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The month of January ends with the commemoration of the much-loved patron of the diocese of Ferns. The name of Saint Aidan is rendered in a variety of ways, including Aedh, Aid, Edan, Maedoc, and Mogue. It is Latinized as Aidus and Anglicized as Hugh. The account below has been taken from a short collection by an Irish Redemptorist priest, Father Albert Barry. The work is not dated but probably dates from the late nineteenth century. The author has drawn on the hagiographical records of his subject and presents an account of the many miracles worked by Saint Aidan. We meet a number of other Irish saints too, including Molaise of Devenish and Cronan-Mochua. The Welsh patron, Saint David, also features and Saint Aidan’s dealings with secular rulers are depicted. Father Barry’s work gives a real flavour of the themes and motifs of medieval hagiography, as he goes from one miracle-filled episode to another:
Saint Aedh was born at Inis Breagh-Muigh,
in eastern Breifne (Co. Cavan), in the year
530. His father was Sedna and his mother
was Ethne, of the family of Amhalgaidh, King of
Connaught. As
soon as he was born
a bright light shone over him and he
was therefore called Aedh.
When still
young his holiness was a
shining light to his companions,
and he worked
miracles even
then. One day as
he
was seated under a tree in
a wood writing on his tablets,
a weary
stag fled to him for
shelter from the hounds that were
pursuing it.
When he
had grown older he went
to the monastic school of Saint Finnian at Cluain-Iraird.
He met Saint Molaise there, and
learned the holy books and
Church discipline with him.
A woman
came weeping one
day to Saint Molaise and said to
him: “O my father,
my two boys, my darling children have been drowned in the
waters of Loch-Eirne, help me, for the
love of God; do something for me.” Saint Molaise answered: “Go to the holy Aedh:
he will help you in
your trouble.” She went in search of him and then
told him her sorrowful story. Aedh, filled with pity,
went with her to
the shore of
the lake, and kneeling on the grass,
prayed with tears
to God and earnestly besought Him to give back the
two boys to their brokenhearted mother. God
heard his prayer and
they came to life. Their
father, who was a Chieftain,
gave them to Aedh as
a gift for the glory
of God.
Aedh became
a hostage soon afterwards to King Ainmire.
When brought before the King he
seemed so beautiful that Ainmire said: “This youth is very handsome:
I will make him one of my followers,
if he likes it:
but if he should wish to go
away he may go.” Aedh thereupon said to the
King:
“My lord, I beseech you for the
sake of God to let the
others also go free.” The
King answered: “I grant
your
prayer, and I ask
you in turn to pray
for me.” Ainmire afterwards became Monarch of
all Ireland. Aedh then went
home, but stayed
there for only a short time, and
at last left it forever in spite
of the entreaties of the Chieftain of Hy-Bruin. He said to the Chieftain: “Do not keep me, and may
the blessing of heaven be yours for ever.” The Chieftain let him go.
As he
was on his way to
Ardrinnigh darkness
came down, but
he prayed to God
for help, and an angel appearing to him
as a shining star, led him safely to
the house of a holy man named
Airedum.
Aedh shortly afterwards went to
Mynyw (Menevia), in Wealhas (Wales),
and became a
Monk in
the monastery of Kilmuine.
Saint Dewi (David), who was then
Abbot there, had been taught by Paulinus,
a disciple of Saint Germain of
Auxerre. The
monastery
was built in a
lovely valley near
the sea, and the
Monks led a holy life. They worked with their
hands, sawed wood,
dug and ploughed;
and
when the work of the day was over they
spent their time either reading,
writing, or
prating.
Aedh led
a holy life like the other Monks and was beloved by St.
Dewi. The Monk
who was superior
over the brethren working in the fields, one day
said rather roughly to Aedh
as he was reading
a book
out of doors: “Go and
help to bring in timber
from
the wood.” Aedh at once
set off towards the wood,
leaving his book open on the
grass. As he was on his
way there with a cart
he came to a marsh, and not being
able to go straight on he was about
to go round it,
but a boy who
was with him said:
“Oh, how much
sooner we should get to
the wood if there
were a road through this
marsh.” Aedh said
to him: “Make the sign of the
Cross on your heart and on your eyes, and you shall
behold the power of God.”
The boy did as he
was bidden, and then saw
a
road ready-made across
the soft and wet bogland.
Whilst Aedh was in
the wood it began to rain,
and Saint Dewi seeing the open book on the ground went
out for it, but found it unharmed. He
sat down and waited until Aedh should come back with the other
brethren. As
soon as they had come
St. Dewi scolded Aedh
for having left his book open in the
rain. Aedh, kneeling down, said:
“Father, I am guilty,
forgive me.” But
Saint Dewi went away
leaving him kneeling on the ground. The
Monks then told him of
the road so wonderfully made, and he sent back some of
them to fetch Aedh, and all went back to the monastery together.
Whilst Aedh was at
Kilmuine
the West Saxons made an onslaught on the Cymry and slaughtered men, women, and even little
children. But
the Cymry at last gathered
together and
fought against them,
and by the prayers of Aedh, who was on the battlefield, won a
great victory: and whilst Aedh was
in Wealhas the savage Saxons did not dare to set foot
there again.
Aedh at
length left Kilmuine and sailed back to Ireland. He landed
at Hy-Ceinnsellagh (Wexford). When coming on shore he saw some
men flying away from a band of
robbers. He
said to his brethren: ” Let us go and help these
men that they may not be slain.”
He then rang his bell
loudly. As soon as the
robbers heard it they
stood still, saying: “This must be the
bell of some man of
God who wishes us to
leave off this work.” They
then hastened to
the seashore to welcome him, and
their leader wading into the
water took Aedh on his shoulders
and
brought him to land. He afterwards
gave
himself, his
children, and his
lands to God and to Aedh. And Aedh
built a church and
monastery
at Ardladhrann (Ardamine), on the land
thus given to him.
One day
when standing on the seashore
and looking towards Wealhas, Aedh said within
himself: “I am sorry
I did not ask my father,
Dewi, to tell me
who should be my soul-friend
and confessor in Ireland.” The thought then
came into his mind of
praying to God to
allow him to walk on the sea to Kilmuine.
But at once an angel
came and upbraided him for
his rashness, saying, “You do not need any confessor
besides God, for your soul
is sinless. If, however, you wish
to have a
confessor take
Molua.” He soon afterwards went to see Saint Molua. Whilst staying with him meat
was one day put before
him at dinner, and although
he had resolved
never to eat flesh
meat he ate it then
in the name of Christ and for the
sake of Molua. Saint Molua when on his way
to Rome went to see
Aedh, and by
his advice went home
without going to
the holy city.
In the
year 570 Aedh built a church and monastery near the royal fortress of
Fearna (Ferns). There was once a
great dearth of water whilst the
monastery was being
built. Aedh bade the Monks
hew down a lofty
tree. As soon as
it fell a bright stream of water
gushed
forth (Tober-Mogue). Aedh gave to
the Monks of Fearna the
rule of life he
had learned at Kilmuine.
The Monks led a “common life:” worked daily with their hands in the
fields, orchard and wood: read
the holy books: prayed and fasted
and fed the poor.
He himself spent his time either praying, writing, or preaching. He
often spent the whole night in
prayer, and he
fasted much. He lived entirely on herbs and water, and
begged
his food. He
also abstained from murmuring and detraction.” (Order of Irish Saints). He
wore neither linen
nor woollen clothes, but was
clad with rough skins.
Colman, King of
Laigen (Leinster),soon afterwards gave over his fortressat Fearna to Aedh,
and the Bishops and
people chose him as chief Bishop of the
Kingdom. An
early Irish writer thus sings
the praise of Fearna:
Plain of Fearna:
plain of Fearna,
Where the chaste Moedoc shall be (Aedh).
Plain where hounds and warriors wander:
Plain where holy songs shall sound.
There Moedoc shall sing the psalter.
And desire
for chanting wake;
By that
plain of heavenly singing—
Lord who
rulest earth and sky.
Bran-dubh, the successor of Colman, was a great
friend to Aedh. He reigned from the
year 576 to the year 604. Bran-dubh came one
day to the monastery and seeing Aedh and his 150 Monks busy working in the fields he wondered
much at their holy life. When
Aedh saw the King he came to him
and said to him: “All these are
children of
life except one.” Bran-dubh answered: ”Show me
that Monk; I will slay
him.” But
Aedh said:
“You
shall not kill him; however you shall
know him soon; all the
brethren but
he only will throw themselves on their knees
when about to do the work
of God: he will
not.” When
the Monks had come back to the
monastery
at the third hour of
the day in order
to sing the praises of God in the church
they prostrated themselves on the ground.
But one Monk remained standing. The
King spoke to him and said: ”Why did you
not do like the
other Monks?” The Monk answered: “My mind was
wandering at the
time and I forgot to do it.” This
Monk left the monastery not
long afterwards and was slain.
When Cumasgach, son of the
Monarch of all Ireland, was killed in the year 593 at
Bealach-Chonglais (Baltinglass), by the followers
of Brandubh, on
account of his
misdeeds, his
father made war on the King
of Laigen. Bran-dubh at
once hastened from Hy-Ceinnsellagh
to Bealach-Chonglais where Aedh at that
time abode, and he sent
Aedh to beg for peace, but the Monarch
of all Ireland scornfully sent him
away. Both Kings then made ready
to tight. Before the battle
Aedh said to Brandubh:
“Many holy men have faithfully served
God in your Kingdom. Go forward,
therefore, and fight manfully. We shall
be on the
battle-field in
spirit helping you with
our prayers.” Aedh prayed
all through the night before the battle
with outstretched arms, and
besought God
to give victory to his
friend, Bran-dubh, the King of
Laigen. The next day Bran-dubh won a great victory at Dunbolg
(Donard), and
the Monarch of all
Ireland was left dead on the field.
Aedh built
a church and monastery at Cluainmore
(Wexford), and
another church
and
monastery at
Seanbotha, at
the foot of Mount Laigen (Templeshambo). As Aedh was
one day
driving along the road in
his chariot he came to
a field. The entrance to it
was shut by bars of wood. Some
noisy schoolboys were playing hard-by with spears and shields. The Bishop said to his companions:
“The youth who shall take down these
crossbeams
for me shall be Bishop
after me.” One of
the boys seeing the chariot stop at
the gate threw
down his spear and ran over to
unbar
the gate. When he had
unloosed the
crossbeams Aedh
said to him: “What family do you belong to?”
The youth answered: “I am from Luachra, in Mumhan, and my
name is Cronan.” Aedh then
said: “You shall
henceforth be
called Mochua,
and shall one day be Bishop.”
The lad begged Aedh to take
him with him, and Aedh yielded
to his wishes. He afterwards became Bishop.
Aedh having
heard that some
Leinstermen had been made bondsmen by a Chieftain
in Hy-Connaill-Gabhra (Limerick), set out
there in order
to free them. When he came
there he begged the Chieftain to let
them go, and he not
only gave them their freedom, but also
gave land to Aedh at Cluain-Claidheach (Clooncagh), whereon he might build a church.
He worked many miracles in Hy-Figeinte. Whilst he was
there a Nun died in
the Convent of Saint Ite at Cluain-Creadhail. The sorrow-stricken
Nuns sent word of
it to the holy Bishop.
He, full of pity,
gave his staff to one
of his Monks, and said to
him: “Lay
this staff on the dead body, and I
pray God to be
pleased to bring back this
Nun to life on account of the merits of the holy Ite”. The Monk
laid the staff on the
dead body and at once the
Nun came to life
again. Aedh, when on his
way home turned aside to visit the
holy Virgins Ethne and Sodelbe
and
gave them a plough and two oxen for their Convent.
Aedh then
went back to
Fearna. Whilst sitting one day at the foot
of a cross, busy writing
the psalms for a young disciple,
he saw in vision the soul
of Saint Colum-Cille
going up to heaven. He
prayed to God that his soul also
might
be taken up
by angels to the heavenly
kingdom.
But he heard a sweet
voice saying: “It is
the will of God
that you should still work a
little while longer for the
welfare of your neighbours.”
He answered meekly:
“Lord, may such work
be mine as
long as Thou wiliest.”
St. Molaise,
his friend in his boyhood, when on his way
to Rome came to see him at
Fearna, and when he had come back from the holy city he gave some of
the relics he had brought with him to
his lifelong friend. Aedh
said to him: “I
am now indeed well speckled by you,
I have got
so many relics from you that I am
all covered over with them as
if with a breastplate.” Saint Molaise answered: “This
shrine of relics shall be
for ever called the speckled shrine of Moedoc”
(Mo-Aedh-oc).
Another day as
some men were speaking of the
meekness
of the holy Bishop, somebody said: “I will make him angry.” He went behind
Aedh as
he stood on the bank
of a small stream and
rudely pushed him
into the water. The Bishop
came out of the water smiling
and with his clothes unwet, and the
man seeing the miracle humbly begged his forgiveness.
The holy
man was now old and sickly, and worn out by penance
and work.
He breathed his last breath
in the
year 624 to the great sorrow of his loving people.
The Roman
martyrology says
of him: “He was a
child of prayer
brought up from boyhood by Saint
Dewi in monastic discipline and Christian
perfection. He founded many churches
and monasteries in Ireland,
and handed down
to very
many souls the teaching he had got from that learned
and wonderful master.”
His relic-shrine
covered with gilded plates and his bell
still exist.
He is
sometimes called
Aidan
and Mogue. His Feast-day is kept Jan.
31.
OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE 