Finnian of Clonard

Who they were

Finnian, born at Myshall in County Carlow about 470, studied long in Wales and then went through Ireland preaching and founding churches, until he was led by an angel to Clonard on the Boyne.

There he lived in study, penance and prayer, and his fame drew scholars of every age, among them many later saints. Clonard became the most famous school of sixth-century Ireland.

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 teacher of Ireland's saints.

Connected on this site

• Brendan the Navigator Saint Pupil
• Cadoc Saint Teacher
• Ciarán of Clonmacnoise Saint Pupil
• Columba Saint Pupil
• Máedóc of Ferns Saint Pupil
• Enda of Aran Saint
  “Finnian of Clonard (along with Enda of Aran) is considered one of the fathers of Irish monasticism.” — Wikipedia
• 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