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Did the Irish and St. Brendan discover America first? - VIDEO

Was voyage account to new world fact or fiction?


St. Brendan and his brethren arrive in the New World
St. Brendan and his brethren arrive in the New World
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St. Brendan is one of the most famous Irish saints, but whether he discovered America has remained one of the continuing Irish mysteries.

The famous text, the Voyage of St. Brendan is a work of fiction or fact depending on who is interpreting it.

We know for certain that in 484 Saint Brendan was born near Tralee, in County Kerry.

What we also know for certain is that between the years 512 and 530 St Brendan built monastic forts around Ireland and then undertook a seven year voyage which is the basis of the American legend.

It is described as  a hero’s journey in a boat and visits to an island far to the west which many modern historians believe is America. The Island is called ‘Isle of the Blessed’

Years later explorer Tim Severin retraced Brendan’s steps.  Relying on the medieval text of St. Brendan, Tim Severin built the  boat identical to the leather curragh that  Brendan sailed.

The subsequent book, The Brendan Voyage, published  in 1978  described the trip in great detail and has been translated into 28 languages. As a result of his voyage Severin remains convinced that Brendan reached America.

The debate remains ongoing it has been difficult for scholars to interpret what is factual and what is folklore. Was the Isle of the Blessed that Brendan reached America or just an historical fable?

The truth may never be known but it remains a constant claim by many that St.Brendan discovered America first before Columbus.

*Originally Published Monday, May 30, 2011.


Nster.com


11 Comments

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We will only know for sure when we cross over and can ask St. Brendan himself
Informative article bunker hill.
Great postings. Actually I am Mrs. Bunkerhill. I always agree with seanomelb but I guess it's because he is Australian and I am American. I agree with Seanmore (where every you are) as well. As young American children the cover of our history books contained a picture of Columbus wading ashore while the Americans stood on the land. My very astute Irish father was the only one I ever heard say "If Columbus discovered America who are the people on the shore." That is how easy it is to fool people. We also learned that the "Mighty Vikings" were the first to sail on the North Atlantic in the seventh century. My father said, "Really, then how did we get to Ireland thousands of years ago?" Again he was the only one I ever hear say that. But did you know that there are Red Paint Indians who say that they indeed sailed to Europe and mention what is now Galway, Ireland. It is only now coming out that indeed the Native Americans did sail the Atlantic and they were denied that history. We watched a program not long ago on an American who salvaged a Spanish ship filled with gold from the Americas. There was a huge argument about whether the salvager or Spain should get the gold. Spain got it, (it probably went straight to the palace). Only one Hibernian argued that the gold belonged to the native Americans. It is so easy to bamboozle people that it is really frightening.
Tom Severn's voyage to North America vis Iceland shows that it was possible for St. Brendan's boat to reach the new world in the early 500s. Whetyer or not Brendan and other Europeans reached America before Columbus in 1492, the ones who discovered this hemisphere were the ancestors of the native Americans Columbus found in the Caribbean. Their race had lived in this land for 10,000 years before the first Europeans reached these shores. It was they who discovered America - and they had no connection with India.
If only Brendan took a picture of New York with his i phone, then we'd have proof.
The Imperial European term of we discovered this and that is amusing.They did not discover they invaded.
So happy I didn't say discover, but did say knew about. It is sad to us however that the Irish have so little interest in their ancient history which is being destroyed and stolen right from under their noses. Others are very happy to claim it and glory in it. What a sad reflection on an ancient and learned people who care so little about their accomplishments but choose to dwell instead on their failings.
Hmmm, since North America has been populated for several thousand years, I'd say no one from Europe "discovered" America. They just learned how to get there.
Good one..........
Wow Europeans really have a grossly over inflated sense of their own importance and place in the world. Of course Brendan didn't 'discover' America no more than the English French or Spanish. America was 'discovered' roughly 35,000 years ago when Asian/Paleo-Americans crossed the Berring sea and entered modern Alaska .. the rest is history. Of course if you are a Christian Fundamentalist they couldn't possibly have done it 35,000 years ago because the Universe hadn't even been created yet so it must have in fact been Moses and his followers about 5000 years ago .. just a few years after the Dinosaurs were destroyed by the wrath of God to make way for the coming of man.
I see no reason not to believe that Brendan did indeed reach the North American continent. Retired Naval Commander Samuel Eliot Morrison wrote that Columbus first sailed for Portugal as Portugal and Spain had a trade route bring Mediterranean goods to Galway, Norway and Iceland. Morrison said Columbus learned about NA from the Irish. I believe the Irish better start protecting their ancient and pre-historic history as a travesty of monumental preportions has happened in the past week. In today's NY Times and the UK's Guardian great publicity is given to a new prehistoric site located near Stonehenge, England, and it will of course receive total protection. And yet an ancient Irish crannog in Northern Ireland has been destroyed and ancient artifacts removed despite much protest last week. Apparently the Northern Ireland (part of the UK) history is neglible and not important. If this had happened anywhere else in the world it would be screamed from every media, but England does have that wonderful press even to their crooked bankers. As for Vikings (and what a terrible name for a group much like Huns or Visigoths as it brings up murderous hoards) anything claimed by them would give the interrelated royals of Scandinavia claim to NA. Wake up Ireland, your history is being stolen. As for insults being hurled at the Irish by UK citizens, they are brought up to do that. They are "Empire Builders" and not cannon fodder. I have even had it happen to me in the US when some idiot presents as a WASP - White Anglo Saxon Protestant. I always remind them they are probably descended from Indentured Servants - children sent from England and Holland to do slave labor before the powers that be hit upon the idea of African Slaves. The UK man being half black might be interested to know that the US fought a bloody civil war to "free" his people. Calling other people names is downright foolish for anyone.
 




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