W. Stokes (ed.), Revue Celtique 12 (1891), from Phillipps MS. No. 9194, ff. 1b–8b — translated from the Irish.

¹ A man abstinent, winsome, charitable; mighty, lean-bellied, true-worded; prudent, pious, of upright senses; godly, sorrowful, discreet; zealous, wise, prayerful; discerning, righteous, holy-worded; fierce, chaste, ever-learned — a man of life’s brightness, an abbot and an anchorite: Féchín of the fair fame of Fore, from the borders of Luigne, in the comely province of Connacht.

² He was a son of the bloody, hardy, victorious Cailcarna — Grillin was another name of his — of the race of Art Corb son of Cairbre. And this was his mother: Lasair the flaming, the full-handed, of the true stock of the king of Munster, who had been foretold before she was born.

³ For the chief prophet of heaven and earth — Colum Cille — had foretold long before that he would come from Manistir Finnén to the place named Fabar; and he saw the assembling of the angels above that glen, and Colum Cille rejoiced greatly at the angels’ assembling. And Colum Cille left that place after it had been shown to him that it was not for him the place was appointed. And when the lord of the land — Seallán — heard that Colum Cille had gone past, he came after him to offer himself and his place to him; and when Seallán reached him he fell on his knees and bowed at Colum Cille’s feet, and offered himself and his place to him. And Colum Cille said: “Offer me not this place,” said he, “for there shall come a son of life of shining brightness — Féchín — and he shall make a dwelling near beside this, and to him it is due that you should offer yourself and your place.” And after that Seallán saw a fiery column of huge size from earth to heaven standing in the aforementioned glen. And he saw the multitude of shining birds filling the glen from heaven to earth.

⁴ Often did the saints and righteous foretell his birth before it came, therefore was sung: “Atromairc Colum na cath — Colum of the battles saw,” etc.

⁵ And why should not every noble thing have been prophesied of him? For his birth was wonderful and his infancy wonderful. For when his parents used to sleep, they used to place him between them on their breasts; and when they awoke they used to find him in cross-vigil on the bare floor. And so it was his custom with them — like a brightness of fire to the sight. And from that time assuredly he would not suffer the milk of flesh to be tasted.

⁶ Now at the beginning of the age meet for learning, he was taken to a noble distinguished priest, Nathi, to be taught.

⁷ One day his father struck him on the head through his swiftness, in Nathi’s presence. Said Nathi: “you have struck the head of the Great King.” “Therefore say you that?” said his father. “A multitude of angels coming upon his head, for many sons of life shall serve him; and these kindreds shall be under him for ever” — and it was fulfilled.

⁸ Once Féchín was learning with Cruimther Nathi at Achad Conaire. One day the meadow of Cluain was entrusted to him lest it be stripped bare by strange cattle. Thereafter the king’s horses and cattle were put into it in despite of Féchín. Féchín cursed them, and struck his bell against them, so that they died at once. When the king heard that, he came into Féchín’s presence and knelt before him and begged forgiveness of his sin. Féchín gave him absolution, and raised his horses and his cattle for him; and God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified by that miracle. And the king offered that land to Féchín for ever, and Féchín gave that land to his master — to Cruimther Nathi; therefore the lay was sung: “Mirbal maith uadha ’na naidin — A goodly wonder of him as an infant,” etc.

⁹ When that holy boy was perfected in age and wisdom and holiness, his master bade him go under the consecrated orders to offer himself to the King of heaven and earth. Then Féchín left his master and went at the angel’s command, after taking orders, to Fabar; and his heart was glad at that place, and he made prayer and fasting three days and nights there; and the angel came to him that night and said to him: “Dwell in this place, for here shall be your resurrection, and many of the saints of Ireland with you.” For Nathi had long before prophesied that Féchín’s resurrection would be at Fabar.

¹⁰ Then Seallán — the lord of that land — came to Féchín, and offered that land to Féchín, and Féchín blessed Seallán. And Seallán died thereafter, and Féchín buried him in the place where the altar of the monastery was afterwards established.

¹¹ Now after that monastery was built by Féchín he gathered a congregation therein, and taught them duly in their duties; and he chastised himself with hunger and prayer and bended back and toil and exceeding cold. And God gave him light in abundance of miracles and wonders; and the lay was sung there: “Tri la do traisg isin lér — Three days he fasted in the sea,” etc.

¹² One day a skilful man came to the stead to Féchín, and a little son with him — Sillenius was the craftsman’s name — and Féchín welcomed him, and said by the spirit of prophecy: “It is this little boy beside you, Sillenius, that shall build the temple of this monastery”; and it was fulfilled thereafter, and God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified thereby.

¹³ There was a monk in that monastery long sick, and he died thereafter. That was told to Féchín, and he went above the dead body, and put his knees to the ground, and prayed God earnestly for his raising; and he rose then from his cross-vigil and lifted the napkin that was on the dead body’s face, and said to him: “In the name of the Trinity, arise!” said he. And he arose at once at Féchín’s word, and Féchín took his hand, and he lived long thereafter; and God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified thereby.

¹⁴ There was a cleric named Rónán mac Guaire stricken with madness in his head, and he sought the physicians of Ireland to heal him, and found no healing from them. Then he went to Léon in the world’s end, and sought many of the wonders of the world, and it was no better for him. And he chanced upon a holy anchorite among the Britons, who said to him: “There is a glen in the middle of Ireland,” said he, “where the man is who will heal you; and there is a monastery on the north side of the lake that is in that place.” When Rónán heard that he came back to Ireland, and understood that it was Féchín who would heal him. And Rónán went to where Féchín was, and Féchín gave him remission of his sin, and he was whole thereafter. And the lay was sung there: “Tainig la Silenius — There came one day Sillenius,” etc.

¹⁵ Once when Féchín went on a round to his own country, he went to Nathi’s church, which is called Achad Conaire today; and as he went in his shrine shone in the church, so that the folk that were outside saw a light over the door and through the middle of the windows of the temple; and God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified thereby.

¹⁶ One day when Féchín was preaching to the congregations at the door of the monastery, a hideous misshapen man came to him and asked Féchín to pray for him because of his deformity; and he would not sit among the monks for shame, and sat far away from them. It chanced that Féchín spat upon the ground, and the misshapen man put clay on his face from the spittle and smeared it on his face; and he was well-formed from then on, so that he was the best-formed man of his time. And God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified by that miracle.

¹⁷ It was at that time that the angel appeared to Féchín in his sleep and said to him: “There are,” said he, “the dwellers of the island named Imaidh and the folk of that land besides in the darkness of the divine law; and arise you to preach to them, for God has appointed their deliverance and their healing for you, and you shall be their leader and their counsellor and their defender and their judge of doom.” Féchín went at the angel’s command into the west of Connacht to Imaidh, and blessed it, and built a dwelling in it, and put those congregations under the yoke of faith and piety; and baptised them at the well that burst through the earth for him through God’s miracles and through Féchín’s might; and God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified thereby; and the lay was sung there: “Tainig Feicin ’na thir fein — Féchín came into his own country,” etc.

¹⁸ There was a monk of Féchín’s monks at prayer one day, and his mind was not in the prayer. The evil spirit went into his heart and marked him. That was told to Féchín, and he summoned him to him, and Féchín signed his mouth, and he was perfectly whole; and God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified by that miracle.

¹⁹ Another leprous man came to Féchín and asked him, in God’s honour, to be in his company at table and in his bed. Féchín granted that for God’s sake; and when they rose the next day the leper was perfectly whole, and gave thanks earnestly to God and to Féchín; and God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified thereby.

²⁰ Another time a certain fierce layman came to Féchín to learn the divine faith, and stayed at his stead through Lent; and when Easter came he purposed to go to his own house. When Féchín heard that he said to him: “Stay,” said he, “with me, and make confession and repentance, for the hour of your death is not far from you.” And that was true. The young man died after confession and repentance, and went thereafter to heaven through the grace of God and Féchín; and God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified thereby.

²¹ Once Blathmac mac Aeda Slaine seized three hostages that were under Féchín’s protection. Féchín went after the hostages after Blathmac, and got them not. Féchín cursed the fort that is called Inis Odgaig; and a shower of fire came out of the air and burned the fort with all its goods, and Blathmac went fleeing into the fire and was scorched horribly. Messengers went from him to all the physicians of Ireland to help him, and it availed them not, for they all despaired of healing him. Messengers went from him to summon Féchín. Féchín came to him, and Blathmac knelt before Féchín and released his hostages to him, and gave his own perpetual fealty with all his goods; and Féchín blessed Blathmac, and he was whole thereafter; and God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified thereby.

²² Féchín used to go to make prayer in the middle of the night in the stream at Es Dara during Lent. A monk named Pastól went with him into the stream; and when he was on the side below Féchín he could not endure for the heat of the water, and when he was on the side above he could not endure for the cold. When Féchín saw that he blessed the stead, and tempered the water for him, so that he could endure the water; and Féchín bade him tell it to none until after Féchín’s death it should be told; and God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified thereby.

²³ One day when Féchín and his monks were at Imaidh Fechin in the west of Connacht, on Sunday night a little before vespers, desire seized him to go to Fabar, and he prayed God earnestly for the power to do that. God’s angel came to him and told him to get into the chariot with him. Then Féchín and his monks went into the chariot, and they came to Fabar before vespers; and God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified thereby.

²⁴ Now there was a noble young man in bondage with Diarmait mac Aoda Slaine, and he was a friend of Féchín — Aodán was his name. Féchín went with a band of his monks to ask the king — Diarmait — for the captive. When Féchín came to the fort he found that Diarmait had ordered the doors of the fort to be shut before him to conceal the captive from him. Féchín went to the fort, and the locks and the doors opened of themselves until Féchín reached the house where the kings were — Diarmait and Blathmac — and a multitude of other noble folk. He asked the kings to let Aodán go free; and everyone prostrated themselves at Féchín’s feet save one man only who set his counsel against him, and he died at once. The kings asked Féchín to revive him and release Aodán. It was done so: Féchín revived the dead man and Aodán was let go with him. And Féchín and his people went joyfully and gladly to Fabar, and Aodán with them; and Féchín bade him be set to learning, and it was done so. God and Féchín’s prayer gave him the grace of wisdom, and he went under the holy orders thereafter; and God forgave him his fill through Féchín’s might — for he used to eat a meal of six men before that, and a monk’s meal it was for him from then on. And no wonder that he should eat a great meal, for great was his body and his strength: he was stronger than any man of his time; and the end of his belt would reach the ground over the top of Féchín’s clothing(?)… And great was his body indeed, as we have found in the books; and God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified by those many miracles that God wrought for him.

²⁵ God wrought another wondrous miracle for Féchín, and this was one of them: the man who had palsy and deafness from the hour of his birth — he healed him, even as Jesus healed the palsied man who could not be healed by human medicine. God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified.

²⁶ No wonder, then, that God should work many miracles and wonders for that godly man Féchín: for he was chaste of body, he was steadfast of mind, he was bright of speech. He was rich in wisdom; he was luminous in moderation; he was strong in faith; he was steadfast in reproving wrong; he was gentle and humble in obedience; he was a zealous chastiser of his own body; he was bountiful in almsgiving; he was cheerful to guests; he was compassionate to the feeble of God; he was poor to himself, rich to another. Therefore the poet sang this below: “Cuinges Mochua — Mochua asked,” etc.

²⁷ Now towards his last days the angel revealed to Féchín the certain time of his death. He summoned his monks and his disciples to him, and set about teaching them, and told them to follow the deeds of the patriarchs and the apostles, and to fight with body and soul against their enemies — the Devil, the world and the flesh. Then Féchín took communion and the sacrifice from the hand of Mo-Choemóg, and sent his spirit to heaven; and in that same hour Mo-Cua sent his messenger to look westward from him, to see whether he would see the sign that Féchín had promised him. And the messenger saw a very great column, in colour like the rainbow of heaven, stretched from Féchín’s monastery up to heaven. The messenger came back to Mo-Cua and told him all he had seen. “It is true,” said Mo-Cua: “that is the sign that Féchín promised me.” And Mo-Cua took communion and the sacrifice, and put in order his monks and his disciples, and sent his spirit along with Féchín to heaven, where is the one God of the three Persons — Father and Son and Holy Spirit — in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

²⁸ Moling asked Satan after Féchín’s death: “Do you trouble the souls of the saints at the time of their death?” The devil said: “We go to trouble them, and we can do nothing to them.” Said Moling: “Did you go to trouble my friend Féchín at the time of his death?” “Not only could we do nothing to him,” said he, “but we dared not draw near Ireland for seven days after his death, because of the splendour of the Holy Spirit that was around him.” It is to be believed of the man whose enemy gave that testimony of him. For it is more fitting to praise a man whom his enemy praises while absent than one whom his friend praises to his face; therefore the lay was sung: “Fis a tsaoguil tseghainn tsegha — Knowledge of his comely world,” etc.

Nicholas Óg mac Aba Cuiga turned this Life of Féchín out of Latin into Gaelic, and Ua Duibthaig took it down and wrote it; and the year of the Lord today is 1329, and so on.

[The following note is in the handwriting of old Charles O’Conor:] And it is in the possession of Cathal Ó Conchobhair that this life of Féchín is, in the year of our Lord 1731; and a great change has come over the world since the time when this Life was written, and there is no knowing but it is the better for it.

²⁹ O nos fratres carissimi! Audiuimus plura de uirtutibus sancti Fechini abbatis et ancoritae — O dearest brethren, we have heard many things of the powers and miracles of holy Féchín who was an abbot and an anchorite. These are the words of Erurán the wise in his own compendium on Féchín’s life. For Erurán said that Féchín gave sight to the blind, and speech to the dumb, and hearing to the deaf, and health to the sick, and to all the sick besides, by his word alone; and he was skilled in all wisdom and in the rules of the saints especially.

³⁰ Féchín went to seek a place of service to God. He went to Critán the merchant at Ath nÉochaille, and asked him to give him a place of service to God. And Critán refused him. Féchín cursed him and said to him: “As one foot of your touches land, the other foot shall not touch it” — and that was true. For the wind rose against him on the sea and drove him back, so that he was drowned with all his goods.

³¹ It was Féchín who never took company of king or lord for the sake of worldly pride. As the lay says:

I ask not
of kings the choice of a portion.
Woe to him who sets his love
on converse and on ale-liquor:
that is the slippery satisfaction
out of which the Devil takes a dark profit.

³² Thereafter the angel spoke with Féchín, and this is what he said to him — to go to Glenn ind Eoin, which is called Fabar today. As Colum Cille said: “A Bhaithin, airis dún sunn — O Baithin, wait for us here,” etc.

³³ Féchín came with his monks to Fabar; and Critán mac Rete was the possessor of Fabar at that time — Seallán was another name of his — and it was he that gave it to Féchín. And Becán mac Rete gave Féchín food for the first time. And Féchín had three hundred monks, each free of want, without buying or selling being done by them. They all used to eat their meal together, and none of them used to go out of their dwellings save to the church for prayer or for obedience.

³⁴ Once when Féchín was in the hermitage, guests came to him. The cook said that he had no food for them save what God should send. Then there was sent from the Lord wheat and butter and milk for Féchín’s hospitality and charity; and God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified by that miracle.

³⁵ Another time Féchín went to preach to the people of Imaidh at the angel’s command; and they repelled him on the world’s behalf, and Féchín got no food or drink from them, out of envy and jealousy of him; and the monks’ garments and books and vessels were cast into the great sea; but the divine power brought them to land perfectly whole, without hurt to their clothes or their books or themselves.

³⁶ A vast famine seized Féchín and his people so that two of them died. And Féchín revived that pair. Guaire mac Colmáin heard that the famine was upon Féchín and his people, and he sent a meal of a hundred portions of food and ale to them; and Guaire sent his cup to be filled with that ale — from where comes “Cuach Féchin” (Féchín’s cup) for ever; and it was in it that Féchín baptised Guaire thereafter; and God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified thereby.

³⁷ One day when Féchín was at the green of the church at Fabar he saw the leper who had come to him, full of diseases from sole to crown — from him is named Cros in Cloim (the Leper’s Cross) today — and the leper asked Féchín to help him with food and drink and all other needs. And he asked a noble woman to lie with him; and Féchín had pity on him, as is the custom of lepers(?)… And Féchín bore the leper on his back to the guest-house, and went thereafter to Inis Locha Leibinn, to the fort of Diarmait mac Aoda Slaine. And he said to the queen — that is, to the wife of Diarmait mac Aeda Slaine: “Come with me,” said he, “to wash and warm my leper, and you shall have your reward.” “There is nothing on earth,” said she, “for which I would do that, unless you give me heaven in exchange for it.” “you shall have it,” said Féchín; “and every queen that shall be in your stead shall have heaven so long as she does my will.”

³⁸ Then the queen went with Féchín to the guest-house, where the leper was, and washed the leper along with him. And the leper asked the queen to suck his nose; and the queen sucked the leper’s nose, and the juice of the nose was put into a clean linen cloth, and that juice of the nose became a ring of gold. And he told the queen that she should receive everything that Féchín had promised her; and a fair golden crozier was given to her for Féchín. And Féchín came the next day thereafter to the house, and saw a pillar of fire rising from the wattling of the house reaching up to heaven. And Féchín understood that it was Jesus who had come to the leper’s stead to test her charity and her kindness. And Féchín asked the queen about the leper, and she told him that it was Jesus who had been there, and that he had left his blessing with Féchín and his people. And she gave the crozier that had been given her to Féchín, and she gave the juice of the nose that she had, which was a ring of gold, to Féchín. And Féchín bought a great estate for the church with that gold; and God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified thereby.

³⁹ Once Féchín purposed to make a mill at Fabar, for the monks deemed the grinding of their grain a great toil. The mill was made, but it lacked a stream. The wright said that it was not easy for him to bring water to the mill. “God is able,” said Féchín, “to bring water to it.” Féchín went to Loch Leibinn and put his crozier into the lake, and the crozier went through the mountain, and the water came in rivers following the crozier, until the wright was drowned as he slept in the place of the mill’s pool. Then Cáeman Brecc — the wright’s lord — came to sue Féchín for the wright; and Féchín revived the wright and gave him his choice: to go with Cáeman Brecc or to stay at Fabar. The wright said he would stay; “for if the men of the world were asked their choice of Fabar, heaven would be given to them all,” said he.

⁴⁰ One day Pastól, Féchín’s cook, went to the smithy to make a coulter. He took a lump of bacon-fat with him to make the coulter. But the smith’s gillie made a coulter-shape of the fat, and put it into the forge on Pastól’s back, and said that the coulter was glowing in the fire. When Pastól came to Féchín they found nothing but a coulter of fat in the fire. When Féchín saw that he blessed the fat so that an iron coulter was made of the fat; and that coulter remained until the latest times.

⁴¹ Another time Féchín was at Fabar, and he heard that the king of Leinster had seized a hostage that was under Féchín’s protection. Féchín went with his monks after the hostage, and one of the two horses that was under Féchín’s chariot died. Said Féchín: “There is a horse in this pool to the west, and it may be put under my chariot.” The water-horse came to them and was put under the chariot, and it was gentler and meeker than any other horse. And they came to Carmna where the kings of Leinster were, with their king — Oilioll mac Dúnlainge. He asked for the hostage that was under his protection. The king said he would not give him unless the horse that was under his chariot were given him, and Féchín said he would not give it. The king went to eat his dinner near by. Féchín went after him. The king told the doorkeeper not to let him in and to show him no reverence. The angel said to Féchín: “I will open the locks of the kingdom of the fort before you.” The angel went before Féchín to the fort. A great earthquake came there so that the whole city was shaken, and the bonds of all the captives that were in the fort were broken. Féchín came out with his hostages upon the plain, and left an injunction upon Dún Nás that each hostage should be kept there without escape — for locks and chains would not stay upon them. When Féchín had come out to the place where Cros Féchín stands at the door of the fort, the king was found dead in the house behind; and the dead king was brought to Féchín. And Féchín revived the king of Leinster from death.

⁴² It was then that Oilioll mac Dúnlainge gave Taig Fabra to Féchín, and the perpetual tribute of his tribute to Féchín and to his mill, and Féchín’s tribute upon Leinster for ever, from sea to sea(?), in reward for his reviving by Féchín. Féchín left a sign upon the king of Nás — a deathly colour upon him every day for ever, as a token of the miracles. He freed the captives then, and went into his chariot to Fabar, and bade the water-horse go into the same pool, and said: “Let no one touch you, nor you anyone, from now till doom”; and God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified thereby.

⁴³ Another time Féchín was in his church at prayer, and he heard the cry of the boys at play upon the green beside the church, and they disturbed Féchín at his prayers. Said Féchín: “Let them go to be drowned in the lake, and let their souls be free to heaven.” Then the boys went into the lake and were drowned, and received the reward of their souls. Hence it is called Loch Macraide (the Lake of the Boys) for ever; and God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified thereby.

⁴⁴ Another time Domnall mac Aoda meic Ainmirech came with a great northern hosting to change the boundary of the two Néill — “Sluaiged an Meich” (the Hosting of the Survey) is its name. When the hosts came to Raith Droma Nó, the sons of Aed Slaine sent for food to Féchín — he was at Tibrada in Cinéal Maine at the time. The cook said he had nothing but one sieve of oats for food. Féchín bade half the sieve be put on water to make ale, and the other half for food. Then the sons of Aed Slaine with their hosts were fed for three days and three nights with ale and food from that one sieve.

⁴⁵ Then a certain man came to the house where the sons of Aed Slaine were, and this is what he said: “You have left your land and your country for the cleric’s food and ale; and you would be no worse if war were waged upon the cleric, for you will get your sufficiency of food and ale from him as long as he pleases. It were better for you to have peace and truce in your land than staying here feeding your hosts.”

⁴⁶ Then Féchín went with the sons of Aed Slaine to Raith Droma Nó. Féchín fasted in that place for thirteen days and thirteen nights that no change should be made in the boundary, and the king of Ireland got not that change. Snow fell thereafter to men’s shoulders, so that every horse of the men of Ireland died, and the king granted no truce thereby. Then a fiery sword came from heaven between the king and the queen into the ground between them, and it burned every way it went. “It is time to do the saint’s will,” said the queen. The king knelt to the cleric, and the cleric put his foot, without a shoe, upon the king’s neck; and the druid said to Féchín: “Lift that foot off the king’s neck,” said he, “or you shall repent it.” The earth swallowed the druid at once. Hence it was that in the presence of the men of Ireland his alliance and his kindred and his sanctuary were proclaimed free to Féchín for ever; from which there is “aill aill” (a border-mark?) in Féchín’s meadows from that time; and God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified thereby.

⁴⁷ Once seven cows and a bull were given to Féchín by Rónán in alms. Pastól went to milk them, and milked from the bull a measure like the seven cows, by the grace of God and Féchín; and God’s name and Féchín’s were magnified thereby.

⁴⁸ Another time Moénach mac Fingin, king of Cashel, seized the captive named Erlomán. The captive’s mother went to Féchín to beg her son’s release, for it was Féchín’s custom ever to release captives. Féchín gave her a golden torque to free her son. When the king saw the torque he spoke the verse:

It is not fitting — the tribute of the woods —
since you have given a bright gift:
to Féchín of the glens
take his captive — and the torque.

⁴⁹ Her son was released to her bosom to Féchín, and he was thereafter ministering to Féchín and to his son(?)…