In the footsteps of our ancient saints

Four Tipperary Saints: The lives of Colum of Terryglass, Crónán of Roscrea, Mochaomhóg of Leigh and Ruadhán of Lorrha

Translated into English by Pádraig Ó Riain

(Four Courts Press, €17.50 pb)

George Cunningham

This book is much more than just a translation of the medieval Latin lives of these four north Tipperary saints. It is a wonderful succinct synthesis of scholarship from the pen of our leading commentator on the lives of the Irish saints.

In this work, following on the success and international acclaim of his magisterial Dictionary of Irish Saints (2011) Professor Ó Riain adds major ‘footprints’ at local parochial level: lucid writing, authoritative background information, and unrivalled intimate scholarly knowledge of the political, secular, and ecclesiastic contexts of the 12th Century during which these ‘lives’ were written.

Prof Ó Riain deals with each saint under the following headings: the saint, his church, commentary on the life, followed by a translation of the life. As he says the translation “though faithful is not literal. Its purpose is to provide readable and easily comprehensible texts.” He also provides detailed notes on aspects of the text, such as place-names, incidents or ‘miracles’ and genealogy.

Many of the places named are at the moment unidentifiable but local scholars are now given an opportunity to search later manuscripts such as the Ormond Deeds, the Fiants or the Patent Rolls, to name a few sources which may provide elucidation. Such research would, of course, add greatly to our understanding of a pivotal period in the history of the Irish Church at local level as it moved from Celtic monasticism to mainstream European diocesan organisation, structures that remain to this day.

Over a century ago two great clerical scholars, Canon John O’Hanlon and Rev. John Gleeson did make extensive translated extracts available, but their works are scarce, relatively incomplete and difficult to obtain.

So this handsome illustrated volume, produced, as usual, to the highest academic standards by Four Courts Press admirably serves the scholar, a general readership  and the interested parishioner, both for the parishes honoured and those proud of their Christian heritage.

It would be a pity if it was condemned only to an academic readership. It deserves widespread circulation particularly among the parishes honoured and highlighted, three of whom are in the Diocese of Killaloe and one (Two-Mile-Borris) in the Archdiocese of Cashel & Emly, both at the  moment associated with Bishop Kieran O’Reilly as he awaits his elevation to the archbishopric.

In the meantime it is good to know that Pádraig is continuing his Tipperary hagiographical research.

I thought I might get him to explore the wonderful life of Molua of Kyle, Coill Cluain Fearta Molua, a Tipperary saint, but whose celebrated early Christian monastery now lies in Co. Laois, near Borris-in-Ossory, just outside the Tipperary border.

But he says: “Molua will have to wait, I’m afraid. Ailbhe, the fifth Tipperary saint, will come first. He’ll receive the ‘full treatment’; I hope to bring all his lives together and give the dossier the full edition it deserves.”

Finally, readers who wish to learn more of the heirs of these saints and their times, particularly Crónán, Ruadhán and Colum, may do so at the 56th Roscrea Conference on the Céli Dé at the Cistercian Abbey of Mount St Joseph, on the weekend after Easter, when Prof. Ó Riain joins a host of scholars to explore the Christian theme.