St Molua was an Irish priest of the 6th century who like Columba and Gall trained in the monastery at Bangor,^[2] County Down (about twelve miles from Belfast). The saint's real name was originally Lughaidh (pronounced Lua). His father is believed to have been Coche or Carthach of the Corca Oiche, a sept associated with the Ui Fidgenti from the Limerick area. His mother, Sochla was from Ossory.^[2]

Local Historians note stories that tarnished the Saint's reputation in his time, those being that he had fathered many children to the daughter of a local Eóganachta Chieftain in County Clare. These children were named locally as Ó Maoldomhnaigh which in turn birthed the family name of Moloney.^{[citation needed]}

Little is known about Molua other than he was a monk, a builder and possibly a hermit.^[1] Molua was the founder of Killaloe (Irish: Cill-da-Lua),^[3] which bears his name Lua.^[3] Molua had his oratory on Friar's Island, later replaced by a stone church^[1] near the present village of Killaloe.^[3] Like most Irish saints he appears to have been very hospitable, believing that in entertaining others he was entertaining Christ. He was kind to animals as well as humans and it was said that when he died all living creatures bewailed him.^[2]

Molua's principal disciple was Saint Flannan, who succeeded Molua.^[1] His monastery in Clonfert-Mulloe in Osraige produced the scholar Laidcenn mac Buith Bannaig.