OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Category: Irish Saints

  • Saint Sechnasach of Ceann-locha, July 30

    At July 30 Canon O’Hanlon has a number of short entries for saints about whom not much is known, beginning with an abbot of Ceann-locha:

    ST. SECHNASACH, ABBOT OF CEANN-LOCHA, OR KINLOUGH.

    THIS saint belonged to the race of Laeghaire, son of Niall, according to the O’Clerys. According to Colgan, he was a priest at Durrow, in the King’s County. We have already seen a place of this name, connected with a St. Siadhal Ua Commain, [feastday 8 March] conjectured to have been probably identical with Kinlough, at the north-western extremity of Lough Melvin, in the barony of Rosclogher, and County of Leitrim. Dr. O’Donovan states, there are several such denominations in Ireland. This day, the Martyrology of Donegal mentions, that a festival was celebrated in honour of St. Sechnasach, Abbot of Ceann-locha.

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  • St. Uisseoit, of Druim Uisseoit, July 28

     

     

    At July 28, the Irish calendars preserve the name of a saint Uisseoit who, despite having given his name to the locality in which he flourished, cannot now be traced, as Canon O’Hanlon explains:

    St. Uisseoit, of Druim Uisseoit.
    We find recorded in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 28th of July, that veneration was given to a saint named Uisseoit. At the same date, in the Martyrology of Donegal, the name is entered as Uis-seoit, of Druim Uisseoit. Wherever this place was situated, it appears to have derived its name from the present saint. However, we cannot find any near approach to it in spelling, among the etymons of localities, in any part of Ireland.

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  • Saint Beoghain of Moville, July 27

    At July 27 we have the feast of another Irish abbot, this time from the northern monastery of Moville, County Down. Saint Beoghain, however, is yet another of the Irish saints about whom not much is known, as Canon O’Hanlon explains:

     

    ST. BEOGHAIN, ABBOT OF MOVILLE, COUNTY OF DOWN.

    A monastery had been founded at Magh-bile, about 540 by St. Finian, denominated Fionn, or Findbarr, meaning “white head,” a most celebrated Irish ecclesiastic, who was a preceptor of St. Columba. About the year 540, or as Sir James Ware states about A.D. 550, he is supposed to have founded a monastery at this place. It is situated in the county of Down. The Irish denomination Magh Bile is rendered by the “field of the aged tree.” Close to the spot are some venerable yew trees of large size, which possibly may be the descendants of that “aged tree,” from which the place derived its name. It was formerly the seat of a bishopric, being a place of great importance, and frequently it is referred to in the early annals of Ireland. A succession of holy bishops was there during the sixth and seventh centuries; but, from the year 731, Moville is noticed only as having been governed by Abbots. The present saint is classsed among the latter, in one of our earliest Calendars. We read in the Martyrology of Tallaght that Beogan Ab. Maighi Bile had a festival at this date. We are not able to find any record of the period at which he flourished…. It is noticed, in the Martyrology of Donegal, that Beoghain, Abbot of Magh-bile, or Moville, had veneration given him, at the present date. In that Calendar, compiled by the Rev. Dr. Reeves, he is noticed simply as St. Beoghan, of Magh Bile, but without the distinction of Abbot.

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