The ruined pile of buildings at Moville has
suffered
much from the ravages of time, but more still from the hands of devastators.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v7
"—
Kelly, p. xxx.
2 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
"
202, 203. Article 11.
—
Transactions of the Royal Irish Aca-
Kelly, p. xxx. 22
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 202, 203.
Article hi.
—
"
coram . u. moysi —
Kelly, p. xxx. — Article iv.
etiohannietiacopo. " Ibid. ,p.
T
From the "LeabharBreac"
petro
3 Thus
Transfiguratio Domini,
by
demy,"
Edited by Rev. Dr.
testibus scilicet et helice
copy the following stanza, with its transla-
monte Thabor, a tribus discipulis, qui inter-
Dr. —
by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. ,
has erant,
ascentionem Domini, suis coapos-
tion
been taken
post publicatur. "
:
tilis
4 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. ,
Julii xxvi. Among the pretermitted feasts,
p. 232.
Articlev. — See"Transactionsofthe
Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript
Vhp<Mf 1ouiAm
ConAclein CAin glAngboip CAnmchr>uchu'oiAt\tToex)oit Ih. u 1 Sleib C<xboin.
1
part i.
:
cxxi.
facta in
396 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [July 26.
been drawn, but they refer to the 6th of August as the chief Festival held in the Universal Church.
Article V. —Festival of St. Jovian, and of his Companions, Martyrs. In the ancient Irish Church, the Feast of St. Jovian and of his companions,
"
who suffered martyrdom with him, was held, according to the
Feilire" of
1 The scene of their passion was Laodicea, in Phrygia, and from
St.
ancient Martyrologies, the Bollandists give brief Acts,3 at the 26th of
^Engus. July.
2
Article VI. —Festival of St. Eoban, Bishop and Martyr, Assistant
Bishop of Utrecht, Holland. {Eighth Century]. At the 5th of June,
we have already treated about this holy Chorepiscopus of Utrecht and
Martyr, who is claimed as being an Irish Scotus, the companion of St.
Boniface. 1 It is that he had another Festival, on the 26th of At said, July.
2
this date, the Bollandists have some notices of him, and chiefly on the
authority of Greven, who is said to have drawn his statement from the
Breviary of Erfurt, in which there is a prayer to St. Eoban, Bishop and Martyr. From this account, Molanus and Canisius have inserted a com- memoration. AsnothingintheshapeofseparateActshadcomedownto the Bollandists, in reference to St. Eoban, they refer to the 5th of June for particulars regarding him, in the Acts of St. Boniface,3 Apostle of Germany.
Article VII. —Festival of St. Fllchklmus, at Rurimonde, Belgium. Besides the chief Feast of St. Plechelmus, celebrated on the 15th
of gium,
1 anotherwasinstitutedtohonourhismemory,atRurimonde,inBel- 2 on the 26th of the same month.
July,
Article VIII. —Reputed Feast of St. Colmolcus, or Colmocus, Confessor and Bishop, in Scotland. In his list of the Scottish Saints,
Scries, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of
spondence, in the German language, toge- ther with [copy of the notice of MSS. referred to by theforegoing Extracts}, pp. 89 to 1 16.
2 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Julii xxvi. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 229. 3 <,ec also the Sixth Volume of this work,
at that date, for his Life, Art. i.
Article VII. —1 See an account of St.
Plechclm, at that day, in the present volume, Art. i.
*
The reason for this was not obvious to Father John Boland, who, in a Disquisition prefixed to the Acts of St. Plechelmus on the
Oengus, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. cxii. "
There is a comment appended a cleir . i.
ctcc. "—Ibid. , p. exxi. -"
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Julii xxvi. " De Sanctus Martyribus Laodicen- sis Joviano, Juliano, Emilio, Felice, Mar- ciano, Maxima, Saturnina, Gloriosa ct altero Emilio. " Ex IJieronymianis, pp. 304, 305.
'» Edited by Father John Baptist Soller,
S. J. — Article VI.
*
the
Among
belonging to Wurtzburg—whose fust bishop
was the Martyr St. Kilian, venerated at the
8th of this month—there is one containing a
Treatise, the contents of which are thus de-
"
scribed: Bonifacius Strachanus Scotus,
Germania Christiana, sive de plantata et pro- pagata Christiana Religione in Germania per Sanctos et Monachos Scotica nationis,
forte quod in Ecclesia Leodiensi, cui ante
novos in Belgio institutos Episcopatus
suberat Ruraemunda, monsque S. Odilke,
Idibus Julii Divisio Apostolorum ab antiquo
celebrari solet, Officio ix. Lectionum. "—
"
Manuscripts
ActaSanctorum,"tomusiv. ,Juliixv. De S. Plechelmo Episcopo Oldensalue ct Rurc- pp. 84 to 86. The volume closes with mundae in Belgio. Commentarius Puevius,
some further extracts from foreign corre- sect, iv. , num. 32, p. 56.
15th of July, thus offers a conjecture
"
: nisi
July 27. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
397
1 Camerariushasplacedthepresentholyprelate, atthe26thofJuly,callinghim
Colmolcus,whileDempstercommemorateshim,2 asColmocus,3whichlatter
—
Article IX. —Reputed Feast of St. Malimbeus, Hermit and Martyr,Scotland. IntheMenologiumScotorumofDempster,thereisa feast for a St. Malimbaeus, Hermit and Martyr, in Scotland, at the 26th of
seems to be the proper rendering of his name. The Bollandists * authors—have an entry at this date of St. Colmolcus, Confessor and Bishop in Scotland ; but, they refer to the 6th of June, for an account of him.
July.
1 Further
enlightenment
we have not him. regarding
Article X. —Reputed Feast of St. Chamnecus. Among the Scottish Entries in the Kalendar of David Camerarius is one for St. Chamnecus, Con-
fessor, at the 26th of July.
T
His history does not seem to be known.
Ctoentp--sfebentft 23ap of 3uli>.
ARTICLE I. —ST. BEOGHAIN, ABBOT OF MOVILLE, COUNTV OF DOWN.
Amonastery had been founded at Magh-bile, about 540 by St. Finian, deno- 1
minated or "white a most
Fionn, Findbarr, meaning head," celebrated
Irish who was a of St. Columba. 2 About the ecclesiastic, preceptor
year 540, or as Sir James Ware states about a. d. 550,3 ne i s supposed to have founded a
monastery at this place. It is situated in the county of Down. The Irish denomination Magh Bile is rendered u the field of the aged tree. " Close to the spot are some venerable yew trees of large size, which possibly may be the descendants of that " aged tree," from which the place derived its name. It was formerly the seat of a bishopric, being a place of great importance, and frequently it is referred to in the early annals of Ireland. A succession of holy bishops was there during the sixth and seventh centuries ; but, from the year 731, Moville is noticed only as having been governed by Abbots/ The present saint is classsed among the latter, in one of our earliest Calendars.
Article viii. —* Thus: "Hoc eodem
Saints," p. — 207.
x
die sanctus Colmolcus Confessor et Episco-
Thus:
nius. "—Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scot-
pus in Scotia. "—Bishop Forbes' " Kalen-
Sanctus Cham-
dars of Scottish Saints," p. 239.
2
See
Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 198.
3 At the 4th of May. See, also, the Fifth Volume of this work, at that date, Art. v.
4 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. ,
xxvi.
Among
—
the *4"
Menologium
Scotorum, in
Bishop
tish — Saints," p. 239.
Julii
p. 229.
Thus entered: "In Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish
Antiquitatibus
Article ix.
S—cotia Malimbaei Eremitaeet Martyris. K. "
See Rev. Dr. William Reeves'
siastical Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore," Appendix A, pp. 151, 152.
pretermitted feasts,
Article x.
necus confessor, sancto Columbae charissi-
Article
x
His feast is held on
i.
the
ioth of September.
2 See his Life, at the 9th of June, in
the Sixth Volume of this work, Art. i. chap. ii.
3 See "De Hibernia et
ejus, Disquisitiones,"cap. xxvi. , p. 181.
"
citing these
Eccle-
398 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 27,
We read in the Martyrology of Tallages that Beogan Ab. Maighi Bile had a festival at this date. We are not able to find any record of the period at
whichheflourished. Theruined of Abbey
Moville,
011 a rising eminence. From this a pleasant view can be obtained of Strang-
ford Lough, with its tranquil waters, about half a mile north-east from New- townards. The buildings of this once famous monastery at one period extended across the road, which has been made within past years, and during the last century, the vestiges of some large foundations were to be
Old Church at Moville, County of Down.
seeninthecemetery. 7 Inaftertime,theOrderofMonkshereestablishedwas that of St. Augustine. Thisreligious establishment was sequestered on the 1st of February, a. d. 1542, when the Abbot James McGuilmore was found seized of
seven and all of these townlands,
8 It was to granted
to the ViscountClaneboysinfee-farmfor^*33s. 4d. Irish. 9 Theexistingruinsarethe
remains of buildings once very extensive, and erected probably in the fifteenth
adjacent
Abbey.
century ; but, they are of comparatively modern date compared with the original foundation of the Abbey.
The ruined pile of buildings at Moville has suffered much from the ravages of time, but more still from the hands of devastators. The north elevation is devoid of any ornament whatever. most of the details are so as to be —
Indeed, defaced, quite unrecognizable.
The west window has three-leafed carved —in low relief springers
a charac- teristic of fifteenth century architecture in Ireland, and on the inside of the wall below the window is a stone marked with Runic ornament, which is now embedded in the masonry of same. In the omission of the chancei, the church likewise follows another ancient Irish architectural feature. The tracery of an east window has been filled up, while the semicircular-headed
window now there is
5 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxx.
6
The accompanying illustration of its ruined church was drawn by William F. Wakeman on the wood, engraved by Mrs. Millard.
On
very likely
. of more rea n f
date, perhaps
it is
Jacobean.
6or issituated Magh Bile,
1 See Rev. Mervyn Archdall's " Monasti- con Ilibernicum," p. 126.
8
See ibid. , pp. 125, 126.
9 See "Parliamentary Gazetteer of Irc-
land," vol.
ii. , p.
810.
July 27. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
399
the east elevation are to be seen three carved heads, much defaced. The
10 The ancient well is still to
A number of ancient tombstones were unearthed
of these
graveyard, man)-
graveyard has been recently enlarged, and it is still used for interments, being
noticed simply as St. Beoghan, of Magh Bile, but without the distinction of Abbot.
Article II. —St. Lutt, Virgin, of Tigh Luta, in Fothartha Mora.
From the earliest times in Ireland, holy women sought to escape from the
snares of this world, by retiring to institutions where they could live together
in a holy and peaceful state of society. Yet, even when the rights of conscience
were partially recognised in these Islands, and when nunneries began to
increase, some intolerants outside the Church imagined that these convents
required regulation and inspection. It was foolishly asserted, that moral if
not physical restraint was often used, to retain religious ladies within their
beloved walls of enclosure. Such charges and suspicions were alike insulting
tothenuns,andeventotheirouter-worldrelationsandfriends. Veneration
was at the of to the of 1 to given, 27th July, according Martyrology Donegal,
ruins here are
field opposite the church. in the 11
107
feet in
length.
be seen in a
the parish cemetery. ^ It is noticed, in the Martyrology of
having
carved crosses on 12
them. This
1 -* that Beoghain, Abbot of Magh-bile, or Moville, had veneration given him, at the present date. In that Calendar, compiled by the Rev. Dr. Reeves,^ he is
Lutt, a virgin, of Tigh Luta, in Fotharta Mora; Where that district or place wassituateddoesnotseemtobeknown. ThepeoplecalledFothartawere descendants of Eochadh Finn Fuathart, brother to Conn of the Hundred Battles, and who settled in Leinster Here they acquired lands in the coun- ties of Carlow and of Waterford. The of Fothart —
monly called Fothart an Chairn, now Carnsore Point, took the name of
O'Lorcain, or Larkin, but shortly after the Anglo-Norman invasion, the O'Lorcains were dispossessed. 3 There were other territories of the name in Leinster, such as Fothart Airbreach, around the Hill of Cruachan Bri Eile, now Croghan, in the north-east of ihe King's County ; and Fothart Oirthir Life, in the present county of Wicklow. *
—com-
was so fromCillOsnadha,nowKellistown. ItwasmorefrequentlyknownasFotharta Fea, from the plain of Magh Fea, in which that church was situated. 2 The O'Nuallains, Anglice, O'Nolans or Nowlans, were the chief inhabitants of this district. The chief family of the Fotharta, in the county of Wexford, com-
prised in the present barony of Forth, in the county of Carlow
called
10 See Rev. William Reeves' " Ecclesias-
tical Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dro-
more," p. 14, n. (r).
. " The oldest tombstone ever come across
by the present gravedigger in his excava- tions, was dated 1114.
12
The greater number of these slabs have been carefully preserved. Seethe "Irish Builder," vol. xxxi. , No. 709, July 1st, 1S89.
13 In it is to be seen the grave of the Rev.
Archibald Warwick, who was executed for
participation in the Rebellion of 1798. He was the Presbyterian Minister of Newtown-
I4 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
202, 203.
'5 In his "Ecclesiastical Antiquities
Down, Connor and Dromore," Appendix
Ardes. See
Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 810.
Gazetteer of
4 See
Article hi. 'Edited by Rev. Dr.
"Parliamentary
n. — 221. ibid. , (y), p.
territory Osnadhaigh
'
LL, p. 379. — Article ii.
* Edited Drs. Todd by
and Reeves, pp. 202, 203.
2
Reference is made to the Book of Bally- mote, fol. 77 b, a Manuscript in the Royal Irish Academy's Library, and to Keating's History of Ireland, at the reiyn of Oiliiol Molt.
3 See John O'Donovan's " Leabhar-na- g-Ceart, or Book of Right," n. (j), p. 211.
Donegal,
400 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 27.
Article III. —St. Lasrain or Lassar, of Tipra Roisrain. The '
MartyrologyofTallagh registersafestivalinhonourofLasrain,*ofTipratoss, at the 27th of July. Tiprat or Tipra is usually derived from the Irish word,
Tubber, meaning a " well" or "a fountain. " Many townland denominations, simply or in composition, proceed from this natural feature of almost every landscape to be seen in "Erin of the Streams. " At the 27th of July, the Martyrology of Donegal* commemorates Lassar of Tipra Rosrain.
Article IV. —Reputed Feast of St. Luican, Parish of Kill-Lucain.
of Westmeath, there is a Killukin, in—the barony of Boyle, and another Killukin 2 in the barony of Roscommon both in the county of Roscommon. The Rev. Alban Butler, 3 and the Circle of the Seasons/ record at the 27th of July the name of St. Luican, Confessor in Ireland. He is said to have been the titular saint of a parish called Kill-Luicain, but which of the fore- going parishes so named is not further indicated.
Article V. —St. Brenainn, of Fore, County of Westmeath.
Wereadinthe of 1 that of hada Martyrology Donegal, Brenainn, Fobhar,
Besides, the parish of Killucan, in the baronies of Delvin and Farbill, county 1
festival at the
of 2 His 27th July.
place
is now known as of Fighan Fore,
or
St. Fowre, a parish in the barony of Demifore, and county of Westmeath.
The founder of its monastery, St. Feichin, died of the great plague, a. d. 664,
so that the present saint must have flourished after this time; yet, we find no record of his having presided over that monastery, at any exact date. 3 That ancient town is situated near Lough Lene, a beautiful sheet of water, studded with small islands, and surrounded by rising grounds. * Several antique remains are to be found in this parish, and especially those of an ecclesiastical character. * After the destruction—probably by fire—of the old buildings here, Walter De Lacy refounded the abbey, under the invocation of St Fechin and of St. Taurin, for monks belonging to the order of St. Benedict.
6
Article VI. —Reputed Feast of St. Diraidh. A festival is entered
1
at the 27th of July, in the Martyrology of Donegal, to honour Diraidh
2
[Bishop of Ferna]. Or, as the O'Clerys state, this may be Diraidh, of
These he brought from the Abbey of St. Taurin, in Evereux, Normandy.
Kelly, p. xxx.
2 In Irish usually written nobapor nob-
paiT).
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
202, 203.
ARTICLE iv. — This contains 4,831a. or.
chap. Ixxiv. , n. , p. 562.
3 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nine," xx. Januarii. Vita S. Fechini, Appen- dix, cap. iii. , pp. 143, 144.
4
See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. i. , p. 616.
5 Its is well set forth in Rev. history
Mervyn Archdall's "Monasticon Hiberni- cum, pp. 711 to 715.
See ilnd. , p. 713. See likewise, Rev.
ip. ,
'
and it is shown, on the "Ordnance
Survey Townland Maps for the County of
Roscommon," sheets 10, 11. 26
This contains 5,956a. 3r. 3p. , and it is shown, on sheets 22, 23, 28, 29, ibid.
3 See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol. vii. , July xxvii.
"
cient and Modern," vol. iii. , chap. Ixxiv. ,
4 See p. 209. Article v. —1
Edited by Drs. Todd and
and Reeves, pp. 204, 205.
2 The Rev. Dr. Todd states at this word
Bishop: "The note within brackets is added by the second hand ; it is evidently from the gloss in Mar. O'Gorman. "
Reeves, pp. 202, 203. 2"
See Rev. Anthony Cogan's Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. ,
Anthony Cogan's
Diocese of Meath, An-
pp. 566 to 568. — Article vi.
'
Edited
Drs. Todd
by
JULY 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 401
Eadardruim, son to the King of Britain, i. e. , Brecan, son of Bracha [meoc3], brother to Dabheog,4 of Tearmonn. Dina, daughter to the King of—Saxon- land, was his mother. To—the latter opinion, the compiler of a table post- fixed to this Martyrology would seem to incline, at an entry of the name Diraid, of Eadardruim, for he remarks, the King of Britain, i. e. , Brachan, son
Abbey of Ferns, County of Wexford.
Martyrology of Tal- lagh, there is no entry of Diraidh, either at the 27th of July, or as mistakenly supposed, at the 27th of August.
Kelly, p. xxx.
2 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
"
202, 203. Article 11.
—
Transactions of the Royal Irish Aca-
Kelly, p. xxx. 22
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 202, 203.
Article hi.
—
"
coram . u. moysi —
Kelly, p. xxx. — Article iv.
etiohannietiacopo. " Ibid. ,p.
T
From the "LeabharBreac"
petro
3 Thus
Transfiguratio Domini,
by
demy,"
Edited by Rev. Dr.
testibus scilicet et helice
copy the following stanza, with its transla-
monte Thabor, a tribus discipulis, qui inter-
Dr. —
by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. ,
has erant,
ascentionem Domini, suis coapos-
tion
been taken
post publicatur. "
:
tilis
4 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. ,
Julii xxvi. Among the pretermitted feasts,
p. 232.
Articlev. — See"Transactionsofthe
Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript
Vhp<Mf 1ouiAm
ConAclein CAin glAngboip CAnmchr>uchu'oiAt\tToex)oit Ih. u 1 Sleib C<xboin.
1
part i.
:
cxxi.
facta in
396 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [July 26.
been drawn, but they refer to the 6th of August as the chief Festival held in the Universal Church.
Article V. —Festival of St. Jovian, and of his Companions, Martyrs. In the ancient Irish Church, the Feast of St. Jovian and of his companions,
"
who suffered martyrdom with him, was held, according to the
Feilire" of
1 The scene of their passion was Laodicea, in Phrygia, and from
St.
ancient Martyrologies, the Bollandists give brief Acts,3 at the 26th of
^Engus. July.
2
Article VI. —Festival of St. Eoban, Bishop and Martyr, Assistant
Bishop of Utrecht, Holland. {Eighth Century]. At the 5th of June,
we have already treated about this holy Chorepiscopus of Utrecht and
Martyr, who is claimed as being an Irish Scotus, the companion of St.
Boniface. 1 It is that he had another Festival, on the 26th of At said, July.
2
this date, the Bollandists have some notices of him, and chiefly on the
authority of Greven, who is said to have drawn his statement from the
Breviary of Erfurt, in which there is a prayer to St. Eoban, Bishop and Martyr. From this account, Molanus and Canisius have inserted a com- memoration. AsnothingintheshapeofseparateActshadcomedownto the Bollandists, in reference to St. Eoban, they refer to the 5th of June for particulars regarding him, in the Acts of St. Boniface,3 Apostle of Germany.
Article VII. —Festival of St. Fllchklmus, at Rurimonde, Belgium. Besides the chief Feast of St. Plechelmus, celebrated on the 15th
of gium,
1 anotherwasinstitutedtohonourhismemory,atRurimonde,inBel- 2 on the 26th of the same month.
July,
Article VIII. —Reputed Feast of St. Colmolcus, or Colmocus, Confessor and Bishop, in Scotland. In his list of the Scottish Saints,
Scries, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of
spondence, in the German language, toge- ther with [copy of the notice of MSS. referred to by theforegoing Extracts}, pp. 89 to 1 16.
2 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Julii xxvi. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 229. 3 <,ec also the Sixth Volume of this work,
at that date, for his Life, Art. i.
Article VII. —1 See an account of St.
Plechclm, at that day, in the present volume, Art. i.
*
The reason for this was not obvious to Father John Boland, who, in a Disquisition prefixed to the Acts of St. Plechelmus on the
Oengus, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. cxii. "
There is a comment appended a cleir . i.
ctcc. "—Ibid. , p. exxi. -"
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Julii xxvi. " De Sanctus Martyribus Laodicen- sis Joviano, Juliano, Emilio, Felice, Mar- ciano, Maxima, Saturnina, Gloriosa ct altero Emilio. " Ex IJieronymianis, pp. 304, 305.
'» Edited by Father John Baptist Soller,
S. J. — Article VI.
*
the
Among
belonging to Wurtzburg—whose fust bishop
was the Martyr St. Kilian, venerated at the
8th of this month—there is one containing a
Treatise, the contents of which are thus de-
"
scribed: Bonifacius Strachanus Scotus,
Germania Christiana, sive de plantata et pro- pagata Christiana Religione in Germania per Sanctos et Monachos Scotica nationis,
forte quod in Ecclesia Leodiensi, cui ante
novos in Belgio institutos Episcopatus
suberat Ruraemunda, monsque S. Odilke,
Idibus Julii Divisio Apostolorum ab antiquo
celebrari solet, Officio ix. Lectionum. "—
"
Manuscripts
ActaSanctorum,"tomusiv. ,Juliixv. De S. Plechelmo Episcopo Oldensalue ct Rurc- pp. 84 to 86. The volume closes with mundae in Belgio. Commentarius Puevius,
some further extracts from foreign corre- sect, iv. , num. 32, p. 56.
15th of July, thus offers a conjecture
"
: nisi
July 27. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
397
1 Camerariushasplacedthepresentholyprelate, atthe26thofJuly,callinghim
Colmolcus,whileDempstercommemorateshim,2 asColmocus,3whichlatter
—
Article IX. —Reputed Feast of St. Malimbeus, Hermit and Martyr,Scotland. IntheMenologiumScotorumofDempster,thereisa feast for a St. Malimbaeus, Hermit and Martyr, in Scotland, at the 26th of
seems to be the proper rendering of his name. The Bollandists * authors—have an entry at this date of St. Colmolcus, Confessor and Bishop in Scotland ; but, they refer to the 6th of June, for an account of him.
July.
1 Further
enlightenment
we have not him. regarding
Article X. —Reputed Feast of St. Chamnecus. Among the Scottish Entries in the Kalendar of David Camerarius is one for St. Chamnecus, Con-
fessor, at the 26th of July.
T
His history does not seem to be known.
Ctoentp--sfebentft 23ap of 3uli>.
ARTICLE I. —ST. BEOGHAIN, ABBOT OF MOVILLE, COUNTV OF DOWN.
Amonastery had been founded at Magh-bile, about 540 by St. Finian, deno- 1
minated or "white a most
Fionn, Findbarr, meaning head," celebrated
Irish who was a of St. Columba. 2 About the ecclesiastic, preceptor
year 540, or as Sir James Ware states about a. d. 550,3 ne i s supposed to have founded a
monastery at this place. It is situated in the county of Down. The Irish denomination Magh Bile is rendered u the field of the aged tree. " Close to the spot are some venerable yew trees of large size, which possibly may be the descendants of that " aged tree," from which the place derived its name. It was formerly the seat of a bishopric, being a place of great importance, and frequently it is referred to in the early annals of Ireland. A succession of holy bishops was there during the sixth and seventh centuries ; but, from the year 731, Moville is noticed only as having been governed by Abbots/ The present saint is classsed among the latter, in one of our earliest Calendars.
Article viii. —* Thus: "Hoc eodem
Saints," p. — 207.
x
die sanctus Colmolcus Confessor et Episco-
Thus:
nius. "—Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scot-
pus in Scotia. "—Bishop Forbes' " Kalen-
Sanctus Cham-
dars of Scottish Saints," p. 239.
2
See
Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 198.
3 At the 4th of May. See, also, the Fifth Volume of this work, at that date, Art. v.
4 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. ,
xxvi.
Among
—
the *4"
Menologium
Scotorum, in
Bishop
tish — Saints," p. 239.
Julii
p. 229.
Thus entered: "In Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish
Antiquitatibus
Article ix.
S—cotia Malimbaei Eremitaeet Martyris. K. "
See Rev. Dr. William Reeves'
siastical Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore," Appendix A, pp. 151, 152.
pretermitted feasts,
Article x.
necus confessor, sancto Columbae charissi-
Article
x
His feast is held on
i.
the
ioth of September.
2 See his Life, at the 9th of June, in
the Sixth Volume of this work, Art. i. chap. ii.
3 See "De Hibernia et
ejus, Disquisitiones,"cap. xxvi. , p. 181.
"
citing these
Eccle-
398 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 27,
We read in the Martyrology of Tallages that Beogan Ab. Maighi Bile had a festival at this date. We are not able to find any record of the period at
whichheflourished. Theruined of Abbey
Moville,
011 a rising eminence. From this a pleasant view can be obtained of Strang-
ford Lough, with its tranquil waters, about half a mile north-east from New- townards. The buildings of this once famous monastery at one period extended across the road, which has been made within past years, and during the last century, the vestiges of some large foundations were to be
Old Church at Moville, County of Down.
seeninthecemetery. 7 Inaftertime,theOrderofMonkshereestablishedwas that of St. Augustine. Thisreligious establishment was sequestered on the 1st of February, a. d. 1542, when the Abbot James McGuilmore was found seized of
seven and all of these townlands,
8 It was to granted
to the ViscountClaneboysinfee-farmfor^*33s. 4d. Irish. 9 Theexistingruinsarethe
remains of buildings once very extensive, and erected probably in the fifteenth
adjacent
Abbey.
century ; but, they are of comparatively modern date compared with the original foundation of the Abbey.
The ruined pile of buildings at Moville has suffered much from the ravages of time, but more still from the hands of devastators. The north elevation is devoid of any ornament whatever. most of the details are so as to be —
Indeed, defaced, quite unrecognizable.
The west window has three-leafed carved —in low relief springers
a charac- teristic of fifteenth century architecture in Ireland, and on the inside of the wall below the window is a stone marked with Runic ornament, which is now embedded in the masonry of same. In the omission of the chancei, the church likewise follows another ancient Irish architectural feature. The tracery of an east window has been filled up, while the semicircular-headed
window now there is
5 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxx.
6
The accompanying illustration of its ruined church was drawn by William F. Wakeman on the wood, engraved by Mrs. Millard.
On
very likely
. of more rea n f
date, perhaps
it is
Jacobean.
6or issituated Magh Bile,
1 See Rev. Mervyn Archdall's " Monasti- con Ilibernicum," p. 126.
8
See ibid. , pp. 125, 126.
9 See "Parliamentary Gazetteer of Irc-
land," vol.
ii. , p.
810.
July 27. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
399
the east elevation are to be seen three carved heads, much defaced. The
10 The ancient well is still to
A number of ancient tombstones were unearthed
of these
graveyard, man)-
graveyard has been recently enlarged, and it is still used for interments, being
noticed simply as St. Beoghan, of Magh Bile, but without the distinction of Abbot.
Article II. —St. Lutt, Virgin, of Tigh Luta, in Fothartha Mora.
From the earliest times in Ireland, holy women sought to escape from the
snares of this world, by retiring to institutions where they could live together
in a holy and peaceful state of society. Yet, even when the rights of conscience
were partially recognised in these Islands, and when nunneries began to
increase, some intolerants outside the Church imagined that these convents
required regulation and inspection. It was foolishly asserted, that moral if
not physical restraint was often used, to retain religious ladies within their
beloved walls of enclosure. Such charges and suspicions were alike insulting
tothenuns,andeventotheirouter-worldrelationsandfriends. Veneration
was at the of to the of 1 to given, 27th July, according Martyrology Donegal,
ruins here are
field opposite the church. in the 11
107
feet in
length.
be seen in a
the parish cemetery. ^ It is noticed, in the Martyrology of
having
carved crosses on 12
them. This
1 -* that Beoghain, Abbot of Magh-bile, or Moville, had veneration given him, at the present date. In that Calendar, compiled by the Rev. Dr. Reeves,^ he is
Lutt, a virgin, of Tigh Luta, in Fotharta Mora; Where that district or place wassituateddoesnotseemtobeknown. ThepeoplecalledFothartawere descendants of Eochadh Finn Fuathart, brother to Conn of the Hundred Battles, and who settled in Leinster Here they acquired lands in the coun- ties of Carlow and of Waterford. The of Fothart —
monly called Fothart an Chairn, now Carnsore Point, took the name of
O'Lorcain, or Larkin, but shortly after the Anglo-Norman invasion, the O'Lorcains were dispossessed. 3 There were other territories of the name in Leinster, such as Fothart Airbreach, around the Hill of Cruachan Bri Eile, now Croghan, in the north-east of ihe King's County ; and Fothart Oirthir Life, in the present county of Wicklow. *
—com-
was so fromCillOsnadha,nowKellistown. ItwasmorefrequentlyknownasFotharta Fea, from the plain of Magh Fea, in which that church was situated. 2 The O'Nuallains, Anglice, O'Nolans or Nowlans, were the chief inhabitants of this district. The chief family of the Fotharta, in the county of Wexford, com-
prised in the present barony of Forth, in the county of Carlow
called
10 See Rev. William Reeves' " Ecclesias-
tical Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dro-
more," p. 14, n. (r).
. " The oldest tombstone ever come across
by the present gravedigger in his excava- tions, was dated 1114.
12
The greater number of these slabs have been carefully preserved. Seethe "Irish Builder," vol. xxxi. , No. 709, July 1st, 1S89.
13 In it is to be seen the grave of the Rev.
Archibald Warwick, who was executed for
participation in the Rebellion of 1798. He was the Presbyterian Minister of Newtown-
I4 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
202, 203.
'5 In his "Ecclesiastical Antiquities
Down, Connor and Dromore," Appendix
Ardes. See
Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 810.
Gazetteer of
4 See
Article hi. 'Edited by Rev. Dr.
"Parliamentary
n. — 221. ibid. , (y), p.
territory Osnadhaigh
'
LL, p. 379. — Article ii.
* Edited Drs. Todd by
and Reeves, pp. 202, 203.
2
Reference is made to the Book of Bally- mote, fol. 77 b, a Manuscript in the Royal Irish Academy's Library, and to Keating's History of Ireland, at the reiyn of Oiliiol Molt.
3 See John O'Donovan's " Leabhar-na- g-Ceart, or Book of Right," n. (j), p. 211.
Donegal,
400 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 27.
Article III. —St. Lasrain or Lassar, of Tipra Roisrain. The '
MartyrologyofTallagh registersafestivalinhonourofLasrain,*ofTipratoss, at the 27th of July. Tiprat or Tipra is usually derived from the Irish word,
Tubber, meaning a " well" or "a fountain. " Many townland denominations, simply or in composition, proceed from this natural feature of almost every landscape to be seen in "Erin of the Streams. " At the 27th of July, the Martyrology of Donegal* commemorates Lassar of Tipra Rosrain.
Article IV. —Reputed Feast of St. Luican, Parish of Kill-Lucain.
of Westmeath, there is a Killukin, in—the barony of Boyle, and another Killukin 2 in the barony of Roscommon both in the county of Roscommon. The Rev. Alban Butler, 3 and the Circle of the Seasons/ record at the 27th of July the name of St. Luican, Confessor in Ireland. He is said to have been the titular saint of a parish called Kill-Luicain, but which of the fore- going parishes so named is not further indicated.
Article V. —St. Brenainn, of Fore, County of Westmeath.
Wereadinthe of 1 that of hada Martyrology Donegal, Brenainn, Fobhar,
Besides, the parish of Killucan, in the baronies of Delvin and Farbill, county 1
festival at the
of 2 His 27th July.
place
is now known as of Fighan Fore,
or
St. Fowre, a parish in the barony of Demifore, and county of Westmeath.
The founder of its monastery, St. Feichin, died of the great plague, a. d. 664,
so that the present saint must have flourished after this time; yet, we find no record of his having presided over that monastery, at any exact date. 3 That ancient town is situated near Lough Lene, a beautiful sheet of water, studded with small islands, and surrounded by rising grounds. * Several antique remains are to be found in this parish, and especially those of an ecclesiastical character. * After the destruction—probably by fire—of the old buildings here, Walter De Lacy refounded the abbey, under the invocation of St Fechin and of St. Taurin, for monks belonging to the order of St. Benedict.
6
Article VI. —Reputed Feast of St. Diraidh. A festival is entered
1
at the 27th of July, in the Martyrology of Donegal, to honour Diraidh
2
[Bishop of Ferna]. Or, as the O'Clerys state, this may be Diraidh, of
These he brought from the Abbey of St. Taurin, in Evereux, Normandy.
Kelly, p. xxx.
2 In Irish usually written nobapor nob-
paiT).
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
202, 203.
ARTICLE iv. — This contains 4,831a. or.
chap. Ixxiv. , n. , p. 562.
3 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nine," xx. Januarii. Vita S. Fechini, Appen- dix, cap. iii. , pp. 143, 144.
4
See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. i. , p. 616.
5 Its is well set forth in Rev. history
Mervyn Archdall's "Monasticon Hiberni- cum, pp. 711 to 715.
See ilnd. , p. 713. See likewise, Rev.
ip. ,
'
and it is shown, on the "Ordnance
Survey Townland Maps for the County of
Roscommon," sheets 10, 11. 26
This contains 5,956a. 3r. 3p. , and it is shown, on sheets 22, 23, 28, 29, ibid.
3 See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol. vii. , July xxvii.
"
cient and Modern," vol. iii. , chap. Ixxiv. ,
4 See p. 209. Article v. —1
Edited by Drs. Todd and
and Reeves, pp. 204, 205.
2 The Rev. Dr. Todd states at this word
Bishop: "The note within brackets is added by the second hand ; it is evidently from the gloss in Mar. O'Gorman. "
Reeves, pp. 202, 203. 2"
See Rev. Anthony Cogan's Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. iii. ,
Anthony Cogan's
Diocese of Meath, An-
pp. 566 to 568. — Article vi.
'
Edited
Drs. Todd
by
JULY 27. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 401
Eadardruim, son to the King of Britain, i. e. , Brecan, son of Bracha [meoc3], brother to Dabheog,4 of Tearmonn. Dina, daughter to the King of—Saxon- land, was his mother. To—the latter opinion, the compiler of a table post- fixed to this Martyrology would seem to incline, at an entry of the name Diraid, of Eadardruim, for he remarks, the King of Britain, i. e. , Brachan, son
Abbey of Ferns, County of Wexford.
Martyrology of Tal- lagh, there is no entry of Diraidh, either at the 27th of July, or as mistakenly supposed, at the 27th of August.
