a
handsome
residence at this place.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v7
—ST.
BRECCAN OR BRECAN, OF CLUAIN-CATHA, ABBOT OF MOVILLE, COUNTY OF DONEGAL, AND BISHOP OF ARD- BRECAIN, COUNTY OF xMEATH.
[SIXTH AND SEVENTH CENTURIES. ]
notices left us in the Irish Calendars and by our writers on Irish
July,
for St. Vincentius
Madelgarius,
probably
a mistaken
entry
THE
and are also they
ecclesiastical are here at best but
meagre,
history
confusing to a degree, that leaves us very uncertain regarding their adaptability
which statement, there appears to be no warrant.
2
Thus translated into English :" The Twelve
: Apostles of Ireland —
" Two Finnens, two chaste
Ciaran, Caindech, fair Comgall, Two Brenainns, Ruadan with splen-
" lib. xxix. Metropolis," i. , cap.
3
See "Apologia pro Hibernia," cap. iv. , p. 44.
* See " Historic Catholics Ibernice Com- pendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , xii. , PP. So, 55-
5 see « Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. ,
Julii xv. 6 to 16.
De Divisione Apostolorum," pp.
p. 3. 6""
s
By
Father Guilielmus
Cuper, S. J.
This
"
In his Menologium Scoticum thus : Yerdae Harruchi abbatis Amarbaracensis
dour,
Nindid, Mobii, son of Natfraech.
"
—Unci. , p. cxviii.
4 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. ,
Julii
xv.
Among
the
pretermitted saints,
is written in three sections, consisting of 44
paragraphs.
*
Article vi. — This Martyrologist, while
—
et episcopi octavi, et martyris, B. " Bishop
calling him Bishop of Verden, a Ids, that he
p. 205. — Article VII.
Colombs,
See the Bollandisls was also a martyr about a. d. 831 ; for "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Julii xv.
Such is the statement of Krantzius, in
Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
'
July 16. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 247
to one and the same person. It must be difficult, therefore, to form a correct judgment from the data that remain for our consideration ; however, the accounts being inherently obscure ought to serve as an apology for the incom- plete and perhaps disconnected form in which they are here presented.
•
Cathe,
at the 1 6th of July. There was a CluainCatha, now called Battlefield, a town-
2
Yet, this does not seem to have been his place. We are told, that Brecan belonged
totheraceofEoghan,sonofNiall. Inthiscase,itseemsprobable,thathewas
The name of Cluan Brecan,
occurs in the of Martyrology Tallagh
land and a gentleman's seat in the barony of Corran, and county of Sligo.
borninthe — ofInnishowen,inthenorthofIreland. liefirst
present peninsula
—some before the years
saw the light
beginning of the seventh century. One very doubtful account has it, that St. Brecan, who gave name to the foundation at Ardbraccan,3 was son to Eochaidh Balldearg, Prince of Thomond, and grandson to Carthen Finn, first Christian ruler of that territory. The Cluain-Catha, to which allusion has been made, in the present saint's case, may be sought for within the barony of Inishowen, in the county of Donegal. Yet, it now appears to be an obsolete denomina- tion. After a careful search among the townland names of Ireland, no etymon corresponding with it in that locality can be discovered, except it be Cloncha or Clonca. This is now a parish, in which there are traces of a primitive monastery with these of several churches or cells, the names of which <nrenotknown. Bothhistoryandtraditionmentionaconventualchurchat Malin, of which the only vestiges at present are a heap of stones. There are numerous remains of antiquity, as also natural curiosities in this neigh- bourhood. Pilgrimageswereperformedtothisplace,andtheseterminated by bathing in a small hollow, among the rocks at Malin Head. This cavity is filled at every tide, and it was reputed to effect the cure of various diseases. Tiie old church of Cloncha 4 is now into ruin. It is to have
so far as we can
reasonably conjecture
falling thought
been formerly an abbey or a priory. Near it there is a stone pillar s orna- mented with scrolls and emblems. It is apparently the shaft of a cross ; for, the upper part, broken off, lies at some distance. A curious Druidical circle,
6
and what is called Ossian's grave, at Umgal, in this parish, are shown.
The O'Clerys state, that he was Abbot of Magh-bile,? now Moville, a small market and post town, in the parish of Lower Moville, barony of Innis- howen,andcountyofDonegal. Thetownisatthesouth-easternextremity
of the parish, and it is finely situated on the western shore of Lough Foyle.
It lies about fifteen north-north-east from 8 The town miles, Londonderry.
there is clean and regular, and as the place has become a great resort for sea-bathers in the summer season,? while the strongly impregnated marine waters of Lough Foyle ebb and flow at convenient times, so various lodging and private houses have been fitted up for the accommodation of visitors, a
the — feasts, Among pretermitted p.
2.
Rev. Dr.
tival has been assigned to the 6th of Decem- "
Article Kelly, p. xxix.
'
Edited
ber Duald Mac Firbis. See Proceed- by
2
ings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. , pp.
1.
by*
Four Masters," vol. iii. , n. (o), p. 290.
3 See Harris' Ware, vol. ii. , "Writers of
Ireland," book i. , chap, iv. , p. 3 .
4 It has been suffered to lapse into decay
86, 87.
8 See "Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire-
land," vol. ii. , p. 810.
9 The accompanying illustrationof this town
from a photograph, furnished by William Laurence, O'Connell-street, Dublin, has been drawn on the wood by William F. Wakeman. The engraving is by Mrs. Millard.
since 1827.
s It is eighteen feet high.
6 See Lewis' "
ofIreland,"vol. i. , pp. 351,352,andvol. ii. , p, 338.
Topographical Dictionary
7 This appears to be the saint, whose fes-
,0 See Third Volume of the present work,
248 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 16.
small inn being also greatly availed of. It is sheltered from westerly gales,
by the Slievesnaght and Craignamaddy 'Mountains. The scenery surround- ing the town is remarkably grand. The religious foundation here dates back
10
who when he came into Innishowen met the three Deachnans, the sons of his sister, in the country of Ailill, son of
. 0 the days of St. Patrick,
11 Thereheordained sonofAilill,and on Oengus, remaining Sunday,
Eoghan.
hat place received the name of Domhnach-bile. 12 Its original designation
Moville, County of Donegal.
u
Plain of the Sacred Trees," 13 which it still bears. The ruins of the old church are situated, however, in the townland of Cooly, 14 in the parish of Upper Moville, and beside them stands a large stone cross. There are no very distinct traces of th—is religious foundation in our ecclesias-
was probably Magh-bile, or
—icalAnnals forabbotsand
connectedwithit
certainwriters
I5
t
in
ofDown. NorcanwefindtowhichofthoseplacestheO'Clerysassignthe
rather belonged
;
bishops to the better known
by
Magh-bile, or Moville, the county
ful to the pride of their tribe.
13 See " Acts of Archbishop Colton in his
Metropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of Derry, a. d. mcccxcvii," edited by the Rev. William Reeves, D. D. , M. R. I. A. Addi-
tional Notes. F, pp. 121, 122, and n. (r), ibid.
at the 17th of March, Art. i. Life of St.
Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, chap. xiv.
" This is stated, in an old Irish Life of St.
Patrick, discovered many years back by Eugene O'Curry, among the Irish Manu- scripts, belonging to the British Museum.
" It is generally supposed, that wherever St. Patrick remained on a Sunday—espe-
cially when any religious establishment had
been there founded—that it received the de-
nomination Domhnach ; while the word bile
was used by the ancient Irish to determine
the site of a large tree, under which their
chieftain was inaugurated. Hence it was at the County of Down, Moville, pp. 124 to regarded as a sacred tree, and one held in 126, he introduces some of those Abbots,
high veneration by the clansmen. To cut it while his references to the "Annals of the "
down was considered to be the greatest Four Masters are not to be found in Dr. triumph of their enemies, and most reproach- O'Donovan's accurate edition.
14 The townlands
Cooly,
Carrownaff,
Glencrow and Tiryrone were held under the
See of Derry.
15 As in the case of Archdall. See
'
'Monasticon Hibernicum," County of Done- gal, Moville, p. 103. In the same work,
July 16. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 249
present St. Brecan, although the context seems to indicate Magh-bile in Innishowen. BywhomSt. Brecanhadbeenprecededorsucceeded,asalso his period, we do not learn ; but, if we are to connect him with Braccanus, a celebrated Abbot who gave name to a monastery founded in Meath, and which from him was afterwards designated Ard Braccan or the u Hill of Bracan," he probably lived first at Moville, in the county of Donegal, before the middle of the seventh century.
16
According to Sir James Ware's account, the founder of Ardbraccan
ccenobium, Braccanus, flourished a. d. 650. However, it does not seem likely that he lived to that year. He is said to have predicted and described the future wars of Ireland. *7 In the Book of Kells, there is a charter for Ard- braccan given by Muircheartach Ua Maelseachlaind, King of Ireland. 18 By the O'Clerys, Brecan is likewise styled Bishop, of Ard Brecain, which had been regarded as one of the ancient bishoprics,^ that had been aggregated within the present extensive diocese of Meath, including the whole of its former territory, and embracing at present the counties of East Meath and West Meath. The religious house here established was ruled by a long succession of abbots, and at least for five centuries after its foundation, it underwent various vicissitudes of reverse, such as burning, plundering and desecration,
recorded in our Irish Annals. 20 After the n when the year 70,
as
steeple of the Abbey fell, this religious establishment seems to have passed away, as we find no further mention of it in the Irish Annals, while the annexation of its See to the Meath diocese caused the town to fell into obscu- rity. Still, it seems to have been the favourite place of residence for the Bishops of Meath, Catholic and Protestant, both before and after the ProtestantReformation. BeforetheConfederationof1641,astrongcastle
frequently
here formed the episcopal residence.
16 "
See DeScriptoribusHibernise,"lib. i. ,
cap. iii. , p. 24.
17 " Vaticinia ilia, necnon alia Sanctis
Patricio, Columbae et Molingo ascripta, col- legisse et publicasse dicitur Gualterus de
This was replaced by a fine architec-
alias — Hibernise Quaestor anno according to another which Islip Istelip authority they
mcccxvii. " Ibid. quote.
18 A copy of this is to be found, in the
Meath Extracts, belonging to the Irish Orel-
nance vol. i. , 55, now preserved Survey, p.
28 See Dr. Donovan's edition, vol. i. , pp. 26S, 269, and nn. (d, e), ibid.
29 Edited by Drs. Todd and in the Library of the Royal Irish Aca- 194, 195.
Reeves, pp.
x
Article ii. — Edited by Rev. Dr.
a handsome residence at this place. See
Mr. and Mrs. Hall's " Ireland: its Scenery, mhor Mhaoscria, in regione de Feara
demy.
19 The Protestant bishops of Meath have
Kelly, p. xxix. 2"
Character," &c, vol. ii. , p. 385.
20 These memorials are very well set forth
"
Tulach," where St. Scotha is venerated, on the 16th of July. See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xiii. Martii, Vita S. Mochoemoci,
in Rev. A. Cogan's
Ecclesiastical History
of the Diocese of Meath, Ancient and n. 17, p. 597.
Modern," vol. i. , chap, vii. , pp. 48 to 54.
21 It consists of a main building, with two
connected wings.
22 See " Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire-
land," vol, i. , pp. 49, 50.
23 The accompanying illustration taken
from a photograph, and drawn on the wood by William F. Wakeman, has been engraved by Mrs. Millard.
24 See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. i. , chap. vii. , p. 49.
3 See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath,
Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. , chap, lxxiv. , pp. 556, 557' See also Acts of S. Foillan or Faelan, at the 26th of August.
zs His feast occurs on the 4th of ber.
Septem-
25 His term of years is said to have been one hundred and eighty-nine.
2? These Annals again enter it at A. D. 662,
Colgan calls it, Ecclesia de Cluain-
4 It is marked, on the "Ordnance
Survey
Townland Maps for the County of West-
meath," sheets 9, 14. s"
See Lewis' Topographical Dictionary
of Ireland," vol. i. , p. 310. 6"
S ee Letters containing Information re lative to the Antiquities of the County of Westmeath, collected during the Progress of
250
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 16.
21
built since 1766, from designs by James Wyatt, Esq. , the material being the celebrated limestone abounding in that neighbourhood. An extensive, finely planted and tastefully embellished demesne surrounds it. In the graveyard adjoining the Protestant church and within it, there are several interesting monuments erected. to^distinguished persons. "
tural palace,
Ardbraccan Church, County of Meath.
ing amid the finely grown trees surrounding it, occu- pies the site of the early monastic buildings. Ac- cording to one statement, having governed at Ard- braccan for some time, St. Bracan proceeded to the west of Ireland, where on the large Island of Aran,
off the Bay of Galway, he
built the church called after him Templebraccan, where his residence was fixed. There, too, he is said to have died, and that his festival had been celebrated on the 1st of May. Again, a feast has been assigned to him at the 6th of December. 2* However, we have good reason for believing, that the St. Bracan of Ardbraccan must have been distinct from St. Bracan of Aran. It seems probable, that after com- pleting a certain term of rule as Abbot, and perhaps Bishop, in Aran, he died and had been buried there, some time in the earlier part of the seventh century. Our reasons for supposing that the present St. Bracan did not live to a. d. 650
3
are, that he had been succeeded by St. Ultan, s wno is said, to have attained
an a6 and to have died a. d. the author of the Annals extraordinary age 653, by
2
of Clonmacnoise, or a. d. 656, according to the Annals of Ulster 7 and those
oftheFourMasters,28onthe4thdayofSeptember. TheMartyrologyof
Donegal,
2? at the 16th of the saint ofwhom we have been July, designates
the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. i. Letter of John O'Donovan, dated Castle- town Delvin, October 5th, 1837, p. 254.
7 See his Life, at the 8th of March, in the
Third Volume of this work, Art. i.
8"
See Rev. \)x. Lanigan's Ecclesiastica
Ardbraccan was subse- quently a rectory and parish, in the barony of Lower Navan, and near the town of that name, in the county of Meath. Around the village which is here, there is a large ex- tent of rich land, while a conspicuous and finely wooded hill, on which the village stands, and not far from the southern bank of the Blackwater River, pre- sents a picturesque appear- ance to the visitor. It is
probable, that the present 2
Protestant church, 3 having a square tower, surmounted by a narrow spire and show-
July 16. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 251
treating as Brecan, of Cluain-catha, in Inis Eoghain ; yet, we cannot be at all sure, that the O'Clerys are to be relied on implicitly, for those notices which they have furnished and applied at this date to the present saint.
Article IT. —St. Scoth, Virgin, of Cluain-mor-Moescna, probably Clonmaskill,CountyofWestmeath. IntheMartyrologyofTallagh,1 atthe16thofJuly,appearsthenameScoth,Cluanamoescna. 8 Thisappears
to be identical with Clonmaskill, in the barony of Fertullagh, county of West- meath. 3 Or it may be Clonmaskill/ in the parish of Castletowndelvin, and
barony of Delvin, in the same county. At an early period after the Anglo- Norman Invasion, Hugh de Lacy built here a castle for his brother-in-law, Sir Gilbert de Nugent, who resided in it for a time, while its ruins now occupy the sides of a quadrangular fort, having had a round tower at each corner, s This was anciently the seat of the Barons of Delvin. 6 There is a St. Scota, referred to in the Life of St. Senan, Abbot of Iniscattery. ? She is called the daughter of Cobhtach, and she is also regarded as his paternal aunt. Her festival is supposed to have fallen on this day. If the identification be correct, she must have been born about or after the middle of the fifth century. Towards the close of his life, St. Senan wished to visit her cell. This must have happened, it seems probable, after the middle of the sixth century. The nunnery of this
8
St. Scoth, or Scota, seems to have been not far from the monastery, which
was in the district, known as Irros, in the county of Clare. For an account of
the St. Scota, we are referred — to the
present by Colgan,* Martyrologies
of
—gh,ofMarianusandof^Engus,atthe18th probablyamistakeforthe Talla
1 6th of July. Her religious house was situated a few miles northwards from
Mullingar. This monastery is supposed to have perished during the Danish wars. 10 ThenameofthisholywomanisenteredintheMartyrologyofDone-
11 at this same as of Cluain mdr Moescna. gal, date, Scoth, Virgin,
Article III. —St. Torptha, or Torbach Mac Gorman, Archbishop
of Armagh. [Eighth and Ninth Centuries. '] At the 16th of July, the 12
Martyrologies of Tallagh, and of Donegal, register simply the name, Torptha. He was identical with a celebrated Archbishop of Armagh, whose father's name was Gorman. He descended from the Kinel-Torbaich, i. e. , theHyKellaich,3oftheBregiandistrict,*intheeastofMeath. s Hewasan admirablelectorandabbotofArd-Macha. Heonlysatforoneyear,after
been elevated to the 6 He is known as Torbach primatial dignity.
having
MacGorman. Hedepartedthislife,onthe16thofJuly,a. d. 807,7orrecte
8
812.
p. 557.
11 Edited
by
Drs. Todd and Reeves,
pp.
6 See Harris' Ware, vol. i. ,
of Armagh," pp. 42, 43.
"Archbishops
194, 195. Article hi.
Kelly, p. xxix. 2
—
1
Edited by Rev. Dr.
7 " Acta Sanctorum
See Colgan's Hiber-
of Ireland," vol. sect. i. , chap, ix. ,
3 From this descended Conn na family
mbocht, or "Conn of the poor," owing to the number he supported, at Clonmacnoise.
4 See ColganV*Trias Thaumaturga,"Sep-
tima Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, pars iii. ,
p. 294.
sSeeDr. Lanigan's" Ecclesiastical History
of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, xx. , sect. xi. ,p. 252.
History
iv. , n. 52, pp. 446,447, and vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect, iv. , n. 30, p. 92.
9 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," viii. Martii, n. 27, p. 536.
10
See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath,
AncientandModern,"vol. iii. , chap. Ixxiv. ,
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
episcopo Ardmachano, cap. v. , p. ^73-
x 94> I 95-
8"
See Dr. O'Donovan's Annals of the
niae," xix. Februarii De S. Nuadato Archi-
2:52 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. (July 16.
Article IV. —St. Maelodhar, of Bri-molt, now Primult, King's County. A festival in honour of Maelodhar, of Bri-molt, is inserted in the
of 1 at the 16th of Martyrology Tallagh,
July.
[SIXTH AND SEVENTH CENTURIES. ]
notices left us in the Irish Calendars and by our writers on Irish
July,
for St. Vincentius
Madelgarius,
probably
a mistaken
entry
THE
and are also they
ecclesiastical are here at best but
meagre,
history
confusing to a degree, that leaves us very uncertain regarding their adaptability
which statement, there appears to be no warrant.
2
Thus translated into English :" The Twelve
: Apostles of Ireland —
" Two Finnens, two chaste
Ciaran, Caindech, fair Comgall, Two Brenainns, Ruadan with splen-
" lib. xxix. Metropolis," i. , cap.
3
See "Apologia pro Hibernia," cap. iv. , p. 44.
* See " Historic Catholics Ibernice Com- pendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , xii. , PP. So, 55-
5 see « Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. ,
Julii xv. 6 to 16.
De Divisione Apostolorum," pp.
p. 3. 6""
s
By
Father Guilielmus
Cuper, S. J.
This
"
In his Menologium Scoticum thus : Yerdae Harruchi abbatis Amarbaracensis
dour,
Nindid, Mobii, son of Natfraech.
"
—Unci. , p. cxviii.
4 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. ,
Julii
xv.
Among
the
pretermitted saints,
is written in three sections, consisting of 44
paragraphs.
*
Article vi. — This Martyrologist, while
—
et episcopi octavi, et martyris, B. " Bishop
calling him Bishop of Verden, a Ids, that he
p. 205. — Article VII.
Colombs,
See the Bollandisls was also a martyr about a. d. 831 ; for "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Julii xv.
Such is the statement of Krantzius, in
Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints,"
'
July 16. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 247
to one and the same person. It must be difficult, therefore, to form a correct judgment from the data that remain for our consideration ; however, the accounts being inherently obscure ought to serve as an apology for the incom- plete and perhaps disconnected form in which they are here presented.
•
Cathe,
at the 1 6th of July. There was a CluainCatha, now called Battlefield, a town-
2
Yet, this does not seem to have been his place. We are told, that Brecan belonged
totheraceofEoghan,sonofNiall. Inthiscase,itseemsprobable,thathewas
The name of Cluan Brecan,
occurs in the of Martyrology Tallagh
land and a gentleman's seat in the barony of Corran, and county of Sligo.
borninthe — ofInnishowen,inthenorthofIreland. liefirst
present peninsula
—some before the years
saw the light
beginning of the seventh century. One very doubtful account has it, that St. Brecan, who gave name to the foundation at Ardbraccan,3 was son to Eochaidh Balldearg, Prince of Thomond, and grandson to Carthen Finn, first Christian ruler of that territory. The Cluain-Catha, to which allusion has been made, in the present saint's case, may be sought for within the barony of Inishowen, in the county of Donegal. Yet, it now appears to be an obsolete denomina- tion. After a careful search among the townland names of Ireland, no etymon corresponding with it in that locality can be discovered, except it be Cloncha or Clonca. This is now a parish, in which there are traces of a primitive monastery with these of several churches or cells, the names of which <nrenotknown. Bothhistoryandtraditionmentionaconventualchurchat Malin, of which the only vestiges at present are a heap of stones. There are numerous remains of antiquity, as also natural curiosities in this neigh- bourhood. Pilgrimageswereperformedtothisplace,andtheseterminated by bathing in a small hollow, among the rocks at Malin Head. This cavity is filled at every tide, and it was reputed to effect the cure of various diseases. Tiie old church of Cloncha 4 is now into ruin. It is to have
so far as we can
reasonably conjecture
falling thought
been formerly an abbey or a priory. Near it there is a stone pillar s orna- mented with scrolls and emblems. It is apparently the shaft of a cross ; for, the upper part, broken off, lies at some distance. A curious Druidical circle,
6
and what is called Ossian's grave, at Umgal, in this parish, are shown.
The O'Clerys state, that he was Abbot of Magh-bile,? now Moville, a small market and post town, in the parish of Lower Moville, barony of Innis- howen,andcountyofDonegal. Thetownisatthesouth-easternextremity
of the parish, and it is finely situated on the western shore of Lough Foyle.
It lies about fifteen north-north-east from 8 The town miles, Londonderry.
there is clean and regular, and as the place has become a great resort for sea-bathers in the summer season,? while the strongly impregnated marine waters of Lough Foyle ebb and flow at convenient times, so various lodging and private houses have been fitted up for the accommodation of visitors, a
the — feasts, Among pretermitted p.
2.
Rev. Dr.
tival has been assigned to the 6th of Decem- "
Article Kelly, p. xxix.
'
Edited
ber Duald Mac Firbis. See Proceed- by
2
ings of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i. , pp.
1.
by*
Four Masters," vol. iii. , n. (o), p. 290.
3 See Harris' Ware, vol. ii. , "Writers of
Ireland," book i. , chap, iv. , p. 3 .
4 It has been suffered to lapse into decay
86, 87.
8 See "Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire-
land," vol. ii. , p. 810.
9 The accompanying illustrationof this town
from a photograph, furnished by William Laurence, O'Connell-street, Dublin, has been drawn on the wood by William F. Wakeman. The engraving is by Mrs. Millard.
since 1827.
s It is eighteen feet high.
6 See Lewis' "
ofIreland,"vol. i. , pp. 351,352,andvol. ii. , p, 338.
Topographical Dictionary
7 This appears to be the saint, whose fes-
,0 See Third Volume of the present work,
248 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 16.
small inn being also greatly availed of. It is sheltered from westerly gales,
by the Slievesnaght and Craignamaddy 'Mountains. The scenery surround- ing the town is remarkably grand. The religious foundation here dates back
10
who when he came into Innishowen met the three Deachnans, the sons of his sister, in the country of Ailill, son of
. 0 the days of St. Patrick,
11 Thereheordained sonofAilill,and on Oengus, remaining Sunday,
Eoghan.
hat place received the name of Domhnach-bile. 12 Its original designation
Moville, County of Donegal.
u
Plain of the Sacred Trees," 13 which it still bears. The ruins of the old church are situated, however, in the townland of Cooly, 14 in the parish of Upper Moville, and beside them stands a large stone cross. There are no very distinct traces of th—is religious foundation in our ecclesias-
was probably Magh-bile, or
—icalAnnals forabbotsand
connectedwithit
certainwriters
I5
t
in
ofDown. NorcanwefindtowhichofthoseplacestheO'Clerysassignthe
rather belonged
;
bishops to the better known
by
Magh-bile, or Moville, the county
ful to the pride of their tribe.
13 See " Acts of Archbishop Colton in his
Metropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of Derry, a. d. mcccxcvii," edited by the Rev. William Reeves, D. D. , M. R. I. A. Addi-
tional Notes. F, pp. 121, 122, and n. (r), ibid.
at the 17th of March, Art. i. Life of St.
Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, chap. xiv.
" This is stated, in an old Irish Life of St.
Patrick, discovered many years back by Eugene O'Curry, among the Irish Manu- scripts, belonging to the British Museum.
" It is generally supposed, that wherever St. Patrick remained on a Sunday—espe-
cially when any religious establishment had
been there founded—that it received the de-
nomination Domhnach ; while the word bile
was used by the ancient Irish to determine
the site of a large tree, under which their
chieftain was inaugurated. Hence it was at the County of Down, Moville, pp. 124 to regarded as a sacred tree, and one held in 126, he introduces some of those Abbots,
high veneration by the clansmen. To cut it while his references to the "Annals of the "
down was considered to be the greatest Four Masters are not to be found in Dr. triumph of their enemies, and most reproach- O'Donovan's accurate edition.
14 The townlands
Cooly,
Carrownaff,
Glencrow and Tiryrone were held under the
See of Derry.
15 As in the case of Archdall. See
'
'Monasticon Hibernicum," County of Done- gal, Moville, p. 103. In the same work,
July 16. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 249
present St. Brecan, although the context seems to indicate Magh-bile in Innishowen. BywhomSt. Brecanhadbeenprecededorsucceeded,asalso his period, we do not learn ; but, if we are to connect him with Braccanus, a celebrated Abbot who gave name to a monastery founded in Meath, and which from him was afterwards designated Ard Braccan or the u Hill of Bracan," he probably lived first at Moville, in the county of Donegal, before the middle of the seventh century.
16
According to Sir James Ware's account, the founder of Ardbraccan
ccenobium, Braccanus, flourished a. d. 650. However, it does not seem likely that he lived to that year. He is said to have predicted and described the future wars of Ireland. *7 In the Book of Kells, there is a charter for Ard- braccan given by Muircheartach Ua Maelseachlaind, King of Ireland. 18 By the O'Clerys, Brecan is likewise styled Bishop, of Ard Brecain, which had been regarded as one of the ancient bishoprics,^ that had been aggregated within the present extensive diocese of Meath, including the whole of its former territory, and embracing at present the counties of East Meath and West Meath. The religious house here established was ruled by a long succession of abbots, and at least for five centuries after its foundation, it underwent various vicissitudes of reverse, such as burning, plundering and desecration,
recorded in our Irish Annals. 20 After the n when the year 70,
as
steeple of the Abbey fell, this religious establishment seems to have passed away, as we find no further mention of it in the Irish Annals, while the annexation of its See to the Meath diocese caused the town to fell into obscu- rity. Still, it seems to have been the favourite place of residence for the Bishops of Meath, Catholic and Protestant, both before and after the ProtestantReformation. BeforetheConfederationof1641,astrongcastle
frequently
here formed the episcopal residence.
16 "
See DeScriptoribusHibernise,"lib. i. ,
cap. iii. , p. 24.
17 " Vaticinia ilia, necnon alia Sanctis
Patricio, Columbae et Molingo ascripta, col- legisse et publicasse dicitur Gualterus de
This was replaced by a fine architec-
alias — Hibernise Quaestor anno according to another which Islip Istelip authority they
mcccxvii. " Ibid. quote.
18 A copy of this is to be found, in the
Meath Extracts, belonging to the Irish Orel-
nance vol. i. , 55, now preserved Survey, p.
28 See Dr. Donovan's edition, vol. i. , pp. 26S, 269, and nn. (d, e), ibid.
29 Edited by Drs. Todd and in the Library of the Royal Irish Aca- 194, 195.
Reeves, pp.
x
Article ii. — Edited by Rev. Dr.
a handsome residence at this place. See
Mr. and Mrs. Hall's " Ireland: its Scenery, mhor Mhaoscria, in regione de Feara
demy.
19 The Protestant bishops of Meath have
Kelly, p. xxix. 2"
Character," &c, vol. ii. , p. 385.
20 These memorials are very well set forth
"
Tulach," where St. Scotha is venerated, on the 16th of July. See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xiii. Martii, Vita S. Mochoemoci,
in Rev. A. Cogan's
Ecclesiastical History
of the Diocese of Meath, Ancient and n. 17, p. 597.
Modern," vol. i. , chap, vii. , pp. 48 to 54.
21 It consists of a main building, with two
connected wings.
22 See " Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ire-
land," vol, i. , pp. 49, 50.
23 The accompanying illustration taken
from a photograph, and drawn on the wood by William F. Wakeman, has been engraved by Mrs. Millard.
24 See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. i. , chap. vii. , p. 49.
3 See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath,
Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. , chap, lxxiv. , pp. 556, 557' See also Acts of S. Foillan or Faelan, at the 26th of August.
zs His feast occurs on the 4th of ber.
Septem-
25 His term of years is said to have been one hundred and eighty-nine.
2? These Annals again enter it at A. D. 662,
Colgan calls it, Ecclesia de Cluain-
4 It is marked, on the "Ordnance
Survey
Townland Maps for the County of West-
meath," sheets 9, 14. s"
See Lewis' Topographical Dictionary
of Ireland," vol. i. , p. 310. 6"
S ee Letters containing Information re lative to the Antiquities of the County of Westmeath, collected during the Progress of
250
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 16.
21
built since 1766, from designs by James Wyatt, Esq. , the material being the celebrated limestone abounding in that neighbourhood. An extensive, finely planted and tastefully embellished demesne surrounds it. In the graveyard adjoining the Protestant church and within it, there are several interesting monuments erected. to^distinguished persons. "
tural palace,
Ardbraccan Church, County of Meath.
ing amid the finely grown trees surrounding it, occu- pies the site of the early monastic buildings. Ac- cording to one statement, having governed at Ard- braccan for some time, St. Bracan proceeded to the west of Ireland, where on the large Island of Aran,
off the Bay of Galway, he
built the church called after him Templebraccan, where his residence was fixed. There, too, he is said to have died, and that his festival had been celebrated on the 1st of May. Again, a feast has been assigned to him at the 6th of December. 2* However, we have good reason for believing, that the St. Bracan of Ardbraccan must have been distinct from St. Bracan of Aran. It seems probable, that after com- pleting a certain term of rule as Abbot, and perhaps Bishop, in Aran, he died and had been buried there, some time in the earlier part of the seventh century. Our reasons for supposing that the present St. Bracan did not live to a. d. 650
3
are, that he had been succeeded by St. Ultan, s wno is said, to have attained
an a6 and to have died a. d. the author of the Annals extraordinary age 653, by
2
of Clonmacnoise, or a. d. 656, according to the Annals of Ulster 7 and those
oftheFourMasters,28onthe4thdayofSeptember. TheMartyrologyof
Donegal,
2? at the 16th of the saint ofwhom we have been July, designates
the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. i. Letter of John O'Donovan, dated Castle- town Delvin, October 5th, 1837, p. 254.
7 See his Life, at the 8th of March, in the
Third Volume of this work, Art. i.
8"
See Rev. \)x. Lanigan's Ecclesiastica
Ardbraccan was subse- quently a rectory and parish, in the barony of Lower Navan, and near the town of that name, in the county of Meath. Around the village which is here, there is a large ex- tent of rich land, while a conspicuous and finely wooded hill, on which the village stands, and not far from the southern bank of the Blackwater River, pre- sents a picturesque appear- ance to the visitor. It is
probable, that the present 2
Protestant church, 3 having a square tower, surmounted by a narrow spire and show-
July 16. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 251
treating as Brecan, of Cluain-catha, in Inis Eoghain ; yet, we cannot be at all sure, that the O'Clerys are to be relied on implicitly, for those notices which they have furnished and applied at this date to the present saint.
Article IT. —St. Scoth, Virgin, of Cluain-mor-Moescna, probably Clonmaskill,CountyofWestmeath. IntheMartyrologyofTallagh,1 atthe16thofJuly,appearsthenameScoth,Cluanamoescna. 8 Thisappears
to be identical with Clonmaskill, in the barony of Fertullagh, county of West- meath. 3 Or it may be Clonmaskill/ in the parish of Castletowndelvin, and
barony of Delvin, in the same county. At an early period after the Anglo- Norman Invasion, Hugh de Lacy built here a castle for his brother-in-law, Sir Gilbert de Nugent, who resided in it for a time, while its ruins now occupy the sides of a quadrangular fort, having had a round tower at each corner, s This was anciently the seat of the Barons of Delvin. 6 There is a St. Scota, referred to in the Life of St. Senan, Abbot of Iniscattery. ? She is called the daughter of Cobhtach, and she is also regarded as his paternal aunt. Her festival is supposed to have fallen on this day. If the identification be correct, she must have been born about or after the middle of the fifth century. Towards the close of his life, St. Senan wished to visit her cell. This must have happened, it seems probable, after the middle of the sixth century. The nunnery of this
8
St. Scoth, or Scota, seems to have been not far from the monastery, which
was in the district, known as Irros, in the county of Clare. For an account of
the St. Scota, we are referred — to the
present by Colgan,* Martyrologies
of
—gh,ofMarianusandof^Engus,atthe18th probablyamistakeforthe Talla
1 6th of July. Her religious house was situated a few miles northwards from
Mullingar. This monastery is supposed to have perished during the Danish wars. 10 ThenameofthisholywomanisenteredintheMartyrologyofDone-
11 at this same as of Cluain mdr Moescna. gal, date, Scoth, Virgin,
Article III. —St. Torptha, or Torbach Mac Gorman, Archbishop
of Armagh. [Eighth and Ninth Centuries. '] At the 16th of July, the 12
Martyrologies of Tallagh, and of Donegal, register simply the name, Torptha. He was identical with a celebrated Archbishop of Armagh, whose father's name was Gorman. He descended from the Kinel-Torbaich, i. e. , theHyKellaich,3oftheBregiandistrict,*intheeastofMeath. s Hewasan admirablelectorandabbotofArd-Macha. Heonlysatforoneyear,after
been elevated to the 6 He is known as Torbach primatial dignity.
having
MacGorman. Hedepartedthislife,onthe16thofJuly,a. d. 807,7orrecte
8
812.
p. 557.
11 Edited
by
Drs. Todd and Reeves,
pp.
6 See Harris' Ware, vol. i. ,
of Armagh," pp. 42, 43.
"Archbishops
194, 195. Article hi.
Kelly, p. xxix. 2
—
1
Edited by Rev. Dr.
7 " Acta Sanctorum
See Colgan's Hiber-
of Ireland," vol. sect. i. , chap, ix. ,
3 From this descended Conn na family
mbocht, or "Conn of the poor," owing to the number he supported, at Clonmacnoise.
4 See ColganV*Trias Thaumaturga,"Sep-
tima Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, pars iii. ,
p. 294.
sSeeDr. Lanigan's" Ecclesiastical History
of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, xx. , sect. xi. ,p. 252.
History
iv. , n. 52, pp. 446,447, and vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect, iv. , n. 30, p. 92.
9 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," viii. Martii, n. 27, p. 536.
10
See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of Meath,
AncientandModern,"vol. iii. , chap. Ixxiv. ,
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
episcopo Ardmachano, cap. v. , p. ^73-
x 94> I 95-
8"
See Dr. O'Donovan's Annals of the
niae," xix. Februarii De S. Nuadato Archi-
2:52 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. (July 16.
Article IV. —St. Maelodhar, of Bri-molt, now Primult, King's County. A festival in honour of Maelodhar, of Bri-molt, is inserted in the
of 1 at the 16th of Martyrology Tallagh,
July.
