Saint Brendan 
(circa 486-578), Irish monk, born in what is now Tralee, in county Kerry.
He was educated under monastic influences and became a priest, but, filled
with a great desire to travel, he went on a long journey to the western
and northern islands, including the Hebrides, Shetland, and Faeroe Islands,
and also to Brittany.
After his return, he traveled with a large party to the continent of Europe
and to the Canary Islands, then called the Fortunate Isles. Returning from
this second voyage, he founded in 561 the monastary in what is now Clonfert,
in county Galway. Later he visited the island of Iona, in the inner Hebrides,
and the mainland of Scotland.
The travels of St. Brendan are the subject of a popular medieval romance,
The Voyage of Saint Brendan, recounting his fabulous adventures.
Influenced by this romance, mapmakers from medieval times into the 18th
century included a Saint Brendan's Island on their maps. This island, just
south of the Antilles and west of the Cape Verde Islands, was presumed to
be his discovery. His feast day is May 16.
This from Encarta 1994
Back to Home Page
St. Brendan's Episcopal Church
4207 Mendenhal Loop Road
Juneau, AK 99803-3563
(907) 789-5152
mboesser@gci.net