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

¹ There was a famous man in Ossory, of Dal Birn, Lugna his name. He made a circuit on the southern side of Ireland, and took for his wife there — in Corca Laighe in particular — Liadain was that woman’s name. That maiden saw a vision: it seemed to her that a star came from heaven and went into her mouth and illumined all the men of Ireland. She arose the next day and told all she had seen, whereupon it was the prophecy given to her that she should bear a child of victory, who would be in the middle of the western world for his miracles and marvels.

² It was true: the boy Ciaran was born, and it was in Cleire [Cape Clear] he was reared. And God’s grace was manifest upon him in many miracles and wonders, until he was thirty years in that place, in the zeal of study and prayer, though he was without baptism, without blessing, save what he had of them from heaven. And that was no wonder, for there was neither baptism nor faith in this island at that time; until Ciaran resolved to go from there to Rome of Latium, for it had been shown to him from heaven that there he would learn his psalms and receive episcopal orders, for therein was the head of the faith.

³ When he reached Rome he was baptized on his arrival; and he studied the Scripture and the divine canon with the abbot of Rome, and was thirty years at that learning, until it was said to him to go to his own land, for there it was appointed him to remain, and his miracles and his prayers would be illustrious throughout all the world.

⁴ Ciaran went from there into Italy, and it was there Patrick met him on his way, and they rejoiced with one another. And Patrick told him to go to his own land, and he would build a city in the middle of the island, and would find a spring there. “And wait for it, and I will come to you after thirty years.” “I know it not,” said Ciaran, “for I know not which spring of them I should wait for.” “Take this bell of mine,” said he, “and let it be dumb till it reach the spring; and it will sound on arriving, and it will be the Bardan Ciaran [Ciaran’s little bell] its name for ever, and miracles and marvels will be wrought by you both together; and Saighir shall be the name of the place.”

⁵ Each of them bade farewell to the other, Patrick and Ciaran; and Ciaran did as was told him, until he came to the famous spring that is in Éile of Munster, and his bell sounded there as was promised. And he built his church thereafter.

⁶ God wrought many miracles there for Ciaran. When he began the clearing of the churchyard, being alone, he saw the wild boar coming to him, and it fell to tearing and digging, so that it rooted out all the wood by that digging and levelled the earth till it was smooth. Then it made a hut wherein he would dwell while he would be at that great work, the ungentle beast drawing and dragging the wood for him till it was ready. God sent another monk to Ciaran — he saw come to him the wolf with a badger, and a fox with him, and they stayed with him doing service and attendance on him.

⁷ They were so for a long time at that service, until it befell the fox that his own nature rose up in his mind, so that he stole Ciaran’s brogues and fled into his cave. Now when Ciaran perceived the loss, he said to the other monks, that is, to the hound and to the badger: “It is not a good monk’s craft,” said he, “to commit robbery and theft; and go,” said he to the badger, “and bring him back willing or unwilling, that he may be chastised by us.”

⁸ Then the badger went, and overtook the fox, and bound him from ear to foot, and brought him perforce with him. Ciaran said to him: “Do penance and repentance,” said he, “for it is not a monk’s craft to do evil habits; and keep your senses, and if need or desire be upon you, God will give you as you shall ask.” He did as Ciaran said, and remained in the same monkhood; and God’s name and Ciaran’s were magnified thereby.

⁹ Thereafter, when the fame and renown of Ciaran was heard, his kindred gathered to him from every side; and his mother came to him with many maidens to serve God and Ciaran. And a royal church and a choice temple to God were raised; and he used to give much instruction in the words of God to the neighbouring lands and to his own fatherland, to the men of Ossory; and multitudes of men believed in God through the teaching of Ciaran.

¹⁰ It was then it befell Patrick to come to sow the faith among the men of Ireland and to baptize them, after it was enjoined him by Jesus on Mount Sion, when the crozier of Jesus was given to him — that he might unite and bind whatever Patrick should bind in this island. For there was no keeping of faith and belief in Ireland before Patrick, save only Ciaran and Ailbe and Declan and Bishop Ibar. Everything was finished by Patrick as had been rehearsed with Jesus, until he drew the men of Ireland out of the hands of demons and from the worship of idols.

¹¹ Now Liadain, Ciaran’s mother, had a dear fosterling — and there was no woman of better form and manners; and she was a king’s daughter of the kings of Munster, and Bruinech her name; and she had vowed her virginity to God, and went to Ciaran together with Liadain. One day the king of Cenel Fiachach came — that race of Fiach son of Niall — to Ciaran, Dima his name, and saw the very beautiful maiden, and was smitten with love on seeing her, and carried her off against her will unknown to Ciaran, and afterwards lay with the maiden.

¹² That was a heavy sorrow to Ciaran; and he went in search of the maiden to Dima’s house, and Dima said to him: “you shall not have the maiden until your Lord speaks with me.” “God is able for that,” said Ciaran. They were not long there when the voice said from above: “Release the maiden,” said it. Then the maiden went with Ciaran, and she was pregnant. Then Ciaran set the sign of the divine cross upon her, and the child went to nothing unperceived at once.

¹³ After a time it came into Dima’s mind to go in search of the maiden he had had, for he could not endure to be without her. When the maiden saw the king coming towards her — for she was sure it was to take her again willing or unwilling he had come — she died at once. When Dima saw the maiden’s death, his limbs trembled and his mind was troubled, and he said to Ciaran thereafter: “you have slain my spouse,” said he, “and it shall be avenged on you; and you shall be driven out of the place where you are, and shall not abide.” “you have no power over me in that,” said Ciaran, “and the God of heaven is between us; and neither my good nor my ill is in your power.”

¹⁴ Thereafter the king’s only son died at that utterance; and the boy’s foster-mother came into Ciaran’s presence wailing wretchedly, and the woman said: “I give you there boy, and myself into your service,” said she, “if you will help him at this hour, for it is you that did slay him.” Thereafter a fiery flash of lightning came from heaven upon the king’s dwelling, so that it burned both men and goods, and burned the second son the king had, namely Duncad son of Dima.

¹⁵ When the king heard that, he went to Ciaran, and made prostration of himself before him with great repentance and heavy grief, and prayed him for help and forgiveness. Ciaran did that for him, and raised his two sons after death and burning, so that they were whole. And when Ciaran saw the maiden dead, he raised her from death in like manner. For he was sure the king would not take her from him for any greater violation. God’s name and Ciaran’s were magnified through those great miracles.

¹⁶ Once his cook came to Ciaran and said to him: “We have no pigs, and they must be had to feed our monks.” “God is able for that,” said Ciaran. They had not long to wait before they saw twelve swine coming towards them. They remained with them, and bred many herds of them.

¹⁷ Another time the same cook went to Ciaran and said to him: “Sheep must be had by us,” said he, “for they must needs be bought.” “They are not easier for God than the swine,” said Ciaran, and that was true. They saw a flock of white sheep in the plain. They could scarce tend them for their increase.

¹⁸ Once an honourable man who was near him went to Ciaran — Fintan his name — with his dead son to raise him for him, Laeguire his name. Ciaran prayed God to help him, and made cross-vigil and earnest prayer to God for him. The boy arose from death at the word of Ciaran; so that God’s name and Ciaran’s were magnified thereby. And he gave all his wealth and riches to God and to Ciaran, and also gave the stead whereon he was with its land in everlasting possession to God and to Ciaran — Rath Fera its name.

¹⁹ It was at that time Patrick came to Cashel to meet the king of Munster, Aengus son of Nadfraech, and Ciaran came to meet him there; and Aengus and the nobles of Munster submitted to Patrick’s baptism. There was a man of the Ui Duach of Ossory in that assembly, Erc his name, who stole the house [vessels?] on which Patrick was.

²⁰ That man was bound to the king; and Ciaran went to beg him of the king. He could not be got from him without treasure for him. Ciaran gave a mass of gold for him, for he had a feud with the Ossory man. The prisoner was given to him. The gold then melted away and went to nothing. The king was angered thereat, and said: “Why did you give me phantom gold,” said he, “and it is deceit that caused you to do it”; and he made a great threat against him. “Everything in the world is but a phantom and passes to nothing,” said Ciaran; and he was wrath with the king thereafter, and purposed cursing and vengeance on him, and the king was blinded, so that he almost died.

²¹ Then Mo Chuda went to pray Ciaran to put a stop to that vengeance, and the king would submit to him. Then he helped the king, as one that would rise from death. For all deemed that it was death he had got. And he gave countless treasure to Ciaran, and himself submitted to do his will; and God’s name and Ciaran’s were magnified through that miracle.

²² When the king of Munster, Aengus, was on his royal circuit throughout Munster, he had musicians and minstrels with him. They went from him on a circuit into Muscraige Tire. Enemies rose against them to plunder them, and the musicians were slain, and hidden under a lake that was near them. There was a tree under the lake, and they were bound under the tree with their harps on them, themselves stripped, for they wished not that they should be known.

²³ Long the king deemed his musicians away. He sent messengers in search of them, and neither live nor dead of them was found. The king went to Ciaran to learn what had befallen his musicians, for he was sure he was a prophet of heaven and earth. And Ciaran revealed to him all he asked of him; and Ciaran went before the king to there lake, and made cross-vigil and earnest prayer to God, so that the lake dried up, and it was manifest to all how they were bound fast to the tree, as we have said before.

²⁴ Ciaran bade them arise from the lake; and they arose thereafter as if from sleep, with their harps on them, after being a month under the lake. So that Loch na gCruitirigh [the Lake of the Harpers] is its name still. And God’s name and Ciaran’s were magnified through that miracle.

²⁵ Another time of the king on the same circuit. A chief of his people went and chanced upon Ciaran’s swine. They slew a pig of them. They were pursued as enemies, and a man of ten of them was slain for the chief. The king and Mo Chuda went to Ciaran, and told him to come with them to visit those soldiers that were slain, to bring them to Ciaran himself to be buried.

²⁶ They went to them, and there were too many of them to carry. Ciaran said: “Arise,” said he, “in company with your king, in the name of God.” They arose at once from death at the word of Ciaran, with the pig in its life with them, and they gave their service to him thereafter while they lived; and God’s name and Ciaran’s were magnified by that miracle.

²⁷ One day Ciaran went into a wood near him, and saw a high brake with blackberries on it. He gave a thorn-pull [?] of gentle power upon the branch, that they might last at all seasons whenever they were asked. It was then the king of Munster chanced on a circuit to the house of Concrad son of Duach, king of Ossory; and the queen gave him love — Eithne Uathach; for there was none more beautiful than that Concrad; and Eithne whispered her mind to him.

²⁸ Concrad did not consent to that, for he wished not to be guilty against the queen. So this is what Eithne did: she took on herself a feigned longing and sickness, since she had no power to go. Concrad was told that, and he went to Eithne to learn what ailed her. She said that nothing would do her good unless she got blackberries, for they had taken her fancy, and they would be her cure and her healing herbs for her sickness.

²⁹ Concrad went to Ciaran, and told him what Eithne had said to him. They both went to the blackberries we have spoken of before, and bore them to Eithne, and she ate some of them; and they had the smell of wine and the taste of honey. And she was whole of every longing and every sickness that was upon her; and it was little Easter at that time.

³⁰ Then Eithne went to Ciaran, and gave thanks to God and to Ciaran for her deliverance from the desire that had held her; and she confessed to him, and prayed him to deliver her from every danger that should be upon her. Ciaran said: “I cannot deliver you from the death that is before you; for a battle will be joined between the men of Munster and Leinster, and you shall fall, and your daughter, and the king of Munster therein; and you shall have heaven’s kingdom thereafter.” And all that Ciaran said was fulfilled; for Aengus son of Nadfraech fell in the battle of Cell Osnad by the men of Leinster, as Ciaran prophesied.

³¹ Another time there was an assembly of Munster and Leinster awaiting Patrick’s coming to them for baptism and the preaching of the word of God, near to Ciaran. They had no means of feeding that multitude after the preaching, and Ciaran undertook to satisfy them in the name of God and Patrick.

³² Ciaran bade his cook serve them. The cook said they could not get provision; “for the multitude is near, and there are but seven oxen with me; and there is no help of the first man of them in it.” “Let the seven oxen be boiled by you,” said Ciaran, “for it was not easier for Jesus to satisfy five thousand with the five loaves and the two fishes than us with those seven oxen of yours.” It was true: he satisfied what was there, so that each man had his fill. And he blessed the well thereafter, so that everyone that drank of it had the taste of honey or wine, so that the hosts were drunk after their fill. And God’s name and Ciaran’s were magnified through that miracle.

³³ Another time the king of Tara chanced on hosting into Munster; and the men of Munster gathered against him, so that they were breast to breast in northern Éile. He prayed God to help him, and there arose a mighty wood between them and a river of high flood, Brosnach its name; and it remains there still.

³⁴ And the battalions parted from one another. The men of Tara went to their homes; and the men of Munster remained in that place awaiting Oilioll king of Cashel. Ciaran sent a mart and a swine to him, and blessed them, so that they were sufficiency for the hosts; and each man had his remnant of them the next day. And God’s name and Ciaran’s were magnified thereby.

³⁵ Ciaran had a custom with his monks of going to the harbour they had, to come each Christmas day to take communion from Ciaran’s hand. He had a foster-mother, Cuinche her name, and she was at Ros Benchuir in the south of Leinster. A pious widow she was. Ciaran used to go to her, after the mass of the Nativity in Saighir, to Ros Benchuir, and she would take communion from his hand the next day, and he would be at mass in Saighir the same day, though far it was between them.

³⁶ And he used to go to pray with Cuinche on a tidal rock that was in the sea amid the waves south of Ros Benchuir; so that Carrach Chuinchi [Cuinche’s Rock] is its name ever since. And he used to come to Saighir the same day; and it is not known how he did it, save that it was an angelic overshadowing from the Trinity that bore him.

³⁷ Now there was an honourable woman near to Ciaran, Eichill her name. That woman fell over a cliff, so that there was not a whole bone in her. That was lamented to Ciaran. He went to her and said to her: “Arise,” said he, “in the name of the Trinity.” The woman arose at once from death at the word of Ciaran, and gave thanks to God and to Ciaran; and she gave him land, Leim Eichille [Eichill’s Leap].

³⁸ A thief went westwards over Sliab Bladma and stole a cow from Ciaran. A great mist and darkness fell upon him, and a stream of strong flood, so that he was drowned, and the cow returned to Ciaran again.

³⁹ Now there were stewards of the king of Ireland levying his tribute in every place. It chanced to one of them to slay a friend of Ciaran without guilt, save for the violence of his master. Cronan was the young man’s name. Those tidings reached Ciaran; and he went in search of the young man, and found him at the end of seven days after his death. And he raised him at once with God’s help. And Ciaran said to the king of Éile: “Take the accursed man there; and burn him then for the evil he did without cause.” And it was done so.

⁴⁰ Then the king of Ireland, Oilioll Molt, was enraged against Ciaran for the death of his officer, and reproached him with words. God put a choking upon his utterance, so that he was seven days without speech. Then the king went to Ciaran, and made cross-vigil before him, and gave him his full obedience. Ciaran made the sign of the cross on his mouth, and he spoke thereafter as he was before; and they parted thereafter in peace and amity, the king and Ciaran.

⁴¹ Bishop Germanus came from Patrick on a visit to Ciaran. They went together to the stream to say their prayers, as was Ciaran’s custom. Germanus could not endure the water for its coldness. Ciaran perceived that in him; and made the sign of the cross with his crozier on the stream, so that it was warm to Germanus thereafter.

⁴² Then Ciaran said: “A king’s son of Cashel will come from there, Carthach, tomorrow to us, and a dear foster-son to me he is. And take,” said he, “the fish that is passing by you.” Germanus did as Ciaran told him, and had a fish ready for Carthach the next day. Carthach came as Ciaran promised, and confessed to him; and he received his soul-friendship, and departed thereafter when he had made his visit and fulfilled his penance with blessing.

⁴³ There was a merciful king near to Clonmacnoise. He gave all his wealth to Ciaran of Cluain to keep. Ciaran distributed it on God’s poor and on holy churches thereafter. It was sought of the king again, and it was not found with him. He reproached Ciaran for that, and bound him; and said he would take nothing but seven white red-eared cows for it. “God is able for that,” said Ciaran, “and loose my bonds that I may go in search of them.” His bonds were loosed; and he went to Ciaran of Saighir.

⁴⁴ Brendan was before him there. They took great joy and gladness at Ciaran of Cluain. Ciaran of Saighir asked his cook what meal he would have for those arch-saints. “There is none,” said the cook, “but bacon only, and it is scanty.” “Let it be brought quickly,” said Ciaran, “into the refectory.” It was done so. Ciaran blessed it, and there came honey and wine and oil and broth for them thereafter. And a monk of them said he would eat nothing of them, for it was of the bacon they were made. Ciaran answered: “you shall leave your senses,” said he, “and shall eat Lenten flesh and do every evil, and shall not have heaven at last.”

⁴⁵ They ate their meal, and gave thanks thereafter, and Ciaran of Cluain said: “There shall be abundance of wealth and cattle in this place for ever.” “There shall be the grace of wisdom and piety on your stead always,” said Ciaran of Saighir. Ciaran of Cluain told his errand. “Let us go in search of them,” said Ciaran of Saighir, and said Brendan.

⁴⁶ They went, and were not long walking when God provided for them. And Ciaran of Cluain offered to the king for his treasure. And when they were given to the king, they all melted away and went to nothing. When the king saw that, he knelt to Ciaran and prayed God to forgive him that fault; and all his wealth was forgiven to Ciaran, and they were at peace thereafter.

⁴⁷ There was a rich man at Clonmacnoise, and he knew much of evils — Trichem his name. He went to Ciaran of Saighir. Ciaran had an Easter fire unextinguished from one Easter to another. Trichem extinguished the fire. “Ill has befallen you, devil,” said Ciaran, “to quench the fire; and we shall have no fire till next Easter unless it come from heaven. And you shall die at once; and it is wolves that shall eat your body,” said Ciaran; and that was fulfilled.

⁴⁸ That was revealed to Ciaran of Cluain, and he came to Saighir. Ciaran welcomed him; and when he saw that he had no fire to prepare food for those elders, he lifted his hands to heaven and prayed the Lord that fire might come to him. A fiery spark fell in his presence, and by it their meal was cooked and set before them.

⁴⁹ Ciaran of Cluain said: “I will not eat the food,” said he, “till a son of the household be given me.” “We knew your errand,” said Ciaran of Saighir, “and it is my will, if it be God’s will, that that man come to you whole.” He came then at the word of Ciaran, and ate with them, and goes from there with Ciaran to Cluain, and forsook the devilry that was in him thereafter.

⁵⁰ Once Ruadan of Lorrha came on a visit to Ciaran. The devil came and quenched Ciaran’s fire. When Ciaran saw that, he blessed a great stone, so that fire-breath came from it and was kindled in his hand in Ruadan’s presence to warm him.

⁵¹ After that the steward brought a vessel of new milk to the clerks. The devil comes and spilled the milk and broke the vessel. The vessel is brought to Ciaran, and he made the sign of the cross over it, and it was whole thereafter with its fill of new milk in it.

⁵² When his last days came to Ciaran, he himself knew the time of his death, and he asked three boons of God before his death. The angel comes to him and told him he should have everything he asked. “Everyone,” said he, “that shall be buried in my churchyard — hell’s door shall not be closed upon him”; and everyone that should give honour or reverence to his feast should have victory of grace and riches in this present world and the kingdom of heaven beyond. And victory of battle for the men of Ossory, and that they should never be driven from their own land for ever. For they were his own from the beginning.

⁵³ Now it came into the mind of Finnen of Clonard that Ciaran’s last days were coming. Finnen went to visit him, for he was his master; for it was with him he read his psalms and every kind of teaching he had; and most of the saints of Ireland came to him, for he was a teacher of most of them.

⁵⁴ There were thirty bishops with him who had studied under him, and he gave priest’s orders to every one of them. And Ciaran went before all into the churchyard at the hour of his death; and received communion and sacrifice; and a multitude of angels came to meet that soul of Ciaran, and bore his spirit with them to heaven after the victory of fasting and repentance, and after winning victory over demon and world, into the joy of the household of heaven;

⁵⁵ and he was buried on the fifth day of the month of March in his own church in Saighir with honour and great reverence with God and men; and though great his honour on that day of his death, let it be greater at the day of doom in the unity of the nine orders of heaven, in the unity of the apostles and disciples of God, in the unity of the holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I beseech God’s mercy through the intercession of holy Ciaran that we all may reach that unity. In secula seculorum. Amen. FINIS.