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Saint Columb's Rill is a tributary of the much more famous River Bush (An Bhuais in Irish) in Northern Ireland. This 'rill' or rivulet is really a small stream that rises in bog land approximately five miles (eight kilometres) southeast of the village of Bushmills [1] in County Antrim. The rill is named after the patron saint [2] of Derry [3] (Doire in Irish).
Saint Columba, [4] who had been a distinguished pupil of Saint Finnian [5] at Movilla Monastery in County Down, established a monastic settlement in Derry in 546 AD. In 2013, the city became the European City of Culture and featured a major Saint Columba photographic exhibition, illustrating his on-going impact around the world. [6] Saint Columba was one of the twelve 'Apostles of Ireland' [7] who sailed across the Irish Sea [8] (Muir Éireann in Irish) in 563 AD to begin missionary work in what is now Scotland. Throughout his life, Saint Columba was particularly interested in and connected with the water sources around him.
The 'Apostles' sailed to the small island of Iona where their landing place became known as St. Columba's bay. [9] Through the mission of Saint Columba, Iona became known as the 'Cradle of Christianity' in Scotland [10] and its historic connection with Ireland was highlighted in a keynote speech by the Irish President Michael D. Higgins when he visited the island on 1 August 2013 to commemorate the 1450th Anniversary of St Columba's arrival. [11] Saint Columba concerned himself with the physical wellbeing of the local people, identifying and recommending suitable sources of water for them to drink. He used these sources of water for therapeutic purposes and it is known that he provided a health advisory service [12] for all of the inhabitants of the island.
The water forming Saint Columb's Rill, rises through limestone [13] (sedimentary rock) before passing through basalt [14] (igneous rock) on its way to the surface. The water acquires small quantities of the minerals [15] calcium and magnesium and this makes the water slightly hard [16] (alkaline). The rock structure is typical of the geology of County Antrim [17] that was formed by volcanic activity throughout the region in a bygone age. This can be verified by travelling less than thirty miles (fifty kilometres) to the south east. Here, the landscape is dominated by Slemish Mountain [18] which is situated just outside the village of Broughshane [19] (Bruach Sheáin in Irish and pronounced bru-SHAYN). Slemish Mountain has a height of approximately 1500 feet (437 metres) and is actually the dormant plug [20] of an extinct volcano . Today, Slemish Mountain is more famous for being the home of Saint Patrick [21] after he was taken to Ireland as a slave and tasked with tending sheep and pigs around 405 AD. [22]
As Saint Columb's Rill moves northeast, it flows across acidic Sphagnum peatlands [23] towards the village of Bushmills. In addition to acidity, histosol [24] soils like peat give the water its brown colour and distinctive flavour and this has made Saint Columb's Rill highly prized for brewing and distilling. It is essential that the quality of this Rill is monitored to ensure that it remains unpolluted and this role is carried out by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. [25] In 2012 a polluting discharge was stopped after being discovered by a Water Quality Inspector and the person responsible faced court action. After harvesting, peat is known as turf [26] and by the late eighteenth century it was the main fuel in Ireland. [27] The lure of special Saint Columb's Rill water combined with an abundant supply of local peat for fuel, resulted in five licensed distilleries [28] being situated in the vicinity of Bushmills. In 2013, just one remains and it stills draws all of its process water from Saint Columb's Rill but it has shifted its energy dependence from turf to natural gas. [29]
Bushmills Distillery [30] lies directly in the path of Saint Columb's Rill and as the fast moving water approaches, some of it is diverted to form a private reservoir. The capacity of this reservoir is in excess of 10,000 cubic metres (2.2 million gallons) and this will classify it as a "controlled reservoir" under the new Reservoirs Bill for Northern Ireland [31] which is being introduced by the Northern Ireland Assembly [32] in 2014. The remainder of Saint Columb's Rill rushes underneath the Distillery and continues on its journey to join with the River Bush in the village of Bushmills. From there the river discharges into the Atlantic Ocean at Portballintrae, [33] the nearest coastal village to the exposed polygonal basalt columns of the Giant's Causeway [34] which is a World Heritage Site. [35]
Saint Columb's Rill supplies all of the process water required by Bushmills Distillery. Mashing is the first process and this requires the water to be heated and mixed with the malted barley grist. [36] Through heating, the water loses its temporary hardness (alkalinity) and becomes soft (acidic). This is because the hydrogen carbonate ions (HCO3–) decompose to form carbonate ions (CO32–) that react with the dissolved calcium to form precipitates of calcium carbonate. [37] In the production of Jim Beam Bourbon, the 'Sour Mash' [38] process is used to add acidity and this process is a requirement for Tennessee Whiskeys such as Jack Daniels [39] but this technique is not required at Bushmills.
All of the whiskeys released by the Old Bushmills Distillery contain Saint Columb's Rill water and this water of life (uisce beatha in Irish) is distributed throughout the world by its parent company Jose Cuervo. Bushmills Whiskey sold 9.6 million bottles in 2012–2013. [40] Bushmills were owned by Diageo until 2015 when they were bought by Jose Cuervo.
The Bushmills Inn is a four star hotel located in the heart of Bushmills Village. In 2013 it opened the Saint Columb's Rill Relaxation Room [41] to provide guests with a range of treatments and homeopathic [42] procedures. Guests can specify the use of water drawn from Saint Columb's Rill for some of these treatments which are aimed at providing spiritual and physical healing. This is in keeping with the practise of Saint Columba more than 1,400 years ago when he concerned himself with the spiritual and physical wellbeing of everyone he ministered to.
Columba or Colmcille was an Irish abbot and missionary evangelist credited with spreading Christianity in what is today Scotland at the start of the Hiberno-Scottish mission. He founded the important abbey on Iona, which became a dominant religious and political institution in the region for centuries. He is the patron saint of Derry. He was highly regarded by both the Gaels of Dál Riata and the Picts, and is remembered today as a Catholic saint and one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland.
Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from fermented grain mash. Various grains are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, which are typically made of charred white oak. Uncharred white oak casks previously used for the aging of port, rum or sherry are also sometimes used.
County Antrim is one of six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 3,086 square kilometres (1,192 sq mi) and has a population of 651,321, as of the 2021 census. County Antrim has a population density of 203 people per square kilometre or 526 people per square mile. It is also one of the thirty-two traditional counties of Ireland, as well as part of the historic province of Ulster.
Irish whiskey is whiskey made on the island of Ireland. The word 'whiskey' comes from the Irish uisce beatha, meaning water of life. Irish whiskey was once the most popular spirit in the world, though a long period of decline from the late 19th century onwards greatly damaged the industry, so much so that although Ireland boasted at least 28 distilleries in the 1890s, by 1966 this number had fallen to just two, and by 1972 the remaining distilleries, Bushmills Distillery and Old Midleton Distillery, were owned by just one company, Irish Distillers.
Bushmills is a village on the north coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Bushmills had a population of 1,295 in the 2011 Census. It is located 60 miles (97 km) from Belfast, 11 miles (18 km) from Ballycastle and 9 miles (14 km) from Coleraine. The village owes its name to the River Bush and to a large watermill that was built there in the early 17th century. It is home to the Old Bushmills Distillery, which produces Irish whiskey, and is near the Giant's Causeway.
Broughshane is a large village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is 3.5 miles (5.6 km) northeast of Ballymena and 13.8 miles (22.2 km) north of Antrim, on the A42 road. It is part of Mid and East Antrim District Council and had a population of 2,879 people in the 2011 Census.
Ballymena is a town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 29,551 people at the 2011 Census, making it the eighth largest town in Northern Ireland by population. It is part of the Borough of Mid and East Antrim.
The Old Bushmills Distillery is an alcohol distillery in Bushmills, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, owned by Proximo Spirits. Bushmills Distillery uses water drawn from Saint Columb's Rill, which is a tributary of the River Bush. The distillery is a popular tourist attraction, with around 120,000 visitors per year. It produces the Bushmills brand of Irish whiskey.
Slemish, historically called Slieve Mish, is a hill in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It lies a few miles east of Ballymena, in the townland of Carnstroan. Tradition holds that Saint Patrick, enslaved as a youth, was brought to this area and tended sheep herds on Slemish, and that during this time he found God.
St Columb may refer to:
Irish Distillers is a subsidiary of the French drinks conglomerate Pernod Ricard. It is the largest distiller of Irish whiskey, distilling popular brands such as Jameson and Powers, in addition to premium whiskeys such as Redbreast and Midleton Very Rare. In addition to whiskey, Irish Distillers also produces a number of other spirit products such as gin and vodka.
All Saints Gaelic Athletic Club is the only Gaelic Athletic Association club in the town of Ballymena, County Antrim. The club is a member of the South-West Antrim division of Antrim GAA, and competes in Gaelic football, hurling, Ladies Gaelic football and camogie.
Events from the year 1608 in Ireland.
The River Bush is a river in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The River Bush is 33.5 miles (53.9 km) long. The river's source is in the Antrim Hills at 480m. From there the river flows northwest, with a bend at the town of Armoy. It then flows west, passing through Stranocum, and then bends north, passing through Bushmills before reaching the sea at Portballintrae on the North Antrim coast. It flows through a fertile valley devoted to grassland-based agriculture with limited arable cropping. The underlying geology is basalt and the water is slightly alkaline with magnesium making an unusually large contribution to total hardness. The river supports indigenous stocks of Atlantic salmon and brown trout. Saint Columb's Rill, which is a tributary of the river, is the source of water used for distilling Bushmills whiskey.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to whisky:
Bushmills may refer to:
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