Forgotten Saints

The Feast of the All the Saints of Ireland is celebrated on 6th November. Very many of the Saints of Ireland are still remembered by the people today but very many more are forgotten. This may be for two reasons, first, because of their multitude in number, since the celebration of the feast of each Saint of Ireland would surely deprive us of the opportunity to celebrate so many Saints on the Universal Calendar of the Church, and, secondly, because the brilliance of many outshines the luminous sanctity of so many more.

“Archbishop Usher, on the authority of some very old and authentic manuscript, which throws much light on our ancient ecclesiastical history, divides the saints who flourished in Ireland during the fifth, sixth, and seventh centuries into three classes.

Dr. Lanigan is of opinion that this catalogue was written before the year 715, the period at which the disputes about the tonsure and the Paschal cycle had concluded.

The first class consisted of one hundred and fifty bishops, who were all founders of churches and eminent for sanctity. Those bishops were Romans, Britons, Franks, and Scots (Irish)… This class was called most holy.

The second class commenced from the year 542, the latter end of the reign of Tuathal, and continued to AD 598 or 599. This class consisted of three hundred saints, few of whom were bishops, the greater part having been priests… This order was called very holy.

The third order of saints consisted or holy priests and a few bishops, in all one hundred in number, who dwelt in deserts, and lived on herbs, water, and alms… The first order (or class) most holy; the second very holy; the third holy. The first burns brightly like the sun, the second like the moon, and the third like the stars.”

From: The Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern, by Rev. A. Cogan, C.C., Published in Dublin, 1862.

However, these holy men and women should not be forgotten.

“…we are greatly helped not only by theological investigation but also by that great heritage which is the “lived theology” of the saints. The saints offer us precious insights which enable us to understand more easily the intuition of faith, thanks to the special enlightenment which some of them have received from the Holy Spirit…” John Paul II, Novo Millennio Ineunte, 27

“The saints are like beacons; they show men and women the possibilities open to human beings. They are therefore also culturally interesting, independently of the cultural, religious or investigatory approach to them.” Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, C.M.F., Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints

We hope to restore to memory some of the Saints associated with the Diocese of Meath.

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 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.