It is widely believed that it was Saint Ninian who introduced christianity to Scotland around 397 AD, although it was Saint Columba who got the major credit in 565 AD. The reason Saint Columba was erroneously credited with Christian-ising the Scots, was that he actually employed a publicist called Maximus Cliffordicus to spread the word. Saint Ninian had neither the foresight nor the funds to do so, hence the greater public ignorance of Saint Ninian's achievements. Whatever, it was Saint Columba who got the reputation.
There is another school of thought. The reason that Saint Columba succeeded so well was not just because Cliffordicus was spreading the tablets, but because he was able to build on the pioneering missionary activities previously carried out by Saint Ninian 170 years before. It has also been suggested that St Columba and his publicist never duly acknowledged the achievements of St Ninian.
But even this is not the full story. A few years before St Ninian took it upon himself to go traipsing around Scotland, he may not have been aware that even he wasn't the first to do so. Compared to the huge amount of information on Saint Columba, there are fewer records regarding the life and times of Saint Ninian, and even fewer mentions of the Saint who went before him. He was of course, Saint Even.
When Saint Even pitched up on the Ayrshire coast at the start of his heroic and divine mission to bring some form of godliness to what is now known as Scotland, some 360 years before the arrival of Saint Ninian, the Romans were an unknown race. That was all about to change, but even in those early turbulent times Saint Even had a calling to try and save these hairy-ersed Picts and Celts across the water.
No-one is quite sure where the name 'Even' came from, that is unusual in itself, but scholars believe it to come from the ancient Pictish and Scots tongues, for as this enterprising missionary landed upon the beach in Ayrshire he looked heavenwards and held his hands and arms outstretched at either side of his body - much like the 'blind justice' statue on top of the Old Bailey.
Or perhaps he was just thankful that the ferry service provided by the rather lackadaisical Callum Mac NaeBrain actually ferried him safely from Ireland to the Ayrshire coast without a severial drookin'.
Furthermore, it is written in the celtic erse of that time that Saint Even was perceived to be "a maun who wis even haunded", that is someone who is fair minded and willing to listen equally to both sides of an argument.
Indeed that alone was to his credit in a godless, lawless land where the dirk and the claymore, or even just the 'Celtic kiss' were the established means of settling differences.
Anyway, Saint Even landed on a desolate stretch of coast south of Largs to avoid the Vikings, and just to the north of Ayr. Apparently, he was actually aiming for the Mull of Kintyre, but in those days, the preferred method of navigating was to dangle a hungry budgie on a string and follow the direction it's beak was pointing. The belief was that it would point towards the nearest landfall and food. Whatever, with no-one to welcome him, he founded the town of Saint Even's Town - now known as Stevenston. This was to be his base for converting the rest of Scotland.
Well, if he thought the Ayrshire souls were in need of saving, his mettle was sorely tested when he travelled westwards to Lanarkshire, there encountering a small un-named hamlet amid the pit bings and illicit-still valleys. Given the ungodly nature of this lot, he thought his life's work was here and so was founded the original monastery and settlement of New Saint Even's Town, the title of which has now been corrupted by posh folks and cartographers to become known as, New Stevenston.