OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Tag: Irish Saints

  • Saint Manchan of Lemanaghan, January 24

    At January 24 the Irish calendars commemorate Saint Manchan of Lemanaghan, County Offaly. Devotion to this seventh-century saint is kept very much alive by the existence of a wonderful tent-shaped shrine, which, unusually, is not an exhibit in the National Museum but rather a living part of parish life in a church in Boher. The Shrine of Saint Manchan seems to have led a rather exciting life of its own in the nineteenth century, travelling to exhibitions at home and abroad. It has continued to live dangerously in our own times as it was stolen from the church in the summer of 2012, but was thankfully recovered the next day.  Canon O’Hanlon’s account of Saint Manchan’s life quickly lets us know that some confusion has arisen in the past about the exact identity of this saint in relation to others of the same name:

    ‘REGARDING this holy abbot, few biographical incidents have been preserved. Five noted saints bear the name of Manchan. The years of their respective deaths and other circumstances prove them to have been distinct individuals. Besides these five, there are additional Manchens found in the Irish Calendar, under various forms of spelling, and who, from certain notices connected, must be regarded as different persons. This fact, their recorded diversity of race, family, place, and festival, seems sufficiently to establish. St. Oengus, the Culdee, enumerates eight Manchans; seven of these are distinguished by the addition to their names of various places. To this number, the names of five others, distinct, so far as localities are concerned, have been added by Colgan. This account would seem to make the number distinguished by names of places greater than what has been elsewhere set down in his text. Nevertheless, irregularities have existed in confounding the transactions of some Manchans with the acts of others, who are homonymous’.
    O’Hanlon goes on to list the various saints of this name in his footnotes:
    The Five Noted Saint Manchans
    1. St.Manchain Abbot of Menadrochit (Mundrehid, in the barony of Upper Ossory, Queen’s County), who died in the year 652.
    2. St. Manchan, of Leth (Lemanaghan, King’s County), who died in the year 664.
    3. St. Manchin, of Lethglenn (Leighlin, county Carlow), who died in the year 725.
    4. St. Manchin, Abbot of Tuaim-grene (Tomgrany, County Clare), who departed in the year 735.
    5. St. Manchen, Bishop of Lethglenn (Leighlin, county Carlow), whose death occurred in the year 863.
    The Eight Manchans of Saint Oengus the Culdee
    These are — Manchan, of Leth; Manchan, of Moethail; Manchan, of Achad tairbh; Manchan, of Eascair; Manchan, of Kill-aird; Manchan, of Kilmanach; Manchan, son of Erc; and Manchan, of Ardtrichim.
    The Five Additional Manchans of Colgan
    St. Manchan, of Disert Chuilinn ; St.Munchen, of Lismore ; St. Manchen, of Tuain-Grene ; and two Manchens, of Leithglenn.
    O’Hanlon also helpfully collects entries for today’s feast of Saint Manchan from various calendars:
    The Martyrology of Donegal records for this day:
    24.C. NONO KAL. FEBRUARII. 24.
    MANCHAN, of Liath, son of Indagli. Mella was the name of his mother, and his two sisters were Grealla and Greillseach. There is a church called Liath-Manchain, or Leth-Manchain, in Dealbhna-Mhec-Cochlain. His relics are at the same place in a shrine, which is beautifully covered with boards on the inside, and with bronze outside them, and very beautifully carved. It was Manchan of Liath that composed the charming poem, i.e. :
    “Would that, O Son of the living God!
    O eternal ancient King ! &etc”
    We find Manchan of Liath-Manchain, of the race of Maelcroich, son of Rudhraighe ; and Manchan, son of Failbhe, of the race of Conall Gulban, son of Niall ; and Manchan of Liath, son of Indagh, who is this one.
    A very old vellum book, in which are found the Martyrology of Tamhlacht-Maoilruain and the saints of the same name, and an account of many of the mothers of the saints, &c., states, that Manchan of Liath, in habits and life, was like unto Hieronimus, who was very learned.
    The Martyrology of Tallagh assigns the festival of St. Manchan to the 24th of January, corresponding with ix. of the Kalends of February:
    Manchan leith mac in Dagdae
    The Kalendar of Drummond also calls him a most wise man, when setting down his festival at this same date:
    In Hibernia natale Sancti Manchani viri sapientissimi
    Under the head of Cill Mainchin, Duald Mac Firbis records Bishop Manchan, or Mainchin, in Cill Manchan.
    We have no means left for ascertaining whether St. Manchan had been the first founder of a monastery at Leth, now Lemanaghan, but it seems not improbable. We read that after Cam Conaill battle, in which Diarmaid, son of Aedh Slaine, gained a victory over Guaire, a.d. 642, —or, according to other accounts, a.d. 648 —the conqueror, on returning, granted Tuaimn Eirc,’ i.e., Liath-Manchain, with its sub-divisions of land, as “altar-sod” to God and to St. Kieran. The term ‘altar sod’ means literally ‘land on the altar’, i.e., church land. He also pronounced three maledictions on that king, whose people should take even a drink of water there, and ordered his burial-place to be at Clonmacnois. In consequence of this donation of Tuaim n Eirc to Clonmacnois Monastery, it seems probable, some monks of that house were established there, and that these formed a cell or dependent branch. Over these monks St. Manchan may have been their first abbot or prior.
    Such an opinion appears the more probable, from the circumstance, that the death of our saint occurred at no very remote period from the foundation of his monastery. The name Liath-Manchain, now Lemanaghan, signifies “Manchan’s grey land,” according to Dr. O’Donovan. There is a church, called Liath-Manchain, or Leth-Manchain, in Deaibh-na-Mhec Cochlain, and here he was venerated. The old church of Lemanaghan had been situated in the middle of a bog, about the year 1615. At that time its position rendered it nearly inaccessible, although such is not the case at present. St. Manchan’s well, bearing the name of Tobar-Manchain, existed in Liath-Manchan townland, in the year 1838. We are informed by Mr. O’Donovan that in the Book of Fenagh it is stated that St. Manchan had been an intimate friend of St. Caillin. Manchan is said to have been the executor of his will and his successor in the abbacy of Fenagh. Liath is compounded with the denomination of various places in Ireland, but it is easy to determine the locality of the present saint, which was Liath-Manchain, now known as Kilmanaghan, a parish, partly in the barony of Clonlonan, county of Westmeath, but chiefly in that of Kilcoursey, King’s County. The old church was uprooted, and a Protestant church, now deserted, was erected on its site.St. Manchan died in 661, according to the Annals of Clonmacnoise, or in the year 664, according to the Annals of the Four Masters. He was one of many who had been carried off by that great plague, known as the Buidhe Connail. He appears to have died on the 24th of January, on which day his feast was annually celebrated in Lemanaghan. A shrine, supposed to have contained the relics of this saint, was long kept on the altar at the place of his deposition…
    …It would seem, that long after the time of its founder a monastery continued at Lemanaghan. One of its abbots departed this life, after the beginning of the thirteenth century. Afterwards the monastic establishment disappeared, and it became converted into a vicarage, with a parish church. It seems to have been a dependency on the Priory of Gailinn, now Gillen, an old church giving name to a parish, in the barony of Garrycastle, and in the northern part of the King’s County. The site of St. Manchan’s former monastery looks desolate, and it is now little frequented by visitors.

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  • Saint Colman of Lismore, January 22

    On January 22 the Irish calendars commemorate one of Ireland’s many Saints Colman, this one a teacher of the monastic school at Lismore, County Waterford. The calendars seem to agree that today was the date of the saint’s repose, but also seem to record a possible second feast on July 25. Canon O’Hanlon gives this account of his life:

    St. Colman, Bishop and Abbot of Lismore. 

    [Seventh and Eighth Centuries.] 

    The present saint, called also Choimoc, to which we sometimes find prefixed the endearing expletive “Mo,” was son to Finnbar. He was a member of the Hua Beogna race, that ruled over Ith-Liathain territory, in the county of Cork. This region skirted the sea-coast, between Youghall and the principal city of that county, and bearing the same name. Here St. Colman was born, some time in the earlier part of the seventh century. Whilst our saint was yet a young man, he took the monastic habit in the celebrated Lismore Monastery. There he was distinguished for all those virtues of which he made profession. At this time, and long previous, Lismore, delightfully situated on the Blackwater, was a celebrated asylum of sanctity and learning. It was famous on this account, not only throughout Ireland, but even in Britain, and more distant countries on the Continent.’” An innumerable body of monks or scholars filled its cloisters and schools; while many holy prelates, abbots, and religious received their education and early training, as also laics, under the rectors and masters of this old university city. In the ancient litany of St. Oengus are likewise invoked eight hundred monks, who settled in Lismore with Mochuda, every third of them a favoured servant of God.

    St. Hierlog or Jarlug ruled over the see and Monastery of Lismore, during the years of our saint’s sojourn here, and he died on the 16th day of January, 698. St. Colman was immediately appointed his successor, both in the bishopric and in the abbey. During the time of his government, desirous of acquiring the knowledge that maketh wise unto salvation, with the learning which was destined to procure them distinction in other walks of life, many eager disciples flocked to Lismore, from all parts of the country. Among other distinguished personages, was the Dalcassian Prince Theodoric or Turlough, King of Thomond. He was held in the greatest esteem by our saint, who predicted what should take place with regard to him and his posterity. On all matters of moment, the abbot was consulted by this illustrious, but humble disciple. Whilst our saint presided over Lismore, the state of its schools was most flourishing; and the discipline of its religious establishment was maintained in the most healthful vigour. Its school is said to have attained a higher degree of reputation than any other in Ireland. Besides numerous holy men, who sought a refuge from the world in this retreat for wisdom and sanctity, and who lived in seclusion and penance within its monastery, many others were called forth from its enclosure, to adorn stations of dignity and importance in the Irish Church. Thus, our saint was the spiritual father of many monks, and an instructor of many prelates. These exhibited in their lives and actions the excellence of that discipline and training, to which they had been subjected.

    At an advanced age, full of virtues and merits, our saint was called away to receive the reward of his labours, but after a short episcopate, and term of abbatial rule, lasting only four years. He died in the year of our Lord 702, on the 22nd day of January. The Martyrology of Tallagh registers him, and under the designation of Mocholmoc, Loismoir, mic h. Beona. The Festilogy of St. Oengus has a similar record. The following extract and its English translation have been furnished by Professor O’Looney :—

    a. xi. kl. The death of Comghall’s daughter
    Colman son of Ua Beona
    Varilius without ostentation
    Felix who made the melodious journey.

    The Calendar of Cashel coincides; but Colgan has incorrectly stated, it gives our saint another festival, which is assigned to the 25th of July. The Calendar of Cashel says: “S. Colmanus filius Hua Beogna in Lismora Mochuddoe.” But the same Calendar of Cashel places a festival afterwards at the 25th of July, in this manner:

    “25 Julii S. Mocholmocus, seu Colmanus O Liathain et S. Silanus duo Comorbani seu successores S. Mochuddoe Lismorensis.”

    Colgan supposes this day last-named, to have been a festival relating to our saint’s translation, or to some other commemoration.

    In the Martyrology of Donegal, we find entered on the 22nd day of January, Colman, i.e., Mocholmog of Les-mdir, son of Ua-Bheonna. Marianus O’Gorman has a like statement – “S. Colmanus seu Mocholmocus Lismorensis filius nepotis Beonnae.” His festival was celebrated on this day, at Lismore.

    Archbishop John Healy in his book on the monastic schools of Ireland writes that the School of Lismore seems to have attained, ‘the zenith of its celebrity towards the opening years of the eighth century under St. Colman O’Leathain’. He goes on to give a little more detail of the saint’s dealings with his royal pupil, Theodoric:

    Theodoric came secretly to St. Colman, and flinging off his royal robes, and renouncing his crown, placed himself amongst the humblest disciples of that saint. Though now an old man, he would not consent to be idle, but insisted on earning his bread with the labour of his hands, like the monks around him. The road to the monastery from the low ground was steep and uneven, so Theodoric, whose strong arms so often wielded the sword of Thomond in battle, got his sledge and hammer, and spent his time breaking stones to repair the road. With such zeal did he work that the streams of perspiration poured down from his body to the ground, and it is said a sick man was healed by washing in these waters of holy and penitential toil. With Colman’s permission he returned to his kingdom to protect it from its enemies, whom he seems to have crushed as easily as he did the stones, and he then returned again to die in Lismore. 

    St. Colman O’Leathain is sometimes called Mocholmoc, but as Colgan points out, it is really the same name — Colman and Colmoc being both diminutives of Colum, with the term of endearment prefixed in one case — mo-Cholmoc, which is the same as ‘my dear little Colman.’ This great saint died on the 22nd of January, A.D. 702, and was interred at Lismore.

    Insula Doctorum et Sanctorum or Ireland’s Ancient Schools and Scholars (6th edition, Dublin, 1912), 467-8.

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  • Saint Briga of Kilbride, January 21

    Today we commemorate Saint Briga who is a namesake of Saint Brigid and may possibly be one of her contemporaries. Canon O’Hanlon admits that the evidence for both the exact feast day of this saint and for her identity are rather shaky and his account only serves to illustrate some of the difficulties involved in researching the lives of the Irish saints. The attribution of January 21 as the feast day of Saint Briga of Kilbride is made in the twelfth-century Calendar of Cashel, a source which was available to the seventeenth-century hagiologist, Father John Colgan, but which is now lost:

     

    Saint Briga or Brigid of Kilbride, in the Diocese of Lismore , County of Waterford and of Kilbride or Brideschurch, County Kildare. [Possibly in the Fifth or Sixth Century.]

    A saint called Briga, the daughter of Congall, is thought to have been “sinchrona” with her great namesake, the renowned Abbess of Kildare. In the Calendar of Cashel, at the 21st of January, she is called St. Brigid of Killbrige, in Lismore diocese. In the Third and Fifth Lives of St. Brigid of Kildare this present holy virgin is called Briga. According to the latter of these authorities, she is said to have lived in the Leinster province, and to have been mother, or superioress, over a monastery and its nuns, who were servants of Christ. From such accounts, Colgan says it is possible she may have been that virgin whose memory was venerated in the Liffy plain, which lies near Kildare.
    On the 9th of March, a St. Brigid is venerated, according to the Martyrologies of Tallagh and of Marianus O’Gorman, and she may have been a contemporary with the great St. Brigid, Abbess of Kildare. But Colgan thinks it more probable that the virgin visited at Kilbride was identical with St. Brigid, or Briga, venerated at this day, according to the Calendar of Cashel. From the circumstance recorded of St. Briga having invited the illustrious Abbess of Kildare to her home, she appears to have lived on terms of intimacy with this latter, who wrought one of her many miracles here. This is found related in the acts of St. Brigid, the great patroness of Ireland. Yet, a difficulty is presented, where an account is given of certain transactions occurring in the plain of Theba, or Theabtha, and when it is stated, her friend the holy virgin Briga lived also in that district. For there, as we are told, St. Brigid was asked to visit another pious virgin, called Briga, and at the house of this latter. The Abbess of Kildare accepted such invitation at the time, as she had on similar occasions ; and when arrived at the house, she was received with great joy and honour. According to the usual custom of treating guests, her feet were washed; and the water having been removed, it was afterwards applied by a nun, whose feet had long been crippled with gout. Having washed them with this water, the infirm sister’s feet were healed, and almost before they could be wiped.

    Saint Brigid afterwards spent a considerable time there, and in conference with the nuns, while treating on various spiritual topics. But the arch-tempter from the beginning, who envied the innocence of our first parents in the garden of Paradise, found means to enter St. Briga’s establishment, at a time, too, when the hostess and her illustrious guest were seated at table. His presence was first revealed to St. Brigid, who fixed her eyes steadily on him for a time. Then communicating what she had seen to her entertainer, and signing the eyes of the latter with a sign of the cross, Briga beheld a deformed monster. The holy Abbess of Kildare commanded him to speak, and to make known the purport of his unwelcome visit. The Devil replied: “O holy virgin, I cannot avoid speaking, nor can I disobey your orders, as you observe God’s precepts and are affable to the poor and lowly.” He then avowed a desire to cause the spiritual death of a nun, who had yielded to his temptations. He even told the name of this nun to the holy abbess, when the latter, charitably calling her, and signing her eyes with a sign of the cross, desired her to behold the monster. The nun was terrified at this sight, and shedding abundance of tears, promised to be more circumspect for the future. Brigid felt great compassion for this penitent, and banished the demon from their presence. Thus, on occasion of her visit, St. Brigid procured the corporal restoration of one, and the spiritual liberation of another, belonging to that sisterhood. Supposing the foregoing transactions to have occurred at Kilbride, or Brideschurch, in the county Kildare, it follows that the present St. Briga—if we have rightly assigned her festival to this date—must have been a special favourite and companion of the illustrious abbess, whose “magnalia,” in the earlier period of the Irish church, have been so wonderfully extolled by her biographers.

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