St. Govan's Head

St. Govan's Chapel, Castlemartin Range, Pembroke (August 2007). St. Govan, or more likely St Gobhan or Gobban (which means a smith), was born of the Hy Cinnselach clan in County Wexford in Ireland sometime in the 6th century. As a boy St. Govan was attracted by the preaching and teaching of St. Ailbe, a native of Solva, Pembrokeshire, who founded the monastery of Dairinis, in Wexford, and Govan joined the monastery there. Following St. Ailbe’s death in 527, he was elected Abbot of the monastery; how long he held this position is unknown. At some point in his later life, and for reasons that are lost in time, he decided to move to Pembrokeshire. While in the county, legend says that pirates from Lundy Island tried to capture him. This is quite feasible, for he would have been dressed as an Abbot, and his capture therefore, could have resulted in a large ransom being demanded from the monastery, the wealthy house of the day. While evading the pirates the cleft in the rock at St. Govan's Chapel opened miraculously for Govan to hide in, closed over him, opening miraculously for a second time after the pirates had gone away. If St. Govan was chased he probably found the fissure a safe hiding place. As he saw the pirates leaving he was filled with a sense of shame at his cowardice, and decided to remain so that in future he might convert the pirates. St. Govan apparently stayed for the rest of his life in his cell, worshipping, preaching and teaching in South Pembrokeshire. His saintliness was marked by the Church, which designated March 26th as St. Govan's Day, and hosby followers who built the Chapel in the cliffs. Tradition says that St. Govan lies buried under the altar in the chapel which bears his name. He died in 586.