Athracht
female Irish saint
Feast: 11 August (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Attracta (Araght), a native of County Sligo and a contemporary of St Patrick, received the veil from his hand, as the Book of Armagh records. Opposed by her parents, she fled to South Connacht and founded churches in Galway and Sligo.
At Killaraght she set up a hospice for travellers that lasted until 1539. In 1864 Pope Pius IX allowed her Office and Mass to be celebrated again in Ireland; she is patroness of the Diocese of Achonry.
The miracles
There was never a formal cause: she has been honoured as a saint since before the Church's formal processes began.
Why that counted as sanctity
A consecrated virgin who founded churches and cared for travellers.
Connected on this site
- Caomhán Santleathan Saint Brother or sister
- Pius IX Blessed“In 1864 Pope Pius IX allowed her Office and Mass to be celebrated again in Ireland; she is patroness of the Diocese of Achonry.” — this site's research
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - St. Attracta
- Wikidata Q4072290 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Athracht (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.