St Ita

St Ita

Here in County Limerick and especially in the Parish of Killeedy, we can lay claim to our very own Saint and Patron of the Diocese of Limerick.

This very special child was born a princess and grew into a spirited young woman. She led a remarkable life and became a saint.

She was born around 480, into a noble family to King Kennofoelad and Queen Necta of the Deisa clan in Waterford. They were Christian nobility as St Patrick had converted them years earlier. The child was therefore christened and named Deirdre. She was a thoughtful child who grew into a talented & beautiful young woman. When Deirdre reached the age of 16 a young nobleman approached her father and asked for her hand in marriage. Her dad was strongly in favour of this marriage union because it would strengthen the bond between different tribes. Deirdre refused and explained to her father that she has made a promise to God – to belong only to him.

This was a very brave stance by a very young woman. Instead of getting married, Deirdre was accepted into the church and received the veil. It was at this point that her name was changed to Ita, which stands for ‘thirst of God’. Soon afterwards Ita left her homeland and set out for the Ua Conaill territory in the west of Munster. They probably travelled by chariot. According to legend Ita was directed to Limerick by 3 heavenly lights, the 1st was on the top of the Galtee mountains, the 2nd on the Mullaghareirk mountains and the 3rd at ‘Cluain Creadhail’, which means ‘meadow of faith’ and known today as Killeedy, Cill Ide, Ita’s cell.

St Ita founded a settlement here in Killeedy. She was offered a vast amount of land by a local chieftain but would only accept 4 acres. Ita tended these 4 acres and built a monastery which was to become a fosterage for young boys among them St Brendan.

Brendan was shaped by his early upbringing at the fosterage. For years afterwards he often returned to Killeedy to visit St Ita and ask for counsel and advice. He once asked St Ita what were the 3 things most detested by god. She replied 1, a scowling face, 2, a stubborn nature and 3, a love of the power of money. On another occasion, he asked what 3 things god most loved. She replied 1, a true faith in God, 2, love of a simple life and 3, doing works of charity.

St Ita spent her days tending to the settlement in Killeedy. She divided up her time between work, prayer and fasting. She truly was a remarkable person of her time, devoting her life to God through service to the people for miles around.

St Ita died in 570 at the ripe old age of 90. Her grave is in the ruins of the Killeedy Monastery, Cill Ide. In the middle of the C19th a move was made in Ireland to recognise her importance in the Catholic Church. Pope Pius 1X granted a special office and Mass for her feast day which is held to this day on the 15 January in the Parish of Killeedy. This devotion to St Ita has lasted down through the centuries and I hope the tradition will carry on into the future.