She was Abbess of Kildare ; and,
according
to Colgan,' she died on the loth of January, a.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
Thomianisreckonedastheseventeenthbishopwhopresidedover the metropolitan diocese of Ireland.
For a long term he ruled in a holy manner that flock consigned to his charge.
The celebrated Paschal contro- versy,* to which allusion has been already made, urged Archbishop Thomian, with four other bishops and five abbots or priests, besides one called a doctor, to address a letter to the Holy See, a.
d.
640.
Their letter was conveyed to Romebymessengers; butaswecannotlearnanythingregardingtheexis- tence of this document, it seems impossible to pronounce what side the arch- bishop or the signatories took in reference to the question.
Judging by that reply returned to them, their opinions can be only imperfectly inferred.
7 This holy archbishop is named first among the Irish clergy to whom the Vicar- Capitular and Roman clerics wrote in 640,^ regarding the proper method for celebrating Easter.
9 We find this holy archbishop's name written in a multi- form way.
He is variedly called Thomian, Toimen, Toimene, Tommene, Thomenus, Tomyn, and Thomanus.
It is likely, with his advanced years, he obtained additional respect from his clergy and their flocks under his care.
He seems to have presided as Metropolitan for about thirty-eight
Follow—
ing
Art. II. —' See Venerable Bede's " His- toria Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. ii. ,
Primordia," p. 936, and
evidently a mistake for the 12th.
*
For a fuller account regarding the origin of this controversy, the reader is referred to the Life of St. Laserian, at the i8th of April,
"
" Harris' Ware, vol. i. ,
cap. 19. Ussher's
"
pp. 39,40.
" See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," x.
Januarii. Vita S. Thomiani, pp. 53, 54.
3 See notices of him at that date.
* At A. D. 622, the death of Mac Laisre is
5 In Harris' Ware, vol. " i. ,
7 Colgan thinks from these words,
mus quosdam Provinciae vestrse," it may be surmised that St. Thomian and many others in the Northern Province did not differ from the Romans in opinion, if not in practice, re* garding the Paschal celebration.
recorded in Dr. O'Donovan's Four Masters," vol.
Annals of the
Archbishops of Armagh," p. 39, his death is recorded at A. D. 623, on the 2nd of September. This is
ix. , 23. pp. 22,
Bishops of Armagh,"
"
i. , pp. 246, 247.
reperi-
Epistolarum
® See Ussher's " Veterum
Hibernicarum
» See the Life of St. Diman or Dima,
Sylloge," epist.
Bishop of Connor, at the 6th of January.
January io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 159
years, and at the time of his decease he was probably very old. According to the " Annals of Clonmacnoise," or the " Chronicon Scotorum,"'° he died A. D. 657; but according to those of Ulster,'' and of the Four Masters, he departedthislifeintheyearofourLord660. " InHarris'Ware,hisdeathis referred to 661. '3 His demise happened on the loth of January. This day was dedicated to the memory of Toimin, of Ardmacha, according to the Martyrology of Tallagh. '* Marianus O'Gorman likewise places him at the loth of January. 's At the same date, Tiomen, the successor of Patrick, is recordedintheMartyrologyofDonegal. '^ Itmaywellbeunderstoodofthis holy archbishop that he provided for all wants, while his thoughtful kindness anddelicateconsiderationforthefeeHngsofothersknewnobounds. Hehad anticipated the amiable spirit of St. Francis de Sales. If an act could be seen in a hundred lights, he never failed to view it in the most favourable one, and thus had charity towards the failings of others, with a love for God peculiarly his own.
Article III. —St. Diman or Diomman, of Inishkeen. The present saint must have flourished at an early period, for his name occurs, at this date, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. ' There the entry is Diman Innsi-Cain in the published copy ; and in the Franciscan manuscript, there is a nearly similar rendering. ^ In the Martyrology of Donegal,3 we find Diomman, of Inis-Caoin, recorded at the loth day of January. In the table postfixed to this Martyrology, the compiler has added a comment, at the entry of this saint's name, to see the similar names, and Dioma of Cluain-Caoin. '^ By this observation we are left to infer, that a doubt seems to have arisen regarding the present saint's identity with a St. Diomog of Cluain-Caoin,5 who was venerated in the county of Limerick, or with some other saint bearing this name. We find the death of a Dimma, who was a bishop, announced at A. D. 662;^ but we do not know the name of that see with which he was connected. Neither may we identify him with the present or any other saint of the name, for want of further knowledge. The rank or position the present holy man held in the Church has not transpired, and we have to search for his place, which seems to us most likely to be found in the northern province. There is a village denominated Inniskeen or Enniskeen, in the parish of Kinneigh, in :the western division of the barony of East Carbery, county of Cork, about eight miles west from Bandon. There is also an Enniskeen in the county of Cavan. 7 There are two parochial denominations of Inniskeen or Enniskeen. One of these^ is that situated^ partly in the baronies of Louth and Upper Dundalk, in the county of Louth
pp. 12, 13. — Art. ill.
'° See W. M. Hennessy's Edition, pp. 96, 97. O'Flaherty has added a note in the ori- ginal MS. , "661 a. d. "
'
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
" "a. d. 660, Tommene, Episcopus Ard- machse, defunctus est. "
p. xii.
* In the Franciscan copy DuninAM 1tiif
CAin occurs.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
12, 13.
4 See ibid. , pp. 402, 403.
5 His feast occurs on the 26th of
^See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
" See O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four
Masters," vol. i. , pp. 270, 271, and n. (z), ibid,
'3 See " p. 40.
of vol. Archbishops Armagh," ii,
April, Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 272, 273.
' Edited by Rev, Dr. Kelly, p. xii. In the Franciscan copy we read Comini at this day.
"
^ See
Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Ba* ronies of Ireland," p. 435.
^ Here some remains of an old church exist.
' This was generally called in our Annals
'5 See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Vita S.
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves,
X.
nise," Januarii.
n. Thomiani, 15,
p. 54- '*
General Alphabetical Index of the
i6o
LIVES 01 THE IRISIT SAINTS. [January io.
and province of Leinster, but chiefly in the barony of Famey, county of Monaghan and province of Ulster. '° The other Enniskeen" is that situated
partly in the barony of Clankee, county of Cavan, and partly in the baronies ofLowerKellsandMorgallion,countyofMeath. " Howeverwecannotbe assured, for want of authorities to favour such an opinion, that the present holy man had any ministerial connexion with any of the foregoing places. There are no less than five townland denominations of Innishkeen found on the Ordnance Survey Maps of Ireland. '3 Two of these are in the county
Old Cross and Cemetery of Inniskeen, Co. Fermanagh.
Fermanagh. '^ There is an Innishkeen respectively in the counties of Limerick, Leitrim, and Monaghan. The island of Innishkeen,'s in the
parish of Cleenish, barony of Clanawley, and county of Fermanagh, is surrounded by the Erne River, and it lies about three miles southward from
Enniskillen town. This island comprises over 260 acres; and on it are to be seen two ancient forts, as also an exceedingly old burial-ground, the site of a former church. *^. Of this island we find several accounts, in connexion
Inis-caoin-Deagha, from its founder St. Da- geus. It had a succession of abbots in the
boundaries of the counties of Leitrim and Fermanagh. There are no ruins of a church or castle on this island, although in A. D. 1421, the O'Rourkes attacked and de-
eighth, ninth, and to the eleventh century.
It is now a parish belonging to the diocese
of Clogher. See Archdall's " Monasticon feated the Mac Clancys, who occupied it.
Hibernicum," p. 465.
See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four
'°See Lewis' "
of Ireland. " vol. ii. , p. 22.
Masters," (b), ibid.
vol.
iv. , pp. 848
to and n. 851,
Topographical Dictionary
" This place is not generally alluded to in our Annals.
"See "General Alphabetical Index ot
the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and
Baronies of Ireland," p. 924.
'3 See "General Alphabetical Index of
the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and
'5 See its situation pictured on the " Ord-
nance Survey Townland Maps of the County
of Fermanagh. " Sheet 27.
'^See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise,'" xiii. Martii. Appendix ad Acta S.
Mochcemoci, cap. i. , p. 598, where a St. Mochaimoc, son of Endeus, connected with this island, and venerated at the 13th of
Baronies of Ireland," p. 538.
' One was in Lough Mclvin, close to the April, is mentioned. Again, xxi. Martii.
January io. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 16 1
with the obits of its vicars, anchorites, parsons, and herenachs, taken from our ancient annals. '? It would seem, that from the sixteenth century the church began to fall into disuse, probably owing to its insular and incon- venient position ; for we do not find any subsequent notices regarding it. An abbot and a monastic establishment are placed here, so early as the middle of the seventh century. '^ At all events, there can be little doubt, the island is venerable for its religious antiquity, and the desolate cemetery there contains many curious tombs. An old and a rudely-fashioned monu- mental cross yet remains ; aged trees extend their branches over the graves of the dead. '9 The cemetery lies on the very brink of the deep and placid waters of the Erne, which serve to guard it from idle intrusion ; but the tourist and the antiquary can easily reach it by boat from the mainland, while a visit to this retired place of mortal repose must awaken serious and melancholy emotions, which the waste and solitariness of the spot hardly ever fail to inspire.
Article IV. —St. Tulelacia, or Tuillelaith, Abbess of Kildare. \_Ninth Century? \ This holy superioress is called the daughter of Huargalach. Her tender soul eagerly imbibed heavenly doctrine, and was wonderfully affected with the things of God. After a time, when she had grown up, she dedicated herself to Him, and took delight in nothing else but in thinking, speaking, or hearing of her Heavenly Spouse, and entertaining herself with His Divine love.
She was Abbess of Kildare ; and, according to Colgan,' she died on the loth of January, a. d. 882. This date also agrees with one in the Annals of the Four Alasters,"" where she is called Tuilelaith,3 daughter of Uar- ghalach. True virtue breathed around her an atmosphere of holiness which all her subjects felt. It seemed something marvellous to meet with one so
pure-minded, and so unsuspecting of evil in a world of corruption.
Article V. —St. ]Moel-Odhran. The original family-name of this saint is probably lost ; and the present may have been one he assumed in religion. The festival of a saint, Moel-Odhran, occurs in our Irish Martyrologies on this day. ' Colgan is doubtful whether he was not a monk of lona, whose Acts he intended to publish at the 28th of May. "^ By referring to the latter date, he tells us, that some notices regarding the monk of lona bearing this name would be found. Again, Maolodhran's name is entered without any other
Appendix ad Acta S. Endei, cap. iv. , p. 713, a iSt. Fergussius, son of Endeus, is connected with this spot. He is venerated at the 29th of March.
'7 Thus in the "Annals of the Four Mas- ters," at a. d. 1389, 1393, 1394, 1467, 1490, 1498, sec vol. iv. , pp. 714, 715, 726, 727, 73°) 73I) 1046, 1047, 1174, 1175, 1242, 1243. There are various notices of this place in the "County of Fermanagh Ex- tracts," belonging to the Irish Ordnance Survey Records, pp. 26, 35, 40, d. 61, 62. Some of these, however, are doubtful in
Art. iv. —' See " Trias Thaumaturga,"
Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Brigidse, cap. ii. , p. 629.
their application.
'^ " ^
See Archdall's Monasticon Iliberni-
cum,"p. 262.
ls The accompanying illustration wasdrawn
on the spot by William F. Wakeman, Ennis- killen, and engraved by A. Appleton.
Possibly a mistake or typographical errorforthe31stofMay. Itwillberecoi- lected Odhran was the name of an early
saint at lona ; and Moel-Odhran signifies
"
^
pp. 532, 533.
3 Another saint of this name preceded her
as abbess at Kildare. . See notices of St. Tallulla or TuUilach, at the 6th day of Jan-
'
See Dr. O'Donovan's Edition, vol. i. ,
nary. — Art. V.
'"The name 111 Ael-Ot)i\Ain, Servus Odrani,' occurs in the Irish Calen- dars at January lo, May 31, November li. " See Rev. Dr. Reeves' " Adamnan's Life of
St. Columba," n. (g), p. 50.
the servant of Odhran. "
M
102 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January to.
distinction at the loth of January, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. s Likewise Maelodhrain's festival occurs in the Martyrolo'g}' of Donegal/ on this same day. In the death of this just man, religion lost a great and true soldier, who, in the seclusion of a monastery, showed how the good fight could be fought in this world, and how the most enduring victories for earth and heaven could be achieved.
Article VI. —St. Paul, a Monk and a Disciple of St. Patrick or
OF St. Fiach of Sletty. [Fifth or Sixth Century^ This holy man is called
amonk,andheis setdownamongthedisciplesofSt. Patrick,byColgan, who promised to treat of him at the loth day of January. This promise,
however, appears to have been forgotten, at the present date. Most likely it was fulfilled at the 25th of January. In the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, a certain Paul is enumerated among the disciples of St. Fiach of Domhnach- Fiac, or of Sletty. At the former place he appears to have lived for some time. ' Two miles south of Wicklow town, in the county of the same name, there were an old church and a graveyard, now obliterated, and called Kilpoole, or Paul's Church. It may not be easy, nevertheless, to identify this spot with the present saint. *
Article VII. —St. Seanog, or Moshenoc. It is possible, we may have
losttheoriginaletymon,applicabletothepresentsaint. IntheMartyrology of Donegal' we find Seanog recorded on to-day. This saint's name is also
Latinized, Senilis. ' In the Martyrology of Tallagh, edited by the Rev. D—r. Kelly,3 this servant of God is entered as Mo-Shenoc,* or " My Shenoc," an indication of endearment thus being affixed to the simple name.
Article VIII. —The Blessed Eochaid O'Kelly, Bishop of Meath.
[EleventhandTwelfthCenturies. ^ Inearlytimes,asinourown,theprelatesand pastors of Ireland have commended the doctrines and practices of the Church to
the people's religious sympathies. Colgan says this holy and learned man was
venerated on the loth of January. ' He is styled the chief head of the men
of Meath, and the most distinguished bishop of all Ireland. This renowned
man must have been born about the middle of the eleventh century. His
immediate predecessors in the see of Meath would seem to have been either
Fiachry, the most holy Elder of Clonard and Meath, who died a. d. 1135, or
Gilla-Christ, otherwise called Christian O'Hagan, Comorban of Finian, who
died A. D. 1136. ^ Therefore, the present illustrious prelate could have only
filled the see not more than four or five years. Short as was the term of
incumbency, few could resist the charm of his persuasive accents, and many
had been incited to virtue or rec—laimed from vice by his gentle, tender piety.
**
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xii. In the Franciscan copy ITIelo'onini is the form. This is the last Irish saints entry, on the first page of the MS.
'
As you live, so shall you die" this was singularly exemplified in the death
* Edited —Drs. Todd and by
Art. vn. —' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, p. 13.
' See ibid. , pp. 466, 467. 3 See p. xii.
In the Franciscan is copy tnofhetioc
Reeves, p. 13. Art. VI. See "Trias Thaumaturga. "
found. — Art. Vlil.
' See"Trias
"
Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. iii. , cap. xxii. ,
Thaumaturga, ad Acta S. Columbae, cap.
pp. 152, 153, n. 42, p. 185, and Quinta Appen- "
Quinta
iv. , sees. 1. , ii. , p. 507.
' See Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops of Meath," p. 140.
dixad "Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 267. ' For further observations regarding him, the reader is referred to the 2Sth of January.
Appendix
January ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 163
the vigilant bishop, who passed away to glory eternal, after he had fulfilled every known duty. . He died a. d. i 140, according to Dr. O'Donovan's Annals
of the Four Masters,3 at Durrow, in the King's County, and at an advanced age.
Article IX. —Feast of. the Translation of St Wasnulf's Relics. For a fuller account of this saint, the reader is referred to his Acts, at the ist of October. ThefeastofthetranslationofSt. Wasnulph'srelics"hadbeenobserved at Condet or Conde—a town in Hannonia—and from a very remote period, on the loth of January. About the year 1539, it was celebrated after the manner of a greater double, owing to the liberality and foundation of a certain Master NicholasMairisie,formerlyacanonoftheCollegiateChurchatConde. About the year 1584, a confraternity or sodality, named from St. , Wasnulph or Was- nulf, was instituted by Henry Hector, Pastor of Conde, he having obtained consent from the chapter of the place. The Archbishop of Cambray gave his sanction, that the celebration of this feast should be on the loth of January. It is thought, after the fury of the Northman invasion had passed over, that the relics of St. Wasnulf had been transferred from the Church of St. Bertin of Sithen, to his own proper church. About this time and afterwards, it was usual in many places to commemorate the translations of saints' reHcs. '' Such is the account, as furnished by John Boreau, the Dean of Conde, a very learned man,andonehavingagreatvenerationforSt. Wasnulf. Thisholymanwas a native of Ireland or a Scot by race, as many old chroniclers relate.
ekbetttlb ©ap of Saatuarp*
ARTICLE I. —THE HOLY VIRGINS, ST. ETHNEA AND ST. FEDELMIA, DAUGHTERS OF KING LAOIGHAIRE.
[FIFTH CEN7UR V. ]
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—KING LAOIGHAIRE—HIS DAUGHTERS, ETHNEA THE FAIR, AND FEDELMIA THE ROSY—THEIR FOSTERAGE AND ABSENCE FROM TARA, WHEN ST. PATRICK PREACHED BEFORE THE IRISH STATE ASSEMBLY—VARIATIONS OF NARRATIVE IN REFERENCE TO THE ACTS OF THESE HOLY SISTERS.
the most poetical and edifying incidents of early Irish ecclesias-
AMONG
guidance, which brought those pure-minded maidens to hold an unexpected interview with the great messenger of salvation, when engaged on his wonderful progress through this island. The Almighty rules not the affairs of His universe, nor of men, by any blind chance ; nor are we to deem as romantic and idle stories various narratives of miraculous conversions, or
3 See vol. —ii. , pp. 1062, 1063. translations occurring about the same period,
"
Art IX. See Colgan's Acta Sancto- and in places not far apart from Conde, by
rum Hibemise," x. Januarii, De S. Was- John Boreau, who quotes Molanus as an
nulphi, Ep. Translatione, pp. 50,51. authority.
Follow—
ing
Art. II. —' See Venerable Bede's " His- toria Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. ii. ,
Primordia," p. 936, and
evidently a mistake for the 12th.
*
For a fuller account regarding the origin of this controversy, the reader is referred to the Life of St. Laserian, at the i8th of April,
"
" Harris' Ware, vol. i. ,
cap. 19. Ussher's
"
pp. 39,40.
" See " Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," x.
Januarii. Vita S. Thomiani, pp. 53, 54.
3 See notices of him at that date.
* At A. D. 622, the death of Mac Laisre is
5 In Harris' Ware, vol. " i. ,
7 Colgan thinks from these words,
mus quosdam Provinciae vestrse," it may be surmised that St. Thomian and many others in the Northern Province did not differ from the Romans in opinion, if not in practice, re* garding the Paschal celebration.
recorded in Dr. O'Donovan's Four Masters," vol.
Annals of the
Archbishops of Armagh," p. 39, his death is recorded at A. D. 623, on the 2nd of September. This is
ix. , 23. pp. 22,
Bishops of Armagh,"
"
i. , pp. 246, 247.
reperi-
Epistolarum
® See Ussher's " Veterum
Hibernicarum
» See the Life of St. Diman or Dima,
Sylloge," epist.
Bishop of Connor, at the 6th of January.
January io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 159
years, and at the time of his decease he was probably very old. According to the " Annals of Clonmacnoise," or the " Chronicon Scotorum,"'° he died A. D. 657; but according to those of Ulster,'' and of the Four Masters, he departedthislifeintheyearofourLord660. " InHarris'Ware,hisdeathis referred to 661. '3 His demise happened on the loth of January. This day was dedicated to the memory of Toimin, of Ardmacha, according to the Martyrology of Tallagh. '* Marianus O'Gorman likewise places him at the loth of January. 's At the same date, Tiomen, the successor of Patrick, is recordedintheMartyrologyofDonegal. '^ Itmaywellbeunderstoodofthis holy archbishop that he provided for all wants, while his thoughtful kindness anddelicateconsiderationforthefeeHngsofothersknewnobounds. Hehad anticipated the amiable spirit of St. Francis de Sales. If an act could be seen in a hundred lights, he never failed to view it in the most favourable one, and thus had charity towards the failings of others, with a love for God peculiarly his own.
Article III. —St. Diman or Diomman, of Inishkeen. The present saint must have flourished at an early period, for his name occurs, at this date, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. ' There the entry is Diman Innsi-Cain in the published copy ; and in the Franciscan manuscript, there is a nearly similar rendering. ^ In the Martyrology of Donegal,3 we find Diomman, of Inis-Caoin, recorded at the loth day of January. In the table postfixed to this Martyrology, the compiler has added a comment, at the entry of this saint's name, to see the similar names, and Dioma of Cluain-Caoin. '^ By this observation we are left to infer, that a doubt seems to have arisen regarding the present saint's identity with a St. Diomog of Cluain-Caoin,5 who was venerated in the county of Limerick, or with some other saint bearing this name. We find the death of a Dimma, who was a bishop, announced at A. D. 662;^ but we do not know the name of that see with which he was connected. Neither may we identify him with the present or any other saint of the name, for want of further knowledge. The rank or position the present holy man held in the Church has not transpired, and we have to search for his place, which seems to us most likely to be found in the northern province. There is a village denominated Inniskeen or Enniskeen, in the parish of Kinneigh, in :the western division of the barony of East Carbery, county of Cork, about eight miles west from Bandon. There is also an Enniskeen in the county of Cavan. 7 There are two parochial denominations of Inniskeen or Enniskeen. One of these^ is that situated^ partly in the baronies of Louth and Upper Dundalk, in the county of Louth
pp. 12, 13. — Art. ill.
'° See W. M. Hennessy's Edition, pp. 96, 97. O'Flaherty has added a note in the ori- ginal MS. , "661 a. d. "
'
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
" "a. d. 660, Tommene, Episcopus Ard- machse, defunctus est. "
p. xii.
* In the Franciscan copy DuninAM 1tiif
CAin occurs.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
12, 13.
4 See ibid. , pp. 402, 403.
5 His feast occurs on the 26th of
^See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
" See O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four
Masters," vol. i. , pp. 270, 271, and n. (z), ibid,
'3 See " p. 40.
of vol. Archbishops Armagh," ii,
April, Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 272, 273.
' Edited by Rev, Dr. Kelly, p. xii. In the Franciscan copy we read Comini at this day.
"
^ See
Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Ba* ronies of Ireland," p. 435.
^ Here some remains of an old church exist.
' This was generally called in our Annals
'5 See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Vita S.
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves,
X.
nise," Januarii.
n. Thomiani, 15,
p. 54- '*
General Alphabetical Index of the
i6o
LIVES 01 THE IRISIT SAINTS. [January io.
and province of Leinster, but chiefly in the barony of Famey, county of Monaghan and province of Ulster. '° The other Enniskeen" is that situated
partly in the barony of Clankee, county of Cavan, and partly in the baronies ofLowerKellsandMorgallion,countyofMeath. " Howeverwecannotbe assured, for want of authorities to favour such an opinion, that the present holy man had any ministerial connexion with any of the foregoing places. There are no less than five townland denominations of Innishkeen found on the Ordnance Survey Maps of Ireland. '3 Two of these are in the county
Old Cross and Cemetery of Inniskeen, Co. Fermanagh.
Fermanagh. '^ There is an Innishkeen respectively in the counties of Limerick, Leitrim, and Monaghan. The island of Innishkeen,'s in the
parish of Cleenish, barony of Clanawley, and county of Fermanagh, is surrounded by the Erne River, and it lies about three miles southward from
Enniskillen town. This island comprises over 260 acres; and on it are to be seen two ancient forts, as also an exceedingly old burial-ground, the site of a former church. *^. Of this island we find several accounts, in connexion
Inis-caoin-Deagha, from its founder St. Da- geus. It had a succession of abbots in the
boundaries of the counties of Leitrim and Fermanagh. There are no ruins of a church or castle on this island, although in A. D. 1421, the O'Rourkes attacked and de-
eighth, ninth, and to the eleventh century.
It is now a parish belonging to the diocese
of Clogher. See Archdall's " Monasticon feated the Mac Clancys, who occupied it.
Hibernicum," p. 465.
See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four
'°See Lewis' "
of Ireland. " vol. ii. , p. 22.
Masters," (b), ibid.
vol.
iv. , pp. 848
to and n. 851,
Topographical Dictionary
" This place is not generally alluded to in our Annals.
"See "General Alphabetical Index ot
the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and
Baronies of Ireland," p. 924.
'3 See "General Alphabetical Index of
the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and
'5 See its situation pictured on the " Ord-
nance Survey Townland Maps of the County
of Fermanagh. " Sheet 27.
'^See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise,'" xiii. Martii. Appendix ad Acta S.
Mochcemoci, cap. i. , p. 598, where a St. Mochaimoc, son of Endeus, connected with this island, and venerated at the 13th of
Baronies of Ireland," p. 538.
' One was in Lough Mclvin, close to the April, is mentioned. Again, xxi. Martii.
January io. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 16 1
with the obits of its vicars, anchorites, parsons, and herenachs, taken from our ancient annals. '? It would seem, that from the sixteenth century the church began to fall into disuse, probably owing to its insular and incon- venient position ; for we do not find any subsequent notices regarding it. An abbot and a monastic establishment are placed here, so early as the middle of the seventh century. '^ At all events, there can be little doubt, the island is venerable for its religious antiquity, and the desolate cemetery there contains many curious tombs. An old and a rudely-fashioned monu- mental cross yet remains ; aged trees extend their branches over the graves of the dead. '9 The cemetery lies on the very brink of the deep and placid waters of the Erne, which serve to guard it from idle intrusion ; but the tourist and the antiquary can easily reach it by boat from the mainland, while a visit to this retired place of mortal repose must awaken serious and melancholy emotions, which the waste and solitariness of the spot hardly ever fail to inspire.
Article IV. —St. Tulelacia, or Tuillelaith, Abbess of Kildare. \_Ninth Century? \ This holy superioress is called the daughter of Huargalach. Her tender soul eagerly imbibed heavenly doctrine, and was wonderfully affected with the things of God. After a time, when she had grown up, she dedicated herself to Him, and took delight in nothing else but in thinking, speaking, or hearing of her Heavenly Spouse, and entertaining herself with His Divine love.
She was Abbess of Kildare ; and, according to Colgan,' she died on the loth of January, a. d. 882. This date also agrees with one in the Annals of the Four Alasters,"" where she is called Tuilelaith,3 daughter of Uar- ghalach. True virtue breathed around her an atmosphere of holiness which all her subjects felt. It seemed something marvellous to meet with one so
pure-minded, and so unsuspecting of evil in a world of corruption.
Article V. —St. ]Moel-Odhran. The original family-name of this saint is probably lost ; and the present may have been one he assumed in religion. The festival of a saint, Moel-Odhran, occurs in our Irish Martyrologies on this day. ' Colgan is doubtful whether he was not a monk of lona, whose Acts he intended to publish at the 28th of May. "^ By referring to the latter date, he tells us, that some notices regarding the monk of lona bearing this name would be found. Again, Maolodhran's name is entered without any other
Appendix ad Acta S. Endei, cap. iv. , p. 713, a iSt. Fergussius, son of Endeus, is connected with this spot. He is venerated at the 29th of March.
'7 Thus in the "Annals of the Four Mas- ters," at a. d. 1389, 1393, 1394, 1467, 1490, 1498, sec vol. iv. , pp. 714, 715, 726, 727, 73°) 73I) 1046, 1047, 1174, 1175, 1242, 1243. There are various notices of this place in the "County of Fermanagh Ex- tracts," belonging to the Irish Ordnance Survey Records, pp. 26, 35, 40, d. 61, 62. Some of these, however, are doubtful in
Art. iv. —' See " Trias Thaumaturga,"
Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Brigidse, cap. ii. , p. 629.
their application.
'^ " ^
See Archdall's Monasticon Iliberni-
cum,"p. 262.
ls The accompanying illustration wasdrawn
on the spot by William F. Wakeman, Ennis- killen, and engraved by A. Appleton.
Possibly a mistake or typographical errorforthe31stofMay. Itwillberecoi- lected Odhran was the name of an early
saint at lona ; and Moel-Odhran signifies
"
^
pp. 532, 533.
3 Another saint of this name preceded her
as abbess at Kildare. . See notices of St. Tallulla or TuUilach, at the 6th day of Jan-
'
See Dr. O'Donovan's Edition, vol. i. ,
nary. — Art. V.
'"The name 111 Ael-Ot)i\Ain, Servus Odrani,' occurs in the Irish Calen- dars at January lo, May 31, November li. " See Rev. Dr. Reeves' " Adamnan's Life of
St. Columba," n. (g), p. 50.
the servant of Odhran. "
M
102 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January to.
distinction at the loth of January, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. s Likewise Maelodhrain's festival occurs in the Martyrolo'g}' of Donegal/ on this same day. In the death of this just man, religion lost a great and true soldier, who, in the seclusion of a monastery, showed how the good fight could be fought in this world, and how the most enduring victories for earth and heaven could be achieved.
Article VI. —St. Paul, a Monk and a Disciple of St. Patrick or
OF St. Fiach of Sletty. [Fifth or Sixth Century^ This holy man is called
amonk,andheis setdownamongthedisciplesofSt. Patrick,byColgan, who promised to treat of him at the loth day of January. This promise,
however, appears to have been forgotten, at the present date. Most likely it was fulfilled at the 25th of January. In the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, a certain Paul is enumerated among the disciples of St. Fiach of Domhnach- Fiac, or of Sletty. At the former place he appears to have lived for some time. ' Two miles south of Wicklow town, in the county of the same name, there were an old church and a graveyard, now obliterated, and called Kilpoole, or Paul's Church. It may not be easy, nevertheless, to identify this spot with the present saint. *
Article VII. —St. Seanog, or Moshenoc. It is possible, we may have
losttheoriginaletymon,applicabletothepresentsaint. IntheMartyrology of Donegal' we find Seanog recorded on to-day. This saint's name is also
Latinized, Senilis. ' In the Martyrology of Tallagh, edited by the Rev. D—r. Kelly,3 this servant of God is entered as Mo-Shenoc,* or " My Shenoc," an indication of endearment thus being affixed to the simple name.
Article VIII. —The Blessed Eochaid O'Kelly, Bishop of Meath.
[EleventhandTwelfthCenturies. ^ Inearlytimes,asinourown,theprelatesand pastors of Ireland have commended the doctrines and practices of the Church to
the people's religious sympathies. Colgan says this holy and learned man was
venerated on the loth of January. ' He is styled the chief head of the men
of Meath, and the most distinguished bishop of all Ireland. This renowned
man must have been born about the middle of the eleventh century. His
immediate predecessors in the see of Meath would seem to have been either
Fiachry, the most holy Elder of Clonard and Meath, who died a. d. 1135, or
Gilla-Christ, otherwise called Christian O'Hagan, Comorban of Finian, who
died A. D. 1136. ^ Therefore, the present illustrious prelate could have only
filled the see not more than four or five years. Short as was the term of
incumbency, few could resist the charm of his persuasive accents, and many
had been incited to virtue or rec—laimed from vice by his gentle, tender piety.
**
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xii. In the Franciscan copy ITIelo'onini is the form. This is the last Irish saints entry, on the first page of the MS.
'
As you live, so shall you die" this was singularly exemplified in the death
* Edited —Drs. Todd and by
Art. vn. —' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, p. 13.
' See ibid. , pp. 466, 467. 3 See p. xii.
In the Franciscan is copy tnofhetioc
Reeves, p. 13. Art. VI. See "Trias Thaumaturga. "
found. — Art. Vlil.
' See"Trias
"
Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. iii. , cap. xxii. ,
Thaumaturga, ad Acta S. Columbae, cap.
pp. 152, 153, n. 42, p. 185, and Quinta Appen- "
Quinta
iv. , sees. 1. , ii. , p. 507.
' See Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops of Meath," p. 140.
dixad "Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 267. ' For further observations regarding him, the reader is referred to the 2Sth of January.
Appendix
January ii. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 163
the vigilant bishop, who passed away to glory eternal, after he had fulfilled every known duty. . He died a. d. i 140, according to Dr. O'Donovan's Annals
of the Four Masters,3 at Durrow, in the King's County, and at an advanced age.
Article IX. —Feast of. the Translation of St Wasnulf's Relics. For a fuller account of this saint, the reader is referred to his Acts, at the ist of October. ThefeastofthetranslationofSt. Wasnulph'srelics"hadbeenobserved at Condet or Conde—a town in Hannonia—and from a very remote period, on the loth of January. About the year 1539, it was celebrated after the manner of a greater double, owing to the liberality and foundation of a certain Master NicholasMairisie,formerlyacanonoftheCollegiateChurchatConde. About the year 1584, a confraternity or sodality, named from St. , Wasnulph or Was- nulf, was instituted by Henry Hector, Pastor of Conde, he having obtained consent from the chapter of the place. The Archbishop of Cambray gave his sanction, that the celebration of this feast should be on the loth of January. It is thought, after the fury of the Northman invasion had passed over, that the relics of St. Wasnulf had been transferred from the Church of St. Bertin of Sithen, to his own proper church. About this time and afterwards, it was usual in many places to commemorate the translations of saints' reHcs. '' Such is the account, as furnished by John Boreau, the Dean of Conde, a very learned man,andonehavingagreatvenerationforSt. Wasnulf. Thisholymanwas a native of Ireland or a Scot by race, as many old chroniclers relate.
ekbetttlb ©ap of Saatuarp*
ARTICLE I. —THE HOLY VIRGINS, ST. ETHNEA AND ST. FEDELMIA, DAUGHTERS OF KING LAOIGHAIRE.
[FIFTH CEN7UR V. ]
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—KING LAOIGHAIRE—HIS DAUGHTERS, ETHNEA THE FAIR, AND FEDELMIA THE ROSY—THEIR FOSTERAGE AND ABSENCE FROM TARA, WHEN ST. PATRICK PREACHED BEFORE THE IRISH STATE ASSEMBLY—VARIATIONS OF NARRATIVE IN REFERENCE TO THE ACTS OF THESE HOLY SISTERS.
the most poetical and edifying incidents of early Irish ecclesias-
AMONG
guidance, which brought those pure-minded maidens to hold an unexpected interview with the great messenger of salvation, when engaged on his wonderful progress through this island. The Almighty rules not the affairs of His universe, nor of men, by any blind chance ; nor are we to deem as romantic and idle stories various narratives of miraculous conversions, or
3 See vol. —ii. , pp. 1062, 1063. translations occurring about the same period,
"
Art IX. See Colgan's Acta Sancto- and in places not far apart from Conde, by
rum Hibemise," x. Januarii, De S. Was- John Boreau, who quotes Molanus as an
nulphi, Ep. Translatione, pp. 50,51. authority.
