Did Saint Brendan Discover America in a Currach?
The Traditional Irish Currach has Moved from Exploration into Racing
Feb 12, 2009
Early Gaelic accounts speak of large ocean going sailing currachs roving the North Atlantic and one of the traditional tales is that of Saint Brendan sailing to America in such a vessel in the sixth century.
Used mainly for fishing and as a necessary mode of transportation between the mainland and offshore islands dotted around the coast of Ireland, the very maneuverable currachs have been adapted for different areas depending on local need.
The single-man Owey currach is used mainly in the Rosses area of Donegal and is a one-man boat rowed with a single stern oar. The two-seater Dunfanaghy boats (pictured) are also a traditional Donegal craft.
The construction of a currach has changed little in centuries. Originally made from animal hides, they are now made from tarred canvas and are rowed with bladeless oars.
Saint Brendan's Voyage
Larger versions of the currach can be found along the West coast of Ireland; the three-seater Aran racers and the larger Kerry neamhogai which carry four or more. They can often be seen beached like so many black beetles. It was in a large neamhog that Saint Brendan is said to have discovered America.
'Then Saint Brendan and his companions,using iron implements,prepared a light vessel, with wicker sides and ribs...and covered it with cow-hide,tanned in oak-bark, tarring the joints thereof, and put on board provisions for forty days , with butter enough to dress hides for covering the boat and all utensils needed for the crew.'
The tale of Navigatio Brendani was extremely popular in the ninth century and tells of his visit to a vast land across the Western Ocean, and a great impassable river; perhaps the Mississippi?
Tim Severin, author and explorer, researched in depth the preparations made by Brendan for such a journey and recreated the voyage in 1976 with as near possible a replica of Saint Brendan's currach and by hugging the shores of the Hebrides, Faroe Islands, Iceland and Newfoundland, successfully reached the New World even though he had to make running repairs to the hide boat while still at sea.
The Birth of Currach Racing
The move to currach racing came about when fishermen raced to be first back to shore with their catch.
While currach racing has been a feature of life on the West Coast of Ireland for generations it is now growing in popularity in other parts of Ireland, Europe and most notably now in America. The North American Currach Association currently has member clubs in eight North American cities.
An intriguing connection with Saint Brendan and currach racing in America came about in Pittsburgh in 1983, when Ms. Elaine Manning imported two Irish currachs to Pittsburgh to help promote her gift shop; Saint Brendan's. Ms. Manning subsequently donated the currachs to a group of local enthusiasts originally from the Galway are and thus the Pittsburgh Irish Rowing Club was founded in 1984.
Sources:
Navigatio sancti Brendani abbatis ( The Voyage of Saint Brendan the Abbot) Edition by Archbishop P.F.Moran, Translator: Denis O'Donoghue
The Brendan Voyage by Tim Severin
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