Born in Leinster, Ireland; died 618 (or 570). Saint Eugene is another
of the many Irishmen who laboured in the mission fields of England and
the Continent. Thereafter he returned to Ireland, where he became the
first bishop of Ardfrath (Ardstraw), on the river Derg in Tyrone, which
is now the see of Derry. The rest of what we know derives from
unreliable sources. These say that Eugene was an excellent and
assiduous preacher, born of the royal blood of Leinster and related to
Saint Kevin (f.d. June 3).
They report that, like Saint Patrick in
reverse, he was kidnapped as a child and taken into slavery in Britain
and then removed to Brittany with
Saint Tigernach (f.d. April 4)
and
Coirpre (who later became bishop of Coleraine). Eventually they
were manumitted by their master and all returned to Ireland. He then
spent 15 years with Saint Kevin at Kilnamanacg, helped Tigernach found
Clones Monastery about 576, and then was consecrated bishop c. 581. He
was buried in his own churchyard, over whose sepulchre a chapel was
afterward built. He is the patron of the diocese of Derry
(
Benedictines,
Delaney,
Husenbeth,
Montague).
Troparion of St Eogan tone 4
O great traveller Eogan who didst traverse Christian Europe in thy zeal
for Christ,/ trained by Saint Ninian thou wast a wise teacher of the
Faith./ Glory to God Who has glorified thee.