In a message dated 9/10/00 1:15:49 PM GMT Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
> * Finnian of Moville, bishop (c. 579)
> - as a young monk in Strathclyde, he attracted the love of a
> Pictish princess who was made ill by his saintly indifference; he
> eventually matched her with a more suitable candidate; like S. Frigidian
> (or Frediano) of Lucca, he changed the course of a river by prayer, so
> that a mill could be built close to his monastery
To set the record straight: the preface to the hymn 'Parce Domine'; Liber
Hymnorum, i, p.22, says that the princess Drusticc was sent for reading
lessons to magister Mugint at Whithorn, where Finnian and his companions were
also students. There she developed a passion for one of Finnian's companions,
Rioc, and made a deal with Finnian to trade him her library books for the
lad. Finnian, however, tricked her by sending to her another of his
companions, Talmach, under cover of darkness, masquerading as Rioc. The
product of this tryst was St Lonan.
'Uennianus' of Columbanus, 'Uenniaus' of the earliest Irish penitential,
'episcopus Finnianus' of Cuimi/ne ailbe, and the 'Findbarrus episcopus',
'Uinnianus episcopus' and 'episcopus Finnio' of Adomna/n are all probably
this saint, who Dumville considered to be British in origin, and identical
with Finnian of Clonard ('Gildas and Uinniau', in _Gildas, new approaches_,
1984).
There are several Scottish dedications, including Kirkgunzeon in
Kirkcudbright, and Kilwinning in Ayrshire.
Henry Gough-Cooper
visit the Scottish Place-Name Society website at
http://www.st-and.ac.uk/institutes/sassi/spns/index.htm
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