,,translations ,,of ,,christian         
,,literature4 ,,series ,v   ,,lives ,,of
 ,,the ,,celtic ,,saints    ,,the       
,,latin  ,,irish   ,,lives ,,of ,,ciaran
    ,by ,r4,a4 ,,stewart-,,macalister   
99       99       99       99       99  
,,society ,,for ,,promoting             
,,christian ,,knowledge4 ,london   ,the 
,macmillan ,company4 ,new ,york    #aiba
       ,,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 ,,lives ,,of
 ,,ciaran     ,,introduction   ,of all  
the saints of ,ireland1 whose names are 
recorded in the native ,martyrologies1  
probably there were none who made so    

deep an impression upon the minds of    
their fellow-countrymen as did ,ciaran#a
 of ,clonmacnois4 ,he stands1 perhaps1  
second only to ,brigit of ,kildare in   
this respect2 for ,patrick was a        
foreigner1 and ,colum ,cille            
accomplished his work and exercised his 
influence outside the shores of         
,ireland4  ,doubtless much of the       
importance of ,ciaran is reflected back 
from the outstanding importance of his  
great foundation--the monastic          
university1 as it is fair to call it1 of
 ,cluain maccu ,nois 7in an ,english    
setting spelt ,clonmacnois71 on the     
shore of the ,shannon4 ,but this cannot 
be the whole explanation of the esteem  
in which he was held2 it must be at     
least partly due to the memory of his   
own character and personality4  ,such a 
conclusion is indicated if we examine   
critically the ,lives of this saint1    
translations of which are given in the  
present volume1 and compare them with   
the lives of other ,irish saints4 ,in   

studying all these documents we must    
bear in mind that none of them are1 in  
any modern sense of the word1           
biographies4 ,a biography1 in the proper
 definition of the term1 gives an       
ordered account of the life of its      
subject1 with dates1 and endeavours to  
trace the influences which shaped his   
character and his career1 and the manner
 in which he himself influenced his     
surroundings4 ,the so-called lives of   
saints are properly to be regarded as   
homilies4 ,they were composed to be read
 to assemblies of the ,faithful1 as     
sermons for the festivals of the saints 
with whom they deal2 and their purpose  
was to edify the hearers by presenting  
catalogues of the virtues of their      
subjects1 and1 especially1 of their     
thaumaturgic powers4 ,thus they do not  
possess the unity of ordered and        
well-designed biographies2 they consist 
of disconnected anecdotes1 describing   
how this event or that gave occasion for
 a miraculous display4  ,it follows that

 to the historian in search of          
unvarnished records of actual fact these
 documents are useless1 without most    
drastic criticism4 ,they were compiled  
long after the time of their subjects1  
from tales1 doubtless at first1 and     
probably for a considerable time1       
transmitted by oral tradition4 ,it would
 be natural that there should be much   
cross-borrowing1 tales told about one   
saint being adapted to others as well1  
until they became stock incidents4 ,it  
would also be nothing more than natural 
that many elements in the ,lives should 
be survivals from more ancient          
mythologies1 having their roots in      
pre-,christian beliefs4 ,nevertheless1  
none of these writings are devoid of    
value as pictures of life and manners2  
and even in descriptions of incredible  
and pointless miracles precious scraps  
of folk-lore are often embedded4 ,in    
most1 if not in all1 cases1 the         
incidents recorded in the ,lives are to 
be criticised as genuine traditions1    

whatever their literal historicity may  
be2 few1 if any1 are conscious          
inventions or impostures4#b  ,in the    
,lives of ,ciaran there are many        
conventional incidents of this kind1    
which reappear in the lives of other    
saints4 ,in the ,annotations in the     
present edition a few such parallels are
 quoted2 though no attempt is made to   
give an exhaustive list1 the compilation
 of which would occupy more time and    
space than its scientific value would   
warrant4 ,but there are certain other   
incidents of a more individual type1 and
 it is these which make the ,lives of   
,ciaran especially remarkable4 ,they may
 well be genuine reminiscences of the   
real life1 or at least of the real      
character of the man himself4 ,thus1    
there are a number of coincidences1     
clearly undesigned 7noted below1 p4     
#ajd7 consistently pointing to a        
pre-,celtic parentage for the saint4    
,again1 the saint's mother is           
represented as a strong personality1    

with a decided strain of thrawnness in  
her composition2 while the saint himself
 is shown to us as distinguished by a   
beautiful unselfishness4 ,this1 it must 
be confessed1 is very far from being a  
common character of the ,irish saints1  
as they are represented to us by the    
native hagiologists2 and in any case the
 character-drawing of the average ,irish
 saint's life is so rudimentary1 that   
when we are thus enabled to detect      
well-defined traits1 we are quite       
justified in accepting them as based on 
the tradition of the actual personality 
of the saint4 ,in other words1 so deep  
was the impression which the man made   
upon his contemporaries during his short
 life1 that his memorabilia seem to be1 
on the whole1 of a more definitely      
historic nature than are those of other 
,irish saints4  ,there is1 however1 a   
disturbing element which must be kept in
 mind in criticising the ,lives of      
,ciaran4 ,he was the son of a carpenter1
 and he was said to have died at the age

 of thirty-three4 ,it is quite clear    
that these coincidences with the facts  
of the earthly parentage and death of   
,christ were observed by the            
homilists--indeed the author of the     
,irish ,life says as much1 at the end of
 his work4 ,they provoked a natural and 
perhaps wholly unconscious desire to    
draw other parallels2 and if we may use 
a convenient ,german technical term1    
there is a traceable ,tendenz in this   
direction1 as is indicated in the       
,annotations on later pages4 ,it is not 
to be supposed that even these          
apparently imitative incidents are 7not 
to mince matters7 mere pious frauds2    
they may well have come into existence  
in the folk-consciousness automatically1
 before they received their present     
literary form4 ,but such a development  
could hardly have centred in an unworthy
 subject2 there must have been a        
well-established tradition of a         
,christ-likeness of character in the    
man1 for such parallels in detail to    

have taken shape4#c  ,the homiletic     
purpose of these documents is most      
clearly shown in the ,irish ,life4 ,this
 was written to be preached as a sermon 
on the saint's festival this day to-day1
 ,sec4 #a1 at ,clonmacnois he came to   
this town1 ,sec4 #cd3 a fragment of the 
cask remained here till recently1 ,sec4 
#cf3 here are the relics of ,ciaran1    
,sec4 #da4 ,similarly the ,first ,latin 
,life1 ,sec4 #ce1 calls the saint ,our  
most holy patron4 ,the actual date of   
the ,irish sermon is less easy to fix2  
the language has been modernised step by
 step in the process of transmission    
from manuscript to manuscript1 but      
originally it may have been written     
about the eleventh century1 though      
incorporating fragments of earlier      
material4 ,the passage just quoted1     
saying that a certain relic had remained
 till recently1 may possibly indicate   
that the homily had been delivered      
shortly after one of the many burnings  
and plunderings which the monastery     

suffered2 in such a calamity the relic  
might have perished4 ,the prophecy put  
into ,ciaran's mouth1 that there would  
be great persecution of his city from   
evil men in the end of the world ,irish 
,life1 ,sec4 #ch seems to relate to such
 an event3 it is very suggestive that   
exactly the same exprestion great       
persecution from evil men 7ingrem mor o 
droch-daoinibh7 is used in the          
,chronicon ,scotorum of certain raids on
 the monastery which took place in the  
year ,a4,d4 #ajia2 and that on the      
strength of an old prophecy there was a 
belief in ,ireland that the world was   
destined to come to an end in the year  
#ajif1 as we learn from the ,annals of  
the ,four ,masters under that date4#d   
,it must1 however1 be remembered that a 
date determined for a single incident   
does not necessarily date the whole     
compilation containing it4  ,the text of
 the ,first ,latin ,life 7here called   
for convenience of reference ,,la7 is   
found in an early fifteenth-century     

,,ms4 in ,marsh's ,library1 ,dublin4 ,it
 has been edited1 without translation1  
by the ,rev4 ,c4 ,plummer in his most   
valuable ,vitae ,sanctorum ,hiberniae   
7,oxford1 #aiaj7 vol4 i1 pp4 #bjj-baf4  
,the translation given in this volume   
has been made from ,plummer's edition1  
which ,i have collated with the original
 ,,ms4#e  ,the text of the ,second      
,latin ,life 7,,lb7 is contained in two 
,,mss4 in the ,bodleian ,library 7,rawl4
 ,b #dhe and ,rawl4 ,b #eje1 here called
 ,r#a and ,r#b74 ,of these ,r#b is a    
direct copy of ,r#a1 as has been proved 
by ,plummer1 in his description of these
 manuscripts4#f ,as to their date1 there
 is no agreement2 the estimate for ,r#a 
ranges from the first half of the       
thirteenth to the fourteenth century1   
,r#b being necessarily somewhat later4  
,the ,life of ,ciaran contained in these
 ,,mss4 has been used by ,plummer in    
editing ,,la1 and extracts from it are  
printed in his footnotes4 ,it has not1  
however1 been previously printed in its 

entirety1 and a transcript made by      
myself is therefore added here1 in an   
,appendix4  ,the text of the ,third     
,latin ,life 7,,lc7 is contained in the 
well-known ,brussels ,,ms41 called      
,codex ,salmaticensis from its former   
sojourn at ,salamanca4 ,it is of the    
fourteenth century4 ,this was the only  
continuous authority at the disposal of 
the compiler of the ,bollandist life of 
our saint2 he speaks of it in the most  
contemptuous terms4 ,the life of ,ciaran
 in this manuscript is a mere fragment1 
evidently copied from an imperfect      
exemplar2 there seems to have been a    
chasm in the middle1 and there is a     
lacuna at the end1 which the scribe has 
endeavoured to conceal by adding the    
words ,finit1 ,amen4 ,the translation   
here given has been prepared from the   
edition of the ,salamanca ,,ms4 by de   
,smedt and de ,backer1 cols4 #aee-afj4  
,the ,irish ,life 7here denoted ,,vg1   
i4e4 ,vita ,goedelica7 was edited by    
,whitley ,stokes from the late          

fifteenth-century ,,ms4 called the ,book
 of ,lismore4#g ,the numerous errors in 
the ,lismore text may be to some extent 
corrected by collation with another     
,brussels ,,ms41 written in the         
seventeenth century by ,micheal o       
,cleirigh4 ,stokes has indicated the    
more important readings of the ,brussels
 ,,ms4 in his edition4 ,the scribe of   
the ,lismore ,text was conscious of the 
defects of his copy3 for in a note      
appended to the ,life of our saint1 he  
says1 ,it is not ,i who am responsible  
for the meaningless words in this ,life1
 but the bad manuscript--i4e4 the       
imperfect exemplar of which he was      
making a transcript4  ,there were other 
,lives of the saint in existence1       
apparently no longer extant4 ,of these1 
one was in the hands of the hagiographer
 ,sollerius3 for in his edition of the  
,martyrologium of ,usuardus 7,antwerp1  
#agad1 p4 #ebc7 he says1 ,querani1      
,kirani1 uel ,kiriani uitam ,,ms4       
habemus4 uariaque ad eam annotata1 quae 

suo tempore digerentur4 ,this promise he
 does not appear to have fulfilled2 the 
,bollandist compiler1 as we have just   
noticed1 had no materials but the       
imperfect ,salamanca ,life1 and was     
forced to fill its many gaps as best he 
could1 by diligently collecting         
references to ,ciaran in the lives of   
other saints4 ,another ,life of the     
saint seems to be referred to in the    
,martyrology of ,donegal2 under the     
#ajth ,may that compilation quotes a    
certain ,life of ,ciaran of ,cluain     
7i4e4 ,clonmacnois7 as the authority for
 a statement to the effect that the     
order of ,comgall of ,bangor1 ,co4 ,down
 was one of the eight orders that were  
in ,ireland4 ,it would be irrelevant to 
discuss here the meaning of this        
statement2 its importance for us lies in
 the fact that the sentence is not found
 in any of the extant ,lives1 so that   
some other text1 now unknown1 must be in
 question4  ,ciaran of ,clonmacnois was 
not the only saint of that name4        

,besides his well-known namesake of     
,saighir 7,seir-,kieran1 ,king's ,co471 
there were a few lesser stars called    
,ciaran1 and there is danger of         
confusion between them4 ,the name       
reappears in ,cornwall1 with the regular
 ,brythonic change of ,q to ,p1 in the  
form ,pieran or ,pirran4 ,this ,pieran  
is wrongly identified by ,skene#h with  
our saint2 a single glance at the       
abstract of the ,life of ,st4 ,pieran   
given by ,sir ,t4,d4 ,hardy#i will show 
how mistaken this identification is4 ,a 
similar confusion is probably at the    
base of the curious statement in ,adam  
,king's ,scottish ,kalendar of ,saints1 
that ,queranus was an abot in ,scotlad  
under king ,ethus1 anno #hgf and of     
,camerarius' description of him as abbas
 ,foilensis in ,scotia4#aj  ,the four   
documents of which translations are     
printed in this book relate almost1     
though not quite1 the same series of    
incidents4 ,there is a sufficient       
divergence between them1 both in        

selection and in order1 as well as in   
the minor details1 to make the          
determination of their mutual           
relationship a difficult problem4 ,we   
must regard all four as independent     
compositions1 though based on a common  
group of sources1 which1 in the first   
instance1 were doubtless disjointed     
memorabilia1 preserved by oral tradition
 in ,clonmacnois4 ,these would in time  
gradually become fitted into the four   
obvious phases of the saint's actual    
life--his boyhood1 his schooldays1 his  
wanderings1 and his final settlement at 
,clonmacnois4 ,it is not difficult to   
form a plausible theory as to how the   
systematisation took place1 and also as 
to how the slight variants between      
different versions of the same story    
arose4 ,the composition of hymns to the 
founder and patron would surely be a    
favourite literary exercise in          
,clonmacnois4 ,in such hymns the        
different incidents would be told and   
re-told1 the details varying with the   

knowledge and the metrical skill of the 
versifiers4 ,there are excerpts from    
such hymns1 in ,irish1 scattered through
 ,,vg3 and ,,lb ends with a pasticcio of
 similar fragments in ,latin4 ,as a     
number of different metres are employed1
 both in the ,irish and in the ,latin   
extracts1 there must have been at least 
as many independent compositions drawn  
upon by the compilers of the prose      
,lives3 and it is noteworthy that there 
are occasionally discrepancies in detail
 between the verse fragments and their  
present prose setting4 ,most probably   
the prose ,lives were based directly on 
the hymns2 one preacher would use one   
hymn as his chief authority1 another    
would use another1 and thus the petty   
differences between them would become   
fixed1 perhaps exaggerated as the prose 
writer filled in details for which the  
exigencies of verse allowed no scope4   
,it is probably impossible to carry the 
history of the tradition further4  ,in  
order to facilitate comparison between  

the four documents1 ,i have divided them
 into incidents1 and have provided      
titles to each4 ,these titles are so    
chosen that they may be used for every  
presentation of the incident1 however   
the details may vary4 ,the titles are   
numbered with ,roman numerals1 whilst   
the successive incidents within each of 
the ,lives are numbered consecutively   
with ,arabic numerals4 ,the ,harmony of 
the ,four ,lives1 which follows this    
,introduction1 will make cross-reference
 easy4  ,no modern biography1 no edition
 of the ancient homiletic ,lives1 of    
,ciaran could be considered complete    
without a history of ,clonmacnois1      
through which being dead he yet spake to
 his countrymen for a thousand years4   
,it was the editor's intention to       
include such a history in the present   
volume2 and this part of the projected  
work was drafted4 ,but as it progressed1
 and as the indispensable material      
increased in bulk1 it became evident    
that it would be impossible to do       

justice to the subject within the narrow
 limits of a volume of the present      
series4 ,a slight or superficial history
 of ,clonmacnois would be worse than    
none1 as it would block the way for the 
fuller treatment which the subject well 
deserves4 ,the materials collected for  
this part of the work have therefore    
been reserved for the present3 it is    
hoped that their publication will not be
 long delayed4   ,footnote #a3 ,the name
 is pronounced as a dissyllable1        
something like ,kyee-raun1 with a stress
 on the second syllable4  ,footnote #b3 
,the ,bollandists long ago remarked as  
the special characteristics of ,irish   
,saints' ,lives1 their doubtful         
historicity1 their late date1 and their 
continual repetition of stock incidents4
 7,at priusquam id agam1 lectorem duo   
uniuersim monitum uelim2 primum est1    
quod ,hibernorum sanctorum acta passim  
dubia sint fidei1 et a scriptoribus     
minime accuratis ac aetate longe        
posterioribus conscripta2 alterum est1  

quod in iisdem frequens occurrat rerum  
simillimarum narratio1 quas uariis      
sanctis adscribunt1 ita ut nescias cui  
tuto adscribi possint4--,acta           
,sanctorum1 ,september1 vol4 iii1 p4    
#cgb74  ,footnote #c3 ,even the date of 
,ciaran's death may have been           
manipulated1 in order to make his age   
conform to the age of ,christ4 ,as we   
shall see below1 traditions vary4       
,footnote #d3 ,the end of the world is  
not actually mentioned in the ,annals1  
but the expected plague referred to was 
undoubtedly the apparition of the       
mysterious ,roth ,ramhach1 or oar-wheel1
 an instrument of vengeance that was to 
herald the end of all things4 ,for the  
references to this prophecy see         
,o',curry's ,manuscript ,materials of   
,ancient ,irish ,history 7index1 sub    
voce ,roth ,ramhach71 and the present   
writer's ,study of the ,remains and     
,traditions of ,tara 7,proceedings      
,royal ,irish ,academy1 vol4 xxxiv1     
sect4 ,c1 p4 #bca ff474  ,footnote #e3  

,the following corrections may be       
noticed4 ,page #bja of printed text1    
line #g1 for ,et cum read ,cumque4 ,same
 page1 line #bd1 for factum read factam 
7sic74 ,page #bjb1 line #f1 after       
vitulum add ilico canis famelicus iruit 
7sic7 in uitulum4 ,same page1 line #be1 
after fregit add et fracto capite       
effussoque cerebro canis periit4 ,same  
page1 line #cc1 after narrabant add hoc4
 ,same page1 lines #ce1 #ch1 for vaccam 
read vacam4 ,page #bjc1 line #ce1 for   
,angeli read ,angli4 ,same page1 line   
#ci1 insert et after generis4 ,page     
#bjd1 line #g1 ,innsythe appears to be  
written in the ,,ms4 as one word4 ,same 
line1 insert uidit before zabulum4 ,same
 page1 line #ah1 after flumen add et ibi
 mersum est4 ,page #bje1 line #cb1 read 
est ostensum4 ,page #bjf1 line #ah1     
after libri add ad locum4 ,same page1   
line #cb1 after manducans add in illa   
die4 ,same page1 line #ch1 read         
,kyaranus4 ,same page1 line #dj1 read   
,maelgharbh4 ,page #bjg1 line #ac1 after

 recepit add ipse4 ,page #bjh1 line #af1
 for complebit read implebit4 ,page     
#bji1 line #bc1 delete et after clamor2 
and in the next line for impediebant    
read -bat4 ,page #baa1 line #ad1 insert 
in before istis4 ,same page1 line #af1  
read loco isto4 ,same page1 line #dj1   
read edifficio4 ,page #bab1 line #b1    
read edifficiorum4 ,page #bac1 line #aj1
 after ignem insert nostrum4 ,same page1
 line #ba1 for ipsi read ipsum4 ,same   
page1 line #cg1 after paciencie insert  
nostre4 ,page #bad1 footnote #c1 note   
that the first uas is struck out4 ,same 
page1 footnote #g1 the first sanctus is 
expuncted4  ,footnote #f3 ,zeitschrift  
fuer ,celtische ,philologie1 vol4 v1 p4 
#dbi4  ,footnote #g3 ,lives of ,saints  
from the ,book of ,lismore1 ,oxford1    
#ahij1 pp4 #aag-acd4  ,footnote #h3     
,four ,ancient ,books of ,wales1 i1     
#abd4  ,footnote #i3 ,descriptive       
,catalogue of ,materials for the        
,history of ,great ,britain1 vol4 i1 p4 
#ajb4  ,footnote #aj3 ,forbes4          

,kalendars1 s4 v4 ,queranus2 ,bollandist
 ,acta4         99       99       99    
99       99     ,a ,,harmony ,,of ,,the 
,,four ,,lives ,,of ,,saint ,,ciaran    
,to the incidents of ,ciaran's life ,,vg
 prefixes--  ,i4 ,the ,homiletic        
,introduction 7,,vg ,i7  not found in   
any of the ,latin ,lives4  ,a4 ,ciaran  
was born ,a4,d4 #eae4 ,the first section
 of his life1 his ,childhood and        
,boyhood1 may have covered the first ten
 or twelve years of his life--say in    
round numbers #eae-ecj4 ,fifteen        
incidents of this period are recorded1  
which are found in the ,lives as under--
                                        
,,la ,,lb ,,lc ,,vg   ,,ii4 ,the origin 
and birth of ,ciaran2 the               
wizard's prophecies                     
#a  #a  #a  #b  ,,iii4 ,how ,ciaran     
raised the steed of ,oengus             
from death                              
#b  #b  #b  #c   ,,iv4 ,how ,ciaran     
turned water into honey              #c 
#c  #c  #d    ,v4 ,how ,ciaran was      

delivered from a          hound         
#f  #i  #d  #e   ,,vi4 ,how ,ciaran and 
his instructor conversed1               
though distant from one another         
#d  -  -  #f  ,,vii4 ,ciaran and the fox
                              -  -  -   
#g ,,viii4 ,how ,ciaran spoiled his     
mother's          dye-stuff             
-  -  -  #h   ,,ix4 ,how ,ciaran        
restored a calf which a          wolf   
had devoured                            
#e  #h  #e  #i    ,x4 ,how ,ciaran was  
delivered from          robbers         
#g  -  #f #aj   ,,xi4 ,how ,ciaran gave 
a gift of cattle                #h  -  -
  -  ,,xii4 ,how ,ciaran gave a gift of 
a          plough-coulter               
#i  -  -  - ,,xiii4 ,how ,ciaran gave a 
gift of an ox                #aj  -  -  
-  ,,xiv4 ,how ,ciaran gave the king's  
cauldron          to beggars and was    
enslaved                  #aa  -  #g #aa
   ,,xv4 ,how ,ciaran reproved his      
mother                 #ac  -  #i  -    
,,xvi4 ,the breaking of the             

carriage-axle              #ad  - #aj  -
   ,the boyhood legend probably         
consisted originally of the five        
incidents common to all1 ,,ii-,v1 ,,ix4 
,it is noteworthy1 however1 that ,,lb   
transfers ,v1 ,,ix1 to a position after 
the second phase of the ,life4 ,this is 
possibly due to a misplaced leaf in the 
exemplar from which our copies of ,,lb  
are derived4 ,x-,,xiii1 variants on the 
theme of ,,xiv1 are probably            
interpolations in ,,la1 and ,,viii1 a   
valuable fragment of folk-lore1 is an   
interpolation in ,,vg4 ,,vi and ,,vii   
are conflations of two varieties of one 
incident1 as is pointed out in the      
,annotations4 ,these observations will  
show how complex is the criticism of the
 ,ciaran tradition4  ,b4 ,the second    
phase of the life is the ,schooling of  
,ciaran at ,clonard2 perhaps about      
#ecj-ece1 still using round numbers4    
,this part of the life is most fully    
told in ,,vg2 it is very fragmentary in 
all the ,latin ,lives4 ,there are       

thirteen incidents--                    
,,la ,,lb ,,lc ,,vg   ,,xvii4 ,how      
,ciaran went with his cow to            
the school of ,findian                  
#ae  #d #aa #ab  ,,xviii4 ,the angels   
grind for ,ciaran                  #af  
- #ab #ac    ,,xix4 ,ciaran and the     
king's daughter               #ag  -  - 
#ad     ,,xx4 ,how ,ciaran healed the   
lepers                  -  -  - #ae     
,,xxi4 ,ciaran and the stag             
-  -  - #af   ,,xxii4 ,the story of     
,ciaran's gospel                 #ah  - 
- #ag  ,,xxiii4 ,the blessing of        
,ciaran's food                #ai  -  #h
  -   ,,xxiv4 ,the story of the mill and
 the            bailiff's daughter      
-  #f  - #ah    ,,xxv4 ,the story of    
,cluain                           -  -  
- #ai   ,,xxvi4 ,how ,ciaran freed a    
woman from            servitude         
#bj  #e  - #ba  ,,xxvii4 ,how ,ciaran   
freed another woman            from     
servitude                               
#ba  -  - #bb ,,xxviii4 ,anecdotes of   

,clonard                          -  -  
- #bj   ,,xxix4 ,the parting of ,ciaran 
and ,findian             -  -  - #bc    
,c4 ,the third phase may be called the  
,wanderings of ,ciaran4 ,from ,clonard  
he made his way to the monastery of     
,ninnedh on the island in ,loch ,erne   
now called ,inismacsaint 7it is to be   
noted that ,,vg knows nothing of this   
visit74 ,from ,loch ,erne he went to    
,aran1 thence 7after a visit to ,saint  
,senan on ,scattery ,island7 to his     
brother's monastery at ,isel1 a place   
not certainly identified4 ,after this he
 removes to ,inis ,aingin1 now ,hare    
,island in ,loch ,ree1 which is his last
 halting-place before reaching his goal 
at ,clonmacnois4 ,there are twelve      
incidents4 ,the first forms incident #ac
 of ,,lc1 which then breaks off2 this   
text therefore no longer requires a     
special column4 ,the wander-years end   
with #edh1 the year of the saint's      
arrival at ,clonmacnois4                
,,la ,,lb ,,vg     ,,xxx4 ,the adventure

 of the robbers of ,loch                
,erne                                   
--  #g --    ,,xxxi4 ,how ,ciaran       
floated a firebrand on the              
lake                                    
-- #aj --   ,,xxxii4 ,ciaran in ,aran   
#bb #aa #bd  ,,xxxiii4 ,how a prophecy  
was fulfilled                #ab -- #be 
,,xxxiv4 ,how ,ciaran visited ,senan    
#bc #ab #bf    ,,xxxv4 ,ciaran in ,isel 
#bd #ac #bh   ,,xxxvi4 ,the removal of  
the lake                     #be #ad #bi
  ,,xxxvii4 ,ciaran departs from ,isel  
#bf -- #cj ,,xxxviii4 ,ciaran in ,inis  
,aingin                       #bg #ae   
#ca   ,,xxxix4 ,the coming of ,oenna    
#bh #af #cb      ,,xl4 ,how ,ciaran     
recovered his gospel             #bi -- 
#cc     ,,xli4 ,how ,ciaran went from   
,inis ,aingin             to            
,clonmacnois                            
#cj #ag #cd  ,the difference of opinion 
as to the setting of incident ,,xxxiii  
is to be noted4 ,also noteworthy is the 
absence of any reference to a second    

visit to ,senan1 though such is         
postulated in the lives of the latter   
saint4  ,d4 ,the fourth phase covers the
 time--according to all our texts a few 
months1 according to other authorities  
some years--intervening between the     
foundation of ,clonmacnois and the death
 of ,ciaran4 ,the traditions of ,,la and
 ,,vg here run along the same lines2    
,,lb is curiously diverse4 ,there are in
 all twelve incidents1 namely--         
,,la  ,,lb  ,,vg   ,,xlii4 ,the         
foundation of the church                
#ca  --  #ce  ,,xliii4 ,how ,ciaran sent
 a cloak to ,senan             #cb  --  
#bg   ,,xliv4 ,ciaran and the wine      
#cd  #ah  #cf    ,,xlv4 ,the story of   
,crithir                         #cc  --
  #cg   ,,xlvi4 ,how an insult to       
,ciaran was averted          --  #ai  --
  ,,xlvii4 ,how ,ciaran was saved from  
shame              --  #bj  -- ,,xlviii4
 ,how a man was saved from robbers      
--  #ba  --   ,,xlix4 ,the death of     
,ciaran                          #ce    

#bb  #ch      ,l4 ,the visit of ,coemgen
                         #cf  --  #ci   
,,li4 ,the earth of ,ciaran's tomb      
delivers            ,colum ,cille from a
 whirlpool               #cg  #bc  --   
,,lii4 ,the envy of the saints          
--  --  #dj   ,,liii4 ,panegyrics of    
,ciaran                         #ch  #bd
  #da         99       99       99      
99       99     ,,the ,,first ,,latin   
,,life ,,of ,,saint ,,ciaran  ,here     
beginneth the ,life of ,saint           
,kiaranus1#a ,abbot and ,confessor4     
,,ii4 ,,the ,,origin ,,and ,,birth ,,of 
,,ciaran3 ,,the ,,wizard',s ,,prophecies
  #a4 ,the holy abbot ,kyaranus sprang  
from the people of the ,latronenses1    
which are in the region of ,midhe1 that 
is1 in the middle of ,ireland4 ,his     
father1 who was a cart-wright1 was      
called ,beonnadus2 now the same was a   
rich man2 and he took him a wife by name
 ,derercha1 of whom he begat five sons  
and three daughters4 ,of these there    
were four priests and one deacon1 who   

were born in this order1 with these     
names--the first ,lucennus1 the second  
,donanus1 the third that holy abbot     
,kyaranus1 the fourth ,odranus1 the     
fifth ,cronanus1 who was the deacon4    
,also the three daughters were named    
,lugbeg1 and ,raichbe1 and ,pata4       
,lugbeg and ,raichbe were two holy      
virgins2 ,pata1 however1 was at first   
married1 but afterwards she was a holy  
widow4 ,now inasmuch as the wright      
,beonedus himself was grievously        
burdened by the imposts of ,ainmireach  
,king of ,temoria1 he1 eluding the      
pressure of the impost1 departed from   
his own region1 that is from the coasts 
of ,midhe1 into the territories of the  
,conactha4 ,there he dwelt in the plain 
of ,aei1 with the king ,crimthanus2 and 
there he begat ,saint ,kyaranus1 whose  
,life this is4  ,now his birth was      
prophesied by a wizard of the aforesaid 
king1 who said1 before all the folk1    
,the son who is in the womb of the wife 
of ,beoedus the wright shall be had in  

honour before ,god and before men2 as   
the sun shineth in heaven so shall he   
himself by his holiness shine in        
,ireland4 ,afterwards ,saint ,kyaranus  
was born in the province of the         
,connachta1 namely in the plain of ,aei1
 in the stronghold called ,raith        
,crimthain2 and he was baptized by a    
certain holy deacon who was called      
,diarmaid in the ,scotic  ,irish tongue2
 but afterwards he was named ,iustus1   
for it was fitting that a just one      
should be baptized by a ,iustus4 ,and   
,saint ,ciaran was reared with his      
parents in the aforesaid place1 and by  
all things the grace of ,god was        
manifested within him4   ,,iii4 ,,how   
,,ciaran ,,raised ,,the ,,steed ,,of    
,,oengus ,,from ,,death  #b4 ,one day   
the best horse of ,aengussius1 son of   
the aforesaid ,king ,crimhthanus1 died  
suddenly1 and he was greatly distressed 
at the death of his best horse4 ,now    
when in sorrow he had fallen asleep1 in 
his dreams a shining man appeared to    

him1 saying to him1 ,sorrow not         
concerning thy horse1 for among you     
there is a boykin puerulus1 ,saint      
,kiaranus son of ,beoedus the wright1   
who by ,god's grace can quicken thy     
horse4 ,let him pour water into the     
mouth of the horse1 with prayer1 and    
upon its face1 and forthwith it shall   
arise sound4 ,and do thou bestow a gift 
on the boy for the quickening of thy    
horse4 ,now when ,aengus son of the king
 was awakened out of sleep1 he told     
these words to his friends2 and he      
himself came to ,saint ,kyaranus and led
 him up to the place where the horse was
 lying dead4 ,when the dutiful boy      
,kyaranus poured water into the mouth   
and on the face of the horse1 it        
forthwith rose from death and stood     
whole before them all4 ,the son of the  
king bestowed that field1 which was     
great and the best1 upon ,saint         
,kiaranus in perpetuity4   ,,iv4 ,,how  
,,ciaran ,,turned ,,water ,,into ,,honey
  #c4 ,on another day the mother of     

,saint ,kyaranus upbraided him1 saying1 
,the sensible other boys bring honey to 
their parents every day1 from the fields
 and the places where honey is found4   
,but this our son1 weak and soft as he  
is1 bringeth us no honey4 ,the holy boy 
,kyaranus1 hearing this saying of his   
mother chiding him1 made his way to a   
spring hard by1 and thence filled a     
vessel with water4 ,when he blessed it1 
honey of the best was made from the     
water1 and he gave it to his mother4    
,but his parents1 astonished at the     
miracle1 sent that honey to the deacon  
,iustus1 who had baptized him1 that he  
might himself see the miracle wrought by
 ,god through the boy whom he baptized4 
,when he had heard and seen it1 he gave 
thanks to ,christ1 and prayed for the   
boy4   ,,vi4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,and ,,his 
,,instructor ,,conversed1 ,,though      
,,distant ,,from ,,one ,,another  #d4   
,the holy boy ,kyaranus1 as he kept the 
flocks of his parents1 was wont to read 
the ,psalms with ,saint ,diarmatus4 ,but

 that teaching was imparted in a manner 
to us most wondrous4 ,for ,saint        
,kiaranus was keeping the flocks in the 
southern part of the plain of ,aei1 and 
,saint ,diarmatus was dwelling in the   
northern part of the same plain1 and the
 plain was of great extent between them4
 ,and thus1 from afar off1 they would   
salute each the other at ease1 with     
words1 across the spaces of the plain2  
and the elder would teach the boy from  
his cell across the plain1 and the boy  
would read1 sitting upon a rock in the  
field4 ,the which rock is reverenced    
unto this day1 as the ,cross of ,christ1
 called by the name of ,kyaranus1 is    
placed upon it4 ,now thus by divine     
favour were the holy ones wont to hear  
each the other1 while others heard them 
not4   ,,ix4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,restored  
,a ,,calf ,,which ,a ,,wolf ,,had       
,,devoured  #e4 ,on a day when ,saint   
,kyaranus was keeping the herds1 a cow  
gave birth to a calf in his presence4   
,now in that hour the dutiful boy saw a 

wretched wasted hungry wolf a-coming    
towards him1 and ,god's servant said to 
him1 ,go1 poor wretch1 and devour that  
calf4 ,forthwith the famished hound fell
 upon the calf and devoured it4 ,but    
when the holy herd-boy had come home    
with his herds1 the cow1 seeking her    
calf1 was making a loud outcry2 and when
 ,derercha1 mother of ,saint ,kyaranus1 
saw it1 she said unto him1 ,kyaranus1   
where is the calf of yonder cow8        
,restore it1 although it be from sea or 
from land4 ,for thou has lost it1 and   
its mother's heart is sore vexed4 ,when 
,saint ,kyaranus heard these words1 he  
returned to the place where the calf was
 devoured1 and collected its bones into 
his breast2 then returning1 he laid them
 before the cow as she lamented4        
,straightway1 by divine mercy1 by reason
 of the holiness of the boy1 the calf   
arose before them all1 and stood whole  
upon its feet1 sporting with its mother4
 ,then those who stood by lifted up     
their voices in praise to ,god1 blessing

 the boy4   ,v4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,was    
,,delivered ,,from ,a ,,hound  #f4 ,as  
the dutiful boy ,kyaranus was going out 
to a homestead hard by1 certain worldly 
men1 cruel and malignant1 let loose a   
most savage hound at him1 so that it    
should devour him4 ,when ,saint         
,kyaranus saw the fierce hound coming   
towards him1 he appropriated a verse of 
the ,psalmist1 saying1 ,lord1 deliver   
not the soul that trusteth in ,thee unto
 beasts4 ,now as the hound was rushing  
vehemently1 by divine favour it thrust  
its head into the ring-fastening of a   
calf2 and tied by the ring-fastening1 it
 struck its head against the timber to  
which the fastening was hanging1 and    
thus it broke its head4 ,its head being 
broken and the brains scattered1 the dog
 expired4 ,when they saw this they      
feared greatly4   ,x4 ,,how ,,ciaran    
,,was ,,delivered ,,from ,,robbers  #g4 
,on another day certain robbers1 coming 
from a foreign region1 found ,saint     
,kiaranus alone1 reading beside his     

herds2 and they thought to slay him and 
to reave his herds4 ,but as they came   
toward him with that intent1 they were  
smitten with blindness1 and could move  
neither hand nor foot till they had     
wrought repentance1 praying him for     
their sight4 ,then the dutiful shepherd1
 seeing them turned from their          
wickedness1 prayed for them1 and        
forthwith they were loosed and their    
sight restored 7soluti sunt in lumine   
suo74 ,and they returned and offered    
thanks1 and told this to many4   ,,xi4  
,,how ,,ciaran ,,gave ,a ,,gift ,,of    
,,cattle  #h4 ,one day a certain poor   
man came to ,saint ,kyeranus1 and begged
 of him a cow4 ,then ,saint ,kieranus   
asked of his mother that a cow should be
 given to the poor man2 but his mother  
would not hearken unto him4 ,when ,saint
 ,kieranus saw this1 he made the poor   
man accompany him out of doors with the 
herds1 and there he gave unto him a good
 cow with her calf4 ,now the calf itself
 was between two kine1 and both of them 

had a care for it2 and as the dutiful   
boy knew that the second cow would be of
 no service without the calf1 he gave   
them both1 with their calf1 to the poor 
man4 ,for these1 on the following day1  
four kine were gifted to ,saint         
,kiaranus by other folk as an alms1 and 
these he gave to his mother as she was  
chiding him4 ,then he exhorted his      
mother in reasonable manner1 and she was
 thereafter in awe of him4   ,,xii4     
,,how ,,ciaran ,,gave ,a ,,gift ,,of ,a 
,,plough-,,coulter  #i4 ,saint ,kiaranus
 on another day gave the coulter of his 
uncle ,beoanus to a certain poor man1   
for which likewise on another day he    
received four coulters4 ,for four smiths
 came from the steading called ,cluain  
,cruim1 with four coulters1 which they  
delivered for an alms to ,saint         
,kyaranus2 and these the holy boy       
restored to him for his coulter4        
,,xiii4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,gave ,a ,,gift 
,,of ,,an ,,ox  #aj4 ,on another day    
,saint ,kyaranus gave the ox of the same

 uncle to a man who begged for it4 ,and 
he said unto him1 ,son1 how shall ,i be 
able to plough to-day1 seeing that thou 
hast given mine ox to another8 ,to him  
responded the holy boy1 ,set thou to-day
 thy horse with the oxen in the plough1 
and to-morrow thou shalt have oxen      
enough4 ,forthwith the horse1 set under 
the yoke with the oxen1 in place of the 
ox that had been given1 became tame2 and
 the whole day it ploughed properly     
under the yoke1 like an ox4 ,on the     
following day four oxen were gifted for 
an alms to ,saint ,kiaranus1 and these  
he delivered to his uncle instead of his
 ox4 ,for men who heard and saw the     
great signs wrought by ,saint ,kyaranus 
were wont to beg for his prayers1 and to
 offer oblations unto him4   ,,xiv4     
,,how ,,ciaran ,,gave ,,the ,,king',s   
,,cauldron ,,to ,,beggars1 ,,and ,,was  
,,enslaved  #aa4 ,one day the father of 
,saint ,kiaranus bore a royal vessel    
from the house of ,king ,furbithus1 to  
keep it for some days4 ,now the king    

treasured that vessel4 ,but ,saint      
,kiaranus delivered that vessel of the  
king to certain poor men who asked an   
alms in ,christ's name1 as he had       
nothing else4 ,when the king heard this1
 his anger was kindled mightily1 and he 
commanded that ,saint ,kiaranus should  
be enslaved to his service4 ,and so for 
this cause was blessed ,kiaranus led    
into captivity1 and was a slave in the  
house of ,king ,furbithus4 ,a task      
chosen for its severity was laid upon   
him1 namely1 to turn the quern-stone    
daily for making flour4 ,but in wondrous
 wise ,saint ,kiaranus used to sit and  
read beside the quern-stone1 and the    
quern-stone used to turn swiftly of     
itself1 without the hand of man1 and to 
grind corn before all the folk4 ,for the
 angels of ,god were grinding for ,saint
 ,kyaranus1 unseen of men4 ,and after no
 long time a certain man of the province
 of ,mumenia1 that is1 of the people of 
the ,desi1 who was called ,hiernanus1   
stirred up by divine favour1 came with  

two most excellent vessels1 like unto   
the vessel of that king1 of the same    
sort and the same use1 and gifted them  
in alms to ,saint ,kiaranus4 ,when the  
king heard the miracle of the           
quern-stone1 he accepted those two      
vessels1 and gave his liberty to ,saint 
,kiaranus2 for beforetime he would not  
for anger accept a ransom for him4 ,thus
 was ,saint ,kiaranus freed from the    
servitude of the king2 and ,saint       
,kiaranus blessed that man with his     
tribe1 by whom he himself obtained his  
liberty4   ,,xxxiii4 ,,how ,a ,,prophecy
 ,,was ,,fulfilled  #ab4 ,on a certain  
day when ,saint ,kieranus was in the    
place called ,cluain ,innsythe1 he saw a
 ship floating on the river1 and he saw 
a hut on the bank of the river4 ,now    
there was a platter woven of twigs      
within it1 full of ears of corn1 with   
fire underneath so that they should be  
dried for grinding1 as was the custom of
 the western people1 that is1 of        
,britain and of ,ireland4 ,saint        

,kyaranus said in prophecy1 secretly1 to
 his companions1 ,yonder ship which is  
on the waters shall be burned to-day1   
and the hut which is on land shall be   
submerged4 ,as they disputed and        
wondered1 he said1 ,wait a little space1
 and ye shall see it with your eyes4    
,forthwith that shiplet was raised from 
the water on to the land1 and placed in 
a shed that its leaks and cracks might  
there be caulked4 ,but a bonfire having 
been lit1 the shed was consumed1 and the
 ship in its midst was likewise         
consumed4 ,but strong men1 wrenching the
 hut out of the ground1 cast it from the
 bank into the river1 and there it was  
submerged1 as the servant of the ,lord  
prophesied4 ,when they heard and saw    
such a prophecy of things contrary1 they
 gave glory to ,christ who giveth such a
 gift unto his servants4   ,,xv4 ,,how  
,,ciaran ,,reproved ,,his ,,mother  #ac4
 ,on another day when ,saint ,kiaranus  
had come from the fields to his home1   
men came meeting him4 ,to them he said1 

,whence have ye now come8 ,they said1   
,we come now from the house of ,beoedus 
the wright4 ,said he to them1 ,have ye  
gotten there fitting refreshment for    
,christ's sake8 ,they said1 ,nay2 but we
 found there a hard woman who would not 
for hospitality give us so much as a    
drink4 ,when ,saint ,kyaranus heard     
this1 he blessed them1 and came swiftly 
to his house1 and entering the house he 
found no one therein1 for its inmates   
were busied with their work out of      
doors4 ,then blessed ,kyaranus1 moved   
with zeal for ,god1 scattered all the   
food which he found in the house of his 
parents2 for#b the milk he poured on the
 ground1 the butter he mixed with the   
sheep's dung1 the bread he cast to the  
dogs1 so that it should be of service to
 no man4 ,for he was showing that       
whatsoever was not given to guests for  
,christ's name should rightly be devoted
 by men to loss1 lest such food should  
be eaten4 ,after a little space his     
mother came1 and seeing her house thus  

turned upside-down1 she felt moved to   
raise an outcry2 for she marvelled      
greatly at what had befallen her house4 
,when ,saint ,kiaranus had set forth the
 reason1 she became calm1 and promised  
amendment2 and many of those who heard  
were rendered charitable4   ,,xvi4 ,,the
 ,,breaking ,,of ,,the ,,carriage-,,axle
  #ad4 ,on another day when ,saint      
,kyaranus was sitting in a carriage with
 his father1 the axle of the carriage   
broke in two in the middle of the plain2
 and the father of the saint1 with his  
attendants1 was distressed4 ,then ,saint
 ,kyeranus blessed the axle1 and it was 
forthwith made whole again as it had    
been before2 and afterwards for the     
entire day they travelled in the        
carriage safely4   ,,xvii4 ,,how        
,,ciaran ,,went ,,with ,,his ,,cow ,,to 
,,the ,,school ,,of ,,findian  #ae4     
,after this ,saint ,kyaranus wished to  
leave his parents and to go forth to the
 school of ,saint ,finnianus1 who was a 
wise man abounding in all holiness2 so  

that he might there read the            
,scriptures1 with the other saints of   
,ireland who were there4 ,he asked of   
his parents that a cow might be led with
 him to the school1 for the sake of her 
milk to sustain him2 but his mother     
denied it1 saying1 ,others who are in   
that school have no kine4 ,then having  
received the licence and blessing of his
 parents--though his mother was grieved1
 for she wished to have him always with 
herself--,saint ,kyaranus went on his   
way4  ,coming to the cattle of his      
parents1 he blessed a cow1 and commanded
 her in the name of the ,lord to follow 
him4 ,forthwith that cow followed him   
with her new-born calf2 and wheresoever 
he would go the cow walked after him1 to
 the city of ,cluayn ,irayrd1 which is  
in the boundary of the ,laginenses and  
,ui ,neill4 ,but the city itself lies in
 the territory of ,ui ,neill4  ,when    
,saint ,kyeranus had come thither1 he   
used to make a barrier in the pastures  
between the cow and her calf with his   

rod2 and by no means did they ever dare 
to cross the tracks of the holy rod1 nor
 used they cross it2 but the cow would  
lick her calf across the track of the   
rod1 and at the proper time they would  
come to their stall1 with full store of 
milk4  ,that cow was of a dun colour1   
and was called ,odar ,ciarain1 ,ciaran's
 ,dun4 ,her fame endures for ever in    
,ireland1 for she used to have the      
greatest store of milk1 such as at this 
time could not be believed4 ,her milk   
was daily divided among the school1 and 
sufficed for many4 ,her hide in like    
manner remains to this day honourably in
 the city of ,saint ,kiaranus2 for      
through it1 by the grace of ,god1       
miracles are wrought4 ,this grace       
greater than all it has1 as the holy    
ancients1 the disciples of ,saint       
,kiaranus1 have delivered unto us2 that 
it is revealed by divine inspiration    
that every man who shall have died upon 
it shall possess eternal life with      
,christ4   ,,xviii4 ,,the ,,angels      

,,grind ,,for ,,ciaran  #af4 ,now in the
 school of the most holy master         
,finnianus there were many saints of    
,ireland2 to wit1 two ,saints ,kiaranus1
 and two ,saints ,brendanus1 ,columba1  
and many others2 and each of them on his
 day would grind with his own hands on  
the quern4 ,but the angels of ,god used 
to grind for ,saint ,kiaranus1 as they  
did for him in his captivity4   ,,xix4  
,,ciaran ,,and ,,the ,,king',s          
,,daughter  #ag4 ,the daughter of the   
,king of ,temoria was conducted to      
,saint ,finnianus that she might read   
the ,psalms and the other ,scriptures   
with the saint of ,god1 and should      
dedicate her virginity4 ,and when she   
promised of her own free will to        
preserve her virginity for ,christ1     
,father ,finnianus said to ,saint       
,kiaranus1 ,son1 let this virgin1       
,christ's handmaid1 daughter of an      
earthly king1 read with thee in the     
meanwhile1 till such time as a cell of  
virgins shall be built for her4 ,which  

duty ,saint ,kiaranus obediently        
accepted1 and the virgin read with him  
the ,psalms and other lections4 ,now    
when holy ,father ,finnianus was        
establishing that virgin and other holy 
virgins in a cell1 the blessed fathers  
questioned ,saint ,kiaranus as to her   
manners and her virtue4 ,to them        
,kiaranus said2 ,verily1 ,i know naught 
of her virtues1 of manners or of body2  
for ,god hath known that never have ,i  
seen her face1 nor aught of her save the
 lower part of her vesture1 when she was
 coming from her parents2 nor have ,i   
held any converse with her save only her
 reading4 ,for she was wont to take her 
refection1 and to sleep1 with a certain 
holy widow4 ,and the virgin spake the   
like testimony of ,saint ,kiaranus1 and 
many were confirmed in the true faith by
 other testimonies of them4   ,,xxii4   
,,the ,,story ,,of ,,ciaran',s ,,gospel 
#ah4 ,saint ,kiaranus was reading the   
gospel of ,matthew with holy ,father    
,finnianus1 along with others4 ,and when

 he had come to the place where1 in the 
middle of the book1 it is written ,all  
things whatsoever ye would that men     
should do unto you1 so do ye unto them1 
,saint ,kiaranus said to ,saint         
,finnianus1 ,father1 enough for me is   
this half of this book which ,i have    
read1 that ,i may fulfil it in deed2    
verily this one sentence is enough for  
me to learn4 ,then one of the school    
said to them all1 ,henceforth a fitting 
name for ,kiaranus is ',leth-,matha'    
7,half-,matthew74 ,to him the holy elder
 ,finnianus said1 ,nay2 a fitting name  
for him is ',leth n-,eirenn'            
7,half-,ireland72 for his parish shall  
be extended through the middle of       
,ireland4 ,this prophecy excited much   
envy against ,saint ,kiaranus4          
,,xxiii4 ,,the ,,blessing ,,of          
,,ciaran',s ,,food  #ai4 ,on another    
day1 when ,saint ,kiaranus was alone in 
his cell1 he came to table to take food2
 and wishing to partake after a         
blessing1 he said1 ,benedicite4 ,when he

 saw that no one answered ,dominus1 he  
rose from the table1 tasting nothing    
that day4 ,he did the like on the       
following day1 still rising from the    
table without food4 ,on the third day1  
after having thus fasted for three days1
 he came to table and said1 ,benedicite2
 and lo1 a voice from ,heaven said unto 
him1 ,the ,lord bless thee1 weary       
,kiaranus2 now is thy prayer full-ripe4 
,for it is enough for a man1 whenever he
 is alone1 to bless his food in the name
 of the ,most ,high ,god1 and then to   
partake4 ,so ,saint ,kyaranus1 giving   
thanks1 ate his bread on the third day4 
,,xxvi4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,freed ,a       
,,woman ,,from ,,servitude  #bj4 ,one   
time he went to the ,king of ,temoria1  
who was called ,tuathal ,mael-gharbh1 in
 that he was harsh1 so that he should   
set free a woman unjustly held in       
servitude with that king4 ,the king     
released not the woman to him4 ,then    
,saint ,kiaranus blessed her1 and bade  
her go with him to her own people4 ,so  

she forthwith rose out of the house of  
the king1 and made her way between      
crowds of men1 and none of them saw her 
till she came safe to her friends4      
,regarding this matter the king and the 
others marvelled greatly at the wondrous
 acts of ,god4   ,,xxvii4 ,,how ,,ciaran
 ,,freed ,,another ,,woman ,,from       
,,servitude  #ba4 ,on another occasion  
,saint ,kyaranus entered the region of a
 certain lord of the ,connachta1 that in
 like manner he should demand from him a
 certain woman who was in unjust        
servitude to him4 ,as holy ,ciaran was  
sitting there1 lo1 three men came with  
three gifts as an alms to him2 namely1  
one gifted to him a cow1 another a robe1
 and a third a frying-pan2 and these    
three gifts did ,ciaran straightway give
 to the poor who were begging of him in 
the presence of the lord4 ,now in that  
hour in lieu of these gifts he received 
others yet greater in the presence of   
the lord2 to wit1 for the frying-pan a  
cooking-pot of three measures1 and for  

the one robe twelve robes1 and for the  
one cow twelve kine1 were gifted to him 
by others4 ,which things ,saint         
,kiaranus sent to other holy men living 
hard by4 ,seeing all these things1 that 
lord graciously gave the woman free to  
,saint ,kiaranus1 and she went forth to 
her own people1 rejoicing and giving    
thanks4   ,,xxxii4 ,,ciaran ,,in ,,aran 
#bb4 ,after these things ,saint         
,kiaranus made his way to an island by  
name ,ara1 which is in the ocean        
westward beyond ,ireland a certain      
space4 ,and that same island is ever    
peopled from ,ireland1#c and in it dwell
 a multitude of holy men1 and countless 
saints lie there unknown to all save    
only to ,god ,omnipotent4 ,now for many 
days did ,saint ,kyranus dwell in hard  
service1 under the most holy ,abbot     
,henna1 and great miracles were         
manifested by him1 and works of holiness
 are still there related4 ,now when     
,saint ,kiaranus was there1 he saw this 
marvellous vision--a like vision ,saint 

,enna also saw--to wit1 a great and     
fruitful tree on the bank of the river  
,synna in the middle of ,ireland1 whose 
shadow was protecting ,ireland on every 
side2 and its branches were flowing     
beyond ,ireland into the sea4 ,on the   
following day ,saint ,kiaranus related  
that vision to ,saint ,enna1 which holy 
,father ,enna forthwith interpreted1    
saying2 ,that fruitful tree which thou  
hast seen1 and which ,i likewise have   
seen1 thou art it1 my son1 who shalt be 
great before ,god and man4 ,thine honour
 shall fill ,ireland1 and the helpful   
shade#d of thy dutifulness and grace    
shall protect her from demons1 plagues1 
and perils1 and thy fruit shall be for a
 profit to many far and wide4 ,therefore
 at the decree of ,god go thou without  
delay to the place wherein thy          
resurrection shall be1 which shall be   
shown thee of ,god1 so that thou mayest 
be for a profit to many4 ,and there     
,saint ,kiaranus was consecrated priest2
 and afterwards1 at the command of holy 

,father ,enna1 and with the prayer and  
benediction of him and of all the saints
 that were in the island of ,ara1 ,saint
 ,kiaranus came to ,ireland4   ,,xxxiv4 
,,how ,,ciaran ,,visited ,,senan  #bc4  
,one day when ,saint ,ciaran was making 
a journey1 there met him a poor man in  
the way1 who begged of him something in 
alms2 and holy ,ciaran gave him his     
cloak1 and he himself went on afterwards
 in his under-garment only4 ,his journey
 led him to the island of ,cathi which  
is in the entrance of the ocean to the  
west1 in the estuary of ,luimnech       
between the territories of ,kiarraighe  
and of ,corco ,baiscind3 wherein was the
 most holy senior ,senanus1 who first   
dwelt in that island4 ,for a venomous   
and most hurtful monster had alone      
possessed that island from ancient      
times1 which holy ,senanus1 by the power
 of ,god1 had driven far from thence    
unto a certain lake2 and to-day there is
 a shining and holy settlement in that  
island1 in honour of ,saint ,senanus4   

,now when ,saint ,kiaranus was          
approaching that island of ,cathi1      
,saint ,senanus foresaw in the spirit   
his coming and his nakedness3 and he    
sent a ship to bear him to the island1  
while he himself1 taking a cloak        
secretly in his hands1 went out to meet 
him at the island's harbour4 ,now when  
most blessed ,senanus saw ,saint        
,kyaranus coming to him1 in an          
under-garment1 he chid him sportively1  
saying1 ,is it not shame that a         
presbyter should walk in a sole         
under-garment1 without a cowl8 ,to him1 
,saint ,kiaranus1 smiling1 said1 ,this  
my nakedness shall soon receive its     
alleviation1 for there is a cloak for me
 under the vesture of mine elder        
,senanus4 ,and ,saint ,kiaranus remained
 for some days with ,saint ,senanus1    
they passing the time in the divine     
mysteries2 and they made a pact and a   
brotherhood between them1 and thereafter
 ,saint ,kiaranus with the kiss of peace
 went his way4   ,,xxxv4 ,,ciaran ,,in  

,,isel  #bd4 ,now when blessed ,kiaranus
 came from ,saint ,senanus1 he went out 
to his brethren ,luchennus and ,odranus1
 who were living in a cella which is    
called ,yseal1 that is the lowest place2
 and he lived with them for a time4 ,and
 his brethren made ,saint ,kiaranus     
their almoner and guest-master3 but     
,luchennus1 who was the eldest1 was the 
abbot of that place1 and ,odranus was   
the prior4 ,once1 when ,saint ,kiaranus 
was reading out of doors in a field     
facing the sun1 he suddenly espied weary
 guests entering the guest-house2 and   
rising quickly1 he forgot his book1 and 
left it out of doors open till the      
following day4 ,as he himself was       
settling the guests in the house1       
washing their feet and diligently       
ministering to them1 the night fell4 ,in
 that very night there was a great rain1
 but by the favour of ,god the open book
 was found perfectly dry2 for not a drop
 of rain had touched it1 although the   
whole ground was wet around it4 ,for    

this did ,saint ,kiaranus with his      
brethren render praises to ,christ4     
,,xxxvi4 ,,the ,,removal ,,of ,,the     
,,lake  #be4 ,near that place of ,saint 
,kiaranus there was an island in a lake1
 on which a certain lord was dwelling in
 his fortress with his followers2 and   
the noise of their uproar was hindering 
the prayers of the holy men in their    
cella4 ,when ,saint ,kyeranus saw this1 
he went out to the shore of the lake1   
and prayed there to the ,lord1 that ,he 
would give them somewhat of relief from 
that island4 ,on the following night    
that island1 with its lake1 was removed 
by the divine power1 far away to another
 place1 where the noise of the mob of   
that island could not reach the saints  
of ,god4 ,and unto this day there is to 
be seen the place of the lake1 where it 
had been before1 some of it sandy1 some 
of it marshy1 as a sign of the act of   
power4   ,,xxxvii4 ,,ciaran ,,departs   
,,from ,,isel  #bf4 ,on a certain day   
when ,ciaran was busied out of doors in 

a field1 a poor man came to him1 asking 
that an alms should be given him4 ,in   
that hour a chariot with two horses was 
gifted to ,saint ,kiaranus by a certain 
lord1 namely the son of ,crimthannus2   
which horses with the chariot ,saint    
,kiaranus gave to that poor man4  ,then1
 since the brethren of ,saint ,kiaranus 
could not endure the greatness of his   
charity1 for every day he was dividing  
their substance among the poor1 they    
said unto him1 ,brother1 depart from us2
 we cannot now be along with thee in one
 place1 and preserve and nourish our    
brethren for ,god1 for thine excess of  
charity4 ,to whom holy ,kiaranus        
answered3 ,if therefore ,i had remained 
in this place1 it would not have been   
',ysseal1' that is1 'lowest1' that is1  
not small2 but high1 that is1 great and 
honourable4#e ,with these words1 holy   
,kiaranus gave a blessing to his        
brethren1 and taking his book-satchels  
with his books on his shoulders1 he went
 thence on his way4  ,when he had gone  

some little distance from the place1    
there met him in the way a stag awaiting
 him with utmost gentleness4 ,saint     
,kiaranus placed his book-satchels upon 
him1 and wheresoever the stag would go1 
,saint ,kieranus followed him4 ,the stag
 came to ,loch ,rii which is in the east
 of ,connachta2 he stood over against   
,inis ,angin1 which is in that lake4    
,thereby ,saint ,kyaranus understood    
that the ,lord had called him to that   
island1 and dismissing the stag with a  
blessing he entered that island and     
dwelt there4   ,,xxxviii4 ,,ciaran ,,in 
,,inis ,,ainghin  #bg4 ,now when the    
fame of his holiness was noised abroad1 
from far and wide and from every quarter
 good men came together to him1 and     
,saint ,kiaranus made them his monks4   
,and many alms1 in respect of various   
matters1 would be given to ,saint       
,kiaranus and to his people by the      
,faithful4 ,but a certain presbyter1 by 
name ,daniel1 who owned ,inis ,angin1   
inspired by the devil's envy1 set about 

expelling ,saint ,kyaranus with his     
followers by force from the island4 ,but
 ,saint ,kiaranus1 wishing to benefit   
his persecutor1 sent him by faithful    
messengers a royal gift which had been  
given him in alms1 namely a golden      
antilum1 well adorned4 ,when the        
presbyter saw it1 at first he refused to
 accept it2 but afterwards1 on the      
persuasion of trustworthy men1 he       
received it gratefully4 ,and presbyter  
,daniel1 filled with the grace of ,god1 
came and gifted ,inis ,angin which was  
in his possession1 to ,god and to ,saint
 ,kiaranus for ever4   ,,xxxix4 ,,the   
,,coming ,,of ,,oenna  #bh4 ,on another 
day when ,saint ,kiaranus was in that   
island ,angin1 he heard the voice of a  
man in the port wishing to enter the    
island2 and he said to his brethren1 ,go
 ye1 my brethren1 and lead me hither him
 who is to be your abbot after me4 ,so  
the brethren1 voyaging quickly1 found an
 unconsecrated youth in the port1 whom  
despising they left there4 ,coming back1

 they said unto ,saint ,kiaranus1 ,we   
found no man there save an unconsecrated
 youth1 who wandered as a fugitive in   
the woods2 he it is who calleth in the  
port4 ,far removed from abbotship is his
 rudeness6 ,to these ,saint ,kiaranus   
said3 ,voyage ye without delay and bring
 him with speed2 for the ,lord having   
revealed it to me1 by his voice ,i have 
recognised that he shall be your abbot  
after me4 ,when the brethren heard this1
 they forthwith led him in1 and ,saint  
,kiaranus tonsured him1 and he read     
diligently with him1 and was filled from
 day to day with the grace of ,god2 and 
after the most blessed ,kiaranus1 he was
 the holy abbot4 ,for he is the blessed 
,aengus1 son of ,luigse4   ,,xl4 ,,how  
,,ciaran ,,recovered ,,his ,,gospel     
#bi4 ,the gospel-book of ,saint         
,kieranus fell into the lake from the   
hand of one of the brethren1 who held it
 carelessly when voyaging4 ,for a long  
time it was therein1 under the water1   
and was not found4 ,but on a certain    

day1 in summer1 the kine entered the    
lake to refresh themselves in the       
waters1 for the greatness of the heat2  
and when the kine had returned from the 
lake1 the binding of the leather satchel
 containing the gospel-book caught about
 the hoof of a cow1 and so the cow      
dragged the book-satchel on her hoof as 
she came to land4 ,and the gospel-book  
was found in the rotten leather satchel1
 perfectly dry and clean1 without any   
moisture1 as though it had been         
preserved in a book-case4 ,saint        
,kiaranus with his followers were       
rejoiced thereat4   ,,xli4 ,,how        
,,ciaran ,,went ,,from ,,inis ,,aingin  
,,to ,,clonmacnois  #cj4 ,after this a  
certain man of ,mumonia1 to wit of the  
people of ,corco ,baiscind1 by name     
,donnanus1 came to ,saint ,ciaran as he 
sojourned in ,inis ,angin4 ,to him one  
day ,saint ,kiaranus said1 ,what seekest
 thou1 father1 in these coasts8 ,saint  
,donnanus answered1 ,lord1 ,i seek a    
place wherein to sojourn1 where ,i may  

serve ,christ in pilgrimage4 ,saint     
,kiaranus said to him1 ,sojourn1 father1
 in this place2 for ,i shall go to some 
other place1 for ,i know that here is   
not my resurrection4  ,then ,saint      
,kyaranus granted ,inis ,angin with its 
furniture to ,saint ,donnanus1 and came 
to a place which is called ,ard         
,mantain1 near the river ,sinna2 but    
being unwilling to remain in that place1
 he said3 ,i will not live in this      
place3 for here shall be great abundance
 of the things of this life1 and earthly
 joy2 and hardly could the souls of my  
disciples attain to heaven1 were ,i to  
have dwelt here1 for this place belongs 
to the men of this world4  ,thereafter  
,saint ,kiaranus left that place1 and   
came to a place which once was called   
,typrait1 but now is called ,cluain meic
 ,nois4 ,and coming to this place he    
said3 ,here will ,i live3 for many souls
 shall go forth in this place to the    
kingdom of ,god1 and in this place shall
 be my resurrection4  ,then most blessed

 ,kiaranus with his followers dwelt1 and
 began to found a great monastery there4
 ,and many from all sides used to come  
to him1 and his parish was extended over
 a great circuit2 and the name of ,saint
 ,kiaranus was much renowned over all   
,ireland4 ,and a shining and holy       
settlement1 the name of which is ,cluain
 meic ,nois1 grew up in that place in   
honour of ,saint ,kiaranus2 it is in the
 western border of the land of ,ui      
,neill1 on the eastern bank of the river
 ,synna1 over against the province of   
the ,connachta4 ,therein are the kings  
or the lords of ,ui ,neill and of the   
,connachta buried1 along with ,saint    
,kiaranus4 ,for the river ,synna1 which 
is very rich in various fish1 divides   
the regions of ,niall1 that is1 of      
,midhe1 and the province of the         
,connachta4   ,,xlii4 ,,the ,,foundation
 ,,of ,,the ,,church  #ca4 ,and when    
,saint ,kiaranus would place with his   
own hands a corner-post in the first    
building of that settlement1 a certain  

wizard said to him3 ,this hour is not   
good for beginning2 for the sign of this
 hour is contrary to beginnings of      
building4 ,then ,saint ,kiaranus himself
 set the post in the corner of the      
house1 saying1 ,thou wizard1 against thy
 sign ,i fix this post in the ground2   
for ,i care naught for the art of       
wizards1 but in the name of my ,lord1   
,jesus ,christ1 do ,i all my works4 ,for
 this the wizard and his followers      
uttered commendation1 marvelling at the 
faith of ,saint ,ciaran in his ,god4    
,,xliii4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,sent ,a       
,,cloak ,,to ,,senan  #cb4 ,now when    
,saint ,kiaranus had been in his        
settlement of ,cluain meic ,nois1 an    
excellent cloak was gifted to him in    
alms by a certain man4 ,saint ,kyaranus 
was minded to send it to the aforesaid  
holy elder ,senanus1 who dwelt in the   
island of ,cathi2 but he was not able   
immediately to find a messenger1 because
 the way from the settlement of ,saint  
,kiaranus of ,cluain meic ,nois1 which  

is in the middle of ,ireland1 to the    
island of ,cathi1 situate at the        
entrance of the ocean1 was long and     
rough and difficult1 and crossed borders
 of different kingdoms4 ,then at the    
command of ,saint ,kiaranus1 the cloak  
was placed on the river ,synna1 and was 
sent alone with the river1 and it came  
dry over the waters to the island of    
,cathi2 and no one saw it while it      
travelled thither4 ,the ,synna flows    
from the settlement of ,cluain meic     
,nois to the estuary of ,luimnech1 in   
which the island of ,cathi stands4  ,and
 ,saint ,senanus1 filled with the spirit
 of prophecy1 said to his brethren1 ,go 
ye to the shore of the sea1 and bring to
 us with honour the guest there seated1 
the gift of a man of ,god4 ,and the     
brethren1 asking no questions1 made     
their way to the sea1 and found there   
the cloak1 perfectly dry1 for it was    
untouched by the waters4 ,and the holy  
elder ,senanus accepting it1 gave thanks
 to ,god2 and the cloak was in          

honourable keeping with ,saint ,senanus1
 as though it were a sacred diadem4     
,,xlv4 ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,crithir     
#cc4 ,a certain boy of the company of   
holy ,kiaranus1 called ,crithir of      
,cluain 7a boy of great wit1 but hurtful
 and wanton7 fled from ,saint ,kiaranus 
to the settlement of ,saigyr1 in the    
northern border of ,mumonia1 that is1   
the land of ,hele1 to the other         
,kiaranus1 the most holy aged bishop4   
,and that boy1 sojourning for some days 
with the holy bishop1 after his devilish
 manner took the drink of the brethren1 
and poured it over the fire2            
extinguishing thus the consecrated fire4
 ,now ,saint ,kiaranus the elder would  
have no other fire in his monastery save
 the consecrated fire1 maintained       
without being extinguished from ,easter 
to ,easter4 ,when ,saint ,kiaranus the  
elder heard what the boy ,crithir did1  
it greatly displeased him1 and he said1 
,let him be chastened for this of ,god  
in this life4 ,when he heard that ,saint

 ,kiaranus the elder was angry with him1
 he went out from the settlement of     
,saigyr1 and when he was gone a short   
space from the settlement1 wolves met   
him and killed him2 yet they did not    
touch his body after he was dead1 after 
the likeness of that prophet who was    
killed by the lion4  ,now when ,saint   
,kiaranus the younger heard that his boy
 had been with ,kiaranus the elder1 he  
went to him2 and on the day when the    
aforesaid things took place1 he came to 
the settlement of ,saigyr and was       
received with fitting honour by the holy
 bishop ,kiaranus the elder4 ,and the   
holy abbot ,kiaranus the younger said to
 the holy bishop ,kiaranus1 ,restore to 
me1 holy father1 my disciple alive1 who 
hath been slain while with thee4 ,to him
 ,saint ,keranus the elder said1 ,first 
needs must your feet be washed1 but we  
have no fire in the monastery1 to warm  
the water for you2 and ye know that it  
is because your disciple quenched our   
sacred fire4 ,wherefore beseech for us  

consecrated fire from ,god4 ,then the   
holy abbot ,kieranus the younger1 son of
 the wright1 stretched his hands in     
prayer to ,god1 and straightway fire    
from heaven came into his breast1 and   
thence was the hearth kindled in the    
monastery4  ,but the holy bishop        
,kiaranus the elder prayed to ,god for  
that youth slain by wolves1 and         
straightway he arose sound from a cruel 
death1 with the scars of the wolf-bites 
visible upon him4 ,and blessing them    
all1 he took food and drink with the    
saints1 and afterwards he lived many    
days4  ,then the two ,saints ,kiaranus  
made a compact and brotherhood in heaven
 and in earth between their successors2 
and they said that should any wish to   
name or to beg aught for one of them1 he
 should name them both and ask1 for they
 would hear him4  ,after this the holy  
abbot ,kiaranus the younger said to the 
bishop1 ,kiaranus the elder1 ,in thy    
place1 father1 shall remain honour and  
abundance of riches4 ,to him said the   

holy bishop1 ,kiaranus the elder1 ,also 
in thy place1 dearest son1 shall last   
the strength of religion and of wisdom1 
unto the end of the world4 ,when these  
things were said1 having received the   
kiss of peace and blessing of the most  
holy bishop1 ,kiaranus the elder1 ,saint
 ,kiaranus the younger with his own     
people and with the aforesaid youth     
,crithir returned to his settlement of  
,cluain meic ,nois4   ,,xliv4 ,,ciaran  
,,and ,,the ,,wine  #cd4 ,on a certain  
day when the brethren of ,saint         
,kiaranus were at work in the harvest1  
enduring thirst from the heat of the    
sun1 they sent word that cold water     
should be brought to them4 ,saint       
,kiaranus answered them by a messenger1 
,choose ye1 my brethren1 whether ye will
 drink to quench your thirst for        
necessity1 or will endure in thirst till
 the evening1 that through your labour  
to-day in thirst and in sweat there may 
be abundance for the brethren who are to
 be in this place hereafter2 and you    

yourselves will not fail of reward from 
,god in heaven4 ,the brethren answered1 
,we choose that there be a sufficiency  
for our successors1 and we to have the  
reward of our patience and of our thirst
 in heaven4 ,so the brethren worked that
 day athirst1 rejoicing1 though the sun 
was hot4  ,but when evening was come1   
the brethren returned home1 and ,saint  
,kiaranus wished to satisfy them1 and to
 refresh them charitably4 ,and trusting 
in the ,lord1 he blessed a great vessel 
full of water2 and immediately under his
 hands wine of most excellent quality   
appeared in the vessel4 ,and bringing   
drinking-cups1 he commanded the brethren
 to refresh their bodies well1 with     
sobriety1 rendering thanks to ,christ   
for his gifts4  ,this is the ,last      
,supper of ,saint ,ciaran with his      
brethren in his life1 he himself        
ministering unto them2 for he lived     
thereafter but few days4 ,and that      
supper was most generous1 excelling all 
the suppers that were made in the       

monastery of ,saint ,kiaranus1 as is    
proved thus--  ,for after a long time1  
when ,saint ,columba with his followers 
had come to ,ireland from the island of 
,hia1 a great feast was prepared for    
them in the monastery of ,saint         
,kiaranus in his settlement of ,cluain2 
and when they had come to the religious 
house of ,saint ,kiaranus1 they were    
received with great joy and love1 and   
were refreshed most bounteously with    
that repast2 and the fame of that supper
 went over the whole settlement and its 
suburbs1 far and wide4  ,when1 in the   
house of the holy elders1 who had a     
little cell apart in the monastery of   
,saint ,kiaranus1 certain persons said  
in ignorance that never in that place   
had such a feast been made1 nor would be
 in the future1 one1 who had been a boy 
when ,saint ,kiaranus lived there1      
answered3 ,ye know not whereat ye       
wonder3 for the feast which ,saint      
,kiaranus our patron made1 of water     
turned to wine1 for his brethren athirst

 after harvesting1 was far better than  
this feast4 ,and that ye may know this1 
and may believe that it is true1 come   
and perceive the odour of my finger with
 which ,i drew of that wine for the     
brethren4 ,for my thumb touched the     
liquor through the mouth of the cup in  
which the wine was drawn2 and lo1 even  
yet its odour remains thereupon4 ,then  
they all drew near1 and being sated with
 the pleasant and sweet odour of that   
holy elder1 they cried aloud saying1    
,truly much better was that feast whose 
odour remains on a finger most sweet for
 so long a time4 ,and they blessed      
,saint ,kiaranus1 giving praises to     
,god4  ,and in those days1 in which the 
brethren of ,saint ,kiaranus were sowing
 their crops1 there came merchants with 
wine of the ,gauls to ,saint ,kiaranus1 
and they filled a huge vessel1 the      
solitana of the brethren1 from that     
wine1 which ,saint ,kiaranus gave to his
 brethren with his benediction4         
,,xlix4 ,,the ,,death ,,of ,,ciaran     

#ce4 ,our most holy patron ,kiaranus    
lived but for one year in his settlement
 of ,cluain4 ,when he knew that the day 
of his death was approaching1 he        
prophesied1 deploring the subsequent    
evils that would come to pass in his    
place after him2 and he said that their 
life would be short4 ,then the brethren 
said unto him1 ,what then shall we do in
 the time of those evils8 ,shall we     
abide here beside thy relics1 or shall  
we go to other places8 ,to them ,saint  
,kiaranus said1 ,haste ye to other quiet
 places1 and leave my relics here like  
the dry bones of a stag on a mountain4  
,for it is better for you to be with my 
spirit in heaven than beside my bones on
 earth1 and stumbling withal4  ,saint   
,kiaranus used greatly to crucify his   
body1 and we write here an example of   
this4 ,he ever had a stone pillow       
beneath his head1 which till to-day     
remains in the monastery of ,saint      
,kiaranus1 and is reverenced by every   
one4 ,moreover1 when he was growing     

weak1 he would not have the stone       
removed from him1 but commanded it to be
 placed to his shoulders1 that he should
 have affliction even to the end1 for   
the sake of an everlasting reward in    
heaven4  ,now when the hour of his      
departure was approaching1 he commanded 
that he should be carried outside1 out  
of the house2 and looking up into       
heaven1 he said1 ,hard is that way1#f   
and this needs must be4 ,to him the     
brethren said1 ,we know that nothing is 
difficult for thee1 father2 but we      
unhappy ones must greatly fear this     
hour4  ,and being carried back into the 
house1 he raised his hand and blessed   
his people and clerks2 and having       
received the ,lord's ,sacrifice1 on the 
fifth of the ides of ,september he gave 
up the ghost1 in the thirty-third year  
of his age4 ,and lo1 angels filled the  
way between heaven and earth1 rejoicing 
to meet ,saint ,kiaranus4   ,l4 ,,the   
,,visit ,,of ,,coemgen  #cf4 ,and on the
 third night after the death of ,saint  

,kiaranus1 the most holy abbot          
,coemhgenus came from the province of   
the ,lagenians to the burial of ,saint  
,kiaranus2 and ,saint ,kiaranus spake   
with ,saint ,coemhgenus and they        
exchanged their vesture1 and they made a
 perpetual brotherhood between          
themselves and their followers4 ,this is
 related faithfully and at length in the
 ,life of ,coemhgenus himself4   ,,li4  
,,the ,,earth ,,of ,,ciaran',s ,,tomb   
,,delivers ,,colum ,,cille ,,from ,a    
,,whirlpool  #cg4 ,saint ,columba1 on   
hearing of the death of ,saint          
,kiaranus1 said1 ,blessed be ,god1 ,who 
hath called to ,himself most holy       
,kiaranus from this life in his youth4  
,for had he lived to old age1 there     
would have been envy of many against    
him1 for he would have had a firm hold  
on the parish of all ,ireland4  ,saint  
,columba made a hymn to ,saint          
,kiaranus2 and when he set it forth in  
the settlement of ,cluain1 the successor
 of ,saint ,kiaranus said unto him1     

,shining and worthy of praise is this   
hymn2 what reward then1 father1 shall be
 rendered unto thee8 ,saint ,columba    
answered3 ,give me my hands full of the 
earth of the grave of your holy father  
,kiaranus2 for ,i wish for and desire   
that1 more than for pure gold and       
precious gems4 ,and ,saint ,columba     
receiving earth from the grave of ,saint
 ,kiaranus1 made his way to his own     
island of ,hya4  ,when ,saint ,columba  
was voyaging on the sea1 there arose a  
storm in the sea1 and the ship was      
thrust towards the whirlpool which is in
 the ,scotic tongue called ,cori        
,bracayn1 in which is a sea-whirlpool   
most dangerous1 wherein if ships enter  
they come not out4 ,and the whirlpool   
beginning to draw the ship towards      
itself1 blessed ,columba cast part of   
the earth of ,saint ,kiaranus into the  
sea4 ,most wondrous to relate1          
immediately the storm of the air1 the   
movement of the waves1 and the swirl of 
the whirlpool all ceased1 till the ship 

had long escaped from it4 ,then ,saint  
,columba1 giving thanks to ,god1 said to
 his followers1 ,ye see1 brethren1 how  
much favour hath the earth of most      
blessed ,kiaranus brought us4   ,,liii4 
,a ,,panegyric ,,of ,,ciaran  #ch4 ,most
 blessed ,kiaranus living among men     
passed a life as of an angel1 for the   
grace of the ,holy ,spirit burned in his
 face before the eyes of men4 ,who could
 expound his earthly converse8 ,for he  
was young in age and in body1 yet a most
 holy senior in mind and in manners1 in 
humility1 in gentleness1 in charity1 in 
daily labours1 in nightly vigils1 and in
 other divine works4  ,for now liveth he
 in rest without labour1 in age without 
senility1 in health without sorrow1 in  
joy without grief1 in peace without a   
foe1 in wealth without poverty1 in      
endless day without night1 in the       
eternal kingdom without end1 before the 
throne of ,christ1 ,who with the ,father
 and the ,holy ,spirit liveth and       
reigneth unto ages of ages4 ,amen4      

,here endeth the life of ,saint ,ciaran1
 ,abbot of ,cluain meic ,nois4          
,footnote #a3 ,the inconsistencies in   
the spelling of the various proper names
 in this translation follow those in the
 original documents4  ,footnote #b3 ,the
 ,,ms4 reads lac iam444 effudit4 ,for   
iam we should probably read enim4 ,a    
similar correction is made in ,sec4 #ch4
  ,footnote #c3 ,ipsa insula semper ab  
,hybernia habitatur4 ,the sense of this 
passage is not clear3 it may be corrupt4
  ,footnote #d3 ,lit43 the shadow of the
 aid of thy dutifulness4  ,footnote #e3 
,this sentence reads very awkwardly1    
owing to the incorporation of two       
originally interlined glosses4          
,reference to the ,,ms4 enables us to   
isolate these4 ,the sentence there runs 
thus3 ,si ergo in isto loco mansissem   
non ,ysseal 4i4 imus esset id est non   
paruus sed altus 4i4 magnus et          
honorabilis4 ,here id est occurs three  
times1 once in full1 and twice          
represented by the common contraction   

4i41 which is universally used in ,,mss4
 of ,irish origin for the introduction  
of a gloss4 ,if we write the sentence as
 below1 we shall see the significance of
 the different ways in which the        
expression is written1 and by expunging 
the glosses can make the sentence less  
clumsy and more intelligible            
4i4 imus --,si 444 mansissem1 non       
,ysseal esset1 id est non paruus2 sed   
4i4 magnus et honorabilis altus4        
,footnote #f3 ,correcting the vita of   
the ,,ms4 to via1 in conformity with    
,,vg4         99       99       99      
99       99     ,,the ,,second ,,latin  
,,life ,,of ,,saint ,,ciaran   ,,ii4    
,,the ,,origin ,,and ,,birth ,,of       
,,ciaran  #a4 ,a glorious man2 and an   
abbot in life most holy1 ,queranus1 was 
born of a father ,boecius1 of a mother  
,darercha4 ,this man drew his origin    
from the northern part of ,ireland1 that
 is1 he was of the ,aradenses by race4  
,now he was so illuminated by divine    
grace from his boyhood1 that it was     

clearly apparent of what manner he was  
destined to be4 ,for he was as a burning
 lamp in extraordinary charity1 so as to
 show not only the warmth of a pious    
heart and devotion in relieving the     
necessity of men1 but also an unwearied 
sympathy for the needs of irrational    
animals4 ,and because such a lamp should
 not be hidden under a bushel1 so from  
his boyhood he began to sparkle with the
 marvels of miracles4   ,,iii4 ,,how    
,,ciaran ,,raised ,,the ,,steed ,,of    
,,oengus ,,from ,,death  #b4 ,for when  
the horse of the son of the king of that
 territory perished with a sudden death1
 and the young man was much grieved at  
its fall1 there appeared to him in      
dreams a man of venerable and shining   
countenance1 who forbade him to be      
grieved for the death of the horse1     
saying unto him1 ,call1 said he1 the    
holy boy ,keranus1 and let him pour     
water into the mouth of thy horse1 and  
sprinkle its forehead1 and it shall     
revive4 ,and thou shalt endow him with  

due reward for its resurrection4  ,when 
the king's son had wakened from sleep1  
he sent for the boy ,keranus that he    
should come to him2 who1 when he made   
his presence known1 and heard the dream 
throughout1 according to what the angel 
taught him1 sprinkled the horse with    
holy water and raised it from death4    
,when this great miracle was seen1 the  
king of that territory made over to     
,saint ,keranus a fertile and spacious  
field in honour of ,omnipotent ,god1 in 
,whose ,name his horse was resurrected4 
,,iv4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,turned ,,water   
,,into ,,honey  #c4 ,moreover it fell   
out on a certain day that the mother of 
,keranus himself found fault with him1  
for that he did not bring wild honey    
such as the other boys were wont to     
carry to their parents4 ,when the       
beloved of ,god and men heard this1 he  
raised his thoughts to the ,boy who was 
subject to ,his parents1 and blessed    
water1 brought from a neighbouring      
spring1 in ,his ,name who is able to    

draw honey from the rock1 and oil from  
the hardest stone2 and presently that   
water is changed1 with the help of ,god1
 into the sweetest honey1 and so it is  
brought to his mother4 ,this honey his  
parents sent to ,saint ,dermicius the   
deacon1 surnamed ,iustus1 who baptized  
him4   ,,xvii4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,went    
,,with ,,his ,,cow ,,to ,,the ,,school  
,,of ,,findian  #d4 ,now when the       
rudiments of letters had been read with 
him by the saint aforesaid1 he proposed 
to go to the blessed abbey of ,cluayn   
,hirard for instruction4 ,and as he     
wished to fulfil in deed what he had    
begun to conceive of in his mind1 he    
asked a cow of his parents for his      
sustenance4 ,but when his mother would  
not grant his petition1 the ,heavenly   
,father1 ,who loveth those whom ,he     
regardeth as a mother her son1 did not  
tarry to fulfil the desire of his       
beloved4 ,for a milch cow1 together with
 her calf1 followed him as though she   
had been driven after him by her        

herdsman4  ,when he had come to the     
sacred college of ,saint ,fynnianus1    
they all had no small joy at his        
arrival4 ,but the cow1 which had        
followed him1 was pastured along with   
her calf1 nor did it the calf attempt to
 touch the udders of its mother without 
permission4 ,keranus so separated and   
divided its pastures1 that the mother   
would only lick the calf1 and would not 
offer to suckle it4 ,now the milk of    
that cow was rich in such abundance     
that1 divided daily1 it would supply a  
sufficiency of provision for twelve men4
  ,but the holy youth ,keranus1 deeply  
occupied with the sacred ,scripture1    
shone in holiness and wisdom among his  
fellow-students as a brilliant star     
among the other stars4 ,for he was      
filled with the fragrance of perfect    
charity1 with moral worth1 with holiness
 of life1 and with sweetness of         
humility1 gracious1 honourable1 and     
admirable to present and to absent4     
,,xxvi4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,freed ,a       

,,woman ,,from ,,servitude  #e4 ,one day
 he made his way to a king1 ,tuathlus by
 name1 to intercede for the liberation  
of a certain bond-maid4 ,when he        
besought the king fervently for her1 and
 he rejected the prayers of the servant 
of ,god as though they were ravings1 he 
thought out a new method of liberating  
her1 and determined that he himself     
should serve the king in her place4 ,now
 when he was coming to the house in     
which the girl was grinding1 the doors  
which were shut opened to him4          
,entering1 he showed himself a second   
,bishop ,paulinus to her4 ,without delay
 the king freed her1 and further        
presented his vesture to the servant of 
,god4 ,receiving this1 he forthwith     
distributed it to the poor4   ,,xxiv4   
,,the ,,story ,,of ,,the ,,mill ,,and   
,,the ,,bailiff',s ,,daughter 7abstract 
only7  #f4 ,it fell out one night that  
the eminent doctor ,finnianus sent him  
with grain of wheat to the mill4 ,now a 
certain kingling who lived near1        

learning that one of the disciples of   
the man of ,god had come thither1 sent  
him flesh and ale by a servant4 ,when   
they had presented the gift of such a   
man1 he answered1 ,that it may be       
common1 said he1 to the brethren1 cast  
it all on the surface of the mill4 ,when
 the messenger had done this1 it was all
 turned into wheat4 ,when he heard this1
 the king gave him the steading in which
 he was dwelling1 with all his goods1 in
 perpetuity3 but ,keranus made it over  
to his master1 for a monastery was      
afterwards erected there4 ,but the bread
 made of that grain tasted to the       
brethren like flesh and ale1 and so it  
refreshed them4   ,,xxx4 ,,the          
,,adventure ,,of ,,the ,,robbers ,,of   
,,loch ,,erne  #g4 ,now when a space of 
time had passed1 the licence and        
benediction of his master having been   
obtained1 he made his way to ,saint     
,nynnidus who was dwelling in a wood    
7sic7 of ,loch ,erny4 ,now when he had  
arrived he was received with great joy  

and unfeigned love4 ,as he was daily    
becoming perfect in the discipline of   
manners and of virtue1 on a certain day1
 as one truly obedient1 he went forth to
 the groves hard by with brethren to cut
 timber4 ,for it was a custom in that   
sacred college1 that three monks1 with  
an elder1 always went out in prescribed 
order to transport timber4 ,as the      
others were cutting wood1 he by himself1
 as was his wont1 was intent on prayer  
to ,god4 ,meanwhile certain wicked      
robbers1 ferried over in a boat to that 
island1 fell upon the aforesaid brethren
 and slew them1 and bore away their     
heads4 ,but ,keranus1 not hearing the   
sound of his companions hacking1 was    
surprised1 and in wonder he hurried to  
the place where he had left them        
labouring4 ,when he saw what had been   
done to the brethren he heaved heavy    
sighs and was deeply grieved2 and he    
followed the murderers by their track1  
and found them in the harbour1 sweating 
to carry their boat in the harbour to   

the water1 but unable to do so4 ,for    
,god so fastened their skiff to the land
 that by no means could they remove it4 
,so being unable to resist the will of  
the ,all-,powerful1 they beseech as     
suppliants pardon of the man of ,god1   
then present4 ,mindful of his ,master as
 ,he prayed for the ,jews who were      
crucifying ,him1 he1 a holy one1 poured 
forth prayers for them1 unworthy as they
 were1 to the ,fount of ,piety2 and     
strengthened by the virtue of his       
prayer1 they were able to convey their  
boat quite easily to the water4 ,in     
payment for this benefit he obtained    
from the robbers the heads of his       
brethren4 ,when he had received these1  
he made his way back to the place where 
their bodies had been lying1 and        
fervently asked of ,god to show forth   
,his omnipotence in the resuscitation of
 ,his servants in this life4 ,wondrous  
is what ,i relate1 but in the truth of  
fact most manifest4 ,he fitted the heads
 to the bodies1 and recalled them to    

life by the virtue of the holy          
prayer--nay1 rather1 what is more       
correct1 he obtained their recall4      
,these1 thus marvellously resuscitated1 
bore timber back to the monastery4 ,but 
so long as they lived they bore the     
scars of the wounds on their necks4     
,,ix4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,restored ,a      
,,calf ,,which ,a ,,wolf ,,had          
,,devoured  #h4 ,at another time when he
 was keeping the herds of his parents in
 a certain place1 a cow gave birth to a 
calf in his presence4 ,but a hound1     
altogether wasted with leanness1 came1  
desiring to fill his belly with whatso  
falleth from the body of the mother with
 the calf1 and stood before the dutiful 
shepherd4 ,to which he said1 ,eat1 poor 
wretch1 yonder calf1 for great is thy   
need of it4 ,the hound1 fulfilling the  
commands of ,queranus1 devoured the calf
 down to the bones4 ,but as ,queranus   
returned with the kine to the house1    
that one1 recalling her calf to memory1 
was running hither and thither1 lowing2 

and the mother of ,queranus1 recognising
 the cause of the lowing1 said with     
indignation to the boy1 ,quiranus1      
restore the calf1 though it be burnt    
with fire or drowned with water4 ,but   
he1 obeying his mother's commands1      
making his way to the place where the   
calf had been devoured1 collected its   
bones and resuscitated the calf4   ,v4  
,,how ,,ciaran ,,was ,,delivered ,,from 
,a ,,hound  #i4 ,at a certain time1 when
 he was passing along a road1 certain   
men spurred by a malignant spirit       
incited a most savage dog to do him a   
hurt4 ,but ,queranus1 trusting in his   
,lord1 fortified himself with the shield
 of devout prayer1 and said1 ,deliver   
not to beasts the souls of them that    
trust in ,thee1 ,o ,lord3 and soon that 
dog died4   ,,xxxi4 ,,how ,,ciaran      
,,floated ,a ,,firebrand ,,on ,,the     
,,lake  #aj4 ,at another time when he   
was left alone in that island1 he heard 
a poor man in the harbour asking that   
fire be given to him4 ,for it was now   

the time of cold3 but he had no boat    
whereby to satisfy the petition of the  
poor man1 though much he desired to do  
so4 ,and because charity suffereth all  
things1 he cast a burning firebrand into
 the lake1 and the heat of love that    
sent it prevailing over the waters1 it  
came to the poor man4   ,,xxxii4        
,,ciaran ,,in ,,aran  #aa4 ,now when the
 man of ,god had spent a certain time   
there1 with the licence of ,nynnidus he 
hastened to ,saint ,endeus1 abbot in    
,ara2 who was filled with no small joy  
at his coming4 ,now on a certain night  
he dreamed that he had seen beside the  
bank of the great river ,synan a great  
leafy and fruitful tree which           
over-shadowed all ,ireland4 ,which dream
 he related to blessed ,endeus on the   
following day4 ,but ,endeus himself bore
 witness that he had seen the same      
vision that night1 which vision ,endeus 
interpreted3 ,the tree1 he said1 thou   
art it1 who shalt be great before ,god  
and men1 and honourable throughout all  

,ireland2 because she is protected from 
demons and from other perils by the     
shadow of thy help and grace1 as under  
the shadow of a health-giving tree4     
,many near and far shall the fruit of   
thy works advantage4 ,wherefore         
according to the decree of ,god who     
revealeth secrets1 depart to the place  
that hath been shown thee before1 and   
there abide1 according to the grace     
given thee of ,god4 ,comforted by the   
interpretation of this vision1 in true  
obedience he obeyed the command of      
,saint ,endeus his spiritual father4    
,,xxxiv4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,visited       
,,senan  #ab4 ,and having set forth on  
the way he found in his journey a poor  
man1 to whom1 as he asked an alms of    
him1 he made over his cloak4 ,and when  
he had arrived at the island of         
,cathacus1 blessed ,senanus learnt of   
his arrival1 the ,spirit revealing it to
 him1 and coming to meet him he said as 
though smiling1 ,is it not shame for a  
presbyter to journey without a cloak8   

,for ,senanus in the spirit knew how he 
had given it to a poor man4 ,and so he  
came to meet him with a cloak4 ,and     
,keranus said1 ,my elder1 said he1      
beareth a cloak for me under his        
vesture4   ,,xxxv4 ,,ciaran ,,in ,,isel 
#ac4 ,when he had received it and       
returned thanks to the giver1 he came   
for sacred converse to the cell of his  
brother ,luctigernnus1 where also was   
his other brother1 ,odranus by name4    
,there for some time he prolonged his   
sojourn1 and was guest-master4 ,now one 
day when he was reading in the open air 
in the cemetery1 guests came            
unexpectedly1 whom he led to the        
guest-house1 having left his book open  
in forgetfulness3 and he washed their   
feet with devotion1 and did the other   
services necessary for them1 for the    
sake of ,christ4 ,meanwhile1 when the   
night darkness had fallen1 there was a  
great rain4 ,but ,he ,who bedewed the   
fleece of ,gideon1 but afterwards kept  
it untouched by the dew1 so preserved   

the book of holy ,keranus1 open though  
it was1 from the rushing waters1 that   
not a drop fell upon it4   ,,xxxvi4     
,,the ,,removal ,,of ,,the ,,lake  #ad4 
,near to the monastery in which the man 
of ,god was then staying1 there was an  
island1 which certain worldly men       
inhabited1 whose uproar used greatly to 
disturb the men of ,god4 ,whence it     
happened that blessed ,keranus1         
compelled by their disquietude1 made his
 way to the lake1 and giving himself up 
wholly to prayer1 succeeded in obtaining
 the removal of those who were          
distressing the servants of ,god4 ,for  
when he ceased from prayer1 behold1     
suddenly the island with the lake and   
the inhabitants withdrew to a remote    
place1 so that by no means could its    
inhabitants disturb the friends of the  
,most ,high4 ,for this miracle was done 
in ,his ,name ,who overturned ,sodom on 
account of the sin of its inhabitants1  
and consumed it with fire4 ,the traces  
of that lake1 where it formerly was1    

still exist4   ,,xxxviii4 ,,ciaran ,,in 
,,inis ,,aingin  #ae4 ,as the man of    
,god was distributing the goods of the  
monastery for the use of the poor1 his  
brethren complaining of this and coming 
to him inconsiderately1 said1 ,depart1  
said they1 from us1 for we cannot live  
together4 ,to whom agreeing1 and bidding
 farewell in the ,lord1 he transferred  
himself to an island by name ,angina4 ,a
 monastery having been founded in this  
island1 many hastening from all sides1  
attracted by the fame of his holiness1  
submitted to the service of ,god4       
,ordering them under strict rules1 by   
face and by habit1 by speech and by     
life1 he showed himself as an example to
 them4 ,for he was as an eagle inciting 
its young to fly1 in respect to         
sublimity of contemplation2 but he lived
 as the least of them in brotherly      
humility4 ,for he was in spiritual      
meditations attached to the highest     
things2 yet so much did he stoop to     
feeble weakness that he seemed as though

 he tended towards the lowliest things4 
,he was also perfect in faith1 fervent  
in charity1 rejoicing in hope1 gentle of
 heart1 courteous of speech1 patient and
 long-suffering1 kindly in hospitality1 
ever diligent in works of piety1 benign1
 gentle1 peaceful1 sober1 and quiet4 ,to
 summarise many things in one short     
sentence1 he was garnished with the     
ornament of all the virtues4 ,expending 
a care zealous for these and the like   
matters--the care of ,mary for          
contemplation1 and of ,martha for the   
dispensing of things temporal--he       
fulfilled his duty in ordered           
succession4 ,nor could the light of such
 and so great a lantern be hidden under 
a bushel3 but it glittered with light1  
all around1 wheresoever it abundantly   
illuminated the world with the outpoured
 glory of its grace4   ,,xxxix4 ,,the   
,,coming ,,of ,,oenna  #af4 ,he was     
nevertheless inspired with a spirit of  
prophecy1 which appears from the        
preceding and the following examples4   

,for on a certain day the voice of one  
asking for ferrying had struck on his   
ears4 ,then he said to the brethren1 ,i 
hear1 said he1 the voice of him whom    
,god will set over you as abbot4 ,go1   
therefore1 and fetch him4 ,so they      
hastened2 and coming to the harbour1    
they found an unlettered youth4 ,not    
caring to lead him to the holy man1 they
 returned and declared that they had    
found no one1 save an unlettered youth  
who was wandering as a vagabond in the  
woods4 ,but ,saint ,queranus said1 ,lead
 him hither1 said he1 and despise not   
your future pastor4 ,who being led in1  
by the inspiration of ,god and by the   
instruction of the holy man1 took on him
 the habit of religion1 and duly learned
 his letters4 ,for he is ,saint ,oenius1
 a man of venerable life2 and1 as the   
saint prophesied beforehand1 he was duly
 set over the brethren4   ,,xli4 ,,how  
,,ciaran ,,went ,,from ,,inis ,,ainghin 
,,to ,,clonmacnois  #ag4 ,at length1    
when some time had passed1 a holy man by

 name ,dompnanus1 of ,mumonia by race1  
came to visit the man of ,god4 ,when    
,saint ,keranus enquired of him the     
cause of his coming1 he replied that he 
wished to have a place in which he could
 serve the ,lord in security4 ,but      
,saint ,keranus1 seeking not his own1   
but the things of ,jesus ,christ1 said1 
,here1 said he1 dwell thou1 and ,i with 
,god's guidance shall seek a place of   
habitation elsewhere4 ,finally1 the     
sacred community accompanying him1 he   
made his way to the place foreshown him 
of ,god1 in which1 when the famous and  
renowned monastery which is to-day      
called the city of ,cluayn was built1 he
 himself illuminated the world1 like the
 sun1 with the light of famous miracles4
   ,,xliv4 ,,ciaran ,,and ,,the ,,wine  
#ah4 ,of the multitude of these miracles
 we add some here4 ,one time1 when the  
brethren1 labouring in the harvest1 were
 oppressed with peril of thirst1 they   
sent to holy ,father ,queranus that they
 might be refreshed by the blessing of  

water4 ,to these1 through the servants1 
he said3 ,choose ye1 said he1 one of two
 things2 either that ye be now revived  
with water1 or that those who are to    
inhabit this place after you be blessed 
with the things of this world4 ,but they
 answering said3 ,we choose1 said they1 
that those who come after us may abound 
in temporal goods1 and that we may have 
the reward of long-suffering in heaven4 
,and so1 rejoicing in the hope of the   
things to come1 they abstained from     
drinking1 though they were in great need
 of it4  ,but in the evening when they  
were returning home1 the tender father1 
having compassion on the weariness of   
the labourers1 blessed a vessel filled  
with water3 and now renewing the holy   
miracle in ,cana of ,galilee1 he changed
 the water into the best wine4 ,by this 
wine they1 fainting from thirst1 were   
revived2 and revived in faith by the    
manifestation of an unwonted miracle1   
they gave praises to ,god ,almighty4    
,for the taste of this miraculous wine  

was more grateful than was wont1 and its
 odour scented the thumb of the         
wine-drawer so long as he survived4     
,,xlvi4 ,,how ,,an ,,insult ,,to        
,,ciaran ,,was ,,averted  #ai4 ,one day 
when he was going on a way1 most        
infamous robbers1 seizing him1 began to 
shave the head of the blessed man4 ,but 
what the frowardness of man wished to   
efface1 the divine benevolence changed  
to the manifestation of a mighty        
miracle4 ,for in the place of the shaved
 hairs other hairs grew forthwith4 ,the 
robbers1 thrown into consternation by   
this miracle1 were changed to the way of
 truth1 and at length1 serving in the   
divine army under so great a leader1    
they finished their life in holy        
conversation4   ,,xlvii4 ,,how ,,ciaran 
,,was ,,saved ,,from ,,shame  #bj4 ,at  
another time when the good shepherd was 
feeding his flocks1 three poor men met  
him4 ,to the first of these he made over
 his cape1 to the second his cloak1 to  
the third his tunic4 ,but when they were

 going away there arrived certain men1  
leaders of a worldly life4 ,as he was   
ashamed to be seen of these without     
raiment1 the ,lord ,who helpeth in need 
so surrounded him with water that except
 his head no part of him could they see4
 ,but after these men had passed by the 
water soon disappeared4   ,,xlviii4     
,,how ,a ,,man ,,was ,,saved ,,from     
,,robbers  #ba4 ,after this when some   
time had passed1 certain companions of  
the devil were trying to slay a man who 
dwelt near his monastery3 whom1 when the
 blessed man prayed for him1 ,god       
marvellously rescued4 ,for when they    
were slaughtering the man1 they were    
striking on a stone statue4 ,the        
robbers1 when at last they perceived    
this1 being pricked in the heart1 hasten
 to the shepherd of souls1 ,queranus3   
they humbly acknowledge their crime2    
and1 amending their way of life1 they   
served faithfully under the yoke of     
,christ until death4   ,,xlix4 ,,the    
,,death ,,of ,,ciaran  #bb4 ,the most   

glorious soldier of ,christ1 shining    
with these and many other miracles1 like
 the luminary which presides over the   
day1 as he reached the setting of his   
natural course1 approached it1 seized   
with grievous sickness4 ,but because he 
who shall have endured unto the end     
shall be saved1 so the champion of      
,christ1 not only strengthening himself 
in the battle of this conflict1 but also
 calling on souls to conquer1 caused the
 stone1 on which1 supporting his head1  
he was wont until then to concede a     
little sleep to his body1 to be placed  
even under his shoulders2 then raising  
his holy hand he blessed the brethren1  
and1 fortified by reception of the      
viaticum of salvation1 gave back his    
soul to heaven4 ,for as that blessed    
soul departed from the body1 the choirs 
of angels with hymns and songs received 
it into the glory of ,god4   ,,li4 ,,the
 ,,earth ,,of ,,ciaran',s ,,tomb        
,,delivers ,,colum ,,cille ,,from ,a    
,,whirlpool  #bc4 ,also1 when the most  

blessed abbot of ,christ1 ,columba1     
heard of the death of ,saint ,keranus1  
he composed a notable hymn about him3   
and he brought it down with him to the  
monastery of ,cluayn1 where1 as was     
fitting1 he was received with           
hospitality in honour4 ,now as for the  
hymn1 the abbot who was then presiding1 
and the others who had heard it1 lauded 
it with many lofty praises4 ,but when   
,saint ,columba was departing thence1 he
 took away with him earth from the      
sacred grave of ,saint ,keranus1 knowing
 in the spirit how useful this would be 
against future perils of the sea4 ,for  
in the part of the sea which bears      
towards the monastery of ,i1 there is a 
very great danger to those who cross1   
partly because of the vehemence of the  
currents1 and partly because of the     
narrowness of the sea2 so that ships are
 whirled round and driven in a circle1  
and thus are often sunk4 ,for it is     
rightly compared to ,scylla and         
,charybdis2 ,i mean that by its grave   

and unmitigated dangerousness1 evil is  
there the lot of sailors4 ,when they    
were coming to this strait1 they        
suddenly began to glide into it in their
 course3 and when they looked for       
nothing but death1 and because they were
 as though apt to be devoured by the    
horrible jaws of the abyss1 then ,saint 
,columba taking some of the aforesaid   
dust that had been taken from the tomb  
of blessed ,keranus1 cast it into that  
sea4 ,then there befell a thing         
marvellous and worthy of great wonder2  
for sooner than it is told1 that cruel  
storm ceased1 and accorded them a quiet 
passage4 ,truly do the just live for    
ever2 among whom blessed ,queranus      
reigneth1 the earth or dust of whose    
sepulchre stilled the sea1 established  
in the ,faith the hearts of those who   
feared1 and strengthened them to good   
works4 ,wherefore blessed ,keranus      
liveth not only for ,god1 to whom he is 
inseparably bound1 but also for men1 on 
whom in time of need he bestoweth       

benefits4   ,a ,,rime ,,about ,,him  #a4
 ,as the mother of ,quiaranus sat in a  
noisy carriage1 a wizard heard the sound
 and said out to his attendant lads1    
,see ye who is in the carriage1 for it  
soundeth under a king4 ,the wife1 say   
they1 of ,beodus the wright sitteth     
here4 ,the wizard says3 ,she shall bear 
a king acceptable to all1 whose works   
shall shine like ,phoebus in the sky4   
,the soldier of ,christ1 ,keranus1 a    
temple of the ,holy ,spirit1 flourished 
in the virtue of spiritual piety4  #b4  
,he bestowed the sucking calf of a cow  
on a hound2 then his mother severely    
upbraided ,queranus4 ,he asked the      
devoured calf from the hound itself1 and
 presently bearing back its bones he    
restored it4  #c4 ,the bald head of a   
royal woman had been made bare by the   
envy of an evil concubine2 when it was  
signed in the name of ,queranus it shone
 adorned with golden hair4  #d4 ,when   
,queranus was occupied with sacred      
studies1 and asked time that he might   

engage himself therein1 then the mill is
 moved for him by angels4  #e4 ,the     
gospel text had fallen into a lake1 but 
when time passed1 by the merits of      
,queranus1 a cow brought it back sound  
from the abyss4  #f4 ,when as a boy he  
was praying the ,lord1 and was spending 
his time in prayer1 fire came from above
 in the citadel of the pole4 ,the dead  
boy descried the lights of life1 and the
 saints glorify the mighty ,lord4       
,sparkling fire falling from heaven is  
kindled and forthwith he completes his  
especial duty4  #g4 ,to the high and    
ineffable company of apostles of the    
heavenly ,jerusalem1 the lofty          
watch-tower1 sitting on thrones shining 
like the sun1 ,queranus the holy priest1
 the eminent messenger of ,christ1 is   
exalted by the heavenly hands of angels1
 with the happy clans of holy ones made 
perfect2 whom ,thou1 ,christ1 hast sent 
as a man1 an apostle to the world1      
glorious in all the latest times4       
99       99       99       99       99  

,,the ,,third ,,latin ,,life ,,of       
,,saint ,,ciaran   ,,ii4 ,,the ,,origin 
,,and ,,birth ,,of ,,ciaran3 ,,the      
,,wizard',s ,,prophecies  #a4 ,the      
blessed and venerable abbot ,queranus   
was born of a noble and religious stock 
of the ,scots1 of a father ,beoid1 that 
is ,boeus1 by name1 who was a           
cartwright1 and of a mother ,darerca2 of
 these many saints were born4 ,this man 
of ,god was prophesied of by ,saint     
,patrick1 fifty years before his birth4 
,moreover when his mother1 sitting in a 
carriage one day1 passed near the house 
of a certain wizard1 the wizard1 hearing
 the noise of the carriage said in      
prophecy1 ,the carriage soundeth under a
 king4 ,and when his folk went in       
surprise to see the truth of the matter1
 and beheld no one but the wife of      
,boeus in the carriage1 they said in    
mockery1 ,lo1 the wife of ,beoit sitteth
 in the carriage4 ,to whom the wizard   
said1 ,not of her do ,i speak1 but of   
the son whom she hath in her womb1 who  

shall be a mighty king2 and as the sun  
blazeth in mid-day1 so shall he with    
miracles shine and illumine this island4
 ,after this1 as his father was being   
burdened under the taxes of ,anmereus1  
that is ,anmirech1 leaving his native   
region he departed into the territory of
 the ,conactei2 and there in the plain  
of ,ay he begat his blessed son         
,queranus1 who was baptized and         
instructed by a certain holy man1       
,dermicius by name4 ,and the holy boy1  
in manners beyond his years1 worked many
 wonders4   ,,iii4 ,,how ,,ciaran       
,,raised ,,the ,,steed ,,of ,,oengus    
,,from ,,death  #b4 ,so when the horse  
of the son of the king of that territory
 died by accident1 he saw in a vision a 
shining man saying to him1 ,the holy boy
 ,quieranus who liveth among you1 can   
quicken thy horse4 ,present him with a  
reward for the health of thy horse1 and 
he shall resuscitate him4 ,the royal    
youth1 awakened from sleep1 went to     
,queranus1 and prayed him on behalf of  

the horse4 ,the holy boy1 without delay1
 blessed water1 and when he poured it   
into the mouth of the horse it was      
restored to its former health4 ,and when
 the king saw what was done1 he made    
over an excellent field as a reward to  
,saint ,quieranus4   ,,iv4 ,,how        
,,ciaran ,,turned ,,water ,,into ,,honey
  #c4 ,at another time his mother       
upbraided him because1 though the other 
boys collected honey for their mothers1 
he used to bring her no honey4 ,but     
hearkening humbly to his mother1 he went
 to a neighbouring spring1 and carrying 
thence a vessel full of water1 he       
blessed it1 and it was changed into     
excellent honey4   ,v4 ,,how ,,ciaran   
,,was ,,delivered ,,from ,a ,,hound  #d4
 ,on a certain other day some men1      
spurred by a malignant spirit1 incited a
 most savage dog to devour the holy man4
 ,but ,keranus trusting in the ,lord1   
and fortifying himself with the buckler 
of prayer1 said1 ,deliver not the soul  
that trusteth in ,thee unto beasts2 and 

soon the dog died4   ,,ix4 ,,how        
,,ciaran ,,restored ,a ,,calf ,,which ,a
 ,,wolf ,,had ,,devoured  #e4 ,when at  
another time he was feeding the herds of
 his parents1 as men are wont to do1#a a
 cow brought forth a calf in his        
presence4 ,but there came a hound       
consumed with leanness1 seeking to fill 
his belly with what fell from the body  
of the mother along with the calf2 and  
moved with compassion he said unto him1 
,eat1 poor wretch1 yonder calf1 for     
great is thy need of it4 ,the hound     
fulfilled the commands of ,keranus1 and 
ate the calf to the bones4 ,as ,keranus 
returned home to the house of his       
parents with the herds1 the cow1        
recalling the calf to memory1 went      
running about lowing4 ,the mother of    
,keranus1 recognising the cause of its  
lowing1 said with indignation to the    
boy1 ,restore the calf1 ,keranus1 even  
though it be burnt with fire or drowned 
in the sea4 ,but he1 obeying his mother1
 returned to the place where the calf   

had been devoured1 collected the bones1 
and carried them with him and placed    
them before the mother father1 ,,ms41   
asking his ,god with diligence to hear  
his prayers for the resuscitation of the
 calf4 ,and ,god hearkened to the holy  
one1 and resuscitated the calf in the   
presence of his parents4   ,x4 ,,how    
,,ciaran ,,was ,,delivered ,,from       
,,robbers  #f4 ,at another time there   
came robbers to him when he was feeding 
the herds of his parents1 wishing to    
slay him1 so that they might the more   
easily reave what they would4 ,but ,god 
had regard to their attempt from on     
high1 and so multiplied infirmities upon
 them that they turned in haste to ,god4
 ,for they were smitten with blindness1 
nor could they move hand or foot1 till  
they wrought repentance1 and were loosed
 by the merit of ,saint ,keranus3       
recovering the light of their eyes and  
the vigour of their other members4      
,,xiv4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,gave ,,the      
,,king',s ,,cauldron ,,to ,,beggars     

,,and ,,was ,,enslaved  #g4 ,it happened
 after this that he gave a cauldron     
belonging to the king1 as he had nothing
 else to give to poor folk asking of him
 an alms4 ,when the king heard what had 
been done1 he was greatly enraged1 and  
commanded his people to bring ,saint    
,keranus to him in bonds4 ,when he was  
led to the king1 he gave sentence that  
he should be reduced to servitude1 and  
be set apart for grinding at the quern4 
,but ,god1 having regard to the         
humiliation of ,his servant1 caused the 
mill to be moved of itself without human
 hand1 and left ,ciaran free to chant   
his ,psalms4 ,after a few days          
coppersmiths from the land of the       
,mumunienses brought three cooking-pots 
with them1 and offered them to ,saint   
,keranus4 ,giving thanks for these to   
,god1 he was delivered from the yoke of 
servitude4   ,,xxiii4 ,,the ,,blessing  
,,of ,,ciaran',s ,,food  #h4 ,when on a 
certain day he was journeying alone1 and
 the time of partaking of food had come1

 seeking one to bless for him he said   
,benedic4 ,and as no one answered1 he   
departed1 fasting4 ,on the following    
day1 seeking one to bless and finding   
him not1 he went on fasting in like     
manner4 ,on the third day he went forth 
fasting1 and being weary with the       
journey he lay down2 and when he asked a
 benediction as was customary1 a voice  
came from heaven and blessed his meal1  
and so1 eating and giving thanks1 he    
completed his journey4   ,,xv4 ,,how    
,,ciaran ,,reproved ,,his ,,mother  #i4 
,one time when he was coming from the   
fields to the house certain strangers   
met him2 and when he had asked them     
whence they had come1 they said1 ,from  
the house of ,boetius the wright4 ,and  
when he had again asked them how they   
had been refreshed there1 they answered1
 ,not only got we no food1 but the woman
 of the house heaped insults and abuse  
upon us4 ,but he1 fired with the flames 
of charity1 went to his father's house1 
and cast whatsoever of food he found    

there into the mud1 thinking that what  
was not offered to ,christ1 and that in 
which the pleasure of the devil was     
wrought1 was corrupt and unclean and    
should not be eaten of any4   ,,xvi4    
,,the ,,breaking ,,of ,,the             
,,carriage-,,axle  #aj4 ,at another time
 when with his father he was sitting in 
a carriage1 the axle of the carriage    
broke in two2 but yet for the whole day 
they continued their journey safely1    
without any mishap4   ,,xvii4 ,,how     
,,ciaran ,,went ,,with ,,his ,,cow ,,to 
,,the ,,school ,,of ,,findian  #aa4     
,after these things1 having heard the   
renown of the holiness and sound        
doctrine of ,saint ,finnianus of ,cluayn
 ,hyrart1 he desired to hasten to him as
 to a living fountain1 and asked of his 
mother a cow1 to yield him the food     
necessary to sustain life4 ,when his    
mother refused his request1 he went to  
the kine of his mother1 trusting in his 
,god1 and blessed one of them in the    
name of ,god2 and the cow1 by the favour

 of ,god1 mindful of the blessing of the
 man of ,god1 followed him with her calf
 till he had arrived at the church of   
the man of ,god ,fynnianus4 ,when the   
man of ,god arrived at the place of his 
desire1 he drew a dividing-line with his
 rod between the cow and the calf1 in   
the name of ,him who set a boundary to  
the waters that they should not         
transgress their limit1 and this they   
did not cross till they were permitted4 
,the milk of that cow was sufficient for
 twelve men every day4   ,,xviii4 ,,the 
,,angels ,,grind ,,for ,,ciaran  #ab4   
,at that time there were twelve very    
holy and reverend men reading in that   
school1 and each of them on his day     
ground at the quern with his own hand1  
as was customary4 ,but in the day of    
,saint ,keranus the angels of ,god used 
to turn the quern for him4   ,,xxx4     
,,the ,,adventure ,,of ,,the ,,robbers  
,,of ,,loch ,,erne  #ac4 ,at another    
time1 when blessed ,keranus had been in 
an island situated in ,loch ,eirne1 in  

the school of a holy man2 and it was a  
custom with the saints that three men   
should go out with an elder to bring in 
timber2 it was the lot of ,saint        
,keranus to go to the forest with three 
monks to cut timber4 ,and when he was   
praying apart and the others were       
cutting wood1 robbers came and slew     
those three monks1 and cut off and      
carried away their heads with them4     
,saint ,keranus1 not hearing the sound  
of those who were hacking and hewing    
timber1 returned from the place of      
prayer and found his three companions   
slain and decapitated4 ,but the man of  
,god1 though first he grieved sorely    
over this deed1 yet1 recovering his     
power from ,him ,who deserteth not ,his 
own in their necessity1 hastened after  
the murderers1 and found them sweating  
to drag a little boat down to the water4
 ,but it was wondrously contrived that  
the skiff should weigh most heavily1    
like a ship1 and with this their bodily 
strength wholly failed them4 ,then they 

turned themselves to the holy man1 and  
begging pardon of him1 they obtained it 
in mercy4 ,and when as a price for their
 restored strength he obtained the heads
 of his companions from the robbers1 he 
ran with them to the place where the    
bodies of the martyrs were lying1 placed
 each of them respectively at the       
junction with its body1 and restored    
them to life from death in the ,name of 
the ,holy ,trinity4 ,and as a sign of   
this unwonted miracle1 so long as they  
lived there remained a blood-marked     
circle round their necks1 that thereby  
the ,faithful should be strengthened in 
the ,faith and the infidels confuted4   
,it endeth2 ,amen4   ,footnote #a3 ,more
 humano3 but is this an error for in    
quodam loco8         99       99        
99       99       99     ,,the ,,irish  
,,life ,,of ,,saint ,,ciaran   ,i4 ,,the
 ,,homiletic ,,introduction  #a4 ,omnia 
quaecumque uultis ut faciant homines    
uobis1 ita et uos faciatis illis1 haec  
est enim lex et prophetae3 ,every good  

thing that ye wish to be done unto you  
by men1 let it be likewise that ye do to
 them1 for that is ,law and ,prophecy4  
,now ,he ,who prohibiteth every evil1   
,who proclaimeth every good1 ,who       
reconcileth ,god and man1 ,jesus ,christ
 ,son of the ,living ,god1 the ,saviour 
of the whole world1 ,he it is ,who spake
 these words2 to teach ,his apostles and
 ,his disciples and the whole ,church   
concerning the covenant#a of charity2   
that men should do of good and of       
charity to their neighbour as much as   
they would do unto themselves4 ,to that 
end saith ,jesus1 ,omnia quaecumque     
uultis4 ,now ,matthew son of ,alphaeus1 
the eminent sage of the ,hebrews1 one of
 the four who expounded the ,gospel of  
the ,lord1 he it is who wrote these     
words in the heart of his ,gospel1      
saying after his ,master ,jesus1 ,omnia 
quaecumque4  ,si ergo uos1 cum sitis    
mali1 nostis bona data dare filiis      
uestris1 quanto magis ,pater uester     
celestis dabit bona petentibus ,se3#b   

,that is1 ,if ye being men sic give good
 gifts to your children1 much more shall
 the ,heavenly ,father give good to ,his
 children who ask ,him4 ,it is after    
these words that ,jesus spake this      
counsel1 ,omnia quaecumque1 etc4 ,for   
,law and ,prophecy command us to give   
love to ,god and to the neighbour4      
,finis enim precepti caritas est1 quia  
caritas propria et specialis uirtus est 
,christianorum4 ,nam caeterae uirtutes  
bonis et malis possunt esse communes2   
caritatem autem habere nisi perfecti non
 possunt4 ,vnde ,iesus ait1 ,in hoc     
cognoscent omnes quod discipuli ,mei    
estis1 si dilexeritis inuicem4 ,for the 
roof and summit of divine doctrine is   
charity1 because charity is the especial
 virtue of the ,christians4 ,for the    
other virtues may belong to good and to 
evil men alike2 but none hath charity   
save good men only4 ,wherefore ,jesus   
saith1 ',hereby shall all men recognise 
that ye are of ,my folk1 if each of you 
loveth his fellow as ,i have loved      

you4'#c ,et iterum dixit ,iesus3 ,hoc   
est preceptum meum ut diligatis inuicem 
sicut dilexi uos4 ,and thus said ,jesus 
further3 ',this is my counsel to you1   
that each of you love his fellow as ,i  
have loved you4'  ,many of the children 
of life1 apostles and disciples of the  
,lord1 have thenceforward fulfilled with
 zeal and with piety the counsel that   
,jesus gave them as to fulfilling       
charity2 as he fulfilled and loved      
charity especially beyond all virtues1  
to wit the noble glorious apostle1 the  
father confessor1 the spark-flashing1   
the man through whom the west of the    
world shone with signs and wonders1 with
 virtues and with good deeds1 ,sanctus  
,ciaranus sacerdos et apostolus ,dei1   
the archpresbyter and apostle ,saint    
,ciaran1 son of the wright4 ,now he was 
son of the ,wright ,who formed heaven   
and earth with all that in them is1     
according to his heavenly genealogy2 and
 son of the wright who used to frame    
carriages and all other handiworks      

beside1 according to his earthly        
genealogy4  ,the date which the         
,faithful honour as the feast-day of    
this noble one is the fifth of the ides 
of ,september according to the day of   
the solar month1 and this day to-day    
according to the day of the week4       
,accordingly ,i shall relate a short    
memoir of the signs and wonders of that 
devout one1 for a delight of soul to the
 ,faithful2 and of his earthly          
generation1 and of his mode of life1#d  
and of the perfection which he gave to  
his victorious course in the earth4 ,a  
man held greatly in honour of the ,lord 
was this man4 ,a man for whom ,god      
reserved his monastery1 fifty years     
before his birth2 a man whom ,christ    
accounteth in the order of apostles in  
this world1 as ,colum ,cille said--     
,quem ,tu ,christe apostolum mundo      
misisti hominem4  ,a lamp was he1       
shining with the light of wisdom and    
doctrine1 as ,colum ,cille said--       
,lucerna huius insulae lucens luce      

mirabili4  ,a man who established a     
cathedral from which was drawn the      
effectiveness of rule1 and wisdom1 and  
doctrine1 for all the churches of       
,ireland1 as the same man of learning   
said--      ,custodiantur regmina       
adcessione edita ,diuulgata per omnia   
sanctorum monasteria#e--  that is1 ,let 
the rules and doctrines and customs     
which have been received from the       
master1 from ,ciaran1 be kept by the    
elders of these monasteries2 thus1 these
 are the rules and customs that have    
been distributed and received of all the
 monasteries of saints of ,ireland4 ,for
 it is from her ,clonmacnois that are   
carried rules and precepts throughout   
,ireland4  ,he is a man whom the ,lord  
accounteth of the order of chief        
prophets in this world1 as the same     
prophet said--      ,propheta qui       
nouissimus fuerit praesagminibus1#f  for
 it was by reason of his nobility and   
his reverence before the ,lord that he  
was foretold of prophets long before his

 birth1 as ,isaac was foretold1 and     
,john the ,baptist1 and ,jesus1 which is
 something yet nobler4#g ,first ,patrick
 son of ,calpurn prophesied of him in   
,cruachan ,aigli1 after the tree had    
closed around his relics in the place   
where that settlement is now4 ,brigit   
prophesied of him when she saw the fire 
and the angel1 fifty years before       
,ciaran1 in the place where the ,crosses
 of ,brigit are to-day4 ,becc mac ,de   
prophesied1 saying there--    ,son of   
the wright         with choruses1 with  
choirs1   ,in comely cloak1         with
 chariots1 with chants4  ,colum ,cille  
prophesied in ,ard ,abla to ,aed son of 
,brandub 7or of ,brenainn74   ,,ii4     
,,the ,,origin ,,and ,,birth ,,of       
,,ciaran3 ,,the ,,wizard',s ,,prophecies
  #b4 ,now this is the genealogy of     
,ciaran--     ,ciaran1 son of           
,lairne1 son of      ,bresal1 son of    
,beoit                 ,cuiltre         
,dega         ,olchan                   
,gluinech           ,reo-soirche1 son of

   ,dichu                 ,coirpre      
,reo-doirche       ,corc                
,lug                ,tigernmas          
,cuindiu               ,meidle          
,follach           ,cuinnid             
,dub                ,eithrial           
,fiac                  ,lugna           
,irel the prophet1 son of               
,mael-,catrach1 son of   ,feidlimid     
,eremon                  ,laire         
,echu               ,mil of ,spain4     
,beoit son of ,olchan of the ,latharna  
of ,mag ,molt of the ,ulaid was earthly 
father of ,ciaran4 ,darerca daughter of 
,ercan son of ,buachall was his mother1 
as ,ciaran said--    ,mother mine1 a    
woman good1     she ,darerca hight2     
,father1 of ,molt's ,latharna     he was
 ,beoit the wright4  ,of the ,ciarraige 
of ,irluachra was his mother1 that is1  
more especially1 of the ,glasraige4     
,glas the ,poet was her grandfather4    
,now this was the cause of the coming   
together of those twain4 ,when ,beoit   
went to visit his brethren who were in  

the territory of ,cenel ,fiachrach1 and 
when he saw the maiden ,darerca before  
him1 he asked for her of her friends and
 her#h parents1 so that she was given   
him to wife4 ,thereafter she bore five  
sons to him1 and this is the order in   
which they were born3 ,lucoll her       
firstborn1 ,donnan the second1 ,ciaran  
the third1 ,odran the fourth1 ,cronan   
the fifth--he was a deacon1 but the     
other four sons were archpresbyters4    
,furthermore she bore three daughters to
 him2 two of them were virgins1 to wit  
,lugbec and ,rathbeo2 ,pata was the     
third daughter1 and she was a pious     
widow4 ,these are the graveyards wherein
 are the relics of those saints2        
,lucholl and ,odran in ,isel ,chiarain1 
,donnan and ,ciaran in ,cluain maccu    
,nois1 ,cronan the deacon and ,beoit and
 the three daughters in ,tech meic in   
t,saeir4  ,now there was an impious king
 in the land of ,ui ,neill at that time1
 ,ainmire son of ,colgan his name4 ,he  
impressed the tribelands and the septs  

under a grievous tax4 ,so ,beoit went1  
a-fleeing from that king1 into the land 
of the ,connachta1 to ,cremthann son of 
,lugaid son of ,dallan ,king of         
,ireland1 to ,raith ,cremthainn in ,mag 
,ai4 ,the day on which ,ciaran was      
conceived was the sixth of the calends  
of ,june1 and he was born on the sixth  
of the calends of ,march4  ,the birth of
 ,ciaran was prophesied by ,lugbrann the
 wizard of the aforesaid king4 ,the     
wizard dixit--    ,oengus' steed he made
 alive1     while he yet in cradle      
rested2   ,god this marvel did contrive1
     by ,ciaran1 in swathing vested4    
,one day when the wizard heard the sound
 of the carriage he spake thus3 ,see1   
lads1 said he1 who is in the            
carriage#i--;for here is the sound of a 
carriage that bears a king4 ,when the   
lads went out they saw no one save      
,beoit and ,darerca in the carriage4    
,when the lads mocked the wizard1 thus  
spake he3 ,the child who is in the womb 
of the woman1 said he1 shall be a great 

king3 as the sun shineth among the stars
 of heaven1 so shall he shine1 in signs 
and wonders that cannot be related1 upon
 the earth4  ,thereafter was ,saint     
,ciaran born1 in ,mag ,ai at ,raith     
,cremthainn4 ,he was baptized by deacon 
,iustus1 for it was fitting that the    
true one should be baptized by a ,true  
,one4   ,,iii4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,raised  
,,the ,,steed ,,of ,,oengus ,,from      
,,death  #c4 ,a certain day the horse of
 ,oengus son of ,cremthann died1 and he 
had great sadness because of the death  
of his horse4 ,now when ,oengus         
slumbered1 an angel of ,god appeared to 
him in a dream1 and thus he spake with  
him3 ,ciaran son of the wright shall    
come1 and shall raise thy horse for     
thee4 ,and this was fulfilled1 for      
,ciaran came at the word of the angel1  
and blessed water1 and it was put over  
the horse1 and the horse arose from     
death forthwith4 ,then ,oengus gifted a 
great land to ,god and to ,ciaran in    
return for the raising of the horse2    

,tir-na ,gabrai is the name of the land4
   ,,iv4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,turned ,,water
 ,,into ,,honey  #d4 ,a certain day his 
mother upbraided him4 ,the little       
village lads1 said she1 bring with them 
honey out from the combs to their folks1
 but thou bringest it never to us4 ,when
 ,ciaran heard that1 he went to a       
certain spring1 and he fills his vessel 
from it1 and blesses it3 so that it     
became choice honey1 and he gives that  
honey to his mother2 so she was         
thankful4 ,that is the honey which was  
given to deacon ,uis 7 ,iustus7 as a fee
 for baptizing him4   ,v4 ,,how ,,ciaran
 ,,was ,,delivered ,,from ,a ,,hound    
#e4 ,a certain day evil men incited a   
savage hound against ,ciaran1 to tear   
him4 ,when ,ciaran saw the hound1 he    
sang this verse3 ,ne tradas bestiis     
animam confitentem tibi4 ,and when he   
said this the hound fell forthwith and  
did not rise again4   ,,vi4 ,,how       
,,ciaran ,,and ,,his ,,instructor       
,,conversed ,,though ,,distant ,,from   

,,one ,,another  #f4 ,this was the      
labour that his parents used to lay upon
 him1 namely1 herding1 after the        
likeness of ,david son of ,jesse1 and of
 ,jacob1 and of the elders thenceforth1 
for ,god knew that he would be a wise   
shepherd of great flocks1 that is1 the  
flocks of the ,faithful4 ,thereafter a  
marvellous thing took place at ,raith   
,cremthainn in ,mag ,ai3 he was keeping 
the flocks of his parents at ,raith     
,cremthainn1 and there was dwelling#aj  
his tutor1 deacon ,uis1 at ,fidharta1   
and there was a long space between them3
 yet he used to hear what his tutor was 
saying as though they were side by side4
   ,,vii4 ,,ciaran ,,and ,,the ,,fox    
#g4 ,then there came a fox to ,ciaran   
from out the wood1 and behaved tamely   
with him4 ,it would often visit him1 so 
that he bade it do him a service1       
namely1 to carry his book of ,psalms    
between him and his teacher1 deacon     
,uis4 ,for when he would say in         
,fidharta1 ,say this in the ,name of the

 ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the   
,holy ,spirit1 ,ciaran would hear in    
,raith ,cremthainn1 from that on to the 
end of the lesson2 and the fox would be 
awaiting the lesson obediently till its 
writing on wax was completed1 and       
thereafter he would carry it with him to
 ,ciaran4#aa  ,once on a time his       
natural treacherousness broke forth in  
the fox1 and he began to eat the book3  
for he was greedy for the leather that  
was bound around the book outside4      
,while he was eating the book1 there    
came ,oengus son of ,cremthann with     
kernes and with hounds1 so that they    
chased him1 and he found no sanctuary   
till he came under the cloak of ,ciaran4
 ,the name of ,god and ,ciaran's were   
magnified by the rescue of the book from
 the fox and by the rescue of the fox   
from the hounds4 ,the book is what is   
now called the ,tablet of ,ciaran4      
,most consonant with these things is it 
for evil men who are near to the        
,church1 and who profit by the          

advantages of the ,church--communion1   
and baptism1 and food1 and teaching--and
 withal stay not from persecuting the   
,church1 until there come upon          
themselves the persecution of some king1
 or mortality1 or a disease unknown3 and
 then they needs must flee under the    
protection of the ,church1 as the fox   
went under the cloak of ,ciaran6#ab     
,,viii4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,spoiled ,,his  
,,mother',s ,,dye  #h4 ,a certain day   
the mother of ,ciaran was making blue   
dye1 and she had reached the point of   
putting the garments therein4 ,then said
 his mother to him1 ,get thee out1      
,ciaran4 ,for they thought it unbecoming
 that males should be in the house when 
garments were being dyed4 ,may there be 
a dun stripe upon them6 said ,ciaran4   
,of all the garments that were put into 
the dye1 there was not one that had not 
a dun stripe upon it4 ,the dye is       
prepared again1 and his mother said1 ,go
 out1 ,ciaran1 this time1 and now1      
,ciaran1 let there be no dun stripe4    

,then he said--    ,alleluia ,domine6   
,white my mother's dye let be6     ,when
 in my hand it's gone1     ,be it white 
as bone6     ,when boiling it is        
stirred1     ,be it white as curd6      
,accordingly every garment that was     
placed therein was of a uniform         
whiteness4 ,for the third time is the   
dye made4 ,ciaran1 said his mother1 hurt
 me not the dye now1 but let it receive 
a blessing from thee4 ,when ,ciaran     
blessed the dye1 never was dye made so  
good1 before or since2 for though all   
the garments of ,cenel ,fiachrach 7sic7 
were placed in its iarcain1 it would    
turn them blue2 and at the last it      
turned blue the dogs and the cats and   
the trees that came in contact with it4 
,,ix4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,restored ,a      
,,calf ,,which ,a ,,wolf ,,had          
,,devoured  #i4 ,once he was tending    
kine4 ,a miserable wolf came to him4    
,now this was a habitual expression with
 him1 ,mercy on us4 ,he said to the wolf
 in compassion#ac ,rise and devour the  

calf and break or eat not its bones4    
,the wolf went and did so4 ,when the cow
 lowed a-seeking the calf1 his mother   
spake thus to him3 ,tell me1 ,ciaran1   
where is the calf of this cow8 ,let the 
calf be restored by thee1 whatsoever    
death it has died4 ,ciaran went to the  
place where the wolf had devoured the   
calf1 and collected the bones of the    
calf1 and brought them before the cow1  
and the calf arose and stood up4 ,ut    
dixit--    ,one day when1 assiduously   
,ciaran the kine was havening1   ,he a  
calf for charity     ,gave to a wolf    
ravening4#ad   ,x4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,was 
,,delivered ,,from ,,robbers  #aj4 ,a   
certain day there came robbers from ,ui 
,failge to slay people in the land#ae of
 ,cenel ,fiachach1 and they found ,saint
 ,ciaran a-reading with his herds2 and  
they went forward to slay him4 ,but they
 were smitten with blindness1 and could 
stir neither foot nor hand1 till they   
wrought repentance1 and were loosed by  
the word of ,god and of ,ciaran4        

,,xiv4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,gave ,,the      
,,king',s ,,cauldron ,,to ,,beggars     
,,and ,,was ,,enslaved  #aa4 ,another   
time his father sent him to present a   
cauldron to the king1 even to ,furban4  
,there met him poor men on the way1 and 
,ciaran#af gifts the king's cauldron to 
them4 ,so he was put in bonds then1 and 
slavery was imposed on him at the king's
 hands2 and this was the labour put upon
 him1 to grind at the quern4 ,then great
 marvels came to pass1 for when he went 
to grind at the quern1 it would turn of 
itself1 and did so continually4 ,they   
were the angels of the ,lord who used to
 grind for his sake4 ,not long          
thereafter there came smiths from the   
lands of ,muma1 with three cauldrons for
 ,ciaran as an alms1 and thus was       
,ciaran delivered from servitude to the 
king4   ,,xvii4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,went   
,,with ,,his ,,cow ,,to ,,the ,,school  
,,of ,,findian  #ab4 ,now after those   
things ,ciaran thought it time to go    
a-schooling to ,findian of ,cluain      

,iraird1 to learn wisdom4 ,he begged a  
cow of his mother and of his father1 to 
take it with him to serve him4#ag ,his  
mother said that she would not give it  
him4 ,he blessed one of the kine1 to wit
 the ,dun ,cow of ,ciaran1 as she was   
called thenceforward1 and she went with 
her calf after ,ciaran thence to ,cluain
 ,iraird4 ,afterwards he drew a line    
with his staff between them1 for between
 them there was no fence1 and the cow   
used to lick the calf and neither of    
them transgressed the mark4 ,now the    
milk of that cow used to be divided     
between the twelve bishops with their   
folk and their guests1 and it was       
sufficient for them2 ut dixit1          
,ciaran's ,dun was wont to feed1        
three times fifty men in all2   ,guests 
and sick folk in their need1     in     
soller and in dining-hall4  ,the hide of
 the ,dun is in ,clonmacnois1 and       
whatsoever soul parteth from its body   
from that hide hath no portion in hell1 
and#ah dwelleth in eternal life4        

,,xviii4 ,,the ,,angels ,,grind ,,for   
,,ciaran  #ac4 ,now there were the      
twelve bishops#ai of ,ireland in the    
school of ,findian in ,cluain ,iraird1  
ut dixit1    ,two ,findians1 holy       
,colums two1     ,ciaran1 ,cainnech1    
,comgall fair2   ,two ,brenainns1       
,ruadan bright of hue1     ,ninned1     
,mo-,bi1 ,mac ,natfraeich there4  ,this 
was their rule1 that every bishop#ai    
should grind at the quern on his day4   
,but angels used to grind at the quern  
for ,ciaran's sake on the day that was  
his4   ,,xix4 ,,ciaran ,,and ,,the      
,,king',s ,,daughter  #ad4 ,the daughter
 of the ,king of ,cualu was brought once
 upon a time to ,findian to read her    
,psalms1 after offering her virginity to
 ,god4 ,findian committed the maiden to 
,ciaran1 so that it was with him that   
she used to read her ,psalms4 ,now      
,ciaran saw naught of the body of the   
maiden1 so long as they were together1  
save her feet only4 ,as is verified in  
the stanza--    ,a maid1 rich in        

stateliness     with ,ciaran there was  
reading2   ,of her form or shapeliness1 
he was all unheeding4#bj   ,,xx4 ,,how  
,,ciaran ,,healed ,,the ,,lepers  #ae4  
,there came then twelve lepers to       
,findian for their healing4 ,findian    
sent them to ,ciaran4 ,ciaran welcomed  
them1 and went with them westward from  
the cell1 and tears a sod from the      
ground1 so that a stream of pure water  
breaks forth from thence4 ,he poured    
three waves of the water over each of   
them1 so that they were healed          
forthwith4   ,,xxi4 ,,ciaran ,,and ,,the
 ,,stag  #af4 ,further1 into that school
 there used to come a stag to ,ciaran1  
and he would place his book on the horns
 of the stag4 ,one day there ,ciaran    
heard the bell4 ,he arose suddenly at   
the sound of the bell1 but still swifter
 was the arising of the stag1 and it    
went off1 with his book on its horns4   
,though that day and the following night
 were wet1 and though the book was open1
 not a letter in it was moistened4 ,the 

cleric arose on the morrow1 and the stag
 came to him with his book uninjured4   
,,xvii4 ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,ciaran',s  
,,gospel  #ag4 ,now into that school    
there came ,ninned the ,squinting1 from 
the lochs of ,erne1 to read with        
,findian2 and he had no book4 ,seek a   
book1 said ,findian4 ,ninned went       
a-searching round the school1 and did   
not obtain a book from any of them4     
,hast thou gone to the gentle youth on  
the north side of the lawn8 said        
,findian4 ,i shall go now1 said ,ninned4
 ,now when ,ninned reached him1 ,ciaran 
was going over the central text of the  
book of ,matthew3 ,omnia quaecumque     
uultis ut faciant homines uobis1 ita et 
uos faciatis illis4 ,i have come for the
 loan of a book1 said ,ninned4 ,mercy on
 us1 said ,ciaran1 for that do ,i read  
this1 and this is what the text saith to
 me1 that everything that ,i would that 
men should do to me1 ,i should do to    
all4 ,take thou the book1 said ,ciaran4 
,on the morrow his companions asked of  

him1 at the time of the lesson1 where   
his book was4 ,he gave it to me1 said   
,ninned4 ,let ',ciaran ,half-,matthew'  
be his name1 said one of the school4    
,nay1 said ,findian1 but ,ciaran        
,half-,ireland2 for his shall be half of
 ,ireland1 and ours the other half4#ba  
,as ,findian said--    ,holy ,ciaran    
zealously   under ,findian studying     
pored2   ,half his book he left unread1 
half of ,ireland his reward4  ,from this
 was the well-known saying ,non legam   
,marcum quousque compleueram ,mattheum  
carried to ,rome1 to ,alexander4        
,,xxiv4 ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,the ,,mill 
,,and ,,the ,,bailiff',s ,,daughter     
#ah4 ,now it came to pass that there was
 scarcity of corn and sustenance in that
 school1 so that it was necessary for a 
strong man of them in turn to protect   
the sack of grain that was being carried
 to the mill4  ,it happened that        
,ciaran1 in his turn1 was carrying a    
sack of oats to the mill4 ,as he was    
opening the sack1 he said1 ,o ,lord1    

said he1 ,i would that this were fine   
wheat1 so that it were a great and a    
kindly and a pleasant satisfaction to   
the elders4 ,and so it came to pass3 the
 angel of ,god took the mill in his     
hands1 and he ,ciaran was rendering his 
,psalms in purity of heart and mind1 and
 the oats which were being put in were  
choice wheat as they were coming out4   
,now the daughter of the bailiff of the 
mill came1 amorous for ,ciaran2 and she 
gave her love to him1 for fairer was he 
in form than any other of his time4     
,most hard for thee is that1#bb said    
,ciaran4 ,is it not these things to     
which thou shouldest give heed--the     
passing of the world1 and the ,day of   
,judgment1 and the pains of ,hell to    
shun them1 and the rewards of ,heaven to
 earn them8 ,when the maiden went home1 
she tells that tale to her father and   
her mother4 ,they came and offered the  
maiden to ,ciaran4 ,if she sacrifice her
 virginity to ,god1 said ,ciaran1 and if
 she serve ,him1 ,i will be in union    

with her4 ,then the maiden offered her  
virginity to ,god and to ,ciaran1 and   
her folk offered their perpetual service
 and perpetual subjecthood to ,ciaran   
from that onward4  ,when they went to   
their house1 a portion was sent to      
,ciaran by them1 to wit1 three wheaten  
cakes1 with their meed of suet and      
flesh1 and a vessel full of ale4 ,when  
the servants left it1 and received a    
blessing1 he said1 ,mercy on us1 said   
he1 it is not right for us to eat of    
this1 with exclusion of the other       
brethren4 ,thereafter he cast all the   
food1 after shredding it fine1 upon the 
mill1 and he cast the ale likewise1 so  
that all was turned to fine flour4      
,when ,ciaran perceived the servant     
spying on him at the roof-ridge1 he     
spake a word against him1 saying1 ,may  
the crane1 said he1 take thine eye out  
of thy head6#bc ,and so it came to pass2
 for a pet crane plucked his eye out of 
his head1 so that it was on his cheek as
 he was going home4 ,the bailiff came   

straightway with the servant1 and they  
did obeisance to ,ciaran1 and he offered
 the mill with all its land to ,ciaran  
for the healing of the lad4 ,ciaran laid
 his palm on the eye and put it in its  
place1 and he made the sign of the cross
 upon it so that it became sound4  ,when
 he finished the grinding of the corn1  
four full sacks of consecrated wheat    
were there1 by the grace of ,god and of 
,ciaran4 ,when he reached his house with
 the wheat he made cakes for the elders4
 ,now these cakes were the best ever    
given to them2 for from the time when   
the mystic manna was received yonder by 
the sons of ,israel1 there was not      
received the like of that food4 ,for in 
this wise was it1 with the taste of     
every food of excellence1 both bread and
 flesh1 and of every excellent drink#bd 
both wine and mead2 so that it filled   
and healed all of them4 ,for every man  
in sickness who was in the whole city1  
whosoever ate any of it was whole       
forthwith4  ,the elders did not observe 

the nocturn that night until prime on   
the morrow4  ,when ,findian asked of    
,ciaran regarding the miracle that had  
taken place1 ,ciaran related from       
beginning to end#bd how the mill and the
 land with its implements1 or its men1  
had been offered to him as a gift2 and  
there for thee1 ,findian1 is all that   
land1 said ,ciaran4 ,then did ,findian  
give his blessing fervently to ,ciaran2 
ut dixit ,findian--    ,ciaran my little
 heart1     whom for holiness ,i love1  
,princely lands shall be thy part1      
favour1 dearest1 from above4    ,ciaran1
 famous all around6     wealth and      
wisdom on thee pour6   ,so may1 in thy  
,church renowned1     knowledge grow yet
 more and more4  ,now this blessing was 
given fervently to ,ciaran through his  
great love and spiritual exaltation4#be 
,so that there he left half of the      
charity1 and the nobility1 and the      
wisdom1 among the men of ,ireland to    
,ciaran and his monastery4 ,moreover    
,ciaran left wealth to him and to his   

monastery1 so that thence is the wealth 
of ,findian4  ,that corn sufficed for   
the congregation of ,findian for forty  
days with their nights2 and a third part
 of it was stored up for sick folk1 for 
it would heal every malady1 and neither 
mouse nor worm dared to destroy it4 ,it 
endured a long time#bf until it turned  
at last to clay4 ,and every disease for 
which it was given would be healed4     
,,xxv4 ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,cluain  #ai4
 ,one day when ,ciaran was collecting a 
band of reapers1 there met him a youth  
named ,cluain4 ,help us at the reaping  
to-morrow1 said ,ciaran4 ,i will1 said  
,cluain4 ,but when ,cluain went home he 
said to his folk1 ,should one come from 
,ciaran for me1 said he1 say that ,i am 
sick4 ,when this was told to the lad who
 went to summon ,cluain1 he reported it 
to ,ciaran4 ,when ,ciaran heard it he   
laughed1 and he understood that ,cluain 
was practising deception1 for he was a  
prophet of ,god in truth4 ,now when the 
folk of ,cluain went to awake him1 thus 

they found him1 without life4 ,sorely   
did his folk bewail him1 and there came 
the people of the neighbourhood to ask  
them the cause of their weeping4        
,cluain1 said they1 went to his bed in  
health1 and now he is dead2 and ,ciaran 
hath slain him with his word1 for that  
he went not to reap for him4 ,all those 
people go to ,ciaran to intercede with  
him for the raising again of the dead3  
we shall all1 said they1 reap for thee1 
and we shall give our labour and our    
service to thee and to ,god for ever1 if
 thou raise the dead for us4 ,then said 
,ciaran to his servant3 ,rise1 said he1 
and take my staff with thee to the dead1
 and make the sign of the cross with the
 staff on his breast1 and speak this    
quatrain--      ,cluain did say   ,he   
would reap with me today2     ,living1  
by a dread disease1   ,dead within his  
house he lay4  ,then ,cluain arose      
forthwith and went with speed to        
,ciaran4 ,a blessing on thee1 holy      
,ciaran1 said he1 good is what thou hast

 done for me2 for ,i am grateful to have
 come from the many pains of hell4 ,now 
know we the profit of obedience1 and the
 unprofit of disobedience1 and we know  
in what great honour the ,lord and the  
folk of ,heaven hold thee4 ,then he did 
obeisance to ,ciaran1 and gave him      
labour4   ,,xxviii4 ,,anecdotes ,,of    
,,cluain ,,iraird  #bj4 7a7 ,certain of 
the clerks asked of ,findian which of   
them would lead the prayer when ,findian
 should be no longer here4 ,yonder youth
 ,ciaran is he1 said ,findian4 ,thou    
givest the abbacy to him above us all1  
said ,brenainn4 ,it hath been given1 it 
is given1 it shall be given1 said       
,findian4 ,all the saints except ,colum 
,cille were envious because of this4    
7b7 ,then certain of them asked which of
 the saints should have the greatest    
reward in heaven4 ,mercy on us1 said    
,ciaran1 that will be made known in our 
habitations on earth4 ,then ,brenainn of
 ,birra made a prophecy of him3 ,we     
shall take two habitations1 said        

,brenainn1 on two streams between chief 
cities1 and the difference that shall be
 between the two streams shall be the   
difference between the size of the      
cities4  7c7 ,when it was time for      
,ciaran to depart from ,cluain ,iraird1 
after learning letters and wisdom1 he   
left the ,dun ,cow with ,saint ,ninned2 
but he said that her hide should come to
 him afterwards1 and ,ciaran said       
further1 ,though many be succoured by   
her milk1 yet there shall be more to    
whom her hide will give succour4 ,and he
 said1 ,every soul that parteth from its
 body from the hide of the ,dun ,cow    
shall not be pained in hell4  7d7       
,findian saw a vision of him ,ciaran and
 of ,colum ,cille1 namely1 two moons in 
the air with the colour of gold upon    
them4 ,one of them went north-east over 
the sea1 and the other#bg over the      
middle of ,ireland4 ,that was ,colum    
,cille1 with the glory of his nobility  
and his good birth1 and ,ciaran with the
 glory of his charity and his mercy4    

,,xxvi4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,freed ,a       
,,woman ,,from ,,servitude  #ba4        
,thereafter ,ciaran went to parley with 
the ,king of ,ireland1 ,tuathal         
,moel-garb1 to ask him for a slave-girl 
that he had4 ,ciaran put his hand on the
 quern for charity1 and he promised that
 he would serve in the place of the     
girl4 ,then ,tuathal gifted the girl to 
,god and to ,ciaran1 and further he gave
 him his kingly apparel1 and ,ciaran    
gave it forthwith to poor folk4         
,,xxvii4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,freed         
,,another ,,woman ,,from ,,servitude    
#bb4 ,one time ,ciaran went to ask      
another slave-girl of ,king ,furbaide4  
,then one man gifted him a cow as an    
alms1 another gifted him a cloak1 and   
another a kettle4 ,forthwith on the same
 day he gave them all to poor folk2 and 
,god gifted to ,ciaran three gifts yet  
better1 a cauldron instead of the       
kettle1 twelve robes instead of the one 
robe1 twelve kine instead of the one    
cow4 ,when the king saw that1 he gave   

him the slave-girl4   ,,xxix4 ,,the     
,,parting ,,of ,,findian ,,and ,,ciaran 
#bc4 ,when the time came for ,ciaran to 
bid farewell to his teacher1 he offers  
to put his monastery at his service4    
,nay1 said ,ciaran1#bh sever not thy    
monastery for any save for ,god alone1  
,who hath given thee favour beyond us   
all4 ,the monastery ,i give thee1 said  
,findian4#bi ,ciaran weeps1 for he      
thought it noble of his teacher to offer
 him his monastery4 ,well1 then1 let    
there be unity between us henceforth1   
said ,findian1 and let him who breaketh 
that unity have no part in earth or in  
heaven4 ,be it so1 said ,ciaran4 ,then  
,ciaran went his way2 and ,colum ,cille 
uttered this testimony of him--    ,a   
wondrous youth from us departs1         
,ciaran1 craftsman's son2   ,of greed1  
of pride1 reviling1 lust1       satire1 
he hath none4   ,,xxxii4 ,,ciaran ,,in  
,,aran  #bd4 ,thereafter ,ciaran went to
 ,aran to hold converse with ,enda1 and 
,enda and ,ciaran saw one and the same  

vision--a great fruitful tree beside a  
river in the middle of ,ireland1        
a-sheltering the island of ,ireland1 and
 its fruit was going over the sea that  
was around the island outside1 and the  
birds of the air were coming and taking 
of the fruit4 ,ciaran went and told the 
vision to ,enda4 ,said ,enda1 ,that     
great tree which thou hast seen is      
thyself2 for thou art great before ,god 
and man1 and ,ireland shall be full of  
thine honour4 ,this island shall be     
protected under the shadow of thy grace1
 and many shall be satisfied by the     
grace of thy fasting and of thy prayer4 
,rise therefore at the word of ,god1 and
 go to the shore of the stream1 and     
found a church there4#cj   ,,xxxiii4    
,,how ,a ,,prophecy ,,was ,,fulfilled   
#be4 ,once when he was in ,aran a-drying
 corn in the kiln1 and ,lonan the       
,left-handed with him 7one who ever was 
contradictious of ,ciaran7 they saw a   
ship foundering in their sight4         
,methinks1 said ,lonan1 yonder ship     

shall be drowned to-day and this kiln   
shall be burned with the greatness of   
the draught4 ,nay1 said ,ciaran1 yonder 
ship shall be burned1 and this kiln with
 its corn shall be drowned4#ca ,and this
 was fulfilled2 for the crew of the ship
 escaped1 and the ship was cast on shore
 close to the kiln4 ,the fire seized the
 kiln1 and the ship is burned4 ,a blast 
of wind struck the kiln and its corn    
into the sea1 so that it was drowned1   
according to the word of ,ciaran4       
,,xxxiv4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,visited       
,,senan  #bf4 ,when ,ciaran left ,aran a
 poor man met him on the way4 ,ciaran   
gives him his linen cloak1 and goes to  
,inis ,cathaig to salute ,senan4 ,that  
he was in one mantle only was revealed  
to ,senan1 and he went to meet him1 with
 a linen cloak under his armpit4 ,and he
 said to ,ciaran1 ,is it not shame1 said
 he1 for a priest to travel without a   
cowl8 ,mercy on us1 said ,ciaran1 ,god  
will have pity on my nakedness2#cb there
 is a cloak for me under the covering of

 mine elder4   ,,xliii4 ,,how ,,ciaran  
,,sent ,a ,,cloak ,,to ,,senan  #bg4    
,when ,ciaran arrived at ,cluain maccu  
,nois he wished to send another cloak to
 ,senan4 ,the cloak was laid upon the   
stream of the ,shannon1 and it travelled
 without being wetted to the harbour of 
,inis ,cathaig4 ,said ,senan to his     
monks1 ,rise and go to the sea1 and ye  
shall find there a guest1 which bring   
with you1 with honour and dignity4 ,when
 the monks went out they found the cloak
 on the sea1 dry1 and they brought it   
with them to ,senan1 and offered an     
offering of thanks to the ,lord4 ,that  
is now called ,senan's cloak4   ,,xxxv4 
,,ciaran ,,in ,,isel  #bh4 ,thereafter  
he went to his brethren to ,isel1 and   
,cobthach son of ,brecan gave ,isel to  
,god and to ,ciaran2 and he lived there 
with his brethren4 ,one day when he was 
doing his lesson outside in the field1  
he went to attend upon his guests1 and  
left his book open till morning under   
the rain2 and not a damp drop fell upon 

the book4  ,once ,ciaran was sowing seed
 in ,isel4 ,a poor man came to him4     
,ciaran gives him a handful of the grain
 into his breast1 and the grain was     
forthwith turned into gold4 ,a chariot  
with its horses was gifted to ,ciaran by
 ,oengus son of ,cremthann4 ,ciaran gave
 it to the poor man in exchange for the 
gold1 and the gold turned into grain1   
and the field was sown with it4         
,,xxxvi4 ,,the ,,removal ,,of ,,the     
,,lake  #bi4 ,moreover there was a lake 
near ,isel1 and country-folk and        
despicable people used to occupy the    
island that was upon it4 ,the noise and 
uproar of those worthless people used to
 cause disturbance for the clerics4     
,ciaran prayed to the ,lord that the    
island should be removed from its place1
 and that was done4 ,the place where it 
was in the lake is still to be seen as a
 memorial of that miracle4   ,,xxxvii4  
,,ciaran ,,departs ,,from ,,isel  #cj4  
,as the brethren could not suffer the   
almsgiving of ,ciaran1 so great was it1 

and as they were envious of him1 they   
said unto him1 ,rise and depart from us1
 said they1 for we cannot be in the same
 place4 ,said ,ciaran1 ,had ,i been     
here1 said he1 though this spot be lowly
 7,isel7 in situation1 it would have    
been high in glory and in honour4 ,then 
he said--    ,although lowly1 it were   
high1   ,had not censure come me nigh2  
,had ,i not been censured so1   ,it were
 high though it be low4  ,then ,ciaran  
put his books upon a wild stag2         
afterwards he accompanied the wild stag 
wheresoever it would go4 ,the deer went 
forward to ,inis ,aingin4 ,he went into 
the island and dwelt there4   ,,xxxviii4
 ,,ciaran ,,in ,,inis ,,aingin  #ca4    
,then his brethren came to him from     
every side4 ,there was a certain        
archpresbyter in the island1 ,daniel his
 name4 ,of the ,british was he1 and the 
devil incited him to be jealous of      
,ciaran4 ,a royal cup with three birds  
of gold was given him by ,ciaran as a   
token of forgiveness4 ,the presbyter    

marvelled thereat1 and repented1 and did
 obeisance to ,ciaran1 and gave the     
island to him4   ,,xxxix4 ,,the ,,coming
 ,,of ,,oenna  #cb4 ,once ,ciaran was in
 ,inis ,aingin and he heard a cry in the
 port4 ,he said to the brethren1 ,rise  
and go for your future abbot4 ,when they
 reached the harbour they found no man  
save a weak unconsecrated youth4 ,they  
tell that to ,ciaran4 ,for all that1 go 
again for him2 it is clear to me from   
his voice that it is he who shall be    
abbot after me4 ,thereafter the youth   
was brought into the island to ,ciaran1 
and ,ciaran tonsured him1 and he read   
with him4 ,that was ,enna maccu ,laigsi1
 a holy man1 held in honour of the      
,lord2 and it is he who was abbot after 
,ciaran4   ,,xl4 ,,how ,,ciaran         
,,recovered ,,his ,,gospel  #cc4 ,it    
happened that the gospel of ,ciaran fell
 into the lake from the hand of a       
heedless brother1 and it was a long time
 in the lake4 ,upon a day in the time of
 summer the kine went into the water1 so

 that the strap of the gospel attached  
itself to the hoof of one of the kine1  
and she brought it dry from below#cc to 
haven4 ,thence is ,port of the ,gospel  
in ,inis ,aingin4 ,when the gospel was  
opened it was in this wise--white and   
clean1 dry1 without the loss of a       
letter1 through the grace of ,ciaran4   
,,xli4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,went ,,from     
,,inis ,,aingin ,,to ,,clonmacnois  #cd4
 ,a certain man of ,corco ,baiscind came
 to ,ciaran1 ,donnan his name1 brother's
 son of ,senan mac ,gerginn2 and he had 
the same mother as ,senan4 ,what        
wouldest thou1 or wherefore comest thou8
 said ,ciaran4 ,seeking a place wherein 
to abide and to serve ,god4 ,ciaran left
 ,inis ,aingin to ,donnan4 ,donnan said1
 ,since thou hast a charity towards me1 
leave me somewhat of thy tokens and of  
thy treasures4 ,ciaran leaves him his   
gospel--that which was recovered from   
the lake--and his bell1 and his bearer  
,mael ,odran4 ,three years and three    
months was ,ciaran in ,inis ,aingin4    

,he came thereafter to ,ard ,manntain1  
close to the ,shannon4 ,when he saw the 
beauty of that place1 thus he spake3 ,if
 we dwell here1 said he1 we shall have  
much of the wealth of the world1 and    
there shall be few souls going to heaven
 from hence4  ,then he came to this     
town2 ,ard ,tiprat was its name at that 
time4 ,here will we stay1 for there     
shall be many souls going to heaven from
 hence1 and ,god and man shall visit    
this place for ever4  ,on the eighth of 
the calends of ,february ,ciaran settled
 in ,cluain1 the tenth day of the moon1 
a ,saturday4 ,eight men went with       
him--,ciaran1 ,oengus1 ,mac ,nisse1     
,cael-,cholum1 ,mo-,beoc1#cd ,mo-,lioc1 
,lugna maccu ,moga ,laim1 ,colman mac   
,nuin4 ,wondrous was that monastery1 set
 up by ,ciaran in ,cluain with his eight
 men after coming from the waves of the 
water1 as ,noah son of ,lamech took the 
world with his eight after coming from  
the waves of the ,flood4   ,,xlii4 ,,the
 ,,foundation ,,of ,,the ,,church  #ce4 

,then ,ciaran set up the first post in  
,cluain1 and ,diarmait mac ,cerrbheil   
along with him4 ,said ,ciaran to        
,diarmait when they were planting the   
post1 ,warrior1 suffer my hand to be    
over thy hand1 and thou shalt be over   
the men of ,ireland in high-kingship4 ,i
 permit it1 said ,diarmait1 only give me
 a token thereof4 ,i will1 said ,ciaran2
 though thou art solitary to-day1 thou  
shalt be ,king of ,ireland this time    
to-morrow4 ,that was verified2 for      
,tuathal ,moel-garb ,king of ,ireland   
was slain that night1 and ,diarmait took
 the kingship of ,ireland on the morrow1
 and he bestowed a hundred churches on  
,ciaran4 ,wherefore to prove that1 it   
was said--    ,i'll speak both choice   
and truly1     although thou now art    
lonely1   ,thou shalt rule ,ireland     
duly1     after one's day's space only4 
,the chosen ,tuathal's slaughter1     a 
crying without glory4   ,thence is it   
said thereafter1     ,that deed was of  
,mael-,moire4    ,without a court or    

slaughter1     great ,diarmait ,uisnech 
lifted2   ,a hundred fanes thereafter1  
to ,god and ,ciaran gifted4  ,then was  
the post made fast2 and ,ciaran said in 
fixing it1 ,be this1 said he1 in the eye
 of ,tren4 ,tren was a youth who was in 
the fortress of ,cluain ,ichtar1 and who
 had adventured arrogance against him4  
,forthwith his one eye burst in his     
head1 at the word of ,ciaran4   ,,xliv4 
,,ciaran ,,and ,,the ,,wine  #cf4 ,one  
day the brethren were sore athirst1     
while they were reaping in ,cluain4     
,they send a messenger to the cleric1   
that water be brought to them in the    
field4 ,then ,ciaran said1 ,if to-day   
they would endure thirst1 it would      
procure great riches of the world for   
the brethren who would come after them4 
,truly1 said the brethren1 we prefer to 
exercise patience1 whereby profit will  
be secured for ourselves1 and advantage 
to the brethren who follow us2 rather   
than to have satisfaction of our thirst 
to-day4  ,a cask full of wine was       

brought from the land of the ,franks to 
the steading1 to ,ciaran1 in reward for 
their patience2 and a fragment of that  
cask remained here till recently4  ,when
 the evening was come1 ,ciaran blessed a
 vessel full of water1 and it was       
changed to choice wine1 and was divided 
among the monks2 so that there was no   
feast that excelled that feast4 ,for the
 folk of ,colum ,cille came from ,i1    
after a long time1 to this city4 ,a     
feast was prepared for them1 and it was 
noised abroad through the whole city    
that never before or since was there a  
feast its equal4 ,then an aged man who  
was in the house of the elders said1 ,i 
know1 said he1 a feast that was better  
than this feast4 ,better was the feast  
that ,ciaran made for his monks when    
they were sore athirst1#ce so that he   
changed water into wine for them4 ,that 
it be no story without proof for you1   
said the elder1 it was myself who       
divided that wine1 and my thumb would go
 over the edge of the cup into the wine4

 ,come and perceive now the savour of my
 thumb1 which then was dipped into the  
wine4 ,they came and were all satisfied 
with the savour of that finger4 ,and    
they said1 ,better1 said they1 than any 
feast was that feast of which the savour
 remains after a long time on a finger4 
,a blessing1 said they1 on ,ciaran and a
 blessing on the ,lord ,who allotted    
every good thing to him4   ,,xlv4 ,,the 
,,story ,,of ,,crithir  #cg4 ,crichid   
sic of ,cluain1 a servant of ,ciaran1   
went to ,saigir and stayed there a long 
time4 ,the devil tempted him to quench  
the sacred fire which the monks had in  
the kitchen4 ,said ,ciaran of ,saigir1  
that he would not eat food till there   
should come guests who would bring him  
fire4 ,crichid then went from them a    
short distance outside the city1 and    
wolves slew him1 but did not injure his 
body4 ,when ,ciaran the wright's son    
heard of the death of his attendant1 he 
went to ,ciaran of ,saigir to seek for  
him4 ,when he arrived1 ,ciaran of       

,saigir said1 ,first of all ye need     
water for your feet2 but we have no fire
 to heat water for you4 ,let you as     
guests give us fire1 for ,god hath      
decreed this for you4 ,then ,ciaran the 
wright's son raised his hands to heaven1
 and made fervent prayer4 ,when the     
prayer was finished1 there came fire    
from heaven1 and rested on his breast4  
,he protected his breast from the fire1 
and carried it with him to the          
monastery4 ,he cast from him the fire on
 to the floor1 and it did not hurt so   
much as the fur of the robe of white    
linen which he was wearing4  ,then he   
revived his servant who had died before 
that1 and he ate food with them4 ,the   
two ,ciarans then made a covenant       
together4 ,the wealth of the world1 said
 ,ciaran son of the wright1 be in great 
,saigir4 ,knowledge and dignity         
incorruptible be in ,cluain maccu ,nois1
 said ,ciaran of ,saigir4   ,,xlix4     
,,the ,,death ,,of ,,ciaran  #ch4 ,the  
soul of ,ciaran was not more than seven 

months in this town before he went to   
heaven1 on the ninth day of ,september4 
,when ,ciaran knew that the day of his  
death was drawing nigh1 he made a       
prophecy with great sorrow4 ,he said    
that great would be the persecution of  
his city from evil men towards the end  
of the world4 ,what then shall we do in 
the time of that crime8 said the monks2 
is it by thy relics we shall stay1 or   
shall we go elsewhere8 ,rise1 said      
,ciaran1 and leave my relics as the     
bones of a deer are left in the sun4    
,for it is better for you to live with  
me in heaven than to stay here with my  
relics4  ,when the time of his death was
 near to ,saint ,ciaran in the ,little  
,church1 in the thirty-third year of his
 age1 on the fifth of the ides of       
,september as regards the solar month1  
on ,saturday as regards the day of the  
week1 on the eighteenth day as regards  
the moon1 he said1 ,let me be carried   
out to the ,little ,height1 said he4    
,and when he looked at heaven1 and the  

height of air above his head1 he said1  
,awful is this road upward4 ,not for    
thee is it awful1 said the monks4       
,truly1 ,i know not1 said he1 any of the
 commandments of ,god which ,i have     
transgressed3 yet even ,david son of    
,jesse1 and ,paul the apostle1 dreaded  
this way4  ,then the stone pillow was   
taken from him1 to ease him4 ,nay1 said 
he1 put it under my shoulder4 ,qui enim 
perseuerauerit usque in finem1 hic      
saluus erit4 ,then angels filled the    
space between heaven and earth to       
receive his soul4  ,he was brought      
afterward into the ,little ,church1 and 
he raised his hand and blessed his folk1
 and said to the brethren to shut the   
church upon him till ,coemgen should    
come from ,glenn da ,locha4   ,l4 ,,the 
,,visit ,,of ,,coemgen  #ci4 ,when      
,coemgen came after three days1 he      
received no full courtesy at first from 
the clerics1 as they were in great      
sadness after their head4 ,said ,coemgen
 to them1 ,let a doleful countenance be 

upon you continually6 said he4 ,then    
fear took hold of the elders1 and they  
did the will of ,coemgen1 and opened the
 ,little ,church to him4 ,the spirit of 
,ciaran went at once to heaven1#cf and  
he returned again into his body to      
converse with ,coemgen1 and welcomed    
him4 ,from one canonical hour to the    
next they were there in converse1 and   
making a covenant4 ,thereafter ,ciaran  
blessed ,coemgen1 and ,coemgen blessed  
water and made a communion with ,ciaran4
 ,and ,ciaran gave his bell to ,coemgen 
as a sign of their league and as a fee  
for their communion4 ,that is what is   
now called the ,boban of ,coemgen4      
,,lii4 ,,the ,,envy ,,of ,,the ,,saints 
#dj4 ,the saints of ,ireland were       
envious of ,ciaran for his excellence1  
and they put their trust in the ,king of
 ,heaven that his life might be         
shortened4 ,so great was their envy     
against him that even his comrade ,colum
 ,cille said1 ,blessed be ,god1 said he1
 ,who hath taken ,saint ,ciaran4 ,for   

had he lived to old age1 there would not
 have been the place of two             
chariot-horses found in ,ireland that   
would not have been his4   ,,liii4 ,a   
,,panegyric ,,on ,,ciaran  #da4 ,here   
then is ,ciaran with the eight men whom 
,i have mentioned1 and many thousands of
 saints besides4 ,here are the relics of
 ,paul and ,peter1 which ,benen and     
,cumlach left in the hollow tree here4  
,here are the relics of the blind boy1  
the disciple of ,peca4 ,here is the     
shrine of the guest ,peca1 whom a       
certain devout man saw borne by angels  
to the burial of ,ciaran4 ,there were   
three wonders here that night3 the      
guest-house being without fire1 without 
guest1 without prayer1 for ,peca was    
sufficient of fire1 and guest1 and      
prayer4  ,there is not one to relate    
completely what ,god wrought of signs   
and wonders for this holy ,ciaran2 for  
they are more than can be told or       
mentioned4 ,for after the coming of     
,christ in the flesh there was not one  

born greater in almsgiving and mercy1   
greater in labour and fasting and       
prayer1 greater in humility and fervour 
of good-will1 greater in courtesy and   
mildness1 greater in care for the       
,church of ,god1 greater in daily labour
 and in nightly vigil4  ,he it is who   
never put tasty food or heady drink into
 his body1 from the time when he        
embraced the religious life4 ,he it is  
who never drank milk or ale1 till a     
third of it was water4 ,he it is who    
never ate bread1 till a third part of   
sand was mixed with it4 ,he it is who   
never slept save with his side on the   
bare ground4 ,beneath his head was never
 aught save a stone for a pillow4 ,next 
his skin never came flaxen or woollen   
stuff4  ,a man with choice voluntary    
full offerings to the ,lord1 like ,abel 
son of ,adam4 ,a man with zealous       
entreaties to ,god1 like ,enoch son of  
,jared4 ,a steersman full-sufficient for
 the ark of the ,church among the waves 
of the world1 like ,noah son of ,lamech4

 ,a true pilgrim with strength of faith 
and belief1 like ,abraham son of ,terah4
 ,a man loving1 gentle1 forgiving of    
heart1 like ,moses son of ,amram4 ,a man
 patient and steadfast in enduring      
suffering and trouble1 like suffering   
,job4 ,a psalmist full-tuneful1         
full-delightful to ,god1 like ,david son
 of ,jesse4 ,a dwelling of true wisdom  
and knowledge like ,solomon son of      
,david4 ,a rock immovable whereon is    
founded the ,church1 like ,peter the    
apostle4 ,a chief universal teacher and 
a chosen vessel for proclaiming truth1  
like ,paul the apostle4 ,a man full of  
the grace of the ,holy ,spirit and of   
chastity1 like ,john the                
breast-fosterling4  ,a man full of      
likeness in many ways to ,jesus ,christ 
the ,head of all things4 ,for this man  
made wine of water for his folk and his 
guests in this city1 as ,jesus made     
choice wine of water at the feast of    
,cana of ,galilee4 ,this man is called  
son of the wright1 as ,christ is called 

,son of the wright in the ,gospel 7hic  
est ,filius fabri1 that is1 of ,joseph74
 ,thirty-three years in the age of this 
man1 as there are thirty-three years in 
the age of ,christ4 ,this man arose     
after three days in his bed in ,cluain  
to converse with and to comfort         
,coemgen1 as ,christ arose after three  
days from the grave in ,jerusalem1 to   
comfort and strengthen ,his mother and  
,his disciples4  ,so for these good     
things1 and for many others1 is his soul
 among the folk of heaven4 ,his remains 
and relics are here with honour and     
renown1 with daily wonders and miracles4
 ,and though great is his honour just   
now in this manner1 greater shall be his
 honour in the holy incorruptible union 
of his body and his soul in the great   
assembly of ,judgment1 when ,saint      
,ciaran shall be judge of the fruit of  
his labour along with ,christ ,whom he  
served4 ,so shall he be in the great    
assembly1 in the unity of holy fathers  
and prophets1 in the unity of apostles  

and disciples of the ,saviour ,jesus    
,christ1 in the unity of the nine grades
 of angels that have transgressed not1  
in the unity of the ,godhead and        
,manhood of the ,son of ,god1 in the    
unity nobler than every other unity1 the
 ,unity of the ,holy ,trinity1 ,father1 
,son1 and ,holy ,spirit4  ,i beseech the
 mercy of the ,lofty ,omnipotent ,god1  
by the intercession of ,saint ,ciaran1  
that we may reach that unity4 ,may we   
dwell there1 in saecula saeculorum6     
,footnote #a3 ,following the reading    
cordus in the ,leabhar ,breac text of   
the ,homily from which this section is  
an extract1 instead of the              
unintelligible comhlud of the ,,mss4 of 
the ,life4  ,footnote #b3 ,this ,latin  
extract in the ,brussels ,,ms4 only4    
,footnote #c3 ,in this paragraph the    
less corrupt ,brussels text is followed4
 ,in the original the ,latin passages1  
here printed consecutively1 are         
interspersed sentence by sentence with  
the ,irish translation here rendered    

into ,english4  ,footnote #d3 ,this is  
the apparent sense of the passage3 the  
,,mss4 are here corrupt4  ,footnote #e3 
,only the first two words of this       
extract in the ,lismore ,,ms4 ,the      
,brussels ,,ms4 erroneously repeats     
regimina after ,diuulgata4  ,footnote   
#f3 ,the last two words in the ,brussels
 ,,ms4 only1 which also adds of the     
,elements after ,lord1 two lines further
 down4  ,footnote #g3 ,following the    
,brussels ,,ms43 the ,lismore text is   
here again corrupt4  ,footnote #h3 ,the 
bracketed words in the ,brussels ,,ms4  
only4  ,footnote #i3 ,the bracketed     
words in the ,brussels ,,ms4 only4      
,footnote #aj3 ,the bracketed words     
represent the sense of a passage that   
has evidently dropped out of the ,,mss4 
,footnote #aa3 ,sic ,,mss43 we should   
read ,iustus4  ,footnote #ab3 ,the      
,lismore text is slightly imperfect in  
this paragraph3 it is completed with the
 aid of the ,brussels ,,ms4  ,footnote  
#ac3 ,this represents the sense of a    

passage that must have dropped out4     
,footnote #ad3 ,ut dixit and the stanza 
following in the ,brussels ,,ms4 only4  
,footnote #ae3 ,bracketed words in the  
,brussels ,,ms4 only4  ,footnote #af3   
,in ,brussels ,,ms4 only4  ,footnote    
#ag3 ,emending the dia fhoglaim of the  
text 7as he was learning7 to dia        
fhognam4  ,footnote #ah3 ,these words in
 the ,brussels ,,ms4 only4  ,footnote   
#ai3 ,apostle in the ,brussels ,,ms4    
,footnote #bj3 ,from as is verified to  
the end of the stanza in the ,brussels  
,,ms4 only4  ,footnote #ba3 ,the        
,lismore ,,ms4 is here illegible3 the   
rendering follows the ,brussels ,,ms4   
,footnote #bb3 ,the ,lismore ,,ms4 is   
here illegible3 the translation follows 
the ,brussels ,,ms4  ,footnote #bc3 ,the
 ,brussels ,,ms4 adds and may it be on  
thy cheek as thou goest to thy house4   
,footnote #bd3 ,bracketed words         
represent the sense of a passage        
evidently lost from the ,,mss4          
,footnote #be3 ,literally intoxication4 

,footnote #bf3 ,in ,brussels ,,ms4 only4
  ,footnote #bg3 ,the bracketed words in
 the ,brussels ,,ms4 only4  ,footnote   
#bh3 ,the ,,mss4 read ,findian4         
,footnote #bi3 ,these words in the      
,brussels ,,ms4 only4  ,footnote #cj3   
,in this incident again it is necessary 
to follow the ,brussels ,,ms4 in places1
 as the ,lismore ,,ms4 is corrupt and   
unintelligible4  ,footnote #ca3         
,literally 'tis a drowning that shall   
drown this kiln4  ,footnote #cb3 ,these 
words in the ,brussels ,,ms4 only4      
,footnote #cc3 ,in ,brussels ,,ms4 only4
  ,footnote #cd3 ,this name in the      
,brussels ,,ms4 only4  ,footnote #ce3   
,here the ,brussels ,,ms4 is corrupt4   
,footnote #cf3 ,sic ,,mss4 ,we should   
read came from heaven1         99       
99       99       99       99           
,,annotations ,,to ,,the ,,foregoing    
,,lives   ,i4 ,,the ,,homiletic         
,,introduction 7,,vg7  ,the three ,latin
 lives plunge in medias res at the      
beginning2 but ,,vg prefixes an         

introduction borrowed from a ,homily on 
,charity4 ,the ,irish text of this      
homily1 with the original ,latin1 will  
be found printed from the               
fifteenth-century ,,ms4 called ,leabhar 
,breac 7,the speckled book7 in          
,atkinson's ,passions and ,homilies     
7,dublin #ahhg74 ,the text announced by 
the preacher is clearly suggested by    
incident ,,xxii4 ,it has already been   
shown in the ,introduction1 that this   
,life1 with its homiletic preface1 was a
 sermon written to be preached or read  
on the festival of the saint 7#ith      
,september7 at ,clonmacnois4  ,the      
keynote of the ,irish homily is struck  
in this first section4 ,it is the work  
of some scholar of ,clonmacnois1 with a 
warm enthusiasm for the dignity of his  
alma mater4 ,the sermon is as much a    
eulogy of ,clonmacnois as of ,ciaran4   
,in the preacher's view1 ,clonmacnois is
 the chief and central church of        
,ireland1 and the source of all         
ecclesiastical discipline in the        

country4 ,its founder excelled his      
fellow-saints as the sun excels the     
stars 7,sec4 #b74 ,his pre-eminence was 
recognised by angels1 who relieved him  
of labour when his turn came 7,sec4     
#ac73 and on several occasions ,findian 
showed a like favouritism 7,sec4,sec4   
#ah1 #bj1 a1 d1 #bc74 ,clonmacnois was  
superior to the rival house at ,birr    
7,sec4 #bj b72 and possessed in the hide
 of the ,dun ,cow an infallible passport
 to heaven 7,sec4 #bj c74 ,the vision of
 the tree seen by ,enda and by ,ciaran  
prophesied the pre-eminence of          
,clonmacnois 7,sec4 #bd74 ,the other    
saints were envious of his renown and of
 the glory of his monastery 7,sec4 #dj74
  ,the ,hymn of ,colum                  
,cille4--,following the usual practice  
of ,irish prose literary composition1   
the homilist intersperses his work      
throughout with verse extracts1 appealed
 to as the authority for the various    
statements which he has occasion to     
make4 ,in the present section he draws  

upon a hymn made by ,colum ,cille in    
honour of ,ciaran4 ,to this hymn1 and to
 its surviving fragments1 we shall      
return in commenting upon incident ,,li1
 where the composition of the hymn is   
alluded to4  ,the ,ante-natal           
,prophecies4--,patrick is said also to  
have prophesied the advent of ,senan    
7,,ll1 #ahde7a and of ,alban 7,,cs1     
#eje72 and ,becc mac ,de that of        
,brenainn 7,,ll1 #ccdc74 ,but the       
parallels drawn between the ,life of    
,ciaran and that of ,christ have made   
such prophecies especially appropriate  
in the present case4  ,the prophecy of  
,saint ,patrick took place under the    
following circumstances 7,,vtp1 p4 #hd  
ff474#b ,the leper whom1 in accordance  
with a custom frequent in early ,irish  
monasticism1 ,patrick is said to have   
maintained--partly for charity and      
partly for self-abasement--departed from
 ,patrick when the latter was on the    
holy mountain of ,cruachan ,aigli       
7,croagh ,patrick1 ,co4 ,mayo74 ,he made

 his way to the then empty site of      
,clonmacnois1 and sat in the split trunk
 of a hollow elm tree4 ,a stranger made 
his appearance1 and the leper1 having   
assured himself that he was a           
,christian1 requested him to uproot a   
bundle of rushes and to give him in a   
clean vessel of the water that would    
burst forth4 ,then the leper begged of  
the stranger to bring tools for digging1
 and to bury him there2 and he was the  
first dead man to be buried in          
,clonmacnois4 ,now after this had taken 
place1 the nephew of ,patrick1 ,bishop  
,muinis1 chanced to be benighted on the 
same spot1 when returning from a mission
 to ,rome on which the apostle had sent 
him4 ,there were angels hovering over   
the leper's grave1 and thus ,muinis     
recognised it as the burial-place of a  
man of ,god4 ,he deposited the relics   
which he was bearing back from ,rome1   
for the night1 in the hollow elm2 but he
 found in the morning that the tree had 
closed upon them1 and that they could   

not be recovered4 ,in sorrow for their  
loss1 he related the event to ,patrick1 
and for his comfort he was told that a  
,son of ,life--to wit ,ciaran1 son of   
the wright--was destined to come        
thither1 and that he would need the     
relics4 ,these relics are mentioned in  
,,vg #da1 though ,benen and ,cumlach the
 leper are there said to have left them1
 not ,muinis4 ,from this reference we   
learn that they were attributed to      
,saints ,peter and ,paul4  ,it is quite 
clear that this curious story has       
reached us in a fragmentary and         
expurgated form1 and that if we had the 
whole narrative before us it would      
afford us an indication that            
,clonmacnois was the site of an earlier1
 ,pagan1 sanctuary4 ,it will most       
probably be found to be an invariable   
rule that the early ,christian          
establishments in ,ireland occupy the   
sites of ,pagan sanctuaries2 the        
monastery having been founded to        
re-consecrate the holy place to the     

,true ,faith4 ,the hollow elm was       
doubtless a sacred tree2 the well which 
miraculously burst forth was a sacred   
well3 the buried leper may have been a  
foundation sacrifice1 like ,oran on     
,iona4 ,the old pre-,christian name of  
the site is suggestive--,ard ,tiprat1   
the high place of the holy well4 ,by no 
stretch of language can the site of     
,clonmacnois be called physically high2 
as in the stanza quoted in ,,vg #cj1 the
 word ,ard must be used in the sense of 
distinguished1 eminent1 or sacred4  ,of 
the prophecy attributed to ,brigit there
 appears to be no record in any of her  
numerous ,lives3 nor can ,i identify    
with certainty the story of the fire and
 the angel4 ,there were ,crosses of     
,brigit at ,armagh2#c but as there were 
probably many other crosses throughout  
the country dedicated to this popular   
saint we cannot infer that ,armagh was  
the scene of the prophecy4  ,becc mac   
,de was chief soothsayer to ,king       
,diarmait mac ,cerrbeil4 ,very little is

 certainly known of him2 most of the    
traditions relating to him consist of   
tales of his remarkable gift of         
foretelling the future--tales similar to
 those related of the ,covenanter       
,alexander ,peden in ,scotland1 or of   
the seventeenth-century ,mayo peasant   
,red ,brian ,carabine4#d ,he died in or 
about the year ,a4,d4 #eee 7the         
annalists waver between #eeb and #eeg72 
and the ,annals of ,clonmacnois tell us 
that he began to prophesy in #eej4 ,as  
,ciaran is said to have died in #edh1   
the statement that ,becc mac ,de        
foretold his coming is anachronistic4   
,the prophecy here attributed to him    
does not appear in the list of          
prognostications attributed to him      
7given in the ,,ms4 ,harleian #ebhj1    
,british ,museum1 edited in ,zeitschrift
 fuer ,celtische ,philologie1 ix1 #afi71
 or in ,leabhar ,breac1 p4 #bfj1 where  
some further particulars about him are  
given4  ,i have ventured to emend the   
passage regarding ,becc mac ,de         

slightly1 restoring the verse form which
 the prophecy seems to have had         
originally4 ,as it appears in the       
,lismore ,lives printed text it is given
 in prose2 an insignificant             
transposition of the words1 and the     
taking of the word andsin out of the    
inverted commas is all that is          
necessary4#e ,in the rendering in the   
text an attempt is made to reproduce to 
some extent the elaboration of          
alliteration1 but the end-rhymes and the
 vowel-assonances cannot be imitated    
without sacrificing the sense4 ,the     
metre resembles that known as mibhasc   
7four-syllable and six-syllable lines   
alternating1 but with trisyllabic rhyme 
in the short lines74  ,the person to    
whom ,colum ,cille uttered his prophecy 
was ,aed mac ,brenainn1 ,prince of      
,tethba 7,teffia71 the region comprising
 various baronies in the modern ,co4    
,westmeath and part of ,co4 ,longford4  
,this ,aed gave ,dermag 7,durrow7 to    
,colum ,cille a few years before the    

latter's departure for ,scotland4 ,there
 is1 however1 no record of the prophecy 
in the lives of ,colum ,cille2 probably 
his visit to ,clonmacnois from ,durrow  
is in the writer's mind4 ,ard ,abla1    
identified by ,o',donovan with          
,lissardowlin1 ,co4 ,longford1 was in   
the territory of ,tethba4 ,the ,lismore 
scribe has written the name of ,aed's   
father incorrectly 7,brandub72 the      
correction 7or ,brenainn7 is a marginal 
note4   ,,ii4 ,,the ,,origin ,,and      
,,birth ,,of ,,ciaran3 ,,the ,,wizard',s
 ,,prophecies 7,,la1 ,,lb1 ,,lc1 ,,vg7  
,the ,pedigree 7,,vg74--,the pedigree in
 ,,vg traces ,ciaran's descent from     
,tigernmas1 fabled to have reigned in   
,tara #cehj-cfeg ,anno ,mundi           
7#afbj-aedc ,b4,c474#f ,through         
,tigernmas the line is traced to ,mil of
 ,spain1 the eponymous ancestor of the  
,milesians1 or ,celtic-speaking         
inhabitants of ,ireland4  ,there is     
another pedigree1 totally different1    
which connects the saint1 not with the  

,tara kings1 but with those of the      
,ulaid or ,ulster folk1 through the     
dethroned ,fergus who figures so        
prominently in the epic tale ,tain ,bo  
,cualnge4 ,this pedigree appears in the 
,book of ,leinster 7facsimile1 pp4 #cdh1
 #cdi7 and ,leabhar ,breac 7facsimile1  
p4 #af71 the ,bodleian ,,ms4 ,rawlinson 
,b #ejf1 p4 #aed d1 and in the ,,ms4 in 
,marsh's ,library containing ,,la1 at   
the foot of the column where ,,la       
begins2 with an added note stating that 
,ciaran was of the true ,ultonains of   
,emain3 its authenticity is adopted by  
,keating 7,i4,t4,s4 edition1 vol4 iii1  
p4 #dh74 ,correcting one copy with      
another this genealogy runs as follows--
     ,ciaran  son of     ,coscrach      
son of     ,aislithe     son of         
,beodan            ,mesinsuad           
,modruad            ,bolcan             
,mesinsulad            ,follomain       
,linned            ,erce                
,deoda              ,corc               
,erc 7or ,oscar7        ,eochaid        

,daig              ,mechon              
,corc               ,cunneda            
,nechtan               ,fergus          
,cass              ,aed ,corb           
,ros                ,froech             
,aed ,gnoe              ,rudraige       
,thus both genealogies claim a royal    
descent for the saint4 ,this is an      
instance of a widespread policy1 of     
which many traces are to be found in the
 old ,irish ,genealogies4 ,the whole    
country was divided into territories of 
different clans1 under which were       
subordinate and tributary septs4 ,the   
latter bore the chief burden of         
taxation2 and they were for the greater 
part composed of descendants of the     
aboriginal pre-,celtic tribes1 who had  
been reduced to vassalage on the coming 
of the ,celtic-speaking invaders 7about 
the third or fourth century ,b4,c474    
,when a tributary sept became strong    
enough to resist the pressure of these  
imposts1 exemption was claimed by a sort
 of legal fiction1 by which they were   

genealogically affiliated to the ruling 
sept4 ,this practice led to the         
fabrication of spurious links1 and even 
of whole pedigrees4  ,in point of fact  
several indications show that ,ciaran   
belonged to a tributary sept1 and was of
 pre-,celtic blood4 ,these tributary    
septs were distinguished from their     
,celtic conquerors by social            
organisation1 racial character1 and     
probably still to some extent by        
religion and language4 ,they had much   
the same position as the perioeci in    
ancient ,sparta4 ,the following are the 
evidences of his pre-,celtic            
nationality--  7a7 ,the tribal names of 
his parents 7,latharna1 ,glasraige74    
,there are two forms of tribal names in 
ancient ,ireland2 those consisting of   
two words1 and those consisting of one4 
,the first are in such formulae as tribe
 of ,,nn1 seed of ,,nn or the like--,,nn
 being the name of a more or less       
legendary ancestor4 ,the second are     
either simple names which cannot be     

analysed1 or else are derived from an   
ancestral name by adding the suffix     
-rige or -raige4 ,as a rule the names   
consisting of one word only are         
fundamentally pre-,celtic1 or denote    
pre-,celtic septs1 though in many cases 
they have been fitted with ,celticising 
genealogies4  7b7 ,the names of ,ciaran 
himself and his brothers1 and of one of 
his sisters4 ,donnan1 ,ciaran1 ,odran1  
,cronan are all diminutives founded upon
 colours--the little brown1 black1 grey1
 and tawny one4 ,these indicate that the
 family was dark complexioned1 which    
would also accord with a pre-,celtic    
origin4 ,the ,celts were fair1 their    
predecessors dark4 ,one of the sisters  
was called ,pata1 with an initial ,p4   
,this is impossible in a ,gaelic name4  
7c7 ,the subordinate position of        
,ciaran's father1 and his liability to  
taxation4 ,in the ,book of ,leinster    
and1 in part1 in ,leabhar ,breac1 after 
the genealogy1 we read ,he i4e4 ,ciaran 
was of one of the seven clans of the    

,latharna of ,molt4 ,his father was     
originally in slavery in ,britain2 he   
went thereafter to ,ireland to ,cenel   
,conaill north of ,co4 ,donegal1 and    
after that to ,connacht#g to avoid a    
heavy tax1 so that ,ciaran was born at  
,raith ,cremthainn in ,mag ,ai4 ,,la    
describes ,ciaran's father as a rich    
man1 and certainly the family seems to  
have been comfortably provided with     
cattle1 the chief wealth of their time4 
,in reference to his father's trade     
,ciaran is regularly called mac in      
tsair1 son of the wright4 ,the          
,rabelaisian extravaganza called        
,imtheacht na ,tromdhaimhe 7,the        
,adventures of the ,burdensome ,company7
 introduces ,ciaran as himself          
practising smith's craft2#h but no      
importance can be attached to so        
irresponsible a production4 ,analogous  
in this respect are the references to   
our saint in ,the ,adventures of        
,leithin1#i which also introduces       
,ciaran and his monks2 but as ,dr4 ,hyde

 points out in his edition1 these are   
merely a kind of framework for the      
legend1 and the story1 though in itself 
extremely curious and interesting1 tells
 us nothing about either ,ciaran or     
,clonmacnois4  7d7 ,the fact1 specially 
mentioned in ,,la1 that ,ciaran was     
reared by his parents1 not put out to   
fosterage as would have been done had he
 been of gentle birth4  7e7 ,the        
pre-eminent position of ,ciaran's mother
 in the home4 ,the pre-,celtic tribesmen
 of ,ireland1 like their ,pictish       
kinsmen in ,scotland1 were organised on 
the system of mother-right1 in which    
property and descent and kinship are all
 traced through the maternal side of the
 ancestry4 ,throughout the ,lives1      
,beoit is a cypher3 the house and its   
contents and appurtenances are almost   
invariably treated as ,darerca's        
property4 ,matriarchate usually implies 
exogamy1 a man choosing his wife from a 
sept differing from his own2 and the    
children are related to the mother's1   

not the father's kin4 ,the male         
responsible for the education of the    
child is not so much the father as the  
maternal uncle4 ,the law of exogamy was 
strictly followed in the case before us4
 ,beoit comes from north-east ,ulster2  
,darerca belonged to a family which drew
 its origin from the south-east of the  
present county ,kerry1 though she seems 
to have settled in ,cenel ,fiachach at  
the time when ,beoit met her4 ,incidents
 ,,viii and ,x of ,ciaran's ,life are   
laid in that territory1 which falls in  
with a tradition1 presently to be noted1
 that the dwelling-place of the family  
of the saint was not ,raith ,cremthainn1
 but the place where the parents had    
first met--which would be an instance of
 the husband dwelling with the wife's   
people1 as is frequent under the        
matriarchate4 ,the ,celtic authors of   
the ,lives have transferred the kinship 
of the son to the father's clan1 in     
accordance with their own social system2
 but an older tradition has left an     

unmistakable trace in the confusion of  
the relationships of father and uncle in
 ,,la1 ,sec4,sec4 #i1 #aj4  ,it is      
possible that the prominence of the     
mother in the household1 and ,ciaran's  
birth away from his ancestral home as   
the result of a taxation1 are specially 
emphasised because they offer obvious   
parallels with the ,gospel story4 ,the  
character of ,darerca is1 however1 by no
 means idealised1 as we might have      
expected it to be1 had this been the    
chief purpose of the narrator4  ,the    
,parents of ,ciaran1 their ,names and   
,origins4--,the name of ,ciaran's father
 is variously ,latinised in the ,latin  
,lives4 ,the ,irish lives call him      
,beoit1 a name analysed in the ,book of 
,leinster1 p4 #cdi1 into ,beo-n-,aed1   
which would mean something like ,living 
,fire4 ,the -n- is inserted1 according  
to a law of ,old ,irish accidence1      
because aed1 fire1 is a neuter word4    
,thus arises the ,latin form ,beonnadus4
 ,by metathesis the name further becomes

 transformed to ,beodan or ,beoan4 ,the 
,latharna were the people who dwelt     
around the site of the modern town of   
,larne1 which preserves their name2 ,mag
 ,molt 7the plain of wethers7 is        
probably the plain surrounding the town4
 ,the ,aradenses1 to whom ,,lb ascribes 
the origin of ,beoit1 were the people   
known in ,irish record as ,dal          
n-,araide1 the pre-,celtic people of the
 region now called ,antrim4  ,dar-erca1 
daughter of brightness or of the sky1   
was a common female name in ancient     
,ireland4 ,the ,glasraige to whom she   
belonged was a tribe with divisions     
scattered in various parts of ,ireland4 
,irluachra was south-east ,kerry with   
adjoining parts of ,cork and ,limerick4 
,of her poet grandfather ,glas nothing  
is known4  ,it would perhaps be too     
far-fetched to see a hint at a          
mythological element in the traditions  
of ,ciaran in the signification of his  
parents' names4 ,indeed1 considering the
 ,tendenz of the ,ciaran ,lives1 it is  

remarkable that there is no supernormal 
element in the account of the birth of  
this particular saint2 supernatural     
births are almost a commonplace in      
,irish saints' lives as a rule4  ,the   
saint's own name is regularly spelt with
 an initial ,k or ,q in the ,latin      
texts1 doubtless because ,latin c was   
pronounced as s before e and i in       
mediaeval ,ireland4  ,the ,annals of    
,clonmacnois preserves for us a totally 
different tradition of the origin and   
upbringing of the saint4 ,modernising   
the haphazard spelling and punctuation  
of the seventeenth-century ,english     
translation 7the original ,irish of this
 valuable book is lost71 we may note    
what it tells us4 ,his father's name was
 ,beoit1 a ,connacht man 7sic7 and a    
carpenter4 ,his mother ,darerca1 of the 
issue of ,corc mac ,fergusa mic ,roig of
 the ,clanna ,rudraige4 ,he in his      
childhood lived with his father and     
mother in ',templevickinloyhe' wherever 
that may have been in ,cenel ,fiachach2 

until a thief of the country of ,ui     
,failge stole the one cow they had1     
which1 being found1 he forsook together 
with his father and mother the said     
place of the stealth  theft1 fearing of 
further inconvenience4 ,here note3 7#a7 
that ,darerca is given the ancestry     
attributed in the ,book of ,leinster    
pedigree to ,beoit1 thus hinting at an  
originally matrilinear form of the      
official pedigree3 7#b7 that the        
settlement of the family in ,cenel      
,fiachach1 i4e4 the place of ,darerca's 
dwelling1 is definitely stated2 7#c7    
that the migration of the family does   
not take place till after ,ciaran's     
birth2 7#d7 that a totally different    
reason is assigned for the migration2   
7#e7 that incident ,x of the ,lives is  
directly referred to2 7#f7 that we hear 
nothing in this passage about the rest  
of the numerous family of ,beoit2 and   
7#g7 that the family is poor1 having but
 one cow4  ,cenel ,fiachach 7the clan of
 ,fiachu7 occupied a territory covering 

parts of the present counties of        
,westmeath and ,king's ,co4 ,,vg        
erroneously writes this ,cenel          
,fiachrach1 which occupied a territory  
of the modern ,co4 ,sligo4 ,see further1
 p4 #aga4  ,the                         
,princes4--,unfortunately ,ainmire mac  
,colgain1 lord of ,ui ,neill1 and       
,cremthann1 a chieftain of ,connacht1   
are not otherwise known2 we cannot      
therefore test the chronological truth  
of this part of the story4 ,ainmire     
reappears as an oppressor in the life of
 ,aed 7,,vsh1 ii1 #bie74 ,,la           
anachronistically confuses this ,ainmire
 with ,ainmire mac ,setna1 ,king of     
,tara1 ,a4,d4 #efd-eff4  ,it is         
noteworthy that ,,vg calls ,cremthann   
,king of ,ireland4 ,this is in          
accordance with the fact that the       
dynasty which united ,ireland under the 
suzerainty of the ,king of ,tara was of 
,connacht origin4#aj  ,the ,wizard's    
,prophecy4--,the phrase the noise of a  
chariot under a king is a stock formula 

in this connexion2 compare1 with        
,stokes1 ,vita ,sancti ,aedui in ,rees' 
,lives of ,cambro-,british ,saints1 p4  
#bcc 7also ,,vsh1 ii1 #bie74 ,with the  
incident compare the story of the druid 
rising to welcome the parents of ,saint 
,senan1 and when ridiculed for thus     
showing honour to peasants explaining   
that it was to their unborn child that  
he was paying honour 7,,ll1 #ahge74     
,observe that in both tales the druid is
 mocked4 ,this touch doubtless belongs  
to the ,christian chronicler1 taking the
 opportunity of putting the minister of 
the rival creed in an invidious         
position4  ,deacon ,iustus1 according to
 ,,vtp 7p4 #ajd7 and ,tirechan's        
,collections regarding ,saint ,patrick  
7edited in ,,vtp1 see pp4 #cje1 #cah7   
was consecrated by ,saint ,patrick1 who 
left with him his ritual book and his   
office of baptism1 in ,fidarta 7,fuerty1
 ,co4 ,roscommon74 ,it was in his old   
age that he baptized ,ciaran1 out of    
,patrick's book--he was1 indeed1        

according to the documents quoted1 no   
less than #adj years of age4 ,the       
glossators of the ,martyrology of       
,oengus 7,henry ,bradshaw ,society      
edition1 p4 #abh7 confuse him with      
,euthymius1 the deacon1 martyred at     
,alexandria4 ,the play on words 7it were
 fitting that the just one should be    
baptized by a ,just ,one7 is lost in the
 ,irish version1 whence ,plummer 7,,vsh1
 i1 p4 xlix7 infers that this document  
is a translation from a ,latin original3
 but the fact proves nothing more than  
that the author of ,,vg borrowed this   
particular incident1 as he borrowed his 
preface1 from a ,latin writing4 ,all    
these ,lives are patchworks1 and their  
component elements are of very different
 origins and dates4  ,the date of       
,ciaran's birth was #be ,february1      
,a4,d4 #eae4 ,the ,annals of ,ulster    
says #eaa1 or according to another book1
 #eaf4 ,the ,annals of ,clonmacnois has 
the correct date1 #eae4  ,the           
,geographical ,names in this            

,incident4--,temoria 7,,la7 is ,tara    
7,irish ,teamair71 ,co4 ,meath1 the site
 of the dwelling of the ,kings of       
,ireland4 ,midhe 7,,la7 means the       
province of ,meath2 ,,la is1 however1 in
 error in placing the ,latronenses      
therein4 ,the ,connachta are the people 
who give their name to the province of  
,connacht4 ,mag ,ai1 variously spelt1 is
 the central plain of ,co4 ,roscommon2  
,raith ,cremthainn 7the fort of         
,cremthann7 was somewhere upon it1      
presumably near the royal establishment 
of ,rathcroghan1 but the exact site is  
unknown4 ,isel ,chiarain 7,,vg71 a place
 reappearing later in the ,life1 is     
unknown1 but doubtless it was close to  
,clonmacnois4 ,cluain maccu ,nois1 the  
,meadow of the ,descendants of ,nos1 now
 ,clonmacnois1 stands on the right bank 
of the ,shannon about twelve miles below
 ,athlone4 ,extensive remains of the    
monastery founded by ,ciaran are still  
to be seen there4 ,as for ,tech meic in 
t,saeir1 the house of the wright's son1 

we might have inferred that this place  
was also somewhere near or in           
,clonmacnois2 but a note among the      
glosses of the ,martyrology of ,oengus  
7under #ith ,september7 says that it was
 in the house of the son of the wright  
that ,ciaran was brought up4 ,it is     
therefore to be identified with the     
mysterious place corruptly spelt        
,templevickinloyhe 7church of the son of
 the ----87 in the extract from the     
,annals of ,clonmacnois printed         
above4#aa  ,the ,verses in this ,section
 of ,,vg4--,the epigram on ,ciaran's    
parents is found in many ,,mss4 ,the    
rendering here given expresses the sense
 and reproduces the rhythm of the       
stanza1 but does not attempt to copy the
 metre in every detail4 ,this is known  
as cro cummaisc etir casbairdne ocus    
lethrannaigecht1 and consists of        
seven-syllable lines with trisyllabic   
rhymes1 alternating with five-syllable  
lines having monosyllabic rhymes4       
,literally translated the sense would   

run1 ,darerca my mother _/ she was not a
 bad woman _/_/ ,beoit the wright my    
father _/ of the ,latharna of ,molt4    
,the second stanza is misplaced1 and    
should properly have been inserted in   
the following paragraph4 ,its metre is  
ae freslige--seven-syllable lines in a  
quatrain1 rhyming abab3 a being         
trisyllabic1 b dissyllabic rhymes4 ,the 
stanza is obscure and probably corrupt2 
so far as it can be rendered at all1 the
 literal translation is3 ,he healed the 
steed of ,oengus _/ when he was in a    
swathe1 in a cradle _/_/ there was given
 444 _/ from ,god this miracle to       
,ciaran4   ,,iii4 ,,how ,,ciaran        
,,raised ,,the ,,steed ,,of ,,oengus    
,,from ,,death 7,,la1 ,,lb1 ,,lc1 ,,vg7 
,the ,four ,versions4--,this incident is
 told in all four lives1 and it is      
instructive to note the differences of  
detail which they display4 ,in ,,la     
,oengus goes to fetch ,ciaran1 after    
consulting with his friends4 ,in ,,lb he
 sends for him4 ,in ,,lc he goes to him1

 and in ,,vg ,ciaran comes without being
 fetched4 ,the stanza interpolated in   
the preceding section of ,,vg introduces
 us to another variant of the tradition1
 in which ,ciaran was a swaddled infant 
when the miracle was wrought4 ,in ,,lb  
the incident is given a homiletic turn1 
by being told to illustrate the saint's 
care for animals4  ,parallels4--,a      
similar but not identical miracle is    
attributed to ,saint ,patrick 7,,vtp1   
#bbh2 ,,ll1 #efe74 ,here the saint      
resuscitates horses with holy water2 but
 in this case the saint's own curse had 
originally caused the horses' deaths1   
because they grazed in his churchyard4  
,saint ,lasrian also restored a horse to
 life 7,,cs1 #gif74  ,tir na ,gabrai    
7the land of the horse7 is unknown1     
though it presumably was near ,raith    
,cremthainn4 ,the story was probably    
told to account for the name of the     
field4 ,it has been noticed that the    
,latin ,lives are less rich in details  
as to names of places and people than   

the ,irish ,life4 ,this is an indication
 of a later tradition1 when the         
recollection of names had become vague1 
or1 rather1 when names which had been of
 interest to their contemporaries had   
ceased to rouse such feelings4   ,,iv4  
,,how ,,ciaran ,,turned ,,water ,,into  
,,honey 7,,la1 ,,lb1 ,,lc1 ,,vg7  ,one  
of the numerous imitations of the story 
of the ,miracle of ,cana4 ,compare      
incident ,,xliv4 ,an identical story is 
told of ,saint ,patrick 7,,ll1 #ajh74   
,note the variety of reasons given for  
sending the honey to ,iustus4   ,v4     
,,how ,,ciaran ,,was ,,delivered ,,from 
,a ,,hound 7,,la1 ,,lb1 ,,lc1 ,,vg7     
,parallels4--,the same story is told of 
,saint ,patrick1 in ,colgan's ,tertia   
,vita1 cap4 xxxi1 ,septima ,vita1 ,i1   
cap4 xlvii4 ,patrick likewise quoted the
 verse ,ne tradas bestiis animus        
confitentes tibi 7,ps4 lxiv1 ,vulgate   
lxiii #ai74  ,the ,fate of the          
,hound4--,this varies in the different  
versions4 ,in the ,patrick story just   

quoted it was struck immovable1 as a    
stone4 ,in ,,la it thrusts its head in  
circo uituli1 which ,i have rendered    
conjecturally as the context seems to   
require1 but ,i can find no information 
as to the exact nature of this adjunct  
to the cattle-stall4 ,du ,cange gives   
arcus sellae equestris as one of the    
meanings of circus4  ,,lb and ,,lc1     
which have many points of affinity1 are 
in this incident almost word for word   
identical4 ,they agree in saying that   
the men setting on the hound were       
spurred 7uexati7 by an evil spirit4 ,the
 misplacing of this incident in ,,lb is 
probably due to a transposition of the  
leaves of the exemplar from which it was
 copied4   ,,vi4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,and   
,,his ,,instructor ,,conversed1 ,,though
 ,,distant ,,from ,,one ,,another 7,,la1
 ,,vg7  ,topography of the              
,story4--,assuming that ,raith          
,cremthainn was somewhere near          
,rathcroghan1 the distance between this 
and ,fuerty would be about fourteen     

miles4 ,there is no indication on the   
,ordnance map of any rock that can be   
identified with the cross-bearing stone 
on which ,ciaran used to sit1 though it 
clearly was a landmark well known to the
 author of ,,la4 7,pace ,,la1           
,rathcroghan is north of ,fuerty47      
,parallels4--,the closest parallel is   
the story of ,brigit1 who heard a ,mass 
that was being celebrated in ,rome1     
though unable to hear a popular tumult  
close by 7,,tt1 #eci74 ,something       
resembling the action of a wireless     
telephone is contemplated1 the voices   
being inaudible to persons between the  
speakers4 ,thus the tales of saints with
 preternaturally loud voices are not    
quite in point4 ,colum ,cille was heard 
to read his ,psalms a mile and half away
 7,,ll1 #hbh72 ,brenainn also was heard 
at a long distance 7,,ll1 #cdai74 ,the  
burlesque ,vision of ,mac,conglinne     
parodies such voices 7ed4 ,meyer1 pp4   
#ab1 #ac74   ,,vii4 ,,ciaran ,,and ,,the
 ,,fox 7,,vg7  ,parallels4--,there are  

endless tales of how saints pressed wild
 animals into their service2 indeed the 
first monastic establishment of         
,ciaran's elder namesake1 ,ciaran of    
,saigir1 consisted of wild animals only3
 a boar1 a badger1 a wolf1 and a stag   
7,,vsh1 i1 #bai2 ,silua ,gadelica1 i1 p4
 #a ff474 ,moling also kept a number of 
wild and tame animals round his         
monastery--among them a fox1 which1 as  
in the tale before us1 attempted to eat 
a book 7,,vsh1 ii1 #bja72 otherwise1    
however1 the stories differ4 ,aed       
rescued a stag from hunters1 and used   
its horns as a book-rest 7,,vsh1 ii1    
#bif72 ,coemgen similarly rescued a boar
 7,,vsh1 i1 #bdd74 ,so1 in ,wales1      
,saint ,brynach caused stags to draw his
 carriage1 and committed his cow to the 
charge of a wolf 7,cambro-,british      
,saints1 pp4 #aj1 #bif74 ,saint ,illtyd 
tamed a stag which he had rescued from  
hunters 7ibid41 pp4 #afd1 #dgc74        
,herding of ,cattle4--,there is abundant
 evidence from the ,lives of the saints 

that the herding of the cattle while    
pasturing was an important duty of the  
children of the household4 ,there was no
 little risk in this1 owing to the      
prevalence of wolves4  ,reading the     
,psalms4--,the ,psalms seem to have been
 the first subject of instruction given 
to young students2 ,,lb1 #d1 indicates  
that ,ciaran's lessons with ,iustus did 
not go beyond the mere rudiments of     
learning4 ,there is in the ,national    
,museum1 ,dublin1 a tablet-book         
containing six leaves of wax-covered    
wood1 on which are traced a number of   
the ,psalms in the ,vulgate version2    
this was most likely a lesson-book such 
as is here described4 ,the story        
evidently grew up around an actual      
specimen1 that bore injuries1 explained 
as being the tooth-marks of the fox4    
,versions of the ,tale4--,it would      
appear that this story was originally an
 account of how ,ciaran and his distant 
tutor could communicate1 quite          
independent of incident ,,vi4 ,it has   

become awkwardly combined with ,,vi into
 a conflate narrative1 as is shown by   
the silence about the fox in ,,la4      
,according to the one story1 they used  
their supernatural wireless telephone4  
,according to the other1 the fox trotted
 back and forth with the book4 ,in the  
conflate version1 it would appear that  
,iustus dictated ,psalms to ,ciaran by  
telephone1 ,ciaran then wrote them on   
his tablets1 and the fox waited till he 
was finished and then carried them for  
correction to ,iustus4 7,as is observed 
in the footnote in loc1 p4 #gc1 we must 
read ,iustus for ,ciaran in the passage 
describing the proceedings of the fox74 
,the ,homiletic ,pendant4--,the         
unexpected homiletic turn given to this 
story in ,,vg may perhaps find its      
explanation in facts now lost to us2 the
 passage reads like a side-thrust at    
some actual person or persons4 ,it may  
possibly refer to the act of sacrilege  
committed by ,toirdelbach o ,briain1 in 
#ajgc1 who carried away from            

,clonmacnois the head of ,conchobar o   
,maeil-,shechlainn2 but being attacked  
by a mysterious disease--imparted to    
him1 it was said1 by a mouse which      
issued from the head and ran up under   
his garment--he was obliged to return   
it1 with two gold rings by way of       
compensation4 ,he did not recover from  
the disease1 however1 but died in #ajhf 
7,annals of ,four ,masters74   ,,viii4  
,,how ,,ciaran ,,spoiled ,,his          
,,mother',s ,,dye 7,,vg7  ,i have found 
no parallel to this most remarkable     
story4 ,it displays the following       
noteworthy points--  #a4 ,it belongs to 
the ,ciaran-tradition which places the  
home of the family in ,cenel ,fiachach4 
#b4 ,it preserves what has every        
appearance of being an authentic        
tradition of a prohibition against the  
presence of males1 even of tender years1
 when dyeing was being carried on4#ab   
#c4 ,most likely the saint's            
curse--indeed1 the whole association of 
the tale with ,ciaran--is a late        

importation into the story3 it was      
probably originally a ,pagan tale1 told 
as a warning of what would happen if    
males were allowed to be present at the 
mystery4 ,the different colours which   
the garments assumed are perhaps not    
without significance2 ,sullivan1 in his 
introduction to ,o',curry's ,manners and
 ,customs 7i1 p4 #dje71 says the two    
failures 444 are simply the failures    
which result from imperfect fermentation
 and over-fermentation of the woad-vat4 
#d4 ,there is an intentionally droll    
touch given to the end of the ,maerchen4
  #e4 ,the independence of parental     
control which the youthful ,ciaran      
displays will not escape notice4  ,the  
,stanza4--,this is written in a peculiar
 metre2 two seven-syllable lines1 with  
trisyllabic rhymes1 followed by two     
rhyming couplets of five-syllable lines 
with monosyllabic rhymes4  ,iarcain is a
 word of uncertain meaning3 it probably 
denotes the waste stuff left behind in  
the vat4   ,,ix4 ,,how ,,ciaran         

,,restored ,a ,,calf ,,which ,a ,,wolf  
,,had ,,devoured 7,,la1 ,,lb1 ,,lc1     
,,vg7  ,parallels4--,practically the    
same story is told of ,abban 7,,vsh1 i1 
#bd2 ,,cs1 #ejh7 and of ,colman 7,,cs1  
#hbh74 ,a similar story is told of      
,saint ,patrick 7,,ll1 #ia71 but it is  
not quite identical1 inasmuch as here   
the wolf voluntarily restored a sheep   
which it had carried off4 ,something    
like this1 however1 is indicated in the 
,latin verse rendering of the story     
7,no4 #b of the ,latin verse fragments  
at the end of ,,lb74 ,more nearly       
parallel is the tale of ,brigit 7,,ll1  
#abej2 ,,cs1 #ai7 who gave bacon which  
she was cooking to a hungry dog2 it was 
miraculously replaced4 ,a converse of   
this miracle is to be found in the ,life
 of ,ailbe1 who first restored two      
horses killed by lions1 and then        
miraculously provided a hundred horses  
for the lions to devour 7,,cs1 #bci74   
,aed gave eight wethers to as many      
starving wolves1 and they were          

miraculously restored to save him from  
the indignation of his maternal aunt    
7,,vsh1 ii1 #bif74 ,it is obvious1 but  
hypercritical1 to complain that in these
 artless tales the kindness shown to the
 beasts is illogically one-sided6  ,the 
,process of ,resuscitation4--,the       
important point in the tale1 though the 
versions do not all recognise this1 is  
the collection of the bones of the calf4
 ,,vg preserves the essential command to
 the wolf not to break these4 ,colum    
,cille reconstituted an ox from its     
bones 7,,ll1 #ajee74 ,coemgen gave away 
to wayfarers the dinner prepared for the
 monastic harvestmen1 and when the      
latter naturally protested1 he collected
 the bones and re-clothed them with     
flesh1 at the same time turning water to
 wine 7,,vsh1 i1 #bch74 ,aed performed a
 similar miracle in the nunnery at      
,clonmacnois1 replacing ,ciaran's dinner
 which he himself had eaten 7,,vsh1 i1  
#ci74 ,there is here no mention of the  
bones1 but very likely this has become  

lost in the process of transmission4 ,by
 all these tales we are reminded of the 
boar ,saehrimnir1 on whose flesh the    
blessed ones in ,valhalla feast         
daily--sodden every evening and         
reconstituted from its bones every      
morning4#ac ,in a ,breton folk-tale1 ,la
 princesse ,troiol1 the hero has been   
burnt by the wiles of his enemy1 but his
 sorceress fiancee seeks among the ashes
 till at last she finds a tiny splinter 
of bone4 ,with this she is able to      
restore her betrothed2 without it she   
would have been powerless4#ad  ,very    
probably the practice of secondary      
interment of human bones1 which we find 
so far back as the later stages of the  
,palaeolithic age1 is based upon the    
same belief2 that if the bones are      
preserved1 their owner has a chance of a
 fresh lease of life4  ,there is a      
curious variant of the story in the     
,life of ,coemgen4 ,here the cow is     
driven home1 and ,coemgen1 called upon  
to soothe its lamentations1 fetches1 not

 the bones of the eaten calf1 but the   
culprit wolf1 which comes and plays the 
part of the calf to the satisfaction of 
all concerned 7,,vsh1 i1 #bci74 ,it is  
evident that in this case there is      
another element of belief indicated3 the
 personality of the calf has passed into
 the wolf which has devoured it--in     
fact1 the wolf is the calf re-incarnate4
  ,resurrection of ,beasts4--,calling   
dead animals back to life is a not      
infrequent incident in the lives of     
,irish saints4 ,we have already seen    
,ciaran resuscitating a horse4 ,mo-,chua
 restored twelve stags 7,,vsh1 ii1      
#ahh72 but perhaps the most remarkable  
feat was that of ,moling1 who1 having   
watched a wren eating a fly1 and a      
kestrel eating the wren1 revived first  
the wren and then the fly 7,,vsh1 ii1   
#bjj74 ,saint ,brynach's cow having been
 slain by a tyrannical king1 was        
restored to life by the saint           
7,cambro-,british ,saints1 pp4 #aa1     
#big74  ,the ,stanza in ,,vg4--,the     

metre is ae freslige4 ,the rendering in 
the text is close to the literal sense4 
,the ,ejaculation ,mercy on us--or1 more
 literally1 mercy come to us4 ,the      
sentence recording this habitual        
ejaculation1 in ,,vg1 breaks so         
awkwardly into the sense of the passage 
in which it is found1 that it must be   
regarded as a marginal gloss which has  
become incorporated with the text4 ,it  
has dislodged a sentence that must have 
legitimately belonged to the text1      
restored in the foregoing translation by
 conjecture4 ,probably the lost         
sentence1 like the intrusive one1 ended 
with the word trocuire1 mercy1 which1   
indeed1 may have suggested the          
interpolation2 this might easily have   
caused the scribe's eye to wander4 ,an  
habitual expletive is also attributed to
 ,st4 ,patrick 7modebroth1 apparently   
,my ,god of ,judgment674  ,here1 again1 
the versions in ,,lb and ,,lc are very  
closely akin4   ,x4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,was
 ,,delivered ,,from ,,robbers 7,,la1    

,,lc1 ,,vg7  ,parallels4--,robbers were 
smitten with blindness 7cf4 ,genesis    
xix4 ,,ii7 by ,darerca 7,,cs1 #agi7 and 
restored on repentance4 ,the same fate  
befell a man who endeavoured to drive   
,findian from a place where he had      
settled 7,,cs1 #aih74 ,robbers who      
attempted to attack ,cainnech 7,,cs1    
#cfd1 #chi2 ,,vsh1 i1 #aec71 ,colman    
7,,vsh1 i1 #bfd71 and ,flannan 7,,cs1   
#ffi71 were struck motionless4 ,the     
story before us is a conflation of the  
two types of incident1 blindness and    
paralysis being accumulated on the      
robbers4 ,the same accumulation befell a
 swineherd who attempted to slay ,saint 
,cadoc 7,cambro-,british ,saints1 pp4   
#ca1 #cba74  ,note that this incident1  
like ,no4 ,,viii1 belongs to the ,cenel 
,fiachach tradition4 ,we have already   
seen that it was known to the compiler  
of the ,annals of ,clonmacnois1 though  
he ignores the miraculous element4      
,,xi4-,,xiii4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,gave     
,,certain ,,gifts 7,,la73 ,,xiv4 ,,how  

,,ciaran ,,gave ,,the ,,king',s         
,,cauldron ,,to ,,beggars ,,and ,,was   
,,enslaved 7,,la1 ,,lc1 ,,vg7  ,these   
four incidents may be considered        
together3 they are all variants of one  
formula4  ,parallels4--,brigit took of  
her father's wealth and property1       
whatsoever her hands would find1 444 to 
give to the poor and needy 7,,ll1       
#acjh74 ,a story is told in the ,life of
 ,aed which is evidently a combination  
of our incidents ,,xii and ,,xiii3 to   
the effect that when ploughing he made a
 gift of one of his oxen and of the     
coulter1 and continued to plough without
 either 7,,vsh1 i1 #cf74  ,the angels   
grinding for ,ciaran reappear in        
incident ,,xviii3 this is a frequent    
type of favour shown to saints4 ,angels 
ground for ,colum ,cille at ,clonard    
7,,ll1 #hej71 swept out a hearth for    
,patrick 7,,ll1 #aba71 and harvested for
 ,ailbe 7,,cs1 #bda74  ,beoit an        
,uncle4--,this is an important link     
between incidents ,,xii and ,,xiii in   

,,la4 ,its bearing upon the question of 
the origin of ,ciaran's family has      
already been noticed4  ,the ,oxen       
ploughing4--,incident ,,xiii would be   
meaningless if we did not understand    
from it that at the time of the         
formation of the story it was not       
customary to use horses in the plough4  
,this is an illustration of the way in  
which these documents1 unhistorical     
though they may be in the main1 yet     
throw occasional sidelights1 which may  
be accepted as authentic1 on ancient    
life4  ,king ,furbith4--,i have not     
succeeded in tracing this personage1 who
 reappears in incident ,,xxvii4 ,but the
 story of his cauldron is found in the  
,life of ,ciaran of ,saigir 7,,cs1      
#hae71 in a rather different form--to   
the effect that he deposited his        
considerable wealth for safe-keeping    
with ,ciaran1 who was already abbot of  
,clonmacnois4 ,ciaran promptly          
distributed it to the poor4 ,furbith was
 human enough to be annoyed at this     

breach of trust1 and ordered ,ciaran to 
be summoned before him in bonds4 ,this  
done1 he addressed him insultingly1 as  
the hagiographer puts it1 in these      
words3 ,good abbot1 if thou wilt be     
loosed from bonds1 thou must needs bring
 me seven white-headed red hornless     
kine3#ae and if thou canst not find     
them1 thou shalt pay a penalty for my   
treasures which thou hast squandered4   
,ciaran undertook to provide the        
required cattle1 not to escape these thy
 bonds1 which are a merit unto me1 but  
to set forth the glory of my ,god2 and  
therefore he was set free to obtain     
them4 ,another variant of these         
stories--a common type1 in which the    
saint gives away the property of other  
people in alms1 but has his own face    
miraculously saved--is illustrated by   
the tale of ,coemgen1 who1 when a boy   
was pasturing sheep4 ,he gave four of   
them to beggars1 but when the sheep were
 led home at night the number was found 
complete so that the servant of ,christ 

should not incur trouble on account of  
his exceeding charity 7,,vsh1 i1 #bce74 
,the site of ,cluain ,cruim 7,,la7 is   
unknown 7perhaps ,clooncrim1 ,co4       
,roscommon74 ,the ,desi 7,,vg71 or      
,dessi1 were a semi-nomadic pre-,celtic 
people once established in the barony of
 ,deece1 ,co4 ,meath1 but afterwards in 
the baronies of ,decies in ,waterford3  
both these baronies still bear their    
name4 ,a branch of them settled in      
,wales4 ,evidently the donors of the    
cauldrons which purchased the freedom of
 the saint were of the ,decies2 they are
 said to have been ,munster folk 7the   
name of the province is variously       
spelled74   ,,xv4 ,,how ,,ciaran        
,,reproved ,,his ,,mother 7,,la1 ,,lc7  
,i have found no parallel to this story2
 it contains no miraculous element1 and 
may quite possibly be at least founded  
on fact4 ,its chief importance is the   
prominence given to the materfamilias4  
,,xvi4 ,,the ,,breaking ,,of ,,the      
,,carriage-,,axle 7,,la1 ,,lc7  ,unlike 

,,la1 ,,lc seems to imply that the      
injury to the axle was not repaired4    
,this would be parallel to the story of 
,aed1 who1 when his carriage met with a 
similar mishap1 was able to continue his
 journey on one wheel only 7,,cs1 #ccf2 
,,vsh1 i1 #cf74   ,,xvii4 ,,how ,,ciaran
 ,,went ,,with ,,his ,,cow ,,to ,,the   
,,school ,,of ,,findian 7,,la1 ,,lb1    
,,lc1 ,,vg7  ,the blessing of the       
,cow4--,in this story we again note the 
prominence of the materfamilias3 it is  
she who in most of the versions         
withholds the desired boon4 ,note how   
,,lb endeavours to tone down the        
disobedience of the saint by making the 
cow follow him of her own accord1 or1   
rather1 upon a direct divine command4   
,the ,annals of ,clonmacnois presents   
the story in a similar form3 ,he        
earnestly entreated his parents that    
they would please to give him the cow   
which had been stolen and recovered2    
ante1 p4 #ajh1 that he might go to      
school to ,clonard to ,bishop ,finnan1  

where ,saint ,colum ,cille 444 and      
divers others were at school3 which his 
parents denied3 whereupon he resolved to
 go thither as poor as he was1 without  
any maintenance in the world4 ,the cow  
followed him thither with her calf2 and 
being more given to the cause of his    
learning than to the keeping of the     
cows1 having none to keep the calf from 
the cow1 he did but draw a strick of his
 bat between the calf and cow4 ,the cow 
could not thenceforth come no nearer sic
 the calf than to the strick1 nor the   
calf to the cow1 so as there needed no  
servant to keep them one from another   
but the strick4 ,a totally different    
version of the story of the cow is      
recorded in the glosses to the          
,martyrology of ,oengus 7#ith           
,september74 ,here ,ciaran applied to   
his father1 who1 so far from refusing   
his request1 bade him go through the    
herd and take whatever beast would      
follow him4 ,the ,dun ,cow of ,ciaran   
yielded to the test4 ,further1 the same 

cow followed him when he left ,clonard1 
instead of remaining with ,ninned as in 
the ,lives before us4  ,note how the    
author of ,,la has been unable to keep a
 very human touch out of his arid       
record3 matri displicebat1 uolebat enim 
eum secum semper habere4 ,this is our   
last glimpse of poor ,darerca1 and it   
does much to soften the rather lurid    
limelight in which our homilists place  
her4  ,the ,division of ,kine and       
,calves4--,this miracle is one of the   
most threadbare commonplaces of ,irish  
hagiographical literature2 it is most   
frequently1 as here1 performed by       
drawing a line on the ground between the
 animals with the saint's wonder-working
 staff4 ,it is attributed1 inter alia1  
to ,senan 7,,ll1 #aieh71 ,fintan 7,,cs1 
#bbi71 ,ailbe 7with swine1 ,,cs1 #bdj71 
and ,finan 7,,cs1 #cje74  ,a miraculous 
abundance of milk was also given by kine
 belonging to ,brigit 7,,cs1 #dd7 and to
 ,samthann 7,,vsh1 ii1 #bee74  ,the     
,hide of the ,cow4--,plummer quotes     

other illustrations of such mechanical  
passports to the ,land of the ,blessed  
7,,vsh1 i1 p4 xciii74 ,the main purpose 
of this whole incident is doubtless to  
explain the origin of a precious relic1 
preserved at ,clonmacnois4 ,its history 
is involved in some doubt3 it is        
complicated by the fact that there      
exists a well-known manuscript1 now     
preserved in the library of the ,royal  
,irish ,academy1 written at ,clonmacnois
 about ,a4,d4 #aajj1 and called the     
,book of the ,dun ,cow1 from the animal 
of whose hide the vellum is said to have
 been made4 ,but whether this book has  
any connexion with the ,dun ,cow of     
,ciaran may be considered doubtful4 ,for
 down to the comparatively late date at 
which our homilies were put together1   
the hide of ,ciaran's ,dun was evidently
 preserved as a hide1 on or under which 
a dying man could lie3 therefore it     
cannot have been made into a book4 ,yet 
,imtheacht na ,tromdhaimhe 7p4 #abd of  
the printed text7 tells us1 for what it 

may be worth1 that ,ciaran wrote the    
great epic tale called ,tain ,bo        
,cualnge upon the hide of the ,dun ,cow4
 ,there is actually a copy of this tale 
in the existing book2 but the book was  
written not long after the time when our
 homilists were describing the relic as 
an unbroken hide4 ,either there were two
 dun cows1 or the name of the           
,manuscript has arisen from a           
misunderstanding4  ,the stanza in ,,vg  
is another example of ae freslige metre4
 ,the literal translation is ,fifty over
 a hundred complete _/ the ,dun of      
,ciaran used to feed1 _/_/ guests and   
lepers _/ people of the refectory and of
 the parlour4  ,the ,school of          
,findian4--,findian was born in the     
fifth century4 ,he went to ,tours for   
study1 and afterwards to ,britain2 he   
then felt a desire to continue his      
studies in ,rome1 but an angel bade him 
return to ,ireland and there continue   
the work begun by ,patrick4 ,after      
spending some time with ,brigit at      

,kildare1 and establishing various      
religious houses1 he settled at ,cluain 
,iraird1 in the territory of ,ui ,neill3
 now called ,clonard1 in ,co4 ,meath4   
,his establishment there became the     
chief centre of instruction in ,ireland 
in the early part of the sixth century4 
,he died in #edi1 at an advanced age3   
indeed1 he is traditionally said to have
 lived #adj years4 ,nothing now remains 
of the monastery1 though there were some
 ruins a hundred years ago4   ,,xviii4  
,,the ,,angels ,,grind ,,for ,,ciaran   
7,,la1 ,,lc1 ,,vg7  ,the angels grinding
 have already been seen in incident     
,,xiv4  ,the ,stanza in ,,vg4--,this is 
in the metre known as rannaigecht mor1  
seven syllables with monosyllabic       
rhymes1 usually abab4 ,the translation  
adequately expresses the sense and1     
approximately1 the metre4#af ,the number
 of saints enumerated is thirteen1 not  
twelve1 but the master1 ,findian of     
,clonard1 is not counted in the         
reckoning4 ,the names1 the principal    

monasteries1 and the obits of these     
saints are as follows--    ,findian of  
,cluain ,iraird 7,clonard1 ,co4 ,meath71
 #ab ,december #edh4   ,findian of      
,mag-bile 7,moville1 ,co4 ,donegal71 #ab
 ,september #egi4   ,colum ,cille of ,i 
,choluim ,cille 7,iona71 #i ,june #eib4 
,colum of ,inis ,cealtra 7,holy ,island1
 ,loch ,derg71 #ac ,december #edi4      
,ciaran of ,cluain maccu ,nois          
7,clonmacnois71 #i ,september #edh4     
,cainnech of ,achad ,bo 7,aghaboe1      
,queen's ,co471 #aa ,october #eih4      
,comgall of ,beannchor 7,bangor1 ,co4   
,down71 #aj ,may #eeb4   ,brenainn of   
,birra 7,birr1 ,king's ,co471 #bi       
,november #ega4   ,brenainn of ,cluain  
,fearta 7,clonfert1 ,king's ,co471 #af  
,may #egf4   ,ruadan of ,lothra         
7,lorrha1 ,co4 ,tipperary71 #ae ,april  
#ehd4   ,ninned of ,inis ,muighe ,saimh 
7,inismacsaint in ,loch ,erne71         
#ah ,january #e447874   ,mo-,bi of ,glas
 ,naoidhean 7,glasnevin1 ,co4 ,dublin7  
#ab ,october #edd4   ,mo-,laise mac     

,nad-,fraeich of ,daimhinis 7,devenish1 
,loch ,erne71          #ab ,september   
#efc4   ,,xix4 ,,ciaran ,,and ,,the     
,,king',s ,,daughter 7,,la1 ,,vg7       
,parallels4--,maignenn never would look 
on a woman1 lest he should see her      
guardian devil 7,silua ,gadelica1 i1    
#cg74 ,the story has some affinity with 
the curious ,maerchen of the ,mill and  
the ,bailiff's ,daughter 7incident      
,,xxiv74 ,cuimmin of ,connor1 in his    
poem on the characters of the different 
,irish saints1 spoke thus of ,ciaran1   
doubtless in reference to this incident3
 ,holy ,ciaran of ,clonmacnois loved    
humility that he did not abandon rashly2
 he never spoke a word that was untrue1 
he never looked at a woman from the time
 when he was born4  ,the ,stanza in     
,,vg4--,metre ae freslige4 ,literally   
thus3 ,with ,ciaran read _/ a girl who  
was stately with treasures _/_/ and he  
saw not _/ her form or her shape or her 
make4  ,in ,,la the father of the maiden
 is king in ,tara3 in ,,vg he is king of

 ,cualu1 the strip of territory between 
the mountains and the sea from ,dublin  
southward to ,arklow4   ,,xx4 ,,how     
,,ciaran ,,healed ,,the ,,lepers 7,,vg7 
,leprosy1 or at least a severe cutaneous
 disease so called1 was common in       
ancient ,ireland2 and there are numerous
 stories1 some of them extremely        
disagreeable1 that tell how the saints  
associated with its victims as an act of
 self-abasement4 ,we have already seen  
how ,patrick was said to have kept a    
leper4 ,brigit also healed lepers by    
washing 7,,ll1 #afbj71 and ,ruadan      
cleansed lepers with the water of a     
spring that he opened miraculously      
7,,vsh1 ii1 #bdi74 ,contrariwise1 ,munnu
 never washed except at ,easter after   
contracting leprosy 7,,vsh1 ii1 #bcg74  
,the miraculous opening of a spring is a
 common incident in ,irish hagiography2 
we have already seen an example1 in the 
annotations to incident ,i4  ,whitley   
,stokes points out 7,,ll1 note ad loc47 
that the three waves poured over the    

lepers are suggested by the triple      
immersion in baptism4   ,,xxi4 ,,ciaran 
,,and ,,the ,,stag 7,,vg7               
,parallels4--,we have already noted the 
use of wild animals by ,irish saints4   
,findian yoked stags to draw wood 7,,ll1
 #beeb74 ,patrick kept a tame stag      
7,,tt1 p4 #bh1 cap4 lxxxii1 etc474 ,in  
incident ,,xxxvii1 ,ciaran is again     
served by a stag4 ,cainnech1 like       
,ciaran1 made a book-rest of the horns  
of a stag 7,,cs1 #chc71 and books which 
,colum ,cille had lost were restored to 
him by a stag 7,,tt1 ,quinta ,vita1 p4  
#djg74 ,in the life of ,saint ,cadoc we 
read an incident which combines docile  
stags drawing timber and a forgotten    
book untouched by rain 7,cambro-,british
 ,saints1 pp4 #ch1 #cbi74  ,for         
,ciaran's prompt obedience to the       
summoning sound of the bell1 compare    
what is told of ,cainnech1 who happened 
to be summoned by the head of the       
monastic school when he was writing1 and
 left the letter ,o1 which at the moment

 he was tracing1 unfinished1 to obey the
 call 7,,vsh1 i1 #aec74  ,there is a    
parallel in incident ,,xxxvi for the    
book unwet by rain4 ,books written by   
,colum ,cille could not be injured by   
water 7,,ll1 #ief74 ,it is perhaps      
hardly necessary to infer with ,plummer 
7,,vsh1 i1 p4 cxxxviii7 that this was a 
myth of solar origin4   ,,xxii4 ,,the   
,,story ,,of ,,ciaran',s ,,gospel 7,,la1
 ,,vg7  ,this striking anecdote is      
unique1 and probably founded on an      
authentic incident4 ,the two versions   
before us differ in some respects1 as a 
comparison will show4 ,the story is told
 in another form in the ,quinta ,vita   
,columbae 7,,tt1 p4 #djc7 to the effect 
that ,once ,saint ,kieranus1 whom they  
call the ,son of the ,wright1 on being  
asked1 promised ,columba that as he was 
writing a book of the ,holy ,gospels1 he
 would write out the middle part of the 
book4 ,columba1 in gratitude to him1    
said1 ',and ,i1' said he1 'on behalf of 
,god1 promise and foretell that the     

middle regions of ,ireland shall take   
their name from thee1 and shall bring   
their taxes or tribute to thy           
monastery4' ,the same version appears in
 ,o',donnell's ,life of ,colum ,cille   
7printed text1 p4 #abh74 ,yet another   
version appears in the glosses to the   
,martyrology of ,oengus 7#ith           
,september71 according to which ,colum  
,cille wished to write a gospel-book1   
but no one except ,ciaran had an        
exemplar from which to make the copy4   
,colum ,cille went to ,ciaran's cell and
 asked for the loan of the book2        
,ciaran1 who was preparing his lesson1  
and had just come to the words ,omnia   
quaecumque1 etc41 presented him with it4
 ,thine be half of ,ireland6 said ,colum
 ,cille4 ,it is worth passing notice    
that the verse in question1 here treated
 as the central verse of the gospel1 is 
not one-fifth of the way through the    
book4 ,had the original narrator of the 
tale a copy with misplaced or missing   
leaves8  ,the ,stanza in ,,vg4--,this is

 apparently slightly corrupt1 but the   
metre is evidently meant to be ae       
freslige4 ,it probably belongs to one   
poem with the previous stanzas in the   
same metre3 its first line echoes the   
stanza in incident ,,xix4 ,literally1   
,with ,findian read _/ ,ciaran the      
pious1 with diligence _/_/ he had half a
 book without reading _/ half of        
,ireland his thereafter4  ,the ,saying  
of ,alexander4--,i regret to have to    
acknowledge that ,i have been unable to 
get on the track of any explanation of  
this appendix to the incident1 as       
related in ,,vg4 ,it is probably a      
marginal gloss taken into the text4 ,the
 ,alexander is presumably one of the    
popes of that name1 and if so1 must be  
,alexander ,,ii 7#ajfa-ajgc71 as the    
first ,pope ,alexander is too early1 and
 the remaining six are too late4 ,i     
have1 however1 searched all the writings
 bearing his name without discovering   
anything like this saying1 nor can ,i   
trace it with the aid of the numerous   

indexes in ,migne's ,patrologia4        
,,xxiii4 ,,the ,,blessing ,,of          
,,ciaran',s ,,food 7,,la1 ,,lc7  ,i     
cannot find any authority for the ritual
 indicated by this curious story1 in    
which the blessing of a second person is
 necessary before food can be consumed4 
,there is a ,jewish formula described by
 ,lightfoot1#ag in which1 when several  
take their meals together1 one says ,let
 us bless1 and the rest answer ,amen4   
,but it is not clear why a response     
should have been required by a person   
eating alone4   ,,xxiv4 ,,the ,,story   
,,of ,,the ,,mill ,,and ,,the           
,,bailiff',s ,,daughter 7,,lb1 ,,vg7    
,the full details of this narrative have
 evidently been offensive to the author 
of ,,lb1 who has heroically bowdlerised 
it4 ,it is obviously an independent     
,maerchen1 which has become incorporated
 in the traditions of ,ciaran4  ,the    
,famine4--,famines are frequently       
recorded in the ,irish ,annals3 and it  
is noteworthy that they were usually    

accompanied by an epidemic of raids on  
monasteries4 ,the wealth of the country 
was largely concentrated in these       
establishments1 so that they presented a
 strong temptation to a starving        
community4 ,the beginning of the story  
is thus quite true to nature and to     
history1 though ,i have found no record 
of a famine at the time when we may     
suppose ,ciaran to have been at         
,clonard4  ,transformation of ,oats to  
,wheat1 and of other ,food to           
,flour4--,such transformations are      
common in the saints' ,lives4 ,we read  
of swine turned to sheep 7,,cs1 #hgi71  
snow to curds 7,,ll1 #abg71 sweat to    
gold 7,,tt1 #cih7 flesh to bread 7,,cs1 
#cfh74 ,the later peculiarities of the  
food--bread or some other commonplace   
material having the taste of more       
recondite dainties1 and possessing      
curative properties--are not            
infrequently met with in folk-lore4     
,saint ,illtyd placed fish and water    
before a king1 who found therein the    

taste of bread and salt1 wine and mead1 
in addition to their proper savours     
7,cambro-,british ,saints1 pp4 #afe1    
#dgd74  ,the ,resistance of the ,saint  
to amorous ,advances4--,the reader may  
be referred to ,whitley ,stokes's note  
ad loc41 in ,,ll4 ,we may recall the    
well-known story of ,coemgen 7,kevin7 at
 ,glendaloch3 though it must be added   
that the version of the tale popularised
 by ,moore1 in which the saint pushed   
his importunate pursuer into the lake   
and drowned her1 has no ancient         
authority4 ,on the rather delicate      
subject of the arrangement made between 
,ciaran and the maiden's family1 consult
 the article ,subintroductae in ,smith  
and ,cheetham's ,dictionary of          
,christian ,antiquities4 ,this feature  
of the story is enough to show its      
unhistorical character1 at least so far 
as ,ciaran is concerned3 for ,ciaran did
 not belong to the ,primus ,ordo of     
,irish saints1 who mulierum             
administrationem et consortia non       

respuebant1 quia super petram ,christum 
fundati ventum temptationis non         
timebant1 but to the ,secundus ,ordo1   
who mulierum consortia et               
administrationes fugiebant1 atque a     
monasteriis suis eas excludebant 7,,cs1 
#afa1 #afb74 ,the description of ,ciaran
 as transcending his contemporaries in  
beauty is probably suggested by ,ps4    
xlv1 #b1 and is another illustration of 
the ,tendenz already referred to4  ,the 
,eavesdropper and the ,crane4--,this    
incident reappears in the ,life of      
,flannan 7,,cs1 #fdg74 ,wonder-workers  
do not like to be spied upon by         
unauthorised persons4 ,this is          
especially true in the ,fairy mythology 
surviving to modern times4 ,compare a   
tale in the ,life of ,aed 7,,vsh1 ii1   
#cjh74 ,a quantity of wood had been cut 
for building a church1 but there was no 
available labour4 ,angels undertook the 
work of transportation on condition that
 no one should spy upon them4 ,one man1 
however1 played the inevitable ,peeping 

,tom1 and the work ceased immediately4  
,the reader may be referred for further 
instances to the essay on ,fairy ,births
 and ,human ,midwives in ,e4,s4         
,hartland's ,science of ,fairy ,tales4  
,there is a touch of intentional        
drollery at the end of the story where  
the brethren are shown as having so     
thoroughly enjoyed the feast            
miraculously provided for them that     
their observance of the canonical hours 
was disjointed4 ,for other instances of 
intoxication as resulting from saints'  
miracles see ,,vsh1 i1 p4 ci4  ,the     
,stanzas in ,,vg4--,these are in ae     
freslige metre1 so that they are        
probably another fragment of the poem   
already met with4 ,the translation in   
the text reproduces the sense with      
sufficient literalness4  ,on the whole  
the impression which this unusually long
 and very confused incident makes on the
 reader is that originally it was an    
anti-,christian narrative concocted in a
 ,pagan circle1 which has somehow become

 superficially ,christianised4   ,,xxv4 
,,the ,,story ,,of ,,cluain 7,,vg7  ,one
 of the numerous tales told of the      
danger of crossing the will of a saint4 
,it is possibly suggested by ,matt1 xxi1
 #bh2 but it may also be a              
pre-,christian folk-tale adapted to the 
new ,faith by substituting a saint for a
 druid4 ,on the cursing propensities of 
,irish saints see ,plummer1 ,,vsh1 i1   
pp4 cxxxv1 clxxiii4 ,a curse said to    
have been pronounced by ,ciaran on one  
family remained effective down to the   
year #aaea1 where it is recorded by the 
,annals of the ,four ,masters 7vol4 ii1 
p4 #ajif74 ,another curse of the same   
saint1 and its fulfilment1 is narrated  
in ,keating's ,history 7,irish ,texts   
,society's edn41 iii1 #eb ff471 and at  
greater length in the life of the       
victim1 ,cellach 7,silua ,gadelica1 no4 
iv74  ,note that ,ciaran sends a        
messenger with his rod to revive        
,cluain4 ,this is probably imitated from
 ,elisha sending ,gehazi similarly      

equipped to raise the ,shunammite's son 
7#b ,kings iv1 #bi74  ,cluain's thanks  
at being delivered from the pains of    
hell may be contrasted with the protest 
of the monk resurrected by ,colman      
7,,vsh1 i1 #bfj1 #bfe7 at being recalled
 from the joys of heaven--an aspect of  
resurrection stories frequently         
overlooked by the narrators4  ,the      
,stanza in ,,vg4--,the metre is         
rannaigecht gairit dialtach 7a line of  
three syllables followed by three of    
seven1 with monosyllabic rhymes aaba74  
,the literal rendering is ,cluain agreed
 to come _/ to me to-day for reaping    
_/_/ for an oppressive disease _/ caused
 him living in his house to be dead4    
,,xxvi1 ,,xxvii4 ,,how ,,ciaran ,,freed 
,,women ,,from ,,servitude 7,,la1 ,,lb1 
,,vg7  ,tuathal ,moel-garb 7the         
bald-rough7 was king in ,tara ,a4,d4    
#ebh-ech4 ,we have already met with     
,furbith in incident ,,xiv4             
,interceding for captives1 with or      
without miracle1 was one of the most    

frequent actions attributed to ,irish   
saints3 as for instance ,brigit 7,,ll1  
#aebj7 and ,fintan 7,,cs1 #cjj74 ,doors 
opened of their own accord to ,colum    
,cille 7,,cs1 #hej74 ,paulinus of ,nola 
gave himself as a captive in exchange   
for a widow's son at the time of the    
invasion of ,alaric in ,a4,d4 #daj 7see 
,smith's ,dictionary of ,christian      
,biography1 vol4 iv1 p4 #bci1 col4 ii1  
and references there74 ,this explains   
the allusion in ,,lb4 ,the woman passing
 through her enemies is perhaps         
suggested by ,luke iv1 #cj4 ,the        
prisoner ,fallamain1 rescued by ,saint  
,samthann1 also passed unscathed through
 a crowd of jailers 7,,vsh1 ii1 #bee2   
compare ibid41 p4 #bei72 his chains     
opened of their own accord1 like the    
doors in incident ,,xxvi4 ,compare ,acts
 xii1 #g ff4   ,,xxviii4 ,,anecdotes    
,,of ,,cluain ,,iraird 7,,vg7  ,these   
four petits conies1 found in ,,vg only1 
are clearly designed to set forth the   
superiority of ,clonmacnois above its   

rival establishments4  7a7 ,this story  
tells how ,findian ranked ,ciaran above 
all the notable saints and scholars of  
his time1 and how they had to           
acknowledge his pre-eminence by their   
very jealousy4 ,colum ,cille is the only
 saint whom the homilist will allow to  
approach his hero4  7b7 ,this is a      
thrust at the monastery of ,birr4 ,it   
says1 in effect1 ,clonmacnois is        
situated on the great river ,shannon1   
,birr on the insignificant ,brosna2 and 
the relative importance of the two      
establishments is to be estimated by the
 size of their respective rivers--even  
,brenainn1 the founder of ,birr1 said   
this himself6 ,there was a contest      
between the people of ,clonmacnois and  
those of ,birr at a place now unknown1  
,moin ,coise ,bla 7the bog at the foot  
of ,bla7 in the year #gef1 according to 
the ,annals of ,clonmacnois and of      
,tigernach4 ,the circumstances which led
 to this event are not on record2 but it
 is not far-fetched to see an echo of it

 in the story before us4 ,this would    
give us an approximate date for the     
construction of the story1 though the   
compilation in which it is now embedded 
is considerably later4  7c7 ,this story 
further exalts ,clonmacnois as the place
 containing a valuable relic that       
ensures eternal happiness in the        
hereafter4 ,of this relic we have       
already spoken4  7d7 ,again exalts      
,clonmacnois by relating a dream in     
which the founder is put on a level with
 the great ,colum ,cille4 ,this vision  
is related also in the ,lives of the    
latter saint 7see1 for instance1 ,,ll1  
#heb74 ,an analogous vision1 not related
 in the ,lives of ,ciaran1 is that of   
the three heavenly chairs1 seen by      
,saint ,baithin4 ,he saw a chair of     
gold1 a chair of silver1 and a chair of 
crystal before the ,lord4 ,as           
interpreted by ,colum ,cille1 the first 
was the seat destined for ,ciaran1 on   
account of the nobility and firmness of 
his faith2 the silver chair was for     

,baithin1 on account of the firmness and
 brightness and rigour of his faith2 and
 the third was for ,colum ,cille        
himself1 on account of the brightness   
and purity--and brittleness--of his     
faith4#ah   ,,xxix4 ,,the ,,parting ,,of
 ,,ciaran ,,and ,,findian 7,,vg7        
,compare with this narrative the parting
 of ,senan and ,notal 7,,ll1 #bjca74    
,the metre of the stanza is cummasc etir
 rannaigecht mor ocus leth-rannaigecht  
7seven-syllable and five-syllable lines 
alternately1 with monosyllabic rhymes   
abab74 ,the translation is literal4     
,,xxx4 ,,the ,,adventures ,,of ,,the    
,,robbers ,,of ,,loch ,,erne 7,,lb1     
,,lc7  ,,la and ,,vg know nothing of the
 visit to ,loch ,erne of which this is  
the chief incident4 ,ninned here appears
 as an abbot1 which is scarcely         
consistent with his previous appearance 
as a junior fellow-student of ,ciaran4  
,there is1 however1 a possible hint at  
this tradition in the statement in ,,vg 
that when ,ciaran departed from ,clonard

 he left the ,dun ,cow with ,ninned4    
,ninned's island1 as we learn from an   
entry in the ,martyrology of ,donegal   
7#ahth ,january7 was ,inis ,muighe      
,samh1 now spelt ,inismacsaint1 in ,loch
 ,erne4 ,the reading in both ,,mss4 of  
,,lb1 silua for insula1 evidently rests 
on a false interpretation of a word or a
 contraction in the exemplar from which 
,r#a was copied4 ,this seems to have    
been hard to read at the incident before
 us4 ,later on there is a word1 which   
the sense shows us must have been       
potentes4 ,the scribe of ,r#a could not 
read it1 and left a blank1 which he     
afterwards tentatively filled in with   
the meaningless word fatentes--a word   
which his copyist1 the scribe of ,r#b1  
emended by guesswork into fac7i7entes4  
,parallels4--,there are several cases of
 the restoration to life of persons who 
had been decapitated4 ,coemgen restored 
two women who had been thus treated     
7,,vsh1 i1 #bci74 ,the famous ,welsh    
holy well of ,saint ,winefred in        

,flintshire is associated with a similar
 miracle 7see ,rees' ,cambro-,british   
,saints1 pp4 #ag1 #cjd74 ,the story of  
the three murdered monks is also told of
 ,saint ,aed 7,,vsh1 i1 #ch71 but there 
the blood-mark round their necks is     
absent4 ,ciaran seems to have been less 
expert than some of his brethren in     
replacing severed heads on decapitated  
bodies2 for according to a tale         
preserved in the ,book of ,lismore1     
there was a certain lord of the region  
of ,ui ,maine 7the region west of the   
,shannon71 who was called ,coirpre the  
,crooked1 for the following reason3 he  
was an evil man who did great mischief  
to every one1 in consequence of which he
 was murdered and beheaded4 ,but ,ciaran
 had shriven him1 and in order to       
deliver his soul from demons he restored
 him to life1 replacing his head--so    
clumsily1 however1 that it was ever     
afterwards crooked4  ,a certain man     
called ,ambacuc1 having perjured himself
 on the hand of ,ciaran1 his head fell  

off4 ,he was taken to ,clonmacnois1 and 
not only lived there headless for seven 
years1 but became the father of a       
family6#ai   ,,xxxi4 ,,how ,,ciaran     
,,floated ,a ,,firebrand ,,on ,,the     
,,lake 7,,lb7  ,the ,harbour of the     
,island4--,it must be remembered1 in    
reading this and other island stories1  
that as a rule the harbour of the island
 is not1 as might be expected1 the      
landing-stage on the island itself1 but 
the port on the mainland from which     
ships depart to visit the island4 ,thus 
,portraine1 a place on the coast north  
of ,dublin1 is properly ,port ,rachrann1
 the ,port of ,rachra--the port from    
which voyagers sailed to ,rachra1 the   
island now called by its ,norse name    
,lambay4  ,parallels4--,i have not found
 an exact parallel1 but the story       
belongs to the same family as that      
related of ,coemgen1 who kindled a fire 
with the drops of water that fell from  
his fingers after washing his hands     
7,,cs1 #hci74   ,,xxxii4 ,,ciaran ,,in  

,,aran 7,,la1 ,,lb1 ,,vg7  ,the ,aran   
,islands4--,the marvellous isles of     
,aran1 still a museum of all periods of 
ancient ,irish history1 with their      
immense prehistoric forts and their     
strange little oratories1 were from an  
early date chosen as the site of        
,christian communities4 ,enda ruled over
 a community at the southern end of the 
,great ,island2 the church still        
survives1 in ruin1 and bears his name4  
,ciaran must have remained long enough  
in ,aran to make a permanent impression 
there1 for one of the ancient           
churches--much later than his time1     
however--is dedicated under his         
invocation4 ,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 ,bethlehem1
 and in ,armenian on a mosaic pavement  
at ,jerusalem4  ,prophecy by            
,vision4--,this is not an infrequent    
incident in the saints' ,lives4 ,it     

often appears at the beginning of a     
,life1 the saint's mother having a dream
 interpreted by some one1 whom she      
consults1 as indicative of the future   
greatness and holiness of her unborn    
son4 ,i have not hit upon another case  
in these documents of the same dream    
appearing to two persons at once4       
,ciaran's visit to ,enda is described at
 length in the ,vita ,endei 7,,vsh1 ii1 
#ga-b74 ,we are there told that he was  
seven years in ,aran1 serving faithfully
 in the monastic threshing-barn1 so that
 in the chaff-heaps it would have been  
impossible to discover a single grain2  
and that the walls of his threshing-barn
 were still standing in ,aran when the  
hagiographer wrote4 ,he then saw the    
vision of the tree1 which1 however1 we  
are not told was seen by ,enda also4    
,enda interpreted the vision as in the  
texts before us1 and bade him go forth  
to fulfil the divine will4 ,ciaran then 
went to found ,clonmacnois4 ,he besought
 ,enda before he departed that he       

7,enda7 should accept him and his       
parochia under his protection3 but ,enda
 answered1 ,god hath not ordained it so 
for thee1 that thou shouldst in this    
narrow island be under my authority4    
,but because of thy wondrous humility   
and thy perfect charity1 ,christ thy    
,lord giveth thee a half of ,ireland as 
thine inheritance4 ,here there is       
another version of the claim of         
,clonmacnois to legislate               
ecclesiastically for half of the island4
 ,they then erected a cross as a token  
of their fraternal bond1 putting a curse
 upon whomsoever should make a breach in
 their agreement4 ,in a ,life of ,saint 
,enda1 quoted by the ,bollandists       
7,september1 vol4 iii1 p4 #cgf ,c71 it  
is further averred that ,enda saw in a  
vision all the angels that haunted ,aran
 departing in the company of ,ciaran as 
he went on his way4 ,distressed at this 
desertion of his heavenly ministrants1  
he fasted and prayed2 but an angel      
appeared to him and comforted him1      

saying that the angels were permitted to
 accompany ,ciaran on account of his    
holiness1 but that they would return    
again to ,aran4   ,,xxxiii4 ,,how ,a    
,,prophecy ,,was ,,fulfilled 7,,la1     
,,vg7  ,the versions of this incident   
differ considerably both in detail and  
in the setting of the incident4  ,cluain
 ,innsythe1 where ,,la sets the story1  
is unknown4 ,there is no river in ,aran1
 where ,,vg places the incident2 in this
 version1 therefore1 the ship is placed 
on the sea4  ,lonan the                 
,left-handed4--,nothing further is      
recorded of this person1 so far as ,i   
know4 ,the parenthesis describing how he
 was ever contradictious of ,ciaran is  
probably a gloss2 so far as the incident
 goes1 the contradictiousness is the    
other way4  ,note the interesting       
sidelights upon the practice of         
artificially drying grain in ,,la4      
,there are some technical terms in the  
,latin of this incident in the ,,la     
version4 ,thus1 the word here translated

 hut is zabulum2 this ,i presume is     
another way of spelling stabulum1 for   
the meanings given in ,du ,cange to     
zabulum or similar words are here quite 
unsuitable4 ,the word which ,i have     
rendered platter is rota1 and the word  
translated shed is canaba4   ,,xxxiv4   
,,how ,,ciaran ,,visited ,,senan        
,senan4--,this is an extremely          
interesting personality4 ,his island1   
,inis ,cathaigh 7now corrupted to       
,scattery7 is said to derive its name   
from ,cathach1 a monster 7mentioned in  
,,la7 which had formerly inhabited it1  
and which ,senan had slain or charmed   
away4 ,there are obvious pagan elements 
in the legends of this saint1 and there 
can be little doubt that the unknown    
hermit who founded the monastery1 of    
which the remains are still to be seen1 
has entered into the inheritance of the 
legends of an ancient deity1 most likely
 worshipped on the island4 ,this deity  
was probably the god of the ,shannon    
river3 and the name of the saint is     

clearly reminiscent of the name of the  
river4 ,in their present form the two   
names are not philologically compatible3
 the name of the saint may be explained 
as an arbitrary modification1 designed  
to differentiate the ,christian saint   
from the pagan river-god4 ,that pagan   
names should survive 7modified or       
otherwise7 in ancient holy places       
re-consecrated to ,christianity is only 
natural4  ,there may be some foundation 
in fact for apparently supernatural     
knowledge such as ,senan displays in    
this incident of the personality of a   
coming guest4 ,in reading documents such
 as this1 we are not infrequently       
tempted to suspect that we have before  
us the record of actual manifestations  
of the even yet imperfectly understood  
phenomena of hypnotism1 telepathy1      
second sight1 and similar psychical     
abnormalities4  ,the story of the cloak 
is told again in the ,life of ,senan    
7,,ll1 #bchh74 ,from the version there  
contained1 we learn that ,ciaran gave   

his cloak to lepers4 ,there is another  
version of the visit of ,ciaran to      
,senan in the metrical ,life of the     
latter saint 7,,cs1 #gej74 ,according to
 this story1 ,ciaran was not travelling 
alone1 but with his disciples2 and they 
had no means of transport to the island 
except an oarless boat woven of osiers4 
,trusting themselves to this doubtful   
craft 7as ,cybi voyaged in a skinless   
coracle1 ,cambro-,british ,saints1 pp4  
#ahf1 #dii71 they were ferried over in  
safety1 no water finding its way into   
the boat4 ,then follows the episode of  
the cloak1 omitting1 however1 ,senan's  
jest of carrying it secretly4 ,a        
glossator has added in ,,la the marginal
 note ,priests formerly wore cowls4     
,there are slight discrepancies between 
the versions as to the precise garment  
given by ,ciaran and restored by ,senan4
  ,another episode connecting ,ciaran   
and ,senan is narrated in the metrical  
,life of ,senan 7though the passage is  
absent from the ,,cs copy2 it will be   

found in the ,bollandist edition1       
,march1 vol4 ii1 p4 #gff74 ,briefly1    
this tale is to the effect that ,ciaran 
and ,brenainn went to ,senan for        
confession4 ,they were received with    
fitting honour1 but the steward of ,inis
 ,cathaigh told his superior that he had
 no provision to set before the guests4 
,the ,lord will provide1 answered       
,senan2 and in point of fact1 a prince  
for whom a feast was at the time being  
prepared on the mainland was divinely   
inspired to send it as a gift to the    
sacred island4 ,the saints partook of   
the banquet thus bestowed upon them2 and
 while they were doing so1 a small bell 
fell from heaven into their midst4 ,none
 of the three was willing to assert a   
claim to this gift over the other two2  
and after discussion they agreed to     
advance in different directions1 and he 
who should continue longest to hear the 
sound of the bell was to be its         
possessor4 ,this test assigned the bell 
to ,senan4 ,the shrine of this sacred   

relic 7the bell itself is lost7 is now  
preserved in the museum of the ,royal   
,irish ,academy1 having been acquired   
from the last hereditary keeper by a    
generous donor4#bj  ,the ,geographical  
,names4--,besides the island of ,cathi  
7,inis ,cathaigh1 ,scattery7 ,,la refers
 to ,luim-nich 7,limerick71 ,kiarraighi 
7properly ,ciarraige1 ,north ,kerry71   
and ,corco ,baiscind 7the southern      
barony of ,co4 ,clare71 now spelt       
,corcovaskin4   ,,xxxv4 ,,ciaran ,,in   
,,isel 7,,la1 ,,lb1 ,,vg7  ,cobthach son
 of ,brecan4--,this person1 who is said 
in ,,vg to have made over ,isel to      
,ciaran1 was probably a local chieftain2
 but he has escaped the notice of the   
,annalists4 ,in any case the statement  
that he made over ,isel to ,ciaran is so
 obviously incongruous with the sense of
 the passage1 that it can be safely     
rejected as an interpolation4 ,its      
purpose is to claim for ,clonmacnois the
 possession of the land called ,isel1   
the site of which is no longer known1   

though it cannot have been far from     
,clonmacnois4 ,conn of the ,poor1 the   
great and charitable benefactor of      
,clonmacnois in the early years of the  
eleventh century1 established an        
almshouse at ,isel2 and some fifty-six  
years later1 in the year #ajhg1 his son 
,cormac1 then abbot1 purchased ,isel in 
perpetuity from the king of ,meath4     
,parallels4--,we have already 7incident 
,,xxi7 seen an example of the rescue of 
a book from rain2 compare also incident 
,,xli4 ,the garment of ,finan 7,,cs1    
#caf7 and of ,cainnech 7,,cs1 #cga7 were
 preserved from rain1 and snow did not  
injure a book belonging to ,abban 7,,cs1
 #ecj74 ,the forgetfulness attributed to
 the saint with regard to his precious  
volume is a regular feature of this type
 of incident3 it is no doubt meant to   
honour him1 as indicating that the      
fulfilment of his monastic duties were  
yet more precious in his eyes4 ,moling  
forgot his book when reading by the     
sea-shore1 and though the tide arose and

 covered it1 it remained uninjured      
7,,vsh1 ii1 #aia74 ,there are numerous  
illustrations of the paramount need of  
attending to guests scattered through   
the saints' ,lives4  ,the story of the  
grain cast into the breast of a poor man
 has come down to us in confusion3 it is
 not clear why the chariot is introduced
 at all4 ,probably we have a conflation 
of two incidents4 ,in the one 7which is 
the version followed by ,,la1 for which 
see ,sec4 #bf of that document7 ,ciaran 
gave to a pauper a chariot and horses   
which the prince ,oengus son of         
,cremthann had given him3 as that prince
 belongs to the boyhood stories1 it is  
probable that this incident should be   
transferred to that section of the      
,life4 ,in the other incident1 which may
 belong to the ,isel period1 ,ciaran    
flings grain into the breast of the poor
 man1 where it turns into gold3 and we  
may suppose that the pointless          
re-transformation of the gold to grain  
did not take place4 ,a similar tale is  

told of ,saint ,aed 7,,vsh1 ii1 #cjh74  
,the weird story of the jester who      
stopped the funeral of ,guaire1 king of 
,connacht1 famous for his abounding     
liberality1 and demanded a gift of the  
dead man1 is of the same type2 we are   
told that the dead king scooped up some 
earth with his hand1 and flung it into  
the jester's lap1 where it became pure  
gold4#ba   ,,xxxvi4 ,,the ,,removal ,,of
 ,,the ,,lake 7,,la1 ,,lb1 ,,vg7  ,the  
island in the lake was probably a       
crannog1 or artificial fortified island1
 such as are common on the lakes of     
,ireland4 ,fundamentally the story is an
 evident aetiological myth1 intended to 
account for the existence of some       
curious swampy hollow4 ,in its present  
form it is obviously suggested by ,matt1
 xvii1 #bj4 ,note that ,,vg does not    
seem to contemplate the wholesale       
removal of the lake4  ,parallels are not
 wanting4 ,findian dried up a lake by   
prayer 7,,cs1 #aib72 and houses were    
shifted from the west side to the east  

side of a flood for the convenience of  
,colum ,cille 7,,ll1 #heh74 ,saint      
,cainnech1 finding the excessive singing
 of birds on a certain island to be an  
interruption to his devotions1 compelled
 them to keep silence 7,,cs1 #cgf2      
,,vsh1 i1 #afa74   ,,xxxvii4 ,,ciaran   
,,departs ,,from ,,isel 7,,la1 ,,vg7    
,parallels4--,the nuns of ,brigit made a
 similar complaint against the excessive
 charity of their abbess 7,,ll1 #aeih74 
,for the stag compare incident ,,xxi2   
also the tale of how ,brenainn was on   
one occasion guided by a hound 7,,cs1   
#aaf74 ,ruadan1 having given in alms his
 chariot-horses to lepers1 found two    
stags to take their place 7,,cs1 #cbh74 
,the ,stanza in ,,vg4--,the metre is one
 of the numerous forms of debide1       
seven-syllable lines with echo-rhymes in
 which the rhyme-syllable is stressed in
 the first line1 unstressed in the      
second 7as men1 taken74 ,the stanza     
before us is in debide scailte1 where   
the two couplets of the stanza are not  

linked by any form of sound assonance4  
,the literal translation is3 ,although  
it be low it would have been high _/ had
 not the murmuring come _/_/ the        
murmuring1 had it not come _/ it would  
have been high though it be low4  ,the  
,geographical ,names in ,,la4--,loch    
,rii 7properly ,loch ,rib7 is ,loch ,ree
 on the ,shannon1 above ,athlone4 ,the  
island called ,inis ,aingin has now the 
name of ,hare ,island2 it is at the     
south end of the lake near the outlet of
 the river4 ,there are some scanty      
remains of a monastic establishment to  
be seen upon it4   ,,xxxviii4 ,,ciaran  
,,in ,,inis ,,aingin 7,,la1 ,,lb1 ,,vg7 
,the ,presbyter ,daniel4--,for the      
presence here of a ,welsh or ,british   
priest1 see the remarks in ,plummer1    
,,vsh1 i1 p4 cxxiv4 ,but it is probable 
that in the original form of the story  
the presbyter ,daniel was a fictitious  
ecclesiastic1 perhaps the ,evil ,one    
disguised4 ,we may compare the two false
 bishops that came to expel ,colum      

,cille from ,iona 7,,ll1 #ajjg74        
,biblical names were sometimes used in  
the early ,irish ,church1 though native 
names were preferred4 ,there is actually
 the monument of a person called ,daniel
 at ,clonmacnois2 it is a slab1 bearing 
an engraved cross and inscription1      
probably of the ninth or tenth century4 
,the ,gift4--,this is said in ,,vg to   
have been a cup adorned with birds4     
,such forms of decoration seem to have  
been common1 and are sometimes referred 
to in ,irish romances1 though few1 if   
any1 examples that may be compared with 
the descriptions have come down to us4  
,in ,,la a word antilum is used1 which  
does not appear to occur anywhere else1 
and is unknown to our lexicographers4   
,it is possibly a corruption for        
an7n7ulum1 a ring4 ,naturally this tale 
of the gift must be a later accretion to
 the story1 if it had the origin just   
suggested4  ,note1 in the long eulogy of
 the saint which the author of ,,lb     
gives us here1 that the writer has not  

hesitated to introduce reminiscences of 
,phil1 ii1 #g1 #h1 thus hinting at the  
general ,tendenz of the ,lives of ,saint
 ,ciaran4 ,the rest of the eulogy is a  
free paraphrase of ,rom4 xii1 #i ff4    
,there is extant a metrical ,monastic   
,rule attributed to ,saint ,ciaran1     
which was edited by the late ,prof4     
,strachan in ,eriu 7,the journal of the 
,dublin ,school of ,irish ,learning7    
vol4 ii1 p4 #bbg4 ,the subject-matter of
 this composition is a series of        
regulations on morality and             
mortification of the flesh1 but the     
language is so obscure1 and the text of 
the single ,,ms4 which alone contains it
 is so corrupt1 that even the           
pre-eminent ,celtist who edited the poem
 would not venture on a translation4    
,,xxxix4 ,,the ,,coming ,,of ,,oenna    
7,,la1 ,,lb1 ,,vg7  ,parallels4--,as    
,ciaran recognised ,oenna by his voice1 
so ,colman picked out by his voice one  
of a number of soldiers destined for a  
religious life 7,,vsh1 i1 #bfa74 ,with  

the incident of the consecration1 as    
successor1 of an unprepossessing        
intruder1 compare the tale of ,findian  
consecrating for the same purpose a     
raider whom he caught hiding in the     
furnace-chamber of his kiln 7,,ll1 #bfbh
 ff42 ,,cs1 #aih74 ,the version in ,,lb 
conveys the impression that ,oenna's    
learning was imparted to him            
miraculously1 as ,oengus the ,culdee    
inspired an idle boy with a miraculous  
knowledge of his neglected lesson4#bb   
,the story of ,oenna is told rather     
differently in the glosses to the       
,martyrology of ,oengus 7,bradshaw edn41
 pp4 #dh ff474 ,oenna with two          
companions was going for military       
service to the ,king of ,connacht4 ,they
 came to the embarking-place1 not of    
,inis ,aingin1 but the larger ,inis     
,clothrann 7now sometimes called ,quaker
 ,island71 where there are extensive    
ancient monastic remains4 ,ciaran was at
 the time in ,inis ,clothrann4 ,he      
summoned ,oenna to him1 and asked him   

whither he was faring4 ,to the ,king of 
,connacht1 answered ,oenna4 ,were it not
 better rather to contract with the     
,king of ,heaven and earth8 asked       
,ciaran4 ,it were better1 said ,oenna1  
if it be right to do so4 ,it is right1  
answered ,ciaran4 ,then ,oenna was      
tonsured and began his studies4 ,here   
the miraculous insight which recognised 
in the warrior youth the future abbot is
 ignored4 ,the tract ,de ,arreis#bc     
tells us of the penance which ,ciaran   
imposed upon ,oenna3 briefly stated it  
was as follows4 ,he was to remain three 
days and three nights in a darkened     
room1 not breaking his fast save with   
three sips of water each day4 ,every day
 he was to sing the whole ,psalter1     
standing1 without a staff to support    
him1 making a genuflexion at the end of 
each ,psalm1 reciting ,beati after each 
fifty1 and ,hymnum dicat after every    
,beati in cross-vigil 7i4e41 standing   
upright with his arms stretched out     
sideways horizontally74 ,he was not to  

lie down but only to sit1 was to observe
 the canonical hours1 and was to        
meditate on the ,passion of ,christ and 
upon his own sins4  ,the author of ,,la 
betrays his ,irish personality by a     
phrase which he uses of ,oenna4 ,ciaran 
bids his followers to fetch materiam    
abbatis uestri--the makings of your     
abbot4 ,this is a regular idiom for an  
heir-apparent1 and it shows that if the 
writer be not actually translating from 
an ,irish document1 he is at least      
thinking in ,irish as he writes in      
,latin4   ,,xl4 ,,how ,,ciaran          
,,recovered ,,his ,,gospel 7,,la1 ,,vg7 
,there is another story of a gospel     
recovered from a lake1 but without any  
mention of a cow as the agent for its   
rescue 7,,cs1 #eef74 ,the tale may be   
founded on fact4 ,the ,port of the      
,gospel is now forgotten4  ,books       
preserved as relics 7e4g4 the gospels   
belonging to a sainted founder7 were    
kept in metal shrines1 and valuable     
books which were in use were hung in    

satchels of leather on the walls of the 
library or scriptorium4 ,two specimens  
of such satchels still remain4   ,,xli4 
,,how ,,ciaran ,,went ,,from ,,inis     
,,ainghin ,,to ,,clonmacnois 7,,la1     
,,lb1 ,,vg7  ,parallels4--,as ,ciaran   
gave up his monastery to ,donnan1 in    
like manner ,munnu surrendered his      
settlement to the virgin ,emer 7,,cs1   
#die74 ,the list of equipments delivered
 by ,ciaran to ,donnan introduces us to 
the human beast of burden1 ,mael-,odran1
 a servile functionary occasionally met 
with in ,irish literature4 ,a well-known
 incident of ,st4 ,adamnan introduces   
him travelling with his mother on his   
back 7see ,reeves1 ,vita ,columbae1 p4  
#agi74 ,as to the bell1 it may be worth 
noting that my friend ,mr4 ,walter      
,campbell1 formerly of ,athlone1 has    
informed me that an ancient bronze      
ecclesiastical bell1 found on the lake  
shore opposite ,hare ,island1 was long  
preserved1 and used as a domestic bell1 
in the cottage of a man named ,quigley4 

,the owner believed that it was the bell
 of ,st4 ,ciaran1 possibly that         
mentioned in ,,vg3 this is not          
impossible1 though hardly likely1 as a  
bell of such antiquity would most       
probably be of iron1 and rendered       
useless by corrosion4 ,unfortunately1   
the bell in question is no longer       
forthcoming3 it disappeared one day from
 ,quigley's house1 stolen1 he believed1 
by a tourist who chanced to pass by4    
,note ,donnan's relationship to ,senan  
as set forth in ,,vg4 ,he was           
brother's-son of ,senan1 but had the    
same mother as ,senan4 ,clearly this    
indicates a menage such as that         
indicated by ,caesar as existing among  
the wilder tribes of ,britain2 a        
polyandry in which the husbands were    
father and sons 7,de ,bello ,gallico1   
,v1 xiv74 ,these people were probably   
pre-,celtic1 and this strengthens the   
arguments already put forward for a     
pre-,celtic origin for the ,protagonist 
of our narrative4  ,on the subject of   

the burial of the chieftains of ,ui     
,neill and the ,connachta at            
,clonmacnois1 see ,plummer1 i1 p4 cx4   
,neill is the genitive of ,niall4  ,ard 
,manntain is now unknown4  ,the         
chronological indications contained in  
,,vg are sufficiently close to accuracy 
to show that they have been calculated1 
though the computor has made a miscount 
of a year4 ,the eighth of the calends of
 ,february 7#beth ,january7 in ,a4,d4   
#edh was actually a ,saturday1 but it   
was two days before new moon4 ,the same 
day in ,a4,d4 #edi was the tenth day of 
the moon1 but it fell on a ,monday4  ,of
 the companions of ,ciaran1 ,oengus     
7properly ,oenna7 succeeded him as      
abbot1 dying in ,a4,d4 #efi2 ,mac       
,nisse1 who was an ,ultonian1 followed  
him1 and died #ac ,june #ehd 7aliter    
#ehg74 ,the others1 however1 do not     
appear to have found a place in the     
martyrologies4 ,mo-,beoc is a different 
person from the famous ,mo-,beog of     
,loch ,derg in ,co4 ,donegal4   ,,xlii4 

,,the ,,foundation ,,of ,,the ,,church  
7,,la1 ,,vg7  ,the two versions are     
independent4 ,but though there are no   
wizards or druids in the ,,vg version1  
they appear in another story connecting 
,diarmait with the foundation of        
,clonmacnois4 ,this is to the effect    
that ,diarmait was at a place on the    
,shannon near ,clonmacnois1 called ,snam
 da ,en1 and saw the glow of the first  
camp-fire lighted on the site of the    
future monastery by ,ciaran and his     
followers4 ,the druids who were with    
,diarmait told him that unless that fire
 were forthwith quenched1 it would never
 be put out4 ,it shall be quenched      
immediately1 said ,diarmait2 so with    
hostile purpose he advanced on          
,clonmacnois1 but instead of doing what 
he proposed1 he suffered himself to be  
pressed into the service of the         
builders1 as the story in ,,vg narrates4
 ,the tale in ,,la is interesting1 as   
showing 7#a7 the existence of a calendar
 of seasons lucky and unlucky for       

various enterprises1 and 7#b7 a spirit  
of kindly tolerance on the part of the  
pagan wizard4  ,the wiles of wizards    
were exposed by various saints1 e4g4 by 
,aed and by ,cainnech4 ,these tales are 
curious2 the wizard in each case        
appeared to pass through a tree1 but the
 saint opened the eyes of the           
spectators1 so that they saw him        
actually passing round it 7,,cs1 #cec1  
#cfh2 ,,vsh1 i1 #aef74 ,this reads like 
the exposure of hypnotically induced    
hallucinations4#bd  ,diarmait mac       
,cerrbeil1 or more properly mac ,fergusa
 ,cerrbeil1 was grandson of ,conall     
,cremthainne1 son of ,niall             
,noi-giallach1 the ancestor of the royal
 line of ,ui ,neill4 ,the reigning king1
 ,tuathal ,moel-,garb1 of whom we have  
already heard1 was grandson of ,coirpre1
 another son of ,niall4 ,as a possible  
rival for the kingship1 ,tuathal had    
driven him into banishment4             
,mael-,moire1 or ,mael-,morda1 who      
murdered ,tuathal1 was ,diarmait's      

foster-brother4 ,when ,diarmait was     
installed on the throne1 he summoned the
 convention of ,uisnech--one of the     
places where from time immemorial       
religious ,pan-,iernean assemblies1     
resembling in character the             
,pan-,hellenic ,olympic gatherings1 had 
been held4 ,how ,diarmait afterwards    
offended ,ciaran1 was cursed by him1 and
 met his death in consequence of that   
curse1 may be read in the tale printed  
in ,silua ,gadelica1 ,no4 vi1 from which
 we have just quoted the version of the 
story of setting up of the corner-post4 
,there are chronological discrepancies1 
difficult if not impossible to          
reconcile1 between the annalist's dates 
for ,diarmait and those for ,ciaran4    
,the ,annals of ,ulster places the death
 of ,tuathal in #edc1 the accession of  
,diarmait in #edd1 and the death of     
,ciaran in #edh1 seven years after      
founding ,clonmacnois4 ,some ,,mss4 of  
these ,annals1 however1 omit the        
reference to the seven years1 and place 

the accession of ,diarmait in #edh1     
evidently to reconcile the stories4     
,according to the ,annals of the ,four  
,masters1 ,tuathal was slain in #ech1   
,diarmait succeeded in #eci1 and ,ciaran
 died in #edh4 ,the ,annals of          
,clonmacnois is more consonant with the 
chronology of the ,life of ,ciaran4 ,it 
tells the tale so picturesquely that we 
transcribe it here1 as before           
modernising the spelling--  #ece4       
,tuathal ,moel-,garb began his reign1   
and reigned eleven years4444 ,he caused 
,diarmait mac ,cerrbeil to live in exile
 and in desert places1 because he       
claimed to have right to the crown4444  
#edg4 ,king ,tuathal having proclaimed  
throughout the whole kingdom the        
banishment of ,diarmait mac ,cerrbeil1  
as before is specified1 with a great    
reward to him that would bring him his  
heart1 the said ,diarmait for fear of   
his life lived in the deserts of        
,clonmacnois1 then called ,ard ,tiprat3 
and meeting with the abbot ,saint       

,ciaran1 in the place where the church  
of ,clonmacnois now stands1 who was but 
newly come thither to live or dwell from
 ,inis ,aingin1 and having no house or  
place to reside or dwell in1 the said   
,diarmait gave him his assistance to    
make a house there1 and in thrusting    
down in the earth one of the pieces of  
the timber or wattles of the house1 the 
said ,diarmait took ,saint ,ciaran's    
hand and did put it over his own head or
 hand in sign of reverence to the saint3
 whereupon the saint humbly besought    
,god of ,his great goodness that by that
 time to-morrow ensuing that sic the    
hands of ,diarmait might have           
superiority over all ,ireland4 ,which   
fell out as the saint requested1 for    
,mael-,moire o h,argata1 foster-brother 
of ,diarmait1 seeing in what perplexity 
the nobleman was in sic1 besought him   
that he might be pleased to lend him his
 black horse1 and that he would make his
 repair to ,greallach da ,phuill1 where 
he heard ,king ,tuathal to have a       

meeting with some of his nobles2 and    
there would present him with a whelp's  
heart on a spear's head1 instead of     
,diarmait's heart1 and so by that means 
get access to the king1 whom he would   
kill out of hand and by the help and    
swiftness of the horse save his own life
 whether they would or no4 ,diarmait1   
listing to the words of his             
foster-brother was amongst two          
extremities1 loath to refuse him and far
 more loath to lend it him1 fearing he  
should miscarry and be killed1 but      
between both1 he granted him his        
request2 whereupon he prepared himself1 
and went as he was resolved1 mounted on 
the said black horse1 a heart           
besprinkled with blood on his spear1 to 
the place where he heard the king to be2
 the king and his people seeing him come
 in that manner1 supposed that it was   
,diarmait's heart that was to be        
presented by the man that rode in       
post-haste2 the whole multitude gave him
 way to that king1 and when he came     

within reach to the king as though to   
tender him the heart1 he gave the king  
such a deadly blow of his spear that the
 king instantly fell down dead in the   
midst of his people1 whereupon the man  
was beset on all sides and at last taken
 and killed1 so as speedy news came to  
,diarmait1 who incontinently went to    
,tara1 and there was crowned king as    
,saint ,ciaran prayed and prophesied    
before4444 ,diarmait was not above seven
 months king1 when ,saint ,ciaran died  
in ,clonmacnois1 where he dwelt therein 
but seven months before1 in the         
thirty-third year of his age1 on the    
#ith of ,september4  ,the ,stanzas in   
,,vg4--,the metre is ae freslige4       
,literally3 ,i shall speak witness truly
 _/ though single is thy numerous train 
_/_/ thou shalt be a king pleasant1     
dignified _/ of ,ireland this time      
to-morrow _/_/_/ ,the slaying of chosen 
,tuathal _/ ,moel-,garb1 it was a crying
 without glory _/_/ thence is the choice
 saying _/ 'it was the deed of          

,moel-,moire' _/_/_/ ,without rout and  
without slaughter _/ he took ,uisnech1  
it was not after an assembly _/_/       
,diarmait the eminent gave _/ a hundred 
churches to ,god and to ,ciaran4  ,the  
,episode of ,tren 7,,vg74--,this story  
illustrates a belief in sympathetic     
magic4 ,what ,tren had done to deserve  
this punishment is unknown1 nor is the  
site of ,cluain ,iochtar identified4    
,possibly he had endeavoured to prevent 
,ciaran from founding his church2       
compare the story of ,findian and ,baeth
 7,,ll1 #bfbd74 ,patrick had a dispute  
with a certain ,trian1 but the details  
of the story are different 7,,tt1 p4    
#de1 ch4 lxxx1 etc474 ,it is difficult  
for us to put ourselves into the        
position of people who thought to honour
 their saint by telling a story about   
him which we should consider not only   
silly but immoral4 ,but such an attempt 
must be tried if we are to understand   
anything of ancient writings1 in        
whatever language and from whatever     

countries they may come down to us4     
,even when we read so modern and so     
universal an author as ,shakspere we    
must for the moment imagine ourselves   
sixteenth-century ,elizabethans2 the    
more we succeed in doing so1 the better 
do we understand what we read4 ,so1 in  
criticising a story like this1 we must  
rid ourselves of all our                
twentieth-century prejudices1 and accept
 it in the simple faith of those to whom
 it was intended to be told4  ,on one of
 the great carved crosses still to be   
seen in ,clonmacnois--that erected in   
memory of ,flann ,king of ,ireland 7ob4 
#iad7--there is a panel representing an 
ecclesiastic and a layman holding an    
upright post between them4 ,it has been 
plausibly conjectured that this         
represents the erection of the          
corner-post of the church1 as described 
in our text4   ,,xliii4 ,,how ,,ciaran  
,,sent ,a ,,cloak ,,to ,,senan 7,,la1   
,,vg7  ,the ,cloak of ,senan must have  
been an actual relic preserved on ,inis 

,cathaig2 tradition said that it had    
been floated on the river to the saint  
of the island1 though there were various
 opinions as to which saint had done the
 miracle2 it is attributed to ,brigit   
daughter of ,cu ,cathrach 7,,ll1 #bcii7 
and to ,diarmait 7,,cs1 #gec74 ,for     
parallels to the automatic transfer of  
objects by water1 see ,plummer1 ,,vsh1  
i1 p4 clxxxvi1 note #b4   ,,xliv4       
,,ciaran ,,and ,,the ,,wine 7,,la1 ,,lb1
 ,,vg7  ,the choice laid before the     
monks is curious1 and hardly consonant  
with the usual spirit of abjuring the   
world2 it may be aetiological1 designed 
to explain1 and perhaps to excuse1 the  
opulence and temporal importance of     
,clonmacnois at the time when it was    
written4 ,a similar but not identical   
story appears in the life of ,munnu     
7,,vsh1 ii1 #bbg74  ,it is quite obvious
 that the story as we have it is a      
conflation of two versions of the       
anecdote4 ,in the one version the wine  
was brought by ,frankish merchants and  

acquired by purchase2 in the other it   
was provided by miracle4 ,the composite 
story appears in ,,la and ,,vg2 ,,lb    
knows the miraculous version only4      
,that ,frankish merchants should have   
sailed up the ,shannon and delivered a  
cargo of wine at a settlement in the    
heart of ,ireland in the middle of the  
sixth century1 is no mere extravagance4 
,the subject of ancient ,irish trade has
 been very fully investigated by the    
late ,prof4 ,zimmer1 and he has brought 
a large number of facts together which  
show that such an episode is a quite    
credible fragment of history4#be  ,the  
second version1 though ,,lb calls it    
miraculum insolitum1 is one of the      
commonplaces of hagiography4 ,water was 
turned to wine by a host of saints1 such
 as ,colum ,cille 7,,ll1 #hci71 ,fursa  
7,,cs1 #aaa71 ,findian 7,,cs1 #bje71    
,lugaid 7,,cs1 #bhc71 ,aed 7,,cs1 #cci71
 and others needless to specify4 ,fintan
 7,,cs1 #djd71 and ,munnu 7,,cs1 #ejc71 
blessed a cup in such wise that one of  

their followers1 while appearing1 in    
self-abnegation1 to drink nothing but   
water for thirty years1 was in reality  
enjoying the best wine6 ,saint ,brynach 
drew wine from a brook and fishes from  
its stones 7,cambro-,british ,saints1   
pp4 #ab1 #bih71 ,brigit 7,,ll1 #abda7   
and ,colman ,elo 7,,cs1 #dda7 turned    
water into ale2 the former 7,,ll1 #acfh7
 as well as ,lugaid 7,,cs1 #bfi1 #bhj7  
and ,fintan 7,,cs1 #djd7 turned water   
into milk4  ,i have not found any exact 
parallel to the incident of the scented 
thumb4  ,there is a cognate tale in the 
,life of ,colman1 in which monks1       
thirsty with labour1 expressed a doubt  
as to the reality of the heavenly       
reward1 whereupon their eyes were opened
 to see a vision of the joys of the     
after-life 7,,vsh1 i1 #bfe74  ,the      
,tendenz of the biographies of ,ciaran  
is clearly marked in the hint at a      
parallel between the last supper of     
,ciaran and the ,last ,passover of ,our 
,lord4   ,,xlv4 ,,the ,,story ,,of      

,,crithir 7,,la1 ,,vg7  ,on the         
consecrated ,paschal fire1 see ,frazer1 
,balder the ,beautiful1 vol4 i1 p4 #abj 
ff4  ,parallels4--,coemgen carried fire 
in his bosom 7,,cs1 #hcg1 ,,vsh1 i1     
#bcf74 ,cadoc also carried fire in his  
cloak without injury 7,cambro-,british  
,saints1 pp4 #cj1 #cai74 ,elsewhere we  
hear of flames which do not consume1 as 
in the burning bush of ,moses1 and      
probably in imitation of it 7,exod4 iii1
 #b74 ,thus the magic fire that         
delivered ,samthann from a forced       
marriage appeared to ignite a whole     
town1 which1 however1 suffered no injury
 7,,vsh1 ii1 #bec74 ,the fall of fire   
from heaven in answer to prayer is most 
likely imitated from #a ,kings xviii1   
#ch4  ,the verse extracts at the end of 
,,lb 7which see7 contain a form of this 
story incompatible with the prose       
narratives4  ,the boy slain but not torn
 by wolves is1 of course1 imitated from 
the ,prophet whose story is told in #a  
,kings xiii1 which is directly quoted in

 ,,la4  ,the mutual blessings of the two
 saints may be compared with the        
prophecy said to have been uttered by   
,ciaran of ,saints ,cronan and ,molan   
who visited him at ,clonmacnois 7,,cs1  
#edb74 ,the one 7,cronan7 took away with
 him the remains of his repast for      
distribution to the poor1 the other left
 them behind in the monastery2 whereupon
 ,ciaran said that the monastery of the 
one should be rich in wealth and in     
charity1 that of the other should always
 maintain the rule 7of poverty74 ,such  
tales as this1 of compacts between      
saints1 are probably based on mutual    
arrangements of one kind or another     
between the monasteries which claimed   
the saints as founders2 we have already 
seen leagues established between        
,clonard and ,aran on one side and      
,clonmacnois on the other1 expressed as 
leagues made by ,ciaran with ,findian   
and ,enda respectively4 ,contrariwise1  
we read of the disagreement of saints   
when their monasteries were at feud with

 one another4 ,ciaran was not always so 
successful in making treaties with his  
ecclesiastical brethren4 ,thus1 he is   
said to have made overtures to ,colman  
mac ,luachain of ,lann 7now ,lynn1 ,co4 
,westmeath7--a remarkable feat in       
itself1 as ,colman died about a century 
after his time--but not only did ,colman
 refuse1 but he sent a swarm of demons  
in the shape of wasps to repel ,ciaran  
and his followers1 who were journeying  
towards him4 ,ciaran then made a more   
moderate offer1 which ,colman again     
refused4#bf ,lann was in the territory  
of the ,delbna1 who1 although friendly  
to ,clonmacnois in the middle of the    
eleventh century1 plundered it towards  
its close 7,chronicon ,scotorum1 #ajeh1 
#ajij2 ,annals of ,four ,masters1       
#ajfj74  ,the chronology of ,ciaran the 
,elder is entirely uncertain4 ,he is    
said to have been one of the            
pre-,patrician saints1 in which case he 
could hardly have been a contemporary of
 ,ciaran the ,younger1 unless we believe

 in the portentous length of life with  
which the hagiographers credit him 7over
 three centuries1 according to the      
,martyrology of ,donegal1 though others 
are content with a more moderate        
estimate74  ,the story of ,crithir is   
told again in the ,lives of ,ciaran the 
,elder 7see ,silua ,gadelica1 vol4 i1 p4
 #ad1 and corresponding translation74   
,the culprit is there called ,crithid1  
and the version adds that the event took
 place in a time of snow4  ,the         
,geographical ,names in ,,la4--,saigyr1 
properly ,saigir1 is now ,seir-,kieran  
in ,king's ,co4 ,hele1 properly ,eile1  
was a region comprising the baronies of 
,clonlisk and ,ballybrit in ,king's     
,co41 and ,eliogarty and ,ikerrin in    
,tipperary4   ,,xlvi4 ,,how ,,an        
,,insult ,,to ,,ciaran ,,was ,,averted  
7,,lb7  ,for parallels to this story see
 ,plummer1 ,,vsh1 i1 p4 clxxxvii1 note4 
,compare also the third of the metrical 
fragments with which ,,lb closes4 ,it is
 clear that the purpose of the robbers  

was to efface the tonsure of the saint2 
very likely ecclesiastics were on       
occasion subjected to such rough        
treatment during the period of          
transition between ,paganism and        
,christianity4   ,,xlvii4 ,,how ,,ciaran
 ,,was ,,saved ,,from ,,shame 7,,lb7    
,contemporary representations 7e4g4 on  
the sculptured crosses7 show that at    
this time two garments were normally    
worn1 a lene or inner tunic1 and a bratt
 or mantle4 ,these1 with the addition of
 a cape1 something like a university    
hood1 which could be thrown over the    
head1 made up the complete equipment1   
and if all these were given to beggars  
the owner would be left completely      
destitute4 ,so1 in the story of the     
,battle of ,carn ,conaill1 as narrated  
in the ,book of the ,dun ,cow1 ,guaire1 
king of ,connacht1 of whom we have      
already heard1 on one occasion would1 if
 permitted1 have divested himself of all
 clothing to satisfy importunate        
beggars4 ,the device of the             

water-covering is remarkable4           
,,xlviii4 ,,how ,a ,,man ,,was ,,saved  
,,from ,,robbers 7,,lb7  ,this story1   
summarily and rather obscurely told in  
the text before us1 is related more     
clearly in the ,life of ,brenainn       
7,,vsh1 i1 #aja74 ,the saint1 seeing a  
man hard pressed by his enemies1 bade   
him take up his position beside a       
standing stone2 he then transformed the 
victim into the stone1 and the stone    
into the victim4 ,the assailants1 thus  
deceived1 cut off the head of the stone1
 and departed in triumph3 the saint then
 reversed the transformation1 leaving   
the man to go his way in peace4 ,an     
analogous story is that of ,cadoc1 who  
turned raided cattle into bundles of    
fern1 and transformed them back to      
cattle when the raiders had retired     
discomfited 7,cambro-,british ,saints1  
pp4 #di1 #cdb74   ,,xlix4 ,,the ,,death 
,,of ,,ciaran 7,,la1 ,,lb1 ,,vg7  ,this 
impressive story1 which is as remote as 
possible in style from the ordinary     

stock incident1 is probably authentic4  
,the chronological indications in ,,vg  
are quite wrong3 the #ith of ,september 
,a4,d4 #edh was a ,wednesday1 and was   
the twentieth day of the moon4 ,they    
are1 however1 so far accurate for the   
year #eef1 that #ith ,september in that 
year was ,saturday1 and was the         
nineteenth day of the moon4 ,as the     
observation of new moon1 if not         
astronomically calculated1 is often     
wrong by a day1 owing to the faint      
crescent not being seen at its very     
first appearance1 this is sufficiently  
close to allow us to enquire            
legitimately whether #eef may not have  
been the true date of ,ciaran's death4  
,the ,bollandists cite from the ,life of
 ,saint ,cellach a tale to the effect   
that ,cellach was son of ,eogan ,bel    
,king of ,connacht1 and was a monk at   
,clonmacnois2 but on the death of his   
father he secretly absconded1 in order  
to secure the kingdom for himself4      
,becoming convinced of the sinfulness of

 this proceeding1 he returned and       
submitted to ,ciaran once more1 who     
received him fraternally after he had   
spent a year in penance4 ,as the        
,bollandists point out1 this story      
7quite independently of its historical  
authenticity7 reveals a tradition other 
than that of ,ciaran spending but seven 
months on earth after founding          
,clonmacnois4 ,the ,annals of ,ulster   
also gives him a longer time at         
,clonmacnois1 dating the foundation     
#eda1 and the death of the saint #edh3 a
 space of seven years4 ,this would make 
the saint only twenty-six years old when
 he founded ,clonmacnois1 which is      
perhaps improbable4 ,we may suggest     
another way of reconciling the          
traditions1 taking the orthodox date for
 the foundation of ,clonmacnois 7#edh7  
but postponing the death of the saint to
 #eef1 in accordance with the           
astronomical indications4 ,some one     
noticed that if his life were retrenched
 to the year of the foundation of the   

monastery1 it would be brought into     
conformity in length with the ,life of  
,christ4  ,with ,ciaran's indifference  
as to the fate of his relics1 contrast  
the dying injunction of ,cuthbert to his
 monks1 that they should dig up his     
bones and transport them whithersoever  
they should go4#bg  ,the ,little ,church
 intended by the author is presumably   
the small chapel1 of which the ruins    
still remain at ,clonmacnois1 called    
,saint ,ciaran's chapel4 ,it is a       
century or two later than ,ciaran's     
time1 but may very probably stand on the
 site of ,ciaran's wooden church4 ,hard 
by is the end of a raised causeway      
leading to the ,nunnery2 this may be the
 ,little ,height referred to4   ,l4     
,,the ,,visit ,,of ,,coemgen 7,,la1     
,,vg7  ,coemgen's petulance at the      
preoccupation of the bereaved monks     
7,,vg7 is in keeping with other         
traditions of that peppery saint4 ,the  
resurrection of ,ciaran after three days
 is another touch in imitation of the   

,gospel story3 it is1 however1 also told
 of ,saint ,darerca1 who appeared to her
 nuns three days after her death 7,,cs1 
#ahe74  ,the story before us is thus    
related in the ,life of ,coemgen3 ,at   
another time most blessed ,coemgenus    
made his way to visit most holy         
,kyaranus the abbot1 who founded his    
settlement ,cluayn meic ,noys1 which is 
in the western border of the territory  
of ,meath1 on the bank of the river     
,synna over against the province of the 
,connachta4 ,but ,saint ,cyaranus on the
 third day before ,saint ,coemgenus     
arrived1 passed from this world to      
,christ4 ,his body was laid in a church 
on a bier1 till ,saint ,coemgenus and   
other saints should come to bury him4   
,and ,saint ,coemgenus coming late to   
the monastery of ,saint ,chyaranus1 he  
entered the church in which was the holy
 body and commanded all the brethren to 
go forth1 wishing to spend that night   
alone beside the sacred body4 ,and when 
all the brethren had gone out1 ,saint   

,coemgenus carefully closed the door of 
the church1 and remained there alone    
till the following day2 but some of the 
brethren were watching till morning     
before the doors of the church4 ,and as 
,saint ,coemgenus prayed there1 the most
 blessed soul of ,saint ,chiaranus      
returned to his body1 and he rose and   
began to speak in health-giving words to
 ,saint ,coemgenus4 ,the brethren       
remaining outside heard the voice of    
each of them clearly4 ,saint ,kyaranus  
asked blessed ,coemgenus that they      
should interchange their vesture1 as a  
sign of everlasting fellowship3 and so  
they did4 ,on the following day when the
 door of the church was opened1 the     
brethren found ,saint ,coemgenus clad in
 the vesture of ,saint ,kyaranus1 and   
,kyaranus wrapped in the vestments of   
,saint ,coemgenus4 ,the body of ,saint  
,kyaranus was warm1 having a ruddy tinge
 in the face4 ,saint ,coemgenus pointed 
out to the monks of ,saint ,kyaranus the
 brotherhood and fellowship which he and

 ,saint ,kyaranus had established for   
ever between themselves and their places
 and their monks2 and the brethren who  
watched that night bore testimony       
thereto4 ,when the body of ,saint       
,kyaranus was honourably committed to   
the ground1 ,saint ,coemgenus returned  
to his own settlement4 7,,vsh1 i1 #bdh74
  ,in this story we see as before the   
explanation of a treaty between         
,clonmacnois and ,glendaloch4  ,the     
,annals of ,clonmacnois narrates the    
story of the death of ,ciaran and the   
visit of ,coemgen1 with an interesting  
additional miracle4 ,dying1 he desired  
his monks that they would bury his body 
in the ,little ,church of ,clonmacnois1 
and stop the door thereof with stones1  
and let nobody have access thereunto    
until his companion ,coemgen had come2  
which they accordingly did4 ,but ,saint 
,coemgen dwelling at ,glendaloch in     
,leinster then1 it was revealed to him  
of the death of his dear and loving     
companion ,saint ,ciaran1 whereupon he  

came suddenly to ,clonmacnois3 and      
finding the monks and servants of ,saint
 ,ciaran in their sorrowful and sad     
dumps after the death of their said lord
 and master1 he asked them of the cause 
of their sadness4 ,they were so         
heartless for grief as they gave no     
answer2 and at last1 fearing he would   
grow angry1 they told him ,saint ,ciaran
 was dead and buried1 and ordered or    
ordained the place of his burial should 
be kept without access until his coming4
 ,the stones being taken out of the     
door1 ,saint ,coemgen entered1 to whom  
,saint ,ciaran appeared3 and they       
remained conversing together for        
twenty-four hours1 as is very           
confidently laid down in the ,life of   
,saint ,ciaran2 and afterwards ,saint   
,coemgen departed to the place of his   
own abiding1 and left ,saint ,ciaran    
buried in the said ,little ,church of   
,clonmacnois4 ,but king ,diarmait most  
of all men grieved for his death1       
insomuch that he grew deaf1 and could   

not hear the causes of his subjects1 by 
reason of the heaviness and             
troublesomeness of his brains4 ,saint   
,colum ,cille being then banished into  
,scotland1 king ,diarmait made his      
repair to him1 to the end that he might 
work some means by miracles for the     
recovery of his health and hearing3 and 
withal told ,saint ,colum ,cille how he 
assembled all the physicians of         
,ireland1 and that they could not help  
him4 ,then said ,saint ,colum3 ',mine   
advice unto you is to make your repair  
to ,clonmacnois1 to the place where your
 ghostly father and friend ,saint       
,ciaran is buried3 and there to put a   
little of the earth of his grave or of  
himself in your ears1 which is the      
medicine which ,i think to be most      
available to help you4' ,the king having
 received the said instructions of      
,saint ,colum1 took his journey         
immediately to ,clonmacnois2 and finding
 ,oenna maccu ,laigsi1 who was abbot of 
the place after ,saint ,ciaran1 absent1 

he spoke to ,lugaid1 then parish priest 
of ,clonmacnois1 and told him of ,saint 
,colum's instructions unto him4         
,whereupon priest ,lugaid and king      
,diarmait fasted and watched that night 
in the ,little ,church where ,saint     
,ciaran was buried1 and the next morning
 the priest took the bell that he had1  
named then the ,white ,bell1#bh and     
mingled part of the clay of ,saint      
,ciaran therein with holy water1 and put
 the same in the king's ears1 and       
immediately the king had as good hearing
 as any in the kingdom1 and the whole   
sickness and troubles of his brains     
ceased at that instant1 which made the  
king to say1 ,is feartach an ni do ni an
 clog orainn1 which is as much as to say
 in ,english1 ',the bell did do us a    
miraculous turn4' ,which bell ,saint    
,lugna conveyed with him to the church  
of ,fore1 where he remained afterwards4 
,king ,diarmait bestowed great gifts of 
lands on ,clonmacnois in honour of      
,saint ,ciaran1 for the recovery of his 

health4  ,the bell1 called the boban of 
,coemgen1 reappears much later in       
history as a relic on which oaths were  
taken 7,annals of ,clonmacnois1 anno    
#aaci2 ,four ,masters1 anno #aadc74 ,it 
was doubtless a relic preserved at      
,glendaloch1 in which the people of     
,clonmacnois rightly or wrongly claimed 
a part-proprietorship4 ,the name is     
obscure3 it means1 according to         
,o',davoren's ,glossary1 a calf or      
little cow3 and ,plummer 7,,vsh1 i1 p4  
clxxvii7 suggests that this name may be 
an allusion to its small size4 ,but why 
calf8 ,is it an allusion to the original
 use of the type of bells used for      
ecclesiastical purposes in ,ireland1 as 
cow-bells8  ,angels were seen by ,saint 
,colman to fill the space between heaven
 and earth to receive the soul of ,pope 
,gregory 7,,vsh1 i1 #bfd74   ,,li4 ,,the
 ,,earth ,,of ,,ciaran',s ,,tomb        
,,delivers ,,colum ,,cille ,,from ,a    
,,whirlpool 7,,la1 ,,lb7  ,this is      
perhaps an imitation of the tale of the 

,empress ,helena1 who1 when returning   
after her discovery of the ,true ,cross1
 was delivered from a storm by casting  
one of the ,nails into the sea4 ,colum  
,cille was saved from the whirlpool of  
,coire ,bhreacain 7,corrievreckan1      
between ,jura and ,scarba7 on another   
787 occasion1 by reciting a hymn to     
,brigit 7,,ll1 #agjf74  ,the ,visit of  
,colum ,cille to ,clonmacnois4--,this   
took place during the rule of ,ailithir1
 the fourth abbot of ,clonmacnois       
7,a4,d4 #ehi-eie74 ,it is described in  
,adamnan's ,vita ,columbae1 where we    
read of the honour paid to the          
distinguished visitor1 and how he was   
greeted with hymns and praises1 while a 
canopy was borne over him on his way to 
the church1 to protect him from         
inconvenient crowding4 ,a humble boy1 a 
useless servitor in the monastery1 came 
behind ,columba to touch the hem of his 
garment3 the saint1 miraculously        
apprised of this1 caught him by the neck
 and held him1 despite the protests of  

the brethren that he should dismiss this
 wretched and noxious boy4 ,then he bade
 the boy stretch forth his tongue1 and  
blessed it1 prophesying his future      
increase in wisdom and knowledge1 and   
his eminence as a preacher4 ,the boy was
 ,ernin or ,ernoc1 the patron saint of  
,kilmarnock2 and ,adamnan had the tale  
from ,failbe1 who was standing by as    
,ernin himself related the incident to  
,abbot ,segine of ,i4 ,colum ,cille also
 prophesied the ,easter controversy1 and
 told of angelic visitations that he had
 had within the precincts of            
,clonmacnois3 but ,adamnan says nothing 
about the hymn to ,ciaran1 or the       
wonder-working clay from his tomb1      
although elsewhere in his book the      
terrors of ,corrievreckan are alluded   
to4 ,according to a prophecy of ,colum  
,cille narrated in ,o',donnell's ,life  
of that saint1 ,patrick is to judge the 
men of ,ireland on the ,last ,day at    
,clonmacnois4  ,the ,hymn of ,colum     
,cille4--,this composition has not been 

preserved in its entirety4 ,fragments of
 it are introduced into the ,homiletic  
,introduction of ,,vg1 which are enough 
to identify it with a short hymn to be  
found in the ,irish ,liber ,hymnorum1   
and published by ,bernard and ,atkinson 
in their edition of that compilation4#bi
 ,it is as follows--    ,alto et        
ineffabile              apostolorum     
coeti   celestis ,hierosolimae          
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   ,columbaeque      
auxilia              nos deffendat      
egregia   ut per illorum merita         

possideamus premia  ,obviously the third
 stanza1 with its reference to ,colum   
,cille himself1 is a later addition1 so 
that only the first two stanzas belong  
to the original hymn4 ,the sixth line1  
quem tu ,christe1 is quoted in the      
section of ,,vg referred to2 but the    
three other excerpts1 lucerna4441       
custodiantur4441 propheta4441 do not    
appear in the text before us3 nor do the
 surviving stanzas justify the          
extravagant praise said to have been    
heaped on the composition at            
,clonmacnois--though no doubt a         
composition by ,colum ,cille1 had it    
only the artless simplicity of a nursery
 jingle1 would have been sure of an     
appreciative audience4 ,however1 the    
text seems to indicate something much   
more elaborate1 and probably the        
original composition was an acrostic1   
like ,colum ,cille's great ,altus       
,prosator4#cj ,the two authentic stanzas
 of the ,liber ,hymnorum are            
incorporated in the metrical patchwork  

at the end of ,,lb4  ,another version of
 the hymn was known to ,colgan1 and is  
given by him in ,,tt1 p4 #dgb4          
,unfortunately he quotes only one       
couplet--    ,quantum ,christe ,o       
,apostolum   mundo misisti hominem      
,lucerna huius insulae          lucens  
lucerna mirabilis  which is evidently   
corrupt1 and 7as ,colgan seems to regard
 it as the opening stanza7 must show    
that the whole text had become disturbed
 by the time when ,colgan wrote4        
,indeed1 it does not appear that ,colgan
 knew any more of the hymn than these   
two lines4   ,,liii4 ,,the ,,envy ,,of  
,,the ,,saints 7,,vg7  ,note how the    
,latin texts soften down the saying     
attributed in ,,vg to ,colum ,cille4 ,a 
curious incident of disagreement between
 ,ciaran and ,colum ,cille is thus      
related by ,colgan 7,,tt1 p4 #cif74     
,once there arose a petty quarrel       
between ,kieranus and ,columba1 in which
 perhaps ,kieranus1 jealous for the     
divine honour1 appeared either to prefer

 himself to ,columba1 or not to yield   
him the foremost place4 ,but a good     
,spirit1 descending from heaven1 easily 
settled the quarrel1 whatever it may    
have been1 in this wise4 ,he held out an
 awl1 a hatchet1 and an axe1 presenting 
them to ,kieranus3 ',these things1' said
 he1 'and other things of this kind1    
with which thy father used to practise  
carpentry1 hast thou abjured for the    
love of ,god4 ,but ,columba renounced   
the sceptre of ,ireland1 for which he   
might have hoped from his ancestral     
right and the power of his clan1 before 
he made offering4' ,the same tale is    
told in ,manus ,o',donnell's ,life 7ed4 
,o',kelleher1 p4 #fj74  ,the authorities
 differ as to the attitude which ,colum 
,cille adopted with regard to ,ciaran4  
,but as regards the other saints of     
,ireland there is no ambiguity4 ,the    
cutting-short of ,ciaran's life was one 
of the three crooked counsels of        
,ireland according to the glosses to the
 ,martyrology of ,oengus 7#ith          

,september73 the same authority adds    
that the saints fasted for ,ciaran's    
death1 as otherwise all ,ireland would  
have been his4 ,the ancient legal       
process of fasting was an inheritance   
from ,pagan times4 ,if ,a had a case    
against ,b1 he might1 and under certain 
circumstances was obliged to1 abstain   
from food till the case was settled2 he 
was then said to fast upon ,b4 ,the idea
 probably was that if a litigant        
permitted his adversary to starve to    
death1 the angry ghost would ever       
afterwards disturb his rest4 ,parallels 
have been found in ancient ,indian      
practice4 ,sometimes ,b performed a     
counter-fast2 in such a case he who     
first broke his fast lost his cause4    
,but the process seems to have been     
strangely extended1 even in ,christian  
times1 to obtain boons from the         
supernatural ,powers4 ,we read of a     
saint fasting upon ,god that a king     
might lose a battle2 and in ,revue      
celtique1 vol4 xiv1 p4 #bh1 there is    

printed a story of a childless couple   
who fasted with success upon the ,devil1
 that he might send them offspring4 ,two
 of the saints--,odran of ,letrecha     
,odrain and ,mac ,cuillind of           
,lusk--went and told ,ciaran for what   
they were fasting3 ,ciaran simply       
replied1 ,bless ye the air before       
me--the air through which ,i must travel
 in passing heavenwards--and what ye    
desire shall be given you4 ,the ,book of
 ,leinster contains a poem attributed to
 ,saint ,ciaran relating to the         
shortness of his life3 as it has        
apparently never been printed it is     
given here with a translation1 so far as
 the obscurity of the language permits--
    ,an rim1 a ri richid rain    corbom 
etal risin dail3   co cloister cech ni  
atber   i sanct cech sen1 a ,de mair4   
7,stay for me1 ,o ,king of glorious     
heaven1 till ,i be pure before the      
assembly2 till everything that ,i shall 
speak be heard in the sanctuary of every
 blessing1 ,o great ,god47    ,a ,mic   

,maire1 miad cen on   ammochomde corric 
nem1   a ruiri na nangel find1          
innanfa frim corbom sen8  7,o ,son of   
,mary1 a dignity without blemish1 ,o my 
,lord as far as ,heaven1 ,o ,king of the
 white angels1 wilt ,thou stay for me   
till ,i am old87    ,attchimse mo guide 
rutt   arbaig ,maire diandit ,macc      
menbad tacrad latt a ,ri   condernaind  
ni bud maith latt  7,i make my prayer   
unto ,thee1 for the love of ,mary to    
whom ,thou are ,son1 if it be not       
displeasing in ,thy sight1 ,o ,king1    
that ,i may do somewhat pleasing to     
,thee47    ,maccan berair rian a re   ni
 fintar feib ar a mbe   asaoete lenta   
baeis       aggaes cach aes bes nithe   
7,a young man who is taken before its   
time1 the honour in which he may be is  
not discovered3 from his youth of       
following folly1 to his age every       
company 444 78747    ,ni horta laeg     
rianaes daim   ar cach sen as tressiu   
achach1   ni horta uan na horc maith    
ni coilte cr 444 #ca a blath  7,a calf  

is not slaughtered till it is of ox's   
age1 'tis the ploughing 787 of every old
 one which waxes stronger3 a lamb or a  
good pigling is not slaughtered1 the    
7saffron87 is not plucked till its      
flower47    ,buain guirt riasiu bas     
abbuig   is m 444 cacaid1 a ,ri rind8   
is e in longud riana thrath     blath do
 choll in tan bas find  7,to reap a     
field before it is ripe1 is it a right  
7thing71 ,o ,king of stars8 ,it is      
eating before the time to violate a     
flower while it is white47    ,fuiniud  
immedon laa          ni hord baa rian   
444   matan in aidche1 in dedoil   ria  
na medon cia mo col  7,sunset in midday1
 no order of profit before4442 morning  
in night1 twilight before its noon1     
though it be greatest wrong47           
,cluinti itgi notguidiu    is mo chridiu
 deroil duir   a ,mic mo ,de cianomrodba
   is bec mo thorba donduir  7,hear     
,thou the prayer ,i pray ,thee in the   
depth of my wretched hard heart1 ,o ,son
 of my ,god1 although ,thou cuttest me  

off1 small is my profitableness 444 7   
,duitsi a ,mic motholtu     cen cope    
sentu dom churp1   cenambera cen        
taithlech   no co bia maith fein fort   
7,to ,thee1 ,o ,son1 444 7871 that      
without my body becoming aged1 ,i be not
 taken without reason till ,i shall     
myself be good in ,thy sight47    ,is   
fort shnadud cach ambi     ria ndula m' 
chri1 a ,ri slan1   ic do guide dam cen 
dichil1   an rimm a ,ri richid ran  7,on
 ,thy protection is every one whereso he
 is2 before departure of my body1 ,o    
,perfect ,king1 ,i am praying ,thee     
without negligence1 stay for me1 ,o     
,king of glorious heaven47   ,,liv4     
,,the ,,panegyrics 7,,la1 ,,vg7  ,there 
is little that need be said about these 
paragraphs1 which are of conventional   
type4 ,there are two references in ,,vg 
which may1 however1 be noted4 ,the first
 is to the relics left in the hollow    
elm1 of which we have already heard at  
the beginning of these annotations3 here
 said to have been deposited by ,benen  

7the pupil of ,patrick1 and his         
successor in ,armagh7 and by ,cumlach   
7the leper of ,saint ,patrick74 ,the    
second is an allusion1 on which ,i am   
unable to throw any light1 to some      
evidently well-known story of a certain 
,peca and his blind pupil4   ,,the      
,,metrical ,,panegyric ,,in ,,lb  ,this 
is a patchwork of extracts from         
different sources4  #a4                 
,fifteen-syllable lines1 with caesura at
 eighth syllable2 every line ending in a
 trisyllabic word1 rhyming 7not always7 
with a word preceding the caesura4 ,a   
dissyllable or trisyllable precedes the 
caesura4 ,rhythm of ,tennyson's         
,locksley ,hall1 proceeding by stress   
only1 independent of vowel-quantity or  
hiatus4 ,in line seven1 ',keranus' must 
be pronounced in four syllables1        
,kiaranus4 ,refers to the wizard's      
prophecy1 incident ,,ii4  #b4 ,four     
lines1 in ,locksley ,hall rhythm1 with a
 dissyllabic rhyme running through the  
quatrain4 ,relates incident ,,ix4  #c4  

,four lines1 twelve syllables trochaic1 
caesura at seventh syllable4 ,each line 
ends with a trisyllable or a            
tetrasyllable1 with dissyllabic rhyme   
running through the quatrain4 ,the      
rhythm is that of the following line    
7which is intentionally misquoted to    
serve the present purpose7--            
,gather roses while you may1 time is    
still a-flying4  ,the incident is not   
recorded in the prose lives2 but it     
appears in the ,book of the ,dun ,cow1  
in the story of the ,birth of ,aed      
,slaine 7son of ,king ,diarmait1 reigned
 ,a4,d4 #eie-fjj74 ,diarmait1 it        
appears1 had two wives 7for1            
notwithstanding his friendship to       
,ciaran1 he was but a half-converted    
pagan71 by name ,mugain and ,muireann4  
,muireann had the misfortune to be bald1
 and ,mugain1 who1 as is usual in       
polygamous households1 was filled with  
envy of her1 bribed a female buffoon to 
remove her golden headgear in public at 
the great assembly of ,tailltiu         

7,telltown1 ,co4 ,meath71 so as to      
expose the poor queen's defect to the   
eyes of the mob4 ,the messenger         
accomplished her purpose1 but ,muireann 
cried out1 ,god and ,saint ,ciaran help 
me in this need6 and forthwith a shower 
of glossy curling golden hair flowed    
from her head over her shoulders1 before
 a single eye of the assembly had rested
 upon her4 ,compare ,ciaran's own       
experience1 incident ,,xlvi4  #d4 ,three
 lines in the same metre1 but apparently
 with three instead of four lines in    
each rhyming stanza4 ,refers to incident
 ,,xviii4  #e4 ,three lines in the same 
rhythm as extract #a1 but with a        
different rhyme-scheme2 apparently three
 lines from a quatrain rhyming abab4    
,refers to incident ,,xli4  #f4 ,six    
lines in elegiac couplets4 ,this        
probably refers to ,,xlvi1 but without  
their original context the lines must   
remain obscure4 ,in any case the        
versifier has the story in a rather     
different form from the prose writers1  

and appears to regard it as an incident 
of the boyhood period4  #g4 ,eight lines
 from the hymn of ,colum ,cille1 already
 commented upon4   ,,additional ,,note  
,,on ,,ciaran',s ,,birthplace  ,some    
place-names in the barony of ,moycashel 
7,s4 ,co4 ,westmeath71 which lies in    
,cenel ,fiachach1 support the tradition 
that ,ciaran's birthplace is to be      
sought there1 and not in ,mag ,ai at    
all4 ,i can find nothing in the local   
nomenclature to suggest ,raith          
,cremthainn2 but ,templemacateer        
7,teampull mhic an tsaoir1 the ,church  
of the ,wright's son7 may be compared   
with1 and perhaps equated to the        
similarly named house 7p4 #aaa72        
,ballynagore 7,baile na ngabhar1 the    
town of the goats1 or horses7 perhaps   
echoes the ,tir na ,gabrai of ,,vg #c4  
,about half a mile to the west is       
,tulach na crosain1 the ,mound of the   
crosslet--possibly the missing cross of 
,ciaran 7,,la #d74 ,at the outflow of   
the ,brosna from ,loch ,ennell is       

,clonsingle1 which it is tempting to    
equate to the place-name corrupted to   
,cluain ,innsythe1 in ,,la #ab4  ,an    
additional suggestion may here be made  
to the effect that the eldest son and   
daughter of ,beoit were twins4 ,their   
names1 ,lug-oll big ,lug1 and ,lug-beg  
little ,lug1 are in correspondence1 as  
twins' names often are4  ,footnote #a3  
,for brevity we shall refer to certain  
books1 frequently quoted in these       
,annotations1 by the following symbols--
    ,,ll4 ,lives of ,saints from the    
,book of ,lismore1 ed4 ,stokes4   ,,cs4 
,codex ,salmaticensis 7,acta ,sanctorum 
,hiberniae71 ed4 de   ,smedt and de     
,backer4   ,,vtp4 ,vita ,tripartita     
,patricii1 ed4 ,stokes4   ,,vsh4        
,plummer's ,vitae ,sanctorum ,hiberniae4
   ,,tt4 ,trias ,thaumaturga 7,colgan's 
collection of the lives of   ,,ss4      
,patrick1 ,brigid1 and ,colum ,cille74  
,footnote #b3 ,there is a different     
version1 which need not be given here1  
in the ,martyrology of ,oengus 7,henry  

,bradshaw ,society edition1 p4 #bjd74   
,footnote #c3 ,mentioned in ,annals of  
,ulster1 anno #aaff1 ,annals of ,loch   
,ce1 anno #aahi1 ,annals of the ,four   
,masters1 annis #aaba1 #aaff4  ,footnote
 #d3 ,a collection 7in ,irish7 of the   
traditions of this person will be found 
in ,targaireacht ,bhriain ruaidh ui     
,chearbhain1 by ,micheal o ,tiomhanaidhe
 7,dublin1 #aijf74  ,footnote #e3 ,the  
passage would then read thus--,rothircan
 ,bec mac ,de condebairt andsin--    ,a 
maic in tsaeir1      cot clasaib1 cot   
coraib1     ,it casair chaeim1      cot 
cairpthib1 cot ceolaib4  ,the           
transposition has probably been caused  
by the error of some scribe who copied  
first the parts of the two lines        
preceding the caesura4  ,footnote #f3   
,the roll of the ,kings of ,tara was    
evolved from various sources by the     
,irish historians of the early          
,christian ,period4 ,tigernmas was      
properly a pagan culture-hero1 to whom  
was traditionally attributed the        

introduction of gold-smelting and of    
other arts1 and who was said to have    
perished1 apparently as a human         
sacrifice1 at some great religious      
assembly4  ,footnote #g3 ,this is       
certainly the reading1 curiously misread
 in ,,ll p4 #cef1 7,irish text71 and in 
,,vsh i1 p4 li1 note #c4  ,footnote #h3 
,ossianic ,society's ,transactions1 vol4
 v1 p4 #hd ff4  ,footnote #i3 ,edited by
 ,dr4 ,hyde in ,celtic ,review1 vol4 x1 
p4 #aaf ff4  ,footnote #aj3 ,on this    
whole subject see ,chapter ,,iv of      
,mac,neill's ,phases of ,irish ,history1
 a book which may be unreservedly       
recommended as giving a clear and       
accurate view of the early history of   
the country4  ,footnote #aa3 ,it may be 
noted for the benefit of the reader     
unaccustomed to ,irish nomenclature1    
that persons are named in one of the    
following formulae3 ,a mac ,b 7mac1     
genitive mic1 in syntactic relation mhic
 pronounced vic  son73 ,a o ,b 7o or ua1
 genitive ui  grandson or descendant73  

and ,a maccu ,b 7maccu  descendant1     
denoting ,b as the name of a remote     
ancestor74 ,of course the name ,b will  
in every case be in the genitive4       
,footnote #ab3 ,for division of labour  
between the sexes1 see ,frazer1 ,spirits
 of the ,corn and of the ,wild1 ii1     
#abi4 ,for prohibitions of the presence 
of males when specifically female work  
was being transacted1 ,plummer quotes   
,grimm1 ,teutonic ,mythology1 ,eng4     
,trans41 iv1 #aggh 7,men shall not stay 
in the house while women are stuffing   
feathers in the beds1 otherwise the     
feathers will prick through the         
bed-ticking74 ,o',curry 7,manners and   
,customs1 iii1 p4 #aba71 commenting on  
this story1 refers to times and seasons 
deemed unlucky for dyeing1 at the time  
when he wrote2 but the prohibition of   
the presence of males was forgotten4    
,footnote #ac3 ,vafthrudnismal #da2     
,grimnismal #ah4 7,edda1 ed4 ,hafn1     
#aghg1 vol4 i1 pp4 #bd1 #dh47  ,footnote
 #ad3 ,f4,m4 ,luzel1 ,contes populaires 

de ,basse-,bretagne 7,paris1 #ahhg71    
vol4 i1 p4 #bai ff4 ,some other         
parallels are quoted by ,plummer1 ,,vsh1
 i1 p4 cxliii1 note #e4  ,footnote #ae3 
,there is evidence from various literary
 sources that cattle thus peculiarly    
coloured were accounted sacred in       
ancient ,ireland4  ,footnote #af3 ,there
 should be no hypermetric syllables1 but
 ,i have been unable to avoid them4     
,footnote #ag3 ,horae ,hebraicae in     
,evangel4 ,matt41 xv1 #cf1 following the
 tract ,berakoth4  ,footnote #ah3       
,o',donnell's ,life of ,st4 ,columba1   
ed4 ,o',kelleher1 p4 #abj4  ,footnote   
#ai3 ,for the story of ,coirpre1 see    
,lismore ,lives1 ed4 ,stokes1 preface p4
 xvi2 ,revue celtique1 xxvi1 #cfh4 ,for 
the story of ,ambacuc1 see ,silua       
,gadelica1 no4 xxxi2 ,eriu1 vol4 vi1 p4 
#aei4  ,footnote #bj3 ,a fully          
illustrated description of this relic by
 ,mr4 ,e4,c4,r4 ,armstrong will be found
 in ,journal1 ,royal ,society of        
,antiquaries of ,ireland1 vol4 xlix1 p4 

#acb4  ,footnote #ba3 ,book of the ,dun 
,cow1 printed in ,zeitschrift fuer      
,celtische ,philologie1 iii1 #bah4      
,footnote #bb3 ,feilire ,oengusso1      
,henry ,bradshaw ,society edition1 p4   
#ab4  ,footnote #bc3 ,revue celtique1   
xv1 at p4 #dia4  ,footnote #bd3 ,i      
should here have quoted as a parallel   
the oft-described ,indian rope-trick1   
which is alleged to be a hypnotic feat1 
had ,i not been recently assured by a   
relative who knows ,india well that no  
one has yet been discovered who has     
actually seen this trick performed1 and 
that it is probably nothing more than a 
piece of folk-lore4  ,footnote #be3 ,see
 his important series of papers1 ,ueber 
directe ,handelsverbindungen            
,westgalliens mit ,irland im ,altertum  
und frueher ,mittelalter1 published in  
,sitzungsberichte der koenigliche       
preussischen ,akademie der              
,wissenschaften1 #aiji1 vol4 i4         
,footnote #bf3 ,life of ,colman mac     
,luachain1 ,todd ,lectures ,series1     

,royal ,irish ,academy1 vol4 xvii1 p4   
#hf4  ,footnote #bg3 ,bede's ,life of   
,cuthbert1 ,sec4 xxxix4  ,footnote #bh3 
,this is evidently a mistranslation of  
boban1 the translator having in mind the
 word ban1 white4  ,footnote #bi3 ,henry
 ,bradshaw ,society edition1 vol4 i1 p4 
#aeg4  ,footnote #cj3 ,although the     
sense appears to run continuously from  
one stanza to the next in their present 
collocation4  ,footnote #ca3 ,,ms4      
illegible4         99       99       99 
99       99     ,,appendix   ,,the      
,,latin ,,text ,,of ,,lb  ,sidenote     
deg4#a3 ,r#a #afb;b2 ,r#b #abg;d        
,sidenote  deg4#b3 ,r#b #abh;a ,sidenote
  deg4#c3 ,r#a #afb;c  #a4 deg4#a ,vir  
gloriosus1 et uita sanctissimus abbas1  
,queranus1 ex patre ,boecio1 matre      
,darercha ,darecha ,r#b ortus fuit4 ,hic
 traxit originem de aquilonali parte    
,hibernie1 ,aradensium silicet genere4  
,diuina quoque gratia a puerili etate   
sic ipse illustratus est1 ut qualis     
deg4#b foret futurus luculenter         

appareret4 deg4#c ,erat ,cras ,,mss4    
enim tanquam lucerna ardens eximia      
caritate1 ut non solum feruorem pii     
cordis et deuocionem erga hominum       
inopiam releuandam reuelandam ,,mss4    
exhiberet2 uerum et in creaturum        
irrationabilium necessitatibus          
infatigabilem ostenderet affectum4 ,et  
quia tanta lucerna non debuit sub modio 
abscondi1 ideo a puerili etate cepit    
miraculorum prodigiis coruscare4  #b4   
,quum enim equus fili regis terrae      
illius subita morte periret1 ac de eius 
casu iuuenis ille multum doleret1       
apparuit ei in sompnis uir uultus       
uenerabili ac rutilentis1 qui eum       
prohibuit tristari pro morte equi1      
dicens ei1 ,voca inquit sanctum puerum  
,keranum1 qui aquam in os equi tui      
infundat1 frontemque aspergat1 et       
reuiuiscet4 ,illum quoque pro           
resuscitatione eius munere debito       
dotabis4 ,cumque regis filius de sompno 
euigilasset1 misit pro puero ,kerano ut 
ad se ueneret2 qui cum sui presentiam ei

 exhiberet1 atque sompnium scriatim     
seruatem or seritatem ,r#a audiret1     
secundum quod angelus illum docuit1     
equum aqua benedicta aspergens de morte 
resuscitauit4 ,viso hoc magno miraculo1 
agrum fertilem et amplum rex terrae     
illius in honore ,dei ,omnipotentis1 in 
cuius nomine equus suus est             
resuscitatus1 sancto ,kerano contulit4  
#c4 ,accidit autem quadam die q4d4      
omitted1 ,r#b quod mater ipsius ,kerani 
eum reprehenderet1 eo quod mel          
siluestre1 sicut ceteri pueri suis      
parentibus ferebant1 non portaret4 ,quod
 cum dilectus ,deo et hominibus audiret1
 mentem eleuans ad ,puerum illum qui    
subditus erat parentibus1 aquam de fonte
 uicino allatam benedixit1 in nomine    
,eius qui mel potens est producere de   
petra1 et oleum de saxo durissimo2 et   
mox aqua illa in mel dulcissimum1 ,deo  
cooperante1 conuertitur1 et sic matri   
defertur4 ,hoc mel parentes eius sancto 
,dermicio diacono1 cognomento ,iusto1   
qui eum baptizauit1 transmiserunt4      

,sidenote  deg4#d3 ,r#a #afb;d ,sidenote
  deg4#e3 ,r#b #abh;b  #d4 ,lectis autem
 a deg4#d memorato sancto literarum     
rudimentis1 beatum ,cluayn ,hir         
deg4#e;ardensem abbatem1 discendi causa1
 adire proposuit4 ,et cum opere uellet  
complere quod animo cepit cogitare1     
uaccam unam a parentibus ad uictum sibi 
postulauit4 ,sed cum eius peticionem    
mater eius non acquiesceret1 celestis   
,pater1 qui intimios sic ,r#a1 intuitos 
,r#b suos quantum mater filium diligit1 
desiderium dilecti sui adimplere non    
distulit4 ,nam uacca una lactifera1 una 
cum uitulo1 consecuta est eum1 acsi a   
suo pastore minaretur post eum4 ,qui cum
 ad sacrum collegium sancti ,fynniani   
uenisset1 gaudium non modicum de eius   
aduentu omnes habuerunt4 ,vacca uero1   
que secuta est eum1 simul cum uitulo    
pascebatur1 nec ubera materna sine      
licencia tangere attemptabat4 ,keranus  
eius pascua sic discriminauit atque     
distinxit1 ut tantum uitulum mater      
lamberet1 nec tamen ei ubera praeberet4 

,istius uero uacce in tanta habundancia 
exubrabat lac1 ut xii uiris cotidie     
distributum sufficientem copiam uictus  
praeberet4 ,sanctus uero adolescens     
,keranus1 diuine scripture intentus1    
inter condiscipulos suos sanctitate ac  
sapientia1 uelut sidus perfulgidus inter
 alia alique ,r#b sidera1 emicabat4     
,erat uero perfecte caritatis fragrantia
 plenus1 et moris probitate1 et uite    
sanctimonia1 ac humilitatis dulcedine1  
presentibus et absentibus gratiosus1    
honorabilis1 et admirabilis4  ,sidenote 
deg4#f3 ,r#a #afc;a  #e4 ,vna dierum ad 
regem quendam1 ,tuathlum nomine1 pro    
cuiusdam ancille liberacione            
intercessurus accessit4 ,cumque regem   
deuote pro ea rogaret pro ea deuote     
oraret ,r#b ac preces famuli ,dei quasi 
deliramenta sperneret1 nouam artem      
liberacionis eiusdem cogitans1 semet    
ipsum regi seruiturum pro ipsa decreuit4
 ,veniente autem eo domum in qua puella 
molebat1 clause iam fores illi          
patuerunt4 ,intransque1 alterum se illi 

deg4#f ,paulinum episcopum exhibuit4    
,nec mora1 rex illam emancipauit1 et    
insuper ,dei famulo suum indumentum     
donauit4 ,quod ille accipiens1 continuo 
pauperibus distribuit4  ,sidenote       
deg4#g3 ,r#b #abh;c  #f4 ,nocte quadam  
deg4#g contigit ut eum doctor egregius  
,finnianus cum annona frumenti ad       
molendinum transmitteret4 ,regulus uero 
quidam prope habitans1 quendam de       
discipulis uiri ,dei illuc aduenisse    
intelligens1 carnes et ceruisiam ei per 
ministrum destinauit4 ,cumque illi      
exenium tanti uiri presentaret1         
respondit ipse1 ,vt commune inquit sit  
fratribus1 totum in os molendini proice4
 ,quod cum nuncius compleret1 in farinam
 totum mutatum est4 ,quo audito1 rex    
uillam in qua manebat cum omnibus bonis 
suis in perpetuam dedit illi2 sed       
,keranus suo condonauit magistro1 ibidem
 enim monasterium postea constructum    
est4 ,panis uero de illa farina factus1 
uelut caro et ceruisia fratribus        
sapiebat et eos sic recreabat4          

,sidenote  deg4#h3 ,r#a #afc;b ,sidenote
  deg4#i3 ,r#b #abh;d  #g4 ,transacto   
autem temporis spacio1 accepta magistri 
sui licentia et benedictione1 ad sanctum
 ,nynnidum in quadam silua stagni ,erny 
commorantem properauit4 ,et cum cum     
omitted ,r#b illuc peruenisset1 cum     
magno gaudio et caritate non ficta      
susceptus est4 ,cumque idem in moris ac 
uirtutum disciplina cotidie proficeret1 
quadam die ad nemora uicina cum         
fratribus ad scindenda ligna ut ut      
omitted ,r#b uerus obediens properauit4 
,erat enim consuetudo in sacro illo     
collegio ut iii monachi cum seniore ad  
ligna deportanda secundum ordinem       
temporis semper irent4 ,cedentibus uero 
ceteris ligna1 ipse seorsum deorsum ,r#b
 ,deum1 secundum quod moris erat sibi1  
attente orabat4 ,interea quidam nefandi 
latrones1 rate ad insulam illam         
transuecti1 in prefatos fratros         
irruerunt1 atque eos occiderunt1 et     
eorum capita secum detuler deg4#hunt4   
,keranus uero1 dum strepidum sociorum   

sic percucientium non audiret1          
mirabatur2 et propter admiracionem      
festine peruenit ad locum ubi eos       
laborantes reliquit4 ,viso quoque eo    
quod de fratribus actum est est omitted 
,r#b1 alta trahit ipse suspiria1 et     
uehementer contristatus est4 ,secutus   
est quoque homisidas sic ,r#a illos e   
uestigio1 atque eos in portu ut suam    
nauiculam in portu ad aquam aquas ,r#b  
deducerent desudantes1 sed minime hoc   
facere potentes fatentes ,r#a1 facientes
 ,r#b inuenit2 sic uero sic eis ,r#b    
,deus scapham deg4#i eorum terre        
conglutinauit ut nequaquam eam amouere  
potuissent4 ,et cum uoluntati           
,cunctipotentis contraire non possent1 a
 uiro ,dei tunc presente -entem ,r#b    
ueniam suppliciter postulant4 ,qui memor
 sui ,magistri pro ,iudeis eum          
crucifigentibus orantis1 sanctus pro    
illis licet indignis preces ad fortem   
pietatis effudit2 et uirtute orationis  
eius potiti1 ratem suam facillime ad    
aquam ducere potuerunt4 ,pro munere uero

 huius beneficii1 optinuit a latronibus 
capita suorum fratrum4 ,acceptis uero   
hiis1 ad locum ubi corpora iacuerant    
deueniens1 ,deum deuote rogauit ut      
omnipotenciam suam in seruorum suorum   
resuscitatione hac uite ostenderet4     
,mirum quoque est quod narro1 sed       
ueritate facti euidentissimum2 capita   
corporibus coaptauit1 ut illos uirtute  
sacre orationis ad uitam reuocauit1 immo
 quod uerius est1 reuocari meruit4 ,hii 
quoque sic mirabiliter resuscitati1     
ligna secum ad monasterium              
transuexerunt4 ,quam diu tamen uixerant 
sic1 cicatrices uulnerium in collis suis
 portauerunt4  ,sidenote  deg4#aj3 ,r#a 
#afc;c  #h4 ,alio tempore cum peccora   
parentum in quodam loco custodiret1     
uacca una peperit coram eo uitulum4     
,veniens uero imacie omnino confectus   
canis#a cupiens de hiis que cum uitulo  
cadunt de uentro matris uentrem suum#b  
implere1 stetit coram pio pastore4 ,cui 
ait ,commede1 miser1 uitulum istum1 quia
 multum eo indi deg4#aj;ges4 ,canis uero

 iussa ,querani complens1 usque ad ossa 
uitulum commedit4 ,redeunti uero        
,querano cum uaccis ad domum1 illa ad   
memoriam reducens uitulum mugiendo huc  
illucque discurrebat4 ,causam uero      
mugitus cognoscens mater ,querani1 cum  
indignatione puero ait ,redde uitulum1  
,quirane1 etsi igne sit combustus uel   
aqua submersus4 ,at ille iussis maternis
 parens1 ad locum ubi uitulus erat      
commestus accedens1 ossa eius collegit  
et uitulum resuscitauit4  ,sidenote     
deg4#aa3 ,r#b #abi;a  #i4 ,quodam       
tempore1 transeunte eo per uiam1 quidam 
mali deg4#aa;gno spiritu uexati canem   
ferocissimum excitauerunt ut sibi#c sic 
noceret4 ,sed confidens in ,domino suo  
,queranus scuto deuote orationis se     
muniuit1 ac dixit ,ne tradas bestis sic 
,r#a1 bestiis ,r#b animas confitentium  
tibi1 ,domine4 ,et mox canis ille       
mortuus est4   #aj4 ,alio tempore solo  
eo in insula illa relicto1 pauperem     
quendam audiuit in portu ignem sibi dari
 rogantem4 ,erat enim iam frigidum      

tempus2 sed ratem non habuit ut pauperis
 peticioni1 licet multum desideraret1   
satisfaceret4 ,et quia caritas omnia    
sustinet1 ticionem ardentem in stagnum  
proiecit1 et feruore -rem ,,mss4        
dilectionis mittentis in aquis          
preualente preualens ,,mss4 ad pauperem 
usque peruenit4  ,sidenote  deg4#ab3    
,r#a #afc;d  #aa4 ,aliquandiu uero      
ibidem moratus homo ,dei1 cum licencia  
,nynnidi ad sanctum ,endeum ,arnensem   
abbatem properauit2 qui in aduentu eius 
non modica perfundebatur leticia4 ,nocte
 uero quadam sompniauit se uidisse iuxta
 ripam magni fluminis ,synan arborem    
magnam frondosam et fructiferam que     
totam obumbrauit ,hyberniam4 ,quod      
sompnium beato ,edeo indicauit crastina 
die die omitted ,r#b4 ,sed et ipse      
,endeus eandem uisionem ea nocte e4n4   
omitted ,r#b deg4#ab se uidisse         
attestatus est1 quam uisionem sanctus   
,endeus interpretatus3 ,arbor inquit    
illa tu es1 qui coram ,deo et hominibus 
magnus eris1 et per totam ,hiberniam    

honorabilis1 propter quod et tui        
adiutorii et gracie umbra a demoniis et 
aliis periculis protegetur uelut sub    
umbra arboris salutifere2 plurimisque   
prope ac procul tuorum fructus operum   
subuenient4 ,igitur secundum ,dei       
imperium qui reuelat secreta1 ad        
praeostensum accede locum1 et ibi habita
 secundum graciam a ,deo tibi datam4    
,confortatus ex huius uisionis          
interpretacione1 paruit uerus obediens  
iussioni ,sancti ,endei patris sui      
spiritualis4  ,sidenote  deg4#ac3 ,r#b  
#abi;b  #ab4 ,et profectus in uiam      
inuenit quendam pauperem in itinere cui 
ab eo eleemosinam petenti casulam suam  
tribuit4 ,cumque ad insulam ,cathaci    
uenisset1 beatus ,senanus aduentum eius1
 ,spiritu reuelante1 didicit2 eique     
obuiam ueniens quasi subridendo ait1    
,nonne presbitero pudor est absque      
casula incedere8 ,senanus enim in       
spiritu nouit quomodo ipse pauperi eam  
dedit4 ,et ideo cum ca deg4#acsula ei   
occurreret4 ,et ait ,keranus1 ,senior   

inquit meus sub uestimento suo casulam  
mihi aufert4  ,sidenote  deg4#ad3 ,r#a  
#afd;a  #ac4 ,quam cum accepisset et    
gracias datori egisset1 pro sancta      
colloquia ad cellam fratris sui         
,luctigernni -gerimi ,r#b peruenit1 ubi 
et alius frater eius ,odranus ,ordanus  
,r#b nomine erat4 ,ibi aliquanto tempore
 moram traxit ac magister hospicium     
fuit4 ,die uero quadam eo sub diuo      
legente in cimitherio1 hospites ex      
improuise uenerunt1 quos1 librum oblitus
 apertum1 ad hospicium adduxit2 eorumque
 pedes deuote lauit1 et cetera que eis  
necessaria erant propter ,christum      
ministrauit4 ,interea cum nocturne      
adessent tenebre1 grandis facta est     
pluuia4 ,sed ,ille qui uellus ,gedeonis 
ir deg4#adrorauit1 at praeterea a rore  
intactum custodiuit1 librum sancti      
,kerani sic ab ingruentibus aquis licet 
apertum aquis hoc apertum ,r#b reserauit
 quod nec una gutta super eum cecidit4  
#ad4 ,monasterio in quo tunc uir ,dei   
morabatur1 erat quaedam insula uicina1  

quam seculares quidam inhabitabant1     
quorum tumultus uiros ,dei multum       
molestabat4 ,vnde contigit ut beatus    
,keranus1 eorum inquietacione compulsus1
 ad stagnum accederet1 et orationi se   
totum dans1 elongationem illorum        
uexancium seruos ,dei perueniuit4 ,cum  
enim ab oratione cessaret1 ecce subito  
insula cum stagno et habitatoribus in   
remotum locum secessit1 ut ullatenus    
nullatenus ,r#b habitatores eius eius   
sic ,,mss4 amicos ,altissimi possent    
turbare4 ,in ,eius enim nomine hoc      
miraculum factum est qui ,sodomam       
propter peccatum inhabitancium subuertit
 ac igne succendit4 ,adhuc extant signa 
illius stagni1 ubi ante erat4  ,sidenote
  deg4#ae3 ,r#b #abi;c ,sidenote        
deg4#af3 ,r#a #afd;b  #ae4 ,vir ,dei1   
cum in usum usus ,,mss4 pauperum bona   
monasterii distribueret1 fratres super  
hoc conquirentes ad ipsum temere        
accedentes1 dixerunt1 ,discede1         
inquierunt a nobis1 simul enim          
cohabitare non possumus4 ,quibus ipse   

acquiescens1 et uale in ,domino faciens1
 ad insulam quandam se transtulit a4 i4 
s4 t4 q4 ,r#b nomine ,anginam2 in qua   
insula fundato monasterio1 multi undique
 properantes fama sanctitatis eius eos  
attrahente deg4#ae seruicium ,dei       
mancipauerunt4 ,sub stricta instruens   
regula1 uultu et habitu1 sermone et     
uita1 se eis in exemplum exhibuit4 ,erat
 enim tanquam aquila prouocans ad       
uolandam pullos suos quantum ad         
contemplacionis sublimitatem2 sed       
fraterna humilitate sicut minus unus    
,r#b ex eis uiuebat4 ,erat enim in      
spiritualibus meditacionibus suspensus  
ad supera2 infirma tum imbecillitate sic
 condescendebat ut quasi uideretur se   
inclinare ad infima4 ,ipse quoque fide  
erat perfectus1 caritate feruidus1 spe  
gaudens1 corde mitis1 ore affabilis1    
deg4#af paciens et longanimis1          
hospitalitate erat humanus1 in operibus 
pietatis semper assiduus1 benignus1     
mansuetus1 pacificus1 sobrius1 et       
quietus4 ,et ut multa breui concludam   

sermone1 omnium uirtutum erat ornatus   
decore4 ,hiis et huiuscemodi sollicitum 
impendens studium ,marie contemplacioni 
ac ,marthe erga temporalium             
dispensacionem ordinata succasione      
succisione ,r#b adimplebat officium4    
,nec potuit talis ac tante lucerne lumen
 sub modio abscondi1 sed circumquoque   
gracie sue splendore diffuso mundum     
copiose illuminauerat irradiauit lumine4
  #af4 ,erat nihilominus prophecie      
spiritu inspiratus1 quam ex             
precedentibus et subsequentibus patet   
exemplis4 ,quadam namque die uox        
cuiusdam nauigium postulantis aures eius
 pulsauerat4 ,tunc ait ad fratres2      
,vocem1 inquit eius audio quem ,deus    
uobis preficiet abbatem2 euntes ergo    
ipsum adducite4 ,illi itaque            
properauerunt1 atque ad portum          
peruenientes quendam adolescentulum     
illiteratum inuenirent4 ,quem           
negligentes adducere ad sanctum uirum   
reuersi neminem nisi adolescentulum     
illiteratum qui profugus in siluis      

errabat se inuenisse asseruerunt4       
,sanctus autem ,queranus ait2 ,adducite 
inquit illum1 et nolite futurum pastorem
 uestrum despicere4 ,qui adductus ,dei  
inspiracione et sancti uiri instructione
 religionis habitum suscepit1 et per    
modum literas didicit4 ,ipse est enim   
sanctus ,oenius1 uir uite uenerabilis3  
et1 sicut sanctus ante predixit1        
fratribus per modum prefuit4  ,sidenote 
deg4#ag3 ,r#b #abi;d ,sidenote  deg4#ah3
 ,r#a #afd;c  #ag4 ,elapso denique      
tempore1 quidam uir sanctus nomine      
,dompnanus1 deg4#ag ,mumoniensis genere1
 ad uirum ,dei uisitandum peruenit4     
,cumque ab eo sanctus ,keranus causam   
aduentus scicitaretur1 respondit se     
uelle locum habere in quo ,dominum      
habere in ,deo ,r#b secure posset       
seruire4 ,sanctus uero ,keranus1 non que
 sua deg4#ah supra ,r#b sed que ,ihesu  
,christi querens ait ,hic inquit        
inhabita1 et ego ,deo duce locum        
habitandi alibi queram4 ,denique sacro  
eum comitante conm4 ,,mss4 conuentu ad  

locum eius a ,deo premonstratum         
profectus est1 in quo celebri ac famoso 
monasterio constructo quod hodie        
,cluaynensis ,claynensis ,r#b appellatur
 ciuitas insignium miraculorum luce     
ipse1 tanquam sol mundum istum ita      
illuminauit4  #ah4 ,de quorum           
miraculorum multitudine quedam hic      
subnectemus4 ,quodam tempore dum fratres
 in messe laborantes sitis periculo     
grauarentur1 miserunt ad sanctum patrem 
,queranum ut aque aqua ,,mss4 beneficio 
refocillarentur4 ,quibus per ministros  
ipse ait3 ,vnum inquit de duobus        
eligite2 aut aqua nunc uos recreati1 aut
 hic post uos habitaturos rebus mundanis
 beneficiari4 ,at illi respondentes     
dixerunt ,eligimus1 inquiunt ut illi qui
 post nos ueniunt in bonis temporalibus 
habundent1 et nos tollerantie mercedem  
in celis habeamus4 ,et sic futurorum spe
 gaudentes1 a potu abstinuerunt1 licet  
multum indigentes4 ,vespero uero illis  
domum redeuntibus1 pius pater1          
laborancium lassitudinem compaciens1 uas

 aqua plenum benedixit1 et iam sanctum  
miraculum in ,chana ,galilee renouans1  
in optimum uinum transmutauit aquam4    
,quo uino siti deficientes recreati     
sunt1 et in fide insoliti miraculi      
ostensione recreati laudes omnipotenti  
,dei dederunt4 ,huius enim uini         
miraculosi sapor solito graciosior erat1
 et odor in propinatoris pollice quamdiu
 suruixit redoleuit4  ,sidenote         
deg4#ai3 ,r#a #afd;d ,sidenote  deg4#bj3
 ,r#b #acj;a  #ai4 ,die quadam cum in   
uia incederet1 nephandissimi latrones   
eum comprehendentes1 caput beati uiri   
radere ceperunt4 ,set quod peruersitas  
hominis delere uoluit1 diuina pietas ad 
magni miraculi ostensionem conuertit4   
,rassorum enim capillorum loco alii     
statim capilli crescebant4 deg4#ai ,quo 
miraculo latrones perculsi1 deg4#bj ad  
ueritatis semitam sunt conuersi1 ac     
deinceps diuine milicie sub tanto duce  
seruientes1 in sancta conuersacione     
uitam finierunt4  #bj4 ,alio tempore    
bonus pastor peccora pascens1 tres      

pauperes ei occurrerunt4 ,quorum primo  
capam1 secundo pallium1 tercio tunicam  
contulit secundo tunicam1 tercio pallium
 eius tulit1 ,r#b4 ,abeuntibus uero     
illis1 uiri quidam1 secularis uite      
professores1 aduenierunt4 ,a quibus     
quoniam uestimentorum expertum se uideri
 erubuit1 adiutor in opportunitatibus   
,dominus aqua eum circumdedit adeo1 quod
 preter caput nullum membrum illi uidere
 potuerunt4 ,sed postquam hii uiri      
transierunt1 aqua ilia mox disparuit    
desperauit ,,mss44  #ba4 ,elapso post   
hoc tempore1 quidam satellites diabuli  
uirum quendam iuxta monasterium eius    
commorantem interficere conabantur4     
,quem beato uiro pro eo orante ,deus    
mirabiliter eripuit4 ,illi illium ,,mss4
 enim eundem uirum iugulantes statuam   
quandam lapideam percuciebant4 ,quo     
tandem percepto1 latrones corde         
compuncti1 ad pastorem animarum         
,queranum properant1 culpam humiliter   
recognoscunt1 atque uite sue emendato   
calle1 sub iugo ,christi usque ad mortem

 fideliter seruierunt4  ,sidenote       
deg4#ba3 ,r#b #afe;a  #bb4 ,hiis atque  
aliis perplurimis gloriosissimus        
,christi miles tamquam luminare quod    
diei presidet fulgens1 ad occasum       
naturalis cursus deueniens correptus    
infirmitate graui appropinquiuit4 ,sed  
quia qui perseuauerit usque in finem his
 salus erit1 ideo athleta ,christi1 non 
solum se in bello huius certaminis      
confortans1 uerum et animos ad uincendum
 inuitans1 lapidem quo capiti supposito 
soporis modicum corpori hactenus        
indulgebat1 humeris etiam fecit subponi2
 sanctamque eleuans manum fratres       
benedixit et uiatici salutaris          
perceptione munitus1 spiritum celo      
reddidit4 ,exiens enim beata illa anima 
de corpore1 chori angelorum angelorum   
omitted ,r#b cum ympnis et canticis     
deg4#ba illam in ,dei gloriam           
assumpserunt4  ,sidenote  deg4#bb3 ,r#b 
#acj;b  #bc4 ,beatissimus quoque abbas  
,christi ,columba1 audito sancti ,kerani
 obitu1 egregium de ipso composuit      

ympnum3 eumque ad de ,,mss4 ,cluaynense 
secum detulit monasterium1 ubi prout    
decuit hospicio honorifice susceptus    
est4 ,ympnum uero abbas qui tunc        
preerat1 ceterique qui eum audierant1   
multis et ma deg4#bb;gnis laudibus      
extulerunt4 ,discedens autem inde       
,sanctus ,columba1 de sacro sancti      
,kerani sepulchro humum secum detulit1  
sciens in spiritu quam utile hoc foret  
contra futura pelagi pericula4 ,in parte
 enim maris que tendit uersus ,iense    
monasterium1 est maximum transeuntibus  
periculum1 tum propter fluminum         
impetuositatem1 tum propter maris       
angustiam1 itaque naues circumuoluuntur1
 atque in rota mouentur2 ac frequenter  
sic submerguntur4 ,scille enim atque    
,caribdi merito asimilatur1 uelim       
periculositate perfecta tristique -teque
 ,,mss4 nautis malum ibi subministratur4
 ,ad hoc eurippum ipsi peruenientes1    
repentino ceperunt in eum delabi cursu2 
quumque nil preter mortem ,quumque uelut
 propter mortem ,r#b sperantes1 et quia 

iam quasi tetris essent abyssi faucibus 
deuorandi1 tunc sanctus ,columba prefati
 pulueris de tumba beati ,kerani        
assumpti aliquid assumens1 mare in ipsum
 immisit4 ,res mira ac nimium stupenda  
tunc accidit2 dicto uicto ,,mss4 namque 
cicius tempestas illa seua cessauit ac  
transitum eis tranquillum administrauit4
 ,vere iusti in perpetuum uiuunt2 cum   
quibus beatus ,queranus corregnat1 cuius
 sepulchri terra uel puluis mare sedauit
 cedauit ,,mss41 corda trepidancium in  
fide solidauit1 et ad bonum operandum   
irrigauit4 ,beatus ergo ,keranus non    
solum uiuit ,deo1 cui inseperabiliter   
adheret1 uerum et hominibus quibus      
beneficia oportuno tempore impendit4    
,,metrum ,,de ,,eo ,,sic  ,sidenote     
deg4#bc3 ,r#a #afe;b    ,matre ,quiarani
 sedente in curru uolubili              
deg4#bc,sonitum magus audiuit           
perdixitque seruulis   ,videte quis sit 
in curru1 nam sub rege resonat4         
,coniunx inquiunt ,beodi sedet his      
artificis4   ,magus inquit ,gratum      

cunctis ipsa regem pariet1   ,cuius     
opera fulgebunt ut ,phebus in ethere4   
,miles ,christi ,keranus1 ,sancti sedes 
,spiritus1   ,spiritali pietatis uirtute
 floruerat4    ,vitulum uacce lactentem 
iam cani concesserat1   ,queranum inde  
grauiter mater reprehenderat2   ,vitulum
 cane uoratum ab ipso exegerat1   ,cuius
 ossa mox apportans ipsum restaurauerat4
  ,sidenote  deg4#bd3 ,r#b #acj;c       
,mulieris regie caput decaluatum   ,seue
 zelo pelicis fuerat nudatum4   ,in     
,querani nomine cum esset signatum1     
deg4#bd;,aurea cessarie fulserat        
ornatum4    ,cum ,queranus studiis      
sacris teneretur1   ,atque tempus       
posceret ut operaretur4   ,pro ipso ab  
angelis tunc mola mouetur4    ,textus   
euangelicus in stagnum ceciderat1   ,sed
 uoluto tempore per ,querani merita1    
,integrum de gurgite uacca reportauerat4
    ,cum puer oraret ,dominum1          
precibusque uacaret1       ignis ab     
excelsis uenerat arce poli4             
,defunctusque puer conspexit lumina     

uite1       et sancti magnum glorificant
 ,dominum ,deum ,,mss44   ,de celis     
lapsus rutilans accenditur ignis1     et
 peragit proprium protinus officium4    
,alto et ineffabili apostolorum cetui   
,celestis ,ierosolime1 sublimioris      
specule1   ,sedenti tribunalibus solis  
modo micantibus1   ,queranus sacerdos   
sanctus1 insignis ,christi nuntius1     
,inaltatus est manibus angelorum        
celestibus1   ,consummatis felicibus    
sanctitatum generibus2   ,quem ,tu      
,christe apostolum mundo misisti        
hominem1   ,gloriosum in omnibus        
nouissimis temporibus4   ,footnote #a3  
,this word omitted in ,,mss4  ,footnote 
#b3 ,omitted in ,,mss4  ,footnote #c3   
,corrected by a note in the margin to   
illi4         99       99       99      
99       99     ,,index  7,for the      
leading incidents in the ,life1 see the 
list1 pp4 #aa ff474  ,abban1 ,st41      
,adamnan1 ,st41 ,aed1 ,st41 ,aed mac    
,brenainn1 ,aed ,slaine1 ,aei4 ,see ,mag
 ,ai4 ,aengus maccu ,luigse4 ,see       

,oenna4 ,aengussius4 ,see ,oengus4      
,ailbe1 ,st41 ,ailithir1 abbot of       
,clonmacnois1 ,ainmire mac ,colgain1    
,ainmire mac ,setna1 ,ainmireach4 ,see  
,ainmire mac ,colgain4 ,alban1 ,st41    
,alexander1 almsgiving1 ,see also       
hospitality4 ,altus ,prosator1 ,ambacuc1
 angels1 ,angina4 ,see ,inis ,aingin4   
animals1 ,see also resuscitation1 hound4
 ,anmereus4 ,see ,ainmire mac ,colgain4 
antilum1 ,ara 7,aran ,is471 ,aradenses4 
,see ,dal n,araide4 ,aran ,is4 ,see     
,ara4 ,ard ,abla1 ,ard ,machae          
7,armagh71 ,ard ,manntain1 ,ard ,tiprat1
 ,see also ,cluain maccu ,nois4         
assemblies1 austerities1 ,ay4 ,see ,mag 
,ai4   ,baithin1 ,st41 ,ballynagore1    
,bangor4 ,see ,beannchor4 ,beannchor    
7,bangor1 ,co4 ,down71 bearer1 ,becc mac
 ,de1 bells1 benediction of food1       
,benen1 ,st41 ,beoanus1 ,beoedus4 ,see  
,beoit4 ,beoit1 ,beonedus1 ,beonnadus4  
,see ,beoit4 ,birra 7,birr1 ,king's     
,co471 birthplace of ,ciaran1 boban1    
,see also ,bells4 ,boecius1 ,boeus4 ,see

 ,beoit4 bones1 bonfire1 books and      
book-satchels1 books preserved from wet1
 ,brenainn1 ,st41 ,brenainn of ,cluain  
,ferta1 ,st41 ,brigit1 ,st41 ,brigit of 
,cu ,cathrach1 ,brynach1 ,st41   ,cadoc1
 ,st41 ,cael ,cholum1 ,cainnech1 ,st41  
,camerarius1 ,cana of ,galilee1         
,carabine1 ,red ,brian1 ,cathach1 a     
monster1 ,cathacus1 ,cathi4 ,see ,inis  
,cathaig4 ,cattle1 sacred1 ,cellach mac 
,eogain ,beil1 ,cenel ,conaill1 ,cenel  
,fiachach1 ,cenel ,fiachrach1 ,see also 
,cenel ,fiachach4 ,christ1 parallels    
between lives of ,ciaran and4 ,see      
,tendenz4 ,ciaran1 passim4 ,poem        
attributed to1 ,ciaran of ,saigir1 ,st41
 ,ciaran1 other saints called1          
,ciarraige1 clairvoyance1 cloak floated 
on water1 cloak of ,senan1 ,clonard4    
,see ,cluain ,iraird4 ,clonmacnois4 ,see
 ,cluain maccu ,nois4 ,clonsingle1      
,cluain ,cruim1 ,cluain ,innsythe1      
,cluain ,iochtar1 ,cluain ,iraird       
7,clonard1 ,co4 ,meath71 ,cluain maccu  
,nois 7,clonmacnois1 ,king's ,co471     

passim ,cobthach mac ,brecain1 ,coemgen1
 ,st41 ,coire ,bhreacain                
7,corrievreckan71 ,colman1 ,st41 ,colman
 ,elo1 ,st41 ,colman mac ,luachain1     
,st41 ,colman mac ,nuin1 ,colum ,cille1 
,st4 7,columba71 ,colum ,cille1 hymn of1
 ,colum of ,inis ,cealtra1 ,st41        
,comgall1 ,st41 compacts between saints1
 companions of ,ciaran1 ,conn of the    
,poor1 ,connachta 7people of ,connacht71
 ,corco ,baiscind1 ,corpre the ,crooked1
 ,cow1 ,ciaran's4 ,see ,dun ,cow4 crane1
 pet1 ,cremthann1 ,crichid4 ,see        
,crithir4 ,crithir1 ,croagh ,patrick4   
,see ,cruachan ,aigli4 ,cronan1 crosses1
 ,cruachan ,aigli 7,croagh ,patrick71   
,cualu1 ,cuimmin1 ,st41 ,cumlach1       
curses1 ,cuthbert1 ,st41 ,cybi1 ,st41   
,dal n-,araide1 ,daniel1 ,darerca1      
mother of ,ciaran1 ,darerca1 ,st41 dates
 of ,ciaran's life1 dates of documents1 
deafness cured1 decapitation1 ,decies1  
,deece1 ,delbna1 ,derercha4 ,see        
,darerca4 ,dermag 7,durrow1 ,king's     
,co471 ,dermicius4 ,see ,diarmait       

7deacon74 ,desi1 ,dessi1 ,diarmait1     
deacon1 ,see also ,iustus4 ,diarmait1   
,st41 ,diarmait mac ,cerrbeil1 king1    
,dompnanus4 ,see ,donnan4 doors open    
automatically1 ,donnan1 brother of      
,ciaran1 ,donnan1 ,st41 dreams1 drolls1 
druids1 ,see also wizards4 drying corn1 
,dun ,cow of ,ciaran1 ,durrow4 ,see     
,dermag4 dye and dyeing1   earth of     
,ciaran's tomb1 eavesdroppers1 ,eile1   
elders1 ,cell of the1 at ,cluain maccu  
,nois1 ,emer1 ,st41 end of world1       
beliefs regarding1 ,enda1 ,endeus1      
,enna1 ,henna1 envy against ,ciaran1    
,erne1 ,loch1 ,ernin1 ,st41 ,euthymius1 
exogamy1 expletives1 saintly1 eye       
plucked out and restored1   ,failbe1    
famines1 fasting1 feasts1 ,fergus1      
,fidarta 7,fuerty1 ,co4 ,roscommon71    
,finan1 ,st41 ,findian1 ,st4            
7,finnianus71 ,findian of ,mag ,bile1   
,st41 finger scented with wine1 ,fintan1
 ,st41 fire1 consecrated1   from heaven1
   ,paschal1 firebrand1 ,flannan1 ,st41 
flesh turned to wheat1 ,see also        

transformations4 flocks1 keeping of1    
fosterage1 foundation sacrifices1 fox1  
,fuerty4 ,see ,fidarta4 ,furban1        
,furbith1 king1 ,fursa1 ,st41           
garments1 genealogy of ,ciaran1 gifts   
made by ,ciaran1 ,see also almsgiving4  
,glas the poet1 ,gleann da ,locha       
7,glendaloch1 ,co4 ,wicklow71 glosses1  
gospel1 reading of1 gospels1 ,see also  
books4 grain turned to gold1 ,see also  
transformations4 ,gregory1 ,pope1       
,guaire1 king1   hair restored          
miraculously1 harbour of island1 meaning
 of expression1 ,hare ,island4 ,see     
,inis ,aingin4 harvesting1 ,helena1     
empress1 ,henna4 ,see ,enda4 historicity
 of ,lives of ,ciaran1 holy water1      
homiletic purpose of ,lives1 horse      
ploughing1 hospitality1 ,see also       
almsgiving4 hound miraculously killed1  
,hyde1 ,dr4 ,douglas1 hymn of ,colum    
,cille1 hymns to ,ciaran1 hypnotism1    
,i 7,iona71 ,illtyd1 ,st41 ,inis ,aingin
 7,hare ,island71 ,inis ,cathaig        
7,scattery ,island71 ,inis ,clothrann1  

,inis ,muige ,samh 7,inismacsaint71 ,see
 also ,ninned4 intoxication1 ,iona4 ,see
 ,i4 ,irluachra1 ,isel ,chiarain1       
,iustus1 ,see also ,diarmait1 deacon4   
,keranus1 ,kiaranus4 ,see ,ciaran4      
,kiarraighe4 ,see ,ciarraige4 ,king1    
,adam1 #h kings of ,ireland1 #ajc       
,kyaranus1 ,kyeranus4 ,see ,ciaran4     
,laigen 7,laginensea1 ,lagenians1       
,leinstermen71 ,lann1 ,larne1 ,see also 
,latharna4 ,lasrian1 ,st41 ,latharna1   
,latronenses4 ,see ,latharna4 lepers and
 leprosy1 ,lissardowlin4 ,see ,ard      
,abla4 ,little ,church of ,cluain maccu 
,nois1 ,little ,height of ,cluain maccu 
,nois1 ,lives of ,saints1 their nature1 
,loch ,erne4 ,see ,erne1 ,loch4 ,loch   
,rii4 ,see ,rib1 ,loch4 ,lonan the      
,left-handed1 lucky and unlucky signs1  
,lucoll 7,lucennus1 ,luchennus1         
,luctigernnus71 ,lugaid1 priest1        
,lugaid1 ,st41 ,lugbeg1 ,lugbrann1      
,lugna maccu ,moga ,laim1 ,luimnech     
7,limerick71   ,mac ,cuillind of ,lusk1 
,mac ,natfraeich1 ,mac ,nisse1          

,mael-,odran1 ,mag ,ai1 ,mag ,molt1     
,magic1 ,maignenn1 ,st41 manuscripts of 
,lives1 matriarchate1 merchants of wine1
 metres1 ,mide 7,meath71 ,mil of ,spain1
 ,milesians1 milk1 miraculous supply of1
 mills1 ,mo-,beoc1 ,mo-,bi1 ,st41       
,mo-,chua1 ,st41 mockery of druids1     
,moin ,coise ,bla1 ,mo-,laise1 ,st41    
,moling1 ,st41 ,mo-,lioc1 ,mugain1      
,muinis1 bishop1 ,muireann1 ,muma       
7,mumenia1 ,munster1 ,mumunienses71     
,munnu1 ,st41   nicknames1 ,ninned1 ,st4
 7,nynnidus71 ,nunnery1 ,cluain maccu   
,nois1   oats turned to wheat1 ,see also
 transformations4 ,odran1 ,odranus1     
,odran of ,letrecha ,odrain1 ,oengus mac
 ,crimthainn1 ,oengus the ,culdee1      
,oenna maccu ,laigsi 7,aengus1 ,oenius71
 ,oran1 ,st41 oxen ploughing1   pagan   
sanctuaries1 panegyrics1 ,pata1         
,patrick1 ,st41 ,paul and ,peter1 ,,ss41
 relics of1 ,paulinus1 ,peca1 ,peden1   
,alexander1 pedigree of ,ciaran4 ,see   
,genealogy4 periods of ,ciaran's life1  
,pieran1 ,st41 ploughing1 ,port of the  

,gospel1 ,see also ,inis ,angin4        
,pre-,celthic tribes1 priest1 ,ciaran   
consecrated1 prophecies1 ,psalms1 use   
of1   ,queranus4 ,see ,ciaran4 quern1   
grinding at1 ,quiaranus1 ,quieranus1    
,quiranus4 ,see ,ciaran4   raids on     
,cluain maccu ,nois1 ,raithbeo          
7,raichbe71 ,raith ,crimthainn1 relics1 
resuscitation of animals1   of boy1   of
 ,cluain1   of murdered monks1   process
 of1 ,rib1 ,loch 7,loch ,ree71 robbers1 
,ruadan1 ,st41 rule of ,st4 ,ciaran1    
,saehrimnir1 ,saigir 7,seir-,kieran1    
,king's ,co471 ,samthann1 ,st41         
,scattery ,island4 ,see ,inis ,cathaig4 
scent of wine on finger1 secondary      
interments1 ,segine1 abbot of ,i1       
,seir-,kieran4 ,see ,saigir4 ,senan1    
,st41 separation of cows and calves1    
ship ,sinann 7,sinna1 ,synna1 ,shannon71
 slavery1 springs1 miraculous1   taboo1 
,tailltiu 7,telltown1 ,co4 ,meath71     
,tara4 ,see ,temair4 ,tech meic in      
t,saeir1 ,teffia4 ,see ,tethba4 ,temair 
7,tara1 ,co4 ,meath71 ,templemacateer1  

,templevickinloyhe1 ,tendenz of         
biographies of ,ciaran1 ,tethba1        
threshing1 ,tigernmas1 ,tir na ,gabrai1 
,toirdelbach o ,briain1 tonsure1        
effacement of1 trade1 ,irish1           
transformations1 tree1 sacred1 ,tren1   
,tuathal ,moel-,garb1 king1 ,tulach na  
,crosain1 twins1   ,ui ,failge1 ,ui     
,maine1 ,ui ,neill1 ,uis4 ,see ,iustus4 
,uisnech1 uncle1 relationship of1       
voice1 recognition by1 voice heard from 
long distance1 voice from heaven1       
water turned to honey1   to wine1 ,see  
also transformations4 whirlpool1 wine1  
,winefred1 ,st41 wizards1 wolves1 women1
 relations with1   ,yseal1 ,ysseal4 ,see
 ,isel4           99       99       99  
99       99  ,,printed ,,in ,,great     
,,britain ,,by ,,richard ,,clay  ,,sons1
 ,,limited1 ,,bungay1 ,,suffolk4