Here is the final installment of my series of articles on the main characters in Banish the Snakes, who are called “saints” in the game. I hope you have enjoyed these short biographies. Perhaps they have brought some understanding to a little-known episode in world history.

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 Columba

Now we finally come to Ireland’s third Patron Saint and one of its Twelve Apostles, Columba. He is also known as Colmcille, which means “dove of the church” in the Irish language. It is claimed that he was the direct descendent of Neil of the Nine Hostages, a great chieftain who became High King and founder of the Ui Neill clan. Columba was born in the same part of Ireland that Neil was from, the north-west coast in Ulster.

Baptized as a child, he was educated at different monastic schools, and even studied for a time under an old druid bard. But then he was admitted to Finnian’s great institute of learning at Clonard Abbey, where he was trained in the old monastic traditions, and became one of Finnian’s twelve greatest students.

Those who described Columba said that he was a tall man and powerfully built, with a loud but melodious voice that could carry from one hilltop to the next. He went out and founded several important churches and monasteries throughout the north of Ireland, in Derry and Inishowen and Kells and others. But then he was involved in a quarrel. Some say he argued with Finnian, others that it was a political dispute involving his Ui Neill kinsmen. Some versions speak of a battle that was fought, while others claim it resulted from a game of Irish hurling where a player was accidentally killed. In any case, in 563, Columba left for Scotland with twelve companions.

They eventually landed on the island of Iona, just off the coast of Scotland. The island was given to them by Columba’s relative, the king of Dal Riata. Indeed, there may have been no quarrel in Ireland at all, and the King had simply invited Columba to his Scottish holdings, since the lands of Dal Riata straddled both north-east Ireland and western Scotland. Columba and his companions founded an abbey at Iona, which would become a great center of learning. It is probable that the famous Book of Kells was created at Iona.

From his base at Iona, Columba became a diplomat among the various tribes of the area. He is credited with bringing Christianity to the Picts as well as the Dal Riata, visiting kings and forging ties between them. He is now known as a founding Saint of Scotland. Many miracles were attributed to him; for example, it is said that he banished a fearsome “water beast” to the depths of Loch Ness after the monster killed one of his monks. He was a writer as well, with several hymns to his credit and two famous poems surviving to this day.

But Columba’s main focus was on his students. Iona became a school for missionaries, training monks to go out into the world, bringing the Good News and their learning with them. Long after his death in 597, Columba’s students would set out into the shattered remains of the Roman Empire. As Thomas Cahill would put it, they would save civilization.

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Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Palladius

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Patrick

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Auxilius

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Ciarán

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Iserninus

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Secundinus

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Brigid

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Finnian

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Ibar

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Brendan

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Moninne