Saint Senan
(c. 488-544)
Life of St. Senan, Bishop, Patron Saint of West Clare by Fr. Senan Hedderman
The Coming of Christianity to Clare and the evolution of the Diocese of Killaloe and Kilfenora
St. Senan was born in Corca Bhaisin, County Clare about 488. It seems that Senan’s family had two farms, one at Moylough and the other at a place called Tracht Termainn. His story originates in the dim past when paganism gradually gave way to christianity. There are no reliable records to validate his birth or death or activities.
He placed himself under the Abbot Cassidan and took the monastic habit. Cassidan was originally from South-west Cork. Senan then went to the Monastery of Kilmanagh (Ossory) to continue his preparations for the religious life. There he was credited with the performance of many miracles. He is next heard of having established a church at Enniscorthy. The Book of Lismore states that Senan went to Rome and from there to Tours, which was at that time, the great monastic establishment in West Europe. Returning to Ireland, St. Senan established a church and monastery at Inniscarra, in Cork. He then moved back to his native district. He began his work on the islands of the Fergus. He crossed to Mutton Island, then to Bishop’s Island, south of Kilkee. Finally, about 534, he established himself at Scattery, the low green island about a mile off the coast from Kilrush.
Before Senan arrived on Scattery, also called Inis Cathaig, a legendary monster called “The Cathach” inhabited the island and terrorised people who were afraid to approach the island. Sometimes referred to as the “peist” or sea-serpent, the Cathach was depicted on a carving in the old chapel of Kilrush as the “Cata”. On his arrival in the island the Angel Raphael led Senan to the highest hill from which he was able to locate the Cathach. He then faced the monster and ordered it, in the name of the Trinity, to depart from the island. In some stories the Cathach obeyed immediately and “neither stopped nor stayed” until he reached the dark waters of Doolough Lake at the foot of Mount Callan.
The Pagan Legends of that time;
LUGH AND THE SECOND BATTLE OF THE MAG TUIREADH
In this second battle, so central to Irish mythology, the Tuatha de Dannan struggled yet again for control of the land, this time against the fearsome forces of the Formorians. The Formorians are often depicted as one-legged, one-armed, ugly sea-monsters, and they were indeed malicious and grotesque.
The ruler of the Formorians was Balor, a repulsive Cyclops with an evil eye whose mere look would kill anyone who gazed upon him - a fate which befell Nuada, the Tuatha king. When Nuada died, the leadership fell to the celebrated Lugh.
Lugh, the Bright One, was a sun god lauded for his many talents. He was a craftsman, musician, poet, sorcerer, and warrior. He was also, it turned out, the grandson of the evil Formorian Balor. Before Lugh’s birth it had been prophesied that Balor would be killed by his grandson. Balor tried to get rid of Lugh, without success, however, because the sun god was protected by powerful magic.
After Nuada’s death, Lugh took it upon himself to slay the evil-eyed monster. As Balor was falling asleep, Lugh attacked him with a stone from an enchanted slingshot, shooting it with such force that it drove the monsters eye out of the back of his head, thus turning his evil gaze toward his own army. Balor was killed, and the Formorians returned to the sea. Lugh was given the title Lugh Lamfhada (Lugh of the Long Arm), and the summer harvest festival Lughnasa (August 1) is named in his honour.
When the first missionary Saint monks established monastaries in Ireland in the 400’s 500’s and later, they set about, with great joy, recording the old pagan stories from the locals. The stories date back to the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. The Monsters in the tales of the Irish Saints were generally though to be the pagan druids who were either driven out of an area, or their erroneous teachings were overcome, or slain, by the Saint.
No doubt, Monsters and Dragons had similar type meanings in other countries.
