St. Molingus, alias Dairchilla, Bishop and Confessor in Ireland

HE was born in the territory of Kensellagh, now part of the county of Wexford, and in his youth embraced a monastic life at Glendalough. The abbey of Aghacainid, on the banks of the Barrow, being put under his direction, received the greatest lustre from his prudence and sanctity, and ever since has been called from him Teghmolin. This saint is celebrated in Ireland for his eminent sanctity, manifested by the gifts of prophecy and miracles. St. Edan, commonly called Maidoc or Moeg, 1 who was consecrated first bishop of Ferns in Leinster about the year 598, dying on the 31st of January in 632, (or according to the annals of the Four Masters in 624,) St. Moling was placed in that see. At the petition of the clergy and nobility he was acknowledged archbishop of Leinster, as his predecessor had been. 2 St. Moling was a singular benefactor to his country by persuading king Finacta in 693 to release to the kingdom of Leinster the heavy tribute of oxen, called the Boarian tribute, which had been imposed by king Tuathal Techmar in 134, and been the cause of many bloody wars. Our saint resigned his see some years before his death, which happened on the 17th of June, 697. He was interred in his own monastery of Teghmoling. Giraldus Cambrensis calls SS. Patrick, Columb, Moling, and Braccan the four prophets of Ireland, and says their books were extant in his time in the Irish language. See his Hibern. Expugn. l. 2, c. 33; Colgan in MSS. ad 17 Jun; Ware, p. 437.

Note 1. See this saint’s life on the last day of January. [back]

Note 2. It must be observed that in the early ages of Christianity in Ireland, the title of Archbishop was frequently conferred on some prelates on account of their extraordinary sanctity and merits. Thus Fiech, bishop of Sletty, or of the mountains, is said to have been consecrated archbishop of Leinster by St. Patrick. So Conlaeth, bishop of Kildare, was called high-priest, and archbishop of Leinster; St. Albe of Emelye, archbishop of Munster; and several other prelates took the title of archbishop from the province at large, before the regular concession of four palls to the four metropolitans in the year 1152. [back]

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