Previous Saint This month Next Saint
[Yesterday's last saint] [back to Calendar] [Today's next saint]
5th or 6th century. Beoc was a Cambro-Briton, who crossed over from Wales to Ireland and founded a monastery on an island in Lough Derg, Donegal (Benedictines).

St Daibheog of Lough Derg

In the Martyrology of Tallagh we find this insertion : Aedh, Lochagerg, alias Daibheog. His name is Latinized Dabeocus, and he is frequently called Beanus.

At a very early date, this saint lived on the island ; but for what term of life does not seem to have been ascertained. Few notices of the place occur in our ancient annals. We read, in the Martyrology of Donegal, that Dabheog belonged to Lough Geirg or Loch-gerc, in Ulster. There, also, three festivals were annually held in his honour, namely, on the 1st of January, on the 24th of July, and on the 16th of December.

According to St. Cummin of Connor, in the following translation from his Irish poem on the characteristic virtues of the Irish Saints :-

Mobeog, the gifted, loved, According to the Synod of the learned, That often in bowing his head, He plunged it under water.

Whether or not St. Patrick had any acquaintance with St. Dabeoc can hardly be discovered. But, we are told, while the latter, with his clerics, lived on the island, and when his vigils had been protracted to a late hour one night, a wonderful brightness appeared towards the northern part of the horizon. The clerics asked their master what it portended.

In that direction, whence you have seen the brilliant illumination, said Dabeog, the Lord himself, at a future time, shall light a shining lamp, which, by its brightness, must miraculously glorify the Church of Christ. This shall be Columba, the son of Feidlimid, son of Fergus, and whose mother will be Ethnea. For learning he shall be distinguished ; in body and soul shall he be chaste ; and he shall possess the gifts of prophecy.

See Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga. Quinta Vita S, Columbae. Lib. i., cap. X, pp. 390, 391.


Previous Saint This month Next Saint
[Yesterday's last saint] [back to Calendar] [Today's next saint]