Just in time to give me a most profound Christmas, my son was born one week ago. Declan Patrick McCullough was born on December 19th, 2008 at 1:52am (two weeks past his due date–already a procrastinator). He weighed in at a whopping 9 lbs. 3 oz. and was 21 in. long. My wife was majestic in her strength during her med-free delivery. We have since been caught up in the exhausting emotional whirlwind that is the first week of parenthood.
Declan is Gaelic for “Full of Goodness.” Actually, the meaning is apparently unknown, but that is the meaning that we intend out of the possible options (if the hermeneutic of his name lies in the intent of the namers). Saint Declan was a fifth century Irish missionary and contender for the patron saint of Ireland.
(A wooden sculpture of Saint Declan of Ardmore)
“On the night of Declan’s birth a wondrous sign was revealed to all, that is to the people who were in the neighbourhood of the birthplace; this was a ball of fire which was seen blazing on summit of the house in which the child lay, until it reached up to heaven and down again, and it was surrounded by a multitude of angels. It assumed the shape of a ladder such as the Patriarch, Jacob saw [Genesis 28:12]. The persons who saw and heard these things wondered at them. They did not know (for the true faith had not yet been preached to them or in this region) that it was God who (thus) manifested His wondrous power (works) in the infant, His chosen child.” ~Life of St. Declan
