The Excommunication of St. Columba
A sinner as is every man
Columba for his family had great pride
Swift of tongue and hot of temper
He challenged all who in his path did stride.
At Cool Drewny where Connacht and Ulster meet
Met the kings in battle swords drawn for blood
And Columba, who prayers to heaven for victory made
Declared the sins for the slaying on his soul stain should
And so the battle did commence and savage was
To avenge the death of one who as sheltered was kept
From the king by Columba in a place holy
Only to aside by the kings soldiers to be swept
And they killed his charge, and Columba declared
The king would have to take his shield
And as he humbled Columba and violated the church that day
He would be humbled and punished on the battlefield.
And his guard set by Dermot he did escape
And his way to his own folk he made
And exited their angers with the tale
And to raise arms in battle in revenge them he bade.
At Taillte a Synod met him to discuss
For we was known for causing the shedding of Christian blood
And it was declared in judgment of him that was made
Excommunicated: that sentence on him to be put: it would!