St Columba’s Day in Derry

Posted on by Mark Lusby

June 9th is the Feast of St Columba or Columcille the patron saint of Derry. This  veneration is evident in the naming and decoration of churches within and without the Derry Walls. Also important are the St Columb’s Wells, which were marked in both Docwra’s 1600 and Neville’s 1689 maps. Here are some photographs which illustrate this.

Map from 1600 showing St Columb’s Wells.
Map from 1689 showing St Columb’s Wells.
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1949 Derry and Glendermot Presbytery Booklet
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Long Tower and Nazareth House Primary Schools reenacting key events in the life of Columcille.
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St Columb’s Stone

 

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The procession leaves Long Tower Chapel for the annual blessing of the well.

 

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Recent communicants join the procession to the blessing of the well.

 

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Bishop McKeown leads the Blessing of St Columba’s Well
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Bishop Donal McKeown helping to draw water from St Columba’s Well.

 

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Mural at the Long Tower Chapel depicting key events in the life of Columcille.

 

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St Augustine’s on the Derry Walls, probable site of the medieval monastery, dedicated to St Columba.
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The life of Columba illustrated in the Phillips Window in St Columb’s Cathedral.
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Oak leaves in the Long Tower Chapel.