been incorrectly written Druim Duchain by
Sudden thronged High on the neighbouring hills a jubilant
some scribes. ^^- 34 In the Acts of St. Brigid, we find men- tion of a certain holy virgin called Kinna, Kinnia, Hymna, or Hinna. Yet, she was The midway vale resounded. Patrick probably distinct from the present saint.
*
and harp
spake : Rejoice, thy
comes
But in his hand a
princess,
fair and "
good,
Ibernese. " Libro Sesto, pp. 546, 547.
35 Colgan thinks she may be the St. Aedhamair, of whom notices have been
already given, at the i8th of January.
vSee Co'. cjan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ixxix. , clxxxviii,, pp. 83, 107.
A kingdom
for her
dowry. '
these
ven, but should be exempted from baptism.
-.
See Abbate D. Giacomo Certani's "La
son returns not sole he Santita Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida !
troop,
Their banners waving, while with horn
—"Legends of Saint Patrick. " Saint Pa- trick and King Eochaidh, pp. 154, 155.
3° In the Rev. Michael O'Farreli's ad- J.
3^
232
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS
[February i.
and Kein^ prays unceasingly for her father in her convent, ruled by Ethembria,
" Green Erin's earliest nun. " ^
Here, too, with many religious sisters, St. Cinnia was constantly engaged, laying up treasures for Heaven. s^ We find the name of that holy abbess, under whom she lived, varied to Cetemaria 39 and to Cechtumbar. 40 It has been conjectured, that the foregoing forms have to a certain extent been changed, owing to the oversight of scribes when copying manuscripts. -*^ Many years aftenvards, King Echu was called out of this life ; but, knowing his hour was approaching, a request was made to preserve his body from burial, until St. Patrick had come to him from Sabhall-Patrick, in the eastern parts of Ulster. 42 The holy Apostle, in like manner, had a revelation, that Eochu was about to die, and he resolved on setting out for Clochar-mac- Damhain. The king had been four-and-twenty hours dead, on his arrival there ; but, Patrick went into the house, where his dead body lay, and he ordered the attendants to leave it. 43
37 Aubrey De Vere's " Legends of Saint Patrick. " St. PatrickandKingEochaidh, p. 160.
Upon his bed, and lay with eyes half closed
Murmuring at times one prayer, five words
or six
Then like an infant slumbered till the sun,
Sinking beneath a great cloud's fiery skirt.
Smote his old in his eyelids. Waking,
ears
"Whispered the ripening corn-fields 'neath
the breeze,
For wide were all the casements, that the
soul
By death delivered hindrance none might
3^ See
nise," Februarii i.
** Acta Sanctorum Hiber- De S. Cinnia sive Kin-
brey
poem, intituled, "*
spake Nought fields
Colgan's
;
nia, Virgine, cap. iv. , p. 235.
35 See "Trias " Colgan's Thaumaturga.
Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars iii. , cap. vii. , p. 150.
4° See Miss M. F. Cusack's «* Life of St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 453.
4' See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ixxix. , and n. 83, pp. 83, 112.
4" This incident is thus expressed in Au-
find
(Careful of this the king) ;
and thus he
De Vere's
trick and King Eochaid
"
— Saint Pa-
"The leech beside the bed Sobbed where he stood, yet swore,
*
The
Of harvest, waving wide from hill to hill,
All bread-full for my people. Hale me forth :
When I have looked once more upon that sight,
My blessing I will give them and depart. '
Then in the fields they laid him, and he spake :
fit will
Ten years the king may live. '
frowned : *
My
grandsire
died at
sixty-nine.
my people
!
word
His hands down-falling back once more
he sank.
Andlayasdead; yet,sudden,risingnot,
Nor moving, nor his eyes unclosing, said :
*
Mybodyinthetombofancientkings ^ Inter not till beside it Patrick stands, And looks upon my brow. ' A little sigh Then breathed the king, and died. "
—"Legends of Saint Patrick," pp. 162 to
164.
« See Miss M. F. Cusack's " Life of St.
Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 454.
pass
:
Shall I, thy fame to patch, live ten years
more,
My death-time come ?
are sped :
My seventy years
sire and
Like Aodh, shall I lengthen out my days
Toothless, nor fit to vindicate my clan, Some losel's song ? The kingdom is my
son's
Strike from my little milk-white horse
theshoes,
And loose him where the freshets make
* He that to May
sends the
With that
themead
Greenest in Spring-tide. ere long ;
He must die
And not to him did Patrick open Heaven. Praise be to Patrick's God ! May He my
sins, Known and
' !
:
ever raised
my
heart to God like
unknown, forgive
Backward he sank
Eochaidh
He then bent his knees and shed tears,
:
bread
Send grace to all who eat it !
'
^)
February i.
while he
kingship of the country, or to enter Heaven immediately, if he preferred it.
the
sovereignty
rae, and though I might live for many years, I should count all as nothing
in comparison with the good shown to me. Hence it is, I pray the more to be delivered from miseries of this present life, and be sent to those eternal
exhibited to me. '' ^s Patrick then " Go in joys said,
The " king said,
Though
of this entire
globe44
were to given
At first
*' Saul of Patrick
The king had sickened. he sent,
Message none
spake :
Soul from the dead sent back to earth
Though knowing all ; had come,
and when the end
once more,
What seek'st thou from God's Church ?
He answer made, ''
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
"
233
in an audible
Almighty God. " At this command, the king arose, while the grief and la- mentations of his people were changed to joy. Forthwith Patrick instructed thekingintheFaith,andafterwardsbaptizedhim. ThentheApostleasked Eochod, to describe the pains of the impious and the happiness of the saints, to confirm the people present in the doctrine which had been preached to them. The king did as he had been directed. Afterwards, Patrick offered him a choice, either to live piously and truthfully fifteen years in the chief
prayed
voice,
Rise,
peace,
the Lord. " ^^ Echu or Eochad gave thanks to God, in the presence of his
** The writer had a knowledge of the
The hoar head gazing forth. Upon the face
Had passed a change, the greatest earth may know ;
For what the majesty of death began The majesties of worlds unseen and life
Resurgent ere its time had perfected ;
All accidents of flesh and sorrowful years
earth's rotundity, as here evinced. ''
45 See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niae," Februarii i. De S. Cinnia sive Kinnia,
Virgine, cap. v. , p. 235.
4'' The whole foregoing narrative is ele-
gantly rendered into blank verse by Aubrey De Vere. Towards its conclusion, the lines run as follows :—
"Far away, dwelt the saint when
Cancelled and
quelled.
Yet horror from
And heralds now besought him day by
day,
No answer made he till o'er Eastern seas Advanced the third fair morning. Then
Baptism. ThenPatricko'erhimpoured
he rose,
And took the Staff of
Stood by the old dead king, and on his
brow
Fixed a sad eye.
