See his — On paper
Some Ecclesiastical Bells, &c.
Some Ecclesiastical Bells, &c.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
is only another form of the denomination Kill-muine.
^ See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nia," xxxi. Januarii, Vita S. Maidoci, cap.
•^5 See Colgan's
"
Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
light
538 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. . [January 31.
It appears, this strangely disposed person not only continued in his evil disinclination towards Maidoc ; but on one occasion, he even entertained a design to take away life. While the saint one day remained in the woods, with a laic, this latter was urged by the steward, to slay his holy companion. Withsuchanintention,themanraisedanaxe. Instantly,hishandsbecame withered, so that he was utterly deprived of any power to move them. ^9 Then confessing his crime, he besought pardon from his intended victim. Already aware of that dread purpose, Maidoc notwithstanding offered up prayers to God ; when, instantly this man's hands were restored to motion, and hastily he returned to the city. There he afterwards furnished an ac- count of what had occurred. That incident was miraculously conveyed to St. David, who rising from his bed, hastened with one sandal7° on his foot, towardsthewoods,sothathemightthesoonermeetMaidoc. Takingnotice of their venerable superior's hasty departure, the monks followed him to wit- ness the result. Meantime, St. Maidoc had approached a river, which was called Gladius, or in the Welsh language, Gledawh. 7^ On beholding him, David stopped and told his monks to retire, for at that same time he saw a band of angels around his disciple. This latter, observing his master wait- ing for his approach, ran forward to where he stood, and here in aftertimes a cross was erected. ? ^ Having blessed the Lord and given thanks to Him, for this miraculous preservation of his servant, they proceeded towards a church. When they had returned home, St. David a second time upbraided his procurator73 in presence of all. Then Maidoc said to his superior,
" do not Father,
because God shall
him for he us,
reproach him,
must speedily die, and no person shall know the place of his sepulture. " This prophecy was fulfilled, after the death of that unhappy man. 74
One day, having been sent with a waggon to bring some beer to the
monastery, Maidoc came to a certain valley. There both waggon and
oxen tumbled casually from a steep rock, and rolled down its declivity. The
servant of God immediately formed a sign of the cross. Wonderful to re-
late! thewaggon,beerandoxensufferednodamageinanysingleparticular. This miracle—for such it was considered—caused Maidoc's name to be held
in greater veneration. In consequence of these wonders, reports began to prevail respecting his extraordinary sanctity. At that time, a British king
had a blind, lame and deaf son. 75
xii. , p. 209.
*9 See Rev. W. J. Rees' " Lives of the
Cambro-British Saints," p. 558.
^° in the Life of St. Maidoc, and in many
other ancient lives of monks and hermits,
that kind of sandal called a fico or ficon is
mentioned, as being used by persons de- voted to a religious life.
7' InPembrokeshire,notfarfromMenevia, are two streams called in Welsh Gledawh,
said to bear the English signification of
"sword. " Whereforetheplacewhereboth
join and enter the sea is . called Aberdugle- "
The king sent him to our saint, that
"
dawh, the port of the two swords. " See monastic establishment in ancient as in
" Camden's Britannia" Pembroke-
modem times,
74 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niae," xxxi. Januarii. Vita S. Maidoci, cap. xiii. , p. 209.
Cough's
shire, vol. ii. , p. 513.
7^ A— most valuable and highly artistic
work the laborious and tasteful contribu-
tion of— O'Neill to the literature of Henry
Ireland was produced by his private enter- prise and at great expense, while residing at
75 The
punish
Fennoy in 1857. Its title is
and Illustrations of the Ancient Crosses of Ireland. " From their situation nearly all of these seem to have been sepulchral erec- tions. But, from the account in the text, and from various other sources, we learn, this placing of a cross was a common prac- tice among the Christian Celtic people to commemorate miraculous or remarkable oc- currences.
^3 This official appears to have been a very usual addition to the household or out-of- door economy connected with every large
nor of his son, has been transmitted to our times, See the account in Rev. W. J. Ree«' " Lives
name,
neither of this
king
Descriptions
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 539
through prayers, this afflicted youth might be restored. Being requested by holy Bishop David and others, Maidoc took the young man apart, and prayedtoGodforhim; whenimmediatelytheprincewasreleasedfromall his infirmities. The servant of God restored him, soundly and safely, to his parents and friends. All of these rejoiced greatly, while giving thanks to God. Anotherman,bornwithouteyesornose,7^wasbroughtfromacertain partofBritain,toberestoredbyMaidoc. ThesaintprayedtoGodforhim, and this prayer was heard; for that man, formerly so much deformed in features,receivedthesenaturalmembers. Hethengaveunfeignedthanks to God and to His servant Maidoc. 77 Another man, holding some position in society and wishing to deceive our saint, sent certain servants to require hispresence. Feigninghimselftobebothdeafandblind,thesaintsaidto that man, " Thou wouldst rule in thy country, but that thou hast wished to
tempt
Divine
bounty.
7^ Now thou seest and hearest well but because thou ;
hastlied,thoushaltbedeafandblindtotheverydayofthydeath. " As
Maidoc had prophesied, this prediction was accomplished. 79 While the
saint remained in Wales, the Angles, or people of England proper, collected a great army, and made a sudden inroad upon the Welsh, then known as Britons, and who inhabited the western mountains ot the island. ^ Those mountaineers belonged to a race, who had formerly been expelled by the Scots and by Saxon invaders from the more open and accessible parts of the country. Hastily arming in their own defence, they sent to Menevia's holy bishop, that he should despatch St. Maidoc to call down heaven's blessings upon their cause. In obedience to such a desire, Maidoc hastened to the Britishcamp,whiletheSaxonswereadvancing. Althoughbadlyprepared for an encounter, the Britons engaged their invaders ; God's servant mean- timeofferingupprayersforthesuccessofhisadoptedcountry. TheAngles were utterly routed, while the Britons, without losing a single man, pursued their enemies, for two whole days. ^^ Great had been the slaughter of those invaders, and they dared not return to Wales, so long as Maidoc remained there ; for this victory was attributed entirely to his prayers. ^^ The author of our saint's published life adds, that St. Maidoc wrought many other miracles, while living in the Welsh country. These, however, were not written for the sake of that brevity he was so studious to observe. ^3 Such as remain on record are amply sufficient to show how mighty were the favours
accorded to His saint by the Almighty.
oftheCambro-BritishSaints. " VitseSancti Aidui, p. 237, and its English translation, p. 559.
7* Such deformed persons, called in Gallic
jection by King Egbert.
"Heisstatedto
"
acts of our early saints.
"
Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nias," xxxi. Januarii. Vita S. Madoci, cap.
xiv. , XV. , xvi. , p. 210.
7^ In the old British, as in the ancient
Irish social system, persons of distinction
and of talents were usually selected to fill all
the important offices of state, or among the clans.
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Vita S. Maidoci, cap.
have expelled every Welshman from his
newly-acquired dominions, and to have
threatened them with instant death if found there within six months from his edict. "— Charles Wilkins' "Wales, Past and Present," chap, x. , pp. 6r, 62. -
®'
The Christian religion was followed, cherished and defended in the midst of the Welsh mountains, with no less fervour and zeal than national independence. See Le
**
Les Moines d'Occident," tome iii. , liv. x. , chap, ii. , p.
39.
^^ See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
Clairenich," are frequently noticed in the
77 See Colgan's
79 See
nise," xxxi. Januarii, xviii. , p. 210.
Colgan's
** The reign of petty Welsh princes is said to have continued, according to the Anglo- Saxon chronicles, until A. D. 828, when all North Wales was reduced to complete sub-
^3fbid. SeealsoRev. W. J. Rees'"Lives oftheCambro-BritishSaints. " LifeofSt. Aldus, pp. 558 to 560.
Comte de Montalembert's
niae," xxxi. Januarii. Vita S. Maidoci, cap. xvii. , p. 210.
540 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
CHAPTER III.
ST. MAIDOC GOES BACK TO IRELAND—A MIRACLE—DYMMA PRESENTS LANDS AND SERVICES TO THE SAINT—HEAVENLY ADMONITIONS—MIRACLES RECORDED—MAIDOC's SOJOURN IN THE COUNTY OF WATERFORD—DIFFICULTIES OF IDENTIFICATION— BRANDUBH, KING OF LEINSTER—HE GRANTS THE SITE OF FERNS FOR MOGUE'S RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENT—THE SAJNT'S MANNER OF LIFE—MIRACULOUS OC- CURRENCES.
St. Maidoc or Aidan, having been instructed in all sacred knowledge, and having been eminent for his miracles and virtues, asked permission from St. DavidandhismonkstoleavetheirinstitutionforIreland. ' Thisheobtained, with their benediction,^ and taking some disciples^ with him, St. Maidoc sailed over to Ireland. As he approached its shore, he beheld robbers de- spoiling and wounding some strangers, who fell into their hands. Seeing
"
this outrage, our saint said to his disciples : thosewretchedmen,whoareabouttobemurdered. " Thenhesoundeda cymbal from the sea. '* The chief of those robbers hearing it at a great dis-
" This is a trumpet-sound from a man of God, and he raises it, thatwemaynotperpetratesuchagreatcrime. " Whereupon,thebandits desisted from offering violence, and their intended victims escaped. This robber leader was a rich and powerful man, who had many warriors under his command. When Maidoc approached the shore, feeling sorry for his actions, that leader sent a soldier, named Dymma,5 to meet God's holy servant ; and on his shoulders, Maidoc was borne from the ship to land. The chief, doing penance for his former crimes, gave a tract of land as a offering to God and to St. Maidoc. Even the soldier Dymma^ pre- sented himself, his race, and his landed property for ever, to our saint. His lands lay in that part of southern Ireland, called Hy-Kinsellagh. 7
tance, said
:
Chap. hi. —' See Giraldus Cambrensis
"Opera. " Edited by J. S. Brewer, vol. iii. Historia de Vita S. Davidis Menevensis
Archiepiscopi, Lect. v. , § 2, p. 391.
' Dr. Reeves has remarked, that his his- tory became interwoven with that of Mene- via, and his abode in Britain is not only re-
him, was the son of Fintan, son of Branen, son to Kenlachan, son to Aimonius, son of Nazarius, son to Fothad. He is said to have belonged to the same line as St. Coemgin and St Berchan. To St. Maidoc he gave the site and lands for Ardladhran
church, in the territory of Hy-Kinselach. See n. 20, to the life of St. Maidoc
7 The and so
people territory distinguished
derive denomination from Eanna Ccinnsea- lach, who was the fourth in line from Ca- thaeir Mor, Monarch of Ireland, or accord- ing to another account, third in descent. In Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters" Cathaeir Mor reigned from a. d. 120 to 123, when he was slain by the cele- brated monarch Conn of the Hundred Battles. See vol. i. , pp. 102, 103. His descendant Eanna or Enna Ceinnsealach flourished during the reign of Eochaidh Muighmeadhoin, King of Ireland, a. d. 358 to 365. See ibid. , pp. 124, 125. Against
lated in his own acts, but in those of St. "
David and St. Cadoc.
See his — On paper
Some Ecclesiastical Bells, &c. " "Pro-
ceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," vol. viii.
3 Dr. Reeves calls them Irish students. See ibid.
* The Latin life of St. Maidoc has it,
"Cymbalum de mari. " It may possibly have been a conch or sea-shell he sounded, or more likely it was a bell.
5 His pedigree is given as derived from
Miledh or Milesius, and the sixtieth in de-
scent, according to the Genealogical Tables
to illustrate Loca Patriciana, by Rev. John
Francis Shearman. See "Journal of the this monarch, he is said to liave gained
Royal Historical and Archaeological Asso-
fifteen battles, while resisting the Boromha
Laighen exaction. See O'Mahony's Keat-
" of booki. , ii. , ing's History Ireland," part
chap, vii. , and nn. 25, 26, 27, pp. 368, 369,
Fourth Series, This Dyma, as the Irish language calls
ciation of Ireland," vol. ii.
No. '
16, p. 544.
Let us go in haste, to assist
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 541
Our saint afterwards caused many churches to be built in that part of the
country. ^
One day whilst our saint stood on the sea-shore,9 with his disciples,
:
Maidoc said " I am sorry I had not asked my Father David to tell me,
who should be my confessor in Ireland. " Fearing to encounter sea-dangers again, his disciples were not willing, either to re-embark with or to prepare ashipforSt. Maidoc. Then,wearetold,thatfulloffaith,heresolvedon passing over to Britain, by walking across the waves. But an angel of the Lord appeared to him, and reproved this temerity. The saint replied, that he did not act through presumption, but trusting to God's goodness and
thought, this place may now be called Ardcavan,'? in a parish so named, and within the barony of Shelmaliere. Its more ancient name was Ard- Caomhain. Ardlathrann'^ lay, however, within the boundaries of Hua or
and book ii. , part iii. , chap, x. , p. 694. Also Dr. O'Donovan's "Leahbar na g-
of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 230, 231. See his life at the 4th of August.
Ceart, or Book of Rights," n, (g), pp. 208, 209.
'3 In English, "the height of Lathrann,"
* See
nias," xxxi. Januarii. xix. , p. 210,
posed
" of
ing's History Ireland,"
chap, iv,, n. 3, p, 106.
'°
county,
This probably was written at a period,
Colgan's
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Vita S. Maidoci, cap.
9 We may suppose on some strand of
Wexford
book i. , i. , part
when no
a time, within which sacramental confession was to be made. In the Fourth General Council of Lateran, held A,D. 1215, under Pope Innocent III. , the xxi. Canon contains the Decree, which obliges all the faithful, who have come to the years of discretion, to
''' in n. 22 to hisLifeof St. By Colgan
Maidoc.
'S Having carefully examined the County Index of Townland Names, for the Ord-
nance Survey Maps of Wexford, I can find
nothing approaching it in orthography, either
under the compound title or its resolvable
simple derivatives. It is somewhat remark-
able, that all the places commencing with
"
Ard"inthecountyofWexford,arefound within the baronies of Shelmaliere (East and West) with the exception of Ardamine, in the barony of Ballaghkeen, and Ardross, in the barony of Bantry.
'* extracts from the "Annals of Among
the Four Masters" where a place called Ard- lathran occurs, at A. M. 2242, 3319, we are informed by Mr. O'Donovan, "this name does not exist at present in any part of the county Wexford. " See the first volume of extracts among the Ordnance Survey Re- cords for the County of Wexford, in the R. LA. , p. 7.
special
law of the Church defined
confess their sins at least once in the year. "
See Theologiae Moralis," Concinnatae a FranciscoPatricioKenrick,Episc, Vol,i. , tract iv. , pars, ii. , cap. ii. De Confessione Annua, pp. 201 to 203.
" The meaning of this passage evidently refers to the extraordinary sanctity of Mai-
and to his from the
doc, preservation guilt
of mortal sin, while it expresses a prevailing custom, and sanctions its adoption, in the recommendation given to him, that he should select as his "pater confessarius" the holy Molua.
'" This is the St. Molua, whose feast was
celebrated at Clonfert Molua. Tigemach
in his annals has his death under A. D. 591,
as "Obitus tug. LiiYmoil^ >• tnotuoc," if
we adopt Dr. O'Conor's opinion. See bably the saint so called.
" Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," torn.
ii. , p. 159, and n. 89, ibid. He died a. d. •605, according to Dr. O'Donovan's *' Annals
'^ Ardladhran is said to have been a terri- tory belonging to three of Colcu Mac Brea- sail's sons. See "Coimty Wexford Ex-
" Thou hast no need of but any confessor,^°
The
Godalone,forHeknowsthymostpureconscience. " However,ifthou desirest a director, take Molua," son of Coche, as thy father confessor. " Hereupon, St. Maidoc returned from the sea, and landed at a maritime towTi, named Ardlathrann. '3 This place is said to have been so called from a soldier of Cessara, named Ladhran, who had been there buried. His tomb is considered''* to have been in the diocese of Ferns and county of Wexford. Yet, it does not seem that its identity can be ascertained at present,'^ under any form among that county's townland denominations. ^^ However, it is
power.
angel
said to
him,
*'
antediluviansettlerinIreland. Itis thought to be the present Ardamine on the east coast of Wexford, where a curious moat still exists. See O'Mahony's Keat-
or
Ladhran," the proper name of a sup-
'7 In English
"
the height of Kevin," pro-
542 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
Hy-Kmselach. ^9 Whilehere,St. Maidoclikewisesatdownataplacecalled
Achell,^° where he bethought him of having forgotten a cymbal or bell in Britain. But when he found it necessary to sound this instrument, to his
great surprise and joy, he found it lying beside him, on the shore ; it having been miraculously conveyed from Britain, over the intervening sea. ^' Whe- ther or not this bell had been preserved as a relic of the saint does not seem to be known : for we are of the opinion, that the Clog Mogue or Bell of St.
Maidoc—we cannot be sure however it was our saint—had wished to enter Munster, by way of that arm of the sea^4 which divided the territory of Hy-Kinselach from the Desies' district. ^s This latter he had intended to visit. His companions, with himself, were on horseback. No vessel was readytotakethemoverthestrait; yetthesainttoldhisfellow-travellersto urge their horses onwards, and obeying this order, these are said to have passed, as if they had been on dry-land, not even their hoofs being wet. Thus by a miracle he reached the Nan-Desii Country. ^^ After this adven- ture, the blessed Maidoc built a monastery at a place called Disert-Nairbre. It is said^7 to have been situated in the diocese of Ardmore in the Decies Country f^ and again we are told,^9 it is identical with Bolhendesart,3° not far from the River Suir, in Upper Third barony, and in the county of Water- ford. Here he lived for some time, with some of his disciples. Being alone in his cell on a special time, while at this place, a remarkable miracle is stated tohavebeenwrought. Whileoursaintwasgrindingwheatandbeingina mill,acertainmanfromOssoryreceivedsomemealfromhim. Thebrethren, meantime, were engaged at out-door work. This same man, having changed his habit and appearance, pretended to be blind, and he returned again to the saint,
Mogue,^^ possessed by the Protestant Primate of Armagh, did not belong to the present holy bishop, but to a namesake, who was venerated as St. Mogue of Rossinver, in the county of Leitrim. ^3
for alms. Maidoc " hast thou acted in this manner ? replied, Why
asking
In the name of God, I will give to thee, but thou shalt be blind to the day
of thy death ; and so long as thy descendants continue, a bUnd man shall not be wanting to thy race. " And so it happened. 3^ However, it does not seem to be clearly established, that some of the foregoing adventures, as also many following acts, attributed to St. Maidoc, Bishop of Ferns, in his life, may not be referable to St. Maidoc, Abbot of Clonmore. s^ The mistake
tracts," vol. i. , p. 440. Such is Mr. O'Curry's statement, founded on the autho- rity of the Book of Lecan, fol. 103, a. col. a.
'9 A notice of Ardladhran occurs in Halli- da^s Keating's "History of Ireland," in these following words : Caojatd iomtno]\^A beAn CAni'c, •ajui' r;|\iA|\ peAp Latjiaa Ainmfi|\ 'oio'b Aguf if tiAi"6 xMnmni5ceAi\ ^]\x)La'6]\ati.
'^ I can find no place thus named on the County Index to Names on Ordnance Sur- vey Maps for the County of Wexford.
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Vita S. Maidoci, cap.
=''* Now known as Waterford Harbour.
^s in the southern part of Waterford
xxi. , p. 210.
^^ By Colgan.
^ In his n. 23, to the life of St. Maidoc,
p. 217.
^ In Smith's " Natural and Civil History
of the County and City of Waterford," chap, iii. , p. iio,
so Smith states, that St. Maidoc founded an abbey for Canons Regulars of St. Augus- tine, at this place, and in the sixth century.
3' See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
nise," xxxi. Januarii. Vita S. Maidoci, cap. xxiii. , p. 210,
32 in a certain passage, Colgan calls him Maidoc, Aid or Aidan, son of Eugene, of the royal family of the Lagenians or Leinster people. See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," viii. Februarii. DeS. Onchuone,cap. viii. ,
*' See
nise," xxxi. Januarii. XX. , p. 210.
" On this
Colgan's
see the Rev. William Reeves' paper read December 14th, 1863. " On Some Ecclesiastical Bells in the Col- lection of the Lord Primate. " See " Pro- ceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," vol.
viii. , pp. 441 to 450.
'3 See notices of him at the 5th of Janu-
ary,art. iii.
subject,
county. ^* See
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," xxxi. Januarii. Vita S. Maidoci, cap.
Colgan's
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 543
might arise from these probabiHties, that both belonged to the north of Ire- land by family descent, both lived near each other in Hy-Kinsellagh, and
they appear to have been nearly, if not quite, contemporaneous. 33 Under such circumstances, the biographer may have confounded the series of their respective transactions. That Maidoc, who went into the Nan-Desii terri- tory—where probably he only continued for a short period,—is afterwards stated to have built many monasteries through the circuit of Hy-Kinsellagh. 34 Among these is specially mentioned Cluain Dicholla Garibh, or DichoUa Gairbir. 35 It appears to have been so called from a St.
