Saint Brendan
50 years after Saint Patrick died in 461, a new Celtic saint was born. His mission was to convert pagan Ireland and continue the work of Saint Patrick. Saint Brendan is believed to have been born in Ireland’s Tralee County Kerry about the year 484. He was also born during the time of Ireland’s conversion. Saint Brendan had two parents, Finnlug (father) and Cara (mother). Saint Brendan is baptized by Saint Erk. Saint Brendan celebrated his feast day on May 16th. Saint Brendan’s education was under Saint Ita for five long years, as per Irish customs. In 512, when he had just turned 28, he completed his studies with Saint Erk. St. Brendan established monastic cells between 512 and 503. Saint Brendan sailed many seas in order to spread his gospel through Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany and the north of France.
St. Brendan went on a journey of epic proportions, according to a traditional Irish story. According to the legend, Saint Barinthus revealed to Saint Brendan he was just back from Paradise. Saint Brendan prayed and fasted for 40 days atop the Dingle Peninsula. This is a thin finger of land that juts out from Ireland to the west, directly pointing at North America. Saint Brendan began a voyage toward the island of blessedness (later named Saint Brendan’s Island). In a boat covered with hide, with a sail and a square mast, he brought 14 monks. St. Brendan was on his ship when he saw giants and fireballs that smelt like rotten or rotten-eggs. He also saw sheep as big as oxen. They stayed in paradise for 40 day through a cloudy fog.
The angel told them to return to Ireland. Saint Brendan’s voyage became well-known and soon, thousands of pilgrims began to follow him. In the early 550s, after founding the Sees Ardfert, Brendan moved to Thomond. He then founded the monastery of Inis da Drum. Then he travelled to Wales and Iona. He spent three years in Britain before returning to Ireland. He did a lot of good work throughout Leinster and especially in Dysart. He established the Sees Ardfert (County Galway) and Annaghdown. In addition, he built churches at Inishglora in County Mayo and Inchiquin in County Galway.
It was recorded before the proper methods of recording dates. The date of canonization was never recorded. Saint Brendan, patron saint of Kerry Diocese and Clonfert Diocese in Ireland. He’s also the patron of boatmen and mariners. His other patrons include whales. His patronage is due to his being a navigator. He was also a voyager. The legend of paradise never materialized, and a new theory was born that St. Brendan, his crew, and the Atlantic had crossed the ocean. North America is the island paradise. This theory isn’t impossible because of the geographical connections between Saint Brendan and modern life. As with Saint Patrick’s legend, the distinction between Saint Brendan and history has become blurred.
The legend of St. Brendan was passed from generation to generation verbally, but it wasn’t until a Latin text called “Navigatio santi Brendani,” “The Voyage of St. Brendan,” became popular that cartographers added “St. Brendan’s Island is shown on many maps. Christopher Columbus knew of the island that was depicted everywhere, from southwest Ireland to the Canary Islands near the African coast. In 1492, he began his own voyage to the Atlantic. Saint Brendan’s journey could be a hoax, but many scholars discounted Vikings’ tales of their voyages across the Atlantic for centuries as myths. This changed in 1960 when a Viking village was found on the northernmost part of Newfoundland. Irish people would rejoice if they ever discovered artifacts that were connected to St. Brendan. (Bunson), In my personal opinion, I think Saint Brendan’s time was an adventurous one. People in the Dark Ages believed that the earth was flat and supported by a giant monster. Traveling into the ocean would make you eat the monster. My Irish heritage, and the fact that I’ve lived my entire life by water and have done boating and sailing, led me to choose him as my Saint Project. Saint Brendan’s example has encouraged me to take on new challenges and try out new things.