Dubhán was a 5th-century Brittonic priest and pilgrim, for whom

Hook Head Hook Head (), historically called Rindowan, is a headland in County Wexford, Ireland, on the east side of the estuary of The Three Sisters (Rivers Nore, Suir and Barrow). It is part of the Hook peninsula and is adjacent to the historic town ...

(originally ''Rinn Dubháin'') is named. The name is from Old Irish Dubán meaning "little dark one", derived from dub "dark, black" combined with a diminutive suffix. It was also the name of a few early saints.

Hagiography

According to tradition, Dubhán came from Wales to Ireland in 452 AD along with a group of his followers. Numerous legends relate the man to be the founder of a number of medieval signal-fire lighthouses, such as

Hook Lighthouse The Hook Lighthouse (; also known as Hook Head Lighthouse) is a building situated on Hook Head at the tip of the Hook Peninsula in County Wexford, in Ireland. It is one of the oldest lighthouses in the world and the second oldest operating ligh ...

on Rinn Dubhain in Wexford. ''Rinn Dubháin'', (Dubhán's point), is named for him (literally "little black

aired Air is the name given to the atmosphere of Earth. Air or AIR may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Art * ''Air'' (Maillol), a sculpture by Aristide Maillol * ''Air'' (painting), a painting by Jan van Kessel the Elder Films * ''Air'' ...

one"). Dubhán also means "fishing hook" and that is how it was translated by the Normans.Shearman, John Francis. ''Loca Patriciana: An Identification of Localities, Chiefly in Leinster, Visited by Saint Patrick and His Assistant Missionaries, and of Some Contemporary Kings and Chieftains. With an Essay on the Three Patricks, Palladius, Sen Patrick, and Patrick MacCalphurn...''
Ireland, M. H. Gill, 1882. p. 160 Antiquarian and historian

John Francis Shearman John Francis Shearman (1831–1885) was an Irish priest, antiquarian and historian. Born in Kilkenny in 1831, he studied at Maynooth College and was ordained in 1862. He was posted to serve as a curate in Dunlavin, and researched early Christian ...

agrees that Dubhán came from Wales and identifies him with

Saint Dyfnan Saint Dyfnan ap Brychan was an obscure Welsh saint. He was sometimes accounted a son of Brychan, the invading Irish king of Brycheiniog. Legacy Llanddyfnan ("St Dyfnan's") was dedicated to him on Anglesey and claimed his relic In religion ...

, who in the

Book of Leinster The Book of Leinster ( , LL) is a medieval Irish manuscript compiled and now kept in Trinity College Dublin. It was formerly known as the ''Lebor na Nuachongbála'' ("Book of Nuachongbáil"), a monastic site known today as Oughaval. In 2023 ...

, is listed as one of the many sons of the Welsh king

Brychan Brychan ap Anlach of Brycheiniog was a legendary 5th-century king of Brycheiniog (Brecknockshire, alternatively Breconshire) in Mid Wales. Name variations Brychan had Irish ancestry and came from Ireland to Wales, therefore his original name ...

. As Dyfnan is reputed to be buried on

Anglesey Anglesey ( ; ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms the bulk of the Principal areas of Wales, county known as the Isle of Anglesey, which also includes Holy Island, Anglesey, Holy Island () and some islets and Skerry, sker ...

, Baring-Gould, Sabine & al
''The Lives of the British Saints: The Saints of Wales and Cornwall and Such Irish Saints as Have Dedications in Britain'', Vol. II, p. 396.
Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion (London), 1911. Shearman speculates that Dubhán must have at some point retired to his home country. Dubhán was the founder of the church of Killooaun or ''Cill Dhubháin'' ('the church of Dubhán'),

Ballymacward Ballymacward () is a village in County Galway, Ireland. It is on the R359 road (Ireland), R359 road, between that road and the rail lines traversing east–west. The village is from Ballinasloe and approximately from Galway city. The village ...

County Galway County Galway ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Northern and Western Region, taking up the south of the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht. The county population was 276,451 at the 20 ...

. All that now exists of the church are ruins, but it was once the centre of a medieval

vicarage A clergy house is the residence, or former residence, of one or more priests or Minister (Christianity), ministers of a given religion, serving as both a home and a base for the occupant's ministry. Residences of this type can have a variety of n ...

. It has been suggested that it belonged to a period later than that of Killamude. While a number of saints of his name are listed in various martyrologies, none can be connected with Dubhán of Killooaun. He is remembered in various Waterford place names such as Kilduane – "Duane's church, and Ballydwan – "Duane's Homestead."

Citations

General and cited references

* Mannion, Joseph (2004). ''The Life, Legends and Legacy of Saint Kerrill: A Fifth-Century East Galway Evangelist''. . 5th-century Irish Christian clergy 6th-century Irish Christian clergy Medieval Irish saints People from County Galway {{Ireland-saint-stub