Ciarán the Elder

Saint Ciarán of Saigir
The CoI Church of Seir Kieran in County Offaly, Ireland
Bishop of Saighir
Born	5th century Cape Clear Island
Died	unknown
Venerated in	Orthodox Catholic Church Roman Catholic Church Certain Protestant churches
Canonized	Pre-Congregation
Major shrine	Saighir
Feast	5 March
Patronage	Ossory, Kingdom of Ossory, St. Kieran's College

Ciarán of Saigir (5th century – c. 530), also known as Ciarán mac Luaigne or Saint Kieran (Welsh: Cieran), was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and is considered the first saint to have been born in Ireland, although the legend that he preceded Saint Patrick is questionable. Ciarán was bishop of Saighir (Seir-Kieran) and remains the patron saint of its successor, the diocese of Ossory. He is identified with the Saint Piran who is venerated in Cornwall, Wales, and Brittany. His feast day is celebrated on 5 March. He is sometimes called Saint Ciarán the Elder (Latin: Kyaranus or Ciaranus Maior) to distinguish him from the other 6th-century Irish Saint Ciarán, who was abbot of Clonmacnoise. He shares the feast date of March 5th with his mother, St. Liadán, and his disciple and episcopal successor, St. Carthach the Elder.

Various medieval traditions about the saint are recorded in a number of hagiographic works: two Lives in Latin, both of uncertain date, and two Lives in Irish. The shortest Latin Life is preserved in the Codex Salmanticensis, while the longer one is found in the Codex Kilkenniensis. The latter was rendered into Irish and a second Irish Life was produced after the Protestant Reformation. The latter, though the latest of the four, is thought to draw on the oldest traditions when it deals sympathetically with the Osraige. Primarily intended to edify, educate and entertain, it is unclear to what extent they are an accurate representation of events.