Our mast and keel were made of oak. We had cowhide all around. She was fitted right, she was watertight, And we were outward bound. Our sails were white in the morning light, The Celtic cross our sign. By Brendan blessed we were headed west, And the land fell far behind.
We'd a favoring wind for weeks on end And we could take our ease (?) One cloudy morn it suddenly turned And brought us mountainous seas. Between the waves was darkened caves (?) And Brendan brought us through. He wrote a prayer that the Lord might spare Our ship and all its crew.
CHORUS: Brendan, holy Brendan. He sailed uncharted waters; he discovered lands unknown. Brendan, holy Brendan. He was a saintly sailor, and he steered us safely home.
We saw strange sights both days and nights And Brendan wrote them down: Fish that fly and a rainbow sky, And a floating crystal town, And a giant thing that could swim and sing, Blew water through its head, And a fish that talked and on water walked, And a crew that was damn near dead.
We had nearly died when Brendan cried: "There's land full near ahead! An albatross our bow has crossed And we're approaching land!" We ran aground on the land newfound And we rested many days. Spirits were good, fresh water and food, And we all sang Brendan's praise. CHORUS
It was turning cold, and it might take hold And we headed out once more. We were southward bound and the only sound Was the wind and the water's roar. We had no storm, and the sun turned warm And we once again made land, With fruits to eat, all fresh and sweet, A paradise for man.
Now we're home again through the wind and rain And homeland hills look green, And Brendan's charts map out the parts Where no one else had been. Now winter nights by the firelight, I live it all again, How a saintly man with a prayer and a plan Had charted the western main. CHORUS
[Recorded by Tommy Makem on "Rolling Home," Shanachie CD #52021, 1989, which is available from Red Biddy Records.]