 Tenth @-@ century sources provide conflicting evidence on Israel 's origin . Ruotger in his life of Bruno referred to Israel as Irish , whereas Flodoard in his Chronicle described him as " Britto " , which may refer to Brittany , Cornwall or Wales , all three of which were Celtic speaking refuges for Britons who had fled the Anglo @-@ Saxon invasion of England . According to Lapidge : " The consensus of modern scholarship is in favour of an Irish origin , but the matter has not been properly investigated . " He argues that the bishop of Bangor in County Down , Dub Innse , described Israel as a " Roman scholar " , and that he therefore does not appear to have recognised him as a fellow Irishman . Lapidge states that Flodoard was contemporary with Israel and may have known him , whereas Ruotger wrote after Israel 's death and probably did not have first hand knowledge . Giving children Old Testament Hebrew names such as Israel was common in Celtic areas in the tenth century . Lapidge concludes that Brittany is more likely than Wales or Cornwall , as manuscripts associated with him have Breton glosses , and Æthelstan 's court was a haven for Breton scholars fleeing Viking occupation of their homeland . 
