Iona (Scottish Gaelic:Ì Chaluim Chille) is a smallisland in theInner Hebrides off the westerncoast ofScotland. WhenColumba arrived with twelvemonks in 563 he founded a greatmonastery. From that time Iona was known as a holy place. It was the center ofScottishChristianity for many centuries. Today it is a populartourist attraction and a place forretreats. Its modernGaelic name means "Iona of (Saint) Columba" (formerly anglicised "Icolmkill").
The mainsettlement, located at St. Ronan's Bay on the eastern side of the island, is calledBaile Mòr.[1] It is known locally as "The Village". Theprimary school,post office, the island's twohotels, theBishop's House and the ruins of the Ionanunnery are here. Theabbey and MacLeod Centre are a short walk to the north.[2] There are a number of offshore Islands nearby. Eilean Annraidh (island of storm) and Eilean Chalbha (calf island) are larger islands to the north. Rèidh Eilean and Stac MhicMhurchaidh Islands lay to the west of Iona. Eilean Mùsimul (mouse holm island) andSoa Island are to the south.
At the start, Iona was a part of theGaelickingdom ofDál Riata.[3] The island was the site of a highly importantmonastery during theEarly Middle Ages. According to tradition the monastery was founded in 563 by the monk Columba, also known as Colm Cille, who had been exiled from his nativeIreland.[4] Columba and twelve companions went into exile on Iona and founded a monastery there.[5] The monastery was very successful, and played a large part in theconversion of thePicts to Christianity.[5] It also had aninfluence on theAnglo-Saxon kingdom ofNorthumbria. Many other monasteries were founded in Scotland and Iona became the center of a great monastic system. Thescriptorium produced many very importantdocuments.
The monastery itself became the center ofCeltic Christianity. Iona was a major supporter of the "Celtic" system forcalculating the date of Easter. Themissionaries andbishops who came to Britain from Rome used aRoman calculation for the date of Easter. This issue was settled when they adopted the Roman system at theSynod of Whitby in 664. Pictland adopted the Roman system in the early8th century. Iona changed systems in 716, according to the Anglo-Saxon historianBede.[6] Iona's prominence was reduced over the next centuries as a result ofViking raids and the rise of other powerful monasteries in the system, such as theAbbey of Kells. TheBook of Kells was created on Iona about the year 800.[7] At about the same time the island's highcrosses were erected. They had a ring around the top part that became the symbol called a "Celtic cross".[8] The series of Viking raids on Iona began in 794 and, after its treasures had been plundered many times, Columba's relics were removed and divided two ways between Scotland and Ireland in 849 as the monastery was abandoned.
As the Viking control of the west coast of Scotland advanced, Iona became part of theKingdom of the Isles.Amlaíb Cuarán, King of Northumbria and Dublin, died in 981 while on Iona.[9] Still, the island was sacked twice by his successors. On Christmas night 986 and again in 987. The ruling dynasty of Alba traced its origin to Iona, and the island thus became an important religious icon of thenew kingdom. Many of its early kings are buried there. The kings of the Isles were at times vassals of the King ofNorway, High King ofIreland, or the King of Scotland. By the 11th century they were nominally attached to the Kingdom of Norway, but in reality they were independent.[10]
Aconvent forBenedictine nuns was established in about 1208, withBethóc, daughter ofSomerled, as first prioress. The present Benedictineabbey,Iona Abbey, was built in about 1203. The monastery itself flourished until theReformation when buildings were demolished and all but three of the 360 carved crosses destroyed.[11]
According to tradition, the first "King of Scots" wasKenneth MacAlpin (Cináed mac Ailpín). He founded the beginnings of what we know as Scotland in 843.[12] TheReilig Cemetery on Iona was from that time until the11th century the place where Scottish kings were buried. In total there are about forty-eight Scottish kings buried at Iona. In addition, eight kings of Norway and four kings of Ireland are buried on Iona.[12]
Following the 1266Treaty of Perth the Isles (Hebrides) were restored to Scottish rule.[13] An Augustine nunnery survives as a number of 13th century ruins, including a church andcloister. The nunnery continued to be active until the Reformation. By the 1760s little more of the nunnery remained standing than at present, though it is the most complete remnant of amedieval nunnery in Scotland.
In the 19th century green-streaked marble was commercially mined in the south-east of Iona; the quarry and machinery survive.
