Seeker

This is the day to remember Columba (521 - 597 A.D.), patron saint of Derry, floods, bookbinder, hackers and copyeditors and much more. He belongs both to Ireland and Scotland. I love this photo of the top part of his statue in Derry, Northern Ireland. It shows #Columba releasing a dove of peace. The name Columba means dove. The Irish nicknamed him Columcille which means dove of the church. There is a brief summary of Columba's life and legacy in 'Who was St Columba?' on the Derry Heritage Trail website. My previous post about this Irish monk who I remember best as the founder of the Abbey on the tiny island of Iona in Scotland is here, 'St Columba'.  Iona became a significant base to spread the gospel in Scotland and northern England. although after arriving in Iona I think Columba himself spent most of the rest of his life on that island. The following is known as St Columba's Prayer' although as far as I know not written by him. It is more of...

I like to think that Columba was a Scottish saint. But he wasn't. He was Irish. His Irish name was Columcille. I like to think that the island of Iona near Mull off the west coast off Scotland where he founded an abbey was Scottish, but it wasn't. It was Irish territory and populated by Irish Gaels in Columba's day (521 - 597 A.D.) It's part of Scotland now.  I've visited Iona twice and have only ever seen it in bright warm sunshine. The beaches have beautiful white sand and the rebuilt abbey and the whole island is a peaceful place. It is said that Columba had to leave the Irish mainland under a bit of a cloud. According to tradition, as an abbott he was involved in a quarrel with Finian, the abbott of Movilla Abbey.  Columba had visited him and copied the manuscript of a Psalter held in Movilla Abbey, intending to keep it. St Finian disputed his right to keep it - and that's how the quarrel started. This led to a battle with many deaths - probably the f...