Comgall was born between 510 and 520 A.D in Ireland’s Dal Riada district along the north-east of Co. Antrim. He was the son of Sedna, a soldier and Comgall followed his father’s footsteps for a while. He soon changed direction, embracing the Christian life, and trained as a monk with St. Fintan at Clonenagh in Co Laois. Comgall received training from other spiritual gurus as well. For example, he studied with St. Finian at Clonard, and with St. Ciarán at Clonmacnois, who died in 549. He was also influenced by St, Brendan, and St. Finnian of Moville. Finally, Comgall was ordained a priest by an influential Bishop Lugidius of Clonmacnois. From there he went from strength to strength…
St. Comgall began living an austere life on an island in Lough Erne, with a band of brothers. In 552 he founded the famous monastery with his band on brothers at Bangor, Co Down. The monastic life was rigorous and demanding, fostering strong bonds of brotherhood. Bangor became the largest monastic centre in Ireland a population of 3,000 or more. Comgall had many notable students and visitors. For example, he taught St. Lua and St. Columban. His close disciple, St. Columban, went on to become a senior lecturer at Bangor monastery, before setting out with his twelve disciples from Bangor on ‘’peregrinatio pro Christo’’. Comgall was also afforded visits from royalty. According to historian Alfred Webb, the King Cormac of Hy Kinsellagh, retired to the monastery at Bangor in his old age.
Comgall combined the austerity of St. Fintan with the academic focus of St. Finian. Comgall’s ascetic Rule for his monks; “Love Christ and hate wealth” was the essence of their practice. Comgall lived by this rule, eating just one meal a day. Another element to Comgall’s teaching was his council to have an ‘’anamchara’’ or spiritual director.
After about eight years from the establishment of the Bangor monastery, Comgall went to Scotland and visited the Pictish King Bruide of Inverness with Colmcille and Canice. Comgall founded a monastery on the island of Tiree in Scotland, which suffered attack by the Picts in 564.
With St. Comgall, you would have either a blessing or a curse. For example, when some thieves stole the monastery’s vegetables, and they became blind. But with one repentant thief, he healed his blindness. Comgall is also said to have spat into a beggar’s pocket, where a gold ring suddenly appeared. Then there was the case of the stingy farmer who snubbed the monks plea to have some grain, and this denied grain was later devoured by mice.
Towards the end of his life, after intense suffering Comgall received the Eucharist from St. Fiacra and expired in the monastery at Bangor. Comgall’s death occurred in 602 according to the “Annals of Tighernach” and “Chronicon Scotorum”. His relics remained in Bangor until 822, when they were scattered by Viking raiders. His memory is celebrated by the church on the 10th of May.
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