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Home > Catholic Encyclopedia > R > School of Ross


SCHOOL OF ROSS

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The School of Ross — now called Ross-Carbery, but formerly Ross-Ailithir from
the large number of monks and students who flocked to its halls from all over
Europe — was founded by St. Fachtna, who is generally regarded as the same who
founded the Diocese of Kilfenora, for the feast in both cases is kept on 14
August; and in both the saint's descent is traced to the princely race of Corca
Laighde. Fachtna was born at a place called Tulachteann, and died at the early
age of forty-six, in what year we cannot say, but probably late in the sixth
century, and is buried in his own cathedral church at Ross. Like many other
great Irish saints, he received his first lessons in piety from St. Ita of
Killeedy, the Brigid of Munster, from whose care he passed, according to some
writers, to St. Finnbar's seminary at Loch Eirce, near Cork. He founded the
monastery Molana, on the little island of Dririnis in the Blackwater, not far
from the town of Youghal. Returning to his native territory, he set about a more
important foundation on a rocky promontory situated in the midst of woods and
green fields between two lovely bays. This was the monastic School of Ross,
called in the "Life of St. Mochoemoc", magnum studium scholarium, for it quickly
became famous for its study of Sacred Scripture, and the attention given to all
the branches of a liberal education. One of the assistant teachers was St.
Brendan the Navigator, whom Fachtna had known and loved as a companion when
under the care of St. Ita. An old document quoted by Usher represents Brendan as
being at Ross in 540. While engaged in teaching here, St. Fachtna was stricken
with total blindness. On appealing to God in his distress, he was directed by an
angel to make application to Nessa, the sister of St. Ita, who was about to
become the mother of St. Mochoemoc. Fachtna did as he was directed and his sight
was miraculously restored. Fachtna, it is generally thought by the best
authorities, received episcopal orders, and became the first Bishop of Ross. He
is sometimes called Facundus, in allusion to his eloquence, to which, as well as
to his sanctity, unmistakable testimony is borne by St. Cuimin of Connor. Cuimin
describes him as "the generous and steadfast, who loved to address assembled
crowds and never spoke aught that was base and displeasing to God".



His immediate successor in the School of Ross was St. Conall, and we read also
of a St. Finchad, a former schoolmate at Loch Eirce. Both were probably
tribesmen of his own, for we are told that he was succeeded by twenty-seven
bishops of his own tribe, whose names unfortunately have not been preserved.
Under several ninth-century dates we find in the Four Masters reference to the
abbots of the School of Ross; and under date 840 we are told that the
institution was ravaged by the Danes. Once only in the two centuries that
followed is there mention of a bishop, Neachtan MacNeachtain whose death is set
down under date 1085. In all other references to Ross the word airchinnect is
used, as if showing that the government of the school had fallen into the hands
of laymen, who no doubt employed ecclesiastics to perform the spiritual duties
and functions. Nevertheless the School must have continued to flourish, for we
read under date 866—according to the "Chronicon Scotorum", 868—of the death of
Feargus who is described as a celebrated scribe and anchorite of Ross-Ailithir.
But more remarkable evidence still of the extent and variety of the literary
work done at Ross is furnished by the geographical poem in the Irish language
still extant, composed by MacCosse or Ferlegind, a lecturer at this school, and
used no doubt as a text-book in the different classes. When we. take into
account the period at which MacCosse lived, his geographical treatise may fairly
be thought one of the most accurate and interesting of its kind that has ever
yet been written. Of the later history of the School we have but few details,
but mention of the native spoiler is not missing in them. In 1127, according to
the "Chronicon Scotorum", one Toirdhealbach O Conor sailed to Ross-Ailithir and
laid waste the land of Desmond. He was followed by the Anglo-Normans under
FitzStephen, who towards the close of the century completed the devastation. All
record of this ancient seat of learning is then lost.




SOURCES

COLGAN, Acta SS.; O'HANLON, Lives of the Irish Saints, 14 August; OLDEN in
Proceedings of Royal Irish Academy (Jan.1884); HEALY Ireland's Ancient Schools
and Scholars (5th ed.).


ABOUT THIS PAGE

APA citation. Healy, J. (1912). School of Ross. In The Catholic Encyclopedia.
New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13202a.htm

MLA citation. Healy, John. "School of Ross." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 13.
New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912.
<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13202a.htm>.

Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by Joseph E.
O'Connor.

Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. February 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, D.D.,
Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.

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