Lommán mac Dalláin (''fl.'' 5th—early 6th century) was a saint and patron of

Trim Trim or TRIM may refer to: Cutting * Cutting or trimming small pieces off something to remove them ** Book trimming, a stage of the publishing process ** Pruning, trimming as a form of pruning often used on trees Decoration * Trim (sewing), or ...

, County Meath in

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

.Stalmans and Charles-Edwards, "Meath, saints of (act. ''c''.400–''c''.900)"

Cenél Lóegairi, Trim and Armagh

Trim (Áth Truimm -'ford of the elderflowers') was the foremost church in the petty kingdom of the Cenél Lóegairi, originally belonging to a

cadet branch A cadet branch consists of the male-line descendants of a monarch's or patriarch's younger sons ( cadets). In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets (realm, titles, fiefs, property and incom ...

of that dynasty. In the early 8th century, however, the patronage of the church came under serious strain as power shifts occurred within the main ruling branch. Between the early 8th and mid-9th century, descendants of Colmán mac Duib Duin ruled the monastery. The cadet branch appears to have negotiated the position of the saint, turning to

St Patrick Saint Patrick (; or ; ) 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 being Brigid of Kildare and Columba ...

's church in

Armagh Armagh ( ; , , " Macha's height") is a city and the county town of County Armagh, in Northern Ireland, as well as a civil parish. It is the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland – the seat of the Archbishops of Armagh, the Primates of All ...

for mediation. By way of compromise, Lommán was drawn into the dossier of St Patrick as someone biologically related and subordinate to that saint. An 8th-century text in the

Book of Armagh The ''Book of Armagh'' or Codex Ardmachanus (ar or 61) (), also known as the ''Canon of Patrick'' and the ''Liber Ar(d)machanus'', is a 9th-century Irish art, Irish illuminated manuscript written mainly in Latin. It is held by the Library of Tri ...

first attests to Lommán's new status. It states that through his mother, Lommán was a kinsman of the saint as well as of a number of other local saints of the 5th century, including Munis (buried in Forgney) and Mo Genóc (Mugenóc) of Cell Duma Glind ( Kilglyn). According to the foundation story, Lommán joined St Patrick on his voyage to Ireland, landing at the estuary of the Boyne (according to Muirchú, at Inber Colpthai), and continued in his ship as far as Trim, where he founded the monastery. The Patrician influence is also attested in a later gloss to the ''

Martyrology of Tallaght The ''Martyrology of Tallaght'', which is closely related to the ''Félire Óengusso'' or ''Martyrology of Óengus the Culdee'', is an eighth- or ninth-century Irish-language martyrology, a list of saints and their feast days assembled by Mael ...

'', which identifies Lommán as porter (''(h)ostiarius'') to St Patrick.''Martyrology of Tallaght'', 17 February.

Tripartite ''Life''

Although the cadet branch in control of Lommán's church lost out, Lommán remained an element of St Patrick's cult, notably re-appearing in the '' Tripartite Life of Patrick'', written in the 10th century. It tells that Lommán was a nephew of Patrick, his mother being a sister of Patrick and that his brothers were Munis, Broccaid of Imliuch Ech, Broccán and Mo Genóc. When at Patrick's instructions, the saint rowed to Trim, he arrived at the fortress belonging to the local ruler Feidlimid son of

Lóegaire mac Néill Lóegaire also Lóeguire, is said to have been a son of Niall of the Nine Hostages. The Irish annals and king lists include him as a King of Tara or High King of Ireland. He appears as an adversary of Saint Patrick in several hagiographies. His ...

. He first converted Feidlimid's son Foirtchernn (Fortchern) and subsequently, Feidlimid himself, whose wife, named ''Scoth'' (Scotnoe), was the daughter of the British king. Feidlimid welcomed the saint and granted him Trim, where Patrick founded a monastery and left it in Lommán's charge. Foirtchernn became his foster son and with him, he visited his brother Broccaid towards the end of his life. Lommán bequeathed the church to both Patrick and Foirtchernn. Foirtchernn, though initially reluctant, accepted and after the death of his foster father, held the abbey for only three days, transferring it to the pilgrim Cathlaid in his stead.

Death and Veneration

His feast day was observed on 17 February and on 11 October.

Notes

References

Primary sources

* * ''Additamenta'' in the Book of Armagh, ed. and tr. * ''Tripartite Life of St Patrick'', ed.

Secondary sources

* * *