Senán mac Geirrcinn
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Senán mac Geircinn (''fl.'' 6th century) is a prominent
Munster Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" ( ga, rí ruirech). Following the ...
saint in Irish tradition, founder of Inis Cathaig (
Scattery Island Inis Cathaigh or Scattery Island is an island in the Shannon Estuary, Ireland, off the coast of Kilrush, County Clare. The island is home to a lighthouse, a ruined monastery associated with Saint Senan, an Irish round tower and the remains of a ...
, Iniscathy) and patron of the Corco Baiscinn and the Uí Fhidgeinte.Johnston, "Munster, saints of (act. ''c''.450–''c''.700)." He is listed among the
Twelve Apostles of Ireland The Twelve Apostles of Ireland (also known as Twelve Apostles of Erin, ir, Dhá Aspal Déag na hÉireann) were twelve early Irish monastic saints of the sixth century who studied under St Finnian (d. 549) at his famous monastic school Clona ...
.


Life

He was born in 488 in a place once known as Moylougha, about four miles east of present-day
Kilrush Kilrush () is a coastal town in County Clare, Ireland. It is also the name of a civil parish and an ecclesiastical parish in Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe. It is located near the mouth of the River Shannon in the south-west of the county. ...
,
County Clare County Clare ( ga, Contae an Chláir) is a county in Ireland, in the Southern Region and the province of Munster, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council is the local authority. The county had a population of 118,817 ...
,
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
. According to the prose life, his mother entered labour while walking through the woods; when she grasped a tree branch for support, it is said to have blossomed to foretell the virtues of the saint. The translation of "Senan" from old Gaelic means "little old wise man." It is thought that Senan may have gotten his name from an earlier river god whose name gave rise to the river Shannon. He was a stepbrother of St
Conainne Conainne, also known as Dachonna, ( ) was an Irish missionary and saint. The Irish terms of endearment, ''mo'' and ''do'', were regularly added to the names of Irish saints and secular people, hence the origin of her diminutive pseudonym, Dachonn ...
. While still only a child, Senan began to practice and preach self-denial, once even reproving his mother for gathering blackberries. God, he reminded her, made time for abstinence as well as for eating. The boy promised his life to God after the miracle at the estuary, where a path opened for him and the cattle he was driving at high tide.Hedderman, Senan. ''Life of St Senan, Bishop, Patron Saint of West Clare'', Clare Library
/ref> He studied under a monk, named Cassidus from whom he received the habit and tonsure of a monk. From him he learned sacred scriptures and the practices of the religious life. Cassidus sent him on to St Natalis at
Kilnamanagh Kilnamanagh () is a townland and suburban residential area in Tallaght, South Dublin, Ireland. History Kilnamanagh, in Irish 'Cill na Manach', translates to 'church of the monks', referring to the church and castle established to house Saint K ...
, whereupon completion of his studies he was ordained a priest. He commenced his missionary career by founding a church near Enniscorthy, in 510 (or 512), and the parish is still known as Templeshannon (Teampul Senain). Senan was well read and an exceptional traveller in such times, travelling to Britain (see the village of Senan in Cornwall), France (Plouzane in Brittany being translated as the town or church of Senan) and Rome. He returned to Ireland about 520. Studying in many monasteries in Ireland, including Glendalough and Kerry, he founded the abbey on Inishmore (or Deer) Island, leaving St Liberius to preside over it. About 534, he founded a monastery of five churches and a round tower on Inis Cathaigh or Scattery island in the bay on the
estuary An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environment ...
of the river Shannon just 3 km out from Kilrush. The rule of the monastery was extremely austere. Ciarán and
Brendan Brendan may refer to: People * Saint Brendan the Navigator (c. 484 – c. 577) was an Irish monastic saint. * Saint Brendan of Birr (died 573), Abbot of Birr in Co. Offaly, contemporaneous with the above * Brendan (given name), a masculine given na ...
, and other holy men, who had heard of his sanctity and miracles, visited him for spiritual guidance. Scattery Island became not only a famous abbey but the seat of a bishopric with Senan as its first bishop. Only men were allowed on Scattery Island while Senan was there, and legend has it that when his sister, St Conainne died, she willed it that she would be buried near Senan. To stay true to his own edicts, Senan waited until low tide to bury her in the inter-tidal zone, which was not officially the "island", thus fulfilling his sister's wish, while not breaking his own rules. Senan is said to have died on March 8, 544. He is buried on Scattery Island, probably in Temple Senan. The
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Dallán Forgaill Eochaid mac Colla ( 560 – 640), better known as Saint Dallán or Dallán Forgaill ( sga, Dallán Forchella; la, Dallanus Forcellius; Primitive Irish: ''Dallagnas Worgēllas''), was an early Christian Irish poet and saint known as the writer of ...
was his friend and wrote a eulogy about Senan entitled "Amra Senáin"


Senan and the "Cathach"

Legend has it that he slew a huge sea creature that inhabited the island and terrorised the locals. From his childhood he surely would have heard about the ‘Cathach’, the beast that roamed and occupied the island, so fearful and so dangerous that neither man nor beast dared to come near the place. Since it had been revealed to the man of God that this was the place where he should work and pray, he went there, trusting in the power and protection of the Almighty. On his arrival in the island an archangel led Senan to the highest hill from which he was able to locate the Cathach. Facing the ferocious animal, the saint made the sign of the cross and commanded him to depart. A local chief hired a druid to put a spell on Senan, but when the druid landed on a nearby island, a tidal wave enveloped him and swept him to his death. That smaller island is still pointed out as Carraig an Draoi or The Druid’s Rock, which can still be seen at low tide."Feast of St. Senan – Our Parish Patron", St. Senan's Parish, Shannon
He is sometimes confused with Saint Senan of Laraghbrine


Legacy

Parishes are named for him in Enniscorthy, Kilrush, Shanagolden and in Shannon. St Senan’s Church is located in Inniscarra. St. Senan's Primary School is located on Vinegar Hill, Enniscorthy. St. Senan's National School is located in Shannon.St. Senan's N.S.
His patron day on March 8 was an important day of pilgrimage to Inis Cathaig. The surname 'Gilsenan' in present-day is thought to have been the name for the followers of Saint Senan.


References


Bibliography

* *Johnston, Elva.
Munster, saints of (act. ''c''.450–''c''.700)
" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography''. Oxford University Press, Sept 2004, online edition May 2008. Accessed: 14 Dec 2008. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Senan 6th-century Christian saints 488 births 6th-century Irish bishops Medieval saints of Munster People from County Clare Year of death unknown Bishops of Iniscathay