Tonight at 9.30pm, BBC ALBA and TG4 collaboration to bring the story of St Columba to life in new documentary
Warrior, poet, holy man: the revealing life story of one of Ireland and Scotland’s most important saints is told in a new documentary celebrating 1500 years since the birth of Calum Cille: An Naomh Dàna | Columba: The Bold Saint
Broadcasting simultaneously on BBC ALBA and TG4 on December 7th to celebrate the 1500th anniversary of the Irish and Scottish saint’s birth, this documentary echoes his very own pilgrimage taken all those years ago.
Viewers will journey from Donegal to Iona, uncovering the truths behind the myths surrounding the troublemaker, copyright infringer, warrior and exile, who came to be one of the most revered individuals in Scottish and Irish history, as well as gaining international renown over the centuries.
In Calum Cille: An Naomh Dàna we hear from Dr Duncan Sneddon, from the University of Edinburgh.
On St Columba’s legacy, Dr Sneddon said: “There’s a difference between Columba the man who lived on Earth and the historical figure who was recreated in the generations after his death - and they all create their own Columba. But they all tell us something important. They all put together a Columba who was powerful, brave and important in different ways.”
Calum Cille - An Naomh Dàna is produced by Abú Media and MacTV with funding from Northern Ireland's Screen's Irish Language Broadcast Fund, TG4 and MG ALBA.
The documentary will air simultaneously on Tuesday 7 December at 9.30pm on BBC ALBA and TG4, and will be available on the BBC iPlayer within the UK for up to 30 days after broadcast.
