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Life
| [Columcille; also Columba or Columban, the Latin form of his name); occas. Columbanus - not to be confused the continental missionary of a later generation]; with Patrick and Brigid, a patron saint of Ireland; b. Gartan, Co. Donegal, given name Crimthann, ed. Moville, founded by the second Finnian [prob. Movilla, now Newtownards], and Clonard, estabished by the first; preaching and founding monasteries and churches, at Derry, Swords, Durrow, Kells; sailed to Iona in 563; |
| made surreptitious copy of Psalter of St Finnian of Moville (the ‘Cathach’, as having caused a battle); ensuing dispute settled by Diarmuid [var. High King Domnhnaill OCIL], who said, ‘to every cow its calf and to every book its copy’; Colum Cille aroused his Uí Néill sept against Diarmuid shortly afterwards, and the king was defeated at Battle of Cuildremhne in 561; Columba sentenced to exile at synod of Teltown, Co. Meath; founded monasteries in Scotland, spreading from Dál Riada (Argyll); attended Drum Ceat [Druim Cett], in N. Ireland, 580, and succeeded in preventing abolition of bardic order; |
| d. Iona, probably 9 June 597; his rule taken up by St. Benedict; poems in Latin and Irish ascribed to him; stated in Annals of Clonmacnoise that he wrote 300 books with his own hand; a hand in the Cathach (Latin psalms MSS) also ascribed to him; Amra Cholum Cille [The Eulogy of Columcille], supposedly the earliest surviving verse in Irish and held to have been written soon after the saint’s death on linguistic evidence, testifies testifying to his transformation of Gaelic aristocratic values into ecclesiastical virtues in his own person; |
| Adamnán wrote a life entitled Vitae Sancti Columbae; a compendium of legends about him was compiled by Maghnus Ó Domhnaill (Manus O’Donnell) in 1532; his is one of the lives narrated in John Colgan’s Acta Trias Thaumaturga (1647) with Patrick and Brigid; there is a Celtic cross at Lough Gartan marking his birthplace. DIB OCIL |
Works
See also Peter Bander, [ed.], The Prophecies of St Malachi and St Columbkille [sic] (Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe 2005) [rep.], possibly those issued by Nicholas O’Kearney.
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Criticism
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| Sylvester O’Halloran, in his History of Ireland (London 1778), relates the battle of Cuildremhne: ‘No people are so dangerous, to offend as churchmen. Sequestered from the world, having no other employments but their breviaries and conventual duties, they have greater time for recollection, and brood over injuries, if not endued with uncommon grace. Columba deemed the violating his asylum the cause of God. High in blood, and greatly reverenced, he could not brook this insult. He therefore applies to his relations, the northern Clana Neill and Fergus and Domhnal, at the head of a mighty army, bid defiance to the monarch [High-king Dearmod whose men invade the monastery to kill Cuornane Mac Aodh, a man who has murdered another contrary to law at Tara]. A most bloody battle is fought at Cuildreimhne; the imperial army, is defeated with great slaughter; with difficulty the monarch himself escapes with life; and more of the credit of this victory is attributed to the prayers of the saint, than the courage of the soldiery!’ (Op. cit. Vol. II, p.71; available online.) Columba’s [viz., Columcille’s] penance is narrated elsewhere in the volume. |
Myles Dillon & Nora Chadwick, The Celtic Realms [History and Civilisation] (London: London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson 1967): ‘Of Fergus Mór himself nothing is known, save that his family occupied Islay. Fergus’s grandson Gabrán, who had Kintyre and Knapdale, with his chief stronghold on the rock of Dunadd in the midst of Crinan Moss, was killed in 557 in a serious clash with the Picts under Brude mac Maelchon, and was succeeded by his cousin Conall. It was during Conall’s reign that St Columba settled on Iona and as a result of a visit to Brude’s court, which we may interpret as a diplomatic mission, is said to have converted the Picts to Christianity. The eventual rise of the Cinél Gabráin to pre-eminence in Dál Riata [Dalriada] is doubtless to be ascribed to the political sagacity of St Columba. He was undoubtedly the great man in the expansion of Dál Riata during the sixth century. His biographer Adamnán would have us picture him as a recluse saint; but his relations with the Picts must have secured the tenure of the new colony of Dál Riata. His monastic settlement on Iona may have been dictated by the contemporary religious habit of the monks of the Celtic Church of making their sanctuaries on solitary islands; but one cannot fail to be struck by its excellent strategic position for communications with the northern and perhaps also the eastern Picts and all parts of Dal Riata, both Irish and Scottish. Despite late [76] Irish traditions to the contrary, Columba more than once returned to Ireland on political missions on behalf of the new Scottish kingdom of Dál Riata. Of these the most famous was to the Convention of Druim Cett (575) which was held under the Irish king, Aed son of Ainmire, and on this occasion Columba was accompanied by the king of Dáll Riata, Aedán mac Gabráin. The kingdom in Argyll grew in area and importance, even penetrating further eastwards into the ancient area of the Caledonia in the Perthshire Highlands. The true founder of this expanding Irish kingdom was Aedán mac Gabráin himself. He remained Columba’s firm friend to the end of his life and there can be little doubt that it was their joint statesmanship which guided the destiny of the little Irish-speaking kingdom of Argyll till, partly by conquest, and probably still more by alliances, gradually under Aedán’s descendants it amalgamated ultimately with the kingdom of the Picts to form the united kingdom of Scotland.’ (pp.76-77.) |
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References
Dictionary of National Biography [ODNB]: Columba, otherwise Columcille [sic] or Columbanus, St., 521-597; commemorated 9 June; sond of Feidilmid, and Ulster chief; b. Gartan, Donegal; pupil of St. Finnian; recluse at Glasnevin, nr. Dublin; built churches at Derry and other places; went to Scotland, 563; fnd. monastery of Hy (Iona); preached to Picts; received Aiden into his community, 574; visited Ireland, 575, 585; his reliques translated to Ireland, 878, and destroyed by Danes, 1127; several books believed to be written by him; life by Adamnan. NOTE that Columba and Columcille are listed separately in DIB [supra].
British Library holds Life of Saint Columba ... translated from the Latin of St. Adamnan, edited, with copious notes, by [...] Daniel MacCarthy.. pp. xxiv. 219. J. Duffy & Co.: Dublin, [1861.] 8o. [2] Life of Saint Columba ... Written by Adamnan, etc. Edited by William Reeves. [A new edition, with an English translation prepared under the superintendence of the Bishop of Brechin, and the notes rearranged by W. F. Skene.] Latin & English, clxxxiv, 385pp. Edmonton & Douglas: Edinburgh, 1874. 8o. [3] The Life of Saint Columba Columb-Kille-A.D. 521-597 ... Newly translated from the Latin with notes and illustrations by Wentworth Huyshe, lxix, 255pp. G. Routledge & Sons: London, [1906.] 8o. [4] Saint Columba. A poem.. pp. x. 53. St. Giles’ Printing Co.: Edinburgh, 1901. 8o. [5] The Legend of Saint Columba ... Illustrated by E. Mackinstry.. pp. 156. Sheed & Ward: London, 1936. 8o. [6] Songs and Tales of Saint Columba and his Age. (Iona, 13th centenary of St. Columba.). pp. 52. Patrick Geddes & Colleagues: Edinburgh, 1897. 4o. [7] [Three Latin hymns attributed to Saint Columba: the “Altus”, “In te Christe”, and “Noli Pater indulgere”.]. 1647. [8] Life and Work of Saint Columba, viii, 170pp. Simpkin, Marshall & Co.: London; Edward Clulow, Jun.: Derby, 1888. 8o [9] Saint Columba; his life and work ... Second edition.. pp. x. 153. St. Giles’ Printing Co.: Edinburgh, 1893. 8o. [10] The Sacred Island; or, a Terrestrial paradise in the western Atlantic ... Reprinted from “The Nassau Guardian.” [On Saint Columba of Iona.]. Guardian Office: Nassau, 1917. 8o. [11] Saint Columba and his Mission, ix. 69pp. A.P.C.K.: Dublin, 1963. 8o. [12] Saint Columba. [with plates], 84pp. Talbot Press: Dublin; T. Fisher Unwin: London, 1920. 8o. [13] The Life of Saint Columba, Apostle of Scotland ... with illustrations, 126pp. [1914.] [14] The Story of Saint Columba ... By “Iona”. vii, 72pp. M. H. Gill & Son: Dublin, 1928. 8o. [15] The Celtic Expansion ... A lecture given during the Saint Columba Celebrations, held in the dioceses of Derry and Raphoe in 1963. 38pp. A.P.C.K.: Dublin, 1965. 8o. [16] Saint Columba.. pp. 201. Burns & Oates: London, [1906.] 8o. [17] Saint Columba.. pp. 15. Sheldon Press: London, [1947.] 8o. [18] Saint Columba of Iona. A study of his life, his times, & his influence.. pp. xxxii. 231. J. M. Dent & Sons: London & Toronto, 1920. 8o. [19] Saint Columba, Apostle of Caledonia. [A narrative from the third volume of the “Monks of the West.”]. Edinburgh [printed], London, 1868. 8o. [20] The Saint Columba Readers, compiled by M. J. O’Mullane, Educational Co. of Ireland: Dublin & Cork, [1928- .] 8o. [21] Branan the Pict. A story of the days of Saint Columba.. 355pp. Religious Tract Society: London, [1912.] 8o. [22] The Psalms in the Days of Saint Columba. The story of the Cathach, ‘the Battle-Psalter’, 18pp. A.P.C.K.: Dublin, 1963. 8o. [23] On Certain Saints and Professor Watson [A reply to his criticisms of “the Historical Saint Columba.”], 33pp. Milne & Hutchinson: Aberdeen, 1928. 8o. [24] The Historical Saint Columba ... Second edition.. pp. xxxiii. 177. Milne & Hutchinson: Aberdeen, 1927. 4o. [25] The Historical Saint Columba. (Revised third edition.) [With a plate.]. vi. 127pp. Oliver & Boyd: Edinburgh & London, 1963. 8o. [26] The Historical Saint Columba. [With illustrations.]. xiii. 177pp. Milne & Hutchinson: Aberdeen, 1927. 4o. [27] Saint Columba. The Lord’s song in a strange land.. pp. 63. 1913. [28] Saint Columba, etc.. pp. 120. Alexander Gardner: Paisley, 1923. 8o. Adamnan Saint ca.628-704, Vita Sancti Columbæ, Life of Saint Columba, founder of Hy, Llanerch Enterprises 1988.
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Church of Ireland Hymnal (1960, 1987), hymns attrib. to Columba: “In Aonasán dom ins an sliabh” [‘alone with none but thee, my God/I journey on my way’]; “In te, Christe, credentium”, & “Christus Redemptor omnium”, trans. Duncan MacGregor (1854-1923).
Hyland Books (Cat. 214) lists George Metlake, The Life and Writings of St Columban ?542-615 (Philadelphia 1914), xx, 258pp.
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Notes
Walter Harris, trans. Sir James Ware, Writers of Ireland (1736 edn.): ‘Magnus, or Manus (son of Hugh) O’Donell, of Tirconell, writ a large Volume in Irish containing The Life of St. Columbe [sic], in 1536.’ (Chap. XII; K2.)
W. B. Yeats tells a story of Columcille in Celtic Twilight (1893, 1902), related by Paddy Flynn of the manner in which ‘Collumcille cheered up his mother’: “How are you to-day, mother?” said the saint. “Worse,” replied the mother. “May you be worse to-morrow,” said the saint. The next day Collumcille came again, and exactly the same conversation took place, but the third day the mother said, “Better, thank God.” And the saint replied, “May you be better to-morrow.” (The Celtic Twilight, Bullen 1902, p.5.)
W. B. Stanford, Ireland and the Classical Tradition (IAP 1976; 1984), quotes ‘St Columba not forgotten in Leo XIII’s famous letter to the Scottish nation’, a remark in W. P. Ryan, The Pope’s Green Island (1912), apparently quoted from Dr. O’Donnell, the Bishop of Raphoe preaching a panegyric on Columcille in Derry, 30 May 1909, on the anniversary of the condemnation of Joan of Arc.
Prophecies of Columcille: In 1795-06 millenarian prophecies associated with Colmcille were dispensed by Catholic United Irishmen to Catholics in Co. Derry, while Protestant United Irishmen dispensed the same prophecies to Protestants in Co. Antrim. (See Conor Cruise OBrien, The Great Melody, 1992, p.531.)
TCD Exhibition: A major exhibition bringing together the surviving artifacts associated with Colum Cille, on the 1,400th anniversary of his death, was mounted at TCD in March-May 1997; features centrally the ‘cathach’ or psalter supposedly written by him, in its jewelled shrine; also the Book of Durrow, Book of Kells, both made to honour the founder of the monasteries in which they were scribed; the shrine was formerly deposited in the National Museum. (See The Irish Times, 26 May 1997.)
Postal strike: In March 2004, An Post [ROI] confirmed it was not proceeding with an issue of stamps to commemorate the 1,400th anniversary of the death of the Columcille.
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