Saint Ronan of Dromiskin, November 18
November 18 is the feast of a seventh-century County Louth abbot, Ronan of Dromiskin, a victim of the dreaded Buidhe Chonaill plague of the 660s. When I first began to look into the details of the...
View ArticleSaint Noémlug, November 19
On November 19 the Martyrology of Gorman records the name of Saint Noémlug, with a prayer for his protection:19. A.N[o]emlug dena nemdaib fri demnaib in domain.Noemlug of the heavens (be) against the...
View ArticleSaint Froechán of Bó-chluain, November 20
On November 20 there is an entry in the Martyrology of Oengus on the commemoration of what appears at first sight to be two Irish saints - Escon and Froechán:20. Beseech Escon with Froechanin front of...
View ArticleSaint Columbanus of Bobbio, November 21
The Martyrology of Donegal for November 21 contains the entry 'COLUMBAN, Abbot, who was in Italy'. This terse phrase does not allude to the richness and complexity of the career one of Ireland's...
View ArticleSaint Roinne, November 23
We have a completely obscure saint commemorated on the Irish calendars at November 23, Roinne. The Martyrology of Donegal simply records the name 'Roinni' as its sole entry for this day. The...
View ArticleSaint Colman of Cloyne, November 24
November 24 is the commemoration of a poet-saint, Colman of Cloyne. Below is a short account of his life taken from the Moran revision of Archdall's famous text on the monasteries of Ireland, the...
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Star of the world, Catherine, helper of the Greeks
November 25 is the feastday of a saint much-loved in the East - Catherine of Alexandria. In common with other eastern martyrs, like Saints George and Margaret of Antioch, her cult flourished in the...
View ArticleSaint Banbán of Leighlin, November 26
A saintly bishop, Banbán of Leighlin, is commemorated on the Irish calendars on November 26. The earliest, that of the Martyrology of Oengus, records him as:'Banbán a sparkling mass of gold' and the...
View ArticleSaint Sechnall of Dunshaughlin, November 27
November 27 is the feastday of a fifth-century saint – Sechnall, a bishop associated with Saint Patrick and credited with the authorship of two important hymns found in both the Irish Liber Hymnorum...
View ArticleSaints Laidhgenn, Cainneach and Accobran, November 28
November 28 is the feastday of a trio of brothers, Laidhgenn, Cainneach and Accobran, the sons of Bochra. The Martyrology of Oengus and its accompanying gloss record:28. A chief trio that is not...
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Saint Brendan of Birr, November 29
November 29 is the feastday of Saint Brendan of Birr, a sixth-century saint sometimes known as Brendan the Elder to distinguish him from his younger, nautical namesake, Brendan the Navigator. The early...
View ArticleSaint Toman, November 30
We close the month of November with the commemoration on the Irish calendars of a saint named Toman. The Martyrology of Donegal lists 'Toman, priest' at November 30 but somewhat confusingly, the...
View ArticleSaint Mac Cainne, December 1
We begin the month of December with the commemoration of a saintly bishop, Mac Cainne (Mac Coinne) who is also associated with a locality in the calendars. The Martyrology of Donegal records:1. F....
View ArticleSaint Máelodran, December 2
On December 2 the Irish calendars commemorate Saint Máelodran, whom they associate with a locality in County Westmeath. His name first appears in the Martyrology of Oengus:G. iv. nonas...
View ArticleSaint Mac-óige of Lismore, December 3
December 3 sees the commemoration of a saint associated with the monastery of Lismore, County Waterford. This important monastic school was founded by Saint Carthach (also known as Mochuda) and...
View ArticleSaint Berchán of Clúain Sosta, December 4
On 4 December the Martyrology of Oengus first commemorates two martyrs of the universal church and then records:one of our noble elders was themodest Fer da lethe (' man of two parts ').The scholiast...
View ArticleSaint Colmán ua hEirc, December 5
We can add to the long list of Irish saints with the name Colmán with the commemoration on the Irish calendars of Saint Colmán ua hEirc at December 5. This one is associated with the great Saint Erc as...
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Saint Berehert of Tullylease, December 6
The Berechtuine StoneDecember 6 is the feast of another saint whose identity and day of commemoration raise the same sort of difficulties as that of Saint Gobban - Saint Berehert founder of a monastery...
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Feast of the Birth of Saint Colum Cille, December 7
December 7 marks the feast of the birth of Saint Colum Cille (Columba), an event still remembered in the oral tradition and locality of Gartan, County Donegal. Another account of this feast can be read...
View ArticleSaint Ecbrit the Saxon, December 8
There is a rather intriguing saint who occupies the entire entry of the Martyrology of Oengus for December 8:8. The triumph of humble Egbert,who came over the great sea:unto Christ he sang a prayerin...
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