ED MAC BRICC (AEDH MACBRICC) SIXTH CENTURY

As there is no contemporaneous information on the great saint ed mac Bricc who reposed circa A.D. 589,
hence we are left with a brief Life in the Codex Salmanticensis (probably eighth century A.D.), and the much
later seventeenth century A.D. Martyrology of Donegal. According to the life in the Codex Salmanticensis, he was
Bishop of Rahugh and Killare in present-day Co. Westmeath, and later Sliabh Liag (Slieve League) on the
south-west coast of present-day Co. Donegal, was placed under his omophorion as well. However, the
Martyrology of Donegal omits Rahugh.

Though the Codex Salmanticensis Life glosses over St. eds descent on his father's side, it is generally accepted
he was a descendant on his fathers side of Fiachu mac Nill, and the U Nill dynasty regarded him as their
patron saint. The Life goes into more detail concerning the family of St. eds mother, who was from the
tath (petty kingdom) of Mscraige Tre (in present-day Co. Tipperary). However, the Life primarily
concentrates on St. eds concern with local violence and with the poverty and insecurity of women, especially
nuns. St. ed seems to have had a profound interest in the well-being of women monastics, and frequently
visited their communities. The Codex Salmanticensis Life also highlights St. eds wonderworking especially
in the healing of headaches.

One day when St. ed was still quite young he came upon SS. Brendan of Birr (29th Nov) and Kenneth of
Kilkenny (11th October). Though the saints were deep in conversation, they saw the boy approaching, and
St. Brendan rose and greeted him with great joy. However, St. Kenneth upbraided St. Brendan for rising for
the boy. St. Brendan asked St. Kenneth Do you not see what I see? St. Kenneth replied no; and St. Brendan
said, Why wouldnt I rise? Look! Angels of God come towards us, for an army of angels accompanies him.
As a young adult St. ed met St. Illadan (10th June), Abbot-Bishop of Rathliibthien in present-day Co. Offaly,
and soon became his disciple. In time, St. ed founded a church at Rahugh, present-day Co. Westmeath,
about seven km (4.25 miles) to the east of Durrow Abbey, in present-day Co. Offaly, which had been founded
by St. Columba of Iona (9th June).

According to legend after several nuns who were his spiritual daughters were kidnaped and beheaded, St.
ed retrieved their heads from their attackers, reattached them, and brought the nuns back to life. However,
according to the legends collected by nineteenth century English historian Charles Plummer and seventeenth
century hagiographer John Colgan OFM, St. ed was best known for his ability to cure headaches. At birth,
his head struck a stone, leaving an indentation, which then collected rainwater. This water was known to
cure all ailments, and even today bullaun stones (Irish: bulln; from a word cognate with bowl), have
wonderworking qualities. According to the Life of St. Brigid St. ed cured St. Brigids (1st February) headache
even though they were separated by some distance, and there is a stone close to the existing church is still
associated with the curing of headaches. Another one of St. eds miracles was taking on the headache of a
man who was suffering greatly. An eighth-century hymn of supplication from an abbey at Lake Constance in
present-day Germany to St. Aid mechprech, who has been identified as St. ed Mac Bricc, sought his
intervention for headache sufferers.

ed Mac Bricc reposed in A.D. 588.