Darerca of Ireland

Saint Darerca of Ireland is, according to tradition, the sister of Saint Patrick, the apostle of Ireland, and the mother of several saints. Few certain facts are known of her life, and the facts are interwoven with medieval legends. She is commemorated on 22 March, and in the calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church on the third Sunday after Pentecost, on the day of the Synaxis of the Saints of Britain and Ireland.

Family

According to the Tripartite Life of Saint Patrick, when Patrick visited Bredach, he ordained Aengus mac Ailill, the local chieftain of Moville, and there he found the three deacons, his sister's sons. They are Saints Reat, commemorated on 3 March, Nenn, on 25 April, and Aedh, on 31 August.

Darerca married twice. Her first husband was Restitutus the Lombard, and after his death she married Chonas the Briton, who founded the church of Both-⁠chonais, now Binnion, in County Donegal. She had children by both. Irish tradition, following Colgan, speaks of seventeen sons, all of whom became bishops. From the Tripartite Life it is clear that by Chonas she had four sons who were bishops: Saint Mel of Ardagh, Ríoch of Inisboffin, Saint Muinis of Forgney and Saint Maelchu. By Restitutus she bore Saint Sechnall of Dunshaughlin, Nectan of Killunche and Fennor, Auxilius of Killossey, Diarmaid of Druim-⁠corcortri, and also Dabonna, Mogornon, Drioc, Luguat and Coemed Maccu Baird. Old Irish writers also assigned her four other sons: Crummin of Lecua, Miduu, Carannog and Maceaith. She also had two daughters, the saints Eiche of Kilglass and Lalloc of Senlis.

It is said that she was also the second wife of Conan Meriadoc and the mother of his son Gradlon the Great, according to Breton histories, but this tradition is not certain.

Veneration

Her fame rests not only on her kinship with the apostle of Ireland but on her being held a great saint and the mother of many saints. She is the patroness of Valentia Island. She should not be confused with Saint Monennia, also called Darerca, commemorated on 6 July.