ST. MOLINGUS, ALIAS DAIRCHILLA, BISHOP, CONFESSOR

HE was born in the territory of Kensellagh, now part of the county of Wexford, and in his youth embraced a monastic life at Glendaloch. The abbey of Aghacainid, on the banks of the Barrow, being put under his direction, received the greatest lustre from his prudence and sanctity, and ever since has been called from him Teghmolin. This saint is celebrated in Ireland for his eminent sanctity, manifested by the gifts of prophecy and miracles. St. Edan, commonly called Maidoc, or Moeg,* who was consecrated first bishop of Ferns in Leinster about the year 598, dying on the 31st of January in 632, (or according to the annals of the Four Masters in 624,) St. Moling was placed in that see. At the petition of the clergy and nobility he was acknowledged archbishop of Leinster, as his predecessor had been.† St. Moling was a singular benefactor to his country by persuading king Finacta, in 693, to release to the kingdom of Leinster the heavy tribute of oxen, called the Boarian tribute, which had been imposed by king Tuathal Techmar in 134, and been the cause of many bloody wars. Our saint resigned his see some years before his death, which happened on the 17th of June, 697. He was interred in his own monastery of Teghmoling. Giraldus Cambrensis calls SS. Patrick, Columb, Moling, and Braccan, the four prophets of Ireland, and says their books were extant in his time in the Irish language. See his Hibern. Expugn.1. 2, c. 33; Colgan in MSS. ad 17 Jun.; Ware, p. 437.