June 1^st 2007

 

Latest News on Brendan Project:

 

The Monument to Saint Brendan The Navigator was unveiled on Sunday September 19^th 2004. by Bishop Bill Murphy, Bishop of Kerry and successor of St. Brendan. The statue is a magnificent piece of sculpture, a credit to the sculptor, Tighe O Donoghue, and to Cast Ltd., the founders. Credit also to Tom and Eugene Farrelly, local stonemasons, for the magnificent plinth. We were delighted to see so many of you at the unveiling on Fenit Pier at 3 o'clock on the 19th. The day was wild - it was blowing force 9 -and it seemed appropriate that Brendan should meet his first Atlantic gale with such equanimity

 

With the permission and help of the Fenit Harbour Board, we constructed a heritage park with wheelchair access at the foot of Samphire rock on which stands the Brendan monument.  This development work is ongoing.  The park was blessed and opened by Archbishop Dermot Clifford of Cashel and John O Donoghue of Cahirsiveen, Minister for Tourism, on October 10^th 2005.  Once again the wind blew gale force!

 

Our final (!) initiative is the Slí Bhreanainn, the Brendan way, a thirty kilometre pilgrimage to seven local places associated with the life of Brendan.  Information on this project will be found below under the appropriate heading.  The Slí Bhreanainn will be blessed and opened by Bishop Bill Murphy on June 9^th 2007. Support for this part of the project was received from Partnership Tra Li.

 

Fundraising is still in progress and going extremely well. and we have got matching support from Tuatha Chiarrai, the local Leader group. We are very heartened by their expression of confidence in our project and we know it will be an outstanding tribute to our history and culture, both maritime and Christian.

 

The Brendan Book containing all the names of contributors, and those they wished to remember, was launched at the unveiling. There is still time to have your name and those of your loved ones entered.

 

We thank all who have helped us along the way in so many ways. May God and Saint Brendan reward you all.

 

Beannacht De oraibh