OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Author: Michele Ainley

  • Saint Brocaidh of Emlagh, July 9

    July 9 is the feast of Saint Brocaidh of Emlagh, County Roscommon. This saint is one with Patrician associations for the tract on the mothers of the Irish saints lists him as one of the seventeen children of Darerca, reputed sister of Saint Patrick. Canon O’Hanlon has all the details of the often confusing and contradictory evidence preserved in the sources:

    ST. BROCCAIDH, OF IMLEACH-BROCCADHA, NOW EMLAGH, COUNTY OF ROSCOMMON.

    [FIFTH CENTURY.]

    THE present holy man lived contemporaneously with St. Patrick.  At the 9th of July, the Martyrology of Tallagh mentions, that veneration was given to Broccaid. The name of his father was Gollit, according to received accounts. It has been stated, that Broccaidh, of Imleach-Broccadha, in Maigheo, had Darerca, sister of St. Patrick, for his mother. Jocelyn, however, makes Tygridia his mother. It is said, by O’Clery, that Gallit, sister of Patrick, was the mother of Loman. But, this writer here mistakes, regarding what is said in the Tripartite Life, Gollit, being the father of Saints Loman, Munis, Broccaidh and Brogan or Broccan. In another place, a similar mistake has been committed, by the O’Clerys, in their Calendar. The Latin Tripartite Life of Patrick states, that Broccaidh of Imlach Each, in Ciarriaghe, of Connaught, was a brother to Loman, of Ath-Truim. He was a bishop, according to received accounts. The Tripartite Life states, at another place, that Broccaidh, of Imleach Each, brother to Loman, of AthTruim, was along with Patrick at Magh-Sealga, in Connacht. The only place in Mayo known as Emlagh, at present, was formerly called Imleacheach, i.e., “Strath” or “Marsh of the Horses.” It is situated, in the barony of Costello, and County of Mayo. This place is described as being in Kierragia, a region of Connaught, and where a church had been erected by St. Brocadius. He was identical with the present saint, and his memory in connexion with it appears to have given a name to that place subsequent to his departure from this world. Archdall has erred in placing it within the county of Roscommon. There were no less than three different places, called Ciarraighe or Kierraga, in Connaught. St. Brochad accompanied St. Patrick on his mission to Magh Selga in Connaught. The Imleach to which this saint belonged, was a church in the deanery of Siol Muiredhuigh, Elphin diocese, according to a Catalogue of Churches belonging to this diocese, which had been sent to Colgan, by the Very Rev. Boetius Egan, brother  to the Bishop of Elphin. It was situated in the present parish of Kilkeevin, of Castlereagh Barony and Roscommon County. We are enabled to discover the exact situation of St. Brocaidh’s place, from crown grants, the rolls and other documents. This parish of Kilkeevin is bounded on the north, by Tibohine and Baslick parishes on the east, by this latter parish and that of Ballintober ; on the south, by Kiltullagh parish, a part of Galway County, and part of Drumatemple parish in Roscommon County; and on the west, by Kiltullagh parish and part of Mayo County.  The Rev. Dr. Todd  has incorrectly identified the church of Broccaide with Imliuch or Emleach Each or the “Horses’ Marsh,” in the barony of Costello and county of Mayo. The three Kierragas of Connaught are thus more particularly denominated by Irish historical writers: Ciarraighe Locha na n airneadh, Ciarraighe Uachtair, and Ciarraighe Aoi, otherwise called Ciarraighe Mhic Ceithearnaigh. The last of these is comprised in the present county of Roscommon, and the other two in that of Mayo. The present barony of Costello comprises two territories, namely, Sliabh Lugha, the ancient patrimony of O’Gara, and Ciarraighe Locha na n airneadh. The boundary between them is defined by that of the diocese of Achonry with that of Tuam. The territory of Ciarraighe Uachtair comprises the entire of the present barony of Clanmorris, with the exception of the Termon of Balla, which comprised 24 ballys or ancient Irish townlands, and which belonged to the territory of Ceara. The parish of Balla was added to the territory of Ceara, and it made the remaining part of the barony of Clanmorris the same as the territory of Ciarraighe Uachtair.
    This saint’s name is found entered on Henry Fitzsimon’s list. The Martyrology of Donegal records him, at this same date. Under the head of Imlech Brochada or Brochaid, in Magh-Eo Magh Ai, Duald Mac Firbis enters Bishop Brochad, at July 9th, and in two distinct places. In the Irish Calendar, belonging to the Royal Irish Academy, we find this saint’s name referred to, at the vii. of the July Ides, corresponding with the 9th of July.
    Content Copyright © Omnium Sanctorum Hiberniae 2012-2015. All rights reserved.

  • Saint Killian of Würzburg, July 8

    July 8 is the feastday of Saint Killian (Kilian, Cillian, Chilianus), an Irish missionary saint martyred in continental Europe along with two companions on this day in the year 689. It is therefore perhaps appropriate that we allow another Irishman exiled to the continent at a later period, the Abbé Mac Geoghegan, to remind us of Saint Killian’s career. The Abbé’s History of Ireland Ancient and Modern was published in French around 1750, an English translation was issued in Ireland in the early 19th century and a second edition in New York in the 1840s. In the footnotes to his account of Saint Killian, the Abbé cites various continental chroniclers to prove the saint’s Irish origins and I have reproduced those here. Finally, the picture below shows one of the special items issued jointly by the Irish and German post offices in 1989 to commemorate the 1300th anniversary of Saint Kilian’s martyrdom.

    St. Kilian, a native of Ireland, called the apostle of Franconia, left his country with two companions called Colonat and Totnan, the one a priest and the other a deacon; being desirous to visit the church of Rome, he took his route through Flanders and Germany on his arrival in Rome, having been presented to pope Conon, the holy father found him to be possessed of so much wisdom, and so perfect in his knowledge of the holy Scriptures, that he ordained and appointed him to preach the gospel to the infidels of Franconia, where having converted duke Gosbert, and a great number of his subjects, he fixed his see at Würtzburg, of which he was the first bishop, and was afterwards honoured as a martyr.

    Gosbert, whilst he was a pagan, married Geilana, his brother’s wife; but being converted to Christianity, St. Kilian, like another John the Baptist, reproached him with truly apostolical freedom, for this incestuous marriage, and advised him to separate from her; Gielana, exasperated at the holy prelate’s reproof, caused him and his companions to be assassinated on the 8th of July, 689, the day on which they are honoured by the church as martyrs.

    The removal of these holy bodies by St. Burchard, bishop of that see, gave rise to the Hexastich, as subjoined; it was written in the beginning of the sixteenth century, by Doctor Engilhard Funkius. Some works are attributed to St Kilian, namely a treatise against Arianism, and one against extraneous worship.

    Selections from Continental Writers Quoted by Abbé Mac Geoghegan to Prove the Irish Origins of Saint Kilian:

    “From a district of Austria, and a castle called Wirtzburg near the river Meuse, the birth-place of the martyr Chilianus and two of his companions, who after coming from the island of Scotia (Ireland) preached the gospel of Christ in the above places.” —Martyrology of Rhabanus.

    “The holy Kilianus born in the island of Hibernia (Ireland) is considered as a renowned bishop of Würtzburg.”—Marianus Scotus

    “Saint Kilianus an Irish monk, preached in these times the evangelical doctrine to the eastern Francs, and is called their apostle.”—Chronicles of Cardinal Bellarmini.

    “In a district of Austria, where stood a castle of New France, nay a city as in the Teutonic dialect, Wirtzburg, situate near the river Meuse, signifies, the martyrdom of St. Kilianus, the first bishop of that city, and that of his two disciples, Colonatus a presbyter, and Totnanus a deacon,took place. They came from Ireland, the island of the Scots, and after receiving the authority of the apostolical see, they preached the name of Christ to that city and district.”—Martyrology of Notker.

    “The martyrdom of Saint Kilianus, the first bishop of Wurtzburgh, and of his two disciples Colonatus a presbyter, and Totnatus a dean, who coming from Hibernia the island of the Scots, having received their authority from the apostolical see, preached the name of Christ in that place and the surrounding country.”—Notker le Begue, monk of St Gall.

    The History of Ireland Ancient and Modern taken from the most authentic records and dedicated to the Irish Brigade by the Abbé Mac Geoghegan (Dublin, 1844), 117, 194.

    Content Copyright © Omnium Sanctorum Hiberniae 2012-2015. All rights reserved.

  • Saint Crone of Templecrone, July 7

     

    Another of our Irish holy women, Saint Crone of Templecrone, County Donegal, is commemorated on July 7. The brief account below comes from an article on the locality which bears her name:

    Templecrone takes its name from St. Crone, a contemporary of St. Columbkille, who built a monastery in the sixth century some three miles south-west of the present town of Dungloe, the metropolis of the Rosses. Her feast occurs on the 7th July, and the fair of Dungloe, held on the 4th July, is known as “Aonach na Féile Cróine”, from association with the Saint. Michael O’Clery has the following entry in his “Martyrology of Donegal” concerning the Saint: “Little Cróine, Virgin, from Teampall Cróine in Tir Chonaill; she was of the race of Conall Gulban, son of Niall”.
    Eoin Ó Searcaigh, ‘Templecrone – An Interesting Donegal Parish’, in The Irish Monthly, Volume 58, no. 683 (May, 1930), 258.

    Content Copyright © Omnium Sanctorum Hiberniae 2012-2015. All rights reserved.