Abbot of Iona
- For the Benedictine Abbots, see Abbot of Iona (Benedictine)
Abbot of Iona, was the head of Iona Abbey and the leader of the monastic community of Iona, and overlords of scores of monasteries in both Scotland and Ireland, including Durrow, Kells and, for a time, Lindisfarne. It was one of the most prestigious clerical positions in Dark Age Europe, and was visited by kings and bishops of the Picts, Franks and English. The Ionan abbots also had the status of Comarba of Colum Cille, i.e. the successors of that Saint Columba.
List of early Abbots:
- Colum Cille, 547-597
- Baithéne, 597-600
- Lasrén, 600-605
- Fergnae, 605-623
- Ségéne, 623-652
- Suibne I, 652-657
- Cumméne, 657-669
- Failbe, 669-679
- Adomnán, 679-704
After Saint Adomnán, there occurs a schism at Iona, owing to division amongst the brethren regarding the date of Easter, which does not appear to have been resolved until the abbacy of Fedlimid.
- Conamail, 704-707 (d. 710)
- Dúnchad I, 707-717,(d. 717).
- Dorbbéne, 713
- Fáelchú, 716-724
- Fedlimid, 722-?
- Cilléne Fota, 724-726
- Cilléne Droichtech 726-752
- Slébine, 752-767
- Suibne II, 767-772.
- Bressal, 772-801
- Connachtach, 801-802
- Cellach, 802-814, (d. 815)
- Diarmait, 814-832
- Indrechtach, 832-854
- Cellach II (abbot of Kildare since 852), 854-865
- Feradach, 865-880
- Fland, 880-891
- Máel Brigte (abbot of Armagh since 883), d. 927
- Cáenchormac, d. 947
- Dub Dúin ua Stepháin (?), d. 959
- Dub Scoile mac Cináeda (?), d. 964
- Mugrón, d. 980/1
- Máel Ciaráin ua Maigne, d. 986
- Dub dá Leithe mac Cellaig (?; also abbot of Armagh since 965), d. 998
- Máel Brigte mac Rímeda, d. 1005
- Flandabra, d. 1025
- Gilla Críst Ua Máel Doraid (?), d. 1062
- Mac Meic Báethéne, d. 1070
- Donnchad mac meic Máenaig, d. 1099
The abbots with (?) next to their names are known only as coarbs of Colum Cille; their monastery itself is not known for certain, so it is possible they ruled Iona. During that abbacies of Diarmait and Indrechtach, almost certainly because of Viking attacks, the relics of Columba and perhaps even the position of Columban comarba, were moved to Kells and Dunkeld, and thereafter the position of abbot ceases to have the same significance. In Scotland, the abbots of Dunkeld ruled much of central Scotland, and functioned as one of the most important politicians of northern Britain. One of the abbots, Crínán married Bethóc, the daughter of King Máel Coluim II, and became the progenitor of the so-called House of Dunkeld, who ruled Scotland until the later thirteenth century. However, the abbacy did continue, and abbots of Iona continue to appear in the sources, although not as regularly.
Bibliography
- Moody, T.W., Martin, F.X. & Byrne, F.J. (eds.), A New History of Ireland, Vol. IX: Maps, Genealogies, Lists, A Companion to Irish History Part II, (Oxford, 1984)
- Sharpe, Richard, Adomnán of Iona: Life of St. Columba, (London, 1995)