Saint Irchard[a] (or Erchard, Erthad, Merchard, Yarcard, Yrchard) was a Scottish missionary and bishop.
In his early youth he embraced the Christian Faith, and was ordained priest by Saint Ternan, who associated the young man with himself in his missionary labours.
At Kincardine-O’Neil a church was erected over the spot where the chariot which was conveying his remains to burial was miraculously stopped.
The local tradition tells that the saint when labouring as a missionary in Strathglass with two companions, discovered, by previous revelation, three bright new bells buried in the earth Taking one for himself, he gave the others to his fellow-missionaries, bidding each to erect a church on the spot where his bell should ring for the third time of its own accord; undertaking to do the same with regard to his own.
The local historian William Mackay (1848–1928) wrote in his Urquhart and Glenmoriston: Olden Times in a Highland Parish (1893),Ternan's disciple, Erchard, it is almost certain, penetrated far into the northern territory.
Erchard, or Merchard, as he latterly came to be called, was a native of the district of Kincardine O’Neil, on the southern slopes of the Grampians.
On his return journey he visited the Picts of Pictavia, now Poitou, in France, and brought back to the truth such of them as had lapsed into paganism.
Falling sick, he prayed God that he might not see death till he arrived in his own country, and hastened northward through France and England.
Curiosity, or a higher influence, led him to dig up the earth at the foot of the tree, and there he found three bells, new and burnished as if fresh from the maker’s hands.
On one occasion—twelve hundred years after Merchard’s death—it came to pass that a poor Glenmoriston tenant died, leaving a widow to succeed him.
That same night, as the officer lay in bed, an unearthly voice spake to him:— ’S mise Merchard mor nam feart, ’S mi dol dachaidh chum an anmoich; Is innis thusa do Mhac-Phadruig Nach fheaird e gu brath a’ mheanbh-chrodh!
Declare thou unto Mac Phatrick [the laird] that the widow’s sheep will never bring him good.”) With the morning’s sun the terror-stricken man appeared before his master and delivered the ghostly message.
to thy lasting place of rest!” If thrown into water it floated on the surface, but this the people were slow to put to the test, in deference to Merchard’s warning:— ’S mise Merchard thar an fhonn: Cuimhnichibh trom trom mo shàr’adh; ’S fiach’ nach cuir sibh air-son geall An clag so air a’ pholl a shnamhadh.