Claimants to a truly illustrious heritage, the thousands of Brennans scattered across the globe today have strong and sturdy roots in the ancient soil of Ireland.
Their history thrills to the tune of legend, myth and magic, while their ancestors fought heroically in the cause of their homeland’s freedom.
Brennans have also excelled in the world of invention, and no less so than Louis Brennan, born in 1852 in Castlebar, Ireland, and who later immigrated to Australia and went on to invent the Brennan Torpedo, the world’s first guided missile.
On a musical note, ‘Brennan’ is the family name of Clannad, the internationally renowned group from Co. Donegal composed of siblings Máire Brennan, Ciarán Brennan, and Pól Brennan and musicians Noel and Pádraig Duggan, while one of the Brennan sisters is the multi-talented composer, instrumentalist, singer, and producer Enya.
The stirring and colourful tale of the Brennans is recounted here.
Brennan Clan Mini-Book Excerpt
Brennans have excelled in the world of invention, and no less so than Louis Brennan, born in 1852 in Castlebar, Ireland, and who later immigrated to Australia.
He was the inventor of the Brennan Torpedo, the world’s first guided missile that, patented by the inventor in 1877, was taken up by the British government to protect the nation’s coastal defences.
His fertile brain also produced a gyroscopically balanced monorail system for military use, in addition to pioneering work on what would later become the helicopter.
Created a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1892, his genius was extinguished forty years later after he was killed in a road accident.
