OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Category: Saints of Laois

  • Sletty

    October 12 is the feast day of Saint Fiacc of Sletty, County Laois, a saint around whom there is a rich hagiographical and folk tradition. Saint Fiacc is identified as one of the very earliest Irish saints, converted directly from paganism by Saint Patrick himself. An earlier post for Saint Fiacc can be found here but below is a reminder of the man and his locality from a late nineteenth-century paper by Father Michael Comerford. It includes many episodes from hagiography and ends with a useful summary of entries from the Irish Annals relating to Sletty and its saintly abbots:

    SLETTY.

    Sletty was at one time. a place of great importance, being the residence of the chief Bishop of Leinster. The name is translated mantesby Colgan, and Duald MacFirbis, speaking of St. Fiacc, the patron of the place, calls him Fiacc, of Cill Sleibhe, i.e., of the mountain of Drim Gabhla. The name must have been originally given to the church, from its contiguity to the mountain of Sliabh-Mairge (O9 Donovan Ord. Survey). No part of the original Patrician Church remains. The present old church measures on the inside 24 feet in breadth, and 42 feet in length. The old gable is totally destroyed, and its place is occupied by a modern wall about five feet high. The W. gable is in tolerable preservation, and so clothed in ivy that you cannot see its features (if any it has). The S. wall contains a rude window (near the S.E. corner), which is broad inside and narrow outside and a doorway near the S.W. corner, with a singular top in limestone, the sides being firestone. I take this to be a doorway of the thirteenth century. In the churchyard, nearly opposite the N.W. corner of the W. gable, stands a granite cross about 7 feet 10 inches high. It was never inscribed. I think that it is as old as St. Fiacc.

    Sir Charles Coote mentions this cross, and another one like it, as standing in this churchyard. Inside the old church of Sletty, near the doorway, and to the left as you enter, there is. a large font of granite with a deep circular hollow, and pierced in, the centre, which appears to me to have belonged to the primitive church of St. Fiacc. There was also a holy well near this church called Tober-Feeg, but it is now stopped up.— (O’D.)

    The following account of St. Fiacc is taken from the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, Part 8 :- –

    ” Then Patrick placed over all Leinster, as supreme Bishop, Saint Fiacc, a man of most celebrated sanctity, whose first conversion and ordination happened in this manner. When St. Patrick proceeded from Tara to the territory of Southern Leinster, called Hy-Kenneselach, he met in the plain commonly called Mag-Craithar, where afterwards was built the Church of Domnach-Mor, that royal poet, Dubthach, the son of Lugaire, who, as well on account of his great piety towards God, and devotion to Patrick, as on account of his rare excellence in the metrical art, and his ancient and eloquent works, is of very celebrated memory and fame among the historians of Ireland. To this man, who had already embraced the Christian faith, the blessed Prelate was very much attached and devoted, as well on account of the singular probity of the man, as for the skill, on account of which he was the arch-poet, or prince of the poets of the age of the kingdom. The blessed man, then familiarly conversing with him asked of him where he should find, according to the precept of the Apostle, a man, the husband of one wife, sober, prudent, of good behaviour, hospitable, a teacher ; whom, having ordained him Bishop, he might place over that province. Dubthach answered that all these qualities were (to be) found in a certain disciple of his, Fiacc, the son of Ere, whose wife had lately departed, leaving an only son, by name Fiacra, and whom he had sent into Connaught to present certain poems of his to the princes of that land ; but while they were engaged in these discourses they beheld Fiacc returning; whom when he saw that the mind of Patrick was borne towards him, Dubthach resolved to induce him to consent to the wishes of the holy man, although otherwise he would not, without reluctance, forego his presence. And to this end St. Patrick and Dubthach devise this pious craft. For they pretended that Dubthach is immediately to receive clerical tonsure from the band of Patrick. Which, when Fiacc coming up, understood, he says to the holy prelate— Holy Father, whether would it not be better that I should receive clerical tonsure, who am of younger age and less necessary to the state than my master, who is advanced in years and very necessary for his children, and is (held) in great esteem by the chiefs of the kingdom. Patrick answered that the spontaneous offering was acceptable and grateful to him. Patrick, therefore, first baptised Fiacc, who before was only a catechumen, and afterwards gave him tonsure, and delivered to him an alphabet written with his own hand, and imparted his benediction, which he having obtained, learned the entire psalter in one day (or in fifteen days, as others say), and within a short space of time, assisted by the grace of the Holy Ghost, made such a progress in the studies of sanctity and letters, that he seemed to his master worthy, not only to be ordained bishop first, of all the Lagenians, but also to be placed over that entire province as supreme prelate. Patrick ordained with his own hand also his son, Fiaccra after he had become mature in years and learning. St. Fiacc first built a church in a place which, from his name, was afterwards called Domnach-Fiacc, i.e., the church of Fiacc, and he (St. Patrick) left him sacred utensils, ramely, a ministerial bell, the epistles of St. Paul, and a pastoral staff. He also left seven of his (disciples) companions of his labours, and imitators of his actions, namely, Muchatoc, of Inis-fail ; Augustin, of lnis-beg; Tecan, Diarmait, Nainnid, Paul, and Fedhelim.f But the most holy bishop and abbot, Fiacc, remained in the Church of Domnach-Fiacc until he had sent before him to heaven sixty saints of his disciples. But afterwards an angel of the Lord came to him, saying that the place of his resurrection would not be there, but beyond the river to the west ; and he bids him to erect a monastery there, in a place called Cuil-muige, assigning a proper and convenient place for each of the officials. For he directed him to build a refectory where (he should find) a boar and a church where he should find a doe. The holy man, a pattern of obedience, answered the angel that he would not dare to commence the building of a church unless his father and master, Patrick, would first measure and consecrate its site and dimensions. Patrick, therefore, being informed and requested, came to that place which is commonly called Slebhte, i.e., mountains, and there, according to the directions of the angel, he laid and consecrated the foundation of a church and monastery. But that place in which the church and monastery of Slebhte were built, was granted, not to Fiacc, but to Patrick, by Crimthaun, the son of Kenselah, King of Leinster, who a little before, was washed by St. Patrick in the saving laver (of Baptism), and was afterwards buried in the same place. For the noble family from which Fiacc sprang was then very much oppressed, and banished into different parts of Ireland by the aforesaid Crimthaun, King of Leinster. For from it monks in the territory Hy-Crimthaun derive their origin, and monks in Ulster, and the people of Kinell-Euna, in Munster. And amongst others were then banished four brothers of St. Fiacc — namely, Ailill, Aengus-mor, Conal, and Etherschel ; and their father was called Mac-Erc. Whence, although the place in which the Church of Slebhte was built, was in the patrimony of St. Fiacc ; still he would not have received it from the king, on account of the animosities and discords just mentioned, which existed between him and the family and brothers of St. Fiacc, had not St. Patrick interposed ; at whose intercession King Crimthaun granted to St. Fiacc not only a place for building, but also a portion adjoining it, or a fifth part of his paternal lands, with which he enriched that church, in which he placed an Episcopal See. But Aengus, the aforesaid brother of Fiacc, in revenge of the injuries of banishment inflicted on him and his family, at length slew King Crimthann, the chief enemy of himself and his family. Notwithstanding this, Grimthann was a king pious towards God and devoted to the servant of God, Patrick, and piously liberal and bountiful in erecting and endowing the churches of God. For he built and endowed with lands, first thirty churches, and afterwards forty, to God and Patrick, in the territory of Hy-Kennselach, and Eastern Leinster; among which were the church of Domnac-Criathar, of which above ; and of Inis-fail, in which he left Sts Mochonoc (Feast 12th Feb.), and Machadoc (Feast 24th Jan.), and another in Inis-beg, in which he left Erditus and Augustin. (Both Inisfail and Inis-beg are in the diocese of Ferns — O’D.) But after the Gentiles had taken possession of the Church of Slebhte these churches became desolate and deserted.
    The sacred festivity of the Lord’s Day arriving, St. Patrick delayed in the plain of Maghdele-Biada (Morett, adjoining the Great Heath of Maryborough), and in a place which afterwards, from the church which was erected there, is called Domnach-mor, ie, the Great Church Having founded churches, and disposed of the affairs of the Catholic cause through Leinster, and having ordained Fiacc (Bishop) of Slebhte and supreme Bishop of the entire province undertaking his journey by Belach-Gaurain, Patrick betook himself to Origia or Ossory, &c.”

    The title of Archbishop in the province of Leinster first belonged to the See of Sletty. By a decree of a synod, held at the request of Brandubh, King of Leinster, early in the seventh century, this dignity passed to the bishopric of Ferns (Ussher, p. 965), and was afterwards transferred to Kildare. It is certain, however, that these archbishops were not, strictly speaking, Metropolitans, nor were they invested with archiepiscopal power, or that jurisdiction provided bv the canon law. They enjoyed, by courtesy, and very often, through the favour of princes, a degree of honorary pre-eminence, and for this reason we find the title passing, in those days, from one see to another.— (Brenan, Eccl. Hist., vol. 1, p. 150).

    St. Fiacc was born about the year 437. He was of the Hy-Bairrache race, descendants of King Gahir-Mor. His father was twice married, first to a daughter of Crimthamn, King of Hy-Kinnceslach, by whom he had four sons, whose names have already been given ; and secondly, to the mother of St. Fiacc, who is said to have been a sister of Dubhtach, the poet. Dubhtach adopted Fiacc as his pupil whilst yet a youth. He became a Christian convert, like his master, but it would appear not for a considerable time after him, as we find him still a catechumen on the occasion of St. Patrick’s consultation with Dubhtach, about the tnateries of a bishop, when Fiacc was recommended for that office. Fiacc was then a widower with one son, Fiacra. St. Patrick, having “put the grade of a bishop on him,” made Fiacc the presents referred to above, and left with him the seven saintly companions there named. The place where St. Fiacc founded his first monastery was called after him, Domnach-Fiacc, and was probably situated between Clonmore and Aghold, in the parish of Clonmore, near the bounds of the counties of Carlow and Wicklow. Some are disposed to hold that this first establishment of St. Fiacc was at the place now known as Bestfield, on the side of the Barrow, opposite to Sletty. Here he must have remained many years, as it is recorded that he did not leave it till he had sent sixty of his disciples to heaven. Then an angel appeared, and notified to him that the place of his resurrection (the place where he should be buried, and should arise from on the day of general resurrection) was to be on the west of the river Barrow. Fiacc objected to go until he had the approval of St. Patrick, and until that saint had actually marked out the site of his future monastery and church for him, St. Patrick obtained from King Crimthann the site, and also an extensive district adjoining, as an endowment. Through the action of Patrick the king granted him (Fiacc) land, the fifth part (of his father’s possession, and thereon it was that he built Sleibhte” — (Egerton Trip.) This took place probably between the years 469 and 480.

    The territory about Sletty had (originally belonged to the family of St. Fiacc, but King Crimthann had forcibly taken possession of it, and driven all the family into exile. After the conversion of Crimthann by St. Patrick, and his baptism by that saint at Rathviliy, where he had his royal residence, at the solicitation of St. Patrick, he made the gift referred to in favour of St. Fiacc, and he also selected Sletty as the place of his future interment.” After this went Patrick to Fiacc, and measured his place for him, and consecrated it, and marked out his Forrach there ; and Crimthann granted the place to Patrick, for it was Patrick that gave Baptism to Crimthann, and it is in Sleibhte that Crimthann was buried.” — (Stokes’ Goidilica, p. 104). Crimthann was slain by his grandson, Aengus, in revenge for the injuries he had inflicted on his family. This took place in the year 483 (Annals of Ulster). The records of the life of St. Fiacc inform us that he was remarkable for his penitential austerities.” This Bishop Fiacc, with great patience, subdued his fleshy appetites and concupiscence, and finished a most holy course of life in his city of Sleibhti, near the river Barrow, in the White Field” (Ware’s Irish Writers, p. 6). And in the ” Vita Tripart,” written by St. Evin, it is stated that Fiacc went on Shrove Saturday to a cave on the hill of Dromm-Coblai, bringing with him five barley loaves, mingled with ashes. At the end of Lent he returned to Sletty to celebrate with his brethren the joyous festival of Easter. Father Shearman gives strong reason for concluding that the cave to which St. Fiacc used to retire for the penitential observance of Lent was that at Clopoke, which is distant about seven miles north-west of Sletty. He says that there lingers still in the locality a tradition that in ages past a saint used to retire to this cave to pray and fast, after which he returned to his distant church by a subterranean passage leading south, which is supposed to be still in existence (Loca Patr.) St. Fiacc being disabled from sickness, St. Patrick sent him from Armagh a chariot and horses at the suggestion of Lechnall (Vita Tripa.) ” The cause of giving this chariot to Fiacc was that chafers had gnawed his leg, so that death was near him.” The date of St. Fiacc’s death is not recorded; probably it did not take place till about the year 510. In the Liber Hymnorum, a MS. preserved in Trinity College, Dublin, and which Dr. Petrie reckoned to be about two hundred years old, is to be found a poem on the Life of St. Patrick, attributed to St. Fiacc. The best Celtic philologists, judging from its language alone, unhesitatingly refer it to the sixth century. The introduction to the poem states — ” Fiacc of Sletty it was that composed this eulogy of Patrick. . . . The place (where it was composed) was Duma Gobla, to the north-west of Sletty. The time was that of Lugdach MacLaegaire, who was King of Ireland then — the occasion was to eulogise Patrick, and it was after his (Patrick’s) death it was composed, as some authors say.” Some of the critics judge that the hymn in its present form was not, strictly speaking, the composition of St. Fiacc; that he was the writer of an historical poem on St. Patrick is admitted, though it is thought that the poem was fashioned into its present form by some other hand — perhaps, by St. Fiacc’ s successor in the See of Sletty, St. Aedh (Hugh), who died in 698. Besides this poem other compositions have been ascribed by ancient writers to St. Fiacc. A Latin poem in honour of St. Brigid (Book of Hymns, published by Dr. Todd for I.A.S , p. 57), though generally attributed to St. Ultan of Ardbraccan, is said in the old Irish Introduction to have been by some referred to St. Fiach of Slebhte. There is a short Irish prayer preserved in the MSS. of the Liber Hymnorum which may with more certainty be assigned to our saint. Whether composed by St. Fiacc himself, or by his disciple St. Nennidh, it will serve to show forth the sentiments of at least the school of St. Fiacc. For the poem we must refer the reader to the I. E. Record, vol. 4.

    The prayer being short, the translation of it is here inserted.

    ” It was Ninan, the poet, that made this prayer, or it was Fiacc of Sletty.

    ” Let us put our trust in Patrick, chief apostle of Ireland. A bright flame, honourable, illustrious his name. He baptised Gentiles ; he battled with obdurate Druids. He overcame proud men by the aid of the King of bright heavens. He sanctified the fair plains of Erin. Great is the man to whom we pray. Let us pray to Patrick, chief apostle, to save us on the Judgment Day from eternal condemnation, and from the evil designs of wicked demons. May God be with me, with the prayer of Patrick, Chief Apostle.”

    St. Fiacra succeeded his father as Bishop and Abbot of Sletty— the particulars of his life have not been preserved, further than that he was ordained by St. Patrick, and that he rests in the same grave with St. Fiacc. The memory of these saints was celebrated on the same day, on the 12th October, ” Fiac ocus Fiachra ejus filius cum eo I Sleibhte”— Mart. Tallaght, at that date. Domnach-Fiacc disputes with Sletty the distinction of being the burial-place of these saints. Without quoting the authorities pro. and con., we may say that the weight of evidence and the constant tradition are decidedly in favour of Sletty. These particulars of the life of St. Fiacc have been taken chiefly from Lanigan {Eccl. Hist., vol. i.), Father Shearman’s Loca Patriciana (part ix.) and from article on ” Poem of St. Fiacc” in I. E. Record, vol. iv., p. 269, et seq. .…


    …”A.D. 698. Aedh, Anchorite of Sleibhte, died.”— (Four Masters)

    This was the Aidus of Sleibhte mentioned in Tirechan’s Annotation on the Life of St. Patrick, preserved in the Book of Armagh. He is there stated (fol. 20, 6. 1.) to have dictated a Life of St. Patrick to Muirchu-Maccu-Mactheni ” Hsbc Panca De Sancti Patricii peritia et virtutibus, Muirchu-Maccu-Mactheni, Dictante Aidcceo Slebtiensis civitatis episcopo, conscripsit.” This brief notice of the life of our national Apostle is addressed to St. Aidus, Bishop of Sletty. In the Preface the writer states that he “undertook the task in obedience to the command and through reverence for the piety and authority of Aidus.” (See Dr. Moran’s Essays on the Early Irish Church, c. 3.) This St Aedh assisted at the famous ecclesiastical Convention, known as the Synod of Adamnan, presided over by Flann Fehhla, Abbot of Armagh, in 697. His death is entered at the year 699 in the Annals of Ulster—” Quies Aedo Anachoreto (De) Slibhtiu” His feast was celebrated on the 7th of January. At that day we find it entered in the Mart. Tall.—” Aidi Eps Sleibhte.”

    “A.D. 819. The relics of St. Mochanoc (brother of St. Malach, and uncle to St. David, of Menevia), which had been enshrined at Innisfail, in Wexford Haven, since his death at the close of the fifth
    century, were removed, together with the other treasures of that church, and transferred to Sletty for greater security. This saint was one of the companions who had been assigned to St. Fiacc by St Patrick, His feast was observed on the 11th February. (AA. SS.p. 811.)

    In the Litany of Aengus Ceile De, Glunfal of Sletty is invoked.

    ” A.D. 862. Brocan, son of Comhsudh, Abbot of Sletty, died.”— Four Masters.

    “A.D. 864 Struther (Shrule), Slebhte and Achadh Arglaisf were plundered by the Osraighi (Ossorymen).” — Four Masters.

    ” A.D. 1055. Maelbrighe O’Maelruain, Deacon of Sleibhte, died.”—(Id.)

    An extensive college is traditionally alleged to have been connected with the church of Sletty, wherein many, both native and foreign, were educated. The college of St. Mary’s stands upon the Termon of Sletty. It was founded by the late Very Rev. Dr. Taylor while he was President of Carlow College. There can be no more appropriate site for an Irish college than the spot consecrated to learning and religion by the presence of St. Patrick, and by the labours of St. Fiacc….

    Rev. M. Comerford, ‘Killeshin and Sletty’, in Transactions of the Ossory Archaeological Society, Vol. II (1880-1883), 128-148.


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  • Saint Colman of Oughaval, May 15

    May 15 is the feast of Saint Colmán of Oughaval in County Laois.  I have previously published a short account of this holy man by diocesan historian Bishop Michal Comerford here, but below is the entry from Volume 5 of Canon O’Hanlon’s Lives of the Irish Saints. Canon O’Hanlon was born in Stradbally,  County Laois, the same parish in which Oughaval is situated and of which Saint Colmán is the patron. In his account of the local saintly hero Canon O’Hanlon makes a couple of basic points to bear in mind: First, that our knowledge of this saint is derived from his appearance in the Lives of two other Irish saints – Colum Cille and Fintan of Clonenagh; secondly, that his name Colmán also appears in some sources as Columbanus, which is not surprising since both are derived from the name Colum.  He also discusses the various ways in which the place name Oughaval is rendered and shows his customary irritation at the attempts of the later Scottish martyrologist, David Camerarius, to ignore the reality that in early medieval Europe Scotia was the name applied to Ireland and that ‘Scottish’ saints were actually Irishmen. One of the most interesting sections of Canon O’Hanlon’s account is when he quotes Adomnán’s Vita Columbae concerning the death of Colmán of Oughaval and the addition of a prayer composed on the spot by Saint Colum Cille to the existing commemoration of Saint Martin of Tours in the liturgy.  Canon O’Hanlon concludes by noting that Saint Colmán died on May 15, that would be the date of his own death in the year 1905. I am very grateful to blog reader Seán for sending me the photograph above of the commemorative plaque at Stradbally in honour of Canon O’Hanlon’s many achievements:

    Article IV. — St. Colman, or St. Columban, Mac Ua Laoighse, of Oughaval, Queen’s County. [Sixth Century.]

    His relations with the great Abbot of Iona, St. Columkille, and with St. Fintan, Abbot of Clonenagh, have given special celebrity to the present holy man. In the Martyrology of Tallagh, the name of Colman Mac h Laighsi, is simply inserted, at the 15th of May, or at the Ides of this same month. From the foregoing record, the Bollandists have given insertion to his feast, at the same date, in their collection, calling him Colmanus, filius Hua-Laigsi, seu Mac-ua-Laigse. He belonged to the race of Laoighsigh Ceannmoir, son of Conall Cearnach, a celebrated Ultonian hero, living in the first century. His pedigree occurs, in the Genealogies of Irish Saints; and, it serves to show, how Colman derived the tribe-name Mac Ua Loighse. According to this authority, he was son to Lugna, son of Eugene, son to Guaire, the son of Ere, son to Bracan, son of Lugad Eaighsech, son to Laigisius Cenn-mor, son of Conall Kearnach, who belonged to the noble Roderician family. This pedigree is evidently defective, however, in several generations as nine degrees are quite insufficient to fill five centuries. His kinsman, Oennu Ua Laighse, who died about the same time, is thirteen generations removed from Conall Cearnach. Besides the name of Colman, he is known by that of Columbanus — an exchange of names often occurring in the Lives of our Irish Saints, and applying to the same individual. Thus, we find Colman-Eala – called Colmanellus Colman, or Columbanus; again, the Colman Mor of Irish history, is also called Columbanus; while, the Colman of Bede is called Columbanus, in the Annals of Ulster, at A.D. 667, 675, and in those of Tighernach, at A.D. 676. In the Life of St. Fintan, Abbot of Clonenagh, whose Acts have been already published, at the 17th of February, we are told, that this religious youth, who is there called Columbanus, was a native of Leix, in the Leinster province. For the sake of making a pilgrimage, and of engaging in prayer, this Columbanus directed his course to the island of Iona, in order to visit St. Columba. Here, he remained for some time, and he lived with this latter holy Abbot. When Colman wished to return again to his own country, he asked Columba, how he should live there, not being able to confess his sins to the holy Abbot. St. Columba said, “Go to that pious man, whom I see standing among the Angels and before the tribunal of Christ, on each Sunday night.” The holy youth asked, who and what sort of man he was. St. Columba answered, “There is a certain saintly and handsome man, in your part of the country, whose complexion is florid, whose eyes are brightly sparkling, and whose white locks of hair are thinly scattered on his head.” The young man then said, “I know of no man answering to this description, in my country, except St. Fintan.” Then St. Columba joyfully said to him: “He it is, my son, whom I see before the tribunal of Christ, as I have already told you. Go to him, for he is a good shepherd of Christ’s flock, and he shall bring many souls with him to the kingdom of God.” St. Colman or Columbanus — as he is here called — having received permission to revisit Ireland, and having the benediction of St. Columba, afterwards set out for his own country. Coming to St. Fintan, Columban told him all that the saintly Abbot of Iona had said. The holy old man, Fintan, hearing these words, blushed deeply, so that his face seemed as if on fire. He told the young man to be careful and not to relate these circumstances to any other person, at least, during his own lifetime. This condition imposed a great restraint on Colman; for, St. Fintan, shortly after their interview, departed this life.

    From the foregoing account, we may infer, that St. Colman, after his return from Iona, was still a young man, who had probably learned the rudiments of monastic discipline, under that great master of a spiritual life, St. Columkille. The date regarding St. Fintan’s death is questioned. Colgan says, he died long before the close of the sixth century, and allows him to have flourished in the year 560; while Dr. Lanigan maintains it as probable, that he reached the age of about seventy, thus departing towards the year 595, or two years before the death of St. Columkille, in 597. It seems evident, that St. Colman must have commenced the foundation of a religious establishment, at Oughaval, shortly before or after the death of St. Fintan; unless we admit Dr. Lanigan’s other conjecture. This historian thinks it more probable, the bishop Columbanus, mentioned in St. Fintan’s Life, was a different person from the Leinster bishop, Columbanus Mac-loigse. He admits, however, that the term juvenus may be applied to a person near thirty years of age, and that Colman or Columbanus might have became a bishop, soon after the death of St. Fintan. Again, he may have died not long afterwards; that is to say, before the death of St. Columkille, Abbot of Iona. Our saint is called a Leinster Bishop, by Cumineus, and by Adamnan; and not a Bishop of Lagena, in Lagenia, as Mabillon misapprehends. Nor must we confound him with another visitor of St. Columba, and who was named Columbanus, son of Beognai. The present holy man was surnamed Mocu-Loigse, owing to his having been descended from the family of a prince, named Laigis. From him was derived the name of Leix, a large district of Leinster. There, St. Columban was bishop, and at place, called Tulach-mac-Comguile. A certain Columbanus is mentioned, with others, who made Scotland famous, for their holy lives, good example, and solid learning. This was sufficient to cause David Camerarius, to enrol him a Saint and Bishop, in his Menology, as the Bollandists remark, when setting a Feast for him, at this day. It seems probable, he may have been confounded, with the present holy man; however, on this matter, we cannot presume to offer any safe opinion. Unwilling to admit an Irish name, Dempster perverts Lageniensis into Longinensis; while he states, that the place was unknown, and that the day for St. Columbanus adtus was uncertain, being known only to God. The Scottish writer in question has treated Columbanus’ Acts and memory, in his familiar style of fiction and of imagination. Colgan takes him severely to task, for his misstatements, regarding that saint, and then he proceeds to examine and to produce reasons, for the information of his readers, that so they may be enabled to judge for themselves, concerning the amount of credit due to such falsehoods. No insuperable difficulty exists, in resolving that religious young man, named Columbanus from the province of Leinster, as mentioned in the Acts of St. Fintan, into Columbanus bishop in Leinster, as found in Adamnan’s Life of St. Columba. The recollection, that Leix is given, as the common country, and Columkille, as a contemporary, with the person named in either record, prevents us doubting much the identity of one and the same Columbanus. He was yet a comparatively young man, not much — if at all — exceeding thirty years of age. Admitting the supposition, it is therefore probable, that soon after Columban or Colman returned from Iona, he selected Nuachcongbail, as a site for his church. Shortly afterwards, it is probable, he was constituted a chorepiscopus or a rural bishop. The exact site for this place of settlement was at Ougheval, a townland within the parish of Stradbally, in the eastern part of the Queen’s County. That church was built, also, within the ancient territory of Leix, and in the province of Leinster. The old graveyard in which Colman’s church once stood, is even yet, a favourite place for interment. Oughaval is universally pronounced Ochval — but written Oakvale — in the neighbourhood. It is quite possible, that some portions of St. Columban’s old church remain there; but, if so, only the foundations can lay claim, to very remote antiquity. An extraordinary pile of rubble-stone building, intended to represent an old ruined church or a monastery, now occupies the site of a medieval structure, which served for parochial services, down to the seventeenth century. It was erected by Pole Cosby, Esq., about the beginning of the last century, to serve for a family place of interment. A crypt is beneath; and, it rests on a rock-foundation. The subsoil of this cemetery is naturally a dry mould, covering a fine limestone formation. The coffins of the dead are long preserved from total decay, while the decomposition of corpses proceeds rather slowly. On the west side of this churchyard, few corpses are interred, except those of unbaptized infants. A low wall, surmounting a deep and almost circular fosse, once surrounded the graveyard; but, this has been completely obliterated, within the past few years. The burial-ground itself was considerably elevated, above the level of adjoining fields. It is possible, St. Colman combined the episcopal with the abbatial functions, at Oughaval; but, regarding this matter, we have no certain record. 

    It is most probable, that he did not attain an advanced age, as he died before St. Columkille, and previous to the close of the sixth century. In Adamnan’s Life of the great Abbot of Iona, he gives an account, regarding that vision of blessed Angels, who had conducted the soul of the holy bishop Columban Mocu Loigse to Heaven. There, it is stated, that on the morning of a certain day, while the monks of Iona were putting on their shoes, to engage in various labours of the monastery, St. Columkille had resolved, that it should be observed as a holiday, and that preparations should be made, for offering up the “Clean Oblation.” That holy Abbot likewise ordered some addition to their breakfast, as on a Sunday. “And, to-day,” said he, “however unworthy I may be, it behoves me to celebrate the mysteries of the Holy Eucharist, through veneration for the spirit of Him, who hath ascended beyond the starry vault of Heaven into Paradise, during the past night, being borne thither among holy choirs of Angels. In obedience to orders received from the saint, his monks spent the day as one of rest; and, having prepared everything for a celebration of the Divine Mysteries, with white vestments, as if it were a solemn festival, they proceeded with their Abbot to the church. But, it happened, that while the usual prayer had been chaunted, during the  progress of the holy offices, and in a measured strain, St. Martin’s name was commemorated. On a sudden the holy Abbot called to his choristers, and said: “To-day you should sing for the holy bishop Columbanus,” when they had come to the aforesaid name of St. Martin. The nature of this commemoration we learn, from an ancient Liturgy, and from a form prescribed by St. Aurelianus;, for the church of Arles. According to the Rev. Dr. Reeves, St. Columba seems to have composed on the spot a proper Preface for the occasion and thus, in virtue of his abbatial authority, to have instituted a festival for the church of Hy, in commemoration of the bishop’s death. St. Martin was held in special veneration, by the Irish; and, therefore, we are not surprised at finding his name on the Missal, then used at Iona. And, after a short interval, certain persons that came from Leinster province to Iona brought an account, how the bishop had died on that very same night, when his departure had been revealed to the holy Abbot. The foregoing account is amplified, from the ancient Life of St. Columkille, attributed to Cummian. He also calls our saint, Episcopus Lagenensis. Then all the monks understood, that Columbanus, a bishop in Leinster and a dear friend of St. Columkille, had departed to the Lord. We think it probable, the present St. Colman or Columban died, early on the morning of the 15th of May. There can be no doubt, that in former times, this holy man was greatly venerated. The festival of Colman Mac Ua Laigse, or Columbanus Mcocu Laigse, is placed at the 15th of May, by Marianus O’Gorman, and by Charles Maguire. In the Martyrology of Donegal, at this same day, he is commemorated, as Colman, son of Ua Laoighse, of Tulach-mic-Comghaill, in Druimne Togha, i.e., Nua Congbail, in Laoighis of Leinster. There he led a holy life, and passed away to taste the waters of eternal life.

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  • The Old Age of Saint Fiacc of Sletty

    October 12 is the feastday of Saint Fiacc of Sletty, a bard converted by Saint Patrick and later made a Bishop. A paper detailing his life can be read at the blog here. Below is a beautiful tribute to the saint in his old age when, despite his advancing years, there was no lessening of his ascetic discipline:

    …Fiacc in his old age lived a life of extraordinary austerity. At the beginning of Lent he usually left his monastery unattended, taking with him only five barley loaves, and these strewn with ashes. He forbade any of his monks to follow him, but he was seen to go to the hills to the north-west of Sletty, a wild and solitary district. In one of these, called Drum Coblai, he had a cave which sheltered him. The hill itself has been identified with the Doon of Clophook, which is just seven miles to the north-west of Sletty. Its eastern slope ‘which is steep and beetling’ rises abruptly to the height of 150 feet; at its base is the cave thirty-six feet deep by twelve in width. Close at hand there was an ancient church and cemetery, doubtless founded there in honour of the saint. Local tradition still remembers him; but as he was not seen coming or going to his church at Sletty, the wise people came to the conclusion that he had an underground passage through the mountains all the way to his own church. The fame of his sanctity and austerities still clings like the mists of morning to the mountain sides of Slieve Margy, where he spent his last and holiest days.

    The poet-saint sleeps amid many miracles with kindred dust in his own church of Sletty, within view of the spires of Carlow. An ancient stone cross still standing is said to mark the spot on the right bank of the river where his holy relics rest. He was one of the earliest of our native prelates, he led an austere and humble life, he was deeply attached to the person and to the memory of his beloved master St. Patrick, and his influence has been felt for many ages in all the churches of Leinster. His poetic Life of St. Patrick, to which we have already referred, is beyond doubt an authentic poem; and if so it is the earliest and most authentic of all the Lives of the Saint. In any case it is an invaluable monument of the history, the language, and the learning of the ancient Church of
    Ireland….

    Most Rev. Dr. J. Healy, The Life and Writings of Saint Patrick (Dublin, 1905), 399-400.

     

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