ST/EW/160
Fiachra (Fiacrius)
- Gender
- Male
- Floruit (period)
- None
- Floruit date range
- ? - 670
- Description
- St Fiachra, Fiacre, or Fiacrius, a monastic founder and Irish peregrinus who settled at Breuil in the Merovingian Frankish kingdom of Neustria. He is associated with St Faro (fl. 650), bishop of Meaux, and with fellow Irish saint Kilian (d. 689?) of nearby Aubigny. Although Breuil developed into a considerable abbey, little is known for certain about Fiachra. He is commemorated in the twelfth-century Irish martyrology of Gormán on 30 August. The compiler of the martyrology describes Fiachra as a prince, hermit, and resident of France. Undoubtedly this information came from outside Ireland. There is no evidence that Fiachra was remembered in the traditions of the Irish church and he is not mentioned in any of the earlier Irish martyrologies. He has a substantial office in the Aberdeen Breviary. See E. Johnston, 'Fiachra', ODNB.