Picture of Stained Glass Window at Church of St. Finnian, here
he is blessing his students.
St. Finnian of Clonard
founded the Monastic School in Meath where all the "Cool Clerics" of Sixth
Century Ireland went to study. St. Finnian's most famous students became
known as the Twelve Apostles of Ireland.
The Catholic Encyclopedia lists them for you, I'd do that too, but then the
Crossword Puzzle below would be Too Easy.
Okay I give up click here for
the list
Below is the entry on St. Finnian from the Saints.SQPN.com site
http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-finnian-of-clonard/
A pious youth, he founded three churches in
Ireland while still a
layman.
Studied in
Wales under
Saint
Cadoc of Llancarvan and
Saint
Gildas the Wise.
Monk. Great admirer of
Saint
Patrick. Considered one of the great founders of
Irish
monasticism. Founded the
monastery
at
Clonard,
Meath,
Ireland c.520
which lasted a thousand years, and was a training center for great
Irish
saints. Spiritual teacher of
Saint
Columba of Iona,
Saint
Columba of Terryglass,
Saint
Ciaran of Clommacnois,
Saint
Brendan the Voyager,
Saint
Nathy,
Saint
Nennius,
Saint
Ruadhan of Lorrha,
Saint
Daig MacCairaill, and others. Maintained close relations with the British
Church. Often referred to as a
bishop, there is no evidence he was ever so consecrated.
Legend attributes many
miracles
to him.
Birds would gather around him because of his gentle holiness. Reported to
have cleared parasitic
insects, worms and vermin from the island of Flathlom and the regions of
Nantcarfan. One story says that he fended off a party of
Saxon raiders by causing an
earthquake to swallow their camp.
Below is the entry on St. Finian of Clonard at CatholicOnline.org:
http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=3368
The “Teacher of the Irish Saints.” He was born in Myshall, in County Carlow,
Ireland. Trained by Sts. Cadoc and Gildas in Wales, Finian returned to
Ireland
where he built schools, monasteries, and churches. Clonard at
Meath was
his most famous foundation, and under his direction it became a renowned
scriptural school. He is listed as a bishop, but it is possible that he was
not consecrated in the office.
St. Columba
was one of his students, as he trained the “Twelve
Apostles of
Ireland” at Clonard. He died there during a plague.
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