No More Learning

Article X. —Reputed Festival of St. Comnanus, Abbot of Iona,
Scotland. At the 14th of March, David Camerarius enters a St. Comna-
nus, Abbot of lona. ^ Wion and all the Scottish Annals are quoted. The
Bollandists^ notice him, on the authority of Camerarius, as the preceptor
of King Ferquard 3 do not consider it as that he should ; yet, they certain,
be classed among the saints.
;IfiTteentf) Bap of ilarr)^.
ARTICLE I. —SAINTS DICHULL, MUNISSA, AND NESLUG, BROTHERS, OF INIS-MEIC NESSAN, OR IRELAND'S EYE, COUNTY OF DUBLIN.
[SEVENTH CENTURY. 1
among the citizens of our Irish Metropolis have failed to take
FEW the summer advantage, during months,
means of transit, neighbourhood. TheHillofHowth''affordsamplesourcesforenjoyment,
of the
for one of the most exhilirating and healthful localities, in its immediate
APvTICLE VIII. —^ From a Manuscript of ris simul ac novse Ecclesise, et Infidelium the sixteenth century, communicated by Conversione,"lib. i. , cap. iii. , sect. 2, p. 166.
=
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomusii. , Martii xiv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 342. 3 Neither King Ferchard I. , nor King Ferchard I L, appears to have profited much vol. vi. , pp. 256, 257, 451. Elrington's in morality or religion from their teacher's
David Laing, Esq. , F. S. A. , Scot.
^
^
This is mentioned, in an Irish Life of St. Cuthbert.
3 See "Libellus de Nativitate S. Cuth- berti,"cap. xxi.
-•See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 291.
5 See notices of her, at the 23rd of Decern- ber.
See "Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland," vol. ii. , p. 262,
Article ix. —'See Ussher's Works, edition.
care. See George Buchanan's "Rerum Scoticarum Historia," lib. v. , pp. I4S> 146. Again, it must be observed, that among the Rev. Dr. Reeves' list of Iona Abbots, we findnotonenamedComnanus. Thereisa St. Cuimine Albus, however, and he lived contemporaneously with both the Kings of Scotland already named, and who all
flourished, in the seventh century.
have already inserted notices of him, at the
of — the date for his festival. 24th Februar)',
"
Bishop
^ See ibid. , p. 395.
Article x. —' See
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 236. See
Forbes' also, Camerarius' " De Statu Hominis Vete-
ready
'
i. This hill and the peninsula
Article
were once known as Ben Edair. In Irish
We
374 LIVES OF TEE IRISH SAINTS. [March 15.
and combines the most picturesque marine and mountain scenery, easily accessible ; while there is no other city in the British empire, that can boast
such a variety of charming landscapes, as are comprised within a circuit of ten or twelve miles, around the city of Dublin. * But, here, cur attention, in connexion with the present subject, must be chiefly confined to the rocky island, about half-a-mile to the north of Howth's fine harbour,3 and which is said tohavebeenformerlycalledInis-Ereann. * Inthesixteenthcentury,itwas named Irlandeseya,5 and this has been converted into Ireland's Eye,^ at the present day. The appearance of this islet, from the main shore, is rugged and picturesque, in the highest degree. It contains, over fifty-three acres. 7 Its eastern extremity, rent by some convulsion from the main cliff, forms a detached mass of great height, which resembles some curious fragments on Antrim coast, and known as the chimney of the Giant's Causeway. ^ The visitor usually lands in Carrigeen Bay, where on a gentle slope he beholds an old oratory in the foreground, and behind it rise hills and rocks, clothed with heather, fern, brushwood, briars, wild plants and lichens, giving fragrant odour, and every variety of tint. A steep ascent leads to the rocky cliffs, on the north-side, and from a height of 350 feet, the rocks descend precipitously and fantastically to the sea, which has hollowed out several caves, into which the waves break in sheets of foam. Altogether, the soil and its seclusion, with the size and wild beauty of surface and scenery, must have strongly attracted to its shores the holy men, whose memory has deserved commemo- ration, on this day, when Colgan has inserted their Acts. 9 The Bollandists'° have but a brief notice. These saints were born, probably about the be- ginning of the seventh century. They were sons to Nessan," the son of Ere, son to Aldus Kerr," son to Colman, son of Corpre, son to Dunlung, son of
fabulous topography, Breagh and Edar were brothers, who gave their names to the two headlands, now known as Bray Head and Howth. This latter denomination is said to be derived from Hoved, a Norse meaning "head. " To this fair scene, the beautiful Poem of Sir Samuel Ferguson, LL. D. , charmingly illustrate—d by the draw- ings of Miss Stokes, alludes
:
"To speak the air, the sky to speak,
Ussher says :
"
Hsecille; exVitaNessani:
The freshness of the hill to
^^^^^^^y tell, *
°L? ,^K''"', ^^^^^f ^^'^ <=" ^^^
'5, 16.
Who
bare Ben Edar's
waves,
roaming
And Aideen's briary dell,
peak
„ ? , ffm-white
And gazing on the Cromlech vast, And on the mountain and the sea,
Shall catch communion with the past And mix himself with me. "
S'^'^^.
^J^\ projectmg.
firm, basaltic way
-"
= See an admirable handy-book of J. Hu-
band " A Smith,
'"^^ '^^''g"' ^°
That reason pauses, doubtful if it stand
The Cromlech on Howth. "
^'^^
The work of mortal, or immortal hand. "
Day
to its most prominent objects of interest;
Drummond's
containing notices of its early History and Archaeological Remains, its Geological Structure, Botanical Productions, and ob- jects of Natural History," &c. , pp. 47, 48.
3 Archer, treating of Ireland's Eye, says,
"See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Martii xv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 373.
"it was supposed to have b—een formerly "
joined to the Hill of Howth. " Statistical Survey of the County Dublin," chap, v. , sect. 2, p. 91.
" Or Erin's Island, according to the
" He was descended, according to the Rev. Dr. Todd, in the eleventh generation from Cathair Mor, King of Ireland, A. D. 174 to 177.
at Howth Guide ; or,
—Rev. William Hamilton
Poem, " The Giants' Causeway," Canto i. , 11. 97 to 104.
» See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," xv. Martii. De S. DichuUo, Munissa, Neslugio et Fratribus, p. 609.
Dinnseanchus. "
s So is it called, by Archbishop Alan.
" Hcdied, A. D. 591.
word,
in qua parva ilia insula Oclus (leg. Oculus) vocatur, ad orietitalem plagam ad sex mUia- ria de Dublin. "
^ This name is said to have been to given
it, by the Danes, in whose language Ey, or £i, means " an island. "
'This island is in the parish of Howth, and ofCoolock. Itis onthe
"
barony shown, Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
.
^5
Of clustermg columns wedged m dense
fx^^l^^, -n
vi
like, yet
Wih
skill so
so
surpassmg art,
« P^" war of tempests braves, '^e
J"f J" ^J^''^ P^^^^,
March 15. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 375
Enda Niadh, son to Bressal Belach. 's Their ancestors were princes of Leinster, and the holy brothers were fourth in descent from Colman, its king, who died a. d. 576/'* Nessan was the father of seven sons, who all became distinguished ecclesiastics. These all departed in the odour of sanctity, ^s Their festivals, however, are celebrated on different days, if we except three of them, namely, Dichull Derg, Munissa, and Nesluagh, whose memories are commemorated on this day. They were disciples, it has been thought, to St. Maidoc'^ of Ferns ; and, we are told, in the Life of this latter, that having erected a monastery, at a place, then called Cluain-DichoUa Gairbh, and now Clonmore, he placed Dichull over it as abbot, yet subject to his own jurisdiction. From this place, it would appear, Dichull removed to that little island already described. Whether, at the same time, his brothers arrived with him or not is unknown ; but, all seem to have been
at one — In a Brief of Alexander III. companions there, period. Pope ,^7
occurs at —ctedtoSt. LaurenceO'Toole whoseLife the ofNovem-
dire
ber it is termed Insula fihorum quondam Nessani," or formerly the Island of Nessan's sons. " '9 These saints are said to have lived here, probably about the middle, or not later than the close, of the seventh century. ^"
14th " '^"
These brothers built an oratory, on this island, some portions of which remaintothepresenttime. ^^ Aboutthesameperiod,andmostprobablyby them, was transcribed a copy of the Four Gospels, called the " Garland of Howth. "" In his " Liber Niger," Archbishop Alan says, that God's judg- mentswerefearedbythose,whoshouldforswearthemselvesuponit. ^3 Even
•a righteous and an innocent man feared this ordeal. ^4 For a considerable time, this curious Codex had been preserved in the Abbey of Howth. '^s with great reverence and care. ^^ Formerly bearing the local name of Ker-lowre,^7 the
'3
to the "
" Such was the
belonging originally to Howth, but rather to Inis Meic Nessan. It was apparently written in the seventh century, as indicated by its penmanship. Another Codex, called the "Book of Howth," must not be con- founded with the former ; and, it is yet preserved, at Lambeth, in the Library of
According logy," chap. 20.
Sanctilogic
Genea-
opinion
'*
of Dr. as Petrie,
'* See Ur. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i,, pp. 208, 209, 214, 215.
Ecclesiastical Architec- ture of Ireland, anterior to the Anglo-Nor- man Invasion," part ii. , sect, iii. , subs, i,
'3 Besides the three holy brothers, vene-
rated on this day, our Calendars commemo-
rate the other four, viz. : Beoan, Abbot of
Ard-CuUinor Fidh-Cuillin, venerated on the
8th of August, Cairell, Bishop, of Tir-rois,
venerated on the 13th of June, Flann, vene-
rated 20th of April, and Muredach, said to
have been venerated on the 15th of iVIay, or
on the 1 2th of August. We have here cor- the Archbishops of Canterbury. This is a
rected some typographical errors in Colgan, and guided by the entries in our Martyr-
" See his Life, at the 31st of January.
»7 He from a. d. to 1181. reigned 1159
See Sir Harris Nicolas' "Chronology of "
History, p. 208.
compilation of Anglo-Irish legends and of historical records, written in the middle of the sixteenth century.
*3 See, Warburton, Whitelaw and Walsh's
" ofthe of vol. History City Dublin," ii. , p.
1256, note. 24promsuchaccount,itwouldseempro-
bable, that in the sixteenth century, it had been preserved in some ornamented and precious box or case.
^5 This old structure was drawn Francis by
Grose, in 1790, and engraved, with descrip- five letterpress accompanying it. See
ologies.
'^
See Ussher's "Veterum Epistolarum
Hibernicarum Sylloge," Epist. xlviii. , p. 113.
•3 Ussher adds: '^
occuluvi Hiber-
qnoxa.
nia did, vulgariter Irelands-eyavi, itbi sane-
tus ille insiskbat crebris orationibus, jejuniis
&=• — Alanus
vigiliis, Johannes Dubliniensis
Grose's of "Antiquities Ireland,"
pp. 191021. ^*
vol, i.
,
"
Prsesul annotat. " Britannicarum Eccle-
siarum
Alan
for his account of this Codex,
Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 497, According to Kev. Dr. Todd's calcula-
Archbishop
quotes
Nessani,
^°
tion, ,
expressed in his
pp. 177, 178. ^Thiswasawrongnameforit, asnot
Vita
=7 Correctly spelled it should be Ceathair
376
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS [March 15.
Garland of Howth is now a most remarkable relic of ancient art and piety. *^ It is still preserved, in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin. ^9 A descrip- tion of this Codex, with two fac^simile chromo-lithograph illummations, by a gifted lady artist,3° was the last literary production of the late Rev. Dr. Todd. 3' Towardsthemiddleoftheeleventhcentury,restorationsoftheold oratory appear to have been made.
In these were preserved some of the principalfeaturesoftheprimarychurch. Toitwasaddedasquarechancel,
Inis Meic Nessan Church, Ireland's Eye, County of Dublin.
which served as the basis of a Round Tower, about twelve feet in diameter,
with a corresponding elevation, a mode of architecture, which presented at that period a rather novel feature in Ecclesiological art. The ruins of this
church were tolerably well preserved, at the commencement of the present century. According to some writers, it would seem, that Inisfaithlenn, or the " Elder Island," was formerly the name of this island ; others have that Irish name translated into " Woodbine Island. " Rev. Dr. Todd translates
" or " lawn island. " late some curious
it, grassy," During years, antiquities
were here discovered,32 as also on the peninsula of Howth. 33 About this time or shortly afterwards, the Rev. Mr, Shearman, aided by the subscrip-
Leabhair, or "the Quadruple Book," ? >. ,
"
Qui et hujus Ubrum quatuor Evangeliorum fuisse significat, ab incolis Ker-lowre inde dictum ; quern hodie the Garland of Houth corrupte
vocitant : licet argentese lingulae illi annexte S. Talm—ani nomen insculptum ego observa-
*'
the book itself, having been rebound over forty years ago, suffered considerably In the operation, performed by an ignorant binder, St, Talman's feast or history is not known,
30 Miss Stokes,
3' "
See Descriptive Remarks on Illumi-
nations in Certain Ancient Irish Manu- scripts," by the Rev. James Henthom Todd, D,D,, F. S. A. , &c. , pp, 11 to 14, London, 1869. Imp. fol.
3^ An account of these, by the Rev, John
F. Shearman, C. C. , of Howth, had been communicated to the members, on the 8th
of June, 1868. This interesting paper has
the Four Gospels. Ussher says of it :
Britannicarum Ecclesiarum An- tiquitates,"cap. xvii. , p. 497.
verim. "
*^
Ussher, in the seventeenth century.
It fell into the possession of Archbishop
*9 The clasp or tongue of silver, attached to the book, with St, Talman's name in-
scribed, has unfortunately disappeared ; and
March 15. ] LIVES OP THE IRISH SAINTS. 377
tions of several friends, originated and undertook the duty of superintending the restoration of the old church, so far as data=^ allowed of its being faithfully
repaired. The learned Ussher appears to have been egregiously mistaken, when he supposed, that St. Nessan,35 a Deacon,36 who is classed in the secondorderofIrishSaints,livedonthisisland. 37 Yet,hetookArchbishop Alan as an authority, and by him, it has been said, that Nessan passed his time there, engaged in constant prayer, fasting and watching. Depending on these early writers, a prevailing opinion, that St. Nessan, in a. d. 570,38 founded an Abbey, on this island, has obtained some degree of credit. 39 A curious tradition,i° regarding St. Nessan and Puck's Rock,'*" which is a huge detached mass of granite on the opposite shore of Howth, has been put on record. -*' Colgan'*3 has connected St. Dichull, the son of Nessan, with the Island of Inisfallen, in the Lower Lake, at Killarney, and he has led Arch- dall,'''* with some modern writers, astray, in this particular. ^s
Existing ecclesiastical appurtenances on Ireland's Eye are said to have been the original prebendal land and church of Howth, to which this establishment had been transferred, in 1235, by Luke, Archbishop of Dublin. -*^ At the east end of the ruins, an arched chancel formerly supported the belfry, which was a RoundTower. t7 Thischurchwasverysmall,notmorethantwelvefeet,by
twenty-four, in the interior. ^^ Unfortunately, the doorway, in the west front, was destroyed, now many years ago, and its stone materials were removed to the mainland. '*^ It had a semicircular arch, built in the Roman manner. 5°
been published, in "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," vol. x,, No. xxxii,, sect, iii. , pp. 332 to 334.
*- It is related, in Gaskin's elegant volume, "Varieties of Irish History," sect. X. , pp. 343. 344-
^3 In enumerating various saints bearing the name of Dichull, he only says regarding Petrie, LL. D. , and R. H. A. , the " Primus est S. DichuUus
33 See ibid. , sect i. , ii. , pp. 330 to 332. 3* Such was furnished from a sketch,
made
on the 7th of September, 1828, and now in possession of Miss Stokes, The Rev. Mr, Shearman set up the interior arch, doorway and other features of the old building, ac- cording to that model. He also kindly
furnished the drawing here represented, and which was transferred to the wood, by William F. Wakeman. It was engraved by George A. Hanlon.
3S His feast seems to be referable, to the
by George
present :
filius Nessani, Abbas de Inis Fathlen in Momonia, qui cum duobus suis fratribus Macnissa et Neslugio ibidem colitur die 15 Martii. " See "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," xvi. Januarii. Vita S. Furssei, n. 6, p. 92.
4+ See, at county of Kerry, Innisfallen, A. D. 640, "Monasticon Hibemicum," p, 301. No such date has been furnished by
Colgan, at the page quoted.
*5 This statement has been copied by a
more modem writer, and he that this adds,
island was then called Innis-Nessan or Inis- Mac-Nessan, i. e. , the Island of the sons of Nessan, from Nessan, the father of Dichull. See that beautifully-illustrated work. Rev. G. N. Wright's "Guide to the Lakes of Killarney," p. 22. The designs of its various views were drawn, by the distin- guished Irish antiquary and artist, George Petrie, LL. D.
"** Then a new church was built upon the
25th of July, at Mungairit. "
3* Ussher says
in Vita S. Albei Imelacensis scriptum habetur ; ipsum atque e^^i-egium et sanctissit/ium diacomim Nessanum simul locutos fuisse de mysUriis
Dei et giicestionibus quas Nessanus qticerebat sibi solvi. "
''
37 See Britannicamm Ecclesiarum Anti-
:
Mitto
quod
quitates," cap. xvii. , pp. 474, 497.
3^ See Ussher's "Index Chronologicus,
"
at A. D. DLXX. , p. 532. Ibid.
39 Archdall says: "St. Nessan founded
at Howth. See "
an
Abbey
the
here about A. D.
where he
Rector's
570, evening well-spent
life in and
glebe, Antiquities
History of the Church of St.
the south side of the island. "
to Dublin and ''^ Dr. Petrie
11.
to a promised give descrip-
Hibemicum," p.
221.
of a
passed
fasting and in prayer,"
ruins of St. Nessan's church—still remain on
*° This is to be found, originally related,
tion of this church, with its round Tower
Belfry, in the Third Part of his Work,
which, however, has not yet appeared,
••9 were used, for the of They purpose
building the Catholic church, at Howth, A
""
in the Registrum of Archbishop Alan.
*' See Warburton, Whitlaw and Walsh,
" 1266.
ofthe of vol. History City Dublin," ii. , p.
****«'
"
xhe
Monasticon
Patrick," book i. , chap, x. , p. 63.
^? See Whammond's " Illustrated Guide
Wicklow," p.
378 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 15.
This was composed of well-cemented calpe- blocks, which sprang from square
imposts, almost exactly similar to the ancient so-called Saxon doorways. s'
It measured six feet, six inches, in height ; three feet, in width, at the base ;
and two feet, eight inches, immediately below the imposts. The depth of
the wall was two feet, eight inches. It has been supposed, that some in-
equalities of ground close to the church exhibit indistinct evidences of house
or other foundations once existing there. s^ Having landed, on more than one
occasion, the writer has had an opportunity for observing here traces of some
enclosure around this oratory. The space within seemed to have been
formerlyunderculture. Probably,aportionofthisgroundhadbeenusedas
a cemetery, although no peculiar features of one now appear. How long
the brothers, Dichull, Munissa, and Neslug, lived here has not transpired,
and we have no means left, for determining the days of their respective
deaths. Again, the year or years when these saints departed, from this life,
wedonotfindrecorded. However,theirfestivalwascelebrated,onthe15th
of March,53 in the island ; for, this is the simple way, in which it is mentioned,
in the "Feilire" of St. ^ngus. ^^ In the Martyrology of Tallagh,^^ at this
date, we find the entry : Filiorum trium Nessani ; Monisu, ocus Nesloga,
ocus Diuchaill, Trenach Derg. ^^ But, Colgan observes, that Seslugius was
inserted through an error of the copyist, Neslugius being the name, according to other authorities. The Calendar of Cashel mentions Dichull alone, as
being more celebrated than the others. 57 Marianus 0'Gorman,58 ^j. j-i-,g same day, writes of these brethren, that they were three holy sons of Nessan, of Inis Faithlenn, namely, Munissa, Neslug, and Dichull Derg. 59 The three sons of Nessan, of Inis Faithlenn, i. e. . , Muinissa, Nesslugh, and
Duichoill Derg,^° are recorded in the Martyrology of Donegal,^' as having veneration paid them, at this same date. Thus, too, the Scottish Kalendar of Drummond coincides. ^'
Their church, hallowed by the learning and piety of these holy men, was devastated in the year 701, when Irgalach, King of Bregia, was slain on Innis MeicNessan—whither he had fled for safety—by the Britons, who then made a raid on the east coast of Ireland. In the ninth century, and more frequently still in the tenth, this island was the scene of many a conflict with the Danish
drawing of this doorway, was taken by George Petrie, LL. D. , and, it is engraved,
"
S4 According to Colgan, St. ^ngus, in
Eccle- siastical Architecture of Ireland, anterior to adds,
with a detailed description, in his
"
the Anglo-Norman Invasion," part ii. , sect. iii. , subs, i. , pp. 177, 178.
5° See, a very interesting and complete descriptive article, headed, "The Isles of Ireland, Historic, Legendary and Scenic I. Ireland's Eye. " It is contained in "Duffy's Hibernian Magazine," vol. iii. , No. 14, pp. 56, 57, ! ;8, 59.
ullus Derg. "
55 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xviii.
s* in the Franciscan copy, beginning with
a contracted capital letter of a peculiar form, and which seems to represent SS. , we have afterward entered, at the Ides of March, 13 foreign saints preceding, fl-op . m. liefAm, I. e. mornffu Ajuf Seij-lo^A Ajuf 'Oni- CAiLt. Ci\enec 'Oeipj.
'«
Tres sancti filii Nessani de Inis Faith- lenn, nempe Munissa, Neslugius, & Dich- ullus Derg. "
S9 See, Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hi- bemia;," xv. Martii, nn. 10, II, 12, 13, 14,
S' This is a complete misnomer, insomuch
as the Saxons originated no sort of eccle- siastical architecture, only having adopted
that which they received from their early ss Irish missionaries.
s^ In the "Dublin Penny Journal," vol.
ii. , No. 60, pp. 60, 61, will be found an in-
teresting description of Ireland's Eye, with a coiTCCt wood engraving of what has been
p. 609.
'° In a note. Dr. Todd adds
'" "OiucoiLl : Diuchoill Derg. '
"
designated, the Church.