OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Category: Saints of Down

  • Saint Dichu of Saul, April 29

    On April 29 we commemorate the memory of Saint Patrick’s first convert in the Lecale district of County Down, Dichu of Saul. Hagiography records that Dichu was a pagan chieftain who was initially committed to seeing off the threat posed by the new religion and its apostle. Following his conversion, however, he presented Saint Patrick with a barn to use as a church. The memory of this gift lives on in the placename Saul, anglicized from the Irish sabhall. I have some photographs of Saul and other Patrician sites of County Down at my other blog here. Canon O’Hanlon has this account of Saint Dichu in Volume IV of his Lives of the Irish Saints:

    ST. DIOCHU, OR DICHUS, OF SABHAIL, OR SAUL, COUNTY OF DOWN. 
    [FIFTH CENTURY.]

    IT has been very generally supposed, that the first convert made by the illustrious Apostle of Ireland, after his mission had opened in Ulidia, was Dichu, or Dichus, or Dichuo, sometimes written Diochu, and Dichon, who lived in that district, comprising the present Barony of Lecale, in the county of Down. The particulars of his conversion have been already alluded to, in the Life of St. Patrick. His early neophyte, having once embraced the faith, afterwards led a most exemplary life. In the published Martyrology of Tallagh, however, there is no notice of this pious convert, at the 29th of April; although the Bollandists refer to that calendar, and at that same date, for the entry Dichus de Sabhall. In Irish ecclesiastical history, he has attained much celebrity, and his story has often been related. He descended from a distinguished family, who belonged to the northern part of Ireland; and there he appears to have been born, perhaps, about the close of the fourth, or the beginning of the fifth, century. His father is said to have had a very numerous family of sons, whose names have been placed on record. Thus, we are informed, that Trichem, a chief of Uladh, had seven sons, viz., Dichu of Sabhall, or Saul, Laeghaire of Dun, Ailill of Magh-bile, or Moville, Duirthecht of Aendruim, or Mahee Island, Eoghan of Cillcleithi, or Kilclief, Ros of Dundalethglas, or Downpatrick, and Niall of Cillcleithi, or Kilclief. These were of the race of Fiatach Finn, the ancestor of the Dal Fiatach, a strictly Ultonian tribe. The patrimony of Dichuo seems to have been near the southern shore of Lough Cuan, now Lough Strangford, and where a small river, formerly called the Slaney, enters into the sea. There, he had a swineherd employed, who, on the arrival of St. Patrick and of his companions, gave the alarm to his master. He thought these strangers were to be regarded as thieves or pirates. Jocelyn relates, that when St. Patrick first opened his Irish mission in the north, which is generally thought to have been A. D. 432, a certain man named Dichu, who was powerful of strength, gigantic of stature, and savage of mind, occupied the district in that quarter where the Irish Apostle landed in Ulidia. Dichuo brought dogs to attack the voyagers, but he was unable to succeed in his purpose. As when the prophet sent from Juda to Bethal was opposed by the king sacrificing to idols, and when Jereboam stretched forth his hand against the man of God, the king’s hand withered, so that he was not able to again withdraw it, until the prophet interposed in his behalf; so, it would seem, such a miracle took place, in the case of Dichuo. St. Patrick and his companions are said, by Probus, to have landed, at an island, called Milchon; but, this seems to be a mistake for Mag-Inis, a low-lying island in the district known as Leth-Cathuil, or Lecale. This chieftain brandished his sword intending to destroy the saint. But, the Lord interposed his protecting arm, all Dichu’s strength withered, and he entirely stiffened, so that he could move, neither his foot to go forwards, nor his hands to strike. Experiencing such a miracle, suddenly Dichuo changed into another man; and from being proud becoming humble, his fierceness was changed into mildness, from an infidel, he became a believer, with all his household, at the preaching of St. Patrick, and he was baptized in the Christian faith. As his soul was then loosed from the chains of sin, so were his limbs loosed from their heaviness, and all their strength was restored unto them. Thus, he who had been the first and principal opposer of the Faith in Ireland, became its first professor, and even to his latest age, he continued its most devoted follower.

    To atone for his former obstinacy, Dichu presented a place, called Sabhal, now Saul, where St. Patrick might erect a church. To this proposal, the great Irish Apostle most willingly assented. Dichu requested it might be erected in a direction, lying north and south. On account of some peculiarity in its position, or use, the name Sabhall, which means “a barn,” was probably applied to the original church. This church of Saul was the first founded, by St. Patrick; its ground was the first consecrated and offered in Ulster, for a religious purpose; while its donor Dichu was the first convert known, in that part of Ireland. The year 432 is said to have been that for its first ecclesiastical appropriation; and, it was probably erected, under the personal supervision of St. Patrick and by his band of missionaries. After the foundation of this first Irish church, St. Patrick went northwards, to visit his former master Milcho, or Miliuc; but, he failed in effecting a conversion, and afterwards, he came back to the house of Dichu, in the plain of Inish. In that beautiful country around, St. Patrick wrought many miracles, and preached the Gospel, while he received many professions of the true Faith from the inhabitants. The monarch of Ireland, King Leoghaire, detained two of Dichuo’s sons as hostages at that time, and he decreed, that they should be put to death, because their father had given sanctuary and protection to St. Patrick. However, owing to the holy prayers of the Irish Apostle, both of those young nobles obtained their freedom. We have no further account of Dichuo, in the various Lives of St. Patrick; but, it is reasonable to conjecture, that the local dynast passed his days at or near Saul, where it seems probable he died and was buried. In process of time, St. Patrick built there a suitable monastery, to which he introduced monks, who had passed their novititate under him. For their use, not long afterwards, and through his prayers, St. Patrick produced a fountain out of the earth. Over that monastery of Saul did he appoint his disciple, St. Dunnius, to be Abbot. When the holy Apostle had returned from his mission—most probably in the south of Ireland—he dwelt with Dunnius not a few days.

    The feast of St. Patrick’s disciple Dichuo has been assigned, to the 29th of April, by Father John Colgan. At this date, also, he had intended to dilate on Dichuo’s Acts. St. Dicha is set down in Henry Fitzsimon’s List of Irish Saints, but the date for his festival is not recorded. On the 29th day of April was venerated, Diochu, of Sabhall, as we read in the Martyrology of Donegal. It is likely, says the calendarist, that this is the Dichu, son of Trichem, descended from the race of Fiatach Finn, monarch of Erin; and that it was he, who gave Sabhell, to Patrick ; and that it was on him Patrick bestowed the famous blessing, by which he promised Dichu the kingdom of heaven. In the quatrain, which may be found in the Life of Patrick, and as translated into English, it is written: –

    “The blessing of God on Dichu,
    Who gave me the Sabhall;
    He shall be thereafter
    Heavenly, splendid, most famous” &c.

    As if doubting his own identification, the author then adds: there is a Modichu, we are told, descended from the race of Brian, son of Eochaidh Muighmhedhoin. It may be, that he is identical with this Dichu, as some, say the O’Clerys, understand. This latter opinion, however, seems inadmissible, for that Modichu was brother to St. Bairre, of Cork, and son of Aimergen, who was ninth in descent from Brian, son of Eochaidh Muighmedhain, and who was the founder of a distinguished Connacian family. On the other hand, it may be questionable, if Dichuo has been ranked among the saints of our earliest calendars; although, his conversion and subsequent life, according to nearly all the ancient Lives of St. Patrick, give him a claim on our consideration, as a special benefactor of Christianity in our Island, and as the the true and loyal friend of her great Apostle.

     

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  • Saint Indreachtach of Bangor, April 26

    April 26 is the commemoration of a ninth-century Abbot of Bangor, Indreachtach, whose death at the beginning of the tenth century was recorded in the Irish Annals. Canon O’Hanlon has the details:
    St. Indreachtach, Abbot of Bangor. 
    [Ninth and Tenth Centuries.]
    St. Indreachtach, was son to Dobhailen; and, he seems to have been born, some time during the ninth century. He became Abbot of Bangor, where a great religious institute was founded, about the year 559, by St. Comgall, a native of Magheramorne, in the county of Antrim. He was a contemporary of St. Columkille, and their respective monasteries bore a great resemblance to each other, both in their discipline—being seminaries of learning—as also receptacles for piety; and, in their economy, they were generally governed by a presbyter abbot, as also attended by a resident bishop. St. Indreachtach died, on the 26th day of April, A.D. 901, according to the Annals of the Four Masters. Therein are quoted these following lines, being a translation from the original Irish :—
    “One and three hundred fair revolving years from the death of Comhgall of Beannchair,
    To the period of the happy death of the great illustrious Innreachtach.”
    As this saint is said to have died, about the commencement of the tenth century, we should not feel surprised at the omission of his name, in the published Martyrology of Tallagh, at the vi. of the Kalends of May, or 26th of April; for, according to Colgan, St. Corpre, Abbot of Clonmacnoise, who died in 899, is the latest saint, whose name is inserted in that calendar.

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  • Saint Rufin of Glendalough, April 22

    April 22 is the commemoration of a saint of Glendalough, the famous monastic foundation of Saint Kevin. As Canon O’Hanlon explains, Saint Rufin (Rufus, Ruiffine, Ruffinus) may also have a connection with the northern monastery of Bangor:
    ST. RUFIN, BISHOP OF GLENDALOUGH, COUNTY OF WICKLOW, AND OF BANGOR, COUNTY OF DOWN.
    [SEVENTH CENTURY.]
    ACCORDING to accounts, furnished in our Calendars, this holy man appears to have enjoyed the episcopal dignity—or, at least, he led a religious life, in two different and very distant localities of Ireland. Thus, St. Rufin, or Rufiinus, is said to have been Bishop of Glendalough, in the county of Wicklow, and, likewise, to have been of Bangor, in the county of Down, according to a statement, furnished by Archdall, and, on the authority of Ward. This is to be found, in the Historic Dissertation concerning the country of St. Rumold, as postfixed to his Acts. In the Tallagh Martyrology, the festival “Rufini Glinn da locha” is entered, at the x. of the Kalends of May, corresponding with the 22nd of April. In this instance, therefore, nothing is to be found, which warrants an assumption, that he was bishop. Nor, do we find any reference to him, in the Annals of the Four Masters. He seems to have had a religious connexion, both with Bangor and with Glendalough; and, probably, he exercised the monastic profession, in both places. We are inclined to believe, however, that Rufin possibly received his education, only at Bangor; for, his name does not appear in the list of its abbots, or bishops, which has come down to our times. It may be, that this holy man, attracted by the reputation of the great St. Kevin, left Bangor, to place himself under direction of such a master of the spiritual life, and, in his quiet retreat, at Glendalough; for, both appear to have lived as contemporaries, some time after that monastic establishment had been built by the founder…
    …St. Kevin is said to have died,in the year 617, or 618; while St. Rufus is made to precede St. Colman, Abbot of Glendalough, who departed on the 2nd of December, 659. Therefore, we may suppose him to have lived, about the middle of the seventh century. From notices regarding St. Rufin, and the position he is made to occupy, we should be inclined to infer, that he must have immediately succeeded St. Kevin. Our holy bishop’s name, Rufin, sometimes rendered Rufus, usually occurs after that of Molibba; but, the date for his death has not transpired. It is likely, St Rufin had been interred at Glendalough. According to Ward and Archdall, St. Rufin’s commemoration was observed, on the 22nd of April. His name appears, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the same date, and it is entered, as Rufin Glinn da locha, while to this should probably be added, Bennchair. It is registered, in the Martyrology of Donegal, that veneration was paid, on this day, to Ruiffine, Bishop of Gleann-da-loch, and of Bennchar. The name of this saint has received the Latin form, Ruffinus. At the x. of the May Kalends—corresponding with April 22nd—the Irish Calendar, which is in the Royal Irish Academy, has an entry of this saint, in connexion with Glendalough and Bangor. Under the head of Glenn-da-locha, Duald Mac Firbis enters, Ruifin, Bishop of Glenn-da-locha, and of Bangor, at April 22nd.
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