Saint Aidan was an Irish monk and missionary who helped to bring Christianity back to Northumbria in the north-east of England in the seventh century AD.

Little is known of his early life but he was born in Ireland probably around the year 590.

It is said that he may have studied with Saint Senán.

You did then it would be a story of three small islands because Saint Senán was the founder of the monastery on Inish Cathaigh or Scattery Island in the Shannon estuary in south-west Ireland, not far from where my parents grew up in County Limerick.

Aidan moved to the island of Iona in Scotland,

When Oswald became king of Northumbria he sent to Iona for missionaries to help restore Christianity there.

At first a bishop named Cormán, but he soon returned to Iona saying that the Northumbrians were too stubborn to be converted Christianity. Aidan was sent as his replacement and begain his work in the year 635.

 
Aidan founded his monastic settlement on the small island of Lindisfarne off the north east coast of England.

The island is just a few miles south of the royal castle of Bamburgh, where King Oswald live.

Aidan travelled around Northumbria on foot speaking to people both the nobility and the poor people, telling them about Christianity. It’s said that he was patient persuasive and generous to those who were less well off.

He founded many churches, monasteries and schools all over Northumbria.

He died on 31 August 651 and is he is buried on the island of Lindisfarne under the remains of the abbey that he founded.

I have visited Lindisfarne and it is a wonderful place. There is a statue of Saint Aidan, and you can feel his presence. I am happy my parents named named me after him when I was born in Stockport, Cheshire in 1958.

So why have I included an article about Saint Aidan on my aidan.co.uk site? Because although I am not a very religious person, I feel inspired by St Aidan and hope that this site and what I offer have some educational value and help people to achieve better things.

So when you see the domain aidan.co.uk don’t just think of me, think of Saint Aidan!