¹ Here begins the life of Saint Carthach, Bishop and Confessor

² The glorious bishop Carthach, who is commonly called Mochutu, was of the people of the Ciarraige of Luachair, specifically of the descendants of Fergus, who was a most valiant hero of the Ulstermen, whose descendants are in various places throughout Ireland. And he himself fell through the envy of jealousy by Illell, king of the Connachtmen, who was originally born of the race of the Laigin.

³ Now the father of Saint Carthach was Fingenn son of Guo, of the people of the Ciarraige. His mother, however, was called Medb, who was the daughter of Fingen of the people of the Corcu Duibne; which people are in the western region of Ireland, opposite the ocean, around the streams of the fish-filled river Lemhna.

⁴ Before Saint Carthach was born, an angel of the Lord foretold his birth to the holy elder Comgall, saying: “A son shall be born, blessed elder, in the western region of Ireland, who from the font of baptism shall be called Carthach, because he shall be beloved by God and by men, in heaven and on earth. And after a long time he shall come to you, desiring to go to Rome; and do not abandon him, because this is a command from the Lord; but let him remain a full year with you.” And this was afterward fulfilled in that very way.

⁵ Likewise Saint Mochutu was prophesied by the holy angel Brendan, who found the Land of Promise of the saints, who said to him: “There shall come to you swiftly a wonderful brother, who shall help your people here and in the future. And men shall divide the region of the Ciarraige among you; and his name shall be Carthach, and many shall rejoice at his birth. He indeed shall gather a great congregation from many peoples to the Lord on the Day of Judgment. And his first city shall be called Ráithen, placed in the middle of Ireland in the region of Mide, namely in the people who are called Fir Cell; and it shall be famous, but the second shall be more famous and greater, and it shall hold great authority; and it shall be called Lismore.”

⁶ At a certain time, when many people of both sexes had gathered together in one place in the region of the Ciarraige, a fiery globe was seen descending from heaven upon the head of the mother of Saint Carthach, while he himself was then remaining in her womb; and it quickly vanished, causing no harm. All those present were amazed, not knowing what this signified. For the grace of God was visiting the holy little child in his mother’s womb.

⁷ Now the father of Saint Carthach was a powerful man, having two renowned forts: one in the plain of Eólu, on the southern side of Mount Mis, and the other in the wooded lands by the river Maine; and in the latter Saint Mochutu was born. And both of these forts were blessed from that time onward, because in one of them the holy servant of God Carthach was conceived, and in the other he was born. And it is reported to us that evil men are unable to dwell in them.

⁸ Then Saint Carthach was led to baptism; and there met those carrying him a man of God named Áedán, and they asked him to baptize the child. Now the land there was dry. But immediately at his word water flowed from the earth in the place where they were, and the holy infant was baptized there. And a clear spring remains there to this very day. And the name of the child was called Carthach from the baptismal font, as had earlier been prophesied by an angel to holy elders. But now he is called Mochutu by all the common people, because thus the holy elder Carthach the bishop, his teacher, was accustomed to call him affectionately, on account of his love for him, kissing and blessing him. From that time onward few know any other name of his except Mochutu. And therefore we do not concern ourselves whether we have written Mochutu or Carthach. But know this: these two names signify one person.

⁹ Áedán, moreover, the baptizer of Saint Carthach, spoke prophetically, saying: “This little child shall be illustrious and beloved by God and by men, in heaven and on earth.”

¹⁰ Now Saint Mochutu was desirable in form and countenance, like David; abstinent from unlawful things, like Daniel; gentle toward the people, like Moses. And he was despised by his parents, because he would not consent to their worldly ways. But he was loved by the Lord, so that the Davidic saying applied to him: “My father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord has taken me up”. And just as David pastured the sheep of his father, so the blessed Mochutu in his boyhood guarded his father’s pigs together with other swineherds.

¹¹ On another day, while the pious boy Mochutu was pasturing his pigs with the others in the great forests of the river Maine, he heard that the chieftain of the region of the Ciarraige was nearby. And he went to him, who was then dwelling in a certain fort called Achad Dian, that is, “Swift Field”; and he found favor in his sight. That chieftain was called Moeltule. And the chieftain said to the holy boy: “Come here daily with the other swineherds, and honor shall be given to them on account of you. For I desire to see you.”

¹² One night, while the holy boy was staying there, he sat before the chieftain. And the chieftain gazed attentively upon him for so long that he was reproved by his wife Noelethan, who was the daughter of Moelduin son of Ed Bennán, king of the Munstermen, saying to him: “Why do you look so intently upon this boy every night?” The chieftain said to her: “O woman, if you had seen what I see in him, you would look upon no one except him. For I see a golden necklace, wondrously made, around his neck, and a fiery column from his head up to heaven. And I see a house opened upward, as though it had no roof. Therefore from that hour when I saw these signs concerning him, love for him rose up in my heart.”

¹³ Then the chieftainess, his wife, said to him: “Let him therefore come here and sit beside you.” And so it was done. Thereafter Saint Carthach at times kept the pigs in the woods, and at times stayed in the fort with the chieftain.

¹⁴ Now on a certain day the holy elder bishop Carthach came through the forests of the river Maine, where Saint Mochutu was pasturing pigs; and the bishop with his companions was chanting psalms responsively along the way. And when Saint Mochutu heard their psalmody, inspired by the Holy Spirit he left his herd and followed the bishop as far as the monastery which is called Tuam. And when the bishop was sitting with his companions in the guesthouse, the blessed Mochutu sat outside under the eaves, unknown to the bishop and to the inhabitants of the house.

¹⁵ That same night the chieftain Moeltule was astonished that the blessed Carthach had not come to him, not knowing what had happened to him. And he sent messengers throughout the region to seek the boy; and one of them found Saint Mochutu sitting under the eaves. And he rebuked him with many words and led him unwillingly to the chieftain. And the chieftain questioned him, saying: “Why, my son, did you not come last night?”

¹⁶ The holy boy answered him: “For this reason I did not come to you, my lord, because the divine song which I heard from the holy clerics delighted me, and nowhere have I heard anything like this song. And they sang it unceasingly along the road and in the house until the time of sleeping; and the bishop alone, after all the others, sang it late into the night. Would that I, my lord chieftain, were with them, so that I might learn that song.” Then the chieftain sent to the bishop, that he should come to him quickly.

¹⁷ Meanwhile, the father of Saint Mochutu prepared a great dinner for that chieftain. And while they were cheerfully dining together at the banquet, the chieftain Moeltuli called the holy boy Carthach to himself and showed him a sword, a shield, and a spear, and a moon-shaped ornament of silver and gold, and royal garments, and the other implements of warfare. And he said to him: “These gifts, my son, take; and be my companion in place of your father.” But the saint, despising earthly things, rejected them. Then the chieftain said to him: “What then do you wish me to give you?” The saint said to him: “I desire nothing of your fleshly gifts; but I truly wish to learn the chant which I have heard from the saints of God.” And the chieftain recognized that the grace of God was in him, and promised to give him what he had asked.

¹⁸ And afterward Saint Carthach, the bishop, came to the chieftain; and the chieftain commended to him the pious youth Mochutu, that he might read and learn with him. And the bishop joyfully received him, knowing that he was full of the Holy Spirit. And Saint Mochutu remained under the discipline of Saint Carthach the bishop, until he received from him the priestly rank.

¹⁹ Now Saint Mochutu was indeed very handsome, as we have foretold; and on various days in his youth thirty young virgin women loved him with great carnal love, not concealing this. But the servant of the Lord prayed to God for them, that they might change carnal love into spiritual love. And thus it was done. For those young women, through the prayer of Saint Mochutu, were made virgins, and they founded cells and monasteries. These places are today in the parish of Saint Mochutu. For those holy virgins offered themselves, together with their cells, to God and to Saint Mochutu.

²⁰ On that day on which Saint Mochutu was made a priest, Fintan, son of Carthind, came with his son to Saint Bishop Carthach, so that the bishop might baptize the infant and offer him to the bishop. And the bishop said: “Offer your little son to that holy young man who has been consecrated today, and let him baptize him.” And he did this willingly. And Saint Mochutu asked Fintan by what name his son should be called. He said: “He shall be called Furadranus.” After that little infant had now been baptized, Saint Mochutu prophesied concerning him; and holding his hand, he said: “This hand will be cruel, and it will take hostages of the descendants of Torna (which is a people in the middle of the region of Ciarraige, from Mount Luchra as far as the sea). And his sons will reign after him forever, unless they deny me. If at any time they deny me and my successors, their kingdom will fail from them.” And this prophecy was fulfilled in this manner.

²¹ Now on a certain day, after Saint Mochutu had received the priesthood, the holy old man Bishop Carthach, his fosterer, went with him to the aforesaid chieftain Moelthuli. And they found the chieftain in a place which is called Feorann, beside the shore of the Lee, from whom the chieftains of Ciarraige take their name. And Bishop Carthach said to the chieftain: “Here is, lord chieftain, my best son, whom I received from you. He reads well and has learned well in various Scriptures, and he has received the priestly rank from me; and by the grace of God many wonders appear in him.”

²² Then the chieftain said to the bishop: “What shall be given to you as a reward?” The bishop answered: “I wish that you would offer yourself, together with your kindred after you forever, to this young man, the servant of Christ.” At first the chieftain refused to do this on account of the youthful age of Saint Mochutu. Then the bishop bowed himself and bent his knees before Saint Mochutu, saying to him: “Behold, I offer myself and my church with my parish to God and to you, my son, forever.” Seeing this, the chieftain rolled himself to the feet of Saint Mochutu, and offered his body and soul, with his offspring after him, to God and to Saint Mochutu forever.

²³ Then Saint Mochutu trod upon the neck of the chieftain with his foot, and measured him in length with his feet. Then one of the chieftain’s servants rebuked Saint Mochutu, saying to him: “Why do you tread proudly upon our lord the chieftain? Honorable is the body which you press.” Then the saint ceased measuring the chieftain, saying: “The neck which I trod upon will not be beheaded, and the body which I measured will not be cut down; and unless you had forbidden me, a chieftain from his seed would never be lacking forever.” And he said to the one who rebuked him: “You and your descendants will always be lowly among servants.”

²⁴ But blessing the chieftain, he promised him heaven and earth, and said to him: “If anyone of your seed shall cause an offense to my successors and shall not render to me what is due to me, he shall not hold the kingdom of Ciarraige.” All these things are fulfilled according to this prophecy.

²⁵ Afterward Saint Carthach the younger, at the persuasion of his teacher, Carthach the elder, and of the chieftain Moelthuli, built a cell on the southern side of Ciarraige, between Mount Mis and the aforesaid river Maing, called Cell Tulach. And he performed great virtues there, and all honored him. Seeing this, two bishops, namely Diblinus and Domangenus, envied Saint Carthach and persecuted him in all things.

²⁶ Then Saint Carthach went to the same chieftain Moelthuli, dwelling in his fortress beside the strait of Limerick, and told him all that had happened to him at the hands of the bishops. When the chieftain heard this, he immediately came with Saint Mochutu to his cell, and encamped on the summit of Mount Mis and slept there. And waking, he looked between Mount Mis and the river Maing, and said to Saint Mochutu: “O my son, leave this narrow tract of land for a time to the envious bishops; and again it shall be yours with its inhabitants forever.” And this counsel greatly pleased Saint Mochutu, and he caused the chieftain to return with a blessing.

²⁷ And Saint Carthach, leaving his cell to faithful men, began to go alone on pilgrimage into the northern region of Ireland.

²⁸ Meanwhile an angel of the Lord came to Saint Comgall, abbot of the monastery of Bangor, and said to him: “A young and holy priest will come to you, wishing to go across the sea for the name of Christ—him whom I foretold to you once, before he was born. And do not let him go, because the Lord commands this to you; but let him remain with you until the end of the year.” Saint Comgall said to the angel: “How shall I be able to recognize him?” The angel replied: “He who will walk backward from the church as far as the guesthouse—he is the one.” For Saint Mochutu wished always to look upon the church of God.

²⁹ Then Saint Comgall said to his disciples: “On this day a venerable guest will come to us, who is beloved of God; for the angel of the Lord has twice revealed him to me.” Afterward Saint Carthach suddenly arrived at the monastery of Bangor, and he did as the angel had foretold concerning him. And when Saint Comgall recognized him, he rejoiced greatly. And when Saint Mochutu heard from the holy father Comgall the command of the Lord to him through his angel, he remained with him until the end of the year. When the year was completed, by the counsel of the holy father Comgall, according to the command of the Lord, Saint Carthach returned to his own province; and there he built many places for God, and worked great miracles in them, and many men offered themselves to him. And his parish became great in his homeland. For he received the episcopate of the region of Ciarraige.

³⁰ After these things Saint Mochutu entrusted his places and parishes to faithful men; and bidding them farewell, he came with a few companions through the southern part of Munster. And he went to Saint Ciarán, bishop, son of Fintan, who built the monastery of Ros Giallain, and questioned him, saying: “In what place, father, will my greater church be in these regions? For an angel of the Lord foretold to Saint Comgall that I shall found my greater church in the southern region of Ireland.” Saint Ciarán already possessed the spirit of prophecy. And he answered him: “You will go first, dear fellow servant in Christ, to the descendants of Niall, and you will build there a renowned place for God. And you will remain there sixty years; and afterward you will be driven out from there, and you will return to this Munster; and then you will build your greater church.”

³¹ Then Saint Carthach said to him: “I shall always receive you, holy father, as my patron.” And Saint Ciarán the bishop said to him: “No, my brother, it shall not be so; but I offer myself and my church with my monks to you forever.” And Saint Ciarán said to Saint Mochutu: “Let Furudranus, my son, be in my seat after me.” And Saint Mochutu granted this. And blessed Furudranus held the primacy after Saint Ciarán for twenty years.

³² Meanwhile an angel of the Lord came to Saint Comgall, abbot of the monastery of Bangor, and said to him: “A young and holy priest will come to you, wishing to go across the sea for the name of Christ—him whom I foretold to you once, before he was born. And do not let him go, because the Lord commands this to you; but let him remain with you until the end of the year.” Saint Comgall said to the angel: “How shall I be able to recognize him?” The angel replied: “He who will walk backward from the church as far as the guesthouse—he is the one.” For Saint Mochutu wished always to look upon the church of God.

³³ Then Saint Comgall said to his disciples: “On this day a venerable guest will come to us, who is beloved of God; for the angel of the Lord has twice revealed him to me.” Afterward Saint Carthach suddenly arrived at the monastery of Bangor, and he did as the angel had foretold concerning him. And when Saint Comgall recognized him, he rejoiced greatly. And when Saint Mochutu heard from the holy father Comgall the command of the Lord to him through his angel, he remained with him until the end of the year. When the year was completed, by the counsel of the holy father Comgall, according to the command of the Lord, Saint Carthach returned to his own province; and there he built many places for God, and worked great miracles in them, and many men offered themselves to him. And his parish became great in his homeland. For he received the episcopate of the region of Ciarraige.

³⁴ After these things Saint Mochutu entrusted his places and parishes to faithful men; and bidding them farewell, he came with a few companions through the southern part of Munster. And he went to Saint Ciarán, bishop, son of Fintan, who built the monastery of Ros Giallain, and questioned him, saying: “In what place, father, will my greater church be in these regions? For an angel of the Lord foretold to Saint Comgall that I shall found my greater church in the southern region of Ireland.” Saint Ciarán already possessed the spirit of prophecy. And he answered him: “You will go first, dear fellow servant in Christ, to the descendants of Niall, and you will build there a renowned place for God. And you will remain there sixty years; and afterward you will be driven out from there, and you will return to this Munster; and then you will build your greater church.”

³⁵ Then Saint Carthach said to him: “I shall always receive you, holy father, as my patron.” And Saint Ciarán the bishop said to him: “No, my brother, it shall not be so; but I offer myself and my church with my monks to you forever.” And Saint Ciarán said to Saint Mochutu: “Let Furudranus, my son, be in my seat after me.” And Saint Mochutu granted this. And blessed Furudranus held the primacy after Saint Ciarán for twenty years.

³⁶ In that same place, namely Ráithin, Saint Columba of Iona had earlier intended to found a cell, and he left three bundles of rods, saying: “Another will come here after me, for whom this place has been predetermined by God.” And from those bundles Saint Carthach first built a little cell for himself, as Columba had prophesied. In that very place a very great monastery was built by Saint Carthach, in which he lived for forty years, and in which eight hundred and sixty-seven monks were under him.

³⁷ After Saint Carthach had already founded the church of Ráithin and was performing great miracles in it, his fame filled all Ireland and the island of Britain. And many came to him from various provinces of Ireland and Britain, and offered themselves always as monks to God and to Saint Carthach. At first Saint Carthach made his monks, for many days, till the earth with their own hoes. At first he rejected cattle from secular people. But kings, princes, and chieftains honored the place with lands and cattle, gold and silver, and other offerings; and the monks were relieved by certain saints from cultivating the land with their hoes. And the most blessed Carthach was consecrated bishop by many saints; and he would sometimes visit his parish, that is, the region of Ciarraige. But he lived among his monks in his pilgrimage in his monastery of Ráithin. And monks, and not clerics, were always with him.

³⁸ On another day also, in the springtime, a certain magician came to tempt the servant of God Mochutu, saying to him: “Say, in the name of your God, that this apple tree now produce leaves.” Saint Carthach, knowing that the wicked man wished to detract from divine power, blessed the tree in the name of Christ, and immediately it produced leaves. The magician said a second time: “Likewise, in the name of your God, produce a blossom on the tree.” And the holy bishop signed the apple tree, and at once a flower appeared. The magician said a third time: “What use is a flower to men, unless fruits follow?” And a third time the saint blessed the tree, and many apples appeared on it. The magician said a fourth time: “Say, O Christian, that the apples may ripen in an hour.” And with the holy sign the man of God blessed the apple tree, and immediately the ripe apples fell to the ground. And when the magician saw the apples upon the ground, he tasted one of them, which was very bitter. And he said: “This power is not good, which has bitterness.” Again the holy bishop blessed the apples, and immediately the taste of honey appeared in them. Then, as vengeance for his temptation, the eyes of the magician were blinded for a year. And when he came after a year with repentance, Saint Carthach healed his eyes; and he returned with joy.

³⁹ On a certain day a secular man came to Saint Carthach with his son, who was deaf and mute, and begged him to heal his son. And the holy bishop prayed to God for him and said to him: “Hear, my son, and greet us.” Then immediately the boy answered, saying: “Behold, I offer myself to you, O man of God, with my inheritance forever.” And from that hour the boy was made whole in his senses and in his limbs. One day, a young man suffering from leprosy came to Saint Mochutu and showed him his affliction. At once, in front of everyone, the holy man prayed for him and cured him of his leprosy.

⁴⁰ Likewise, on another day a certain man who had a disfigured face came to Saint Carthach; and when the holy man prayed to the Lord for him, he was healed from that hour from the deformity of his face.

⁴¹ On another day also, in the springtime, a certain poor man who lived in a place near the monastery of Ráithin came to Saint Mochutu and asked from him a ploughman and two oxen for ploughing. At that time Saint Carthach did not accept animals in his monastery; but, as we have said, his monks were ploughing with hoes. And the holy man, calling to himself one servant, named Aedán, said to him: “Go out into the nearby wood, and bring with you two deer that will meet you, and go to that man and plough with them throughout this spring.” He immediately obeyed the saint of God and did as he had been commanded. And he ploughed with the deer for that poor man during that spring. Afterwards the deer returned to their own places, and that servant Aedán returned to Saint Mochutu.

⁴² On a certain day a man possessed by a demon was brought to Saint Bishop Carthach; and immediately the holy man cast the demon out of him in the name of the most holy Trinity. And he returned home healed, giving thanks to God.

⁴³ On another day Saint Carthagus of God, with the brothers weary and occupied with other matters, himself went to the mill in order to prepare food for the brothers. Knowing this, nine bandits, who hated the saint of God, came to kill him. And their leader sent them one by one in order to cut the saint’s throat, knowing that the man of God would neither cry out nor resist. Yet none of them was able to enter the mill, for a fiery flame prevented them—appearing by God’s will, through the grace of the blessed man’s deliverance, against them just inside by the door of the mill.

⁴⁴ But each of them looked through a hole in the door and saw Saint Mochutu sometimes keeping watch, sometimes lightly sleeping; for sleep had overcome the saint. When the holy man slept, the millstone immediately stopped from its course; and again, when he was awake, the millstone at once ran swiftly. Each of them, returning to their leader who was sitting in a nearby wood, reported to him what he saw in the mill. Then the leader himself, rising in fury, went to the mill, wishing to enter with violence to kill the saint; and he saw what the others had seen. Returning to his companions, he said to them: “Let us wait here until he comes back from the mill, and then we shall cut his throat.”

⁴⁵ And after a short interval Saint Mochutu came to his cell, carrying his load of flour. Running up to the saint, they were in no way able to cut his throat; for when they wished to brandish their weapons, their hands became withered. Therefore Saint Mochutu asked that they should not hinder him from going to the brothers; and he promised them on his word that he would immediately return to them, so that they might more quickly kill him. And releasing the saint from themselves, he set down his load in the kitchen; and at once, ready for martyrdom, he returned to the robbers. The disciples, however, thought that he had gone out to a secret place to pray. But they, attempting in many ways to kill him, were in no way able to do so. Seeing these signs, they did penance; and they offered themselves to God and to Mochutu; and under his care they persevered until the day of their death. Afterwards their holy and glorious deeds are recounted.

⁴⁶ On another day an angel of the Lord came to Saint Carthagus in his monastery, Rathen, and said to him: “The Lord from heaven has commanded you that today you go out to the son of Fidhaich, the leader of your region of Ciarraige, to give him the sacrifice; for he is at the boundary of death, and he will soon depart from this world.” As the saint made complaint to the angel about how he could go so quickly, he was taken up by the angel in a fiery chariot into the air, and was set down at the fortress of that leader at the end of Ciarraige Luachra. And immediately the man of God gave him communion of the body and blood of Christ. And the leader offered him many gifts. And afterwards he departed to heaven. But the most blessed bishop Carthagus was brought back on the same day to his city, Rathen, and found the brothers there celebrating the ninth hour.

⁴⁷ On a certain day Saint Mochutu came to the aforesaid Saint Colman, who was living in his monastery, Lann Ífla, so that, coming with him, he might mark out a burial-place (leuiciana) in his monastery at Rathen; for it was the custom of Saint Colman to mark out burial-places together with the angels. And it was granted by God to Saint Colman that the sons of death would not rise again in the burial-places which he himself marked out. And blessed Colman said to Saint Carthagus: “Go to your cell, and on the fifth day of the week I will come to you.”

⁴⁸ Then Saint Mochutu came to his place and waited there for Saint Colman until the fifth day of the week, but he did not come to him. And Saint Carthagus returned to blessed Colman, saying to him: “Why, father, have you not fulfilled what you promised?” Saint Colman answered him, saying: “I went out, and I marked out the burial-place with the angels with me. Return, and just as you will see the smallest signs set in sequence on the southern side of your cell, so establish the burial-place. And let it not seem small to you; for another greater one will be marked out for you by the angels in your other city, in the southern region of Ireland.” And Saint Carthagus returned, and thus he found the burial-place marked out, just as Saint Colman had said.

⁴⁹ At the same time certain clerics from the border of Ciarraige beyond Mount Luachra came to the cell of the most blessed virgin Íte, situated in the region of Uí Chonaill. And a little boy was in their company. When Saint Íte looked upon that boy, she wept. And the clerics questioned the saint of God, saying: “O holy mother, why are you saddened at our coming?” The virgin answered them: “O how happily this boy has been born; for the soil of the burial-place in which he will rest will not come upon a son of death. And would that I myself were buried in it.” The clerics said to her: “In which burial-place will he be buried?” Saint Íte answered: “In the burial-place of Saint Mochutu, which has not yet been marked out; and when it is marked out, it will be glorious.”

⁵⁰ And this was thus fulfilled; for that boy later became a monk of Saint Mochutu. And he was buried in the burial-place of the city of Saint Mochutu, called Less Mór (which at that time was not inhabited), just as Saint Íte had prophesied.

⁵¹ At another time also a certain boy in the city of Rathen, by some accident, fell from a bridge and was drowned in the river that runs through the city of Rathen; and his body was not found by day or by night. But on the following day, when his body was found far from the city of Rathen, it was brought back to Saint Carthagus. And Saint Carthagus, having compassion on him, because he was the only son of his father, raised him from death before everyone. And he nourished him for a long time in secular dress. And when that boy had become a young man, Saint Carthagus sent him to his own region, that is, Delbna. And he begot sons and daughters in his own country. And he himself, together with his offspring and inheritance, offered himself to God and to Saint Carthagus forever. In the service of the monastery of Rathen his seed remains.

⁵² Now at a certain time Saint Carthagus the bishop came from his parish, namely from the region of Ciarraige, with many gifts, to his city of Rathen. And as he was making the journey, night fell upon him near the lake of Muchinne, at the edge of Delbna; and going out of the road he found a creaking and movable hurdle set at a crossroads, which had been made for the sake of play by the craftsmen who were constructing a mill in the watercourse of the aforesaid lake. And when the hurdle was lifted, it made a great noise. When the inhabitants, who lived in the nearby villages, heard it, they came swiftly with great clamour and shouting of voices, so that they might learn what the unknown thing was.

⁵³ Hearing such things, the companions of Saint Carthagus were greatly afraid, and their horses turned to flight, throwing off their loads; and afterwards they were scarcely restrained through trackless places. But Saint Carthagus, knowing the truth of that matter, said to those craftsmen: “Scattered through various regions you shall be ridiculous and useless, and this mill which is being built by you shall never be completed.” And their descendants are called the descendants of Fenna, who wander after their fathers.

⁵⁴ After these things Saint Mochutu came to a place which is called Cluain Brenaind, and his disciples asked the inhabitants of that place for apples, which abounded in that place. And when the household of the settlement refused to give apples to the saint, he himself said: “From this year apples shall never again grow on these trees.” And this prophecy is fulfilled forever.

⁵⁵ The most blessed bishop Mochutu had twelve disciples in his monastery of Rathen, very humble men: Mochue son of Mellan, and he was the first monk made in the monastery of Rathen; and Mochommoc son of Uairt; and the three sons of Nascann, whose names were Gobanus, Sraphanus, and Lasreanus; and also Molua, Lugair, and Mochommoc son of Cuait; and Aidan, and Fiachna, and Mochomnioc, later a bishop, and Findlug. And all these were unbelievably obedient; and Saint Carthagus wished to lighten their burden before his death. He established cells for them, so that they might have some comfort in their old age because of their extreme obedience in their youth. And he prophesied many good things about them.

⁵⁶ Indeed Saint Carthagus prophesied concerning the aforesaid Mochua son of Mallan, marking out for him a cell in a place which is called Cluain da Chrann, near the city of Rathen, saying: “Dear son, your resurrection will not be here, but in another place appointed for you by God.” And so it happened.

⁵⁷ Saint father Carthagus also prophesied concerning his disciple Fiachna, appointing a cell for him near Coningnib, and he said to him: “Your resurrection will not be here, my son, but you will hold three other places; nevertheless your relics will be buried with your companion Aidan at the border of the descendants of Torna, and there will be your resurrection, and that place will be called by your name.” Likewise, when Saint bishop Mochutu established a cell for Aidan himself in the region of the descendants of Torna, near Mount Luachra, he said to him prophetically: “A day will come when the relics of your fellow disciple Fiachna will be brought to you, and his name will be upon this place forever.” All these things were fulfilled in this way. Now that place is called in Irish Cell Fiachna, which was formerly called Cell Aidani Redh’aire. And he prophesied other things about others.

⁵⁸ At another time a certain little infant, who had been born of adultery, was secretly brought to the city of Rathen and left there beside the church. And Saint Carthagus nourished him until he made him a bishop. And when everyone was ignorant of that child’s parents and by what name he was called, Saint Carthagus revealed it to them through prophecy, saying: “This infant was called Dimma, who is the son of Cormac of the seed of Eathach” (from whom the descendants of Eathach are named). And all magnified the prophecy of Saint Carthagus, who set forth the genealogy of the blessed infant Dimma, with no one informing him except the Holy Spirit.

⁵⁹ And Saint Carthagus said to blessed Dimma, when he had been made bishop: “Go out quickly to your homeland, that is, to the region of Uí n-Eathach, in the southern part of Munster; for there will be your resurrection. And your kindred will commit parricide against their brothers, unless you quickly come to them to restrain them.” Then immediately Saint bishop Dimma set out to his homeland; and another holy bishop, named Cuanna, from among the disciples of Saint Carthagus, went out with him as a pilgrim, full of the grace of God. And Saint Dimma, preaching the divine command to his people, made them peaceable. He built a monastery in his homeland, which he offered, together with himself and his whole parish, to Saint Carthagus, his most beloved master. There blessed bishop Dimma finished the happy course of his life, just as Saint Carthagus had prophesied.

⁶⁰ At a certain time Saint bishop Carthagus set out from his city Rathen in the province of Munster and entered the region which is called Ciarraige Cuirche. Now the king of Munster, Cairbre son of Crimthann, was in that same region in a certain encampment on the plain of Cuirche. And suddenly a fiery storm came and struck down many of those in the king’s camp, among whom were the king’s son, named Áed, and his queen, named Cuman, and two excellent horses of the king’s chariot, who died. Therefore the king asked Saint bishop Carthagus to raise his son and his queen and the others. Seeing their faith, the holy bishop prayed for them to the Lord, and commanded them to rise; and he restored them alive to the king. And all gave honor to Saint Carthagus, and King Cairbre offered him many gifts of land and servants.

⁶¹ But one of those servants disputed arrogantly against Saint Mochutu, refusing to serve him. And the bishop said prophetically: “Your offspring will be extinguished forever. And your inheritance, over which you contend against me, will always be mine. And whoever takes from me what was offered to me will have heaven and earth taken away from him.” And that man quickly perished, together with his offspring.

⁶² At one time the holy elder Mochutu sent a golden belt with his blessing to a certain leader who was called Fergus son of Crimthann, who was suffering from a very severe skin disease. And when the leader fastened the belt, blessed by the saint of God, around his loins, he was immediately healed.

⁶³ At a certain time Cathal son of Áed, king of the men of Munster, was in the aforesaid region of Ciarraige Chuirche. He had for a long time been made deaf and one-eyed, afflicted with great pains. When Saint bishop Carthagus came there, the king and his friends begged him to heal him in the name of Christ. And the saint of God, praying for the king, marked his eyes and ears with the holy sign; and at once he was healed of all pain, seeing clearly and hearing well.

⁶⁴ Then King Cathal offered his fortress, that is, Inis Cathail, and Ross Beag, and Ross Mór, and the island of Pich, situated in the strait of Eógan, to God and to Saint Carthagus forever. In that place, namely Ross Beag, the saint of God placed certain brothers, that they might build there a cell for God. That place is very renowned.

⁶⁵ On the island of Pich, however, the holy bishop himself, Mochutu, began to build a monastery, and he remained there for a whole year. And after the end of the year he left there, to preserve them, three of the aforesaid obedient disciples—namely the three sons of Nascann: Gobban the bishop, and Sraphan the priest, and the blessed Lasrean; and the most holy bishop Domangen, their fosterer (for he had ordained them in the presence of Saint bishop Carthagus in the monastery of Rathen); and with them he left twelve brothers there. And afterwards Saint father Mochutu returned to his city Rathen.

⁶⁶ On that island there is now a most holy place, and religious men always dwell there.

⁶⁷ As Saint elder Mochutu was passing through the region of the men of Munster, he forded a river which was formerly called Nem, but is now called Abann Mór, that is, “the great river.” And the man of God saw a large apple floating in the middle of the ford; and he seized it and carried it in his hand. From that day that place is called Áth Ubla, that is, “the ford of the apple,” which is in the land of the men of Magh.

⁶⁸ And his charioteer asked it from Saint Mochutu; but he was unwilling to give it to him, saying prophetically: “Today my God will do through me a wonderful thing with this apple. For today we shall find the daughter of Cuano son of Chelcan, the leader of this region, before her father’s fortress; she has her right hand withered and stuck to her side. And through this apple she will be healed by me through the grace of Christ.” And so it was fulfilled.

⁶⁹ When Saint Mochutu saw that daughter playing with the other girls in the open space of the fortress, he turned toward her and said to her: “Take, daughter, this apple.” Then she stretched out her left hand, as was her custom. But the saint refused to give it to her, saying: “No; rather stretch out your right hand.” But she, filled with faith, began to move the withered one; and immediately, with blood and strength restored, she stretched out her freed hand and received the apple from the saint’s hand. Then all rejoiced, marveling at the miracle.

⁷⁰ And Duke Cuano said to his daughter that night: “Choose, dear daughter, from the royal young men of Munster whom you wish to have as a husband, and I will find him for you.” She answered him: “I shall choose no other except the one who freed my hand.” Then the duke said to the bishop: “Do you hear what my daughter says?” Saint Carthagus answered: “Give her to me, and I will give her as a bride to the Son of God, who healed her hand.”

⁷¹ Then Duke Cuano gave his daughter, named Flandnait, together with the inheritance which she had in the town which is called Feic, on the bank of the aforesaid river Nem, to God and to Saint Carthagus forever. That same Duke Cuano was incredibly generous.

⁷² Saint Carthagus then led that holy virgin to his city Rathen. And she lived there with other holy women in a separate cell in great happiness, until Saint father Carthagus, together with his people, was expelled from his city Rathen by the king and the princes of Tara, as you will hear. For he took that same holy virgin Flandnait with him along with the others.

⁷³ But after Saint Mochutu founded his city Less Mór, he sent the holy virgin Flandnait to her inheritance, so that she might build a cell there. And Saint Flandnait built a renowned cell in the aforesaid town of Feic, which is called Cluain Dallain. And that place belongs to the proper parish of Saint bishop Carthagus.

⁷⁴ While staying, Saint Mochutu was once in a certain place in the region of the Mumenii, and he said to his companions: “I hear here the voices of boys reading—from our monastery of Rathan; and by this I know that this place will be ours.” This was afterward fulfilled.

⁷⁵ On another day Saint Columba of Iona came to Saint Carthach, who was staying in his city of Rathan, and greeting the old man he said to him: “Do you love this place, holy father?” Saint Mochutu replied: “Truly I love it.” Columba said: “Let it not trouble you what I am about to tell you. In this place your resurrection will not be. For envy will rise against you in this place from the king of Temoria and his sons and the princes, through the persuasion of certain clerics. And after some time they will expel you from this place.”

⁷⁶ Then the most blessed father Carthach questioned Saint Columba, who was a truthful prophet: “Where will my resurrection be?” Saint Columba answered: “Where once you saw a great host of angels upon the bank of the river Neme, from the summit of Mount Cua, raising a silver chair with a golden statue in the middle of it up to heaven, there will be your resurrection. That silver chair is your church; but you yourself are the golden statue in the midst of it.”

⁷⁷ Both saints, knowing that it would be so, blessed the Lord.

⁷⁸ On another day also, a certain priest and monk of Saint Carthach came from the north of Mumenia to the monastery of Rathan; and he bent his knees before the holy father, as was the custom of monks coming from a journey, saying: “I have fulfilled, father, as it seems to me, the order of the Rule and your commands, from the day when I set out until now—except that I brought my secular brother with me here out of the world without your permission.”

⁷⁹ The holy old man Mochutu replied to him, saying: “Go, brother, to your seat in peace. Truly I tell you that if you had gone up onto a mountain in your region and had cried out with a very loud voice from its summit, and all who heard your cry had come with you to the holy habit, assuredly I would have received them all with joy.”

⁸⁰ Then they greatly marveled at the breadth of the charity of their holy father Carthach in this saying, giving thanks to God.

⁸¹ On a certain day the holy old man Carthach, about the ninth hour, said to his monks: “Today we shall not eat until each one of you reveals his confession to me. For one of you is thinking of enmity, through hatred, toward a certain brother.”

⁸² Then the brothers, revealing their consciences to him, one confessed to him, saying: “Father, I do not love our miller; rather, I hate him. For when I go to the mill, he does not wish to help me lift the loads from the horses, nor to fill the vessels with flour, and moreover he does not wish to help me lift them back onto the horses; and he treats me badly in every matter, and he is always bitter and harsh toward me. God knows, I do not know for what reason he does these things. And now I have thought that if ever I were to come to him and he were to act toward me in the same way, I would strike him even to death.”

⁸³ The holy old man Mochutu replied to him: “Listen, brother, to the prophet saying: ‘Turn away from evil and do good’. Therefore, according to my counsel, do good to him, and he will be pierced in heart by your goodness, and you will be friends as long as you live.”

⁸⁴ And that brother, with all his strength, sought to please the miller-brother for three days; but nevertheless the miller was not yet moved from his evil, nor was the brother freed from hatred. On the third day the holy old man Mochutu asked confession again from that brother. And he said: “This is my confession: now I no longer hate the miller.”

⁸⁵ The holy father said to him: “This very night he will be pierced in heart, and tomorrow he will not eat until you come to him. And eat with him. For in that very meal friendship will fill you both, and in your life you will be friends.”

⁸⁶ And so all things came to pass. That monk, filled with the Holy Spirit through the teaching of Saint Carthach, was called Coiman, son of Ione. And the brothers glorified the divine inspiration in their holy old man.

⁸⁷ On another day also, two monks, Britons by race, greeted one another, saying: “This old man is sick; yet nevertheless he will not die quickly. And there is no doubt that equals to him in piety and holiness will not always be found here. And now, if he were to die, after him one of us would be chosen. Therefore let us kill him; for, as we have said, he will not soon die of himself.” And they formed a plan that in the last part of the following night they would secretly drown him in the nearby river.

⁸⁸ And finding him alone in a hidden place praying, as was his custom, they carefully bound him with thongs in a skin, and then carried him between them toward the river. Then there met them, as they were carrying him, a certain devout monk, who had the custom in the last part of the night to go about the leacht (burial ground). And marveling, he questioned them, saying: “What are you carrying at this hour?” They said: “The garments of certain brothers to be washed.” But he, stirred by the Holy Spirit, did not believe them and said to them: “Put it down, that I may see.”

⁸⁹ When the burden was set down, there was found there our most holy patron Carthach. Now that monk was the superior of that place. And he said to them sorrowfully: “You wished to do a most wicked deed.” Then little by little the holy old man Mochutu said: “Son, it would have been good for me, for I would have been numbered among the holy martyrs. But it would have been evil for them, for they would have paid the penalties with Judas, the betrayer of his Lord. They wished to kill me so that they might rule over my brothers. Neither those evildoers nor anyone of their race will be my successors; but from the race of him through whom God delivered me, my successors will always be from my seat. But from the race of the Britons in my city there will be certain people who are ridiculous in the world.”

⁹⁰ And thus all things came to pass. For that monk who freed the saint was of the race of the Ciarraige, from which race the successors of Saint Carthach are always.

⁹¹ As we said above, for many days Saint Mochutu did not accept cows, nor oxen, nor horses; but his monks each year ploughed with hoes and with their feet, and carried burdens on their shoulders. But when Saint Finan, a kinsman of Saint Carthach, came from Rome, he rebuked him, saying: “Why, Carthach, do you impose upon rational men the service of irrational animals? For all animals were made for the sake of man. And I will never taste food in this place unless you free the monks, servants of Christ, from unworthy labor.” Then Saint Father Carthach allowed his monks, for the honor of Saint Finan, to have oxen and horses.

⁹² Afterwards Saint Lacteanus the abbot, having compassion on Saint Father Mochutu and his monks, set out for the city of Rathan with thirty cows and a bull, and two herdsmen and two calves, and vessels. And in a place near the city he hid what was his; and he went out into the monastery, and feigning illness, asked for milk. At once the minister informed Father Mochutu that Saint Lacteanus had asked for milk on account of sickness. Then Saint Mochutu ordered a bowl to be filled with water; and blessing it, it became fresh milk, as if newly milked; and it was brought to Saint Lacteanus. But Saint Lacteanus, knowing by divine insight what had been done, blessed it, and it was again turned into water. And he said: “I asked for milk, not for water.”

⁹³ These things having been said and done, the master of guests was ministering among the saints. Saint Lacteanus said before all: “Our father Carthach is a good monk; but his successors will not make milk from water.” And he said to the minister: “Tell Saint Mochutu that I will not eat in this place unless he himself accepts the alms which I have brought for the brothers of this place.” And Saint Carthach promised that he would accept it. Then the disciples of Saint Lacteanus assigned the cows with the other monks of Saint Mochutu. And Saint Mochutu said to Saint Lacteanus: “I did not wish to receive cows from anyone in this place; yet for your honor and fear of you I have accepted them.” To him Saint Lacteanus said: “From this day there will always be abundance of temporal goods among your people, and a multitude of religious men in your city, in which you will pass to Christ, throughout the age; for from this place you will be expelled.” After these things the saints, greeting one another, established brotherhood between themselves here and in the future.

⁹⁴ In a certain autumn his steward came to Saint Carthach, saying: “Father, we cannot find reapers in sufficient number, and the crops are very ripe.” To him Saint Mochutu replied: “Go, dear one, in peace; God will soon give us good reapers.” According to the word of the holy bishop, angels of God came and reaped the greater part of the harvest of the monks of Saint Carthach, and gathered it into one heap. The brothers, seeing such a deed together with the others, marveled; and they gave praises to Christ, magnifying the holiness of their elder.

⁹⁵ So great was the obedience of the monks of Saint Carthage that, if it were commanded to any one of them by any elder, he would immediately cast himself into the fire. For example: when loaves were in the oven, a certain man said to a younger brother, “The loaves are burning; help them more quickly.” For the iron plate by which the loaves were taken from the oven had then fallen from its handle. But that brother, when he heard the voice of the one commanding, leapt through the fire that was at the mouth of the oven, and with his own hands threw the loaves into the very hot oven; and in no way did the heat of the oven or of the loaves, nor the burning fire at the mouth of the oven, harm him.

⁹⁶ On another day, when the monks of Saint Mochutu were working outside beside a stream, one elder, out of necessity, said to another brother named Colman, “Colman, go into the bath.” Then immediately twelve Colmans together, clothed, went into the bath, hearing that “Colman” was being called. And the others were edified, because so many brothers went into the water, clothed, at a single word.

⁹⁷ The monks of Saint Carthage had great patience in torments and in adversities, as was proved in a certain monk from whose body swarming worms were falling in his footsteps before the brothers. And without making excuse of infirmity he did his daily work. And he himself appeared sick, and pallor and emaciation were evident in him, and the brothers grieved for him. But one day the holy elder Carthage, for the sake of observing the rule, asked him the cause of his pain. That brother, though unwilling, showed him his sides torn with a cord. Then Saint Mochutu said to him, “Who has done this superstitious and intolerable thing to you?” The monk answered, “On another day, when the brothers were dragging a very heavy log from the wood, my belt was broken. And the prior, seeing this, put my shirt around my legs and bound this rough cord tightly around my sides. And from then on my flesh rotted.” The holy elder said to him, “Why did you not loosen it again?” And he replied, “Because this body is not mine. And the prior who bound it did not loosen it.” And a full year had passed since this had happened. And Saint Mochutu said to the brother, “You have endured a great torment, brother. Therefore choose whether you wish to be healed today, or to go to heaven.” And the brother said, “What have I in this world?” And then he chose to depart to heaven. And having received holy communion, he immediately departed to Christ. But the prior was rebuked by the holy father and the brothers for the bitterness of his indiscretion.

⁹⁸ A certain woman, named Brig, having a withered hand clinging to her side, came to Saint Carthage with her husband, and begged the saint, in the name of Christ, that he would heal her hand. And at that time the woman was pregnant. And the holy bishop stretched out his hand to her with an apple, as he did for the daughter of Duke Cuanon, saying to her: “Raise your withered hand to receive this apple.” And quickly her withered hand was healed. And she took the apple from the hand of the saint. And when she tasted the apple, she immediately gave birth to a child without the pain of childbirth. And with great joy they returned to their home.

⁹⁹ Just as the most blessed prophet Columba and other saints prophesied that the most holy elder Carthage would be expelled from his city at the end of his life—Rathan—the princes of Mide, with the king of Temoria, and certain clerics adhering to them in the city of Cluain Airaird, decided to expel him from there. Those same princes, coming to the city of Rathan, said to Saint Mochutu: “From this city, and from this whole region, go with your people, and seek for yourself a place in another province.”

¹⁰⁰ The holy elder Carthage answered them: “I wish to finish my life here; for I have served God in this place for many years, and I have almost completed the course of my life. Therefore I will not depart from this place unless someone violently drags me by the hand, lest instability in this age be imputed to me by men, since it is a disgrace in old age to wander from place to place.”

¹⁰¹ Then those princes returned to the king of Temoria, named Blaithmecc son of Áed Sláine, and they accused Saint Mochutu falsely before the king in many matters. And they begged the king that he himself would come to expel the saint from his place. And the king came with them in a great company.

¹⁰² Meanwhile the most blessed father Carthage prophesied to his monks, saying: “You, my beloved, prepare and bind your loads; for soon a violent trial will come upon you. For through the princes of this region we shall be expelled from this place most dear to us.”

¹⁰³ When King Blaithmecc came with the leaders and princes of the descendants of Niall, and with his brother Diarmaid, and, as it is said, with his sons, they encamped near the city of Rathan. Then the king sent his brother Diarmaid with many others to expel Saint Mochutu by force from the city of Rathan. For Diarmaid, the king’s brother, undertook of his own accord to expel the saint by force.

¹⁰⁴ When he arrived, he found Saint Carthage praying in the choir; he himself stood in the vestibule of the choir. And the holy elder asked him, saying: “For what reason have you come here?” Diarmaid replied: “My brother, King Blaithmecc, and the princes of Mide have sent me, that I may seize your hand and cast you with your people out of this city.” The saint said to him: “Do as you wish; for we are ready to suffer all things for Christ.” Diarmaid replied: “I will never commit this crime. For you are a saint of God.”

¹⁰⁵ Then Saint Carthage said to him: “You shall possess a portion in heaven; and you shall soon be king in the place of your brother. And your face, which is now turned before me, shall never be turned before enemies. But the reproach which the king—your brother—will now give you, because you do not complete the task for which you were sent, shall be for you praise and blessing. Yet nevertheless, because you conceived evil against me in your heart, and were more eager than the others to expel me, your son shall not reign after you.”

¹⁰⁶ Then Lord Diarmaid returned to his brother the king in the camp, saying that he could not harm the saint of God. And the king said to his brother in anger: “This man is a layman, Ruanaid.” Diarmaid replied to him: “It shall be true; for thus the servant of the Lord, Mochutu, promised me.” Then all, praising him, cried out with one voice: “Truly he himself is Ruanaid.” And thus he is named even to the present day.

¹⁰⁷ Then the aforesaid princes cast lots among themselves, that they might know which of them should, together with the king, seize the hand of Saint Carthage from his seat. And the lot fell upon the prince of Cluain. Then the king entered the city with his powerful men, and they found the holy elder with his brothers gathered together in the church.

¹⁰⁸ Then a certain rich man, named Cronan, said in a loud voice: “Quickly do the work for which you have come.” The holy bishop said to him: “You will have a swift death; but nevertheless, because you have offered me many gifts in the name of Christ, and have been kind to us until now, rich men from your seed shall exist throughout the ages.” And these things were thus fulfilled. For he indeed underwent a sudden death, and his descendants are always rich.

¹⁰⁹ Another man, named Dubhsulech, closed one of his eyes in mockery, ridiculing Saint Mochutu and his monks. And the holy bishop, looking at him, said to him: “Thus you shall be one-eyed and ridiculous until your death; and many of your seed shall likewise be so.” And thus it was fulfilled.

¹¹⁰ Likewise another man, named Caillche, made a great smacking noise with his lips in derision of Saint Carthage and his monks. The saint said to him: “You shall very quickly suffer dysentery, and from it you shall die.” And thus it happened to him.

¹¹¹ Alas, a wicked and evil deed, lamentable to many, was then done. For King Blaithmecc, in anger, and the prince of Cluain, seizing the honorable hand of the most holy, decrepit bishop Mochutu, expelled him with his people from his city of Rathan without any reverence. Likewise their attendants treated the holy monks in the same way. Then there were howling and weeping, lamentations, alas and woe, from both sexes, of every rank, throughout the city. And indeed many from the king’s army spoke of the misery of the saints.

¹¹² There was gout in the foot of a certain monk, and on his behalf the holy bishop begged the whole council that they would allow the sick monk, in the name of Christ, to remain in his monastery. And they all refused. Then Saint Carthage called that brother to himself, and commanded the pain, in the power of Christ, to leave the foot of the monk and go into the foot of Colman the prince, who strongly resisted him. And immediately the gout left the foot of the monk and seized the foot of Prince Colman, and remained there firmly for the rest of his life. But the monk rose up unharmed and went on vigorously with his holy master.

¹¹³ Likewise another elder among the monks of Saint Carthage immediately desired to depart in the monastery of Rathan, because there he had promised his stability. And when Saint Mochutu gave him permission, that elder received the sacrifice from the hand of the holy bishop, and before all he departed to heaven. And he was buried, as he wished, in the city of Rathan.

¹¹⁴ When the most blessed elder Carthage was departing from his monastery, he entered the burial-place of the brothers, weeping, and seeking the blessing of those lying there, and pouring out prayer for them to Christ. By divine prompting, the tomb of a certain monk who had been buried a long time before was opened. And suddenly, before those present, the dead man, raising his head out of the tomb, lifted up his voice and said: “Most holy nurturer of us in God, Mochutu, bless us your sons, and through your blessing, rising again, we shall all go with you.”

¹¹⁵ The holy father answered him, saying: “I will not perform a new work, that is, the resurrection of so many men before the resurrection of the whole human race.” The dead man again said: “Why, father, do you leave us, promising us your unity, and we ours to you?” Saint Mochutu said: “Hear this proverb, son: ‘Necessity moves decree and counsel.’ But rest here in your tombs, and on the day of our resurrection I shall return to you with all my monks as far as that cross which is at the gates of this city, and together we shall all go to the judgment of God.”

¹¹⁶ And when the saint had said these things, the dead man gathered himself back into the tomb, and it was closed firmly over him. And the holy bishop, bidding farewell to the dead, went out beyond the city with his people as far as the cross which is called the Cross of the Angels.

¹¹⁷ There the holy elder Carthage turned to the king and said to him: “Look, O king, at heaven above and at the earth below.” And the king looked. And the saint said to him: “You shall possess neither earth nor heaven any longer. For you shall soon be expelled from your earthly kingdom; and your brother Diarmaid, whom you rebuked because he showed me honor, shall reign before you. And you shall be despised by all, so that on some night you will go without food in his camp because of your humiliation. And you with your offspring shall die miserably, and after a very short time none of your seed shall remain.”

¹¹⁸ And the saint Mochutu, cursing the king, struck a small cymbal with his hand over the king and over his seed. This cymbal is called in Irish Clog rabhaydh Blaithmecc, that is, “the cymbal extinguishing Blaithmecc,” because through its striking King Blaithmecc with his seed was more swiftly extinguished. Now King Blaithmecc had many sons and daughters, but all of them together with their father perished as nothing through the curse of the most holy elder Carthage.

¹¹⁹ And he said to the prince who held his hand: “You shall be a servant before your death, because you shall be driven from your principality, and your seed shall be almost extinguished.” And so it happened to him. Likewise to another who pulled his hand he said: “Why did you seize my hand from my seat?” He answered: “Lest a man of Munster should have such great honor here in the land of Mide.” The holy man said to him: “Your face shall always be under confusion, and the hand which pulled me out shall be cursed.” And immediately the eye in his head was destroyed.

¹²⁰ After this Saint Mochutu turned to the prince and the people of the city of Deirmaige and said: “A most evil discord shall arise among you, and from it you shall suffer many losses; for you yourselves have largely stirred up this discord against me.” And so it happened to them.

¹²¹ Then the saint was ordered most harshly by the king and the people to go on his way. And the saint went on his way with his disciples, who were eight hundred and sixty-seven in number, and an equal number remained in the city of Rathen in the tombs. And many others of the disciples of Saint Mochuda, both living and dead, were in other places throughout Hibernia. And those who followed the holy old man Carthach from the city of Rathen were filled with the grace of God. And many of them afterwards became holy bishops and abbots and built places for God.

¹²² Our holy old man Mochuda was most pious and most humble, as is proved in this matter. For he kept a great multitude of lepers in his city in a separate dwelling with great dignity, and, as long as the strength of his body allowed him, he himself most frequently ministered to them. And when the lepers heard that Saint Mochuda was showing care for lepers, they came to him from the various provinces of Hibernia, and the man of God received them. These he led with him from the city of Rathen to another of his cities, Lyoss Mór, and he established a place for them there, in which lepers still remain with honor, according to their dignity, from the holy father Mochuda.

¹²³ As they went unwillingly on their way, the disciples of Saint Carthach, with wagons and carts, found in a certain great forest a large oak lying crosswise in the road. Then one of the crowd said to Saint Mochuda: “Father, we cannot proceed on the road because of the great tree lying in the way, since the forest is very dense all around.” And the man of God, making the sign with his hand over the tree, said: “In the name of my Lord Jesus Christ, arise, O oak, and stand in your place.” And immediately the tree arose and stands to this day in its former position, having a heap of stones at its roots as a sign of the miracle.

¹²⁴ The first stopping place of Saint Carthach, after he came from the city of Rathen, was in the monastery which is called Druim Cuylinn, which lies on the border of the Mumenii and the Laginenses and the Uí Néill; but it is nevertheless in the land of the Uí Néill, in the people which is called Fir Chell, in which the aforesaid city also is. In this monastery the holy abbot Barrind shines with miracles.

¹²⁵ Then he came to the city of Saint Ciarán the bishop, which is called Saiger. From there, moreover, he went to the place in which now is the city of Saint Crónán, Ros Cré, and he spent the night there without lodging, although he had been invited by Saint Crónán. For he himself had prepared a supper for Saint Mochuda. But Saint Mochuda did not wish to go out to him, saying: “To a man who has avoided guests and built his cell in the filth of the wilderness, I will not go from the open road; but let the beasts of the desert be his guests.”

¹²⁶ When Saint Crónán heard these words, he came to Saint Carthach, and by his command Saint Crónán abandoned his cell near the filth. And the two of them together assigned the monastery—indeed, the city—which is called Ros Cré, in which the holy father Saint Crónán himself lies.

¹²⁷ Afterwards Saint Mochuda came through the region of Hele to the royal city of Mumenia, Cashel. But on the next day the king of Cashel, named Failbe, came to Saint Mochuda and offered him a place, so that the saint might establish a monastery there. And Saint Mochuda said to the king: “It has not yet been granted to us by God to remain, but we shall go to the place shown to us by holy men.”

¹²⁸ Then messengers of the king of the Laginenses came to the king of Mumenia, Failbe, asking that he should go out in alliance to aid the Laginenses. For all the northern provinces had assembled to devastate the region of the Laginenses and to fight against them. But at that time the eye of King Failbe had been injured by some mishap, and he was one-eyed. And the king was unwilling to go out because of modesty, lest he should appear one-eyed before foreign hosts.

¹²⁹ Seeing the shame of the king, the holy bishop blessed his eye, and immediately it was healed there before all. And bidding farewell to one another, King Failbe and the holy old man Mochuda each went on his own way. The king indeed, having gathered an army, went to the king of the Laginenses. And the two of them together put the northern provinces to great flight.

¹³⁰ Then the holy father Mochuda came to the people of Muscraige Híthir, and Áedán, the chief of that people, kindly received him and offered him an estate which is called Hyssel. And the man of God, blessing that chief together with his offspring, went from there into the region of the Déisi. And passing through the plain of Femyn, he stopped at a place which is called Ard Brenaind, above the bank of the river Suir. And there came to him Melochtrí, leader of the Déisi, and another noble, Suibne, contending in great anger in a dispute over some land. And by divine prompting Saint Mochuda made peace between them and dismissed them reconciled.

¹³¹ And that leader offered Saint Mochuda that place with the neighboring field; and there the man of God assigned a cell, where today there is a great settlement which is called Aird Finayn, with a very large parish round about, in honor of Saint Mochuda.

¹³² Meanwhile the wife of that leader Melochtrí, son of Cobthach, who was the daughter of the aforesaid king of Cashel, Failbe Flann, saw a dream: namely, most beautiful quails flying through the air across the plain of Femyn, and one of them, which was more excellent and greater than the others which followed, sat in the lap of the leader Melochtrí. When that lady had now awakened from the dream, she immediately told her husband, the leader, what she had seen. And the leader said to her: “You have seen a good dream, O woman, and it will soon be fulfilled. This is now its interpretation. The birds flying are Saint Mochuda and his monks in heavenly conduct, and he himself is more excellent and greater than all; and his sitting in my lap means this, that he will have a place of resurrection in my territory, and great grace will come to us and to our land from it.”

¹³³ The dream of the good woman appeared trustworthy, and its true interpretation was faithfully shown by the glorious and proven Christian leader through divine revelation.

¹³⁴ On the next day the holy bishop Mochuda went to the aforesaid leader, Melochtrí, and asked from him a field in which he might found his church. The leader answered him: “So great a place cannot be in a narrow site.” And Saint Mochuda said to him: “God, who has sent us to you, will show you to give us a suitable place.” Then the leader said to him: “I have a region on the other side of Mount Cua, above the bank of the river Nemed; it is good in woodland and fish, but I fear lest it be too confined.” Saint Mochuda said: “It will not be confined but spacious. That land has already for many days been marked out for us beforehand by God; and in it also our resurrection will be.”

¹³⁵ Then the glorious leader of the Déisi, Melochtrí son of Cobthach, offered that region, in which now is the city of Mochuda, Lios Mór, before many witnesses. And the holy elder Carthach blessed that leader with his wife, and his heirs, and his people; and, having received honor and permission from him, he directed his journey across Mount Cua and came into the plain of Cennemin, to the cell which is called Cell Clochair. And the holy father of that place, Mochua of Miannan, according to his means prepared a small supper for Saint Mochuda with all his people. In it indeed there was, of drink, no more than one small cask of ale.

¹³⁶ And Saint Mochuda remained there with all the people for three days and three nights, and the holy abbot Mochua of Miannan himself poured the ale from the cask to the servants in cups sufficiently for all the people. And the cask of ale was still full. For the liquid increased, just as oil did under the blessing of Elijah. Then one of the disciples of Saint Mochuda said with a loud voice before all: “If we wished to stay here until this meal should fail, we would remain here a long time; for this meal, by God’s gift, does not diminish but increases daily.” When Saint Bishop Mochuda heard this, he said to him: “You speak the truth, brother; it is now time for us to go.” And he ordered all to go out from the place onto their way.

¹³⁷ And Saint Mochua of Miannan offered himself with his place to God and to Saint Mochuda. When Saint Mochuda began to depart from that place, immediately the ale in that cask decreased down to the dregs.

¹³⁸ After this Saint Carthach went through the plain of Cennemin to the aforesaid river, the Nem, to a place which in Irish is called Áth Medhoin, that is, “the ford of the channel,” in which only a few strong men, well skilled in swimming, cross by wading, in great dryness of summer heat, when the flooding is fuller and the tide of the sea is absent. For the tide of the sea at that place goes upstream against the river as far as the city of Lios Mór, for about five miles; and then the tide fills the bed of the river.

¹³⁹ And the saints asked whether there was there any means of a boat, and they were told that there was none. Then the holy father, full of confidence, approached nearer to the bank of the river; and he commanded the sea and the rushing stream of the river that, in the name of the Lord Christ, they should for a time stop their flow and their force and return to the servants of their Lord. And when the sign of the cross had been made, the seas and the waters were divided, and dry land and sand appeared through the divided sea, and the waters, rolled back to either side, stood like a wall on the right and on the left, and the bared ground was stripped of its familiar waters.

¹⁴⁰ And after the saints the crowd on foot entered; others in wagons and carts, just as they were being carried on land, passed through the divided strait, according to the likeness of the river Jordan under Joshua, with dry feet. Higher and higher, like a hill, the river rose, and likewise the sea. And when the most holy old man Mochuda, coming last of all from the shore, had arrived, he blessed that place and commanded the waters to return to their course. And that place is called in Irish …, which in Latin means “the place of blessings.” And when the waters rushed back against one another, they made a very great disturbance, as though contending.

¹⁴¹ Then the glorious bishop Mochutu went forth with his followers through a certain little plain, called in the Irish tongue Madh Scheth, but in Latin Campus Scuti (“Field of the Shield”), to a place predestined for him by God and offered by the aforesaid duke of the Déisi. And they encamped there. Afterwards the bishop, together with the other saints, blessing that field, marked out the circuit of a city.

¹⁴² And there came to them a certain virgin, named Coemell, who had a little cell in that field; and she questioned them, saying: “What do you wish to do here, servants of God?” The holy bishop Mochutu answered her: “By the will of God we are preparing to enclose here a small court around our baggage.” And the holy virgin said: “It will not be a small court, but a great one.”

¹⁴³ The holy father Mochutu said: “It shall indeed be as you say, handmaid of Christ. For from this saying this place shall always be called in Irish Less Mór, but in Latin Atrium Magnum (‘the Great Court’).” And that holy virgin offered herself, together with her cell, to Saint Mochutu, in which place there is today a monastery of holy women in the city of Lismore.

¹⁴⁴ And, as Colmanus Ela had foretold, the resting-place of Saint Mochutu in his city of Lismore was assigned by angels, in which he himself was buried. And God alone knows the number of saints who after him have been buried there even to this day.

¹⁴⁵ Lismore is now a distinguished and holy city, half of which is a sanctuary into which no woman dares to enter; but it is filled with holy cells and monasteries, and a multitude of holy men always dwell there. For religious men from every part of Ireland, and not only from there, but also from England and Britain, flock to it, wishing to pass from there to Christ. And that city itself is situated on the southern bank of the river once called the Nem, but now the Abann Mór, that is, the Great River, in the territory of the Déisi.

¹⁴⁶ On a certain day a certain magician, who was displeased that Saint Mochutu had come there, came to him, tempting him, and asked that, if he were a servant of God, he should make a dry branch without bark, which the magician had brought with him, bear fruit in the name of his God. Seeing that the man wished to detract from the divine power, the holy man blessed the dry branch; and immediately it produced bark and leaves, flower and fruit, just as the magician had demanded. And the magician, marveling at such power, withdrew.

¹⁴⁷ On another day a certain poor man indiscriminately asked Saint Mochutu for milk and beer. At that time the holy man was an old man beside a spring, and he blessed the spring; and immediately the spring was changed into milk, then into beer, afterwards into wine. And he ordered that man to take as much as he wished. And so the spring remained thus, until afterwards Saint Mochutu, by his prayer, restored the spring to its former state.

¹⁴⁸ And an angel of the Lord came from heaven and said to Saint Mochutu: “Until the day of judgment this spring shall be full of virtues.” And that spring remains to this day in the sanctuary of the city of Lismore. And in every spring which the saint blessed, the grace of healing illnesses is made manifest.

¹⁴⁹ After this, while the craftsmen were vigorously and unceasingly building the various buildings of the monastery, Saint Mochutu began to feel great weariness from the noise of the laborers. For the strength of his body began to fail because of great toil and extreme old age. And by the common counsel of the brethren he went, with a few attendants, to a certain place then quiet, which today is called Cella Mochutu, where there is a renowned monastery lying in a valley beneath the great monastery in the middle of his city of Lismore; and he remained there for a full year and six months.

¹⁵⁰ He was now leading a hermit’s life, living for God alone in contemplation. And after some time he was visited by the brethren and by holy, aged elders, to whom he abundantly poured forth the streams of his most sweet teaching, and gave counsels of salvation suited to the life of each one. For this holy patron of ours, Mochutu, was a relief to the aged, the health of the sick, the consolation of those who mourn, the strengthening of the despairing, the sure faith of the doubtful, and the steadfastness of the young.

¹⁵¹ When the holy father Mochutu now saw that the holy elders and all the brethren were toiling, descending and ascending the valley in order to visit him, and knowing that the day of his death had divinely arrived, he called his community to himself and ordered that he be carried up to the brethren above, lest they should be troubled by visiting him.

¹⁵² But almighty and merciful God, wishing to lead his most beloved servant from the burden of this life and from sickness, and to reward him with the recompense of his labor, the heavens were opened, and an army of angels was sent to him with ineffable triumph. And when our most holy patron Mochutu saw the heavens opened to him and the angels coming toward him, he had himself laid down there in the middle of the valley; and recounting to the holy elders what he was seeing, he ordered that the Body and Blood of Christ be brought to him, and he entrusted divine precepts to the brethren.

¹⁵³ There, now outside, where the holy cross stands which is called the Cross of the Passing, after he had given many counsels of salvation, and after he had received the sacrament of the Body and Blood of the Lord, in the midst of a multitude of holy elders and brethren, and bidding them farewell piously and gently, and kissing each one in order, by divine command our most loving foster-father, the most holy old man, Bishop Mochutu, on the day before the Ides of May, passed over to Christ. To him be honor and glory and power, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁵⁴ Here ends the Life of Saint Carthach, Bishop and Confessor.

Antiphon about him at the Magnificat: #

¹ O glorious prelate of Christ, venerable Carthach,
Assist us before God by your holy prayer;
That, cleansed from every stain of earth
And washed from sin,
We may always be gathered with you
On the heavenly height.