Gilla Críst Ua Máel Eóin (anglicised as Christian Malone; died 1127) was an Irish

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...

and Abbot of Clonmacnoise.

Family background

Ó Maoil Eoin (now anglicised as Malone), denotes descent from a grandson of a person baptised in honour of Saint John. This assumption was introduced long after Maol Eoin had lived. It was contrived to demonstrate a long-standing association with the Church. As such "maol" is often described as meaning bald and then quickly followed by the idea of a monks shaved head. While "maol" does mean bald it also can mean thin. However, in both cases it is used in reference with the landscape; bald might mean lacking in trees, and thin might mean a peninsula or island. It defines a feature of the landscape that is associated with the family. The use of maol, in a family name, is found recorded some 200 years before Maol Eoin was born. Maolrunaigh (Mulrooney)was a past family name that was passed down, mostly in part, through the generations. This was a common way to include the name of the bride's father, as a mark of respect. If Maol Eoin means devotee of St John, then it would stand to reason that Maolrunaigh must be a devotee of St. Rooney. However, a St. Rooney does nor exist. The Ó Maoil Eoin were wrongly accorded kinship with the

Uí Briúin The Uí Briúin were a royal dynasty of Connacht. Their eponymous apical ancestor was Brión, son of Eochaid Mugmedon and Mongfind, and an elder half brother of Niall of the Nine Hostages. They formed part of the Connachta, along with th ...

, based on the statement that ''"Maoliosa ,

Bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

Roscommon Roscommon (; ; ) is the county town and the largest town in County Roscommon in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is roughly in the centre of Ireland, near the meeting of the N60 road (Ireland), N60, N61 road (Ireland), N61 and N63 road (Irelan ...

, who had a son named Maol Eoin ... a quo O'Maoil Eoin, anglicised Malone."'' However, the family were already in existence before Tairrdelbach was born, so the kinship is mistaken, or possibly a forgery, though at least one very old family tradition holds the name was intended to signify a friendship or political alliance at the time of baptism. They seemed to have been an ecclesiastical or

Erenagh The medieval Irish office of erenagh (Old Irish: ''airchinnech'', Modern Irish: ''airchinneach'', Latin: '' princeps'') was responsible for receiving parish revenue from tithes and rents, building and maintaining church property and overseeing t ...

family native to the area, with no links to any great royal houses.

Abbot Gilla Críst

Gilla Críst is the earliest known member of the family associated with

Clonmacnoise Clonmacnoise or Clonmacnois (Irish language, Irish: ''Cluain Mhic Nóis'') is a ruined monastery in County Offaly in Republic of Ireland, Ireland on the River Shannon south of Athlone, founded in 544 by Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, Ciarán, ...

, and perhaps the ancestor of all subsequent Ó Maoil Eoin's associated with it. He was associated with

Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair Toirdhealbhach Mór Ua Conchobhair (old spelling: Tairrdelbach Mór Ua Conchobair; 1088 – 1156) anglicised Turlough Mór O'Conor, was King of Connacht (1106–1156) and High King of Ireland (ca. 1120–1156). Family background and early life ...

, as attested in an entry in

Chronicon Scotorum ''Chronicon Scotorum'', also known as ''Chronicum Scotorum'', is a medieval Irish chronicle. Overview According to Nollaig Ó Muraíle, it is "a collection of annals belonging to the ' Clonmacnoise group', covering the period from prehistoric ...

''sub anno'' 1124 - ''"The great bell-tower of Cluaín moccu Nóis was completed by Gilla Críst ua Maíleoin and Tairdelbach ua Conchobuir."'' Two years later the same text records that ''"Gilla Críst ua Maíleoin, abbot of Cluaín moccu Nóis, the fount of wisdom and charity, the head of wealth and riches of Ireland, rested."''

''Chronicon Scotorum''

'' is an account of Irish affairs that ends in an unfinished manner in the entry dated 1150. Gilla Crist has been associated with the text as its compiler, Stokes, George Thomas: ''Ireland and the Anglo-Norman Church. A History of Ireland and Irish Christianity from the Anglo-Norman Conquest to the Dawn of the Protestant Reformation'' (1889), p 360: "...The ''Chronicon Scotorum'' was originally compiled about the year 1150 by Christian Malone, Abbot of Clonmacnis,..." but if so, it was continued at some point after his death. His actual role in relation to the Chronicon is uncertain.

Later Ó Máel Eóins and Malones

Subsequent abbots included * Áed Ua Máel Eóin (died 1153) * Tigernach Ua Máel Eóin (died 1172). Later Bishop of Clonmacnoise included: * Cathal Ua Máel Eóin (fl. 1187–1207) * Áed Ó Máel Eóin (I) (1214–1220) * Áed Ó Máel Eóin (II) (1227–1236) * ''1461. The Dean O'Malone, the most learned man in all Ireland, died at Cluain-muc-Nois-mic-Fidhaigh.'' Ruaidhrí Ó Máel Eóin,

canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the material accepted as officially written by an author or an ascribed author * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western canon, th ...

Tuam Tuam (; , meaning 'mound' or 'burial-place') is a town in Ireland and the second-largest settlement in County Galway. It is west of the midland Region, Ireland, midlands of Ireland, about north of Galway city. The town is in a civil parishe ...

and

, administered the Clonmacnoise

diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, 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 Roman province, prov ...

from about 1520 to 1540. He was elected Bishop of Ardagh in 1517 and died in 1540. Richard Ó Malone of Donore,

County Westmeath County Westmeath (; or simply ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It formed part of the historic Kingdom of ...

, "enjoyed the distinction of the being the first musician pardoned by Queen Elizabeth, the date being 1565.

References

External links