Colgan (Acta. S.S. 8 Jan.) says, “St. Ergnata flourished about the year of Christ, 460, and our Hagiologists relate, that her festival was celebrated in the Church of Cluainda-en (the meadow of the two birds), in the district called Fiodhbhaidh (Feevagh), and in the Church of Tamhlact-bo, both on the 8th of January, and on the 31st (recte 30th), of October.” Colgan adds in a note that Cluain-da-en is a parochial church on the banks of Lough Neagh. Two
transcripts of the Calendar of Aengus, read at the 30th of October, where it commemorates St. Ernach — “Ernach a virgin (uag) a high pillar,” but the oldest transcript which Whitley Stokes gives, reads, “Ernach, a youth (oc), a high pillar.” It is obvious that there were two saints, one a virgin, the daughter of the prince, who gave Armagh to St. Patrick; she was named Ergnata, or Eargnath, or Herenat, and was honoured on the 8th of January, with a festival in the Church of Tamlachtbo, in the parish of Eglish, Armagh. While there was another saint called by nearly the same name, though a man, who was honoured by a
festival in the Church of Duneane, which was held on the 30th of October. In process of time, the hagiologists confounded the two on account of the similarity of names. Thus the Calendar of Donegal has, at the 8th of January, “Eargnat, Virgin of Dun-da-en, in Dalaraidhe,” and again at the 30th of October, it has

“Hercnat, Virgin of Dun-da-en, in Fiodhbhadh (Feevagh), of Dalaraidh.”

The note on the Festology of Aengus, in the L. Breac, sets the matter at rest.

Ernach-i-MacTairnd, &c., Ernach, i.e. son of Tairnd, is his name, but it fitted not the quatrain; and in Dun-da-en, in Fidbaid (Feevagh), of Dalaraidhe, is he”.  Dun-da-en, the old form of the name Duneane, signifies “the fort of the two birds,” in allusion to some old legend a version of which is given below. Feevagh is still the name of district adjoining Duneane. St. Ernach, whose festival was held on the 30th of October, in Duneane, seems to be the same St. Ernin, whose festival was held on the 31st of May, in Cranfield.

On November 8 the Irish calendars record the feast of Saint Colum, associated with the locality of Cúil Bríuin. The Martyrology of Gorman records ‘Colomb son of Aed the Bent’ and the notes add ‘of Cúil Damáin, i.e. of Cúil Bríuin’. In the absence of a November volume by Canon O’Hanlon I turned to Pádraig Ó Riain’s Dictionary of Irish Saints to see if there was any further information available on this saint. There his locality is identified as modern Culbrim, within the parish of Ballymoney, County Antrim. He is mentioned in the twelfth-century List of Homonymous Saints and assigned two distinct feast days – November 8 and December 11.  Saint Colum was remembered at Cúil Bhrióin, which seems to be also known as Cúil Damháin, on both of these days.

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At April 6 the Irish calendars commemorate an obscure early saint, Cathur or Cathub. Canon O’Hanlon is unable to bring many details but discounts the possibility raised by the seventeenth-century hagiologist, Father John Colgan, that he was associated with the mission of Saint Patrick:

St. Cathur, or Cathub, Bishop of Achadhcinn, Probably Aughnakeely, County of Antrim

Sacred biography should be a record of useful individual traits of character, and of social facts, on which religious philosophy, as a science, might be based. But, we have, very frequently, in the case of Ireland’s saints, materials too scanty for information, and instruction, in most of our hagiographical essays. The Bollandists have a mere notice to this holy man, but his name is incorrectly given. St.  Cathub was born, in the early part of the fifth century, and in the year 404. He was son of Fergus. The present holy man has been classed, but incorrectly, among the disciples of St. Patrick. He is said to have been bishop of Achadh-cinn, or Achid-cinn. Some authorities only style him Abbot. His place is supposed to have been identical with the present Aughnakeely,  one of the four townlands of Craigs, barony of Kilconway, and county of Antrim. In Colgan’s time, it was called Achadh na Cille, and it lay within the boundaries of Dalriadia. At this spot, there was an ancient burial ground, although its name is not marked on the Ordnance Survey Maps. A very capable investigator has remarked, that Dalriada, or the Route, ends at the southern boundary of Kilconway, which is but a short distance from this place, It has been conjectured, that Loch Cathbadh, Latinized, Lacus Cathbadii, adjoining Dalaradia, may have taken its denomination, from the present holy man. He flourished before and after the commencement of the sixth century, and he died, on the 6th of April, A.D. 554.  It is said,  that he lived, for one hundred and fifty years. This account also agrees with a statement in the  Chronicon Scotorum; but, the year of his death was 555, according to the latter authority. It must be observed, that Rev. Dr. Lanigan doubts the attainment of his extraordinary term of life, and accounts for the story of that great age, on a conjecture of his own. Colgan suspected, that the priest, named Fothrath  or Cathbad, who was placed over a church at Fothrat, might have been the same as St. Cathub, who was revered at Achadcinn, or Achadnacill. Yet, this latter place is not named in the Tripartite, nor in any of St. Patrick’s various Acts. The Martyrology of Tallagh registers the name merely, as Cathub, Bishop, at the 6th of April. On this day was venerated, according to the Martyrology of Donegal, Cathur, son of Fergus, Bishop, over Achadh-cinn.

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