OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Tag: Irish Saints

  • Saint Onchu of Clonmore, February 8

    February 8 sees the commemoration of a saint who was himself interested in collecting and preserving the relics of saints. However, when Saint Onchu visited the monastery of Clonmore-Maedoc, County Carlow and demanded a finger from its still very much alive founder, he got more than he bargained for. The Martyrology of Oengus reads:

    D vi. idus Febr.

    8. (Onchu), the splendid descendant of the sage, his speech was concerning Christ.

    and the notes to the entry say:

    descendant of the sage etc., i.e. Onchu his name : in the oratory of Relic na n-aingel (the Angels Graveyard) in Cluain mor Maedoc he is.

    A good poet was he, and to this he gave heed, to collect the relics of Ireland’s saints. He used not to stay in any church without some of (the saint’s) relics being given to him. So that he had a great shrine of the saints’ relics which he had collected. Now he went to Cluain mo Maedoc i.e. Maedoc hua Dunlaing of Leinster, and not Maedoc of Ferns. Maedoc happened to be alive before him.
    “Somewhat of thy relics (cut) off thee for me, O cleric, that they may be along with these relics.” 
    “That is hard,” says the cleric. “It is to be done, however,” says the poet. So the cleric cuts off his little-finger and gives it to the poet. Then the cleric is pained thereby, and he declared: “What thou hast collected,” says he, “will be here, and thine own relics also.” And this has been fulfilled.

    Splendid descendant of the sage, i.e. in Cluain mor Maedoic he is, i.e. of Connaught is he. ‘Tis he that collected the saints’ relics in the oratory of the grave-yard of Cluain mor Maedoic.

    The later Martyrology of Donegal confirms Saint Onchu as a collector of relics and the connection to Clonmore but also adds that he was likened to Saint Ambrose:

    8. D. SEXTO IDUS FEBRUARII. 8.

    ONCHU, Mac in Eccis, of the Connacians. It was he that collected a great deal of the relics of the saints of Erinn to Cluainmor-Maedhog.

    A very ancient vellum old book, which we have mentioned under Brighit, at 1st February, states, that Mac-in-Eccis was, in his manners and life, like unto Ambrose.

    Canon O’Hanlon’s account of Saint Onchu summarizes the entries from other calendars:

    The ancient calendars of Ireland contain allusions to this holy pilgrim, at the present date. Thus, on the 8th of February, the Martyrology of Tallagh registers Hua ind Egais, who collected the relics of the saints. We are further informed, that his discourses were always regarding Christ. The Calendars of Cashel and of Marianus O’Gorman celebrate, likewise, the characteristics and pursuits of this most religious poet. In the Kalendars of Scotland, our saint was likewise celebrated. The Kalendar of Drummond enters the natalis of the confessor Oncu, at the vi.Ides —corresponding with the 8th—of February, in the island of Hibernia.

    He adds:

    The Irish name for this saint was Onchu; and Colgan says, that word means ” a water-dog” or “leopard.”… Having visited St. Finian the Leper, this latter holy person was urged to undertake a pilgrimage, in company with our saint. Onchu wished to journey through all parts of Ireland, visiting various hermitages, cells and monasteries, where saintly men dwelt, at that time, or during any previous period, so that he might collect together relics, at the different localities, hallowed by connexion with those servants of God. Impeded by his infirmity, St. Finian declined, however, assenting to this proposal. He even sought to dissuade Onchu from such a purpose, saying it was decreed, both of them should die in that place, where they then were. From this account, and sequel of the narrative, it would appear, that the place, at which St. Finian and St. Onchu held this interview, must have been at Clonmore, in the county of Carlow. Nevertheless, our saint, full of his pious intention, resolved on prosecuting his journey alone, and immediately he set out on his travels. The holy man formed his resolution of visiting each place, throughout our whole island, in which he thought there might be the most remote chance for discovering or procuring relics, of any Irish saints. He had hoped, that such a collection might afterwards serve to increase devotion, and preserve the memory of those pious servants of God, among the people. Such purposes he accomplished; for, whatever monastery or cell, he visited, furnished some contribution to the store, he had previously acquired. Not only did he obtain memorials of the dead ; but, he received even certain gifts or articles, from pious men, whose reputation for sanctity had been already established, in the Irish Church. All of these precious treasures, Onchu deposited, in the same reliquary.

    …having nearly accomplished his original purpose, he came to the flourishing monastery of Clonmore, in Leinster, over which the illustrious Maidoc or Aidus, son to Eugenius of the Leinster family, then presided as abbot. St. Onchu received kind hospitality, and he demanded some memorial from this holy superior. Through humility, however, Maidoc refused such a request ; when, it is said, his finger fell to the ground in a miraculous manner. Our saint immediately took it up, and placed it among his other relics. Having felt pain, caused by the loss of his finger, St. Maidoc was moved by Divine inspiration, to cry out: ” All the relics thou hast collected must remain in this place, and thy remains shall be with them.” The event justified this prediction ; for, the precious reliquary, with its contents, was preserved long afterwards, in Clonmore monastery. The prophecy of St. Finian, the Leper, was also fulfilled, for his bones reposed, together with those of our saint near the cross, to the south of it, in the adjoining cemetery. There, St. Onchu found his last resting place on earth. When he died, too, at Clonmore, all his relics were there religiously preserved.

    St. Onchu lived, probably, during the time when Aid, the son of Ainmireach, King of Ireland, reigned, from about the year 568 to 594, since our saint was contemporaneous with St. Maidoc of Clonmore, said to have been an elder, and a uterine brother of that monarch Aid.

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  • Saint Mel of Ardagh, February 6

    On February 6 the Irish calendars commemorate a saint with close links to Saint Brigid, Bishop Mel of Ardagh. He is also linked to Saint Patrick, with a number of sources claiming that he is the nephew of the apostle to the Irish, being the son of his sister Dareca. This woman was reputedly a mother to no less than seventeen early Irish bishops and saints, which has led some scholars to speculate that she may have been a mother in the spiritual, rather than the biological, sense. Saint Mel figures most prominently in the Life of Saint Brigid by being the bishop who conferred the veil of the religious life upon her.  We can turn now to Volume 2 of Canon O’Hanlon’s Lives of the Irish Saints for an account of Saint Mel’s life:

    THE festival, commemorated by the Irish Church, on this day, recalls to our minds, that gratitude we owe to our early Christian missionaries, who helped to gather and labour, in the same field of noble enterprise with St. Patrick… This renowned saint is classed among the primitive fathers of our Irish Church. He was a contemporary, and, it has been asserted, a near relative to the great Apostle, St. Patrick. At the very dawn of Christianity in our island, an illustrious champion and preacher of the Gospel had been already prepared, for a strenuous encounter, with the spirit of darkness. He is named Mel or Melus, in old Latin acts; and, this title was typical of those honied stores of Divine wisdom and of saintly qualities, which had been hived within his breast. A special Life of this holy man is not known to exist. From various ancient Acts of St. Patrick, and of St. Brigid, as also from other sources, Colgan has compiled a Life of St. Mel, and he has admirably annotated it. In like manner, the Bollandists have inserted Acts of Saints Mel, Melchuo, Mune, and Rioc, Bishops, at the 6th day of February. From these authorities shall we chiefly draw succeeding materials, to render intelligible the recorded actions of the holy Bishop Mel, the special patron of Ardagh diocese.

    He seems to have been born, in the earlier part of the fifth century. It is said, Saint Mel or Melus was a nephew to the great Irish Apostle Patrick, and whose sister Darerca is named as Mel’s mother.

    St. Mel built a famous monastery at Ardagh. At this place, also, it is recorded, he exercised the jurisdiction both of abbot and of bishop. Among other celestial endowments, our saint received the gift of prophecy, whereby he was enabled to predict future events. This was exemplified in St. Brigid’s case, and soon after he had arrived in Ireland from Britain. He foretold the greatness and sanctity of that holy virgin, while yet carried in her mother’s womb. Some time subsequent to St. Brigid’s birth, St. Mel administered to her the Sacrament of Confirmation. In conjunction, probably, with his disciple St. Machaille, Mel likewise bestowed the religious veil on that youthful spouse of Christ. Afterwards, the greatest friendship existed between our saint and the future abbess, as recorded in St. Brigid’s Life.

    St. Brigid seems often to have visited St. Mel, when she resided not far from Ardagh. At one time, the king of that district entertained both these holy personages ; and,- a remarkable miracle was wrought by the illustrious abbess, at a banquet, given in their honour. The kindness of St. Mel, interceding with the king for a supposed transgressor, on this occasion, pleasingly illustrates the holy bishop’s character. St. Mel and St. Moelchu—both being regarded as distinct—are stated to have accompanied the abbess, to a synod, which was held at Tailten, in Meath.

    It is said, that St. Mel wrote the Acts, virtues and miracles of his uncle, St. Patrick, while this latter holy man had been living for, the great Apostle of Ireland is supposed to have survived our saint five years. For his death, a.d. 466 has been assigned. Mel departed this life, at Ardagh, however, about the year 487 or 488. St. Oengus the Culdee, the Martyrology of Tallagh, Marianus O’Gorman, Cathal Maguire, and the Martyrology of Salisbury, record this holy bishop’s festival, at the present date. It was probably that of his death, which is usually assigned to the 6th of February, and according to accounts left by our Irish hagiographers. This corresponds with the 8th of the February Ides.

    Notwithstanding the celebrity of this saint, Mel, Epis.—meaning bishop— is the only entry, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, concerning him. Besides this, we read, in the Martyrology of Donegal, as having a festival on this day, Mel, Bishop of Ard-achadh, in Tethbha. He was a disciple of Patrick, according to the same authority ; but, nothing has been noted, about his relationship. Mel is regarded, as the first bishop over the see of Ardagh, and, he has been constantly venerated as the special patron saint of that diocese.

    The Martyrology of Donegal entry reads:

    6. B. OCTAVO IDUS FEBRUARII. 6.

    MEL, Bishop, of Ard-achadh in Tethbha, disciple of Patrick, A.D. 487. Darerca, sister of Patrick, was his mother.

    and the Annals of the Four Masters records his death thus:

    The Age of Christ 487. The ninth year of Lugaidh. Mel, Bishop of Bishop of Ard-achadh, in Teathbha, disciple of Patrick died.

    Note: The picture below shows a painted scene of Saint Mel and Saint Brigid preaching to the people of Ardagh. It is from Saint Brigid’s church in Ardagh, County Longford.

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  • Saint Lomman of Lough Gill, February 4

    February 4 is the feast of a 6th-century saint associated with the islands in Lough Gill, County Sligo. Canon O’Hanlon tells us that he was also a participant in the Synod of Dromceat, although not much else appears to be known of the life of Saint Lomman:

    St. Lomman, of Lough Gill, County of Sligo. [Sixth Century.]

    St. Loman was the son of Dalian, son to Bressail, son to Manius, son of Eochaid, son of Domnhail, son to Imchad, son of Colla Dacrioch. To this latter race he belonged. He was born, probably, in the earlier part of the sixth century, when Ireland so much abounded in holy men, and in learned teachers. We find him mentioned, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 4th of February, as Lomman. Here, this name is united, with that of another saint, Colman, Tamlachta Gluidh. This, however, is clearly a peculiarity, or a mistake of entry, on the part of a scribe. We cannot learn, that the Acts of this holy man have been preserved; but, from the Life of St. Farannan, we are informed, that he lived, towards the close of the sixth century. In the Martyrology of Donegal, is set down as having a festival, on this day, Lomman, of Loch Gile, between Cairbre and Breifne. The locality, in question, is the beautiful Lough Gill, lying between the counties of Sligo and of Leitrim, but chiefly within bounds of the former county. Probably, on one of its islands, our saint had erected his hermitage, about, or a little after, the middle of the sixth age. We find this saint had been a contemporary, with the renowned St. Columkille. He assisted, at the great Synod of Dromceat, which according to some writers was held, about the year 580, while others defer it, to A.D. 590. Here, our saint had the singular honour and happiness, no doubt, to welcome the great Apostle of Caledonia; but, it may be, that their acquaintance and friendship had not then been made for the first time.

    …It would seem, that the present saint had lived, probably for some considerable period of his life, on one or other of those islands where we now find the remains of churches on Lough Gill. When he died has not been exactly ascertained; yet, we have every reason to suppose, this occurrence took place, towards the close of the sixth, or about the commencement of the seventh, century.

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