Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1898-12-16
CAME BEFORE. COLUMBUS.
An Irish Lad Said to Have Dis.
covered America.
w Rare bit. Of History from Count,
Galxay, Ireland---t'st.B ran-
den, the Navi-
! gator"

Columbus must take back seat.
John Cabot's fame is dimmed. Even the
rowing Norsemen who are supposed to
have left traces Of their early visit to
/ the western continent, in the shape Of
round towers and such like, must sur
render their glory.
4 "Why SOP" you inquire. in surprise.
Ask Rev. Robert McLarney, B. A.,
canon Of ClonfertP Protestant Episcopal
cathedral, Banagher, Ireland. You've
heard of Banagher, perhaps, in connec-
ton with the familiar Irish saying:
"That bates Banagher, and Banagher
bates the,divil!"
That's what you'll say when you
learn that Canon McLarney, in a cir
cular which he is scattering over the
/ face of the earth, calling attention to
the restoration fund for the renovation
Of 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 Eolds 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.
81 claim" says Canon McLarney,
SHAT st. Branden, the founder of my
church, Clonfert cathedral, County Gal
way, Ireland, in the year 55s, not only
colonized America 900 years before CO.
lumbus was born, but evangelical por-
ton Of that country at the time. lam
supported in this statement by no less
a person than the bishop of Iowa, and
also by the late Rev. DR.. Haughton,
senior fellow Of Trinity college, Dublin,
and by many others.
est. 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. 1870
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 depreciation
were not all committed by the heather
Danes-who frequently sailed up ths4
River Shannon from Limerick ;ai ats
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 chieftain on the other side of the
Shannon he tried to settle the dispute
by Immediately crossing the river and
battering down Clonfert. tits wonder
full that ANYTHING ancient has remained,
so repeatedly has Clonfert been burned,
plundercd or destroyed.
& "Clonfert cathedral is celebrated. for
its magnificent doorway, one of the:
finest specimens of Hiberno-Roman-.
esque architecture in existence. It
dates from the year 1866. 1t is also
celebrated for it's east window, nearly
1000 years old. Speaking Of the door
way, recent writer says: The orna-
mentation resembles the intricate and
delicate minutia of the Irish master
pieces in illumination rather than any
other. fabric of stone.'
"Clonfcrt was at one time = city and
celebrated for its schools. 1t is now
not even a 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 Roderic
O'Connor, king of Ireland, carried on
his negotiations with Henry II. of Eng
land, the abbot Of Clonfert was one
Of the ambassadors sent by him tc
Windsor."-N.. Y. Herald.