Ibar of Beggerin: Difference between revisions

'''Saint Ibar mac Lugna''', whose name is (also knowngiven as '''Iberius''' or '''Ivor'''), was an early [[Irish people|Irish]] [[saint, patron of Beggerin Island, and bishop]]. The [[saint]] is sometimes said to have been one of four bishops to have preceded [[Saint Patrick]] in [[Ireland]] (see also the saint [[Ailbhe|SaintsAilbe Ailbheof Emly|Ailbe]], [[Ciarán of Saigir |Ciaran]] and [[DeclanDeclán of Ardmore | Déclán]]), although possibly they were just contemporaries. His [[Calendar of saints|feast day]] is 23 April.

He preached in the present [[County Wexford]] and is regarded as the patron of [[History of County Wexford#Coming of Christianity|BegerinBeggerin Island]] (Begerin), in Wexford harbour. Although at first not disposed to yield to Saint Patrick (or his successors), he afterwards submitted and became his disciple. Much obscurity attaches to his early training, but he settled at BegerinBeggerin, where he built an oratory and cell. In the ''Life of Saint AbbanAbbán'' it is stated that Saint Ibar's retreat was soon peopled with numerous disciples from all parts of Ireland, and the 'Litany of Aengus' invokes the three thousand confessors who placed themselves under Saint Ibar's direction. His nephew, St [[Abban of Magheranoidhe|St. AbbanAbbán]], as a boy of twelve came to BegerinBeggerin in St. Ibar's old age and accompanied him to [[Rome]]. His death has been chronicled in the year 500 on 23 April, on which day his feast is observed. Although BegerinBeggerin was formerly an island in the north of Wexford harbour, it has long since been one of the reclaimed Sloblands.