No More Learning

from the Franciscan Martyrology of Dermitius Mulronius, at the 2nd of
man are to be found in Father
Mooney's Manuscript,^ in Rothe,3 in Wadding,* and in the valuable work
more recently published, by Major Myles O'Reilly. s We know litde more
regarding him, than that he lived in the Franciscan Convent,^ in the town of Galbally,? in the Glen of Aharlow,^ at the foot of the Galty Mountains,? said
to have been in the county of Tipperary. '° This, however, is incorrect, for the place is within the county of Limerick. It was a rural town, in the diocese of
Emly. About the year 1570, while the Viceroy, Sir Henry Sydney," was making an excursion in that part of Ireland, a Franciscan priest, called Dermod O'Mulroney, and two companions, fled from that place, to the town of Clonmel, in order to escape the persecution, which was then vehement. '* When these had remained there for some time, thinl. ing all was safe, they returned to their former house ; but, on a certain da v, the English soldiers suddenly came, and surrounded the place, so that there was no way for those brethren to escape. All three mounted into the bell-tower of the church to
March. ^ The best accounts of this
holy
'
Article viii. — See his Acts, for this
day, in the previous article.
=" See Dr. O'Conor's *' Rerum Hibemica-
rum Scriptores," tomus iv. Annales Ulto-
nienses, p. loi.
3 See Rev. William Reeves' Adamnan's
"Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes
county of Limerick. See it described on the
" Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
County of Limericl<," Sheets 41, 49, 50, 57,
58. The town itself is noted on Sheet 49.
Ibid.
saints," p. 125.
' Now preserved in the Burgundian Li-
brary, Bruxelles, and classed No. 3195. " De Provincia Hibernias Ordinis Sancti Francisci, Tractatus a Rev. Donato Money," A. D. 1627.
occurs
" I will go where the Galtees
Are rising bare and high,
With their haggard foreheads fronting
The scowl of clouded sky. "
See Duncathail's "Ballads, Popular Poetry and Household Songs of Ireland," p. 106.
" See Harris' vol. " The Anti- Ware, ii. ,
quities of Ireland," chap, xxxviii. , p. 280. '' See an account of him in " Memoirs of the Lives and Actions of the Sydneys. "
Also Moore's " History of Ireland," vol. iv. , chap, xlviii. , xlix. , 1. , pp. 14 to 87.
'^ He had good reason to seek a place of
retreat, from one, whose prejudices against the native clergy, caused him to write to
3 See " Analecta Mira et Nova," part ii.
* See "Scriptores Ordinis Minorum," "
and AnnalesOrdinisMinorum. "
s See "Memorials of those who suffered for the Catholic Faith in Ireland, in the l6th, 17th and i8th Centuries," pp. 18, 19.
London, 1868, 8vo.
^
Excepting the walls, this convent had
been when Father wrote. destroyed, Mooney
In 1204, it is said, Donagh Cairbre O'Brien,
founded here the Abbey for Franciscan or
Grey Friars, which, on the 20th of January,
in the 35th year of King Henry VIII. 's
reign, with its appurtenances, was granted,
in capitt, to John of Desmond. See Arch-
"
' It is a parish, in the barony of Coshlea,
dall's
Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 420.
®
This picLuresque and romantic glen is
:
[Eighth Century? ^
96 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 2.
hide, and then they drew up a portable ladder, which was there. The soldiers made a fire to burn the church and tower, and wishing to save both, Father Dermod, having let down the ladder, and signing himself with a sign
" Have Nothing moved, the ruffian soldiers loaded him with At length, they struck ofif his head. But, a marvel was then seen ; for, no drop of blood flowed from his body. The soldiers seeing this, hacked his body to pieces, and still no blood flowed. The names of his two suffering companions have not been preserved, in the locality, where this
outrage happened.
Article X. —St. Villeic or Willeic, Priest, at Kaiserwerth, on THE Rhine. \Seventh and Eighth Ce/ittiries. '] The Acts of this holy missionary have been published, by Colgan,^ by the BoUandists," by Cap- grave,3 by Baronius,^ and by most of the ecclesiastical historians and biogra- phers. Molanus,s Mirseus,^ Hugh Menard,' Surius,^ Rosweyde, and the sixth volume of the " Acta Sanctorum Belgii Selecta "9 record the Acts of St. Willeic, Priest, at the 2nd of March. These are chiefly drawn from the account, contained in Venerable Bede's notices of St. Suitbert. '° Although it may be admitted, that Villeic or Willeic had been an Anglo-Saxon, by birth ; yet, it is supposed, he was educated in Ireland, and that thence he accompanied St. Switbert" and other companions to preach the Gospel to those pagans, then living near the Lower Rhine. Whether or not, the present holy man belonged to the twelve companions of St. Egbert, who, under the guidance of St. Willibrord" and St. Suitbert, set out from Ireland together, is a question for enquiry, in the opinion of Colgan. He adheres to such a view of the case, yet he deems it possible that St. Willeic and St. Adalbert'3 may have followed the earlier pioneers. According to received accounts, St. Willeic was a man of eminent piety and erudition. He was versed, in the Latin and German languages ; and, we may also venture to suppose, he had a knowledge of the Anglo-Saxon and Irish learning. Whether he became a priest,beforeorafterhisleavingIreland,doesnotappear; but,wearetold, he was distinguished for his eloquence, and power, in preaching. '^ By St Suitbert, he was sufficiently instructed in the Sacred Scriptures, so that he was enabled to glean an abundant harvest of souls from idolatry, to embrace the Christian religion. With a pure heart and singleness of purpose, from his youth, St. Willeic imitated the virtues of his master, St. Suitbert. His chastity, love of prayer and meditation ; his meekness and humility ; his care of the sick and poor ; his zeal for souls and his wisdom in the cares of
of the
on me, O Lord. " '3 blows and wounds.
descended. He also the repeated
psalm,
mercy
cross, freely
Queen Elizabeth, about "/m^i? preists, or rather Irishe roges, havinge verye little Lattin, lesse learninge or cyvilitie. " See
"See "De Probatis Sanctorum His-
toriis," tomus ii. , Martius i. De S. Swiberto
Episcopo, cap. 26, p. 24.
Leland's of "History
» His Acts are here
by John BoUandus, in two sections. See tomus vi. , pp. 640 to 645.
Ireland," book iv. , chap, iii. , n. , p. 321.
vol.
ii. ,
in a
given commentary
'3 Psalms 1. , 3.
Article x. —'See Hibemiae," Martii ii. fess. , pp. 447, 448.
"Acta Sanctorum De S. Villeico Con-
" See his Life, already published, at the 1st of this month,
'See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. ,
' " In Fastis Belgicis et Burgundicis. "
7 In
Martyrology, printed A. D. 1608, John Wil- son states, that he took departure with St. Suibert from England ; but, in the second edition, printed 1640, he has omitted some of his statements, regarding St. Willeic.
De S. Willeico Presbytero Dis-
Martii ii.
cipulo S. Suiberti Ep. Csesaris-Werdse ad Rhenum. , sects, i. , ii. , pp. 148 to 150.
3 In " Nova Legenda Anglise," &c. * See " Annales Ecclesiastici," &c. 5 In " Natalibus Sanctorum Belgii. "
" See his Life, at the 7th of November. '3 His feast occurs, at the 25th of June.
'* See Molanus' " In Natalibus Sanctorum
"
Martyrologium Benedictinum. "
Belgii," at Martii 2.
"
In the first edition of his Anglican
March 2. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 97
government ; all these rendered him a most useful missionary. Willeic is stated, to have been appointed canon, in a convent of Utrecht. ^s Afterwards, he rendered great assistance to St. Suitbert, as we have already seen, and by the latter he was appointed a sub-prior over the monastery of Werda, where he gave great edification to the monks, while his labours equally profited the pagans around him. He was held in great reverence by Queen Plectrude ; and, at her request, it is stated, while he was in Cologne, the Governor of
this city, Gotebald, labouring under a grievous infirmity, was healed by our saint. ^^ Having entered the house, and offering the Holy Sacrifice of Mass,
Willeic prostrated himself in' prayer, and with tears, he earnestly besought ourLordJesusChrist,onbehalfofthesickman. Thenplacinghishandon
the head of Gotebald, and thrice blessing him, the long-enduring malady left the patient. Then rising from bed, and putting on his garments, Gotebald ordered a grand banquet to be prepared for his guest, who was treated with distinguished honour. Gotebald gave thanks to God for the great favour accorded him, and after it, he lived for many years. On the death of St. Suitbert, the holy Willeic succeeded him as abbot over Kaiserwerth monas-
tery, and he governed it for ten years. His death occurred, a. d. 727, accord- ing to Molanus : the BoUandists have a. d. 728. ^7 Besides these writers, Usuard and his continuator, Herman Greuen, Petrus Canisius, Constantinus Ghinnius, Trithemius, Arnold Wion, Hugh Menard, Benedict Dorgan, Gabriel Bucelin, the Manuscript Florarius, Franciscus Haraeus, and the Calendarists, generally, assign his Natalis, to the 2nd of March. ^^ The remains of St. Willeic were deposed in the same tomb, with those of St. Suit- bert. In the year 1403, the head of St. Willeic was solemnly translated to
Dusseldorp, while Archbishop Frederick Sarwerdan ruled over the see of
Cologne. '^ Intheyear1626,byFerdinandBanar,ArchbishopofCologne, the tomb of St. Suitbert was inspected, and found divided in the middle ; one part containing his remains, and the other those of St. Willeic, both enclosed in red cambric. From a leaden plate, it was discovered, that both relics were laid in this shrine, a. d. 1264, during the Pontificate of Pope Urban IV. ^° Minor portions of the relics of both saints are said, also, to have been kept, in the chapel of St. Margaret, at Cologne. ^' At the tomb of St. Willeic, frequent miracles were wrought, long after his death, and these afforded suffi- cient confirmation of extraordinary sanctity during his life.
Article XI. —St. Finnian. Finnian, is set down thus simply in the
Martyrologies of Tallagh' and of Donegal,^ on this day. Colgan thinks, he may be identical with a St. Finian,3 who is noticed in the Life of St. Berach,4
'5 Molanus calls him " Canonicus Con-
ventusNouellseTrajectensisEcclesise. " This statement, however, is doubted by the Bol- landists.
'*
Yet, the BoUandists call in question this statement, on account of certain contra- dictions they detect in it.
^' This statement is to be found, in ^gi-
dius Gelenius Episcopus Aureliopitanus, "In Fastis Coloniensibus," at the 2nd of
March, while asserting the chief portions are kept at Kaiserwerth and Dusseldorp. See
ibid. , sect, ii. , nu—m. 12, 13, 14, p. 150. Article xi. 'Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xvii.
^Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
60, 61.
3 in the "Trias Thaumaturga," Colgan
enters among the disciples of St. Columkille, a St. Finan or Fenninus of Mag-cosgain, in the diocese of Derry, who he says may have been reverenced on the 2nd day of March, See Quarta Appendix ad Acta S, Columbse, cap. x. , num. 61, p, 490.
' Only in a note, however, as this name is omitted from the body of the text. See
g
^^
This, as they observe, agrees with the
"Annales Francorum," written by a con-
temporary.
'*
See the BoUandists' "Acta Sancto-
rum,"tomusi. , Martiiii,
Presbytero, &c. , sect, i. , num. 2, p. 148,
'' He is said to have been elected A,D.
I370> a»d to have administered its ecciesias-
tical affairs for forty-four jears.
°°
Such is an account, given by Joannes Gelenius, a Vicar-General ol the Archdio-
-
cese of < "oiogiie.
Vol. HI. —No. 2.
De S. Willeico
98 LIVES OE THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 2.
Abbot and Patron of Kilbarry js but, on this he gives no decided opinion. The Bollandists^ record this feast, likewise, but with that uncertainty, war- ranted by the obsciurity of our records, in reference to him.
Article XII. —Reputed Festival of St. Marnan, in Scotland. Falsely alleging the authority of Adam King's Kalendar—which has no
such statement—Dempster' places the festival of St. Marnan,
stead of the ist of March. The reader is referred to our account, at the last- named day. By Dempster, however, we are told, that on the 2nd of March, the Scottish Breviary has the festival of St. Marnan or Marran, a holy prelate, who flourished a. d. 962, and who instructed his people with wonderful piety.
" Pro Foedere
rex Indulphus cum Anglis contractum inviolatum servavit, Danorumque
His are stated to writings
be,
Servando,
lib. quod Scotise i. ,
reges Hagonem, Morvegum, et Henricum cum universis copiis delevit, post Analassum eorundem regem Septennio ante extinctum acie, et cum suis ad internecionemdatis "MonitoriumadEcclesias lib. i. Other
;" also, patrias,"
writings of his are said to have been lost;^ yet, we may well doubt the
genuineness of the foregoing information.
Article XIII. —St. Cuan Caoin, Son of Tighernagh. On the 2nd of March, the Martyrology of Tallagh' enters the name, Connill-Cuanchaoin. He is differently mentioned elsewhere, and it would appear two distinct appellations are here united. There is a festival, recorded on this day, in the Martyrology of Donegal,' in honour of Cuan Caoin, son of Tighernach, son to Fergus, descended from the race of Conall Gulban, son to Niall. This saint had three holy brothers, Begbile, Colman and Conna, all related to the great St. Columkille. 3 The Bollandist—s state,* that the present holy man had a surname Placidus or Mansuetus which probably expressed his gentle character. However, this saint's death is assigned to the year a. d.
743. 5 Now, this will hardly agree with what is said, in reference to Tiprad, King of the Hy-Fiachrach, who bestowed the place, afterwards known as
Kill-Chuanna, on St. Cuanna, otherwise called Cuannatus, or Cuannacheus, for the purpose of erecting there a religious establishment. St. Columba^ set this saint—regarded as one of his disciples—to rule over it. 7 Hence, it would seem, that for some time, he was under the discipline of the future great Abbot of lona.
Article XIV. —St. Conall. The Bollandists state, that in the Mar- tyrologies of Tallagh, and of Marianus O'Gorman, Conallus is noted at the 2nd of March, but that they have no certam knowledge regarding his proper
" Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xv. Feb-
ruarii. Vita S. Berachi, Abbatis, n. 24, p.
347-
s See his Life, at the 15th of February.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. ,
Martii ii. Among the pretermitted saints,
^ Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 60, 61.
3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbas, cap. iii. , p. 480, and cap. x. , p. 489.
p. 124. Article xii.
—
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Martii ii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 125.
'"
See Menologium Sco- ticum," Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of
^ See " Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," Feb- ruarii iv. De S. Cuanna sive Cuannacheo, n. 2, p. 251.
Scottish Saints," p. 193. »"
See Dempsters Historia Ecclesiastica
Gentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib, xii. , num.
* See his Life, at the 9th of June.
852, p. 454. Article xiii.
Kelly, p. xvii.
7 See "Trias Colgan's
—
'
Edited by Rev. Dr.
Thaumaturga. " Quarta Appendix ad Acta S. Columb. T,
cap. x. , num. 39, p. 489.
at in- the 2nd,
March 3. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 99
identity. ^ We find a Saint Conall, entered in the Martyrology of Donegal,*
on this day. No doubt, the same saint is written Conuill, with the word ""
Cuanchaoin erroneously placed in composition, in the Martyrology of Tallagh. 3 It may be asked, if this could have been the holy Prince Con-
nallus, whose shield had been blessed by St. Patrick,^ and who is mentioned in so many Lives of the great Irish Apostle ? s
Article XV. —St. David, Bishop of Menevia, Wales. \Fifth and Sixth Centimes. ^ In his Scottish Menology, it is said, David Camerarius has a festival of St. David, Bishop of Menevia, at the 2nd of March. ' This is not found, however, in his Kalendar, as published by Bishop Forbes. '' His Life will be found, in this work, at the previous day.
Article XVI. —Festival of St. Lucilia, Martyr. It would seem,
from the Festilogy of St. . ^ngus, that this holy virgin and martyr had a feast, onthe2ndofMarch,intheIrishChurch. Theonlyapproachtothename
we find, in the BoUandists,' is St. Luciosa, who suffered as a martyr, at the Roman gate or port.
Article XVII. —Feast of the Birth of Old Paul. It seems pretty certain, that this festival, as found in the Festilogy of St. ^ngus, must mean the Natalis or birth-day in heaven of the holy martyr, St. Paul, who, with his companions in suffering, is mentioned, at the 2nd of March, in various old Calendars. Little, however, seems to be known, regarding them, beyond the mere account of their martyrdom.
Cftirtr Bap of iBarrf)*
ARTICLE I. ~ST. SACER OR MO-SACRA, ABBOT OF SAGGARD, COUNTY OF DUBLIN.
[SEVENTH CENTURl. -\]
saint, variously named Sacer, Mo-Sacer, Mo-Sacra, Mothacra and
Moacra, THIS
BoUandists. ^
to Loga Lethanglais, son of Conall Anglonn, son to Eochad, son of Fieg, son to Factna, son of Senchad, son to Olild, son of Maelcroc, son to Roderic,
has his Acts
He was the son of Senan, son to Luachan, . son of Roer, son
Article xiv. —' See "Acta Sancto- rum," tomus i. , Martii ii. Among the pre- termitted saints, p. 125.
' Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 60, 61.
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xvii. SeehisLife,atthe17thofMarch.
s See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. ' Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. cxxxvhi. , andn.
^ See " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p.
given by Colgan,^
briefly
still
by
the
Article
Article xv. See the BoUandists' HibemiK," Martii iii.
146, pp. 95, 115. — '
i.
"Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Martii ii. Mo-Sacro Abbate, p. 454. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 124.
and more
235. —'See "Acta Sancto-
rum," tomus i. , Martii ii. De Sanctis
Martyribus Paulo, Heraclio, Secundilla
sive Secundola, Januaria, Luciosa, in Portu Romano. Theaccountoftheirmartyrdom
is contained in three paragraphs, pp. 132,
ARTICLE XVI.
133. —
'See "Acta Sanctorum De S. Sacro sive
lOO LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 3.
KingofIreland. 3 HeappearstohavebeencalledSacer,fromaLatinword, which expresses holiness of life, by which he had been distinguished ; and, to
this cognomen, the endearing term, Mo, was prefixed. However, Sacer not beinganameinuseamongsttheancientIrish,wemustsupposeit, asonly- secondarytoapreviousandmorenationalone. Thisholyabbotappearsto have flourished, before or about the middle of the seventh century, if we are
to rely upon accounts, furnished by our Martyrologists, regarding his genea- logy. JHe erected a monastery, afterwards called after him, Tegh-Sacra,+ or " the house of Sacer ;" and, over this foundation, he presided as abbot. The place is now known as Saggard, a small village, and the head of a parish,5 seven Irish miles S. W. from the Castle of Dublin. ^ The site of Saggard's
Site of Saggard Old Church, County of Dublin.
ancient monastery and chapel is said to have been on a rise of the Dublin mountains, about one mile beyond the modern village. 7 Yet, nearer still is a much frequented graveyard, and here may be traced the foundations of an old quadrangular church, now " sodded with verdure,"^ and nearly levelled to the ground. 9 Saggard, at first bore the name of Tassagard. It is related, that Mo-Sacra also governed, for some time, Finn-magh monastery, at Fo- tharta, within the province of Leinster. According to Dr.