The Irish Builder from Dublin, Dublin, Ireland • Page 4

THE TRTSTI TUTILPER. M.ner 1, 1884. C'2 I'inntan had been baptised was shown, or at an It lias been conjectured least there was a tradition regarding it in that St. Fintan, son of Oarbhau, departed niediieval timesj From early youth he was this life before the year and the day is distinguished for his remarkable virtues, and Liarkeil the 17th of bebruary. The Abbot St.

Fintan, the son of Crimthar, called also who was bishop of Clou-fert, it is thought, ruled over the monastery of However, it does not seem to he well established that he could have been his religious training began at Tirdaglas, near Lough Pearg, on the lliver Shannon, where Culni.il i he son of Crimthann, had founded celebrated monastery, early in sixth centurv. According to Colgan, t. Columba, the sou of Crimthann, was the first more than a simple monk in this place. Ho Abbot of Clonemigh, and afterwards he is said to hav died, according to some became the first Abbot over Tirdaglass, accounts, on the '21st others havi it on tho having died A.D. 18.

Hewever.it seems 17th of February, in the year liiKi. (.6 At this i(uito clear, 'rum the old Life of St. hitter date, Cssher places the death of St. son of Clarbhaii, which Colg.iii has published, Fintan, Abbot of Clonenagh; yet ho does that the former saint was the spiritual not seem to distinguish this personage from director of the hitter, whom he counselled to the best fou.ider of the inonastery.ee It in erect his Libit tiou, and in this particular stated that the Abbot of Clonenagh, I'iutau situation. Moeldnbh, died A.D.

i i i sa From various calendars and lives of Irish In former innes. even dating back to t. saints, Coigau supplies the mem dials of holy I-minus, rather inconvenient recourse was i i I men and superiors, who were connected with haul.) L.oiienagh, by people who disturbed this monastery during tin; sixth and seve-nt'. the retireieiiit of its founder. As a coiise-j centuries.

ee nearlv in the order we have sioi.rM. iniirn see holed ItOslLlon i queiiec 1 i ill M. .1 of Siieve "Oopicu lor uicir penou. among i.e adjoining recesse; OLD CIIUltCIlES OF LLTN. No.

VII. Cl.ONKS.UiU. OrntNG the last century this rather consider-able village was the nucleus of 11 puiish so named, in the barony of Maryborough West, and situate ubout two miles eastward from Mountrath. It has now dwindled to few scattered houses and cabins, still standing near ie site of its Seven formerly so celebrated. AH these have loutf since disappeared however, some ruins remain, and three places for interment.

"a Two of tnese are yet greatly frequented, and used by people Jiving throughout all the adjacent country. A number of surging hillocks rise here to a considerable elevation over bogs and declivities that surround the site, which forms a very beautiful configuration of ground. or Cluain-Kidhniaeh is stated to have been in Lao'edds or Leix.7; according to old documents. That it was a place of great importance formerly is known, not only because it was styled the great Cluaiu-Kadnaeh, but owing to the historic interest with it has been invested, and the frequent recurrence uf its refereiiti.il entries in our Irish Annals. We are told, but incorrectly, that Clonenagh was anciently called wevcr, was the former irodo for spelling Cns name and, as we have already stated, Cluaiii-Aitchiu not far from this place was her fo: for Clonki cit.

Some vriters have rendered this denoininatior of Cluain-eadnach, in Latin. Laiibulutu llado-rosem in F.nglish, The Ivn.d treat. but whc it suflk'ient warrant. The foundations of various buildings are yet traceable at this place. However, ti ruins of any church, having an antiquity of more than four centuries, are not to be seen there ut present.

Tb? great monastery of Clonenngh owed its origin to the celelrakd St. Fiiit.w. the sou of iabhr.ui.y Ik- was born, it is sum-posed, at Clonkeen, in Lcix, in-t far from Maryborough, according to a local tradiii on, nor is this opinion di-provi 1 by any ami-nt record. It been that he an 1 M. llrigid are dcilve.l fn-m a ci-ituu-ti am-c-t'iv.

Ima of them descending from F'imifuathairt's raee.i Tie v. hereon On the tilst of October died st. tno son of wlm was called Fiiitai'. Ho was bishop and abbot over Clonenagh monastery." His departur fre this life has liioom, until directed by St. Columba, the son of Crimth i.n, to seek the place first chosen his hubit.ition.

Thus begun the lb St. Fintan. .1 .1.1 l.i.t here, and I assigned to A.l.., Co l. he Nourished about the year presiding Aooiit the year Oo'J died St. Cobban, who at lir-t had founded monastery at Old Leighlin.

Having resigned this place to St. Laseriim, he chose another habitation at Killamery, in Ci-Caithreiin, in the we.st of Ossnry. It is said that he had a thousand monks under his direction. Whether ho held jurisdiction over those of Clonenagh or not, seems to be unrecorded but it is likely he died there, as ill it his relics were preserved. St.

Aidaii, the son of Concrad, was set over Clonenagh. On November -1st died the abbot, hli and, as is supposed, some time about the seventh cerit.iry.ii About the middle of the sevnlh century, the Abbot Maosacra, son if Senan, nourished. He is oaid to have been Abbot of while ho belonged also to Tegsacra, or and Frioiimagh in Leinster. His feast occurs at the of March, wheu Colgan is some notices regarding him At the year the Abbot Ossein is incorrectly introduced, as belonging to Clonenagh nitheris he caiUd liishupuf Maiuictir, where his death is recorded. mi over a number of laborious fervent monks.

From its earliest foundation the monastery became remarkable for the austerity of that rule. 7 established by St- Fintan hut it was also distinguished for a seminary, which trained St. Comgall.r afterwards Abb -t of Langor, ami some car.) 1 f.itheisof the Irish cht rch.as also several foreigners, who resorted thitiier from distant countries. As (iaiil furnished a considerable contingent. Clonenagh was called tlu Gallic school.

Hospitality was a virtue recom- n.e.i.U to the monks of this establishment, allii u-h toeir own manner of livingwas very sfict, and frequent fasi.i were enjoined. So rig')rons were the practices of those u- mutes, tin', many aspirants to a recluse bt'e four, ti.em-elves unable to comply with il rales of living. Si. Fintan himseif iuvut swerved in a single from the observauc he had instil a ted. The holy founder Clonenagh died 011 loth of the is re li.u having served the Almighty in a mo-; state.

Immediately liefore his decease Fintan appointed another St. suin.iii.ed Maeldiibh, as hi.s successor, to rub. "it that monastery, already founded at r.i'h.v However, mistake has 1.1. -rs-v- iu supposing that a St. Fintan, son of Cr.iLthun, and a' so abbot litre, made such ll-iiei.

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