Born circa 1145, Aoife was the daughter of Diarmait Mac Murchada, the King of Leinster (the southeastern kingdom of Ireland) making her an Irish princess. Her father got into some deep water when he purportedly kidnapped the wife of a neighboring king, Tigernán Ua Ruairc, from the Kingdom of Breifne. As punishment, the High King of Ireland (Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair) who presided over all of Ireland’s kingdoms, dispossessed Diarmait of his lands. Angered, Diarmait went straight across the Irish Sea to seek the support of King Henry II of England. In exchange for pledging his allegiance to England’s king, Dairmait requested military support in an effort to regain his kingdom. Eventually a Cambro-Norman knight, the 2nd Earl of Pembroke (in western Wales), named Richard de Clare (but nicknamed “Strongbow” due to his prowess with the long bow) led the Norman invasion of Ireland circa 1170. Strongbow had his own twofold agenda in helping Dairmait recapture his lands: for one, he needed to get back into the good graces of King Henry II of England (Stongbow had made the bad mistake of siding with England’s King Stephen against Henry II’s mother Matilda in their wrestle for power over the English throne); and second, Dairmait promised his daughter Aoife to Strongbow in marriage (by the way, under Irish Law, Aoife had to agree to this arrangement since Irish women could not be forced to marry against their will, and she did agree). As it turned out, Strongbow was successful in his military campaigns in Ireland and Dairmait once again became King of Leinster (having helped in battle herself, Aoife is often referred to as “Aoife Rua” or “Red Eva”). Strongbow succeeded in regaining his own Norman, Welsh and English lands in a pact made with Henry II, and his high noble standing was firmly reinstated. Richard de Clare (i.e., Strongbow) and Aoife went onto have three children. After several generations, the couple’s descendants represented much of the nobility throughout Great Britain and Europe (through their eldest daughter Isabel de Clare, 4th Countess of Pembroke).

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Known as Margaret of Antioch or Margaret the Virgin, St. Margaret was born in Antioch (present day Turkey) in the late 3rd century. She was chastised by her pagan father for her Christian beliefs and had the audacity to rebuff a marriage proposal from a powerful Roman governor because this offer came with a demand: renunciation of her faith. She refused. As a result, Margaret was tortured and beheaded. Her legend and cult spread in the Middle Ages which served to popularize her name. One of the most popular legends connected to Margaret told of her being swallowed by a dragon, but because she had been carrying the cross of Jesus, the dragon spit her out – having been irritated by the cross. The widespread and enduring success and staying power of the name Margaret is owed to this old saint. The so-called “Virgin Martyrs” like Margaret of Antioch were particularly favored in medieval times, such as St. Catherine of Alexandria, The Great Martyr Barbara, St. Cecelia of Rome, St. Agnes of Rome and St. Susanna.

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