William Reeves' "Ecclesiasti-
cal Antiquities of ^Down, Connor and Dro-
more," Appendix LL, pp.
cal Antiquities of ^Down, Connor and Dro-
more," Appendix LL, pp.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v4
569,
254
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 20.
Article VI. —St. Setrach, or Sedrach, Bishop. In the Martyro- logy of Tallagh,^ a St. Setrach, Bishop, is set down, on this day. There is no due, however, to the place where he Hved, or to the time when he flourished. We find mentioned, in the Martyrology of Donegalj^" that Sedrach, Bishop,hadvenerationpaidhim,atthisdate; and,. thisisalltherecord,we can find, in connexion with his memory.
Article VII. —Reputed Festival for the Translation of the Relics of St. Adelarius. {Eighth Century. '] The Translation of Adela- rius, born in Scotia, first Bishop of Hereford, and then Apostle of Franconia, who erected a monastery for his Scots, is a feast we find placed, at the 20th ofApril,byThomasDempster;' while,thesamewritermakeshimoneofthe companions of St. Boniface, whose martyrdom took place, on the Sth of Tune. ' To this latter date, his chief festival is referred ;
although, weare told, that one eminent writer has the Natalis of St. Adelarius, at the 20th of
TheBoUandists noticehim,atthisdate,also,andremark,thathe
April. 3
is venerated in several Martyrologies, chiefly of the more recent dates. In the Breviary of Hereford,5 his Ecclesiastical Office is set down as a double. There seems to have been a Translation of his relics, as likewise an inspec- tion of these, made in 1633 ; and, some accounts regarding these events, have been committed to writing. This holy Martyr flourished, in the eighth
century.
ArticleVIII. —FestivalofHerodius. Wefind,intheFeilireofSt.
^ngus,' the feast of Herodius, Martyr, set down in the Stanza, for the_20th of Apri'l,^ and, as an appendage, a festival at Rome, in honour of Martin, is given. 3 At this date, we do not find, in the BoUandists' great collection, any notice of a Martyr, or Saint, called Herodius, so that it is difficult to find, in what part of the world he had been venerated.
Article VI . —'Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p xxi. The Franciscan copy has SeDt\Ac e^rp.
» Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
5 This was printed, in 15x8. Arti"cle viii. — In the
Leabhar
106,107. " Article vil—* In his
Ucer^tj hei\ot> Ct\uimchii\ ci\och'oA X^<^1^"*""1^^"DAile noemtieoi\ApAuiLe.
Menologium Scotorum,"wefind; xx. "HeifordiKAde- larii episcopi primi translalio, qui Fran- conis Apostolus, Scolis suis monasterium
cuiLe
erexit "—Bi-^hop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scotti^sh Saints," p. 197- .
" With (the) suffering of Herodius a pnest
'
See Dempster's
right
' A marginal commentary is also found :
Gentis Scotorum," tomusi. , lib. i. , o
« Laces ad herodi 7rl. comune solemne sanc-
^*
" IHstoria Ecclesiastica
^'
^\° <^TM7'^"^ '^'f r"^f'i'^"
Tt! '"
num. 33,
3 These are the words of Dempster :— torum hiberniae et britanis et totius eorapae
" Colitur die v. Tunii, quo passus, et trans- latio XX. April. Petius Cratepolius, Uvion lib II Lie Vitae cap. XLI. Male Tiithem, lib", iv! Vir. illustr. Ord. S. Bened. , cap. CXXCIII. ei natalem assignat xx Aprilis. "- jl^. j
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Ap- rilis XX. Among the pretermitted feasts, P-744-
et specialiter martini.
Breac
copy we read :—
'"
noble town ! -of all Europe s saints.
3 this is a comment, >" Following
Ir'fh, and thus translated into English, by Whitley
Stokes, LL. D. :_" A great tree was in the world in the east, and the heathen used to adore it, and the Christians fasted against all the saints of Europe that the tree might fall, and forthwith it fell.
April 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
255
Ctuentp-firsit ©ap of apri'U
ARTICLE I. —ST. MAELRUBIUS, OR MAOLRUBHA, OF BANGOR, COUNTY OF DOWN, AND OF APPLECROSS, SCOTLAND.
[SEVENTH AND EIGHTH CENTURIES. ^
in Scottish Ecclesiastical History, there is no other saint
if we except Columkille'—whose life-particuiars are marked with greater exactness, than are those of St. Maelrubha, or whose commemorations are more numerous, especially in the west of Scotland ; yet, only a few years have elapsed, since any correct account of him has appeared. Thefirst attempt of this kind was m a communication to the " Irish Ecclesiastical Journal,'" by the Rev. Dr. William Reeves. Thus, the history of St. Maelrubha has
gamed very considerable illustration, from that distinguished Irish ecclesias- ticalhistorianandantiquary. Thisnoticehasreceivedlateradditions,3from the same writer,'* who alterwards had an opportunity, for visiting the scenes of St. Maelrubha's labours, and for studying Scottish works, bearing on the in-
dividual and on his age. s More recently, Bishop Forbes « has entries regarding this saint. Some notices of Maolrubha are contained, in the Rev. Alban Butler's work,? at this date ; but, the saint is represented as being of Abur- Crossain, and this most incorrectly is placed, in the county of Ross, in Ire- land. Now, it is well known, there is no county bearing that name in Ireland. Moreover, the Rev. Alban Butler incorrectly states, that his festival was kept m Connaught,and that he was slain, by Norwegian pirates, in 721.
This saint had been descended, on the father's side, from the Cinel- Eoghain family ;« and subordinately, through that branch, called the Cinel Binnigh. This clan, at an early period, had obtained a settlement, in the south-eastern part of the present county of Londonderry, where they gave name to a particular district. ' Maelrubha was the son of Elganach, son to Garbh, son of Ollarbach, son to Cuboirenn, son of Crimthann, son to Eochaidh Binnigh," son of Eoghan," son to the celebrated Niall of the Nine
ALTHOUGH
Article i. — His Life will be found, at the 9th of June.
In vol. v. , July, 1849, num. 108, p.
,v ^
*9f-,. J. 1 ,.
It need scarcely be observed, the sub- stance of this exhaustive account has mainly
furnished the notices, we have inserted, in the
' See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
other principal saints," vol. iv. , April xxi.
He refers to Colgan's Manuscripts.
*5f3- See
Breac copy of
. Proceedmgs of the Society of An- tiquanes of Scotland," voL iii. Rev. Dr. Reeves' St. Maelrubha : His History and Churches, Commun. caUon 11. , pp. 258 to
"' Article.
'He dates from the Vicarage, Lusk,
April 20th, 1859. His communication was r^ before the Society, Tuesday, 14th June,
so stated.
" Until 1591, it belonged to the princi-
pality of Tyrone. It comprehended all the modern barony of Loughinsholin, west of the River Bann. It is now comprised, in the
County of Londonderry.
" Krom him the Cinel Binny descended
Pfff
of Tyrone* which extended to Tullaghoge on the south' It gave name to a rural deanery in the diocese of Derry, called Bynnagh or Ben- ""E^- Se« "Acts of Archbishop Coiton in his Metropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of Derry, A. D. Mcccxcvii," edited by the
»e„tr, J , ^ P- 302.
.
bee Kalendars of the Scottish Saints,"
.
*
In a to the Leabhar gloss
the Felire Unguis, at the 21st of April,.
i'
»U
Their was a sub-division territory
t "
i
2s6
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 21.
His mother was named Subtaire, according to a commentator's the scholiast^ on the Leabhar Breac version of the Feilire of St. . ^ngus,callsherSublhan and,shewasthedaughterofSetna,''shebeingthe
Hostages. authority ;
;
sister—other accounts have it the kinswoman—to St. Comhgall, Abbot
of Bangor. 'J This statement of his parentage, however, involves a difficulty ; for, Congall died, a. d. 601, or 602, at the age of ninety years, while Maolruba wasborn,a. d. 641,'•or642. 'S TheAbbeyofBangorwasthecradleofmany holy monks, and it was recognised, as the head of various other religious houses,fromthetimeofitsfoundation,toamuchlaterperiod. '^ Subtanwas the daugliter of Setna,"' or Sedna, who was son to Eochaidh, son of Brian, son to Forgo, son of Ernan, son of Crimthann, son of Lughaidh. '* St. Maol- rubha is said to have been born, on the nth or 12th of January, a. d. 641. '9 However, the accurate Annalist, Tighernach, determines^" the correct date
to be, the 3rd day of that month, a. d. 642.
According to the national usage of family association, St. Maelrubha be-
came a member of St. Comgall's^' society, at Bangor, county of Down. There is no authority for the assertion, in earlier records, that our saint had
been superior over that house, and, indeed, there is negative proof to the con- trary. '" If we are to credit some writers, he appears to have succeeded Critan, the Abbot of Bangor, who died a. d. 668. =3 It would seem, that the Four Masters were led to make such a statement, from a gloss, attached to the MartyrologyofMarianusO'Gorman. Hewasmostprobablyonlyasubor- dinatememberofthatreligiouscommunity. Maolrubharesignedthedignity of Abbot, it is said, in the year 671 ;'» and then, he went over into Scotland,'^ at the age of twenty-nine. Even, after this period, his connexion witii Bangor did not cease ; for, his foundation in Alba was regarded, as an affiliation of the celebrated Irish establishment. There are some grounds for supposing, that, in the first instance, he spent some time, at the famous Hebridean monastery of St. Columba. '* A local tradition regarding St. Maolrubha is, that he came from lona ^^ to Applecross,^^ which was the chief place of his
""
Rev. William Reeves, n. (y), p. 74. Cujus atavus floruit A. D. 236. "
" He died a. d. 465. He gave name to '' This conclusion might be adduced, from
"
the territory of Tir-Eoghan, the land of the account of his death, by the Four
Eugene," or Tyrone. The peninsular por- Masters.
tion of north-eastern Donegal, from liim, was °° When recording this saint's obit.
"" called Inis-Eoghain, or the Island of
See his Life, at the loth of May. "Thus, his name is not to be found in that Catalogue of Abbots, recited in the An- tiphonaiy 01 Bangor. See the " Ulster Jour- nal of Archeology," vol. i. , pp. 177 to 179. "^ Acconling to the Annals of Ulster and
those of the Four Masters.
'* According to Tighernach and the Four Masters. TheAnn. ilsofUlsterhaveit at670. °5 Xhe O'Clerys states: He blessed also
a church in Alb. i, i. e. at Apurcrossan.
"'
See his Life, at the gtli of June.
°' It IS said, by the Messrs. Anderson, that '5 According to Tighernach's Chrono- the monks ol lona, at an early period, fixed on Applecross, as a suitable site for a supple- mentaiy monastery, to convert the northern
Eugene,"since known as the Barony of Inish- owen.
" The O'Clerys state, that Suaibhseach
was the name of his mother ; or, perhaps
Subhthan, daughter of Sedna, the sister of Comhgall was his mother.
'3 See Ur. O Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , p. 32P, n. (i).
'* See Rev.
William Reeves' "Ecclesiasti-
cal Antiquities of ^Down, Connor and Dro-
more," Appendix LL, pp. 377, 378, and n. (u). Ibid.
logy.
'° "
See Father Stephen White's Apolo-
"
Guide to the Highlands. "
logical Manuscript, p. 7yi b. teer of Scotland," vol. i,, pp. 59, 60.
gia pro Hibernia," cap. iii. , pp. 21, 22.
'' According to the Tract, on the Mothers of the Saints of Ireland ; while the same
clans. See
=' This is an extensive parish, on the west
coast ol Ro-s-shire, and its name among the authority gives as an alternative name natives is Comrich or Comaraich. For a Suaibsech, according to Mac Firbis Geuea- description of it, see the "Imperial Gazet-
April 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 257
residence during life. '9 Here, it is thought, he laid the foundations of a reli-
gious establisliment ,^° and, there, on that remote north-western coast,3' he
chose to found a missionary station, for the sanctification of his community,
and for preaching the Gospel to a yet uncultivated people. There, too, is
yet shown a nearly circular space, about ten yards in diameter, which is en-
closed by a low embankment of the same form. This is tliougiu to have been
the vestige of some ancient appendage of St. Maelrubha's primitive establish-
ment, although its use is now unknown. It is said, to contain human remains ;
but, no one has been buried within its precincts, within the memory of man. 3"
Near the river, in tiie meadow below the church, there are traces of embank-
ments, which are reputed to have subserved the abbot's mill, that formerly
existed in this place. 33 Leaving the church, and proceeding about two miles,
in a south-easterly direction, the visitor comes to a place, called SuidheMaree,
"
or
two miles south-west of the church, and near the shore, there is a small sheet of water, about a quarter of a mile long, and— wide. This is
as
"
the skeleton of a parish church, still the
Maelrubha's Seat," which is said to have been his resting places'* About fifty yards
calle
—d Loch Maree. 35 All such denominations
as extend about this dis-
trict have reference to the local patron.
The name of this saint—especially in Scotland—is madeup ofconsonants,
apt to be liquefied. It occurs, in many transmutations, such as in Mulruby, Malruf, Malrou, Molroy, Malrew, Mulruy, Mulrew, Melriga,3« Marow,
Morow, Marrow, Morew, Maro, Maroy, Murruy, Mareve ;37 also, in Arrow, Erew, Errew, and Olrou. 3' A further retrenchment discards the first element
pf the compound name, and it gives Rice, Row, Ru, Ro, Rufus, and Ruvius ; and, to crown all, tiie natives, on the east side of Scotland, combine both his name and title. " Thus, they run St. Malrubhe, into the euphonistic forms
"» Ne. ir to the bay, a little north of the place where tlie stream, locally known as the Amli. iin Maree, or Maelrubha's River, falls into the sea, is the spacious churchyard. This is entered from the south-west, near the
Ajiplecro-s manse.
*" The parish church was built in 1817,
partly upon the site of an older church,
which was condemned in 1788, but, which
was standing, in 1792. This is described,
Saint's Isle. It contains one grave, but no other ecclesiastical traces. Lower down on the south-west side are three islands, now known as Cioulin Beg, Croulin Meadho- nach, and Croulin Mor, that is, Little, Mid- dle, and Great Croulin. The first of these, which is the most northern, is marked on Thomson's Map, St. Ruius Island, a name now not locally known, biit justified by the ecclesiastical traces which remain on it. It is about a mile in circumference, and it pos- sesses the remains of a church, a portion of the wall of which, about thirty feet long, and a foot hifjh. is still to be seen. There is no cemetery discernible, but there is a green
below the site which is supposed to £aitvcelibeen a garden.
35 About a mile past the school-house It is laid down on Thomson's Map, but the name is omitted.
* The foregoing forms preserve the radi- cal letters.
" The foregoing forms drop /from ntaol ; and, by a further process, they become Maree, Marie, Mary and Mury, which is the prevalent pronunciation of this name, in Ross-shire and Argyle.
^ The foregoing processes drop the initial
only edifice for public worship in the parish. " At the west end of it, a liule north-west of
the west gable of the present church, there is a spot, wliich is pointed out, as the burial place of the Red Priest's family.
' In the interior is a lake, called Loch-an-
"
^ At present, it is considered the special
property of the gentry of the place ; . ind, so strong is thedisinclinaiion to disturb the in- visible owners, that many of the neighfjours would rather face the enemy in the field than meddle with it, according to the Rev. Dr. Reeves.
" At the hamlet of Camusterrach, on the
shore, there is a rude monolith, 8 (eet, 3
inches, in height. It shows some traces of
Tagart. or
Priest's Loch. "
a cross, on the west face. See Muir's letter.
""»"
Ecclesiological Notes, p. 32. See Rev. William Reeves' St. Mael- *• Off the shore opjiosite Camusterrach is rubha : His History and Churches," chap,
an island, now cilled s but i. , in •' of Rugg Island, pp, 271, 272, Proceedings the
marked on Thomson's Map I, na nuag, or Society of Antiquaries of Scotland," vol. iii. Vol. IV. —No. 5.
2S8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 21.
of Summaruff, Samarive, Samarevis, Samerivis, Samarvis, Samervis, Smarevis, Smarivis, Samaravis, and Summereve. ''''
It is said, that St. Maelrubha founded the Church of Aporcrossan/" a. D. 672, *' or 673. Other accounts have earlier dates. '^s The holy man was a zea- lous Apostle, among the Pictish people of north-western Scotland. Here, he is said to have led an austere monastic life, and in a mountainous country. '** The modern name of his place, at first, was thought to have been unknown, by Dr. O'Donovan, wiio supposed, that it should be Anglicized, Abercrossan.
He states, that this word Aber, which frequently enters as a compound into
topographical names, in Wales and Scotland, is synonymous with an Irish word Inbher, which means, the " mouth of a river " or of a " stream," where it enters another river, or flows into the sea. 'ts Afterwards, however, he was enabled to identify the place with Aporcrossan,''^ the name for an old church,*' situated opposite the Isle of Skye, a short distance to the north of Loch Car- ron. The editor was indebted to the Rev. William Reeves,*' for that iden- tification. This latter eminent Irish ecclesiastical antiquary visited Apple- cross,*9 in the year 1854. Sir John Sinclair 5° states, that the shell of the old parish church remained in Applecross,5' and beside an ancient ecclesiastical building ; but, he takes the name, Applecross, to be a modern one, and de- rived from " rows of apple-trees, which the proprietor of the estate planted in cross rows. "s^ However, a much more probable origin for the denomination of this locality S3 has been supplied, by Dr. Reeves, who states, that Crossan was formerly the designation of that stream, which here flowed into the bay, a little westwards from the church ; while Apiir or Apor was an old form of
"
the British word Abei\^^ meaning the mouth of a river. "55 The old name for
"> See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of See the "Old Statistical Survey of Scot-
Scottish Saints," p. 383.
<' Wliile the Annals of Ulster write this
place simply, as Cpo]-Ati, at A. D. 736 ; they have it 4popcpojY<sn, at 672, •<^lpu|^Cl^OJ-)-on,
at 721, <3ipuoi\ cpot^An, at 737, and <\pu^- cpoj"An, at 801. The Annals of Tigher-
nach write Apoyvc-poj-fAn, at 672, and
Apopcpoj-An, at 673. The Annals of the
Foui-. M. isters have<Xpo]\cj\oi'*n, at 671, and
797, while they have <ipm\C)\o-p. Mi, at 721.
A gloss to the Feilire of St. Angus has it
Abup Chpe-pen ; while the Calendars of what period, Aptir passed into Apil, or
Marianus O'Gorman, and of the O'Clcrys,
have •dpupcpo|-pAn, at the 21st of April.
•" According to the Annals of Ulster.
" The Annals of Clonmacnoise state, in-
Crossan into Cross ; but, probably, the
ch. ange arose, in order to facilitate the com-
pound pronunciation.
^ The Rev. Mr. Reeves, who justly re-
jects this derivation, thought that, by the
cliange of liquids, aper was made apel, and that the noun crossan vn^ shortened io cross. He cites some curious traditions and deriva- tions, to account for the origin of this local denomination.
correctly, "a. D. 669, Moyle Roraie founded
"
« See Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of the
the church of Aporcorro->san.
Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. iv. , April 21.
<5 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , n.
5* In the older Scottish records, the name
282.
*' See Addenda et Corrigenda to the is variedly written Appilcroce, and AppiU-
second volume of the " Annals of the Four Masters," p. 1 191. Mr. O'Donovan remarks,
Applecross. "
" In the slrath, about half a mile north-
east of Applecross, is Hartfield, known as Kilvoury, or in Gaelic, as Caoill Mhourie.
croce, in the Breviary of Aberdeen ; Appil- hors, in the Martyrology of Aberdeen ;
that "
in the Reg. Sec. Sig. A. D. 1540, 1583, and, likewise, Abilcors, A. D. 1548, 1549 ; Apilyirth, in a Manuscript of 1640, and Apelcroce, in the Retour of 1662.
5* Aber, the Pictish term, prevails, on the east side of Scotland, but, it is unknown, in Ireland.
the Church of St. Maelrubha, is evidently the place in Ross- shire in Scotland, now called, Anglice,
Apilcroce,
Aporcrossan,
(y), p.
land," Ac, vol. iii. , p. 381.
*^ Author of the " Ecclesiastical Antiqui-
ties of Down, Connor, and Dromore," and editor of several Irish Ecclesiastical Tracts.
*' In all existing Scottish records, it is
lic-speaking people.
called Apilcross, or Applecross ; and, even, it is thus named, in the language of the Gae-
5° See his
"
Statistical Account of Scot-
land," vol. iii. , pp. 377, 379.
5' We have no means for ascertaining, at
April 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 259 that river is now locally forgotten ; and, instead of it, the natives call it
Abhuin " Maree's Maree, meaning
River," although
down as Applecross River. 5* Thus, the name of St. Maelrubius has long been
associated with the place, where he first set the standard of the cross ; and, after his term on earth had been spent, a conventual life was there estab-
The monastery of Apurcrossan possessed a sanctuary-girth of six The Danes invaded this, and afterwards they perished in a smooth
lished.
miles. 57
sea. 5^
which attracts attention, is an upright slab, that stands on the sward, facing to the south, and bearing the figure ofa collared cross. Tliis is clear on the top and left arm, but lower down it is nearly incised in outline. ss It is nine feet, three inches, high ; two feet, ten inches, broad ; and, two and three- quarter inches, in thickness. It is locally called, Cloch Ruairdh Mac Caoigen;*° and, it is said, that it formerly stood, near the mouth of the river, marking the grave of an ancient chief,'' called Ruairidh Mor Mac Caoigen. '^ Near the parish church, an old building is to be seen ; and, it is thought to have marked the site of an old religious house. *3
The holy man, Maelrubha, preached in various parts of Applecross parish ; as, probably also, at Loch Carrow,** and at Gairloch, in Ross-shire. This parish was dedicated to our saint. It lies northwards from Applecross, and its most remarkable feature is a long narrow lake, formerly called Loch
Ewe,*5 and afterwards Maree ; variously distinguished in ancient records, as Lochmaroy, Loch Mairray, Loch Marie. ** The spots, called Suidhe Maree,*' andLochMaree,arecommemorativeofhisvisits. Theselatternamesarede- rivedfromSt. Maelrubius. Thelakeextendsforeighteenmiles,anditgoes in a north-westerly direction. Maelrubius was patron saint of all the coast, from Applecross to Loch Broom. *^ On an Island in Lochmaree, he founded a church, which takes is name from him. *9 This is called Inis Maree,'" or
When the visitor enters Applecross cemetery, the very first object,
55 For this, the Irish use the word Ittver, and on the west side of Scotland such terra is to be met with.
5* On the County Maps.
s' Vernacularly, it was called, Comrich, or
Comaraigh.
s' See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendarsof Scot-
tish . -aints," p. 383.
» To this Mr. Muir refers, in the following
prietorof Applecross.
''' A writer states, that there " the standard
and soles of crucifixes are still to be seen. " Seethe "Old Statistical Account of Scot- land," vol. iii. , p. 379.
'This parish, in Ross-shire, was some- times dc-signated Chombnch Mulruy, that is,
"
Maelrubha's Sanctu. iry," and sometimes Clachan . Mulruy, "Maelrubha's Hamiet. " It was dedicated to this saint,
'= At the south-east end of the lake is Kin- lochew, "Head of Loch Ew. " On the eastern shore, opposite Inis Maree, is Lettir- Ew, "The Holm of Ew," and Port Lettiraw. The stream which runs from tlie lake into the sea is the water of Ew. The Bay which
" Ross-shire is known to coniain among many (crosses) of ordinary merit some very fine specimens ; but the only one I have seen is that callett Clach Mhor . Mac-
passaye :
Cuagan in the burying-ground at Apple-
crosS. It is a veiy poor example, 9 feet 4
inches in height, exhibiting a wheel cross
deeply incised on the south face with its sum- it enters is now Loch Ew. In the Loch is
mit above the arms cut out free. "—" Eccle- siological Notes," &c, p. 32, Edinburgh, 1855.
Inis Ew. At its head opposite the sea is Poolew. A little north is Inverew. See "Origines Parochiales ScotiiE," part ii. , pp. 2, 407.
" The local tradition, concerning Ruaridh
Mor Mac Caoigen, is, that he was slain, in
battle with the Danes, either in this bay, or 87, 130, 162.
254
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 20.
Article VI. —St. Setrach, or Sedrach, Bishop. In the Martyro- logy of Tallagh,^ a St. Setrach, Bishop, is set down, on this day. There is no due, however, to the place where he Hved, or to the time when he flourished. We find mentioned, in the Martyrology of Donegalj^" that Sedrach, Bishop,hadvenerationpaidhim,atthisdate; and,. thisisalltherecord,we can find, in connexion with his memory.
Article VII. —Reputed Festival for the Translation of the Relics of St. Adelarius. {Eighth Century. '] The Translation of Adela- rius, born in Scotia, first Bishop of Hereford, and then Apostle of Franconia, who erected a monastery for his Scots, is a feast we find placed, at the 20th ofApril,byThomasDempster;' while,thesamewritermakeshimoneofthe companions of St. Boniface, whose martyrdom took place, on the Sth of Tune. ' To this latter date, his chief festival is referred ;
although, weare told, that one eminent writer has the Natalis of St. Adelarius, at the 20th of
TheBoUandists noticehim,atthisdate,also,andremark,thathe
April. 3
is venerated in several Martyrologies, chiefly of the more recent dates. In the Breviary of Hereford,5 his Ecclesiastical Office is set down as a double. There seems to have been a Translation of his relics, as likewise an inspec- tion of these, made in 1633 ; and, some accounts regarding these events, have been committed to writing. This holy Martyr flourished, in the eighth
century.
ArticleVIII. —FestivalofHerodius. Wefind,intheFeilireofSt.
^ngus,' the feast of Herodius, Martyr, set down in the Stanza, for the_20th of Apri'l,^ and, as an appendage, a festival at Rome, in honour of Martin, is given. 3 At this date, we do not find, in the BoUandists' great collection, any notice of a Martyr, or Saint, called Herodius, so that it is difficult to find, in what part of the world he had been venerated.
Article VI . —'Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p xxi. The Franciscan copy has SeDt\Ac e^rp.
» Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
5 This was printed, in 15x8. Arti"cle viii. — In the
Leabhar
106,107. " Article vil—* In his
Ucer^tj hei\ot> Ct\uimchii\ ci\och'oA X^<^1^"*""1^^"DAile noemtieoi\ApAuiLe.
Menologium Scotorum,"wefind; xx. "HeifordiKAde- larii episcopi primi translalio, qui Fran- conis Apostolus, Scolis suis monasterium
cuiLe
erexit "—Bi-^hop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scotti^sh Saints," p. 197- .
" With (the) suffering of Herodius a pnest
'
See Dempster's
right
' A marginal commentary is also found :
Gentis Scotorum," tomusi. , lib. i. , o
« Laces ad herodi 7rl. comune solemne sanc-
^*
" IHstoria Ecclesiastica
^'
^\° <^TM7'^"^ '^'f r"^f'i'^"
Tt! '"
num. 33,
3 These are the words of Dempster :— torum hiberniae et britanis et totius eorapae
" Colitur die v. Tunii, quo passus, et trans- latio XX. April. Petius Cratepolius, Uvion lib II Lie Vitae cap. XLI. Male Tiithem, lib", iv! Vir. illustr. Ord. S. Bened. , cap. CXXCIII. ei natalem assignat xx Aprilis. "- jl^. j
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Ap- rilis XX. Among the pretermitted feasts, P-744-
et specialiter martini.
Breac
copy we read :—
'"
noble town ! -of all Europe s saints.
3 this is a comment, >" Following
Ir'fh, and thus translated into English, by Whitley
Stokes, LL. D. :_" A great tree was in the world in the east, and the heathen used to adore it, and the Christians fasted against all the saints of Europe that the tree might fall, and forthwith it fell.
April 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
255
Ctuentp-firsit ©ap of apri'U
ARTICLE I. —ST. MAELRUBIUS, OR MAOLRUBHA, OF BANGOR, COUNTY OF DOWN, AND OF APPLECROSS, SCOTLAND.
[SEVENTH AND EIGHTH CENTURIES. ^
in Scottish Ecclesiastical History, there is no other saint
if we except Columkille'—whose life-particuiars are marked with greater exactness, than are those of St. Maelrubha, or whose commemorations are more numerous, especially in the west of Scotland ; yet, only a few years have elapsed, since any correct account of him has appeared. Thefirst attempt of this kind was m a communication to the " Irish Ecclesiastical Journal,'" by the Rev. Dr. William Reeves. Thus, the history of St. Maelrubha has
gamed very considerable illustration, from that distinguished Irish ecclesias- ticalhistorianandantiquary. Thisnoticehasreceivedlateradditions,3from the same writer,'* who alterwards had an opportunity, for visiting the scenes of St. Maelrubha's labours, and for studying Scottish works, bearing on the in-
dividual and on his age. s More recently, Bishop Forbes « has entries regarding this saint. Some notices of Maolrubha are contained, in the Rev. Alban Butler's work,? at this date ; but, the saint is represented as being of Abur- Crossain, and this most incorrectly is placed, in the county of Ross, in Ire- land. Now, it is well known, there is no county bearing that name in Ireland. Moreover, the Rev. Alban Butler incorrectly states, that his festival was kept m Connaught,and that he was slain, by Norwegian pirates, in 721.
This saint had been descended, on the father's side, from the Cinel- Eoghain family ;« and subordinately, through that branch, called the Cinel Binnigh. This clan, at an early period, had obtained a settlement, in the south-eastern part of the present county of Londonderry, where they gave name to a particular district. ' Maelrubha was the son of Elganach, son to Garbh, son of Ollarbach, son to Cuboirenn, son of Crimthann, son to Eochaidh Binnigh," son of Eoghan," son to the celebrated Niall of the Nine
ALTHOUGH
Article i. — His Life will be found, at the 9th of June.
In vol. v. , July, 1849, num. 108, p.
,v ^
*9f-,. J. 1 ,.
It need scarcely be observed, the sub- stance of this exhaustive account has mainly
furnished the notices, we have inserted, in the
' See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
other principal saints," vol. iv. , April xxi.
He refers to Colgan's Manuscripts.
*5f3- See
Breac copy of
. Proceedmgs of the Society of An- tiquanes of Scotland," voL iii. Rev. Dr. Reeves' St. Maelrubha : His History and Churches, Commun. caUon 11. , pp. 258 to
"' Article.
'He dates from the Vicarage, Lusk,
April 20th, 1859. His communication was r^ before the Society, Tuesday, 14th June,
so stated.
" Until 1591, it belonged to the princi-
pality of Tyrone. It comprehended all the modern barony of Loughinsholin, west of the River Bann. It is now comprised, in the
County of Londonderry.
" Krom him the Cinel Binny descended
Pfff
of Tyrone* which extended to Tullaghoge on the south' It gave name to a rural deanery in the diocese of Derry, called Bynnagh or Ben- ""E^- Se« "Acts of Archbishop Coiton in his Metropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of Derry, A. D. Mcccxcvii," edited by the
»e„tr, J , ^ P- 302.
.
bee Kalendars of the Scottish Saints,"
.
*
In a to the Leabhar gloss
the Felire Unguis, at the 21st of April,.
i'
»U
Their was a sub-division territory
t "
i
2s6
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 21.
His mother was named Subtaire, according to a commentator's the scholiast^ on the Leabhar Breac version of the Feilire of St. . ^ngus,callsherSublhan and,shewasthedaughterofSetna,''shebeingthe
Hostages. authority ;
;
sister—other accounts have it the kinswoman—to St. Comhgall, Abbot
of Bangor. 'J This statement of his parentage, however, involves a difficulty ; for, Congall died, a. d. 601, or 602, at the age of ninety years, while Maolruba wasborn,a. d. 641,'•or642. 'S TheAbbeyofBangorwasthecradleofmany holy monks, and it was recognised, as the head of various other religious houses,fromthetimeofitsfoundation,toamuchlaterperiod. '^ Subtanwas the daugliter of Setna,"' or Sedna, who was son to Eochaidh, son of Brian, son to Forgo, son of Ernan, son of Crimthann, son of Lughaidh. '* St. Maol- rubha is said to have been born, on the nth or 12th of January, a. d. 641. '9 However, the accurate Annalist, Tighernach, determines^" the correct date
to be, the 3rd day of that month, a. d. 642.
According to the national usage of family association, St. Maelrubha be-
came a member of St. Comgall's^' society, at Bangor, county of Down. There is no authority for the assertion, in earlier records, that our saint had
been superior over that house, and, indeed, there is negative proof to the con- trary. '" If we are to credit some writers, he appears to have succeeded Critan, the Abbot of Bangor, who died a. d. 668. =3 It would seem, that the Four Masters were led to make such a statement, from a gloss, attached to the MartyrologyofMarianusO'Gorman. Hewasmostprobablyonlyasubor- dinatememberofthatreligiouscommunity. Maolrubharesignedthedignity of Abbot, it is said, in the year 671 ;'» and then, he went over into Scotland,'^ at the age of twenty-nine. Even, after this period, his connexion witii Bangor did not cease ; for, his foundation in Alba was regarded, as an affiliation of the celebrated Irish establishment. There are some grounds for supposing, that, in the first instance, he spent some time, at the famous Hebridean monastery of St. Columba. '* A local tradition regarding St. Maolrubha is, that he came from lona ^^ to Applecross,^^ which was the chief place of his
""
Rev. William Reeves, n. (y), p. 74. Cujus atavus floruit A. D. 236. "
" He died a. d. 465. He gave name to '' This conclusion might be adduced, from
"
the territory of Tir-Eoghan, the land of the account of his death, by the Four
Eugene," or Tyrone. The peninsular por- Masters.
tion of north-eastern Donegal, from liim, was °° When recording this saint's obit.
"" called Inis-Eoghain, or the Island of
See his Life, at the loth of May. "Thus, his name is not to be found in that Catalogue of Abbots, recited in the An- tiphonaiy 01 Bangor. See the " Ulster Jour- nal of Archeology," vol. i. , pp. 177 to 179. "^ Acconling to the Annals of Ulster and
those of the Four Masters.
'* According to Tighernach and the Four Masters. TheAnn. ilsofUlsterhaveit at670. °5 Xhe O'Clerys states: He blessed also
a church in Alb. i, i. e. at Apurcrossan.
"'
See his Life, at the gtli of June.
°' It IS said, by the Messrs. Anderson, that '5 According to Tighernach's Chrono- the monks ol lona, at an early period, fixed on Applecross, as a suitable site for a supple- mentaiy monastery, to convert the northern
Eugene,"since known as the Barony of Inish- owen.
" The O'Clerys state, that Suaibhseach
was the name of his mother ; or, perhaps
Subhthan, daughter of Sedna, the sister of Comhgall was his mother.
'3 See Ur. O Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , p. 32P, n. (i).
'* See Rev.
William Reeves' "Ecclesiasti-
cal Antiquities of ^Down, Connor and Dro-
more," Appendix LL, pp. 377, 378, and n. (u). Ibid.
logy.
'° "
See Father Stephen White's Apolo-
"
Guide to the Highlands. "
logical Manuscript, p. 7yi b. teer of Scotland," vol. i,, pp. 59, 60.
gia pro Hibernia," cap. iii. , pp. 21, 22.
'' According to the Tract, on the Mothers of the Saints of Ireland ; while the same
clans. See
=' This is an extensive parish, on the west
coast ol Ro-s-shire, and its name among the authority gives as an alternative name natives is Comrich or Comaraich. For a Suaibsech, according to Mac Firbis Geuea- description of it, see the "Imperial Gazet-
April 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 257
residence during life. '9 Here, it is thought, he laid the foundations of a reli-
gious establisliment ,^° and, there, on that remote north-western coast,3' he
chose to found a missionary station, for the sanctification of his community,
and for preaching the Gospel to a yet uncultivated people. There, too, is
yet shown a nearly circular space, about ten yards in diameter, which is en-
closed by a low embankment of the same form. This is tliougiu to have been
the vestige of some ancient appendage of St. Maelrubha's primitive establish-
ment, although its use is now unknown. It is said, to contain human remains ;
but, no one has been buried within its precincts, within the memory of man. 3"
Near the river, in tiie meadow below the church, there are traces of embank-
ments, which are reputed to have subserved the abbot's mill, that formerly
existed in this place. 33 Leaving the church, and proceeding about two miles,
in a south-easterly direction, the visitor comes to a place, called SuidheMaree,
"
or
two miles south-west of the church, and near the shore, there is a small sheet of water, about a quarter of a mile long, and— wide. This is
as
"
the skeleton of a parish church, still the
Maelrubha's Seat," which is said to have been his resting places'* About fifty yards
calle
—d Loch Maree. 35 All such denominations
as extend about this dis-
trict have reference to the local patron.
The name of this saint—especially in Scotland—is madeup ofconsonants,
apt to be liquefied. It occurs, in many transmutations, such as in Mulruby, Malruf, Malrou, Molroy, Malrew, Mulruy, Mulrew, Melriga,3« Marow,
Morow, Marrow, Morew, Maro, Maroy, Murruy, Mareve ;37 also, in Arrow, Erew, Errew, and Olrou. 3' A further retrenchment discards the first element
pf the compound name, and it gives Rice, Row, Ru, Ro, Rufus, and Ruvius ; and, to crown all, tiie natives, on the east side of Scotland, combine both his name and title. " Thus, they run St. Malrubhe, into the euphonistic forms
"» Ne. ir to the bay, a little north of the place where tlie stream, locally known as the Amli. iin Maree, or Maelrubha's River, falls into the sea, is the spacious churchyard. This is entered from the south-west, near the
Ajiplecro-s manse.
*" The parish church was built in 1817,
partly upon the site of an older church,
which was condemned in 1788, but, which
was standing, in 1792. This is described,
Saint's Isle. It contains one grave, but no other ecclesiastical traces. Lower down on the south-west side are three islands, now known as Cioulin Beg, Croulin Meadho- nach, and Croulin Mor, that is, Little, Mid- dle, and Great Croulin. The first of these, which is the most northern, is marked on Thomson's Map, St. Ruius Island, a name now not locally known, biit justified by the ecclesiastical traces which remain on it. It is about a mile in circumference, and it pos- sesses the remains of a church, a portion of the wall of which, about thirty feet long, and a foot hifjh. is still to be seen. There is no cemetery discernible, but there is a green
below the site which is supposed to £aitvcelibeen a garden.
35 About a mile past the school-house It is laid down on Thomson's Map, but the name is omitted.
* The foregoing forms preserve the radi- cal letters.
" The foregoing forms drop /from ntaol ; and, by a further process, they become Maree, Marie, Mary and Mury, which is the prevalent pronunciation of this name, in Ross-shire and Argyle.
^ The foregoing processes drop the initial
only edifice for public worship in the parish. " At the west end of it, a liule north-west of
the west gable of the present church, there is a spot, wliich is pointed out, as the burial place of the Red Priest's family.
' In the interior is a lake, called Loch-an-
"
^ At present, it is considered the special
property of the gentry of the place ; . ind, so strong is thedisinclinaiion to disturb the in- visible owners, that many of the neighfjours would rather face the enemy in the field than meddle with it, according to the Rev. Dr. Reeves.
" At the hamlet of Camusterrach, on the
shore, there is a rude monolith, 8 (eet, 3
inches, in height. It shows some traces of
Tagart. or
Priest's Loch. "
a cross, on the west face. See Muir's letter.
""»"
Ecclesiological Notes, p. 32. See Rev. William Reeves' St. Mael- *• Off the shore opjiosite Camusterrach is rubha : His History and Churches," chap,
an island, now cilled s but i. , in •' of Rugg Island, pp, 271, 272, Proceedings the
marked on Thomson's Map I, na nuag, or Society of Antiquaries of Scotland," vol. iii. Vol. IV. —No. 5.
2S8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 21.
of Summaruff, Samarive, Samarevis, Samerivis, Samarvis, Samervis, Smarevis, Smarivis, Samaravis, and Summereve. ''''
It is said, that St. Maelrubha founded the Church of Aporcrossan/" a. D. 672, *' or 673. Other accounts have earlier dates. '^s The holy man was a zea- lous Apostle, among the Pictish people of north-western Scotland. Here, he is said to have led an austere monastic life, and in a mountainous country. '** The modern name of his place, at first, was thought to have been unknown, by Dr. O'Donovan, wiio supposed, that it should be Anglicized, Abercrossan.
He states, that this word Aber, which frequently enters as a compound into
topographical names, in Wales and Scotland, is synonymous with an Irish word Inbher, which means, the " mouth of a river " or of a " stream," where it enters another river, or flows into the sea. 'ts Afterwards, however, he was enabled to identify the place with Aporcrossan,''^ the name for an old church,*' situated opposite the Isle of Skye, a short distance to the north of Loch Car- ron. The editor was indebted to the Rev. William Reeves,*' for that iden- tification. This latter eminent Irish ecclesiastical antiquary visited Apple- cross,*9 in the year 1854. Sir John Sinclair 5° states, that the shell of the old parish church remained in Applecross,5' and beside an ancient ecclesiastical building ; but, he takes the name, Applecross, to be a modern one, and de- rived from " rows of apple-trees, which the proprietor of the estate planted in cross rows. "s^ However, a much more probable origin for the denomination of this locality S3 has been supplied, by Dr. Reeves, who states, that Crossan was formerly the designation of that stream, which here flowed into the bay, a little westwards from the church ; while Apiir or Apor was an old form of
"
the British word Abei\^^ meaning the mouth of a river. "55 The old name for
"> See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of See the "Old Statistical Survey of Scot-
Scottish Saints," p. 383.
<' Wliile the Annals of Ulster write this
place simply, as Cpo]-Ati, at A. D. 736 ; they have it 4popcpojY<sn, at 672, •<^lpu|^Cl^OJ-)-on,
at 721, <3ipuoi\ cpot^An, at 737, and <\pu^- cpoj"An, at 801. The Annals of Tigher-
nach write Apoyvc-poj-fAn, at 672, and
Apopcpoj-An, at 673. The Annals of the
Foui-. M. isters have<Xpo]\cj\oi'*n, at 671, and
797, while they have <ipm\C)\o-p. Mi, at 721.
A gloss to the Feilire of St. Angus has it
Abup Chpe-pen ; while the Calendars of what period, Aptir passed into Apil, or
Marianus O'Gorman, and of the O'Clcrys,
have •dpupcpo|-pAn, at the 21st of April.
•" According to the Annals of Ulster.
" The Annals of Clonmacnoise state, in-
Crossan into Cross ; but, probably, the
ch. ange arose, in order to facilitate the com-
pound pronunciation.
^ The Rev. Mr. Reeves, who justly re-
jects this derivation, thought that, by the
cliange of liquids, aper was made apel, and that the noun crossan vn^ shortened io cross. He cites some curious traditions and deriva- tions, to account for the origin of this local denomination.
correctly, "a. D. 669, Moyle Roraie founded
"
« See Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of the
the church of Aporcorro->san.
Fathers, Martyrs, and other principal Saints," vol. iv. , April 21.
<5 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , n.
5* In the older Scottish records, the name
282.
*' See Addenda et Corrigenda to the is variedly written Appilcroce, and AppiU-
second volume of the " Annals of the Four Masters," p. 1 191. Mr. O'Donovan remarks,
Applecross. "
" In the slrath, about half a mile north-
east of Applecross, is Hartfield, known as Kilvoury, or in Gaelic, as Caoill Mhourie.
croce, in the Breviary of Aberdeen ; Appil- hors, in the Martyrology of Aberdeen ;
that "
in the Reg. Sec. Sig. A. D. 1540, 1583, and, likewise, Abilcors, A. D. 1548, 1549 ; Apilyirth, in a Manuscript of 1640, and Apelcroce, in the Retour of 1662.
5* Aber, the Pictish term, prevails, on the east side of Scotland, but, it is unknown, in Ireland.
the Church of St. Maelrubha, is evidently the place in Ross- shire in Scotland, now called, Anglice,
Apilcroce,
Aporcrossan,
(y), p.
land," Ac, vol. iii. , p. 381.
*^ Author of the " Ecclesiastical Antiqui-
ties of Down, Connor, and Dromore," and editor of several Irish Ecclesiastical Tracts.
*' In all existing Scottish records, it is
lic-speaking people.
called Apilcross, or Applecross ; and, even, it is thus named, in the language of the Gae-
5° See his
"
Statistical Account of Scot-
land," vol. iii. , pp. 377, 379.
5' We have no means for ascertaining, at
April 21. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 259 that river is now locally forgotten ; and, instead of it, the natives call it
Abhuin " Maree's Maree, meaning
River," although
down as Applecross River. 5* Thus, the name of St. Maelrubius has long been
associated with the place, where he first set the standard of the cross ; and, after his term on earth had been spent, a conventual life was there estab-
The monastery of Apurcrossan possessed a sanctuary-girth of six The Danes invaded this, and afterwards they perished in a smooth
lished.
miles. 57
sea. 5^
which attracts attention, is an upright slab, that stands on the sward, facing to the south, and bearing the figure ofa collared cross. Tliis is clear on the top and left arm, but lower down it is nearly incised in outline. ss It is nine feet, three inches, high ; two feet, ten inches, broad ; and, two and three- quarter inches, in thickness. It is locally called, Cloch Ruairdh Mac Caoigen;*° and, it is said, that it formerly stood, near the mouth of the river, marking the grave of an ancient chief,'' called Ruairidh Mor Mac Caoigen. '^ Near the parish church, an old building is to be seen ; and, it is thought to have marked the site of an old religious house. *3
The holy man, Maelrubha, preached in various parts of Applecross parish ; as, probably also, at Loch Carrow,** and at Gairloch, in Ross-shire. This parish was dedicated to our saint. It lies northwards from Applecross, and its most remarkable feature is a long narrow lake, formerly called Loch
Ewe,*5 and afterwards Maree ; variously distinguished in ancient records, as Lochmaroy, Loch Mairray, Loch Marie. ** The spots, called Suidhe Maree,*' andLochMaree,arecommemorativeofhisvisits. Theselatternamesarede- rivedfromSt. Maelrubius. Thelakeextendsforeighteenmiles,anditgoes in a north-westerly direction. Maelrubius was patron saint of all the coast, from Applecross to Loch Broom. *^ On an Island in Lochmaree, he founded a church, which takes is name from him. *9 This is called Inis Maree,'" or
When the visitor enters Applecross cemetery, the very first object,
55 For this, the Irish use the word Ittver, and on the west side of Scotland such terra is to be met with.
5* On the County Maps.
s' Vernacularly, it was called, Comrich, or
Comaraigh.
s' See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendarsof Scot-
tish . -aints," p. 383.
» To this Mr. Muir refers, in the following
prietorof Applecross.
''' A writer states, that there " the standard
and soles of crucifixes are still to be seen. " Seethe "Old Statistical Account of Scot- land," vol. iii. , p. 379.
'This parish, in Ross-shire, was some- times dc-signated Chombnch Mulruy, that is,
"
Maelrubha's Sanctu. iry," and sometimes Clachan . Mulruy, "Maelrubha's Hamiet. " It was dedicated to this saint,
'= At the south-east end of the lake is Kin- lochew, "Head of Loch Ew. " On the eastern shore, opposite Inis Maree, is Lettir- Ew, "The Holm of Ew," and Port Lettiraw. The stream which runs from tlie lake into the sea is the water of Ew. The Bay which
" Ross-shire is known to coniain among many (crosses) of ordinary merit some very fine specimens ; but the only one I have seen is that callett Clach Mhor . Mac-
passaye :
Cuagan in the burying-ground at Apple-
crosS. It is a veiy poor example, 9 feet 4
inches in height, exhibiting a wheel cross
deeply incised on the south face with its sum- it enters is now Loch Ew. In the Loch is
mit above the arms cut out free. "—" Eccle- siological Notes," &c, p. 32, Edinburgh, 1855.
Inis Ew. At its head opposite the sea is Poolew. A little north is Inverew. See "Origines Parochiales ScotiiE," part ii. , pp. 2, 407.
" The local tradition, concerning Ruaridh
Mor Mac Caoigen, is, that he was slain, in
battle with the Danes, either in this bay, or 87, 130, 162.
