Ciarán of Clonmacnoise
Encyclopedia
Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise was one of the early Irish monastic
saint
s and Irish
bishop
. He is sometimes called Ciarán the Younger to distinguish him from Saint Ciarán of Saighir
. He was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland
.
Born in 516 in County Roscommon
, Connacht
, in Ireland
. Ciarán was surnamed Mac an Tsair, or "Son of the Carpenter". He was a student of Finian's
at Clonard
and in time became a teacher, himself. He left Clonard for Aran
where he studied under Saint Enda of Aran, who advised him to build a church and monastery in the middle of Ireland. In 545 he founded the Monastery of Clonmacnoise
; he died about one year later of the yellow plague in his early thirties. His feast day
is 9 September.
Ciarán of Clonmacnoise was the tutor of Saint Carthage the Elder
and legend has it that it was his cow, which he took with him as payment when he went to Clonard and gave milk to all at the Abbey, which supplied the parchment
for the Leobr na h'Uidre, Book of the Dun Cow, one of the oldest and most important Irish literary collections, compiled by a Clonmacnoise scribe in 1106
.
A primary school in Hartstown, Dublin 15 is named after Saint Ciaran.
Celtic Christianity
Celtic Christianity or Insular Christianity refers broadly to certain features of Christianity that were common, or held to be common, across the Celtic-speaking world during the Early Middle Ages...
saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
s and Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
. He is sometimes called Ciarán the Younger to distinguish him from Saint Ciarán of Saighir
Ciarán of Saighir
Saint Ciarán mac Luaigne or Ciarán of Saigir was an early Irish bishop and patron saint of Ossory, who was supposed to have flourished in the second half of the 5th century. He is also referred to as Ciarán the Elder in order to distinguish him from Ciarán of Clonmacnoise...
. He was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland
Twelve Apostles of Ireland
The Twelve Apostles of Ireland were twelve early Irish monastic saints of the sixth century who studied under St Finian at his famous monastic school Clonard Abbey at Cluain-Eraird , now Clonard in County Meath.-Dá apstol décc na hÉrenn:The twelve saints are grouped together as such in the text Dá...
.
Born in 516 in County Roscommon
Roscommon
Roscommon is the county town of County Roscommon in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 5,017 . The town is located near the junctions of the N60, N61 and N63 roads.-History:...
, Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
, in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Ciarán was surnamed Mac an Tsair, or "Son of the Carpenter". He was a student of Finian's
Finnian of Clonard
Saint Finnian of Clonard , or Finian, 'Fionán' or 'Fionnán' in Irish, was one of the early Irish monastic saints, who founded Clonard Abbey in modern-day County Meath. The Twelve Apostles of Ireland studied under him...
at Clonard
Clonard Abbey
Clonard Abbey was an early medieval monastery situated on the River Boyne, just beside the traditional boundary line of the northern and southern halves of Ireland in modern County Meath...
and in time became a teacher, himself. He left Clonard for Aran
Aran Islands
The Aran Islands or The Arans are a group of three islands located at the mouth of Galway Bay, on the west coast of Ireland. They constitute the barony of Aran in County Galway, Ireland...
where he studied under Saint Enda of Aran, who advised him to build a church and monastery in the middle of Ireland. In 545 he founded the Monastery of Clonmacnoise
Clonmacnoise
The monastery of Clonmacnoise is situated in County Offaly, Ireland on the River Shannon south of Athlone....
; he died about one year later of the yellow plague in his early thirties. His feast day
Calendar of saints
The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the feast day of said saint...
is 9 September.
Carthage the Elder
Saint Carthage the Elder was an Irish bishop and abbot in the sixth century. His feast day is March 5.The saint is mainly known as the tutor and fosterer of his greater namesake, Saint Carthage of Lismore, also known as Saint Mochuda. Carthage was of the Eóganacht Chaisil and son, or, more...
and legend has it that it was his cow, which he took with him as payment when he went to Clonard and gave milk to all at the Abbey, which supplied the parchment
Parchment
Parchment is a thin material made from calfskin, sheepskin or goatskin, often split. Its most common use was as a material for writing on, for documents, notes, or the pages of a book, codex or manuscript. It is distinct from leather in that parchment is limed but not tanned; therefore, it is very...
for the Leobr na h'Uidre, Book of the Dun Cow, one of the oldest and most important Irish literary collections, compiled by a Clonmacnoise scribe in 1106
1106 in Ireland
-Events:*Turlough O’Connor becomes King of Connacht and claimant to the High Kingship of Ireland, reigning until 1156....
.
A primary school in Hartstown, Dublin 15 is named after Saint Ciaran.