OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Tag: Female Saints

  • Saint Findsech of Sliabh Guaire, October 13

    On October 13 the Irish calendars commemorate a female saint, Findsech, who flourished in Sliabh Guaire. I have not been able to find out any more about her, although the author of a paper on the cult of the nine maidens of Scotland notes that October 13 is also the feastday of one of these maidens with the not wholly dissimilar name of Fincana. I am not an expert in the etymology of Irish names, but it seems to me that the only element these two have in common is that which indicates fairness – Finn – something which the Martyrology of Oengus alludes to in its entry for our saint:

    A virgin Saint, named Findsech, was venerated on the 13th October; the Feliré Aenguis at that date has “Fair Findsech’s feast,” the commentator on which, in the Leabhar Breac adds, “i.e. a virgin, and Ernaide (Nurney) is the name of her town in Sliab Guairi in Gailenga. Or in Dal Araide, is Findsech’s church. Or in Mag Rechet in Leix.” (Morett.)

    Rev. M.Comerford “Collections relating to the Dioceses of Kildare and Leighlin” (1883)

    The Martyrology of Donegal records:

    13. F. TERTIO IDUS OCTOBRIS. 13.

    FINDSECH, Virgin, of Sliabh Guaire, in Gailenga.

    while Marianus O’Gorman notes ‘dear Findsech’ on this date.

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  • Saint Lassar, Daughter of Lochan, September 30

    Last year we remembered the commemoration of a mystery Saint Brigid at the end of September and this year we can remember an equally mysterious Saint Lassar. Canon O’Hanlon records what the Calendars have preserved of her memory:

    St. Lassar, daughter of Lochain.

    The published Martyrology of Tallagh registers a festival to honor Lassar, daughter of Lochan, at the 30th of September. Somewhat differently is she entered in the Book of Leinster copy. The record of Lassar is also found in the Martyrology of Marianus O’Gorman, on this day ; the commentator observes that she was daughter to Lochain. The feast of Lassar, daughter of Lochan, is entered in the Martyrology of Donegal at this date.

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  • Saint Dairi the Widow, September 28

    September 28 is the feast of the interesting Saint Sinach Mac Dara, whose memory remains fresh among the people of the west coast of Ireland. He shares his feastday with a number of other Irish saints, among them a holy widow called Dairi. In the Irish language the word for a widow, baintreach, means literally ‘a woman who ploughs’, presumably because in the absence of her husband a widow is forced to undertake this arduous work for herself. Not that the Irish female saints were any strangers to hard work on the land, their Lives record that Saint Brigid herded sheep and churned butter and Saint Moninne’s community preserved her hoe as a sacred relic long after her death. What the circumstances of Saint Dairi’s life were I do not know, Canon O’Hanlon is able to bring us only a notice of her at this date in the Martyrology of Donegal:

    St. Dairi, a Holy Widow.

    We read in the Martyrology of Donegal that veneration was given to Dairi, a holy Widow, at the 28th of September. In the table, postfixed to this Martyrology, her name and distinctive state is Latinized Daria, Vidua.

     

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