OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

Tag: Saints of Westmeath

  • Saint Áed mac Bricc of Rahugh, November 10

    Although he may not be exactly a household name today in Ireland, November 10 is the commemoration of a saint of the Southern Uí Néill whom Kenny has described as ‘one of the few Irish saints the basis of whose fame is personal and general, rather than monastic’ – Áed mac Bricc. Áed is a most attractive and engaging figure, closely associated with Saint Brigid of Kildare, and with a reputation for the curing of headaches. He is associated with a number of localities in Counties Westmeath and Donegal and I will return to the Donegal connection in future posts. His Life records that despite foretellings of his future promise by no less than two of the ‘Twelve Apostles of Ireland’ – Saint Brendan of Birr and Saint Cainnech of Kilkenny, the young Áed almost threw it all away:

    §3. No teacher taught the boy Áed: he was not educated in letters, nor was he trained in religious rules until his young manhood. Until that time he led a rustic life among the common people, reared by his mother. When he became a young man, he went to his paternal territory, so that he might attain his inheritance. His brothers, though, would by no means accept him or give him his inheritance. Seeing this, Áed carried off a certain girl of theirs, hoping that this loss would force his brothers to give him his inheritance. As Áed was returning with the captured girl and some companions he came near the cell of the saintly bishop Illann. When Illann saw him from a distance and the angels of God that followed him, he said to his attendant, “Go and speak to the youth on the road, so that he might visit with me for a little while.” He came humbly to bishop Illann, who said to him, “What do you seek my son? Paternal inheritance? Look! You have a father who owns the sky and the earth, who will give you a far greater inheritance both in heaven and on earth. Do not seek worldly lands through a wrong. Send this girl to her home.” Áed responded, “Whatever you say to me, I am prepared to do.” Accordingly, the girl was sent back. Áed remained with St. Illann in his monastic settlement, obeying all of his instructions.

    His mentor having re-established Áed on the right path, eventually sends him forth:

    §7. The saintly bishop Illann, seeing in his mind the miracles of this youth, called Áed to him and said, “O son, how have you performed such miracles already, at so young an age? For, indeed, you rise to the peak of virtue while you have not yet attained the work of self-perfection or entered into a religious life. Go in peace to your mother’s land, and construct a cell there for yourself. Of all the others, it is not proper that you should live under the hand of man, rather than that of God.” Áed departed from there and founded a cell called Enach Midbren for himself, where he stayed and performed many miracles.

    ( Life of Áed mac Bricc, translated by Kate Peck)

    The Martyrology of Oengus commemorates him thus:

    10. Áed son of Brecc, of the kingfolk;
    he was almost greater than death:
    he is high in the great Kingdom,
    the champion of the race of hundred-battled Conn.

    while the later Martyrology of Donegal records:

    10. F. QUARTO IDUS NOVEMBRIS. 10.

    AEDH, son of Breac, Bishop, of Cill-Air, in Meath, and of Sliabh Liag, in Tir Boghaine, in Cinel-Conaill. He was of the race of Fiachaidh, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages. The age of Christ when he sent his spirit to heaven was 588.

    The Life of Saint Áed concludes with this story about his death:

    §52. St Áed had promised to allow one of his monks to accompany him to heaven. And so, at the hour of his death, Áed said to him, “Prepare yourself, so that you might go with me on the heavenly journey.” When he proved unwilling a certain pagan who had just arrived said, “If only you had told me to accompany you!” Áed answered him, “If you wish, wash yourself and lay yourself down on this bed with me.” When he had done these things, he and the saint died together. On the island of Í, St Columcille saw this and said, “This work which bishop Áed does now is mighty. Behold, he leads a sinner, undeserving, with himself to heaven, without any demons bothering him.” Indeed St Áed passed to heaven like Christ with the thief, among the sweet songs of the choirs of angels, where he will rejoice without sorrow for eternity with our reigning Lord, Jesus Christ, with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.

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  • Saint Enan of Drumrath, August 19

    August 19 is the commemoration of Saint Enan of Drumrath.  Canon O’Hanlon’s account below presents this County Westmeath holy man as a friend to Saint Áed Mac Bricc of Killaire, an associate of Saint Brigid who exercised his famed prowess at curing headaches on her. It seems that Saint Enan also had a second feast day on September 18:

    St. Enan, Patron of Drumrath, County of Westmeath.
    [Sixth Century.]

    The present holy servant of God flourished so early as the sixth century. In the “Feilire” of St. Oengus, the festival for Enan of Droma Raithne is to be found entered, at the 19th of August. In a comment, we find an explanation, that Droma Raithne is the same as Druim Fota Talman, in the West of Meath, while he is said to have been Enan, son of Ernin, son of Cael, son of Aed, son of Artchorp, son of Niacorp. The published Martyrology of Tallagh registers a festival in honour of Enan, of Druimraithe, in Westmeath. A similar entry is to be found in the copy of that Martyrology contained in the Book of Leinster, at the xiv. of the September kalends. At the 19th of August, the Martyrology of Donegal also enters the festival for St. Enan of Druimrath. Postfixed to this Martyrology, there is a similar entry, in which the Martyrologium Genealogicum is quoted as authority, by the compiler of an alphabetical table. But, in a note, added by Dr. Todd to such statement, he says, in the copy of that treatise, as found in the Book of Lecan, there is nothing concerning Enan of Druimraithe, in Westmeath. Our saint is called Henan, in the Life of St. Aidus, of Killare, and there are different readings, for the name of this hermit, in the Codex Insulensis, and in the Salamancan Manuscript. The Bollandists allude merely to the present St. Henan or Enan, at the 19th of August; promising if further information were to be procured, that allusion should more fully be made to him, at the 18th of September, when, according to some Irish Calendars, he had another festival. It is stated, that he belonged to the race of Eochaidh Finnfua-thairt, from whom Brigid descends. If so, he was son of Ernin, son to Calius, son of Aid, son to Sanius, son of Arturus Corb. We are informed from other sources, how this saint lived the life of a hermit, and at a place, called Drumrath. Here he was visited by St. Aidus, or Aedh, surnamed MacBricc, a remarkable and holy prelate of the ancient Irish Church. He resided at Killare, or Killair, now a village, not far from the celebrated Hill of Uisneach, and supposed by Camden to have been the ancient Laberus, noted by Ptolemy.

    The place in which St. Enan or Henan dwelt is now known as Drumrath, or Drumraney. The Irish denomination of this locality means in English, the Ridge-Rath. It belonged to the Meath diocese, and it is situated in that part of Westmeath, formerly called Cuircne. According to Archdall’s statement, the place of this saint is identical with Drumraney, which lies about six miles north-eastwards from Athlone, in the Barony of Kilkenny West, County of Westmeath. Others locate it, in the adjoining barony, called Brawney. From Killare to Drumrath or Drumrany, the distance is not very considerable; and, from all we can learn, it is extremely probable, that a holy friendship and an intercourse had been kept up by St. Aid with his neighbour, St. Enan. Moreover, it seems not unlikely, that our saint had a small community under his charge, at the latter place. We are told, there is a holy well in this parish, near the churchyard, which is extensive. This well had been dedicated to St. Enan. When St. Aidus, Bishop of Killare, paid a visit to our saint, at Druimrath, he had nothing for the prelate’s refreshment but herbs and water. Seeing this condition of affairs, Aidus smiled, and said to the servant of Enan, “Go, brother, and bring us more palatable food.” Returning to a place indicated, the servant found it filled with all varieties of meat. On seeing and hearing these events, those who were present, at that time, cried out,”Wonderful is the Lord in His Saints.” Our national Hagiologist [i.e. Colgan] informs us, that the entertainer of St. Aidus was no other than the present St. Enan, also called Henan. It seems probable, that St. Aedh, surnamed Mac Bric, lived at Rahugh or Rathugh, a parish in the barony of Moycashel, and County of Westmeath, at that time; or he may have lived at Killare, in the barony of Rathconrath, in the same county. A famous monastery existed at Drumrath, when the ancient biographer of St. Aidus wrote, and it was built in honour of our saint; but, Archdall had no authority for assigning its erection, to the year 588. A monastery is said to have been founded here in honour of St. Enan, and sometime in the sixth century.

    In the Irish Annals, there is an account regarding the death of an Abbot of Druim-ratha; and, he flourished in the eighth century. But, as there was another Druim-ratha, in the district of Legny, in the province of Connaught, it cannot be asserted positively, that the individual noticed belonged to Drumrath, in Westmeath. We are told, that the festival of St. Enan used to be celebrated at Drumrany, on the Sunday after the 18th of September. Nevertheless, according to St. Oengus and Marianus O’Gorman, our saint’s festival was celebrated at Drumrath, on the 19th of August; although the same St. Oengus and the Tallagh Martyrology state, that his natal day was kept, on the 18th of September. There is no mention of our saint, however, at this latter day, in the copy of the Irish Calendar, formerly belonging to the Ordnance Survey Office, Phoenix Park, and now deposited in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy. However, the patron saint of Drumrany is said to have been St. Winoc, whose memory was celebrated there, on the 18th September. His day fell on that date, and his pattern was held on the Sunday following. His well is called Tober-Enain, and it lay in the townland of Drumrany, near the old church. It was “smothered up,” according to the phraseology of the country people, about the year 1817. The Oratory of Drumraithe was burned by the Ostmen, about the middle of the tenth century; while seven score and ten persons perished in it.This happened in the year 943; when, as the Annals of Clonmacnoise state, the Danes brought a great prey from Dromrahie. The churchyard solely remains, and now undistinguished by monastic ruins; however, the memory of St. Enan, even after such a lapse of time, is still reverenced by the faithful inhabitants of that vicinity.

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  • Saint Midnat of Killucan, August 4

    August 4 is the commemoration of an important Irish monastic founder, Saint Molua of Clonfert-Molua. Saint Molua shares his feastday with a rather less well-known saint, Midnat of Killucan. Canon O’Hanlon outlines some of the difficulties in identifying this saint and her (his?) locality below:

    St. Midnat or Miodhnat, said to be of Killucan, County of Westmeath.

    In Colgan’s opinion Midgnat is the name of a woman. At the 4th of August, the Martyrologies of Tallagh and of Marianus O’Gorman register a festival in honour of Midnat, Cille Lucinne or Kill-liuchaine. This must be Anglicized Killucan. There is notice of a disciple belonging to St. Patrick, and called Midgna, whom he placed in a hermitage called Disert Phadrig, while near it was a fountain and a church, at a place called Cros Phadruig, in the western part of Ireland. A St. Midgna is found, also, among the sons of Darerca, the sister to St. Patrick. Colgan seemed to doubt if this saint might not be identical with the present, or another similarly named, at the 18th of November. There is a townland bearing the name of Killucan, in the parish of Kildress, barony of Upper Dungannon, and County of Tyrone; as also one in a parish of the same name, barony of Farbill, and County of Westmeath. There are likewise two Killukin townlands, in two distinct parishes of the same name. Both lie in the barony of Roscommon; one Killukin within the barony of Boyle, and the other within that of Roscommon barony.

    The Martyrology of Donegal has the simple entry of Miodhnat, at this same date. The local historian of the Diocese of Meath states, that the present saint belonged to Killucan of Killucquin, in the barony of Farrbill, a few miles east of Mullingar, and in the County of Westmeath. Although probable enough, this identification does not appear to be absolutely certain. It seems likely, that a second festival of this saint had been observed, on the 18th of November.

     

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