StMaughold

Window

Macc Cuill (Manx Maughold) bishop 489 d.498
Feast day April 25 (Farmer quotes April 27)
Kneen quotes Nov 15 (from Machud Episcopus in 'Martyrology of Donegal') which was known in Manx as Laa'l Maghald geuree Maughold's winter feast day and August 11th as Laa'l Maghald toshee Maugholds first feast day. On both days fairs were held in Maughold.
The April feast day may be a result of confusion with St Machalus who in the Scottish Calendar had this feast day and of whom was stated 'He is called also Machella and Mauchold. He sat bishop in AD 498 and 518'.
According to Farmer nothing is known about him except the legend that he was a robber from Druimm moccu Echach in Ulster, converted by St Patrick. It is likely that this story (possibly elaborated from existing Ulster legends) was due to Jocelin, of Furness Abbey, in his life of St Patrick written c1185 mainly to please John de Courci, Anglo-Norman conqueror of Ulster and brother in law to the King of Mann.

Demsey gives a vivid account of the Manx legend that Mac Cuill, feigning sickness to deceive St Patrick was actually found to be dead by his companions and had life breathed back into him by St Patrick. On Mac Cuill's instant conversion Patrick required that he depart alone in a small boat, with no provisions and upon reaching land was to fetter his feet and throw away the key. Following these instructions Mac Cuill reached Mann and being received by the original bishops Coniunri and Romul welcomed him and after examination found his conversion genuine. He was eventually raised to holy orders and after the miraculous discovery, in the belly of a fish, of the key to his fetters was ordained and appointed bishop on the death of his benefactors. A somewhat less reverent retelling is given in Mona Miscellany p220

Patron saint of Maughold Parish

References

J.J.Kneen The Place-Names of the Isle of Man
Douglas: Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh (The Manx Society) 1925- Republished 1970
Olaf Kolsrud The Celtic Bishops in the Isle of Man, the Hebrides and Orkney
Zeitschrift fur Celtic Philologie IX pp357/79 1913
D.H.Farmer The Oxford Dictionary of Saints 1978
William S Demsey,. History of the Catholic Church in the Isle of Man Wigan: Birchly Hall Press 1958


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The stained glass is taken from one of the windows in St Johns.


Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor
© F.Coakley , 1999