2°3 In chapter 9 of the Irish Life, accord- ing to the
division
of the O'Clerys.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
However, O'Donnell seems to reverse the foregoing account.
See ibid.
Quinta
t1i|\
|\om
a
yd. f\4cujh. <
Vita S. lib. Columbse,
" The son of
He is surely beautiful, he is bloom-
ing,
Colum Cille, pure without blemish,
i. , cap. vii. , p. 390. 178 For the foregoing account, the O'Clerys
long-sided Eithene
cite 0'Donnell"s
"
Life of Colum Cille," as
chap. 2.
179 A curious story was current, that this
It is not too early to perceive him. "
Codex had been in the guardianship of St.
Brigid, for a time. Other accounts have it,
that the Codex was buried in the tomb with
St. Patrick, and that Angels afterwards Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. ix. , brought it thence to St. Columba. See Col- p. 390.
l83 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," gan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita l84 At chapter 5, according to the
S. Columbae, lib. i. , cap. vii. , p. 390.
1°
See her Life, in vol. ii. of this work, Art. i. , at the 1st day of February.
is.
182 An Irish quatrain is quoted by the
O'Clerys. However, O'Donnell puts the prophecy, concerning this interment, in St.
Brighit's mouth.
Forthjs
O'Donnell's "Life of St. Columba," cap.
lK5
and at the 19th of August,
accountj iv. In "Trias
O'Clerys quote
His feast occurs at the 24th of March,
Colgan's
is in Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. ix. , p. 390.
,86
This is inconsistent with a statement in Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise. " Martii xxiv. , Vita S. Mochtei Episcopi Lug- madensis, cap. xvi. , p. 730, where Aodh,
_
Thaumaturga," it
^e
181 when she delivered a
— prophecy;
— Cille,
adorned by Divine agency with flowers should be born
O'Clerys, as if it —were a version of the fore-
going prophecy
1Y1ac An &ine caobpcoa,
SeAC Af bob ip blAcugA'o, Cobtntn citte c&\x> 5An on,
:
:
—
Brigid
268 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[June 9.
inspiration, that Columba should come thither, and he refused to take them :
"I am not the Patron or master of this ground," said Mochta, "in which
those nuts grew, and were gathered ; but, they are reserved for him, who
shall come one hundred years later. " Afterwards, when Mochta went to
Ireland, his disciplesand companions observed, that while engaged in prayer, he
frequently looked towards its northern parts, and they asked him the reason :
" Because I foresee, that a holy man named Columba shall there be born," he
"
replied,
and, he shall spread the Gospel seed in both Scotias, while he
shall come out of the North, as a herald of salvation, to proclaim the triumph
of Faith and Morals among men. 188 Then, the holy prophet rejoicingly sang
averseinIrish,ofwhichtheforegoingpredictionsrevealthesubstance. 180 He also said, " The boundary of one narrow hedge shall divide the little farms of his monastery and of mine. 1 ? He shall become a man, most dear to God,
and of
great
merit in his
sight.
101 While he lived with his clerics in the
Island of —and had been within the — cavern of St. Lough Derg, penitential
Patrick, St. Dabeoc I02 also called Beoan or Beocc
of Colum Cille, long before his birth ,0+ and while ;
watchings during the night, he saw all the northern parts of Ireland effulgent with a heavenly light; and, when his clerics demanded of him what it meant,
replied : proceed,
quarter,
you
burning
shining light come,
"Inthat God shall
whence wonderfully
anda
he
to
with the brightness of Christ, and thence shall issue Columba, a son of light ; Felmid, son of Fergus, shall be his father, and Ethne shall conceive him ; in sacred learning he shall excel, he shall be a virgin in mind and body, and he shall have the gifts of prophecy. St. Caillin 10s foretold Colum Cille, also, long before his birth. 100 While enumerating the illustrious men that should descend from Conall Gulban, he predicted, that twelve should rule over all Ireland,andfouroverthatpartofit,knownasLethcuim. Whenrecording the series, he affirmed, that Columba should issue from the same family, and that he should yield to none in future ages, for the austerity of his life, for
purity of intention, for gifts of prophecy, for the performance of miracles, for heavenly visions, and because of his extraordinary merits, that his family should
obtain great favours from God. 10?
son of Colcan, is said to have offered Moch-
teus land, and which he refused to accept,
and then he predicted, that St. Columba Louth, and Kilmore, in the barony and should be born in the northern part of Ire-
land. Aodh was lord of Oriel or Orior, in
which Louth was situated, and he lived
until A. D. 606. See Dr. O'Donovan's
"Annals of theFourMasters," vol. i. , pp. 232,
233. Here, then is an evident anachronism
between the time of St. Mochta and of
Aodh, son of Colga.
187 His festival is said to occur at the nth
" Martyrology of Donegal," pp. 152, 153. "92 See an account of him, in the First volume of this work, at January 1st, Art. ii. 193 Beoce, or Dabeoc, is Latinized Beoa- nus, by O'Donnell. See " Trias Thauma- turga, Quinta Vita S. Columboe, cap. x. ,
pp. 390, 391.
I94 The Life of Colum Cille, chap. 6, is
quoted by the O'Clerys.
*95 No doubt, St. Caillin of vene- Fenagh,
rated on the 13th of November.
I96 The Life of Colum Cille, chap. 7, is
quoted by the O'Clerys.
He died A. D. See Dr. O'Dono- 534.
August.
van's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. ,
pp. 176, 177.
186 Allusion is made to this prophecy, in
the Life of St. Mocteus, chap. xvi.
189 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columba;, lib. i. , cap. iii. , pp. 389, 390. This is noticed, also, in the
and in
190 No record exists of any church or lands of St. Columba being situate near St.
Second Life of St, Columba, cap. ii. , the Third Life, cap. ii.
I03
foretold the coming
see a
illustrate the Church, in t ; me to
protracting
his sacred
In some Irish verses attributed to St.
Mochta's church of Louth, nor of any other
church under this saint's patronage, except
county of Monaghan. The ancient chapel of Aldpatrick, which lay about half-a-mile
south-east, and Cnoc-na-seangain, where the Abbey of Knock was founded, in 1 148, are both in the parish of Louth, and one of
them may originally have been appropriated, as in the text.
I91 See Rev. Drs. Todd's and Reeves'
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 269 Caillin, the greatness of St. Columba and his holiness of life are extolled.
108
or Brendan foretold, that '99 fromFeidlim shouldproceedason,
St. Brennain
highly gifted from above with grace, and illustrious for his prophecies, and that he had an intuition of all the glorious actions Colum was destined to achieve. 200 Bishop Eoghan,201 of Ard-sratha, and who flourished about the middleofthesixth 202foretoldthe of 2°3 onanocca-
century, coming Colum,
sion, when Lugad, son of Sethna, and a cousin-german of our saint, on the father's side, visited him at that monastery, in company with his son Fiacrius. The latter quarrelled with one of the monks, and in a fit of passion killed him. Moved with indignation at this atrocity, the holy Bishop launched a maledic- tion against the murderer, and then predicted, that his own death should take
place within nine days, that his posterity should not enjoy sovereignty, that they should not exceed the number of five, and that, as a punishment for their father's offence, all of these should be deformed and be marked with some defect of mind or 20-* that his son's death
happened within the time prescribed, and fearing that great misfortunes should come
body. Finding
upon his race, Lugad suppliantly asked the Bishop, to restrict the penalties decreed against them to the punishment Of him who alone was guilty. The Bishop was mollified, and he returned for answer : "Thou hast obtained the favour sought for, in consideration of the birth of a cousin-german Columba, who shall come into the world after a few years ; he shall be distinguished for the integrity of his faith, for his piety, and for heavenly wisdom ; he shall bring many within the fold of Christ, and sustain the Church in these king- doms ; while he shall obtain all favours from the Holy Trinity. " The Bishop imposed an obligation on Lugad, to protect Ardstra,205 or Ardstraw, and its possessions from all injury and violence, with the payment of a tribute or pension every third year, to atone in some measure for the heinousness of that homicide his son had committed. 200 In a similar manner, and towards the very closing of his life, turning towards those who stood around him,
20? son of
Bronaigh, Abbot, 2
208 of
Monasterboice,
foretold the
coming glories of the great St. Columba, °9 on that very night he died, which was the 7th of December. 210 He declared, that one very dear to God, and to be
2°3 A in the of
village county Tyrone,
once the seat of a Bishop's See. An excel- lent description of it may be found, in Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ire- land," vol. i. , pp. 57, 58.
20i In the Acts of St. Eoghan, which Col-
gan promised to publish at the 23rd of August, this matter is somewhat differently
related. See "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbre, nn. 24, 25, p. 449.
Boetius,
197 See O'Donnell's Life of our
Saint, cap. xi. , in " Trias Thaumaturga," p. 391.
'9s It does not seem to be known, whether this had been St. Brendan the Navigator, venerated at the 16th of May, or St. Bren- dan, Abbot of Birr, whose feast occurs, on the 29th of November. However, Colgan supposes the latter. See ibid. Quinta Ap- pendix ad Acta S. Columbse, Epilogus, seu Anawgraphe, num. xxxix. , p. 514.
2°7
was entering it. See Rev. Dr. Reeves' " Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba," Appendix to Preface, n. (g), pp. Ixviii. ,
20=
The O'Clerys cite chap. 8.
In O'Donnell's Life of St. Columkille,
He left this world, just as Columba
this account is in the First Book and Twelfth
chapter. See "Trias Thaumaturga," p. 391.
201
His feast occurs, at the 23rd of lxix.
2°8
August. O'Donnell records the prediction of
202
See "Acts of Archbishop Colton in his "Boetius filius Bronaigh," that is "boiue Metropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of mac rjrvonAig, who was the founder of
Derry, a. d. mcccxcvii. ," &c. Edited by Rev. Dr. William Reeves, M. R. I. A. , n. (q), pp. 9 to 11.
2°3 In chapter 9 of the Irish Life, accord- ing to the division of the O'Clerys.
204 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Monasterboice, in " Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columba, cap. xiv. , p. 391. This is mentioned, also, in the Second Life
of St. Columba, cap. ii.
2
°9 The O'Clerys quote chapter 9 of the Irish Life for this prophecy.
2I0 The feast of St. Boetius or St. day
Buite.
Quinta Vita S. Columbre, lib. P- 391-
i. , cap. xiii. ,
2 7 o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
venerated by men, was then born, that Columba should come with a band of twelve companions to Monasterboice and open there his own tomb, and remove his relics to a more suitable place, while after a lapse of years, he should welcome Columba's appearance in Heaven. 211
Visionswerevouchsafedtoproclaimhisadvent. Onenight,betweenthe
conception and nativity of St. Columkille, an Angel appeared to Aethne his mother in a dream. 212 This Angel brought her a wonderfully rich robe, or cloak, in which most beautiful tints of the most exquisite flowers were delight- fully blended. Then, he presented it to her, but he took it away presently ; and, having raised it aloft, he spread it out, when it floated off slowly through the air. 2I 3 Being very sorrowful thereat, she said to the Angel who appeared in the likeness of a very grave venerable man: "Why do you withdraw this
" *' delightful mantle so soon from me ? " Because," answered he, it apper-
tains to me, and you cannot long retain this robe, for the reason it is so magnifi- cent. 21'' With these words, Aethne saw the robe drawn further away from
her, and floating gracefully in the air. Then, it began to stretch out in extent, so as to cover the large fields, mountains and forests. 215 She heard, more-
over, a voice directed to her, in the following words " Woman, be not
:
aggrieved, for you shall bear to your husband an illustrious son, who as one of
the Prophets of God shall be ranked among them. He is predestined by God, to be a great leader, and to conduct innumerable souls to Heaven. " Hearing these remarkable words, Aethne awoke. It is said, before he was born at Gartan,216 that a woman, who envied Ethnea, had a dream, in which she saw a number of birds bear off her veil—which they tore—to various paits of Ire- land and Scotland. This she maliciously thought must be interpreted, as an evil omen, and she related it to Ethnea ; but, the latter pious matron drew from it the augur}', that her son in time to come should be universally extolled for his sanctity in both Scotias. 21 ? St. Finnen 2l8 saw in a vision a moon of gold and a moon of silver. The moon of gold rose in the north side of Erin, lighting Erin, Albain, and the west of the world ; while the moon of silver rose over Cluain mic Nois, and lighted the middle of Erin, with its brillia—nce and radiance. 21 ^ Finnen himself delivered the interpretation of the
T
dream viz. , that the wife of Feidhlim, son to Fergus Cennfoda, son to
Conall Gulban, son to Niall of the Nine Hostages, should bring forth a son, and that his name should be Colum Cille, and that the fame of his exemplary
piety, and the brightness of his angelic life, his wisdom, his knowledge, his word, and his preaching, should extend over the west of the world ; and that
220 son of the should be the silver on account of his
Ciaran,
211
Allusion is made to this prophecy, in a Life of St. Boetius, chap, xviii.
2,3 See Le Comte de Montalembert's " Les Moines d'Occident," tome iii. , liv. xi. , chap, i. , pp. 108, 109.
moon,
as also in the Fourth Adamnan, Book iii. , cap. i.
written
" Primer of the Church of History
ii. ,
Life,
by King's
Ireland," vol. i. , book i. , chap, ix. , p. 75.
carpenter,
213 This account is contained in Columba's
First Life, cap. i. , in the Second Life, cap. is greatly eclipsed by his. " Rev. Robert
214 See the Bollandists' "Acta Sancto- 2'7 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," rum," tomus ii. , Junii ix. De Sancto O'Donnell's or Vita Quinta S. Columbce, Columba, &c. Vita Brevior auctore forsan lib. i. , cap. xix. , p. 392.
Cumineo Albo, Hiensi Abbate, ex Belfortii
2l8
Abbot of Clonard, whose feast occurs
Manuscripto, cap. i. , num. I, p. 185. Also, at the 23rd of February and at the I2th of
in Vita Secunda, that of Adamnan, lib. iii. , cap. i. , num. 84, p. 228.
December,
2I9 See Rev. Drs. Todd's and Reeves'
of 160, 161. Donegal," pp.
" Albain, according to chapter xiv. This tember.
a's TheIrish
relates, that the cloak spread over Erin and
Life, quoted by
the
O'Clerys,
Martyrology
story seems to be substantially repeated, in chapter xv. , yet with some slight variation.
2l6 A beautiful Lake, in the northern
of Donegal, and "where his name is to this day held in the greatest veneration, so that in that part of Ireland the fam—e of St. Patrick
230
His festival occurs, on the 9th of Sep-
part
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 271
virtuesandgooddeeds. 221 Asinthecase,whenMary,themotherofChrist, visited her holy cousin Elizabeth, the infant St. John rejoiced in his mother's
223 when a
womb 222 as ; so,
man called St. "4 Fergna
legends relate,
visited his kinswoman, Ethnea, the infant, as yet unborn, miraculously mani- fested his joy on the occasion of this coming. 225
Besides the fame derived from his virtues, Columba's origin was of the highest rank, according to the usual notions of mankind,226 and he derived descent from one of those. great Irish families, whose ancestors go back to a period, where they are lost in the night of time. 22? His father is called Fedhlim, and
sometimes
Feidlimid,
who ruled over the north-western
of 228 at part Ireland,
the — of St. Columba's birth. St. Columb—a period
229
Nielli the dominant race or as called in Irish
to the belonged Nepotes
the Hy-Neill, and so deno-
221
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
and that of his descendants on the throne of
because these were descended from Niall of the Nine 23° Hostages.
minated,
Feidhlim had been twice married, and he had sons by both of his wives ; those by his first wife 231 belonging to the southern Hy-Neill branch or clan, and those by his second wife 232 being called the Northern Hy-Nialls. Of this latter family was Columba, who was descended from Niall Neigiallach,233 on the father's side, he being the son of Fedhlimid or Felim, who was a great grand-
son to that renowned
23* From Niall of the Nine —
king. Hostages descended,
at least forty-six supreme monarchs, who ruled over all Ireland viz. , Laeg- haire,235 his son Lugaidh,236 Muircheartach Mor Mac Earca,23? Tuathal Mael-
Quinta Vita S. Colunibse, lib. i. , P- 392.
222
cap. xx. ,
Ireland, the. reader is referred to the learned "
See St. Luke i. , 41.
223 St. Mura of Fahan relates this mira-
cle.
224 Among other holy men so called in our
Calendars, Colgan does not undertake to
identify him.
225 See Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga,"
Vita Quinta S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. xxi. , p. 392, and n. 36, p. 449.
226 The O'Clerys state, in their Calendar,
that Colum Cille belonged to the noble races
of Erin ; for, this father sprung from the
race of Conall Gulban, son to Niall of the
Nine Hostages. Eithne, daughter of Dioma,
son to Noe, of Leinster, and belonging to
the race of Cathaoir Mor, King of Erin, was
his mother. See Rev. Drs. Todd's and
Reeves' " Martyrology of Donegal," pp. 152,
153-
2Q? See Le Comte de Montalembert's
" Les Moines d'Occident," tome iii. , liv. xi. ,
chap, i. , p. 104.
228 The brothers of Fedhlim were Sedna,
from whom descend the Siol Sedna, and
whose son was Ainmire, King over Ireland, who died A. D. 569 ; Ninnidh, whose s. on was Baedan, King over Ireland, who died a. d. 586 ; Brenann and Loarn. See this pedigree
very clearly set forth, in the Genealogical Table of the early Abbots of Hy, appended to Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes N, p. 342.
22» See Thomas D'Arcy M'Gee's "Popu- lar History of Ireland," vol. i. , book i. , chap, iv. , pp. 28, 29.
230 He is sometimes called Niall the Great, in our Irish Annals. To illustrate his reign
Ogygia," pars iii. , cap. lxxxv. to cap. xciii. , pp. 393 to 436.
"
231 The sons of this monarch, by his first
wife, were Laeghaire, St. Patrick's contem-
porary, and Conall Crimthann, grandfather cf Dairmait mac Cerbhaill, whose descend- ants occupied Meath, and who from their position were styled the southern Hy- Neill.
233 By his second wife, he had Eoghan,
ancestor of the Cinel-Eoghain, who gave name to Tyrone and Inishown, and who in after times were represented by the O'Neill family ; Conall Gulban, ancestor of the Cinel-Conaill, who gave name to Tir-Con- nell, near Donegal, the territory of the O'Donnells; Cairbre, Enna, and others of in- ferior note, collectively formed the Northern Hy-Neill branch.
233 Monarch of Ireland, from A. D. to 379
405. See an account of him in Rev. Dr. Kelly's "Cambrensis Eversus,"by Gratianus Lucius Hibernus, vol. i. , pp. 494 to 497.
234 A list of thirty-seven Monarchs of Ire-
land, who preceded him in a direct line is
set forth, with their names in Colgan's
•'
Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbse, n. 9, p. 447.
235 His reign commenced A. D. 428, and
lasted for thirty years, when he died A. D.
458.
236 He reigned from a. d. 478 to A. D. 503,
a period of twenty-five years.
23? His reign began a. d. 503, and lasted
twenty-four years, when he perished at the River Boyne, A. D.
t1i|\
|\om
a
yd. f\4cujh. <
Vita S. lib. Columbse,
" The son of
He is surely beautiful, he is bloom-
ing,
Colum Cille, pure without blemish,
i. , cap. vii. , p. 390. 178 For the foregoing account, the O'Clerys
long-sided Eithene
cite 0'Donnell"s
"
Life of Colum Cille," as
chap. 2.
179 A curious story was current, that this
It is not too early to perceive him. "
Codex had been in the guardianship of St.
Brigid, for a time. Other accounts have it,
that the Codex was buried in the tomb with
St. Patrick, and that Angels afterwards Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. ix. , brought it thence to St. Columba. See Col- p. 390.
l83 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," gan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita l84 At chapter 5, according to the
S. Columbae, lib. i. , cap. vii. , p. 390.
1°
See her Life, in vol. ii. of this work, Art. i. , at the 1st day of February.
is.
182 An Irish quatrain is quoted by the
O'Clerys. However, O'Donnell puts the prophecy, concerning this interment, in St.
Brighit's mouth.
Forthjs
O'Donnell's "Life of St. Columba," cap.
lK5
and at the 19th of August,
accountj iv. In "Trias
O'Clerys quote
His feast occurs at the 24th of March,
Colgan's
is in Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. ix. , p. 390.
,86
This is inconsistent with a statement in Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise. " Martii xxiv. , Vita S. Mochtei Episcopi Lug- madensis, cap. xvi. , p. 730, where Aodh,
_
Thaumaturga," it
^e
181 when she delivered a
— prophecy;
— Cille,
adorned by Divine agency with flowers should be born
O'Clerys, as if it —were a version of the fore-
going prophecy
1Y1ac An &ine caobpcoa,
SeAC Af bob ip blAcugA'o, Cobtntn citte c&\x> 5An on,
:
:
—
Brigid
268 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[June 9.
inspiration, that Columba should come thither, and he refused to take them :
"I am not the Patron or master of this ground," said Mochta, "in which
those nuts grew, and were gathered ; but, they are reserved for him, who
shall come one hundred years later. " Afterwards, when Mochta went to
Ireland, his disciplesand companions observed, that while engaged in prayer, he
frequently looked towards its northern parts, and they asked him the reason :
" Because I foresee, that a holy man named Columba shall there be born," he
"
replied,
and, he shall spread the Gospel seed in both Scotias, while he
shall come out of the North, as a herald of salvation, to proclaim the triumph
of Faith and Morals among men. 188 Then, the holy prophet rejoicingly sang
averseinIrish,ofwhichtheforegoingpredictionsrevealthesubstance. 180 He also said, " The boundary of one narrow hedge shall divide the little farms of his monastery and of mine. 1 ? He shall become a man, most dear to God,
and of
great
merit in his
sight.
101 While he lived with his clerics in the
Island of —and had been within the — cavern of St. Lough Derg, penitential
Patrick, St. Dabeoc I02 also called Beoan or Beocc
of Colum Cille, long before his birth ,0+ and while ;
watchings during the night, he saw all the northern parts of Ireland effulgent with a heavenly light; and, when his clerics demanded of him what it meant,
replied : proceed,
quarter,
you
burning
shining light come,
"Inthat God shall
whence wonderfully
anda
he
to
with the brightness of Christ, and thence shall issue Columba, a son of light ; Felmid, son of Fergus, shall be his father, and Ethne shall conceive him ; in sacred learning he shall excel, he shall be a virgin in mind and body, and he shall have the gifts of prophecy. St. Caillin 10s foretold Colum Cille, also, long before his birth. 100 While enumerating the illustrious men that should descend from Conall Gulban, he predicted, that twelve should rule over all Ireland,andfouroverthatpartofit,knownasLethcuim. Whenrecording the series, he affirmed, that Columba should issue from the same family, and that he should yield to none in future ages, for the austerity of his life, for
purity of intention, for gifts of prophecy, for the performance of miracles, for heavenly visions, and because of his extraordinary merits, that his family should
obtain great favours from God. 10?
son of Colcan, is said to have offered Moch-
teus land, and which he refused to accept,
and then he predicted, that St. Columba Louth, and Kilmore, in the barony and should be born in the northern part of Ire-
land. Aodh was lord of Oriel or Orior, in
which Louth was situated, and he lived
until A. D. 606. See Dr. O'Donovan's
"Annals of theFourMasters," vol. i. , pp. 232,
233. Here, then is an evident anachronism
between the time of St. Mochta and of
Aodh, son of Colga.
187 His festival is said to occur at the nth
" Martyrology of Donegal," pp. 152, 153. "92 See an account of him, in the First volume of this work, at January 1st, Art. ii. 193 Beoce, or Dabeoc, is Latinized Beoa- nus, by O'Donnell. See " Trias Thauma- turga, Quinta Vita S. Columboe, cap. x. ,
pp. 390, 391.
I94 The Life of Colum Cille, chap. 6, is
quoted by the O'Clerys.
*95 No doubt, St. Caillin of vene- Fenagh,
rated on the 13th of November.
I96 The Life of Colum Cille, chap. 7, is
quoted by the O'Clerys.
He died A. D. See Dr. O'Dono- 534.
August.
van's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. ,
pp. 176, 177.
186 Allusion is made to this prophecy, in
the Life of St. Mocteus, chap. xvi.
189 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columba;, lib. i. , cap. iii. , pp. 389, 390. This is noticed, also, in the
and in
190 No record exists of any church or lands of St. Columba being situate near St.
Second Life of St, Columba, cap. ii. , the Third Life, cap. ii.
I03
foretold the coming
see a
illustrate the Church, in t ; me to
protracting
his sacred
In some Irish verses attributed to St.
Mochta's church of Louth, nor of any other
church under this saint's patronage, except
county of Monaghan. The ancient chapel of Aldpatrick, which lay about half-a-mile
south-east, and Cnoc-na-seangain, where the Abbey of Knock was founded, in 1 148, are both in the parish of Louth, and one of
them may originally have been appropriated, as in the text.
I91 See Rev. Drs. Todd's and Reeves'
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 269 Caillin, the greatness of St. Columba and his holiness of life are extolled.
108
or Brendan foretold, that '99 fromFeidlim shouldproceedason,
St. Brennain
highly gifted from above with grace, and illustrious for his prophecies, and that he had an intuition of all the glorious actions Colum was destined to achieve. 200 Bishop Eoghan,201 of Ard-sratha, and who flourished about the middleofthesixth 202foretoldthe of 2°3 onanocca-
century, coming Colum,
sion, when Lugad, son of Sethna, and a cousin-german of our saint, on the father's side, visited him at that monastery, in company with his son Fiacrius. The latter quarrelled with one of the monks, and in a fit of passion killed him. Moved with indignation at this atrocity, the holy Bishop launched a maledic- tion against the murderer, and then predicted, that his own death should take
place within nine days, that his posterity should not enjoy sovereignty, that they should not exceed the number of five, and that, as a punishment for their father's offence, all of these should be deformed and be marked with some defect of mind or 20-* that his son's death
happened within the time prescribed, and fearing that great misfortunes should come
body. Finding
upon his race, Lugad suppliantly asked the Bishop, to restrict the penalties decreed against them to the punishment Of him who alone was guilty. The Bishop was mollified, and he returned for answer : "Thou hast obtained the favour sought for, in consideration of the birth of a cousin-german Columba, who shall come into the world after a few years ; he shall be distinguished for the integrity of his faith, for his piety, and for heavenly wisdom ; he shall bring many within the fold of Christ, and sustain the Church in these king- doms ; while he shall obtain all favours from the Holy Trinity. " The Bishop imposed an obligation on Lugad, to protect Ardstra,205 or Ardstraw, and its possessions from all injury and violence, with the payment of a tribute or pension every third year, to atone in some measure for the heinousness of that homicide his son had committed. 200 In a similar manner, and towards the very closing of his life, turning towards those who stood around him,
20? son of
Bronaigh, Abbot, 2
208 of
Monasterboice,
foretold the
coming glories of the great St. Columba, °9 on that very night he died, which was the 7th of December. 210 He declared, that one very dear to God, and to be
2°3 A in the of
village county Tyrone,
once the seat of a Bishop's See. An excel- lent description of it may be found, in Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary of Ire- land," vol. i. , pp. 57, 58.
20i In the Acts of St. Eoghan, which Col-
gan promised to publish at the 23rd of August, this matter is somewhat differently
related. See "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbre, nn. 24, 25, p. 449.
Boetius,
197 See O'Donnell's Life of our
Saint, cap. xi. , in " Trias Thaumaturga," p. 391.
'9s It does not seem to be known, whether this had been St. Brendan the Navigator, venerated at the 16th of May, or St. Bren- dan, Abbot of Birr, whose feast occurs, on the 29th of November. However, Colgan supposes the latter. See ibid. Quinta Ap- pendix ad Acta S. Columbse, Epilogus, seu Anawgraphe, num. xxxix. , p. 514.
2°7
was entering it. See Rev. Dr. Reeves' " Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba," Appendix to Preface, n. (g), pp. Ixviii. ,
20=
The O'Clerys cite chap. 8.
In O'Donnell's Life of St. Columkille,
He left this world, just as Columba
this account is in the First Book and Twelfth
chapter. See "Trias Thaumaturga," p. 391.
201
His feast occurs, at the 23rd of lxix.
2°8
August. O'Donnell records the prediction of
202
See "Acts of Archbishop Colton in his "Boetius filius Bronaigh," that is "boiue Metropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of mac rjrvonAig, who was the founder of
Derry, a. d. mcccxcvii. ," &c. Edited by Rev. Dr. William Reeves, M. R. I. A. , n. (q), pp. 9 to 11.
2°3 In chapter 9 of the Irish Life, accord- ing to the division of the O'Clerys.
204 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Monasterboice, in " Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columba, cap. xiv. , p. 391. This is mentioned, also, in the Second Life
of St. Columba, cap. ii.
2
°9 The O'Clerys quote chapter 9 of the Irish Life for this prophecy.
2I0 The feast of St. Boetius or St. day
Buite.
Quinta Vita S. Columbre, lib. P- 391-
i. , cap. xiii. ,
2 7 o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
venerated by men, was then born, that Columba should come with a band of twelve companions to Monasterboice and open there his own tomb, and remove his relics to a more suitable place, while after a lapse of years, he should welcome Columba's appearance in Heaven. 211
Visionswerevouchsafedtoproclaimhisadvent. Onenight,betweenthe
conception and nativity of St. Columkille, an Angel appeared to Aethne his mother in a dream. 212 This Angel brought her a wonderfully rich robe, or cloak, in which most beautiful tints of the most exquisite flowers were delight- fully blended. Then, he presented it to her, but he took it away presently ; and, having raised it aloft, he spread it out, when it floated off slowly through the air. 2I 3 Being very sorrowful thereat, she said to the Angel who appeared in the likeness of a very grave venerable man: "Why do you withdraw this
" *' delightful mantle so soon from me ? " Because," answered he, it apper-
tains to me, and you cannot long retain this robe, for the reason it is so magnifi- cent. 21'' With these words, Aethne saw the robe drawn further away from
her, and floating gracefully in the air. Then, it began to stretch out in extent, so as to cover the large fields, mountains and forests. 215 She heard, more-
over, a voice directed to her, in the following words " Woman, be not
:
aggrieved, for you shall bear to your husband an illustrious son, who as one of
the Prophets of God shall be ranked among them. He is predestined by God, to be a great leader, and to conduct innumerable souls to Heaven. " Hearing these remarkable words, Aethne awoke. It is said, before he was born at Gartan,216 that a woman, who envied Ethnea, had a dream, in which she saw a number of birds bear off her veil—which they tore—to various paits of Ire- land and Scotland. This she maliciously thought must be interpreted, as an evil omen, and she related it to Ethnea ; but, the latter pious matron drew from it the augur}', that her son in time to come should be universally extolled for his sanctity in both Scotias. 21 ? St. Finnen 2l8 saw in a vision a moon of gold and a moon of silver. The moon of gold rose in the north side of Erin, lighting Erin, Albain, and the west of the world ; while the moon of silver rose over Cluain mic Nois, and lighted the middle of Erin, with its brillia—nce and radiance. 21 ^ Finnen himself delivered the interpretation of the
T
dream viz. , that the wife of Feidhlim, son to Fergus Cennfoda, son to
Conall Gulban, son to Niall of the Nine Hostages, should bring forth a son, and that his name should be Colum Cille, and that the fame of his exemplary
piety, and the brightness of his angelic life, his wisdom, his knowledge, his word, and his preaching, should extend over the west of the world ; and that
220 son of the should be the silver on account of his
Ciaran,
211
Allusion is made to this prophecy, in a Life of St. Boetius, chap, xviii.
2,3 See Le Comte de Montalembert's " Les Moines d'Occident," tome iii. , liv. xi. , chap, i. , pp. 108, 109.
moon,
as also in the Fourth Adamnan, Book iii. , cap. i.
written
" Primer of the Church of History
ii. ,
Life,
by King's
Ireland," vol. i. , book i. , chap, ix. , p. 75.
carpenter,
213 This account is contained in Columba's
First Life, cap. i. , in the Second Life, cap. is greatly eclipsed by his. " Rev. Robert
214 See the Bollandists' "Acta Sancto- 2'7 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," rum," tomus ii. , Junii ix. De Sancto O'Donnell's or Vita Quinta S. Columbce, Columba, &c. Vita Brevior auctore forsan lib. i. , cap. xix. , p. 392.
Cumineo Albo, Hiensi Abbate, ex Belfortii
2l8
Abbot of Clonard, whose feast occurs
Manuscripto, cap. i. , num. I, p. 185. Also, at the 23rd of February and at the I2th of
in Vita Secunda, that of Adamnan, lib. iii. , cap. i. , num. 84, p. 228.
December,
2I9 See Rev. Drs. Todd's and Reeves'
of 160, 161. Donegal," pp.
" Albain, according to chapter xiv. This tember.
a's TheIrish
relates, that the cloak spread over Erin and
Life, quoted by
the
O'Clerys,
Martyrology
story seems to be substantially repeated, in chapter xv. , yet with some slight variation.
2l6 A beautiful Lake, in the northern
of Donegal, and "where his name is to this day held in the greatest veneration, so that in that part of Ireland the fam—e of St. Patrick
230
His festival occurs, on the 9th of Sep-
part
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 271
virtuesandgooddeeds. 221 Asinthecase,whenMary,themotherofChrist, visited her holy cousin Elizabeth, the infant St. John rejoiced in his mother's
223 when a
womb 222 as ; so,
man called St. "4 Fergna
legends relate,
visited his kinswoman, Ethnea, the infant, as yet unborn, miraculously mani- fested his joy on the occasion of this coming. 225
Besides the fame derived from his virtues, Columba's origin was of the highest rank, according to the usual notions of mankind,226 and he derived descent from one of those. great Irish families, whose ancestors go back to a period, where they are lost in the night of time. 22? His father is called Fedhlim, and
sometimes
Feidlimid,
who ruled over the north-western
of 228 at part Ireland,
the — of St. Columba's birth. St. Columb—a period
229
Nielli the dominant race or as called in Irish
to the belonged Nepotes
the Hy-Neill, and so deno-
221
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
and that of his descendants on the throne of
because these were descended from Niall of the Nine 23° Hostages.
minated,
Feidhlim had been twice married, and he had sons by both of his wives ; those by his first wife 231 belonging to the southern Hy-Neill branch or clan, and those by his second wife 232 being called the Northern Hy-Nialls. Of this latter family was Columba, who was descended from Niall Neigiallach,233 on the father's side, he being the son of Fedhlimid or Felim, who was a great grand-
son to that renowned
23* From Niall of the Nine —
king. Hostages descended,
at least forty-six supreme monarchs, who ruled over all Ireland viz. , Laeg- haire,235 his son Lugaidh,236 Muircheartach Mor Mac Earca,23? Tuathal Mael-
Quinta Vita S. Colunibse, lib. i. , P- 392.
222
cap. xx. ,
Ireland, the. reader is referred to the learned "
See St. Luke i. , 41.
223 St. Mura of Fahan relates this mira-
cle.
224 Among other holy men so called in our
Calendars, Colgan does not undertake to
identify him.
225 See Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga,"
Vita Quinta S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. xxi. , p. 392, and n. 36, p. 449.
226 The O'Clerys state, in their Calendar,
that Colum Cille belonged to the noble races
of Erin ; for, this father sprung from the
race of Conall Gulban, son to Niall of the
Nine Hostages. Eithne, daughter of Dioma,
son to Noe, of Leinster, and belonging to
the race of Cathaoir Mor, King of Erin, was
his mother. See Rev. Drs. Todd's and
Reeves' " Martyrology of Donegal," pp. 152,
153-
2Q? See Le Comte de Montalembert's
" Les Moines d'Occident," tome iii. , liv. xi. ,
chap, i. , p. 104.
228 The brothers of Fedhlim were Sedna,
from whom descend the Siol Sedna, and
whose son was Ainmire, King over Ireland, who died A. D. 569 ; Ninnidh, whose s. on was Baedan, King over Ireland, who died a. d. 586 ; Brenann and Loarn. See this pedigree
very clearly set forth, in the Genealogical Table of the early Abbots of Hy, appended to Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes N, p. 342.
22» See Thomas D'Arcy M'Gee's "Popu- lar History of Ireland," vol. i. , book i. , chap, iv. , pp. 28, 29.
230 He is sometimes called Niall the Great, in our Irish Annals. To illustrate his reign
Ogygia," pars iii. , cap. lxxxv. to cap. xciii. , pp. 393 to 436.
"
231 The sons of this monarch, by his first
wife, were Laeghaire, St. Patrick's contem-
porary, and Conall Crimthann, grandfather cf Dairmait mac Cerbhaill, whose descend- ants occupied Meath, and who from their position were styled the southern Hy- Neill.
233 By his second wife, he had Eoghan,
ancestor of the Cinel-Eoghain, who gave name to Tyrone and Inishown, and who in after times were represented by the O'Neill family ; Conall Gulban, ancestor of the Cinel-Conaill, who gave name to Tir-Con- nell, near Donegal, the territory of the O'Donnells; Cairbre, Enna, and others of in- ferior note, collectively formed the Northern Hy-Neill branch.
233 Monarch of Ireland, from A. D. to 379
405. See an account of him in Rev. Dr. Kelly's "Cambrensis Eversus,"by Gratianus Lucius Hibernus, vol. i. , pp. 494 to 497.
234 A list of thirty-seven Monarchs of Ire-
land, who preceded him in a direct line is
set forth, with their names in Colgan's
•'
Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbse, n. 9, p. 447.
235 His reign commenced A. D. 428, and
lasted for thirty years, when he died A. D.
458.
236 He reigned from a. d. 478 to A. D. 503,
a period of twenty-five years.
23? His reign began a. d. 503, and lasted
twenty-four years, when he perished at the River Boyne, A. D.
