The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-06
SIXTH CENTURY COLUMBUS.
Canon McLarney Claims an Irishman
Discovered America.
New York Herald.


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 surrender their glory.
why so? you inquire IN surprise.
ASK the Rev. Robert McLarney. b. A.,
canon of Clonfert Protestant Episcopal
Cathedral, Banagher, Ireland. You've heard
Of Banagher perhaps in connection 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 circular 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 seriousness that the honor of discover
ing. America, instead of being credited to
Italy, Spain, the British or the Norsemen,
should rightfully belong TO st. Brendan, the
founder of the very church in which the
an adventurous son of the Emerald Isle.
who, as far back as the sixth century, set
a pace which his tellow-countrymen have
II claim" says Canon McLarney, that
st. Brendan, the founder OF my church,
CiDnfert Cathedral County Galway. ire
land, in the year sos, not only colonized
America nine hundred years before Colun-
bus was born. but evangelical portion Of
that country at that time. am suppQrted III
this statement by no less person than the
bishop of Iowa, and also by the late Rev.
Dr. Haughton, senior fellow of Trinity Col
"St Brendan, 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 i'm
my dear city of Clonfert.' His wish was
granted. He was buried in the place of
honor-in the chance of the cathedral
1.-THE Cathedral of Clonfert has existed as
a place of worship for 1340 years. 1t has
suffered many vicssitudes during that long
period Six times 1t was burned between
the eighth and eleventh centuries. Thrice
was It plundered between the, tenth and
twelfth centuries These depredations were
not all committed by the heather Danes
who frequently sailed up the River Shan
non from Limerick and attacked the cathe-
dral-but at times by the Irish themselves.
when an Irish chieftain on one side OF
chieftain on the other side of the Shannon
he tried to settle the dispute by Immediate
ly crossing the river and battering down
Clonfert. 1T is wonderful that anything am
cient has remained, so repeatedly has Clon-
fert been burned plundered destroyed.
"Clonfert Cathedral is celebrated for it's
magnificent doorway, one of the finest spec
linens of Hiberno- RomaneSque architecture
in existence. 1t dates from the year 1166.
1t is also celebrated for it's east window,
nearly a thousand years old Speaking Of
the doorway a recent writer SAYS: The
delicate minutiae of the Irish masterpieces
in illumination rather than any other fabric
of stone
"Clonfert. was at one time a city and cell
ebrated for its schools 1t is now not even
a village. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth,
it was proposed to found the university in
Clonfert. In the year HIS, when Roderic
O'Connor, King of Ireland, carried his
negotiations with Henry III of England, the
abbot of Clonfert was one of the ambaSSa-
doris sent by him TO Windsor"