Declán of Ardmore

Declán of Ardmore (Irish: Declán mac Eircc, Latin: Declanus, died 5th century), also called Déclán or Declan, was an early Irish saint of the Déisi Muman, who was remembered for having converted the Déisi in the late 5th century and for having founded the monastery of Ardmore (Ard Mór) in what is now Co. Waterford. The principal source for his life and cult is a Latin Life of the 12th century. Like Ailbe of Emly, Ciarán of Saigir and Abbán of Moyarney, Declán is presented as a Munster saint who preceded Saint Patrick in bringing Christianity to Ireland. He was regarded as a patron saint of the Déisi of East Munster.

Sources

The main source for Declán's life and cult is a Latin Life or vita, which however, survives only in a redaction of the late 12th century. It is witnessed by two manuscript texts which Charles Plummer has shown to derive from the same original: (1) Dublin, TCD, MS E.3.11 (dubbed T by Plummer), f. 66b-71d; and (2) a somewhat more damaged version in Dublin, Primate Marsh's Library, MS V.3.4 (Plummer's M), f. 101 ff. These two manuscripts are also collectively known as the Dublin Collection (or the Codex Kilkenniensis, though the name is also used to refer to the Primate Marsh's Library manuscript only). In its received form, the Life leans heavily on the Life of St Ailbe of Emly in the Codex Salmanticensis, but earlier materials may have been incorporated. The introductory chapters draw on early Irish sagas, notably the origin legend of Déisi related in the Expulsion of the Déisi and the story of Lugaid Riab nDerg in Aided Meidbe and Medb's Three Husbands. Declán is emphatically designated as a bishop of the Déisi, which appears to echo the monastery's political ambitions in the 12th century, when the Irish Church was reformed into a diocesan system following the Synod of Rathbreasail and Synod of Kells. Ardmore aspired to the status of episcopal see in the new diocese, but the privilege went instead to Lismore, founded by St Mochuda.

Declan Galbraith

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Declan John Galbraith (born 19 December 1991, Hoo St Werburgh, Kent) is an English singer. He is best known for his 2002 hit single, "Tell Me Why", which peaked at #29 in the UK Singles Chart.

Early influence

When Galbraith was a young boy, his grandfather, who played several musical instruments in a band, took Galbraith to fleadhs (concerts). The mix of Scottish and Irish musical traditions.

Musical career

Galbraith insisted on performing spontaneously at the annual Rochester Dickens Festival, a two-day extravaganza with his sister Ayannah where people were invited to dress up in Victorian costumes to celebrate the life and times of the famous author Charles Dickens and his links with their town. Galbraith, dressed up as a chimney sweep, started singing. Soon after this he started to enter local talent contests and within a year he had won 15 titles and more than £1,000.

As a result of his success in the talent shows, the major recording companies soon heard about Galbraith and he was signed to his first recording contract in England. His first recording was "Walking in the Air", which was released on a special Christmas Hits album, also featuring songs by Westlife, Elton John and Elvis Presley. Among some of his most memorable performances have been the Queen's Jubilee at St Paul's Cathedral, when he sang "Amazing Grace" accompanied by the St Paul's Choir and a performance in front of more than 22,000 people at an Elton John concert. His first self-titled album, Declan, with Irish traditional songs as well as specially written material became a big success and charted in the U.K. and Ireland. Within the year of release, it had soon sold 200,000 copies in Germany.