OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Tag: Saints of Meath

  • Saint Aitheachan of Colpe, June 16

    In Volume VI of his Lives of the Irish Saints, Canon O’Hanlon has details of an obscure County Meath saint commemorated on June 16:

    St. Aitheachan or Athcain of Inbher Colpthai, Colpe, County of Meath

    [Probably in the Sixth Century]

    A festival in honour of Aitheachan, Colptho, is set down in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 16th of June. The place, with which this saint was connected, is further known as Invercolp, or Colpe, in the barony of Lower Duleek, and county of Meath. It lies at the mouth of the River Boyne. Eithne, daughter of Concraidh, was his mother, it is further stated. Little seems to be known regarding the history of this saint, who flourished probably in the sixth century.  In the Martyrology of Donegal, at this same date, his name appears as Athcain of Inbher Colpthai.

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  • Saint Neachtan of Cill-Uinche, May 2

     

    On May 2 we commemorate Saint Neachtan (Neachtain, Nectan) of Cill-Uinche, said to have been a nephew of Saint Patrick. Although in his own writings Saint Patrick mentions only his father and grandfather, later hagiographers furnished our national apostle with an extended family. Our saint is said to have been the son of one of Saint Patrick’s sisters, Liamain. Canon O’Hanlon brings us the details below:

    ST. NEACHTAIN, OF CILL-UINCHE, COUNTY OF LOUTH, AND OF FENNOR, ON THE RIVER BOYNE, COUNTY OF MEATH.

    [FIFTH CENTURY.]

    THIS holy pupil and near relation of St. Patrick had an early commemoration; for, his festival has been assigned to the 2nd of May, in the Feilire of St. Aengus the Culdee. In the Leabhar Breac copy we read:

    “Saturninus’ departure, unto Christ nigh
    whom he went, with (the) death,
    after a long sigh,
    of Nechtan Patrick’s pupil.”

    In the Martyrology of Tallagh, at this date, is also recorded, Neachtan of Cill Unchi, or Cell Funchi, in Conailibh, or Conaill, sometimes called Fidh Conaille. This latter place must have been situated, within the county of Louth; over the greater part of which the territory of Conaille Muirtheimhne extended. The Bollandists notice this holy man, at the present date. St. Nechtain, or Nectan, was the son of Liamhain, or Liamain, sister to St. Patrick. For this reason, he was called Mac Leamhua, or Mac Lemnai. His father was probably Restitutus, the Lombard. He was consequently a nephew to the great Irish Apostle, on the mother’s side. It would seem, that the latter had charge of his early education and ecclesiastical training; for, it has been very generally stated, that St. Nectan, the Bishop, was a disciple of St. Patrick. According to the accounts about St. Nectain, he belonged to a place, known as Cill-Uinche, in Conaille-Muirtheimlme. Also, Fioneabhair-Abba was a locality associated with his memory. Here, it seems probable, was the chief place of his residence, when he had embraced a religious life. According to a gloss on the Feilire-Aenguis, Fionuabhair-Abba, or Findabair, was on the margin of the River Boyne, in Bregia. It may be Anglicized “the bright field of the river.” At present, it is known as Fennor, in a small parish, bearing the same name, in the barony of Lower Duleek. Here, there is an ancient church, surrounded by a cemetery, which is still greatly frequented…

    How long Nechtain lived here is not known. The Irish Apostle is stated to have been present, however, while he was dying. Nechtain then made his testament, it is said. He called likewise for a drink. St. Patrick had a vision, manifesting his glory in Heaven, before he died. If this account is to be received, St. Nechtain could not have reached a very advanced age, and he must have departed this life, about the middle of the fifth century. When his demise took place, his remains were deposited in Fennor. During the ninth and tenth centuries, some references to it are found in our Annals. After the Anglo-Norman invasion, we find this place to have been converted into a parish church. The present saint is patron, where his festival had been kept, on the 2nd of May and here, too, we are told, his remains lie. On this day was venerated Neachtain, as we find set down, in the Martyrology of Donegal.

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  • Saint Becan of Emlagh, April 5

     

     

    We commemorate a County Meath saint on April 5.  Canon O’Hanlon brings us a summary of the life of Saint Becan (Began) of Emlagh whom some traditions seek to link to Saint Colum Cille:

    ST. BEGAN, AT IMLECH-FIAICH, IN FERA-CUL-BREAGH, NOW EMLAGH, COUNTY OF MEATH. [SIXTH CENTURY.]

     
    The present holy man was distinguished, among the Saints of Ireland. The Martyrology of Tallagh, recording his festival, at this date, calls him St. Begain mic Cule; and, as we are told, the name is thus derived, from his mother. Referring to the same authority, the Bollandists briefly enter, on the 5th of April, Beccanus filius Culae. The same paternity is assigned to him, in the “Feilire” of St. Aengus. He descended from the race of Eoghan Mor, son of Oilioll Oluim, according to the O’Clerys’ Calendar. St. Becan, or Began, is said to have lived contemporaneously with St. Columkille. He founded a monastery, about the close of the sixth or the beginning of the seventh century, at Kilbeggan, a town, situated on the River Brosna. According to one account, when St. Colum-Cille and the King of Erinn, Diarmait, son of Fergus Cearbheoil, after killing Bresal, his son, came to where Becan was, they found him erecting a fort, with a wet cloak about him, and he praying. The saint felt highly incensed against the monarch, whom he humbled in a miraculous manner; but, afterwards, he relented, owing to the prayers of Columba. However, we cannot find these statements, in the proper Acts of the latter saint. That locality with which Becan was connected, Imleach Fia, or Imleach Fise, was also denominated Imleach-Becain, from this saint. His old church, at Emlagh, gave name to a parish, so called, and lying in the barony of Lower Kells, towards the north-east of the town of Kells, in the county of Meath. After the Anglo-Norman invasion, Emlagh became a parish church…. The Martyrology of Donegal, on this day, records a festival, in honour of Becan, son of Cula, at Imlech Fiaich, in Fera- Cul-Breagh. The Rev. Alban Butler, and the “Circle of the Seasons,” commemorate St. Beacon, Abbot, at the 5th of April. He is noticed, likewise, in the Kalendar of Drummond. At the Nones, corresponding with the present date, the obiit of this holy man being there is recorded.

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