Saint Ita
Encyclopedia
Íte ingen Chinn Fhalad also known as Ita, Ida or Ides, was an early Irish
nun
and saint, patron of Killeedy
(Cluain Credhail). Her feast day is 15 January.
Ida, called the "Brigid
of Munster
", was born in the present County Waterford
. She became a nun, settling down at Cluain Credhail, a place-name that has ever since been known as Killeedy
--that is, "Church of St. Ita"--in County Limerick
. There, she was the head of a community of women. That group seems to have had a school for little boys where the boys were taught "Faith in God with purity of heart; simplicity of life with religion; generosity with love". Her pupils are said to have included Saint Brendan
. Her legend places a great deal of emphasis on her austerities are told by St. Cuimin of County Down
, and numerous miracle
s are recorded of her. She is also said to be the originator of an Irish lullaby for the infant Jesus
, an English version of which was set for voice and piano by the American composer Samuel Barber
. She probably died of cancer though contemporary chroniclers describe how her side was consumed by a beetle
which eventually grew to the size of a pig, understandable given the early medieval conflation of sanctity and suffering.
She was also endowed with the gift of prophecy
and was held in great veneration
by a large number of contemporary saint
s, men as well as women. When she felt her end approaching she sent for her community of nuns, and invoked the blessing of heaven on the clergy and laity of the district around Kileedy. Not alone was St. Ita a saint, but she was the foster-mother of many saints, including St. Brendan
the Navigator, St. Pulcherius (Mochoemog) and Cummian
. At the request of Bishop Butler of Limerick, Pope Pius IX
granted a special Office and Mass for the feast of St. Ita, which is kept on 15 January.
St. Ita's AFC is the name of the association football club which is based in Killeedy
. The saint appears on the club's crest.
Another village in County Limerick, Kilmeedy
(In Irish - Cill m'Ide, or church of my Ita) has links with the saint as well - having first setup a church in Kilmeedy before the one in Killeedy.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
and saint, patron of Killeedy
Killeedy
Killeedy is a parish located south of Newcastle West in Co. Limerick in Ireland. This parish consists of two villages, Ashford and Raheenagh. The elevation of the parish varies from 1,184 ft. OS at Mauricetown and 1,082 ft. at Dromdeeveen to 200 ft. OS at Ballintubber. The parish...
(Cluain Credhail). Her feast day is 15 January.
Ida, called the "Brigid
Brigid
In Irish mythology, Brigit or Brighid was the daughter of the Dagda and one of the Tuatha Dé Danann. She was the wife of Bres of the Fomorians, with whom she had a son, Ruadán....
of Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
", was born in the present County Waterford
County Waterford
*Abbeyside, Affane, Aglish, Annestown, An Rinn, Ardmore*Ballinacourty, Ballinameela, Ballinamult, Ballinroad, Ballybeg, Ballybricken, Ballyduff Lower, Ballyduff Upper, Ballydurn, Ballygunner, Ballylaneen, Ballymacarbry, Ballymacart, Ballynaneashagh, Ballysaggart, Ballytruckle, Bilberry, Bunmahon,...
. She became a nun, settling down at Cluain Credhail, a place-name that has ever since been known as Killeedy
Killeedy
Killeedy is a parish located south of Newcastle West in Co. Limerick in Ireland. This parish consists of two villages, Ashford and Raheenagh. The elevation of the parish varies from 1,184 ft. OS at Mauricetown and 1,082 ft. at Dromdeeveen to 200 ft. OS at Ballintubber. The parish...
--that is, "Church of St. Ita"--in County Limerick
County Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
. There, she was the head of a community of women. That group seems to have had a school for little boys where the boys were taught "Faith in God with purity of heart; simplicity of life with religion; generosity with love". Her pupils are said to have included Saint Brendan
Brendan
Saint Brendan of Clonfert or Bréanainn of Clonfert called "the Navigator", "the Voyager", or "the Bold" is one of the early Irish monastic saints. He is chiefly renowned for his legendary quest to the "Isle of the Blessed," also called St. Brendan's Island. The Voyage of St...
. Her legend places a great deal of emphasis on her austerities are told by St. Cuimin of County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, and numerous miracle
Miracle
A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...
s are recorded of her. She is also said to be the originator of an Irish lullaby for the infant Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, an English version of which was set for voice and piano by the American composer Samuel Barber
Samuel Barber
Samuel Osborne Barber II was an American composer of orchestral, opera, choral, and piano music. His Adagio for Strings is his most popular composition and widely considered a masterpiece of modern classical music...
. She probably died of cancer though contemporary chroniclers describe how her side was consumed by a beetle
Beetle
Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...
which eventually grew to the size of a pig, understandable given the early medieval conflation of sanctity and suffering.
She was also endowed with the gift of prophecy
Prophecy
Prophecy is a process in which one or more messages that have been communicated to a prophet are then communicated to others. Such messages typically involve divine inspiration, interpretation, or revelation of conditioned events to come as well as testimonies or repeated revelations that the...
and was held in great veneration
Veneration
Veneration , or veneration of saints, is a special act of honoring a saint: an angel, or a dead person who has been identified by a church committee as singular in the traditions of the religion. It is practiced by the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic, and Eastern Catholic Churches...
by a large number of contemporary saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
s, men as well as women. When she felt her end approaching she sent for her community of nuns, and invoked the blessing of heaven on the clergy and laity of the district around Kileedy. Not alone was St. Ita a saint, but she was the foster-mother of many saints, including St. Brendan
Brendan
Saint Brendan of Clonfert or Bréanainn of Clonfert called "the Navigator", "the Voyager", or "the Bold" is one of the early Irish monastic saints. He is chiefly renowned for his legendary quest to the "Isle of the Blessed," also called St. Brendan's Island. The Voyage of St...
the Navigator, St. Pulcherius (Mochoemog) and Cummian
Cummian
Cumméne Fota or Cummian was an Irish bishop.-Biography:Cummian was an Irish Bishop and fer léignid of Cluain Ferta Brénainn , was an important theological writer in the early to mid 7th century. He is famous for a Paschal letter which displays his high level of learning...
. At the request of Bishop Butler of Limerick, Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
granted a special Office and Mass for the feast of St. Ita, which is kept on 15 January.
St. Ita's AFC is the name of the association football club which is based in Killeedy
Killeedy
Killeedy is a parish located south of Newcastle West in Co. Limerick in Ireland. This parish consists of two villages, Ashford and Raheenagh. The elevation of the parish varies from 1,184 ft. OS at Mauricetown and 1,082 ft. at Dromdeeveen to 200 ft. OS at Ballintubber. The parish...
. The saint appears on the club's crest.
Another village in County Limerick, Kilmeedy
Kilmeedy
Kilmeedy is a village in County Limerick, in the parish of Feenagh-Kilmeedy.In Irish, Kilmeedy translates as Cill m'Íde, or Church of my Ita. This refers to Saint Ita who founded a church in the area before moving to another parish in the Limerick area, Kileedy, also named after the saint...
(In Irish - Cill m'Ide, or church of my Ita) has links with the saint as well - having first setup a church in Kilmeedy before the one in Killeedy.