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| St.
Finnian |
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'The Master of
the Saints of Ireland', Finnian is known as a great teacher
- Ciarán of Clonmacnoise and Colmcille of Iona are
among the many to have trained under him. They and others
have taken seeds of knowledge from Finnian's monastery at
Clonard, and planted them abroad with great success. As might
be expected from such a renowned teacher, Finnian has invested
much of his life in his own education. France and Britain
have been formative training grounds for him, and have had
a direct bearing on the values and culture of his foundation
at Clonard. In itself, this is far from unusual, as schooling
in foreign lands is the norm for early Christian teachers
such as Finnian.
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Finnian
was born in the latter part of the fifth century,
at Myshal in County Carlow, on the slopes of Mount
Leinster. His father was Rudraigh, an Ulsterman
of noble lineage. His mother was a Leinster woman
called Telach.
Finnian's education begins
locally, when he is taken to Bishop Fortchernn.
This marks his first serious induction into the
Christian Church and it awakens a hunger for more
learning. It is this which drives Finnian across
the sea to Britain, and further afield to France.
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The monastery at Tours is
his first point of landing, and his experiences
there shape his idea of religious life. Tours
is noted for its austerity, for its sacrifice
of physical comfort for spiritual gain. Finnian
finds himself at home in this environment, the
more so for befriending an elder called Caemen,
with whom he studies.
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From
his stay here, Finnian does not return directly to Ireland,
but comes to Wales instead. This is a time of close
links between the Irish Church and the Church of the
Britons. Here, Finnian pursues his studies at the monastery
of Cadog the Wise, at Llancarfan in Glamorganshire.
He remains here for years, at prayer and study, growing
in strength of spirit.
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When the time comes to move on, it is
not to Rome, as Finnian initially intended, but to Ireland.
He comes first to Aghowle in County Wicklow at the foot
of Sliabh Condala, where he builds a church. Although
dedicated to the kingdom of God, Finnian is not without
power and influence in the world of men; Oengus, the
king of Leinster, has no hesitation in granting him
his site there.
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Obviously,
this isn't the end of Finnian's journey. He is a driven
man, and he travels north to Dunmanogue on the river
Barrow, in County Kildare, where he establishes another
church. From here, he goes to the town of Kildare, studying
and teaching at St Brigid's monastery. Finnian is held
in high regard by Brigid, who presents him with a gold
ring on his departure.
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Finally, Finnian arrives at Clonard,
between the kingdoms of Meath and Leinster. It is a
good time to be in this place, as it amounts to little
more than a wasteland at this time. There are no secular
authorities to be negotiated with, and Finnian can simply
commandeer as large a swathe of land as he deems necessary.
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Throughout
all the time of his travels, the reputation of Finnian
has grown and spread, and men come from far and wide
to learn from him. His gift for teaching, his ability
to impress the great and good, and his absolute dedication
to the ascetic ideal, inspire a whole generation. And
as Finnian's reputation grows, so does Clonard.
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live like him, and he is well known for his intolerance
of self-indulgence. He himself sleeps on a cold floor,
resting his head on a stone, and at all times, wears a
girdle of iron as a penance for his body. |
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Towards the end of his life, Finnian
is struck down by plague, and moves out of Clonard to
prevent infection to others. He moves to nearby Ross
Findchuill, singing Psalm 132, "Here shall I rest".
He knows his fate. Finnian receives communion from his
former pupil, Columb son of Crimhthan, and thus at one
with his life and Lord, departs this world.
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