Stokes, Lives of Saints from the Book of Lismore (1890) — translated from the Irish.

¹ Now there shall be told briefly the miracles and marvels of this pious one, and the ending he put to his victorious course here in this present world: this is told for the delight of the faithful’s souls — Findian son of Findtan, son of Conchrad, son of Dairchell, son of Senach, son of Diarmaid, son of Aed, son of Fergus, son of Ailill Tauldub, son of Cealtchar, son of Uithechuir.

² Now that Findtan took a wife of good family — Teluch was her name. It chanced that she became pregnant by him. In the time of her pregnancy she dreamt that a flame of fire went into her mouth, and that it came in the form of a bright bird on the same road back, and that the bird went and perched on a tree-top, and that the birds and bird-flocks of Mogh’s Half came to it in that tree and alighted(?) all by it, and that the bird came into Conn’s Half and perched there on another tree-top, and that the birds and bird-flocks of Ireland came to it and alighted by it. Now she told that vision to her husband. “Some pious offspring is in you,” said he. “Let us part our bed so long as it is so.” They did so. Now Teluch herself ate no rich foods but pleasant herbs and light aireara(?), till that victorious offspring was born.

³ Then Saint Finden was taken to Abbán mac h-úi Chormeic, who baptised him. Now there were two wells in the plain where he was baptised — Bal and Dimbal their names. It was from the well named Bal he was baptised, as was fitting for his worth. When Saint Finden had grown he was taken to a bishop — to Fortchernn — and read the psalms and the ecclesiastical order with him. Now he founded three churches in his boyhood — Ros Cuire and Druim Fiaid and Magh n-Glas.

⁴ Now when he reached the age of thirty he went over sea. He happened to reach Tairinis(?). He found an elder before him in it — Caemhán his name. They were a while together and made union. Then Finden went to Cell Muine. He found three sages before him there — Dabid (David) and Gillas (Gildas) and Cathmhael their names. The reason for their gathering there was a contest for the headship and abbacy of the isle of Britain between two of them — between Dabid and Gillas. Cathmhael had been taken by them as a common judge.

⁵ Now when Cathmhael saw Saint Finden he looked intently: “What is the great intent you put on the unknown warrior who has come into the house?” said Daibhith to Cathmhael. “A great grace I perceive upon him,” said Cathmhael. “If there be grace upon him,” said Daibhith, “let him speak now in the British tongue and decide the question we are on.” Finden made the sign of the cross over his mouth, and spoke in British as though it were his native tongue, and gave the decision to Daibid by seniority.

⁶ Then Finden and Cathmhael and Daibid and Gillas went to address the king of Britain to ask him for a place for a church. He said he had none to give. Now a certain man inside said with rough speech(essomain): “If it please the clerics, let them drain this great loch outside beside the fort, and let them make a church for them in its place.” “If they do that,” said the king, “they shall even have this fortress beside the loch’s place.” Now Finden went with a wand in his hand to the edge(?) of the loch, till it fled before him into the sea; and God’s name and Finden’s were magnified by that great miracle. Now those lands were offered to God and to Findian. He gave them to the British elders who were with him. Three cities were founded by them in them — of them is Lann Gharbán or Gabrán today. Now Finden was thirty years learning with the British elders who were with him.

⁷ One day the monks went into the wood to cut trees for a church. They did not let Finden go with them, for reverence to him. The secnap(?) came after them to Findén and said to him: “Why was it,” said he, “that you did not go into the wood?” “From long ago,” said Finnén, “it has been said to us that we should go; yet now when it is said to us that we should go, our material is found for us.” “There are,” said the secnap, “two young stags outside in the field; harness them with you and go into the wood.” Finden went with them into the wood, and the church’s first work was their work. Now it is unknown what angel the secnap was who guided him. God’s name and Findéin’s were magnified by that great miracle.

⁸ Once the Saxons came to banish or ravage the Britons. They took a camp beside a high mountain. The Britons went in trust of Finden to ask him for relief from the Saxons. Findén went on the errand(umuloit). The Saxons refused him. Finden gave a blow of his crozier on the mountain, till the mountain fell on the Saxons, so that not a man escaped to tell tidings of them.

⁹ Then a summons came to Finden to go to Rome after finishing his learning. An angel of God came to him and said to him: “What would be given you in Rome,” said he, “shall be given here. Go and renew faith and belief in Ireland after Patrick.” Then Finnén went by God’s will to Ireland.

¹⁰ Muiredach mac Aengusa, king of Leinster, went to the harbour to meet him, and took him on his back three times(?) over the three fields that were nearest the port. There a man of the king’s people said: “Heavy are you, O cleric, on the king.” “No wonder that,” said Finnén, “for as often as I have been taken on his back, so many kings of his seed shall be on the province. For thrice moreover,” said he, “he took me — three kings of his seed shall take the province of Leinster.” Then Finnén blessed Muiredach himself and said: “As you have found welcome with God’s servant, so shall you find welcome with the people of heaven in the Land of the Living.” And he blessed his wife’s womb, so that she bore an excellent son — Eochu his name, the father of Brandubh thereafter. The king said to Finden: “Whatever place in Leinster you will, it shall be given you to make your church.” An angel of God came before Finden to the mountain named Condal. The angels of God carried him with his people that night to the mountain’s top in the glen that was nearest to him. He said in the morning to his people to go into the wood to cut trees to build a church. One of them went to him behind, with a bough of an apple-tree with its fruit in his hand. He went with them to the place where the apple-tree was. “Let the church be made here,” said he. While they were on those words they saw coming to them Bresal mac Muiredaig and Cremhthann the bishop his brother. Bresal went till he seized the cleric’s arm with a willow-hand(?) by the bishop’s leave. Then the cleric grew angry and said: “The hand,” said he, “that was stretched to forbid me, before this time tomorrow it shall be in the hawk’s talons, and it shall be stayed in my presence. And the bishop — if he gave leave — his keeping shall not be high in earthly things(?), and the place of his resurrection shall not be known.” Now the Ossorians came on a raid into the land the next day. Bresal went to repel them and was killed there, and his hand was brought by the hawk, and stayed in Findéin’s presence, and God’s name and Finnén’s were magnified by that great miracle.

¹¹ Then Muiredach, Bresal’s father, came, and gave Findén the plain where Bresal had fallen to him. It was improved by him — and that is Achadh Abhall today. He was sixteen years in that place serving the Lord of the elements, till the angel said to him: “This is not the place of your resurrection,” said he. “Yet it shall be the place of your meeting with your monks on the day of doom”: therefore it is Sliabh Condala — the mountain of Findén’s meeting with his monks on the day of doom.

¹² Then Finnén bade farewell to his monks and came into the district of Uí Dunlainge. There the king gave him Coirpri Mugna Salcain(?). He was six years there. Then he came to Achad Fhiacla: there a tooth fell out of his head and hid in a briar-brake. When they were going from there the brethren besought him to leave his tooth as a token with them, and he said to them: “Go,” said he, “to that briar-brake you see, and take out of it the tooth I have left there.” They went then and found the brake burning, and took the tooth with them, and from it the stead was named — Achadh Fiacla (the Field of the Tooth).

¹³ Then Finnen came to Cell Dara to Brighid, and was a while learning and preaching with her. Then he bade farewell to Brighid, and Brighid gave him a gold ring. Now he was not greedy about the world. He took not the ring. “Though it be refused,” said Brighid, “you shall find its use.” Then Finnen came to Fotharta Airbrech. Water was brought to him. He washed his hands in the water: he carried on his palm out of the water the ring Brighid had offered him. Then Caisin mac Nemain came with great joy to Finden and offered himself to him, and asked him for gold for the king of Fotharta for his freeing(?). “How much,” said Findén, “does he ask?” “An ounce of gold would be got,” said Caisin. Then he weighed the ring, and an ounce of gold was found in it. Caisin gave it for his freeing.

¹⁴ Then Findén went over the Boyne to Eiscir m-Branain — where Ard Relec is today. He founded a church in that place. A merciful man came to him — Baeth his name. He told the cleric not to stay in that place. His eye was taken from him at once. Then he did penance and his eyes were given him again. A raid came at that time from Fir Tulach past the cleric’s church, and a gillie of the raiders chanced to go into the kiln of the ford that was near the church. That was revealed to Finnén. He went with a shaving-iron and the man was tonsured by them into the ecclesiastical form, and he read with Finnén, till orders were put on him — and that is Bishop Senach, the first successor who took after Finnén.

¹⁵ Once Finden was cleaning a little well. An angel came to him and said: “This is not the place of the well.” “I would go,” said Finnén, “to the place where it is due.” The angel went before Findén a while eastward from the church and showed him the place of the well. “O my Lord,” said Findén, “this labour we have done long since, what shall come of it?” “Whoever shall pass over the clay you have dug,” said the angel, “shall get mercy from the Lord.”

¹⁶ Then the saints of Ireland came to him from every quarter to learn wisdom from him, till there were three thousand saints with him, of whom he chose the twelve chief bishops of Ireland, as the learned testify. And the learned and the writings tell that none of those three thousand went from him without a crozier or gospel or some notable token, therefore they founded their churches and cities thereafter.

¹⁷ Once he sent his fosterling — Bishop Senach — to spy on the folk of his school to see what they were doing. Now the thing each of them was found at was different, yet they were all good. Now Colum mac Crimhthain was found with his hands stretched from him and his mind intent on God, and birds perching on his hands and his head. When that was told to Finden he said: “That man’s hands,” said he, “will give communion and sacrifice to me at last.”

¹⁸ An angel of God came to Finnén and said to him: “This is not the place of your resurrection, for a good man of your people shall be here.” An angel came to Findén to Ros Findchuill — that is Les in Memra today. There Finnén takes up the prophetic verse, “Hec requies mea (Here is my rest)”. Then Fráechán the druid came to him. He asked him: “Is it from God,” said he, “that the knowledge you have is?” “To test you,” said Fráechán. “Say at least,” said Findén, “the place of my resurrection. I see it in heaven and I see it not on earth.” Findén arose(?). “The place from which you have risen today,” said Fráechán, “that is your great assembly of doom.”

¹⁹ Then his two sisters came to Findén — Righnach and Richenn — and his mother — Cíarán’s mother(?) — and they stopped at Cill Righnaigi. Finnén and Cíarán went to visit them. The nuns were lamenting being without water. “O Lord,” said Finnén to Cíarán, “where shall we get water for them there?” “would you be loath,” said Cíarán, “to rise from the place you are in?” Findén arose. “The place from which you have risen,” said Finnén, “that is the place of the well.” Findén asked Righnach how her mother the nun was. “We cannot let anyone go to visit her for the heaviness of her breathing.” He grew very much moved(?) about the cleric and he said: “The Lord,” said he, “pities everyone of the human race to pity her!” Then Righnach went to her house. She found her mother whole and sound by the saint’s word.

²⁰ Now Geman the master once gave praise to Saint Finden, after making it in rhythm. “It is not gold or silver or precious clothing,” said Geman, “that I ask of you for this praise, but one thing — a little land I have, and it is barren — that you make prayers till it be fruitful.” “The trouble you have taken,” said Finnén, “take the water, and sprinkle that water over the land, and it shall be fruitful.” It was done so, and the land was fruitful.

²¹ There was an elm-tree with Rúadhán of Lothra — a tree from which used to drip a pleasant liquor in which everyone found the taste he liked best, so that the monks used to heal the sick from it, therefore the monks of Ireland were flocking to Rúadhán. His fosterlings came to Findén complaining that their fosterlings(?) were leaving them. They asked him to go with them to Rúadhán, that Rúadan might be in common life like everyone. Findén went with them to Lothra. The first thing they went to was the tree, till Findén put the cross of his crozier over the tree, so that no drop dripped from it. When Rúadhán heard that, he said that the water of his well be given him(?). He prayed. The water of the well was turned into the taste of ale. The liquor that was brought to Finnén with his saints — he made the sign of the cross over it. It was turned at once into the nature of water. “What profit is that,” said the clerics to Finnén, “if the well be not kept(?)” “O beloved brethren!” said Finnén, “what ails Rúadhán? for even all the water in this bog beside the church, if he wishes it turned into pleasant liquor, God will do it for him.” Then both Findén and the saints besought Rúadhán that his life might be like everyone’s. Said Rúadhán that he would do that for love of him, said Findén. Now he complained(?) that a little land about the church was barren. So he blessed that land, till it was fruitful.

²² Then Findén went into the province of Connacht to Druim Eitir dá Loch in Uí Oililla. He found Muisi and Ainmire there before him, and they sorrowful for their sister’s death that day. When Findén heard that he went into the house where the sister’s body was. He made a fervent sharp deprecation to God, till he raised the hag(?) from death, and she was cured(?), and he killed the calf that was under her one cow, and she gave him englais-rennet(?), and Finnén blessed the englais till it turned into the taste of wine. Now the calf was found alive the next day under its mother. God’s name and Finnén’s were magnified by that great miracle. Then Múisi and Ainmire offered their church to God and to Finnen.

²³ Then Finnén went into Corann in the district of Luighne. Cruimther Dathí came and was with him. An angel of God came and said to him: “The stead,” said he, “where a man of your people shall say to you “fair is this field” — found a church there.” It was not long till a man of his people said: “Fair,” said he, “is this field.” Then he founded a church in that place. Cruimther Dathí was left in that stead. There are Findén’s well and his flagstone. Whoever goes sick into the well shall come out whole. Whoever of the people(?) comes to the steward, his honour is not taken from him provided he say his pater at that flagstone. Thus is Tipra Fhinnein and Leac in Pupail at Achad Abla.

²⁴ Then Finnén came into Coirpre Mór. Aengus was king at that time in Coirpre. His son — Nechtán — came to rebuke the cleric. His people’s feet stuck to the earth and he himself died. Then Aengus came and gave his will to the cleric, and he raised his son from death, and gave him a church-place. He left Grellan mac Nat Fraích there.

²⁵ So when Finnén had founded churches and communities in that wise, and had preached the word of God to the men of Ireland, he came to his church at Cluain Iraird. One day Bishop Senach, his fosterling, was looking at him and saw that he was lean and his ribs were great, so that his ribs could be counted through his inner clothing. And he saw the worm coming out of his side, and the cause was the cold iron girdle he wore about him for penance to his body, so that it cut to the bone. Then Bishop Senach wept. “What makes you sad?” said Finnen. “Your leanness,” said Bishop Senach. “A worm shall grow on your ribs for that lament,” said Finnén. The more so(?), Bishop Senach wept(?). “It is the same for you,” said Finnén, “sadness to him for it. One man shall bear his body to burial.”(?)

²⁶ Now the tales and accounts are many of what the Lord did of miracles and marvels for Saint Finden: for were his own spirit or an angel of heaven not come to tell them, no one else could recount his excellences, his inner life, his everlasting care every day of festival — but God alone knew it.

²⁷ Now his daily meal was a morsel of barley bread and a drink of water: on Sundays and feasts, however, a morsel of wheaten bread, and an ordained portion of fresh salmon, and a cupful of pure mead or ale.

²⁸ And he used to rebuke the people he saw gluttoning, and put them down(?) and punished them for their sins. He slept not on down or on a quilt, but his side lay on bare earth, with a stone for a pillow under his head.

²⁹ A pure offering to God like Abel son of Adam. A deprocatio(?) like Enoch son of Iared. A pilot fully willing to steer or govern the church amid the waves of the world like Noah son of Lamech. A true pilgrim like Abraham. A gentle blossom like Moses son of Amram. Faithful and liberal like Job. Wise and learned like Solomon son of David. A common chief-preacher and chosen vessel like Paul the apostle. And he is likened in many ways to Paul: for as Paul was born south in the land of Canaan, his race and origin north in the land of Chaldea, so Finden was born here — in Leinster — his race and origin north in Ulaidh. And as Paul read with Gamaliel, the sage of the law, for thirty years till he was a sage, so Finnén read with the British sages we have spoken of for thirty years till he was a sage. And as the angel forbade Paul to go to Damascus save to come to sow faith and belief for all, so the angel forbade Finden to go to Rome but to come to sow faith and belief for the men of Ireland. And as Paul was strengthened by God, after founding churches and cities in the fatherland where he was born, to come to Rome to teach faith and belief, so Saint Finnén was urged by God, after founding churches and cities in his fatherland, to come to teach and instruct the saints of Ireland at Cluain Iraird. And as an angel prophesied to Paul that everyone who would go into the earth of Rome would not be in hell after doom, so the angel prophesied to Finnén that everyone over whom the earth of Ard Relec should go would not be in hell after doom. And as Paul died in Rome on behalf of the Christian people, that they might not all perish in pains and hell’s torments, so Finnén died at Cluain Iraird on behalf of the people of the Gael, that they might not all perish of the Yellow Plague(Buidhe Chonnaill).

³⁰ And it was then the angel prophesied to him that he would drive every plague and every common sickness out of Cluain Iraird through prayer in like manner, and that he would drive them out of all Ireland through the fasting of Finnén’s(? samhail) among the people at Ard Relec and at Achad Abhall and at Condal.

³¹ Now when Saint Finnén came to his end, he sent his attendant angel to Inis Mac n-Indeirc by Luimnech, and Colum mac Crimhthain brought his house of books under black clouds(?) to Cluain Iraird, till Finnén took communion and sacrifice at his hand, and sent his spirit to heaven at the end of a hundred and forty years.

³² Now Saint Findén is in bliss and delight among the people of heaven in God’s presence whom he served. His burial-ground and relics are on earth with honour and reverence, with miracles and marvels every day — so that he crushes everyone who comes against them and protects everyone who is in fellowship with them.

³³ Now though Saint Finden is great in the parting of his body and soul in this manner in like wise, greater will be his honour after resurrection in the union of the undefiled saints, in the great assembly of doom, when he shall be judge over the men of Ireland and their women along with Patrick and Jesus Christ. He shall shine then like the sun. He shall be in that great goodness, in the union of the world’s saints and holy virgins, in the union of the nine orders of heaven who committed no strife, in the union that is noblest of every union, in the union of the holy Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Spirit.

³⁴ I ask God’s mercy — may we attain that union! In saecula saeculorum. Amen.