List of saints of Ireland

This is a list of the saints of Ireland, which attempts to give an overview of saints from Ireland or venerated in Ireland. The vast majority of these saints lived during the 4th–10th centuries, the period of early Christian Ireland, when Celtic Christianity produced many missionaries to Great Britain and the European continent. The exact number of Irish saints is not known but the Martyrology of Donegal lists 1000 saints, male and female. For this reason, Ireland in a 19th-century adage is described as "the land of saints and scholars".

Christianity was introduced into Ireland toward the end of the 4th century. The details of the introduction are obscure, though the strict ascetic nature of monasticism in Ireland is said to be derived from the practices of the Desert Fathers. Although there were some Christians in Ireland before Patrick, who was a native of Roman Britain, he played a significant role in its full Christianisation.

Some of the best-known saints are Saint Patrick, Colmcill, Brigid of Kildare and the Twelve Apostles of Ireland.

After 1000, the process of recognizing saints was formalized, after which fewer people were named saints. Those canonized in the modern era include Oliver Plunkett (d. 1681, canonized 1975 by Pope Paul VI) and Charles of Mount Argus (d. 1893, canonized in 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI).

Veneration
The medieval Irish saints were venerated locally in the areas in which they lived or established churches. With the Viking invasions, Irish churches were frequently ransacked and saints' relics and shrines were often destroyed.

Early Irish martyr saints

 * St. Ceannanach
 * St. Blathmacc of Iona
 * St. Donnan of Eigg
 * St. Ia of Cornwall
 * St. Odhran the Charioteer
 * St. Colman Isirni (the Thirsty)
 * St. Colman of Stockerau
 * St. Dymphna of Gheel
 * St. Killian of Wurzburg
 * St. Totnan of Wurzburg
 * St. Colman of Wurzburg
 * St. Grimonia
 * St. Eliphius of Toul
 * St. Hiero of Holland
 * St. Maxentia of Beauvais
 * St. Brigid and Maura

Later saints
Later saints include:
 * Saint Charles of Mount Argus (1821–1893)
 * Saint Oliver Plunkett (1625–1681)
 * Saint Lawrence O'Toole (1128–1180)
 * Saint Malachy O'Moore (1094–1148)
 * Saint Fergal of Salzburg (canonised 1233 AD)

Pope Leo XIII's canonisations
In 1902, Pope Leo XIII added a group of 25 medieval Irish male saints to the Roman Martyrology, giving them a greater significance to the majority of other Irish saints who were not officially canonised by the pope. They are as follows:


 * Saint Kevin of Glendalough
 * Saint Flannan of Killaloe
 * Saint Eoghan of Ardstraw
 * Saint Ciaran of Clonmacnois
 * Saint Declan of Ardmore
 * Saint Albert of Cashel
 * Saint Colman of Dromore
 * Saint Colman of Cloyne
 * Saint Colman MacDuagh
 * Saint Comgall of Bangor
 * Saint Finbarr of Cork
 * Saint Finnian of Clonard
 * Saint Laserian of Leighlin
 * Saint Muiredach of Killala
 * Saint Carthach of Lismore
 * Saint Tassach of Elphin
 * Saint Nathy of Achonry
 * Saint Oran of Iona
 * Saint Felim of Kilmore
 * Saint Jarlath of Tuam
 * Saint Conleth of Kildare
 * Saint Aidan of Ferns
 * Saint Aengus MacNissi of Connor
 * Saint Aedh Mac Cairtinn of Clogher
 * Saint Fachanan of Kilfenora

Blesseds

 * Blessed John, or Terrence, Carey
 * Blessed Ralph Corby (Corbington) (1598-1644), professed priest, Jesuits, born in Ireland but included in the Martyrs of England and Wales
 * Blessed John Grove (d. 1679), layman, born in Ireland but included in the Martyrs of England and Wales
 * Blessed Tadhg (Thaddeus) McCarthy, bishop
 * Blessed Christian O'Conarchy, Irish Cistercian abbot
 * Blessed Columba Marmion, Benedictine priest
 * Blessed Charles Meehan (Mahoney) (1640-1679), professed priest, Franciscan Friars Minor (Recollects), born in Ireland but included in the Martyrs of England and Wales
 * Blessed Dermot O'Hurley, Archbishop of Cashel, and 16 Companions, martyrs
 * Patrick O'Hely professed priest, Franciscan Friars Minor (Observants); bishop of Mayo
 * Conn O'Rourke, professed priest, Franciscan Friars Minor (Observants)
 * Matthew Lambert, layman
 * Robert Meyler, layman
 * Edward Cheevers, layman
 * Patrick Cavanagh, layman
 * Margaret Ball, laywoman
 * Maurice MacKenragaghty, priest
 * Dominic Collins, professed religious, Jesuits
 * Concobhar Ó Duibheannaigh, professed priest, Franciscan Friars Minor (Observants); bishop of Down and Connor
 * Patrick O'Loughran, priest of the archdiocese of Armagh
 * Francis Taylor, layman
 * Peter Higgins, professed priest, Dominicans
 * Terence O'Brien, professed priest, Dominicans; bishop of Emly
 * John Kearney, professed priest, Franciscan Friars Minor (Observants)
 * William Tirry, professed priest, Augustinians
 * Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice, founder of the Congregation of Christian Brothers and the Presentation Brothers
 * Blessed John Roche (d. 1588), layman, born in Ireland but included in the Martyrs of England and Wales
 * Blessed Patrick Salmon, companion-martyr of John Cornelius
 * Blessed John Sullivan, professed priest, Jesuits

Venerables

 * Venerable Mary Aikenhead, founder of the Religious Sisters of Charity
 * Venerable Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy
 * Venerable Mary Angeline Teresa McCrory, founder, Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm; born in Ireland
 * Venerable Nano Nagle, founder of the Presentation Sisters
 * Venerable Patrick Peyton, professed priest, Congregation of Holy Cross; born in Ireland
 * Venerable Edel Quinn, member, Legion of Mary, born in Ireland
 * Venerable Matt Talbot, lay ascetic

Servants of God
Irish people, described as Servants of God, include:


 * Alphonsus (Alfie Lambe), Legion of Mary envoy to South America
 * Frank Duff, Legion of Mary founder
 * Father Willie Doyle, Irish priest and army chaplain
 * Mary Kevin Kearney, missionary nun and foundress of the Little Sisters of St. Francis in Uganda.

Other holy people

 * Ellen Organ, an Irish child who became known as "Little Nellie of God" and whose story promoted Pope Pius X to lower the age of first communion.
 * Egbert Xavier Kelly, an Irish Christian Brother who was abducted and killed during the Manila massacre in 1945.
 * Sister Clare Crockett, an Irish nun who died in the 2016 Ecuador earthquake.