Iona

Iona is an island of the Inner Hebrides, Scotland. In 563 Saint Columba founded a monastery here, and from here Christianity spread to the rest of Scotland. Many believe that the Book of Kells was produced on Iona at this time. The monastery survived until the Reformation.

Iona also became the burial site for the kings of Dalriada and their successors, the early kings of Scotland.

In 1938 George MacLeod founded the Iona Community, a non-denominational (?) religious community emphasising mission and social action. This community is a leading force in the present Celtic Christianity revival.

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There is also a software company called IONA Technologies PLC (http://www.iona.com/). The company headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland.

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Iona is also the name of a celtic rock band from Scotland.

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IONA is an acronym for Islands of the North Atlantic, an alternative term for the British Isles.

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Iona is also the name of a college located in New Rochelle, NY. www.iona.edu