OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

ALL THE SAINTS OF IRELAND

  • Saint Aedh of Rathlin Island, April 7

     

    On April 7 we commemorate the memory of Saint Aedh, an eighth-century monastic of Rathlin Island. This island off the coast of north Antrim was part of the Kingdom of Dalriada from the 5th to the 8th centuries. It has an even more famous later Scottish association because, as every schoolchild here learns, it was whilst Robert the Bruce was hiding in a cave on the island from the English conquerors that he watched a spider continually attempt to bridge a gap using her web. Inspired by her patience and perseverance he too decided to give his own cause another try and returned to regain his throne. Canon O’Hanlon’s account is also tinged by romantic imagination and his concluding comments are typical of the imagery of windswept desolation of former glories, which many 19th-century writers used to describe places associated with early Irish saints.

    St. Aedh, of Oilein Reachrann, or of Rathlin Island, County of Antrim. [Eighth Century]

    That Islands should be the places of residence, chosen by many early Irish missionaries, may be inferred, from the many instances of old ecclesiastical structures thereon, and from their religious discipline, which was essentially recluse. Other propagandists of the faith founded churches. With the Irish, the church was frequently a hermitage, and not a place for large congregations of the faithful. Many of our primitive churches were known as Cills, Kills, or “Cells.” It improves the evidence in favour of Islands, within and around our shores, having been lone spots, such as anchorites would love, at the introduction of Christianity, rather than marts of trade or nests of pirates, for which they might be fairly taken, if we looked solely to their position. St. Aedh was son of Cairbre, and he became abbot of Rechrann monastery. We read, in the Martyrology of Donegal, that Aedh Oilein —or of the Island—was venerated, on this day. The place is now known as Rathlin Island, off the northern coast of Antrim.

    It does not appear, that a church had been built there, before A.D. 630. This saint appears to have immediately succeeded St. Murghal, Abbot, who died A.D. 764. St. Aedh did not long survive him; for, he departed, in the year 768, according to the Annals of the Four Masters, or in 672, according to those of Ulster. The true year appears to have been A.D. 773. In the year 790, the shrines of Rathlin were destroyed, by the gentile pirates. It is probable, one belonging to this saint, as also, some shrines of his holy predecessors, perished. Thus, like the stranded ship, once filled with life and motion, many a house of prayer, in former times, lies lowly and desolate; while, in contemplating its melancholy wreck, with its peculiar and artistic beauty, the visitor’s thoughts are subdued to reverence and prayer, when rejoicing in the living Faith, that survives the ruin of material temples.

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  • Saint Cronan Beg of Clonmacnoise, April 6

    On April 6 the Irish calendars commemorate the memory of one of the abbots of Clonmacnoise. As not a great deal is known of Saint Cronan as an individual, Canon O’Hanlon instead alludes in his account to the status of Clonmacnoise as a place of pilgrimage:

    St. Cronbeg, or Cronan Beg, Abbot of Clonmacnoise, King’s County.
    [Seventh Century.]

    This Saint is called Cronan Beg, or the Little, owing probably to his want of ordinary stature. He is entered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 6th of April, as Cronbrice, Abbot of Cluana, or Clonmacnoise. The date of his birth has not been ascertained, nor does his genealogy seem to be known. This holy man most probably succeeded Colman, Abbot, who died, in the year 681. Then was his successor elected to rule, in a spot, greatly resorted to, even from distant regions. The pilgrimage to holy places is one of the oldest of Christian institutions. The first known visits were to Jerusalem, and to other parts of Judea. Thus, Helena, the pious mother of the Emperor Constantine, hastened as a pilgrim to the Holy Land, when she visited the scenes of our Redeemer’s passion. The Empress returned, bringing with her the true cross, with other relics of Christ’s death; and, from that time forward, pilgrimages to the Holy Land were annually made by thousands, from every part of Christendom. Our Irish countrymen frequently visited this distant land, and usually combined with their journey a pilgrimage to the shrines of the Apostles, St. Peter and St Paul, at Rome. Hardships, persecutions, and even death itself, often overtook the zealous and devoted pilgrim. The tremendous conflicts, which shook Palestine during the period of the Crusades, barred the road thither to all but the most hardy, adventurous, and daring. The subsequent loss of the Holy City, all but closed its gates against the Christians. At and before this era, the practice of national pilgrimages grew into transcendent importance. Instead of turning towards the Holy Sepulchre, the penitent wended his way, towards some shrine in his native land, famous for some deed of sanctity, or for some spiritual manifestation. In Ireland, Lough Derg, Kildare, Glendalough, and Clonmacnoise, were the great pilgrimages. The ten ruined churches, which surround St. Kieran’s grave at the latter place, are said to have been the offering of ten royal pilgrims, who knelt at his shrine. Among the religious foundations here is shown, what purports to have been a church or chapel of the nunnery, said to have been built in 1170, by Dearvoirgilla, and it was consumed, with other buildings, by an accidental fire, A.D. 1180.

     
     
     

    The festival in honour of Cronbeg — a contraction most probably of his regular name — who was placed as Abbot, over Cluainmic Nois, occurs, in the Martyrology of Donegal, at this date. This was the day for his death, and the year was 689, according to the Annals of Clonmacnoise, or according to those of the Four Masters, A.D. 692. The Annals of Ulster place his demise, under the year 693.

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  • Saint Becan of Emlagh, April 5

     

     

    We commemorate a County Meath saint on April 5.  Canon O’Hanlon brings us a summary of the life of Saint Becan (Began) of Emlagh whom some traditions seek to link to Saint Colum Cille:

    ST. BEGAN, AT IMLECH-FIAICH, IN FERA-CUL-BREAGH, NOW EMLAGH, COUNTY OF MEATH. [SIXTH CENTURY.]

     
    The present holy man was distinguished, among the Saints of Ireland. The Martyrology of Tallagh, recording his festival, at this date, calls him St. Begain mic Cule; and, as we are told, the name is thus derived, from his mother. Referring to the same authority, the Bollandists briefly enter, on the 5th of April, Beccanus filius Culae. The same paternity is assigned to him, in the “Feilire” of St. Aengus. He descended from the race of Eoghan Mor, son of Oilioll Oluim, according to the O’Clerys’ Calendar. St. Becan, or Began, is said to have lived contemporaneously with St. Columkille. He founded a monastery, about the close of the sixth or the beginning of the seventh century, at Kilbeggan, a town, situated on the River Brosna. According to one account, when St. Colum-Cille and the King of Erinn, Diarmait, son of Fergus Cearbheoil, after killing Bresal, his son, came to where Becan was, they found him erecting a fort, with a wet cloak about him, and he praying. The saint felt highly incensed against the monarch, whom he humbled in a miraculous manner; but, afterwards, he relented, owing to the prayers of Columba. However, we cannot find these statements, in the proper Acts of the latter saint. That locality with which Becan was connected, Imleach Fia, or Imleach Fise, was also denominated Imleach-Becain, from this saint. His old church, at Emlagh, gave name to a parish, so called, and lying in the barony of Lower Kells, towards the north-east of the town of Kells, in the county of Meath. After the Anglo-Norman invasion, Emlagh became a parish church…. The Martyrology of Donegal, on this day, records a festival, in honour of Becan, son of Cula, at Imlech Fiaich, in Fera- Cul-Breagh. The Rev. Alban Butler, and the “Circle of the Seasons,” commemorate St. Beacon, Abbot, at the 5th of April. He is noticed, likewise, in the Kalendar of Drummond. At the Nones, corresponding with the present date, the obiit of this holy man being there is recorded.

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