Person

Columba

521–597 · 6th century · Also known as Columba of Iona, Colm Cille, Columcille

Columba, or Colm Cille, was an Irish monk of the Cenél Conaill, a branch of the northern Uí Néill, who founded the monastery of Iona off western Scotland around 563. From Iona he and his monks spread Christianity in Dál Riata and among the Picts, and according to his biographer Adomnán he ordained King Áedán mac Gabráin. Iona became a leading centre of learning and of the Irish church.

Columba
Image: J. R. Skelton (Joseph Ratcliffe Skelton; 1865–1927) (illustrator), erroneously credited as John R. Skelton · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 3 profiles

Kingdom of the PictsImpact, SummaryDal RiataSocioeconomy, Military, Governance, Impact, Decline, SummaryKingdom of ScotlandFoundation

Mentioned in 5 state histories

Kingdom of the PictsKingdom of StrathclydeKingdom of Tir ChonaillCenel nGabrainDal Riata

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Columba. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/columba
MLA
“Columba.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/columba. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Columba.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/columba.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Columba’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/columba (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻