Saints

Monk. This sixth century Irish saint was the founder and abbot of Lothra in Co Tipperary. Coming from a royal Munster family, he studied under St Finian at Clonard. He is sometimes described as a bishop and one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. He is said to have replaced St Brendan (the Navigator) at Lorrha, who preceded to cross the Shannon and set up his monastery at Clonfert Co Galway. In ... Read More

Welsh monk. Born at the end of the ninth century in South Wales, Caradoc came from a moderately wealthy family. As a young man he lived at the court of the prince Rhys ap Tewdwr, where he was a harper. Caradoc fell out of favour after losing the royal greyhounds. He broke off the head of his lance and, using the shaft as a walking stick, went to Llandaff where he was tonsured and entered the se... Read More

Visionary, and later nun. Born in 1844, Bernadette was the eldest of six children born to Francois Soubirous, a miller, and his wife Louise. The family lived in great poverty. When they couldn't afford to pay the rent, after 1857 the family were forced to live in one room of an old prison. Throughout her childhood Bernadette suffered many illnesses, including cholera. She had asthma all her life... Read More