Career
Saint Conaire (feast day January 28) was an Irish holy woman who died in 530 AD. Originally from Bantry Bay in the south of Ireland, modern County Cork, she was an anchorite. Living in solitude in a self-imposed spiritual exhile from society. Nearing the end of her life, she had a vision of all the monasteries in Ireland, and, extending from each upwards to the Heavens, was a pillar of fire.
The fire-pillar from Saint Senan’s monastery at Inis Cathaig, in the mouth of the Shannon River, was the highest, and the straightest towards Heaven. And Conaire set off in its direction, judging it to be the most holy. “Let me be buried on this most holiest of islands,” related Conaire, to God, “for it is there that I wish my re-incarnation to be.” She set off on her journey, weakened by the effects of advanced age, but driven by determination and faith, walking the whole way to County Clare, and across to the island called Inis Cathaig in Irish.
Senan offered that she should go stay with a kinswoman of his. “Christ came to redeem women no less than to redeem men. No less did he suffer for the sake of women than for the sake of men.
No less than men, women enter into the heavenly kingdom. Why, then, should you not allow women to live on this place?”.
