To Jim Busch - IONA

Hi Jim,

Sorry, couldn't reply to your question on another thread.

I have only heard of IONA ( http://www.iona.uk.com/newindex/2004_pages/home.htm ) by reputation, I'm too much of a cynical old goat to benefit from their music - something to do with a glaring absence of grace.

By the by, I'll assume you know why they call themselves Iona. We're very proud of the Irish Monks who traveled across Britain and Europe, taming the heathen mandolin players.

Interestingly, St Columbcille ( meaning Dove of the Church ) established Iona as a penance. It must be one of the first examples of the theft of intellectual property. He borrowed a bible and had it copied. In those dark days, if you did that, you were supposed to hand back the copy with the borrowed book.

Of course, Columbcille didn't hand back the copy, and, it being Ireland, there was a war with hundreds of casuaties. Columbcille was banished from Ireland and swore to convert as many souls to christianity as had died in the war, before he could return.