From Fr. Anthony Cogan's The Diocese of Meath Ancient & Modern (Published: Dublin, 1862 by John F. Fowler):
"The village of Clonard is situated in the barony of Upper Moyfenragh county of Meath being eleven miles and a half (west) from Kilcock and twenty six miles (west by north) from Dublin.
Archdall tells us in his Monasticon that the original name of this place was Ross Finnchuil, The wood or shrubbery of the white hazel. In the Annals of the Four Masters and other ancient authorities it is called Cluain Iraird or Cluain Erard which meant according to Sir James Ware and Vallancey the retirement on the western heights but most probably according to Colgan and O Donovan Erard's lawn or meadow.
ST FINIAN
St Finian the distinguished founder of Clonard was a native of Leinster but of what precise place is not exactly known. Most probably it was near the Barrow and not far from the present New Ross. The name of his father was Fintan of the race of Loschain that of his mother Talech. His parents are said to have been Christians at the time of his birth. In the office of St Finian we read:
Nativus de Lagenia
Qui sprevit nomen regium
Hic sumpsit infra moenia
Legendi privilegiam
He was baptized by St Abban received an ecclesiastical education from a Bishop Fortkern, probably Bishop of Trim, after which he spent some time with the venerable Cayman of Darinis. Having arrived at a suitable age he proceeded to Tours and on his return spent a considerable time at Kilmuine in Britain a name which the Irish applied to Menevia or St David's in Wales. While in this place he founded three churches and became acquainted with three distinguished Britons whose names often occur in our ancient ecclesiastical history. These were David Gildas and Cadoc or Docus. David is said to have been the grandson (by his mother whose name was Melari) to an Irish prince named Brecan and nephew to St Canoe of Gallen. He was the tutor of St Aidan or Maidoc of Ferns became first bishop of Menevia and died about the year 589.
Gildas was the son of a chieftain near the Clyde and born about the year 490. After being educated in his native country and wishing to improve himself still more in philosophy and theology he proceeded to the schools of Armagh where he so distinguished himself as to become a professor there for some time. He afterwards lectured at Lancarvan near the Severn and superintended its schools for one year. He was the author of a celebrated epistle and of a history De Excidio Britanice and died according to the Annals of Ulster in the year 570.
Cadoc or Docus as he is variously called was a cousin to St David. His father's name was Gundlaeus a chieftain of South Britain. His mother's name was Gladusa daughter of Brecan and sister to Melari, mother of St David. He was instructed by St Thaddeus, an Irishman who kept a celebrated school at Caerwent in Monmouthshire. After this he founded the monastery of Lancarvan and having acquired a considerable property from his father gave gratuitous education and dispensed charity to vast numbers of the poor. He died in his monastery about the year 570.
As the names of these eminent men must be familiar to the student of Irish monastic history, and their acquaintance with St Finian being mentioned with emphasis by all the ancient compilers of his life, I thought it not out of place to give a brief sketch of their lives.
After spending some years at Kilmuine St Finian returned to Ireland accompanied by some religious Britons two of whom Biteus and Genoc are particularly mentioned who were much attached to him. He next visited his friend Cayman at Darinis after which he landed at Kille Caireni in the present county of Wexford. His subsequent movements are thus detailed by the learned and judicious Lanigan:
Thence he sent messengers to Muiredach sovereign of Hy Kinsellagh requesting permission to enter his territory. The prince highly rejoiced at his arrival went to visit him and throwing himself at his feet told him that wherever he would wish to erect a church he should not want ground for that purpose Finian then set about his mission erected some churches and established a religious community at a place called Achadh abhla. Hence he went to the district of Hy barche and formed an establishment at Magna in which he gave lectures on the Holy Scriptures for seven years.
It is related that on a certain occasion he preached before St Brigid and her nuns whence it appears that he had returned to Ireland some years before her death for according to the series of the narrative this circumstance is placed after several other transactions of his subsequent to his return. It is very probable that his return was prior to even ad 520 although he did not remove to Clonard until perhaps about 530. Before his settling there he is said to have been in some other places besides the above mentioned Clonard was the scene of his greatest exertions and celebrity."
