Plummer, Bethada Náem nÉrenn I (1922) — translated from the Irish.

¹ The Life of Mochuda.

² Carthage then was of the children of Fergus in particular. Figenius was his father, and Med his mother; one that was beloved by God and men, so that from that he was called Carthach [the Loving One].

³ The angel prophesied one day to Comgall of Bangor, years before his birth: “A victorious child shall be born,” said he, “in the west of Ireland, whose fame shall fill the mouths of men here and hence; and he shall come to the place where you are, on his way to Rome; and it is the will of Jesus that you keep him a year in your company.”

⁴ And the same prophecy came to Brendan when the angel parted from him: “A son shall be born to the race you are of,” said he, “and many shall be his miracles in heaven and on earth, and Cartach shall be his name.” And the prophecies of Comgall and Brendan agree with one another.

⁵ The children of Fergus were then in Kerry Luachra; and they held a general assembly, and Carthach’s mother there; when a shower of fire fell from heaven upon her head. That shower Jesus sent to manifest the holiness of the child that was in the maiden’s womb. She went home thereafter.

⁶ The maiden was delivered, and bears a son beside the river Maigue; and there was no water on that hill; and a stream burst from its side, and Aedan was brought to them, and baptized him from the stream. And the name Carthach was given him; and he was given for fostering to Carthach — that is, to the aged bishop. “My beloved are you,” said the holy bishop; from which he was called Mo Chuda [“my beloved”] thereafter.

⁷ Though it was Mo Chuda he was called, it was because his master used to call him so, for the greatness of his love and his affection for him. And few knew that Mo Chuda’s baptismal name was his name; and it is proper that ‘Mo Chuda’ or ‘Carthach’ should be written of him. Aedan said, prophesying: “This boy I have baptized shall be illustrious, and shall be beloved by God and men.”

⁸ And it was true; for he was comely and well-favoured like David; and he was averse to evil desires like Daniel; and he was meek and mild-tempered like Moses. And his father and mother were not kind to him, because he consented not to their worldly thoughts. And the word of David was fulfilled in him, saying: “My father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord has taken me up.” And as David kept his father’s sheep, so Mo Chuda kept his own father’s swine in his boyhood, along with the other herdsmen of the swine. And he used to go a-herding his father’s swine together with the herdsmen.

⁹ The herdsmen went one day to the king’s fort, and Mo Chuda with them. The king loved Mo Chuda, for he was gracious. The queen, daughter of Maelduin son of Aed Bennan, asked him: “What is this love you have for the herd-boy?” said she. “This is what it signifies to me,” said the king, “a golden crown in his hand, and a golden ladder from his head to heaven, and a golden rampart around him without a head upon it; and I loved him for those tokens.”

¹⁰ Mo Chuda went with his swine into the woods of the Maigue, and heard Carthach, the aged bishop, singing his psalms; and he loved the psalms greatly. And he followed the path by which the clerks had gone, and came to the place where they were, to the monastery called Tuaim. The king wondered what way Mo Chuda had gone at that time, and sent men after him. And he was brought to him into captivity.

¹¹ The king was at a feast in the company of Mo Chuda’s father at that time; and he gives Mo Chuda the trappings of war: “Here,” said he, “and you shall have your father’s inheritance.” “I will not,” said he; “dearer to me are the words I heard with the clerks.” And when the king perceived God’s love with Mo Chuda, he gave him to the bishop to be instructed in the word of God; and they were both right glad of that. And he remained with him, until the bishop conferred on him the orders of a priest.

¹² He brought him to the place where the king was. “Here,” said he, “is the fosterling you gav me; and he is skilled in the Scripture. And offer you yourself, and your kingdom to him and to God.” “He is young and childish to us,” said they. The holy aged bishop set him upon his knees, and said: “I offer myself and my church to him,” said he. And the king set him upon his knees, and offered himself, men, sons, women, to God and to Mo Chuda. Mo Chuda set his foot upon the king’s neck, and the king measured it with his feet. And it was wondered at, his walking upon the king.

¹³ “The limbs on which my foot has rested shall not dread wounds nor sickness.”

¹⁴ Mo Chuda went from there, and built a church beside the Maigue to the north; and he founded another church beside the Maigue to the south in Machaire Colmain, and left divine service in them. And he went himself to Ros Gialain, to the place where Ciaran was, to get knowledge of where he should remain. Ciaran said: “An angel of God came to Comgall,” said he, “and told him that he should remain in the middle of Ireland, and Raithin the name of the place, and in Fera Ceall it is. And you shall be forty years therein; and thereafter a city shall be built by you in the southern quarter of Ireland, and Lismore its name; and it is there shall come the end of your life.”

¹⁵ That was fulfilled; and Colman Elo prophesied the same; and Colum Cille once prophesied after he had left Raithin that he desired to remain there; and he said: “It is not to me that God has granted to be here,” said he, “but there shall come an honourable man at a later time whose custom this fort shall be, and Carthach shall be his name, and he shall be illustrious in miracles and marvels.” And Colum Cille planted three rods in that place, of which was begun the material of Mo Chuda’s church when he came.

¹⁶ Once as Mo Chuda was praying alone, he saw a man before him, Magus by name, who said to him in sport: “Put leaves on this apple-tree that is beside you.” He made the sign of the cross over the apple-tree, so that it was all covered with leaves. “Fairer would be blossom upon it,” said Magus. He made the blossom as was said to him. “Better that it were apples,” said Magus. He did so, so that it was full of apples. “Better that they were ripe,” said Magus, “that I might eat them.” That was fulfilled, so that they were a ripe cluster in the middle before the apple-tree. Magus took up an apple to eat it, for it seemed to him desirable for its size and its beauty; and he could not eat it for its bitterness. “Better that it were not taken, than the bitterness that is in them.” Then he blessed them, so that they had the taste of honey. Magus went from there, and was blinded by the word of Mo Chuda for a year for the sport he made of him; until he came at the end of the year by Mo Chuda’s word, and his blindness was healed when he had done homage and repentance to him, so that he was a monk as long as he lived. The name of God and of Mo Chuda was magnified thereby; and in the month of March that was done.

¹⁷ Once a dumb boy without hearing came in Mo Chuda’s way. He besought God for him to help him; and he was healed at once.

¹⁸ A man in leprosy came to Mo Chuda, and he was wholly healed thereafter by the intercession of Mo Chuda.

¹⁹ A misshapen man came to Mo Chuda, lamenting his condition to him. He too was healed, so that none had better shape or else; and he remained in his monkhood thereafter.

²⁰ A certain poor man came in Mo Chuda’s way having no means of ploughing, and begged help of him. Mo Chuda had no means for him, for he had not the oxen for the ploughs; and fierce is the use he makes of his monks, for he took no worldly cattle from anyone. So he said to one of his people to go under the nearest wood and bring two wild oxen to the poor man. They did so; and they yoked what they had, and they went mad thereafter.

²¹ Another man came to Mo Chuda, and he was gone mad after a demon had entered him. And he prayed Mo Chuda for his health, and he besought God for him so that he was whole thereafter.

²² Once Mo Chuda went to grind the monks’ portion in a mill near him. There was a merciless king in the land, and he was hateful to Mo Chuda, and he set upon him. There arose then a shower of fire between them, so that they could do nothing to him. They went to the king, and told him their tidings. He was enraged thereat, and went himself to them; and the same shower arose between them and the mill; and one of his people said: “Wait,” said he, “till he come away from the grinding on which he is, and then let him be slain.” “That were well,” said all. They waited so till evening, and bared their arms; and their arms clove to their hands, for they could do nothing to him else. They knelt to him thereafter, and entered into his service and obedience.

²³ Another time for Mo Chuda in Raithin. The angel came to him and said: “Go to your fatherland,” said he, “for the king of Kerry is dying soon, and give him communion and the sacrament; for he will die before night.” “I shall not reach him at that hour, unless God help me,” said he. The angel put a fiery chariot under him, and he reached the king in the twinkling of an eye, and healed him as we have said, so that he gave it into his hand, having won victory over demon and world; and he came to Raithin the same day, and brought it to the monks’ refectory.

²⁴ Once Mo Chuda went to visit Colman in Lann Eala, that he might come with him to Raithin to bless graves and tombs for him, for God had ordained for him that every grave he should bless — none that went therein should be damned. “Go you to Raithin,” said Colman, “and I will come on Thursday.” Colman came not as he promised; and Mo Chuda went to him again, and said: “Why did you not fulfil the promise you gav?” said he. “An angel brought me to another burial-place to bless it,” said he; “and go you to Lismore, and you shall find the signs of graves and a burial-place there consecrated by angels; and let it be built and blessed by yourself, for it is there your resurrection shall be, and none that goes therein shall be damned.” He did as was said to him.

²⁵ Once Mo Chuda was in Raithin, when the only son of the king of Delbna was drowned. The king prayed Mo Chuda to raise his heir. There was a stream at that time day and night. Mo Chuda went over it with the king; and prayed God that the boy be raised. And he rose to the sun to the place where they were. The king offered the boy to Mo Chuda. “Let him wait for our kingdom,” said Mo Chuda; and that boy was king over Delbna after his father, and his children after him.

²⁶ Now Mo Chuda was the handsomest man of his time. Thirty virgins offered him a mighty love, which they could not hide; and that grieved Mo Chuda, and he prayed God to turn that love into spiritual love, and He turned it; and Mo Chuda made nuns of those virgins, and they served God to their deaths.

²⁷ Mo Chuda went one day into Ciarraighe Cuirci; and Corc, king of Munster, was before him in the land. A fiery shower came out of the air, and slew the king’s wife and son and the two horses of his chariot. The king prayed Mo Chuda to raise them. And he did so by the grace of God.

²⁸ The king of that country was blind and dumb; and Mo Chuda relieved him.

²⁹ There was another man there with a fiery sickness. And Mo Chuda put his girdle over him, and he found relief at once. And Mo Chuda stayed a year in that country after receiving great alms from the king. And he went to Raithin.

³⁰ One day as Mo Chuda was crossing a ford on the Blackwater, he took up an apple he found upon it. And the king of Fermoy had a crooked dead-handed daughter, her right hand grown fast to her side. And Mo Chuda bore the apple with him to the place where the maiden was. “Here,” said he. The maiden stretched out the left hand, as she was custom. “Stretch out the other hand,” said Mo Chuda. “I cannot,” said the maiden. “Try,” said Mo Chuda. She stretched it, and the bond that was between the hand and the side was loosed; and the blood and flesh of the hand and the side grew, so that she was wholly whole.

³¹ Joy and gladness seized the king, and he said: “There is no spouse you desire that you shall not get at once.” “There clerk who has relieved me, him I desire,” said she. The maiden went with Mo Chuda; and he made a church for her in Cluain Dallain, and she was a holy virgin from then on.

³² At another time two monks from Britain came to Mo Chuda, for his fame was far-known, and they were with him a while; and they took disaffection and envy against him, for they thought that they would have his place and headship over his monks if he were dead. So they plotted treachery against him, for they deemed that he was immortal unless violent death were given him. And this is the device they found: to put bonds upon him and drown him secretly.

³³ At that time a monk of Mo Chuda’s people had a custom of watching and praying and walking upon graves and relics every night; and it was asked what they had. They said it was the monks’ clothing to sun and wash. “Let it be shown to me,” said he, “for it is not their custom at night.” He lifted the earth-covered heap, and found Mo Chuda therein. “Not good is the deed you have attempted,” said he, “and let it go.” “It is well for me,” said Mo Chuda, “though you be damned for it.” And he told them to depart to their fatherland, and let not the crime they had attempted be imputed to them.

³⁴ Once Finan came in Mo Chuda’s way, and saw the monks digging, and some of them with goats’ hides and hoofs upon them. “It is a pity,” said Finan, “that brutish animal-names should be made of your monks; for it were fitter for you to have oxen for ploughing and tillage, than to put there ploughing upon God’s disciples.” “They sought not worldly wealth with us,” said Mo Chuda. “That is not good then,” said Finan, “that the tithes and offerings of earthly men should not be received at the church, and confessions and prayers for them; and let it not be so henceforth.”

³⁵ A certain honourable man came to Mo Chuda, Lasianus by name, and brought thirty milch-cows with him secretly to Mo Chuda. The monks went to their meal; and he pressed them sorely, and said there was nothing but milk; for he was sure the monks had no milk. That was told to Mo Chuda, and he blessed the water that was before them, so that it became milk; and it was told to Lasianus. And he thought the donkey had been changed into water; and he prayed God that it might come back into its own shape; and it was turned back to water thereafter as he asked.

³⁶ “That is not well,” said he, “that there is water here and not an donkey.” And that was told to Mo Chuda, and he went to Lasianus, and perceived that it was from God the donkey had been changed into water; and he said to him: “Why do you not eat with us?” said he. “Not until you receive alms from worldly men, and from everyone that wishes it,” said Lasianus. “It shall be done so,” said Mo Chuda; and he did it while he lived. And Lasianus left him the thirty cattle; and they dwelling in unity, and parted from one another thereafter.

³⁷ Once the monks said to Mo Chuda: “Our grain is ripe,” said they, “and there is no reaping-band here.” “God is able to give you a band,” said Mo Chuda. And a company of angels came to the field, and cut it.

³⁸ Once as the monks were going to a wood, the girdle of one of the monks broke under the weight of his load. The prior put a withe over him as a girdle, and it girt him, so that it wounded his flesh, and he went into weakness, nearly to death. “What is that ring upon you, monk?” said Mo Chuda. “A girdle the prior put upon me,” said the monk, “and it reached my bones; and I would not put it off for obedience, till the prior should take it from me.” And he showed his wounds to Carthach. “Those stripes shall find relief,” said Mo Chuda, “and you shall have a long life, or heaven at once.” “Heaven for me,” said the monk. Mo Chuda gave him the body of Jesus to consume; and he went to heaven.

³⁹ The king of Tara and the king of Meath went to drive Mo Chuda from Raithin, after many false tales had been laid upon him. And they cast lots which of them should go to drive the clerk Mo Chuda from Raithin. And the lot fell upon the king of Meath, and he sent his brother to drive out Mo Chuda; and the brother died at once. The king was enraged, and they came over, and drove Mo Chuda with his monks out of Raithin.

⁴⁰ One of his monks had a disease of the feet, and went before the king’s feet, and he himself was unable to journey. And many were with Mo Chuda with change of habit upon them. Mo Chuda cursed everyone that drove him out, and that drew him out, and the king.

⁴¹ And Mo Chuda passed by the grave of a holy monk that had been buried a space of years before that; and the monk rose from the earth. “Take me with you,” said he. “Not so,” said Mo Chuda, “till the day of summons come.”

⁴² Now the number of Mo Chuda’s company at that time was eight hundred and fifty-six; and they went through impenetrable woods. A great tree lay upon the way, and the companies could not pass over it. Mo Chuda lifted his hand over it: “Arise,” said he, “as you were formerly.” And the tree arose at the word of Mo Chuda, and left the way level. And many were the poor and the sick, and the bishops and the abbots on that journey; and all the lepers that were on it — it was Mo Chuda that ministered with his own hands to their toils and their sicknesses.

⁴³ When the king of Munster, Failbhe Flann, heard that Mo Chuda was on the way, he came to meet him to give him a place wherein to remain. “I cannot,” said Mo Chuda, “for a place of resurrection has been appointed me.”

⁴⁴ He went to Ard Finain, and the king of the Decies came to meet him. And he offered Ard Finain to him. And that king’s wife was a daughter of Failbhe Flann. And she saw a wondrous vision — a flock of countless birds coming to the place where they were, and the noblest bird of them alighting upon the king. And she told the king all she had seen, and they were glad of it. “Mo Chuda,” said he, “shall come here, and that flock is his company; and he himself is the bird that alighted on me.”

⁴⁵ It was not long before they saw Mo Chuda with his company. “To ask land wherein we might stay is why we have come to you,” said Mo Chuda to the king. “you shall have Lismore,” said the king. “Long since did the angel prophesy to me,” said he, “that there my resurrection should be.” And they dwelling beside Colman in his church three days and three nights, having nothing to drink but one cupful, and what they got of it each night sufficed them.

⁴⁶ And they came to a ford on the river Nem; and a great flood met them there from the sea and the river. Mo Lua and Colman go before them. Colman put the sea from him on one side; and Mo Lua put the stream from him on the other side. Mo Chuda comes after them to the ford, and it was dry flagstones, and he granted the waters to join one another again; and it was done.

⁴⁷ They went to Lismore. They scattered to scan the fort to bless it and make a dwelling upon it. And a virgin came to them to a church in the place. And they were digging a little liss. “Dig it up,” said the virgin; “dig this liss bigger than it is,” said she. They did so, from which it is called Lismore [the great liss]; and she offered herself and her property to God and to Mo Chuda.

⁴⁸ A poor man came one day to Mo Chuda who had got love-gifts of ale and milk and wine. Mo Chuda lifted his hand over the spring that was before him, and made three parts of it — into wine, into ale, and into milk; and the poor man drank his fill of it, and was made whole. And Mo Chuda blessed the spring, and restored it to its own nature again.

⁴⁹ When those godly works of Mo Chuda were finished, his body went into weakness and old age. And he went into a little house apart from the monks. And he told them that his time was not long. And he could not go to visit them, but it was they that came to visit him. And he looked up one day, and saw heaven’s door being opened, and a company of angels coming out of it to the place where he was. “To meet your soul are we come, O Mo Chuda,” said they. He sent word to the monks, and told them of his departing from them; and he partook of the body of Christ, and the sacrament of the church was given him, and his soul parted from his body, and he went in the fellowship of angels into the presence of the Trinity — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. FINIS.