Excerpt from Lives of the Irish Saints, Vol. 1: With Special Festivals, and the Commemorations of Holy Persons, Compiled From Calendars, Martyrologies and Various Sources, Relating to the Ancient Church History of Ireland

However limited might appear, at first sight, that particular section of biography which comprises the Hagiology of so small a country as Ireland yet, it is scarcely to be hoped, in the ordinary course of nature, that any single person will be found to exhaust - even remotely - those rich treasures that remain after the wreck of ages, and which contain materials for extended memoirs of distinguished saints, connected with our Island. Such records are now accessible to the generality of capable scholars and students. F or tunately and opportunely, for the proximate accomplishment of his Object, the Lives of many Irish Saints, printed and in manuscript, have become available for the writer's purpose. Rare and voluminous archives chiefly grace the shelves of large public libraries, or are found among the private collections of men, possessing ample means and a taste for procuring scarce and valuable literary treasures. Several manuscript biographies of our national saints are yet to be found in the Irish, Latin, and other tongues, and many of these have not yet been published. From records that remain, we have been enabled to discover titles and occasional fragments, referring to numerous ancient and valuable Acts or Lives, that have been irreparably lost, or not hitherto recovered. How many more manuscripts have perished, during the changing fortunes of their former possessors, or through lapse ot time, cannot be known to the present, or perhaps to any future generation.

Within the limits of this Introduction it might be expedient - were it possible - to present an abbreviated account of unpublished and published documents, that furnish the principal materials for compiling Irish Hagiology. Those manuscripts and printed works of chief importance must be noticed, however, in connexion with this subject, and especially according to the order of their first composition or publication. While several manuscript memorials of Irish saints are contained in the public libraries of Dublin city, and of other places throughout Ireland, a very considerable portion has been removed from this country. Some are to be found' in private collections, belonging to gentlemen at present or lately in Ireland. Manuscripts have been undoubtedly lost, yet many are still preserved in the libraries of Great Britain and of various other countries on the Continent of Europe. The cities and towns, where those documents are kept, shall here be briefly noticed, and authorities are cited, that best serve to corroborate the several statements. It should require a separate and large volume to characterize the value and authenticity of those various records, regarded as sources for the illustration and development Of our Saint History.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.