Text size 
 |
St Columba (Colmcille) (521–97) Columba was born in Donegal, a descendant of Irish kings, but was exiled, possibly for illicitly copying a psalter. He founded a monastery on Iona in 563, which trained missionaries and established churches throughout Dál Riata. Monks from Iona also travelled to Pictland and established small monasteries there, possibly including Portmahomack on the Dornoch Firth. Columba’s work may have contributed to the ascendancy of Christianity as a political force in Pictland. St Adomnán (c 627–704) Adomnán was abbot of the monastery on Iona. He wrote a life of its founder St Columba, which is one of the most important sources of information about the Picts. In 697, Adomnán proposed the so-called ‘Law of Innocents’, which sought to protect non-combatants in the many bloody confrontations of his times – notably women, children and clerics. |
St Donnán (d. 617)
Donnán was based on Eigg, where he was martyred in 617 with 150 of his followers – they were burned alive inside his chapel at Kildonan by a Celtic noblewoman. Although he is the patron saint of Eigg, he is thought to be buried at Kildonan on Arran. Other places bearing his name include Eilean Donan in Lochalsh.