Ulster & St. Comgall of Bangor
I was very pleased to find the following book in Dover Public Lending Library this afternoon, and have taken it out:
'Ulster in the Age of Saint Comgall of Bangor: A Study of Sixth-Century Christianity in the North of Ireland' by Martin Sheane, published 2004, ISBN 0 7223 3599-7, price: ?7.99, 128 pages, paperback published by Arthur H. Stockwell Ltd., Torrs Park, Ilfracombe, Devon UK.
Saint Comgall was born on the banks of Larne Lough at Magheramourne on the east coast of Ulster in present day County Antrim. The monastery he founded at Bangor became world famous and, at his death, numbered over 3,000 students. There are no ruins there today, but the author states that the presence of God still lives on at the site of the great monastery which was once known as "The Light of the World".
This fascinating book answers the questions: why did Comgall build his great monastery at Bangor? How did Comgall carry on relations with the tribes that St. Patrick had evangelised in the fifth century? How did he build upon the foundations of the Apostle of Ireland? Did the sixth century Church have similar beliefs to those held by the Roman Catholic Church of today, or did they have a simple form of Catholicism?
It contains 20 chapters, the subjects of which include: Celtic Spirituality; A Short History of Bangor Abbey; The Concept of Kingship; The Bangor Antiphonary; The Mystery of the Cross; The Mother of God; The Celtic Supernatural; How Comgall Read the Gospels; The Sacraments; Learning and Literature; Comgall and the Risen Christ.
I just thought that other Fellowship members might find this book interesting.