The Gobán Saor was a highly skilled smith or architect in Irish history and legend. Gobban Saer (Gobban the Builder) is a figure regarded in Irish traditional lore as an architect of the seventh century, and popularly canonized as St. Gobban. The ''

Catholic Encyclopedia ''The'' ''Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church'', also referred to as the ''Old Catholic Encyclopedia'' and the ''Original Catholic Encyclopedi ...

'' considers him historical and born at Turvey, on the Donabate peninsula in North County Dublin, about 560. In literary references, he was employed by many Irish saints to build churches, oratories, and bell towers, and he is alluded to in an eighth-century Irish poem, preserved in a monastery in

Carinthia Carinthia ( ; ; ) is the southernmost and least densely populated States of Austria, Austrian state, in the Eastern Alps, and is noted for its mountains and lakes. The Lake Wolayer is a mountain lake on the Carinthian side of the Carnic Main ...

. In the "Life of St. Abban" it is said that "the fame of Gobban as a builder in wood as well as stone would exist in Ireland to the end of time." In ''Gobán Saor'' can be seen elements of

Goibniu In Irish mythology, Goibniu (; ) was the metalsmith of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He is believed to have been a smithing god and is also associated with hospitality. His name is related to the Welsh Gofannon and the Gaulish Gobannus. Etymology The ...

, the

Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic (, Ogham, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ; ; or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic languages, Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive written texts. It was used from 600 to 900. The ...

god of

smithcraft A metalsmith or simply smith is a craftsperson fashioning useful items (for example, tools, kitchenware, tableware, jewelry, armor and weapons) out of various metals. Smithing is one of the oldest metalworking occupations. Shaping metal with a h ...

. His name can be compared with the

''gobae'' ~ ''gobann'' ‘

smith Smith may refer to: People and fictional characters * Metalsmith, or simply smith, a craftsman fashioning tools or works of art out of various metals * Smith (given name) * Smith (surname), a family name originating in England ** List of people ...

,’

Middle Welsh Middle Welsh (, ) is the label attached to the Welsh language of the 12th to 15th centuries, of which much more remains than for any earlier period. This form of Welsh developed directly from Old Welsh (). Literature and history Middle Welsh is ...

''gof'' ~ ''gofein'' ‘

,’ Gallic ''gobedbi'' ‘with the smiths,’

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

''faber'' ‘

’ and with the

Lithuanian Lithuanian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Lithuania, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe ** Lithuanian language ** Lithuanians, a Baltic ethnic group, native to Lithuania and the immediate geographical region ** L ...

gabija Gabija (also known as Gabieta, Gabeta) is the spirit of the fire in Lithuanian mythology. She is the protector of home and family. Her name is derived from ''gaubti'' (to cover, to protect) or from St. Agatha (, Gafiya). Gabija is only mentione ...

'' ‘sacred home fire’ and

''gabus'' ‘gifted, clever’. '' The Wonder Smith and His Son'' is a retelling of fourteen tales about the Gobán Saor, by

Ella Young Ella Young (26 December 1867 – 23 July 1956) was an Irish poet and Celtic mythologist active in the Gaelic and Celtic Revival literary movement of the late 19th and early 20th century. Born in Ireland, Young was an author of poetry and c ...

; illustrated by

Boris Artzybasheff Boris Mikhailovich Artzybasheff (, 25 May 1899; Kharkov, Kharkov Governorate, Russian Empire – 16 July 1965) was a Russian and American illustrator notable for his strongly worked and often surreal designs. Life and career Artzybasheff was bor ...

(1927). It was a 1928

Newbery Honor The John Newbery Medal, frequently shortened to the Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to the author of "the most distinguished contr ...

Book. Two of Ella Young's retellings were reprinted by Collier in "The Young Folks Shelf of Books." The Goban Saor is described as the son of Tuirbe Tragmar ("thrower of axes"), a figure whose magical axe would hold back the sea after it was thrown on the strand.
n.125 Tráig Tuirbi, in The Rennes Dindshenchas, edited by Whitney Stokes, pages 76-77, Revue Celtiques 16 (1895) His supposed burial site is located next to

Derrynaflan Church Derrynaflan Church is a medieval church and National Monument located in County Tipperary, Ireland. Location Derrynaflan Church is located on an "island" in Littleton bog, located south of Littleton. History The monastery at Derrynaflan ("Oak ...

, County Tipperary.

References

;Attribution *

References

Further reading