OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Category: Irish Saints

  • Saints Furadhran and Baithin of Dunleer, June 18

    At June 18 Canon O’Hanlon brings us details of two saintly brothers who flourished in Lann-Leire, which he believes to be modern Dunleer, County Louth. We start with Abbot Furadhran and then move to the notice of his brother Baithin. I thought they were commemorated with a particularly beautiful verse in the Martyrology of Aengus, which remembers Furadhran ‘with keenness’ and ‘fair, happy Baithin’:

    ARTICLE I.—ST. FURADHRAN OR FURODRAIN, ABBOT OF LANN-LEIRE, NOW DUNLEER, COUNTY OF LOUTH.

    SIMPLY the name, Furodrain, occurs in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 18th of June. According to the Calendar of the O’Clerys, he belonged to the race of Colla Dachrioch. In the Festilogy of St. Aengus, at the 18th of June, his feast is commemorated. On this notice, there is an Irish comment, which states, that Boethin and Furodran were two sons of Moenan of Lann Luachain, in Bregia. The place of this saint had been identified with the old church of Lynn, on the east side of the beautiful Lough Ennell, in the barony of Fartullagh, and county of Westmeath. So early as the beginning of the eighth century, an abbey seems to have been existing in this locality. It seems, however, that his place must be sought for, within the former territory of Feara-Arda-Cianachta, so called from the race of Cian. The Rev. Dr. Reeves has identified the ancient Lann-Leire with Dunleer, in the barony of Ferrard, and in the county of Louth. This seems to be the true conjecture. The Welch or old British term Lann is usually found, to be the equivalent for a church; and, according to a statement sent forth, Lann Leire has been interpreted the “Church of Austerity.” We find bishops presiding at Lann Lere, from the middle to the close of the ninth century….In the year 921, the district of Feara Arda, and also Lann Leire, and Fearna Rois, were plundered by the foreigners. At this day, the Martyrology of Donegal registers our saint as Furadhran, Abbot of Lann-Leire. He is called likewise the son of Maonán.

    Article II.—St. Baithin or Baothan, of Lann-Leire, now Dunleer, County of Louth.

    A festival in honour of Baithin is set down in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 18th of June. He is there properly joined with the previous saint, who was his brother. His habitation seems to have been likewise at Lann Leire. This place is identified with Dunleer, county of Louth, as we have noticed, in the preceding article. When both of these brothers—who no doubt lived contemporaneously—flourished does not seem to be on record. The Felire of Aenghuis calls him Baithin. In the Leabhar Breac copy, we have the following stanza. Its English translation is
    furnished by Dr. Whitley Stokes :—

    “With fair, happy Boethin,
    Furodran with keenness,
    Moenan’s sons with virginity,
    of beautiful Lann Lere.”—

    Father John Colgan alludes to St. Baithin, as having been venerated, at the 18th of June, according to our Irish Calendars. The Martyrology of Donegal records him, likewise, and at the same date, as Baothan, son of Maonan. To the foregoing notice, the word (Juvencus), within brackets and Italicised, occurs after his name, as found in the Table to this Martyrology. The Irish Calendar, preserved in the Royal Irish Academy, enters him, at the xiv. of the July Kalends.

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  • Saint Enolichus, June 17 – a case of mistaken identity?

    At June 17, Canon O’Hanlon has an entry for the reputed feast of a Saint Enolichus, only to conclude that the 15th-century hagiologist Florarius had mis-spelt the name of Saint Moling, whose feast is the major Irish commemoration on this date. I thought this a useful illustration of just how difficult a task the hagiologists had in compiling the calendars of the saints. If Canon O’Hanlon is right about Enolichus being a misrepresentation of Molingus, then not only did later continental hagiologists repeat this mistake but so also did the 17th-century Irishmen, Father Fitzsimons and Philip O’Sullevan Beare:

    Reputed Feast of a St. Enolichus.

    In a Manuscript Florarius is set down the feast of St. Enolich, Confessor in Hibernia, at the 17th of June. Nothing more regarding him—under such a suppositious name —seems to have transpired; but, as we have already shown, in the First Article at this date, Enolichus was only a mispelling of Molingus’ name, as found in the printed copy of Usuard. Wherefore, in Greven’s additions to Usuard, the foregoing account is given, and it has been copied, by succeeding writers. Canisius and Ferrarius have similar entries. At the 17th of June, Father Henry Fitzsimons, and the anonymous Calendar, published by O’Sullevan Beare, set down a feast for St. Enolichus. The Bollandists enter his assumed festival, also, at the same date.

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  • Saint Cethach of Cill Garadh, June 16

    On June 16 we commemorate Cethach of Cill Garadh, a convert of Saint Patrick who went on to become a bishop. Canon O’Hanlon has the details:

    ST. CETHIG, OR CETHACH, BISHOP OF CILL GARADH, OR ORAN, COUNTY OF ROSCOMMON, AND OF DOMHNACH SAIRIGH, IN CIANACHTA, COUNTY OF MEATH.

    [FIFTH CENTURY.]

    THE fame of a great master naturally overshadows that of his less distinguished disciples. To this cause is mainly owing, perhaps, the few indications we now have of many worthy labourers in our early church. This Cethecus, however, is well known in the Irish Calendars, and he is said to have lived contemporaneously with our celebrated Irish Apostle, St. Patrick, by whom it seems probable he was baptized. He was born most likely, in the early part of the fifth century. Thus, in Tirechan’s list of St. Patrick’s disciples, we meet with Cethecus or Cethiacus. On the 16th of June, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, we find the simple entry, Cethig, Bishop of St. Patrick. In like manner, Marianus O’Gorman treats of him. According to received accounts, his father was a Meath man, from Domnach-Sarige, near Duleek. He is said to have been of the race called Say, who lived in the territory of Cianachta, in Magh-Breagh, of Meath. This, too, comprised Domhnach Sairighe, which must have been near Duleek, the old name for which was Damhliag-Chianain. His mother was of a Tirellil family. He was born, too, in that part of the country. This is now a barony, in the county of Sligo, and originally it signified the territory or land of Oilell.

    Cethach is classed as one of St. Patrick’s disciples. The Irish Apostle is said to have selected Cetchen, when he had come into the territory ot Hua-Noella, where, in a place called Domhacha, he erected a church called Sencheall Damhaighe, in which he left Cetchen, as also other disciples. Colgan thought that Ceihemis was the same as Cethecus. This conjecture, however, is clearly inadmissible. They are mentioned distinctly, in the Tripartite Life, and the former is not called a bishop. They are distinguished also in Tirechan’s list one by the name of Cetennus, and the other by that of Cethiacus. The latter is called Patrick’s bishop, that is, suffragan of St. Patrick. He is said to have been employed as bishop, and in various places far distant from each other. Thus, he officiated at Domnach Sarige, in his father’s country, as also at a place called Ath-da-Laarg, in his maternal and natal country. On Easter Sunday, Cethecus was at Domnach-Sarige, and at other times, especially on Dominica in Albis, he officiated in Tirellil. In this statement, there is nothing improbable. Cethecus could not have been a bishop probably before a.d. 440. But, it is very natural to suppose, that St. Patrick wanted the assistance of some bishops, unattached to any fixed Sees, that they might ordain priests and attend to other episcopal duties, when he could not conveniently act in their distant places. It has been stated, that St. Patrick visited Hy-Many, a district, partly in Roscommon, but chiefly in Galway.

    While St. Patrick was in Connaught, he founded a church, at a place afterwards called Kill-Garadh, otherwise Huaran-Garadh, now Gran, owing to the circumstance of his having produced from the earth a cold and bubbling spring well. Here it was destined, that one of a band of brothers from France, and who were disciples of St. Patrick, should remain. While hearing about the progress made by their countrymen in Ireland, and considering the unhappy state of disturbance prevailing in many parts of Gaul, in those times, it is not to be wondered at, if some persons from that country might have come over to our island, as to a place of greater peace and security. In the Litany of Aengus, invocations of Gaelic saints, whose remains were in various parts of Ireland, are to be found. It is more probable, however, that the greatest part of these pilgrims did not come over to Ireland, until several years later than this period. Over the church of Cill Garadh, a St. Cethogus or Cethecus is said to have presided, in the fifth century; but, for this statement, we do not seem to have very satisfactory evidence. One of the Irish round towers yet remains at Oran, a parish in the barony of Ballymoe, and county of Roscommon. It is only asserted, that Cethecus was buried in Kill-garadh, or Oran. But, it does not thence follow, that he was bishop of Oran, as Archdall says.

    It would appear, there was a place bearing this name, in the territory of Hy-Many, which embraced a great part of the southern and eastern part of the county of Galway. There was also a Cill Garadh in Scotland. Oran was nothing more than a parish church, and should not have been placed among the Irish monasteries. The date for this holy bishop’s death is not known. Bishop Cethechus is said to have been buried in the parish church of Kill-garadh, or Oran, and there his relics were afterwards preserved. To it, many pilgrimages continued to be made, down to the close of the last century. The name of this holy man appears, also, in the Martyrology of Donegal at the same date, as Cethach, Patrick’s Bishop, of Cill Garadh, in the territory of Ui Maine, and of Domhnach Sairighe in Cianachta, at Daimhliac Cianan. He was, it is said, of the Cianachta. The Life of Patrick is quoted, as authority for the foregoing statements. Under the head of Domhnach Sairighe, Duald Mac Firbis enters Cethach, bishop, at June 16th; and, at the same date, under the head of Daimhlaig, Duald Mac Firbis again enters, Cethech, bishop, from Domnach-Sairighe, at Daimhlaig Cianain. More than the foregoing we cannot discover, in reference to this primitive bishop.

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