Sunday 12 July 2015

Saint Colmán of Clonpriest, July 12

July 12 is the feast of a County Cork saint, Colmán of Clonpriest. He shares his feast day with a neighbouring Saint Ultán. In his entry below from The Lives of the Irish Saints, Canon O'Hanlon spends some time discussing possible locations where this saint flourished, but I have accepted Pádraig Ó Riain's location of Bruchais as Clonpriest, County Cork, which is not one of the possibilities listed by O'Hanlon:


St. Colman, Priest, of Cluain Bruchais.

In the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 12th of July, we find the simple entry, Colman, Bruicisi. It is stated by O'Clery, that this saint was Colman, son of Lughaidh, son to Aenghus, son of Nadfraech. This Aenghus was King of Minister and of Caiseal. The same authority states, that the present saint was venerated at Cluain Bruchais, but we are not informed where it had been situated. There is a townland Clonbrick, in the parish of Clonlea, barony of Tulla Lower and county of Clare; as also Clonbrick, in the parish of Solloghodmore, barony of Clanwilliam, and county of Tipperary. There is a Clonbrock (Upper and Lower), in the parish of Clonsast, barony of Coolestown, and King's County; there is a Clonbrock, in the parish of Killabban, barony of Slievmargy and Queen's County; there are two Clonbrocks, in the barony of Kilconnell, and county of Galway. One of the latter is in Ahascragh, and the other in Fohanagh parish. These are the only denominations discoverable on the Maps of Ireland, as likely to correspond with Cluain Bruchais. The Martyrology of Donegal records this saint at the same date, but somewhat differently from that of Tallagh, by calling him Colman, Priest, of Cluain Bruchais. The Bollandists, likewise, enter  Colman, with the addition of Brucais, at the 12th day of July.

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