Abban, name of Several Irish Saints. St. Abban oF MAGHERANOIDHE (Murneave or Murnevin), nephew of St. Ibar, the apostle of Wexford (a predecessor and contemporary of St. Patrick), flourished 570-620. He was the son of Cormac, King of Leinster, and he founded numerous churches in the district of Ui Cennselaigh, almost conterminous with the present County Wexford and Diocese of Ferns. His principal monastery was at Magheranoidhe, subsequently known as “ Abbanstown,” to-day, Adamstown; but he also founded an abbey at Rosmic-treoin, or New Ross, which afterwards became famous as a scholastic establishment. He died 16 March, 620. His namesake, St. ABBAN OF NEw Ross, also known as St. Ewin, Abhan, or Evin, but whose name has been locally corrupted as “Stephen,” “Neville,” and “Nevin,” was his contemporary. Some writers have confounded him with St. Evin of Monasterevan, County Kildare. Even Colgan (followed by Dr. Lanigan) fell into the error of identifying Rosglas (Monasterevan) with Ros-mic-treoin (New Ross). St. Evin of Rosglas, author of the “Tripartite Life of St. Patrick,” died 22 December, at his own foundation, afterwards called Monaster Evin (County Kildare), whereas St. Abban, or Evin, of Ros-mic-treoin, died at Ross, County Wexford. A third saint of this name, St. ABBAN THE Hermit, of Abingdon (England), was certainly an Irishman, and is commemorated on 13 May, though the year of his death is not definitely known. He was undoubtedly pre-Patrician.
Grattan FLOOD, Irish Saints; Buck, in Acta SS. (1867), Oct., XII, 270-274; Bibl. hagiogr. Lat. (1898), I, 306; O'hanlon, Lives of Irish Saints (III, 16 March, V, 13 May, and XII, 22 December); Colgan, Acta SS. Hibernia (1645), I, 624, 627; Bradshaw in Dict. Christ. Biog., s. v.
W. H.
W. H. Grattan Flood.