OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Tag: Saints of Mayo

  • Saint Muiredach of Killala, August 12

     

    August 12 is the feast of Saint Muiredach (Muireadhach, Muredach) of Killala. Genealogical sources describe him as son of Eachaidh of the Cenél Lóegaire of Meath, a great-grandson of Lóegaire, King of Tara, after whom the tribal grouping was named. Despite his standing as diocesan patron of Killala, the Connacht diocese which takes in parts of the modern counties Mayo and Sligo, surprisingly little information has survived on Killala’s founder. The ninth-century Tripartite Life  depicts Saint Patrick as having founded Cell Alaid (Killala) where he left ‘a high-ranking person of his household, that is Bishop Muiredach’ in charge. However, the seventh-century Collectanea of Tírechán, presents another church, ‘the Great Church by the Wood of Foclut’ as the area’s chief foundation. The saint of this Great Church (Domnach Mór), Mucnoe, seems to have been eclipsed by Muiredach to the point where his name is not found on the calendars of the saints. Yet for all that Saint Muiredach remains an elusive figure. Along with two female Mayo saints, Deirbhile and Géidh, he is said to have been among those who met with Saint Colum Cille at  the Synod of Ballysadare in County Sligo in 575. This, plus the fact that his famous royal ancestor Lóegaire was also supposed to be alive during the Patrician mission, suggests that Muiredach was a sixth century saint, who could not have been placed in charge of Killala by Saint Patrick as the Tripartite Life  claims. The only other tradition connected with Saint Muiredach is that he gave his name to the island of Inishmurray (Inis Muireadheach) off the Sligo coast and may perhaps have been a hermit there. It is worth noting, however, that despite lending his name to the island, it was a Saint Molaisse who was the focus of devotion. Even more interestingly, Saint Muiredach shares his August 12 feast day with Saint Molaisse of Inishmurray, something I will need to research further. In his account of the saint below, Canon O’Hanlon lets us see that that earlier writers were aware of both the chronological contradictions and the general paucity of sources for the life of Saint Muiredach:

    ARTICLE I.—ST. MUREDACH, FIRST BISHOP AND PATRON OF KILLALA DIOCESE.

    [PROBABLY IN THE SIXTH CENTURY.]

    CHAPTER I.
    INTRODUCTION—PERIOD OF ST. MUREDACH—HIS FAMILY AND DESCENT—HIS RECORDED PRESENCE AT EASDARA OR BALLYSODARE—HE BLESSES THE PORT OF KILLALA.

    WHEN giving an account of our great Apostle’s progress through the province of Connaught, the author of St. Patrick’s Tripartite Life tells us, that on coming to a pleasant spot, where the River Muadius, or Moy empties into the ocean, the saint built a noble church, called Kill-Aladh, now Killala. It stood on the south bank of the Moy River. Over this church, he placed one of his disciples, named Muredach, as its first bishop. As he had been consecrated by St. Patrick, according to the account, this present holy man should have flourished during the fifth century. However, such statement has been contradicted. In a few meagre notices respecting our saint, by the Rev. Alban Butler, he follows what Harris had already written.

    In his journey towards Connaught, about A.D. 434, St. Patrick is thought to have continued there for the ensuing seven years, namely to A.D. 441. Therefore, it is supposed, the erection of Killala church may safely be referred to some one of those intermediate years. It has been advanced, that St. Muredach, the first bishop of Killala, had not been born at such an early period, and that he did not flourish until the sixth century. Moreover,
    his recorded pedigree refutes the supposition of his having been contemporaneous with St. Patrick. The generally accurate historian, Rev. Dr. Lanigan, states it to be an error, that St. Muredach’s appointment over the See of Killala should be ascribed to the earlier time. He was rather contemporaneous with St. Columkille, who flourished during the sixth century. The holy Muredach is stated to have been son of Eochaid, son to Alild, son of Guaire, son to Lugid, son of Laoighaire, son to Niall of the Nine Hostages, &c., according to the Sanctilogium Genealogicum, which thus weaves his pedigree. Wherefore, in tracing his descent from Leogaire, King of Ireland, Muredach appears the sixth in generation. Such a place in order may well synchronize with the middle and close of the sixth century.

    He is spoken of as being one of those persons, assembled at Easdara or Ballysodare, in Sligo County, for the purpose of paying respect to the Apostle of the Picts. This was on the occasion of St. Columba being at that place, soon after the dissolution of a celebrated assembly held at Drumceat. Already, an account of the synod convened at Easdara has been given, in connexion with the Acts of St. Farannan; and among the notables named, as assisting thereat, is Muredach of Killala, in Tyr Amhalgaidh. Therefore it would seem, that towards the close of St. Columba’s life, our saint had been bishop there, and that he had the honour and pleasure of greeting the great Apostle of Caledonia.

    However, we have no reliable account, regarding the exact period of St. Muredach’s promotion, nor is there any statement to fix those years, during which he ruled over the See of Killala. Nevertheless, we read in the Life of St. Corbmac, that St. Patrick, St. Brigid, St. Columkille, St. Cannech, and St. Muredach, bishop, had blessed the port of Killala. It does not seem probable, that Muredach should have been placed so low down in the list of these names, had he been contemporaneous with St. Patrick.

    CHAPTER II.

    SITUATION OF KILLALA—THE NATALIS AND COMMEMORATIONS OF ST. MUREDACH— THE PERIOD OF HIS DEATH UNRECORDED—BRIEF HISTORIC NOTES REGARDING THE SEE OF KILLALA—CONCLUSION. 

    THE town of Killala is situated on the River Muad or Moy, in Mayo County, and it lies very near to the Atlantic Ocean. Our ancient annalists sometimes called the prelates over this See the Bishops of Tirawley. They were likewise called Bishops of O’Fiacra-mui, or Hy-Fiachrach, on the River Moy, from a territory distinguished by that name. This is said to have extended along the river in question. This territory was distinct from another, in the province of Connaught, and southwards in the County of Galway. The latter was known as O’Fiacra-Aidne.

    As the Natalis of a saint is understood to coincide with the day of his death, the 12th of August apparently commemorates the anniversary of St. Muredach’s demise, as of his festival; but, we cannot find any date or year to determine the period for his existence. St. Muredach’s Natalis was celebrated in Killala Church and See, on the 12th of August, according to the Tallaght Martyrology. At this date, according to Marianus O’Gorman, the feast of St. Muredach is celebrated in the diocese and church of Killala. The continuator of Aengus also notes his festival at this day. In the Irish Calendar belonging to the Irish Ordnance Survey, on the day before the August Ides—12th of the month—there is a festival to honour Muireadhach, Bishop of Cille Haladh.

    After the rule of St. Muredach over the See of Killala, the names of only two or three bishops can be found, as his. successors, before the Anglo- Norman Invasion of Ireland. After that period, we find the church of Killala
    —or as it is usually written Cill-Alaidh—had its special canon-choristers and herenachs. The “Annals of Loch Cé” contain entries of their deaths. The engraved arms of this See—prefixed to the account of its bishops in Harris’ Ware—are: bearing sapphire, a crozier in pale, topaz, suppressed in the fess point by a Bible expanded, and with clasps proper.  In Killala diocese, this saint’s memory is recorded and honoured with the celebration of a First-Class festival and an octave. An indulgence commences also on the day already named, and it continues during that octave.

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  • Saint Gerald: Legends of a Great Saint of County Mayo

    March 13 is the feast of Saint Gerald of Mayo, an English saint who came to Ireland as a result of the controversy surrounding the dating of Easter. I have previously posted about the circumstances in which he came to be at Mayo of the Saxons here. Below is a 1928 newspaper account of Saint Gerald which looks at his career in Ireland drawing on the fourteenth-century Life of the saint produced by the Augustinian canons who were his later successors at Mayo Abbey. It begins in a rather disjointed way with an account of a powerful local druid being vanquished. Perhaps this is just a legend added for a bit of extra local colour as one assumes the champions of paganism had been seen off long before the time of Saint Gerald, who is not mentioned directly in the tale. Author P. L. O’Madden is correct to point out in his postscript that some of the events contained within the Life of Saint Gerald cannot be reconciled with other historical sources. Today, almost a century after he was writing, the difference between hagiography and history has been clearly established. That said, however, there are some enjoyable hagiographical tropes here as Saint Gerald parts the sea, performs healings, participates in a royal synod with Saint Fechin of Fore and tackles the spectre of the dreaded buidhe Conaill plague which took the lives of so many of the Irish saints, including that of Saint Fechin himself. I particularly enjoyed the description of how Saint Gerald’s monastic cowl grew large enough to encompass all of the people who sought his help, cowls were often listed among the most powerful relics of monastic saints as they were something the saint had actually worn next to his own body: 

    SAINT GERALD

    Legends of a Great Saint of County Mayo

    By P. L. O’Madden

     In that district there dwelt at that time a famous druid who had many disciples. He had his abode nigh to the monastery of the saints, claiming a hereditary right in the place, known to this day as Druid Hill.

    The disciples of the man of God, with great fervour of spirit, impelled therein, made a large fire. The druid on seeing the smoke, said to his disciples “I know by my magical powers that that fire now burning will never be extinguished if it be not put out at once”; and going forth he donned his armour and mounted his charger to extinguish the fire forthwith.

    But it was the will of God that his horse’s feet remained immoveably fixed in the ground, and the druid himself became glued to his horse so that he was unable to move. The amazed magician seeing the Divine Goodnews prevail over his magical arts, thus addressed his followers:

    “Hearken to me, my friends, and know that the prayers of these men of God have conquered my druidic arts, therefore I implore ye to petition those Christians to release me from this dreadful torment, and I promise that myself and my posterity shall be their servants henceforth forever. Having thus avowed, both himself and his horse are miraculously released, but there remain to this day the indelible traces in the rock.

     St. Gerald divided his disciples into three groups: one party to be deputed to England to collect the necessary requirements for the labouring brotherhood; a second group to be employed in building a wall to enclose the monastery establishment, and after that to build a church and monastery; a third division he assigned to sing the Divine Office, and to pray for the Christian people.

    With such regulations inspired by Heaven, under the zealous pastor the flock of Christ advanced daily in fervour and virtue. 

    When all had been accomplished there came a party of robbers, numbering nine, and seized some oxen from the monastery lands. When St Gerald heard this he had them pursued, and discovered them in a certain island wherein they were accustomed to hide their booty, God, who dried up the Red Sea for his servant Moses, caused the water to disappear so as to open a passage for his servant.

    The robbers, on witnessing this miracle, prostrated themselves before the servant of God, repented of their crime, and avowed themselves to him and his successors forever.

    At that time two kings reigned jointly in Ireland, namely Diarmaid and Blathmac, and they issued an edict that the people – clergy and laity- should assemble at Tara,  for there was then a great famine in the land. The population had become so great that there was not sufficient to feed them all. It was ordered that all, clergy and laity should fast and pray that God might remove by a pestilence some of the people so that the rest might be able to live. And when they assembled, and a difference of opinion manifested itself them, they elected the two illustrious abbots, St. Gerald and St. Fechin, to arbitrate on the matter at issue. But even the saints could not agree. St. Gerald maintained that it was not just to ask God to remove some of the people by a plague, for he is all powerful and able to feed the many out of a small supply, as he did the Israelites in the desert with manna, and the  five thousand with five loaves and a few fishes. St. Fechin, however, maintained the justice of the petition, for the famine was occasioned by  the surplus population; and when the popular party prevailed in seeking pestilence, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to a certain holy man saying: “Why do you not seek food from the source of all bounty. He will not refuse you, for it is not more difficult for God to multiply food than men. But, because, contrary to his will, you seek the death of the lower order of people, by a just dispensation of Heaven the elder will die.” And so it befell. For the anger of God was made manifest, in that the two reigning kings and also the kings of Ulster and Munster with many others died of the plague  called in Irish “Buidh Conaill” so many died of this pestilence that there scarcely remained a third of the population.

    Afterwards St. Gerald came in a district called Corran, where he found a vast number of inhabitants stricken with the plague. The famous chief Etran was stricken also. Seeing the holy man St. Gerald in their midst, the people hastened to him, firmly believing he had power to free them from the dread visitation. They cried out to the man of God, saying: “Have pity on us and heal us of our infirmities, which press so heavily on us; we shall surely perish unless you come to our assistance.” And the holy man bade the chief Etran hasten with his son and came under his cowl. At the same time the people also hastened to do likewise. But the modest dimensions of the garment were not sufficient to cover them all, but so great was the efficacy of the saint’s prayers that the cowl (or cloak) grew large enough to cover the multitude, and all were cured of their infirmities.

    Afterwards St. Gerald went forth in the monastery of Eltheria. He learned there of the death of his beloved sister Sigretia, who, together with a hundred nuns of the convent and fifty of his disciples, had perished in the plague. He went forth to Mayo, accompanied by his disciple, and there the saint remained to the end in the love of God and his neighbour. The holy abbot, Adamnan, having made the visitation of all Ireland, came at length to St. Gerald at Mayo to enjoy the sweet society of his friend.

    Not long afterwards St Gerald, having performed countless miracles, and founded many monasteries, rested at peace at Mayo Abbey, on the 13th day of March (tertio idea Martii) A.D. 732.

    P.S. – The Chronology of these legends of St. Gerald is very confused. It is to be remembered that these records were not written down for many centuries – some five or six at all events – afterwards. And while many of the traditions herein related are corroborated by the ‘Irish Annals’ it is impossible to reconcile others with  the known facts of Irish history.

    Catholic Advocate, Thursday 23 February 1928, page 42.


     

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  • The Holy Wells of Achill Island

     

    Holy wells played a large part in the preservation of the memories of the saints of Ireland, acting not only as sites where their intercession could be sought, particularly for healing, but as the focal point for the celebration of a saint’s ‘pattern’ or feast day. They are found throughout the country, including on Ireland’s off-shore islands. Below is a brief account of three of the holy wells of Achill Island, County Mayo, from a 1910 work by P.W. Joyce. The first seems to be connected to a Saint Damnet and attracted pilgrims on August 15. The second is linked to Saint Colman, who sought refuge in the west of Ireland at ‘Mayo of the Saxons’ following the adoption of the Roman date of Easter. Joyce records that this well too was still being visited by Achill’s older people in his day. The final one is equally interesting and illustrates many of the difficulties associated with the attribution of holy wells to specific saints in folk tradition.  It is known as Saint Finan’s well but Joyce is doubtful about this, I presume his remarks on the placing of a well-known prefix, in this case mo, ‘my’ to many saints’ names explains how the Minan cliffs have been interpreted as deriving from ‘Mo Finan’, which he feels may be ‘fanciful philology’. Instead he offers an intriguing alternative explanation concerning a former parish priest and his remarkable saddle horse! Interestingly, the Connaught Telegraph of August 8, 2022 carried a report that the holy wells of Mayo are to be surveyed by archaeologists so perhaps we can learn more of those on Achill Island in the near future:

    THE HOLY WELLS OF ACHILL ISLAND.

    We take the liberty of introducing the reader to the holy wells in Achill, which show that this storm-swept island was not untrodden by the saints of ancient Ireland.

    There is a holy well at Kildownett, hard by the graveyard, which a tradition, but a very faint one, connects with a St. Damnet. It is still visited by pilgrims on the 15th of August. There is also one of more note at Sliabh More, called after St. Colman, the patron of Dukinella church. Probably St. Colman may have crossed over from Inish Boffin to Achill Island, in search of a suitable site for a monastery, wherein to segregate the Saxon monks who followed him and his Irish disciples from Lindisfarne. The Celts and Saxons seemed to have found it more  difficult to practice the evangelical counsels, living under the same roof. Accordingly, their prudent founder, St. Colman, left the Celts in possession of Irish Boffin and went in search of a monastic site for the Saxon brethren. He at length succeeded in founding a monastery at Mayo, which was called Mayo of the Saxons. The old people still make pilgrimages to St. Colman’s well.

    The third and last, which we wish particularly to describe, is situated in a scene of solitude and beauty close by the Cathedral Rocks in the Keel strand. It was, indeed, a happy thought to make it holy. The wonders of nature around, mountain majesty and thundering sea, make fitting scene for the wonders of grace; for the voice of the mountains and the voice of the sea seem to have suggested to all  the sages thoughts of the “great beyond.” The sea here, especially, preaches a beautiful sermon to one who may choose to listen and: 

    “Wander by the pebbly beach,
    Marking the sunlight at the evening hour,
    And hearken to the thoughts the waters teach – 
    Eternity, eternity and power.”

    The well is situated under the shadow of the Minan cliffs, and is named St. Finan’s well. The tradition is that St. Finan gave his name, not only to the well, but to the mountain also, which should be properly called Finan’s cliff. Perhaps the practice of our fathers who placed a well-known prefix before the names of many of our saints, may explain the difficulty of deriving the modern name from Finan. This, however, is probably fanciful philology, and the usual explanation remembered by the very old people to have been parish priest of the island, and the possessor of a wonderful saddle horse, that braved every danger by night as well as by day. 

     P.W. Joyce, A Forgotten Part of Ireland, (Tuam, 1910),  58-62.
     

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