Cuimmíne Fota m. Fiachna

Introduction

Several Latin texts are attributed to Cuimmíne, including a Penitential (Bieler 1975, 5-7, 108-135). Many stories accumulated around this saint, in particular about his irregular birth as a result, allegedly, of a union between his sister and father. He is descended, in CGSH, from Maine m. Cairpre m. Cuirc of the Eoganachta. This Maine was understood, at least by the 13th century, also to be ancestor of the Earls of Lennox (Watson 1926, 221). He is sometimes said to be a bishop (Mart G) and according to Mart Do, ‘This man was the vessel of wisdom of his time. He was the learned preacher of the word of God.’

Associated places

South Muster, in particular Cluain Ferta (Clonfert townland and parish in the barony of Longford, Co Galway).

Obituary

AU 662.1 Cummeni Longus & Saran nepos Critain sapientes, dormierunt. ‘Cuiméne the Tall and Sarán grandson of Crítán, sages, fell asleep’ Inserted in H2 after Longus is ‘.lxx.ii anno etatis sue quieuit’ ‘rested in the 72nd year of his age’.

Genealogies

He is consistently assigned to the Eoganachta (Rec. Mai., 232, Rec. Min. 451, Rec. Met. 662.223). His mother, Rim, is said to be the daughter of his father, making Cuimmíne the product of an incestuous liason between Fiachna and his daughter Rim (CGSH, 652). He is also purported to be the brother of Comgán mac Dá Cherda, who elsewhere is a kind of holy fool (Tract on Mothers of the Saints, 722.66)

Related Saints

Belongs to the group Cuimmíne (ns) (certain)

Related Personal Names

Name

Áed (certain)

Source

Martyrology of Gorman

Nov 12

A marginal gloss has 'Aodh a chédainm díles, ocus Druim da liter ainm a bhaile' ('Aodh was his proper first name, and Druim dá liter the name of his stead.')

Name

Carthach (possible)

Source

Corpus Genealogiarum Sanctorum Hiberniae

703.9

Ó Riain considers the following to refer to Cuimmíne Fota: Carthach aimn Cummini (in aliases of the saints, Ó Riain 1985, 703.9)

Name

Cuimmíne (certain)

Name

Mo Chumma (possible)

Source

Comainmnigud noem hErenn

707.656

The entry is: Mochummae Fotae

Feast days

Day of Year

Nov 12

Calendar

Martyrology of Oengus the Culdee

Source code

Mart. O

Source title

Martyrology of Oengus the Culdee

Editors

Stokes, Whitley

Year

1905

Notes

Full title is Félire Óengusso Céli Dé, The Martyrology of Oengus the Culdee, critically edited from Ten Manuscripts, with a Preface, Translation, Notes and Indices.

Quote from source

Dorindnacht la suithi soas co mméit tiachrai dom Chummain cain milti mac find Fotae Fiachnai ‘There has been given, with wisdom, science and much prudence, to my Cumman of beautiful warfare, the fair Tall (Fota) son of Fiachnae.’

Notes

notes in RB505: .i. Cuimmini mac Fiachna, comarba Brénainn Chlúana fera: d’Euganacht Locha Léin dó. The notes in RB512 tell the story of his begetting through an incestuous, drunken, union between Fiachna and his own daughter. Fiachna decreed that the child should be killed, but the daughter (un-named here) left him in a basket (cuimín – hence his name) at Cell Íte. [The basket derivation is not correct]

Day of Year

Nov 12

Calendar

Martyrology of Gorman

Source code

Mart. G

Source title

Martyrology of Gorman

Editors

Stokes, Whitley

Year

1895

Notes

Full title is Félire Húi Gormáin, The Martyrology of Gorman edited from a manuscript in the Royal library, Brussels, with a preface, translation, notes and indices. It is published by the Henry Bradshaw Society.

Quote from source

Cummín gloss: (in margin) Cuimmin Foda mac Fiachna do Eoghanacht Locha Lein, epscop Cluana Ferta Brenainn. Aodh a chédainm díles, ocus Druim da liter ainm a bhaile. ‘Cuimmín the Tall, son of Fiachna, of the Eoganacht of Loch Léin, bishop of Cluain Ferta Brénainn: Aodh was his proper first name, and Druim dá liter the name of his stead.’

Day of Year

Nov 12

Calendar

The Martyrology of Donegal

Source code

Mart. Do.

Source title

The Martyrology of Donegal

Editors

Todd, J. H.

Year

1864

Notes

Other author to be specified.

Quote from source

Cuimmin Foda, mac Fiachna, epscop Cluana ferta Brenainn.

Notes

There is further information: Aed was his proper name (as in Mart G); Eoganachta genealogy; his sister, Rim, was also his mother; Mide, the holy virgin, was his nurse; he died in 661. ‘This man was the vessel of wisdom of his time. He was the learned preacher of the word of God.’