he Lough by the
rippling breeze and echoed by the religious, whose convents, presided
over by SS. Frigidian and Cardens sentinelled the mouth of the Lough at
Moville and Coleraine. The habit of these monks--similar to that of Iona
and Lindisfarne, consisted of "[2]the cowl--of coarse texture, made of
wool, retaining its natural color and the tunic, or under habit, which
was also white. If the weather was particularly severe an amphibalus, or
double mantle, was permitted. When engaged at work on the farm the
brethern wore sandals which were not used within the monastery."

Though their time was mainly devoted to prayer, meditation and the
various other religious exercises, yet their rule made them apply every
spare moment to copying and illuminating MSS. or some other kind of
manual or intellectual labor, according as their strength and talents
permitted. By this, people were attracted to the spot. Houses sprang up
in the neighborhood of the monastery, that continually increasing in
number, at length grew into a city, just as from a similar monastic germ
have sprung nearly all the great German cities.

Columba in the busy years that elapsed between 546 and his final
departure from Ireland in 563, looked upon Derry as his home. It was his
first and dearest monastery. It was in his own Tyrconnell, but a few
miles from that home by Lough Gartan, where he first saw the light, and
from his foster home amid the mountains of Kilmacrenan, that, rising
with their green belts of trees and purple mantles of heather over the
valleys, seemed like huge festoons hung from the blue-patched horizon.
Then the very air was redolent of sanctity. If he turned to the south,
the warm breezes that swayed his cowl reminded him that away behind
those wooded hills in Ardstraw, prayed Eugene, destined to share with
him the patronage of the diocese, and that farther up, St. Creggan,
whose name the Presbyterian farmers unconsciously preserve in the
designation of their townland, Magheracreggan, presided over
Scarrabern, the daughter-house of Ardstraw. Then turning slowly
northwards he would meet with the persons, or relics, of St. O'Heney in
Banagher, St. Sura in Maghera, St. Martin in Desertmartin, St. Canice in
Limavady, St. Goar in Aghadoey, St. Cardens in Coleraine, St. Frigidian
in Moville, St. Comgell in Culdaff, St. McCartin in Donagh, St. Egneach
in the wildly beautiful pass of Mamore, St. Mura in Fahan, and his own
old teacher, St. Cruithne