Fintan of Clonenagh was a 6th-century Irish monk and hermit known for his extreme austerity. Born around 526, he studied under the Abbot Columba of Terryglass, whose strict penitential practices deeply influenced his own religious life. As an abbot, he established a monastery at Clonenagh and became a significant figure in early Irish monasticism. Due to his profound impact on his followers, historical annalists have compared him to Saint Benedict and referred to him as the Father of the Irish Monks.