Saints by the shipload

On the not-coincidental placing of "Celtic" saints on island hermitages, being places that were best (or only) reached by ship and also navigational waypoints.

The commonly-accepted picture of a Celtic Saint on a remote island is of a sackcloth and ashes figure, wailing "I want to be alone!"

It takes very little investigation to reveal how misleading this is.

Firstly - our Celtic Saints tended to come from the highest ranks of their society. Relatively wealthy and well-connected, in an era when Church and State were much more intertwined.

Secondly - habitable islands have always been prime locations. Either as desirable residencies (des.res.) for the wealthy elites, with their private yachts to give them access. Or as shipping and trading hubs. Or both.

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