OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Category: Saints of Westmeath

  • Saint Bigsech of Kilbixy, June 28

     

    June 28 is the commemoration of a female saint, Bigsech, who has left her memory in the placename of Kilbixy, County Westmeath, and in the dedication of a holy well. Canon O’Hanlon draws on the work of Irish Ordnance Survey pioneer, John O’Donovan, and of Meath diocesan historian, Dean Anthony Cogan, in his account below. I note that the leper house at this locality, discussed by Father Cogan on page 578 of volume 3 of his The Diocese of Meath: Ancient and Modern, available online here, was dedicated to Saint Brigid. This 2010 newspaper report on the plans to restore the site of Saint Bigsech’s church describes our saint as a ‘handmaiden of Saint Brigid’:
    St. Bigesg, Bicsecha, or Bigsech, Virgin, of Kilbixy, County of Westmeath.
    The simple entry, Bigsech, Virgin, appears in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 28th of June. This holy woman is called the daughter of Bressal, and she was a saint of the Hy-Fiachra family. She descended from the race of Fiachra, son to Eochaidh Muighmheadhoin. The place—apparently called after this holy virgin—is written Cill Bigsighe, i.e., “the church of St. Bigseach,” and it has been Anglicized into Kilbixy, now a parish, in the barony of Moygoish, in the county of Westmeath. This appears to have become an English town of considerable importance, as Sir Henry Piers, who wrote in 1682, relates. Even then it had decayed. Dr. O’Donovan visited this place in 1837, but he found only a few traces of the ancient town. These consisted of—First, the Leper house, a mere ruin; secondly, the site of the castle, but there were no remains whatever of its walls; thirdly, a moat, which had been surrounded by a circular fosse; and fourthly, the site for a gallows. There was a holy well, near the church, then bearing the name of Tobar Bighsighe, i.e., “the well of St. Bigseach.” This saint appears to have had another festival, at the 4th of October. The Rev. Mr. Cogan visited this place on the 4th of August, 1863. Then he found one of the old fonts, belonging to a former church, and stuck in the wall of a donkey-stable, at one of the private entrances to the churchyard. He gives an interesting account of this ancient place. At the same date, the name of this saint occurs in the Martyrology of Donegal, with the designation of Bigsech, Virgin, of Cill-Bigsighe, in Meath.
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  • Saint Suairlech of Fore, March 27

    March 27 is the commemoration of Saint Suairlech, an eighth-century successor to Saint Fechin at the monastery of Fore. Canon O’Hanlon tells us what is known of him from the Irish Annals and calendars:

    St. Suairlech, Bishop of Fore, County of Westmeath

    A few brief notices of this sainted bishop are set down, by Colgan, at the 27th of March; while the Bollandists’ more briefly record him, as Suarlechus, Episc. Fobariensis. Our Irish accounts style him, Suarlech, or otherwise, Suarlius, or Suairleth. He became a monk, in the Abbey of Fore, county of Westmeath. By some, he is said to have been a disciple of St. Fechin, the founder, who died, A.D. 664. This statement, however, seems hardly reconcilable with chronological dates. After living many years, in humble subjection and in practising a penitential life, he succeeded Dubdaboren, in the government of that monastery. The death of this abbot is thus entered, at the year 735: “Dubhdabhoireann, Abbot of Fobhar [Fore], died.” — Dr. O’Donovan’s” Annals of the Four Masters,” vol.i., pp. 336, 337. To the office of Abbot Suairlech was advanced, about the year 735. Afterwards, he was assumed to the exercise of episcopal functions; he being, as is supposed, the first Bishop of Fore; for, we do not read, that any of his predecessors, in the monastery, had previously enjoyed such a title. During the reign of Domnald Murchadh, King of Ireland, our saint was called to the enjoyment of eternal felicity, on the 27th of March. He died, on that day, in the year 745; and, during this very same year, Fore was burned.  The Annals of Ulster place his death, at A.D. 749, but the entry in the Annals of the Four Masters reads: ” The age of Christ, 745. The seventh year of Domhnall. St. Suairleach, Bishop of Fobhar [Fore], died on the 21st of March.” —Dr. O’Donovan’s “Annals of the Four Masters,” vol. i., pp. 348, 349. He must have attained a very advanced age, were we to credit the statement, of his having been in early life, a disciple, under St. Fechin. His name is found, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 27th of March, as Suairleach, Bishop. Marianus O’Gorman and Cathal Maguire, likewise, record him, as Bishop of Fore, at this day. Under the head of Fobhar, Duald Mac Firbis enters, Suairlech, bishop of Fobhar, rested, A.D. 745, March 27th. The Martyrology of Donegal has entered, likewise, on this day, Suairlech, Bishop of Fobhar.

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