Eimhin Explained

Eimhin was the abbot and bishop of Ros-mic-Truin (Ireland), probably in the sixth century.

Eimhin came from Munster, and was the son of Eoghan,[1] and brother of three other saints, Corbmac, Culain, and Diarmuid. Of the early part of his religious life little is known.

The Abbey of Ros-mic-Truin was founded by St. Abban of Magheranoidhe,[2] who entrusted it to Eimhin, and from the number of religious and students belonging to the south of Ireland who dwelt there the place came to be called "Ros-glas of the Munstermen".[3] St Eimhin is said by some to have been the author of the life of St Patrick, called the Vita Tripartita originally published by the Franciscan John Colgan.[4]

Eimhin was famous for many and great miracles. The date of Eimhin's death has not been recorded; however, competent authorities assign it to the earlier half of the sixth century.[5]

Eimhin secured special status for the Monasterevin area placing it outside the common law, making it a sanctuary. After Eimhin's death, it is said, his consecrated bell was held in great veneration, and was used as a swearing relic down to the fourteenth century, oaths and promises made upon it being deemed inviolable.[5]

The feast-day of Saint Eimhin is observed in the Irish calendars on 22 December.[6]

The town of Monasterevin in County Kildare and the village of Effin in County Limerick are named after Eimhin. St. Evin's School is a Catholic Primary School in Monasterevin, County Kildare.[7]

Notes and References

  1. https://books.google.com/books?id=x4ABAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA351&dq=Saint+Eimhin&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiN1fGJ18aIAxU0FlkFHSgmDbkQ6AF6BAgIEAI#v=onepage&q=Saint%20Eimhin&f=false O'Curry, Eugene. Lectures on the manuscript materials of ancient Irish history, Burt Franklin, 1861, p. 351
  2. Web site: Augustinian Abbey, Grantstown Augustinians. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160310140334/http://www.augustinians.ie/clonmines/. 2016-03-10.
  3. https://books.google.com/books?id=UJDUAAAAMAAJ&dq=Saint+Eimhin&pg=PA233 Joyce, Patrick Weston. The Origin and History of Irish Names of Places, Volume 2, Longmans, Green, 1902, p. 233
  4. https://books.google.com/books?id=x4ABAAAAQAAJ&dq=Saint+Eimhin&pg=PA351 O'Curry, Eugene. Lectures on the manuscript materials of ancient Irish history, Burt Franklin, 1861, p. 348
  5. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05366a.htm Cullen, John. "St. Eimhin." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 5. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. 19 Jan. 2013
  6. https://www.biblicalcyclopedia.com/E/eimhin-(emir-or-evin).html The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature. (James Strong and John McClintock, eds.) Harper and Brothers; NY; 1880
  7. https://kildare.ie/saintevins/ St. Evin's School, Monasterevin