MEANING: A Gaelic form of the Latin columba meaning “”dove.”” St. Columba of Iona or Colmcille colm + cille or “”dove of the church”” was a prince of the O’Neill clan, a great poet and scholar. When Columba copied a book belonging to a monastery the abbott claimed it. Columba refused. His royal relatives got involved and a battle ensued. The High King decided in the abbott’s favor “”To every cow it’s calf, to every book it’s little book”” and Columba was exiled to Iona – the closest place from which he could not see Ireland. His monks created “”The Book of Kells”” and he himself may have illuminated some of the manuscripts. Born in 521 AD, by the age of 25 he has founded 27 monasteries and 40 churches in Ireland, before setting up a monastery on the island of Iona, and from there he christianised Scotland and northern England.