Dungal
Dungal a writer of the 9th century, of whose origin and history little is known, but who is supposed to have been of Scotch or Irish birth. According to Irish accounts, he was abbot of Glendolough, and after the destruction of his monastery by the Danes he fled to France. He calls himself "a recluse," and the Hist. Litt. de la France (4:493) notes him as a monk of the abbey of St Denis, in France. Muratori, however (Rer. Ital. 4:611), describes him as a monk of Pavia, in Italy. He wrote against the reforming movements of Claudius of Turin (q.v.), in 827, Responsa contra perversas Claudii Taurinensis Episcopi sententias, in which he defends the invocation of saints, the adoration of relics, etc., but seeks to guard these usages from superstitious abuse. The book was first published by Papirius Masson (Paris, 1608), and may be found in Bibliotheca Max. Patrum (Lyons), 14:196233; also in Migne, Patrologia Latina, tom. 103. He was also celebrated as an astronomer. Moore, History of Ireland; Wetzer u. Welte, Kirchen-Lexikon, 3:333; Schrockh, Kirchengeschichte, 23:414.
