Tag Archives: Irish Saints

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St. Comgall; founder of the Bangor monastery, Co. Down – 10th May

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Comgall was born between 510 and 520 A.D in Ireland’s Dal Riada district along the north-east of Co. Antrim. He was the son of Sedna, a soldier and Comgall followed his father’s footsteps for a while. He soon changed direction, embracing the Christian life, and trained as a monk with St. Fintan at Clonenagh in Co Laois. Comgall received training from other spiritual gurus as well. For example, he studied with St. Finian at Clonard, and with St.  Ciarán at Clonmacnois, who died in 549. He was also influenced by St, Brendan, and St. Finnian of Moville. Finally, Comgall was ordained a priest by an influential Bishop Lugidius of Clonmacnois. From there he went from strength to strength…

St. Comgall began living an austere life on an island in Lough Erne, with a band of brothers. In 552 he founded the famous monastery with his band on brothers at Bangor, Co Down. The monastic life was rigorous and demanding, fostering strong bonds of brotherhood.  Bangor became the largest monastic centre in Ireland a population of 3,000 or more. Comgall had many notable students and visitors. For example, he taught St. Lua and St. Columban. His close disciple, St. Columban, went on to become a senior lecturer at Bangor monastery, before setting out with his twelve disciples from Bangor on ‘’peregrinatio pro Christo’’. Comgall was also afforded visits from royalty. According to historian Alfred Webb, the King Cormac of Hy Kinsellagh, retired to the monastery at Bangor in his old age.

Comgall combined the austerity of St. Fintan with the academic focus of St. Finian. Comgall’s ascetic Rule for his monks; “Love Christ and hate wealth” was the essence of their practice. Comgall lived by this rule, eating just one meal a day. Another element to Comgall’s teaching was his council to have an ‘’anamchara’’ or spiritual director.

After about eight years from the establishment of the Bangor monastery, Comgall went to Scotland and visited the Pictish King Bruide of Inverness with Colmcille and Canice. Comgall founded a monastery on the island of Tiree in Scotland, which suffered attack by the Picts in 564.

With St. Comgall, you would have either a blessing or a curse. For example, when some thieves stole the monastery’s vegetables, and they became blind. But with one repentant thief, he healed his blindness. Comgall is also said to have spat into a beggar’s pocket, where a gold ring suddenly appeared. Then there was the case of the stingy farmer who snubbed the monks plea to have some grain, and this denied grain was later devoured by mice.

Towards the end of his life, after intense suffering Comgall received the Eucharist from St. Fiacra and expired in the monastery at Bangor. Comgall’s death occurred in 602 according to the “Annals of Tighernach” and “Chronicon Scotorum”. His relics remained in Bangor until 822, when they were scattered by Viking raiders. His memory is celebrated by the church on the 10th of May.

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St. Conleth the patron of Kildare – 4th May

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St. Conleth and St. Brigid are the patron saints of Kildare. The irish name “Cill Dara”, means the cell of the oak. Now Saint Conleth in his earlier religious days was a hermit living in Old Connell on the River Liffey near Newbridge, and he became a skilful artificer in gold and silver. He was a metalworker and made religious objects. Conleth made a crozier for example which belonged to St. Finnbharr of Termon Barry in Connaught.

Conleth visited St. Brigid and her nuns in nearby Kildare, and they worked together in the Lord, attracting many followers. Shortly after this visit, St. Brigid requested the appointment of a bishop and great deference was paid to her wishes. She had recommended St. Conleth, to be consecrated the first Bishop of Kildare about 490.

Now we have Saint Patrick who early disciple St. Laserian became the abbot – bishop of Leighlin, and we have St. Brigid who was baptised by St. Patrick, and because of her fame, she was able to influence the ordination to ecclesiastical authority, St. Conleth as Abbot – bishop of Kildare. Today the two diocese are merged as one, namely the Kildare and Leighlin diocese. Both places have strong monastic traditions, established or maintained by Irish Saints.

As a bishop, Conleth made a journey to Rome, and returned with vestments for his church at Kildare.  He later died tragically in the woods, being attacked by wolves, on 3 May, 519. Conleth is buried in Kildare Cathedral along with St. Brigid. His feast day is celebrated on the 4th May.

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St. Asicus, Bishop of the Bright Rock diocese, Elphin – April 27th

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St. Asicus, also called Ascicus as well as Tassach, is the patron saint of the Diocese of Elphin. He is also the patron saint of coppersmiths. Asicus was one of the earliest of St. Patrick’s disciples. St. Patrick came to Elphin in 435 where he founded the monastery on lands given by the noble druid Ona (or Ono) in County Roscommon. Later, on Patrick’s missionary tour of Connacht, circa. 450 AD, he appointed Asicus as the first bishop of a newly created Elphin diocese.

In the “Tripartite Life of St Patrick” (ed. Whitley Stokes) we read:

“Bishop St. Assicus was Patrick's coppersmith, and made altars and square bookcases. Besides, he made our saint's patens in honour of Bishop Patrick…”

St. Asicus is described in the Book of Armagh as a wright which signifies a maker or builder. Other than altars, patens, and metal book-covers, he also made chalices for the newly founded churches. St. Asicus is always portrayed as both a craftsman and a bishop. He preached the word of God through his craft.

He was later made Abbot of Ireland. St. Asicus was a humble man and often troubled by thoughts unworthy of his office. He left Roscommon and travelled to Rathlin O’Birne Island in Donegal Bay where he resigned his office and became a hermit, living for a while at the top of Sliabh Liag along the area called The Pilgrim’s Way. 

He remained there for seven years until he was found by the monks of Elphin who persuaded him to return to the diocese with them.  However, he was not in good health and died on the journey back to Elphin (circa. 490 AD).  He is buried where he died – near the village of Ballintra between Ballyshannon and Donegal Town.

Nb*

Elphin itself is an anglicisation of two Irish words “Aill Fion” meaning “Bright Rock”.

In 1111 AD the synod of Rath Breasail re-established the structures of the Irish Church to conform with the diocesan structure of the Church in Europe. Elphin was re-designated diocesan status lost after the viking and Danish invasions. The first Cathedral of Elphin was dedicated to Beatae Mariae Virgini (Blessed Mary the Virgin), hinting at a heritage of Marian devotion dating back from the time of St. Patrick.

The presence diocese’s cathedral, dedicated to the ”Immaculate Conception” is based in Sligo town. St. Asicus’ feast is celebrated 27th April, and is recorded in the “Martyrology of Tallaght” under that date.

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St. Laserian, The pyre of the Leighlin diocese (Kildare and Carlow) April 18th

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St. Laserian was said to have been of noble birth. St. Laserian was the son of Cairel de Blitha, a ”Ulidian” noble celt, and Gemma, daughter of a Scottish king. He was born around the year 566. He is commonly known as Molaise. The names Laisren or Molaise are to be found in ancient manuscripts and occur for instance in The Book of Leinster and in The Calendar of Oengus. The name Laisren comes from the Gaelic name for flame, usually “lasair”. The ”Molaise” form of the name derives from placing the personal Gaelic pronoun “Mo” ahead of the name Laisren and thus meaning “My Light” the light being from a pyre (flame).

Laserian was sent to Scotland to get his education from monks, beginning from a young age. He was educated by a monk called Munus. On his return home, he refused his right to the kingship of his clan, preferring a life of solitude as a hermit. He lived his youthful life as a hermit in the cell of a cave on Holy Island off the coast of the Isle of Arran in the west of Scotland. This island became known as Molaise’s island. He worked many miracles there; enabling water to flow when it was needed for milling for example. At a later stage in his life he restored a beheaded boy back to life. After his time in soliitude, he set out for Rome, where he studied for fourteen years and was ordained a priest by Gregory the Great. Reverend Laserian then journeyed back to Ireland to preach the faith.

As a priest he established a monastic community at Old Leighlin in present day Carlow in the late sixth century. His choice of location was said to have been inspired by Divine Guidance. He went first to Lorum Hill, south east of Muinebheag, in Carlow. From here he was directed by an angel to go to where he would see the sun first shining and set up his religious foundation there. The place thus chosen was Old Leighlin Hill.

Now Laserian crossed the River Barrow and came to Old Leighlin. But a holy abbot named Gobanus and his followers were already settled there. Gobanus and his community moved on and allowed Rev. Laserian to establish his monastery at Old Leighlin. The monastic community grew, and the establishment became famous, containing as many as 1500 monks.

St. Laserian was a very faithful priest and took the leading part in settling the Irish Easter calender controversy. In the Synod of Magh-lene he successfully defended the Roman Easter calendar computation, and was sent by the council as delegate to Rome. There, in 633, he was consecrated first Bishop of Leighlin by Honorius I. On his return from the eternal city, bishop Laserian pleaded the cause of the Roman Easter calendar so powerfully at another synod in Leighlin that the controversy was practically ended for the greater part of the country. Of course the Celtic Easter calendar would rear it’s head again over the following centuries. But St. Laserian was among the first pioneers to change this and bring the Roman Easter Calendar into regular usage in Ireland.

The original wooden church dedicated to the bishop of Leighlin was plundered several times both by the Danes and by the native Gaels. In later times, a cathedral stood in its place, but in the reign of Henry VIII it was seized by the Reformers, was made a Protestant church, and has continued as such ever since.

The Catholic Church in Ireland celebrates St. Laserian on the 18th April

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St. Kelly of Armagh, ‘’Naomh Ceallach’’, (St Celsus): the wrestling administrator – 1st April

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Kelly was born in 1080. His name in Irish is Ceallach Mac Aedha. He was heir, to a lay administration, known as ‘’coarb’’ of St. Patrick. This role was the family heirloom of Clann Sínaigh, who took control of the administration of the abbacy of Armagh, to keep the monastic settlement from the foreign Viking hands. This was after the historic period of great instability in the Gaelic kingdom. In that epoch, there were seismic ethnic incursions in Ireland, that we find narrated in the ‘’Book of Invasions’’. This book encapsulates a difficult situation for the Gaels, wrought by the Vikings, who as the book recounts, arrived in Ireland ‘’wave after wave after wave’’. The Norse Vikings took hold of Dublin and Waterford, and later the Danes arrived and despoiled the established Catholic sees in Ireland. The nation’s formerly established diocese became depleted of bishops and priests.

The Clann Sínaigh had took control of the Abbey of Armagh for security, and did financially well from this arrangement. Then in 1091, Kelly became the family lay administrator of Armagh. But he took the unusual step to priestly ordination and chose the celibate life, with a view to reigning in the reform, introduced by Pope Gregory VIII across Europe. To explain; lay administrative control of abbeys were a feature in Europe, after the fall of the roman empire. But Pope Gregory VII (1073-85) wished to replace the lay administration with the administrative role of a diocesan bishop.

Around that same era, in England, strong Norman archbishops like Lanfranc and St Anselm were appointed to the see of Canterbury. They had support from the growing Norse community in Dublin and Waterford. Anselm consecrated Samuel Ó h-Ainglí as bishop for Dublin and consecrated Malchus as the first bishop of Waterford.

After Pope Gregory, a momentum built up in Ireland regarding reform. The 1st Synod of Cashel (1101) was presided over by King Muircheartach Ó Briain in Ireland at the request of Lanfranc and Anselm. The reform momentum was led by bishop of Meath, Maol Muire Ó Dunáin, who was appointed papal legate to Ireland by Pope Paschal II (1099-1117). This 1st synod of Cashel enacted decrees against lay investiture, and against the idea of a lay administrator.

Then in 1106 bishop Maol Muire Ó Dunáin ordained Kelly as a bishop. He was present at the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111, which also promoted the reforms of synod of Cashel on a nationwide level. The momentum was gaining ground. Cashel and Armagh were to be the two recognised archdioceses in Ireland pending approval from Rome. The synod of Rathbreasail begin the re-establishment of the diocese structure in Ireland.

All of this momentum was the backdrop in whom Kelly found himself as administrating bishop of Armagh, and set him on a collision course of family rivalry upon the now defunct hereditary practices. Kelly had also to simultaneously wrestle the diocese of Dublin from the Norse influence, and their loyalty to Canterbury. It was around this time, that bishop Kelly appointed a young monk named Malachy, ‘’Maolmhaodhóg Ua Morgair’’ to act as his vicar in Armagh. When bishop Kelly returned to Armagh in 1122, he felt that Malachy would make a suitable bishop. Malachy was sent to Lismore, an influential monastic centre with Benedictine influences from England and the continent.

In a shrewd move, bishop Kelly later appointed Malachy as successor to Armagh. In this way, the hereditary succession of the coarbs of Armagh from his Clan was broken, with a successor outside the family hegemony. In 1129 Kelly died at Ardpatrick and was buried in Lismore. Malachy was left with the difficulties of wrestling control as bishop from Kelly’s next of kin, Muircheartach. He only took control of Armagh after Muircheartach’s died in 1134, thanks to the support from Cinél Eoghain. This support secured the see of Armagh, from the next of kin, Niall of the Clann Sínaigh, the would-be successor to Muircheartach. With the see of Armagh now assured, Bishop Malachy appointed as his own successor, Gilla Mac Líag, abbot of Derry. And the rest is history…

St. Kelly of Armagh is celebrated on the 1st of April in the church calendar.

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St. Macartan of Clogher: The Staff of St. Patrick – 24th March

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Aidus Macartan grew up in the South Mid Ulster region, of pagan parents. He was the son of Caerthen, and Saint Bridget was his niece.

Aidus Macartan (Aedh MacCairthinn) converted to Christianity after having travelled south to Leitrim to hear St. Patrick preach. Soon afterwards, Ireland’s patron saint baptised Aidus. This happened at Drumlease, near Dromahair and Macartan was to become St. Patrick’s ‘’Tréanfhear’’ which is Irish for strong man”. When the patron saint grew old, Macartan became known as the “staff of Patrick”. He supported St. Patrick’s faltering steps as they traversed on mission over the Irish topography with its hillocks, mountains, marshlands, rivers and streams.

When St. Patrick was crossing a stream at the druidic stronghold of Clogher, Macartan, acting as his staff was showing signs of old age himself. The Irish patron saint perceived Macartan’s weariness of travel. After a short discussion, the Primate of Ireland agreed to Macartan’s wish to found a church not to far from the see of Armagh diocese. A close proximity would be ideal, as both men could then remain in communication as friends and as prelates.

St. Macartan was appointed the first Bishop of the diocese of Clogher, and St. Patrick left his apostle a reliquary containing a fragment of the True Cross, known as the ”Domhnach Airgid”. He also gave Macartan his ‘’Bachal-Íosa” which means the staff of Jesus. A monastery was then founded near an ancient fort in Rathmore.

At that time, Eochad reigned as King of Clogher, and he had in his possession an idol stone called the Gold Stone or ‘’Cloch Ór’’, in which his principal seat of power is named. This stone was a ceremonial stone originally used by the druids. Macartan’s appointment as bishop did not go down well with King Eochad. The jealous King desired to expel St. Macartan and give his monastery to his kinsman Tigernach of Clones. Eochad created problems for Macartan, seizing an ox that was essential as a type of cargo haulier for the monastery monks. The cruel Eochad tied the ox to a a large and heavy stone. Soon enough the ox became hungry and could be heard lowing for food. A prophet advisor to the king warned Eochad that all his land within hearing distance of the ox’s lowing would soon become the monastic property of St. Macartan. So, Eochad tried to circumvent this prophecy by sending his son Cairpre to force Macartan from the King’s territory. Cairpre failed to execute his mission, so the king went in person, drawing his sword to force the issue. But Eochad’s arm became paralysed in the act of raising his sword against the venerable servant of God. The queen made herself present to prevent Eochad harming St. Macartan, pleading with the bishop to show clemency on her husband. Her pleas were granted as St. Macartan sprinkled her husband with Holy Water. This act restored the king to full mobility health. In exchange and thanksgiving, king Eochad submitted himself in obedience to St. Macartan, endowing the monastery with a large tract of regal land. Thus the prophetic warning was fulfilled regarding lowing ox heard across the lands. When Saint Macartan died, he was succeeded as bishop by Tigernach of Clones. The Good God works marvels…

Another anecdote we have of Macartan is that one day, there appeared in an unnatural bright light, a woman troubled by a demon. The bishop was able to offer help to the afflicted woman with his apostolic office. The bishop restored this bedevilled woman to full health, in mind, body and spirit. All her familiar family and friends who witnessed her tremendous recovery the following day, were astonished.

Another anecdote we have is that St. Macartan was an avid reader of scriptures. One evening in his cell, as the light declined, God granted him a powerful light like a star, equal to the strength of the sunshine. This light penetrated into the cell, and Macartan was able to continue with his studies and prayer until the dawn.

Our final Anecdote is, of a time when Macartan had meagre food for certain wayfarers. This incident was a great embarrassment having little food to entertain guests. The saint prayed for divine help, and in the night the corn rained down like manna from Heaven on his monastery. Additionally, a clear fountain suddenly sprang up where there was none before. This became a baker’s dream as the  bread produced from such grain from heaven tasted as sweet as honey and the water was flavoured like wine.

We conclude our research on St Macartan, who spent his remaining years as bishop and abbot giving sermons on the gospel in the regions of Tyrone and Fermanagh. He passed away in the year 506 from natural causes and is believed to buried at Clogher, in Co Tyrone. His memory is celebrated on 24th. March.



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St. Enda: The real man of Aran – 21st March

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”Teaghlach Éinne” is the name of an old monastic ruin on the Aran islands, off the coast of Galway. The name means “the household of Enda. Now St. Enda of Aran is believed to be buried here, either under the altar or close by in the chapel interior.

St. Enda (or Éanna, Éinne or Endeus), was the succeeding warrior king of Oriel in Ulster, in the 5th and 6th centuries AD. His father was King Conall Dearg of Oriel which is in south and mid-Ulster today. The reigning king Enda successfully defended the territoty of Oriel against raids from neighbouring clans. On his return from once such successful battle, he passed by the monastic community of his sister Fanchea. There, Enda was attracted to one of consecrated young virgins. But the abbess Fanchea persuaded Enda to renounce his worldly ways and pursue the religious life. Enda thus decided to embrace the monastic life. He became a student at St Ailbe’s monastery at Emly. He later studied at Ninian’s Candida Casa in Scotland. He also would have travelled to Rome for a time.

Foundation on Inis Mór, Aran Islands

On his return to Ireland, Enda settled on the lonely Aran islands to build and develop his monastic life. He founded a monastery of ”Teaghlach Éinne” at Killeany (Cill Éanna) on Inishmore, which is the bigger of the three Aran islands on the west coast of Ireland. Edna received the lands on Inis Mór (Inishmore), from his relative, King Áengus of Munster. Edna also established other monastic sites on the island, creating a spiritual centre of learning that attracted many pilgrims and scholars from further afield. Some noteable students that came to the island were Colman of Kilmacduagh, Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, Jarlath of Tuam, and Carthage, who later built monasteries at Lismore. Enda’s reputation grew widespread and even Brendan the Navigator got his blessing before he set sail to the new world (mentioned in the Navigatio Sancti Brendani).

The ruin at Teaghlach Éinne, is believed to have been originally built around the 8th or 9th century. It is a simple stone structure with a round-headed doorway. The chapel has altars and several stone slabs with carved Gaelic inscriptions. The cemetery contains the graves of some of St. Enda’s disciples.

Teaghlach Éinne is amongst the oldest and intact examples of early Irish monastic architecture. The monastic chapel reflects the influence of Romanesque and Celtic styles. This monastic site represents the legacy of St. Enda and his monks. These monks contributed to the preservation and dissemination of knowledge, culture and faith in Ireland and beyond during the Dark Ages. Because of his many disciples, Enda along with Finnian of Clonard are regarded as the patriarchs of Irish monasticism.

The church celebrates his memory on the 21st March

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St. Patrick: Patron of the Gaels – 17th March

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St. Patrick is Ireland’s famed saint.

St. Patrick was born in 385 A.D. and grew up among the Britons, in a region called British Armorica. His father, was Calphurnius, a deacon. His mother was Conchessa, a close relative of Saint Martin of Tours.

Now Patrick’s Story is this. He was captured by the Irish King Nial who often would capture noble offspring from the Roman empire, as a ransom for Irish national security. This system was one of the principle reasons the Roman empire did not encroach on Irish soil, even though they had planned to. King Nial had taken many hostages on the day he kidnapped Patrick from the British Amorica coastline. Patrick two sisters Lupita and Derereca, were also kidnapped. In St. Patrick’s confessions he mentioned the sailing distance between Ireland and his homeland, saying ‘’We forthwith sailed, and, in a three days’ run, we took the land’’. That’s a considerable distance…

Now for his first time he finds himself among the Irish. The boy Patrick found himself sold as a slave to Milcho, and he was to Shepard sheep in the Slemish mountains of Antrim in the northeast of Ireland. It was there he gave himself to a life of prayer, being so far from home at sixteen years of age. He turned to God, praying 100 times a day, and a 100 times a night. It was during his spell as a slave, where he learned to speak ‘’as Gaeilge’’, as Milcho’s son, and two daughters would speak and befriend this curious looking foreigner. It was from them, Patrick learned the Irish customs, traditions and culture. His six years as a slave in Ireland prepared him somewhat for a future mission which God had in mind.

One night in a dream, he heard an angel called Victor, speak to him. The angel Victor gave Patrick advice, on how to free himself from slavery, and about a ship waiting for him a good distance away. Milcho would not let Patrick free without a ransom. So the angel Victor told Patrick to follow a certain boar who would uproot a lump of gold, large enough for the ransom. Patrick got the gold to give to his master, and was allowed to go. But Milcho soon regretted his decision, and in vain went searching for his former faithful slave boy. Patrick would find a waiting ship, that would set sail out of Ireland upon waiting a favourable wind. With some time and adventures, Patrick made it back to his homeland amongst the Britons whom lived there.

The second trip to Ireland would come much later, but in a dream Patrick could here the cry of the Irish to return and walk with them again. Patrick would have underwent formation for priesthood, in preparation for his future Irish mission. He spent four years in Tours, where St. Martin received him like a son. The future patron saint of Ireland was tonsured at Tours by St. Martin. Reverend Patrick was to spend a further eight years with hermits at Lerins under St. Germanus of Auxerre. It was St. Germanus who sent Rev. Patrick to Rome. The angel Victor had also told Patrick to prepare his mission to Ireland. When he arrived in Rome, Rev. Patrick was honourably received by Pope Celestian, who despatched him to Ireland, with a mission team and relics of the saints. In Rome, the patron saint elect met St. Ciarán and St. Declan who went to Ireland on minor apostolic missions before him. Patrick on his return trip to Ireland as Bishop, headed to the Gaels with his team, via the English Channel and with his bishop’s staff, call the staff of Jesus. The Most Rev. Patrick was coming to Ireland with apostolic authority. The Bishop of Ireland and his prelates would sail by Wales, along the Irish Sea. As they sailed along the Welsh coast, he received the prophecy of St. David.

Now Patrick already knowing the customs of Ireland from his time as a slave, and he knew how to speak Irish well, so he had a great advantage. He arrived in Ireland with his apostolic mission team. Patrick knew where to go, and lit the paschal fire on the hill of Slane. This fire was seen at the royal Tara hill, and the Irish King Leary was angry and called his pagan advisors (the ‘’Draoi’’), what it meant? For the pagans, Patrick’s lit fire was a bad omen, as the paschal fire would overthrow their kingdom as a new kingdom of Christianity was to be ushered in.

Now the rest became history, and a good account of this history can be found accessible to us thanks to Fr. Patrick Peyton, an Irish priest who found the Family Theatre Production company in the United States in the 1950s. Peyton’s devotion to St. Patrick lead to the short film production called Trial at Tara which we can view here. Its about 20+ minutes long, and the acting is of good quality.

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St. Aengus of the Irish Céile Dé movement – 11th March

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St. Aengus lived around the 8th and 9th century. He heralds from Clonenagh, Co. Laois. He went to monastic school close to present day Mountrath, under the direction of St. Fintan.

He lived as a hermit, at Dysert-beagh by the banks of the river Nore. The word ‘’Dysert’’ comes from the original Irish ‘’An Díseart’’, meaning hermitage. At his small hermitage, he grew close to God, through an austere life & solitude. He became a spouse of God, hence he took on the Irish title, ‘’Céile Dé’’. In his prayer life, he experienced the presence of Holy angels. He moved and built a hermitage a little further away from his original one in Clonenagh, and settled in a more isolated placed near Maryborough called Dysert-Enos, which takes its earlier Irish form for Hermitage of Aengus.

He loved the solitude, and the austere life, feeling the benefits of being a spouse of God. But he also gained a big following. This raised a great challenge to his life of solitude, as he was constantly interrupted by a stream of visitors. He therefore abandoned his new hermitage and went to live discreetly as a lay brother in a monastery in Tallaght, south Dublin. St. Maelruain was the abbot, and he was unaware that Aengus was in his midst, as Aengus did not reveal his true identity.

But Aengus was found out with time, as his qualities were so good, that it became evident that the stranger was someone of note.  This came about one day, when Aengus went to assist of a young monk student during a particularly challenging lesson. Upon the discovery of the very gifted ‘’lay brother’’, Maelruain collaborated with him to produce the “Martyrology of Tallaght”, which gives an account of the Irish saints. This work was done around the year 790 and is the eldest of the Irish martyrologies. St. Aengus went on to produce his notable ‘’Feliré’’, which poetically celebrates the saints of Ireland, and was inserted into the ‘’Leabhar Breac’’.  The ‘’Feliré’” is one of the primary sources of information on the early Irish saints.

Aengus and Maelruain are considered the founders of the Céilí Dé movement, which was a reform movement seeking a purer and more austere monastic life. After St. Maelruain passed away, Aengus returned to Clonenagh and remained at Dysert-beagh where he passed away on Friday, 11 March, 824.

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St. Senan – the wise apostle of Ireland – 8th March

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St. Senan, was a very notable Irish saints of his time. Senan is counted among “the twelve apostles of Ireland” whom were schooled under Saint Finnian of Clonard. Senan was born of Christian parents Ercan & Congella in the fifth century close to Kilrush in today’s Co. Clare. His name “Senan” is old Gaelic for “a little wise elder”. The Irish word ‘’sean’’ pronounced ”shan”, usually denotes old or elder, before a noun; the s & e together creates an ‘’sh’’ sound phonetically. The anglicized name does not have the sh sound.

Senan’s birth was prophesised by St. Patrick to both Ercan & Congella. His mother Congella gave birth to him while sauntering through the woods. As she walked, her body went into labour. She quickly grasped a tree branch, which suddenly blossomed. It was a sign that Congella was to give birth to this holy man, ‘’Senán Mac gEircinn’’.

At a young age, Senan looked after his father’s herds. When he grew older, he became a monk at a monastery in Kilrush. His spiritual guide was Cassidan until he was advanced enough to enter the monastery of Kilmanagh, Co. Kilkenny to conclude his formation under St. Natalis. Along his training process St. Senan had opportunities to visit other Irish monasteries, like that of St. Kevin of Glendalough for example. When formation concluded, Senan was ordained a priest. He dived straight into active mission. Senan established his premier monastery at Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford around 510 A.D. There is a also townland called Templeshannon in Wexford that is named after Senan (“Senan’s Temple”).

He was a typical ‘’Peregrinatio Pro Christo’’, always on the pilgrim path for love of Christ. It is believed that St. Senan travelled to Rome and parts of present day France. He had stopped of at the great monastery of St. Martin of Tours, cousin of St. Patrick. On his return trip to Ireland, Senan paid a visit to St. David in Wales, at Meniva. He returned to Ireland in 520 A.D. to continue active apostolic mission.

He made a foundation at Inishcarra, near Cork where he was joined by some Italian monks. Eventually after 535 A.D. on the advice of an angle, Senan settled on Scattery Island, south of Kilrush quay, near the Shannon River estuary. Here he founded his most renowned monastery, containing five churches. At this place, St. Senan drove away a giant sea monster from the island. The sea monster had long terrorized local inhabitants, making the island impassable. St. Senan first decisive action was to place all his hope in God, before the saint courageously approached the monster, making the sign of the cross while commanding it to depart in the name of Jesus, for all time.

With his miracles on tap, and his ascetic life style, he attracted a big following. They include St. Brendan the navigator. With so many disciple monks coming to Scattery, it gave ample opportunity to establishing other monasteries starting from small communities of twelve monks. Scattery Island in this way became the mother ship of Senan’s monasteries. 

After his repose, Senan was buried on the Island at his principal monastery. He became venerated throughout Ireland down the ages. Today you can visit what is believed to be St. Sennan’s grave, known as “St. Senan’s bed” placed within a confined chapel space on the island of Scattery.

We celebrate St. Senan on the 8th of March

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