The Hebridean island of Iona has attracted outside interest for hundreds of years, from St Columba in the 6th century to the thousands of modern-day visitors. Yet very little has been written about the people who have lived and worked on the island. This book describes the economic and social history of the island folk from the mid 18th to the early 20th centuries, giving a full picture of their often harsh lives. It outlines the transfer from communal landholding to a crofting system in 1802, describes the dramatic effects of the 1846 potato blight, and the tensions between tenants and Estate which continued until the passing of the 1886 Crofters' Act. The distinctive traditions and culture which bound the islanders together, their parish church and school life, as well as the trades, crafts and growing tourist industry which supported them, are all looked at in this vivid picture of Iona's past.