St. Mella, Abbess of Doire-Melle in Leitrim, Ireland. (+780)

Commemorated April 25

Our holy mother St. Mella lived in the eighth century in the northern parts of what is now known as western Ireland in the Connaught province. She was the mother of two sons who, through her holy example, both became saints of the Church. St. Cannech, a Priest, and St. Tigernach, an Abbot.

Having been widowed upon her husband's untimely death, St. Mella embraced the monastic life and took up residence in the monastery established by her son, St. Tigernach. After some time, St. Tigernach left his mother to oversee the monastery and himself retired to another monastery, named Kill-Acaidh, or "the church of the field". St. Mella went on to lovingly shepherd this community of holy women which took the name of Doire-Melle, meaning, the "oak grove of Mella."

St. Mella reposed in the Lord around the year 780.