The voyage of Saint Brendan is one of the most astonishing stories of the Middle Ages. Known as Brendan the Navigator, Brendan the Voyager, and sometimes Brendan the Bold, he was a sixth century priest and monk, a founder of monasteries, and an adventurous hero of a legendary voyage that may rewrite history as we know it.
The astonishing tales of St Brendan of Clonfert, like many oral stories from the early Middle Ages, were written down centuries after the events they describe. Indeed Navigatio Sancti Brendani Abbatis, The Voyage of St. Brendan the Abbot, has been described as a ‘narrative masterpiece’. But how much is true, and how much has been embellished?
This trip back to sixth century Ireland attempts to unravel the complex, interwoven strands of fact and fiction surrounding the story of Brendan the Navigator.
The Early Life of Brendan of Clonfert
Church of St Brendan the Navigator in Crookhaven, Ireland (Credit: colimachon via Getty Images)
Almost nothing is known of Brendan’s early life with any degree of certainty, and what is known was written almost a century after his death.
It’s believed he was born to parents Finnlug and Cara around 484 AD in Fenit, near the modern-day county town of Tralee in County Kerry, what was then the Kingdom of Munster in southwest Ireland. It’s likely he was raised and educated by a nun known as Ite, Ita, or Ida, and when he was around six or seven he continued his education at the monastery of a priest named Abbot St. Jarlath which may have been in Tuam in what is today County Galway.
Around 512 AD when Brendan was about 28 years old, he was ordained into the priesthood by Erc of Slane and studied under Finnian of Clonard, an early Irish saint and one of the founders of Irish monasticism.
Over the next few years, his contributions to the Irish ecclesiastical landscape were profound. He established several churches and monasteries across Ireland, and he may also have gone to Argyll in western Scotland, to Wales, and to Brittany on France’s northern coast.
But it’s tales of a remarkable journey that ventured far further afield for which St Brendan of Clonfert is most famous.
The Fantastical Voyage of Saint Brendan
Did Brendan and his crew reach North America? (Credit: NSA Digital Archive via Getty Images)
The Navigatio Sancti Brendani Abbatis (The Voyage of Saint Brendan the Abbot) is a remarkable medieval narrative that chronicles a legendary journey of Brendan the Bold and his fellow monks (some versions say sixteen, others say fourteen) as they embarked on a quest to find the Isle of the Blessed, also known as the Promised Land of the Saints.
It must be noted that while the journey is said to have taken place in the sixth century, the narrative wasn’t written until sometime between the middle of the eighth century and the start of the tenth. Dozens of versions exist which have been translated into a number of European languages, so it becomes very hard – indeed almost impossible – to separate fact from folklore.
The seven-year voyage, supposed to have set out into the Atlantic Ocean, is said to have included encounters with numerous mystical and awe-inspiring people and places. The stories state that the monks also came across various enchanted islands. One such island, often referred to as St. Brendan’s Island, was described as a paradise filled with lush greenery and abundant fruits. A number of attempts to identify its real-world location have been proposed, with possible contenders including the southern tip of Ireland, the Canary Islands, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, the Azores, or Madeira, but one theory stood out above all others.
Some have speculated that St Brendan’s Island was actually a location somewhere on the eastern seaboard of North America, and therefore that Brendan the Voyager reached America almost a thousand years before Christopher Columbus. It was even said that Columbus studied the Navigatio for information on weather patterns and currents to plan his own journey. However, the story of St. Brendan reaching the Americas, and whether Columbus studied the text, or was even aware of the existence of Brendan the Navigator, remains an ongoing topic of debate.
The Story of Jasconius
Perhaps the most famous element of the story of the Voyage of Saint Brendan was the encounter with Jasconius, a sea creature so large they mistook it for an island. They celebrated Easter Mass on the monster’s back, only waking the beast as they lit their campfire.
Tales of fabled sea creatures were popular in medieval bestiaries – ancient compendia of animals – and from ancient Greece, the Bible, Arabic legends, and even from a book of Old English poetry from the tenth century, where the monster is called Fastitocalon.
The Promised Land of the Saints
In many versions of the Navigatio Sancti Brendani Abbatis, Saint Brendan and his monks ultimately reach their sought-after destination, the Promised Land of the Saints. This land is depicted as a paradise on Earth, an idyllic and otherworldly place that represents a prize for their faith and perseverance.
The Promised Land of the Saints serves as a powerful allegory for the spiritual journey and the ultimate reward of the faithful. The monks are said to have returned to Ireland overjoyed at what they had discovered.
The Later Years of Brendan the Navigator
Pediment above the portal at Clonfert Cathedral (Credit: Martin Siepmann via Getty Images)
When he got back to Ireland, Brendan is said to have lived much of his later life in devotion and service, further solidifying his legacy as a key figure in early Irish Christianity. The latter part of Brendan’s life was characterised by his dedication to monastic and ecclesiastical work, continuing to inspire and guide the communities he had established.
He founded monasteries and churches all over Ireland as well as spending time in both Britain and Wales, and it’s said he was well into his nineties when he died around 577 AD in Annaghdown in County Galway. He was interred in Clonfert Cathedral which he founded in the 560s.
Brendan was never formally canonised by the Catholic Church in a documented process as would happen today. He was recognised as a saint through popular veneration, which was common in the early medieval period, and his Feast Day is May 16. He is the patron saint of boatmen, mariners, travellers, whales, and elderly adventurers.
St. Brendan of Clonfert: A Spiritual Journey
St. Brendan's Cross in County Kerry, Ireland (Credit: JohnGollop via Getty Images)
Brendan the Voyager’s life and voyages reflect a unique blend of faith, exploration, and dedication. His legendary journey and his contributions to the establishment of monasteries and churches across Ireland cement his status as a pivotal figure in early Christian history. Brendan’s story, despite the blurred lines between fact and fiction, continues to inspire, and his legacy endures in the rich tapestry of Irish culture.
