3 At this date, also, a festival is entered in the
Martyrology
of Tallagh,* in honour of Mochua Luachra idem, ocus Cronan a Ferna.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
514, and
n. It is possible, also, that the a—ncient
church and monastery of Kilcormick now
calledFrankford—hadbeendedicatedtothe
present saint. Regarding their desecration,
tee the indignant, but justly merited remarks script Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Ca-
of Rev. A. Cogan, atp. 515.
38 See it described, on " Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Wex-
lendar of Oengus. By Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. xcv.
sheets 20, 21.
39 See " Letters containing Information
relative to the Antiquities of the County of
Wexford, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey, in 1840," vol. ii.
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxvu. "
ford,"
4 At fol. 42<*. a. See Martyrology of
Donegal," note by Rev. Dr. Todd, pp. 400,
401.
s See Colgan s Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
JohnO'Donovan's Letters, p. 94.
40 According to the Book of Assumptions, in the Scottish Acts of Parliament, vol. iv. ,
p. 652.
ArticleII. — See"Transactionsof
1
the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Mana-
"
See ibid. , p. cvi
762 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 21.
ancient remains about here, among the principal of which are, a Round Tower,8 which is now used as a belfry to the Protestant church, with which it communicates, and beside which it stands, on the left angle of its gable, as you enter the church door. There is an ancient stone cross, which is perfect, and it standsonapedestal,withinafewyardsoftheRoundTower. Theshaftof another cross lies south-west from the church ; the arms of this cross, being
NVRHl^WJV
Castledermot Round Tower, and Ancient Arch, County Kildare.
broken off, are placed beside the shaft as the head-stone to a grave. Likewise, thereisanancientarchway,thatspansanentranceintothechurch. Thisis
thought to have been a portion of the old monastery. ' This archway is near the pedestal of that cross, which has been last mentioned. 10 Other interest- ing ruins of mediaeval religious houses are yet to be seen in Castledermot. " When he desired to go on a pilgrimage, as we are told, the sea rose against
nise," x. Januarii, n. 17, p. 52.
6 The Irish Calendar, now preserved in
to be found, in Grose's "Antiquities of Ire- land," vol. ii. , pp. 43, 44.
•
the
tins does not says, archway
Irish — —and Royal Academy's Library
Mr. O'Conor
belong to a building of so early
under his annotation, I find the followingre- mark in Dr. Petrie's handwriting : "I think it coeval with the tower. " This old arch- way was in a ruinous slate, until repaired a few years before 1837, by the Rev. Mr. Hamilton, who was then Protestant rector of Castledermot parish. The people of this place called the round tower a steeple, when the antiquaries belonging to the Ordnance Survey were engaged on their labours, in this part of the country. The perfect stone cross, with its pedestal included, measured 9 feet in height. The particulars are collected from " Letters containing Information rela- tive to the Antiquities o. the County of Kil-
noted as Common Place Hook F at p. 57,
says, and at 21st June:TJi4pnioiT> UaAo-oa
Kofa e&yp "Oifejxc Uu\|\moi'04, i. e. ,
"
Diarmoid, the grandson of Aodha Roin. bishop, from Disert Diarmohia. " See Mr. O'Connor's Letter, dated Kildare, December 3rd, 1837, in "I. etterscontaining Information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Kildare, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. ii. , p. 70.
7 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni-
cum," p. 310, and at n. (d), ibid. , where he
cites Conry, as his authority.
8 An engraving of Castledermot Church
and Round Tower, taken by Lieutenant Daniel Grose, in 1792, is extant; and this is
a
date, but
June «. -] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 763
thepresentholyman. " TheMartyrologyofDonegal,^recordshimasDiar- maid, grandson of Aedh Roin, Bishop of Disert Diarmada, in Leinster. 1 * Likewise, under the heading of Disert Diarmada, Duald Mac Firbis records Diarmuid—descendant of Aedh Ron—a bishop of Disert-Diarmada, in Hy- Muiredhaigh,atJune21st. 15 Littlemoreseemstobeknown,concerningthis holy founder of an establishment and of a town, both of which are celebrated
in our ecclesiastical Annals.
Article III. —St. Suibhne, Bishop of Armagh, County of Armagh.
Atthis inthe of 1 wemeetwiththe en- date, Martyrology Tallagh, following
try, Suibne, Episcopus o Chobran. But there must be some mistake com-
mittedbythescribe,wheninsertingthelastword. Thisholymaniscalled
2 thesonofCronumail,orCrunmall,sontoRonanoftheUiNiallain, and
lie was successor to Flan-Febla,3 who died, April 24th, a. d. 715. 4 The pre- sent saint, who is called In-Sui or the Sage. s governed the primatial See for a period of fifteen years. The Yellow Book of Lecan assigns, however, only twelve. 6 his
Flahertach, monarch of Ireland, abdicated his sceptre, and embraced a monastic life, at Armagh. ? St. Suibhney or Suiv-
During episcopacy,
a. d. 8 His name is recorded, in the 730.
died on the 21st of
Martyrology of Donegal,? at the same date, as Suibhne, Bishop of Ard- Mocha.
Article IV. —Reputed Feast of St. Senilis. According to Demp-
Article V. —Festival of Constantia, Queen, Virgin and Martyr.
the authority, or as a reference for this entry, according to Rev. Dr. Reeves. See pp.
400, 401. "
I5 See Proceedings of the Royal Irish
Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. f part i. , pp. 106, 107.
ney
June,
1 the teacher of St. Columban in Scotia had a feast, at the 21st of early
ster,
Tune. He is called Senilis, by that writer,2 whereas, the true name was Silenis or Sillen. The Bollandists 3 who note this reputed festival, at this day, have nothing more to state about him, and they postpone further mention of him to the 21st of November, the feast of his renowned disciple St. Columban.
dare, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. ii. , p. 70. Letter of Mr. O'Conor, dated Kildare, De- cember
3rd, 1837.
10 The accompanying illustration, drawn
William F. Wakeman on the spot, pre- sents a view of the antiquarian objects here noticed. The drawing was transferred by Mr. Wakeman to the wood, engraved by Mrs. Millard.
"The pencil of Lieutenant Daniel Grose,
—
by
Article III.
'
Edited by
Rev. Dr.
in 1792, produce- a drawing of the convent, and also gives a view of Gray Abbey, with descriptions, which accompany these objects.
St. Patrick in the See of Armagh, p. 540.
3 See James Stuart's "Historical Memoirs
" Thesearetobefound,inGrose's Antiqui-
Ecclesise Hibernicse, vol. III. , Diocese ot
Armagh, p. 6.
* According to the " Leabhar Breac.
Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vel. i. ,
part i. On the Calendar of Oengus. By St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, Successors
ties of Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. 82, 83.
» See "Transactions of the Royal Irish
'
6 S Life of
Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. cvi. We are doubtful, however, if this remark be not intended rather for Cormac Ua Liatham.
'3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
I7 I75
m In a Table appended to this work, the
Martyrologium Genealogicum, is quoted as
of St. Patrick in the See of Armagh, p. 540. ' According to some accounts however, this event did not happen until a. d. 734,
when Congusa was Archbishop.
* See Harris' Ware, "Archbishops of
Armagh," vol. i , p. 40.
» Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
Kelly, p. xxvn.
2 See Miss M. F. Cusack s
Life of St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, Successors of
of the City of Armagh, chap. 1. , p. 94. '
* Cotton 8 t asU See Archdeacon Henry
See Miss M. F. Cusack
764 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 22.
from more ancient 1 the Bollandists 2 have Calendars,
At the 21st of
entered a feast for the finding of the Relics of St. Constantia, Queen, Virgin and Martyr, in 1327. She is said to have been one of St. Ursula's com- panions. They postpone, however, any further mention of her, to the 21st of October, which must be regarded as her chief feast.
Ctoentp«3eronii Bap of Sunt,
ARTICLE I. —ST. MOCHUA LUACHRA OR CRONAN, ABBOT OF FEARNA, OR FERNS, COUNTY OF WEXFORD.
[SEVENTH CENTURY. ]
June,
present holy personage must have flourished at an early period. In
the "Feilire of St. ^Engus, the festival of mighty Cronan of Ferns" THE "I "
occurs, at the 22nd ofJune. The commentator on the "Leabhar Braec" copy calls him the Comorba,2 or successor to Moedoc of Ferns.
3 At this date, also, a festival is entered in the Martyrology of Tallagh,* in honour of Mochua Luachra idem, ocus Cronan a Ferna. In this passage, St. Mochua and Cronan seem to be distinct persons. However, as already established in a former part of this work, the terms Cronan and Mochua are synony- mous, and represent only a single saint. He seems to have been known, likewise,asSt. DachuandDucuaLuachra. ThereisaLuachair-moritarda Inbher, denoting a large rushy land between two streams or estuaries, situated inthebaronyofUpperDuleek,andcountyofMeath. s Therewasalsoa Luachair-Deadhach—now known as Slieve Loughra—near Castleisland,
6 It seems that St. Cronan or altogether very probable,
of
Mochua had been connected with this district and territory. ? The
county
Kerry.
present holy
man
appears
to have succeeded St. 8
Moedoc, Bishop
of Ferns ; and, he is said to have presided over the monastery which
was there, in the beginning of the seventh century. 9 —The Annals of
—he Four Masters 10 the death of St. Uachu Luachra as he is called
t
Abbot of Fearna or Ferns, to a. d. 652, while those of Ulster have a. d.
assign
In the of 12 andatthe 22nd of is written, Martyrology Donegal, June,
653. "
Cronan, that is, Mochua of Luachair, Abbot of Fearna. How long the pre-
sent holy man occupied that position has not been ascertained ; but, his
174, 175. — English, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. :—
Article iv. *• In his
Scotorum. " InDempster's"HistoriaEc- clesiastica Gentis Scotorum," there is no notice taken of him.
2 Thus : "In Scotia, Senilis S. Colum-
bani praeceptoris. " See Bishop Forbes* ""
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 203.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. ,
Junii xxi. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 66.
Ferns. "
"
Transactions of the Royal Irish
Irish Series, vol. i. , Manuscript
Article v— Greven and Canisius.
*
As from MS. Florarius,
Academy,"
parti. On the Calendar of Oengus. By
2 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Junii
Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. xcv. a
"Menologium
xxi. Among —the pretermitted feasts, p. 66. See ibid. , p. cvii.
Lah1acobnAtpeu
TJanochc . c. deifSe-Loai £eil pr* naccar* conplen Cponan poj\C]\ert permai.
With James, son of Alpheus, twice eight hundreds, a fair train, the feast of a man who
loved n—ot bodily ease, mighty Cronan of
""3
i. In the Leabhar Breac See his Life, in the First Volume of this
*
Article
copy is the following rami, translated into work, at the 31st ofJanuary—the day for his
June 22. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
765
name first occurs in the list of Abbots there, after the resignation of St. Moling,13 whose death has been assigned usually to a. d. 696 or d^. ^ Ferns is the well known See of a Bishop, and situated in the county of Wexford. In this county, also, there is a Tober mac lura, in the barony of Ballaghkeen and parishofMaelnagh. 'S Here,therehadbeenaholywellandapatron. The latter was held on the 22nd of June. 16 Whether or not the present saint
attainedtheepiscopaldignitymaybequestioned; but,theearlysuperiorsin
Ferns seem to have been styled indiscriminately Archbishops of Leinster, as also Bishops and Abbots of Ferns. '7
ArticleII. —St. Crunnmael,SonofRonan,ofBerrech. Accord- 1
ing to the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 22nd ot June, there was a festival forCrunmaeilmicRonain. TheCalendaroftheO'Clerysstates,likewise,
that he was of Berrech. There is a called parish,
2 in the of barony
Kilberry,
Narragh and Rheban West, in the county of Kildare. It borders along the River Barrow, lying about two and a-halt miles northwards from the town of Athy. A burial-ground now enclosed, within which interments yet take placeisthere,ontheeastbankoftheRiverBarrow. Thefoundationsofa very old church are in it, but scarcely traceable; for, they are overgrown with
sloe-thorns, hawthorn bushes, briers, and old trees. The reed-grown course of the River Barrow passes by, and its bank formerly had been the western boundary ot the graveyard,3 before it was enclosed by a rather modern stone wall. Near the old cemetery, there is a celebrated well, called Tobbera, or Toberara. *
feast, Art. i.
4 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxvii.
5 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (m), p. 176.
6
See ibid. , n. (jf), p. 45.
7 In a letter, lately received from Very
Rev. Denis O'Donoghue, P. P. , and dated St. Brendan's, Ardfert, February 28th, 1889,
" found in a Map of the Desmond Survey, A. D. 1587, and published in the Kilkenny
pp. 264, 265.
"Thus: " Ducdua Locre Abbas Fer-
is the following interesting information :
I
174. 175-
13 See his Life, at the 17th of this month,
in the present volume, Art. i.
14 See Archdeacon Henry Cotton's " Fasti
Ecclesise Hibernicae," vol. ii. , p. 330.
15 This is shown on the "Ord- parish
nance Survey Townland Maps for the
County of Wexford," sheets 21, 27.
16 See "Letters Information containing
relative to the of the of Antiquities County
Wexford, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey," vol. ii.
vol. Fourth Series, a place in Ballymacelligot
Archaeological Society's Journal,
v. ,
parish called Kilaspuigroin, or the Church of
— — The name is Bishop Cron or Cronanus.
remains and
is now called Kilquane (parish of Ballyma- celligott), or the Church of Cuan, Cuanus, or Mochua. It should be hard to say to which of the many Cror. ans,«/zoj Mochuas,this church had been dedicated ; but, he was certainly a Bishop, and he was probably the sam—e saint to whom Derricoe, near Rathoo— Derrimochua, as is written in the Felire was sacred. It is curious, that we have so many very archaic churches in this d—iocese, and called after a saint of this name either
lost hodie but the old church
of which we have five, or Kilcuah, or Kilcow, or Derricoe, of which there are also five. There are several Kilquanes, moreover, in Cork and Limerick, while we have some Kilcoes or Kilcuahs. "
8 See his Life, in the First Volume of this
work, at the 31st of January, Art. i.
» See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernia? ," Januariixxxi. AppendixadActaS. Maidoci,
cap. v. , p. 223.
10 See Dr. O'Donovan's Edition, vol. i. ,
Kilquane,
nanu quievit. "—Rev. Dr. O'Conor's Annales Ultonienses, p. 52.
" rum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus iv.
"
17 See Archdeacon Henry Cotton's Fasti Ecclesia? Hibernicse," vol. ii. , p.
12
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
328.
Article ii.
Kelly, p. xxvii.
2
on the Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Kil- dare,"sheets30,31,34,35. Thetownland
It is described,
is on sheets
—
"
'
Edited by Rev. Dr.
30, 31, 34.
3 The foregoing and subsequent observa-
tions and information had been obtained, during the course of a visit to this locality, in the month of July, 1870.
4 His visit was repeated to this locality, in the month of July, 1888, when the writer sketched the well and its surroundings. This drawing was transferred by William F. Wakeman, to the wood, engraved by Mrs. Millard, and here produced as an illustra- tion.
proper
Re-
766
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 22.
This beautiful and clear stream rushes with great force from beneath the roots of a very ancient ash tree, where it forms a broad yet shallow pool. Thence it issues, in a devious but short and rapid course, until it Renters the Barrow. On the verge of this river, and on a bank somewhat elevated, Toberara finds its source. It is incorrectly stated, to have been dedicated to St. John. s The writer was informed, by an old inhabitant, living in the vicinity, that a patron had been formerly held there, and always on the 22nd of June; but,
'
Toberara, in Kilberry Cemetery.
this practice has been discontinued, since the year 1840. 6 It should be a curious subj ect for enquiry to ascertain if this Kilberry could have been a com-
paratively modern denomination, derived from Berrech and Kill "church," as connected with St. Crunnmael. The circumstances of the local patron hav- ing been formerly held, on the 22nd of June, at least lends some degree of credibility to such a supposition. In Mrs. St. John's Poem "Ellauna,"? allusion is made to a pretty little island, named Teigh Berara,8 midway between Reban and Athy. 9 We are told, there was a well sacred to St. John, at that place ; and in the early part of this century, the ferryman on the River
7 The authoress was conversant with quite
the locality. The following lines refer to it :—
5 See Lewis' "
Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 52.
6 This well, to the great amazement of the
neighbouring inhabitants, went suddenly dry one summer. As the earth between it and ihe
" Though yearly penance I performed, Around the Baptists' fount. "
A
T-Zsusm y! ? ^3jW^53BSK"
Barrow is of a sandy or gravelly nature, it is
probable, the waters worked an under- —
current into the river. The people, how-
ever, attributed its drying up to preter-
natural causes, and it is said to have been the ruins of an old church, dedicated to St. produced, owing to some previous desecra- Barbara. See n. 61, p. 122.
Here we are told, but incorrectly, were tion. 9 It was opposite to the Castle of Bert.
Canto iv. , p. 64.
8
June 22. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
767
Barrow is stated to have had many pilgrims going across to perform pilgrim- ages there, on each Midsummer Day, June 24th. In Kilberry, the ruins of
thatsideoftheRiverBarrow. InthesameparishofKilberry,thereisalso
anothergraveyard; butapparently,lessancientthantheformer,althoughno doubt of very considerable antiquity. That unenclosed graveyard was much frequented for interments. 11 The extensive ruins of an old church, with very thick well built walls, and mantled over with large clusters of ivy, may be seen within a large meadow-field, and near a high road, not very far from the River Barrow.
n. It is possible, also, that the a—ncient
church and monastery of Kilcormick now
calledFrankford—hadbeendedicatedtothe
present saint. Regarding their desecration,
tee the indignant, but justly merited remarks script Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Ca-
of Rev. A. Cogan, atp. 515.
38 See it described, on " Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Wex-
lendar of Oengus. By Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. xcv.
sheets 20, 21.
39 See " Letters containing Information
relative to the Antiquities of the County of
Wexford, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey, in 1840," vol. ii.
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxvu. "
ford,"
4 At fol. 42<*. a. See Martyrology of
Donegal," note by Rev. Dr. Todd, pp. 400,
401.
s See Colgan s Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
JohnO'Donovan's Letters, p. 94.
40 According to the Book of Assumptions, in the Scottish Acts of Parliament, vol. iv. ,
p. 652.
ArticleII. — See"Transactionsof
1
the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Mana-
"
See ibid. , p. cvi
762 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 21.
ancient remains about here, among the principal of which are, a Round Tower,8 which is now used as a belfry to the Protestant church, with which it communicates, and beside which it stands, on the left angle of its gable, as you enter the church door. There is an ancient stone cross, which is perfect, and it standsonapedestal,withinafewyardsoftheRoundTower. Theshaftof another cross lies south-west from the church ; the arms of this cross, being
NVRHl^WJV
Castledermot Round Tower, and Ancient Arch, County Kildare.
broken off, are placed beside the shaft as the head-stone to a grave. Likewise, thereisanancientarchway,thatspansanentranceintothechurch. Thisis
thought to have been a portion of the old monastery. ' This archway is near the pedestal of that cross, which has been last mentioned. 10 Other interest- ing ruins of mediaeval religious houses are yet to be seen in Castledermot. " When he desired to go on a pilgrimage, as we are told, the sea rose against
nise," x. Januarii, n. 17, p. 52.
6 The Irish Calendar, now preserved in
to be found, in Grose's "Antiquities of Ire- land," vol. ii. , pp. 43, 44.
•
the
tins does not says, archway
Irish — —and Royal Academy's Library
Mr. O'Conor
belong to a building of so early
under his annotation, I find the followingre- mark in Dr. Petrie's handwriting : "I think it coeval with the tower. " This old arch- way was in a ruinous slate, until repaired a few years before 1837, by the Rev. Mr. Hamilton, who was then Protestant rector of Castledermot parish. The people of this place called the round tower a steeple, when the antiquaries belonging to the Ordnance Survey were engaged on their labours, in this part of the country. The perfect stone cross, with its pedestal included, measured 9 feet in height. The particulars are collected from " Letters containing Information rela- tive to the Antiquities o. the County of Kil-
noted as Common Place Hook F at p. 57,
says, and at 21st June:TJi4pnioiT> UaAo-oa
Kofa e&yp "Oifejxc Uu\|\moi'04, i. e. ,
"
Diarmoid, the grandson of Aodha Roin. bishop, from Disert Diarmohia. " See Mr. O'Connor's Letter, dated Kildare, December 3rd, 1837, in "I. etterscontaining Information relative to the Antiquities of the County of Kildare, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. ii. , p. 70.
7 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni-
cum," p. 310, and at n. (d), ibid. , where he
cites Conry, as his authority.
8 An engraving of Castledermot Church
and Round Tower, taken by Lieutenant Daniel Grose, in 1792, is extant; and this is
a
date, but
June «. -] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 763
thepresentholyman. " TheMartyrologyofDonegal,^recordshimasDiar- maid, grandson of Aedh Roin, Bishop of Disert Diarmada, in Leinster. 1 * Likewise, under the heading of Disert Diarmada, Duald Mac Firbis records Diarmuid—descendant of Aedh Ron—a bishop of Disert-Diarmada, in Hy- Muiredhaigh,atJune21st. 15 Littlemoreseemstobeknown,concerningthis holy founder of an establishment and of a town, both of which are celebrated
in our ecclesiastical Annals.
Article III. —St. Suibhne, Bishop of Armagh, County of Armagh.
Atthis inthe of 1 wemeetwiththe en- date, Martyrology Tallagh, following
try, Suibne, Episcopus o Chobran. But there must be some mistake com-
mittedbythescribe,wheninsertingthelastword. Thisholymaniscalled
2 thesonofCronumail,orCrunmall,sontoRonanoftheUiNiallain, and
lie was successor to Flan-Febla,3 who died, April 24th, a. d. 715. 4 The pre- sent saint, who is called In-Sui or the Sage. s governed the primatial See for a period of fifteen years. The Yellow Book of Lecan assigns, however, only twelve. 6 his
Flahertach, monarch of Ireland, abdicated his sceptre, and embraced a monastic life, at Armagh. ? St. Suibhney or Suiv-
During episcopacy,
a. d. 8 His name is recorded, in the 730.
died on the 21st of
Martyrology of Donegal,? at the same date, as Suibhne, Bishop of Ard- Mocha.
Article IV. —Reputed Feast of St. Senilis. According to Demp-
Article V. —Festival of Constantia, Queen, Virgin and Martyr.
the authority, or as a reference for this entry, according to Rev. Dr. Reeves. See pp.
400, 401. "
I5 See Proceedings of the Royal Irish
Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. f part i. , pp. 106, 107.
ney
June,
1 the teacher of St. Columban in Scotia had a feast, at the 21st of early
ster,
Tune. He is called Senilis, by that writer,2 whereas, the true name was Silenis or Sillen. The Bollandists 3 who note this reputed festival, at this day, have nothing more to state about him, and they postpone further mention of him to the 21st of November, the feast of his renowned disciple St. Columban.
dare, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1837," vol. ii. , p. 70. Letter of Mr. O'Conor, dated Kildare, De- cember
3rd, 1837.
10 The accompanying illustration, drawn
William F. Wakeman on the spot, pre- sents a view of the antiquarian objects here noticed. The drawing was transferred by Mr. Wakeman to the wood, engraved by Mrs. Millard.
"The pencil of Lieutenant Daniel Grose,
—
by
Article III.
'
Edited by
Rev. Dr.
in 1792, produce- a drawing of the convent, and also gives a view of Gray Abbey, with descriptions, which accompany these objects.
St. Patrick in the See of Armagh, p. 540.
3 See James Stuart's "Historical Memoirs
" Thesearetobefound,inGrose's Antiqui-
Ecclesise Hibernicse, vol. III. , Diocese ot
Armagh, p. 6.
* According to the " Leabhar Breac.
Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vel. i. ,
part i. On the Calendar of Oengus. By St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, Successors
ties of Ireland," vol. ii. , pp. 82, 83.
» See "Transactions of the Royal Irish
'
6 S Life of
Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. cvi. We are doubtful, however, if this remark be not intended rather for Cormac Ua Liatham.
'3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
I7 I75
m In a Table appended to this work, the
Martyrologium Genealogicum, is quoted as
of St. Patrick in the See of Armagh, p. 540. ' According to some accounts however, this event did not happen until a. d. 734,
when Congusa was Archbishop.
* See Harris' Ware, "Archbishops of
Armagh," vol. i , p. 40.
» Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
Kelly, p. xxvn.
2 See Miss M. F. Cusack s
Life of St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, Successors of
of the City of Armagh, chap. 1. , p. 94. '
* Cotton 8 t asU See Archdeacon Henry
See Miss M. F. Cusack
764 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 22.
from more ancient 1 the Bollandists 2 have Calendars,
At the 21st of
entered a feast for the finding of the Relics of St. Constantia, Queen, Virgin and Martyr, in 1327. She is said to have been one of St. Ursula's com- panions. They postpone, however, any further mention of her, to the 21st of October, which must be regarded as her chief feast.
Ctoentp«3eronii Bap of Sunt,
ARTICLE I. —ST. MOCHUA LUACHRA OR CRONAN, ABBOT OF FEARNA, OR FERNS, COUNTY OF WEXFORD.
[SEVENTH CENTURY. ]
June,
present holy personage must have flourished at an early period. In
the "Feilire of St. ^Engus, the festival of mighty Cronan of Ferns" THE "I "
occurs, at the 22nd ofJune. The commentator on the "Leabhar Braec" copy calls him the Comorba,2 or successor to Moedoc of Ferns.
3 At this date, also, a festival is entered in the Martyrology of Tallagh,* in honour of Mochua Luachra idem, ocus Cronan a Ferna. In this passage, St. Mochua and Cronan seem to be distinct persons. However, as already established in a former part of this work, the terms Cronan and Mochua are synony- mous, and represent only a single saint. He seems to have been known, likewise,asSt. DachuandDucuaLuachra. ThereisaLuachair-moritarda Inbher, denoting a large rushy land between two streams or estuaries, situated inthebaronyofUpperDuleek,andcountyofMeath. s Therewasalsoa Luachair-Deadhach—now known as Slieve Loughra—near Castleisland,
6 It seems that St. Cronan or altogether very probable,
of
Mochua had been connected with this district and territory. ? The
county
Kerry.
present holy
man
appears
to have succeeded St. 8
Moedoc, Bishop
of Ferns ; and, he is said to have presided over the monastery which
was there, in the beginning of the seventh century. 9 —The Annals of
—he Four Masters 10 the death of St. Uachu Luachra as he is called
t
Abbot of Fearna or Ferns, to a. d. 652, while those of Ulster have a. d.
assign
In the of 12 andatthe 22nd of is written, Martyrology Donegal, June,
653. "
Cronan, that is, Mochua of Luachair, Abbot of Fearna. How long the pre-
sent holy man occupied that position has not been ascertained ; but, his
174, 175. — English, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. :—
Article iv. *• In his
Scotorum. " InDempster's"HistoriaEc- clesiastica Gentis Scotorum," there is no notice taken of him.
2 Thus : "In Scotia, Senilis S. Colum-
bani praeceptoris. " See Bishop Forbes* ""
Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 203.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. ,
Junii xxi. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 66.
Ferns. "
"
Transactions of the Royal Irish
Irish Series, vol. i. , Manuscript
Article v— Greven and Canisius.
*
As from MS. Florarius,
Academy,"
parti. On the Calendar of Oengus. By
2 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , Junii
Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. xcv. a
"Menologium
xxi. Among —the pretermitted feasts, p. 66. See ibid. , p. cvii.
Lah1acobnAtpeu
TJanochc . c. deifSe-Loai £eil pr* naccar* conplen Cponan poj\C]\ert permai.
With James, son of Alpheus, twice eight hundreds, a fair train, the feast of a man who
loved n—ot bodily ease, mighty Cronan of
""3
i. In the Leabhar Breac See his Life, in the First Volume of this
*
Article
copy is the following rami, translated into work, at the 31st ofJanuary—the day for his
June 22. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
765
name first occurs in the list of Abbots there, after the resignation of St. Moling,13 whose death has been assigned usually to a. d. 696 or d^. ^ Ferns is the well known See of a Bishop, and situated in the county of Wexford. In this county, also, there is a Tober mac lura, in the barony of Ballaghkeen and parishofMaelnagh. 'S Here,therehadbeenaholywellandapatron. The latter was held on the 22nd of June. 16 Whether or not the present saint
attainedtheepiscopaldignitymaybequestioned; but,theearlysuperiorsin
Ferns seem to have been styled indiscriminately Archbishops of Leinster, as also Bishops and Abbots of Ferns. '7
ArticleII. —St. Crunnmael,SonofRonan,ofBerrech. Accord- 1
ing to the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 22nd ot June, there was a festival forCrunmaeilmicRonain. TheCalendaroftheO'Clerysstates,likewise,
that he was of Berrech. There is a called parish,
2 in the of barony
Kilberry,
Narragh and Rheban West, in the county of Kildare. It borders along the River Barrow, lying about two and a-halt miles northwards from the town of Athy. A burial-ground now enclosed, within which interments yet take placeisthere,ontheeastbankoftheRiverBarrow. Thefoundationsofa very old church are in it, but scarcely traceable; for, they are overgrown with
sloe-thorns, hawthorn bushes, briers, and old trees. The reed-grown course of the River Barrow passes by, and its bank formerly had been the western boundary ot the graveyard,3 before it was enclosed by a rather modern stone wall. Near the old cemetery, there is a celebrated well, called Tobbera, or Toberara. *
feast, Art. i.
4 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxvii.
5 See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (m), p. 176.
6
See ibid. , n. (jf), p. 45.
7 In a letter, lately received from Very
Rev. Denis O'Donoghue, P. P. , and dated St. Brendan's, Ardfert, February 28th, 1889,
" found in a Map of the Desmond Survey, A. D. 1587, and published in the Kilkenny
pp. 264, 265.
"Thus: " Ducdua Locre Abbas Fer-
is the following interesting information :
I
174. 175-
13 See his Life, at the 17th of this month,
in the present volume, Art. i.
14 See Archdeacon Henry Cotton's " Fasti
Ecclesise Hibernicae," vol. ii. , p. 330.
15 This is shown on the "Ord- parish
nance Survey Townland Maps for the
County of Wexford," sheets 21, 27.
16 See "Letters Information containing
relative to the of the of Antiquities County
Wexford, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey," vol. ii.
vol. Fourth Series, a place in Ballymacelligot
Archaeological Society's Journal,
v. ,
parish called Kilaspuigroin, or the Church of
— — The name is Bishop Cron or Cronanus.
remains and
is now called Kilquane (parish of Ballyma- celligott), or the Church of Cuan, Cuanus, or Mochua. It should be hard to say to which of the many Cror. ans,«/zoj Mochuas,this church had been dedicated ; but, he was certainly a Bishop, and he was probably the sam—e saint to whom Derricoe, near Rathoo— Derrimochua, as is written in the Felire was sacred. It is curious, that we have so many very archaic churches in this d—iocese, and called after a saint of this name either
lost hodie but the old church
of which we have five, or Kilcuah, or Kilcow, or Derricoe, of which there are also five. There are several Kilquanes, moreover, in Cork and Limerick, while we have some Kilcoes or Kilcuahs. "
8 See his Life, in the First Volume of this
work, at the 31st of January, Art. i.
» See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernia? ," Januariixxxi. AppendixadActaS. Maidoci,
cap. v. , p. 223.
10 See Dr. O'Donovan's Edition, vol. i. ,
Kilquane,
nanu quievit. "—Rev. Dr. O'Conor's Annales Ultonienses, p. 52.
" rum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus iv.
"
17 See Archdeacon Henry Cotton's Fasti Ecclesia? Hibernicse," vol. ii. , p.
12
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
328.
Article ii.
Kelly, p. xxvii.
2
on the Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Kil- dare,"sheets30,31,34,35. Thetownland
It is described,
is on sheets
—
"
'
Edited by Rev. Dr.
30, 31, 34.
3 The foregoing and subsequent observa-
tions and information had been obtained, during the course of a visit to this locality, in the month of July, 1870.
4 His visit was repeated to this locality, in the month of July, 1888, when the writer sketched the well and its surroundings. This drawing was transferred by William F. Wakeman, to the wood, engraved by Mrs. Millard, and here produced as an illustra- tion.
proper
Re-
766
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 22.
This beautiful and clear stream rushes with great force from beneath the roots of a very ancient ash tree, where it forms a broad yet shallow pool. Thence it issues, in a devious but short and rapid course, until it Renters the Barrow. On the verge of this river, and on a bank somewhat elevated, Toberara finds its source. It is incorrectly stated, to have been dedicated to St. John. s The writer was informed, by an old inhabitant, living in the vicinity, that a patron had been formerly held there, and always on the 22nd of June; but,
'
Toberara, in Kilberry Cemetery.
this practice has been discontinued, since the year 1840. 6 It should be a curious subj ect for enquiry to ascertain if this Kilberry could have been a com-
paratively modern denomination, derived from Berrech and Kill "church," as connected with St. Crunnmael. The circumstances of the local patron hav- ing been formerly held, on the 22nd of June, at least lends some degree of credibility to such a supposition. In Mrs. St. John's Poem "Ellauna,"? allusion is made to a pretty little island, named Teigh Berara,8 midway between Reban and Athy. 9 We are told, there was a well sacred to St. John, at that place ; and in the early part of this century, the ferryman on the River
7 The authoress was conversant with quite
the locality. The following lines refer to it :—
5 See Lewis' "
Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 52.
6 This well, to the great amazement of the
neighbouring inhabitants, went suddenly dry one summer. As the earth between it and ihe
" Though yearly penance I performed, Around the Baptists' fount. "
A
T-Zsusm y! ? ^3jW^53BSK"
Barrow is of a sandy or gravelly nature, it is
probable, the waters worked an under- —
current into the river. The people, how-
ever, attributed its drying up to preter-
natural causes, and it is said to have been the ruins of an old church, dedicated to St. produced, owing to some previous desecra- Barbara. See n. 61, p. 122.
Here we are told, but incorrectly, were tion. 9 It was opposite to the Castle of Bert.
Canto iv. , p. 64.
8
June 22. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
767
Barrow is stated to have had many pilgrims going across to perform pilgrim- ages there, on each Midsummer Day, June 24th. In Kilberry, the ruins of
thatsideoftheRiverBarrow. InthesameparishofKilberry,thereisalso
anothergraveyard; butapparently,lessancientthantheformer,althoughno doubt of very considerable antiquity. That unenclosed graveyard was much frequented for interments. 11 The extensive ruins of an old church, with very thick well built walls, and mantled over with large clusters of ivy, may be seen within a large meadow-field, and near a high road, not very far from the River Barrow.
