From Down to Argyll: common saints in the Early Middle Ages
Comhall of Bangor, Finnian of Movilla agus Colm Cille
In the time of Colmcille the sea could be an information super-highway. As part of Colmcille 1500, a talk by historian Elva Johnston looked at communication across the Irish Sea: at the common languages, the two-way political currents, and particularly the shared saints.
St Patrick was not the only saint to come from Britain to Ireland; Finnian, who died in 579, also came and founded Movilla Abbey in the Ards peninsula in Ulster. Neither was Colm Cille the only saint to go to Scotland. St Comhall of Bangor was his contemporary, and Bangor had an extensive influence during his life. St Moluag founded an abbey at Lismore in Argyll, and St Molua later founded a monastery near the Isle of Slkye at Applecross, or Apor Crossan, a Pictish placename. Both were from Bangor.
These saints were powerful in their own lifetimes, said Professor Johnston, and powerful too after their death. They had a place within their own territories and internationally. Their monasteries were places of learning, of spirituality and of technical progress. The saints and their monasteries had ways of associating across country frontiers that the kings themselves did not. In the eyes of their followers, they brough heaven and earth together, and the cult of saints was closely linked to the development of countries, as was the case with Colm Cille, who became one of the patrons of both Ireland and Scotland.
This talk was organised in partnership with Belfast City Council, and was chaired by Professor Regina Ní Chollatáín. There was an online audience from both Ireland and Scotland, and representatives from both countries discussed the material afterwards from a modern-day viewpoint. The lecture is available online here.
Walk in Irish on Slí Cholmcille 9 – 12 June 2023
St Adhamhnán and Geneva Conventions
Best foot forward – Slí Cholmcille 2021
Lá Fhéile Chaluim Chille i gCannaidh
St Columba’s Day on the Isle of Canna
Turas Cholmcille sa Ghleann
The Feast day of Colmcille in Gleann
Church of Ireland commemorates Columba in Gartán
Developing Slighe Chaluim Chille
Bòrd na Gàidhlig
Great Glen House
Leachkin Road
Inverness
Scotland, IV3 8NW
(+44) 01463 225454
colmcille@gaidhlig.scot
Colmcille
Foras na Gaeilge, 2-6 Queen Street
Belfast
Northern Ireland
BT1 6ED
(+44) 028 9089 0970
colmcille@forasnagaeilge.ie
Colmcille
Foras na Gaeilge, An Chrannóg
Na Doirí Beaga
Gaoth Dobhair
Donegal, Ireland. F92 EYT3
(+353) 074 9560113
colmcille@forasnagaeilge.ie