Saint Columbanus The First European


Read by Mary McAleese

(4.3 stars; 5 reviews)

In “Columbanus - The First European,” we learn about this remarkable man who played a definitive role in the cultural, educational, and spiritual renewal of Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. Columbanus is arguably the most significant Irish religious figure, known for crossing borders—both literally and figuratively.

Born and raised in the south of Ireland, he received his spiritual formation in Bangor, Co Down. He left his homeland in middle age as a self-imposed exile for Christ, embarking on a remarkable odyssey from the coast of the North of Ireland through mainland Europe to Bobbio in Italy, a journey of some two thousand miles.

Columbanus transcended tunic, confessional, and political divides, embodying the Christian message that we are all pilgrims on a journey to another homeland. His enduring relevance continues to resonate today, as he was one of the earliest voices in Christian Ireland and the first to communicate a sense of Irish identity in writing.


This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.