Travelling Poem of St Columba, and the victory which ensued

The background of this hymn was a great battle had ensued to protect Columba’s copy of the Psalter. After the King of Ireland had decreed that Columba should return the copy he had made (without permission) to St Finnian, this caused the rival Royals of O’Neil (of which Columba belonged to this Royal family) to become enraged. Although Columba never called for bloodshed the Northern O’Neills rushed to his cause and went to battle against the King Diarmait. Columba’s side was victorious but this was the event that lead him to exile in Scotland.

Immediately after this fateful decree of King Diarmait, Columba had wrote this poem while he travelled home.

Alone am I in the mountain, O royal Sun of prosperous path, nothing is to be feared by me, nor if I were attended by sixty hundred.
If I were attended by sixty hundred of forces, though they would defend the skin (body), when once the fixed period of my death arrives, there is no fortress, which will resist it.
Though even in a church the reprobates are slain, though in an island in the middle of a lake, the fortunate of this life are protected, while in the very front of a battle.
No one can slay me, though he should find me in danger, neither can I be protected the day my life comes to its destined period.
My life! Let it be as is pleasing to my God, nothing of it shall be wanting, addition to it will not be [made].
The healthy person becomes sick, the sickly person becomes sound, the unhappy person gets into order, the happy person gets into disorder.
Whatever God has destined for one as he goes not from this world until he meets it, though a prince should seek more, the size of a mite he shall not obtain.
A guard one may bring with him on his path, but what protection, what—has guarded him from death?
An herb is cut for the kine after their coming from the mountain; what induces the owner of the kine not to cut an herb for himself?
No son of a man knows for whom he makes a gathering, whether it is a gathering for himself or a gathering for another person.
Leave out penury for a time, attend to hospitality, it is better for thee, the son of Mary will prosper thee; each guest comes to his share.
It is often the thing which is spent returns, and the thing which is not spent, although it is not spent, it vanishes.
O living God, alas for him who does evil for any thing; the thing which one sees not come to him, and the thing which he sees vanishes from his hand.
It is not with the sreod our destiny is, nor with the bird on the top of the twig, nor with the trunk of a knotty tree, nor with a sordan hand in hand.
Better is he in whom we trust, the Father, the One, and the Son.
The distribution for each evening in the house of God, it is what my King has made; He is the King who made our bodies, who will not let me go tonight without aught.
I adore not the voice of birds, nor the sreod, nor a destiny on the earthly world, nor a son, nor chance, nor woman. My Druid is Christ, the Son of God.
Christ, the son of Mary, the great abbot, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. My estates are with the King of kings, my order is at Cenannus(Kells) and Moen.

The Battle of Cúl Dreimhne, also known as the Battle of the Book, took place around 561 AD in the túath of Cairbre Drom Cliabh, now known as County Sligo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_C%C3%BAl_Dreimhne. This conflict arose from a dispute between St. Columba (Columcille) and St. Finnian of Moville over the ownership of a psalter that Columba had copied without permission.

The High King of Ireland, Diarmait mac Cerbaill, ruled in favor of Finnian, stating, “To every cow belongs her calf, therefore to every book belongs its copy”. Columba, disagreeing with this judgment, sought support from his kinsmen, the northern Uí Néill, leading to a confrontation with Diarmait’s forces.

The battle resulted in a decisive victory for Columba’s supporters, with significant casualties reported on both sides. Traditional accounts suggest that around 3,000 men were killed. This victory, however, came at a personal cost to Columba, who was held responsible for the bloodshed and subsequently chose to go into exile.

Columba’s exile led him to Scotland, where he founded the monastery on the island of Iona in 563 AD. This monastery became a major center for Christian learning and missionary activity in the British Isles.