Munchin
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Mainchín mac Setnai also anglicised to Munchin, was allegedly the founder of the church of Luimnech, later Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...

 (Ireland), and a saint in Irish tradition, acquiring special eminence as patron of Limerick city. Both his origins and the date of his association with the city are debated.

Background

Through his father Sétna, Mainchín is alleged to belong to the Dál Cais, given a pedigree linking him to the ancestors of the O'Brien dynasty. His tutor was the Corco Mruad saint Mac Creiche according to the Life of that saint. Mainchín is said to have founded Luimnech when Ferdomnach
Ferdomnach
Ferdomnach was an Irish illuminator who is responsible for the Book of Armagh.The Annals of the Four Masters recorded the death of Ferdomnach as a sage and choice scribe of the Church of Armagh. His creation, the Book of Armagh is held at Trinity College, Dublin, and contains some of the oldest...

, king from the Dál Cais, granted him land at Inis Sibtond.

A major problem with the above is that the Dál Cais themselves are unknown by that name before the 930s and are believed by scholars to be the descendants of a Déisi
Déisi
The Déisi were a class of peoples in ancient and medieval Ireland. The term is Old Irish, and derives from the word déis, meaning "vassal" or "subject"; in its original sense, it designated groups who were vassals or rent-payers to a landowner. Later, it became a proper name for certain septs and...

 population which migrated into the region at an uncertain period. Before the Dál Cais the greater region appears to have been dominated for a time by another people entirely, the Uí Fidgenti
Uí Fidgenti
The Uí Fidgenti or Wood-Sprung People were an early kingdom of northern Munster, situated mostly in modern County Limerick, but extending into County Clare and County Tipperary, and possibly even County Kerry and County Cork, at maximum extents, which varied over time...

, who eventually found themselves much displaced by the Dál Cais in the second half of the 10th century and following, although after having previously overrun many of the Déisi themselves in the very same territories.

Brug Ríg

Mainchín is also the patron saint of Brug Ríg, now Bruree
Bruree
Bruree is a village in south-eastern County Limerick, Ireland, on the River Maigue. It takes its name from the nearby ancient royal fortress, the alternative name of which from the earliest times into the High Middle Ages was Dún Eochair Maigue or the Fortress on the Brink of the Maigue.- History...

, the former royal seat of the Uí Fidgenti.

Limerick

It has been argued that his appearance in Limerick city is actually due to his adoption by the later Norse
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...

 there, with whom the O'Donovan family, late representatives of the kingdom (although of uncertain origins themselves), were closely associated.

In fact no "successors" of Mainchín in Limerick are known before the 12th century and so his existence there cannot be verified before then.

In the Martyrology of Donegal, Mainchín's feast day occurs on 29 December. In Bruree, his feast day is commemorated on 2 January, but this date may have been erroneously taken from that recorded for St Manchán (Manchéne) of Min Droichit
Manchán of Min Droichit
Manchán of Min Droichit , Irish scholar and Abbot, died c. 652.-Biography:Manchán was an Irish scholar and abbot of Min Droichit, now Mendrohid, in the barony of Upper Ossory, County Offaly. His name is also attached to Disert Gallen, Co...

 in the Félire Óengusso. The Roman Martyrology
Roman Martyrology
The Roman Martyrology is the official martyrology of the Roman Rite of the Roman Catholic Church. It provides an extensive but not exhaustive list of the saints recognized by the Church.-History:...

also lists January 2 as Mainchín of Limerick's memorial.

Further reading

  • Betha Meich Creiche (Life of Mac Creiche), ed. and tr.
  • Spellissy, Seán, The History of Limerick City. 1998.
  • Archdioceses and dioceses of Ireland 2000. Veritas. 2000.
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