OMNIUM SANCTORUM HIBERNIAE

ALL THE SAINTS OF IRELAND

  • Saint Colman of Ardboe, February 18

    Today some Irish calendars may commemorate a monastic founder in the north of Ireland, Saint Colman of Ardboe, County Tyrone. The picture shows the ruins of the monastery of Ardboe as they appear today. As we will see, however, there is uncertainty surrounding the precise identity of the saint Colman whose feast is commemorated on this date. Other calendars assign February 18 to the more famous Saint Colman of Lindisfarne and Inis Bofin, although he has another feastday in August. Canon O’Hanlon explains some of the difficulties involved in trying to disentangle the many Irish saints who bear the name of Colman:
    THERE are no less than one hundred and thirty saints, named Colman, enumerated in our Irish Martyrologies and Histories. It is not wonderful, therefore, that much confusion must exist, in distinguishing their festivals and natal days. The task of individual identification must be difficult, especially as only the simple name occurs, in many instances. At the 18th of February, Colgan notices a Bishop Colman. This saint is venerated at Ard-bo near Lough nEathach, in the county of Tyrone. Little, however, is known with certainty regarding his parentage, birth-place, the age in which he flourished, or even his Acts. It seems probable, that this is the St. Colman, surnamed Mucaidhe of Ard-bo, or Arboe, the son of Aid, son to Amalgad, son of Muredach, son to Carthenn, son of Erc, son to Ethac or Eochod, son of Colla Huasius, King of Ireland. This genealogy—if relied on—should place his period in the sixth century. His memory is barely recorded in our Martyrologies, most of which assign his festival to this day; whilst the Martyrologies of Tallagh and Maguire commemorate him, on the 21st of February. The very great number of saints, bearing this name and to be found in Irish Calenders, often leaves us in doubt regarding the particular St. Colman, who might be mentioned, in various lives of Irish Saints. At Ard-bo or Harbonensis—as the place is sometimes found Latinized—there was formerly a splendid monastery. There, too, were the relics of St. Colman preserved. In the year 1166, however, a fire broke out, and ruined the place. In the seventeenth century, only a few vestiges of its former celebrity remained. These were the remains of the old church walls, with a cross in good preservation, about fifteen feet in height. On it were several inscriptions.
    The festival of St. Colman is recorded at the 18th of February, in the “Feilire” of St. Oengus. We find entered, in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 18th of February, a festival in honour of Colman. This Calendar appends the following words to the notice : ” About Meuriab near Mona (bog) to the north there lies Colman.” This, however, hardly helps us to the exact identification of his place. Colman is venerated on this day, as we read in the Martyrology of Donegal. The Scottish writers, and some foreigners misled by them, have, however, confounded this saint and his festival, with the cultus of another St. Colman. He too was an Irishman, and much more celebrated than the present holy man. Thus, the Bollandists have, at this date, several dissertations, and an epitomized Life of St. Colman, Bishop of Lindisfarne, taken from the Aberdeen Breviary. It is contained in the Pars Hyemalis. In like manner, Bishop Forbes has entered some notices of St. Colman, who is so much celebrated, in connexion with Scotland. Thus, too, St. Colman, that Bishop and Confessor, who so tenaciously clung to the Scottish traditions, in reference to the celebration of Easter, has a festival assigned to him, at this date, by Camerarius… Again, it is said, that at the xii. of the March Kalends, which accords with the 18th of February, St. Colman, Bishop and Confessor, had been venerated in Scotia. The sanctity of his life, the uprightness of his moral character, and the merits of his virtues, afforded example for the imitation of his actions by a faithful flock. He was buried, we are told, at Terbert, in the diocese of Ross. The Kalendar of Drummond and of the Aberdeen Breviary has a feast for Colman, Bishop and Confessor, at xii. of the March Kalends. He had an office of nine lessons. A Scottish Kalendar, likewise, notes him.
    But, the leading facts of his life are, that St. Colman left Northumberland, A.D. 664, then he went to Ireland, in 667 and he died, on the 8th of August, A.D. 674, according to the Irish Annals. Camerarius, once more, places his day at March the 7th. Again, the Kalendar of Arbuthnott enters the festival of St. Colman, Bishop and Confessor, at the xii. Kalends of March. He had an office of nine lessons, as we are informed. This has been reproduced in the pages of the Bollandists. In Adam King’s Kalendar, at the 18th of February, we find entered a feast to St. Colman, successor to St. Finnane, and Confessor in Scotland. Dempster notes St. Colman, Confessor, in Scotia, at this date. At the 8th of August, we shall treat about the particulars of his history.
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  • Saint Fintan of Clonenagh, February 17

    We commemorate one of the great Irish masters of the ascetic life, Saint Fintan of Clonenagh on the 17th of February.  The sources for his life and feast have been summarized by diocesan historian, Father Michael Comerford:

    On the 17th of February the Feilire of Aengus records, “The Feast of Finntan, the prayerful, of vast Cluain-Ednich;” and the Gloss in the Leabhar Breac, and the Martyrology of Donegal, on the same day, add:- Fiontain, son of Gaibhreine, son of Corcran, son of Eochaidh, son of Bresal, son of Den.- Here he and (St.) Brigid meet (in their pedigrees), Abbot of Cluain-eidhniach in Laoighis (Leix). Great was the abstinence of this holy Fiontain, as is evidenced from this verse (of Aengus)-

    Fiontain the generous
    Never ate during his time
    But bread of barley corn
    And water of earthy clay.

    A very ancient vellum book . . states that Fiontain of Cluain-eidhniach, chief of the monks of Erin, in his manners and life resembled Benedictus, head of the monks of Europe.

    Colgan styles him “Fintanus Stationarius de magno Cluaineadnach;” the epithet of stationarius being applied to him from his praying, like many others of our early saints, with his arms extended in the form of a cross.

    St. Fintan received his early education from a holy priest by whom he was baptized. Whilst yet a boy, he was visited by St. Columbkille, who, on that occasion, foretold St. Fintan’s future distinguished career. When he arrived at man’s estate, he entered the Monastery of Tir-da-glass (now Terryglass, Co. Tipperary), where St. Columba, son of Crimthain then presided over a famous school. Having passed a novitiate here, he and two, some say three, companions, being anxious to find a retired place where they might devote themselves to the service of God, consulted St. Columba, and, accompanied by him, they came to Clonenagh. Here, it is said, St. Fintan and his companions passed a year, but, finding their solitude greatly broken in upon, they determined to abandon the place, and directed their course to the Slieve Bloom mountains, again accompanied by St. Columba; this saint, looking back upon Clonenagh, saw a multitude of angels hovering over it. His disciples seeing him sorrowful, asked the cause; the saint replied: “Because I see the place we have left filled with the angels of God, and these angels unceasingly minister between it and heaven”. “One of us”, he added, “should return and abide there for the future”. Whereupon Fintan said: “Whomsoever, O Father, you direct to return, he will instantly obey”. Columba replied: “Go you in peace to that spot, O holy youth, and the Lord be with you. It has been divinely revealed that for you it shall be the place of your resurrection.” St. Fintan accordingly retraced his steps to Clonenagh and established himself there; this was about the year 548. Great numbers flocked to this place to serve God under the guidance of our saint, amongst whom was St. Comgall, afterwards the founder of the famous Monastery of Bangor, who passed some years under his direction. The discipline observed at Clonenagh was very rigorous; the fasting and abstinence were so severe that St. Canice of Aghaboe and other holy men remonstrated with St. Fintan on the subject. Yielding to their representations, he relaxed the rigour of his rule in favour of his community, but, himself, adhered to his former mode of life. Finding his end approaching, St. Fintan assembled his monks and named Fintan Maeldubh as his successor.

    Rev M Comerford” Collections relating to the Dioceses of Kildare and Leighlin” Vol.3, (1886).

  • Saint Tanco of Verden, February 16

    Coat-of-arms of the Prince-Bishopric of Verden
    Photo credit: Wikipedia

     

    Today’s saint, Tanco (Tanchon, Tatta) is unusual in that he is not commemorated on the Irish calendars but on the foreign martyrologies. He is one of the many Irish missionary saints who laboured in continental Europe and was martyred in Verden in Saxony early in the ninth century. Canon O’Hanlon’s Lives of the Irish Saints takes up his story:

    ST. TANCHON, OR TANCO, MARTYR AND THIRD BISHOP OF VERDEN, IN SAXONY.

    [EIGHTH AND NINTH CENTURIES.]

    IT has been truly remarked, that the names of many Irish saints and scholars are enshrined in the records of foreign nations, when they are forgotten, or but faintly remembered, in their own country. Such was the case, with regard to the present zealous missionary, and holy martyr, who is not even recorded in the pages of our native Calendarists, although noted in foreign Martyrologies. It must be observed, that Albert Crantzius was one of the first writers, who has left us any authentic particulars, regarding this saint. From his history, most subsequent writers derived their notices of St. Tanco. At the 16th of February, Colgan and the Bollandists give short Acts for this saint, such as they had been enabled to collect, especially from Krantz, and from various other authorities.

    The ancient territory of Lower Saxony had been intersected by the river, formerly called Visurgis, now known as the Weser, which passes through Bremen, and falls into the North Sea. Westward of this river, the country was denominated Westphalia, and eastward, it was known as Eastphalia. In the former division, Charlemagne had founded the episcopal see of Verden. Suitbert and Patto, both of whom came from Ireland, were its two first bishops and St. Tanco is classed as the third. He is called a Scot, which designation most usually signifies, that the place of nativity must have been Ireland, when not expressly stated, that any person, thus indicated, had been a Scot from Scotia Minor, or from Albania, now known as Scotland. Colgan was of opinion, that this saint and his other colleagues, who preached the faith in Saxony, were Irish Scots, by birth. However, in what part of Ireland, St. Tanco was born, is unknown ; but, he is said to have been of noble birth.

    Moved by missionary zeal, like many others of his countrymen, he left the island of his birth, to spread the Christian faith amongst strangers. He travelled to Saxony. There is said to have been another Tanco, a monk of St. Gall, who must be distinguished from the present holy martyr. St. Patto had vacated the office of abbot, over a monastery, named Amarbaric, near Verden. This establishment, founded for the use of Scottish or Irish monks, is mistaken by Colgan, for the Irish Armagh, on account of a supposed similarity between these names ; he thinking, that Amarbaricensis was intended for Armachanensis. As he found no other monastery, having the former name, in either Ireland or Scotland, where he supposed it must be situated, he thus conjectured, this latter famous primatial city might have been meant. The pious Tanchon succeeded this saint, as Abbot of Amarbaric, and on Patto’s death, he likewise became Bishop of Verden. This is referred to the year 760, or thereabouts, by Arnold Wion. However, this appears too early a date, as it precedes even the erection of Verden into an episcopal see, according to the most authentic accounts. Tanco, who is also called Tatta, served God many years in Amarbarica Abbey, in great reputation for his singular learning and piety. He was raised, it is said, to the dignity of abbot. Through an ardent thirst after martyrdom, he resigned this charge. The holy missioner Tanchon was animated with a hope of shedding his blood for the sake of his Divine Master. Being desirous of reclaiming the morals of the Saxon people, he fearlessly applied himself towards this task and, he is said, by the writer already named, to have received a crown of martyrdom at their hands. He ascended gloriously to Heaven, on the xiv. day of the Kalends of March, or the 16th of February, about the year of our Lord 800.

    Arnold Wion and the English Martyrology state, that our saint suffered about this time. The latter authority says, that after being appointed Abbot of Amarbaric, St. Tancho, feeling a desire to effect the salvation of souls in neighbouring provinces, went first to Flanders, and afterwards to Cleves,(now the chief city of that duchy near the Rhine in Germany), where he was created Bishop of Verden. However, Colgan shows, that he was not pastor over the church so called, in the Duchy of Cleeves, near the Rhine; but, rather, at the Aller, which flows into the Weser. The Jesuit Father, Henry Fitzsimon, on the authority of the English Martyrology, records St. Tancon, a bishop and martyr, on his list of Irish Saints. An anonymous Calendar of Irish Saints has his festival at the 16th of February. Camerarius has the 16th of this month. Ferrarius, Wion, Menard and the English Martyrology, all are agreed. Again, some writers refer the date for his martyrdom, to A.D. 815 and to 820. The exact place, in which his victorious crown was obtained, is not known; but, writers are agreed in stating, that on this day, his memory is venerated at Verden, in Saxony. There his remains are now said to repose… His dalmatic was long preserved, as a precious relic, in the church of Verden. Tanco is said to have been a holy man, a diligent observer of ecclesiastical decorum; a man who left a great reputation behind him for learning, but a still greater for sanctity.

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