OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Author: Michele Ainley

  • Saint Colmán of Clonpriest, July 12

    July 12 is the feast of a County Cork saint, Colmán of Clonpriest. He shares his feast day with a neighbouring Saint Ultán. In his entry below from The Lives of the Irish Saints, Canon O’Hanlon spends some time discussing possible locations where this saint flourished, but I have accepted Pádraig Ó Riain’s location of Bruchais as Clonpriest, County Cork, which is not one of the possibilities listed by O’Hanlon:

    St. Colman, Priest, of Cluain Bruchais.

    In the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 12th of July, we find the simple entry, Colman, Bruicisi. It is stated by O’Clery, that this saint was Colman, son of Lughaidh, son to Aenghus, son of Nadfraech. This Aenghus was King of Minister and of Caiseal. The same authority states, that the present saint was venerated at Cluain Bruchais, but we are not informed where it had been situated. There is a townland Clonbrick, in the parish of Clonlea, barony of Tulla Lower and county of Clare; as also Clonbrick, in the parish of Solloghodmore, barony of Clanwilliam, and county of Tipperary. There is a Clonbrock (Upper and Lower), in the parish of Clonsast, barony of Coolestown, and King’s County; there is a Clonbrock, in the parish of Killabban, barony of Slievmargy and Queen’s County; there are two Clonbrocks, in the barony of Kilconnell, and county of Galway. One of the latter is in Ahascragh, and the other in Fohanagh parish. These are the only denominations discoverable on the Maps of Ireland, as likely to correspond with Cluain Bruchais. The Martyrology of Donegal records this saint at the same date, but somewhat differently from that of Tallagh, by calling him Colman, Priest, of Cluain Bruchais. The Bollandists, likewise, enter  Colman, with the addition of Brucais, at the 12th day of July.

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  • ‘Benedict, a strong pillar’


    Although there are a number of Irish saints commemorated on July 11, I found myself interested in the noting on some of our native calendars of the feast of the Translation of the Relics of Saint Benedict. Although the major feast of the father of western monasticism fell on the day of his natalis, March 21, at which date it was recorded in the Martyrology of Aengus, the Martyrology also commemorated the second feastday of Saint Benedict, that of the translation of his relics, on July 11. I was struck by how Saint Aengus the Martyrologist brings together the saints of the East, the West and of Ireland on this day, for the entry sandwiches ‘Benedict, a strong pillar’ between the names of the Great Martyr Euphemia and a local saint, Failbe, from Dísert maic Con-lócha in County Westmeath:

    C. v. idus Iulii.
    La martrai na rígnae
    Eufemiae slógdae,
    Benedicht, bale áge,
    macc craíbdech Con-lógae.

    11. With the martyrdom of the queen,
    Euphemia the hostful,
    Benedict, a strong pillar,
    Cu-lógae’s devout son.

    The scholiast comment is simply this: Benedict, i.e. caput monachorum etc.

    The later Martyrology of Marianus O’Gorman, written in the 12th century, spells out the title of the feastday:

    11. C.
    Translait cuirp in clerigh
    Benedict as mbage.

    11. C.
    The translation of the body of the cleric
    Benedict whom thou proclaims.

    Canon O’Hanlon has a short paragraph in Volume 7 of The Lives of the Irish Saints too:

    Translation of St. Benedict’s Relics.

    In the “Leabhar Breac” copy of the “Feilire,” by St. Aengus, there is a record of St. Benedict’s festival, at the 11th of July. Furthermore, a scholion informs us, that he was Benedict, the Father of Monks. Usuard and other ancient Martyrologists have it as the festival for a Translation of his relics, as the Bollandists note at this day. They refer, however, to his chief feast, at the 21st of March for an exhaustive illustration of his Acts. Also, in Usuard is to be found, at this same date, a Translation of the relics of his sister Scholastica, whose chief festival and Acts are noticed, on the 10th of February.

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  • Saint Senan, July 10

    The name of a Saint Senan is recorded on the Irish calendars at July 10. The most famous saint of this name is the patron of Scattery Island but it is one he shares with at least twenty others. As Canon O’Hanlon explains, we have no other information about the saint Senan commemorated on July 10:

    St. Senan.

    The name of Senan is set down in the Martyrologies of Tallagh  and of Donegal, at the 10th of July. With other saints of this name, Colgan notes him, but without any further distinction. The Bollandists have an entry, at this date, regarding him.

     

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