The Abbot of Iona was the head of Iona Abbey during the Middle Ages and the leader of the monastic community of Iona, as well as the overlord of scores of monasteries in both Scotland and Ireland, including Durrow, Kells and, until the Synod of Whitby, 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.Some sources refer to earlier abbots as Abbot of Hy. "Hy" being an early name for Iona (see Iona: Etymology and "He considered him as contemporary with Mugron, abbot of Hy (d. 980)..." ())
Iona's position as head of the Columban network (familia) of churches declined over time, with abbots based at Derry, Raphoe, Kells and Dunkeld. In Scotland, the abbots of Dunkeld ruled much of central Scotland in the 11th century, and functioned as some of the most important politicians of northern Britain. One of the abbots, Crínán, married Bethóc ingen Maíl Coluim, the daughter of King Máel Coluim II, and became the progenitor of the so-called House of Dunkeld, which ruled Scotland until the later thirteenth century. Dunkeld became a bishopric, and the monks based at Inchcolm Abbey became Augustinians.
At the beginning of the thirteenth century, the monks of Iona adopted the Benedictine rule. Iona was re-endowed in 1203 by Raghnall mac Somhairle, son of Somerled, king of Argyll and the Isles.
List of abbots of Iona to 891 Early abbots of IonaIncumbentUntilCitation(s)NotesColum Cille mac FedelmtheoDied 9 June 597Moody, Martin and Byrne, Maps, Genealogies, Lists, p. 257Charles-Edwards, "Iona, abbots of"Baithéne mac BrénaindDied 9 June 598Lasrén mac FeradaigDied 16 September 605Fergno Britt mac FaílbiDied 2 March 623Known primarily as VirgnoSégéne mac FiachnaíDied 12 August 652Suibne moccu Fir ThríDied 11 January 657Cumméne FindDied 24 February 669Fáilbe mac PípáinDied 22 March 679Adomnán mac RónáinDied 23 September 704Conamail mac FaílbiDeposed(?) 707Died 11 September 710Dúnchad mac Cinn FáeladDeposed(?) June 713(restored 713 x 716)Died 25 May 717Dorbbéne mac AltaíniDied 28 October 713Also called Dorbbéne FotoFáelchú mac DorbbéniDeposed/resigned 722Died 724FedelmidDeposed(?) before 722Died 759Cilléne FotaDied 726Cilléne DroichtechDied 752Sléibíne mac CongaileResigned before 766Died 767SuibneResigned 771Died 801Bresal mac SégéniDied 801ConnachtachDied 802Cellach mac Congaileresigned 814Died 815Diarmait daltae DaigriResigned 831Died in or after 831 Blathmac mac Flainn was martyred on Iona in 825.Indrechtach ua FínnachtaResigned before 854Died 854Cellach mac AilelloDied 865Cellach had been abbot of Kildare since 852Feradach mac CormaicDied 880Flann mac Maíle DúinDied 20 April 891
List of comarbai Coluim Cille and abbots of Iona, 891–1099 During the abbacies of Diarmait and Indrechtach, almost certainly because of Viking attacks, the relics of Columba were moved to other monastic houses in the Columban familia, such as Kells, Raphoe and Dunkeld. The position of abbot on Iona ceases to have the same significance within the Columban monastic familia, and many comarbai are not based on the island.
Comarbai Coluim Cille to 1099IncumbentChief monasteryUntilCitation(s)NotesMáel Brigte mac TornáinIona/ArmaghDied 22 February 927Máel Brigte had been abbot of Armagh from 883, and may not have spent much time on IonaDubthach mac DubáinRaphoeDied 938Cáenchomrac IonaDied 947Moody, Martin and Byrne, Maps, Genealogies, Lists, p. 258Was definitely abbot of Iona, but may not have been coarb of Coluim CilleMoody, Martin and Byrne, Maps, Genealogies, Lists, p. 259, n. 6Robartach RaphoeDied 954Dub Dúin ua Stepháin unknownDied 959Dub Scoile mac Cináeda unknownDied 964MugrónIonaDied 980/81Styled "coarb of Colum Cille in Ireland and Scotland"Máel Ciaráin ua Maigne IonaMartyred 24 December 986Killed by VikingsMoody, Martin and Byrne, Maps, Genealogies, Lists, p. 259, n. 7Dúnchad Ua Robacháin RaphoeDied 989Dub dá Leithe mac Cellaig unknownDied June 998Dub dá Leithe had been abbot of Armagh from 965Máel Brigte mac Rímeda IonaDied 1005Was definitely abbot of Iona, but may not have been coarb of Coluim CilleMoody, Martin and Byrne, Maps, Genealogies, Lists, p. 259, n. 8Muiredach mac Crícháin RaphoeResigned 1007Died 1011; Muiredach was also fer léigind of ArmaghFerdomnach KellsDied 1008Máel Muire Ua hUchtáin KellsDied 1009Flandabra IonaDied 1025 Styled "coarb of Iona"Máel Eóin Ua Toráin DerryDied 1025Styled "coarb of Derry"Máel Muire ua hUchtáin Kells/RaphoeDied 1040Máel Muire was abbot of both Kells and RaphoeMurchad mac Flainn ua Máel Sechlainn Kells (?)Deposed (?) 1057Murchad was abbot of Conard from 1055, as well as briefly king of Mide in 1073;Moody, Martin and Byrne, Maps, Genealogies, Lists, p. 259, n. 9 his most likely Columban holding would be Kells.Robartach mac Ferdomnaig KellsDied 1057Gilla Críst Ua Maíl DoraidunknownDied 1062Gilla Críst was called "coarb of Colum Cille in Ireland and Scotland".Mac meic BáethéneIonaDied 1070Domnall mac RobartaigKellsResigned before 1098Donnchad mac meic MáenaigIonaDied 1099
List of comarbai Coluim Cille at Kells and Derry
None of the following comarbai Coluim Cille are based at Iona, but rather Kells and Derry.
Comarbai Coluim Cille from 1099 to the 1220sIncumbentChief monasteryUntilCitation(s)NotesFerdomnach Ua ClucáinKellsDied 1114Máel Brigte mac RónáinKellsDied 1117Conaing Ua BeigléighinnKellsDied 1128Gilla Adamnáin Ua CoirthnénKells—Gilla Adamnáin was a priest of Durrow who later became abbot of Kells.Flanagan, Irish Royal Charters, p. 15Gilla Meic Liac mac DiarmataDerryArchbishop from 1137Gilla Meic Liac (Gelasius) had been abbot of Derry since 1121, and was consecrated archbishop of Armagh in 1137; he died on 27 March 1174.Muiredach Ua ClucáinKellsDied 1154Flaithbertach Ua BrolcháinDerryDied 1175Gilla Meic Liac Ua BranáinDerryResigned 1198Gilla Críst Ua CernaigDerryDied 1210Fonachtan Ua BranáinDerryDied 1220Flann Ua BrolcháinDerryDeposed 1220Muichertach Ua MilliucDerryDied
List of Benedictine abbots of Iona
Abbots of Iona in the Benedictine eraIncumbentPeriodCitation(s)NotesCellachfl. 1203–04Watt and Shead, Heads of Religious Houses, p. 111Amhalgaid Ó Fearghailfl. 1204c. 1204 the house of Derry installs Amhalgaid in opposition to CellachMoody, Martin and Byrne, Maps, Genealogies, Lists, p. 259Fionnlaghfl. c. 1320PeadarDied or resigned 1357Finghuine mac Ghille-Brìghde MacFhionghainc. 1357–1405Eóin mac Gofraidh MacAlasdair1405–c.1421Dominic mac Ghille-Coinnich1421–1444 x 1465Watt and Shead, Heads of Religious Houses, p. 112Aonghas mac Aonghaispostulated 1465Aonghas was son of Aonghas Óg.Eóin MacFhionghain1467–1498Eóin was son of Lachlan MacFhionghain.
List of abbot-commendators Abbot-commendators of IonaIncumbentPeriodCitation(s)NotesEóin Caimbeul I1499–1510George Hepburn1510–1513Died at the battle of Flodden, 9 September 1513Eóin Caimbeul II1514–1532Watt and Shead, Heads of Religious Houses, p. 113Ailean MacGill-Eathainprovided 1526Seumas Sdíbhardcrown nomination 1529A kinsman of the earl of Lennox, he was abbot of Dryburgh.Watt and Shead, Heads of Religious Houses, pp. 61, 113Fearchar Mac Eachainn1528–1544 x 1546Ruairidh MacGill-Eathain1544–1552 x 1553Ruairidh MacAlasdair1545–1546Ailean Mac an Toisic1546John Haypostulate 1547Pádraig MacGill-Eathain1547–1552Alexander Gordon1553–1562Watt and Shead, Heads of Religious Houses, p. 114Eóin Caimbeul III1557–1560 x 1562Pádraig MacGill-Eathain (again)1560–1565Séon Carsuel1565–1572Watt and Shead, Heads of Religious Houses, p. 115Lachlan MacGill-Eathainc. 1567Despite Scottish Reformation, he was suspected of having received license from Mary, Queen of Scots, to go to the Pope to receive the abbey and the Bishopric of the Isles, but denied the allegation and renounced his claims to Carsuel.Eóin Caimbeul III (again)1572–1581Alasdair Caimbeul1581–1615The abbey was annexed to the bishopric of the Isles on 11 August 1615; Alasdair Caimbeul was still alive on 30 September 1619.
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