Baring-Gould’s sources: Irish Martyrologies. Dempster, the Aberdeen Breviary, and other Scottish Kalendars. Authority:— A Life of the saint full of fables of the most preposterous description. The continuators of the BoIIandists do not give it; they have sadly marred the historic value of the later volumes by their eclecticism. Documents, though fabulous, have yet an antiquarian value, and ought not to be arbitrarily rejected.] S. Barr, or Finbar, was a native of Connaught, and his real name was Lochan, but on account of the colour of his beautiful fair hair he received the name of Finn-barr (the white-haired), often contracted into Barr, a name which clave to him. He is said to have been taught in Leinster by one Mac-corb, who is pretended to have been at Rome, and to have there heard the instructions of Pope Gregory the Great, but this is almost certainly a fable. Finnbar is said to have gone in company with S. Maidoc to Britain, and even to Rome, accompanied by S. David. This last expedition also is questionable, but it is probable that he spent some time with S. David, who lived late in the 6th century, and that about the beginning of the next he founded his monastery near Loch-eire, on ground granted him by a nobleman of the name of Edo, and lying at the south side of the river Lee. It is related that so many disciples flocked to him that his monastery became very extensive, and a city grew up around it. Finnbar was consecrated bishop, and was the first founder of the see of Cork. His life, which is a tissue of absurd stories, relates that when he was at Rome, Pope Gregory wished to consecrate him, but was deterred by a vision of Christ, who announced that He, and He alone, would consecrate the first bishop of Cork. Accordingly, on the return of Finnbar to Ireland, our Lord appeared to him, called up a miraculous fountain of oil out of the ground, and therewith anointed him bishop. On another occasion Christ appeared to him, took him by the hand, and raised him into the air. Ever after, that hand blazed with such dazzling light, that Finnbar was obliged to keep it covered with a glove.

He died in the monastery of Cloyne, on the 25th of September, and was buried at Cork. On the occasion of his funeral, even the sun kept the wake. For fifteen days it did not set ! The year of the death of Finnbar is not known, but it was perhaps about a.d. 623. It is said, in the life of S. Lasrean, that he was one spring day sitting under a hazel-bush talking with S. Finnbar, and when they were about to part, Lasrean asked of his friend a sign that God was with him. Finnbar prayed, and suddenly the catkins on the hazel fell off, nuts formed, and leaves appeared, and Finnbar plucked his lapful of ripe nuts, and poured them into the bosom of Lasrean.