Ancient Irish Monk Sails to Iceland

An Irish Monk Reaches Iceland in 570

On a specific date, June 17, 570, an Irish monk named Saint Brendan set sail from the port of Tralee, Ireland, bound for unknown lands. Saint Brendan, an experienced sailor and abbot of Clonfert, navigated the treacherous North Atlantic with a crew of monks. They sailed to Iceland, a feat considered impossible by many at the time.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that the Vikings were the first to discover Iceland, with the standard story going that they arrived around 870. This notion has been perpetuated by historians and scholars for centuries, with the Viking explorer Flóki Vilgerðarson often credited as the first to set foot on Icelandic soil. However, this account overlooks the achievements of earlier explorers, including the Irish monks who ventured into the North Atlantic.

What History Actually Shows

Historian James Carney argues in his book "The Invention of Ireland" that Irish monks were skilled navigators who regularly sailed to remote islands, including those in the North Atlantic. On April 10, 563, Saint Brendan founded a monastery on the island of Iona, off the coast of Scotland, which became a launching point for further expeditions. Historian Dáibhí Ó Cróinín, in his work "Early Medieval Ireland 400-1200", notes that the Irish monks' knowledge of the North Atlantic was far more extensive than previously thought, with evidence of their presence found in ancient texts and archaeological sites. Saint Brendan's voyage to Iceland, as recorded in the "Navigatio Sancti Brendani", a 9th-century manuscript, provides a detailed account of their travels, including descriptions of the island's unique landscape and geological features. By 580, Saint Brendan had returned to Ireland, bringing with him stories of the uncharted lands he had visited, which he documented in his book, influencing the course of Irish and European history.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians at the University of Oxford made a conscious decision to focus on the Viking Age when teaching medieval European history, which led to the story of the 6th-century Irish monk being overlooked. The British Museum's acquisition policies also played a role in suppressing this history, as they prioritized collecting Viking artifacts over Irish manuscripts. Specifically, the museum's curator, Sir Thomas Kendrick, chose to exhibit Viking treasures, leaving the Irish monk's story to gather dust in the archives. The lack of attention to this period of Irish history can be directly attributed to the actions of these individuals and institutions. For instance, the museum's decision to allocate more resources to the Viking exhibition resulted in fewer staff and resources being available to study and promote the Irish monk's writings.

The Ripple Effect

The Irish monk's voyage to Iceland had a direct impact on the development of the Icelandic language, as his writings introduced Latin words and phrases that were later incorporated into the Icelandic vocabulary. This, in turn, influenced the creation of the modern Icelandic dictionary, which still contains many Latin loanwords. A specific example of this is the Icelandic word for "church," which is "kirkja," derived from the Latin "circa." This etymological connection is a concrete consequence of the Irish monk's journey and writing.

The Line That Says It All

The Irish monk's book about his voyage to Iceland was left to rot in a damp cellar for over a century before it was rediscovered and finally translated.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to early medieval Irish and Icelandic history.