Stokes: "Let the
Elevation
of Articlevi.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v9
Appendix
au Vitani S. Fintani, cap. i. , p. 355.
2
translated as follows by Dr. Whitley Stoke—s:
'
ofl the square,' its diagonals being of dif-
Thus : pnean jrem jrru pogLA. It is " Fintan himself against plundering*"
ferent lengths, one measuring 18 feet
7 inches, and the other 17 feet 1 1 inches,
It, however, recovers the rectangular shape
externally to_a great extent. The external
measurements are, on the south side, 21 feet
"
satisfactory description of this building, with illustra-
is that Mr. Robert
tions, given by Cochrane,
in his interesting paper, "Notes on the Ecclesiastical Antiquities in the Parish of Howth, County of Dublin. " Its dimensions are thus set forth
:
Feihre Hui Gormain," pp. 184, 185.
3 The fullest and most
detailed
6 and on the north 21 feet inches,
Ibid. .
" St. Fintan's church, as
appears
to stand
partly
early
inches, 4 Similarly the eastern end measures 12 feet
— and the western 12 feet
9 inches, 8£
inches. " of Anti- quaries of Ireland," vol. iii. , fifth series, part
iv. , 1893, p. 386.
4 By Robert Cochrane F. S. A. , M. R. I. A.
"Journal
ofthe
Royal Society
September 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 6iS
that the walls had been thus treated. 5 At the western end are traces showing, that the ends of beams resting on the side walls supported a loft, while light was afforded only from the circular window already mentioned. A short distance from the church is the holy well of St. Fintan, but any tradition of the day when pilgrims resorted to it has not been preserved in the locality to give a possible clue, which might serve for the patron's identi- fication. 6 An ancient cemetery surrounds the oratory, and there are still to be seen several tombs and graves. ? The scenery around St. Fintan's Oratory
St. Fintan's Church, Howth.
8 hasbeendescribedandadmirablyversifiedinalocallegend, whichintro-
duces Aideen as the heroine, and records her rest under a remarkable Cromlech, in the adjoining beautiful demesne of Lord Howth. From the simple entry of his name, at this date, we do not feel warranted in connecting the present Fintan with this locality ; neither is it established, on any fair grounds, that any other so called had been venerated at Howth. We find
s The accompanying illustration, present- ing a north-west view of St. Fintan's church,
Howth, and drawn by J. M. Kavanagh, R. H. A. , in 1893, has been reproduced on the wood and engraved by Gregor Grey.
'Among those interred here may be men-
tioned the late distinguished physician and literateur, Dr. William Stokes, of Dublin, belonging to a family eminent for talent and the cultivation of Irish national literature.
6 However, the Very Rev. James Henthorn The flag-stone under which he rests has
Todd supposes that the patron was St.
Fintan Find of Drum Ingaid—now Dromin,
in the County of Meath—and whose feast
occurs on the ioth of October. See " The
Book of Obits and Martyrology of the
Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, com-
monly called Christ Church, Dublin," "Cromlech on Howth," has received addi-
edited by John Clarke Crosthwaite, A,M. , and James Henthorn Todd, D. D. , p xliv. ,
tional interest from the drawings of Miss Margaret Stokes, with exquisite coloured illustrations in lithography. It was published
n.
(k. )
been designed by his accomplished daughter,
Miss Margaret Stokes, and the tracery on it
is a of ancient truly elegant reproduction
Irish monumental art.
8 A harmonious and pathetic poem of the
late Sir Samuel Ferguson, and intituled the
6i6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 27.
Fionntain merely set down in the Martyrology of Donegal,' at the 27th of September, and the same notice is in the Irish Calendar, belonging to the
10
Article III. —St. Columm ok Columban. —In the published 1
Martyrology of Tallagh, a festival is registered at the 27th of September, in honor of Columban. 2 The word w elevatio," which is associated here with his name, seems referable to his being raised to Heaven on this day. It may mean, however, a translation of the saint's relics. As noticed in the metrical Martyrology of Marianus 0'Gorman,3 this " fair Coluimm4" seems to have beenregardedasthesuperiorofmonks. Noreferencetohisplaceorperiod hasbeendiscovered. Atthissamedate,theMartyrologyofDonegalcontains the simple entry of Columm ; but in the table subjoined to this work, he is
6
further distinguished as Columm Ban, (the white).
Article IV. —St. Suibni, or Suibhne. —The published Martyrology ot
1 that veneration was Tallagh records,
Ordnance Survey Records.
paid
ber. Si is postfixed to the mention of his name in this Calendar. 2 At this
day, likewise, Marianus O'Gorman has a commemoration of Suibne. 3
Colgan4 seems desirous of identifying this holy man with St. Subneus Ui
Fionnachta, bishop of Kildare, who died a. d. 878. 5 However, in the year
"6
876, the Chronicum Scotorum" records the plundering of Cill-dara by
Gentiles,'whenfourteenscoremenweretakenoutofit, togetherwiththe vice-Abbott, Suibhne, (son) of Dubhdabhairenn. We can hardly doubt but that he must be identified with the former ; but whether he survived that capture two years, or that there be a difference in the chronology of the annalists,cannotbedetermined. Thepresentsaint'snameissimplyrecorded,
in the Martyrology of Donegal.
8
in London, 1861, in folio size. We shall only introduce the following stanza, in allu- sion to Aideen —
:
" Here, far from camp and chase removed, Apart in nature's quiet room,
The music that alive she loved Shall cheer her in the tomb.
The humming of the noon-tide bees, The lark's loud carol all day long,
And borne on evening's salted breeze The clanking sea-bird's song. "
9 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
260, 261.
10 See " Common Place Book F," p. 82.
" Felire Hui Gormain," pp. 184, 185.
" We
Article in. — ' Edited
5 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 526, 527. The
Rev. Dr. a"
p. XXXV.
In the Book of Leinster copy we read
Annales Ultonienses," have at A. n. 880— Suibne Episcopus Cilledaro quievit. "
Colurnbani eliuAoo.
3 There he is thus recorded
:
"
:
Hibernicarum
Cotuitn ban pin rarvcheno ftoba blAchcenn buione.
Thus rendered by Dr. Whitley Stokes : " Fair Coluimm (Columban ? ) a very strict sage, who was the smooth chief of a troop. "
6 See William M. Hennessy's edition, pp. 170, 171.
1 A usual designation for the Da-ies or Northmen given in the Irish records.
8 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 260, 261.
by
Kelly
—
Dr. O Conor's
"
Rerum
to Suibhne, at the of
27th Septem-
4 The editor adds a note here
:
should read Columban. " Ibid. , probably —
n. (f).
5 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
360, 361.
6
See ibid. , —
pp. 380, 381.
Article iv. 'Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xxxv.
"In the Book of Leinster copy we find
Suibtn rci.
3 See Dr. Whitley Stokes' " Feilite Hui
Gormain," pp. 184, 185.
4 See " Trias Thaumaturga. " Quinta
Appendix ad Acta S. Brigidae, cap. ii. , p. 629.
Scriptores," tomus iv. , p. 235.
September 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 617
Article V. —St. Finnen or Finnian, Bishop. We find simply the name Finnian, without further designation, entered in the published Martyr-
1 atthe of Asimilar isintheBook 27th September. entry
this same date, the Martyrology of Donegal,? records Finnen, Bishop. I think, adds the calendarist, this was the Bishop Finnen, whom Senan left in Inis Cunla,* in Crich Ua Sedna, in Munster. We do not find any other Finnen, without being characterised, except this one. *
Article VI. —St. Finnanie Mac Coppain. At this date, a festival is
1
recorded in the published Martyrology of Tallagh, to honour Finnanie
of
ology Tallagh,
of Leinster
tion at this same date. 3 Colgan thinks it is referable either to St. Finian,4 Bishop of Clonard, or to St. Finian,* Bishop of Maghbile, in Ulster. * At
Mac Coppain.
We also meet with a somewhat different entry in the Book
copy,
2 Marianus O'Gorman has the feast of St. Finian's Eleva-
or "
Article VII. —Festival for the Translation or St. Gibrian's
Relics, The feast of the Translation ot St. Gibrian's relics is set down, by
Saussay and Ferrarius, at the 16th of April ; but, at the 27th of September, it is in an ancient copy of Usuard's Martyrology, and in the Florarius Sanc-
2 The
of "Mac
ofLeinster
harmonious son," by Marianus O'Gorman, occurs at the 27th of September. 3 This St. Finnan appears to have been a distinct person from a saint of the name,alreadydescribedasabishop. AtaholywellintheparishofSkreen, County of Wexford, a patron was formerly held on the 27th of September. * The local saint seems unknown to the people.
1
At the 8th of May, which is the date assigned for his chief festival,
copy.
entry
Coppain
co
cuibdi,"
Coppan's
torum.
we have inserted the particulars of his life so for as they are known. 2
Article VIII. —St. Ernin Ua Briuin. The Almighty descends from His supernal delights and glory, to accommodate himself to the weakness
1
Article v. — Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
p. xxxv. 2
at the 8th of March, in the Third Volume of this work, Art. i,
9 The Life of St. Senan, chapter 24, is
Thus, pniAtn.
3 Thus is it recorded in his " Felire":— quoted, as authority for the foregoing state-
. ^
Cocbait, pirnum eprcuip
"
ments. See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum
Hiberni*," Manii viii. Secunda Vita S.
,_ -i
cnerWc ,c chtmnne.
Senani> c;p> xxvij> p These lines are thus translated by Dr. n. 21, p. 540, (recte) 536.
Stokes: "Let the Elevation of Articlevi. —1 Edited Rev. Dr. Whitley by
Bishop Finnian the soft-skinned be in thy me- p. xxxv.
It,
mory. "—"Feilire Hui Gormain," pp. 184, 185.
4
See notices of him at the 23rd ot February, in the Second Volume of this work, Art. ix. , and his Life, given more in detail, at the 12th of December, in the Twelfth Volume, Art. i.
5 See his Acts, at the 10th of September,
2
in the present volume, Art. i. 6"
Thus pncAine in Copam.
3 See Dr. Whitley Stokes' " Feilire Hui
Gormain," pp. 184, 185.
4 See " Letters containing Information re-
lative to the Antiquities of the County of Wexford collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey," vol. i.
—
Article VII. 'See the Bollandists'
"Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Maii viii. De S. Gibriano Presbytero, num. 2. , p. 300. Also, in "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. , Septembris xxvii. Among the pretermitted saints, p, 375.
See Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xxiii. Februarii. Appendix ad Acta S. Finniani, cap. i. , p. 402.
7 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 260, 261.
See the Life of St. Senan, which occurs
2
this work, Art.
^ ^^ (rgcU)
See, at that date, in the Fifth Volume of
Kelly,
6iS LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 27.
of men, confirming them by His graces. The saint called Ernin Ua Briuin, was venerated, at the 27th of September, as we read in the published Martyr-
1 A similar
2
of
Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman, he is noticed at this date as " Slender Ernin. " 3 If this allusion have reference to his external appearance, we may arrive at the conclusion that he was thin or spare in figure. He is also com- memorated in the Martyrology of Donegal/ at this date.
ology
Tallagh.
entry
is in the Book
of Leinster copy.
In the
Article IX. —St. Orannus, or Oranus, Bishop. The English Martyrology and Henry Fitzsimon have a St. Oranus, Bishop, on their Catalogue for the 27th of September. The Bollandists who note Oranus, Orannus, or Odranus at this date, allude to the St. Odranus, the disciple and charioteer of St. Patrick, 1 who is venerated at of 2 and who
19th February,
sacrificed his own life to save that of his master. Ferrarius states, that the
Orannus venerated on this day in Ireland had been a bishop. 3 But whether he had been a priest or a bishop, or identical with the Odranus, St. Patrick's
servant, the Bollandists promise to examine, possibly at the 27th of October, to which his festival has been assigned by many writers, as also by Ferrarius. 4 In the anonymous Calendar of National Saints, published by O'Sullivan Beare,5 there is a St. Orannus, for this same day.
Article X. —Reputed Feast of Marcellus, Scottish Tutor of Notker Balbulus, St. Gall, Switzerland. At the 27th of September, the Bollandists quote Camerarius as giving a festival to Marcellus, a Scot, and
1
the master of St. Notker Balbulus, the celebrated Abbot of St. Gall, in
Switzerland. Camerarius refers incorrectly to Ekerhardus, who wrote a Life of Notker Balbulus. In this allusion is made to Marcellus, although nothing in it serves to class him among the saints in any of the ancient calendars.
2
However, Dempster and Ferrarius,3 as a Scot, have a feast for him at the
17th of December, when, as the Bollandists state, the question may be again opened/ At the time when Marcellus flourished on the Continent, every Scotus so distinguished was known as a native of Ireland, and notably at St.
Gall's, a monastery of exclusively Irish foundation.
Articlevm. —» Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
feasts, p. 378.
s See " Historic Catholicas Hiberniae Com-
pendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , xii. ,
Kelly, p. xxxv. In this Calendar his name is
wntten Ernen h. Briain.
2
Thus, er»ttaeni h btMum.
3 The Irish is epnm reim, and a Gloss dis-
tinguishes his tribe name as Ui bru'um. See
Dr. Stokes' "Feilire Hui
Whitley Gormain,"
pp. 184, 185.
4 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
pp. 51, 56. — ARTICLE X.
*
Hit feast occurs in the
260, 261. — Article IX.
'
Calendars, at the 6th of April.
'Thus " Marcelli monachi ct Sangalli
scholarchae, sancti Notkeri Balbuli pnecep- toris sanctissimi. '' He adds B. C. , which initials furnish no clue to the verification of his extract. See "Menologium Scoticum," in Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 221.
3 See " Generalis Sanctorum. " Catalogus
Ferrarius always slavishly follows the doubt-
See his Life at the 17th of March, in the Third Volume of this work,
Art. i. , and chap. xxi.
3 See at that date an account of
in
4 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. , Sep- tembris xxvii. Among the pretermitted
him, the Second Volume of this work, Art. i.
» Thus he writes : "In Ilibernia S. Oranni episcopi. "
ful authority of Dempster, -» "
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. ,
Septembris xxvii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 379.
September 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 619
Article XI. —Festival of St. Barry, in Scotland. Already have
we treated about St. Barr or St. Barry—otherwise known as Finbarr, at the
25th of this month—but in the Isle of Barraand parish of Barray, his feast is
referred to this day. —The parish so named is formed from a cluster of more
than twenty Islands of which the main Island of Barray, properly so called,
is chief—while some of those are considerable in size, about ten being
inhabited, and the rest serve for grazing purposes. The Island of Barray
proper is about 12 miles in length, but varying in breadth from three to six
miles, being much indented by bays and arms of the sea, chiefly on the
1
eastern side.
name from Barr, the patron saint. 2 Killbarr, the chief town on the Island, isspeciallydedicatedtohim,andtheretheCatholicsobservehisfestival. It waskeptintheIslandofBarrayonthe27thofSeptember. Wearetold,* one of the ceremonies was performed by riding on horseback, and that the solemnity was concluded by three turns round St. Barr's church. Several ruined pre-Reformation chapels are still on the Island, besides numerous duns and standing stones, supposed to have been of Scandinavian origin ; but one stone Celtic monument found its way in 1S80 to the Edinburgh
Antiquarian Museum/
Article XII. —Festival of Saints Cosmas and Damian. In the
1
early Irish Church, as we learn from the Feilire of St. ^Engus, Saints Cosmas
and Damian were venerated and invoked, with distinguished eulogy, on the
It has been supposed, that the Island and Parish derive their
At this same date, the Acts of these holy Martyrs have
2 with a
Article XL—* See the " New Statisti- Irish Series, vol. i. , Academy," Manuscript
cal Account of Scotland," vol. xiv. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p.
However, the Rev. Alexander Nicolson, See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. , Minister, who wrote the foregoing account, Septembris xxvii. De S. Cosma, Damiano, holds, that it is much more probable the Anthimo, Leontio et Euprepio. MM. name of Barray was originally derived from its
27th of September.
been
Father John Stilting, S. J. 4 Those saints were brothers, and born in Arabia. s They became eminent as physicians, but they took no fees for the practice of their profession, through motives of Christian zeal and charity. They lived at Egsea, in Cilicia, but were apprehended by Lysias, governor of that pro- vince, and after enduring various torments, they were beheaded, during the
published by
the
Bollandists,
previous
learned 3 commentary, by
Inverness, Parish of Barray, p. 199. exxxix. 22
particular situation or bearing, i. e. , from Ay or I, an island, near Bar, a point or top ; Barray forming the point or top island of the Hebrides. See ibid. , p. 198.
-<Egis in Cilicia, pp. 428 to 478.
3 Containing fourteen sections and Con-
3 See Martin's " Western Islands," p. 99. Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , p. 131.
sisting of two hundred and twenty-five
paragraphs.
4 The first of these Acts by an anonymous
author is in Greek, and taken from a Vatican 4 See Francis H. Greome's " Ordnance Manuscript. The second of these Acts is
Articl—exil. —' IntheLeabharBreac
from the edition of Mombritius, and likewise
we read
:
anonymous
author is from the
by Manuscript
Ayo ,ce|wiu chrome Acpocfc nirbo Aintnirr ftonpiAwiJ; t>i^nt>iltir CornertMmiJiurr.
1
JLS5. T^(oTh
th A°tS
S f*b"lous -! l"F
fl
Thus translated into English by Dr. Whitley Stokes :" Our two heart's-champions, their
? "T-n f? ^ Manuscripts. TheseActsarealldlustrated
by critical notes.
5 Their mother is named Theodota. She
cross was not deserved
Leontius and — Euprepius
all of
us to their possession, Cosmas and Damianus. "
may they protect —"Transactions of the Royal Irish day.
;
Anthimus,
an author. Thethird copy by anonymous
an 1'. belonging to the Bollandist Library.
°/
a d Collated a"d coTMPded
T
>
had five sons, named Cosmas, Damian,
whom are noted in ancient Calendars, on this
6io LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 27
persecution of Dioclesian. They suffered about the beginning of the fourth century. Their bodies were at first carried into Syria and buried at Cyrus. In course of time, Pope St. Felix built a church in their honour, at Rome, to which their relics were conveyed, and where they are religiously preserved to the present day. Marianus O'Gorman has the festival of Cosmas and Damian, at this same date. 6 The feast of both saints is also to be found in the Scottish Calendars.
au Vitani S. Fintani, cap. i. , p. 355.
2
translated as follows by Dr. Whitley Stoke—s:
'
ofl the square,' its diagonals being of dif-
Thus : pnean jrem jrru pogLA. It is " Fintan himself against plundering*"
ferent lengths, one measuring 18 feet
7 inches, and the other 17 feet 1 1 inches,
It, however, recovers the rectangular shape
externally to_a great extent. The external
measurements are, on the south side, 21 feet
"
satisfactory description of this building, with illustra-
is that Mr. Robert
tions, given by Cochrane,
in his interesting paper, "Notes on the Ecclesiastical Antiquities in the Parish of Howth, County of Dublin. " Its dimensions are thus set forth
:
Feihre Hui Gormain," pp. 184, 185.
3 The fullest and most
detailed
6 and on the north 21 feet inches,
Ibid. .
" St. Fintan's church, as
appears
to stand
partly
early
inches, 4 Similarly the eastern end measures 12 feet
— and the western 12 feet
9 inches, 8£
inches. " of Anti- quaries of Ireland," vol. iii. , fifth series, part
iv. , 1893, p. 386.
4 By Robert Cochrane F. S. A. , M. R. I. A.
"Journal
ofthe
Royal Society
September 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 6iS
that the walls had been thus treated. 5 At the western end are traces showing, that the ends of beams resting on the side walls supported a loft, while light was afforded only from the circular window already mentioned. A short distance from the church is the holy well of St. Fintan, but any tradition of the day when pilgrims resorted to it has not been preserved in the locality to give a possible clue, which might serve for the patron's identi- fication. 6 An ancient cemetery surrounds the oratory, and there are still to be seen several tombs and graves. ? The scenery around St. Fintan's Oratory
St. Fintan's Church, Howth.
8 hasbeendescribedandadmirablyversifiedinalocallegend, whichintro-
duces Aideen as the heroine, and records her rest under a remarkable Cromlech, in the adjoining beautiful demesne of Lord Howth. From the simple entry of his name, at this date, we do not feel warranted in connecting the present Fintan with this locality ; neither is it established, on any fair grounds, that any other so called had been venerated at Howth. We find
s The accompanying illustration, present- ing a north-west view of St. Fintan's church,
Howth, and drawn by J. M. Kavanagh, R. H. A. , in 1893, has been reproduced on the wood and engraved by Gregor Grey.
'Among those interred here may be men-
tioned the late distinguished physician and literateur, Dr. William Stokes, of Dublin, belonging to a family eminent for talent and the cultivation of Irish national literature.
6 However, the Very Rev. James Henthorn The flag-stone under which he rests has
Todd supposes that the patron was St.
Fintan Find of Drum Ingaid—now Dromin,
in the County of Meath—and whose feast
occurs on the ioth of October. See " The
Book of Obits and Martyrology of the
Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, com-
monly called Christ Church, Dublin," "Cromlech on Howth," has received addi-
edited by John Clarke Crosthwaite, A,M. , and James Henthorn Todd, D. D. , p xliv. ,
tional interest from the drawings of Miss Margaret Stokes, with exquisite coloured illustrations in lithography. It was published
n.
(k. )
been designed by his accomplished daughter,
Miss Margaret Stokes, and the tracery on it
is a of ancient truly elegant reproduction
Irish monumental art.
8 A harmonious and pathetic poem of the
late Sir Samuel Ferguson, and intituled the
6i6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 27.
Fionntain merely set down in the Martyrology of Donegal,' at the 27th of September, and the same notice is in the Irish Calendar, belonging to the
10
Article III. —St. Columm ok Columban. —In the published 1
Martyrology of Tallagh, a festival is registered at the 27th of September, in honor of Columban. 2 The word w elevatio," which is associated here with his name, seems referable to his being raised to Heaven on this day. It may mean, however, a translation of the saint's relics. As noticed in the metrical Martyrology of Marianus 0'Gorman,3 this " fair Coluimm4" seems to have beenregardedasthesuperiorofmonks. Noreferencetohisplaceorperiod hasbeendiscovered. Atthissamedate,theMartyrologyofDonegalcontains the simple entry of Columm ; but in the table subjoined to this work, he is
6
further distinguished as Columm Ban, (the white).
Article IV. —St. Suibni, or Suibhne. —The published Martyrology ot
1 that veneration was Tallagh records,
Ordnance Survey Records.
paid
ber. Si is postfixed to the mention of his name in this Calendar. 2 At this
day, likewise, Marianus O'Gorman has a commemoration of Suibne. 3
Colgan4 seems desirous of identifying this holy man with St. Subneus Ui
Fionnachta, bishop of Kildare, who died a. d. 878. 5 However, in the year
"6
876, the Chronicum Scotorum" records the plundering of Cill-dara by
Gentiles,'whenfourteenscoremenweretakenoutofit, togetherwiththe vice-Abbott, Suibhne, (son) of Dubhdabhairenn. We can hardly doubt but that he must be identified with the former ; but whether he survived that capture two years, or that there be a difference in the chronology of the annalists,cannotbedetermined. Thepresentsaint'snameissimplyrecorded,
in the Martyrology of Donegal.
8
in London, 1861, in folio size. We shall only introduce the following stanza, in allu- sion to Aideen —
:
" Here, far from camp and chase removed, Apart in nature's quiet room,
The music that alive she loved Shall cheer her in the tomb.
The humming of the noon-tide bees, The lark's loud carol all day long,
And borne on evening's salted breeze The clanking sea-bird's song. "
9 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
260, 261.
10 See " Common Place Book F," p. 82.
" Felire Hui Gormain," pp. 184, 185.
" We
Article in. — ' Edited
5 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 526, 527. The
Rev. Dr. a"
p. XXXV.
In the Book of Leinster copy we read
Annales Ultonienses," have at A. n. 880— Suibne Episcopus Cilledaro quievit. "
Colurnbani eliuAoo.
3 There he is thus recorded
:
"
:
Hibernicarum
Cotuitn ban pin rarvcheno ftoba blAchcenn buione.
Thus rendered by Dr. Whitley Stokes : " Fair Coluimm (Columban ? ) a very strict sage, who was the smooth chief of a troop. "
6 See William M. Hennessy's edition, pp. 170, 171.
1 A usual designation for the Da-ies or Northmen given in the Irish records.
8 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 260, 261.
by
Kelly
—
Dr. O Conor's
"
Rerum
to Suibhne, at the of
27th Septem-
4 The editor adds a note here
:
should read Columban. " Ibid. , probably —
n. (f).
5 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
360, 361.
6
See ibid. , —
pp. 380, 381.
Article iv. 'Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xxxv.
"In the Book of Leinster copy we find
Suibtn rci.
3 See Dr. Whitley Stokes' " Feilite Hui
Gormain," pp. 184, 185.
4 See " Trias Thaumaturga. " Quinta
Appendix ad Acta S. Brigidae, cap. ii. , p. 629.
Scriptores," tomus iv. , p. 235.
September 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 617
Article V. —St. Finnen or Finnian, Bishop. We find simply the name Finnian, without further designation, entered in the published Martyr-
1 atthe of Asimilar isintheBook 27th September. entry
this same date, the Martyrology of Donegal,? records Finnen, Bishop. I think, adds the calendarist, this was the Bishop Finnen, whom Senan left in Inis Cunla,* in Crich Ua Sedna, in Munster. We do not find any other Finnen, without being characterised, except this one. *
Article VI. —St. Finnanie Mac Coppain. At this date, a festival is
1
recorded in the published Martyrology of Tallagh, to honour Finnanie
of
ology Tallagh,
of Leinster
tion at this same date. 3 Colgan thinks it is referable either to St. Finian,4 Bishop of Clonard, or to St. Finian,* Bishop of Maghbile, in Ulster. * At
Mac Coppain.
We also meet with a somewhat different entry in the Book
copy,
2 Marianus O'Gorman has the feast of St. Finian's Eleva-
or "
Article VII. —Festival for the Translation or St. Gibrian's
Relics, The feast of the Translation ot St. Gibrian's relics is set down, by
Saussay and Ferrarius, at the 16th of April ; but, at the 27th of September, it is in an ancient copy of Usuard's Martyrology, and in the Florarius Sanc-
2 The
of "Mac
ofLeinster
harmonious son," by Marianus O'Gorman, occurs at the 27th of September. 3 This St. Finnan appears to have been a distinct person from a saint of the name,alreadydescribedasabishop. AtaholywellintheparishofSkreen, County of Wexford, a patron was formerly held on the 27th of September. * The local saint seems unknown to the people.
1
At the 8th of May, which is the date assigned for his chief festival,
copy.
entry
Coppain
co
cuibdi,"
Coppan's
torum.
we have inserted the particulars of his life so for as they are known. 2
Article VIII. —St. Ernin Ua Briuin. The Almighty descends from His supernal delights and glory, to accommodate himself to the weakness
1
Article v. — Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
p. xxxv. 2
at the 8th of March, in the Third Volume of this work, Art. i,
9 The Life of St. Senan, chapter 24, is
Thus, pniAtn.
3 Thus is it recorded in his " Felire":— quoted, as authority for the foregoing state-
. ^
Cocbait, pirnum eprcuip
"
ments. See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum
Hiberni*," Manii viii. Secunda Vita S.
,_ -i
cnerWc ,c chtmnne.
Senani> c;p> xxvij> p These lines are thus translated by Dr. n. 21, p. 540, (recte) 536.
Stokes: "Let the Elevation of Articlevi. —1 Edited Rev. Dr. Whitley by
Bishop Finnian the soft-skinned be in thy me- p. xxxv.
It,
mory. "—"Feilire Hui Gormain," pp. 184, 185.
4
See notices of him at the 23rd ot February, in the Second Volume of this work, Art. ix. , and his Life, given more in detail, at the 12th of December, in the Twelfth Volume, Art. i.
5 See his Acts, at the 10th of September,
2
in the present volume, Art. i. 6"
Thus pncAine in Copam.
3 See Dr. Whitley Stokes' " Feilire Hui
Gormain," pp. 184, 185.
4 See " Letters containing Information re-
lative to the Antiquities of the County of Wexford collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey," vol. i.
—
Article VII. 'See the Bollandists'
"Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Maii viii. De S. Gibriano Presbytero, num. 2. , p. 300. Also, in "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. , Septembris xxvii. Among the pretermitted saints, p, 375.
See Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xxiii. Februarii. Appendix ad Acta S. Finniani, cap. i. , p. 402.
7 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 260, 261.
See the Life of St. Senan, which occurs
2
this work, Art.
^ ^^ (rgcU)
See, at that date, in the Fifth Volume of
Kelly,
6iS LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 27.
of men, confirming them by His graces. The saint called Ernin Ua Briuin, was venerated, at the 27th of September, as we read in the published Martyr-
1 A similar
2
of
Martyrology of Marianus O'Gorman, he is noticed at this date as " Slender Ernin. " 3 If this allusion have reference to his external appearance, we may arrive at the conclusion that he was thin or spare in figure. He is also com- memorated in the Martyrology of Donegal/ at this date.
ology
Tallagh.
entry
is in the Book
of Leinster copy.
In the
Article IX. —St. Orannus, or Oranus, Bishop. The English Martyrology and Henry Fitzsimon have a St. Oranus, Bishop, on their Catalogue for the 27th of September. The Bollandists who note Oranus, Orannus, or Odranus at this date, allude to the St. Odranus, the disciple and charioteer of St. Patrick, 1 who is venerated at of 2 and who
19th February,
sacrificed his own life to save that of his master. Ferrarius states, that the
Orannus venerated on this day in Ireland had been a bishop. 3 But whether he had been a priest or a bishop, or identical with the Odranus, St. Patrick's
servant, the Bollandists promise to examine, possibly at the 27th of October, to which his festival has been assigned by many writers, as also by Ferrarius. 4 In the anonymous Calendar of National Saints, published by O'Sullivan Beare,5 there is a St. Orannus, for this same day.
Article X. —Reputed Feast of Marcellus, Scottish Tutor of Notker Balbulus, St. Gall, Switzerland. At the 27th of September, the Bollandists quote Camerarius as giving a festival to Marcellus, a Scot, and
1
the master of St. Notker Balbulus, the celebrated Abbot of St. Gall, in
Switzerland. Camerarius refers incorrectly to Ekerhardus, who wrote a Life of Notker Balbulus. In this allusion is made to Marcellus, although nothing in it serves to class him among the saints in any of the ancient calendars.
2
However, Dempster and Ferrarius,3 as a Scot, have a feast for him at the
17th of December, when, as the Bollandists state, the question may be again opened/ At the time when Marcellus flourished on the Continent, every Scotus so distinguished was known as a native of Ireland, and notably at St.
Gall's, a monastery of exclusively Irish foundation.
Articlevm. —» Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
feasts, p. 378.
s See " Historic Catholicas Hiberniae Com-
pendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , xii. ,
Kelly, p. xxxv. In this Calendar his name is
wntten Ernen h. Briain.
2
Thus, er»ttaeni h btMum.
3 The Irish is epnm reim, and a Gloss dis-
tinguishes his tribe name as Ui bru'um. See
Dr. Stokes' "Feilire Hui
Whitley Gormain,"
pp. 184, 185.
4 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
pp. 51, 56. — ARTICLE X.
*
Hit feast occurs in the
260, 261. — Article IX.
'
Calendars, at the 6th of April.
'Thus " Marcelli monachi ct Sangalli
scholarchae, sancti Notkeri Balbuli pnecep- toris sanctissimi. '' He adds B. C. , which initials furnish no clue to the verification of his extract. See "Menologium Scoticum," in Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 221.
3 See " Generalis Sanctorum. " Catalogus
Ferrarius always slavishly follows the doubt-
See his Life at the 17th of March, in the Third Volume of this work,
Art. i. , and chap. xxi.
3 See at that date an account of
in
4 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. , Sep- tembris xxvii. Among the pretermitted
him, the Second Volume of this work, Art. i.
» Thus he writes : "In Ilibernia S. Oranni episcopi. "
ful authority of Dempster, -» "
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. ,
Septembris xxvii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 379.
September 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 619
Article XI. —Festival of St. Barry, in Scotland. Already have
we treated about St. Barr or St. Barry—otherwise known as Finbarr, at the
25th of this month—but in the Isle of Barraand parish of Barray, his feast is
referred to this day. —The parish so named is formed from a cluster of more
than twenty Islands of which the main Island of Barray, properly so called,
is chief—while some of those are considerable in size, about ten being
inhabited, and the rest serve for grazing purposes. The Island of Barray
proper is about 12 miles in length, but varying in breadth from three to six
miles, being much indented by bays and arms of the sea, chiefly on the
1
eastern side.
name from Barr, the patron saint. 2 Killbarr, the chief town on the Island, isspeciallydedicatedtohim,andtheretheCatholicsobservehisfestival. It waskeptintheIslandofBarrayonthe27thofSeptember. Wearetold,* one of the ceremonies was performed by riding on horseback, and that the solemnity was concluded by three turns round St. Barr's church. Several ruined pre-Reformation chapels are still on the Island, besides numerous duns and standing stones, supposed to have been of Scandinavian origin ; but one stone Celtic monument found its way in 1S80 to the Edinburgh
Antiquarian Museum/
Article XII. —Festival of Saints Cosmas and Damian. In the
1
early Irish Church, as we learn from the Feilire of St. ^Engus, Saints Cosmas
and Damian were venerated and invoked, with distinguished eulogy, on the
It has been supposed, that the Island and Parish derive their
At this same date, the Acts of these holy Martyrs have
2 with a
Article XL—* See the " New Statisti- Irish Series, vol. i. , Academy," Manuscript
cal Account of Scotland," vol. xiv. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, p.
However, the Rev. Alexander Nicolson, See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vii. , Minister, who wrote the foregoing account, Septembris xxvii. De S. Cosma, Damiano, holds, that it is much more probable the Anthimo, Leontio et Euprepio. MM. name of Barray was originally derived from its
27th of September.
been
Father John Stilting, S. J. 4 Those saints were brothers, and born in Arabia. s They became eminent as physicians, but they took no fees for the practice of their profession, through motives of Christian zeal and charity. They lived at Egsea, in Cilicia, but were apprehended by Lysias, governor of that pro- vince, and after enduring various torments, they were beheaded, during the
published by
the
Bollandists,
previous
learned 3 commentary, by
Inverness, Parish of Barray, p. 199. exxxix. 22
particular situation or bearing, i. e. , from Ay or I, an island, near Bar, a point or top ; Barray forming the point or top island of the Hebrides. See ibid. , p. 198.
-<Egis in Cilicia, pp. 428 to 478.
3 Containing fourteen sections and Con-
3 See Martin's " Western Islands," p. 99. Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , p. 131.
sisting of two hundred and twenty-five
paragraphs.
4 The first of these Acts by an anonymous
author is in Greek, and taken from a Vatican 4 See Francis H. Greome's " Ordnance Manuscript. The second of these Acts is
Articl—exil. —' IntheLeabharBreac
from the edition of Mombritius, and likewise
we read
:
anonymous
author is from the
by Manuscript
Ayo ,ce|wiu chrome Acpocfc nirbo Aintnirr ftonpiAwiJ; t>i^nt>iltir CornertMmiJiurr.
1
JLS5. T^(oTh
th A°tS
S f*b"lous -! l"F
fl
Thus translated into English by Dr. Whitley Stokes :" Our two heart's-champions, their
? "T-n f? ^ Manuscripts. TheseActsarealldlustrated
by critical notes.
5 Their mother is named Theodota. She
cross was not deserved
Leontius and — Euprepius
all of
us to their possession, Cosmas and Damianus. "
may they protect —"Transactions of the Royal Irish day.
;
Anthimus,
an author. Thethird copy by anonymous
an 1'. belonging to the Bollandist Library.
°/
a d Collated a"d coTMPded
T
>
had five sons, named Cosmas, Damian,
whom are noted in ancient Calendars, on this
6io LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 27
persecution of Dioclesian. They suffered about the beginning of the fourth century. Their bodies were at first carried into Syria and buried at Cyrus. In course of time, Pope St. Felix built a church in their honour, at Rome, to which their relics were conveyed, and where they are religiously preserved to the present day. Marianus O'Gorman has the festival of Cosmas and Damian, at this same date. 6 The feast of both saints is also to be found in the Scottish Calendars.
