He notes that whether or not Whithorn was Rosnat, it was held in high regard by the Irish, and a number of Irish ecclesiastics may have trained there.<ref>Wilson, P.A., "St. Ninian and Candida Casa: Literary Evidence from Ireland", Trans Dumfries and Galloway N.A.H.S., vol. xli, (1964)</ref>
The text suggests that Whithorn's reputation and its perceived value for Irish clergy are linked to the fact that it was a place of learning or training.