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 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."

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.