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Brief History of Iona through the Invasions of the Danes
The Torr an Aba, Columba's Hermitage, and the Hermit's Cell Columba and Prayer: Hills on Iona
During the invasion of the Danes, the island and its famous abbey were sacked on several occasions. The Bay of the Martyrs and the White Strand of the Monks
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Iona's
history as a monastic center began in 563 C.E. when the Irish monk St.
Columba landed on Iona at a bay now called Columba's Bay. Columba had
founded nearly 35 monasteries in his home land before sailing to Iona
in 563 C.E.. One of these monasteries was Kells, famous for the Book
of Kells, an illuminated manuscript of the Gospels made in honor of
Columba. No one really knows why Columba left his homeland, but there
are stories of Columba plagiarizing a Roman Psalter. This is a rather
odd charge in the Middle Ages, as "plagiarizing" was very
common and was, indeed, then considered the greatest tribute one could
pay to the original author. At any rate, Columba left Ireland and never
returned.
Columba had chosen Iona for a landing point when
he could no longer see Ireland. Upon his arrival, he literally turned
his back on his homeland. This rock is associated with that event, and
is known as "The Hill of the Back to Ireland." 
It
is customary for pilgrims who come to Columba's Bay to pick up two of
the large stones known as
Columba
and the twelve monks who came with him founded a monastery where the
present-day abbey is located. The abbey is a twelfth-century Benedictine
house which was rebuilt just in the last decade. 
