Saint Ciaran Mhac an t'Saoir and the founding of Clonmacnoise:

                                                                    Saint Enda to the young Ciaran.

In our last issue we discussed some legends regarding our McAteer name. One of these legends concerned a saint by the name of Ciaran (Kieran) Mhac an t'Saoir. In this issue, we will explore a little of Ciaran's life and his founding of the world renowned monastery of Clonmacnoise on the banks of the River Shannon. As he is our earliest known ancestor, we are proud to present this article.

Ciaran Mhac an t'Saoir was born at Fuerty, County Roscommon in 512 AD. He was the son of Beoit, a carpenter and chariot maker to the High King of Tara. In his early years, he was committed to the care of a deacon named Justus, who baptized him, and from whose hands he was passed to the school of St. Finnian at Clonard. According to legend Ciaran's parents were too poor to pay anything toward his education, so Ciaran asked for a cow to offer as payment. Not being able to do without their cow, his parents refused. However, as Ciaran began his journey, a dun cow and her calf followed him. During his years at the monastery, the cow provided milk for the monks and students. Even after her dying, the cow continued to provide - it is said that her hide became the parchment on which the Lebor na h'Uidre (Book of the Dun Cow) was written. It is one of the two oldest surviving manuscripts - a compilation of stories, poems, genealogy, and history in the vernacular.

It was at Clonard that Ciaran met all those saintly youths who with himself were afterward known as the "Twelve Apostles of Erin." He quickly won their esteem. In fact, when Finnian had to absent himself from the monastery, it was to the youthful Ciaran that he deputed his authority to teach and "give out the prayers." And as he was considered the most learned monk at Clonard, he taught the daughter of the King of Cuala.

After leaving Clonard, Ciaran, like most of the contemporary Irish saints, went to Aran to commune with holy Enda. One night the two saints beheld the same vision, "of a great fruitful tree, beside a stream in the middle of Ireland, and it protected the island of Ireland. And its fruit went forth over the sea that surrounded the island, and the birds of the world came to carry off somewhat of its fruit." And when Ciaran spoke of the vision to Enda, the latter said to him: "The great tree which thou beholdest is thou thyself, for thou art great in the eyes of God and men, and all Ireland will be full of thy honour. This island will be protected under the shadow of thy favour, and multitudes will be satisfied with the grace of thy fasting and prayer. Go then, with God's word, to the bank of a stream, and there found a church."

Ciaran obeyed. On reaching the mainland he first payed a visit to St. Senan of Scattery and then proceeded towards "the middle of Ireland", founding on his way two monasteries, in one of which, on Inis Ainghin, he spent over three years. Going farther south he came to a lonely waste by the Shannon, situated about half way between Athlone and Banagher. Seeking out a beautiful grassy ridge called Ard Tiprait, or the "Height of the Spring," he said to his companions: "Here then we will stay, for many souls will go to Heaven hence, and there will be a visit from God and from men forever on this place." Thus, on 23 January, 544, Ciaran laid the foundation of his monastic school of Clonmacnoise, and on 9 May following he witnessed its completion. Diarmait, son of Cerball, afterwards High King of Ireland, aided and encouraged Ciaran in every way promising him large grants of land as an endowment. Ciaran's government of his monastery was of short duration. He was seized by the yellow plague which had already decimated the saints of Ireland, and he died before reaching 33 years of age. The date of his death is September 9, 544.

It is remarkable that a young saint dying before he was thirty -three, would have been the founder of a school whose fame was to endure for centuries. But Ciaran was a man of prayer and fasting and labour. Trained in the science and discipline of the saints, humble and full of faith, he was a worthy instrument in the hands of Providence for the carrying out of a high design. St. Cummian of Clonfert calls him one of the Patres Priories of the Irish church, and Alcuin, the most illustrious alumnus of Clonmacnoise, proclaims him the Gloria Gentis Scotorum. His festival is kept on 9 September, and his shrine is visited by many pilgrims.

                                 Seamus Heany

It is estimated that over six to seven thousand students were studying at Clonmacnoise at its height. This, remember, was not the education system of an aristocracy . . . it was more democratic. At Clonard, Ciaran, the son of a carpenter, sat in the same class as Coimcille, son of a king. So it was with rich or poor, prince or peasant . . . they came to sit at the feet of Finnian, or Enda, or Ciaran to learn of their wisdom. At its prime, Clonmacnoise was not only a monastery, it was a monastic city with houses, workshops, and some twelve or thirteen small churches and oratories. Ciaran left but little literary mark on the literary annals of the famous school he founded. But in the character which he gave it, of a seminary for a whole nation, and not for a particular tribe or district, is to be found the secret of its success. The masters were chosen simply for their learning and zeal; the abbots were elected almost in rotation from the different provinces; and the pupils thronged thither from all parts of Ireland, as well as from the remote quarters of France and England. From the beginning it enjoyed the confidence of the Irish bishops and the favour of kings and princes who were happy to be buried in its shadow. In its sacred clay sleep Diarmait, the High King, and his rival Guaire, King of Connaught; Turlough O'Conor and his hapless son Roderick, the last king of Ireland, and many other royal benefactors, who believed that the prayers of Ciaran would bring to Heaven all those who were buried there.

But Clonmacnoise was not without its vicissitudes. Towards the close of the seventh century a plague carried off a large number of its students and professors; and by the eighth century the monastery was burned three times, probably by accident, for the buildings were mainly of wood. During the ninth and tenth centuries, it was harassed not only by the Danes, but also and perhaps mainly, by some of the Irish chieftains. One of these, Felim MacCriffon sacked the monastery three times, on the last occasion slaughtering the monks, we are told, like sheep. Even the monks themselves were infected with the bellicose spirit of the times, which manifested itself not merely in defensive, but sometimes even in defensive warfare. These were evil days for Clonmacnoise, but with the blessing of Cairan, and under the "shadow of his favour," it rose superior to its trials, and all the while was the Alma Mater of saints and sages.

Under date 794, is recorded the death of Colgu the Wise, poet, theologian, and historian, who is said to have been the teacher of Alcuin at Clonmacnoise (see Coelchu). Another alumnus of vast erudition, whose gravestone may still be seen there, was Suibhne, son of Maclume, who died in 891. He is described as the "wisest and greatest Doctor of the Scots", and the annals of Ulster call him a "most excellent scribe". Tighernach, the most accurate and most ancient prose chronicler of the northern nations, belongs to Clonmacnoise, and probably also Dicuil (q.v), the world-famed geographer. In this school were composed the "Chronicon Scotorum", a valuable chronicle of Irish affairs from the earliest times to 1135, and the "Leabhar na h-Uidhre", which, excepting the "Book of Armagh", is the oldest Irish historical transcript now in existence.

In the twelfth century Clonmacnoise was a great school of Celtic art, architecture, sculpture, and metal work. To this period and to this school we owe the stone crosses of Tuam and Cong, the processional cross of Cong, and perhaps the Tara Brooch and the Chalice of Ardagh. The ruined towers and crosses and temples are still to be seen; but there is no trace of the little church of Ciaran which was the nucleus of Clonmacnoise.

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