Of course, it will not escape the attention of the reader that St Moluag's three main foundations at Lismore, Rosemarkie and Mortlach in time became the seats of the ancient medieval Roman Sees of the Isles, Ross and Aberdeen.

It must not be supposed that the trained clergy from Bangor and from St Moluag's own centres kept themselves apart from the Britonic and the native Pictish clergy who were at work in Pictland at this time; because there is evidence that the Bangor clergy assisted in manning Churches founded long before their arrival as well as looking to the care of congregations gathered by themselves. The only sign of want of co-operation between the Celtic clergy, as might be expected from the political relations of the time, was between the Picts and the Gaidheals or Scots, in the territory occupied by the Scotic colonists in Dalriada. There was certainly no co-operation between the Pictish ecclesiastics and the Gaidhealic ecclesiastics in the island of Tiree!

There is some discrepancy with regard to St Moluag's burial place. Until recent times the tradition on Lismore itself was that Moluag died at Ardclach and that his body was born back to Lismore by twenty-four of the most stalwart islanders. This tradition is very much in keeping with the Celtic tradition of burying a saint in his main or oldest foundation. Another source gives that the story of Moluag being buried at Rosemarkie is false and repeats the story that his body was taken to Lismore. It goes further by relating that there was a later Moluag, a colleague of St Boniface, and that he was a great preacher. It is said that it is this second Moluag, who died over a hundred years after the first, that was buried in Boniface's chapel at Rosemarkie. It has to be said that, if one is to accept the first Moluag's association with the district round Rosemarkie then it is surprising that there are so very few churches which bear his name. Even where original Celtic saints names were replaced with Roman ones, it is rare for the original to completely disappear. This story of a second Moluag may have an essence of truth in it!

The Historic Bell in Alyth Town Hall

Alyth and the surrounding districts have many interesting links with the past.

Very few people, however, have had occasion to go and see what must be one of the most remarkable.

This is the bell, situated in Alyth Town Hall, gifted by Mr William Warden.

To reach the bell, one must climb the long flight of stairs, pass through the trapdoor into the main tower, and from there climb an ordinary wooden ladder to the Town Hall’s topmost tower. There hangs the bell, which is just under two hundred years old.

It is a relic of the days when the first great upheaval in the fabric of the society of France occurred. It recalls the storming of the Bastille, and the abolition of the French monarchy with the reign of terror during which Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were guillotined.

To-day it is seldom given the opportunity to ring out as it once did.

In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte, first Emperor of France, was finally defeated at Waterloo, and instead of receiving a “war crimes” trial as he would to-day, he was banished to St. Helena, there to brood over his mistakes and find solace in the memory of his triumphs.

Naturally, a British warship was chosen to convey Napoleon to his “Coventry”, and on board that ship was a native of Alyth. He was William Warden, a surgeon son of a landlord of the now forgotten Bamff Arms.

Now, during the Napoleonic Wars the French found themselves running short of gun metal and with their equivalent of make-do-and-mend,” they proceeded to requisition church bells which they melted down and used as war machines against our ancestors.

One bell earmarked for this wanton destruction was that of St. Tay, in the parish of Poullan, not far from Brest. St. Tey or They is the Breton version of St. David, a well-loved saint in that part of France.

However, that bell never reached the smelters, but fell into the hands of a British cruiser at Brest.

William Warden, who had always looked upon Napoleon as something of a hero- indeed he published a book on the Frenchman’s conduct and conversations- managed to buy this strong connection with the wars at the equivalent of a modern Government surplus sale.

He ultimately presented the bell to Alyth Parish School in the early twenties of the nineteenth century.

The bell was too large – between 18 and 24 inches high – to keep in the school, so that authorities gifted it to the town.

It is of wrought iron and still as sturdy as when it was cast in 1789. There are two inscriptions on it, one round the top, the other on the side.

The former is in two lines-“J’ai été faicte pour St. Tay de Messire le Bescond de Coatpond, Recteur de Poullen,” which freely translated means, “I was made for St. Tay in the time of Master the Viscount og Coatpond, Rector of Poullan.”

After a small index hand come the words “ Corentin Lastennet Fabrique”- Corentin Lastennet, church Warden.”

On the other side of the bell is a large Cross Calvary and another index hand with the wording,” Lepine, Foundeur A Quimper, L’An 1789,” that is “Lepine, Founder, Quimper, 1789.” This can be taken as the registered trade mark of the maker.