St. Finian of Clonard Monastery

St. Finian of Clonard Monastery has very little remains of the old monastic site, but the former Church of Ireland parish church, Saint Finian’s Church, is said to have been built on the sixth century monastic site. It was the local Church of Ireland parish church until it was closed in 1991.

Saint Finian’s Church was closed in 1991 (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2012).

St Finian, the Master of the Saints of Ireland', Finian is known as a great teacher - Ciarán of Clonmacnoise and Colmcille of Iona are among the many to have trained under him. They and others have taken source of knowledge from Finian's monastery at Clonard, and spread them abroad with great success. As might be expected from such a renowned teacher, Finian has invested much of his life in his own education. France and Britain have been formative training grounds for him, and have had a direct bearing on the values and culture of his foundation at Clonard. In itself, this is far from unusual, as schooling in foreign lands is the norm for early Christian teachers such as Finian. Finian 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. Finian's education begins locally, when he is taken to Bishop Fortchernn. This marks his first serious induction into the Christian Church and it awakens a hunger for more learning. It is this which drives Finian across the sea to Britain, and further afield to France.

The 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, the more so for befriending an elder called Caemen, with whom he studies.

Founding of Clonard Monastery

In the early 6th century, Finian returned to Ireland and established the Monastery of Clonard on the River Boyne, in what is today County Meath. Clonard rapidly became one of medieval Ireland's most important monastic schools, drawing students from across the island and beyond. At its peak, Clonard had up to 3,000 students studying scripture, theology, and various monastic disciplines.

St Finian's most famous contribution to Irish Christianity was its role in training the Twelve Apostles of Ireland, a group of saints who became pivotal figures in spreading Christianity throughout the island. These included saints like St. Columba, St. Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, and St. Brendan the Navigator. These saints played key roles in establishing monasteries across Ireland and made the island a centre of Christian learning during the early Middle Ages. The model of monastic life that Finian promoted at Clonard—focused on asceticism, communal living, and devotion to prayer and learning—became a template for other monasteries. Many of his students went on to found their own influential monastic communities, such as Clonmacnoise and Iona, which were central to Ireland’s Christian heritage.

St. Finian Church in recent times.

St. Finian was a native of Leinster, being born in Myshall, Co. Carlow about 470. His father was Rudraigh, an Ulsterman nobleman and his mother was a Leinster woman called Telach. Born in Myshall, Co. Carlow Finian studied under St. Foirtchern of Trim before travelling to Wales for further studies.. He studied at monasteries in south Wales, thereby establishing close links to the British Church. In Wales he was in contact with the early British saints – Cadog the Wise, David and Gildas. Legends state that he cleared islands off the coast of insects, worms and vermin and another story has him creating an earthquake to scare off some Saxon raiders. Finian may also have been educated at Tours in France. St. Martin was such a distinguished saints that stories were constructed which linked many of the early Irish saints to his establishment at Tours.

After thirty years in Wales Finian returned to his native land, founding churches at Aghowle, Wicklow and Dunmanogue, Kildare. Finian studied under Brigid at Kildare before being led by an angel to a site at Cluain Eraird, which he was told would be the place of his resurrection. Brigid presented him with a gold ring on his departure to Meath. Led by an angel to Clonard Finian founded a monastery and school of learning beside the river Boyne at Cluain-Eraird, Erard’s lawn or meadow.

One of St. Finian’s main considerations when selecting the site for his monastery at Clonard was access to a clean water supply. Wells provided clean water and could be used as a source of holy water and even utilized for baptising new converts. An angel warned Finnian to move the well from the spot he had selected and leave that ground as the cemetery and that is what Finnian did. Leaving Ard na Reilig, the height of the cemetery, Finian founded his monastery nearby and dug a new well. St. Finian moved his monastery to the hill called Church Hill and the well on the eastern side is now the holy well.

St. Finian’s Well, Clonard

Born in the latter half of the fifth century in Myshall, Co. Carlow Finian studied under St. Foirtchern of Trim before travelling to Wales for further studies. Led by an angel to Clonard Finian founded a monastery and school of learning beside the river Boyne at Cluain-Eraird, Erard’s lawn or meadow. St. Finian became known as a great teacher and students flocked to Clonard, at one point three thousand students were attending the school including twelve who were to become the apostles of Ireland. Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, two Brendans, Canice and Colmcille of Iona are among the many students to have trained under Finian. St. Finian had a cow and no matter how big a vessel was the cow could fill it with milk. One day a man arrived and said he had a vessel that the cow could not fill and produced a strainer or a sieve. The cow was milked and the milk miraculously filled the vessel. St. Finian of Clonard died from yellow fever about 548 and his feast day today is 12 December. Clonard went on to become the seat of the bishop of Meath and today Finian is patron saint of the diocese.

One of St. Finian’s main considerations when selecting the site for his monastery at Clonard was access to a clean water supply. Wells provided clean water and could be used as a source of holy water and even utilized for baptising new converts. An angel warned Finian to move the well from the spot he had selected and leave that ground as the cemetery and that is what Finian did. Leaving Ard na Reilig, the height of the cemetery, Finian founded his monastery nearby and dug a new well. St. Finian moved his monastery to the hill called Church Hill and the well on the eastern side is now the holy well.

The Motte

Although the Norman invasion of Ireland took place in 1169, Clonard was not occupied by them until some time after 1177 when the Norman Lord, Hugh De Lacy directed the military occupation of much of this western area of Meath, Mottes were erected on principal roads and in important ecclesiastical centres such as Clonard, which then became a garrison town.This high motte was erected east of the Clonard river, surrounded by the usual Norman fortifications and flanked by the usual bailey. Its perpendicular height is 50 feet and its lower circumference measures 432 feet, the top which is flat is crowned by an impressive stately lime tree. This 12th century Norman motte has become a well known landmark in the area.

The Trough

This rectangular trough is cut in a block of limestone. It measures 18 ins deep, 36 ins long and 24 ins wide, it is left undressed on the outside. This trough could have been the lavabo of the monastery. Many superstitions are attached to this trough and it is said that the water in it has curative powers particularly of warts. No local has ever seen it dry or empty even during the hottest summers.