The Winslow mail., 1898-04-30
GAME BEFORE COLUMBUS.
An Irish Lad Said to Have Dis
covered America.
4 Rare Bit of History from County
Galway, Ireland-s'St. Bran
den, the Navi-
gator"

Columbus must take Ddch seat.
John Cabot's fame is dimmed. Even the
rovinr Norsemen who are supposed to
have lsft traces OF their early visit to
the western continent, in the shape OF
round towers and such like, must sur
render their glory.
"Why SOP" you inquire in surprise.
Ask Rev. Robert McLarney, 3. ~,
canon of Clonfert Protestant Episcopal
cathedral. Danagher, Ireland. You've
heard o. Baragher, perhaps, in connec-
ton with the familiar Irish saying:
'sThat bates BanaSher, and Banagher
bates the divil!"
That's what you'll say when you
learn that Canon McLarrey, in q cir
2ular which he is scattering over the
| face OF the Garth, calling attention to
the restoration fund for the renovation
IF his church, announces in all serious
ness that the honor of discovering
America, instead of being credited to
Italy, Spain, the British or the Morse
men, should rightfully belong to ST.
Brendan, the founder of the very church
in which the good canon t0lds forth
every Sunday, and an adventurous son
! of the Emerald Isle, who, as far back
as the sixth century, set pace which
his fellow countrymen have kept up
ever since.
ST claim,'' says Canon McLarney,
''that ST. Branden, the founder Of my
church, Clonfert cathedral, County Gal
way, Ireland, in the year 559, not only
! colonized America 9CO years before Co.
+ lumbus was born, but evangelized o por-
! ton Of that country ct the time. I am
supported in this statement by no less
a person than the bishop of Iowa, and
also by the late Rev. DR.. Haughtor,
senior fellow of Trinity college, Dublin,
and by many others.
''St. Branden, the Navigator as he
was called, is buried in my church.
When he was dying at Annaghdown,
/ near Galway, one of his last requests
was: Bury me in my dear city of
Clonfert' His wish was granted. He
was buried in the place of honor-in
the chancel of the cathedral.
"The cathedral of Clonfert has ex-
listed as a place of worship for 1,340
years. 1t has suffered many vicissi-
] tudes during that long period. Six
times it was burned between the eighth
and eleventh centuries. Thrice was it
plundered between the tenth and
twelfth centuries. These depredations
were Hot all committed by the heather
Danes-who frequently sailed up the
Fiver Shannon from limerick and at
tackled the cathedral-but at times by
the Irish themselves.
"When an Irish chieftain on one side
OF the Shannon had a quarrel with an
Irish cheftain on the other side Of the
Shannon be tried to settle the dispute
by Immediately crossing the river and
battering down Clonfert. 1t is wonder
full that anything ancient has remained,
so repeatedly has Clonfert been burned,
plundcrcd or destroyed.
"Clorfert cathedral is celebrated for
it's magnificent doorway, one of the
finest specimens of Hibcrno-Roman-
esque architecture in existence. Tt
dates from the year 11f6. 1t is also
celebrated for it's east window, nearly
1000 years old. :peaking of the door
way, recent writer says: The orna-
men&ation resembles the intricate and
delicate minutia of the Irish master
pieces in illumination rather than any
other fabric of stonc:@
"Clonfert was at one time 4 city and
celebrated for it's schools. 1t is now
not even village. In the reign of
Queen Elizabeth, before Trinity col
lege, Dublin, was founded, it was pro-
posed to found the university in Clon-
fert In the year 1175, when Roderie
O'Connor, king of Ireland, carried or
his negotiations with Henry II. of Eng
land, the abbot of Clonfert was on
of the ambassadors sent by him tt
Windsor."-N. Y. Herald.