OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Category: Irish Saints

  • Saint Fethmec of Kiltoom, March 16

    On March 16 Canon O’Hanlon brings us this entry for Saint Fethmec of Kiltoom, a locality which he places near to Castlepollard, County Westmeath:

    St. Feithmech or Felmac, of Cill-Toama, now Kiltoom, County of Westmeath.

    The Bollandists very briefly notice this saint, at the present day, but they style him, incorrectly, Tetmechus Episcopus de Kill-tuama. On the 16th of March, we read in the Martyrology of Tallagh,  he record, Esp. Felmac o Cill Cuanda (no Tuama). From the prefix, we must regard this saint, as having been a bishop. Yet, we find simply, Feithmech, of Cill-Toama, set down in the Martyrologies of Marianus O’Gorman and of Donegal, as having been venerated on this day. Under the head of Cill Cuana, Duald Mac Firbis enters Fethmech, Bishop of Cill Cuana, i.e., Fethmech, Bishop of Cill Tuama, or (Cill) Toama. The former should now be written Kilquan, and the other Kiltoome. There are many places, in Ireland, bearing these names. The locality here indicated is thought to have been Kiltoom, near Castlepollard, county of Westmeath. During the eighth and ninth centuries, certain abbots of this place are recorded, in the Annals of the Four Masters; and, yet, we have not been able to find the present saint’s name among them.

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  • Saint Eoghan, March 15

    March 15 is the feast day of a Saint Eoghan, about whom no other information seems to be known. As the Bollandists note, this is a common name although the scholiast on the seventeenth-century Martyrology of Donegal tried to suggest that he may be Eoghan, the son of Saran, to whom the monastic rule of Saint Ailbhe was addressed, as Canon O’Hanlon reports below:

    St. Eugenius or Eoghan.

    The Martyrology of Tallagh enters a festival for S. Eugenius, simply, at the 15th of March. The Bollandists have merely the name, with an observation, that it is one often met with in the Irish Calendars. The Martyrology of Donegal this day records, Eoghan. “I think,” remarks the writer, “this is Eoghan, son of Saran, of Cluain Caolain, for whom Ailbhe, of Imleach lobhair, composed the very hard rule, which begins, ‘Say for me to the son of Saran,’ &c. For every other person of the same name, that is in the Martyrology, has some title, or church, which he possessed, except the Eoghan, who comes at this day.” In a subsequent page of the Martyrology of Donegal, Dr. Todd places Cluain  Coelain, in the county of Tipperary.
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  • Saint Conchenna of Killevey, March 13

    Grave of St Moninne at Killevey (2013)

    On March 13 the Irish calendars commemorate the memory of Saint Conchenna, a holy woman of the monastery founded by Saint Moninne at Killevey, County Armagh. Her death is noted in The Annals of the Four Masters:

    The Age of Christ, 654, “Coincenn, of Cill-Sleibhe, died.”

    Not much more appears to be known of her life, but Canon O’Hanlon’s account notes that Conchenna was said to have been a sister to Saint Fintan Munna and the subject of one of his miracles. He also wonders if Saint Conchenna was abbess of the community or merely a member of it, but having raised this question he goes on to answer it by noting that the Annals usually only mark the passing of the superiors of religious houses:

    St. Conchenna, Conchend, or Coincheand, Virgin, of Kill-Slebhe, or Killevey, County of Armagh. [Seventh Century]

    Colgan endeavours to evolve some incidents regarding this holy virgin, at the 13th of March. The Bollandists have only a short notice of St. Conchenna. This saint was daughter to Tulchan, and her mother was Fethlemidia. She was a sister to St. Fintan Munnu, who is venerated at the 21st of October. Thus was she descended, from the noble Hy-Niall race of Ulster. This holy virgin embraced a religious life, in a nunnery, which had been founded by St. Monenna, at Kill-Slebhe, now Killevey, at the foot of Sliabh Cuilinn, or Slieve Gullion, in the southern part of the county of Armagh. Here she lived a very holy life, and illness which caused her death happened. But she was brought to life again, by her holy brother St Munnu, and at the request of their mother. There seems to be a doubt, as to whether she was abbess over the community, at Kill-Sleblie, or a simple member of it. She finally departed this life, A.D. 654; and, although the Four Masters give her no distinctive title, yet, Colgan remarks, they scarcely ever note the death of holy persons, not distinguished as presiding over religious houses. The Martyrologies of Tallagh and of Marianus O’Gorman register the name Conchend, at the 13th of March. Also, on this day, the festival of Coincheand was celebrated, as we read, in the Martyrology of Donegal.

    Note: This post first published in 2014 has been revised in 2022.

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