March 8 is the commemoration on the Irish calendars of Saint Seanan of Inis Cathaigh (Scattery Island). In the account of his life below, Irish Redemptorist, Father Albert Barry, draws on the hagiographical accounts to present a portrait of this much-loved son of County Clare:
Saint Seanan
When the men of
Tuath-mumha
(Co. Clare) came
to Domnachmor of Magh-Aine
(near Bruff), where Saint Patrick was preaching
the Gospel, they earnestly besought him to
come and preach to their kindred. But he said, “There is
no good reason
for my going with you,
for God will send you
a Teacher: a child beloved
by God and man shall
be born amongst you, and he shall be full
of the gifts of God
from
his childhood." He baptised them at Tir-da-ghlass to the
south-east of
Domnachmor. A longing
then fell on him
to behold the broad river
of which they had spoken to him and
to bless their land.
Saint Patrick,
after thus foretelling the birth
of Seanan of Inis Cathaigh, blessed the men of Tuath-mumha
and sent some of his
Disciples with
them to preach to
their people.
Saint Seanan was born at
Mogh-locha
in Corca-Bhaiscinn (Co. Clare) in
the year 488. His father was
Gergen, and his mother was Coemghal of Altraige. He grew in
grace as in years, and was wiser and more holy than any of
his play-fellows.
When the
Chieftain of Corca-Bhaiscinn made war on the people of
Corcomruaidh (Burren), Seanan had to go with him to
fight. The two tribes fought
against each other like
beasts; and the invaders were put to flight with
great slaughter. Seanan hid himself in a wheat-stack as soon as
he saw his kinsmen flying from the
onslaught of
their foes. He was soon found. But
when thirsting for his blood
they endeavoured to
drag him from his
hiding place, they were driven away
by a wonderful light
that shone around him. They
then said to him, “
Tell us who are you
and what has brought you here." He answered, '' I belong to the
tribe that made war on you, and I came here in
order to hide from you.” They not only spared
his life, but even treated him well, for they saw his
face shining like an angel.
When he was on his way
home he became both hungry
and thirsty, and begged for food
and drink at the rath of a Chieftain. He was driven
away by the heartless
inmates with kicks
and blows. He meekly
bore this harsh treatment and went slowly homewards. When the
Chieftain came
back
at nightfall he learned
what had happened,
and at once
sent some men after the
forlorn youth; and when
they had led him back, food and
drink were set
before him, and he was
treated with kindness. The next
day he bent his steps towards
Mogh-Locha.
Seanan, when driving home the cows belonging to his
mother
one evening, came to an
inlet of the river Sionan
(Kilrush), and
was unable to
go across to the other side as the tide was rushing in. He,
therefore, drove
them back before him to Dun Mechair, the rath of a Chieftain, and begged for
shelter for
the night, but was driven roughly away. He then went sadly back to
the shore of the inlet, intending to wait there until the tide should ebb. As soon, however, as he came
there he
saw the
waters making way for him and he was able to go dryshod
to the
other side. When
he reached the opposite bank he knelt down on the
grass and
thanked
God for
His goodness and then offered himself up in sacrifice to Him. Dun Mechair soon afterwards was beset by foes and burned to the ground.
Seanan bade
farewell to
his mother and his
friends and
went to live
with a
holy old man at Irros on the sea-coast. He got
religious knowledge
from
him, and
also learned the holy Books, but above all became perfect
in humility, obedience,
and charity. After staying for a
long time with this holy
man, he went
to Kil-na-managh
(Ossory) and
put
himself under Naile, and by his
help became very holy.
There
were 150 Monks in that
monastery, and
Seanan became the
servant of all, for he
spent his days grinding corn for
them. Three thieves
came one day to the door of
the corn-mill with the
intention of stealing
the corn, but looking
in through a
chink of the door saw
another young man standing by his side.
They then said, "Let us stay outside until one
of them comes forth, and
we will first overpower him and afterwards overpower the
other inside. '' They waited
a long time, but as
no
one came out they
grew weary and went in,
but saw no one within
the house except Seanan. They said to him, '' Who
was that youth who was
helping you to grind
the cor?” Seanan
answered, “It may
have
been He of whom it
is written, “He sleeps not,
nor shall He sleep who watches Israel.”' They again
said, " Who was
he?” And Seanan answered, “It
was He who is near
to all who call
upon Him." When
the thieves heard these words they begged his forgiveness, and even sought to become
Monks in that monastery.
They themselves told this miracle to the Writer
of the life of S.
Seanan,
Seanan, at length, by the command
of Saint Naile, left Kil-na-managh and went
to Hy-Ceinnseallagh
(Wexford) and built
a monastery on a
small grassy island in the
river Slaine at Inis-Corthadh (Enniscorthy). As soon
as that monastery
began to flourish
he left it and
went back to Mumha,
and took up his
abode first on the island of Oilen-Arda-Neimhedh (Barrymore), and then on the bland
of Tuaim-na-mba in the
river Laoi(Lee). The Chieftain Lugaidh, however,
threatened to
slay him unless he paid rent
to him and also allowed
his horses to feed on the land. Seanan, however, answered,
" You shall lose the
happiness of
heaven
and earthly prosperity unless you give
over ill-treating the servants
of God”.
A few days afterwards one
of the horses belonging to the
Chieftain fell into
the stream and was
drowned. His two sons and
some of his friends entreated him to
become friends with the man
of God. He
yielded to their entreaties, and his two sons
gave themselves to
Seanan
as his faithful followers. Seanan
then foretold that they would
be blessed by God and would enjoy
the Chieftaincy in turn for many years.
The island was ever
afterwards called
Inis Carra. He left eight Monks there
under
the care of Saint Cilliann, and under the protection of Fechen, son of
Faighe the King of Muscraighe,
and
went to Inis Luinge in
the river Sionan. He built a
monastery there for holy
Virgins and gave the veil
of Religion to
the daughterof Breandhad, a Chieftain of Hy-Figeinte (Co, Limerick). He then
set sail for Inis Caerach
(Mutton
Island), an island in the sea
lying off the coast of
Ibh Caisin. He built a church and monastery,
and after living there for a
short time went
to his birthplace in Corca-Bhaiscinn.
Whilst he was at Mogh-Locha
he
learned from an angel
that it was the will of God
that he should spend the last years of
his life at Inis Cathaigh (Scattery Island). He therefore went there, but whilst standing on the highest ground
of the island, and beholding how bleak it
was and how the sea
breeze blew fiercely over it, and the great waves
dashed
like wild beasts against it,
he thought within
himself and said,
“This island seems exposed to every danger and is not
suitable for a monastery.” But
the angel said
to him, “Be comforted: not one of the Monks
shall be lost, when crossing
the stormy water, either going
from
it or coming to
it, when they come or
go
by the will of the
Head of the monastery.”
Seanan thereupon set to work to build huts
for his Monks, as well as a Damhliag for
the Divine Office
and for the sacred Rites.
When the Chieftain Mac-Tail
heard what Seanan
had done, he
sent some of his men
to drive him from
the island. They seized him and began to
drag him down to the beach, but they were hindered in their unholy work by the power
of God. Seanan said
to one
of the men, who was
unwilling to lay
hands
upon him, “You shall keep your land, and your children shall
be the owners of
it after you; but whoever clings
too fondly to his land shall lose
it.'' The Chieftain, brimful of wrath, then
came himself and said,
''I will take your life unless
you leave this island at
once: I will tie
a stone around your neck, and throw you into
the river.” Seanan answered, ''God can
save me from you.” The angry Chieftain said,
'' I fear neither God nor
you more than
I do a
sheep.” Seanan answered, ''
This gentle animal, through
the providence of
God,
shall occasion your death.” The Chieftain uttered many threats
and then went away. When
driving in his chariot through a wood
in Corca-Bhaiscinn a short time afterwards, his
horses were frightened by a
sheep, his chariot was overset,
and he was killed.
Seanan
lived in peace from that time forth
in the island of Cathaigh.
The monastic
family soon became very great: and in
the year 534 Seanan built several Oratories, or small
Churches. A
very ancient writer says, “There is many a
grassy and widespreading island on the bright expanse of the windings of the river between
Luimneach and
Leim Chonchuillinn, and Inis Cathaigh
is one of them;
and there the holy
Seanan of glorious life, built
eleven churches, and a beautiful and
lofty Tower alongside of them.”
One of the Oratories
was called “Temple
of the dead” and another built on a
hill, was called “Temple
of the angels.” The
Belfry was 115 feet in height, and when the
bell on the
top of it was rung, it was
heard all over Corca-Bhaiscinn, so that sacrifice
was offered in each Church at the same
time as it was offered
at Inis Cathaigh. (Ancient Life.)
Seanan led
a holy life and suffered very much from
constant sickness.
Cuinnen of Coindire writes, “Seanan, the
noble sufferer: good was every response of
his responses: he loved to
have
thirty diseases in his
body: a sufficient mortification for this wise man.” He
was wont to go by himself from time to
time, to a
small and lonely island of the ocean
(Bishop's Island),
and there he spent his
days, fasting
and praying in the little
stone hut, still standing there. He often
went about the country,
preaching and baptising, and gathered great numbers
into the sheepfold of
the Church. Thus what
Saint Patrick had
foretold,
happened, and
he became a bright and shining light
to his native land.
Seanan worked many miracles
whilst he dwelt at Inis Cathaigh. A young Monk named
Donan went in a canoe
one day with two young boys
of the monastery to
a rock to gather shellfish. Whilst they were busy searching
for the shellfish their
boat drifted away; the tide
rose over the rock and
the two boys were drowned. Donan swimming ashore, told
the sad news to Seanan.
When the parents of
the children heard of their death they came at
once to Seanan wailing
and crying aloud, “Give us back our
children”. The
holy old man, sad
at heart and unable to
bear the sight of these
broken-hearted mothers,
said to Donan, “ Go
and tell these boys in
the name of Jesus
Christ to come to us." Donan obeyed,
and through the infinite goodness of God
the two boys came to life and
stood smiling before them. The parents wonderstruck at the miracle, said to them,
" Would you
rather live where you have been than here below with us?”
They answered, “We would think this
world
a prison even if we had all its
riches in comparison
with the lovely spot where we
have
been, and we beseech God to allow
us to enjoy that
happiness again.”
Their parents hearing these
words
were glad, and yielded to
their wishes. The
children got
holy Communion and slept gently
in the Lord, and their bodies were buried at
the entrance of
the graveyard of the monastery.
The holy
Virgin Cannera saw
with the eyes of her
soul a vision one night whilst praying
earnestly to
God. She
saw all the Irish monasteries
and pillars of fire
going up towards heaven from them, and the brightest shone over the monastery of Seanan.
An angel stood before
her, and said, " The
flames of fire
that you behold are the
souls of the Saints burning
with the love of
God. The greatest is the
grace shining more fully in
the Brethren of Seanan.” Cannera was glad
at heart, and longed to
go there
to see these
holy men. She
prayed to God to bestow
that happiness upon her.
She went the
following morning to
the shore of the
river Sionan and gazed wistfully
at the island of Cathaigh. An
angel suddenly appeared
and took her bodily across to it. But when
Seanan saw her
he rebuked her
for coming there. He
said to her, '”We will
not allow you or
any other woman to stay
in this island.” She answered, '' If you
believe that Christ can receive my soul, why
do you reject me
in body?” He
said, “I believe it
firmly, but we do not allow
any woman to
set foot here. Be it so,
and may God bless you: go back to the
world and be not a stumbling-block to us.” She answered, '' I hope that
the Lord will first take my
soul from my flesh before
making me go hence” She
died, and gave up her soul,
and her funeral rites were celebrated by the
Brethren.
Saint Ciaran of Cluain-mac-Nois, and Saint Breanan came to visit
Seanan at Inis Cathaigh, They chose him
for spiritual guide. Food was sent to
the monastery by
Nectan Cennfhoda of
Hy- Figeinte (Limerick). He came soon afterwards, and Seanan blessed him, and said, ”You and
your
children shall
be always Rulers over a Kingdom.” Seanan struck the ground with his staff, and a spring of water at once burst forth and still flows.
An angel
made known to the holy
Abbot that his last day
on earth was coming, ''Seanan, servant
of God, you
are called to heaven.” He was glad
to hear the good tidings,
and thanked God with his
whole
heart. He fell sick soon afterwards on the mainland, and died like one
falling asleep, March 1st, in
the year 544. His Monks bore
his body to his island home. They kept
it unburied until his
fellow-Bishops and
Abbots and
others round about,
who grieved for his death, should
be able to come, and
give back earth to earth.
The Monks, meanwhile, watched
and prayed, said the Divine Office,
and sang solemn Masses
for eight days, and during that
time the sky glowed with unearthly brightness.
The Bishops
and Priests of Hy-Figeinte
(Limerick), and
many other holy men came
to Inis Cathaigh, and his body was laid
in the earth in the
chief Church of the
island. A great crowd of
people gathered together there when the body of
the Saint was borne to the
tomb. Joy was mingled with sadness, and tears with words of gladness. God worked
many miracles through his merits,
and the people of Tuath-mhumha
and of Figeinte took him for
their spiritual Patron and Protector.
His feast day
was kept March 8th,
but it is now kept March
13th. It is still kept, however, March 8th,
in the Diocese of
Limerick.
THE END.
Rev. Albert Barry, Lives of Irish Saints (Dublin, n.d.)
Content Copyright © Omnium Sanctorum Hiberniae 2012-2015. All rights reserved.
Content Copyright © Omnium Sanctorum Hiberniae 2012-2015. All rights reserved.
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