Saint Mac Nisse (died 514) was an early Irish saint known as the founder and first bishop-abbot of Connor (Irish: '' Condere'', in what is now Co. Antrim).

Life

Hagiographers say he was son of Fáebrach, son of Erc, who probably belonged to the

Dál Fiatach Dál Fiatach was a Gaelic Ireland, Gaelic dynastic-grouping and the name of their territory in the north-east of Ireland, which lasted throughout the Middle Ages until their demise in the 13th century at the hands of Normans in Ireland, Normans ...

. His mother was Ness. His story as known is largely legendary He was baptized by

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 ...

who taught him the psalms. He then took the additional name of Óengus. Mac Nisse was fostered with Patrick's disciple

Olcán Olcán () is the name of an early Irish saint of the Dál Riata, disciple of St Patrick, founder and bishop of the monastery in Armoy in northeast County Antrim, Northern Ireland.Charles-Edwards, "Ulster, saints of (act. ''c''.400–''c''.650)" ...

, Bishop of Armoy. The '' Tripartite Life of St. Patrick'' says that as the political support of

Dal Riata Dal is a term in the Indian subcontinent for dried, split pulses. Dal or DAL may also refer to: Places Cambodia *Dal, Ke Chong Finland * Laakso, a neighbourhood of Helsinki India * Dal Lake, in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India * Dal ...

gained in Scotland, but waned in Ireland, the lands attached to Armoy were seized and regranted to Mac Nisse and Senán "of Inis Cathaig" (probably for Senán of Láthrach Briúin).Charles-Edwards, "Ulster, saints of (act. ''c''.400–''c''.650)" Oengus Mac Nisse is thought to have been a hermit near Kells earlier in his life.Simms, George Otto. ''Among the Cloud of Witnesses: Notes and suggested prayers for commemorations of worthies of the Irish Church'', Church of Ireland, 1994
/ref> There were three Irish abbeys/monasteries by this name.

References

Primary sources

* Tripartite Life of St Patrick * ''Félire Óengusso'' * ''

Annals of Ulster The ''Annals of Ulster'' () are annals of History of Ireland, medieval Ireland. The entries span the years from 431 AD to 1540 AD. The entries up to 1489 AD were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luin� ...

'' * ''Life'' of St. Nisse (''

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 ...

''), ed. W.W. Heist, ''Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae ex codice olim Salmanticensi nunc Bruxellensi''. Brussels, 1965. p. 406. Short, late homily for the saint's festival (3 September) at Connor. {{DEFAULTSORT:Mac Nisse Of Connor 6th-century Irish bishops 6th-century Christian saints 514 deaths Medieval saints of Ulster People from County Meath People from County Antrim Year of birth unknown