OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Category: Saints of Derry

  • Saint Maolan of Enagh, January 4

    January 4 is the feast of a saint of the Derry area who may have been related to the family of Saint Colum Cille, Maolan of Enagh. Canon O’Hanlon tells us what is known of him:

    ST. MAOLAN, OF ENAGH, PROBABLY IN THE PARISH OF CLONDERMOT, COUNTY OF LONDONDERRY.

    From the extreme north to the extreme south, and from points the most distant in the east or west, spots of former ecclesiastical interest and importance are to be found in Ireland. There is entered in the “Martyrology of Tallagh” on the 4th of January the name Maolan, Eanaigh, more generally written Enagh. Maolan, of Enach, occurs likewise in the “Martyrology of Donegal” on this day. It is quite probable this saint had his dwelling within the present parish of Glendermot, or Clondermot, in the barony of Tirkeeran, county of Londonderry.

    There, it would appear, considerable remains of old ecclesiastical foundations are yet visible; and at an early period, it is said Saints Patrick and Columkille founded religious houses in this place. The ruins of Annagh, or Enagh, near one lough of this name, are very extensive. Many other places having a similar etymon are to be found in various parts of Ireland. If the conjecture of Colgan be admitted, it is possible the present saint may be identified with St. Moelchuo, son to Degill and Cumenia, sister to the great St. Columkille. The words Moelchuo and Moelan have nearly the same signification in Irish. Except St. Melchuo, the nephew and disciple of St. Patrick, and who was bishop over Ardagh about the year 460, Colgan was not able to find the natalis of any saint similarly named in our calendars. Hence he seems inclined to conclude, that the St. Melchuo, nephew to St. Columkille, may perchance be St. Maolan, of Enach; or, if not, St. Maelan, of Snamhluthair, now Slanore, in the county of Cavan. If the nephew of St. Columkille can be identified with the present saint, then his period should be assigned to the close of the sixth or to the beginning of the seventh century. But it must be confessed the conjecture appears rather apocryphal. He may have lived at an earlier or a later date than the epoch noted.

    Enagh lies about two miles north-east of Derry; and here formerly the O’Cahans or O’Kanes had their chief residence in the castle of Enagh, situated on an island in Eastern Lough Enagh. From this family the whole tract from the Foyle to the Bann was called the O’Cahan country. The church ruins at this place are very extensive. They measure ninety-one by twenty-one feet, with a transept on the south twenty-three feet square. In the year 1197, Rotsel Piton violated the religious establishment here, and he was afterwards defeated on the strand of Faughanvale. In former times, Enagh was a chapel of Clondermot, in the corps of the deanery. It seems to have been well endowed by the O’Kanes, and to have been managed by a Herenach about the beginning of the seventeenth century. The exact period of St. Maolan’s career upon earth yet remains in doubt.

     

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  • Saint Finlugh of Tamlachtfinlagan, January 3

    January 3 is the feast of two saintly brothers, Fintan and Finlugh. Last year I looked at the life of Saint Fintan of Doone in a post which can be found here, now we can turn to the life of his brother Finlugh as recorded by Canon O’Hanlon in Volume 1 of his Lives of the Irish Saints:

     

    ST. FINLUGH, LUGAD OR FINN-LUGAIN, PATRON OF TAMLACHTFINLAGAN, COUNTY OF LONDONDERRY. [Sixth Century.]

    This holy man was brother to the preceding saint [i.e. Fintan of Doone], but whether senior or junior to him does not appear. He is variously named. Sometimes he is called Finlog or Finlugh, Lugad, Lagan, or Logha. The latter forms appear to represent his original name, to which the prefix Finn or Fionn, which signifies ” white” or “fair,” was afterwards added. This appellation was probably bestowed on account of some quality of complexion, or from the colour of his hair. He had the same father and mother as Fintan; and to the former biography the reader is referred for notices regarding them. At the 3rd day of January, St. Finlog, as well as his brother Fintan, was venerated at Dunbleisque, or Doone; and again do we learn from St. Aengus and his commentator, from the “Martyrology of Tallagh,” from the ” Calendar of Cashel,” and from Marianus O’Gorman, as also from the “Martyrology of Donegal” that St.Finlog had been venerated at Tamlacht Finnlogha, or Finlagan, in the territory of Cianachta Glinne Geimhin, on this same day. Finlog seems to have been originally the disciple of his brother, at Dunbleisque, where, as has been- already related, it was predicted that he should pass over the sea, and die an exile from the country of his birth. In the former life we have already related the manner of his departure. It is thought probable, that he went to Iona, and that he was the identical Findluganus, who interposed to save the life of his great master, St. Columkille, in the island of Hinba. We are informed, that while living here St. Columkille had resolved on excommunicating certain oppressors of religious houses. Among these, Joan, the son of Conall, was especially conspicuous. One of his wicked associates was called Lamh Dess. Instigated by the devil, he rushed on the saint with a spear intending to kill Columba. To prevent this dreaded result, one of the brethren, named Findlugan, put on the saint’s garment and interposed his person, being ready to die for sake of the holy man. But St. Columba’s garment served as a kind of strong and impenetrable shield, which could not be pierced by the thrust of a very sharp spear, although made by a powerful man. The brother who wore it remained safe and uninjured under divine protection. The ruffian who attempted this outrage, and whose name is found Latinized Manus Dextra, retired, thinking he had transfixed the saint with his spear. Exactly one year afterwards, when the saint was in the island of Hy, he said: ” A year has just now elapsed since that day when Lamh-dess did his best to put Findlugan to death in my place, but that man is now slain, as I believe, and on this very hour.” So it happened; for at that moment, according to the saint’s revelation, in an island which is Latinized “Longa,” in English, “Long Island,” a battle was fought between a number of opposing warriors. Lamh-dess alone was slain by Conan, son of Baithen, and transfixed with a dart. It is said, this stroke was given in the name of St. Columba.

    After the fall of Lamh-dess the battle ceased. Whether these events occurred before or after what remains to be noted regarding St. Finlog cannot very clearly be ascertained. Again, St. Columkille is said to have founded a religious establishment at a place near Lough Foyle, in the barony of Kenaught, county of Londonderry. The townland is called Tamlacht. Over the house thus established the great father of Irish monasticism placed his disciple, Finlog, as first abbot. Hence the place seems to have derived its appellation of Tamlachtfinlaghan. It is now a parish in the diocese of Derry. The place of the old monastic site is marked by a much frequented cemetery, within the enclosure of which are the ruins of an old church. Whether any portion of this building dates back to the time of St. Finlog may very fairly be questioned…

    Besides his cultus at Tamlacht Finnlaghan, and Dunbleisque, St. Finlog appears to have been venerated, likewise, on the island of St. Finlagan, where are the ruins of a small chapel dedicated to him. That island lies within Loch Finlagan, in the parish of Killarrow, at Islay, or Ila. From this fresh water lake flows the Killarrow river, and between the chapel of St. Finlagan and the east coast at Kilcholmkill stood a chapel dedicated to St. Columba. Before the year 1380, John, lord of the Isles, is said to have roofed the chapel of Finlagan and other churches. He gave them, moreover, proper furniture for the service of God, and for the maintenance of officiating clergy. The lords of the Isles exercised the right of patronage in connexion with the chapels of St. Finlagan and of St. Columba. On the island cemetery of Finlagan the wives and children of the island lords were buried, while these latter were buried at Iona—regarded as still more sacred ground. It may have been the case that a part of St. Columba’s missionary enterprise embraced Islay, and that St. Finlog either founded a church at Loch Finlagan, or lived and, perhaps, died there ; but great uncertainty prevails in reference to these matters.

    The Christian courage and charity of this saint deserve well the encomium of Prince O’Donnell, for he desired to sacrifice his own life in preserving that of his great spiritual father, whose loss to the Church Findlugan deemed irreparable on earth. Greater charity than this no man possesses, when he is ready to give up his own life for the safety of his friends. Utterly unselfish and nobly generous was his spirit of self-devotedness. His humility and obedience were equally conspicuous, for he felt ready to accept any injunction which might best promote God’s honour. In either Scotia his religious acts were conspicuous; and the people both of Ireland and of Scotland have just reasons for celebrating his virtues.

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  • Saint Columb Crag of Enagh, September 22

     

    September 22 is the feast of a northern saint, Columb Crag of Enagh, near Derry. The Martyrology of Donegal on this date simply records ‘COLUM, Priest, of Enach’ while the Martyrology of Gorman describes him as ‘Colomb, vehement, delightful (?)’. It is only in Adamnán’s Life of Saint Columba, that we get a further glimpse into the character of Columb Crag. There he is depicted as a wise spiritual father who counsels Saint Fintan Munnu. Apart from this episode, nothing else seems to be known of Saint Columb. We will start with the account from O’Hanlon’s Lives of the Irish Saints and conclude with the text from the Life of Saint Columba:

     

    ST. COLUM, OR COLOMB CRAG, PRIEST AT ENACH

    THE present servant of God seems to have been born early in the sixth century. Already has allusion been made to him in the Life of St. Columkille. The parentage of this St. Columb — surnamed Crag—is unknown ; but by Colgan he has been considered identical with a very wise and venerable man, who was the friend of St. Fintan Munnu, in the younger years of the latter, and probably also a spiritual director. However this may be, when Fintan Munnu desired to take a voyage from Derry to Iona, in order to visit St. Columba, he sought the advice of Columb Crag, who then resided at Eanach, and northwards from Derry. By our saint, Fintan was confirmed in that purpose, in the earlier part of June, A.D. 597.

    Soon arrived monks from Derry, who brought news to Eanach from Iona, that the great archimandrite was dead. All who heard this shed tears in abundance. Nevertheless, when informed, that Columbkille had appointed St. Baithan as his successor, Columb Crag asked Fintan what he then desired to do. The latter replied, that he should still persist in his purpose of going to Iona to place himself under the rule of that pious and wise man Baithen as his Abbot.

    The Church of Columb Crag was at Enach, in the northern part of Ireland, at this time, when he was regarded as a venerable old man. As to whether he had been a superior of monks we have no record left. About two miles to the north-east of Derry, this church of Enagh— between the two small Loughs of Eastern and Western Enagh —was situated in the present townland of Templetown… At present, there are no ruins or any traditions about St. Columb Crag, at Templetown. There are few townland denominations more numerous in Ireland than those known as Anna, or Annagh—the modern equivalent for Enach. The compounds of this form are still more numerous. It therefore would not be easy of accomplishment to identify this exact locality, but that Colgan gives us a further clue, by calling the present Saint Columba Cragius, superior of Enagh, or the church of Cluainenaich, near Derry, in Ulster. For this statement, too, he cites the authority of Adamnán. St. Columb Crag survived St. Columbkille, but whether or not he lived into the seventh century is unknown.

    In the Martyrology of Marianus O’Gorman, at the 22nd of September, there is a festival for Colomb, vehement, delightful (?) as the Calendarist pleases to style him; while the scholion observes he was a priest from Enach. According to the Martyrology of Donegal, Colum, Priest of Enach, was venerated at the 22nd of September. In the year 1197, this church of Cluain-i Eanach was plundered by Rostel Pyton, a partisan of John De Courcy and the English of Ulidia, during a predatory excursion.

     

    From Adomnán’s Life of Saint Columba

    [I 2] Of the Abbot St. Fintan mac Tulcháin.

    St. Fintan, by God’s help, kept himself chaste in body and soul from boyhood and devoted himself to the pursuit of godly wisdom, and in due course he came to enjoy renown among all the churches of Ireland. But while he was a young man he had in his heart this wish, to leave Ireland behind him and to join St.Columba in his life of pilgrimage. On fire with this desire, he approached a wise and venerable priest, a man of his own people and a personal friend, called Columb Crag, and asked his advice. Having told him what was in his mind, he got this answer:

    ‘Your desire, I think, is devout and inspired by God. Who can stop you or say you should not sail away to St Columba?’

    That very hour it happened that two of St Columba’s monks arrived, who, when asked about their journey, replied:

    ‘We rowed across from Britain not long ago, and today have come from Derry’.

    ‘And is your holy father Columba in good health?’ asked Columb Crag.

    ‘Truly’ they said, with tears and great sorrow, ‘our patron is in the best of health since only a few days ago he departed to Christ’.

    Hearing this, Fintan and Columb and everyone present looked down at the ground and wept bitterly. In a little while, Fintan continued, asking:

    ‘Whom has he left to succeed him?’

    ‘Baithéne’, they said, his disciple’.

    And all cried out, ‘It is meet and right’.

    Columb said to Fintan:

    ‘What will you do now, Fintan?’

    ‘If the Lord will permit me’, he answered, ‘I shall sail away to Baithéne, who is a holy and wise man. If he will receive me, he shall be my abbot’.

    Then he kissed Columb and took his leave, preparing to sail without delay to Iona.

    Richard Sharpe ed. and trans., The Life of Saint Columba, (Penguin Books, 1991), 212-213.

     

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