Saint Moluag

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St Moluag is the Patron Saint of Argyll and of the old Scots Kingdom of Dalriada as evidenced by a Charter as late as 1544 from the Earl of Argyll which states "in honour of God Omnipotent, the blessed Virgin, and Saint Moloc, our patron".

According to the Irish Annals, in 562 Saint Lughaidh, better known by his pet name of Moluag, beat St Columba in a race to the large island of the Lyn of Lorn in Argyll. Now called the Isle of Lismore it was the sacred island of the Western Picts and the burial place of their kings whose capital was at Beregonium, across the water at Benderloch. Moluag was an Irish noble of the Dál nAraide who trained with St Comgall at Bangor (co. Down). Moluag was an Irish Pict, closely allied to the Dalriads, so it is assumed he was able to move into this border region with the approval of both King Brude and the Cenél Loairn.

There are various Irish forms of the name, such as Lughaidh, Luoc and Lua. Latinized they become Lugidus, Lugadius and Luanus. The name, as it has come down the centuries, Moluag or Moluoc, is made up of the honorific mo, plus the original name Lughaidh, pronounced Lua, plus the endearing suffix -oc. From Lismore St Moluag went on to found two other great centres in the land of the Picts at Rosemarkie and Mortlach. These were his three centres of teaching, and it is significant that all three were to become the seats of the Roman Catholic Sees of the Isles, Ross and Aberdeen.

Moluag is also credited with founding one hundred monasteries over which he had absolute jurisdiction. Many of these, such as Clova and Alyth, were in Pict territory. The Annals tell us that Saint Comgall of the Dál nAraide, another Irish Pict, presented St Moluag to King Brude of the Northern Picts to obtain his authority for the mission. This authority was to operate in Brude’s northern kingdom.

St. Moluag's Feast Day is recognized on June 25th, commemorating his death in 592. Some references wrongly suggest that St. Moluag's day is in August. These references are confusing St Moluag of Lismore with St Lua of Killaloe who died circa 609 whose Feast Day is 4th August. He was supposedly an Abbot and founder of Killaloe in County Clare. (according to D.H.Farmer The Oxford Dictionary of Saints 1978)

The Coarbs, or successors, of Saint Moluag, are the Chiefs of the Clan MacLea who still reside in Moluag's ancient home of Lismore and bear his ancient staff, the Bachuil.