Early life
Gobnait is said to have been born in Co Clare. In her youth she went to the Aran Islands to study with St Enda. There is a church dedicated to her, Kilgobnet, on Inisheer.

An angel told her that this was not to be the place of "her resurrection" (her death) and that she should tour Ireland until she found a place where she found nine white deer grazing. On her travels she is said to have founded churches at Dunquin in Co Kerry and Dungarvan in Co Waterford.

Ballyvourney and bees
But it was at Ballyvourney, Co Cork, that she eventually found the nine white deer grazing. Here she founded a monastery with the help of St Abban.

Famous among the miracles of Gobnait's prayer was the staying of the pestilence by marking off the parish as consecrated ground. She is also famed for her cultivation of bees and a story relates how she routed an enemy by loosing her bees upon them.

Care of the sick
She is remembered for her care of the sick. In the church yard at Ballyvourney many discarded crutches show that people believed they were cured by Gobnait answering their prayers. Her well is still at Ballyvourney and is an attraction for pilgrims.  

Associations
In 1602 when he was retreating after the defeat at Kinsale to the territory of O'Rourke of Breifne, O'Sullivan Beara with his soldiers - along with their women, children and servants - stopped at Ballyvourney to pay homage to the memory of Gobnait. 

Until 1843 a 13th century wooden statue of the saint was in the hereditary keeping of the O'Herlihy family there.