OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Author: Michele Ainley

  • Saint Colman of Loch Echin, May 6

     

    On May 6 the Irish calendars commemorate one of the many Irish saints Colman, this one associated with a particular lake, Loch Eichan. As Canon O’Hanlon explains below, we can find out no other details of either the man or his locality:

    St. Colman, of Loch Echin
    An entry, Colman Locha ethin, appears in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at this date. The Bollandists quote from this authority, likewise, but in a somewhat different manner. However, among the various Irish saints bearing the name of Colman, they could obtain no certain indications, regarding the present holy man. Again, we find another note, that the feast of St. Colman, Loch Eichan, was kept, on the 6th of May. We cannot find any lake in Ireland, which is now similarly named. On this day was venerated, Colman, of Loch Echin, as we find registered, also, in the Martyrology of Donegal.

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  • Saint Faelan Finn of Kilcolumb, May 5

     

    A County Kilkenny saint is commemorated on May 5. Apart from the recording of his name in the Irish calendars, we know nothing else of Saint Faelan Finn, as Canon O’Hanlon explains:

    ST. FAELAN FINN, OF KILCOLUMB, COUNTY OF KILKENNY.

    The name of St. Feilan, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at this date, as also in that of Marianus O’Gorman, with the adjunct Finn, “fair” or “white,” has Kill-Colma attached, as if this were his place. The locality has been identified with Killcolumb, barony of Ida, county of Kilkenny. The Bollandists refer to the Martyrology of Tallagh, for the feast of Foelanus Candidus de Kill-Colma, at the 5th of May. He is commemorated, likewise, in the Martyrology of Marianus O’Gorman. It is mentioned in the Martyrology of Donegal, that Faelan Finn, of Cill Cholmai, was venerated on this day.

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  • Saint Mochua of Sliabh Eibhlinne, May 4

    May 4 is the commemoration of Saint Mochua or Cronan, who flourished in a mountainous area of County Limerick. Canon O’Hanlon brings us the details, pointing out that this saint is one of a number of saints Cronan whose name is usually given the diminutive ‘Mochua’:

    ST. MOCHUA, OR CRONAN, SON OF CUIMINE, OF SLIABH EIBHLINNE, NOW SLIEVE PHELIM MOUNTAINS, COUNTY OF LIMERICK.

    The Martyrology of Tallagh enters the festival of Mochua Mac Cummin, in Sleibh Eibhinn, at the 3rd of May. Mochua is only another name for Cronan, as we have already shown. The Bollandists, quoting the foregoing authority, have entered this holy person’s festival, with some differences of spelling. This saint must have lived, at an early period, for we find his festival set down on this day, in the Felire of St. Aengus. To the stanza, a scholiast has added the comment, that he was Mochua, son of Conn, from Sliab Eblinne, in Munster. It seems probable, that his church was connected with this district; but, the exact locality is not denoted. The Slieve Phelim Mountains are a remarkable range, with beautiful undulations, extending over a considerable tract of country, towards the northeastern part of Limerick County… In Scotland, likewise, as in Ireland, St. Mochua was venerated, at the iv. of the May Nones, according to the Kalendar of Drummond, and as a holy confessor. Among the various saints, called Mochua, or Cronan, we are unable to distinguish the present holy man, his period, or his office in the Church. The Martyrology of Donegal records, that this day was venerated Cronan, son of Cummain, of Sliabh Ebhlinne, in Munster.

     

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