Sunday 16 March 2014

Saint Fethmec of Kiltoom, March 16

On March 16 Canon O'Hanlon brings us this entry for Saint Fethmec of Kiltoom, a locality which he places near to Castlepollard, County Westmeath:

St. Feithmech or Felmac, of Cill-Toama, now Kiltoom, County of Westmeath.

The Bollandists very briefly notice this saint, at the present day, but they style him, incorrectly, Tetmechus Episcopus de Kill-tuama. On the 16th of March, we read in the Martyrology of Tallagh,  he record, Esp. Felmac o Cill Cuanda (no Tuama). From the prefix, we must regard this saint, as having been a bishop. Yet, we find simply, Feithmech, of Cill-Toama, set down in the Martyrologies of Marianus O'Gorman and of Donegal, as having been venerated on this day. Under the head of Cill Cuana, Duald Mac Firbis enters Fethmech, Bishop of Cill Cuana, i.e., Fethmech, Bishop of Cill Tuama, or (Cill) Toama. The former should now be written Kilquan, and the other Kiltoome. There are many places, in Ireland, bearing these names. The locality here indicated is thought to have been Kiltoom, near Castlepollard, county of Westmeath. During the eighth and ninth centuries, certain abbots of this place are recorded, in the Annals of the Four Masters; and, yet, we have not been able to find the present saint's name among them.

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