We have taken material taken from the eighteenth-century writer Mervyn Archdall’s classic text Monasticon Hibernicum which has been updated edition by the Catholic Bishop of Ossory, the Rt. Rev. P.F. Moran c/o the website: Omnium Sanctorum Hiberniae.
The genealogy of St. Fachtna according to the ”Sanctilogium Genealogicum” is given thus… Fachtna, the son of Maonaigh, the son of Cairill, the son of Fiachna, descendents from Lughad, son of Ith,”. In the Irish documents, Fachtna receives the title of Mac Mongach, i.e., “the hairy child,” for at birth his head was covered with hair.
St. Fachtna or Lachtna (Fachnan in English), lived in the sixth century. He received lessons from St. Ita and he became a disciple of St. Finbarr at the school of Loch-Eirche. He became an abbot of the Molana monastery, outside Youghal. As bishop, Fachtna founded his monastery at Ross, believed to be established in the late 500s. In Latin documents Fachtna receives the epithet “Fachtna facundus” (St. Fachtna the eloquent). His school became famous attracting a large body of students and religious. St. Brendan, paid a visit to Ross and gave some lessons to the students. So so many people came to the monastery, it became known as Ross-ailithir (Ross of the pilgrims).
St. Fachtna, lost his sight due to an accident as he was advancing in years. The Life of St. Mochaemog narrates the advice of St. Ita, to St. Fachtna. She told him to go to the parents of Mochaemog, through whose merits his sight will be returned. He received his sight again thanks to St. Mochoemog, who was still in his mother’s womb, and then Fachtna prophesised on the future unborn saint to be.
St. Fachtna habitually retired for silent recollection and private prayer to a secluded place, not far from his monastery. One day, he forgot his scroll of prayers at this secluded place. The rains came throughout the night. Thanks to divine intervention, the angels made a small chapel over the scroll, so the prayers remained dry and intact. This ancient oratory has its remnant traced on the spot today.
After St. Fachnan twenty-seven successive bishops from his people ruled the See of Ross, as narrated in the Book of Lecan :
” Seven and twenty bishops nobly
Occupied Ross of the truly fertile lands
From Fachtna the melodious, the renowned,
To the well-ordered Episcopate of Dongalach.”
The death of St. Fachtna is considered around 590. His memory is celebrated on the 13th of August.
by 