This is the feast day of St Sithney, patron of mad dogs:
According to a Breton folk story, God revealed to Sithney that he was to be the patron of young girls. The alarmed saint begged God to spare him from such an onerous task because they would plague him for husbands, fine clothes, and numerous other things and never allow him any peace. He said that he would rather look after mad dogs than women any day. From that day, sick and mad dogs have been taken to Sithney’s well to drink.
Séamus Sweeney 