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diff --git a/old/stdec10.txt b/old/stdec10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..45bff07 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/stdec10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1806 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Life of St. Declan of Ardmore + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. We need your donations. + + +The Life of St. Declan of Ardmore + +Translated by Rev. P. 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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 + |