Discussion on 'Does anyone have the lyrics to Navigatio by Jeff Johnson?'

(1) On November 30, 2007 at 8:30 pm Lhippert [6] said:

I've earned my sin

nearly spent my soul

I've lost my way until now

On the world's edge

I have found a door

On the world's edge

I can see again

So let my ship sail like Brendan's

let it carry me home

May the three guide my passage

towards the Island of Light

So let my ship sail like Brendan's

let it carry me home

May the three guide my passage

towards the Island of Hope

I've earned my sin

nearly spent my soul

I've lost my way until now

On the world's edge

I have found a door

On the world's edge

I can see again

Maps of Columbus’s time often included an island called St. Brendan’s Isle that was placed in the western Atlantic ocean.

Historians relate that Brendan was born about 484 A.D. near Tralee in County Kerry. He was ordained by Bishop Erc and sailed about northwest Europe spreading the Christian faith and founding monasteries, the largest at Clonfert, County Galway, where he was buried in 577 A.D. at the age of 93.

The account of Brendan’s voyage contained a detailed description of the construction of his boat which was not unlike the currachs still made in County Kerry today. Skeptics could not accept that such a fragile vessel could possibly sail in the open sea. Several passages in the legend also seemed incredible—they were “raised up on the back of sea monsters”, they “passed by crystals that rose up to the sky”, and were “pelted with flaming, foul smelling rocks by the inhabitants of a large island on their route”. They finally arrived at the beautiful land they called “Promised Land of the Saints.” They explored until they came to a great river that divided the land. The journey of Brendan and his fellow monks took seven years. The return trip was probably the longest part of the odyssey.

(http://www.castletown.com/brendan.htm)

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