3—St. Malachy, Archbishop, A.D. 1148.
Among the Irish saints who benefited Scotland, the illustrious contemporary and dear friend of his biographer, St. Bernard, must not be omitted. St. Malachy, Archbishop of Armagh, twice visited Scotland. On his return from one of his visits to Rome, he stayed with King David I., and by his prayers restored to life the monarch's son, Prince Henry, who was in danger of death. During this visit, St. Malachy erected an oratory of wattles and clay on the sea-shore near Port Patrick. St. Bernard relates that the saint not only directed the work but laboured with his own hands in its construction. He blessed the cemetery adjoining, which was arranged according to Irish usage, within a deep fosse. The second visit to Scotland was shortly before St. Malachy {158} set out on that last journey to the continent from which he never returned, dying on November 2nd, 1148, in St. Bernard's own Abbey of Clairvaux. He had set his heart on founding a monastery in Scotland at a place called Viride Stagnum, "The Green Lake," situated about three miles from the present town of Stranraer. There he marked out the boundaries, and established a community brought from one of his Irish houses. St. Bernard alludes to a monastery in Scotland as the last founded by St. Malachy, and this is undoubtedly the one referred to. Later on, this monastery, which acquired the name of Soulseat (Sedes Animarum), was peopled by Premonstratensian Canons, brought from St. Norbert's own house of Premontre. It became known in after ages as Saulseat.
St. Nidan, Bishop, about the 6th century.
He was one of the Welsh disciples of St. Kentigern, and probably accompanied him on his return to Scotland (see pp. 47-8). He is said to have evangelised the part of Deeside round Midmar, of which he was the patron. {159}
St. Englatius, Abbot, A.D. 996.
This saint, whose feast-day appears in the calendar of the Aberdeen
Breviary, is associated with the parish of Tarves in Aberdeenshire,
where he is known by the name of Tanglan. There is a "Tanglan's
Well" in the village, and a "Tanglan's" Ford on the river Ythan.
St. Baya or Vey, Virgin, about the 9th century.
She is said to have inhabited the island of Little Cumbrae, where she lived in solitude surrounded by birds and beasts. The ruins of an ancient chapel, called that of St. Vey, are still to be seen, and the saint is believed to have been buried there. Tradition tells us, in proof of her love of solitude, that when the Rector of Dunbar attempted to carry off St. Baya's relics, a furious storm arose through the saint's intervention, and compelled him to desist. Kilbag Head in Lewis is probably named after a church dedicated to this saint.
St. Maura, Virgin, about the 9th century.
This saint was a friend of St. Baya, and used to visit her upon her island for spiritual converse. {160} She is said to have governed a very austere community of virgins consecrated to God. She died at Kilmaura (Church of Maura) in Ayrshire.