    saint malachy (; modern ) (1094&nbsp;â 2 november 1148) was an irish saint and archbishop of armagh, to whom were attributed several miracles and an alleged vision of 112 popes later attributed to the apocalyptic list of prophecy of the popes. he was the first native born irish saint to be canonised. ==background== viking raids on ireland began around the start of the 9th century. the country was subsequently invaded and occupied; many monasteries were plundered; monks were put to the sword; churches were demolished; and libraries were burned. these disruptions, along with secular impositions by the invaders, produced a decline in christian religious observance and moral standards established by saint patrick and other early missionaries. apathy towards the christian virtues increased, and by the 11th century some parts of ireland had even returned to paganism. ==life== malachy, whose family name was ua morgair, was born in armagh in 1094. st. bernard describes him as having noble birth. he was baptised mÃ¡el mÃ¡edÃ³c (malachy) and was trained under imhar o'hagan, subsequently abbot of armagh. after a long course of studies malachy was ordained priest by st cellach (celsus) in 1119. to perfect himself in sacred liturgy and theology, he proceeded to lismore, where he spent nearly two years under st malchus. he was then chosen abbot of bangor, in 1123. a year later, he was consecrated bishop of down and connor, and, in 1132, he was promoted to the primacy of armagh. st bernard provides many inte
1094_births 1148_deaths 12th-century_Christian_saints 12th-century_Irish_people 12th-century_Roman_Catholic_bishops Archbishops_of_Armagh Irish_Roman_Catholic_bishops Irish_expatriates_in_France Medieval_Gaels Medieval_Irish_saints Medieval_saints_of_Ulster People_from_County_Armagh