Kevinbelonged
to a family
2
of rank.
2
of rank.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
These have received an additional and a reflected lustre, from the instructive, lauda- ble, and persevering tenor of his blameless life and conversation.
The
opposite workings
of nature and of
are— best grace probably
delineated,
in
Martyribus, Antiochise passis," &c, ibid. , p. 169. These do not seem 10 differ from the
companionsofErasmus,alreadymentioned; but, there appear to be great diversities of
statement and conjectures, regarding their Acts.
Articlexiii. —« Thus:"Hoceodem die Sanctus Damianus Sancti Reguli comes. " —Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish
Saints," p. 238.
2 His feast has been assigned to the 30th
ofMarch,andtothe17thol October. See ibid. , p. 436.
See Seneca,
even when
serve not the less to awaken our interest and
exaggerated
a desire for more accurate information, regarding so holy and so renowned a man.
contradictory in some respects
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii ii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 157.
Article I, —Chapter " Opera," Epistola i.
—
x I.
June 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 29
Several old Acts of St. Kevin are still extant. In the time of the O'Clery's, his Irish Life was in possession of Domhnall Carrach, son of
Mac
at Eanach
in Ui 2 There is a Ceinnsellaigh.
Mor,
in prose and the other in verse, left transcribed, by Michael O'Clery, and among the Burgundian Manuscripts, at Bruxelles. 5 There is a Manuscript, Vita S. Coemgeni, preserved among the Records, belonging to the Franciscan
Eochada,
Feaghal
Manuscript,3 belonging to Trinity College, Dublin, containing an Irish Life of St. Kevin of Glendalough, in prose. In the Codex Kilkenninsis is a Life of St. Comegan, in a folio. + There were probably two of his Irish Lives, one
Dublin. 6 On the of Convent, 3rd
had intended to the produce
June, Colgan
Acts of St. Coemgen. 7 His Acts are very fully published, in the great Bol-
landist collection. 8 A previous commentary and notes, y as we may learn from the initialled marginal letters, were written by Father Francis Baert.
Our saint's Latin Life has been printed from a Manuscript, formerly belong- ing to Hugh Ward. 10 This narrative is contained in six chapters, comprising
forty-nine paragraphs. However, this Life of St. Kevin is very justly sup- posed to abound in fables. It is thought to have been written, during or before the twelfth century, and on very reasonable grounds. For, mention is made, regarding the flourishing state of Glendalough city, at the time, when this life had been written ; while, in the thirteenth century, this episcopal
perous city could have become a small village, in the ordinary course of things. Those proofs, on which the Bollandists rely for the fact of Glendalough being in a flourishing state at the time when St. Kevin's published Life had been written, shall be reproduced, in the sequel of this narrative. Baert remarks, that at first he intended to suppress many fables contained in this Life, and to issue a more compendious and reliable account, regarding our saint. After- wards, however, his mind changed on the subject, for these following reasons. Many things are related in this Life, which the author could have seen and recorded, as existing in his own time. Matters, referring to the site of places and monasteries, in or near Glendalough, are found written there, and this information need not necessarily have been derived from popular tradition. Again, there are accounts, relating to miracles and prophecies, whereby we
are not so certainly informed, indeed, regarding what St. Kevin did and pre- dicted, as respecting what had been then rumoured, and as a picture repre- senting the state of things which prevailed during the writer's own lifetime.
iii. , De S. Coemgino, sive Keivino, Abbate Glindelacen^i in IJibernia, pp. 310 to 322.
9 In seven paragraphs.
I0 in con- So endeared to every Irishman,
nexion with the order of Friars Minor of St. Francis, and who had made considerable pro- gtess in collecting the Acts of the Irish Saints, before Colgan commenced their pub- lication.
ll It was united to the See of Dublin in 1214, on the death of its Bishop William Piro. For further particulars, relating to this union of Sees, the reader is referred to Harris Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops of Glenda-
lough,"pp. 375to 378.
" Such as U>sher, Colgan, &c.
I3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. ,
and wasted
supposed, that a least one hundred years must have elapsed, before a pros-
seat had dwindled into an
insignificant
village.
it was advisable to publish a document, which had not in its entirety as yet seen the
Moreover,
as several Irish
Historographers
Life,
judged
2 See "A
Henry Wace, M. A. , vol. i. , p. 590.
of Christian Biogra- phy," edited by William Smith, LL. D. , and
Dictionary
3
geni, vulgo Keiveni. prima. Abbatis Glende-
lacensis, auctore anonymo Ex MS. Hugonis Ward, ordinis Minorum MS. Marsh, Dublin,
5 See vol. iv. , Part ii. , pp. 166, 176, of the
catalogue.
6 In the "Vitse Sanctorum," ex Cod.
Inisensi, pp. 95 to 99.
7 to " Actuum Sane- According Catalogus
torumquaeMS. habentur,ordineMensiumet Dierum. "
8 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii
It is classed H. 4, 4.
* See pp. 65 to 71 of that MS. Vita Coem-
I2 used this
11 it is Now,
3o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 3.
light ; while, to judicious readers was left the option of pronouncing on its questionable or credible passages. It is supposed, by Baert, that Irish Hagiographists were accustomed to attribute miracles, in particular instances, to certain saints, which had been before related respecting other holy persons. This happened, less through a desire of practising deception, than from a motiveofmisconceivedpiety. Heallows,also,thattheremaybesometruth in various transactions related. Yet, the writers of those acts, for the most part, having received their accounts from traditions of the vulgar, these are usually accompanied with so many fabulous circumstances, that they appear in certain instances of credit. 12- The Life of blessed as
unworthy Kevin, published by Baert, tells us on its title page, that our saint was both Bishop
and Confessor. But, this title is supposed to have been supplied by some more modern commentators. In three more compendious Lives of our saint, which are also supposed to have been of considerable antiquity, this title of Bishop is wanting. 14 One of these three Lives had been written, after the manner of a short Eulogy or Panegyric on the saint ; another, which was lent by the Jesuit, Henry Fitzsimon, appears to be more filled with fabulous tra- ditions which its author had collected ; while, a third Life had been taken from a Book, belonging to the Library of Salamanca in Spain. This latter MS. was at least three centuries old, before coming into Baert's possession, and in his opinion, it contains many things, which might be tolerated and believed, iftheywerenotaccompaniedbysomemythicalaccounts. 1^ Therearenotices
6x
of this holy Abbot, by Archbishop Ussher/ Dr. Meredith Hanmer, 7 and
by Bishop Challoner. ' 8 At the 3rd of June, as also, in Rev. Alban Butler's
" Lives of the
Fathers, Martyrs
and other J 9 and in the work principal Saints,"
chronological dates,
nephew.
Junii iii. De S. Coemgino Commentarius
Prcevius, num. 4, p. 311.
14 In one of these lives the title runs as
20 See " Ecclesiastical History of Ire- land," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, x. , pp. 43 to 50.
Mrs. Anastasia 21 22 Rev. O'Byrne, BishopForbes,
of Rev. Dr.
S. Baring-Gould, 3 he is recorded ; while, in the Dictionary of Christian Bio- graphy,24 there is an account of this celebrated Abbot.
The holy man was born, in the year 498, according to Archbishop Ussher 25 ;
and, his chronology has been accepted by most writers. Yet, there are strong
motivesfordoubtinghishavingbeenbornsoearly; and,itseemsverypro-
bable, that date for Kevin's birth should be advanced to some year, in the
earlier part of the sixth century. Nor does the year assigned well accord
withthe inreferencetohisbrother26and 2? Nor
Laniganf°by 2
" 2I"
Vita Coemgini, magnae sanctita-
"
See
follows :
tis viri ;" in the second :
and in the third : "Vita Coemgini Abbatis. " A fourth life, found in the Imperial Library, at Vienna, was " de S.
Saints of Ireland," pp. 98 to
100.
" See "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
intituled,
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii iii. ,
vi. ,
Vita S. Coemgeno, Commentarius Proevius,
June 3, pp. 27 to 29,
24 Edited by William Smith, LL. D. , and
num. 3, p. 311.
15 In quoting the two latter documents 590.
alluded to, Baert calls that one, received
from Fitzsimon, the Acta breviora ; the
other he — as the Salmanticense designates,
Compendium. See ibid. , num. 5, p. 311. 16 See " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum And-
quitates," cap. xvii. , pp. 394, 395.
17 See "Chronicle of Ireland," pp. 121,
122. .
2S " & in Hiber- Coemgenus qui Keivinus,
nia natus est : si, ut a quibusdam habetur tiaditum, annos cxx. vixerit & anno Christi dcxviii. mortem ille obierit. A. S. Cronano
18 * See "Britannia Sancta," Part i. , pp.
336, 337.
. '9 In vol. vi. , June iii.
Called St. Mocuemin, who was a disci- pie to Columba, son of Crimthann, and Abbot of Tirdaglass. Now, this Columba
Vita Coemgini,"
Coengeno. "
p. 302.
23 See "Lives of the vol. Saints,"
Rev. Henry Wace, M. A. , vol. i. , pp. 589,
presbytero — fuisse baptizatum Scriptor
Vitaj "Britannicarum Ecclesia- rum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 494. Also
ipsius indicat. "
Index Chronologicus, p. 524.
June 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 31
pear to have reached a very great age. Sup- posing Dagan to have been born, in 565, it is not easy to believe, that he was the nephew of a man, who was then 67 years old, unless we are to admit a very uncommon dis- parity between the ages of the saint and his sister.
''
nivem per tempestatem aquitat ventus :
28
Accesserat ad praelium Coemginus Celebris ;
ColganhasthustranslateditintoLatin:
in the Irish Metrical Acts of St. 38 Brigid
that a
has allusion to what occurred, while she lived. The only reason Dr. Lanigan 20
can it be
ascertained,
passage
can discover, for placing this saint's birth in 498, is the supposition that he
lived 120 years. As he is said to have died in 618, it therefore became
necessary to go back for his birth to that year. St. Kevin' Acts, as published
by the Bollandists, state, that he was born in the eastern part of Leinster
province. 30 Hisparentsseemtohavelivedonthesea-borders,andamonga
people, known as the Dalmasincoirb. 31 It is said, St.
Kevinbelonged to a family
2
of rank. 3 This also is related, in the old Acts of the saint 33 it re-
great ; but, mained for a modern writer, 34 not only to deny St. Kevin's civilized descent^ buteventhefact ofhis birth. 36 ThefatherofSt. KevinwasnamedCoin-
logha,37 or Coemlugus. 3
8
According to his genealogy,30 he belonged to the
hadbeenadiscipleofFinnian,atClonard, and,
probably, he did not found his monastery, until about A. D. 540. See Colgan's" Acta Sanctorum Hibernian," Februarii xvii. Vita 5. Fintani Abbatis, cap. iii. , p. 350, and nn. 6, 7, 8, pp. 353. 354, 5°-6.
27 Among some nephews of St. Coemgen, by his sister Coeltigerna, or, as some call
her, Coemaca, we find St. Dagan of Inver-
34 The pseude-antiquary Dr. Ledwich
"
daoile, who lived until A. D. 639. See Dr. ''"
dulity,"—"Antiquities of Ireland," p. 174. 3s Yet, whenever it suited his convenience, Ledwich is not ashamed to leave his incon- sistency on record. Thus he gives a pomp- ous account of the Irish schools and studies, not only in the sixth century, but so far back as the middle of the fifth. It is difficult to discover, how he could reconcile that barbar-
ous state of his country with his praises of
the Asiatic and Greek missionaries, whom
he brings at a very early period to Ireland. See sect. 7. Again, he tells us, that there was certainly a Christian Church in Ireland, during the fourth and beginning of the fifth century; and,thatletterswerethenandthere known and cultivated.
36 To these statements of Ledwich, the
O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters, vol. i. , pp. 256, 257. Yet, he does not ap-
Glinndalachse sustinuit crucem, ita ut
rit requiem post tribulationes. " This passage
has no apparent connection with what we all, St. Patrick from any interference with find in the context as to St. Brigid, unless it
should be considered as a sort of comparison
between the watchfulness of the two saints.
If the author alluded to a transaction in St.
Brigid's lifetime, Coemgen would, accord-
ing to him, have been a grown-up man be-
fore her death, and so he might justly be scribes them as naked and the greatest supposedtohavebeenbornin498.
29 See his "Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land, "vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, x. , n. 146, pp.
45, 46.
3° See Bishop Tanner's " Bibliotheca Bri-
tannico-Hibernica," &c, p. 187.
31 The pedigree and family connections of
ofsavages,eveninthesixthcentury. Asto the recording of genealogies, it did not re- quire any great degree of learning, but was practised by the most ancient nations chiefly of the East, from some of whom, together with many other practices, it was derived to the Irish, with whom, as none but an incor-
repere-
"
St. Kevin are mentioned in Colgan's Acta rigible sceptic will dare to deny, it was a
Sanctorum Hibernije," xii. Martii, De S. favourite sort of study. Strange that Dagano Abbate et Episcop, cap . i. , p. 584, Ledwich, who is so fond of the Asiatics, andnn. 1, 2, 3, 45, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, p. couldexpressadisbeliefofit, anddidnot
rather use it as an argument to prove, that we had b—een instructed by Eastern mis- sionaries. "Ecclesiastical History of Ire- land," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, x. , n. 148, pp. 47, 48-
33 The Salmancan Manuscript says, that
the parents of our saint were of noble Hugh Ward.
birth. 38 Thus is his name written in the "Acta
586.
32 See Harris Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops of
Glendaloch," p. 373. See, also, vol. ii. , "Writers of Ireland," book i. , chap, hi. , p. 21. . . . . .
to believe that a barbarous people, naked and ignorant as American Indians, should have preserved the pedigree of St. Kevin, is too much for the most stupid cre-
says :
Rev. Dr. " When he wishes Lanigan replies :
to keep out Rome and Palladius, and, above
the early Christianity of Ireland, he repre- sents the Irish as Christians and civilized long before anyone from Rome came among us ; but when he takes it into his head to drive a saint, ex. c. Kevin, not only out of the calen- dar, but likewise out of existence, he de-
3? According to the Manuscript of Father
32 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 3.
race of Laeghaire Lore, monarch of Erin, and from whom the Leinstermen are descended. His mother's name was Coenhella,40 or Caemell. 41 How- ever, the Acts of St. Kevin state, that his father sprang from the royal race of Leinster Kings ; but, to lead a more pious life, he left his friends and inherit- ance, while he sustained himself, by the labour of his hands/2 What was still much better, than nobility or titles, this saint's parents were just and faith- ful persons, in the sight of God and men/3
It is related, as one of the legends of his Acts, that an Angel appeared
:
to Coenhella, during her sleep, and said to her " O happy woman, thou
shaltbringforthason,andthoushaltcallhisnameCoemgen. Heshallbe dear, both to God and men, and he shall be a Father over many monks. The grace of the Holy Spirit shall abound in his place ; but, immediately after his birth, let him be brought to the baptismal font. "44 According to the heavenly
messenger's advice, the infant was brought for the purpose of being baptized, by certain persons. These, too, were accosted by an Angel of God, on the way; and,heappearedtothem,intheshapeofabeautifulyoungman. He asked those, who bore the child, what purpose they had in view. Those
persons replied, they were on their way, towards a certain holy priest, who lived an eremitical life in the neighbourhood, and that they wished him to
perform the baptismal rite for the infant. It is said, moreover, that Angel breathed on the child, and signed him, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Then praying, he bestowed a benediction on the future saint. ^ Afterwards, the bearers of the infant visited a holy Priest, named Cronan. 46 He enquired, on what business they had come. They
"
holy infant needs not a repetition of baptism,47 for he has been baptized by a
answered, that he might baptize the child. Whereupon, he replied :
This
While those present were in admira-
related, that the Angel appeared, not to the
mother, but to St. Kevin's father. It is a
characteristic of Irish Hagiological accounts,
that scarcely any of our most celebrated
saints are found, whose births had not been
previously revealed to one parent or to both
parents, by an Angel; or, occasionally, to some other holy individual.
4i A remark is offered by Baert, that if
this be a fiction, it is made to correspond says, that the infant was blessed by an Angel,
better and holier person than I am. "-»8
Breviora. "
39 So state the O'Clerys.
40
longing to Father Hujjh Ward.
According to the Manuscript Life, be-
41 She was the daughter of Ceannfhionnan, son to Ceisi, son of Lugaidh. See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 302.
with other passages in the published Life ;
for, the circumstance ofa cow, being mira-
culousiy sent by God for the infant's nourish-
ment, seems to indicate the poverty of St.
Kevin's parents. But again, if they were mentioned, as there were so many saints poor, Baert enquires, how they could have bearing this name, to be found in the Irish
stated in the Life. See Acta Sanctorum," history be discovered, it might tend greatly tomus i. , Junii iii. De S. Coemgino sive to indicate the period of our saint's birth. Keivino, Abbate de Glindelacensi in Hiber- 4? If an infusion or use of water were not nia, cap. i. , n. (a), p. 313. This apparent in question, a mere breathing alone, could incongruity, however, can easily be recon- not have sufficed for the administration of ciled. In certain parts of Wicklow County, Baptism, according to the doctrine of the at the present day, the mountains are only Church. Hence, the writer of our saint's
been owners of a flock of sheep, as Calendars. Could this particular Cronan's "
suitable for the pasturage of sheep and goats ; while, these animals form the chief stock of several peasants and farmers. The circum- stances and pastoral customs there, at the time of St. Kevin's birth, must have been more primitive, but, perhaps, nearly iden- tical.
43 See ibid. t cap. i. , num. i. , p. 312.
44 Iu another copy of our saint's Life, it is
Acts must have fallen into a great error, or he must have unaccountably overlooked the ne- cessary matter for baptismal ablution,
48 In the " Acta Breviora," it is said, the
infant received both an unction and breath-
ing from the Angel, and afterwards, that he had been washed in the saving waters of a neighbouring fountain, which thenceforward afforded health to the sick.
45 The Salmancan Manuscript merely
on the way, when he was brought to be
baptized.
46 Baert remarks, that nothing more can
be known regarding the Cronan here
June 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 33
tion at what Cronan said, the Priest asked, if any one had met them on the way. Then, they told him, that a young man blessed the infant, and called himCoemgen,49orKevin,5° asthenameisdifferentlyspelled,51althoughthe
" This was the Angel of the Lord, who baptized the child, and as the Angel named him, so shall he be always called Coemgen,ss which in Latin means, Pulcher-genitus ; for, he
"
shall be most beautiful. 5+ Then, the holy old man Cronan, looking upon
:
the boy, and being filled with a prophetic spirit, cried out " O beautiful
child of God, may the Almighty Lord bless thee; I shall be thy first monk, and I give thee my place with all my effects. "55 Then having prayed and blessed the infant, this spiritual treasure was brought back to his parents. 56
We are told, that during St. Kevin's infancy, a white cow was miraculously
"
pronunciation is the same. 52 The Priest then said
:
*> The Rev. Dr. Ledwich says, that the
name Coemhgen was unknown until after
the thirteentli century, and he would fain
make us imagine, that it meant not a man Irish C was always the same as K. The but a mountain. See "Antiquities of Ire- letter Mwith the aspirate annexed (either H
land," p. 174. Were he better read, he might or a point) sounds like V. The diphthong
have found the name of Coemgen the senior,
He ridi- the moun- tain Keun at Glendaloch was metamor- phosed into St. Kevin. " Thus he proceeds : " Keun is the name of many mountains in Wales noticed by Camden. " Then, he refers to Lhuyd (Adversar), who reckons Ceun,
CE has been generally modified into the singlesoundE. TheletterGaspiratedin the middle of a word almost loses its sound as in Tighearna, which becomes Tierna. See Vallancey's "Irish Grammar," at the letter G.
53 Instead of that name, in some editions of Giraldus Cambrensis it is written Keiwin.
even in our present saint's Acts.
"
culously asserts, moreover, that
a Welsh word, " meaning
"
in that the Master of published by
among
names of mountains. Thus, does Dr. Cambrensis "Opera," vol. v. Edited by
"
back,
those denominations that enter into the
However,
Lanigan refer to his absurd statements : James F. Dimock, M. A. ,
Topographia Suppose a person, treating of our mighty Hibernica," Dist. ii. , cap. xxviii. , p. 113. antiquary, should write his name Leadwich, It is found spelled, also, Koemin, Coemin, as an ingenious author, who conceals him- and even Caymin ; but, these in reality are self under the signature Anonymous, has all one and the same name. See Colgan s done ; or that even it were written Lead- " Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," Februarii xv. wig, it would be immediately understood as Vita S. Berachi Abbatis, cap. vi. , ix. , p.
the name of the antiquary; unless some one 34i.
should be so foolish as to think, that it was 54 The Rev. Dr. Ledwich alleges, that the
not the name of a man, but a compound of "
lead and wig, taking, agreeably to a very n—ot intimate his beauty but diminutive size. "
"
usual
trope, wig
for what is contained under "
Antiquities of Ireland," p. 174. His
it. Similar to this folly is the Doctor's mode subsequent remarks are simply puerile.
of arguing. He was striving to show, that 55 In the " Acta Breviora," the following
St. Coemgen was neither a saint nor a man, is said to have been Colman's prophecy :
but a mere mountain in the county of Wick- " The whole of this province shall serve thee
low.
opposite workings
of nature and of
are— best grace probably
delineated,
in
Martyribus, Antiochise passis," &c, ibid. , p. 169. These do not seem 10 differ from the
companionsofErasmus,alreadymentioned; but, there appear to be great diversities of
statement and conjectures, regarding their Acts.
Articlexiii. —« Thus:"Hoceodem die Sanctus Damianus Sancti Reguli comes. " —Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish
Saints," p. 238.
2 His feast has been assigned to the 30th
ofMarch,andtothe17thol October. See ibid. , p. 436.
See Seneca,
even when
serve not the less to awaken our interest and
exaggerated
a desire for more accurate information, regarding so holy and so renowned a man.
contradictory in some respects
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii ii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 157.
Article I, —Chapter " Opera," Epistola i.
—
x I.
June 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 29
Several old Acts of St. Kevin are still extant. In the time of the O'Clery's, his Irish Life was in possession of Domhnall Carrach, son of
Mac
at Eanach
in Ui 2 There is a Ceinnsellaigh.
Mor,
in prose and the other in verse, left transcribed, by Michael O'Clery, and among the Burgundian Manuscripts, at Bruxelles. 5 There is a Manuscript, Vita S. Coemgeni, preserved among the Records, belonging to the Franciscan
Eochada,
Feaghal
Manuscript,3 belonging to Trinity College, Dublin, containing an Irish Life of St. Kevin of Glendalough, in prose. In the Codex Kilkenninsis is a Life of St. Comegan, in a folio. + There were probably two of his Irish Lives, one
Dublin. 6 On the of Convent, 3rd
had intended to the produce
June, Colgan
Acts of St. Coemgen. 7 His Acts are very fully published, in the great Bol-
landist collection. 8 A previous commentary and notes, y as we may learn from the initialled marginal letters, were written by Father Francis Baert.
Our saint's Latin Life has been printed from a Manuscript, formerly belong- ing to Hugh Ward. 10 This narrative is contained in six chapters, comprising
forty-nine paragraphs. However, this Life of St. Kevin is very justly sup- posed to abound in fables. It is thought to have been written, during or before the twelfth century, and on very reasonable grounds. For, mention is made, regarding the flourishing state of Glendalough city, at the time, when this life had been written ; while, in the thirteenth century, this episcopal
perous city could have become a small village, in the ordinary course of things. Those proofs, on which the Bollandists rely for the fact of Glendalough being in a flourishing state at the time when St. Kevin's published Life had been written, shall be reproduced, in the sequel of this narrative. Baert remarks, that at first he intended to suppress many fables contained in this Life, and to issue a more compendious and reliable account, regarding our saint. After- wards, however, his mind changed on the subject, for these following reasons. Many things are related in this Life, which the author could have seen and recorded, as existing in his own time. Matters, referring to the site of places and monasteries, in or near Glendalough, are found written there, and this information need not necessarily have been derived from popular tradition. Again, there are accounts, relating to miracles and prophecies, whereby we
are not so certainly informed, indeed, regarding what St. Kevin did and pre- dicted, as respecting what had been then rumoured, and as a picture repre- senting the state of things which prevailed during the writer's own lifetime.
iii. , De S. Coemgino, sive Keivino, Abbate Glindelacen^i in IJibernia, pp. 310 to 322.
9 In seven paragraphs.
I0 in con- So endeared to every Irishman,
nexion with the order of Friars Minor of St. Francis, and who had made considerable pro- gtess in collecting the Acts of the Irish Saints, before Colgan commenced their pub- lication.
ll It was united to the See of Dublin in 1214, on the death of its Bishop William Piro. For further particulars, relating to this union of Sees, the reader is referred to Harris Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops of Glenda-
lough,"pp. 375to 378.
" Such as U>sher, Colgan, &c.
I3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. ,
and wasted
supposed, that a least one hundred years must have elapsed, before a pros-
seat had dwindled into an
insignificant
village.
it was advisable to publish a document, which had not in its entirety as yet seen the
Moreover,
as several Irish
Historographers
Life,
judged
2 See "A
Henry Wace, M. A. , vol. i. , p. 590.
of Christian Biogra- phy," edited by William Smith, LL. D. , and
Dictionary
3
geni, vulgo Keiveni. prima. Abbatis Glende-
lacensis, auctore anonymo Ex MS. Hugonis Ward, ordinis Minorum MS. Marsh, Dublin,
5 See vol. iv. , Part ii. , pp. 166, 176, of the
catalogue.
6 In the "Vitse Sanctorum," ex Cod.
Inisensi, pp. 95 to 99.
7 to " Actuum Sane- According Catalogus
torumquaeMS. habentur,ordineMensiumet Dierum. "
8 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii
It is classed H. 4, 4.
* See pp. 65 to 71 of that MS. Vita Coem-
I2 used this
11 it is Now,
3o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 3.
light ; while, to judicious readers was left the option of pronouncing on its questionable or credible passages. It is supposed, by Baert, that Irish Hagiographists were accustomed to attribute miracles, in particular instances, to certain saints, which had been before related respecting other holy persons. This happened, less through a desire of practising deception, than from a motiveofmisconceivedpiety. Heallows,also,thattheremaybesometruth in various transactions related. Yet, the writers of those acts, for the most part, having received their accounts from traditions of the vulgar, these are usually accompanied with so many fabulous circumstances, that they appear in certain instances of credit. 12- The Life of blessed as
unworthy Kevin, published by Baert, tells us on its title page, that our saint was both Bishop
and Confessor. But, this title is supposed to have been supplied by some more modern commentators. In three more compendious Lives of our saint, which are also supposed to have been of considerable antiquity, this title of Bishop is wanting. 14 One of these three Lives had been written, after the manner of a short Eulogy or Panegyric on the saint ; another, which was lent by the Jesuit, Henry Fitzsimon, appears to be more filled with fabulous tra- ditions which its author had collected ; while, a third Life had been taken from a Book, belonging to the Library of Salamanca in Spain. This latter MS. was at least three centuries old, before coming into Baert's possession, and in his opinion, it contains many things, which might be tolerated and believed, iftheywerenotaccompaniedbysomemythicalaccounts. 1^ Therearenotices
6x
of this holy Abbot, by Archbishop Ussher/ Dr. Meredith Hanmer, 7 and
by Bishop Challoner. ' 8 At the 3rd of June, as also, in Rev. Alban Butler's
" Lives of the
Fathers, Martyrs
and other J 9 and in the work principal Saints,"
chronological dates,
nephew.
Junii iii. De S. Coemgino Commentarius
Prcevius, num. 4, p. 311.
14 In one of these lives the title runs as
20 See " Ecclesiastical History of Ire- land," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, x. , pp. 43 to 50.
Mrs. Anastasia 21 22 Rev. O'Byrne, BishopForbes,
of Rev. Dr.
S. Baring-Gould, 3 he is recorded ; while, in the Dictionary of Christian Bio- graphy,24 there is an account of this celebrated Abbot.
The holy man was born, in the year 498, according to Archbishop Ussher 25 ;
and, his chronology has been accepted by most writers. Yet, there are strong
motivesfordoubtinghishavingbeenbornsoearly; and,itseemsverypro-
bable, that date for Kevin's birth should be advanced to some year, in the
earlier part of the sixth century. Nor does the year assigned well accord
withthe inreferencetohisbrother26and 2? Nor
Laniganf°by 2
" 2I"
Vita Coemgini, magnae sanctita-
"
See
follows :
tis viri ;" in the second :
and in the third : "Vita Coemgini Abbatis. " A fourth life, found in the Imperial Library, at Vienna, was " de S.
Saints of Ireland," pp. 98 to
100.
" See "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
intituled,
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii iii. ,
vi. ,
Vita S. Coemgeno, Commentarius Proevius,
June 3, pp. 27 to 29,
24 Edited by William Smith, LL. D. , and
num. 3, p. 311.
15 In quoting the two latter documents 590.
alluded to, Baert calls that one, received
from Fitzsimon, the Acta breviora ; the
other he — as the Salmanticense designates,
Compendium. See ibid. , num. 5, p. 311. 16 See " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum And-
quitates," cap. xvii. , pp. 394, 395.
17 See "Chronicle of Ireland," pp. 121,
122. .
2S " & in Hiber- Coemgenus qui Keivinus,
nia natus est : si, ut a quibusdam habetur tiaditum, annos cxx. vixerit & anno Christi dcxviii. mortem ille obierit. A. S. Cronano
18 * See "Britannia Sancta," Part i. , pp.
336, 337.
. '9 In vol. vi. , June iii.
Called St. Mocuemin, who was a disci- pie to Columba, son of Crimthann, and Abbot of Tirdaglass. Now, this Columba
Vita Coemgini,"
Coengeno. "
p. 302.
23 See "Lives of the vol. Saints,"
Rev. Henry Wace, M. A. , vol. i. , pp. 589,
presbytero — fuisse baptizatum Scriptor
Vitaj "Britannicarum Ecclesia- rum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 494. Also
ipsius indicat. "
Index Chronologicus, p. 524.
June 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 31
pear to have reached a very great age. Sup- posing Dagan to have been born, in 565, it is not easy to believe, that he was the nephew of a man, who was then 67 years old, unless we are to admit a very uncommon dis- parity between the ages of the saint and his sister.
''
nivem per tempestatem aquitat ventus :
28
Accesserat ad praelium Coemginus Celebris ;
ColganhasthustranslateditintoLatin:
in the Irish Metrical Acts of St. 38 Brigid
that a
has allusion to what occurred, while she lived. The only reason Dr. Lanigan 20
can it be
ascertained,
passage
can discover, for placing this saint's birth in 498, is the supposition that he
lived 120 years. As he is said to have died in 618, it therefore became
necessary to go back for his birth to that year. St. Kevin' Acts, as published
by the Bollandists, state, that he was born in the eastern part of Leinster
province. 30 Hisparentsseemtohavelivedonthesea-borders,andamonga
people, known as the Dalmasincoirb. 31 It is said, St.
Kevinbelonged to a family
2
of rank. 3 This also is related, in the old Acts of the saint 33 it re-
great ; but, mained for a modern writer, 34 not only to deny St. Kevin's civilized descent^ buteventhefact ofhis birth. 36 ThefatherofSt. KevinwasnamedCoin-
logha,37 or Coemlugus. 3
8
According to his genealogy,30 he belonged to the
hadbeenadiscipleofFinnian,atClonard, and,
probably, he did not found his monastery, until about A. D. 540. See Colgan's" Acta Sanctorum Hibernian," Februarii xvii. Vita 5. Fintani Abbatis, cap. iii. , p. 350, and nn. 6, 7, 8, pp. 353. 354, 5°-6.
27 Among some nephews of St. Coemgen, by his sister Coeltigerna, or, as some call
her, Coemaca, we find St. Dagan of Inver-
34 The pseude-antiquary Dr. Ledwich
"
daoile, who lived until A. D. 639. See Dr. ''"
dulity,"—"Antiquities of Ireland," p. 174. 3s Yet, whenever it suited his convenience, Ledwich is not ashamed to leave his incon- sistency on record. Thus he gives a pomp- ous account of the Irish schools and studies, not only in the sixth century, but so far back as the middle of the fifth. It is difficult to discover, how he could reconcile that barbar-
ous state of his country with his praises of
the Asiatic and Greek missionaries, whom
he brings at a very early period to Ireland. See sect. 7. Again, he tells us, that there was certainly a Christian Church in Ireland, during the fourth and beginning of the fifth century; and,thatletterswerethenandthere known and cultivated.
36 To these statements of Ledwich, the
O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters, vol. i. , pp. 256, 257. Yet, he does not ap-
Glinndalachse sustinuit crucem, ita ut
rit requiem post tribulationes. " This passage
has no apparent connection with what we all, St. Patrick from any interference with find in the context as to St. Brigid, unless it
should be considered as a sort of comparison
between the watchfulness of the two saints.
If the author alluded to a transaction in St.
Brigid's lifetime, Coemgen would, accord-
ing to him, have been a grown-up man be-
fore her death, and so he might justly be scribes them as naked and the greatest supposedtohavebeenbornin498.
29 See his "Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land, "vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, x. , n. 146, pp.
45, 46.
3° See Bishop Tanner's " Bibliotheca Bri-
tannico-Hibernica," &c, p. 187.
31 The pedigree and family connections of
ofsavages,eveninthesixthcentury. Asto the recording of genealogies, it did not re- quire any great degree of learning, but was practised by the most ancient nations chiefly of the East, from some of whom, together with many other practices, it was derived to the Irish, with whom, as none but an incor-
repere-
"
St. Kevin are mentioned in Colgan's Acta rigible sceptic will dare to deny, it was a
Sanctorum Hibernije," xii. Martii, De S. favourite sort of study. Strange that Dagano Abbate et Episcop, cap . i. , p. 584, Ledwich, who is so fond of the Asiatics, andnn. 1, 2, 3, 45, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, p. couldexpressadisbeliefofit, anddidnot
rather use it as an argument to prove, that we had b—een instructed by Eastern mis- sionaries. "Ecclesiastical History of Ire- land," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, x. , n. 148, pp. 47, 48-
33 The Salmancan Manuscript says, that
the parents of our saint were of noble Hugh Ward.
birth. 38 Thus is his name written in the "Acta
586.
32 See Harris Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops of
Glendaloch," p. 373. See, also, vol. ii. , "Writers of Ireland," book i. , chap, hi. , p. 21. . . . . .
to believe that a barbarous people, naked and ignorant as American Indians, should have preserved the pedigree of St. Kevin, is too much for the most stupid cre-
says :
Rev. Dr. " When he wishes Lanigan replies :
to keep out Rome and Palladius, and, above
the early Christianity of Ireland, he repre- sents the Irish as Christians and civilized long before anyone from Rome came among us ; but when he takes it into his head to drive a saint, ex. c. Kevin, not only out of the calen- dar, but likewise out of existence, he de-
3? According to the Manuscript of Father
32 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 3.
race of Laeghaire Lore, monarch of Erin, and from whom the Leinstermen are descended. His mother's name was Coenhella,40 or Caemell. 41 How- ever, the Acts of St. Kevin state, that his father sprang from the royal race of Leinster Kings ; but, to lead a more pious life, he left his friends and inherit- ance, while he sustained himself, by the labour of his hands/2 What was still much better, than nobility or titles, this saint's parents were just and faith- ful persons, in the sight of God and men/3
It is related, as one of the legends of his Acts, that an Angel appeared
:
to Coenhella, during her sleep, and said to her " O happy woman, thou
shaltbringforthason,andthoushaltcallhisnameCoemgen. Heshallbe dear, both to God and men, and he shall be a Father over many monks. The grace of the Holy Spirit shall abound in his place ; but, immediately after his birth, let him be brought to the baptismal font. "44 According to the heavenly
messenger's advice, the infant was brought for the purpose of being baptized, by certain persons. These, too, were accosted by an Angel of God, on the way; and,heappearedtothem,intheshapeofabeautifulyoungman. He asked those, who bore the child, what purpose they had in view. Those
persons replied, they were on their way, towards a certain holy priest, who lived an eremitical life in the neighbourhood, and that they wished him to
perform the baptismal rite for the infant. It is said, moreover, that Angel breathed on the child, and signed him, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Then praying, he bestowed a benediction on the future saint. ^ Afterwards, the bearers of the infant visited a holy Priest, named Cronan. 46 He enquired, on what business they had come. They
"
holy infant needs not a repetition of baptism,47 for he has been baptized by a
answered, that he might baptize the child. Whereupon, he replied :
This
While those present were in admira-
related, that the Angel appeared, not to the
mother, but to St. Kevin's father. It is a
characteristic of Irish Hagiological accounts,
that scarcely any of our most celebrated
saints are found, whose births had not been
previously revealed to one parent or to both
parents, by an Angel; or, occasionally, to some other holy individual.
4i A remark is offered by Baert, that if
this be a fiction, it is made to correspond says, that the infant was blessed by an Angel,
better and holier person than I am. "-»8
Breviora. "
39 So state the O'Clerys.
40
longing to Father Hujjh Ward.
According to the Manuscript Life, be-
41 She was the daughter of Ceannfhionnan, son to Ceisi, son of Lugaidh. See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 302.
with other passages in the published Life ;
for, the circumstance ofa cow, being mira-
culousiy sent by God for the infant's nourish-
ment, seems to indicate the poverty of St.
Kevin's parents. But again, if they were mentioned, as there were so many saints poor, Baert enquires, how they could have bearing this name, to be found in the Irish
stated in the Life. See Acta Sanctorum," history be discovered, it might tend greatly tomus i. , Junii iii. De S. Coemgino sive to indicate the period of our saint's birth. Keivino, Abbate de Glindelacensi in Hiber- 4? If an infusion or use of water were not nia, cap. i. , n. (a), p. 313. This apparent in question, a mere breathing alone, could incongruity, however, can easily be recon- not have sufficed for the administration of ciled. In certain parts of Wicklow County, Baptism, according to the doctrine of the at the present day, the mountains are only Church. Hence, the writer of our saint's
been owners of a flock of sheep, as Calendars. Could this particular Cronan's "
suitable for the pasturage of sheep and goats ; while, these animals form the chief stock of several peasants and farmers. The circum- stances and pastoral customs there, at the time of St. Kevin's birth, must have been more primitive, but, perhaps, nearly iden- tical.
43 See ibid. t cap. i. , num. i. , p. 312.
44 Iu another copy of our saint's Life, it is
Acts must have fallen into a great error, or he must have unaccountably overlooked the ne- cessary matter for baptismal ablution,
48 In the " Acta Breviora," it is said, the
infant received both an unction and breath-
ing from the Angel, and afterwards, that he had been washed in the saving waters of a neighbouring fountain, which thenceforward afforded health to the sick.
45 The Salmancan Manuscript merely
on the way, when he was brought to be
baptized.
46 Baert remarks, that nothing more can
be known regarding the Cronan here
June 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 33
tion at what Cronan said, the Priest asked, if any one had met them on the way. Then, they told him, that a young man blessed the infant, and called himCoemgen,49orKevin,5° asthenameisdifferentlyspelled,51althoughthe
" This was the Angel of the Lord, who baptized the child, and as the Angel named him, so shall he be always called Coemgen,ss which in Latin means, Pulcher-genitus ; for, he
"
shall be most beautiful. 5+ Then, the holy old man Cronan, looking upon
:
the boy, and being filled with a prophetic spirit, cried out " O beautiful
child of God, may the Almighty Lord bless thee; I shall be thy first monk, and I give thee my place with all my effects. "55 Then having prayed and blessed the infant, this spiritual treasure was brought back to his parents. 56
We are told, that during St. Kevin's infancy, a white cow was miraculously
"
pronunciation is the same. 52 The Priest then said
:
*> The Rev. Dr. Ledwich says, that the
name Coemhgen was unknown until after
the thirteentli century, and he would fain
make us imagine, that it meant not a man Irish C was always the same as K. The but a mountain. See "Antiquities of Ire- letter Mwith the aspirate annexed (either H
land," p. 174. Were he better read, he might or a point) sounds like V. The diphthong
have found the name of Coemgen the senior,
He ridi- the moun- tain Keun at Glendaloch was metamor- phosed into St. Kevin. " Thus he proceeds : " Keun is the name of many mountains in Wales noticed by Camden. " Then, he refers to Lhuyd (Adversar), who reckons Ceun,
CE has been generally modified into the singlesoundE. TheletterGaspiratedin the middle of a word almost loses its sound as in Tighearna, which becomes Tierna. See Vallancey's "Irish Grammar," at the letter G.
53 Instead of that name, in some editions of Giraldus Cambrensis it is written Keiwin.
even in our present saint's Acts.
"
culously asserts, moreover, that
a Welsh word, " meaning
"
in that the Master of published by
among
names of mountains. Thus, does Dr. Cambrensis "Opera," vol. v. Edited by
"
back,
those denominations that enter into the
However,
Lanigan refer to his absurd statements : James F. Dimock, M. A. ,
Topographia Suppose a person, treating of our mighty Hibernica," Dist. ii. , cap. xxviii. , p. 113. antiquary, should write his name Leadwich, It is found spelled, also, Koemin, Coemin, as an ingenious author, who conceals him- and even Caymin ; but, these in reality are self under the signature Anonymous, has all one and the same name. See Colgan s done ; or that even it were written Lead- " Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," Februarii xv. wig, it would be immediately understood as Vita S. Berachi Abbatis, cap. vi. , ix. , p.
the name of the antiquary; unless some one 34i.
should be so foolish as to think, that it was 54 The Rev. Dr. Ledwich alleges, that the
not the name of a man, but a compound of "
lead and wig, taking, agreeably to a very n—ot intimate his beauty but diminutive size. "
"
usual
trope, wig
for what is contained under "
Antiquities of Ireland," p. 174. His
it. Similar to this folly is the Doctor's mode subsequent remarks are simply puerile.
of arguing. He was striving to show, that 55 In the " Acta Breviora," the following
St. Coemgen was neither a saint nor a man, is said to have been Colman's prophecy :
but a mere mountain in the county of Wick- " The whole of this province shall serve thee
low.
