Lasrén of Iona
Encyclopedia
Lasrén mac Feradaig or Lasrén of Iona (d. 605) was the third abbot of Iona (c.600-605), in succession to Baíthéne
. Lasrén worked during the abbacy of St Columba
and administered the monastery
of Durrow for the saint in the years before attaining Iona. Like Baíthéne before him, he was a kinsman of Columba from the royal dynasty of the Cenél Conaill
. His father, Feradach (or Fergus), was a cousin of the saint.
Lasrén first appears in Adomnán's Life of St Columba as one of Columba's close companions as he travelled through Ardnamurchan
in Argyll, perhaps in 572. Later, when he had been appointed prior of Columba's monastery at Durrow (Co. Offaly, in the midlands of Ireland), which was probably founded in the 580s or 590s, he is said to have overseen the building works there. Columba, himself at Iona, started to weep, having learned through his visionary power that Lasrén was wearing out the monks as they erected a large building. Suddenly “as if kindled with an inward fire”, Lasrén suspended all labour for the rest of the day, gave the monks a meal and would do the same on similar occasions in the future. For that reason, Columba ceased to weep and blessed Laisrén as “the consoler of the monks” (monachorum consulator). Lasrén appears to have been remembered as a benevolent man, but the story is also likely to have been designed to show that Lasrén was destined for the abbacy of Iona.
The Annals of Ulster record his death in 605. According to the Martyrology of Tallaght
, his feast-day was observed on 16 September. The fifth abbot of Iona, Ségéne, was a nephew of Lasrén and Cumméne a great-nephew.
Baithéne mac Brénaind
Baithéne mac Brénaind was an Irish monk, specially selected by St. Columba as one of the band of missionaries who set sail for what is now Scotland in 563....
. Lasrén worked during the abbacy of St Columba
Columba
Saint Columba —also known as Colum Cille , Colm Cille , Calum Cille and Kolban or Kolbjørn —was a Gaelic Irish missionary monk who propagated Christianity among the Picts during the Early Medieval Period...
and administered the monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
of Durrow for the saint in the years before attaining Iona. Like Baíthéne before him, he was a kinsman of Columba from the royal dynasty of the Cenél Conaill
Cenél Conaill
The Cenél Conaill is the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history. They were also known in Scotland as the Kindred of Saint Columba....
. His father, Feradach (or Fergus), was a cousin of the saint.
Lasrén first appears in Adomnán's Life of St Columba as one of Columba's close companions as he travelled through Ardnamurchan
Ardnamurchan
Ardnamurchan is a peninsula in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, noted for being very unspoilt and undisturbed. Its remoteness is accentuated by the main access route being a single track road for much of its length.-Geography:...
in Argyll, perhaps in 572. Later, when he had been appointed prior of Columba's monastery at Durrow (Co. Offaly, in the midlands of Ireland), which was probably founded in the 580s or 590s, he is said to have overseen the building works there. Columba, himself at Iona, started to weep, having learned through his visionary power that Lasrén was wearing out the monks as they erected a large building. Suddenly “as if kindled with an inward fire”, Lasrén suspended all labour for the rest of the day, gave the monks a meal and would do the same on similar occasions in the future. For that reason, Columba ceased to weep and blessed Laisrén as “the consoler of the monks” (monachorum consulator). Lasrén appears to have been remembered as a benevolent man, but the story is also likely to have been designed to show that Lasrén was destined for the abbacy of Iona.
The Annals of Ulster record his death in 605. According to the Martyrology of Tallaght
Martyrology of Tallaght
The Martyrology of Tallaght, which is closely related to the Félire Oengusso or Martyrology of Óengus the Culdee, is an eighth- or ninth-century martyrology, a list of saints and their feast days assembled by Máel Ruain and/or Óengus the Culdee at Tallaght Monastery, near Dublin...
, his feast-day was observed on 16 September. The fifth abbot of Iona, Ségéne, was a nephew of Lasrén and Cumméne a great-nephew.