Diocese of Clonard (Part 4)

From Fr. Anthony Cogan's The Diocese of Meath Ancient & Modern (Published: Dublin, 1862 by John F. Fowler):

"ANNALS OF CLONARD

548 St Finnen Abbot of Clonard Tutor of the Saints of Ireland died.
587 St Seanach Bishop of Clonard died. St Fiachrius Abbot of Clonard and also of Conwall in Donegal died March 29th between the years 582 and 652.
652 St Colman the Bishop Abbot of Clonard died on the 8th of February Same year. St Ossenius Abbot of Clonard died on the 1st of May 664. St Ultan Abbot of Clonard died this year of the plague There died very many ecclesiastics and laics in Ireland of this mortality and amongst others St Aileran the Wise who was chief professor of the schools of Clonard. He wrote the lives of St Patrick, St Brigid and St Fechin of Fore, see Ware's Writers of Ireland p 36.
700 Colman O Heirc Abbot of Clonard died.
716 Dubhduin O Frelain Bishop and Abbot of Clonard died.
726 Aelchu Abbot of Clonard died.
731 Fianamuil Abbot of Clonard died.
733 St Tola Bishop of Clonard a worthy soldier of Christ died.
740 Forannan Abbot of Clonard died.
743 Dodimog Abbot of Clonard and Kildare died.
746 The burning of half the granary of Clonard.
755 Ailgnio Prior Abbot of Clonard died.
758 Beclaitnae Abbot of Clonard died 760 Loam Abbot of Clonard died.
767 Aerlaidh of Clonard died.
771 Gaeidheal of Clonard died.
774 Fulartach Bishop of Clonard died.
778 (recte 783) Faelghus a wise man of Clonard died.
782 (recte 787) Dubhdabhoireann Abbot of Clonard died.
784 (recte 789) Clonard was burned on Easter night precisely.
788 (recte 793) Crunnmhael of Druim Inesglainn Dru miskin county Louth Abbot of Clonard died.
791 (recte 796) Clotchchu Bishop and anchorite of Clonard died.
794 (recte 799) Clonard was burned in the beginning of Summer.
800 (recte 805) Dubhdaboireann O Dubhain Abbot of Clonard died.
818 Crunnmhael Abbot of Clonard died.
824 Clemens Bishop Abbot of Clonard died.
828 Cormac Abbot of Clonard scribe and bishop died.
833 Eoghan of Monasterboice Abbot of Armagh and Clonard died.
837 Ruaidhri Prior of Clonard and abbot of other churches too died.
840 The destruction of Clonard by the foreigners.
856 Comsadh Bishop and Abbot of Clonard died.
857 A great meeting of the chieftains of Ireland was convened this year by Maelseachlainn the Monarch at Rahugh West meath. The Bishop of Armagh and Suairleach Bishop of Clonard attended for the purpose of uniting them in peace and harmony.
860 Dalach Abbot of Clonard died.
862 Conor son of Donehadh lord of Meath was drowned at Clonard by Aulave king of the Danes 868 Suairleach of Eidhnen Bishop anchorite and Abbot of Clonard doctor in divinity and in spiritual wisdom in piety and in good deeds so that his name spread all over Ireland died.
879 Aedhan Abbot of Clonard died.
881 Ailbrend successor of Finnen of Clonard died.
882 (recte 885) Cormac Bishop of Duleek and Abbot of Clonard died.
883 Clothchu Prior of Clonard died.
885 Cucongalta Abbot of Clonard died.
887 The plundering of Kildare and Clonard by the Danes.
919 Ruman Mac Cathasach Bishop of Clonard died. It was for him this quatrain was composed:-.
'Shrine of wisdom illustrious acute a man of virgin purity.
By the hosts of people assembled was he loved Human son of Cathasach the amiable.'
924 Colman Mac Ailill Abbot of Clonard and Clonmacnoise a bishop and wise doctor died. It was by him the Daimhliag cathedral church of Clonmacnoise was built he was of the tribe of Conailli Muirtheimhne.
'The tenth year a just decree joy and sorrow reigned
Colman of Cluain the joy of every tower died."

Diocese of Clonard (Part 3)

From Fr. Anthony Cogan's The Diocese of Meath Ancient & Modern (Published: Dublin, 1862 by John F. Fowler):

"According to Harris St Finian was seated at Clonard in 520. Usher places this event at 544 The most probable year seems to have been 530. Usher quotes from a registry of the diocese of Meath that St Finian got the domain of Clonard from St Kieran of Clonmacnoise. By other authorities Clonard is said to have been a desert when St Finian founded his monastery and by the untiring labours of the monks it was converted into a rich and luxuriant soil. However that may be it is certain that the monastery of Clonard became one of the greatest schools in Europe. Venerable Bede bears testimony to its learning and to the hospitality with which foreign students who crowded thither were entertained. It was frequented by youths not only from Ireland and the British Isles but even from Armorica and Germany so that the number at one time was computed at three thousand. Thus in the Office of St Finian we read:-

Trium virorum millium Sorte sit doctor humilis Verbi his fudit fluvium Ut fons emanans rivulis En hie rexit in Uteris Vise vicimus regire Hie se jungebat superis Hie transfertur egregii

Some of the greatest names in the Annals of Ireland are recorded as having studied scripture and theology under St Finian of Clonard. St Columbkill, the apostle of the Picts, St Kieran, the founder of Clonmacnoise, the Venerable Kieran of Saigar, over whose head had then passed nearly one hundred winters, the great St Brendan of Clonfert and his namesake of Birr who is characterized as a prophet and one of the leading men in the schools of Ireland, St Molua the founder of Clonfert Molua, St Canice after whom the city of Kilkenny derives its name, St Columb of Tirdaglass and numberless others were enrolled as the pupils of St Finian of Clonard.

The Four Masters call him tutor of the saints of Ireland. Sir James Ware says that his school was a sacred repository of wisdom and that he was called Finian the Wise. In a life of his quoted by Usher he is called chief among the saints of the second class and according to all ancient authorities he was a profound commentator on the Scriptures and by his learning and holiness of life elevated the literary and religious fame of his country. One of the hymns anciently sung at his festival begins thus:

Exultamus Finiano
Jubilemus diluculo
Cujus dogma fuit favo
Prcedulcius in populo

And another thus:

Kegressus in Clonardiam
Ad Cathedram
Lecture Apponit
Diligentiam Ad Studium Scripture

In a fragment of his life quoted by Sir James Ware we read:-

'In a place called Cluanaraird St Finian like the sun in the firmament enlightened the world with the rays of his virtues of wholesome doctrine and miracles For the fame of his good works invited many illustrious men from divers parts of the world to his school as to a holy repository of all wisdom partly to study the sacred Scriptures and partly to be instructed in ecclesiastical discipline.'

And in the Life of Saint Molua:-

'He came to the holy school of St Finian in his own city which stands on the borders of Leinster and of the Sept of Neill in which school a great multitude of the holy men of Ireland studied divinity under the care of St Finian.'

In O Clery's Irish Calendar the following notice is given of him:-

'St Finnen Abbot of Clonard, son of Finnlogh, son of Fintan of the Clanna Rudhraighe. He was a philosopher and an eminent divine who first founded the College of Clonard in Meath near the Boyne where there were one hundred bishops and where with great care and labour he instructed many celebrated saints among whom were the two Kierans the two Brendans the two Columbs viz. Columbkille and Columb MacCrimthain, Lasserian, son of Nadfraech, Canice Mobheus Itodanus and many others not here enumerated. His school was in quality a holy city full of wisdom and virtue according to the writer of his life and he himself obtained the name of Finnen the Wise. He died on the 12th of December in the year of our Lord 552 or according to others 563 and was buried in his own church at Clonard.'

St Finian was distinguished for his austere mode of living. His usual food was bread and herbs his drink water. On festival days he sometimes used fish and a cup of beer or whey. He slept on the bare ground having a stone as his pillow. He was attended in his last illness by St Columb of Tirdaglass and died at Clonard on the 12th of December 552.

It is a matter of uncertainty whether St Finian was Bishop or simply Abbot. Ware calls him first bishop of Clonard. In the Life of St Columb of Tir daglass quoted by Colgan he is expressly called bishop. He seems also to have been the Bishop Finian alluded to in the Life of St Colman. Mention is made too in the prayer for his Office of his episcopal dignity although there is no allusion to it in the Lessons. On the other hand the Four Masters call him simply Abbot, although they designate his successor Senachus who died in 588 as Bishop of Clonard. The Prelates of Clonard being called Comorbans or successors of Finian would lead one to infer that Finian was likewise Bishop. The Four Masters place his death at 548: 'St Finnen Abbot of Clonard tutor of the saints of Ireland died.' The most probable year of his death seems to have been 552"

Diocese of Clonard (Part 2)

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."

Diocese of Clonard (Part 1)

The Catholic Heritage Association had a great privilege to make a first pilgrimage to St. Finian's Church, Clonard.

The history of the See of Clonard, subsumed into the Diocese of Meath, is extensively set out in Fr. Anthony Cogan's The Diocese of Meath Ancient & Modern (Published: Dublin, 1862 by John F. Fowler):

"There were anciently eight episcopal sees in the present diocese of Meath viz Clonard, Duleek, Kells, Trim, Ardbraccan, Dunshaughlin, Slane and Fore. All these dioceses except Duleek and Kells were consolidated and their common see fixed at Clonard before 1152.

DIOCESE OF CLONARD

There are few places in Ireland with which so many remembrances are connected or which were so closely identified with the literary and religious glories of our native country as the ancient and far famed Monastery of Clonard. Slane was a great religious establishment in its day, so too were Duleek, Ardbraccan, Kells, Trim, Dunshaughlin and Fore. They were the centres of the various dioceses into which the ancient kingdom of Meath was subdivided. Eahan, Durrow, Fennor, Kilskyre, Trevet, Skryne, Dulane, Castlekieran, Donaghpatrick, Donaghmore, Lann Leire, not to mention other places were pillars of light in the war of religion with the powers of darkness. And in subsequent years the great abbeys of Bective, Athboy, Ballybogan, Beaubec, Drogheda, Meath side Kilmainhambeg, Lismullen, Navan, Newtown, Odder, Ballinamore, Kilbeggan, Mullingar, Multifernham and Tristernagh perpetuated the literary and religious renown of Meath, shed lustre on the Pale, and handed down through generations the sacred deposit of Faith. Yet over all these homes of sanctity above all these halls of science and learning towered like a colossal mountain the genius and piety of Clonard. Its schools rivalled for centuries those of Armagh, Bangor, Clonmacnoise and Lismore. It trained up some of the ablest scholars sent forth from its peaceful shades the greatest ornaments and lights and as an indication of the esteem in which it was held as a proof of its recognized career of usefulness few abbeys were more frequently plundered bore more vivid traces of the cupidity and Vandalism of the ruthless Scandinavian or were more generously rebuilt and reendowed by the faithful and grateful Irish than the great Abbey of Clonard.

Clonard indeed is gone. Lismore is gone. Armagh, Clonmacnoise, Bangor, Glendalough, Kildare, Devenish - all these ancient landmarks have been swept away. The hand of the spoiler has torn up these sanctuaries of the faith and charity of our fathers. Their halls are no longer filled, the door of hospitality is no longer open to the poor man the traveller or the wayfarer. Silence, the silence of the grave, reigns around these holy places where the cheerful laugh of youth the pious chant of the monks the sacred song and the holy sacrifice amidst incense and ceremony once resounded. All that the powers of this world could effect has been done. The monastery the gorgeous temple the abbey church have disappeared The abbey lands have been seized the patrimony of the poor was confiscated. As if to show the strength of God's word, the interposition of His providence and His merciful designs for the Irish nation all the external aids which the charity and philanthropy of past ages have conferred on religion were permitted by Him to be torn away."

The Origins of the See of Meath

From Thomas Walsh's History of the Irish Hierarchy:

St. Finian, the son of Fintan, an eminent philosopher and divine, was the first bishop of Clonard. He was descended of a noble family and was still more ennobled by his piety. He was baptized by St. Abban and placed in his youth under the care of St. Fortkern, bishop of Trim, with whom he remained until thirty years of age, went to Britain and founded many churches. Having returned to Ireland and been consecrated bishop, he fixed his see at Clonard and there also opened his school about the year 530, which produced many men of eminent sanctity and learning, among whom are the two Kierans, two Brendans, the two Columbs, Laserian, Cainech, Moveus, and Ruadan.

His usual food was bread and herbs, his drink water, on festival days he used a little fish and a cup of beer or whey. He slept on the bare ground a stone serving him as a pillow. He was in his last illness attended by St. Columb of Tirdaglass and died in the year 552.

A doubt exists whether St. Finian or Senachus was the first bishop of Clonard. The memorials relating to the successors of the see of Clonard are but slender until the arrival of the English.

St. Senachus, bishop of Clonard and disciple of St. Finian, died on the 21st August 587.
St. Fiacre is recorded among the successors of St, Finian of whom mention will be made in its proper place when treating of the Irish saints.
Colman, son of Telduibh, bishop of Clonard died on the 8th February 652.
Ossenius the Long survived his predecessor about three months and died on the 1st of May 652.
Ultan O'Cunga died of the plague which afflicted England and Ireland on the 1st July 665.
St. Becan, bishop of Clonard, died on the 16th April 687. We are told that he used to sing the whole psalter every day, wet and dry, by the side of a stone cross in the open air outside the monastery. He has been remarkable for the austerity of his life and the miracles he wrought.
Colman O'Heir, bishop of Clonard, died on the 9th February 700.
Dubdan O Foelan, bishop and abbot of Clonard, died AD 716.
Aelchire, bishop of Clonard, died AD 726.
Fienmael Mac Girthid, called a chosen soldier of Christ, bishop of Clonard died on the 30th March AD 731.
St. Tola Mac Dunchad, bishop of Clonard and Kildare, died on the 30th of March AD 733.
Beglatneu, bishop of Clonard, died in 755.
Fulertach, bishop of Clonard, was the son of Brec whose family in Ulster was ancient. He retired to Offaly in Leinster and there lived a hermit until promoted to the see of Clonard. He died on the 29th March, 774.
Algnied died 8th March 778.
Cormac Mac Suibne, bishop and abbot of Clonard, died in the year 828.
Cormac, called by the four masters bishop of Duleek and abbot of Clonard, died in 882.
Rumold Mac Cathasach, bishop of Clonard, called the repository of excellent wisdom, died AD 919.
Colman Mac Ailild, abbot of Clonard and Clonmacnois, a most wise bishop and doctor, died on the 7th February, 924.
Ferdomnach Mac Flanagan died AD 930.
Moctean or Maelmochte, called the fountain of religion and wisdom among the Irish, died on the 9th of September, 940.
Maelfechin, bishop of Clonard, died in 942.
Becan Mac Lactnan, called comorban or successor of St. Finian, died in 971.
Faithman, comorban of St. Finian, died in 1010. Tuathal O Dunluing bishop of Clonard died in 1027
Cellach O Clerchen comorban of St Finian died in 1043.
Tuathal O Follanmuin, successor of St. Finian, died in 1055.
Tigernach Boircech, called in the annals of the four masters the head of the synod, principal confessor, anchorite and successor of Finian, died in 1061.
Murchertach Mac Longsech, successor of St. Finian, died in 1092.
Idunan, called bishop of Meath, flourished in 1096.
Concovar, bishop of Clonard, died in 1117.
Fiacra, called the most holy elder of Clonard and Meath, died in 1135.
Giollachreist O'Hagan, successor of Finian, died in 1136.
Eochaid O Kelly, archbishop of the men of Meath, is said to have died in the year 1140.
O'Tolloman, successor of St. Finian of Clonard, died at Kells in 1150.
Eleutherius O'Miadachin sat in the see of Clonard and died in 1174.

The Scholarship of St. Finian

From Patrick Joseph Carew's An ecclesiastical history of Ireland:

Of the seminaries founded in the sixth century those of Clonard and Bangor are entitled to particular notice. The establishment at Clonard owes its origin to St. Finnian. In his youth, St. Finnian had been placed under the care of a Bishop by name Fortkern. Having attained to man's estate he left his native country and passing over into Britain became acquainted with David, Gildas and Cathmael, each of whom had then attained a high reputation for sanctity and learning. After the lapse of some time Finnian returned to Ireland. For seven years after his return he employed himself in the study of the sacred Scriptures and in instructing others in the knowledge of them. It was after he had thus attained a high reputation for learning that he formed the monastery of Clonard. His lectures in this new institution were attended by a numerous concourse of students and by many other distinguished persons also who wished to profit by his spiritual advice. In the number of his pupils Finnian reckoned St. Columbkill. (1) In the history of this illustrious Saint we have seen that while his exertions were primarily directed to advance the cause of the Gospel he was not unmindful of the interests of learning. By his influence the Bardic order was rescued from destruction and under his direction the important and useful occupation of transcribing for posterity the learned works of preceding ages was scrupulously attended to by the Monks of Hy. To the Monks of Hy the people of Northumbria owed their conversion to Christianity and also the literary advantages which the institution erected by Aidan at Lindisfarne conferred upon them. Even at the early period we now treat of students began to resort from Britain to Ireland for the benefit of education. Of these Gildas and Petrocus are particularly mentioned by our ancient writers Gildas before he came to Ireland had devoted himself for some years to the cultivation of letters. Wishing however to improve himself still more in philosophy and theology he repaired to Ireland. There his proficiency attracted the attention of his Superiors and he was honoured with an appointment to a professorship in the celebrated school of Armagh. (2) Of Petrocus, from whom Padstow derives its name, we are told that he devoted twenty years in Ireland to the study of general literature and of the sacred Scriptures that he assiduously attended the lectures of masters who were eminent for learning and that he then returned home to distribute to his countrymen the intellectual treasures which he had there acquired.


Footnotes
(1) Besides St. Columbkill two distinguished Ecclesiasticks named Kieran and Columb of Tridaglass studied under St. Finnian. Clonard was devastated by the Danes in 888. It became one of the fixed Sees of Meath in 1118. Duleck became another at the same time. Eugene, Bishop of Clonard, who died in 1194, assumed the title of Bishop of Meath, which has been since retained. In 1206 the See was removed to Newtown. The possessions of the Nunnery of Clonard were confirmed by the Pope in 1195. Another Bishop of the name of Finnian lived in the same century who studied first under Nennio in Britain and afterwards at Rome. This Prelate also founded a religious and literary institution at Moville about the year 540. I may here add that Kieran and Brendan, two pupils of St. Finnian of Clonard, founded two establishments of considerable note the former at Clonmacnois the latter at Birr.
(2) Gildas Britonum historigraphus tunc remanens in Hiberuia sludium regeni et prcedicans in civitate Ardmaca. Caradoc. Vit. Gild.

The Feast of St. Finian of Clonard

Today being the feast of St. Finian of Clonard and the anniversary of his birth to heaven, I give you an extract from the hymn to St. Finian given in Sir James Ware's The Antiquities and History of Ireland:

Exultemus Finiano
Jubilimus diluculo
Cujus dogma fuit favo
Praedulcius in populo

Regressus in Clonardiam
Ad Cathedram lecturae
Apponit diligentiam
Ad studium Scripturae.

Marcella, as ever, outdoes us in her tributes to our heavenly patron.

St. Finian of Clonard, pray for us!

All the Saints of Ireland

Today is the feast of All the Saints of Ireland.  As in so many other things, we cannot do better on this day than refer you to that most excellent of blogs Omnium Sanctorum Hiberniae and particularly to the article on the Twelve Apostles of Ireland, students of St. Finian at Clonard.

The See of Clonard (Walsh)

From Thomas Walsh's History of the Irish Hierarchy:

 

See of Clonard
County of Meath

St. Finnian the founder of the monastery and its celebrated school. His successor St. Sennach became its first bishop and presided thirty six years. Sennach died on the 21st of August AD 588.

Clonard had united to it before the synod of Kells in 1152 Slane, Dunshaughlin, Trim, Skrine, Ardbraccan and Fore.

In the thirteenth century Duleek and Kells were united to Clonard.

In 1206 the see was translated from Clonard to Newtown near Trim under the incumbency of Simon Rochefort and a cathedral church erected and since that time its prelates have uniformly assumed the title of bishops of Meath. The founder of the see of Kells is unknown. Dunshaghlin had for its founder St. Sechnal alias Secundinus.

Saint Finian of Clonard (Todd)

From James Henthorn Todd's Memoir of St. Patrick:

The two saints Finnen or Finnian viz., Finnian of Cluain Eraird now Clonard County of Meath and Finnian or Finnbarr of Magh Bile now Moville on the banks of Lough Foyle County of Donegal are given in the catalogue as the first in the list of saints of the second order. The former St Finnian of Clonard was the master of a celebrated school which is said to have produced three thousand disciples. Thus the hymn ad laudes in the Office of St Finnian printed at Paris 1620 and reprinted by Colgan(1) says,-

Trium virorum millium
Sorte fit Doctor humilis
Verbi his fudit fluvium
Ut fons emanans rivulis

And although we may reasonably doubt the authenticity of so large a number it is certain that the school of Clonard was the alma mater of many eminent ecclesiastics. In the Martyrology of Donegal(2) and by the Four Masters(3) this St Finnian is called Tutor (oidhe or foster father) of the saints of Ireland. The Latin author of his life tells us particularly that the celebrated saints who were called the twelve apostles of Ireland together with many others(4) were of his disciples.

We read also(5) that after having been initiated in ecclesiastical learning by St. Fortchern of Trim if this be not an anachronism and afterwards by St. Caiman of Dair inis, an island in the bay of Wexford, Finnian passed over to Kill muine or Menevia(6) afterwards called St. David's and became the associate or disciple the three eminent saints David Cathmael and Gildas.

Cathmael was the original baptismal name the Welsh Saint Cadoc(7) or Cattwg as we learn from his life there cannot therefore be a doubt that the three Welsh preceptors of St. Finnian were the same as the three David Gildas and Docus(8) or Cadocus from whom the Irish saints of the second order are said in the catalogue to have received their masses or liturgies.(9) When about to leave his Welsh associates St. Finnian we are told resolved upon a pilgrimage to Rome but was warned by an angel to proceed rather to his own country where God would receive his intention as equivalent to the pilgrimage he had meditated and grant him the same merits as if he had visited Rome. And accordingly he set out for Ireland to gather together there as his Latin biographer(10) tells us a people acceptable to the Lord In another Life extant in manuscript in the Irish language the same story is told more briefly but with a particular circumstance of some interest which is omitted in the Latin After relating the miraculous defeat of an invading party of Saxons(11) St Finnian with a stroke of his baculus or pastoral staff having caused a mountain to fall upon them the Irish author(12) proceeds After this a desire seized Finnian to go to Rome when he had completed his education But an angel of God came to him and said unto him What would be given to thee at Rome says he shall be given to thee here Arise and renew sound doctrine and faith in Ireland after Patrick This must mean the doctrine and faith which had become corrupted since St Patrick's time It is so understood in the office of St Finnian reprinted(13) by Colgan where we read that when he was meditating a pilgrimage to Rome he was persuaded by an angel to return to Ireland to restore the faith which had fallen into neglect after the death of St Patrick We shall see reason presently to accept this as the real meaning of our author.

Notes.
(1) Colgan Actt SS Hib p. 401
(2) Donegal At Dec 12
(3) Four Masters At AD 548 (=549 at which year they tell us that he died)
(4) Others Colgan has enumerated 32 eminent saints who were educated in his school Actt SS p 405 App c 3 See also Reeves Adamnan p. 195 note b. The twelve apostles of Ireland were the following 1 Ciaran or Kieran bishop and abbat of Saighir now Seir Kieran King's Co., 2 Ciaran or Kieran abbat of Clomnacnois, 3 Columcille of Hy, 4 Brendan bishop and abbat of Clonfert, 5 Brendan bishop and abbat of Birr now Parsonstown King's Co., 6 Columba abbat of Tirdaglas, 7 Molaise or Laisre abbot of Dam hinis now Devenish island in Loch Erne, 8 Cainnech abbat of Achadh bo, Queen's Co., 9 Ruadan or Rodan abbat of Lorrha Co Tipperary, 10 Mobi Clairenech or the flat faced abbat of Glasnaoidhen now Glasnevin near Dublin, 11 Senell abbat of Cluain inis in Loch Erne, and 12 Nannath or Nennith abbat and bishop of Inis muige samh now Inis mac Saint in Loch Erne.
(5) Also Vit S Finniani c 4 Colgan Actt SS p 393
(6) Menevia In Welsh Hen meneu translated Vetus rubus Muine in Irish and meneu in Welsh signify a bramble bush
(7) St Cadoc Vita S Cadoci ed WJ Rees Lives of Cambro British Saints pp 25-27. This legend represents the name as given by Divine command. A voice came at night to the saint's father predicting that a holy hermit would arrive on the following day to baptize the child nomenque ejus Cat mail vocabitur. A fountain springs up miraculously and in its water the child is baptized by the hermit who is said to have been an Irishman by name Meuthi Postquam autem beatus Meuthi cum solum saltantem conspexit alacriori gau dens animo maturius eundem in ipso sacro fonte baptizavit atque pro precepto angelico nomen ei Cath mail imposuit. The Irish hermit here called Meuthi is evidently the same who in other authorities is termed Tathai and Thaddeus. Colgan Actt SS p 158 c 2 The Life of S Tatheus published by WJ Rees Lives of Cambro British Saints p. 255 expressly identifies him with the tutor of Cadoc Ussher places the school of Tathai at the year 469 Ind. Chr. and Works vol v, p. 116 quoting the authority of John of Timnuth.
(8) Docus The Annals of Ulster at the year 473 mention the death of Doccus a British bishop and ab bat Quies Docci episcopi sancti Britonum abbatis. But this can scarcely be the Docus from whom the second order of saints derived their Mass for the second order are expressly said to have flourished from the close of the reign of Tuathal Maelgarbh ob. 544 to that of Aodh son of Ainmire ob. 599. 
(9) Liturgies. It is remarkable that St Cannech or Canice of Kilkenny is said to have been educated by St. Doc or Docus in Wales: "Perrexit trans mare in Britanniam ad virum sapientem et religiosissimum Doc a Docum legitque apud illum sedule et bonos mores didicit et erat valde humilis et obediens" Vit. S. Cannachi p. 3 Dubl. 1853. This Life was privately printed 100 copies only by the Marquis of Ormonde from a MS preserved in the Burgundian Library Brussels collated with another in Abp. Marsh's Library Dublin.
(10) Biographer. "Ut ibi populum Deo acceptabilem acquireret" Vit. S. Finniani c xi-xi Colgan Actt. SS. p. 394 The Latin Life published by Colgan consists of two parts The first is evidently older than the other and ends with the words Haec de primo libro vitae ejus ex cerpta sunt shewing that it is only an extract from a larger work The second part consists entirely of legends of miracles and was wr1tten after the Catalogue of the Three Orders of Saints which it quotes It begins Igitur Finnianus opti mus sanctorum secundi ordinis abbas volens multiplicare cultum Dei altissimi &c
(11) Saxons. The story is told in the Latin Life c. 8 Colgan loc. cit.
(12) Irish Author. There is a good copy of the Irish Life in the Book Lismore a MS in the possession of the Duke of Devonshire. The Latin author as printed by Colgan although he evidently made use of the Irish of which he frequently adopts the order and often the very expressions omits all allusion to the coruption of the faith in Ireland since St. Patrick's times.
(13) Reprinted Colgan Actt. SS. p. 401. This Office with the Offices of Patrick Columcille Brigid &c was originaly printed at Paris in 1620 under the editorship of Thomas Messingham. The following are the passages above alluded to in 2do Nocturno Lect. vi "Tandem Romam meditanti in Hibemiam reditum Angelus Domini suasit, ad fidem post B. Patricii obitum neglectam restaurandam &c." Finnian is also evidently alluded to as a reformer in the "Hymnus in utrisque ves peris Refulsit sol justidae Quae Pius fuit sub nubilo Cleri contubernia Reformantur divinitus &c." Colg. ib. p. 400.