Joyful Pilgrimage

This is the story of the 1963 re-enactment of the sea voyage made by St.Columba in the 6th Century (563 A.D.) from Derry, Northern Ireland to Iona in the Hebrides aboard a traditional Irish curragh.

Canon John Barry, the instigator of it all, tells the story with the dry humour of an Ulsterman, savoring the outlandish original idea and how it was shaped, aided by a growing band of supporters, into a grand adventure of faith and fraternity. Barry writes in a self-deprecating way, claiming expertise in nothing. For him, the heroes are the skipper, the designer, the boat builder, the other crew members and the curragh. But beneath his commentary, his own engaging and passionate influence shines.

This book is a facsimile edition of the original 1964 book. It will interest modern-day pilgrims who wish to learn more about St.Columba and his historic decision to leave Ireland for Scotland, as well as the path he and his followers took. But more than that, for those interested in ancient craft and the sea, the skipper, Wallace Clark, reflects on the decision to build a curragh. He tells us of the design, building and her sailing performance and reflects on how the vessel might have been improved with hindsight.