Findchán

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Findchán was an Irish priest in the 6th century AD. He was one of St Columba's missionary monks, and founded a monastery on the island of Tiree off the west coast of Scotland (now in Argyll and Bute).[1]. According to the Life of St Columba, Findchán brought with him "as a pilgrim" a man called Áid the Black, to whom he was "greatly attached, in a carnal way" and who had previously murdered the King of Ireland. Findchán subsequently arranged for Áid to be ordained as a priest. This provoked the wrath of St Columba, who invoked a threefold curse on both Findchán and Áid.[2]

References

  1. http://www.isleoftiree.com/heritage/chapels.html Tiree heritage site, referring to Findchán as "Saint Findchan"
  2. Robert Mills, "Male-Male Love and Sex in the Middle Ages, 1000–1500" – chapter 1 of A Gay History of Britain by Matt Cook and others, quoting Adomnán's Life of St Columba