OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Category: Irish Saints

  • Saint Aedhan of Cluain-Maelain, March 20

    Another of our many obscure holy men is recorded in the Irish calendars at March 20. Canon O’Hanlon reckons that the locality Cluain-Maelain associated with the Saint Aedhan noted on this day is probably Clonmellon, County Westmeath:

    St. Aedhan, of Cluain-maelain, probably, Clonmellon, County of Westmeath.

    The Martyrology of Tallagh records this holy man, at the 20th of March. The place may be identical with that locality, formerly denominated Cluain-Milain, i.e., Milan’s Lawn or Meadow, now Clonmellon, a small town in the barony of Delvin, and county of Westmeath. Marianus O’Gorman records Aedanus, of Cluain-moelain, at this date. We find the name, Aedhán, of Cluain-maeláin, also set down, in the Martyrology of Donegal, as having a festival, at this date. The Bollandists enter his feast, likewise, on the 20th of March.

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  • Saint Caemhán, the Holy, March 18

    Yet another obscure Irish saint is recorded on the Irish calendars at March 18, Caemhán, the Holy. The seventeenth-century hagiologist, Father John Colgan, attempted to make a Patrician link, but Canon O’Hanlon remains unconvinced:

    St. Caemhan, the Holy.

    Caemhan, denominated the Holy, is set down in the Martyrology of Donegal, as having a festival, at this date. The Bollandists notice a St. Caimanus, a Bishop, occurring at the 18th of March, in two distinct Irish Martyrologies. Colgan thinks a disciple of St. Patrick, known as Coeman of Kill-rath, may be identified with the present saint. The same writer identifies the latter with a Coeman, Deacon, mentioned in St. Patrick’s Acts.  There appears to be much confusion, in the short notes of writers, as relating to the present saint’s identity.

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  • Saint Failtigern, March 17

    March 17 is the feast day of the most widely-recognized Irish saint today, our national apostle, Saint Patrick. He also shares his commemoration with one of the most obscure, a holy woman, Saint Failtigern, know only from the recording of her name on this day in the Irish calendars, as Canon O’Hanlon explains:

    St. Failtigern or Faoiltigern, Virgin.

    An entry is found, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 17th of March, regarding St. Failtigern, a holy woman, whose personal history is involved in great obscurity. The Bollandists have a mere notice. Faoiltighem, Virgin, is registered, also, in the Martyrology of Marianus O’Gorman, and in that of Donegal, as having had veneration paid her, on this day.

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