Film marking 1,500 years since birth of St Colmcille premiered on his feast day
A SHORT FILM shot in Sligo about St Colmcille premiered online yesterday – the saint’s feast day.
The film is the culmination of a year-long Sligo Colmcille programme commemorating his birth 1500 years ago and his reputed associations with Sligo. The film, ‘Battle of the Books – The Story of Colmcille and Sligo’, presents the traditional account of Colmcille’s copying of a psalm book (or psalter) belonging to a fellow monk, Finnian of Movilla, and the dispute arising from his refusal to handover the copy. According to legend, High King Diarmait mac Cerbaill‘s ruling in favour of Finnian, “to every cow her calf, to every book its copy”, is the first recorded judgement in relation to copyright infringement.
It is also said to be the cause of a great battle between the followers of Colmcille and Finnian and the High King, which occurred at Cúl Dreimhne in AD 560. More popularly referred to as the “Battle of the Books”, the battle was said to have resulted in the deaths of 3,000 men.
“The story is probably part truth, part fiction as historical records do suggest that a significant battle did take place near Cooldrumman around that time, though Colmcille’s involvement and the matter of copyright infringement are most likely later embellishments. That said, the story of the Battle of the Books has been passed down through the centuries, so we wanted to portray this in the film,” according to Michael Kirby of the
Sligo Colmcille 1500 committee. “Colmcille was a central figure in the spreading of Christianity in the 6th century, and is considered one of Ireland’s three patron saints along with Saint Patrick and Saint Brigid. As with the legend of St Patrick banishing the snakes, the story may be a metaphor for the reason for Colmcille’s subsequent self-imposed exile on Iona, in Scotland,” he adds.
‘The Battle of the Books’ film was produced by Sligo-based production company Omedia, and directed by Micheál Ó Domhnaill, with well-known local actor and Blue Raincoat Theatre ensemble member John Carty in the role of Colmcille. The film will be available to view and share at www.sligocolmcille.com.