Colman MacDuagh
Encyclopedia
Saint Colman mac Duagh was born at Corker, Kiltartan
, County Galway
, Ireland
, c. 550 (died 632), the son of the Irish chieftain Duac (and thus, in Irish, mac Duach). He was educated at Saint Enda's monastery in Inishmore/Árainn, the largest of the Aran Islands
. Thereafter he was a recluse, living in prayer and prolonged fastings, first on Inismore, then in a cave at the Burren
in County Clare
, an area bordering the southern border of county Galway and thus close to what is today the village of Kilmacduagh
. With King Guaire Aidne mac Colmáin
(d. 663) of Connacht
he founded the monastery of Kilmacduagh
, ("the church of the son of Duac"), and governed it as abbot
-bishop
. His associates included Surney of Drumacoo
. The "leaning tower of Kilmacduagh," 112 feet high, is almost twice as old as the famous tower in Pisa
. The Irish round tower was restored in 1880. Such limestone constructed round towers were erected to serve as a refuge in times of attack (usually by marauding Vikings in search of gold — something Ireland had in great quantity).
Not long after she gave birth to Colman in Corker
, Ireland (circa 605). She took her newborn and waited under an ash tree for a priest to come through the town to baptize her child. When a monk finally did come through they realized there was no water with which to baptize Colman. After a prayer a fountain bubbled up from the earth and Colman was baptized. That fountain is now the miraculous well of Colman mac duagh. Rhinagh gave the monk her child to raise.
He was educated at the school of Holy Virtue and there ordained a priest.
and lived as a hermit, after a few years there, and building two churches there, he moved to Burren Forest where he stayed for seven years.
Although reluctant to accept the title, Colman was ordained a bishop
.
Colman's virtues and holiness earned him the king's attention and King Guarie bade him to build a monastery. Colman wanted God to show him where to build the monastery, and so asked God to give him a sign; later while walking through Burren woods, his cincture fell off. He took this to be God's sign and built the monastery on the place his cincture fell.
He died October 29, 632
It is said that that St. Colman declared that no person nor animal in the dioceses of Kilmacduagh would ever die of lightning strike, something that appears true to this day.
As with many relics, Saint Colman's abbatial crozier has been used through the centuries for the swearing of oaths. Although it was in the custodianship of the O'Heynes of Kiltartan (descendants of King Guaire) and their relatives, the O'Shaughnessys, it can now be seen in the National Museum
in Dublin (Attwater, Benedictines, Carty, D'Arcy, Farmer, MacLysaght, Montague, Stokes).
Other tales are recounted about Saint Colman, who loved birds and animals. He had a pet rooster who served as an alarm clock at a time before there were such modern conveniences. The rooster would begin his song at the breaking of dawn and continue until Colman would come out and speak to it. Colman would then call the other monks to prayer by ringing the bells.
But the monks wanted to pray the night hours, too, and couldn't count on the rooster to awaken them at midnight and 3:00 a.m. So Colman made a pet out of a mouse that often kept him company in the night by giving it crumbs to eat. Eventually the mouse was tamed and Colman asked its help:
It was a long time before Colman tested the understanding of the mouse. After a long day of preaching and travelling on foot, Colman slept very soundly. When he did not awake at the usual hour in the middle of the night for Lauds, the mouse pattered over to the bed, climbed on the pillow, and rubbed his tiny head against Colman's ear. Not enough to awaken the exhausted monk. So the mouse tried again, but Colman shook him off impatiently. Making one last effort, the mouse nibbled on the saint's ear and Colman immediately arose—laughing. The mouse, looking very serious and important, just sat there on the pillow staring at the monk, while Colman continued to laugh in disbelief that the mouse had indeed understood its job.
When he regained his composure, Colman praised the clever mouse for his faithfulness and fed him extra treats. Then entered God's presence in prayer. Thereafter, Colman always waited for the mouse to rub his ear before arising, whether he was awake or not. The mouse never failed in his mission.
The monk had another strange pet: a fly. Each day Colman would spend some time reading a large, awkward parchment manuscript prayer book. Each day the fly would perch on the margin of the sheet. Eventually Colman began to talk to the fly, thanked him for his company, and asked for his help:
So, as with the mouse, it was a long time before Colman put the understanding of the fly to the test. He probably provided the insect with treats as he did the mouse—perhaps a single drop of honey or crumb of cake. One day Colman was called to attend a visitor. He pointed the spot on the manuscript where he had stopped and asked the fly to stay there until he returned. The fly did as the saint requested, obediently remaining still for over an hour. Colman was delighted. Thereafter, he often gave the faithful fly a little task that it was proud to do for him. The other monks thought it was such a marvel that they wrote it done in the monastery records, which is how we know about it.
But a fly's life is short. At the end of summer, Colman's little friend was dead. While still mourning the death of the fly, the mouse died, too, as did the rooster. Colman's heart was so heavy at the loss of his last pet that he wrote to his friend Saint Columba
. Columba responded:
Colman then realized that one can be rich without any money (Curtayne-Linnane).
Kiltartan
Kiltartan is a barony in County Galway, Ireland. It was formerly known as Cenél Áeda na hEchtge. It was the home of Lady Gregory, Edward Martyn, and a regular residence of W.B. Yeats.It is alluded to in Yeats's poem An Irish Airman Foresees His Death....
, County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, c. 550 (died 632), the son of the Irish chieftain Duac (and thus, in Irish, mac Duach). He was educated at Saint Enda's monastery in Inishmore/Árainn, the largest of the Aran Islands
Aran Islands
The Aran Islands or The Arans are a group of three islands located at the mouth of Galway Bay, on the west coast of Ireland. They constitute the barony of Aran in County Galway, Ireland...
. Thereafter he was a recluse, living in prayer and prolonged fastings, first on Inismore, then in a cave at the Burren
Burren
Burren can refer to:*The Burren, a karst landscape in County Clare, Ireland*Burren, County Down, a village in Northern Ireland*Burren College of Art, an art college in Ballyvaughan, County Clare, Ireland*Burrén and Burrena, twin hills in Aragon, Spain...
in County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
, an area bordering the southern border of county Galway and thus close to what is today the village of Kilmacduagh
Kilmacduagh
Kilmacduagh is a small village in south County Galway, near Gort, in Ireland. It is best known for Kilmacduagh monastery, seat of the Diocese of that name. The diocese is now part of the Diocese of Galway and Kilmacduagh in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Diocese of Limerick and Killaloe in...
. With King Guaire Aidne mac Colmáin
Guaire Aidne mac Colmáin
Guaire Aidne mac Colmáin was a king of Connacht. A member of the Ui Fiachrach Aidhne and son of king Colmán mac Cobthaig . Guiare ruled at the height of Ui Fiachrach Aidne power in south Connacht.-Early reign:...
(d. 663) of Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
he founded the monastery of Kilmacduagh
Kilmacduagh monastery
Kilmacduagh Monastery is found 5 km from the town of Gort in County Galway, Ireland. It was the birthplace of the Diocese of Kilmacduagh, whose name means "church of Duagh's son"...
, ("the church of the son of Duac"), and governed it as abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
-bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
. His associates included Surney of Drumacoo
Surney of Drumacoo
Sárnait, aka Surney of Drumacoo, Irish saint, fl. c. 600.Surney was the founder of the church of Drumacoo, parish of Ballinderreen, County Galway. She was an associate of Colman mac Duagh, who was the bisop of the locality at the time. He background is unknown but may have being a name of Uí...
. The "leaning tower of Kilmacduagh," 112 feet high, is almost twice as old as the famous tower in Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
. The Irish round tower was restored in 1880. Such limestone constructed round towers were erected to serve as a refuge in times of attack (usually by marauding Vikings in search of gold — something Ireland had in great quantity).
Early life
St Colman was the son of Queen Rhinagh and her husband the chieftain Duac; and while still in the womb had a prophecy that he would surpass all others of his lineage. Rhinagh, fearing her husband would seek to harm the child, fled from him while still pregnant. However, the kings men caught up to her and tried to drown her in the Kiltartin river by tying a stone around her neck; it is said a miracle saved her for the rock floated to the surface and she was able to get back to land. The rock with the rope marks is on display by the Kiltartin river.Not long after she gave birth to Colman in Corker
Corker
Corker is an occupational surname, and may refer to:*Bob Corker, United States politician, currently serving as the junior US Senator from Tennessee*Matt Corker*Thomas Corker*Stephen A. Corker*James Corker*John Corker*Maurus Corker...
, Ireland (circa 605). She took her newborn and waited under an ash tree for a priest to come through the town to baptize her child. When a monk finally did come through they realized there was no water with which to baptize Colman. After a prayer a fountain bubbled up from the earth and Colman was baptized. That fountain is now the miraculous well of Colman mac duagh. Rhinagh gave the monk her child to raise.
He was educated at the school of Holy Virtue and there ordained a priest.
Priesthood
After his ordination, Colman went to AranmoreAranmore
Aranmore may refer to:-* Aranmore Catholic College* Arranmore, an island in County Donegal* Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands in County Galway...
and lived as a hermit, after a few years there, and building two churches there, he moved to Burren Forest where he stayed for seven years.
Although reluctant to accept the title, Colman was ordained a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
.
Colman's virtues and holiness earned him the king's attention and King Guarie bade him to build a monastery. Colman wanted God to show him where to build the monastery, and so asked God to give him a sign; later while walking through Burren woods, his cincture fell off. He took this to be God's sign and built the monastery on the place his cincture fell.
He died October 29, 632
Hagiography
There is a legend that angels brought King Guaire to him by causing his festive Easter dinner to disappear from his table. The king and his court followed the angels to the place where Colman had kept the Lenten fast and now was without food. The path of this legendary journey is called the "road of the dishes."It is said that that St. Colman declared that no person nor animal in the dioceses of Kilmacduagh would ever die of lightning strike, something that appears true to this day.
As with many relics, Saint Colman's abbatial crozier has been used through the centuries for the swearing of oaths. Although it was in the custodianship of the O'Heynes of Kiltartan (descendants of King Guaire) and their relatives, the O'Shaughnessys, it can now be seen in the National Museum
National Museum of Ireland
The National Museum of Ireland is the national museum in Ireland. It has three branches in Dublin and one in County Mayo, with a strong emphasis on Irish art, culture and natural history.-Archaeology:...
in Dublin (Attwater, Benedictines, Carty, D'Arcy, Farmer, MacLysaght, Montague, Stokes).
Other tales are recounted about Saint Colman, who loved birds and animals. He had a pet rooster who served as an alarm clock at a time before there were such modern conveniences. The rooster would begin his song at the breaking of dawn and continue until Colman would come out and speak to it. Colman would then call the other monks to prayer by ringing the bells.
But the monks wanted to pray the night hours, too, and couldn't count on the rooster to awaken them at midnight and 3:00 a.m. So Colman made a pet out of a mouse that often kept him company in the night by giving it crumbs to eat. Eventually the mouse was tamed and Colman asked its help:
- "So you are awake all night, are you? It isn't your time for sleep, is it? My friend, the cock, gives me great help, waking me every morning. Couldn't you do the same for me at night, while the cock is asleep? If you do not find me stirring at the usual time, couldn't you call me? Will you do that?"
It was a long time before Colman tested the understanding of the mouse. After a long day of preaching and travelling on foot, Colman slept very soundly. When he did not awake at the usual hour in the middle of the night for Lauds, the mouse pattered over to the bed, climbed on the pillow, and rubbed his tiny head against Colman's ear. Not enough to awaken the exhausted monk. So the mouse tried again, but Colman shook him off impatiently. Making one last effort, the mouse nibbled on the saint's ear and Colman immediately arose—laughing. The mouse, looking very serious and important, just sat there on the pillow staring at the monk, while Colman continued to laugh in disbelief that the mouse had indeed understood its job.
When he regained his composure, Colman praised the clever mouse for his faithfulness and fed him extra treats. Then entered God's presence in prayer. Thereafter, Colman always waited for the mouse to rub his ear before arising, whether he was awake or not. The mouse never failed in his mission.
The monk had another strange pet: a fly. Each day Colman would spend some time reading a large, awkward parchment manuscript prayer book. Each day the fly would perch on the margin of the sheet. Eventually Colman began to talk to the fly, thanked him for his company, and asked for his help:
- "Do you think you could do something useful for me? You see yourself that everyone who lives in the monastery is useful. Well, if I am called away, as I often am, while I am reading, don't you go too; stay here on the spot I mark with my finger, so that I'll know exactly where to start when I come back. Do you see what I mean?"
So, as with the mouse, it was a long time before Colman put the understanding of the fly to the test. He probably provided the insect with treats as he did the mouse—perhaps a single drop of honey or crumb of cake. One day Colman was called to attend a visitor. He pointed the spot on the manuscript where he had stopped and asked the fly to stay there until he returned. The fly did as the saint requested, obediently remaining still for over an hour. Colman was delighted. Thereafter, he often gave the faithful fly a little task that it was proud to do for him. The other monks thought it was such a marvel that they wrote it done in the monastery records, which is how we know about it.
But a fly's life is short. At the end of summer, Colman's little friend was dead. While still mourning the death of the fly, the mouse died, too, as did the rooster. Colman's heart was so heavy at the loss of his last pet that he wrote to his friend Saint Columba
Saint Columba
-Saints:* Columba , Irish Christian saint who evangelized Scotland* Columba the Virgin, also known as Saint Columba of Cornwall* Columba of Sens* Columba of Spain* Columba of Terryglass* Sancta Columba -Schools:...
. Columba responded:
- "You were too rich when you had them. That is why you are sad now. Trouble like that only comes where there are riches. Be rich no more."
Colman then realized that one can be rich without any money (Curtayne-Linnane).
See also
- Early Christian Ireland