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Commemoration of St. Finian of Clonard

December 12

St. Finian, "The Master of the Saints of Ireland" was born in the latter part of the fifth century, at Myshal in County Carlow, on the slopes of Mount Leinster. His father was Rudraigh, an Ulsterman of noble lineage. His mother was a Leinster woman called Telach. At an early age he was placed under the care of St. Fortchern. This serious induction into the Christian Church awakens in him a hunger for more learning that drives him across the sea to Britain, and then further afield to France.

St. Martin's famous monastery at Tours is his first point of landing, and his experiences there shape his idea of religious life. Tours is noted for its austerity, for its sacrifice of physical comfort for spiritual gain. Finian finds himself at home in this environment, and begins a lifetime of austere monastic discipline. After a time of study at Tours, Finian was directed by St. Fortchern to proceed to Wales to perfect himself in holiness and sacred knowledge under the great saints of that country. Here, Finian continued his studies at the monastery of Cadog the Wise, at Llancarfan in Glamorganshire. He remains there for years, at prayer and study, growing in strength of spirit.

After a long sojourn there, thirty years according to some sources, Finian at long last returns to his native land of Ireland, moving about from place to place, preaching, teaching, and founding churches. He comes first to Aghowle in County Wicklow at the foot of Sliabh Condala, where Oengus, the king of Leinster, has no hesitation in granting him a site there. But Finian is a driven man, and he travels north to Dunmanogue on the river Barrow, where he establishes another church. From there, he goes to the town of Kildare, to study and teach at St Brigid's monastery. He is held in high regard by Brigid, but he is still not settled where God wants him to be, and Finian is led by an angel to Cluain Eraird (Clonard), which he was told would be the place of his resurrection. Brigid presents him with a gold ring on his departure.

Clonard is situated on the beautiful river Boyne, just beside the boundary line of the northern and southern halves of Ireland, but was little more than a wasteland at that time. There were no secular authorities to be negotiated with, and Finian could simply commandeer as large a swath of land as he deems necessary. Instead he built a little cell and a church of clay and wattle, and continued his life of study, mortification, and prayer. The fame of his learning and sanctity was soon noted abroad, and scholars of all ages flocked from every side to his monastic retreat -- young laymen and clerics, abbots and bishops, and those illustrious saints who were afterwards known as the "Twelve Apostles of Erin". Those who live with him must live like him, and he is well known for his intolerance of self-indulgence. He himself sleeps on a cold floor, resting his head on a stone, and at all times, wears a girdle of iron as a penance for his body.

As the foundation grew, the clay church gave way to a substantial stone structure, and in the Office of St. Finian it is stated that there were no fewer than 3000 pupils getting instruction at one time in the school in the green fields of Clonard under the broad canopy of heaven. The master excelled in exposition of the Sacred Scriptures, and the extraordinary popularity which his lectures enjoyed was widely attributed to his biblical scholarship. His gift for teaching, his ability to impress the great and good, and his absolute dedication to the ascetic ideal, inspired a whole generation. Ciaran of Clonmacnoise and Columcille of Iona are among the many to have trained under him. They and many others took seeds of knowledge from Finian's monastery at Clonard, and planted them abroad with great success.

Towards the end of his life, Finian was struck down by plague, and moved out of Clonard to prevent infection to others. He went to nearby Ross Findchuill, singing Psalm 132, "Here shall I rest". One of his last acts was to receive communion from his former pupil, Columb son of Crimhthan, and then, at one with his life and Lord, departed this world. The exact date of the saint's death is uncertain, but it was probably 552, and his burial-place is in his own church of Clonard, which for centuries after his death continued to be renowned as a seat of Scriptural learning.

His feast day is December 12.

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