Author: Michele Ainley

  • St. Ailill of Cloonown, July 1

    July 1 is the commemoration of a County Roscommon saint, Ailill of Cloonown. It seems, to judge from Canon O’Hanlon’s account below, that the earliest of the Irish calendars, the Martyrology of Tallaght, recorded that this holy man was the Bishop of Cluana Emain, or Cloonown. Later calendars however sought to associate him with the see of Armagh and with the second Archbishop of this name. Canon O’Hanlon is not convinced by the Armagh connection, but brings us the details anyway:

    St. Ailill of Cloonown, County of Roscommon, thought to gave been second Archbishop of Armagh.

    In the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 1st of July, we find the entry Ailella, Bishop of Cluana Emain. The name Cluana Emain—where seven bishops were venerated—has been identified with Cloonowen, or Cloonown, an old church situated on the River Shannon, and not far removed from Athlone. It lies to the south-east of this town,  and it is within the county of Roscommon. There seems to have been an error admitted, in deeming him to have been an Archbishop of Armagh, and the second of this same name. However, the Martyrology of Tamhlacht calls him bishop of Cluain Emain, but without any mention of Armagh, as elsewhere found. Marianus O’Gorman simply names him; but, the gloss adds, Epscop Arda Macha. He is not mentioned in the Feilire of Aengus, nor in the Dublin copy of the Scholia. The present saint is said to have succeeded his namesake Ailill or Ailild I., in the See of Armagh. He died in the year 526, on the 13th day of January, and this holy man, the second of his name in that primatical See, is thought to have been elected, soon after the chair had been vacated. Ailill II. sprung from the same family as his namesake and predecessor. While the Bollandists enter the name of Alellus or Alildus II., Archbishop of Armagh, at this date, on the authority of Colgan; they declare, likewise, that they know not from what authority he has been entered on the Catalogue of Saints, and they defer to a supplement, at the 13th day of January, any further notices regarding him. We read, that Ailill II. ruled for ten years over the Irish Church, and he died on the 1st of July, according to Marianus O’Gorman, and other Martyrologists, A.D. 535, but according to other chronologists, in the year 536. At this same date, the Martyrology of Donegal  records him as Ailill, Bishop, of Ard Macha. Some words within brackets are added in a more recent hand, [i.e. Elias, according to the corresponding synonyme, at Rathbuanae.”] Where this place was situated, we have no means for determining.
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  • Saint Sproc, Daughter of Colum, June 30

    We close the month of June with the commemoration of a woman saint, Sproc, daughter of Colum. Alas, as is so often the case, all we know of her is the recording of her name on the Irish calendars at this date:

    St. Sproc or Sporoc, Daughter of Colum.

    Veneration was given, at the 30th of June, to Sproc, or Sporoc, daughter of Colum or Coluim, as we find inserted in the Martyrologies of Tallagh  and of Donegal.

     

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  • Saint Conuan of Stackallan, June 29

    On June 29 we commemorate a County Meath saint, Conuan of Stackallan. Canon O’Hanlon brings us the details:

    St. Conuan, Bishop, of Tigh Collain, or Tigh Connain, in Cremhthanna, now Stackallan, County of Meath.

    In the Martyrology of Tallagh, a festival occurs, at the 29th of June, in honour of Conuan, Bishop, of Tigh Collain. The land of Ui-Crimhthainn comprises the present baronies of Upper and Lower Slane, in the county of Meath. It is thought to be highly probable, that the Four Masters are wrong, when they write the name of this place Teach Collain, as it is locally pronounced by the natives; and, it is supposed, the true form of the name had been Teach-Conain, “Conan’s house.” This house of Collan or Connan—now known as Stackallen—was situated nearly midway between Navan and Slane, in the county of Meath. It is curious to remark, that in some of those districts colonized by the Danes and English, the Teach or Tigh of the Irish was rendered into Sta or Sti, as in the present instance. Stackallen is a small village, in the barony of Upper Slane, and county of Meath. After the Anglo- Norman Invasion, Stackallen became a parish church, and it formed a small parish, in the diocese of Meath. Under the head of Teach-Connain, Duald Mac Firbis enters Connan, bishop, from Tech Connain, in Crimthann, at June 29th. Again, in the Martyrology of Donegal, at the same date, he is registered as Cenuan, Bishop, of Tigh Conuain, in Cremhthanna.
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