St Ita of Kileedy
St. Ita (also spelled Ite, Ida, Eeda, and other ways) is often considered to be the second holiest person to ever live in Ireland - second only to St. Brigid . She also was foster parent to a number of boys who became saints, including St. Brendan the Navigator , and she was visited by St. Columba for guidance. Lifetime: 480 to 570 Region: County Limerick, Ireland Patronages: Limerick, Ireland Iconograpy: Holding an Irish church; Rosary; Brown cloak Feast Day: January 15 Ita was originally called Dierdre, but her name was eventually changed, as Ita means "thirst for holiness". Dierdre was born to noble parents who wished her to marry, a common background among saints. However, Rather than defying her Christian parents, Dierdre eventually persuaded them by fasting and praying for three days, at the end of which her father received a vision from God instructing him to allow his daughter to establish a monastery. And so, at the age of 16, Dierdre became...