There was a form of popular literature in 7th and 8th century Ireland called Immram. It consists of a series of legends in which a hero ventures on a ship in search of the Other World (capitalized, because it is a sacred place), often an enchanted island, far to the west, hidden behind a veil of fog. Thus, in the Canary Islands, there is talk of an eighth island, apart from the existing seven, which only appear on occasion, and in others disappear without a trace. The 6th-century Irish monk St. BrendĂĄnwas one of the travelers who recounted being on that island, which was later called St. Bourbon. It is said that he returned from it laden with precious stones and unknown and delicious fruits.
He spoke of extraordinary beings living on the island, and called it the âpromised land of the saints.â The belief in the existence of that island was so entrenched and widespread that there were multiple expeditions in its search, and even the bay of SamborombĂłn (Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina) was named in such a way during the Magellan expedition in March 1520, in the belief that it had been formed by the detachment of the island of SanBorondĂłn from the Americas.
It is a repeating pattern: A hero, or a holy man, after a long journey lands on an island that appears and disappears, in which the magical and the sublime manifest in a clear and vibrant way before his eyes.
The Greeks and Romans also spoke of the existence of islands located beyond the Strait of Gibraltar they called âIslands of the Blessedâ. It was his paradise. Within these kinds of legends, in the pagan world, we find the one that tells us about the island of"Tir Na Nog"- literally, in ancient Irish, the âland of eternal youthâ - Gaelic paradise.
According to Irish mythology, this island would be inhabited by a supernatural race, the Tuatha of Danaan, who fled Ireland in ancient times. The island is invisible to ordinary mortals, and no one sees it except whoever was invited to visit it. Only the man who was holy, or a wise man, had any chance of seeing the majestic silhouette of Tir Na Nog appear before his eyes.
This is a legend for the awakened eyes who see the magic in the world as a child and feel, see, hear the symbolism in the world. Feel the magic of the world again!