Feast of Columbanus 1

Posted on November 21, 2013 by

 

The President Dr Ian Adamson OBE

& the Directors of the Ullans Academy 

Invite you to the 

‘FEAST OF COLUMBANUS’ LUNCH 

Promoting Common Identity 

On Thursday 21st November 2013

12noon – 2.30pm 

Guest Speakers

President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins

The Lord Bannside PC 

RSVP by 16th November 2013 to

John Laverty – john.laverty@oadi.co.uk or 07880 504742

 

Venue: Belfast City Hall

Dress Code: Smart Casual

(Drinks reception on arrival) 

This event is sponsored by the Belfast City Council and Reconciliation Fund 

(Please inform us if you have any special dietary requirements)

Picture of St. Columbanus

Columbanus Celebration

Today, Thursday, 21st November 2013, in the City Hall Belfast, an event  took place under the auspices of the Ullans Academy which will have much significance for Northern Ireland. This was the Feast of Columbanus, a celebration of the Life and Work of the Saint.  The two guest speakers will be the President of Ireland, His Excellency Michael D Higgins and the Lord Bannside PC, Dr Ian Paisley. The event will also celebrate the second anniversary of the President’s inauguration. 

Columbanus was a disciple of Comgall of the Cruthin at Bangor ,Co. Down. In 589 he left Bangor for Europe to embark on one of the most remarkable journeys in European history.  The Roman Empire had collapsed under barbarian invasion, and barbarian kings and dukes now ruled Europe.  Order and learning had collapsed and the practice of Christianity had been almost extinguished. Ireland however had been unaffected by these barbarian invasions, so that the Irish Church had survived intact and its traditions of learning had continued unimpaired.

 Pope Pius XI has written: “The more light that is shed by scholars in the period known as the Middle Ages the clearer it becomes that it was thanks to the initiative and labours of Columbanus that the rebirth of Christian virtue and civilisation over a great part of Gaul (France), Germany and Italy took place.” The French poet Leon Cathlin concluded: “We must wait the coming of St Bernard to witness ascendancy comparable to his.  Saint Columbanus is one of the very great men who have dwelt in this land of France.  He is, with Charlemagne, the greatest figure of our Early Middle Ages”, and Daniel-Rops of the French Academy has said that he was ” a sort of Prophet of Israel, brought back to life in the sixth century, as blunt in his speech as Isaiah or Jeremiah…For fifty years souls were stirred by the influence of Columbanus, his passing through the country started a real contagion of holiness.” Indeed he may be considered the Patron Saint of Europe.

Our Feast of Columbanus, held close to his Feast Day, 23rd November, on the coast from which he left, for an audience of Friends of the Ullans Academy,was an opportunity for Community Activists from throughout the island of Ireland and beyond to hear more of their common history and heritage as a prologue to their shared future within these islands..

    
Dr Ian Adamson addressing the 300 guests— with Lord Bannside and President Higgins 
    
 
 
 The Ullans Academy: Helen Brooker (Chair), Jim Potts, Peter lavery, Andy Tyrie (Patron), Liam Logan, Ruairi O Bleine, Ian Adamson (President). Mrs Sabina Higgins, Brian Ervine, Jake Gallagher, President Higgins, John Laverty (Secretary), Lord Mayor Mairtín Ó Muilleoir 
 
 
 
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