During the 6th Century the Terryglass monastery was to be founded by Columb mac Crimthann who was a Leinster Prince descended from

During the 6^th Century the Terryglass monastery was to be founded by Colum - Columb mac Crimthann who was a Leinster Prince descended from 60.Leary - Laoghaire “Lorc” the 68^th King of Tara - Ireland. Colum would later on became the ancestor of Aed Mac Crimthann who would become involved in composing the Book of Leinster - Laigin in the 12th Century AD. The monasteries in the north of Leinster across Co. Offaly in the west to the River Shannon and Loch Derg were still at that time under the control of the Heremonian Cu Corb Septs in Leinster. Due to the increasing pressure of the expanding Heremonian Dal Cuinn Southern Ui Niaill the Heremonian Cu Corb Ui Garrchon Sept descended from 90.Garrchu and the Cu Corb Ui Enechglais Sept descended from 91.Bressal were forced to pull back to the Wicklow Mountains in Co. Wicklow - South East Leinster. There they were to assimilate into the other Septs never to be individually heard of again and during the 8th Century the same thing was to happen to another of the Cu Corb Septs, the Ui Mail, descended from 90.Maine “Mal.”

The other separate Heremonian kingdom of special interest to develop further in the north of Ulster at this time was that of the Heremonian Dal Riada - riata, which was situated in the far north - east of Co. Antrim in North East Ulster. 71.Erc the King of Dal Riada was a grandson of 69.Conaire “Mor“11 a previous King of Tara - Ireland descended from 60.Cobthach, one of the sons of 59.Ugaine the Great, who was also the ancestor of the Dal Cuinn Septs. His father, 70.Eochy - Eochaidh “Riata” aka 68.Cairbre “Riada” - riata is also the aristocratic ancestor of the Muscraige - People of Muskerry - in Southern Munster and in the Highlands of Scotland the Cenel nGuaire, Cenel Fionchuinc, Mac Adhamnain, Mac Eogan of Eirtre, Mag Giolla Eogain & Mag Giolla Laghmain Septs. 71.Erc had his original territory there in the north of Co. Antrim secured originally from the Dal nAraidi Sept descended from 37.Ir. Near the end of the 5th Century AD three of 71.Erc’s sons, 72.Fergus, 72.Lorn - Loarn and 72.Aengus took 150 of their Gaelic Celtic Scottii - Irishmen to settle in Alba - Albany. They were endeavouring to extend their kingdom of Dal Riada into the territory, which became known there as Argyll - The Land of the Gael - in the Scottish Highlands and then their kingdom of Dal Riada would only be divided by the North Channel. After they landed on the coast they were to settle their Scottii into the regions now known as Kintyre, Knapdale & Lorn and divided the territory there up between them. Later 72.Fergus’ descendant 88.Gabhran was to actually be the one to set up in Knapdale were he built a fortress on Dunadd Rock and became the ancestor of the Scottish Gaelic Highland Kings. Within 50 years the Scottii of Dal Riada were to come into conflict with the Cruthin Picts in the east who were also under attack from the Celtic Romano - Britons and the Teutonic Angles in the south. The Kings of Strathclyde who had their fortress on Dunbarton Rock also came up against the Picts & Scottii.

Prior to all this occurring previously in 396 AD, St. Ninian had also introduced Christianity into Alba - Albany - Scottish Highlands but in the very early 5th Century the Romans had pulled out leaving the Romano - Celtic Britons to their own fate. Under Roman rule they had not been allowed to have an military support of their own and along came the German Teutons, the Jutes, the Angles and the Saxons to help them out. The Romano - Britons were soon driven from England into Strathclyde with the Attacotti settling into Galloway in Alban - Scottish Highlands and the Teutonic Saxons into the south east. The Clans - Tuaths descending from the Dal Riada eventually also split into four different Septs, the Cenel Gabhran & Cenel Comhghall who had their own territory were to be descended from 72.Fergus. 72.Lorn and 72.Aengus produced the Cenel Lorn & Cenel Angus.

500 AD Ireland was by this period in time under the control of the three principal races of the Goidelic Celts - Gaels who where to be the ancestors of the aristocratic main Septs in Ireland. The Heremonian Dal Cuinn 3 Connachta, the Northern & Southern Ui Niaill, the Irian Ulaid and the Heremonian Cu Corb Gailni, which included the tribes of Leinster. (Later during the 6th & 7th Century the Celtic Cruthin were to form a loose confederation of their own.) All of the Tuaths - Tuatha of the Heremonian Dal Cuinn Ui Niaill was now to be as one - fintiu and their territory was to be their hereditary family land from now on.

88.Cairpre - Coirpre "Mor," one of the eight sons of 87.Niall of the Nine Hostages, initially had his Heremonian Dal Cuinn Southern Ui Niaill Family territory in the north - east of Connacht & Co. Longford - North West Leinster. He soon came up against the Heremonian Septs in the Midlands - Northern Leinster descended from 86.Cu "Corb" while trying to extend his territory into there. Later his territory was also to be at Granard were he shared the territory of Tethbae with the Southern Ui Niaill kingdom of his brother, 88.Maine to the south. The actual territory controlled by 88.Maine was originally past the River Inny, which was it's southern boundary down the eastern side of Loch Ree and the River Shannon into Co. Offaly - Western Leinster. 88.Cairpre's grandson, 90.Toole - Tuathal "Maelgarb" was to become the 7th Southern Ui Niaill High King of Tara - Ireland from 536 AD until he was to die in 544 AD.

Throughout this Century, and up until the year 800 AD after the arrival of the first Viking incursions, there were still placed throughout Ireland nearly 300 Ogham Stones, which basically are a form of religious inscribed tombstones containing their inscriptions written in the Ogham Alphabet. Ogma a son of the Daghda "Mor" has been credited with inventing this type of writing.

72.Fergus mac Erc as the 2nd King of Dal Riada along with his brothers, 72.Lorn & 72.Angus were to take over control of a vast area in the west of Alba in the Scottish Highlands in Argyll - Land of the Gael in an attempt to extend their Heremonian kingdom of Dal Riada there. In Co. Antrim - North East Ulster they had been separated from the rest of the inland Gaels in Ireland by the kingdom based on the Dal nAraide Septs, descended from 37.Ir, who they could not conquer. Their territory in Argyll was divided up between the 3 brothers and their 4 separate Septs were to evolve. Later on his descendant 88.Gabhran was to set up at Knapdale where he built a fortress on Dunadd Rock and became the ancestor of the Scottish Kings through his son, 89.Aedan and later still especially through 94.Kenneth mac Alpine who was at that time able to combine the Scythian Cruthin Picts and Scythian Gaels because of their individual aristocratic protocols as to who should inherit the Kingships. The Britons had previously been driven out of England to Strathclyde while the Attacotti where in Galloway in Alba and the Gasconi where in the south east. There were also 7 Cruthin areas, Caithness - Caith, Sunderland, Ross - Fidach - Moray, Athol - Fodhla, West Perthshire - Fortremn, Mar - Ce - Buchan, Mearns - Ciric and Fife - Fibh besides the 4 areas of the Dal Riata in Argyll.

The personal desire of the Irish monks at this time was to "exile" themselves from their Families and their territories, and this religious "sacrifice" would lead onto an increase in monasteries in Ireland, Briton & Europe. They considered that the "greatest sacrifice" they could make was to leave Ireland altogether and go on a pilgrimage - peregrinatio. Originally hermits themselves these "Saints of Ireland" due to their piety and way of life were to attract many followers from whom they could not escape as their reputations grew. They were forbidden to baptise or receive alms and as the land in Ireland was held by the individual Tuatha - Family regions this led to many of the monasteries being endowed by the Irish Septs - Families themselves. This also meant that the Bishops - supervisors held no sway outside of their own Family territory and that their dioceses - paruchia were restricted to their own Family kin - fine. It would be also up to these monks to write down their individual Families' Celtic past history, their myths and legends. Due to the territorial boundaries of the Tuaths - Family regions no church "hierarchy" was able to develop in Ireland until the later expansion of the monasteries. This would then create "mother houses," which then prevailed over the other smaller Family monasteries in the other areas that belonged to other Families such as those of 91.St. Columbcille - Columba, and St. Columbanus who later greatly expanded his mission in Europe.

St. Finnian who in reality became the foster - father of the "Saints of Ireland" had originally set up his own monastery and was to be the first Catholic Bishop of Clonard in Co. Meath in North East Leinster. His was a model for the many monasteries to follow, with his self-discipline and especially his promotion of the intellectual life. Unfortunately the remains of his college, churches, round tower and the chapels were to be among those destroyed. He had 12 disciples or Apostles including St. Brendan at Clonfert and Ardfert who was of the Altraige Sept who had been educated by St. Erc at Tralee in Co. Kerry - South West Munster, St. Brendan of Birr whose monastery was also in Munster who was from the Corco Auloimm Sept, St. Kenneth - Cainnech - Canice who founded the monastery in Aghaboe were he died and was interred in Co. Laois - Western Leinster and who was venerated in Scotland where several Churches in Argyle are named after him. St. Comhghall who was at the monastery at Bangor, which eventually was to have 3,000 monks and teachers studying there, Lughbran a Druid serving under Crimthann foretold the birth of, St. Kieran - Ciaran mac in tSair - descended from a son of the carpenter - who founded the monastery at Clonmacnoise in the sub kingdom of Delbna Bethra in Co. Offaly - Western Leinster, which drew abbots from Tuatha - Aithech all over Ireland, another St. Kieran - Ciaran was of Saighir - Seirkieran who was of the Ithian Corco Loigde in Southern Munster, St. Columb of Tir na nGlass, 91.St. Columbcille was also at Durrow Abbey, which is now in ruins 4 mile south east of Clara in Co. Offaly - Western Leinster who was also set up at Derry - Northern Ulster and the island of Iona situated between Ireland & Scotland, St. Finnbarr who was a son of a metal worker to Prince Tigernach founded a monastery, which became a great learning centre on the Marshy Place - Inis Corcaighe, which became the City of Cork in Co. Cork - Southern Munster. St. Garlath was in Tuaim, St. Kevin - Caoimhin, who also studied under St. Petroc from Cornwall, was to set up at Glendalough in Co. Wicklow - South East Leinster were he is buried in the Church of Our Lady there. St. Mobhi was at Glasnevin near Dublin, St. Molaise was from Leighlin - Devenish in Co. Carlow and studied in Rome for 14 years, St. Ninnidh of Inish Mac Saint, St. Ruadan of Lorrha and St. Sinell of Cleenish, St. Finan "Cam" of Kinitty who was from the Corco Duibne Sept in the west of Southern Munster, St. Mochuda - Mo - Chutu of Rahan was from the Cirraige Luachra Sept in Southern Munster, St. Lachtnan - Laichtine of Achad Ur was in Osraige - Co. Kilkenny - Western Leinster who was of the Muscraige from Belach Febrat in the hills between Co. Limerick & Co. Cork. St. Molua - Mo - Lua of Clonfert was from the Corco Ochae Sept who were situated in the west of Co. Limerick dominated by the Eoghanacht Ui Fidgeinte Sept. Others also active during this period were St. Moninni who set up Killeavy monastery near Newry in Co. Down - South East Ulster for women, St. Ita who was at Kilkeady in Co. Limerick, Before she was born a Druid had foretold that St. Brigid - Brigit - Bride would rise to great heights and she was to found a monastery for both men and women in Co. Kildare - Central Leinster, St. Fridolin the Traveller who crossed the Rhine and established himself at Seckingen, St. Kilian who converted Gozbert the Duke of Wurzberg, St. Fursa the son of a Southern Munster Prince who went to Albion - Briton then to Gaul were he founded a monastery at Lagy near Paris, St. Buite - Boice who founded Monasterboice Abbey and went to Italy, St. Virgilius the Abbot of Aghaboe who travelled throughout France and became the Bishop of Salzburg, St. Cataldus from Lismore - Co. Waterford who became the Bishop of Tarentum - Taranto in Italy, St. Breacan who was the grandson of the first Christian Prince of Thomond - Northern Munster. St. Senan from Scattery Island - Inis Cathaig in Co. Clare - North West Munster could trace his genealogy back 1600 years.

The "Golden Age in Ireland" had begun during the 6^th Century AD with the beginning of the monastic schools and would continue to last until the coming of the Vikings. Ireland would become known as the "Island of Saints & Scholars" as her missionaries would travel throughout Europe during and after the Dark Ages establishing religious centres everywhere they went.

+On to 501 AD - 520 AD

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