| St. Ciarán of Saighir was Bishop of Ossory in Munster in the 5th century and is said to have brought Christianity to Ireland before St. Patrick. His cult was worshipped in South West Donegal at least a hundred years before the birth of Saint Colmcille in 521AD. A Holy Well named for St. Ciarán is situated along the roadside at Bavin, Kilcar and there are the ruins of an ancient Church and several megalithic tombs nearby. St. Ciarán is also commemorated in Argyleshire and on the island of Islay in Scotland, in Cornwall and in Mayo which, Lochlann McGill suggests, in *In Conall's Footsteps* [1992, rep.2001], would indicate that the cult spread via the Irish Coast. St. Ciarán's Feast day is the 5th of March and is the ocassion of an annual 'turas' (pilgrimage) at the Holy Well at Bavin. Bhí Naoimh Ciarán as Saighir ína Easpog ar Ossory í gCúige Mumhan ins sa 5ú haois, agus deirtear gur thug sé an Críostaíocht go h'Eirinn roimh Naomh Padraig. Tugadh dúthracht do Chiarán in Iar Dheisceart Dhún na nGall thart fá cead bliain roimh breith Naomh Cholmcille i 521 AD. Tá Tobar Beannaithe Naomh Ciarán suite ar thaobh an bhothair ag Bavin, í gCill Chartha, agus tá ballóg tí pobail agus cuplá feart meigilíotach taobh leis. Déantar cuimhneachán ar Naomh Ciarán in Aire Gaidheal agus ar Oileán Íle in Albain, í gCorn na Breataine agus í Contae Mhaigh Eo. Tugann seo le fios, do réir Lochlann McGill í "In Connalls Footsteps" gur spréigh dúthracht do Naomh Ciarán amach ó Chósta na hÉireann. Tá Lá Féile Naomh Ciarán ar an 5ú lá de mhí na Marta agus ar an ócaid seo, deantar 'Turas' bliantiúil ag Tobar Beannaithe ag Bavin. © |
 St. Ciarán's Well, Bavin. © The statue is made of wood and was carved by the late John Byrne of Glencolmcille early in the last century |