Born: Unknown, Ireland
Died: Unknown
Country most active: Ireland
Also known as: Cannera
This biography is republished from The Dictionary of Irish Biography and was written by Ailbhe Mac Shamhráin. Shared by permission in line with Creative Commons ‘Attribution’ (CC BY) licencing.
Cainner (Cannera) (6th cent.?), foundress of Cluain Cláraid and saint in the Irish tradition, belonged to the old north Munster population group of Corcu Óchae. Despite a degree of genealogical confusion, it seems reasonable to identify her with Cainner daughter of Fintan. According to the Latin Life (§12) of Molua son of Cárthach, Cainner was a first cousin of St Brendan of Clonfert. Till the age of 16 she had been dumb, but was miraculously given the power of speech by Brendan. She subsequently set up a community of nuns at Cluain Cláraid (unlocated, but probably in the east Galway–west Offaly area). Most likely, Cainner is to be identified with the nun of that name who, in an episode of the Life (§34) of Mo-Chóemóc of Liath Mór (Leigh (Leighmore), Co. Tipperary), lost her eye-sight but was healed by the saint. Such stories, which portray Cainner in a dependent role, are perhaps intended to convey that authority over her church was claimed by the larger foundations of Clonfert and Leaghmore.
There are several other holy women named Cainner, including a daughter of Cruithnechán of the Bentraige; in a hagiographical episode which perhaps reflects tenth-century issues concerning mixed-gender communities, this Cainner is said to have visited St Senán at Inis Cathaig (Scattery Island, Co Clare); despite Senan’s clear reluctance to allow her to land on the island, she died there and was buried on its shore. Some other minor saints of the same name, featured in the genealogies and in the Book of Leinster tract on saints and places, seem to be duplications of each other; three of them are attached to the Cenél Lóegairi of Meath. It is not clear which of the saints so named is associated with the unlocated Cell Chainnire. The date of Cainner’s death is not recorded.
The following is excerpted from the Dictionary of National Biography, originally published between 1885 and 1900, by Smith, Elder & Co. It was written by Thomas Andrew Archer.
CANNERA or CAINNER, Saint (d. 530?), appears in the martyrology of Tamlacht and other ancient lists of Irish saints on 28 Jan. (O’Hanlon, Lives of Irish Saints, i. 464). According to Colgan she was born of noble parents in the district of Bentraighe (Bantry) in S. Munster. Her father’s name was Cruithnechan (Martyr. Taml., quoted by Colgan), her mother’s, Cumania. Refusing all offers of marriage, she lived many years in a solitary cell, till seized with a sudden desire to form one of the company gathered round St. Senan in his island home of Inis-cathey, in the mouth of the Shannon, off the coast of Clare. The saint, however, was obdurate to her prayers, and refused to admit a woman to his monastic settlement. However, it was in vain that he urged her to go back into the world. Repulsed in her first entreaties she at last persuaded St. Senan to promise that he would administer the sacrament to her as she lay dying, and grant her the privilege of burial in his island. Her tomb there was still pointed out when the ancient life of this saint was drawn up, and sailors were wont to visit it to offer up vows for a prosperous voyage (Vita S. Senani, ap. Colgan, c. 30). This story of St. Cannera and St. Senan forms the groundwork of one of Moore’s Irish melodies. As St. Senan seems to have flourished in the sixth century, a similar date must be assigned to St. Cannera, who died about 530, according to Colgan. The last-mentioned authority tells us that she was venerated at Kill-chuilinn, in Carberry (Leinster), and at other churches in Ireland.
For the Scotch saint Kennera or Cainner (29 Oct.), whose name is preserved in the parish of Kirk-kinner, opposite Wigton, and elsewhere in Galloway, see ‘Bollandi Acta SS.’ 12 Oct., 904–5, and Forbes’s ‘Calendar of Scottish Saints,’ 361. This saint is said to have been confused in later martyrologies with St. Cunnera, the Batavian martyr, one of the legendary followers of St. Ursula.