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By Padraic Colum | Illustrated by Elizabeth MacKinstry

The life of Saint Columba is a chronicle of miracles and wonders, revelations and righteousness. Born in Donegal in 521 A.D., Columba grew to be a man of high spirits, quick wit, and strong mettle, his face set even from an early age toward the holy things of God. Instructed first in the ways of governance and war, Columba was turned from this path by a miracle: the resurrection of the dead.

From that day on, Columba strove only to live the life of the saints of God. And so he did—his purity, piety, and wisdom dispelling the darkness of evil and chasing the gloom of sin away from the hills and glens of Ireland.

The life of Columba is truly the stuff of legend, alive with the mystery of faerie and magic; the song of Irish folklore and myth; the grandeur of creation on the Emerald Isle; and the sanctifying power of Christ’s Church, firmly planted by Patrick and faithfully tended by Columba—who helped his people to a knowledge of God and to a practice of faith, hope and charity.

“Alone with none but Thee, my God,
I journey on my way:
What need I fear, when Thou art near,
O King of night and day?” (Hymn of Saint Columba)

First published in 1935, and strikingly illustrated by Elizabeth MacKinstry, Padraic Colum’s The Legend of Saint Columba brings forth riches upon riches from the storehouse of tradition to craft a story everyone can cherish—young and old alike.

Padraic Colum (1881–1972) was an Irish poet, novelist, and playwright. A leading figure in the Irish Literary revival, he wrote over sixty books and numerous plays and collections of poetry. In 1961, Colum received the Regina Medal from the Catholic Library Association, “awarded annually to a living exemplar of the words: only the rarest kind of best in anything can be good enough for the young.”

Elizabeth MacKinstry (1878–1956) was an American poet and illustrator of children’s literature. At one time a student of Auguste Rodin, she channeled those lessons into her illustrations, giving their style a pronounced elegance. Among her illustrated volumes are George MacDonald’s The Princess and the Goblin; Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales; and Joyce Kilmer’s Trees.

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Hardcover: 176pp.; illustrated

ISBN: 978-1685954673

ALLTA Collection | Book Eight