Mike Scott’s ‘Peace of Iona’
Mike Scott from the band The Waterboys has a deep connection to the Isle of Iona
“Like being accompanied by an angel. I carry the spark of Iona inside me. It never leaves.”
Traigh Bhan house on Iona
Mike Scott, singer-songwriter and leader of the famous rock band The Waterboys spent many years living at the Findhorn Foundation Spiritual Community. He was next-door neighbour and close friend to Eileen Caddy, one of the community’s co-founders.
Mike has visited our retreat house Traigh Bhan on the sacred Isle of Iona on the West Coast of Scotland many times and shares with us his memories of a very special stay on Iona at midsummer 1994, which inspired him to write the song Peace of Iona.
He says there is a presence on Iona that feels “like being accompanied by an angel.”
Clouds at sunrise near the Findhorn Foundaiton’s retreat house Traigh Bhan
“I remember Iona being spoken about in hushed terms as a child as Scotland's sacred island. My grandmother was from Mull and knew all about Iona. I remember the "o" sound in the name being stretched out as if it contained vastnesses. I didn't visit myself until I was 29 years old, the first of many visits over a twelve year period. I was touched by the atmosphere on the island, and explored all over it on my various visits (many of them on my own).
On one of my early visits I could feel another presence in my head, like a different spiritual wavelength, or like being accompanied by an angel. I've had that feeling other times since on Iona too. I wrote the song Peace Of Iona in 1994 during a visit at midsummer. I knew the St Patrick's poem about "deep peace of the running waves" but I wrote my own lyrics, based on my own experiences.
Iona’s beautiful sea- and cloudscapes
I remember writing it down in the guest book in Traigh Bhan that summer, though I probably fine-tuned the words later, before finally recording it in 2003. My last visit to Iona was in 2001, and there is no reason I haven't returned since other than schedules and being busy, but I carry the spark of Iona inside me. It never leaves.”
Enjoy a slideshow with pictures of Iona and Mike’s beautiful song Peace of Iona here:
Mike Scott – remembering Eileen Caddy
Mike Scott and Eileen Caddy
Mike writes about his friendship with Eileen Caddy in his story ‘Mornings with Eileen’. He remembers his treasured ritual of walking Eileen to the sanctuary at 6am every morning when he was her next-door neighbour at the Findhorn Foundation in 2002. You can read the whole story here:
If you would like to experience a retreat at Traigh Bhan on Iona please find more information about our Spirit of Iona weeks here:
