Principality of Northshield

Brendan O Corraidhe

I've long had an interest in the Middle Ages. Since 1980 I have been a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA). Within the SCA my persona is Brendan O Corraidhe ("Corraidhe" is pronounced "Corey"). In the modern world I am Corrie Bergeron.

Who is Brendan O Corraidhe in history?

Brendan is an 8th-century Irish monk traveling on the Continent.

The 8th century was a Golden Age for Irish monasticism. During that time great works of art were created such as the Book of Kells and the Book of Durrow.

Also at that time there was a great wave of evangelism as Irish monks spread the Gospel across pagan Europe. Monasteries were founded all across the Continent.

Brendan is just one of the thousands of Irish religious who helped shine the light of the Gospel into Europe's Dark Ages.

Who is Brendan O Corraidhe in the SCA?

I'm a dishwasher, a singer, a storyteller, a leatherworker, a former squire.

Whenever an occasion calls for full formality (thankfully seldom), I'm called into court as "His Lordship, (or) The Honorable Lord Brendan O Corraidhe, OW, OC, HH, CIM, OST, MOSS."

Whew!

Informally (which is most of the time), I'm very nearly well-known as a (sometimes) entertaining singer and storyteller. I'm a founding member of the Northshield College of Bards, and a former Principal Bard of the Ansteorran College of Bards.

But the biggest thrill I think I've ever gotten came at a recent Pennsic. I was visiting the Ansteorran camp, and a fellow I'd known back in my home shire grabbed me and said, "There's someone I want you to meet." He introduced me to a young woman who told me, "Brendan, I've never met you, but you got me started in the bardic arts. You made a tape several years ago and I've listened to it over and over again." She was the Premier Bard of Ansteorra! Now that was a real thrill.

Currently I live in the Barony of Nordskogen (Minneapolis, MN) in the Principality of Northshield in the Middle Kingdom. I moved to Nordskogen in 1989. Before that, I lived in the Shire of the Shadowlands (College Station, TX) in the Kingdom of Ansteorra.

Some other things of interest to me, maybe to you