ST brendan in Occitania: a study in confusion and conflation

Abstract

Brendan of Clonfert was born around 484 in Kerry. In 558 he founded the monastery of Clonfert where the rule was dictated to him by an angel. He is said to have undertaken two voyages to the terra repromissionis sanctorum: the first took place shortly after his ordination and was unsuccessful. The second lasted from 565 to 573 and was the subject of the Latin prose work of the ninth century, the Navigatio Saneti Brendani. This accoun t of his voyage proved so popular that it gave rise to prose and verse translations in many vernacular languages. I This paper will investigate the occurrence of the vernacular versions of St Brendan in the dialects of Occitania; in particular, Provenc;al and Catalan.