January 15th. St. Ita [St. Ide].

St. Brigid and St. Ita are the most influential woman saints of early Irish Christianity. Born of royal blood and named Deirdre before her entry into the religious life, she came from near Waterford, though she spent most of her life at her own religious foundation of Killeedy, near Limerick. Distinguished from the deepness of her prayer and the constancy of her self-denial, she was sustained by the image of the Holy Trinity which she saw clearly as dwelling in herself. She acted as spiritual director to many Irish saints, and indeed was responsible for the education of some of them as young boys. She died in about 570.