Interesting Facts about St Colmcille
- The village of Colmcille in Longford is home to Anne Reilly Gibson (Mother of Mel Gibson) and Oliver Goldsmith (Writer).
- One of the traditions on St Colmcille’s Feast Day is that people wear the Oak leaf in his honour.
- He is one of the Patron Saints of Ireland as well as the Patron Saint of floods and bookbinders.
- He is thought to have written over 300 books.
- Aer lingus have a plane called ‘Colmcille’.
- He died in 597. He collapsed before the alter of the church in Iona and his last words were:
“Raise my hand, that I may bless my monks.
Higher still that I may bless the land of Erin and all I
Love there, my oakgrove and my children”.
