OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Category: Saints of Roscommon

  • Saint Bolcán of Kilcooley, July 4

    On July 4 we have the commemoration of a County Roscommon saint, Bolcán, or Olcán. He seems to have been confused with a better-known namesake, Bolcán of Armoy, a saint associated with Saint Patrick:

    ST. BOLCAN OF KILCOOLEY, COUNTY OF ROSCOMMON.

    [PROBABLY IN THE FIFTH CENTURY.]

    WE cannot speak with much confidence regarding the present holy man’s history, although his place has been identified. The name Bolcan, of Cill Cuile, is inserted in the Martyrology of Tallagh, as having been venerated, at the 4th of July. It appears, that his name and festival are to be found in the Martyrologies of Marianus O’Gorman and of Charles Maguire. Indifferently he has been called Olcan, as well as Bolcan, by some writers ; and Colgan has thus confounded those names. He seems to have been referred to the times of St. Patrick, whose disciple he is said to have been. It was Colgan’s intention to have treated about St. Olcan, at the 4th of July. This is expressed, also, in his published work. The Bollandists have a  notice of him, at this date, but with many of the doubts expressed, and which intrinsically arise from the difficulty of distinguishing this individual saint.  He is known by the name Olcan of Kilmormoyle, alias Kilmoremoy or Kilmore, near the Moy. He is said to have been connected with the church of  Kilchule, in the territory of Siolmuiredhuigh. This was a parish church, in the diocese of Elphin. We are told, the present holy man was a disciple of  St. Patrick, and that he was probably the Oltcanus of Tirechan’s list. He was only a priest. But another account is given, about his having been that Olcan  mentioned in the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. The holy Apostle had a disciple Olcan, about whom he had a vision, while that disciple was walking  along Traighe-eothuile, with Bronius and Macerca,  the sea-tides and tempest exposing them to great danger. From the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick we learn, that the spot, where St. Olcan received his Divine monition to establish a monastery, was called Killmor uachtair Mhuaidhe. This event happened, while the Irish Apostle had been engaged making his progress through the province of Connaught. The place, where St. Olcan’s foundation had been commenced, is at present called Kilmore-Moy, a parish which extends into the barony of Tireragh, in the county of Sligo, and into the  barony of Tyrawley, in the county of Mayo. It was also called Lia-na-monach, from the monks, who dwelt there, while we are told, that it likewise bore the name Cruimther Monach, or Olcan’s church. In Tirechan’s list of St. Patrick’s disciples, there is an Olcan, as also an Oltcan. Others think, that this  was apparently the holy man, called Volcan, by Jocelyn, and regarding whom we find the following account. St. Patrick had a disciple, named Volchanus, a man of great virtue, but specially distinguished by most remarkable obedience. Being desirous that his virtue, known only to God, should be manifested to the world, the saint, for the edification and example of others, commanded Volchan to go and build a church, wheresoever God would vouchsafe to provide him a place. Without delay, taking an axe on his shoulders, this man went his way. Seeing the alacrity and cheerfulness of  his obedience, St. Patrick said to him : “Do not despair, my most dear Volchan, of finding a place. Wheresoever thy hatchet shall fall, build in that place; for there thou shalt have increase of a great community.” After Volchan had walked all day long, and had engaged in prayer, towards evening, the axe slipped from his shoulder. In that place, therefore, the obedient Volchan built a monastery, wherein himself and many others lived and died in great perfection. The foregoing account of St. Volchanus building his church is incorrectly supposed, however, to have had reference to that time, when St. Patrick travelled through the northern parts of Ireland. Again, Volchanus is thought to be the same as Olcan, Bishop of Armoy, or Bolcan, whom so many other romantic incidents are related, by Jocelyn, and, also, by the authors of the Tripartite Lives of St. Patrick. After a holy life, St. Olchan or Bolcan, renowned for his miracles as well as for his virtues, rested in the Lord, and he was buried at his place, now known as Kilmore, near the River Moy. His relics remain at Kilmore, that is, “the great cell,” where his monastery stood. In the Martyrology of Donegal is entered Bolcan, of Cill Cuile, at this date. The Circle of the Seasons registers, at the 4th of July, St. Bolcan, Abbot.

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  • St. Ailill of Cloonown, July 1

    July 1 is the commemoration of a County Roscommon saint, Ailill of Cloonown. It seems, to judge from Canon O’Hanlon’s account below, that the earliest of the Irish calendars, the Martyrology of Tallaght, recorded that this holy man was the Bishop of Cluana Emain, or Cloonown. Later calendars however sought to associate him with the see of Armagh and with the second Archbishop of this name. Canon O’Hanlon is not convinced by the Armagh connection, but brings us the details anyway:

    St. Ailill of Cloonown, County of Roscommon, thought to gave been second Archbishop of Armagh.

    In the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 1st of July, we find the entry Ailella, Bishop of Cluana Emain. The name Cluana Emain—where seven bishops were venerated—has been identified with Cloonowen, or Cloonown, an old church situated on the River Shannon, and not far removed from Athlone. It lies to the south-east of this town,  and it is within the county of Roscommon. There seems to have been an error admitted, in deeming him to have been an Archbishop of Armagh, and the second of this same name. However, the Martyrology of Tamhlacht calls him bishop of Cluain Emain, but without any mention of Armagh, as elsewhere found. Marianus O’Gorman simply names him; but, the gloss adds, Epscop Arda Macha. He is not mentioned in the Feilire of Aengus, nor in the Dublin copy of the Scholia. The present saint is said to have succeeded his namesake Ailill or Ailild I., in the See of Armagh. He died in the year 526, on the 13th day of January, and this holy man, the second of his name in that primatical See, is thought to have been elected, soon after the chair had been vacated. Ailill II. sprung from the same family as his namesake and predecessor. While the Bollandists enter the name of Alellus or Alildus II., Archbishop of Armagh, at this date, on the authority of Colgan; they declare, likewise, that they know not from what authority he has been entered on the Catalogue of Saints, and they defer to a supplement, at the 13th day of January, any further notices regarding him. We read, that Ailill II. ruled for ten years over the Irish Church, and he died on the 1st of July, according to Marianus O’Gorman, and other Martyrologists, A.D. 535, but according to other chronologists, in the year 536. At this same date, the Martyrology of Donegal  records him as Ailill, Bishop, of Ard Macha. Some words within brackets are added in a more recent hand, [i.e. Elias, according to the corresponding synonyme, at Rathbuanae.”] Where this place was situated, we have no means for determining.
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  • Saint Guibhsech of Cloonburren, June 20

    On June 20 we remember one of the female saints of the monastery of Cloonburren, County Roscommon. As is so often the case, all Canon O’Hanlon can bring us are the details of the name of Saint Guibhsech, the locality where she flourished and the Calendars on which she is commemorated:

    St. Guibhsech, of Cluain-boirenn, now Cloonburren, County of Roscommon.

    Veneration was given on this day to Guibhsech, of Cluain-boirenn, as we find registered in the Martyrology of Donegal. Her place is now called Cloonburren, in the parish of Moore, and near the Shannon, in the barony of Moycarn, and county of Roscommon. St. Cairech Dergain [feastday February 9] was patroness of this church. A nunnery seems to have existed here from a remote period. The deaths of some of its Abbesses are found recorded in our Annals.

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