St.Augustine’s, fondly known as ‘the Wee Church on the Walls’, sits on the Grand Parade of Derry’s Walls on the site of St.Columba’s first monastery in Ireland.
Columba (Columb or Colmcille, meaning dove of the church) was born of royal parentage at Gartan, Co. Donegal in 522AD. After study with St Mobhi at Glasnevin, Dublin, in 546AD his cousin Aed, King of Cenel Conaill gave him the oak clad Hill of Derry on which to build his first church.