Maolán

Maolán was an early Christian bishop in Connacht, whose feast day is given as 25 December. He is the reputed founder of a church at Tullaghmelan in County Tipperary.[1]

Saint Maolan (or Maelan)
Bornunknown
Died?
Venerated inCatholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church
Feast25 December
PatronageTullaghmelan, County Tipperary

His name is listed in the Martyrology of O'Gorman under 25 December and he is described as 'Great Maelan, void of weakness.'[2] An ancient stone carving of a bishop's head at Tullaghmelan is believed to be St. Maolan.[3]

He is commemorated in the placnames Cill Easpaig Mhaoláin (the church of Bishop Maolán) or Killaspugmoylan, parish of Kilconickny, Loughrea) and Cill Mhaoláin (the church of Maolán) or Kilmoylan, a parish four miles south of Tuam. It is likely that one or more saints with this name have become conflated as there were at least 6 saints commemorated in medieval Ireland named Maolan/Maelan.[4]

See also

References
  1. Marcella. "Saint Maolán of Tullaghmelan, December 25". Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  2. Marcella. "Saint Maolán of Tullaghmelan, December 25". Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  3. "Medieval sculpture". Pilgrimage In Medieval Ireland. 9 May 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  4. O'Clery, Michael; O'Donovan, John; Reeves, William; Todd, James Henthorn (1864). The martyrology of Donegal : a calendar of the saints of Ireland. Oxford University. Dublin : Printed for the Irish Archaeological and Celtic Society by A. Thom.
  • Early Ecclesiastical Settlement Names of County Galway, Dónall Mac Giolla Easpaig, in Galway:History and Society, 1996, pp. 802–03.


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