Born in Ireland around 597, his grandfather is believed to have been a pagan king. He was Baptized by Saint Brendan the Navigator who was also his uncle and was educated by Saint Brendan‘s monks. 

He joined a monastery near Galway where he became known for his great prayer. On one occasion, while traveling, Fursey fell into a deep trance and had the first of three visions. 

In the first, he saw the state of man in sin, the beauty of virtue, and heard the angelic choir singing, “The Saints shall go forth from virtue to virtue”, and two Angels were telling him to be more zealous. 

Three nights later he had a second vision in which he was taken to heaven by three Angels who battled with demons for his soul. He saw fires of hell, the strife of demons, and heard the angelic hosts in four choirs sing, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts”. He recognized Saints Melvin and Beowin who gave him instructions for his monks and explained the dreadful effects of pride, disobedience, and internal sin. As he returned a demon hurled a burning sinner at him, burning Fursey and leaving a permanent scar. 

Later he had a third vision in which he was instructed on how and what to preach for the next twelve years. 

He went to Anglo Saxon England, and was the first Irish missionary there, and then to France where he built a monastery. 

St. Fursey, please pray for us.