The Irish standard., 1903-06-13


written in poetry, and committed to
memory by a course of the strictest
training. COLUMBIA was himself. we
nave seen, a poet of no mean order.
We have some Latin poems currently
attributed to him, and a few poems in
the Irish tongue, which are said to he
marvels of tender grace and exquisite
sentiment by those who can UNDER
stand the Celtic, as it was spoken thir-
teen centuries ago. The Irish annals
record occasionally the death of the ex-
cellent scribes, the learned doctors tho
professors of Iona. One of them. the
abbot Adamnan, is very famous in
medieval literature, for his life of
Saint Columbia, the founder of Iona
a book which is justly called 1.-The
most complete piece of such biography
that all Europe can boast of, not only
at so early a period, but even through
the whole middle ages"
After the year 500, the ravages of
the Danes. the insecurity of the times,
national and religious jealousies, con-
spired to prevent Iona from maintain
ing its once glorious pw-eminence.
There it stands, on the rim of the
western world, the most striking relic
of the old Celtic glories. The huts of
the villagers are intcrspersed with the
ruins of ancient churches, monasteries
schools and grave yards. FOrty-eight
kings of Scotland, four of Ireland
eight of Norway and one of France,
are buried in it's holy soil fit resting
place for warlike men amid the cease
less warfare of those dark and stormy
seas.
Here also were buried many lords Of
the isles. bishops, abbotS and priors.
The M'Leod of M'Lcod also chiefs of
the MaclNinnOnS. Maclcans. Macuuar-
rics and other clans. The last king
buried ut Iona was Duncan l., of
Scotland, who began to. reign in 1884,
n. H., and was murdered by Macbeth
in tn, sixth year of his reign. The
first enclosure contains the tombstones
of the kings, and next those of the
chiefs, and within the cathedral are
many stones of equal interest. st
Grams Chapel, with it's fine Norman
doorway and triple arch is the most
ancient structure in the island, hav.
ing been built probably about the
close of the eleventh century. Oppo-
site the west door of the Cathedral is
the noble monument known as "Fhc
Iona Cross. or "St. Martins Cross"
the more perfect of the two crosses re-
manning ont of three hundred and
sixty said to have been erected on the
island. Close to the west entrance,
beside the adjacent angle of the clois-
ter, is Il small chamber called st.
Columhn's tomb, and here the saint
by some to he buried. though we are
told im the elves of the Saints that
his relies were carried to Down and
laid in the same shrine with the bodies
of ST. Bridget ana st. Patrick. Iona
Cathedral, dedicated to st Mary. and
once the cathedral of the diocese Of the
Isles. was built in the early part Of
the thirteenth century. Adjoining the
cathedral on the north are the ruins
of the convcntunl buildings, of which
the portion called the cllamcr-h house is
I., l..,I, a.
The monastery lazy behind the catllc-
dlal. and n"rth of the monastery are
the remains of the bishops house.
Iona has now Il population of about
two hundred ;llnl six.
There have been grallhrr architec-
tlll:l piles than those of Iona. mOnas-
tic seats Of greater wealth and pomp,
but very few which have exercised Il
greater influence ON the world ut
large. There is Il sad lament by am
Irish bard of the seventeenth cen
tury which applies with especial
grace to these venerable ruins. 1t
was written on the Abbey of limo
league by John O'Cullinanc, and the
translation is from the pen of one Of
the most gifted of the modern Irish
poets Thomas Furlong:
Sadly and slowly on my path of
pain
wandered, idly broodng DER my
woes;
Till, full before me Oh the far
stretched plain.
The ruined abbcy's Wondering walls
arose;
Where far from crowds, from courts
ana courtly crimes,
The sons of virtue dwclt the boast
of better times
81 pnuscd.-I stood beneath the lofty
door
Where once the friendlcss and the
poor were fed:
That hallowcd entrance, that in days
Of yOrc
Still opened wide to shield the wan
dcrcr's head
The saint, the pilgrim, and the book
learned sage,
The knight, the travelling one and the
worn man Of age.
There i'm soft stroins tho colomn Moce