OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Category: Saints of Cavan

  • Saint Commaigh of Snamha Luthair, May 27

    May 27 is the commemoration of a female saint, Commaigh of Snamha Luthair. It seems that she is a member of an aristocratic family which produced a number of saints. Earlier scholars argued that the locality where this holy woman flourished was in County Sligo, but Canon O’Hanlon prefers to locate Saint Commaigh in County Cavan:

    St. Commaigh, Comagia, or Comaigh, Virgin, of Snawlooher, or Slanore, County of Cavan. [Sixth or Seventh Century.]

    At this date, the Martyrology of Tallagh records the name of this holy virgin, under the designation Commaigh, daughter of Eachdach, of Snamha luthair. The Bollandists have also a like entry, at the 27th of May, for Comagia of Snam-Luthir. It appears, that this holy virgin was daughter of Eochaidh, her father, and Aigleann or Ailgend, her mother. She was fifth in descent, by the father’s side, from Laeghaire, monarch of Ireland, in the time of St. Patrick. Her father was son to Ailill, son of Guaire, son to Lughaidh, son of King Laeghaire. Her brothers were St. Fintan, St. Lughaidh, and St. Coluin. Besides these uterine brothers, her father had been married to Ligach Bredmainech, by whom he had St. Fursey, St. Nainnidh, and St. Muiredach. The monastery at Snam-luthir had been founded, by the brother of St. Comaigh, a holy man named Columbanus, or Golman. It was supposed, by Colgan, that Snam-Luthir had been identical with a monastery, founded at Garbre Gabhra, otherwise Carbre Mor, in the maritime part of northern Connaught, and by a certain Columbanus, a holy man, who was son to Echad. In like manner, the Rev. Mervyn Archdall and Rev. Dr. Lanigan say, that Snam luthir was a monastery, in the present barony of Carbury, and county of Sligo. Another name for this territory is said to have been Carbremhor or Carbre Droma-Cliabh. This opinion has been most generally received. However, that place has been identified, by other writers—and notably by Rev. Dr. Reeves —with Snawlooher, or Slanore, a townland in the parish of Kilmore, barony of Upper Loughtee, and county of Cavan. Not a vestige of the old monastery now remains. There, however, various remains of mortality have been discovered, and it would seem the ancient religious foundation stood, also, some where about the beginning of the seventh century. St. Coluin, the brother of our saint, appears also to have lived—at least for a time—in this place… An abbey’s site is shown in a field, which is called the Abbey-field, in the western part of Snawlooher or Slanore townland. This contains about 130 acres, and it is situated a little south from Lough Oughter, on the west side of Kilmore parish. It appears, furthermore, that Cairbre Gabhra is now represented, by the modern barony of Granard, in the northeastern part of Longford County; while, this territory must have proceeded still farther towards the north, so as to include a considerable portion of Upper Loughtee, in the county of Cavan, since Snamh-luthir, Snawlougher, or Slanore, was within it. Veneration was given on this day, to Comaigh, Virgin, of Snamh Luthair, as we find entered, in the Martyrology of Donegal.

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  • Saint Ernin of Inis-Caoin, July 13

    July 13 is the commemoration of Saint Ernin of Inis-Caoin and the name of both the man and his locality are shared in common with a number of others. Canon O’Hanlon reckons the place in this case is to be found in counties Meath and Cavan. In the Lives of the Irish Saints he lists twenty-five saints with the name Ernin, most of whom, like today’s saint, are obscure figures. There is evidence though that at one time this saint was remembered in his locality by a pattern at a holy well dedicated to him:

    St. Ernin, or Arney, of Inis-caoin, now Inniskeen, Counties of Meath and Cavan.

    At the 13th of July, veneration was given to Ernin, of Inis-caoin, as appears in the Martyrology of Donegal. There are three distinct Inis-caoins, viz. : first, Inishkeen, on Lough Erne; secondly, another on Lough Melvin— both of these are in the county of Fermanagh—and thirdly, Inis-caoin-Deagha, or Iniskeen, in the county of Louth. But, the Enniskeen, or Eniskeen, with which the present saint appears to have been connected, was a parish located, partly in the baronies of Lower Kells and Lower Slane, in the county of Meath, but chiefly in the barony of Clonkee, in the county of Cavan. This old church of Eniskeen has been torn down and uprooted, save and except old crosses and numerous tombs, which serve to mark the resting-places of the faithful. No traces remain at present illustrative of the ancient worship. Here, the festival of St. Arney had been celebrated each 13th day of July. A holy well, dedicated to this saint, springs from the soil, and convenient to the burying-ground. It is now dried up, but stations used to be performed there, on the feast-day. It was called Toberarney. In the days of persecution, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass had to be celebrated on a large block of stone, outside the graveyard of Eniskeen. Anciently, this seems to have been the pedestal of a stone cross or a sanctuary terminus. Various other curious antique objects are in this parish. There is a notice of this saint’s festival, on the 13th of July, as furnished by Father O’Sheerin to the Bollandists.
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  • Saint Bricin of Tuaim Dreacain, September 5

    Canon O’Hanlon has a note of a Saint Bricin whose feast is commemorated on September 5. The scholiasts attempted to offer an explanation of the epithet ‘Brecc-buaid’ attached to this saint, and their notes will make more sense if you are aware that the word bua means victory in Irish. Canon O’Hanlon had given the translations of the entries from the Martyrology of Oengus in the fotnotes but I have inserted these into the text. It is interesting to note that Saint Oengus records that this saint was ‘called forth from Ireland’ but there are no further details of his mission outside this country:

    ST. BRECC-BUAID OR BRICIN, SAID TO HAVE BEEN OF TUAIM-DREACAIN, NOW TOOMREGAN, COUNTY OF CAVAN.

    In the Calendar of St. Aengus, there is a commemoration of Brecc-buaid, who was called forth from Ireland:

    “With Breccbuaid, who was called forth from Ireland,
    I reckon Eolang,
    holy, fair pillar of Achad Bo,
    a victory of piety.”—

    It occurs at this date. A comment is found affixed, which very fairly gives us to understand, that the scholiast had no precise knowledge regarding the saint there recorded.

    The Irish is thus rendered into English by Dr. Whitley Stokes :

    ” Briccine of Tuaim Drecoin, in Brefne of Connaught, I reckon.

    Or ‘with Breccbuaid,’ i.e., various victory, i.e., men and women giving him victory, namely, in undergoing Martyrdom together with him, for thai is a victory to him, since he it is that preached unto them God’s word.”

    It may be observed here—once for all — that the O’Clerys are too apt, in following the authority of this scribe, to suppose that he is always reliable, and frequently they assume, that his conjectures in notes on the Calendar of Aengus may be resolved into statements to be accepted. Accordingly, in the Martyrology of Donegal, we find set down at the 5th of September, a festival in honour of Bricin. A space is left there for an insertion , the compiler of the Calendar having been uncertain whether Bricin should be classed as a bishop or as a priest. It is remarkable, that in the Scottish Kalendar of Drummond, he is noticed as a Confessor, and belonging to Ireland. According to the calendarist, Bricin is said to have been of Tuaim Dreacain, in Breifne of Connaught. But, immediately afterwards, he adds, it is in Breifne Ui Raghallaigh. The place of this saint has been anglicised as Toomregan. In the County of Cavan, there is a parish so called, and a part of which extends within the adjoining County of Fermanagh. Another conjectural emendation for his locality, and reference to the designation Brecc-Buaid— rendered ‘various reward,’ and applied to him—is given by the scholiast on the Calendar of Oengus.

    The note in Irish is thus translated:

    “i.e. folk of every age he brought to Christ, or he won a victory from divers champions,
    i.e. , Briccin of Disert, Briccin in Ui-Drona, or Briccin of Tuaim-Drecain, in Brefne of Connaught.”

    So that Briccin seems to have been his real name.

    According to the O’Clerys, this saint belonged to the race of Tadhg, son to Cian, son of Oilill Olum. We cannot rely, however, on the accuracy of this statement ; nor can we at all find materials, to disclose any reliable facts in relation to him. Neither in the Martyrology of Tallagh, published by the Rev. Dr. Matthew Kelly, nor in that contained in the Book of Leinster, is there any entry of Brecc-buaid or Bricin, at this date. If we are to accept the statement, that Brecc-buaid was called forth from Ireland; perhaps he was one of the many missionaries who left our country to spread the Gospel in more distant lands. The names of numerous Irish saints are endeared to grateful Catholic memories; but, the record of a still greater number of worthies is now wholly forgotten.

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