-
Subject Index A-B
-
Subject Index C-F
-
Subject Index G-K
-
Subject Index L-O
-
Subject Index P-Z
Email: info@searcs-web.com
|
|
Email: info@searcs-web.com |
|
Searc's Web Guide to 19th Century Ireland -
Edward O'Meager Condon (1841-1915)
Edward O'Meager Condon was born near Mitchelstown, County Cork. During the Famine his family emigrated to Newfoundland and Condon trained as an architect in Toronto. In 1859 he joined the Fenian Brotherhood in New York and returned to Canada to organise Fenian cells. Condon became an American citizen in 1862 and during the American Civil War he enlisted in the 164th New York Volunteers Militia who fought with the Union Army. In 1864 Condon returned to Ireland to help organise the Fenian Rising. In 1867 he was arrested in Manchester for attacking the prison van containing Colonel Thomas J. Kelly, Head Centre of the IRB. Condon was sentenced to death but this was commuted to ten years imprisonment because of his American citizenship. On his release Condon returned to America and in 1887 he published The Irish Race in America from which this extract is taken.© Owing to the wanton destruction of large numbers of ancient Irish archives by the English, our knowledge of the first discovery of America is not as exact as could be desired, but quite enough is known to justify us in claiming the honour of that achievement for St. Brendan, Bishop of Clonfert, who flourished in the sixth century. According to the Irish annals this prelate, after investigating the traditions which even in his time were prevalent in Ireland respecting the existence of a great continent to the West, resolved to seek it out, and convert its people to the faith of Christ. Having made all the necessary preparations, he set sail with some faithful companions, in 545, from the bay on the coast of Kerry which still bears his name and after a difficult voyage landed, as is generally believed, upon the shores of Virginia... After having preached the Gospel for seven years, in various parts of the country, he returned to Ireland and, according to some authorities, remained there and founded several monasteries, but others assert that having obtained a reinforcement for his missionary company, he again set sail for the West and was never heard of more... The story of St. Brendan's voyage and discoveries was soon made known in every part of Europe. Wynkun de Worde, the first English printer, published nine years before Columbus sailed from Palos, a relation of the Saint's voyage and adventures [Lyfe of Saynt Brandan, 1483] but owing to the want of accurate information, his story was embellished with numerous imaginary incidents. In the Nova Legenda written by Capgrave, or as some believe by John of Tynemouth, and published in 1516, another sketch of St. Brendan's discoveries is given. Voraginius, Provincial of the Dominicans and Bishop of Genoa in the latter part of the thirteenth century, speaks particularly of 'St. Brandan's land' in his Golden Legend, and Paulo Toscannelli the Florentine, who prepared for Columbus the charts used on his first voyage, gave this name to the territory which, in accordance with the custom of the Italian geographers of that period he marked down as being opposite to 'Europe and Africa from the south of Ireland to the end of Guinea'... America was known to the Scandinavians as Irland it Miklaor 'Great Ireland'. Their records contain accounts of three voyages made thither, after the time of St. Brendan and before the advent of Columbus. The Landanamabock, compiled in the thirteenth century, tells us that in 982 Ari Marson, a kinsman of Eric the Red 'was driven by a tempest to Huitramannaland or 'white man's land,' which some call Irland it Mikla, and which lies in the western ocean near to Vinland the Good, west from Ireland.' In the Scandinavian sagas 'Great Ireland' is described in the following manner - 'To the south of habitable Greenland there are uninhabited and wild tracts and enormous icebergs. The country of the Skraelings lies beyond these; Markland beyond this, and Vinland the Good beyond the last. Next to this and something beyond it lies Albania, that is, Huitramannaland, whither formerly vessels came from Iceland. There several Irishmen and Icelanders saw and recognised Ari (Marson), concerning whom nothing had been heard for a long time, and who had been made their chief by the inhabitants of the land.' Eminent writers believe that 'the country of the Skraelings' here referred to was what is known as Labrador, that 'Vinland' included what is now New England, and that 'Huitramannaland,' or, as it was usually called, 'Great Ireland' extended from the last named territory to Florida. The Irish would doubtless have turned the discoveries of St Brendan to good account, and established, and kept up communication with America, were it not that their attention was drawn in another direction by a savage contest carried on between the Britons and their treacherous Saxon 'allies', who sought to become masters of their country, and who, it seemed not improbable, after their expected triumph, might endeavour to obtain a footing in Ireland. © Searc's Web Guide 1997-2008 |
|
|