Tulach Dubhghlaise, Mound of the Dark Stream

[William Douglas]

Here, in Scotland, we have been enjoying a celebrity pilgrimage (You know, the reality show format with celebs we have never heard of!) on television.

The pilgrims, of all faiths and none, follow a route taken by a holy person in centuries long passed and visit holy places along the way.  To be honest, and I feel I have to be when discussing religious matters, I did know a couple of them.  It is an interesting format, with friendships developing, and then individuals falling out.

This series followed the route St. Columba took from Ireland, through the west highlands and islands of Scotland, and ended up on the sacred of Isle of Iona.

A few years ago, I spent the best part of a week on Iona, and found it to be a very spiritual place, thou, again being honest, I never discovered what it was I was hoping to find there.  But I will share one tale.

My room mate, a Canadian, and I escaped to the local hotel of an evening where we sampled the Mull whiskeys.  One stormy night, as we made our way back to our cell in the abbey we passed a small chapel with an open door and the candles inside flickering in the wind. I felt a calling to go in, but my companion had his head down into the weather and so I continued with him.  I returned the next day, but the moment had gone.

But that is an aside from the purpose of this post.

Researching something quite different last night, I came across a reference to Temple Douglas, in Donegal, a place I had not heard of before.  This morning, that was the subject of my research.  

Temple Douglas: Tulach Dubhghlaise, Mound of the Dark Stream is the place where St. Columba was baptised, and probably where he received his early education.

There appears to be no family connection with the Douglases, just the Gaelic translation, though there is also a reference to 'Tobar Douglas holy well' about which I have not yet found anything.

If anyone can add detail to this item, I would be pleased to receive it.