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  • Saint Lapán of Little Island

    My research into the Irish saints for this blog normally involves referencing the historic Irish martyrologies which record their feast days. Yet I am becoming increasingly aware of those saints whose feast days are either entirely unrecorded or are uncertain. An enigmatic holy man from Cork, Lapán of Little Island, might be numbered among them. Little Island is situated in the tidal part of the River Lee, roughly half-way between Cork and Cobh. Lapán (Lappan, Loppán, lat. Lappanus) is a name shared by a number of Irish saints. Pádraig Ó Riain feels that it ‘probably represents a hypocoristic form of Labhraidh, ‘he [who] speaks”.’ Alas, none of them have spoken clearly to us across the centuries. There are three Lapáns commemorated on the Irish martyrologies, on February 11 we find Lapán, son of Ciarán; on March 26 a Lapán without any further identifier; and at November 3  Lapán of Cluian Aithghin, a place which Ó Riain suggests could be Clonatin in Kilmakilloge parish in Wexford.  Curiously, Ó Riain’s Dictionary of Irish Saints makes no mention of the Lapán found on March 26, but Evelyn Bolster, author of a diocesan history of Cork identifies Saint Lapán of Little Island with the saint commemorated on that day. In a footnote to the union of parishes called Glounthane, she writes:

    GLOUTHANE is a union embracing the ancient parishes of Caherlag, Little Island* Ballydeloher, Killaspugmullane and Kilquane…..

    *Little Island, so called in contradistinction to the Great Island or the Cobh of Cork. Names by which Little Island has appeared in the various records are: Cellescop Lappan (from Saint Lappan whose feast occurs on 26 March); De Insula; Ecclesia Sancta Lappani de Insula Parva; Ecclesia Sancta Lappani de Inysmemele; Sancta Lappani de insula parve als inish vic Neyl. Mac Neill was a chieftain of the Uí Tassaigh who inhabited this district.

    E. Bolster, A History of the Diocese of Cork: From the Earliest Times to the Reformation (Irish University Press, 1972), p.282.

    I only wish the author had given the grounds on which this identification was made, as the martyrologies do not make reference to the location or to any other identifiers of the saint commemorated on this day. The Martyrology of Tallaght simply lists the name of Lapán on March 26, whilst his name is not found among the entries for the day in the Martyrology of Oengus. Turning to the later calendars of the saints, the twelfth-century Martyrology of Gorman records ‘very holy Loppán’ and the seventeenth-century Martyrology of Donegal notes Lappan as the final name in the list of saints commemorated, again without reference to a place or other information which may have helped us to identify this saint with the bishop of Little Island.

    Earlier diocesan historian, Canon Patrick Power, writing on the parish of Little Island in a 1921 paper noted:

    Three Lappans are enumerated in the Irish Martyrologies, but which, if any, of these is our Lappan of the Island we have nothing to indicate.

    Rev. P. Power,  Place-Names and Antiquities of S.E. County Cork. Barony of Barrymore. Part III. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. Section C: Archaeology, Celtic Studies, History, Linguistics, Literature, 36, (1921) 164–205 at p. 184.

    Canon O’Hanlon, in Volume III of his Lives of the Irish Saints also did not make a link between the Saint Lapán of March 26 and the Cork Bishop of Little Island:

    ARTICLE V.—St. LAPPAN, OR LAPPANUS.

    A record is found, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 26th of March, regarding a St. Lappan. The Bollandists notice him, at the same date, as Lappanus. Again, Lappan is set down, in the Martyrology of Donegal, as having a festival, at this date, but without any relation to a locality.

    It seems, therefore, that Saint Lapán is one of many Irish saints whose memory lives on in the place name of his church, but about whom no historical information has survived. There seems to be nothing in the calendar entries to confirm Bolster’s contention that the saint commemorated on March 26 is Lapán of Little Island and her footnote is the only source I have been able to find for this claim. If anyone knows of any further sources I would be most interested to hear of them.

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  • Saint Muiredach of Killala, August 12

     

    August 12 is the feast of Saint Muiredach (Muireadhach, Muredach) of Killala. Genealogical sources describe him as son of Eachaidh of the Cenél Lóegaire of Meath, a great-grandson of Lóegaire, King of Tara, after whom the tribal grouping was named. Despite his standing as diocesan patron of Killala, the Connacht diocese which takes in parts of the modern counties Mayo and Sligo, surprisingly little information has survived on Killala’s founder. The ninth-century Tripartite Life  depicts Saint Patrick as having founded Cell Alaid (Killala) where he left ‘a high-ranking person of his household, that is Bishop Muiredach’ in charge. However, the seventh-century Collectanea of Tírechán, presents another church, ‘the Great Church by the Wood of Foclut’ as the area’s chief foundation. The saint of this Great Church (Domnach Mór), Mucnoe, seems to have been eclipsed by Muiredach to the point where his name is not found on the calendars of the saints. Yet for all that Saint Muiredach remains an elusive figure. Along with two female Mayo saints, Deirbhile and Géidh, he is said to have been among those who met with Saint Colum Cille at  the Synod of Ballysadare in County Sligo in 575. This, plus the fact that his famous royal ancestor Lóegaire was also supposed to be alive during the Patrician mission, suggests that Muiredach was a sixth century saint, who could not have been placed in charge of Killala by Saint Patrick as the Tripartite Life  claims. The only other tradition connected with Saint Muiredach is that he gave his name to the island of Inishmurray (Inis Muireadheach) off the Sligo coast and may perhaps have been a hermit there. It is worth noting, however, that despite lending his name to the island, it was a Saint Molaisse who was the focus of devotion. Even more interestingly, Saint Muiredach shares his August 12 feast day with Saint Molaisse of Inishmurray, something I will need to research further. In his account of the saint below, Canon O’Hanlon lets us see that that earlier writers were aware of both the chronological contradictions and the general paucity of sources for the life of Saint Muiredach:

    ARTICLE I.—ST. MUREDACH, FIRST BISHOP AND PATRON OF KILLALA DIOCESE.

    [PROBABLY IN THE SIXTH CENTURY.]

    CHAPTER I.
    INTRODUCTION—PERIOD OF ST. MUREDACH—HIS FAMILY AND DESCENT—HIS RECORDED PRESENCE AT EASDARA OR BALLYSODARE—HE BLESSES THE PORT OF KILLALA.

    WHEN giving an account of our great Apostle’s progress through the province of Connaught, the author of St. Patrick’s Tripartite Life tells us, that on coming to a pleasant spot, where the River Muadius, or Moy empties into the ocean, the saint built a noble church, called Kill-Aladh, now Killala. It stood on the south bank of the Moy River. Over this church, he placed one of his disciples, named Muredach, as its first bishop. As he had been consecrated by St. Patrick, according to the account, this present holy man should have flourished during the fifth century. However, such statement has been contradicted. In a few meagre notices respecting our saint, by the Rev. Alban Butler, he follows what Harris had already written.

    In his journey towards Connaught, about A.D. 434, St. Patrick is thought to have continued there for the ensuing seven years, namely to A.D. 441. Therefore, it is supposed, the erection of Killala church may safely be referred to some one of those intermediate years. It has been advanced, that St. Muredach, the first bishop of Killala, had not been born at such an early period, and that he did not flourish until the sixth century. Moreover,
    his recorded pedigree refutes the supposition of his having been contemporaneous with St. Patrick. The generally accurate historian, Rev. Dr. Lanigan, states it to be an error, that St. Muredach’s appointment over the See of Killala should be ascribed to the earlier time. He was rather contemporaneous with St. Columkille, who flourished during the sixth century. The holy Muredach is stated to have been son of Eochaid, son to Alild, son of Guaire, son to Lugid, son of Laoighaire, son to Niall of the Nine Hostages, &c., according to the Sanctilogium Genealogicum, which thus weaves his pedigree. Wherefore, in tracing his descent from Leogaire, King of Ireland, Muredach appears the sixth in generation. Such a place in order may well synchronize with the middle and close of the sixth century.

    He is spoken of as being one of those persons, assembled at Easdara or Ballysodare, in Sligo County, for the purpose of paying respect to the Apostle of the Picts. This was on the occasion of St. Columba being at that place, soon after the dissolution of a celebrated assembly held at Drumceat. Already, an account of the synod convened at Easdara has been given, in connexion with the Acts of St. Farannan; and among the notables named, as assisting thereat, is Muredach of Killala, in Tyr Amhalgaidh. Therefore it would seem, that towards the close of St. Columba’s life, our saint had been bishop there, and that he had the honour and pleasure of greeting the great Apostle of Caledonia.

    However, we have no reliable account, regarding the exact period of St. Muredach’s promotion, nor is there any statement to fix those years, during which he ruled over the See of Killala. Nevertheless, we read in the Life of St. Corbmac, that St. Patrick, St. Brigid, St. Columkille, St. Cannech, and St. Muredach, bishop, had blessed the port of Killala. It does not seem probable, that Muredach should have been placed so low down in the list of these names, had he been contemporaneous with St. Patrick.

    CHAPTER II.

    SITUATION OF KILLALA—THE NATALIS AND COMMEMORATIONS OF ST. MUREDACH— THE PERIOD OF HIS DEATH UNRECORDED—BRIEF HISTORIC NOTES REGARDING THE SEE OF KILLALA—CONCLUSION. 

    THE town of Killala is situated on the River Muad or Moy, in Mayo County, and it lies very near to the Atlantic Ocean. Our ancient annalists sometimes called the prelates over this See the Bishops of Tirawley. They were likewise called Bishops of O’Fiacra-mui, or Hy-Fiachrach, on the River Moy, from a territory distinguished by that name. This is said to have extended along the river in question. This territory was distinct from another, in the province of Connaught, and southwards in the County of Galway. The latter was known as O’Fiacra-Aidne.

    As the Natalis of a saint is understood to coincide with the day of his death, the 12th of August apparently commemorates the anniversary of St. Muredach’s demise, as of his festival; but, we cannot find any date or year to determine the period for his existence. St. Muredach’s Natalis was celebrated in Killala Church and See, on the 12th of August, according to the Tallaght Martyrology. At this date, according to Marianus O’Gorman, the feast of St. Muredach is celebrated in the diocese and church of Killala. The continuator of Aengus also notes his festival at this day. In the Irish Calendar belonging to the Irish Ordnance Survey, on the day before the August Ides—12th of the month—there is a festival to honour Muireadhach, Bishop of Cille Haladh.

    After the rule of St. Muredach over the See of Killala, the names of only two or three bishops can be found, as his. successors, before the Anglo- Norman Invasion of Ireland. After that period, we find the church of Killala
    —or as it is usually written Cill-Alaidh—had its special canon-choristers and herenachs. The “Annals of Loch Cé” contain entries of their deaths. The engraved arms of this See—prefixed to the account of its bishops in Harris’ Ware—are: bearing sapphire, a crozier in pale, topaz, suppressed in the fess point by a Bible expanded, and with clasps proper.  In Killala diocese, this saint’s memory is recorded and honoured with the celebration of a First-Class festival and an octave. An indulgence commences also on the day already named, and it continues during that octave.

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  • Irish Monasteries in Germany: Honau

     

    Below is a paper by Father J.F. Hogan on the Irish monastery at Honau, one of a series on Irish Monasteries in Germany published by the Irish Ecclesiastical Record in the late nineteenth century.  The contribution made by the medieval Irish to continental European culture and Christian civilization was rediscovered during the Irish  cultural revival of the nineteenth century.  County Clare native Father John Francis Hogan (1858–1918), who had studied at the University of Freiburg, was well placed to bring the particular legacy of the Schottenklöster to the attention of an Irish audience. Honau is perhaps one of the lesser-known Irish monasteries in Germany which seems to have ended up a few centuries later under the Canons Regular of Old St. Peter’s in Strasburg, where Father Hogan tells us its Irish abbots were venerated as saints. I note that the Irish abbot Beatus of Honau had become entangled with the ‘Apostle of Switzerland’ of the same name. We Irish can of course claim the honour of that title for Saint Gall, disciple of Saint Columbanus:

    IRISH MONASTERIES IN GERMANY

     HONAU

    HONAU or Hohenaugia is an island in the Rhine, not far from Strasburg in which a monastery was established  in the year 724. The site of the monastery was granted  by the Ethicos, Dukes of Alsace. Adalbert, who is sometimes, though incorrectly, mentioned as its founder,  richly endowed it. It was further enriched by grants and  privileges from the sons of Adalbert, Luitfrid and Eberhard. The importance of the establishment can be judged from the  charters granted to it at various times which are happily preserved by Mabillon. One of these charters, drawn up by the Abbot Beatus, is signed by eight Irish bishops. It makes over and bequeaths to the monastery and to the  ‘pauperes et peregrinos gentis Scottorum’ not only the  buildings, lands, chattels, and appurtenances of Honau itself, but also the right and title to eight churches that had been  erected in different parts of the German Empire by the zeal  of those ‘Pilgrim fathers.’

    The first abbot of the monastery was Benedict, also  called Tubanus. He dedicated his establishment to St.  Michael the Archangel. Unfortunately, we know nothing  about his personal history beyond the fact that he was a  Scot, and the first abbot of this ‘Schottenklöster.’ He  was succeeded as abbot by Dubanus, Dubanus by Thomas, Thomas by Stephen, Stephen by Beatus. Beatus was the most remarkable of the Abbots of Honau. According to  the learned German historian, Friederich, he is the same who evangelized a good part of Switzerland, founded the monastery of Beromünster, near Lucerne, of Yberg in the  Canton of Schweitz, and built up several other establishments in Unterwalden and over the Brünig in the Bernese Oberland, where his name is still commemorated in the famous Beatenhohle, and in the town of St. Beatenberg, over the Lake of Thun.

    Most valuable privileges were granted to Honau by various princes; but the most remarkable of them was the charter of Charlemagne, which confirmed to the monastery all donations previously made ‘by kings or queens or other servants of God’ and exempted it from tolls and several other imposts then in force amongst the people. It furthermore declares that these pilgrim monks are not to be molested or interfered with in any way, and that all these lands and possessions are to belong to them and to their countrymen, to the exclusion of all others: ‘an interesting record’ as Dr. Todd remarks, ‘of the high esteem and favour in which  the Irish of the Continent were held at that time by the greatest monarch of the west.

    But the most important document that has come down to us in connection with the history of this institution, is the charter, or, rather, the will of the Abbot Beatus. This document, besides the intrinsic value of its contents, is attested and authenticated by the signatures of the abbot (in the first place), and of eight bishops whose names, as Zeuss has shown clearly indicate their nationality. The signatures are: —

    Signum Beati Abbatis, qui hanc chartam fieri rogavit.

    Signum Comgani Episcopi.

    Signum Echoch Episcopi.

    Signum Suathar Episcopi.

    Signum Mancunigib Episcopi.

    Signum Caincomrihc Episcopi.

    Signum Doilgusso Episcopi.

    Signum Erdomnach Episcopi.

    Signum Hemeni Episcopi.

    Dr. Todd endeavoured to make capital out of these signatures, in favour of his contention that there was no such thing as diocesan jurisdiction in Ireland before the twelfth century, and no canonical restriction whatever to the consecration of bishops. According to him the abbot who was not a bishop at all, simply consecrated whomsoever he pleased; and the bishops thus consecrated looked up to the abbot, as the head of a sept, according to the Brehon code, looked up to a chieftain. This theory was developed and formally put forward by Dr. Todd in his Life of St. Patrick. No doubt the early organization of the Celtic Church outside the monasteries is involved in great obscurity. This arises evidently from the fact that the records have perished. Those of the monasteries alone have come down to us, and they deal naturally with the organization of monastic rather than of secular life. The great, and indeed, predominating, part which the monasteries played in the religious life of Ireland may be readily conceded; yet Mgr. Gargan, now happily ruling as President of Maynooth College, had little difficulty in showing that the bishops who lived and laboured in the monasteries, under the rule of the abbot, were merely ‘Chorepiscoi ‘ subject to the external jurisdiction of the  ordinaries who ruled and governed then as they do now. There is no proof worth the least consideration that such bishops were consecrated by one who was merely an abbot, but not a bishop. The case mentioned by Wasserschleben of Gregory of Utrecht, is by no means clearly established.

    This learned German shows, moreover, in his own work, that the privilege of having resident bishops in the monasteries, ready at any moment to administer the Sacraments of Confirmation and Orders, was derived directly from the Holy See, and was much availed of in countries far distant from the seat of authority, at a time when direct communication with Rome was difficult and uncertain. As an instance he quotes the privilege granted by Pope Adrian I. to the monastery of St. Denis in France, in the year 771.

    The fact that eight different churches are mentioned as having been erected by the monks in different localities in Germany would, on this principle, readily account for the eight bishops who signed the charter. One of these churches was in the city of Mayence, one at Hawenback, one at Bubenheim, one at Bodesheim, one at Bochenn, one at Lognau, one at Hurmusa, and one at what is called Sylvia in Marchlichio.

    Grandidier, and after him Rettberg, mention a monastery of Luttenbach to which Abbot Beatus sent eighteen Irish monks, and which subsequently became a flourishing establishment. In some of the Codices of the Charter of Beatus, Luttenbach is mentioned as merely another name for ‘Silvia in Marchlichio’.  All these churches founded from Honau were situated according to some in the Palatinate of the Rhine. Others identify Beronia with Beromünster, in the diocese of Constance and find traces of a monastery of Lautenbach in the ancient diocese of Basle. This has led them to the conclusion that Abbot Beatus of Hohenau is the same who is venerated as the Apostle of Switzerland. The dates, however, will scarcely admit such an inference. The question is discussed at great length by Lutolf, the Swiss historian, who regards the Swiss Beatus as an Irishman, no doubt, but advances solid evidence to show that he could not have been the same as Beatus of Honau.

    The successor of Beatus as abbot was Egidanus. He was probably the last of the abbots of Honau; in the reign of Charles the Gross the whole establishment was transferred to Rheinau, and afterwards to the Canons Regular of Old St. Peter’s in Strasburg, where the Irish abbots of Honau were venerated as saints. It was a canon of this establishment, named Jean le Labourer,  who communicated to Mabillon the important documents relating to the history of Honau, which have been preserved in the Annals of the Benedictine Order.

    J. F. HOGAN.

    The Irish Ecclesiastical Record, Volume IV, (1898), 265-269.

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