Brazil, also known as Hy-Brazil or several other variants, is a phantom island which features in many Irish myths. It was said to be cloaked in mist, except for one day each seven years, when it became visible but could still not be reached. It probably has similar roots to St Brendan's Island. Another basis may be Helluland (probably Labrador), discovered by the Vikings. The names Brazil and Hy-Brazil are thought to come from the Irish Ui Breasail (meaning "descendants (i.e., clan) of Breasal"), one of the ancient clans of northeastern Ireland. Phantom islands are islands that are believed to exist and appear on maps for a period of time (sometimes centuries), and then are removed after they are proven not to exist (or the general population stops believing that they exist). ... The mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branches of Celtic mythology. ... Dramatic morning mist Mist is a phenomenon of a liquid in small droplets floating through air. ... Situated somewhere west of Europe, St. ... Helluland is the name given to one of the three lands discovered by Leif Eriksson sometime around 1000 CE on the North Atlantic coast of North America. ... Labrador (also Coast of Labrador) is a region of Atlantic Canada. ... The name Viking is a loan from the native Scandinavian term for the Norse seafaring warriors who raided the coasts of Scandinavia, Europe and the British Isles from the late 8th century to the 11th century, the period of European history referred to as the Viking Age. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Searches for the island

Despite the myths surrounding it, belief in the island was so strong that several expeditions left to search for it in the late fifteenth century, the last led by John Cabot. Some claimed to have seen the island, or even landed on it, the last supposed sighting being in 1872. Roderick O’Flaherty in A Chorographical Description of West or H-Iar Connaught (1684) tells us "There is now living, Morogh O'Ley, who immagins he was himself personally on O'Brasil for two days, and saw out of it the iles of Aran, Golamhead, Irrosbeghill, and other places of the west continent he was acquainted with." (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... Giovanni Caboto (c. ... Year 1872 (MDCCCLXXII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

On maps, the island was shown as being circular, soon with a central strait or river running east-west across its diameter. Despite the failure of attempts to find it, it appeared regularly on maps lying south west of Galway Bay from 1325 until 1865, by which time it was called Brazil Rock. A circular may be: the adjective form of circle an advertisement which is circulated a Pastoral letter, Encyclic, or Papal bull that is circulated between churches a circular argument is a term for a type of logical fallacy where the very thing that is trying to be proved is assumed... Simplified diagram A strait is a narrow channel of water that connects two larger bodies of water, and thus lies between two land masses. ... This bridge across the Danube River links Hungary with Slovakia. ... Galway Bay (Irish: Loch Lurgain or Cuan na Gaillimhe) is a large bay on the west coast of Ireland, between County Galway in the province of Connacht to the north and the district of Burren in County Clare in the province of Munster to the south. ... Events January 7:Alfonso IV becomes the King of Portugal. ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ...

Some historians claim^{[citation needed]} that the navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral thought that he had reached this island in 1500, thus naming the country of Brazil. However, Cabral didn't choose the name 'Brazil'. The country was at first named Ilha de Vera Cruz (Island of the True Cross), later Terra de Santa Cruz (Land of the Holy Cross) and still later 'Brazil'. The generally accepted theory states that it was renamed for the brazilwood, which has an extreme red color (so "brasil" derivated from "brasa": burning coal/wood), a plant very valuable in Portuguese commerce and abundant in the new-found land. Pedro Álvares Cabral. ... 1500 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Royal flag of the Kingdom of Portugal (1500-1521) Ilha de Vera Cruz, (Portuguese for Island of the True Cross), was the first name given by the Portuguese navigators under D. Pedro Álvares Cabral, who first officially touched land in South America, on April 21st, 1500, in what later become... Royal flag of the Kingdom of Portugal (1521-1616) Terra de Santa Cruz (Portuguese for Land of the Holy Cross) was the name which was given to the Portuguese colonies in South America that were at the origin of Brazil, after its discovery by D. Pedro Alvares Cabral fleet in... Brazilwood is a common name for several trees of the family Leguminosae (Pulse family) whose wood yields a red dye called brazilein. ... Trunks A tree trunk as found at the Veluwe, The Netherlands Wood is a solid material derived from woody plants, notably trees but also shrubs. ...

The island has also been identified with Terceira in the Azores, which was at one time named Brazil, while another phantom island sometimes known as Brazil was the Isle of Mam. Terceira Island (pron. ... Motto (Portuguese for Rather die free than in peace subjugated) Anthem  (national)  (local) Capital Ponta Delgada1 Angra do Heroísmo2 Horta3 Largest city Ponta Delgada Official languages Portuguese Government Autonomous region  -  President Carlos César Establishment  -  Settled 1439   -  Autonomy 1976  Area  -  Total 2,333 km² (n/a) 911 sq mi... The Isle of Mam was a phantom island, said to lie some distance west of the English Channel, approximately where the Great Sole Bank can be found. ...

In popular culture

The characters of the movie Erik the Viking visit the island (spelled Hy-Brasil in the film's literature) during their quest to find Valhalla and end Ragnarok. Erik the Viking is a 1989 film written and directed by Terry Jones, who also makes an appearance in it. ... “Valhall” redirects here. ... Look up Ragnarok in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Jack Vance's Lyonesse Trilogy of fantasy novels is set in the mythical Elder Isles a generation or two before the birth of King Arthur. Situated southwest of Cornwall and west of Brittany, the Elder Isles consist of a large island called Hybras, "the Hy-Brasil of ancient Irish legend," surrounded by numerous smaller islands of various sizes. John Holbrook Vance (born August 28, 1916 in San Francisco, California) is generally described as an American fantasy and science fiction author, though Vance himself has reportedly objected to such labels. ... The Lyonesse Trilogy of fantasy novels by Jack Vance consists of three novels of approximately 350 pages each. ...

Hy-Brasil is the title of the 2002 novel by Scottish writer Margaret Elphinstone. She creates an island-nation somewhere between Newfoundland and Ireland as a thought-experiment. Brazil, also known as Hy-Brazil or several other variants, is a phantom island which features in many Irish Celtic myths. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ...

Hy Brasil is featured in the Promethea books by Alan Moore. Promethea is a comic book series created by Alan Moore and J.H. Williams III with Mick Gray, published by Americas Best Comics/Wildstorm. ... Alan Moore (born November 18, 1953, in Northampton) is an English writer most famous for his influential work in comics, including the acclaimed graphic novels Watchmen, V for Vendetta and From Hell. ...

A location in the online game Dragon Court is named Hie-Brasil.

In the Thessaliad (a spin-off of the more popular Sandman comics written by Bill Willingham) a Fetch, or a supernatural bounty hunter, disguised as a taxi driver had his claim to fame by hunting down all thirty-nine forgotten gods of Hy Brasil.

Hybrasil is the name of a Indie band from County Wicklow, Ireland. Hybrasil is a band from County Wicklow, Ireland. ... Statistics Province: Leinster County Town: Wicklow Code: WW Area: 2,024 km² Population (2007) 114,676 Website: www. ...