Iona & St Columba: The Island That Shaped a Saint
- Drummond Scottish Tours
- May 20
- 2 min read
St Columba and Iona. One does not go without the other. On the 12th of May, 563 AD, the exiled Irish saint stepped onto Iona’s white‑sanded shores with twelve loyal followers. Here, on this tiny Hebridean island, he built his first Celtic church and founded a monastic community that would send ripples across Scotland, England, and mainland Europe.
Columba spent less than half his life on Iona, yet his influence is woven into every grain of its landscape. He was a man of striking contrasts: a warrior turned peacemaker, a politician and a priest, a scribe and illuminator of the gospels and a visionary leader. His legacy is nothing short of legendary.
Adamnan, a relative who, in fact, becoma abbot of Iona in 679 AD, described him as "a tall figure, powerfully built" and records his ability as a seer - predicting the approach of travellers and the outcome of distant battles".
Among the tales that surround him is one that continues to spark imaginations today - the story of Columba confronting “a great eel monster” in Loch Ness. When a monk was out in the loch retrieving a boat, Columba is said to have commanded the creature to retreat, marking one of the earliest written references to the Loch Ness Monster. Myth or miracle, it remains a vivid thread in Scotland’s tapestry of folklore.
Walk in the Footsteps of the Saint
Join us on tour to this magical island and experience the story of Columba. Lying off the west coast of Mull, Iona is barely three miles long and one mile wide, yet its impact on the spiritual and cultural history of Europe is immeasurable. Pilgrims, poets, kings, and travellers have all been drawn here - to its ancient stones, turquoise waters and the sense of peace that feels both grounding and otherworldly.
The island’s abbey, rebuilt and restored across centuries, stands as a testament to faith, resilience, and the enduring power of place. Wander its cloisters, trace the carved crosses, and feel the quietness that settles over the island as the light shifts across the Sound of Iona.
