Brendan Graham

Brendan Graham (born 1945)) is an Irish songwriter and novelist. Among songs he has written or co-written are "Rock 'n' Roll Kids" (1994) and "The Voice" (1996), both of which won the Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland in their respective years, and "You Raise Me Up" (2002), which was an international hit as covered by various artists.

Early life

Graham was born in County Tipperary.

Songwriting

Brendan Graham is one of Ireland's most famous lyricists and song writers. In an article about the song tradition of Ireland, Con Houlihan wrote, "Some of the best poetry being produced in this country today is in the form of song – Christy Moore and Brendan Graham and Jimmy McCarthy are touched by genius." In a feature article, the Irish Times described Graham as a ‘Musical Midas in the Mayo Silence.’

Graham wrote the lyrics for the 2002 song "You Raise Me Up". Rolf Løvland, who wrote the music, was inspired to write the song after reading The Whitest Flower, Graham's first novel. "You Raise Me Up" was a huge international hit for Irish boyband Westlife. It has been covered by different artists almost 400 times. "You Raise Me Up" has been awarded ‘’Million-Air’’ status by the American Performing Rights Society BMI, meaning that it been broadcast over one million times on American radio. It is the most downloaded sheet music song of all time.

Brendan

Saint Brendan of Clonfert or Bréanainn of Clonfert (c. 484 – c. 577) (Irish: Naomh Breandán; Latin: Brendanus; Icelandic: (heilagur) Brandanus) called "the Navigator", "the Voyager", or "the Bold" is one of the early Irish monastic saints. He is chiefly renowned for his legendary quest to the "Isle of the Blessed," also called Saint Brendan's Island. The Voyage of Saint Brendan could be called an immram (Irish navigational story). He was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland.

Saint Brendan's feast day is celebrated on 16 May by the Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Orthodox Christians.

Sources

There is very little secure information concerning Brendan's life, although at least the approximate dates of his birth and death, and accounts of some events in his life, are found in the Irish annals and genealogies. The first mention of Brendan occurs in Adamnan's Vita Sancti Columbae, written between 679 and 704. The first notice of him as a seafarer appears in the ninth century Martyrology of Tallaght.

Brendan (disambiguation)

Brendan may refer to:

People

Other uses

See also

Brendan (given name)

Brendan is an Irish masculine given name in the English language. It is derived from the Gaelic name Breandán, which is in turn derived from the earlier Old Irish Brénainn. The mediaeval Latin form of the name, Brendanus, has also influenced the modern English and Irish forms. Variant spellings of Brendan are Brendon and Brenden. In some cases it is possible that the given name Brandon is also a variant of Brendan. A variant spelling of the Irish Breandán is Breanndán

Etymology

The English Brendan is an Anglicised form of the Irish Breandán. This Irish name is derived from the Old Irish Brénainn. This Old Irish personal name, (pronounced [br'ēn-in'], is derived from a borrowing of the Welsh language word breenhín, meaning "a prince". Both the English form, Brendan, and the modern Irish form, Breandán, are based upon the mediaeval Latin form Brendanus. According to one old Irish text there are 17 saints with the name. When used in an Irish sentence it can take the form Bhreandán e.g. A Bhreandán or ..do Bhreandán. Variation of the Irish Breandán are Breanndán, Bhreandán and Bhreandáin.