Life of St ColumbaBy: Adomnan of Iona Founding father of the famous monastery on the island of Iona, a site of pilgrimage ever since his death in 597, St Columba was born into one of the ruling families in Ireland at a time of immense expansion for the Irish Church. This account of his life, written by Adomnn the ninth abbot of Iona, and a distant relative of St Columba describes his travels from Ireland to Scotland and his mission in the cause of Celtic Christianity