OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Author: Michele Ainley

  • Saint Bega, Daughter of Gabhran, February 10

    Canon O’Hanlon has an entry for an early female saint, Bega, daughter of Gabhran on February 10. She appears to be a distinct individual from the Saint Bega whom the English commemorate as Saint Bees, but when and where she flourished is open to question. The seventeenth-century hagiologist, Colgan, reckoned she was one of the early nuns mentioned in the Tripartite Life of Saint Patrick and placed her in Meath, whereas the 19th-century antiquarian, W.F. Wakeman, located her in County Leitrim:

    St. Becga, or Bega, Virgin, and Daughter of Gabhran

    [Probably in the Fifth Century.]

    The name of, Becga, the daughter of Gabhrain, is entered in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 10th of February. Great difficulty exists in the identification of this holy virgin, and the place with which she was connected. According to the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, when the Irish Apostle was in the eastern part of Meath, where he baptized many persons, in the font of a church, called Teglaisreann, he there left two of his disciples; one of these was named Bega, a virgin, and the other is called Lugadius, a priest. Near the gates of the church was a fountain, and at the northern side was a place of interment, which had been called after the holy virgin, Feart Bige, or the “Sepulchre of Bega.” In the neighbourhood of this church, and towards the south, another church, called Imleach Sescainn, was built, on the margin of Lough Annenn. There, St. Patrick left one of his disciples, called Moluanus Peregrinus, who was of British extraction. It is thought, by Colgan, that the St. Bega, just mentioned, must be identical with the holy virgin, whose name occurs in our calendars, at the present date. Maguire also enters her, in his Martyrology. Other opinions have been advanced, however, regarding this virgin and her locality. Thus, William F. Wakeman, in his interesting and elegantly written guide book, thinks St. Bega or Becga may have been connected with a townland called Killybeg—recte, Caille Bega—in the northern part of Leitrim County. Again, we read, as set down in the Martyrology of Donegal, that Becga, virgin, daughter of Gabhran, had a festival celebrated on this day. Her name is Latinized Begga, in the table postfixed to this Martyrology. If the previous part of the narrative have reference to the virgin, who is venerated in our calendars at this date, she was probably one of those holy women, who had been veiled by St. Patrick; and, therefore she cannot be identified with another pious follower of Christ, who is commemorated in the English Calendars, and who is nevertheless regarded as an Irishwoman, called St. Bega, or, by the English known as St, Bees. The whole history of St. Becga or Bega is, however, involved in great obscurity.

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  • Saint Colman of Clonard, February 9

    On February 9 Canon O’Hanlon brings us an entry on one of the many saints named Colman recorded in the Irish calendars. As with most of these homonymous saints, nothing is really certain about the life of Saint Colman of Clonard. The place name Clonard is most famously associated with the County Meath monastic foundation of Saint Finnian, but it is far from being the only locality with this name. It seems though that some of the sources depict our saint as the nephew of Saint Finnian, and the connection is further strengthened by the linking of this saint by the seventeenth-century antiquary, Sir James Ware, to an abbot of Clonard whose death in the year 700 was recorded by the Irish Annals:

    St. Colman, of Cluain Eraird, or Clonard, County of Meath.

    [Possibly in the Seventh Century]

    A stranger, viewing the towers, abbeys and monasteries, dispersed throughout the county of Meath, would be inclined to exclaim, “This was the land of saints, indeed!”  The present holy man is styled Mocolmoc, Cluana Iraird, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 9th of February. If what follows be correct, he must have been a nephew to the celebrated founder of Clonard, in the ancient territory of Meath; for, we are told, that Rioghnach, sister of Finnen, of Cluain Eraird was his mother. Her parents, therefore, seem to have been Fintan, descended from the family of Loschain, and her mother’s name was Talech. The present St. Colman must have lived, in that case, in the sixth century. According to the published Martyrology of Donegal, on this day was venerated, Colman, of Cluain Eraird. In Harris’ Ware, we read, that a Colman O’Heir died, on the 9th of February, A.D. 700.  I cannot find the  authority, for placing his death on the present date of the month; but, our Annals concur in stating, that Colman-Ua-hEire died Abbot of Clonard, in the year 700. It is possible, he may be identified, with the present St. Colman.

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

  • Saint Ternoc the Anchorite, February 8

    Canon O’Hanlon has an entry on February 8 , for a saintly hermit who is associated with the area of the River Barrow:

    St. Trenog or Ternoc, Anchorite, on the West of the River Barrow.

    This holy man is entered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 8th of February, as Ternoc, Anchorita. From the latter adjunct, we may suppose he lived a solitary life. A later record spells his name somewhat differently, and it also vaguely defines his place. In the Martyrology of Donegal, there is recorded, on this day, a festival, for St. Trenog, an Anchorite, on the west of the Bearbha. This was the ancient name for the River Barrow; yet, although conjectures may be offered, regarding various old churches and former religious sites, at the direction indicated, such a description is still too indefinite, to discover the exact position of that place, where St. Ternoc or Ternog passed his hermit-life.

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