- Saint Manchan
St. Manchan (died 664) is an Irish
saint .St. Manchan lived in
Leamonaghan , approximately two kilometers fromPollagh . He founded amonastery in 645 AD after being provided land by St. Ciarán ofClonmacnoise . Only ruins and a surrounding graveyard remain.Founding of the Monastery
In 644, Diarmuid, high king of Ireland, stopped at Clonmacnoise while on his way to battle Guaire, the king of
Connacht . There he asked for the monk's prayer and when he emerged from battle victorious Diarmuid granted St. Ciarán the land of "the island in the bog," now known as Leamonaghan. The only condition was that St. Ciarán was to send one of his monks to Christianize the land, that being St. Manchan. St. Manchan went forward in converting the people and established a monastery.About 500 meters from the monastery is a small stone house built by Monchan for his mother Mella. The structure is known locally as Kell and the ruins of the house can still be visited today. Legend says that one day the saint was thirsty and the monastery was absent of water. Upon striking a rock a spring well bubbled up, and the area is now known as St. Manahan's well. It's been visited by people from all over the world, commonly on the 24th of January every year. It is said that many people have been cured of diseases after visiting the well. The saint is also credited with writing a poem in Gaelic, that describes the desire of Ireland's martyrs. He died from the
yellow plague in 1664. He was known for his generous nature, wisdom and his knowledge of sacred scripture. [http://www.mail-archive.com/irishcatholicchurch@yahoogroups.com/msg00313.html Irish Catholic Church. Retrieved Apr. 30, 2008.]t. Manchan's Shrine
Perhaps St. Manchan is best known for his shrine, now preserved in the Catholic church at Boher,
County Offaly , and on loan at the National Museum,Dublin . The shrine was created in 1130 at Clonmacnoise and still contains some of the saint's remains. It is considered a masterpiece of Romanesquemetalwork . [Harbirson, Potterton, Sheehy. Irish Art and Architecture: From Prehistory to the Present. Thames and Hudson Ltd, London, 1978. Pg.55, Retrieved Apr. 30, 2008.]References
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