Ciarán of Saigir

Saint Ciarán of Saighir
Bishop and Confessor of Ossory
Born	c.501 Cape Clear Island
Died	c.530
Honored in	Roman Catholic Church and certain Protestant churches. Having been canonized prior to the Great Schism, he qualifies as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, as well
Feast	5 March
Patronage	The diocese of Ossory

Saint Ciarán mac Luaigne or Ciarán of Saigir (later anglicised to Kieran, Kyaranus in Latin) was an early Irish bishop and patron saint of Ossory, who was supposed to have flourished in the second half of the 5th century. He is also referred to as Ciarán the Elder (sen) in order to distinguish him from Ciarán of Clonmacnoise. He has been erroneously identified with the Saint Piran who is venerated in Cornwall, Wales and Brittany.^[1]

Bishop Ciarán of Saigir is often referred to as the "first saint born in Ireland."^[2] He was regarded as one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland.^[3]

The saint is sometimes referred to as one of four bishops to have preceded Saint Patrick in Ireland. This is unlikely, though he may have been his contemporary. He was the founder of Saigir (Seir-Kieran) in what is now County Offaly and is the patron of the Diocese of Ossory. His date of death is not certain but is believed to have been in 530 and from natural causes. His feast day is 5 March.

Sources

Various medieval traditions about the saint are recorded in a number of hagiographic works: two Lives in Latin, both of uncertain date, and two Lives in Irish. The shortest Latin Life is preserved in the Codex Salmanticensis, while the longer one is found in the Codex Kilkenniensis. The latter was rendered into Irish and a second Irish Life was produced after the Protestant Reformation. The latter, though the latest of the four, is thought to draw on the oldest traditions when it deals sympathetically with the Osraige.^[1]

Family background and early career

The martyrologies, notably the Félire Óengusso, and medieval Irish genealogies identify Ciarán's father as Lugna (also Laighne), a nobleman of the Osraige, and his mother as Liadán, of the Corcu Loígde.^[1]

Cape Clear Island south west of County Cork is regarded as his birthplace and it is said that a church was built by him on the Island.

Ciarán's biography is full of obscurities. It is commonly said, however, that he left Ireland before the arrival of St. Patrick. Already a Christian, and of royal Osraige blood, he had determined to study for the Church; hence, he secured an education at Tours and Rome.

Foundation of Saigir

On his return from France, he built himself a little cell in the woods of Upper Ossory. He settled as a hermit at Saigir near to the Slieve Bloom Mountains but soon disciples were attracted to him and a large monastery grew up round his cell, which became the chosen burial place for the Kings of Ossory. His mother Liadain is said to have gone to Saigir with a group of women who devoted their lives to the service of God and the members of her son's community.

A tradition shared by all four Lives describes Ciarán as a wild man wearing skins, whose first pupils are animals in the forest.^[1]

Pre-Patrician

Like the saints Ailbe of Emly, Declán of Ardmore and Abbán, Ciarán is credited with a pre-Patrician career in Munster, though the Lives hardly refer to these putative contemporaries. He is said to have met Patrick in Italy and made allegiance to him.^[1]

When St. Patrick arrived in Ireland, Ciarán gave him his glad assistance. Some writers say that Ciarán was then already a bishop, having been ordained while on the continent. It seems more likely, however, that he was one of the twelve men that Patrick, on his arrival, consecrated as helpers. He became the first bishop of Ossory.

Miracles

Legends attribute remarkable miracles to Ciarán.^[4][5] The Justice went to Athlone, with the intention of sending his brothers to Limerick, Waterford, and Wexford, that he himself might reside in Dublin and Athlone (alternately); but it happened, through the miracles of God, St. Peter, and St. Ciarán, that some of the stones of the castle of Athlone fell upon his head, and killed on the spot Richard Tuite, with his priest and some of his people, along with him.^[6] As to Cathal Carragh, King of Connaught, he assembled his forces, and marched against this army, and arrived at Guirtin Cuil Luachra, in the vicinity of the monastery. They remained confronting each other for a week, during which daily skirmishes took place between them. At the end of this time Cathal Carragh went forth to view a contest; but a body of his people being violently driven towards him, he became involved in the crowd, and was killed. This happened through the miracles of God and St. Ciarán. It is claimed that he restored to life several of those who had died, and there are charming tales of his relations with the animal kingdom.

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Johnston, "Munster, saints of (act. c.450–c.700)."
2. ^ St. Kieran - Catholic Online
3. ^ Gratton-Flood, W. H. (March 1, 1907), "The Twelve Apostles of Erin", The Catholic Encyclopedia (New York: Robert Appleton Company) I, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01632a.htm, retrieved 2008-02-09 
4. ^ [1].
5. ^ Annals of the Four Masters AD 1210
6. ^ Annals of the Four Masters AD 1201

References

Primary sources

• Irish Life of Ciarán of Saigir, ed. and tr. Standish Hayes O'Grady, "Life of S. Kieran of Saighir." In Silva Gadelica. 1892. Translation transcribed to html by Mary Jones.

Secondary sources

• Template:Citation last = Gratton-Flood.
• Graves, Rev. James (1857), The History, Architecture, and Antiquities of the Cathedral Church of St. Canice, Kilkenny, Grafton Street, Dublin.: Hodges, Smith, & co., pp. 22, http://books.google.com/books?id=Z_IDAAAAYAAJ .
• Johnston, Elva. "Munster, saints of (act. c.450–c.700)." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press, Sept 2004, online edition May 200. Accessed: 14 Dec 2008.
• Smith, William (1857), Wace, Henry, ed., A Dictionary of Christian Biography, Literature, Sects and Doctrines A to D Part Two, Grafton Street, Dublin.: Kessinger Publishing, pp. 464, ISBN 1417948027, http://books.google.ie/books?id=VcElcWrC-Y8C .

External links

• St. Kieran

Persondata
Name	Ciarán Saighir
Alternative names	Kieran Saighir, Kevin the Elder, Saint Kieran
Short description	An early Irish Bishop
Date of birth
Place of birth	Cape Clear Island
Date of death
Place of death