Holy Shocking Saints

Holy Shocking Saints: The Extraordinary Lives of Twelve Irish Saints

by Síne Quinn and Margaret Anne Suggs

 

Available to order here: https://www.veritasbooksonline.com/holy-shocking-saints-9781847309716-45917/

I’ve always been interested in hagiography (the writing of saints lives) from the famous Joan of

Arc to our own saint Brigid. I was intrigued to read about their strong conviction and

vocation to enrich people’s lives. When I started reading more about Irish saints, I was surprised 

and impressed that we had so many and proud to read about their incredible legacies

and the impact they had on Europe at the time. The fact that so many of them died tragically 

really left an indelible mark – I felt that their stories needed to be known. I was impressed that 

Irish female saints were just as prolific in their remarkable work and their incredible deeds, and 

knew that this gender balance was important for readers to know. It was important to convey 

these women’s immense contribution to the formation of the great monastic movement in

Ireland as well as their impact on their development of spirituality and education. 

Holy Shocking Saints

It’s hard to select a favourite saint as all their stories resonant with me in some way. I can relate 

to Kevin’s desire to be embrace nature in all its glory and to lead a quiet life. Brendan’s 

wanderlust and courage to sail to unknown lands is also admirable. Íde was indomitable and her 

impact on many Irish saints is remarkable. A conversation with my late aunt, our own 

Magnificent Moninne, was the catalyst for the book. Though suffering from short-term memory

loss, she was very clear about the remarkable old Irish saint she was named after and impressive 

in her recollection of the details. This sparked my interest and research, and led to a long book 

list from Rathmines library. 

So Moninne would be certainly be one of my favourites because of the tireless work she did, 

including healing the sick, educating the poor and founding centres of spiritual learning. She

was a pioneer who travelled extensively setting up monasteries, some believe as far as Rome, 

which is never easy, but less so in sixth century Ireland.  

Quote from the book: She had the gifts of prophecy and healing, and was determined and diplomatic. She was once described as having ‘a man’s spirit in a woman’s body’, which must have annoyed her immensely.

 

During my research I really enjoyed reading so many stories and tales about the saints bold and brave deeds, including Gobnait setting a swarm of bees on raiders and Ciarán’s spirit returning to smote raiders with his crozier! I thought readers would also find these tales entertaining; it was important to relay this information about them as well to show how they were spirited and protective as well as courageous. It was fascinating to read about Gobnait curing so many people with honey, especially for respiratory conditions. I was also struck by the story of her using her stave to draw a white line to keep plague out of her parish. (We could do with her stave now.) There were so many stories about Colmcille that I had to edit them down and could only include a few in my selection. His encounter with the Loch Ness Monster, which is the first ever sighting of the monster ever recorded is really amazing. I have a longing to visit Iona and aim to do so whenever it is safe to do, like Glendalough, it sounds like a really special place. I’m also curious to visit Loch Ness, but I don’t think I’ll take a dip…

 

Thanks to Margaret Anne Suggs, Holy Shocking Saints is a beautifully illustrated book celebrating the extraordinary lives of twelve remarkable people.


 

About the Author and Illustrator

Síne Quinn is a managing editor and creative writing teacher with an MPhil in Children’s Literature.

 

Margaret Anne Suggs is predominately a children’s book illustrator and has published over a dozen books in four languages.