Malachy was born in Armagh and was ordained to the priesthood in 1119. He was Vicar to the Archbishop and substituted the Roman for the Celtic liturgy. He rebuilt the church which had been destroyed by the Danes, and became head of the school in Bangor, County Down. In 1124 he was appointed Bishop of Down and Connor and in 1132 was consecrated Archbishop of Armagh. He resigned the sees of Armagh and Connor in 1136, retaining Down until his death. He founded a priory of Augustinian canons at Downpatrick and a monastery at Saul. He led the party intent on reforming the Irish church by proposing the diocesan system and the jurisdiction of bishops as opposed to the great monastic abbots. He met his biographer, St Bernard of Clairvaux, when he was appointed Apostolic Legate for Ireland. In 1142 he established the first Cistercian abbey in Ireland at Mellifont, County Louth, and introduced a branch of the monks of St Bernard. He made a second journey to Rome in 1148 and having been taken ill, died in St Bernard's arms at Clairvaux, where he is buried. He was canonised by Pope Clement III in 1190 (the first papal canonisation of an Irishman). His feast-day is the 3rd of November. [Biographies by Canon O'Hanlon and Monsignor O'Laverty]

Born:	c.1095
Died:	2 November 1148