CatholicaPlummer, Bethada Náem nÉrenn I (1922) — translated from the Irish.
1 Colman Eala, then, was of the seed of Éremón son of Míl of Spain, as his genealogy shows. And Colman Eala’s usual fosterers were the Cuiniugán — the race from whom the people of Cuiniugán are at this time. They were of the seed of Brían son of Eochaid Muighmedóin.
2 As for Colman Eala: when he came to Fir Cell they were not joyful before him, and there was none for whom he was worse than Cuiniugán; and there was a reason for the meeting that arose in that land at that time — a destructive beast that was in Loch Eala; for neither man nor beast dared go near the lake for fear of it. And this was the description of the beast — a small sharp creature with a cleft mouth in the shape of a woman. And Cuiniugán said to them then: “It were better for us to set that holy man, who is called Colmán Eala, to fight with the beast. And we would rather that neither of them came from the other.”
3 And he who was king over Fir Cell at that time was Donnchad son of Aed, son of Sathmainide, of the Cenél Fiachach son of Níall of the Nine Hostages. “Bring Colman to us,” said the king, “that he may preach to us, that we may know what measure he will put upon our faith.”
4 Colman was brought to them, and he preached to them. And he sent for his sworn friends, and these were his friends — Colum Cille, the fair son of Feidlimid; and they were akin to one another — Mór daughter of Feidlimid, son of Fergus Cendfada, son of Conall Gulban, son of Níall of the Nine Hostages, was Colman’s mother. And Mancán of Leith came with his saints to him, for their kinship was close. And they were in one place; and Colum Cille said that he himself would be a crozier-deacon to Colman that day. And Mancán said that he himself would sprinkle water on the hosts, to put them in communion with Colman.
5 And a sermon was begun by those clerics; and they had very beautiful Latin books there, and they were taking light of their reading and praising the Creator mightily. And it was a joy of mind and nature to the hosts to be listening to them. And every one whose mind had not been on God before that had his mind on Him at that time. And it was of the first folk who gave himself to God and to Colman that day — Cuiniugán.
6 That king we have spoken of had three sons — Muad and Duinecha and Aillén; and Muad was the eldest son. And that man said that he himself loved Colman; and if it were his father’s leave, he would like to give him a place of dwelling and dwelling. “It is my word,” said Duinecha, “that so am I myself. And on whichever of the four ways of life he goes, I shall follow him; and I shall give my seed after me to him.” “Do not you that,” said the king, “for if he slay the beast, I shall give him the place where it is; and I shall give my seed after me; and my sworn people shall moreover be made to give him.”
7 And when Colman heard that, he went to the beast at the lake. And the beast’s name was Lainn; and this was its description — a small, sharp, cleft-mouthed creature, with short shaggy hair, unwashed, unkempt, about its head. And the beast took land. And Colman said: “If it be God’s leave, it is my leave that the rushes of that lake bind me to itself, that you may be killed.” And when Colman said that, he looked up, and the true God answered him; and everything he asked of Him he got from Him.
8 And Cuiniugán was with him at that time, and Duinecha too. And they were faithful to him. And these were the saints who were in his company there — Bláán, Bishop Fincén, and Bishop Coirill; and the seven sons of Deicell, and Bishop Eógan, and Odrán, and Forgan, and Mernag, and Fachtna.
9 And Colman Eala said then: “Let some saint of you attack the beast; and let him cut off her head.” “I shall go myself,” said Cuinedha, “to behead her, for love of you.” “I shall go myself to withstand her,” said Duinecha, “and I want no royal honour of my stead from you, for it is with you I wish my burial to be. And since my father has no sons but myself and two others, my regard goes to gaining a kingdom. Yet nevertheless, it is with you I wish my body to be.”
10 And those two went — Cuinegha and Duinecha — and they beheaded the beast. And they brought the head to Colman. And Colman blessed the two of them. And Colman said then to Cuinedha: “Take yourself and your seed for ever as my stewards; and you shall have my relics, and you shall see evil on the folk of your lessening.” “I myself shall be your young warrior,” said Duinecha, “until your dwelling and all your work be ready”; and he spoke the lay:
11 The church is stronger than every king;
let us declare it without contempt;
that old-word, forever true —
the better I think every man to hear it.
12 Do you see there yourselves?
O saints of Ireland with splendour;
he that was against me so firmly —
the beast you see, beheaded.
13 It was a bull — I give it to you,
O noble clerics of the world;
it were better for you to be at the meeting
than the cunning man at the work.
14 When you take your hours,
and are in your mother’s womb,
bring them slowly to the assembly,
if you wish to gain profit.
15 Every verse you take of it,
explain its texts minutely;
speak in your mind truly,
and set your wit into them;
and you shall get from the King of the stars,
whose embrace is without end.
16 The verse that takes the rout —
it is far from you till it goes from you;
the man of guile who is at the meeting,
it avails you not to take him.
Take with you gently, sweetly, pleasantly,
your prayers and your reading;
explain it in Latin without guile,
and put your paternoster in Gaelic.
17 Visit them early, as is right;
approach the altar often;
make great love of their fame;
set sermons among the laity.
18 I tell you without concealment —
a tale of the church’s history;
I shall not tell them a cause without force,
but a tale touching the foundation.
19 Three things are strongest under the sun —
I tell you with beauty:
a church, and hot fire,
and the third thing, water.
20 The fire you kindl yourself,
though it be weak as it goes under the sun,
it is long seen far away,
and its smoke is ever bright.
21 The true well that dries there,
when thirst comes, it is weak;
when the flood fills without concealment,
it is strong from much water.
22 The church when it is there,
a weak king is stronger upon it;
sad to me how it shall be abroad —
the clerics’ voice shall be weak.
23 Yet when they fail,
the weak kingship of Athlone,
God shall have a fertile clan —
that day they shall be weak.
24 No man shall have good
for which thanks have come,
save at the one God without concealment —
of us all their strength.
25 When your soul goes from your clay body,
though you were at a swift church,
though harsh, O man, the cry,
you are glad to get it.
26 When you are in your single pool,
you shall be at the smooth church;
you shall not be able to hide it —
let it be with us on you, their strength.
27 When they part with you there —
your own eight winding-sheets without error —
let them not bring you to a house,
and let the clerics bury you.
28 It is of it I have told the tale —
of there beast, that was strong;
for we have seen the end of it —
there beast in human form.
Let us bring home to our warm house —
the church, for its strength.
29 From it shall be named, I think —
the beast that was slain in the pool;
the stead shall be mine without dispute —
it shall be the lann, this lann of Colman’s.
30 It is I, Colmán Eala;
let the one God have good notwithstanding;
the two that were against me then —
myself rebuked in one day.
31 Cuinega answered me gently
from the sermon I made to the king;
for my own love without concealment —
it was to slay the beast.
32 From the hour the beast was slain
dumb was the broad rough-pooled stream;
it shall be mine, strong without concealment —
upon them surely strength.
33 After that lay Colman Eala went on to Lann Eala. And he made a fort-dwelling in it, and blessed the burial-ground with the saints we have mentioned before; and the beast was the first creature buried in Lann Eala; and they did a great work there — a causeway. And the length of the causeway was from Lann Eala to Coill an Chláir. And birds of every hour used to come to sing music to them, and took their weariness from them; therefore Loind Eala (the Pool of the Birds) is said of that stead.
34 And Colman Eala’s foster-father was Gregory Golden-mouth (Grigoir Béil-óir — Gregory the Great). And he promised that when he himself should die, he would manifest it to Colman. And one day Colman was making the causeway on the western flagstone; and there was none putting stone into the temple or the cashel or the causeway but Duinecha was with him, and Cuinedha attending him right bravely; and Colman fell on his knees, and there came to him to hear the bells of Gregory Golden-mouth’s death. And weakness and great swoons fell upon Colman then, through his foster-father’s message coming.
35 And his people asked him: “what is the cause of your sorrow, O holy cleric?” “My cause of sorrow is great,” said he, “the bells of my foster-father’s death have been heard by me.” “O mighty God,” said the clerics and the workfolk, “we think it a great wonder that any in the world should hear the bells of Rome.” “I beseech mighty God,” said Colman, “that you may hear — among clerics and gillies and young warriors — what I hear. And fall on your knees.” And they did so.
36 And the number that were there was four thousand four hundred and ninety (4,490). And there was not one of them at that time who did not hear the bells of Rome.
37 And they saw coming to them then seven pack-loads on seven donkeys, full of the earth of Rome in them. “There, O holy cleric Colman,” said the gillies, “is the help your foster-father sent you; and shake it over the length and breadth of your burial-ground, and everyone buried in it shall not see hell.” And it was shaken as it was told. And Colman said then: “The front of the burial-ground be yours, O Duinecha; and its middle be yours, O Cuineda. And let the burial-ground henceforth be for Fir Cell and the men of Ireland.”
38 The abbot in Durrow at the time when Colum Cille was not in the stead was Cormac Ua Liatháin. And the people of Durrow did an ill thing to Colman without Cormac’s leave; for what they did was to come to steal the earth; and they came to the cashel of the burial-ground. And they took only the earth that was nearest them on the outside of the cashel. And that was discovered the next day. And Colman followed the track of the earth with his people to Durrow.
39 And Colum Cille came to the stead at that time; and the place where he was then was on the little seat called Colum Cille’s seat at this time. And Colman Eala blessed him, and had ill cheer as he blessed him, and Colum Cille answered him cheerfully. And he asked: “what is the cause of your trouble, Colman?” “My cause is great,” said Colman, “the offering my foster-father sent me of the earth of Rome — your people came last night to steal it. And, glory to God, it is not what fell to them.”
40 “Curse us not, O cleric,” said Colum Cille, “and you shall have everything in which is your peace.” “I make no curse on you,” said Colman, “for you are not guilty towards me. Yet I do make a curse on Cormac Ua Liatháin. And I ask God that there be no man of a stead or half-stead in Ireland for ever of his race. And that wild hounds eat his flesh at last.” And Colum Cille said then: “If it please you, let the earth be offered back.” “It pleases me not,” said Colman, “and I pray God that the virtue of the Roman earth be your in it henceforth.”
41 “It is right for us,” said Colum Cille, “to tell you the case that is upon ourselves.” “What case is that?” said Colman, “for we have none for whom it were fitter for us to ask every case that shall be yours than you; for you are three days of every week in heaven.”
42 “This is the case that has befallen,” said Colum Cille: “Úanach, my mother’s sister, and my own sister, have borne two sons to Maol Umha son of Baedán, son of Fergus, son of Conall Gulban, son of Níall of the Nine Hostages; and I have baptised them; and I gave Ulltán to one son, and Báithín to the other son. And I had rather they were not slain, yet that I should get their destruction without shame to myself; for their father and mother are the children of a sister and a brother. And I would have you give your counsel on them.”
43 “My counsel is ready,” said Colman: “give them to me to foster and rear. And let us make provision(?); for I have two breasts that no saint before me ever had — a breast of milk and a breast of honey; and I shall give them to them.” And they were given to Colman, and he spoke the lay there:
44 Two breasts has Colman Eala —
a breast of milk, a breast of honey;
his right breast for fair Baoithín,
and his other breast for Ulltán.
45 The man with whom these were —
on his protection my soul,
and on the protection of Christ of the children —
my body and my soul.
46 I leave to Fir Cell themselves —
when they answer me not firmly,
and make not my assembly —
it is on themselves the true peril falls.
47 Were there but one place there,
and it dry in my temple,
though the high-king of Fir Cell came,
and Duinecha without neglect —
Duinecha would sit, I think,
first in the dry place.
48 The help of Í Duibhginn is mine —
long shall its service be;
no more shall go from me to the ground
than the help Ua Bracain gave.
49 They gave two hundred full milch-cows
to my great church —
that they might serve me —
with me shall they be as my freemen.
50 I gave them for their reward
a place in the garth of my church,
a little way from the kings’ bed —
certainly, surely, without anxiety.
51 A journey I went eastwards
to Kintyre among the Albanach,
and I took with me
Duinecha and Cuimed without neglect.
52 When we reached the king
of Alba, with many a deed,
the king of Alba told the case
to us surely, and the death of his people:
53 “A venomous beast over the borders of harbours —
from its broad lake-pool of strong liquor —
fire burns it not with its blast,
and point nor edge takes it not.”
54 “Fifteen men, it is sure with us,
are in this stead on your account,
slain by it without delay;
and the beast remains, O Colman.”
55 “I shall kill the beast for you,”
said Colman after that,
“and my tribute shall be shared without blemish
between Alba and the Saxons.”
“Fifty feet beneath her belly,
and fifty ugly daughters —
she slays the host of every famed land,
save they come to attack her.”
56 “There she is coming to us without delay
to attack our land, O Colman;
woe to the race on whom she comes with fame
for our swift destruction and our slaying.”
57 Colman attacked the strand;
Duinecha attacked with might —
his two spears in his hand without concealment,
and his long truly-strong sword.
58 Colman of the churches looked up
at the high-king of heaven firmly,
and there was given to them down from heaven
everything he thought in his mind.
59 Duinecha cast the fair spear
from the hand of the king’s son,
and the beast was slain thereby —
horrible, fierce, mighty.
60 “Bring in your name to me the spear,”
“the noble tree of yew,”
“and let its head be bent by me”;
“of it I have made a crozier.”
61 “do you wish, O generous Duinecha,
now to raise your own spear-tree,
and it truly a crozier —
its tribute and its stewardship?”
62 “Though I be no craftsman of a king’s son,”
said Duinecha truly,
“I shall give my seed to you for the meeting,
and be you my shelter, O Colman;
and give your crozier to your own steward
near at hand between them.”
63 The fifteen men truly,
who were dead in that stead —
I gave them all their souls
by my prayer, by my pure psalms.
64 I got a monastery from the king —
from the high-king of Alba truly —
and I shared my law with fame
between Ireland and Alba.
65 I come then to Fir Cell —
Duinecha and Cuinedha firmly —
and my crozier of white gold,
since they are my proper people.
66 The house from which my crozier
is not found in this land —
there shall be neither grain nor milk in the house,
and his son shall not be after him.
67 There shall be no son on his father’s seed
nor daughter on her mother’s seed
for ever and ever among Fir Cell,
unless the croziers’ tribute be there.
68 I leave to Fir Cell themselves —
when they make not my own assembly —
that it be worse for them than an ox,
when it shall be left undone.
69 The sea will not give its produce(?),
and the earth will not give its fruit;
famine every quarter, it is likely —
scarcity of food and clothing
throughout the border of Fir Cell,
when my crozier goes in wrath.
70 Till the sea-sand be numbered, O friend,
and women’s evil(?), and the sea-sand —
more numerous than grass are
these great miracles.
71 Tell from me to Fir Cell,
and to Éile without neglect:
when they answer me not themselves
near at hand between them —
teach me what shall come of it —
hell shall be in the last place.
72 Every man of Fir Cell
who shall not be firmly under me —
I pray the one God truly
that they find not their first parents’ milk.
73 For they are their own first parents’ milk —
the heavenly city with splendour;
I shall not forsake it without falsehood
on which I shall find my hardship.
74 The three sons of Donnchad — the assembly said —
Duinecha, Muad, and Aillén —
let them not forsake Í Duibhginn’s me
near at hand or between them.
75 And let Ó Gallgáin be in my hand
for ever, and Ó Bracáin;
Í Ghrúccáin with me without concealment —
let them come to my burial-ground;
and Corracáin with me without falsehood —
let them not forsake me in hardship.
76 And after that lay, those lads — Baoithín and Ulltán — were doing their reading in Lann Eala, for it was the third principal assembly of Ireland — the assembly of Tailtiu, and the assembly of Clonmacnoise, and Lann Eala. And those lads had gifts: whatever Ulltán heard, he had it by heart; and whatever was done to Baoithín, no single word escaped him(?). Therefore the lay was spoken:
77 The three assemblies of Ireland itself —
I tell you with beauty —
I have their memory, and not scant
is the knowledge of their names.
78 The assembly of Cluain is noblest of them,
the assembly of Tailtiu on the king’s day;
the third assembly is my own assembly
near at hand between them.
79 I got from the high-king of the stars
for everyone who comes to it,
the power of his own tale on heaven —
the worth of his sight on my assembly’s day.
80 Everyone who has united with me
in every land under the sun —
I leave to them for their reward
that their eyes shall not see hell.
81 From the Callraige, let them not spoil the meeting
under my crozier, to Colman’s children —
a penny from every smoke to you,
and the fruit likewise.
82 Everything I have said long since,
I tell according to rule;
we hide not from any man in the district
that those are the three for you.
83 After that lay Colman Eala struck his fosterling Baoithín; and Baoithín went away after being struck. And Colman followed him. And he met a wretched bare-skinned leper at the rock outside the stead. And the leper blessed Colman. And he said to Colman: “Carry me on your back, O holy cleric, to your own altar for God’s love.” “Is there none other who serves you to bear you there?” said Colman. “None at all,” said the leper, “for God prefers that you yourself do obedience to him.” “If it be better, it is I that am fittest for you,” said Colman. And he bore him with him to the altar.
84 And the wretch said to him: “Put my nose in your mouth, O Colman, for God’s love; and put into the end of your cubit(?) and put out over the church whatever is in it.” Colman did as the wretch said; and he bore that filth of the nose out over the church; and when he came out, what he found in his bosom was a bar of gold, with a writing of golden letters in it that came from the Trinity. And Colman wondered at that matter, and turned back quickly; and he saw not the leper.
85 As for Baoithín: he is remembered with us — he was shunning his learning, and he hid himself in the wood up from Lann Eala. And he saw a man laying rods alone; and as each rod was laid, another rod’s end came to be laid likewise. Yet the house rose with him. And Baoithín saw that, and said: “Were I to do my learning like that, and follow it, I think I should have learning.” And a great shower of rain fell there then. And Baoithín went to seek shelter under an oak. And he saw a drop dripping in one place. And Baoithín made a hollow with his heel in that place, and the drop filled the hollow then; and Baoithín said then: “were I to do my learning like that, I should have learning”; and he spoke the lay:
86 By drops the pool is filled;
by rods the round-house is made;
the household that is dear to God
grows more and more numerous.
87 Were I to attend to my own learning
near at hand between them,
though little I should do, I think,
I should have my fill of learning.
88 The single rod that the man plucks
and lays upon his house —
the house rises quickly,
though slowly he lays the single rod.
89 The little hollow my heel made —
may it be well with God and with Colman —
every race(?) fills it with the white drop,
the water in its little path.
90 I give a pledge, by my pool,
that I shall not forsake my learning,
whatever evil I shall get thereby,
that I shall be ever doing it.
Baoithín himself told
Colman, his own foster-father —
he gave Colman a firm vow
that he would not shun his learning.
91 “God gave you your teaching, O son —
to you the famous example,”
said smooth Colman answering him,
“full of generosity and true wisdom.”
92 After that Colman Eala went before him to meet Mo Chuda. And Mo Chuda had been banished from Rahan; and he passed through Fir Cell, until he reached the stead of Duinecha mac Donnchadha to seek food from Duinecha; and he got a certain amount of food. And the number that were there was three fifties and three thousand. And the food Duinecha gave them was three beeves and three pails of milk. Mo Chuda said that seemed little to him. “If it be little,” said Duinecha, “put your ill-will upon it,” and Mo Chuda spoke the lay:
93 “Cluain of two trees —
in it Duinecha hard and stingy;
may Duinecha be without Cluain,
may Cluain be without Duinecha in it;
and may the third destruction
be thrice a grave upon Fir Cell.”
94 Colman Eala himself
was listening to them with beauty,
and it was not sweet to him without concealment —
the men of Cell cursing them.
95 “I leave to Duinecha from me
to be surly, gloomy and hard;
I leave to them for that —
that it be not the worse for keeping them.”
96 “I leave after him to Fir Cell
to be slain like swine there;
I leave to them for that —
that they grow like the bracken.”
97 “I leave to them for themselves
of Duinecha’s smooth people —
every man on the south side…”
[gap: exemplar illegible]
98 “Their life shall be shorter than others”,
and their prosperity shall be the less."
99 “I leave to their women to be whorish,
and I leave to them to be foolish;
I leave to them for that —
the victory of shame and the victory of children.”
Colum Cille comes to them —
the steadfast prince of truth —
and it was not loving to him without concealment —
the cursing of his brethren.
100 “Put out that curse,”
said Colum quickly,
“or the multitude of your saints shall die
near at hand or between them.”
101 “I pray the one God Himself,”
said Mo Chuda himself,
“may God not put it back,
and I shall not put it without him.”
102 “Since it is I who see the king,”
said Colum Cille truly,
“I shall put it back soon,
and Colman Eala shall put it.”
103 Colum Cille and Colman,
Mancán, and fair Odrán,
and all the saints of Ireland —
they changed the curse.
104 Mo Chuda nearly repented
of what he had done to them,
when he saw with victory
the saints of Ireland coming to Cluain.
105 Mo Chuda himself goes
before him in the night in his course,
until the young man reached
the wood where the oak was.
106 His lepers scream at him,
his own martyrs scream,
and they ask whitherward
they should hide their books.
107 The little oak bows after them
to the saints after the strife,
and the wretches wait about it
after their expulsion from Cluain.
108 There were two young lads among Colman Eala’s people. They grew up till they were great scholars. “Why,” said the clerics, “is not an office of piety ordained for those scholars, since the age of piety has come to them?” “I shall not ordain it,” said Colman Eala. “Why so?” said they. “This is why,” said Colman: “one of the men’s bed is in hell; and though he does piety in that age, it is impiety he shall do at the end of his life, so that in hell he shall be. I take not his share of the world from him, for there is no reward for him. The other man’s bed is in heaven; and though he does not piety in that age, he will do it at last, and he shall be on heaven; et reliqua.”