Ardfinnan

History

Saint Declán journeyed through here in the early 5th century on his famous early-christian pilgrimage route from his monastery at Ardmore to Cashel, “Saint Declan’s Way”. The ford in the Suir where the bridge is now was one of the most important waypoints for pilgrims. 19th century sources claimed the original name of the place was Druim-abhradh, meaning ridge-edge or ridge-brow. It is traditionally believed that Saint Fíonán Lobhar (or Finnian the Leper) founded an abbey, with a leper colony here in the 6th century, high up behind the site of the now present castle, known as Ard Brennuin and later Ard Finnan in his namesake, where the village gets its name. The 10th-century text Litany of Irish Saints II refers to it as “de muntir Fhinnio i nAird Brendomnaig” and closely means “monastery of Finnian on the hill of Brennuin”. Saint Finnian's Church of Ireland church and graveyard sits on what is believed to be his monastic settlement. In c.631 AD the exiled Saint Carthage and his large cohort of 800 monks, plus laity, travelled south in search of refuge, arriving at Ard Breanuinn on the bank of the river Suir. They were confronted by King Maolochtair of the Déisi and his noblemen to refute the ownership of the land. Afterwards, the King's wife (a daughter of the King of Munster) had a dream which she recalled to him upon waking:"a flock of very beautiful birds flying above her head and one bird was more beautiful and larger than the rest.  The other birds followed this one and it nestled in the king's bosom". The King replied:  "Woman you have dreamed a good dream and soon it will be realised; the flock of birds you have seen is Mochuda (Saint Carthage)" "with his monks coming from Rahen and the most distinguished bird is Mochuda himself.  And the settling in…