Becanwere promised by Colganj^* for the 26th of May ; but, he did not live to carry out
luain aird naliatan iciarraig hai et idea dice- batur litana quia leti;iiias canebant .
luain aird naliatan iciarraig hai et idea dice- batur litana quia leti;iiias canebant .
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v5
716.
Having been Abbot for seven years, he happily departed to the Lord, on the 25th of May, A.
D.
717,^^ according to the chronology of Tighernach.
He died, so late as A.
D.
736, Camerarius relates, and on the 24th of March, according to the same writer.
The Martyrology of Donegal,^^ on this day, registers the name of Dunchadh, son to Cennfaeladh, son to Maelcobha, son of Aedh, son to Ainmire.
In that Irish Calendar, now preserved in the Royal Irish Aca- demy,^7 at the viii.
of the June Kalends, or May 25th, the feast of this holy Abbot is set down.
St.
Dumhade is commemorated, in the Annals of the Cistercian Monks,^^ and in the Circle of the Seasons, ^9 at the 25th of May.
The Kalendar of Drummond,3° at this same date, enters the Natalis of Dun- cada, Abbot of lae.
Article II. St. Criumther Cael, of Kilmore, probably in the County of Cavan. An entry appears, at the 25th of May, in the Martyr- ology of Tallagh,^ regarding this saint. There, too, he is said to have been connected wilh Cill moir, which corresponds with the modern Kilmore. The BoUandists,^ on the same authority, record his name as Crumtherus Coel, sive Presbyter, at this same date. It is probable, that v/hat follows is only a double entry of this feast, viz. , Coelius de Killmor. This place was proba- bly Kilmore, the seat of the bishop's See, in the present county of Cavan although, this is by no means certain, for many other places in Ireland have received a like name, owing we suppose to the the fact of a great church having been erected, in each place so denominated. 3 On this day, likewise, the Martyrology of Donegal-* mentions the veneration of Cruimther Cael, of Cill-mor.
Article III. St. Mocholla, Daughter of Diomma. The Martyr- ology of Tallagh ^ thus records this name, at the 25th of May, as Mocholla
'^ See William M. Hennessy's edition, pp. 118, 119.
°3 See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernicarum Sciiptoies," tomus iv. "An- nales Ultonien? es,"p. 74.
*•* See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. , pp. 312, 313.
^5 See William F. Skene's " Celtic Scot- land : a History of Ancient Alban," vol. ii. , book ii. , chap, iv. , p. 177.
Hiberniam Sancti Confessoris at Presbyteri Duncada Abbatis lensis Natale. "—Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of ScoUish Saints,"
p. 14. — Edited by the Rev. Dr. Article li. '
Kelly, p. xxv.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. ,
Mail xxv. Among the pretermitted saints,
p. 3.
3 Sometimes, indeed, the topographical
prefixes Cill, " a church," or "cell," and Coin, "a wood," are confounded in Irish pronunciation; "but the vast majority of the Kilmores—of which there are about
'^* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, 138, 139.
pp.
^' I there find: '"OuncAt) tiiac ein ^ao- Iat) tdo CineL CoriAiLi Abb 1a CoUmn cille •oeic inbLiAJriA ^o bAOi iriA Abb Duine Anno oorh. 716. "—Ordnance Survey Office copy. Common Place Book, F, p. 49.
—
^'^ At p. 672.
=9 See p. 146.
3° Thus, at viii. Kalend Junii :
" Et apud
—
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 138, 139.
are from Cill-mor, great church. " Dr. Patrick W. Joyce's "Origin and His- tory of Irish Names and Places," part iv. , chap, viii. , p. 475.
eighty
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 25
inghen Diomo. However, quoting the same authority, the Bollandists,' at this date, enter MochoUa, filia Damae. According to the Martyrology of Donegal,3 MochoUa, daughter of Diomma, was venerated on this day.
Article IV. Festival of St. Aldelmus, or Adelinus. \_Seventh ana EighthCenturies. '] ItwasColgan'sintentiontohavepubhshedtheActsofSt Aldelmus, at the 25th of May. Among ancient Lives of this St Aldhelm Bishop of Shepton, as published by the Bollandists,' we do not find any war-
rant for placing him in the list of Irish Saints. There, it is only stated, that he was of Saxon origin ; although indeed, be became a disciple and scholar of the saint and scholar Meildulf,"" who was a Scot or Irishman by birth, and under whom St. Aldhelm attained the highest proficiency in learning. His Acts are there very fully set forth ; and these give a very satisfactory account of his various writings, great labours, and many miracles. At the 25th of May, Thomas Dempster has Adhelmus, in his Menologium Scotorum,3 and he is stated to have left Scotland, for a missionary career among the Saxons in England, together with St. ]\Iaidulph. According to Father Michael Alford,* St. Aldhelm died, a. d. 709. Intheanonymous list of Irish Saints, published by O'Sullevan Beare, at the same date, we find entered, Adelinus. s Likewise, in Henry Fitzsimon's list, we have Adelenus, Bishop, at the 25th of this month. ^
Article V. St. Modomnoc. In the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at this date, is found the simple entry Modomnoc. The Bollandists ^ also note the feast of Modomnocus, for the 25th of May.
Article VI. Festival of St. Dionysius. The festival of St. Diony- sius ' was kept in the Irish Church, on the 25th of May, according to the "Feilire"ofSt. ^ngus. Tothisis alsoaffixedacommentary. ' Ifthepre-
566
Article hi. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. XXV.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. ,
Maii XXV. Among the pretermitted saints,
p. 3.
J Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
graphs, with notes. Then follows another Latin Life, attributed to a Monk of Malmes- bury, and taken from a Cottonian Manu- script; this h. TS a Prologue and five chapters, in tlirtyone paragraphs, with notes.
3 Thus: "Shireburni Adhelmi Episcopi' qui cum S. Maidulplio Scotia egressus, Sax- onum in Anglia Apostolus, claram maculis vitam duxit. VV. "—Bishop Forbes' "Kalen- dars of Scottish Saints," p. 200.
^ See " Fides Regia AnL^lo-Saxonica, sive Annales Ecclesice Anglo-Saxonicce,'" &c. , tomus ii. , a. d. 709, sect, xxiv, p. 465.
5 Florarius and Trithemius are found quoted as authoiities.
'' See O'Sullevan Beare's " Historice Catholicce Ibernix Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , xii. , pp. 50, 52.
Article v. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxv.
' See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Maii xxv. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 3. —
ARTICLE vi. ' See "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manu- script Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calen- dar of Oengus. p. Ixxxi.
1381 I39' — Article iv.
' See *' Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , ALTii xxv. De Sancto Aklelnio Episcopo Scliireburnensi, ex Abbate Mai- mesburiensi in Anglia, p. 77 to 93. A pre- vious commentary of >ix paragraphs precedes a Latin Life, attributed to William of Mai- mesbury, from a Cottonian Manuscript, dis- covered by William Dagd. ile ; and this is given in till ee chapters nnd seventeen para-
' His festival is kept on the iStii of April.
See notices of this St. Maildulphus, at that
date, in the Fourth Volume of this work, lower margin : " Dionis . i. episcopus nied [i] Art. vii. olancnsis uel landan nomen propnum . i. och-
" By the scholiast who writes, on the
May 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
567
sent holy man be St. Dionisius, Bishop of Milan—as seems to be indicated the Bollandists 3 have inserted his Acts,4 at this date, with a previous disser- tation, in four sections and twenty-six paragraphs. The learned Father Daniel Papebroke has edited these Acts, and illustrated them with notes,
Article VII. —Festival of St. John the Baptist. In the Irish Church, the feast of St. John the Evangelist ^—more correctly the Baptist- was held on the 25th of May, as we find recorded in the Calendar of St. ^ngus. 2 According to the Greek Martyrologies,3 at this date was cele- brated the Third Finding of St. John the Baptist's Head;4 and such account
has been adopted in the Western Church,5 as noticed by the Bollandists,^ on this day.
CtDfntp^sfijTtl) 2Bap of ilap*
ARTICLE I. —ST. BEGAN OF CLUAIN-AIRD-MOBECOG, IN MUSCRAIGE BREOGHAIN, COUNTY OF TIPPERARY, OR OF TIGH-CHONAILL, NOW STAGONNELL, IN UI-BRIUN CUALANN, COUNTY OF WICKLOW.
[SIXTH CENTURY. ]
IT is to be deplored, that so many literary memorials of the past have perished, and thus deprived us of information, it should now be so de- sirable to collect. Among these, seems to have been included the Life of this present holy man ; for, we find it on record, that it had once existed. ^ He flourished at an early period, since he is mentioned with eulogy, in the MetricalCalendarofSt. ^ngustheCuldee. TheActsofSt.
Becanwere promised by Colganj^* for the 26th of May ; but, he did not live to carry out
luain aird naliatan iciarraig hai et idea dice- batur litana quia leti;iiias canebant . i. hym- noset psalmos et ferunt eos . iiii. germanos et episcopos fuisse . i. Colman landan ciaran garban et de familia comgall fuerunt. " The former Irish sentence is thus translated by Dr. Whitley Stokes : " 'Dyonysius,' i. e. , a bishop of Milan. Or Landan a proper name, i. e. , from Cluain na Liatan in Ciar- raige Ai et idea," &c. —Ii>id. , p. xc.
3 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Mali XXV. De S. Dionysio Confessore Episcopo Mediolani in Italia, pp. 39 to 49.
* These are in three chapters and twenty- seven paragraphs.
^ See "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol, i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. Ixxxi. , xc.
^ The Rlaronites have it, also, in their Arabic-Egyptian Martyrology.
* The festival of his Decollation occurs on the 29th of August.
5 See Molanus, in his additions to Usuard.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. ,
Article vii. —' This is explained in a
comment on the lower margin of the Leab-
bar Breac " Feilire" as follows : " i. e. , dor-
mitatio in efis [' in Epheso '] in Asiaminore
ut alii putant. vel alia feria. " Again fol- ter ad 26. Mail, quo—hujus Sancti cele-
" Lx. xi°. anno scribsit iohannes
berrimi acta dabimus. " " Acta Sanctorum HiberniK," xxvi. Martii, n. 3, p. 755. In this passage, " vitse S. Abbani ad 16. Martii," should be the correct reading.
lows
euangelium et a domitiano in dolium feruen- tis olei proiectus liber abscessit postea dc"'° anno setatis su^ dormiuit. "
:
Mali xxv. p. 4.
Among the pretermitted feasts,
—
writer of St. Abban's Acts.
Article
i.
'
This is stated, by the old
' Referring to Rev. Dr. Keating's notice of this saint, he also alludes to the account given " ab authore vitas S. Albani ad 26 Martii, supra, et a Martyrologiis communi-
568
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 26.
such a purpose. The BoUandists 3 notice Becanus of Cluain-aird, at this same date ; however, they only give references to the Manuscript Martyr- ology of Tallagh, and to Colgan's allusions, in the Acts of St. Abban. * In the "Felire" of ^ngus, and in O'Clery's Irish Calendar, it is stated, that Beccan of Cluain-ard was otherwise called Mobecoc. 5 Another form of his name was Dabhecog. We read of a Becan, son to Eoghan, son to Mur- chadh, of the race of Fiacha Muillethan, son to Eoghan Mor, son of OilioU Olura. ^ This genealogy agrees with Rev. Dr. Jeoffrey Keating's account of St. Beacan'sstock;althoughwefind,elsewhere,adifferentpedigree. Thescholiast? on St. ^ngus tells us, that the present St. Becan was the son of Lugaid, son to Tuathan, son of Aed, son to Fergus, son of Eoghan, son of Niall of theNine Hostages. Yet, a somewhat different genealogy is made out for him, at the
26th March, where he is called the brother of St. Corbmac. ^ St. Becan, as we read, was the son of Eugene, son of Marchad, son of Muredach, son of Dier- mit, son of Eugene, son of Alild Flanbeg, son of Fiach Muillethain, son to Eugene the Great, who was son to Alild Olum.
Notwithstanding, what has been thus related of his pedigree, the " Sanctilogium Genealogicum " states, that this saint was a son, not of Eugene, but of Marchad ; and, it then gives his genealogy, in the order related, as deduced ^ from a Life of St. Corbmac, one of St. Becan's brothers. '° Our saint had four brothers, who were sons of the same father, and they are thus named—St. Culan," St. Enuines, or Euinus," St. Diermit,'3 and St. Boedan, or Baitan. Two of these saints sought a happy retirement from worldly concerns, in the province of Connaught ; one of them dwelt in Lein- ster ; and the other in Ulster; while our samt, with his brother Culan, re- mained in their native province of Munster, where these became devoted to the practices of a religious life. '* This saint was brother of Cuimin a hermit, according to the title of an Epistle. '^ He was a recluse in Hy, as we learn intheTable,postfixedtotheMartyrologyofDonegal. '^ IntheLifeofSt. Abban,'7 it is stated, that on one occasion, he visited the northern part of that country, where the mountain called Crott was situated. '^ It is now known
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Maii xxvi. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 352.
* At the i6th of March.
5 His alternative name, Mobecoc, signi- fied "my dear Becoc," or "Becan. "
"See his Life, at the 22nd of Deceui- ber.
'^ In the Life of St. Corbmac, chap, iii. , p. 751, in Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nix," it is said, that St. Diermit built the church of Rosredheadh, in the territory of
^ See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Carbiy, in Connaught. It was afterwards
called Kill-mac-nEoguin, or " the church or cell of the sons of Eugene. It was situated in the Dioceseof Elphin. Colgansayshe doubts, whether this saint be Diermit, Presbyter, who is reverenced on the 15th of January, or another of the name, whose feast occurs on the 12th of October. See iiicf. , xwi. Martii, n. 9, p. 755.
'* See //'/(/. , cap. i. , p. 751.
'5 In Ussher's "Veteruni Epistolarum Hibernicarum Sylloge," p. 24. Dublin Edition, 163, and Ussher's works, by Elrington, vol. iv. , p. 432.
" Tiie A'atal day of St. Culan, bishop, is
observed on the iSthof February, according
to Canisius, Fcrrarius, and the Carthusian
Martyiolcigy. However, Colgan doubts as
to whether or not, this saint is the one, who
is called Da-chualan, by Marianus and nire,'' xvi. Martii. Vila S. Abbani Abbatis otliers, and whose feast is held on the I2th of de Magliarnuidhe, cap. xx. , p. 615.
March. See iiU. , n. 4, p. 755. '» It is in the lownland of Cappa-Uniac,
nise," xvi. Marti, Vita S. Abbani, cap. xx. , p. 615, and n. 23, p. 622.
^See in the "Leabhar Breac" copy. "Transactions of the Roy. d Irish Academy," Irish Manuscrijjt Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, by Whitky Stokes, LL. D. , p. xci.
*See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," xxvi. Martii, Vita S. Corbmaci, cap. i. , ii. , p. 751, and n. 2, p. 755.
9 By Father Joim Col. i;an.
'° . See " Acta Sanctorum Ilibernise," xxvi. Martii, Vita S. Corbmnci, n. 2. p. 755.
"'Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 13S, 139.
'^ His feast was kept, on the i6th of March, and on the 27th of October,
'"See Coli;an's "Acta Sanctorum Hibcr-
May 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
569
too as Mount Grud,'9 in the territory of Muscraighe,^° at present Anglicized Muskerry. A legendary story is told about Diarmaid,^' K. i»g of Ireland, who is saidtohavekilledhissonBreasal,inafitofpassion. Thekingafterwardslapsed into a settled melancholy ; and, at last, he sought consolation from St. Colum- kille, who advised him to visit St. Beacan, then living in a poor cell, on the north side of Mount Grott. Kill-Beacain is also a name for the church of our saint, who is reverenced at this place. When King Diarmaid and St. Columkille arrived there, St. Beacan was engaged digging a ditch to surround the graveyard, and working in his wet clothes, for it was a rainy day. Per- ceiving that the King of Ireland approaclied, our saint cried out : " O mur- derer, down to the ground upon your knees. " Instantly, the king dismounted from his horse, and prostrated himself before the saint. Then St. Columkille informed Becan about the object of their visit, ano that the king was almost distracted with grief, reflecting on the barbarous deed he had perpetrated. No solace was left him but prayers to heaven, that God would be pleased to par- don the offence and restore his son to life. Then, St. Columkille presumed, that so religious a person would not refuse to intercede for the king, since his life and happiness were immediately concerned. Moved with compassion, St. Becan prayed with great fervour to heaven three different times. As the legend relates, Breasal was restored to life, and presented to his father, who received him with inexpressible joy. Afterwards, the king held our saint in great esteem and veneration, on account of this miracle he had wrought. "
In the parish of Killardry,^3 or Killaldrifife,^^ Cluain-ard, meaning "the high lawn" or "meadow," was the ancient name of that place, on which Kil- peacan ^s old church now stands. It is in the barony of Clonwilliam, at the foot of Sliabh g Crot.
Article II. St. Criumther Cael, of Kilmore, probably in the County of Cavan. An entry appears, at the 25th of May, in the Martyr- ology of Tallagh,^ regarding this saint. There, too, he is said to have been connected wilh Cill moir, which corresponds with the modern Kilmore. The BoUandists,^ on the same authority, record his name as Crumtherus Coel, sive Presbyter, at this same date. It is probable, that v/hat follows is only a double entry of this feast, viz. , Coelius de Killmor. This place was proba- bly Kilmore, the seat of the bishop's See, in the present county of Cavan although, this is by no means certain, for many other places in Ireland have received a like name, owing we suppose to the the fact of a great church having been erected, in each place so denominated. 3 On this day, likewise, the Martyrology of Donegal-* mentions the veneration of Cruimther Cael, of Cill-mor.
Article III. St. Mocholla, Daughter of Diomma. The Martyr- ology of Tallagh ^ thus records this name, at the 25th of May, as Mocholla
'^ See William M. Hennessy's edition, pp. 118, 119.
°3 See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernicarum Sciiptoies," tomus iv. "An- nales Ultonien? es,"p. 74.
*•* See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. , pp. 312, 313.
^5 See William F. Skene's " Celtic Scot- land : a History of Ancient Alban," vol. ii. , book ii. , chap, iv. , p. 177.
Hiberniam Sancti Confessoris at Presbyteri Duncada Abbatis lensis Natale. "—Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of ScoUish Saints,"
p. 14. — Edited by the Rev. Dr. Article li. '
Kelly, p. xxv.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. ,
Mail xxv. Among the pretermitted saints,
p. 3.
3 Sometimes, indeed, the topographical
prefixes Cill, " a church," or "cell," and Coin, "a wood," are confounded in Irish pronunciation; "but the vast majority of the Kilmores—of which there are about
'^* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, 138, 139.
pp.
^' I there find: '"OuncAt) tiiac ein ^ao- Iat) tdo CineL CoriAiLi Abb 1a CoUmn cille •oeic inbLiAJriA ^o bAOi iriA Abb Duine Anno oorh. 716. "—Ordnance Survey Office copy. Common Place Book, F, p. 49.
—
^'^ At p. 672.
=9 See p. 146.
3° Thus, at viii. Kalend Junii :
" Et apud
—
" Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 138, 139.
are from Cill-mor, great church. " Dr. Patrick W. Joyce's "Origin and His- tory of Irish Names and Places," part iv. , chap, viii. , p. 475.
eighty
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 25
inghen Diomo. However, quoting the same authority, the Bollandists,' at this date, enter MochoUa, filia Damae. According to the Martyrology of Donegal,3 MochoUa, daughter of Diomma, was venerated on this day.
Article IV. Festival of St. Aldelmus, or Adelinus. \_Seventh ana EighthCenturies. '] ItwasColgan'sintentiontohavepubhshedtheActsofSt Aldelmus, at the 25th of May. Among ancient Lives of this St Aldhelm Bishop of Shepton, as published by the Bollandists,' we do not find any war-
rant for placing him in the list of Irish Saints. There, it is only stated, that he was of Saxon origin ; although indeed, be became a disciple and scholar of the saint and scholar Meildulf,"" who was a Scot or Irishman by birth, and under whom St. Aldhelm attained the highest proficiency in learning. His Acts are there very fully set forth ; and these give a very satisfactory account of his various writings, great labours, and many miracles. At the 25th of May, Thomas Dempster has Adhelmus, in his Menologium Scotorum,3 and he is stated to have left Scotland, for a missionary career among the Saxons in England, together with St. ]\Iaidulph. According to Father Michael Alford,* St. Aldhelm died, a. d. 709. Intheanonymous list of Irish Saints, published by O'Sullevan Beare, at the same date, we find entered, Adelinus. s Likewise, in Henry Fitzsimon's list, we have Adelenus, Bishop, at the 25th of this month. ^
Article V. St. Modomnoc. In the Martyrology of Tallagh,' at this date, is found the simple entry Modomnoc. The Bollandists ^ also note the feast of Modomnocus, for the 25th of May.
Article VI. Festival of St. Dionysius. The festival of St. Diony- sius ' was kept in the Irish Church, on the 25th of May, according to the "Feilire"ofSt. ^ngus. Tothisis alsoaffixedacommentary. ' Ifthepre-
566
Article hi. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. XXV.
^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. ,
Maii XXV. Among the pretermitted saints,
p. 3.
J Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
graphs, with notes. Then follows another Latin Life, attributed to a Monk of Malmes- bury, and taken from a Cottonian Manu- script; this h. TS a Prologue and five chapters, in tlirtyone paragraphs, with notes.
3 Thus: "Shireburni Adhelmi Episcopi' qui cum S. Maidulplio Scotia egressus, Sax- onum in Anglia Apostolus, claram maculis vitam duxit. VV. "—Bishop Forbes' "Kalen- dars of Scottish Saints," p. 200.
^ See " Fides Regia AnL^lo-Saxonica, sive Annales Ecclesice Anglo-Saxonicce,'" &c. , tomus ii. , a. d. 709, sect, xxiv, p. 465.
5 Florarius and Trithemius are found quoted as authoiities.
'' See O'Sullevan Beare's " Historice Catholicce Ibernix Compendium," tomus i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , xii. , pp. 50, 52.
Article v. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxv.
' See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Maii xxv. Among the pretermitted feasts, p. 3. —
ARTICLE vi. ' See "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manu- script Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calen- dar of Oengus. p. Ixxxi.
1381 I39' — Article iv.
' See *' Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , ALTii xxv. De Sancto Aklelnio Episcopo Scliireburnensi, ex Abbate Mai- mesburiensi in Anglia, p. 77 to 93. A pre- vious commentary of >ix paragraphs precedes a Latin Life, attributed to William of Mai- mesbury, from a Cottonian Manuscript, dis- covered by William Dagd. ile ; and this is given in till ee chapters nnd seventeen para-
' His festival is kept on the iStii of April.
See notices of this St. Maildulphus, at that
date, in the Fourth Volume of this work, lower margin : " Dionis . i. episcopus nied [i] Art. vii. olancnsis uel landan nomen propnum . i. och-
" By the scholiast who writes, on the
May 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
567
sent holy man be St. Dionisius, Bishop of Milan—as seems to be indicated the Bollandists 3 have inserted his Acts,4 at this date, with a previous disser- tation, in four sections and twenty-six paragraphs. The learned Father Daniel Papebroke has edited these Acts, and illustrated them with notes,
Article VII. —Festival of St. John the Baptist. In the Irish Church, the feast of St. John the Evangelist ^—more correctly the Baptist- was held on the 25th of May, as we find recorded in the Calendar of St. ^ngus. 2 According to the Greek Martyrologies,3 at this date was cele- brated the Third Finding of St. John the Baptist's Head;4 and such account
has been adopted in the Western Church,5 as noticed by the Bollandists,^ on this day.
CtDfntp^sfijTtl) 2Bap of ilap*
ARTICLE I. —ST. BEGAN OF CLUAIN-AIRD-MOBECOG, IN MUSCRAIGE BREOGHAIN, COUNTY OF TIPPERARY, OR OF TIGH-CHONAILL, NOW STAGONNELL, IN UI-BRIUN CUALANN, COUNTY OF WICKLOW.
[SIXTH CENTURY. ]
IT is to be deplored, that so many literary memorials of the past have perished, and thus deprived us of information, it should now be so de- sirable to collect. Among these, seems to have been included the Life of this present holy man ; for, we find it on record, that it had once existed. ^ He flourished at an early period, since he is mentioned with eulogy, in the MetricalCalendarofSt. ^ngustheCuldee. TheActsofSt.
Becanwere promised by Colganj^* for the 26th of May ; but, he did not live to carry out
luain aird naliatan iciarraig hai et idea dice- batur litana quia leti;iiias canebant . i. hym- noset psalmos et ferunt eos . iiii. germanos et episcopos fuisse . i. Colman landan ciaran garban et de familia comgall fuerunt. " The former Irish sentence is thus translated by Dr. Whitley Stokes : " 'Dyonysius,' i. e. , a bishop of Milan. Or Landan a proper name, i. e. , from Cluain na Liatan in Ciar- raige Ai et idea," &c. —Ii>id. , p. xc.
3 See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Mali XXV. De S. Dionysio Confessore Episcopo Mediolani in Italia, pp. 39 to 49.
* These are in three chapters and twenty- seven paragraphs.
^ See "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol, i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, by Whitley Stokes, LL. D. , p. Ixxxi. , xc.
^ The Rlaronites have it, also, in their Arabic-Egyptian Martyrology.
* The festival of his Decollation occurs on the 29th of August.
5 See Molanus, in his additions to Usuard.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. ,
Article vii. —' This is explained in a
comment on the lower margin of the Leab-
bar Breac " Feilire" as follows : " i. e. , dor-
mitatio in efis [' in Epheso '] in Asiaminore
ut alii putant. vel alia feria. " Again fol- ter ad 26. Mail, quo—hujus Sancti cele-
" Lx. xi°. anno scribsit iohannes
berrimi acta dabimus. " " Acta Sanctorum HiberniK," xxvi. Martii, n. 3, p. 755. In this passage, " vitse S. Abbani ad 16. Martii," should be the correct reading.
lows
euangelium et a domitiano in dolium feruen- tis olei proiectus liber abscessit postea dc"'° anno setatis su^ dormiuit. "
:
Mali xxv. p. 4.
Among the pretermitted feasts,
—
writer of St. Abban's Acts.
Article
i.
'
This is stated, by the old
' Referring to Rev. Dr. Keating's notice of this saint, he also alludes to the account given " ab authore vitas S. Albani ad 26 Martii, supra, et a Martyrologiis communi-
568
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 26.
such a purpose. The BoUandists 3 notice Becanus of Cluain-aird, at this same date ; however, they only give references to the Manuscript Martyr- ology of Tallagh, and to Colgan's allusions, in the Acts of St. Abban. * In the "Felire" of ^ngus, and in O'Clery's Irish Calendar, it is stated, that Beccan of Cluain-ard was otherwise called Mobecoc. 5 Another form of his name was Dabhecog. We read of a Becan, son to Eoghan, son to Mur- chadh, of the race of Fiacha Muillethan, son to Eoghan Mor, son of OilioU Olura. ^ This genealogy agrees with Rev. Dr. Jeoffrey Keating's account of St. Beacan'sstock;althoughwefind,elsewhere,adifferentpedigree. Thescholiast? on St. ^ngus tells us, that the present St. Becan was the son of Lugaid, son to Tuathan, son of Aed, son to Fergus, son of Eoghan, son of Niall of theNine Hostages. Yet, a somewhat different genealogy is made out for him, at the
26th March, where he is called the brother of St. Corbmac. ^ St. Becan, as we read, was the son of Eugene, son of Marchad, son of Muredach, son of Dier- mit, son of Eugene, son of Alild Flanbeg, son of Fiach Muillethain, son to Eugene the Great, who was son to Alild Olum.
Notwithstanding, what has been thus related of his pedigree, the " Sanctilogium Genealogicum " states, that this saint was a son, not of Eugene, but of Marchad ; and, it then gives his genealogy, in the order related, as deduced ^ from a Life of St. Corbmac, one of St. Becan's brothers. '° Our saint had four brothers, who were sons of the same father, and they are thus named—St. Culan," St. Enuines, or Euinus," St. Diermit,'3 and St. Boedan, or Baitan. Two of these saints sought a happy retirement from worldly concerns, in the province of Connaught ; one of them dwelt in Lein- ster ; and the other in Ulster; while our samt, with his brother Culan, re- mained in their native province of Munster, where these became devoted to the practices of a religious life. '* This saint was brother of Cuimin a hermit, according to the title of an Epistle. '^ He was a recluse in Hy, as we learn intheTable,postfixedtotheMartyrologyofDonegal. '^ IntheLifeofSt. Abban,'7 it is stated, that on one occasion, he visited the northern part of that country, where the mountain called Crott was situated. '^ It is now known
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus vi. , Maii xxvi. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 352.
* At the i6th of March.
5 His alternative name, Mobecoc, signi- fied "my dear Becoc," or "Becan. "
"See his Life, at the 22nd of Deceui- ber.
'^ In the Life of St. Corbmac, chap, iii. , p. 751, in Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nix," it is said, that St. Diermit built the church of Rosredheadh, in the territory of
^ See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Carbiy, in Connaught. It was afterwards
called Kill-mac-nEoguin, or " the church or cell of the sons of Eugene. It was situated in the Dioceseof Elphin. Colgansayshe doubts, whether this saint be Diermit, Presbyter, who is reverenced on the 15th of January, or another of the name, whose feast occurs on the 12th of October. See iiicf. , xwi. Martii, n. 9, p. 755.
'* See //'/(/. , cap. i. , p. 751.
'5 In Ussher's "Veteruni Epistolarum Hibernicarum Sylloge," p. 24. Dublin Edition, 163, and Ussher's works, by Elrington, vol. iv. , p. 432.
" Tiie A'atal day of St. Culan, bishop, is
observed on the iSthof February, according
to Canisius, Fcrrarius, and the Carthusian
Martyiolcigy. However, Colgan doubts as
to whether or not, this saint is the one, who
is called Da-chualan, by Marianus and nire,'' xvi. Martii. Vila S. Abbani Abbatis otliers, and whose feast is held on the I2th of de Magliarnuidhe, cap. xx. , p. 615.
March. See iiU. , n. 4, p. 755. '» It is in the lownland of Cappa-Uniac,
nise," xvi. Marti, Vita S. Abbani, cap. xx. , p. 615, and n. 23, p. 622.
^See in the "Leabhar Breac" copy. "Transactions of the Roy. d Irish Academy," Irish Manuscrijjt Series, vol. i. , part i. On the Calendar of Oengus, by Whitky Stokes, LL. D. , p. xci.
*See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," xxvi. Martii, Vita S. Corbmaci, cap. i. , ii. , p. 751, and n. 2, p. 755.
9 By Father Joim Col. i;an.
'° . See " Acta Sanctorum Ilibernise," xxvi. Martii, Vita S. Corbmnci, n. 2. p. 755.
"'Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 13S, 139.
'^ His feast was kept, on the i6th of March, and on the 27th of October,
'"See Coli;an's "Acta Sanctorum Hibcr-
May 26. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
569
too as Mount Grud,'9 in the territory of Muscraighe,^° at present Anglicized Muskerry. A legendary story is told about Diarmaid,^' K. i»g of Ireland, who is saidtohavekilledhissonBreasal,inafitofpassion. Thekingafterwardslapsed into a settled melancholy ; and, at last, he sought consolation from St. Colum- kille, who advised him to visit St. Beacan, then living in a poor cell, on the north side of Mount Grott. Kill-Beacain is also a name for the church of our saint, who is reverenced at this place. When King Diarmaid and St. Columkille arrived there, St. Beacan was engaged digging a ditch to surround the graveyard, and working in his wet clothes, for it was a rainy day. Per- ceiving that the King of Ireland approaclied, our saint cried out : " O mur- derer, down to the ground upon your knees. " Instantly, the king dismounted from his horse, and prostrated himself before the saint. Then St. Columkille informed Becan about the object of their visit, ano that the king was almost distracted with grief, reflecting on the barbarous deed he had perpetrated. No solace was left him but prayers to heaven, that God would be pleased to par- don the offence and restore his son to life. Then, St. Columkille presumed, that so religious a person would not refuse to intercede for the king, since his life and happiness were immediately concerned. Moved with compassion, St. Becan prayed with great fervour to heaven three different times. As the legend relates, Breasal was restored to life, and presented to his father, who received him with inexpressible joy. Afterwards, the king held our saint in great esteem and veneration, on account of this miracle he had wrought. "
In the parish of Killardry,^3 or Killaldrifife,^^ Cluain-ard, meaning "the high lawn" or "meadow," was the ancient name of that place, on which Kil- peacan ^s old church now stands. It is in the barony of Clonwilliam, at the foot of Sliabh g Crot.
