.JPG)
Organisations across the North West are gearing up for events that will mark the 1500th anniversary of Colmcille’s birth on 7th December. Marking the historic year, Donegal County Council and Derry City & Strabane District Council, are co-ordinating a full line-up for ‘Colmcille 1500,’ to celebrate the anniversary of one of Ireland’s three patron saints.
Whilst the ongoing COVID restrictions may limit the number of physical events that can take place, Colmcille 1500 organisers have worked diligently to ensure that there is plenty happening online, as well as church services and exhibitions that will be open to the public.
Deirdre Harte, Colmcille 1500 Project Manager with Donegal County Council, said:
“We’re excited to deliver such a wide range of events to celebrate the 1500th anniversary of this revered saint who has so many connections to the North West. Colmcille’s influence has spread around the world so it’s appropriate that we mark such a historic anniversary celebrating his life and work.”
Celebrations for Colmcille or Columba, who is also the patron saint of the city of Derry, kick off in earnest on December 6, with ‘Colmcille 1500: A Journey Through Ireland & Scotland.’ The online event will mark Colmcille life's journey from his homeland in Gartan, Co. Donegal to Derry and onwards to Scotland.
The event will be a mixture of pre-recorded videos from each area as well as live panel discussions and will be chaired by Áine Ní Bhreisleáin of RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta - broadcast from the Great Hall at Magee to a global online audience. A panel of esteemed experts discussing the saint’s impact on Irish and Scottish culture will also join the event.
Lots more is planned for the saint’s birthday on Tuesday December 7, including celebrations to be held at a cross-border event in Colmcille’s birthplace in Gartan, Co. Donegal. An Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, and church leaders will be in attendance.
The celebration will include the premiere of animations created through the Schools Digital Folklore Project – showcasing how St. Colmcille’s legacy has been kept alive by a new generation, using digital animation to capture his life and legacy. This Donegal Library Service project has been delivered in partnership with schools and libraries in Donegal, Derry, Meath, and Sligo. The children's animations are also being developed into a beautifully illustrated comic, and a Colmcille colouring book will also be launched at the event.
December 7 will also see the unveiling of a new Colmcille sculpture near Kilmacrennan in Donegal, reflecting its strong connection with the Saint, funded by Transport Infrastructure Ireland as part of the N56 Coolboy to Kilmacrennan Road Scheme. Artist Niall Bruton who also created the iconic sculpture of Colmcille located in St Columb’s Park in Derry, has once again been asked to capture the essence of the Saint.
In partnership with Foras na Gaeilge, there will also be a series of images projected onto important sites linked to Colmcille across Ireland and Scotland. The images will be seen in many locations from Colmcille's birthplace in Gartan to his final resting place in Iona in Scotland – locally people will be able to see them in Guildhall Square in Derry as well as at the Colmcille Heritage Centre and Colmcille’s Abbey in Gartan. As part of ‘Coinneal Cholmcille’ (Columba’s Candle) – the public have been invited to light a candle at 5.21pm to reflect the year of his birth in 521. The projections will also be switched on at 5.21pm and will be in place until 9 p.m. Whilst between 6.30 p.m and 8.30 p.m 'Light of the Dove' will see the grounds of the Long Tower in Derry come to life with light installations, dance, poetry, and music to create a walk-through experience themed around hope. The adjacent Aras Cholmcille will also be open.
Throughout December 7, there will also be various church services held to honour the saint. Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown will celebrate Mass in St Columba's Church Long Tower at 10.00am. Mass will be broadcast on RTÉ News Now at 10:30 a.m. from St Colmcille's Chapel, Glendowan in Gartan, and there will also be mass held at 7 p.m. at St Columba’s Church Massmount, Fanad, Donegal, that includes an unveiling of a new statue of St. Colmcille. At 7.30pm, there will be a special service of Choral Evensong in St Eunan’s Cathedral, Raphoe with the primate, the Most Reverend John McDowell, Archbishop of Armagh, and music by the Choir of St Columb’s Cathedral, Derry.
In addition, there will also be Colmcille related events happening throughout the day on Tory Island in Donegal. These include a history and folklore tour with Antóin Ó Míonáin, a talk on Colmcille with Dr. Brian Lacey and exhibition of an art piece in honour of the saint by Sarah Lewtas.
Closing out the saint’s birthday on December 7, there will be a drama documentary broadcast on BBC Alba and TG4 at 8.30 p.m. entitled: ‘Colmcille the Bold Saint/ Colmcille An Naomh Dána’.
Other cultural events will also take place further into the week. For example, on Thursday December 9, there will be an evening of music, film and song exploring Colmcille’s influence on the North West by the Atlantic Orchestra Project at the Colmcille Heritage Centre in Gartan. Friday December 10 will see a book launch and cultural night in Loch AltanGortahork, Co. Donegal.
Throughout the week, you can also see the exhibition ‘Colmcille – Man & Myths’ at Donegal County Museum and see the permanent light installation at St Augustine's Church Old Graveyard in Derry.
You can find further information on Colmcille 1500 and all birthday events at www.colmcille1500.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Colmcille1500NW
Tá eagraíochtaí ar fud an Iarthuaiscirt ag ullmhú le haghaidh imeachtaí a dhéanfaidh comóradh ar cheiliúradh 1500 bliain bhreith Cholm Cille ar 7ú Nollaig. Le comóradh a dhéanamh ar an bhliain stairiúil tá Comhairle Contae Dhún na nGall agus Comhairle Chathair Dhoire & Cheantar an tSratha Báin ag comhordú clár iomlán do ‘Colm Cille 1500’, le comóradh a dhéanamh ar chuimhneachán duine de thrí naomhphátrún na hÉireann.
Cé go mb’fhéidir go mbeadh teorainn ar an méid imeachtaí fisiciúla is féidir a bheith ann, mar gheall ar na srianta leanúnacha a bhaineann le COVID, d’oibrigh eagraithe Cholm Cille 1500 go dúthrachtach lena chinntiú go bhfuil go leor ag titim amach ar líne, chomh maith le seirbhísí eaglasta agusa taispeántais a bheidh oscailte don phobal.
Seo mar a labhair Deirdre Harte, Bainisteoir Tionscadail Cholm Cille 1500 Chomhairle Chontae Dhún na nGall:
“Tá lúcháir orainn réimse chomh leathan seo d’imeachtaí a sholáthar le comóradh a dhéanamh ar 1500ú cuimhneachán an naoimh seo a bhfuil ardmheas air a bhfuil a oiread sin ceangal aige leis an Iarthuaisceart. Tá tionchar Cholm Cille i ndiaidh leathnú ar fud an domhain agus is cuí dúinn comóradh a dhéanamh ar chuimhneachán chomh stairiúil seo ag déanamh ceiliúradh ar a shaol agus ar a shaothar.”
Cuirfear tús mar is ceart ar imeachtaí ceiliúrtha do Cholm Cille, atá ina naomhphátrún fosta ar chathair Dhoire, ar Nollaig 6, nuair a bheidh ‘Colm Cille 1500: Turas Trí Éirinn & Albain’ ann.’ Leanfaidh an t-imeacht seo ar líne turas Cholm Cille óna áit dúchais i nGartán, Co. Dhún na nGall go Doire agus as sin go hAlbain.
San imeacht seo beidh meascán d’fhíseáin réamhthaifeadta as gach ceantar chomh maith le plé painéil beo agus beidh Áine Ni Bhreisleáin as RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta ina cathaoirleach – beidh an plé á chraoladh beo as an Halla Mór i gColáiste Mhig Aoidh chuig lucht éisteachta as gach cearn den domhan. Déanfaidh painéal de shaineolaithe mór le rá plé ar thionchar an naoimh ar chultúr na hÉireann agus cultúr na hAlban mar chuid den imeacht.
Tá i bhfad níos mó pleanáilte do bhreithlá an naoimh Dé Máirt 7 Nollaig , lena n-áirítear imeachtaí ceiliúrtha a bheidh ann ag ócáid trasteorann in áit dúchais Cholm Cille, Gartán Co Dhún na nGall. Beidh Cathaoirleach Chomhairle Contae Dhún na nGall, agus Méara Chomairle Chathair Dhoire & Chomhairle Cheantar an tSratha Báin, agus ceannairí eaglasta i láthair.
Mar chuid den cheiliúradh beidh an chéad taispeáint de ghearrthóga beochana a cruthaíodh trí Thionscadal Béaloidis Digiteach na Scoileanna – ina léirítear an dóigh ar choinnigh glúin úr oidhreacht Cholm Cille beo, ag úsáid beochan dhigiteach lena shaol agus a oidhreacht a chur in iúl. Rinne an tSeirbhís Leabharlainne Dhún na nGall seo a sheachadadh i gcomhpháirt leis na scoileanna agus na leabharlanna i nDún na nGall, i nDoire, i gContae na Mí agus i Sligeach. Tá beochaintí na bpáistí á bhforbairt fosta le greannán galánta maisithe a dhéanamh, agus seolfar leabhar dathúcháin Cholm Cille ag an imeacht fosta.
Ar 7 Nollaig fosta nochtfar dealbh nua de Cholm Cille cóngarach do Chill Mhic Réanáin i nDún na nGall, rud a léiríonn an nasc láidir atá aige leis an Naomh, arna mhaoiniú ag Bonneagar Iompair Éireann mar chuid de Scéim Bóthair N56 An Cúl Buí go Cill Mhic Réanáin. Iarradh ar an ealaíontóir Niall Bruton a chruthaigh an dealbh chlúiteach de Cholm Cille atá i bPáirc Cholm Cille i nDoire fosta, éirim an Naoimh a léiriú.
I gcomhpháirt le Foras na Gaeilge, teilgfear sraith íomhánna ar shuíomhanna tábhachtacha a bhaineann le Colm Cille in Éirinn agus in Albain. Feicfear na híomhánna i mórán áiteanna ó áit bhreithe Chom Cille i nGartán go dtí an áit ar cuireadh sa deireadh é in Oileán Í in Albain – beidh muintir na háite ábalta iad a fheiceáil i gcearnóg Halla na Cathrach i nDoire agus chomh maith leis sin ag Ionad Oidhreachta Cholm Cille agus i Mainistir Cholm Cille i nGartán. Mar chuid de Choinneal Cholm Cille – iarrtar ar an phobal coinneal a lasadh ar 5.21pm leis an bhliain ar rugadh é a chur in iúl. Cuirfear na teilgin ar obair fosta ar 5.21pm agus beidh siad ar obair go dtí 9 p.m. Lena chois sin idir 6.30 p.m agus 8.30 p.m le 'Solas an Choilm' cuirfear beocht i dtailte an Túir Fhada i nDoire le suiteálacha solais, damhsa, filíocht agus ceol le go dtig le daoine siúl tríd, agus téama an dóchais ann. In aice leis sin beidh Áras Cholm Cille oscailte chomh maith.
Ar feadh 7 Nollaig, beidh seirbhísí éagsúla éagsúla ann in onóir an naoimh. Déanfaidh an tEaspag Dónall Mac Eoin an tAifreann a cheiliúradh in Eaglais Cholm Cille, an Túr Fada ar 10.00am. Craolfar an tAifreann ar RTÉ News Now ar 10:30 a.m. ó Shéipéal Cholm Cille, i nGleann Domhain i nGartán, agus beidh aifreann fosta ar 7 p.m. in Eaglais Naomh Colm Cille Massmount, Fánaid, Dún na nGall, ina nochtfar dealbh úr de Cholm Cille. Ar 7.30pm, beidh seirbhís speisialta d’Easparta Chórúil in Eaglais Naomh Adhamhnán, Ráth Bhoth leis an phríomháidh, An Sár-Oirmhinneach John McDowell, Ardeaspag Ard Mhacha, agus ceol ó Chór Ardeaglais Cholm Cille, Doire.
Chomh maith leis sin, beidh imeachtaí a bhaineann le Colm Cille ag tarlú i rith an lae i dToraigh i nDún na nGall. Orthu sin beidh turas staire agus béaloidis le hAntóin Ó Míonáin, caint ar Cholm Cille ag an Dr. Brian Lacey agus taispeántas de phíosa ealaíne in onóir an naoimh le Sarah Lewtas.
Le deireadh a chur le cothrom lá breithe an naoimh ar 7 Nollaig, déanfar clár faisnéise drámaíochta a chraoladh ar BBC Alba agus TG4 ar 8.30 p.m. dar teideal: ‘Colmcille the Bold Saint/ Colmcille An Naomh Dána’.
Beidh imeachtaí cultúrtha eile ann níos moille sa tseachtain. Mar shampla, Déardaoin 9 Nollaig, beidh oíche de cheol, scannáin agus amhráin ag iniúchadh thionchar Cholm Cille ar an Iarthuaisceart ag Tionscadal Cheolchoirm an Atlantaigh in Ionad Cultúrtrha Cholm Cille i nGartán. Dé hAoine 10 Nollaig beidh seoladh leabhair ann agus oíche chultúir i Loch Altan, Gort an Choirce, Co. Dhún na nGall.
Le linn na seachtaine, tig leat cuairt a thabhairt ar an taispeántas ‘Colmcille – An Fear & na Miotais’ in Iarsmalann Chontae Dhún na nGall, agus feicfidh tú an tsuiteáil bhuan solais ag Sean-Reilig Eaglais Naomh Adhamhnán i nDoire.
Gheobhaidh tú tuilleadh eolais ar Cholm Cille agus ar na himeachtaí breithlae uilig ag www.colmcille1500.com nó ar Facebook ag www.facebook.com/Colmcille1500NW
Select an option below
