Sir, – Frank McNally ("My Kingdom for a Verse", An Irishman's Diary, October 11th) wrote that "Cuimmin Clancy is the only person he has heard of who was christened Cummin" and that "the seventh-century Cumméne Fota . . . who was a bishop of Clonfert".
As one bearing the name “Cuimín”, I was born in the parish of Shinrone, Co Offaly, where St Cuimín was patron saint. St Cuimín was born in Drumdaliter near Killarney in about AD 590.
He was educated in a school founded by St Finbarr in Cork, and later became bishop of Clonfert.
In later years he spent time studying and meditating in a remote location near Shinrone. On this site the Columban Monks built a church that was named Cill Cuimín Abbey, now the townland Killcommon.
St Cuimín died on November 12th, 661. – Yours, etc,
CUIMÍN Ó DUBHGHAILL,
Baile Sheáin Gall,
An Gleanntán,
Corcaigh.