Saint Columcille

## Overview

**Saint Columcille**, officially **The Grande Duchy of Saint Columcille**, is an island nation on the continent of Colossi, ruled by Grande Duke Joseph Burke. The population is 227 million as of the 1976 census. The capital city is Iona, and the three largest cities are Iona, Mór, and Oaksden-on-Strait. The state religion is *Catholicism*, however religious freedom is encouraged. There is a relatively low crime rate, and low tax rate. The currency is the Saint Columcille Pound ($).

## History

### Founding

Fishermen from what are now the Perrosh, Ultioric, and Pellonese lands likely landed on the Columcillean shores around the 2nd Century A.D. This led to a blending of cultures, eventually leading to the creation of the Celtic ethnic group.

### Forming of Government

The first formings of a nation were recorded in the Book of O'Neill, written by Catholic monks, in the year 564 A.D. The founder of the largest monastery, namely St. Columcille, had organized a peaceful militia to exact control over the northern and western shores. They were met with no opposition, and the monastery, known as the Mainistir, had named St. Columcille as Great Leader of the island. He had originally named the island Oileán, but after his death the Mainistir voted to change the title to Saint Columcille in his honor. In 1234 A.D. the Mainistir voted to establish the Comhlacht, a body of elected officials from every town in the land. This was quickly downsized to each district, of which there were 14. The Comhlacht gave the people of Saint Columcille more of a say in their government, and the historical stability of the nation is widely credited to this fact. The southern and eastern areas of the island were officially consolidated in 1842. In 1933 the Mainistir changed the title of the Great Leader to Grande Duke to lessen the authoritarian stigma associated with the former.

### Modern History

The Grande Duchy has had an uneventful history, other than the Riots of '46 protesting racial prejudice toward the ethnic Rajatari people, and the 8 Leaders Incident, where eight Dukes succeeded each other and promptly died over the course of eleven months.

## Geography

### Location

Saint Columcille is located on an island off the coast of Lower Corazistan (*Ultior*) and Pellon. The eastern coast is bordered by the Ocean of Mór, and the northern, southern, and western coasts are bound by the Pehran Strait.

### Topography

The island can be separated into two regions, the Plains of Tailte Lom, a large and barren moor, dotted with rocks and grasses, and the Valley Gleann, a fertile strip of land following the Fual River. The highest point is Mount Columba, at a height of 2451 ft (747 m), and the lowest is Lagrach Pit, at a depth of -406 ft (124 m).

### Cities

There are four main cities in Saint Columcille:

Iona, the capital.

Mór, the largest city.

Oaksden-on-Strait, a farming center.

Chathair, a fishing town and foreign port.

### Wildlife

Many species of animals and plants live in Saint Columcille, namely the Kakapo, a flightless parrot endemic to the island and national animal, and the northern pitcher-plant, a carnivorous plant. All the species found on the island are adapted to live in the harsh climate.

## Government

### Organization

Saint Columcille's government includes two governing bodies, the courts, and the Office of the Grande Duke. The governing bodies of the nation are the Mainistir, a collection of Manaigh, who are appointed by the Comhlacht, a collection of Aires, who are voted in by the people. Meanwhile, the court system is made up of Local, District, and National Courts, and, depending on the seriousness of the case, the Supreme Magistrates can intervene and take the case into their hands. Finally, the Office of the Grande Duke is responsible for approving bills from the Mainistir and Comhlacht, foreign relations, and various other duties.

### Political Parties

There are a total of six political parties currently operating in Saint Columcille. These include:

Fianna Fáil

Green Party

Unite

Fine Columcilli

Communist Workers Party

Social Democrats

## Internal Districts

Four districts make up Saint Columcille. They include:

Iona

Tailte Lom

Gleann

Cairdin

## Demographics

### Ethnic Composition

The population is rather homogeneous, consisting of Celtics at 96.2%, Rajataris at 2.8% and Other at 1%.

### Religious Composition

Again, the population is homogeneous, consisting of Roman *Catholicism* at 95%, Agnostic/Atheist at 4%, and Other at 1%.

### Linguistic Composition

Nearly the entire population speaks the Gaelic language at 96%, and Other Languages at 4%.

## National Characteristics

### National Dress

The national dress of Saint Columcille is very distinct. For men it includes a kilt, a sporran, a small single-edged knife, high socks, and ghillies, or traditional shoes. For women it includes a long skirt, a sash or shawl, and ghillies.

### National Instruments

The national instruments are the uilleann pipes and the boghran drum. These are usually played at celebrations such as weddings, First Communions, and funerals.

### National Animal

The national animal is the kakapo, a flightless parrot that runs about on the moor. Due to the limited development and human encroachment on Tailte Lom, the kakapo's population has stayed steady throughout the years.

### National Sport

The national sport is Rounders, a game similar to softball. It is played across the nation and is extremely popular. The Saint Columcille Rounders League, or SCRL, brings in an average of $10.4B a year.

### National Food

The national food is stuffed hens. The hen is gutted, and filled with spices, herbs, potatoes, carrots, and other vegetables.

### National Anthem

The national anthem was composed in 1935 at the request of the Grande Duke. The current recording was played by the Iona Philharmonic Orchestra.