"
s* Cummian says :
interrogavi patres meos, ut annunciarent nnlii.
s* Cummian says :
interrogavi patres meos, ut annunciarent nnlii.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v9
Kieran dwelt there, and began the foundation of a great monastery.
Many flocked to him, when his monastery had been founded at Clonmacnoise.
His district embraced a wide circuit.
Soon his fame became celebrated throughout the whole ot Ireland.
3 1 A very ancient old vellum book states, that Ciaran of Cluain was in his habits and life like unto John the Apostle.
His great virtues and miracles made him be known as a remarkable saint, both at home and abroad.
His love for chastity and truth is thus traditionally recorded by Cuimin of Coindeire,3' who in the
states,
the fort of Macha loves," etc. , that Ciaran never looked upon a woman, from
the time he was born, and that he never told a lie. 33 Nor indeed is it to be a subject for wonder, that brief as had been his rule at Clonmacnois,3* he
Cianin to Diarmait when setting the stake, mos Kieranus unico solum anno, secundum "Let, O warrior, thy hand be over my nonnullus (perperam opinor) annis septem
hand, and thou shalt be in sovereignty over prsefuit abbas, morte ibi ereptus v. Idus the men of Ireland. " " I agree," saith Septembris, anno salutis per Christum
Diarmait, "provided thou givest a sign to me in confirmation. " " I will say it then,"
"
though thou art alone to- day, thou wilt be king of Ireland at this hour to-morrow. " That promise was real- ized, for Tiiathal Maelgarb, King of Ire- land, was killed on that night, and Diarmait took the kingdom of Ireland on the morrow, and offered a hundred churches to Ciaran. This is followed by confirmatory verses,
taken from an Irish poem.
dxlix. , in ipso aetatis flore, cum annos vixisset solum triginta ties. " See " Com- mentarius de Prsesulibus Hiberniae," p. 95.
29 These state, moreover, that Kieran died
the year immediately succeeding its founda- tion.
30 By O'Sheerin, in "Collectanea Sacra. "
Dissertatione de S. Columbani Monachatu,
art. hi. , sect, ii. , num. 84, pp. 433, 434.
31 O'Sheerin adds: "Clara civitas et sancta in ipso loco in honore S. Kiarani crevit, cujus nomen Cluainmicnois vocatur, quae est in Occidentali plaga regionis nepotum Neill, super ripam Orientalem fluminis Sinna, con- tra provinciam Connachtorum, in qua sive reges sive duces nepotum Neill et Connach-
replied Ciaran,
poem
which u Patrick of begins,
torum apud S. Kiaranum sepeliuntur. "
32 See the " of Martyrology Donegal,"
edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 240,
"
The holy Ciaran, of Cluain, loves Humility, from which he did not rashly
swerve
He never uttered a word that was false, Nor looked upon woman from his birth. "
—Ibid. , p. 243.
—" Histoire Monastique il'Irlande," p. 40. Alemand has some mistakes in his short
224 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September9.
was ranked among the foremost Patriarchs of Irish monks. *5 On a certain day, as Ciaran was sowing seed at Iseal Chiarain, a poor man came to ask alms from him. Ciaran threw a handful of the grain into his breast, and it was immediately turned into gold. At this time the king, i. e. Aenghus, son of Crimthann, sent two horses and a chariot to Ciaran. Our saint gave those horses to the poor man for the gold, and the gold was turned into grain immediately, while the field was sown with it afterwards, so that there was not in the whole territory corn better than what grew there. *6 We are informed,3? that on a certain occasion this holy man visited some female religious, who were under the guardianship of our Saint Kieran. For the latter holy abbot, according to this legend, a meal had been prepared, but of this St. Aedus partook.
their arrived near the patrons
place,
said,
paragraph relating to St. Kieran. Thus he seems to confound Clunes or Clones with Clonmacnoise, and where he found Kilcom
4° However, we are told, that the original denomination was Ath-more, or "the great ford. " It was afterwards changed to Ath- Luain, or the " ford of Luan," a man's name, formerly very common. In an old Irish tale, known as the " Fate of the Children of Tuireann," the place is called Ath-Luain- mic-Luighdheach, or the "Ford of Luan the son of Lewy. " See Dr. Patrick W.
as an alterative does not appear. Also he "
remarks of St. Kieran, encore Evesque de Clunes, est appelle par des Historiens
Episcopus Coloniensis, ce qui a donne oc- casion de croire qu'il avoit este Evesque et
au lieu de Cloniensis. "
"
35 See
de Monasiica S. Columbani Luxoviensis et Bobiensis Abbatis Professionc, art. iii. , sect, ii. , num. 84, p. 434.
36 See the " of Martyrology Donegal,"
edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 240. 241.
Names of Places," part iii. , chap, v. , p. 342.
Collectanea Sacra. " Dissertatio
Knowing the poverty of those nuns, when
Aedus
meat and drink as before, and they shall be replenished. " 38 This being
done, the prediction was fulfilled, and St. Kieran was suitably entertained by his religious sisters. 39
The chief foundation of St. Kieran, as mentioned in old Latin
documents, is usually written Cluanense. In our times, it is better known
as Clonmacnoise, and after St. Kiarain's monastery had been there estab-
lished, it grew to the dimensions of a considerable city or town. In due
course, it became an episcopal see. Yet, Sir James Ware confesses himself
uninformed, regarding the exact period, when St. Kieran's foundation was
merged into a Cathedral Church. The ruins of this establishment are yet
traceable on the Shannon's eastern banks, and on the western borders of the
oldMeathianprovince. FromtheancientnameAth-Luain,* thepresenttown
1
ofAthlone,* situatedchieflyontheConnaughtsideoftheriver,isabouteight
or nine miles northwards from Clonmacnoise. It is the most central town in Ireland ; and although from the denomination regarded as a ford on the old
Shannon, it had a bridge which spanned the river, at a very early period, and afforded a means of communication between the provinces of Leinster and
Connaught. 42 A strong castle, to command the passage of the Shannon, was built at Athlone, so early as the reign of King John. Walls around the
Archevesque de Cologne en Allemagne, mais
il n'a este appelle Coloniensis que par erreur Joyce's "Origin and History of Irish
and St. Peter's, containing ilia. 2r. 3p. , 37 In the Acts of St. Aedus, Bishop of in the barony of Athlone, is noted
"
Ordnance Survey Townland See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Maps for the County of Roscommon,"
Killare, at the 28th of February. on the 3S "
nice," Vita S. Aedi,cap. xix. , and n. 18, p. 420.
sheet 52.
39 Yet this account is so
in Suysken's opinion, that it is placed on re-
cord, merely to satisfy the curiosity of some readers.
** A and an very complete
patently fabulous,
interesting account of Athlone may be read in the
4I Athlone has two
viz.
St.
" vessels of Lay your
parishes,
Mary's, in the barony of Brawny, containing
37-a. ir. 3p. , and it is marked on the
"Ordnance Townland for Survey Maps
the County of Westmeath," sheet 29 ;
"
i. , pp. 95 to 101.
Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland," vol.
:
September 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 225
land sides of the two divisions of the town were probably soon afterwards constructed : and they appear to have been either enlarged, or at least
repaired and strengthened, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The castle and a portion of the fortifications still remain. ** Here, too, were former
religious foundations; but of these no traces at present remain. The bridge
North Gate, Athlone.
which spanned the Shannon at the close of the seventeenth century, has long
since been removed. ** With lapse of time, nine churches, besides the original
6
foundation, are said *s to have stood within the cemetery,* at Clonmacnoise.
This contained less than two Irish acres. *? Eastwards from the cemetery
Formerly Clonmac- However, the former
8 After the introduction of the Reformation to Ireland, by an Act of Parliament, the independent See of Clonmacnoise had been added to that of Meath, a. d. i568. '4 9 At the present time, some curious ancient inscriptions still remain. The claim of St. Kieran to be considered first Abbot of Clonmacnoise has been invariably admitted. By others, he has been regarded as its first bishop. It
43 The accompanying illustration, drawn be seen in Bartlett's "Scenery and Anti-
enclosure certain episcopal buildings had been erected. noise See had been enriched with abundant revenues.
episcopal city
lias now dwindled to an
insignificant village/
on the wood and engraved by Gregor Grey, represents the North Gate of Athlone.
**
Porter writes, "quod suum habet Castrum
quities of Ireland," vol. i. Letterpress descriptions serve to illustrate them. See
In allusion to Athlone, Father Francis
et Pontem e vivo saxo pulcherrimum. '. '— scenery, character," &c, vol. ii. , pp. 1 91, 192.
"
Compendium Annalium Ecclesiasticorum Regni Hibernia\" Sectio Prima, cap. iii. , P- 44-
45 By Sir James Ware.
46 There are three exquisite steel engrav- ings of the Antiquities at Clonmacnoise to
48 This had occurred over two hundred years ago, as we find in a note of Colgan,
"
Acta Sanctorum Ilibernire," Januarii xx. Vita S.
Molagg. x, n. 26, p. 150.
49 According to Sir James Ware.
chap, xiv. , pp. lot to 105.
v See Mr. and Mrs. Hall's " Ireland : its
appended to St. Molagga's Life. See
P
226 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 9.
seems to be more than doubtful, however, if Clonmacnoise had been erected into an episcopal See during the life-time of our saint. Neither Archbishop Ussher nor Colgan favour any idea, that he ever rose above the rank of Abbot. The latter writer gives St. Kieran this title only, while distinguishing
Ailbeus,s° as archbishop and bishop of Emly, in Munster,$
x
In one of the
old Irish Epistles,s»published by Ussher,53 nothing seems clearly demonstrable, regarding the rank held by our saint, in the Irish Church. 54 When treating
of the monastery at this place, Sir James Ware leaves us doubtful, about the time when a cathedra! church had been there erected. 55 It is observed, by him,56 that a certain Baitan, first noted as abbot and bishop of the place, died on the 1st March, 663. 5? Allemand,58 who flourished at a period still later than Sir James Ware, does not hesitate to make our Saint a bishop, citing the authority both of Ussher and Colgan. 59 Harris seems to make our Saint bishop of Clonmacnoise, owing to an obvious mistake he has committed, by placing
60
This latter mistake of whilst adding another, when he intro- duces Oedhlugh, abbot of this place, as having died on the 26th day of Feb- ruary,a. d. 551. However,notingthesilenceofallancientIrishMartyrologists and writers on the subject of Kieran having been bishop of Clonmacnoise; also, the prose Life of St. Senan describing when this holy man had been visited by Kieran, the latter being represented only as a priest, nor, do we learn elsewhere, that he became bishop : wherefore, we must probably regard him ashavingbeensimplyanabbotoverClonmacnoise. Thisseemstobemost likely, as he is generally allowed to have lived there only for one year, which could scarcely suffice for its growth and consolidation, to require its erection into a See, or as the chief seat for a diocesan district. It has been supposed, that the idea of St. Kyran having been the first bishop over Clonmacnoise,
arose, either from an erroneous opinion of his namesake, St. Kieran, abbot and bishop of Saigir, having been confounded with the abbot of Clonmac- noise,62 or that Kieran of Saigir had been reputed first founder of
s° His feast occurs on the 12th September. 55 "
Tighernach there, as immediate successor of Kieran.
Harris has been followed by Archdall,
61
ccenobii ecclesia postea, sed quo See his life at that date, in the present tempore, me latet, in ecclesiam cathedralem
commutata est. Non desunt quidem, qui S. 51 "Successor Queraini Coloniensis, vel Kieranum episcopum fuisse Cloinmac-
volume, Art. i.
rectius . . . Kierani Clonensis seu Cluan- ensis, abbas de Cluain, alias Cluain-mic-nois, in limite Mediae. " — " Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," Februarii xxiv. Vita S. Cuminwi, n. 16, p. 41 1.
noisensem, diserte tra:lunt. Hoc si vetum, de ecclesioc cathedralis initio, non est quod ulterius disquiramus. "—" Commentarius de Prsesulibus Hibernian," p. 95.
s* " Ultrum recte, non inquiro ; ut velim, 52 This is attributed to Cummian, who saltern paucis recensuisset scriptoris, a wrote to Segienus, abbot of Iona, in the quibus sancti episcopatum Cluain-mic-
seventh century, regarding the Paschal controversy ; and, it has a great historic value, as referring to individual Irish saints oi an earlier period, and to the traditions of the ancient Irish Church.
"
s* Cummian says :
interrogavi patres meos, ut annunciarent nnlii. successores videlicet nostrorum patrum
priorum, Abbei episcopi, Querani Colon—i- ensis, Brendini, Neesani, Lugidi," &c.
••
Sylloge Yeterum Epistolarum Hiberni- carum, num. xi.
noisensem diserte traditum repent. "
57 In Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," while his death is placed at this date, he is only styled Baetan Mac-Ua- Cormaic, Abbot of Cluain-mic-Nois. See
vol. i. , pp. 274, 275. 58Seehis"HistoireMonastiqued'Irlande,"
p. 40,
59 However, neither of these authors posi-
Juxta Duteronomion,
54 In the Epistle of Cummian, it must be
remarked, that where Albeus is styled a
bishop, no such distinctive title follows for
St. Queran, whose connection with Clon- James Ware, who in treating about the macnoise is simply stated. Ossorian bishops says, that Kieran of
Hujus
tively assert such 60
a statement.
See Harris' Ware, vol. i. "Bishops of
Clonmacnoise," p. 167. But Tigernach was bishop at Clones, and not at Clonmacnoise.
61 62
See "Monasticon Ilibernicum," p. 380. This seems to have been done by Sir
September 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 227
Clonmacnoise episcopal See, and this for no better reason, than because its precise erection as such can be referred to no exact date. 63
CHAPTER IV.
VARIOUS POETICAL PIECES STATED TO HAVE BEEN THE COMPOSITIONS OF ST. KIERAN— HE WAS AUTHOR OF A SPECIAL RELIGIOUS RULE—THE YEAR OF ST. KIERAN'S DEATH—HIS BURIAL AND RELICS AT CLONMACNOISE—COMPOSITION IN PRAISE OF ITS FOUNDER ATTRIBUTED TO ST. COLUMBA—COMMEMORATIONS AND CELE- BRATIONS OF ST. KIERAN—MEMORIALS—CONCLUSION.
To St. Kiaran have been ascribed the gifts of a poetic genius ; and even
various compositions attributed to him are handed down to our time. It
was Ciaran, we are told, that composed the celebrated poetical lay which
begins :
" An rim a ri an richid rain," &c, asking of God a prolongation of
his life, that he might perform more labour and service to Him. There is a
Poem attributed to St. Kiarain, among the Manuscripts of Trinity College,
Dublin. 1 The Kierain intended is
probably
the Patron of Clonmacnoise.
Among the Poems, ascribed to St. Ciaran of Clonmacnoise, there is one,
" On the two of the Priest Isacar, Anna and 2 There is
Daughters Mary. "
a supposed Poem of Ciaran, invoking the protection of an Angel or an Archangel, for each day of the week; 3 and another Poem, invoking the Saints of the Four Seasons of the Year. * A Poem of St. Ciaran, containing 32 verses, is to be found among the O'Longan Manuscripts. 5 He is made
Ware. 6 An ancient
poem, ascribed to St. Ciaran, is to be met with among the O'Longan
Manuscripts? preserved in the Royal Irish Academy.
From various passages in Colgan, it would appear, that Kiaran had been
regardedasoneamongtheprincipalIrishSaints. Wearetold,thatinsome Manuscripts, he is called one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. 8 Some doubt seems to exist about our Saint being the Cieran, mentioned in Ussher's Catalogue^ as belonging to the Second Class of Irish Saints, rather than the less celebrated St. Kieran of 10 When forth the old
the author of certain Sir prophecies by
James
prophetic
Saigir. setting
catalogue of Irish Saints, among those of the second order, who observed different rules, we find the name of St. Kieran, St. Ciaran, or St. Queran,
Saighir died- in 549, thus making him iden- tical with Kieran of Clonmacnoise.
63 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
8
See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," Notes
Septembris
ix. Acta S. Kieranii, sect,
vi. ,
9 to Rev. Dr. According
Lanigan.
num. 66, —
67, 68, 69, p. 383.
'
to caution the reader
proper against
Chapter iv.
It is classed H. I. II.
It consists of 36 verses, and it is to be found among the O'Longan MSS. , of the
Royal Irish Academy, vol. iv. , p. 281, paper folio.
3
It is in 32 verses, and found in a folio paper Manuscript, written by Michael Oge O'Longan, in and after the year 1799. This is in vol. iv. of the O'Longan collection,
2
in the Royal Irish Academy, pp. 40, 41.
4 I0
It is in 30 Stanzas, p. 42, ibid.
5 In vol. xiv. , p. 1S4.
6 See " De Scriptoribus Hibernine," lib. i. ,
cap. 2.
In vol. Liv. , p. 173.
pp. 52, 53.
This latter was omitted, by Ussher's
authority, as also many other saints of the
period; for the author of the catalogue
only named holy persons most generally celebrated.
to the Life of St. Finian, at the 23rd of
February, p. 398. Also, see n. 4, p. 402.
" It is an error of the press in the London or folio edition, p. 474 of Ussher's Primordia, where in the list of the Second Class, Ceranus occurs instead of Cemanus. This erratum might induce a person at first sight to think, that
Kiaran of Saigir was mentioned in that list, The sequel, how—ever, shows, that the name was Cemanus. '1 '' " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, xi. , n. 164,
228 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 9.
mentioned by Ussher. And quoting the Book of Navan, we are further informed,thatthisSaintwroteamonasticRule. " ThiswascalledtheLaw of Kieran. Nearly all our ancient and modern authors are agreed, that St. Kieran of Clonmacnoise, who was also known as son of the Artificer, must be reckoned amongst the eight principal Irish Saints, who wrote special
12
monastic rules, for the government of religious houses
Moreover, he is enumerated among the eight principal founders of regular monasteries in our
x
Island. 3 Among these institutions, the following gradation brings us to our
abbot : viz. , the first rule was that of St. Patrick the second that of ;
St. Brigid ; the third that of St. Brendan j the fourth that of St. Kieran, &C. 1 * Thomas Siring with various Irish writers, mentions this Special Rule of our Saint. At the year 743, Archbishop Ussher remark's, that the monastic Rules of St. Kieran, son to the artificer, and those of St. Brendan, son to
16
Finlog, were propagated in Ireland. fromaHymn,attributedtohisholyfellow-Apostle,Columba. Inthis,our Saint's eulogy is pronounced ; he has been regarded as one of Ireland's
and
O'Donnell's Life of St. Columba, we are told, that when the holy abbot of Iona visited Clonmacnoise, he showed St. Kieran, abbot of this monastery,
18
principal sons,
justly
considered one of its 1? In great Apostles.
a hymn which he had before composed in praise of God.
This he wished Kieran to read. ^ It is said that contemning this world's vanities and entering a monastery, he became a venerable monk of the Benedictine Order, and afterwards an Abbot. 20 However, it must be observed, that the special Rule of St. Benedict had not been brought into Ireland, until many centuries after the death of our saint. It is stated, in a silly legend, that the saints of Ireland fasted to cut short Ciaran's life, when he drew nigh unto death, and because he alone had the half of Ireland. 21 However, their petition was not
"He adds: " ***
alia est ilia lex
j s See " Collectanea Sacra-" Dissertatione de Monachatu S. Columbani, sect. 2.
l6 See Index Chronologicus ad annum,
1
Neque
cujus amplificatum usum ad
Ciarini,
annum dccxliii. , in Annalibus Ultonien- sibus observavimus. "—" Britannicarum Ec-
lxxii, p. 1170.
li The
— quoted
clesiarum Addenda Antiquitates," quaedam
et emendanda, p. 1050
12 Edward O Reilly states
following
verse is
:
" He wrote a Rule for Monks, in Irish metre, said to be amongst the MSS. of Trinity
Again, another testimony is produced
Quantum Christe 6 Apostolum Mundo missiti hominem ;
Lucerna hujus insulse, Lucens lucerna mirabilis, &c.
" Trias
Colgan's Thaumaturga,''
Chronological Account of Tertia Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse, secunda pars. , pp. 471 et seq.
College Library ; but in the present im- perfect state of the Catalogue of MSS. in
library,
"
xxxv. , xxxvi.
13 In this same sense, Thomas Sirin, an
Irish Minorite, in his Dissertation on St.
Columbanus, art. —iii. , § 2, quotes Alcuinus,
,8
See ibid. , Vita Quinta S. Columbw, Lib. lxx. , pp. 400, 401.
,9 The Bollandist editor would not under- take to deny, that a hymn, in praise of our
:
carm. 246, thus Saint,
had been and composed by Columba,
Patricius, Cheranus, Scotorum gbloria „enti5
Atque Co'lumbanus, Comgallus Adamnanus atque
Praclari patres morum, viUeque magistri :
Ilinc'pietas/precibus horum nos adjuvet omnes.
u composed the death of St. Kieran.
MSee " Trias Colgan's
counsels acted on in Ireland through the advice of saints were : First, the cutting
Thaumaturga. " Qnarta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii pars
shert of Ciarain's life ;
ment of Columkille ; and thirdly, the ex- pulsion of Mochuda from Raithin.
ii. , p. 214.
:
—we have not been able to See
that
discover it. "
nearly Four Hundred Irish Writers," pp.
presented to the inmates of Clonmacnoise.
But h seems to have been after >
S'
The Aberdeen Breviary, and the fol- lowers of the Benedictine rule, greatly venerating him, likewise seem to con- slder nim as tneir f°uncler and spiritual
father in Ireland.
,
2,It 1S related, that the three worst ,
secondly,
the banish-
September 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 229
granted by the Almighty, until he fasted with them, and for their intention. Then Odran" of Lettracha Odrain and Mac Ciiilin^ of Lusk, together with an angel, went to tell him for what the saints fasted. Whereupon, he sang a hymn, and left an injunction on his monks, never to promise ought before they knew that purpose had in view. 2* In the Life of St. Kevin,3* we have related some particulars, taken from the old acts of that holy Abbot of Glendalough, and which refer to St. Kyrain's death. Those statements are seemingly regarded as apocryphal, by Baert and Suyskens ; although this latter writer allows some truth may be concealed under a legendary garb. If credit attach to this account, St. Kevin was present at St. Kyran's decease.
According to Tighernach, our saint died a. d. 549, in the thirty-first year of
26
his age.
tradition for many centuries at Clonmacnoise. ? According to the Life of St. Kiaran, he was called to the kingdom of eternal glory, in the thirty-third year of his age. He is compared to Christ in this regard, as also in the cir-
This seems, also, to have been the generally accepted popular 2
cumstance, that he was known as the son of a carpenter.
28
The same short
term of life is to 2 9 The Book of Navan and the Ulster given him, by Colgan.
Annals only allow thirty-three years, as the term of his life : while the former record states, that he only lived one year in his city of Clonmacnoise ; the latter places his death at 548. According to the Ulster Annals, he departed
in the
thirty-fourth year.
3°
The Annals of Cambria 3 1 the death of St.
states,
the fort of Macha loves," etc. , that Ciaran never looked upon a woman, from
the time he was born, and that he never told a lie. 33 Nor indeed is it to be a subject for wonder, that brief as had been his rule at Clonmacnois,3* he
Cianin to Diarmait when setting the stake, mos Kieranus unico solum anno, secundum "Let, O warrior, thy hand be over my nonnullus (perperam opinor) annis septem
hand, and thou shalt be in sovereignty over prsefuit abbas, morte ibi ereptus v. Idus the men of Ireland. " " I agree," saith Septembris, anno salutis per Christum
Diarmait, "provided thou givest a sign to me in confirmation. " " I will say it then,"
"
though thou art alone to- day, thou wilt be king of Ireland at this hour to-morrow. " That promise was real- ized, for Tiiathal Maelgarb, King of Ire- land, was killed on that night, and Diarmait took the kingdom of Ireland on the morrow, and offered a hundred churches to Ciaran. This is followed by confirmatory verses,
taken from an Irish poem.
dxlix. , in ipso aetatis flore, cum annos vixisset solum triginta ties. " See " Com- mentarius de Prsesulibus Hiberniae," p. 95.
29 These state, moreover, that Kieran died
the year immediately succeeding its founda- tion.
30 By O'Sheerin, in "Collectanea Sacra. "
Dissertatione de S. Columbani Monachatu,
art. hi. , sect, ii. , num. 84, pp. 433, 434.
31 O'Sheerin adds: "Clara civitas et sancta in ipso loco in honore S. Kiarani crevit, cujus nomen Cluainmicnois vocatur, quae est in Occidentali plaga regionis nepotum Neill, super ripam Orientalem fluminis Sinna, con- tra provinciam Connachtorum, in qua sive reges sive duces nepotum Neill et Connach-
replied Ciaran,
poem
which u Patrick of begins,
torum apud S. Kiaranum sepeliuntur. "
32 See the " of Martyrology Donegal,"
edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 240,
"
The holy Ciaran, of Cluain, loves Humility, from which he did not rashly
swerve
He never uttered a word that was false, Nor looked upon woman from his birth. "
—Ibid. , p. 243.
—" Histoire Monastique il'Irlande," p. 40. Alemand has some mistakes in his short
224 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September9.
was ranked among the foremost Patriarchs of Irish monks. *5 On a certain day, as Ciaran was sowing seed at Iseal Chiarain, a poor man came to ask alms from him. Ciaran threw a handful of the grain into his breast, and it was immediately turned into gold. At this time the king, i. e. Aenghus, son of Crimthann, sent two horses and a chariot to Ciaran. Our saint gave those horses to the poor man for the gold, and the gold was turned into grain immediately, while the field was sown with it afterwards, so that there was not in the whole territory corn better than what grew there. *6 We are informed,3? that on a certain occasion this holy man visited some female religious, who were under the guardianship of our Saint Kieran. For the latter holy abbot, according to this legend, a meal had been prepared, but of this St. Aedus partook.
their arrived near the patrons
place,
said,
paragraph relating to St. Kieran. Thus he seems to confound Clunes or Clones with Clonmacnoise, and where he found Kilcom
4° However, we are told, that the original denomination was Ath-more, or "the great ford. " It was afterwards changed to Ath- Luain, or the " ford of Luan," a man's name, formerly very common. In an old Irish tale, known as the " Fate of the Children of Tuireann," the place is called Ath-Luain- mic-Luighdheach, or the "Ford of Luan the son of Lewy. " See Dr. Patrick W.
as an alterative does not appear. Also he "
remarks of St. Kieran, encore Evesque de Clunes, est appelle par des Historiens
Episcopus Coloniensis, ce qui a donne oc- casion de croire qu'il avoit este Evesque et
au lieu de Cloniensis. "
"
35 See
de Monasiica S. Columbani Luxoviensis et Bobiensis Abbatis Professionc, art. iii. , sect, ii. , num. 84, p. 434.
36 See the " of Martyrology Donegal,"
edited by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 240. 241.
Names of Places," part iii. , chap, v. , p. 342.
Collectanea Sacra. " Dissertatio
Knowing the poverty of those nuns, when
Aedus
meat and drink as before, and they shall be replenished. " 38 This being
done, the prediction was fulfilled, and St. Kieran was suitably entertained by his religious sisters. 39
The chief foundation of St. Kieran, as mentioned in old Latin
documents, is usually written Cluanense. In our times, it is better known
as Clonmacnoise, and after St. Kiarain's monastery had been there estab-
lished, it grew to the dimensions of a considerable city or town. In due
course, it became an episcopal see. Yet, Sir James Ware confesses himself
uninformed, regarding the exact period, when St. Kieran's foundation was
merged into a Cathedral Church. The ruins of this establishment are yet
traceable on the Shannon's eastern banks, and on the western borders of the
oldMeathianprovince. FromtheancientnameAth-Luain,* thepresenttown
1
ofAthlone,* situatedchieflyontheConnaughtsideoftheriver,isabouteight
or nine miles northwards from Clonmacnoise. It is the most central town in Ireland ; and although from the denomination regarded as a ford on the old
Shannon, it had a bridge which spanned the river, at a very early period, and afforded a means of communication between the provinces of Leinster and
Connaught. 42 A strong castle, to command the passage of the Shannon, was built at Athlone, so early as the reign of King John. Walls around the
Archevesque de Cologne en Allemagne, mais
il n'a este appelle Coloniensis que par erreur Joyce's "Origin and History of Irish
and St. Peter's, containing ilia. 2r. 3p. , 37 In the Acts of St. Aedus, Bishop of in the barony of Athlone, is noted
"
Ordnance Survey Townland See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Maps for the County of Roscommon,"
Killare, at the 28th of February. on the 3S "
nice," Vita S. Aedi,cap. xix. , and n. 18, p. 420.
sheet 52.
39 Yet this account is so
in Suysken's opinion, that it is placed on re-
cord, merely to satisfy the curiosity of some readers.
** A and an very complete
patently fabulous,
interesting account of Athlone may be read in the
4I Athlone has two
viz.
St.
" vessels of Lay your
parishes,
Mary's, in the barony of Brawny, containing
37-a. ir. 3p. , and it is marked on the
"Ordnance Townland for Survey Maps
the County of Westmeath," sheet 29 ;
"
i. , pp. 95 to 101.
Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland," vol.
:
September 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 225
land sides of the two divisions of the town were probably soon afterwards constructed : and they appear to have been either enlarged, or at least
repaired and strengthened, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The castle and a portion of the fortifications still remain. ** Here, too, were former
religious foundations; but of these no traces at present remain. The bridge
North Gate, Athlone.
which spanned the Shannon at the close of the seventeenth century, has long
since been removed. ** With lapse of time, nine churches, besides the original
6
foundation, are said *s to have stood within the cemetery,* at Clonmacnoise.
This contained less than two Irish acres. *? Eastwards from the cemetery
Formerly Clonmac- However, the former
8 After the introduction of the Reformation to Ireland, by an Act of Parliament, the independent See of Clonmacnoise had been added to that of Meath, a. d. i568. '4 9 At the present time, some curious ancient inscriptions still remain. The claim of St. Kieran to be considered first Abbot of Clonmacnoise has been invariably admitted. By others, he has been regarded as its first bishop. It
43 The accompanying illustration, drawn be seen in Bartlett's "Scenery and Anti-
enclosure certain episcopal buildings had been erected. noise See had been enriched with abundant revenues.
episcopal city
lias now dwindled to an
insignificant village/
on the wood and engraved by Gregor Grey, represents the North Gate of Athlone.
**
Porter writes, "quod suum habet Castrum
quities of Ireland," vol. i. Letterpress descriptions serve to illustrate them. See
In allusion to Athlone, Father Francis
et Pontem e vivo saxo pulcherrimum. '. '— scenery, character," &c, vol. ii. , pp. 1 91, 192.
"
Compendium Annalium Ecclesiasticorum Regni Hibernia\" Sectio Prima, cap. iii. , P- 44-
45 By Sir James Ware.
46 There are three exquisite steel engrav- ings of the Antiquities at Clonmacnoise to
48 This had occurred over two hundred years ago, as we find in a note of Colgan,
"
Acta Sanctorum Ilibernire," Januarii xx. Vita S.
Molagg. x, n. 26, p. 150.
49 According to Sir James Ware.
chap, xiv. , pp. lot to 105.
v See Mr. and Mrs. Hall's " Ireland : its
appended to St. Molagga's Life. See
P
226 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 9.
seems to be more than doubtful, however, if Clonmacnoise had been erected into an episcopal See during the life-time of our saint. Neither Archbishop Ussher nor Colgan favour any idea, that he ever rose above the rank of Abbot. The latter writer gives St. Kieran this title only, while distinguishing
Ailbeus,s° as archbishop and bishop of Emly, in Munster,$
x
In one of the
old Irish Epistles,s»published by Ussher,53 nothing seems clearly demonstrable, regarding the rank held by our saint, in the Irish Church. 54 When treating
of the monastery at this place, Sir James Ware leaves us doubtful, about the time when a cathedra! church had been there erected. 55 It is observed, by him,56 that a certain Baitan, first noted as abbot and bishop of the place, died on the 1st March, 663. 5? Allemand,58 who flourished at a period still later than Sir James Ware, does not hesitate to make our Saint a bishop, citing the authority both of Ussher and Colgan. 59 Harris seems to make our Saint bishop of Clonmacnoise, owing to an obvious mistake he has committed, by placing
60
This latter mistake of whilst adding another, when he intro- duces Oedhlugh, abbot of this place, as having died on the 26th day of Feb- ruary,a. d. 551. However,notingthesilenceofallancientIrishMartyrologists and writers on the subject of Kieran having been bishop of Clonmacnoise; also, the prose Life of St. Senan describing when this holy man had been visited by Kieran, the latter being represented only as a priest, nor, do we learn elsewhere, that he became bishop : wherefore, we must probably regard him ashavingbeensimplyanabbotoverClonmacnoise. Thisseemstobemost likely, as he is generally allowed to have lived there only for one year, which could scarcely suffice for its growth and consolidation, to require its erection into a See, or as the chief seat for a diocesan district. It has been supposed, that the idea of St. Kyran having been the first bishop over Clonmacnoise,
arose, either from an erroneous opinion of his namesake, St. Kieran, abbot and bishop of Saigir, having been confounded with the abbot of Clonmac- noise,62 or that Kieran of Saigir had been reputed first founder of
s° His feast occurs on the 12th September. 55 "
Tighernach there, as immediate successor of Kieran.
Harris has been followed by Archdall,
61
ccenobii ecclesia postea, sed quo See his life at that date, in the present tempore, me latet, in ecclesiam cathedralem
commutata est. Non desunt quidem, qui S. 51 "Successor Queraini Coloniensis, vel Kieranum episcopum fuisse Cloinmac-
volume, Art. i.
rectius . . . Kierani Clonensis seu Cluan- ensis, abbas de Cluain, alias Cluain-mic-nois, in limite Mediae. " — " Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," Februarii xxiv. Vita S. Cuminwi, n. 16, p. 41 1.
noisensem, diserte tra:lunt. Hoc si vetum, de ecclesioc cathedralis initio, non est quod ulterius disquiramus. "—" Commentarius de Prsesulibus Hibernian," p. 95.
s* " Ultrum recte, non inquiro ; ut velim, 52 This is attributed to Cummian, who saltern paucis recensuisset scriptoris, a wrote to Segienus, abbot of Iona, in the quibus sancti episcopatum Cluain-mic-
seventh century, regarding the Paschal controversy ; and, it has a great historic value, as referring to individual Irish saints oi an earlier period, and to the traditions of the ancient Irish Church.
"
s* Cummian says :
interrogavi patres meos, ut annunciarent nnlii. successores videlicet nostrorum patrum
priorum, Abbei episcopi, Querani Colon—i- ensis, Brendini, Neesani, Lugidi," &c.
••
Sylloge Yeterum Epistolarum Hiberni- carum, num. xi.
noisensem diserte traditum repent. "
57 In Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," while his death is placed at this date, he is only styled Baetan Mac-Ua- Cormaic, Abbot of Cluain-mic-Nois. See
vol. i. , pp. 274, 275. 58Seehis"HistoireMonastiqued'Irlande,"
p. 40,
59 However, neither of these authors posi-
Juxta Duteronomion,
54 In the Epistle of Cummian, it must be
remarked, that where Albeus is styled a
bishop, no such distinctive title follows for
St. Queran, whose connection with Clon- James Ware, who in treating about the macnoise is simply stated. Ossorian bishops says, that Kieran of
Hujus
tively assert such 60
a statement.
See Harris' Ware, vol. i. "Bishops of
Clonmacnoise," p. 167. But Tigernach was bishop at Clones, and not at Clonmacnoise.
61 62
See "Monasticon Ilibernicum," p. 380. This seems to have been done by Sir
September 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 227
Clonmacnoise episcopal See, and this for no better reason, than because its precise erection as such can be referred to no exact date. 63
CHAPTER IV.
VARIOUS POETICAL PIECES STATED TO HAVE BEEN THE COMPOSITIONS OF ST. KIERAN— HE WAS AUTHOR OF A SPECIAL RELIGIOUS RULE—THE YEAR OF ST. KIERAN'S DEATH—HIS BURIAL AND RELICS AT CLONMACNOISE—COMPOSITION IN PRAISE OF ITS FOUNDER ATTRIBUTED TO ST. COLUMBA—COMMEMORATIONS AND CELE- BRATIONS OF ST. KIERAN—MEMORIALS—CONCLUSION.
To St. Kiaran have been ascribed the gifts of a poetic genius ; and even
various compositions attributed to him are handed down to our time. It
was Ciaran, we are told, that composed the celebrated poetical lay which
begins :
" An rim a ri an richid rain," &c, asking of God a prolongation of
his life, that he might perform more labour and service to Him. There is a
Poem attributed to St. Kiarain, among the Manuscripts of Trinity College,
Dublin. 1 The Kierain intended is
probably
the Patron of Clonmacnoise.
Among the Poems, ascribed to St. Ciaran of Clonmacnoise, there is one,
" On the two of the Priest Isacar, Anna and 2 There is
Daughters Mary. "
a supposed Poem of Ciaran, invoking the protection of an Angel or an Archangel, for each day of the week; 3 and another Poem, invoking the Saints of the Four Seasons of the Year. * A Poem of St. Ciaran, containing 32 verses, is to be found among the O'Longan Manuscripts. 5 He is made
Ware. 6 An ancient
poem, ascribed to St. Ciaran, is to be met with among the O'Longan
Manuscripts? preserved in the Royal Irish Academy.
From various passages in Colgan, it would appear, that Kiaran had been
regardedasoneamongtheprincipalIrishSaints. Wearetold,thatinsome Manuscripts, he is called one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. 8 Some doubt seems to exist about our Saint being the Cieran, mentioned in Ussher's Catalogue^ as belonging to the Second Class of Irish Saints, rather than the less celebrated St. Kieran of 10 When forth the old
the author of certain Sir prophecies by
James
prophetic
Saigir. setting
catalogue of Irish Saints, among those of the second order, who observed different rules, we find the name of St. Kieran, St. Ciaran, or St. Queran,
Saighir died- in 549, thus making him iden- tical with Kieran of Clonmacnoise.
63 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
8
See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," Notes
Septembris
ix. Acta S. Kieranii, sect,
vi. ,
9 to Rev. Dr. According
Lanigan.
num. 66, —
67, 68, 69, p. 383.
'
to caution the reader
proper against
Chapter iv.
It is classed H. I. II.
It consists of 36 verses, and it is to be found among the O'Longan MSS. , of the
Royal Irish Academy, vol. iv. , p. 281, paper folio.
3
It is in 32 verses, and found in a folio paper Manuscript, written by Michael Oge O'Longan, in and after the year 1799. This is in vol. iv. of the O'Longan collection,
2
in the Royal Irish Academy, pp. 40, 41.
4 I0
It is in 30 Stanzas, p. 42, ibid.
5 In vol. xiv. , p. 1S4.
6 See " De Scriptoribus Hibernine," lib. i. ,
cap. 2.
In vol. Liv. , p. 173.
pp. 52, 53.
This latter was omitted, by Ussher's
authority, as also many other saints of the
period; for the author of the catalogue
only named holy persons most generally celebrated.
to the Life of St. Finian, at the 23rd of
February, p. 398. Also, see n. 4, p. 402.
" It is an error of the press in the London or folio edition, p. 474 of Ussher's Primordia, where in the list of the Second Class, Ceranus occurs instead of Cemanus. This erratum might induce a person at first sight to think, that
Kiaran of Saigir was mentioned in that list, The sequel, how—ever, shows, that the name was Cemanus. '1 '' " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, x. , sect, xi. , n. 164,
228 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[September 9.
mentioned by Ussher. And quoting the Book of Navan, we are further informed,thatthisSaintwroteamonasticRule. " ThiswascalledtheLaw of Kieran. Nearly all our ancient and modern authors are agreed, that St. Kieran of Clonmacnoise, who was also known as son of the Artificer, must be reckoned amongst the eight principal Irish Saints, who wrote special
12
monastic rules, for the government of religious houses
Moreover, he is enumerated among the eight principal founders of regular monasteries in our
x
Island. 3 Among these institutions, the following gradation brings us to our
abbot : viz. , the first rule was that of St. Patrick the second that of ;
St. Brigid ; the third that of St. Brendan j the fourth that of St. Kieran, &C. 1 * Thomas Siring with various Irish writers, mentions this Special Rule of our Saint. At the year 743, Archbishop Ussher remark's, that the monastic Rules of St. Kieran, son to the artificer, and those of St. Brendan, son to
16
Finlog, were propagated in Ireland. fromaHymn,attributedtohisholyfellow-Apostle,Columba. Inthis,our Saint's eulogy is pronounced ; he has been regarded as one of Ireland's
and
O'Donnell's Life of St. Columba, we are told, that when the holy abbot of Iona visited Clonmacnoise, he showed St. Kieran, abbot of this monastery,
18
principal sons,
justly
considered one of its 1? In great Apostles.
a hymn which he had before composed in praise of God.
This he wished Kieran to read. ^ It is said that contemning this world's vanities and entering a monastery, he became a venerable monk of the Benedictine Order, and afterwards an Abbot. 20 However, it must be observed, that the special Rule of St. Benedict had not been brought into Ireland, until many centuries after the death of our saint. It is stated, in a silly legend, that the saints of Ireland fasted to cut short Ciaran's life, when he drew nigh unto death, and because he alone had the half of Ireland. 21 However, their petition was not
"He adds: " ***
alia est ilia lex
j s See " Collectanea Sacra-" Dissertatione de Monachatu S. Columbani, sect. 2.
l6 See Index Chronologicus ad annum,
1
Neque
cujus amplificatum usum ad
Ciarini,
annum dccxliii. , in Annalibus Ultonien- sibus observavimus. "—" Britannicarum Ec-
lxxii, p. 1170.
li The
— quoted
clesiarum Addenda Antiquitates," quaedam
et emendanda, p. 1050
12 Edward O Reilly states
following
verse is
:
" He wrote a Rule for Monks, in Irish metre, said to be amongst the MSS. of Trinity
Again, another testimony is produced
Quantum Christe 6 Apostolum Mundo missiti hominem ;
Lucerna hujus insulse, Lucens lucerna mirabilis, &c.
" Trias
Colgan's Thaumaturga,''
Chronological Account of Tertia Appendix ad Acta S. Columbse, secunda pars. , pp. 471 et seq.
College Library ; but in the present im- perfect state of the Catalogue of MSS. in
library,
"
xxxv. , xxxvi.
13 In this same sense, Thomas Sirin, an
Irish Minorite, in his Dissertation on St.
Columbanus, art. —iii. , § 2, quotes Alcuinus,
,8
See ibid. , Vita Quinta S. Columbw, Lib. lxx. , pp. 400, 401.
,9 The Bollandist editor would not under- take to deny, that a hymn, in praise of our
:
carm. 246, thus Saint,
had been and composed by Columba,
Patricius, Cheranus, Scotorum gbloria „enti5
Atque Co'lumbanus, Comgallus Adamnanus atque
Praclari patres morum, viUeque magistri :
Ilinc'pietas/precibus horum nos adjuvet omnes.
u composed the death of St. Kieran.
MSee " Trias Colgan's
counsels acted on in Ireland through the advice of saints were : First, the cutting
Thaumaturga. " Qnarta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii pars
shert of Ciarain's life ;
ment of Columkille ; and thirdly, the ex- pulsion of Mochuda from Raithin.
ii. , p. 214.
:
—we have not been able to See
that
discover it. "
nearly Four Hundred Irish Writers," pp.
presented to the inmates of Clonmacnoise.
But h seems to have been after >
S'
The Aberdeen Breviary, and the fol- lowers of the Benedictine rule, greatly venerating him, likewise seem to con- slder nim as tneir f°uncler and spiritual
father in Ireland.
,
2,It 1S related, that the three worst ,
secondly,
the banish-
September 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 229
granted by the Almighty, until he fasted with them, and for their intention. Then Odran" of Lettracha Odrain and Mac Ciiilin^ of Lusk, together with an angel, went to tell him for what the saints fasted. Whereupon, he sang a hymn, and left an injunction on his monks, never to promise ought before they knew that purpose had in view. 2* In the Life of St. Kevin,3* we have related some particulars, taken from the old acts of that holy Abbot of Glendalough, and which refer to St. Kyrain's death. Those statements are seemingly regarded as apocryphal, by Baert and Suyskens ; although this latter writer allows some truth may be concealed under a legendary garb. If credit attach to this account, St. Kevin was present at St. Kyran's decease.
According to Tighernach, our saint died a. d. 549, in the thirty-first year of
26
his age.
tradition for many centuries at Clonmacnoise. ? According to the Life of St. Kiaran, he was called to the kingdom of eternal glory, in the thirty-third year of his age. He is compared to Christ in this regard, as also in the cir-
This seems, also, to have been the generally accepted popular 2
cumstance, that he was known as the son of a carpenter.
28
The same short
term of life is to 2 9 The Book of Navan and the Ulster given him, by Colgan.
Annals only allow thirty-three years, as the term of his life : while the former record states, that he only lived one year in his city of Clonmacnoise ; the latter places his death at 548. According to the Ulster Annals, he departed
in the
thirty-fourth year.
3°
The Annals of Cambria 3 1 the death of St.
