Attracta
Encyclopedia
Saint Athracht in Latin sources Attracta, is the patron saint of the parish of Locha Techet (Lough Gara) and Tourlestrane
Toorlestraun
Toorlestraun or Tourlestrane , is a village in County Sligo, Ireland.-The village:The village of Tourlestrane itself is the smaller of the two villages in the parish of Kilmactigue, the other being Aclare...

, Co. Sligo, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

. Her legend states that she fled from home and took her vows as a 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...

 under Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland, although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints....

 at Coolavin. She then moved to Lough Gara
Lough Gara
Lough Gara is a lake in County Sligo, Republic of Ireland.-History:Lough Gara was known in ancient times as Loch Techet, but the O’Garas, during their ownership of the Coolavin district from about the thirteenth century, renamed the lake “Loch Uí Ghadhra”. The first documented reference appeared...

, where she founded a hostel
Hostel
Hostels provide budget oriented, sociable accommodation where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed, in a dormitory and share a bathroom, lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex, although private rooms may also be available...

 for travellers at a place now called Killaraght in her honor. The hostel survived until 1539.

A local well is named after her, as is the new secondary school in Tubbercurry
Tubbercurry
Tubbercurry or Tobercurry is a town in County Sligo, Ireland. It lies at the foot of the Ox Mountains, on the N17 national primary road.Tubbercurry has a very active Tidy Towns Project which is setting out to transform the town's visual appearance...

 and the parish's second church in Kilmactigue
Kilmactigue
Kilmactigue , is a townland and parish in County Sligo, Ireland.The parish covers the villages of Aclare, Banada and Tourlestrane, as well as their surrounding townlands. The parish church is situated in Tourlestrane, and there are smaller churches in Kilmactigue and Lough Talt...

.

She lived in the sixth or seventh century. Local tradition remembers her great healing powers. Her convents were famous for hospitality and charity to the poor.

She was a brother of St Connell, who is associated with Conainne
Conainne
Conainne, also known as Dachonna, was an Irish missionary and saint.Conainne was a female missionary who evangalised in the Soghain area of County Galway...

.
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