OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Author: Michele Ainley

  • Saint Etain of Tuama noadh, July 5

     

    July 5 is the commemoration of yet another of our Irish holy women, about whom we have few actual details. As Canon O’Hanlon explains, however, Saint Etain’s feast is well-attested on the Irish calendars, as is the County Roscommon locality where she flourished:

    St. Etain, Edania or Etavin, Virgin, of Tuaim Noa, now Tumna, in Moylurg, County of Roscommon.

    We find only a few indications of this holy woman, and these throw little light on her period. A festival in honour of Etain, virgin, of Tuama noadh, appears in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 5th of July. Her name is Eidin or Héidin, according to John O’Donovan, and she is regarded as the patron saint of Tumna parish, in the barony of Boyle, and county of Roscommon. However, the present holy virgin appears to have been more popularly known, under the designation of Etavin. In the Martyrology of Marianus O’Gorman, she is commemorated as the fair Edaina, of full and immaculate virginity, and belonging to Tuaim-Noa, in the territory of Magh-Luire, on the banks of the River Buill, now the Boyle. She is noted, likewise, as Edania or Edoena, Virgin, of Tuaim-Noadh, and her festival is entered by the Bollandists, at this date. Her place is called Tuaim mná in the Annals of the Four Masters, at the year 1249, and this means “the tomb of the woman.” At this date, the death of a noble priest, called Mulkieran O’Lenaghan of Tuaim mná, is recorded, while, according to Mr. O’Donovan, it seems to have been the name of that place before a church had ever been there. This virgin descended from the race of Brian, son of Eochaidh Muighmheadhoin, according to the O’Clerys’ Calendar.

    ..This virgin is still vividly remembered at her church of Tumna, in the parish of that name, in the county of Roscommon. It is delightfully and romantically situated on the southern margin of the Lower Lake on the Boyle River, and near where it enters the River Shannon, a little to the north of the present town of Carrick-on-Shannon. The church ruins at this place, and also the grave of St. Eidin, are to be seen… A holy well, called after St. Etain, was near the church called Kill-oscoban. To it, many were accustomed to resort, through motives of devotion, and to obtain spiritual favours, as also to be cured from bodily diseases. The grave of this pious woman is shown in the churchyard, not far from the River Shannon. A tradition exists, in the neighbourhood of Carrick-on-Shannon, that the chapel of Toomna had been built by the family of Lenaghan. The name is still extant in this parish.

    The name of this virgin also occurs in the Martyrology of Donegal, at the same date, as Etavin, of Tuaim Noa, in Magh Luirg, on the banks of the Buill. At the 5th of July, St. Edana or Edaena, in Ireland, and a virgin, is recorded by Rev. Alban Butler. At this date, too, in the Circle of the Seasons, this holy woman is entered, as St. Edana, Virgin, in Ireland. She is also recorded, by Bishop Forbes.

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  • Saint Finbarr of Inis Doimhle, July 4

     

    At July 4, the Irish calendars record the commemoration of a saint Finbarr, whom one of the genealogical sources records was related to Saint Brigid. As Canon O’Hanlon’s account below, however, makes clear, it proved difficult in the past to definitively identify the locality where our saint flourished, he himself plumps for a place in County Wexford. Finally, it should be said that everyone seems to agree that today’s saint is a distinct individual from the patron of Cork, whose feast is celebrated on September 25. There is also another Saint Finbarr commemorated on some of the calendars on September 10, in the Martyrology of Tallagh he is noted as Saint Finnbar Mac Bindi or Buidi:

    St. Finbarr or Fionnbharr, Abbot of Inis Doimhle, County of Wexford.
    [Sixth Century.]
    This holy man must have flourished in the early ages of the Irish Church, and on the father’s side he descended through a very illustrious line, from Feidhlimidh Rechtmar, or the Law-giver, King of Ireland. From the latter, he was twelve generations in immediate succession. This brings him one generation later than his illustrious relative St. Brigid, patroness of Ireland. He was son of Dalian, son to Liathan, son to Briun, son of Eoghan, son of Brechin, son of Artur Corb. He was brother to the sons of Aedh, of Ath-cliath. In the “Feilire” of St. Aengus, Findbarr of Inis Teimle is commemorated, on the 4th of July. There is a gloss, likewise, which states, that he belonged to the land of Ui Cennselaig, and that he lived among the Desi. Another gloss adds, that Inis Teimle has been derived from darkness, because such was the Isle, until the two sons of Aed of Ath Cliath, who were Findbarr and Barrfind, went thither.In the Martyrology of Tallagh at the 4th of July, we find entered the name of Finbarr, Abbot of Innse Domle. Marianus O’Gorman commemorates him, at this same date. The Rev. Alban Butler makes him the founder of a famous monastery in the Isle of Crimlen, and remarks, that he is not to be confounded with St. Finbarr, the first bishop of Cork. The Bollandists have noticed St. Finnbarr, Abbot of Inis-Doimhle, on the authority of Father O’Sheerin’s Irish Manuscripts; but, they seem incapable of distinguishing him from another St. Finnbarr, venerated on the 10th or 20th of September. He flourished probably some time during the sixth century. He was abbot in Inis Doimhle, between Ui Ceiunsealaigh and the Deisi. According to a learned Irish topographer, Inis Doimhle would appear to be the place now called Inch, situated in the barony of Shelmaliere, and county of Wexford. In the year 1840, some remains of the old church walls placed in this parish were visible, but they had been so entirely covered over with thorns and briars, that the length and breadth of the former building could not be measured. These ruins had an appearance of great antiquity, and the walls had been altogether built with very large stones. According to tradition, no interment had taken place there, since the middle of the last century. The present holy man is said to have founded a monastery, in the Isle of Drumlen, between Hy Kinsellagh and the Decies of Munster, according to a Manuscript of John Windale. According to another statement, the Irish Damhly of the old Irish Manuscripts was no other than the Insula Sancta Clara, now called Cape Clear Island. The Martyrology of Donegal, at this same date, registers him as Fionnbharr, son of Aedh. In the Irish Calendar belonging to the Irish Ordnance Survey Records, there is an entry of St. Fionabar, at the 4th of July. In Scotland he was venerated, on the same day. The feast of this saint is entered likewise, in the “Circle of the Seasons” at the 4th of July.
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  • Saint Cilline Droicteach of Iona, July 3

    At July 3, the Irish calendars commemorate Cilline, an eighth-century abbot of Iona. This saint has the epithet droichteach, ‘bridge-maker’ attached to his name. Canon O’Hanlon seems to interpret this quite literally, but I can’t help wondering if there is also a spiritual dimension to this title, much as in the Latin title pontifex. Our saint seems to have flourished at a particularly interesting time in the history of Iona, as the sources seem to record more than one abbot exercising authority simultaneously. In the past this led some commentators to talk of a ‘schism’ at Iona due to the Paschal dating controversy, with rival abbots representing the ‘Celtic’ and ‘Roman’ points of view. I hope to be able to examine this theme in more detail in future posts.

    St. Cilline or Cillen, Droicteach, Abbot of Iona, Scotland.

    [Eighth Century.]

    Among a long line of illustrious abbots who presided over Iona, the present holy man is classed. In the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 3rd of July, the simply entry of Cilline, Abb. Iae, occurs. He is noted in the Martyrology of Marianus O’Gorman, at the 3rd of July. At this date, the Bollandistss have noticed him, also, on the foregoing authority and on that of Sirinus. Some notices of him occur, in the work of Bishop Forbes. This distinguished saint derived his origin from the race of Conall Cremthainne, son to Niall of the Nine Hostages, of the southern Hy-Neill. This saint’s pedigree is thus given in the Naemhsenchas. His father’s name was Dicolla, son of Cilline, son to Amalgadh, son of Feradhaigh, son to Feic, son of Cerbaill, who was son to the aforesaid Conall Cremthainne. He was born in Ireland, probably towards the close of the seventh century. The epithet, suffixed to his original name Cilline, and which was Droicteach, signifying “Bridge-maker,” has reference apparently to work of that kind on which he had been engaged, previous to his leaving Ireland for Scotland. It is likely, that he felt a religious inspiration to join the Columban institute in Iona, and there, too, it would seem, that he chose to live as an anchorite, according to the custom of those monks, who desired to observe a very strict discipline. His virtues were so highly esteemed by that community, after the death of St. Cilline Fada, or the Tall Abbot of Iona, which took place, A.D. 726, Cilline Droicteach was selected as his immediate successor.
    Meanwhile, Feidhlimid or Failbhe seems to have been elected Abbot of Iona in the year 722, nor do we find that he ceased to enjoy that title, during the administration of Faelcu, of Cillene Fada, and of Cilline Droicteach, until he departed this life at the very advanced age of eighty-seven years, completed in 759, and during the administratorship of Slebhine. Whether Feidhlimid or Failbhe had been the principal or only a coadjutor Abbot over Iona cannot be gleaned with any degree of distinctness from the Irish Annals. It is thought, that owing to the circumstance of Cilline Droicteach having chosen the rigid rule of an anchorite’s state, the active duties of his presidency, over the monastic institute of Iona, had been in a great measure discharged by his coadjutor, Fedhlimid. He continued alive, during the presidency of Cilline Droicteach. The present holy man brought to Erin that shrine of the many relics, which Adamnan had collected, to make peace and friendship between the Cinel-Conaill and the Cinel-Eoghain. This appears to have occurred in the year 727. The Relics collected by Adamnan were returned to Iona in 730.
    The present saint, called Cilleine Droctigh, anchorite of Ia, died on the 3rd of July, A.D. 747. Other accounts have A.D. 751 and 752. He is reputed to have been the fourteenth abbot of Iona, commencing with the great founder, St. Columkille. We have him recorded, in the Martyrology of Donegal, at this same date, as Cillen Droichtech, Abbot of Ia Colum Cille.

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