About the name
- Origin
- Irish
- English version
- Dymphna, Devnet
- Variants
- Damhnat, Devnet
- Stronghold region
- All-Ireland
Overview
Borne by Saint Damhnait (Dymphna) of Geel, a 7th-century Irish princess martyred in Belgium and now patron saint of those suffering mental illness.
The story behind Damhnait
Saint Damhnait fled Ireland to escape her unstable father's incestuous designs; he caught up with her at Geel in modern Belgium, where he killed her — a story that made her patron of the mentally ill, with Geel becoming a centre for their care.
Mythology & legend
Non-mythological; 7th-century saint and martyr.
Did you know?
Saint Damhnait (Dymphna) is the patron saint of those with mental illness and is venerated at Geel in Belgium.
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