1 (Chapter 1) Why was the boy Columba christened with that name?
2 Where was St Columba born?
3 Where did he live for most of his life?
4 (Chap. 2) Why did St Columba leave Ireland?
5 (Chap 12) What did St Columba do with his boat when he arrived at the island of Iona?
Draw...!
A picture of a sailing boat of that time.
Fact File
St Columba was born in Derry on Thursday 7 December 521. He was baptised Colum, (Columba in Latin) but was later nicknamed Columcille (Colum of the church). After he became a priest he set up many monasteries (some say 300) all over Ireland. In the year 563 St. Columba, with 12 companions, set sail for Scotland, in order to bring Christianity to the Picts who lived in northern Scotland at that time. He landed on the island of Iona and lived there for the rest of his life. St Columba died in the year AD597 when he was almost 76 years old.
Explore...!
If you live near Co. Clare or Limerick, or Tipperary, try to visit the iron age settlement at Cragganaun and see the replica of St Brendan's sixth century boat which has sailed from Ireland to America.
Imagine......!
You are one of the twelve companions of St Columba. Write an account of your voyage to Iona. Describe the weather and the sea and perhaps some exciting adventures.
Make a list of what St Columba and his twelve companions would need to take with them in the boat. The distance from Derry to Iona is over a hundred miles. How long would the voyage have been? Think of what they might have needed during their time at sea.
