OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Author: Michele Ainley

  • Saint Nathi of Cuil Saccaile, August 1

    We open the month of August with the commemoration of Saint Nathi of Cuil Saccaile. As we will see in Canon O’Hanlon’s account from Volume 8 of his Lives of the Irish Saints, it was suggested that this saint’s locality was to be found in County Down, even though other evidence pointed to a Leinster origin for the saint. The Anglican writer, Bishop William Reeves, whilst he included the saint in his work on the Ulster dioceses of Down, Connor and Dromore, was unable to identify the place of Cuil Saccaile. Professor Pádraig Ó Riain, however, in his recent authoritative Dictionary of the Irish Saints identifies this place with Taney (Teach Nathí), formerly Sacoyle, County Dublin. He further suggests that our saint could be identical with Saint Nathi of Achonry whose feast is celebrated on August 9 and that he may also be the same Bishop Nathí who was said to have conferred religious orders on the monastics of Saint Brigid of Kildare. Thus although I have reproduced Canon O’Hanlon’s  account of Saint Nathi below (including his identification of Cuil Saccaile with County Down), I think this is a case where modern scholarship has been able to offer a fresh perspective:

    St. Nathi, of Cuil Saccaile, in Dalaradia, County of Down.

    We find entered, at the 1st of August, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, that veneration was given to Nathi, Chule Sacaille. This place must probably be identified with Cuil Fuitheirbe, in the Dalaradian territory. However, the exact locality is not known. The History of the Saints states in the poem, that there is a Nathi, Bishop, and that he was the son of  Senach, sprung from the race of Mesincorb, of Leinster. With this coincides the statement of Roderick O’Flaherty,  and of another record to be found in the Book of Lecan, where this saint is called Nathias of Cuil-fothribh, in Dalaradia. Although placed by Rev. William Reeves in his local Calendar, the learned antiquary and topographer does not attempt to identify that spot, where he was venerated.  Under the head of Cuil Sacaille—also rendered Cill or Cluian—Duald Mac Firbis enters Nathi, bishop of Cuil Fothairbe, or Fuithirbe, or of Cuil Sacaille, at August 1st. This Nathi’s name appears also in the Martyrology of Donegal  at the same date, as Nathi, Bishop of Cuil Fuitheirbe.
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  • Feast of the Sons of Nadfraech, July 31

    We close the month of July with the collective feast of the Sons of Nadfraech. Inevitably, the  calendars do not agree with each other in their listing of the individuals who make up the grouping and it seems that some of the saints whose feasts happen to fall on this day may have been erroneously included as sons of Nadfraech. Canon O’Hanlon is cautious about the group but is able to bring accounts of all of them individually. We have already met one of them, Saint Colmán of Derrymore, on the blog and accounts of the others will follow:

    FESTIVAL FOR THE SONS OF NADFRAECH, VIZ., COLMAN, FOLLAMAN, PAPAN, IERNOC AND NATALIS.

    [FIFTH AND SIXTH CENTURIES.]

    MUCH uncertainty prevails, as we shall see, regarding the parentage and places, the sons—if they were not rather the grandsons—of Nadfraech, should have in our histories and calendars. We do not read of his conversion to Christianity, nor any very particular allusion to him, in the Acts of St. Patrick, although his son Aengus, King of Munster, became a distinguished convert, when the Gospel was preached in that part of Ireland.  However, it is likely, in this case, the father’s name has been set down for that of his son Aengus. According to the Martyrology of Donegal, the sons of Nadfaech had veneration paid them at this date. Their names are entered in detail, with marked distinction, and in the following order, according to the foregoing Calendar, viz. : Colman, Bishop; Fallamain, Bishop ; Iarnog, the sickly; and Natal of Cill-na-manach. It is not otherwise recorded, nor does it seem probable, except in a remote degree, that Natfraich had many children, who were saints. However, it is generally assumed, that Aengus was the father of a numerous and holy offspring. There are four of his sons numbered among our saints, and they are called Colman, Foilan, Lugad and Natalis. Nor does this account wholly agree with that of other authorities. At the 31st of July, Marianus O’Gorman seems to say, that the feast of Angus’ five sons, viz. : Colman, the son of Darenia, Follamonius, or Follomen, Papan, Iernoc and Natal is, had been celebrated on that day. These he calls the sons of Natfraich. But, by another designation, we are to understand, that they were only his grandsons, Aengus being their father.  In succeeding articles, we shall treat individually regarding each one of those saints, and as we find references to them in our records.

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  • Saint Cobarchair of Gulban gort, July 30

    On July 30 the Irish calendars record the memory of Saint Cobarchair as well as the name of his father and of the place where he flourished. Canon O’Hanlon is unable to identify the saint’s location but explains that due to the saint’s name meaning ‘help’ he was later confused with the Patrician episcopal saint Auxilius, an identification which he rejects:

    St. Cobarchair, or Cobuir, Son of Goll, of Gulban gort.

    In the Martyrology of Tallagh, we find that veneration was given at the 30th of July to Cobarchair, Gulbain Guirt mac h. Gairb.  The word Cobhairm has the meaning of “aid,” or “help” and, in Latin, it maybe represented by the word Auxilius. Hence, it has been conjectured, that he was St. Patrick’s disciple. The present holy man is entered in the Martyrology of Mairanus O’Gorman. At the same date, in the Martyrology of Donegal,  occurs the name of Cobuir, son of Goll. From this latter patronymic, it seems clear, that  the present holy man must be distinguished from St. Auxilius, son of Ua-Baird, St. Patrick’s disciple, and the Patron of Killossy, county of Kildare.  His feast, in one instance, has been referred to the 16th September.
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