The Twelve Apostles of Ireland were a group of twelve monastic leaders who spread Christianity far and wide. They led expeditions throughout the island, and then out into the wider world: to return the faith first to the Picts, then the rest of Great Britain, and then onto the continent. The Western Roman Empire had fallen to the barbarians, and with it went the scholarly traditions of the empire. The power and influence of the Pope in Rome had also crumbled with the empire: the great city was reduced to a shell of its former glory, and he was reduced to little more than a pastor for those few struggling to hold onto their faith. But from beyond the edges of the old empire came the Irish monks, bringing literature and all of its civilizing attributes along with their faith. This story is told by Thomas Cahill in his book, How the Irish Saved Civilization.

The Twelve Apostles of Ireland had one thing in common: they all studied under Finnian at his famous monastic school at Clonard Abbey. It is said that at its height, the abbey had 3,000 scholars under instruction! It was the greatest center of learning in all of western Europe at the time.

Finnian was born into a royal family of Leinster, and baptized at an early age. He studied under the Bishop of Trim, before moving on to the monastic center at Tours in Gaul and then the monastery of Cadoc the Wise at Llancarfan in Wales. After many years of study, he returned to his native land.

Finnian first came to the king of Leinster, who granted him a site at Aghowie to found a church. He soon moved on to Skellig Michael, an island off the coast of Kerry, where he founded a monastic community. Finally, according to tradition, he was led by an angel to Clonard on the River Boyne, just up river from his boyhood home at Trim. The angel told him that this would be the place of his resurrection.

At first, Finnian built only a little cell for himself and a church; but the fame of his great learning and inspirational preaching soon spread throughout the island. Scholars from every station in life came to learn at his feet. He established a traditional monastery based on the rules of the early Christian Desert Fathers, which he had experienced in Wales. These rules were strict, and demanded piety, virtue and asceticism. Still the pupils came, attracted by Finnian’s extraordinary lectures.

The school at Clonard continued to be renowned as a seat of learning, turning out scholars for centuries after Finnian’s death. His influence on all of western Europe has echoed down through history.

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