Saint Columba was an Irish monk who founded a monastery on the island of Iona off the west coast of Scotland, and is known for spreading Christianity in Scotland.
The Life of Saint Columba, written in the 7th century by Adomnan, abbot of Iona, tells how Columba drove away a “water beast” that attacked a man in the River Ness by making the sign of the cross. This story is often cited as the oldest record of the Nessie legend.
