St. Columba arrived into this world in the early 6th century of our era, in what is now County Donegal, Ireland, on December 7th, 521. He was born to royalty, into the clan O'Donnell-his father, Feidlimid (Fedhlimidh) a great-grandson of Nial of the Nine Hostages, and mother, Eithne, from the royal house in Leinster, of the Catlmoir Mor. Had he chosen to do so, he likely would have been an Irish king; he chose, instead, a religious calling early on. Though channeling the second or third son into the church eventually became standard practice among the European aristocracies, it was quite unusual at the time for someone born with wealth, privilege and power to abandon it voluntarily. I take that as an indication of Columba's sincerity and belief.

At any rate, Columba was one of many remarkable Irish (Gaelic) scholar-monks who almost single-handedly kept Christianity, learning, ancient secular writings, and literacy alive during the bleak Dark Ages that engulfed Europe following the collapse of the Roman Empire. Indeed, if the historical record is any indication of achievement, it shows unequivocally that the task of preserving civilization was a labor open only to the ecclesiastic--for the history of early Ireland lauds paltry few warriors and kings, but readily acknowledges the influence of literally hundreds within the monastic communities.

Let me comment briefly on his name. Our good Irish friar was named Crimthann when just a babe. Colum was actually his baptismal name, which means Dove. During his life he was nicknamed Columcille (or Colum Cille)-Dove of the Church. The name we have become familiar with, and the one I will use for clarity's sake, Columba, is the Latinization of Columcille. And though we say the family belonged to the O'Donnell clan, O'Donnell is the modern transliteration of the old, but ever-evolving, Gaelic designations: Ui Neill, Conaill, Conall, O Domhnaill.

As a young man Columba advanced rapidly in the Church; he joined the monastery of Moville, was ordained deacon by St. Finnian, and was subsequently ordained into the priesthood by the Bishop of Clonfad, Etchen. Around this time Columba visited the continent, traveling to the city of Tours, in Gaul (now France), to pay tribute to St. Martin. During his travels he witnessed the increasingly unstable life of Europe, as well as the decline in education and literacy. Contact between Ireland and Rome had always been minimal, so his cultural tradition kept him as apart from the Roman world's intellectual demise as the geological circumstance of Ireland kept it removed from Rome's political demise; he looked at the cultural degeneration as an observer, an outsider. But he saw where the anarchy was leading and abhorred it.

Once back on Irish soil, and while living at the Mobhi Clarainech Monastery, a great pestilence spread across Ireland, devastating the populace with disease. It is at this point that Columba  returned north, to his homeland and present-day Derry (or Londonderry, then called Doire, meaning Oak Grove), where he founded the first of many monasteries to come.