 Ireland's
OWN: Myths & MagicThe Legend of St Columba* (Feast Day, 9th June)
Legend has it that St Columba was not only Irish, but of Royal Irish stock. In fact, St Columba could have been, and probably was offered the High Kingship of Ireland at least once during his life. Colm Cille (St Columba) was born in 521 AD to Feidlimid and Eithne at Gartan (Donegal), Ireland. His father, Feidlimid, was brother of the High King, Muircertach Mac Erca and his mother was of the line of Cathair Mor (Munster Chiefs). St Columba was a great-great grandson of Niall of the Nine Hostages. According to legend, St Columba was baptized as Crimthann and Columba is the Latin version of his name. Crimthann was a headstrong youth with a great deal of energy. He soon came under the guidance of a priest called Cruithnechan, at what is now the Temple Douglas. He apparently took to the teachings of Christianity readily, and attended other monasteries where he quickly became a Deacon of the Church and later became known as one of a group called the Twelve Aplostles of Eireann. In 544, Crimthann was forced to return home by the Buidhe Chonaill, a pestilence (possibly the Plague) that was sweeping the land. The Prince of Tir-Conaill (probably a cousin) gave Crimthann a grant of land on which he erected his first Monastery, Derry in 545 AD. It is here that the stirrings of Crimthann's heritage and his hard headedness began to show. As royalty, he was probably educated in the old ways during his early youth: that being the ways of the Druids, and the customs and laws of Ireland before the coming of Christianity. He apparently retained some of this learning, for when he built this first monastery, he refused to have it face East, in order to save some Oak trees standing on the grounds. Crimthann spread the word of God, starting many churches in Ireland; most notably the monasteries at Durrow in 553 and Kells in 554 AD. A few years later, an incident happened which was to change his life and the history of Scotland forever. Crimthann had apparently made a copy of the Book of Psalms, while studying under Finian of Molville. When Finian heard of this, he demanded its return, claiming it was stolen property. The matter went before the High King, and judgement went against Crimthann. Outraged, probably in part because the High King was his relation, and by the fact the High King had taken a man wanted for murder who Crimthann had given Sanctuary to, the hot headed Crimthann responded by instigating the Battle of Cuildremne (in Sligo). For this crime, Crimthann came up for excommunication, and was only saved by a friend on the council who considered the matter. Crimthann requested penance, and in response was allowed to remain in the Church under one condition, which was exile from Ireland, where his bloodline and knowledge of the people could no longer start any wars. Thus in 562 AD, Crimthann and his followers left Ireland forever and sailed to Iona, then part of Scottish Dal Riada. The current King of
the Dal Riada was Conal of the Tir-Chonaill line, and therefore a relation
of Crimthann. He was granted land on Iona, where he began to build his
monastery, school and the base from which he and his followers were to
spread Christianity across Caledonia (the Pictish Country) and across Dalriada
and England. The fame of Crimthann and his work spread across the land over the next twelve years. Many of his teachers came from Ireland to visit him and his school, while many more came to learn from him personally. Events took place in 575 AD, which forced St Columba (Crimthann) to return to Ireland. Forbidden to see his native land, he made the journey blindfolded with a great company to address the problem of the Bards that was coming to Court. It seems that the poets of Ireland, with their students and followers, had grown so large as a group as to cause a strain on the economy. The law required that they be welcomed freely and fed whenever and wherever they showed, and could stay as long as they wanted. It was now extremely difficult for any man to support some of these groups, for even the King had difficulty. Things came to a head, when one poet asked for the King's own brooch. In order to prevent the slaughter outright or the removal of the laws protecting poets, St Columba, as he was now better known, traveled to this Court and appeared blindfolded to plead his case for the poets. He was permitted to stay and allowed to again view his native land during the course of the court, which lasted over a year. The matter of the poets was settled to the general satisfaction of most, and the matter of Dal Riata independence from Ireland was also addressed. The Scottish Dal Riata were given complete independence, while the Irish portion of the tribe was forced to remain subjects of the Irish High King, with the codicil that they were the allies of the Scotti. St Columba returned home to his work on Iona, and lived a relatively peaceful existence until his death in 597 AD. St Columba was respected
as a man who could have been King of Ireland if he so desired. His life
was marked by exile in Scottish Dal Riada (later known as Scotland), where
he converted the majority of Britain to Christianity. And although St Patrick
brought the cold, hard, version of Christianity to Ireland, it was St Columba
who converted the common people, as his understanding of the old ways and
the people were much greater. Sources:
Page last updated 28 Dec 2008 Website Design and Myths & Magic logo by Míchealín Daugherty Copyright © 2008 Ireland's OWN All Rights Reserved.
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