OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Category: Saints of Roscommon

  • 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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  • Saint Cethach of Cill Garadh, June 16

    On June 16 we commemorate Cethach of Cill Garadh, a convert of Saint Patrick who went on to become a bishop. Canon O’Hanlon has the details:

    ST. CETHIG, OR CETHACH, BISHOP OF CILL GARADH, OR ORAN, COUNTY OF ROSCOMMON, AND OF DOMHNACH SAIRIGH, IN CIANACHTA, COUNTY OF MEATH.

    [FIFTH CENTURY.]

    THE fame of a great master naturally overshadows that of his less distinguished disciples. To this cause is mainly owing, perhaps, the few indications we now have of many worthy labourers in our early church. This Cethecus, however, is well known in the Irish Calendars, and he is said to have lived contemporaneously with our celebrated Irish Apostle, St. Patrick, by whom it seems probable he was baptized. He was born most likely, in the early part of the fifth century. Thus, in Tirechan’s list of St. Patrick’s disciples, we meet with Cethecus or Cethiacus. On the 16th of June, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, we find the simple entry, Cethig, Bishop of St. Patrick. In like manner, Marianus O’Gorman treats of him. According to received accounts, his father was a Meath man, from Domnach-Sarige, near Duleek. He is said to have been of the race called Say, who lived in the territory of Cianachta, in Magh-Breagh, of Meath. This, too, comprised Domhnach Sairighe, which must have been near Duleek, the old name for which was Damhliag-Chianain. His mother was of a Tirellil family. He was born, too, in that part of the country. This is now a barony, in the county of Sligo, and originally it signified the territory or land of Oilell.

    Cethach is classed as one of St. Patrick’s disciples. The Irish Apostle is said to have selected Cetchen, when he had come into the territory ot Hua-Noella, where, in a place called Domhacha, he erected a church called Sencheall Damhaighe, in which he left Cetchen, as also other disciples. Colgan thought that Ceihemis was the same as Cethecus. This conjecture, however, is clearly inadmissible. They are mentioned distinctly, in the Tripartite Life, and the former is not called a bishop. They are distinguished also in Tirechan’s list one by the name of Cetennus, and the other by that of Cethiacus. The latter is called Patrick’s bishop, that is, suffragan of St. Patrick. He is said to have been employed as bishop, and in various places far distant from each other. Thus, he officiated at Domnach Sarige, in his father’s country, as also at a place called Ath-da-Laarg, in his maternal and natal country. On Easter Sunday, Cethecus was at Domnach-Sarige, and at other times, especially on Dominica in Albis, he officiated in Tirellil. In this statement, there is nothing improbable. Cethecus could not have been a bishop probably before a.d. 440. But, it is very natural to suppose, that St. Patrick wanted the assistance of some bishops, unattached to any fixed Sees, that they might ordain priests and attend to other episcopal duties, when he could not conveniently act in their distant places. It has been stated, that St. Patrick visited Hy-Many, a district, partly in Roscommon, but chiefly in Galway.

    While St. Patrick was in Connaught, he founded a church, at a place afterwards called Kill-Garadh, otherwise Huaran-Garadh, now Gran, owing to the circumstance of his having produced from the earth a cold and bubbling spring well. Here it was destined, that one of a band of brothers from France, and who were disciples of St. Patrick, should remain. While hearing about the progress made by their countrymen in Ireland, and considering the unhappy state of disturbance prevailing in many parts of Gaul, in those times, it is not to be wondered at, if some persons from that country might have come over to our island, as to a place of greater peace and security. In the Litany of Aengus, invocations of Gaelic saints, whose remains were in various parts of Ireland, are to be found. It is more probable, however, that the greatest part of these pilgrims did not come over to Ireland, until several years later than this period. Over the church of Cill Garadh, a St. Cethogus or Cethecus is said to have presided, in the fifth century; but, for this statement, we do not seem to have very satisfactory evidence. One of the Irish round towers yet remains at Oran, a parish in the barony of Ballymoe, and county of Roscommon. It is only asserted, that Cethecus was buried in Kill-garadh, or Oran. But, it does not thence follow, that he was bishop of Oran, as Archdall says.

    It would appear, there was a place bearing this name, in the territory of Hy-Many, which embraced a great part of the southern and eastern part of the county of Galway. There was also a Cill Garadh in Scotland. Oran was nothing more than a parish church, and should not have been placed among the Irish monasteries. The date for this holy bishop’s death is not known. Bishop Cethechus is said to have been buried in the parish church of Kill-garadh, or Oran, and there his relics were afterwards preserved. To it, many pilgrimages continued to be made, down to the close of the last century. The name of this holy man appears, also, in the Martyrology of Donegal at the same date, as Cethach, Patrick’s Bishop, of Cill Garadh, in the territory of Ui Maine, and of Domhnach Sairighe in Cianachta, at Daimhliac Cianan. He was, it is said, of the Cianachta. The Life of Patrick is quoted, as authority for the foregoing statements. Under the head of Domhnach Sairighe, Duald Mac Firbis enters Cethach, bishop, at June 16th; and, at the same date, under the head of Daimhlaig, Duald Mac Firbis again enters, Cethech, bishop, from Domnach-Sairighe, at Daimhlaig Cianain. More than the foregoing we cannot discover, in reference to this primitive bishop.

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