Brendans Fabulous Voyage | Page 2

Scotland, and it is not impossible that Ita thought that
she might also accomplish some good by sending forth a male emissary.
In connection with Brendan's sojourn in Britain, there is a most curious
mention of the use of a Greek Liturgy somewhere in the British Church.
There is a statement that Brendan was at the head of the celebrated
Welsh monastery of Llancarfan. He also went over to Brittany to see
Gildas the Wise, who was bewailing the woes of his native land on the
shores of the Morbihan. He ultimately returned to the Western Islands,
and there succeeded at last in founding two monastic settlements, one
in Tiree, at a place which the writers call Bledua, and one in an island
called Ailech, which it seems to me may possibly mean Islay. Then he
went back to Ireland, and started another monastery in a desert island in
Loch Oisbsen, which was given to him by Aedh, the son of Ethdach.
Hence, however, he again moved in 559, and founded the great
monastery of Clonfert, an act which is the principal achievement of his
life.
He was friendly with the principal persons of his own race, time, and
class. He seems, as I have said, to have possessed the peculiar
temperament, which some call sensitive and others mediumistic, and
which leads to the phenomenon generally known as second-sight, for,
putting aside all other records about him which point in the same
direction, it is recorded of him, not only by Adamnan, but also by
Cuimine the Fair, that on one occasion when he came over, along with
Comgall of Benchor, Kenneth of Aghaboe, and Cormac o' Leathain of
Durrow, to visit Columba, who was then staying in Himba (Eilean na
Naoimh, one of the Garveloch islands, lying between Scarba and Mull),
and Columba at their request celebrated before them on the Sunday, he
afterwards told Comgall and Kenneth that during part of the ceremony
Columba had seemed to him to be standing at the bottom of a pillar of
fire streaming heavenwards.
He lived to an extreme old age, and was in his 96th year when the end
came. When he felt that it was at hand, he went to see his sister Briga,
and I quote the sentences which follow, on account of the quaint
naturalism which inspires them. 'Among other things, he taught her

concerning the place of her resurrection. "Not here," saith he unto her,
"shalt thou rise again, but in thine own land, that is in Tralee. Therefore,
go thou thither, for that people will obtain the mercy of God by thy
means. This is a place of men, not of women. Now is God calling me
unto Himself out of the prison house of this body." When she heard that,
she was grievously afflicted, and said, "Father beloved, we shall all die
at thy death. For which of us could live when thou wast absent living?
Much less, when thou art dead." Brendan said farther, "On the third day
hence, I shall go the way of my fathers." Now that day was the Lord's
Day. Thereon, after the sacraments of the altar had been offered, he
saith to them that stood by, "In your supplications, commend my going
forth." And Briga speaketh and saith, "Father, what fearest thou?" He
saith, "I fear that I shall journey alone, that the way will be dark--I fear
the unknown country, the presence of the King, the sentence of the
Judge." After these things he commanded the brethren to carry his body
to the monastery of Clonfert secretly, lest, if they did it openly, it
should be kept by them among whom they should pass. Then when he
had kissed them all one by one, he saith unto holy Briga, "Salute my
friends on my behalf, and say unto them to beware of evil speaking,
even when it is true, how much the more when it is false." When he had
so spoken and foretold how some things would be in time to come, he
passed into everlasting rest, in the 96th year of his age.' He died, May
16, 577.
By combining with all the collected and credible statements concerning
him illustrative matter from the history of his times and the biographies
of his contemporaries, it would no doubt be possible to write a life of
Brendan, which would be both of considerable bulk and of considerable
interest. But there would be nothing particularly startling or striking
about it. Apart from the interest of public events contemporary with his
long career, the monotonous variety produced by his vagabond nature,
and such psychical interest as might possibly attach to stories of his
mediumistic temperament, it would be rather hum-drum. Brendan,
however, has had the ill luck to be selected