OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Author: Michele Ainley

  • Saint Elair of Monahincha, September 7

     

    September 7 is the commemoration of an island-dwelling saint of County Tipperary, Elair of Monahincha. This site was one of those visited in person by Canon O’Hanlon who explored Monahincha in May 1870 as part of his research for the Lives of the Irish Saints. Saint Elair’s island retreat has links with two other saints of the Irish church, Cronan of Roscrea and Canice of Kilkenny, as Canon O’Hanlon explains:

    St Elarius or Helair, Patron, Anchoret and Scribe of Monahincha, near Roscrea, County of Tipperary. (Eighth and Ninth Centuries.)

    The published Martyrology of Tallaght records a festival in honour of Elair of Locha Cre, at the 7th of September.

    This, however, does not accord with the ii. of Nones for this month— although thus set down—and as found in the Book of Leinster copy. The situation of Lough Crea is said first to have attracted the notice of the celebrated St. Cronan before he commenced the erection of his chief religious establishment at Roscrea. In the midst of this “Stagnum Cree” there was an “insula modica,” or moderately-sized Island—now known as Monahincha— and here St. Cronan,it is said, first built a cell. Monahincha lies towards the left, on the high road leading from Borris-in-Ossory to Roscrea; but, the old church is hidden from view, owing to ornamental plantations which surround it in various directions. The greater religious establishment, however, seems to have been fixed at Roscrea —even in the time of St. Cronan— when it is probable Monahincha became a dependent on it, about the beginning of the seventh century. Already have we referred to some remains of antiquity in this town, formerly a place of considerable historic importance, especially in our ecclesiastical annals. After St. Cronan, the earliest saint recorded as having connexion with Inis Loch-Cre, is Coluim or Colum—resolvable into Columba. His period, however, has not been determined; but, it is probable, he preceded the present holy superior in point of time.

    St. Elarius or Helair is called the son of Fintan, sprung from the race of Kein, and his brothers are said to have been Saints Aidan and Conrach. His mother is called Sinacha, third sister to the great St. Columbkille. This latter statement of Colgan must be rejected, if we take into account the date assigned for the death of Elarius. While Sinacha must have been born in the earlier part of the sixth century, the birth of this present Elarius took place, it is probable, at least two hundred years later. The feast of St. Hilair is found in the Martyrology of Marianus O’Gorman, at the 7th of September. In one place, Colgan notes a St. Hilarius Mocukein, a monk of Durrow, to whom he assigns a feast at the 7th of September. We cannot be assured, however, that he was identical with the present Elarius or Helair. On the contrary, he and his brothers, St. Aidan and St. Conry or Conrachus —stated to have been of Kevin’s race —must have lived in the sixth century, if their mother was Sinecha, the sister of St. Columkille. The present saint was undoubtedly of a different family, and he was principally venerated at the place, now known as Monahincha, which the neighbouring people still call The Holy Island. It lies in the parish of Corbally, barony of Ikerrin, and County of Tipperary.

    The lough is now for the most part dried up, but a bog occupies its former site. The old ruins of Monahincha are remarkably beautiful in their architectural peculiarities. Moory soil still extends around, notwithstanding that the waters of the lake have been completely drawn off; while the land is thoroughly drained and reclaimed into fine pasturage, and meadow. Rich grass grows over the soil. Its remarkable old church is covered with a luxuriant growth of ivy, around the whole exterior; but this has been removed from the interior, where all the wall surfaces may be seen. There are two most beautiful doors yet remaining, and almost entire; one of these enters the nave, and the other a small choir. They are semi-circularly headed and elegantly jointed along the jamb-stones, with zig-zag carving around the arches. The fluted columns are surmounted by curious old sculptured heads. Through the ivy on the exterior corners of the nave may be traced projecting columns of rounded and chiselled stones. The ruins stand in a tolerably well preserved state, in the centre of a grave-yard, overcrowded with human remains. The interior of the old church nave is occupied by a family tomb, and around it the floor has been levelled and gravelled; while the landed proprietor of the estate, on which the ruins are situated, seems to have taken special pains to preserve the existing remains. Beside the old Church of Monahincha are some ruins of an ancient monastery.

    Not far from the ruins, some portion of the former extensive lake may be seen; but the inhabitants of the surrounding country have a tradition, that all the vast tract of bog, now extending for several miles towards a range of distant hills, was formerly covered with water, which circled the Holy Island.

    The Church of Inis Lough Cre was dedicated to the St. Helair or Hilarius, whose festival is celebrated on this day, as we are informed. The terms by which he is distinguished in our records indicate, that while he led a life of strict observance and asceticism, he was also the writer of some works, which at present seem to be unknown. Perhaps, he belonged to that band of Coelicoli or Culdees, that lived on the smaller island —as distinguished from the greater —and of which no clear traces now remain; yet, it is recorded, that the passage from one island to the other, in the twelfth century, was made by means of a boat. Helair flourished after the middle of the eighth, and beginning of the ninth century. The death of this Elarius, Anchoret and Scribe, of Lough Crea, is entered in the Annals of the Four Masters, at 802; in those of Clonmacnoise, at 804; in those of Ulster, at 806; but, as we are told by Dr. O’ Donovan, recte, it should be 807. His age at the time of his departure is not known. His name and festival are entered on this day, in the Martyrology of Donegal. In the table appended to this latter work, the name of our saint has been Latinised, Helarius.

    Although Inis-Loch-Cre does not figure very prominently in our Irish Annals, the “Holy Island” appears to have obtained celebrity as a place of pilgrimage and to have had a resident superior in the twelfth century. After the death of St. Cronan, the religious institute he established at Roscrea appears to have flourished in piety and learning, for centuries succeeding his period. A copy of the Four Gospels, called Glass-Kennic, or the Chain of St. Canice, is said to have been there preserved to the time of Archbishop Ussher. Also at Roscrea was recovered the Book of Dimma, a scribe, the son of Aengus, the son of Carthin. Another work, known as the Annals of Roscrea, was probably composed in the monastery there established. A succession of Roscrea Abbots, sometimes styled Bishops, in our Annals, is recorded from A.D. 800 to 1174, when the parent institution seems to have gradually declined, and little account is had regarding it, when its ancient bishopric merged into that of Killaloe…

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  • Saint Sciath of Ardskeagh, September 6

     

    There are a number of interesting saints commemorated on September 6, but below is an account of a lesser-known Irish female saint, Sciath of Ardskeagh, taken from Volume 9 of The Lives of the Irish Saints:

    St. Sciath, Virgin, of Fert-Sceithe, now Ardskeagh, in Muskerry of the Three Plains, County of Cork.

    Veneration was given, at the 6th of September, according to the Manuscript copy, as also in the published Martyrology of Tallagh, to Scieth of Fiort Sceith, in Muscraithe tre Maighi. Immediately afterwards is mentioned, The Arrival of the Relics of Scethi, daughter of Mechi, at Tamlachta, or Tallagh. Although in a separate line, we can hardly believe it is intended to commemorate a different feast from the former celebration. The festival of Sciath is to be found in the Feilire of St. Oengus, at the 6th of September. Already we have noticed a feast for this holy virgin, at the 1st of January.

    She descended from the race of Conaire, monarch of Erinn, who sprung from the seed of Heremon. Eilhue, daughter of Concraidh, was her mother, according to the O’Clerys. The Muscraighe Tri Maighe, or Muskerry of the Three Plains, in which the saint’s place was situated, had been regarded as the territory of the O’ Donnegan’s. The Church of Fiort Sceithe, which is placed by the Calendars of Marianus and the O’Clerys at September 6th, in Muscraighetri-maighe, is known at present by the name of Ardskeagh. This is a small parish, in that part of the barony of Fermoy, bordering on the baronies of Orrery and Kilmore. In the ancient taxation of the diocese of Cloyne, there is a rural deanery, called Muscry-donnegan. It contains the parishes now comprehended in the baronies of Orrery and Kilmore, with small adjacent portions of Duhallow and Fermoy. Among the Churches in this deanery, Orwerg, (i.e. Orbraidhe or Orrery) and Fersketh, (i.e. Feart Skeithe,) called Ardskagh are two. This latter is now known as Ardskeagh. Thus, the identity of Muscraighe-tri-maighe and the barony of Orrery is proved to a demonstration. Ardskeagh is now a parish, in the barony of Condons and Clongibbons, in the County of Cork. This Parish, also called Ardskreagh, is separated from the main body of the barony in which it is included, by the intervention of the northern part of the barony of Fermoy. Some remains of its old Church yet exist in the burial ground. In the Martyrology of Donegal, at this same date, the patroness is recorded as Sciath, Virgin, of Fert Sceithe, in Museraighe of the Three Plains, in Munster. This saint was venerated, likewise, in Scotland, and at the 6th of September, she is entered as Scetthe, in the Calendar of Drummond.

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  • Saint Bricin of Tuaim Dreacain, September 5

    Canon O’Hanlon has a note of a Saint Bricin whose feast is commemorated on September 5. The scholiasts attempted to offer an explanation of the epithet ‘Brecc-buaid’ attached to this saint, and their notes will make more sense if you are aware that the word bua means victory in Irish. Canon O’Hanlon had given the translations of the entries from the Martyrology of Oengus in the fotnotes but I have inserted these into the text. It is interesting to note that Saint Oengus records that this saint was ‘called forth from Ireland’ but there are no further details of his mission outside this country:

    ST. BRECC-BUAID OR BRICIN, SAID TO HAVE BEEN OF TUAIM-DREACAIN, NOW TOOMREGAN, COUNTY OF CAVAN.

    In the Calendar of St. Aengus, there is a commemoration of Brecc-buaid, who was called forth from Ireland:

    “With Breccbuaid, who was called forth from Ireland,
    I reckon Eolang,
    holy, fair pillar of Achad Bo,
    a victory of piety.”—

    It occurs at this date. A comment is found affixed, which very fairly gives us to understand, that the scholiast had no precise knowledge regarding the saint there recorded.

    The Irish is thus rendered into English by Dr. Whitley Stokes :

    ” Briccine of Tuaim Drecoin, in Brefne of Connaught, I reckon.

    Or ‘with Breccbuaid,’ i.e., various victory, i.e., men and women giving him victory, namely, in undergoing Martyrdom together with him, for thai is a victory to him, since he it is that preached unto them God’s word.”

    It may be observed here—once for all — that the O’Clerys are too apt, in following the authority of this scribe, to suppose that he is always reliable, and frequently they assume, that his conjectures in notes on the Calendar of Aengus may be resolved into statements to be accepted. Accordingly, in the Martyrology of Donegal, we find set down at the 5th of September, a festival in honour of Bricin. A space is left there for an insertion , the compiler of the Calendar having been uncertain whether Bricin should be classed as a bishop or as a priest. It is remarkable, that in the Scottish Kalendar of Drummond, he is noticed as a Confessor, and belonging to Ireland. According to the calendarist, Bricin is said to have been of Tuaim Dreacain, in Breifne of Connaught. But, immediately afterwards, he adds, it is in Breifne Ui Raghallaigh. The place of this saint has been anglicised as Toomregan. In the County of Cavan, there is a parish so called, and a part of which extends within the adjoining County of Fermanagh. Another conjectural emendation for his locality, and reference to the designation Brecc-Buaid— rendered ‘various reward,’ and applied to him—is given by the scholiast on the Calendar of Oengus.

    The note in Irish is thus translated:

    “i.e. folk of every age he brought to Christ, or he won a victory from divers champions,
    i.e. , Briccin of Disert, Briccin in Ui-Drona, or Briccin of Tuaim-Drecain, in Brefne of Connaught.”

    So that Briccin seems to have been his real name.

    According to the O’Clerys, this saint belonged to the race of Tadhg, son to Cian, son of Oilill Olum. We cannot rely, however, on the accuracy of this statement ; nor can we at all find materials, to disclose any reliable facts in relation to him. Neither in the Martyrology of Tallagh, published by the Rev. Dr. Matthew Kelly, nor in that contained in the Book of Leinster, is there any entry of Brecc-buaid or Bricin, at this date. If we are to accept the statement, that Brecc-buaid was called forth from Ireland; perhaps he was one of the many missionaries who left our country to spread the Gospel in more distant lands. The names of numerous Irish saints are endeared to grateful Catholic memories; but, the record of a still greater number of worthies is now wholly forgotten.

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