Dubhán was a

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

and possibly a bishop. He was of the Lagenians and brother of Damán, of Cluain Foda, in Fíodh-mór. Dubhán was of the

Dál Cormaic Dál Cormaic (also Clann Cormaic, Uí Cormaic Lagen, Moccu Corbmaic) were a Gaelic dynasty located in South Kildare. People Abbán moccu Corbmaic St. Abbán had six brothers: Daman Uí Chormaic of Tígh Damhain (Tidowan), in the barony of Ma ...

, and also brother to St. Abbán moccu Corbmaic.

Hagiography

Abbán of New Ross, a contemporary of Saint Patrick, established a monastic settlement by the banks of the River Barrow at Rosglas and gave it into the charge of his protégé Evin. Evin brought a number of monks with him from his native Munster. This gained the settlement of the name Rosglos-na-Moinneach (the greenwood of the Munstermen). Next to nothing appears to be known of Dubhán, beyond that he seems to have been an important cleric among the

Soghain The Soghain were a people of ancient Ireland. The 17th-century scholar Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh identified them as part of a larger group called the Cruithin. Mac Fhirbhisigh stated that the Cruithin included "the Dál Araidhi ál nAraidi th ...

in the early Irish Christian era. The Martyrology of Donegal states that Abbán's six brothers were all bishops. It further states that it was this Dubhán who went along with St. Moling, Dubhthacht and

Cúan Saint Cúan (died 752) was an Irish abbot who was the founder of many churches and monasteries in Ireland. He lived to nearly 100 years. Little is known about him, but he is mentioned in the Annals of Inisfallen as the abbot ''Liath Mo-Chaemóc''. ...

of Cluain-mór to seek remission of the Borumha from

Fínsnechta Fledach Fínsnechta Fledach mac Dúnchada (died 695) was High King of Ireland. Fínsnechta belonged to the southern Síl nÁedo Sláine sept of the Uí Néill and was King of Brega, in modern County Meath, Ireland. He was a grandson of Áed Sláine. His ...

, the High-King of Ireland. (The Borumha was a triennial tribute payment, mostly in cattle.) But Dubhán, the brother of Abbán could not have been a contemporary of Moling, who died in 697.Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, ''Journal''
p. 559, 1874 His feast day is 11 November.

References

Medieval Irish saints {{Ireland-reli-bio-stub