The Guide to Mysterious Iona and Staffa

The Guide to Mysterious Iona and Staffa brings together reported supernatural experiences, folklore and curious traditions from two Hebridean islands. Geoff Holder considers stories involving fairies, martyrs, Celtic gods, telepathy, exorcism, magic, druids, witches, mermaids, demons and saints, drawing on both ancient and modern texts.

The book also turns to the islands’ physical remains, with entries on Iona’s tombstones, simulacra, standing stones, gargoyles, ruins, churches and archaeological curiosities. More than 60 photographs taken by Holder and his wife accompany the text, while notes and cross-references point towards the sources behind the accounts. The result combines local investigation with the legends, beliefs and reported mysteries attached to Iona and Staffa.