Columba began to
consider
the project of a
missionarycircuit,throughvariouspartsofIreland.
missionarycircuit,throughvariouspartsofIreland.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
313
be held as correct, when applied to St. Columba's immediate successors, and to the early times of Iona's establishment.
Several religious houses and churches were founded in Ireland, either by
Columba himself, or by some of his disciples, during his lifetime, or, at least, very soon after his death ;3* but, it is now a difficult matter to ascertain the exact order, date, and those special circumstances leading to their erection. 33 As the building of such establishments by the saint is chiefly alluded to in his Acts, and as his chief period of missionary labour in Ireland must be referred to his earlier life ; we deem it most proper here to introduce a list of his attributed foundations, 34 with the incidents of his career, but taking care to observe, that their position in this narrative is digested somewhat arbitarily, yet rationally, to preserve better the unities of time and place, which it seems to us later traditions and records have greatly disturbed. There are but shadowy indi- cations, for ascribing to him several religious houses or churches, some of which are now unknown, while others were merely churches or chapels dedi-
cated in his name, or those in which he was specially revered.
We are informed,3s however, that after Columba had built the church at Durrow,36 he went to Cenannas 37 or Kells, which was then the residence of Diarmaid, son to Fearghus Kearbaill, King of Ireland. 38 The monarch hap- pened to be absent at that time. On approaching the town, Columba was rudely accosted by some soldiers, who were on guard. They caused him to declare, that soon it should pass away from the power of those who then held it. At the same moment, he met Bee, the son of De. 3° He was wonderfully
kingdom, and should be prosperous, so long as he would not bring calamity
endowed with the gifts of prophecy. Columba said to him
garding this city and state, if hereafter it shall be a civil or an ecclesiastical
"
possession. " Bee then replied :
in it, but you being the Archimandrite, it shall become the property of your monks. '* When Diarmait returned, and heard about the insult given to Columb, he resolved to make over Kells to him, and such agreement was subscribed, also, by his son Aedh Slaine. 41 This concession St. Columba most thankfully received, and he predicted, that Aedh should succeed in the
and death on the innocent. '*2 He bestowed on Aedh a blessed
hood, likewise,
3' See ibid.
32 See Rev. Dr.
Lanigan's
" Ecclesiastical
Dermagh, among St. Columba's foundations.
38 He was killed a. d. to ihe 558, according
"Annals of the Four Masters," Dr. O'Dono- van's edition, vol. i. , pp. 200, 201.
39 His feast occurs, on the 1 2th of October, He died A. D. 557.
4 ° See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. lxiii. , p. 400.
4l He was killed a. d. 600, or a. d. 604, as
History of Ireland. " vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect.
x. , p. 132.
33 Certain churches and monasteries,
which existed in Columba's time, have been added to his foundations, on the mere grounds of their having been mentioned by Adamnan, or by some of his ancient biographers.
34 It was usual both in Ireland and in
Scotland for a favouring king or chieftain to
give up to St. Columba, ortohisdisciples, one or more of the duns or forts, of which he had
several in the district, for establishing a monastery, together with lands for an endow- ment.
35 By Prince O'Donnell, in the Irish Life of St. Columba.
"
Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernicarum Scrip- tores," tomus ii. , p. 178.
42 But, Aedh Slaine did not hold to these
conditions; for, he killed his grandson Suibhe, a. d. 596, in a treacherous manner. Four years afterwards, Aedh (ell by the hands of Conald Guthbinn, the son of that
After the present court, no king shall rule
and assured the prince that so long as he wore it, he should not fall by a hos-
tileweapon. Abouttheyear550,accordingtosomewriters,St. Columkille
is said to have founded the celebrated monastery of Kells, in the county of
36 This is classed, as one of his founda- Suibhne. In that engagement, he forgot to tions, by the O'Clerys, in their Calendar. clothe himself with the hood, given by St.
37 The O'Clerys also mention it, as well as Columba.
found in
Tigernachi Annales. " See Rev.
:
" Prophesy re-
3M
LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [June 9.
Meath; others,however,believe,thatitmusthavebeenerected,atsometime subsequent. ^ He is said to have dedicated it to the Blessed Virgin. 'H The House of St. Columkille was over the oratory in Cenannus or Kells ; while the station of crosses 45 was there to be seen, before the close of the sixteenth century. The saint's way to the church is said to have been underground. At the present day, in Kells, although considerably injured by the ravages of time, and more by wanton vandalism, there is a very remarkable cross of great
Cross of Kells, County of Meath.
antiquity and beauty set up in a public street of the town. *6 It is covered
with quaint and curious carvings. *7
43 If we accept the narrative concerning
St. Columba's arrival there, and the accom-
panying circumstances, the Rev. Dr. Lanigan thinks its foundation must have been later than the year 550. See " Ecclesiastical His- tory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect. ix. , p. 126, and nn. 107, 108, pp. 130 to 132.
At the time of these occurrences, in
place, and that these formed a station or a
"sanctuary. "
46 We are told, that Gormlaith, daughter
of Flann, had been interred under a great cross, and that she came to Brian na m Bar- rog to ask for a flag, to be put over her body. On the stone in this cemetery is found the inscription cuirvitn An beACfA or»c a j;or\tn-
44 " "
See Rev. Anthony Cogan's Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern. " A very com- plete account of this former episcopal See will be found, in that learned work, vol. L, chap, v. , pp. 38 to 44, and chap, xxxiii. , pp. 199 to 216. Also vol. ii. , chap, xvi. , pp. 311, 312.
45 The meaning here seems to be, that there had been a circle of crosses, at the
: I this stone, over place
taic. In English
thee, O Gormlaith. " See Drs. Todd's and
"
Reeves' Martyrology of Donegal," Appen-
dix to the Introduction, p. xl.
47 This interesting object is presented in
the foreground of the accompanying illustra- tion, and the tower of a former monastery there is shown at the head of the street, in the distance. This subject was sketched on
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 31S
Kells, the saint in a joyful manner looked southwards, and he was asked by his
disciple Baithan, why he was so agreeably affected ? " Because," said he, " there lies a village, in which fifty infants shall be born this night, and all shallberemarkableservantsofGod. " ThatplacewascalledKilskyre,in Meath, where these holy ones were probably educated. The event, it is said,
8
corresponded with St. Columba's prediction. *
Everywhere, when a religious house was established, St. Columba im-
posed upon the monks who dwelt in it, as a part of their daily duty, the im-
portant task of transcribing documents or of copying manuscripts. 40 In the more important monasteries of Ireland, from a very early date, there was a func-
tionary
called the
Ferlegeinn,
or Lecturer, which meant " man of literally
learning,"toexercisetheofficeofteachingyoungclericsandlaics. Besides,
scribes were usually employed in the duty of copying books, usually on
dressed skins of animals, and these were were bound in a substantial and an artistic manner. The Book of Kells is traditionally asserted to have belonged toSt. Columba,50 ifit hadnotbeenactuallytranscribedbyhim;**whileIreland may justly be proud of the most elaborately executed Manuscript, reaching tosoearlyadate,52andatpresentknowntoexist. " Itaboundsincountless delicateandconvolutedinterlacinglines. Thewholerangeofpaleographyoffers nothing comparable to this early Irish Manuscript, and to those produced in the same style in England. Wonderfully traced letters 54 of faultless execution, excessively minute ornamental details, and an endless variety of peculiar decorations, abound,55 and almost baffle attempts to copy them with any great degree of success. 56 The illuminations in the Book of Durrow, how-
the spot, by William F. Wakeman, and by However grotesque some of the figures may him transferred to the wood, engraved by appear to be, the tracery and colouring are
Mrs. Millard.
48 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,
"
unquestionably exquisite and gorgeous.
54 The gigantic initial letter is one of the
portions selected for photographing, and pro-
ducing in photozincographic colouring, by "
Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. lxiv. , p. 400, and n. 64, p. 450.
49 Those monasteries, which he had the editor of Fac-similes of Illuminations
founded, became eminently remarkable for their valuable and extensive libraries. In
particular, the Holy Scriptures were copied with special care, while their folio pages were
decorated with surpassing beauty and mag- nificence.
of Irish Manuscripts. " In a truly brilliant style, Miss Stokes has given this grand orna- mental letter, in her most elaborate Mono- gram on the subject. It is filled with an almost incredible interlacingof extravagance, having serpentine figures with human heads; rats sitting on the backs of cats who are
50 Mr. Westwood, a learned and discri-
minating judge, speaking of ihe Book of holding other rats by the tails ; human
"
from a comparison of this volume with the Gos- pels of Lindisfarne (known to have been written at the close of the seventh century), and bearing in mind that Lindisfarne was colonized by the monks of Iona or Icolum- kille in 634, only forty years after the death of Columkille himself, there seems to be no good reason for doubting that this volume
figures with impossible combinations of their own, and of other creatures' limbs ; geome- trical designs and intricate arabesque trace- ries. All are woven together, in the wildest dream-like way, and having an effect that charms the eye, and fills the mind with amazement, at the fancy that designed, and the hand that executed those traceries. See "Descriptive Remarks on Illuminations in certain ancient Irish Manuscripts," by the Rsv. James Henthorn Todd, D. D. , F. S. A. , Plate i. The Monogram in the Book of Kells, at p. 4. London, 1869, elephant folio.
"
reference to the photozincographing of the National Manuscripts of Ireland," published by the Deputy-Keeper of the Records, Ord-
Kells, goes as far as to declare that
might —have belonged to that celebrated "
saint. " Palaeographia Sacra Pictoria. " The Book of Kells, p. 6.
51 Some writers designate it as St. Colum- kille's miraculous Book.
52 Competent judges have ascribed its pro- duction to the sixth century.
"
53 See J. O. Westwood's
Miniatures and Ornaments of Anglo-Saxon and Irish Manuscripts," p. 25. An inspection
oftheappendedPlatesviii. ,ix. ,x. ,andxi. , will fully confirm the truth of such an opinion.
55 See
Sub-Report of Mr. Saunders, in
Fac-similes of the
nance Survey Office, Southampton. 6
s Mr. DigbyWyattacknowledgesthis,in reference to the most marvellous of our Irish
3 i6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
ever effective, want much of that extreme delicacy and variety observable
in the Book of Kells. 57 The most remarkable features in the "Book of Kells"
are the various pictorial illustrations of our Blessed Redeemer's Life, its elaborate
ornamentation, the quaintness of those grotesque subjects introduced into it,
the size of the initial Gospel letters, and its fine distinct = 8 gigantic tracery.
This volume was stolen in 1006, 5 ? and its golden Cumhdach, or cover, then
narrowly escaped destruction. The sacrilege was perpetrated in the night, when it was taken away out of the western erdom or vestry of the great church at Kennansa, or Kells, where it had been placed. It was regarded, as the chief relic of the western world. However, after a concealment of two months and twenty nights, it was discovered under a sod, but with the gold ornaments stolen. The Book of Kells came to Trinity College, when Charles II. bestowed Archbishop Ussher's library on the University. Full archaeological and artistic accounts are found, concerning this very celebrated Codex, which —if not written by St. Cohunba's own hand—seems at least, to have been in his possession for some time. 60 It was considered to be a suitable depository for certain charters and endowments of the eleventh and twelfth centuries, con- nectedwiththeendowmentsofKells. 6' hasunfor-
Thismagnificent Manuscript
tunately received some injury, at the hands of a modern bookbinder. 62 That artists of great skill in exquisite penmanship and for colouring dwelt in the Irish monasteries of old is fully evidenced, by this wonderful Manuscript still extant. 63 The Book of Kells, according to another opinion, may have been illuminated in St. Columba's honour after death, as was the case with St.
6*
Cuthbert's Gospels, at Lindesfarne.
Having founded Kells, St.
Columba began to consider the project of a
missionarycircuit,throughvariouspartsofIreland. Hehadresolvedonrestor-
new
took care, also, to furnish them, in a suitable manner, and to honour the saints'
churches and
relics which they contained. We have endeavoured to connect the series of
ing many existing
ones,
Manuscripts, the Book of Kells. He seemsbroken.
attempted 10 copy some of the ornaments, but
S9 See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's
" Rerum
" An-
he broke down in
despair.
He adds: "No
Hibernicarum
nales Ultonienses," p. 297.
°°
tomus
wonder that tradition should allege that
these — lines should have been traced
In addition to the work of Mr. Westwood already mentioned, the reader is referred to the " " thesame
artistic writer.
6l These have been printed and translated,
with valuable notes added, by Dr. O'Dono- van, in ' The Miscellany of the Irish Arch- Ecological Society," vol. i. , Art. x. , pp. 127
to 158.
6a See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life
of St. Columba," Additional Notes M,
p. 338.
63 See Rev. James Henthorn Todd's
" Remarks on Illuminations in Descriptive
certain ancient Irish Manuscripts," p. 3.
e< See O. Westwood's
J. work, already
by angels. "
"The Art of Illuminating as
unerring
J.
O.
in practised Europe
from the earliest Times. "
Palajographia, by
p. 15.
57 Mr. J. O. Westwood, in his " Fac-
similes of the Miniatures and Ornaments of Anglo-Saxon and Irish Manuscripts," gives
a description of the last-named Manuscript
at pp. 25 to 33, with Plates viii. , ix. , x. ,and
xi. , serving as illustrations, ad calcem. No-
thing can exceed the beauty of these designs,
and their fidelity to the original Manuscripts
nowpreservedintheLibraryofTrinityCol-
Dublin.
s8 Mr. Westwood declares, that its style is
any
lege,
unlike and
superior
to that of
totally
other school. It is unquestionably the most designated, at p. 23.
building
during
elaborately-executed Manuscript of early art
now inexisience. Every folio is ornamented
with an endless variety of initial capital
letters. The colouring is both varied and after St. Columba's death, while others prior most vivid, even after the lapse of ages,
while the interlacings of lines in the peculiar Celtic manner is most regular, although fre-
quently very minute, and hardly a line
to it were not of his immediate foundation. See "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , set. x. , p. 132.
*° It must be observed, however, that we
6 s
this He peregrination.
Scriptores,"
iv. ,
6s In the opinion of Rev. Dr. Lanigan, there can be no doubt, that many of the Irish re- ligious foundations were not established until
June 9. ] LI VES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 3i7 his Irish travels in an order, observing chiefly probable chronology and the
66
grouping
yet, arranging
divergent
places ;
Columba travelled
through
the territories of Meath 6 7 and of 68 In Bregia.
60
to command how
me, painful
that —will not excepted, you
me to live with
alone
do not pretend to give the ensuing peregrina- tions in their exact or successive incidence, either as to date or locality.
tatibus ejus," cap. iii. , p. 13.
Lugneus
67 The ancient
ologia Hibernire. " A handbook of Irish
Antiquities, part ii. , chap, iv. , pp. 87 to 96, and chap, v. , pp. 104 to 107.
72 The Rev. Dr. labours under a Lanigan
mistake in supposing this place called Rach- raind to be identical with the Island of Rachlin, off" the Antrim coast. See Eccle- siastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. chap, xi. , sect, x. , p. 132.
of Meath included the present county known by that name, as also Westmeath County, Longford, Fercal and some other districts, as stated by Sir James Ware, in " De Hibernia et Antiqui-
68 called Usually
a in plain
73 The name to the northern applied
territory
Magh Breagh,
the eastern part of ancient Meath, comprising five triocha-cheds or baronies, according to Keating and others. As appears from the places mentioned in this plain, in later ages,
part
he went to the
of Buite mac
monastery
raised from their grave, and placed in a shrine.
Bronaigh.
church. It is — stated,
Rachraincl,7
circuit,
that he built a church at Lambay Island in the eastern part of Bregia.
2 Rochra now
il
the incidents in a manner less
of
than these appear in the Irish Life of the saint, which is our principal autho- rity for this portion and relation of his Acts.
the course of this
There,hetouchedwithhisstaffthatglass,? usedbyBuiteatthetimeofhis death, and this created a most wonderful sound, that astonished all the inmates at Monasterboice. 71 He had also the remains of St. Buite mac
73
Colman,74 the Deacon. 73 It is said, also, that he dwelt for some time on this
Island, which is a conspicuous one, and lyingsomeshort distance from thecoast, out in the Irish sea. 7° When the holy man lived in the Island Rechrea,77 a certain peasant came to him, complaining that his wife would not live with him, after the manner of other married women. The saint, on hearing this,
:
sent for the woman. He spoke to her as follows " Wherefore, O woman,
dost thou refuse to receive thine own husband, since our Lord saith, 'They
shall be two in one flesh? ' " This woman made answer " All things you please
:
soever I am to — this they be, willing perform,
" for thus her husband was called I do not refuse to take on me the care of all the
compel
Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. lxv. , it seems, that the country lying between p. 400.
Dublin and Drogheda, or between the Rivers Liffey and Boyne, were within it; but. its exact boundaries have not been defined in any of our authorities. See beabliAr* na jj-ceAfvc, or the Book of Rights, edited by John O'Donovan, n. (z), p. n.
69 His festival occurs, at the 7th of De- cember.
76 To our saint is ascribed, also, the foun- dation of a Monastery in Rechrainn, other- wise called Rechlandia, and now better known as Rathlin Island, off the northern coast of Antrim, and formerly within the ter- ritory of Dalrieda, in Ultonia. See Colgan's " Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbae, cap. ii. , p. 494. This,
however, is a mistake, as Rev. Dr. Reeves "
70 Allusions such as these give us an idea
of the specific manufactures and objects in shows, in his Adamnan's Life of St.
Ireland, for domestic purposes, at an early Columba," n. (b), pp. 164, 165.
period. The glass trade was formerly carried 77 This has been identified with Lambay on extensively in Ireland. See W. K. Island off the coast of Dublin County, by Sullivan's Article on Glass, in John Sproule's
" Resources and Manufacturing Industry of
Ireland, as illustrated by the Exhibition of
1853," &c. Class xxiv. , p. 398.
71 Here are yet to be seen a group of venerable antiquities, viz. : a Round Tower, an ancient church and richly-carved Celtic crosses. These are well described and pic- tured, in William F. Wakeman's "Archse-
Rev. Dr. Todd, by John O'Donovan, and by Rev. Dr. Reeves. Rathlin, off the An- trim coast, was likewise called Rechrea. See, also, leAbliArx O^eachnacri Armfo py, or Irish version of the Historia Britonum of Nennius, edited by Rev. Dr. Todd and Hon.
Algernon Herbert, n. (j), p. 139. Likewise
Bronaigh He then consecrat—ed the
Over this, he placed
of Dublin County.
74 His feast occurs, at the 16th of June. 75 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,
"
John O'Donovan's I55. 28I.
"
Irish Grammar," pp.
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9. house ; or, if you will have it so, I am content to cross the seas and live in a
3i«
of " What you propose," replied the saint, "cannot holy virgins. "
monastery
lawfully be done, so long as your husband lives, for it should be impious to separate those united by the Lord. " And, he added further: "This day, will your hushand, yourself, and I, fast and pray for the happy success of this
" I know it is not impossible to obtain from the Lord those things, that seem to us difficult or impossible. " So all three withoneaccordbegantofastandpray. Thefollowingnight,withouttaking any sleep, the saint offered his prayer devoutly for them ; and, on the next
affair. " The wife of Lugneus replied :
§»^V Skreen-Columcille, County of Meath.
morning, he called for the woman. In presence of her husband, the saint said :
"
Tell us, O, woman, whether this day, refusing to be reconciled to your hus- band, you are of the same mind as you were on yesterday, or are you ready rather to live in a monastery of women. " "I know your prayers have been heard," she answered, " for him I hated so much on yesterday, I love most tenderly this day ; my heart—through what means I know not—has
wholly changed during the past night. "
78 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life
of St. Columba," lib. ii. , cap. 41, pp. 164 t 166.
'9 About nine miles from Dublin City, and to the north. The O'Clerys place the church
From that day forward, to her last
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect. x. , p. 132.
82
His feast occurs, at the 10th of May. 83 His festival is held, on the nth of
October.
8* See "Trias ' "Colgan's Thaumaturga,'
Quinta Vita S. Columba;, lib. i. , cap. lxvii. , p. 400.
85 Now a parish, in the barony so named, and described, on the " Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Meath," sheets 31, 32, 37, 38. The town and town-
here, among dar.
80
his
erections,
in their Calen-
See his Life, at the 16th of March.
81 The Rev. Dr . Lanigan states, that the house of Swords was not established by him, nor before the year 563, but some time in
"
the seventh century. See Ecclesiastical
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 3 1 9
breath, the woman's soul was linked with indissoluble affection to her husband; so that, both of them lived happily together, until death dissolved their mar- riage bonds. ? 8 At Swords,?
be held as correct, when applied to St. Columba's immediate successors, and to the early times of Iona's establishment.
Several religious houses and churches were founded in Ireland, either by
Columba himself, or by some of his disciples, during his lifetime, or, at least, very soon after his death ;3* but, it is now a difficult matter to ascertain the exact order, date, and those special circumstances leading to their erection. 33 As the building of such establishments by the saint is chiefly alluded to in his Acts, and as his chief period of missionary labour in Ireland must be referred to his earlier life ; we deem it most proper here to introduce a list of his attributed foundations, 34 with the incidents of his career, but taking care to observe, that their position in this narrative is digested somewhat arbitarily, yet rationally, to preserve better the unities of time and place, which it seems to us later traditions and records have greatly disturbed. There are but shadowy indi- cations, for ascribing to him several religious houses or churches, some of which are now unknown, while others were merely churches or chapels dedi-
cated in his name, or those in which he was specially revered.
We are informed,3s however, that after Columba had built the church at Durrow,36 he went to Cenannas 37 or Kells, which was then the residence of Diarmaid, son to Fearghus Kearbaill, King of Ireland. 38 The monarch hap- pened to be absent at that time. On approaching the town, Columba was rudely accosted by some soldiers, who were on guard. They caused him to declare, that soon it should pass away from the power of those who then held it. At the same moment, he met Bee, the son of De. 3° He was wonderfully
kingdom, and should be prosperous, so long as he would not bring calamity
endowed with the gifts of prophecy. Columba said to him
garding this city and state, if hereafter it shall be a civil or an ecclesiastical
"
possession. " Bee then replied :
in it, but you being the Archimandrite, it shall become the property of your monks. '* When Diarmait returned, and heard about the insult given to Columb, he resolved to make over Kells to him, and such agreement was subscribed, also, by his son Aedh Slaine. 41 This concession St. Columba most thankfully received, and he predicted, that Aedh should succeed in the
and death on the innocent. '*2 He bestowed on Aedh a blessed
hood, likewise,
3' See ibid.
32 See Rev. Dr.
Lanigan's
" Ecclesiastical
Dermagh, among St. Columba's foundations.
38 He was killed a. d. to ihe 558, according
"Annals of the Four Masters," Dr. O'Dono- van's edition, vol. i. , pp. 200, 201.
39 His feast occurs, on the 1 2th of October, He died A. D. 557.
4 ° See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. lxiii. , p. 400.
4l He was killed a. d. 600, or a. d. 604, as
History of Ireland. " vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect.
x. , p. 132.
33 Certain churches and monasteries,
which existed in Columba's time, have been added to his foundations, on the mere grounds of their having been mentioned by Adamnan, or by some of his ancient biographers.
34 It was usual both in Ireland and in
Scotland for a favouring king or chieftain to
give up to St. Columba, ortohisdisciples, one or more of the duns or forts, of which he had
several in the district, for establishing a monastery, together with lands for an endow- ment.
35 By Prince O'Donnell, in the Irish Life of St. Columba.
"
Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernicarum Scrip- tores," tomus ii. , p. 178.
42 But, Aedh Slaine did not hold to these
conditions; for, he killed his grandson Suibhe, a. d. 596, in a treacherous manner. Four years afterwards, Aedh (ell by the hands of Conald Guthbinn, the son of that
After the present court, no king shall rule
and assured the prince that so long as he wore it, he should not fall by a hos-
tileweapon. Abouttheyear550,accordingtosomewriters,St. Columkille
is said to have founded the celebrated monastery of Kells, in the county of
36 This is classed, as one of his founda- Suibhne. In that engagement, he forgot to tions, by the O'Clerys, in their Calendar. clothe himself with the hood, given by St.
37 The O'Clerys also mention it, as well as Columba.
found in
Tigernachi Annales. " See Rev.
:
" Prophesy re-
3M
LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [June 9.
Meath; others,however,believe,thatitmusthavebeenerected,atsometime subsequent. ^ He is said to have dedicated it to the Blessed Virgin. 'H The House of St. Columkille was over the oratory in Cenannus or Kells ; while the station of crosses 45 was there to be seen, before the close of the sixteenth century. The saint's way to the church is said to have been underground. At the present day, in Kells, although considerably injured by the ravages of time, and more by wanton vandalism, there is a very remarkable cross of great
Cross of Kells, County of Meath.
antiquity and beauty set up in a public street of the town. *6 It is covered
with quaint and curious carvings. *7
43 If we accept the narrative concerning
St. Columba's arrival there, and the accom-
panying circumstances, the Rev. Dr. Lanigan thinks its foundation must have been later than the year 550. See " Ecclesiastical His- tory of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect. ix. , p. 126, and nn. 107, 108, pp. 130 to 132.
At the time of these occurrences, in
place, and that these formed a station or a
"sanctuary. "
46 We are told, that Gormlaith, daughter
of Flann, had been interred under a great cross, and that she came to Brian na m Bar- rog to ask for a flag, to be put over her body. On the stone in this cemetery is found the inscription cuirvitn An beACfA or»c a j;or\tn-
44 " "
See Rev. Anthony Cogan's Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern. " A very com- plete account of this former episcopal See will be found, in that learned work, vol. L, chap, v. , pp. 38 to 44, and chap, xxxiii. , pp. 199 to 216. Also vol. ii. , chap, xvi. , pp. 311, 312.
45 The meaning here seems to be, that there had been a circle of crosses, at the
: I this stone, over place
taic. In English
thee, O Gormlaith. " See Drs. Todd's and
"
Reeves' Martyrology of Donegal," Appen-
dix to the Introduction, p. xl.
47 This interesting object is presented in
the foreground of the accompanying illustra- tion, and the tower of a former monastery there is shown at the head of the street, in the distance. This subject was sketched on
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 31S
Kells, the saint in a joyful manner looked southwards, and he was asked by his
disciple Baithan, why he was so agreeably affected ? " Because," said he, " there lies a village, in which fifty infants shall be born this night, and all shallberemarkableservantsofGod. " ThatplacewascalledKilskyre,in Meath, where these holy ones were probably educated. The event, it is said,
8
corresponded with St. Columba's prediction. *
Everywhere, when a religious house was established, St. Columba im-
posed upon the monks who dwelt in it, as a part of their daily duty, the im-
portant task of transcribing documents or of copying manuscripts. 40 In the more important monasteries of Ireland, from a very early date, there was a func-
tionary
called the
Ferlegeinn,
or Lecturer, which meant " man of literally
learning,"toexercisetheofficeofteachingyoungclericsandlaics. Besides,
scribes were usually employed in the duty of copying books, usually on
dressed skins of animals, and these were were bound in a substantial and an artistic manner. The Book of Kells is traditionally asserted to have belonged toSt. Columba,50 ifit hadnotbeenactuallytranscribedbyhim;**whileIreland may justly be proud of the most elaborately executed Manuscript, reaching tosoearlyadate,52andatpresentknowntoexist. " Itaboundsincountless delicateandconvolutedinterlacinglines. Thewholerangeofpaleographyoffers nothing comparable to this early Irish Manuscript, and to those produced in the same style in England. Wonderfully traced letters 54 of faultless execution, excessively minute ornamental details, and an endless variety of peculiar decorations, abound,55 and almost baffle attempts to copy them with any great degree of success. 56 The illuminations in the Book of Durrow, how-
the spot, by William F. Wakeman, and by However grotesque some of the figures may him transferred to the wood, engraved by appear to be, the tracery and colouring are
Mrs. Millard.
48 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,
"
unquestionably exquisite and gorgeous.
54 The gigantic initial letter is one of the
portions selected for photographing, and pro-
ducing in photozincographic colouring, by "
Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. lxiv. , p. 400, and n. 64, p. 450.
49 Those monasteries, which he had the editor of Fac-similes of Illuminations
founded, became eminently remarkable for their valuable and extensive libraries. In
particular, the Holy Scriptures were copied with special care, while their folio pages were
decorated with surpassing beauty and mag- nificence.
of Irish Manuscripts. " In a truly brilliant style, Miss Stokes has given this grand orna- mental letter, in her most elaborate Mono- gram on the subject. It is filled with an almost incredible interlacingof extravagance, having serpentine figures with human heads; rats sitting on the backs of cats who are
50 Mr. Westwood, a learned and discri-
minating judge, speaking of ihe Book of holding other rats by the tails ; human
"
from a comparison of this volume with the Gos- pels of Lindisfarne (known to have been written at the close of the seventh century), and bearing in mind that Lindisfarne was colonized by the monks of Iona or Icolum- kille in 634, only forty years after the death of Columkille himself, there seems to be no good reason for doubting that this volume
figures with impossible combinations of their own, and of other creatures' limbs ; geome- trical designs and intricate arabesque trace- ries. All are woven together, in the wildest dream-like way, and having an effect that charms the eye, and fills the mind with amazement, at the fancy that designed, and the hand that executed those traceries. See "Descriptive Remarks on Illuminations in certain ancient Irish Manuscripts," by the Rsv. James Henthorn Todd, D. D. , F. S. A. , Plate i. The Monogram in the Book of Kells, at p. 4. London, 1869, elephant folio.
"
reference to the photozincographing of the National Manuscripts of Ireland," published by the Deputy-Keeper of the Records, Ord-
Kells, goes as far as to declare that
might —have belonged to that celebrated "
saint. " Palaeographia Sacra Pictoria. " The Book of Kells, p. 6.
51 Some writers designate it as St. Colum- kille's miraculous Book.
52 Competent judges have ascribed its pro- duction to the sixth century.
"
53 See J. O. Westwood's
Miniatures and Ornaments of Anglo-Saxon and Irish Manuscripts," p. 25. An inspection
oftheappendedPlatesviii. ,ix. ,x. ,andxi. , will fully confirm the truth of such an opinion.
55 See
Sub-Report of Mr. Saunders, in
Fac-similes of the
nance Survey Office, Southampton. 6
s Mr. DigbyWyattacknowledgesthis,in reference to the most marvellous of our Irish
3 i6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
ever effective, want much of that extreme delicacy and variety observable
in the Book of Kells. 57 The most remarkable features in the "Book of Kells"
are the various pictorial illustrations of our Blessed Redeemer's Life, its elaborate
ornamentation, the quaintness of those grotesque subjects introduced into it,
the size of the initial Gospel letters, and its fine distinct = 8 gigantic tracery.
This volume was stolen in 1006, 5 ? and its golden Cumhdach, or cover, then
narrowly escaped destruction. The sacrilege was perpetrated in the night, when it was taken away out of the western erdom or vestry of the great church at Kennansa, or Kells, where it had been placed. It was regarded, as the chief relic of the western world. However, after a concealment of two months and twenty nights, it was discovered under a sod, but with the gold ornaments stolen. The Book of Kells came to Trinity College, when Charles II. bestowed Archbishop Ussher's library on the University. Full archaeological and artistic accounts are found, concerning this very celebrated Codex, which —if not written by St. Cohunba's own hand—seems at least, to have been in his possession for some time. 60 It was considered to be a suitable depository for certain charters and endowments of the eleventh and twelfth centuries, con- nectedwiththeendowmentsofKells. 6' hasunfor-
Thismagnificent Manuscript
tunately received some injury, at the hands of a modern bookbinder. 62 That artists of great skill in exquisite penmanship and for colouring dwelt in the Irish monasteries of old is fully evidenced, by this wonderful Manuscript still extant. 63 The Book of Kells, according to another opinion, may have been illuminated in St. Columba's honour after death, as was the case with St.
6*
Cuthbert's Gospels, at Lindesfarne.
Having founded Kells, St.
Columba began to consider the project of a
missionarycircuit,throughvariouspartsofIreland. Hehadresolvedonrestor-
new
took care, also, to furnish them, in a suitable manner, and to honour the saints'
churches and
relics which they contained. We have endeavoured to connect the series of
ing many existing
ones,
Manuscripts, the Book of Kells. He seemsbroken.
attempted 10 copy some of the ornaments, but
S9 See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's
" Rerum
" An-
he broke down in
despair.
He adds: "No
Hibernicarum
nales Ultonienses," p. 297.
°°
tomus
wonder that tradition should allege that
these — lines should have been traced
In addition to the work of Mr. Westwood already mentioned, the reader is referred to the " " thesame
artistic writer.
6l These have been printed and translated,
with valuable notes added, by Dr. O'Dono- van, in ' The Miscellany of the Irish Arch- Ecological Society," vol. i. , Art. x. , pp. 127
to 158.
6a See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life
of St. Columba," Additional Notes M,
p. 338.
63 See Rev. James Henthorn Todd's
" Remarks on Illuminations in Descriptive
certain ancient Irish Manuscripts," p. 3.
e< See O. Westwood's
J. work, already
by angels. "
"The Art of Illuminating as
unerring
J.
O.
in practised Europe
from the earliest Times. "
Palajographia, by
p. 15.
57 Mr. J. O. Westwood, in his " Fac-
similes of the Miniatures and Ornaments of Anglo-Saxon and Irish Manuscripts," gives
a description of the last-named Manuscript
at pp. 25 to 33, with Plates viii. , ix. , x. ,and
xi. , serving as illustrations, ad calcem. No-
thing can exceed the beauty of these designs,
and their fidelity to the original Manuscripts
nowpreservedintheLibraryofTrinityCol-
Dublin.
s8 Mr. Westwood declares, that its style is
any
lege,
unlike and
superior
to that of
totally
other school. It is unquestionably the most designated, at p. 23.
building
during
elaborately-executed Manuscript of early art
now inexisience. Every folio is ornamented
with an endless variety of initial capital
letters. The colouring is both varied and after St. Columba's death, while others prior most vivid, even after the lapse of ages,
while the interlacings of lines in the peculiar Celtic manner is most regular, although fre-
quently very minute, and hardly a line
to it were not of his immediate foundation. See "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , set. x. , p. 132.
*° It must be observed, however, that we
6 s
this He peregrination.
Scriptores,"
iv. ,
6s In the opinion of Rev. Dr. Lanigan, there can be no doubt, that many of the Irish re- ligious foundations were not established until
June 9. ] LI VES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 3i7 his Irish travels in an order, observing chiefly probable chronology and the
66
grouping
yet, arranging
divergent
places ;
Columba travelled
through
the territories of Meath 6 7 and of 68 In Bregia.
60
to command how
me, painful
that —will not excepted, you
me to live with
alone
do not pretend to give the ensuing peregrina- tions in their exact or successive incidence, either as to date or locality.
tatibus ejus," cap. iii. , p. 13.
Lugneus
67 The ancient
ologia Hibernire. " A handbook of Irish
Antiquities, part ii. , chap, iv. , pp. 87 to 96, and chap, v. , pp. 104 to 107.
72 The Rev. Dr. labours under a Lanigan
mistake in supposing this place called Rach- raind to be identical with the Island of Rachlin, off" the Antrim coast. See Eccle- siastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. chap, xi. , sect, x. , p. 132.
of Meath included the present county known by that name, as also Westmeath County, Longford, Fercal and some other districts, as stated by Sir James Ware, in " De Hibernia et Antiqui-
68 called Usually
a in plain
73 The name to the northern applied
territory
Magh Breagh,
the eastern part of ancient Meath, comprising five triocha-cheds or baronies, according to Keating and others. As appears from the places mentioned in this plain, in later ages,
part
he went to the
of Buite mac
monastery
raised from their grave, and placed in a shrine.
Bronaigh.
church. It is — stated,
Rachraincl,7
circuit,
that he built a church at Lambay Island in the eastern part of Bregia.
2 Rochra now
il
the incidents in a manner less
of
than these appear in the Irish Life of the saint, which is our principal autho- rity for this portion and relation of his Acts.
the course of this
There,hetouchedwithhisstaffthatglass,? usedbyBuiteatthetimeofhis death, and this created a most wonderful sound, that astonished all the inmates at Monasterboice. 71 He had also the remains of St. Buite mac
73
Colman,74 the Deacon. 73 It is said, also, that he dwelt for some time on this
Island, which is a conspicuous one, and lyingsomeshort distance from thecoast, out in the Irish sea. 7° When the holy man lived in the Island Rechrea,77 a certain peasant came to him, complaining that his wife would not live with him, after the manner of other married women. The saint, on hearing this,
:
sent for the woman. He spoke to her as follows " Wherefore, O woman,
dost thou refuse to receive thine own husband, since our Lord saith, 'They
shall be two in one flesh? ' " This woman made answer " All things you please
:
soever I am to — this they be, willing perform,
" for thus her husband was called I do not refuse to take on me the care of all the
compel
Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. lxv. , it seems, that the country lying between p. 400.
Dublin and Drogheda, or between the Rivers Liffey and Boyne, were within it; but. its exact boundaries have not been defined in any of our authorities. See beabliAr* na jj-ceAfvc, or the Book of Rights, edited by John O'Donovan, n. (z), p. n.
69 His festival occurs, at the 7th of De- cember.
76 To our saint is ascribed, also, the foun- dation of a Monastery in Rechrainn, other- wise called Rechlandia, and now better known as Rathlin Island, off the northern coast of Antrim, and formerly within the ter- ritory of Dalrieda, in Ultonia. See Colgan's " Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Columbae, cap. ii. , p. 494. This,
however, is a mistake, as Rev. Dr. Reeves "
70 Allusions such as these give us an idea
of the specific manufactures and objects in shows, in his Adamnan's Life of St.
Ireland, for domestic purposes, at an early Columba," n. (b), pp. 164, 165.
period. The glass trade was formerly carried 77 This has been identified with Lambay on extensively in Ireland. See W. K. Island off the coast of Dublin County, by Sullivan's Article on Glass, in John Sproule's
" Resources and Manufacturing Industry of
Ireland, as illustrated by the Exhibition of
1853," &c. Class xxiv. , p. 398.
71 Here are yet to be seen a group of venerable antiquities, viz. : a Round Tower, an ancient church and richly-carved Celtic crosses. These are well described and pic- tured, in William F. Wakeman's "Archse-
Rev. Dr. Todd, by John O'Donovan, and by Rev. Dr. Reeves. Rathlin, off the An- trim coast, was likewise called Rechrea. See, also, leAbliArx O^eachnacri Armfo py, or Irish version of the Historia Britonum of Nennius, edited by Rev. Dr. Todd and Hon.
Algernon Herbert, n. (j), p. 139. Likewise
Bronaigh He then consecrat—ed the
Over this, he placed
of Dublin County.
74 His feast occurs, at the 16th of June. 75 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,
"
John O'Donovan's I55. 28I.
"
Irish Grammar," pp.
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9. house ; or, if you will have it so, I am content to cross the seas and live in a
3i«
of " What you propose," replied the saint, "cannot holy virgins. "
monastery
lawfully be done, so long as your husband lives, for it should be impious to separate those united by the Lord. " And, he added further: "This day, will your hushand, yourself, and I, fast and pray for the happy success of this
" I know it is not impossible to obtain from the Lord those things, that seem to us difficult or impossible. " So all three withoneaccordbegantofastandpray. Thefollowingnight,withouttaking any sleep, the saint offered his prayer devoutly for them ; and, on the next
affair. " The wife of Lugneus replied :
§»^V Skreen-Columcille, County of Meath.
morning, he called for the woman. In presence of her husband, the saint said :
"
Tell us, O, woman, whether this day, refusing to be reconciled to your hus- band, you are of the same mind as you were on yesterday, or are you ready rather to live in a monastery of women. " "I know your prayers have been heard," she answered, " for him I hated so much on yesterday, I love most tenderly this day ; my heart—through what means I know not—has
wholly changed during the past night. "
78 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life
of St. Columba," lib. ii. , cap. 41, pp. 164 t 166.
'9 About nine miles from Dublin City, and to the north. The O'Clerys place the church
From that day forward, to her last
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xi. , sect. x. , p. 132.
82
His feast occurs, at the 10th of May. 83 His festival is held, on the nth of
October.
8* See "Trias ' "Colgan's Thaumaturga,'
Quinta Vita S. Columba;, lib. i. , cap. lxvii. , p. 400.
85 Now a parish, in the barony so named, and described, on the " Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Meath," sheets 31, 32, 37, 38. The town and town-
here, among dar.
80
his
erections,
in their Calen-
See his Life, at the 16th of March.
81 The Rev. Dr . Lanigan states, that the house of Swords was not established by him, nor before the year 563, but some time in
"
the seventh century. See Ecclesiastical
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 3 1 9
breath, the woman's soul was linked with indissoluble affection to her husband; so that, both of them lived happily together, until death dissolved their mar- riage bonds. ? 8 At Swords,?
