'] Having
procured
two distinct Lives of St.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
xvii.
— "
Bencoir. " Dr. O'Conor's Kcrum Ilibcr-
Sanctorum,"
iii. ,,
3^ See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber' Colgan's
Februarii xxviii.
728 LIVESOPTHEIRISHSAINTS [February28.
corresponding with the 28th of February. 38 Again, in the Martyrology of Donegal,-'9 \ve find mentioned, as liaving a festival on this -day, Siollan, Master, Abbot of Bennchair-Uladh, and successor of Comghall. In Scot- land, likewise, this distinguished superior received his share ot honour. The holy Abbot, Sillan, departed to Christ in Irehmd, on the ii. ol the March Kalends, or on the 28th of February, according to tlie Drummond Kalendar,'*" His personal sanctity gained him the admiration and love of all his com- munity ; while liis repute for learning has survived, although its manifestation may not now exist, in the shape of works attributed to him.
ArticleII. —ReputedFestivalofaSt. Mohsiona,orMosinu. It
seems to be a matter for doubt, if the present holy person is in any way dis-
tinguishable from the preceding Abbot, regarding whom, some historic notes have been gleaned, for the present day. On the 28th of February, we find
this saint set down in the of Martyrology Tallagh,^^
under the " Mosinu title,
mac h mind, id est,^Sillan Ab. Banchoir. " The Abbot Mosnia is recorded, by Marianus O'Gorman, at this day. So the BoUandists observe, but remark,
also, that the Martyrology of Tallagh calls him Moshina, the son of Va-minn, Abbot of Bangor, who is otherwise Sillanus. ^ Mohsiona3 is recorded, in the
Martyrology of Donegal,-* on this day. More than we have given can hardly be said, about this saint.
Article III. —Reputed Festival of St. Gall, Lake of Constance,
Switzerland. At the 28th of February, Dempster' enters a festival for St.
Gall,^ at Lake Acronius,3 where he remained after his Master, St. Columban,*
'passed over the Alps. 5 The BoUandists, in like manner, following such
authority, notice this reputed festival, among the pretermitted feasts, and refer furthermore to the Acts of St. Gall, occurring at die i6th of October. ^
Article IV. —Reputed Festival of St. Modwena. The BoUandists,^
while remarking that Colgan is silent, at this date, regarding the present holy woman ; yet observe, that she is inscribed in the Catalogue,^ published by
nice," xxviii. Febniarii. De S. Sillano sive above), is not mentioned in the other
Silvano Abbate Benchorensi, nn. 8, 9, p. 424.
37 See Edition of John Clarke Crosthwaite and Dr. Todd. Introduction, p. Ivi. , and p. 92.
Calendars. "
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
^^ In the
the name is omitted.
at the i6th of October,
3 Now the Bodensee or Lake of Con* stance. Pomponius Mela mentions it under the names 'of Lacus Venetus, and Lacus ^° See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Acronius, lib. iii. , 2. The former is pro- Scotti. ^h Saints,'' p. 6. bably the name of the upper part of the Article ii. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. lake, and the latter that of the lower. See William Smith's "Dictionary of Greek and
^
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
prefixed Calendar,
at this
date,
Life,
39 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 58, 59.
Kelly, p. xvii.
Februarii xxviii. the
Among pretermitted
saints, p. 717.
3 In a note, at this name. Dr. Todd says,
"The Mart. Timl, seems to identify this saint with Siolldn or Sillan, of Bangor. Its words are, mopnu m^c. h. nun-o, 1. Silliti
'
p. 718.
ARTICLE IV. -' See
son of Hua
;>. , Sillan, Ablxt of Bangor,' Mosiona (or tomus iii. , Februarii xxviii. Among the
Acta Sanctorum," Mo. -^l. iona as the name ought to be written pretermitted saints, p. 718.
^bb. beiicAi^A :
Mosinu,
Mind,
58, 59. —* Article III.
ticum. "
= See his
Roman Geography," vol. i. , p. 429.
*• See his at the 21st of November, Life,
s See Bi^>hop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 193.
^ See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb-
ruariixxviii. Amongthepretermittedsaints,
"
See "Menologium Sco-
February 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 729
FatherHenryFitzsimon. Besides,amongIrishSaints'names,foundinthat anonymous Hsr, published by O'Sullevan Beare,3 St. Modwena is noticed, at the
28th of Ftbrunry, Without furtlier enlightening us, at this day, regarding the holy woman in question, the Bollandists^ refer us to a Hst of Modwenas or Mon-
ennas, given by them, at the ist of February,5 as also to a well-known holy woman, bearmg such a name, and whose Acts they give,° at the 5th and 6th of July. 7
Article V. —Cruimther Domhnaigh, or Crumtharus Dominile CuMFiCLANUs, SoN OF Ua Foillanus. The Martyrology of Tallagh^ mentions a festival, at the 28th of February, m honour of Cruimther Domh-
" cum Firlain h is in with this Foelain," recorded, conjunction
naigh. Also,
entry. From the designation Cruimther applied, we may assume, that the samt so designated had not advanced beyond Priest's Orders. But, observing
that Colgan passes him by, as one unknown, at this date ; the BoUandists have remarked, that the first entry, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, is, "Crum- tharus Dominile Cumficlani, filius Va-Foillani. "^ Yet, to us, there seems
some confusion, or error of a scribe, which leaves it doubtful, if a single person be intended, with a notice of his place and parentage, or if a double entry of cognomen, without the etymon of a place, be the more correct in- terpretation.
Article VI. —Reputed Festival of a St. Vulfherus, a Confessor AND Priest. On the assumption, that Capgrave and other writers speak of a St. Vulfherus, Camerarius has entered him, at this day,' stating, moreover, that his memory was celebrated, in the province of Argyle, Scotland. The BoUandists,^ however, question, that any passage of Capgrave bears out this quotation, nor do they know, who are the other writers, to whom Camerarius refers. Therefore, his statements seem to require further confirmation, and until that be afforded, it is needless to enquire, whether he was a saint of Scotia Major or Scotia Minor.
Article VII. —St. Ternoc, or Tearnog. It has been conjectured,*
that Saran, the grandfather of this saint, lived in the time of St. Patrick. ' An
entry, Ternoc, is found in the Martyrology of Tallagh,3 at the 28th of Feb- ruary. The BoUandists state,-* that Marianus O'Gorman calls this holy man.
a "De S. Darerca previous commentary,
seu Monynna Virg. in Hibernia, Scoiia, vel Anglia, Julii vi. , pp. 290 to 312.
7 For addiiional particulars, regarding her, the reader is referred to this date,
ARTICLEV. —' EditedbyRev. Dr. Kelly,
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb- ruariixxviii. Amongthepretermittedsaints,
*
In his "Menologium = See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb-
= See '*
Sanctorum Hibernise. " At ilie 5th of July, her feast is placed, on the authority of Jolin Capgrave.
Catalogus aliquorum
See " Nova Legenda Anglise," &c.
3 See
"
Hisiorise Calholicse Ibernise Com-
pendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , p. 49. 4 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb-
ruarii xxviii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 718.
5 See ibid. , tomus i. , Februarii i. De S.
Brigida Virg, Scota Thaumaturga, &c. , Commentarius pra;vius, sect, iii. , vi. , pp. 104,107,108. Newedition.
p. xvii. ="
v. De S. Moduenna seu Monenna, Monynna, Mony-
'' See ibid. , tomus ii. ,
Julii
ruarii xxviii. the Among
p. 717.
ARTICLE VII. — '
pretermitted saints,
the *' Sane-
una an A critical commen- p. uiibus.
ma,
tary, in two sections, and twenty-six para- graphs, pp. 241 to 246- At tiie following day are to be found two distinct Lives, with
Accordingto tilogium Genealogicum. "
p. 717. — ARTICLE VI.
Scoticum. "
^
See his Life, at the 17th of March, 3 Edited by Kev. Lr. Kelly, p. xvii.
730 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February28.
Tejnotiis, at this date. Nothing very certain seems to have transpired re- garding him. In the Life of St. Cohmiba, by Prince 0'Donnell,5 mention is made of a certain Ternoc, who was his disciple, and who Hved at Tulach na psahii,^ to the east of Killmicnenain. 7 To him, and to his fellow-disciples, St. Columba^ gave a prophetic account of what was to happen. This Ternoc is supposed to have been the son of Kiaroc, son to Saran,9 son of Narsluag, son to Coelbad, son of Crunn Budhrai. ^° He is stated, to have been the same as St. Ternoc of Ariodh-Muilt, near Lough Erne, in Ulster ; and, he is classed, by Colgan, among the disciples of St. Columba. " Archdall observes,'^ there was an ancient monastery, called Ariodhmuilt, near Lough Erne, of which St. Ternoc was Abbot,^3, but that its situation Avas unknown to him. In the Martyrology of Donegal/* simply we find recorded, on this day, Tearnog. Nothing very certain can be advanced, towards the elucidation of his
history.
Article VIII. —Festival of St. Aedh, Mac Bricc, of Enachbriuin,
OF Killare, and of Rathhugh, County of Westmeath, as also of
Slieve League, County of Donegal. \Sixth Century.
'] Having procured two distinct Lives of St. Aedh, Mac Brie, and finding a double feast for him,
Colgan' published one of these, at the 28th of February,^ which happens to be the first occurring, deferring the other, until he should come to a much later period of the year. The festival of this saint is more properly cele- brated, on the loth of November. At this latter date, fuller particulars, re- . garding his Acts, may be seen. However, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,3 we find, that a festival was celebrated, at the 28th of February, in honour of Aedh Mac Bricc. We are told, furthermore, that the Martyrology of Salis- bury and Richard Whitford, as also the Martyrology of Donegal accord.
''
In Capgrave's
Nova Legenda Angliae,"s we find an account of St. Aldus or
Aidanus, Abbot, whose festival is set down, for the 28th of February. ^ In
the anonymous Catalogue of Irish Saints, published by O'Sullevan Beare,7 the
name of St. Aldus occurs, at the 28th of February. This Saint ^dus or Aedh,ashissurnameindicates,wasthesonofBrie. Hedescendedfromthe Meathian O'Neills, and belonged to the family of the celebrated Conn of the
*'
* See
ruariixxviii. Amongthepretermittedsaints,
'°
According to the "Sanctilogic Genea- logy," chap, xxiii. See (^uinta Vita S. Columbre, lib. i. , cap. ciii. , and n. 84, p. 451. Jbui.
" See ibid. ad Acta S. Quarta Appendix
Columba;, cap. x. , num. io8, p. 492. "See"MonasiiconHibernicum,"p. 258.
"
Trias Thaumaturga. " Quinta Vita S. Columbce, n. 84, p. 451.
'^EditedbyDrs. ToddandReeves,pp.
58, 59.
Article vriL—^ See " Acta Sancto-
rum Hibernise," xxviii. Februarii. Vita S.
Acta Sanctorum," tomusiii. , P"eb-
p. 717.
5 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga.
"
Quinta p. 406.
Vita S. Columbae, lib.
i. , cap. ciii. ,
^"Thehillofthepsalm. " Thenameof
this place seems to have become obsolete,
7 Now Kilmacrenan, a parish in a large barony,bearingthesamename. Itsextent is shown on the "Ordnance Survey Town-
of
County
Sheets 26, 27, 35, 36, 44, 45, 52, 53. The
town and townland are on Slieet 45, and in a romantic position,
'3 gee Colgan's
land for the Maps
Donegal,"
^
See his Life, at the 9th of June.
This is taken from the Codex Killken- niensis. "
5 lie is said to have lived, in the time of
St. to the Life Patrick, according Tripartite
of the saint. See Colgan's "Trias Thau- maturga. " Quinta Vita S. Patricii, pars.
ii. , cap. cxxxi. , p. 146, and n. 206, p. 182. Wherefore, it is stated, his grandson could have lived in the time of St. Columkillc.
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xvii,
• See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
niae," xxviii. p'ebruarii. Vita S. Aidi Epis. et Confessoris, n. 31, p. 423.
s See fol. iii. , iiii. , v.
^
Aidi Epis. et Confessoris, pp. 418 to 423. ="
Pridie Cal. Marcii.
February 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 731
Hundred Battles. St. Aedh flourished in the sixth century. The Bollandists^ have a short notice of him, at this date, but they promise to relate more, re- garding him, at the loth of November. Some Manuscript Lives of this holy Bishop and Confessor are known to be extant. 9 This saint was specially venerated, at Enachbriuin,'° in the territory of Muscraighe, in Munster ; at Rahugh," or Rathugh, and at Killare," in the county of Westmeath ; as also at Slieve League, or Slicve Leag,'3. in the county of Donegal. As a traveller wends his way westwardly from Kilcar,'-* and up this mountain, the path grows precipitous, at certain points, and purple heather, mixed with saffron blossomsofthefurze,coverstheground,ateitherside. Theravinesarenot very steep, nor very deep, however, and yet, it looks startling, to see the sea- birds fly up from the hollows. By degrees, we climb to the brown and barren heights, unrelieved by human habitation, or trace of human industry. The screaming mews of the ocean tides soon flit in myriads, on the far western sides of Slieve League, and far out on the surging Atlantic. On a very elevated site of the gloomy mountain are still to be seen the ruins of Aodh Mac Brio's little cell. Tradition yet styles him, Aodh na Bricne, or
7 See *' Historiae Catholicoe Iberniro Com-
" Anima quoque fratris Dermitii i Dun- chadha requiescat in pace. Amen. "
The foregoing is the only trace of the Irish language, that Mr. Bindon was enabled to find in the volume ; the two last pagesarealso semi-pages, neither one of these is written
pendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. x^. , p. 49. *^ "
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb-
ruariixxviii. Amongthepretermittedsaints,
p. 718.
5 Among these are : Vita S. Aedi Epis-
copi Medensis, MS. , Bodl. Rawl. B. 505, pp.
124-132, veil. f. xiv. cent. MS. Bodl. Rawl.
B. 485, f. 169, veil. 4to, xiv. cent. ; Vita S.
Aidi, Episcopi et Confessoris, MS. , Marsh,
Dublin, ff. 134-135, veil, folio, xiii. cent.
In the Burgundian Library, there is a Vita
S. ^diEp. , fol. 108 to no. According to
Mr. Bindon, it is found in vol. xxii. , contain-
ingN0S. 7672,7673and7674,oftheMSS. It
is one of the most valuable Irish MSS . in ex-
istence, being the second volume of a collec-
tion of Lives of Irish Saints, in the Latin
language, and written in the fifteenth cen-
tury. Itconsistsof177largefoliosofparch-
ment : the firstisnuniTDered48, consequently
the forty-seven first leaves are wanting ; and
the MS. is written, in double columns, of
thirty-nine lines each, ornamented with some northern part, under the form of An- small illuminated letters, scattered through
the volume. Between folios 128 and 129 is
a semi-longitudinal page, upon which is found the following note, in the Irish lan-
guage :—
In the barony of Rathconrath. See A cACCAch fnif, A^ AinmAin 111 ci cue a ibid. , Sheets 17, 24, 31.
*3 At one point, it towers 1964 feet, sheer over the waves of the Atlantic Ocean, with a sublime escarpement of cliffs overhanging
glorious than is here presented.
'" This extensive parish, in the barony of
Banagh, is described, on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheets 81, 82, 90, 91, 96, 97. The town and townland are on Sheet 96.
'S See "Letters containing Information
relative to the of the of Antiquities County
"benriAcc CuAnriA •Ajuf (ha) tioem cai\oiii
Westmeath," Sheets 38, 39, 40. The town- land proper is to be found on Sheets 38, 40.
"
il-lAt)in in . 1. bechuj^A f^Mf
5Aex)Ailc-
lohif iriAc Ke|\uiLL "oe e^AjAltiA,
: Thus translated into English —
"The blessing of Cuanna, and (of the) saints who were in communion with him, be upon the soul of him, who translated this Life from the Irish into Latin, viz. . Brother John Mac Keruil of Oriel. "
them. On a clear
Besides this, th—e following
Latin
inscription
is to be found
:
upon both sides, although all the other pages are. Upon the back of the volume may be
seen the following title
SS. Hibernis II. " A table of contents upon paper will be found in the commencement of the volume, apparently laid there by some person who had possession of the book, and
: ofwhichthefollowingisacopy "Codicem
hunc Rector Collegij Salmanticensis Hiber- nici Soctis Jesu dono dedit nostro Patri Qigidio de Smidt qui eundem donavit P. lieriberto Roswaido. "
'°
identified ; but, it must be sought for, in the county of Tipperary, or in the county of Cork, most probably in the former, and in
"
This parish, in the barony of Moy-
:
" MS. Sahnantic. de
Thisplacedoesnotseemtohavebeen
nagh, simply or compounded.
"
vey Townland Maps for the County of
cashel, is described on the
Ordnance Sur-
the British Islanas might be searched in vain for a view more
day,
732 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS [February28.
Hnghy Breaky. 's T^Ioor-mould, covered with stunted heather, and solid or
shaley rocks crop np, at the present time, all around the solitary spot. This
saint selected a very exposed position, for his ancient church. " We are
told, that he is called by the country people St. Bricknia, It is said, he built
a church and a monastery here, at a time, when the great St. Columba'7
lived in the lower valley, not far away, and known as Glen Coknnkille. '^ St.
"
holy well/' with loose circular piles of flag stones around it, is Another well of clear water flows near it. Several (jurious piles
Bricknia's
yet shown.
of stone, each having one surmounting as an apex, besides a remarkable and
St. Aedh Mac Brio's Old Church, on the Summit of Slieve Leag Mountain, County of Donegal.
an inconvenient stone seat, under a small rude canopy of sand-stone, may there be noticed. The old church of St. Aedh presents nothing, at present, but heaps of loose and rough stones, scattered in profusion around the old walls. Some lower portions of these remain exposed and undisturbed, espe- cially at one end. This antique church measured about twenty-one feet in length from the east to the west end, by twelve north and south, on the inside. There is the trace of a ruined door-way, in one of the side walls, as is customary in many of our ancient churches. There seems an apartment
Donegal collected during the progress of the hermits, who placed themselves under his Ordnance Survey in 1835. " Letter of John direction and control. " See Kinnfaela's
"
Kilcar, October 20th, 1835, p. 216. chap, xii.
— "
Bencoir. " Dr. O'Conor's Kcrum Ilibcr-
Sanctorum,"
iii. ,,
3^ See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber' Colgan's
Februarii xxviii.
728 LIVESOPTHEIRISHSAINTS [February28.
corresponding with the 28th of February. 38 Again, in the Martyrology of Donegal,-'9 \ve find mentioned, as liaving a festival on this -day, Siollan, Master, Abbot of Bennchair-Uladh, and successor of Comghall. In Scot- land, likewise, this distinguished superior received his share ot honour. The holy Abbot, Sillan, departed to Christ in Irehmd, on the ii. ol the March Kalends, or on the 28th of February, according to tlie Drummond Kalendar,'*" His personal sanctity gained him the admiration and love of all his com- munity ; while liis repute for learning has survived, although its manifestation may not now exist, in the shape of works attributed to him.
ArticleII. —ReputedFestivalofaSt. Mohsiona,orMosinu. It
seems to be a matter for doubt, if the present holy person is in any way dis-
tinguishable from the preceding Abbot, regarding whom, some historic notes have been gleaned, for the present day. On the 28th of February, we find
this saint set down in the of Martyrology Tallagh,^^
under the " Mosinu title,
mac h mind, id est,^Sillan Ab. Banchoir. " The Abbot Mosnia is recorded, by Marianus O'Gorman, at this day. So the BoUandists observe, but remark,
also, that the Martyrology of Tallagh calls him Moshina, the son of Va-minn, Abbot of Bangor, who is otherwise Sillanus. ^ Mohsiona3 is recorded, in the
Martyrology of Donegal,-* on this day. More than we have given can hardly be said, about this saint.
Article III. —Reputed Festival of St. Gall, Lake of Constance,
Switzerland. At the 28th of February, Dempster' enters a festival for St.
Gall,^ at Lake Acronius,3 where he remained after his Master, St. Columban,*
'passed over the Alps. 5 The BoUandists, in like manner, following such
authority, notice this reputed festival, among the pretermitted feasts, and refer furthermore to the Acts of St. Gall, occurring at die i6th of October. ^
Article IV. —Reputed Festival of St. Modwena. The BoUandists,^
while remarking that Colgan is silent, at this date, regarding the present holy woman ; yet observe, that she is inscribed in the Catalogue,^ published by
nice," xxviii. Febniarii. De S. Sillano sive above), is not mentioned in the other
Silvano Abbate Benchorensi, nn. 8, 9, p. 424.
37 See Edition of John Clarke Crosthwaite and Dr. Todd. Introduction, p. Ivi. , and p. 92.
Calendars. "
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
^^ In the
the name is omitted.
at the i6th of October,
3 Now the Bodensee or Lake of Con* stance. Pomponius Mela mentions it under the names 'of Lacus Venetus, and Lacus ^° See Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Acronius, lib. iii. , 2. The former is pro- Scotti. ^h Saints,'' p. 6. bably the name of the upper part of the Article ii. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. lake, and the latter that of the lower. See William Smith's "Dictionary of Greek and
^
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. ,
prefixed Calendar,
at this
date,
Life,
39 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 58, 59.
Kelly, p. xvii.
Februarii xxviii. the
Among pretermitted
saints, p. 717.
3 In a note, at this name. Dr. Todd says,
"The Mart. Timl, seems to identify this saint with Siolldn or Sillan, of Bangor. Its words are, mopnu m^c. h. nun-o, 1. Silliti
'
p. 718.
ARTICLE IV. -' See
son of Hua
;>. , Sillan, Ablxt of Bangor,' Mosiona (or tomus iii. , Februarii xxviii. Among the
Acta Sanctorum," Mo. -^l. iona as the name ought to be written pretermitted saints, p. 718.
^bb. beiicAi^A :
Mosinu,
Mind,
58, 59. —* Article III.
ticum. "
= See his
Roman Geography," vol. i. , p. 429.
*• See his at the 21st of November, Life,
s See Bi^>hop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 193.
^ See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb-
ruariixxviii. Amongthepretermittedsaints,
"
See "Menologium Sco-
February 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 729
FatherHenryFitzsimon. Besides,amongIrishSaints'names,foundinthat anonymous Hsr, published by O'Sullevan Beare,3 St. Modwena is noticed, at the
28th of Ftbrunry, Without furtlier enlightening us, at this day, regarding the holy woman in question, the Bollandists^ refer us to a Hst of Modwenas or Mon-
ennas, given by them, at the ist of February,5 as also to a well-known holy woman, bearmg such a name, and whose Acts they give,° at the 5th and 6th of July. 7
Article V. —Cruimther Domhnaigh, or Crumtharus Dominile CuMFiCLANUs, SoN OF Ua Foillanus. The Martyrology of Tallagh^ mentions a festival, at the 28th of February, m honour of Cruimther Domh-
" cum Firlain h is in with this Foelain," recorded, conjunction
naigh. Also,
entry. From the designation Cruimther applied, we may assume, that the samt so designated had not advanced beyond Priest's Orders. But, observing
that Colgan passes him by, as one unknown, at this date ; the BoUandists have remarked, that the first entry, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, is, "Crum- tharus Dominile Cumficlani, filius Va-Foillani. "^ Yet, to us, there seems
some confusion, or error of a scribe, which leaves it doubtful, if a single person be intended, with a notice of his place and parentage, or if a double entry of cognomen, without the etymon of a place, be the more correct in- terpretation.
Article VI. —Reputed Festival of a St. Vulfherus, a Confessor AND Priest. On the assumption, that Capgrave and other writers speak of a St. Vulfherus, Camerarius has entered him, at this day,' stating, moreover, that his memory was celebrated, in the province of Argyle, Scotland. The BoUandists,^ however, question, that any passage of Capgrave bears out this quotation, nor do they know, who are the other writers, to whom Camerarius refers. Therefore, his statements seem to require further confirmation, and until that be afforded, it is needless to enquire, whether he was a saint of Scotia Major or Scotia Minor.
Article VII. —St. Ternoc, or Tearnog. It has been conjectured,*
that Saran, the grandfather of this saint, lived in the time of St. Patrick. ' An
entry, Ternoc, is found in the Martyrology of Tallagh,3 at the 28th of Feb- ruary. The BoUandists state,-* that Marianus O'Gorman calls this holy man.
a "De S. Darerca previous commentary,
seu Monynna Virg. in Hibernia, Scoiia, vel Anglia, Julii vi. , pp. 290 to 312.
7 For addiiional particulars, regarding her, the reader is referred to this date,
ARTICLEV. —' EditedbyRev. Dr. Kelly,
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb- ruariixxviii. Amongthepretermittedsaints,
*
In his "Menologium = See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb-
= See '*
Sanctorum Hibernise. " At ilie 5th of July, her feast is placed, on the authority of Jolin Capgrave.
Catalogus aliquorum
See " Nova Legenda Anglise," &c.
3 See
"
Hisiorise Calholicse Ibernise Com-
pendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , p. 49. 4 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb-
ruarii xxviii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 718.
5 See ibid. , tomus i. , Februarii i. De S.
Brigida Virg, Scota Thaumaturga, &c. , Commentarius pra;vius, sect, iii. , vi. , pp. 104,107,108. Newedition.
p. xvii. ="
v. De S. Moduenna seu Monenna, Monynna, Mony-
'' See ibid. , tomus ii. ,
Julii
ruarii xxviii. the Among
p. 717.
ARTICLE VII. — '
pretermitted saints,
the *' Sane-
una an A critical commen- p. uiibus.
ma,
tary, in two sections, and twenty-six para- graphs, pp. 241 to 246- At tiie following day are to be found two distinct Lives, with
Accordingto tilogium Genealogicum. "
p. 717. — ARTICLE VI.
Scoticum. "
^
See his Life, at the 17th of March, 3 Edited by Kev. Lr. Kelly, p. xvii.
730 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [February28.
Tejnotiis, at this date. Nothing very certain seems to have transpired re- garding him. In the Life of St. Cohmiba, by Prince 0'Donnell,5 mention is made of a certain Ternoc, who was his disciple, and who Hved at Tulach na psahii,^ to the east of Killmicnenain. 7 To him, and to his fellow-disciples, St. Columba^ gave a prophetic account of what was to happen. This Ternoc is supposed to have been the son of Kiaroc, son to Saran,9 son of Narsluag, son to Coelbad, son of Crunn Budhrai. ^° He is stated, to have been the same as St. Ternoc of Ariodh-Muilt, near Lough Erne, in Ulster ; and, he is classed, by Colgan, among the disciples of St. Columba. " Archdall observes,'^ there was an ancient monastery, called Ariodhmuilt, near Lough Erne, of which St. Ternoc was Abbot,^3, but that its situation Avas unknown to him. In the Martyrology of Donegal/* simply we find recorded, on this day, Tearnog. Nothing very certain can be advanced, towards the elucidation of his
history.
Article VIII. —Festival of St. Aedh, Mac Bricc, of Enachbriuin,
OF Killare, and of Rathhugh, County of Westmeath, as also of
Slieve League, County of Donegal. \Sixth Century.
'] Having procured two distinct Lives of St. Aedh, Mac Brie, and finding a double feast for him,
Colgan' published one of these, at the 28th of February,^ which happens to be the first occurring, deferring the other, until he should come to a much later period of the year. The festival of this saint is more properly cele- brated, on the loth of November. At this latter date, fuller particulars, re- . garding his Acts, may be seen. However, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,3 we find, that a festival was celebrated, at the 28th of February, in honour of Aedh Mac Bricc. We are told, furthermore, that the Martyrology of Salis- bury and Richard Whitford, as also the Martyrology of Donegal accord.
''
In Capgrave's
Nova Legenda Angliae,"s we find an account of St. Aldus or
Aidanus, Abbot, whose festival is set down, for the 28th of February. ^ In
the anonymous Catalogue of Irish Saints, published by O'Sullevan Beare,7 the
name of St. Aldus occurs, at the 28th of February. This Saint ^dus or Aedh,ashissurnameindicates,wasthesonofBrie. Hedescendedfromthe Meathian O'Neills, and belonged to the family of the celebrated Conn of the
*'
* See
ruariixxviii. Amongthepretermittedsaints,
'°
According to the "Sanctilogic Genea- logy," chap, xxiii. See (^uinta Vita S. Columbre, lib. i. , cap. ciii. , and n. 84, p. 451. Jbui.
" See ibid. ad Acta S. Quarta Appendix
Columba;, cap. x. , num. io8, p. 492. "See"MonasiiconHibernicum,"p. 258.
"
Trias Thaumaturga. " Quinta Vita S. Columbce, n. 84, p. 451.
'^EditedbyDrs. ToddandReeves,pp.
58, 59.
Article vriL—^ See " Acta Sancto-
rum Hibernise," xxviii. Februarii. Vita S.
Acta Sanctorum," tomusiii. , P"eb-
p. 717.
5 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga.
"
Quinta p. 406.
Vita S. Columbae, lib.
i. , cap. ciii. ,
^"Thehillofthepsalm. " Thenameof
this place seems to have become obsolete,
7 Now Kilmacrenan, a parish in a large barony,bearingthesamename. Itsextent is shown on the "Ordnance Survey Town-
of
County
Sheets 26, 27, 35, 36, 44, 45, 52, 53. The
town and townland are on Slieet 45, and in a romantic position,
'3 gee Colgan's
land for the Maps
Donegal,"
^
See his Life, at the 9th of June.
This is taken from the Codex Killken- niensis. "
5 lie is said to have lived, in the time of
St. to the Life Patrick, according Tripartite
of the saint. See Colgan's "Trias Thau- maturga. " Quinta Vita S. Patricii, pars.
ii. , cap. cxxxi. , p. 146, and n. 206, p. 182. Wherefore, it is stated, his grandson could have lived in the time of St. Columkillc.
3 Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xvii,
• See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
niae," xxviii. p'ebruarii. Vita S. Aidi Epis. et Confessoris, n. 31, p. 423.
s See fol. iii. , iiii. , v.
^
Aidi Epis. et Confessoris, pp. 418 to 423. ="
Pridie Cal. Marcii.
February 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 731
Hundred Battles. St. Aedh flourished in the sixth century. The Bollandists^ have a short notice of him, at this date, but they promise to relate more, re- garding him, at the loth of November. Some Manuscript Lives of this holy Bishop and Confessor are known to be extant. 9 This saint was specially venerated, at Enachbriuin,'° in the territory of Muscraighe, in Munster ; at Rahugh," or Rathugh, and at Killare," in the county of Westmeath ; as also at Slieve League, or Slicve Leag,'3. in the county of Donegal. As a traveller wends his way westwardly from Kilcar,'-* and up this mountain, the path grows precipitous, at certain points, and purple heather, mixed with saffron blossomsofthefurze,coverstheground,ateitherside. Theravinesarenot very steep, nor very deep, however, and yet, it looks startling, to see the sea- birds fly up from the hollows. By degrees, we climb to the brown and barren heights, unrelieved by human habitation, or trace of human industry. The screaming mews of the ocean tides soon flit in myriads, on the far western sides of Slieve League, and far out on the surging Atlantic. On a very elevated site of the gloomy mountain are still to be seen the ruins of Aodh Mac Brio's little cell. Tradition yet styles him, Aodh na Bricne, or
7 See *' Historiae Catholicoe Iberniro Com-
" Anima quoque fratris Dermitii i Dun- chadha requiescat in pace. Amen. "
The foregoing is the only trace of the Irish language, that Mr. Bindon was enabled to find in the volume ; the two last pagesarealso semi-pages, neither one of these is written
pendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. x^. , p. 49. *^ "
See Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Feb-
ruariixxviii. Amongthepretermittedsaints,
p. 718.
5 Among these are : Vita S. Aedi Epis-
copi Medensis, MS. , Bodl. Rawl. B. 505, pp.
124-132, veil. f. xiv. cent. MS. Bodl. Rawl.
B. 485, f. 169, veil. 4to, xiv. cent. ; Vita S.
Aidi, Episcopi et Confessoris, MS. , Marsh,
Dublin, ff. 134-135, veil, folio, xiii. cent.
In the Burgundian Library, there is a Vita
S. ^diEp. , fol. 108 to no. According to
Mr. Bindon, it is found in vol. xxii. , contain-
ingN0S. 7672,7673and7674,oftheMSS. It
is one of the most valuable Irish MSS . in ex-
istence, being the second volume of a collec-
tion of Lives of Irish Saints, in the Latin
language, and written in the fifteenth cen-
tury. Itconsistsof177largefoliosofparch-
ment : the firstisnuniTDered48, consequently
the forty-seven first leaves are wanting ; and
the MS. is written, in double columns, of
thirty-nine lines each, ornamented with some northern part, under the form of An- small illuminated letters, scattered through
the volume. Between folios 128 and 129 is
a semi-longitudinal page, upon which is found the following note, in the Irish lan-
guage :—
In the barony of Rathconrath. See A cACCAch fnif, A^ AinmAin 111 ci cue a ibid. , Sheets 17, 24, 31.
*3 At one point, it towers 1964 feet, sheer over the waves of the Atlantic Ocean, with a sublime escarpement of cliffs overhanging
glorious than is here presented.
'" This extensive parish, in the barony of
Banagh, is described, on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheets 81, 82, 90, 91, 96, 97. The town and townland are on Sheet 96.
'S See "Letters containing Information
relative to the of the of Antiquities County
"benriAcc CuAnriA •Ajuf (ha) tioem cai\oiii
Westmeath," Sheets 38, 39, 40. The town- land proper is to be found on Sheets 38, 40.
"
il-lAt)in in . 1. bechuj^A f^Mf
5Aex)Ailc-
lohif iriAc Ke|\uiLL "oe e^AjAltiA,
: Thus translated into English —
"The blessing of Cuanna, and (of the) saints who were in communion with him, be upon the soul of him, who translated this Life from the Irish into Latin, viz. . Brother John Mac Keruil of Oriel. "
them. On a clear
Besides this, th—e following
Latin
inscription
is to be found
:
upon both sides, although all the other pages are. Upon the back of the volume may be
seen the following title
SS. Hibernis II. " A table of contents upon paper will be found in the commencement of the volume, apparently laid there by some person who had possession of the book, and
: ofwhichthefollowingisacopy "Codicem
hunc Rector Collegij Salmanticensis Hiber- nici Soctis Jesu dono dedit nostro Patri Qigidio de Smidt qui eundem donavit P. lieriberto Roswaido. "
'°
identified ; but, it must be sought for, in the county of Tipperary, or in the county of Cork, most probably in the former, and in
"
This parish, in the barony of Moy-
:
" MS. Sahnantic. de
Thisplacedoesnotseemtohavebeen
nagh, simply or compounded.
"
vey Townland Maps for the County of
cashel, is described on the
Ordnance Sur-
the British Islanas might be searched in vain for a view more
day,
732 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS [February28.
Hnghy Breaky. 's T^Ioor-mould, covered with stunted heather, and solid or
shaley rocks crop np, at the present time, all around the solitary spot. This
saint selected a very exposed position, for his ancient church. " We are
told, that he is called by the country people St. Bricknia, It is said, he built
a church and a monastery here, at a time, when the great St. Columba'7
lived in the lower valley, not far away, and known as Glen Coknnkille. '^ St.
"
holy well/' with loose circular piles of flag stones around it, is Another well of clear water flows near it. Several (jurious piles
Bricknia's
yet shown.
of stone, each having one surmounting as an apex, besides a remarkable and
St. Aedh Mac Brio's Old Church, on the Summit of Slieve Leag Mountain, County of Donegal.
an inconvenient stone seat, under a small rude canopy of sand-stone, may there be noticed. The old church of St. Aedh presents nothing, at present, but heaps of loose and rough stones, scattered in profusion around the old walls. Some lower portions of these remain exposed and undisturbed, espe- cially at one end. This antique church measured about twenty-one feet in length from the east to the west end, by twelve north and south, on the inside. There is the trace of a ruined door-way, in one of the side walls, as is customary in many of our ancient churches. There seems an apartment
Donegal collected during the progress of the hermits, who placed themselves under his Ordnance Survey in 1835. " Letter of John direction and control. " See Kinnfaela's
"
Kilcar, October 20th, 1835, p. 216. chap, xii.
