In Christianity, certain deceased Christians are recognized as

saint In Christianity, Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of sanctification in Christianity, holiness, imitation of God, likeness, or closeness to God in Christianity, God. However, the use of the ...

s, including some from Ireland. The vast majority of these saints lived during the 4th–10th centuries, the period of early Christian Ireland, when

Celtic Christianity Celtic Christianity is a form of Christianity that was common, or held to be common, across the Celtic languages, Celtic-speaking world during the Early Middle Ages. The term Celtic Church is deprecated by many historians as it implies a unifi ...

produced many

missionaries A missionary is a member of a religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Miss ...

to Great Britain and the European continent. The exact number of Irish saints is not known but the Martyrology of Donegal lists 1000 saints, male and female. For this reason, Ireland in a 19th-century adage is described as "the land of saints and scholars".''The Monthly Packet of Evening Readings for Members of the English Church'', Volume 3, John and Charles Mozley (1852)
p. 215
Christianity was introduced into Ireland toward the end of the 4th century. The details of the introduction are obscure, though the strict

ascetic Asceticism is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from worldly pleasures through self-discipline, self-imposed poverty, and simple living, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their pra ...

nature of monasticism in Ireland is said to be derived from the practices of the

Desert Fathers The Desert Fathers were early Christian hermits and ascetics, who lived primarily in the Wadi El Natrun, then known as ''Skete'', in Roman Egypt, beginning around the Christianity in the ante-Nicene period, third century. The ''Sayings of the Dese ...

. Although there were some Christians in Ireland before Patrick, who was a native of

Roman Britain Roman Britain was the territory that became the Roman province of ''Britannia'' after the Roman conquest of Britain, consisting of a large part of the island of Great Britain. The occupation lasted from AD 43 to AD 410. Julius Caes ...

, he played a significant role in its full Christianisation. Some of the best-known saints are

Saint Patrick Saint Patrick (; or ; ) was a fifth-century Romano-British culture, Romano-British Christian missionary and Archbishop of Armagh, bishop in Gaelic Ireland, Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Irelan ...

, Colmcill,

Brigid of Kildare Saint Brigid of Kildare or Saint Brigid of Ireland (; Classical Irish: ''Brighid''; ; ) is the patroness saint (or 'mother saint') of Ireland, and one of its three national saints along with Patrick and Columba. According to medieval Irish ...

and the

Twelve Apostles of Ireland The Twelve Apostles of Ireland (also known as Twelve Apostles of Erin, ) were twelve early Irish monastic saints of the sixth century who studied under St Finnian (d. 549) at his famous monastic school Clonard Abbey at Cluain-Eraird (Erard's ...

. After 1000, the process of recognizing saints was formalized, after which fewer people were named saints. Those canonized in the modern era include Oliver Plunkett (d. 1681, canonized 1975 by

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI (born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXII ...

) and

Charles of Mount Argus Charles of Mount Argus (11 December 1821 – 5 January 1893), was a Dutch Passionist priest who served in 19th-century Ireland. He gained a reputation for his compassion for the sick and those in need of guidance. His reputation for healin ...

(d. 1893, canonized in 2007 by

Pope Benedict XVI Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...

Veneration

The medieval Irish saints were venerated locally in the areas in which they lived or established churches. With the Viking invasions, Irish churches were frequently ransacked and saints' relics and shrines were often destroyed.

Early saints

Early Irish martyr saints

* St. Ceannanach * St. Blathmacc of Iona * St. Donnan of Eigg * St. Ia of Cornwall * St. Odhran the Charioteer * St. Colman Isirni (''the Thirsty'') * St. Colman of Stockerau * St. Dymphna of Gheel * St. Killian of Wurzburg * St. Totnan of Wurzburg * St. Colman of Wurzburg * St. Grimonia * St. Eliphius of Toul * St. Hiero of Holland * St. Maxentia of Beauvais * St. Brigid and Maura

Later saints

Later saints include: * Saint

(1821–1893) * Saint Oliver Plunkett (1625–1681) * Saint Laurence O'Toole (1128–1180) * Saint Malachy O'Moore (1094–1148) * Saint Fergal of Salzburg (canonised 1233 AD)

Pope Leo XIII's canonisations

In 1902, Pope Leo XIII added a group of 25 medieval Irish male saints to the Roman Martyrology, giving them a greater significance to the majority of other Irish saints who were not officially canonised by the pope. They are as follows: * Saint Kevin of Glendalough * Saint Flannan of Killaloe * Saint Eoghan of Ardstraw * Saint Ciaran of Clonmacnois * Saint Declan of Ardmore * Saint Albert of Cashel * Saint Colman of Dromore * Saint Colman of Cloyne * Saint Colman MacDuagh * Saint Comgall of Bangor * Saint Finbarr of Cork * Saint Finnian of Clonard * Saint Laserian of Leighlin * Saint Muiredach of Killala * Saint Carthach of Lismore * Saint Tassach of Elphin * Saint Nathy of Achonry * Saint Oran of Iona * Saint Felim of Kilmore * Saint Jarlath of Tuam * Saint Conleth of Kildare * Saint Aidan of Ferns * Saint Aengus MacNissi of Connor * Saint Aedh Mac Cairtinn of Clogher * Saint Fachanan of Kilfenora

Blesseds

* Blessed John, or Terrence, Carey * Blessed Ralph Corby (Corbington) (1598-1644), professed priest, Jesuits, born in Ireland but included in the Martyrs of England and Wales * Blessed John Grove (d. 1679), layman, born in Ireland but included in the Martyrs of England and Wales * Blessed Tadhg (Thaddeus) McCarthy, bishop * Blessed Christian O'Conarchy, Irish Cistercian abbot * Blessed Columba Marmion, Benedictine priest * Blessed Charles Meehan (Mahoney) (1640-1679), professed priest, Franciscan Friars Minor (Recollects), born in Ireland but included in the Martyrs of England and Wales * Blessed Dermot O'Hurley, Archbishop of Cashel, and 16 Companions, martyrs ** Patrick O'Hely professed priest, Franciscan Friars Minor (Observants); bishop of Mayo ** Conn O'Rourke, professed priest, Franciscan Friars Minor (Observants) ** Matthew Lambert, layman ** Robert Meyler, layman ** Edward Cheevers, layman ** Patrick Cavanagh, layman ** Margaret Ball, laywoman ** Maurice MacKenragaghty, priest **

Dominic Collins Dominic Collins, SJ (; 1566 – 31 October 1602) was an Irish Jesuit lay brother, an ex-soldier, who died for his Catholic faith. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II, along with 16 other Irish Catholic Martyrs, on 27 September 1993.

, professed religious, Jesuits ** Concobhar Ó Duibheannaigh, professed priest, Franciscan Friars Minor (Observants); bishop of Down and Connor ** Patrick O'Loughran, priest of the archdiocese of Armagh ** Francis Taylor, layman ** Peter Higgins, professed priest, Dominicans ** Terence O'Brien, professed priest, Dominicans; bishop of Emly ** John Kearney, professed priest, Franciscan Friars Minor (Observants) ** William Tirry, professed priest, Augustinians * Blessed

Edmund Ignatius Rice Edmund Ignatius Rice, Presentation Brothers, F.P.M., Congregation of Christian Brothers, C.F.C. (; 1 June 1762 – 29 August 1844) was a Catholic missionary and educationalist who founded two religious institute, institutes of Religious brothe ...

, founder of the Congregation of Christian Brothers and the Presentation Brothers * Blessed John Roche (d. 1588), layman, born in Ireland but included in the Martyrs of England and Wales * Blessed Patrick Salmon, companion-martyr of John Cornelius * Blessed John Sullivan, professed priest, Jesuits

Venerables

* Venerable Mary Aikenhead, founder of the Religious Sisters of Charity * Venerable Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy * Venerable Mary Angeline Teresa McCrory, founder, Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm; born in Ireland * Venerable Nano Nagle, founder of the Presentation Sisters * Venerable

Patrick Peyton Patrick Peyton, CSC (9 January 1909 – 3 June 1992), also known as "the Rosary priest", was an Irish-born Catholic priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross, and founder of the Family Rosary Crusade. He popularized the phrases " The family tha ...

, professed priest, Congregation of Holy Cross; born in Ireland * Venerable Edel Quinn, member, Legion of Mary, born in Ireland * Venerable Matt Talbot, lay ascetic

Servants of God

Irish people, described as Servants of God, include: * Alphonsus (Alfie Lambe), Legion of Mary envoy to South America * Frank Duff, Legion of Mary founder * Father Willie Doyle, Irish priest and army chaplain * Mary Kevin Kearney, missionary nun and foundress of the Little Sisters of St. Francis in Uganda.

Other holy people

* Ellen Organ, an Irish child who became known as "Little Nellie of God" and whose story promoted Pope Pius X to lower the age of first communion. * Egbert Xavier Kelly, an Irish Christian Brother who was abducted and killed during the

Manila massacre The Manila massacre ( or ''Masaker sa Maynila''), also called the Rape of Manila (), involved atrocities committed against Filipino people, Filipino civilians in the Manila, City of Manila, the capital of the Philippines, by Empire of Japan ...

in 1945. * Sister Clare Crockett, an Irish nun who died in the 2016 Ecuador earthquake.

References

Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

External links

Ancient Order of Hibernians
— complete list of Ireland's saints
Catholic Online
— Irish saints {{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Saints Of Ireland

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 ...

Saints In Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Anglican, Oriental Orth ...