Cellach of Killala ( fl. mid-6th century) is supposed to be an early

Bishop of Killala The Bishop of Killala () is an episcopal title which takes its name after the village of Killala in County Mayo, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bis ...

, in Ireland. Cellach appears among the saints of the

Uí Fiachrach The Uí Fiachrach () were a royal dynasty who originated in, and whose descendants later ruled, the ''coicead'' or ''fifth'' of Connacht (a western province of Ireland) at different times from the mid-first millennium onwards. They claimed descent ...

in ''Genealogiae Regum et Sanctorum Hiberniae'', where Walsh suggests he may have been the ''Cellan Ua Fiachrach'' who appears under 1 May. It is not certain if he ever existed, as the only source, ''Betha Chellaig'', is a much later

pseudo The prefix pseudo- (from Greek ψευδής, ''pseudes'', "false") is used to mark something that superficially appears to be (or behaves like) one thing, but is something else. Subject to context, ''pseudo'' may connote coincidence, imitation, ...

-historical account found in

Leabhar Breac An Leabhar Breac ("The Speckled Book"; Middle Irish: An Lebar Brec), now less commonly Leabhar Mór Dúna Doighre (The Great Book of Dun Doighre") or possibly erroneously, Leabhar Breac Mic Aodhagáin ("The Speckled Book of the MacEgans"), is a ...

. The account states he was the eldest son of Eogan Bel, King of Connacht, was taught by

Ciarán of Clonmacnoise Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise (c. 516 – c. 549), supposedly born Ciarán mac an tSaeir ("son of the carpenter"), was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and the first abbot of Clonmacnoise. He is sometimes called Ciarán the Youn ...

. Ciarán made him a monk, and Cellach stayed with him until Eogan Bel was killed in the battle of Slicech ( Sligo) against the northern

Uí Néill The Uí Néill (Irish pronunciation: ; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who died c. 405. They are generally divided into t ...

, dated at 543, 546 or 547. He succeeded his father but under a curse from Ciarán, who foretold a dire fate. Cellach was eventually ousted and returned to Ciarán, with whom he remained until elevated to bishop of Killala in the reign of Tuathal Maelgarb. He later fled to a hermitage on

Lough Conn Lough Conn () is a lake in County Mayo, Ireland. With an area of about , it is Ireland's seventh largest lake. With its immediate neighbour to the south, Lough Cullin, it is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the River Moy. Lough Conn is noted ...

, County Mayo. He was said to have been murdered by Guaire Aidhne, who had him killed by four of his students who dumped his body in a hollow tree. Cellach's brother, Muiredach, is said to have avenged his death, and the four murderers buried under the Dolmen of the Four Maols, outside Ballina. The account has many chronological discrepancies.

References

* * ''Dictionary of Irish Biography'', pp. 446–47, Cambridge, 2010. {{DEFAULTSORT:Cellach of Killala 6th-century Irish bishops Bishops of Killala