Saint Comhghall & Saint Coinneach
One thousand, four hundred and fifty years ago, there was a famous journey across Scotland from west to east. Here is a list of the people that were
involved: Baithene, Cobthach, Ernan, Diormit, Rus, Fechno, Scandal, Luguid, Echoid, Tochannu, Cairnan and Grillan. In addition to those, there was
Saint Columba. They were going from Iona to Inverness. Columba was going to visit King Brude of the Picts. The list of people is given by Adamnan in
his book,
The Life of Columba.
But were some others in the group who are not on the list? Another account tells us that there were two other saints there. Adamnan keeps quiet about
them.
Saint Comhghall was from Bangor in Ireland. According to his biography, he and a friend of his were with Columba on the journey. His friend was Saint
Cainneach, or Coinneach, who belonged to Aghaboe in County Laois.
According to the account, they went there because they spoke Pictish. They were able to converse with Scottish Picts. Columba did not speak Pictish. In
The Life of Comhghall , the three saints performed miracles in the Great Glen. In Adamnan’s account, however, it was only Columba that performed the miracles.
If Comhghall spoke Pictish, it is possible that he learned it when he was living on Tiree. He built a monastery on that island. But the monastery was
destroyed.
Coinneach was four years younger than Columba. He had been a cleric in several monasteries, both in Ireland and Wales. He was working for a while among
the Picts on Mull.
Perhaps it is that the pair spoke Pictish that was responsible for them accompanying Columba on his great journey. On the other hand, the three saints were
friends to each other. Perhaps Columba simply wanted to be surrounded by Christian friends when he made his way through the rugged country of the pagans.
Naomh Comhghall & Naomh Coinneach
O chionn mìle, ceithir cheud is caogad bliadhna, bha turas ainmeil tarsainn Alba bhon taobh an iar chun an taoibh an ear. Seo liosta de na daoine a bha an
sàs ann: Baithene, Cobthach, Ernan, Diormit, Rus, Fechno, Scandal, Luguid, Echoid, Tochannu, Cairnan agus Grillan. A bharrachd orra sin, bha Calum Cille.
Bha iad a’ dol bho Eilean Ì gu ruig’ Inbhir Nis. Bha Calum Cille a’ dol a thadhal air Rìgh Brùd nan Cruithneach. Tha an liosta de dhaoine aig Adamnan anns
an leabhar aige Vita Columbae.
Ach an robh feadhainn eile anns a’ bhuidhinn nach eil air an liosta? Tha cunntas eile ag innse dhuinn gun robh dithis naomh eile ann. Tha Adamnan a’ cumail
sàmhach mun deidhinn.
Bha Naomh Comhghall à Bangor ann an Èirinn. A rèir cunntas a bheatha, bha e fhèin agus caraid dha còmhla ri Calum Cille air an turas. B’ e a charaid Naomh
Cainneach, no Coinneach, a bhuineadh do dh’Achadh Bhó ann an Contae Laoise.
A rèir a’ chunntais, chaidh iad ann oir bha Cruithnis aca. Bha iad comasach air còmhradh ri Cruithnich Albannach. Cha robh Cruithnis aig Calum Cille. Ann
am Beatha Chomhghaill, rinn an triùir naomh mìorbhailean anns a’ Ghleann Mhòr. Anns a’ chunntas aig Adamnan, ge-tà, ’s e Calum Cille a-mhàin a
rinn na mìorbhailean.
Ma bha Cruithnis aig Comhghall, ’s dòcha gun do dh’ionnsaich e i nuair a bha e a’ fuireach ann an Tiriodh. Thog e manachainn anns an eilean sin. Ach chaidh
a’ mhanachainn a sgrios.
Bha Coinneach ceithir bliadhna na b’ òige na Calum Cille. Bha e air a bhith na phears-eaglais ann an grunn mhanachainnean, an dà chuid ann an Èirinn agus
sa Chuimrigh. Bha e ag obair greis am measg nan Cruithneach ann am Muile.
’S dòcha gur e gun robh Cruithnis aig an dithis a bu choireach gun robh iad ann an cuideachd Chaluim Chille air a thuras mhòr. Air an làimh eile, bha an
triùir naomh nan caraidean do chèile. ’S dòcha gun robh Calum Cille dìreach ag iarraidh a bhith air a chuairteachadh le caraidean Crìosdail nuair a rinn e
a shlighe tro gharbh-chrìochan nam pàganach.
