Banban the Wise, Irish

saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of Q-D-Š, holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and Christian denomination, denominat ...

, fl. ''c.'' mid to late 5th century. Banban was installed by

St. Patrick ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...

as pastor of the Domnach Mór (Big Church) in Templeport, County Cavan, Ireland which was erected after destroying the idol of pre-Christian god Crom Cruach at the nearby plain of Magh Slécht.

Name

Banban's name is rendered differently in a number of sources. The most common include ''Banbanus'', ''Banbhanus'', ''Mauranum cognomento Barbanum, alias Banbanum'', ''Banuanus Sapiens''. Others include Mabran Barbarus, Methbrain, Methbruin, Mauran, Niabrain, Nia Brain, Nie Brain, Niethbrain, Seannan. Some of the sources claim he was related to St. Patrick. The Vita tripartita Sancti Patricii or Tripartite Life of St.Patrick, page 93 states- ''"Patrick founded a church in that stead, namely, Domnach Maighe Sleacht, and left therein Mabran hose cognomen isBarbarus Patricii, a relative of his and a prophet. And there is Patrick's well, wherein he baptized many. Then Patrick went into the province of Connaught by Snam da En over the Shannon."'' Tírechán's Collections in the Book of Armagh states- ''"Patrick sent Nie Brain to the Moat of Slecht; (he was) a native close to Patrick, who made miraculous true prophecies (inspired) by God."'' The Annals of the Four Masters state at 448 - ''"M448.2, 9- His sister's son was Banban, of fame;"'' Flann's poem in The Yellow Book of Lecan states- ''"Seannan was his brother or cousin of fame"'' Said by

John Colgan John Colgan, OFM (Irish ''Seán Mac Colgan''; c. 1592 – 15 January 1658), was an Irish Franciscan friar noted as a hagiographer and historian. Life Colgan was born c. 1592 at Priestown near Carndonagh. He joined the Franciscan Order and w ...

to be a son of St.Patrick's sister, Richella. However "Barbanus" also means 'a paternal uncle'.

Feast day

His feast-day is either 1 or 9 May. It may or may not be a coincidence that the next saint's name listed at 9 May in the Bollandists' Acta Sanctorum is St. Bricín of Tomregan which is also in Magh Slécht.

Others of the name

Banban should not be confused with Colman Banban, Bishop of Leighlin & Kildare who died in 720 AD. His feastday is 26 November.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Banban The Wise People from County Cavan 5th-century Christian saints 5th-century Irish priests Medieval Irish saints