OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Category: Irish Saints

  • Saint Luathrenna of Kill Luathrenn, June 8

    Among the saints commemorated on the Irish calendars on June 8 is Luathrenna or Luaithrenn, a female saint from County Sligo. Canon O’Hanlon brings us the details:

    St. Luathrenna, or Luaithrenn, Virgin, of Kill Luathrenn, or Killurin, County of Sligo.

    …The simple entry Luaitrind, Achaidh Coraind, occurs in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 8th of June. The Abbot St. Corbmac—who flourished in the sixth century—predicted the future sanctity of this virgin, according to an account, contained in his Life, as published by Colgan. To this we have elsewhere alluded. This pious woman descended from the race of Corbmac Gaileng, son to Tadhg, son of Cian, son to Oilioll Oluim, according to the compiler of the O’Clerys’ Calendar. This also agrees with a statement of the “Sanctilogium Genealogicum.” This virgin is said to have been the daughter of Colman, son to Falbe, son of Fennflatha, son to Daleus, son of Drona, son to Sualius, son of Fiden, son to Fidheurius, son of Artcherb, son to Fidchorb, son of Corb, son to Lugha —from whom the territory of Lugnia, in Connaught, has been named. In the Life of St. Corbmac, our holy virgin is called daughter of Falbe. But she was rather his granddaughter, as would appear from the foregoing genealogy. Her Acts seem to have perished, if they had ever been recorded; nor has her period been ascertained. The festival of this virgin was kept, on the 8th of June, in the Church of Kill Luathrenn, situated within that territory of Connaught, commonly called Corann. Tradition thus accounts for its name. A gentle and skilful harper, named Corann, received this territory as a free gift, on account of his musical and astrological accomplishments. The topographical tract, which is known as the Duinseanchus, has a legendary account of this district. It would seem, the present Killuran, must be sought for, in the old territory of Corann. According to Dr. O’Donovan, this is now the name of a barony, in the county of Sligo. Within the same county, and in the adjoining barony of Leyny, lies the parish of Killoran. There can hardly be a doubt, but that its denomination has been derived from the present St. Luaithrenn, and probably to her it was specially dedicated. However, there is an old church of this parish in ruins, but the patron is not remembered. It stood in the townland of Killoran North, and near a Lough so called. To a large extent, the surface of this parish is boggy and mountainous; but, owing to drainage, within the present century, the soil has been considerably improved. According to the Martyrology of Donegal, we find, that on this day was venerated, Luaithrenn, Virgin, of Cill Luaithrenn, in Coraun of Connacht.

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  • Saint Maelaithghen of Tech Maeilaithghin, June 6

    Canon O’Hanlon brings details of another early, obscure saint at June 6 and notes that Saint Maelaithghen is recorded not only in the earliest of the Irish calendars, but also in the Scottish Kalendar of Drummond. A later note in the Martyrology of Oengus provides a location for our saint and so I have transferred a translation of this from O’Hanlon’s footnotes into the main text:

    St. Maelaithghen of Tech Maeilaithghin, Probably in Cairpre Ua-Ciardha, now Barony of Carbury, and County of Kildare, or in Meath.

    The Martyrology of Tallagh merely registers the name Maelathgean, at the 6th of June. That Moelaithgen lived at an early period is proved, from the fact of his feast having been inserted in the Feilire of St. Aengus, at this date. The commentator has a note, to identify his locality. [The Irish note is thus translated, by Whitley Stokes, LL.D: “i.e. of Tech Moelaithgin in Cairpre Hua-Ciardai. Or in Mag Locha in the west of Bregia”.] According to the Martyrology of Donegal, on this day was venerated Maelaithghen, said to have been of Tigh Maelaithghen, in Cairbre-Ua-Ciardha, or in Maghlacha, in the west of Bregia. This territory extended from the River Liffey to the River Boyne, and it took in a great part of the present county of Meath. The place of this saint must be sought for, within the ancient territory of Cairbre-Ui-Chiardha. This now forms the barony of Carbury, in the north-western part of the present county of Kildare. In Scotland, this Natalis of the Holy Confessor Maelaithchen was commemorated, on the 6th of June, as noticed in the Kalendar of Drummond.

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  • Saints Niadh and Berchan, June 5

    Canon O’Hanlon brings a brief account of two early but obscure saints commemorated on June 5:  Niadh and Berchan of Cluain Aodh Aithmeth. His authority is a manuscript calendar belonging to the 19th-century scholar, Professor Eugene O’Curry. He further draws on the 17th-century hagiologist, Father John Colgan’s Trias Thaumaturga, in locating our saints’ territory in County Meath according to a reference in the Tripartite Life of Saint Patrick (book 2, chapter 10):

    Saints Niadh and Berchan of Cluain Aodh Aithmeth, in Luighne.

    The 5th of June is dedicated to the memory of St. Niadh and of St. Berchan. Both were connected with Cluain Aodh Aithmeth, in Luighne. The Luaighni of Teamhair were a people in Meath, and the position of their district seems determined, by a passage in one of St. Patrick’s Lives. The Church of Domhnach-mor-Muighe Echenach is placed within the territory. It lay upon the banks of the Boyne. The identification of a modern designation for the ancient Cluain Aedha Aithmet proves a more difficult matter, for the topographer and historian.

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