TRANSLATIONS OF CHRISTIAN LITERATURE. SERIES V LIVES OF THE CELTIC SAINTS

 THE LATIN & IRISH LIVES OF CIARAN

 By R. A. STEWART-MACALISTER

 * * * * *

 SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE. London The Macmillan Company. New York

 1921

 CONTENTS

 INTRODUCTION

 A HARMONY OF THE FOUR LIVES OF ST CIARAN

 THE FIRST LATIN LIFE OF ST CIARAN

 THE SECOND LATIN LIFE OF ST CIARAN

 THE THIRD LATIN LIFE OF ST CIARAN

 THE IRISH LIFE OF ST CIARAN

 ANNOTATIONS TO THE FOREGOING LIVES

 THE LATIN TEXT OF THE SECOND LIFE

 INDEX

THE LATIN AND IRISH LIVESOF CIARAN

INTRODUCTION

Of all the saints of Ireland, whose names are recorded in the nativeMartyrologies, probably there were none who made so deep an impressionupon the minds of their fellow-countrymen as did Ciaran[1] ofClonmacnois. He stands, perhaps, second only to Brigit of Kildarein this respect; for Patrick was a foreigner, and Colum Cilleaccomplished his work and exercised his influence outside the shoresof Ireland. 

Doubtless much of the importance of Ciaran is reflected back fromthe outstanding importance of his great foundation--the monasticuniversity, as it is fair to call it, of _Cluain maccu Nois_ (in anEnglish setting spelt "Clonmacnois"), on the shore of the Shannon. Butthis cannot be the whole explanation of the esteem in which hewas held; it must be at least partly due to the memory of his owncharacter and personality. 

Such a conclusion is indicated if we examine critically the _Lives_ ofthis saint, translations of which are given in the present volume, andcompare them with the lives of other Irish saints. In studying allthese documents we must bear in mind that none of them are, in anymodern sense of the word, biographies. A biography, in the properdefinition of the term, gives an ordered account of the life of itssubject, with dates, and endeavours to trace the influences whichshaped his character and his career, and the manner in which hehimself influenced his surroundings. The so-called lives of saints areproperly to be regarded as _homilies_. They were composed to be readto assemblies of the Faithful, as sermons for the festivals of thesaints with whom they deal; and their purpose was to edify the hearersby presenting catalogues of the virtues of their subjects, and, especially, of their thaumaturgic powers. Thus they do not possessthe unity of ordered and well-designed biographies; they consistof disconnected anecdotes, describing how this event or that gaveoccasion for a miraculous display. 

It follows that to the historian in search of unvarnished recordsof actual fact these documents are useless, without most drasticcriticism. They were compiled long after the time of their subjects, from tales, doubtless at first, and probably for a considerable time, transmitted by oral tradition. It would be natural that there shouldbe much cross-borrowing, tales told about one saint being adapted toothers as well, until they became stock incidents. It would also benothing more than natural that many elements in the Lives shouldbe survivals from more ancient mythologies, having their roots inpre-Christian beliefs. Nevertheless, none of these writings are devoidof value as pictures of life and manners; and even in descriptions ofincredible and pointless miracles precious scraps of folk-lore areoften embedded. In most, if not in all, cases, the incidents recordedin the Lives are to be criticised as genuine traditions, whatevertheir literal historicity may be; few, if any, are consciousinventions or impostures. [2]

In the Lives of Ciaran there are many conventional incidents of thiskind, which reappear in the lives of other saints. In the Annotationsin the present edition a few such parallels are quoted; though noattempt is made to give an exhaustive list, the compilation of whichwould occupy more time and space than its scientific value wouldwarrant. But there are certain other incidents of a more individualtype, and it is these which make the Lives of Ciaran especiallyremarkable. They may well be genuine reminiscences of the real life, or at least of the real character of the man himself. Thus, there area number of coincidences, clearly undesigned (noted below, p. 104)consistently pointing to a pre-Celtic parentage for the saint. Again, the saint's mother is represented as a strong personality, with adecided strain of "thrawnness" in her composition; while the sainthimself is shown to us as distinguished by a beautiful unselfishness. This, it must be confessed, is very far from being a common characterof the Irish saints, as they are represented to us by the nativehagiologists; and in any case the character-drawing of the averageIrish saint's life is so rudimentary, that when we are thus enabled todetect well-defined traits, we are quite justified in accepting themas based on the tradition of the actual personality of the saint. Inother words, so deep was the impression which the man made upon hiscontemporaries during his short life, that his _memorabilia_ seem tobe, on the whole, of a more definitely historic nature than are thoseof other Irish saints. 

There is, however, a disturbing element which must be kept in mind incriticising the Lives of Ciaran. He was the son of a carpenter, and hewas said to have died at the age of thirty-three. It is quite clearthat these coincidences with the facts of the earthly parentage anddeath of Christ were observed by the homilists--indeed the author ofthe Irish Life says as much, at the end of his work. They provoked anatural and perhaps wholly unconscious desire to draw other parallels;and if we may use a convenient German technical term, there isa traceable _Tendenz_ in this direction, as is indicated in theAnnotations on later pages. It is not to be supposed that even theseapparently imitative incidents are (not to mince matters) merepious frauds; they may well have come into existence in thefolk-consciousness automatically, before they received their presentliterary form. But such a development could hardly have centred in anunworthy subject; there must have been a well-established traditionof a _Christ-likeness_ of character in the man, for such parallels indetail to have taken shape. [3]

The homiletic purpose of these documents is most clearly shown in theIrish Life. This was written to be preached as a sermon on the saint'sfestival ["this day _to-day_, " § 1], at Clonmacnois ["he came _to thistown_, " § 34: "a fragment of the cask remained _here_ till recently, "§ 36: "_here_ are the relics of Ciaran, " § 41. Similarly the FirstLatin Life, § 35, calls the saint "_Our_ most holy patron"]. Theactual date of the Irish sermon is less easy to fix; the languagehas been modernised step by step in the process of transmission frommanuscript to manuscript, but originally it may have been writtenabout the eleventh century, though incorporating fragments of earliermaterial. The passage just quoted, saying that a certain relic hadremained _till recently_, may possibly indicate that the homily hadbeen delivered shortly after one of the many burnings and plunderingswhich the monastery suffered; in such a calamity the relic might haveperished. The prophecy put into Ciaran's mouth, that "there would begreat persecution of his city from evil men in the end of the world"[Irish Life, § 38] seems to relate to such an event: it is verysuggestive that exactly the same exprestion "great persecution fromevil men" (_ingrem mór ó droch-daoinibh_) is used in the _ChroniconScotorum_ of certain raids on the monastery which took place in theyear A. D. 1091; and that on the strength of an old prophecy there wasa belief in Ireland that the world was destined to come to an end inthe year 1096, as we learn from the _Annals of the Four Masters_ underthat date. [4] It must, however, be remembered that a date determinedfor a single incident does not necessarily date the whole compilationcontaining it. 

The text of the First Latin Life (here called for convenience ofreference LA) is found in an early fifteenth-century MS. In Marsh'sLibrary, Dublin. It has been edited, without translation, by the Rev. C. Plummer in his most valuable _Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae_ (Oxford, 1910) vol. I, pp. 200-216. The translation given in this volume hasbeen made from Plummer's edition, which I have collated with theoriginal MS. [5]

The text of the Second Latin Life (LB) is contained in two MSS. In theBodleian Library (Rawl. B 485 and Rawl. B 505, here called R1 and R2). Of these R2 is a direct copy of R1, as has been proved by Plummer, inhis description of these manuscripts. [6] As to their date, there isno agreement; the estimate for R1 ranges from the first half of thethirteenth to the fourteenth century, R2 being necessarily somewhatlater. The Life of Ciaran contained in these MSS. Has been usedby Plummer in editing LA, and extracts from it are printed in hisfootnotes. It has not, however, been previously printed in itsentirety, and a transcript made by myself is therefore added here, inan Appendix. 

The text of the Third Latin Life (LC) is contained in the well-knownBrussels MS. , called _Codex Salmaticensis_ from its former sojournat Salamanca. It is of the fourteenth century. This was the onlycontinuous authority at the disposal of the compiler of the Bollandistlife of our saint; he speaks of it in the most contemptuous terms. Thelife of Ciaran in this manuscript is a mere fragment, evidently copiedfrom an imperfect exemplar; there seems to have been a chasm inthe middle, and there is a lacuna at the end, which the scribehas endeavoured to conceal by adding the words "Finit, Amen. " Thetranslation here given has been prepared from the edition of theSalamanca MS. By de Smedt and de Backer, cols. 155-160. 

The Irish Life (here denoted VG, i. E. _Vita Goedelica_) was edited byWhitley Stokes from the late fifteenth-century MS. Called the _Book ofLismore. _[7] The numerous errors in the Lismore text may be to someextent corrected by collation with another Brussels MS. , written inthe seventeenth century by Micheál ó Cléirigh. Stokes has indicatedthe more important readings of the Brussels MS. In his edition. Thescribe of the Lismore Text was conscious of the defects of his copy:for in a note appended to the Life of our saint, he says, "It is not Iwho am responsible for the meaningless words in this _Life_, but thebad manuscript"--_i. E. _ the imperfect exemplar of which he was makinga transcript. 

There were other Lives of the saint in existence, apparently no longerextant. Of these, one was in the hands of the hagiographer Sollerius:for in his edition of the _Martyrologium_ of Usuardus (Antwerp, 1714, p. 523) he says, _Querani, Kirani, uel Kiriani uitam MS. Habemus. Uariaque ad eam annotata, quae suo tempore digerentur_. This promisehe does not appear to have fulfilled; the Bollandist compiler, as wehave just noticed, had no materials but the imperfect Salamanca Life, and was forced to fill its many gaps as best he could, by diligentlycollecting references to Ciaran in the lives of other saints. AnotherLife of the saint seems to be referred to in the _Martyrology ofDonegal_; under the 10th May that compilation quotes a certain "Lifeof Ciaran of Cluain" (_i. E. _ Clonmacnois) as the authority for astatement to the effect that "the order of Comgall [of Bangor, Co. Down] was one of the eight orders that were in Ireland. " It wouldbe irrelevant to discuss here the meaning of this statement; itsimportance for us lies in the fact that the sentence is not found inany of the extant Lives, so that some other text, now unknown, must bein question. 

Ciaran of Clonmacnois was not the only saint of that name. Besides hiswell-known namesake of Saighir (Seir-Kieran, King's Co. ), there werea few lesser stars called Ciaran, and there is danger of confusionbetween them. The name reappears in Cornwall, with the regularBrythonic change of Q to P, in the form Pieran or Pirran. This Pieranis wrongly identified by Skene[8] with our saint; a single glance atthe abstract of the Life of St. Pieran given by Sir T. D. Hardy[9]will show how mistaken this identification is. A similar confusion isprobably at the base of the curious statement in Adam King's _ScottishKalendar of Saints_, that Queranus was an "abot in Scotl[=a]d underking Ethus, [anno] 876" and of Camerarius' description of him as"abbas Foilensis in Scotia. "[10]

The four documents of which translations are printed in this bookrelate almost, though not quite, the same series of incidents. Thereis a sufficient divergence between them, both in selection and inorder, as well as in the minor details, to make the determination oftheir mutual relationship a difficult problem. We must regard allfour as independent compositions, though based on a common group ofsources, which, in the first instance, were doubtless disjointed_memorabilia_, preserved by oral tradition in Clonmacnois. These wouldin time gradually become fitted into the four obvious phases of thesaint's actual life--his boyhood, his schooldays, his wanderings, andhis final settlement at Clonmacnois. It is not difficult to form aplausible theory as to how the systematisation took place, and alsoas to how the slight variants between different versions of the samestory arose. The composition of hymns to the founder and patron wouldsurely be a favourite literary exercise in Clonmacnois. In such hymnsthe different incidents would be told and re-told, the details varyingwith the knowledge and the metrical skill of the versifiers. There areexcerpts from such hymns, in Irish, scattered through VG: and LB endswith a _pasticcio_ of similar fragments in Latin. As a number ofdifferent metres are employed, both in the Irish and in the Latinextracts, there must have been at least as many independentcompositions drawn upon by the compilers of the prose Lives: and it isnoteworthy that there are occasionally discrepancies in detail betweenthe verse fragments and their present prose setting. Most probably theprose Lives were based directly on the hymns; one preacher would useone hymn as his chief authority, another would use another, andthus the petty differences between them would become fixed, perhapsexaggerated as the prose writer filled in details for which theexigencies of verse allowed no scope. It is probably impossible tocarry the history of the tradition further. 

In order to facilitate comparison between the four documents, I havedivided them into _incidents_, and have provided titles to each. Thesetitles are so chosen that they may be used for every presentation ofthe incident, however the details may vary. The titles are numberedwith _Roman_ numerals, whilst the successive incidents within eachof the Lives are numbered consecutively with _Arabic_ numerals. The_Harmony of the Four Lives_, which follows this Introduction, willmake cross-reference easy. 

No modern biography, no edition of the ancient homiletic Lives, ofCiaran could be considered complete without a history of Clonmacnois, through which being dead he yet spake to his countrymen for a thousandyears. It was the editor's intention to include such a history in thepresent volume; and this part of the projected work was drafted. Butas it progressed, and as the indispensable material increased in bulk, it became evident that it would be impossible to do justice to thesubject within the narrow limits of a volume of the present series. Aslight or superficial history of Clonmacnois would be worse than none, as it would block the way for the fuller treatment which the subjectwell deserves. The materials collected for this part of the workhave therefore been reserved for the present: it is hoped that theirpublication will not be long delayed. 

[Footnote 1: The name is pronounced as a dissyllable, something like_Kyee-raun_, with a stress on the second syllable. ]

[Footnote 2: The Bollandists long ago remarked as the specialcharacteristics of Irish Saints' Lives, their doubtful historicity, their late date, and their continual repetition of stock incidents. (_At priusquam id agam, lectorem duo uniuersim monitum uelim; primumest, quod Hibernorum sanctorum acta passim dubia sint fidei, eta scriptoribus minime accuratis ac aetate longe posterioribusconscripta; alterum est, quod in iisdem frequens occurrat rerumsimillimarum narratio, quas uariis sanctis adscribunt, ita ut nesciascui tuto adscribi possint. _--Acta Sanctorum, September, vol. Iii, p. 372). ]

[Footnote 3: Even the date of Ciaran's death may have beenmanipulated, in order to make his age conform to the age of Christ. As we shall see below, traditions vary. ]

[Footnote 4: The end of theworld is not actually mentioned in the Annals, but the expected plaguereferred to was undoubtedly the apparition of the mysterious _RothRamhach_, or "oar-wheel, " an instrument of vengeance that was toherald the end of all things. For the references to this prophecy seeO'Curry's _Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History_ (index, _subvoce_ "Roth Ramhach"), and the present writer's _Study of the Remainsand Traditions of Tara_ (Proceedings Royal Irish Academy, vol. Xxxiv, sect. C, p. 231 ff. ). ]

[Footnote 5: The following corrections may be noticed. Page 201 ofprinted text, line 7, _for_ Et cum _read_ Cumque. Same page, line 24, _for_ factum _read_ factam (_sic_). Page 202, line 6, _after_ vitulum_add_ ilico canis famelicus iruit (_sic_) in uitulum. Same page, line25, _after_ fregit _add_ et fracto capite effussoque cerebro canisperiit. Same page, line 33, _after_ narrabant _add_ hoc. Same page, lines 35, 38, _for_ vaccam _read_ vacam. Page 203, line 35, _for_Angeli _read_ Angli. Same page, line 39, _insert_ et _after_ generis. Page 204, line 7, Innsythe appears to be written in the MS. As oneword. Same line, _insert_ uidit _before_ zabulum. Same page, line 18, _after_ flumen _add_ et ibi mersum est. Page 205, line 32, _read_ estostensum. Page 206, line 18, _after_ libri _add_ ad locum. Same page, line 32, _after_ manducans _add_ in illa die. Same page, line 38, _read_ Kyaranus. Same page, line 40, _read_ Maelgharbh. Page 207, line13, _after_ recepit _add_ ipse. Page 208, line 16, _for_ complebit_read_ implebit. Page 209, line 23, _delete_ et _after_ clamor; andin the next line _for_ impediebant _read_ -bat. Page 211, line 14, _insert_ in _before_ istis. Same page, line 16, _read_ loco isto. Same page, line 40, _read_ edifficio. Page 212, line 2, _read_edifficiorum. Page 213, line 10, _after_ ignem _insert_ nostrum. Samepage, line 21, _for_ ipsi _read_ ipsum. Same page, line 37, _after_paciencie _insert_ nostre. Page 214, footnote 3, note that the first"uas" is struck out. Same page, footnote 7, the first "sanctus" isexpuncted. ]

[Footnote 6: _Zeitschrift für Celtische Philologie_, vol. V, p. 429. ]

[Footnote 7: _Lives of Saints from the Book of Lismore_, Oxford, 1890, pp. 117-134. ]

[Footnote 8: _Four Ancient Books of Wales_, i, 124. ]

[Footnote 9: _Descriptive Catalogue of Materials for the History ofGreat Britain, _ vol. I, p. 102. ]

[Footnote 10: Forbes. _Kalendars_, s. V. Queranus; Bollandist _Acta_. ]

 * * * * *

A HARMONY OF THE FOUR LIVES OF SAINT CIARAN

To the incidents of Ciaran's life VG prefixes--

I. _The Homiletic Introduction_ (VG I)

not found in any of the Latin Lives. 

=A. = Ciaran was born A. D. 515. The first section of his life, hisChildhood and Boyhood, may have covered the first ten or twelve yearsof his life--say in round numbers 515-530. Fifteen incidents of thisperiod are recorded, which are found in the Lives as under--

 LA LB LC VG II. _The origin and birth of Ciaran; the wizard's prophecies_ 1 1 1 2 III. _How Ciaran raised the steed of Oengus from death_ 2 2 2 3 IV. _How Ciaran turned water into honey_ 3 3 3 4 V. _How Ciaran was delivered from a hound_ 6 9 4 5 VI. _How Ciaran and his instructor conversed, though distant from one another_ 4 - - 6 VII. _Ciaran and the fox_ - - - 7VIII. _How Ciaran spoiled his mother's dye-stuff_ - - - 8 IX. _How Ciaran restored a calf which a wolf had devoured_ 5 8 5 9 X. _How Ciaran was delivered from robbers_ 7 - 6 10 XI. _How Ciaran gave a gift of cattle_ 8 - - - XII. _How Ciaran gave a gift of a plough-coulter_ 9 - - -XIII. _How Ciaran gave a gift of an ox_ 10 - - - XIV. _How Ciaran gave the king's cauldron to beggars and was enslaved_ 11 - 7 11 XV. _How Ciaran reproved his mother_ 13 - 9 - XVI. _The breaking of the carriage-axle_ 14 - 10 -

The boyhood legend probably consisted originally of the five incidentscommon to all, II-V, IX. It is noteworthy, however, that LB transfersV, IX, to a position after the second phase of the Life. This ispossibly due to a misplaced leaf in the exemplar from which our copiesof LB are derived. X-XIII, variants on the theme of XIV, are probablyinterpolations in LA, and VIII, a valuable fragment of folk-lore, isan interpolation in VG. VI and VII are conflations of two varieties ofone incident, as is pointed out in the Annotations. These observationswill show how complex is the criticism of the Ciaran tradition. 

=B. = The second phase of the life is the Schooling of Ciaran atClonard; perhaps about 530-535, still using round numbers. This partof the life is most fully told in VG; it is very fragmentary in allthe Latin Lives. There are thirteen incidents--

 LA LB LC VG XVII. _How Ciaran went with his cow to the school of Findian_ 15 4 11 12 XVIII. _The angels grind for Ciaran_ 16 - 12 13 XIX. _Ciaran and the king's daughter_ 17 - - 14 XX. _How Ciaran healed the lepers_ - - - 15 XXI. _Ciaran and the stag_ - - - 16 XXII. _The story of Ciaran's gospel_ 18 - - 17 XXIII. _The blessing of Ciaran's food_ 19 - 8 - XXIV. _The story of the mill and the bailiff's daughter_ - 6 - 18 XXV. _The story of Cluain_ - - - 19 XXVI. _How Ciaran freed a woman from servitude_ 20 5 - 21 XXVII. _How Ciaran freed another woman from servitude_ 21 - - 22XXVIII. _Anecdotes of Clonard_ - - - 20 XXIX. _The parting of Ciaran and Findian_ - - - 23

=C. = The third phase may be called the Wanderings of Ciaran. FromClonard he made his way to the monastery of Ninnedh on the island inLoch Erne now called Inismacsaint (it is to be noted that VG knowsnothing of this visit). From Loch Erne he went to Aran, thence (aftera visit to Saint Senan on Scattery Island) to his brother's monasteryat Isel, a place not certainly identified. After this he removesto Inis Aingin, now Hare Island in Loch Ree, which is his lasthalting-place before reaching his goal at Clonmacnois. There aretwelve incidents. The first forms incident 13 of LC, which then breaksoff; this text therefore no longer requires a special column. Thewander-years end with 548, the year of the saint's arrival atClonmacnois. 

 LA LB VG XXX. _The adventure of the robbers of Loch Erne_ -- 7 -- XXXI. _How Ciaran floated a firebrand on the lake_ -- 10 -- XXXII. _Ciaran in Aran_ 22 11 24 XXXIII. _How a prophecy was fulfilled_ 12 -- 25 XXXIV. _How Ciaran visited Senan_ 23 12 26 XXXV. _Ciaran in Isel_ 24 13 28 XXXVI. _The removal of the lake_ 25 14 29 XXXVII. _Ciaran departs from Isel_ 26 -- 30XXXVIII. _Ciaran in Inis Aingin_ 27 15 31 XXXIX. _The coming of Oenna_ 28 16 32 XL. _How Ciaran recovered his gospel_ 29 -- 33 XLI. _How Ciaran went from Inis Aingin to Clonmacnois_ 30 17 34

The difference of opinion as to the setting of incident XXXIII is tobe noted. Also noteworthy is the absence of any reference to a secondvisit to Senan, though such is postulated in the lives of the lattersaint. 

=D. = The fourth phase covers the time--according to all our textsa few months, according to other authorities some years--interveningbetween the foundation of Clonmacnois and the death of Ciaran. Thetraditions of LA and VG here run along the same lines; LB is curiouslydiverse. There are in all twelve incidents, namely--

 LA LB VG XLII. _The foundation of the church_ 31 -- 35 XLIII. _How Ciaran sent a cloak to Senan_ 32 -- 27 XLIV. _Ciaran and the wine_ 34 18 36 XLV. _The story of Crithir_ 33 -- 37 XLVI. _How an insult to Ciaran was averted_ -- 19 -- XLVII. _How Ciaran was saved from shame_ -- 20 --XLVIII. _How a man was saved from robbers_ -- 21 -- XLIX. _The death of Ciaran_ 35 22 38 L. _The visit of Coemgen_ 36 -- 39 LI. _The earth of Ciaran's tomb delivers Colum Cille from a whirlpool_ 37 23 -- LII. _The envy of the saints_ -- -- 40 LIII. _Panegyrics of Ciaran_ 38 24 41

 * * * * *

THE FIRST LATIN LIFE OF SAINT CIARAN

_Here beginneth the Life of Saint Kiaranus, [1] Abbot and Confessor. _

II. THE ORIGIN AND BIRTH OF CIARAN: THE WIZARD'S PROPHECIES

1. The holy abbot Kyaranus sprang from the people of the Latronenses, which are in the region of Midhe, that is, in the middle of Ireland. His father, who was a cart-wright, was called Beonnadus; now the samewas a rich man; and he took him a wife by name Derercha, of whom hebegat five sons and three daughters. Of these there were four priestsand one deacon, who were born in this order, with these names--thefirst Lucennus, the second Donanus, the third that holy abbotKyaranus, the fourth Odranus, the fifth Cronanus, who was the deacon. Also the three daughters were named Lugbeg, and Raichbe, and Pata. Lugbeg and Raichbe were two holy virgins; Pata, however, was at firstmarried, but afterwards she was a holy widow. Now inasmuch as thewright Beonedus himself was grievously burdened by the imposts ofAinmireach King of Temoria, he, eluding the pressure of the impost, departed from his own region, that is from the coasts of Midhe, intothe territories of the Conactha. There he dwelt in the plain of Aei, with the king Crimthanus; and there he begat Saint Kyaranus, whoseLife this is. 

Now his birth was prophesied by a wizard of the aforesaid king, whosaid, before all the folk, "The son who is in the womb of the wife ofBeoedus the wright shall be had in honour before God and before men;as the sun shineth in heaven so shall he himself by his holiness shinein Ireland. " Afterwards Saint Kyaranus was born in the province of theConnachta, namely in the plain of Aei, in the stronghold called RaithCrimthain; and he was baptized by a certain holy deacon who was calledDiarmaid in the Scotic [= Irish] tongue; but afterwards he was namedIustus, for it was fitting that a "just one" should be baptized bya "Iustus. " And Saint Ciaran was reared with his parents in theaforesaid place, and by all things the grace of God was manifestedwithin him. 

III. HOW CIARAN RAISED THE STEED OF OENGUS FROM DEATH

2. One day the best horse of Aengussius, son of the aforesaid KingCrimhthanus, died suddenly, and he was greatly distressed at the deathof his best horse. Now when in sorrow he had fallen asleep, in hisdreams a shining man appeared to him, saying to him, "Sorrow notconcerning thy horse, for among you there is a boykin [_puerulus_], Saint Kiaranus son of Beoedus the wright, who by God's grace canquicken thy horse. Let him pour water into the mouth of the horse, with prayer, and upon its face, and forthwith it shall arise sound. And do thou bestow a gift on the boy for the quickening of thy horse. "Now when Aengus son of the king was awakened out of sleep, he toldthese words to his friends; and he himself came to Saint Kyaranusand led him up to the place where the horse was lying dead. When thedutiful boy Kyaranus poured water into the mouth and on the face ofthe horse, it forthwith rose from death and stood whole before themall. The son of the king bestowed that field, which was great and thebest, upon Saint Kiaranus in perpetuity. 

IV. HOW CIARAN TURNED WATER INTO HONEY

3. On another day the mother of Saint Kyaranus upbraided him, saying, "The sensible other boys bring honey to their parents every day, fromthe fields and the places where honey is found. But this our son, weak and soft as he is, bringeth us no honey. " The holy boy Kyaranus, hearing this saying of his mother chiding him, made his way to aspring hard by, and thence filled a vessel with water. When he blessedit, honey of the best was made from the water, and he gave it to hismother. But his parents, astonished at the miracle, sent that honey tothe deacon Iustus, who had baptized him, that he might himself see themiracle wrought by God through the boy whom he baptized. When he hadheard and seen it, he gave thanks to Christ, and prayed for the boy. 

VI. HOW CIARAN AND HIS INSTRUCTOR CONVERSED, THOUGH DISTANT FROM ONEANOTHER

4. The holy boy Kyaranus, as he kept the flocks of his parents, waswont to read the Psalms with Saint Diarmatus. But that teaching wasimparted in a manner to us most wondrous. For Saint Kiaranus waskeeping the flocks in the southern part of the plain of Aei, and SaintDiarmatus was dwelling in the northern part of the same plain, and theplain was of great extent between them. And thus, from afar off, theywould salute each the other at ease, with words, across the spaces ofthe plain; and the elder would teach the boy from his cell across theplain, and the boy would read, sitting upon a rock in the field. Thewhich rock is reverenced unto this day, as the Cross of Christ, calledby the name of Kyaranus, is placed upon it. Now thus by divine favourwere the holy ones wont to hear each the other, while others heardthem not. 

IX. HOW CIARAN RESTORED A CALF WHICH A WOLF HAD DEVOURED

5. On a day when Saint Kyaranus was keeping the herds, a cow gavebirth to a calf in his presence. Now in that hour the dutiful boy sawa wretched wasted hungry wolf a-coming towards him, and God's servantsaid to him, "Go, poor wretch, and devour that calf. " Forthwith thefamished hound fell upon the calf and devoured it. But when the holyherd-boy had come home with his herds, the cow, seeking her calf, wasmaking a loud outcry; and when Derercha, mother of Saint Kyaranus, sawit, she said unto him, "Kyaranus, where is the calf of yonder cow?Restore it, although it be from sea or from land. For thou has lostit, and its mother's heart is sore vexed. " When Saint Kyaranus heardthese words, he returned to the place where the calf was devoured, and collected its bones into his breast; then returning, he laid thembefore the cow as she lamented. Straightway, by divine mercy, byreason of the holiness of the boy, the calf arose before them all, andstood whole upon its feet, sporting with its mother. Then those whostood by lifted up their voices in praise to God, blessing the boy. 

V. HOW CIARAN WAS DELIVERED FROM A HOUND

6. As the dutiful boy Kyaranus was going out to a homestead hard by, certain worldly men, cruel and malignant, let loose a most savagehound at him, so that it should devour him. When Saint Kyaranus sawthe fierce hound coming towards him, he appropriated a verse of thePsalmist, saying, "Lord, deliver not the soul that trusteth in Theeunto beasts. " Now as the hound was rushing vehemently, by divinefavour it thrust its head into the ring-fastening of a calf; and tiedby the ring-fastening, it struck its head against the timber to whichthe fastening was hanging, and thus it broke its head. Its head beingbroken and the brains scattered, the dog expired. When they saw thisthey feared greatly. 

X. HOW CIARAN WAS DELIVERED FROM ROBBERS

7. On another day certain robbers, coming from a foreign region, foundSaint Kiaranus alone, reading beside his herds; and they thought toslay him and to reave his herds. But as they came toward him with thatintent, they were smitten with blindness, and could move neither handnor foot till they had wrought repentance, praying him for theirsight. Then the dutiful shepherd, seeing them turned from theirwickedness, prayed for them, and forthwith they were loosed and theirsight restored (_soluti sunt in lumine suo_). And they returned andoffered thanks, and told this to many. 

XI. HOW CIARAN GAVE A GIFT OF CATTLE

8. One day a certain poor man came to Saint Kyeranus, and begged ofhim a cow. Then Saint Kieranus asked of his mother that a cow shouldbe given to the poor man; but his mother would not hearken unto him. When Saint Kieranus saw this, he made the poor man accompany him outof doors with the herds, and there he gave unto him a good cow withher calf. Now the calf itself was between two kine, and both of themhad a care for it; and as the dutiful boy knew that the second cowwould be of no service without the calf, he gave them both, with theircalf, to the poor man. For these, on the following day, four kine weregifted to Saint Kiaranus by other folk as an alms, and these he gaveto his mother as she was chiding him. Then he exhorted his mother inreasonable manner, and she was thereafter in awe of him. 

XII. HOW CIARAN GAVE A GIFT OF A PLOUGH-COULTER

9. Saint Kiaranus on another day gave the coulter of his uncle Beoanusto a certain poor man, for which likewise on another day he receivedfour coulters. For four smiths came from the steading called CluainCruim, with four coulters, which they delivered for an alms to SaintKyaranus; and these the holy boy restored to him for his coulter. 

XIII. HOW CIARAN GAVE A GIFT OF AN OX

10. On another day Saint Kyaranus gave the ox of the same uncle to aman who begged for it. And he said unto him, "Son, how shall I be ableto plough to-day, seeing that thou hast given mine ox to another?" Tohim responded the holy boy, "Set thou to-day thy horse with the oxenin the plough, and to-morrow thou shalt have oxen enough. " Forthwiththe horse, set under the yoke with the oxen, in place of the ox thathad been given, became tame; and the whole day it ploughed properlyunder the yoke, like an ox. On the following day four oxen were giftedfor an alms to Saint Kiaranus, and these he delivered to his uncleinstead of his ox. For men who heard and saw the great signs wroughtby Saint Kyaranus were wont to beg for his prayers, and to offeroblations unto him. 

XIV. HOW CIARAN GAVE THE KING'S CAULDRON TO BEGGARS, AND WAS ENSLAVED

11. One day the father of Saint Kiaranus bore a royal vessel fromthe house of King Furbithus, to keep it for some days. Now the kingtreasured that vessel. But Saint Kiaranus delivered that vessel of theking to certain poor men who asked an alms in Christ's name, as hehad nothing else. When the king heard this, his anger was kindledmightily, and he commanded that Saint Kiaranus should be enslavedto his service. And so for this cause was blessed Kiaranus led intocaptivity, and was a slave in the house of King Furbithus. A taskchosen for its severity was laid upon him, namely, to turn thequern-stone daily for making flour. But in wondrous wise SaintKiaranus used to sit and read beside the quern-stone, and thequern-stone used to turn swiftly of itself, without the hand of man, and to grind corn before all the folk. For the angels of God weregrinding for Saint Kyaranus, unseen of men. And after no long time acertain man of the province of Mumenia, that is, of the people of theDesi, who was called Hiernanus, stirred up by divine favour, came withtwo most excellent vessels, like unto the vessel of that king, of thesame sort and the same use, and gifted them in alms to Saint Kiaranus. When the king heard the miracle of the quern-stone, he accepted thosetwo vessels, and gave his liberty to Saint Kiaranus; for beforetime hewould not for anger accept a ransom for him. Thus was Saint Kiaranusfreed from the servitude of the king; and Saint Kiaranus blessed thatman with his tribe, by whom he himself obtained his liberty. 

XXXIII. HOW A PROPHECY WAS FULFILLED

12. On a certain day when Saint Kieranus was in the place calledCluain Innsythe, he saw a ship floating on the river, and he saw ahut on the bank of the river. Now there was a platter woven of twigswithin it, full of ears of corn, with fire underneath so that theyshould be dried for grinding, as was the custom of the western people, that is, of Britain and of Ireland. Saint Kyaranus said in prophecy, secretly, to his companions, "Yonder ship which is on the waters shallbe burned to-day, and the hut which is on land shall be submerged. "As they disputed and wondered, he said, "Wait a little space, and yeshall see it with your eyes. " Forthwith that shiplet was raised fromthe water on to the land, and placed in a shed that its leaks andcracks might there be caulked. But a bonfire having been lit, the shedwas consumed, and the ship in its midst was likewise consumed. Butstrong men, wrenching the hut out of the ground, cast it from the bankinto the river, and there it was submerged, as the servant of theLord prophesied. When they heard and saw such a prophecy of thingscontrary, they gave glory to Christ who giveth such a gift unto hisservants. 

XV. HOW CIARAN REPROVED HIS MOTHER

13. On another day when Saint Kiaranus had come from the fields tohis home, men came meeting him. To them he said, "Whence have ye nowcome?" They said, "We come now from the house of Beoedus the wright. "Said he to them, "Have ye gotten there fitting refreshment forChrist's sake?" They said, "Nay; but we found there a hard woman whowould not for hospitality give us so much as a drink. " When SaintKyaranus heard this, he blessed them, and came swiftly to his house, and entering the house he found no one therein, for its inmates werebusied with their work out of doors. Then blessed Kyaranus, moved withzeal for God, scattered all the food which he found in the house ofhis parents; for[2] the milk he poured on the ground, the butter hemixed with the sheep's dung, the bread he cast to the dogs, so that itshould be of service to no man. For he was showing that whatsoever wasnot given to guests for Christ's name should rightly be devoted bymen to loss, lest such food should be eaten. After a little space hismother came, and seeing her house thus turned upside-down, she feltmoved to raise an outcry; for she marvelled greatly at what hadbefallen her house. When Saint Kiaranus had set forth the reason, shebecame calm, and promised amendment; and many of those who heard wererendered charitable. 

XVI. THE BREAKING OF THE CARRIAGE-AXLE

14. On another day when Saint Kyaranus was sitting in a carriage withhis father, the axle of the carriage broke in two in the middle ofthe plain; and the father of the saint, with his attendants, wasdistressed. Then Saint Kyeranus blessed the axle, and it was forthwithmade whole again as it had been before; and afterwards for the entireday they travelled in the carriage safely. 

XVII. HOW CIARAN WENT WITH HIS COW TO THE SCHOOL OF FINDIAN

15. After this Saint Kyaranus wished to leave his parents and to goforth to the school of Saint Finnianus, who was a wise man aboundingin all holiness; so that he might there read the Scriptures, with theother saints of Ireland who were there. He asked of his parents that acow might be led with him to the school, for the sake of her milk tosustain him; but his mother denied it, saying, "Others who are in thatschool have no kine. " Then having received the licence and blessing ofhis parents--though his mother was grieved, for she wished to have himalways with herself--Saint Kyaranus went on his way. 

Coming to the cattle of his parents, he blessed a cow, and commandedher in the name of the Lord to follow him. Forthwith that cow followedhim with her new-born calf; and wheresoever he would go the cow walkedafter him, to the city of Cluayn Irayrd, which is in the boundary ofthe Laginenses and Ui Neill. But the city itself lies in the territoryof Ui Neill. 

When Saint Kyeranus had come thither, he used to make a barrier in thepastures between the cow and her calf with his rod; and by no meansdid they ever dare to cross the tracks of the holy rod, nor used theycross it; but the cow would lick her calf across the track of the rod, and at the proper time they would come to their stall, with full storeof milk. 

That cow was of a dun colour, and was called _Odar Ciarain_, "Ciaran'sDun. " Her fame endures for ever in Ireland, for she used to have thegreatest store of milk, such as at this time could not be believed. Her milk was daily divided among the school, and sufficed for many. Her hide in like manner remains to this day honourably in the cityof Saint Kiaranus; for through it, by the grace of God, miracles arewrought. This grace greater than all it has, as the holy ancients, the disciples of Saint Kiaranus, have delivered unto us; that it isrevealed by divine inspiration that every man who shall have died uponit shall possess eternal life with Christ. 

XVIII. THE ANGELS GRIND FOR CIARAN

16. Now in the school of the most holy master Finnianus there weremany saints of Ireland; to wit, two Saints Kiaranus, and two SaintsBrendanus, Columba, and many others; and each of them on his day wouldgrind with his own hands on the quern. But the angels of God used togrind for Saint Kiaranus, as they did for him in his captivity. 

XIX. CIARAN AND THE KING'S DAUGHTER

17. The daughter of the King of Temoria was conducted to SaintFinnianus that she might read the Psalms and the other Scriptures withthe saint of God, and should dedicate her virginity. And when shepromised of her own free will to preserve her virginity for Christ, Father Finnianus said to Saint Kiaranus, "Son, let this virgin, Christ's handmaid, daughter of an earthly king, read with thee in themeanwhile, till such time as a cell of virgins shall be built forher. " Which duty Saint Kiaranus obediently accepted, and the virginread with him the Psalms and other lections. Now when holy FatherFinnianus was establishing that virgin and other holy virgins in acell, the blessed fathers questioned Saint Kiaranus as to her mannersand her virtue. To them Kiaranus said; "Verily, I know naught of hervirtues, of manners or of body; for God hath known that never have Iseen her face, nor aught of her save the lower part of her vesture, when she was coming from her parents; nor have I held any conversewith her save only her reading. " For she was wont to take herrefection, and to sleep, with a certain holy widow. And the virginspake the like testimony of Saint Kiaranus, and many were confirmed inthe true faith by other testimonies of them. 

XXII. THE STORY OF CIARAN'S GOSPEL

18. Saint Kiaranus was reading the gospel of Matthew with holy FatherFinnianus, along with others. And when he had come to the place where, in the middle of the book, it is written "All things whatsoever yewould that men should do unto you, so do ye unto them, " Saint Kiaranussaid to Saint Finnianus, "Father, enough for me is this half of thisbook which I have read, that I may fulfil it in deed; verily this onesentence is enough for me to learn. " Then one of the school said tothem all, "Henceforth a fitting name for Kiaranus is '_Leth-Matha_'(Half-Matthew). " To him the holy elder Finnianus said, "Nay; a fittingname for him is '_Leth n-Eirenn_' (Half-Ireland); for his parish shallbe extended through the middle of Ireland. " This prophecy excited muchenvy against Saint Kiaranus. 

XXIII. THE BLESSING OF CIARAN'S FOOD

19. On another day, when Saint Kiaranus was alone in his cell, he cameto table to take food; and wishing to partake after a blessing, hesaid, "_Benedicite. _" When he saw that no one answered "_Dominus_, " herose from the table, tasting nothing that day. He did the like on thefollowing day, still rising from the table without food. On the thirdday, after having thus fasted for three days, he came to table andsaid, "_Benedicite_"; and lo, a voice from Heaven said unto him, "TheLord bless thee, weary Kiaranus; now is thy prayer full-ripe. For itis enough for a man, whenever he is alone, to bless his food in thename of the Most High God, and then to partake. " So Saint Kyaranus, giving thanks, ate his bread on the third day. 

XXVI. HOW CIARAN FREED A WOMAN FROM SERVITUDE

20. One time he went to the King of Temoria, who was called TuathalMael-gharbh, in that he was harsh, so that he should set free a womanunjustly held in servitude with that king. The king released not thewoman to him. Then Saint Kiaranus blessed her, and bade her go withhim to her own people. So she forthwith rose out of the house of theking, and made her way between crowds of men, and none of them saw hertill she came safe to her friends. Regarding this matter the king andthe others marvelled greatly at the wondrous acts of God. 

XXVII. HOW CIARAN FREED ANOTHER WOMAN FROM SERVITUDE

21. On another occasion Saint Kyaranus entered the region of a certainlord of the Connachta, that in like manner he should demand from him acertain woman who was in unjust servitude to him. As holy Ciaran wassitting there, lo, three men came with three gifts as an alms tohim; namely, one gifted to him a cow, another a robe, and a third afrying-pan; and these three gifts did Ciaran straightway give to thepoor who were begging of him in the presence of the lord. Now in thathour in lieu of these gifts he received others yet greater in thepresence of the lord; to wit, for the frying-pan a cooking-pot ofthree measures, and for the one robe twelve robes, and for the one cowtwelve kine, were gifted to him by others. Which things Saint Kiaranussent to other holy men living hard by. Seeing all these things, thatlord graciously gave the woman free to Saint Kiaranus, and she wentforth to her own people, rejoicing and giving thanks. 

XXXII. CIARAN IN ARAN

22. After these things Saint Kiaranus made his way to an island byname Ara, which is in the ocean westward beyond Ireland a certainspace. And that same island is ever peopled from Ireland, [3] and in itdwell a multitude of holy men, and countless saints lie there unknownto all save only to God Omnipotent. Now for many days did SaintKyranus dwell in hard service, under the most holy Abbot Henna, andgreat miracles were manifested by him, and works of holiness arestill there related. Now when Saint Kiaranus was there, he saw thismarvellous vision--a like vision Saint Enna also saw--to wit, a greatand fruitful tree on the bank of the river Synna in the middle ofIreland, whose shadow was protecting Ireland on every side; and itsbranches were flowing beyond Ireland into the sea. On the followingday Saint Kiaranus related that vision to Saint Enna, which holyFather Enna forthwith interpreted, saying; "That fruitful tree whichthou hast seen, and which I likewise have seen, thou art it, myson, who shalt be great before God and man. Thine honour shall fillIreland, and the helpful shade[4] of thy dutifulness and grace shallprotect her from demons, plagues, and perils, and thy fruit shall befor a profit to many far and wide. Therefore at the decree of God gothou without delay to the place wherein thy resurrection shall be, which shall be shown thee of God, so that thou mayest be for a profitto many. " And there Saint Kiaranus was consecrated priest; andafterwards, at the command of holy Father Enna, and with the prayerand benediction of him and of all the saints that were in the islandof Ara, Saint Kiaranus came to Ireland. 

XXXIV. HOW CIARAN VISITED SENAN

23. One day when Saint Ciaran was making a journey, there met him apoor man in the way, who begged of him something in alms; and holyCiaran gave him his cloak, and he himself went on afterwards in hisunder-garment only. His journey led him to the island of Cathi whichis in the entrance of the ocean to the west, in the estuary ofLuimnech between the territories of Kiarraighe and of Corco Baiscind:wherein was the most holy senior Senanus, who first dwelt in thatisland. For a venomous and most hurtful monster had alone possessedthat island from ancient times, which holy Senanus, by the power ofGod, had driven far from thence unto a certain lake; and to-day thereis a shining and holy settlement in that island, in honour of SaintSenanus. Now when Saint Kiaranus was approaching that island of Cathi, Saint Senanus foresaw in the spirit his coming and his nakedness: andhe sent a ship to bear him to the island, while he himself, takinga cloak secretly in his hands, went out to meet him at the island'sharbour. Now when most blessed Senanus saw Saint Kyaranus coming tohim, in an under-garment, he chid him sportively, saying, "Is it notshame that a presbyter should walk in a sole under-garment, without acowl?" To him, Saint Kiaranus, smiling, said, "This my nakedness shallsoon receive its alleviation, for there is a cloak for me under thevesture of mine elder Senanus. " And Saint Kiaranus remained forsome days with Saint Senanus, they passing the time in the divinemysteries; and they made a pact and a brotherhood between them, andthereafter Saint Kiaranus with the kiss of peace went his way. 

XXXV. CIARAN IN ISEL

24. Now when blessed Kiaranus came from Saint Senanus, he went out tohis brethren Luchennus and Odranus, who were living in a _cella_ whichis called Yseal, that is "the lowest place"; and he lived with themfor a time. And his brethren made Saint Kiaranus their almoner andguest-master: but Luchennus, who was the eldest, was the abbot ofthat place, and Odranus was the prior. Once, when Saint Kiaranus wasreading out of doors in a field facing the sun, he suddenly espiedweary guests entering the guest-house; and rising quickly, he forgothis book, and left it out of doors open till the following day. As hehimself was settling the guests in the house, washing their feet anddiligently ministering to them, the night fell. In that very nightthere was a great rain, but by the favour of God the open book wasfound perfectly dry; for not a drop of rain had touched it, althoughthe whole ground was wet around it. For this did Saint Kiaranus withhis brethren render praises to Christ. 

XXXVI. THE REMOVAL OF THE LAKE

25. Near that place of Saint Kiaranus there was an island in alake, on which a certain lord was dwelling in his fortress with hisfollowers; and the noise of their uproar was hindering the prayers ofthe holy men in their _cella_. When Saint Kyeranus saw this, he wentout to the shore of the lake, and prayed there to the Lord, that Hewould give them somewhat of relief from that island. On the followingnight that island, with its lake, was removed by the divine power, faraway to another place, where the noise of the mob of that island couldnot reach the saints of God. And unto this day there is to be seen theplace of the lake, where it had been before, some of it sandy, some ofit marshy, as a sign of the act of power. 

XXXVII. CIARAN DEPARTS FROM ISEL

26. On a certain day when Ciaran was busied out of doors in a field, apoor man came to him, asking that an alms should be given him. Inthat hour a chariot with two horses was gifted to Saint Kiaranus bya certain lord, namely the son of Crimthannus; which horses with thechariot Saint Kiaranus gave to that poor man. 

Then, since the brethren of Saint Kiaranus could not endure thegreatness of his charity, for every day he was dividing theirsubstance among the poor, they said unto him, "Brother, depart fromus; we cannot now be along with thee in one place, and preserve andnourish our brethren for God, for thine excess of charity. " To whomholy Kiaranus answered: "If therefore I had remained in this place, itwould not have been 'Ysseal, ' that is, 'lowest, ' that is, not small;but high, that is, great and honourable. "[5] With these words, holyKiaranus gave a blessing to his brethren, and taking his book-satchelswith his books on his shoulders, he went thence on his way. 

When he had gone some little distance from the place, there met himin the way a stag awaiting him with utmost gentleness. Saint Kiaranusplaced his book-satchels upon him, and wheresoever the stag would go, Saint Kieranus followed him. The stag came to Loch Rii which is in theeast of Connachta; he stood over against Inis Angin, which is in thatlake. Thereby Saint Kyaranus understood that the Lord had called himto that island, and dismissing the stag with a blessing he enteredthat island and dwelt there. 

XXXVIII. CIARAN IN INIS AINGHIN

27. Now when the fame of his holiness was noised abroad, from far andwide and from every quarter good men came together to him, and SaintKiaranus made them his monks. And many alms, in respect of variousmatters, would be given to Saint Kiaranus and to his people by theFaithful. But a certain presbyter, by name Daniel, who owned InisAngin, inspired by the devil's envy, set about expelling SaintKyaranus with his followers by force from the island. But SaintKiaranus, wishing to benefit his persecutor, sent him by faithfulmessengers a royal gift which had been given him in alms, namely agolden _antilum_, well adorned. When the presbyter saw it, at first herefused to accept it; but afterwards, on the persuasion of trustworthymen, he received it gratefully. And presbyter Daniel, filled with thegrace of God, came and gifted Inis Angin which was in his possession, to God and to Saint Kiaranus for ever. 

XXXIX. THE COMING OF OENNA

28. On another day when Saint Kiaranus was in that island Angin, heheard the voice of a man in the port wishing to enter the island; andhe said to his brethren, "Go ye, my brethren, and lead me hither himwho is to be your abbot after me. " So the brethren, voyaging quickly, found an unconsecrated youth in the port, whom despising they leftthere. Coming back, they said unto Saint Kiaranus, "We found no manthere save an unconsecrated youth, who wandered as a fugitive in thewoods; he it is who calleth in the port. Far removed from abbotshipis _his_ rudeness!" To these Saint Kiaranus said: "Voyage ye withoutdelay and bring him with speed; for the Lord having revealed it to me, by his voice I have recognised that he shall be your abbot after me. "When the brethren heard this, they forthwith led him in, and SaintKiaranus tonsured him, and he read diligently with him, and was filledfrom day to day with the grace of God; and after the most blessedKiaranus, he was the holy abbot. For he is the blessed Aengus, son ofLuigse. 

XL. HOW CIARAN RECOVERED HIS GOSPEL

29. The gospel-book of Saint Kieranus fell into the lake from the handof one of the brethren, who held it carelessly when voyaging. For along time it was therein, under the water, and was not found. But ona certain day, in summer, the kine entered the lake to refreshthemselves in the waters, for the greatness of the heat; and when thekine had returned from the lake, the binding of the leather satchelcontaining the gospel-book caught about the hoof of a cow, and so thecow dragged the book-satchel on her hoof as she came to land. And thegospel-book was found in the rotten leather satchel, perfectly dryand clean, without any moisture, as though it had been preserved in abook-case. Saint Kiaranus with his followers were rejoiced thereat. 

XLI. HOW CIARAN WENT FROM INIS AINGIN TO CLONMACNOIS

30. After this a certain man of Mumonia, to wit of the people of CorcoBaiscind, by name Donnanus, came to Saint Ciaran as he sojourned inInis Angin. To him one day Saint Kiaranus said, "What seekest thou, father, in these coasts?" Saint Donnanus answered, "Lord, I seek aplace wherein to sojourn, where I may serve Christ in pilgrimage. "Saint Kiaranus said to him, "Sojourn, father, in this place; forI shall go to some other place, for I know that here is not myresurrection. "

Then Saint Kyaranus granted Inis Angin with its furniture to SaintDonnanus, and came to a place which is called Ard Mantain, near theriver Sinna; but being unwilling to remain in that place, he said: "Iwill not live in this place: for here shall be great abundance of thethings of this life, and earthly joy; and hardly could the souls of mydisciples attain to heaven, were I to have dwelt here, for this placebelongs to the men of this world. "

Thereafter Saint Kiaranus left that place, and came to a place whichonce was called Typrait, but now is called Cluain meic Nois. Andcoming to this place he said: "Here will I live: for many souls shallgo forth in this place to the kingdom of God, and in this place shallbe my resurrection. "

Then most blessed Kiaranus with his followers dwelt, and began tofound a great monastery there. And many from all sides used to come tohim, and his parish was extended over a great circuit; and the name ofSaint Kiaranus was much renowned over all Ireland. And a shining andholy settlement, the name of which is Cluain meic Nois, grew up inthat place in honour of Saint Kiaranus; it is in the western borderof the land of Ui Neill, on the eastern bank of the river Synna, overagainst the province of the Connachta. Therein are the kings or thelords of Ui Neill and of the Connachta buried, along with SaintKiaranus. For the river Synna, which is very rich in various fish, divides the regions of Niall, that is, of Midhe, and the province ofthe Connachta. 

XLII. THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH

31. And when Saint Kiaranus would place with his own hands acorner-post in the first building of that settlement, a certain wizardsaid to him: "This hour is not good for beginning; for the sign ofthis hour is contrary to beginnings of building. " Then Saint Kiaranushimself set the post in the corner of the house, saying, "Thou wizard, against thy sign I fix this post in the ground; for I care naught forthe art of wizards, but in the name of my Lord, Jesus Christ, do I allmy works. " For this the wizard and his followers uttered commendation, marvelling at the faith of Saint Ciaran in his God. 

XLIII. HOW CIARAN SENT A CLOAK TO SENAN

32. Now when Saint Kiaranus had been in his settlement of Cluain meicNois, an excellent cloak was gifted to him in alms by a certain man. Saint Kyaranus was minded to send it to the aforesaid holy elderSenanus, who dwelt in the island of Cathi; but he was not ableimmediately to find a messenger, because the way from the settlementof Saint Kiaranus of Cluain meic Nois, which is in the middle ofIreland, to the island of Cathi, situate at the entrance of the ocean, was long and rough and difficult, and crossed borders of differentkingdoms. Then at the command of Saint Kiaranus, the cloak was placedon the river Synna, and was sent alone with the river, and it came dryover the waters to the island of Cathi; and no one saw it while ittravelled thither. The Synna flows from the settlement of Cluain meicNois to the estuary of Luimnech, in which the island of Cathi stands. 

And Saint Senanus, filled with the spirit of prophecy, said to hisbrethren, "Go ye to the shore of the sea, and bring to us with honourthe guest there seated, the gift of a man of God. " And the brethren, asking no questions, made their way to the sea, and found there thecloak, perfectly dry, for it was untouched by the waters. And the holyelder Senanus accepting it, gave thanks to God; and the cloak was inhonourable keeping with Saint Senanus, as though it were a sacreddiadem. 

XLV. THE STORY OF CRITHIR

33. A certain boy of the company of holy Kiaranus, called Crithir ofCluain (a boy of great wit, but hurtful and wanton) fled from SaintKiaranus to the settlement of Saigyr, in the northern border ofMumonia, that is, the land of Hele, to the other Kiaranus, the mostholy aged bishop. And that boy, sojourning for some days with the holybishop, after his devilish manner took the drink of the brethren, andpoured it over the fire; extinguishing thus the consecrated fire. NowSaint Kiaranus the elder would have no other fire in his monasterysave the consecrated fire, maintained without being extinguished fromEaster to Easter. When Saint Kiaranus the elder heard what the boyCrithir did, it greatly displeased him, and he said, "Let him bechastened for this of God in this life. " When he heard that SaintKiaranus the elder was angry with him, he went out from the settlementof Saigyr, and when he was gone a short space from the settlement, wolves met him and killed him; yet they did not touch his body afterhe was dead, after the likeness of that prophet who was killed by thelion. 

Now when Saint Kiaranus the younger heard that his boy had been withKiaranus the elder, he went to him; and on the day when the aforesaidthings took place, he came to the settlement of Saigyr and wasreceived with fitting honour by the holy bishop Kiaranus the elder. And the holy abbot Kiaranus the younger said to the holy bishopKiaranus, "Restore to me, holy father, my disciple alive, who hathbeen slain while with thee. " To him Saint Keranus the elder said, "First needs must your feet be washed, but we have no fire in themonastery, to warm the water for you; and ye know that it is becauseyour disciple quenched our sacred fire. Wherefore beseech for usconsecrated fire from God. " Then the holy abbot Kieranus the younger, son of the wright, stretched his hands in prayer to God, andstraightway fire from heaven came into his breast, and thence was thehearth kindled in the monastery. 

But the holy bishop Kiaranus the elder prayed to God for that youthslain by wolves, and straightway he arose sound from a cruel death, with the scars of the wolf-bites visible upon him. And blessing themall, he took food and drink with the saints, and afterwards he livedmany days. 

Then the two Saints Kiaranus made a compact and brotherhood in heavenand in earth between their successors; and they said that should anywish to name or to beg aught for one of them, he should name them bothand ask, for they would hear him. 

After this the holy abbot Kiaranus the younger said to the bishop, Kiaranus the elder, "In thy place, father, shall remain honour andabundance of riches. " To him said the holy bishop, Kiaranus the elder, "Also in thy place, dearest son, shall last the strength of religionand of wisdom, unto the end of the world. " When these things weresaid, having received the kiss of peace and blessing of the most holybishop, Kiaranus the elder, Saint Kiaranus the younger with his ownpeople and with the aforesaid youth Crithir returned to his settlementof Cluain meic Nois. 

XLIV. CIARAN AND THE WINE

34. On a certain day when the brethren of Saint Kiaranus were at workin the harvest, enduring thirst from the heat of the sun, they sentword that cold water should be brought to them. Saint Kiaranusanswered them by a messenger, "Choose ye, my brethren, whether ye willdrink to quench your thirst for necessity, or will endure in thirsttill the evening, that through your labour to-day in thirst and insweat there may be abundance for the brethren who are to be in thisplace hereafter; and you yourselves will not fail of reward fromGod in heaven. " The brethren answered, "We choose that there be asufficiency for our successors, and we to have the reward of ourpatience and of our thirst in heaven. " So the brethren worked that dayathirst, rejoicing, though the sun was hot. 

But when evening was come, the brethren returned home, and SaintKiaranus wished to satisfy them, and to refresh them charitably. Andtrusting in the Lord, he blessed a great vessel full of water; andimmediately under his hands wine of most excellent quality appeared inthe vessel. And bringing drinking-cups, he commanded the brethren torefresh their bodies well, with sobriety, rendering thanks to Christfor his gifts. 

This is the Last Supper of Saint Ciaran with his brethren in his life, he himself ministering unto them; for he lived thereafter but fewdays. And that supper was most generous, excelling all the suppersthat were made in the monastery of Saint Kiaranus, as is proved thus--

For after a long time, when Saint Columba with his followers had cometo Ireland from the island of Hia, a great feast was prepared for themin the monastery of Saint Kiaranus in his settlement of Cluain; andwhen they had come to the religious house of Saint Kiaranus, they werereceived with great joy and love, and were refreshed most bounteouslywith that repast; and the fame of that supper went over the wholesettlement and its suburbs, far and wide. 

When, in the house of the holy elders, who had a little cell apart inthe monastery of Saint Kiaranus, certain persons said in ignorancethat never in that place had such a feast been made, nor would be inthe future, one, who had been a boy when Saint Kiaranus lived there, answered: "Ye know not whereat ye wonder: for the feast which SaintKiaranus our patron made, of water turned to wine, for his brethrenathirst after harvesting, was far better than this feast. And that yemay know this, and may believe that it is true, come and perceive theodour of my finger with which I drew of that wine for the brethren. For my thumb touched the liquor through the mouth of the cup in whichthe wine was drawn; and lo, even yet its odour remains thereupon. "Then they all drew near, and being sated with the pleasant and sweetodour of that holy elder, they cried aloud saying, "Truly much betterwas that feast whose odour remains on a finger most sweet for so longa time. " And they blessed Saint Kiaranus, giving praises to God. 

And in those days, in which the brethren of Saint Kiaranus were sowingtheir crops, there came merchants with wine of the Gauls to SaintKiaranus, and they filled a huge vessel, the _solitana_ of thebrethren, from that wine, which Saint Kiaranus gave to his brethrenwith his benediction. 

XLIX. THE DEATH OF CIARAN

35. Our most holy patron Kiaranus lived but for one year in hissettlement of Cluain. When he knew that the day of his death wasapproaching, he prophesied, deploring the subsequent evils that wouldcome to pass in his place after him; and he said that their life wouldbe short. Then the brethren said unto him, "What then shall we do inthe time of those evils? Shall we abide here beside thy relics, orshall we go to other places?" To them Saint Kiaranus said, "Haste yeto other quiet places, and leave my relics here like the dry bones ofa stag on a mountain. For it is better for you to be with my spirit inheaven than beside my bones on earth, and stumbling withal. "

Saint Kiaranus used greatly to crucify his body, and we write here anexample of this. He ever had a stone pillow beneath his head, whichtill to-day remains in the monastery of Saint Kiaranus, and isreverenced by every one. Moreover, when he was growing weak, he wouldnot have the stone removed from him, but commanded it to be placed tohis shoulders, that he should have affliction even to the end, for thesake of an everlasting reward in heaven. 

Now when the hour of his departure was approaching, he commanded thathe should be carried outside, out of the house; and looking up intoheaven, he said, "Hard is that way, [6] and this needs must be. " Tohim the brethren said, "We know that nothing is difficult for thee, father; but we unhappy ones must greatly fear this hour. "

And being carried back into the house, he raised his hand and blessedhis people and clerks; and having received the Lord's Sacrifice, on the fifth of the ides of September he gave up the ghost, in thethirty-third year of his age. And lo, angels filled the way betweenheaven and earth, rejoicing to meet Saint Kiaranus. 

L. THE VISIT OF COEMGEN

36. And on the third night after the death of Saint Kiaranus, the mostholy abbot Coemhgenus came from the province of the Lagenians tothe burial of Saint Kiaranus; and Saint Kiaranus spake with SaintCoemhgenus and they exchanged their vesture, and they made a perpetualbrotherhood between themselves and their followers. This is relatedfaithfully and at length in the Life of Coemhgenus himself. 

LI. THE EARTH OF CIARAN'S TOMB DELIVERS COLUM CILLE FROM A WHIRLPOOL

37. Saint Columba, on hearing of the death of Saint Kiaranus, said, "Blessed be God, Who hath called to Himself most holy Kiaranus fromthis life in his youth. For had he lived to old age, there would havebeen envy of many against him, for he would have had a firm hold onthe parish of all Ireland. "

Saint Columba made a hymn to Saint Kiaranus; and when he set it forthin the settlement of Cluain, the successor of Saint Kiaranus said untohim, "Shining and worthy of praise is this hymn; what reward then, father, shall be rendered unto thee?" Saint Columba answered: "Give memy hands full of the earth of the grave of your holy father Kiaranus;for I wish for and desire that, more than for pure gold and preciousgems. " And Saint Columba receiving earth from the grave of SaintKiaranus, made his way to his own island of Hya. 

When Saint Columba was voyaging on the sea, there arose a storm in thesea, and the ship was thrust towards the whirlpool which is in theScotic tongue called Cori Bracayn, in which is a sea-whirlpool mostdangerous, wherein if ships enter they come not out. And the whirlpoolbeginning to draw the ship towards itself, blessed Columba cast partof the earth of Saint Kiaranus into the sea. Most wondrous to relate, immediately the storm of the air, the movement of the waves, and theswirl of the whirlpool all ceased, till the ship had long escaped fromit. Then Saint Columba, giving thanks to God, said to his followers, "Ye see, brethren, how much favour hath the earth of most blessedKiaranus brought us. "

LIII. A PANEGYRIC OF CIARAN

38. Most blessed Kiaranus living among men passed a life as of anangel, for the grace of the Holy Spirit burned in his face before theeyes of men. Who could expound his earthly converse? For he was youngin age and in body, yet a most holy senior in mind and in manners, in humility, in gentleness, in charity, in daily labours, in nightlyvigils, and in other divine works. 

For now liveth he in rest without labour, in age without senility, inhealth without sorrow, in joy without grief, in peace without a foe, in wealth without poverty, in endless day without night, in theeternal kingdom without end, before the throne of Christ, Who withthe Father and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth unto ages of ages. Amen. 

_Here endeth the life of Saint Ciaran, Abbot of Cluain meic Nois. _

[Footnote 1: The inconsistencies in the spelling of the various propernames in this translation follow those in the original documents. ]

[Footnote 2: The MS. Reads _lac iam. . . Effudit_. For _iam_ we shouldprobably read _enim_. A similar correction is made in § 38. ]

[Footnote 3: _Ipsa insula semper ab Hybernia habitatur. _ The sense ofthis passage is not clear: it may be corrupt. ]

[Footnote 4: Lit. : "the shadow of the aid of thy dutifulness. "]

[Footnote 5: This sentence reads very awkwardly, owing to theincorporation of two originally interlined glosses. Reference to theMS. Enables us to isolate these. The sentence there runs thus: "Siergo in isto loco mansissem non Ysseal . I. Imus esset id est nonparuus sed altus . I. Magnus et honorabilis. " Here _id est_ occursthree times, once in full, and twice represented by the commoncontraction . I. , which is universally used in MSS. Of Irish origin forthe introduction of a gloss. If we write the sentence as below, we shall see the significance of the different ways in which theexpression is written, and by expunging the glosses can make thesentence less clumsy and more intelligible

 _. I. Imus_--"Si . . . Mansissem, non Ysseal esset, id est non paruus; sed_. I. Magnus et honorabilis_ altus. "]

[Footnote 6: Correcting the _vita_ of the MS. To _via_, in conformitywith VG. ]

 * * * * *

THE SECOND LATIN LIFE OF SAINT CIARAN

II. THE ORIGIN AND BIRTH OF CIARAN

1. A glorious man; and an abbot in life most holy, Queranus, was bornof a father Boecius, of a mother Darercha. This man drew his originfrom the northern part of Ireland, that is, he was of the Aradenses byrace. Now he was so illuminated by divine grace from his boyhood, thatit was clearly apparent of what manner he was destined to be. For hewas as a burning lamp in extraordinary charity, so as to show not onlythe warmth of a pious heart and devotion in relieving the necessityof men, but also an unwearied sympathy for the needs of irrationalanimals. And because such a lamp should not be hidden under a bushel, so from his boyhood he began to sparkle with the marvels of miracles. 

III. HOW CIARAN RAISED THE STEED OF OENGUS FROM DEATH

2. For when the horse of the son of the king of that territoryperished with a sudden death, and the young man was much grieved atits fall, there appeared to him in dreams a man of venerable andshining countenance, who forbade him to be grieved for the death ofthe horse, saying unto him, "Call, " said he, "the holy boy Keranus, and let him pour water into the mouth of thy horse, and sprinkle itsforehead, and it shall revive. And thou shalt endow him with duereward for its resurrection. "

When the king's son had wakened from sleep, he sent for the boyKeranus that he should come to him; who, when he made his presenceknown, and heard the dream throughout, according to what the angeltaught him, sprinkled the horse with holy water and raised it fromdeath. When this great miracle was seen, the king of that territorymade over to Saint Keranus a fertile and spacious field in honour ofOmnipotent God, in Whose Name his horse was resurrected. 

IV. HOW CIARAN TURNED WATER INTO HONEY

3. Moreover it fell out on a certain day that the mother of Keranushimself found fault with him, for that he did not bring wild honeysuch as the other boys were wont to carry to their parents. When thebeloved of God and men heard this, he raised his thoughts to the Boywho was subject to His parents, and blessed water, brought from aneighbouring spring, in His Name who is able to draw honey from therock, and oil from the hardest stone; and presently that water ischanged, with the help of God, into the sweetest honey, and so it isbrought to his mother. This honey his parents sent to Saint Dermiciusthe deacon, surnamed Iustus, who baptized him. 

XVII. HOW CIARAN WENT WITH HIS COW TO THE SCHOOL OF FINDIAN

4. Now when the rudiments of letters had been read [with him] by thesaint aforesaid, he proposed to go to the blessed abbey of CluaynHirard for instruction. And as he wished to fulfil in deed what he hadbegun to conceive of in his mind, he asked a cow of his parents forhis sustenance. But when his mother would not grant his petition, theHeavenly Father, Who loveth those whom He regardeth as a mother herson, did not tarry to fulfil the desire of his beloved. For a milchcow, together with her calf, followed him as though she had beendriven after him by her herdsman. 

When he had come to the sacred college of Saint Fynnianus, they allhad no small joy at his arrival. But the cow, which had followed him, was pastured along with her calf, nor did it [the calf] attemptto touch the udders of its mother without permission. Keranus soseparated and divided its pastures, that the mother would only lickthe calf, and would not offer to suckle it. Now the milk of that cowwas rich in such abundance that, divided daily, it would supply asufficiency of provision for twelve men. 

But the holy youth Keranus, deeply occupied with the sacred Scripture, shone in holiness and wisdom among his fellow-students as a brilliantstar among the other stars. For he was filled with the fragrance ofperfect charity, with moral worth, with holiness of life, and withsweetness of humility, gracious, honourable, and admirable to presentand to absent. 

XXVI. HOW CIARAN FREED A WOMAN FROM SERVITUDE

5. One day he made his way to a king, Tuathlus by name, to intercedefor the liberation of a certain bond-maid. When he besought the kingfervently for her, and _he_ rejected the prayers of the servant of Godas though they were ravings, he thought out a new method of liberatingher, and determined that he himself should serve the king in herplace. Now when he was coming to the house in which the girl wasgrinding, the doors which were shut opened to him. Entering, he showedhimself a second Bishop Paulinus to her. Without delay the kingfreed her, and further presented his vesture to the servant of God. Receiving this, he forthwith distributed it to the poor. 

XXIV. THE STORY OF THE MILL AND THE BAILIFF'S DAUGHTER _(abstractonly)_

6. It fell out one night that the eminent doctor Finnianus sent himwith grain of wheat to the mill. Now a certain kingling who livednear, learning that one of the disciples of the man of God had comethither, sent him flesh and ale by a servant. When they had presentedthe gift of such a man, he answered, "That it may be common, " said he, "to the brethren, cast it all on the surface of the mill. " When themessenger had done this, it was all turned into wheat. When he heardthis, the king gave him the steading in which he was dwelling, withall his goods, in perpetuity: but Keranus made it over to his master, for a monastery was afterwards erected there. But the bread madeof that grain tasted to the brethren like flesh and ale, and so itrefreshed them. 

XXX. THE ADVENTURE OF THE ROBBERS OF LOCH ERNE

7. Now when a space of time had passed, the licence and benediction ofhis master having been obtained, he made his way to Saint Nynnidus whowas dwelling in a wood _(sic)_ of Loch Erny. Now when he had arrivedhe was received with great joy and unfeigned love. As he was dailybecoming perfect in the discipline of manners and of virtue, on acertain day, as one truly obedient, he went forth to the groves hardby with brethren to cut timber. For it was a custom in that sacredcollege, that three monks, with an elder, always went out inprescribed order to transport timber. As the others were cutting wood, he by himself, as was his wont, was intent on prayer to God. Meanwhilecertain wicked robbers, ferried over in a boat to that island, fellupon the aforesaid brethren and slew them, and bore away their heads. But Keranus, not hearing the sound of his companions hacking, wassurprised, and in wonder he hurried to the place where he had leftthem labouring. When he saw what had been done to the brethren heheaved heavy sighs and was deeply grieved; and he followed themurderers by their track, and found them in the harbour, sweating tocarry their boat in the harbour to the water, but unable to do so. ForGod so fastened their skiff to the land that by no means could theyremove it. So being unable to resist the will of the All-Powerful, they beseech as suppliants pardon of the man of God, then present. Mindful of his Master as He prayed for the Jews who were crucifyingHim, he, a holy one, poured forth prayers for them, unworthy as theywere, to the Fount of Piety; and strengthened by the virtue of hisprayer, they were able to convey their boat quite easily to the water. In payment for this benefit he obtained from the robbers the heads ofhis brethren. When he had received these, he made his way back to theplace where their bodies had been lying, and fervently asked of Godto show forth His omnipotence in the resuscitation of His servants inthis life. Wondrous is what I relate, but in the truth of fact mostmanifest. He fitted the heads to the bodies, and recalled them to lifeby the virtue of the holy prayer--nay, rather, what is more correct, he obtained their recall. These, thus marvellously resuscitated, boretimber back to the monastery. But so long as they lived they bore thescars of the wounds on their necks. 

IX. HOW CIARAN RESTORED A CALF WHICH A WOLF HAD DEVOURED

8. At another time when he was keeping the herds of his parents ina certain place, a cow gave birth to a calf in his presence. But a[hound], altogether wasted with leanness, came, desiring to fill [hisbelly] with whatso falleth from the body of the mother with the calf, and stood before the dutiful shepherd. To which he said, "Eat, poor wretch, yonder calf, for great is thy need of it. " The hound, fulfilling the commands of Queranus, devoured the calf down to thebones. But as Queranus returned with the kine to the house, that one, recalling her calf to memory, was running hither and thither, lowing;and the mother of Queranus, recognising the cause of the lowing, saidwith indignation to the boy, "Quiranus, restore the calf, though it beburnt with fire or drowned with water. " But he, obeying his mother'scommands, making his way to the place where the calf had beendevoured, collected its bones and resuscitated the calf. 

V. HOW CIARAN WAS DELIVERED FROM A HOUND

9. At a certain time, when he was passing along a road, certain menspurred by a malignant spirit incited a most savage dog to do him ahurt. But Queranus, trusting in his Lord, fortified himself with theshield of devout prayer, and said, "Deliver not to beasts the souls ofthem that trust in Thee, O Lord": and soon that dog died. 

XXXI. HOW CIARAN FLOATED A FIREBRAND ON THE LAKE

10. At another time when he was left alone in that island, he heard apoor man in the harbour asking that fire be given to him. For itwas now the time of cold: but he had no boat whereby to satisfy thepetition of the poor man, though much he desired to do so. And becausecharity suffereth all things, he cast a burning firebrand into thelake, and the heat of love that sent it prevailing over the waters, itcame to the poor man. 

XXXII. CIARAN IN ARAN

11. Now when the man of God had spent a certain time there, with thelicence of Nynnidus he hastened to Saint Endeus, abbot in Ara; whowas filled with no small joy at his coming. Now on a certain night hedreamed that he had seen beside the bank of the great river Synan agreat leafy and fruitful tree which over-shadowed all Ireland. Whichdream he related to blessed Endeus on the following day. But Endeushimself bore witness that he had seen the same vision that night, which vision Endeus interpreted: "The tree, " he said, "thou art it, who shalt be great before God and men, and honourable throughout allIreland; because she is protected from demons and from other perilsby the shadow of thy help and grace, as under the shadow of ahealth-giving tree. Many near and far shall the fruit of thy worksadvantage. Wherefore according to the decree of God who revealethsecrets, depart to the place that hath been shown thee before, andthere abide, according to the grace given thee of God. " Comforted bythe interpretation of this vision, in true obedience he obeyed thecommand of Saint Endeus his spiritual father. 

XXXIV. HOW CIARAN VISITED SENAN

12. And having set forth on the way he found in his journey a poorman, to whom, as he asked an alms of him, he made over his cloak. Andwhen he had arrived at the island of Cathacus, blessed Senanus learntof his arrival, the Spirit revealing it to him, and coming to meet himhe said as though smiling, "Is it not shame for a presbyter to journeywithout a cloak?" For Senanus in the spirit knew how he had given itto a poor man. And so he came to meet him with a cloak. And Keranussaid, "My elder, " said he, "beareth a cloak for me under his vesture. "

XXXV. CIARAN IN ISEL

13. When he had received it and returned thanks to the giver, he camefor sacred converse to the cell of his brother Luctigernnus, wherealso was his other brother, Odranus by name. There for some time heprolonged his sojourn, and was guest-master. Now one day when he wasreading in the open air in the cemetery, guests came unexpectedly, whom he led to the guest-house, having left his book open inforgetfulness: and he washed their feet with devotion, and did theother services necessary for them, for the sake of Christ. Meanwhile, when the night darkness had fallen, there was a great rain. But He Whobedewed the fleece of Gideon, but afterwards kept it untouched by thedew, so preserved the book of holy Keranus, open though it was, fromthe rushing waters, that not a drop fell upon it. 

XXXVI. THE REMOVAL OF THE LAKE

14. Near to the monastery in which the man of God was then staying, there was an island, which certain worldly men inhabited, whose uproarused greatly to disturb the men of God. Whence it happened thatblessed Keranus, compelled by their disquietude, made his way to thelake, and giving himself up wholly to prayer, succeeded in obtainingthe removal of those who were distressing the servants of God. Forwhen he ceased from prayer, behold, suddenly the island with the lakeand the inhabitants withdrew to a remote place, so that by no meanscould its inhabitants disturb the friends of the Most High. For thismiracle was done in His Name Who overturned Sodom on account of thesin of its inhabitants, and consumed it with fire. The traces of thatlake, where it formerly was, still exist. 

XXXVIII. CIARAN IN INIS AINGIN

15. As the man of God was distributing the goods of the monastery forthe use of the poor, his brethren complaining of this and coming tohim inconsiderately, said, "Depart, " said they, "from us, for wecannot live together. " To whom agreeing, and bidding farewell in theLord, he transferred himself to an island by name Angina. A monasteryhaving been founded in this island, many hastening from all sides, attracted by the fame of his holiness, submitted to the service ofGod. Ordering them under strict rules, by face and by habit, by speechand by life, he showed himself as an example to them. For he was asan eagle inciting its young to fly, in respect to sublimity ofcontemplation; but he lived as the least of them in brotherlyhumility. For he was in spiritual meditations attached to the highestthings; yet so much did he stoop to feeble weakness that he seemed asthough he tended towards the lowliest things. He was also perfectin faith, fervent in charity, rejoicing in hope, gentle of heart, courteous of speech, patient and long-suffering, kindly inhospitality, ever diligent in works of piety, benign, gentle, peaceful, sober, and quiet. To summarise many things in one shortsentence, he was garnished with the ornament of all the virtues. Expending a care zealous for these and the like matters--the care ofMary for contemplation, and of Martha for the dispensing of thingstemporal--he fulfilled his duty in ordered succession. Nor could thelight of such and so great a lantern be hidden under a bushel: butit glittered with light, all around, wheresoever it abundantlyilluminated the world with the outpoured glory of its grace. 

XXXIX. THE COMING OF OENNA

16. He was nevertheless inspired with a spirit of prophecy, whichappears from the preceding and the following examples. For on acertain day the voice of one asking for ferrying had struck on hisears. Then he said to the brethren, "I hear, " said he, "the voice ofhim whom God will set over you as abbot. Go, therefore, and fetchhim. " So they hastened; and coming to the harbour, they found anunlettered youth. Not caring to lead him to the holy man, theyreturned and declared that they had found no one, save an unletteredyouth who was wandering as a vagabond in the woods. But Saint Queranussaid, "Lead him hither, " said he, "and despise not your futurepastor. " Who being led in, by the inspiration of God and by theinstruction of the holy man, took on him the habit of religion, andduly learned his letters. For he is Saint Oenius, a man of venerablelife; and, as the saint prophesied beforehand, he was duly set overthe brethren. 

XLI. HOW CIARAN WENT FROM INIS AINGHIN TO CLONMACNOIS

17. At length, when some time had passed, a holy man by nameDompnanus, of Mumonia by race, came to visit the man of God. WhenSaint Keranus enquired of him the cause of his coming, he repliedthat he wished to have a place in which he could serve the Lord insecurity. But Saint Keranus, seeking not his own, but the things ofJesus Christ, said, "Here, " said he, "dwell thou, and I with God'sguidance shall seek a place of habitation elsewhere. " Finally, thesacred community accompanying him, he made his way to the placeforeshown him of God, in which, when the famous and renowned monasterywhich is to-day called the city of Cluayn was built, he himselfilluminated the world, like the sun, with the light of famousmiracles. 

XLIV. CIARAN AND THE WINE

18. Of the multitude of these miracles we add some here. One time, when the brethren, labouring in the harvest, were oppressed withperil of thirst, they sent to holy Father Queranus that they might berefreshed by the blessing of water. To these, through the servants, hesaid: "Choose ye, " said he, "one of two things; either that ye be nowrevived with water, or that those who are to inhabit this place afteryou be blessed with the things of this world. " But they answeringsaid: "We choose, " said they, "that those who come after us may aboundin temporal goods, and that we may have the reward of long-sufferingin heaven. " And so, rejoicing in the hope of the things to come, theyabstained from drinking, though they were in great need of it. 

But in the evening when they were returning home, the tender father, having compassion on the weariness of the labourers, blessed a vesselfilled with water: and now renewing the holy miracle in Cana ofGalilee, he changed the water into the best wine. By this wine they, fainting from thirst, were revived; and revived in faith by themanifestation of an unwonted miracle, they gave praises to GodAlmighty. For the taste of this miraculous wine was more grateful thanwas wont, and its odour scented the thumb of the wine-drawer so longas he survived. 

XLVI. HOW AN INSULT TO CIARAN WAS AVERTED

19. One day when he was going on a way, most infamous robbers, seizing him, began to shave the head of the blessed man. But what thefrowardness of man wished to efface, the divine benevolence changed tothe manifestation of a mighty miracle. For in the place of theshaved hairs other hairs grew forthwith. The robbers, thrown intoconsternation by this miracle, were changed to the way of truth, andat length, serving in the divine army under so great a leader, theyfinished their life in holy conversation. 

XLVII. HOW CIARAN WAS SAVED FROM SHAME

20. At another time when the good shepherd was feeding his flocks, three poor men met him. To the first of these he made over his cape, to the second his cloak, to the third his tunic. But when they weregoing away there arrived certain men, leaders of a worldly life. As hewas ashamed to be seen of these without raiment, the Lord Who helpethin need so surrounded him with water that except his head no part ofhim could they see. But after these men had passed by the water soondisappeared. 

XLVIII. HOW A MAN WAS SAVED FROM ROBBERS

21. After this when some time had passed, certain companions of thedevil were trying to slay a man who dwelt near his monastery: whom, when the blessed man prayed for him, God marvellously rescued. Forwhen they were slaughtering the man, they were striking on a stonestatue. The robbers, when at last they perceived this, being prickedin the heart, hasten to the shepherd of souls, Queranus: they humblyacknowledge their crime; and, amending their way of life, they servedfaithfully under the yoke of Christ until death. 

XLIX. THE DEATH OF CIARAN

22. The most glorious soldier of Christ, shining with these and manyother [miracles], like the luminary which presides over the day, as hereached the setting of his natural course, approached it, seized withgrievous sickness. But because he who shall have endured unto the endshall be saved, so the champion of Christ, not only strengtheninghimself in the battle of this conflict, but also calling on souls toconquer, caused the stone, on which, supporting his head, he was wontuntil then to concede a little sleep to his body, to be placed evenunder his shoulders; then raising his holy hand he blessed thebrethren, and, fortified by reception of the viaticum of salvation, gave back his soul to heaven. For as that blessed soul departed fromthe body, the choirs of angels with hymns and songs received it intothe glory of God. 

LI. THE EARTH OF CIARAN'S TOMB DELIVERS COLUM CILLE FROM A WHIRLPOOL

23. Also, when the most blessed abbot of Christ, Columba, heard of thedeath of Saint Keranus, he composed a notable hymn about him: and hebrought it down with him to the monastery of Cluayn, where, as wasfitting, he was received with hospitality in honour. Now as for thehymn, the abbot who was then presiding, and the others who had heardit, lauded it with many lofty praises. But when Saint Columba wasdeparting thence, he took away with him earth from the sacred grave ofSaint Keranus, knowing in the spirit how useful this would be againstfuture perils of the sea. For in the part of the sea which bearstowards the monastery of Í, there is a very great danger to those whocross, partly because of the vehemence of the currents, and partlybecause of the narrowness of the sea; so that ships are whirled roundand driven in a circle, and thus are often sunk. For it is rightlycompared to Scylla and Charybdis; I mean that by its grave andunmitigated dangerousness, evil is there the lot of sailors. When theywere coming to this strait, they suddenly began to glide into it intheir course: and when they looked for nothing but death, and becausethey were as though apt to be devoured by the horrible jaws of theabyss, then Saint Columba taking some of the aforesaid dust that hadbeen taken from the tomb of blessed Keranus, cast it into that sea. Then there befell a thing marvellous and worthy of great wonder; forsooner than it is told, that cruel storm ceased, and accorded them aquiet passage. Truly do the just live for ever; among whom blessedQueranus reigneth, the earth or dust of whose sepulchre stilled thesea, established in the Faith the hearts of those who feared, andstrengthened them to good works. Wherefore blessed Keranus liveth notonly for God, to whom he is inseparably bound, but also for men, onwhom in time of need he bestoweth benefits. 

A RIME ABOUT HIM

1. As the mother of Quiaranus sat in a noisy carriage, a wizard heardthe sound and said out to his attendant lads, "See ye who is in thecarriage, for it soundeth under a king. " "The wife, " say they, "ofBeodus the wright sitteth here. " The wizard says: "She shall bear aking acceptable to all, whose works shall shine like Phoebus in thesky. " The soldier of Christ, Keranus, a temple of the Holy Spirit, flourished in the virtue of spiritual piety. 

2. He bestowed the sucking calf of a cow on a hound; then his motherseverely upbraided Queranus. He asked the devoured calf from the hounditself, and presently bearing back its bones he restored it. 

3. The bald head of a royal woman had been made bare by the envy of anevil concubine; when it was signed in the name of Queranus it shoneadorned with golden hair. 

4. When Queranus was occupied with sacred studies, and asked time thathe might engage himself therein, then the mill is moved for him byangels. 

5. The gospel text had fallen into a lake, but when time passed, bythe merits of Queranus, a cow brought it back sound from the abyss. 

6. When as a boy he was praying the Lord, and was spending his time inprayer, fire came from above in the citadel of the pole. The dead boydescried the lights of life, and the saints glorify the mighty Lord. Sparkling fire falling from heaven is kindled and forthwith hecompletes his especial duty. 

7. To the high and ineffable company of apostles of the heavenlyJerusalem, the lofty watch-tower, sitting on thrones shining like thesun, Queranus the holy priest, the eminent messenger of Christ, isexalted by the heavenly hands of angels, with the happy clans of holyones made perfect; whom Thou, Christ, hast sent as a man, an apostleto the world, glorious in all the latest times. 

 * * * * *

THE THIRD LATIN LIFE OF SAINT CIARAN

II. THE ORIGIN AND BIRTH OF CIARAN: THE WIZARD'S PROPHECIES

1. The blessed and venerable abbot Queranus was born of a noble andreligious stock of the Scots, of a father Beoid, that is Boeus, byname, who was a cartwright, and of a mother Darerca; of these manysaints were born. This man of God was prophesied of by Saint Patrick, fifty years before his birth. Moreover when his mother, sitting ina carriage one day, passed near the house of a certain wizard, thewizard, hearing the noise of the carriage said in prophecy, "Thecarriage soundeth under a king. " And when his folk went in surprise tosee the truth of the matter, and beheld no one but the wife of Boeusin the carriage, they said in mockery, "Lo, the wife of Beoit sittethin the carriage. " To whom the wizard said, "Not of her do I speak, butof the son whom she hath in her womb, who shall be a mighty king; andas the sun blazeth in mid-day, so shall he with miracles shine andillumine this island. " After this, as his father was being burdenedunder the taxes of Anmereus, that is Anmirech, leaving his nativeregion he departed into the territory of the Conactei; and there inthe plain of Ay he begat his blessed son Queranus, who was baptizedand instructed by a certain holy man, Dermicius by name. And the holyboy, in manners beyond his years, worked many wonders. 

III. HOW CIARAN RAISED THE STEED OF OENGUS FROM DEATH

2. So when the horse of the son of the king of that territory died byaccident, he saw in a vision a shining man saying to him, "The holyboy Quieranus who liveth among you, can quicken thy horse. Present himwith a reward for the health of thy horse, and he shall resuscitatehim. " The royal youth, awakened from sleep, went to Queranus, andprayed him on behalf of the horse. The holy boy, without delay, blessed water, and when he poured it into the mouth of the horse itwas restored to its former health. And when the king saw what wasdone, he made over an excellent field as a reward to Saint Quieranus. 

IV. HOW CIARAN TURNED WATER INTO HONEY

3. At another time his mother upbraided him because, though the otherboys collected honey for their mothers, he used to bring her no honey. But hearkening humbly to his mother, he went to a neighbouring spring, and carrying thence a vessel full of water, he blessed it, and it waschanged into excellent honey. 

V. HOW CIARAN WAS DELIVERED FROM A HOUND

4. On a certain other day some men, spurred by a malignant spirit, incited a most savage dog to devour the holy man. But Keranus trustingin the Lord, and fortifying himself with the buckler of prayer, said, "Deliver not the soul that trusteth in Thee unto beasts"; and soon thedog died. 

IX. HOW CIARAN RESTORED A CALF WHICH A WOLF HAD DEVOURED

5. When at another time he was feeding the herds of his parents, asmen are wont to do, [1] a cow brought forth a calf in his presence. Butthere came a hound consumed with leanness, seeking to fill his bellywith what fell from the body of the mother along with the calf; andmoved with compassion he said unto him, "Eat, poor wretch, yondercalf, for great is thy need of it. " The hound fulfilled the commandsof Keranus, and ate the calf to the bones. As Keranus returned home tothe house of his parents with the herds, the cow, recalling thecalf to memory, went running about lowing. The mother of Keranus, recognising the cause of its lowing, said with indignation to theboy, "Restore the calf, Keranus, even though it be burnt with fire ordrowned in the sea. " But he, obeying his mother, returned to the placewhere the calf had been devoured, collected the bones, and carriedthem with him and placed them before the mother [_father_, MS. ], asking his God with diligence to hear his prayers for theresuscitation of the calf. And God hearkened to the holy one, andresuscitated the calf in the presence of his parents. 

X. HOW CIARAN WAS DELIVERED FROM ROBBERS

6. At another time there came robbers to him when he was feeding theherds of his parents, wishing to slay him, so that they might the moreeasily reave what they would. But God had regard to their attempt fromon high, and so multiplied infirmities upon them that they turned inhaste to God. For they were smitten with blindness, nor could theymove hand or foot, till they wrought repentance, and were loosed bythe merit of Saint Keranus: recovering the light of their eyes and thevigour of their other members. 

XIV. HOW CIARAN GAVE THE KING'S CAULDRON TO BEGGARS AND WAS ENSLAVED

7. It happened after this that he gave a cauldron belonging to theking, as he had nothing else to give to poor folk asking of him analms. When the king heard what had been done, he was greatly enraged, and commanded his people to bring Saint Keranus to him in bonds. Whenhe was led to the king, he gave sentence that he should be reduced toservitude, and be set apart for grinding at the quern. But God, havingregard to the humiliation of His servant, caused the mill to be movedof itself without human hand, and left Ciaran free to chant hisPsalms. After a few days coppersmiths from the land of the Mumuniensesbrought three cooking-pots with them, and offered them to SaintKeranus. Giving thanks for these to God, he was delivered from theyoke of servitude. 

XXIII. THE BLESSING OF CIARAN'S FOOD

8. When on a certain day he was journeying alone, and the time ofpartaking of food had come, seeking one to bless for him he said"_Benedic. _" And as no one answered, he departed, fasting. On thefollowing day, seeking one to bless and finding him not, he went onfasting in like manner. On the third day he went forth fasting, and being weary with the journey he lay down; and when he asked abenediction as was customary, a voice came from heaven and blessed hismeal, and so, eating and giving thanks, he completed his journey. 

XV. HOW CIARAN REPROVED HIS MOTHER

9. One time when he was coming from the fields to the house certainstrangers met him; and when he had asked them whence they had come, they said, "From the house of Boetius the wright. " And when he hadagain asked them how they had been refreshed there, they answered, "Not only got we no food, but the woman of the house heaped insultsand abuse upon us. " But he, fired with the flames of charity, went tohis father's house, and cast whatsoever of food he found there intothe mud, thinking that what was not offered to Christ, and that inwhich the pleasure of the devil was wrought, was corrupt and uncleanand should not be eaten of any. 

XVI. THE BREAKING OF THE CARRIAGE-AXLE

10. At another time when with his father he was sitting in a carriage, the axle of the carriage broke in two; but yet for the whole day theycontinued their journey safely, without any mishap. 

XVII. HOW CIARAN WENT WITH HIS COW TO THE SCHOOL OF FINDIAN

11. After these things, having heard the renown of the holiness andsound doctrine of Saint Finnianus of Cluayn Hyrart, he desired tohasten to him as to a living fountain, and asked of his mother a cow, to yield him the food necessary to sustain life. When his motherrefused his request, he went to the kine of his mother, trusting inhis God, and blessed one of them in the name of God; and the cow, bythe favour of God, mindful of the blessing of the man of God, followedhim with her calf till he had arrived at the church of the man of GodFynnianus. When the man of God arrived at the place of his desire, hedrew a dividing-line with his rod between the cow and the calf, inthe name of Him who set a boundary to the waters that they should nottransgress their limit, and this they did not cross till they werepermitted. The milk of that cow was sufficient for twelve men everyday. 

XVIII. THE ANGELS GRIND FOR CIARAN

12. At that time there were twelve very holy and reverend men readingin that school, and each of them on his day ground at the quern withhis own hand, as was customary. But in the day of Saint Keranus theangels of God used to turn the quern for him. 

XXX. THE ADVENTURE OF THE ROBBERS OF LOCH ERNE

13. At another time, when blessed Keranus had been in an islandsituated in Loch Eirne, in the school of a holy man; and it was acustom with the saints that three men should go out with an elder tobring in timber; it was the lot of Saint Keranus to go to the forestwith three monks to cut timber. And when he was praying apart and theothers were cutting wood, robbers came and slew those three monks, andcut off and carried away their heads with them. Saint Keranus, nothearing the sound of those who were hacking and hewing timber, returned from the place of prayer and found his three companions slainand decapitated. But the man of God, though first he grieved sorelyover this deed, yet, recovering his power from Him Who deserteth notHis own in their necessity, hastened after the murderers, and foundthem sweating to drag a little boat down to the water. But it waswondrously contrived that the skiff should weigh most heavily, likea ship, and with this their bodily strength wholly failed them. Thenthey turned themselves to the holy man, and begging pardon of him, they obtained it in mercy. And when as a price for their restoredstrength he obtained the heads of his companions from the robbers, heran with them to the place where the bodies of the martyrs were lying, placed each of them respectively at the junction with its body, andrestored them to life from death in the Name of the Holy Trinity. And as a sign of this unwonted miracle, so long as they lived thereremained a blood-marked circle round their necks, that therebythe Faithful should be strengthened in the Faith and the infidelsconfuted. It endeth; Amen. 

[Footnote 1: _More humano_: but is this an error for _in quodamloco_?]

 * * * * *

THE IRISH LIFE OF SAINT CIARAN

I. THE HOMILETIC INTRODUCTION

1. _Omnia quaecumque uultis ut faciant homines uobis, ita et uosfaciatis illis, haec est enim lex et prophetae:_ "Every good thingthat ye wish to be done unto you by men, let it be likewise that ye doto them, for that is Law and Prophecy. "

Now He Who prohibiteth every evil, Who proclaimeth every good, Whoreconcileth God and man, Jesus Christ Son of the Living God, theSaviour of the whole world, He it is Who spake these words; to teachHis apostles and His disciples and the whole Church concerning thecovenant[1] of charity; that men should do of good and of charity totheir neighbour as much as they would do unto themselves. To that endsaith Jesus, _Omnia quaecumque uultis_. Now Matthew son of Alphaeus, the eminent sage of the Hebrews, one of the four who expounded theGospel of the Lord, he it is who wrote these words in the heart of hisGospel, saying after his Master Jesus, _Omnia quaecumque_. 

_Si ergo uos, cum sitis mali, nostis bona data dare filiis uestris, quanto magis Pater uester celestis dabit bona petentibus Se:_[2] Thatis, "If ye being men _[sic]_ give good gifts to your children, muchmore shall the Heavenly Father give good to His children who askHim. " It is after these words that Jesus spake this counsel, _Omniaquaecumque, _ etc. For Law and Prophecy command us to give love to Godand to the neighbour. _Finis enim precepti caritas est, quia caritaspropria et specialis uirtus est Christianorum. Nam caeterae uirtutesbonis et malis possunt esse communes; caritatem autem habere nisiperfecti non possunt. Vnde Iesus ait, "In hoc cognoscent omnes quoddiscipuli Mei estis, si dilexeritis inuicem. "_ "For the roof andsummit of divine doctrine is charity, because charity is the especialvirtue of the Christians. For the other virtues may belong to good andto evil men alike; but none hath charity save good men only. WhereforeJesus saith, 'Hereby shall all men recognise that ye are of My folk, if each of you loveth his fellow as I have loved you. '"[3] _Et iterumdixit Iesus: Hoc est preceptum meum ut diligatis inuicem sicut dilexiuos. _ "And thus said Jesus further: 'This is my counsel to you, thateach of you love his fellow as I have loved you. '"

Many of the children of life, apostles and disciples of the Lord, havethenceforward fulfilled with zeal and with piety the counsel thatJesus gave them as to fulfilling charity; as _he_ fulfilled and lovedcharity especially beyond all virtues, to wit the noble gloriousapostle, the father confessor, the spark-flashing, the man throughwhom the west of the world shone with signs and wonders, with virtuesand with good deeds, _Sanctus Ciaranus sacerdos et apostolus Dei_, thearchpresbyter and apostle Saint Ciaran, son of the wright. Now he wasson of the Wright Who formed heaven and earth with all that in themis, according to his heavenly genealogy; and son of the wright whoused to frame carriages and all other handiworks beside, according tohis earthly genealogy. 

The date which the Faithful honour as the feast-day of this noble oneis the fifth of the ides of September according to the day of thesolar month, and this day to-day according to the day of the week. 

Accordingly I shall relate a short memoir of the signs and wonders ofthat devout one, for a delight of soul to the Faithful; and of hisearthly generation, and of his mode of life, [4] and of the perfectionwhich he gave to his victorious course in the earth. A man heldgreatly in honour of the Lord was this man. A man for whom Godreserved his monastery, fifty years before his birth; a man whomChrist accounteth in the order of apostles in this world, as ColumCille said--

 _Quem Tu Christe apostolum mundo misisti hominem. _

A lamp was he, shining with the light of wisdom and doctrine, as ColumCille said--

 _Lucerna huius insulae lucens luce mirabili. _

A man who established a cathedral from which was drawn theeffectiveness of rule, and wisdom, and doctrine, for all the churchesof Ireland, as the same man of learning said--

 _Custodiantur regmina adcessione edita Diuulgata per omnia sanctorum monasteria_[5]--

that is, "Let the rules and doctrines and customs which have beenreceived from the master, from Ciaran, be kept by the elders of thesemonasteries; thus, these are the rules and customs that have beendistributed and received of all the monasteries of saints of Ireland. "For it is from her [Clonmacnois] that are carried rules and preceptsthroughout Ireland. 

He is a man whom the Lord accounteth of the order of chief prophets inthis world, as the same prophet said--

 _Propheta qui nouissimus fuerit praesagminibus, _[6]

for it was by reason of his nobility and his reverence before the Lordthat he was foretold of prophets long before his birth, as Isaac wasforetold, and John the Baptist, and Jesus, which is something yetnobler. [7] First Patrick son of Calpurn prophesied of him in CruachanAigli, after the tree had closed around his relics in the place wherethat settlement is now. Brigit prophesied of him when she saw thefire and the angel, fifty years before Ciaran, in the place where theCrosses of Brigit are to-day. Becc mac De prophesied, saying there--

 Son of the wright with choruses, with choirs, In comely cloak, with chariots, with chants. 

Colum Cille prophesied in Ard Abla to Aed son of Brandub (or ofBrenainn). 

II. THE ORIGIN AND BIRTH OF CIARAN: THE WIZARD'S PROPHECIES

2. Now this is the genealogy of Ciaran--

 Ciaran, son of Lairne, son of Bresal, son of Beoit " Cuiltre " Dega " Olchan " Gluinech " Reo-soirche, son of Dichu " Coirpre " Reo-doirche " Corc " Lug " Tigernmas " Cuindiu " Meidle " Follach " Cuinnid " Dub " Eithrial " Fiac " Lugna " Irel the prophet, son of Mael-Catrach, son of Feidlimid " Eremon " Laire " Echu " Mil of Spain. 

Beoit son of Olchan of the Latharna of Mag Molt of the Ulaid wasearthly father of Ciaran. Darerca daughter of Ercan son of Buachallwas his mother, as Ciaran said--

 Mother mine, a woman good, she Darerca hight; Father, of Molt's Latharna he was Beoit the wright. 

Of the Ciarraige of Irluachra was his mother, that is, moreespecially, of the Glasraige. Glas the Poet was her grandfather. Nowthis was the cause of the coming together of those twain. WhenBeoit went to visit his brethren who were in the territory of CenelFiachrach, and when he saw the maiden Darerca before him, he asked forher of her [friends and her][8] parents, so that she was given him towife. Thereafter she bore five sons to him, and this is the order inwhich they were born: Lucoll her firstborn, Donnan the second, Ciaranthe third, Odran the fourth, Cronan the fifth--he was a deacon, butthe other four sons were archpresbyters. Furthermore she bore threedaughters to him; two of them were virgins, to wit Lugbec and Rathbeo;Pata was the third daughter, and she was a pious widow. These are thegraveyards wherein are the relics of those saints; Lucholl and Odranin Isel Chiarain, Donnan and Ciaran in Cluain maccu Nois, Cronan thedeacon and Beoit and the three daughters in _Tech meic in tSaeir_. 

Now there was an impious king in the land of Ui Neill at that time, Ainmire son of Colgan his name. He impressed the tribelands and thesepts under a grievous tax. So Beoit went, a-fleeing from that king, into the land of the Connachta, to Cremthann son of Lugaid son ofDallan King of Ireland, to Raith Cremthainn in Mag Ai. The day onwhich Ciaran was conceived was the sixth of the calends of June, andhe was born on the sixth of the calends of March. 

The birth of Ciaran was prophesied by Lugbrann the wizard of theaforesaid king. The wizard _dixit_--

 Oengus' steed he made alive, while he yet in cradle rested; God this marvel did contrive, by Ciaran, in swathing vested. 

One day when the wizard heard the sound of the carriage [he spakethus: "See, lads, " said he, "who is in the carriage][9]--for here isthe sound of a carriage that bears a king. " When the lads went outthey saw no one save Beoit and Darerca in the carriage. When the ladsmocked the wizard, thus spake he: "The child who is in the womb ofthe woman, " said he, "shall be a great king: as the sun shineth amongthe stars of heaven, so shall he shine, in signs and wonders thatcannot be related, upon the earth. "

Thereafter was Saint Ciaran born, in Mag Ai at Raith Cremthainn. Hewas baptized by deacon Iustus, for it was fitting that the true oneshould be baptized by a True One. 

III. HOW CIARAN RAISED THE STEED OF OENGUS FROM DEATH

3. A certain day the horse of Oengus son of Cremthann died, and hehad great sadness because of the death of his horse. Now when Oengusslumbered, an angel of God appeared to him in a dream, and thus hespake with him: "Ciaran son of the wright shall come, and shall raisethy horse for thee. " And this was fulfilled, for Ciaran came at theword of the angel, and blessed water, and it was put over the horse, and the horse arose from death forthwith. Then Oengus gifted a greatland to God and to Ciaran in return for the raising of the horse;Tir-na Gabrai is the name of the land. 

IV. HOW CIARAN TURNED WATER INTO HONEY

4. A certain day his mother upbraided him. "The little village lads, "said she, "bring with them honey out from the combs to their folks, but thou bringest it never to us. " When Ciaran heard that, he went toa certain spring, and he fills his vessel from it, and blesses it: sothat it became choice honey, and he gives that honey to his mother; soshe was thankful. That is the honey which was given to deacon Uis (=Iustus) as a fee for baptizing him. 

V. HOW CIARAN WAS DELIVERED FROM A HOUND

5. A certain day evil men incited a savage hound against Ciaran, totear him. When Ciaran saw the hound, he sang this verse: _Ne tradasbestiis animam confitentem tibi. _ And when he said this the hound fellforthwith and did not rise again. 

VI. HOW CIARAN AND HIS INSTRUCTOR CONVERSED THOUGH DISTANT FROM ONEANOTHER

6. This was the labour that his parents used to lay upon him, namely, herding, after the likeness of David son of Jesse, and of Jacob, and of the elders thenceforth, for God knew that he would be a wiseshepherd of great flocks, that is, the flocks of the Faithful. Thereafter a marvellous thing took place at Raith Cremthainn in MagAi: he was keeping the flocks of [his parents at Raith Cremthainn, andthere was dwelling][10] his tutor, deacon Uis, at Fidharta, and therewas a long space between them: yet he used to hear what his tutor wassaying as though they were side by side. 

VII. CIARAN AND THE FOX

7. Then there came a fox to Ciaran from out the wood, and behavedtamely with him. It would often visit him, so that he bade it do hima service, namely, to carry his book of Psalms between him and histeacher, deacon Uis. For when he would say in Fidharta, "Say thisin the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, "Ciaran would hear in Raith Cremthainn, from that on to the end of thelesson; and the fox would be awaiting the lesson obediently till itswriting on wax was completed, and thereafter he would carry it withhim to Ciaran. [11]

Once on a time his natural treacherousness broke forth in the fox, andhe began to eat the book: for he was greedy for the leather that wasbound around the book outside. While he was eating the book, therecame Oengus son of Cremthann with kernes and with hounds, so that theychased him, and he found no sanctuary till he came under the cloak ofCiaran. The name of God and Ciaran's were magnified by the rescue ofthe book from the fox and by the rescue of the fox from the hounds. The book is what is now called the "Tablet of Ciaran. "

Most consonant with these things is it for evil men who are near tothe Church, and who profit by the advantages of the Church--communion, and baptism, and food, and teaching--and withal stay not frompersecuting the Church, until there come upon themselves thepersecution of some king, or mortality, or a disease unknown: and thenthey needs must flee under the protection of the Church, as the foxwent under the cloak of Ciaran![12]

VIII. HOW CIARAN SPOILED HIS MOTHER'S DYE

8. A certain day the mother of Ciaran was making blue dye, and shehad reached the point of putting the garments therein. Then said hismother to him, "Get thee out, Ciaran. " For they thought it unbecomingthat males should be in the house when garments were being dyed. "Maythere be a dun stripe upon them!" said Ciaran. Of all the garmentsthat were put into the dye, there was not one that had not a dunstripe upon it. The dye is prepared again, and his mother said, "Goout, Ciaran, this time, and now, Ciaran, let there be no dun stripe. "Then he said--

 Alleluia Domine! White my mother's dye let be! When in my hand it's gone, Be it white as bone! When boiling it is stirred, Be it white as curd!

Accordingly every garment that was placed therein was of a uniformwhiteness. For the third time is the dye made. "Ciaran, " said hismother, "hurt me not the dye now, but let it receive a blessing fromthee. " When Ciaran blessed the dye, never was dye made so good, beforeor since; for though all the garments of Cenel Fiachrach (_sic_) wereplaced in its _iarcain_, it would turn them blue; and at the last itturned blue the dogs and the cats and the trees that came in contactwith it. 

IX. HOW CIARAN RESTORED A CALF WHICH A WOLF HAD DEVOURED

9. Once he was tending kine. A miserable wolf came to him. Now thiswas a habitual expression with him, "Mercy on us. " [He said to thewolf in compassion][13] "Rise and devour the calf and break or eat notits bones. " The wolf went and did so. When the cow lowed a-seeking thecalf, his mother spake thus to him: "Tell me, Ciaran, where is thecalf of this cow? Let the calf be restored by thee, whatsoever deathit has died. " Ciaran went to the place where the wolf had devoured thecalf, and collected the bones of the calf, and brought them before thecow, and the calf arose and stood up. _Ut dixit_--

 One day when, assiduously Ciaran the kine was havening, He a calf for charity Gave to a wolf ravening. [14]

X. HOW CIARAN WAS DELIVERED FROM ROBBERS

10. A certain day there came robbers from Ui Failge to slay people [inthe land][15] of Cenel Fiachach, and they found Saint Ciaran a-readingwith his herds; and they went forward to slay him. But they weresmitten with blindness, and could stir neither foot nor hand, tillthey wrought repentance, and were loosed by the word of God and ofCiaran. 

XIV. HOW CIARAN GAVE THE KING'S CAULDRON TO BEGGARS AND WAS ENSLAVED

11. Another time his father sent him to present a cauldron tothe king, even to Furban. There met him poor men on the way, and[Ciaran][16] gifts the king's cauldron to them. So he was put in bondsthen, and slavery was imposed on him at the king's hands; and this wasthe labour put upon him, to grind at the quern. Then great marvelscame to pass, for when he went to grind at the quern, it would turn ofitself, and did so continually. They were the angels of the Lord whoused to grind for his sake. Not long thereafter there came smiths fromthe lands of Muma, with three cauldrons for Ciaran as an alms, andthus was Ciaran delivered from servitude to the king. 

XVII. HOW CIARAN WENT WITH HIS COW TO THE SCHOOL OF FINDIAN

12. Now after those things Ciaran thought it time to go a-schoolingto Findian of Cluain Iraird, to learn wisdom. He begged a cow of hismother and of his father, to take it with him to serve him. [17] Hismother said that she would not give it him. He blessed one of thekine, to wit the Dun Cow of Ciaran, as she was called thenceforward, and she went with her calf after Ciaran thence to Cluain Iraird. Afterwards he drew a line with his staff between them, for betweenthem there was no fence, and the cow used to lick the calf and neitherof them transgressed the mark. Now the milk of that cow used to bedivided between the twelve bishops with their folk and their guests, and it was sufficient for them; _ut dixit_, Ciaran's Dun was wont to feed, three times fifty men in all; Guests and sick folk in their need, in soller and in dining-hall. 

The hide of the Dun is in Clonmacnois, and whatsoever soul partethfrom its body from that hide [hath no portion in hell, and][18]dwelleth in eternal life. 

XVIII. THE ANGELS GRIND FOR CIARAN

13. Now there were the twelve bishops[19] of Ireland in the school ofFindian in Cluain Iraird, _ut dixit_, Two Findians, holy Colums two, Ciaran, Cainnech, Comgall fair; Two Brenainns, Ruadan bright of hue, Ninned, Mo-Bi, Mac Natfraeich there. 

This was their rule, that every bishop[19] should grind at the quernon his day. But angels used to grind at the quern for Ciaran's sake onthe day that was his. 

XIX. CIARAN AND THE KING'S DAUGHTER

14. The daughter of the King of Cualu was brought once upon a timeto Findian to read her Psalms, after offering her virginity to God. Findian committed the maiden to Ciaran, so that it was with him thatshe used to read her Psalms. Now Ciaran saw naught of the body ofthe maiden, so long as they were together, save her feet only. As isverified in the stanza--

 A maid, rich in stateliness with Ciaran there was reading; Of her form or shapeliness, he was all unheeding. [20]

XX. HOW CIARAN HEALED THE LEPERS

15. There came then twelve lepers to Findian for their healing. Findian sent them to Ciaran. Ciaran welcomed them, and went with themwestward from the cell, and tears a sod from the ground, so that astream of pure water breaks forth from thence. He poured three wavesof the water over each of them, so that they were healed forthwith. 

XXI. CIARAN AND THE STAG

16. Further, into that school there used to come a stag to Ciaran, andhe would place his book on the horns of the stag. One day there Ciaranheard the bell. He arose suddenly at the sound of the bell, but stillswifter was the arising of the stag, and it went off, with his bookon its horns. Though that day and the following night were wet, andthough the book was open, not a letter in it was moistened. The clericarose on the morrow, and the stag came to him with his book uninjured. 

XVII. THE STORY OF CIARAN'S GOSPEL

17. Now into that school there came Ninned the Squinting, from thelochs of Erne, to read with Findian; and he had no book. "Seek abook, " said Findian. Ninned went a-searching round the school, anddid not obtain a book from any of them. "Hast thou gone to the gentleyouth on the north side of the lawn?" said Findian. "I shall go now, "said Ninned. Now when Ninned reached him, Ciaran was going over thecentral text of the book of Matthew: _Omnia quaecumque uultis utfaciant homines uobis, ita et uos faciatis illis. _ "I have come forthe loan of a book, " said Ninned. "Mercy on us, " said Ciaran, "forthat do I read this, and this is what the text saith to me, thateverything that I would that men should do to me, I should do to all. Take thou the book, " said Ciaran. On the morrow his companions askedof him, at the time of the lesson, where his book was. "He gave it tome, " said Ninned. "Let 'Ciaran Half-Matthew' be his name, " said oneof the school. "Nay, " said Findian, "but Ciaran Half-Ireland; for hisshall be half of Ireland, and ours the other half. "[21] As Findiansaid--

 Holy Ciaran zealously under Findian studying pored; Half his book he left unread, half of Ireland his reward. 

From this was the well-known saying _Non legam Marcum quousquecompleueram Mattheum_ carried to Rome, to Alexander. 

XXIV. THE STORY OF THE MILL AND THE BAILIFF'S DAUGHTER

18. Now it came to pass that there was scarcity of corn and sustenancein that school, so that it was necessary for a strong man of them inturn to protect the sack of grain that was being carried to the mill. 

It happened that Ciaran, in his turn, was carrying a sack of oats tothe mill. As he was opening the sack, he said, "O Lord, " said he, "Iwould that this were fine wheat, so that it were a great and a kindlyand a pleasant satisfaction to the elders. " And so it came to pass:the angel of God took the mill in his hands, and he [Ciaran] wasrendering his Psalms in purity of heart and mind, and the oats whichwere being put in were choice wheat as they were coming out. 

Now the daughter of the bailiff of the mill came, amorous for Ciaran;and she gave her love to him, for fairer was he in form than any otherof his time. "Most hard for thee is that, "[22] said Ciaran. "Is it notthese things to which thou shouldest give heed--the passing of theworld, and the Day of Judgment, and the pains of Hell to shun them, and the rewards of Heaven to earn them?" When the maiden went home, she tells that tale to her father and her mother. They came andoffered the maiden to Ciaran. "If she sacrifice her virginity to God, "said Ciaran, "and if she serve Him, I will be in union with her. " Thenthe maiden offered her virginity to God and to Ciaran, and her folkoffered their perpetual service and perpetual subjecthood to Ciaranfrom that onward. 

When they went to their house, a portion was sent to Ciaran by them, to wit, three wheaten cakes, with their meed of suet and flesh, anda vessel full of ale. When the servants left it, and received ablessing, he said, "Mercy on us, " said he, "it is not right for us toeat of this, with exclusion of the other brethren. " Thereafter he castall the food, after shredding it fine, upon the mill, and he cast theale likewise, so that all was turned to fine flour. 

When Ciaran perceived the servant spying on him at the roof-ridge, he spake a word against him, saying, "May the crane, " said he, "takethine eye out of thy head!"[23] And so it came to pass; for a petcrane plucked his eye out of his head, so that it was on his cheek ashe was going home. The bailiff came straightway with the servant, andthey did obeisance to Ciaran, and he offered the mill with all itsland to Ciaran for the healing of the lad. Ciaran laid his palm on theeye and put it in its place, and he made the sign of the cross upon itso that it became sound. 

When he finished the grinding of the corn, four full sacks ofconsecrated wheat were there, by the grace of God and of Ciaran. Whenhe reached his house with the wheat he made cakes for the elders. Nowthese cakes were the best ever given to them; for from the time whenthe mystic manna was received yonder by the sons of Israel, there wasnot received the like of that food. For in this wise was it, with thetaste of every food of excellence, [both bread and flesh, and of everyexcellent drink][24] both wine and mead; so that it filled and healedall of them. For every man in sickness who was in the whole city, whosoever ate any of it was whole forthwith. 

The elders did not observe the nocturn that night until prime on themorrow. 

When Findian asked of Ciaran regarding the miracle that had takenplace, Ciaran related from beginning to [end][24] how the mill and theland with its implements, or its men, had been offered to him as agift; "and there for thee, Findian, is all that land, " said Ciaran. Then did Findian give his blessing fervently to Ciaran; _ut dixit_Findian--

 Ciaran my little heart, whom for holiness I love, Princely lands shall be thy part, favour, dearest, from above. 

 Ciaran, famous all around! wealth and wisdom on thee pour! So may, in thy Church renowned, knowledge grow yet more and more. 

Now this blessing was given fervently to Ciaran through his greatlove and spiritual exaltation. [25] So that there he left half of thecharity, and the nobility, and the wisdom, among the men of Ireland toCiaran and his monastery. Moreover Ciaran left wealth to him and tohis monastery, so that thence is the wealth of Findian. 

That corn sufficed for the congregation of Findian for forty days withtheir nights; and a third part of it was stored up for sick folk, for it would heal every malady, and neither mouse nor worm dared todestroy it. [It endured a long time][26] until it turned at last toclay. And every disease for which it was given would be healed. 

XXV. THE STORY OF CLUAIN

19. One day when Ciaran was collecting a band of reapers, there methim a youth named Cluain. "Help us at the reaping to-morrow, " saidCiaran. "I will, " said Cluain. But when Cluain went home he said tohis folk, "Should one come from Ciaran for me, " said he, "say that Iam sick. " When this was told to the lad who went to summon Cluain, he reported it to Ciaran. When Ciaran heard it he laughed, and heunderstood that Cluain was practising deception, for he was a prophetof God in truth. Now when the folk of Cluain went to awake him, thusthey found him, without life. Sorely did his folk bewail him, andthere came the people of the neighbourhood to ask them the cause oftheir weeping. "Cluain, " said they, "went to his bed in health, andnow he is dead; and Ciaran hath slain him with his word, for that hewent not to reap for him. " All those people go to Ciaran to intercedewith him for the raising again of the dead: "we shall all, " said they, "reap for thee, and we shall give our labour and our service to theeand to God for ever, if thou raise the dead for us. " Then said Ciaranto his servant: "Rise, " said he, "and take my staff with thee to thedead, and make the sign of the cross with the staff on his breast, andspeak this quatrain--

 Cluain did say He would reap with me today; Living, by a dread disease, Dead within his house he lay. "

Then Cluain arose forthwith and went with speed to Ciaran. "A blessingon thee, holy Ciaran, " said he, "good is what thou hast done for me;for I am grateful to have come from the many pains of hell. Now knowwe the profit of obedience, and the unprofit of disobedience, and weknow in what great honour the Lord and the folk of Heaven hold thee. "Then he did obeisance to Ciaran, and gave him labour. 

XXVIII. ANECDOTES OF CLUAIN IRAIRD

20. (_a_) Certain of the clerks asked of Findian which of them wouldlead the prayer when Findian should be no longer here. "Yonder youth[Ciaran] is he, " said Findian. "Thou givest the abbacy to him aboveus all, " said Brenainn. "It hath been given, it is given, it shall begiven, " said Findian. All the saints except Colum Cille were enviousbecause of this. 

(_b_) Then certain of them asked which of the saints should have thegreatest reward in heaven. "Mercy on us, " said Ciaran, "that will bemade known in our habitations on earth. " Then Brenainn of Birra made aprophecy of him: "We shall take two habitations, " said Brenainn, "ontwo streams between chief cities, and the difference that shall bebetween the two streams shall be the difference between the size ofthe cities. "

(_c_) When it was time for Ciaran to depart from Cluain Iraird, afterlearning letters and wisdom, he left the Dun Cow with Saint Ninned;but he said that her hide should come to him afterwards, and Ciaransaid further, "Though many be succoured by her milk, yet there shallbe more to whom her hide will give succour. " And he said, "Every soulthat parteth from its body from the hide of the Dun Cow shall not bepained in hell. "

(_d_) Findian saw a vision of him [Ciaran] and of Colum Cille, namely, two moons in the air with the colour of gold upon them. One of themwent north-east over the sea, [and the other][27] over the middle ofIreland. That was Colum Cille, with the glory of his nobility and hisgood birth, and Ciaran with the glory of his charity and his mercy. 

XXVI. HOW CIARAN FREED A WOMAN FROM SERVITUDE

21. Thereafter Ciaran went to parley with the King of Ireland, TuathalMoel-garb, to ask him for a slave-girl that he had. Ciaran put hishand on the quern for charity, and he promised that he would servein the place of the girl. Then Tuathal gifted the girl to God and toCiaran, and further he gave him his kingly apparel, and Ciaran gave itforthwith to poor folk. 

XXVII. HOW CIARAN FREED ANOTHER WOMAN FROM SERVITUDE

22. One time Ciaran went to ask another slave-girl of King Furbaide. Then one man gifted him a cow as an alms, another gifted him a cloak, and another a kettle. Forthwith on the same day he gave them all topoor folk; and God gifted to Ciaran three gifts yet better, a cauldroninstead of the kettle, twelve robes instead of the one robe, twelvekine instead of the one cow. When the king saw that, he gave him theslave-girl. 

XXIX. THE PARTING OF FINDIAN AND CIARAN

23. When the time came for Ciaran to bid farewell to his teacher, heoffers to put his monastery at his service. "Nay, " said Ciaran, [28]"sever not thy monastery for any save for God alone, Who hath giventhee favour beyond us all. " ["The monastery I give thee, " saidFindian. ][29] Ciaran weeps, for he thought it noble of his teacher tooffer him his monastery. "Well, then, let there be unity between ushenceforth, " said Findian, "and let him who breaketh that unity haveno part in earth or in heaven. " "Be it so, " said Ciaran. Then Ciaranwent his way; and Colum Cille uttered this testimony of him--

 A wondrous youth from us departs, Ciaran, craftsman's son; Of greed, of pride, reviling, lust, satire, he hath none. 

XXXII. CIARAN IN ARAN

24. Thereafter Ciaran went to Aran to hold converse with Enda, andEnda and Ciaran saw one and the same vision--a great fruitful treebeside a river in the middle of Ireland, a-sheltering the island ofIreland, and its fruit was going over the sea that was around theisland outside, and the birds of the air were coming and taking of thefruit. Ciaran went and told the vision to Enda. Said Enda, "That greattree which thou hast seen is thyself; for thou art great before Godand man, and Ireland shall be full of thine honour. This islandshall be protected under the shadow of thy grace, and many shallbe satisfied by the grace of thy fasting and of thy prayer. Risetherefore at the word of God, and go to the shore of the stream, andfound a church there. "[30]

XXXIII. HOW A PROPHECY WAS FULFILLED

25. Once when he was in Aran a-drying corn in the kiln, and Lonan theLeft-handed with him (one who ever was contradictious of Ciaran) theysaw a ship foundering in their sight. "Methinks, " said Lonan, "yondership shall be drowned to-day and this kiln shall be burned with thegreatness of the draught. " "Nay, " said Ciaran, "yonder ship shall beburned, and this kiln with its corn shall be drowned. "[31] And thiswas fulfilled; for the crew of the ship escaped, and the ship was caston shore close to the kiln. The fire seized the kiln, and the ship isburned. A blast of wind struck the kiln and its corn into the sea, sothat it was drowned, according to the word of Ciaran. 

XXXIV. HOW CIARAN VISITED SENAN

26. When Ciaran left Aran a poor man met him on the way. Ciaran giveshim his linen cloak, and goes to Inis Cathaig to salute Senan. That hewas in one mantle only was revealed to Senan, and he went to meet him, with a linen cloak under his armpit. And he said to Ciaran, "Is it notshame, " said he, "for a priest to travel without a cowl?" "Mercy onus, " said Ciaran, "God will have pity [on my nakedness];[32] there isa cloak for me under the covering of mine elder. "

XLIII. HOW CIARAN SENT A CLOAK TO SENAN

27. When Ciaran arrived at Cluain maccu Nois he wished to send anothercloak to Senan. The cloak was laid upon the stream of the Shannon, andit travelled without being wetted to the harbour of Inis Cathaig. SaidSenan to his monks, "Rise and go to the sea, and ye shall find there aguest, which bring with you, with honour and dignity. " When the monkswent out they found the cloak on the sea, dry, and they brought itwith them to Senan, and offered an offering of thanks to the Lord. That is now called "Senan's cloak. "

XXXV. CIARAN IN ISEL

28. Thereafter he went to his brethren to Isel, and Cobthach son ofBrecan gave Isel to God and to Ciaran; and he lived there with hisbrethren. One day when he was doing his lesson outside in the field, he went to attend upon his guests, and left his book open till morningunder the rain; and not a damp drop fell upon the book. 

Once Ciaran was sowing seed in Isel. A poor man came to him. Ciarangives him a handful of the grain into his breast, and the grain wasforthwith turned into gold. A chariot with its horses was gifted toCiaran by Oengus son of Cremthann. Ciaran gave it to the poor man inexchange for the gold, and the gold turned into grain, and the fieldwas sown with it. 

XXXVI. THE REMOVAL OF THE LAKE

29. Moreover there was a lake near Isel, and country-folk anddespicable people used to occupy the island that was upon it. Thenoise and uproar of those worthless people used to cause disturbancefor the clerics. Ciaran prayed to the Lord that the island should beremoved from its place, and that was done. The place where it was inthe lake is still to be seen as a memorial of that miracle. 

XXXVII. CIARAN DEPARTS FROM ISEL

30. As the brethren could not suffer the almsgiving of Ciaran, sogreat was it, and as they were envious of him, they said unto him, "Rise and depart from us, " said they, "for we cannot be in the sameplace. " Said Ciaran, "Had I been here, " said he, "though this spot belowly (_Ísel_) in situation, it would have been high in glory and inhonour. " Then he said--

 Although lowly, it were high, Had not censure come me nigh; Had I not been censured so, It were high though it be low. 

Then Ciaran put his books upon a wild stag; afterwards he accompaniedthe wild stag wheresoever it would go. The deer went forward to InisAingin. He went into the island and dwelt there. 

XXXVIII. CIARAN IN INIS AINGIN

31. Then his brethren came to him from every side. There was a certainarchpresbyter in the island, Daniel his name. Of the British was he, and the devil incited him to be jealous of Ciaran. A royal cup withthree birds of gold was given him by Ciaran as a token of forgiveness. The presbyter marvelled thereat, and repented, and did obeisance toCiaran, and gave the island to him. 

XXXIX. THE COMING OF OENNA

32. Once Ciaran was in Inis Aingin and he heard a cry in the port. Hesaid to the brethren, "Rise and go for your future abbot. " When theyreached the harbour they found no man save a weak unconsecrated youth. They tell that to Ciaran. "For all that, go again for him; it is clearto me from his voice that it is he who shall be abbot after me. "Thereafter the youth was brought into the island to Ciaran, and Ciarantonsured him, and he read with him. That was Enna maccu Laigsi, a holyman, held in honour of the Lord; and it is he who was abbot afterCiaran. 

XL. HOW CIARAN RECOVERED HIS GOSPEL

33. It happened that the gospel of Ciaran fell into the lake from thehand of a heedless brother, and it was a long time in the lake. Upona day in the time of summer the kine went into the water, so that thestrap of the gospel attached itself to the hoof of one of the kine, and she brought it dry [from below][33] to haven. Thence is "Port ofthe Gospel" in Inis Aingin. When the gospel was opened it was in thiswise--white and clean, dry, without the loss of a letter, through thegrace of Ciaran. 

XLI. HOW CIARAN WENT FROM INIS AINGIN TO CLONMACNOIS

34. A certain man of Corco Baiscind came to Ciaran, Donnan his name, brother's son of Senan mac Gerginn; and he had the same mother asSenan. "What wouldest thou, or wherefore comest thou?" said Ciaran. "Seeking a place wherein to abide and to serve God. " Ciaran left InisAingin to Donnan. Donnan said, "Since thou hast a charity towards me, leave me somewhat of thy tokens and of thy treasures. " Ciaran leaveshim his gospel--that which was recovered from the lake--and his bell, and his bearer Mael Odran. Three years and three months was Ciaran inInis Aingin. 

He came thereafter to Ard Manntain, close to the Shannon. When he sawthe beauty of that place, thus he spake: "If we dwell here, " said he, "we shall have much of the wealth of the world, and there shall be fewsouls going to heaven from hence. "

Then he came to this town; Ard Tiprat was its name at that time. "Herewill we stay, for there shall be many souls going to heaven fromhence, and God and man shall visit this place for ever. "

On the eighth of the calends of February Ciaran settled in Cluain, thetenth day of the moon, a Saturday. Eight men went with him--Ciaran, Oengus, Mac Nisse, Cael-Cholum, Mo-Beoc, [34] Mo-Lioc, Lugna maccu MogaLaim, Colman mac Nuin. Wondrous was that monastery, set up by Ciaranin Cluain with his eight men after coming from the waves of the water, as Noah son of Lamech took the world with his eight after coming fromthe waves of the Flood. 

XLII. THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH

35. Then Ciaran set up the first post in Cluain, and Diarmait macCerrbheil along with him. Said Ciaran to Diarmait when they wereplanting the post, "Warrior, suffer my hand to be over thy hand, andthou shalt be over the men of Ireland in high-kingship. " "I permitit, " said Diarmait, "only give me a token thereof. " "I will, " saidCiaran; "though thou art solitary to-day, thou shalt be King ofIreland this time to-morrow. " That was verified; for Tuathal Moel-garbKing of Ireland was slain that night, and Diarmait took the kingshipof Ireland on the morrow, and he bestowed a hundred churches onCiaran. Wherefore to prove that, it was said--

 I'll speak both choice and truly, although thou now art lonely, Thou shalt rule Ireland duly, after one's day's space only. 

 The chosen Tuathal's slaughter, a crying without glory. Thence is it said thereafter, "That deed was of Mael-Moire. "

 Without a court or slaughter, great Diarmait Uisnech lifted; A hundred fanes thereafter, to God and Ciaran gifted. 

Then was the post made fast; and Ciaran said in fixing it, "Be this, "said he, "in the eye of Tren. " Tren was a youth who was in thefortress of Cluain Ichtar, and who had adventured arrogance againsthim. Forthwith his one eye burst in his head, at the word of Ciaran. 

XLIV. CIARAN AND THE WINE

36. One day the brethren were sore athirst, while they were reaping inCluain. They send a messenger to the cleric, that water be broughtto them in the field. Then Ciaran said, "If to-day they would endurethirst, it would procure great riches of the world for the brethrenwho would come after them. " "Truly, " said the brethren, "we prefer toexercise patience, whereby profit will be secured for ourselves, and advantage to the brethren who follow us; rather than to havesatisfaction of our thirst to-day. "

A cask full of wine was brought from the land of the Franks to thesteading, to Ciaran, in reward for their patience; and a fragment ofthat cask remained here till recently. 

When the evening was come, Ciaran blessed a vessel full of water, andit was changed to choice wine, and was divided among the monks; sothat there was no feast that excelled that feast. For the folk ofColum Cille came from Í, after a long time, to this city. A feast wasprepared for them, and it was noised abroad through the whole citythat never before or since was there a feast its equal. Then an agedman who was in the house of the elders said, "I know, " said he, "afeast that was better than this feast. Better was the feast thatCiaran made for his monks when they were sore athirst, [35] so that hechanged water into wine for them. That it be no story without prooffor you, " said the elder, "it was myself who divided that wine, andmy thumb would go over the edge of the cup into the wine. Come andperceive now the savour of my thumb, which then was dipped into thewine. " They came and were all satisfied with the savour of thatfinger. And they said, "Better, " said they, "than any feast was thatfeast of which the savour remains after a long time on a finger. A blessing, " said they, "on Ciaran and a blessing on the Lord Whoallotted every good thing to him. "

XLV. THE STORY OF CRITHIR

37. Crichid [_sic_] of Cluain, a servant of Ciaran, went to Saigir andstayed there a long time. The devil tempted him to quench the sacredfire which the monks had in the kitchen. Said Ciaran of Saigir, thathe would not eat food till there should come guests who would bringhim fire. Crichid then went from them a short distance outside thecity, and wolves slew him, but did not injure his body. When Ciaranthe wright's son heard of the death of his attendant, he went toCiaran of Saigir to seek for him. When he arrived, Ciaran of Saigirsaid, "First of all ye need water for your feet; but we have no fireto heat water for you. Let you as guests give us fire, for God hathdecreed this for you. " Then Ciaran the wright's son raised his handsto heaven, and made fervent prayer. When the prayer was finished, there came fire from heaven, and rested on his breast. He protectedhis breast from the fire, and carried it with him to the monastery. Hecast from him the fire on to the floor, and it did not hurt so much asthe fur of the robe of white linen which he was wearing. 

Then he revived his servant who had died before that, and he ate foodwith them. The two Ciarans then made a covenant together. "The wealthof the world, " said Ciaran son of the wright, "be in great Saigir. ""Knowledge and dignity incorruptible be in Cluain maccu Nois, " saidCiaran of Saigir. 

XLIX. THE DEATH OF CIARAN

38. The soul of Ciaran was not more than seven months in this townbefore he went to heaven, on the ninth day of September. When Ciaranknew that the day of his death was drawing nigh, he made a prophecywith great sorrow. He said that great would be the persecution of hiscity from evil men towards the end of the world. "What then shall wedo in the time of that crime?" said the monks; "is it by thy relics weshall stay, or shall we go elsewhere?" "Rise, " said Ciaran, "and leavemy relics as the bones of a deer are left in the sun. For it is betterfor you to live with me in heaven than to stay here with my relics. "

When the time of his death was near to Saint Ciaran in the LittleChurch, in the thirty-third year of his age, on the fifth of the idesof September as regards the solar month, on Saturday as regards theday of the week, on the eighteenth day as regards the moon, he said, "Let me be carried out to the Little Height, " said he. And when helooked at heaven, and the height of air above his head, he said, "Awful is this road upward. " "Not for thee is it awful, " said themonks. "Truly, I know not, " said he, "any of the commandments of Godwhich I have transgressed: yet even David son of Jesse, and Paul theapostle, dreaded this way. "

Then the stone pillow was taken from him, to ease him. "Nay, " said he, "put it under my shoulder. _Qui enim perseuerauerit usque in finem, hic saluus erit. _" Then angels filled the space between heaven andearth to receive his soul. 

He was brought afterward into the Little Church, and he raised hishand and blessed his folk, and said to the brethren to shut the churchupon him till Coemgen should come from Glenn da Locha. 

L. THE VISIT OF COEMGEN

39. When Coemgen came after three days, he received no full courtesyat first from the clerics, as they were in great sadness after theirhead. Said Coemgen to them, "Let a doleful countenance be upon youcontinually!" said he. Then fear took hold of the elders, and they didthe will of Coemgen, and opened the Little Church to him. The spiritof Ciaran went at once to heaven, [36] and he returned again into hisbody to converse with Coemgen, and welcomed him. From one canonicalhour to the next they were there in converse, and making a covenant. Thereafter Ciaran blessed Coemgen, and Coemgen blessed water and madea communion with Ciaran. And Ciaran gave his bell to Coemgen as a signof their league and as a fee for their communion. That is what is nowcalled the _Boban_ of Coemgen. 

LII. THE ENVY OF THE SAINTS

40. The saints of Ireland were envious of Ciaran for his excellence, and they put their trust in the King of Heaven that his life might beshortened. So great was their envy against him that even his comradeColum Cille said, "Blessed be God, " said he, "Who hath taken SaintCiaran. For had he lived to old age, there would not have been theplace of two chariot-horses found in Ireland that would not have beenhis. "

LIII. A PANEGYRIC ON CIARAN

41. Here then is Ciaran with the eight men whom I have mentioned, andmany thousands of saints besides. Here are the relics of Paul andPeter, which Benen and Cumlach left in the hollow tree here. Here arethe relics of the blind boy, the disciple of Peca. Here is the shrineof the guest Peca, whom a certain devout man saw borne by angels tothe burial of Ciaran. There were three wonders here that night: theguest-house being without fire, without guest, without prayer, forPeca was sufficient of fire, and guest, and prayer. 

There is not one to relate completely what God wrought of signs andwonders for this holy Ciaran; for they are more than can be told ormentioned. For after the coming of Christ in the flesh there wasnot one born greater in almsgiving and mercy, greater in labour andfasting and prayer, greater in humility and fervour of good-will, greater in courtesy and mildness, greater in care for the Church ofGod, greater in daily labour and in nightly vigil. 

He it is who never put tasty food or heady drink into his body, fromthe time when he embraced the religious life. He it is who never drankmilk or ale, till a third of it was water. He it is who never atebread, till a third part of sand was mixed with it. He it is who neverslept save with his side on the bare ground. Beneath his head wasnever aught save a stone for a pillow. Next his skin never came flaxenor woollen stuff. 

A man with choice voluntary full offerings to the Lord, like Abelson of Adam. A man with zealous entreaties to God, like Enoch son ofJared. A steersman full-sufficient for the ark of the Church amongthe waves of the world, like Noah son of Lamech. A true pilgrim withstrength of faith and belief, like Abraham son of Terah. A man loving, gentle, forgiving of heart, like Moses son of Amram. A man patient andsteadfast in enduring suffering and trouble, like suffering Job. Apsalmist full-tuneful, full-delightful to God, like David son ofJesse. A dwelling of true wisdom and knowledge like Solomon son ofDavid. A rock immovable whereon is founded the Church, like Peter theapostle. A chief universal teacher and a chosen vessel for proclaimingtruth, like Paul the apostle. A man full of the grace of the HolySpirit and of chastity, like John the breast-fosterling. 

A man full of likeness in many ways to Jesus Christ the Head of allthings. For this man made wine of water for his folk and his guests inthis city, as Jesus made choice wine of water at the feast of Cana ofGalilee. This man is called "son of the wright, " as Christ is called"Son of the wright" in the Gospel (_hic est Filius fabri_, that is, of Joseph). Thirty-three years in the age of this man, as there arethirty-three years in the age of Christ. This man arose after threedays in his bed in Cluain to converse with and to comfort Coemgen, asChrist arose after three days from the grave in Jerusalem, to comfortand strengthen His mother and His disciples. 

So for these good things, and for many others, is his soul amongthe folk of heaven. His remains and relics are here with honour andrenown, with daily wonders and miracles. And though great is hishonour just now in this manner, greater shall be his honour in theholy incorruptible union of his body and his soul in the greatassembly of Judgment, when Saint Ciaran shall be judge of the fruitof his labour along with Christ Whom he served. So shall he be in thegreat assembly, in the unity of holy fathers and prophets, in theunity of apostles and disciples of the Saviour Jesus Christ, in theunity of the nine grades of angels that have transgressed not, inthe unity of the Godhead and Manhood of the Son of God, in the unitynobler than every other unity, the Unity of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

I beseech the mercy of the Lofty Omnipotent God, by the intercessionof Saint Ciaran, that we may reach that unity. May we dwell there, _insaecula saeculorum!_

[Footnote 1: Following the reading _córdus_ in the _Leabhar Breac_text of the Homily from which this section is an extract, instead ofthe unintelligible _comhlud_ of the MSS. Of the _Life_. ]

[Footnote 2: This Latin extract in the Brussels MS. Only. ]

[Footnote 3: In this paragraph the less corrupt Brussels textis followed. In the original the Latin passages, here printedconsecutively, are interspersed sentence by sentence with the Irishtranslation here rendered into English. ]

[Footnote 4: This is the apparent sense of the passage: the MSS. Arehere corrupt. ]

[Footnote 5: Only the first two words of this extract in theLismore MS. The Brussels MS. Erroneously repeats _reg[i]mina_ after_Diuulgata_. ]

[Footnote 6: The last two words in the Brussels MS. Only, which alsoadds "of the Elements" after "Lord, " two lines further down. ]

[Footnote 7: Following the Brussels MS. : the Lismore text is hereagain corrupt. ]

[Footnote 8: The bracketed words in the Brussels MS. Only. ]

[Footnote 9: The bracketed words in the Brussels MS. Only. ]

[Footnote 10: The bracketed words represent the sense of a passagethat has evidently dropped out of the MSS. ]

[Footnote 11: _Sic_ MSS. : we should read "Iustus. "]

[Footnote 12: The Lismore text is slightly imperfect in thisparagraph: it is completed with the aid of the Brussels MS. ]

[Footnote 13: This represents the sense of a passage that must havedropped out. ]

[Footnote 14: _Ut dixit_ and the stanza following in the Brussels MS. Only. ]

[Footnote 15: Bracketed words in the Brussels MS. Only. ]

[Footnote 16: In Brussels MS. Only. ]

[Footnote 17: Emending the _dia fhoglaim_ of the text ("as he waslearning") to _dia fhognam_. ]

[Footnote 18: These words in the Brussels MS. Only. ]

[Footnote 19: "Apostle" in the Brussels MS. ]

[Footnote 20: From "as is verified" to the end of the stanza in theBrussels MS. Only. ]

[Footnote 21: The Lismore MS. Is here illegible: the rendering followsthe Brussels MS. ]

[Footnote 22: The Lismore MS. Is here illegible: the translationfollows the Brussels MS. ]

[Footnote 23: The Brussels MS. Adds "and may it be on thy cheek asthou goest to thy house. "]

[Footnote 24: Bracketed words represent the sense of a passageevidently lost from the MSS. ]

[Footnote 25: Literally "intoxication. "]

[Footnote 26: In Brussels MS. Only. ]

[Footnote 27: The bracketed words in the Brussels MS. Only. ]

[Footnote 28: The MSS. Read "Findian. "]

[Footnote 29: These words in the Brussels MS. Only. ]

[Footnote 30: In this incident again it is necessary to followthe Brussels MS. In places, as the Lismore MS. Is corrupt andunintelligible. ]

[Footnote 31: Literally "'tis a drowning that shall drown this kiln. "]

[Footnote 32: These words in the Brussels MS. Only. ]

[Footnote 33: In Brussels MS. Only. ]

[Footnote 34: This name in the Brussels MS. Only. ]

[Footnote 35: Here the Brussels MS. Is corrupt. ]

[Footnote 36: _Sic_ MSS. We should read "came from heaven, "]

 * * * * *

ANNOTATIONS TO THE FOREGOING LIVES

I. THE HOMILETIC INTRODUCTION (VG)

The three Latin lives plunge _in medias res_ at the beginning; butVG prefixes an introduction borrowed from a Homily on _Charity_. TheIrish text of this homily, with the original Latin, will be foundprinted from the fifteenth-century MS. Called _Leabhar Breac_ ("Thespeckled book") in Atkinson's _Passions and Homilies_ (Dublin 1887). The text announced by the preacher is clearly suggested by incidentXXII. It has already been shown in the Introduction, that this Life, with its homiletic preface, was a sermon written to be preached orread on the festival of the saint (9th September) at Clonmacnois. 

The keynote of the Irish homily is struck in this first section. It isthe work of some scholar of Clonmacnois, with a warm enthusiasm forthe dignity of his _alma mater_. The sermon is as much a eulogy ofClonmacnois as of Ciaran. In the preacher's view, Clonmacnois isthe chief and central church of Ireland, and the source of allecclesiastical discipline in the country. Its founder excelled hisfellow-saints as the sun excels the stars (§ 2). His pre-eminence wasrecognised by angels, who relieved him of labour when his turn came (§13): and on several occasions Findian showed a like favouritism (§§18, 20, _a_, _d_, 23). Clonmacnois was superior to the rival houseat Birr (§ 20 _b_); and possessed in the hide of the Dun Cow aninfallible passport to heaven (§ 20 _c_). The vision of the tree seenby Enda and by Ciaran prophesied the pre-eminence of Clonmacnois (§24). The other saints were envious of his renown and of the glory ofhis monastery (§ 40). 

_The Hymn of Colum Cille. _--Following the usual practice of Irishprose literary composition, the homilist intersperses his workthroughout with verse extracts, appealed to as the authority for thevarious statements which he has occasion to make. In the presentsection he draws upon a hymn made by Colum Cille in honour of Ciaran. To this hymn, and to its surviving fragments, we shall return incommenting upon incident LI, where the composition of the hymn isalluded to. 

_The Ante-natal Prophecies. _--Patrick is said also to have prophesiedthe advent of Senan (LL, 1845)[1] and of Alban (CS, 505); and Becc macDe that of Brenainn (LL, 3343). But the parallels drawn between theLife of Ciaran and that of Christ have made such prophecies especiallyappropriate in the present case. 

The prophecy of Saint Patrick took place under the followingcircumstances (VTP, p. 84 ff. ). [2] The leper whom, in accordance witha custom frequent in early Irish monasticism, Patrick is said to havemaintained--partly for charity and partly for self-abasement--departedfrom Patrick when the latter was on the holy mountain of CruachanAigli (Croagh Patrick, Co. Mayo). He made his way to the then emptysite of Clonmacnois, and sat in the split trunk of a hollow elm tree. A stranger made his appearance, and the leper, having assured himselfthat he was a Christian, requested him to uproot a bundle of rushesand to give him in a clean vessel of the water that would burst forth. Then the leper begged of the stranger to bring tools for digging, and to bury him there; and he was the first dead man to be buried inClonmacnois. Now after this had taken place, the nephew of Patrick, Bishop Muinis, chanced to be benighted on the same spot, whenreturning from a mission to Rome on which the apostle had sent him. There were angels hovering over the leper's grave, and thus Muinisrecognised it as the burial-place of a man of God. He deposited therelics which he was bearing back from Rome, for the night, in thehollow elm; but he found in the morning that the tree had closed uponthem, and that they could not be recovered. In sorrow for their loss, he related the event to Patrick, and for his comfort he was told thata Son of Life--to wit Ciaran, son of the wright--was destined to comethither, and that he would need the relics. These relics are mentionedin VG 41, though "Benen and Cumlach" [the leper] are there said tohave left them, not Muinis. From this reference we learn that theywere attributed to Saints Peter and Paul. 

It is quite clear that this curious story has reached us in afragmentary and expurgated form, and that if we had the wholenarrative before us it would afford us an indication that Clonmacnoiswas the site of an earlier, Pagan, sanctuary. It will most probably befound to be an invariable rule that the early Christian establishmentsin Ireland occupy the sites of Pagan sanctuaries; the monastery havingbeen founded to re-consecrate the holy place to the True Faith. Thehollow elm was doubtless a sacred tree; the well which miraculouslyburst forth was a sacred well: the buried leper may have been afoundation sacrifice, like Oran on Iona. The old pre-Christian name ofthe site is suggestive--_Ard Tiprat_, "the high place of the [holy]well. " By no stretch of language can the site of Clonmacnois be calledphysically high; as in the stanza quoted in VG 30, the word _Ard_ mustbe used in the sense of distinguished, eminent, or sacred. 

Of the prophecy attributed to Brigit there appears to be no record inany of her numerous _Lives_: nor can I identify with certainty thestory of "the fire and the angel. " There were "Crosses of Brigit" atArmagh;[3] but as there were probably many other crosses throughoutthe country dedicated to this popular saint we cannot infer thatArmagh was the scene of the prophecy. 

Becc mac De was chief soothsayer to King Diarmait mac Cerrbeil. Verylittle is certainly known of him; most of the traditions relatingto him consist of tales of his remarkable gift of foretelling thefuture--tales similar to those related of the Covenanter AlexanderPeden in Scotland, or of the seventeenth-century Mayo peasant RedBrian Carabine. [4] He died in or about the year A. D. 555 (theannalists waver between 552 and 557); and the _Annals of Clonmacnois_tell us that he began to prophesy in 550. As Ciaran is said to havedied in 548, the statement that Becc mac De foretold his coming isanachronistic. The prophecy here attributed to him does not appearin the list of prognostications attributed to him (given in the MS. Harleian 5280, British Museum, edited in _Zeitschrift für CeltischePhilologie_, ix, 169), or in _Leabhar Breac_, p. 260, where somefurther particulars about him are given. 

I have ventured to emend the passage regarding Becc mac De slightly, restoring the verse form which the prophecy seems to have hadoriginally. As it appears in the _Lismore Lives_ printed text it isgiven in prose; an insignificant transposition of the words, and thetaking of the word _andsin_ out of the inverted commas is all thatis necessary. [5] In the rendering in the text an attempt is made toreproduce to some extent the elaboration of alliteration, but theend-rhymes and the vowel-assonances cannot be imitated withoutsacrificing the sense. The metre resembles that known as _mibhasc_(four-syllable and six-syllable lines alternating, but withtrisyllabic rhyme in the short lines). 

The person to whom Colum Cille uttered his prophecy was Aed macBrenainn, Prince of Tethba (Teffia), the region comprising variousbaronies in the modern Co. Westmeath and part of Co. Longford. ThisAed gave Dermag (Durrow) to Colum Cille a few years before thelatter's departure for Scotland. There is, however, no record ofthe prophecy in the lives of Colum Cille; probably his visit toClonmacnois from Durrow is in the writer's mind. Ard Abla, identifiedby O'Donovan with Lissardowlin, Co. Longford, was in the territoryof Tethba. The Lismore scribe has written the name of Aed's fatherincorrectly (Brandub); the correction ("or Brenainn") is a marginalnote. 

II. THE ORIGIN AND BIRTH OF CIARAN: THE WIZARD'S PROPHECIES (LA, LB, LC, VG)

_The Pedigree_ (VG). --The pedigree in VG traces Ciaran's descent fromTigernmas, fabled to have reigned in Tara 3580-3657 _Anno Mundi_(1620-1543 B. C. ). [6] Through Tigernmas the line is traced to Mil ofSpain, the eponymous ancestor of the "Milesians, " or Celtic-speakinginhabitants of Ireland. 

There is another pedigree, totally different, which connects thesaint, not with the Tara kings, but with those of the Ulaid or Ulsterfolk, through the dethroned Fergus who figures so prominently in theepic tale _Táin Bó Cualnge_. This pedigree appears in the _Book ofLeinster_ (facsimile, pp. 348, 349) and _Leabhar Breac_ (facsimile, p. 16), the Bodleian MS. Rawlinson B 506, p. 154 _d_, and in the MS. InMarsh's Library containing LA, at the foot of the column where LAbegins; with an added note stating that Ciaran was "of the trueUltonains of Emain": its authenticity is adopted by Keating (I. T. S. Edition, vol. Iii, p. 48). Correcting one copy with another thisgenealogy runs as follows--

 Ciaran son of Coscrach son of Aislithe son of Beodan " Mesinsuad " Modruad " Bolcan " Mesinsulad " Follomain " Linned " Erce " Deoda " Corc " Erc (or Oscar) " Eochaid " Daig " Mechon " Corc " Cunneda " Nechtan " Fergus " Cass " Aed Corb " Ros " Froech " Aed Gnoe " Rudraige

Thus both genealogies claim a royal descent for the saint. This is aninstance of a widespread policy, of which many traces are to be foundin the old Irish Genealogies. The whole country was divided intoterritories of different clans, under which were subordinate andtributary septs. The latter bore the chief burden of taxation;and they were for the greater part composed of descendants of theaboriginal pre-Celtic tribes, who had been reduced to vassalage onthe coming of the Celtic-speaking invaders (about the third or fourthcentury B. C. ). When a tributary sept became strong enough to resistthe pressure of these imposts, exemption was claimed by a sort oflegal fiction, by which they were genealogically affiliated to theruling sept. This practice led to the fabrication of spurious links, and even of whole pedigrees. 

In point of fact several indications show that Ciaran belonged to atributary sept, and was of pre-Celtic blood. These tributarysepts were distinguished from their Celtic conquerors by socialorganisation, racial character, and probably still to some extentby religion and language. They had much the same position as the_perioeci_ in ancient Sparta. The following are the evidences of hispre-Celtic nationality--

(_a_) The tribal names of his parents (Latharna, Glasraige). There aretwo forms of tribal names in ancient Ireland; those consisting of twowords, and those consisting of one. The first are in such formulae as"tribe of NN, " "seed of NN" or the like--NN being the name of a moreor less legendary ancestor. The second are either simple names whichcannot be analysed, or else are derived from an ancestral name byadding the suffix _-rige_ or _-raige_. As a rule the names consistingof one word only are fundamentally pre-Celtic, or denote pre-Celticsepts, though in many cases they have been fitted with Celticisinggenealogies. 

(_b_) The names of Ciaran himself and his brothers, and of one of hissisters. Donnan, Ciaran, Odran, Cronan are all diminutives foundedupon colours--the little brown, black, grey, and tawny one. Theseindicate that the family was dark complexioned, which would alsoaccord with a pre-Celtic origin. The Celts were fair, theirpredecessors dark. One of the sisters was called Pata, with an initialP. This is impossible in a Gaelic name. 

(_c_) The subordinate position of Ciaran's father, and his liabilityto taxation. In the _Book of Leinster_ and, in part, in _LeabharBreac_, after the genealogy, we read "He [_i. E. _ Ciaran] was of one ofthe seven clans of the Latharna of Molt. His father was originally inslavery in Britain; he went thereafter to Ireland to Cenel Conaill[north of Co. Donegal], and after that to Connacht[7] to avoid aheavy tax, so that Ciaran was born at Raith Cremthainn in Mag Ai. " LAdescribes Ciaran's father as "a rich man, " and certainly the familyseems to have been comfortably provided with cattle, the chief wealthof their time. In reference to his father's trade Ciaran is regularlycalled _mac in tsáir_, "son of the wright. " The Rabelaisianextravaganza called _Imtheacht na Tromdhaimhe_ ("The Adventures of theBurdensome Company") introduces Ciaran as himself practising smith'scraft;[8] but no importance can be attached to so irresponsible aproduction. Analogous in this respect are the references to our saintin _The Adventures of Léithin_, [9] which also introduces Ciaran andhis monks; but as Dr. Hyde points out in his edition, these are merelya kind of framework for the legend, and the story, though in itselfextremely curious and interesting, tells us nothing about eitherCiaran or Clonmacnois. 

(_d_) The fact, specially mentioned in LA, that Ciaran was reared byhis parents, not put out to fosterage as would have been done had hebeen of gentle birth. 

(_e_) The pre-eminent position of Ciaran's mother in the home. Thepre-Celtic tribesmen of Ireland, like their Pictish kinsmen inScotland, were organised on the system of mother-right, in whichproperty and descent and kinship are all traced through the maternalside of the ancestry. Throughout the _Lives_, Beoit is a cypher: thehouse and its contents and appurtenances are almost invariably treatedas Darerca's property. Matriarchate usually implies exogamy, a manchoosing his wife from a sept differing from his own; and thechildren are related to the mother's, not the father's kin. The maleresponsible for the education of the child is not so much the fatheras the maternal uncle. The law of exogamy was strictly followed in thecase before us. Beoit comes from north-east Ulster; Darerca belongedto a family which drew its origin from the south-east of the presentcounty Kerry, though she seems to have settled in Cenel Fiachach atthe time when Beoit met her. Incidents VIII and X of Ciaran's Life arelaid in that territory, which falls in with a tradition, presently tobe noted, that the dwelling-place of the family of the saint was notRaith Cremthainn, but the place where the parents had first met--whichwould be an instance of the husband dwelling with the wife's people, as is frequent under the matriarchate. The Celtic authors of the_Lives_ have transferred the kinship of the son to the father's clan, in accordance with their own social system; but an older tradition hasleft an unmistakable trace in the confusion of the relationships of"father" and "uncle" in LA, §§ 9, 10. 

It is possible that the prominence of the mother in the household, and Ciaran's birth away from his ancestral home as the result ofa taxation, are specially emphasised because they offer obviousparallels with the Gospel story. The character of Darerca is, however, by no means idealised, as we might have expected it to be, had thisbeen the chief purpose of the narrator. 

_The Parents of Ciaran, their Names and Origins. _--The name ofCiaran's father is variously Latinised in the Latin Lives. The Irishlives call him Beoit, a name analysed in the _Book of Leinster_, p. 349, into _Beo-n-Aed_, which would mean something like "Living Fire. "The _-n-_ is inserted, according to a law of Old Irish accidence, because _áed_, "fire, " is a neuter word. Thus arises the Latin form_Beonnadus_. By metathesis the name further becomes transformed to_Beodan_ or _Beoan_. The _Latharna_ were the people who dwelt aroundthe site of the modern town of _Larne_, which preserves their name;Mag Molt ("the plain of wethers") is probably the plain surroundingthe town. The _Aradenses_, to whom LB ascribes the origin of Beoit, were the people known in Irish record as _Dal n-Araide_, thepre-Celtic people of the region now called Antrim. 

Dar-erca, "daughter of brightness" or "of the sky, " was a commonfemale name in ancient Ireland. The Glasraige to whom she belongedwas a tribe with divisions scattered in various parts of Ireland. Irluachra was south-east Kerry with adjoining parts of Cork andLimerick. Of her poet grandfather Glas nothing is known. 

It would perhaps be too far-fetched to see a hint at a mythologicalelement in the traditions of Ciaran in the signification of hisparents' names. Indeed, considering the _Tendenz_ of the Ciaran_Lives_, it is remarkable that there is no supernormal element in theaccount of the birth of this particular saint; supernatural births arealmost a commonplace in Irish saints' lives as a rule. 

The saint's own name is regularly spelt with an initial K or Q in theLatin texts, doubtless because Latin _c_ was pronounced as _s_ before_e_ and _i_ in mediaeval Ireland. 

The _Annals of Clonmacnois_ preserves for us a totally differenttradition of the origin and upbringing of the saint. Modernising thehaphazard spelling and punctuation of the seventeenth-century Englishtranslation (the original Irish of this valuable book is lost), we maynote what it tells us. "His father's name was Beoit, a Connacht man(_sic_) and a carpenter. His mother Darerca, of the issue of Corc macFergusa mic Roig of the Clanna Rudraige. He in his childhood livedwith his father and mother in 'Templevickinloyhe' [wherever that mayhave been] in Cenel Fiachach; until a thief of the country of UiFailge stole the one cow they had, which, being found, he forsooktogether with his father and mother the said place of the stealth [=theft], fearing of further inconvenience. " Here note: (1) that Darercais given the ancestry attributed in the _Book of Leinster_ pedigreeto Beoit, thus hinting at an originally _matrilinear_ form of theofficial pedigree: (2) that the settlement of the family in CenelFiachach, _i. E. _ the place of Darerca's dwelling, is definitelystated; (3) that the migration of the family does not take place tillafter Ciaran's birth; (4) that a totally different reason is assignedfor the migration; (5) that incident X of the _Lives_ is directlyreferred to; (6) that we hear nothing in this passage about the restof the numerous family of Beoit; and (7) that the family is poor, having but one cow. 

Cenel Fiachach (the clan of Fiachu) occupied a territory coveringparts of the present counties of Westmeath and King's Co. VGerroneously writes this Cenel Fiachrach, which occupied a territory ofthe modern Co. Sligo. _See_ further, p. 171. 

_The Princes. _--Unfortunately Ainmire mac Colgain, lord of Ui Neill, and Cremthann, a chieftain of Connacht, are not otherwise known; wecannot therefore test the chronological truth of this part of thestory. Ainmire reappears as an oppressor in the life of Aed (VSH, ii, 295). LA anachronistically confuses this Ainmire with Ainmire macSetna, King of Tara, A. D. 564-566. 

It is noteworthy that VG calls Cremthann "King of Ireland. " This is inaccordance with the fact that the dynasty which united Ireland underthe suzerainty of the King of Tara was of Connacht origin. [10]

_The Wizard's Prophecy. _--The phrase "the noise of a chariot undera king" is a stock formula in this connexion; compare, with Stokes, _Vita Sancti Aedui_ in Rees' _Lives of Cambro-British Saints_, p. 233(also VSH, ii, 295). With the incident compare the story of the druidrising to welcome the parents of Saint Senan, and when ridiculed forthus showing honour to peasants explaining that it was to their unbornchild that he was paying honour (LL, 1875). Observe that in both talesthe druid is _mocked_. This touch doubtless belongs to the Christianchronicler, taking the opportunity of putting the minister of therival creed in an invidious position. 

_Deacon Iustus_, according to VTP (p. 104) and Tirechan's _Collectionsregarding Saint Patrick_ (edited in VTP, see pp. 305, 318) wasconsecrated by Saint Patrick, who left with him his ritual book andhis office of baptism, in Fidarta (Fuerty, Co. Roscommon). It was inhis old age that he baptized Ciaran, out of Patrick's book--he was, indeed, according to the documents quoted, no less than 140 years ofage. The glossators of the _Martyrology of Oengus_ (Henry BradshawSociety edition, p. 128) confuse him with Euthymius, the deacon, martyred at Alexandria. The play on words ("it were fitting that the_just one_ should be baptized by a _Just One_") is lost in the Irishversion, whence Plummer (VSH, i, p. Xlix) infers that this document isa translation from a Latin original: but the fact proves nothing morethan that the author of VG borrowed _this particular incident_, ashe borrowed his preface, from a Latin writing. All these Lives arepatchworks, and their component elements are of very different originsand dates. 

_The date of Ciaran's birth_ was 25 February, A. D. 515. The _Annals ofUlster_ says 511, or "according to another book, " 516. The _Annals ofClonmacnois_ has the correct date, 515. 

_The Geographical Names in this Incident. _--_Temoria_ (LA) is Tara(Irish _Teamair_), Co. Meath, the site of the dwelling of the Kings ofIreland. _Midhe_ (LA) means the province of Meath; LA is, however, in error in placing the Latronenses therein. The _Connachta_ are thepeople who give their name to the province of Connacht. _Mag Ai_, variously spelt, is the central plain of Co. Roscommon; _RaithCremthainn_ ("the fort of Cremthann") was somewhere upon it, presumably near the royal establishment of Rathcroghan, but the exactsite is unknown. _Isel Chiarain_ (VG), a place reappearing later inthe Life, is unknown, but doubtless it was close to Clonmacnois. _Cluain maccu Nois_, the "Meadow of the Descendants of Nos, " nowClonmacnois, stands on the right bank of the Shannon about twelvemiles below Athlone. Extensive remains of the monastery founded byCiaran are still to be seen there. As for _Tech meic in tSaeir_, "thehouse of the wright's son, " we might have inferred that this place wasalso somewhere near or in Clonmacnois; but a note among the glosses ofthe _Martyrology of Oengus_ (under 9th September) says that it was "inthe house of the son of the wright" that Ciaran was _brought up_. Itis therefore to be identified with the mysterious place corruptlyspelt "Templevickinloyhe" (church of the son of the ----?) in theextract from the _Annals of Clonmacnois_ printed above. [11]

_The Verses in this Section of VG. _--The epigram on Ciaran's parentsis found in many MSS. The rendering here given expresses the sense andreproduces the rhythm of the stanza, but does not attempt to copy themetre in every detail. This is known as _cro cummaisc etir casbairdneocus lethrannaigecht_, and consists of seven-syllable lines withtrisyllabic rhymes, alternating with five-syllable lines havingmonosyllabic rhymes. Literally translated the sense would run, "Darerca my mother / she was not a bad woman // Beoit the wright myfather / of the Latharna of Molt. "

The second stanza is misplaced, and should properly have been insertedin the following paragraph. Its metre is _ae freslige_--seven-syllablelines in a quatrain, rhyming _abab_: _a_ being trisyllabic, _b_dissyllabic rhymes. The stanza is obscure and probably corrupt; so faras it can be rendered at all, the literal translation is: "He healedthe steed of Oengus / when he was in a swathe, in a cradle // therewas given . . . / from God this miracle to Ciaran. "

III. HOW CIARAN RAISED THE STEED OF OENGUS FROM DEATH (LA, LB, LC, VG)

_The Four Versions. _--This incident is told in all four lives, and itis instructive to note the differences of detail which they display. In LA Oengus goes to fetch Ciaran, after consulting with his friends. In LB he sends for him. In LC he goes to him, and in VG Ciaran comeswithout being fetched. The stanza interpolated in the precedingsection of VG introduces us to another variant of the tradition, inwhich Ciaran was a swaddled infant when the miracle was wrought. In LBthe incident is given a homiletic turn, by being told to illustratethe saint's care for animals. 

_Parallels. _--A similar but not identical miracle is attributed toSaint Patrick (VTP, 228; LL, 565). Here the saint resuscitates horseswith holy water; but in this case the saint's own curse had originallycaused the horses' deaths, because they grazed in his churchyard. Saint Lasrian also restored a horse to life (CS, 796). 

_Tir na Gabrai_ ("the land of the horse") is unknown, though itpresumably was near Raith Cremthainn. The story was probably told toaccount for the name of the field. It has been noticed that the LatinLives are less rich in details as to names of places and people thanthe Irish Life. This is an indication of a later tradition, when therecollection of names had become vague, or, rather, when names whichhad been of interest to their contemporaries had ceased to rouse suchfeelings. 

IV. HOW CIARAN TURNED WATER INTO HONEY (LA, LB, LC, VG)

One of the numerous imitations of the story of the Miracle of Cana. Compare incident XLIV. An identical story is told of Saint Patrick(LL, 108). Note the variety of reasons given for sending the honey toIustus. 

V. HOW CIARAN WAS DELIVERED FROM A HOUND (LA, LB, LC, VG)

_Parallels. _--The same story is told of Saint Patrick, in Colgan's_Tertia Vita_, cap. Xxxi, _Septima Vita_, I, cap. Xlvii. Patricklikewise quoted the verse _Ne tradas bestiis animus confitentes tibi_(Ps. Lxiv, [Vulgate lxiii] 19). 

_The Fate of the Hound. _--This varies in the different versions. Inthe Patrick story just quoted it was struck immovable, as a stone. In LA it thrusts its head _in circo uituli_, which I have renderedconjecturally as the context seems to require, but I can findno information as to the exact nature of this adjunct to thecattle-stall. Du Cange gives _arcus sellae equestris_ as one of themeanings of _circus_. 

LB and LC, which have many points of affinity, are in this incidentalmost word for word identical. They agree in saying that the mensetting on the hound were spurred (_uexati_) by an evil spirit. Themisplacing of this incident in LB is probably due to a transpositionof the leaves of the exemplar from which it was copied. 

VI. HOW CIARAN AND HIS INSTRUCTOR CONVERSED, THOUGH DISTANT FROM ONEANOTHER (LA, VG)

_Topography of the Story. _--Assuming that Raith Cremthainn wassomewhere near Rathcroghan, the distance between this and Fuerty wouldbe about fourteen miles. There is no indication on the Ordnance map ofany rock that can be identified with the cross-bearing stone on whichCiaran used to sit, though it clearly was a landmark well known to theauthor of LA. (_Pacé_ LA, Rathcroghan is _north_ of Fuerty. )

_Parallels. _--The closest parallel is the story of Brigit, who hearda Mass that was being celebrated in Rome, though unable to hear apopular tumult close by (TT, 539). Something resembling the action ofa wireless telephone is contemplated, the voices being inaudibleto persons between the speakers. Thus the tales of saints withpreternaturally loud voices are not quite in point. Colum Cille washeard to read his Psalms a mile and half away (LL, 828); Brenainn alsowas heard at a long distance (LL, 3419). The burlesque _Vision ofMacConglinne_ parodies such voices (ed. Meyer, pp. 12, 13). 

VII. CIARAN AND THE FOX (VG)

_Parallels. _--There are endless tales of how saints pressed wildanimals into their service; indeed the first monastic establishment ofCiaran's elder namesake, Ciaran of Saigir, consisted of wild animalsonly: a boar, a badger, a wolf, and a stag (VSH, i, 219; _SiluaGadelica_, i, p. 1 ff. ). Moling also kept a number of wild and tameanimals round his monastery--among them a fox, which, as in the talebefore us, attempted to eat a book (VSH, ii, 201); otherwise, however, the stories differ. Aed rescued a stag from hunters, and used itshorns as a book-rest (VSH, ii, 296); Coemgen similarly rescued a boar(VSH, i, 244). So, in Wales, Saint Brynach caused stags to drawhis carriage, and committed his cow to the charge of a wolf(_Cambro-British Saints_, pp. 10, 296). Saint Illtyd tamed a stagwhich he had rescued from hunters (_ibid. _, pp. 164, 473). 

_Herding of Cattle. _--There is abundant evidence from the Lives of thesaints that the herding of the cattle while pasturing was an importantduty of the children of the household. There was no little risk inthis, owing to the prevalence of wolves. 

_Reading the Psalms. _--The Psalms seem to have been the first subjectof instruction given to young students; LB, 4, indicates that Ciaran'slessons with Iustus did not go beyond the mere rudiments of learning. There is in the National Museum, Dublin, a tablet-book containing sixleaves of wax-covered wood, on which are traced a number of the Psalmsin the Vulgate version; this was most likely a lesson-book such as ishere described. The story evidently grew up around an actual specimen, that bore injuries, explained as being the tooth-marks of the fox. 

_Versions of the Tale. _--It would appear that this story wasoriginally an account of how Ciaran and his distant tutor couldcommunicate, quite independent of incident VI. It has become awkwardlycombined with VI into a conflate narrative, as is shown by the silenceabout the fox in LA. According to the one story, they used theirsupernatural "wireless telephone. " According to the other, the foxtrotted back and forth with the book. In the conflate version, itwould appear that Iustus dictated Psalms to Ciaran by "telephone, "Ciaran then wrote them on his tablets, and the fox waited till hewas finished and then carried them for correction to Iustus. (As isobserved in the footnote _in loc_, p. 73, we must read "Iustus" for"Ciaran" in the passage describing the proceedings of the fox). 

_The Homiletic Pendant. _--The unexpected homiletic turn given to thisstory in VG may perhaps find its explanation in facts now lost to us;the passage reads like a side-thrust at some actual person or persons. It may possibly refer to the act of sacrilege committed by Toirdelbachó Briain, in 1073, who carried away from Clonmacnois the head ofConchobar ó Maeil-Shechlainn; but being attacked by a mysteriousdisease--imparted to him, it was said, by a mouse which issued fromthe head and ran up under his garment--he was obliged to return it, with two gold rings by way of compensation. He did not recover fromthe disease, however, but died in 1086 (_Annals of Four Masters_). 

VIII. HOW CIARAN SPOILED HIS MOTHER'S DYE (VG)

I have found no parallel to this most remarkable story. It displaysthe following noteworthy points--

1. It belongs to the Ciaran-tradition which places the home of thefamily in Cenel Fiachach. 

2. It preserves what has every appearance of being an authentictradition of a prohibition against the presence of males, even oftender years, when dyeing was being carried on. [12]

3. Most likely the saint's curse--indeed, the whole association ofthe tale with Ciaran--is a late importation into the story: it wasprobably originally a [Pagan] tale, told as a warning of what wouldhappen if males were allowed to be present at the mystery. Thedifferent colours which the garments assumed are perhaps not withoutsignificance; Sullivan, in his introduction to O'Curry's _Mannersand Customs_ (i, p. 405), says "the two failures . . . Are simplythe failures which result from imperfect fermentation andover-fermentation of the woad-vat. "

4. There is an intentionally droll touch given to the end of the_Märchen_. 

5. The independence of parental control which the youthful Ciarandisplays will not escape notice. 

_The Stanza. _--This is written in a peculiar metre; two seven-syllablelines, with trisyllabic rhymes, followed by two rhyming couplets offive-syllable lines with monosyllabic rhymes. 

_Iarcain_ is a word of uncertain meaning: it probably denotes thewaste stuff left behind in the vat. 

IX. HOW CIARAN RESTORED A CALF WHICH A WOLF HAD DEVOURED (LA, LB, LC, VG)

_Parallels. _--Practically the same story is told of Abban (VSH, i, 24;CS, 508) and of Colman (CS, 828). A similar story is told of SaintPatrick (LL, 91), but it is not quite identical, inasmuch as here thewolf voluntarily restored a sheep which it had carried off. Somethinglike this, however, is indicated in the Latin verse rendering of thestory (No. 2 of the Latin verse fragments at the end of LB). Morenearly parallel is the tale of Brigit (LL, 1250; CS, 19) who gavebacon which she was cooking to a hungry dog; it was miraculouslyreplaced. A converse of this miracle is to be found in the Lifeof Ailbe, who first restored two horses killed by lions, and thenmiraculously provided a hundred horses for the lions to devour (CS, 239). Aed gave eight wethers to as many starving wolves, and they weremiraculously restored to save him from the indignation of his maternalaunt (VSH, ii, 296). It is obvious, but hypercritical, to complainthat in these artless tales the kindness shown to the beasts isillogically one-sided!

_The Process of Resuscitation. _--The important point in the tale, though the versions do not all recognise this, is the collection ofthe bones of the calf. VG preserves the essential command to the wolfnot to break these. Colum Cille reconstituted an ox from its bones(LL, 1055). Coemgen gave away to wayfarers the dinner prepared forthe monastic harvestmen, and when the latter naturally protested, hecollected the bones and re-clothed them with flesh, at the same timeturning water to wine (VSH, i, 238). Aed performed a similar miraclein the nunnery at Clonmacnois, replacing Ciaran's dinner which hehimself had eaten (VSH, i, 39). There is here no mention of the bones, but very likely this has become lost in the process of transmission. By all these tales we are reminded of the boar Sæhrimnir, on whoseflesh the blessed ones in Valhalla feast daily--sodden every eveningand reconstituted from its bones every morning. [13] In a Bretonfolk-tale, _La princesse Troïol_, the hero has been burnt by the wilesof his enemy, but his sorceress fiancée seeks among the ashes tillat last she finds a tiny splinter of bone. With this she is able torestore her betrothed; without it she would have been powerless. [14]

Very probably the practice of "secondary interment" of human bones, which we find so far back as the later stages of the Palaeolithic age, is based upon the same belief; that if the bones are preserved, theirowner has a chance of a fresh lease of life. 

There is a curious variant of the story in the Life of Coemgen. Here the cow is driven home, and Coemgen, called upon to soothe itslamentations, fetches, not the bones of the eaten calf, but theculprit wolf, which comes and plays the part of the calf to thesatisfaction of all concerned (VSH, i, 239). It is evident thatin this case there is another element of belief indicated: thepersonality of the calf has passed into the wolf which has devouredit--in fact, the wolf _is_ the calf re-incarnate. 

_Resurrection of Beasts. _--Calling dead animals back to life is a notinfrequent incident in the lives of Irish saints. We have already seenCiaran resuscitating a horse. Mo-Chua restored twelve stags (VSH, ii, 188); but perhaps the most remarkable feat was that of Moling, who, having watched a wren eating a fly, and a kestrel eating the wren, revived first the wren and then the fly (VSH, ii, 200). SaintBrynach's cow having been slain by a tyrannical king, was restored tolife by the saint (_Cambro-British Saints_, pp. 11, 297). 

_The Stanza in VG. _--The metre is _ae freslige_. The rendering in thetext is close to the literal sense. 

_The Ejaculation "Mercy on us"_--or, more literally, "mercy come tous. " The sentence recording this habitual ejaculation, in VG, breaksso awkwardly into the sense of the passage in which it is found, thatit must be regarded as a marginal gloss which has become incorporatedwith the text. It has dislodged a sentence that must have legitimatelybelonged to the text, restored in the foregoing translation byconjecture. Probably the lost sentence, like the intrusive one, endedwith the word _trocuire_, "mercy, " which, indeed, may have suggestedthe interpolation; this might easily have caused the scribe's eyeto wander. An habitual expletive is also attributed to St. Patrick(_modébroth_, apparently "My God of Judgment!"). 

Here, again, the versions in LB and LC are very closely akin. 

X. HOW CIARAN WAS DELIVERED FROM ROBBERS (LA, LC, VG)

_Parallels. _--Robbers were smitten with blindness (cf. Genesis xix. II) by Darerca (CS, 179) and restored on repentance. The same fatebefell a man who endeavoured to drive Findian from a place where hehad settled (CS, 198). Robbers who attempted to attack Cainnech (CS, 364, 389; VSH, i, 153), Colman (VSH, i, 264), and Flannan (CS, 669), were struck motionless. The story before us is a conflation of the twotypes of incident, blindness and paralysis being accumulated on therobbers. The same accumulation befell a swineherd who attempted toslay Saint Cadoc (_Cambro-British Saints_, pp. 31, 321). 

Note that this incident, like No. VIII, belongs to the Cenel Fiachachtradition. We have already seen that it was known to the compiler ofthe _Annals of Clonmacnois_, though he ignores the miraculous element. 

XI. -XIII. HOW CIARAN GAVE CERTAIN GIFTS (LA): XIV. HOW CIARAN GAVE THEKING'S CAULDRON TO BEGGARS AND WAS ENSLAVED (LA, LC, VG)

These four incidents may be considered together: they are all variantsof one formula. 

_Parallels_. --Brigit took "of her father's wealth and property, whatsoever her hands would find, . . . To give to the poor and needy"(LL, 1308). A story is told in the Life of Aed which is evidently acombination of our incidents XII and XIII: to the effect that whenploughing he made a gift of one of his oxen and of the coulter, andcontinued to plough without either (VSH, i, 36). 

The angels grinding for Ciaran reappear in incident XVIII: this is afrequent type of favour shown to saints. Angels ground for Colum Cilleat Clonard (LL, 850), swept out a hearth for Patrick (LL, 121), andharvested for Ailbe (CS, 241). 

_Beoit an Uncle. _--This is an important link between incidents XII andXIII in LA. Its bearing upon the question of the origin of Ciaran'sfamily has already been noticed. 

_The Oxen ploughing. _--Incident XIII would be meaningless if we didnot understand from it that at the time of the formation of thestory it was not customary to use horses in the plough. This is anillustration of the way in which these documents, unhistorical thoughthey may be in the main, yet throw occasional sidelights, which may beaccepted as authentic, on ancient life. 

_King Furbith. _--I have not succeeded in tracing this personage, whoreappears in incident XXVII. But the story of his cauldron is found inthe Life of Ciaran of Saigir (CS, 815), in a rather different form--tothe effect that he deposited his considerable wealth for safe-keepingwith Ciaran, who was already abbot of Clonmacnois. Ciaran promptlydistributed it to the poor. Furbith was human enough to be annoyed atthis breach of trust, and ordered Ciaran to be summoned before him inbonds. This done, he addressed him "insultingly, " as the hagiographerputs it, in these words: "Good abbot, if thou wilt be loosed frombonds, thou must needs bring me seven white-headed red hornlesskine:[15] and if thou canst not find them, thou shalt pay a penaltyfor my treasures which thou hast squandered. " Ciaran undertook toprovide the required cattle, "not to escape these thy bonds, which area merit unto me, but to set forth the glory of my God"; and thereforehe was set free to obtain them. Another variant of these stories--acommon type, in which the saint gives away the property of otherpeople in alms, but has his own face miraculously saved--isillustrated by the tale of Coemgen, who, when a boy was pasturingsheep. He gave four of them to beggars, but when the sheep were ledhome at night the number was found complete "so that the servant ofChrist should not incur trouble on account of his exceeding charity"(VSH, i, 235). 

The site of _Cluain Cruim_ (LA) is unknown (perhaps Clooncrim, Co. Roscommon). The _Desi_ (VG), or Dessi, were a semi-nomadic pre-Celticpeople once established in the barony of Deece, Co. Meath, butafterwards in the baronies of Decies in Waterford: both these baroniesstill bear their name. A branch of them settled in Wales. Evidentlythe donors of the cauldrons which purchased the freedom of the saintwere of the Decies; they are said to have been Munster folk (the nameof the province is variously spelled). 

XV. HOW CIARAN REPROVED HIS MOTHER (LA, LC)

I have found no parallel to this story; it contains no miraculouselement, and may quite possibly be at least founded on fact. Its chiefimportance is the prominence given to the _materfamilias_. 

XVI. THE BREAKING OF THE CARRIAGE-AXLE (LA, LC)

Unlike LA, LC seems to imply that the injury to the axle was notrepaired. This would be parallel to the story of Aed, who, when hiscarriage met with a similar mishap, was able to continue his journeyon one wheel only (CS, 336; VSH, i, 36). 

XVII. HOW CIARAN WENT WITH HIS COW TO THE SCHOOL OF FINDIAN (LA, LB, LC, VG)

_The blessing of the Cow. _--In this story we again note the prominenceof the _materfamilias_: it is she who in most of the versionswithholds the desired boon. Note how LB endeavours to tone down thedisobedience of the saint by making the cow follow him of her ownaccord, or, rather, upon a direct divine command. The _Annals ofClonmacnois_ presents the story in a similar form: "He earnestlyentreated his parents that they would please to give him the cow[which had been stolen and recovered; _ante_, p. 108], that he mightgo to school to Clonard to Bishop Finnan, where Saint Colum Cille . . . And divers others were at school: which his parents denied: whereuponhe resolved to go thither as poor as he was, without any maintenancein the world. The cow followed him thither with her calf; and beingmore given to the cause of his learning than to the keeping of thecows, having none to keep the calf from the cow, [he] did but drawa strick of his bat between the calf and cow. The cow could notthenceforth come no nearer [_sic_] the calf than to the strick, northe calf to the cow, so as there needed no servant to keep them onefrom another but the strick. " A totally different version of the storyof the cow is recorded in the glosses to the _Martyrology of Oengus_(9th September). Here Ciaran applied to his _father_, who, so far fromrefusing his request, bade him go through the herd and take whateverbeast would follow him. "The Dun Cow of Ciaran" yielded to the test. Further, the same cow followed him when he left Clonard, instead ofremaining with Ninned as in the _Lives_ before us. 

Note how the author of LA has been unable to keep a very human touchout of his arid record: _matri displicebat, uolebat enim eum secumsemper habere_. This is our last glimpse of poor Darerca, and it doesmuch to soften the rather lurid limelight in which our homilists placeher. 

_The Division of Kine and Calves. _--This miracle is one of the mostthreadbare commonplaces of Irish hagiographical literature; it is mostfrequently, as here, performed by drawing a line on the ground betweenthe animals with the saint's wonder-working staff. It is attributed, _inter alia_, to Senan (LL, 1958), Fintan (CS, 229), Ailbe (withswine, CS, 240), and Finan (CS, 305). 

_A miraculous abundance of milk_ was also given by kine belonging toBrigit (CS, 44) and to Samthann (VSH, ii, 255). 

_The Hide of the Cow. _--Plummer quotes other illustrations of suchmechanical passports to the Land of the Blessed (VSH, i, p. Xciii). The main purpose of this whole incident is doubtless to explain theorigin of a precious relic, preserved at Clonmacnois. Its historyis involved in some doubt: it is complicated by the fact that thereexists a well-known manuscript, now preserved in the library of theRoyal Irish Academy, written at Clonmacnois about A. D. 1100, andcalled the _Book of the Dun Cow_, from the animal of whose hide thevellum is said to have been made. But whether this book has anyconnexion with the Dun Cow of Ciaran may be considered doubtful. Fordown to the comparatively late date at which our homilies were puttogether, the hide of Ciaran's Dun was evidently preserved _as ahide_, on or under which a dying man could lie: therefore it cannothave been made into a book. Yet _Imtheacht na Tromdhaimhe_ (p. 124of the printed text) tells us, for what it may be worth, that Ciaranwrote the great epic tale called _Táin Bó Cúalnge_ upon the hide ofthe Dun Cow. There is actually a copy of this tale in the existingbook; but the book was written not long after the time when ourhomilists were describing the relic as an unbroken hide. Either therewere two dun cows, or the name of the Manuscript has arisen from amisunderstanding. 

_The stanza in VG_ is another example of _ae freslige_ metre. Theliteral translation is "Fifty over a hundred complete / the Dun ofCiaran used to feed, // guests and lepers / people of the refectoryand of the parlour. "

_The School of Findian. _--Findian was born in the fifth century. Hewent to Tours for study, and afterwards to Britain; he then felt adesire to continue his studies in Rome, but an angel bade him returnto Ireland and there continue the work begun by Patrick. Afterspending some time with Brigit at Kildare, and establishing variousreligious houses, he settled at Cluain Iraird, in the territory ofUi Neill: now called Clonard, in Co. Meath. His establishment therebecame the chief centre of instruction in Ireland in the early part ofthe sixth century. He died in 549, at an advanced age: indeed, he istraditionally said to have lived 140 years. Nothing now remains of themonastery, though there were some ruins a hundred years ago. 

XVIII. THE ANGELS GRIND FOR CIARAN (LA, LC, VG)

The angels grinding have already been seen in incident XIV. 

_The Stanza in VG. _--This is in the metre known as _rannaigechtmór_, seven syllables with monosyllabic rhymes, usually _abab_. Thetranslation adequately expresses the sense and, approximately, themetre. [16] The number of saints enumerated is thirteen, not twelve, but the master, Findian of Clonard, is not counted in the reckoning. The names, the principal monasteries, and the obits of these saintsare as follows--

 Findian of Cluain Iraird (Clonard, Co. Meath), 12 December 548. Findian of Mag-bile (Moville, Co. Donegal), 12 September 579. Colum Cille of Í Choluim Cille (Iona), 9 June 592. Colum of Inis Cealtra (Holy Island, Loch Derg), 13 December 549. Ciaran of Cluain maccu Nois (Clonmacnois), 9 September 548. Cainnech of Achad Bo (Aghaboe, Queen's Co. ), 11 October 598. Comgall of Beannchor (Bangor, Co. Down), 10 May 552. Brenainn of Birra (Birr, King's Co. ), 29 November 571. Brenainn of Cluain Fearta (Clonfert, King's Co. ), 16 May 576. Ruadan of Lothra (Lorrha, Co. Tipperary), 15 April 584. Ninned of Inis Muighe Saimh (Inismacsaint in Loch Erne), 18 January 5. . (?). Mo-Bi of Glas Naoidhean (Glasnevin, Co. Dublin) 12 October 544. Mo-Laise mac Nad-Fraeich of Daimhinis (Devenish, Loch Erne), 12 September 563. 

XIX. CIARAN AND THE KING'S DAUGHTER (LA, VG)

_Parallels. _--Maignenn never would look on a woman, "lest he shouldsee her guardian devil" (_Silua Gadelica_, i, 37). The story has someaffinity with the curious _Märchen_ of the Mill and the Bailiff'sDaughter (incident XXIV). Cuimmin of Connor, in his poem on thecharacters of the different Irish saints, spoke thus of Ciaran, doubtless in reference to this incident: "Holy Ciaran of Clonmacnoisloved humility that he did not abandon rashly; he never spoke a wordthat was untrue, he never looked at a woman from the time when he wasborn. "

_The Stanza in VG. _--Metre _ae freslige_. Literally thus: "With Ciaranread / a girl who was stately with treasures // and he saw not / herform or her shape or her make. "

In LA the father of the maiden is king in Tara: in VG he is king ofCualu, the strip of territory between the mountains and the sea fromDublin southward to Arklow. 

XX. HOW CIARAN HEALED THE LEPERS (VG)

Leprosy, or at least a severe cutaneous disease so called, was commonin ancient Ireland; and there are numerous stories, some of themextremely disagreeable, that tell how the saints associated with itsvictims as an act of self-abasement. We have already seen how Patrickwas said to have kept a leper. Brigit also healed lepers by washing(LL, 1620), and Ruadan cleansed lepers with the water of a springthat he opened miraculously (VSH, ii, 249). Contrariwise, Munnu neverwashed except at Easter after contracting leprosy (VSH, ii, 237). The miraculous opening of a spring is a common incident in Irishhagiography; we have already seen an example, in the annotations toincident I. 

Whitley Stokes points out (LL, note _ad loc. _) that the "three waves"poured over the lepers are suggested by the triple immersion inbaptism. 

XXI. CIARAN AND THE STAG (VG)

_Parallels. _--We have already noted the use of wild animals by Irishsaints. Findian yoked stags to draw wood (LL, 2552). Patrick kept atame stag (TT, p. 28, cap. Lxxxii, etc. ). In incident XXXVII, Ciaranis again served by a stag. Cainnech, like Ciaran, made a book-rest ofthe horns of a stag (CS, 383), and books which Colum Cille had lostwere restored to him by a stag (TT, _Quinta Vita_, p. 407). In thelife of Saint Cadoc we read an incident which combines docile stagsdrawing timber and a forgotten book untouched by rain (_Cambro-BritishSaints_, pp. 38, 329). 

For Ciaran's prompt obedience to the summoning sound of the bell, compare what is told of Cainnech, who happened to be summoned by thehead of the monastic school when he was writing, and left the letterO, which at the moment he was tracing, unfinished, to obey the call(VSH, i, 153). 

There is a parallel in incident XXXVI for the book unwet by rain. Books written by Colum Cille could not be injured by water (LL, 956). It is perhaps hardly necessary to infer with Plummer (VSH, i, p. Cxxxviii) that this was a myth of solar origin. 

XXII. THE STORY OF CIARAN'S GOSPEL (LA, VG)

This striking anecdote is unique, and probably founded on an authenticincident. The two versions before us differ in some respects, as acomparison will show. The story is told in another form in the _QuintaVita Columbae_ (TT, p. 403) to the effect that "Once Saint Kieranus, whom they call the Son of the Wright, on being asked, promised Columbathat as he was writing a book of the Holy Gospels, he would write outthe middle part of the book. Columba, in gratitude to him, said, 'AndI, ' said he, 'on behalf of God, promise and foretell that the middleregions of Ireland shall take their name from thee, and shall bringtheir taxes or tribute to thy monastery. '" The same version appears inO'Donnell's _Life of Colum Cille_ (printed text, p. 128). Yet anotherversion appears in the glosses to the _Martyrology of Oengus_(9th September), according to which Colum Cille wished to write agospel-book, but no one except Ciaran had an exemplar from which tomake the copy. Colum Cille went to Ciaran's cell and asked for theloan of the book; Ciaran, who was preparing his lesson, and had justcome to the words _Omnia quaecumque_, etc. , presented him with it. "Thine be half of Ireland!" said Colum Cille. It is worth passingnotice that the verse in question, here treated as the central verseof the gospel, is not one-fifth of the way through the book. Had theoriginal narrator of the tale a copy with misplaced or missing leaves?

_The Stanza in VG. _--This is apparently slightly corrupt, but themetre is evidently meant to be _ae freslige_. It probably belongs toone poem with the previous stanzas in the same metre: its first lineechoes the stanza in incident XIX. Literally, "With Findian read /Ciaran the pious, with diligence // he had half a book without reading/ half of Ireland his thereafter. "

_The Saying of Alexander. _--I regret to have to acknowledge thatI have been unable to get on the track of any explanation of thisappendix to the incident, as related in VG. It is probably a marginalgloss taken into the text. The "Alexander" is presumably one of thepopes of that name, and if so, must be Alexander II (1061-1073), asthe first Pope Alexander is too early, and the remaining six are toolate. I have, however, searched all the writings bearing his namewithout discovering anything like this saying, nor can I trace it withthe aid of the numerous indexes in Migne's _Patrologia_. 

XXIII. THE BLESSING OF CIARAN'S FOOD (LA, LC)

I cannot find any authority for the ritual indicated by this curiousstory, in which the blessing of a second person is necessary beforefood can be consumed. There is a Jewish formula described byLightfoot, [17] in which, when several take their meals together, onesays _Let us bless_, and the rest answer _Amen_. But it is not clearwhy a response should have been required by a person eating alone. 

XXIV. THE STORY OF THE MILL AND THE BAILIFF'S DAUGHTER (LB, VG)

The full details of this narrative have evidently been offensive tothe author of LB, who has heroically bowdlerised it. It is obviouslyan independent _Märchen_, which has become incorporated in thetraditions of Ciaran. 

_The Famine. _--Famines are frequently recorded in the Irish Annals:and it is noteworthy that they were usually accompanied by an epidemicof raids on monasteries. The wealth of the country was largelyconcentrated in these establishments, so that they presented a strongtemptation to a starving community. The beginning of the story is thusquite true to nature and to history, though I have found no recordof a famine at the time when we may suppose Ciaran to have been atClonard. 

_Transformation of Oats to Wheat, and of other Food to Flour. _--Suchtransformations are common in the saints' Lives. We read of swineturned to sheep (CS, 879), snow to curds (LL, 127), sweat to gold(TT, 398) flesh to bread (CS, 368). The later peculiarities of thefood--bread or some other commonplace material having the taste ofmore recondite dainties, and possessing curative properties--are notinfrequently met with in folk-lore. Saint Illtyd placed fish and waterbefore a king, who found therein the taste of bread and salt, wine andmead, in addition to their proper savours (_Cambro-British Saints_, pp. 165, 474). 

_The Resistance of the Saint to amorous Advances. _--The reader may bereferred to Whitley Stokes's note _ad loc. _, in LL. We may recall thewell-known story of Coemgen (Kevin) at Glendaloch: though it must beadded that the version of the tale popularised by Moore, in which thesaint pushed his importunate pursuer into the lake and drowned her, has no ancient authority. On the rather delicate subject of thearrangement made between Ciaran and the maiden's family, consultthe article _Subintroductae_ in Smith and Cheetham's _Dictionary ofChristian Antiquities_. This feature of the story is enough to showits unhistorical character, at least so far as Ciaran is concerned:for Ciaran did not belong to the _Primus Ordo_ of Irish saints, who_mulierum administrationem et consortia non respuebant, quia superpetram Christum fundati ventum temptationis non timebant_, but tothe _Secundus Ordo_, who _mulierum consortia et administrationesfugiebant, atque a monasteriis suis eas excludebant_ (CS, 161, 162). The description of Ciaran as transcending his contemporaries in beautyis probably suggested by Ps. Xlv, 2, and is another illustration ofthe _Tendenz_ already referred to. 

_The Eavesdropper and the Crane. _--This incident reappears in the Lifeof Flannan (CS, 647). Wonder-workers do not like to be spied upon byunauthorised persons. This is especially true in the Fairy mythologysurviving to modern times. Compare a tale in the Life of Aed (VSH, ii, 308). A quantity of wood had been cut for building a church, but therewas no available labour. Angels undertook the work of transportationon condition that no one should spy upon them. One man, however, played the inevitable "Peeping Tom, " and the work ceased immediately. The reader may be referred for further instances to the essay on"Fairy Births and Human Midwives" in E. S. Hartland's _Science of FairyTales_. 

There is a touch of intentional drollery at the end of the story wherethe brethren are shown as having so thoroughly enjoyed the feastmiraculously provided for them that their observance of the canonicalhours was disjointed. For other instances of intoxication as resultingfrom saints' miracles see VSH, i, p. Ci. 

_The Stanzas in VG. _--These are in _ae freslige_ metre, so that theyare probably another fragment of the poem already met with. Thetranslation in the text reproduces the sense with sufficientliteralness. 

On the whole the impression which this unusually long and veryconfused incident makes on the reader is that originally it was an_anti-Christian_ narrative concocted in a Pagan circle, which hassomehow become superficially Christianised. 

XXV. THE STORY OF CLUAIN (VG)

One of the numerous tales told of the danger of crossing the will of asaint. It is possibly suggested by Matt, xxi, 28; but it may also bea pre-Christian folk-tale adapted to the new Faith by substituting asaint for a druid. On the cursing propensities of Irish saints seePlummer, VSH, i, pp. Cxxxv, clxxiii. A curse said to have beenpronounced by Ciaran on one family remained effective down to the year1151, where it is recorded by the _Annals of the Four Masters_ (vol. Ii, p. 1096). Another curse of the same saint, and its fulfilment, isnarrated in Keating's History (Irish Texts Society's edn. , iii, 52ff. ), and at greater length in the life of the victim, Cellach (_SiluaGadelica_, no. Iv). 

Note that Ciaran sends a messenger with his rod to revive Cluain. Thisis probably imitated from Elisha sending Gehazi similarly equipped toraise the Shunammite's son (2 Kings iv, 29). 

Cluain's thanks at being delivered from the pains of hell may becontrasted with the protest of the monk resurrected by Colman (VSH, i, 260, 265) at being recalled from the joys of heaven--an aspect ofresurrection stories frequently overlooked by the narrators. 

_The Stanza in VG. _--The metre is _rannaigecht gairit dialtach_ (aline of three syllables followed by three of seven, with monosyllabicrhymes _aaba_). The literal rendering is "Cluain agreed to come / tome to-day for reaping // for an oppressive disease / caused him livingin his house to be dead. "

XXVI, XXVII. HOW CIARAN FREED WOMEN FROM SERVITUDE (LA, LB, VG)

Tuathal Moel-garb ("the bald-rough") was king in Tara A. D. 528-538. Wehave already met with Furbith in incident XIV. 

Interceding for captives, with or without miracle, was one of the mostfrequent actions attributed to Irish saints: as for instance Brigit(LL, 1520) and Fintan (CS, 300). Doors opened of their own accord toColum Cille (CS, 850). Paulinus of Nola gave himself as a captive inexchange for a widow's son at the time of the invasion of Alaric inA. D. 410 (see Smith's _Dictionary of Christian Biography_, vol. Iv, p. 239, col. Ii, and references there). This explains the allusion in LB. The woman passing through her enemies is perhaps suggested by Luke iv, 30. The prisoner Fallamain, rescued by Saint Samthann, also passedunscathed through a crowd of jailers (VSH, ii, 255; compare _ibid. _, p. 259); his chains opened of their own accord, like the doors inincident XXVI. Compare Acts xii, 7 ff. 

XXVIII. ANECDOTES OF CLUAIN IRAIRD (VG)

These four _petits conies_, found in VG only, are clearly designedto set forth the superiority of Clonmacnois above its rivalestablishments. 

(_a_) This story tells how Findian ranked Ciaran above all the notablesaints and scholars of his time, and how they had to acknowledge hispre-eminence by their very jealousy. Colum Cille is the only saintwhom the homilist will allow to approach his hero. 

(_b_) This is a thrust at the monastery of Birr. It says, in effect, "Clonmacnois is situated on the great river Shannon, Birr on theinsignificant Brosna; and the relative importance of the twoestablishments is to be estimated by the size of their respectiverivers--even Brenainn, the founder of Birr, said this himself!" Therewas a contest between the people of Clonmacnois and those of Birr ata place now unknown, _Moin Coise Bla_ (the bog at the foot of Bla)in the year 756, according to the _Annals of Clonmacnois_ and of_Tigernach_. The circumstances which led to this event are not onrecord; but it is not far-fetched to see an echo of it in the storybefore us. This would give us an approximate date for the constructionof the story, though the compilation in which it is now embedded isconsiderably later. 

(_c_) This story further exalts Clonmacnois as the place containinga valuable relic that ensures eternal happiness in the hereafter. Ofthis relic we have already spoken. 

(_d_) Again exalts Clonmacnois by relating a dream in which thefounder is put on a level with the great Colum Cille. This vision isrelated also in the Lives of the latter saint (see, for instance, LL, 852). An analogous vision, not related in the Lives of Ciaran, is thatof the three heavenly chairs, seen by Saint Baithin. He saw a chair ofgold, a chair of silver, and a chair of crystal before the Lord. As interpreted by Colum Cille, the first was the seat destined forCiaran, on account of the nobility and firmness of his faith;the silver chair was for Baithin, on account of the firmness andbrightness and rigour of his faith; and the third was for Colum Cillehimself, on account of the brightness and purity--and brittleness--ofhis faith. [18]

XXIX. THE PARTING OF CIARAN AND FINDIAN (VG)

Compare with this narrative the parting of Senan and Notal (LL, 2031). The metre of the stanza is _cummasc etir rannaigecht mór ocusleth-rannaigecht_ (seven-syllable and five-syllable lines alternately, with monosyllabic rhymes _abab_). The translation is literal. 

XXX. THE ADVENTURES OF THE ROBBERS OF LOCH ERNE (LB, LC)

LA and VG know nothing of the visit to Loch Erne of which this is thechief incident. Ninned here appears as an abbot, which is scarcelyconsistent with his previous appearance as a junior fellow-student ofCiaran. There is, however, a possible hint at this tradition in thestatement in VG that when Ciaran departed from Clonard he left the DunCow with Ninned. Ninned's island, as we learn from an entry in the_Martyrology of Donegal_ (18th January) was Inis Muighe Samh, nowspelt Inismacsaint, in Loch Erne. The reading in both MSS. Of LB, _silua_ for _insula_, evidently rests on a false interpretation of aword or a contraction in the exemplar from which R1 was copied. Thisseems to have been hard to read at the incident before us. Later onthere is a word, which the sense shows us must have been _potentes_. The scribe of R1 could not read it, and left a blank, whichhe afterwards tentatively filled in with the meaningless word_fatentes_--a word which his copyist, the scribe of R2, emended byguesswork into _fac(i)entes_. 

_Parallels. _--There are several cases of the restoration to life ofpersons who had been decapitated. Coemgen restored two women who hadbeen thus treated (VSH, i, 239). The famous Welsh holy well of SaintWinefred in Flintshire is associated with a similar miracle (see Rees'_Cambro-British Saints_, pp. 17, 304). The story of the three murderedmonks is also told of Saint Aed (VSH, i, 38), but there the blood-markround their necks is absent. Ciaran seems to have been less expertthan some of his brethren in replacing severed heads on decapitatedbodies; for according to a tale preserved in the _Book of Lismore_, there was a certain lord of the region of Ui Maine (the region west ofthe Shannon), who was called Coirpre the Crooked, for the followingreason: he was an evil man who did great mischief to every one, inconsequence of which he was murdered and beheaded. But Ciaran hadshriven him, and in order to deliver his soul from demons he restoredhim to life, replacing his head--so clumsily, however, that it wasever afterwards crooked. 

A certain man called Ambacuc, having perjured himself on the hand ofCiaran, his head fell off. He was taken to Clonmacnois, and not onlylived there headless for seven years, but became the father of afamily![19]

XXXI. HOW CIARAN FLOATED A FIREBRAND ON THE LAKE (LB)

_The Harbour of the Island. _--It must be remembered, in reading thisand other island stories, that as a rule "the harbour of the island"is not, as might be expected, the landing-stage on the island itself, but the port on the mainland from which ships depart to visit theisland. Thus Portraine, a place on the coast north of Dublin, isproperly _Port Rachrann_, the Port of Rachra--the port from whichvoyagers sailed to Rachra, the island now called by its Norse nameLambay. 

_Parallels. _--I have not found an exact parallel, but the storybelongs to the same family as that related of Coemgen, who kindled afire with the drops of water that fell from his fingers after washinghis hands (CS, 839). 

XXXII. CIARAN IN ARAN (LA, LB, VG)

_The Aran Islands. _--The marvellous isles of Aran, still a museum ofall periods of ancient Irish history, with their immense prehistoricforts and their strange little oratories, were from an early datechosen as the site of Christian communities. Enda ruled over acommunity at the southern end of the Great Island; the church stillsurvives, in ruin, and bears his name. Ciaran must have remained longenough in Aran to make a permanent impression there, for one of theancient churches--much later than his time, however--is dedicatedunder his invocation. The reference to saints "known to God only"reminds us of the dedications to saints "whose names the Lord knows"in Greek on the font of the Church of the Nativity at Bethlehem, andin Armenian on a mosaic pavement at Jerusalem. 

_Prophecy by Vision. _--This is not an infrequent incident in thesaints' Lives. It often appears at the beginning of a Life, thesaint's mother having a dream interpreted by some one, whom sheconsults, as indicative of the future greatness and holiness of herunborn son. I have not hit upon another case in these documents of thesame dream appearing to two persons at once. 

Ciaran's visit to Enda is described at length in the _Vita Endei_(VSH, ii, 71-2). We are there told that he was seven years in Aran, serving faithfully in the monastic threshing-barn, so that in thechaff-heaps it would have been impossible to discover a single grain;and that the walls of his threshing-barn were still standing in Aranwhen the hagiographer wrote. He then saw the vision of the tree, which, however, we are not told was seen by Enda also. Endainterpreted the vision as in the texts before us, and bade himgo forth to fulfil the divine will. Ciaran then went to foundClonmacnois. He besought Enda before he departed that he (Enda) shouldaccept him and his _parochia_ under his protection: but Enda answered, "God hath not ordained it so for thee, that thou shouldst in thisnarrow island be under my authority. But because of thy wondroushumility and thy perfect charity, Christ thy Lord giveth thee a halfof Ireland as thine inheritance. " Here there is another version of theclaim of Clonmacnois to legislate ecclesiastically for half of theisland. They then erected a cross as a token of their fraternalbond, putting a curse upon whomsoever should make a breach in theiragreement. In a Life of Saint Enda, quoted by the Bollandists(September, vol. Iii, p. 376 C), it is further averred that Enda sawin a vision all the angels that haunted Aran departing in the companyof Ciaran as he went on his way. Distressed at this desertion of hisheavenly ministrants, he fasted and prayed; but an angel appearedto him and comforted him, saying that the angels were permitted toaccompany Ciaran on account of his holiness, but that they wouldreturn again to Aran. 

XXXIII. HOW A PROPHECY WAS FULFILLED (LA, VG)

The versions of this incident differ considerably both in detail andin the setting of the incident. 

"_Cluain Innsythe_, " where LA sets the story, is unknown. There isno river in Aran, where VG places the incident; in this version, therefore, the ship is placed on the sea. 

_Lonan the Left-handed. _--Nothing further is recorded of this person, so far as I know. The parenthesis describing how he "was evercontradictious of Ciaran" is probably a gloss; so far as the incidentgoes, the contradictiousness is the other way. 

Note the interesting sidelights upon the practice of artificiallydrying grain in LA. There are some technical terms in the Latin ofthis incident in the LA version. Thus, the word here translated "hut"is _zabulum_; this I presume is another way of spelling _stabulum_, for the meanings given in Du Cange to _zabulum_ or similar words arehere quite unsuitable. The word which I have rendered "platter" is_rota_, and the word translated "shed" is _canaba_. 

XXXIV. HOW CIARAN VISITED SENAN

_Senan. _--This is an extremely interesting personality. His island, Inis Cathaigh (now corrupted to "Scattery") is said to derive itsname from _Cathach_, a monster (mentioned in LA) which had formerlyinhabited it, and which Senan had slain or charmed away. There areobvious pagan elements in the legends of this saint, and there can belittle doubt that the unknown hermit who founded the monastery, of which the remains are still to be seen, has entered into theinheritance of the legends of an ancient deity, most likely worshippedon the island. This deity was probably the god of the Shannon river:and the name of the saint is clearly reminiscent of the name of theriver. In their present form the two names are not philologicallycompatible: the name of the saint may be explained as an arbitrarymodification, designed to _differentiate_ the Christian saint fromthe pagan river-god. That pagan names should survive (modified orotherwise) in ancient holy places re-consecrated to Christianity isonly natural. 

There may be some foundation in fact for apparently supernaturalknowledge such as Senan displays in this incident of the personalityof a coming guest. In reading documents such as this, we are notinfrequently tempted to suspect that we have before us the record ofactual manifestations of the even yet imperfectly understood phenomenaof hypnotism, telepathy, "second sight, " and similar psychicalabnormalities. 

The story of the cloak is told again in the Life of Senan (LL, 2388). From the version there contained, we learn that Ciaran gave his cloakto _lepers_. There is another version of the visit of Ciaran to Senanin the metrical Life of the latter saint (CS, 750). According to thisstory, Ciaran was not travelling alone, but with his disciples; andthey had no means of transport to the island except an oarless boatwoven of osiers. Trusting themselves to this doubtful craft (as Cybivoyaged in a skinless coracle, _Cambro-British Saints_, pp. 186, 499), they were ferried over in safety, no water finding its way into theboat. Then follows the episode of the cloak, omitting, however, Senan's jest of carrying it secretly. A glossator has added in LAthe marginal note "Priests formerly wore cowls. " There are slightdiscrepancies between the versions as to the precise garment given byCiaran and restored by Senan. 

Another episode connecting Ciaran and Senan is narrated in themetrical Life of Senan (though the passage is absent from the CS copy;it will be found in the Bollandist edition, March, vol. Ii, p. 766). Briefly, this tale is to the effect that Ciaran and Brenainn went toSenan for confession. They were received with fitting honour, but thesteward of Inis Cathaigh told his superior that he had no provision toset before the guests. "The Lord will provide, " answered Senan; andin point of fact, a prince for whom a feast was at the time beingprepared on the mainland was divinely inspired to send it as a giftto the sacred island. The saints partook of the banquet thus bestowedupon them; and while they were doing so, a small bell fell from heaveninto their midst. None of the three was willing to assert a claim tothis gift over the other two; and after discussion they agreed toadvance in different directions, and he who should continue longest tohear the sound of the bell was to be its possessor. This test assignedthe bell to Senan. The shrine of this sacred relic (the bell itselfis lost) is now preserved in the museum of the Royal Irish Academy, having been acquired from the last hereditary keeper by a generousdonor. [20]

_The Geographical Names. _--Besides "the island of Cathi" (InisCathaigh, Scattery) LA refers to "Luim-nich" (Limerick), Kiarraighi(properly _Ciarraige_, [North] Kerry), and Corco Baiscind (thesouthern barony of Co. Clare), now spelt "Corcovaskin. "

XXXV. CIARAN IN ISEL (LA, LB, VG)

_Cobthach son of Brecan_. --This person, who is said in VG to havemade over Isel to Ciaran, was probably a local chieftain; but he hasescaped the notice of the Annalists. In any case the statement that hemade over Isel to Ciaran is so obviously incongruous with the sense ofthe passage, that it can be safely rejected as an interpolation. Itspurpose is to claim for Clonmacnois the possession of the land calledIsel, the site of which is no longer known, though it cannot havebeen far from Clonmacnois. Conn of the Poor, the great and charitablebenefactor of Clonmacnois in the early years of the eleventh century, established an almshouse at Isel; and some fifty-six years later, in the year 1087, his son Cormac, then abbot, purchased Isel inperpetuity from the king of Meath. 

_Parallels. _--We have already (incident XXI) seen an example of therescue of a book from rain; compare also incident XLI. The garment ofFinan (CS, 316) and of Cainnech (CS, 371) were preserved from rain, and snow did not injure a book belonging to Abban (CS, 530). Theforgetfulness attributed to the saint with regard to his preciousvolume is a regular feature of this type of incident: it is no doubtmeant to honour him, as indicating that the fulfilment of his monasticduties were yet more precious in his eyes. Moling forgot his book whenreading by the sea-shore, and though the tide arose and covered it, itremained uninjured (VSH, ii, 191). There are numerous illustrationsof the paramount need of attending to guests scattered through thesaints' Lives. 

The story of the grain cast into the breast of a poor man has comedown to us in confusion: it is not clear why the chariot is introducedat all. Probably we have a conflation of two incidents. In the one(which is the version followed by LA, for which see § 26 of thatdocument) Ciaran gave to a pauper a chariot and horses which theprince Oengus son of Cremthann had given him: as that prince belongsto the boyhood stories, it is probable that this incident should betransferred to that section of the Life. In the other incident, whichmay belong to the Isel period, Ciaran flings grain into the breast ofthe poor man, where it turns into gold: and we may suppose that thepointless re-transformation of the gold to grain did not take place. Asimilar tale is told of Saint Aed (VSH, ii, 308). The weird story ofthe jester who stopped the funeral of Guaire, king of Connacht, famousfor his abounding liberality, and demanded a gift of the dead man, isof the same type; we are told that the dead king scooped up some earthwith his hand, and flung it into the jester's lap, where it becamepure gold. [21]

XXXVI. THE REMOVAL OF THE LAKE (LA, LB, VG)

The island in the lake was probably a crannog, or artificial fortifiedisland, such as are common on the lakes of Ireland. Fundamentally thestory is an evident aetiological myth, intended to account for theexistence of some curious swampy hollow. In its present form it isobviously suggested by Matt, xvii, 20. Note that VG does not seem tocontemplate the wholesale removal of the lake. 

_Parallels_ are not wanting. Findian dried up a lake by prayer (CS, 192); and houses were shifted from the west side to the east side ofa flood for the convenience of Colum Cille (LL, 858). Saint Cainnech, finding the excessive singing of birds on a certain island to be aninterruption to his devotions, compelled them to keep silence (CS, 376; VSH, i, 161). 

XXXVII. CIARAN DEPARTS FROM ISEL (LA, VG)

_Parallels. _--The nuns of Brigit made a similar complaint against theexcessive charity of their abbess (LL, 1598). For the stag compareincident XXI; also the tale of how Brenainn was on one occasion guidedby a hound (CS, 116). Ruadan, having given in alms his chariot-horsesto lepers, found two stags to take their place (CS, 328). 

_The Stanza in VG. _--The metre is one of the numerous forms of_debide_, seven-syllable lines with echo-rhymes in which therhyme-syllable is stressed in the first line, unstressed in the second(as _mén_, _táken_). The stanza before us is in _debide scáilte_, where the two couplets of the stanza are not linked by any form ofsound assonance. The literal translation is: "Although it be low itwould have been high / had not the murmuring come // the murmuring, had it not come / it would have been high though it be low. "

_The Geographical Names in LA. _--Loch Rii (properly Loch Rib) is LochRee on the Shannon, above Athlone. The island called Inis Aingin hasnow the name of Hare Island; it is at the south end of the lake nearthe outlet of the river. There are some scanty remains of a monasticestablishment to be seen upon it. 

XXXVIII. CIARAN IN INIS AINGIN (LA, LB, VG)

_The Presbyter Daniel. _--For the presence here of a Welsh or Britishpriest, see the remarks in Plummer, VSH, i, p. Cxxiv. But it isprobable that in the original form of the story the presbyter Danielwas a fictitious ecclesiastic, perhaps the Evil One disguised. We maycompare the two false bishops that came to expel Colum Cille from Iona(LL, 1007). Biblical names were sometimes used in the early IrishChurch, though native names were preferred. There is actually themonument of a person called Daniel at Clonmacnois; it is a slab, bearing an engraved cross and inscription, probably of the ninth ortenth century. 

_The Gift. _--This is said in VG to have been a cup adorned with birds. Such forms of decoration seem to have been common, and are sometimesreferred to in Irish romances, though few, if any, examples that maybe compared with the descriptions have come down to us. In LA a word_antilum_ is used, which does not appear to occur anywhere else, andis unknown to our lexicographers. It is possibly a corruption for_an(n)ulum_, "a ring. " Naturally this tale of the gift must be a lateraccretion to the story, if it had the origin just suggested. 

Note, in the long eulogy of the saint which the author of LB gives ushere, that the writer has not hesitated to introduce reminiscences ofPhil, ii, 7, 8, thus hinting at the general _Tendenz_ of the Lives ofSaint Ciaran. The rest of the eulogy is a free paraphrase of Rom. Xii, 9 ff. There is extant a metrical "Monastic Rule" attributed to SaintCiaran, which was edited by the late Prof. Strachan in _Eriu_ (Thejournal of the Dublin "School of Irish Learning") vol. Ii, p. 227. The subject-matter of this composition is a series of regulationson morality and mortification of the flesh, but the language is soobscure, and the text of the single MS. Which alone contains it is socorrupt, that even the pre-eminent Celtist who edited the poem wouldnot venture on a translation. 

XXXIX. THE COMING OF OENNA (LA, LB, VG)

_Parallels. _--As Ciaran recognised Oenna by his voice, so Colmanpicked out by his voice one of a number of soldiers destined for areligious life (VSH, i, 261). With the incident of the consecration, as successor, of an unprepossessing intruder, compare the tale ofFindian consecrating for the same purpose a raider whom he caughthiding in the furnace-chamber of his kiln (LL, 2628 ff. ; CS, 198). The version in LB conveys the impression that Oenna's learning wasimparted to him miraculously, as Oengus the Culdee inspired an idleboy with a miraculous knowledge of his neglected lesson. [22]

The story of Oenna is told rather differently in the glosses to the_Martyrology of Oengus_ (Bradshaw edn. , pp. 48 ff. ). Oenna with twocompanions was going for military service to the King of Connacht. They came to the embarking-place, not of Inis Aingin, but the largerInis Clothrann (now sometimes called Quaker Island), where there areextensive ancient monastic remains. Ciaran was at the time in InisClothrann. He summoned Oenna to him, and asked him whither he wasfaring. "To the King of Connacht, " answered Oenna. "Were it not betterrather to contract with the King of Heaven and earth?" asked Ciaran. "It were better, " said Oenna, "if it be right to do so. " "It isright, " answered Ciaran. Then Oenna was tonsured and began hisstudies. Here the miraculous insight which recognised in the warrioryouth the future abbot is ignored. The tract _De Arreis_[23] tells usof the penance which Ciaran imposed upon Oenna: briefly stated it wasas follows. He was to remain three days and three nights in a darkenedroom, not breaking his fast save with three sips of water each day. Every day he was to sing the whole Psalter, standing, without astaff to support him, making a genuflexion at the end of each Psalm, reciting _Beati_ after each fifty, and _Hymnum dicat_ after every_Beati_ in cross-vigil (_i. E. _, standing upright with his armsstretched out sideways horizontally). He was not to lie down but onlyto sit, was to observe the canonical hours, and was to meditate on thePassion of Christ and upon his own sins. 

The author of LA betrays his Irish personality by a phrase which heuses of Oenna. Ciaran bids his followers to fetch _materiam abbatisuestri_--"the makings of your abbot. " This is a regular idiom foran heir-apparent, and it shows that if the writer be not actuallytranslating from an Irish document, he is at least thinking in Irishas he writes in Latin. 

XL. HOW CIARAN RECOVERED HIS GOSPEL (LA, VG)

There is another story of a gospel recovered from a lake, but withoutany mention of a cow as the agent for its rescue (CS, 556). The talemay be founded on fact. The "Port of the Gospel" is now forgotten. 

Books preserved as relics (_e. G. _ the gospels belonging to a saintedfounder) were kept in metal shrines, and valuable books which were inuse were hung in satchels of leather on the walls of the library orscriptorium. Two specimens of such satchels still remain. 

XLI. HOW CIARAN WENT FROM INIS AINGHIN TO CLONMACNOIS (LA, LB, VG)

_Parallels. _--As Ciaran gave up his monastery to Donnan, in likemanner Munnu surrendered his settlement to the virgin Emer (CS, 495). The list of equipments delivered by Ciaran to Donnan introduces usto the "human beast of burden, " Mael-Odran, a servile functionaryoccasionally met with in Irish literature. A well-known incident ofSt. Adamnan introduces him travelling "with his mother on his back"(see Reeves, _Vita Columbae_, p. 179). As to the bell, it may be worthnoting that my friend Mr. Walter Campbell, formerly of Athlone, hasinformed me that an ancient bronze ecclesiastical bell, found on thelake shore opposite Hare Island, was long preserved, and used asa domestic bell, in the cottage of a man named Quigley. The ownerbelieved that it was the bell of St. Ciaran, possibly that mentionedin VG: this is not impossible, though hardly likely, as a bell of suchantiquity would most probably be of iron, and rendered uselessby corrosion. Unfortunately, the bell in question is no longerforthcoming: it disappeared one day from Quigley's house, stolen, hebelieved, by a tourist who chanced to pass by. 

Note Donnan's relationship to Senan as set forth in VG. He wasbrother's-son of Senan, but had the same mother as Senan. Clearly thisindicates a _ménage_ such as that indicated by Cæsar as existing amongthe wilder tribes of Britain; a polyandry in which the husbands werefather and sons (_De Bello Gallico_, V, xiv). These people wereprobably pre-Celtic, and this strengthens the arguments already putforward for a pre-Celtic origin for the Protagonist of our narrative. 

On the subject of the burial of the chieftains of Ui Neill and theConnachta at Clonmacnois, see Plummer, i, p. Cx. Neill is the genitiveof Niall. 

_Ard Manntain_ is now unknown. 

The chronological indications contained in VG are sufficiently closeto accuracy to show that they have been calculated, though thecomputor has made a miscount of a year. The eighth of the calends ofFebruary (25th January) in A. D. 548 was actually a Saturday, but itwas two days before new moon. The same day in A. D. 549 was the tenthday of the moon, but it fell on a Monday. 

Of the companions of Ciaran, Oengus (properly Oenna) succeeded him asabbot, dying in A. D. 569; Mac Nisse, who was an Ultonian, followedhim, and died 13 June 584 (aliter 587). The others, however, do notappear to have found a place in the martyrologies. Mo-Beoc is adifferent person from the famous Mo-Beog of Loch Derg in Co. Donegal. 

XLII. THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH (LA, VG)

The two versions are independent. But though there are no wizards ordruids in the VG version, they appear in another story connectingDiarmait with the foundation of Clonmacnois. This is to the effectthat Diarmait was at a place on the Shannon near Clonmacnois, calledSnam dá Én, and saw the glow of the first camp-fire lighted on thesite of the future monastery by Ciaran and his followers. The druidswho were with Diarmait told him that unless that fire were forthwithquenched, it would never be put out. "It shall be quenchedimmediately, " said Diarmait; so with hostile purpose he advancedon Clonmacnois, but instead of doing what he proposed, he sufferedhimself to be pressed into the service of the builders, as the storyin VG narrates. The tale in LA is interesting, as showing (1) theexistence of a calendar of seasons lucky and unlucky for variousenterprises, and (2) a spirit of kindly tolerance on the part of thepagan wizard. 

The wiles of wizards were exposed by various saints, _e. G. _ by Aed andby Cainnech. These tales are curious; the wizard in each caseappeared to pass through a tree, but the saint opened the eyes of thespectators, so that they saw him actually passing round it (CS, 353, 368; VSH, i, 156). This reads like the exposure of hypnoticallyinduced hallucinations. [24]

Diarmait mac Cerrbeil, or more properly mac Fergusa Cerrbeil, wasgrandson of Conall Cremthainne, son of Niall Noi-giallach, theancestor of the royal line of Ui Neill. The reigning king, TuathalMoel-Garb, of whom we have already heard, was grandson of Coirpre, another son of Niall. As a possible rival for the kingship, Tuathalhad driven him into banishment. Mael-Moire, or Mael-Morda, whomurdered Tuathal, was Diarmait's foster-brother. When Diarmait wasinstalled on the throne, he summoned the convention of Uisnech--oneof the places where from time immemorial religious Pan-Ierneanassemblies, resembling in character the Pan-Hellenic Olympicgatherings, had been held. How Diarmait afterwards offended Ciaran, was cursed by him, and met his death in consequence of that curse, maybe read in the tale printed in _Silua Gadelica_, No. Vi, from whichwe have just quoted the version of the story of setting up of thecorner-post. 

There are chronological discrepancies, difficult if not impossible toreconcile, between the annalist's dates for Diarmait and those forCiaran. The _Annals of Ulster_ places the death of Tuathal in 543, theaccession of Diarmait in 544, and the death of Ciaran in 548, sevenyears after founding Clonmacnois. Some MSS. Of these Annals, however, omit the reference to the seven years, and place the accession ofDiarmait in 548, evidently to reconcile the stories. According tothe _Annals of the Four Masters_, Tuathal was slain in 538, Diarmaitsucceeded in 539, and Ciaran died in 548. The _Annals of Clonmacnois_is more consonant with the chronology of the Life of Ciaran. It tellsthe tale so picturesquely that we transcribe it here, as beforemodernising the spelling--

"535. Tuathal Moel-Garb began his reign, and reigned eleven years. . . . He caused Diarmait mac Cerrbeil to live in exile and in desert places, because he claimed to have right to the crown. . . . 

"547. King Tuathal having proclaimed throughout the whole kingdom thebanishment of Diarmait mac Cerrbeil, as before is specified, with agreat reward to him that would bring him his heart, the said Diarmaitfor fear of his life lived in the deserts of Clonmacnois, then calledArd Tiprat: and meeting with the abbot Saint Ciaran, in the placewhere the church of Clonmacnois now stands, who was but newly comethither to live or dwell from Inis Aingin, and having no house orplace to reside or dwell in, the said Diarmait gave him his assistanceto make a house there, and in thrusting down in the earth one of thepieces of the timber or wattles of the house, the said Diarmait tookSaint Ciaran's hand and did put it over his own head or hand in signof reverence to the saint: whereupon the saint humbly besought God ofHis great goodness that by that time to-morrow ensuing that [_sic_]the hands of Diarmait might have superiority over all Ireland. Which fell out as the saint requested, for Mael-Moire ó hArgata, foster-brother of Diarmait, seeing in what perplexity the noblemanwas in [_sic_], besought him that he might be pleased to lend him hisblack horse, and that he would make his repair to Greallach da Phuill, where he heard King Tuathal to have a meeting with some of his nobles;and there would present him with a whelp's heart on a spear's head, instead of Diarmait's heart, and so by that means get access to theking, whom he would kill out of hand and by the help and swiftnessof the horse save his own life whether they would or no. Diarmait, listing to the words of his foster-brother was amongst twoextremities, loath to refuse him and far more loath to lend it him, fearing he should miscarry and be killed, but between both, he grantedhim his request; whereupon he prepared himself, and went as he wasresolved, mounted on the said black horse, a heart besprinkled withblood on his spear, to the place where he heard the king to be; theking and his people seeing him come in that manner, supposed that itwas Diarmait's heart that was to be presented by the man that rode inpost-haste; the whole multitude gave him way to that king, and when hecame within reach to the king as though to tender him the heart, hegave the king such a deadly blow of his spear that the king instantlyfell down dead in the midst of his people, whereupon the man was beseton all sides and at last taken and killed, so as speedy news came toDiarmait, who incontinently went to Tara, and there was crowned kingas Saint Ciaran prayed and prophesied before. . . . Diarmait was notabove seven months king, when Saint Ciaran died in Clonmacnois, wherehe dwelt therein but seven months before, in the thirty-third year ofhis age, on the 9th of September. "

_The Stanzas in VG. _--The metre is _ae freslige_. Literally: "I shallspeak witness truly / though single is thy numerous train // thoushalt be a king pleasant, dignified / of Ireland this time to-morrow/// The slaying of chosen Tuathal / Moel-Garb, it was a crying withoutglory // thence is the choice saying / 'it was the deed of Moel-Moire'/// Without rout and without slaughter / he took Uisnech, it was notafter an assembly // Diarmait the eminent gave / a hundred churches toGod and to Ciaran. "

_The Episode of Tren_ (VG). --This story illustrates a belief insympathetic magic. What Tren had done to deserve this punishment isunknown, nor is the site of Cluain Iochtar identified. Possibly he hadendeavoured to prevent Ciaran from founding his church; compare thestory of Findian and Baeth (LL, 2624). Patrick had a dispute with acertain Trian, but the details of the story are different (TT, p. 45, ch. Lxxx, etc. ). It is difficult for us to put ourselves into theposition of people who thought to honour their saint by telling astory about him which we should consider not only silly but immoral. But such an attempt must be tried if we are to understand anything ofancient writings, in whatever language and from whatever countriesthey may come down to us. Even when we read so modern and so universalan author as Shakspere we must for the moment imagine ourselvessixteenth-century Elizabethans; the more we succeed in doing so, thebetter do we understand what we read. So, in criticising a story likethis, we must rid ourselves of all our twentieth-century prejudices, and accept it in the simple faith of those to whom it was intended tobe told. 

On one of the great carved crosses still to be seen inClonmacnois--that erected in memory of Flann King of Ireland (ob. 914)--there is a panel representing an ecclesiastic and a laymanholding an upright post between them. It has been plausiblyconjectured that this represents the erection of the corner-post ofthe church, as described in our text. 

XLIII. HOW CIARAN SENT A CLOAK TO SENAN (LA, VG)

The "Cloak of Senan" must have been an actual relic preserved on InisCathaig; tradition said that it had been floated on the river to thesaint of the island, though there were various opinions as to whichsaint had done the miracle; it is attributed to Brigit daughter of CuCathrach (LL, 2399) and to Diarmait (CS, 753). For parallels to theautomatic transfer of objects by water, see Plummer, VSH, i, p. Clxxxvi, note 2. 

XLIV. CIARAN AND THE WINE (LA, LB, VG)

The choice laid before the monks is curious, and hardly consonantwith the usual spirit of abjuring the world; it may be aetiological, designed to explain, and perhaps to excuse, the opulence and temporalimportance of Clonmacnois at the time when it was written. A similarbut not identical story appears in the life of Munnu (VSH, ii, 227). 

It is quite obvious that the story as we have it is a conflation oftwo versions of the anecdote. In the one version the wine was broughtby Frankish merchants and acquired by purchase; in the other it wasprovided by miracle. The composite story appears in LA and VG; LBknows the miraculous version only. 

That Frankish merchants should have sailed up the Shannon anddelivered a cargo of wine at a settlement in the heart of Ireland inthe middle of the sixth century, is no mere extravagance. The subjectof ancient Irish trade has been very fully investigated by the lateProf. Zimmer, and he has brought a large number of facts togetherwhich show that such an episode is a quite credible fragment ofhistory. [25]

The second version, though LB calls it _miraculum insolitum_, is oneof the commonplaces of hagiography. Water was turned to wine by a hostof saints, such as Colum Cille (LL, 839), Fursa (CS, 111), Findian(CS, 205), Lugaid (CS, 283), Aed (CS, 339), and others needless tospecify. Fintan (CS, 404), and Munnu (CS, 503), blessed a cup in suchwise that one of their followers, while appearing, in self-abnegation, to drink nothing but water for thirty years, was in reality enjoyingthe best wine! Saint Brynach drew wine from a brook and fishes fromits stones (_Cambro-British Saints_, pp. 12, 298), Brigit (LL, 1241)and Colman Elo (CS, 441) turned water into ale; the former (LL, 1368)as well as Lugaid (CS, 269, 280) and Fintan (CS, 404) turned waterinto milk. 

I have not found any exact parallel to the incident of the scentedthumb. 

There is a cognate tale in the Life of Colman, in which monks, thirstywith labour, expressed a doubt as to the reality of the heavenlyreward, whereupon their eyes were opened to see a vision of the joysof the after-life (VSH, i, 265). 

The _Tendenz_ of the biographies of Ciaran is clearly marked in thehint at a parallel between the last supper of Ciaran and the LastPassover of Our Lord. 

XLV. THE STORY OF CRITHIR (LA, VG)

On the consecrated Paschal fire, see Frazer, _Balder the Beautiful_, vol. I, p. 120 ff. 

_Parallels. _--Coemgen carried fire in his bosom (CS, 837, VSH, i, 236). Cadoc also carried fire in his cloak without injury(_Cambro-British Saints_, pp. 30, 319). Elsewhere we hear of flameswhich do not consume, as in the burning bush of Moses, and probablyin imitation of it (Exod. Iii, 2). Thus the magic fire that deliveredSamthann from a forced marriage appeared to ignite a whole town, which, however, suffered no injury (VSH, ii, 253). The fall of firefrom heaven in answer to prayer is most likely imitated from 1 Kingsxviii, 38. 

The verse extracts at the end of LB (which see) contain a form of thisstory incompatible with the prose narratives. 

The boy slain but not torn by wolves is, of course, imitated from theProphet whose story is told in 1 Kings xiii, which is directly quotedin LA. 

The mutual blessings of the two saints may be compared with theprophecy said to have been uttered by Ciaran of Saints Cronan andMolan who visited him at Clonmacnois (CS, 542). The one (Cronan) tookaway with him the remains of his repast for distribution to the poor, the other left them behind in the monastery; whereupon Ciaran saidthat the monastery of the one should be rich in wealth and in charity, that of the other should always maintain the rule (of poverty). Suchtales as this, of compacts between saints, are probably based onmutual arrangements of one kind or another between the monasterieswhich claimed the saints as founders; we have already seen leaguesestablished between Clonard and Aran on one side and Clonmacnois onthe other, expressed as leagues made by Ciaran with Findian and Endarespectively. Contrariwise, we read of the disagreement of saints whentheir monasteries were at feud with one another. Ciaran was not alwaysso successful in making treaties with his ecclesiastical brethren. Thus, he is said to have made overtures to Colman mac Luachain of Lann(now Lynn, Co. Westmeath)--a remarkable feat in itself, as Colman diedabout a century after his time--but not only did Colman refuse, but hesent a swarm of demons in the shape of wasps to repel Ciaran and hisfollowers, who were journeying towards him. Ciaran then made a moremoderate offer, which Colman again refused. [26] Lann was in theterritory of the Delbna, who, although friendly to Clonmacnois inthe middle of the eleventh century, plundered it towards its close(_Chronicon Scotorum_, 1058, 1090; _Annals of Four Masters_, 1060). 

The chronology of Ciaran the Elder is entirely uncertain. He is saidto have been one of the pre-Patrician saints, in which case he couldhardly have been a contemporary of Ciaran the Younger, unless webelieve in the portentous length of life with which the hagiographerscredit him (over three centuries, according to the _Martyrology ofDonegal_, though others are content with a more moderate estimate). 

The story of Crithir is told again in the Lives of Ciaran the Elder(see _Silua Gadelica_, vol. I, p. 14, and corresponding translation). The culprit is there called Crithid, and the version adds that theevent took place in a time of snow. 

_The Geographical Names in LA. _--Saigyr, properly Saigir, is nowSeir-Kieran in King's Co. Hele, properly Eile, was a region comprisingthe baronies of Clonlisk and Ballybrit in King's Co. , and Eliogartyand Ikerrin in Tipperary. 

XLVI. HOW AN INSULT TO CIARAN WAS AVERTED (LB)

For parallels to this story see Plummer, VSH, i, p. Clxxxvii, note. Compare also the third of the metrical fragments with which LB closes. It is clear that the purpose of the robbers was to efface the tonsureof the saint; very likely ecclesiastics were on occasion subjected tosuch rough treatment during the period of transition between Paganismand Christianity. 

XLVII. HOW CIARAN WAS SAVED FROM SHAME (LB)

Contemporary representations (_e. G. _ on the sculptured crosses) showthat at this time two garments were normally worn, a _lene_ or innertunic, and a _bratt_ or mantle. These, with the addition of a cape, something like a university hood, which could be thrown over the head, made up the complete equipment, and if all these were given to beggarsthe owner would be left completely destitute. So, in the story of theBattle of Carn Conaill, as narrated in the _Book of the Dun Cow_, Guaire, king of Connacht, of whom we have already heard, on oneoccasion would, if permitted, have divested himself of all clothingto satisfy importunate beggars. The device of the water-covering isremarkable. 

XLVIII. HOW A MAN WAS SAVED FROM ROBBERS (LB)

This story, summarily and rather obscurely told in the text before us, is related more clearly in the Life of Brenainn (VSH, i, 101). Thesaint, seeing a man hard pressed by his enemies, bade him take up hisposition beside a standing stone; he then transformed the victiminto the stone, and the stone into the victim. The assailants, thusdeceived, cut off the head of the stone, and departed in triumph: thesaint then reversed the transformation, leaving the man to go hisway in peace. An analogous story is that of Cadoc, who turned raidedcattle into bundles of fern, and transformed them back to cattle whenthe raiders had retired discomfited (_Cambro-British Saints_, pp. 49, 342). 

XLIX. THE DEATH OF CIARAN (LA, LB, VG)

This impressive story, which is as remote as possible in style fromthe ordinary stock incident, is probably authentic. The chronologicalindications in VG are quite wrong: the 9th of September A. D. 548 was aWednesday, and was the twentieth day of the moon. They are, however, so far accurate for the year 556, that 9th September in that year wasSaturday, and was the _nineteenth_ day of the moon. As the observationof new moon, if not astronomically calculated, is often wrong by aday, owing to the faint crescent not being seen at its very firstappearance, this is sufficiently close to allow us to enquirelegitimately whether 556 may not have been the true date of Ciaran'sdeath. 

The Bollandists cite from the Life of Saint Cellach a tale to theeffect that Cellach was son of Eogan Bel King of Connacht, and wasa monk at Clonmacnois; but on the death of his father he secretlyabsconded, in order to secure the kingdom for himself. Becomingconvinced of the sinfulness of this proceeding, he returned andsubmitted to Ciaran once more, who received him fraternally _after hehad spent a year in penance_. As the Bollandists point out, thisstory (quite independently of its historical authenticity) reveals atradition other than that of Ciaran spending but seven months on earthafter founding Clonmacnois. The _Annals of Ulster_ also gives him alonger time at Clonmacnois, dating the foundation 541, and the deathof the saint 548: a space of seven years. This would make the saintonly twenty-six years old when he founded Clonmacnois, which isperhaps improbable. We may suggest another way of reconciling thetraditions, taking the orthodox date for the foundation of Clonmacnois(548) but postponing the death of the saint to 556, in accordance withthe astronomical indications. Some one noticed that if his life wereretrenched to the year of the foundation of the monastery, it would bebrought into conformity in length with the Life of Christ. 

With Ciaran's indifference as to the fate of his relics, contrast thedying injunction of Cuthbert to his monks, that they should dig up hisbones and transport them whithersoever they should go. [27]

The _Little Church_ intended by the author is presumably the smallchapel, of which the ruins still remain at Clonmacnois, called SaintCiaran's chapel. It is a century or two later than Ciaran's time, butmay very probably stand on the site of Ciaran's wooden church. Hard byis the end of a raised causeway leading to the Nunnery; this may bethe "Little Height" referred to. 

L. THE VISIT OF COEMGEN (LA, VG)

Coemgen's petulance at the preoccupation of the bereaved monks (VG)is in keeping with other traditions of that peppery saint. Theresurrection of Ciaran after three days is another touch in imitationof the Gospel story: it is, however, also told of Saint Darerca, whoappeared to her nuns three days after her death (CS, 185). 

The story before us is thus related in the Life of Coemgen: "Atanother time most blessed Coemgenus made his way to visit most holyKyaranus the abbot, who founded his settlement Cluayn meic Noys, whichis in the western border of the territory of Meath, on the bank ofthe river Synna over against the province of the Connachta. But SaintCyaranus on the third day before Saint Coemgenus arrived, passed fromthis world to Christ. His body was laid in a church on a bier, tillSaint Coemgenus and other saints should come to bury him. And SaintCoemgenus coming late to the monastery of Saint Chyaranus, he enteredthe church in which was the holy body and commanded all the brethrento go forth, wishing to spend that night alone beside the sacred body. And when all the brethren had gone out, Saint Coemgenus carefullyclosed the door of the church, and remained there alone till thefollowing day; but some of the brethren were watching till morningbefore the doors of the church. And as Saint Coemgenus prayed there, the most blessed soul of Saint Chiaranus returned to his body, and herose and began to speak in health-giving words to Saint Coemgenus. Thebrethren remaining outside heard the voice of each of them clearly. Saint Kyaranus asked blessed Coemgenus that they should interchangetheir vesture, as a sign of everlasting fellowship: and so they did. On the following day when the door of the church was opened, thebrethren found Saint Coemgenus clad in the vesture of Saint Kyaranus, and Kyaranus wrapped in the vestments of Saint Coemgenus. The bodyof Saint Kyaranus was warm, having a ruddy tinge in the face. SaintCoemgenus pointed out to the monks of Saint Kyaranus the brotherhoodand fellowship which he and Saint Kyaranus had established for everbetween themselves and their places and their monks; and the brethrenwho watched that night bore testimony thereto. When the body of SaintKyaranus was honourably committed to the ground, Saint Coemgenusreturned to his own settlement. " (VSH, i, 248). 

In this story we see as before the explanation of a treaty betweenClonmacnois and Glendaloch. 

The _Annals of Clonmacnois_ narrates the story of the death of Ciaranand the visit of Coemgen, with an interesting additional miracle. "Dying, he desired his monks that they would bury his body in theLittle Church of Clonmacnois, and stop the door thereof with stones, and let nobody have access thereunto until his companion Coemgenhad come; which they accordingly did. But Saint Coemgen dwelling atGlendaloch in Leinster then, it was revealed to him of the death ofhis dear and loving companion Saint Ciaran, whereupon he came suddenlyto Clonmacnois: and finding the monks and servants of Saint Ciaran intheir sorrowful and sad dumps after the death of their said lord andmaster, he asked them of the cause of their sadness. They were soheartless for grief as they gave no answer; and at last, fearing hewould grow angry, they told him Saint Ciaran was dead and buried, andordered or ordained the place of his burial should be kept withoutaccess until his coming. The stones being taken out of the door, SaintCoemgen entered, to whom Saint Ciaran appeared: and [they] remainedconversing together for twenty-four hours, as is very confidentlylaid down in the Life of Saint Ciaran; and afterwards Saint Coemgendeparted to the place of his own abiding, [and] left Saint Ciaranburied in the said Little Church of Clonmacnois. But king Diarmaitmost of all men grieved for his death, insomuch that he grew deaf, andcould not hear the causes of his subjects, by reason of the heavinessand troublesomeness of his brains. Saint Colum Cille being thenbanished into Scotland, king Diarmait made his repair to him, to theend [that] he might work some means by miracles for the recovery ofhis health and hearing: and withal told Saint Colum Cille how heassembled all the physicians of Ireland, and that they could not helphim. Then said Saint Colum: 'Mine advice unto you is to make yourrepair to Clonmacnois, to the place where your ghostly father andfriend Saint Ciaran is buried: and there to put a little of the earthof his grave or of himself in your ears, which is the medicine which Ithink to be most available to help you. ' The king having received thesaid instructions of Saint Colum, took his journey immediately toClonmacnois; and finding Oenna maccu Laigsi, who was abbot of theplace after Saint Ciaran, absent, he spoke to Lugaid, then parishpriest of Clonmacnois, and told him of Saint Colum's instructions untohim. Whereupon priest Lugaid and king Diarmait fasted and watched thatnight in the Little Church where Saint Ciaran was buried, and the nextmorning the priest took the bell that he had, named then the WhiteBell, [28] and mingled part of the clay of Saint Ciaran therein withholy water, and put the same in the king's ears, and immediately theking had as good hearing as any in the kingdom, and the whole sicknessand troubles of his brains ceased at that instant, which made the kingto say, _Is feartach an ní do ní an clog orainn_, which is as much asto say in English, 'The bell did do us a miraculous turn. ' Which bellSaint Lugna conveyed with him to the church of Fore, where he remainedafterwards. King Diarmait bestowed great gifts of lands on Clonmacnoisin honour of Saint Ciaran, for the recovery of his health. "

The bell, called the _bóbán_ of Coemgen, reappears much later inhistory as a relic on which oaths were taken (_Annals of Clonmacnois_, anno 1139; _Four Masters_, anno 1143). It was doubtless a relicpreserved at Glendaloch, in which the people of Clonmacnois rightly orwrongly claimed a part-proprietorship. The name is obscure: it means, according to O'Davoren's Glossary, a calf or little cow: and Plummer(VSH, i, p. Clxxvii) suggests that this name may be an allusion to itssmall size. But why "calf"? Is it an allusion to the original use ofthe type of bells used for ecclesiastical purposes in Ireland, ascow-bells?

Angels were seen by Saint Colman to fill the space between heaven andearth to receive the soul of Pope Gregory (VSH, i, 264). 

LI. THE EARTH OF CIARAN'S TOMB DELIVERS COLUM CILLE FROM A WHIRLPOOL(LA, LB)

This is perhaps an imitation of the tale of the Empress Helena, who, when returning after her discovery of the True Cross, was deliveredfrom a storm by casting one of the Nails into the sea. Colum Cille wassaved from the whirlpool of Coire Bhreacain (Corrievreckan, betweenJura and Scarba) on another (?) occasion, by reciting a hymn to Brigit(LL, 1706). 

_The Visit of Colum Cille to Clonmacnois. _--This took place during therule of Ailithir, the fourth abbot of Clonmacnois (A. D. 589-595). Itis described in Adamnan's _Vita Columbae_, where we read of the honourpaid to the distinguished visitor, and how he was greeted with hymnsand praises, while a canopy was borne over him on his way to thechurch, to protect him from inconvenient crowding. A humble boy, auseless servitor in the monastery, came behind Columba to touch thehem of his garment: the saint, miraculously apprised of this, caughthim by the neck and held him, despite the protests of the brethrenthat he should dismiss this "wretched and noxious boy. " Then he badethe boy stretch forth his tongue, and blessed it, prophesying hisfuture increase in wisdom and knowledge, and his eminence as apreacher. The boy was Ernin or Ernoc, the patron saint of Kilmarnock;and Adamnan had the tale from Failbe, who was standing by as Erninhimself related the incident to Abbot Segine of Í. Colum Cille alsoprophesied the Easter controversy, and told of angelic visitationsthat he had had within the precincts of Clonmacnois: but Adamnan saysnothing about the hymn to Ciaran, or the wonder-working clay from histomb, although elsewhere in his book the terrors of Corrievreckanare alluded to. According to a prophecy of Colum Cille narrated inO'Donnell's Life of that saint, Patrick is to judge the men of Irelandon the Last Day at Clonmacnois. 

_The Hymn of Colum Cille. _--This composition has not been preservedin its entirety. Fragments of it are introduced into the HomileticIntroduction of VG, which are enough to identify it with a short hymnto be found in the Irish _Liber Hymnorum_, and published by Bernardand Atkinson in their edition of that compilation. [29] It is asfollows--

 Alto et ineffabile apostolorum coeti celestis Hierosolimæ sublimioris speculi sedente tribunalibus solis modo micantibus Quiaranus sanctus sacerdos insignis nuntius

 inaltatus est manibus angelorum celestibus consummatis felicibus sanctitatum generibus quem tu Christe apostolum mundo misisti hominem gloriosum in omnibus nouissimis temporibus

 rogamus Deum altissimum per sanctorum memoriam sancti Patrici episcopi Ciarani prespeteri Columbæque auxilia nos deffendat egregia ut per illorum merita possideamus premia

Obviously the third stanza, with its reference to Colum Cille himself, is a later addition, so that only the first two stanzas belong to theoriginal hymn. The sixth line, _quem tu Christe_, is quoted in thesection of VG referred to; but the three other excerpts, _lucerna_. . . , _custodiantur_. . . , _propheta_. . . , do not appear in the text before us:nor do the surviving stanzas justify the extravagant praise said to havebeen heaped on the composition at Clonmacnois--though no doubt acomposition by Colum Cille, had it only the artless simplicity of anursery jingle, would have been sure of an appreciative audience. However, the text seems to indicate something much more elaborate, andprobably the original composition was an acrostic, like Colum Cille'sgreat _Altus Prosator_. [30] The two authentic stanzas of the _LiberHymnorum_ are incorporated in the metrical patchwork at the end of LB. 

Another version of the hymn was known to Colgan, and is given by himin TT, p. 472. Unfortunately he quotes only one couplet--

 Quantum Christe O Apostolum mundo misisti hominem Lucerna huius insulæ lucens lucerna mirabilis

which is evidently corrupt, and (as Colgan seems to regard it as theopening stanza) must show that the whole text had become disturbed bythe time when Colgan wrote. Indeed, it does not appear that Colganknew any more of the hymn than these two lines. 

LIII. THE ENVY OF THE SAINTS (VG)

Note how the Latin texts soften down the saying attributed in VG toColum Cille. A curious incident of disagreement between Ciaran andColum Cille is thus related by Colgan (TT, p. 396). "Once therearose a petty quarrel between Kieranus and Columba, in which perhapsKieranus, jealous for the divine honour, appeared either to preferhimself to Columba, or not to yield him the foremost place. But a goodSpirit, descending from heaven, easily settled the quarrel, whateverit may have been, in this wise. He held out an awl, a hatchet, and anaxe, presenting them to Kieranus: 'These things, ' said he, 'and otherthings of this kind, with which thy father used to practise carpentry, hast thou abjured for the love of God. But Columba renounced thesceptre of Ireland, for which he might have hoped from his ancestralright and the power of his clan, before he made offering. '" The sametale is told in Manus O'Donnell's Life (ed. O'Kelleher, p. 60). 

The authorities differ as to the attitude which Colum Cille adoptedwith regard to Ciaran. But as regards the other saints of Irelandthere is no ambiguity. The cutting-short of Ciaran's life was one ofthe "three crooked counsels of Ireland" according to the glosses tothe _Martyrology of Oengus_ (9th September): the same authority addsthat the saints "fasted for Ciaran's death, " as otherwise all Irelandwould have been his. The ancient legal process of fasting was aninheritance from Pagan times. If A had a case against B, he might, andunder certain circumstances was obliged to, abstain from food till thecase was settled; he was then said to "fast upon B. " The idea probablywas that if a litigant permitted his adversary to starve to death, theangry ghost would ever afterwards disturb his rest. Parallels havebeen found in ancient Indian practice. Sometimes B performed acounter-fast; in such a case he who first broke his fast lost hiscause. But the process seems to have been strangely extended, even inChristian times, to obtain boons from the supernatural Powers. We readof a saint "fasting upon God" that a king might lose a battle; andin _Revue celtique_, vol. Xiv, p. 28, there is printed a story of achildless couple who fasted with success upon the Devil, that he mightsend them offspring. Two of the saints--Odran of Letrecha Odrain andMac Cuillind of Lusk--went and told Ciaran for what they were fasting:Ciaran simply replied, "Bless ye the air before me"--the air throughwhich I must travel in passing heavenwards--"and what ye desire shallbe given you. " The _Book of Leinster_ contains a poem attributedto Saint Ciaran relating to the shortness of his life: as it hasapparently never been printed it is given here with a translation, sofar as the obscurity of the language permits--

 An rim, a rí richid ráin corbom etal risin dáil: co cloister cech ní atber i sanct cech sen, a Dé máir. 

(Stay for me, O King of glorious heaven, till I be pure before theassembly; till everything that I shall speak be heard in the sanctuaryof every blessing, O great God. )

 A Mic Maire, miad cen ón ammochomde corric nem, a ruiri na nangel find, innanfa frim corbom sen?

(O Son of Mary, a dignity without blemish, O my Lord as far as Heaven, O King of the white angels, wilt Thou stay for me till I am old?)

 Attchimse mo guide rutt arbaig Maire diandit Macc menbad tacrad latt a Ri condernaind ni bud maith latt

(I make my prayer unto Thee, for the love of Mary to whom Thou areSon, if it be not displeasing in Thy sight, O King, that I may dosomewhat pleasing to Thee. )

 Maccan berair rian a ré ní fintar feib ar a mbé asaóete lenta baeís aggáes cach aés bes nithé

(A young man who is taken before its time, the honour in which he maybe is not discovered: from his youth of following folly, to his ageevery company . . . (?). )

 Ni horta laeg rianáes daim ár cach sen as tressiu achách, ni horta uan na horc maith ni coilte cr . . . [31] a bláth

(A calf is not slaughtered till it is of ox's age, 'tis the ploughing(?) of every old one which waxes stronger: a lamb or a good pigling isnot slaughtered, the (saffron?) is not plucked till its flower. )

 Buain guirt riasiu bas abbuig is m . . . Cacaid, a Rí rind? is e in longud riana thráth blath do choll in tan bas find

(To reap a field before it is ripe, is it a right (thing), O King ofstars? It is eating before the time to violate a flower while it iswhite. )

 Fuiniud immedon laa ni hord baa rian . . . Matan in aidche, in dedoil ria na medon cia mó col

(Sunset in midday, no order of profit before. . . ; morning in night, twilight before its noon, though it be greatest wrong. )

 Cluinti itgi notguidiu is mo chridiu deroil dúir a Mic mo De cianomrodba is bec mo thorba dondúir

(Hear Thou the prayer I pray Thee in the depth of my wretched hardheart, O Son of my God, although Thou cuttest me off, small is myprofitableness . . . )

 Duitsi a Mic motholtu cen cope sentu dom churp, cenambera cen taithlech no co bia maith fe[in] fort

(To Thee, O Son, . . . (?), that without my body becoming aged, I be nottaken without reason till I shall myself be good in Thy sight. )

 Is fort shnádud cach ambi ria ndula m' chri, a Ri slán, ic do guide dam cen dichil, an rimm a Rí richid ran

(On Thy protection is every one whereso he is; before departure of mybody, O Perfect King, I am praying Thee without negligence, stay forme, O King of glorious heaven. )

LIV. THE PANEGYRICS (LA, VG)

There is little that need be said about these paragraphs, which are ofconventional type. There are two references in VG which may, however, be noted. The first is to the relics left in the hollow elm, of whichwe have already heard at the beginning of these annotations: heresaid to have been deposited by Benen (the pupil of Patrick, and hissuccessor in Armagh) and by Cumlach (the leper of Saint Patrick). Thesecond is an allusion, on which I am unable to throw any light, tosome evidently well-known story of a certain Peca and his blind pupil. 

THE METRICAL PANEGYRIC IN LB

This is a patchwork of extracts from different sources. 

1. Fifteen-syllable lines, with caesura at eighth syllable; everyline ending in a trisyllabic word, rhyming (not always) with a wordpreceding the caesura. A dissyllable or trisyllable precedes thecaesura. Rhythm of Tennyson's _Locksley Hall_, proceeding by stressonly, independent of vowel-quantity or hiatus. In line seven, 'Keranus' must be pronounced in four syllables, Kiaranus. Refers tothe wizard's prophecy, incident II. 

2. Four lines, in _Locksley Hall_ rhythm, with a dissyllabic rhymerunning through the quatrain. Relates incident IX. 

3. Four lines, twelve syllables trochaic, caesura at seventh syllable. Each line ends with a trisyllable or a tetrasyllable, with dissyllabicrhyme running through the quatrain. The rhythm is that of thefollowing line (which is intentionally misquoted to serve the presentpurpose)--

 "Gather roses while you may, time is still a-flying. "

The incident is not recorded in the prose lives; but it appears in the_Book of the Dun Cow_, in the story of the Birth of Aed Slaine (son ofKing Diarmait, reigned A. D. 595-600). Diarmait, it appears, had twowives (for, notwithstanding his friendship to Ciaran, he was but ahalf-converted pagan), by name Mugain and Muireann. Muireann had themisfortune to be bald, and Mugain, who, as is usual in polygamoushouseholds, was filled with envy of her, bribed a female buffoon toremove her golden headgear in public at the great assembly of Tailltiu(Telltown, Co. Meath), so as to expose the poor queen's defect to theeyes of the mob. The messenger accomplished her purpose, but Muireanncried out, "God and Saint Ciaran help me in this need!" and forthwitha shower of glossy curling golden hair flowed from her head over hershoulders, before a single eye of the assembly had rested upon her. Compare Ciaran's own experience, incident XLVI. 

4. Three lines in the same metre, but apparently with three instead offour lines in each rhyming stanza. Refers to incident XVIII. 

5. Three lines in the same rhythm as extract 1, but with a differentrhyme-scheme; apparently three lines from a quatrain rhyming _abab_. Refers to incident XLI. 

6. Six lines in elegiac couplets. This probably refers to XLVI, butwithout their original context the lines must remain obscure. In anycase the versifier has the story in a rather different form from theprose writers, and appears to regard it as an incident of the boyhoodperiod. 

7. Eight lines from the hymn of Colum Cille, already commented upon. 

ADDITIONAL NOTE ON CIARAN'S BIRTHPLACE

Some place-names in the barony of Moycashel (S. Co. Westmeath), whichlies in Cenel Fiachach, support the tradition that Ciaran's birthplaceis to be sought there, and not in Mag Ai at all. I can find nothingin the local nomenclature to suggest Ráith Cremthainn; but"Templemacateer" (_Teampull mhic an tsaoir_, the "Church of theWright's son") may be compared with, and perhaps equated to thesimilarly named "house" (p. 111); "Ballynagore" (_Baile na ngabhar_, the "town of the goats, " or "horses") perhaps echoes the "Tir naGabrai" of VG 3. About half a mile to the west is _Tulach na crosáin_, the "Mound of the crosslet"--possibly the missing cross of Ciaran (LA4). At the outflow of the Brosna from Loch Ennell is "Clonsingle, "which it is tempting to equate to the place-name corrupted to "CluainInnsythe, " in LA 12. 

An additional suggestion may here be made to the effect that theeldest son and daughter of Beoit were twins. Their names, _Lug-oll_"big Lug, " and _Lug-beg_ "little Lug, " are in correspondence, astwins' names often are. 

[Footnote 1: For brevity we shall refer to certain books, frequentlyquoted in these Annotations, by the following symbols--

 LL. _Lives of Saints from the Book of Lismore_, ed. Stokes. CS. _Codex Salmaticensis_ (Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae), ed. De Smedt and de Backer. VTP. _Vita Tripartita Patricii_, ed. Stokes. VSH. Plummer's _Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae_. TT. _Trias Thaumaturga_ (Colgan's collection of the lives of SS. Patrick, Brigid, and Colum Cille). ]

[Footnote 2: There is a different version, which need not be givenhere, in the _Martyrology of Oengus_ (Henry Bradshaw Society edition, p. 204). ]

[Footnote 3: Mentioned in _Annals of Ulster_, anno 1166, _Annals ofLoch Cé_, anno 1189, _Annals of the Four Masters_, annis 1121, 1166. ]

[Footnote 4: A collection (in Irish) of the traditions of this personwill be found in _Targaireacht Bhriain ruaidh uí Chearbháin_, byMicheál ó Tiomhánaidhe (Dublin, 1906). ]

[Footnote 5: The passage would then read thus--_Rothircan Bec mac Decondebairt andsin_--

 "_A maic in tsaeir, cot clasaib, cot coraib, It casair chaeim, cot cairpthib, cot ceolaib. _"

The transposition has probably been caused by the error of some scribewho copied first the parts of the two lines preceding the caesura. ]

[Footnote 6: The roll of the Kings of Tara was evolved from varioussources by the Irish historians of the early Christian Period. Tigernmas was properly a pagan culture-hero, to whom was traditionallyattributed the introduction of gold-smelting and of other arts, andwho was said to have perished, apparently as a human sacrifice, atsome great religious assembly. ]

[Footnote 7: This is certainly the reading, curiously misread in LL p. 356, (Irish text), and in VSH i, p. Li, note 3. ]

[Footnote 8: Ossianic Society's _Transactions_, vol. V, p. 84 ff. ]

[Footnote 9: Edited by Dr. Hyde in _Celtic Review_, vol. X, p. 116ff. ]

[Footnote 10: On this whole subject see Chapter IV of MacNeill's_Phases of Irish History_, a book which may be unreservedlyrecommended as giving a clear and accurate view of the early historyof the country. ]

[Footnote 11: It may be noted for the benefit of the readerunaccustomed to Irish nomenclature, that persons are named in one ofthe following formulae: "A mac B" (_mac_, genitive _mic_, in syntacticrelation _mhic_ [pronounced _vic_] = son): "A ó B" (_ô_ or _ua_, genitive _ui_ = grandson or descendant): and "A maccu B" (_maccu_ =descendant, denoting B as the name of a remote ancestor). Of coursethe name B will in every case be in the genitive. ]

[Footnote 12: For division of labour between the sexes, see Frazer, _Spirits of the Corn and of the Wild_, ii, 129. For prohibitionsof the presence of males when specifically female work was beingtransacted, Plummer quotes Grimm, _Teutonic Mythology_, Eng. Trans. , iv, 1778 ("Men shall not stay in the house while women are stuffingfeathers in the beds, otherwise the feathers will prick throughthe bed-ticking"). O'Curry (_Manners and Customs_, iii, p. 121), commenting on this story, refers to times and seasons deemed unluckyfor dyeing, at the time when he wrote; but the prohibition of thepresence of males was forgotten. ]

[Footnote 13: Vafthrudnismál 41; Grimnismál 18. (_Edda_, ed. Hafn, 1787, vol. I, pp. 24, 48. )]

[Footnote 14: F. M. Luzel, _Contes populaires de Basse-Bretagne_(Paris, 1887), vol. I, p. 219 ff. Some other parallels are quoted byPlummer, VSH, i, p. Cxliii, note 5. ]

[Footnote 15: There is evidence from various literary sources thatcattle thus peculiarly coloured were accounted sacred in ancientIreland. ]

[Footnote 16: There should be no hypermetric syllables, but I havebeen unable to avoid them. ]

[Footnote 17: _Horae Hebraicae_ in Evangel. Matt. , xv, 36, followingthe tract _Berakoth_. ]

[Footnote 18: O'Donnell's _Life of St. Columba_, ed. O'Kelleher, p. 120. ]

[Footnote 19: For the story of Coirpre, see _Lismore Lives_, ed. Stokes, preface p. Xvi; _Revue celtique_, xxvi, 368. For the story ofAmbacuc, see _Silua Gadelica_, no. Xxxi; _Eriu_, vol. Vi, p. 159. ]

[Footnote 20: A fully illustrated description of this relic byMr. E. C. R. Armstrong will be found in _Journal_, Royal Society ofAntiquaries of Ireland, vol. Xlix, p. 132. ]

[Footnote 21: _Book of the Dun Cow_, printed in _Zeitschrift fürCeltische Philologie_, iii, 218. ]

[Footnote 22: _Féilire Oengusso_, Henry Bradshaw Society edition, p. 12. ]

[Footnote 23: _Revue celtique_, xv, at p. 491. ]

[Footnote 24: I should here have quoted as a parallel theoft-described Indian rope-trick, which is alleged to be a hypnoticfeat, had I not been recently assured by a relative who knows Indiawell that no one has yet been discovered who has actually seen thistrick performed, and that it is probably nothing more than a piece offolk-lore. ]

[Footnote 25: See his important series of papers, _Ueber directeHandelsverbindungen Westgalliens mit Irland im Altertum und früherMittelalter_, published in _Sitzungsberichte der königlichepreussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften_, 1909, vol. I. ]

[Footnote 26: _Life of Colman mac Luachain_, Todd Lectures Series, Royal Irish Academy, vol. Xvii, p. 86. ]

[Footnote 27: Bede's _Life of Cuthbert_, § xxxix. ]

[Footnote 28: This is evidently a mistranslation of _bóbán_, thetranslator having in mind the word _bán_, "white. "]

[Footnote 29: Henry Bradshaw Society edition, vol. I, p. 157. ]

[Footnote 30: Although the sense appears to run continuously from onestanza to the next in their present collocation. ]

[Footnote 31: MS. Illegible. ]

 * * * * *

=APPENDIX=

THE LATIN TEXT OF LB

[Sidenote °1: R1 162b; R2 127d][Sidenote °2: R2 128a][Sidenote °3: R1 162c]

1. [°1] Vir gloriosus, et uita sanctissimus abbas, Queranus, ex patreBoecio, matre Darercha [Darecha R2] ortus fuit. Hic traxit originem deaquilonali parte Hibernie, Aradensium silicet genere. Diuina quoquegratia a puerili etate sic ipse illustratus est, ut qualis[°2] foretfuturus luculenter appareret. [°3] Erat [Cras MSS. ] enim tanquamlucerna ardens eximia caritate, ut non solum feruorem pii cordiset deuocionem erga hominum inopiam releuandam [reuelandam MSS. ]exhiberet; uerum et in creaturum irrationabilium necessitatibusinfatigabilem ostenderet affectum. Et quia tanta lucerna non debuitsub modio abscondi, ideo a puerili etate cepit miraculorum prod[ig]iiscoruscare. 

2. Quum enim equus fili regis terrae illius subita morte periret, acde eius casu iuuenis ille multum doleret, apparuit ei in sompnis uiruultus uenerabili ac rutilentis, qui eum prohibuit tristari pro morteequi, dicens ei, "Voca" inquit "sanctum puerum Keranum, qui aquam inos equi tui infundat, frontemque aspergat, et reuiuiscet. Illum quoquepro resuscitatione eius munere debito dotabis. " Cumque regis filius desompno euigilasset, misit pro puero Kerano ut ad se ueneret; qui cumsui presentiam ei exhiberet, atque sompnium scriatim [seruatem _or_seritatem R1] audiret, secundum quod angelus illum docuit, equum aquabenedicta aspergens de morte resuscitauit. Viso hoc magno miraculo, agrum fertilem et amplum rex terrae illius in honore Dei Omnipotentis, in cuius nomine equus suus est resuscitatus, sancto Kerano contulit. 

3. Accidit autem quadam die [q. D. _omitted_, R2] quod mater ipsiusKerani eum reprehenderet, eo quod mel siluestre, sicut ceteri puerisuis parentibus ferebant, non portaret. Quod cum dilectus Deo ethominibus audiret, mentem eleuans ad Puerum illum qui subditus eratparentibus, aquam de fonte uicino allatam benedixit, in nomine Eiusqui mel potens est producere de petra, et oleum de saxo durissimo; etmox aqua illa in mel dulcissimum, Deo cooperante, conuertitur, etsic matri defertur. Hoc mel parentes eius sancto Dermicio diacono, cognomento Iusto, qui eum baptizauit, transmiserunt. 

[Sidenote °4: R1 162d][Sidenote °5: R2 128b]

4. Lectis autem a[°4] memorato sancto literarum rudimentis, beatumCluayn Hir[°5]ardensem abbatem, discendi causa, adire proposuit. Etcum opere uellet complere quod animo cepit cogitare, uaccam unam aparentibus ad uictum sibi postulauit. Sed cum eius peticionem matereius non acquiesceret, celestis Pater, qui intimios [_sic_ R1, intuitos R2] suos quantum mater filium diligit, desiderium dilectisui adimplere non distulit. Nam uacca una lactifera, una cum uitulo, consecuta est eum, acsi a suo pastore minaretur post eum. Qui cum adsacrum collegium sancti Fynniani uenisset, gaudium non modicum de eiusaduentu omnes habuerunt. Vacca uero, que secuta est eum, simulcum uitulo pascebatur, nec ubera materna sine licencia tangereattemptabat. Keranus eius pascua sic discriminauit atque distinxit, uttantum uitulum mater lambe[re]t, nec tamen ei ubera praeberet. Istiusuero uacce in tanta habundancia exubrabat lac, ut xii uiris cotidiedistributum sufficientem copiam uictus praeberet. Sanctus ueroadolescens Keranus, diuine scripture intentus, inter condiscipulossuos sanctitate ac sapientia, uelut sidus perfulgidus inter alia[alique R2] sidera, emicabat. Erat uero perfecte caritatis fragrantiaplenus, et moris probitate, et uite sanctimonia, ac humilitatisdulcedine, presentibus et absentibus gratiosus, honorabilis, etadmirabilis. 

[Sidenote °6: R1 163a]

5. Vna dierum ad regem quendam, Tuathlum nomine, pro cuiusdam ancilleliberacione intercessurus accessit. Cumque regem deuote pro ea rogaret[pro ea deuote oraret R2] ac preces famuli Dei quasi deliramentasperneret, nouam artem liberacionis eiusdem cogitans, semet ipsum regiseruiturum pro ipsa decreuit. Veniente autem eo domum in qua puellamolebat, clause iam fores illi patuerunt. Intransque, alterum seilli[°6] Paulinum episcopum exhibuit. Nec mora, rex illam emancipauit, et insuper Dei famulo suum indumentum donauit. Quod ille accipiens, continuo pauperibus distribuit. 

[Sidenote °7: R2 128c]

6. Nocte quadam[°7] contigit ut eum doctor egregius Finnianus cumannona frumenti ad molendinum transmitteret. Regulus uero quidam propehabitans, quendam de discipulis uiri Dei illuc aduenisse intelligens, carnes et ceruisiam ei per ministrum destinauit. Cumque illi exeniumtanti uiri presentaret, respondit ipse, "Vt commune" inquit "sitfratribus, totum in os molendini proice. " Quod cum nuncius compleret, in farinam totum mutatum est. Quo audito, rex uillam in qua manebatcum omnibus bonis suis in perpetuam dedit illi; sed Keranus suocondonauit magistro, ibidem enim monasterium postea constructum est. Panis uero de illa farina factus, uelut caro et ceruisia fratribussapiebat et eos sic recreabat. 

[Sidenote °8: R1 163b][Sidenote °9: R2 128d]

7. Transacto autem temporis spacio, accepta magistri sui licentiaet benedictione, ad sanctum Nynnidum in quadam silua stagni Ernycommorantem properauit. Et cum [cum _omitted_ R2] illuc peruenisset, cum magno gaudio et caritate non ficta susceptus est. Cumque idem inmoris ac uirtutum disciplina cotidie proficeret, quadam die ad nemorauicina cum fratribus ad scindenda ligna ut [ut _omitted_ R2] uerusobediens properauit. Erat enim consuetudo in sacro illo collegio utiii monachi cum seniore ad ligna deportanda secundum ordinem temporissemper irent. Cedentibus uero ceteris ligna, ipse seorsum [deorsum R2]Deum, secundum quod moris erat sibi, attente orabat. Interea quidamnefandi latrones, rate ad insulam illam transuecti, in prefatosfratros irruerunt, atque eos occiderunt, et eorum capita secumdetuler[°8]unt. Keranus uero, dum strepidum soc[i]orum [_sic_]percucientium non audiret, mirabatur; et propter admiracionem festineperuenit ad locum ubi eos laborantes reliquit. Viso quoque eo quod defratribus actum est [est _omitted_ R2], alta trahit ipse suspiria, etuehementer contristatus est. Secutus est quoque homisidas [_sic_ R1]illos e uestigio, atque eos in portu ut suam nauiculam in portu adaquam [aquas R2] deducerent desudantes, sed minime hoc facere potentes[fatentes R1, facientes R2] inuenit; sic uero [sic eis R2] Deusscapham[°9] eorum terre conglutinauit ut nequaquam eam amouerepotuissent. Et cum uoluntati Cunctipotentis contraire non possent, auiro Dei tunc presente [-entem R2] ueniam suppliciter postulant. Quimemor sui Magistri pro Iudeis eum crucifigentibus orantis, sanctus proillis licet indignis preces ad fortem pietatis effudit; et uirtuteorationis eius potiti, ratem suam facillime ad aquam ducere potuerunt. Pro munere uero huius beneficii, optinuit a latronibus capita suorumfratrum. Acceptis uero hiis, ad locum ubi corpora iacuerant deueniens, Deum deuote rogauit ut omnipotenciam suam in seruorum suorumresuscitatione hac uite ostenderet. Mirum quoque est quod narro, sedueritate facti euidentissimum; capita corporibus coaptauit, ut illosuirtute sacre orationis ad uitam reuocauit, immo quod uerius est, reuocari meruit. Hii quoque sic mirabiliter resuscitati, ligna secumad monasterium transuexerunt. Quam diu tamen uixerant [_sic_], cicatrices uulnerium in collis suis portauerunt. 

[Sidenote °10: R1 163c]

8. Alio tempore cum peccora parentum in quodam loco custodiret, uaccauna peperit coram eo uitulum. Veniens uero imacie omnino confectus[canis][1] cupiens de hiis que cum uitulo cadunt de uentro matris[uentrem suum][2] implere, stetit coram pio pastore. Cui ait "Commede, miser, uitulum istum, quia multum eo indi[°10]ges. " Canis uero iussaQuerani complens, usque ad ossa uitulum commedit. Redeunti ueroQuerano cum uaccis ad domum, illa ad memoriam reducens uitulummugiendo huc illucque discurrebat. Causam uero mugitus cognoscensmater Querani, cum indignatione puero ait "Redde uitulum, Quirane, etsi igne sit combustus uel aqua submersus. " At ille iussis maternisparens, ad locum ubi uitulus erat commestus accedens, ossa eiuscollegit et uitulum resuscitauit. 

[Sidenote °11: R2 129a]

9. Quodam tempore, transeunte eo per uiam, quidam mali[°11]gno spirituuexati canem ferocissimum excitauerunt ut sibi[3] [_sic_] noceret. Sedconfidens in Domino suo Queranus scuto deuote orationis se muniuit, ac dixit "Ne tradas bestis [_sic_ R1, bestiis R2] animas confitentiumtibi, Domine. " Et mox canis ille mortuus est. 

10. Alio tempore solo eo in insula illa relicto, pauperem quendamaudiuit in portu ignem sibi dari rogantem. Erat enim iam frigidumtempus; sed ratem non habuit ut pauperis peticioni, licet multumdesideraret, satisfaceret. Et quia caritas omnia sustinet, ticionemardentem in stagnum proiecit, et feruore [-rem MSS. ] dilectionismittentis in aquis preualente [preualens MSS. ] ad pauperem usqueperuenit. 

[Sidenote °12: R1 163d]

11. Aliquandiu uero ibidem moratus homo Dei, cum licencia Nynnidi adsanctum Endeum Arnensem abbatem properauit; qui in aduentu eius nonmodica perfundebatur leticia. Nocte uero quadam sompniauit seuidisse iuxta ripam magni fluminis Synan arborem magnam frondosam etfructiferam que totam obumbrauit Hyberniam. Quod sompnium beato Edeoindicauit crastina die [die _omitted_ R2]. Sed et ipse Endeus eandemuisionem ea nocte [e. N. _omitted_ R2][°12] se uidisse attestatus est, quam uisionem sanctus Endeus interpretatus: "Arbor" inquit "illa tues, qui coram Deo et hominibus magnus eris, et per totam Hiberniamhonorabilis, propter quod et tui adiutorii et gracie umbra a demoniiset aliis periculis protegetur uelut sub umbra arboris salutifere;plurimisque prope ac procul tuorum fructus operum subuenient. Igitursecundum Dei imperium qui reuelat secreta, ad praeostensum accedelocum, et ibi habita secundum graciam a Deo tibi datam. " Confortatusex huius uisionis interpretacione, paruit uerus obediens iussioniSancti Endei patris sui spiritualis. 

[Sidenote °13: R2 129b]

12. Et profectus in uiam inuenit quendam pauperem in itinere cui ab eoeleemosinam petenti casulam suam tribuit. Cumque ad insulam Cathaciuenisset, beatus Senanus aduentum eius, Spiritu reuelante, didicit;eique obuiam ueniens quasi subridendo ait, "Nonne presbitero pudor estabsque casula incedere?" Senanus enim in spiritu nouit quomodo ipsepauperi eam dedit. Et ideo cum ca[°13]sula ei occurreret. Et aitKeranus, "Senior" inquit "meus sub uestimento suo casulam mihiaufert. "

[Sidenote °14: R1 164a]

13. Quam cum accepisset et gracias datori egisset, pro sanctacolloquia ad cellam fratris sui Luctigernni [-gerimi R2] peruenit, ubiet alius frater eius Odranus [Ordanus R2] nomine erat. Ibi aliquantotempore moram traxit ac magister hospicium fuit. Die uero quadam eosub diuo legente in cimitherio, hospites ex improuise uenerunt, quos, librum oblitus apertum, ad hospicium adduxit; eorumque pedesdeuote lauit, et cetera que eis necessaria erant propter Christumministrauit. Interea cum nocturne adessent tenebre, grandis facta estpluuia. Sed Ille qui uellus Gedeonis ir[°14]rorauit, at praeterea arore intactum custodiuit, librum sancti Kerani sic ab ingruentibusaquis licet apertum [aquis hoc apertum R2] reserauit quod nec unagutta super eum cecidit. 

14. Monasterio in quo tunc uir Dei morabatur, erat quaedam insulauicina, quam seculares quidam inhabitabant, quorum tumultus uirosDei multum molestabat. Vnde contigit ut beatus Keranus, eoruminquietacione compulsus, ad stagnum accederet, et orationi se totumdans, elongationem illorum uexancium seruos Dei perueniuit. Cum enimab oratione cessaret, ecce subito insula cum stagno et habitatoribusin remotum locum secessit, ut ullatenus [nullatenus R2] habitatoreseius eius [_sic_ MSS. ] amicos Altissimi possent turbare. In Eiusenim nomine hoc miraculum factum est qui Sodomam propter peccatuminhabitancium subuertit ac igne succendit. Adhuc extant signa illiusstagni, ubi ante erat. 

[Sidenote °15: R2 129c][Sidenote °16: R1 164b]

15. Vir Dei, cum in usum [usus MSS. ] pauperum bona monasteriidistribueret, fratres super hoc conquirentes ad ipsum temereaccedentes, dixerunt, "Discede, " inquierunt "a nobis, simul enimcohabitare non possumus. " Quibus ipse acquiesce[n]s, et uale in Dominofaciens, ad insulam quandam se transtulit [a. I. S. T. Q. R2] nomineAnginam; in qua insula fundato monasterio, multi undique properantesfama sanctitatis eius eos attrahente[°15] seruicium Dei mancipauerunt. Sub stricta instruens regula, uultu et habitu, sermone et uita, se eisin exemplum exhibuit. Erat enim tanquam aquila prouocans ad uolandampullos suos quantum ad contemplacionis sublimitatem; sed fraternahumilitate sicut minus [unus R2] ex eis uiuebat. Erat enim inspiritualibus meditacionibus suspensus ad supera; infirma tumimbecillitate sic condescendebat ut quasi uideretur se inclinaread infima. Ipse quoque fide erat perfectus, caritate feruidus, spegaude[n]s, corde mitis, ore affabilis, [°16] paciens et longanimis, hospitalitate erat humanus, in operibus pietatis semper assiduus, benignus, mansuetus, pacificus, sobrius, et quietus. Et ut multabreui concludam sermone, omnium uirtutum erat ornatus decore. Hiiset huiuscemodi sollicitum impendens studium Marie contemplacioni acMarthe erga temporalium dispensacionem ordinata succasione [succisioneR2] adimplebat officium. Nec potuit talis ac tante lucerne lumen submodio abscondi, sed circumquoque gracie sue splendore diffuso mundumcopiose illuminauerat irradiauit lumine. 

16. Erat nihilominus prophecie spiritu inspiratus, quam exprecedentibus et subsequentibus patet exemplis. Quadam namque die uoxcuiusdam nauigium postulantis aures ei[us] pulsauerat. Tunc aitad fratres; "Vocem, " inquit "eius audio quem Deus uobis preficietabbatem; euntes ergo ipsum adducite. " Illi itaque properauerunt, atquead portum peruenientes quendam adolescentulum illiteratum inuenirent. Quem negligentes adducere ad sanctum uirum reuersi neminem nisiadolescentulum illiteratum qui profugus in siluis errabat se inuenisseasseruerunt. Sanctus autem Queranus ait; "Adducite" inquit "illum, et nolite futurum pastorem uestrum despicere. " Qui adductus Deiinspiracione et sancti uiri instructione religionis habitum suscepit, et per modum literas didicit. Ipse est enim sanctus Oenius, uir uiteuenerabilis: et, sicut sanctus ante predixit, fratribus per modumprefuit. 

[Sidenote °17: R2 129d][Sidenote °18: R1 164c]

17. Elapso denique tempore, quidam uir sanctus nomine Dompnanus, [°17]Mumoniensis genere, ad uirum Dei uisitandum peruenit. Cumque ab eosanctus Keranus causam aduentus scicitaretur, respondit se uelle locumhabere in quo Dominum [habere in Deo R2] secure posset seruire. Sanctusuero Keranus, non que sua[°18] [supra R2] sed que Ihesu Christi querensait "Hic" inquit "inhabita, et ego Deo duce locum habitandi alibiqueram. " Denique sacro eum comitante [conm. MSS. ] conuentu ad locum eiusa Deo premonstratum profectus est, in quo celebri ac famoso monasterioconstructo quod hodie Cluaynensis [Claynensis R2] appellatur ciuitasinsignium miraculorum luce ipse, tanquam sol mundum istum itailluminauit. 

18. De quorum miraculorum multitudine quedam hic subnectemus. Quodamtempore dum fratres in messe laborantes sitis periculo grauarentur, miserunt ad sanctum patrem Queranum ut aque [aqua MSS. ] beneficiorefocillarentur. Quibus per ministros ipse ait: "Vnum" inquit "de duobuseligite; aut aqua nunc uos recreati, aut hic post uos habitaturos rebusmundanis beneficiari. " At illi respondentes dixerunt "Eligimus, "inquiunt "ut illi qui post nos ueniunt in bonis temporalibus habundent, et nos tollerantie mercedem in celis habeamus. " Et sic futurorum spegaudentes, a potu abstinuerunt, licet multum indigentes. Vespero ueroillis domum redeuntibus, pius pater, laborancium lassitudinemcompaciens, uas aqua plenum benedixit, et iam sanctum miraculum in ChanaGalilee renoua[n]s, in optimum uinum transmutauit aquam. Quo uino sitideficientes recreati sunt, et in fide insoliti miraculi ostensionerecreati laudes omnipotenti Dei dederunt. Huius enim uini miraculosisapor solito graciosior erat, et odor in propinatoris pollice quamdiusuruixit redoleuit. 

[Sidenote °19: R1 164d][Sidenote °20: R2 130a]

19. Die quadam cum in uia incederet, nephandissimi latrones eumcomprehendentes, caput beati uiri radere ceperunt. Set quodperuersitas hominis delere uoluit, diuina pietas ad magni mirac[u]liostensionem conuertit. Rassorum enim capillorum loco alii statimcapilli cresceba[n]t. [°19] Quo miraculo latrones perculsi, [°20] adueritatis semitam sunt conuersi, ac deinceps diuine milicie sub tantoduce seruientes, in sancta conuersacione uitam finierunt. 

20. Alio tempore bonus pastor peccora pascens, tres pauperes eioccurrerunt. Quorum primo capam, secundo pallium, tercio tunicamcontulit [secundo tunicam, tercio pallium eius tulit, R2]. Abeuntibusuero illis, uiri quidam, secularis uite professores, aduenierunt. Aquibus quoniam uestimentorum expertum se uideri erubuit, adiutor inopportunitatibus Dominus aqua eum circumdedit adeo, quod pretercaput nullum membrum illi uidere potuerunt. Sed postquam hii uiritransierunt, aqua ilia mox disparuit [desperauit MSS. ]. 

21. Elapso post hoc tempore, quidam satellites diabuli uirum quendamiuxta monasterium eius commorantem interficere conabantur. Quem beatouiro pro eo orante Deus mirabiliter eripuit. Illi [illium MSS. ] enimeundem uirum iugulantes statuam quandam lapideam percuciebant. Quotandem percepto, latrones corde compuncti, ad pastorem animarumQueranum properant, culpam humiliter recognoscunt, atque uite sueemendato calle, sub iugo Christi usque ad mortem fideliter seruierunt. 

[Sidenote °21: R2 165a]

22. Hiis atque aliis perplurimis gloriosissimus Christi miles tamquamluminare quod diei presidet fulgens, ad occasum naturalis cursusdeueniens correptus infirmitate graui appropinquiuit. Sed quia quiperseuauerit usque in finem his salus erit, ideo athleta Christi, nonsolum se in bello huius certaminis confortans, uerum et animos aduincendum inuitans, lapidem quo capiti supposito soporis modicumcorpori hactenus indulgebat, humeris etiam fecit subponi; sanctamqueeleuans manum fratres benedixit et uiatici salutaris perceptionemunitus, spiritum celo reddidit. Exiens enim beata illa anima decorpore, chori angelorum [angelorum _omitted_ R2] cum ympnis etcanticis[°21] illam in Dei gloriam assumpserunt. 

[Sidenote °22: R2 130b]

23. Beatissimus quoque abbas Christi Columba, audito sancti Keraniobitu, egregium de ipso composuit ympnum: eumque ad [de MSS. ]Cluaynense secum detulit monasterium, ubi prout decuit hospiciohonorifice susceptus est. Ympnum uero abbas qui tunc preerat, ceterique qui eum audierant, multis et ma[°22]gnis laudibusextulerunt. Discedens autem inde Sanctus Columba, de sacro sanctiKerani sepulchro humum secum detulit, sciens in spiritu quam utile hocforet contra futura pelagi pericula. In parte enim maris que tendituersus Iense monasterium, est maximum transeuntibus periculum, tumpropter fluminum impetuositatem, tum propter maris angustiam, itaquenaues circumuoluuntur, atque in rota mouentur; ac frequenter sicsubmerguntur. Scille enim atque Caribdi merito asi[mi]latur, uelimpericulositate perfecta tristique [-teque MSS. ] nautis malum ibisubministratur. Ad hoc eurippum ipsi peruenientes, repentino ceperuntin eum delabi cursu; quumque nil preter mortem [Quumque uelut proptermortem R2] sperantes, et quia iam quasi tetris essent abyssi faucibusdeuorandi, tunc sanctus Columba prefati pulueris de tumba beati Keraniassumpti aliquid assumens, mare in ipsum immisit. Res mira ac nimiumstupenda tunc accidit; dicto [uicto MSS. ] namque cicius tempestas illaseua cessauit ac transitum eis tranquillum administrauit. Vere iustiin perpetuum uiuunt; cum quibus beatus Queranus corregnat, cuiussepulchri terra uel puluis mare sedauit [cedauit MSS. ], cordatrepidancium in fide solidauit, et ad bonum operandum irrigauit. Beatus ergo Keranus non solum uiuit Deo, cui inseperabiliter adheret, uerum et hominibus quibus beneficia oportuno tempore impendit. 

METRUM DE EO SIC

[Sidenote °23: R1 165b]

 Matre Quiarani sedente in curru uolubili [°23]Sonitum magus audiuit perdixitque seruulis "Videte quis sit in curru, nam sub rege resonat. " "Coniunx" inquiunt "Beodi sedet his artificis. " Magus inquit "Gratum cunctis ipsa regem pariet, Cuius opera fulgebunt ut Phebus in ethere. " Miles Christi Keranus, Sancti sedes Spiritus, Spiritali pietatis uirtute floruerat. 

 Vitulum uacce lactentem iam cani concesserat, Queranum inde grauiter mater reprehenderat; Vitulum cane uoratum ab ipso exegerat, Cuius ossa mox apportans ipsum restaurauerat. 

[Sidenote °24: R2 130c]

 Mulieris regie caput decaluatum Seue zelo pelicis fuerat nudatum. In Querani nomine cum esset signatum, [°24]Aurea cessarie fulserat ornatum. 

 Cum Queranus studiis sacris teneretur, Atque tempus posceret ut operaretur. Pro ipso ab angelis tunc mola mouetur. 

 Textus euangelicus in stagnum ceciderat, Sed uoluto tempore per Querani merita, Integrum de gurgite uacca reportauerat. 

 Cum puer oraret Dominum, precibusque uacaret, ignis ab excelsis uenerat arce poli. Defunctusque puer conspexit lumina uite, et sancti magnum glorificant Dominum [Deum MSS. ]. De celis lapsus rutilans accenditur ignis, et peragit proprium protinus officium. 

 Alto et ineffabili apostolorum cetui Celestis Ierosolime, sublimioris specule, Sedenti tribunalibus solis modo micantibus, Queranus sacerdos sanctus, insignis Christi nuntius, Inaltatus est manibus angelorum celestibus, Consummatis felicibus sanctitatum generibus; Quem Tu Christe apostolum mundo misisti hominem, Gloriosum in omnibus nouissimis temporibus. 

[Footnote 1: This word omitted in MSS. ]

[Footnote 2: Omitted in MSS. ]

[Footnote 3: Corrected by a note in the margin to _illi_. ]

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INDEX

(For the leading incidents in the Life, see the list, pp. 11 _ff. _). 

Abban, St. , Adamnan, St. , Aed, St. , Aed mac Brenainn, Aed Slaine, Aei. _See_ Mag Ai. Aengus maccu Luigse. _See_ Oenna. Aengussius. _See_ Oengus. Ailbe, St. , Ailithir, abbot of Clonmacnois, Ainmire mac Colgain, Ainmire mac Setna, Ainmireach. _See_ Ainmire mac Colgain. Alban, St. , Alexander, almsgiving, _See also_ hospitality. _Altus Prosator_, Ambacuc, angels, Angina. _See_ Inis Aingin. Animals, _See also_ resuscitation, hound. Anmereus. _See_ Ainmire mac Colgain. _antilum_, Ara (Aran Is. ), Aradenses. _See_ Dal nAraide. Aran Is. _See_ Ara. Ard Abla, Ard Machae (Armagh), Ard Manntain, Ard Tiprat, _See also_ Cluain maccu Nois. Assemblies, austerities, Ay. _See_ Mag Ai. 

Baithin, St. , Ballynagore, Bangor. _See_ Beannchor. Beannchor (Bangor, Co. Down), bearer, Becc mac De, bells, benediction of food, Benen, St. , Beoanus, Beoedus. _See_ Beoit. Beoit, Beonedus, Beonnadus. _See_ Beoit. Birra (Birr, King's Co. ), birthplace of Ciaran, boban, _See also_ Bells. Boecius, Boeus. _See_ Beoit. Bones, bonfire, books and book-satchels, books preserved from wet, Brenainn, St. , Brenainn of Cluain Ferta, St. , Brigit, St. , Brigit of Cu Cathrach, Brynach, St. , Cadoc, St. , Cael Cholum, Cainnech, St. , Camerarius, Cana of Galilee, Carabine, Red Brian, Cathach, a monster, Cathacus, Cathi. _See_ Inis Cathaig. Cattle, sacred, Cellach mac Eogain Beil, Cenel Conaill, Cenel Fiachach, Cenel Fiachrach, _See also_ Cenel Fiachach. Christ, parallels between lives of Ciaran and. _See_ Tendenz. Ciaran, _passim_. Poem attributed to, Ciaran of Saigir, St. , Ciaran, other saints called, Ciarraige, clairvoyance, cloak floated on water, cloak of Senan, Clonard. _See_ Cluain Iraird. Clonmacnois. _See_ Cluain maccu Nois. Clonsingle, Cluain Cruim, Cluain Innsythe, Cluain Iochtar, Cluain Iraird (Clonard, Co. Meath), Cluain maccu Nois (Clonmacnois, King's Co. ), _passim_Cobthach mac Brecain, Coemgen, St. , Coire Bhreacain (Corrievreckan), Colman, St. , Colmán Elo, St. , Colmán mac Luacháin, St. , Colmán mac Nuin, Colum Cille, St. (Columba), Colum Cille, hymn of, Colum of Inis Cealtra, St. , Comgall, St. , compacts between saints, companions of Ciaran, Conn of the Poor, Connachta (people of Connacht), Corco Baiscind, Corpre the Crooked, Cow, Ciaran's. _See_ Dun Cow. Crane, pet, Cremthann, Crichid. _See_ Crithir. Crithir, Croagh Patrick. _See_ Cruachan Aigli. Cronan, crosses, Cruachan Aigli (Croagh Patrick), Cualu, Cuimmin, St. , Cumlach, curses, Cuthbert, St. , Cybi, St. , Dal n-Araide, Daniel, Darerca, mother of Ciaran, Darerca, St. , dates of Ciaran's life, dates of documents, deafness cured, decapitation, Decies, Deece, Delbna, Derercha. _See_ Darerca. Dermag (Durrow, King's Co. ), Dermicius. _See_ Diarmait (deacon). Desi, Dessi, Diarmait, deacon, _See also_ Iustus. Diarmait, St. , Diarmait mac Cerrbeil, king, Dompnanus. _See_ Donnan. Doors open automatically, Donnan, brother of Ciaran, Donnan, St. , dreams, drolls, druids, _See also_ wizards. Drying corn, Dun Cow of Ciaran, Durrow. _See_ Dermag. Dye and dyeing, earth of Ciaran's tomb, eavesdroppers, Eile, elders, Cell of the, at Cluain maccu Nois, Emer, St. , end of world, beliefs regarding, Enda, Endeus, Enna, Henna, envy against Ciaran, Erne, Loch, Ernin, St. , Euthymius, exogamy, expletives, saintly, eye plucked out and restored, Failbe, famines, fasting, feasts, Fergus, Fidarta (Fuerty, Co. Roscommon), Finan, St. , Findian, St. (Finnianus), Findian of Mag Bile, St. , finger scented with wine, Fintan, St. , fire, consecrated, from heaven, Paschal, firebrand, Flannan, St. , flesh turned to wheat, _See also_ transformations. Flocks, keeping of, fosterage, foundation sacrifices, fox, Fuerty. _See_ Fidarta. Furban, Furbith, king, Fursa, St. , garments, genealogy of Ciaran, gifts made by Ciaran, _See also_ almsgiving. Glas the poet, Gleann da Locha (Glendaloch, Co. Wicklow), glosses, gospel, reading of, gospels, _See also_ books. Grain turned to gold, _See also_ transformations. Gregory, Pope, Guaire, king, hair restored miraculously, harbour of island, meaning of expression, Hare Island. _See_ Inis Aingin. Harvesting, Helena, empress, Henna. _See_ Enda. Historicity of Lives of Ciaran, holy water, homiletic purpose of Lives, horse ploughing, hospitality, _See also_ almsgiving. Hound miraculously killed, Hyde, Dr. Douglas, hymn of Colum Cille, hymns to Ciaran, hypnotism, I (Iona), Illtyd, St. , Inis Aingin (Hare Island), Inis Cathaig (Scattery Island), Inis Clothrann, Inis Muige Samh (Inismacsaint), _See also_ Ninned. Intoxication, Iona. _See_ I. Irluachra, Isel Chiarain, Iustus, _See also_ Diarmait, deacon. 

Keranus, Kiaranus. _See_ Ciaran. Kiarraighe. _See_ Ciarraige. King, Adam, 8kings of Ireland, 103Kyaranus, Kyeranus. _See_ Ciaran. 

Laigen (Laginensea, Lagenians, Leinstermen), Lann, Larne, _See also_ Latharna. Lasrian, St. , Latharna, Latronenses. _See_ Latharna. Lepers and leprosy, Lissardowlin. _See_ Ard Abla. Little Church of Cluain maccu Nois, Little Height of Cluain maccu Nois, Lives of Saints, their nature, Loch Erne. _See_ Erne, Loch. Loch Rii. _See_ Rib, Loch. Lonan the Left-handed, lucky and unlucky signs, Lucoll (Lucennus, Luchennus, Luctigernnus), Lugaid, priest, Lugaid, St. , Lugbeg, Lugbrann, Lugna maccu Moga Laim, Luimnech (Limerick), Mac Cuillind of Lusk, Mac Natfraeich, Mac Nisse, Mael-Odran, Mag Ai, Mag Molt, Magic, Maignenn, St. , manuscripts of Lives, matriarchate, merchants of wine, metres, Mide (Meath), Mil of Spain, Milesians, milk, miraculous supply of, mills, Mo-Beoc, Mo-Bi, St. , Mo-Chua, St. , mockery of druids, Moin Coise Bla, Mo-Laise, St. , Moling, St. , Mo-Lioc, Mugain, Muinis, bishop, Muireann, Muma (Mumenia, Munster, Mumunienses), Munnu, St. , nicknames, Ninned, St. (Nynnidus), Nunnery, Cluain maccu Nois, oats turned to wheat, _See also_ transformations. Odrán, Odranus, Odrán of Letrecha Odráin, Oengus mac Crimthainn, Oengus the Culdee, Oenna maccu Laigsi (Aengus, Oenius), Oran, St. , oxen ploughing, pagan sanctuaries, panegyrics, Pata, Patrick, St. , Paul and Peter, SS. , relics of, Paulinus, Peca, Peden, Alexander, pedigree of Ciaran. _See_ Genealogy. Periods of Ciaran's life, Pieran, St. , ploughing, Port of the Gospel, _See also_ Inis Angin. Pre-Celthic tribes, priest, Ciaran consecrated, prophecies, Psalms, use of, Queranus. _See_ Ciaran. Quern, grinding at, Quiaranus, Quieranus, Quiranus. _See_ Ciaran. 

raids on Cluain maccu Nois, Raithbeo (Raichbe), Ráith Crimthainn, relics, resuscitation of animals, of boy, of Cluain, of murdered monks, process of, Rib, Loch (Loch Ree), robbers, Ruadán, St. , rule of St. Ciaran, Saehrimnir, Saigir (Seir-Kieran, King's Co. ), Samthann, St. , Scattery Island. _See_ Inis Cathaig. Scent of wine on finger, secondary interments, Segine, abbot of I, Seir-Kieran. _See_ Saigir. Senan, St. , separation of cows and calves, shipSinann (Sinna, Synna, Shannon), slavery, springs, miraculous, taboo, Tailltiu (Telltown, Co. Meath), Tara. _See_ Temair. Tech meic in tSaeir, Teffia. _See_ Tethba. Temair (Tara, Co. Meath), Templemacateer, Templevickinloyhe, _Tendenz_ of biographies of Ciaran, Tethba, threshing, Tigernmas, Tir na Gabrai, Toirdelbach ó Briain, tonsure, effacement of, trade, Irish, transformations, tree, sacred, Tren, Tuathal Moel-Garb, king, Tulach na Crosáin, twins, Ui Failge, Ui Maine, Ui Neill, Uis. _See_ Iustus. Uisnech, uncle, relationship of, voice, recognition by, voice heard from long distance, voice from heaven, water turned to honey, to wine, _See also_ transformations. Whirlpool, wine, Winefred, St. , wizards, wolves, women, relations with, Yseal, Ysseal. _See_ Isel. 

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