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164:. 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 got his name from an earlier river god whose name gave rise to the river Shannon. He was a stepbrother of
750:
247:
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 on 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.
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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
246:
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.
215:
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
195:
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
250:
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.
220:
or
Cannera of Bantry who was mentioned in the Latin life of St. Senan. It is very unlikely, though not impossible, that Conainne and Cainnear were actually the same person. A similar story has been associated with another obscure female saint named Ibie or
184:, 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).
179:
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
212:, 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.
216:"island", thus fulfilling his sister's wish, while not breaking his own rules. This legend seems to have been wrongly associated with Conainne as it is identical to that of the more famous
225:. Perhaps these three female saints were all refused access to Scattery Island at some point by St. Senan but it is more probable that Cainnear's story has been misappropriated.
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200:, 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
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Grattan-Flood, William. "St. Senan." The
Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 28 Oct. 2014
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Parishes are named for him in
Enniscorthy, Kilrush, Shanagolden and in Shannon. St Senan’s Church is located in Inniscarra.
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St. Senan's
Primary School is located on Vinegar Hill, Enniscorthy. St. Senan's National School is located in Shannon.
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The surname 'Gilsenan' in present-day is thought to have been the name for the followers of Saint Senan.
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of the river
Shannon just 3 km out from Kilrush. The rule of the monastery was extremely austere.
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Senan is said to have died on 8 March 544. He is buried on Scattery Island, probably in Temple Senan.
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He was born in 488 in a place once known as Moylougha, about four miles east of present-day
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His patron day on 8 March was an important day of pilgrimage to Inis Cathaig.
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513:"Feast of St. Senan – Our Parish Patron", St. Senan's Parish, Shannon
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was his friend and wrote a eulogy about Senan entitled "Amra Senáin"
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Senán mac Geircinn may also be known as Saint Senán or Saint
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609:"Life of St Senan, Bishop, Patron Saint of West Clare"
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Life of St Senan, Bishop, Patron Saint of West Clare
128:and is important in Irish tradition, as founder of
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42:
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334:, vol. I, New York: Robert Appleton Company
583:. Henry Bradshaw Society. Vol. 29. London.
196:Glendalough and Kerry, he founded the abbey on
132:(Scattery Island, Iniscathy) and patron of the
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431:"St Cannera - Patroness of Bantry Parish"
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601:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
484:"Saint Cannera of Inis Cathaig (+ 530)"
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374:"Saint Cannera of Bantry, January 28"
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580:The Martyrology of Oengus the Culdee
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326:Gratton-Flood, W.H. (1 March 1907),
308:Johnston, "Munster, saints of (act.
83:, Kingdom of Munster, Gaelic Ireland
16:Early Irish monastic saint (488–544)
14:
615:. City: Ennis, Co. Clare, Ireland
748:
725:Ninnidh the Saintly of Loch Erne
544:St. Senan's Parish, Enniscorthy
124:minister. He was a resident of
458:St. Senan's Church, Inniscarra
254:He is sometimes confused with
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328:"The Twelve Apostles of Erin"
776:6th-century Christian saints
555:"St. Senan's Church, Kilrush
191:Scattery Island from the air
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791:Medieval saints of Munster
660:Twelve Apostles of Ireland
472:St. Senan's Primary School
256:Saint Senan of Laraghbrine
198:Inishmore (or Deer) Island
142:Twelve Apostles of Ireland
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786:6th-century Irish bishops
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589:Munster, saints of (act.
398:, Harrison and Sons, 1905
332:The Catholic Encyclopedia
140:. He is listed among the
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796:People from County Clare
396:Félire Óengusso Céli de
242:Senan and the "Cathach"
96:Eastern Orthodox Church
755:Catholicism portal
730:Laisrén mac Nad Froích
685:Ciarán of Clonmacnoise
607:Hedderman, Fr. Senan.
233:Chief Ollam of Ireland
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37:Senan of Inis Cathaigh
801:Bishops of Iniscathay
700:Columba of Terryglass
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92:Roman Catholic Church
488:johnsanidopoulos.com
120:6th century) was an
735:Cainnech of Aghaboe
720:Senan of Iniscathay
695:Brendan of Clonfert
394:Oengus the Culdee,
710:Mobhí of Glasnevin
672:Finnian of Clonard
571:Óengus of Tallaght
518:2014-10-28 at the
417:2014-10-28 at the
357:Hedderman, Senan.
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114:Senán mac Geircinn
50:Kingdom of Munster
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158:County Clare
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63:County Clare
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619:10 November
532:Amra Senáin
182:Kilnamanagh
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781:488 births
770:Categories
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338:9 February
278:References
435:dúchas.ie
573:(1905).
516:Archived
493:16 March
440:16 March
415:Archived
379:16 March
170:Conainne
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577:(ed.).
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210:Brendan
202:estuary
168:and St
162:Ireland
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107:8 March
67:Ireland
59:Kilrush
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261:Legacy
206:Ciarán
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103:Feast
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118:fl.
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