Carláen

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Saint Carláen (also called Cairlan, Carlan, Cairellán, Caurlan, Caerlan, Cáerlan, Cairlaene, Carillan, Cairlén, Ciarlaech, Cayrlan, Cairlani; c. 530 – 24 March 588) was the Bishop of Armagh, Ireland, from 578 to 588.

## Genealogy and birth

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Saint Carláen was a member of the Ui Nialláin clan who were the rulers of the present baronies of Oneilland West and Oneilland East, County Armagh, Ireland. The patriarch of the clan was Nialláin m. Féicc m. Feidelmid m. Fiachrach Cassáin m. Collai Fochríth, who lived about 370 AD, and Carláen would have been in about the 6th generation of descent from him. Carláen was born c. 530 in a place called Domnach maccu Garba (Church of the tribe of Garba), in Oneilland. This placename is not now known but perhaps may be hidden in the present Oneilland townland names of Donagreagh or Garvaghy.[1]

## Education

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Carláen would have been a member of the nobility in Armagh and would have received the best education possible at the time. He was presumably a younger son as he was destined for the church rather than succeeding to the family estate.

## Abbot of the Monastery of St. Carláen

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After his ordination as a priest St. Carláen founded a monastery in Oneilland, probably on land owned by his family. The earliest incident we know in his life happened while he was abbot there. According to the Life of Saint Daig of Iniskeen, County Monaghan- "Saint Daig went to the monastery of St. Cayrlan, who happened to have died that very night. However, Daigh restored him to life, for which reason, Cayrlan placed himself and his monastery under the rule of St. Daig"

## Bishop of Armagh

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On the death of Fedelmid Find, the Bishop of Armagh on 30 October 578, Carláen was appointed as the 12th Bishop in succession to Saint Patrick. The Annals of the Four Masters for 457 AD state- "Ard Mhacha was founded by Saint Patrick, it having been granted to him by Daire, son of Finnchadh, son of Eoghan, son of Niallan." So Carláen's appointment was probably due to the influence of his family as the original grantors of the land and several Bishops of Armagh came from this same family. Carláen reigned as Bishop for a decade.

## Death

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St. Carláen died on 24 March 588. The Annals of Ireland give the following obits-

* Annals of Tigernach 586.1- "The rest of Carillan bishop of Armagh"
* Annals of the Four Masters 587- "St. Caerlan, Bishop of Ard-Macha, died on the twenty-fourth day of March"
* Annals of Clonmacnoise 587- "Carlan Bishop of Ardmach dyed."
* Annals of Roscrea 587- "Quies Cairlain epscoip Aird Macha"
* Annals of Ulster 588.1- "Repose of Cairlén, bishop of Ard Macha—the bishop of Ard Macha, i.e. Ciarlaech from the territory of the Uí Nialláin."

## Feast day

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After his death Carláen was venerated as a saint and his feast was celebrated on 24 March, the day of his death. The Calendars of the Saints have the following entries-

* Martyrology of Gorman 24 March- "Cairlan escop Arda Macha"
* Martyrology of Donegal 24 March- "Caorlan, Bishop, of Ard Macha, AD. 587"
* Martyrology of Tallaght 24 March- "Cairlon, Bishop"
* Bollandists "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii., Martii xxiv. Among the pretermitted saints, p. 473.

However what is probably a duplicate entry is listed under 23 March by both the Martyrology of Tallaght "Cairlaini" and the Bollandists.

## References

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1. ^ "The Ancient List of the Coarbs of Patrick", by Rev. H. J. Lawlor and R. I. Best in PRIA, Vol. XXXV (1919), p. 316–362, No. 14.

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Archbishops of Armagh

Primate of All Ireland · Catholic Church in Ireland · Archdiocese of Armagh

5th–8th centuries|

* Patrick
* Sechnall mac Restituit
* Sen-Phátraic
* Benén mac Sescnén
* Iarlaithe mac Treno
* Cormac
* Dubthach the First
* Ailill the First
* Ailill the Second
* Dubthach the Second
* Fiachra mac Colmain
* Fedelmid Find
* Carláen
* Eochu macDiarmaid
* Senach
* Mac Laisre
* Tómméne
* Ségéne
* Fland Feblae mac Scandláin
* Suibne mac Crundmaíl
* Congus

Abbots
8th–12th centuries|

* Célé Petair
* Fer dá Chrích mac Suibni
* Cú Dínaisc mac Conasaig
* Dub dá Leithe I mac Sínaig
* Fóendelach mac Móenaig
* Airechtach ua Fáeláin
* Fóendelach mac Móenaig (second)
* Gormgal mac Dindataig
* Condmach mac Duib dá Leithe
* Torbach mac Gormáin
* Toicthech Ua Tigernaig
* Nuadu of Loch Uama
* Flandgus mac Loingsig
* Artrí mac Conchobair
* Suibne mac Forandáin
* Eógan Mainistrech mac Ainbthig
* Forindán mac Murgile
* Diarmait ua Tigernáin
* Cathassach
* Féthgno mac Nechtain
* Máel Cobo mac Crundmaíl
* Ainmere ua Fáeláin
* Máel Cobo mac Crundmaíl (second)
* Cathassach mac Robartaig
* Máel Brigte mac Tornáin
* Ioseph mac Fathaig
* Máel Pátraic mac Máel Tuile
* Cathassach mac Doilgén
* Muiredach mac Fergussa
* Dub dá Leithe II mac Cellaig
* Muirecén mac Ciaracáin
* Máel Muire mac Eochada
* Amalgaid mac Máel Muire
* Dub dá Leithe III Máel Muire
* Cummascach Ua hErodáin
* Máel Ísu mac Amalgada
* Domnall mac Amalgada
* Cellach of Armagh
* Muirchertach mac Domnall
* Niall mac Áeda meic Máel Ísu

Bishops
8th–12th centuries|

* Affiath
* Nuadu of Loch Uama
* Artrí mac Conchobair
* Forindán mac Murgile
* Máel Pátraic mac Findchon
* Féthgno mac Nechtain
* Cathassach mac Robartaig
* Mochtae daltae Féthgno
* Máel Aithgin
* Cellach mac Sóergussa
* Máel Ciaráin mac Eochocáin
* Ioseph mac Fathaig
* Máel Pátraic mac Máel Tuile
* Cathassach mac Doilgén
* Cathassach mac Murchadáin
* Máel Muire mac Scandláinn
* Airmedach mac Coscraig
* Cenn Fáelad Sabaill
* Máel Tuile
* Áed Ua Forréid
* Máel Pátraic mac Airmedaig
* Cáenchomrac Ua Baigill
* Máel Coluim Ua Broicháin
* Máel Brigte Ua Broicháin
* Amlaim Ua Muirethaig

Archbishops
12th–16th centuries|

* Cellach of Armagh
* Malachy
* Gilla Meic Liac mac Diarmata
* Cornelius of Armagh
* Gilla in Choimded Ua Caráin
* Tommaltach Ua Conchobair
* Mael Ísu Ua Cerbaill
* Tommaltach Ua Conchobair (second)
* Echdonn Mac Gilla Uidir
* Luke Netterville
* Donatus Ó Fidabra
* Robert Archer
* Albert Suerbeer
* Reginald of Bologna
* Abraham Ó Conalláin
* Máel Patraic Ua Scannail
* Nicol Mac Máel Ísu
* Michael MacLochlainn
* Dionysius
* John Taaffe
* Walter Jorz
* Roland Jorz
* Stephen Seagrave
* David Mág Oireachtaigh
* Richard FitzRalph
* Milo Sweetman
* Thomas Ó Calmáin
* John Colton
* Nicholas Fleming
* Richard Talbot
* John Swayne
* John Prene
* John Mey
* John Bole
* John Foxalls
* Edmund Connesburgh
* Ottaviano Spinelli de Palatio
* John Kite
* George Cromer
* Robert Wauchope
* George Dowdall

Archbishops
16th–21st centuries|

* Donagh O'Tighe
* Richard Creagh
* Edmund MacGauran
* Peter Lombard
* Aodh Mac Cathmhaoil
* Hugh O'Reilly
* Edmund O'Reilly
* Oliver Plunkett
* Dominic Maguire
* Hugh MacMahon
* Bernard MacMahon
* Ross MacMahon
* Michael O'Reilly
* Anthony Blake
* Richard O'Reilly
* Patrick Curtis
* Thomas Kelly
* William Crolly
* Paul Cullen
* Joseph Dixon
* Michael Kieran
* Daniel McGettigan
* Michael Logue
* Patrick O'Donnell
* Joseph MacRory
* John D'Alton
* William Conway
* Tomás Ó Fiaich
* Cahal Daly
* Seán Brady
* Eamon Martin

Italics indicate a person who was elected but not consecrated.
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