OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Category: Saints of Fermanagh

  • Saint Constans of Lough Erne, November 14

    November 14 is the feastday of a holy man of Lough Erne, Constans, who is described as a ‘priest and anchorite’ in the Martyrology of Donegal:

    CONSTANS, Priest and Anchorite, of Eo-inis, in Loch Eirne, in Uladh, A.D. 777. He was of the race of Colla Uais, son of Eochaidh Doimhlen, monarch of Erin.

    The year 777 is given as the year of Saint Constans’ repose in the Annals of Ulster which records:

    Constans, sapiens Locha nEirne quievit.

    The Martyrology of Gorman, also at 14 November records:

    Constans of Erne whom we recognise, who was a gracious chief of (monastic) rule.

    Among the traces of the monastic settlements of Lough Erne which survive today are a collection of enigmatic stone carved figures on White Island. Figure number 3 in the collection has been identified as possibly being that of Saint Constans. Pictures and suggested identifications of the figures can be found here. According to the site ‘The figure with the bell and crozier has been identified as Patrick, Christ Abbot of the world, or Constans founder of the Abbey.’

    Archdall’s Monasticon Hibernicum records that the relics of Saint Constans were still extant in the 14th century:

    Inis-Eo or Eonois. Another island in the same lough; St. Constans, the son of Fuasclac, who was abbot and anchorite here, died November 14th, A.D. His bones were translated into a shrine by Matthew, Bishop of Clogher, on the 6th of September, 1308.

    Rt. Rev. P.F. Moran, ed.,M.Archdall, Monasticon Hibernicum, Volume II, (Dublin, 1876), 161.

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  • Saint Lasair of Killesher and Aghavea, November 13

    On November 13 we celebrate the feast day of the last of the handful of Irish female saints who has an extant written Life. The Life of Saint Lasair, however, is the least known and also the latest written, dating as it does to the 17th century. Our saint shares her name with over a dozen others, most of whom are completely obscure. To introduce today’s holy lady, below is an account from a diocesan history which refers to the sources. As you will see, Saint Lasair is associated with more than one locality in the lakeland county of Fermanagh, she is also associated with a County Roscommon site, Kilronan, named after the man identified as her father in the sources:

    On the south-eastern shore of Lough Mac Nean, and in County Fermanagh, is the ruined church of Killesher, which has given its name to the parish. Its Gaelic form is Cill Laisir, which has given its name to the parish. Its Gaelic form is Cill Laisir, i.e. the church of St. Laisir who is patroness of the parish. In the Martyrologies we find the entries of no fewer than fourteen saints of the same name, and it is not quite easy now to determine with certainty which of them is here intended. Lassar of Achadh Fada appears in the Martyrology of Donegal on January 6th. O’Donovan, who visited Killesher in 1834, records that there is a Tobar Laistreach beside the ruined church; also the cell of St. Laisir is pointed out in the same town land. But he did not establish the particular saint to whom the church and well were dedicated.

    In Brother Michael O’Clery’s work on the Genealogies of the Kings and Saints of Ireland – Genealogiae Regum et Sanctorum Hiberniae – in the Franciscan Library, there is a reference to St. Lasair which, however, establishes her identity. The entry concerning her genealogy is as follows:

    Lasair ingen Ronain m Ninnedha m Aodha m Feargosa m Nélline m Muircertoigh m Muireadhoigh m Eogain m Nell [i.e., Niall] Naoighiallaigh.

    O Achadh Beither agus o Cill Lasair for bhrú Loca mic nEn, 13 Nou.

    This identifies St. Lasair, or Laisir, of Cill Lasair beside Loch Mac Nean, with the daughter (ingen) of Ronan, son (m) of Ninnedh, etc., descended from Niall of the Nine Hostages, monarch of Ireland, who died A.D. 405. Her festival is entered on Novemebr 13. It may be accepted without further question that the Cill Lasair for bhrú Loca mic nEn is identical with the present Killesher. Achadh Beither, of which place she is also mentioned as patroness, is also in Co. Fermanagh; it is now Aghavea.

    Even a century ago, when O’Donovan visited Killesher, the traditions concerning St. Lasair do not appear to have been well remembered. Further local enquiry may ascertain whether there may exist any collateral evidence, such as the date of the annual pattern, which would verify from traditional sources, the festival date of St. Laisir.

    Philip O’Connell, The Diocese of Kilmore – Its History and Antiquities, (Dublin, 1937), 122-123.

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  • Saint Sistan of Lough Melge, July 17

    The memory of a saint associated with Lough Melvin and described as a priest is preserved in the Irish calendars on July 17. This is really the only detail we have and Canon O’Hanlon thus starts off his account of Saint Sistan or Siostan of Lough Melvin with some romantic musings on how the very soil of Ireland has been hallowed by the remains of its long-forgotten holy men:

    St. Sistan or Siostan, Priest, of Loch Melge, now Lough Melvin, Counties, of Fermanagh and Leitrim.

    The merits of several holy servants have ascended like incense before the throne of God, and have secured his rewards. However, hardly can the patient pilgrim even alight on the sod, where their bodies rest. Yet, their undiscovered remains have sanctified that earth, with which they have long since mingled. Record or vestige of many holy persons that once existed in our Island can hardly be found ; still a magical spell, like an indescribable charm, hallows the surrounding lovely scenes, blessed with their presence during life. In the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 17th day of July, is the following entry: Sistan sac. for Loch Melge. From the contraction sac. meaning sogarth we may probably conclude that he had been a priest. The Lough Melge, now Lough Melvin, with which he was connected, is a beautiful sheet of water, bordering on the counties of Fermanagh and Leitrim ; but, it lies chiefly within the bounds of the latter county. From the shores of Lough Melvin, its former holy inhabitants have departed long ago from the scenes of this life. Their souls have been received into a brighter and happier world. The Martyrology of Donegal records a festival in honour of Siostan, Priest, of Loch Melghe, at the 17th of July. In a table appended to this record, this saint’s name is Latinized Xistus.
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