The Abbot of Clonard was the monastic head of
Clonard Abbey
Clonard Abbey (Irish, ''Cluain Eraird'', or ''Cluain Iraird'', "Erard's Meadow") was an early medieval monastery situated on the River Boyne in Clonard, County Meath, Ireland.
Early history
The monastery was founded in about 520 by Saint F ...
, which is in modern-day
County Meath
County Meath (; gle, Contae na Mí or simply ) is a county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. It is bordered by Dublin to the southeast, Louth to the northeast, Kildare to the south, Offaly to the sou ...
,
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
. The abbey was founded by
Saint Finnian in the early sixth century. After the death of Saint Finnian, the abbots bore the title "
Comarbai Finnéin" (i.e. "successor of Saint Finnian"). However, the title was ambiguous, since it may refer to the abbots of
Moville
Moville (; ) is a coastal town located on the Inishowen Peninsula of County Donegal, Ireland, close to the northern tip of the island of Ireland. It is the first coastal town of the Wild Atlantic Way when starting on the northern end.
Location
...
,
County Down
County Down () is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It covers an area of and has a population of 531,665. It borders County Antrim to the ...
, founded by Finnian ''nepos'' Fiatach (died 10 September 579/80). The abbots of Clonard were sometimes called 'coarbs of Finnian and Mo Cholmóc'. Until the early twelfth century, a few of the abbots and some others at Clonard Abbey were
consecrated
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...
bishops, but this did not necessarily mean they were
bishops of Clonard, since the
diocese of Clonard was not established until the
Synod of Rathbreasail
A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word ''synod'' comes from the meaning "assembly" or "meeting" and is analogous with the Latin word mean ...
in 1111.
List of abbots
The following is a list of abbots and early monastic bishops. (Those who were consecrated bishops, but did not hold the office of coarb or abbot are indicated in italics and brackets):
*
Finnian (Finnio moccu Theilduib; Finian; Fionáin), died 12 December 549/552.
* Senach, also bishop, died 31 August ''c.''590.
* Diarmat, died 615.
* Colman moccu Theilduib (Mo Cholmóc), also bishop, died 8 February 654.
* Oisséne Foto, died 1 May 654.
* Ultán moccu Chungai, died 665.
*
Da Beóóc (Mo Bécóc), possibly abbot of Clonard, died 689/90
* , died 5 December 701.
* Dub Dúin ua Fáeláin, also bishop, died 718.
* Áelchú, died 732.
* Fiannamail mac Geirtidi, died 736.
* ''(Tólac mac Dúnchado, bishop, but not abbot of Clonard, died 738)''.
* Forindán, died 12 February 745.
* Do Dímmóc, also achorite and
abbot of Kildare
The following is a list of abbots and abbesses of Kildare, heads of Kildare Abbey, founded — according to tradition — by Saint Brigit.
List of abbesses
* Brigit ingen Dubthaig, d. 1 February either 521, 524, or 526
*Abbesses of unknown deat ...
, died 3 March 748.
* Bécc Laitne, died 763.
* Loarn, died 765.
* Airlid, died 772.
* Góedel, died 776.
* ''(Fulartach, bishop, but not abbot of Clonard, died 29 March or 21 December 779)''.
* Dub dá Bairenn, died 787.
* Crundmáel Dromma Inesclainn, died 793.
* ''(Clothchú, bishop and anchorite, but not abbot of Clonard, died796)''.
* Dub dá Bairenn ua Dubáin, died 805.
* Crundmáel mac Ordráin, died 820.
* Clemens, also bishop, died 826.
* Cormac mac Suibni, also bishop and scribe, died 830.
* Eógan Mainistrech, also ''fer léigind (i.e.
Lector
Lector is Latin for one who reads, whether aloud or not. In modern languages it takes various forms, as either a development or a loan, such as french: lecteur, en, lector, pl, lektor and russian: лектор. It has various specialized uses.
...
)'' of
Monasterboice
The Monasterboice ( ga, Mainistir Bhuithe) ruins are the remains of an early Christian monastic settlement in County Louth in Ireland, north of Drogheda. The ruins are a National monument of Ireland and also give their name to the local vill ...
and
abbot of Armagh
Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a monastery. The fem ...
, died 834.
* Comsub, also bishop and
anchorite
In Christianity, an anchorite or anchoret (female: anchoress) is someone who, for religious reasons, withdraws from secular society so as to be able to lead an intensely prayer-oriented, ascetic, or Eucharist-focused life. While anchorites are ...
, died 858.
*
Suairlech ind Eidnén mac Ciaráin, also bishop, died 4 December 870.
* Dálach mac Mácle Raitte, died 862.
* Áedán, died 19 July 882.
* Ailbrén mac Maichtig, died 884.
* Cormac, also
Bishop of Duleek, died 885.
* Cú Chongelt, died 888.
* ''(Rumann mac Cathassiag, bishop, but not abbot of Clonard, died 921)''.
* Colmán mac Ailella, also bishop and scribe, and
abbot of Clonmacnoise
The Abbot of Clonmacnoise was the monastic head of Clonmacnoise. They also bore the title "Coarb, Comarba of Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, Saint Ciarán", "successor of Saint Ciarán". The following is a list of abbots:
List of abbots to 1539
Note ...
, died 926.
* Ferdomnach mac Flannacáin, died 932.
* Máel Mochta, also scribe, died 942.
* Máel Feichíne, died 944.
* Célechair mac Robartaig, also
abbot of Clonmacnoise
The Abbot of Clonmacnoise was the monastic head of Clonmacnoise. They also bore the title "Coarb, Comarba of Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, Saint Ciarán", "successor of Saint Ciarán". The following is a list of abbots:
List of abbots to 1539
Note ...
, died 954.
* [? Máenach, possibly abbot of Clonard, also ''fer léigind (i.e.
Lector
Lector is Latin for one who reads, whether aloud or not. In modern languages it takes various forms, as either a development or a loan, such as french: lecteur, en, lector, pl, lektor and russian: лектор. It has various specialized uses.
...
)'' of Armagh, and possibly abbot of Molville, died 956].
* Béccán mac Lachtáin, also bishop, died 973.
* Tuathal mac Máel Ruba (ua Dubánaig), died 993.
* Ferdomnach, died 1008.
* Fachtna, died 1011.
* Flaithbertach mac Domnaill, also
abbot of Clonmacnoise
The Abbot of Clonmacnoise was the monastic head of Clonmacnoise. They also bore the title "Coarb, Comarba of Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, Saint Ciarán", "successor of Saint Ciarán". The following is a list of abbots:
List of abbots to 1539
Note ...
, died 1014; he was the son of Domnall mac Donnchada,
King of Mide (951-952), and brother of
Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill
Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill ( ga, Maolsheachlann mac Domhnaill), also called Máel Sechnaill Mór or Máel Sechnaill II (949 – 2 September 1022), was a King of Mide and High King of Ireland. His great victory at the Battle of Tara agai ...
, King of Mide and
High King of Ireland
High King of Ireland ( ga, Ardrí na hÉireann ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and later sometimes assigned ana ...
(980-1022).
* Domnall mac Máel Sechnaill, died 1019.
* Tuathal ua Dubánaig, also bishop, died 1028/30.
* Cellach ua Cléirchén, died 1043.
* Ferdomnach ua hInnascaig, died 1048.
* Tuathal Ua Follamain, died 1055.
* Murchad mac Flainn Ua Máel Sechlainn, also abbot of
Kells in 1055, and
king of Mide (according to the annals) for three nights in 1073, died 1076; he was grandson of Abbot Domnall mac Máel Sechnaill.
* Muirchertach mac Loingsig Ua Máel Sechlainn, died 1092.
* ''(Máel Muire Ua Dúnáin,
diocesan
In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...
bishop of Clonard, but not abbot of Clonard, died 24 December 1117)''.
* Conchobar Ua Follamain, died 1117.
*
Gilla Crist Ua hEcháin, possibly abbot of Clonard, but probably abbot of Molville or Clooncraff, died 1136
* Ua Follamain, died at Kells in 1150.
*
blinded in 1153">Blindness.html" ;"title=" Conchobar Dall mac Domnaill Ua Máel Sechlainn, possibly abbot of Clonard, who was Blindness">blinded in 1153
See also
*Bishop of Meath
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abbot Of Clonard
Irish abbots, Clonard
Lists of abbots, Clonard
Religion in County Meath