Tola of Clonard

Saint Tola is the name of a seventh-century Irish Roman Catholic saint, also referred to as "a good soldier of Christ".

Life

Tola, the reputed son of Donchad, is also referred to as Thola or Tolanus.

He was the bishop of Clonard in Meath, Ireland and a crozier ascribed to him now resides in the National Museum of Ireland, in Dublin. About the year 700, he established a monastic community in northwestern County Clare, between the River Fergus and the Burren. He sent missionaries to Europe and also helped the expansion of various scholarly studies. Tola died 30 March 734.

Portions of his original church, a very early church, or at least portions of its foundations, were incorporated into the 11th-century Romanesque Church that lies in ruins near Corofin. The high cross at Dysert O'Dea Monastery is referred to as Tola's Cross, Crusha Baunala or "the cross of blessing". It is from the 11th or 12th century, however, and there is no direct connect between the saint and this particular, late, high cross although one of the figures on the cross appears to be that of a bishop, perhaps St. Tola.