IONA, or ICOLMKILL, one of the Hebrides; a small, but celebrated island, "once the luminary of the Caledonian regions (as Dr. Johnson expresses it), whence savage clans and roving barbarians derived the benefits of knowledge and the blessings of religion." The name Iona is derived from a Hebrew word signifying a dove, in allusion to his patron Columba, who landed here in 565. See COLUMBA.—It is said to have been a seat of the druids before his arrival, when its name in Irish was Inis Drunfh, or the "Druid Island." The druids being expelled or converted, he founded here a cell of canons regular, who till 716 differed from the church of Rome, in the observance of Easter and in the tonsure. After his death, the island retained his name, and was called Ycolumb cill or "Columb's cell," now Icolmkill. The Danes dislodged the monks in the 7th century, and Cluniacs were the next order that settled here.

This island, which belongs to the parish of Rothesay in Mull, is three miles long, and one broad: the east side is mostly flat; the middle rises into small hills; and the west side is very rude and rocky: the whole forming a singular mixture of rock and fertility.—There is in the island only one town, or rather village, consisting of about 60 mean houses. The population in 1798 amounted to about 330. Near the town is the bay of Martyrs slain by the Danes. An oblong inclosure, bounded by a stone dyke, and called Clachan Druinach, in which bones have been found, is supposed to have been a burial-place of the Druids or rather the common cemetery of the townspeople. Beyond the town are the ruins of the nunnery of Austin cano- nesses, dedicated to St Oran, and said to be founded by Columba: the church was 38 feet by 20, and the east roof is entire. On the floor, covered deep with cow-dung, is the tomb of the last prior's, with her figure praying to the Virgin Mary, and this inscrip- tion on the ledge: *Hic jacet domina Anna Donaldi Ferleti filia, quondam priorissa de Iona, qua obit anno m° d° xi° mo° ejus animam Altissimo commendamus*; and another inscribed, *Hic jacet Mariota filia Johan: Lauch- tain domini de...*. A broad paved way leads hence to the cathedral; and on this way is a large handsome cross called Maclean's, the only one that remains of 360, which were demolished here at the Reformation. Rei- lig Ouran, or the burying-place of Oran, is the large enclosure where the kings of Scotland, Ireland, and of the isles, and their descendants, were buried in three several chapels. The dean of the isles, who tra- velled over them 1549, and whose account has been copied by Buchanan, and published at Edinburgh 1784, says, that in his time on one of these chapels (or "tombs of stain formit like little chapels with ane braid gray marble or quhin stain on the gavil of ilk ane of the tombs," containing, as the chronicle says, the remains of 48 Scotch monarchs, from Fergus II. to Macbeth, 16 of whom were pretended to be of the race of Alpin) was inscribed, *Tumulus regum Scotiae*. The next was inscribed, *Tumulus regum Hiberniae*, and contained four Irish monarchs; and the third, inscribed *Tumulus regum Norwegiae*, containing eight Norwe- gian princes, or viceroys of the Hebrides while they were subject to the crown of Norway. Boetius says, that Fergus founded this abbey for the burial-place of his successors, and caused an office to be composed for the funeral ceremony. All that Mr Pennant could discover here were only certain flight remains, built in a ridged form and arched within, but the inscrip- tions lost. These were called *Jornaire nan righ*, or "the ridge of the kings." Among these stones are to be seen only these two inscriptions in the Gaelic or Erse language and ancient Irish characters: *Cros Domhail fat'afesh*, i.e., "the cross of Donald Long- shanks;" and that of *Urcivine o Guin*; and another inscribed *Hic jacent priores de Hy, Johannes, Hugae- nius, Patricius, in decreto olmi bacularius, qui obit an. Dom. millesimo quingentefimo*. About 300 inscrip- tions were collected here by Mr Sacheverel in 1688 and given to the earl of Argyle, but afterwards lost in the troubles of the family. The place is in a man- ner filled with grave-stones, but so overgrown with weeds, that few or none are at present to be seen, far less any inscriptions read. Here also stands the chapel of St Oran, the first building begun by Columba, which the evil spirits would not suffer to stand till some hu- man victim was buried alive; for which service Oran offered himself, and his red grave-stone is near the door. In this chapel are tombs of several chiefs, &c. A little north-west of the door is the pedestal of a cross: on it are certain stones that seem to have been the supports of a tomb. Numbers who visit this island think it incumbent on them to turn each of these thrice round, according to the course of the sun. They are called *Clacha-brath*; for it is thought that the *brath*, or end of the world, will not arrive till the pedestal on which they stand is worn through. Origi- nally (says Mr Sacheverel) here were three noble gloves of white marble, placed on three stone basins, and these were turned round; but the synod ordered them and 60 crosses to be thrown into the sea. The present stones are probably substituted in place of these gloves. The precinct of these tombs was held sacred, and enjoyed the privileges of a girth or sanctuary. These places of retreat were by the ancient Scotch law, not to shelter indiscriminately every offender, as was the case in more bigotted times in Catholic countries; for here all atrocious criminals were excluded; and only the unfortunate delinquent, or the penitent sinner, was shielded from the instant stroke of rigorous jus- tice. A little to the north of this inclosure stands the cathedral, built in form of a cross, 115 feet long by 23, the transept 70 feet: the pillars of the choir have their capitals charged with scripture and other histories; and near the altar are the tombs of two ab- bots and a knight. A fragment remains of the altar- stone of white marble veined with grey. This church is ascribed to Maldwin in the seventh century; but the present structure is far too magnificent for that age. Most of the walls are built of red granite from the Nun's island in the sound. Two parallel walls of a cov- ered way about 12 feet high and 10 wide, reach from the south-east corner to the sea. In the churchyard is a fine cross of a single piece of red granite, 14 feet high, 22 inches broad, and 10 inches thick. Near the south- east end is Mary's chapel. The monastery is behind the chapel; of which only a piece of the cloisters re- mains, and some sacred black stones in a corner, on which contracts and alliances were made and oaths sworn. East of it was the abbot's gardens and offices. North of this was the palace of the bishop of the isles after the separation of Man from them. This see was endowed with 13 islands; several of which were fre- quently taken away by the chieftains. The title of Soder, which some explained Suter, Zohg, "the name of Christ, or Soder, an imaginary town," is really de- rived from the division of the diocese into the north- ern islands or Nordereys (i.e. all to the north of Ar- damurchan point), and the Southern or Sudereys; which last being the most important, the isle of Man retained both titles.

Other ruins of monastic buildings and offices may be traced, as well as some druidical sepulchral remains. Several abbeys were derived from this, which with the island was governed by an abbot-prebster, who had rule even over bishops. The place where Columba landed is a pebbly beach, where a heap of earth repre- sents the form of his ship. Near it is a hill with a cir- cle of stones called *Cnoc-nor aimgeal*, or "the hill of angels," with whom the saint held conference; and on Michaelmas day the inhabitants coursed their horses round it, a remain of the custom of bringing them there to be blessed. In former times, this island was the place where the archives of Scotland and many valu- able old manuscripts were kept. Of these most are sup- posed to have been destroyed at the Reformation; but many, it is said, were carried to the Scotch college at Douay in France, and it is hoped some of them may still be recovered. In the island of Iona a schoolmaster is established; but there is no temple for worship, no instructor in religion, excepting the schoolmaster, unless it is visited by the parish minister from another island.