Clonfert Cathedral
Co. Galway.
In the heart of Ireland, a short distance off
the beaten path (see map) there is a small village
called Clonfert. Here is a mighty cathedral which was founded by St.
Brendan, often known as St. Brendan the Navigator, in 557 A.D. over which he
appointed St. Moinenn as Prior and Head Master. St. Brendan was interred in
Clonfert in 577 A.D. at the age of 93 and his feast is on 16 May. Here you will
find one of the most highly developed examples of Irish Romanesque Architecture
in the form of a magnificent doorway. It consists of six large arcs containing
many stylistic motives. Above them is located a big triangle filled with
ornaments and heads.
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The cathedral is normally locked, but a key can be
obtained from the house at the right side of the cathedral. Opening the door to
a dark yet mighty cathedral with the Autumn sun glistening on the oak pews
through narrow stain glass windows revealing many more wonders. A carved oak
pulpit (above), a beautiful fine organ, the Bishops chair (left) also carved
from oak.
St. Brendan the
Voyager
St. Brendan of Ardfert and Clonfert, known also as Brendan the Voyager, was
born in Ciarraighe Luachra, near the present city of Tralee, County Kerry,
Ireland, in 484; he died at Enachduin, now Annaghdown, in 577. He was baptized
at Tubrid, near Ardfert, by Bishop Erc. For five years he was educated under
St. Ita, "the Brigid of Munster", and he completed his studies under
St. Erc, who ordained him priest in 512. Between the years 512 and 530 St.
Brendan built monastic cells at Ardfert, and at Shanakeel or Baalynevinoorach,
at the foot of Brandon Hill. It was from here that he set out on his famous
voyage for the Land of Delight. The old Irish Calendars assigned a special
feast for the "Egressio familiae S. Brendani", on 22 March; and St
Aengus the Culdee, in his Litany, at the close of the eighth century, invokes
"the sixty who accompanied St. Brendan in his quest of the Land of
Promise". Naturally, the story of the seven years' voyage was carried
about, and, soon, crowds of pilgrims and students flocked to Ardfert. Thus, in
a few years, many religious houses were formed at Gallerus, Kilmalchedor,
Brandon Hill, and the Blasquet Islands, in order to meet the wants of those who
came for spiritual guidance to St. Brendan.
Having established the See of Ardfert, St. Brendan proceeded to
Thomond, and founded a monastery at Inis-da-druim (now Coney Island, County
Clare), in the present parish of Killadysert, about the year 550. He then
journeyed to Wales, and thence to Iona, and left traces of his apostolic zeal
at Kilbrandon (near Oban) and Kilbrennan Sound. After a three years' mission in
Britain he returned to Ireland, and did much good work in various parts of
Leinster, especially at Dysart (Co. Kilkenny), Killiney (Tubberboe), and
Brandon Hill. He founded the Sees of Ardfert, and of Annaghdown, and
established churches at Inchiquin, County Galway, and at Inishglora, County
Mayo. His most celebrated foundation was Clonfert in County Galway.
Who Really Discovered America?

Maps of Columbuss time often included an island called St.
Brendans Isle that was placed in the western Atlantic ocean. Map makers
of the time had no idea of its exact position but did believe it existed
some where west of Europe. It was mentioned in a Latin text dating from the
ninth century titled Navigatio Santi Brendani Abatis (Voyage of Saint Brendan
the Abbot). It described the voyage as having taken place in the sixth century.
Several copies of this text have survived in monasteries throughout Europe. It
was an important part of folklore in medieval Europe and may have influenced
Columbus.
The account of Brendans voyage contained a detailed description of the
construction of his boat which was not unlike the currachs still made in County
Kerry today. Skeptics could not accept that such a fragile vessel could
possibly sail in the open sea. Several passages in the legend also seemed
incrediblethey were "raised up on the back of sea monsters",
they "passed by crystals that rose up to the sky", and were
"pelted with flaming, foul smelling rocks by the inhabitants of a large
island on their route". They finally arrived at the beautiful land they
called "Promised Land of the Saints." They explored until they came
to a great river that divided the land. The journey of Brendan and his fellow
monks took seven years. The return trip was probably the longest part of the
odyssey.
Tim Severin
In 1976, Tim Severin, a British navigation scholar embarked from Brandon
Creek on the Dingle peninsula in a currach that he constructed using the
details described by Brendan. His goal was to determine if the voyage of
Brendan and his fellow monks was possible. They tanned ox-hides with oak bark,
stretched them across the wood frame, sewed them with leather thread and
smeared the hides with animal fat which would impart water resistance.
Examination of nautical charts led Severin to believe that Brendans route
would be governed by the prevailing winds that would take him across the
northernmost part of the Atlantic. This would take him close to Iceland and
Greenland with a probable landfall at Newfoundland (St. Brendans Isle).
This would be the route that Leif Erickson would have taken in the tenth
century. Many of Brendans stops on his journey were islands where Irish
monks had set up primitive monasteries. Norsemen that traveled on these waters
visited these islands and recorded their meeting with "Papers"
(fathers).
Severin and his crew were surprised at how friendly the whales were that
they encountered. The whales swam around and even under their boat. It could
have been recognized as another whale by the giant mammals. The whales could
have been even friendlier in Brendans time, before motorized ships would
make them leery of man. So friendly that they may have lifted the monks
boat in a playful gesture.
After stopping at the Hebrides islands Severin proceeded to the Danish Faroe
Islands. At the island of Mykines, they encountered thousands of seabirds.
Brendan called this island "The Paradise of Birds." He referred to
the larger island as the "Island of Sheep." The word Faroe itself
means Island of Sheep. There is also a Brandon Creek on the main island of the
Faroes, that the local people believe was the embarkation point for Brendan and
his crew.
Severins route carried them to Iceland where they wintered, as did
Brendan. The volcanoes on the island have been active for many centuries and
might well have been erupting when the monks stayed there. This could have
accounted for the "pelting with flaming, foul smelling rocks",
referred to in the ninth century text. The monks had never seen icebergs
before, so their description of them as "towering crystals" would
make sense.
Severins boat was punctured by floating ice off the coast of Canada.
They were able make a repair with a piece of leather sewn over the hole. They
landed on the island of Newfoundland on June 26, 1977. This might well have
been Brendans "Land promised to the Saints" referred to in the
Navigatio.
Severins journey did not prove that Brendan and his monks landed on
North America. However it did prove that a leather currach as described in the
Navigation could have made such a voyage as mapped out in the text. There is
also no doubt that the Irish were frequent seafarers of the North Atlantic sea
currents 900 years before the voyage of Columbus.
The lack of any written account of this exploration could be explained by
the explorers not being able to return to their homeland. If they indeed did
reach what is now West Virginia, it would be extremely doubtful that they could
manage to return to Ireland from a embarkation point that far south. The design
of their currach required favorable winds and currents in the right direction
in order to navigate. Severin discovered that it was extremely difficult to
tack as other sailing ships were able to do. Perhaps that is the reason that it
took Brendan seven years for his journey.
We can conclude that the voyage of St.Brendan was not a mere medieval
fantasy but a highly plausible tale. These were special men. They sought the
lands beyond the horizon, the wonderous realms to be revealed by Godthe
Promised Lands.
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