This Life of Saint Declán is conventionally attributed to an anonymous Ardmore hagiographer (Plummer, 1910). However, Sharpe (1981) suggested Eugenius may have authored the work, possibly as a self-legitimising effort (Harrington, 2023).

Plummer, C. (1910) Vitae sanctorum Hiberniae: partim hactenus ineditae ad fidem codicum manuscriptorum recognovit prolegomenis notis indicibus instruxit. 2 vols. Oxonii: E Typographeo Clarendoniano.
Sharpe, R. (1981) Medieval Irish Saints’ Lives: An Introduction to Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae. Oxford: Clarendon Press, p. 32.
Harrington, R. (2023) ‘A one-Man Diocese? Eugenius, Author and Architect of the Episcopal See of Ardmore’, Espacio, Tiempo y Forma. Serie III, Historia Medieval, 36, pp. 69–82.

Here begins the life of Saint Declán, bishop and confessor

¹ The most blessed bishop Declan was born of the most noble line of the kings of Ireland, who for many ages held the sovereignty of all Ireland most firmly in the city of Tara. As will now be shown to you, dearest brothers, his genealogy is as follows. Eochaid (Eochu) Fedlech, from whom we trace the line of this genealogy, was a most powerful king, who extended his rule from Tara throughout all Ireland. He had three sons, namely Bres, Nar, and Lothar, who were called the three Finn Eamna. From this stock, both before the coming of the faith and after it arrived there, many kings ruled Ireland from Tara for many years. Now the three sons of Eochaid—Bres, Nar, and Lothar—slept with one of their sisters, named Clothra, each of them unaware that the others had also lain with her. She did not tell them at the time, but later made it known. The woman conceived by them and bore a handsome son, the three conceptions being joined together in him. This son had three red circles dividing his body across its breadth, as a sign of the three conceptions. This man was called Lugaid Red-Stripe, because he bore those three red bands upon his body. He was handsome in appearance, strong in power, and renowned for great deeds from his youth. He began to reign in the year when Gaius Caesar was killed, and he ruled in Tara for twenty-six years; and in the year when Peter and Paul were handed over to death by Nero, he himself was slain by the people of Leinster. He had a son named Crimthann, who ruled for a short time—ten years—and then died. Crimthann left a son named Feradach Finnfechtnach, who ruled in Tara for thirty years. Feradach begot Fiachna Finnfolaidh, who ruled for thirteen years and was himself killed in Tara. Fiachna Finn begot a son called Tuathal Techtmar, so named because he held various regions under great authority. He ruled in Tara for twenty-three years and was killed by the people of Ulster. Tuathal Techtmar begot Fedlimid Rechtmar, who established great laws in his kingdom and ruled for nine years. He had three sons: Conn Cétchathach, Eochu Finn, and Fiacha Suigde. Conn reigned for twenty years; but the fame of his fruitfulness, peace, and goodness will endure until the end of the world. And he was slain by the leader of the Ulstermen, Tibraide Tirech, in the plain of Coba; and his descendants have reigned in Tara through the ages. Eochu Finn, the second son of Fedlimid, went to the province of Leinster, where his descendants dwell always in various places; from them come nobles and powerful men who are numbered among the Leinstermen. Fiacha Suigde, however, held the region around Tara, but died without the kingship of Ireland, having three distinguished sons whose names were Ross, Oengus, and Eogan, who were warlike and highly esteemed in battle. But Oengus was a hero of intolerable fury and strength. Now while Cormac, son of Art, son of the Conn already mentioned, was ruling Ireland in Tara, a certain noble and powerful man, who was an enemy of the king, refused to make peace with him, unless King Cormac gave him that same Oengus with his brothers as a guarantor of his personal safety. At first the king refused to do this, but afterwards he agreed. And taking Oengus into his protection, that man came to the king and made peace with him. But after some days Cellach, the son of King Cormac, seized that man without his father’s permission, namely the king’s, and put out his eyes. When Oengus heard this, he was filled with great fury and at once ran to Tara, where that son was with his father the king, before them all, with no one able to oppose him. And when, because of the gathering of many armed men and that mighty warrior before them, they saw him coming to Tara, the king ordered the gates of the stronghold to be shut, saying: “Truly it is Oengus before his brothers, wishing to avenge upon us the protection we pledged him.” When this word was heard from the king, the hearts of all melted, knowing and fearing his most daring strength. And when Oengus saw the gates of the fortress closed against him, in his fury, strength, and swiftness he lightly lifted himself into the air and stood upon the height of the outermost rampart, and leapt from rampart to rampart until he was in the middle of Tara with his weapons. And he entered the palace in which the king was, seeking Cellach his son, so that he might kill him without delay. But that son, while all fled here and there, stood before his father the king, wishing to defend himself with him. And the champion of the city of Tara, a strong man, wishing also to defend the king, came and stood between the king and his son. But Oengus counted their attack as nothing. For, brandishing his poisoned spear, he hurled it against them and fixed it in the breast of Cellach, the king’s son; and it passed through him into the breast of that champion, and through his back reached the eye of King Cormac. And the king’s son and that champion at once fell to the ground around the spear. And had they not already fallen upon the spear, it would have gone further with them through the king’s head. And so Oengus with one blow slew Cellach, the king’s son, and the champion of Tara, and destroyed the eye of King Cormac. And wishing again to strike down the king, the king begged him by the gods and by their kinship to spare him. For they were pagans, worshipping gods, indeed idols, according to their own will. And when Oengus saw the king’s son and the noble champion dead, his fury began to subside; and moved by kinship, he spared the king, and returned from Tara in great triumph.

² Then King Cormac of Ireland, who reigned for forty-two years, grieving for his son and his great champion, and for the loss of his eye, gathered no small bands of soldiers and began to drive Oengus with his brothers from their territories—that is, from the region of Tara which is called na n-Desse—and not only from there, but from all the northern regions. For he greatly feared them, because the kingship belonged to them as it did to himself. They, however, in accordance with their nobility, resisted bravely and resolutely for some time; and they fought seven battles among themselves, in which Oengus with his brothers made great slaughter, but in the end they were overcome, and many of their people were killed. Afterwards, no longer able to withstand large royal forces throughout the various regions of Ireland, they left their homeland—that is, the region of Mide—and came into the province of Leinster; and from there, after a year, they went on to Munster. But the people of Osraige, who dwell on the western side of Leinster toward Munster, did them injury as they passed through. And when they came to the king of Munster, namely Ailill Olom, who had as his wife a renowned and most excellent queen by natural virtue, namely Sadhbh daughter of Conn Cétchathach, their kinsman, he gave them good honour and granted that they might win for themselves a territory on the border of Munster by their own arms, whether against the Connachta or against the Leinstermen, or even against their own homeland—that is, taking part from Munster and part from another region. For they did not wish to receive any land except what they might win by their swords on some frontier as a mark of their valour. And they chose to fight against the people of Osraige, who had wronged them without cause. On the border of Munster and Leinster, around the river Suir, they contended for a great and very fine territory in four battles—two against the Leinstermen, that is, the people of Osraige, and two against the Munstermen—in which Oengus proved formidable beyond endurance. They drove the people of Osraige from the middle of the plain of Femen eastwards as far as the river Linnan, which is now the boundary between Leinster and Munster in that region, dividing the land of na n-Desi and Osraige. And from the middle of the said plain they laid waste, by force of arms, the inhabitants of the region which was once called Tír na Féne, but is now called Fir Maige, as far as the small plain in which the city of Bríg Gobann is situated. They also expelled the inhabitants of the region of Uí Liatháin, from the river which was once called Nem, now namely the Abhainn Mhór, as far as the place of Cill Chobthaigh, which is now on the boundary of na n-Desi and Uí Liatháin, after defeating them decisively in battle there. After these four battles they seized a great and fertile territory, both land and water, extending from north to south from the river Luasc to the sea, and from west to east from the same place, namely Cill Chobthaigh, to the strait of Miletach, which now divides the Leinstermen and the Munstermen, between the people of na n-Desi and the people of Fir Galeoin. And those three brothers—Ross, Eogan, and Oengus—divided that region among themselves into three parts in great harmony, including plains, mountains, and forests. From their names the land is still named. Their descendants, moreover, bearing the ancient name at Tara as na n-Desi, are leaders of the people of na n-Desi, from the line of Eogan son of Fiacha, son of Fedlimid Rechtmar, throughout the ages. From him was born Cairbre Rígfhota, a powerful leader of the na n-Desi, who begot Conra Cathbuadach; he was called Cathbuadach because he was victorious in battles. Conra begot Cúán Cambréthach, who was not unjust in judgments; from him was born Mess Foir. He begot Moscegra, from whom was born Moss Corb; he begot Ard Corb, from whom was born the second Eogan; from him Brian, from him Niath, from him Lugaid, from him Trén, who begot Erc, the father of Saint Declan. These were the leaders of the people of na n-Desi from the time when they themselves came from Tara down to the birth of Saint Declan.

³ Erc, the chieftain of the na n-Desi, Saint Declan’s father, was invited with many others to the house of his kinsman named Dobran, and his wife, named Dethiden — that is, Care — went with him. Then the time of her giving birth came upon her, for she was with child, carrying Declan in her womb; and she gave birth without difficulty, at once, on account of the holiness of the infant lying hid in her womb. And when she sought to rise in the hour of the birth, she brought forth a beautiful little infant; and the child’s head fell before her upon a great stone. And at once signs and miracles appeared by God’s grace with the holy Declan from his mother’s womb, as it is written through the prophet: “From the womb I sanctified you, and appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Thus the most blessed Declan, inspired by God, appeared as a prophet to the nations — he who converted the dwellers of many places from heathenism to Christ, as you shall hear. For the crown of the holy infant Declan’s tender little head, falling upon the stone as we have said, made a hollow in the very hard stone in the shape of his head, and did his head no harm. Those who were there, seeing this miracle, marvelled greatly at the child. Now Ireland was then given over to heathenism, and in those days single Christians were rarely to be found — yet they could live there without persecution. And the stone upon which Saint Declan was born is called Declan’s Stone to this day; it now stands out of doors in the court, and through the rainwater that lies upon it in the mark of Saint Declan’s head, by his holiness and the working of divine grace, sicknesses and pains are surely driven away.

⁴ On the very night of the most blessed Declan’s birth, another great miracle appeared in the same place. For a fiery globe, seen by many of the neighbours dwelling near that place, burned upon the roof-ridge of the house in which Saint Declan lay, stretching itself upward to heaven. And angels were seen going up and down about that globe, singing psalms in harmonious voices, after the likeness of the ladder which appeared in a dream to the holy patriarch Jacob. Seeing and hearing these things, they rejoiced at a mystery hidden from them; for those heathens did not know that almighty God was glorifying His future holy servant with miracles from his very birth — he who had just been born on earth.

⁵ While men were telling these things in the hearing of a certain Christian whose name was Colman — a devout and holy priest who afterwards became a renowned bishop — he came with great joy, filled with the spirit of prophecy, to the place where the holy infant Declan had been born. And he preached the faith of Christ to the child’s parents, since God had shown His grace to them in their son; and he prophesied the glory and honour their son would have before God and men, and foretold the course of the life before him in this world. They, by God’s will believing the holy priest Colman, gave him their son to baptise. Then Saint Colman baptised the most holy little infant, giving him the name Declan. And after the baptism he said prophetically to the child before all present: “You, truly my son — rather, my lord — shall be high and honoured before God and men in heaven and on earth; and the fame of your holiness and charity and goodness shall fill all the four quarters of Ireland, and you shall turn the people of the na n-Desi from the devil’s error to the way of Christ. And at once I will hold brotherhood with you, and I commend myself to your holiness.” After these words and deeds the blessed Colman returned to his own place in joy, bidding that the holy infant be carefully nurtured and that in his seventh year he be given over to learning, if a lettered Christian could be found near at hand. And great joy appeared on the face of the holy infant in the presence of his blessed baptiser; and all present felt that within he rejoiced in spirit.

⁶ Hearing and seeing all these things, the Dobran already mentioned — the kinsman of Erc the chieftain, Saint Declan’s father, in whose dwelling Saint Declan had been born — earnestly begged Declan’s parents to entrust the child to him to rear; and Saint Declan was given to him to foster. The place where Saint Declan was born had formerly been called Dobran’s homestead, but is now called Declan’s homestead. For that same Dobran, Saint Declan’s fosterer, offered the place itself to Saint Declan and moved his own stronghold elsewhere; and in that place, long afterwards, Saint Declan, when he was bishop, built a cell to God. The place itself is in the southern part of the na n-Desi, east of the field which the Irish call Magh Sciath — that is, the Field of the Shield — not far from the famous city of Saint Carthage called Lismore. And for seven years Saint Declan was fostered with great care by the Dobran already mentioned, his father’s kinsman, whom the holy boy loved dearly. In those same years of the holy child Declan’s infancy God showed great miracles through him; and the holy child himself, the grace of Christ wonderfully inspiring him, kept himself from all the unlawful rites of heathenism like a devout and practised Christian.

⁷ When the seven years of Saint Declan’s age were completed, he was handed over by the common consent of his parents and fosterers to learn letters — as the blessed Colman had commanded — under Saint Dimma, a devout and wise man, proven in the faith of Christ, who by God’s will had lately come at that time to Ireland, his own native land, having become a faithful Christian, and had built a cell in that region. And another boy, named Cairpre son of Colum, who afterwards was a holy and venerable bishop, was handed over together with Saint Declan to the blessed Dimma to study; and they both read diligently under him.

⁸ Seven men who dwelt in that Field of the Shield had seen, with the rest, the globe from heaven which appeared on the night of Saint Declan’s birth; but they, beyond the others, were gifted by God’s grace with the spirit of prophecy. And these seven came together to Saint Declan and, taking him as their lord and master, foretold before all that he would be their bishop, saying prophetically: “The day will come, dear son, servant of the great God, on which we shall offer you ourselves and our lands.” And so it came to pass. For, believing in God, they received baptism in the name of the Trinity and became most holy men; and they built seven fine cells to God round about the Field of the Shield already mentioned.

⁹ Under Saint Dimma, then, the most blessed Declan studied for a long time, and he drank deep of the sweet draughts of the various scriptures of learning, becoming subtle and keen and eloquent in them. And many, knowing Saint Declan’s noble birth and seeing and hearing of his holiness, his devotion and his charity in all things, came to him and willingly put their necks under the yoke of his discipline. Then it came into Saint Declan’s mind to go to Rome, that there he might learn the ways of the Church, receive holy orders and a licence to preach from the Roman see, and bring back with him order and rules after the Roman practice. And taking certain of his disciples into his company, he crossed the sea and went to Rome, and stayed there many days. At that same time Saint Ailbe had been at Rome many years, a disciple of the bishop Saint Hilary, by whose command and request the blessed pope had ordained Ailbe bishop. And when Saint Declan came to Rome with his disciples, Ailbe rejoiced with great joy at his coming and made his nobility and holiness known to the Roman people. And the most blessed Declan found great honour and affection among the people and clergy of Rome, for they understood his goodness. For Saint Declan was beautiful in face, noble in bearing, humble in walk, sweet in speech, great in counsel, vigorous in preaching, cheerful in charity, generous in giving, holy in life, and frequent in wonders and miracles. And after many days Saint Declan was ordained bishop by the lord pope, many urging it. And afterwards, books and rules having been given him, he was sent to his own country, that is, Ireland, to preach there. And having received leave and blessing from the pope and the people of the Roman Church, the holy bishop Declan set out on his journey to Ireland; and many from Rome followed the holy bishop Declan, wishing to live in pilgrimage under him — among whom came a son of the king of the Romans, Lunan by name, whom Saint Declan loved dearly. And Saint Declan and Saint Patrick met one another in Italy — Patrick, who was afterwards sent by Pope Celestine to preach to the Irish, and who is archbishop of all Ireland — and greeting one another in peace, they made brotherhood between themselves. And with the kiss of peace Saint Declan came to Ireland, while Saint Patrick went on to Rome.

¹⁰ While the most blessed bishop Declan was offering the holy sacrifice in a certain church on the way, a little black bell was sent him by God from heaven, which came to him through the church window and stood upon the altar before him. Saint Declan, receiving it with joy, gave thanks to Christ; and by such a gift the holy man was strengthened against the barbarous fierceness of the heathen. And he gave it to the Lunan already mentioned, the son of the king of the Romans, to carry and keep. That bell the Irish call Declan’s Dubyn, giving it its name from its blackness and ascribing it to Declan; and through it many signs have been worked by God’s grace through the holiness of its owner from that day to this — and it is kept with honour in Saint Declan’s city.

¹¹ Then the holy bishop Declan came with his disciples to the sea of Icht, which divides Gaul from Britain, but he could not sail because the sailors demanded an excessive fare from him. Seeing this, the holy man took the bell already mentioned in his hand and, striking it, prayed to almighty Christ to help him. And at once, by divine guidance, they saw an empty ship coming to him from wave to wave, with neither man nor sail. And Saint Declan said to his companions: “Let us go aboard that ship in Christ’s name; and He who has brought it to us will make it carry us safely across the sea.” At the saint’s word they went aboard, and at once, by God’s will, it turned back into the deep and began to run through the furrows of the sea; and in complete calm and with a swift voyage it came to the land of Britain. And when the holy bishop Declan and his company had landed in the harbour, the ship returned to the place from which it had come. Knowing and seeing such a miracle, they magnified Christ, the Son of God, in His saints — then was fulfilled the word of David which says: “God is wonderful in His saints.”

¹² Afterwards Saint Declan came to Ireland, having the wisdom of the serpent with the meekness of the dove, and began to scatter the seed of life throughout it. For he himself, like the wise bee, was full of the sweet marrow of the scriptures. Four most holy bishops with their disciples were in Ireland before Patrick, preaching there and converting many to Christ — that is, Ailbe, Declan, Ibar and Ciaran; and these drew many to Christ in the gospel net. Yet Saint Patrick converted the greater and more powerful of Ireland to the faith, and he holds the highest archbishopric over all Ireland. Saint Ailbe, Saint Declan and Saint Ibar made a great brotherhood and fellowship among themselves and their successors until the end of the world, in earth and in heaven, loving one another; but Saint Declan and Saint Ailbe loved each other with so great a brotherly love that they wished always to be together, unless the needs of their disciples compelled them to part. And the holy bishop Declan came to his own people, the na n-Desi, and began to preach to them the faith of the Holy Trinity, to baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and to turn them from the devil to the one almighty God Himself. And he established many places for God, in which he appointed some of his disciples to dwell, to serve Christ and to instruct the heathen, turning them from the worship of the devil to the gospel of Christ.

¹³ On one occasion Saint Declan visited the place in which he himself was born, and remained there forty days, and established in it a cell of men of religious life. Then there came to Saint Declan the seven saints already mentioned who dwelt round about the Field of the Shield — the men who in his childhood had prophesied of him — and they offered themselves, with their cells and all that was theirs, as we have already noted. These are the names of those seven saints: Mochelloc, Bean, Colman, Lachnyn, Mobi, Findlug and Caminan; who afterwards lived most devoutly under Saint Declan’s care, and through them many signs were worked by God.

¹⁴ The most blessed father Declan wished to preach to Aengus son of Nafrach, the king of the Munstermen who reigned in the city of Cashel, and he went to him in that city. And Saint Declan had two brothers by the same mother — sons of his mother and not of his father — who had been born sons of that same King Aengus of Cashel; those sons were named Colman and Eochu. Colman, indeed, divine grace inspiring him, went of his own accord to Saint Ailbe the bishop, was baptised and received the religious habit from him, and remained with him reading diligently, and became a holy and wondrous man. But Eochu remained a layman, awaiting the kingdom after his father. This Eochu asked his father the king to show honour to his brother Declan. And the king did honour to Saint Declan and did not forbid him to preach; and the religion and teaching of the saint pleased him — yet he did not believe him or receive baptism from him. And it is related by some that the reason the king was unwilling to be baptised by Saint Declan was that Saint Declan was of the people of the na n-Desi — a people always hostile to the king’s own people, the Eoganachta, from whom Munster is ruled — and that he was unwilling to take a patron from that people, and not from unbelief, as is shown in this matter. For this same king, hearing that the archbishop Patrick was coming to him — who was born of the race of the Britons, with whom the king had neither ill-will nor hatred — not only believed him, but went out of his city to meet him with joy and, believing at once, was baptised by him. But Saint Declan, having sown the counsels of salvation there, returned to his own believing people and baptised them — all but their chieftain with certain of his men, who kept promising daily to believe and be baptised but, the devil persuading him afresh, refused from day to day.

¹⁵ Common report says that Saint Declan visited Rome many times, but in the ancient writings we find no more than three. Returning on one of these occasions, he came to the holy bishop of the Britons named David, who dwelt in his city of Cell Muine, which lies on the shore of the sea that divides Ireland from Britain, and he was honourably received there. And Saint Declan remained there, at Saint David’s request, for forty days in all charity, himself celebrating mass daily. The two bishops — Declan and David — established a brotherhood in Christ’s name between themselves and their people for ever. And after the forty days, having received the blessing and leave of the most holy bishop David and his brethren, the blessed father Declan with his company went aboard ship and began to sail for Ireland. And Saint Declan’s bell — the one cast to him by God from heaven through the window onto the altar — was then in the company after its custom, still in the keeping of that Lunan to whom it had first been entrusted to guard. But that day Lunan gave his bell to one of the company — the son of Testa — to carry with him into the ship. And he, coming to the shore, set it upon a rock, being busy with something else, thinking that he would afterwards remember to take it with him into the ship; but he forgot it there until the ship, under full sail, was cleaving the midst of the sea before a driving wind. When the holy bishop Declan heard that his dear bell, given him as God’s gift, had been left behind on the shore, he grieved deeply in his heart over it — and all who were with him likewise. And the man of God, looking to heaven, prayed silently to Christ. When that short prayer was ended, he said to his sorrowing disciples: “Put away your sadness, my sons; for God, who gave it, can bring it to us in a wondrous vessel.” O how beautifully then did the creature obey its Creator, against the heaviest nature given it at its creation! For that rock — truly a great stone of the hardest kind — at the divine command entered the sea and swam lightly on a swift straight course after the ship, bearing the bell upon it. And when the men of God who were in the ship saw this a little while later, they marvelled at the wondrous thing done before them by God’s will, and were filled with love of Christ and honour for their master. Then the holy bishop Declan, filled with the spirit of prophecy, said to them: “Steer the ship straight after the stone; for in whatever place it reaches harbour, near that place shall be my city, in which the seat of my bishopric shall remain; and in it I shall pass to Christ, and from its soil shall be my resurrection.” And the stone at once went before the ship, leading it by a short space; nor did it move except as the ship could follow it. And the stone steered its course to Ireland and swam along its southern side at a moderate distance from land, from shore to shore; and the ship was steered after it, as the holy man had commanded. And that stone, coming to a certain island ringed by the sea in the southern part of the na n-Desi country, took harbour on its shore; and the ship likewise reached the same place, as Saint Declan had commanded. And the holy man, going ashore there, gave thanks to God for the place of his resurrection. On that island is a notable hill, from which the island was named by the dwellers of that land — Ard na Choerach, which means in Latin “the Height of the Sheep”; for the sheep of the wife of the chieftain of that region used to graze on that island and to lie on that hill after feeding. And one of his disciples, seeing from that hill the island ringed by the sea, said to Saint Declan: “How can this small height support your people?” Saint Declan answered him: “By no means shall it be called Small Height, but Great Height.” And so Saint Declan’s city, set in that place, is called by the Irish Ard Mor, that is, Great Height.

¹⁶ After this the holy bishop Declan went to the chieftain of the na n-Desi and asked that island of him, and the chieftain gave the island to the holy bishop at once. And the holy bishop Declan, returning, came to Bressal’s homestead, where there were boats to carry him to that island. But the inhabitants of that place greatly disliked that Saint Declan should wish to dwell on the island, and they hid their craft to injure the saint, so that he could not enter the island. Then Saint Declan’s disciples said to him: “Father, while you live we shall often have to put up with this need of sailing to and fro, and more often still after your passing to heaven. So we beg you heart and voice either to forsake that island, or to ask the Father in the name of the Son through the unity of the Holy Spirit — as the Son of God Himself said: ‘If you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it you’ — that this channel be thrust from its place into the deep, and its place become dry land before your city. For that place cannot be well or easily inhabited because of this channel; so a city cannot be there — scarcely even a cell.” The holy man answered them: “How can I forsake the place predestined for me by God, that I should die and be buried in it? As for what you say of the difficulty of dwelling there — I know it, and you know it, and God knows it best. But to pray for the moving of this channel against God’s will — that I will not ask; yet at your bidding I will pour out prayers to the Lord, and what pleases God my Creator He will do of His own accord.” And when the man of God rose from prayer, his disciples said to him: “Father, take your staff and strike the water of the channel after the likeness of the rod of Moses, and afterwards, as you have said, let God do what He wills.” And the disciples prayed to God together with their holy patron, for they were holy and proven men. And the staff being put into the hand of the holy bishop Declan, he struck the water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, signing it with the sign of Christ’s holy cross. And at once, by the great will of God, the channel began to flee from its place into the deep before the saint of God, like a torrent from the womb of a mountain; and the swift beasts of the sea could scarcely follow the waters as they swam, and many fish were rolling in the mud on the shore abandoned by the waters they were used to. And the servant of Christ, the holy bishop Declan, holding his staff in his hand, followed the waters, and his disciples followed him. And there was a great tumult and noise in the sea, from the beasts and the waters. But when the holy bishop had come to the place where the boundary of land and sea now is, a devout boy who was following in Saint Declan’s footsteps, named Manchin, fearing with horror the sea-creatures that fled with the channel and writhed upon the shore — which all opened their gaping mouths very wide — said to Saint Declan: “Holy father, you have driven the sea far enough from its place, for we fear its beasts.” And at his word the sea at once stood still in that very place and drew back no farther. Seeing this, the holy bishop Declan was displeased and gave him a light slap upon his nose, saying: “It was not I who drove it out, but my God by His great power; and He would have driven it much farther had you not spoken as you did.” And three drops of blood fell from his nose to the ground in three places; and seeing this the saint blessed the boy’s forehead, and at once the blood ceased. And under the feet of the man of God three little springs of clear sweet water sprang up from the three places where the boy’s three drops of blood had fallen; and they remain there to this day, and at long intervals still appear in the likeness of blood as a sign of his power. The space of that channel driven back — a mile in breadth and a long way in length round the island — is the best and most fruitful land for hay and tillage, subject to the city of the holy father Declan. Then, in the words of the psalmist, dry land without water appeared after the outgoings of the driven-back waters. And the staff that was in Saint Declan’s hand at the driving back of the channel has been called in Irish the Fertach Declain from that day to this — that is, Declan’s Wondrous Staff — because many wonders are worked through that staff at all times for the holiness of the most blessed Declan. Of these we shall tell you another miracle below, in another place.

¹⁷ Then the holy bishop Declan and his disciples, rejoicing at the driving back of the sea’s channel — by which deed his name was spread abroad through the various regions of Ireland — began to build a great monastery on the western side of the little stream that flowed from the middle of that island into the driven-back channel, though now it runs to the sea beyond it. And in that same place round the stream a famous city grew up in honour of Saint Declan, which in the Irish tongue is called Ard Mor — and what that name means in Latin has been plainly noted above. And when the fame of the most blessed bishop Declan’s holiness was heard, great crowds came to him from the various regions of Ireland and gave themselves body and soul to Christ under the yoke of Saint Declan’s rule. And the holy father Declan built many monasteries and cells throughout all the country of the na n-Desi, and not only in that region but in other parts of Ireland he established places for God. Many thousands of both sexes lived the happiest life in those many places under the care and rule of the holy patron Declan. And some of his own disciples he made bishops, setting them in certain of the places already mentioned to sow the Christian faith. The piety, gentleness and fairness of the holy bishop Declan between man and man appeared so clearly to all that his disciples wished rather to be in his presence than to live as masters in other places by themselves.

¹⁸ Meanwhile the most glorious archbishop Patrick, sent by Pope Celestine, came to Ireland; and God humbled the hearts of the great men of Ireland to his teaching. And as we have said, the king of Munster already mentioned — Aengus son of Nafrach — went to meet him and led the holy archbishop Patrick with great glory into his city of Cashel; and Saint Patrick baptised and blessed him with his people and his city. And the most blessed bishop Patrick, hearing that the chieftain of the na n-Desi country was still a heathen, putting off belief in Saint Declan, came to preach the word of God to him. Now the four bishops already mentioned who were in Ireland before Patrick — sent from Rome as he was, namely Ailbe, Declan, Ciaran and Ibar — were not of one mind with Saint Patrick but of a different one; yet in the end they made peace with him. For Ciaran gave Saint Patrick all submission and concord and authority, in his presence and in his absence. But Ailbe, seeing the great men of Ireland running to Patrick, came to Saint Patrick in the city of Cashel and there received him as his master in all humility before King Aengus — which he had not had in mind before. Now the other bishops had already appointed that same Ailbe as their own master, and for that reason he himself came to Saint Patrick before them, lest they should speak against him. But Ibar would by no means consent to Saint Patrick or be subject to him; for he was unwilling that Ireland should have a patron of another race. Patrick had been born of the Britons, but was reared in Ireland, having been taken captive in his boyhood. And this Ibar and Patrick had great conflicts between themselves at first; but afterwards, at an angel’s prompting, they made peace and concord and brotherhood. But Declan was unwilling to oppose Saint Patrick, because he had earlier made brotherhood with him in Italy; nor did he intend to be subject to him, since he himself held the apostolic dignity; but he was admonished by an angel to go to him and do his will.

¹⁹ For the angel of the Lord came to Saint Declan, saying to him: “Go now quickly, without any delay, to Saint Patrick, and prevent him from cursing your people and your land. For he is fasting this night against the chieftain of your people in the place called Hinneoin; and if he curses your people, they will be accursed for ever.” Then Saint Declan, at the angel’s command, went that night in all haste to the place already mentioned — Hinneoin, which lies in the midst of the plain of Femyn in the northern part of the na n-Desi — by way of Mount Cua across the river Suir, and came to Saint Patrick in the morning. And Saint Patrick, seeing Saint Declan coming to him, rejoiced, because he had heard that Declan was unwilling to come to him. And when Saint Declan came to Patrick, he was honourably received by Saint Patrick and his people; and Saint Declan humbled himself before Patrick and begged him not to curse the people of the na n-Desi or their land, and promised to do his will. And Saint Patrick said to him: “Because you are zealous for them, I will bless them instead.” Then Saint Declan went to the chieftain of the na n-Desi, who was staying nearby with his army — the man who had refused to believe him and had treated Saint Patrick badly — and begged him with earnest prayers to come to Saint Patrick to believe and be baptised; but he in no way and for no reason consented to the saints of God, and said angrily that, were it not for the brothers and kinsfolk of Saint Declan, few of those with him would be left alive. That chieftain was named Leban, and he remained in his unbelief. Seeing that he persisted in the devil’s persuasion, and fearing that Saint Patrick might curse his people on his account, Saint Declan turned to the company of the na n-Desi and said: “Separate yourselves from this evildoer, lest you be accursed for an unbeliever’s sake — you whom I have blessed through the saving water of baptism; and come after me, that Saint Patrick, sent to us by God, whom we have chosen as chief patron of all Ireland, may bless you with me. For by right of my father’s line I ought to be your chieftain, as he is.” At this word the whole company of the na n-Desi — except their unbelieving chieftain with certain of his own servants — followed Saint Declan. And Saint Declan said to the blessed Patrick: “See, the people of the na n-Desi have left their unbelieving chieftain and have come with me as with their chieftain to you, father, in submission to you, ready always to honour and glorify you; and they ask your blessing, for they have received baptism from us.” Then Saint Patrick with his holy disciples carefully blessed the people of the na n-Desi — and not only the people, but their woods, lands and waters. And the princes and powerful men of the na n-Desi said to the holy bishops: “Who shall now be our chieftain?” Saint Declan answered them: “I am now your chieftain; and the man I choose Saint Patrick will bless, and all of us — and he shall be your chieftain.” Then Saint Declan chose a certain young man named Fergal son of Cormac, of the royal stock of the na n-Desi — that is, of Saint Declan’s own kindred — and set him in their midst to be their chieftain; and it pleased them all. Then that young man was blessed by the saints of God and ordained chieftain by all. And that chieftain — Fergal son of Cormac — greatly pleased the holy bishops; and after his blessing Saint Patrick said: “This young man is comely in face and bold in war, and there shall be wealth in his reign; and so shall the chieftains of the na n-Desi be for ever” — a prophecy which always holds true for them. Then Saint Declan, and the chieftain Fergal, and the people of the na n-Desi offered Saint Patrick many lands nearby in the plain of Femyn, from which his successors have great service, and a place not far from the river Suir in the same plain; and there is a great and most shining spring there called Patrick’s Well, which Saint Patrick loved dearly. After this Saint Patrick returned with thanksgiving from the na n-Desi country to the city of Cashel, to King Aengus; and Saint Declan went with him.

²⁰ We now wish to tell your worthiness a certain miracle that was done at the gathering just described. As Saint Declan was walking carelessly in haste there between his people and Saint Patrick, his foot was badly cut by some piece of iron, and pouring out blood freely, he began to limp. Seeing this, the holy bishops — Ailbe, Saint Declan’s beloved friend and companion, and Sechnall, Saint Patrick’s disciple, of whom it is said that he was the first bishop to die beneath Irish soil, a man very wise and holy — were greatly grieved and told Saint Patrick. Hearing it, Saint Patrick was grieved in like manner, saying: “Heal, O Lord, the foot of your faithful servant, who labours much for you in the talents entrusted to him.” And Saint Patrick, seeing Declan’s foot, signed it with the holy sign and, looking to heaven, prayed. And at once the blood ceased to flow, and the wound began to draw its lips together, and skin grown over it, a scar appeared. And Saint Declan rose up sound, without pain in his foot; and the saints gave thanks to Christ, and the crowds lifted up a cry of praise to God and His servants.

²¹ While Saint Patrick, Saint Ailbe and Saint Declan were staying with their many holy disciples in the city of Cashel with King Aengus, they established many good things of the Christian discipline. And there King Aengus and Saint Patrick with all the people ordained the archbishopric of Munster in the city and seat of Saint Ailbe, who was then ordained archbishop by them for ever. And they granted to Saint Declan those whom he had converted from heathenism to the faith — the na n-Desi — to be in the parish of his bishopric, which is great and famous; so that as the Irish in other places should serve Saint Patrick, so the na n-Desi should serve Saint Declan, their own patron. Thereupon Saint Patrick, the archbishop and patron of all Ireland, sang for them the following verse in the Irish tongue, as a kind of privilege — a verse which the community of Saint Ailbe and the community of Saint Declan do not wish to be turned into Latin for them either rhythmically or metrically, but to be written in Irish for its dignity’s sake; yet we shall give a small account of its sense for those who do not know the Irish tongue. Thus is the verse sung in Irish:

²² “Ailbe humal Patric Muman, mo gach rath; Declan Patric na n-Desi, na Desi ag Declan go brath.” In which it was decreed that Ailbe should be a second Patrick and patron of Munster, and Declan a second Patrick and patron of the na n-Desi, and that the na n-Desi should be his diocese until the end of the world. Afterwards the holy bishops, greeting and blessing King Aengus, returned to their own places with the kiss of peace in spiritual joy, to sow the divine work.

²³ The holy bishop Declan and that young man Fergal, the chieftain of the na n-Desi, meeting together in the place already mentioned — Hinneoin — with the army of the na n-Desi, established the laws of Christianity in his kingdom. But the deposed chieftain Leban, the denier of the Christian name, was driven out by all and came to nothing — as it is written of the enemies of God: “Their memory has perished with a sound.” Then it was decreed by Saint Declan, by the chieftain Fergal and by the powerful men of the na n-Desi, that in that place, Hinneoin, the chieftains of the na n-Desi should be ordained — the place in which the chieftain Fergal was ordained by the saints. And it is related by the ancients that the chieftains of that people had formerly been established in the same place in heathen times.

²⁴ At that same time a dire pestilence came into Munster, but it was more deadly in the city of Cashel than in other places; it first turned men yellow and afterwards killed them. And there were seven noble hostages with King Aengus, kept in custody in a certain fort set on the western side of the city of Cashel, which is called Raith na Yrland — that is, the Court of the Spears. Now one night those seven hostages died of the sickness already mentioned; and when the king heard of their death he was greatly grieved — for they were the sons of the more powerful chieftains of the ends of his kingdom — and he feared that they might stir up scandal in his kingdom. And the king ordered his men to hide their death. But the next day the holy bishop Declan came to the city of Cashel, wishing to speak with King Aengus. Hearing that Declan was coming to him, the king rejoiced and called him to himself at once. And he said to him before his friends: “We beg you, holy bishop, servant of the living God, that in the name of Christ, in whom we have believed through your preaching, you would raise from death our seven hostages, who died last night of this deadly pestilence. For we fear a scandal to our kingdom from their kinsfolk — they will say their sons were killed through our fault, and truly this shames us.” The holy bishop Declan answered him: “Dear king, it is not for human weakness to raise dead flesh from death — such a work belongs to divine power alone. But because you have charged us in Christ’s name, we will go where their corpses lie and pray for them to the Lord; and what seems good to Him, let Him do.” Then the holy bishop Declan, with fit men of his disciples, the king’s servants leading them, went full of faith to the place where the livid corpses of the dead were laid; and the king followed the bishop’s footsteps until he saw the bodies of the dead before him. The man of God, entering the place where the dead lay, sprinkled them with holy water and, praying briefly, said before those present: “My Lord Jesus Christ, only-begotten of the living God, for the glory of your name raise these dead, that these new believers may through our ministry be confirmed in your faith.” Then the holy bishop, knowing in the spirit that their life was granted him by God, said to them — they now moving their eyelids: “In the name of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of all, rise and come to us, and give thanks to God in blessing.” At this word they at once rose from death, greeting all. And the holy bishop Declan presented them to King Aengus son of Nafrach before the people, alive and well. Seeing this rare and great miracle, the name of Christ was glorified by all, and the holiness of His servant was spread abroad through the towns and regions of Ireland. Then King Aengus rejoicing gave that fort — the Court of the Spears — with its neighbouring field, to Saint Declan in his city for ever.

²⁵ Then the citizens of Cashel humbly begged Saint Declan to bless the city to drive out that pestilence, and to pray to Christ for the many sick held by that pestilence. The holy man, seeing their faith, prayed to God for them and blessed the air to the four quarters with the sign of the holy cross. Then was truly fulfilled what the Lord said to His disciples as He ascended into heaven: “They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” For after the sign made by the hand of the most holy Declan, in that very hour those suffering the pestilence were set free — not only in the city, but wherever in that province the pestilence had been — and they rose up whole to their own people. And then that deadly pestilence was wholly driven from every region; and all rejoiced at this more than at the raising of the dead. Seeing and hearing this, the king himself at once gave a great tribute to Saint Declan and his successors, and established it for ever from all the kings of Cashel; and before many noble witnesses of Munster he granted the freedom of his city and diocese. Afterwards the glorious bishop Declan, blessing King Aengus with his city and people, returned to his own country.

²⁶ Once Saint Declan lodged in the southern part of the plain of Femyn, in the house of a certain heathen man. That man was named Dercan and was rich; and wishing to mock the Christians, he ordered his servants secretly to kill a dog, to hide its head and feet in the earth, to cook its flesh well, and then to give it to Saint Declan’s disciples to eat. And he ordered that the dog should be a fat one, and that they should blandly urge them to eat that flesh well, as if it were mutton. And when that flesh was set on the table with the bread before the other dishes, the holy bishop Declan was dozing lightly at his side; and when he was roused to bless the meal, he looked at the table in silence. And when his disciples said to him, “Father, bless our meal,” he answered them: “Truly I see the devil’s handiwork about that flesh.” Asking the servants what flesh it was and how it had been killed, they said to him: “Our master ordered us to kill a fat ram for you, and so we did.” Then the holy bishop Declan said before all: “Christ, my gracious Lord, show me why I see the devil’s handiwork on our table, and prevent your servants from eating what is unlawful.” Then by God’s will the holy man saw the claw of a dog’s foot among the pieces of flesh — for the servants, not knowing, had cooked the dog’s fourth foot, which they thought they had hidden in the earth. And Saint Declan said: “This is no sheep’s claw, but a dog’s.” Seeing this, the servants ran and told their master Dercan. Hearing such a thing, he came at once to Saint Declan and, believing, offered himself with his seed and his dwelling to Saint Declan for ever. And baptised with his household, he rejoiced; and he asked Saint Declan to bless something on his land which should always be called by his name. Then Saint Declan blessed a certain stone there, which from that day to this is called Dercan’s Stone. And Saint Declan said: “If the chieftain or the people of the na n-Desi, going to war against enemies or to avenge their wrong upon another people, go round this stone, they shall return unconquered and have the victory over their enemies.” And so it always comes to pass. But the wicked of that people, who are not worthy to have the victory, are too proud to go round that stone, and therefore lose it. That dwelling was then called Tech Dercain — the House of Dercan — but now it is called Con Yngu, from that dog’s claw. There the holy men Connan, Mochoba, Ultan son of Erc and the son of Lasre came together to Declan and offered themselves to God under the teaching and rule of Saint Declan. In that dwelling of Dercan — Con Yngu — he established a monastery, and appointed these saints already named, with others, in that place; but he afterwards kept Saint Ultan with himself.

²⁷ Then the holy bishop Declan went to the country of Brega, to his own ancestral fatherland, and found great honour with the king of Tara and the princes of the country of Brega — for Tara is in the country of Brega. For from there Saint Declan drew the origin of his race, and they loved Saint Declan for their kinship by blood. And Saint Declan built a monastery there in the field of canons given him, which is named after Saint Declan. And Saint Declan left there the famous gospel-book which he had with him in his company. That gospel-book is held in that place with great honour, and miracles are worked through it. Afterwards, blessing that place, he returned to Munster.

²⁸ Walking in the country of Ossory, Saint Declan turned aside to a certain fort to rest there that night. But they, at the devil’s prompting, not only refused to receive him as a guest but drove him out with insults under arms. But the saint and his company prayed to the Lord, and there came upon them what Holy Scripture says: “Vengeance is Mine, and I will repay.” For the inhabitants of that place — sixty in number — died that same night, except two men and ten women, who had disliked what the others did to the saint of God. Those men and women came humbly to Saint Declan the next day and told him of the wretched death of the others, which he himself already knew. And they, doing penance, offered him their place with their fields and other gifts. And when the dead were buried, Saint Declan established there a famous monastery, which is called Cheall Choluym Derg. And he set there a holy, devout and wise man of his disciples, from the eastern part of Leinster — of the Dal Mac Scorp — who was called Colum the Red, from whose name that monastery is named. And Saint Declan, blessing that place, went from there to the land of the na n-Desi.

²⁹ On another day the holy bishop and his company came in the evening to the place already mentioned — Bressal’s homestead — and the inhabitants of that place would not let the holy man enter their stronghold. They had hidden their boats before, so that Saint Declan could not cross to his island; for they hated the saint of God without cause. But almighty God then, as the psalmist says, because of the holiness of His servant who asked Him and suffered wrong — Declan — “turned the sea into dry land.” You have heard of this before. And the man of God, staying that night on a bare patch of sand in the open place, could not get even a fire from them. Then they were justly avenged upon by God. For unwilling as they were to give fire mercifully to God’s servants, towards morning a fire came to them from God, and they were all burned with their stronghold; and it lies waste to this day under a curse, as it is written: “You have destroyed their cities.”

³⁰ On a certain day, as the holy bishop Declan was journeying on Mount Cua in the na n-Desi country, the horse of his chariot went lame there and could not walk. Then Saint Declan, seeing a herd of deer on the mountain some way off, ordered one of his servants to bring him a deer strong in harness from that herd and put it in the horse’s place. And he, going, did not doubt that he would find the deer tame, as the man of God had foretold. And that herd waited most gently until he chose the strongest deer from it. And that deer drew the chariot strongly and well under the man of God all that day, until they came to the plain of Femyn. And when they came to their lodging, Saint Declan commanded the deer to return to its own. And at the man of God’s word the deer went back on its way before them all. Now the man who led the deer from the mountain to Saint Declan was named Dormanach; Declan blessed him and gave him the town of Magh Gabra in the northern part of the na n-Desi, facing the country of the Eoganachta, where his descendants dwell to this day honourable in Saint Declan’s service.

³¹ One day as Saint Declan was walking with a great crowd, as was his custom, one of the brethren fell on the way and his leg was broken in two places. Seeing that dreadful sight, Saint Declan ordered one of them to bind his leg, lest he die from too great a loss of blood. And all excused themselves for horror. Then one of the crowd, named Dualach, came forward boldly and cheerfully, saying: “In the name of Christ and of our patron Declan, I will be this leg’s physician.” This he said in jest; yet he bound the leg prudently, blessing it before them all in the name of God and Saint Declan. And at once that brother was better and better, and after a short space, the wound drawing itself together, the brother was made completely well, feeling no pain. And when he was unbound, a scar was found on his leg, the bones knit with flesh and skin. And as all gave thanks with him to God and Declan, Declan said to the man — Dualach — who had bound that brother’s leg: “You promised to be the physician of that leg in Christ’s name and mine; and Christ, as you bound it obediently, gave him health by His power. Therefore from this hour you shall be a skilled physician, and your descendants after you until the end of the world shall be skilled and venerable physicians. And if they sign anything diseased with the holy sign in God’s name and mine — unless they hold an evil intent in excessive reward or in hatred of a man — the grace of God will help it through their healing.” And so are that man’s descendants at all times, according to the holy bishop’s word; and the clerics and women of his kindred are skilled in the art of healing. That kindred honourably serves the successors of Saint Declan.

³² Another time, as the holy bishop Declan was journeying in the western part of the plain of Femyn near the streams of the river Suir, there met him men carrying a little child to a certain priest to be baptised. And seeing the company, the holy bishop, filled with the spirit of prophecy, said to them: “Wait here; for I shall baptise this holy child.” Those men marvelled that the child was named by the bishop, for they had not told him — nor any of his — the reason for their journey. And when they said that they could find neither salt nor vessel there for baptising, Saint Declan answered them: “A broad and long vessel we have — this river; and salt shall be given us wondrously by Christ’s power. For this child shall be holy and wondrous before God and men, and many miracles shall be worked by God through him.” And they were far from houses, on the bank of the river Suir already mentioned, in the place called Herend. And the holy bishop Declan, taking earth in the palm of his hand, sprinkled it with his spittle and, praying in his mind, blessed it with the holy sign. And at once in the servant of God’s hand it was made dry shining salt before them all. And while both crowds marvelled at Christ’s grace and blessed it in their bishop, the holy bishop Declan baptised that child there and gave him the name Ciaran. And after the baptism the holy bishop said to them: “Nurture this my spiritual son diligently, and in due season give him to devout men to be taught; for he shall be a shining pillar in Christ’s Church.” That little child is the most holy Ciaran son of Echdach, who in venerable old age, after many miracles worked in Christ’s name and holy places established for God, passed to heaven; and he lies in his famous monastery called Tybrada — that is, the Springs — which is in Saint Declan’s diocese in the western country of the na n-Desi, in the district of the Ui Fathid, between the famous mountains of Cua and Croth.

³³ The wife of a certain tenant came with her tribute to Saint Declan’s monastery, but not far from the city she secretly took a great habel from the holy bishop’s tribute, meaning to give it unjustly to others. But before the wayfarers the earth swallowed her up, the divine will avenging the injury she had then and before done to the good of the holy bishop’s monastery. And as the earth devoured her she flung the habel from her bosom, and at once it appeared before all as a stone. And the holy bishop, seeing all this in spirit from his monastery, told it to his brethren. But those men, greatly fearing, ran and brought the stone made from the habel to Saint Declan, telling all they had seen. And from this the name of Saint Declan was greatly magnified by all, who feared him absent as much as present. And that stone is kept for all time in the cemetery of Saint Declan in his city Ard Mor, in a high place as a sign of his power, made from the habel.

³⁴ A certain rich man named Fintan was childless, because his wife was barren almost to an old woman’s age; he came with his wife to Saint Declan and, promising to give alms and do good works, begged him to ask God for offspring for them. For they affirmed that they would have children if Saint Declan would pray to God for them. Then the saint, blessing them, said to them: “Fulfil what you promise; by God’s gift you shall have offspring.” They returned to their home with joy after the holy bishop’s blessing and promise. The following night, Fintan sleeping with his wife, she conceived and bore two sons, who were named Aed and Fiachna. And they with their descendants bound themselves under tribute to Saint Declan until the end of the world.

³⁵ The blessed Ailbe, archbishop of the Munstermen, knowing his death was near, said to his own: “Brothers, I wish to visit and see my most beloved companion and fellow-servant in Christ, Declan the bishop, before I die.” Then he directed his journey to Saint Declan. And the angel of the Lord came to Saint Declan and told him that the holy old man his friend Ailbe was coming to him. Knowing this from God’s angel, the holy bishop Declan ordered his men to prepare what was needful for holy guests. And he himself went out of his city to meet Saint Ailbe, as far as the place called Druim Luchtri. And Saint Ailbe, coming there, was honourably received by Saint Declan and his people. And Saint Ailbe stayed with Saint Declan for fourteen days in all charity, free for the divine mysteries, exulting in holy joy and spiritual gladness. After these days the holy old man Ailbe returned to his city, which is called Emly, set in the plain of Munster. And Saint Declan and no small crowd with him went with Saint Ailbe as far as the place already mentioned, Druim Luchtri; and there Saint Ailbe told him to return to his city. And the holy old men Ailbe and Declan, knowing they would not see each other again in this world from that hour, shed tears abundantly in great love. And they renewed their ancient brotherhood between themselves and their people for ever, and obtained their holy petitions from Christ. Afterwards Saint Ailbe blessed the city and the people and clergy of Saint Declan — and himself receiving like holy gifts from Saint Declan — the most holy bishops Ailbe and Declan parted from each other with their companies, in the kiss of peace, in holy sadness, in the true love of God and neighbour, each to his own place.

³⁶ Once the fortress of the chieftain of the na n-Desi, named Chinnech, was set alight by a great fire and began to burn strongly. Then the most holy old man Declan was going toward that fortress, and seeing the blaze it displeased the holy old man; and taking his wondrous staff — of which we told in the miracle of the routed sea — in his hand, he hurled it from that very place toward the fortress. And the staff flew through the air on divine wings and fell in the midst of the fortress at the edge of the flames. And the fire did not last for spaces of hours nor even for moments of an hour, but was wholly put out at once, half the fortress being burned. Now it is a long mile between the place from which Saint Declan hurled the staff from his hand and the fortress, in which there is a very tall wood called the Grove of Cuirt. Seeing this, the chieftain Chinnech with all the rest marvelled at the miracle exceedingly and, giving thanks to God, fulfilled Saint Declan’s will of his own accord. And that fortress is not far from the river Suir on its southern side, in the place called the Steadfast Hill. And the place from which the holy bishop hurled the staff is beside the ford of the same river, facing the monastery of the most holy virgins, the daughters of that same chieftain Chinnech, which is called the Field of the Pool; and a heap of stones has been gathered in that place with a cross as a sign of the miracle, which is called the Ullath of Declan — that is, Declan’s Heap.

³⁷ Once a fleet came over the sea and made for Saint Declan’s monastery, meaning to plunder that place of both men and goods; for they were heathens. And all ran together to the holy old bishop Declan, that he might ask Christ’s help against the pagans. But Saint Declan, knowing the blessedness and goodness and holy charity of his most holy disciple already mentioned, Ultan, ordered him — praying to God — to sign against the fleet of the pagans. For that same Ultan was most charitable towards the poor and the little ones of Christ. And at his most holy master Declan’s word the holy brother Ultan — his right hand being busy — signed with his left against the fleet, without delay. And at once the sea swallowed all those ships like sacks full of lead. And the sailors being drowned, they, emerging again, were turned into great rocks which stand on the sea’s edge not far from land, rising above the sea. All the Christians, seeing such things, were filled with joy and faith in the Trinity, and magnified their holy preacher and bishop of God, through whom they had seen these and many other signs. And there was a holy contention about this miracle between the holy bishop Declan and the blessed disciple Ultan: for the disciple ascribed it wholly to his master, and the master to his disciple. And to this day the Irish, hearing or seeing danger, say: “The left hand of Ultan against it!” — in which words the grace of God appears greatly. And that same Ultan, after Saint Declan’s death, was a holy abbot and wondrous father of many monks, whose life shines bright with miracles.

³⁸ The most blessed Patrick, archbishop of the Irish, sent one of his disciples with his message to the holy old man Declan; but he, coming to the southern part of the na n-Desi, was drowned in a certain stream called the Luch. Hearing of that man’s death, the holy bishop Declan was greatly grieved and said sorrowfully: “Truly I grieve in heart that the disciple of the most blessed man, sent to me, has been overtaken by an untimely death in my country, and cannot take back my message to his holy master. So put me quickly in my chariot — I wish myself to perform his funeral rites, that our holy father Patrick, his master, may hear of our care for him.” And it is two miles from Saint Declan’s city to that stream in which Saint Patrick’s disciple was drowned. He was being carried by his own men on a bier to be buried near Saint Declan. And the holy bishop with his company met them on the way and ordered them to set the corpse down on the ground. They all thought the holy bishop wished then and there to sing the office of the dead over him. And going to the bier he uncovered the veil from the dead man’s face; and seeing it swollen and livid, as is the way with the drowned, he shed tears and prayed, the crowd not hearing what the old man said. And after a short space he said to him before them all: “In the name of the Trinity and undivided Unity — Father and Son and Holy Spirit — whose sweet and light yoke I bear, rise and come to us, for Christ has given me your life.” At the word of the most holy bishop Declan the man sat up on the bier, blessing the holy old man and all the rest. And Saint Declan took hold of him, raised him up and kissed him — and his disciples after him. And that brother was still weak in body, like a man released from pain. Then he went recovered with Saint Declan to his city and stayed with him some days in unfeigned charity. And joy arose in that city over this miracle, and the name of Christ and the holiness of His servant was glorified far and wide through those regions. That disciple of Saint Patrick was named Ballin; and he returned from Saint Declan to Saint Patrick his master in great gladness, telling all that had happened to him. And the glorious archbishop Patrick himself, hearing it, gave great and famous testimony of Saint Declan’s merit before all, and afterwards offered praise and glory to Christ.

³⁹ After this wondrous and unaccustomed deed we set an end to the miracles of the life of the most holy bishop Declan, leaving out very many, so that by the few we have written the others may be known. For how many blind the most blessed bishop of Christ Declan enlightened, how many lepers he cleansed, how many lame and maimed he cured, how many deaf he made to hear, how many different sicknesses in different places he healed as he sowed the words of life among the heathen — for their multitude, and the weariness of writing, and lest the reader or hearers be wearied by one man’s deeds, we pass over. Therefore our holy old man Declan, knowing that the time of his reward was near, called to him the holy bishop, the son of Liach, his beloved foster-son, whose monastery is near the channel of Emly over against the country of the men of Galea in the east of the na n-Desi, that he might receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ from his hand at his soul’s going out. And he made known the day of his passing to the holy elders. And he ordered himself to be carried into his city, that there he might pass to Christ. For he was then in his dear little cell which he had built for himself, which lies between the hill and the sea in a narrow, hidden place above the sea’s edge, through which a clear little stream flows from the hill into the sea, and fair trees surround it — which is called Declan’s Little Hermitage, from which to the city is a short mile. To that place the holy bishop Declan used to flee to be free for God alone in vigils and fasts and prayers, but he could scarcely stay there a little while, because disciples and crowds of believers and the poor and pilgrims of Christ always followed him. For he was very generous, devout and merciful; and it is told us by his ancient disciples that a great company was usually in his train. And he loved his little cell dearly, in which at least for a short time he could be free for God in contemplation; and devout men dwell in that same place always.

⁴⁰ And the glorious bishop Declan came to his city, weak in bodily strength but strong in faith, hope and charity; and gathering the clergy and people, he preached to them the divine commandments and admonished them to live well among themselves after his death, to obey his successors, and to follow his footsteps in charity and the rest; and he declared that, if so it should be, his city would always be kept by the grace of God. Hearing these words, a cry of the people and clergy arose in great weeping, knowing that their holy patron wished to pass from them to Christ; and the holy father consoled them lovingly. Afterwards he was carried to his own little hut, sorrow being sown through the city at the fear of their holy bishop’s absence. Then the bishop already mentioned, the son of Liach, came, and our most holy bishop and preacher Declan received the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, from his hand, joyful in mind, surrounded by a choir of his holy mourning disciples. Afterwards, blessing them in the kiss of peace, our holy old man Declan and patron — the temples and idols destroyed, the heathen turned to the faith, very many peoples won for Christ, churches established for God, ecclesiastical orders consecrated — most holily and most blessedly, in venerable old age, among the choirs of angels, on the ninth day before the kalends of August, passed to the heavenly kingdoms. And his sacred little body, after the solemnities of vigils and masses, signs and wonders being seen through him, a synod of saints being gathered from every side and the people of the na n-Desi coming together to their preacher, was buried with due honour in his city of Ard Mor in the grave he himself had marked out by an angel’s command — where great signs and miracles are always worked through him, our Lord Jesus Christ granting it, to whom is honour, glory and power with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.

Here ends the life of Saint Declán, bishop and confessor