No More Learning

Colgan's time of his youth. Yet, Colgan says, he n. 9, p. 52.
was not altogether certain these accounts refer to our St. Diermit; especially since, in the Life of St. Patrick (lib. i. , cap. 21. ),
it is written, that St. Diermit, who baptized St. Kieran, was also a disciple of St. Patrick. Therefore, he was unwilling to insert in this saint's Acts, those edifying particulars re-
'' In a note Dr. Todd says, regarding Cealtair Diehill, "This poem, and also the Lorica of Colum-Cille, mentioned here, are extant in the Bruxelles MS. , which contains the Felire of ^ngus, and the Martyrologies ofMarianusO'GormanandTamlacht," One named Dichill probably wrote it.
'^
" Acta Sanctorum
Hibemiae,"
January io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 155
uponme,"&c. But,"Theyshallprotectmeagainsteverydanger,"wasthe beginning of what Diarmaid composed,^" as we are informed.
CHAPTER II.
ST. DIARMAID RETIRES TO INIS-CLOTHRANN—HE FOUNDS A MONASTERY THERE—HIS MANNER OF LIVING—HIS DEATH—POPULAR OPINIONS ABOUT THIS SAINT ON THE SHORES AROUND INCHCLERAUN—IVORY STATUE OF ST. DIERMIT—ST. DIERMAIT IS SAID TO HAVE FOUNDED A CHURCH AT FAUGHALSTOWN, IN THE COUNTY OF WEST- MEATH—HIS FESTIVAL AND COMMEMORATION—CONCLUSION-
Being desirous to secure solitude and the delights of heavenly contemplation, St. Diarmaid sought a retreat on Inis-Clotran Island, placed within Lough Ree,
andadjoiningthefore-shoreofthepresentcountyofLongford. ' Itwasa suitable spot for religious retirement. * Here, surrounded by the spreading watersoftheShannon,heerectedamonastery. Itafterwardsbecamefamous, on account of many persons, distinguished for their learning and piety, who were found within its enclosure. 3 St. Diermit was abbot over the community here,andwhichhehadcollectedaroundhim. Whilstonthisisland,wemay suppose, without giving much credence to fabulous accounts, regarding the manner in which their transmissions up and down the Shannon were made, that frequent interchanges of friendship took place between the holy abbots of Inis Clotran and Iniscathy. ^ The foundation of our saint's monastery is referred to about the year 540. S In a note, Dr. Lanigan seems to hesitate as to whether or not our saint flourished at such an early period. ^ The year of
^ In an Irish note, found in the table ap-
pended to the Martyrology of Donegal, and
of which the following is an English trans-
lation, [" On Loch Ribh in Cuircne, and no of Clonmacnoise" and in those of All woman or young female child can touch his
Relig {sepulchral church). And a Saxon
heretic woman, who violated it, cried out
and died immediately. Inis Diarmada is
the name of the island, with many Religs
and monasteries. "] We thus obtain an idea
of the popular veneration paid this saint.
5ByDr. Lanigan. ThusthetimesofSt. Diermait are said to synchronize with those of St. Kieran of Clonmacnoise, who died A. D. 548 ; of St. Senan of Iniscathy, who died A. D. 544 ; and of St. Dagseus, who died AD. 586. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 184, 185, 212, 213.
*
Colgan maintains, that Diermit lived about this time. Ware places the founda- tion of Inisclothran in the first ages of the Irish Church. See "De Hibemia et Anti- quitatibus ejus," cap. xxvi. , p. 172. Harris assigns it to the fifth century. But according to what Colgan has collected concerning this saint, it must have been much later ; for he is said to have been descended in the seventh
generation from Dathy, King of Ireland. This monarch was killed about the year 427. Such circumstances would lead us to be- lieve that Diermit flourished later than
See ibid. , pp. 4—00, 401. '
Chapter ii. It is remarked by Colgan,
that between ancient Meath and Connaught,
the River Shannon here extends, and forms
a lake, studded with many islands, where
cells and hermitages of various saints for-
merly abounded.
^
At certain times, it is both difficult and dangerous to reach the islands on Lough Ree in an open boat. Wild waves curl over the surface of the lake, beating on its shores and islands, when high winds prevail, as the writer had experienced during a boating ex- cursion to some of its islands in i860.
3 After St. Diermit, there flourished and
reposed at Inis Clothran, St. Senach, ab- bot of this place, a. d. 719, whose feast occursonthe20thofApril; St. Eochodius, abbot, A. D. 780 ; St. Curoius, abbot, and a most learned doctor, A. D. 869 ; Aldus O'Finn, bishop, A. D. 1136; Nehemus
See Dr. " Ecclesias- Lanigan's
amanof a andan even O'Dunin, letters, poet
540.
excellent historian, who died on the 17th of December, A. D. 1160. Besides these, others are mentioned in the "Annals
Saints' Island. See also Dr. O' Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 318, 319, 386, 387, 514, 515; and vol. ii. ,
pp. 1052, 1053, 1 136, 1 137.
* Colgan has introduced some stanzas from
the metrical Life of St. Senan to illustrate St. Diermait's Acts.
156 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January io.
Diermait's death is not known ; but we have it recorded, he departed this Ufe in his monastery, at Inis Clotran,? the loth of Januaiy. On this day his feast is celebrated. ^ By one of our Martyrologists, Marianus O'Gorman, he is said to have been a bishop. 9 — —
ThepresentsituationofInis-Clothran nowcalledInchcleraun'° isad-
mirably distinguished with its antique remains on the Ordnance Survey Town- landMapsfortheCountyofLongford. " TheinhabitantsofCashelparish, in this district, call it the Seven Church Island," and consider it to have been the most important of those various islands on Lough Ree. ^3 The people about the shores have a very special veneration for St. Diermait, who is said to have blessed all the islands in the lake, except one, to which an
Irish name is This given.
" the island. " forgotten
in
Popular traditions abound, in connexion with the ruins of a church, Temple-
"
dermot, named after our saint, and the
for the desecration of which, a remarkable punishment befel the Quaker who resided on Inchcleraun. The boatman, who rowed Mr. O'Donovan over to this island, declared, that about six weeks previously he and tvvo others saw
plainly and distinctly in the noon-day, a tall and stately figure walk along the waves from Inchcleraun with a measured step, until this apparition disap- peared in the dim distance, near Athlone. The boatman and his companions believed the phantom to be St. Diermait, or some other early saint, connected with the island, and who had come to visit his old habitation on earth. '*
A beautiful ivory statue of St. Diermit, for a long time, had been preserved on the island. In order to save it from the Vandalism of Protestant Re- formers, it was buried in the earth. Afterwards, it was removed,'= by the brother of a regular priest. He wTote an account, concerning this discovery, to the Irish hagiologist. Father John Colgan. The name of this person has not been given, lest, as Colgan asserts, the Iconoclasts might be enabled to
tical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , §3, p. IO, and p. ii, n. 36.
^ Having mentioned the island of Inis-
commonly-called Clunes ; and whom that registry says, was buried there with St. Tigernach, first bishop of that see. But I
"On submitthispointtothe Inisclothrann, not far distant from the above, Harris' Ware, vol. i. ,
boffin, on Lough Ree, Brewer says :
enquiry
ofothers. "
about the year 540, which became famous for its schools, and the numerous learned
to, is that of Clones, a town within the
countyofMonaghan,anddioceseofClogher. »° It has likewise obtained the modem
name of Quaker's Island, from a person of that denomination formerly residing there.
" See sheet 21.
" In Irish, OileAn riA yQ&tz DceATn^vuLl.
See John O'Donovan's letter, dated Long-
ford. May 22nd, 1837. "Letters and Ex-
tracts containing Information relative to the
Antiquities of the County of Longford, col-
lected during the progress of the Ordnance
Survey in 1837," pp. 54, 56.
'3 The fullest account of Inis Clothran is
that subsequently written by Mr. O'Donovan,
when he had visited this island. See his
letter dated Strokestovvn, August 19th,
men who studied within the ment of its insulated walls. " of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 276.
retire- See "Beauties
^According to St. i^ngus, Marianus O'Gorman, and the Calendar of Cashel. These authorities give the names of his father, mother and their progenitors. Many other saints bore his name, and were from
the same part of the country. Concerning these, the reader is referred to a note already
given at the 6th of January, when treating about St. Diarmaid, Bishop of Airindh-In-
daich, art. iii. , note 5. Henry Fitzsimon,
the English Martyrology, and other authori-
ties also treat about Diermit, a disciple to
"
lative to the Antiquities of the County of
St. atthe of Adam- Columba, 3rd August. 1837.
Letters containing Information re-
nan often mentions the latter, in his Life of
"ActaSanctorum
Columba. See
Hibemiae," X. Januarii, n. 17, p. 52.
collected of during the progress
9
Colgan's
Roscommon,
the Ordnance Survey in 1837-8,^' vol. ii. , pp. 189 to 216, with a tracing of the island.
'*See ibid. , pp. 198, 199. *s In Colgan s time,
Speaking of this saint, a writer says : a church situated near Lough Erne, and
"This Dermod is he (as I think) whom the
Registry of Clogher calls Bishop of Cluain,
grateful
signifies
English
"Bishops of Kil- St. Dhiarmuit Naoimh founded an abbey, more," p. 226. The church, here alluded
clogas" or square belfry of Dermot,
January io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 157
discover St. Diermit's image, and subject it to their usual process of destruc- tion. '^
At an early period, it is said, the monastery known as Caille-Fochladha, now Foghly or Faghly, or Faughalstown, county of Westmeath, was probably founded by this St. Diermit. The abbey was charmingly situated on the northern brink of Lough Derryvaragh,'? and under the shadow of giant Knock-Eyen. '^ The old church measures 61 'feet, by 20 feet 9 inches. Eye cannot gaze on wilder or more gorgeous scenery than that presented from
the lone churchyard. A splendid panorama presents itself across the bright waters from Stonehall to Multifemham ; colossal proportions spread from Coolure to Crooked-wood ; and here scenic or antiquarian tastes may be thoroughly gratified. There was a holy well, dedicated to St. Diermit, An- glicized Darby. Formerly this was much frequented, on the annual recur- rence of his feast. It lay near the old church of Faughelstown. 's
Diermaid of Innsi-Clothrand, without any other designation, occurs in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^° at the loth of January. ^' Further particulars this day are recorded, in the Martyrology of Donegal,^^ regarding Diermad, Bishop of Inis-Clothrann, in Loch-Ribh. He belonged to the race pi Fiachra, son to Eochaidh Muighmheadhoin, according to the calendarists.
"
Also at the loth of January, the
passage of St. Diermait, confessor, to the Lord, in Ireland. ^3 In the Feilire of St. ^ngus, he is commemorated at this date. ^+ Besides, under the head of Inis Clothrann, for the loth of January, Duald Mac Firbis enters Diarmaid, bishop, from Inis-Clothrann, in Loch Ribh, who sprung from the race of Dathy, King of Erin ; and from Dedi, daughter to Trian, son of Dubhthach ua Lughair, chief bard of Erinn.
^'s
Resignation to the holy will of God is always a characteristic of the saintly contemplative. He lives only to love, and his resolutions have been taken from the loving words of the Apostle, "Whether we live, we live to the Lord, or whether we die, we die to the Lord ; therefore, whether we live or die, we belongtotheLord. " Sucharethereflectionsofeverygoodpriest,whether regular or secular, and of every devout nun, whether mingling in the world or retired in the cloister. An inexhaustible mine of rich thoughts, that cannot fail to become a source of joy to the mind of every pious laic should be the adoption of holy sentiments, which cannot fail to nourish fidelity to Christian
engagements.
By dwelling frequently on such meditations, the love of Saint
'* See
Colgan's
* ' Acta Sanctomm Hiber-
*^ The stania from the Leabhar following
Breac copy, R. I. A. , with its English trans- lation has been furnished by Professor
— of the Irish Catholic Univer- O'Looney
niae," X. Januarii. Vita S. Diermitii, cap.
vi. , and n. i8, p. 52. It may be asked, is
this curious and artistic relic of olden times
yet in existence ?
7.
sity :
C. ii'ii. it)
"
Maps of the County of Westmeath.
'7 See
Ordnance Survey Townland
"
'* "
See Rev. A. Cogan's Diocese of
Ailme irje ri-t>iclii\A
'OiA)\mAic Ircofe clochixAiro
Meath, Ancient and Modem," vol. iii. , chap. Ixxiv. , p. 569.
''See ibid. , vol. ii. , chap, xviii. , pp. 439 to' 441.
"»
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xii.
" After the entiy of eight foreign saints in the Franciscan copy, we have in the first
place T)ey\moci liifi cLoch.
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
Kalendar of the Scot-
C. iiii. id. I pray a fervent prayer
That they go not into the bad
place [hell]
Milid the chaste comely helmet Diarmait of Inis Clothrand.
'S "
See Proceedings of the Royal Irish
Academy," Irish MSS. series, vol. i. , par. ii. , pp. 114,115.
12, 13.
»3 Bishop Forbes'
" tish Saints," p. I.
Sheet
Kalendarium Drummondiense" notes the
riAch incecmA
uAnt) mibir> cait) cAin cAcVib<ii\T\
'oi\och
iS8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January io.
Diermait for his Lord and Master proved expressive in word and work. His
heart was filled to overflowing, and contemplation was evidently to him an in- exhaustible delight. Those who familiarize themselves with the spirit breathed
in religious meditations will not be surprised that such practices should have
been natural to him, who flew from all earthly distractions, that his soul might
anticipate the joys of angelic communion, feeling a sympathy with all good that God enjoins, and that maji is capable of performing in this world.
Article II. —St. Thomian, Toimen, Thomenus, or Thomanus, Archbishop of Armagh. {Seventh Century^ Called to a high and holy
trust this pious servant of God taught by precept and example, bearing fruit to-day in all those virtues which adorn the sanctuary throughout the length and breadth of the land. This distinguished prelate appears to have been bom before the close of the sixth century. He was the son of a noble or chief,calledRonan. Thefuturearchbishopgrewupingreatvirtue,andfrom early youth he was remarkable for attention to study. Afterwards he was ranked among the most erudite of his countrymen, during an age most fruitful intheproductionoflearnedmen. ' Colganhascollectedfromvarioussources, all that had been known regarding this distinguished prelate. '' So great was his reputation for piety and learning, that on the death of Mac-Laisir, Arch- bishop of Armagh, on the 12th of September,3 a. d. 622* or 623,5 Thomian
was elected
unanimous — to take
by suffrage possession
of this vacant see. the Psalter of Cashel which takes in Sechnal and Patrick the Elder St. Thomianisreckonedastheseventeenthbishopwhopresidedover the metropolitan diocese of Ireland. For a long term he ruled in a holy manner that flock consigned to his charge. The celebrated Paschal contro- versy,* to which allusion has been already made, urged Archbishop Thomian, with four other bishops and five abbots or priests, besides one called a doctor, to address a letter to the Holy See, a. d. 640. Their letter was conveyed to Romebymessengers; butaswecannotlearnanythingregardingtheexis- tence of this document, it seems impossible to pronounce what side the arch- bishop or the signatories took in reference to the question. Judging by that reply returned to them, their opinions can be only imperfectly inferred. 7 This holy archbishop is named first among the Irish clergy to whom the Vicar- Capitular and Roman clerics wrote in 640,^ regarding the proper method for celebrating Easter. 9 We find this holy archbishop's name written in a multi- form way. He is variedly called Thomian, Toimen, Toimene, Tommene, Thomenus, Tomyn, and Thomanus. It is likely, with his advanced years, he obtained additional respect from his clergy and their flocks under his care. He seems to have presided as Metropolitan for about thirty-eight
Follow—
ing
Art. II. —' See Venerable Bede's " His- toria Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. ii. ,
Primordia," p. 936, and
evidently a mistake for the 12th.
*
For a fuller account regarding the origin of this controversy, the reader is referred to the Life of St. Laserian, at the i8th of April,
"
" Harris' Ware, vol. i. ,
cap. 19. Ussher's
"
pp. 39,40.
" See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," x.
Januarii. Vita S. Thomiani, pp. 53, 54.
3 See notices of him at that date.
* At A. D. 622, the death of Mac Laisre is
5 In Harris' Ware, vol. " i. ,
7 Colgan thinks from these words,
mus quosdam Provinciae vestrse," it may be surmised that St. Thomian and many others in the Northern Province did not differ from the Romans in opinion, if not in practice, re* garding the Paschal celebration.
recorded in Dr. O'Donovan's Four Masters," vol.
Annals of the
Archbishops of Armagh," p. 39, his death is recorded at A. D. 623, on the 2nd of September. This is
ix. , 23. pp. 22,
Bishops of Armagh,"
"
i. , pp. 246, 247.
reperi-
Epistolarum
® See Ussher's " Veterum
Hibernicarum
» See the Life of St. Diman or Dima,
Sylloge," epist.
Bishop of Connor, at the 6th of January.
January io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 159
years, and at the time of his decease he was probably very old. According to the " Annals of Clonmacnoise," or the " Chronicon Scotorum,"'° he died A. D. 657; but according to those of Ulster,'' and of the Four Masters, he departedthislifeintheyearofourLord660. " InHarris'Ware,hisdeathis referred to 661. '3 His demise happened on the loth of January. This day was dedicated to the memory of Toimin, of Ardmacha, according to the Martyrology of Tallagh. '* Marianus O'Gorman likewise places him at the loth of January. 's At the same date, Tiomen, the successor of Patrick, is recordedintheMartyrologyofDonegal. '^ Itmaywellbeunderstoodofthis holy archbishop that he provided for all wants, while his thoughtful kindness anddelicateconsiderationforthefeeHngsofothersknewnobounds. Hehad anticipated the amiable spirit of St. Francis de Sales. If an act could be seen in a hundred lights, he never failed to view it in the most favourable one, and thus had charity towards the failings of others, with a love for God peculiarly his own.
Article III. —St. Diman or Diomman, of Inishkeen. The present saint must have flourished at an early period, for his name occurs, at this date, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. ' There the entry is Diman Innsi-Cain in the published copy ; and in the Franciscan manuscript, there is a nearly similar rendering. ^ In the Martyrology of Donegal,3 we find Diomman, of Inis-Caoin, recorded at the loth day of January. In the table postfixed to this Martyrology, the compiler has added a comment, at the entry of this saint's name, to see the similar names, and Dioma of Cluain-Caoin. '^ By this observation we are left to infer, that a doubt seems to have arisen regarding the present saint's identity with a St. Diomog of Cluain-Caoin,5 who was venerated in the county of Limerick, or with some other saint bearing this name. We find the death of a Dimma, who was a bishop, announced at A. D. 662;^ but we do not know the name of that see with which he was connected. Neither may we identify him with the present or any other saint of the name, for want of further knowledge. The rank or position the present holy man held in the Church has not transpired, and we have to search for his place, which seems to us most likely to be found in the northern province. There is a village denominated Inniskeen or Enniskeen, in the parish of Kinneigh, in :the western division of the barony of East Carbery, county of Cork, about eight miles west from Bandon. There is also an Enniskeen in the county of Cavan. 7 There are two parochial denominations of Inniskeen or Enniskeen. One of these^ is that situated^ partly in the baronies of Louth and Upper Dundalk, in the county of Louth
pp. 12, 13. — Art. ill.
'° See W. M. Hennessy's Edition, pp. 96, 97. O'Flaherty has added a note in the ori- ginal MS. , "661 a. d. "
'
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
" "a. d. 660, Tommene, Episcopus Ard- machse, defunctus est. "
p. xii.
* In the Franciscan copy DuninAM 1tiif
CAin occurs.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
12, 13.
4 See ibid. , pp. 402, 403.
5 His feast occurs on the 26th of
^See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
" See O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four
Masters," vol. i. , pp. 270, 271, and n. (z), ibid,
'3 See " p. 40.
of vol. Archbishops Armagh," ii,
April, Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 272, 273.
' Edited by Rev, Dr. Kelly, p. xii. In the Franciscan copy we read Comini at this day.
"
^ See
Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Ba* ronies of Ireland," p. 435.
^ Here some remains of an old church exist.
' This was generally called in our Annals
'5 See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Vita S.