OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Author: Michele Ainley

  • Saint Cronan Beg of Clonmacnoise, April 6

    On April 6 the Irish calendars commemorate the memory of one of the abbots of Clonmacnoise. As not a great deal is known of Saint Cronan as an individual, Canon O’Hanlon instead alludes in his account to the status of Clonmacnoise as a place of pilgrimage:

    St. Cronbeg, or Cronan Beg, Abbot of Clonmacnoise, King’s County.
    [Seventh Century.]

    This Saint is called Cronan Beg, or the Little, owing probably to his want of ordinary stature. He is entered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 6th of April, as Cronbrice, Abbot of Cluana, or Clonmacnoise. The date of his birth has not been ascertained, nor does his genealogy seem to be known. This holy man most probably succeeded Colman, Abbot, who died, in the year 681. Then was his successor elected to rule, in a spot, greatly resorted to, even from distant regions. The pilgrimage to holy places is one of the oldest of Christian institutions. The first known visits were to Jerusalem, and to other parts of Judea. Thus, Helena, the pious mother of the Emperor Constantine, hastened as a pilgrim to the Holy Land, when she visited the scenes of our Redeemer’s passion. The Empress returned, bringing with her the true cross, with other relics of Christ’s death; and, from that time forward, pilgrimages to the Holy Land were annually made by thousands, from every part of Christendom. Our Irish countrymen frequently visited this distant land, and usually combined with their journey a pilgrimage to the shrines of the Apostles, St. Peter and St Paul, at Rome. Hardships, persecutions, and even death itself, often overtook the zealous and devoted pilgrim. The tremendous conflicts, which shook Palestine during the period of the Crusades, barred the road thither to all but the most hardy, adventurous, and daring. The subsequent loss of the Holy City, all but closed its gates against the Christians. At and before this era, the practice of national pilgrimages grew into transcendent importance. Instead of turning towards the Holy Sepulchre, the penitent wended his way, towards some shrine in his native land, famous for some deed of sanctity, or for some spiritual manifestation. In Ireland, Lough Derg, Kildare, Glendalough, and Clonmacnoise, were the great pilgrimages. The ten ruined churches, which surround St. Kieran’s grave at the latter place, are said to have been the offering of ten royal pilgrims, who knelt at his shrine. Among the religious foundations here is shown, what purports to have been a church or chapel of the nunnery, said to have been built in 1170, by Dearvoirgilla, and it was consumed, with other buildings, by an accidental fire, A.D. 1180.

     
     
     

    The festival in honour of Cronbeg — a contraction most probably of his regular name — who was placed as Abbot, over Cluainmic Nois, occurs, in the Martyrology of Donegal, at this date. This was the day for his death, and the year was 689, according to the Annals of Clonmacnoise, or according to those of the Four Masters, A.D. 692. The Annals of Ulster place his demise, under the year 693.

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  • Saint Becan of Emlagh, April 5

     

     

    We commemorate a County Meath saint on April 5.  Canon O’Hanlon brings us a summary of the life of Saint Becan (Began) of Emlagh whom some traditions seek to link to Saint Colum Cille:

    ST. BEGAN, AT IMLECH-FIAICH, IN FERA-CUL-BREAGH, NOW EMLAGH, COUNTY OF MEATH. [SIXTH CENTURY.]

     
    The present holy man was distinguished, among the Saints of Ireland. The Martyrology of Tallagh, recording his festival, at this date, calls him St. Begain mic Cule; and, as we are told, the name is thus derived, from his mother. Referring to the same authority, the Bollandists briefly enter, on the 5th of April, Beccanus filius Culae. The same paternity is assigned to him, in the “Feilire” of St. Aengus. He descended from the race of Eoghan Mor, son of Oilioll Oluim, according to the O’Clerys’ Calendar. St. Becan, or Began, is said to have lived contemporaneously with St. Columkille. He founded a monastery, about the close of the sixth or the beginning of the seventh century, at Kilbeggan, a town, situated on the River Brosna. According to one account, when St. Colum-Cille and the King of Erinn, Diarmait, son of Fergus Cearbheoil, after killing Bresal, his son, came to where Becan was, they found him erecting a fort, with a wet cloak about him, and he praying. The saint felt highly incensed against the monarch, whom he humbled in a miraculous manner; but, afterwards, he relented, owing to the prayers of Columba. However, we cannot find these statements, in the proper Acts of the latter saint. That locality with which Becan was connected, Imleach Fia, or Imleach Fise, was also denominated Imleach-Becain, from this saint. His old church, at Emlagh, gave name to a parish, so called, and lying in the barony of Lower Kells, towards the north-east of the town of Kells, in the county of Meath. After the Anglo-Norman invasion, Emlagh became a parish church…. The Martyrology of Donegal, on this day, records a festival, in honour of Becan, son of Cula, at Imlech Fiaich, in Fera- Cul-Breagh. The Rev. Alban Butler, and the “Circle of the Seasons,” commemorate St. Beacon, Abbot, at the 5th of April. He is noticed, likewise, in the Kalendar of Drummond. At the Nones, corresponding with the present date, the obiit of this holy man being there is recorded.

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  • Saint Coine of Kilkine, April 4

    April 4 is the commemoration of yet another of our obscure female saints, Coine of Kilkine, County Wicklow. The saint is referred to as Coine in the earliest of the Irish martyrologies and as Caoimhe in the latest. Caoimhe (pronounced ‘Keeva’) is the feminine version of the male name Caoimhin or Kevin, and thus tradition seeks to associate this holy woman with the great saint of Glendalough, also in County Wicklow. Saint Kevin’s hagiography seeks to provide him with various family members, all of whose names embody the same element as his own, caomh ‘fair’ – thus his father is called Caomhlugh, his mother Caoimheall, his brother Caomhán, so it is no surprise to find that today’s saint is said to be his sister. Canon O’Hanlon, having a dearth of information on this saint, concludes with some remarks on the veiling of women:

    St. Caemh, or Coine, Virgin, of Cill-Caoimhe, or Coine, probably Kilkine, County of Wicklow.

    The great ones of earth pass away from life obtaining human applause, often undeservedly bestowed;but, the good should be held, in each Christians grateful and affectionate remembrance, as the present holy woman deserved to be known in her day. On the 4th of April, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, we find her name and place inserted, as Coini i-Cillé Coine. The Bollandists have it, Coina de Kill-Coine. There is a Kilkine old church, in the parish of Ballykine, in the County of Wicklow. The present saint may have been the sister of St. Kevin, founder of Glendalough, and, it seems not improbable, that she lived in the place previously mentioned; or, at least, we do not find any nearer corresponding denomination, on the Irish Ordnance Maps.

    The old graveyard of the place is still much used, but only a few fragments of the old church walls are to be seen there; and the situation—a peculiarly retired one—lies within a well-wooded demesne, known as Whaley Abbey, near Avondale House and Demesne, as also, near the celebrated Meeting of the Waters.



    The festival, in honour of Caemh, Virgin, of Cill Caoimhe, was celebrated on this day, as we read, in the Martyrology of Donegal. The first successor of St. Peter, in his chair at Rome, had decreed, that all women should enter the churches, with their heads veiled, as a mark of respect for the holiness of God’s House. In after time, this veiling of pious females was peculiarly a distinctive usage of religious Virgins.

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