convent at Louvain, in the 17th century, was a laborious and voluminous writer on the ecclesiastical antiquities of Ireland, his best known works being, Acta Sanctorum Hiberniœ, Lovanii, 1645; and Triadis Thaumaturgœ, Lovanii, 1647. He died at Louvain in 1658, having failed to complete his Acta Sanctorum, which contains only the Calendar of Saints for January, February, and March. O'Curry speaks of him as "this learned, laborious, and honest writer." Ware, writing of his Acta Sanctorum, says: "Into this volume he hath brought all the saints of Ireland who died during the first three months of the year, and I fear some Scots and English, such as he could lay the best claim to; yet is far short of making sufficient reprisals on Mr. Dempster, who, with too bare a face, hath plundered the Irish calendar, and from thence got the nickname of the 'Saint-stealer.' Peter Talbot gives our author the character of 'incertorum corrosor,' or a raker together of uncertain and unknown lives." Bev. John O'Hanlon adds that "Colgan was well versed in the language and literature of his native country, profoundly read in the civil and ecclesiastical annals of Ireland; while his competency for writing and annotating the acts of our Irish saints—his learning, candour, wonderful industry, and research—are fully manifested in the two magnificent folio volumes which he published, and which must remain as the imperishable monuments of his zeal, piety, and patriotism… He candidly declares that a great portion of his labours had been forwarded by Father Hugh Ward, before the death of this latter eminent man." 192 260 339
Colles, Abraham, an eminent surgeon, was born at Millmont, near Kilkenny, in 1773. He studied in Dublin, Edinburgh and London, and in 1799 was elected Resident Surgeon at Steevens' Hospital, Dublin, and in 1826, Professor of Surgery at the College of Surgeons. He was so much esteemed, that upon his resignation of the latter post, from ill health, in 1835, his portrait and bust were placed in the College. He died on 1st December 1843, aged about 70, and was buried at Mount Jerome. Shortly before his decease he declined a baronetcy. Besides minor publications, he wrote some standard works—a treatise on Surgical Anatomy, and On the Use of Mercury. Mr. Waller writes: "The leading features in Mr. Colles's character were solid judgment, manly directness, perfect probity, the soundest of understandings, and the kindest of hearts." 39 His fee-book is an interesting document, showing the rapid rise of his practice, from £8 l0s. 7½d. in 1798, to an average of between £5,000 and £6,000 per annum before many years were over. 39 116 (23)
Colman, Bishop of Lindisfame, who flourished in the 7th century, appears to have been the most celebrated of the many Colmans enumerated in Irish ecclesiastical history. While occupying the see of Lindisfame he differed from the Bishop of York regarding the time for the celebration of Easter, and in disgust returned to Ireland with several English monks, and settled on the island of Inishbofin. Contentions arising between his English and Irish monks, he was obliged to transfer the former to a separate establishment on the mainland of Mayo. He died 8th August 676, at Inishbofin, where his remains were interred. 119 339
Columbanus, Saint, was born about 545, of an illustrious Leinster family. Endowed with extraordinary talents, he retired to the monastery of Bangor, in Ulster, where, under the tuition of St. Comgall, he spent a considerable portion of his life in meditation and study. However, his life is most bound up with the ecclesiastical history of the Continent. At fifty years of age he selected twelve companions, and proceeded to France, where a wide field of missionary labour then lay open. He was in 602 involved in a controversy with the French bishops as to the proper time for celebrating Easter. He then established monasteries at Annegray, Luxeuil, and Fontaines; but was ultimately obliged to fly to Italy, having incurred the hatred of Brunechilde and Fredegonde, the Merovingian kings' mistresses, by his fearless denunciations of their impure lives. Particulars of his wanderings and many reputed miracles are given at length by Lanigan. He died at Bobbio in Italy (in 615, aged about 70) where in 613 he had established a confraternity under the protection of Aigilulph, King of the Lombards. Columbanus's festival is celebrated on the 21st November. Ware gives a list of his works, numbering seventeen. They are wholly in Latin. M. Guizot remarks of his sermons: "The flights of imagination, the pious transports, the rigorous application of principles, the warfare declared against all vain or hypocritical compromise, give to the words of the preacher that passionate authority, which may not always and surely reform the soul of his hearers, but which dominates over them, and for some time at least, exercises paramount sway over their conduct and their life." 125* San Colombano in Lombardy takes its name from him: and the town and
