Dabheog

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Saint Dabheog was an early Irish monk and abbot who founded a monastery on an island in Lough Derg, a lake on the border between Counties Donegal and Fermanagh in Ireland, near Pettigo. He is the patron saint of Lough Derg, and his feast day is 16 December. Very little is known about his life, but tradition says he was born in Wales, the son of King Brychan, and that he became a disciple of Saint Patrick. Dabheog is said to have cared for the site known as St. Patrick's Purgatory on Lough Derg and to have led the church and hermitage at Tirhugh, with some accounts claiming he established the monastery there during Patrick's lifetime. Several places and features are named after him, including St. Dabheoc's Chair, Dabheog's Seat, Dabheoc's Island, and Seavadog Mountain. In modern pilgrimages, devotees visit Dabheog's Chair and the beehive cell on Station Island dedicated to him; a boat used to ferry pilgrims is also named after him. The Clan McGrath, ancient overseers of Lough Derg, regard him as their patron, and he is known by various spellings such as Dabeoc and Davog. The plant name Daboecia is linked to Dabheog's heath.