Saint Brynach was a 6th-century

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, of or about Wales * Welsh language, spoken in Wales * Welsh people, an ethnic group native to Wales Places * Welsh, Arkansas, U.S. * Welsh, Louisiana, U.S. * Welsh, Ohio, U.S. * Welsh Basin, during t ...

saint In Christianity, Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of sanctification in Christianity, holiness, imitation of God, likeness, or closeness to God in Christianity, God. However, the use of the ...

. He is traditionally associated with

Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and otherwise by the sea. Haverfordwest is the largest town and ...

, where several churches are dedicated to him.

Life

A 12th-century account of Brynach's life states that sometime in the early 6th century, Brynach travelled (from where is unstated) to

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

"Life of St. Brynach", ''Vitae Sanctorum Britanniae et Genealogiae'', ed. A. W. Wade-Evans. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1944
/ref> and

Brittany Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...

, and then on to

Milford Haven Milford Haven ( ) is a town and community (Wales), community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is on the north side of the Milford Haven Waterway, an estuary forming a natural harbour that has been used as a port since the Middle Ages. The town was ...

. He erected various oratories near the rivers Cleddau, Gwaun, and Caman and at the foot of

Mynydd Carningli Mynydd Carningli is a mountain in the Preseli Hills near the town of Newport, Pembrokeshire, Wales. It has both prehistoric and historic remains. Topography Carningli (or Carn Ingli) is high. Close to the coast, it dominates the surrounding co ...

(translated as 'Mountain of the Angels'), which was his most famous foundation. This

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...

founded by Brynach was at present-day

Nevern Nevern () is both a parish and a Community (Wales), community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The community includes the settlements of Felindre Farchog, Monington, Pembrokeshire, Monington, Moylgrove and Bayvil. The small village lies in the River Neve ...

(in

, ''Nanhyfer''). The land was given to him by the local lord, Clether, who retired to

Cornwall Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...

. Brynach was harassed by King Maelgwn of

Gwynedd Gwynedd () is a county in the north-west of Wales. It borders Anglesey across the Menai Strait to the north, Conwy, Denbighshire, and Powys to the east, Ceredigion over the Dyfi estuary to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. The ci ...

for a while, until he wrought miracles and the two came to terms. Saint Brynach died on 7 April, on which day his feast is celebrated. His church, beside the

River Nevern The River Nevern () is a river in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Its source is north of the village of Crymych and its length is about to its estuary at Newport, Pembrokeshire. Course The source of the river is a spring on the southwest slope of Frenni ...

, is his lasting memorial. The Norman Church of St Brynach is on the site of St Brynach's 6th century "clas", an important ecclesiastical centre. The "Life of St Brynach" portrays him as something of a wild fellow in his youth but very virtuous after his conversion. The descriptions of his adventures (including amorous and ghostly encounters) display a degree of humour unusual in the writers of saintly lives.

Problems of identification

Welsh tradition remembers him as ''Brynach Wyddel'' (the Irishman). Brynach may be a form of the Irish name, ''Bernach''. This possibly etymology has led to speculation that Saint Brynach came from

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

Iolo Morganwg Edward Williams, better known by his bardic name Iolo Morganwg (; 10March 174718December 1826), was a Welsh antiquarian, poet and collector.Jones, Mary (2004)"Edward Williams/Iolo Morganwg/Iolo Morgannwg" From ''Jones' Celtic Encyclopedia''. R ...

, followed by Baring-Gould, supposed that he is the same as the chieftain 'Fernach' who came to Wales from Ireland with the young

Brychan Brychan ap Anlach of Brycheiniog was a legendary 5th-century king of Brycheiniog (Brecknockshire, alternatively Breconshire) in Mid Wales. Name variations Brychan had Irish ancestry and came from Ireland to Wales, therefore his original name ...

Brycheiniog Brycheiniog was an independent kingdom in South Wales in the Early Middle Ages. It often acted as a buffer state between England to the east and the south Welsh kingdom of Deheubarth to the west. It was conquered and pacified by the Normans ...

. However,

Egerton Phillimore Egerton Grenville Bagot Phillimore (20 December 1856 – 5 June 1937) was a British antiquarian of Welsh literature, language and history. He published little but was widely regarded as the greatest living expert on Welsh placenames. Early life ...

rejects this identification A 'Brennach Wyddel o'r Gogledd' or ''Brennach the Irishman of the North

f Britain F, or f, is the sixth letter of the Latin alphabet and many modern alphabets influenced by it, including the modern English alphabet and the alphabets of all other modern western European languages. Its name in English is ''ef'' (pronounc ...

' appears in the

Welsh Triads The Welsh Triads (, "Triads of the Island of Britain") are a group of related texts in medieval manuscripts which preserve fragments of Welsh folklore, mythology and traditional history in groups of three. The triad is a rhetorical form whereby o ...

Rachel Bromwich Rachel Bromwich (30 July 1915 – 15 December 2010), born Rachel Sheldon Amos, was a British scholar. Her focus was on medieval Welsh literature, and she taught Celtic Languages and Literature in the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic ...

does not believe Saint Brynach is meant.

Dedications

Dedications of churches to Brynach in Pembrokeshire include Nevern, Dinas Cross,

Llanfyrnach Llanfyrnach () is a village and parish in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The village is in the electoral ward and community (Wales), community of Crymych. The village of Crymych and the hamlets of Hermon, Pembrokeshire, Hermon, Glandwr, Pembrokeshire, G ...

Henry's Moat Henry's Moat is a hamlet and parish in Pembrokeshire, Wales, in the community of Puncheston. It is southeast of Fishguard and northeast of Haverfordwest. The nearest railway station is Clarbeston Road to the south. It was in the ancient Hund ...

and Pontfaen. In Carmarthenshire there are

Llanboidy Llanboidy is a village and community in Carmarthenshire, West Wales. The community includes the village of Llanglydwen. Location According to the 2001 United Kingdom Census, the community had a population of 988 rising to 1,061 at the 2011 Ce ...

and a chapel in

Llanddarog Llanddarog () is a community located in Carmarthenshire, Wales.The community population at the 2011 census was 1,198., and includes the villages of Cwmisfael, Mynyddcerrig and Porthyrhyd. The community is bordered by the communities of: L ...

, and there are scattered dedications in

Glamorgan Glamorgan (), or sometimes Glamorganshire ( or ), was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It is located in the South Wales, south of Wales. Originally an ea ...

Brecknockshire Brecknockshire ( or ), also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon, was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It was created in 1 ...

and

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South East Wales, south east of Wales. It borders Powys to the north; the English counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire to the north and east; the Severn Estuary to the s ...

. The distribution of these is similar to that of

Ogham Ogham (also ogam and ogom, , Modern Irish: ; , later ) is an Early Medieval alphabet used primarily to write the early Irish language (in the "orthodox" inscriptions, 4th to 6th centuries AD), and later the Old Irish language ( scholastic ...

stones in south Wales, and defines a distinct Irish-influenced province that existed in the

Age of the Saints Representing 43.6% of the Welsh population in 2021, Christianity is the largest religion in Wales. Wales has a strong tradition of nonconformism, particularly Methodism. From 1534 until 1920 the established church was the Church of England, but t ...

.Bowen, E. G. (1977) ''Saints, Seaways and Settlements in the Celtic Lands'' Cardiff: University of Wales Press , p. 105

Notes

References

* Baring-Gould, Sabine & Fisher, John (1907). ''Lives of the British Saints'' * Bromwich. Rachel (2006) ''Trioedd Ynys Prydein: The Triads of the Island of Britain'', 3rd ed. * Phillimore. Egerton (1906) ''Notes'' in: George Owen's "The Description of Pembrokeshire" (1603). {{DEFAULTSORT:Brynach Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown Brannoc Medieval Welsh saints 6th-century Christian saints