St. Brendan the Navigator Monument, Cahersiveen, Kerry, Ireland – Things to See and Do

  • Author: ActiveME
  • Created: October 15, 2013 4:51 pm
  • Updated: December 12, 2017 10:59 am
Location: Kerry
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The monument to St. Brendan the Navigator by sculptor Eammon O'Docherty at Carhan, Cahersiveen sits at the side of the road as you enter the town and overlooks the Fertha River and Knocknadobar Mountain.

- Kerry's most famous Son, known as Saint Brendan (Brandon) or "Brendan the Navigator" is said to have crossed the Atlantic in his Curragh and discovered America nearly 1000 years before Columbus in the 6th century AD.

- St Brendan, called “the Navigator”, was born in Ardfert near Tralee county Kerry and lived from about 484 to about 577 AD. He was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and his exploits are described in the 9th century “Voyage of St Brendan the Navigator” that tells of how he set off around 512-530 AD, onto the Atlantic Ocean with a number of pilgrims in search of the Garden of Eden.

- He is chiefly renowned for his legendary quest to the "Isle of the Blessed," also called St. Brendan's Island.

- Saint Brendan's feast day is celebrated on May 16

- In 1978 Tim Severin built a replica curragh called The Brendan in which he retraced this famous voyage, proving that it could have been done.

- Legend has it that St. Brendan ‘the Navigator’ sailed to Valentia Island from Dingle in the 5th century, scaled the cliffs at Culoo, found a couple of dying pagans and anointed them, making them the first catholic converts on the island. St Brendans well is still in this spot aswell as three ancient stone crosses from the 7th or 8th century and may have been part of the pilgrimage to the well, with prayers said at each cross.

1. St. Brendan the Navigator Monument, Cahersiveen, Kerry, Ireland - Things to See and Do

Altitude: 3 m

The monument to St. Brendan the Navigator by sculptor Eammon O’Docherty at Carhan, Cahersiveen sits at the side of the road as you enter the town and overlooks the Fertha River and Knocknadobar Mountain.

– Kerry’s most famous Son, known as Saint Brendan (Brandon) or “Brendan the Navigator” is said to have crossed the Atlantic in his Curragh and discovered America nearly 1000 years before Columbus in the 6th century AD.

– St Brendan, called “the Navigator”, was born in Ardfert near Tralee county Kerry and lived from about 484 to about 577 AD. He was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and his exploits are described in the 9th century “Voyage of St Brendan the Navigator” that tells of how he set off around 512-530 AD, onto the Atlantic Ocean with a number of pilgrims in search of the Garden of Eden.

– He is chiefly renowned for his legendary quest to the “Isle of the Blessed,” also called St. Brendan’s Island.

– Saint Brendan’s feast day is celebrated on May 16

– In 1978 Tim Severin built a replica curragh called The Brendan in which he retraced this famous voyage, proving that it could have been done.

– Legend has it that St. Brendan ‘the Navigator’ sailed to Valentia Island from Dingle in the 5th century, scaled the cliffs at Culoo, found a couple of dying pagans and anointed them, making them the first catholic converts on the island. St Brendans well is still in this spot aswell as three ancient stone crosses from the 7th or 8th century and may have been part of the pilgrimage to the well, with prayers said at each cross.