43. St. Columba Violates Nonexistent Copyright Laws and Starts a War, Movilla Abbey, Ireland 560

The Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, holds the Cathach of St. Columba (RIA MS 12 R 33), which might be the book that St. Columba copied secretly, which might be the reason that the Battle of Cúl Dreimhne started, which was probably why St. Columba was exiled from Ireland and ended up in Scotland. We can ask ourselves, what might have happened if he’d actually asked permission to copy the book? And we will never know.

It’s very rude to copy books secretly whilst staying with one of your old teachers, even if you are very careful not to harm the books, and don’t use cheese sandwiches as bookmarks. That’s what we learn from this episode. Also that the ancient kings of Ireland liked to use cattle as examples of just about everything.  And that the O’Neills were willing to go to war with the High King over a book. Michelle and Anne discuss the meaning of copyright law, which really has nothing to do with copying a manuscript in 6th century Ireland. Though to every cow belongs her calf, and to every book its copy. We guess. In good news, there’s no torture.  Though there are some deaths — about 3,000, at the Battle of the Book. Darn.

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