Today (June 3) commemorates the Feast Day of St. Kevin, the founder and first abbot of Glendalough in County Wicklow. Born into one of the ruling families of Leinster in 498 A.D., St. Kevin is the subject of many legends. When he was an infant, a mysterious white cow is said to have come to his parent's house every morning and evening to supply milk for the baby.

After studying for the priesthood at Kilnamanagh, Kevin moved to Glendalough and lived as a hermit in a cave, a Bronze Age tomb now known as St. Kevin's Bed, to which he was reportedly led by an angel. Kevin loved animals and nature and spent his time in prayer. He soon attracted disciples, and many people came to seek his help and guidance. Glendalough became a renowned seminary of saints and scholars. The present remains at Glendalough tell only part of the story. The monastery flourished for nearly six centuries and in its heyday included many more buildings.

The following two paragraphs come from Wikipedia: Kevin is remembered in popular culture as an ascetic. This is commemorated in a folk song about him which describes a legend claiming that he drowned a woman who attempted to seduce him. This was recorded and made popular by The Dubliners. The opening verse is as follows: "In Glendalogh there lived an auld saint, renowned for his learning and piety, his manners were curious and quaint and he looked upon girls with disparity." One of the most widely known poems of the Nobel prizewinner Seamus Heaney, 'St Kevin and the Blackbird', relates the story of Kevin holding out his hand with trance-like stillness while a blackbird builds a nest in it, lays eggs, the eggs hatch and the chicks fledge.

Most sources cite St. Kevin's date of death as 3 June 618, which would mean he lived to the age of 120.