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St. Mael Anfaidh and the Birds' Lament for St. Molua

Mael Anfaidh, abbot of Dairinis, heard birds wailing and lamenting. He did not know what had upset them, and he vowed not to eat until he came to understand the source of their sorrow. An angel came to Mael Anfaidh and gave him news of the death of St. Molua (Lua of Lismore), saying that it was grief over this man's death that caused the birds' lament. The angel explained that Molua mac Ocha had never harmed a living thing, and so all creatures, human and animal, bewailed his loss.

The story of St. Mael Anfaidh

This story, the original author of which is unknown, dates from 9th or 10th century Ireland. The paragraph above is paraphrased by Janelle Mellamphy from a number of sources. (References to the Saint are discussed in detail in the family forum on Brian Malanaphy's MalanaphyFamily.com site.)

Mael Anfaidh / Molana / Maolanfaidh: dating the man

It is likely that the Saint and the first Maolanfaidh are one and the same, as the Shell Guide to Ireland 's entry on Youghal Co.Cork (Lord Killanin, and Michael V. Daignan; the Ebury Press, London, 1962: p.461) dates the cleric back to the same era: "Romantically sited beside the Blackwater are the ruins of Dairinis Augustinian Priory. St. MáelAnfaidh ("Molana"), abbot of Lismore, founded an anchoritic settlement here in the 6th to 7th century on what was then an island in the river."

There is some confusion with respect to dates from disparate sources, however: the Saint, who was Bishop of Munster as well as Abbott, founded of the original settlement at Dairinis in the 6th or 7th century, or 601 A.D. according to some sources, which would be young but reasonable in Maolanfaidh's life according to genealogical history. Another source dates his death to 741 A.D., however. Yet another source describes a St. Fachtna as having been a "bishop and Abbot of Dairinis Maelanfaidh" in the 6th century, apparently before Maolanfaidh had a chance to find the place, let alone found it. Keep in mind, though: those who record historical dates are generally the same who are in charge of writing down the *correct* spelling of a family's surname!! The feast day of St. Mael Anfaidh is celebrated January 31.

St. Molana's Abbey

The Shell Guide entry cited above assumes, as had suggested Dan Mellamphy of New Zealand, that "Molana" is a shortened version of "Mael Anfaidh". The Abbey of St. Maolanfaidh (what the Shell Guide first calls the "Dairinis Augustinian Priory") or St. Molana's Abbey is located near Youghal in east Cork, but is actually in Co.Waterford. The 12th century church is built on the site of St. Maolanfaidh's original island monastery, founded 601 A.D. It is a site of some historical importance beyond its ruins (which includes a statue of the Saint), in that c.710-c.725 Cu Chuimme of Iona and Rubin Mac Connard compiled Irish canon law (Collectio Hibernensis) at Molana Island, and the Abbey is said to be the final resting place of Raymond le Gros de Carew (c. 1135-1186), an early leader of the Cambro-Norman campaigns and companion of Strongbow. (Photo supplied via Peggy Larsen by Jacqui Mellamphy, from the family reunion slide show presentation.)

Holy Island and our family monks

Founded about the same time as the original 6th century St. Maolanfaidh's Abbey, Holy Island (Inis Cealtra) in Co.Clare by Tipperary also became a monastic settlement where, over the years, many small churches were built. The island is very near NorthTip-family-central Coolbawn, and is reported to be home of some early "Molamphy Monks". As family rumour has it, one of the monks, who took a tad too seriously the notion of knowing things biblically, was smitten by a North Tip lass, swam ashore, and founded our family. Or, as Peggy Larsen's family reunion presentation perhaps more tactfully put it: "The family of Maol-Ompile provided the ecclesiastical rectors on Holy Island over a long period." Well done.

Whether Father Forefather swam from Holy Island near North Tipperary or from St. Maolanfaidh's then-island-now-dry-land-but-closer-to-the-South-Tip-tip abbey, I say let the randy rector rumour rule!

Coming soon: Information from Peggy Larsen's book on Holy Island which makes reference to the Maolanfaidh name as being of Danish origin!