Jarlath
Encyclopedia
Saint Iarlaithe mac Loga, also known as Jarlath (fl. 6th century), was an Irish priest and scholar from Connacht
, remembered as the founder of the monastic School of Tuam
and patron saint of the Archdiocese of Tuam. No medieval Life for Iarlaithe is extant, but sources for his life and cult include genealogies, martyrologies, the Irish Lives of St Brendan of Clonfert
and a biography compiled by John Colgan
in the 17th century.
in east Ulster
. He is identified as the third Bishop of Armagh, that is after Patrick
's heir Benignus
and the Annals of Ulster
and Innisfallen record his death in the year 481.
In the two Irish Lives of St Brendan, possibly of the 12th century, Iarlaithe is called a son of Lug, son of Trén, son of Fiacc, son of Mochta, and the First Life in the Book of Lismore
continues the pedigree by calling Mochta a son of Bresal, son of Siracht, son of Fiacha the Fair. Both Lives substitute Imchada for Mochta and on this basis, Séamus Mac Mathúna argues that they go back to an original which conflates the genealogy of Iarlaithe mac Loga with that of his namesake in Armagh. Dónall Mac Giolla Easpaig
suggests, however, that the saints could refer to one and the same person:
Iarlaithe died, "full of days", on the 26th of December, c.540, aged about 90 years old.
In attributing a leading role to St Brendan in the foundation of Tuam, the Lives suggest that the see of Tuam was united with but subordinate to that of Annaghdown
. Tuam achieved the status of the principal see of Connacht only in 1152 at the Synod of Kells-Mellifont
, while Annaghdown became an independent diocesan seat at the Synod of Dublin in 1192. In this light, the assertion in the Lives has been read as reflecting circumstances in the 12th century.
drew up a memoir of the saint in his Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae
(1645). Iarlaithe is said to have studied under St. Benignus of Kilbannon, disciple of St Patrick.
Afterwards, he founded his first monastery at Cluainfois (Cloonfush
), near Tuam
, while his principal seat came to be at Tuam. His monastic school is said to have attracted scholars from all parts of Ireland
, including such students as St. Brendan
of Ardfert
and Saint Colman
of Cloyne
. On the significance of the place-name Tuam, Dónall Mac Giolla Easpaig remarks that:
Despite his fame, Iarlaithe left Cloonfush to study under Saint Enda of Aran
around 495. In the 520s, he retired to Tuam. He chose Tuam because the wheel of his chariot broke there.
Iarlaithe is included in the second order of Irish saints, which implies that he must have lived prior to the year 540.
A poem ascribed to Cuimmín of Coindeire, which is also cited in Ó Cléirigh's Martyrology of Donegal, states that Iarlaithe was known for his generosity and devotion to prayer ("three hundred genuflexions every night, and three hundred genuflexions every day"). In the Martyrology of Donegal, he is credited with having predicted the names of his successors, including those of three 'heretical' bishops and one Máel. Similarly, his hagiography
in the "Great Synaxaristes
of the Orthodox Church" records that as a result of his great asceticism
and devotion to prayer he was granted the gift of prophecy
.
of his relic
s to a church specially built in his honour next to the Cathedral of Tuam. His remains were encased in a silver shrine, from which the 13th-century church gained the name Teampul na scrín, that is the "church of the shrine", a perpetual vicarage united to the prebend of Kilmainemore in 1415.
In a note added to the Félire Óengusso and in other martyrologies, Iarlaithe's feast-day is recorded as 25 or 26 December.
through the streets of the town, a school's art competition to raise awareness of the saint and local cultural heritage, and street entertainment.
St Jarlath's broken wheel is a heraldic symbol of Tuam, and is included on the crest of many local organisations, including Tuam Town Council.
St. Jarlath Road, a residential street in Cabra
in Dublin 7 is named in his honour.
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...
, remembered as the founder of the monastic School of Tuam
School of Tuam
The School of Tuam was founded by St. Jarlath. During the eleventh century, it rivaled Clonmacnoise as the centre of Celtic art.It was founded when St...
and patron saint of the Archdiocese of Tuam. No medieval Life for Iarlaithe is extant, but sources for his life and cult include genealogies, martyrologies, the Irish Lives of St Brendan of Clonfert
Brendan
Saint Brendan of Clonfert or Bréanainn of Clonfert called "the Navigator", "the Voyager", or "the Bold" is one of the early Irish monastic saints. He is chiefly renowned for his legendary quest to the "Isle of the Blessed," also called St. Brendan's Island. The Voyage of St...
and a biography compiled by John Colgan
John Colgan
John Colgan was an Irish hagiographer and historian.-Life:...
in the 17th century.
Background
The Irish genealogies record the existence of two saints named Iarlaithe: Iarlaithe son of Lugh (Iarlaithe m. Loga), founder of Tuam, and Iarlaithe son of Trian (Iarlaithe m. Trena), bishop of Armagh. Iarlaithe of Tuam is said to have belonged to the Conmhaícne, who ruled over the greater part of what would become the parish of Tuam. The other saint is said to have belonged to the Dál FiatachDál Fiatach
The Dál Fiatach were a group of related dynasties located in eastern Ulster in the Early Christian and Early Medieval periods of the history of Ireland.-Description:...
in east Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. 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 administrative and judicial...
. He is identified as the third Bishop of Armagh, that is after Patrick
Patrick
Patrick is a name derived from the Latin name Patricius . Owing to the importance of Saint Patrick in Irish history, it is an especially popular name in Ireland...
's heir Benignus
Benignus
The male first name Benignus may refer to one of the following saints:*Benignus of Todi , in Todi*Benignus of Milan, bishop of Milan 465-472*Benignus of Dijon , in Gallic territory*Benignus of Armagh , in Ireland...
and the Annals of Ulster
Annals of Ulster
The Annals of Ulster are annals of medieval Ireland. The entries span the years between AD 431 to AD 1540. The entries up to AD 1489 were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luinín, under his patron Cathal Óg Mac Maghnusa on the island of Belle Isle on Lough Erne in the...
and Innisfallen record his death in the year 481.
In the two Irish Lives of St Brendan, possibly of the 12th century, Iarlaithe is called a son of Lug, son of Trén, son of Fiacc, son of Mochta, and the First Life in the Book of Lismore
Book of Lismore
The Book of Lismore is a Medieval Irish manuscript.-Overview:The Book of Lismore is an Irish vellum manuscript, compiled in early 15th century, Lismore, Ireland. Its original name was Leabhar Mhic Cárthaigh Riabhaigh...
continues the pedigree by calling Mochta a son of Bresal, son of Siracht, son of Fiacha the Fair. Both Lives substitute Imchada for Mochta and on this basis, Séamus Mac Mathúna argues that they go back to an original which conflates the genealogy of Iarlaithe mac Loga with that of his namesake in Armagh. Dónall Mac Giolla Easpaig
Dónall Mac Giolla Easpaig
Dónall Mac Giolla Easpaig, M.A., is the Chief Placenames Officer in the Placenames Branch in the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs]] in Ireland. He is a leading authority on Irish placenames.-Select bibliography:* "Aspects of variant word order in Early Irish." Ériu 31...
suggests, however, that the saints could refer to one and the same person:
[...] both are given as the third bishop of ArmaghArmaghArmagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh...
[...] placename evidence from the Tuam area would tend to corroborate [this] view [...] the evidence suggests that there was a strong Patrician and, consequently, a strong Armagh influence in the Tuam area from the earliest ChristianChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
period [...] the fact that Iarlaithe was a bishop like Benignus of Kilbennan and Felartus of Donaghpatrick, would further indicate that Tuam [...] would have predated Brendan of Clonfert by almost a century.
St Brendan's Irish Lives
Iarlaithe appears briefly as a prominent figure in the medieval Irish Lives of St Brendan of Clonfert. Brendan is said to have visited Connacht to study under the famous Iarlaithe. One day, when Iarlaithe was in his old age, Brendan advised his mentor to leave the school and to depart in a newly built chariot until its two hind shafts broke, because there would be the place of his resurrection (esséirge) and that of many after him. Because Iarlaithe acknowledged the divinity and superior wisdom of his pupil, saying "take me into thy service for ever and ever", he gladly accepted his advice. His travel did not take him very far, as the shafts broke at Tuaim da Ghualann ("Mound of two shoulders"), that is, at Tuam.Iarlaithe died, "full of days", on the 26th of December, c.540, aged about 90 years old.
In attributing a leading role to St Brendan in the foundation of Tuam, the Lives suggest that the see of Tuam was united with but subordinate to that of Annaghdown
Annaghdown
Annaghdown is a parish in County Galway, Ireland. It takes its name from Eanach Dhúin, Irish for "the marsh of the fort". The village lies around Annaghdown Bay, an inlet of Lough Corrib...
. Tuam achieved the status of the principal see of Connacht only in 1152 at the Synod of Kells-Mellifont
Synod of Kells-Mellifont
The Synod of Kells took place in AD 1152, under the presidency of Cardinal Paparoni, and continued the process begun at the Synod of Rathbreasail of reforming the Irish church...
, while Annaghdown became an independent diocesan seat at the Synod of Dublin in 1192. In this light, the assertion in the Lives has been read as reflecting circumstances in the 12th century.
Foundation of Tuam
John ColganJohn Colgan
John Colgan was an Irish hagiographer and historian.-Life:...
drew up a memoir of the saint in his Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae
Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae
Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae is the abbreviated title of a celebrated work on the Irish saints by the Franciscan, John Colgan . The full title runs as follows: Acta Sanctorum veteris et majoris Scotiae, seu Hiberniae, Sanctorum Insulae, partim ex variis per Europam MSS. codd...
(1645). Iarlaithe is said to have studied under St. Benignus of Kilbannon, disciple of St Patrick.
Afterwards, he founded his first monastery at Cluainfois (Cloonfush
Cloonfush
Cloonfush is a village located approximately 2 miles from Tuam in County Galway, Ireland. It is substantially surrounded by River Clare, which flows into the Corrib. Adjacent villages are Kilmore, Sylane, and Killaloonty....
), near Tuam
Tuam
Tuam is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city.-History:...
, while his principal seat came to be at Tuam. His monastic school is said to have attracted scholars from all parts of 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...
, including such students as St. Brendan
Brendan
Saint Brendan of Clonfert or Bréanainn of Clonfert called "the Navigator", "the Voyager", or "the Bold" is one of the early Irish monastic saints. He is chiefly renowned for his legendary quest to the "Isle of the Blessed," also called St. Brendan's Island. The Voyage of St...
of Ardfert
Ardfert
Ardfert is a village in County Kerry, Ireland. Historically a religious centre, the economy of the locality is driven by agriculture and its position as a dormitory town, being only 8 km from Tralee.-Origin:...
and Saint Colman
Colman of Cloyne
Saint Colmán of Cloyne , also Colmán mac Léníne, was a monk, founder and patron of Cluain Uama, now Cloyne, Co. Cork, Ireland, and one of the earliest known Irish poets to write in the vernacular.-Sources:...
of Cloyne
Cloyne
Cloyne is a small town to the south-east of the town of Midleton in eastern County Cork, Province of Munster, Ireland. It is also a see city of the Anglican Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, while also giving its name to a Roman Catholic diocese...
. On the significance of the place-name Tuam, Dónall Mac Giolla Easpaig remarks that:
the first element in the placename Tuaim Dá Ualann/Ghualann referred to a pagan burial-ground similar to that designated by the second element of Cluain Fearta (see ClonfertClonfertClonfert is a small village in east County Galway, Ireland. It is half way between Ballinasloe and Portumna.Clonfert Cathedral is situated in the village, which is the see of the Diocese of Clonfert.-See also:* List of towns and villages in Ireland...
). If so Tuam offers another example of an early church being built on or near a Pre-ChristianPre-ChristianPre-Christian may mean:*before Christianization**historical polytheism *BC**Classical Antiquity**Iron Age...
sacred site.
Despite his fame, Iarlaithe left Cloonfush to study under Saint Enda of Aran
Enda of Aran
Saint Enda of Aran is an Irish saint in the Roman Catholic Church. His feast day is March 21.-Overview:...
around 495. In the 520s, he retired to Tuam. He chose Tuam because the wheel of his chariot broke there.
Iarlaithe is included in the second order of Irish saints, which implies that he must have lived prior to the year 540.
A poem ascribed to Cuimmín of Coindeire, which is also cited in Ó Cléirigh's Martyrology of Donegal, states that Iarlaithe was known for his generosity and devotion to prayer ("three hundred genuflexions every night, and three hundred genuflexions every day"). In the Martyrology of Donegal, he is credited with having predicted the names of his successors, including those of three 'heretical' bishops and one Máel. Similarly, his hagiography
Hagiography
Hagiography is the study of saints.From the Greek and , it refers literally to writings on the subject of such holy people, and specifically to the biographies of saints and ecclesiastical leaders. The term hagiology, the study of hagiography, is also current in English, though less common...
in the "Great Synaxaristes
Synaxarium
Synaxarion, Synexarion, pl. Synaxaria —Latin: Synaxarium, Synexarium—the name given in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches to a compilation of hagiographies corresponding roughly to the martyrology of the Roman Church.There are two kinds of synaxaria:*Simple...
of the Orthodox Church" records that as a result of his great asceticism
Asceticism
Asceticism describes a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from various sorts of worldly pleasures often with the aim of pursuing religious and spiritual goals...
and devotion to prayer he was granted the gift of prophecy
Spiritual gift
In Christianity, spiritual gifts are endowments given by the Holy Spirit. These are the supernatural graces which individual Christians need to fulfill the mission of the church. They are described in the New Testament, primarily in , , and . also touches on the spiritual gifts...
.
Feast-day
Saint Jarlath's feast day is 6 June, which is the date of the translationTranslation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
of his relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
s to a church specially built in his honour next to the Cathedral of Tuam. His remains were encased in a silver shrine, from which the 13th-century church gained the name Teampul na scrín, that is the "church of the shrine", a perpetual vicarage united to the prebend of Kilmainemore in 1415.
In a note added to the Félire Óengusso and in other martyrologies, Iarlaithe's feast-day is recorded as 25 or 26 December.
Jarlath in the 21st century
The first St. Jarlath's Festival in Tuam, organised by the Energise Tuam community group, was organised for Saturday 7 June 2008. This included a pageant/parade from Tuam CathedralTuam Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Tuam, commonly called Tuam Cathedral, is the cathedral for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tuam in Ireland. The geographic remit of the Archdiocese includes half of County Galway, half of County Mayo and part of County Roscommon...
through the streets of the town, a school's art competition to raise awareness of the saint and local cultural heritage, and street entertainment.
St Jarlath's broken wheel is a heraldic symbol of Tuam, and is included on the crest of many local organisations, including Tuam Town Council.
St. Jarlath Road, a residential street in Cabra
Cabra, Dublin
Cabra is a suburb on the northside of Dublin city in Ireland. It is approximately northwest of the city centre, in the administrative area of Dublin City Council. It was commonly known as Cabragh until the early 20th century.- Transport and access:...
in Dublin 7 is named in his honour.
See also
- School of TuamSchool of TuamThe School of Tuam was founded by St. Jarlath. During the eleventh century, it rivaled Clonmacnoise as the centre of Celtic art.It was founded when St...
- St. Jarlath's CollegeSt. Jarlath's CollegeSt. Jarlath's College is a Roman Catholic secondary school for boys in Tuam, County Galway, Ireland. It is an amalgamation of the former St. Jarlath's College and St...
- Aed Ua Oisin
Primary sources
- Martyrology of Donegal, ed. J.H. Todd and W. Reeves, The Martyrology of Donegal, a calendar of the saints of Ireland. Dublin, 1864. [pp. 348–9 (26 December)]
- Poem ascribed to Cuimmín, ed. and tr. Whitley Stokes, "Cuimmín's poem on the saints of Ireland." ZCP 1 (1897). pp. 59–73.
- Colgan, John. Acta Sanctorum HiberniaeActa Sanctorum HiberniaeActa Sanctorum Hiberniae is the abbreviated title of a celebrated work on the Irish saints by the Franciscan, John Colgan . The full title runs as follows: Acta Sanctorum veteris et majoris Scotiae, seu Hiberniae, Sanctorum Insulae, partim ex variis per Europam MSS. codd...
. Leuven, 1645. 308-10. - The First Irish Life of St Brendan
- ed. and tr. Whitley Stokes, Lives of Saints from the Book of Lismore. Anecdota Oxoniensia, Mediaeval and Modern Series 5. Oxford, 1890. pp. 99–116, 247–61. Based on the Book of LismoreBook of LismoreThe Book of Lismore is a Medieval Irish manuscript.-Overview:The Book of Lismore is an Irish vellum manuscript, compiled in early 15th century, Lismore, Ireland. Its original name was Leabhar Mhic Cárthaigh Riabhaigh...
copy. - ed. and tr. Denis O’Donoghue, Brendaniana. St Brendan the Voyager in Story and Legend. Dublin, 1893. Partial edition and translation, based on the Book of Lismore as well as copies in Paris BNF celtique et basque 1 and BL Egerton 91.
- ed. and tr. Whitley Stokes, Lives of Saints from the Book of Lismore. Anecdota Oxoniensia, Mediaeval and Modern Series 5. Oxford, 1890. pp. 99–116, 247–61. Based on the Book of Lismore
- The Second Irish Life of St Brendan (conflated with the Navigatio). Brussels, Bibliothèque Royale de Belgique 4190–4200 (transcript by Mícheál Ó CléirighMícheál Ó CléirighMícheál Ó Cléirigh , sometimes known as Michael O'Clery, was an Irish chronicler, scribe and antiquary and chief author of the Annals of the Four Masters, assisted by Cú Choigcríche Ó Cléirigh, Fearfeasa Ó Maol Chonaire, and Peregrinus Ó Duibhgeannain.-Background and early life:Grandson of Tuathal...
)- ed. and tr. Charles Plummer, Bethada náem nÉrenn. Lives of the Irish saints. Oxford: Clarendon, 1922. Vol. 1. pp. 44–95; vol. 2, 44–92.
- Great SynaxaristesSynaxariumSynaxarion, Synexarion, pl. Synaxaria —Latin: Synaxarium, Synexarium—the name given in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches to a compilation of hagiographies corresponding roughly to the martyrology of the Roman Church.There are two kinds of synaxaria:*Simple...
of the Orthodox Church: Ὁ Ἅγιος Ζαρλάθιος Ἐπίσκοπος Τούαμ Ἰρλανδίας. 6 Ιουνίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
Secondary sources
Originally in The Catholic Encyclopedia (1910). Vol .8. New York: Robert Appleton Company.- Charles-Edwards, T.M. (2007). "Connacht, saints of (act. c.400–c.800)." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press, Sept 2004: Jan 2007. Accessed: 14 Dec 2008.
- Mac Giolla Easpaig, DónallDónall Mac Giolla EaspaigDónall Mac Giolla Easpaig, M.A., is the Chief Placenames Officer in the Placenames Branch in the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs]] in Ireland. He is a leading authority on Irish placenames.-Select bibliography:* "Aspects of variant word order in Early Irish." Ériu 31...
(1996). "Early Ecclesiastical Settlement Names of County Galway." In: Galway: History and Society. Interdisciplinary essays on the history of an Irish county, ed. Gerard Moran. Dublin: Geography Publications. pp. 795–815 - Mac Mathúna, Séamus (2006). "The Irish Life of Saint Brendan: Textual History, Structure and Date." In The Brendan Legend. Texts and versions, ed. Glyn Burgess and Clara Strijbosch. Leiden, Boston: Brill. 117-58.
Further reading
- Ó Riain, P. (ed.). Corpus Genealogiarum Sanctorum Hiberniae. Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, Dublin 1985. p. 26, line 150.