Wednesday 30 July 2014

Saint Cobarchair of Gulban gort, July 30

On July 30 the Irish calendars record the memory of Saint Cobarchair as well as the name of his father and of the place where he flourished. Canon O'Hanlon is unable to identify the saint's location but explains that due to the saint's name meaning 'help' he was later confused with the Patrician episcopal saint Auxilius, an identification which he rejects:

St. Cobarchair, or Cobuir, Son of Goll, of Gulban gort.

In the Martyrology of Tallagh, we find that veneration was given at the 30th of July to Cobarchair, Gulbain Guirt mac h. Gairb.  The word Cobhairm has the meaning of "aid," or "help" and, in Latin, it maybe represented by the word Auxilius. Hence, it has been conjectured, that he was St. Patrick's disciple. The present holy man is entered in the Martyrology of Mairanus O'Gorman. At the same date, in the Martyrology of Donegal,  occurs the name of Cobuir, son of Goll. From this latter patronymic, it seems clear, that  the present holy man must be distinguished from St. Auxilius, son of Ua-Baird, St. Patrick's disciple, and the Patron of Killossy, county of Kildare.  His feast, in one instance, has been referred to the 16th September.

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