The highest story has four tapered Each of these
presents
on the exterior
^ This denomination now obsolete.
^ This denomination now obsolete.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
Accordingtothedataheregiven,theBollandistswill have it, that his death occurred, a.
d.
756, or at least in the year 757.
The next holy man, whose name is associated with Balther, and at the same date, does not appear to have had special relations with him during life.
About St.
Bilfrid or Bilfred, we have little information.
We do not even know that exact place, with which he was connected, but this appears to be somewhere in the diocese of Lindisfarne.
During this retirement, he practised the art of the goldsmith, and a specimen of his taste, as an artist, yet exists in the Cot- tonian library, in the British Museum, London.
It is a Book of Gospels,^^ ornamented with gems and gold,"9 which was long preserved at Durham.
^o As Bishop Eadfrid succeeded Eadberts^ over Lindisfarne see, where he sat from A.
D.
698 to A.
D.
720,32 g^jj(j ^g Bilfrid seems to have been his contem- porary, or to have flourished soon after his time, it may not be amiss to ascribe his period to the seventh or eighth century.
The day and year for his death have not been discovered.
We read, that Anlaf, the Dane, burned
the church and monastery of Tyningham, a. d. 941,^3 or 95i. 3'» Immediately afterwards, he was struck with a sudden illness and died. About two cen-
turies later, a priest, named Elfrid, or Elfred,35 recovered the relics of St. Bil- frid, by a revelation ; and, with these, he also recovered the remains of St.
Acca,3S St. Alkmund,37 the Bishop, King Oswin,38 ^-^^ ^^ Abbesses, Ebba39 and Ethelgitha, being directed to them, by visions. The bones of St. Balther and of St. Bilfrid were put together, ^vith the body of St. Cuthbert,4° in his shrine,atDurham. Butin1104,theywereremovedfromthisshrine,^'and were placed in the shrine of Venerable Bedc^^ The various relics were assigned special places of honour in the great Cathedral of Durham. *3 The Bollandists have no doubt, that the lives and miracles of the holy men, who
twenty-one years. See Dr. Lingard's "His- tory of England," vol. i. , chap, iii. , p. no. ^ This highly ornate Manuscript has the Prefaces and Canons of Eusebius and of St.
3« His feast occurs, on the 6th of May.
^a At this period, Bishop Ethelwold suc- ceeded, and died on the 1 2th of Febmary,
a. d. 740. This prelate engaged Bilfrid to Jerome in the beginning, while it has a labour, at the work of ornamenting the Saxon version of Aldred Presbyter inserted Book of Gospels, according to Turgot, in
between the lines. This is the Book of St. his " Historia Dunelmensis," lib. ii, cap. Cuthbert, alluded to by Turgot, and by xi.
Simeon of Durham, according to Selden.
"9 A curious story is told, by Turgot, in his "Historia Dunelmensis," lib. ii. , cap. xi. , xii. , that to save it from Danish ravages, this book was brought to Ireland, in a ship, that it fell overboard, and was again mira-
33 See Matthew of Westminster's " Flores Historiarum," a. d. DCCCXLi. , p. 365.
34
Baronius, in his "Annales Ecclesias- tici," thus corrects the chronotaxis of Mat- thoeus Westmonasteriensis.
3S He is called the son of Weston, ia "
culously recovered, that its folios did not Turgot's Historia Dunelmensis," lib. iii. ,
seem in the least stained, by the action of the waves, which was attributed to the merits of St. Cuthbert, and that, in fine, about 1 100, it was preserved in the church of Durham.
cap. vii.
3* His feast is usually assigned to the 20th
of October, the day of his death. His Life occurs, at the same date, in our collection, as classed among the Irish Saints.
30 "On the cover is '»! < Eadfrid, Oetil-
wald, Billfrith, Aldred hoc Evangelium tember.
Deo et Cuthberto construxerunt et ornave-
38 His feast occurs on the 20th of August,
;'
April,
above this in Saxon characters, and
39 Her festivals are on the 2nd qf
nint
in a Northumbrian dialect,
the anchorite he fabricated the curious
works that are on the outside, and it adorned
with gold and with gems, also with silver
overgilded, a priceless treasure. ' Billfri—th
is supposed to be a local form of Bilfred. "
Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of the the Saints, vol. iii. , March vi. , p. 95. Saints," vol. iii. , March vi. , p. 95. *3 See the Bollandists' "Acta Sancto-
'
And Billfrith,
and 25th of August,
<° See his Life, at the 20th of March,
*' The head of St. Oswald was alone left
37 His festival belongs to the 9th of Sep-
with St. Cuthbert's remains. The Life of St. Oswald is given, at the 5th of August,
*' "
See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's Lives of
"
March 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 205
are here commemorated, had been formerly written. While some writers
have placed their festivals, at the 29th of March, and others, at the 27th of
November, most Calendarists prefer the present date. The Scottish Kalen-
dars have St. Baldred, Bishop and Confessor. Thus, the Kalendar of Aber-
deennoteshimPridieNonasMartii. 44 Likewise,inAdamKing'sKalendar,
weread "S. BaldredebischopofGlascowsuccess,toS. Mugoandcofess. :
vnderKingAidanus. S. Fredolinecof. ScotismovnderAnastasi,''atthe6th "
of March. In Dempster's Menologium Scoticum,'' we find the following notices, at the same date, about Baldred, Bishop of Preston, whose body^s was found by Divine power to appease dissensions among the faithful. ^^ St. Balther was venerated with an office, containing nine Lessons.
Article XVI. —Reputed Feast of St. Duthac or Dubthac, Bishop
OF Ross, Scotland. [^Eleventh Century^ St. Duthac, the Bishop, is com-
memorated in the Kalendar " De Nova ^ at the ii. or 6th of Farina," Nones,
March. Hislifeismoreproperlyreferable,tothe8thofthismonth.
^ebentl) 23ay of ilattfj.
ARTICLE I. —ST. MOCELLOC, HERMIT. [FOURTH AND FIFTH CENTURIES. 1
men are willing to look back occasionally into bygone ages, if
MOST that their mental they find, eye
can he
to
the cloud
pierce
which overhangs the past. ^ Yet, with much uncertainty, Colgan^ and the Bollandists3 treat about those statements, which after them we feel here com-
pelled to submit. This saint, originally called Celloc—or perhaps Cellan*—
had the endearing appellative, mo, prefixed to his name, according to a custom of our ancestors, when they wished to express great veneration for a person. 5 He was one of the first converts to our holy faith in Ireland, having flourished before St. Patrick's^ time, according to our ancient records. It is said, our saint was baptized, so early as a. d, 347. That he must have been born, about the middle, or in the earlier part, of the fourth century, would appear, if we credit Ussher's statement, that about a. d. 364,7 this saint, in
nam," tomus i. , Martii vi. De Sanctis blot in Colgan's valuable works—they are
Anachoretis Balthero Presbytero et Bilfrido Aurifabro, sect, iv. , pp. 450, 451.
made pp. 601, 602.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. ,
44 See " of the Proceedings
of
Martii vii. the Among
pretermitted saints,
Society Scottish Antiquaries," vol. ii. , p. 262.
p. 628.
4 At the end of Irish
45 It is added "
4* See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of commutative, in giving them a distinctive
triplicatum. "
names,
oc and an
are
Scottish Saints," pp. 113, 146, 194. Article xvi. —' See Bishop Forbes'
"Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 69.
qualification.
s See Colgan's note I, to this saint's Acts,
p. 112 {recte).
^ See his Life, at the of March. 17th
7 At the year 364, Ussher writes Mochellocus, Beanus, Colmanus, Lachninus,
Articlei. —' See"TheDublin
Literary
Gazette, and National Magazine," vol. i. ,
No. ii. Art. On the Ancient Histoiy and
:
" SS.
the Antiquities of Ireland, by the Rev. Mobiis, Fmdlugus, et Caminanus, apud
Edward
in — Desienses Campo scuti non procul a Lis-
moria septem claras cellas construxerunt. " "Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates. "
Index Chronologicus, pp. 511, 512.
*
Johnston, &c. , p. 161. ^. ^^ . . " '^'^'•^ Sanctorum
Hibernise," Martii vii. De S. Mocelloco Eremita, pp.
Sll, 5^2 [recti). By a misprint—a frequent
taught
2o6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
common with six other holy men, constructed separate cells in a place, called
"
site of Lismore. Mocelloc lived as a hermit, in his cell or oratory, according
to tradition, many years before the Gospel had been preached in these parts, by Saints Declan,9 Ailbe'° and Kieran. " In common with other religious eremites of the place, Mocelloc is said to have had a vision, on the night of St. Declan's birth, and that, in consequence, he predicted this infant's future greatness, by declaring that the country and people around should one day be subject to his spiritual rule. After this prediction, the Acts of St. Declan state, that seven just men were baptized, in the name of the most Holy Trinity ; and, afterwards, having constructed cells, they lived there in a reli- giousmanner. Fromwhomtheyreceivedbaptism,oratwhatexacttime, we are not informed. " On St. Declan's return from Rome,^3 these seven eremites—among whom our saint was included—waited on him, and placed theircells,withtheirownpersons,underhisruleanddirection. St. Declan's habitation was at Ardmore,^-* at present, the head of a parish, in the barony of Decies within Drum, in the county of Waterford. Here, indeed, are some interesting ruins of St. Declan's oratory, of the mediaeval monastery, of the Cathedral and of the Round Tower. With a description of this latter structure, we must rest satisfied, in this connexion. The Cloigtheach,^^ of Ardmore, owing to its beauty and fine preservation, is one of the best known structures of its kind in Ireland. '^ Its materials consist of a hard sandstone, chiselled to the curve, and brought from the mountains of Slievegrian, about four miles distant. This tower is about 15 feet in diameter, at the base, whence it gradually tapers to the apex, about 97 feet above the surface of the ground. It terminates in a conical roof, which had been half thrown over by injuries from lightning. F. our string-courses divide the exterior into five stories. '7 The entrance is in the east side, at the distance of thirteen feet,
from the ground. This is circular-headed, and it tapers from i foot 11 inches, at springing of the arch, to 2 feet 7 inches, at the base. The full height of this fine doorway is 5 feet 9 inches. Around the outer edges is boldlycutaNorman'shead; and,ontheinsidearebar-holes,twoateach side of the entrance, for securing the door. '^ The lower stories are lighted, by splaying spike-holes; some of these having square, and some circular, heads. As the visitor ascends, he meets grotesque corbels at intervals and staring at him from the concave walls.
Magh-Scethe,^ which signifies,
the Plain of the Buckler," near the present
windows, facing the cardinal points.
The highest story has four tapered Each of these presents on the exterior
^ This denomination now obsolete.
appears
to be
'* the Irish Ecclesiastical Commis- Lately
"
'* Its extensive bounds are defined on the
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
sioners undertook the work of restoring the 9 See the Acts of this saint, at the 24th of ancient remains at Ardmore. In August,
July.
'° The Life of this saint will be seen, at
the 1 2th of September.
" The Acts of St. Kieran will be found,
at the 5th of March.
" The Bollandists regard the notices of
this saint, by Colgan, as eminently unsatis- factory.
»^ By some writers, this is thought to have
been so early as a. d. 402, by others, it is placed, at a much later date.
1877, the writer had an opportunity of as-
cending interiorly to the very topmost story, by means of floors and ladders, which now afford a ready means for ascent. The coni- cal cap has been quite repaired, as presented in our present engraving, and in order to preserve the stmcture, about ten or twelve feet of the topmost original masonry had to be removed ; but, as understood, the style, site, and almost identical stones, were re- placed, with the exception of some unavoid- able re-vamping. It is curious to observe within, and immediately under the arched conical top, two opposite and considerable indentations, in the side walls, as if to allow full play for the swing of a large bell.
County of Waterford," Sheets 30, 35,36, 37, 38, 39, 40. The town and ecclesiastical re- mains there are noted on Sheet 40.
'S Anglicised, "Bell-house. "
'? The accompanying illustration, drawn
[March 7.
March 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 207
a triangular arch, and on the interior a trefoil head. In height, they are respectively 3 feet 9 inches. The stone lintels remain over the opes, where the beam for a bell rested. Tradition says, it was of so deep and powerful a
"
the great glen," about 8 miles distant. The apex of the roof was once surmounted, by a cross of stone ; but, this was some years since shot down, by a person firing at birds. '9 A distinguished local antiquary,^° on whose authority we rely for the foregoing
tone, that it was heard at Gleannmhor, or
The Round Tower and Ecclesiastical Remains, at Ardmore, County of Waterford.
details, has no hesitation in assigning this noble structure, to the ninth or
tenth century. For, the mouldings of the doonvay, the grotesque corbel heads in the interior, and the square trefoil heads of the windows, in the
upper story, are thought to belong to that period. He adds, that perhaps we may find a reason for the erection of this Cloig-theach, at such a time, in the unsettled state of the country, owing to the predatory landings of the Dubh-galls, Fionn-galls and other sea-rovers. ^^ To conclude this account,
by William F. Wakeman, has been engraved by Mrs. Millard.
'^
Access to the interior had been rendered easy by means of a ladder and floors, pro- vided by Mr. Odell, the lord of the soil.
'9 Excavations were made, in the year 1841, within the base of this tower, under the superintendence of Messrs. Odell, Win- dele, Hackett and Abell. Those explora-
tions led to the discovery of two imperfect human skeletons, at a considerable depth of earth. This circumstance induced some to think, that those interments took place, at a period, subsequent to the erection of the tower, and it was advanced as an argument
for the Pagan origin of the Round Towers. But, there was no little misconception here ; for, instead of having been interred with care, and within the basement of the tower, those human remains had been interfered with at the time of its erection. A founda- tion-stone occupies the place of one of the crania, while the skeleton, it is said, evi- dently had been decapitated and otherwise injured, by those workmen, who cut the circular trench, for the foundations of the tower.
=° The Rev. Samuel ITayman, B. A.
" See the Rev. Samuel Hayman's " New Hand-Book for Youghall : contaming Notes
2o8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 7.
the Martyrologies of Tallagh,^^ of Marianus O'Gorman and of Cathal Maguire, at this date, have inserted the festival of Mocelloc. ^3 Besides, on this day-
was venerated Mocheallog, as we read in the Martyrology of Donegal. ^* From what has been aheady said, we may infer, that he died in the fifth cen- tury, but the true year of his death is not known. It is pleasing to find, in the case of this proto-Irish Christian, that he found perfect harmony between his just train of reasoning and Christianity. As compared with previous Pagan errors, he knew the Church and her teaching challenged his respect and should claim his allegiance. Combining the purest doctrines, with the purest morality, this saint escaped from the grovelling proclivities of human ignorance to the lights of religious knowledge and of holiness, which blessed his future life.
ArticleII. —St. CaritanorCariotan,ofDruim-lara. Atthe7th
of March, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' we find a St. Caritan, of Droma- lara, entered. In like manner, Marianus O'Gorman, has noticed Caritan of
Druim-lara.
But,
the exact
of this — and of his
identity saint, place, appears
to
be unknown. It is — who has Acts based on the conjectured, by Colgan
supposition at this date^ that owing to some mistake of copyists, the present holy man may be the same as a distinguished priest, called Cruthne-
chan,3 who baptized St. Columba,* who had charge of his infantile years, and who was remarkable for his piety. s Without attaching weight to it, the Bol- landists^ merely allude to his statement. We cannot see, how it can be well established. Again, Cariotan, of Druim-lara, is registered in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ as having been venerated on this day.
Article III. —Festival of St. Felicitas and of St. Perpetua,
Martyrs, at Carthage. [Second and Third Centuries. '] The early Irish Church held in veneration these glorious martyrs, and they have been cele- brated on this day, in the metrical " Feilire " of St. -. ^Engus. ' The Acts of those holy women, taken from very ancient sources, will be found fully re- corded, in the great Bollandist collection. ' With some other companions in
and Records of the Ancient Religious Foundations and the Historical Annals of the Town. " Fourtli Series. Introductory, p. xiii. Youghal, 1858, 8vo.
xvii.
*3 Colgan remarks, that our Martyrologists
Martii vii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 629.
" Edited Rev. Dr.
by Kelly, p.
— The Irish
stanza, with its English translation, has been ""
record a festival, at the ist of from the Leabhar Breac — February, furnished, copy,
either to the present holy man, or to a homonymous saint. See "Acta Sancto- rum Hiberniae," Martii vii. De S. Mocel- loco Eremita, nn. 7, 8, p. 512 {rede).
^* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 68, 69.
to the writer, by Professor O'Looney
0. non. 1nniAin •oe chmj x>ex>X)&
tlA "otig x>'[&\k nx)xi<Mn •oi^riAe
|:eLicicA]' noenTOA pejApecuA p^MnTOA.
Beloved the two holy champions, Whom we shall not dispraise in
our poem, Felicitas the saintly,
Perpetua the primitive,
''See "Acta Sanctomm," tomus i. , Martii vii. De Sanctis Martyribus Afris Perpetua, Felicitate, Saturo, Saturnine, Revocato, Secundolo, Carthagine aut Tu- burbi. A previous commentary, in eight paragraphs, precedes an ancient Life, taken
Article ii.
—
'
Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xvii.
"See "Acta Sanctorum Hibeniiie,"
Martii vii. De B. Cruthnechano sive Cari-
tano Praesbytero, pp. 510, 511 {rccte).
3 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life
of St. Columba," lib. iii,, cap, 2, p. 191.
* See his Life, at the 9th ofJune.
s He is mentioned, also, in Prince O'Don-
nell's or Quinta Vita S. Columbce, lib. i. , "
cap. XXV. to xxxiv. See Colgan's Trias
Thaumaturga," pp. 393, 394.
*
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. ,
7 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 68, 69.
Article
hi. '
following
:
March 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 209
suffering, at Carthage, they gained a victorious crown, on the 7th day of March, a. d. 302. Their bodies were preserved, in the great Church of Car-
3
Article IV. —Feast of St. Colman, Bishop of Lindisfarne, Eng-
land. [Seventh Century. '] According to Camerarius, this saint, regarded as an Apostle in Northumbria and in the Hebride Islands, had a festival, on the 7thofMarch. TheBollandists'andBishopForbes^havenoticesofhim; but, his feast seems more properly referable to the 8th of August, where we have entered the particulars of his life.
ArticleV. —St. MetanorMeattan,Virgin,ofTuaim-atha. The
entry, Metan o Thuaim athi, appears in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 7th of March. Marianus O'Gorman has a like notice, while the Bollandists allude to the circumstance, that her place and history are unknown. ^ The Martyrology of Donegal3 mentions, likewise, Meattan, Virgin of Tuaim-atha, as having a festival on this day. The word, Tuaim, usually Anglicised, Toora, enters into the composition of many local denominations, in Ireland.
Article VI. —Reputed Festival of St. Willeic, at Kaiserwert,
on the Rhine. [Seventh and Eighth Centuries^ In the Martyrology of Usuard, edited by Hermann Greuen, and in the ancient Martyrology of
Cologne, there is an entry, on this day, of St. Willeicus, Confessor and Priest
of St. Suitbert, the Bishop. ^ Already have we given his Acts, at the 2nd of this month.
Article VII. —Reputed Festival of St. Senan of Inse Cathaigh,
OR Inniscattery, County of Clare. [Fifth and Sixth Centuries^ Vene- ration was given to Senan Inse Cathaigh, at the 7 th of March, as we read in
the Martyrology of Tallagh. ^ This, however, must be regarded as the vigil of his principal feast, at the day succeeding ; if the present entry be not the mistake of a transcriber, as indeed it appears to have been, for we do not meet the name of this very celebrated saint, at the 8th of March in the published work. At this date, the Bollandists only notice this entry. ^
Article VIII. —St. Neastor. The festival, in honour of Neastor, is entered in the Martyrology of Donegal on this day.
Article IX. —^St. Beoaedh, Bishop of Airdcarne, County of Ros- common. [Fifth and Sixth Centuries. ] At the 7th of March, the Martyr- ology of Tallagh' mentions, that veneration was given to Beoaedh, of
thage, during the fifth century.
from a Monte Casino MS. , by Lucas Hoi- stenius, wall a Sermon of St. Augustine, found by the same, among the Vatican Manuscripts, pp. 630 to 638. Notes are aiso appended.
3 Such is the —
statement of Victor of Utica.
'
Martii vii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 629.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
68, 69,
Article vi. —' See the Bollandists'
"Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Martii vii.
Among the pretermitted saints, p. 629. Article vii. —' Edited by Rev. Dr.
Article iv.
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Martii vii. Among the preter-
mitted
saints, pp. 629, 630.
See "Kalendars of Scottish
Kelly, p. xvii.
== See "Acta tomus Sanctorum,"
'
Saints," pp.
i. ,
302, 303,
Article v. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. p.
the church and monastery of Tyningham, a. d. 941,^3 or 95i. 3'» Immediately afterwards, he was struck with a sudden illness and died. About two cen-
turies later, a priest, named Elfrid, or Elfred,35 recovered the relics of St. Bil- frid, by a revelation ; and, with these, he also recovered the remains of St.
Acca,3S St. Alkmund,37 the Bishop, King Oswin,38 ^-^^ ^^ Abbesses, Ebba39 and Ethelgitha, being directed to them, by visions. The bones of St. Balther and of St. Bilfrid were put together, ^vith the body of St. Cuthbert,4° in his shrine,atDurham. Butin1104,theywereremovedfromthisshrine,^'and were placed in the shrine of Venerable Bedc^^ The various relics were assigned special places of honour in the great Cathedral of Durham. *3 The Bollandists have no doubt, that the lives and miracles of the holy men, who
twenty-one years. See Dr. Lingard's "His- tory of England," vol. i. , chap, iii. , p. no. ^ This highly ornate Manuscript has the Prefaces and Canons of Eusebius and of St.
3« His feast occurs, on the 6th of May.
^a At this period, Bishop Ethelwold suc- ceeded, and died on the 1 2th of Febmary,
a. d. 740. This prelate engaged Bilfrid to Jerome in the beginning, while it has a labour, at the work of ornamenting the Saxon version of Aldred Presbyter inserted Book of Gospels, according to Turgot, in
between the lines. This is the Book of St. his " Historia Dunelmensis," lib. ii, cap. Cuthbert, alluded to by Turgot, and by xi.
Simeon of Durham, according to Selden.
"9 A curious story is told, by Turgot, in his "Historia Dunelmensis," lib. ii. , cap. xi. , xii. , that to save it from Danish ravages, this book was brought to Ireland, in a ship, that it fell overboard, and was again mira-
33 See Matthew of Westminster's " Flores Historiarum," a. d. DCCCXLi. , p. 365.
34
Baronius, in his "Annales Ecclesias- tici," thus corrects the chronotaxis of Mat- thoeus Westmonasteriensis.
3S He is called the son of Weston, ia "
culously recovered, that its folios did not Turgot's Historia Dunelmensis," lib. iii. ,
seem in the least stained, by the action of the waves, which was attributed to the merits of St. Cuthbert, and that, in fine, about 1 100, it was preserved in the church of Durham.
cap. vii.
3* His feast is usually assigned to the 20th
of October, the day of his death. His Life occurs, at the same date, in our collection, as classed among the Irish Saints.
30 "On the cover is '»! < Eadfrid, Oetil-
wald, Billfrith, Aldred hoc Evangelium tember.
Deo et Cuthberto construxerunt et ornave-
38 His feast occurs on the 20th of August,
;'
April,
above this in Saxon characters, and
39 Her festivals are on the 2nd qf
nint
in a Northumbrian dialect,
the anchorite he fabricated the curious
works that are on the outside, and it adorned
with gold and with gems, also with silver
overgilded, a priceless treasure. ' Billfri—th
is supposed to be a local form of Bilfred. "
Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of the the Saints, vol. iii. , March vi. , p. 95. Saints," vol. iii. , March vi. , p. 95. *3 See the Bollandists' "Acta Sancto-
'
And Billfrith,
and 25th of August,
<° See his Life, at the 20th of March,
*' The head of St. Oswald was alone left
37 His festival belongs to the 9th of Sep-
with St. Cuthbert's remains. The Life of St. Oswald is given, at the 5th of August,
*' "
See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's Lives of
"
March 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 205
are here commemorated, had been formerly written. While some writers
have placed their festivals, at the 29th of March, and others, at the 27th of
November, most Calendarists prefer the present date. The Scottish Kalen-
dars have St. Baldred, Bishop and Confessor. Thus, the Kalendar of Aber-
deennoteshimPridieNonasMartii. 44 Likewise,inAdamKing'sKalendar,
weread "S. BaldredebischopofGlascowsuccess,toS. Mugoandcofess. :
vnderKingAidanus. S. Fredolinecof. ScotismovnderAnastasi,''atthe6th "
of March. In Dempster's Menologium Scoticum,'' we find the following notices, at the same date, about Baldred, Bishop of Preston, whose body^s was found by Divine power to appease dissensions among the faithful. ^^ St. Balther was venerated with an office, containing nine Lessons.
Article XVI. —Reputed Feast of St. Duthac or Dubthac, Bishop
OF Ross, Scotland. [^Eleventh Century^ St. Duthac, the Bishop, is com-
memorated in the Kalendar " De Nova ^ at the ii. or 6th of Farina," Nones,
March. Hislifeismoreproperlyreferable,tothe8thofthismonth.
^ebentl) 23ay of ilattfj.
ARTICLE I. —ST. MOCELLOC, HERMIT. [FOURTH AND FIFTH CENTURIES. 1
men are willing to look back occasionally into bygone ages, if
MOST that their mental they find, eye
can he
to
the cloud
pierce
which overhangs the past. ^ Yet, with much uncertainty, Colgan^ and the Bollandists3 treat about those statements, which after them we feel here com-
pelled to submit. This saint, originally called Celloc—or perhaps Cellan*—
had the endearing appellative, mo, prefixed to his name, according to a custom of our ancestors, when they wished to express great veneration for a person. 5 He was one of the first converts to our holy faith in Ireland, having flourished before St. Patrick's^ time, according to our ancient records. It is said, our saint was baptized, so early as a. d, 347. That he must have been born, about the middle, or in the earlier part, of the fourth century, would appear, if we credit Ussher's statement, that about a. d. 364,7 this saint, in
nam," tomus i. , Martii vi. De Sanctis blot in Colgan's valuable works—they are
Anachoretis Balthero Presbytero et Bilfrido Aurifabro, sect, iv. , pp. 450, 451.
made pp. 601, 602.
3 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. ,
44 See " of the Proceedings
of
Martii vii. the Among
pretermitted saints,
Society Scottish Antiquaries," vol. ii. , p. 262.
p. 628.
4 At the end of Irish
45 It is added "
4* See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of commutative, in giving them a distinctive
triplicatum. "
names,
oc and an
are
Scottish Saints," pp. 113, 146, 194. Article xvi. —' See Bishop Forbes'
"Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 69.
qualification.
s See Colgan's note I, to this saint's Acts,
p. 112 {recte).
^ See his Life, at the of March. 17th
7 At the year 364, Ussher writes Mochellocus, Beanus, Colmanus, Lachninus,
Articlei. —' See"TheDublin
Literary
Gazette, and National Magazine," vol. i. ,
No. ii. Art. On the Ancient Histoiy and
:
" SS.
the Antiquities of Ireland, by the Rev. Mobiis, Fmdlugus, et Caminanus, apud
Edward
in — Desienses Campo scuti non procul a Lis-
moria septem claras cellas construxerunt. " "Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates. "
Index Chronologicus, pp. 511, 512.
*
Johnston, &c. , p. 161. ^. ^^ . . " '^'^'•^ Sanctorum
Hibernise," Martii vii. De S. Mocelloco Eremita, pp.
Sll, 5^2 [recti). By a misprint—a frequent
taught
2o6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
common with six other holy men, constructed separate cells in a place, called
"
site of Lismore. Mocelloc lived as a hermit, in his cell or oratory, according
to tradition, many years before the Gospel had been preached in these parts, by Saints Declan,9 Ailbe'° and Kieran. " In common with other religious eremites of the place, Mocelloc is said to have had a vision, on the night of St. Declan's birth, and that, in consequence, he predicted this infant's future greatness, by declaring that the country and people around should one day be subject to his spiritual rule. After this prediction, the Acts of St. Declan state, that seven just men were baptized, in the name of the most Holy Trinity ; and, afterwards, having constructed cells, they lived there in a reli- giousmanner. Fromwhomtheyreceivedbaptism,oratwhatexacttime, we are not informed. " On St. Declan's return from Rome,^3 these seven eremites—among whom our saint was included—waited on him, and placed theircells,withtheirownpersons,underhisruleanddirection. St. Declan's habitation was at Ardmore,^-* at present, the head of a parish, in the barony of Decies within Drum, in the county of Waterford. Here, indeed, are some interesting ruins of St. Declan's oratory, of the mediaeval monastery, of the Cathedral and of the Round Tower. With a description of this latter structure, we must rest satisfied, in this connexion. The Cloigtheach,^^ of Ardmore, owing to its beauty and fine preservation, is one of the best known structures of its kind in Ireland. '^ Its materials consist of a hard sandstone, chiselled to the curve, and brought from the mountains of Slievegrian, about four miles distant. This tower is about 15 feet in diameter, at the base, whence it gradually tapers to the apex, about 97 feet above the surface of the ground. It terminates in a conical roof, which had been half thrown over by injuries from lightning. F. our string-courses divide the exterior into five stories. '7 The entrance is in the east side, at the distance of thirteen feet,
from the ground. This is circular-headed, and it tapers from i foot 11 inches, at springing of the arch, to 2 feet 7 inches, at the base. The full height of this fine doorway is 5 feet 9 inches. Around the outer edges is boldlycutaNorman'shead; and,ontheinsidearebar-holes,twoateach side of the entrance, for securing the door. '^ The lower stories are lighted, by splaying spike-holes; some of these having square, and some circular, heads. As the visitor ascends, he meets grotesque corbels at intervals and staring at him from the concave walls.
Magh-Scethe,^ which signifies,
the Plain of the Buckler," near the present
windows, facing the cardinal points.
The highest story has four tapered Each of these presents on the exterior
^ This denomination now obsolete.
appears
to be
'* the Irish Ecclesiastical Commis- Lately
"
'* Its extensive bounds are defined on the
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the
sioners undertook the work of restoring the 9 See the Acts of this saint, at the 24th of ancient remains at Ardmore. In August,
July.
'° The Life of this saint will be seen, at
the 1 2th of September.
" The Acts of St. Kieran will be found,
at the 5th of March.
" The Bollandists regard the notices of
this saint, by Colgan, as eminently unsatis- factory.
»^ By some writers, this is thought to have
been so early as a. d. 402, by others, it is placed, at a much later date.
1877, the writer had an opportunity of as-
cending interiorly to the very topmost story, by means of floors and ladders, which now afford a ready means for ascent. The coni- cal cap has been quite repaired, as presented in our present engraving, and in order to preserve the stmcture, about ten or twelve feet of the topmost original masonry had to be removed ; but, as understood, the style, site, and almost identical stones, were re- placed, with the exception of some unavoid- able re-vamping. It is curious to observe within, and immediately under the arched conical top, two opposite and considerable indentations, in the side walls, as if to allow full play for the swing of a large bell.
County of Waterford," Sheets 30, 35,36, 37, 38, 39, 40. The town and ecclesiastical re- mains there are noted on Sheet 40.
'S Anglicised, "Bell-house. "
'? The accompanying illustration, drawn
[March 7.
March 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 207
a triangular arch, and on the interior a trefoil head. In height, they are respectively 3 feet 9 inches. The stone lintels remain over the opes, where the beam for a bell rested. Tradition says, it was of so deep and powerful a
"
the great glen," about 8 miles distant. The apex of the roof was once surmounted, by a cross of stone ; but, this was some years since shot down, by a person firing at birds. '9 A distinguished local antiquary,^° on whose authority we rely for the foregoing
tone, that it was heard at Gleannmhor, or
The Round Tower and Ecclesiastical Remains, at Ardmore, County of Waterford.
details, has no hesitation in assigning this noble structure, to the ninth or
tenth century. For, the mouldings of the doonvay, the grotesque corbel heads in the interior, and the square trefoil heads of the windows, in the
upper story, are thought to belong to that period. He adds, that perhaps we may find a reason for the erection of this Cloig-theach, at such a time, in the unsettled state of the country, owing to the predatory landings of the Dubh-galls, Fionn-galls and other sea-rovers. ^^ To conclude this account,
by William F. Wakeman, has been engraved by Mrs. Millard.
'^
Access to the interior had been rendered easy by means of a ladder and floors, pro- vided by Mr. Odell, the lord of the soil.
'9 Excavations were made, in the year 1841, within the base of this tower, under the superintendence of Messrs. Odell, Win- dele, Hackett and Abell. Those explora-
tions led to the discovery of two imperfect human skeletons, at a considerable depth of earth. This circumstance induced some to think, that those interments took place, at a period, subsequent to the erection of the tower, and it was advanced as an argument
for the Pagan origin of the Round Towers. But, there was no little misconception here ; for, instead of having been interred with care, and within the basement of the tower, those human remains had been interfered with at the time of its erection. A founda- tion-stone occupies the place of one of the crania, while the skeleton, it is said, evi- dently had been decapitated and otherwise injured, by those workmen, who cut the circular trench, for the foundations of the tower.
=° The Rev. Samuel ITayman, B. A.
" See the Rev. Samuel Hayman's " New Hand-Book for Youghall : contaming Notes
2o8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 7.
the Martyrologies of Tallagh,^^ of Marianus O'Gorman and of Cathal Maguire, at this date, have inserted the festival of Mocelloc. ^3 Besides, on this day-
was venerated Mocheallog, as we read in the Martyrology of Donegal. ^* From what has been aheady said, we may infer, that he died in the fifth cen- tury, but the true year of his death is not known. It is pleasing to find, in the case of this proto-Irish Christian, that he found perfect harmony between his just train of reasoning and Christianity. As compared with previous Pagan errors, he knew the Church and her teaching challenged his respect and should claim his allegiance. Combining the purest doctrines, with the purest morality, this saint escaped from the grovelling proclivities of human ignorance to the lights of religious knowledge and of holiness, which blessed his future life.
ArticleII. —St. CaritanorCariotan,ofDruim-lara. Atthe7th
of March, in the Martyrology of Tallagh,' we find a St. Caritan, of Droma- lara, entered. In like manner, Marianus O'Gorman, has noticed Caritan of
Druim-lara.
But,
the exact
of this — and of his
identity saint, place, appears
to
be unknown. It is — who has Acts based on the conjectured, by Colgan
supposition at this date^ that owing to some mistake of copyists, the present holy man may be the same as a distinguished priest, called Cruthne-
chan,3 who baptized St. Columba,* who had charge of his infantile years, and who was remarkable for his piety. s Without attaching weight to it, the Bol- landists^ merely allude to his statement. We cannot see, how it can be well established. Again, Cariotan, of Druim-lara, is registered in the Martyrology of Donegal,^ as having been venerated on this day.
Article III. —Festival of St. Felicitas and of St. Perpetua,
Martyrs, at Carthage. [Second and Third Centuries. '] The early Irish Church held in veneration these glorious martyrs, and they have been cele- brated on this day, in the metrical " Feilire " of St. -. ^Engus. ' The Acts of those holy women, taken from very ancient sources, will be found fully re- corded, in the great Bollandist collection. ' With some other companions in
and Records of the Ancient Religious Foundations and the Historical Annals of the Town. " Fourtli Series. Introductory, p. xiii. Youghal, 1858, 8vo.
xvii.
*3 Colgan remarks, that our Martyrologists
Martii vii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 629.
" Edited Rev. Dr.
by Kelly, p.
— The Irish
stanza, with its English translation, has been ""
record a festival, at the ist of from the Leabhar Breac — February, furnished, copy,
either to the present holy man, or to a homonymous saint. See "Acta Sancto- rum Hiberniae," Martii vii. De S. Mocel- loco Eremita, nn. 7, 8, p. 512 {rede).
^* Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 68, 69.
to the writer, by Professor O'Looney
0. non. 1nniAin •oe chmj x>ex>X)&
tlA "otig x>'[&\k nx)xi<Mn •oi^riAe
|:eLicicA]' noenTOA pejApecuA p^MnTOA.
Beloved the two holy champions, Whom we shall not dispraise in
our poem, Felicitas the saintly,
Perpetua the primitive,
''See "Acta Sanctomm," tomus i. , Martii vii. De Sanctis Martyribus Afris Perpetua, Felicitate, Saturo, Saturnine, Revocato, Secundolo, Carthagine aut Tu- burbi. A previous commentary, in eight paragraphs, precedes an ancient Life, taken
Article ii.
—
'
Edited by Rev. Dr.
Kelly, p. xvii.
"See "Acta Sanctorum Hibeniiie,"
Martii vii. De B. Cruthnechano sive Cari-
tano Praesbytero, pp. 510, 511 {rccte).
3 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life
of St. Columba," lib. iii,, cap, 2, p. 191.
* See his Life, at the 9th ofJune.
s He is mentioned, also, in Prince O'Don-
nell's or Quinta Vita S. Columbce, lib. i. , "
cap. XXV. to xxxiv. See Colgan's Trias
Thaumaturga," pp. 393, 394.
*
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. ,
7 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 68, 69.
Article
hi. '
following
:
March 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 209
suffering, at Carthage, they gained a victorious crown, on the 7th day of March, a. d. 302. Their bodies were preserved, in the great Church of Car-
3
Article IV. —Feast of St. Colman, Bishop of Lindisfarne, Eng-
land. [Seventh Century. '] According to Camerarius, this saint, regarded as an Apostle in Northumbria and in the Hebride Islands, had a festival, on the 7thofMarch. TheBollandists'andBishopForbes^havenoticesofhim; but, his feast seems more properly referable to the 8th of August, where we have entered the particulars of his life.
ArticleV. —St. MetanorMeattan,Virgin,ofTuaim-atha. The
entry, Metan o Thuaim athi, appears in the Martyrology of Tallagh,^ at the 7th of March. Marianus O'Gorman has a like notice, while the Bollandists allude to the circumstance, that her place and history are unknown. ^ The Martyrology of Donegal3 mentions, likewise, Meattan, Virgin of Tuaim-atha, as having a festival on this day. The word, Tuaim, usually Anglicised, Toora, enters into the composition of many local denominations, in Ireland.
Article VI. —Reputed Festival of St. Willeic, at Kaiserwert,
on the Rhine. [Seventh and Eighth Centuries^ In the Martyrology of Usuard, edited by Hermann Greuen, and in the ancient Martyrology of
Cologne, there is an entry, on this day, of St. Willeicus, Confessor and Priest
of St. Suitbert, the Bishop. ^ Already have we given his Acts, at the 2nd of this month.
Article VII. —Reputed Festival of St. Senan of Inse Cathaigh,
OR Inniscattery, County of Clare. [Fifth and Sixth Centuries^ Vene- ration was given to Senan Inse Cathaigh, at the 7 th of March, as we read in
the Martyrology of Tallagh. ^ This, however, must be regarded as the vigil of his principal feast, at the day succeeding ; if the present entry be not the mistake of a transcriber, as indeed it appears to have been, for we do not meet the name of this very celebrated saint, at the 8th of March in the published work. At this date, the Bollandists only notice this entry. ^
Article VIII. —St. Neastor. The festival, in honour of Neastor, is entered in the Martyrology of Donegal on this day.
Article IX. —^St. Beoaedh, Bishop of Airdcarne, County of Ros- common. [Fifth and Sixth Centuries. ] At the 7th of March, the Martyr- ology of Tallagh' mentions, that veneration was given to Beoaedh, of
thage, during the fifth century.
from a Monte Casino MS. , by Lucas Hoi- stenius, wall a Sermon of St. Augustine, found by the same, among the Vatican Manuscripts, pp. 630 to 638. Notes are aiso appended.
3 Such is the —
statement of Victor of Utica.
'
Martii vii. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 629.
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
68, 69,
Article vi. —' See the Bollandists'
"Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Martii vii.
Among the pretermitted saints, p. 629. Article vii. —' Edited by Rev. Dr.
Article iv.
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Martii vii. Among the preter-
mitted
saints, pp. 629, 630.
See "Kalendars of Scottish
Kelly, p. xvii.
== See "Acta tomus Sanctorum,"
'
Saints," pp.
i. ,
302, 303,
Article v. —' Edited by Rev. Dr. p.
