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Saint Baoithín, January 9
On January 9 the calendars record the name of a Saint Baoithín (Baithin, Baeithin), but without any further specific information he must remain elusive. Canon O'Hanlon gives this short account in...
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Saint Tuilelaith of Kildare
On January 10 Canon O'Hanlon brings us an an account of a ninth-century abbess of Kildare. The name of Saint Tuillelaith is recorded in the Irish annals rather than in the calendars. Her memory was...
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Saint Ita: The Forgotten Princess
January 15 is the feast of Saint Ita of Killeedy. In 2006 County Waterford man, James Dunphy, published a book called St Ita: the Forgotten Princess. He brought together a collection of episodes from...
View ArticleAll the Saints of Ireland on Radio Maria
I am delighted to say that Radio Maria Ireland has invited me to contribute to 'All the Saints of Ireland' - a new programme at 7pm (Irish time) on the second and third Fridays of the month. It is a...
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Saints Báithéne, Ségéne & Crónán, The Three Clarenigh, January 29
I have always been intrigued by the adjective clárainech appended to the names of some of our Irish saints, most famously perhaps to Saint Mobhi of Glasnevin. The usual translation given is...
View ArticleAll the Saints of Ireland, February 10
As it's the second Friday of the month I will be speaking tonight, February 10, on All the Saints of Ireland on Radio Maria Ireland. The show will feature a pair of saintly siblings in Italy, Brigid...
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The Martyrdom of Saint Tanco
February 16 is the feast of Saint Tanco (Tanchon, Tatta) of Verden (Werda), an Irish missionary in early ninth-century Saxony who was martyred when some local pagans reacted violently to the...
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The Virtuous Customs of Saint Ciarán of Saighir
(67) And these were the virtuous customs of Ciaran all his life; he never wore woollen clothing, but skins of wolves and other brute beasts; and he avoided all dainty (lit. worldly or secular) meats,...
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'The Medicine for the Salvation of Souls': the Penitential of Cummean
The Penitential of Cummean (Paenitentiale Cummeani) is a seventh-century text attributed to Saint Cummean of Clonfert, who died in the year 662, according to the Annals of Ulster. One of my favourite...
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Fasting - a Weapon in the Spiritual Armoury?
Another insight appropriate to this Lenten season from the late Daphne Pochin Mould's 1956 work The Celtic Saints: Our Heritage. Here she is examining the way in which fasting was regarded by the...
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All the Saints of Ireland on Radio Maria, March 10
I will be taking part in another All the Saints of Ireland show on Radio Maria Ireland at 7pm on Friday, March 10. Saints featured will include Saint David of Wales and his links with Ireland plus...
View ArticleA Visit to the Aran-More of Saint Enda
Technological advances in the nineteenth century, particularly the invention of the railways, made mass travel and tourism a feature of the Victorian age. Coupled with the national revival and the...
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Féilire Adamnáin: The Saints of the Four Seasons
Below is a 1904 translation of the Féilire Adamnáin, an Irish prayer to the saints who preside over the different seasons, traditionally attributed to Saint Adamnán of Iona and Raphoe. Copies of the...
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From the Litany of Confession: the Effects of Our Sins
In 1925 the Oxford scholar and Anglican cleric, Rev. Charles Plummer (1851–1927), editor and translator of the 1910 two-volume Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae, added to his work on Irish medieval manuscripts...
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From the Litany of Confession: Waging War on Our Sins
Continuing the extracts from the Irish 'Litany of Confession', attributed in some manuscripts to Saint Ciaran, though most likely composed after the time of Clonmacnoise's founder. Yesterday we saw...
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From the Litany of Confession: Seeking God's Forgiveness for Our Sins
In this final extract from the Litany of Confession, attributed to Saint Ciaran of Clonmacnoise by Friar Michael O' Clery in the seventeenth century, having identified the effects our sins have upon us...
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Saint Fíonán Cam of Kinnity, April 7
April 7 is the feast of an interesting saint, Fíonán (Finan) Cam, of Kinnity, County Offaly but also associated with various locations in County Kerry. The Martyrology of Oengus records on this day:...
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Saint Tassach of Raholp, April 14
St Tassach's Church April 14 is the feast of Saint Tassach of Raholp, an early saint in the Lecale district of County Down. He features in the hagiography of Saint Patrick where he is credited with...
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All the Saints of Ireland on Radio Maria, April 14
I will be taking part in another All the Saints of Ireland show on Radio Maria Ireland at 7pm on Friday, April 14. Tonight I will share some of the Patrician flavour to the calendar for the month of...
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The Old Irish Litany of Our Lady
May is the month traditionally dedicated to Our Lady and below is the translation of an Old Irish Litany in her honour. It has been taken from a work in the public domain, which includes not only the...
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