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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/823-h.zip b/823-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0a00277 --- /dev/null +++ b/823-h.zip diff --git a/823-h/823-h.htm b/823-h/823-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e1fa8b8 --- /dev/null +++ b/823-h/823-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1969 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + Life of St. Declan Of Ardmore, by Rev. P. Power + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +Project Gutenberg's The Life of St. Declan of Ardmore, by Anonymous + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Life of St. Declan of Ardmore + +Author: Anonymous + +Translator: P. Power + +Release Date: August 5, 2008 [EBook #823] +Last Updated: January 15, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LIFE OF ST. DECLAN OF ARDMORE *** + + + + +Produced by Dennis McCarthy, and David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h1> + LIFE OF ST. DECLAN OF ARDMORE + </h1> + <h3> + (Edited from MS. in Bibliotheque Royale, Brussels). + </h3> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h2> + Translated from the Irish With Introduction <br /> by Rev. P. Power, + M.R.I.A. + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h3> + University College, Cork. + </h3> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h2> + Contents + </h2> + <table summary="" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto"> + <tr> + <td> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_INTR"> INTRODUCTION </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0002"> LIFE OF ST. DECLAN </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0003"> NOTE </a> + </p> + </td> + </tr> + </table> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_INTR" id="link2H_INTR"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + INTRODUCTION + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "If thou hast the right, O Erin, + to a champion of battle to aid thee + thou hast the head of a hundred + thousand, Declan of Ardmore" + (Martyrology of Oengus). +</pre> + <p> + Five miles or less to the east of Youghal Harbour, on the southern Irish + coast, a short, rocky and rather elevated promontory juts, with a + south-easterly trend, into the ocean [about 51 deg. 57 min. N / 7 deg. 43 + min. W]. Maps and admiralty charts call it Ram Head, but the real name is + Ceann-a-Rama and popularly it is often styled Ardmore Head. The material + of this inhospitable coast is a hard metamorphic schist which bids + defiance to time and weather. Landwards the shore curves in clay cliffs to + the north-east, leaving, between it and the iron headland beyond, a + shallow exposed bay wherein many a proud ship has met her doom. Nestling + at the north side of the headland and sheltered by the latter from + Atlantic storms stands one of the most remarkable groups of ancient + ecclesiastical remains in Ireland—all that has survived of St. + Declan's holy city of Ardmore. This embraces a beautiful and perfect round + tower, a singularly interesting ruined church commonly called the + cathedral, the ruins of a second church beside a holy well, a primitive + oratory, a couple of ogham inscribed pillar stones, &c., &c. + </p> + <p> + No Irish saint perhaps has so strong a local hold as Declan or has left so + abiding a popular memory. Nevertheless his period is one of the great + disputed questions of early Irish history. According to the express + testimony of his Life, corroborated by testimony of the Lives of SS. + Ailbhe and Ciaran, he preceded St. Patrick in the Irish mission and was a + co-temporary of the national apostle. Objection, exception or opposition + to the theory of Declan's early period is based less on any inherent + improbability in the theory itself than on contradictions and + inconsistencies in the Life. Beyond any doubt the Life does actually + contradict itself; it makes Declan a cotemporary of Patrick in the fifth + century and a cotemporary likewise of St. David a century later. In any + attempted solution of the difficulty involved it may be helpful to + remember a special motive likely to animate a tribal histrographer, scil.:—the + family relationship, if we may so call it, of the two saints; David was + bishop of the Deisi colony in Wales as Declan was bishop of their kinsmen + of southern Ireland. It was very probably part of the writer's purpose to + call attention to the links of kindred which bound the separated Deisi; + witness his allusion later to the alleged visit of Declan to his kinsmen + of Bregia. Possibly there were several Declans, as there were scores of + Colmans, Finians, &c., and hence perhaps the confusion and some of the + apparent inconsistencies. There was certainly a second Declan, a disciple + of St. Virgilius, to whom the latter committed care of a church in Austria + where he died towards close of eighth century. Again we find mention of a + St. Declan who was a foster son of Mogue of Ferns, and so on. It is too + much, as Delehaye ("Legendes Hagiographiques") remarks, to expect the + populace to distinguish between namesakes. Great men are so rare! Is it + likely there should have lived two saints of the same name in the same + country! + </p> + <p> + The latest commentators on the question of St. Declan's period—and + they happen to be amongst the most weighty—argue strongly in favour + of the pre-Patrician mission (Cfr. Prof. Kuno Meyer, "Learning Ireland in + the Fifth Century"). Discussing the way in which letters first reached our + distant island of the west and the causes which led to the proficiency of + sixth-century Ireland in classical learning Zimmer and Meyer contend that + the seeds of that literary culture, which flourished in Ireland of the + sixth century, had been sown therein in the first and second decades of + the preceding century by Gaulish scholars who had fled from their own + country owing to invasion of the latter by Goths and other barbarians. The + fact that these scholars, who were mostly Christians, sought asylum in + Ireland indicates that Christianity had already penetrated thither, or at + any rate that it was known and tolerated there. Dr. Meyer answers the + objection that if so large and so important an invasion of scholars took + place we ought have some reference to the fact in the Irish annals. The + annals, he replies, are of local origin and they rarely refer in their + oldest parts to national events: moreover they are very meagre in their + information about the fifth century. One Irish reference to the Gaulish + scholars is, however, adduced in corroboration; it occurs in that well + known passage in St. Patrick's "Confessio" where the saint cries out + against certain "rhetoricians" in Ireland who were hostile to him and + pagan,—"You rhetoricians who do not know the Lord, hear and search + Who it was that called me up, fool though I be, from the midst of those + who think themselves wise and skilled in the law and mighty orators and + powerful in everything." Who were these "rhetorici" that have made this + passage so difficult for commentators and have caused so various + constructions to be put upon it? It is clear, the professor maintains, + that the reference is to pagan rhetors from Gaul whose arrogant + presumption, founded on their learning, made them regard with disdain the + comparatively illiterate apostle of the Scots. Everyone is familiar with + the classic passage of Tacitus wherein he alludes to the harbours of + Ireland as being more familiar to continental mariners than those of + Britain. We have references moreover to refugee Christians who fled to + Ireland from the persecutions of Diocletian more than a century before St. + Patrick's day; in addition it is abundantly evident that many Irishmen—Christians + like Celestius the lieutenant of Pelagius, and possibly Pelagius himself, + amongst them—had risen to distinction or notoriety abroad before + middle of the fifth century. + </p> + <p> + Possibly the best way to present the question of Declan's age is to put in + tabulated form the arguments of the pre-Patrician advocates against the + counter contentions of those who claim that Declan's period is later than + Patrick's:— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + For the Pre-Patrician Mission. Against Theory of Early + Fifth Century period. + + I.—Positive statement of Life, I.—Contradictions, anachronisms, + corroborated by Lives of SS. &c., of Life. + Ciaran and Ailbhe. II.—Lack of allusion to Declan in + II.—Patrick's apparent avoidance the Lives of St. Patrick. + of the Principality of Decies. III.—Prosper's testimony to the + III.—The peculiar Declan cult and mission of Palladius as first + the strong local hold which bishop to the believing Scots. + Declan has maintained. IV.—Alleged motives for later + invention of Pre-Patrician story. +</pre> + <p> + In this matter and at this hour it is hardly worth appealing to the + authority of Lanigan and the scholars of the past. Much evidence not + available in Lanigan's day is now at the service of scholars. We are to + look rather at the reasoning of Colgan, Ussher, and Lanigan than to the + mere weight of their names. + </p> + <p> + Referring in order to our tabulated grounds of argument, pro and con, and + taking the pro arguments first, we may (I.) discard as evidence for our + purpose the Life of St. Ibar which is very fragmentary and otherwise a + rather unsatisfactory document. The Lives of Ailbhe, Ciaran, and Declan + are however mutually corroborative and consistent. The Roman visit and the + alleged tutelage under Hilarius are probably embellishments; they look + like inventions to explain something and they may contain more than a + kernel of truth. At any rate they are matters requiring further + investigation and elucidation. In this connection it may be useful to + recall that the Life (Latin) of St. Ciaran has been attributed by Colgan + to Evinus the disciple and panegyrist of St. Patrick. + </p> + <p> + Patrick's apparent neglect of the Decies (II.) may have no special + significance. At best it is but negative evidence: taken, however, in + connection with (I.) and its consectaria it is suggestive. We can hardly + help speculating why the apostle—passing as it were by its front + door—should have given the go-bye to a region so important as the + Munster Decies. Perhaps he sent preachers into it; perhaps there was no + special necessity for a formal mission, as the faith had already found + entrance. It is a little noteworthy too that we do not find St. Patrick's + name surviving in any ecclesiastical connection with the Decies, if we + except Patrick's Well, near Clonmel, and this Well is within a mile or so + of the territorial frontier. Moreover the southern portion of the present + Tipperary County had been ceded by Aengus to the Deisi, only just previous + to Patrick's advent, and had hardly yet had sufficient time to become + absorbed. The whole story of Declan's alleged relations with Patrick + undoubtedly suggests some irregularity in Declan's mission—an + irregularity which was capable of rectification through Patrick and which + de facto was finally so rectified. + </p> + <p> + (III.) No one in Eastern Munster requires to be told how strong is the + cult of St. Declan throughout Decies and the adjacent territory. It is + hardly too much to say that the Declan tradition in Waterford and Cork is + a spiritual actuality, extraordinary and unique, even in a land which till + recently paid special popular honour to its local saints. In traditional + popular regard Declan in the Decies has ever stood first, foremost, and + pioneer. Carthage, founder of the tribal see, has held and holds in the + imagination of the people only a secondary place. Declan, whencesoever or + whenever he came, is regarded as the spiritual father to whom the Deisi + owe the gift of faith. How far this tradition and the implied belief in + Declan's priority and independent mission are derived from circulation of + the "Life" throughout Munster in the last few centuries it is difficult to + gauge, but the tradition seems to have flourished as vigorously in the + days of Colgan as it does to-day. Declan's "pattern" at Ardmore continues + to be still the most noted celebration of its kind in Ireland. A few years + ago it was participated in by as many as fourteen thousand people from all + parts of Waterford, Cork, and Tipperary. The scenes and ceremonies have + been so frequently described that it is not necessary to recount them here—suffice + it to say that the devotional practices and, in fact, the whole + celebration is of a purely popular character receiving no approbation, and + but bare toleration, from church or clergy. Even to the present day + Declan's name is borne as their praenomen by hundreds of Waterford men, + and, before introduction of the modern practice of christening with + foolish foreign names, its use was far more common, as the ancient + baptismal registers of Ardmore, Old Parish, and Clashmore attest. On the + other hand Declan's name is associated with comparatively few places in + the Decies. Of these the best known is Relig Deaglain, a disused graveyard + and early church site on the townland of Drumroe, near Cappoquin. There + was also an ancient church called Killdeglain, near Stradbally. + </p> + <p> + Against the theory of the pre-Patrician or citra-Patrician mission we have + first the objection, which really has no weight, and which we shall not + stop to discuss, that it is impossible for Christianity at that early date + to have found its way to this distant island, beyond the boundary of the + world. An argument on a different plane is (I.), the undoubtedly + contradictory and inconsistent character of the Life. It is easy however + to exaggerate the importance of this point. Modern critical methods were + undreamed of in the days of our hagiographer, who wrote, moreover, for + edification only in a credulous age. Most of the historical documents of + the period are in a greater or less degree uncritical but that does not + discredit their testimony however much it may confuse their editors. It + can be urged moreover that two mutually incompatible genealogies of the + saint are given. The genealogy given by MacFirbisigh seems in fact to + disagree in almost every possible detail with the genealogy in 23 M. 50 + R.I.A. That however is like an argument that Declan never existed. It + really suggests and almost postulates the existence of a second Declan + whose Acts and those of our Declan have become mutually confused. + </p> + <p> + (II.) Absence of Declan's name from the Acts of Patrick is a negative + argument. It is explicable perhaps by the supposed irregularity of + Declan's preaching. Declan was certainly earlier than Mochuda and yet + there is no reference to him in the Life of the latter saint. Ailbhe + however is referred to in the Tripartite Life of Patrick and the cases of + Ailbhe and Declan are "a pari"; the two saints stand or fall together. + </p> + <p> + (IV.) Motives for invention of the pre-Patrician myth are alleged, scil.:—to + rebut certain claims to jurisdiction, tribute or visitation advanced by + Armagh in after ages. It is hard to see however how resistance to the + claims in question could be better justified on the theory of a + pre-Patrician Declan, who admittedly acknowledged Patrick's supremacy, + than on the admission of a post-Patrician mission. + </p> + <p> + That in Declan we have to deal with a very early Christian teacher of the + Decies there can be no doubt. If not anterior to Patrick he must have been + the latter's cotemporary. Declan however had failed to convert the + chieftain of his race and for this—reading between the lines of the + "Life"—we seem to hear Patrick blaming him. + </p> + <p> + The monuments proper of Declan remaining at Ardmore are (a) his ORATORY + near the Cathedral and Round Tower in the graveyard, (b) his STONE on the + beach, (c) his WELL on the cliff, and (d) ANOTHER STONE said to have been + found in his tomb and preserved at Ardmore for long ages with great + reveration. The "Life" refers moreover to the saint's pastoral staff and + his bell but these have disappeared for centuries. + </p> + <p> + The "Oratory" is simply a primitive church of the usual sixth century + type: it stands 13' 4" x 8' 9" in the clear, and has, or had, the usual + high-pitched gables and square-headed west doorway with inclining jambs. + Another characteristic feature of the early oratory is seen in the curious + antae or prolongation of the side walls. Locally the little building is + known as the "beannacan," in allusion, most likely, to its high gables or + the finials which once, no doubt, in Irish fashion, adorned its roof. + Though somewhat later than Declan's time this primitive building is very + intimately connected with the Saint. Popularly it is supposed to be his + grave and within it is a hollow space scooped out, wherein it is said his + ashes once reposed. It is highly probable that tradition is quite correct + as to the saint's grave, over which the little church was erected in the + century following Declan's death. The oratory was furnished with a roof of + slate by Bishop Mills in 1716. + </p> + <p> + "St. Declan's Stone" is a glacial boulder of very hard conglomerate which + lies on a rocky ledge of beach beneath the village of Ardmore. It measures + some 8' 6" x 4' 6" x 4' 0" and reposes upon two slightly jutting points of + the underlying metamorphic rock. Wonderful virtues are attributed to St. + Declan's Stone, which, on the occasion of the patronal feast, is visited + by hundreds of devotees who, to participate in its healing efficacy and + beneficence, crawl laboriously on face and hands through the narrow space + between the boulder and the underlying rock. Near by, at foot of a new + storm-wall, are two similar but somewhat smaller boulders which, like + their venerated and more famous neighbour, were all wrenched originally by + a glacier from their home in the Comeragh Mountains twenty miles away. + </p> + <p> + "St. Declan's Well," beside some remains of a rather large and apparently + twelfth century church on the cliff, in the townland of Dysert is diverted + into a shallow basin in which pilgrims bathe feet and hands. Set in some + comparatively modern masonry over the well are a carved crucifixion and + other figures of apparently late mediaeval character. Some malicious + interference with this well led, nearly a hundred years since, to much + popular indignation and excitement. + </p> + <p> + The second "St. Declan's Stone" was a small, cross-inscribed jet-black + piece of slate or marble, approximately—2" or 3" x 1 1/2". Formerly + it seems to have had a small silver cross inset and was in great demand + locally as an amulet for cattle curing. It disappeared however, some fifty + years or so since, but very probably it could still be recovered in + Dungarvan. + </p> + <p> + Far the most striking of all the monuments at Ardmore is, of course, the + Round Tower which, in an excellent state of preservation, stands with its + conical cap of stone nearly a hundred feet high. Two remarkable, if not + unique, features of the tower are the series of sculptured corbels which + project between the floors on the inside, and the four projecting belts or + zones of masonry which divide the tower into storeys externally. The + tower's architectural anomalies are paralleled by its history which is + correspondingly unique: it stood a regular siege in 1642, when ordnance + was brought to bear on it and it was defended by forty confederates + against the English under Lords Dungarvan and Broghil. + </p> + <p> + A few yards to north of the Round Tower stands "The Cathedral" + illustrating almost every phase of ecclesiastical architecture which + flourished in Ireland from St. Patrick to the Reformation—Cyclopean, + Celtic-Romanesque, Transitional and Pointed. The chancel arch is possibly + the most remarkable and beautiful illustration of the Transitional that we + have. An extraordinary feature of the church is the wonderful series of + Celtic arcades and panels filled with archaic sculptures in relief which + occupy the whole external face of the west gable. + </p> + <p> + St. Declan's foundation at Ardmore seems (teste Moran's Archdall) to have + been one of the Irish religious houses which accepted the reform of Pope + Innocent at the Lateran Council and to have transformed itself into a + Regular Canonry. It would however be possible to hold, on the evidence, + that it degenerated into a mere parochial church. We hear indeed of two or + three episcopal successors of the saint, scil.:—Ultan who + immediately followed him, Eugene who witnessed a charter to the abbey of + Cork in 1174, and Moelettrim O Duibhe-rathre who died in 1303 after he + had, according to the annals of Inisfallen, "erected and finished the + Church" of Ardmore. The "Wars of the Gaedhil and Gall" have reference, + circa 824 or 825, to plunder by the Northmen of Disert Tipraite which is + almost certainly the church of Dysert by the Holy Well at Ardmore. The + same fleet, on the same expedition, plundered Dunderrow (near Kinsale), + Inisshannon (Bandon River), Lismore, and Kilmolash. + </p> + <p> + Regarding the age of our "Life" it is difficult with the data at hand to + say anything very definite. While dogmatism however is dangerous + indefiniteness is unsatisfying. True, we cannot trace the genealogy of the + present version beyond middle of the sixteenth century, but its references + to ancient monuments existing at date of its compilation show it to be + many centuries older. Its language proves little or nothing, for, being a + popular work, it would be modernised to date by each successive scribe. + Colgan was of opinion it was a composition of the eighth century. Ussher + and Ware, who had the Life in very ancient codices, also thought it of + great antiquity. Papebrach, the Bollandist, on the other hand, considered + the Life could not be older than the twelfth century, but this opinion of + his seems to have been based on a misapprehension. In the absence of all + diocesan colour or allusion one feels constrained to assign the production + to some period previous to Rathbreasail. We should not perhaps be far + wrong in assigning the first collection of materials to somewhere in the + eighth century or in the century succeeding. The very vigorous + ecclesiastical revival of the eleventh century, at conclusion of the + Danish wars, must have led to some revision of the country's religious + literature. The introduction, a century and-a-half later, of the great + religious orders most probably led to translation of the Life into Latin + and its casting into shape for reading in refectory or choir. + </p> + <p> + Only three surviving copies of the Irish Life are known to the writer: one + in the Royal Library at Brussels, the second in the Royal Irish Academy + Collection (M. 23, 50, pp. 109-120), and the third in possession of + Professor Hyde. As the second and third enumerated are copies of one + imperfect exemplar it has not been thought necessary to collate both with + the Brussels MS. which has furnished the text here printed. M. 23, 50 + (R.I.A.) has however been so collated and the marginal references + initialled B are to that imperfect copy. The latter, by the way, is in the + handwriting of John Murphy "na Raheenach," and is dated 1740. It has not + been thought necessary to give more than the important variants. + </p> + <p> + The present text is a reproduction of the Brussels MS. plus lengthening of + contractions. As regards lengthening in question it is to be noted that + the well known contraction for "ea" or "e" has been uniformly + transliterated "e." Otherwise orthography of the MS. has been scrupulously + followed—even where inconsistent or incorrect. For the division into + paragraphs the editor is not responsible; he has merely followed the + division originated, or adopted, by the scribe. The Life herewith + presented was copied in 1629 by Brother Michael O'Clery of the Four + Masters' staff from an older MS. of Eochy O'Heffernan's dated 1582. The + MS. of O'Heffernan is referred to by our scribe as "seinleabar," but his + reference is rather to the contents than to the copy. Apparently O'Clery + did more than transcribe; he re-edited, as was his wont, into the literary + Irish of his day. A page of the Brussels MS., reproduced in facsimile as a + frontispiece to the present volume, will give the student a good idea of + O'Clery's script and style. + </p> + <p> + Occasional notes on Declan in the martyrologies and elsewhere give some + further information about our saint. Unfortunately however the alleged + facts are not always capable of reconciliation with statements of our + "Life," and again the existence of a second, otherwise unknown, Declan is + suggested. The introduction of rye is attributed to him in the Calendar of + Oengus, as introduction of wheat is credited to St. Finan Camm, and + introduction of bees to St. Modomnoc,—"It was the full of his shoe + that Declan brought, the full of his shoe likewise Finan, but the full of + his bell Modomnoc" (Cal. Oeng., April 7th). More puzzling is the note in + the same Calendar which makes Declan a foster son of Mogue of Ferns! This + entry illustrates the way in which errors originate. A former scribe + inadvertently copied in, after Declan's name, portion of the entry + immediately following which relates to Colman Hua Liathain. Successive + scribes re-copied the error without discovering it and so it became + stereotyped. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + LIFE OF ST. DECLAN + </h2> + <h3> + or "BETHA DECCLAIN" + </h3> + <p> + 1. The most blessed Bishop Declan of the most noble race of the kings of + Ireland, i.e., the holy bishop who is called Declan was of the most noble + royal family of Ireland—a family which held the sceptre and exacted + tribute from all Ireland at Tara for ages. Declan was by birth of noble + blood as will appear from his origin and genealogy, for it was from + Eochaidh Feidhleach, the powerful Ardrigh of Ireland for twelve years, + that he sprang. Eochaidh aforesaid, had three sons, scil.:—Breas, + Nar, and Lothola, who are called the three Finneavna; there reigned one + hundred and seven kings of their race and kindred before and after them, + i.e. of the race of Eremon, king of Ireland,—before the introduction + of Christianity and since. These three youths lay one day with their own + sister Clothra, daughter of the same father, and she conceived of them. + The son she brought forth as a consequence of that intercourse was marked + by three red wavy lines which indicated his descent from the three youths + aforesaid. He was named Lugaidh Sriabhdearg from the three lines + [sriabaib] in question, and he was beautiful to behold and of greater + bodily strength in infancy than is usual with children of his age. He + commenced his reign as king of Ireland the year in which Caius Caesar + [Caligula] died and he reigned for twenty-six years. His son was named + Criomthan Nianair who reigned but sixteen years. Criomthan's son was named + Fearadach Finnfechtnach whose son was Fiacha Finnolaidh whose son again + was Tuathal Teachtmhar. This Tuathal had a son Felimidh Reachtmhar who had + in turn three sons—Conn Ceadcathach, Eochaidh Finn, and Fiacha + Suighde. Conn was king of Ireland for twenty years and the productiveness + of crops and soil and of dairies in the time of Conn are worthy of + commemoration and of fame to the end of time. Conn was killed in Magh + Cobha by the Ulstermen, scil.:—by Tiopruid Tireach and it is + principally his seed which has held the kingship of Ireland ever since. + Eochaidh Finn was second son to Felimidh Reachtmhar and he migrated to the + latter's province of Leinster, and it is in that province his race and + progeny have remained since then. They are called Leinstermen, and there + are many chieftains and powerful persons of them in Leinster. Fiacha + Suighde moreover, although he died before he succeeded to the chief + sovereignty, possessed land around Tara. He left three sons—Ross, + Oengus, and Eoghan who were renowned for martial deeds—valiant and + heroic in battle and in conflict. Of the three, Oengus excelled in all + gallant deeds so that he came to be styled Oengus of the poisonous + javelin. Cormac Mac Art Mac Conn it was who reigned in Ireland at this + time. Cormac had a son named Ceallach who took by force the daughter of + Eoghan Mac Fiacha Suighde to dwell with him, i.e. Credhe the daughter of + Eoghan. When Oengus Gaebuaibhtheach ("of the poisonous javelin") heard + this, viz., that the daughter of his brother had been abducted by Ceallach + he was roused to fury and he followed Ceallach to Tara taking with him his + foster child, scil.:—Corc Duibhne, the son of Cairbre, son of + Conaire, son of Mogha Lamha whom Cormac held as a hostage from the + Munstermen, and whom he had given for safe custody to Oengus. When Oengus + reached Tara he beheld Ceallach sitting behind Cormac. He thrust his spear + at Ceallach and pierced him through from front to back. However as he was + withdrawing the spear the handle struck Cormac's eye and knocked it out + and then, striking the steward, killed him. He himself (Oengus) with his + foster child escaped safely. After a time Cormac, grieving for the loss of + his son, his eye and his steward at the hands of Oengus of the poisonous + javelin and of his kinsmen, ordered their expulsion from their tribal + territory, i.e. from the Decies of Tara, and not alone from these, but + from whole northern half of Ireland. However, seven battles were fought in + which tremendous loss was inflicted on Cormac and his followers before + Oengus and his people, i.e. the three sons of Fiacha Suighde, namely, Ross + and Oengus and Eoghan, as we have already said, were eventually defeated, + and obliged to fly the country and to suffer exile. Consequent on their + banishment as above by the king of Ireland they sought hospitality from + the king of Munster, Oilill Olum, because Sadhbh, daughter of Conn + Ceadcathach was his wife. They got land from him, scil.: the Decies of + Munster, and it is to that race, i.e. the race of Eoghan Mac Fiacha + Suighde that the kings and country of the Decies belong ever since. + </p> + <p> + 2. Of this same race of Eoghan was the holy bishop Declan of whom I shall + speak later scil.: Declan son of Eirc, son of Trein, son of Lughaidh, son + of Miaich, son of Brian, son of Eoghan, son of Art Corp, son of Moscorb, + son of Mesgeadra, son of Measfore, son of Cuana Cainbhreathaigh, son of + Conaire Cathbuadhaigh, son of Cairbre, son of Eoghan, son of Fiacha + Suighde, son of Felimidh Reachtmhar, son of Tuathal Teachtmhar. The father + of Declan was therefore Erc Mac Trein. He and his wife Deithin went on a + visit to the house of his kinsman Dobhran about the time that Declan's + birth was due. The child she bore was Declan, whom she brought forth + without sickness, pain or difficulty but in being lifted up afterwards he + struck his head against a great stone. Let it be mentioned that Declan + showed proofs of sanctification and power of miracle-working in his + mother's womb, as the prophet writes:—"De vulva sanctificavi te et + prophetam in gentibus dedi te" [Jeremias 1:5] (Before thou camest forth + out of the womb I sanctified thee and made thee a prophet unto the + nations). Thus it is that Declan was sanctified in his mother's womb and + was given by God as a prophet to the pagans for the conversion of + multitudes of them from heathenism and the misery of unbelief to the + worship of Christ and to the Catholic faith, as we shall see later on. The + very soft apex of his head struck against a hard stone, as we have said, + and where the head came in contact with the stone it made therein a hollow + and cavity of its own form and shape, without injury of any kind to him. + Great wonder thereupon seized all who witnessed this, for Ireland was at + this time without the true faith and it was rarely that any one (therein) + had shown heavenly Christian signs. "Declan's Rock" is the name of the + stone with which the Saint's head came into contact. The water or rain + which falls into the before-mentioned cavity (the place of Declan's head) + dispels sickness and infirmity, by the grace of God, as proof of Declan's + sanctity. + </p> + <p> + 3. On the night of Declan's birth a wondrous sign was revealed to all, + that is to the people who were in the neighbourhood of the birthplace; + this was a ball of fire which was seen blazing on summit of the house in + which the child lay, until it reached up to heaven and down again, and it + was surrounded by a multitude of angels. It assumed the shape of a ladder + such as the Patriarch, Jacob saw [Genesis 28:12]. The persons who saw and + heard these things wondered at them. They did not know (for the true faith + had not yet been preached to them or in this region) that it was God who + (thus) manifested His wondrous power (works) in the infant, His chosen + child. Upon the foregoing manifestation a certain true Christian, scil.:—Colman, + at that time a priest and afterwards a holy bishop, came, rejoicing + greatly and filled with the spirit of prophecy, to the place where Declan + was; he preached the faith of Christ to the parents and made known to them + that the child was full of the grace of God. He moreover revealed to them + the height of glory and honour to which the infant should attain before + God and men, and it was revealed to him that he (Declan) should spend his + life in sanctity and devotion. Through the grace of God, these, i.e. Erc + and Deithin, believed in God and Colman, and they delivered the child for + baptism to Colman who baptised him thereupon, giving him the name of + Declan. When, in the presence of all, he had administered Baptism, Colman + spoke this prophecy concerning the infant "Truly, beloved child and lord + you will be in heaven and on earth most high and holy, and your good + deeds, fame, and sanctity will fill all (the four quarters of) Ireland and + you will convert your own nation and the Decies from paganism to + Christianity. On that account I bind myself to you by the tie of + brotherhood and I commend myself to your sanctity." + </p> + <p> + 4. Colman thereupon returned to his own abode; he commanded that Declan + should be brought up with due care, that he should be well trained, and be + set to study at the age of seven years if there could be found in his + neighbourhood a competent Christian scholar to undertake his tuition. Even + at the period of his baptism grace and surpassing charity manifested + themselves in the countenance of Declan so that it was understood of all + that great should be the goodness and the spiritual charm of his mature + age. When Dobhran had heard and seen these things concerning his kinsman + Erc he requested the latter and Deithin to give him the child to foster, + and with this request Erc complied. The name of the locality was + "Dobhran's Place" at that time, but since then it has been "Declan's + Place." Dobhran presented the homestead to Declan and removed his own + dwelling thence to another place. In after years, when Declan had become a + bishop, he erected there a celebrated cell in honour of God, and this is + the situation of the cell in question:—In the southern part of the + Decies, on the east side of Magh Sgiath and not far from the city of + Mochuda i.e. Lismore. For the space of seven years Declan was fostered + with great care by Dobhran (his father's brother) and was much loved by + him. God wrought many striking miracles through Declan's instrumentality + during those years. By aid of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him he (Declan)—discreet + Christian man that he was—avoided every fault and every unlawful + desire during that time. + </p> + <p> + 5. On the completion of seven years Declan was taken from his parents and + friends and fosterers to be sent to study as Colman had ordained. It was + to Dioma they sent him, a certain devout man perfect in the faith, who had + come at that time by God's design into Ireland having spent a long period + abroad in acquiring learning. He (Dioma) built in that place a small cell + wherein he might instruct Declan and dwell himself. There was given him + also, to instruct, together with Declan, another child, scil., Cairbre Mac + Colmain, who became afterwards a holy learned bishop. Both these were for + a considerable period pursuing their studies together. + </p> + <p> + 6. There were seven men dwelling in Magh Sgiath, who frequently saw the + fiery globe which it has been already told they first beheld at the time + of Declan's birth. It happened by the Grace of God that they were the + first persons to reveal and describe that lightning. These seven came to + the place where Declan abode and took him for their director and master. + They made known publicly in the presence of all that, later on, he should + be a bishop and they spoke prophetically:—"The day, O beloved child + and servant of God, will come when we shall commit ourselves and our lands + to thee." And it fell out thus (as they foretold), for, upon believing, + they were baptised and became wise, devout (and) attentive and erected + seven churches in honour of God around Magh Sgiath. + </p> + <p> + 7. Declan remained a long time with Dioma, the holy man we have named, and + acquired science and sanctity and diversity of learning and doctrine, and + he was prudent, mild, and capable so that many who knew his nobility of + blood came when they had heard of the fullness of his sanctity and grace. + Moreover they submitted themselves to him and accepted his religious rule. + Declan judged it proper that he should visit Rome to study discipline and + ecclesiastical system, to secure for himself esteem and approbation + thence, and obtain authority to preach to the (Irish) people and to bring + back with him the rules of Rome as these obtained in Rome itself. He set + out with his followers and he tarried not till he arrived in Rome where + they remained some time. + </p> + <p> + 8. At the same period there was a holy bishop, i.e. Ailbe, who had been in + Rome for a number of years before this and was in the household of Pope + Hilary by whom he had been made a bishop. When Declan with his disciples + arrived in Rome Ailbe received him with great affection and gladness and + he bore testimony before the Roman people to his (Declan's) sanctity of + life and nobility of blood. He (Declan) therefore received marks of honour + and sincere affection from the people and clergy of Rome when they came to + understand how worthy he was, for he was comely, of good appearance, + humble in act, sweet in speech, prudent in counsel, frank in conversation, + virtuous in mien, generous in gifts, holy in life and resplendent in + miracles. + </p> + <p> + 9. When Declan had spent a considerable time in Rome he was ordained a + bishop by the Pope, who gave him church-books and rules and orders and + sent him to Ireland that he might preach there. Having bidden farewell to + the Pope and received the latter's blessing Declan commenced his journey + to Ireland. Many Romans followed him to Ireland to perform their + pilgrimage and to spend their lives there under the yoke and rule of + Bishop Declan, and amongst those who accompanied him was Runan, son of the + king of Rome; he was dear to Declan. + </p> + <p> + 10. On the road through Italy Bishop Declan and Patrick met. Patrick was + not a bishop at that time, though he was (made a bishop) subsequently by + Pope Celestinus, who sent him to preach to the Irish. Patrick was truly + chief bishop of the Irish island. They bade farewell to one another and + they made a league and bond of mutual fraternity and kissed in token of + peace. They departed thereupon each on his own journey, scil.:—Declan + to Ireland and Patrick to Rome. + </p> + <p> + 11. Declan was beginning mass one day in a church which lay in his road, + when there was sent him from heaven a little black bell, (which came) in + through the window of the church and remained on the altar before Declan. + Declan greatly rejoiced thereat and gave thanks and glory to Christ on + account of it, and it filled him with much courage to combat the error and + false teaching of heathendom. He gave the bell for safe keeping and + carriage, to Runan aforesaid, i.e. son of the king of Rome, and this is + its name in Ireland—"The Duibhin Declain," and it is from its colour + it derives its name, for its colour is black [dub]. There were manifested, + by grace of God and Declan's merits, many miracles through its agency and + it is still preserved in Declan's church. + </p> + <p> + 12. When Declan and his holy companions arrived at the Sea of Icht + [English Channel] he failed, owing to lack of money, to find a ship, for + he did not have the amount demanded, and every ship was refused him on + that account. He therefore struck his bell and prayed to God for help in + this extremity. In a short time after this they saw coming towards them on + the crest of the waves an empty, sailless ship and no man therein. + Thereupon Declan said:—"Let us enter the ship in the name of Christ, + and He who has sent it to us will direct it skilfully to what harbour + soever He wishes we should go." At the word of Declan they entered in, and + the ship floated tranquilly and safely until it reached harbour in + England. Upon its abandonment by Declan and his disciples the ship turned + back and went again to the place from which it had come and the people who + saw the miracles and heard of them magnified the name of the Lord and + Declan, and the words of the prophet David were verified:—"Mirabilis + Deus in Sanctis Suis [Psalm 67(68):36] (God is wonderful in His Saints)." + </p> + <p> + 13. After this Declan came to Ireland. Declan was wise like a serpent and + gentle like a dove and industrious like the bee, for as the bee gathers + honey and avoids the poisonous herbs so did Declan, for he gathered the + sweet sap of grace and Holy Scripture till he was filled therewith. There + were in Ireland before Patrick came thither four holy bishops with their + followers who evangelized and sowed the word of God there; these are the + four:—Ailbe, Bishop Ibar, Declan, and Ciaran. They drew multitudes + from error to the faith of Christ, although it was Patrick who sowed the + faith throughout Ireland and it is he who turned chiefs and kings of + Ireland to the way of baptism, faith and sacrifice and everlasting + judgment. + </p> + <p> + 14. These three, scil.:—Declan, Ailbe and Bishop Ibar made a bond of + friendship and a league amongst themselves and their spiritual posterity + in heaven and on earth for ever and they loved one another. SS. Ailbe and + Declan, especially, loved one another as if they were brothers so that, on + account of their mutual affection they did not like to be separated from + one another—except when their followers threatened to separate them + by force if they did not go apart for a very short time. After this Declan + returned to his own country—to the Decies of Munster—where he + preached, and baptized, in the name of Christ, many whom he turned to the + Catholic faith from the power of the devil. He built numerous churches in + which he placed many of his own followers to serve and worship God and to + draw people to God from the wiles of Satan. + </p> + <p> + 15. Once on a time Declan came on a visit to the place of his birth, where + he remained forty days there and established a religious house in which + devout men have dwelt ever since. Then came the seven men we have already + mentioned as having made their abode around Magh Sgiath and as having + prophesied concerning Declan. They now dedicated themselves and their + establishment to him as they had promised and these are their names:—Mocellac + and Riadan, Colman, Lactain, Finnlaoc, Kevin, &c. [Mobi]. These + therefore were under the rule and spiritual sway of bishop Declan + thenceforward, and they spent their lives devoutly there and wrought many + wonders afterwards. + </p> + <p> + 16. After some time Declan set out to visit Aongus MacNatfrich, king of + Cashel, to preach to him and to convert him to the faith of Christ. Declan + however had two uterine brothers, sons of Aongus, scil.: Colman and + Eoghan. The grace of the Holy Ghost inspiring him Colman went to Ailbe of + Emly and received baptism and the religious habit at the latter's hands, + and he remained for a space sedulously studying science until he became a + saintly and perfect man. Eochaid however remained as he was (at home)—expecting + the kingdom of Munster on his father's death, and he besought his father + to show due honour to his brother Declan. The king did so and put no + obstacle in the way of Declan's preaching but was pleased with Declan's + religion and doctrine, although he neither believed nor accepted baptism + himself. It is said that refusal (of baptism) was based on this ground: + Declan was of the Decies and of Conn's Half, while Aongus himself was of + the Eoghanacht of Cashel of Munster—always hostile to the Desii. It + was not therefore through ill will to the faith that he believed not, as + is proved from this that, when the king heard of the coming to him of + Patrick, the archbishop of Ireland, a man who was of British race against + which the Irish cherished no hate, not only did he believe but he went + from his own city of Cashel to meet him, professed Christianity and was + immediately baptised. + </p> + <p> + 17. After this Declan, having sown the word of God and preached to the + king (although the latter did not assent to his doctrines), proceeded to + his own country and they (the Desii) believed and received baptism except + the king alone and the people of his household who were every day + promising to believe and be baptised. It however came about through the + Devil's agency that they hesitated continually and procrastinated. + </p> + <p> + 18. Other authorities declare that Declan went many times to Rome, but we + have no written testimony from the ancient biographers that he went there + more than three times. On one of these occasions Declan paid a visit to + the holy bishop of the Britons whose name was David at the church which is + called Killmuine [Menevia] where the bishop dwelt beside the shore of the + sea which divides Ireland from Britain. The bishop received Declan with + honour and he remained there forty days, in affection and joy, and they + sang Mass each day and they entered into a bond of charity which continued + between themselves and their successors for ever afterwards. On the + expiration of the forty days Declan took leave of David giving him a kiss + in token of peace and set out himself and his followers to the shore of + the sea to take ship for Ireland. + </p> + <p> + 19. Now the bell which we have alluded to as sent from heaven to Declan, + was, at that time, in the custody of Runan to carry as we have said, for + Declan did not wish, on any account, to part with it. On this particular + day as they were proceeding towards the ship Runan entrusted it to another + member of the company. On reaching the shore however the latter laid the + bell on a rock by the shore and forgot it till they were half way across + the sea. Then they remembered it and on remembrance they were much + distressed. Declan was very sorrowful that the gift sent him by the Lord + from heaven should have been forgotten in a place where he never expected + to find it again. Thereupon raising his eyes heavenward he prayed to God + within his heart and he said to his followers:—"Lay aside your + sorrow for it is possible with God who sent that bell in the beginning to + send it now again by some marvellous ship." Very fully and wonderfully and + beautifully the creature without reason or understanding obeyed its + creator, for the very heavy unwieldy rock floated buoyantly and without + deviation, so that in a short time they beheld it in their rear with the + bell upon it. And when his people saw this wondrous thing it filled them + with love for God and reverence for their master. Declan thereupon + addressed them prophetically:—"Permit the bell to precede you and + follow it exactly and whatsoever haven it will enter into it is there my + city and my bishopric will be whence I shall go to paradise and there my + resurrection will be." Meantime the bell preceded the ship, and it eased + down its great speed remaining slightly in advance of the ship, so that it + could be seen from and not overtaken by the latter. The bell directed its + course to Ireland until it reached a harbour on the south coast, scil.:—in + the Decies of Munster, at an island called, at that time, High Sheep + Island [Aird na gCcaorac] and the ship made the same port, as Declan + declared. The holy man went ashore and gave thanks and praise to God that + he had reached the place of his resurrection. Now, in that island + depastured the sheep belonging to the wife of the chieftain of Decies and + it is thence that it derives its Irish name—Ard-na-Ccaorac, scil.:—there + was in it a high hill and it was a promontory beautiful to behold. One of + the party, ascending the summit of the hill, said to Declan:—"How + can this little height support your people?" Declan replied:—"Do not + call it little hill, beloved son, but 'great height' [ard mor]," and that + name has adhered to the city ever since, scil.:—Ardmore-Declain. + After this Declan went to the king of the Desii and asked of him the + aforesaid island. Whereupon the king gave it to him. + </p> + <p> + 20. Declan next returned to Ait-mBreasail where, in a haven at the north + side, were the shipping and boats of the island, plying thither and + backwards. The people of the island hid all their boats not willing that + Declan should settle there; they dreaded greatly that if Declan came to + dwell there they themselves should be expelled. Whereupon his disciples + addressed Declan:—"Father," said they, "Many things are required + (scil.: from the mainland) and we must often go by boat to this island and + there will be (crossing) more frequently when you have gone to heaven and + we pray thee to abandon the place or else to obtain from God that the sea + recede from the land so that it can be entered dry shod, for Christ has + said:—'Whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name He will + give it to you' [John 15:16]; the place cannot be easily inhabited unless + the sea recede from it and on that account you cannot establish your city + in it." Declan answered them and said:—"How can I abandon the place + ordained by God and in which He has promised that my burial and + resurrection shall be? As to the alleged inconvenience of dwelling + therein, do you wish me to pray to God (for things) contrary to His will—to + deprive the sea of its natural domain? Nevertheless in compliance with + your request I shall pray to God and whatever thing be God's will, let it + be done." Declan's community thereupon rose up and said:—"Father, + take your crosier as Moses took the rod [Exodus 14:16] and strike the sea + therewith and God will thus show His will to you." His disciples prayed + therefore to him because they were tried and holy men. They put Declan's + crosier in his hand and he struck the water in the name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and made the sign of the cross over the + water and immediately, by command and permission of God, the sea commenced + to move out from its accustomed place—so swiftly too that the + monsters of the sea were swimming and running and that it was with + difficulty they escaped with the sea. However, many fishes were left + behind on the dry strand owing to the suddenness of the ebb. Declan, his + crosier in his hand, pursued the receding tide and his disciples followed + after him. Moreover the sea and the departing monsters made much din and + commotion and when Declan arrived at the place where is now the margin of + the sea a stripling whose name was Mainchin, frightened at the thunder of + the waves and the cry of the unknown monsters with gaping mouths following + the (receding) water, exclaimed:—"Father, you have driven out the + sea far enough; for I am afraid of those horrid monsters." When Declan + heard this and (saw) the sea standing still at the word of the youth it + displeased him and turning round he struck him a slight blow on the nose. + Three drops of blood flowed from the wound on to the ground in three + separate places at the feet of Declan. Thereupon Declan blessed the nose + and the blood ceased immediately (to flow). Then Declan declared:—"It + was not I who drove out the sea but God in His own great power who + expelled it and He would have done still more had you not spoken the words + you have said." Three little wells of clear sweet water burst forth in the + place where fell the three drops of blood at the feet of Declan, and these + wells are there still and the colour of blood is seen in them occasionally + as a memorial of this miracle. The shore, rescued from the sea, is a mile + in width and is of great length around (the island) and it is good and + fertile land for tillage and pasture—lying beneath the monastery of + Declan. As to the crosier which was in Declan's hand while he wrought this + miracle, this is its name—the Feartach Declain, from the miracles + and marvels [fertaib] wrought through it. I shall in another, subsequent, + place relate some of these miracles (narrated). + </p> + <p> + 21. After the expulsion of the sea by this famous Saint, scil.: Declan, + whose name and renown spread throughout Erin because of his great and + diverse miracles, he commenced to build a great monastery by the south + side of the stream which flows through the island into the sea. This + monastery is illustrious and beautiful and its name is Ardmor Declain, as + we have said. After this came many persons to Declan, drawn from the + uttermost parts of Ireland, by the fame of his holy living; they devoted + themselves, soul and body to God and Declan, binding themselves beneath + his yoke and his rule. Moreover he built himself in every place throughout + the territory of the Decies, churches and monasteries and not alone in his + own territory (did he build) but in other regions of Ireland under tribute + to him. Great too were the multitudes (thousands) of men and women who + were under his spiritual sway and rule, in the places we have referred to, + throughout Ireland, where happily they passed their lives. He ordained + some of his disciples bishops and appointed them in these places to sow + the seed of faith and religion therein. Gentleness and charity manifested + themselves in Declan to such an extent that his disciples preferred to + live under his immediate control and under his direction as subjects than + to be in authority in another monastery. + </p> + <p> + 22. After this the holy renowned bishop, head of justice and faith in the + Gaelic island came into Ireland, i.e. Patrick sent by Celestinus, the + Pope. Aongus Mac Nathfrich went to meet him soon as he heard the account + of his coming. He conducted him (Patrick) with reverence and great honour + to his own royal city—to Cashel. Then Patrick baptised him and + blessed himself and his people and his city. Patrick heard that the prince + of the Decies had not been baptised and did not believe, that there was a + disagreement between the prince and Declan and that the former refused to + receive instruction from the latter. Patrick thereupon set out to preach + to the prince aforesaid. Next, as to the four bishops we have named who + had been in Rome: Except Declan alone they were not in perfect agreement + with Patrick. It is true that subsequently to this they did enter into a + league of peace and harmonious actions with Patrick and paid him fealty. + Ciaran, however, paid him all respect and reverence and was of one mind + with him present or absent. Ailbe then, when he saw the kings and rulers + of Ireland paying homage to Patrick and going out to meet him, came + himself to Cashel, to wait on him and he also paid homage to him (Patrick) + and submitted to his jurisdiction, in presence of the king and all others. + Bear in mind it was Ailbe whom the other holy bishops had elected their + superior. He therefore came first to Patrick, lest the others, on his + account, should offer opposition to Patrick, and also that by his example + the others might be more easily drawn to his jurisdiction and rule. Bishop + Ibar however would on no account consent to be subject to Patrick, for it + was displeasing to him that a foreigner should be patron of Ireland. It + happened that Patrick in his origin was of the Britons and he was nurtured + in Ireland having been sold to bondage in his boyhood. There arose + misunderstanding and dissension between Patrick and Bishop Ibar at first, + although (eventually), by intervention of the angel of peace, they formed + a mutual fellowship and brotherly compact and they remained in agreement + for ever after. But Declan did not wish to disagree at all with Patrick + for they had formed a mutual bond of friendship on the Italian highway and + it is thus the angel commanded him to go to Patrick and obey him:— + </p> + <p> + 23. The angel of God came to Declan and said to him "Go quickly to Patrick + and prevent him cursing your kindred and country, for to-night, in the + plain which is called Inneoin, he is fasting against the king, and if he + curses your people they shall be accursed for ever." Thereupon Declan set + out in haste by direction of the angel to Inneoin, i.e. the place which is + in the centre of the plain of Femhin in the northern part of the Decies. + He crossed Slieve Gua [Knockmaeldown] and over the Suir and arrived on the + following morning at the place where Patrick was. When Patrick and his + disciples heard that Declan was there they welcomed him warmly for they + had been told he would not come. Moreover Patrick and his people received + him with great honour. But Declan made obeisance to Patrick and besought + him earnestly that he should not execrate his people and that he should + not curse them nor the land in which they dwelt, and he promised to allow + Patrick do as he pleased. And Patrick replied:—"On account of your + prayer not only shall I not curse them but I shall give them a blessing." + Declan went thereupon to the place where was the king of Decies who was a + neighbour of his. But he contemned Patrick and he would not believe him + even at the request of Declan. Moreover Declan promised rewards to him if + he would go to Patrick to receive baptism at his hands and assent to the + faith. But he would not assent on any account. When Declan saw this, + scil.:—that the king of the Decies, who was named Ledban, was + obstinate in his infidelity and in his devilry—through fear lest + Patrick should curse his race and country—he (Declan) turned to the + assembly and addressed them:—"Separate yourselves from this accursed + man lest you become yourselves accursed on his account, for I have myself + baptised and blessed you, but come you," said he, "with us, to Patrick, + whom God has sent to bless you, for he has been chosen Archbishop and + chief Patron of all Erin; moreover, I have a right to my own patrimony and + to be king over you as that man (Ledban) has been." At this speech they + all arose and followed Declan who brought them into the presence of + Patrick and said to the latter:—"See how the whole people of the + Deisi have come with me as their Lord to thee and they have left the + accursed prince whose subjects they have been, and behold they are ready + to reverence you and to obey you for it is from me they have received + baptism." At this Patrick rose up with his followers and he blessed the + people of the Deisi and not them alone, but their woods and water and + land. Whereupon the chiefs and nobles of the Deisi said:—"Who will + be King or Lord over us now?" And Declan replied:—"I am your lord + and whomsoever I shall appoint offer you as lord, Patrick and all of us + will bless, and he shall be king over you all." And he whom Declan + appointed was Feargal MacCormac a certain young man of the nation of the + Deisi who was a kinsman of Declan himself. He (Declan) set him in the + midst of the assembly in the king's place and he was pleasing to all. + Whereupon Patrick and Declan blessed him and each of them apart proclaimed + him chieftain. Patrick moreover promised the young man that he should be + brave and strong in battle, that the land should be fruitful during his + reign. Thus have the kings of the Deisi always been. + </p> + <p> + 24. After these things Declan and Feargal Mac Cormac (king of the Deisi) + and his people gave a large area of land to Patrick in the neighbourhood + of Magh Feimhin and this belongs to his successors ever since and great + lordship there. And the place which was given over to him is not far from + the Suir. There is a great very clear fountain there which is called + "Patrick's Well" and this was dear to Patrick. After this, with blessing, + they took leave of one another and Patrick returned to Cashel to Aongus + Mac Natfrich and Declan went with him. + </p> + <p> + 25. A miracle was wrought at that time on Declan through the intercession + and prayers of Patrick for as Declan was walking carelessly along he trod + upon a piece of sharp iron which cut his foot so that blood flowed freely + and Declan began to limp. Ailbe of Emly was present at this miracle and + Sechnall a bishop of Patrick's and a holy and wise man, and he is said to + be the first bishop buried in Ireland. The wound which Declan had received + grieved them very much. Patrick was informed of the accident and was + grieved thereat. He said:—"Heal, O Master (i.e. God), the foot of + your own servant who bears much toil and hardship on your account." + Patrick laid his hand on the wounded foot and made over it the sign of the + cross when immediately the flow of blood ceased, the lips of the wound + united, a cicatrix formed upon it and a cure was effected. Then Declan + rose up with his foot healed and joined in praising God. The soldiers and + fighting men who were present cried out loudly, blessing God and the + saints. + </p> + <p> + 26. As Patrick and the saints were in Cashel, i.e. Ailbe and Declan with + their disciples, in the territory of Aongus Mac Nathfrich, they made much + progress against paganism and errors in faith and they converted them (the + pagans) to Christianity. It was ordained by Patrick and Aongus Mac + Natfrich in presence of the assembly, that the Archbishopric of Munster + should belong to Ailbe, and to Declan, in like manner, was ordained + (committed) his own race, i.e. the Deisi, whom he had converted to be his + parish and his episcopate. As the Irish should serve Patrick, so should + the Deisi serve Declan as their patron, and Patrick made the "rann":— + </p> + <p> + "Humble Ailbe the Patrick of Munster, greater than any saying, Declan, + Patrick of the Deisi—the Decies to Declan for ever." + </p> + <p> + This is equivalent to saying that Ailbe was a second Patrick and that + Declan was a second Patrick of the Decies. After that, when the king had + bidden them farewell and they had all taken leave of one another, the + saints returned to their respective territories to sow therein the seed of + faith. + </p> + <p> + 27. Declan and Ferghal Mac Cormac, king of the Deisi, with his army and + followers, met one another at Indeoin and they made still more strong on + the people the bond of Christian obligation. The king we have already + mentioned, scil.:—Ledban, the recusant to the Christian name, was + rejected of all and he came to nothing, leaving no knowledge (memory) of + his history, as is written of the enemies of the faith:—"Their + memory perisheth like a sound" [Psalm 9:7]. Moreover Declan and Fergal and + the chief men of the Deisi decreed this as the place where the king of the + Deisi should be inaugurated for ever thenceforward, because it was there + Patrick and Declan blessed the king, Fergal; moreover tradition states + that it was there the kings were crowned and ruled over the Deisi in pagan + times. + </p> + <p> + 28. At that time there broke out a dreadful plague in Munster and it was + more deadly in Cashel than elsewhere. Thus it affected those whom it + attacked: it first changed their colour to yellow and then killed them. + Now Aongus had, in a stone fort called "Rath na nIrlann," on the western + side of Cashel, seven noble hostages. It happened that in one and the same + night they all died of the plague. The king was much affected thereat and + he gave orders to have the fact concealed lest it should bring disgrace or + even war upon him, for the hostages were scions of the strongest and most + powerful families in Munster. On the morrow however Declan came to Cashel + and talked with Aonghus. The king welcomed him heartily and addressing him + said to him in presence of persons of his court, "I pray you, Declan, + servant of God, that in the name of Christ you would raise to life for me + the seven hostages whom I held in bondage from the chieftains of Munster. + They have died from the plague of which you hear, and I fear their fathers + will raise war and rebellion against me, for they are men of strength and + power, and indeed we are ashamed of their death, for they will say that it + is we ourselves who killed them." Declan answered the king, saying to him:—"Such + a matter as this—to raise one to life from death—belongs to + Omnipotence alone—but I shall do whatever is in my power. I go where + the bodies lie and pray to God for them and let Him do in their regard + what seems best to Him." Next, Declan, with a multitude and his disciples + together with the king's councillors, went to the place where the corpses + of the young men lay. The king followed after them until he came in sight + of the bodies. Declan, full of divine faith, entered the house wherein + they lay and he sprinkled holy water over them and prayed for them in the + presence of all, saying:—"O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the + living God, for thine own name's sake wake the dead that they may be + strengthened in the Catholic faith through our instrumentality." + Thereupon, at Declan's prayer, the group (of corpses) revived and they + moved their eyelids and Declan said to them "In the name of Christ, our + Saviour, stand up and bless and glorify God." And at his words they rose + up immediately and spoke to all. Declan then announced to the king that + they were alive and well. When people saw this remarkable miracle they all + gave glory and praise to God. The fame of Declan thereupon spread + throughout Erin and the king rejoiced for restoration of his hostages. + </p> + <p> + 29. After this the people of Cashel besought Bishop Declan to bless their + city and banish the plague from them and to intercede with God for those + stricken with sickness who could not escape from its toils. Declan seeing + the people's faith prayed to God and signed with the sign of Redemption + the four points of the compass. As he concluded, there was verified the + saying of Christ to His disciples when leaving them and going to heaven:—"Super + aegros imponent manus et bene habebunt" [Mark 16:18] ("I shall place my + hands on the sick and they shall be healed"). Soon as Declan had made the + sign of the cross each one who was ill became well and not alone were + these restored to health but (all the sick) of the whole region round + about in whatsoever place there were persons ailing. Moreover the plague + was banished from every place and all rejoiced greatly thereat as well as + on account of the resurrection of the dead men we have narrated. The king + thereupon ordered tribute and honour to Declan and his successors from + himself and from every king who should hold Cashel ever after. Upon this + the glorious bishop Declan blessed Aongus together with his city and + people and returned back to his own place. + </p> + <p> + 30. One night Declan was a guest at the house of a wealthy man who dwelt + in the southern part of Magh Femhin; this is the kind of person his host + was, scil.:—a pagan who rejected the true faith, and his name was + Dercan. He resolved to amuse himself at the Christians' expense; + accordingly he ordered his servants to kill a dog secretly, to cut off its + head and feet and to bury them in the earth and then to cook the flesh + properly and to set it before Declan and his company as their meal. + Moreover he directed that the dog should be so fat that his flesh might + pass as mutton. When, in due course, it was cooked, the flesh, together + with bread and other food, was laid before Declan and his following. At + that moment Declan had fallen asleep but he was aroused by his disciples + that he might bless their meal. He observed to them:—"Indeed I see, + connected with this meat, the ministry of the devil." Whereupon he + questioned the waiters as to the meat—what kind it was and whence + procured. They replied: "Our master ordered us to kill a fat ram for you + and we have done as he commanded." Declan said, "Our Master is Jesus + Christ and may He show us what it is that connects the ministry of Satan + with this meat and preserve thy servants from eating forbidden food." As + he spoke thus Declan saw in the meat the claw of a dog, for, without + intending it, they had boiled one quarter of the dog with its paw + adhering; they thought they had buried it (the incriminating limb) with + the other paws. Declan exclaimed, "This is not a sheep's but a dog's + foot." When the attendants heard this they went at once to their master + and related the matter to him. Then Dercan came to Declan, accepted his + faith and received Baptism at his hands, giving himself and his posterity + to Declan for ever. Moreover he gave his homestead to Declan and his + people were baptised. After this Dercan requested that Declan should bless + something in his homestead which might remain as a memorial of him + (Dercan) for ever. Then Declan blessed a bell which he perceived there and + its name is Clog-Dhercain ("Dercan's Bell"); moreover, he declared: "I + endow it with this virtue (power) that if the king of Decies march around + it when going to battle, against his enemies, or to punish violation of + his rights, he shall return safely and with victory." This promise has + been frequently fulfilled, but proud (men) undertaking battle or conflict + unjustly even if they march around it do not obtain victory but success + remains with the enemy. The name of that homestead was Teach-Dhercain + ("Dercain's House") and its name now is Coningean, from the claw [con] of + the hound or dog aforesaid. To this place came the saintly concourse, + scil:—Coman and Ultan, MacErc and Mocoba and Maclaisren, who + dedicated themselves to (the service of) God and placed themselves under + the spiritual rule and sway of Declan. + </p> + <p> + 31. Thereupon Declan established a monastery in that place, scil.—in + Coningin—and he placed there this holy community with a further band + of disciples. Ultan however he took away with him to the place whither he + went. + </p> + <p> + 32. On another (subsequent) occasion Declan visited Bregia, i.e. the + original territory which belonged to his race previous to the expulsion of + his ancestors. There he was treated with particular honour by the king of + Tara and by the chieftains of Meath by whom he was beloved, since it was + from themselves (their tribe and territory) that his forbears had gone + out, for that region was the patrimony of his race and within it lies + Tara. Declan instituted therein a monastery of Canons, on land which he + received from the king, and it is from him the place is named. Moreover he + left therein a relic or illuminated book and a famous gospel which he was + accustomed to carry always with him. The gospel is still preserved with + much honour in the place and miracles are wrought through it. After this + again he turned towards Munster. + </p> + <p> + 33. Declan was once travelling through Ossory when he wished to remain for + the night in a certain village. But the villagers not only did not receive + him but actually drove him forth by force of arms. The saint however + prayed to God that it might happen to them what the Sacred Scripture says, + "Vengeance is mine I will repay" [Deuteronomy 32:35]. The dwellers in the + village, who numbered sixty, died that same night with the exception of + two men and ten women to whom the conduct of the others towards the saint + had been displeasing. On the morrow these men and women came humbly to the + place where Declan was and they told him—what he himself foreknew—how + miserably the others had died. They themselves did penance and they + bestowed on Declan a suitable site whereon he built a monastery and he got + another piece of land and had the dead buried where he built the + monastery. The name of that monastery is Cill-Colm-Dearg. This Colm-Dearg + was a kind, holy man and a disciple of Declan. He was of East Leinster, + i.e. of the Dal Meiscorb, and it is from him that the monastery is named. + When he (Declan) had completed that place he came to his own territory + again, i.e. to the Decies. + </p> + <p> + 34. On a certain day Declan came to a place called Ait-Breasail and the + dwellers therein would not allow him to enter their village; moreover they + hid all their boats so that he could not go into his own island, for they + hated him very much. In consideration however of the sanctity of his + servant, who prayed in patience, God the All-Powerful turned the sea into + dry land as you have already heard. Declan passed the night in an empty + stable out in the plain and the people of the village did not give him + even a fire. Whereupon, appropriately the anger of God fell on them, who + had not compassion enough to supply the disciple of God with a fire. There + came fire from heaven on them to consume them all [together with their] + homestead and village, so that the place has been ever since a wilderness + accursed, as the prophet writes: "civitates eorum destruxisti" [Psalm + 9:7], i.e. the dwellings of the unmerciful are laid waste. + </p> + <p> + 35. On yet another occasion Declan was in his own region—travelling + over Slieve Gua in the Decies, when his horse from some cause got lame so + that he could proceed no further. Declan however, seeing a herd of deer + roaming the mountain close to him, said to one of his people: "Go, and + bring me for my chariot one of these deer to replace my horse and take + with you this halter for him." Without any misgiving the disciple went on + till he reached the deer which waited quietly for him. He chose the animal + which was largest and therefore strongest, and, bringing him back, yoked + him to the chariot. The deer thereupon obediently and without effort + carried Bishop Declan till he came to Magh Femhin, where, when he reached + a house of entertainment, the saint unloosed the stag and bade him to go + free as was his nature. Accordingly, at the command of the saintly man and + in the presence of all, the stag returned on the same road back (to the + mountain). Dormanach is the name of the man aforesaid who brought the stag + to Declan and him Declan blessed and gave him a piece of land on the north + of Decies close by the Eoghanacht and his posterity live till now in that + place. + </p> + <p> + 36. On another occasion, Declan, accompanied, as usual, by a large + following, was travelling, when one member of the party fell on the road + and broke his shin bone in twain. Declan saw the accident and, pitying the + injured man, he directed an individual of the company to bandage the + broken limb so that the sufferer might not die through excess of pain and + loss of blood. All replied that they could not endure to dress the wound + owing to their horror thereof. But there was one of the company, Daluadh + by name, who faced the wound boldly and confidently and said: "In the name + of Christ and of Declan our patron I shall be surgeon to this foot"; and + he said that jestingly. Nevertheless he bandaged the foot carefully and + blessed it aright in the name of God and Declan, and in a little while the + wound healed and they all gave praise to God. Then Declan said to Daluadh: + "You promised to be surgeon to that foot in Christ's name and in mine and + God has vouchsafed to heal it at these words: on this account you will be + a true physician for ever and your children and your seed after you for + ever shall also possess the healing art, and whomsoever they shall + practise healing upon in God's name and mine, provided there be no hatred + [in their hearts] nor too great covetousness of a physician's fee to him, + God and myself shall send relief." This promise of Declan has been + fulfilled in the case of that family. + </p> + <p> + 37. On another occasion, as Declan was travelling in the northern part of + Magh Femhin beside the Suir, he met there a man who was carrying a little + infant to get it baptised. Declan said to the people [his "muinntear," or + following]: "Wait here till I baptise yonder child," for it was revealed + by the Holy Ghost to him that he [the babe] should serve God. The + attendant replied to him that they had neither a vessel nor salt for the + baptism. Declan said: "We have a wide vessel, the Suir, and God will send + us salt, for this child is destined to become holy and wonderful [in his + works]." Thereupon Declan took up a fistful of earth and, making prayer in + his heart to God, he signed the clay with the sign of the cross of + redemption. It (the handful of earth) became white, dry salt, and all, on + seeing it, gave thanks and honour to God and Declan. The infant was + baptised there and the name of Ciaran given him. Declan said: "Bring up my + spiritual son carefully and send him, at a fitting age, for education to a + holy man who is well instructed in the faith for he will become a shining + bright pillar in the Church." And it was this child, Ciaran Mac Eochaidh, + who founded in after years a famous monastery (from which he migrated to + heaven) and another place (monastery) besides. He worked many miracles and + holy signs and this is the name of his monastery Tiprut [Tubrid] and this + is where it is:—in the western part of the Decies in Ui Faithe + between Slieve Grot [Galtee] and Sieve Cua and it is within the bishopric + of Declan. + </p> + <p> + 38. On another day there came a woman to Declan's monastery not far from + the city where she dwelt. She committed a theft that day in Declan's + monastery as she had often done previously, and this is the thing she + stole—a "habellum" [possibly an item of tribute]; she departed + homewards taking it with her and there met her a group of people on the + highway, and the earth, in their presence, swallowed her up, and she cast + out the tabellum from her bosom and it was quickly turned into a stone + which the wayfarers took and brought with them to Declan. Declan himself + had in supernatural vision seen all that happened to the woman in + punishment of her theft, and the name of Declan was magnified owing to + those marvels so that fear took possession of all-those present and those + absent. The stone in question remains still in Declan's graveyard in his + own town of Ardmore-Declain, where it stands on an elevated place in + memory of this miracle. + </p> + <p> + 39. A rich man named Fintan was childless, for his wife was barren for + many years. He himself, with his wife, visited Declan and promised large + alms and performance of good works provided he (Declan) would pray that + they might have children: they held it as certain that if Declan but + prayed for them God would grant them children. Declan therefore, praying + to God and blessing the pair, said: "Proceed to your home and through + God's bounty you shall have offspring." The couple returned home, with + great joy for the blessing and for the promise of the offspring. The + following night, Fintan lay with his wife and she conceived and brought + forth twin sons, scil.: Fiacha and Aodh, who, together with their children + and descendants were under tribute and service to God and Declan. + </p> + <p> + 40. When it was made known to a certain holy man, scil.:—Ailbe of + Emly Iubar, chief bishop of Munster, that his last days had come, he said + to his disciples: "Beloved brethren, I wish, before I die, to visit my + very dear fellow worker, scil.:—Declan." After this Ailbe set out on + the journey and an angel of God came to Declan notifying him that Ailbe + was on his way to visit him. On the angel's notification Declan ordered + his disciples to prepare the house for Ailbe's coming. He himself went to + meet Ailbe as far as the place which is called Druim Luctraidh + [Luchluachra]. Thence they came home together and Ailbe, treated with + great honour by Declan and his people, stayed fourteen pleasant days. + After that the aged saint returned home again to his own city, scil.:—to + Emly Iubar. Declan came and many of his people, escorting Ailbe, to Druim + Luchtradh, and Ailbe bade him return to his own city. The two knew they + should not see one another in this world ever again. In taking leave of + one another, therefore, they shed plentiful tears of sorrow and they + instituted an everlasting compact and league between their successors in + that place. Ailbe moreover blessed the city of Declan, his clergy and + people and Declan did the same for Ailbe and they kissed one another in + token of love and peace and each returned to his own city. + </p> + <p> + 41. On a certain day the Castle of Cinaedh, King of the Deisi, took fire + and it burned violently. It happened however that Declan was proceeding + towards the castle on some business and he was grieved to see it burning; + he flung towards it the staff to which we have referred in connection with + the drying up of the sea, and it (the staff) flew hovering in the air with + heavenly wings till it reached the midst of the flame and the fire was + immediately extinguished of its own accord through the grace of God and + virtue of the staff and of Declan to whom it belonged. The place from + which Declan cast the staff was a long mile distant from the castle and + when the king, i.e. Cinaedh, and all the others witnessed this miracle + they were filled with amazement and gave thanks to God and to Declan when + they came to know that it was he who wrought it. Now the place where the + castle stands is not far from the Suir, i.e. on the south side of it and + the place from which Declan cast the staff is beside a ford which is in + the Suir or a stream which flows beside the monastery called Mag Laca + [Molough] which the holy virgins, daughters of the king of Decies, have + built in honour of God. There is a pile of stones and a cross in the place + to commemorate this miracle. + </p> + <p> + 42. On another occasion there approached a foreign fleet towards Declan's + city and this was their design—to destroy and to plunder it of + persons and of cattle, because they (the foreigners) were people hostile + to the faith. Many members of the community ran with great haste to tell + Declan of the fleet which threatened the town and to request him to beg + the assistance of God against the invaders. Declan knew the man amongst + his own disciples who was holiest and most abounding in grace, scil., + Ultan, already mentioned, and him he ordered to pray to God against the + fleet. Ultan had pity on the Christian people and he went instantly, at + the command of Declan, in front of the fleet and he held his left hand + against it, and, on the spot, the sea swallowed them like sacks full of + lead, and the drowned sailors were changed into large rocks which stand + not far from the mouth of the haven where they are visible (standing) high + out of the sea from that time till now. All Christians who witnessed this + rejoiced and were glad and they gave great praise and glory to God and to + Declan their own patron who caused the working of this miracle and of many + other miracles besides. Next there arose a contention between Ultan and + Declan concerning this miracle, for Ultan attributed it to Declan and + Declan credited it to Ultan; and it has become a proverb since in Ireland + when people hear of danger or jeopardy:—"The left hand of Ultan + against you (the danger)." Ultan became, after the death of Declan, a + miracle-working abbot of many other holy monks. + </p> + <p> + 43. The holy and glorious archbishop, i.e. Patrick, sent one of his own + followers to Declan with power and authority (delegation) from the + archbishop. And proceeding through the southern part of Decies he was + drowned in a river [the Lickey] there, two miles from the city of Declan. + When Declan heard this he was grieved and he said: "Indeed it grieves me + that a servant of God and of Patrick who sent him to visit me, having + travelled all over Ireland, should be drowned in a river of my own + territory. Get my chariot for me that I may go in haste to see his corpse, + so that Patrick may come to hear of the worry and the grief I have + undergone because of his disciple's death." The body had been recovered + before the arrival of Declan by others who were close at hand and it had + been placed on a bier to be carried to Ciaran for interment. Declan + however met them on the way, when he ordered the body to be laid down on + the ground. They supposed he was about to recite the Office for the Dead. + He (Declan) advanced to the place where the bier was and lifted the sheet + covering the face. It (the face) looked dark and deformed as is usual in + the case of the drowned. He prayed to God and shed tears, but no one heard + aught of what he said. After this he commanded:—"In the name of the + Trinity, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost + whose religious yoke I bear myself, arise to us for God has given your + life to me." He (the dead man) rose up immediately at the command and he + greeted Declan and all the others. Whereupon Declan and his disciples + received him with honour. At first he was not completely cured but (was) + like one convalescent until (complete) health returned to him by degrees + again. He however accompanied Declan and remained some time with him and + there was much rejoicing in Declan's city on account of the miracle and + his (Declan's) name and fame extended over the country generally. This + disciple of Patrick was named Ballin; he returned with great joy and he + told him (Patrick) that Declan had raised him from the dead. To many + others likewise he related what had happened to him. Patrick, in presence + of many persons, hearing of the miracle gave glory and thanks to God and + the name of Declan was magnified. + </p> + <p> + 44. With this extraordinary miracle wrought by Declan we wish to conclude + our discourse. The number of miracles he wrought, but which are not + written here, you are to judge and gather from what we have written. And + we wish moreover that you would understand that he healed the infirm, that + he gave sight to the eyes of the blind, cleansed lepers, and gave "their + walk" to cripples; that he obtained hearing for the deaf, and that he + healed many and various diseases in many different places throughout + Ireland—(things) which are not written here because of their length + and because they are so numerous to record, for fear it should tire + readers to hear so much said of one particular person. On that account we + shall pass them by. + </p> + <p> + 45. When Declan realised that his last days were at hand and that the time + remaining to him was very short he summoned to him his own spiritual son, + scil., MacLiag (residing) in the monastery which is on the eastern side of + the Decies close to the Leinstermen in order that, at the hour of death, + he might receive the Body and Blood of Christ and the Sacraments of the + Church from his hands. Thereupon he foretold to his disciples the day of + his death and he commanded them to bring him to his own city, for it was + not there he dwelt at the time but in a small venerable cell which he had + ordered to be built for him between the hill called Ardmore Declain and + the ocean—in a narrow place at the brink of the sea by which there + flows down from the hill above a small shining stream about which are + trees and bushes all around, and it is called Disert Declain. Thence to + the city it is a short mile and the reason why Declan used go there was to + avoid turmoil and noise so that he might be able to read and pray and fast + there. Indeed it was not easy for him to stay even there because of the + multitude of disciples and paupers and pilgrims and beggars who followed + him thither. Declan was however generous and very sympathetic and on that + account it is recorded by tradition that a great following (of poor, &c.), + generally accompanied him and that moreover the little cell was very dear + to him for the reason we have given, and many devout people have made it + their practice to dwell therein. + </p> + <p> + 46. When Declan fell ill and became weak in body, but still strong in hope + and faith and love of God, he returned to his own city—his people + and disciples and clergy surrounding him. He discoursed to them on the + commands of God and he enjoined on them to live holily after his death, to + be submissive to authority and to follow as closely as possible the way he + had marked out and to preserve his city in a state of piety and under + religious rule. And when they had all heard the discourse it grieved them + greatly to perceive, from what he had said, he realised that in a short + time he would go away to heaven from them. But they were consoled by his + gentle words and then there came to him the holy man, to wit, MacLiag, at + his own request, already referred to. He [Declan] received the Body and + Blood of Christ and the Sacraments of the Church from his [MacLiag's] hand—surrounded + by holy men and his disciples, and he blessed his people and his + dependents and his poor, and he kissed them in token of love and peace. + Thus, having banished images and the sacrifices to idols, having converted + multitudes to the true faith, having established monasteries and + ecclesiastical orders in various places, having spent his whole life + profitably and holily, this glorious bishop went with the angels to heaven + on the ninth day of the Kalends of August and his body was blessed and + honoured with Masses and chanting by holy men and by the people of the + Decies and by his own monks and disciples collected from every quarter at + the time of his death. He was buried with honour in his own city—in + Declan's High-Place—in the tomb which by direction of an angel he + had himself indicated—which moreover has wrought wonders and holy + signs from that time to now. He departed to the Unity of the Father and + the Son and the Holy Ghost in Saecula Saeculorum; Amen. FINIS. + </p> + <p> + The poor brother, Michael O'Clery originally copied this life of Declan in + Cashel, from the book of Eochy O'Heffernan. The date, A.D., at which that + ancient book of Eochy was written is 1582. And the same life has now been + re-written in the Convent of the Friars at Druiske, the date, A.D., 27th + February, 1629. + </p> + <p> + And this Life of St. Declan was transcribed electronically for the public + domain by Dennis McCarthy, a layman, in the city of Atlanta in Georgia of + the United States of America. He copied this life from the 1914 + translation from the Irish to the English tongue by Rev. P. Power of + University College, Cork. Dennis has completed this work on February 27 in + the year of Our Lord 1997, and prayerfully dedicated it to the memory of + his deceased siblings. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0003" id="link2H_4_0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + NOTE + </h2> + <p> + The Irish text of the "rann" from paragraph 26 reads: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Ailbe umal; Patraicc Muman, mo gacrath, + Declan, Patraicc na nDeisi: na Deisi ag Declan gan brat. +</pre> + <p> + And the Latin rendering: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Albeus est humilis dixit Caephurnia proles; + Patriciusque esto hinc Ailbee Momonia. + Declanus pariter patronus Desius esto; + Inter Desenses Patriciusque suos. +</pre> + <p> + <br /> <br /> TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE + </p> + <p> + The source for this text includes an introduction, Irish text & + English translation on facing pages, and notes. The introduction and the + notes are quite lengthy and should take longer to transcribe than the + English text. Except for the part of the introduction specific to the + "Life of Declan" and a few notes transplanted in brackets to the body of + the text I have not transcribed them. Due to inexperience with the Irish + language and its alphabet/font I have decided not to attempt to transcribe + the Irish text. Hopefully someone with the appropriate talent and interest + will undertake that task some day. I have corrected the errata as + indicated in the source and a few obvious printer errors. Please note that + this text is full of variant spellings of names and words sometimes + inconsistently applied. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Life of St. Declan of Ardmore, by Anonymous + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LIFE OF ST. DECLAN OF ARDMORE *** + +***** This file should be named 823-h.htm or 823-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/8/2/823/ + +Produced by Dennis McCarthy, and David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. 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Power + +Posting Date: August 5, 2008 [EBook #823] +Release Date: February, 1997 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LIFE OF ST. DECLAN OF ARDMORE *** + + + + +Produced by Dennis McCarthy + + + + + +LIFE OF ST. DECLAN OF ARDMORE + +(Edited from MS. in Bibliotheque Royale, Brussels). + +Translated from the Irish With Introduction + +by Rev. P. Power, M.R.I.A. + +University College, Cork. + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + + "If thou hast the right, O Erin, + to a champion of battle to aid thee + thou hast the head of a hundred + thousand, Declan of Ardmore" + (Martyrology of Oengus). + + +Five miles or less to the east of Youghal Harbour, on the southern +Irish coast, a short, rocky and rather elevated promontory juts, with a +south-easterly trend, into the ocean [about 51 deg. 57 min. N / 7 deg. +43 min. W]. Maps and admiralty charts call it Ram Head, but the real +name is Ceann-a-Rama and popularly it is often styled Ardmore Head. The +material of this inhospitable coast is a hard metamorphic schist which +bids defiance to time and weather. Landwards the shore curves in clay +cliffs to the north-east, leaving, between it and the iron headland +beyond, a shallow exposed bay wherein many a proud ship has met her +doom. Nestling at the north side of the headland and sheltered by the +latter from Atlantic storms stands one of the most remarkable groups of +ancient ecclesiastical remains in Ireland--all that has survived of St. +Declan's holy city of Ardmore. This embraces a beautiful and perfect +round tower, a singularly interesting ruined church commonly called the +cathedral, the ruins of a second church beside a holy well, a primitive +oratory, a couple of ogham inscribed pillar stones, &c., &c. + +No Irish saint perhaps has so strong a local hold as Declan or has left +so abiding a popular memory. Nevertheless his period is one of the great +disputed questions of early Irish history. According to the express +testimony of his Life, corroborated by testimony of the Lives of SS. +Ailbhe and Ciaran, he preceded St. Patrick in the Irish mission and +was a co-temporary of the national apostle. Objection, exception or +opposition to the theory of Declan's early period is based less on any +inherent improbability in the theory itself than on contradictions and +inconsistencies in the Life. Beyond any doubt the Life does actually +contradict itself; it makes Declan a cotemporary of Patrick in the fifth +century and a cotemporary likewise of St. David a century later. In +any attempted solution of the difficulty involved it may be helpful +to remember a special motive likely to animate a tribal histrographer, +scil.:--the family relationship, if we may so call it, of the two +saints; David was bishop of the Deisi colony in Wales as Declan was +bishop of their kinsmen of southern Ireland. It was very probably part +of the writer's purpose to call attention to the links of kindred which +bound the separated Deisi; witness his allusion later to the alleged +visit of Declan to his kinsmen of Bregia. Possibly there were several +Declans, as there were scores of Colmans, Finians, &c., and hence +perhaps the confusion and some of the apparent inconsistencies. There +was certainly a second Declan, a disciple of St. Virgilius, to whom the +latter committed care of a church in Austria where he died towards +close of eighth century. Again we find mention of a St. Declan who was +a foster son of Mogue of Ferns, and so on. It is too much, as Delehaye +("Legendes Hagiographiques") remarks, to expect the populace to +distinguish between namesakes. Great men are so rare! Is it likely there +should have lived two saints of the same name in the same country! + +The latest commentators on the question of St. Declan's period--and they +happen to be amongst the most weighty--argue strongly in favour of the +pre-Patrician mission (Cfr. Prof. Kuno Meyer, "Learning Ireland in the +Fifth Century"). Discussing the way in which letters first reached our +distant island of the west and the causes which led to the proficiency +of sixth-century Ireland in classical learning Zimmer and Meyer contend +that the seeds of that literary culture, which flourished in Ireland of +the sixth century, had been sown therein in the first and second decades +of the preceding century by Gaulish scholars who had fled from their own +country owing to invasion of the latter by Goths and other barbarians. +The fact that these scholars, who were mostly Christians, sought asylum +in Ireland indicates that Christianity had already penetrated thither, +or at any rate that it was known and tolerated there. Dr. Meyer answers +the objection that if so large and so important an invasion of scholars +took place we ought have some reference to the fact in the Irish annals. +The annals, he replies, are of local origin and they rarely refer in +their oldest parts to national events: moreover they are very meagre in +their information about the fifth century. One Irish reference to the +Gaulish scholars is, however, adduced in corroboration; it occurs in +that well known passage in St. Patrick's "Confessio" where the saint +cries out against certain "rhetoricians" in Ireland who were hostile +to him and pagan,--"You rhetoricians who do not know the Lord, hear and +search Who it was that called me up, fool though I be, from the midst +of those who think themselves wise and skilled in the law and mighty +orators and powerful in everything." Who were these "rhetorici" that +have made this passage so difficult for commentators and have caused +so various constructions to be put upon it? It is clear, the professor +maintains, that the reference is to pagan rhetors from Gaul whose +arrogant presumption, founded on their learning, made them regard with +disdain the comparatively illiterate apostle of the Scots. Everyone is +familiar with the classic passage of Tacitus wherein he alludes to the +harbours of Ireland as being more familiar to continental mariners than +those of Britain. We have references moreover to refugee Christians who +fled to Ireland from the persecutions of Diocletian more than a century +before St. Patrick's day; in addition it is abundantly evident that +many Irishmen--Christians like Celestius the lieutenant of Pelagius, +and possibly Pelagius himself, amongst them--had risen to distinction or +notoriety abroad before middle of the fifth century. + +Possibly the best way to present the question of Declan's age is to put +in tabulated form the arguments of the pre-Patrician advocates against +the counter contentions of those who claim that Declan's period is later +than Patrick's:-- + + + For the Pre-Patrician Mission. Against Theory of Early + Fifth Century period. + + I.--Positive statement of Life, I.--Contradictions, anachronisms, + corroborated by Lives of SS. &c., of Life. + Ciaran and Ailbhe. II.--Lack of allusion to Declan in + II.--Patrick's apparent avoidance the Lives of St. Patrick. + of the Principality of Decies. III.--Prosper's testimony to the + III.--The peculiar Declan cult and mission of Palladius as first + the strong local hold which bishop to the believing Scots. + Declan has maintained. IV.--Alleged motives for later + invention of Pre-Patrician story. + + +In this matter and at this hour it is hardly worth appealing to the +authority of Lanigan and the scholars of the past. Much evidence not +available in Lanigan's day is now at the service of scholars. We are to +look rather at the reasoning of Colgan, Ussher, and Lanigan than to the +mere weight of their names. + +Referring in order to our tabulated grounds of argument, pro and con, +and taking the pro arguments first, we may (I.) discard as evidence for +our purpose the Life of St. Ibar which is very fragmentary and otherwise +a rather unsatisfactory document. The Lives of Ailbhe, Ciaran, and +Declan are however mutually corroborative and consistent. The +Roman visit and the alleged tutelage under Hilarius are probably +embellishments; they look like inventions to explain something and they +may contain more than a kernel of truth. At any rate they are matters +requiring further investigation and elucidation. In this connection it +may be useful to recall that the Life (Latin) of St. Ciaran has been +attributed by Colgan to Evinus the disciple and panegyrist of St. +Patrick. + +Patrick's apparent neglect of the Decies (II.) may have no special +significance. At best it is but negative evidence: taken, however, in +connection with (I.) and its consectaria it is suggestive. We can +hardly help speculating why the apostle--passing as it were by its +front door--should have given the go-bye to a region so important as the +Munster Decies. Perhaps he sent preachers into it; perhaps there was no +special necessity for a formal mission, as the faith had already +found entrance. It is a little noteworthy too that we do not find St. +Patrick's name surviving in any ecclesiastical connection with the +Decies, if we except Patrick's Well, near Clonmel, and this Well is +within a mile or so of the territorial frontier. Moreover the southern +portion of the present Tipperary County had been ceded by Aengus to the +Deisi, only just previous to Patrick's advent, and had hardly yet had +sufficient time to become absorbed. The whole story of Declan's alleged +relations with Patrick undoubtedly suggests some irregularity in +Declan's mission--an irregularity which was capable of rectification +through Patrick and which de facto was finally so rectified. + +(III.) No one in Eastern Munster requires to be told how strong is the +cult of St. Declan throughout Decies and the adjacent territory. It is +hardly too much to say that the Declan tradition in Waterford and Cork +is a spiritual actuality, extraordinary and unique, even in a land +which till recently paid special popular honour to its local saints. In +traditional popular regard Declan in the Decies has ever stood first, +foremost, and pioneer. Carthage, founder of the tribal see, has held and +holds in the imagination of the people only a secondary place. Declan, +whencesoever or whenever he came, is regarded as the spiritual father +to whom the Deisi owe the gift of faith. How far this tradition and the +implied belief in Declan's priority and independent mission are derived +from circulation of the "Life" throughout Munster in the last few +centuries it is difficult to gauge, but the tradition seems to have +flourished as vigorously in the days of Colgan as it does to-day. +Declan's "pattern" at Ardmore continues to be still the most noted +celebration of its kind in Ireland. A few years ago it was participated +in by as many as fourteen thousand people from all parts of Waterford, +Cork, and Tipperary. The scenes and ceremonies have been so frequently +described that it is not necessary to recount them here--suffice it to +say that the devotional practices and, in fact, the whole celebration +is of a purely popular character receiving no approbation, and but bare +toleration, from church or clergy. Even to the present day Declan's name +is borne as their praenomen by hundreds of Waterford men, and, before +introduction of the modern practice of christening with foolish foreign +names, its use was far more common, as the ancient baptismal registers +of Ardmore, Old Parish, and Clashmore attest. On the other hand Declan's +name is associated with comparatively few places in the Decies. Of these +the best known is Relig Deaglain, a disused graveyard and early church +site on the townland of Drumroe, near Cappoquin. There was also an +ancient church called Killdeglain, near Stradbally. + +Against the theory of the pre-Patrician or citra-Patrician mission we +have first the objection, which really has no weight, and which we shall +not stop to discuss, that it is impossible for Christianity at that +early date to have found its way to this distant island, beyond the +boundary of the world. An argument on a different plane is (I.), the +undoubtedly contradictory and inconsistent character of the Life. It is +easy however to exaggerate the importance of this point. Modern critical +methods were undreamed of in the days of our hagiographer, who +wrote, moreover, for edification only in a credulous age. Most of the +historical documents of the period are in a greater or less degree +uncritical but that does not discredit their testimony however much it +may confuse their editors. It can be urged moreover that two mutually +incompatible genealogies of the saint are given. The genealogy given by +MacFirbisigh seems in fact to disagree in almost every possible detail +with the genealogy in 23 M. 50 R.I.A. That however is like an argument +that Declan never existed. It really suggests and almost postulates the +existence of a second Declan whose Acts and those of our Declan have +become mutually confused. + +(II.) Absence of Declan's name from the Acts of Patrick is a negative +argument. It is explicable perhaps by the supposed irregularity of +Declan's preaching. Declan was certainly earlier than Mochuda and yet +there is no reference to him in the Life of the latter saint. Ailbhe +however is referred to in the Tripartite Life of Patrick and the +cases of Ailbhe and Declan are "a pari"; the two saints stand or fall +together. + +(IV.) Motives for invention of the pre-Patrician myth are alleged, +scil.:--to rebut certain claims to jurisdiction, tribute or visitation +advanced by Armagh in after ages. It is hard to see however how +resistance to the claims in question could be better justified on the +theory of a pre-Patrician Declan, who admittedly acknowledged Patrick's +supremacy, than on the admission of a post-Patrician mission. + +That in Declan we have to deal with a very early Christian teacher of +the Decies there can be no doubt. If not anterior to Patrick he must +have been the latter's cotemporary. Declan however had failed to convert +the chieftain of his race and for this--reading between the lines of the +"Life"--we seem to hear Patrick blaming him. + +The monuments proper of Declan remaining at Ardmore are (a) his ORATORY +near the Cathedral and Round Tower in the graveyard, (b) his STONE on +the beach, (c) his WELL on the cliff, and (d) ANOTHER STONE said to have +been found in his tomb and preserved at Ardmore for long ages with great +reveration. The "Life" refers moreover to the saint's pastoral staff and +his bell but these have disappeared for centuries. + +The "Oratory" is simply a primitive church of the usual sixth century +type: it stands 13' 4" x 8' 9" in the clear, and has, or had, the usual +high-pitched gables and square-headed west doorway with inclining jambs. +Another characteristic feature of the early oratory is seen in the +curious antae or prolongation of the side walls. Locally the little +building is known as the "beannacan," in allusion, most likely, to +its high gables or the finials which once, no doubt, in Irish fashion, +adorned its roof. Though somewhat later than Declan's time this +primitive building is very intimately connected with the Saint. +Popularly it is supposed to be his grave and within it is a hollow space +scooped out, wherein it is said his ashes once reposed. It is highly +probable that tradition is quite correct as to the saint's grave, over +which the little church was erected in the century following Declan's +death. The oratory was furnished with a roof of slate by Bishop Mills in +1716. + +"St. Declan's Stone" is a glacial boulder of very hard conglomerate +which lies on a rocky ledge of beach beneath the village of Ardmore. +It measures some 8' 6" x 4' 6" x 4' 0" and reposes upon two slightly +jutting points of the underlying metamorphic rock. Wonderful virtues are +attributed to St. Declan's Stone, which, on the occasion of the patronal +feast, is visited by hundreds of devotees who, to participate in its +healing efficacy and beneficence, crawl laboriously on face and hands +through the narrow space between the boulder and the underlying rock. +Near by, at foot of a new storm-wall, are two similar but somewhat +smaller boulders which, like their venerated and more famous neighbour, +were all wrenched originally by a glacier from their home in the +Comeragh Mountains twenty miles away. + +"St. Declan's Well," beside some remains of a rather large and +apparently twelfth century church on the cliff, in the townland of +Dysert is diverted into a shallow basin in which pilgrims bathe feet +and hands. Set in some comparatively modern masonry over the well are +a carved crucifixion and other figures of apparently late mediaeval +character. Some malicious interference with this well led, nearly a +hundred years since, to much popular indignation and excitement. + +The second "St. Declan's Stone" was a small, cross-inscribed jet-black +piece of slate or marble, approximately--2" or 3" x 1 1/2". Formerly +it seems to have had a small silver cross inset and was in great demand +locally as an amulet for cattle curing. It disappeared however, some +fifty years or so since, but very probably it could still be recovered +in Dungarvan. + +Far the most striking of all the monuments at Ardmore is, of course, the +Round Tower which, in an excellent state of preservation, stands with +its conical cap of stone nearly a hundred feet high. Two remarkable, if +not unique, features of the tower are the series of sculptured corbels +which project between the floors on the inside, and the four projecting +belts or zones of masonry which divide the tower into storeys +externally. The tower's architectural anomalies are paralleled by its +history which is correspondingly unique: it stood a regular siege in +1642, when ordnance was brought to bear on it and it was defended +by forty confederates against the English under Lords Dungarvan and +Broghil. + +A few yards to north of the Round Tower stands "The Cathedral" +illustrating almost every phase of ecclesiastical architecture which +flourished in Ireland from St. Patrick to the Reformation--Cyclopean, +Celtic-Romanesque, Transitional and Pointed. The chancel arch is +possibly the most remarkable and beautiful illustration of the +Transitional that we have. An extraordinary feature of the church is +the wonderful series of Celtic arcades and panels filled with archaic +sculptures in relief which occupy the whole external face of the west +gable. + +St. Declan's foundation at Ardmore seems (teste Moran's Archdall) to +have been one of the Irish religious houses which accepted the reform of +Pope Innocent at the Lateran Council and to have transformed itself +into a Regular Canonry. It would however be possible to hold, on the +evidence, that it degenerated into a mere parochial church. We hear +indeed of two or three episcopal successors of the saint, scil.:--Ultan +who immediately followed him, Eugene who witnessed a charter to the +abbey of Cork in 1174, and Moelettrim O Duibhe-rathre who died in +1303 after he had, according to the annals of Inisfallen, "erected and +finished the Church" of Ardmore. The "Wars of the Gaedhil and Gall" +have reference, circa 824 or 825, to plunder by the Northmen of Disert +Tipraite which is almost certainly the church of Dysert by the Holy Well +at Ardmore. The same fleet, on the same expedition, plundered Dunderrow +(near Kinsale), Inisshannon (Bandon River), Lismore, and Kilmolash. + +Regarding the age of our "Life" it is difficult with the data at hand +to say anything very definite. While dogmatism however is dangerous +indefiniteness is unsatisfying. True, we cannot trace the genealogy +of the present version beyond middle of the sixteenth century, but its +references to ancient monuments existing at date of its compilation show +it to be many centuries older. Its language proves little or nothing, +for, being a popular work, it would be modernised to date by each +successive scribe. Colgan was of opinion it was a composition of the +eighth century. Ussher and Ware, who had the Life in very ancient +codices, also thought it of great antiquity. Papebrach, the Bollandist, +on the other hand, considered the Life could not be older than the +twelfth century, but this opinion of his seems to have been based on a +misapprehension. In the absence of all diocesan colour or allusion one +feels constrained to assign the production to some period previous to +Rathbreasail. We should not perhaps be far wrong in assigning the first +collection of materials to somewhere in the eighth century or in the +century succeeding. The very vigorous ecclesiastical revival of the +eleventh century, at conclusion of the Danish wars, must have led to +some revision of the country's religious literature. The introduction, +a century and-a-half later, of the great religious orders most probably +led to translation of the Life into Latin and its casting into shape for +reading in refectory or choir. + +Only three surviving copies of the Irish Life are known to the writer: +one in the Royal Library at Brussels, the second in the Royal Irish +Academy Collection (M. 23, 50, pp. 109-120), and the third in possession +of Professor Hyde. As the second and third enumerated are copies of one +imperfect exemplar it has not been thought necessary to collate both +with the Brussels MS. which has furnished the text here printed. M. 23, +50 (R.I.A.) has however been so collated and the marginal references +initialled B are to that imperfect copy. The latter, by the way, is in +the handwriting of John Murphy "na Raheenach," and is dated 1740. It has +not been thought necessary to give more than the important variants. + +The present text is a reproduction of the Brussels MS. plus lengthening +of contractions. As regards lengthening in question it is to be noted +that the well known contraction for "ea" or "e" has been uniformly +transliterated "e." Otherwise orthography of the MS. has been +scrupulously followed--even where inconsistent or incorrect. For the +division into paragraphs the editor is not responsible; he has merely +followed the division originated, or adopted, by the scribe. The Life +herewith presented was copied in 1629 by Brother Michael O'Clery of the +Four Masters' staff from an older MS. of Eochy O'Heffernan's dated 1582. +The MS. of O'Heffernan is referred to by our scribe as "seinleabar," +but his reference is rather to the contents than to the copy. Apparently +O'Clery did more than transcribe; he re-edited, as was his wont, into +the literary Irish of his day. A page of the Brussels MS., reproduced in +facsimile as a frontispiece to the present volume, will give the student +a good idea of O'Clery's script and style. + +Occasional notes on Declan in the martyrologies and elsewhere give some +further information about our saint. Unfortunately however the alleged +facts are not always capable of reconciliation with statements of our +"Life," and again the existence of a second, otherwise unknown, Declan +is suggested. The introduction of rye is attributed to him in the +Calendar of Oengus, as introduction of wheat is credited to St. Finan +Camm, and introduction of bees to St. Modomnoc,--"It was the full of his +shoe that Declan brought, the full of his shoe likewise Finan, but the +full of his bell Modomnoc" (Cal. Oeng., April 7th). More puzzling is the +note in the same Calendar which makes Declan a foster son of Mogue +of Ferns! This entry illustrates the way in which errors originate. A +former scribe inadvertently copied in, after Declan's name, portion of +the entry immediately following which relates to Colman Hua Liathain. +Successive scribes re-copied the error without discovering it and so it +became stereotyped. + + + + +LIFE OF ST. DECLAN + +or "BETHA DECCLAIN" + + +1. The most blessed Bishop Declan of the most noble race of the kings +of Ireland, i.e., the holy bishop who is called Declan was of the most +noble royal family of Ireland--a family which held the sceptre and +exacted tribute from all Ireland at Tara for ages. Declan was by birth +of noble blood as will appear from his origin and genealogy, for it was +from Eochaidh Feidhleach, the powerful Ardrigh of Ireland for +twelve years, that he sprang. Eochaidh aforesaid, had three sons, +scil.:--Breas, Nar, and Lothola, who are called the three Finneavna; +there reigned one hundred and seven kings of their race and +kindred before and after them, i.e. of the race of Eremon, king of +Ireland,--before the introduction of Christianity and since. These three +youths lay one day with their own sister Clothra, daughter of the +same father, and she conceived of them. The son she brought forth as a +consequence of that intercourse was marked by three red wavy lines which +indicated his descent from the three youths aforesaid. He was named +Lugaidh Sriabhdearg from the three lines [sriabaib] in question, and he +was beautiful to behold and of greater bodily strength in infancy than +is usual with children of his age. He commenced his reign as king of +Ireland the year in which Caius Caesar [Caligula] died and he reigned +for twenty-six years. His son was named Criomthan Nianair who reigned +but sixteen years. Criomthan's son was named Fearadach Finnfechtnach +whose son was Fiacha Finnolaidh whose son again was Tuathal Teachtmhar. +This Tuathal had a son Felimidh Reachtmhar who had in turn three +sons--Conn Ceadcathach, Eochaidh Finn, and Fiacha Suighde. Conn was king +of Ireland for twenty years and the productiveness of crops and soil and +of dairies in the time of Conn are worthy of commemoration and of fame +to the end of time. Conn was killed in Magh Cobha by the Ulstermen, +scil.:--by Tiopruid Tireach and it is principally his seed which has +held the kingship of Ireland ever since. Eochaidh Finn was second son +to Felimidh Reachtmhar and he migrated to the latter's province of +Leinster, and it is in that province his race and progeny have remained +since then. They are called Leinstermen, and there are many chieftains +and powerful persons of them in Leinster. Fiacha Suighde moreover, +although he died before he succeeded to the chief sovereignty, possessed +land around Tara. He left three sons--Ross, Oengus, and Eoghan who +were renowned for martial deeds--valiant and heroic in battle and in +conflict. Of the three, Oengus excelled in all gallant deeds so that he +came to be styled Oengus of the poisonous javelin. Cormac Mac Art Mac +Conn it was who reigned in Ireland at this time. Cormac had a son named +Ceallach who took by force the daughter of Eoghan Mac Fiacha Suighde +to dwell with him, i.e. Credhe the daughter of Eoghan. When Oengus +Gaebuaibhtheach ("of the poisonous javelin") heard this, viz., that the +daughter of his brother had been abducted by Ceallach he was roused to +fury and he followed Ceallach to Tara taking with him his foster child, +scil.:--Corc Duibhne, the son of Cairbre, son of Conaire, son of Mogha +Lamha whom Cormac held as a hostage from the Munstermen, and whom he +had given for safe custody to Oengus. When Oengus reached Tara he beheld +Ceallach sitting behind Cormac. He thrust his spear at Ceallach and +pierced him through from front to back. However as he was withdrawing +the spear the handle struck Cormac's eye and knocked it out and then, +striking the steward, killed him. He himself (Oengus) with his foster +child escaped safely. After a time Cormac, grieving for the loss of his +son, his eye and his steward at the hands of Oengus of the poisonous +javelin and of his kinsmen, ordered their expulsion from their tribal +territory, i.e. from the Decies of Tara, and not alone from these, but +from whole northern half of Ireland. However, seven battles were fought +in which tremendous loss was inflicted on Cormac and his followers +before Oengus and his people, i.e. the three sons of Fiacha Suighde, +namely, Ross and Oengus and Eoghan, as we have already said, were +eventually defeated, and obliged to fly the country and to suffer exile. +Consequent on their banishment as above by the king of Ireland they +sought hospitality from the king of Munster, Oilill Olum, because +Sadhbh, daughter of Conn Ceadcathach was his wife. They got land from +him, scil.: the Decies of Munster, and it is to that race, i.e. the race +of Eoghan Mac Fiacha Suighde that the kings and country of the Decies +belong ever since. + +2. Of this same race of Eoghan was the holy bishop Declan of whom +I shall speak later scil.: Declan son of Eirc, son of Trein, son of +Lughaidh, son of Miaich, son of Brian, son of Eoghan, son of Art +Corp, son of Moscorb, son of Mesgeadra, son of Measfore, son of Cuana +Cainbhreathaigh, son of Conaire Cathbuadhaigh, son of Cairbre, son +of Eoghan, son of Fiacha Suighde, son of Felimidh Reachtmhar, son of +Tuathal Teachtmhar. The father of Declan was therefore Erc Mac Trein. He +and his wife Deithin went on a visit to the house of his kinsman Dobhran +about the time that Declan's birth was due. The child she bore was +Declan, whom she brought forth without sickness, pain or difficulty but +in being lifted up afterwards he struck his head against a great stone. +Let it be mentioned that Declan showed proofs of sanctification +and power of miracle-working in his mother's womb, as the prophet +writes:--"De vulva sanctificavi te et prophetam in gentibus dedi te" +[Jeremias 1:5] (Before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified +thee and made thee a prophet unto the nations). Thus it is that Declan +was sanctified in his mother's womb and was given by God as a prophet to +the pagans for the conversion of multitudes of them from heathenism +and the misery of unbelief to the worship of Christ and to the Catholic +faith, as we shall see later on. The very soft apex of his head struck +against a hard stone, as we have said, and where the head came in +contact with the stone it made therein a hollow and cavity of its +own form and shape, without injury of any kind to him. Great wonder +thereupon seized all who witnessed this, for Ireland was at this time +without the true faith and it was rarely that any one (therein) had +shown heavenly Christian signs. "Declan's Rock" is the name of the stone +with which the Saint's head came into contact. The water or rain which +falls into the before-mentioned cavity (the place of Declan's head) +dispels sickness and infirmity, by the grace of God, as proof of +Declan's sanctity. + +3. On the night of Declan's birth a wondrous sign was revealed to all, +that is to the people who were in the neighbourhood of the birthplace; +this was a ball of fire which was seen blazing on summit of the house in +which the child lay, until it reached up to heaven and down again, and +it was surrounded by a multitude of angels. It assumed the shape of a +ladder such as the Patriarch, Jacob saw [Genesis 28:12]. The persons who +saw and heard these things wondered at them. They did not know (for the +true faith had not yet been preached to them or in this region) that it +was God who (thus) manifested His wondrous power (works) in the infant, +His chosen child. Upon the foregoing manifestation a certain true +Christian, scil.:--Colman, at that time a priest and afterwards a holy +bishop, came, rejoicing greatly and filled with the spirit of prophecy, +to the place where Declan was; he preached the faith of Christ to the +parents and made known to them that the child was full of the grace +of God. He moreover revealed to them the height of glory and honour to +which the infant should attain before God and men, and it was revealed +to him that he (Declan) should spend his life in sanctity and devotion. +Through the grace of God, these, i.e. Erc and Deithin, believed in +God and Colman, and they delivered the child for baptism to Colman who +baptised him thereupon, giving him the name of Declan. When, in the +presence of all, he had administered Baptism, Colman spoke this prophecy +concerning the infant "Truly, beloved child and lord you will be in +heaven and on earth most high and holy, and your good deeds, fame, +and sanctity will fill all (the four quarters of) Ireland and you will +convert your own nation and the Decies from paganism to Christianity. +On that account I bind myself to you by the tie of brotherhood and I +commend myself to your sanctity." + +4. Colman thereupon returned to his own abode; he commanded that Declan +should be brought up with due care, that he should be well trained, and +be set to study at the age of seven years if there could be found in his +neighbourhood a competent Christian scholar to undertake his tuition. +Even at the period of his baptism grace and surpassing charity +manifested themselves in the countenance of Declan so that it was +understood of all that great should be the goodness and the spiritual +charm of his mature age. When Dobhran had heard and seen these things +concerning his kinsman Erc he requested the latter and Deithin to give +him the child to foster, and with this request Erc complied. The name of +the locality was "Dobhran's Place" at that time, but since then it has +been "Declan's Place." Dobhran presented the homestead to Declan and +removed his own dwelling thence to another place. In after years, when +Declan had become a bishop, he erected there a celebrated cell in honour +of God, and this is the situation of the cell in question:--In the +southern part of the Decies, on the east side of Magh Sgiath and not +far from the city of Mochuda i.e. Lismore. For the space of seven years +Declan was fostered with great care by Dobhran (his father's brother) +and was much loved by him. God wrought many striking miracles through +Declan's instrumentality during those years. By aid of the Holy Spirit +dwelling in him he (Declan)--discreet Christian man that he was--avoided +every fault and every unlawful desire during that time. + +5. On the completion of seven years Declan was taken from his parents +and friends and fosterers to be sent to study as Colman had ordained. It +was to Dioma they sent him, a certain devout man perfect in the faith, +who had come at that time by God's design into Ireland having spent a +long period abroad in acquiring learning. He (Dioma) built in that place +a small cell wherein he might instruct Declan and dwell himself. There +was given him also, to instruct, together with Declan, another child, +scil., Cairbre Mac Colmain, who became afterwards a holy learned +bishop. Both these were for a considerable period pursuing their studies +together. + +6. There were seven men dwelling in Magh Sgiath, who frequently saw the +fiery globe which it has been already told they first beheld at the time +of Declan's birth. It happened by the Grace of God that they were the +first persons to reveal and describe that lightning. These seven came to +the place where Declan abode and took him for their director and master. +They made known publicly in the presence of all that, later on, he +should be a bishop and they spoke prophetically:--"The day, O beloved +child and servant of God, will come when we shall commit ourselves and +our lands to thee." And it fell out thus (as they foretold), for, upon +believing, they were baptised and became wise, devout (and) attentive +and erected seven churches in honour of God around Magh Sgiath. + +7. Declan remained a long time with Dioma, the holy man we have +named, and acquired science and sanctity and diversity of learning and +doctrine, and he was prudent, mild, and capable so that many who knew +his nobility of blood came when they had heard of the fullness of +his sanctity and grace. Moreover they submitted themselves to him and +accepted his religious rule. Declan judged it proper that he should +visit Rome to study discipline and ecclesiastical system, to secure for +himself esteem and approbation thence, and obtain authority to preach to +the (Irish) people and to bring back with him the rules of Rome as these +obtained in Rome itself. He set out with his followers and he tarried +not till he arrived in Rome where they remained some time. + +8. At the same period there was a holy bishop, i.e. Ailbe, who had been +in Rome for a number of years before this and was in the household of +Pope Hilary by whom he had been made a bishop. When Declan with his +disciples arrived in Rome Ailbe received him with great affection and +gladness and he bore testimony before the Roman people to his (Declan's) +sanctity of life and nobility of blood. He (Declan) therefore received +marks of honour and sincere affection from the people and clergy of Rome +when they came to understand how worthy he was, for he was comely, of +good appearance, humble in act, sweet in speech, prudent in counsel, +frank in conversation, virtuous in mien, generous in gifts, holy in life +and resplendent in miracles. + +9. When Declan had spent a considerable time in Rome he was ordained a +bishop by the Pope, who gave him church-books and rules and orders and +sent him to Ireland that he might preach there. Having bidden farewell +to the Pope and received the latter's blessing Declan commenced his +journey to Ireland. Many Romans followed him to Ireland to perform their +pilgrimage and to spend their lives there under the yoke and rule of +Bishop Declan, and amongst those who accompanied him was Runan, son of +the king of Rome; he was dear to Declan. + +10. On the road through Italy Bishop Declan and Patrick met. Patrick was +not a bishop at that time, though he was (made a bishop) subsequently by +Pope Celestinus, who sent him to preach to the Irish. Patrick was truly +chief bishop of the Irish island. They bade farewell to one another and +they made a league and bond of mutual fraternity and kissed in token of +peace. They departed thereupon each on his own journey, scil.:--Declan +to Ireland and Patrick to Rome. + +11. Declan was beginning mass one day in a church which lay in his road, +when there was sent him from heaven a little black bell, (which came) +in through the window of the church and remained on the altar before +Declan. Declan greatly rejoiced thereat and gave thanks and glory to +Christ on account of it, and it filled him with much courage to combat +the error and false teaching of heathendom. He gave the bell for safe +keeping and carriage, to Runan aforesaid, i.e. son of the king of Rome, +and this is its name in Ireland--"The Duibhin Declain," and it is from +its colour it derives its name, for its colour is black [dub]. There +were manifested, by grace of God and Declan's merits, many miracles +through its agency and it is still preserved in Declan's church. + +12. When Declan and his holy companions arrived at the Sea of Icht +[English Channel] he failed, owing to lack of money, to find a ship, for +he did not have the amount demanded, and every ship was refused him on +that account. He therefore struck his bell and prayed to God for help in +this extremity. In a short time after this they saw coming towards them +on the crest of the waves an empty, sailless ship and no man therein. +Thereupon Declan said:--"Let us enter the ship in the name of Christ, +and He who has sent it to us will direct it skilfully to what harbour +soever He wishes we should go." At the word of Declan they entered in, +and the ship floated tranquilly and safely until it reached harbour +in England. Upon its abandonment by Declan and his disciples the ship +turned back and went again to the place from which it had come and the +people who saw the miracles and heard of them magnified the name of +the Lord and Declan, and the words of the prophet David were +verified:--"Mirabilis Deus in Sanctis Suis [Psalm 67(68):36] (God is +wonderful in His Saints)." + +13. After this Declan came to Ireland. Declan was wise like a serpent +and gentle like a dove and industrious like the bee, for as the bee +gathers honey and avoids the poisonous herbs so did Declan, for he +gathered the sweet sap of grace and Holy Scripture till he was filled +therewith. There were in Ireland before Patrick came thither four holy +bishops with their followers who evangelized and sowed the word of God +there; these are the four:--Ailbe, Bishop Ibar, Declan, and Ciaran. +They drew multitudes from error to the faith of Christ, although it was +Patrick who sowed the faith throughout Ireland and it is he who turned +chiefs and kings of Ireland to the way of baptism, faith and sacrifice +and everlasting judgment. + +14. These three, scil.:--Declan, Ailbe and Bishop Ibar made a bond of +friendship and a league amongst themselves and their spiritual posterity +in heaven and on earth for ever and they loved one another. SS. Ailbe +and Declan, especially, loved one another as if they were brothers +so that, on account of their mutual affection they did not like to be +separated from one another--except when their followers threatened to +separate them by force if they did not go apart for a very short +time. After this Declan returned to his own country--to the Decies of +Munster--where he preached, and baptized, in the name of Christ, many +whom he turned to the Catholic faith from the power of the devil. He +built numerous churches in which he placed many of his own followers to +serve and worship God and to draw people to God from the wiles of Satan. + +15. Once on a time Declan came on a visit to the place of his birth, +where he remained forty days there and established a religious house in +which devout men have dwelt ever since. Then came the seven men we have +already mentioned as having made their abode around Magh Sgiath and as +having prophesied concerning Declan. They now dedicated themselves and +their establishment to him as they had promised and these are their +names:--Mocellac and Riadan, Colman, Lactain, Finnlaoc, Kevin, &c. +[Mobi]. These therefore were under the rule and spiritual sway of bishop +Declan thenceforward, and they spent their lives devoutly there and +wrought many wonders afterwards. + +16. After some time Declan set out to visit Aongus MacNatfrich, king +of Cashel, to preach to him and to convert him to the faith of Christ. +Declan however had two uterine brothers, sons of Aongus, scil.: Colman +and Eoghan. The grace of the Holy Ghost inspiring him Colman went +to Ailbe of Emly and received baptism and the religious habit at the +latter's hands, and he remained for a space sedulously studying science +until he became a saintly and perfect man. Eochaid however remained +as he was (at home)--expecting the kingdom of Munster on his father's +death, and he besought his father to show due honour to his brother +Declan. The king did so and put no obstacle in the way of Declan's +preaching but was pleased with Declan's religion and doctrine, although +he neither believed nor accepted baptism himself. It is said that +refusal (of baptism) was based on this ground: Declan was of the Decies +and of Conn's Half, while Aongus himself was of the Eoghanacht of Cashel +of Munster--always hostile to the Desii. It was not therefore through +ill will to the faith that he believed not, as is proved from this that, +when the king heard of the coming to him of Patrick, the archbishop of +Ireland, a man who was of British race against which the Irish cherished +no hate, not only did he believe but he went from his own city of Cashel +to meet him, professed Christianity and was immediately baptised. + +17. After this Declan, having sown the word of God and preached to the +king (although the latter did not assent to his doctrines), proceeded +to his own country and they (the Desii) believed and received baptism +except the king alone and the people of his household who were every day +promising to believe and be baptised. It however came about through the +Devil's agency that they hesitated continually and procrastinated. + +18. Other authorities declare that Declan went many times to Rome, but +we have no written testimony from the ancient biographers that he went +there more than three times. On one of these occasions Declan paid a +visit to the holy bishop of the Britons whose name was David at the +church which is called Killmuine [Menevia] where the bishop dwelt beside +the shore of the sea which divides Ireland from Britain. The bishop +received Declan with honour and he remained there forty days, in +affection and joy, and they sang Mass each day and they entered into a +bond of charity which continued between themselves and their successors +for ever afterwards. On the expiration of the forty days Declan took +leave of David giving him a kiss in token of peace and set out himself +and his followers to the shore of the sea to take ship for Ireland. + +19. Now the bell which we have alluded to as sent from heaven to Declan, +was, at that time, in the custody of Runan to carry as we have said, for +Declan did not wish, on any account, to part with it. On this particular +day as they were proceeding towards the ship Runan entrusted it to +another member of the company. On reaching the shore however the latter +laid the bell on a rock by the shore and forgot it till they were half +way across the sea. Then they remembered it and on remembrance they were +much distressed. Declan was very sorrowful that the gift sent him by the +Lord from heaven should have been forgotten in a place where he never +expected to find it again. Thereupon raising his eyes heavenward he +prayed to God within his heart and he said to his followers:--"Lay +aside your sorrow for it is possible with God who sent that bell in the +beginning to send it now again by some marvellous ship." Very fully and +wonderfully and beautifully the creature without reason or understanding +obeyed its creator, for the very heavy unwieldy rock floated buoyantly +and without deviation, so that in a short time they beheld it in their +rear with the bell upon it. And when his people saw this wondrous thing +it filled them with love for God and reverence for their master. Declan +thereupon addressed them prophetically:--"Permit the bell to precede +you and follow it exactly and whatsoever haven it will enter into it is +there my city and my bishopric will be whence I shall go to paradise and +there my resurrection will be." Meantime the bell preceded the ship, and +it eased down its great speed remaining slightly in advance of the ship, +so that it could be seen from and not overtaken by the latter. The bell +directed its course to Ireland until it reached a harbour on the south +coast, scil.:--in the Decies of Munster, at an island called, at that +time, High Sheep Island [Aird na gCcaorac] and the ship made the same +port, as Declan declared. The holy man went ashore and gave thanks and +praise to God that he had reached the place of his resurrection. Now, in +that island depastured the sheep belonging to the wife of the +chieftain of Decies and it is thence that it derives its Irish +name--Ard-na-Ccaorac, scil.:--there was in it a high hill and it was a +promontory beautiful to behold. One of the party, ascending the summit +of the hill, said to Declan:--"How can this little height support your +people?" Declan replied:--"Do not call it little hill, beloved son, but +'great height' [ard mor]," and that name has adhered to the city ever +since, scil.:--Ardmore-Declain. After this Declan went to the king of +the Desii and asked of him the aforesaid island. Whereupon the king gave +it to him. + +20. Declan next returned to Ait-mBreasail where, in a haven at the north +side, were the shipping and boats of the island, plying thither and +backwards. The people of the island hid all their boats not willing that +Declan should settle there; they dreaded greatly that if Declan came to +dwell there they themselves should be expelled. Whereupon his disciples +addressed Declan:--"Father," said they, "Many things are required +(scil.: from the mainland) and we must often go by boat to this island +and there will be (crossing) more frequently when you have gone to +heaven and we pray thee to abandon the place or else to obtain from God +that the sea recede from the land so that it can be entered dry shod, +for Christ has said:--'Whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my +name He will give it to you' [John 15:16]; the place cannot be easily +inhabited unless the sea recede from it and on that account you cannot +establish your city in it." Declan answered them and said:--"How can I +abandon the place ordained by God and in which He has promised that my +burial and resurrection shall be? As to the alleged inconvenience of +dwelling therein, do you wish me to pray to God (for things) contrary +to His will--to deprive the sea of its natural domain? Nevertheless in +compliance with your request I shall pray to God and whatever thing be +God's will, let it be done." Declan's community thereupon rose up and +said:--"Father, take your crosier as Moses took the rod [Exodus 14:16] +and strike the sea therewith and God will thus show His will to you." +His disciples prayed therefore to him because they were tried and holy +men. They put Declan's crosier in his hand and he struck the water in +the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and made +the sign of the cross over the water and immediately, by command and +permission of God, the sea commenced to move out from its accustomed +place--so swiftly too that the monsters of the sea were swimming and +running and that it was with difficulty they escaped with the sea. +However, many fishes were left behind on the dry strand owing to the +suddenness of the ebb. Declan, his crosier in his hand, pursued the +receding tide and his disciples followed after him. Moreover the sea +and the departing monsters made much din and commotion and when Declan +arrived at the place where is now the margin of the sea a stripling +whose name was Mainchin, frightened at the thunder of the waves and the +cry of the unknown monsters with gaping mouths following the (receding) +water, exclaimed:--"Father, you have driven out the sea far enough; for +I am afraid of those horrid monsters." When Declan heard this and (saw) +the sea standing still at the word of the youth it displeased him and +turning round he struck him a slight blow on the nose. Three drops of +blood flowed from the wound on to the ground in three separate places +at the feet of Declan. Thereupon Declan blessed the nose and the blood +ceased immediately (to flow). Then Declan declared:--"It was not I who +drove out the sea but God in His own great power who expelled it and He +would have done still more had you not spoken the words you have said." +Three little wells of clear sweet water burst forth in the place where +fell the three drops of blood at the feet of Declan, and these wells are +there still and the colour of blood is seen in them occasionally as a +memorial of this miracle. The shore, rescued from the sea, is a mile +in width and is of great length around (the island) and it is good and +fertile land for tillage and pasture--lying beneath the monastery of +Declan. As to the crosier which was in Declan's hand while he wrought +this miracle, this is its name--the Feartach Declain, from the +miracles and marvels [fertaib] wrought through it. I shall in another, +subsequent, place relate some of these miracles (narrated). + +21. After the expulsion of the sea by this famous Saint, scil.: Declan, +whose name and renown spread throughout Erin because of his great and +diverse miracles, he commenced to build a great monastery by the south +side of the stream which flows through the island into the sea. This +monastery is illustrious and beautiful and its name is Ardmor Declain, +as we have said. After this came many persons to Declan, drawn from the +uttermost parts of Ireland, by the fame of his holy living; they devoted +themselves, soul and body to God and Declan, binding themselves +beneath his yoke and his rule. Moreover he built himself in every place +throughout the territory of the Decies, churches and monasteries and +not alone in his own territory (did he build) but in other regions of +Ireland under tribute to him. Great too were the multitudes (thousands) +of men and women who were under his spiritual sway and rule, in the +places we have referred to, throughout Ireland, where happily they +passed their lives. He ordained some of his disciples bishops and +appointed them in these places to sow the seed of faith and religion +therein. Gentleness and charity manifested themselves in Declan to +such an extent that his disciples preferred to live under his immediate +control and under his direction as subjects than to be in authority in +another monastery. + +22. After this the holy renowned bishop, head of justice and faith in +the Gaelic island came into Ireland, i.e. Patrick sent by Celestinus, +the Pope. Aongus Mac Nathfrich went to meet him soon as he heard the +account of his coming. He conducted him (Patrick) with reverence and +great honour to his own royal city--to Cashel. Then Patrick baptised him +and blessed himself and his people and his city. Patrick heard that the +prince of the Decies had not been baptised and did not believe, that +there was a disagreement between the prince and Declan and that the +former refused to receive instruction from the latter. Patrick thereupon +set out to preach to the prince aforesaid. Next, as to the four bishops +we have named who had been in Rome: Except Declan alone they were not +in perfect agreement with Patrick. It is true that subsequently to +this they did enter into a league of peace and harmonious actions with +Patrick and paid him fealty. Ciaran, however, paid him all respect and +reverence and was of one mind with him present or absent. Ailbe then, +when he saw the kings and rulers of Ireland paying homage to Patrick +and going out to meet him, came himself to Cashel, to wait on him and he +also paid homage to him (Patrick) and submitted to his jurisdiction, in +presence of the king and all others. Bear in mind it was Ailbe whom the +other holy bishops had elected their superior. He therefore came first +to Patrick, lest the others, on his account, should offer opposition to +Patrick, and also that by his example the others might be more easily +drawn to his jurisdiction and rule. Bishop Ibar however would on no +account consent to be subject to Patrick, for it was displeasing to him +that a foreigner should be patron of Ireland. It happened that Patrick +in his origin was of the Britons and he was nurtured in Ireland having +been sold to bondage in his boyhood. There arose misunderstanding +and dissension between Patrick and Bishop Ibar at first, although +(eventually), by intervention of the angel of peace, they formed a +mutual fellowship and brotherly compact and they remained in agreement +for ever after. But Declan did not wish to disagree at all with Patrick +for they had formed a mutual bond of friendship on the Italian highway +and it is thus the angel commanded him to go to Patrick and obey him:-- + +23. The angel of God came to Declan and said to him "Go quickly to +Patrick and prevent him cursing your kindred and country, for to-night, +in the plain which is called Inneoin, he is fasting against the king, +and if he curses your people they shall be accursed for ever." Thereupon +Declan set out in haste by direction of the angel to Inneoin, i.e. the +place which is in the centre of the plain of Femhin in the northern part +of the Decies. He crossed Slieve Gua [Knockmaeldown] and over the Suir +and arrived on the following morning at the place where Patrick was. +When Patrick and his disciples heard that Declan was there they welcomed +him warmly for they had been told he would not come. Moreover Patrick +and his people received him with great honour. But Declan made obeisance +to Patrick and besought him earnestly that he should not execrate his +people and that he should not curse them nor the land in which they +dwelt, and he promised to allow Patrick do as he pleased. And Patrick +replied:--"On account of your prayer not only shall I not curse them but +I shall give them a blessing." Declan went thereupon to the place where +was the king of Decies who was a neighbour of his. But he contemned +Patrick and he would not believe him even at the request of Declan. +Moreover Declan promised rewards to him if he would go to Patrick to +receive baptism at his hands and assent to the faith. But he would not +assent on any account. When Declan saw this, scil.:--that the king of +the Decies, who was named Ledban, was obstinate in his infidelity and +in his devilry--through fear lest Patrick should curse his race +and country--he (Declan) turned to the assembly and addressed +them:--"Separate yourselves from this accursed man lest you become +yourselves accursed on his account, for I have myself baptised and +blessed you, but come you," said he, "with us, to Patrick, whom God has +sent to bless you, for he has been chosen Archbishop and chief Patron +of all Erin; moreover, I have a right to my own patrimony and to be king +over you as that man (Ledban) has been." At this speech they all arose +and followed Declan who brought them into the presence of Patrick and +said to the latter:--"See how the whole people of the Deisi have come +with me as their Lord to thee and they have left the accursed prince +whose subjects they have been, and behold they are ready to reverence +you and to obey you for it is from me they have received baptism." At +this Patrick rose up with his followers and he blessed the people of the +Deisi and not them alone, but their woods and water and land. Whereupon +the chiefs and nobles of the Deisi said:--"Who will be King or Lord over +us now?" And Declan replied:--"I am your lord and whomsoever I shall +appoint offer you as lord, Patrick and all of us will bless, and he +shall be king over you all." And he whom Declan appointed was Feargal +MacCormac a certain young man of the nation of the Deisi who was a +kinsman of Declan himself. He (Declan) set him in the midst of the +assembly in the king's place and he was pleasing to all. Whereupon +Patrick and Declan blessed him and each of them apart proclaimed him +chieftain. Patrick moreover promised the young man that he should be +brave and strong in battle, that the land should be fruitful during his +reign. Thus have the kings of the Deisi always been. + +24. After these things Declan and Feargal Mac Cormac (king of the Deisi) +and his people gave a large area of land to Patrick in the neighbourhood +of Magh Feimhin and this belongs to his successors ever since and great +lordship there. And the place which was given over to him is not far +from the Suir. There is a great very clear fountain there which is +called "Patrick's Well" and this was dear to Patrick. After this, with +blessing, they took leave of one another and Patrick returned to Cashel +to Aongus Mac Natfrich and Declan went with him. + +25. A miracle was wrought at that time on Declan through the +intercession and prayers of Patrick for as Declan was walking carelessly +along he trod upon a piece of sharp iron which cut his foot so that +blood flowed freely and Declan began to limp. Ailbe of Emly was present +at this miracle and Sechnall a bishop of Patrick's and a holy and wise +man, and he is said to be the first bishop buried in Ireland. The wound +which Declan had received grieved them very much. Patrick was informed +of the accident and was grieved thereat. He said:--"Heal, O Master (i.e. +God), the foot of your own servant who bears much toil and hardship on +your account." Patrick laid his hand on the wounded foot and made over +it the sign of the cross when immediately the flow of blood ceased, +the lips of the wound united, a cicatrix formed upon it and a cure +was effected. Then Declan rose up with his foot healed and joined in +praising God. The soldiers and fighting men who were present cried out +loudly, blessing God and the saints. + +26. As Patrick and the saints were in Cashel, i.e. Ailbe and Declan with +their disciples, in the territory of Aongus Mac Nathfrich, they made +much progress against paganism and errors in faith and they converted +them (the pagans) to Christianity. It was ordained by Patrick and Aongus +Mac Natfrich in presence of the assembly, that the Archbishopric of +Munster should belong to Ailbe, and to Declan, in like manner, was +ordained (committed) his own race, i.e. the Deisi, whom he had converted +to be his parish and his episcopate. As the Irish should serve Patrick, +so should the Deisi serve Declan as their patron, and Patrick made the +"rann":-- + +"Humble Ailbe the Patrick of Munster, greater than any saying, Declan, +Patrick of the Deisi--the Decies to Declan for ever." + +This is equivalent to saying that Ailbe was a second Patrick and that +Declan was a second Patrick of the Decies. After that, when the king had +bidden them farewell and they had all taken leave of one another, the +saints returned to their respective territories to sow therein the seed +of faith. + +27. Declan and Ferghal Mac Cormac, king of the Deisi, with his army and +followers, met one another at Indeoin and they made still more strong +on the people the bond of Christian obligation. The king we have already +mentioned, scil.:--Ledban, the recusant to the Christian name, was +rejected of all and he came to nothing, leaving no knowledge (memory) of +his history, as is written of the enemies of the faith:--"Their memory +perisheth like a sound" [Psalm 9:7]. Moreover Declan and Fergal and the +chief men of the Deisi decreed this as the place where the king of the +Deisi should be inaugurated for ever thenceforward, because it was there +Patrick and Declan blessed the king, Fergal; moreover tradition states +that it was there the kings were crowned and ruled over the Deisi in +pagan times. + +28. At that time there broke out a dreadful plague in Munster and it +was more deadly in Cashel than elsewhere. Thus it affected those whom it +attacked: it first changed their colour to yellow and then killed them. +Now Aongus had, in a stone fort called "Rath na nIrlann," on the western +side of Cashel, seven noble hostages. It happened that in one and the +same night they all died of the plague. The king was much affected +thereat and he gave orders to have the fact concealed lest it should +bring disgrace or even war upon him, for the hostages were scions of the +strongest and most powerful families in Munster. On the morrow however +Declan came to Cashel and talked with Aonghus. The king welcomed him +heartily and addressing him said to him in presence of persons of his +court, "I pray you, Declan, servant of God, that in the name of Christ +you would raise to life for me the seven hostages whom I held in bondage +from the chieftains of Munster. They have died from the plague of which +you hear, and I fear their fathers will raise war and rebellion against +me, for they are men of strength and power, and indeed we are ashamed of +their death, for they will say that it is we ourselves who killed them." +Declan answered the king, saying to him:--"Such a matter as this--to +raise one to life from death--belongs to Omnipotence alone--but I shall +do whatever is in my power. I go where the bodies lie and pray to God +for them and let Him do in their regard what seems best to Him." Next, +Declan, with a multitude and his disciples together with the king's +councillors, went to the place where the corpses of the young men lay. +The king followed after them until he came in sight of the bodies. +Declan, full of divine faith, entered the house wherein they lay and he +sprinkled holy water over them and prayed for them in the presence of +all, saying:--"O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the living God, for +thine own name's sake wake the dead that they may be strengthened in +the Catholic faith through our instrumentality." Thereupon, at Declan's +prayer, the group (of corpses) revived and they moved their eyelids and +Declan said to them "In the name of Christ, our Saviour, stand up and +bless and glorify God." And at his words they rose up immediately and +spoke to all. Declan then announced to the king that they were alive and +well. When people saw this remarkable miracle they all gave glory and +praise to God. The fame of Declan thereupon spread throughout Erin and +the king rejoiced for restoration of his hostages. + +29. After this the people of Cashel besought Bishop Declan to bless +their city and banish the plague from them and to intercede with God for +those stricken with sickness who could not escape from its toils. Declan +seeing the people's faith prayed to God and signed with the sign of +Redemption the four points of the compass. As he concluded, there was +verified the saying of Christ to His disciples when leaving them and +going to heaven:--"Super aegros imponent manus et bene habebunt" [Mark +16:18] ("I shall place my hands on the sick and they shall be healed"). +Soon as Declan had made the sign of the cross each one who was ill +became well and not alone were these restored to health but (all the +sick) of the whole region round about in whatsoever place there were +persons ailing. Moreover the plague was banished from every place and +all rejoiced greatly thereat as well as on account of the resurrection +of the dead men we have narrated. The king thereupon ordered tribute and +honour to Declan and his successors from himself and from every king +who should hold Cashel ever after. Upon this the glorious bishop Declan +blessed Aongus together with his city and people and returned back to +his own place. + +30. One night Declan was a guest at the house of a wealthy man who dwelt +in the southern part of Magh Femhin; this is the kind of person his +host was, scil.:--a pagan who rejected the true faith, and his name +was Dercan. He resolved to amuse himself at the Christians' expense; +accordingly he ordered his servants to kill a dog secretly, to cut off +its head and feet and to bury them in the earth and then to cook the +flesh properly and to set it before Declan and his company as their +meal. Moreover he directed that the dog should be so fat that his flesh +might pass as mutton. When, in due course, it was cooked, the flesh, +together with bread and other food, was laid before Declan and his +following. At that moment Declan had fallen asleep but he was aroused +by his disciples that he might bless their meal. He observed to +them:--"Indeed I see, connected with this meat, the ministry of the +devil." Whereupon he questioned the waiters as to the meat--what kind it +was and whence procured. They replied: "Our master ordered us to kill +a fat ram for you and we have done as he commanded." Declan said, "Our +Master is Jesus Christ and may He show us what it is that connects the +ministry of Satan with this meat and preserve thy servants from eating +forbidden food." As he spoke thus Declan saw in the meat the claw of a +dog, for, without intending it, they had boiled one quarter of the +dog with its paw adhering; they thought they had buried it (the +incriminating limb) with the other paws. Declan exclaimed, "This is not +a sheep's but a dog's foot." When the attendants heard this they went at +once to their master and related the matter to him. Then Dercan came +to Declan, accepted his faith and received Baptism at his hands, giving +himself and his posterity to Declan for ever. Moreover he gave his +homestead to Declan and his people were baptised. After this Dercan +requested that Declan should bless something in his homestead which +might remain as a memorial of him (Dercan) for ever. Then Declan blessed +a bell which he perceived there and its name is Clog-Dhercain ("Dercan's +Bell"); moreover, he declared: "I endow it with this virtue (power) that +if the king of Decies march around it when going to battle, against his +enemies, or to punish violation of his rights, he shall return safely +and with victory." This promise has been frequently fulfilled, but proud +(men) undertaking battle or conflict unjustly even if they march around +it do not obtain victory but success remains with the enemy. The name of +that homestead was Teach-Dhercain ("Dercain's House") and its name now +is Coningean, from the claw [con] of the hound or dog aforesaid. To this +place came the saintly concourse, scil:--Coman and Ultan, MacErc and +Mocoba and Maclaisren, who dedicated themselves to (the service of) God +and placed themselves under the spiritual rule and sway of Declan. + +31. Thereupon Declan established a monastery in that place, scil.--in +Coningin--and he placed there this holy community with a further band of +disciples. Ultan however he took away with him to the place whither he +went. + +32. On another (subsequent) occasion Declan visited Bregia, i.e. the +original territory which belonged to his race previous to the expulsion +of his ancestors. There he was treated with particular honour by the +king of Tara and by the chieftains of Meath by whom he was beloved, +since it was from themselves (their tribe and territory) that his +forbears had gone out, for that region was the patrimony of his race and +within it lies Tara. Declan instituted therein a monastery of Canons, +on land which he received from the king, and it is from him the place is +named. Moreover he left therein a relic or illuminated book and a famous +gospel which he was accustomed to carry always with him. The gospel is +still preserved with much honour in the place and miracles are wrought +through it. After this again he turned towards Munster. + +33. Declan was once travelling through Ossory when he wished to remain +for the night in a certain village. But the villagers not only did not +receive him but actually drove him forth by force of arms. The saint +however prayed to God that it might happen to them what the Sacred +Scripture says, "Vengeance is mine I will repay" [Deuteronomy 32:35]. +The dwellers in the village, who numbered sixty, died that same night +with the exception of two men and ten women to whom the conduct of the +others towards the saint had been displeasing. On the morrow these +men and women came humbly to the place where Declan was and they told +him--what he himself foreknew--how miserably the others had died. They +themselves did penance and they bestowed on Declan a suitable site +whereon he built a monastery and he got another piece of land and had +the dead buried where he built the monastery. The name of that monastery +is Cill-Colm-Dearg. This Colm-Dearg was a kind, holy man and a disciple +of Declan. He was of East Leinster, i.e. of the Dal Meiscorb, and it +is from him that the monastery is named. When he (Declan) had completed +that place he came to his own territory again, i.e. to the Decies. + +34. On a certain day Declan came to a place called Ait-Breasail and the +dwellers therein would not allow him to enter their village; moreover +they hid all their boats so that he could not go into his own island, +for they hated him very much. In consideration however of the sanctity +of his servant, who prayed in patience, God the All-Powerful turned the +sea into dry land as you have already heard. Declan passed the night in +an empty stable out in the plain and the people of the village did not +give him even a fire. Whereupon, appropriately the anger of God fell on +them, who had not compassion enough to supply the disciple of God with a +fire. There came fire from heaven on them to consume them all [together +with their] homestead and village, so that the place has been ever +since a wilderness accursed, as the prophet writes: "civitates eorum +destruxisti" [Psalm 9:7], i.e. the dwellings of the unmerciful are laid +waste. + +35. On yet another occasion Declan was in his own region--travelling +over Slieve Gua in the Decies, when his horse from some cause got lame +so that he could proceed no further. Declan however, seeing a herd of +deer roaming the mountain close to him, said to one of his people: "Go, +and bring me for my chariot one of these deer to replace my horse and +take with you this halter for him." Without any misgiving the disciple +went on till he reached the deer which waited quietly for him. He chose +the animal which was largest and therefore strongest, and, bringing +him back, yoked him to the chariot. The deer thereupon obediently and +without effort carried Bishop Declan till he came to Magh Femhin, where, +when he reached a house of entertainment, the saint unloosed the stag +and bade him to go free as was his nature. Accordingly, at the command +of the saintly man and in the presence of all, the stag returned on +the same road back (to the mountain). Dormanach is the name of the man +aforesaid who brought the stag to Declan and him Declan blessed and gave +him a piece of land on the north of Decies close by the Eoghanacht and +his posterity live till now in that place. + +36. On another occasion, Declan, accompanied, as usual, by a large +following, was travelling, when one member of the party fell on the road +and broke his shin bone in twain. Declan saw the accident and, pitying +the injured man, he directed an individual of the company to bandage the +broken limb so that the sufferer might not die through excess of pain +and loss of blood. All replied that they could not endure to dress the +wound owing to their horror thereof. But there was one of the company, +Daluadh by name, who faced the wound boldly and confidently and said: +"In the name of Christ and of Declan our patron I shall be surgeon to +this foot"; and he said that jestingly. Nevertheless he bandaged the +foot carefully and blessed it aright in the name of God and Declan, and +in a little while the wound healed and they all gave praise to God. +Then Declan said to Daluadh: "You promised to be surgeon to that foot +in Christ's name and in mine and God has vouchsafed to heal it at these +words: on this account you will be a true physician for ever and your +children and your seed after you for ever shall also possess the healing +art, and whomsoever they shall practise healing upon in God's name +and mine, provided there be no hatred [in their hearts] nor too great +covetousness of a physician's fee to him, God and myself shall send +relief." This promise of Declan has been fulfilled in the case of that +family. + +37. On another occasion, as Declan was travelling in the northern part +of Magh Femhin beside the Suir, he met there a man who was carrying +a little infant to get it baptised. Declan said to the people [his +"muinntear," or following]: "Wait here till I baptise yonder child," for +it was revealed by the Holy Ghost to him that he [the babe] should serve +God. The attendant replied to him that they had neither a vessel nor +salt for the baptism. Declan said: "We have a wide vessel, the Suir, +and God will send us salt, for this child is destined to become holy and +wonderful [in his works]." Thereupon Declan took up a fistful of earth +and, making prayer in his heart to God, he signed the clay with the sign +of the cross of redemption. It (the handful of earth) became white, dry +salt, and all, on seeing it, gave thanks and honour to God and Declan. +The infant was baptised there and the name of Ciaran given him. Declan +said: "Bring up my spiritual son carefully and send him, at a fitting +age, for education to a holy man who is well instructed in the faith for +he will become a shining bright pillar in the Church." And it was +this child, Ciaran Mac Eochaidh, who founded in after years a famous +monastery (from which he migrated to heaven) and another place +(monastery) besides. He worked many miracles and holy signs and this is +the name of his monastery Tiprut [Tubrid] and this is where it is:--in +the western part of the Decies in Ui Faithe between Slieve Grot [Galtee] +and Sieve Cua and it is within the bishopric of Declan. + +38. On another day there came a woman to Declan's monastery not far from +the city where she dwelt. She committed a theft that day in Declan's +monastery as she had often done previously, and this is the thing +she stole--a "habellum" [possibly an item of tribute]; she departed +homewards taking it with her and there met her a group of people on the +highway, and the earth, in their presence, swallowed her up, and she +cast out the tabellum from her bosom and it was quickly turned into a +stone which the wayfarers took and brought with them to Declan. Declan +himself had in supernatural vision seen all that happened to the woman +in punishment of her theft, and the name of Declan was magnified owing +to those marvels so that fear took possession of all-those present and +those absent. The stone in question remains still in Declan's graveyard +in his own town of Ardmore-Declain, where it stands on an elevated place +in memory of this miracle. + +39. A rich man named Fintan was childless, for his wife was barren for +many years. He himself, with his wife, visited Declan and promised large +alms and performance of good works provided he (Declan) would pray that +they might have children: they held it as certain that if Declan but +prayed for them God would grant them children. Declan therefore, praying +to God and blessing the pair, said: "Proceed to your home and through +God's bounty you shall have offspring." The couple returned home, with +great joy for the blessing and for the promise of the offspring. The +following night, Fintan lay with his wife and she conceived and brought +forth twin sons, scil.: Fiacha and Aodh, who, together with their +children and descendants were under tribute and service to God and +Declan. + +40. When it was made known to a certain holy man, scil.:--Ailbe of Emly +Iubar, chief bishop of Munster, that his last days had come, he said to +his disciples: "Beloved brethren, I wish, before I die, to visit my very +dear fellow worker, scil.:--Declan." After this Ailbe set out on the +journey and an angel of God came to Declan notifying him that Ailbe was +on his way to visit him. On the angel's notification Declan ordered his +disciples to prepare the house for Ailbe's coming. He himself went +to meet Ailbe as far as the place which is called Druim Luctraidh +[Luchluachra]. Thence they came home together and Ailbe, treated with +great honour by Declan and his people, stayed fourteen pleasant +days. After that the aged saint returned home again to his own city, +scil.:--to Emly Iubar. Declan came and many of his people, escorting +Ailbe, to Druim Luchtradh, and Ailbe bade him return to his own city. +The two knew they should not see one another in this world ever again. +In taking leave of one another, therefore, they shed plentiful tears +of sorrow and they instituted an everlasting compact and league between +their successors in that place. Ailbe moreover blessed the city of +Declan, his clergy and people and Declan did the same for Ailbe and they +kissed one another in token of love and peace and each returned to his +own city. + +41. On a certain day the Castle of Cinaedh, King of the Deisi, took fire +and it burned violently. It happened however that Declan was proceeding +towards the castle on some business and he was grieved to see it +burning; he flung towards it the staff to which we have referred in +connection with the drying up of the sea, and it (the staff) flew +hovering in the air with heavenly wings till it reached the midst of +the flame and the fire was immediately extinguished of its own accord +through the grace of God and virtue of the staff and of Declan to whom +it belonged. The place from which Declan cast the staff was a long mile +distant from the castle and when the king, i.e. Cinaedh, and all the +others witnessed this miracle they were filled with amazement and gave +thanks to God and to Declan when they came to know that it was he who +wrought it. Now the place where the castle stands is not far from the +Suir, i.e. on the south side of it and the place from which Declan cast +the staff is beside a ford which is in the Suir or a stream which flows +beside the monastery called Mag Laca [Molough] which the holy virgins, +daughters of the king of Decies, have built in honour of God. There is a +pile of stones and a cross in the place to commemorate this miracle. + +42. On another occasion there approached a foreign fleet towards +Declan's city and this was their design--to destroy and to plunder it of +persons and of cattle, because they (the foreigners) were people hostile +to the faith. Many members of the community ran with great haste to tell +Declan of the fleet which threatened the town and to request him to beg +the assistance of God against the invaders. Declan knew the man amongst +his own disciples who was holiest and most abounding in grace, scil., +Ultan, already mentioned, and him he ordered to pray to God against the +fleet. Ultan had pity on the Christian people and he went instantly, at +the command of Declan, in front of the fleet and he held his left hand +against it, and, on the spot, the sea swallowed them like sacks full of +lead, and the drowned sailors were changed into large rocks which stand +not far from the mouth of the haven where they are visible (standing) +high out of the sea from that time till now. All Christians who +witnessed this rejoiced and were glad and they gave great praise and +glory to God and to Declan their own patron who caused the working of +this miracle and of many other miracles besides. Next there arose a +contention between Ultan and Declan concerning this miracle, for Ultan +attributed it to Declan and Declan credited it to Ultan; and it +has become a proverb since in Ireland when people hear of danger or +jeopardy:--"The left hand of Ultan against you (the danger)." Ultan +became, after the death of Declan, a miracle-working abbot of many other +holy monks. + +43. The holy and glorious archbishop, i.e. Patrick, sent one of his +own followers to Declan with power and authority (delegation) from the +archbishop. And proceeding through the southern part of Decies he +was drowned in a river [the Lickey] there, two miles from the city of +Declan. When Declan heard this he was grieved and he said: "Indeed it +grieves me that a servant of God and of Patrick who sent him to visit +me, having travelled all over Ireland, should be drowned in a river of +my own territory. Get my chariot for me that I may go in haste to see +his corpse, so that Patrick may come to hear of the worry and the grief +I have undergone because of his disciple's death." The body had been +recovered before the arrival of Declan by others who were close at hand +and it had been placed on a bier to be carried to Ciaran for interment. +Declan however met them on the way, when he ordered the body to be laid +down on the ground. They supposed he was about to recite the Office +for the Dead. He (Declan) advanced to the place where the bier was +and lifted the sheet covering the face. It (the face) looked dark and +deformed as is usual in the case of the drowned. He prayed to God +and shed tears, but no one heard aught of what he said. After this he +commanded:--"In the name of the Trinity, in the name of the Father and +of the Son and of the Holy Ghost whose religious yoke I bear myself, +arise to us for God has given your life to me." He (the dead man) rose +up immediately at the command and he greeted Declan and all the others. +Whereupon Declan and his disciples received him with honour. At first +he was not completely cured but (was) like one convalescent until +(complete) health returned to him by degrees again. He however +accompanied Declan and remained some time with him and there was much +rejoicing in Declan's city on account of the miracle and his (Declan's) +name and fame extended over the country generally. This disciple of +Patrick was named Ballin; he returned with great joy and he told him +(Patrick) that Declan had raised him from the dead. To many others +likewise he related what had happened to him. Patrick, in presence of +many persons, hearing of the miracle gave glory and thanks to God and +the name of Declan was magnified. + +44. With this extraordinary miracle wrought by Declan we wish to +conclude our discourse. The number of miracles he wrought, but which are +not written here, you are to judge and gather from what we have written. +And we wish moreover that you would understand that he healed the +infirm, that he gave sight to the eyes of the blind, cleansed lepers, +and gave "their walk" to cripples; that he obtained hearing for the +deaf, and that he healed many and various diseases in many different +places throughout Ireland--(things) which are not written here because +of their length and because they are so numerous to record, for fear it +should tire readers to hear so much said of one particular person. On +that account we shall pass them by. + +45. When Declan realised that his last days were at hand and that +the time remaining to him was very short he summoned to him his own +spiritual son, scil., MacLiag (residing) in the monastery which is on +the eastern side of the Decies close to the Leinstermen in order that, +at the hour of death, he might receive the Body and Blood of Christ and +the Sacraments of the Church from his hands. Thereupon he foretold to +his disciples the day of his death and he commanded them to bring him to +his own city, for it was not there he dwelt at the time but in a small +venerable cell which he had ordered to be built for him between the hill +called Ardmore Declain and the ocean--in a narrow place at the brink of +the sea by which there flows down from the hill above a small shining +stream about which are trees and bushes all around, and it is called +Disert Declain. Thence to the city it is a short mile and the reason why +Declan used go there was to avoid turmoil and noise so that he might be +able to read and pray and fast there. Indeed it was not easy for him to +stay even there because of the multitude of disciples and paupers +and pilgrims and beggars who followed him thither. Declan was however +generous and very sympathetic and on that account it is recorded by +tradition that a great following (of poor, &c.), generally accompanied +him and that moreover the little cell was very dear to him for the +reason we have given, and many devout people have made it their practice +to dwell therein. + +46. When Declan fell ill and became weak in body, but still strong in +hope and faith and love of God, he returned to his own city--his people +and disciples and clergy surrounding him. He discoursed to them on the +commands of God and he enjoined on them to live holily after his death, +to be submissive to authority and to follow as closely as possible the +way he had marked out and to preserve his city in a state of piety +and under religious rule. And when they had all heard the discourse it +grieved them greatly to perceive, from what he had said, he realised +that in a short time he would go away to heaven from them. But they were +consoled by his gentle words and then there came to him the holy man, +to wit, MacLiag, at his own request, already referred to. He [Declan] +received the Body and Blood of Christ and the Sacraments of the Church +from his [MacLiag's] hand--surrounded by holy men and his disciples, +and he blessed his people and his dependents and his poor, and he kissed +them in token of love and peace. Thus, having banished images and the +sacrifices to idols, having converted multitudes to the true faith, +having established monasteries and ecclesiastical orders in various +places, having spent his whole life profitably and holily, this glorious +bishop went with the angels to heaven on the ninth day of the Kalends of +August and his body was blessed and honoured with Masses and chanting +by holy men and by the people of the Decies and by his own monks and +disciples collected from every quarter at the time of his death. He was +buried with honour in his own city--in Declan's High-Place--in the tomb +which by direction of an angel he had himself indicated--which moreover +has wrought wonders and holy signs from that time to now. He departed +to the Unity of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost in Saecula +Saeculorum; Amen. FINIS. + + +The poor brother, Michael O'Clery originally copied this life of Declan +in Cashel, from the book of Eochy O'Heffernan. The date, A.D., at which +that ancient book of Eochy was written is 1582. And the same life has +now been re-written in the Convent of the Friars at Druiske, the date, +A.D., 27th February, 1629. + +And this Life of St. Declan was transcribed electronically for the +public domain by Dennis McCarthy, a layman, in the city of Atlanta in +Georgia of the United States of America. He copied this life from the +1914 translation from the Irish to the English tongue by Rev. P. Power +of University College, Cork. Dennis has completed this work on February +27 in the year of Our Lord 1997, and prayerfully dedicated it to the +memory of his deceased siblings. + + + + +NOTE + + +The Irish text of the "rann" from paragraph 26 reads: + + Ailbe umal; Patraicc Muman, mo gacrath, + Declan, Patraicc na nDeisi: na Deisi ag Declan gan brat. + + +And the Latin rendering: + + Albeus est humilis dixit Caephurnia proles; + Patriciusque esto hinc Ailbee Momonia. + Declanus pariter patronus Desius esto; + Inter Desenses Patriciusque suos. + + + + + +-------------------------------------------+ + | | + | __ __---_ | + | ,-~~~ ~\/ ~\ | + | ,_/ | | + | /,_ / | + | _ _/ ~\ | + | /~~ ~\/~-_| / | + | \ /~ | + | \ _ _\/ | + | ,' | | + | /~ Tara \ | + | \ * | | + | '~|__- / | + | .-,/~ \ | + | | / | + | / | | + | /_,_/~ | | + | / Cashel / | + | ,--~ * | | + | /--- __|_-_/ | + | ,-~ -,-~ | + | \_-~/ \ /~ * | + | ,-~/= _/~ Ardmore | + | --~/_-_-/~'~ | + | | + +-------------------------------------------+ + | MAP OF IRELAND | + +-------------------------------------------+ + + + +TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE + +The source for this text includes an introduction, Irish text & English +translation on facing pages, and notes. The introduction and the notes +are quite lengthy and should take longer to transcribe than the English +text. Except for the part of the introduction specific to the "Life of +Declan" and a few notes transplanted in brackets to the body of the text +I have not transcribed them. Due to inexperience with the Irish language +and its alphabet/font I have decided not to attempt to transcribe the +Irish text. Hopefully someone with the appropriate talent and interest +will undertake that task some day. I have corrected the errata as +indicated in the source and a few obvious printer errors. Please note +that this text is full of variant spellings of names and words sometimes +inconsistently applied. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Life of St. Declan of Ardmore, by Anonymous + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LIFE OF ST. DECLAN OF ARDMORE *** + +***** This file should be named 823.txt or 823.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/8/2/823/ + +Produced by Dennis McCarthy + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. 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DECLAN OF ARDMORE + +(Edited from MS. in Bibliotheque Royale, Brussels). + +Translated from the Irish +With Introduction + +by + +REV. P. POWER, M.R.I.A. +University College, Cork. + + + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +"If thou hast the right, O Erin, +to a champion of battle to aid thee +thou hast the head of a hundred +thousand, Declan of Ardmore" +(Martyrology of Oengus). + + +Five miles or less to the east of Youghal Harbour, on the southern +Irish coast, a short, rocky and rather elevated promontory juts, with +a south-easterly trend, into the ocean [about 51 deg. 57 min. N / +7 deg. 43 min. W]. Maps and admiralty charts call it Ram Head, but +the real name is Ceann-a-Rama and popularly it is often styled Ardmore +Head. The material of this inhospitable coast is a hard metamorphic +schist which bids defiance to time and weather. Landwards the shore +curves in clay cliffs to the north-east, leaving, between it and the +iron headland beyond, a shallow exposed bay wherein many a proud ship +has met her doom. Nestling at the north side of the headland and +sheltered by the latter from Atlantic storms stands one of the most +remarkable groups of ancient ecclesiastical remains in Ireland--all +that has survived of St. Declan's holy city of Ardmore. This embraces +a beautiful and perfect round tower, a singularly interesting ruined +church commonly called the cathedral, the ruins of a second church +beside a holy well, a primitive oratory, a couple of ogham inscribed +pillar stones, &c., &c. + +No Irish saint perhaps has so strong a local hold as Declan or has +left so abiding a popular memory. Nevertheless his period is one of +the great disputed questions of early Irish history. According to +the express testimony of his Life, corroborated by testimony of the +Lives of SS. Ailbhe and Ciaran, he preceded St. Patrick in the Irish +mission and was a co-temporary of the national apostle. Objection, +exception or opposition to the theory of Declan's early period is +based less on any inherent improbability in the theory itself than on +contradictions and inconsistencies in the Life. Beyond any doubt the +Life does actually contradict itself; it makes Declan a cotemporary +of Patrick in the fifth century and a cotemporary likewise of St. +David a century later. In any attempted solution of the difficulty +involved it may be helpful to remember a special motive likely to +animate a tribal histrographer, scil.:--the family relationship, if +we may so call it, of the two saints; David was bishop of the Deisi +colony in Wales as Declan was bishop of their kinsmen of southern +Ireland. It was very probably part of the writer's purpose to call +attention to the links of kindred which bound the separated Deisi; +witness his allusion later to the alleged visit of Declan to his +kinsmen of Bregia. Possibly there were several Declans, as there +were scores of Colmans, Finians, &c., and hence perhaps the confusion +and some of the apparent inconsistencies. There was certainly a +second Declan, a disciple of St. Virgilius, to whom the latter +committed care of a church in Austria where he died towards close of +eighth century. Again we find mention of a St. Declan who was a +foster son of Mogue of Ferns, and so on. It is too much, as Delehaye +("Legendes Hagiographiques") remarks, to expect the populace to +distinguish between namesakes. Great men are so rare! Is it likely +there should have lived two saints of the same name in the same +country! + +The latest commentators on the question of St. Declan's period--and +they happen to be amongst the most weighty--argue strongly in favour +of the pre-Patrician mission (Cfr. Prof. Kuno Meyer, "Learning +Ireland in the Fifth Century"). Discussing the way in which letters +first reached our distant island of the west and the causes which led +to the proficiency of sixth-century Ireland in classical learning +Zimmer and Meyer contend that the seeds of that literary culture, +which flourished in Ireland of the sixth century, had been sown +therein in the first and second decades of the preceding century by +Gaulish scholars who had fled from their own country owing to +invasion of the latter by Goths and other barbarians. The fact that +these scholars, who were mostly Christians, sought asylum in Ireland +indicates that Christianity had already penetrated thither, or at any +rate that it was known and tolerated there. Dr. Meyer answers the +objection that if so large and so important an invasion of scholars +took place we ought have some reference to the fact in the Irish +annals. The annals, he replies, are of local origin and they rarely +refer in their oldest parts to national events: moreover they are +very meagre in their information about the fifth century. One Irish +reference to the Gaulish scholars is, however, adduced in +corroboration; it occurs in that well known passage in St. Patrick's +"Confessio" where the saint cries out against certain "rhetoricians" +in Ireland who were hostile to him and pagan,--"You rhetoricians who +do not know the Lord, hear and search Who it was that called me up, +fool though I be, from the midst of those who think themselves wise +and skilled in the law and mighty orators and powerful in +everything." Who were these "rhetorici" that have made this passage +so difficult for commentators and have caused so various +constructions to be put upon it? It is clear, the professor +maintains, that the reference is to pagan rhetors from Gaul whose +arrogant presumption, founded on their learning, made them regard +with disdain the comparatively illiterate apostle of the Scots. +Everyone is familiar with the classic passage of Tacitus wherein he +alludes to the harbours of Ireland as being more familiar to +continental mariners than those of Britain. We have references +moreover to refugee Christians who fled to Ireland from the +persecutions of Diocletian more than a century before St. Patrick's +day; in addition it is abundantly evident that many +Irishmen--Christians like Celestius the lieutenant of Pelagius, and +possibly Pelagius himself, amongst them--had risen to distinction or +notoriety abroad before middle of the fifth century. + +Possibly the best way to present the question of Declan's age is to +put in tabulated form the arguments of the pre-Patrician advocates +against the counter contentions of those who claim that Declan's +period is later than Patrick's:-- + + + For the Pre-Patrician Mission. Against Theory of Early + Fifth Century period. + + I.--Positive statement of Life, I.--Contradictions, anachronisms, + corroborated by Lives of SS. &c., of Life. + Ciaran and Ailbhe. II.--Lack of allusion to Declan in + II.--Patrick's apparent avoidance the Lives of St. Patrick. + of the Principality of Decies. III.--Prosper's testimony to the +III.--The peculiar Declan cult and mission of Palladius as first + the strong local hold which bishop to the believing Scots. + Declan has maintained. IV.--Alleged motives for later + invention of Pre-Patrician story. + + +In this matter and at this hour it is hardly worth appealing to the +authority of Lanigan and the scholars of the past. Much evidence not +available in Lanigan's day is now at the service of scholars. We are +to look rather at the reasoning of Colgan, Ussher, and Lanigan than +to the mere weight of their names. + +Referring in order to our tabulated grounds of argument, pro and +con, and taking the pro arguments first, we may (I.) discard as +evidence for our purpose the Life of St. Ibar which is very +fragmentary and otherwise a rather unsatisfactory document. The Lives +of Ailbhe, Ciaran, and Declan are however mutually corroborative and +consistent. The Roman visit and the alleged tutelage under Hilarius +are probably embellishments; they look like inventions to explain +something and they may contain more than a kernel of truth. At any +rate they are matters requiring further investigation and +elucidation. In this connection it may be useful to recall that the +Life (Latin) of St. Ciaran has been attributed by Colgan to Evinus +the disciple and panegyrist of St. Patrick. + +Patrick's apparent neglect of the Decies (II.) may have no special +significance. At best it is but negative evidence: taken, however, +in connection with (I.) and its consectaria it is suggestive. We can +hardly help speculating why the apostle--passing as it were by its +front door--should have given the go-bye to a region so important as +the Munster Decies. Perhaps he sent preachers into it; perhaps there +was no special necessity for a formal mission, as the faith had +already found entrance. It is a little noteworthy too that we do not +find St. Patrick's name surviving in any ecclesiastical connection +with the Decies, if we except Patrick's Well, near Clonmel, and this +Well is within a mile or so of the territorial frontier. Moreover +the southern portion of the present Tipperary County had been ceded +by Aengus to the Deisi, only just previous to Patrick's advent, and +had hardly yet had sufficient time to become absorbed. The whole +story of Declan's alleged relations with Patrick undoubtedly suggests +some irregularity in Declan's mission--an irregularity which was +capable of rectification through Patrick and which de facto was +finally so rectified. + +(III.) No one in Eastern Munster requires to be told how strong is +the cult of St. Declan throughout Decies and the adjacent territory. +It is hardly too much to say that the Declan tradition in Waterford +and Cork is a spiritual actuality, extraordinary and unique, even in +a land which till recently paid special popular honour to its local +saints. In traditional popular regard Declan in the Decies has ever +stood first, foremost, and pioneer. Carthage, founder of the tribal +see, has held and holds in the imagination of the people only a +secondary place. Declan, whencesoever or whenever he came, is +regarded as the spiritual father to whom the Deisi owe the gift of +faith. How far this tradition and the implied belief in Declan's +priority and independent mission are derived from circulation of the +"Life" throughout Munster in the last few centuries it is difficult +to gauge, but the tradition seems to have flourished as vigorously in +the days of Colgan as it does to-day. Declan's "pattern" at Ardmore +continues to be still the most noted celebration of its kind in +Ireland. A few years ago it was participated in by as many as +fourteen thousand people from all parts of Waterford, Cork, and +Tipperary. The scenes and ceremonies have been so frequently +described that it is not necessary to recount them here--suffice it +to say that the devotional practices and, in fact, the whole +celebration is of a purely popular character receiving no +approbation, and but bare toleration, from church or clergy. Even to +the present day Declan's name is borne as their praenomen by hundreds +of Waterford men, and, before introduction of the modern practice of +christening with foolish foreign names, its use was far more common, +as the ancient baptismal registers of Ardmore, Old Parish, and +Clashmore attest. On the other hand Declan's name is associated with +comparatively few places in the Decies. Of these the best known is +Relig Deaglain, a disused graveyard and early church site on the +townland of Drumroe, near Cappoquin. There was also an ancient +church called Killdeglain, near Stradbally. + +Against the theory of the pre-Patrician or citra-Patrician mission +we have first the objection, which really has no weight, and which we +shall not stop to discuss, that it is impossible for Christianity at +that early date to have found its way to this distant island, beyond +the boundary of the world. An argument on a different plane is (I.), +the undoubtedly contradictory and inconsistent character of the Life. +It is easy however to exaggerate the importance of this point. +Modern critical methods were undreamed of in the days of our +hagiographer, who wrote, moreover, for edification only in a +credulous age. Most of the historical documents of the period are in +a greater or less degree uncritical but that does not discredit their +testimony however much it may confuse their editors. It can be urged +moreover that two mutually incompatible genealogies of the saint are +given. The genealogy given by MacFirbisigh seems in fact to disagree +in almost every possible detail with the genealogy in 23 M. 50 R.I.A. +That however is like an argument that Declan never existed. It +really suggests and almost postulates the existence of a second +Declan whose Acts and those of our Declan have become mutually +confused. + +(II.) Absence of Declan's name from the Acts of Patrick is a +negative argument. It is explicable perhaps by the supposed +irregularity of Declan's preaching. Declan was certainly earlier +than Mochuda and yet there is no reference to him in the Life of the +latter saint. Ailbhe however is referred to in the Tripartite Life +of Patrick and the cases of Ailbhe and Declan are "a pari"; the two +saints stand or fall together. + +(IV.) Motives for invention of the pre-Patrician myth are alleged, +scil.:--to rebut certain claims to jurisdiction, tribute or +visitation advanced by Armagh in after ages. It is hard to see +however how resistance to the claims in question could be better +justified on the theory of a pre-Patrician Declan, who admittedly +acknowledged Patrick's supremacy, than on the admission of a +post-Patrician mission. + +That in Declan we have to deal with a very early Christian teacher +of the Decies there can be no doubt. If not anterior to Patrick he +must have been the latter's cotemporary. Declan however had failed +to convert the chieftain of his race and for this--reading between +the lines of the "Life"--we seem to hear Patrick blaming him. + +The monuments proper of Declan remaining at Ardmore are (a) his +ORATORY near the Cathedral and Round Tower in the graveyard, (b) his +STONE on the beach, (c) his WELL on the cliff, and (d) ANOTHER STONE +said to have been found in his tomb and preserved at Ardmore for long +ages with great reveration. The "Life" refers moreover to the +saint's pastoral staff and his bell but these have disappeared for +centuries. + +The "Oratory" is simply a primitive church of the usual sixth +century type: it stands 13' 4" x 8' 9" in the clear, and has, or had, +the usual high-pitched gables and square-headed west doorway with +inclining jambs. Another characteristic feature of the early oratory +is seen in the curious antae or prolongation of the side walls. +Locally the little building is known as the "beannacan," in allusion, +most likely, to its high gables or the finials which once, no doubt, +in Irish fashion, adorned its roof. Though somewhat later than +Declan's time this primitive building is very intimately connected +with the Saint. Popularly it is supposed to be his grave and within +it is a hollow space scooped out, wherein it is said his ashes once +reposed. It is highly probable that tradition is quite correct as to +the saint's grave, over which the little church was erected in the +century following Declan's death. The oratory was furnished with a +roof of slate by Bishop Mills in 1716. + +"St. Declan's Stone" is a glacial boulder of very hard conglomerate +which lies on a rocky ledge of beach beneath the village of Ardmore. +It measures some 8' 6" x 4' 6" x 4' 0" and reposes upon two slightly +jutting points of the underlying metamorphic rock. Wonderful virtues +are attributed to St. Declan's Stone, which, on the occasion of the +patronal feast, is visited by hundreds of devotees who, to +participate in its healing efficacy and beneficence, crawl +laboriously on face and hands through the narrow space between the +boulder and the underlying rock. Near by, at foot of a new +storm-wall, are two similar but somewhat smaller boulders which, like +their venerated and more famous neighbour, were all wrenched +originally by a glacier from their home in the Comeragh Mountains +twenty miles away. + +"St. Declan's Well," beside some remains of a rather large and +apparently twelfth century church on the cliff, in the townland of +Dysert is diverted into a shallow basin in which pilgrims bathe feet +and hands. Set in some comparatively modern masonry over the well +are a carved crucifixion and other figures of apparently late +mediaeval character. Some malicious interference with this well led, +nearly a hundred years since, to much popular indignation and +excitement. + +The second "St. Declan's Stone" was a small, cross-inscribed +jet-black piece of slate or marble, approximately--2" or 3" x 1 1/2". +Formerly it seems to have had a small silver cross inset and was in +great demand locally as an amulet for cattle curing. It disappeared +however, some fifty years or so since, but very probably it could +still be recovered in Dungarvan. + +Far the most striking of all the monuments at Ardmore is, of +course, the Round Tower which, in an excellent state of preservation, +stands with its conical cap of stone nearly a hundred feet high. Two +remarkable, if not unique, features of the tower are the series of +sculptured corbels which project between the floors on the inside, +and the four projecting belts or zones of masonry which divide the +tower into storeys externally. The tower's architectural anomalies +are paralleled by its history which is correspondingly unique: it +stood a regular siege in 1642, when ordnance was brought to bear on +it and it was defended by forty confederates against the English +under Lords Dungarvan and Broghil. + +A few yards to north of the Round Tower stands "The Cathedral" +illustrating almost every phase of ecclesiastical architecture which +flourished in Ireland from St. Patrick to the Reformation--Cyclopean, +Celtic-Romanesque, Transitional and Pointed. The chancel arch is +possibly the most remarkable and beautiful illustration of the +Transitional that we have. An extraordinary feature of the church is +the wonderful series of Celtic arcades and panels filled with archaic +sculptures in relief which occupy the whole external face of the west +gable. + +St. Declan's foundation at Ardmore seems (teste Moran's Archdall) +to have been one of the Irish religious houses which accepted the +reform of Pope Innocent at the Lateran Council and to have +transformed itself into a Regular Canonry. It would however be +possible to hold, on the evidence, that it degenerated into a mere +parochial church. We hear indeed of two or three episcopal +successors of the saint, scil.:--Ultan who immediately followed him, +Eugene who witnessed a charter to the abbey of Cork in 1174, and +Moelettrim O Duibhe-rathre who died in 1303 after he had, according +to the annals of Inisfallen, "erected and finished the Church" of +Ardmore. The "Wars of the Gaedhil and Gall" have reference, circa +824 or 825, to plunder by the Northmen of Disert Tipraite which is +almost certainly the church of Dysert by the Holy Well at Ardmore. +The same fleet, on the same expedition, plundered Dunderrow (near +Kinsale), Inisshannon (Bandon River), Lismore, and Kilmolash. + +Regarding the age of our "Life" it is difficult with the data at +hand to say anything very definite. While dogmatism however is +dangerous indefiniteness is unsatisfying. True, we cannot trace the +genealogy of the present version beyond middle of the sixteenth +century, but its references to ancient monuments existing at date of +its compilation show it to be many centuries older. Its language +proves little or nothing, for, being a popular work, it would be +modernised to date by each successive scribe. Colgan was of opinion +it was a composition of the eighth century. Ussher and Ware, who had +the Life in very ancient codices, also thought it of great antiquity. +Papebrach, the Bollandist, on the other hand, considered the Life +could not be older than the twelfth century, but this opinion of his +seems to have been based on a misapprehension. In the absence of all +diocesan colour or allusion one feels constrained to assign the +production to some period previous to Rathbreasail. We should not +perhaps be far wrong in assigning the first collection of materials +to somewhere in the eighth century or in the century succeeding. The +very vigorous ecclesiastical revival of the eleventh century, at +conclusion of the Danish wars, must have led to some revision of the +country's religious literature. The introduction, a century +and-a-half later, of the great religious orders most probably led to +translation of the Life into Latin and its casting into shape for +reading in refectory or choir. + +Only three surviving copies of the Irish Life are known to the +writer: one in the Royal Library at Brussels, the second in the Royal +Irish Academy Collection (M. 23, 50, pp. 109-120), and the third in +possession of Professor Hyde. As the second and third enumerated are +copies of one imperfect exemplar it has not been thought necessary to +collate both with the Brussels MS. which has furnished the text here +printed. M. 23, 50 (R.I.A.) has however been so collated and the +marginal references initialled B are to that imperfect copy. The +latter, by the way, is in the handwriting of John Murphy "na +Raheenach," and is dated 1740. It has not been thought necessary to +give more than the important variants. + +The present text is a reproduction of the Brussels MS. plus +lengthening of contractions. As regards lengthening in question it +is to be noted that the well known contraction for "ea" or "e" has +been uniformly transliterated "e." Otherwise orthography of the MS. +has been scrupulously followed--even where inconsistent or incorrect. +For the division into paragraphs the editor is not responsible; he +has merely followed the division originated, or adopted, by the +scribe. The Life herewith presented was copied in 1629 by Brother +Michael O'Clery of the Four Masters' staff from an older MS. of Eochy +O'Heffernan's dated 1582. The MS. of O'Heffernan is referred to by +our scribe as "seinleabar," but his reference is rather to the +contents than to the copy. Apparently O'Clery did more than +transcribe; he re-edited, as was his wont, into the literary Irish of +his day. A page of the Brussels MS., reproduced in facsimile as a +frontispiece to the present volume, will give the student a good idea +of O'Clery's script and style. + +Occasional notes on Declan in the martyrologies and elsewhere give +some further information about our saint. Unfortunately however the +alleged facts are not always capable of reconciliation with +statements of our "Life," and again the existence of a second, +otherwise unknown, Declan is suggested. The introduction of rye is +attributed to him in the Calendar of Oengus, as introduction of wheat +is credited to St. Finan Camm, and introduction of bees to St. +Modomnoc,--"It was the full of his shoe that Declan brought, the full +of his shoe likewise Finan, but the full of his bell Modomnoc" (Cal. +Oeng., April 7th). More puzzling is the note in the same Calendar +which makes Declan a foster son of Mogue of Ferns! This entry +illustrates the way in which errors originate. A former scribe +inadvertently copied in, after Declan's name, portion of the entry +immediately following which relates to Colman Hua Liathain. +Successive scribes re-copied the error without discovering it and so +it became stereotyped. + + + + +LIFE OF ST. DECLAN +or +"BETHA DECCLAIN" + + +1. The most blessed Bishop Declan of the most noble race of the +kings of Ireland, i.e., the holy bishop who is called Declan was of +the most noble royal family of Ireland--a family which held the +sceptre and exacted tribute from all Ireland at Tara for ages. Declan +was by birth of noble blood as will appear from his origin and +genealogy, for it was from Eochaidh Feidhleach, the powerful Ardrigh +of Ireland for twelve years, that he sprang. Eochaidh aforesaid, had +three sons, scil.:--Breas, Nar, and Lothola, who are called the three +Finneavna; there reigned one hundred and seven kings of their race +and kindred before and after them, i.e. of the race of Eremon, king +of Ireland,--before the introduction of Christianity and since. +These three youths lay one day with their own sister Clothra, +daughter of the same father, and she conceived of them. The son she +brought forth as a consequence of that intercourse was marked by +three red wavy lines which indicated his descent from the three +youths aforesaid. He was named Lugaidh Sriabhdearg from the three +lines [sriabaib] in question, and he was beautiful to behold and of +greater bodily strength in infancy than is usual with children of his +age. He commenced his reign as king of Ireland the year in which +Caius Caesar [Caligula] died and he reigned for twenty-six years. +His son was named Criomthan Nianair who reigned but sixteen years. +Criomthan's son was named Fearadach Finnfechtnach whose son was +Fiacha Finnolaidh whose son again was Tuathal Teachtmhar. This +Tuathal had a son Felimidh Reachtmhar who had in turn three +sons--Conn Ceadcathach, Eochaidh Finn, and Fiacha Suighde. Conn was +king of Ireland for twenty years and the productiveness of crops and +soil and of dairies in the time of Conn are worthy of commemoration +and of fame to the end of time. Conn was killed in Magh Cobha by the +Ulstermen, scil.:--by Tiopruid Tireach and it is principally his seed +which has held the kingship of Ireland ever since. Eochaidh Finn was +second son to Felimidh Reachtmhar and he migrated to the latter's +province of Leinster, and it is in that province his race and progeny +have remained since then. They are called Leinstermen, and there are +many chieftains and powerful persons of them in Leinster. Fiacha +Suighde moreover, although he died before he succeeded to the chief +sovereignty, possessed land around Tara. He left three sons--Ross, +Oengus, and Eoghan who were renowned for martial deeds--valiant and +heroic in battle and in conflict. Of the three, Oengus excelled in +all gallant deeds so that he came to be styled Oengus of the +poisonous javelin. Cormac Mac Art Mac Conn it was who reigned in +Ireland at this time. Cormac had a son named Ceallach who took by +force the daughter of Eoghan Mac Fiacha Suighde to dwell with him, +i.e. Credhe the daughter of Eoghan. When Oengus Gaebuaibhtheach ("of +the poisonous javelin") heard this, viz., that the daughter of his +brother had been abducted by Ceallach he was roused to fury and he +followed Ceallach to Tara taking with him his foster child, +scil.:--Corc Duibhne, the son of Cairbre, son of Conaire, son of +Mogha Lamha whom Cormac held as a hostage from the Munstermen, and +whom he had given for safe custody to Oengus. When Oengus reached +Tara he beheld Ceallach sitting behind Cormac. He thrust his spear +at Ceallach and pierced him through from front to back. However as he +was withdrawing the spear the handle struck Cormac's eye and knocked +it out and then, striking the steward, killed him. He himself +(Oengus) with his foster child escaped safely. After a time Cormac, +grieving for the loss of his son, his eye and his steward at the +hands of Oengus of the poisonous javelin and of his kinsmen, ordered +their expulsion from their tribal territory, i.e. from the Decies of +Tara, and not alone from these, but from whole northern half of +Ireland. However, seven battles were fought in which tremendous loss +was inflicted on Cormac and his followers before Oengus and his +people, i.e. the three sons of Fiacha Suighde, namely, Ross and +Oengus and Eoghan, as we have already said, were eventually defeated, +and obliged to fly the country and to suffer exile. Consequent on +their banishment as above by the king of Ireland they sought +hospitality from the king of Munster, Oilill Olum, because Sadhbh, +daughter of Conn Ceadcathach was his wife. They got land from him, +scil.: the Decies of Munster, and it is to that race, i.e. the race +of Eoghan Mac Fiacha Suighde that the kings and country of the Decies +belong ever since. + +2. Of this same race of Eoghan was the holy bishop Declan of whom I +shall speak later scil.: Declan son of Eirc, son of Trein, son of +Lughaidh, son of Miaich, son of Brian, son of Eoghan, son of Art +Corp, son of Moscorb, son of Mesgeadra, son of Measfore, son of Cuana +Cainbhreathaigh, son of Conaire Cathbuadhaigh, son of Cairbre, son of +Eoghan, son of Fiacha Suighde, son of Felimidh Reachtmhar, son of +Tuathal Teachtmhar. The father of Declan was therefore Erc Mac Trein. +He and his wife Deithin went on a visit to the house of his kinsman +Dobhran about the time that Declan's birth was due. The child she +bore was Declan, whom she brought forth without sickness, pain or +difficulty but in being lifted up afterwards he struck his head +against a great stone. Let it be mentioned that Declan showed proofs +of sanctification and power of miracle-working in his mother's womb, +as the prophet writes:--"De vulva sanctificavi te et prophetam in +gentibus dedi te" [Jeremias 1:5] (Before thou camest forth out of the +womb I sanctified thee and made thee a prophet unto the nations). +Thus it is that Declan was sanctified in his mother's womb and was +given by God as a prophet to the pagans for the conversion of +multitudes of them from heathenism and the misery of unbelief to the +worship of Christ and to the Catholic faith, as we shall see later +on. The very soft apex of his head struck against a hard stone, as +we have said, and where the head came in contact with the stone it +made therein a hollow and cavity of its own form and shape, without +injury of any kind to him. Great wonder thereupon seized all who +witnessed this, for Ireland was at this time without the true faith +and it was rarely that any one (therein) had shown heavenly Christian +signs. "Declan's Rock" is the name of the stone with which the +Saint's head came into contact. The water or rain which falls into +the before-mentioned cavity (the place of Declan's head) dispels +sickness and infirmity, by the grace of God, as proof of Declan's +sanctity. + +3. On the night of Declan's birth a wondrous sign was revealed to +all, that is to the people who were in the neighbourhood of the +birthplace; this was a ball of fire which was seen blazing on summit +of the house in which the child lay, until it reached up to heaven +and down again, and it was surrounded by a multitude of angels. It +assumed the shape of a ladder such as the Patriarch, Jacob saw +[Genesis 28:12]. The persons who saw and heard these things wondered +at them. They did not know (for the true faith had not yet been +preached to them or in this region) that it was God who (thus) +manifested His wondrous power (works) in the infant, His chosen +child. Upon the foregoing manifestation a certain true Christian, +scil.:--Colman, at that time a priest and afterwards a holy bishop, +came, rejoicing greatly and filled with the spirit of prophecy, to +the place where Declan was; he preached the faith of Christ to the +parents and made known to them that the child was full of the grace +of God. He moreover revealed to them the height of glory and honour +to which the infant should attain before God and men, and it was +revealed to him that he (Declan) should spend his life in sanctity +and devotion. Through the grace of God, these, i.e. Erc and Deithin, +believed in God and Colman, and they delivered the child for baptism +to Colman who baptised him thereupon, giving him the name of Declan. +When, in the presence of all, he had administered Baptism, Colman +spoke this prophecy concerning the infant "Truly, beloved child and +lord you will be in heaven and on earth most high and holy, and your +good deeds, fame, and sanctity will fill all (the four quarters of) +Ireland and you will convert your own nation and the Decies from +paganism to Christianity. On that account I bind myself to you by +the tie of brotherhood and I commend myself to your sanctity." + +4. Colman thereupon returned to his own abode; he commanded that +Declan should be brought up with due care, that he should be well +trained, and be set to study at the age of seven years if there could +be found in his neighbourhood a competent Christian scholar to +undertake his tuition. Even at the period of his baptism grace and +surpassing charity manifested themselves in the countenance of Declan +so that it was understood of all that great should be the goodness +and the spiritual charm of his mature age. When Dobhran had heard +and seen these things concerning his kinsman Erc he requested the +latter and Deithin to give him the child to foster, and with this +request Erc complied. The name of the locality was "Dobhran's Place" +at that time, but since then it has been "Declan's Place." Dobhran +presented the homestead to Declan and removed his own dwelling thence +to another place. In after years, when Declan had become a bishop, +he erected there a celebrated cell in honour of God, and this is the +situation of the cell in question:--In the southern part of the +Decies, on the east side of Magh Sgiath and not far from the city of +Mochuda i.e. Lismore. For the space of seven years Declan was +fostered with great care by Dobhran (his father's brother) and was +much loved by him. God wrought many striking miracles through +Declan's instrumentality during those years. By aid of the Holy +Spirit dwelling in him he (Declan)--discreet Christian man that he +was--avoided every fault and every unlawful desire during that time. + +5. On the completion of seven years Declan was taken from his +parents and friends and fosterers to be sent to study as Colman had +ordained. It was to Dioma they sent him, a certain devout man +perfect in the faith, who had come at that time by God's design into +Ireland having spent a long period abroad in acquiring learning. He +(Dioma) built in that place a small cell wherein he might instruct +Declan and dwell himself. There was given him also, to instruct, +together with Declan, another child, scil., Cairbre Mac Colmain, who +became afterwards a holy learned bishop. Both these were for a +considerable period pursuing their studies together. + +6. There were seven men dwelling in Magh Sgiath, who frequently saw +the fiery globe which it has been already told they first beheld at +the time of Declan's birth. It happened by the Grace of God that +they were the first persons to reveal and describe that lightning. +These seven came to the place where Declan abode and took him for +their director and master. They made known publicly in the presence +of all that, later on, he should be a bishop and they spoke +prophetically:--"The day, O beloved child and servant of God, will +come when we shall commit ourselves and our lands to thee." And it +fell out thus (as they foretold), for, upon believing, they were +baptised and became wise, devout (and) attentive and erected seven +churches in honour of God around Magh Sgiath. + +7. Declan remained a long time with Dioma, the holy man we have +named, and acquired science and sanctity and diversity of learning +and doctrine, and he was prudent, mild, and capable so that many who +knew his nobility of blood came when they had heard of the fullness +of his sanctity and grace. Moreover they submitted themselves to him +and accepted his religious rule. Declan judged it proper that he +should visit Rome to study discipline and ecclesiastical system, to +secure for himself esteem and approbation thence, and obtain +authority to preach to the (Irish) people and to bring back with him +the rules of Rome as these obtained in Rome itself. He set out with +his followers and he tarried not till he arrived in Rome where they +remained some time. + +8. At the same period there was a holy bishop, i.e. Ailbe, who had +been in Rome for a number of years before this and was in the +household of Pope Hilary by whom he had been made a bishop. When +Declan with his disciples arrived in Rome Ailbe received him with +great affection and gladness and he bore testimony before the Roman +people to his (Declan's) sanctity of life and nobility of blood. He +(Declan) therefore received marks of honour and sincere affection +from the people and clergy of Rome when they came to understand how +worthy he was, for he was comely, of good appearance, humble in act, +sweet in speech, prudent in counsel, frank in conversation, virtuous +in mien, generous in gifts, holy in life and resplendent in miracles. + +9. When Declan had spent a considerable time in Rome he was ordained +a bishop by the Pope, who gave him church-books and rules and orders +and sent him to Ireland that he might preach there. Having bidden +farewell to the Pope and received the latter's blessing Declan +commenced his journey to Ireland. Many Romans followed him to +Ireland to perform their pilgrimage and to spend their lives there +under the yoke and rule of Bishop Declan, and amongst those who +accompanied him was Runan, son of the king of Rome; he was dear to +Declan. + +10. On the road through Italy Bishop Declan and Patrick met. Patrick +was not a bishop at that time, though he was (made a bishop) +subsequently by Pope Celestinus, who sent him to preach to the Irish. +Patrick was truly chief bishop of the Irish island. They bade +farewell to one another and they made a league and bond of mutual +fraternity and kissed in token of peace. They departed thereupon +each on his own journey, scil.:--Declan to Ireland and Patrick to +Rome. + +11. Declan was beginning mass one day in a church which lay in his +road, when there was sent him from heaven a little black bell, (which +came) in through the window of the church and remained on the altar +before Declan. Declan greatly rejoiced thereat and gave thanks and +glory to Christ on account of it, and it filled him with much courage +to combat the error and false teaching of heathendom. He gave the +bell for safe keeping and carriage, to Runan aforesaid, i.e. son of +the king of Rome, and this is its name in Ireland--"The Duibhin +Declain," and it is from its colour it derives its name, for its +colour is black [dub]. There were manifested, by grace of God and +Declan's merits, many miracles through its agency and it is still +preserved in Declan's church. + +12. When Declan and his holy companions arrived at the Sea of Icht +[English Channel] he failed, owing to lack of money, to find a ship, +for he did not have the amount demanded, and every ship was refused +him on that account. He therefore struck his bell and prayed to God +for help in this extremity. In a short time after this they saw +coming towards them on the crest of the waves an empty, sailless ship +and no man therein. Thereupon Declan said:--"Let us enter the ship +in the name of Christ, and He who has sent it to us will direct it +skilfully to what harbour soever He wishes we should go." At the +word of Declan they entered in, and the ship floated tranquilly and +safely until it reached harbour in England. Upon its abandonment by +Declan and his disciples the ship turned back and went again to the +place from which it had come and the people who saw the miracles and +heard of them magnified the name of the Lord and Declan, and the +words of the prophet David were verified:--"Mirabilis Deus in Sanctis +Suis [Psalm 67(68):36] (God is wonderful in His Saints)." + +13. After this Declan came to Ireland. Declan was wise like a +serpent and gentle like a dove and industrious like the bee, for as +the bee gathers honey and avoids the poisonous herbs so did Declan, +for he gathered the sweet sap of grace and Holy Scripture till he was +filled therewith. There were in Ireland before Patrick came thither +four holy bishops with their followers who evangelized and sowed the +word of God there; these are the four:--Ailbe, Bishop Ibar, Declan, +and Ciaran. They drew multitudes from error to the faith of Christ, +although it was Patrick who sowed the faith throughout Ireland and it +is he who turned chiefs and kings of Ireland to the way of baptism, +faith and sacrifice and everlasting judgment. + +14. These three, scil.:--Declan, Ailbe and Bishop Ibar made a bond +of friendship and a league amongst themselves and their spiritual +posterity in heaven and on earth for ever and they loved one another. +SS. Ailbe and Declan, especially, loved one another as if they were +brothers so that, on account of their mutual affection they did not +like to be separated from one another--except when their followers +threatened to separate them by force if they did not go apart for a +very short time. After this Declan returned to his own country--to +the Decies of Munster--where he preached, and baptized, in the name +of Christ, many whom he turned to the Catholic faith from the power +of the devil. He built numerous churches in which he placed many of +his own followers to serve and worship God and to draw people to God +from the wiles of Satan. + +15. Once on a time Declan came on a visit to the place of his birth, +where he remained forty days there and established a religious house +in which devout men have dwelt ever since. Then came the seven men +we have already mentioned as having made their abode around Magh +Sgiath and as having prophesied concerning Declan. They now dedicated +themselves and their establishment to him as they had promised and +these are their names:--Mocellac and Riadan, Colman, Lactain, +Finnlaoc, Kevin, &c. [Mobi]. These therefore were under the rule and +spiritual sway of bishop Declan thenceforward, and they spent their +lives devoutly there and wrought many wonders afterwards. + +16. After some time Declan set out to visit Aongus MacNatfrich, king +of Cashel, to preach to him and to convert him to the faith of +Christ. Declan however had two uterine brothers, sons of Aongus, +scil.: Colman and Eoghan. The grace of the Holy Ghost inspiring him +Colman went to Ailbe of Emly and received baptism and the religious +habit at the latter's hands, and he remained for a space sedulously +studying science until he became a saintly and perfect man. Eochaid +however remained as he was (at home)--expecting the kingdom of +Munster on his father's death, and he besought his father to show due +honour to his brother Declan. The king did so and put no obstacle in +the way of Declan's preaching but was pleased with Declan's religion +and doctrine, although he neither believed nor accepted baptism +himself. It is said that refusal (of baptism) was based on this +ground: Declan was of the Decies and of Conn's Half, while Aongus +himself was of the Eoghanacht of Cashel of Munster--always hostile to +the Desii. It was not therefore through ill will to the faith that +he believed not, as is proved from this that, when the king heard of +the coming to him of Patrick, the archbishop of Ireland, a man who +was of British race against which the Irish cherished no hate, not +only did he believe but he went from his own city of Cashel to meet +him, professed Christianity and was immediately baptised. + +17. After this Declan, having sown the word of God and preached to +the king (although the latter did not assent to his doctrines), +proceeded to his own country and they (the Desii) believed and +received baptism except the king alone and the people of his +household who were every day promising to believe and be baptised. +It however came about through the Devil's agency that they hesitated +continually and procrastinated. + +18. Other authorities declare that Declan went many times to Rome, +but we have no written testimony from the ancient biographers that he +went there more than three times. On one of these occasions Declan +paid a visit to the holy bishop of the Britons whose name was David +at the church which is called Killmuine [Menevia] where the bishop +dwelt beside the shore of the sea which divides Ireland from Britain. +The bishop received Declan with honour and he remained there forty +days, in affection and joy, and they sang Mass each day and they +entered into a bond of charity which continued between themselves and +their successors for ever afterwards. On the expiration of the forty +days Declan took leave of David giving him a kiss in token of peace +and set out himself and his followers to the shore of the sea to take +ship for Ireland. + +19. Now the bell which we have alluded to as sent from heaven to +Declan, was, at that time, in the custody of Runan to carry as we +have said, for Declan did not wish, on any account, to part with it. +On this particular day as they were proceeding towards the ship Runan +entrusted it to another member of the company. On reaching the shore +however the latter laid the bell on a rock by the shore and forgot it +till they were half way across the sea. Then they remembered it and +on remembrance they were much distressed. Declan was very sorrowful +that the gift sent him by the Lord from heaven should have been +forgotten in a place where he never expected to find it again. +Thereupon raising his eyes heavenward he prayed to God within his +heart and he said to his followers:--"Lay aside your sorrow for it is +possible with God who sent that bell in the beginning to send it now +again by some marvellous ship." Very fully and wonderfully and +beautifully the creature without reason or understanding obeyed its +creator, for the very heavy unwieldy rock floated buoyantly and +without deviation, so that in a short time they beheld it in their +rear with the bell upon it. And when his people saw this wondrous +thing it filled them with love for God and reverence for their +master. Declan thereupon addressed them prophetically:--"Permit the +bell to precede you and follow it exactly and whatsoever haven it +will enter into it is there my city and my bishopric will be whence I +shall go to paradise and there my resurrection will be." Meantime +the bell preceded the ship, and it eased down its great speed +remaining slightly in advance of the ship, so that it could be seen +from and not overtaken by the latter. The bell directed its course +to Ireland until it reached a harbour on the south coast, scil.:--in +the Decies of Munster, at an island called, at that time, High Sheep +Island [Aird na gCcaorac] and the ship made the same port, as Declan +declared. The holy man went ashore and gave thanks and praise to +God that he had reached the place of his resurrection. Now, in +that island depastured the sheep belonging to the wife of the +chieftain of Decies and it is thence that it derives its Irish +name--Ard-na-Ccaorac, scil.:--there was in it a high hill and it was +a promontory beautiful to behold. One of the party, ascending the +summit of the hill, said to Declan:--"How can this little height +support your people?" Declan replied:--"Do not call it little hill, +beloved son, but 'great height' [ard mor]," and that name has adhered +to the city ever since, scil.:--Ardmore-Declain. After this Declan +went to the king of the Desii and asked of him the aforesaid island. +Whereupon the king gave it to him. + +20. Declan next returned to Ait-mBreasail where, in a haven at the +north side, were the shipping and boats of the island, plying thither +and backwards. The people of the island hid all their boats not +willing that Declan should settle there; they dreaded greatly that if +Declan came to dwell there they themselves should be expelled. +Whereupon his disciples addressed Declan:--"Father," said they, "Many +things are required (scil.: from the mainland) and we must often go +by boat to this island and there will be (crossing) more frequently +when you have gone to heaven and we pray thee to abandon the place or +else to obtain from God that the sea recede from the land so that it +can be entered dry shod, for Christ has said:--'Whatsoever you shall +ask of the Father in my name He will give it to you' [John 15:16]; +the place cannot be easily inhabited unless the sea recede from it +and on that account you cannot establish your city in it." Declan +answered them and said:--"How can I abandon the place ordained by God +and in which He has promised that my burial and resurrection shall +be? As to the alleged inconvenience of dwelling therein, do you wish +me to pray to God (for things) contrary to His will--to deprive the +sea of its natural domain? Nevertheless in compliance with your +request I shall pray to God and whatever thing be God's will, let it +be done." Declan's community thereupon rose up and said:--"Father, +take your crosier as Moses took the rod [Exodus 14:16] and strike the +sea therewith and God will thus show His will to you." His disciples +prayed therefore to him because they were tried and holy men. They +put Declan's crosier in his hand and he struck the water in the name +of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and made the sign +of the cross over the water and immediately, by command and +permission of God, the sea commenced to move out from its accustomed +place--so swiftly too that the monsters of the sea were swimming and +running and that it was with difficulty they escaped with the sea. +However, many fishes were left behind on the dry strand owing to the +suddenness of the ebb. Declan, his crosier in his hand, pursued the +receding tide and his disciples followed after him. Moreover the sea +and the departing monsters made much din and commotion and when +Declan arrived at the place where is now the margin of the sea a +stripling whose name was Mainchin, frightened at the thunder of the +waves and the cry of the unknown monsters with gaping mouths +following the (receding) water, exclaimed:--"Father, you have driven +out the sea far enough; for I am afraid of those horrid monsters." +When Declan heard this and (saw) the sea standing still at the word +of the youth it displeased him and turning round he struck him a +slight blow on the nose. Three drops of blood flowed from the wound +on to the ground in three separate places at the feet of Declan. +Thereupon Declan blessed the nose and the blood ceased immediately +(to flow). Then Declan declared:--"It was not I who drove out the sea +but God in His own great power who expelled it and He would have done +still more had you not spoken the words you have said." Three little +wells of clear sweet water burst forth in the place where fell the +three drops of blood at the feet of Declan, and these wells are there +still and the colour of blood is seen in them occasionally as a +memorial of this miracle. The shore, rescued from the sea, is a mile +in width and is of great length around (the island) and it is good +and fertile land for tillage and pasture--lying beneath the monastery +of Declan. As to the crosier which was in Declan's hand while he +wrought this miracle, this is its name--the Feartach Declain, from +the miracles and marvels [fertaib] wrought through it. I shall in +another, subsequent, place relate some of these miracles (narrated). + +21. After the expulsion of the sea by this famous Saint, scil.: +Declan, whose name and renown spread throughout Erin because of his +great and diverse miracles, he commenced to build a great monastery +by the south side of the stream which flows through the island into +the sea. This monastery is illustrious and beautiful and its name is +Ardmor Declain, as we have said. After this came many persons to +Declan, drawn from the uttermost parts of Ireland, by the fame of his +holy living; they devoted themselves, soul and body to God and +Declan, binding themselves beneath his yoke and his rule. Moreover +he built himself in every place throughout the territory of the +Decies, churches and monasteries and not alone in his own territory +(did he build) but in other regions of Ireland under tribute to him. +Great too were the multitudes (thousands) of men and women who were +under his spiritual sway and rule, in the places we have referred to, +throughout Ireland, where happily they passed their lives. He +ordained some of his disciples bishops and appointed them in these +places to sow the seed of faith and religion therein. Gentleness and +charity manifested themselves in Declan to such an extent that his +disciples preferred to live under his immediate control and under his +direction as subjects than to be in authority in another monastery. + +22. After this the holy renowned bishop, head of justice and faith +in the Gaelic island came into Ireland, i.e. Patrick sent by +Celestinus, the Pope. Aongus Mac Nathfrich went to meet him soon as +he heard the account of his coming. He conducted him (Patrick) with +reverence and great honour to his own royal city--to Cashel. Then +Patrick baptised him and blessed himself and his people and his city. +Patrick heard that the prince of the Decies had not been baptised and +did not believe, that there was a disagreement between the prince and +Declan and that the former refused to receive instruction from the +latter. Patrick thereupon set out to preach to the prince aforesaid. +Next, as to the four bishops we have named who had been in Rome: +Except Declan alone they were not in perfect agreement with Patrick. +It is true that subsequently to this they did enter into a league of +peace and harmonious actions with Patrick and paid him fealty. +Ciaran, however, paid him all respect and reverence and was of one +mind with him present or absent. Ailbe then, when he saw the kings +and rulers of Ireland paying homage to Patrick and going out to meet +him, came himself to Cashel, to wait on him and he also paid homage +to him (Patrick) and submitted to his jurisdiction, in presence of +the king and all others. Bear in mind it was Ailbe whom the other +holy bishops had elected their superior. He therefore came first to +Patrick, lest the others, on his account, should offer opposition to +Patrick, and also that by his example the others might be more easily +drawn to his jurisdiction and rule. Bishop Ibar however would on no +account consent to be subject to Patrick, for it was displeasing to +him that a foreigner should be patron of Ireland. It happened that +Patrick in his origin was of the Britons and he was nurtured in +Ireland having been sold to bondage in his boyhood. There arose +misunderstanding and dissension between Patrick and Bishop Ibar at +first, although (eventually), by intervention of the angel of peace, +they formed a mutual fellowship and brotherly compact and they +remained in agreement for ever after. But Declan did not wish to +disagree at all with Patrick for they had formed a mutual bond of +friendship on the Italian highway and it is thus the angel commanded +him to go to Patrick and obey him:-- + +23. The angel of God came to Declan and said to him "Go quickly to +Patrick and prevent him cursing your kindred and country, for +to-night, in the plain which is called Inneoin, he is fasting against +the king, and if he curses your people they shall be accursed for +ever." Thereupon Declan set out in haste by direction of the angel +to Inneoin, i.e. the place which is in the centre of the plain of +Femhin in the northern part of the Decies. He crossed Slieve Gua +[Knockmaeldown] and over the Suir and arrived on the following +morning at the place where Patrick was. When Patrick and his +disciples heard that Declan was there they welcomed him warmly for +they had been told he would not come. Moreover Patrick and his +people received him with great honour. But Declan made obeisance to +Patrick and besought him earnestly that he should not execrate his +people and that he should not curse them nor the land in which they +dwelt, and he promised to allow Patrick do as he pleased. And +Patrick replied:--"On account of your prayer not only shall I not +curse them but I shall give them a blessing." Declan went thereupon +to the place where was the king of Decies who was a neighbour of his. +But he contemned Patrick and he would not believe him even at the +request of Declan. Moreover Declan promised rewards to him if he +would go to Patrick to receive baptism at his hands and assent to the +faith. But he would not assent on any account. When Declan saw +this, scil.:--that the king of the Decies, who was named Ledban, was +obstinate in his infidelity and in his devilry--through fear lest +Patrick should curse his race and country--he (Declan) turned to the +assembly and addressed them:--"Separate yourselves from this accursed +man lest you become yourselves accursed on his account, for I have +myself baptised and blessed you, but come you," said he, "with us, to +Patrick, whom God has sent to bless you, for he has been chosen +Archbishop and chief Patron of all Erin; moreover, I have a right to +my own patrimony and to be king over you as that man (Ledban) has +been." At this speech they all arose and followed Declan who brought +them into the presence of Patrick and said to the latter:--See how +the whole people of the Deisi have come with me as their Lord to thee +and they have left the accursed prince whose subjects they have been, +and behold they are ready to reverence you and to obey you for it is +from me they have received baptism." At this Patrick rose up with +his followers and he blessed the people of the Deisi and not them +alone, but their woods and water and land. Whereupon the chiefs and +nobles of the Deisi said:--"Who will be King or Lord over us now?" +And Declan replied:--"I am your lord and whomsoever I shall appoint +offer you as lord, Patrick and all of us will bless, and he shall be +king over you all." And he whom Declan appointed was Feargal +MacCormac a certain young man of the nation of the Deisi who was a +kinsman of Declan himself. He (Declan) set him in the midst of the +assembly in the king's place and he was pleasing to all. Whereupon +Patrick and Declan blessed him and each of them apart proclaimed him +chieftain. Patrick moreover promised the young man that he should be +brave and strong in battle, that the land should be fruitful during +his reign. Thus have the kings of the Deisi always been. + +24. After these things Declan and Feargal Mac Cormac (king of the +Deisi) and his people gave a large area of land to Patrick in the +neighbourhood of Magh Feimhin and this belongs to his successors ever +since and great lordship there. And the place which was given over +to him is not far from the Suir. There is a great very clear +fountain there which is called "Patrick's Well" and this was dear to +Patrick. After this, with blessing, they took leave of one another +and Patrick returned to Cashel to Aongus Mac Natfrich and Declan went +with him. + +25. A miracle was wrought at that time on Declan through the +intercession and prayers of Patrick for as Declan was walking +carelessly along he trod upon a piece of sharp iron which cut his +foot so that blood flowed freely and Declan began to limp. Ailbe of +Emly was present at this miracle and Sechnall a bishop of Patrick's +and a holy and wise man, and he is said to be the first bishop buried +in Ireland. The wound which Declan had received grieved them very +much. Patrick was informed of the accident and was grieved thereat. +He said:--"Heal, O Master (i.e. God), the foot of your own servant +who bears much toil and hardship on your account." Patrick laid his +hand on the wounded foot and made over it the sign of the cross when +immediately the flow of blood ceased, the lips of the wound united, a +cicatrix formed upon it and a cure was effected. Then Declan rose up +with his foot healed and joined in praising God. The soldiers and +fighting men who were present cried out loudly, blessing God and the +saints. + +26. As Patrick and the saints were in Cashel, i.e. Ailbe and Declan +with their disciples, in the territory of Aongus Mac Nathfrich, they +made much progress against paganism and errors in faith and they +converted them (the pagans) to Christianity. It was ordained by +Patrick and Aongus Mac Natfrich in presence of the assembly, that the +Archbishopric of Munster should belong to Ailbe, and to Declan, in +like manner, was ordained (committed) his own race, i.e. the Deisi, +whom he had converted to be his parish and his episcopate. As the +Irish should serve Patrick, so should the Deisi serve Declan as their +patron, and Patrick made the "rann":-- + +"Humble Ailbe the Patrick of Munster, greater than any saying, +Declan, Patrick of the Deisi--the Decies to Declan for ever." + +This is equivalent to saying that Ailbe was a second Patrick and that +Declan was a second Patrick of the Decies. After that, when the king +had bidden them farewell and they had all taken leave of one another, +the saints returned to their respective territories to sow therein +the seed of faith. + +27. Declan and Ferghal Mac Cormac, king of the Deisi, with his army +and followers, met one another at Indeoin and they made still more +strong on the people the bond of Christian obligation. The king we +have already mentioned, scil.:--Ledban, the recusant to the Christian +name, was rejected of all and he came to nothing, leaving no +knowledge (memory) of his history, as is written of the enemies of +the faith:--"Their memory perisheth like a sound" [Psalm 9:7]. +Moreover Declan and Fergal and the chief men of the Deisi decreed +this as the place where the king of the Deisi should be inaugurated +for ever thenceforward, because it was there Patrick and Declan +blessed the king, Fergal; moreover tradition states that it was there +the kings were crowned and ruled over the Deisi in pagan times. + +28. At that time there broke out a dreadful plague in Munster and it +was more deadly in Cashel than elsewhere. Thus it affected those +whom it attacked: it first changed their colour to yellow and then +killed them. Now Aongus had, in a stone fort called "Rath na +nIrlann," on the western side of Cashel, seven noble hostages. It +happened that in one and the same night they all died of the plague. +The king was much affected thereat and he gave orders to have the +fact concealed lest it should bring disgrace or even war upon him, +for the hostages were scions of the strongest and most powerful +families in Munster. On the morrow however Declan came to Cashel and +talked with Aonghus. The king welcomed him heartily and addressing +him said to him in presence of persons of his court, "I pray you, +Declan, servant of God, that in the name of Christ you would raise to +life for me the seven hostages whom I held in bondage from the +chieftains of Munster. They have died from the plague of which you +hear, and I fear their fathers will raise war and rebellion against +me, for they are men of strength and power, and indeed we are ashamed +of their death, for they will say that it is we ourselves who killed +them." Declan answered the king, saying to him:--"Such a matter as +this--to raise one to life from death--belongs to Omnipotence +alone--but I shall do whatever is in my power. I go where the bodies +lie and pray to God for them and let Him do in their regard what +seems best to Him." Next, Declan, with a multitude and his disciples +together with the king's councillors, went to the place where the +corpses of the young men lay. The king followed after them until he +came in sight of the bodies. Declan, full of divine faith, entered +the house wherein they lay and he sprinkled holy water over them and +prayed for them in the presence of all, saying:--"O Lord Jesus +Christ, only Son of the living God, for thine own name's sake wake +the dead that they may be strengthened in the Catholic faith through +our instrumentality." Thereupon, at Declan's prayer, the group (of +corpses) revived and they moved their eyelids and Declan said to them +"In the name of Christ, our Saviour, stand up and bless and glorify +God." And at his words they rose up immediately and spoke to all. +Declan then announced to the king that they were alive and well. +When people saw this remarkable miracle they all gave glory and +praise to God. The fame of Declan thereupon spread throughout Erin +and the king rejoiced for restoration of his hostages. + +29. After this the people of Cashel besought Bishop Declan to bless +their city and banish the plague from them and to intercede with God +for those stricken with sickness who could not escape from its toils. +Declan seeing the people's faith prayed to God and signed with the +sign of Redemption the four points of the compass. As he concluded, +there was verified the saying of Christ to His disciples when leaving +them and going to heaven:--"Super aegros imponent manus et bene +habebunt" [Mark 16:18] ("I shall place my hands on the sick and they +shall be healed"). Soon as Declan had made the sign of the cross +each one who was ill became well and not alone were these restored to +health but (all the sick) of the whole region round about in +whatsoever place there were persons ailing. Moreover the plague was +banished from every place and all rejoiced greatly thereat as well as +on account of the resurrection of the dead men we have narrated. The +king thereupon ordered tribute and honour to Declan and his +successors from himself and from every king who should hold Cashel +ever after. Upon this the glorious bishop Declan blessed Aongus +together with his city and people and returned back to his own place. + +30. One night Declan was a guest at the house of a wealthy man who +dwelt in the southern part of Magh Femhin; this is the kind of person +his host was, scil.:--a pagan who rejected the true faith, and his +name was Dercan. He resolved to amuse himself at the Christians' +expense; accordingly he ordered his servants to kill a dog secretly, +to cut off its head and feet and to bury them in the earth and then +to cook the flesh properly and to set it before Declan and his +company as their meal. Moreover he directed that the dog should be +so fat that his flesh might pass as mutton. When, in due course, it +was cooked, the flesh, together with bread and other food, was laid +before Declan and his following. At that moment Declan had fallen +asleep but he was aroused by his disciples that he might bless their +meal. He observed to them:--"Indeed I see, connected with this meat, +the ministry of the devil." Whereupon he questioned the waiters as +to the meat--what kind it was and whence procured. They replied: +"Our master ordered us to kill a fat ram for you and we have done as +he commanded." Declan said, "Our Master is Jesus Christ and may He +show us what it is that connects the ministry of Satan with this meat +and preserve thy servants from eating forbidden food." As he spoke +thus Declan saw in the meat the claw of a dog, for, without intending +it, they had boiled one quarter of the dog with its paw adhering; +they thought they had buried it (the incriminating limb) with the +other paws. Declan exclaimed, "This is not a sheep's but a dog's +foot." When the attendants heard this they went at once to their +master and related the matter to him. Then Dercan came to Declan, +accepted his faith and received Baptism at his hands, giving himself +and his posterity to Declan for ever. Moreover he gave his homestead +to Declan and his people were baptised. After this Dercan requested +that Declan should bless something in his homestead which might +remain as a memorial of him (Dercan) for ever. Then Declan blessed a +bell which he perceived there and its name is Clog-Dhercain +("Dercan's Bell"); moreover, he declared: "I endow it with this +virtue (power) that if the king of Decies march around it when going +to battle, against his enemies, or to punish violation of his rights, +he shall return safely and with victory." This promise has been +frequently fulfilled, but proud (men) undertaking battle or conflict +unjustly even if they march around it do not obtain victory but +success remains with the enemy. The name of that homestead was +Teach-Dhercain ("Dercain's House") and its name now is Coningean, +from the claw [con] of the hound or dog aforesaid. To this place +came the saintly concourse, scil:--Coman and Ultan, MacErc and Mocoba +and Maclaisren, who dedicated themselves to (the service of) God and +placed themselves under the spiritual rule and sway of Declan. + +31. Thereupon Declan established a monastery in that place, +scil.--in Coningin--and he placed there this holy community with a +further band of disciples. Ultan however he took away with him to +the place whither he went. + +32. On another (subsequent) occasion Declan visited Bregia, i.e. +the original territory which belonged to his race previous to the +expulsion of his ancestors. There he was treated with particular +honour by the king of Tara and by the chieftains of Meath by whom he +was beloved, since it was from themselves (their tribe and territory) +that his forbears had gone out, for that region was the patrimony of +his race and within it lies Tara. Declan instituted therein a +monastery of Canons, on land which he received from the king, and it +is from him the place is named. Moreover he left therein a relic or +illuminated book and a famous gospel which he was accustomed to carry +always with him. The gospel is still preserved with much honour in +the place and miracles are wrought through it. After this again he +turned towards Munster. + +33. Declan was once travelling through Ossory when he wished to +remain for the night in a certain village. But the villagers not +only did not receive him but actually drove him forth by force of +arms. The saint however prayed to God that it might happen to them +what the Sacred Scripture says, "Vengeance is mine I will repay" +[Deuteronomy 32:35]. The dwellers in the village, who numbered +sixty, died that same night with the exception of two men and ten +women to whom the conduct of the others towards the saint had been +displeasing. On the morrow these men and women came humbly to the +place where Declan was and they told him--what he himself +foreknew--how miserably the others had died. They themselves did +penance and they bestowed on Declan a suitable site whereon he built +a monastery and he got another piece of land and had the dead buried +where he built the monastery. The name of that monastery is +Cill-Colm-Dearg. This Colm-Dearg was a kind, holy man and a disciple +of Declan. He was of East Leinster, i.e. of the Dal Meiscorb, and it +is from him that the monastery is named. When he (Declan) had +completed that place he came to his own territory again, i.e. to the +Decies. + +34. On a certain day Declan came to a place called Ait-Breasail and +the dwellers therein would not allow him to enter their village; +moreover they hid all their boats so that he could not go into his +own island, for they hated him very much. In consideration however +of the sanctity of his servant, who prayed in patience, God the +All-Powerful turned the sea into dry land as you have already heard. +Declan passed the night in an empty stable out in the plain and the +people of the village did not give him even a fire. Whereupon, +appropriately the anger of God fell on them, who had not compassion +enough to supply the disciple of God with a fire. There came fire +from heaven on them to consume them all [together with their] +homestead and village, so that the place has been ever since a +wilderness accursed, as the prophet writes: "civitates eorum +destruxisti" [Psalm 9:7], i.e. the dwellings of the unmerciful are +laid waste. + +35. On yet another occasion Declan was in his own region--travelling +over Slieve Gua in the Decies, when his horse from some cause got +lame so that he could proceed no further. Declan however, seeing a +herd of deer roaming the mountain close to him, said to one of his +people: "Go, and bring me for my chariot one of these deer to replace +my horse and take with you this halter for him." Without any +misgiving the disciple went on till he reached the deer which waited +quietly for him. He chose the animal which was largest and therefore +strongest, and, bringing him back, yoked him to the chariot. The +deer thereupon obediently and without effort carried Bishop Declan +till he came to Magh Femhin, where, when he reached a house of +entertainment, the saint unloosed the stag and bade him to go free as +was his nature. Accordingly, at the command of the saintly man and +in the presence of all, the stag returned on the same road back (to +the mountain). Dormanach is the name of the man aforesaid who +brought the stag to Declan and him Declan blessed and gave him a +piece of land on the north of Decies close by the Eoghanacht and his +posterity live till now in that place. + +36. On another occasion, Declan, accompanied, as usual, by a large +following, was travelling, when one member of the party fell on the +road and broke his shin bone in twain. Declan saw the accident and, +pitying the injured man, he directed an individual of the company to +bandage the broken limb so that the sufferer might not die through +excess of pain and loss of blood. All replied that they could not +endure to dress the wound owing to their horror thereof. But there +was one of the company, Daluadh by name, who faced the wound boldly +and confidently and said: "In the name of Christ and of Declan our +patron I shall be surgeon to this foot"; and he said that jestingly. +Nevertheless he bandaged the foot carefully and blessed it aright in +the name of God and Declan, and in a little while the wound healed +and they all gave praise to God. Then Declan said to Daluadh: "You +promised to be surgeon to that foot in Christ's name and in mine and +God has vouchsafed to heal it at these words: on this account you +will be a true physician for ever and your children and your seed +after you for ever shall also possess the healing art, and whomsoever +they shall practise healing upon in God's name and mine, provided +there be no hatred [in their hearts] nor too great covetousness of a +physician's fee to him, God and myself shall send relief." This +promise of Declan has been fulfilled in the case of that family. + +37. On another occasion, as Declan was travelling in the northern +part of Magh Femhin beside the Suir, he met there a man who was +carrying a little infant to get it baptised. Declan said to the +people [his "muinntear," or following]: "Wait here till I baptise +yonder child," for it was revealed by the Holy Ghost to him that he +[the babe] should serve God. The attendant replied to him that they +had neither a vessel nor salt for the baptism. Declan said: "We have +a wide vessel, the Suir, and God will send us salt, for this child is +destined to become holy and wonderful [in his works]." Thereupon +Declan took up a fistful of earth and, making prayer in his heart to +God, he signed the clay with the sign of the cross of redemption. It +(the handful of earth) became white, dry salt, and all, on seeing it, +gave thanks and honour to God and Declan. The infant was baptised +there and the name of Ciaran given him. Declan said: "Bring up my +spiritual son carefully and send him, at a fitting age, for education +to a holy man who is well instructed in the faith for he will become +a shining bright pillar in the Church." And it was this child, +Ciaran Mac Eochaidh, who founded in after years a famous monastery +(from which he migrated to heaven) and another place (monastery) +besides. He worked many miracles and holy signs and this is the name +of his monastery Tiprut [Tubrid] and this is where it is:--in the +western part of the Decies in Ui Faithe between Slieve Grot [Galtee] +and Sieve Cua and it is within the bishopric of Declan. + +38. On another day there came a woman to Declan's monastery not far +from the city where she dwelt. She committed a theft that day in +Declan's monastery as she had often done previously, and this is the +thing she stole--a "habellum" [possibly an item of tribute]; she +departed homewards taking it with her and there met her a group of +people on the highway, and the earth, in their presence, swallowed +her up, and she cast out the tabellum from her bosom and it was +quickly turned into a stone which the wayfarers took and brought with +them to Declan. Declan himself had in supernatural vision seen all +that happened to the woman in punishment of her theft, and the name +of Declan was magnified owing to those marvels so that fear took +possession of all-those present and those absent. The stone in +question remains still in Declan's graveyard in his own town of +Ardmore-Declain, where it stands on an elevated place in memory of +this miracle. + +39. A rich man named Fintan was childless, for his wife was barren +for many years. He himself, with his wife, visited Declan and +promised large alms and performance of good works provided he +(Declan) would pray that they might have children: they held it as +certain that if Declan but prayed for them God would grant them +children. Declan therefore, praying to God and blessing the pair, +said: "Proceed to your home and through God's bounty you shall have +offspring." The couple returned home, with great joy for the +blessing and for the promise of the offspring. The following night, +Fintan lay with his wife and she conceived and brought forth twin +sons, scil.: Fiacha and Aodh, who, together with their children and +descendants were under tribute and service to God and Declan. + +40. When it was made known to a certain holy man, scil.:--Ailbe of +Emly Iubar, chief bishop of Munster, that his last days had come, he +said to his disciples: "Beloved brethren, I wish, before I die, to +visit my very dear fellow worker, scil.:--Declan." After this Ailbe +set out on the journey and an angel of God came to Declan notifying +him that Ailbe was on his way to visit him. On the angel's +notification Declan ordered his disciples to prepare the house for +Ailbe's coming. He himself went to meet Ailbe as far as the place +which is called Druim Luctraidh [Luchluachra]. Thence they came home +together and Ailbe, treated with great honour by Declan and his +people, stayed fourteen pleasant days. After that the aged saint +returned home again to his own city, scil.:--to Emly Iubar. Declan +came and many of his people, escorting Ailbe, to Druim Luchtradh, and +Ailbe bade him return to his own city. The two knew they should not +see one another in this world ever again. In taking leave of one +another, therefore, they shed plentiful tears of sorrow and they +instituted an everlasting compact and league between their successors +in that place. Ailbe moreover blessed the city of Declan, his clergy +and people and Declan did the same for Ailbe and they kissed one +another in token of love and peace and each returned to his own city. + +41. On a certain day the Castle of Cinaedh, King of the Deisi, took +fire and it burned violently. It happened however that Declan was +proceeding towards the castle on some business and he was grieved to +see it burning; he flung towards it the staff to which we have +referred in connection with the drying up of the sea, and it (the +staff) flew hovering in the air with heavenly wings till it reached +the midst of the flame and the fire was immediately extinguished of +its own accord through the grace of God and virtue of the staff and +of Declan to whom it belonged. The place from which Declan cast the +staff was a long mile distant from the castle and when the king, i.e. +Cinaedh, and all the others witnessed this miracle they were filled +with amazement and gave thanks to God and to Declan when they came to +know that it was he who wrought it. Now the place where the castle +stands is not far from the Suir, i.e. on the south side of it and the +place from which Declan cast the staff is beside a ford which is in +the Suir or a stream which flows beside the monastery called Mag Laca +[Molough] which the holy virgins, daughters of the king of Decies, +have built in honour of God. There is a pile of stones and a cross +in the place to commemorate this miracle. + +42. On another occasion there approached a foreign fleet towards +Declan's city and this was their design--to destroy and to plunder it +of persons and of cattle, because they (the foreigners) were people +hostile to the faith. Many members of the community ran with great +haste to tell Declan of the fleet which threatened the town and to +request him to beg the assistance of God against the invaders. +Declan knew the man amongst his own disciples who was holiest and +most abounding in grace, scil., Ultan, already mentioned, and him he +ordered to pray to God against the fleet. Ultan had pity on the +Christian people and he went instantly, at the command of Declan, in +front of the fleet and he held his left hand against it, and, on the +spot, the sea swallowed them like sacks full of lead, and the drowned +sailors were changed into large rocks which stand not far from the +mouth of the haven where they are visible (standing) high out of the +sea from that time till now. All Christians who witnessed this +rejoiced and were glad and they gave great praise and glory to God +and to Declan their own patron who caused the working of this miracle +and of many other miracles besides. Next there arose a contention +between Ultan and Declan concerning this miracle, for Ultan +attributed it to Declan and Declan credited it to Ultan; and it has +become a proverb since in Ireland when people hear of danger or +jeopardy:--"The left hand of Ultan against you (the danger)." Ultan +became, after the death of Declan, a miracle-working abbot of many +other holy monks. + +43. The holy and glorious archbishop, i.e. Patrick, sent one of his +own followers to Declan with power and authority (delegation) from +the archbishop. And proceeding through the southern part of Decies +he was drowned in a river [the Lickey] there, two miles from the city +of Declan. When Declan heard this he was grieved and he said: +"Indeed it grieves me that a servant of God and of Patrick who sent +him to visit me, having travelled all over Ireland, should be drowned +in a river of my own territory. Get my chariot for me that I may go +in haste to see his corpse, so that Patrick may come to hear of the +worry and the grief I have undergone because of his disciple's +death." The body had been recovered before the arrival of Declan by +others who were close at hand and it had been placed on a bier to be +carried to Ciaran for interment. Declan however met them on the way, +when he ordered the body to be laid down on the ground. They +supposed he was about to recite the Office for the Dead. He (Declan) +advanced to the place where the bier was and lifted the sheet +covering the face. It (the face) looked dark and deformed as is +usual in the case of the drowned. He prayed to God and shed tears, +but no one heard aught of what he said. After this he commanded:--"In +the name of the Trinity, in the name of the Father and of the Son and +of the Holy Ghost whose religious yoke I bear myself, arise to us for +God has given your life to me." He (the dead man) rose up +immediately at the command and he greeted Declan and all the others. +Whereupon Declan and his disciples received him with honour. At +first he was not completely cured but (was) like one convalescent +until (complete) health returned to him by degrees again. He however +accompanied Declan and remained some time with him and there was much +rejoicing in Declan's city on account of the miracle and his +(Declan's) name and fame extended over the country generally. This +disciple of Patrick was named Ballin; he returned with great joy and +he told him (Patrick) that Declan had raised him from the dead. To +many others likewise he related what had happened to him. Patrick, +in presence of many persons, hearing of the miracle gave glory and +thanks to God and the name of Declan was magnified. + +44. With this extraordinary miracle wrought by Declan we wish to +conclude our discourse. The number of miracles he wrought, but which +are not written here, you are to judge and gather from what we have +written. And we wish moreover that you would understand that he +healed the infirm, that he gave sight to the eyes of the blind, +cleansed lepers, and gave "their walk" to cripples; that he obtained +hearing for the deaf, and that he healed many and various diseases in +many different places throughout Ireland--(things) which are not +written here because of their length and because they are so numerous +to record, for fear it should tire readers to hear so much said of +one particular person. On that account we shall pass them by. + +45. When Declan realised that his last days were at hand and that +the time remaining to him was very short he summoned to him his own +spiritual son, scil., MacLiag (residing) in the monastery which is on +the eastern side of the Decies close to the Leinstermen in order +that, at the hour of death, he might receive the Body and Blood of +Christ and the Sacraments of the Church from his hands. Thereupon he +foretold to his disciples the day of his death and he commanded them +to bring him to his own city, for it was not there he dwelt at the +time but in a small venerable cell which he had ordered to be built +for him between the hill called Ardmore Declain and the ocean--in a +narrow place at the brink of the sea by which there flows down from +the hill above a small shining stream about which are trees and +bushes all around, and it is called Disert Declain. Thence to the +city it is a short mile and the reason why Declan used go there was +to avoid turmoil and noise so that he might be able to read and pray +and fast there. Indeed it was not easy for him to stay even there +because of the multitude of disciples and paupers and pilgrims and +beggars who followed him thither. Declan was however generous and +very sympathetic and on that account it is recorded by tradition that +a great following (of poor, &c.), generally accompanied him and that +moreover the little cell was very dear to him for the reason we have +given, and many devout people have made it their practice to dwell +therein. + +46. When Declan fell ill and became weak in body, but still strong +in hope and faith and love of God, he returned to his own city--his +people and disciples and clergy surrounding him. He discoursed to +them on the commands of God and he enjoined on them to live holily +after his death, to be submissive to authority and to follow as +closely as possible the way he had marked out and to preserve his +city in a state of piety and under religious rule. And when they had +all heard the discourse it grieved them greatly to perceive, from +what he had said, he realised that in a short time he would go away +to heaven from them. But they were consoled by his gentle words and +then there came to him the holy man, to wit, MacLiag, at his own +request, already referred to. He [Declan] received the Body and +Blood of Christ and the Sacraments of the Church from his [MacLiag's] +hand--surrounded by holy men and his disciples, and he blessed his +people and his dependents and his poor, and he kissed them in token +of love and peace. Thus, having banished images and the sacrifices +to idols, having converted multitudes to the true faith, having +established monasteries and ecclesiastical orders in various places, +having spent his whole life profitably and holily, this glorious +bishop went with the angels to heaven on the ninth day of the Kalends +of August and his body was blessed and honoured with Masses and +chanting by holy men and by the people of the Decies and by his own +monks and disciples collected from every quarter at the time of his +death. He was buried with honour in his own city--in Declan's +High-Place--in the tomb which by direction of an angel he had himself +indicated--which moreover has wrought wonders and holy signs from +that time to now. He departed to the Unity of the Father and the Son +and the Holy Ghost in Saecula Saeculorum; Amen. FINIS. + + +The poor brother, Michael O'Clery originally copied this life of +Declan in Cashel, from the book of Eochy O'Heffernan. The date, +A.D., at which that ancient book of Eochy was written is 1582. And +the same life has now been re-written in the Convent of the Friars at +Druiske, the date, A.D., 27th February, 1629. + +And this Life of St. Declan was transcribed electronically for the +public domain by Dennis McCarthy, a layman, in the city of Atlanta in +Georgia of the United States of America. He copied this life from +the 1914 translation from the Irish to the English tongue by Rev. P. +Power of University College, Cork. Dennis has completed this work on +February 27 in the year of Our Lord 1997, and prayerfully dedicated +it to the memory of his deceased siblings. + + + + +NOTE + + +The Irish text of the "rann" from paragraph 26 reads: + +Ailbe umal; Patraicc Muman, mo gacrath, +Declan, Patraicc na nDeisi: na Deisi ag Declan gan brat. + + +And the Latin rendering: + +Albeus est humilis dixit Caephurnia proles; +Patriciusque esto hinc Ailbee Momonia. +Declanus pariter patronus Desius esto; +Inter Desenses Patriciusque suos. + + + + ++-------------------------------------------+ +| | +| __ __---_ | +| ,-~~~ ~\/ ~\ | +| ,_/ | | +| /,_ / | +| _ _/ ~\ | +| /~~ ~\/~-_| / | +| \ /~ | +| \ _ _\/ | +| ,' | | +| /~ Tara \ | +| \ * | | +| '~|__- / | +| .- ,/~ \ | +| | / | +| / | | +| /_,_/~ | | +| / Cashel / | +| ,--~ * | | +| /--- __|_-_/ | +| ,-~ -,-~ | +| \_-~/ \ /~ * | +| ,-~/= _/~ Ardmore | +| --~/_-_-/~'~ | +| | ++-------------------------------------------+ +| MAP OF IRELAND | ++-------------------------------------------+ + + + + +TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE + + +The source for this text includes an introduction, Irish text & +English translation on facing pages, and notes. The introduction and +the notes are quite lengthy and should take longer to transcribe than +the English text. Except for the part of the introduction specific +to the "Life of Declan" and a few notes transplanted in brackets to +the body of the text I have not transcribed them. Due to inexperience +with the Irish language and its alphabet/font I have decided not to +attempt to transcribe the Irish text. Hopefully someone with the +appropriate talent and interest will undertake that task some day. +I have corrected the errata as indicated in the source and a few +obvious printer errors. Please note that this text is full of +variant spellings of names and words sometimes inconsistently +applied. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Life of St. Declan of Ardmore + diff --git a/old/stdec10.zip b/old/stdec10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..729cdaf --- /dev/null +++ b/old/stdec10.zip |