Adomnan of Iona
| Saint Adomnán of Iona | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 624 County Donegal, Ireland |
| Died | 704 (aged c. 80) Iona, Scotland |
| Venerated in |
Eastern Orthodox Church Roman Catholic Church Scottish Episcopal Church |
| Canonized | Pre-Congregation |
| Feast | 23 September |
| Patronage | Roman Catholic Diocese of Raphoe |
Adomnán or Adamnán of Iona (English pronunciation: /aðɒvˈnɔːn/, Latin: Adamnanus, Adomnanus; c. 624 – 704), also known as Eunan (from Irish Naomh Ádhamhnán), was an abbot of Iona Abbey (r. 679–704), hagiographer, statesman, canon jurist, and saint. He was the author of the most important book on the life of his cousin St Columba and the promulgator of the Law of Adomnán or "Law of Innocents" (Latin: Lex Innocentium).
Adomnán was born about 624, a relative on his father's side of Columba. He was the son of Rónán mac Tinne by Ronat, a woman from the Northern Uí Néill lineage known as the Cenél nÉnda. Adomnán's birthplace was Raphoe, a town in County Donegal in Ulster. Some of Adomnán's childhood anecdotes seem to confirm at least an upbringing in this area.
It is thought that Adomnán may have begun his monastic career at a Columban monastery called Druim Tuamma, but any Columban foundation in northern Ireland or Dál Riata is a possibility, although Durrow is a stronger possibility than most. He probably joined the Columban familia (i.e. the federation of monasteries under the leadership of Iona Abbey) around the year 640. Some modern commentators believe that he could not have come to Iona until sometime after the year 669, the year of the accession of Fáilbe mac Pípáin, the first abbot of whom Adomnán gives any information. However, Richard Sharpe argues that he probably came to Iona during the abbacy of Ségéne (d. 652). Whenever or wherever Adomnán received his education, Adomnán attained a level of learning rare in Early Medieval Northern Europe. It has been suggested by Alfred Smyth that Adomnán spent some years teaching and studying at Durrow, and while this is not accepted by all scholars, it remains a strong possibility.
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