ALL THE SAINTS OF IRELAND

  • Saint Aidan of Ferns, January 31

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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.
    3
    1.
    Rev. Albert Barry, Lives of Irish Saints (Dublin, n.d.), 1-18.


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  • Saint Enan of Rosmore, January 30

    At January 30 the Irish Calendars commemorate Enan, son of Gemman, in Rosmore, County Wexford. His name appears in the earlier Martyrologies of Tallagh and of Oengus. The entry in the latter reads:

    B. iii. kl. Fifty and one hundred martyrs
    Who ennobled the door of martyrdom
    He fasted with a number of the old mercenaries
    Enan of bright Ros Rind.
    In notes appended to this entry, however, he appears as:
    Enan son of Gemman in Ross mor in Hui Dega in Hui Cennselaig.
    The same as my-Menoc of Glenn Faidli in Hui Garrchon.
    The later Martyrology of Gorman simply records the name of Enan but the Martyrology of Donegal has a fuller entry:
    30. B. TERTIO KAL. FEBRUARII. 30.
    ENAN, son of Gemman, at Ros-mor, in Ui-Deagha, in Ui-Ceinnsealaigh.
    The translator adds a note that after this entry:
    Here the more recent hand adds, “This is the Enan who wrote the lives of the saints.”
    The table appended to the Martyrology of Donegal contains a query:
    Enan, son of Gemman, of Ros-mor [in Luighne], 30 Jan
    [Is he the writer of the Life of Brigid, &etc., and of the Book of Kilkenny? and it seems likely to be so, though he is called Eminus in Jocelin, not Ennanus.]
    So, the possibility is there that Enan, son of Gemman, was something of a hagiographer himself and may even have written a Life of Saint Brigid. There is some confusion introduced as to where exactly the territory was in which he flourished. Ros-mor in Ui-Ceinnsealaigh has been identified as Rossmore, County Wexford, but the writer of the table in the Martyrology of Donegal has added Luighne. The earlier note in the Feilire Oengusa that Enan may be the same as my-Menoc of Glenn Faidli, suggests that he could be Saint Mohemog of Glenely, County Wicklow.
    The Scottish Drummond Kalendar records, that on this day, iii. of the February Kalends, St. Enan, Confessor, passed away to Heaven, in Ireland.

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  • Saint Blath of Kildare, January 29

    On January 29 the Irish calendars commemorate Saint Blath, or Blathnait. The Martyrology of Donegal records:

    29. A. QUARTO KAL. FEBRUARII. 29.
    BLATH, Virgin.
    and the table of the Martyrology gives the Latin version of her name:
    Blath, virgin (Flora V)….. 29 Jan.
    Blath is the Irish word for ‘flower’, and so the Martyrology of Gorman makes a pun by recording her as ‘blooming Blath’. Her name is thus Latinized as Flora. 
    The notes to the Martyrology of Oengus also simply record her name for this day, but in the notes for the feast of Saint Brigid on February 1st we find that Saint Blath was a member of the monastic household of Kildare, where she had the role of cook. The stories of Saint Brigid often have a domestic aspect to them and the miracle of Loch Lemnachta  is a classic example:

    Eight bishops came to Brigit out of Hui Briuin Cualann, i.e. From Telach na n-epscop to Loch Lemnachta beside Kildare on the north. Brigit asked her cook, Blathnait, whether she had food for the bishops. Dixit ilia non. Brigit was ashamed: so the angel told her to milk the cows again. The cows were milked and they filled the tubs, and they would have filled all the vessels in Leinster, so that the milk went over the vessels and made a lake thereof, unde Loch Lemnachta ‘New-milk Lough’ dicitur.

    In his survey of the monasteries of Ireland, Mervyn Archdall assigned the repose of Saint Blath to the same year that he believed her mistress also departed:
    523. Died Saint Blatha, or Flora, cook to Saint Brigid.

    but he does not expand on the reasons for doing so.

    As not a great deal has been recorded about the life of Kildare’s saintly cook, I thought it might be interesting to have a look at Saint Blath’s domain – the monastic kitchen:
    Domestic arrangements are mentioned incidentally in the texts. A monastery usually had a kitchen separate from the refectory, and this was where the food was prepared. Meat had to be dried and salted. We know very little about how the Irish obtained their salt, although it was an essential commodity, and a lump of salt was an attractive present. It could have been obtained from sea-water by a process of evaporation, but there is some evidence that seaweed was collected and burned and the salty ashes used in curing meat. The monastic kitchen seems to have had no oven, and pottery is rare from excavated Irish sites except in the north-east. Dough for the bread was kneaded in wooden troughs and then baked on a griddle or baking flag, and bullauns which are often found on sites may have been used for grinding and preparing food. A cauldron, suitable for stews, was a luxury article, whilst meat might be roasted on spits or boiled in water heated by hot stones: clay pits or wooden vats could be used for this purpose.
    K. Hughes and A. Hamlin, The Modern Traveller to the Early Irish Church (London, 1977), 44.

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