Lawlor — The Cathnch of St. Columha. 801 



of Cul Dremhne.' The details are, of course, doubtful ; but the essential parts 

 of the narrative, as O'Donuell tells it, were believed many centuries before 

 he wrote, and long before his time had gained currency with various forms of 

 legendary accretion. The variety attests, at the least, the great antiquity of 

 the story. 



But there is more direct coniirmation of its substantial truth. Let us 

 note first that the battle of Cul Dremhue is an indubitable event of history. 

 The Annals record that it was fought in 561, and the more reliable of them' 

 state, with O'Donnell, that Columba aided the victors with his prayers. They 

 agree also that he migrated to lona in 563 — two years after the battle. These 

 dates are in noteworthy harmony with our story. But Adamnan carries us 

 a step further. He twice mentions the battle of Cul Dremhue as a well- 

 known incident ; and in each case he refers to it as if it were an epoch in 

 Columba's career, and in some way connected with his " pilgrimage." These 

 are his words : " Hie anno secundo post Culedrebinae bellum, aetatis uero 

 suae xlii, de Scotia ad Britanniam pro Christo peregrinari nolens enauigauit " ; 

 and again : " Post bellum Cule Drebene, sicut nobis traditum est, duobus 

 transactis annis, quo tempore uir beatus de Scotia peregrinaturus primitus 

 enauigauit,' &c.^ The significance of these two sentences will be appreciated 

 by those who have observed Adamnan's habitual carelessness in regard to 

 historical and chronological data. 



Again, Adamnan* gives an account of a Synod held at Taillte (Teltown), 

 at which, " for certain venial, and so far excusable, matters," Columba was 

 excommunicated. It is true that on the intervention of St. Brendan of 

 Birr the excommunication was subsequently withdrawn. But it is difficult 

 to believe that the feeling of the ecclesiastics towards one against whom 

 they had pronounced so severe a sentence, notwithstanding its rescission, 

 should be altogether cordial. Thus, O'Donnell's statement that "the saints 

 of Ireland murmured against Columcille " is justified, though possibly the 

 assembly at Teltown included only the ecclesiastics of Meath.^ 



What trivial offences of Columba had brought about this condemnation 



'The only real exception is Peregr. 11. The story of Molaise of Inislimurray 

 seems to have been in agreement with the other traditions in this respect. See note ', 

 p. 300, and bear in mind that the story of Molaise of Damh luis, which is apparently 

 derived from it, is explicit on the point. 



^ Annals of Tigernach, Annals of Ulster. 



^Adamnan, Praef. 2 ; i. 7. 



* iii. 3. 



" O'Donnell does not appear to have connected the murmuring of the saints with the 

 Synod of Teltown. He has an account of that assembly in a different context (§ 'i 2 : 

 ZCP, iv. 283), 



