St. Kenneth of Kilkenny

From the Celt-Saints E-Group:

Born at Glengiven (Derry), Ireland, c. 515-527; died at Aghaboe ("the ox's field") in Laois, c. 599. According to the tradition Saint Kenneth was the son of a scholar-poet, who became a pupil of Saint Finnian (f.d.December 12) at Clonard. He may have gone with Saints Kieran (f.d.September 9), Columba (f.d. June 9), Comgall (f.d. May 11) on mission to Saint Mobhi (f.d. October 12) at Glasnevin, preached for a time in Ireland. When plague scattered the community, Canice became a monk under Saint Cadoc (f.d. September 25) at Llancarfan, Wales, where he was ordained.

Canice was a close friend of Saint Columba whom he accompanied on a visit to King Brude of the Picts at Inverness, because he was of the Pictish race and spoke the language. Thus, he assisted Columba in establishing his base at Iona, where there was once a Killchainnech. He served similarly in introducing Comgall at Lismore. For a time Canice worked in the Western Isles and on the mainland of Scotland, where he is known as Kenneth. A number of place names and old dedications confirm his presence in Scotland, notably the islet called Inch Kenneth in Mull. He founded churches on Tiree, South Uist, Coll, and Kintyre. He was the first person to build a church at Saint Andrews, then known as Rigmond. As Aengus records, "Aghaboe was his principal church and he has a Recles (monastery) at Kill-Rigmonaig in Alba." The Irish abbot of Rigmond, Riaghail or Regulus, whom some believe to have been a 4th-century Greek monk named Rule, carried the relics of the apostle Saint Andrew (f.d. November 30) to Rigmond. But the relics were not acquired until 736, at which time the name was changed to Saint Andrews.

When he returned to Ireland he founded the monastery of Aghaboe in Ossory, c. 577. Other foundations included Drumahose in Derry and Cluain Bronig in Offaly. Saint Canice is said also to have had a foundation at Kilkenny. That city is named after Canice, who was the titular patron of the Brethren of Saint Kenneth.

Canice copied a manuscript of the four Gospels. He was known as an effective preachers, when, according to the saint, he was divinely illuminated by God.

Canice is one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and patron of Kennoway in Fife.

Like other Irish monastics saints, Canice periodically lived as a hermit and enjoyed the close communion such a life afforded with nature.

"Another time when Saint Cainnic was in hidden retreat in solitude, a stag came to him, and would hold the book steady on his antlers as the Saint read on. But one day, startled by a sudden fear, he dashed into flight without the abbot's leave, carrying the book still open on his antlers; but thereafter, like a fugitive monk to his abbot, the book safe and unharmed still open on his antlers, he returned" (Plummer).