This idea is contained in the Irish term 'mong,' which, even to this hour,
signifies
amongst Iri>h-
nian," xi.
nian," xi.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
xxvi.
2
—
Edited
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
Edited by Drs. Told and Reeves, pp. 146,147.
Now Donegal. There are some illustra-
"Marcianus' martyrdom: a multitude of gifted ones greatened it : some mighty men,
tionsand a description of this place in J. B. "
a goodly number, others virginal maidens. "
4
Tours in Ulster," chap, xviii. , pp. William Allingham.
—"Calendar of "Transactions Oengus. "
Doyle's 344 to 35 1.
of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manu-
script Series, vol. i. , p. xcii.
Mr.
marched off to Kinsale to join the Spaniards, lest it should strengthen the hands of the
2 nn. in Ob. and Seez'^W. , 5, 6, "Aglahe,"
English. — Article viii.
*
Pambone. " Ancient Martyrologies, and Greek Acts of these Martyrs, taken from a Vatican Manuscript and translated into
William are in which Latin by Sirlet, given,
terr. tory, says
Allingham,
The
rendered into English, by Whitley Stokes,
by
Rev. Dr.
LL. D. ,
records this
entry
:
by
Rev. Dr.
YllApcpA TilA|\ciAni
nionju'r ViiLa|\ mbu<vo4i
. <\ill niaicli -cine p\\ moi]\
Aill ingena uaja.
5 Of this
the chieftainship came into the O'Donnell
family in the twelfth century, and The
O'Donnell built, circa 1474, a stone castle on
the site of the ancient rath or fort. This was
ruined in 1601 by Red Hugh, before he Gorgio, Hyperechio, Selleniade, Irene,
following stanza,
Mart. , p. xcix.
3 In " Acta Sanc! orum," tomus i. . Junii v.
De Sanctis Decern Martyribus Egyptiis, Mar- ciano, Nicandro, Apollonio, Leonide, Ario,
many diversities
statement are to be
200 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 6.
Island of Himba, in Scotland. He is said, to have been the secretary of St. Columba,2 and to have written "ActaColumbse Magistri,"3 with other works. Hewasthemostfamiliardisciple« andimmediatesuccessorsofthatAbbot, in the Monastery at Iona. On such authority, the Bollandists 6 rather doubt- ingly record his feast, at this date ; but, they defer to the 9th of June his Acts, to be noticed with those of his great master.
Article X. —Reputed Festival of St. Branan, Bishop and Martyr.
The Kalendarof Drummond enters a St. Branan, Bishop and Martyr, at the
of 1 We cannot discover other reference to him, so that we are 5th June. any
not able to find his place in Irish hagiology.
1 Article XI. —St. Kevinus, Abbot. Father Henry Fitzsimon, who
enters this saint at the 5th of June, tells us, that he is identical with Coem-
2 whose Life has been at the of this month. genus, given already, 3rd day
^ijrtl) -Bap of Suite,
ARTICLE I. —ST. JARLATH, PATRON AND BISHOP OF TUAM DIOCESE, COUNTY OF GALWAY.
[SIXTH CENTURY. ]
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION'—ST. JARLATH'S FAMILY AND BIRTH—HE BECOMES A DISCIPLE OF ST. Bl N1GNUS AND REC1UVES HOLY ORDLRS—HE ERECTS A MONASTERY AT CLUAIN- FOIS, NEAR TUAM—ST. BRENDAN OF CLONFERT BECOMES HIS PUPIL—ST. JARLATH FLOURISHED ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE SIXTH CENTURY.
WEhave reason to regret the loss or destruction of many ancient
which should to throw on several records, serve, doubtless, light
transactions, connected with our native hagiology. Many of the Acts of our
principal saints are known to have perished, and especially, in the present case, we are at a loss for materials to construct a satisfactory biography of a
saint,sogreatlyveneratedasthepresentholyPatron. Thefollowingmemo-
found. See pp. 419 to 421.
4 Among these, however, we find no men-
tion of Agatha, nor in any other record, at
*
* Ileisso styled, by Notker, at v. idusjunii.
s Special allusion is made to him, in Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba,'' lib. i. , cap. 2, p. 19, cap. 20, p.
this date. — Article IX.
In his "Menologium 49, lib. ii. , cap. 45, p. 182, lib. iii. , cap. 23, Scotorum," he writes: "Insula? Himba and Appendix.
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii
the —
Among pretermitted Saints, p. 418.
Batheni ahbatis, qui S. Columbia Secreta-
rius fuit. N. "— Forbes' "Kalendars v. Bishop
of Scottish Saints,' p. 202.
2" See his Life in the present volume, at
See
Foibes'
the 9th of June, Art. i.
3 See Dempster's ''Historia Ecc'esiastica
Genus Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. ii. , num. 123, p. 66.
Bishop Catalogus aliquo-
Article x.
Ka'en'lars of Scottish Saint-," p. 15.
'
Article XL—' In •• rum Sanctorum Ibernia;. "
2 See O'Sullevan Beare's "Historic Catholicae Iberniae Compendium,*' tomus i. ,
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 201 rials are all we can glean to elucidate his obscure history. Our greatest
June 6.
lib. iv , cap. xii. , p. 55.
l was unable to the Acts of this celebrated saint, and procure
hagiographer
he laments that they had either perished, or had not been published in his
time; nevertheless, he introduces a short biography of St. Jarlath, compiled fromActsofotherIrishSaints,andfromvarioussources. 2 TheBollandists3 have a brief notice of him at this date, which they deem to have been a Feast for the Translation of his relics. 4 He is recorded, likewise, in the Ecclesias- tical Histories of Rev. Dr. John Lanigan, and of Rev. M. J. Brenan, O. S. F. This holy man was of noble birth, being the son of Loga or Lughir,s accord- ing to some accounts. 6 This genealogy is stated to be in part rather that of St. Jarlath, who was Archbishop of Armagh,? and who is distinguished from thesubjectofourMemoir. IntheSanctilogiumGenealogicum,oursaintis said to have been descended immediately from Denius, son of iModhorn, son of Duban, son of Fraich, son of Kect, son of Fricus, son of Erdal, &c. Hence, the author of the Irish Life of St. Brendan 8 is thought to have been in error, when he calls our saint's father, Loga, son of Trien, son to Fieg, son of Moctaeus, &c. He was descended by the father's side from a noble family, known as the Conmacnie,9 who probably had been possessors of the tract, denominated Conmacnede Kinel Dubhain. 10 Afterwards, it was called Con- macne de Dunmor, 11 now Dunmore barony, in the county of Galway. This sup- is the more as the of Tuam Parish ,2 is
situated, within that tract and barony. 's Several districts in the western parts of Ire-
Article —Chapter —• i. i.
Townland
Maps
for the of County
Colgan. See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xi. Februarii. Acta S. Hierlatii, n. i. , and pp.
Survey
3
Galway," that part of Tuam Parish in Dun-
more Barony consistsof 16,879 acres, 3 roods,
and 21 perches, including 40 acres, 2 roods,
and 32 perches, under water, and a detached
portion comprising 7 acr-s and 4 perches. The remainder of Tuam Parish is situated within the bounds of the baronies of Clare
308 to 310, with notes.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. ,
Junii vi. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 618.
probable, greater part
position
land went under the name of Conmacnie. 14
12
The mother of our saint was According to the Irish "Ordnance
4
Eleventh Day of February, and to the and Ballymoe, in the same county. That
References are afterwards given, to the
Twenty-sixth Day of December.
5 See Ussher's " Britannicarum Ecclesia-
rum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 494, as also
"
ponion comprised within the barony of Clare includes 5,819 acres, 3 roods and 3 perches ; of which the waters of Clonkeen Lough form an area of 153 acres, and 22
Index Chronologicus," p. 524.
his
6 See Harris' Ware, " Writers of Ire- perches. The part of this parish in Bally-
land," book i. , p. 14, vol. iii. . and " Arch- bishops of Tuam," vol. i. , p. 602.
^ See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
moe barony consists of 2,316 acres, and 31 perches ; of which 93 acre-, I rood, and 22 perches, are under water.
13 See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, ix. , n. 135, pp. 41, 42.
I4 See ibid.
15 By Very Rev. Canon Ulick J. Bourke, in a communication appearing in the Tuam In Mr. O'Donovan's Ancient Maps of Nezvs of February 4th, 1887. He adds : "In Pagan times in Eire, there were not a few daughters of princes who bore this re- markable name. She may have been so Oub<s. in. It is made to correspond with the called on account of some of the ladies amongst her kindred having borne that name ; or, that which is most likely, the name was a special soubriquet ap- plied to herself on account of the abundant fair hair which flowed in clustering ringlets a-down her neck and shoulders.
This idea is contained in the Irish term 'mong,' which, even to this hour, signifies amongst Iri>h-
nian," xi. Februarii. p. 310.
8
Acta S. Hierlatii. n. 4,
At Chapter ix.
9 See Rev. M. J. Brennn's "Ecclesiastical
ii. , p. 74. 10
History of Ireland," Sixth Century, chap,
Calway County, preserved in the Irish Ordnance Survey Office, Phoenix Park, this territory is designated ComriAicne Cnieil
limits of the present Dunmore barony, county
of "
of an earlier period
Galway.
It means "the large Fort. " Here there
is an ancient Abbey, about eight miles, north of Tuam. See Dr. O'Donovan's " Tribes and Customs of Hy-Manv. commonly called
the O'Kelly'sCountvy. " Additional Notes, Note A, p. [28,
202 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 6. named Mongfinn—rendered "Lady of fair Tresses "^—daughter of Kirdub-
ofdieCenneann 16 to attributedTreatiseI7 on family, according Angus'
han,
the Mothers of Irish Saints, in the seventy-fifth paragraph. ?
from this
most probable, that Jarlath was born it is said atTuam
to be
black and swarthy. " 10
:
" The special sept of the
same writer adds
Kenneans in the sixth century in the terri- tory known in after limes as County Galway, was deemed illustrious, and amongst the nobles of the period. It is quite natural to
youthful Jarlath, and others, became his dis- ciples and pupils, and in due time, Jarlath was raised to the dignity of priest, abbot, and bishop. These promotions of Jarlath required time, and must be considered not alone in relation to the youth of Clonmacne, but also to St. Benignus himself, who after- wards succeeded in due course the Apostle Patrick as Primate of All Ireland in the See
think, that some of the descendants of this '
sept adopted Kinnean,' as a family name. It is a well-known and not uncommon sur-
name in County Galway to this day. In like '
18 1
While some writers are of opinion, that Jarlath had come into the world so early as a. d. 425,*° others place his birth at a somewhat later period, while the learned Irish ecclesiastical historian, Dr. Lanigan, thinks it quite irrecon- cilable with his computation to suppose, that Jarlath was born at, or before, a. d. 438. Yet, almost every circumstance related, in connection with his life, tends to confirm us in the impression, that his birth cannot be far removed,
From all concurrent—
year. testimonies, however, thought
—it is
in the earlier part of the fifth century, and even that he flourished towards its close. Yet, one
speaking natives, long, thick, flowing hair. Mong is applied to one who has abundant
flowing hair, commonly applied to the hair flowing from the mane of a horse, or the mane itself. From the second part of the
'
name 'fionn,' which signifies 'fair in contra-
about the year A. D. 425, that is seven years before St. Patrick came as Bishop to preach the faith of Christ to the Irish. We shall further on show fully how this opinion has been arrived at. A few words here will suffice for the present. In about the year A. D. 443, the Apostle Patrick came to Kil- binin,nearTuam. Hewasaccompaniedby St. Benin, who baptized Jarlath, and his father and and the cousins
distinction to black or red, one is made aware that she was of the Milesian stock, and not one of the common people of Connacht, at that time the '
who were, as a race, In that communication just cited, the
mother, boy's german. Benignus was appointed Bishop of the district around Kilbinin, and the
Firbolg,'
manner the Kioiduban,' or Kinvan, may of Armagh even while the great Apostle
have been adopted by those known to this hour as Kirwan. There are names, for in- stance, that of Lynch, which are at the same time Milesian or native, and also foreign. The name can be traced to one of two dis- tinct surnames. The same may be said of the Kirwan family—that all the branches of that distinguished race did not come from one of the Galway tribes, but that Kirduban, father of Mongrinnia, may have had his patronymic adop:ed in the twelfth century by some of his descendants. "
17 The present writer has a copy of this
Tract Transcribed from the Leabhar Lecain,
an ancient Manuscript belonging to the Royal
Irish Acaoemy. In it is the following para-
graph : inomjpirvo mgen Cirvoubam t>o Clioneb Chmeiro niAcen lanLacln CIuiaivia
•oa ^uaIauo.
18 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nian,' xi. Febiuarii. Vita S. Hierlatii, cap.
i. ,p. 308.
*» There he states, that Mongrinnia was
"
the daughter of Kirdubhan,
neann," and that she was "mater S. Hie—r- latii lilii Logse de Tuaim da gualann. "
Ibid. , n. 5, p. 310.
20 Thus writes the Very Rev. Canon Ulick
himself was still alive. These points fully considered will lead one to the conclusion that Jarlath must have been at least seven years when Patrick, Bi>hop, receive! the apostolic authority from Pope St. Celes- tiue, to preach the Faith of Christ to the Irish. "
21
Thus writes, Very Rev. Ulick J Canon Bourke, in the article already quoted : " Now Jarlath's father must have lived near Tuam, which was not then a town, but a collection of a few huts anil houses, and amongst them the chieftain's residence ; for he is styled Louis of Tuaim, as if it had been said that Tuam was his dwelling-place. This opinion has been formed from the words in Father John Colgan's narrative re- garding the saint's father and mother : 'Mater Sancti Jarlathi filii Logha de Tuaim da uarleann. ' that is, mother of ]arlath, son of Louis of Tuam da-uarleann. Hence, one
can infer that Louis, with his family, dwelt '
de stirpe Cen-
J. Bourke: "The child Jarlath was born on the lands belonging to his tribe, at
21
at Tuam, and that
claim the honour to have been the birth- place of Jarlath, his son. This view is con- firmed by the fact that in after life, when Jarlath was consecrated Abbot and first Bishop of that territory, he erected a church
consequently
' Tuam can
June 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 203
of our most learned historians seems to have arrived at the conclusion, that our saint was probably born, about the commencement of the sixth century. In the supposition, that Jarlath received Holy Orders from St. Benignus, we
should admit, that he was born at the latest,' in 438, according to a conjecture
of Rev. Dr. 22 As Lanigan.
Jarlath
was a native of Conmacne, in the
opinion
of that historian,^ it was thought not wrong, to throw him into the num-
ber of the disciples of St. Benignus. But, granting St. Jarlath had attained
his twentieth year, and that St. Benignus died, shortly after this installation ;
we shall endeavour to make it appear, that all succeeding events of our holy
bishop's life are perfectly reconcilable, with such a supposition. TheearlytrainingofSt. Jarlathis saidtohavebeenunderaholyman,named
2 He Benignus. *
2?
is thought to have been the successor of St. Patrick,
as this
Benignus
Jarlath belonged to the Second Class of Irish Saints, who did not become
2
distinguished until about 540, it has been assumed, ? likewise, that the idea
of our saint having been his disciple is purely gratuitous. Yet, it is expressly asserted, in the Life of that holy man, that besides others, St. Jarlath, son of Loga, received literary instruction and was first initiated to the rudiments of
See of
Armagh. Now,
26 died, in the 468, and as year
literature through his care.
28
It is stated, that Benignus promoted our saint
to Holy Orders, with his cousin Callian, and afterwards, he is said to have
consecrated their churches. 29 There is nothing more usual, however, nor at
the same time more perplexing, in many of the acts of our saints, than their
authors making them either masters or pupils of certain eminent men, despite
the clearest chronological data. All of those actions, previously related, must
have taken place, before the year 468, when the death of Benignus, Prelate
of Armagh, took placed It has been contended, 3 1 that our saint must have
been at least thirty years of age when ordained, and before he was appointed
to the charge of a congregation. To this it may be replied, that at a much
later period, in the Irish Church, and when in all likelihood, a demand for
ministerial labour was not so urgent, St. Malachy O'Morgair received Priest's
orders in the twenty-fifth year of his age, and almost immediately afterwards,
he appears to have been called upon to discharge important trusts in the
2
church. 3
No sooner had St. Jarlath been released from the supervision of his
former master, than he appears to have returned to his own country; where having selected a site for the erection of a monastery, in Conmacnie, he
'
Cluain-fois,'ortheretreatofrest,ormea-
dow of rest, situated about two statute miles
south-west from—the present town of Tuam.
The old c—hurch the only remnant of the nise," xi. Februarii. Vita S. Hierlatii,
monastery is to be seen to this day. " cap. ii. , p. 308. 22 °
However, he deems the statement to
chap, x, sect, ix. , n. 137, p. 42.
43 See ibid.
24 It seems to be a matter of doubt, as to
whether or not, his identity can be exactly ascertained,
25 See his Life, in the Third Volume of this work, at the 17th of March, Art. i.
26
His festival occurs, at the 9th of Novem- ber.
3 At a. d. cccclxviii. , Ussher writes:
Chronologicus, p. 522.
3I By Rev. Dr. Lanigan.
32 See his Life, already separately pub- lished by the author, and also to be found re- vised, at the 3rd of November.
33 Colgan tells us, that this church, in his day, became a chapel, not far from Tuam, and belonging to the Cathedral Parish, ac- cording to a Catalogue of Churches in the
have been a and built fable,
" Acta Benignus Episcopus (qui
its
been recorded, that Benignus had preached in Conmacne, and in other parts of the west- See "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, viii. , sect, i. , and accompanying notes, pp 374 to 377, and ibid. , vol. ii. ,
Patriciiadhuc viventis scripsisse dicitur) mortuus est ; et lit alii quidem volunt, Glastoniae, ut alii Arm ichias sepultus est: (p. 426, 448, 455), quanquam Annales Inisfallenses Romse mor- tuum eum fuisse notent. "—" Britannicarum Ecclesiaium Antiquitates. " See Index
27
By Rev. Dr. Lanigan.
upon
having
28 "
See EcclesiasticalHistoryofIreland,"
vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, ix. , n. 137, p. 42.
29 See Colgan's
<:
Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
in the
204
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 6.
built one at a place, called Cluainfois,33 not far from Tuam. 34 Here, in due courseoftime,aschoolwasattachedtotheMonastery. 35 Cluainfoisisnow thenameofatownland, Cloonfush 6 inthenorlhendofthis
Anglicized ? and,
townland, a short distance from the river of Clare, to the east, is remaining a
portionofanoldchurch,calledTeampulJarlaithe;37 atwhichchildrenwere lately interred, although the place around, at present, does not present the appearance of a burial-place. 3s The west gable remained, in 1838, being then three yards broad and retaining nearly its original height. The actual height was then between nine and ten feet ; while two yards of the length, on
Cluainfois, near Tuam, County of Gahvay.
the north side wall, attached to this gable, were standing. Its highest part was then about 7! feet. The west gable appeared to have had a window or
opening, on or near, its top. The original length of the building inside, so far as was definable by the foundation, which could then be traced, was 13
Tuam Diocese, which thus names it :
part of the territory designated Ui Dpiuin
" Capella
de Cluainfois in in the same parochia SeaLa,
Tuamensi.
"
"
Acta Sanctorum Hibeinias," xi. Februarii,
"
country.
35 See Rev. M. J. Brenan's "Ecclesiasti-
cal History of Ireland," Sixth Century,
chap. ii. . p. 74.
3° It is bounded on the north, by the
Parishes of Belclare and Kilhannon ; on the south and west by the Parish of Killoir, and by the townland of Kilmore ; and on the east, by Killaloonty townland.
Fos has the Latin signification, commoratio," and Cluainfois is Latinized, "recessuscommorationis. " Thus, it appears to
have been named, from the circumstance of
our saint having dwelt there with his disci-
ples, before he removed to Tuam. See
n. 10, p. 310.
34 In Irish the place is cUiaui £oir\
Although in the Acls of St. Jarlatli, as pub-
lished by Colgan, it is said that Cluainfois is
situated in the territory of Conmacnie ; yet,
in Mr. O'Donovan's Ancient Map of Gahvay,
it is placed a little to the south of ConinAicne William F. Wakeman, and it was engraved CineiL Dublin territory, and in the northern by Mrs. Millard.
37 In Irish CeampaLl, lA]\l<Mr;e, and in Latin Templum S. Jarlaithe.
i8 The accompanying illustration is from a sketch made by the writer on the spot. This has been transferred to the wood, by
June 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
yards, by 4 yards. 39 The cement was composed of lime and sand—.
°
distance of 6 or 7 yards from the south-east corner lies a stone 4
circular cavity nearly central in it, which is about one foot in diameter, and which narrows gradually to the bottom, where it does not exceed three inches in diameter. 41
Over the monastery and school at Cluainfois, our saint presided, with
a great reputation for piety and learning. Among other disciples, who placed themselves under St. Jarlath's direction, was the celebrated St.
Brendan of Clonfert.
2
—
Edited
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
Edited by Drs. Told and Reeves, pp. 146,147.
Now Donegal. There are some illustra-
"Marcianus' martyrdom: a multitude of gifted ones greatened it : some mighty men,
tionsand a description of this place in J. B. "
a goodly number, others virginal maidens. "
4
Tours in Ulster," chap, xviii. , pp. William Allingham.
—"Calendar of "Transactions Oengus. "
Doyle's 344 to 35 1.
of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manu-
script Series, vol. i. , p. xcii.
Mr.
marched off to Kinsale to join the Spaniards, lest it should strengthen the hands of the
2 nn. in Ob. and Seez'^W. , 5, 6, "Aglahe,"
English. — Article viii.
*
Pambone. " Ancient Martyrologies, and Greek Acts of these Martyrs, taken from a Vatican Manuscript and translated into
William are in which Latin by Sirlet, given,
terr. tory, says
Allingham,
The
rendered into English, by Whitley Stokes,
by
Rev. Dr.
LL. D. ,
records this
entry
:
by
Rev. Dr.
YllApcpA TilA|\ciAni
nionju'r ViiLa|\ mbu<vo4i
. <\ill niaicli -cine p\\ moi]\
Aill ingena uaja.
5 Of this
the chieftainship came into the O'Donnell
family in the twelfth century, and The
O'Donnell built, circa 1474, a stone castle on
the site of the ancient rath or fort. This was
ruined in 1601 by Red Hugh, before he Gorgio, Hyperechio, Selleniade, Irene,
following stanza,
Mart. , p. xcix.
3 In " Acta Sanc! orum," tomus i. . Junii v.
De Sanctis Decern Martyribus Egyptiis, Mar- ciano, Nicandro, Apollonio, Leonide, Ario,
many diversities
statement are to be
200 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 6.
Island of Himba, in Scotland. He is said, to have been the secretary of St. Columba,2 and to have written "ActaColumbse Magistri,"3 with other works. Hewasthemostfamiliardisciple« andimmediatesuccessorsofthatAbbot, in the Monastery at Iona. On such authority, the Bollandists 6 rather doubt- ingly record his feast, at this date ; but, they defer to the 9th of June his Acts, to be noticed with those of his great master.
Article X. —Reputed Festival of St. Branan, Bishop and Martyr.
The Kalendarof Drummond enters a St. Branan, Bishop and Martyr, at the
of 1 We cannot discover other reference to him, so that we are 5th June. any
not able to find his place in Irish hagiology.
1 Article XI. —St. Kevinus, Abbot. Father Henry Fitzsimon, who
enters this saint at the 5th of June, tells us, that he is identical with Coem-
2 whose Life has been at the of this month. genus, given already, 3rd day
^ijrtl) -Bap of Suite,
ARTICLE I. —ST. JARLATH, PATRON AND BISHOP OF TUAM DIOCESE, COUNTY OF GALWAY.
[SIXTH CENTURY. ]
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION'—ST. JARLATH'S FAMILY AND BIRTH—HE BECOMES A DISCIPLE OF ST. Bl N1GNUS AND REC1UVES HOLY ORDLRS—HE ERECTS A MONASTERY AT CLUAIN- FOIS, NEAR TUAM—ST. BRENDAN OF CLONFERT BECOMES HIS PUPIL—ST. JARLATH FLOURISHED ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE SIXTH CENTURY.
WEhave reason to regret the loss or destruction of many ancient
which should to throw on several records, serve, doubtless, light
transactions, connected with our native hagiology. Many of the Acts of our
principal saints are known to have perished, and especially, in the present case, we are at a loss for materials to construct a satisfactory biography of a
saint,sogreatlyveneratedasthepresentholyPatron. Thefollowingmemo-
found. See pp. 419 to 421.
4 Among these, however, we find no men-
tion of Agatha, nor in any other record, at
*
* Ileisso styled, by Notker, at v. idusjunii.
s Special allusion is made to him, in Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba,'' lib. i. , cap. 2, p. 19, cap. 20, p.
this date. — Article IX.
In his "Menologium 49, lib. ii. , cap. 45, p. 182, lib. iii. , cap. 23, Scotorum," he writes: "Insula? Himba and Appendix.
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii
the —
Among pretermitted Saints, p. 418.
Batheni ahbatis, qui S. Columbia Secreta-
rius fuit. N. "— Forbes' "Kalendars v. Bishop
of Scottish Saints,' p. 202.
2" See his Life in the present volume, at
See
Foibes'
the 9th of June, Art. i.
3 See Dempster's ''Historia Ecc'esiastica
Genus Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. ii. , num. 123, p. 66.
Bishop Catalogus aliquo-
Article x.
Ka'en'lars of Scottish Saint-," p. 15.
'
Article XL—' In •• rum Sanctorum Ibernia;. "
2 See O'Sullevan Beare's "Historic Catholicae Iberniae Compendium,*' tomus i. ,
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 201 rials are all we can glean to elucidate his obscure history. Our greatest
June 6.
lib. iv , cap. xii. , p. 55.
l was unable to the Acts of this celebrated saint, and procure
hagiographer
he laments that they had either perished, or had not been published in his
time; nevertheless, he introduces a short biography of St. Jarlath, compiled fromActsofotherIrishSaints,andfromvarioussources. 2 TheBollandists3 have a brief notice of him at this date, which they deem to have been a Feast for the Translation of his relics. 4 He is recorded, likewise, in the Ecclesias- tical Histories of Rev. Dr. John Lanigan, and of Rev. M. J. Brenan, O. S. F. This holy man was of noble birth, being the son of Loga or Lughir,s accord- ing to some accounts. 6 This genealogy is stated to be in part rather that of St. Jarlath, who was Archbishop of Armagh,? and who is distinguished from thesubjectofourMemoir. IntheSanctilogiumGenealogicum,oursaintis said to have been descended immediately from Denius, son of iModhorn, son of Duban, son of Fraich, son of Kect, son of Fricus, son of Erdal, &c. Hence, the author of the Irish Life of St. Brendan 8 is thought to have been in error, when he calls our saint's father, Loga, son of Trien, son to Fieg, son of Moctaeus, &c. He was descended by the father's side from a noble family, known as the Conmacnie,9 who probably had been possessors of the tract, denominated Conmacnede Kinel Dubhain. 10 Afterwards, it was called Con- macne de Dunmor, 11 now Dunmore barony, in the county of Galway. This sup- is the more as the of Tuam Parish ,2 is
situated, within that tract and barony. 's Several districts in the western parts of Ire-
Article —Chapter —• i. i.
Townland
Maps
for the of County
Colgan. See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xi. Februarii. Acta S. Hierlatii, n. i. , and pp.
Survey
3
Galway," that part of Tuam Parish in Dun-
more Barony consistsof 16,879 acres, 3 roods,
and 21 perches, including 40 acres, 2 roods,
and 32 perches, under water, and a detached
portion comprising 7 acr-s and 4 perches. The remainder of Tuam Parish is situated within the bounds of the baronies of Clare
308 to 310, with notes.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. ,
Junii vi. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 618.
probable, greater part
position
land went under the name of Conmacnie. 14
12
The mother of our saint was According to the Irish "Ordnance
4
Eleventh Day of February, and to the and Ballymoe, in the same county. That
References are afterwards given, to the
Twenty-sixth Day of December.
5 See Ussher's " Britannicarum Ecclesia-
rum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 494, as also
"
ponion comprised within the barony of Clare includes 5,819 acres, 3 roods and 3 perches ; of which the waters of Clonkeen Lough form an area of 153 acres, and 22
Index Chronologicus," p. 524.
his
6 See Harris' Ware, " Writers of Ire- perches. The part of this parish in Bally-
land," book i. , p. 14, vol. iii. . and " Arch- bishops of Tuam," vol. i. , p. 602.
^ See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
moe barony consists of 2,316 acres, and 31 perches ; of which 93 acre-, I rood, and 22 perches, are under water.
13 See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, ix. , n. 135, pp. 41, 42.
I4 See ibid.
15 By Very Rev. Canon Ulick J. Bourke, in a communication appearing in the Tuam In Mr. O'Donovan's Ancient Maps of Nezvs of February 4th, 1887. He adds : "In Pagan times in Eire, there were not a few daughters of princes who bore this re- markable name. She may have been so Oub<s. in. It is made to correspond with the called on account of some of the ladies amongst her kindred having borne that name ; or, that which is most likely, the name was a special soubriquet ap- plied to herself on account of the abundant fair hair which flowed in clustering ringlets a-down her neck and shoulders.
This idea is contained in the Irish term 'mong,' which, even to this hour, signifies amongst Iri>h-
nian," xi. Februarii. p. 310.
8
Acta S. Hierlatii. n. 4,
At Chapter ix.
9 See Rev. M. J. Brennn's "Ecclesiastical
ii. , p. 74. 10
History of Ireland," Sixth Century, chap,
Calway County, preserved in the Irish Ordnance Survey Office, Phoenix Park, this territory is designated ComriAicne Cnieil
limits of the present Dunmore barony, county
of "
of an earlier period
Galway.
It means "the large Fort. " Here there
is an ancient Abbey, about eight miles, north of Tuam. See Dr. O'Donovan's " Tribes and Customs of Hy-Manv. commonly called
the O'Kelly'sCountvy. " Additional Notes, Note A, p. [28,
202 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 6. named Mongfinn—rendered "Lady of fair Tresses "^—daughter of Kirdub-
ofdieCenneann 16 to attributedTreatiseI7 on family, according Angus'
han,
the Mothers of Irish Saints, in the seventy-fifth paragraph. ?
from this
most probable, that Jarlath was born it is said atTuam
to be
black and swarthy. " 10
:
" The special sept of the
same writer adds
Kenneans in the sixth century in the terri- tory known in after limes as County Galway, was deemed illustrious, and amongst the nobles of the period. It is quite natural to
youthful Jarlath, and others, became his dis- ciples and pupils, and in due time, Jarlath was raised to the dignity of priest, abbot, and bishop. These promotions of Jarlath required time, and must be considered not alone in relation to the youth of Clonmacne, but also to St. Benignus himself, who after- wards succeeded in due course the Apostle Patrick as Primate of All Ireland in the See
think, that some of the descendants of this '
sept adopted Kinnean,' as a family name. It is a well-known and not uncommon sur-
name in County Galway to this day. In like '
18 1
While some writers are of opinion, that Jarlath had come into the world so early as a. d. 425,*° others place his birth at a somewhat later period, while the learned Irish ecclesiastical historian, Dr. Lanigan, thinks it quite irrecon- cilable with his computation to suppose, that Jarlath was born at, or before, a. d. 438. Yet, almost every circumstance related, in connection with his life, tends to confirm us in the impression, that his birth cannot be far removed,
From all concurrent—
year. testimonies, however, thought
—it is
in the earlier part of the fifth century, and even that he flourished towards its close. Yet, one
speaking natives, long, thick, flowing hair. Mong is applied to one who has abundant
flowing hair, commonly applied to the hair flowing from the mane of a horse, or the mane itself. From the second part of the
'
name 'fionn,' which signifies 'fair in contra-
about the year A. D. 425, that is seven years before St. Patrick came as Bishop to preach the faith of Christ to the Irish. We shall further on show fully how this opinion has been arrived at. A few words here will suffice for the present. In about the year A. D. 443, the Apostle Patrick came to Kil- binin,nearTuam. Hewasaccompaniedby St. Benin, who baptized Jarlath, and his father and and the cousins
distinction to black or red, one is made aware that she was of the Milesian stock, and not one of the common people of Connacht, at that time the '
who were, as a race, In that communication just cited, the
mother, boy's german. Benignus was appointed Bishop of the district around Kilbinin, and the
Firbolg,'
manner the Kioiduban,' or Kinvan, may of Armagh even while the great Apostle
have been adopted by those known to this hour as Kirwan. There are names, for in- stance, that of Lynch, which are at the same time Milesian or native, and also foreign. The name can be traced to one of two dis- tinct surnames. The same may be said of the Kirwan family—that all the branches of that distinguished race did not come from one of the Galway tribes, but that Kirduban, father of Mongrinnia, may have had his patronymic adop:ed in the twelfth century by some of his descendants. "
17 The present writer has a copy of this
Tract Transcribed from the Leabhar Lecain,
an ancient Manuscript belonging to the Royal
Irish Acaoemy. In it is the following para-
graph : inomjpirvo mgen Cirvoubam t>o Clioneb Chmeiro niAcen lanLacln CIuiaivia
•oa ^uaIauo.
18 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nian,' xi. Febiuarii. Vita S. Hierlatii, cap.
i. ,p. 308.
*» There he states, that Mongrinnia was
"
the daughter of Kirdubhan,
neann," and that she was "mater S. Hie—r- latii lilii Logse de Tuaim da gualann. "
Ibid. , n. 5, p. 310.
20 Thus writes the Very Rev. Canon Ulick
himself was still alive. These points fully considered will lead one to the conclusion that Jarlath must have been at least seven years when Patrick, Bi>hop, receive! the apostolic authority from Pope St. Celes- tiue, to preach the Faith of Christ to the Irish. "
21
Thus writes, Very Rev. Ulick J Canon Bourke, in the article already quoted : " Now Jarlath's father must have lived near Tuam, which was not then a town, but a collection of a few huts anil houses, and amongst them the chieftain's residence ; for he is styled Louis of Tuaim, as if it had been said that Tuam was his dwelling-place. This opinion has been formed from the words in Father John Colgan's narrative re- garding the saint's father and mother : 'Mater Sancti Jarlathi filii Logha de Tuaim da uarleann. ' that is, mother of ]arlath, son of Louis of Tuam da-uarleann. Hence, one
can infer that Louis, with his family, dwelt '
de stirpe Cen-
J. Bourke: "The child Jarlath was born on the lands belonging to his tribe, at
21
at Tuam, and that
claim the honour to have been the birth- place of Jarlath, his son. This view is con- firmed by the fact that in after life, when Jarlath was consecrated Abbot and first Bishop of that territory, he erected a church
consequently
' Tuam can
June 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 203
of our most learned historians seems to have arrived at the conclusion, that our saint was probably born, about the commencement of the sixth century. In the supposition, that Jarlath received Holy Orders from St. Benignus, we
should admit, that he was born at the latest,' in 438, according to a conjecture
of Rev. Dr. 22 As Lanigan.
Jarlath
was a native of Conmacne, in the
opinion
of that historian,^ it was thought not wrong, to throw him into the num-
ber of the disciples of St. Benignus. But, granting St. Jarlath had attained
his twentieth year, and that St. Benignus died, shortly after this installation ;
we shall endeavour to make it appear, that all succeeding events of our holy
bishop's life are perfectly reconcilable, with such a supposition. TheearlytrainingofSt. Jarlathis saidtohavebeenunderaholyman,named
2 He Benignus. *
2?
is thought to have been the successor of St. Patrick,
as this
Benignus
Jarlath belonged to the Second Class of Irish Saints, who did not become
2
distinguished until about 540, it has been assumed, ? likewise, that the idea
of our saint having been his disciple is purely gratuitous. Yet, it is expressly asserted, in the Life of that holy man, that besides others, St. Jarlath, son of Loga, received literary instruction and was first initiated to the rudiments of
See of
Armagh. Now,
26 died, in the 468, and as year
literature through his care.
28
It is stated, that Benignus promoted our saint
to Holy Orders, with his cousin Callian, and afterwards, he is said to have
consecrated their churches. 29 There is nothing more usual, however, nor at
the same time more perplexing, in many of the acts of our saints, than their
authors making them either masters or pupils of certain eminent men, despite
the clearest chronological data. All of those actions, previously related, must
have taken place, before the year 468, when the death of Benignus, Prelate
of Armagh, took placed It has been contended, 3 1 that our saint must have
been at least thirty years of age when ordained, and before he was appointed
to the charge of a congregation. To this it may be replied, that at a much
later period, in the Irish Church, and when in all likelihood, a demand for
ministerial labour was not so urgent, St. Malachy O'Morgair received Priest's
orders in the twenty-fifth year of his age, and almost immediately afterwards,
he appears to have been called upon to discharge important trusts in the
2
church. 3
No sooner had St. Jarlath been released from the supervision of his
former master, than he appears to have returned to his own country; where having selected a site for the erection of a monastery, in Conmacnie, he
'
Cluain-fois,'ortheretreatofrest,ormea-
dow of rest, situated about two statute miles
south-west from—the present town of Tuam.
The old c—hurch the only remnant of the nise," xi. Februarii. Vita S. Hierlatii,
monastery is to be seen to this day. " cap. ii. , p. 308. 22 °
However, he deems the statement to
chap, x, sect, ix. , n. 137, p. 42.
43 See ibid.
24 It seems to be a matter of doubt, as to
whether or not, his identity can be exactly ascertained,
25 See his Life, in the Third Volume of this work, at the 17th of March, Art. i.
26
His festival occurs, at the 9th of Novem- ber.
3 At a. d. cccclxviii. , Ussher writes:
Chronologicus, p. 522.
3I By Rev. Dr. Lanigan.
32 See his Life, already separately pub- lished by the author, and also to be found re- vised, at the 3rd of November.
33 Colgan tells us, that this church, in his day, became a chapel, not far from Tuam, and belonging to the Cathedral Parish, ac- cording to a Catalogue of Churches in the
have been a and built fable,
" Acta Benignus Episcopus (qui
its
been recorded, that Benignus had preached in Conmacne, and in other parts of the west- See "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, viii. , sect, i. , and accompanying notes, pp 374 to 377, and ibid. , vol. ii. ,
Patriciiadhuc viventis scripsisse dicitur) mortuus est ; et lit alii quidem volunt, Glastoniae, ut alii Arm ichias sepultus est: (p. 426, 448, 455), quanquam Annales Inisfallenses Romse mor- tuum eum fuisse notent. "—" Britannicarum Ecclesiaium Antiquitates. " See Index
27
By Rev. Dr. Lanigan.
upon
having
28 "
See EcclesiasticalHistoryofIreland,"
vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, ix. , n. 137, p. 42.
29 See Colgan's
<:
Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
in the
204
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 6.
built one at a place, called Cluainfois,33 not far from Tuam. 34 Here, in due courseoftime,aschoolwasattachedtotheMonastery. 35 Cluainfoisisnow thenameofatownland, Cloonfush 6 inthenorlhendofthis
Anglicized ? and,
townland, a short distance from the river of Clare, to the east, is remaining a
portionofanoldchurch,calledTeampulJarlaithe;37 atwhichchildrenwere lately interred, although the place around, at present, does not present the appearance of a burial-place. 3s The west gable remained, in 1838, being then three yards broad and retaining nearly its original height. The actual height was then between nine and ten feet ; while two yards of the length, on
Cluainfois, near Tuam, County of Gahvay.
the north side wall, attached to this gable, were standing. Its highest part was then about 7! feet. The west gable appeared to have had a window or
opening, on or near, its top. The original length of the building inside, so far as was definable by the foundation, which could then be traced, was 13
Tuam Diocese, which thus names it :
part of the territory designated Ui Dpiuin
" Capella
de Cluainfois in in the same parochia SeaLa,
Tuamensi.
"
"
Acta Sanctorum Hibeinias," xi. Februarii,
"
country.
35 See Rev. M. J. Brenan's "Ecclesiasti-
cal History of Ireland," Sixth Century,
chap. ii. . p. 74.
3° It is bounded on the north, by the
Parishes of Belclare and Kilhannon ; on the south and west by the Parish of Killoir, and by the townland of Kilmore ; and on the east, by Killaloonty townland.
Fos has the Latin signification, commoratio," and Cluainfois is Latinized, "recessuscommorationis. " Thus, it appears to
have been named, from the circumstance of
our saint having dwelt there with his disci-
ples, before he removed to Tuam. See
n. 10, p. 310.
34 In Irish the place is cUiaui £oir\
Although in the Acls of St. Jarlatli, as pub-
lished by Colgan, it is said that Cluainfois is
situated in the territory of Conmacnie ; yet,
in Mr. O'Donovan's Ancient Map of Gahvay,
it is placed a little to the south of ConinAicne William F. Wakeman, and it was engraved CineiL Dublin territory, and in the northern by Mrs. Millard.
37 In Irish CeampaLl, lA]\l<Mr;e, and in Latin Templum S. Jarlaithe.
i8 The accompanying illustration is from a sketch made by the writer on the spot. This has been transferred to the wood, by
June 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
yards, by 4 yards. 39 The cement was composed of lime and sand—.
°
distance of 6 or 7 yards from the south-east corner lies a stone 4
circular cavity nearly central in it, which is about one foot in diameter, and which narrows gradually to the bottom, where it does not exceed three inches in diameter. 41
Over the monastery and school at Cluainfois, our saint presided, with
a great reputation for piety and learning. Among other disciples, who placed themselves under St. Jarlath's direction, was the celebrated St.
Brendan of Clonfert.
