The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-07-01

study the science of the saints in this
remote school of the West Before
the arrival of ST. Enda, Aran Nor and
the neighboring islands had long been
occupied by a remnant of the ancient
Firbolg race, who, driven from the
mainland, built themselves rude fort
resses in the strongest points of the
islands, the barbaric ruins Of which
still excite wonder. Their descendants
were still pagans at the close of the
fifth century, when ST. Enda first
dared to land upon their shores, seek
ing, like SO many of the saints of his
time, "a desert in the ocean, The
inhabitants of the island at this time
were the remnants of great prehis-
tOric people, whose works, even in
their ruins, will outlive the monuments
of later and more civilized peoples.
Side by side with these magnificent
remains of pagan architecture are now
to be seen the remains of the churches
and cells of Enda and his followers,
making the isles of Aran the most
holy, as they are the most interesting
spots, within the wide bounds of
Britain's insular empire.
Saint Enda having obtained, through
the influence Of st. Ailbe of Emily, a
grant of the island of Aran from
Aengus, King of Cashel, who, it ap-
pears, did not know of such an island,
FASTENED from Cashel to Aran, and
Immediately set about building a
monastery, in which he governed one
hundred and fifty monks, according to
the strictest rules Of monastic disci-
lpline. Enda was of the illustrious
family of the Princes of OVgiel and
son of Conal of Clogher, perhaps hav-
ling been born at or near that place:
according to some accounts he was
lbrother-in-laW to King Aengus, who is
said to have been married to his sis
tier, Dairine. The resort of so many
celebrated persons to his monastery,
and the mention of his name in the
calendars and martyrologies, show
that he was a saint both eminent and
highly respected. 1t does not appear
that he retained higher dignity than
that of abbot; it is likely that he
/ founded the monastery about the year
480. The festival of this eminent
saint is fixed at the 21st of March
and his death is assigned to the year
$40.
Tradition tells us that Enda came
first across the North Sound from
Garomna Island, on the coast of Con
nemara, and landed in the little bay at
Aran Nor, under the village of Kill
leany, to which he has given his name,
land near which he founded his first
monastery. The fame of his austere
sanctity soon spread throughout Erin,
and attracted religious men from all
parts of the country. Among the first
who came to visit Enda's Island sane
tuary was the celebrated st. Brendan-
the Navigator, as he is called-Who
was then revolving in his mind his
great project of discovering the prom
lSed land beyond the western main.
He came to consult Enda, and seek
his blessing for the prosperous execu-
ton of his daring purpose. Thither
| too, came Finnian of Clonard himself
the Tutor of the Saints of Erin" to
drink in heavenly wisdom from the
lips of blessed Enda, for Enda seems
to have been the senior Of all these
saints of the second order, and he was
| loved and reverenced by them all as
a father. Clonard was a great college,
but Aran of Enda was the greatest
sanctuary and nursery of holiness
Throughout all the land of Erin
Here, also, we find Columcille, who
| had not yet quite schooled Mis- fiery
spirit to the patient endurance of in
justice or insult. He came in his cur
rach, with the scholars belt and book
satchel, to learn divine wisdom in this
remote school of the sea- He took
ibis turn at grinding the corn, and
Iherding the sheep, and fishing in the
bay; he studied the Latin version of
the Scriptures, and learned from
Enda's lips the virtues of a true monk
as practiced by the saints and fathers
of the desert, and he saw it exempli-
fed in the daily life and godly CONVEX
satfon of the blessed Enda himself
and of the holy companions who shared
his studies and his labors.
Reluctantly did Columcille leave the
sacred isle, and we know, from a
poem he has left. how dearly he loved
Aran Nor, and how bitterly he sor-
rowed when the "Son of God" called
him away from that beloved island to
preach beyond the seas. He calls it,
"Aran the Sun of all the West" an
other pilgrims Rome, under whose
Ipure earth he would as soon be buried
as nigh to the graves of Saints Peter
and Paul. With Columcille at Aran
was also the gentle Ciaran, the car
Ipenter's son." and the best beloved of
Jail the disciples of st. Enda. And
when Ciaran, too, was called away by
God, to found his own great monas.
terry by the banks of the Shannon, we
are told that Enda and his monks
came with him to the beach, whilst
their eyes were dim with tears and
sorrow filled their hearts. And the
young and gentle Ciaran, having got
his abbots blessing, entered his cur
rach and sailed away for the main
land
There is, indeed, hardly single one
of the saints of the second order
called the Twelve Apostles of Erin
who did not spend some time in Aran.
1t was for them the novitiate of their
religious life. st. Jarlath of Tuam,
nearly as old as Enda himself; ST.