Picture: Carsten Hemberger, derivate Hic et nunc · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Finbarr of Cork
Bishop of Cork
SaintResearchedKingdom of MunsterDate unknown
Feast: 25 September (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Born
550
verified
Died
25 September 623
verified
Beatified
—
not on record
Canonised
—
not on record
Who they were
Finbarr, born near Bandon about 550, evangelised Gowran, Coolcashin and Aghaboe and founded a school. For some years he lived as a hermit at Gougane Barra.
He built a church where Cork city now stands and is its bishop and patron. He died at Cloyne on 25 September 623.
The miracles
There was never a formal cause: he has been honoured as a saint since before the Church's formal processes began.
Why that counted as sanctity
The hermit-founder and patron of Cork.
Connected on this site
- Saint David Saint Teacher
- Ninian Saint“A popular hypothesis proposed by Thomas Owen Clancy, a researcher and professor of Celtic studies, posits that Ninian can be identified with three other historical figures: Saint Finnian of Moville, Saint Finnian of Clonard, and Saint Finbarr of Cork.” — Wikipedia
Sources
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - St. Finbarr
- Wikidata Q287916 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Finbar of Cork (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.