Colman of Mullingar
Encyclopedia
Saint Colmán mac Luacháin was an early Irish abbot (fl. 7th century), founder and patron saint of Lann (Lynn, Co. Westmeath).
The name of the saint's foundation, Lann (in full Lann mic Lúacháin), represents the early Irish word lann meaning "(piece of) land, church". The word is attested in at least two further placenames for church sites associated with namesakes of the saint: (1) Lann Elo (Lynally), the church of Colmán Elo; and (2) Lann Mocholmóc, the church of St Mocholmóc, a pet form of the name Colmán.
A Middle Irish Life was written for him in the 12th century, possibly soon after 1122, which is preserved in a single manuscript kept in the Rennes
Library in Brittany
. According to the Annals of Ulster
, the 22nd of March (Spy Wednesday) in 1122 was the day when the saint's shrine was discovered in the burial place of Lann. Kuno Meyer
, who edited the Life, suggests that this event may have prompted the composition of the text shortly after 1122 and also argues that there are linguistic grounds for assigning the text to the 12th century. The frequent use of such locational adverbs as sund ("here") seem to indicate that the Life was also written at Lann. Colmán hardly ever appears in sources other than his Lives, two late martyrologies (see below) and a list of Irish homonyms.
Both prose and verse appear to have been written by the same author and there is no indication that the work draws on earlier versions in either Irish or Latin, unlike many other Irish saints' Lives produced about the time. James Carney regards the Life as "so extravagant that it is something approaching a satire", akin to Aislinge Meic Con Glinne
. Clichés of the hagiographic genre, such as demonstrations of the saint's authority through pious behaviour and miracle-working, are exaggerated to absurd effect. There is also a modernised version of this Life, known as Betha Colmáin Lainne ("Life of Colmán of Lynn").
Colmán is not included in the Félire Óengusso, even though his Life pretends to cite the work to this effect, but the Martyrologies of Donegal and Gorman give his feastday at 17 June.
The name of the saint's foundation, Lann (in full Lann mic Lúacháin), represents the early Irish word lann meaning "(piece of) land, church". The word is attested in at least two further placenames for church sites associated with namesakes of the saint: (1) Lann Elo (Lynally), the church of Colmán Elo; and (2) Lann Mocholmóc, the church of St Mocholmóc, a pet form of the name Colmán.
A Middle Irish Life was written for him in the 12th century, possibly soon after 1122, which is preserved in a single manuscript kept in the Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
Library in Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
. According to 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...
, the 22nd of March (Spy Wednesday) in 1122 was the day when the saint's shrine was discovered in the burial place of Lann. Kuno Meyer
Kuno Meyer
Kuno Meyer was a German scholar, distinguished in the field of Celtic philology and literature. His pro-German stance at the start of World War I while traveling in the United States was a source of controversy.-Biography:...
, who edited the Life, suggests that this event may have prompted the composition of the text shortly after 1122 and also argues that there are linguistic grounds for assigning the text to the 12th century. The frequent use of such locational adverbs as sund ("here") seem to indicate that the Life was also written at Lann. Colmán hardly ever appears in sources other than his Lives, two late martyrologies (see below) and a list of Irish homonyms.
Both prose and verse appear to have been written by the same author and there is no indication that the work draws on earlier versions in either Irish or Latin, unlike many other Irish saints' Lives produced about the time. James Carney regards the Life as "so extravagant that it is something approaching a satire", akin to Aislinge Meic Con Glinne
Aislinge Meic Con Glinne
Aislinge Meic Con Glinne is a Middle Irish tale of anonymous authorship, generally believed to have been written in the late 11th/early 12th century...
. Clichés of the hagiographic genre, such as demonstrations of the saint's authority through pious behaviour and miracle-working, are exaggerated to absurd effect. There is also a modernised version of this Life, known as Betha Colmáin Lainne ("Life of Colmán of Lynn").
Colmán is not included in the Félire Óengusso, even though his Life pretends to cite the work to this effect, but the Martyrologies of Donegal and Gorman give his feastday at 17 June.
Primary sources
- Betha Colmáin maic Lúacháin ("Life of Colman son of Luachán"), ed. Kuno MeyerKuno MeyerKuno Meyer was a German scholar, distinguished in the field of Celtic philology and literature. His pro-German stance at the start of World War I while traveling in the United States was a source of controversy.-Biography:...
, "Betha Colmáin maic Lúacháin: The Life of Colmán Son of Luachan." Todd Lecture Series 17. Dublin and London, 1911. Edition and translation available from CELT; PDF available from the Internet Archive. - Betha Colmáin Lainne ("Life of Colmán of Lynn"), tr. Kuno Meyer, ed. Leo Daly, Life Of Colmán Of Lynn. Betha Colmáin Lainne. Dublin, 1999.