Europa stamps – Ireland Faroe Islands & Iceland Joint Issue  -1994 – Discoveries

Voyages of Saint Brendan – Ireland,The Faroe Islands & Iceland are linked historically by the voyage of Discovery made by Saint Brendan (484-577 AD) hence this joint issue. These voyages are recorded in many medieval manuscripts and in the Icelandic sagas.

Following the fall of Roman empire Irish monasteries had become the chief repositories of religious learning and culture in Europe and Irish monks or saintly sailors began to bring these back to mainland Europe. Many Irish monks also sailed along the coasts of British Isles and Europe and beyond spreading the christian faith and establishing monasteries .These saintly mariners had a knowledge of astronomy to aid their navigation but no charts or compass.

St Brendan was one of these and there are many legends about his voyages. The landing of Irish monks in the Faroe was the first notable geographical discovery  of the middle ages and by 795 AD Irsih monks had reached Iceland .In the Brendan  legend one of the Faroe Islands is described as the “Island of Sheep “and Iceland as the ” Island of Fire”.

Brendan Discoveries is the theme of three Miniature sheets jointly issued by Faroe Islands ,Iceland & Ireland. A Presentation pack containing all the three miniatures is listed.