Saint Daig (died 588?)Also spelt Dageus, Daggeus, Dagaeo, Daigeus, Dega, Daigh, Daghous, Daghaeus, Deghadh, Daygaeus, Dagous, Dagaeus, Dagée, Daganus was an Irish Christian bishop and confessor of Inis-Caoin-Deagha (now

Inniskeen Inniskeen, officially Inishkeen (), is a small village, townland and parish in County Monaghan, Ireland, close to the County Louth and County Armagh borders. The village is located about from Dundalk, from Carrickmacross, and from Crossmagl ...

County Monaghan County Monaghan ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is part of Border Region, Border strategic planning area of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town ...

), who lived towards the end of the 6th century. His name in Gaelic means "A great flame" and he was probably named after his mother Deighe.

Biography

Daig was born in Kiennacta Breagh,

County Meath County Meath ( ; or simply , ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is bordered by County Dublin to the southeast, County ...

. His father was Carill, son of Laisrén, son of Dallán, son of

Eógan mac Néill Eógan mac Néill (Irish orthography: Eoghan mac Néill) (reportedly died in 465 in Ireland, 465) was a son of Niall Noígiallach and the eponymous ancestor of the Cenél nEógain (kindred of Eoghan) branch of the Northern Uí Néill. The Ce ...

, son of

Niall of the Nine Hostages Niall Noígíallach (; Old Irish "having nine hostages"), or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who was the ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries. ...

, son of

Eochaid Mugmedón Eochaid Mugmedón () was a legendary Irish king. According to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, Eochaid was a High King of Ireland, best known as the father of Niall of the Nine Hostages and ancestor of the Uí Néill and Connachta ...

. Daig's mother's name was Dediva (also called Editua or Dedi or Deidi or Deighe or Deidiu or Deaga or Mediva), daughter of Tren, son of Dubhthach moccu Lughair, who was

Chief Ollam of Ireland Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boat ...

and royal poet of King

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 ...

. Dediva's other children were Saint Senan of Laraghabrine, son of Fintan, Saint

Diarmaid the Just Saint Diarmaid the Just (also known as Diermit, Dhiarmuit, Dermod, Diermedus, Diermetus, Diermitius, Diermitius) was a Catholic abbot of Inis Clothrann (Inchcleraun), Lough Ree, County Longford and of Faughalstown, County Westmeath and a famous ...

, son of Lugna, Saint Caillin, son of Niata, Saint Felim of Kilmore, who was another son of Carill and Daig's older brother, Saint Femia, who was another daughter of Carill, St. Mainchín of Corann, son of Collan of Corann and

Senchán Torpéist Senchán Torpéist (c. 560–649 AD) was a Gaels, Gaelic-Irish poet. Background Seanchan Torpest was the Chief Poet of Connacht c. 640 AD when he succeeded Dallán Forgaill as Chief Ollam of Ireland. He died in c. 649 AD. His father was Cuairfh ...

, another

. When a boy he went to the monastery of

Devenish Island Devenish or Devinish () is an island in Lower Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Aligned roughly north–south, it is about long and wide. The island is the site of an early Christian monastery and round tower. It is historicall ...

County Fermanagh County Fermanagh ( ; ) is one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of six counties of Northern Ireland. The county covers an area of and had a population of 63,585 as of 2021. Enniskillen is the ...

to study under Saint

Laisrén mac Nad Froích Saint Laisrén mac Nad Froích (died 564), or Laisrén of Devenish and Lasserian, known as Mo Laisse, was the patron saint of Devenish Island in Lough Erne, near Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ireland, in the present Diocese of Clogher (Roman Cath ...

. After finishing his studies there he went to study under Saint

Comgall Saint Comgall (c. 510–520 – 597/602), an early Irish saint, was the founder and abbot of the great Irish monastery at Bangor in Ireland. MacCaffrey,James (1908). " St. Comgall". In ''Catholic Encyclopedia''. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Co ...

of Bangor monastery. When he graduated he worked as an artisan for Saint

Ciarán of Saigir Ciarán of Saigir (; 5th century – ), also known as Ciarán mac Luaigne or Saint Kieran (), was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and is considered the first saint to have been born in Ireland,''Catholic Online''St. Kieran/ref> a ...

for whom he made 300 bells, 300 croziers and 300 Gospels which were distributed as gifts to other monasteries in Ireland. He then founded his monastery at

. Saint

Columba Columba () or Colmcille (7 December 521 – 9 June 597 AD) was an Irish abbot and missionary evangelist credited with spreading Christianity in what is today Scotland at the start of the Hiberno-Scottish mission. He founded the important abbey ...

blessed it for him. Locals tried to kill him but failed and were expelled to the

Beara Peninsula Beara () or the Beara Peninsula is a peninsula on the south-west coast of Ireland, bounded between the Kenmare River (which is actually a bay) to the north side and Bantry Bay to the south. It contains two mountain ranges running down its ce ...

County Cork County Cork () is the largest and the southernmost Counties of Ireland, county of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, named after the city of Cork (city), Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster ...

. Saint Berach was one of his disciples. Daig performed many miracles which are enumerated in his Life. The Félire Óengusso ("Martyrology of Óengus"), states "A man of grace for our wheat was Daig, the good and great son of Cairell". He was present at the death of Carláen the bishop of

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 ...

who died on 24 March 588. Daige died shortly afterwards on 18 August in the same year and his feastday is celebrated on that date. Saint Daig is mentioned in the

Codex Salmanticensis The ''Codex Salmanticensis'' (Brussels, Royal Library 7672–4) is a medieval Irish manuscript containing an extensive collection of Irish saints' Lives, now in the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels. It was culled by the compilers from various ...

(Brussels, Royal Library 7672–4) which is a medieval Irish manuscript containing an extensive collection of Irish saints' Lives.

Biography

Notes

Further reading