St Donan and companions (d. 618) martyrs
A little younger than St Columba
Donan was
contemporary with or a little younger than St Columba.
The presumption
is that he was Irish, perhaps from the north-east coast of Dalriada and
that he belonged to the Irish Picts.
In early adulthood he crossed to
Galloway and may have had some formation at Whithorn (Candida Casa) founded by St Ninian.
Churches dedicated to him
A chain of Kildonans up
the west coast of Scotland indicates the path he may have followed
beginning with a Kildonan at Kirkmaiden in Galloway and a Chapel Donan
at Kirkcolm, also in Galloway, a Kildonan on the Isle of Arran in
Strathclyde and Kildonan on the island of Eigg in the Inner Hebrides.
There are also Kildonans on the island of Little Bernera in the Outer
Hebrides and in Sutherland in north-east Scotland.
There is also an
Eilean Donan near dornie in Western Rossshire just inland from the Isle
of Skye.
Columba refuses to be his anamchara and foretells a "red martyrdom"
It is said that Donan went to visit Columba, asking him to be his anamchara
or soul-friend and that Columba refused.
This may have been because
Donan was welcomed by the Picts while Columba may have had his
difficulties with them.
But another story records that Columba said: "I
will not be anamchara to one who will inherit red martyrdom along with your people."
How it happened
The story of his martyrdom is
linked to a raid by pirates or perhaps Viking raiders on his monastery
on the island of Eigg during the Easter Vigil where Donan was the chief
celebrant.
It is possible that the raid was instigated by a woman of
some importance who was angry that the monks kept sheep on the island
and perhaps deprived her of her pasture rights.
At any rate the raiders
seemed to know in advance when all the community would be gathered
together.
They allowed Donan to complete the liturgy before herding him
and all his fifty two monks into the refectory and setting it on
fire.
The massacre is recorded in the Martyrology of Tallaght, the Martyrology of Donegal, the Martyrology of Gorman and the Féilire of Oengus.