EXHIBIT 12.1

                                  CERTIFICATION


I, Peter M. Zotto, certify that:

    1. I have reviewed this annual report on Form 20-F of IONA Technologies PLC;

    2. Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make
the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements
were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this annual
report;

    3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
information included in this annual report, fairly present in all material
respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the
registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this annual report;

    4. The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for
establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant and have:

        (a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
    disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to
    ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its
    consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those
    entities, particularly during the period in which this annual report is
    being prepared;

        (b) [Paragraph omitted in accordance with SEC transition instructions
    contained in SEC Release 34-47986];

        (c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls
    and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the
    effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of
    the period covered by this annual report based on such evaluation; and

        (d) Disclosed in this annual report any change in the registrant's
    internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the period
    covered by the annual report that has materially affected, or is reasonably
    likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over
    financial reporting; and

    5. The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on
our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the
registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of
directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

        (a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design
    or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are
    reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record,
    process, summarize and report financial information; and

        (b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
    other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal
    control over financial reporting.


By: /s/ Peter M. Zotto
   ---------------------------------
     Peter M. Zotto
     Chief Executive Officer

Date: May 20, 2005