From Columba To Yeats at Drumcliff
St. Columba, or Columcille was born at Gartan, Co. Donegal, on Dec. 7, 521 AD,in Ireland. He was the son of Fedhlimidh, son of Fergus Cennfada, and descended from Niall of the Nine Hostages, monarch of Ireland who was his great-great-grandfather. His ancestry had been kings of Ireland for nine centuries. Had Columcille not chosen the monastic life he may have also become king of Ireland.
It is said that his mother wanted to call him Colum, dove, and his father wanted to call him Crimthan, wolf. He was baptized Crimthan at Tulach-Dubhglaise, now known as Temple-Douglas, between Gartan and Letterkenny.
Columcille trained for priesthood by Abbot, later St., Finnian at Moville monastery and was ordained by Bishop Etchen of Clonfad. It was at his ordination that he decided to be called Columcille, Colum meaning dove and Cille meaning close attendance at church or close attention to the local community.
The name Columba developed after his death when his name was Latinized by Rome at the time he was recognized as a saint.
While studying, Columcille developed an appreciation for the work of the bards and artists with a recorded fondness for the work of a bard called Gemman. Columcille became a very fluid writer and composer and was said to have been one of the best scribes of his time, especially for his writing of many music Psalters.
There are several ecclesiastical and monastic sites in Ireland attributed to Columcille and his teachings. In 546 AD Columcille founded the monastery in Derry, and Durrow in 556 AD. Also well known are Kells and Drumcliff and lesser known are Swords, and Raphoe. Columcille founded 27 monastries in Ireland and about 40 churches. However, as St. Columba, he is probably most famous for his foundation of a Christian monastery on Iona in Scotland.
In around 560 AD he returned to visit Abbot Finian at Moville monastery as a guest but while there he secretly copied a valued manuscript of Finian's, probably a copy of the Gospel that Finian had obtained from Whithorn monastery in Scotland. Somehow, Finian discovered the "theft", which is said to have been reported to him by a servant or monk. He demanded the return of the "pirated" manuscript.
The case, possibly the first about "pirated" written work and even the copyright status of the scriptures, went before Diarmot, or Diarmaid Ui Neill, a local king. He ordered Columcille to return the book using the famous translated quote "To every cow it's calf, and to every copy it's original". Columcille reluctantly handed his copy back.
A few months after this case, Columcille gave refuge to one of King Diarmaid's servants who was on the run after accidently killing one of the king's sons during a sporting event. Ui Neill's army ignored the laws of sanctuary, forced their way into the monastery and killed the servant.
Though Columcille was known as a kind man, especially towards children and animals, he was also known to be a person with a hot temper. He demanded that Diarmaid compensated for the forced entry into the manastery by donating both the original and copy of the scripture book he was forced to hand over earlier.
King Diarmaid refused and despite Columcille being a direct descendant of the Ui Neill royalty clan he identified himself more with his father's O'Donell clan and the values of the clan. He rallied the support of his father and his clan in Connaught to support forcing Diaraid to hand over the books that Columcille believed he was not worthy of.
What started as religious issue developed into a conflict of politics between Connaught and Ulster, which was then split by a line across Ben Bulben. The conflict turned into one of Ireland's bloodiest battles, "The Battle Of The Books" fought at Culdreimne in the Barony of Carberry, situated between Drumcliff and Sligo. Both "armies" were a mixture of Christians and Pagans and around 3000 were killed.
There are mixed reports about who won, but Columcille' own hand written copy of the disputed book was returned to him.
After the battle, a synod was assembled at Teltown in Meath to explore Columcille's involvement in the battle because had also "taken up arms". Normally a priest would have been publically excommunicated him. Surprisingly, Finian, who may be his former teacher or another Finian, came to his defence along with Brendan of Birr. It is believed that they made a "closed door" decision that Columcille must win as many souls to Christ through preaching as the lives that were lost at battle.
He decided to leave Ireland in 563, at 42 years old, and sailed with 12 companions in currachs made of wicker and covered with hides. The following story of Columcille in Scotland is beyond this article .....
Before Columcille left his beloved Ireland he handed the "book" over to his father which became known as the "Cathach", which translates as "warrior". His father was involved in further battles while Columcille was away and the "Cathach" was carried during every battle.
Some Scottish legends claims Columba never returned to Ireland he did actually return often to create and "tour" monastic sites dedicated to his work.
He founded a monastary at Drumcliff, in 574 AD, at the base of Ben Bulben and near the site of the Battle Of The Books only 12 or 13 years after the battle. He believed the top of Ben Bulben was the closest to heaven in Ireland and this was a peak time for his writings. Its seems quite fitting that William Bulter Yeats is buried on the site of this former monastery.
Remains today are a round tower, a highly decorative high cross near the cafe, shafts of another stone cross within the walls of the current St. Columba's church, fragments of a third stone cross in The National Museum of Ireland. Then there's the, so-called, angel stone at the roadside, which is probably the foundation of another cross.
Drumcliff is the only Celtic Christian monastic site in Co. Sligo with sculptured ornamented high crosses.
It is said that his mother wanted to call him Colum, dove, and his father wanted to call him Crimthan, wolf. He was baptized Crimthan at Tulach-Dubhglaise, now known as Temple-Douglas, between Gartan and Letterkenny.
Columcille trained for priesthood by Abbot, later St., Finnian at Moville monastery and was ordained by Bishop Etchen of Clonfad. It was at his ordination that he decided to be called Columcille, Colum meaning dove and Cille meaning close attendance at church or close attention to the local community.
The name Columba developed after his death when his name was Latinized by Rome at the time he was recognized as a saint.
While studying, Columcille developed an appreciation for the work of the bards and artists with a recorded fondness for the work of a bard called Gemman. Columcille became a very fluid writer and composer and was said to have been one of the best scribes of his time, especially for his writing of many music Psalters.
There are several ecclesiastical and monastic sites in Ireland attributed to Columcille and his teachings. In 546 AD Columcille founded the monastery in Derry, and Durrow in 556 AD. Also well known are Kells and Drumcliff and lesser known are Swords, and Raphoe. Columcille founded 27 monastries in Ireland and about 40 churches. However, as St. Columba, he is probably most famous for his foundation of a Christian monastery on Iona in Scotland.
In around 560 AD he returned to visit Abbot Finian at Moville monastery as a guest but while there he secretly copied a valued manuscript of Finian's, probably a copy of the Gospel that Finian had obtained from Whithorn monastery in Scotland. Somehow, Finian discovered the "theft", which is said to have been reported to him by a servant or monk. He demanded the return of the "pirated" manuscript.
The case, possibly the first about "pirated" written work and even the copyright status of the scriptures, went before Diarmot, or Diarmaid Ui Neill, a local king. He ordered Columcille to return the book using the famous translated quote "To every cow it's calf, and to every copy it's original". Columcille reluctantly handed his copy back.
A few months after this case, Columcille gave refuge to one of King Diarmaid's servants who was on the run after accidently killing one of the king's sons during a sporting event. Ui Neill's army ignored the laws of sanctuary, forced their way into the monastery and killed the servant.
Though Columcille was known as a kind man, especially towards children and animals, he was also known to be a person with a hot temper. He demanded that Diarmaid compensated for the forced entry into the manastery by donating both the original and copy of the scripture book he was forced to hand over earlier.
King Diarmaid refused and despite Columcille being a direct descendant of the Ui Neill royalty clan he identified himself more with his father's O'Donell clan and the values of the clan. He rallied the support of his father and his clan in Connaught to support forcing Diaraid to hand over the books that Columcille believed he was not worthy of.
What started as religious issue developed into a conflict of politics between Connaught and Ulster, which was then split by a line across Ben Bulben. The conflict turned into one of Ireland's bloodiest battles, "The Battle Of The Books" fought at Culdreimne in the Barony of Carberry, situated between Drumcliff and Sligo. Both "armies" were a mixture of Christians and Pagans and around 3000 were killed.
There are mixed reports about who won, but Columcille' own hand written copy of the disputed book was returned to him.
After the battle, a synod was assembled at Teltown in Meath to explore Columcille's involvement in the battle because had also "taken up arms". Normally a priest would have been publically excommunicated him. Surprisingly, Finian, who may be his former teacher or another Finian, came to his defence along with Brendan of Birr. It is believed that they made a "closed door" decision that Columcille must win as many souls to Christ through preaching as the lives that were lost at battle.
He decided to leave Ireland in 563, at 42 years old, and sailed with 12 companions in currachs made of wicker and covered with hides. The following story of Columcille in Scotland is beyond this article .....
Before Columcille left his beloved Ireland he handed the "book" over to his father which became known as the "Cathach", which translates as "warrior". His father was involved in further battles while Columcille was away and the "Cathach" was carried during every battle.
Some Scottish legends claims Columba never returned to Ireland he did actually return often to create and "tour" monastic sites dedicated to his work.
He founded a monastary at Drumcliff, in 574 AD, at the base of Ben Bulben and near the site of the Battle Of The Books only 12 or 13 years after the battle. He believed the top of Ben Bulben was the closest to heaven in Ireland and this was a peak time for his writings. Its seems quite fitting that William Bulter Yeats is buried on the site of this former monastery.
Remains today are a round tower, a highly decorative high cross near the cafe, shafts of another stone cross within the walls of the current St. Columba's church, fragments of a third stone cross in The National Museum of Ireland. Then there's the, so-called, angel stone at the roadside, which is probably the foundation of another cross.
Drumcliff is the only Celtic Christian monastic site in Co. Sligo with sculptured ornamented high crosses.
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