KEVIN, ST.

Irish monastic founder; b. near Dublin, Ireland; d. Glendalough, June 3, 618. Kevin (Coemgen) received the rudiments of education from three ascetics, possibly at Killnemanagh, near Tallaght, and retired to a deserted place called Hollywood, near Blessington, where he stayed until sought out by many disciples. He retired to Glendalough (the Two Lakes) and on a hillock built a beehive cell. When his whereabouts was discovered Kevin realized that he could not in conscience ignore his disciples, and Glendalough became a monastic center c. 570 with Kevin as abbot. A church of wood was built on a mountain ledge, close to the community, who lived in huts. At his death, Kevin was laid to rest beside the little church, later known as Rigferta, "royal graves." When the space beneath the mountain ledge became too cramped the monastery proper was moved to a larger site half a mile down the valley, where a new church dedicated to St. Kevin was erected with other churches to a total of ten. In the penitential season Kevin retired to a crude stone cell above the upper lake still known as "St. Kevin's Bed." Glendalough was made an episcopal see in 1111, but is now part of Dublin. It was famous as a place of pilgrimage on St. Kevin's day until well into the 19th century.

Feast: June 3.

Bibliography: c. edmonds, The Catholic Encyclopedia, ed. c. g. herbermann et al., 16 v. (New York 1907–14; suppl. 1922) 4:92. "Vita Sancti Coemgeni," Vitae sanctorum Hiberniae, ed. c. plummer, 2 v. (Oxford 1910) 1:234–257. Acta Sanctorum, June, 1:303–315. j. f. kenney, The Sources for the Early History of Ireland: v.1, Ecclesiastical (New York 1929) 1:403–404. j. ryan, Irish Monasticism (London 1931). w. delius, Geschichte der irischen Kirche (Munich 1954). m. and l. de paor, Early Christian Ireland (New York 1958). m. rodgers, Glendalough: a Celtic pilgrimage (Harrisburg, Pa. 1996).

[j. ryan]