Casting about for a timely subject for today’s post, I learned a little something about one of the world’s most famous monsters. It turns out that one of the earliest reports of a creature living in Scotland’s Loch Ness originated from a sighting of the beast by a priest who’d go on to become a saint. But does this story relate one of the most important eye-witness accounts in cryptozoology or is it a better example of one of history’s first, best and longest lasting hoaxes? Here’s the word from Christianity…

On this day, August 22, 565, St. Columba is said to have encountered the Loch Ness Monster.

Revered as a saint, his life was written by Adamnan. In reporting Columba’s life, Adamnan gives what appears to be the first written account of the Loch Ness Monster.

Traveling in Scotland, Columba had to cross the Loch Ness. On its banks, he saw some of the Pict folk burying a man who had been bitten by a water monster while swimming. The body had been pulled from the loch with the aid of a hook by rescuers who had come to his assistance in a boat.

Despite the danger, Columba ordered one of his followers to swim across the loch and bring back a coble (boat) that was moored on the other side. This man’s name was Lugne Mocumin. Without hesitation, Lugne stripped for the swim and plunged in.
The monster, robbed of its earlier feast, surfaced and darted at Lugne with a roar, its jaws open. Everyone on the bank was stupefied with terror; everyone, except Columba, that is. A firm believer in the authority of the crucified Christ, he raised his hand, making the sign of the cross. Invoking the name of God, he commanded the beast, saying, “You will go no further, and won’t touch the man; go back at once.”

At the voice of the saint, the monster fled as if terrified, “more quickly than if it had been pulled back with ropes,” says Adamnan.

The heathen were amazed. Everyone who witnessed the sight gave glory to the God of the Christians.
Did the event really take place? A church historian may be permitted a few doubts.
To begin with, Adamnan’s account was written over a hundred years after the alleged events.
Furthermore, different versions of the story disagree with one another. One has Columba raising the monster’s first victim from the dead by laying his staff across his chest.

We also note that this is only one of many extraordinary events in Adamnan’s account. According to him, Columba dripped with prophecies and predictions that came true. He made water into wine like Jesus, drew water from a rock like Moses, calmed a storm at sea, provided a miraculous draught of fishes, multiplied a herd of cattle, drove a demon out of a milk pail, and cured the sick. A book owned by Columba could not be destroyed by water. Through his prayers he killed a wild boar, stopped serpents from harming the inhabitants of a certain island. Angels and manifestations of divine light attended him throughout his life. Adamnan’s account has so many incredible tales that it is unbelievable.

Stay Awake!

Please subscribe to my YouTube channel where I archive all of the videos I curate at Insomnia. Click here to check out more Counter Culture posts.

I already posted about Patti Smith’s debut album, Horses, turning 40 this year. I noted that I hadn’t seen much news about it, but notices have recently started popping up, and I’m glad to see that the year won’t pass without more light being held up to this seminal song cycle which begins with the words “Jesus died for someone’s sins, but not mine…” Here’s Uproxx with their take on Patti’s premiere, and that infamous first line…

It’s one of the most jarring album-opening lyrics of all-time, and the fact that Patti Smith chose to begin her career with it is a prime example of just how audacious she was. When her debut album, Horses, which turns 40 this week, begins with that line, you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is not messing around.

In a purely technical sense, the song that line is attached to is a cover of Them’s garage-rock classic “Gloria,” which itself began Van Morrison’s illustrious career. But really, Smith makes the song all her own, both with the lyrics she brings to it and the sheer energy. Really, Morrison laid down the template, and Smith ran roughshod with it, to the point that it really feels like an original.

Here is a great doc about Patti and her music…

Stay Awake!

Please subscribe to my YouTube channel where I archive all of the videos I curate at Insomnia. Click here to check out more Music posts

Five years after his assassination, this made-for-television drama tells the story of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. I wasn’t aware of John and Yoko a Love Story before my girlfriend discovered it online, but it’s definitely worth watching. The 1985 flick picks up at the height of the fallout of John’s comments about The Beatles being bigger than Jesus, and vowing to quit playing live as the hysterical teenyboppers make hearing the music impossible. From there John meets Yoko at one of her art exhibitions and we’re off to the races. The New York Times praised the acting by both Mark McGann and Kim Miyori in the title roles as well as the actual Beatles recordings which make up the soundtrack here.

Watch the full movie on my YouTube channel…

Stay Awake!

Please subscribe to my YouTube channel where I archive all of the videos I curate at Insomnia. Click here to check out more Music posts