No More Learning

"
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xii. The
Franciscan copy has Sci LicVignein CtuAn
mo1]^ in h. poiLgi.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 18, 19.
See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
Ecclesiastical Anti-
Article xi. Divi Hilarii Pictavonim "^
:
Abbani, cap. iii. , p. 626.
s See his life tober.
*
Francis Shearman, intituled " Loca Patri-
ciana," pp. 558, 559, in "Journal of the
Historical and Archjeological Association of
Ireland," fourth series, vol. ii. , No. l6,
October, 1873.
See a very learned paper by Rev. John
7
have been admirably described, with illus- trative representations by the Rev. Mr. Shearman, ibid. , Nos. 14, 15, 16, pp. 339 to
and its
January i6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 293
Article XII. —St, Dunchad O'Braoin, Abbot of Clonmacnoise, Anchorite and Pilgrim. \Tenth Century^^ It seems natural to venerate those distinguished and learned persons, who have rendered great services to a past generation. A love for those who are gone, and a desire to com- municate with them in Heaven is useful for us all. The more tender-hearted and affectionate and loving a people are, the more deeply will they realize and appreciate the devout feeling of praying to the saints, who have escaped from this world to enjoy eternal rest. The present very holy and accom- plished man belonged to the tenth century, and he was born probably about its commencement. Although in other countries, this age was regarded as comparatively sterile in the production of persons distinguished for learning
and virtue,' and although Ireland was labouring under peculiar disadvantages, after the invasion of northern pirates had destroyed many of her sanctuaries, or had dispersed her religious communities ; still, her writers and divines
were exceedingly numerous, during this age, as our annals abundantly testify. " Not unnoticed among the foremost was Donchad O'Braoin. The acts of this saint have been written by Colgan at the i6th of January. 3 A short life, in the possession of MacCarthy Riabhach, and a still shorter one, in the Chronicle of Clonmacnois, furnished materials for its composition, and he has added some critical notes. '* Dunchad O'Braoin was a scion of an illustrious family oftheNialls,andhewasborninthedistrictcalledBreghmuine. s Thisisnow knownasthebaronyofBrawny,inthecountyofWestmeath. ^ Hewasa religious, who embraced the monastic state at Clonmacnois. His love for literature was aided through his zeal. There he made wonderful progress in piety and learning. His humility, too, was most exemplary, for he wished to shunentirelytheattentionsandapplauseofmen. Secretinghimselfasmuch as possible, he lived the retired life of a holy anchorite. He is said to have shut himself up in a sort of prison. Tuathal, who had been both abbot and bishop of Clonmacnois, died a. d. 969. 7 Dunchad was chosen as his suc- cessor in the abbacy. Having been brought from his retreat, this humble man was forced to accept the responsible charge, for which he had been
selected.
Among the bishops at Clonmacnois, Harris has placed Dunchad on his list,butonlyconjecturally,ata. d. 969. ^ Yet,thereisnofoundationwhatso-
ever, for such an arrangement. Certain words, quoted from Colgan, prove nothing more than that Dunchad had been placed over the . monastery as abbot. Throughout his acts, or wherever else he is spoken of, Dunchad is never called bishop. Governing the monastery for some time merely as abbot, he desired a more retired state of life. He withdrew from the manage- ment of monastic affairs after some time. By many persons he was much admired in that part of Ireland. 9
See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
the — Sheets
King's County," 4, 17, 27, 39.
'
Article xii. Such is the very general
opinion of our great church historians. See
also Sir James Ware "De Scriptoribus Hi-
hernias," lib. i. , cap. vi. , p. 46.
ensi, pp. 105 to 108.
"
These facts Colgan serves to establish in
5 said to have been The O'Braoins are
chiefs of this district. See "The Topo-
graphical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O Huidhrin. " Edited by
Dr. O'Donovan, pp. 2, 3, 10, 11. *SuchistheidentificationofHarris. See
hisactsofthissaintandinthe
ing notes. See "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nise," xvi. Januarii. De B. Dunchado, macnois," p. 169.
Abb. Cluanensi.
105, and nn. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, pp. 106, 107.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xvi.
^ See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 694, 695.
*
Januarii.
De B.
Dunchado, Abb. ,
Cluan-
s See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
Cap. i. , ii. , iii. , iv. , p.
correspond-
See
ibid. ,
n.
i. , p.
106.
Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops of Clon-
See Harris' Ware, vol. i. , "Bishops at Clonmacnoise," p. 169.
294
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January i6.
The titles of abbot and of anchoret are invariably applied to him. On the banks of the Shannon may be seen at Clonmacnois,'° a venerable group of niins known as the seven churches, with two round towers yet very well preserved. Here the old burial-ground is covered with graves. " As in some other great monastic institutions, abbots were not always bishops at Clonmac-
Round Tower and Cross at Clonmacnoise.
noise. Neither were the bishops regularly abbots. " This saint is called a
holy and devout anchorite, and he is regarded as a pilgrim. '3
Through his prayers, Almighty God restored to life the infant son of a woman. This mother left her dead child at the entrance of our saint's cell. She then retired so as not to be seen, but she hoped that the saint would pray, and procure the infant's resuscitation. With this request he complied. This miracle is alluded to by Tighernach, author of the Annals of Clonmac- nois. This writer lived in the eleventh century. Tighernach says, that Dunchad was the last of the Irish saints, through whose intercession God had restored a dead person to life. '* Another miracle was wrought in favour of this holy man. For one festival day of St. Andrew, the Apostle, when Dunchad had been exhausted from the effects of severe fasting, he began to desire some nourishing diet. He prayed to God for such relief; and then a
nise," xvi. Januarii. De B. Dunchado, cap. vii. , p. io6.
'" See Beaufort's "Memoir of a Map of Ireland," p. 62.
has misquoted Colgan, and he was wrong in giving them that title. He omitted their
real designation. See Dr. Lanigan's "Ec- clesiastical History of Ireland," vol. iii. , chap, xxii. , § xv. , n. 180, pp. 391, 392.
'3 Such designations are applied to him in the Annals of Clonmacnoise, at A. D. 981.
" The accompanying engraving of Clon- macnoise is by Messrs. Bisson and Jaquet, Paris, from a photograph of Frederick H. Mares, 79 Grafton-street, Dublin.
'* See Colgan's
"
Acta Sanctorum Hi-
" Thus Moeldar, and his successor, St.
berniae," xvi. Januarii, De B. Dunchado, n. 23, p. 108.
Corpreus, Bishop of Clonmacnoise, do not appear to have been abbots there. Archdall
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
youth, who served him, went out into a field to collect straw. There two
had relieved him by so evident a miracle. '5 ^ In the year 974 or 975, he withdrew to Armagh, where sequestered and unnoticed he hoped to spend his days. His reputation however soon spread throughout that city. So much respect was paid to him there, he was
determined to leave it, that he might avoid further notoriety. '^
His intentions being discovered, the principal inhabitants of Armagh de- puted some venerable persons of the clergy to request that he should stay with them one year longer. The clergy alone were able to change his re- solves. He complied with their petition, and continued to reside at Armagh. At the year's end he again prepared for departure. But a similar request was
made. This repetition was annually continued, it is stated, and so he was induced to prolong his stay in that city. St. D—unchad O'Braoin there ended
January i6. ]
295
most beautiful men to and after a salutation " appeared him, said, Thy
master Dunchad, the servant of God, hath asked the Lord we serve for food and drink, and behold both are here for you to bring him. " Then taking the straw from this youth, they placed nourishing meats, and a vessel, containing mead or beer, mixed with honey, on his shoulders. This load he carefully brought to Dunchad, and related what had occurred. The blessed man gave special thanks to God, who had commiseration on his weakness, and who
his
i6th of and he died on the—
with the
17th
thus rendered
days, January corresponding
of the Calends of February a. d. 987. ^7 The year 988 is said, however, to be more correct. That most distinguished historian of Ireland, Eochaidh
has allusion to this— man in an Irish O'Flannagain, holy stanza,
into English by Dr. O'Donovan
:
"TheseatofMacha[i. e. QueenMacha]thetreacheroiis,voluptuous,haughty, Is a psalm-singing house possessed by saints ;
There came not within the walls of her fort
A being like unto Dunchadh O'Braein. "'^
We are told, furthermore, that at the end of his thirteenth year of pilgrimage to Armagh, he passed out of this Hfe. 's The amiable as well as the humble character of this holy man may be estimated from the disposition he evinced, to yield his opinions to the wiser judgments of virtuous persons, in the order of his living, lest he might seem to be overwise in his own conceits.
Article XIII. —Reputed Festival of St. Ninnida or Nennius of
Leth-derc, in Inis-Muighe-Samh, now Inishmacsaint Island, Lough Erne,CountyFermanagh. ItwillbeseenbyreferringtotheentryofSt. Cillen's name on this day, that the present saint was called Nennius or Nenne- thus. It would seem that his religious establishment was on Lough Erne.
On this day, the Martyrology of Tallagh^ registers the name of Ninnidh, Leth derc, as having been venerated. Marianus O'Gorman's Calendar enters his festival on the i6th of January.
However, the festival and acts of this saint seem more appropriately referable to the 1 8th of this month, where they
may be seen.
'5 See ibid. , cap. ix. , p. io6.
'* The Four Masters state his object was to revisit Clonmacnoise. See Dr. O'Dono- van's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 720, 721.
'7 Yet the Annals of Clonmacnoise place his death under A. D. 981.
'* See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 720, 721, and n. (n), ibid.
'' See ibid. —
Article xrn.
'
Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xii. The Franciscan copy gives, ninnix>A tAech "Oe^cc.
296 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 17.
^ebenteentK) I3ap of Sfanuarp*
ARTICLE ,1. —ST. MURICHERODAC, RECLUSE AT RATISBON, IN BAVARIA.
[ELEVENTH CENJURY. 1
WEfind that a great number of eminent Irishmen, whose names
not so much to the which them as to belong country gave birth,
those lands which they benefited by the example and labours of their lives, flourishedaboutthisperiodonthecontinentofEurope. Thefameofthe Island of Saints continued to be upheld by the learning, labours, zeal, and piety of her sons.
The present saint was a native of old Ireland. Here he was bom, most probably towards the close of the tenth, or in a very early period of the eleventh century. Inflamed with a desire of exiling himself from his native country, that he might more wholly dedicate himself to God, he journeyed to Ratisbon, in Bavaria. There he lived the life of a recluse. He practised, in a lone cell, those exercises of prayer and penance, which elevated him above thoughts and desires, agitating men so frequently in this sublunary sphere. His contemplative life does not enable us to discover the record of any extraordinary actions he performed,' for his works were best known to God ; although the fame of his virtues and sanctity made way, even to his native island. ' Many of his countrymen, moved by his example, quitted friends and home, directing their course towards Bavaria. This saint is said' to have been the foundation and corner-stone of many monasteries, after- wardsestablishedbyIrishmeninGermany. '* Amongothersofhiscountry- men, who visited him at Ratisbon,5 and who followed his directions, was the Blessed Marianus, Our saint's life was prolonged through many years. At length he departed to a better world, having consummated his course happily in this. Colgan assigns his feast to the 17th day of January, probably the day of his death ; although the BoUandists maintain, he had no authority for so placing this saint's festival. ^
Article i. —' at the Colgan,
It must be remarked, although in his printed
s in the Catholic of near College Blairs,
Aberdeen, there are MSS. , which refer to
the Scottish monastery of Ratisbon. Among
these is a 4to MS. on paper, and intituled :
" Abbatum Monasterii ad Catalogus hujus
Sanctum Jacobum Ratisbonse, a Placido
Marianus' life, written by an old author.
' The fifth and sixth books of Bavarian giminis anno, sc. 1704. " This MS. also
of
17th January, gives us only some few particulars regarding this saint, which are here inserted. His acts of St. Muricherodac comprise ex- tracts from Rader's "Bavaria Sacra," as likewise from the twelfth chapter of St.
Annals, written by Joannes Aventinus, con- tain allusion to this holy missionary.
3 By Raderus, in his "Bavaria Sacra. "
* Yet one of these, erected at Ratisbon, was taken from the descendants of the Irish founders and Scots, and transferred for use of the natives of Scotland, in the sixteenth century, because the local authorities con- ceived them to represent truly the old Scottish possessors. SeeJohn Hill Burton's
"History of Scotland," vol. i. , chap, v. , pp. 208 to 210.
contains an additional historic tract, written by D. Bemardus Baillie, in 1722. Another
MS. in folio, paper, contains copies of Bulls, Charters, &c. , relative to the Scottish College of Ratisbon. See the report of Jos. Steven- son, in Appendix to " Second Report of the Royal Commission on Historical Manu- scripts," A. D. 1871, pp. 2or, 202.
* In the life of Marianus, which they give, at the 9th of February. See notices of him at 'that date, as also at the 17th of April, when this Martyrologist is venerated.
Flemming, abbate, confectus, 32° sui re-
January 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 297
work, Colgan cites no authority for his assertion, it is ahnost certain, our
conscientious and accurate hagiologist had some reason for assigning the
festival of St. Muricherodac to this day. Thus, we find, only one comment
subjoined to our saint's acts, as pubhshed by him ; yet this note is not re-
ferred to any portion of the text, through some typographical error. That
it should have been followed by others appears probable, from the heading
"
Notse" found prefixed. 7 In this case, as in many other passages through- out Colgan's works, the printer has done much injury to these valuable biographical records. We are told, that the death of St. Muricherodac is supposed to have occurred about the year 1080. ^ Long after his decease, the Irish missionary spirit survived on the theatre of his pilgrimage. An
account of those various Irish or Scottish monasteries founded in Germany, with their respective influences on the arts and civilization of the middle ages, is one which opens a wide field for investigation. 9 In these houses, the interests of religion were most especially promoted.
ArticleII. —St. Ultan,S(5nofEtechdachofCuilcorra. Owing
to her admirable constitution, all in the Church is strong, because in her
everything is divine and everything is in unity. As each part is divine, the bond also is divine, and the connection of parts is such, that each part acts with the force of a whole. The very life of one among her saints reveals this happy unison and strength. We read in the Martyrology of Donegal^ on this day about Ultan, a son to Etechdach of Cuilcorra. For further particulars regarding this saint, we are referred to the life of St. Declan, by a commentator, in the table, which has been placed after the text of this Martyrology. " InthepublishedMartyrologyofTallaghthissaint'snameis omitted,3 or wrongly inserted. Marianus O'Gorman informs us, likewise, that St. Ultan, the son of Etectac, was venerated in Cuilchorra, at this date. This church is placed in that part of Connaught, known as Kera, according to Colgan,-* and there too St. Patrick is said to have erected a church,s However we cannot at all be certain that such was the exact place, with
'In this short comment, Colgan refers
the reader to St. Marianus' life and to his
land," pp. 21 to 49. This has been trans- lated by the Rev. William Reeves and ably annotated under the heading "The Irish
own appended notes, which were to appear
at the 17th of April. These he promised Monasteries in Germany. " See "Ulster
should contain further particulars regarding Journal of Archaeology," vol. vii. , pp. 227 St. Muricherodac—whom he also calls to 247, and pp. 295 to 313.
Murcherdach—and of his companions. There he also intended to prove, not only that these were Scots of Ireland, but, also, that all the monasteries of Gaul and Ger- many, which are said to have been erected for Scottish monks, and called " Monasteria Scotorum," were built by Irishmen, while founded and endowed for their use. See " Acta Sanctorum Hiberni3e,"xvii. Januarii. Vita S. Muricherodaci, p. iii.
' Drs. Todd and Articleii. —Editedby
Reeves, pp. 20, 21.
'
Ibid. , pp. 476, 477.
3 Yet in the Franciscan copy, we find an
*
See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical His-
e-pnAin ajut^ 'heiAninn oh C15 UtcAin
Hie echeccAij 1 Cuii Cho^i\A,
Such is the first entry of Irish saints, im-
mediately succeeding twenty-seven foreign
ones, at the xvi. of the January Calends,
the present day.
• See " Acta Sanctorum Hibernire," xvii.
Januarii. De B. Ultano Scoto, seu Hibemo, Lindisfamensi Monacho, n. i, p. 109.
"
tory of Ireland," vol. iv. , chap, xxv. , § ii. ,
p. 4.
9 In the "Zeitschrift fiir Christliche
Archaologie itnd Kunst," published at
Leipzig, in 1856, Dr. Wattenbach, a learned
contributor to Pertz's " Monumenta" has Septima Vita S. Patricii. Pars ii. , cap. Ix. ,
" KongregationderSchottenklosterin Deutsch-
inserted an article, under the title
Die p. 137.
obscure addition, to preceding saints, of
: Ultain's name in this form —
s See Colgan's
Trias Thaumaturga,"
398 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 17.
which St. Ultan's religious ministrations had been connected. There is an old church of Coolkerry, in a parish of that name, within the barony of
Clarmallagh and in the Queen's County. Measured from the interior, it is about 48 feet in length, by 20 in breadth, while the walls are nearly four feet in thickness. However, only an old gable, and quite a featureless one, stands in an imperfect shape, as several stones have been removed from its top and sides. Its limestone walls are covered with yellow lichens. Grass- covered side walls, with one end wall, or faint traces of it, over the founda- tions are visible. This church—stands on a mound, near the road bridge, which crosses the River Erkina a considerable stream flowing beneath it. Several moss and lichen-covered rude head-stones are in the graveyard, which has long been used for purposes of burial. In an adjoining rich pasture field, and quite near the old church, there are very curious earth- mounds ; and here the inhabitants say were and are the foundations of ancient religious erections. \ What is denominated a Monument Bush, and of large growth, may be seen at the entrance from the road to the graveyard, which is unenclosed. The bush was a fine flowering hawthorn, at a time when the writer visited this spot. ^ Unbaptized infants were interred beneath the bush, and a pile of loose stones surrounded its gnarled trunk. It may be worthy of investigation, to find if this place could have been identic^ with the Cuilcorra and its St. Ultan here recorded.
Article III. —St. Ernain, of Tigh-Ernain. It is mentioned in the Marty—rology of Tallagh' that veneration was given to Ernain and Hemind of Tigh Ulltainfollowsonthe17thofJanuary. Whetheroneorbothofthose saints be set down, to represent the following holy person is uncertain. In the Martyrology of Donegal^ an Ernain, of Tigh-Ernain, is recorded as having a festival on this day. Tigh may have been only a contraction for There is a
Tigh-Ernain.
Farannan. Thisplaceissocalledatthepresentday; yetithassometimesbeen
In — May, 1870.
copy.
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
20, 21.
3 On it are shown the ruins of a chapel,
within an enclosure, or burial-ground. See " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Westmeath," Sheet 12.
* See O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (h), p. 526.
See his Diocese of Ancient Meath,
and Modem," vol. iii. , chap. Ixxiii. , p. 549. He quotes Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," p. 478, but tlie Saint Ernain there men- tioned seems to have been a different person,
"Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," p. 372, as cited, has no allusion whatever to this saint's name, although there is to the place called Tegh-Ererain, in n. 16.
* See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiber- nicum," p. 573, and Lanigan's "Ecclesi- astical History of Ireland," vol.