Ódhrán Ua hEolais

Odhrán Ua hEolais

The cross-stone of Odhran Ua Eolais

The cross-stone of Odhran Ua Eolais
Born 10th century
Muintir Eolais
Died 994
Clonmacnoise
Education Monasticism, Letters
Occupation Scribe
Home town Muintir Eolais, County Leitrim IE
Relatives Eolais Mac Biobhsach (grandfather)

Odhran Ua hEolais (Irish: Ódhrán, Odhrán, Odrán, Odráin, pron. "Orin", dim. of Odar 'gray',[1] or "pale" anglicised "Horan",[2] and Irish: hEolais family name is still used today, anglicized as "Olus",[3] died AD 994), was a medieval scribe and scholar at the abbey of Clonmacnoise. He must have been born, and lived his childhood, in the medieval region of Conmaicne Réin, which corresponds to present day south county Leitrim. We do not know any significant details of his personal life, but Odhran moved to county Offaly in adult life, to become Lector and a famous scriba of Clonmacnoise.[4] His death is recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters. A cross-stone of Odhran, with his name inscription legible in middle Irish, is preserved to this day.

Life

Odhran was born into the Túath called Conmaicne Réin, present day south county Leitrim,[5] sometime in the first half of the 10th century. His family were gaelic nobles, and Odhran was probably grandson of Eolais Mac Biobhsach (Irish: Ua h-Eolais, "descendant of Eolais"), a charismatic leader who united all the disparate sept's of "Conmaicne Réin" territory, under his sole chieftain-ship", c. AD 900.[2] He received some sort of formal education, possibly in Fenagh or Mohill monasteries, in county Leitrim. He became proficient and literate in Irish language, Latin, bardic tradtion, and religious doctrine. He choose, or was reared into, a life of Monasticism.

Sometime in his adult life, he moved to Clonmacnoise, the celebrated early Irish Christian monastery, taking the position of ecclesiastical Lector and "scribe of Clonmacnoise".[2][6][7][8] Odhran probably shared duties for scribing manuscripts, and his contributions, if preserved over the centuries, may have been recorded in the Annals of Clonmacnoise.

Perhaps Odhran moved to Clonmacnoise to help secure burial rights in Clonmacnoise for Mag Raghnaill of Conmaicne Réin. There was an alleged controversy between Fearghal Ua Ruairc, King of Connaught (died. 964 AD[7]), and Brian Mag Raghnaill, a 10th century successor of Eolais Mac Biobhsach. Mag Raghnaill complained he had no place for a tomb at Clonmacnoise, unlike Fearghal Ua Ruairc, and so bestowed "48 ploughs" of Kiltoghert land to the bishop of Clonmacnoise[n 1] in exchange for a burial right.[4][9][10] It is tempting to suppose the appearance of Odhran Ua hEolais, an outsider, at Clonmacnoise is related to such matters.[n 2]

Death

The death of Odhran, c. AD 994, is recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters as follows:

Cross-slab

Illustration of grave slab, inscribed: "Pray for Ódhrán, descendant of Eolais"

His cross-slab has been preserved, and four different sources interpreted the inscription as follows:

Instead of the more usual key-pattern, interlace and channels were used to ornament the central and boundary areas of the distorted cross motif on Ordan's stone, a decorative practice which dropped out of use on Clonmacnoise grave-slabs, c. AD 1000.[17] The cross on the "Ódhrán stone", a poor piece of work, may be regarded as an imitation of the design on the handsome stone of "Mael-Finnia", the Abbot of Clonmacnoise who died AD 991, as both stones share similar ornamental features.[18]

The awkward way in which the inscription was fitted on to the stone, introduces the notion these slabs were kept in stock in the monastery workshop, with pre-inscribed crosses, until a client name needed to be fitted in. This suggests Ódhrán commissioned the stone to request prayers for himself, implying the stone is not a grave memorial.[19]

John O'Donovan claimed this family name, (Irish: Ó hEóluis "descendent of Eolais"), can be found today, anglicized as "Olus",[3] but this "Olus" surname must be rare.[20]

Notes and references

Notes

  1. ↑ The term "48 ploughs" refers the quantity of land which can be ploughed in 48 days.
  2. ↑ Kehnel notes the alleged "Ua Ruaric tower" was not "finished" until A.D 1124,[7] Ua Ruairc had poor relations with Clonmacnoise, and only later tradition associates this tower with Ua Ruairc. But she agrees "curious tradition has it that one Fergal Ua Ruairc, chief of Breifne, was buried at Clonmacnois .. 10th century".[11]

Citations

Primary sources

Secondary sources

Bibliography

  • Macalister, Robert Alexander Stewart (1949). Corpus inscriptionum insularum celticarum. Vol. 2. (half-uncial inscriptions ed.). Dublin : Stationery Office, Irish Manuscripts Commission. p. 54. 

External links

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