OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

ALL THE SAINTS OF IRELAND

  • Saint Gall of Switzerland, October 16

    October 16 is the feastday of the Irishman hailed as the ‘Apostle of Switzerland’, Saint Gall, who gave his name to the Swiss canton of Saint-Gallen. He was a contemporary of the great Irish missionary saint, Columbanus, and both were students of Saint Comgall’s monastic school of Bangor. Gall was one of those who accompanied Columbanus on his endeavours to evangelize Europe and shared many adventures with him in the territory of the Franks, but it appears that the two parted on less than happy terms, when the indefatigable, if irascible, Columbanus, wanted to journey on to Italy. Below is an account of the parting of the ways from the ninth-century Vita Galli of Wettinus:

    On their journey, however, all the athletes of God were struck down with fever; illness prevented Gall from continuing on his way. While Columban was preparing to leave, Gall threw himself at his feet and said that weakness prevented him from moving on. The holy man, thinking a little mockery might make his friend decide to accompany him, said, ‘If you do not wish to share in my work, you shall celebrate Mass no more as long as I live’. He decided, however, of his own free will to remain and to accept the condition… All this happened, I think, according to the will and the providence of God, so that Gall, whom he had chosen, might lead the people of that country to eternal life.

    G. and B. Cerebelaud-Salagnac, Ireland-Isle of Saints, (Dublin, 1966), 122-123.

    Gall remained in Swabia and he lived as a hermit near the source of the river Steinach. He reposed on October 16th, 646. In 720 the monk Othmar built an abbey on the site of the holy hermit’s cell, which was the origin of the town of Saint-Gall.

    Columbanus journeyed on to Italy, where he founded the famous monastery of Bobbio. According to some accounts, he and his former disciple Gall were reconciled before the end. On one dark night Gall arose and instructed his deacon to prepare the altar for the celebration of the liturgy, as it had been revealed to him that his old master Columbanus had died. Soon word arrived from Italy that Columbanus had ordered his staff to be taken north to Gall as a sign of forgiveness.

    Below is an account of one of the miracles of Saint Gall, taken from Walafrid Strabo’s Libellus Secundus de Miraculis S. Galli Confessoris, written before 836. For scholar, J. M. Clark, it is evidence of the presence of Irish monks at the monastery of Saint Gall during the ninth and tenth centuries, bearing in mind that at this time the Irish were referred to as ‘Scotti’ or Scots:

    And once certain newcomers of the nation of the Scots, in whom the habit of wandering has become almost a second nature, left at this monastery one of their fellow-travellers, who was afflicted with many diseases. When he had stayed here for some days, and had daily prayed, with implicit faith, for the healing of his infirmities,one night he saw in a dream an old man of venerable aspect standing beside him. He asked the stranger who he was, and learnt that he was St Gall. And forthwith he said to him: “Thou seest, ‘domine,’ that I, whose body is quite wasted away, daily wait for a manifestation of thy powers. Do not, therefore, delay further in what I believe thee to be about to do. I know I have been preserved all the time to this end that, just as thy virtue is revealed far and wide to these barbarians, in the same way the splendour and fame of thy merits may also be made known to the men of thy race.”

    The pilgrim was healed, and Strabo asserts that he was still living at the Abbey and was leading a holy life.

    J.M. Clark, The Abbey of St Gall as a Centre of Literature and Art (Cambridge, 1926), 28-9.

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  • Saint Findsech of Sliabh Guaire, October 13

    On October 13 the Irish calendars commemorate a female saint, Findsech, who flourished in Sliabh Guaire. I have not been able to find out any more about her, although the author of a paper on the cult of the nine maidens of Scotland notes that October 13 is also the feastday of one of these maidens with the not wholly dissimilar name of Fincana. I am not an expert in the etymology of Irish names, but it seems to me that the only element these two have in common is that which indicates fairness – Finn – something which the Martyrology of Oengus alludes to in its entry for our saint:

    A virgin Saint, named Findsech, was venerated on the 13th October; the Feliré Aenguis at that date has “Fair Findsech’s feast,” the commentator on which, in the Leabhar Breac adds, “i.e. a virgin, and Ernaide (Nurney) is the name of her town in Sliab Guairi in Gailenga. Or in Dal Araide, is Findsech’s church. Or in Mag Rechet in Leix.” (Morett.)

    Rev. M.Comerford “Collections relating to the Dioceses of Kildare and Leighlin” (1883)

    The Martyrology of Donegal records:

    13. F. TERTIO IDUS OCTOBRIS. 13.

    FINDSECH, Virgin, of Sliabh Guaire, in Gailenga.

    while Marianus O’Gorman notes ‘dear Findsech’ on this date.

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  • Saint Mobhi of Glasnevin, October 12

    12 October sees the feastday of another one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland, Saint Mobhi of Glasnevin, famed as the founder of a monastic school and as a teacher of some famous saints, among them Saints Colum Cille and Saint Cannice, whose feast falls the day before that of his former master. Saint Mobhi is famous also for having the rather curious adjective ‘clarinech’ appended to his name, this is usually translated as ‘flat-faced’. The earliest Irish calendar, the Martyrology of Oengus, attempted to explain why. The entry for today reads:

    12. Declare Fiacc and Fiachra, at the same time —
    great is that treasure!
    my Bi, strong that triumph!
    that fair flatfaced one.

    The notes for this entry read:

    Mobi, i.e. of Glasnevin on the brink of the river Liffey on the north side. Mobi son of Beoan, of Corco tri of the Luigni of Connaught. Uaine, Findbarr’s daughter, was his mother. In Cell maic Taidg was he conceived and brought forth, and of a dead woman he was begotten.

    Table-faced was he, for the earth pressed him down, so that he was one flat board. Mobi the Table-faced of Glasnevin in (the country occupied by) the Danes. Berchan was Mobi’s name. Beoaith son of Senach was his father’s name, and Huanir the Fair, daughter of Finnbarr, his mother’s name. Mobi etc.

    The later Martyrology of Marianus O’Gorman records the saint as ‘Clarenech (‘table-face’), from Glasnevin in Fingal on the river Liffey’s brink, on the north side, and Berchan was another name of his.’

    The 17th-century Martyrology of Donegal refers to Saint Mobhi’s famous Glasnevin foundation and to some of its notable students:

    MOBHI CLAIRENECH, [Abbot], of Glas Naoidhen in Fine-Gall, on the brink of the river Life, on the north side; and Bearchan was another name for him. The year of the Lord when he resigned his spirit was 544. He was of the race of Eochaidh Finn Fuathairt, of whom Brighit is descended; and Uanfinn, daughter of Finnbarr, was his mother. The Life of Colum Cille, chap. 35, states that Colum Cille went to Glas Naoidhen, where Mobhi Clairenech was with two score and ten persons at his school ; and among them were Cainneach, Ciaran of Cluain, and Comgall; and after the dispersion of the school, Mobhi requested of Colum Cille not to accept of any land till he should give him leave. The same life states, chap. 39, that when Colum Cille was at Doire, where the king of Erin, Aedh, son of Ainmire, was, Aedh offered that town to Colum Cille, and that Colum refused to accept of the town because he had not the permission of Mobhi, and that on his coming forth from the town, two of Mobhi’s people met him, bringing the girdle of Mobhi with them to him, after Mobhi’s own death, together with his permission to him to accept of land. When Colum received the girdle he said: “Good was the man who had this girdle,” said he, “for it was never opened for gluttony, nor closed on falsehood.” On which occasion he composed the quatrain:

    “Mobhi’s girdle, [Mobhi’s girdle],
    Nibhdar sibhne im lo,
    It was not opened for satiety,
    It was not closed on a lie.”

    In his classic work on the monastic schools of Ireland, Archbishop John Healy recounts the time spent by Saint Columba at Glasnevin:

    It was the custom in those days for the students to visit the various saints of Erin, who were celebrated for holiness and learning; and so we find that Columba, when he had finished his studies under Finnian of Clonard, directed his steps to the school of another great master of the spiritual life, St. Mobhi Clarainech of Glasnevin.

    The students’ cells at Glasnevin were situated on one side of the River Tolka, and Mobhi’s church was on the other, at or near the spot where the Protestant church now stands. The light-footed youngsters of those days, however, found no difficulty in crossing the rapid and shallow stream at ordinary times. But when the river was swollen with heavy rains, it was no easy task to breast the flood; yet such was Columba’s zeal in the service of God that on one such occasion, to his master’s admiration and surprise, he crossed the angry torrent, that he might be present as usual at the exercises in the church. “May God be praised,” said Columba, when he had crossed safely over, “and deliver us from these perils in future.” It is said that his prayer was heard ; and that all the cells, with their occupants, were suddenly transferred to the other side of the stream, and remained there ever after.

    Columba had for companions at Glasnevin St. Cannech, St. Ciaran, and St. Comgall—and during their entire lives a tender and ardent friendship united these holy men together. A pestilence which broke out in A.D. 544, and of which St. Ciaran appears to have died, scattered the holy disciples of St. Mobhi’s School; so Columba resolved to return home to his native territory.

    Insula Sanctorum et Doctorum or Ireland’s Ancient Schools and Scholars by the Most Rev. John Healy (6th edition, Dublin, 1912),296-297.

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