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Although some doubts have been expressed, that St. Brigid could have taken a very distinguished part in Irish Church affairs, during the Hfetime of
our venerable Apostle ; yet, to us, it seems perfectly reconcileable, not only with our early narratives, but with received chronology, that the glorious daughter of Erin might have had interviews with her illustrious director, both before and after the time of her foundation at Kildare. To determine ex- actly dates for the following written incidents is, however, a matter of great difficulty. We must endeavour conjecturally to place them in their order of
occurrence, so far as probabilities will allow us to continue. Perhaps, the
arrangement, with better lights of view, might admit of various alterations
or adaptations. After certain miraculous occurrences, related in her acts,
took place—the date or locality unnoted—it is said our saint went towards
the northern of Ireland, accompanied St. Patrick. ' On a certain part by
day, while the great Irish Apostle in the plain of Lemhuin^ preached God's holy word from a hilP to the people there, at a place called Einnabhair,'^ or
"the- white field," St. Brigid slept. She was probably very young at this time. After his sermon had been concluded,5 St. Patrick asked her why she had fallen asleep while the sacred word of God was announced. ^ Then the
" O father, for- give me ; O most pious Lord, spare me, for during this hour, I have had a vision. " The illustrious missionary desired her to tell what she had seen.
"
I, your servant, have beheld four ploughs, ploughing the whole of Ireland, while sowers were scattering seed. 7 This latter immediately sprung up and began to ripen, when rivulets of fresh milk filled the furrows, while the sowers themselves were clothed in white garments. After this, I saw others plough, and those who ploughed
appeared black. ^ They destroyed, with their plough-shares, the growing
'
Chapter vii. — See Colgan's "Trias 150, and n. 11, p. 184.
humble virgin, on her knees, asked his pardon. She said
:
Whereupon, the devout virgin announced :
"
Thaumaturga, Tertia Vita S. Brigidae,
cap. Ivii. , p. 533. Quarta Vita S. Brigidae, lib. ii. , cap. xxvii. , pp. 553, 554.
"The fort of Augher and the village of
s The Acts of St. Patrick relate, that this sermon lasted three days and three nights, at the hill of Finnabhair at Lemhuin. It was in the county of Tyrone and d. ocese of Clogher. The River Blackwater ran through it. Finnabhair is now corrui)tly called Fin-
Ballygawley are in it. Clogher lay on its
western and the church of Errigle-Keeroge
on its northern boundary. Its other name, dermore, a townland in the parish and ba-
'*
Clossach, is frequently mentioned in O'Mel- rony of Clogher. See
lan's Irish "Journal of the Wars of 1641 ;" Townland Maps for the County of Tyrone,"
"
in Colton's Visitation," p. 126 ; in the Sheets 58, 64.
••Book of Rights," p. 152 ; in the "Irish ^ To Brigid, it is said, the time of the
Topographical Poems" of O'Dugan and sermon did not seem to be more than one
O'Huidhrin, p. xxi. , n. (119). See Miss hour. "
M. F. Cusack's Life of St. Patrick, 7 In the Sixth Metrical Life of St. Brigid, Apostle of Ireland," p. 451, n. 2. it is stated, the white sowers came from the
3 So the Seventh Life of St. Patrick East,
states. *See
In her Sixth Metrical Life, in Colgan's
"Trias
Joceline's or Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap.
Trias— St. is made Thaumaturga," Brigid
Colgan's
Thaumaturga,"
to say xcvi. ,pp. 86,87,andn. 105,p. 113. This ,, ^. . , ^
place was situated in the ancient territory of Liemania, sometimes called Magh-Lemna,
or Clossach, by others. See ibid. , Septima — Vita S. Patricii, pars, iii. , cap. iv. , pp. 149,
, ^ , . . Conspexi populos septem de parte trioms,
*
8
**
:
^'S"^ ,? ""^ atns.
\^oy^\^^x^ vementes vultibus
Sexta Vita S. Brigidae, sec. Ixv. , p. 595,
Ordnance Survey
February i. ] LTVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 105 corn ; and, they sowed tares, which filled the furrows. "^ The Irish Apostle
then said to our saint
:
" O holy virgin, you have beheld a true and wonder-
ful vision. This is its interpretation. We are the good ploughers, who, with the shares of the four Gospels, cultivate human hearts, and sow God's
words, while those rivers, containing the milk of Christian faith, proceed from our labours. But, towards the end of this world, bad teachers shall preach to depraved generations, who will receive them. *° Those teachers" shall destroy our instructions, and shall seduce nearly the whole human race. "" Brigid also had a vision regarding the two sons of Eochaidh,'3 son of Crim- thann,'* at the same place. 's The elder of these, named Bressal, was re- presented by the figure of a large stone, wasting away under falling showers ; while, the younger, Carbre, svirnamed Damhairgid, was denoted by a smaller stone, which increased, and sent forth bright sparks, as the rain fell. '^ St. Patrick interpreted this to mean, that the rain represented the shower of celestial grace, falling in vain on the unbeliever Bressal, while, its dews, de- scending on the believer Carbre,^? signified an increase to him of blessings for the future. '^ Hereupon, those who were then present, with St. Patrick and St. Brigid, praised Almighty God. '9 A synod had been convened at this place. ^° The degeneracy of Christian feeling and practice, during sub- sequent times, as also the efforts of heretical and false teachers to pervert the
9 In the Acts of St.
following additional particulars described in
her vision —" And after I saw : that,
Patrick,
^4 Crimthann was son to son of Fieg,
Deadad, son to Rochad, son of Colla Dach-
to the " Ge- spotted rioch, according Sanctilogic
Pastores cupidi, qui plus sua lucra se-
quentur,
Non frumenta satis, sed lolia subdere
sulcis Curabunt," &c.
^'' " See Colgan's
395. Colgan's
Trias Thaumaturga. " This
S. Brigidce, sec. Ixv. , p.
and n. 12, pp. 150, 184.
'7 Among the posterity of Carbry,
blessed by St. Patrick, we find enumerated there, St. Endteus of Aran, St. Fanchea,
St. Teganus, St. Darenia, and St. Lochina, sisters to St. Endseus, St. Beg Mac De, with many other saints. See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," xxi. Martii, Ap- pendix ad Vitam S. Endaei, cap. iv. , pp. 713, 714.
^«Only the writer of St. Brigid's Sixth Life mentions this vision of the saint in her
*'
Trias
Vita Sexta S. Brigidse, sec Ixvi. , andn. 17,
pp. 595. 598.
^9 See ibid. . Vita Quarta S. Brigidse, lib.
metrical account was supplied from a MS.
in the library of his Emmence Cardinal
Antonio Barberini, p. 1062, being wanting
in the Monte Casino MS.
^*
They are called deluders and hypocrites in Professor O'Looney's Irish Life of St. Brigid, pp. 29, 30.
'^ The Rev. S. Baring-Gould, a clergyman of the Anglican Church, calls the foregoing a remarkable prophecy regarding "the
miserable— of the so-called Refor- apostasy
Actb. See
Colgan's
Thaumaturga,"
"
mation. " Lives the Saints," vol. ii. ,
of
February I, p. 21.
^3 Eochaidh was prince of Oirgallia. Thus,
we find the
and motley-coloured oxen, then wild and
black animals. After these I saw sheep
and swine and wolves and dogs contending
with one another. " See Rev. S. Baring- on each of them. The little stone increased Gould's "Lives of the Saints," vol. ii. ,
February I, p. 21. '°
at the 'drop,' and silvery sparks burst from it. The large stone withered, more- over. " These words of Brigid, St. Patrick
interpreted to mean Cairpre Damhairgit, who believed and was blessed with his seed,
and Bresal, who refused to believe, when a malediction was pronounced against him. See Miss Mary F. Cusack's "Life of St.
Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 452.
—St. Patrick describes the evil teachers as
**
—See Vita Sexta "
de Vere alludes to him, in the — xxvii. , Vita Tertia Aubrey poem, ii. , cap. pp. 553, 554.
*'
**
king
—Northward in Clochar. "
"Legends of St. Patrick," p. 149.
Saint Patrick and King Eochaidh"
Eochaidh, son of Cruimther, reigned, a
S.
ibid. According to some accounts, St. Patrick is said to have held nearly sixty synods in
"
Ireland. See Villaneuva's Sancti Pa-
tricii, Ibernorum Apostoli, Synodi, Ca- nones, Opuscula," &c. , pp. 7, 8.
:
BrigidiE, cap. '°
Ivii. ,
p. 533,
nealogy," chap. xiii.
'5 " I saw subsequently two stones, one
little and the other big. A drop was shed
Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vila S. Patricii, pars, iii. , cap. vi. ,
lo6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[February j.
minds and principles of the faithful in Ireland,^^ have been popularly be- lieved to furnish the correct interpretation for this remarkable Brigitine vision.
It is probable, Lemhuin and Finnabhair are the places alluded to, where St. Patrick and St. Brigid, with their religious, are said to have been assem- bled at a time the holy Apostle of Ireland did not cease giving instructions to the people, for three whole days and three nights. ^*^ The sun continued shining, as we are told ; however, during this protracted sermon, the auditors supposed, that not more than an hour had elapsed. One man only had a knowledge regarding what length of time had been spent in this place. On approaching, he asked the holy Bishop, why he had remained there for so long an interval. The Apostle asked him what time had elapsed, and was then told a duration, equal to three days and as many nights. Then said
the holy father
:
" For forty days and nights, we should have remained here,
had not a stranger warned us about our delay, nor should we have experi-
enced fatigue nor hunger, through the Divine clemency. " Afterwards, St,
Patrick and St. Brigid returned to their respective districts. =^3 Those are
not specified ; but, it may be, St. Patrick proceeded on his missionary career through Ulster, while Brigid returned to her home or convent in Meath or Leinster. '4
It is related, that Brigid visited Armagh, most probably after she had
established her parent house at Kildare. She always desired the wise counsel
of St. Patrick. ^5 it may not be unlikely, this journey was undertaken at
the special request of the Irish Apostle himself He intended Armagh to be
the seat of ecclesiastical rule ; and, here he is said to have built, not alone
several other houses. ^'^ What religious
his cathedral ^"^ but church,
likewise,
could be more desirable, than founding a holy institute, where his fervent
female converts could find a happy retreat and a career of Christian useful- ness ? Who could be chosen more capable of teaching nuns, both by word and example, than the zealous and energetic Abbess of Kildare ? ^^ If we aretobelieveamoderncompilation,St. PatrickfoundedTempleBrigidin thiscityofArmagh. ^s Itseemsmorelikely,thattheRegiesBrighde,orSt. Bride's Church, if founded during his lifetime, had been also the joint con- cern of St. Brigid, to accommodate some religious daughters, belonging to her order. Long after her decease, the coarbs. of the Regies Brighde,3° are men-
"
Abbate D. Giacomo Certani's "La Santit^ he died at Saul or Sabhal, A. D. 493. See
p. 555.
saint,
See the foregoing narative produced in this place, A. D. 455, to St. Binen ; and that
Prodigiosa, Vitadi S. Brigida Ibernese. " chap, i. , pp. 82, 84, 85.
Libro Quarto, pp. 323 to 326. ="7 An inexact historical compiler aflfinns, " See Abbate Giacomo Certani's ** La that St. Patrick founded an abbey at Ar-
Santit^ Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida Ibernese. " Libro Quarto, pp. 326, 327.
'3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Vita Quarta S. Brigidae, lib. ii. , cap. xxxiii.
In the Third Life of our
this sermon was preached, it is stated, at the request of St. Brigid. See Vita Tertia S. Brigidae, cap. Ixiii. , p. 534. Ibid.
'^The foregoing incidents are probably referable to St. Brigid's earliest interviews with St. Patrick.
»sSee "The Life of St. Brigid," by an
" James Stuart, A. B. , who has published Historical Memoirs of the City of Ar- magh," states, that St. Patrick built a ca- thedral and some other religious edifices there, A. D. 445 ; that he held a synod there,
A. D. 448 ; that he resigned the bishopric of
magh for regular Canons of St. Augustine's order, in 445 or 457. See Sir Charles Coote's " Statistical Survey of the County of Armagh," Appendix, p. 29.
''^ We are that "she was in- informed,
vited to come and—form establishments in
=9 See Sir Charles Coote's "Statistical Survey of the County of Armagh," Ap- pendix, p. 30.
30 in Irish, tlejlef btM^-oe. This little conventual church was outside the rath. Its situation is marked on the Map of the Citv of Armagh, constructed on J. Roque s Map of 1760, and R. Levingstone's Survey of 1767, prefixed to the Rev. Wm. Reeves'
Irish Priest, chap, vii. , pp, 87, 88. "*
Rev. M. Brenan's
various districts. " J. "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," chap. iii. , p. 51.
"Ancient Churches of Armagh," sec. v. ,
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 107
lionedinourannals. 3^ NowSt. Bride'ssharesitshonourswithapaddockJ^
From the expression coarb,^^ or abbatial successor, we may conclude that, though small, it was a religious house which might have traced back its
origin to the era of its reputed founder. 34 In 1179, the Regies Brighde and the Teampull-na-Fearta35 escaped a wide-spread conflagration,36 which consumedthegreaterpartofArmagh. 37 In1189,however,Armaghwas burned from St. Brigid's cross to the Regies Brighde. 38 The occupants of the nunnery here were possibly of St. Brigid's order, and observants of her rule, from the earliest period. 39 Two townlands belonging to it, at one time, paid a rental of four shillings a year. 4° Afterwards, these endowments seem to have been absorbed in some more powerful interest ; for, at the period of the suppression of religious houses, its sole possessions were the building and the surrounding premises, which occupied about one acre. ^^ At the time ofthedissolution42itwasanunnery,andpossiblyacellofTemplefertagh; for, in inquisitions and patents, both are coupled, and they have changed hands incompanyeversince. 43 TheprecinctsofTemplebreedoccupyanirregular space, situated to the south-east of the Protestant cathedral, at Armagh, and having frontage in the middle, at the south side of Castle-street. 44 The old Catholic chapel stands on the south-west bound, and the site of Temple- breed lies about thirty yards north-east of the near end of the chapel. 45 An ancient cemetery adjoined the nunnery. 4^ The historian of Armagh cor- rectly identifies Teampull na Fearta with the Dobbin holding ;47 yet, strange tosay,elsewhere,heprofesseshisinabilitytodetermineitsposition. 48 Like
p. 25. Printed for the Author, Lusk:
39
See Rev. William Reeves' "Ancient
MDCCCLX, small 8vo. Churches of Armagh," sec. i. , p. 10. ""
3' The Annals of Ulster" and Annals /"According to Primate Dowdall's Re-
of the Four Masters" record atA. D, 1085.
gister of the See of Armagh.
4' An inquisition of 1612, finds that this
was a nunnery. Ultonia Inq. Armagh, No. 3, James I.
42 Then it was occupied by a singer, or "cantator," who resided in said monastery, place, or house, called Templebreed.
43 Both lots, known as the two Abbey
Courts, or the Earl of Anglesey's Liberty, were assigned by lease in 1799, and this was converted into fee by the late Leonard Dobbin, Esq.
44 The enclosure extended back- nunnery
wards down the slope, south and south-east, to near, but not touching, Thomas-street.
43 On the Castle-street of St. frontage
Brigid's ground stood the old castellated house
which gave name to the street. It was an-
ciently called Port-Rath or Rath-Armagh,
and occasionally Rathene. See Stuart's
the death of
Gormgeal Loighseach.
See
Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernicarum Scrip-
tores," tomusiii. , p. 648, and tomus iv. p.
350. In the former Annals, the Latinized rendering is " Vicaria Ecclesise S. Brigidse
in Ardmacha, sapiens intelligentia et pie- tate. " In the "Annals of the Four Mas-
*'
Gormgalus Lagisiensis Vicarius Ec- 3' See Rev. William Reeves' "Ancient
ters,"
clesise Brigidse in Ardmacha, sapiens sci-
entia et religione. "
Churches of
33 The word coarb is applied to the suc-
Armagh," p. 3.
cessor or representative of the patron saint,
or founder of a original
monastery, priory, or any ecclesiastical establishment, or to the successor of a bishop. See Owen Connel- lan's and Philip MacDermott's "Annals of Ireland, translated from the original Irish
of the Four Masters," n. 2, p, i.
34 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' "Ancient
"
chap, v. , p. 144.
4^ See the "Dublin for Penny Journal,"
notice of an ancient bronze seal belonging to a former Dean of Armagh, vol. ii. , p. 112. This communication of the late John Corry, the truest antiquary Armagh ever produced, is accompanied by an illustration. The seal was found on the site of Temple Brigid.
"
Historical Memoirs of the City of Armagh. " chap, xxvi. , pp. 511, 512, 514.
'''^'Stt ibid. , chap, i. , pp. 83, 87, and in the Appendices vi. and vii. Stuart conjec- tures, that it was at an old abbey, used as a cemetery in the early part of the last cen-
Churches of sec. Armagh,"
v. , p. 25.
33 This is represented as having been the
present Scotch-street, supposed by Dr. Reeves to have been called Templefartagh- street in the time of King Charles II. See ibid. , sec. i. , p. ii.
3* See Rev. Robert King's "Memoir in- troductory to the early History of the Pri- macy of Armagh," p. iii.
37 Probably on account of their position
outside the rath, and the densely-occupied portion of the town.
3^ See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. iii. , pp. 84, 85.
47 See
Historical Memoir of the City of Armagh,"
Io8 LIVES OJP THE IRISH SAINTS,
[February i.
many other cathedral cities, Armagh sprung up and extended around its minster church. It likewise grew by degrees into beauty of design and
appearance. '*^ Incomparably fine and picturesque views of it are furnished
City of Armagh, from the East.
at every point of approach ; hills and valleys and rushing streams give va- riety and interest to each of its suburbs.
The ready resources of true charity, as exercised on behalf of our neigh-
bour, are ever versatile, and applicalDle towards objects and conditions, which call forth their exercise by cloistered religious. One day, a poor
leper came to our saint, entreating permission to have his garments washed at her establishment. It is probable, that some public provision had been
there made. Brigid compassionately assented to the leper's request, and when told by the afflicted pauper, that he had no other garments for a change, while what he wore should be washed and dried, our holy abbess directed one of her nuns to present him with her second habit, which she was not obliged to wear. Having a very natural objection to give her clothes to a man, labouring under so loathsome a disease, that nun could hardly bear such a proposal. She was immediately struck with leprosy,s° for her disobedience, and she continued in this state for the lapse of an hour.
Then, indeed, she repented on account of her refusal. Through the prayers of St. Brigid, however, she was soon cleansed from this infectious disease.