Saint Brendan Fifty years after the death of Saint Patrick in 461, another Celtic saint was born to continue the mission of Saint Patrick and convert pagan Ireland to Christianity. . Saint Brendan was born around the year 484, in Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland. He was born at a time when Ireland was converging towards Christianity. Saint Brendan's parents were Finnlug and Cara. The feast of Saint Brendan is celebrated on May 16 (Gratten and Hartig). Saint Brendan was baptized under Saint Erk. After this, according to the Irish customs of the time, Saint Brendan was taken from his parents and placed under the care and education of Saint Ita "Bridge of Munster". For five years he was educated with Saint Ita. He then completed his studies with Saint Erk, who ordained him a priest when he was only 28 years old in 512. Between the years 512 and 530, Saint Brendan built monastic cells at Ardfert and Shanakeel. Saint Brendan often sailed the seas to spread the Gospel throughout Ireland as well as Scotland, Wales, and Brittany in northern France (Klein). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay According to an old Irish tale, St. Brendan set out on an epic journey. According to the story, Saint Barinthe told Saint Brendan that he had just returned from a trip to Paradise. For 40 days, Saint Brendan fasted and prayed atop a mountain on the Dingle Peninsula, a small strip of land in the west of Ireland that points directly toward North America. Saint Brendan set out on a journey to the Isle of the Blessed (later known as Saint Brendan's Island). He took with him 14 monks in a boat called a currach, covered with skin and with a square sail. As his ship pounded on the waves, Saint Brendan saw towering crystal pillars floating in the oceans, sheep the size of oxen, giants that threw fireballs at the ship that smelled like rotten eggs and talking birds singing psalms. Through a cloud of fog, the Irish reached what they called paradise and stayed there for 40 days. An angel appeared and told the men to return home to Ireland (Klein). Soon after news of their journey came, flocks of pilgrims followed Saint Brendan. After establishing the seat of Ardfert, Saint Brendan went to Thomond and founded a monastery at Inis-da-drum, around the year 550. He then went to Wales, and then to Iona. After a three-year mission in Britain he returned to Ireland and did good work in various parts of Leinster, including Dysart, Killiney and Brandon Hill. He founded the sees of Ardfert and Annaghdown and established churches at Inchiquin, County Galway, and Inishglora, County Mayo (Bunson). Saint Brendan died in 587 in County Kerry, one of the 12 Irish Apostles. canonization took place before there were proper means of recording them. If the date was ever recorded, it was lost. Saint Brendan was the patron saint of two Irish dioceses, Kerry and Clonfert. He is also the patron saint of boatmen, sailors, travelers, elderly adventurers and whales, as well as portage canoes. He is the patron saint of these things because he was a navigator and traveler (Bunson). Some believe that Saint Brendan discovered America, 500 years before the Vikings and 1000 years before Christopher Columbus. When Columbus and other explorers failed to find the legendary island paradise, a new theory emerged that St. Brendan and his crew may have crossed.