Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 11.djvu/445

 makes Comgall belong to the 'catholic priests,' or second order of the Celtic church: that is, to the period of St. Columba and the Brendans, 543-99 A.D. ( ap. Haddan and Stubbs, ii. pt. ii. 292-3). Comgall's name occurs at the same date in the Drummond Missal (11th or 12th cent.?), but, strangely enough, it is omitted in several of the calendars published by Bishop Forbes (, Lit. of Celt. Ch. pref. pp. ii, iv, 14;, Cal. of Scot. Saints ad diem). On the other hand, this saint is entered in the Stowe Missal (early 11th century), and in the martyrology of Tamlacht (Stowe Missal, ap., pp. 98, 238, 240; A. SS. 579).

Comgall must thus have lived in the latter half of the sixth century, and his memory was preserved in every century from the seventh to the twelfth. At this last date his monastery of Bangor was in ruins, but St. Bernard even then knew that Comgall had founded it, and that St. Columbanus had been one of his disciples here. Jocelin, a few years later, commemorates a still more striking tradition, which he may have derived from the 'Acta Comgalli' to which he refers ( in Vit. Mal. c. 6; in Vit. Patricii, cxi. 561, ap. A.SS. March 17). The handwriting of the earliest manuscript life of Comgall seems to date from the next century, the thirteenth, but there can be little doubt that the legends or history contained in this life reach back to a much earlier period. (, Catalogue, i. 164).

According to his anonymous biographers, Comgall was a native of Dalraidia in Ulster. 'Hence,' says, Dr. Reeves, 'he was a Pict by birth.' His father's name was Sethna, one of the prince of Dalraidia's warriors; his mother's Brigh or Briga. According to the testimony of almost all the Irish annals, his birth must be placed between 510 and 520. His birth (at Magheramorne in Antrim), according to the current legend, was foretold by Macnesius, bishop of Connor (ap. . 3 Sept. 10 May). His early days were spent in military service, from which, however, he was soon released by the prince of Dalraidia, who perceived his call to a spiritual life (Vit. ii. ap. .) After studying letters in his own neighbourhood for a time, he withdrew to the monastery of St. Finian at Clonenagh, who, however, seems to have been born later than his illustrious pupil (ib. i. and ii. with which cf. Dict. of Chr. Biog. ii. 519, according to which Clonenagh was founded about 548 A.D.) Here he stayed for several years before passing on to St. Ciaran's foundation at Clonmacnois, where he likewise remained some time ( Vit. ii.) As St. Ciaran died in 549, we are here involved in a chronological difficulty, more especially if we may trust Dr. Reeves's statement that Comgall, in company with St. Columba and St. Cainnech, was a pupil of St. Finian's at Clonard, and of Mobhi Clairenach at Glasnevin in or before 544 A.D. (Life of St. Columba, pref. xxxv).

On leaving St. Ciaran, Comgall returned to his own country, was ordained deacon and priest by a bishop named Lugidus, and perambulated his native land preaching. He is next found on an island 'quæ dicitur custodiaria' on Lough Erne with a few companions, many of whom the strictness of his rule killed. He was dissuaded from passing over to Britain by the prayers of Lugidus and others, and was content to satisfy his zeal for religion by the foundation of many cells or monasteries in his own country. Of these the most famous was that of Bangor, near the bay of Carrickfergus (Vita, i. ii.) According to the Irish Annals, this latter must have been tounded about 552 A.D. or earlier. Ussher, however, would refer this event to 555 A.D. or 559 A.D., and most modern scholars have practically accepted his decision (558 A.D.) (, 494-5; with which cf. the various annals sub 602, 601, &c.) From Adamnan we learn that St. Columba and Comgall used to pay each other frequent visits, and that the latter was acquainted with St. Cainnech, St. Brendan, and St. Cormac, in whose company he received the Eucharist from Columba in Henba (Vita Col. i. c. 85, iii. cc. 14, 18). In the second life of Comgall we find that he was Columba's companion on his famous visit to the Pictish king Brude (cf., ii. c. 36). Other friends were Finbarr of Moyville (Vita, ii. 26), St. Lugidus of Clonfert, whom Comgall called from feeding the flocks (A.SS. 4 Aug.), and St. Coemgen (3 June). To this list the 'Dictionary of Christian Biography' adds many other names (i. 608-9). A distinguished penitent who came to spend his last days with Comgall at Bangor was Cormac, the son of Diarmed, king of Kinsellach (south-east of Leinster) (Vita Com. ii. 40; cf. Vit. Fintan, 17 Feb. c. 20). On two occasions we find Comgall practising a very ancient Irish custom: 'Then came St. Comgall to the fort Trachin, and fasted there against the king that night' (Vit. ii. 42, with which cf. 44, and, Early Institutions, p. 41, &c.) Towards the close of his life Comgall is said to have suffered extreme tortures. He received the Eucharist from St. Fiachra, and died on 10 May (Vita i.), in the eightieth year of his age, according to the author of 'Vita ii.' The Irish Annals are all agreed in making him die on this day of the month, but they differ as regards the year. The