In the Annals of the Four Masters, at the year 620, allusion is made to a church of Cluain-Airthir,' and probably it is
identical
with the locality previously noticed.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v4
According to one conjecture, it was called Rath-bnghde, or Brigid's rath.
This was situated within the territory of Fearcall, in Meath.
Another sup- position is, that it may have been at Tegii-Brighide, or Brigid's House, in Kinel-Fiacha, the country about Kilbeggan.
''* As St.
Brigid was then very young and inexperienced, St.
Mac-Caille appears to have devoted some por- tion of his time to her instruction, and to supply the religious necessities of her community.
He exercised hospitality towards herself and her nuns ; and, on one occasion, when they had been invited to a banquet, an interesting spiritual colloquy took place.
*' In the opinion of the Bollandists, the veil- ingofSt.
Brigidtookplace,beforea.
d.
440; whileUssherplacestheevent,
at A. D. 467,** and he states, that St. Patrick, or some one of his disciples, was reported to have given it to her, when she was little over fourteen years old. As her peculiar practice, and on the recommendation of St. Mac-Caille, to aim at excellence, in a special degree, St. Brigid selected Mercy, while her other reli- gious applied themselves respectively to observe some chosen virtue, with great constancy and fervour. '*' The Bollandists place the death of our saint, in the year 456, on supposition, that St. Patrick survived him four years. '" The Annals of Innisfallen s' have A. D. 484, for that event. 5' The Chronicum ScotorumplacesMaccaille'sdeath,ata. d. 487. TheAnnalsofSe—nat-mac-
—cnoise, those of the other authorities Magnus, of Clonma Island,53and
such as
Duald Mac Firbis have 489. According to the Annals of the Four Masters,
Bishop Mac-caille died in the year 489 \^ which, after his usual manner. Rev.
Dr. Lanigan interprets into a. d. 490. 55 This latter, however, is the year set down for his death, in the Annals of Tigernach. s* The Felire of St. ^ngus "
sit seems, that when they arrived at the
place where the bisliop was, they met there four or five other postulants. See Rev. Ur. Lanigaii's "Ecclesiastical History of Ire- land,"vol. i. ,chap. viii. ,sect,iii. ,n. 44,pp. 388, 389.
<'Seei*/i/. ,n. 47, pp. 386, 389.
5' See Colgan's "Trias Thaumalurga," Secunda Vita S. BrigidiE, n. II, p. 526.
»• See Dr. O'Donovan s edition, vol. i. ,
*' . See the relation, in the Life of
St. Brigid, ch. Tp. iii. , as already detailed 488. See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's Rerum
in our Second Volume, at the ist of Feb-
ruary.
*' See Index Chronologicus, in " Britan-
nicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," at A. D.
Hibernicaruin Scriptores," tomus ii. Tiger- nachi Annales, p. 123
5' The— Leabhar Breac copy has this stanza:
cccci-xvii. , p. 522.
*' See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,
"
TdAnc UAfAl in eigipc TlfoLig FOCALp<iitLe VLefc oip dTibuL cinTie
e^xop tno^x TTIac Grille.
Quinta Vita S. Brigidae, cap. xxxii. , p. 574.
5° See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , xxv.
Aprilis, p. 367.
'' Bodleian copy, Rawlinson, No. 503. ''See Dr. O'Conor's "Rerum Hiberni-
Thus translated by Dr. Whitley Stokes bishop Mac-Caille. "
:
—
carum Scriptorts," tomus ii. , "Quies "
of ne^jlect. A rod of gold, a vast bar, great
meicc CalU Epis. Annales Xnisfalenses, p. 4.
pp. 152, 153. "
ssSee EcclesiasticalHistoryofIreland,"
vol. i. , chap, viii. , sect, xiii. , p. 418, also, n. 165, p. 420, ibid.
^ The Bodleian copy, Rawlinson, No. "
" Noble Marc in Egypt deserves not a word
492 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 25.
records the feast of St. Mac Caille, at the 25th of April, and with phrases conferring oh liim very exalted praise. A glossographer on the passage
distinguishes him, as having his church in Cruacheii Brig Eli, in Ui-Faitge, and as having set the veil on St. Bridgid's head, while he took Mochuda's
hand out of Rathin. s^ This closes with an observation
:
" He comes not till
the end of 435. years. " This seems alkiding to some former legend regard- ing him. In the Martyrology of Tallagh,59 at this date, we meet with the simple entry, Mac Caille, Bishop. His festival occurs, on the 25th day of April, according to the Calendar of Cashel, as quoted by Colgan. *° Marianus O'Gorman has an entry of his festival, likewise, at this date. Again, Cathal Maguire has a similar account, in his Martyrology. *' On this day, April
*^
records the festival of Maccaille, Bishop. The foregoing relation contains all that is distinctive and known, relating to
25th, the Martyrology of Donegal the venerable man.
Article III. —St. Matoc Ailithir, or St. Matog, Pilgrim. Bear- ing the burden of years in a spirit of mortification and through duty, the Christian advances to the happy home of the blessed, by making his pilgrim- age secure, even though disturbed by many of life's trials. This holy man was specially called a pilgrim, because he appears to have come from Britain
'
to Ireland. On the 2Sth of April, the Martyrology of Tallagh
enters the
name Matoc Ailithir. He was the son of Canton, a King of West Britain,
or Wales, and he is not differently described elsewhere ; we being only obliged
to infer the name of his father. ' Deichter, daughter to Muireadhach Muin- derg. King of Uladh, was his mother, as also the mother of Bishop Sanctan. ' We are informed, that Bishop Sanctain •• was a brother to St. Matoc, the latter having come first from Britain into Ireland, and that he settled at Matoc's Island, 5 in the Lake of Templeport, County Leitrim. * Thither, Bishop Sanc- tain proceeded from Clonard, and during this journey he composed a hymn,
"
the first line of which, translated into English, reads :
This was composed to save himself from enemies, and that his brother might beinducedtoallowavisitinhisisland. Itismentioned,intheMartyrology of Donegal,' likewise, that veneration was given on this day to Matog,* Pil-
5' This seems to have been a legend, taken from a very early account, and corrected by the more recent commentator, with an obser- vation : "Some mistake here, for Mac- Caille died a. d. 489, and Mochudaof Rathin died in 636. "—See "The Calendar of Oengus," in "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series. vol. i. , pp. Ixx. , Ixxvi. , and n. (a).
5' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxii. In
the Franciscan copy, we read tndccjiVe
e^p.
'^ See "Trias Thanmaturga," Secunda
Vita S. Brigidae, n. 11, p. 525.
' See ibid.
'"Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
3 There is a Bishop Sanctan, ofCill-da-les venerated at the 9th of May, and a St. Sanc-
tan, at the 17th of September,
* See an account of his family and race, at
May 9th, the date for liis festival,
5 In his "Grammatica Cellica," it is
stated by Zeuss, that among the Manuscripts of St. Gall, in Switzerland, there is a Codex of Priscian, crowded with marginal glosses, one of which, at p. 194, shows ihat the scribe was connected witli this Inis Madoc.
'See Professor Eugene O'Cuny's "Lec-
tures on the MS. Materials of Ancient Irish
History. " Lect. i. , p. 27.
' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
no, in.
"
Colgan passingly refers to this saint. when treating about a certain Kill-maitoge, pre>ented by a St. Columba, 10 St. Fintan of Dunbleisque. See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," iii. Januarii. Vila S. Fimani,
no, III. Article hi.
Kelly, p. xxii.
—
The Franciscan copy has
'
Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
macoc AiUchejA, at the vii. of the May
Kalends.
"
at the Feast of St. Sanctan, Bishop of Kilnasantan, at the 17th of September.
xiii. , 12. p.
See,
cap.
» See iWa'. , pp. 438, 439.
I beseech thee, king. "
April 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 493
grim. In the table, appended to that Martyrology, the name Matog is Latinized as Mathaeus. 9
ArticleIV. —DeaconMenn,ofCluainArathair. IntheMartyr- ology of Tallagh,' at the 25th of April, we find solely mention made of him asDechonen,withouthisothername. CluanaAraihair,however,isadded, as the denomination of his place.
In the Annals of the Four Masters, at the year 620, allusion is made to a church of Cluain-Airthir,' and probably it is identical with the locality previously noticed. 3 When St. Patrick • was in the peninsula of Innisowen, county of Donegal, and in the land of Oilild, son of Eugene, he met three deacons, who were the sons of his sister. Then in the territory of Bredach, he built the church of Domnachbile,5 now known as Moville. Colgan does not assert, indeed, that the present Menn was one of those deacons ; but, he remarks, that the name was unusual among the Irish. *
Marianus O'Gorman enters the festival of this Deacon Menn. ' The '
MartyrologyofDonegal registersacertainDeacon,calledMenn,ofCluain Arathair, as having been venerated, on this day.
Article V. —Festival of Elithir, of Cluain Geisi. The word
Elithir, means " a pilgrim. " Through all Christian ages, a spirit of pilgrim- age succeeded to a spirit of penance. The former is one of the many phases, which the latter occasionally assumes. " This denomination may not, perhaps, be a proper name, as Dr. Reeves observes. It occurs, however, as a proper name, at the 7th of January, and at May the 12th. It seems answering to the Hiberno-Italian Pellegrini, whose feast is celebrated, at August ist. As an entry, Elithir appears, in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 25th April. In the Franciscan copy, he is noticed as Alither Cluain Geisi. 3 The name of Elithir,^ of Cluain Geise, likewise occurs, in the Martyrology of Donegal,' on this day.
Article VI. —St. Lugna, or Lughna, of Leter, or Lettrach. The name of this saint is entered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 25th of April, as Lugna, Lettrach. This denomination is found united with some other word, in various parts of Ireland ; so that, without some more particu- lar clue, it must be difficult to identify the exact locality of this saint. It has
been conjectured by Colgan,* that the present saint was Lugneus Mocucumin,
Article iv. — ' Edited Dr. by
' Edited no, 1 1 1.
Kelly, p. xxii. The Franciscan copy enters TJecliotien
by
Reeves, pp.
cLuiin <\|V4cViin\
'See Dr. O'Donovan's Edition, vol. i. ,
pp. 244, 245.
' This has been Anglicized " the Eastern
—Lawn, or Meadow," by the learned Editor. See ibid. , n. (d), p. 244.
'See his Life, at the 17th of March,
vol. iii.
5 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. ,cap. cxxxii. , p. 145.
Article v.
"
See Rev.
• See ibid. , nn. 176, 177, p. 181. Kelly,
' In a note to the Donegal Martyrology, Dr. Todd says, at Deacon Menn: "The
mo>t recent hand adds, 'Secundum Mar.
T)eo6uin flenn, [Deacon Nenn] . 1. ut vide- tur Nennius. '"
xxii.
Drs. Todd and
—
Malone's "Church H'slory of Ireland,"
chap. XV. , p. 374, Second Edition.
' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxii.
' The Irish equivalent is <iLiche|\ CLuAin
5eip.
'A note by Dr. Todd says, at Elithir:
" This word signifies a pilgrim. "
s Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
no, in. —
Article vi. by
p.
LugtiA leccpAcVi.
'
Edited Rev. The Franciscan copy has
" The re. ider is referred to what has been already stated, at the 20th of January, when St. Lugna, Priest of Kill-Tarsna, is vene- rated.
Sylvester
Dr.
494
LIVES OF THE IRISH SATNTS. [April 25.
brother to Lugbcus Mocucumin, and that he was a monk of lona, a disciple to St. Colunikille,3 and afterwards appointed an abbot over a monastery, in the Island of Elena. 4 According to the Martyrology of Donegal. s there was veneration paid on this day to Lughna, of Leter. There is a i)lace beanng this name between Ballyhooly and Fermoy, in the county of Cork. *
Article VII. —St. Digde, or Dighde, Virgin. This entry appears, in the Martyrology of Tallagh," at the 25th of April. Nothing more special appears regarding her. However, the name of Dighde, Virgin, is set down, also, in the Martyrology of Donegal,' as being venerated on this day.
Article VIII. —St. Suibne. In the Appendix to the Introduction of the Donegal Martyrology, edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, we find the name
of Suibne,' entered for the 25th of . \pril. ing him.
We can find nothing more regard-
Article IX. —St. Coelan, Cruimthir, of Echinis, Lough Orbsen, or Corrib, County of Galway. \Stxth Century? ^ St. Coelan, called Cruimthir Coelan, in the Acts of St. Endeus,' lived on Echinis or Horse Island, on Lough Orbsen, and his feast was held on the 25th of April, according to Roderick OTlaherty. ^ While he resided there, St. Endeus paid him a visit, and Coelan, who owned the Island,3 killed an ox, which was accustomed to draw the plough, in order to entertain his guest, with those who accompanied him. All partook of this feast, with an act of thanksgiving, except a laic who was present, and who affected to have a scruple, that by so doing he should violate some law of abstinence. * That spot,' which St. Endeus
then left, lies near Aughnanure, where there is a celebrated castle,* on the west of Lough Corrib. Near it is Enagh-Coelan, in the parish of Kilcummin,? and it is now called Annagh Keelaun. ^ Inisgerraun? adjoins the western margin of thelake. Thepresentholymanflourishedaboutthesixthcentury.
3 See his Life, at the 9th of June.
* See Colgan's "Trias Tliaumaturga,"
&c. , cap. xxvi. , at xxi. Martii. "Acta
Quarta Appendix X. , p. 491.
cap.
Quod vir sanctus (Endeus. ) percipiens, spiritu reve- lante dixit ; Tu qui cum ccetcris fratribus cilium in charitate ministratum noluisti su- mere, de carnibus equi, quem furaberis man-
ad Acta S. Columbre,
Sanctoram Hibernia;," p. 709. " * A legendary account succeeds :
5 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 110, III.
' In the old Tract, called " Forbuis Dro-
madamhghaire," translated by Mr. Joseph O'Longan, it is called Leitir, n. 10, p. 4, fol.
Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
ducabis, atque manducando jugulaberis. Quod totum illi evenit, ut vir sanctus prae- dixit. Aratores vero crastina d'e ad agrum, ubi arabant venientes unum bovem consimi- lem primo reperientes sub jugo posueruiit, sed unde bos ille ac'venerat, nescierunt. "
' In the time of O' Flaherty, it was called Inis Gearain, or Garon Island.
Articlevii. — EditedbyRev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxii. The Franciscan copy enters 'OiSTje.
u. for
' Edited
virgin. by
110, III. Article viii.
xlvii. — Article ix.
—
' at See Su'bne,
' See an illustration of with a p. it,
' the His feast occurs, at
descrip- live and liistorical article, by the late George
in the "Irish
Petrie, Esq. , Penny Journal,"
vol. i. , No. i, pp. i, 2.
' It lies within the barony of MoycuUen. ' Tliis denomination is found, on the
"Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
County of Galway," sheet 54.
' It is not noticed by name, on the Ord-
nance Survey Maps.
2ist of March. See his Life, at that date, in vol. iii. , chap. iii.
' See " A Chorographical Description of West or H. -Iar Connaught," pp. 23, 24, and nn. (d, e, f, g), ibid.
3 The old Vita S. Eiulei, as pulilished by
Colgan, says
"
erat Princeps illuis loci,"
April 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 49S
Article X. —St. Diommog, of Cluain Caoim. In the Table of the
Donegal Martyrology,' at this date, the festival of a Diommog, of Cluain- Caoiii, said to be a patron in the county of Limerick, is found entered. In
the body of the Martyrology, it does not appear, at the 2 5tli of April. It may be asked, can the present saint be identified with St. Modiomog, a bishop
and confessor, venerated at Cluain-Caoin-. \radh, in Munster, and whose feast issetdownatthelothofDecember? Wethinktheaffirmativeofsuchcon-
jecture to be sufficiently probable.
Article XI. —Festival of St. Mark, Bishop of Alexandria,
Evangelist and Martyr. On this day, the Universal Church celebrates
the Feast of St. Mark, the great Bishop of Alexandria, and the holy Evan-
gelist. ' In the Feilire of St. . (Engus, he is also recorded, and described, as deserving special commemoration. This we have already noticed.
Article XII.
at A. D. 467,** and he states, that St. Patrick, or some one of his disciples, was reported to have given it to her, when she was little over fourteen years old. As her peculiar practice, and on the recommendation of St. Mac-Caille, to aim at excellence, in a special degree, St. Brigid selected Mercy, while her other reli- gious applied themselves respectively to observe some chosen virtue, with great constancy and fervour. '*' The Bollandists place the death of our saint, in the year 456, on supposition, that St. Patrick survived him four years. '" The Annals of Innisfallen s' have A. D. 484, for that event. 5' The Chronicum ScotorumplacesMaccaille'sdeath,ata. d. 487. TheAnnalsofSe—nat-mac-
—cnoise, those of the other authorities Magnus, of Clonma Island,53and
such as
Duald Mac Firbis have 489. According to the Annals of the Four Masters,
Bishop Mac-caille died in the year 489 \^ which, after his usual manner. Rev.
Dr. Lanigan interprets into a. d. 490. 55 This latter, however, is the year set down for his death, in the Annals of Tigernach. s* The Felire of St. ^ngus "
sit seems, that when they arrived at the
place where the bisliop was, they met there four or five other postulants. See Rev. Ur. Lanigaii's "Ecclesiastical History of Ire- land,"vol. i. ,chap. viii. ,sect,iii. ,n. 44,pp. 388, 389.
<'Seei*/i/. ,n. 47, pp. 386, 389.
5' See Colgan's "Trias Thaumalurga," Secunda Vita S. BrigidiE, n. II, p. 526.
»• See Dr. O'Donovan s edition, vol. i. ,
*' . See the relation, in the Life of
St. Brigid, ch. Tp. iii. , as already detailed 488. See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's Rerum
in our Second Volume, at the ist of Feb-
ruary.
*' See Index Chronologicus, in " Britan-
nicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," at A. D.
Hibernicaruin Scriptores," tomus ii. Tiger- nachi Annales, p. 123
5' The— Leabhar Breac copy has this stanza:
cccci-xvii. , p. 522.
*' See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,
"
TdAnc UAfAl in eigipc TlfoLig FOCALp<iitLe VLefc oip dTibuL cinTie
e^xop tno^x TTIac Grille.
Quinta Vita S. Brigidae, cap. xxxii. , p. 574.
5° See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , xxv.
Aprilis, p. 367.
'' Bodleian copy, Rawlinson, No. 503. ''See Dr. O'Conor's "Rerum Hiberni-
Thus translated by Dr. Whitley Stokes bishop Mac-Caille. "
:
—
carum Scriptorts," tomus ii. , "Quies "
of ne^jlect. A rod of gold, a vast bar, great
meicc CalU Epis. Annales Xnisfalenses, p. 4.
pp. 152, 153. "
ssSee EcclesiasticalHistoryofIreland,"
vol. i. , chap, viii. , sect, xiii. , p. 418, also, n. 165, p. 420, ibid.
^ The Bodleian copy, Rawlinson, No. "
" Noble Marc in Egypt deserves not a word
492 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 25.
records the feast of St. Mac Caille, at the 25th of April, and with phrases conferring oh liim very exalted praise. A glossographer on the passage
distinguishes him, as having his church in Cruacheii Brig Eli, in Ui-Faitge, and as having set the veil on St. Bridgid's head, while he took Mochuda's
hand out of Rathin. s^ This closes with an observation
:
" He comes not till
the end of 435. years. " This seems alkiding to some former legend regard- ing him. In the Martyrology of Tallagh,59 at this date, we meet with the simple entry, Mac Caille, Bishop. His festival occurs, on the 25th day of April, according to the Calendar of Cashel, as quoted by Colgan. *° Marianus O'Gorman has an entry of his festival, likewise, at this date. Again, Cathal Maguire has a similar account, in his Martyrology. *' On this day, April
*^
records the festival of Maccaille, Bishop. The foregoing relation contains all that is distinctive and known, relating to
25th, the Martyrology of Donegal the venerable man.
Article III. —St. Matoc Ailithir, or St. Matog, Pilgrim. Bear- ing the burden of years in a spirit of mortification and through duty, the Christian advances to the happy home of the blessed, by making his pilgrim- age secure, even though disturbed by many of life's trials. This holy man was specially called a pilgrim, because he appears to have come from Britain
'
to Ireland. On the 2Sth of April, the Martyrology of Tallagh
enters the
name Matoc Ailithir. He was the son of Canton, a King of West Britain,
or Wales, and he is not differently described elsewhere ; we being only obliged
to infer the name of his father. ' Deichter, daughter to Muireadhach Muin- derg. King of Uladh, was his mother, as also the mother of Bishop Sanctan. ' We are informed, that Bishop Sanctain •• was a brother to St. Matoc, the latter having come first from Britain into Ireland, and that he settled at Matoc's Island, 5 in the Lake of Templeport, County Leitrim. * Thither, Bishop Sanc- tain proceeded from Clonard, and during this journey he composed a hymn,
"
the first line of which, translated into English, reads :
This was composed to save himself from enemies, and that his brother might beinducedtoallowavisitinhisisland. Itismentioned,intheMartyrology of Donegal,' likewise, that veneration was given on this day to Matog,* Pil-
5' This seems to have been a legend, taken from a very early account, and corrected by the more recent commentator, with an obser- vation : "Some mistake here, for Mac- Caille died a. d. 489, and Mochudaof Rathin died in 636. "—See "The Calendar of Oengus," in "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series. vol. i. , pp. Ixx. , Ixxvi. , and n. (a).
5' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxii. In
the Franciscan copy, we read tndccjiVe
e^p.
'^ See "Trias Thanmaturga," Secunda
Vita S. Brigidae, n. 11, p. 525.
' See ibid.
'"Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
3 There is a Bishop Sanctan, ofCill-da-les venerated at the 9th of May, and a St. Sanc-
tan, at the 17th of September,
* See an account of his family and race, at
May 9th, the date for liis festival,
5 In his "Grammatica Cellica," it is
stated by Zeuss, that among the Manuscripts of St. Gall, in Switzerland, there is a Codex of Priscian, crowded with marginal glosses, one of which, at p. 194, shows ihat the scribe was connected witli this Inis Madoc.
'See Professor Eugene O'Cuny's "Lec-
tures on the MS. Materials of Ancient Irish
History. " Lect. i. , p. 27.
' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
no, in.
"
Colgan passingly refers to this saint. when treating about a certain Kill-maitoge, pre>ented by a St. Columba, 10 St. Fintan of Dunbleisque. See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," iii. Januarii. Vila S. Fimani,
no, III. Article hi.
Kelly, p. xxii.
—
The Franciscan copy has
'
Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
macoc AiUchejA, at the vii. of the May
Kalends.
"
at the Feast of St. Sanctan, Bishop of Kilnasantan, at the 17th of September.
xiii. , 12. p.
See,
cap.
» See iWa'. , pp. 438, 439.
I beseech thee, king. "
April 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 493
grim. In the table, appended to that Martyrology, the name Matog is Latinized as Mathaeus. 9
ArticleIV. —DeaconMenn,ofCluainArathair. IntheMartyr- ology of Tallagh,' at the 25th of April, we find solely mention made of him asDechonen,withouthisothername. CluanaAraihair,however,isadded, as the denomination of his place.
In the Annals of the Four Masters, at the year 620, allusion is made to a church of Cluain-Airthir,' and probably it is identical with the locality previously noticed. 3 When St. Patrick • was in the peninsula of Innisowen, county of Donegal, and in the land of Oilild, son of Eugene, he met three deacons, who were the sons of his sister. Then in the territory of Bredach, he built the church of Domnachbile,5 now known as Moville. Colgan does not assert, indeed, that the present Menn was one of those deacons ; but, he remarks, that the name was unusual among the Irish. *
Marianus O'Gorman enters the festival of this Deacon Menn. ' The '
MartyrologyofDonegal registersacertainDeacon,calledMenn,ofCluain Arathair, as having been venerated, on this day.
Article V. —Festival of Elithir, of Cluain Geisi. The word
Elithir, means " a pilgrim. " Through all Christian ages, a spirit of pilgrim- age succeeded to a spirit of penance. The former is one of the many phases, which the latter occasionally assumes. " This denomination may not, perhaps, be a proper name, as Dr. Reeves observes. It occurs, however, as a proper name, at the 7th of January, and at May the 12th. It seems answering to the Hiberno-Italian Pellegrini, whose feast is celebrated, at August ist. As an entry, Elithir appears, in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 25th April. In the Franciscan copy, he is noticed as Alither Cluain Geisi. 3 The name of Elithir,^ of Cluain Geise, likewise occurs, in the Martyrology of Donegal,' on this day.
Article VI. —St. Lugna, or Lughna, of Leter, or Lettrach. The name of this saint is entered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at the 25th of April, as Lugna, Lettrach. This denomination is found united with some other word, in various parts of Ireland ; so that, without some more particu- lar clue, it must be difficult to identify the exact locality of this saint. It has
been conjectured by Colgan,* that the present saint was Lugneus Mocucumin,
Article iv. — ' Edited Dr. by
' Edited no, 1 1 1.
Kelly, p. xxii. The Franciscan copy enters TJecliotien
by
Reeves, pp.
cLuiin <\|V4cViin\
'See Dr. O'Donovan's Edition, vol. i. ,
pp. 244, 245.
' This has been Anglicized " the Eastern
—Lawn, or Meadow," by the learned Editor. See ibid. , n. (d), p. 244.
'See his Life, at the 17th of March,
vol. iii.
5 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. ,cap. cxxxii. , p. 145.
Article v.
"
See Rev.
• See ibid. , nn. 176, 177, p. 181. Kelly,
' In a note to the Donegal Martyrology, Dr. Todd says, at Deacon Menn: "The
mo>t recent hand adds, 'Secundum Mar.
T)eo6uin flenn, [Deacon Nenn] . 1. ut vide- tur Nennius. '"
xxii.
Drs. Todd and
—
Malone's "Church H'slory of Ireland,"
chap. XV. , p. 374, Second Edition.
' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxii.
' The Irish equivalent is <iLiche|\ CLuAin
5eip.
'A note by Dr. Todd says, at Elithir:
" This word signifies a pilgrim. "
s Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
no, in. —
Article vi. by
p.
LugtiA leccpAcVi.
'
Edited Rev. The Franciscan copy has
" The re. ider is referred to what has been already stated, at the 20th of January, when St. Lugna, Priest of Kill-Tarsna, is vene- rated.
Sylvester
Dr.
494
LIVES OF THE IRISH SATNTS. [April 25.
brother to Lugbcus Mocucumin, and that he was a monk of lona, a disciple to St. Colunikille,3 and afterwards appointed an abbot over a monastery, in the Island of Elena. 4 According to the Martyrology of Donegal. s there was veneration paid on this day to Lughna, of Leter. There is a i)lace beanng this name between Ballyhooly and Fermoy, in the county of Cork. *
Article VII. —St. Digde, or Dighde, Virgin. This entry appears, in the Martyrology of Tallagh," at the 25th of April. Nothing more special appears regarding her. However, the name of Dighde, Virgin, is set down, also, in the Martyrology of Donegal,' as being venerated on this day.
Article VIII. —St. Suibne. In the Appendix to the Introduction of the Donegal Martyrology, edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, we find the name
of Suibne,' entered for the 25th of . \pril. ing him.
We can find nothing more regard-
Article IX. —St. Coelan, Cruimthir, of Echinis, Lough Orbsen, or Corrib, County of Galway. \Stxth Century? ^ St. Coelan, called Cruimthir Coelan, in the Acts of St. Endeus,' lived on Echinis or Horse Island, on Lough Orbsen, and his feast was held on the 25th of April, according to Roderick OTlaherty. ^ While he resided there, St. Endeus paid him a visit, and Coelan, who owned the Island,3 killed an ox, which was accustomed to draw the plough, in order to entertain his guest, with those who accompanied him. All partook of this feast, with an act of thanksgiving, except a laic who was present, and who affected to have a scruple, that by so doing he should violate some law of abstinence. * That spot,' which St. Endeus
then left, lies near Aughnanure, where there is a celebrated castle,* on the west of Lough Corrib. Near it is Enagh-Coelan, in the parish of Kilcummin,? and it is now called Annagh Keelaun. ^ Inisgerraun? adjoins the western margin of thelake. Thepresentholymanflourishedaboutthesixthcentury.
3 See his Life, at the 9th of June.
* See Colgan's "Trias Tliaumaturga,"
&c. , cap. xxvi. , at xxi. Martii. "Acta
Quarta Appendix X. , p. 491.
cap.
Quod vir sanctus (Endeus. ) percipiens, spiritu reve- lante dixit ; Tu qui cum ccetcris fratribus cilium in charitate ministratum noluisti su- mere, de carnibus equi, quem furaberis man-
ad Acta S. Columbre,
Sanctoram Hibernia;," p. 709. " * A legendary account succeeds :
5 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 110, III.
' In the old Tract, called " Forbuis Dro-
madamhghaire," translated by Mr. Joseph O'Longan, it is called Leitir, n. 10, p. 4, fol.
Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
ducabis, atque manducando jugulaberis. Quod totum illi evenit, ut vir sanctus prae- dixit. Aratores vero crastina d'e ad agrum, ubi arabant venientes unum bovem consimi- lem primo reperientes sub jugo posueruiit, sed unde bos ille ac'venerat, nescierunt. "
' In the time of O' Flaherty, it was called Inis Gearain, or Garon Island.
Articlevii. — EditedbyRev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxii. The Franciscan copy enters 'OiSTje.
u. for
' Edited
virgin. by
110, III. Article viii.
xlvii. — Article ix.
—
' at See Su'bne,
' See an illustration of with a p. it,
' the His feast occurs, at
descrip- live and liistorical article, by the late George
in the "Irish
Petrie, Esq. , Penny Journal,"
vol. i. , No. i, pp. i, 2.
' It lies within the barony of MoycuUen. ' Tliis denomination is found, on the
"Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
County of Galway," sheet 54.
' It is not noticed by name, on the Ord-
nance Survey Maps.
2ist of March. See his Life, at that date, in vol. iii. , chap. iii.
' See " A Chorographical Description of West or H. -Iar Connaught," pp. 23, 24, and nn. (d, e, f, g), ibid.
3 The old Vita S. Eiulei, as pulilished by
Colgan, says
"
erat Princeps illuis loci,"
April 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 49S
Article X. —St. Diommog, of Cluain Caoim. In the Table of the
Donegal Martyrology,' at this date, the festival of a Diommog, of Cluain- Caoiii, said to be a patron in the county of Limerick, is found entered. In
the body of the Martyrology, it does not appear, at the 2 5tli of April. It may be asked, can the present saint be identified with St. Modiomog, a bishop
and confessor, venerated at Cluain-Caoin-. \radh, in Munster, and whose feast issetdownatthelothofDecember? Wethinktheaffirmativeofsuchcon-
jecture to be sufficiently probable.
Article XI. —Festival of St. Mark, Bishop of Alexandria,
Evangelist and Martyr. On this day, the Universal Church celebrates
the Feast of St. Mark, the great Bishop of Alexandria, and the holy Evan-
gelist. ' In the Feilire of St. . (Engus, he is also recorded, and described, as deserving special commemoration. This we have already noticed.
Article XII.
