Brendan the Navigator
484 — 577 · Feast day: May 16
One of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland, famous for his legendary seven-year voyage across the Atlantic in search of the 'Isle of the Blessed.' His tale, the Navigatio Sancti Brendani, spread throughout medieval Europe and appeared on maps into the Age of Exploration. He founded many monasteries, most notably Clonfert in County Galway.