Saint Dogmael (or Docmael, Dogfael, Dogmeel, Dogwel, Toel) was a 6th-century Welsh monk and preacher who is considered a saint. His feast day is 14 June.

Life

Dogmael (or Dogfael, Dogwel) was of the house of

Cunedda Cunedda ap Edern, also called Cunedda ''Wledig'' ( 5th century), was an important early Welsh people, Welsh leader, and the progenitor of the Royal dynasty of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd, one of the very oldest of western Europe. Name The n ...

, descended from the kings of Wales, and was the son of Ithel ap Ceredig ab Cunedda Wledig. His grandmother was Saint

Meleri Saint Meleri was a late 5th century Welsh saint and Queen of Ceredigion. Meleri was one of the 24 daughters of King Brychan Brycheiniog of Brycheiniog (now Brecknockshire) in Wales. She married King Ceredig of Ceredigion, one of the son of Cun ...

, daughter of Saint

Brychan Brychan Brycheiniog was a legendary 5th-century king of Brycheiniog (Brecknockshire, alternatively Breconshire) in Mid Wales. Life According to Celtic hagiography Brychan was born in Ireland, the son of a Prince Anlach, son of Coronac, and h ...

. Dogmael became a monk, and seems to have concentrated his preaching in

Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; cy, Sir Benfro ) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and the rest by sea. The count ...

,Emanuel, Hywel. "Dogmael", ''Dictionary of Welsh Biography'', 1959
/ref> where there are a number of churches dedicated to him.

Legacy

The following of Dogfael is reflected in a number of churches in what is now north

. Based on the locations of his churches, Dogmael's cult was centered to the south of the River Teifi in the Dyfed communities of Cemais and Pebidiog. St Dogmael's Abbey, now ruined, stands on a hillside above the Teifi. It was founded in 1120 by

Robert fitz Martin Robert fitz Martin ( 10?? – c. 1159) was a knight from Devon whose father, Martin de Turribus, was the first Norman Lord of Kemes, in what had previously been the Dyfed part of Deheubarth. Fitz Martin inherited the Lordship of Kemes from his fa ...

and his wife Maud Peveril. It contains the traditional site of St Dogmael's grave. The village of

St Dogmaels St Dogmaels ( cy, Llandudoch) is a village, parish and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the estuary of the River Teifi, a mile downstream from the town of Cardigan in neighbouring Ceredigion. A little to the north of the village, fur ...

is on the south side of the Teifi, facing Cardigan; St Dogmaels is named in Welsh ''Llandudoch''. Other churches include Capel Degwel nearby, St Dogwell's near Fishguard and the

Church of St Dogfael, Meline The Church of St Dogfael, Meline, Pembrokeshire, Wales is a redundant church dating from the 19th century. A Grade II listed building, the church is now in the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches. History and description The church is ded ...

. Llanddogwel (Llanddygfael) in

Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...

is also dedicated to the saint.

Butler's account

The hagiographer Alban Butler wrote in his ''Lives of the Primitive Fathers, Martyrs, and Other Principal Saints'', under June 14,

Notes

Sources

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dogmael, Saint Children of Brychan 6th-century deaths