OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Category: Irish Saints

  • Saint Brigid, September 30

    The very last day of September sees the commemoration on the Irish calendars of a Saint Brigid, who is otherwise left unidentified. Canon O’Hanlon identifies the two main candidates who may claim to be commemorated on this day. The first is a holy woman mentioned in the Life of Saint Senan (feastday 8th March) and the second an unknown female saint associated with a holy well and church at Kilbreedy (literally ‘Brigid’s church’) in County Laois (or Queen’s County as it was called in O’Hanlon’s time). I am not sure that he really proves either case convincingly, but this mystery Saint Brigid is a good example of the large number of Irish saints who are recorded in our martyrologies without any further clues to their identity.

    St. Brigid, of Cluainfidhe, or perhaps of Kilbreedy, Queen’s County.

    In the published Martyrology of Tallagh, the feast of St. Brigitta is thus simply recorded, at the 30th of September. In the Book of Leinster copy, at this day, there is a similar entry. Without any further designation, Brigit is entered in the Feilire of Marianus O’Gorman, at this day. In the Martyrology of Charles Maguire, as in the Martyrologies of Tallagh and of Marianus O’Gorman, the feast of a St. Brigid is entered at the 30th of September.

    Among the holy women, who are recorded as having flourished in the Irish church, there is a St. Brigid, who was daughter to Conchraid, and she belonged to the family of Mactail. Colgan says, this family seems to have been derived, from the Kings of Munster, having issued from the race of Oengus, King over that province. From this line, St. Mactail the Bishop was descended. Or perhaps, the family of Mactail was derived from the O’Brien sept. Cassius, surnamed Tallins, had several sons, among whom were Blodius, Cassius, Sedneus, and Delbatius. Hence it happens, that some one of these, or of their posterity—especially Blodius’ children, who inherited the chieftainship—might be considered as belonging to the family of Mactail. The word itself signifies son of Tallius. If Colgan’s conjecture be correct, those circumstances connected with the family and place of her residence point out St. Brigid, who is venerated on the 30th of September, as the one mentioned in St. Senan’s Second Life. From it we are able to procure the following account of her. We are told there, how St. Brigid, a holy virgin, had established herself in a cell, on the banks of the river Shannon, and at a place, called Clain in fidi, or Cluainfidhe. Whilst there, she had prepared a cloak or chasuble for St. Senan, which she desired sent to him, but had not the necessary means for transport. However, she covered the vestment with hay, and having placed it, with some letters, in an osier basket, which floated out on the river, the result was committed to a providential issue. The letters were directed to St. Senan, and contained a request, that he would send the Most Holy Sacrament to her. By a miracle of Divine Providence, and without any human direction, the basket floated out into the bed of the Shannon, which at this point was very wide; and, at length it landed on the Island shore, near the church of St. Senan. This circumstance, being revealed to the holy man, he called one of his disciples, who was a Deacon. He was desired to bring the basket, which lay on the shore, to the monastery. Having fulfilled such orders, Senan took the vestment and letters contained in the basket. He then placed therein, as we are told, two portions of salt and a pixis containing the Sacred Host. He next ordered, in the name of God, to whom every creature owes obedience, that the basket should return by the same way it had come, and restore to St. Brigid one of the lumps of salt and the pixis it contained ; and that it should bear the other portion of salt, to St. Diermit, who dwelt in the monastery of Inis-clothrand. According to St. Senan’s mandate, the basket returned to St. Brigid. She took out therefrom the pixis, and one of the salt portions. Before she had time to remove the other, the basket was carried off by motion of the water; and it sailed, by a direct course, against the river’s current until it arrived at Inisclothrand. Having understood what had occurred through a Divine revelation, St. Diermit went forth, and brought the basket to his monastery with much joy. He gave thanks to God, for the wonder wrought through his holy servant, St. Senan.

    Of the thirteen saints bearing this name, as mentioned by our Irish Martyrologists, Colgan supposed the circumstance already related can only apply to that St. Brigid, who was venerated on the 30th of September. However, in the Third and Fourth Lives of St. Brigid, such anecdote was transferred to her, with this variation, that the basket or box was entrusted to the ocean, and had to pass over a very great round and extent of sea. Such a transaction—in which there is nothing improbable—was transformed into a marvellous story, which has probably helped to give rise to the opinion, that Senan was established at Inniscatthy before the death of St. Brigid.

    A St. Brighit, or Bride, seems to have been venerated in the Parish of Bordwell, Queen’s County. There had been a pattern at a Bride’s Well, not far from the old church and castle of Kilbreedy, and it was held between the close of harvest and the month of November. Of this I was assured by an old man— in 1870 considerably over 80 years of age— but he could not recollect the exact day on which the pattern had been kept. No other saint bearing the name of Brigid seems so likely to correspond with her to whom allusion has been here made. The old church of Kilbreedy lies about a mile from Rathdowney. Measured outside the old walls, it is 50 feet in length, by 24 feet in breadth. The walls of limestone are nearly four feet in thickness, and were well built, but only the lower portions now remain. The church and grave-yard are evidently very ancient ; but both have been enclosed by a modern and well-built wall, with an iron-gate set up for entrance. Many graves and magnificent hawthorn trees are within the grave-yard enclosure. The remarkable fort of Middlemount rises to a considerable elevation, at some little distance, and on the opposite side of the high road. Concentric and diminishing circular fosses surround it, and ascend to the terminating irregular cone.

    The festival of Brighit is set down, without further clue for identification, in the Martyrology of Donegal, at the 30th day of September.

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  • Saint Murghal of Rathlin, September 29

    September 29 is the commemoration of an eighth-century abbot of the monastery on Rathlin Island, County Antrim. Canon O’Hanlon’s entry on the life of Saint Murghal draws on the evidence for his life preserved in the Irish Calendars and Annals:

    ST. MURGHAL, ABBOT OF RATHLIN, COUNTY OF ANTRIM.

    In very remote situations, many of our Irish saints chose to remove from the world, to avoid its temptations and snares. In the published Martyrology of Tallagh, we find simply the entry Murgail, at the 29th of September. A similar entry is in the Book of Leinster copy. The Feilire of Marianus O’Gorman enters Murgal, at this date, and a commentator adds, that he was the son of Uinnid, and abbot of Rechrann. This is now the Island of Rathlin, off the northern coast of Antrim. Sometimes the name of Murgal’s father is written Nenned. Our saint was probably born before or soon after the commencement of the eighth century. At a remote period, and early in the seventh century, a monastic institution had been there established at Rathlin, by St. Segene, Abbot of Iona, A.D. 630, or a little later. The succession of its Abbots has been given by Colgan. There, or perhaps at Iona, our saint had been religiously trained in monastic studies and religious discipline. He appears to have immediately succeeded as Abbot to St. Cobthach, who died A.D. 743, about twenty years before the period assigned for his own departure to bliss. The “Annals of the Four Masters” place his death at the year 764. According to the Annals of Ulster, he died A.D. 768, with which date the O’Clerys agree, and state, that he departed on the 29th of September. Additional particulars are recorded at the same date in the Martyrology of Donegal. There he is mentioned as Murghal, son of Ninnidh, Abbot of Rechrainn.

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  • Saint Sinach Mac Dara, September 28

     

    September 28 is the feastday of an island hermit saint of the west, Sinach Mac Dara. Mac Dara is still used today as a Christian name for Irish males in the Connemara Gaeltacht area. Below is an account of Saint Mac Dara’s life and some interesting folk traditions associated with him, from Volume 9 of Canon O’Hanlon’s Lives of the Irish Saints:

    ST. SINACH MAC DARA, OF INIS CRUACH MAC DARA, COUNTY OF GALWAY.

    OF this holy anchorite little is positively known, and yet his name and veneration have survived for many ages. He is much venerated by inhabitants on the western shores of Galway. He must have flourished at a very early period, however, and most probably at a time, when his remote position secluded him from cognizance of our ancient chroniclers. Tradition asserts, that the name of our Saint’s father was Dara ; and Sinach, his own peculiar name, was placed before Mac Dara, that by which he is now popularly known. However, the St. Mac Dara of the western coasts should be called Sionnach, which was his real name. At the 28th of September, Marianus O’Gorman sets down Sinach in his Festilogy. His commentator has a note appended to his name which states, that he was from Cruach mac Daro. From other Irish Martyrologies regarding this saint, we can glean no particulars.

    On the south-western shore of a peninsula, anciently called Iorrasainteach, lies a small Island, presenting to the sea on all sides rocks which are high and precipitous, except towards the eastern part, where boats can safely touch. The appearance of this Island from a distance, coupled with its relation to our saint, gave it the name of Cruach Mac Dara, which when anglicised means, “The Rick of Mac Dara,” or ”The Island of Mac Dara.” Near the landing place on this Island, St. Sinach Mac Dara is supposed to have built a small stone church, the ruins of which yet remain, and are in a good state of preservation. Besides this ruin, a circular or rather oval stone-house, twenty-four feet by eighteen, with walls seven feet in thickness, is yet to be seen, although in a very dilapidated condition. This was probably our saint’s usual habitation, and the church might have been chiefly in use, as an oratory. At the distance of 300 feet from this church, and on its northern side, a square altar, surmounted by a cross, and a holy well near it, are pointed out to strangers. Both are dedicated to St. Mac Dara. He seems to have led a secluded life on the Island bearing his name, and one devoted to the practice of most austere religious rules and duties. According to a custom, usual in our old Irish churches, the wooden statue of this saint was preserved in his chapel for many centuries subsequent to his death—this image being commemorative of the founder and patron, whose intercession was invoked. However, for special weighty reasons, the Archbishop of Tuam, Malachy Queely, caused its removal during the time of his incumbency, and had it buried under the ground. Besides the veneration paid our saint on this Island, the inhabitants of Moyrus Parish, on the shore of the opposite mainland, point out the ruins of an old parish church, which is dedicated to him. There, in the time of Roderick O’Flaherty, [i.e. the 17th century] “his altar stone, by the name of Leac Sinach,” was kept as a venerable relic… Here, the coast inhabitants, who are principally fishermen, assemble on the 16th of July each year, to celebrate the festival of their patron of Moyrus parish. At this date, however, we find no mention of Sinach Mac Dara, in our Martyrologies. The principal festival of our saint is noted in the Irish Calendar, as occurring on the 28th day of September. This day may probably be assigned, as that for his departure.

    Many miraculous occurrences are recorded, and some superstitious observances are said to have been practised in connection with this saint’s memory by recurring to local tradition. One of the latter practices was the collection of Dunleasg or salt sea-leaf, at low water, by women, in order to obtain the release of some friend in captivity: this reprieve, however, they expected should be obtained chiefly through the intercession of our saint. This practice of gathering Dunleasg has been disused for many years past ; although old people are yet living, who remember its frequent observance.

    In the time of Roderick O’ Flaherty, it was customary for all boats, passing between Mason-head and the Island, to lower their sails three times, in honour of Mac Dara. In the year 1672, a certain captain of Galway garrison, passing without the usual mark of reverence, experienced such a violent gale, that he made a vow of never again sailing by without a proper obeisance; he was shipwrecked shortly afterwards, and never reached his destination. One Gill, a fisherman of Galway, during the prevalence of fair weather before and after the occurrence, was struck dead almost instantaneously, by a stroke from the mast of his own boat, when it fell on his head. This accident, like the former, was attributed to that contempt shown towards our saint by a departure from the time-honoured custom. His altar-stone, called ” Leac Shinac,” was said to have been preserved to the middle of the present century ; but its whereabouts is not now known. The name Mac Dara is a very common prefix to surnames of many Islanders and borderers, on the Galway coast, and even boats and hookers belonging to its fishermen are inscribed with the name, in token of veneration for our saint.

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