I have withdrawn the former post for Saint Craebhnat (Craobhnad) of Clenor at this date as I realized I had been misled by a nineteenth-century writer into misidentifying this holy woman with the County Cork Saint Cránaid, subject of a very brief late ‘Life’ detailing the lengths to which she went to discourage a potential suitor. As we can see from Canon O’Hanlon’s account below, he shared this opinion, but modern scholar Pádraig Ó Riain in his 2011 Dictionary of Irish Saints suggests that the Saint Craobhnad commemorated on July 17 is more likely to be Craobhnad of Kilcreevanty, County Galway. He tells us that there is nothing recorded of the saint, although her church is mentioned in the Annals. She is thus distinct from the Saint Cránaid associated with Clenor, who is the actual subject of the Life. Before moving to Canon O’Hanlon’s account, we can turn to the Irish calendars which are the only source for Saint Craobhnad. On July 17 The Martyrology of Gorman records the name ‘Craebnat’, with a note adding ‘virgin’, whilst the Martyrology of Donegal records ‘Craebhnat, Virgin’ . Her name is not found on the earlier Martyrology of Oengus and the Martyrology of Tallaght records a Saint Corpnata on this day, whom Canon O’Hanlon suggests might be our elusive Saint Craebhnat (Craobhnad):

St. Craebhnat, Virgin

The name, Corpnata, occurs in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 17th of July. It seems very possible, that an Irish Life of St. Creunata, transcribed by Brother Michael O’Cleary, had reference to this holy woman, and it yet exists in the Burgundian Library at Bruxelles. Some notices—most probably regarding this saint—or it may have been a Life, seem to have been prepared by Colgan for publication, at the 17th of July, as on the posthumous list of his Manuscripts we find a St. Cranata, Virgin, entered. It is likely, this was another form of St.Craebhnat’s or Corpnata’s name. In the Martyrology of Donegal, Craebhnat, Virgin, is recorded at this same date.

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