Ninnidh

Ninnidh (alias Ninnidh the Pious, Irish: Ninnidh leth derc, meaning one eyed Ninnidh) was a 6th-century Irish Christian saint. St. Ninnidh is regarded as one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. He is associated with shores of Lough Erne and particularly the island of Inishmacsaint and the parish of Knockninny, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland (derived from the Irish: Cnoc Ninnidh, meaning the Hill of Ninnidh). His feast day is January 18.

Ninnidh of Inismacsaint is often confused with Saint Ninnidh of the Pure Hand who attended Brigid of Kildare on her deathbed.

Life

Ninnidh was born in County Donegal, a grandson of Laoghaire, the High King of Ireland. He was educated under St. Finian at Clonard, where his fellow students included Ciaran of Clonmacnoise, St. Molaise of Devenish and St. Aidan of Ferns. St. Ninnidh preached along the South shore of Lough Erne making the island of Inishmacsaint (Island of the Sorrel Plain) his headquarters around 532. Ciaran visited Inishmacsaint in 534.