Saint Fintan was born in Leinster

Leinster

Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...

. He received his religious formation in Terryglass

Terryglass

Terryglass is a village in North Tipperary, Ireland. The village is located on the R493 regional road on the north-eastern shore of Lough Derg near where the River Shannon enters the Lough. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Ormond Lower. It is also an Ecclesiastical parish in the...

, Co. Tipperary under the 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...

 Colum mac Crimthainn, and was deeply influenced by his penitential practices and the severity of the Rule. Fintan made his own foundation in Clonenagh, Co. Laois. He died in 603. His feast day is on February 17.

His disciples included St Colmán of Oughaval

Oughaval (County Laois)

Oughaval , County Laois, Ireland, sometimes called Oakvale, is a townland within the present day parish of Stradbally and is the site of a sixth century monastic settlement.-Monastery:...

. Though he is sometimes confused with Saint Fintán or Munnu, abbot of Taghmon, they are distinct.

Further reading

• Catholic Encyclopedia
• Millar, Seamus. "St Fintan of Clonenagh." Carloviana: Journal of the Old Carlow Society 1:22 (1973): 10-12. RHS record.
• Sperber, Ingrid. "'Late and not of special distinction'? The misunderstood Life of St Fintan of Clonenagh". In Ossory, Laois and Leinster 1 (2004): pp. 28–49. ISSN 1649-4938. RHS record.