The Bollandists
'' In " Floribus Sanctorum Anglia^,"
tion for English ecclesiastical biography, down to the year 1122.
'' In " Floribus Sanctorum Anglia^,"
tion for English ecclesiastical biography, down to the year 1122.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
, cap.
xxvi.
, p.
346.
^ Said to have been written, before A. D.
Article xi. of March.
"^ See his Life, at the 20tli
See Spartian, in Hadrian, p. 290.
^" See
Martyrologium Anglicanum," x.
See Rev. Dr. Lingard's "History of England," vol. i. , chap, i. , p. 37.
9 See ih'd. , p. 41.
^° See Venerable Bede's ** Historia Eccle-
Februarii.
3 In a historical
and— Mrs. Millard. and while Alfred was
Wakeman, engraved by
705, King living.
commentary, containing three sections, and nineteen paragraphs.
4 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Feb- ruarii X. De S. Trumwino, sive Tumma, Pictorum Australium Episcopo, Strenea- shalse in Anglia, pp. 414 to 416.
siastica Geutis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. xii. , p. 291.
^
"See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 330.
" Now Abercom, a parish on the north
46o
LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [Februaryio.
sidence. It lay near the frith, which separated the dominions of the Picts and Angles. '3 Its exact position was at the mouth of the Carron River. ^4
Here, he seems to have presided over a rehgious estabHshment, and whether this was modelled on the Scotic rules, or whether it was a Benedictine in- stitute, has been questioned. Trumwin was consecrated bishop, about the year 68i. He assisted, at the synod of Twifford, a. d. 684,^5 near the River Alne, over which Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury, presided, and at which Egfrid, King of Northumbria, assisted. Then, St. Cuthbert was electedasbishop,overthevacantseeofLindisfarne. Vainlywasmessenger after messenger despatched to Fame, to require the presence and concurrence of the bishop elect. Never limpet clung more closely to the rocks of Fame, than did this hermit to his solitary cell, endeared to him by the struggles and the victories of nine quiet years. But, the synod of Twyford was by no means discomfited. Scarcely had the last messenger brought Cuthbert's final refusal, when King Egfrid equipped his royal bark, and sailed for Fame, with many of the nobles of his court, Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury, an imposing array of mitred prelates, and the Abbot of Lindisfarne, in dark coarse clothing. The hermit, who for some years had scarcely been seen by men, came down to the landing-place to receive the august visitors. His face and form were worn by fasting and vigils, his figure was somewhat bowed, though he was hardly in middle age, and his whole appearance bore traces of feeble health and prolonged austerities. His coarse garment of
undyedwoolhadnotbeenremovedforsixmonths. Then,therewasKing Egfrid, in his royal robes, embroidered with gold, and with the crown upon his head, the prelates in all their ecclesiastical splendour, and the attendants gorgeous in those richly ornamented and brightly-coloured garments, which the Anglo-Saxons loved. Nothing removes this incident more completely into the sphere of a simple, religious age, than the fact, that this brilliant assemblage fell down, as one man, at the feet of Cuthbert, beseeching him with many words and abundant tears to reconsider his determination. He resisted, with weeping and urgent entreaties, that he might be left to his solitude. But, persuasions so influential, backed as they were by the solici- tations of the community at Lindisfarne, at last prevailed. On Easter Sunday, a. d. 685, he was consecrated Bishop of Hexham, at York, by Theodore, and by six assisting prelates. Soon afterwards, however, he effected an exchange with Eata,^^ Bishop of Lindisfarne, and once more found himself among his beloved monks, in the sea-girt monastery of Holy Island. '7 By advice of Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury, and of Trum- win, Bishop of the Picts, Egfrid bestowed on St. Cuthbert and his successors, the village and adjoining lands of Creic, and also the city of Lugubalia, with a still larger ambit, in 685. ^^ To this deed, the signatures of both prelates
of Linlithgowshire. See FuUarton's " Im- '* Round Carun's stream, O classic name !
perial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. 3> 4'
'3 It was, however, within the dominions of these latter people. See Bede's "His- toria Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. xxvi. , p. 346,
*4 This small stream rises in or near Carron bog, in Sterlingshire, and it falls into the Forth, at Grangemouth, about three miles east of Falkirlc, after a course of fourteen miles. HectorMacneil,anativeofSterling-
shire, has thus alluded to its historic asso- ciations:—
Whar Fnigal fought, and ay ow'rcame ; Whar Ossian wak'd, wi kindling flame,
His heaven-taught lays,
And sang his Oscar's deathless fame
At Duin-na-bais. "
'S See John Leland's *' De Rebus Britan- nicis Collectanea," vol. ii. , p. 327.
'^ tober.
See notices of him, at the 26th of Oc-
'7 Seethe"SundayMagazine,"forApril, 1873.
"* See Ussher's " Britannicarum Ecclesi-
February io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 461
are attached. With what degree of success, the Blessed Trumwin and his
associates carried on the Pictish mission, has not transpired ; but, a storm
was now about to gather, and it ahnost entirely destroyed their future pro-
spects. The Northumbrian king had wantonly despatched an armed force
to Ireland, a. d. 684,^9 ostensibly to retaliate on the Irish, for the aid which
they had rendered to the i3ritons, in their contests with the Anglo-Saxons.
This expedition was led by Berht or Beretus, his general, and in the month
of June, they landed on the eastern shore. Here the Saxons proceeded to
devastate, both the territories and churches of Magh Breagh. From every
part of it, they carried away hostages and many other spoils to their ships. ^°
As a sequence to these outrages, which Venerable Bede so strongly depre- cates, a swift retribution followed. Contrary to the advice of his friends,
and especially of holy Bishop Cuthbert, so lately consecrated. King Egfrid arrayed a considerable army, and resolved to ravage the Pictish territories.
The Picts, pretending flight, led the Anglo-Saxon forces into the inaccessible passes of their mountains. Here, they inflicted a terrible loss on their in-
vaders. ^^ King Egfrid was killed, with the greater part of his army. He fell in the fortieth year of his age, and in the fifteenth of his reign, on the 20th of May, A. D. 685. ^2 'p]^g Picts ^^^^ recovered their former liberty, and elated with victory, they drove all the Angles and Scots out of their country. SomeoftheBritons,likewise,assertedtheirancientindependence. Among others, the worthy Bishop Trumwin was banished from the Pictish territories. ^3 He, and his coadjutor on the mission, were obliged to fly from ^bbercurnig, where a single vestige of his ancient Culdee establishment does not now exist. ^'^ The holy Bishop Trumwin betook himself to Streane- shalch,25 the monastery of St. Elfleda,^^ having tried to procure an asylum for his dispersed companions, in other religious houses. ^7 At Streaneshalch, he lived a great comfort and an assistant to Elfleda, by affording her his counsel,inthegovernmentofhermonastery. ^^ Therehecontinuedfifteen years, with some few companions, living in monastic rigour, both for the goodofhisownsoulandforthebenefitofmanyothers. ^9 Hedepartedthis life, about the year of grace 700,3° and, with due honour he was buried, in the church of St. Peter,3r at Streaneshalch. This holy bishop is comme- morated by Jerome Porters^ and by John Wilson,33 at the loth day of Feb-
arum Antiquitates," cap. xv. and Index It bore a bark along. "
Chronologicus, A. D. DCLXXXV. , pp. 350, — 540.
Canto ii.
'9 According to the " Annals of Ulster. "
,
The " Annals of Clonmacnoise" place this "
Her Acts are given by the Bollandists in event so early as 680 ; while, the Annals nine sections, and sixty-five paragraphs,
of the Four Masters" have it, at 683.
"Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Februarii
viii. , pp. 178 to 186.
^7 See Venerable Bede's
^°
See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 288 to 291.
^' At a place, known as Dun Nechtain.
Historia Ec-
=^
See the "Annals of Ulster," at a. d.
685.
=3 See Rev. Dean
See Dean Cressy's
Church History of
" Church His- tory of Brittany," book xviii. , chap, xvii. ,
book xviii,,
=9 See Venerable Bede's
xvii. , 459.
p. 459.
="* See Fullarton's
"
Imperial Gazetteer of
"
clesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iv,, cap.
26, p. 346.
wino, sive Tumma, &c. , sect, iii. , num. 18,
Cressy's
Brittany,"
chap,
p. Historia Ec-
Scotland," vol. i. , p. 4.
ns Afterwards known as Whitby. Allu- rum," tomus ii. , Februarii x. De S. Trum-
sion is made to it, in Sir Walter Scott's
"
Marmion,"
" from high Whitby's cloister'd pile, Bound to St. Cuthbert's Holy Isle,
p. 416.
31 See Rev. Dean Cressy's
sect. i.
=^^ Her feast occurs, at the 8th of February.
"
clesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap.
26, pp. 346, 347.
-^ "
30 "Acta Sancto- See the Bollandists'
Church His* tory of Brittany," book xx. , chap, xviii. , p.
514.
"
4^2 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS [Februaryii.
riiary. 34 It was probably that on which he died. In succeeding times, the Danish incursions reduced Streaneshalch or Whitby^s to a heap of ruins,
when the tomb of Bishop Trumwin, and the monuments of other holy and distinguished persons, there interred, were desecrated. William of Malmes- bury also writes, at Streneshalck, now called Whitby, that in the choir of the church belonging to religious virgins, which is famous for the monuments of holy bishops and glorious kings, the industry of certain devout men hath, as it were, restored to life the slumbering ashes of several persons : for, not long since,36 there were found and translated to a more eminent place, the bodies of many saints, and particularly the body of S. Trumwin, Bishop of the Picts. 37 What became of the remains, in after times, does not appear to be known; norcanweadoptveryreadilysomeunauthenticatedstatementsof Dempster,38 that would place this saint, on the list of Scottish writers. Other statements of his,39 regarding St. Trumwine, are equally unreliable.
Clebentl) ©aj) of jfefaruarp*
ARTICLE I. —ST. GOBNATA OR GOBNET, VIRGIN, AND ABBESS OF BURNEACH, OR BALLYVOURNEY, COUNTY OF CORK.
[SIXTH CENTURY. }
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—DESCENT OF ST. GOBNET—ST. ABBAN PLACES HER OVER A COMMUNITY, AT BALLYVOURNEY—LEGEND RELATIVE TO HER SISTER—TRADITIONS REGARDING ST. GOBNET—HER ESTABLISHMENT AT BALLYVOURNEY.
the great celebrity of this holy virgin, especially
in the South of Ireland, but few notices are left regarding her, by NOTWITHSTANDING
Colgan. ^ He tells us, in his day, it was understood, that St. Gobnata's Acts were extant in southern Munster, but not then published.
The Bollandists
'' In " Floribus Sanctorum Anglia^,"
tion for English ecclesiastical biography, down to the year 1122. The manuscript which has been followed, in this edition, is supposed by Mr. Hamilton to be the author's autograph, containing his latest additions and amendments,
3^ He asserts, that St. Trumwin wrote
the decrees of that council, over which St.
Theodore of Canterbury presided. See
"
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xviii. —
39 As for instance, that Tarananus— under- stood to be the present Trumwine was re- called by the Picts to be bishop over them, and that he was the same as St. Tarnanus, Bishop of Lismore in Ireland, who was venerated on the Kalends of July, according to Fcrrarius, and a Scottish Breviary. See Ussher's " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum An- tiquitates," cap. xv. , pp. 350, 351.
33 In edition.
*'
Martyrologio Aiiglicano," second
3* See the Bollandists' "Acta Sancto- rum," tomus ii. , Februarii X. De S. Trum- wino, sive Tumma, &c. , sect, iii. , num. 19, p. 416.
35 This is a seaport town in the North
Riding of Yorkshire, and seated on the River Esk, near the place where it falls into
"
the sea. See
vol. xviii. ,p. 851. Dublinedition.
3*^ William of Malmesbury lived in the
twelfth century.
37 At A. D. 700, the foregoing account is
given in his work, "De Gestis Pontificum
Anglorum Libri Quinque," lib. iii. , p. 272. A new edition of this work, published by the Master of the Rolls, has been edited by
N. E. S. A. Hamilton, Esq. , in 1870. The
*•
Enclyclopoedia Britannica,"
Gesta Pontificum" is the principal founda-
Article
—Chapter i. —-' See
**
Acta
i.
l^EBRUARY II. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 4^3
onlyrefertoher,inabriefparagraph. ^ Thissaintwasadescendantfrom Conaire the Great,3 King of Ireland, according to our Irish Calendars. ^ Thus, she sprung from the Heremonian line. s She was born probably at
Boirenn,^ now Ballyvourney, in the barony of West Muskerry, and county of Cork. Hernativitymaybereferredtothecloseofthefifth,ortothecom- mencement of the sixth, century. Cairbre Muse gave name to the different southernterritories,knownasMuskerry. Theplace,withwhichSt. Gobnat had been connected, by birth and residence, is also called Boirneac, or Bor- neach ;7 and, in one instance—but it is thought by a false spelling—Hus- neach. ^ This place is said to have been visited by St. Abban, when he journeyedthroughtheterritoriesofMuscraigeandEoganacht. 9 There,he must have found St. Gobnat, and he seems to have formed a very exalted opinion of her virtues and good sense. It would appear, he obtained pos- sessionofthatplace,whichisnowknownasBallyvourney. '° Overahouse there founded, he placed St. Gobnata, as abbess. Dr. Lanigan seems to discredit the statement, that this nunnery had been erected by St. Abban. He rather supposes, the property on which it was built," belonged to St. Gobnat's family. Yet, we cannot find anything improbable, in the incidents related; for,evenallowingthetruthofthislatterpartofhishypothesis,can we not well conceive, that a tract of land might have been given him, by the proprietor, for ecclesiastical purposes, whereas. Saint Abban would naturally select a member of the family, or an inhabitant of that part of the country, to take charge of his future religious house ? Especially, when he could find one so well qualified, as in the present instance, to assume its direction, no- thing ought to appear more natural, than the selection of Gobnata, to preside over it as superioress.
A curious legend is related by the people at Ballyvourney, and it con- nects St. Abban with the place. It is said, a sister of St. Gobnait took ill of a fever, and at the same time, the death of St. Abban took place—where it occurred,however,doesnotseemtobeknown. Thecaoineorfuneralcry was raised by the mourners for his decease. St. Gobnait poured forth her prayers, that her sister might not hear it, lest her nervous system should be disturbed, and fatal results might then be expected to ensue. Her prayers were granted, and her sister never heard this caoifie. It is believed, by the
simple-minded people, that a person standing on that same spot afterwards, could not hear even the loudest thunder. ^^ Our saint is supposed to have
Sanctorum Hibernise," xi. Februarii. De south. See *' Ecclesiastical
History
of Ire«
S. Gobnata,Virgine,etAbbatissaBornicensi, land," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , sect, iv. , n. 50,
p. 315- P- 21.
^^ See it, among the saints passed over, or
left for another day, in their "Acta Sane-
torum," tomus ii. , Februarii xi. , p, 506.
3 He was son to Modh-Lamha, Monarch
Genealogical Sanctilogy" states, that Gobnat, of Boirenn, on the confines of
Muscraige-Mutine and of Eoganacht Loch- lein, belonged to the race of King Conaire, chap. xvii. The "Calendar of Cashel" coincides with this statement, as also the
" Martyrology of Donegal. "
s The account of Smith, is very inaccurate,
that she is said to be thedaughterof O'Connor Sligo. See "History of the County and
City of Cork," vol. i. , book ii. , chap, ii,, p. 185. But, according to Dr. Lanigan, this was contrary to every statement he had met with ; for she was certainly a native of the
So is her place called in the Calendar of Cashel, and in the "Genealogical Sancti* logy," chap. xvii.
? This is the reading preferred by Colgan.
of Erinn. ^ The "
^
So is it called, in the Latin Life of St.
Abban, published by Colgan, March.
at the i6th
of
9 See chapter xx. The reader will find
the Life of this holy abbot, in our collection, at the 27th of October,
'°
ItadjoinsthecountyofKerry. This extensive parish is described on the " Ord* nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cork. " Sheets 57, 58, 59, 68, 69, 70.
" See "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , cap. xvii. , n. 50, p. 2I.
'^
This legend was communicated in a letter, headed, Ballyvourney, and dated Oc- tober 4th, 1873.
464 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February1j.
flourished, after the early part of the sixth century ;^3 and to have been dis- tinguished, for her virtues and miracles. Some of the latter are related in the locality, as popular traditions. One legend is thus told. In the olden times, when Irish chieftains thought it justifiable to attack their neighbours, and to take away creaghts or cattle-spoils ; an invading chief and his host made a descent, on the country around Ballyvourney. St. Gobnet came, however, to deliver her people from this scourge. She is said to have held in her hand, at the time, a square box, or beehive, full of holes, at the sides. ^'^ These were so formed, that a bee flying could go in and out through them.
"
This instrument has been called, in Gaelic, the beachairc^ i. e. ,
hold bees. " It is supposed to have been soft and elastic. St. Gobnet prayed for some moments, when she saw the invader making towards her. After this, the bees flew out of their hive, and effectually stayed the ravages of the haughty chief. ^s
Another miracle related of her was, a staying of the progress of a pestilence in the eastern borders of the parish. She is said to have gone in person to the place, and to have marked it as consecrated ground, across which the plague durst not make it appearance. The spot is known ever since, by the
"
fact, that sickness of a pestilential character never since made its way there.
"
the town of the beloved," it hes six miles west of Macroom. ^7 In this small village, there is a ruined church, seated on a hill, to the south of the River Sullane,^^ which runs due east from this to Macroom, having its rise a little more to the west. This church was dedicated to St. Gobnata. The steeple was ready to fall with age, in the beginning of the last century. ^9 On the north side of the altar, there was a tomb of the O'Hierlys, who were the
2°
ancient proprietors of this rugged country. North of the river stood their
old castle, which is now a heap of stones. The Irish used to visit this place
on Whit-Mondays, as we are told by Smith, and on the 14th of February, which last is said to have been the patron-day of this saint. About thirty yards from the west end of the church, there was a small stone cross,^^ where
*3 This has been inferred from ^^ See by Colgan,
name, of Gorten-na-Plagha, or the
Field of the Plague. "' It is a well-known
In reference to St. Gobnat's Ballyvourney,^^ which Smith interprets
Smith,
the circumstance of St. Abban having been County and City of Cork," vol. i. , book
her contemporary, and because his master St. Ibar died a. d. 500. See "Acta Sane- torum Hibernise," xi. Februarii. De S. Gobnata, Virgine et Abbatissa Bornicensi, "• 5» P- 315-
'* The account herein contained has been furnished to the writer, by an inhabitant of Ballyvourney, in a letter, dated October 4th, 1873.
'5 The wardens of the old church at Bally-
voumey were in possession of this relic, until some one of the family of the O'Herlihys
took it away to Kerry. There it stayed
ever since, although the people of Bally-
voumey yet expect its recovery.
'^
ii. , chap, ii. , p. 185.
In a letter, received from Rev. John Lyons, C. C, of Inchigeelagh, and dated November 6th, 1873, in reference to the name of this he writes " It
wall, over a window, to the east of the door-
way, in the old church.
='
This has now disappeared, according to Mr. Windale's account,
'^~ also tied their handkerchiefs about They
the neck of this image, and this practice was
thought to serve as a preventive against various diseases.
'^ Smith adds " I have been informed, :
that the devotion used to this image, has
Ballyvourney, : cannot be determined from the word,
"voumey," whether the V is an aspirated b or m ; but, fortunately, there is a townland near, which is called mui^ne^c beg, this proves that the letter should be m not b. "
'^
The derivation of this stream is said to
be Suil abhan, "the eye of the river," as
being one of the principal tributaries to the
Les> according to John Windale, in one of
his " of Cork manuscripts, County
Topo- graphy," p. 281, now preserved in the Royal
Irish Academy.
'^ When Mr. Windale visited this place,
several years ago, this tower had fallen, and was reduced to a mere heap of stones, ac- cording to his manuscript "County of Cork Topography," p. 286.
-°
The effigy of St. Gobnat is shown in a
something to
in his " of the History
I
February ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 465
her rood or image was set up, on those days. Here devotees—the more simple and humble Irish-speaking people—went round it on their knees, and
repeated a certain number of prayers. ^^ The Catholic Bishop of Cloyne diocese had, however, sought to put an end to these formulas of popular veneration. ^3 Near this cross, there is a stone, fixed in the ground, and worn by the knees of those, who come here in pilgrimage. Adjacent, there is a well, dedicated to St. Gobnet ; the water is pure, soft and light. A little
^^'i<5 . ,.
St, Gobnct's Cloghaun, Ballyvourney.
to the north of this well, there is a circle of stones. This is about two feet high, and about nine feet in diameter. It seems to be, according to Smith, the foundation for one of the small round towers, placed in churchyards ; and,
" the circle," =4 round this, and the well, there are paths worn by the knees of voteeiis. The image was kept in a chest very private, and never exposed,
but upon festival days, and when it was carried to sick people. ^s At one time, it had been taken to Bandon, and only after very energetic efforts, on the part of a parish priest, at Ballyvourney, was it restored. ^^ The church
Mr. Windale calls the ulla or it,
Tullig uacht? 'a,
which
means,
upper
been, of late, prohibited by the titular bishop of the diocese ; but, so strong are the ig- norant Irish prejudiced in its favour, that they still persevere in their superstition, which is not a little kept up by the gain it brings to the proprietor of this image, who, as I hear, farms it at a considerable—rent to
of Dublin. Three old trees were within it, when visited by Mr. Windale ; at present the number seems diminished to a single tree.
^ Said to have been written, before A. D.
Article xi. of March.
"^ See his Life, at the 20tli
See Spartian, in Hadrian, p. 290.
^" See
Martyrologium Anglicanum," x.
See Rev. Dr. Lingard's "History of England," vol. i. , chap, i. , p. 37.
9 See ih'd. , p. 41.
^° See Venerable Bede's ** Historia Eccle-
Februarii.
3 In a historical
and— Mrs. Millard. and while Alfred was
Wakeman, engraved by
705, King living.
commentary, containing three sections, and nineteen paragraphs.
4 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Feb- ruarii X. De S. Trumwino, sive Tumma, Pictorum Australium Episcopo, Strenea- shalse in Anglia, pp. 414 to 416.
siastica Geutis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. xii. , p. 291.
^
"See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 330.
" Now Abercom, a parish on the north
46o
LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [Februaryio.
sidence. It lay near the frith, which separated the dominions of the Picts and Angles. '3 Its exact position was at the mouth of the Carron River. ^4
Here, he seems to have presided over a rehgious estabHshment, and whether this was modelled on the Scotic rules, or whether it was a Benedictine in- stitute, has been questioned. Trumwin was consecrated bishop, about the year 68i. He assisted, at the synod of Twifford, a. d. 684,^5 near the River Alne, over which Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury, presided, and at which Egfrid, King of Northumbria, assisted. Then, St. Cuthbert was electedasbishop,overthevacantseeofLindisfarne. Vainlywasmessenger after messenger despatched to Fame, to require the presence and concurrence of the bishop elect. Never limpet clung more closely to the rocks of Fame, than did this hermit to his solitary cell, endeared to him by the struggles and the victories of nine quiet years. But, the synod of Twyford was by no means discomfited. Scarcely had the last messenger brought Cuthbert's final refusal, when King Egfrid equipped his royal bark, and sailed for Fame, with many of the nobles of his court, Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury, an imposing array of mitred prelates, and the Abbot of Lindisfarne, in dark coarse clothing. The hermit, who for some years had scarcely been seen by men, came down to the landing-place to receive the august visitors. His face and form were worn by fasting and vigils, his figure was somewhat bowed, though he was hardly in middle age, and his whole appearance bore traces of feeble health and prolonged austerities. His coarse garment of
undyedwoolhadnotbeenremovedforsixmonths. Then,therewasKing Egfrid, in his royal robes, embroidered with gold, and with the crown upon his head, the prelates in all their ecclesiastical splendour, and the attendants gorgeous in those richly ornamented and brightly-coloured garments, which the Anglo-Saxons loved. Nothing removes this incident more completely into the sphere of a simple, religious age, than the fact, that this brilliant assemblage fell down, as one man, at the feet of Cuthbert, beseeching him with many words and abundant tears to reconsider his determination. He resisted, with weeping and urgent entreaties, that he might be left to his solitude. But, persuasions so influential, backed as they were by the solici- tations of the community at Lindisfarne, at last prevailed. On Easter Sunday, a. d. 685, he was consecrated Bishop of Hexham, at York, by Theodore, and by six assisting prelates. Soon afterwards, however, he effected an exchange with Eata,^^ Bishop of Lindisfarne, and once more found himself among his beloved monks, in the sea-girt monastery of Holy Island. '7 By advice of Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury, and of Trum- win, Bishop of the Picts, Egfrid bestowed on St. Cuthbert and his successors, the village and adjoining lands of Creic, and also the city of Lugubalia, with a still larger ambit, in 685. ^^ To this deed, the signatures of both prelates
of Linlithgowshire. See FuUarton's " Im- '* Round Carun's stream, O classic name !
perial Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. 3> 4'
'3 It was, however, within the dominions of these latter people. See Bede's "His- toria Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. xxvi. , p. 346,
*4 This small stream rises in or near Carron bog, in Sterlingshire, and it falls into the Forth, at Grangemouth, about three miles east of Falkirlc, after a course of fourteen miles. HectorMacneil,anativeofSterling-
shire, has thus alluded to its historic asso- ciations:—
Whar Fnigal fought, and ay ow'rcame ; Whar Ossian wak'd, wi kindling flame,
His heaven-taught lays,
And sang his Oscar's deathless fame
At Duin-na-bais. "
'S See John Leland's *' De Rebus Britan- nicis Collectanea," vol. ii. , p. 327.
'^ tober.
See notices of him, at the 26th of Oc-
'7 Seethe"SundayMagazine,"forApril, 1873.
"* See Ussher's " Britannicarum Ecclesi-
February io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 461
are attached. With what degree of success, the Blessed Trumwin and his
associates carried on the Pictish mission, has not transpired ; but, a storm
was now about to gather, and it ahnost entirely destroyed their future pro-
spects. The Northumbrian king had wantonly despatched an armed force
to Ireland, a. d. 684,^9 ostensibly to retaliate on the Irish, for the aid which
they had rendered to the i3ritons, in their contests with the Anglo-Saxons.
This expedition was led by Berht or Beretus, his general, and in the month
of June, they landed on the eastern shore. Here the Saxons proceeded to
devastate, both the territories and churches of Magh Breagh. From every
part of it, they carried away hostages and many other spoils to their ships. ^°
As a sequence to these outrages, which Venerable Bede so strongly depre- cates, a swift retribution followed. Contrary to the advice of his friends,
and especially of holy Bishop Cuthbert, so lately consecrated. King Egfrid arrayed a considerable army, and resolved to ravage the Pictish territories.
The Picts, pretending flight, led the Anglo-Saxon forces into the inaccessible passes of their mountains. Here, they inflicted a terrible loss on their in-
vaders. ^^ King Egfrid was killed, with the greater part of his army. He fell in the fortieth year of his age, and in the fifteenth of his reign, on the 20th of May, A. D. 685. ^2 'p]^g Picts ^^^^ recovered their former liberty, and elated with victory, they drove all the Angles and Scots out of their country. SomeoftheBritons,likewise,assertedtheirancientindependence. Among others, the worthy Bishop Trumwin was banished from the Pictish territories. ^3 He, and his coadjutor on the mission, were obliged to fly from ^bbercurnig, where a single vestige of his ancient Culdee establishment does not now exist. ^'^ The holy Bishop Trumwin betook himself to Streane- shalch,25 the monastery of St. Elfleda,^^ having tried to procure an asylum for his dispersed companions, in other religious houses. ^7 At Streaneshalch, he lived a great comfort and an assistant to Elfleda, by affording her his counsel,inthegovernmentofhermonastery. ^^ Therehecontinuedfifteen years, with some few companions, living in monastic rigour, both for the goodofhisownsoulandforthebenefitofmanyothers. ^9 Hedepartedthis life, about the year of grace 700,3° and, with due honour he was buried, in the church of St. Peter,3r at Streaneshalch. This holy bishop is comme- morated by Jerome Porters^ and by John Wilson,33 at the loth day of Feb-
arum Antiquitates," cap. xv. and Index It bore a bark along. "
Chronologicus, A. D. DCLXXXV. , pp. 350, — 540.
Canto ii.
'9 According to the " Annals of Ulster. "
,
The " Annals of Clonmacnoise" place this "
Her Acts are given by the Bollandists in event so early as 680 ; while, the Annals nine sections, and sixty-five paragraphs,
of the Four Masters" have it, at 683.
"Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Februarii
viii. , pp. 178 to 186.
^7 See Venerable Bede's
^°
See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 288 to 291.
^' At a place, known as Dun Nechtain.
Historia Ec-
=^
See the "Annals of Ulster," at a. d.
685.
=3 See Rev. Dean
See Dean Cressy's
Church History of
" Church His- tory of Brittany," book xviii. , chap, xvii. ,
book xviii,,
=9 See Venerable Bede's
xvii. , 459.
p. 459.
="* See Fullarton's
"
Imperial Gazetteer of
"
clesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iv,, cap.
26, p. 346.
wino, sive Tumma, &c. , sect, iii. , num. 18,
Cressy's
Brittany,"
chap,
p. Historia Ec-
Scotland," vol. i. , p. 4.
ns Afterwards known as Whitby. Allu- rum," tomus ii. , Februarii x. De S. Trum-
sion is made to it, in Sir Walter Scott's
"
Marmion,"
" from high Whitby's cloister'd pile, Bound to St. Cuthbert's Holy Isle,
p. 416.
31 See Rev. Dean Cressy's
sect. i.
=^^ Her feast occurs, at the 8th of February.
"
clesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap.
26, pp. 346, 347.
-^ "
30 "Acta Sancto- See the Bollandists'
Church His* tory of Brittany," book xx. , chap, xviii. , p.
514.
"
4^2 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS [Februaryii.
riiary. 34 It was probably that on which he died. In succeeding times, the Danish incursions reduced Streaneshalch or Whitby^s to a heap of ruins,
when the tomb of Bishop Trumwin, and the monuments of other holy and distinguished persons, there interred, were desecrated. William of Malmes- bury also writes, at Streneshalck, now called Whitby, that in the choir of the church belonging to religious virgins, which is famous for the monuments of holy bishops and glorious kings, the industry of certain devout men hath, as it were, restored to life the slumbering ashes of several persons : for, not long since,36 there were found and translated to a more eminent place, the bodies of many saints, and particularly the body of S. Trumwin, Bishop of the Picts. 37 What became of the remains, in after times, does not appear to be known; norcanweadoptveryreadilysomeunauthenticatedstatementsof Dempster,38 that would place this saint, on the list of Scottish writers. Other statements of his,39 regarding St. Trumwine, are equally unreliable.
Clebentl) ©aj) of jfefaruarp*
ARTICLE I. —ST. GOBNATA OR GOBNET, VIRGIN, AND ABBESS OF BURNEACH, OR BALLYVOURNEY, COUNTY OF CORK.
[SIXTH CENTURY. }
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—DESCENT OF ST. GOBNET—ST. ABBAN PLACES HER OVER A COMMUNITY, AT BALLYVOURNEY—LEGEND RELATIVE TO HER SISTER—TRADITIONS REGARDING ST. GOBNET—HER ESTABLISHMENT AT BALLYVOURNEY.
the great celebrity of this holy virgin, especially
in the South of Ireland, but few notices are left regarding her, by NOTWITHSTANDING
Colgan. ^ He tells us, in his day, it was understood, that St. Gobnata's Acts were extant in southern Munster, but not then published.
The Bollandists
'' In " Floribus Sanctorum Anglia^,"
tion for English ecclesiastical biography, down to the year 1122. The manuscript which has been followed, in this edition, is supposed by Mr. Hamilton to be the author's autograph, containing his latest additions and amendments,
3^ He asserts, that St. Trumwin wrote
the decrees of that council, over which St.
Theodore of Canterbury presided. See
"
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xviii. —
39 As for instance, that Tarananus— under- stood to be the present Trumwine was re- called by the Picts to be bishop over them, and that he was the same as St. Tarnanus, Bishop of Lismore in Ireland, who was venerated on the Kalends of July, according to Fcrrarius, and a Scottish Breviary. See Ussher's " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum An- tiquitates," cap. xv. , pp. 350, 351.
33 In edition.
*'
Martyrologio Aiiglicano," second
3* See the Bollandists' "Acta Sancto- rum," tomus ii. , Februarii X. De S. Trum- wino, sive Tumma, &c. , sect, iii. , num. 19, p. 416.
35 This is a seaport town in the North
Riding of Yorkshire, and seated on the River Esk, near the place where it falls into
"
the sea. See
vol. xviii. ,p. 851. Dublinedition.
3*^ William of Malmesbury lived in the
twelfth century.
37 At A. D. 700, the foregoing account is
given in his work, "De Gestis Pontificum
Anglorum Libri Quinque," lib. iii. , p. 272. A new edition of this work, published by the Master of the Rolls, has been edited by
N. E. S. A. Hamilton, Esq. , in 1870. The
*•
Enclyclopoedia Britannica,"
Gesta Pontificum" is the principal founda-
Article
—Chapter i. —-' See
**
Acta
i.
l^EBRUARY II. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 4^3
onlyrefertoher,inabriefparagraph. ^ Thissaintwasadescendantfrom Conaire the Great,3 King of Ireland, according to our Irish Calendars. ^ Thus, she sprung from the Heremonian line. s She was born probably at
Boirenn,^ now Ballyvourney, in the barony of West Muskerry, and county of Cork. Hernativitymaybereferredtothecloseofthefifth,ortothecom- mencement of the sixth, century. Cairbre Muse gave name to the different southernterritories,knownasMuskerry. Theplace,withwhichSt. Gobnat had been connected, by birth and residence, is also called Boirneac, or Bor- neach ;7 and, in one instance—but it is thought by a false spelling—Hus- neach. ^ This place is said to have been visited by St. Abban, when he journeyedthroughtheterritoriesofMuscraigeandEoganacht. 9 There,he must have found St. Gobnat, and he seems to have formed a very exalted opinion of her virtues and good sense. It would appear, he obtained pos- sessionofthatplace,whichisnowknownasBallyvourney. '° Overahouse there founded, he placed St. Gobnata, as abbess. Dr. Lanigan seems to discredit the statement, that this nunnery had been erected by St. Abban. He rather supposes, the property on which it was built," belonged to St. Gobnat's family. Yet, we cannot find anything improbable, in the incidents related; for,evenallowingthetruthofthislatterpartofhishypothesis,can we not well conceive, that a tract of land might have been given him, by the proprietor, for ecclesiastical purposes, whereas. Saint Abban would naturally select a member of the family, or an inhabitant of that part of the country, to take charge of his future religious house ? Especially, when he could find one so well qualified, as in the present instance, to assume its direction, no- thing ought to appear more natural, than the selection of Gobnata, to preside over it as superioress.
A curious legend is related by the people at Ballyvourney, and it con- nects St. Abban with the place. It is said, a sister of St. Gobnait took ill of a fever, and at the same time, the death of St. Abban took place—where it occurred,however,doesnotseemtobeknown. Thecaoineorfuneralcry was raised by the mourners for his decease. St. Gobnait poured forth her prayers, that her sister might not hear it, lest her nervous system should be disturbed, and fatal results might then be expected to ensue. Her prayers were granted, and her sister never heard this caoifie. It is believed, by the
simple-minded people, that a person standing on that same spot afterwards, could not hear even the loudest thunder. ^^ Our saint is supposed to have
Sanctorum Hibernise," xi. Februarii. De south. See *' Ecclesiastical
History
of Ire«
S. Gobnata,Virgine,etAbbatissaBornicensi, land," vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , sect, iv. , n. 50,
p. 315- P- 21.
^^ See it, among the saints passed over, or
left for another day, in their "Acta Sane-
torum," tomus ii. , Februarii xi. , p, 506.
3 He was son to Modh-Lamha, Monarch
Genealogical Sanctilogy" states, that Gobnat, of Boirenn, on the confines of
Muscraige-Mutine and of Eoganacht Loch- lein, belonged to the race of King Conaire, chap. xvii. The "Calendar of Cashel" coincides with this statement, as also the
" Martyrology of Donegal. "
s The account of Smith, is very inaccurate,
that she is said to be thedaughterof O'Connor Sligo. See "History of the County and
City of Cork," vol. i. , book ii. , chap, ii,, p. 185. But, according to Dr. Lanigan, this was contrary to every statement he had met with ; for she was certainly a native of the
So is her place called in the Calendar of Cashel, and in the "Genealogical Sancti* logy," chap. xvii.
? This is the reading preferred by Colgan.
of Erinn. ^ The "
^
So is it called, in the Latin Life of St.
Abban, published by Colgan, March.
at the i6th
of
9 See chapter xx. The reader will find
the Life of this holy abbot, in our collection, at the 27th of October,
'°
ItadjoinsthecountyofKerry. This extensive parish is described on the " Ord* nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cork. " Sheets 57, 58, 59, 68, 69, 70.
" See "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , cap. xvii. , n. 50, p. 2I.
'^
This legend was communicated in a letter, headed, Ballyvourney, and dated Oc- tober 4th, 1873.
464 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February1j.
flourished, after the early part of the sixth century ;^3 and to have been dis- tinguished, for her virtues and miracles. Some of the latter are related in the locality, as popular traditions. One legend is thus told. In the olden times, when Irish chieftains thought it justifiable to attack their neighbours, and to take away creaghts or cattle-spoils ; an invading chief and his host made a descent, on the country around Ballyvourney. St. Gobnet came, however, to deliver her people from this scourge. She is said to have held in her hand, at the time, a square box, or beehive, full of holes, at the sides. ^'^ These were so formed, that a bee flying could go in and out through them.
"
This instrument has been called, in Gaelic, the beachairc^ i. e. ,
hold bees. " It is supposed to have been soft and elastic. St. Gobnet prayed for some moments, when she saw the invader making towards her. After this, the bees flew out of their hive, and effectually stayed the ravages of the haughty chief. ^s
Another miracle related of her was, a staying of the progress of a pestilence in the eastern borders of the parish. She is said to have gone in person to the place, and to have marked it as consecrated ground, across which the plague durst not make it appearance. The spot is known ever since, by the
"
fact, that sickness of a pestilential character never since made its way there.
"
the town of the beloved," it hes six miles west of Macroom. ^7 In this small village, there is a ruined church, seated on a hill, to the south of the River Sullane,^^ which runs due east from this to Macroom, having its rise a little more to the west. This church was dedicated to St. Gobnata. The steeple was ready to fall with age, in the beginning of the last century. ^9 On the north side of the altar, there was a tomb of the O'Hierlys, who were the
2°
ancient proprietors of this rugged country. North of the river stood their
old castle, which is now a heap of stones. The Irish used to visit this place
on Whit-Mondays, as we are told by Smith, and on the 14th of February, which last is said to have been the patron-day of this saint. About thirty yards from the west end of the church, there was a small stone cross,^^ where
*3 This has been inferred from ^^ See by Colgan,
name, of Gorten-na-Plagha, or the
Field of the Plague. "' It is a well-known
In reference to St. Gobnat's Ballyvourney,^^ which Smith interprets
Smith,
the circumstance of St. Abban having been County and City of Cork," vol. i. , book
her contemporary, and because his master St. Ibar died a. d. 500. See "Acta Sane- torum Hibernise," xi. Februarii. De S. Gobnata, Virgine et Abbatissa Bornicensi, "• 5» P- 315-
'* The account herein contained has been furnished to the writer, by an inhabitant of Ballyvourney, in a letter, dated October 4th, 1873.
'5 The wardens of the old church at Bally-
voumey were in possession of this relic, until some one of the family of the O'Herlihys
took it away to Kerry. There it stayed
ever since, although the people of Bally-
voumey yet expect its recovery.
'^
ii. , chap, ii. , p. 185.
In a letter, received from Rev. John Lyons, C. C, of Inchigeelagh, and dated November 6th, 1873, in reference to the name of this he writes " It
wall, over a window, to the east of the door-
way, in the old church.
='
This has now disappeared, according to Mr. Windale's account,
'^~ also tied their handkerchiefs about They
the neck of this image, and this practice was
thought to serve as a preventive against various diseases.
'^ Smith adds " I have been informed, :
that the devotion used to this image, has
Ballyvourney, : cannot be determined from the word,
"voumey," whether the V is an aspirated b or m ; but, fortunately, there is a townland near, which is called mui^ne^c beg, this proves that the letter should be m not b. "
'^
The derivation of this stream is said to
be Suil abhan, "the eye of the river," as
being one of the principal tributaries to the
Les> according to John Windale, in one of
his " of Cork manuscripts, County
Topo- graphy," p. 281, now preserved in the Royal
Irish Academy.
'^ When Mr. Windale visited this place,
several years ago, this tower had fallen, and was reduced to a mere heap of stones, ac- cording to his manuscript "County of Cork Topography," p. 286.
-°
The effigy of St. Gobnat is shown in a
something to
in his " of the History
I
February ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 465
her rood or image was set up, on those days. Here devotees—the more simple and humble Irish-speaking people—went round it on their knees, and
repeated a certain number of prayers. ^^ The Catholic Bishop of Cloyne diocese had, however, sought to put an end to these formulas of popular veneration. ^3 Near this cross, there is a stone, fixed in the ground, and worn by the knees of those, who come here in pilgrimage. Adjacent, there is a well, dedicated to St. Gobnet ; the water is pure, soft and light. A little
^^'i<5 . ,.
St, Gobnct's Cloghaun, Ballyvourney.
to the north of this well, there is a circle of stones. This is about two feet high, and about nine feet in diameter. It seems to be, according to Smith, the foundation for one of the small round towers, placed in churchyards ; and,
" the circle," =4 round this, and the well, there are paths worn by the knees of voteeiis. The image was kept in a chest very private, and never exposed,
but upon festival days, and when it was carried to sick people. ^s At one time, it had been taken to Bandon, and only after very energetic efforts, on the part of a parish priest, at Ballyvourney, was it restored. ^^ The church
Mr. Windale calls the ulla or it,
Tullig uacht? 'a,
which
means,
upper
been, of late, prohibited by the titular bishop of the diocese ; but, so strong are the ig- norant Irish prejudiced in its favour, that they still persevere in their superstition, which is not a little kept up by the gain it brings to the proprietor of this image, who, as I hear, farms it at a considerable—rent to
of Dublin. Three old trees were within it, when visited by Mr. Windale ; at present the number seems diminished to a single tree.
