Blathmac (or Blaithmaic)

Blathmac (Or Blaithmaic)

is a common name in Ireland in the 8th and 9th centuries. The festival of Blathmac, son of Flann, is given in the Mart. Doneg. on July 14; but Colgan puts the "depositio" of St. Blathmac and his companions, in Iona, Jan. 19. Colgan (Acta Sanctorum, p. 127-129) gives Hugo Menard's Life of St. Blathmac the Martyr in the Benedictine martyrology. Blathmac, the son of an Irish prince, became a monk in early life, and, after being made abbot of an Irish monastery, he fled to Scotland, and came to Iona. When the Danes attacked Iona, Blathmac was celebrating mass, and, refusing to show them the shrine of St. Columba, was slain. Menardus places his death at about 793, and on Jan. 19; and Camerarius (Bolland, Acta Sanctorum, Jan. 2, 601) on Dec. 4.