Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Life of St. Columba
Author: [unknown]
Table of Contents
A brief narrative of his great miracles
Of St. Finten the Abbot, son of Tailchan
Prophecy of St. Columba regarding Ernene, son of Crasen
Of the arrival of St Cainnech, the Abbot, who had been previously announced in prophecy by St. Columba
Of the danger to the holy Bishop Colman Mocusailni in the sea, near the island called Rechru
Of Cormac
Prophecy of the blessed man regarding the tumults of battles fought at a distance
Prophecy of St. Columba regarding the sons of King Aidan
Prophecy of the Saint regarding two boys, one of whom, according to the Saint's word, died at the end of a week
Prophecy of the Saint regarding Colca, son of Aid Draignich, sprung from the grandsons of Fechureg, and regarding some secret sin of his mother
Regarding Laisrean, the gardener, a holy man
How the Saint knew and told beforehand about a great whale
Prophecy of the holy man regarding a certain Baitan, who with others sailed in search of a desert in the ocean
Prophecy of the holy man regarding a certain Neman, who was not a real penitent
Regarding a certain unhappy man who lay with his mother
Of the vowel I
Of the book which fell into the water-vessel, as the Saint had foretold
Of the inkhorn, awkwardly spilled
Of the arrival of another guest foretold by the Saint
Of another man in distress who was crying across the same sound
The prophecy of the holy man regarding the Roman city, burnt by a sulphurous fire which fell from heaven
The vision of the blessed man regarding Laisran, son of Feradach
How Feachna the Wise came as a penitent to St. Columba, as he had foretold
The Prophecy of the holy man regarding his monk Cailtan
The foresight and prophecy of the Saint regarding the two brothers who were strangers
The prophecy of the holy man regarding a certain Artbranan
Of the boat that was removed by the Saint's order
Of Gallan, son of Fachtna, who resided in the jurisdiction of Colga, son of Cellach
Concerning a rich man named Lugud Clodus
Prophecy of the Saint regarding Neman, son of Gruthrich
Prophecy of the holy man regarding a certain priest
The Prophecy of the holy man regarding the robber Erc Mocudruidi, who dwelt in the island Coloso (Colonsay)
Prophecy of the holy man regarding the poet Cronan
The holy man's prophecy regarding the two noblemen who died of wounds mutually inflicted
Of the wine which was formed from water
Of the bitter fruit of a tree changed into sweet by the blessing of the Saint
Of corn sown after midsummer and reaped in the beginning of the month of August, at the Saint's prayer, while he was residing in the Iouan island (Hy, now Iona)
Of a pestilential cloud, and the curing of many
Of Maugina the holy virgin, daughter of Daimen, who had lived in Clochur, of the sons of Daimen (Clogher)
Of the cures of various diseases which took place in the Ridge of Ceate (Druimceatt)
Of a lump of salt blessed by the Saint, which could not be consumed by the fire
Of a volume of a book in the Saint's handwriting which could not be destroyed by water
Of water drawn from the hard rock by the Saint's prayers
Of a poisonous fountain of water to which the blessed man gave his blessing in the country of the Picts
Of the danger to the blessed man at sea, and the sudden calm produced by his prayers
Of another similar peril to him at sea
Of the staff of St. Cainnech which was forgotten in the harbour
How Baithene and Columban, the son of Beogna, holy priests, asked of the Lord, through the prayers of the blessed man, that he would grant them on the same day a favourable wind, though sailing in different directions
Of the driving out of a demon that lurked in a milk-pail
Concerning a Vessel which a sorcerer named Silnan had filled with milk taken from a bull
Of Lugne Mocumin
Of the fishes which were specially provided by God for the blessed man
Regarding Nesan the Crooked, who lived in the country bordering on the Lake of Apors (Lochaber)
How the holy man blessed the few cattle belonging to Columban, a man of equally humble condition; and how, after his blessing, they increased to the number of a hundred
Of the death of some wicked men who had spurned the Saint
Of a certain Feradach, who was cut off by sudden death
Concerning a certain other impious man, a persecutor of the churches, who was called in Latin Manus Dextera
Of yet another oppressor of the innocent
How a wild boar was destroyed through his prayers
How an aquatic monster was driven off by virtue of the blessed man's prayer
How the Saint blessed the soil of this island that no poison of serpents should henceforth hurt any one in it
Of the knife which the Saint blessed by signing it with the Lord's Cross
Of the cure of Diormit when sick
Of the cure of Finten, the son of Aid, when at the point of death
Of the boy whom the holy man raised from the dead, in the name of the Lord Christ
Concerning the illness with which the Druid Broichan was visited for his detention of a female slave, and his cure on her release
Of the manner in which St. Columba overcame Broichan the Druid and sailed against the wind
Of the sudden opening of the door of the royal fortress of its own accord
Of a similar unclosing of the Church of the Field of the Two Streams (Tirdaglas, in the county of Tipperary)
Concerning a certain peasant who was a beggar, for whom, the Saint made and blessed a stake for killing wild beasts
Concerning a leathern vessel for holding milk which was carried from its place by the ebb, and brought back again by the return of the tide
The Saint's prophecy regarding Libran, of the Rush-ground
Concerning a certain little woman who, as a daughter of Eve, was enduring the great and extremely dangerous pains of childbirth
Of one Lugne, surnamed Tudida, a pilot, who lived on the Rechrean island (either Rathlin or Lambay), and whom, as being deformed, his wife hated
The prophecy of the blessed man regarding the voyage of Cormac the grandson of Lethan
How the venerable man made a journey in a chariot which was not secured with the proper linch-pins
Of the rain which, after some months of drought, the Lord bountifully poured out upon the earth in honour of the blessed man
Of the unfavourable winds which, through the intercession of our Saint, were changed into propitious breezes
Concerning the Plague
Of the Ray of Light which was seen upon the boy's face as he lay asleep
Of the Apparition of Holy Angels whom St. Brenden saw accompanying the blessed man through the plain
The blessed man in his journey
How an Angel of the Lord appeared in a vision to St. Columba while he stayed in the Hinba island (Eilean-na-Naoimh), being sent to him in order that he might appoint Aidan king
Of the Apparition of Angels carrying to heaven the soul of the blessed Brito
Concerning the Vision of Angels vouchsafed the same holy man when they were bearing to heaven the soul of one named Diormit
Of the brave fight of the Angels against the Demons, and how they opportunely assisted the Saint in the same conflict
Of the Apparition of Angels whom the man of God saw carrying to heaven the soul of a blacksmith, named Columb, and surnamed Coilrigin
Of a similar vision of Angels whom the blessed man beheld carrying to heaven the soul of a certain virtuous woman
Of the Apparition of Holy Angels whom St. Columba beheld meeting in its passage the soul of St. Brenden, the founder of the monastery which in Scotic is called Birra (Birr, in King's County)
Of the Vision of Holy Angels who carried off to heaven the soul of the Bishop, St. Columban Mocu Loigse
Of the Apparition of Angels who had come down to meet the souls of the monks of St. Comgell
Of the Manifestation of the Angels who came to meet the soul of one Emchath
Of the Angel of the Lord that came so quickly and opportunely to the relief of the brother who fell from the top of the round monastery in the Oakwood Plain (Derry)
Of the multitude of Holy Angels that were seen to come down from heaven at the bidding of the blessed man
Of the bright Pillar seen to glow upon the Saint's head
Of the Descent or Visit of the Holy Ghost, which in the same island continued for three whole days and nights with the venerable man
Of the angelic splendour of the light which Virgnous—a youth of good disposition, and afterwards made by God superior of this Church in which I, though unworthy, now serve—saw coming down upon St. Columba in the Church, on a winter's night, when the brethren were at rest in their chambers
Of another very similar Vision of great brilliancy
Of another like Apparition of Divine light
Of another Vision of Angels whom the Saint saw coming to meet his soul, as if to show that it was about to leave the body
How our Patron, St. Columba, passed to the Lord