ON SAINT DONNAN AND FIFTY-TWO IRISH DISCIPLES
SLAIN ON THE SCOTTISH ISLE OF EIGG.
AROUND THE YEAR 600.
CommentaryDonnan, slain on the Scottish Isle of Eigg (St.)
Fifty-two disciples slain on the Scottish Isle of Eigg (SS.)
G. H.
[1] Thomas Sirin the Irishman, of the Order of the Friars Minor of the Stricter Observance, in the Louvain College of St. Anthony of Padua, Province of Ireland, Jubilee Lector of Sacred Theology, sent us, together with a copy of the Martyrology of Tallaght for the month of April, the things which we here give concerning St. Donnan, to be referred to April 17; and first he indicates, in these words, what he found in the Appendix of the said Tallaght Martyrology written on parchment: "Ega is the name of a fountain in Aldafain of Cattaibh, memory of these in the Appendix to the Tallaght Martyrology in northern Albania; and there Donnan with his family underwent martyrdom, which happened thus. A certain rich woman lived there before Donnan, and her flocks were pastured there. She therefore, because of the envy which she had toward them, persuaded certain robbers to kill Donnan. But when those robbers had come thither, they found them in the Oratory singing psalms, and there they could not kill them. Then Donnan said to his disciples: 'Let us go into the refectory, so that these may kill us, where we used to live carnally: for as long as we are where we have striven to please God, we cannot die; but where we have indulged the flesh, we shall pay the price of the flesh.' So they were killed in the refectory on the night of Easter: now fifty-two suffered together with Donnan himself." So he. But "54" was wrongly read, when they were only 52.
[2] In the Tallaght Martyrology itself, on this April 17, this is read concerning them: and in the Martyrology itself "Donnan the great with his monks, of whom two above fifty were in his company; and pirates of the Ocean came to the island on which they were, and killed them all together. Ega was the name of that island." These names of each are added: Aedan, Jarloga, Maricus, Congallius, Lonan, Maclasrius, John, Arnanes, Erninus, Baithinus, Rothan, Andrelan, Carellus, Rotan, Fergussan, Rectarius, Connidius, Endeus, Macloga, Gurethius, Junetus, Coran, Baithan, Colman, Jernlud, Lugadius, Luda, Gruundus, Cucalin, Cobran, Conmundus, Cunmin, Balthian, Senach, Deman, Cummen, Fernlug, Finan, Finnchan, Finnichus, Conan, Modomma, Cronan, Kieran, Colman, Navinnus, Reman, Erninus, Ailchuo, Donnan. We did not wish to express these names in the title, not so much because we fear that many may have been wrongly written, as because we suspect them to have been invented by later writers, lest those pious monks, believed to have fallen for justice's sake, should remain anonymous. The Cashel Kalendar has this about them, thus rendered in Latin: the Cashel Kalendar "St. Donnan the Martyr, with many companions, having gone to the British-Irish, when satellites had been sent by the King to kill him, they waited at his request until he should finish Mass. When it was finished, St. Donnan himself with his companions was crowned with martyrdom in the same place." So there, which is indicated in the Martyrology of Aengus thus: "With the trophy of glorious martyrdom he breathes his last, Martyrology of Aengus with the gentle company of his own, Donnan of cold Eigg." Which words, illustrating them, Maguir says: "St. Donnan, in the island of Eigg, with his family, that is, with fifty-two, and of Maguir was killed by pirates. Eigg is an island in Albania Scotland, and in it Donnan is venerated, that is in Cattaibh, and there the holy Donnan with his family died. This Donnan set out to St. Columcille, to take him as the Counselor of his soul, or
Confessor. To whom St. Columba said: "I shall not be the Confessor or Director of one about to depart by bloody martyrdom: for you will undergo a bloody martyrdom, and likewise your family." Which was fulfilled. The island of Eigg For afterwards Donnan with his companions set out to the British Irish, and made his dwelling in a place where the sheep of the Queen of that land were pastured. When this was announced to the Queen, she said: "Let them all be killed." "That would be an unfaithful deed," said those present. But afterwards certain men came to slaughter them. Then the man of God, offering the sacrifice of the Mass, said to them: "Spare us until the Mass is finished." They agreed, and afterwards killed them all. So there, and these are the records indicated by the aforementioned Thomas Sirin. St. Columba the Abbot died around the year 546, so that at the same time St. Donnan flourished.
[3] It seems, moreover, that Ega or Egga is one of the smaller Hebrides, which with Ruma, Muza, Canna, and Soabretilla, between the larger islands of Mull and Skye, almost adjoining Scotland, lie along the western shore. Of these, Eigg, sufficiently fertile, abounds in sea-geese. It is situated with respect to Ireland in Northern Britain, which is called Hiberno-Britannia and Hiberno-Scotia, inhabited chiefly by the Irish, by whom also the Irish language is in use. John Colgan mentions St. Donnan the Martyr, to be referred to this April 17, in the Acts of the Saints of Ireland on March 8, memory in Colgan in the Notes on the Life of St. Senan, number 23. Thus we seem able prudently to insert these things, although in external Martyrologies their memory is not had.