Conan (2)

Conan was also a common Irish name, and assumed several forms, as Cona, Conna, Connan, and with theaffectionate or honorary prefixes Do or Da, and Mo, Dachonna, Mochonna, etc. It is given to several early Irish saints:

1. Commemorated January 13. In the Irish calendars, on this day, there are Mochonna, bishop of Leamhchoill, and Mochonna of Inis-Patraig. The second is likely to have lived on the island of Inis-Patrick (Lanigan, Eccl. Hist. of Ireland, 1:303-307; O'Hanlon, Irish Saints, 1:191, 195, 447; Todd and Reeves, Mart. Doneg. page 15).

2. Dil, of Eas-ruaidh, commemorated March 8. He was the son of Tighernach, and nearly related to St. Columba. "He is called also Conna. Connan, Conda, Mochonda, and came to be generally and affectionately known as Conan-dil, "Connanus dilectus." He had three brothers, saints Begbile, Colman, and Cuan-Caoin. He flourished about the end of the 6th century, and ruled over a monastery, probably of his own foundation, at Cnodain, on the Erne. He probably was also a bishop, and is numbered among the disciples of St. Columba (Lanigan, Eccl. Hist. of Ireland, 2:222, 226; Kelly, Cal. of Irish Saints, page 89).

3. Bishop of Sodor or Man, is commemorated January 26. From the Scotch hagiographies we learn that St. Conan was bishop in Man, or ancient Ebona, in the beginning of the 7th century, and his influence extended through the Hebrides and great part of Scotland. He died about A.D. 648, and is honored in the Hebrides, Perthshire, and Forfarshire (O'Haulon, Irish Saints, 1:446-449; Butler, Lives of the Saints, 1:377, 378; Forbes, Kal. of Scot. Saints, pages 307, 308).

4. Of Aeg, commemorated January 12. O'Hanlon suggests that St. Conan of Aeg, or Egg, may have given his name to the neighboring island of Canna, among the Hebrides, but beyond the mention of the name and dedication in the calendars there is nothing known of this saint (Reeves, A damnan, page 308; O'Hanlon, Irish Saints, 1:180, 181). — Smith, Dict. of Christ. Biog. s.v.