Brendan Byrne

Brendan Thomas Byrne (born April 1, 1924) is an American Democratic Party politician who served for two terms as the 47th Governor of New Jersey from 1974 to 1982. Elected in the wave of anti-Republican backlash arising from the Watergate scandal, he ushered in a period of reform of the state government and tax structure.

Early life and education

Byrne was born and raised in West Orange, New Jersey. He is the fourth of Francis A. Byrne (1888–1973) and Genevieve (Brennan) Byrne's five children.

In 1942, Byrne graduated from West Orange High School, where he had served as both the president of the debate club and senior class president. He briefly enrolled at Seton Hall University, only to leave in March the following year to join the U.S. Army. During World War II, Byrne served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross and four Air Medals. By the time of his discharge from active service in 1945, he had achieved the rank of lieutenant.

After the war, and thanks to the G.I. Bill, Byrne attended Princeton University for two years, where he majored in Public and International Affairs. He did not graduate, but went on to obtain his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1951.

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.