Sunday, 16 June 2013

Saint Aitheachan of Colpe, June 16


In Volume VI of his Lives of the Irish Saints, Canon O'Hanlon has details of an obscure County Meath saint commemorated on June 16:

St. Aitheachan or Athcain of Inbher Colpthai, Colpe, County of Meath 

[Probably in the Sixth Century]

A festival in honour of Aitheachan, Colptho, is set down in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 16th of June. The place, with which this saint was connected, is further known as Invercolp, or Colpe, in the barony of Lower Duleek, and county of Meath. It lies at the mouth of the River Boyne. Eithne, daughter of Concraidh, was his mother, it is further stated. Little seems to be known regarding the history of this saint, who flourished probably in the sixth century.  In the Martyrology of Donegal, at this same date, his name appears as Athcain of Inbher Colpthai.

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