On April 14 we commemorate a saint with a role in Patrician hagiography, Tassach of Raholp, County Down.  For tradition says that it was Saint Tassach who administered the Holy Communion to Saint Patrick on his deathbed. He is associated with the site of a small church at Raholp, and an online report on recent excavations at the site can be read here. Below is Canon O’Hanlon’s account of the saint which draws on the various traditions surrounding him, chief of which was that Tassach was a skilled craftsman whose name is linked to the most famous relic of Saint Patrick, the Bachall Íosa, or Staff of Jesus.

ST. TASSACH, BISHOP OF RAHOLP, COUNTY OF DOWN.
[FIFTH CENTURY.]

FROM his peculiar connexion with the great Irish Apostle, St. Patrick, the present holy personage deservedly fills a niche, among our earliest Christian celebrities. The name of Tassach, Bishop, occurs, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at this date. While the Bollandists enter his name, S. Tassagus, from the same authority, they state, that nothing had come under their reading regarding him, or the other Irish Saints it notices, on the 14th of April. Our national hagiologist. Father John Colgan, appears to have prepared some acts of this saint, for publication, at this day; and, he promised a further dissertation, regarding the present holy man, at the 14th of April. In one passage of the Tripartite Life, our Saint’s name seems to have been rather erroneously written Tassa. The name of this holy bishop is to be found, likewise, in Fitzsimon’s Catalogue of our national Saints.

It may be reasonably conjectured, that St. Tassach was born some time, in the earlier part of the fifth century ; but where or when, we are not able to ascertain. His parents were pagans, we may presume, and it seems not unlikely they were connected with the northern parts of Ulster, which are associated, likewise, with the ministry of this holy bishop. Being classed, as a disciple of St. Patrick, St. Tassach was baptized, most probably, among the earliest converts made, when that part of Ultonia, where the Irish Apostle first landed, had been visited. Either he was brought up to some skilled workmanship in metals, or he had a natural taste for mechanics and art, in such a direction. But, we are at a loss to discover, when the Irish Apostle formed the acquaintance of Tassach, and learned to appreciate his sincere piety and artistic ingenuity…

It seems probable, that St. Tassach had been prepared for the priesthood, by St. Patrick himself; but, by whom he was ordained, we do not discover. Again, Tassach had the gift of prophecy, for the Apostle of Ireland, he had predicted, should receive the Holy Viaticum, at his hands. We are informed, that St. Tassach was appointed as bishop over the Church, at Raholp; but, our early annals do not record any successors in this See. The townland lies, in the west angle of Ballyculter Parish. In a sub denomination, called Banagher, or Benagh, about 100 yards to the right of that road, leading from Downpatrick to Ballyculter, are the ruins, called Churchmoyley. Tradition ascribes the foundation of the Church of St. Patrick, to whom the present saint was artificer, and bishop, as stated in an old gloss, to the Martyroiogy of St. Aengus. Here, St. Tassach most probably lived, and in close relationship, with his venerated Master, especially during the declining period of St. Patrick’s life. The church ruins and cemetery there occupy about half a rood of ground. From its elevation above the surrounding field, the latter appears to have been formerly a rath.

We are furnished with very few details, which might enable us to form a proper estimate of St. Tassach’s missionary career. He was one of Patrick’s most favourite companions, and an artificer, who manufactured for him croziers, crosses, shrines, and bells, according to received accounts. Even, by St. Fiach, we are told, that Tassach was a worker in metals, for St. Patrick; and, it is stated, that he first covered the staff of Jesus, with elegant workmanship, in his art. One of the most remarkable events of his life is the recorded fact, that he was the Tassach, who gave the body of Christ to St Patrick and at the request of the Apostle, in the monastery of Sabhall, or Saul, as the Life of Patrick states. Besides, various Acts of our Apostle allude to him, as having administered the Holy Communion to St. Patrick, when he had been admonished by the Angel of his approaching end, and during the holy man’s last illness. At Kill-Chlopta,near Down, his Natalis was celebrated; but, we have no account of when he died, only that we may safely infer, St. Tassach survived his illustrious master, in the government of his particular See. From an early date, this holy Bishop seems to have been venerated in the Irish Church; and, we find him commemorated by St. Aengus, in his Feilire, at the 14th of April. At the same date, he is noticed, in the Martyrology of Marianus O’Gorman. Likewise, on this day, we find mentioned in the Martyrology of Donegal, the name of Tassach, Bishop, of Rath Colptha, or Raholp, in Ulster, i.e., in Leth-Cathail, now known as Lecale. Under the local heading, Duald Mac Firbis enters, Bishop Tassach—in Rath-Colpa—Patrick’s artist—it was he that gave the communion to Patrick, before his death; at April the 4th is the date for his feast. In Scotland, St. Tassagh was commemorated, likewise, on this day, as we find it, in the Kalendar of Drummond. This commemoration was due, doubtless, to the circumstance of his close connection during life with St. Patrick, whose glorious and holy departure he helped to sooth and lighten, by the body and blood of our Divine Lord.

On April 8 we commemorate one of the abbots of Bangor, Saint Cennfaoladh. It seems from Canon O’Hanlon’s account below that the site of Saint Comgall’s famous monastery was one of those visited in person by him as part of his research:

ST. CENNFAOLADH, ABBOT OF BANGOR, COUNTY OF DOWN.

[SEVENTH AND EIGHTH CENTURIES.]

A MAN, who rendered essential service to the cause of religion, humanity, and civilization, deserves to be a beloved and respected historic celebrity. The present holy Abbot had a sensitive and chivalrous feeling, which urged him to labour for the correction of a great social evil, and for the emancipation of women, from a state of degradation, by no means creditable to the customs or policy of past times. In the “Feilire” of St. Aengus, his festival was commemorated, at the 8th of April. We find Cendfaoladh, Abbot of Bennchair, at the record, concerning him, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, on this date. From the same source, and at the same day, the Bollandists set down, Kinfseladius, Abbas Benchorensis. St. Cennfaoladh was the grandson to Aedh Breac, according to the Annals of Ulster, and those of the Four Masters. He became Abbot of Bangor, in the county of Down, most probably soon after the death of Cronan Slacu Caulne, whose departure is variedly placed, at A.D. 686, 688, and 690. However, it has been stated, on the authority of Fleming, that St. Kennfaelus was Abbot here, so early as A.D. 678. The place was called Great Bangor, by which the early Irish Annalists distinguished it from Bangor of the Britons, in Wales. It has been stated, that on the present site of the English church, stood the ancient one of Beanchuir, or Bangor. This, however, seems to me an inexact location, nor does it accord with the tradition of the inhabitants. The situation of the old monastery was undoubtedly within a vale, on either side of which two gentle eminences or ridges of land are to be seen.

And its locality well deserved the title of the Vale of Angels — which according to the old narrative it formerly bore — as well on account of its beautiful site, as also for the reason, that a numerous band of holy men sung the praises of the Almighty, on the spot, and for a long lapse of ages. In the beginning of the last century, Bishop De Burgo saw some ruins of Bangor monastery. Immediately adjoining the church, the ruined walls of an old building are even yet shown; and they lie, partly within the garden of the Rectory, or Glebe House, and partly facing the ornamental grounds of Bangor Castle, within the demesne enclosure, and not far from its entrance gate. Those ruins are situated, about one-half statute mile, from the waters of Bangor Bay. They are partly covered with trees and creeping plants. Although of some extent and height, they appear quite featureless, on the exterior, whence only the writer had been enabled to obtain a view of them. He was informed, by an intelligent inhabitant of Bangor who accompanied him, that the ancient cemetery extended a considerable distance, from these old walls, into the demense, as could be proved, from the quantity of human bones, removed from time to time, by labourers engaged in effecting improvements. He gave me to understand, that local traditions confirmed these disentombed indications of a former burial place; while the same traditions assigned the ancient monastic site to that place, where the present old walls are to be seen.

As we learn, from the Life of St. Comgall, Bangor was founded, about the year 558; and, before half a century had passed, it was in such celebrity, that a great number of monks flocked to it. From the earliest period, Bangor had been regarded, as belonging to the civil territory of the Ards. Among the Acts, which reflect such great credit on the memory of our Abbot, the Cain Adamnain states, that this Cennfaeladh was among the saints, who went security for liberating women from military service, from bondage, and from every other kind of slavery. He died, in the early part of the eighth century, on the 8th of April, A.D. 704, according to the Annals of Ulster, and of the Four Masters. According to the Martyrology of Donegal, St. Cennfaelad, Abbot of Bennchair, was venerated on this day. In an Irish Calendar, preserved at the Royal Irish Academy, the same statement is made, but the year given, A.D. 674, seems to be assigned for the date of his death.

This feast is in the Calendar, compiled by Rev. William Reeves. We find him recorded, in the Scottish Kalendar of Drummond, as a holy confessor, at this date, assigned for his departure to Christ. The life of a true saint should not only be aglow with promise, like the bright mornings of Summer; but, it ought to become still more mellowed and beautiful, like the evening’s setting sun. As the Autumn proves its richness, with the golden sheaves and luscious fruits, so must good works and words ripen into merit, towards the harvest time of a well-spent existence.

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