Gormgal of

Ardoileán Ardoileán or Ard Oileán, known in English as High Island (a translation of the Irish name), is a small island off the northwest coast of Connemara in County Galway, Ireland. It was once the site of an early Irish monastic community. Hermitage ...

, Connemara, died 1017/1018.

Biography

Gormgal is credited with building a number of monastic settlements in the late 10th century. Noted as an

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 ...

of exceptional

sanctity Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...

, he made Ardoileán (High Island) famous, so much so that in 1014 Brian Boru visited High Island to make his confession to him. A well on the island is named after Brian. Gormgal's monastery ceased to exist sometime in the following centuries but High Island remained a destination for pilgrims. His feast day is 5 August.

References

* ''High Island:An Irish Monastery in the Atlantic'', Jenny White Marshall and Grellan D. Rourke, 2000. * ''A Guide to Connemara's Early Christian Sites'', Anthony Previté,

Oughterard Oughterard () is a small town on the banks of the Owenriff River close to the western shore of Lough Corrib in Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. The population of the town in 2016 was 1,318. It is located about northwest of Galway on the N5 ...

, 2008. {{DEFAULTSORT:Gormgal Christian clergy from County Galway 11th-century Irish Christian clergy 1010s deaths Year of birth unknown

Biography

See also

References