OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Tag: Saints of Westmeath

  • Saint Ultán of Cúl Corra, January 17


    January 17 is the feast of Saint Ultán of Cúl Corra, one of the many Irish saints about whom not much information has survived. There are at least half a dozen saints of this name found on the twelfth-century List of Homonymous Saints, seventeenth-century hagiologist, Father John Colgan, said he knew of twenty. We have both a place and a patronymic assoicated with this particular Saint     Ultán. The Martyrology of Donegal records ‘ULTAN, son of Etechdach of Cuilcorra’ as its lead entry for the saints of the day. Canon O’Hanlon, as we shall see below, wondered if this saint may have been associated with the old church of Coolkerry in his native County Laois, but Father Colgan seems to have thought he belonged in Kera in County Mayo. In 2017 modern scholar Dr Elva Johnston posted on her social media account that ‘Lough Derravarragh is more often associated with the legend of the Children of Lir than with the local saint, Ultán of Cúl Corra’, which would place the saint in County Westmeath. Nothing more seems to have been recorded of Saint Ultán of Cúl Corra or of the period in which he flourished. Canon O’Hanlon in Volume I of his Lives of the Irish Saints mentions a reference to the Life of Saint Declan, but the Ultán who appears there as a close disciple of Declan of Ardmore is not identified as Saint Ultán of Cúl Corra:

    Article II. St. Ultan, Son of Etechdach of Cuilcorra. 
     
    Owing to her admirable constitution, all in the Church is strong, because in her everything is divine and everything is in unity. As each part is divine, the bond also is divine, and the connection of parts is such, that each part acts with the force of a whole. The very life of one among her saints reveals this happy unison and strength. We read in the Martyrology of Donegal on this day about Ultan, a son to Etechdach of Cuilcorra. For further particulars regarding this saint, we are referred to the life of St. Declan, by a commentator, in the table, which has been placed after the text of this Martyrology. In the published Martyrology of Tallagh this saint’s name is omitted, or wrongly inserted. Marianus O’Gorman informs us, likewise, that St. Ultan, the son of Etectac, was venerated in Cuilchorra, at this date. This church is placed in that part of Connaught, known as Kera, according to Colgan, and there too St. Patrick is said to have erected a church. However we cannot at all be certain that such was the exact place, with which St. Ultan’s religious ministrations had been connected. 
     
    There is an old church of Coolkerry, in a parish of that name, within the barony of Clarmallagh and in the Queen’s County. Measured from the interior, it is about 48 feet in length, by 20 in breadth, while the walls are nearly four feet in thickness. However, only an old gable, and quite a featureless one, stands in an imperfect shape, as several stones have been removed from its top and sides. Its limestone walls are covered with yellow lichens. Grass-covered side walls, with one end wall, or faint traces of it, over the foundations are visible. This church stands on a mound, near the road bridge, which crosses the River Erkina a considerable stream flowing beneath it. Several moss and lichen-covered rude head-stones are in the graveyard, which has long been used for purposes of burial. In an adjoining rich pasture field, and quite near the old church, there are very curious earth-mounds; and here the inhabitants say were and are the foundations of ancient religious erections. What is denominated a Monument Bush, and of large growth, may be seen at the entrance from the road to the graveyard, which is unenclosed. The bush was a fine flowering hawthorn, at a time when the writer visited this spot. Unbaptized infants were interred beneath the bush, and a pile of loose stones surrounded its gnarled trunk. It may be worthy of investigation, to find if this place could have been identical with the Cuilcorra and its St. Ultan here recorded.

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  • Saint Earnán of Cloonrallagh, August 5

    On August 5/6  the Irish calendars record the feast of Saint Earnán (Eirne, Eirnín) of Cloonrallagh. He is yet another of those Irish saints whose names are preserved along with the date of their feast days, but about whom no other details survive. The name Earnán is shared by a number of Irish saints which does not make the task of identifying the specific individual commemorated today any easier. Canon O’Hanlon in Volume VIII of his Lives of the Irish Saints seeks to associate him with Saint Colum Cille and the Columban family of County Meath:

    Article IV. — St. Erne, or Ernin, of Cluana Railgech or Cluain railgheach, probably in the County of Meath.

    The Martyrology of Tallagh registers Erne, of Cluana Railgech, at the 6th of August. This place bore also the denomination of Druim Relgrach, and it was situated in the territory of ancient Meath. Marianus O’Gorman furnishes an authority for this statement. This saint assisted at the great synod of Dromceat, held A.D. 580. By one writer we are informed, that St. Ernin was Abbot of Cluain Reilgeach or Druim Reilgeach, in the time of St. Columb, and that he was honoured there on the 5th day of August. This writer, treating of the religious establishments in Westmeath, yet places Cluain Reilgeach or Druim Reilgeach, in Kianechta, a territory of ancient Meath; but, he adds, that the place was probably in Meath, although now unknown. A certain Cruimther Collait is mentioned as having been from Druim Roilgech, as being one of the learned in Erinn, and as being a writer, among others, of St. Patrick’s miracles.  The Rev. Dr. Lanigan also alludes to the same Collatus, a priest of Druim-relgeach in Meath; but, no more particular identification of the place is given by him. This monastery, as we are told, was situated in ancient Meath. Probably it was in the neighbourhood of Duleek. Such is the identification of Rev. Anthony Cogan, diocesan ecclesiastical historian. The present saint is commemorated by Cathal Maguire and by Marianus O’Gorman. We find it recorded, likewise, in the Martyrology of Donegal, at the 5th of August, that veneration was given to Ernin of Cluain Railgheach.

    Pádraig Ó Riain’s 2011 Dictionary of Irish Saints mentions the genealogical sources linking him to Fearghas Caochán, brother of Niall of the Nine Hostages, whose descendants are linked to the church of Kilskeer, near Kells. He also suggests Cloonrallagh may be in County Longford or in County Westmeath.

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  • Saint Fechin at Poulaphouca Waterfall

    It was the afternoon of Sunday when Fechin and his monks arrived at Poulaphouca Falls, and the glorious Twenty-Eighth Psalm was part of the Lauds for Monday, which they were reciting that evening, and no other Psalm could so voice the feelings of the enraptured hearts of those “sons of God” in the midst of “the many waters” and “the thunders of the Lord” and “the cedars.”

    “Afferte Domino, filii Dei, gloriam et honorem : afferte Domino gloriam nomini Ejus : adorate Dominum in atrio sancto Ejus ! 


    Vox Domini super aquas, Deus majestatis intonuit : Dominus super aquas multas ! 


    Vox Domini in virtute : Vox Domini in magnificentia. 


    Vox Domini confringentis cedros. . . . 


    Dominus virtutem populo suo dabit : Dominus benedicet populo suo in pace.” 

    ” Bring to the Lord, O ye sons of God, . . . glory and honour ! bring to the Lord glory to His name ! Adore ye the Lord in His holy Church !

    The voice of the Lord upon the waters : the God of majesty hath thundered ! The Lord upon many waters !

    The voice of the Lord in power, the voice of the Lord in magnificence !

    The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars ! . . . The Lord will give strength to His people ; the Lord will bless His people with peace.” (Ps. xxviii).

    Not for a few minutes only but for hours did holy Fechin and his disciples pray here and sing their Psalms and hymns. At last some of the monks completely tired and physically exhausted said to Fechin that it was time for all to rest. “No,” answered the Saint, ” I cannot cease. The Falls never cease, but are continually offering the sublime melody of their music to their Creator. I must not be a debtor to my God.” Behold then God wrought a great wonder to reward His devout servant. The waters of the Falls ceased to flow down, and, piling themselves above, seemed to listen to the chanting of the Psalms of Fechin and his choir, a heavenlier music than their own! This prodigy lasted till the third hour. Then the Saint was given to understand that he and his tired brethren might themselves take a little rest and refresh their exhausted bodies, and so they ceased their psalmody.

    The Life of St Fechin of Fore: The Apostle of Connemara by Father J.B. Coyle (Dublin, 1915).

    Note: January 20 is the feast day of Saint Fechin of Fore and previous posts on his life can be found here and here.

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