Official feasts used to be an important part of the human community. People would gather together to remember something sacred, express their faith and hope for the future, and / or just be together formally, recognizing each other as being part of a shared community. Few things express a desire for shared companionship and social intimacy more than dining together. Sadly, the gathering together for feasting is increasingly a relic of the past – at least here in the West.
It need not be so! Today we will remember the ancient feasts.
The Feast Day of St. Donnán of Eigg
This is a Christian religious feast day celebration of Donnán of Eigg, a 6th and 7th century Gaelic priest, likely from Ireland, who was martyred for attempting to to bring Christianity to the Picts of Northwestern Scotland.
Numerous places are named for him and he is now a Patron of Eigg.
Biography and Tradition – Feast Day Recipe – Prayer – Celebration Date
Who is Saint Donnán of Eigg?
Saint Donnán of Eigg (also known as Donan; died 17 April 617) was a Gaelic priest, likely from Ireland, who attempted to introduce Christianity to the Picts of northwestern Scotland during the Early Middle Ages. Donnán is the patron saint of Eigg, the island in the Inner Hebrides where he was killed.
The Martyrology of Donegal, compiled by Michael O’Clery in the 17th century, records the manner of his death:
“Donnan, of Ega, Abbott. Ega [Eigg] is the name of an island in which he was, after his coming from Érin [Ireland]. And there came robbers of the sea on a certain time to the island when he was celebrating Mass. He requested of them not to kill him until he should have the mass said, and they gave him this respite; and he was afterwards beheaded and fifty-two of his monks along with him. And all their names are in a certain old book of the old books of Erin, A.D.616.”
Another tradition states that a pagan Pictish queen had him and 150 others burnt. He is thought to be buried at Kildonan, on the Isle of Arran. Saint Donnán’s feast day is 17 April.
The Hiberno-Latin account in the Book of Leinster says: ‘Eigg is the name of a spring in Aldasain. And there Donnán and his community suffered martyrdom. This is how it came about. A rich woman used to dwell there before the coming of Donnán and her flocks grazed there. On account of the ill-feeling she had towards Donnán and his community, she persuaded a number of bandits to kill him. When these bandits arrived in Eigg, they found them chanting their psalms in the oratory and they could not kill them there. Donnán however said to his community: ‘Let us go into the refectory so that these men may be able to kill us there where we do our living according to the demands of the body; since as long as we remain where we have done our all to please God, we cannot die, but where we have served the body, we may pay the price of the body.’ In this way, therefore, they were killed in their refectory on the eve of Easter. Fifty-four others died together alongside Donnán’.
Places bearing his name
- Eilean Donnáin, Loch Alsh
- Kildonan, Isle of Arran
- Kildonnan, Eigg (site of his monastery – excavated in 2012)
- Kildonan, Sutherland
- Kildonan Drive, Thornwood, Glasg
- Kildonnan, Kilpheder Parish, South Uist
- Kildonnan, Little Loch Broom, Wester Ross
- Kildonnen, Lynedate, Loch Snizort, Skye
- Seipeil Dhonnáin, Kishorn
- St. Donnan’s Chapel, Little Bernera, Lewis
- Saint-Donan, Brittany, France
- East Kildonan, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- West Kildonan, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Kildonan, British Columbia, Canada
At least eleven Scottish churches are named for Saint Donnán.
What isa food you can eat to celebreat the feast day of St. Donnán of Eigg?
There is a traditional and very old Irish dish that is both simple and something this saint might have eaten himself, on occasion. If you’re in search of a feast day recipe, this seems like a good one to me:
Traditional Irish Bacon and Cabbage
Ingredients:
- 1½kg loin of bacon
- 1 carrot
- 2 celery sticks
- 2 leeks
- 1 tsp peppercorns
- 1kg cabbage, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp butter
Topping:
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 tbsp oven-dried breadcrumbs
- ½ tbsp brown sugar
- Knob of butter
Mustard Sauce:
- 50g butter
- 25g flour
- 1 tbsp Mustard
- 250ml mixture of cooking liquid and cream
Method:
- Cover with cold water.
- Place the joint in a large saucepan.
- Add chopped vegetables and peppercorns.
- Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for approximately 20 minutes per ½ kg.
- Set oven to gas mark 6, 200ºC (400ºF).
- Remove the joint from the saucepan.
- Reserve liquid.
- Remove the rind and score the fat.
- Place the joint on a roasting dish.
- Spread with mustard and bread crumbs, sugar and a knob of butter.
- Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
To make the sauce:
- Melt the butter, add the flour and mustard.
- Cook for a minute or two.
- Whisk in the cooking liquid and cream.
- Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Taste for seasoning.
- The sauce should have the consistency of thin cream.
- Keep warm.
To cook the cabbage:
- Place the cabbage in a saucepan and barely cover with some of the reserved cooking liquid.
- Bring to the boil.
- Reduce to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Drain well and toss in butter.
- Season to taste.
- Slice the bacon and serve on the bed of cabbage, a little of the mustard sauce, and of course floury potatoes.
What is a prayer to say for the Feast Day of Saint Donnán of Eigg?
Saint Donnán of Eigg,
you dedicated your life to spreading the Christian faith.
Please intercede for us as we seek strength in our spiritual journey.
Help us to emulate your dedication and courage in our own lives.
May we grow in faith and love,
following your example of service to God and others.
Amen.
When is the Feast Day of Donnán of Eigg celebrated?
This feast is celebrated annually on 17 April.
I hope that everyone who celebrates has a wonderful day!
