OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Author: Michele Ainley

  • Saint Segin of Armagh, May 24

     

    May 24 is the commemoration of a seventh-century Archbishop of Armagh, Saint Segin or Segineus. Canon O’Hanlon begins his entries for this day with an account of the life of Saint Segin, whose episcopate seems to have witnessed some memorable natural phenomena :
    ST. SEGINEUS, OR SEGIN, ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH.
    [SEVENTH CENTURY.]
    AS first in dignity of those saints, whose names belong to this date, the holy Archprelate Segineus deserves the first notice. The simple entry, Segin, Airdmacha, appears in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at this day. The Bollandists enter a festival for Segineus, also, at the 24th of May, on the same authority. There is a St. Segineus, son of Ronan, son to Loarn, son of Fergus, son to Conall Gulban, according to the pedigree of Seluacuis, and the “Sanctilogium Genealogicum.” Colgan seems to think, he may have been the present prelate. This saint is said to have been from Achadh-Claidhibh —rendered Aghaclive—the situation of which does not seem to have been discovered. He was born, probably, about the beginning of the seventh century. Of his earlier years and education we have no account. The commentator on the Table subjoined to the Martyrology of Donegal has it stated, that the term of office for Seighin, Bishop of Ardmacha, commenced in the year 641, or 644; but, this appears to be a date much too early for his incumbency. During the year specified, Thomain Mac Ronan was in possession. When Tomain, who ruled over the Church of Armagh as Bishop, died, A.D. 660, Segineus was chosen to succeed him, A.D. 661. The years of his Archiepiscopate are periods of sore trial, for in 670, and again, in 687, the city of Armagh was consumed by accidental fire. During his primacy took place that remarkable eclipse of the sun, in the year 663, followed by a summer, when the sky seemed to be on fire, and during the Kalends of August, an awful mortality swept off multitudes of the people in Ireland, as also in England. The year 684, is that assigned for the Quies of Segene, Bishop of Ardmacha, in the “Chronicum Scotorum.” The “Annals of the Four Masters” place his death, at A.D. 686. The Martyrology of Donegal has it A.D. 687, and this agrees with the Annals of Ulster. Segin is said to have governed his diocese twenty-seven years, and to have died, on the 24th of May, A.D. 688, which is the date given for it by Sir James Ware, and which an excellent authority pronounces to have been the true year. According to the Martyrology of Donegal, veneration was given on this day to Seighin, Bishop of Ard Macha.

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  • Saint Strofan of Cluan-Mor, May 23

    Among the saints commemorated on the Irish calendars on May 23 is a Saint Strofan, possibly associated with the monastery of Clonmore in County Carlow. Canon O’Hanlon supplies the details:

    St. Strofan or Straffan, of Cluan-Mor, probably Clonmore, County of Carlow.

    The record Strofan Cluana Moir is found, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 23rd of May. The Bollandists reiterate this statement, by entering the present holy man as Stephanus Cluainmorensis. According to Colgan, a saint called Stephen was venerated, at this date, in a place called Cluainmhor, which was situated, he says, within the territory of Ely O’Carroll. Other accounts, however, place his monastery in Lagenia or Leinster. There is a celebrated Clonmore, i.e., “the Great Lawn, or Meadow,” in the barony of Rathvilly, and county of Carlow. What he states about this Stephen, Colgan advances, on the testimony of St. Mochemoc’s Acts, which we have already recorded, at the 13th day of March. A holy man of this name is found, where Duald Mac Firbis enters, under the head of Cuil Carra, Senach, son of Ecin, with Srafan, and Senchell, and Brodigan —five bishops—and Aitecaem and Bishop Mac Cairthin, and Conlough and Brigid, in Cuil Carra. It is doubtful, however, if the Srafan here named be the same person as the present saint. We read, again, in the Martyrology of Donegal, that Sraffan, of Cluain-mor, was venerated on this day.

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  • Saint Conald Coel of Iniscoel, May 22

    As noted on May 20, there is a second festival in honour of a saint Conall or Conald Coel at May 22. It seems odd to find two saints sharing not only the same name but also the same office at the same locality, commemorated within a couple of days of each other. It seems though that Father Colgan, the great seventeenth-century hagiologist, may have believed them to be distinct individuals. I expected to find only a few lines on the second Conall in Canon O’Hanlon’s Lives of the Irish Saints, but instead, he has quite a full and interesting entry for the day:

    ST. CONALL OR CONALD COEL, ABBOT OF INISCOEL, COUNTY OF DONEGAL.
    [SEVENTH CENTURY.]

    Among the island hermits and abbots, St. Conald Coel was a remarkable saint in his day. Colgan promised to give some particulars, regarding him, on the day of his feast; but, he did not live to accomplish that object. The Bollandists only present a meagre account of him, at this date.

    According to the Naemhshenchus, and other authorities, St. Conall descended from the Cinel Conaill. His father was Manius Coelius, son of Caither, son to Ennius, surnamed Bagan, son of Conall Gulban, according to the Genealogies of the Irish Saints. This holy man was Abbot over a monastery, which had been built in the Island of Inis-coel, near the mouth of Gweebarra River and Bay, on the coast of Donegal, adjoining Boylagh and Bannagh Baronies. St. Conall Cael was abbot here, and at an early period, in the history of our national church. A celebrated Christian poet, St. Dalian wrote a work, in praise of this saint; but, Colgan was not aware of its existence, in his own time. However, Dalian appears to have been his most intimate friend, and to have met his death, whilst visiting our saint, at his monastery. When that holy man’s dead body was brought to Conald, the head being cut off and thrown into the ocean, our saint earnestly besought the Almighty, with fervent prayers and burning tears, to reveal that exact spot, where Dallen’s head should be found. Shortly afterwards, it appeared floating on the waves, which bore it towards the shore. There, the head of Dalian was recovered; and, being united to the Martyr’s trunk, it became firmly joined once more to the body.

    Most probably, the 22nd day of May was that of St. Conall’s death. The year of his departure is not known, but it occurred sometime in the seventh century, and this seems a probable opinion, when we come to examine his parent stem, and to compare it with that of the illustrious St. Columkille, among whose disciples this holy Abbot is classed. St. Conald Coel was buried in the church, or monastery, of Iniscoel. After the death of St. Conald Coel, his memory was held in due veneration, on the Island, where his feast was kept, on the 22nd of May. Not far from this island, on the mainland, there is a beautiful cascade, known as Eas-nangach, or the Wrinkled Cataract, descending from a great height, and tumbling down a mountain steep, near the hamlet of Lia-Conaill —no doubt, taking its name from the present holy Abbot. He is titular saint, however, and the most celebrated patron over a very extensive parish, Iniskeel, in which he is honoured with extraordinary devotion. Springing from the cavity of a rock on the Island, there is a celebrated well, which, with the church not far distant, bore our saint’s name. It was yearly visited by a great concourse of pilgrims, on the 22nd of each returning May and the custom is still continued. A very curious relic, called the Bearnan Chonaill, or Bell of St. Conall, had long been preserved, in this immediate neighbourhood. That bell was enclosed in an elaborately ornamented case or shrine. There was an inscription on it, in black letter, but greatly defaced. The present St. Conall appears, also, to have been connected with a holy well and with a relig or cemetery at Bruckless, not far from Killybegs, in the parish of Killaghtee, barony of Banagh, and county of Donegal. Various interesting objects of antiquity are there preserved.

    The entry regarding Conaill, Inse Cail, appears in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 22nd of May. According to the Martyrology of Donegal, veneration was paid on this day to Conall, Abbot of Inis Caoil, in Cinel Conaill. At this date, also, the Rev. Alban Butler places his festival, and he says, it was most famous. A festival of St. Conall, Abbot, is entered, likewise, in the Circle of the Seasons.

     

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