OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Author: Michele Ainley

  • Saint Mocelloc of Telach Olainn, January 23

    Last year on January 23 I posted on the life of Saint Maimbod, an Irish missionary to Europe who met a martyr’s death. The other saints with whom he shares his feastday are all much more obscure figures. Among them is a saint commemorated in the Martyrology of Tallagh as ‘Mocelloc o Thilaig Ualann.’ O’Hanlon tells us that the name of this place occurs twice in the Annals of the Four Masters but that the editor, John O’Donovan of Ordnance Survey fame, was unable to identify this place with any modern location. The saint, of whom nothing more seems to be known was also commemorated in the Martyrology of Donegal as ‘Mocheallog, of Tualach Ualann’. O’Hanlon himself felt that this location was probably Tullyallen in County Louth:

    St. Mocelloc, or Mocheallog, of Telach Olainn, or Tualach Ualann. 

    The Martyrology of Tallagh mentions Mocelloc o Thilaig Ualann as having been venerated on the 23rd ofJanuary. Although the name of this place occurs twice in Dr. O’Donovan’s ” Annals of the Four Masters,” yet has it eluded identification with any modern locality, even after the learned editor’s research.” Mocheallog, ofTualach Ualann, is entered in the Martyrology of Donegal,s as having a festival at this date. To the writer, it would appear, that this saint’s ancient place may now be found under the modern designation of Tullyallen, a parish chiefly in the barony of Ferrard, county of Louth, but partly in that of Upper Slane in the county of Meath. The old graveyard and ruined church are situated near a rivulet, which trickles down through King William’s Glen, and joins the Boyne river, near the obelisk and newly-constructed bridge. The situation is a very elevated and beautiful one, while an ancient road leads from it down to the site of the famous battle. The graveyard is a favourite place for burial, and fine ash trees surround it. The old church measures 65 feet in length interiorly, and 18 feet in width, while the walls are about 2 feet 6 inches in thickness. Two gables, richly mantled over with ivy, still stand ; the side walls only peer a little over the ground level. The doorway in the west gable had been much broken, but it is repaired with modern masonry. In the other gable, the lower part of an eastern Gothic window is broken, but in the upper part some traces of fine mullions are seen.
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  • The Daughters of Comgall, January 22

     

    The earliest Irish calendars – the Martyrology of Oengus and the Martyrology of Tallagh- both make reference to a feast on January 22 of the daughters of Comgall – Lassir, Columba and Bogha – and associate them with the church of Glenavy in County Antrim. The origin of this northern church is mentioned in the Tripartite Life of Saint Patrick, where it was first known as Lettir-phadraic but later as Lann Abhaigh. Canon O’Hanlon brings together the evidence from the sources for us before concluding with a triumphal flourish:

    The Daughters of Comgall, Colma, Bogha, and Lassara, of Glenavy, County of Antrim.

    The Martyrology of Tallagh mentions a festival on the 22nd of January in honour of Comghaill’s daughters, Lassir, Columba, and Bogha. Some confusion in rendering their names appears to have crept into our calendars. According to the Martyrology of Donegal, on this day was venerated Colma, also called Columba, Bogha, and Laisri, three sisters. These virgins belonged to the sept, and were daughters of Comhgall, son to Fianglach. They were buried and venerated at Leitir Dal-Araidhe; they were disciples—or, according to another version, foster-children—to Comhgall of Beannchair, or Bangor. According to the poem beginning “The Hagiology of the Saints of Inis-Fail,” they are of the Dal m Buain, the race of Eochaidh, son of Muireadh. The place called Lettir in Dalaradia was anciently known as Lettir-Phadruig, after the Irish Apostle St. Patrick, who there first built a church. From the disciple, called Abhac, placed over it, Lann-Abhaich, Lan-avy, and finally Glen-avy, were titles given to this spot. It is a parochial church in the diocese of Connor, and in the ancient territory of Delmunia. It is said, that the present church does not occupy the original site; but that old Glenavy churchyard lay at some distance, in an angle formed by the Glenavy and Pigeonstown roads. Yet this account seems inconsistent with an existing tradition. Glenavy parish is situated within the barony of Upper Massereene, and in the county of Antrim. At a place called Camus Comhgaill, those holy women are also said to have been venerated. This, by others, is also thought to be the spot where their bodies had been interred. The holy virgins’ names are included in the calendar compiled by the Rev. William Reeves. They are likewise entered in the Kalendar of Drummond; but, apparently in a most incorrect manner, at the xi. of the February kalends, which corresponds with this date. Thus in early ages, and in the same family, we find many saints, while from the fifth to the eighth century Ireland appeared to realize the glorious vision of a church which St. John had in Patmos.

    O’Hanlon also contacted the then parish priest of Glenavy who in a letter dated 2nd May, 1873, furninshed some further local detail which appears in a footnote:

    There is no vestige of the old church of Glenavy. A tradition exists, that the Protestant church is on the site of the old one. It is divided by a river from what is supposed to be the old cemetery, where, according to Reeves, were buried the three sisters. These are said to be the sisters of St. Comgall, abbot and founder of Bangor. He came from Maheramorne, near Lame. Perhaps there was a religious house in Glenavy, to which the three sisters retired. There is no ruin whatever on the spot.

    Reeves is Bishop William Reeves, an Anglican scholar who produced a most useful volume on the ecclesiastical history of the northern dioceses. He too quotes from the sources beginning with the Martyrology of Oengus on January 22:

    ” Exitus filiarum Comgalli”.
    “i.e. at Lettir in Dalaradia they are[buried], and from Dalaradia they are [sprung]”.

    Their names are given in the Calendar of the Clerys at the same day:

    “Colman, Bogha, et Lassera, three sisters, and three virgins, and they were foster children to Comghall of Bangor, and they are [interred] at Lettir in Dalaradia; or [according to others] it is at Camus Comghaill they are [resting]”.

    Their descent also is given by Colgan : 

    “SS. Boga, Colma sive Columba, et Lassara virgines, tres filiae Comgelli filii Fingalacii filii Demaui filii Nuathalii filii Mutalani filii Cantalani filii Fiengalacii filii Niedi filii Buani a quo Dal-Buain, Coluntur in Ecclesia Litterensi in Dalriedia [recte Dalaradia] 22 Januarii”.—(Act. SS., p. 471.)

    Rev. W. Reeves, Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore (Dublin, 1847), 237.

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  • Saint Maccallin of Therasche, January 21

    Saint Maccallin, commemorated on January 21, was a tenth-century monastic who laboured in northern France and Belgium. It is possible to see the abbey of Saint Michael where he served as abbot here. Canon O’Hanlon records what is known of him, including the usual difficulty of whether as a ‘Scot’ the medieval writers intended to convey the earlier usage of Scotia which applied to Ireland rather than to Scotland:

    SAINT MACCALLIN, OR MALCALLAN, ABBOT OF SAINT MICHAEL’S MONASTERY AT THERASCHE, AND ABBOT OF WASOR, IN BELGIUM.

    The acts of St. Maccallin—so far as they are known—have been compiled by the Bollandists, and by Colgan, while they are found in the Benedictine collection. From these sources, also, Bishop Challoner has published a brief account of this holy man. A goodly-sized volume, relating to his “gests,” had been once preserved, as the monks at Wasor had assured Colgan, but this unfortunately has been lost. The Bollandists read a life of St. Maccallin; this however was filled with wondrous and incredible prodigies, although nowhere in it was there any mention of his festival. The Bollandists consider, that the name of this saint, as differently rendered Makkallinus, or Maccallinus, Makalinus, Malcallinus, Malcalanus, Malacanus, seems from its Irish or Scottish compounds capable of being rendered,” Son of Chilian,” “of Kalan,” or ” of Kalin.” Colgan states, that he should be most correctly named Malcallan, a name found more than once in our Irish annals.

    This holy servant of God was an Irishman by birth. However, it has been stated, that Malcalin, said to have been Abbot of Verdun, and venerated on the 21st of January, was a native of Scotland. Dempster allows, notwithstanding, that he was educated in Ireland, where he lived under a regular discipline or rule. In the earlier half of the tenth century, St. Forannan, had already left our island, and directed his course to Flanders. Here he was called to assume the government of Wasor monastery, on the River Meuse. Going through Britain about the year 946, with St. Cathroe, St. Fingen, St. Lazarus, and with other pious companions, St. Maccallen sought the shrine of St. Fursey at Perrone. They were hospitably received and entertained by Herswindes, a noble matron. She was wife to Count Filbert, who dwelt not far from Perrone, in Picardy. Those holy pilgrims had signified their desire for leading a solitary life in some proper place, where they might freely serve our Lord, and live by the labour of their hands. Their benefactors recommended St. Malchallan to Agnoald, who was abbot over Gorze, in Lorraine. Under this holy superior, Malcallan became a professed monk. Cathroe sought another pious destination. Previous to this course, however, those thirteen Irish companions who had arrived in France, seemed by common consent to have resolved on selecting St. Cadroe as their superior. St. Malcallan’s powers of persuasion were chiefly used to secure his consent. This could not be obtained, however, owing to the holy man’s true humility. The fellow-voyagers appear for a considerable time to have been maintained through the bounty of their noble patrons, who pointed out to them a place in the wood of Therasche, which might be suitable for their retired manner of living. This spot was dedicated to the holy Archangel Michael, and there they built dwellings. The count and his wife contributed to their comforts and convenience in every possible way. Those religious finally chose Malcallan for their superior. Under his conduct, for some time, they were exercised in watching, fasting, and prayer. St. Cathroe, the chief of his companions, desiring greater perfection, chose to embrace for his manner of life the Benedictine institute. At that time St. Benedict’s rule was observed in its full vigour at the celebrated monasteries of Fleury in France, and of Gorze in Lorraine.

    After St. Cadroe and St. Malcallan had made their respective professions, the good lady, Herswindes, desired and obtained their return to Thierasche. There St. Malcallan was constituted abbot over St. Michael’s Monastery. This her husband, Count Eilbert, had founded in that forest. The Count established another great monastery, at Wazor, upon the River Meuse. It lay between Dinant-and Huy. This he gave to the same saint. Both of these abbeys Malcallan governed for some time, in such manner as to unite most perfectly the care of his own sanctification with the perfection of that religious community committed to his charge. At last, finding it too great a burthen to govern, at once, two distant monasteries, he resigned that of Wazor to St. Cathroe. Then Malcallan lived retiringly in St. Michael’s Monastery, at Therasche. Some have affirmed, that St. Malcallan was abbot over St. Michael’s Abbey at Verdun. But this is a mistake of many writers who followed the “Martyrologium Anglicanum.” There was no abbey of St. Michael at that place, as shown by Menard, who properly observes, that his veneration at the Church of St. Michael the Archangel was not in Verdun. Thus Ferrarius states, and he adds, moreover, that in Lotharingia, this Abbey of St. Michael, over which Makalin had been abbot, was placed. Saussay and Wion made a similar mistake. About the year 975, St. Cadroe is said to have died, when the government of his community devolved once more on St. Maccallin. It is generally believed, he was the third abbot over Wasor, in the order of succession.His elevation and enthronement were attained with the common assent of the Bishop of Metz, and of all his own subjects. He obtained the rule of souls and the care of those pertaining to him in the Basilica of St. Michael. At Therasche this holy abbot went to bliss in the year 978, as Flodouardus, a contemporaneous writer, records: “The man of God, Malcallan, an Irishman by nation, on the eve of St. Vincent, the deacon and martyr, left this transitory life, which he hated; and happily began to live with the Lord, whom in his lifetime he had continually served. As to his body, it lies buried in the Church of Blessed Michael the Archangel. This abbey, during the time of his corporal stay in the world, he had piously governed. His obsequies were honourably and religiously performed; while in aftertime, he was regarded as a saint, and his memory was held in great popular veneration.

    St. Malcallan’s Abbey of St Michael is well known to have been in Thierasche or Tierarche, a province of Belgic Gaul, on the confines of Haynault. It was situated within the diocese of Laon, on the River Aisia, over the village of Hiersson. There this holy abbot’s festival is duly celebrated on the 21st of January, which the Calendarists have allowed to be the date for his festival. Thus, Dorgain and Hugh Menard place it, in the Martyrology of their order. Truly might this venerable missionary exclaim with holy David, “Lord, Thou has proved me and known me; Thou hast known my sitting down and my rising up. Thou hast understood my thoughts afar off: my path and my line Thou hast searched out.” That the Almighty approved his course of life upon earth has been manifested, in the fruits his labours procured, and in that hallowed memory bequeathed to the inhabitants of those places he had adorned and blessed before he was called away to Heaven.

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