HOW THE IRISH SAVED CIVILISATION! - (PART ONE!)
OK - So, the expertly-crafted, beautifully illustrated, historical post which was accidentally deleted a few days ago, just happened to be in anticipation of today, the feast of the beasts, the green-eyed Irish. So, I am NOT going to try to duplicate that wonderful post here. But, I will arrange the links a little bit. And then, you can have your own fun, just travelling through them.
After the fall of the Roman empire, and it's shadow, the Catholic empire, in Europe, many different kinds of little states sprang up like weeds. Most of these states spent their time fighting with each other, and such. But, at least two states were renowned for carrying forth the knowledge and wisdom and standards of bygone Christianity, basically. Those were Ireland and Northumbia. And a few states in France preserved, e.g., the legends of King Arthur. From Ireland came the missionary monk, Columbana (aka Saint Columba), who did a huge amount to set up new monasteries for learning in Ireland and Scotland. And the warrior King Oswald of Northumbria devoted himself to the same sort of business, albeit via a somewhat different approach.
And so, we have the legends of how the Irish monks and missionaries helped save civilisation, in those dark ages, simply by preserving books - (as opposed to erasable digital media and the internet of things. And bodies). They preserved, they translated, they illustrated artistically, they side-noted, they commentaried, they esseyed, they prayed, slept and drank wine. What a life! And - one of them even seems to have gotten into a boat and travelled all the way to America, where he might have inspired an Algonquin or two. This monk became known as Saint Brendan, the Navigator. And example of another explorer of new knowledge. A rediscoverer of old.
The first and foremost thing to note about this whole, extended phenomenon - the saving of civilisation - is that there was more than one Saint Columba. There were TWO. One lived a little earlier than, but also concurently to, the Columba who really went big on establishing new missionaries. So, I am going to try to distinguish the two for you. They often get conflated, and, maybe they were. The same person. Who really knows.
Here is the first Columba of Donegal, aka, Colmcille. He is the Patron Saint of (london)Derry, and a great-great grandson of Niall of the Nine Hostages, one of the most important figures in Irish history, (who lived on the cusp of visits by Saint Patrick from Italy). A forerunner of Columba #2, Colmcille actually founded the pivotal mission on the "Scottish" Island of Iona, and actually did, himself, establish additional missionaries in Scotland.
Colmcille, (Columba #1) was a contemporary of Saint Brendan, and they both belonged to the same club, The 12 Apostles of Ireland, (which also included Saint Brendan).
On the other hand, we also have Saint Columba #2, aka, Columbanus. (Things would be so much clearer if everyone would just drop the whole, "Columba" thing). Columbanus was the one who went on to start other important missionaries in Scotland, France, and elsewhere. These new learning centres sprang up to replace collapsing Druidic schools, or to exist alongside them, peaceably.
Both of these "Columba" missionaries sprang up during the emergence of the Kingdom of Dal Riata, which was a kind of combo-Irish/Scottish little kingdom, mainly in Western Scotland, including some of Northern Ireland. (Similar people, pretty much, but some creative admixture). (My heritage comes closest to being, "Dal Riatan"). This was a christian Kingdom. When King Oswald of Northumbia came here, slightly late in the game, he converted to Christianity, and caught the missionary bug. So - he was kind of like a Columba #3, ha ha.
Now, we start off our journey with Brendan, the Navigator of Clonfert Because he seems to have been one of the earliest characters in this story. I think he was one of the sexier saints, like Saint Francis, who really got out there and pushed the envelope which, in his case, was made out of wood and leather. In fact, he pushed that boat all the way to America - and one of the videos below demonstrates how all of his writings could very likely represent true, real places he visitted. Even before the Viking arrived, supposedly, in Vinland. His feast day will be on May 16th.
Brendan was born in AD 484 in Tralee, in County Kerry, in the province of Munster, in the south-west of Ireland.[5]
... For five years he was both educated and given in fosterage to St. Íte of Killeedy, "The Brigid of Munster". When he was six he was sent to Jarlath's monastery school at Tuam to further his education. Brendan is considered one of the "Twelve Apostles of Ireland", one of those said to have been tutored by the great teacher, Finnian of Clonard.[7]
Brendan's first voyage took him to the Aran Islands, where he founded a monastery. He also visited Hinba (Argyll), an island off the Scottish coast, where he is said to have met Columcille. On the same voyage he travelled to Wales and finally to Brittany, on the northern coast of France. Between AD 512 and 530 Brendan built monastic cells at Ardfert, and Shanakeel (Seana Cill, usually translated as the "Old Church"), at the foot of Mount Brandon. From there he is supposed to have embarked on his famous seven-year voyage bound for Paradise.
So, you see, he was one of Ionic the first missionaries - being even pre-Ionic. And that's how he fits into this post - his role in Saving European civilisation from itself. You can read all about his fantastic voyaes in the Wiki page, or lots of other places. Th Irish do have a love of all this adventurous blarney and colourful mythology - in fact - I shall be posting a lot of that via links below! (In the Case of Joe Biden, he kind of let his Irish mouth run off the rails, way beyond the bounds of governing Christianity, or even European civilisation). But, since we are starting with Brendan, we will be posting a little bit about those voyages of Brendan!
First, let me mention that there are some significant cathedrals and churches, etc., dedicated to Saint Brndan, to wit: Saint Brendan's Catedral. Saint Brendan Catholic Church. Search.
Since the library is already closing, I will leave you with these two videos - and then do a PART TWO later today, with less words and more videos!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lySOVsBHYc
Saint Brendan the Navigator - YouTube
After the fall of the Roman empire, and it's shadow, the Catholic empire, in Europe, many different kinds of little states sprang up like weeds. Most of these states spent their time fighting with each other, and such. But, at least two states were renowned for carrying forth the knowledge and wisdom and standards of bygone Christianity, basically. Those were Ireland and Northumbia. And a few states in France preserved, e.g., the legends of King Arthur. From Ireland came the missionary monk, Columbana (aka Saint Columba), who did a huge amount to set up new monasteries for learning in Ireland and Scotland. And the warrior King Oswald of Northumbria devoted himself to the same sort of business, albeit via a somewhat different approach.
And so, we have the legends of how the Irish monks and missionaries helped save civilisation, in those dark ages, simply by preserving books - (as opposed to erasable digital media and the internet of things. And bodies). They preserved, they translated, they illustrated artistically, they side-noted, they commentaried, they esseyed, they prayed, slept and drank wine. What a life! And - one of them even seems to have gotten into a boat and travelled all the way to America, where he might have inspired an Algonquin or two. This monk became known as Saint Brendan, the Navigator. And example of another explorer of new knowledge. A rediscoverer of old.
The first and foremost thing to note about this whole, extended phenomenon - the saving of civilisation - is that there was more than one Saint Columba. There were TWO. One lived a little earlier than, but also concurently to, the Columba who really went big on establishing new missionaries. So, I am going to try to distinguish the two for you. They often get conflated, and, maybe they were. The same person. Who really knows.
Here is the first Columba of Donegal, aka, Colmcille. He is the Patron Saint of (london)Derry, and a great-great grandson of Niall of the Nine Hostages, one of the most important figures in Irish history, (who lived on the cusp of visits by Saint Patrick from Italy). A forerunner of Columba #2, Colmcille actually founded the pivotal mission on the "Scottish" Island of Iona, and actually did, himself, establish additional missionaries in Scotland.
Colmcille, (Columba #1) was a contemporary of Saint Brendan, and they both belonged to the same club, The 12 Apostles of Ireland, (which also included Saint Brendan).
On the other hand, we also have Saint Columba #2, aka, Columbanus. (Things would be so much clearer if everyone would just drop the whole, "Columba" thing). Columbanus was the one who went on to start other important missionaries in Scotland, France, and elsewhere. These new learning centres sprang up to replace collapsing Druidic schools, or to exist alongside them, peaceably.
Both of these "Columba" missionaries sprang up during the emergence of the Kingdom of Dal Riata, which was a kind of combo-Irish/Scottish little kingdom, mainly in Western Scotland, including some of Northern Ireland. (Similar people, pretty much, but some creative admixture). (My heritage comes closest to being, "Dal Riatan"). This was a christian Kingdom. When King Oswald of Northumbia came here, slightly late in the game, he converted to Christianity, and caught the missionary bug. So - he was kind of like a Columba #3, ha ha.
Now, we start off our journey with Brendan, the Navigator of Clonfert Because he seems to have been one of the earliest characters in this story. I think he was one of the sexier saints, like Saint Francis, who really got out there and pushed the envelope which, in his case, was made out of wood and leather. In fact, he pushed that boat all the way to America - and one of the videos below demonstrates how all of his writings could very likely represent true, real places he visitted. Even before the Viking arrived, supposedly, in Vinland. His feast day will be on May 16th.
Brendan was born in AD 484 in Tralee, in County Kerry, in the province of Munster, in the south-west of Ireland.[5]
... For five years he was both educated and given in fosterage to St. Íte of Killeedy, "The Brigid of Munster". When he was six he was sent to Jarlath's monastery school at Tuam to further his education. Brendan is considered one of the "Twelve Apostles of Ireland", one of those said to have been tutored by the great teacher, Finnian of Clonard.[7]
Brendan's first voyage took him to the Aran Islands, where he founded a monastery. He also visited Hinba (Argyll), an island off the Scottish coast, where he is said to have met Columcille. On the same voyage he travelled to Wales and finally to Brittany, on the northern coast of France. Between AD 512 and 530 Brendan built monastic cells at Ardfert, and Shanakeel (Seana Cill, usually translated as the "Old Church"), at the foot of Mount Brandon. From there he is supposed to have embarked on his famous seven-year voyage bound for Paradise.
So, you see, he was one of Ionic the first missionaries - being even pre-Ionic. And that's how he fits into this post - his role in Saving European civilisation from itself. You can read all about his fantastic voyaes in the Wiki page, or lots of other places. Th Irish do have a love of all this adventurous blarney and colourful mythology - in fact - I shall be posting a lot of that via links below! (In the Case of Joe Biden, he kind of let his Irish mouth run off the rails, way beyond the bounds of governing Christianity, or even European civilisation). But, since we are starting with Brendan, we will be posting a little bit about those voyages of Brendan!
First, let me mention that there are some significant cathedrals and churches, etc., dedicated to Saint Brndan, to wit: Saint Brendan's Catedral. Saint Brendan Catholic Church. Search.
Since the library is already closing, I will leave you with these two videos - and then do a PART TWO later today, with less words and more videos!
Click to viewhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lySOVsBHYc
Saint Brendan the Navigator - YouTube