Adamnan of Iona, born 624, died 704, was an influential Irish abbot, scholar, and saint, best known for his leadership of Iona Abbey and his significant contributions to early medieval Christian literature and law. Born in what is now County Donegal, Ireland, into the prominent Cenél Conaill lineage of the Northern Uí Néill, Adamnan was a kinsman of St. Columba, the founder of Iona. He likely began his monastic life at a Columban monastery, possibly Durrow, before joining Iona, where he was elected the ninth abbot in 679. His tenure at Iona, a major center of Gaelic monasticism, placed him at the heart of religious and political life in the British Isles, where he cultivated ties with figures like King Aldfrith of Northumbria. Adamnan’s legacy rests on his authorship of the Vita Columbae (Life of Columba), written between 697 and 700, a foundational hagiography that chronicles the miracles and deeds of St. Columba, offering invaluable insights into Pictish society and early Gaelic monasticism. He also penned De Locis Sanctis (On Holy Places), a detailed account of Christian pilgrimage sites based on the travels of the Frankish bishop Arculf. Beyond his literary work, Adamnan was a key statesman, promulgating the Cáin Adomnáin or "Law of Innocents" in 697 at the Synod of Birr, a pioneering decree protecting women, children, and clergy from the ravages of war.