For St. Cainnear of Cluain Claraid, see Cainnear (saint). For other people named Conaire or Cainnear, see Cainnear (name).
| Saint Conaire or Cainnear | |
|---|---|
 Saint Cainnear (Cannera or Conaire) of Bantry | |
| Chraibdech 'The Pious' | |
| Born | 5th or 6th century Bantry Bay, County Cork, Ireland |
| Died | 530 AD Scattery Island, County Clare |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church |
| Feast | 28 January |
| Attributes | An ascetic holding a staff in one hand, a lily or a fish |
| Patronage | Against drowning, sailors, water safety, against nyctophobia, against aquaphobia |
Saint Conaire (also Cannera, Cainder or Cainnear) (feast day 28 January) was an Irish holy woman who died in 530 AD. Originally from Bantry Bay in modern County Cork, she was an anchorite who lived in a self-imposed solitude and spiritual exile from society.
Life
What little is known about St. Conaire's life comes from the "Life of St. Senan" in which she is mentioned. Reputedly, while nearing the end of her life, she had a vision of all the monasteries in Ireland, and extending from each upwards to the heavens was a pillar of fire. The fire-pillar from Saint Senán mac Geircinn's monastery at Inis Cathaig, in the mouth of the River Shannon, was the highest and so Conaire set off in its direction, judging it to be the most holy.
When she arrived at the monastery, Senán and his monks refused her admittance - as their chastity vows prohibited contact with women. According to some sources, Conaire argued that "Christ came to redeem women no less than to redeem men. No less did he suffer for the sake of women than for the sake of men. No less than men, women enter into the heavenly kingdom. Why, then, should you not allow women to live on this place?". Senán is reputed to have partially relented and, although not allowed beyond the shore of the island, Conaire was given communion before dying and was buried on the coast of the island. Her grave is marked by a simple flag. St. Conaire was listed in the ancient Irish martyrologies of Tallaght, of Donegal and of O'Gorman under 28 January.
Name variations
St. Conaire is listed in the Martyrology of Donegal as Cainder. There are several variations of her name including Cannera, Canaire, Canair, Cainnear, Cainner, Cainir, Cainer and Connera. A likely reason for this is because of a medieval scribe's spelling error at one point, mistaking 'a' for 'o' which was not uncommon. Another reason is because of the lack of standardisation in pronunciation of the Irish language, resulting in the frequent and regional miss-pronunciation and misspelling of the saint's name over the centuries.
O'Mulconry clan
St. Conaire is the namesake of the ancient Irish bardic family Ó Maolconaire of Roscommon (descendant of the servant of Saint Conaire) who were priomhseanachie (antiquaries) to the kings in Gaelic Ireland, and ran schools of traditional poetry, history, and law throughout Ireland.
Legacy and traditions
Catholic churches dedicated to Saint Conaire include St. Conaires in Carrigerry, County Clare in Ireland, and St. Canera's Church in Neosho, Missouri. A national school in Shannon, County Clare is also dedicated to her and its pupils undertake an annual pilgrimage on her feast day 28 January.
Some people believed that anyone who visited St. Conaire's church would not be drowned at sea. Similarly, pebbles from her grave site on Scattery Island were taken by sailors and placed in their boats to protect them from shipwreck.
In popular culture
Thomas Moore, the Irish poet, wrote a poem entitled St. Senanus and the Lady in which he described the encounter between St. Conaire and St. Senan at Scattery Island. A modern song, titled 'Oró Canaire', was included in the Alive-O series for primary school religious education.
References
- "Irish Saints". namenerds.com. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- "CatholicSaints.Info » Name Cainder". Retrieved 13 April 2022.
- "St. Cannera - Saints & Angels". Catholic Online. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
- ^ Marcella. "Saint Cannera of Bantry, January 28". Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ "St. Canaire of Ireland". saintsbridge.org. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
- ^ O'Clery, Michael; O'Donovan, John; Reeves, William; Todd, James Henthorn (1864). The martyrology of Donegal : a calendar of the saints of Ireland. Oxford University. Dublin : Printed for the Irish Archaeological and Celtic Society by A. Thom.
- "Not a saint but a spelling mistake". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- Ryan, Gerrard. "Pre-reformation church and monastic sites in the barony of Bunratty Lower" (PDF). p. 44. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
- "Canaire (?-530) January 28th". Northumbria Community. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
- "St. Conaires, Carrigerry". Newmarket-on-Fergus Parish. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
- "St. Canera Catholic church". canera.org. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
- "Saint Conaire". Welcome to St. Conaires N.S. | Shannon | Diocese of Killaloe. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
- Marcella. "Saint Cannera of Bantry, January 28". omniumsanctorumhiberniae.com. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- "Saint Cannera of Inis Cathaig (+ 530)". johnsanidopoulos.com. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- "On! haste, and leave this sacred isle / St. Senanus and the Lady". www.musicanet.org. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- "Saint Cannera - Irish Biography". www.libraryireland.com. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- "Youtube oro canaire - Search Videos". youtube.com. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
