the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Encyclopedias
Comgall (or Congall)
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or Comgall (or Congall)
is the name of several early Irish saints:
1. An abbot of Bangor, commemorated May 10. He was one of the most prominent leaders of monasticism in Ireland, and is said to have had three thousand monks under him at one time in various affiliated houses. His parents were Setna or Sedna, and Brig or Briga, and he was born about A.D. 517. After teaching for some years, he founded, in 558, his great monastery at Bangor, County. Down, Ireland, to which multitudes flocked. Comgall drew up for it and kindred institutions a rule which was one of the most famous in Ireland. His most noted disciples at Bangor were Cormac, son' of Diarmaid and king of South Leinster, and St. Columbanus (q.v.). While on a visit to Scotland, he founded a monastery in Heth. Comgall died at Bangor on May 10, 602, and was buried there. In 824 the Danes plundered the city and abbey, and, breaking openi his shrine, scattered the contents to the four winds (see Reeves, Eccl. Hist. pages 93-95, 152-154, and Adamnan, pages 213, 317; Ussher. Eccl. Antiq. c. 17, in Works, 6:473 sq.). Comngall is commemorated in the Scotch calendars, but Camerarius places him on Jan. 2, and suggests a Scotch Bangor. See Lanigan, Fccl. Hist. of Ireland, 2, c.,10; Todd and Reeves, Mart. Doneg. page 123; Butler, Lives of the Saints, 5:195 sq.; Forbes, Kal. of Scott. Saints, pages 108-110.
2. Son of Eochaidh, commemorated September 4. His monastery was at Both-conais, in Inis-Eoghan. He is said to have received this monastery from St. Cialnan of Duleek. He belongs to the 8th century (Todd and Reeves, Mart. Doneg. page 237; Lanigan. Eccl. Hist. of Ireland, 1:345; 3:162).
3. Of Gobhal-linin, commemorated July 28. His monastery was at what is now Galloon. On July 27, Butler (Lives of the Saints, 7:425) gives a short memoir of St. Congall, abbot of Jabhualhini.
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McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Comgall (or Congall)'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/c/comgall-or-congall.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
