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August 30th 704 |
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St AdamnanSt Adamnan was well known as an abbot of Iona and biographer of St Columba. But before he ever went to Iona, Adamnan lived in Glenlyon far up the glen near Innerwick. It was here that he triumphantly met his greatest challenge.The plague had arrived in Glenlyon. The population of Fortingall had been wiped out and the trail of death advanced steadily up the glen until it was near to Adamnan’s own chapel. With the people around him praying for help and deliverance Adamnan climbed to the summit of Craig an Fhaoraich above Bridge of Balgie. There he commanded the plague to vanish into a rock a short way away. And of course it did leaving a deep round hole in the rock and from this day forward the plague receded. A very effective miracle. St Adamnan also showed extremely good sense in sending all those still in good health off to a mountain sheiling while he remained behind to tend the sick. When he was an old man he returned to Glenlyon, back to his chapel where he died. He asked that his body should be carried down the glen in a hammock and that he should be buried where the ropes of the hammock snapped. This happened at a small village called Dull. Here he was buried and over his grave was built a monastery in remembrance. It became famous as a seat of learning though no traces remain today. There is however a stone cross standing in the middle of the village which appears to have been connected with the old monastery. Unfortunately one arm of the cross was broken off in the middle of the last century when a horse bolted and the cart it was carrying collided with the arm. The cross is now protected by iron railings. |