No More Learning

The
introduction of St. Comgall's name and his presence there is very natural, as like-
1
wise the church of Cambus," mentioned a little further on, and which was
foundedbyhim. 112 Itisaparish,situatedonthewestsideoftheRiverBann,"3 in the next parish to that where this interview took place, being distant about fourmileseastofDun-Cethern,ortheSconce. Itisalsointhedioceseof
Londonderry.
of Camus. "6
Irish words, 11 ?
All traces ofthe church have 1 '* from the "5 disappeared, cemetery
The name of this parish is supposed to be a compound of two
signifying
" a crooked 8 and in Ireland, there are stream,""
twelve townlands bearing this name. In the twelfth century, an abbey110 was
foundedinanotherpartoftheparish; andaccordingtothecivilusage,the
Irish name I2° name to it. After the saint had a little
Macosquin gives got
water brought to him, from a well that was close by, and to wash his hands,
hesaidtotheabbot "Adayshallcome,whenthewell,whencethiswater :
"
was drawn, shall be no longer fit for man's use. "
"shall the water be " corrupted? "
Why," said Comgall,
Because/' replied
filled with human blood of my relatives and yours ; that is, the descendants
of Neill and the Cruithnii "' shall wage war 122 at the neighbouring fortress of
the throne, a restoration of the territory,
which had been seized by the Cinel Eoghain.
Londonderry," at p. 484.
115 An island in the Bann,
the churchyard of Camus, was formerly called Imp LocViAin, according to the "Annals of theFourMasters,"atA. D. 1170,1544. Be- side this was a shallow spot, known as feaj\- bustio regum in Dun Ceithirn, i. e. , Dungal z&y Camp*, or "the ford of Camus. "
See the Banquet of Dun na n-gedh, and
"The Battle of Magh Rath," pp. 38, 39. 109 In the year 681, it was the scene of a
conflict, as related by Tighemach : "Com-
mac Scandail ro [rex] Cruithne et Cendfae-
ladli mac Suibhne m Cianachta Glinne
Geminin initio estatis L&fperJMaelduin mac
Maelefithrigli. " See also Rev. Dr. O'Conor's
" Rcrum Hibernicaruin Scriptores," tomus partments, each containing three human
ii. , Tigernachi Annales, p. 211.
"° The remarkable g. illery, which has been
just mentioned, was disturbed and reduced
to its present condition, winch is little
better than a great ridge of dry stones, by a
person, who, about thirty years ago, brought Reeves'
a number o( men to the spot,
"
to search the cave for money," and, with them he . 'eft a
Metropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of
Derry, a. d. , Mcccxcvn. ," pp. 83, 84, n. (j).
barrel of beer to stimulate their exertions.
1,1 This monastery was founded by St.
Comgall, probably under the patronage of the Pictish residents in Dun-da-bheann or
Mountsandal, and Dun-Ceithern, whose oc-
cupation of this territory is still attested by
" 7 These are Cdm and
the townland of Drumcroon, or Picts Ridge, Claro Fonte. See Martene, " Thesaurus
in the same parish, and Duncroon, <>r
" Picts Fort," in the adjacent parish of Ma-
Novus Aneedotum," tomus iv. ,coll. 1460, I524-
"°
co]-ccfVAin. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," at A. D. 1505, vol. , v. ,
'"'
Written in the Irish characters, ttUMsje- 938, Muircertach Camsa, that is—"of p. 1280.
gilligan.
,la The connexion of Bangor with the pre-
sent monastery w. is long maintained, for in
Camus," was abbot of Bangor. Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Mas-
ters," vol. ii. , pp. 638, 639, and n. (z).
"3 For distinction's s. \ke, this place is called Camus juxta Bam/, there being another of the same name in the Tyione part of the diocese, and styled from the
The Cruithini, Cruithnii, Cruithnigh weretheseinhabitantsof1 >alAraidhe,called Picts, from being descended of Loncada, daughter of Eochaiuh, Eichbheoil, a Pict of Noith Britain. See Dr. O'Donovan's '• An- nals of the Four Masters," at a. d. 552, vol. i. , n. (1), p. 1S9.
"" Between the Dalaradians and the II v
Neil there existed a hostile the feeiing^from
neighbouiing river Camusjuxta Moume,
"4 See " Statistical Sampson's
Survey
of
the " it shall be saint,
From it, the island is called Enis Forsed on
Speed's Map of Ulster.
1,6 An ancient sculptured cross or pillar
divided by transverse bands into four com-
figures in relief, stood on a base at the west
side until a. d 1760, when it was overturned,
and having been mutilated, it was converted
intoagate-postforthechurchyard. Inthis
condition it still exists. See Rev. Dr.
"
Acts of Archbishop Colton in his
Ay.
"a In Scotl. ind. there is al-o a place called
Ait-chambas. Sometimes, Camus is written
as in Argyleshire, and sometimes Cambus, as in Lanark and Perthshire.
"9 It is called in Cistercian records, De
opposite
June 9/
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
503
Cethern. I23 In that conflict, an unhappy relative of mine shall be slain, whose blood mingling with that of others shall fill up the well. " Other monks werepresent,asappearsfromthesequelofthisnarrative. Thesaintalluded to that 1* in in which
Domnall,"s
victorious; and, in that well, according to the saint's word, was slain one of
his near relatives. Through the instrumentality of one Finanus,126 called a soldier of Christ, and who led the life of an Anchorite blamelessly for a long timenearthemonasteryofDurrow,thetruthofSt. Columba'sprophecywas attested. That Finan I2 ? left the monastery of Cambus, he. was present at that battle, and he assured Adamnan, 128 that he saw a man's body lying in the well. 12' Hedeclared,also,thatonhisreturn—fromthebattle-field,andonthat
battle," fought 629,
'3°— hefoundtheretwoagedmonks. Whenhetoldthemaboutthebattlehesaw, and regarding the well filled with human blood, they exclaimed: "A true prophet is St. Columba, for he had foretold all the circumstances you now mention, long indeed before they occurred, and that in our hearing to St.
11 Comgall, when they sat together near fort Cethern. " ^
After he attended the Convention of Drumceat, the holy Abbot had occasion
to travel towards the western parts of Ireland. He seems to have passed
southwards, in the direction of the present county of Sligo. When St. Columba visited that part of Connaught, a great assembly had been convened
same day, to the monastery of St. Comgall in Irish called, Comgaill
at 1^2 at Easdara,
present
knownas Immensenumbershadcome Ballysadare.
time of the battle of Moindoire. Aedh Dubli, lord of the former, slew Uiarmait, A. D. 565. See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," lomus ii. , Tiger- nachi Annales, p. 149.
123 The Annals of Ulster, at A. n. 628,
576, who could hardly be still living. IV. St. Finan Lobhar or the Leper, was an abbot, who founded many monasteries in Munster and in Leinster ; he died in the reign of King Finachta, 674 to 693 ; he was honoured also in Ardfinnan, on the 16th of
""
have the following record of it : Bellum March. This last is the Finnan," spoken
Duin Ceithirnn in quo Congal Caech fugit,
"
of in Colgan's note 103. See Trias Thau-
in et Domhnall mac Aedo (victor) erat —
Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , 127 Upon what authority is uncertain, but
quo cecidit Guaire mac Forindain. " Ibid.
maturga," Quarta cap. xlix. , p. 380.
tomus iv.
124 In that year preceding the present en-
O'Donnell says of him :
"
S. Finnen qui in
or
gagement, Congal Caech, Claen, King
monasterio de — anachoreticam Magh-Cbsgain
on the 12th February, who died a. d. 674, and therefore he answers the date well. III. Finnan Cam, the discipleof St. . Brendan, A. n.
learned and interesting
ties, and present state of the Parishes of
:
of
Uladh, slew Suibhne Meann, monarch of vitam diu transduxit. " Colgan's "Trias
Ireland, who was of the Cenel Eoghain Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columke, branch of the Northern Hy Neill. Thus, he lib. i. , cap. xcv. , p. 404.
made room for the accession of Domhnall. 125 This prince revenged his kinsman's death, in the manner related in the text. Fur Congul Claen's movements after this en- gagement, the reader is referred to Dr. O'Donovan's edition of "The Banquet of Dun ann-Gedh,"and"BattleofMagh Rath. " ,3t See all the saints of this name in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at p. 15, Dublin, 1857. Adamnan states here, that this St. Fin- nan led a hermit's life for many years m ar the monastery of Durrow, and that he was present at the battle of Dun-Keherne, and
that he was still living in his own time, A. n.
660. There are but lour saints of this name,
to whom these circumstances could apply. I.
Son of Pipan, St. Columba's cousin, whose
festivaliskept2ndNovember,inRathain,
Tirconnell. II. Son of Arennan, honoured in Very Rev. Archdeacon T. O'Rorke's
son of came off Aedh,
128 He was born in 624, so that he was in his fifth year, at the date of the battle. He speaks also in the first person here, as in other passages of his Life of St. Columba.
I2j The Rev. Dr. O'Conor suggests, that Finnan, the son of Arennan, and who is venerated on the 12th of February, was identical with him. See " Rerum Hiberni- carum Scriptores," tomus iv. , Annales Ultonienses, p. 60.
130 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Quinta Vita S. Columbos, lib. i. , cap. xcv. ,
p. 404.
131 See Rev. Dr. Reeves Adamnan's
" Life of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 49, and nn. (a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, k, 1, m, n, o),
pp. 91 to 97.
132Tinsisrendered cataractoftheoak,"
"
History, Antiqui- Ballysadare and Kilvarnet, in the County of
'•
5°4 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
there to receive him with all honours. There were present many holy persons, both men and women. 1^ Among these are enumerated the following names : St. Moninnia,^ofSliabhCulinn; thetwosonsofConall. ^sofKillchora; Manius,^6BishopofTyr-Oilill; Muredach,13? ofKillala,inTyrAmhalgaidh5 Ronius,138 Bishop of Kill Ronius ; Caiminus,,39 of Inis-Kealtra ; Regulus,'40 of Mucinis, in the territory of Dalgeis ; Senanus, 141 of Inis-Cathy ; Senanus,' 42
<. ss*'-'S? 5
Killasnet Old Church, County of Leitrim.
of Lathir Brivin ; Eminus,143 of Cluain-reilgeach, in Meath ; seven Bishops
of Cluain Hemain 44 Libania I45 and Fortchem,146 cf Odhba Kearo, in Par- ;'
47 of at the eastern side of 48 or Crouen 49
try j GrellaiV
Sligo," &c, cliap. i. , sect, i. , p. 2.
tember.
143 His festival is celebrated on the
August.
;'
of
" Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nice," xv. Febrtiarii, Vita S. Farannani Con-
133 See
Colgan's
5th
Cravibh,
Magh Lairg,'
144
134 Her festival occurs, on the 6ih of bishops were there and representing one
July. — — place. Some error of statements seems to lj5 Their festivals if any they had are have entered into this narrative. In an an- not known. cient Book of Iris—h Litanies, seven Bishops ,3i His feast occurs on the 2nd of Septem- of Cluain-Emhain supposed to have been
fe-soris, cap. vi. , vii. , pp. 336, 337.
It does not seem likely, that seven
ber.
I37 His festival occurs on the 12th of Au-
gust.
1)8 His festival is celebrated at the 23rd of
November.
39 His festival occurs on the 25th of
March.
140 His festival is celebrated on the 16th of
October.
141 His festival occurs on the 8th of
March.
143 His festival occurs on the 2nd of Sep-
in the county of Roscommon—
145 Her festival is supposed to be cele-
brated on the 1 8th of December.
146 His feast occurs, either on February
the 17th, or on the nth of October.
147 His festival occurs on the 10th of No-
vember.
148 A in the of and plain barony Boyle,
county of Roscommon.
149 In the of Caibre it was so reign Mor,
called.
150 Her feast occurs on the 241I1 of
,
are invoked.
June 9. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 505
Derbilia, of Rath
Irras;
Nuns,
Tyrua-Fiachra
;
Mugania,
haina,
belonged
province
,6s who
of Minister. It is 166 stated,
X5X Corcaria Keann, and Corcaria Caoin/52 the two
ofKill
daughters of Eogan, and the daughter of Cathald,' 53 from Kill-Comlach, at Magh-Luirg; Loman, 1 ^ of Lough Gill, between the countries of Carbry and
Breffney; Mofrisius,155 sontoFachtna,ofSligeach; Inella,adevoutvirgin;156
Kyria,^
Skyria ;
J 8 Osnata,'S7 of Gleann Dallain, 5
in Carbry
;
andGeghia,^ofGegheIsland;
l6° of Aradh,
161 of
162
seven
with Brochlacha l63
aidhne Here, indeed,
from
Carbry.
l6*
was met a
very distinguished assemblage of pious persons, to confer with one of the most
illustrious saints of the age and of his country.
Among the notabilities of Ireland, in the time of St. Columba,
was Aidus Slane, the eldest son of Diarmait Mac Cerbhaill, by Mug-
to the
that Aedh was so surnamed, from the River Slaine, near which he was
born. As heir to the lordship of the southern Hy Neill, he was a 16
consenting party to the grant of Ceanannus, or Kells, to St. Columba. ?
On his father's death, he succeeded to that local dignity. At the instance of
St. Columba, about the year 580, he granted to St. Columba Elo the land of
Fiod in 168 where the church of Lann-Elo or was sub- Elo, Ferceall, Lynally
sequently built. l6 9 The prince thus alluded to came on one occasion to visit Co- lumba, when the holy man was sojourning for some time in Ireland. It happened, probably about this time. As a remarkable instance of Columba's prescience,
: hespokeinthefollowingpropheticstraintoAid "Yououghttotakecare,
my son, lest by unlawfully slaying any of your kinsmen, you lose the honour attaching to the monarchy of Ireland, predestined for you by God ;^° for, if you commit that sin, you shall not enjoy the whole kingdom of your father, but a part of it in your tribe, and for a short time only. " In due course, these words of the saint were fulfilled, according to his prediction. Aedh Slaine's abode was on an island in Loch Leibhinn, now Lough Lene, near Fore, in
March.
'*' Now Kilskyre, in the county of Meath.
—if any they had—
our Calendar.
o Her festival not alluded to, in the Irish
Menologies.
*54 His festival occurs on the 4th of Feb-
ruary.
'55 His festival is supposed to occur on the
2 1 st of Decembe—r.
have been celebrated on the 24th of May,
at Teagh na ninghean, in Connaught, as he thinks these were the seven daughters of Ferguss, thus recorded.
j s2 These were virgins, but their festivals
are not
mentioned,
in
l62 It uncertain that she had a seems
place
'S6
been the same as Derinella is venerated on of All-Farannan, are given. See Art. ii. ,
saint —
This thought by Colgan
to have
Farannan,
the 26th of October.
*S7 Her festival occurs, on the 7th of
January.
'58 From her, it is likely Killasnet, in the
county of Leitrim, derived its name. This old church, surrounded by a graveyard, is
now in ruins. The accompanying illustra- tion is from a sketch by the writer, and taken on the spot, injune,i876. This sketch was drawn by William F. Wakeman, on the
chap. ii.
*•> See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nire," xxviii. Februarii, Vita S. Aidi, Epis. et Confessoris, cap. xviii. , p. 420.
which was Mrs. Millard. engraved by
,6' See Colgan's "Trias Tliaumatutga,"
Quinta Vita S. Columbae, lib. i. , cap. lxiv. ,
p. 400.
S. Colmaneli, fol. 106a b.
l6 ' See Archbishop Ussher's Works, edited
"
by Dr. Elrington, vol. vi. ,
Ecclesiarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 530.
'7° According to Adamnan, in his Life of our saint, King Oswald was said to be "a
wood,
*» Her festival occurred possibly on the
in College, Dublin, and classed E. 3. II. Vita
22nd of March, and it is thought by Colgan, that she maybe identical with a Degia, or Degitchia, venerated on that day.
160 Her feast is said to have occurred on
the 3rd of August.
,6t Their feast is supposed by Colgan to
Britannicarum
in our Calendars.
l63 Her festival is thought by Colgan to
have been celebrated on the 17th of Feb-
ruary.
l6* For the account, the reader foregoing
is referred to the Second Volume of this work, at the 15th of February, where the Acts of St. Confessor and Patron
l6° By Rev. Dr. Jeoffrey Keating, in his "
"General History of Ireland, book ii. , at A. D. 5S7.
Iti8 to the According
Manuscript
Trinity
506 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
the county of Westmeath: 1 ? 1 On the death of Aedh, son of Ainmire, in 598, he and Colman Rimidh, one of the Cenel Eoghain, were elevated as joint sovereigns of Ireland. His after career seems to have been both an unprin- cipled and an unhappy one. In the year 600/72 this wretched king is re- corded tohave accomplished—and in a treacherous manner—the assassination of his own nephew Suibhne, son of Colman Mor, also called Columbanus,1 " at Bridamh, on the Suainu. As usual in those times, and according to the old Celtic feeling, it was deemed a rightful proceeding for the next-of-kin to seek revenge for such a family outrage. Accordingly, retribution followed in 604, when Aedh Slaine fell by Conall, son of Suibhne, on the brink of Loch Semdy, in Westmeath. Aedh Guadan, foster-brother of Conall Guithbinn,
and wounded biro. 1** Aidus Slaine Baethgal Bile,
it is
four years and three months, as a colleague in the kingdom l? 5 with Colman Rimidh. Such division of was not unusual at this 6
government period. '? While the holy Abbot was in Connaught, on one occasion, he had a vision
regarding a certain Baithen, 177 the son of Cuanach, and who was remarkably
gifted, not more for his commanding stature and singular corporal beauty of shape, than for his personal purity and holiness of life. - This Columba men- tioned to his monks, and when the rumour reached Baithen, he began to fear that those praises bestowed on him for his bodily perfections might diminish the gifts of grace in his soul. Accordingly, he prayed the Almighty, that his stature might be diminished, and that some bodily defects should be set on him, so that his soul alone might be adorned with virtue. Whereupon, his earnest prayers were heard, and from that day forward, his stature decreased until he became lower than other men, while a sore grew on his breast, and it wasted the life-current in his veins to such a degree, that his appearance was totally changed, his face became pallid, and for the remainder of his days, he was oppressed with a painful illness. Thus was virtue perfected in infir- mity ; for, while his bodily strength declined daily, virtue and grace took more deeply their roots in his heart. 178
To the great success of Columba, these happy instruments of Divine grace,
who were employed under him, must have contributed in a great measure.
His disciples were men of learning, as also men of zeal, intelligence, and piety. He chose persons of this stamp, for his first associates ; until his own seminaries furnished him afterwards, with a sufficient supply of capable assist- ants. The institution of schools and seminaries for learning thus prepared students for the ministry, and trained them up from infancy in the spirit and
Deo lib. i. and so like- ordinatus," , cap. I,
wise Dia. mait, father of this Aedh, lib. i. ,
eum ^ —
Ca
rnx,'' xx. Januarii, Vita S. Fechini, Supple-
mentum, cap. xxiii. , pp. 135, 141. Also, tween this chapter and the Annals as some-
'
n ' a l c
Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
'1i/M1 c
bee Lolgan s
1tu
ti-i
ibid. , xxviii. Februarii, Vita S. Aidi, cap. xxvii. , p. 421.
172 At this year is the following entry in Tigernachi Annates : I11511I&C10 Suibhne 1111c C0I111A111 moin la lnXeo Slame a
mbpfOAtn pop SiiAimA.
' 7! Columbanus in the text of Adamnan is
an instance of the occasional use of that name for Colmanus.
'
77 His festival has been assigned to the
19th of February, by Colgan. A further 174 At the year mentioned, Tightrnach account of him will be found on that day. in
thus relates: Ingulatio xieoA SlAme o the Second Volume of this work, Art. ii. CoiiaU, mac Suibhne pop bpu IocVia Sem- 1? 8 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," oijhe. <Vet> JupoAn coiiiaIca ConAiU, Quinta Vita S. Columbce, lib. hi. , cap. xx. -, guchbnToocup bAcrhjAlbile pon jumef- p. 434, and. n. 11, p. 452.
reigned,
said, only
: untie dictum est :
cap
thing very remarkable. See "Trias Thau- maturga," Quaita Vita S. Columlxv, lib. i. , cap. xiv. , p. 342, and nn. 52, 53, 54, pp. 375, 376.
"
i;6 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's Life
of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 14, and nn. (a, b, c, d, e), pp. 42, 43.
^^ sUnie
•Aeoh SlAine pobi Suibne. '
Cr)n&a
,7S Colgan justly styles the harmony be-
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 507
habits of their holy office. In his religious houses, those pupils were
kept, until their character was fully formed, and until their qualifi-
cations were well known and proved. Such training had a powerful
tendency, to make their future labours successful. Of Columba's own
scholars or disciples, above one hundred had the honour of being included
among the saints. 1 ^ Their festivals had been observed, owing to the gratitude
of the inhabitants in those places, which had benefited by their labours. This
we find, from the accounts given of them, by various authors. The following is
an List ' 8o of some classed the most eminent of Columba's Alphabetical among
immediate disciples and contemporaries, as compiled with great labour and
monk of Durrow, and surnamed Laimhiodhan, of Ossorian race, and whose
feast has been to the 16th of 18^ 2. St. Aidan or
assigned February. Aodhan,
son of Libher, afterwards Bishop of Lindisfarne. '84 He was supposed by Colgan,tohavebeenatfirstamonkinIona. ,8s Ifthisconjectureandidentifi-
186
3.
St. Aidan Mocukein, or son of Kien, 18 ? abbot of Cuil-uisce, and said to have
been nephew to Columba on the side of Sinecha, sister to our saint. 4. St.
Ailbhe, son of Ronan, is said to have been venerated on the 30th of
188
181 and after
who has left us an interesting record of Iona's founder. 1. St. ^Engvis, a
care Father by
John Colgan,
him, by
cation be correct, his festival must be assigned to the 31st of August.