Eochaid mac Colla ( 560 – 640), better known as Saint Dallán or Dallán Forgaill ( sga, Dallán Forchella; la, Dallanus Forcellius;
Primitive Irish
Primitive Irish or Archaic Irish ( ga, Gaeilge Ársa), also called Proto-Goidelic, is the oldest known form of the Goidelic languages. It is known only from fragments, mostly personal names, inscribed on stone in the ogham alphabet in Ireland ...
: ''Dallagnas Worgēllas''), was an early Christian
Irish poet
This is a list of notable poets with Wikipedia pages, who were born or raised in Ireland or hold Irish citizenship.
Abbreviations for the languages of their writings: E: English; F: French; I: Irish (); L: Latin; R: Russian
A–D
* Adomnán ...
and saint known as the writer of the "''
Amra Coluim Chille
Amra is the name of certain ancient Irish elegies or panegyrics on native saints. The best known is ''Amra Coluimb Chille'' (the song of Columbkille).
''Amra Coluim Chille''
According to the traditional account the ''Amra Coluim Chille'' was com ...
''" ("Elegy of Saint Columba") and, traditionally, "''Rop Tú Mo Baile''" ("
Be Thou My Vision
"Be Thou My Vision" ( sga, Rop tú mo baile or ''Rob tú mo bhoile'') is a traditional Christian hymn of Irish origin. The words are based on a Middle Irish poem that has traditionally been attributed to Dallán Forgaill.
The best-known English ...
").
Personal history
Saint Dallan's given name was
Eochaidh ( sga, Eochaid); his father was Colla, a descendant of the legendary High King
Colla Uais, and his mother was Forgall (Old Irish: ''Forchella''). His nickname, ''Dallán'' ("little blind one"), was earned after he lost his sight, reputedly as a result of studying intensively.
He was born in Maigen (now
Ballyconnell), at the eastern edge of the territory of the
Masraige
The Masraige () were a semi-legendary Fir Bolg tribe inhabiting Magh Slécht in County Cavan, Ireland. They were also called Masragii, Masraide, Masraidhe, Masruidhe, Mascraide, Masree, Macraighe or Mascraidhe. The name can be translated as "Be ...
of
Magh Slécht
Magh Slécht (sometimes Anglicised as Moyslaught) is the name of a historic plain in Ireland. It comprises an area of about three square miles (8 km2) situated in the south-eastern part of the Parish of Templeport, Barony (Ireland), Barony ...
in the north-west of modern
County Cavan
County Cavan ( ; gle, Contae an Chabháin) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is part of the Border Region. It is named after the town of Cavan and is base ...
. He was not a member of the
Masraige
The Masraige () were a semi-legendary Fir Bolg tribe inhabiting Magh Slécht in County Cavan, Ireland. They were also called Masragii, Masraide, Masraidhe, Masruidhe, Mascraide, Masree, Macraighe or Mascraidhe. The name can be translated as "Be ...
but belonged to a branch of the
Airgíalla
Airgíalla (Modern Irish: Oirialla, English: Oriel, Latin: ''Ergallia'') was a medieval Irish over-kingdom and the collective name for the confederation of tribes that formed it. The confederation consisted of nine minor kingdoms, all independe ...
called the Fir Lurg, who were in the process of spreading southwards into modern-day
County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh ( ; ) is one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the six counties of Northern Ireland.
The county covers an area of 1,691 km2 (653 sq mi) and has a population of 61,805 a ...
and
County Cavan
County Cavan ( ; gle, Contae an Chabháin) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is part of the Border Region. It is named after the town of Cavan and is base ...
. (The
Barony Barony may refer to:
* Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron
* Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron
* Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...
of
Lurg
Lurg () is a barony situated in the north of County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. To its south lies Lower Lough Erne, and it is bordered by four other baronies in Northern Ireland: Magheraboy to the south; Tirkennedy to the south-east; Omagh We ...
in the north of County Fermanagh was named after them.)
[T. M. Charles-Edwards, 'Dallán Forgaill ( fl. 597)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004]
accessed 27 June 2009
/ref> He was a first cousin of Saint Mogue. (The ''Life of Máedóc of Ferns'' says in ch. 72 that Dallán and Máedóc were sons of two brothers and he lived in Kildallan townland
Kildallan () is a townland in the civil parish of Kildallan, barony of Tullyhunco, County Cavan, Ireland.
Geography
Kildallan is bounded on the north by Carn, Tullyhunco and Killygreagh townlands, on the west by Ardlougher and Dring townlands, ...
.)[ He was also a fourth cousin of ]Tigernach of Clones
Tigernach mac Coirpri (''d''. 549) was an early Irish saint, patron saint of Clones (Co. Monaghan) in the province of Ulster.
Background
Tigernach or Tiarnach of Clones (anglicised ''Tierney'') was one of the pre-eminent saints of the territo ...
.
The ''Amhra Coluim Cille'', a panegyric
A panegyric ( or ) is a formal public speech or written verse, delivered in high praise of a person or thing. The original panegyrics were speeches delivered at public events in ancient Athens.
Etymology
The word originated as a compound of grc, ...
on Columba
Columba or Colmcille; gd, Calum Cille; gv, Colum Keeilley; non, Kolban or at least partly reinterpreted as (7 December 521 – 9 June 597 AD) was an Irish abbot and missionary evangelist credited with spreading Christianity in what is toda ...
, written shortly after Columba's death in 597, is his best known work and considered "one of the most important poems we have from the early medieval Gaelic world". It is reported that after completing the work, Dallan regained his sight. It was claimed that those who recited the praises of Columba from memory would receive the gift of a happy death, a custom that was widely abused by those who attempted to rely on their memory rather than a virtuous life. The "''Amhra Coluim Cille''" became a popular text for students in Irish monasteries.
The "''Amra Senáin''", a funeral oration in praise of Senán mac Geirrcinn
Senán mac Geircinn (''fl.'' 6th century) is a prominent Munster saint in Irish tradition, founder of Inis Cathaig (Scattery Island, Iniscathy) and patron of the Corco Baiscinn and the Uí Fhidgeinte.Johnston, "Munster, saints of (act. ''c' ...
(Senán of Iniscattery), was said to preserve from blindness those who recited it with devotion.[O'Donnell, Patrick. ''Irish Ecclesiastical Record'', Vol. 8 (1887), pp.781-794]
In c.640 Dallan was visiting his friend Saint Conall Cael at his monastery on Inishkeel
Inishkeel () is a small tidal island and a townland off the coast of County Donegal, Ireland. The closest village on the mainland is Narin.
Geography
The island is located in Gweebarra Bay around 250 m from the coast. A sandy tidal bank ...
when pirates raided the island monastery. Dallan was reportedly beheaded, and it is said that God reattached his head to his body after he was martyred. He was buried on Iniskeel; his friend Canall Cael was later laid to rest in the same grave.
He was acclaimed a saint in the early 11th century, during the reign of the High King of Ireland Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill
Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill ( ga, Maolsheachlann mac Domhnaill), also called Máel Sechnaill Mór or Máel Sechnaill II (949 – 2 September 1022), was a King of Mide and High King of Ireland. His great victory at the Battle of Tara agai ...
but was already listed as a saint in the earlier 9th century martyrologies compiled by Óengus of Tallaght
Óengus mac Óengobann, better known as Saint Óengus of Tallaght or Óengus the Culdee, was an Irish bishop, reformer and writer, who flourished in the first quarter of the 9th century and is held to be the author of the ''Félire Óengusso'' ...
. A medieval poem entitled "On the breaking up of a School" composed by Tadhg Og O Huiginn, c.1400, refers to the death of Dallán which caused his school to break up and the students to disperse as they would accept no other master. In a list of ancient Irish authors contained in the Book of Ballymote, Dallán is called "grandson of testimony".
Works
Saint Dallan was a poet, Chief Ollam of Ireland
Chief may refer to:
Title or rank
Military and law enforcement
* Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force
* Chief of police, the head of a police department
* Chief of the boa ...
, as well as a scholar of Latin scriptural learning. He helped to reform the Bardic Order at the Convention of Drumceat.
In addition to ''" Amra Choluim Chille"'' and "''Amra Senáin"'', the following works are attributed to Dallán, although some may be later works by other poets who credited Dallan with authorship in order to make their poems more famous.
1. ''Amra Conall Coel'' – in praise of St. Conall Coel, abbot of Inishkeel
Inishkeel () is a small tidal island and a townland off the coast of County Donegal, Ireland. The closest village on the mainland is Narin.
Geography
The island is located in Gweebarra Bay around 250 m from the coast. A sandy tidal bank ...
2. ''Dubgilla dub-airm n-aisse''
3. ''Fo réir Coluim cén ad-fías''
4. ''Conn cet cathach a righi'' (This is the final poem in the tale "''Aírne Fíngein''")
5. ''Rop tú mo baile''
6. ''Comaillfithir d'Éirinn ídail dar a hora''
Churches
Although he was not a priest, Dallán founded several churches throughout Ireland, such as Kildallan
Kildallan civil parish is situated in the Barony of Tullyhunco, County Cavan, Ireland.
Etymology
The name of the parish derives from Kildallan townland which is an Anglicisation of the Gaelic ''Cill Dalláin'' meaning the 'Church of Dallán Forga ...
in County Cavan, Disert, Tullyhunco
Disert () is a townland in the civil parish of Kildallan, barony of Tullyhunco, County Cavan, Ireland.
Geography
Disert is bounded on the north by Coolnashinny townland; on the west by Aghabane, Derrindrehid, and Killygowan townlands; on the ...
in County Cavan, Kildallan, Westmeath
Kildallan () is a townland in the civil parish of Templeoran, barony of Moygoish, County Westmeath, Ireland.
Geography
Kildallan is bounded on the north by Sonna Demesne and Kildallan North townlands, on the west by Cartron townland, on the ...
, Burnchurch in County Kilkenny, Killallon
Killallon civil parish is situated in the barony of Fore, County Meath. It has an area of 7,626 acres.
Etymology
The parish was originally named after the early Irish church founded there in the 6th century by Saint Dallán Forgaill. The Preface ...
in County Meath, Clonallan
Clonallan is a civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is situated in the historic barony of Iveagh Upper, Upper Half. The parish has an area of 11,464 acres.
Etymology
The name of the parish derives from the townland of Clonallan Gl ...
in County Down and Tullygallan in County Donegal. He probably did this out of his friendship for the clergy and perhaps to ensure Masses for his soul. Because of this he was known as ''Forgaill Cille'' in medieval texts, meaning 'Forgaill of the Churches'.
References
External links
Saint Dallán Forgaill (c.560 -c.640), alias Eochaid Éices
*
Liber Hymnorum version
an
translation
Rop tú mo baile
and translatio
The language and the date of Amrae Coluimb Chille
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dallan Forgaill
530s births
598 deaths
6th-century Christian saints
Christian poets
Medieval saints of Ulster
6th-century Irish poets
7th-century Irish poets
Year of birth uncertain
Irish male poets
Irish-language writers
Irish-language poets