Fenit
A Wild Place
If you should find yourself wandering down this winding Irish road worn with years and edged with rocks, the mountains will fade into the distance and the coast of the Dingle peninsula will appear and you will eventually find yourself in the small coastal village of Fenit, Ireland, and the birthplace of Saint Brendan. In Fenit, a harbor village of County Kerry, Saint Brendan is still remembered, and his bronze statue looks out at the bay and the ocean beyond. Fenit, Gaelic for “Wild Place," is a fitting birthplace for a wild sailor saint!
Although Christian, Brendan would have grown up surround by his Celtic heritage. Christianity came into Ireland during the 6th century, most famously through Saint Patrick, but it was only seen in small areas of Ireland. During the time of Saint Brendan, the Celtic culture was still the dominant culture. Which meant that during the 6th century, the language spoken by most of the people was Gaelic, and the dominant religion was still Druidism—a religion that was not only filled with gods and goddesses, but also held everything and everywhere as sacred. Brendan would have been surround by this culture, hearing the stories told by the Druids. Most of the Celts did not read or write. The bards would tell stories and recite poetry from memory to continue to hold onto their history. Even though Saint Brendan was Christian, he could not but be influenced by the Celtic Druids. Perhaps Brendan had training as a bard and regaled his traveling companions with many sea-faring stories that were written down many years later as the record of his fantastical sea voyage.
If you should find yourself wandering down this winding Irish road worn with years and edged with rocks, the mountains will fade into the distance and the coast of the Dingle peninsula will appear and you will eventually find yourself in the small coastal village of Fenit, Ireland, and the birthplace of Saint Brendan. In Fenit, a harbor village of County Kerry, Saint Brendan is still remembered, and his bronze statue looks out at the bay and the ocean beyond. Fenit, Gaelic for “Wild Place," is a fitting birthplace for a wild sailor saint!
Although Christian, Brendan would have grown up surround by his Celtic heritage. Christianity came into Ireland during the 6th century, most famously through Saint Patrick, but it was only seen in small areas of Ireland. During the time of Saint Brendan, the Celtic culture was still the dominant culture. Which meant that during the 6th century, the language spoken by most of the people was Gaelic, and the dominant religion was still Druidism—a religion that was not only filled with gods and goddesses, but also held everything and everywhere as sacred. Brendan would have been surround by this culture, hearing the stories told by the Druids. Most of the Celts did not read or write. The bards would tell stories and recite poetry from memory to continue to hold onto their history. Even though Saint Brendan was Christian, he could not but be influenced by the Celtic Druids. Perhaps Brendan had training as a bard and regaled his traveling companions with many sea-faring stories that were written down many years later as the record of his fantastical sea voyage.