Saint Columba

Columkill

A sixth-century Irish saint of the family of the kings of Ulster. With twelve followers, he left Ireland and evangelized Scotland, founding 300 religious houses there. The first, that on the island if Iona, was founded in 563 AD.

According to Glennie, Columba was supposed to possess prophetic power.

Phyllis McGinley, who calls him "Ireland's most typical saint", gives a physical description from old chronicles: tall, fair-skinned, dark-haired, gray-eyed, and with a melodious, far-sounding voice. She also retells the tale of why he left Ireland - in self-banishment for the horror of having started a war over his right to copy a book.