OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Tag: Irish Saints

  • Saint Trea of Ardtrea, August 3

    August 3 is the feast of a female saint, Trea, who has given her name to the district of Ardtrea in County Derry. She is one of those named as having received the veil from the hands of Saint Patrick himself, and in her case, the veil was delivered by an angel. Most of the accounts of Saint Trea which circulate online describe her as an anchoress or recluse, Canon O’Hanlon, however, speculates that she was most likely the head of a religious community. He also mentions that she had a second feast day on July 8:

    ST. TREA, VIRGIN, OF ARDTREA, COUNTY OF LONDONDERRY [FIFTH CENTURY.]

    This pious maiden flourished after the time, when St. Patrick commenced his great mission in the north of Ireland. We have seen already, that a St. Trega or Trea, Virgin, was venerated at Ardtrea, on a different day from the present. A question may arise, as to whether there had been a double festival instituted to honour the same saint. However, on the 8th of July, there is record of a feast for St. Trega, virgin and patroness of Ardtrea Parish, near Lough Neagh. We find, however, that St. Trea inghen Chairthind, or “the daughter of Carthenn,” is recorded in the published Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 3rd of August without stating the locality to which she belonged.

    When blessed Patrick had entered the northern parts of the Ulster province, he met with opposition from a dynast in the region of Hy Tuirtre. He had journeyed by Fersait Tuama, until he rested at a very beautiful locality called Finnabhuir. The place formerly called Fersait Tuama, is now known as Toome, near where the River Bann escapes from Lough Neagh and enters Lough Beg, at the division line between the present Counties of Londonderry and of Antrim. The beautiful district alluded to as Finnabhuir had the wide-spreading Lough Neagh on the east and Slieve Gullin a high ridge of mountain, on the west side. It so happened, that two brothers, one named Carthenn the Elder or “major,” and the other known as Carthenn, the younger or “minor,” had lived in this district. The former a wicked man and addicted to the errors of Paganism had banished his younger brother from that place, in which he exercised complete control. From this district he wished, likewise, that St. Patrick should be ejected. The holy man, like the Apostles, when persecuted in one city left for another, and shaking the dust from of his feet against the tyrannical dynast, predicted that he should fall from power, and serve, with his posterity, under the future rule of the younger Carthenn. He, on the contrary, was virtuous, kindly, and disposed to receive the doctrine of Christ, so that St. Patrick baptized himself, his wife and family. After this time, Carthenn’s wife, Mugania, appears to have given birth to a daughter, destined to a life of grace from St. Patrick’s prophecy regarding her. She was named Trea or Treha at the baptismal font; but, it is not stated, that she had been baptized by St. Patrick.

    Through her father, she descended from the race of Colla Uais, monarch of Erinn. From what has been already stated, it should seem, that she was born about the middle of the fifth century. That she grew up in grace and in the practice of all virtues, is generally conceded. She is classed, among the many holy virgins St. Patrick veiled, during the progress of his great missionary career. In accordance with his prediction, when St. Trea began to grow up into girlhood, she felt a strong desire to chose the Son of God for her future spouse. The Apostle had already declared, that she should be a woman of great innocence of life, and that her vesture and dowry should come to her with the veil received at his hands. Therefore, when she sought the illustrious saint for this purpose, and stood before him, an angel was seen descending from Heaven, and placing a veil on her head. It completely covered her eyes. St. Patrick then attempted to lift it, so that she might the better see, but the holy virgin exclaimed, “O pious father, why cannot the veil remain as it has been placed, in its right position?” Wherefore, the holy man replied, “It can very properly thus remain, and its mode of being worn shall be pleasing to your spouse.” As if the cenobite’s veil were glued to the noble lady’s face, the writer of the Tripartite Life and Jocelyn remark most poetically and approvingly, that it covered her dovelike eyes and her soft cheeks, through the whole remaining term of her life. Thus were her eyes and ears remarkably guarded, lest, through such entrances, any dangerous occasion of sin might bring death to her immortal soul.

    We have no further account of the place where she dwelt in the religious state; but, it is most likely within her ancestral territory, and on the height, which now takes its name from her. This Ardtrea was situated near Lough Neagh and Lough Beg. …In what particular condition St. Trea lived here has not been specified ; but, it is probable enough, she was head of a religious community. Nor does the date of her departure from life appear in our annals. In the Martyrology of Donegal, at this same day, we find her name entered as Trea, Virgin, daughter to Cairthenn, of Ard Trea. Whether the 3rd of August, or the 8th of July, be the commemoration for her death, has not been recorded.

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  • Saint Comgan the Culdee, August 2

    At August 2, the earliest of the Irish calendars of the saints, the Martyrology of Tallaght, records the commemoration of a holy man, Comgan, to whose name the epithet ‘céle Dé’ is appended. Unfortunately, this is the only information we have on this saint and inevitably, he is not the only Irish holy man to bear this name. There was a ninth-century anchorite of Tallaght and daltae of the Céle Dé leader Maelruain called Comgán Fota, but whether he is to be identified with the saint commemorated today is unclear. In his entry for the day, Canon O’Hanlon, as he often does when there is not much to say on an individual saint, bamboozles us with all sorts of information on others of the same name only to tell us at the last minute that none of them are likely to be be our man:

    ST. COMGAN, OR COMHDHAN, THE CULDEE.

    We have often before alluded to that pious fraternity of men, who were so numerous in Ireland during the early ages of her Church, and who served God with such fidelity, as to deserve their distinguishing appellation. One of these occurs, at the present date, in our Irish Calendars. Veneration was given to Comgan the Culdee, at the 2nd of August, as we find entered in the Martyrology of Tallagh. As we have no indication regarding the place where he dwelt, and as the designation of Culdee is too general to afford a clue to his identity, so conjecture has been employed, but in vain, to discover anything appertaining to his place in our ecclesiastical history. The Bollandists have some remarks on St. Comgan, at this date; but, having some doubts, that he had been distinct from a Congan Abbot, venerated on the 13th October, they refer for further consideration of him to that date. They state what Colgan thought, regarding the saint of this name, venerated on the 27th of February and that he is not likely to have been that Comgan, to whom allusion must now be made. According to ancient accounts, one Degill had married Cumene, the sister of St. Columkille, and they had six holy sons; namely, Comgan, Mernoc or Ernan, Moelchuo, Mirilis, Moeldubh, and Teldubh. Other writers add to these Laisren and Bran; but, indeed, the old authorities are very confusing and contradictory, so far as can be judged from what Colgan has collected regarding them. In the Tract on the Mothers of the Irish Saints, Cuman, the sister of St. Columba, is mentioned as having been mother of the two sons of Degill, i.e. Mernoc and Caisene; while another ancient Tract calls her Cuimne, mother of the sons, Meic Decuil, and who are named respectively Mernoc, Cascene, Meldal and Bran, who was buried in Dairu Calchaich, and these were cousins to St. Columkille. About the Comgan, stated to have been the nephew of St. Columba, we do not meet with any further record regarding him. Neither can we be assured, that he is to be found classed among the Irish saints, although there are Comgans or Comdhans so enumerated. However, this may possibly be the St. Comgan, son of Degill and a nephew of Columkille, by his sister Cumenia. Nor do we even know on what authority, this Comgan has been placed among the disciples of his celebrated uncle. In the Martyrology of Donegal, at the 2nd day of August, there is a notice of St. Comhdhain’s festival. More than this it should be useless for us to state.

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  • Saint Colmán of Derrymore, July 31

    The Martyrology of Oengus brings the month of July to a close with this entry:

    B. Pridie cal. Augusti.
    Slúag Iúll, co méit míle,
    fortn-íada ard áge,
    epscop án a Hére,
    Colmán macc Daráne.

    31. July’s host, with many thousands,
    a lofty pillar closes it:
    a splendid bishop out of Ireland,
    Colmán son of Daráne.

    But as the scholiasts’ notes explain, this Colmán is named as the son of his mother, rather than of his father:

    31. Colmán son of Daríne i.e. his mother’s sister was Daríne, and he was a fosterling of hers. Or Daríne nomen matris eius, i.e. at Clar Dairi móir in Mag Airb is Daríne’s son, and Natail from Cell manach in the west of Ossory, on the same day with him. i.e. from Daire mór meic Darane in Mag Airb he is, and Rathail (sic) from Cell manach in the west of Ossory in uno die : from Daire mór meic Darane between Ossory and Éle of Munster.

    Colmán son of Daríne, then, i.e. Daríne was sister of Colmán’s mother, and he was her fosterling. Now Sanct, Daríne’s sister, was Colman’s mother. Daríne was barren, but Sanct was prolific. So Daríne asked for Colman at once after his birth. To her then Sanct gives him, so that Daríne fostered him, and hence he is called Colman son of Daríne; and he is at Daire mór in Mag Airb between Ossory and Éle.

    Canon O’Hanlon is unable to add much to this account, apart from a summary of the saintly bishop’s other commemorations on the calendars:

    St. Colman, Son of Dairine, Bishop of Derrymore, King’s County. [Sixth Century.]

    This holy man, it seems probable, flourished during the fifth and sixth centuries. His father is said to have been Aenguss, King of Munster, and also the son of Natfraich. In the “Felire” of St. Aengus, at the 31st of July, Colman, son of Daraine, is commemorated. Darenia is the Latinized form of his mother’s name. King Aengus’ wife, who was named Darenia, was daughter to Conall. Nearly all our native historians intimate the same, as they call Colman, Mac Dairene, i.e., the son of Dairene. At the 31st of July, the Martyrology of Tallagh registers a festival, to honour Colman mac Darane, of Daire mor, or Derrymore.

    We are told, however, that Sanct or Sancta was the real mother of our saint, as also of a numerous offspring. The reason, why St. Colman was called the son of Dairine, is, because she Dairine, was Sant’s sister. We are told also, that Dairinne was barren, since she bore no children. She asked for Colman, when a child, from her sister, and that he might be named from her. Then, we are told, Sant gave the boy to Dairine to be nursed. Hence, he is called Colman, son of Dairine. She is said to have been sister to St. Fanchea and to St. Oengus of Aran. According to this account, therefore, St. Colman could only have been foster-son to his aunt Dairene. While in one instance, the mother of St. Colman is called Sant—or Latine Sancta—other writers call her Dairene or Dairine, which perhaps is not inconsistent with the former designation; and therefore, it may be assumed, that the two distinctive names apply only to one and the same person. Among many names of Irish places known as Daire-Mór—anglicized Derrymore—this is distinguished. The present Derrymore is said to have been in Mag Airb, situated between the territories of ancient Ossory and of Éle, if we are to credit a statement made by a commentator on St. Oengus. If such be the case, the present holy man does not seem to have been a different person from him, whose feast has been set down for the 20th of May—which appears to have been the date for his chief festival, and where a description of his place may be found. At the 31st of July, however, in the Martyrology of Donegal, we find entered, Colman, Bishop, son of Dairine, i.e., the son of Aenghus, son to Natfraech, son of Corc, son to Lughaidh, King of Munster.

     

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