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There is an long-term campaign to grow Slí Cholmcille in Donegal and Derry as a long-distance walk after the pattern of the Camino de Santiago de Compostella between France and Spain.

The Slí has a great deal to offer. There are many places in Donegal from Gleann Cholmcille to Tory and Gartan which have strong associations with Colmcille or Columba, the great saint shared by Ireland, Scotland and the north of England. Long-distance walking is becoming popular both as a spiritual journey, and as a means of connecting with the natural landscape.

This year, as last, COVID will limit the number of people taking part, but a band of people will set out on the 4th July to walk 270 km from Gleann Cholm Cille to Derry over twelve days taking in finishing at Shroove in Inishowen. On the way, they will visit the old monastic settlement in Tory, the saint’s birthplace at Gartan, the old monastic site of Raphoe, and the high cross at Ray, the tallest and oldest ringed cross in Ireland.

A preliminary walk has already taken place in June from Donegal town to Gleann Cholmcille, linking the Columban heritage of south-east Donegal and places like Drumhome and Disert with the rest of the Slí. There will again be a walk from Donegal to Disert on the 3rd July.

The Colmcille 1500 programme marks 1500 years since the birth of Colmcille or Columba, and it is hoped that the camino-style walk will grow as a long-term legacy. Considerable planning and liaison is underway, and the working group includes representation from different churches and from walkers and community groups.

This year the number of participants is capped at 30. For further details of the itinerary and to register to walk please contact maureenwcurran@yahoo.ie

Cassan is the name of a partnership between the Manx-medium primary School in the Isle of Man and Conradh na Gaeilge in Lower Mourne in south Down. They have now come together to provide a resource with information in Manx, and Scottish and Irish Gaelic: a beautiful series of seven posters with useful vocabulary so that pupils can learn about the links between the Gaelic languages. The posters should be available to a wide range of schools.

‘Cassan’ is the Manx for ‘cosán’ or ‘path’ in Irish. The Isle of Man can be seen clearly from the Mourne Mountains, the home of Gaelscoil na mBeann, which has close links with Conradh na Gaeilge in Lower Mourne. The artists are Vicki Webb from the Ilse of Man, and Andrea McCloskey from County Down. The project has been developed by Josephine Siriu Dunbar, a linguist who is development officer with Conradh na Gaeilge in Lower Mourne, and Aalin Clague, a teacher at the Bunscoill Ghaelgach in the Isle of Man, in consultation with educational publishers Stòrlann Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig in the Scotland, and and the Áisaonad in Ireland. The project is funded and facilitated by the Colmcille project of Foras na Gaeige as part of the Colmcille 1500 programme.

Lower Mourne Conradh na Gaeilge hope to make the posters available through Irish-medium educational organisations and from bookshops such as An Ceathrú Póilí in Belfast. The posters are:

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The residents of Arbory parish in the Isle of Man celebrate Laa Columb Killey towards the end of June rather than on the 9th as in Ireland or Scotland. This year, there is a special programme to mark the 1,500th anniversary of the saint’s birth. Jeebin, the Manx Language Network, is working with Arbory School to create resources which help show the parish’s strong history with Manx.

Culture Vannin has developed an artistic response to Colmcille1500. Aalin Clague, a Manx speaker and teacher at Bunscoill Ghaelgagh has composed a choral anthem Y Folliaght (The Secret) A poem attributed to Colmcille inspired Marie Clague who wrote the lyrics.
The anthem – Y Folliaght (The Secret) – talks of Columba’s journey across the seas, marvelling at the new sights and sounds, in the world around him. A recording of the Manx Gaelic choir Caarjyn Cooidjagh has been made by Ballagroove Recording Studio. You can hear the anthem and read the lyrics here. It will be released with a video featuring beautiful imagery of the Isle of Man very soon on www.culturevannin.im
The Manx Language Network’s Gaelg21 is a celebration of all things Manx (9 June-9 July) and is also a contribution to Colmcille1500.

Find out more about Gaelg21 here.

The prominent landmark McCaig’s Tower in the resort town of Oban will be lit up on 9 June 2021 by projections featuring the artwork of nine artists. 

Each artist has received funding from The Colmcille Legacy Award – a scheme created by Bòrd na Gàidhlig and the Culture, Heritage and Arts Assembly, Argyll and Isles (CHARTS) to commemorate the life and cultural legacy of St Colmcille as part of the Year of Colmcille, 1500.

The artworks will be projected onto the Tower on 9 June from 10pm to mark the Feast Day of St Colmcille.

For more information, visit the CHARTS website.

BBC ALBA television programme singing praise of Columba. Available on BBC iPlayer.

Iain MacKinnon presents a special mix of hymns, psalms and readings to commemorate the life of Saint Columba. Iain will be introducing hymns in celebration of St Columba – some recorded especially for Alleluia and others taken from the rich collection of previous performances. 

Amongst the singers are Mary Ann Kennedy singing Eadar-Thìr, Eilidh Cormack with her rendition of O, Chaluim Chille and John Joe MacNeil singing Earal Eòdhnain. The Rev Donald Michael MacInnes and Canon Seumas MacNeil will offer guidance through readings and reflections from the scriptures.