Faolan

He has a dedication in the parish church at Clyne. He is also associated with Loch Earn Head.

See Cat p. 32.

Fergus (6th, 7th or 8th century)

Fergus is associated with the north-east and with Drostan (6th C), Medan and Colm. He is also associated with Donnan (d. 617) and his name is on the Tallagh list. This is a Pictish name and dedications cover almost exactly the same area as the great Pictish stones. He seems to have spent time in Ireland, then Strathearn, then Caithness, then Buchan. He is the patron of Wick. Other dedications occur at Halkirk and Moy (Inverness-shire), also in Wigtownshire and Dundee (but there was another Fergus, or Fergustus, a Pictish bishop who attended a council in Rome in 721). The knoll at Halkirk on which St Fergus church stands was known as Tore Harlogan, indicating an earlier dedication to Talorc/ Tarloc/Tarlogan, another follower of Donan). These two names are also linked in Banffshire. His image, kept in Wick, was destroyed in 1613 by a local minister, who was then drowned by the locals. (See the extract from Calder’s History, above.)  A replacement effigy was placed in what was the Sinclair aisle of the old church of St Fergus and is now in the current St Fergus church. The shape at his feet is the heraldic lion couchant.  A baptismal font purportedly from the old St Fergus church is also in the St Fergus Church, Wick.

St Fergus supported the reforms agreed at the Council of Whitby.

See Cat p. 36 and 43, Towill p. 86, Woodside p. 65, Inventory no. 493 and 582, Ecc Hist p. 5, 54, 9, 81, 314 and 334. See also Calder’s History, above.

Finian/Finbar/Bar/Finnian (6th century)

The sources suggest that there were two saints of the same name, both associated with Ninian and Whithorn. One was born in Ulster and was educated at Candida Casa. He returned to Ireland, where he taught Columba. In the south, his name becomes Winning, Wynnian, Barr. In the north, his name becomes Fymbar or St Bar. It may have been his psalter that Columba notoriously copied.

The other Finbar may have been born on the banks of the Berrydale Water (Barr’s valley) at a green spot not very far from the high road that runs between Helmsdale and Wick. He trained in the north, possibly at Ninian’s House, Edderton or Fearn - Fearn Abbey. (Other sources suggest that he trained at Whithorn, but this may be a confusion with the Irish Finbar.) He founded a church at Dornoch adjacent to the modern cathedral and also founded a church in Caithness. When Gilbert built his cathedral in Dornoch, he dedicated it to Finbarr although this was later changed to St Gilbert. There seems to have been a strong cult of St Finbarr in the Dornoch area at that time. A royal charter from King David gives the monks based there protection in their travels through Caithness and Orkney.

The name ‘Achvarasdal’, where there is a well-known broch, means Barr’s valley.

See Cat p. 40, Towill p. 94, Ecc Hist p. 66, 73-78 and 334. 

Francis

A convent at Dornoch and a nunnery at Cloisters, Wick are dedicated to Francis. This could be Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan order, whose followers came to England in 1224. The order spread rapidly throughout the country and devotees may well have reached the far North. 

See Cat p. 37

Fumac (c. 6th century)

He is associated mainly with Keith, Banffshire. Also at St Fumac’s Fair at Dinet and at Chapel of Dine, both on the outskirts of Watten, Caithness.

See Woodside p. 35.