He was one of the boys trained by St. Aidan in the monastery of Lindisfarne. When he grew to manhood he made his profession as a monk of that abbey, and in after years became {154} Abbot of Old Melrose, where St. Boisil and St. Cuthbert were among his disciples. He became Bishop of Lindisfarne, and was afterwards translated to the See of Hexham. He was buried in Hexham Cathedral.
30—St. Talarican, Bishop, A.D. (about) 720.
This saint has been claimed as one of the Irish missionaries to Scotland, but competent authorities maintain that his name shows him to have been of Pictish origin, and they add that the Irish calendars do not contain a saint whose name can be identified with that of Talarican. The saint is said to have been raised to the episcopate by Pope Gregory (perhaps St. Gregory II.). It is specially said of him that he was careful to offer Holy Mass every day. His life was one of stern discipline. He laboured in the northern districts of Scotland, and his popularity is shown by the numerous dedications in his name.
The large district of Kiltarlity in Invernessshire, in which Beauly Priory was situated, takes its name from St. Talarican. A church and burial-ground known as Ceilltarraglan once {155} existed in the Isle of Skye; it was situated on the plain above the rocks to the north of Loch Portree. In the island of Taransay we find Eaglais Tarain, or Church of Talarican. The saint is also associated with the church of Fordyce, in Banffshire, where a fair was held on his feast and during the octave. There is a St. Tarkin's Well at Fordyce and another in the parish of Kilsyth, Stirlingshire, is thought to own this saint as patron. Leo XIII. restored St. Talarican's feast to the Scottish Calendar.
St. Monoch.
At Stevenson, in Ayrshire, an annual fair was formerly held on October 30th, which was called "Sam Maneuke's," or "St. Monk's Day"; it has long been discontinued. An old will of the sixteenth century points to this saint as the patron of the town. Archibald Weir, in his testament, dated October 7th, 1547, says: "I give and bequeath my soul to God Almighty and my body to be buried in the church of St. Monoch, of Steynstoune." A procession once took place annually on this day in the above locality. It was doubtless the remnant of some {156} popular Catholic demonstration in honour of the patronal feast; though mentioned as late as 1845 it has now disappeared. In the parish of Sorn, in the same county, is an estate known by the designation of Auchmannoch, which probably refers to this saint.
31 St. Bees or Begha, Virgin, A.D. (about) 660.
This saint was of royal Irish race. In her youth she was promised in marriage to a Norwegian prince, but as she had vowed virginity in her earliest years she fled from home to escape the force which might possibly be brought to bear upon her to bring about the proposed union. Embarking alone in a small boat, she made her way to the opposite coast of Northumbria. Here she dwelt for some time in a woodland retreat, after receiving the monastic habit from St. Aidan, the bishop. She afterwards presided over a community of virgins, whose government she eventually resigned to St. Hilda. St. Begha founded another monastery in Strathclyde, which was known by her name. The tongue of land on which it stood is still called St. Bee's Head. {157}
In this retreat she died in the odour of sanctity. Kilbagie, in
Clackmannan, is probably named after this saint, and also Kilbucho
(Church of Begha), in the parish of Broughton, Peebleshire.