Series 1 > Loyall dissuasive

Ixxii
THE LOYALL DISSUASIVE
tells us that the Celtic saints were no doubt wonderful, but at
the same time they were ‘ most extraordinary saints.1 Among
these a contemporary of St. Columba—as we may gather—
St. Cattan (or Chattan), is conspicuous. We find the name
in the household of St Patrick.1 ‘ Catan the presbyter1
presided with Acan over the hospitalities of the household.
‘ Catanus presbyter, et Ocanotus presbyter, duo hospitalarii, sive
hospitum ministri.'' This may have been our Cattan, but the
date would seem to take him too far back. The Martyrology
of Gorman11 places on 1st February the commemoration
of our saint, ‘ Cattan the abstinent, stern warrior.1 He is
honoured in Bute, at Kilchattan, on the great bay which bears
the name; at Kilchattan Mill; at Suidhe Chattain in Kingarth.
In Luing Island we have Kilchattan. In the island of Gigha
there are the ruins of Kilchattan with monuments of sepul¬
ture, and some hill forts, indicating a considerable population,
to which St. Chattan’s chapel ministered. On Colonsay, at
Kilchattan, there are slight remains of a chapel, a burying-
ground, and two standing-stones. More to the purpose
of our quest is the great religious house of Ardchattan
on Loch Etive, the religious centre of Cinel Loarn in its
early days, as of the Lords of Lome in later times. Over-
Ruthven, at Inchaffray, is also of importance to us, and
Stornoway is said to be the resting-place of our saint.
‘ In Scarinch were his Exuviae.13 It was a cell of Inchaffray.
1 Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, p. 265 «.
2 The whole entry may be of interest to some. ‘ On Feb. white calends,
Brigit the chief virgin of Ireland, [and] Der-lugdach: * Let us mention with
them Pionius, Ignatius, Ephrem, Beoin,+ dear white Cinne,£ Airennan§ whom
we supplicate, Cattan the abstinent, stern warrior, Blaan’s tutor [and] my
Celloc, the holy slender.—Martyrology of Gorman, p. 298, Henry Bradshaw
Society.
3 In Keith’s Scottish Bishops, under ‘ Scarinche,’ p. 398, we have ‘ in the Isle
of Lewis and shire of Ross founded by the Macleods of the Lewis, in honour of
St. Catan—“ in honorem Sti Catani, cujus exuvias ibidem asservari traditione
* Abbess of Kildare after Brigit. f A virgin. J A virgin. § Oidab's [Fordul's?]
great-grandson.