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Dúnchad mac Cinn Fáelad
Abbot of Iona
SaintResearchedPre-congregation
Born
700
Died
717
verified
Beatified
—
not needed: before formal processes
Canonised
By tradition
recognised before formal processes began
Who they were
Dunchad, of the house of Conall Gulban, was Abbot of Killochuir in Ulster and then Abbot of Iona, from about 710 until his death in 717.
In his time the monks of Iona gave up their old reckoning and adopted the Roman date of Easter.
The miracles
There was never a formal cause: he has been honoured as a saint since before the Church's formal processes began.
Why that counted as sanctity
An abbot of Iona under whom the monastery came into unity with Rome on Easter.
Sources
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - St. Dunchadh
- Wikidata Q4411568 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Dúnchad mac Cinn Fáelad (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.