Saint Colmán of Dromore, also known by the pet form Mocholmóc, was a 6th-century Irish

saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of Q-D-Š, holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and Christian denomination, denominat ...

Life

Colman was a native of Dalriada, born roughly a generation after Patrick's apostolate to Ireland, and was baptized by a bishop, bearing his own name who was also his uncle. It is believed that Colman was educated at the monastic foundation at Nendrum, on the shores of Strangford Lough, which had been established by Saint Caolán (Mochaoi) sometime earlier.McMahon, Andrew. "Parish of Dromore", The Diocese of Dromore
/ref> Colman was a disciple of Caolán when the latter ruled as Abbot of Nendrum about 520.
/ref> Tradition has it that Caolán was so impressed with Colman's potential as a Christian apostle and with his charism for performing miracles that he sent him to visit various other monasteries so that he might learn from the religious practices and forms of community life he would encounter there and enjoy the opportunity of more extensive learning, especially in Holy Scripture. To perfect his knowledge of the Scriptures St. Colman went to the great school of Emly, c. 470 or 475, and remained there some years. At length he returned to

Mahee Island Nendrum Monastery was a Christian monastery on Mahee Island in Strangford Lough, County Down, Northern Ireland. Medieval records say it was founded in the 5th century, but this is uncertain. The monastery came to an end at some time between 974 ...

to see his old master, St. Mochae, and remained under his guidance for a long period, acting as assistant in the school. Among his many pupils at Mahee Island, in the first quarter of the sixth century, was St. Finnian of Moville.Grattan-Flood, William. "St. Colman." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 21 Jul. 2013
/ref> He was the first abbot of Muckmore, in

County Antrim County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, ) is one of six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of and has a population o ...

, and afterwards was persuaded by