Report by Johnny McLaughlin:
Saint Brendan of Birr was a notable saint in Ireland’s early Christian history, who was active
during the sixth century. Not much is known about Brendan’s early life, as is the case with many
early Irish saints.
An Ecclesiastical History of Ireland states that Brendan was recorded as being called “the son of Luaigene” and was considered a member of a noble clan in Munster.
Brendan, at some point, became a monk and traveled to modern-day County Meath to Clonard Abbey, where he became one of the chief disciples of Saint Finnian of Clonard. He is counted
as one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland, the most famous disciples of Saint Finnian. Here, he
became friends with Saint Kieran, Saint Brendan the Voyager, and most notably, Saint
Colmcille.
Around 540, Brendan founded the monastery of Birr in modern-day County Offaly. He served as
its abbot until his death. He was known as a man of great charity, but also of wisdom and
spiritual insight. This earned him the moniker of “Prophet of Ireland”.
Brendan was instrumental in saving Colmcille from excommunication. A famous story from
Colmcille’s life involves a dispute with another monk over the rights to the copy of a psalter that
Colmcille made. This led to the Battle of Cul Dreimhne in 560, the Battle of the Book, when the
king ruled against Colmcille, causing Colmcille to stoke a rebellion. It is reported that three
thousand people died. As a result, a synod of clerics planned to excommunicate Colmcille. As Colmcille confronted this synod, Brendan saw his friend, bowed to him, and kissed him. So the exchange goes:
“Why did you not refuse to rise in the presence of this excommunicated person? And to kiss him?”
Brendan of Birr replied:
“If you had seen what the Lord has this day thought fit to show to me regarding this his chosen
one, whom you dishonour, you would never have unjustly excommunicated him, for he is a
person whom God holds in high esteem.”
“How,” they asked, “can God exalt one whom we have rightly excommunicated?”
Brendan replied: “I have seen a most brilliant pillar wreathed with fiery tresses preceding this same man
of God whom you treat with contempt. I have also seen holy angels accompanying him on his journey through the plain. Therefore, I do not dare to slight him, whom I see foreordained by God to be the leader of his people to life.”
The synod rescinded their excommunication, though Colmcille resigned himself to exile out of
humility and penance.
Brendan died of old age around the year 572. His feast day is November 29.
His monastery in Birr continued to have a lasting impact in central Ireland. It was the location of several church
synods and conferences. It produced the MacRegoal Gospels, otherwise known as the Book of Birr, an illustration of the Gospels similar to the Book of Kells. The original copy is housed today in the Bodleian Library in Oxford, and a copy is housed at a library in Birr. There is no official record of the monastery’s dissolution, though it certainly would not have lasted after the Dissolution of Monasteries brought about by Henry VIII.
Saint Brendan of Birr, Prophet of Ireland, pray for us!
Sources:
https://archive.org/details/anecclesiastica03lanigoog/page/38/mode/2up
https://iafs.ie/st-brendans-monastery
