Saint Columbs Rill facts for kids

Saint Columb's Rill is a small stream in Northern Ireland. It flows into the bigger River Bush. This little stream starts in a wet, marshy area called a bog. It's about eight kilometres (five miles) southeast of the village of Bushmills in County Antrim. The stream is named after Saint Columba, who is a special saint for the city of Derry (Doire in Irish).

Who Was Saint Columba?

Saint Columba was a very important person in Irish history. He was a student of Saint Finnian at a monastery in County Down. In 546 AD, Saint Columba started his own religious community in Derry.

In 2013, Derry was named the European City of Culture. There was a big photo exhibition about Saint Columba. It showed how much he still influences people around the world. Saint Columba was one of the "Twelve Apostles of Ireland." These were twelve important religious leaders. In 563 AD, he sailed across the Irish Sea (Muir Éireann in Irish). He went to start spreading Christianity in what is now Scotland.

Throughout his life, Saint Columba was very interested in water. He felt a strong connection to the water sources around him.

Saint Columba's Journey to Iona

Saint Columba and his followers sailed to a tiny island called Iona. The place where they landed is now known as St. Columba's Bay. Because of Saint Columba's work, Iona became known as the "Cradle of Christianity" in Scotland. This means it was a very important place for the start of Christianity there.

The strong link between Iona and Ireland was highlighted in 2013. The Irish President, Michael D. Higgins, visited the island. He spoke there to celebrate 1450 years since Saint Columba arrived. Saint Columba cared about the health of the local people. He found good water sources for them to drink. He also used these waters to help people feel better. He even gave health advice to everyone living on the island.

Rocks and Water: Limestone and Basalt

The water that forms Saint Columb's Rill starts deep underground. It flows up through limestone, which is a type of soft rock. Then, it passes through basalt, a harder, volcanic rock. As the water travels, it picks up tiny amounts of minerals. These minerals include calcium and magnesium. This makes the water slightly hard, or alkaline.

This type of rock structure is common in County Antrim. It was formed long ago by volcanoes. You can see more evidence of this volcanic past nearby. If you travel about 50 kilometres (30 miles) southeast, you'll find Slemish Mountain. This mountain is near the village of Broughshane (Bruach Sheáin in Irish). Slemish Mountain is about 437 metres (1500 feet) tall. It's actually the old, hardened core of a volcano that is no longer active. Today, Slemish Mountain is famous for another reason. It was the home of Saint Patrick when he was brought to Ireland as a slave. He looked after sheep and pigs there around 405 AD.

How Peatlands Affect the Rill

As Saint Columb's Rill flows northeast, it crosses over Sphagnum peatlands. Peatlands are wet, spongy areas with a lot of decaying plant material called peat. These peatlands make the water acidic. The peat also gives the water its brown colour and a special taste. This unique water from Saint Columb's Rill is highly valued. It's used for making drinks like beer and whiskey.

It's very important to keep this stream clean and healthy. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency checks the water quality regularly. In 2012, they stopped some pollution that was found. Peat, when dug up, is called turf. In the late 1700s, turf was the main fuel used in Ireland. The special water from Saint Columb's Rill and the nearby supply of peat were a perfect match. This led to five licensed whiskey distilleries being built near Bushmills. Today, only one distillery remains. It still uses water from Saint Columb's Rill for its whiskey. However, it now uses natural gas for energy instead of turf.

Saint Columb's Rill and the Bushmills Distillery

The famous Bushmills Distillery is right in the path of Saint Columb's Rill. As the stream flows quickly, some of its water is sent into a private reservoir. This reservoir can hold over 10,000 cubic metres (2.2 million gallons) of water. The rest of Saint Columb's Rill flows under the Distillery. It then continues its journey to join the River Bush in Bushmills village.

From there, the River Bush flows into the Atlantic Ocean at Portballintrae. This is the closest coastal village to the amazing Giant's Causeway. The Giant's Causeway is a World Heritage Site. It has unique six-sided basalt columns formed by ancient volcanic activity.

From Hard Water to Soft Water for Whiskey

Saint Columb's Rill provides all the water needed by the Bushmills Distillery. The first step in making whiskey is called mashing. This is when the water is heated and mixed with crushed malted barley. When the water is heated, it loses its hardness. It becomes soft, or acidic. This is a natural process that helps in making the whiskey.

All the whiskeys made by the Old Bushmills Distillery contain water from Saint Columb's Rill. This "water of life" (uisce beatha in Irish) is sent all over the world. In 2012-2013, Bushmills Whiskey sold 9.6 million bottles! The company Jose Cuervo now owns Bushmills.

Relaxing by Saint Columb's Rill

The Bushmills Inn is a nice hotel in Bushmills Village. In 2013, they opened the Saint Columb's Rill Relaxation Room. Guests can get different treatments there. They can even ask for water from Saint Columb's Rill to be used in some treatments. These treatments aim to help people feel better in their mind and body. This idea connects back to Saint Columba himself. Over 1,400 years ago, he also cared about the health and well-being of the people he helped.