Ó Riain, Pádraig

Abbán (d. 520?), saint in the Irish tradition, although primarily associated with the churches of Mag Arnaide (‘Moyarney’/Adamstown, near New Ross, Co. Wexford) and Cell Abbáin (Killabban, Co. Laois), is also linked to other parts of the country, most notably Ballyvourney, Muskerry, Co…

Ailbe (d. 527?), patron of the church of Imlech Ibair (Emly, on the Limerick/Tipperary border), Munster's most important church till it was superseded by Cashel in the early twelfth century, was Munster's premier saint, whence the saying Mumu uili . . . iar cúl Ailbe, ‘…

Colmán (d. 604?) son of Léiníne, saint and poet, is patron of the church of Cloyne, east Co. Cork, which first attained more than local importance at the synod of Kells–Mellifont (1152), when it became the seat of a bishopric. Prior to this it is scarcely noticed in the annals,…

Findbarr (Finbarr) of Cork. There is scarcely a saint to rival Finbarr of Cork for the number of manuscript copies made of his Life, some thirty in total, not counting twenty-one copies of the same manuscript version made in the 1890s by Patrick Stanton of Cork. Ever since the…

Gobna(i)t , saint, although best known for her connection with the church of Ballyvourney (Bairnech/ Búirnech), west Co. Cork, was patron of many other churches. These included Kilgobnet (Cill Ghobnait/ Ghobnatan) in the parishes of Clondrohid, Kilshannig, and Magourney in Co. Cork…

Mac Cana, Proinsias (1926–2004), Celtic scholar, was born 6 July 1926 in Belfast, son of George McCann and his wife Mary Catherine (née Mallon). He grew up in a catholic district in east Belfast, where inter-community tensions were keenly felt. He attended St Malachy's College during…

Mainchín (Munchin) of Limerick, saint, whose pedigree assigns him to a leading branch of the Dál Cais, bears a name under which a large number of supposedly distinct saints named Mainchín/Manchán are recorded. One of these, Manchán (qv), otherwise Manchianus (…

Mochóemóc (Pulcherius) , monastic founder and saint in the Irish tradition, of Liath Mochóemóc (‘Leamakevogue’ – now Leigh (Leighmore), Co. Tipperary). No dates can be assigned to Mochóemóc's life, but his father, Beoán, is said to have belonged to the Conmaicne of Connacht, and his…

Molag(g)a (Lóichín) , saint, of Áth Cros Molaga (Aghacross, near Mitchelstown, north Co. Cork), and Tech Molaga (Timoleague, west Co. Cork), among other churches, is the best documented of the several saints named Molag(g)a. He is attached to the Fir Maige Féine of the area…

Nessán of Mungret, saint in the Irish tradition, appears in sources as living at the time of St Patrick (qv), but no dates can be assigned to his life. The New Testament meaning of deacon – the title usually assigned…

Óengus (fl. c.830) of Tallaght, son of Óengoba, but more commonly known as grandson of Oíblén, was attached to the Dál nAraide of north Co. Down and south Co. Antrim (CGSH §118). A late, perhaps twefth-century, poem states that he was both reared and buried at…

Ua Gormáin, Máel Muire (fl. c.1170), abbot and martyrologist, appears to have belonged to the same distinguished ecclesiastical family as Flann Ua Gormáin (qv), who on his return to Ireland from his studies abroad became…