Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 28, 1917.djvu/229

 Collectanea. 197

Life of St. Columha ^ also tells how Enda received from Heaven a red cow with a white face. She could give so much milk thrice a day that all his monks were satisfied. Enda, however, was given another cow and when she lowed the heaven-sent cow was offended, turned round (made a desiul) in honour of the Trinity and sank in " Stagnum na ceannaine," now Lough- nacanony, near Kilmurvey (chapter xix). In the next chapter an angel with a flaming knife cut an easy and level approach to the monastery. Enda always appears as hasty and jealous, as when he expels the horses of the chief Corbanus from Aran, forcing them to swim back to Co. Clare from Tragh na neach, or horses port. Port Daibche (Portdeeha) on the east strand of Aranmore is also named from the cask (doluim) floating to it in answer to his prayer.

Other Aran Saints.

Aran abounds in small shrines with interesting observances in some cases, and a number of obscure saints ^ found neither in the Lives nor the early calendars. St. Kennanach and St. Kenerge (Cendeirge), a prince and princess of Leinster, have a very primitive oratory and " aharla " in the middle isle (Inismaan). Othairle in the Annals means a burial-place ; on Aran Eathairle (Aharla) imphes a sacred enclosure. The Eathairle na Cenndhirghe is lo' long by 5' wide, with a small cross and a beautiful little well of the sweetest water. The natives sleep in the enclose for curative purposes.

The Church of St. Cennanach ^ lies on the western shore, above the band of seakale which girds the beach ; it is a most primitive oratory, with projecting handle stones at the corners, a lintelled west door with inclined jambs and an angular-headed

1 Life of Columba, by O'Donnell, early sixteenth century.

-For a bibliography and full list with descriptions of the remains see Illustrated Guide to the N., IV. and S. Islands and Coast of Ireland (Hand- book vi. Roy. Soc. Antt. Ir.), pp. 63-96.

^ Hardiman's notes in HIar Connaught, p. iiS; see photographs in Lord Dunraven's Notes on Irish Architecture, vol i. plates xxxvii. and xxxviii. p. 72.