OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Author: Michele Ainley

  • Saint Beoghain of Moville, July 27

    At July 27 we have the feast of another Irish abbot, this time from the northern monastery of Moville, County Down. Saint Beoghain, however, is yet another of the Irish saints about whom not much is known, as Canon O’Hanlon explains:

     

    ST. BEOGHAIN, ABBOT OF MOVILLE, COUNTY OF DOWN.

    A monastery had been founded at Magh-bile, about 540 by St. Finian, denominated Fionn, or Findbarr, meaning “white head,” a most celebrated Irish ecclesiastic, who was a preceptor of St. Columba. About the year 540, or as Sir James Ware states about A.D. 550, he is supposed to have founded a monastery at this place. It is situated in the county of Down. The Irish denomination Magh Bile is rendered by the “field of the aged tree.” Close to the spot are some venerable yew trees of large size, which possibly may be the descendants of that “aged tree,” from which the place derived its name. It was formerly the seat of a bishopric, being a place of great importance, and frequently it is referred to in the early annals of Ireland. A succession of holy bishops was there during the sixth and seventh centuries; but, from the year 731, Moville is noticed only as having been governed by Abbots. The present saint is classsed among the latter, in one of our earliest Calendars. We read in the Martyrology of Tallaght that Beogan Ab. Maighi Bile had a festival at this date. We are not able to find any record of the period at which he flourished…. It is noticed, in the Martyrology of Donegal, that Beoghain, Abbot of Magh-bile, or Moville, had veneration given him, at the present date. In that Calendar, compiled by the Rev. Dr. Reeves, he is noticed simply as St. Beoghan, of Magh Bile, but without the distinction of Abbot.

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  • Saint Furadhran, July 26

     

     

    Another name on the long list of obscure Irish saints is found on July 26 – Furadhran (Furodhrán), Bishop. He is first recorded on the earliest of the surviving Irish calendars, the Martyrology of Tallaght, as Canon O’Hanlon explains:
    ST. FURADHRAN, BISHOP.

    A festival, which seems referable to a very early date, has been noted by our Calendarists, in honour of Furadhran, Bishop. It is set down in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at this date. His time or place is not known. The name is entered in like manner, by Professor Eugene O’ Curry, in a Manuscript Calendar of his own compilation. Also, in the Martyrology of Donegal, Furadhran, Bishop, is to be found, at the 26th of July.

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  • Saint Colman O'Liathain, July 25

    July 25 is the commemoration of one of the many saints bearing the name of Colman. This one is a 7th-8th century abbot of Lismore, the great monastic foundation of Saint Mochuda, as Canon O’Hanlon explains:

    Feast of St. Colman O’Liathain, Bishop or Abbot of Lismore. [Seventh and Eighth Centuries].

    The feast of this saint, called Mocholmoc, is set down in the “Feilire” of St. Oengus, at the 25th of July. A comment is affixed, which throws some light on his family. In this gloss we read ‘Colman, descendant of Liathan, of Less Mor Mochuda’. A festival is registered, likewise, at the 25th of July, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, to honour St. Colman, said to have been identical with Mocholmoc h-Fachrach. According to the Calendar of Cashel, a festival in honour of this holy person occurs, on the 25th of July. He has been confounded with another St. Colman, Bishop and Abbot of Lismore, whose feast was kept on the 22nd of January. This latter died in the year 702. The present saint appears to have succeeded Cronan Ua Eoan, Abbot of Lismore, who died on the 1st of June, A.D. 716.

    Colgan calls St. Colman O’Liathain a Bishop of Lismore, in one place. The Four Masters, however, when recording his death, only style him a select doctor. It is probable, that he was both Bishop and Abbot of Lismore; for, he is called Comorban or successor of St. Mochudda, in the Calendar of Cashel. According to his usual computation, the Rev. Dr. Lanigan places the death of St. Colman O’Liathain, in the year 726. This learned writer believes, likewise, that his natalis should be assigned to the 25th of July. The Four Masters place his death at A.D. 725, as also do the O’Clerys. Colgan, also assigns the death of St. Colman O’Liathain, Bishop of Lismore, to A.D. 725. In the Annals of Ulster, his death is placed at A.D. 730. In neither entry, however, do we find St. Colman O’Liadain called Bishop of Lismore. At this same date, the Martyrology of Donegal enters the name, Colman Ua Liathain, Doctor. In the table appended to this Martyrology, the compiler has a Latin comment, written in Irish characters, to the purport, that Oengus calls him Mocholmog, in the same way as Miarnog for Iarna, Mosiolog, Maodhdg, Moedoein.

     

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