of Both Scotlands

ON THE HOLY SAINTS OF BOTH SCOTLANDS, VENERATED ON THE FOURTH IDES OF NOVEMBER,

Saints who are venerated in both Scotlands

[1] From the saints whom Oengus commemorates, The saints of whom mention is made on the fourth Ides of November in the festologies, calendars and martyrologies of both Scotlands are to be dealt with no otherwise than yesterday's Above, p. 304, no. 1.. Let the first, then, to give testimony in Gaelic be Oengus the Culdee:

Aed macc Bricc dend rígraid becc ná bu mó écaib; is ard isin mór-fhlaith in sab síl Chuinn Chétaig [The passage twice edited by Stokes, On the Calendar of Oengus, p. CLXII, with the glosses pp. CLXVI, CLXVIII; Félire Óengusso, p. 233, with the glosses p. 240. A copy of this quatrain is read also in the right margin of fol. 152 of codex R 2 of the second Life of St. Aedh of Killare; we have given a description of the codex above, p. 495.].

In Latin: Aedh son of Brec, of the kings, falls little short of being greater than death; on high in the most ample kingdom is the champion of the seed of Conn of the Hundred Battles [These are what the ancient glossators noted. The words dend rigraid, which we have rendered "of the kings," the Laudianus explains: that is, of the saints (on most of the codices of this festology something has already been said very briefly above, p. 305, no. 6). The second line is explained thus in the Leabhar Breac: .i. ni rodlecht bás; no ar is mó éc na fírén (aecnai fírén cod.), ut apostolus dicit: 〈volo dissolvi et esse cum Christo, adds cod. Rawlinson B. 505〉; no is mo a éc 7 dul for nem dó, inas a betha abus isin tsaegul. In Latin: that is, death was not owed to him; or because it is better for a just man to die, as the apostle says: I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ (Phil. 2, 23); or it is better for him to die and depart to heaven than to live on still in the world. In the third line it explains "on high" as uasal, that is, noble; to the words isin mór-fhlaith, which we have rendered "in the most ample kingdom," it adds: that is, into heaven. In the last line Stokes is uncertain whether the Irish word sab signifies champion or prince, Félire Óengusso, p. 359; the glossator too, doubtfully: sab, that is, so-abb (in Latin, a good abbot); or it is called sabb (in Latin, strong, steadfast) because of firmness in the faith of Christ. For the word sab properly signifies a staff, a pillar, a prop; by transference, a prince, a leader. Cf. the Welsh word post, above, p. 188 B, with note 2.].

[2] Marianus Gorman, Many more names of saints did Marianus, grandson of Gorman, weave into his stanzas:

Papa maith Martinus; Tibeir; Modeist miadach; Dimetir nar, dalach; Do-Liba seim; Sénic; Cu-Boirne tricc, treorach; Aed mac Bric in bagach. Coel craibdech; Mo-Cruadóc; Grellan; Findmac find-noem; la Laegaire lomnan; Fergus aebda; Osnat; epscop Dergg-Áedh deg-mor; Sodelb; Ciaran comlan; Comman nar gand gart-brig. For quart-id a comdal Stokes, Félire hûi Gormâin, p. 214..

In Latin: The good Pope Martin; Tiberius; Modestus the honourable; Demetrius the modest, the companionable; Do-Liobha the slender; Sénic; Cú-Boirne the ready, the vigorous; Aedh son of Brec the warlike; Coel the pious; Mo-Chruadóc; Greallán; Fionnmac the fair, the holy; with Laeghaire the ample; Fearghus the comely; Osnat; Derg-Aedh the bishop, good and great; Soidhealbh; Ciarán the perfect; Commán, by no means scant in generous vigour. On the fourth Ides is their assembly [Almost all of this with Stokes as interpreter. In the third line he doubtfully rendered the adjective dalach in English as "multitudinous." We have coined coetosus in Latin, a new word. But what it may mean is to be sought neither from Stokes nor from us, but from Marianus alone. Cú-Boirne we have understood as "ready, vigorous" with Stokes; the Gaelic words can also signify a swift guide on a journey. Finally, in the ninth line, la Laeghaire lomnan, we agree with Stokes. Another might prefer: la Laeghaire Lomnan, that is, with Laeghaire, Lomnan, as though this too were the name of a saint. For a copyist could have written Lomnan for Lomman, a name by which several Irish saints were called. It is better, however, to follow Michael O'Clery as guide, who transcribed the festology of Marianus and used it in compiling the martyrology of Donegal, making mention of a Lomnan in neither. Finally, in the Book of Armagh, fol. 16 a 2, Stokes read Lomnanus, Sanas Chormaic. Cormac's Glossary, ed. O'Donovan and Stokes (Calcutta, 1868), p. 1 (= Irish Archaeological Society); but, having inspected Gwynn's edition of the Book of Armagh, we have found that Stokes wrongly wrote Lomnanus for Lommanus, who occurs rather often in that place.].

[3] the calendars, The Drummond Calendar (12th century) adds below the names of foreign saints: And in Ireland, of St. Oeda, bishop and confessor [Forbes, Kalendars of Scottish Saints, p. 28. Oeda is nothing else than one of the very many forms of the genitive singular of the name Aedh.]. The Dublin martyrology records no Irishman, except that there is written in by a later hand: Of Colman, bishop and confessor [The Book of Obits and Martyrology of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, commonly called Christ Church, Dublin. Ed. J. C. Crosthwaite and J. H. Todd, p. XLV.]. Concerning the two Johns, namely the Scot and the Mecklenburger, it is not worth the trouble to copy out the eulogies which Dempster inserted into his work Menologium Scotorum, at the day; in Forbes, op. cit., p. 218.. St. John the Scot, Martyr, is read in the calendar of David Chambers [De Scotorum Fortitudine, Doctrina et Pietate, in the calendar, at the day; in Forbes, op. cit., p. 242.]. Challoner, finally, takes up John of Mecklenburg, Aedh the bishop, and Ilaud the abbot A Memorial of British Piety or a British Martyrology, pp. 174–75., and in the Supplement adds Sodelbia, virgin Supplement to the British Martyrology, p. 30., from Chastelain; the latter, however, also records SS. Aedh and John of Mecklenburg Martyrologe universel, 1st ed., pp. 571–72..

[4] the martyrology of Donegal, In the martyrology of Donegal these things are read:

F. Quarto idus novembris. 10.

Aodh Aedh A. mhac sic A, B. Bric epscob o Chill Air i Midhe ocus o Shlíabh Líacc i tTír Boghaine i cCenel Conaill. Do sliocht Fhiachach mic Neill Naoighiallaigh do (Do sliochtdo) omits A.; added in the margin by the first hand B.. Aois Críost an tan ro fháidh a spiorat dochum nimhe 588.

Greallan [Greallán A; B left a space of several letters empty, for adding the title epscop if it should be needed.] ó Craoibh Grealláin Ghrealláin A. i cConnachtuibh [Mar added above the line by another hand B, which seems to signify that the commemoration of Greallan is also indicated today in Marianus Gorman] i nairther Maighe Luircc. Cuillín mac Cairbre Cluaisdeirg do Laighnibh a athair ocus Eithne ainm a mhathar. I naimsir Pátraicc ro geineadh somh, do réir a bhethaidh fein cap. 1. Ba deiscipul first hand above the line; in the text dalta deleted B. do Patraicc é, cap. 2 (Cuillín - cap. 2) omits A; added in the margin by the same hand B.. As e ro athbheóaigh Eoghan Sriabh mac Duach Duaich A. Ghalaigh a bás an tan ro ba naoidh e; conidh ona sriabhaibh dia bhachaill tucc for a corp aga aithbeoughadh ro hainmnighedh Eoghan Sriabh

dhe, amhail as follus isin tres cap. do bhethaidh Grealláin (amhail - Grealláin) omits A; added by the same hand B..

Fiondmhac epscop.

Laeghaire epscop Cluana Cremha.

Dergaedh epscop.

Ciaran epscop Tioprat mac Nenna Nénna A..

Mo-Chruadoch Airdne Coluim.

Cú-Boirne.

Cáol Craibhdeach.

Do-Lioba.

Ferghus Insi Inescclainn for Loch Eirne.

Sodhealbh ogh ocus Cen ainm a baile i Muigh Conaille. Ar sliocht Catáoir Móir airdri Erenn do Laighnibh ata Soidhealbh (Ar sliocht - Soidhealbh) omits A; added by the same hand B..

Osnat ogh. No Asnad, do Cenel Eoghain mic Neill [(No - Neill) omits A; added by the same hand B. In the word Neill the letter N is written over some erased letter B.].

Commán.

Senic [Lomán nó Lomnán, Marian. adds, in the same hand that wrote Mar above (cf. note 6), B; but these four words have been deleted in the same ink in which they were written; on that Lomnan cf. note 1.].

In Latin: Aedh son of Brec, bishop, of Ceall Áir in Meath and of Sliabh Liag in Cenel Conaill. Of the stock of Fiacha, son of Niall Naoi-ghiallach (E stirpe - Naoighiallach) omits A; added in the margin by the same hand B.. The year of Christ when he sent forth his spirit to heaven, 588.

Greallán, of Craobh Ghrealláin in Connacht, to the east of Magh Luirg. Cuillín son of Cairbre Cluais-dhearg, a Leinsterman, was his father; and Eithne the name of his mother. He is said to have been born in the time of Patrick (Life, chap. 1). He was a disciple of Patrick (chap. 2) (Cuillín - cap. 2) omits A; added in the margin by the same hand B.. He raised from the dead Eoghan Sriabh, then a little child, so that from the marks which he (St. Greallan) impressed with his staff on his (Eoghan's) body he was called Eoghan Sriabh (Eoghan of the mark), as is clear in the third chapter of the Life of Greallan (uti - Greallani) omits A; added by the same hand B..

Fionnmac, bishop.

Laeghaire, bishop of Clúain Creamha.

Dergaedh, bishop.

Ciarán, bishop of Tioprat mac Nénna.

Mo-Chruadóch of Airdne Coluimb.

Cú-Boirne.

Cael Cráibhdheach.

Do-Liobha.

Fearghus of Inis Inesclainn in Loch Erne.

Soidhealbh, virgin. Cen is the name of her (the virgin's) place in Magh Conaille. Soidhealbh was of the progeny of Cathaoir Mór, a Leinsterman, king of all Ireland (erat - regis) omits A; added by the same hand B..

Osnat, virgin. Or Asnad. Of the stock of Eoghan son of Niall (vel - Nialli) omits A; added by the same hand B..

Comman.

Senic [Lomán vel Lomnán, Marianus another hand adds, but deleted, B; see above, note 14.]

[On the codices see above, p. 305. Variants that touch mere grammar we have disregarded. The passage is read in A at fol. 104, in B at fol. 55v.].

[5] a few remain, of whom let us speak briefly. From those whose names we have reviewed, Martin, Modestus and Demetrius are to be removed, who do not belong to Scotia; Aedh, Greallan and John of Mecklenburg have been treated at length; John the Scot and Illandus (for so it is to be read) have been briefly recorded among the passed-over. It remains for us to speak of the holy virgins Osnat and Soidhealbh; of Saints Ciaran, Colman, Dergaedh, Fionnmac and Laeghaire, bishops; and of Saints Coel, Comman, Cu-Boirne, Senic, Fearghus, Mo-Chruadoc and Do-Liobha.

[6] St. Soidhealbh, virgin. Of St. Soidhealbh nothing seems to have been handed down beyond this gloss in the festology of Marianus, which the Donegal compilers copied out: ogh; Cen ainm a baile i Magh Conaille Stokes, Félire hûi Gormâin, p. 214.. In Latin: virgin; Cen (is) the name of her place in Magh Conaille. The plain called Magh Conaille, moreover, extends in County Louth [Hogan, Onomasticon Goedelicum, p. 516, under the words Magh Conaill, Magh Conaille, Magh Connaille.]. Nothing else has become known to us about this virgin, whose pedigree we have sought in vain in the genealogical collections on the saints sprung from the stock of the Conaille.

[7] St. Osnat, virgin. That St. Osnat (otherwise Osnad, Asnat, Asnad), who is venerated today, was ógh, that is, a virgin, is related by the annotator of Marianus Stokes, op. cit., p. 214., whom the Donegal martyrology follows Above, no. 4.. That she is one of the six virgin daughters of Ronan mac Ninnedha, whose pedigree is received into the genealogical collections of the Four Masters [Genealogiae Regum et Sanctorum Hiberniae, ed. Walsh, p. 44, no. 3; p. 45, no. 13; p. 46, no. 20; p. 47, no. 23; cf. p. 48, no. 30.], is the opinion of John Colgan Ibid., p. 44, no. 3, note.. If this is true, the age of this virgin can be determined to some extent; for Niall, the great-grandfather of her great-great-great-grandfather, is said to have reigned over all Ireland at the beginning of the fifth century.

[8] St. Ciaran. That St. Ciaran, who is venerated today, was epscop Tioprata mac nÉnna, that is, bishop of Tioprait mac nÉnna, we read in the annotated festology of Marianus Stokes, op. cit., p. 214., which the Donegal compilers took up Above, no. 4.. The same saint, with the same place-name added [Ciaran Tiprat mac nÉnae, The Book of Leinster, p. 367, col. 4; Ciaran Tiprat Ennae, cod. Rawlinson B. 502; Ciaran Tibrat Ennae, The Book of Ballymote.], is distinguished from his namesakes in the Catalogue of homonymous saints of Ireland [Comainmnigud Noem hErend, ed. D. T. Brosnan, in Archivium Hibernicum, vol. I (1912), p. 327.]; but where that place was is unknown Hogan, op. cit., p. 634, under the word Tipra mac nEnnae..

[9] St. Colman. Of Colman, bishop and confessor, whose name has been written in by a later hand in the margin of the Dublin martyrology Above, no. 4., no one else seems to have made mention. Truly, he would be very sharp indeed who could distinguish this one from two hundred and fifty namesakes Comainmnigud, ed. cit., pp. 318–26..

[10] SS. Fionnmac and Dergaedh. Of SS. Fionnmac (otherwise Findmac) and Dergaedh nothing has become known to us beyond the title of bishop, which is ascribed to the one by Marianus himself Above, no. 2., to the other by the annotator of Marianus Stokes, op. cit., p. 214.; both flowed from the codex of Marianus into the Donegal martyrology Above, no. 4..

[11] St. Laeghaire. That St. Laeghaire was epscop Clúana Creamha, that is, bishop of Clúain Creamha, is read in the annotation to the festology of Marianus Stokes, ibid., which the Donegal martyrology received Above, no. 4.. Some think Cluain Creamha is a place in the parish of Clooncraff, in the barony and county of Roscommon [These, followers of John O'Donovan, Hogan lists, op. cit., p. 259, under the word Cluain Crema (1); where mention of the Book of Armagh, fol. 19 a 1, is wrongly brought in, where Cluain Crema (2), situated in Meath, is plainly dealt with.]. But perhaps this is another place of the same name i nDelbna Assail, which is a tract of the region of Meath, where a church was founded by St. Patrick and committed to St. Meldan the bishop [Stokes, The Tripartite Life of Patrick, vol. I, p. 74. Cf. Book of Armagh, loc. cit.]. Over this church, among the successors of that Meldan, disciple of St. Patrick, we think there presided both that Osbran, anchorite and bishop of Cluain Creamha Annals of Ulster, vol. I, ed. W. M. Hennessy, pp. 214–15., who is said to have died in the year 751, and Comgall, whom the Comainmnigud Noem hErend records Ed. cit., p. 326., and this Laeghaire. For in this Cluain Creamha an episcopal see was certainly established; but of the bishops of the other we do not remember having read anything anywhere. But where Cluain Creamha i nDelbna Assail is, no one has so far ascertained with certainty [O'Hanlon discusses this whole matter, Lives of the Irish Saints, vol. I, p. 467. Cf. Hogan, loc. cit., and under the word Cluain Crema(2).]. For the rest, if the see of Laeghaire the bishop is, as we have conjectured, to be sought not in Connacht but in Meath, he is a different man from Laeghaire son of Fiac, who, as is clear from the pedigree Genealogiae Regum et Sanctorum Hiberniae, ed. cit., p. 83., was a contemporary of St. Patrick. For in Patrick's time it was not Laeghaire who presided over that church, but Meldan. There is the further point that Laeghaire son of Fiac drew his origin from Ulster, where he is said to have been bishop of Down Ibid.. This one is to be distinguished from a third Laeghaire, bishop of the place which is now called Errew, at Lough Conn, in County Mayo [W. M. Hennessy, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. Irish MSS. Series, vol. I, Part I, p. 119, note 20. Cf. O'Hanlon, op. cit., vol. IX, p. 645.], whose feast is entered on the day before the Kalends of October in the festology of Marianus Stokes, Félire hûi Gormâin, p. 186. and in the Donegal martyrology The Martyrology of Donegal, p. 262..

[12] St. Coel. St. Coel, solely by the surname cráibdech Above, nos. 2, 4., which carries the sense of ascetic piety, is distinguished from very many homonyms and paronyms Stokes, op. cit., p. 343, under the words Cóel, Cóelán, Cóelfhind.. Indeed, since the name Coel is masculine and feminine alike, it is not even certain whether Coel was a saint or a female saint. Which is not so rare in Irish hagiology.

[13] St. Comman. Of St. Comman, apart from the somewhat obscure elogium of Marianus, drawn from commonplaces Above, no. 2., we know nothing. And of Saints Comman about twelve namesakes are recorded by Marianus alone Stokes, op. cit., p. 346, under the word Comman.. Nor have we found anything else about St. Cu-Boirne than the notice of Marianus, which the Donegal compiler copies out Above, nos. 2, 4.. The name can be rendered in Latin as Hound of (the region of) Boirenn [There are several places and regions in Ireland called Boirenn, in the genitive singular Boirne; see Hogan, op. cit., p. 118, under the words Boirend ff. Nor are names of men derived in this way from the word cu (hound) rare, e.g. Cú Chulaind, Cú Ulad, Cú Bretan, Cú Átha Cliath, Cú na hEmna Macha; see E. Windisch, Die altirische Heldensage Táin Bó Cúalnge (Leipzig, 1905), p. 1082, under the word Cú (= Wh. Stokes und E. Windisch, Irische Texte, Extraband zu Serie I bis IV).]. Of St. Senic we know only the feast day, from which it is evident that he is another than the Senic whom Marianus

and the Donegal compiler record on the 27th of June Stokes, op. cit., p. 124; The Martyrology of Donegal, p. 180.. Nor is it worth the trouble to inquire how many namesakes he may have, disguised under various hypocoristic forms.

[14] St. Fearghus. Nothing distinguishes St. Fearghus from the namesakes whom Marianus Gorman Stokes, op. cit., p. 362, under the word Fergus. and the Donegal compilers The Martyrology of Donegal, p. 507, under the word Ferghus. record, except the place where he is said to have lived. For in the gloss of the festology of Marianus Stokes, op. cit., p. 214. it is read that he was Insi Inesclainn for Loch Eirne, in Latin, of Inis Ineasclainn in Loch Erne. But in Lough Erne, in County Fermanagh, there are so many islands, none of which is called by this name on the maps of that region, that we are wholly unable to find Inis Ineasclainn. Let the boatmen of those parts solve the question. Inis Ineasclainn, to be sure, signifies the island of the rapid rush of waters The same, ibid., p. 316, under the word Inis Inesclainn.. This island, however, is nowhere recorded except by the annotator of Marianus and his followers, the Donegal compilers Hogan, op. cit., p. 466, under the word Inis Inesclainn.. Of another St. Laeghaire, who lived on another island of the same lake, called Inis Caoin, John O'Hanlon has treated at the 29th of March [Lives of the Irish Saints, vol. III, pp. 993–94. Cf. Act. SS., March vol. III, p. 766.].

[15] St. Mo-Chruadoc. That St. Mo-Chruadóc lived in the place called Airdne Coluim the Donegal martyrology relates Above, no. 4., having followed the annotator of Marianus Stokes, op. cit., p. 214.. Airdne Coluim, otherwise Airdne Coluimb, John O'Donovan thought to be the chapel of St. Columba in the parish of Ardcolm, in the barony of Shelmaliere East, County Wexford Annals of the Four Masters, vol. I, p. 544, note t., because the ruined walls of a chapel were standing there. But this place is signified no less probably than Ardcollum in the parish of Kilronan, barony of Boyle, County Roscommon, or Ardcolum, in the parish of Kiltoghert, in the barony and county of Leitrim Census of Ireland, 1901. General Topographical Index (Dublin, 1904), p. 26..

[16] St. Do-Liobha. Of St. Do-Liobha, otherwise Do-Libha, Do-Liba, more truly Liobha or Libha, a single mention survives at this day, in the festology of Marianus, which the Donegal compilers copied out Above, nos. 2, 4.; nor can he be distinguished in any other way from his namesakes [Stokes, op. cit., p. 375, under the word Liba. The Martyrology of Donegal, p. 501, under the word Daliba; p. 503, under the word Dolibha; p. 519, under the word Molibha.]. But since the others are distinguished from one another by the added name of the place where they lived, and none is said to have been from the Aran Islands, it can be conjectured that this is St. Libeus of Aran, brother of St. Endeus, about whom Colgan collected a few things [Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, pp. 712 and 713. Cf. Genealogiae Regum et Sanctorum Hiberniae, ed. cit., p. 71.]. For the same writer seems to have asserted on no authority that the brother of St. Endeus was one or the other of the Saints Liobha who were venerated on the 8th of January and the 18th of February [Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, p. 713. Perhaps, however, the authorities for this matter perished when certain of Colgan's collections on the saints of this name were lost by accident; cf. op. cit., p. 43, note 4.].