Saint Conan (; 7th century – January 684) was a bishop of the

Isle of Man ) , anthem = "O Land of Our Birth" , image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg , image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg , mapsize = , map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe , map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green) in Europe ...

and an Irish missionary.

Life

Conan is not to be confused with St Conindrius (died 17 November 560), who is said to have been a disciple of

Saint Patrick Saint Patrick ( la, Patricius; ga, Pádraig ; cy, Padrig) was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, the other patron saints be ...

, and to have lived to a very advanced age.Grattan-Flood, William. "St. Conan." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 14 May 2013
/ref> The

Bollandists The Bollandist Society ( la, Societas Bollandistarum french: Société des Bollandistes) are an association of scholars, philologists, and historians (originally all Jesuits, but now including non-Jesuits) who since the early seventeenth century h ...

place Saint Conan amongst the early bishops of Man, and

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 ...

gives an account of his life and labours. Unfortunately, the history of the Isle of Man in the fifth and sixth centuries is very obscure, and it is difficult to verify biographical details. However, Conan, who is also described as "Bishop of Inis-Patrick" left a distinct impression of his zeal for souls in the

. Some authorities give the date of his death as 26 January, but Colgan, quoting from the ancient Irish martyrologies, gives 13 January, on which day Conan's feast is observed. Saint Conan is believed to have taught

Saint Fiacre Saint Fiacre ( ga, Fiachra, la, Fiacrius) is the name of three different Irish saints, the most famous of which is Saint Fiacre of Breuil (c. AD 600 – 18 August 670), the Catholic priest, abbot, hermit, and gardener of the seventh century w ...

. There are also several minor Irish saints who share the name Conan, including Saint

Conan of Assaroe Conan may refer to: People * Saint Conan (died 684), bishop of the Isle of Man * Conan of Cornwall (c. 930 – c. 950), bishop of Cornwall * Conan I of Rennes (died 992), duke of Brythonic Brittany * Conan II, Duke of Brittany (died 1066), duke ...

(8 March), and Saint

Conan of Ballinamore Conan may refer to: People * Saint Conan (died 684), bishop of the Isle of Man * Conan of Cornwall (c. 930 – c. 950), bishop of Cornwall * Conan I of Rennes (died 992), duke of Brythonic Brittany * Conan II, Duke of Brittany (died 1066), duke o ...

(26 April).

References

7th-century Christian saints 7th-century births 684 deaths 7th-century English bishops Irish Christian missionaries Christian missionaries in the Isle of Man {{saint-stub