¹ The venerable virgin named Darerca, surnamed Monynna, was born in the borders of the Conaille, her father being Mocteus, an excellent man. Bred in the plain of Coba and nurtured by the care of devout parents as was fitting, she resolved in the first years of her tender age, by the persuading grace of God, that she would keep the unfading flower of her virginity for as long as she should live. Some years after her birth, it came to pass that Saint Patrick arrived in the province in which she was born; and when certain persons had been brought to him by the care of devout men to be dipped in the sacred font of baptism and confirmed by the laying-on of hands, the holy Darerca, coming among the others who were flocking to him from every side, presented herself to the bishop. And the holy bishop, full of the Holy Spirit, seeing her, understanding her holy purpose and perceiving her fervent desire to serve God, gave her a blessing and, adding fitting admonitions, gave her the consecrated habit of a virgin near the pool of Briu — which, translated into Latin, means “of largesse” or “of abundance” — by which it was given to be understood that she would become a living fount of spiritual waters, from which many should draw the draughts of life.

² That same bishop, then, strengthening her with wholesome admonitions in the purpose she had begun and praising the dignity of the virginal life, commanded her to join to herself other virgins whom she might teach the fear of God; for by their help she would be sustained and gladdened by consolation, and would more easily accomplish the good she had begun. Then to a certain devout priest dwelling near her parents he committed the charge of guarding her and teaching her the psalms. Under his tuition she dwelt for some time, easily taking in what was taught by the subtlety of her intellect and holding it fast by the firmness of her memory, and in a short space she received great increase. To her, as they relate, were joined in the first place eight virgins and one widow with her little child, named Luger. Him Darerca adopted as her son; then, imbued with ecclesiastical manners, she raised him to the honour of the episcopal order. And he, by the urgency of his good life, presiding over all his people, namely the Conaille, built the church of Ruscach in the plain of Cuailgne to the honour of God.

³ Now that same virgin dwelt for some time with her parents; but seeing no abodes of nuns in her own nation, though it was converted to the faith, she resolved to leave her parents and kinsfolk and depart. For she was unwilling that the purpose of her religion should be weakened by the vain conversations and unfitting talk of worldly persons and the frequent company of her parents, as so often happens. The virgin of Christ, therefore, trusting in the Lord, set out upon the journey with the same eight virgins and the widow already named and certain others, desiring to come to the reverend bishop named Ibar, who was dwelling in the western islands of Ireland. And Saint Darerca, coming with her companions to the man of God, remained under his discipline for a long time with many other virgins.

⁴ After this, that same bishop, transferring himself from those islands and going to the southern region of Ireland, came to the island which they call Little Ireland, in which at last he died. But the sheep of Christ follow their shepherd. And when they had come into the region of Leinster, they heard the fame of the holy virgin Brigid dwelling there. Hearing this, Saint Darerca, with the leave of her master, turned aside with her virgins to visit her. And she is said to have remained with her for some time, receiving no mark of honour, but bearing herself humbly in all things. Yet the more she humbled herself, the more God exalted her above all others by the merits of her virtues — so that she was held to be second even to Brigid herself in holiness of life, in honour of manners and in the grace of virtues.

⁵ Obedient then to all the commands of the monastery, she was made by the abbess’s order the portress of the guest-house. This office also she fulfilled diligently, pleasing to all. For the Most High gave her the grace of conferring health upon the sick and of expelling demons from the possessed. And when such signs had made her known to the people, she became venerable to all — to such a degree that she was visited daily by many who brought alms and gifts to her holiness; but reserving nothing of all these things for herself, casting her care upon God, she bestowed everything upon the poor who came to her for Christ’s sake.

⁶ And when the sisters murmured that she gave everything to the use of the poor and reserved nothing for herself, she answered them, trusting in the Lord: “My sisters, those who possess Christ with firm faith, being content with food and clothing, will have all things in sufficiency. For those who desire to be rich, falling into the temptations of the devil, never cease to be hemmed in by cares and anxieties. If I have daily done what you blame in me, Christ working in His members, He can when He wills restore to you the losses you suppose, and lighten the toils of my sisters’ nakedness and hunger.”

⁷ These things said, she mounted the bed in which she was accustomed to rest, trusting in God, and found there twelve most excellent garments, although they had never been seen there before. When the virgin of Christ saw them, believing them to have been given her by God, she offered them to Saint Brigid, saying: “O Lady Brigid, see what God has given for the supply of your poverty.” Saint Brigid answered her and said: “Divide the garments sent you by the Lord among your own sisters as you will, for they are more needed by them than by ours.” It is also told that another great miracle was done by the same virgin there: namely, that a certain boy who rashly denied that those garments had been given to Saint Darerca by God was overtaken by sudden death, and at her prayers was restored to his life.

⁸ After this she went to that same bishop and dwelt under his protection at Ard Conays; and virgins and widows in very great numbers being gathered to her there, and queens and noble matrons flocking to her from every side, she showed herself a mistress of all probity, both by her words and by the example of a good life.

⁹ At another time it happened that the excessive heat of the sun in summer had so dried up the lands that the cisterns and springs of water failed. The sisters of Saint Darerca then, who lacked water, complained before their mistress of the scarcity of water. And the handmaid of God, moved by their complaints, obtained by her prayers from God a spring of living water. This water, so long as that heat lasted, is said to have furnished draught without ceasing, not only to the nuns but also to the dwellers round about. And when the miracle was made known, not only women but men also desired to approach the presence of the holy virgin — men who, though endowed with ample dignity, held it a great thing if they could deserve to receive the blessing of the most holy virgin.

¹⁰ The spirit of prophecy also, among the other gifts of the Holy Spirit, illuminated her soul, as is proved by the following miracle. That same holy bishop committed the daughter of a certain man of that region, where the nuns dwelt, to blessed Darerca as to a most faithful nurse, to be nurtured in the disciplines of the monastery. But Saint Darerca, seeing in the spirit the future conditions of the girl, said: “This little girl will be the cause why in time to come we shall be compelled to abandon this cell which we inhabit.” And the outcome of the matter proved it most certainly. For that same girl, coming to youthful age and inflamed by the brands of envy, stirred up her kinsfolk, by devilish persuasions, into hatred of Saint Darerca. The daughter of peace, perceiving this, said to her sisters: “See now — what God showed us in the beginning concerning that little girl is now made openly clear. If you suffer such things while I live, you will not be able to dwell here when I am dead. Let us therefore give place to envy, and leave to them all our goods, which the envious love, except our garments alone; and our God will provide another place for us to dwell in.”

¹¹ These things said, the beloved of God and of men set out upon the journey with fifty nuns. And they came to a certain river, passable until then by children and women, which at their coming suddenly swelled and denied them passage. The handmaid of God, seeing this, said to the sisters: “My sisters, consider and weigh that our own sins demand that this flood of waters should forbid us to cross. Let us therefore search our consciences, that if any of us bears the guilt of a transgression she may, devoutly confessing it, be free from its penalty.” Then one of the sisters answered and said: “As I came out of the monastery, I carried off a sheaf of other men’s goods which I had seen drying, thinking it was ours.” Saint Darerca said to her: “Carry it back at once to the place from which you took it. For if we left the greater things there, we ought not to have carried off the lesser without the leave of those to whom they belonged.” And when the nun, obeying the commands of her superior, had carried the sheaf back to its first place, the river’s flood at once returned to its own state and presented itself passable to the nuns.

¹² Then, turning aside to Saint Brigid and dwelling with her for some days, instructed by her angelic admonitions and confirmed in the faith, they resolved to take up their journey. And when they had asked Saint Brigid’s blessing for the comfort of the way, she answered them: “Almighty God guard you in the way by which you go, and bring it about that you arrive at the dwellings you desire.”

¹³ And having given them her blessing, she gave to Saint Darerca a certain small silver vessel, from which drink used to be drawn for persons of power — which in the Irish tongue is called an escra. The daughter, not daring to contradict the venerable mother, yet wishing to accept nothing besides her blessing, took the offered vessel reluctantly. But greeting her sisters and going out in haste, she laid up the gift already mentioned in a certain secret place, and so departed. When afterwards the same vessel was found by Saint Brigid’s maidens and presented to the holy mother Brigid, she said: “What we have given to God we ought not to take back”; and she commanded that it be cast into the neighbouring river called the Lyfi. And the vessel, cast into the river which flows eastward into the sea, against the accustomed course of nature — divine power working it — is said to have been found on the shore of the pool which the Irish call Head-of-the-Shore, by a certain holy man, Herbe the bishop, the brother of Darerca; who did not delay to give the vessel to Saint Darerca herself, whose monastery was situated near that same pool. Now Saint Darerca’s monastery is four days’ journey distant from the monastery of Saint Brigid.

¹⁴ After this the virgin of Christ, coming into the northern region of Ireland, visited her kinsfolk, like the sheep of the house of Israel that had perished. And when the journey was finished, she came at last to the plain called Muirthemne, which had been the chief dwelling-place of her own people — a nation which in ancient times had been imbued beyond the other bordering peoples with the skill of the magic arts, yet had been made Christian by the grace of God working through Saint Patrick. Dwelling there, then, the virgin of Christ, as is most certainly told, looked upon no man. And whenever necessity urged her to go out of her cell — to visit the sick, namely, or to loose the fettered from prison by prayer or by price — she made her way at night-time, lest she should be seen by men; and if she met anyone on the road, she was accustomed to speak with her face veiled.

¹⁵ At a certain time she came by night to certain handmaids of God, namely the daughters of Campan. And when the bride of Christ had been liberally provided for with her company according to their means, divine grace supplied by her hand what was lacking to their provision — namely, drink with which so great guests might be cheered. For she, blessing a vessel full of water, God working through her, that water was turned into the best wine. It is also said that while she was lodging with a certain one of her neighbours named Denech, she did there a most remarkable miracle: namely, a calf which the host — poor in means but rich in charity — had killed for her refreshment was found the next day, either itself or another wholly like it, alive with its mother.

¹⁶ Then, after a time, that same Denech, walking through his little field, is said to have found Saint Darerca and her sisters wearied by the sweat of a night journey — for it was the custom of the bride of Christ to walk more by night than by day, lest the sight of human things should corrupt her dove-like gaze. That same man, then, begged the handmaid of God to deign to turn aside to his lodging. And the lover of piety, condescending to the prayers of the suppliant, granted what the man asked. And when they had entered his house together, the devout host cheerfully ministered food and drink according to the measure of his means. Then the blessed virgin, having received refreshment, blessed the household goods of the house, but chiefly that vessel from which the beer had been brought. And the little beer which remained in the bottom of the vessel, by the grace of her blessing, was so increased that it quickly rose to the vessel’s brim. Then, addressing the host, she said to him: “To the guests whom you invite, from this little vessel believe that you shall pour as much as will suffice them on each occasion. And the modest substance which you have possessed until now, God the requiter of all good things shall from now on multiply for you and for your posterity. For beyond the possibility of your means you have pursued hospitality toward the servants and handmaids of Christ.” And having said these things, she departed.

¹⁷ After the handmaid of Christ had gone away, it came to pass that the same man invited to a meal the king of the Conaille, who was passing by his house. The king, wishing to spare his poverty, at first was unwilling to assent; but at last, overcome by the devotion of the man inviting him, he gave his assent. And when he sat down with his company, dishes were set before them, and beer was poured abundantly from the vessel blessed by the holy virgin. And this beer, through the blessing of Saint Darerca, is said to have sufficed for two days and as many nights for all the multitude that was with the king. That same man, then, who had received her blessing, grew in good things from day to day; and his posterity held the primacy among his people for many years.

¹⁸ The holy virgin, then, coming to the province of her birth, as we have said, is said first to have dwelt on mount Facartha. In that same place also she served God faithfully with her sisters, one hundred and fifty in number. But one night hearing the clamours of those who were celebrating a wedding, and dreading to hear them often, she removed herself from there to a certain place near the hill of Culind, that there she might hear the sweet colloquies of her Spouse without the impediment of worldly things. At the roots of that hill she caused a certain cell to be built for the handmaids of Christ.

¹⁹ There the daughter of John the Baptist and of Elijah the prophet, clothed in rough garments like a mighty hermit, is said to have waged a most valiant warfare in that same desert, with her sisters cleaving to one another indissolubly by the most tenacious glue of charity. For there, shining like a lamp set upon a lampstand with the light of miracles, she is not doubted to have put to flight the foul darkness of the northerners by the efficacy of devout prayer. For with how great frequentations of prayers and vigils, and with how great labours of her hands she afflicted herself, and with what struggles she sweated against the demons, and with how many flashings of miracles she shone forth, no one could fully number or know. For all the good she did she laboured to hide from the notice of men, so far as she could, except those things which sure necessity compelled to be shown to men. For she so followed in the footsteps of the earlier hermits that, digging the earth with her own labour, she sowed it; for she bore a manly spirit in a woman’s body. Her hoe and her digging-tool were preserved in her monastery with due honour for many years after her death. Her fur cloak and sheepskin also — more precious than garments all of silk — and the wooden comb with which she was accustomed to comb her hair once a year, namely on the Lord’s Supper, unless the utmost necessity of infirmity compelled her, they long preserved with great veneration.

²⁰ Dwelling thus in secret places, she was renowned through all the parts of Ireland for the splendour of her virtues. From there, in the progress of time, noble matrons from all the regions round about were accustomed to approach her presence, bending their knees to the ground and asking that they might enjoy her conversation or be commended to God in her prayers. Moreover the number of Christ’s virgins increased daily; and the flock of Christ was fed by alms sent frequently, not only from neighbouring but also from distant regions.

²¹ Then at a certain time, when the nuns were labouring near to death by hunger, she was roused from the height of contemplation to compassion for her sisters by the prompting of a certain prudent man, who spoke thus: “How long will you suffer your sisters and the handmaids of Christ to waste away with hunger? For you could succour them, if you would.” Hearing this, the virgin of Christ, suffused with the blush of modesty, having compassion on the wants of others more than her own, trusting in the Lord commanded many vessels to be gathered by her sisters and ordered them to be set in a secret and fitting place. Then entering the oratory, she poured out prayers through the night to God, who said: “Ask, and it shall be given you.” And because she was worthy to be heard, she obtained what she asked. For the next day all the vessels were found full of necessaries.

²² At another time, wolves rushing suddenly out of the woods attacked the calves of the nuns which were pastured on the hill near the monastery. And when the calves had been put to flight, they carried off one of them. The nuns reported what had happened to Darerca in complaint; who answered and said: “Do not be anxious about this. For He who snatched the prophet Daniel unharmed from the mouth of the lions will restore the calf safe, snatched from the teeth of wolves.” And so the next day the wolves brought the calf back unharmed to its own pastures.

²³ Then after some time had passed, certain robbers, ranging near the monastery, asked of a certain little woman who met them from where she came and where she was going. She answered: “I come from nearby, and I am going to Saint Darerca.” To whom they said in mockery: “Let Darerca know that we are not rich; yet though many gifts are sent to her from every side, let her deign to take up our alms, such as it is, now to be carried to her by you. For we believe its use will last her long.” Then taking up one of the stones that lay before them and setting it on the shoulders of the trembling old woman, they bound her by oath to put down the stone only in the presence of the holy virgin Darerca, and so they let her go. And when the woman had fulfilled what had been commanded — namely, setting the stone down before the virgin — it was at once changed into a substance of salt.

²⁴ A certain handmaid of Christ dwelt in a hidden little cell near the monastery, living the hermitic life. Her daily refreshment used to be sent her from the monastery. And when one day her dinner was being brought by one of the nuns, the bearer fell among robbers, who carried off the victuals and let her go back empty. And when she had reported to the mother what had happened, Darerca said to her, consoling her: “The reward of your labour remains whole for you, and what has been snatched from you God can restore to you untouched.” But those same robbers, after taking their prey, seeking out byways, were struck blind by divine power, so that for three days they wandered in the woods where they were most expert. At last coming to themselves, they confessed that the fault they had committed was being avenged upon them, and promised that they would do penance according to the judgement of the holy virgin, if they might know the right way. And because God is readier to have mercy than to condemn, after they had acknowledged their fault, the divine power opened their eyes and showed them the way to the monastery, which was near. And coming to the monastery, they presented themselves to the holy virgin; restoring what they had stolen, they humbly begged pardon prostrate on the ground, and willingly underwent the penance laid upon them. And renouncing their robberies, they departed with amendment of life.

²⁵ Among the other handmaids of God, a certain virgin named Brignat is said to have dwelt with the holy virgin. And Darerca, perceiving the signs of her future sanctity, is said to have sent her to the island of Britain, to the monastery of Rostnat, to receive the rules of the monastic life. But she, being a daughter of holy obedience, set out upon the journey without hesitation and came to the desired place without loss upon the way. She dwelt, therefore, in a certain little lodging near that same monastery, diligently fulfilling the command of the holy mother, where she read through the psalms and other books necessary to her. Her holy obedience completed, then, by God’s help, making a prosperous journey in her return as in her setting out, she came back to her own abbey.

²⁶ After this, Saint Darerca by her most devout prayers merited to raise again a certain newly-baptised girl who had been overtaken by sudden death; who lived many years afterwards.

²⁷ Moreover, as is proved by the truthful testimony of those who dwelt with her, the Angels frequently visited her and held familiar converse with her. This is most certainly proved by the following miracle. For one night, when the sisters were entering to celebrate matins and had not yet begun the holy office, she, striking the bell to enjoin silence, said: “O blessed women of the Lord, we must not pass over in silence what has happened to us this night. For our prayers until now could scarce ascend beyond the roof of the church, and the angelic guests who were accustomed to visit us — those I do not see visiting us this night. I do not doubt that this has happened on account of our sins. Let us therefore search our consciences as far as we can.” Hearing this, the nuns, struck with terror, believing their mistress rather than themselves, fell prostrate upon the ground. Then one of the widows, who had lately been converted from the secular life, rose up and said: “O Lady, I confess that the cause of this thing is my sin. For I confess that I received two shoes from a certain man to whom I had been unlawfully joined, and forgetfulness delaying me, I did not have your leave; and because of the cold I carry them on my feet.” The holy prophetess said to her: “It is expedient that these shoes, for which we suffer the absence of the Angels, be sunk in the depth of the waters.” Then Saint Darerca said to one of the sisters — namely, the one called Brignat, of whom we made mention a little before — and to the others with her: “Go,” she said, “and hide those shoes in some deep place, where no one will be able to find them.” And when they had gone and were fulfilling the command, the rest of the nuns carried through the vigils they had begun. And when the vigils were finished, the blessed virgin said: “We ought to give thanks to our God with devoted minds, for now our prayers can reach the heavens with no obstacle forbidding them, and the longed-for guests do not disdain to approach us, now that the matter of divine offence has been cast away.” So it is clearly given to be understood how greatly she kept herself pure from the greater faults, who perceived that her prayers were impeded by venial sins; and with how great diligence she did not suffer the greater to grow, who took care to amend the lesser with such haste.

²⁸ Those same sisters, their obedience fulfilled, returned and knocked at the door of the oratory, and perceived that the office of matins was complete. And a virgin named Briga, going with the others, said: “Before day dawns, enter the little dormitory for rest.” And when they had entered the dormitory, that same virgin Briga approached the little chamber where Saint Darerca was accustomed to pray and to hold the converse of Angels. But as she drew near the place, she saw, as it were, two swans flying from that place. And gazing at them more intently — for she perceived that they hid something other than what they seemed — she dared not gaze longer. Struck, then, by the terror of that wondrous vision, she fell to the ground and, praying God earnestly that she might not perish, at last rose up trembling; and knocking gently at the little door, she showed that she had fulfilled her obedience, and, being greatly terrified, had scarce been able to keep her spirit within her. Saint Darerca said to her: “Sign yourself with the sign of the cross. Perhaps a vision of beasts or of demons has driven you to distraction, as often happens in the desert.” But she said: “It is not so, Lady; I saw two swans of the whitest colour ascend from your little cell, at the wondrous sight of which I began to tremble.” And the mother said to the daughter: “Now I know truly that God, who reveals hidden things for the merits of men, has deigned to enrich you this night with His grace. For He has deigned to reveal to you the vision of His ministers which He hides from others. It is time, therefore, that you go to dwell in the land of your birth, and profit others according to the grace given you.” And she added: “The eyes also with which you beheld the Angels you shall lose from this time forth; but you shall have better ones in their place, with which you shall see God. And you shall reveal your vision to no one before I die.” The handmaid of Christ, then, obeying the command of her mistress, went to her own country; and finding a fitting place there for the dwelling of nuns, removed one day’s journey from the monastery of Saint Darerca, she remained there, bereft of her bodily sight so long as she lived.

²⁹ These things done, as the day drew near on which Saint Darerca must pay the debt of nature, the growing weight of her sickness, spread abroad far and wide, brought immense grief to the peoples dwelling round about. Therefore King Eugenius, son of Conall, who at that time ruled over three provinces — namely Muirthemne, Cuailgne and Cobra — and other chiefs of the peoples, came with a great multitude with one accord to visit her at the place near the monastery. And all these sent Bishop Herbeus, of whom we have made mention before, to the virgin Darerca herself, that he might faithfully bring the message of the whole people, speaking these words: “O Lady, we beg you by our kinship — for many of her kindred were among them, and King Eugenius himself was Conaille on his mother’s side — and by the affinity which we hold in flesh and soul, we beg that you deign to dwell with us on earth for the space of at least one year. Do not, therefore, suffer us to be orphans this year by your death. For we are certain that whatever you ask of God you will at once obtain. Every one of us who is a man of power will give a free handmaid to the Lord for your life. Every man bearing arms will give a full-grown cow of his own free will. All these things, gathered together, shall lie at your will.”

³⁰ To whom she sent back this answer by the bishop, saying: “May you be blessed by God who made heaven and earth — you who, humbling your dignity, have come to visit me in my mean estate and sickness. For if you had asked this yesterday or the day before, perhaps God’s clemency would have consented to your petition; but today I cannot yield to you. For venerable guests, Peter and Paul namely, sent by God’s condescension to take my soul away with them, who hear our colloquies, are now present with me. I see them holding between them a certain linen cloth, of wondrous workmanship and woven with gold. With these, then, I must go forth to my Lord, who sent them for me. But may almighty God, with whom a ready will is held in place of the deed, render you a worthy recompense. And as for that with which you proposed to buy back my life, let each of you give it to God for his own soul. May you be blessed by the Lord who made heaven and earth and all things — blessed, I say, with your wives and children and possessions. My fur cloak also and my sheepskin, and my hoe and the rest of my implements, I leave with you: which, if you carry them with you against enemies coming to lay waste your provinces, doubt not that by them, God’s grace granting it, you will have the victory. But presume not to cross your own borders to lay waste other regions, unless perhaps a greater power should compel you, lest a worthy vengeance of God come upon you. And do not grieve at my absence. For I believe that Christ, with whom I shall now remain, will grant me whatever I shall ask in heaven no less than those things which I asked of Him on earth.”

³¹ Sending back these and like answers by that same bishop, she said farewell to each of them, calling them by their own names. But the people, hearing these things, cast down their arms, and weeping and wailing raised an immense lamentation to the heavens. At last, comforted by the exhortations of the bishop, they returned each to their own dwellings. And so, all things being disposed which pertained to her monastery thereafter, and many things that were to come in future time being foretold in order by the spirit of prophecy, on the day on which such things were done — that is, the day before the nones of July, which is also the octave of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul — having fought the good fight and happily finished her course, she passed over to Christ, with whom she reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

³² On the third day after her death she is said to have appeared in bodily form to one of the sisters, named Taunat, who for some compelling reason — I know not what — had come out of the dormitory one night after compline and was standing in prayer beside the cross placed near the monastery. Taunat, recognising her, fell at her feet, saying: “Lady, what do you command me to do?” But she said: “Go back to the dormitory, and command the sisters to labour to keep the law of silence with diligent care at such an hour, and not to permit their voices to be heard outside the dormitory. For why have they transgressed the rule whose limits they may by no means transgress? O my daughters, you must not neglect the little things, lest afterwards you neglect the greater in like manner. And you yourself, a week from now, shall come to me. In the meantime, therefore, prepare your journey.” And she, rejoicing at such a promise, accompanied her mistress as far as the spring set in the northern part of the monastery, where she vanished from her eyes. The woman, returning to the house, recounted to her sisters all that had happened to her; who, partly rejoicing at the report of so great a vision and partly struck with dread, fell prostrate upon the ground. And that same Taunat, when the week had passed, took her viaticum, said farewell to the sisters, entered her own chamber, and there, gathering up both her feet and stretching herself out, fell asleep in Christ.

³³ After the death of Saint Darerca, as she herself had appointed, Bia was abbess, then Indiu, then Derlasra, who presided over the monastery for sixty years. In her time a renowned miracle came to pass. For she, according to the custom of the Irish nation, was building in Saint Darerca’s monastery a church of smoothed boards with studious art, and had almost completed the work begun. But there was still lacking for the completion of the building that timber which the Latins call the spina — the beam, namely, which is set at the summit of the building to join the two walls together. The craftsmen went into the woods to seek so necessary a timber, searched, and at last found one in a certain inaccessible and steep place. But when the tree was felled, they could by no means remove it, on account of the most difficult situation of the place. The abbess, knowing these things and despairing of bringing the timber to the monastery, turned to the patronage of Saint Darerca and said: “Saint Darerca now lives in heaven, for whom this house is being built on earth; she can help us, if she wills.” The next day, therefore, the beam in question was found by the craftsmen in a level place near the monastery, which could be approached without injury to beasts of burden or of men. Then the craftsmen’s curiosity, wishing to discover whether any trace of so great a timber had appeared upon the way, beheld certain branches broken at the tops of the trees. So it is given to be understood that what could not be done by human strength was most easily accomplished by divine power, the Angels ministering. For that timber, which was found upon the highest crags and could not be brought down to earth by human art from so eminent a place, was carried down through the air by angelic skill to the level road, without difficulty.

³⁴ At another time, a bishop of venerable life named Finbarr, whose surname was Finnian, journeying to that same monastery, is said to have come down suddenly from the hill that stood near the monastery. And when his coming was known, the abbess herself, Derlasra by name, said to the girl who attended her: “Draw water from Saint Darerca’s spring, and with it fill the little casks in which some yeast remains; and when the casks are filled, all being shut out, remaining alone, earnestly beg the aid of Saint Darerca by prayers.” And when she had done this, by the virtue of the blessing which she gave in the virgin’s name, the water, fermenting, was turned into the best beer. Those who drank of that beer were sufficiently refreshed.