Saighir (Seir Kieran; also named Seirkieran, in Irish Saighir Chiaráin), is a monastic site in Clareen, County Offaly, founded by Ciarán of Saigir.
History
According to his hagiographers, Ciarán was born in pagan Ireland and left for Rome to receive Christian baptism and study the Bible. In Rome for twenty or thirty years, he was ordained a bishop and returned to Ireland. On the way, he is said to have met Saint Patrick in Italy and from him received a clapperless bell; whence Patrick told Ciarán to found a church when the bell should miraculously sound, and nearby would be a cold spring. Upon returning to Ireland, he evangelized his paternal kinsmen, the Osraige, and passed through their territory and over the Slieve Bloom Mountains when he heard the tongueless bell sound, and nearby was a spring of cold water.
The church grew in importance and as one of Ireland's oldest Christian sites. As the main monastery in Osraige it was the burial ground for the Kings of Osraige of the Dál Birn. Several times it was sacked by the Vikings, and later it diminished in importance and was superseded by Aghaboe Abbey c.1052. It was refounded as a priory of the Augustinian Canons c.1170, and dissolved in 1568.
Not much survives of Saighir today. The remaining ruins include the base of a round tower, the base of a 9th-century high cross, some foundations of the priory, remainings of fortifications, a motte of the Anglo-Norman lords, and a small 19th-century church which was erected close to the site of the former church of the priory. Attached to the site are a holy whitethorn bush on which clothes are hung on 5 March in honour of St. Ciarán, and a holy well.
Saighir in the Annals
695 St Killen MacLubnen was abbot of Saighir
744 Laidhgnen Abbot of Saighir was slain
771 Tnuthghal the Abbot died
783 (recte 788) Maccog the Abbot died
788 (recte 793) Cucathrach of Saighir died
807 (recte 812) Cobhthach the Abbot died
809 (recte 814) Fearadhach the Abbot died
810 (recte 815) Conchobar the Abbot died
826 Connmhach Ua Loichene the Abbot died
832 Irghalach the Abbot died
842 Plundering of Birr and Saighir by the Gentiles
846 Anluan the Abbot died
867 Cormac son of Eladhach Abbot of Saighir bishop and scribe died
870 Geran son of Dicosc the Abbot died
885 Sloghadhach Ua Raithnen the Abbot died
912 Cormac Bishop of Saighir died
919 Fearghal son of Maelmordha the Abbot died
920 Aedh Ua Raithnen old sage of Ireland and wise man of Saighir died
937 Ceallach son of Caellaighe Prior of Saighir died
941 Fogartach the Abbot died
941-4 At this time Sadhbh Queen of Ireland wife of the Ard Righ Donn chadh son of Flann Sionna and daughter of Donnchadh King of Ossory grieved that Saighir the burial place of her ancestors lay open and defenceless while so many other famous churches in Ireland were encircled by walls induced her royal husband to send a number of masons to erect a suitable wall of stone around the cemetery 951 Ceannfaeladh son of Suibhne Abbot of Saighir died 952 Saighir Chiarain was plundered by the men of Munster 961 Fearghal son of Ceallach died at Saighir after penance 974 or 975 Donnchadh King of Ossory father of Queen Sadhbh or Sabia above died at an advanced age and was buried with his forefathers at Saighir 984 Flaithlemh airchinneach of Saighir died 1004 Foghartach Abbot of Leithghlinn and Saighir died 1012 The Prior of Saighir was killed 1048 Dunchadh Ua Ceileachair successor of Ciarán of Saighir died 1079 Ceallach Reamhar the Fat successor of Brenainn of Birr and of Ciarán of Saighir died 1118 The See of Ossory was changed from Seir Kieran to Aghaboe (most probably by the Synod of Rathbreasail held in this year) 1200 About this date the old Irish order of monks at Saighir having become extinct or been superseded the monastery church and parish were handed over to the Canons Regular of the Order of St Augustine who established a community here and continued in possession down to the Reformation 1284 The Lord Bishop of Ossory Geoffry St Leger acquired (recte recovered) the manor of Serrkeran by duel according to Clynn and others
Keating's story about Saighir's wall
Geoffrey Keating related a story of the building of a wall around the royal graveyard of Saighir in his work Foras Feasa ar Éirinn: