Feast of St Columba
Today is the Feast of St Columba or Colmcille as known in Ireland. His name means “Dove” the same as Jonah in Hebrew. He was born in Gartan, County Donegal in 521. He became a monk at Clonard in County Meath and studied at Glasnevin Monastery in County Dublin. St Columba founded monasteries in Derry (he is Patron Saint of), Kells and Durrow, all in the Republic of Ireland.
Around AD 563 along with 12 other monks he set sail for Scotland and set up a Monastic Foundation on the West coast of Scotland on the Island of Iona. St Columba would remain here for the rest of his life. This monastery in Iona would become the dominant religious centre in Britain for centuries and from here in their missionary journeys, other religious centres in mainland Scotland and England were established. St Columba had great success in converting the Northern Pictish Kingdoms that were pagan. He died on the 8th of June 597.
St Columba. Pray for us.
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