OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Tag: Irish Saints

  • Saint Séadna, June 16

    On June 16 we commemorate Saint Séadna (Setna), one of at least a dozen saints who bears this name and most of whom are obscure figures. This one, however, was associated with Saint Patrick, as Canon O’Hanlon explains:

    St. Setna, Son of Tren, Bishop.

    According to the Martyrology of Tallagh,  Setna MacTreno, a Bishop, had a feast on the 16th of June. Marianus O’Gorman also notices this Setna Mac Tren. The feast of this holy man has been assigned to the 16th of June, by Colgan. At the present date, that writer promised to treat more at large about the present saint. In the Acts of St. Patrick, we have a narrative regarding the cruel disposition of Tren or Trian, the son of Fiec, and a remarkable visitation of God which overtook him. He is said to have been cruel to his workmen, and the holy Apostle, having remonstrated with him in vain, at length declared, that a visible judgment of God should come upon him. This denunciation he disregard. However, the saint’s prediction proved to be true. Ascending his chariot, the horses ran headlong into a lake. Owing to this circumstance, it was afterwards known as Loch Trena or the Lake of Trian. The wife of Trian, moved by this catastrophe, asked the saint’s forgiveness, and obtained a blessing for herself, and for the children, she then bore in the womb. Two sons were afterwards born, at the same time. One of these was called Jarlath while the other was named Setna or Sedna. This event is said to have occurred in Mudornia, in the province of Ulster. The latter was baptized by St. Secundin, the disciple of St. Patrick. St. Setna and his twin-brother, St. Jarlath, were born at Rath-Trena, of the noble and ancient family of the Dal-Fiatach. Their country was in the present county of Down. The name of the district, in which it had been situated, was Uachthar or Uachthar-Thire, which extended so far west as Slievenaboley. Jocelyn states, that St. Jarlath was born in Midernia, which Colgan corrects to Mudorna. In his edition of Ware’s Bishops, Harris writes, that it was the barony of Mourne, in the southern part of the present county of Down. However, Dr. O’Donovan states, that barony did not obtain such a name, until the twelfth century, and that St. Jarlath was born in Cremorne, or Crich-Mudhorna, in the present county of Monaghan. St. Setna was elevated to episcopal rank, but his See does not appear to be known. According to the Martyrology of Donegal, veneration was given on this day, to Setna, son of Tren, Bishop. In the Irish Calendar, belonging to the Royal Irish Academy, and compiled for the Irish Ordnance Survey, at the xvi. of the July Kalends, or June 16th, his feast is entered.Content Copyright © Omnium Sanctorum Hiberniae 2012-2015. All rights reserved.

  • Saint Cumman Beg of Cill Cuimne, June 14

    We can add another name to the list of obscure Irish holy women at June 14, Cumman Beg of Cill Cuimne. She is yet another saint for whom the only record we have is the listing of her name on the Irish calendars. As is so often the case, it is difficult to be definitive about the exact locality in which she flourished, as Canon O’Hanlon explains:

    St. Cuman Becc, or Cumman Beg, Virgin, of Cill Cuimne.

    The name of Cuman Becc of Tamnaigh, is entered in the Martyrology of Tallagh, as having been venerated, at the 14th of June. There was an old church, now uprooted at Kilcumney, in the deanery of Mullingar, and county of Westmeath. The Rev. Dr. Kelly appears to identify the place of this virgin with Rathdowney, a village and parish in the southern part of the Queen’s County. It signifies, as the denomination now stands,”the fort of the church ;” but, the correct name should be Rathdowney, representing the Irish Rath-tamh-naigh, “the fort of the green field.” This is said to have been the old pagan name. There was a Tamhnach-an-reata, now Tawny, in the parish of Derryvullan, in the barony of Tirkennedy, and county of Fermanagh. There is also a Tawny or Taney, a parish in the county of Dublin. In the Martyrology of Donegal, this saint is recorded, at the same date, as Cumman Beg, Virgin, of Cill Cuimne, at Tamhnach.Content Copyright © Omnium Sanctorum Hiberniae 2012-2015. All rights reserved.

  • Saint Damhnat of Sliabh Betha, June 13

    On June 13  we remember Saint Damhnat of Sliabh Betha. As with so many of our holy women, not a great deal is actually known of her life, and in particular there is some confusion around Damhnat’s relationship to Saint Dymphna of Gheel. I am currently doing some more research into this but can introduce the saint with Canon O’Hanlon’s account below, which mentions the relics associated with her:

    St. Damnat or Damhnat, Virgin, of Sliabh Betha.
    [Fifth or Sixth Century.]

    The Martyrology of Tallagh enters a festival, at the Ides or 13th of June, in honour of Damnat Sleibe Betha. Her mother is said to have been Bronach, the daughter of Milchon, St. Patrick’s master, and she was the mother of many saints. She seems to be distinguishable from another known as St. Dympna. Colgan states, that St. Damnoda or Dymna, surnamed Schene, or “the fugitive,” was the daughter to Damen, son to Corpre, surnamed Damh-airgid, son to Eochod, the son of Crimthann, son to Fieg, &c, of the Colla Dachrioch race. He says, that her feast was held on the 13th of June, in Ireland, according to our native Martyrologies, while in Belgium it was celebrated on the 15th of May. He also remarks, that in some Manuscripts, this saint’s name is found written, “Damand-Scene, mac Daimhen,” &c, which means, “Damand, the fugitive, the son of Damen.” It is thought, that two errors have crept into these Manuscripts, at this particular passage. The first was, the transposition of a letter, which converted Damnad, into Damand. For, there was a very celebrated virgin, of the Oirgiell race, called Damnad, who was venerated as patron of Orgiell; whilst there is no saint, male or female, in Irish Martyrologies or Annals, whose name was Damand. The second error appears to. have been, that instead of these words, “Mac-Daimen,” we should read, “Ingen Daimhein,” or “Ingen mhic-Daimhein,” which would mean, “the daughter of Damen,” or “the daughter of Damen’s son.” Both Drs. George Petrie and John O’Donovan thought, however, there was much reason to doubt Colgan’s opinion, that the St. Davnet, venerated in Ireland on the 13th of June, and the St. Dympna, whose feast was on the 15th of May in Belgium, could have been one and the same person. Nor do we feel inclined to believe, that the Damnat of Sleibhe Betha, venerated on the 13th of June, and alluded to in the Martyrology of Tallagh, can be fairly identified with St. Dympna, patroness of Gheel. In the year 1835, while Mr. O’Donovan was travelling in the county of Monaghan, he suspected, that the name of this parish must have been derived from a St. Damhnat, whose habitation had been there. Then a popular tradition prevailed among the old inhabitants, that a St. Davnet was the first founder of the old church in their parish. They had no idea, however, regarding the age in which that female saint lived, but they thought it was a long time after the introduction of Christianity. On being furnished with extracts from the Irish Calendar, he identified Tedavnet with the St. Damhnat, whose feast occurs at this date. Slieve Beagh lies to the north-west of the parish of Tedavnet, which is within the barony and county of Monaghan. That mountain range—forming about one-fourth part of the parish—stretches towards Tyrone. There was an old church, formerly in the parish, which is now utterly destroyed. This ruined church only presents a fragment, about six feet by four, at the present time, and it has been made to serve as a monument for the Robinson family. This place, Anglicized “Bith’s Mountain,” is situated on the confines of the counties of Monaghan and of Fermanagh. In the parish of Tedavnet was kept a crozier of the saint, called Bachall Damhnait which remained in possession of a man, named Lamb. He stated, that this relic had been in his family from time immemorial, having descended to him as an heirloom. Some eight years before he had been accustomed to send it as far as Newry and Dundalk, for the use of persons, who swore on it. Deponents were said to be in great danger, if they swore falsely. Some fearful change of their features was an apprehended result; but, the most usual alteration was said to be their mouths turning awry, or towards the ear. Many persons, when accused of theft by their neighbours, and when threatened, that the Bachall Damhnait should be sent for, frequently came and acknowledged their guilt; for, they feared the result of a false deposition on this relic. In the Martyrology of Donegal is Damhnat, virgin, of Sliabh Betha, at the 13th of June. In the Irish Calendar, belonging to the Irish Ordnance Survey, there is an entry of St. Damhnat’s festival, at the Ides—or 13th—of June. At this date, in the Rev. Alban Butler’s work, we find notices of St. Damhnade; and, in the Circle of the Seasons is mentioned Damh a-nade, Virgin, in Ireland. In the Manuscript of Trinity College, Dublin, classed B. 3, 12, we find at June 13, Ides, Damnate, Virgo.

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