Saint Who?

 The story of St Maughold, patron saint of the Isle of Man.

St Maughold depicted in a stained glass window. (Photo: Rev Ian Faulds)

St Maughold was the patron saint of the Isle of Man. But who was St Maughold, and what do we know about him? This is the story …

The Isle of Man

The Isle of Man lies in the Irish Sea, midway between England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. It has its own language, called Manx, which is related to Irish, and a rich spiritual heritage with many Celtic saints. St Maughold is revered across the island, and his story is one of transformation, faith, and devotion.

Origins

According to tradition, Maughold was an Irish bandit from Ulster who was converted to Christianity by St Patrick in the sixth century. His name, Maughold, comes from the Latin forms (Maguilius or Machaldus) of the Irish name, variously spelt as MacCuil, Macfall, Maguil, Magharde and Maghor. He was an unpleasant and evil young man who even tried to fool, discredit and murder St Patrick. After one of his band died as the result of a trick that went wrong, Maughold pleaded with Patrick to bring him back to life. When he saw this happen, Maughold realised the power of God and immediately repented. After being forgiven by St Patrick, he was baptised as a Christian.

Leaving Ireland

Maughold was told by St Patrick that he would have to do penance for his many grievous crimes, including rape and murder. His sentence was an ancient Irish punishment used for serious crimes: to be bound hand and foot and sent out to sea in a currach (a type of ancient Irish boat). Setting out from the coast of what is now Northern Ireland, his fate was left to the judgement of God. Maughold prayed for guidance, and the idea was that, if God looked kindly upon him, he would land somewhere safe, and that would be where he should serve the Lord.

At this time, it was common for Irish saints to travel long distances by currach, linking with monastic communities on islands such as Iona and as far as the Faroe Islands on the western Atlantic edge of Europe. One saint, St Brendan, may even have travelled to America, as described in the book The Brendan Voyage by Tim Severin. By comparison, the trip to the Isle of Man was fairly short.

Arriving on the Isle of Man

Sometime around AD 450, Maughold was set adrift and, after some days, washed ashore on the northeast corner of the Isle of Man near Ramsey, feeling quite seasick and exhausted. One early manuscript tells us how his currach was miraculously guided by "a divine rudder". Where he landed is now called Maughold Head, near where there is now a lighthouse. He climbed up the cliff to find a spring of water, which is now known as St Maughold's Well ("Chibbyr Maghal"), and gave thanks for his safe journey across the Irish Sea.

In those days, the people of the Isle of Man were pagan and led by druids, but there were already a few Christians on the island. On his arrival, Maughold was rescued by two missionary bishops called Romulus and Conindrius, who were struggling to convert the island. They educated Maughold in the Christian faith. Maughold grew in his faith and became a hermit, preacher, abbot and then bishop of the island. He is recorded as putting his trust in the Lord, saying that nothing evil can enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Today, in the grounds of Kirk Maughold are the remains of some ancient Celtic "keills", or monastic cells, all that is left of the most important monastic site on the island, similar to Irish monasteries such as Clonmacnoise. This was the base from which the Isle of Man was evangelised by St Maughold and his monks. It was a small part of the great missionary wave that would carry Irish monks to much of northwest Europe, whether St Columba to Iona in Scotland or St Columban to France, Switzerland and Italy. Maughold may also have made missionary journeys to Scotland, Wales and Brittany, but he seems never to have returned to Ireland.

Memorials

Maughold died late in the fifth century. Some say AD 488, while others say AD 518. It is not known where he was buried, but it is likely that the local parish church of Kirk Maughold was built over the cell where he was laid to rest. The old tradition was to bury a saint on the right-hand side of the altar. If this is the case, however, the tomb has long since been lost, probably during the Dissolution. Maughold gave his name to the church, the village, and the parish of Maughold (called "Maghal" in Manx).

Maughold was regarded as a saint, although, like most Celtic saints, he was never formally canonised, and he became a symbol of repentance and forgiveness. Consequently, Kirk Maughold remains a place of pilgrimage and has become known as a "church of second chances".

Maughold's story was told and retold in medieval manuscripts. The Book of Armagh, an early Irish manuscript, tells the story of St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, but also devotes a good portion to the story of St Maughold, describing him before his conversion as "depraved in words, intemperate in works, malignant in action, bitter in spirit". Known across Europe, a Belgian monk writing around 1100 compared him with St Paul, St Cyprian and Anthony of Egypt. In medieval times, St Maughold's Well was considered a holy well and became a place of pilgrimage.

Patron Saint of the Isle of Man

St Maughold (known as "Noo Maghal" in Manx) became known as the Protector of the Isle of Man and its patron saint. According to an ancient story, in 1158 the Isle of Man was invaded, and the local women prayed to St Maughold. He appeared to the invading leader, Somerled, in a dream and rebuked him, and his forces fled.

Although saints' days were abolished at the Reformation, St Maughold's Day is still marked, and he is one of the patron saints of the nations of the British Isles, alongside St Patrick of Ireland, St Andrew of Scotland, St David of Wales, St George of England and St Piran of Cornwall. St Maughold is remembered in Maughold parish, where the local church uses water from St Maughold's Well for baptisms, while some other Manx churches commemorate him in stained glass. At Jurby Church there is a fine window showing him being baptised by St Patrick. There are two churches dedicated to him: the Anglican church at Kirk Maughold and the Catholic church in Ramsey, which has a statue of him arriving in a currach.

Evidence of the Isle of Man's long Christian heritage can be seen throughout the island in its standing Celtic crosses, parish churches, and nonconformist (mainly Methodist) chapels. Today, many people come to Kirk Maughold to see its collection of ancient Celtic crosses.

St Maughold's Day

St Maughold is remembered in the Anglican world on 31 July, which is known as St Maughold's Day (called "Laa'l Maghal Toshee" in Manx), and a service is held in his honour at Kirk Maughold on the last Sunday of each July. It is not a national day because, on the Isle of Man, that role is taken by Tynwald Day on 5 July.

Maughold Week

Local churches remember St Maughold with special events during St Maughold Week (called "Shuaghtin yn Noo Maghal" in Manx). This year, in 2026, St Maughold's Week runs from Saturday 25 July to Saturday 1 August. It starts with a pilgrimage walk to Kirk Maughold from Dhoon, and the week includes many events, such as talks, concerts, organ recitals, exhibitions and afternoon teas. On St Maughold's Day there will be a pilgrimage from St Maughold's Church to St Maughold's Well, led by the bishop, followed by afternoon tea, choral evensong with the choir, and ending with a celebration supper. The week concludes with a summer garden party on Saturday 1 August. See the Kirk Maughold Facebook page for more details.

CT.