¹ Mochuda son of Finall was of the Ciarraige Luachra by race, of the Úi Ferba to be precise. He came on pilgrimage from the south to Leth Cuinn and settled in Rahen. There was a large body of monks with him, labouring and praying, seven hundred and ten in number, and every third man among them conversed with angels.

² A great help to the company of monks was the holy pilgrim who came across the sea, Constantine son of Fergus, king of Alba. He exchanged the goods of the earth for pilgrimage in order to gain heaven, and he performed his monastic duty like any other monk engaged in the service of God. It was he who marked out the church of Rahen, and dug [the mound of] it, and cultivated Constantine’s Plot to the south of Rahen, and Magh Constantin (Constantine’s Plain) on the bank of the Brosny at Ath Maighne.

³ Great was his ration and allowance (lit. what satisfied him); that is, the ration of a hundred men would satisfy him, and Mochuda’s leftovers were given to him. Mochuda blessed his mouth, and after that he consumed no more than any other monk, and his strength was not diminished, though his allowance was reduced. Great was the benefit of his humble service to the monks, (for) the strength of a hundred men was in him. He begged Mochuda to allow him to go to his own country, Alba, to visit his clan and kindred. He allowed him to go. He returned. Throughout the time he was in the East (i. e. in Alba), his portion of food was kept for him, and (on his return) it was set down before him on a hide, all mixed together, pottage, milk and corn; and some of it had become wormy. Then he took his apron and fastened it around himself with both hands, until he succeeded in consuming it all. Then the cleric’s leftovers were given to him, and he ate them all steadily and neatly. The hospitaller was watching him to make sure that he left none of his ration uneaten.

⁴ “Now go to the forest,” said Mochuda on the following day, “and vent your wrath upon it. Why did you compel me to go to communion as I did at the beginning of last night? Nothing so difficult has ever come upon me before that I could compare with it. Every previous difficulty that overtook me,” he said, “I cast from me by sheer force. Every good thing that I had I made perpetual.” He went to the forest after this and levelled it.

⁵ Another time he was in the trench doing his work. The clerics were at their meal, and he was forgotten. He was angry at this and sent a shovelful of earth from the trench through the skylight of the refectory, so that some of it fell into the trencher (and) cup of every monk indoors. Mochuda went to see him afterwards, and streams of sweat were running down him from the intensity of his labour. Mochuda put his palm on his (Constantine’s) forehead and then on his own. “Well, O cleric,” said Constantine, “it is the sweat of his own crown that heals everyone.” “Ugh! You’ve spoilt it,” said Mochuda, “for the very dew of your grave would have healed, if this had not been said.”

⁶ The clerics of Úi Neill were once assembled on Moylena and fasted there, so that there might be revealed to them (the doer of) a murder which had been committed in the land. This was revealed to them through a certain virgin, Cainle, daughter of Diarmait. Afterwards Mochuda took the clerics with him to Rahen and feasted them all there, namely, the congregation of Finnian (Clonard) with their abbot, Colman mac húi Telluib; the congregation of Columcille (Durrow) and the congregation of Ciaran (Clonmacnois) with their abbot, Cronan Derg (the Red) mac hú Laicti. Then envy and jealousy of Mochuda took possession of the clerics there, because of the number of the monks, the excellence of the monastery, Rahen, the richness of their food and clothing, and the excellence of the cleric himself; for he was a man with the grace of God.

⁷ Afterwards the meal-bell was rung at Mochuda’s, and he went into the refectory. The abbots were saying to one another: “Why is the meal-bell ringing now?” they said, “for we have consumed what food there was in the place.” “It is out of boastfulness,” they said, “that he does this; or because of the excessive amount of food that he has.” A messenger was sent from them to find out whether there was food for them. The messenger set out; it was Manchin, vice-abbot of Clonmacnois. Manchin went into the refectory and saw the food prepared for them. “What is the matter, Manchin?” said Mochuda. “I left my knife on the table,” said Manchin. “Indeed,” said Mochuda, “then what is that there?” he said; “no, it is to spy upon us that you have come. May hunger be the portion of you and of your successor for ever.”

⁸ The vice-abbot returned to the clerics and told them what he had seen and heard; and the clerics were filled with envy and jealousy of Mochuda, and they said to him: “Leave the dwelling in which you are,” they said, “and leave Leth Cuinn (Conn’s Half, i. e. North Ireland) to Finnian and to Columcille, and to Ciaran the Wright’s son.” “I will not go from here,” said Mochuda, “until a king or bishop expels me; unsteadfastness does not become a cleric, (and he should not move) unless he is removed by force.”

⁹ The abbots then went to the king, Blathmac son of Aed Slaine, and made a formal complaint to him against Mochuda. He came with them to Clonard, and this was the conclusion they reached there: to expel Mochuda. And this was one of the three crooked counsels of Leth Cuinn, and it was in Clonard that all three of them were planned; hence it was said:

¹⁰ The three crooked counsels
Of the clan of Conn I will condemn:
The banishing of Columcille across the sea,
The cutting short of Ciaran’s life;
Mochuda and his leper band
Expelled from fair Rahen;
An encampment by them against Conn’s clans
Came to the seed of Muolom.

¹¹ So that defect of counsel was left (as a legacy) to Clonard ever afterwards.

¹² The clerics went afterwards, and the kings with them, namely Blathmac and Diarmait, two sons of Aed Slaine and joint kings of Erin, and arrived in front of the church. Diarmait was then a young lad. “Go for us, O Constantine,” said Mochuda, “and ask the kings to grant us a respite of a year, during which we need not move from here.” Constantine went towards them, with his smiting club in his hand and his rug about him. “Who is this?” said the youths. “This is Constantine the pilgrim,” they said. “Well, young men,” said he, “I have come from the cleric to ask a favour of you, that he may be granted a respite of a year, during which he need not move, and to me also on account of my pilgrimage and my service to the Lord.” “It is best to grant it,” said Diarmait. “It shall be granted,” said Blathmac.

¹³ Thereupon they dispersed. At the end of a year afterwards the same clerics went (to Rahen), and they reached the front of the church. “Go for us, O Constantine,” said Mochuda, “to ask for another year during which we need not move.” He went as before. “Here is the same churl,” they all said; “he shall have no greeting this time.” “That is a bad prayer, young men,” said Constantine, “for we were once in the same prosperity in which you are, and we exchanged it all for the Lord’s sake. Seven men were under my power, every one of them a king, and every one with gold and silver, and flocks and herds of cattle; all this was in my power, and now I am here in servitude for the love of God the Lord. Though this favour were granted to me and to him who sent me, I think you would have your reward.” “Welcome to you,” said the two sons of Aed; “you shall have a greeting, and a respite of a year.” “May you have a blessing for it,” said he.

¹⁴ A year from that day they came back again, both laymen and clerics, and reached the front of the church. “Go, Constantine,” said Mochuda, “to the kings, and ask them for a respite of a year for us.” “I doubt they will grant it,” said Constantine. He went towards them. “Here comes the same churl towards you,” they said; “do not address him at all, (otherwise) his wrath will fall upon you.” The servants began to treat him abusively, pelting him with clods. He took no notice of this and came to the kings. “Will you grant a respite of a year to Mochuda?” said he. “Be off, churl,” they said, “you shall have no greeting.” Thereupon he stretched out his two arms (lit. fork) and seized the necks of the two kings in his two hands. “Will you grant,” said he, “the favour which I ask? If it is not granted, each of you shall be grey with the brain of the other.” “We will grant it without doubt,” they said. The respite was given to him, but he accepted it without (uttering) any blessing.

¹⁵ Alas! Constantine died after this; and in the week preceding his death, as the hours were being recited in the church, Mochuda saw Satan (coming) towards Constantine. “What brought you here?” said Mochuda. “This monk belongs to me,” said he, “for the world is on his conscience.” “I think it is but little,” said Mochuda. “Vengeance is due for it, though it be little,” said he. “Well then, O cleric,” said Mochuda (to Constantine), “make your confession.” “I will confess, lord,” said Constantine, “that there is nothing of the world on my conscience, except that I keep thinking that I should like the stone on which you recite your pater noster to be laid across my face (in burial).” “That shall indeed be so,” said Mochuda. “Be off, Satan, into the standing stone to the south of the church, and do no harm there to anyone, except to those who come to attack the church.”

¹⁶ The sons of Aed Slaine came (again) afterwards with rage and fury, pride and arrogance, and the clerics (with them); and they had been greatly stirred up by the outlaws of Úi Neill. This was natural, for they would not find anywhere to stable their horses among the men of Meath if Mochuda were not removed. Alas! Constantine was sorely missed that day. “Go in, Diarmait,” said Blathmac, “for you are king.” “I will go,” said Diarmait, “though I think no good will come of it.” “Let one of you clerics (go) with him,” said Blathmac. “It shall be done,” they said.

¹⁷ Lots were cast between the congregations of Finnian and Ciaran and Columcille, to find out which (bishop) of them should go with Diarmait. The lot fell on the community of Clonmacnois; they cast lots upon (the monasteries of) their diocese, and the lot fell on the community of Cell Achid Drumfata (Killeigh). They cast lots between their churches, and the lot fell on the community of Cluain Congusa in Cinel Ardgair. “I will go,” said the abbot (erenagh), “to expel him.”

¹⁸ Diarmait and the cleric approached, and a great company with them. Diarmait went and rested his elbow on the door-post of the church in which Mochuda was. “Come inside into the church,” said the cleric. “I have come far enough,” said Diarmait. “Have you come to expel me?” said Mochuda. “That is indeed what I was sent for,” said Diarmait. “If you are in a hurry to do it for them (?),” said Mochuda, “I am ready,” said he, “(to come) with you.” “I could not,” said Diarmait, “I will never expel you until doom, because of the greatness of your sanctity and honour; and I repent that I ever came at all.” “May you have honour and distinction for that,” said Mochuda, “in heaven and on earth, and power and kingship and sovereignty over Erin until doom, unless you oppose my successor. Your face shall not be turned back before your enemies, because you turned back before me. But the youths will revile you when you have gone out; they will call you Diarmait Ruanaid; but it will turn to evident honour for you and your descendants, and the kingship shall descend continually from you.”

¹⁹ Diarmait then turned (and went) out; and Blathmac began reviling him: “Redly (ruanaid) you come from the cleric,” said he; that is, royally. This was afterwards the title that everyone gave him, Diarmait Ruanaid. “Go yourselves,” said Blathmac to the clerics, “and expel Mochuda; for it is against you that he is contesting the land.” “We will not go,” they said, “unless you come with us.” “I will go with you,” said the king. They all set out together against him, laymen and clerics, to the place where Mochuda was.

²⁰ Then the abbot of Cluain Congusa went towards him to expel him, for the lot had fallen upon him to do it. “Will you expel me?” said Mochuda. “I will, for you shall no longer be in the abbot’s chair,” said the cleric. “Then you shall have neither heaven nor earth,” said Mochuda, “and your abbot shall always be a mockery and derision in all assemblies and meetings.” “Alas! Woe to him who expels you, and by whom you are expelled,” said the prior of Killeigh. “A blessing upon you,” said Mochuda, “with you shall be the honour of your church.”

²¹ “Carry him off,” said the vice-abbot of Clonmacnois, “do not delay the woody-worded churl in the church.” “You shall have neither heaven nor earth,” said Mochuda, “and cold and hunger shall carry you off, and shall carry off your successor time after time.” “It is a grievous pity what you are doing,” said the prior of Burrow. “You shall be prior and abbot in your cell continually,” said Mochuda. “Drag him down,” said the abbot of Durrow. “May the disaffection of your congregation be upon you for ever, and upon your successor continually, and in every assembly may there always be some finger to point at him (with scorn).” He turned to the community of Clonard, and cursed some of them and blessed others.

²² Blathmac himself then approached, and Cronan Derg (the Red), successor of Ciaran. “Why have you come?” said Mochuda. “To expel you,” said Blathmac. “You shall not,” said Mochuda. “You shall no longer occupy the abbot’s chair,” said he. “Then I will expel you from the throne on which you sit, and I will take heaven and earth from you, and no king or royal heir shall ever descend from you, and your children and race shall be servants until doom to the youth who has gone out (i. e. Diarmait).”

²³ Thereupon he turned to Cronan and said to him: “Inhuman you are towards me,” said he, “in the meanness of these actions of yours, and of your association with the company of Ciaran; so that it may become a byword among them: ‘A Munsterman expelled a Munsterman’; that is, that all the more (because of Mochuda’s expulsion) they will have an abbot from Munster.”

²⁴ “But no Munsterman will ever prosper in his abbey, except one from Munster who shall take it in order to avenge my expulsion upon Leth Cuinn. Connaught (will be) under Ara (?) and the Úi Neill without the kingship of princes, but will be under the wretched rule of strangers for a time (?). Cluain without labour or rule after the destruction of its elders, wherein there will be a fierce concert of all men who till its lands (?) without abundance (?) of co-operation in teaching, without silence in accordance with their order, but elders without fellowship in belief, but association in folly all this time, until the white chafer shall come who shall bring it about afterwards; and the church shall fare well in his day, but it will fare badly in the time of the glittering beetle from Munster, who will fight his battles without folly, and you yourself shall be under reproach.” Straightaway Cronan’s left eye was blinded.

²⁵ “May sudden death carry you off, and your descendants after you, and as for the hand that was stretched out against me,” said he, “may its evil condition be plain to all.” This was afterwards fulfilled. “Then every abbot who succeeds you, whatever kind of affliction seizes him after entering upon the abbacy, may it not depart from him until his death.” “A man of a red spear (i. e. a murderer) in your place,” said Cronan, “and may sudden death carry off some of them.” He also bequeathed other threats (lit. words) to him. “Your monastery shall now be mine,” said Cronan. “No,” said Mochuda, “but ‘Rahen of Mochuda’ and ‘Mochuda of Rahen’ will be the phrase there.”

²⁶ They then expelled him, and (he and his monks) went round the graves and cemeteries. “Alas! lord,” said one of his monks to Mochuda, “my foot is diseased; I cannot go with you.” “Remain here then,” said Mochuda. “No,” said Colman mac húi Tell’uib, abbot of Clonard, “we will not have a spark from you in our midst.” “Arise,” said Mochuda, “and put your foot on that stone.” And when the monk put his foot upon it, he was healed at once; and this is ‘Mochuda’s Flagstone’ in Rahen. The disease then passed into Colman’s foot at Mochuda’s command, and he said that the disease of gout would continually be in Clonard.

²⁷ The dead rose from the ground, all those who had died in his (Mochuda’s) time, to go with him. “So,” said Colman, the stammering monk, seizing Mochuda’s foot, “you promised us,” said he, “that your resurrection should be among us; say then whether we shall come with you, or whether we shall remain here.” “Remain here,” said Mochuda, “for there are not two resurrections in the Gospel; and I will come on the Judgement Day with all my monks to the cross of Constantine in front of the church, and together we will go to the judgement of doom.”

²⁸ Then Mochuda went forth with this great company, eight hundred and forty in number. Many mighty works and miracles he performed on his way to the Deisi; and the king of the Deisi, Maelochtraig son of Dinertach, gave his body and soul to him, and allowed anyone of the Deisi who wished to do so to join him. Afterwards he settled in Dun Seinm on the river Nem. “I will remain here continually,” said he, “until I go from Nem to Nem.” “What are you marking out, O cleric?” said a nun who was there, named Caimell, to him. “It is a fort (liss) which the monks are making,” said he. “It is a great (mor) fort indeed,” said the nun. “Let that be its name then,” said he, “the Great Fort.” Hence comes the name Lismore of Mochuda.

²⁹ Mochuda died a year from that day. Cronan went into Munster to his diocese, that is, Ciaran’s successor; and from there he went to Lismore, to ask remission for his race from the words (i. e. curses) which Mochuda had left upon them. He found Molua the Leper there (as Mochuda’s successor). On the following day he began to ask Molua for remission. “If Mochuda comes again in the body,” said he, “ask remission of him. Until he comes, we will not grant remission in his place.”

³⁰ Cronan went northwards after this towards Clonmacnois. He travelled in a ship on the Shannon. He saw a boat and several other boats pursuing it. All who were in the (first) boat were drowned and killed, except one of them who swam to the ship in which Cronan was, and Cronan seized him by the head. But one of the pursuers aimed a blow at him and cut off his head, and Cronan’s hand with it. Cronan went to the bank and landed, and said to his attendants: “Wait here,” said he, “so that I may sleep.” They waited for him a long time to see whether he would rise. Thus Cronan died there through the word of Mochuda, as he had prophesied to him; and he prophesied that one of his (Mochuda’s) race (i. e. a Munsterman) should take the abbacy in Cluain, and that there should be decay in Church and State in his time. And all these things have been fulfilled, are being fulfilled, and will be fulfilled.

³¹ Turned the world upside down
Did the twelve sons of Blathmac;
Every son has eleven sons,
It is hard to count them because of their prosperous strength.
Turned it upside down again
Did the ten sons of every grandson of Blathmac;
I entreat the king who gave them strength,
That there may be no king.
Blathmac of the thousand roads dwells
Far from where the multitude of youths is;
Hereafter Blathmac shall be in decline,
He will be left all alone.
Though he be called Blathmac,
There is one who will be stronger in steadfastness;
He will hurl him from the power in which he is
In the space of one night and one day. And so forth.

³² Mochuda with his community, seven and seven score and seven hundred (847), and every third man among them conversed with angels. One day Mochuda, with this community around him, went in a great procession around the Angels’ Cemetery in Rahen, praying, &c.

³³ Mochuda sang (this).

³⁴ The holy, heavenly Church,
She is noble, a fair treasure;
Lean upon her mighty strength;
She is wheat, a fragrant branch.

³⁵ If you accept the Church,
Let her nurture the young;
Let your word be strong
In feeding her guests.

³⁶ These are the guests
Who have a rightful claim upon the Church:
Those who labour and learn;
The poor, God’s helpless ones;
Blessed is whoever gives
Help in caring for them,
In meeting their needs.

³⁷ If you accept the Church,
I warn you: its reproach will be yours;
Say that you will not accept it,
Or else do its work.

³⁸ For the labour of its temple,
Celebration and devotion;
Its good and beautiful altar,
Let it stand consecrated,
Fair to behold,
Once its stone enclosure is made.

³⁹ If you accept the Church,
I proclaim it—it is no secret saying—
For well I remember:
Let champions arise;
Let there be a stone monument in every corner.

⁴⁰ After the stone monuments,
I proclaim this as a firm injunction:
If you perform your labour,
If you increase your toil,
Let your feet be put to work,
Let your plants be multiplied,
Raise up your hands,
Let there be crosses over every monument.

⁴¹ After the crosses have been set,
If your labour prospers,
I do not bid you remain;
Go out for a year,
With licence to pursue them,
Seeking your monastic tenants.

⁴² Every monastic tenant who gives
His offering to the church,
To carry out its work,
To increase its foundation;
May his own protection be with him
While tilling his land,
Until he comes to old age,
His kingdom upon the plain of Heaven.

⁴³ Every monastic tenant who does not give
His offering to the church,
To carry out its work,
To increase its labour;
From his field may there be no produce,
May everything he ploughs turn out badly,
Whatever it bears, may that be certain,
And may shame cling to him because of it.

⁴⁴ Let there be no shame upon you;
Fast against the monastic tenants
Who refuse the church-community—
That is what is proper for you;
If what they bring seems too little to you,
Rise up and plough,
Make winter fields,
Cleave to the Church,
The holy heavenly Church. And so forth.

⁴⁵ Mochuda of Rahen with his community: this was their number, seven, and seven score, and seven hundred, and every third man among them conversed with angels. One day they were in a circle around the cemetery in Rahen, praying. While Mochuda was there, he saw the demon in their midst. Mochuda asked him: “Wretch, by what way did you manage to get here?” The devil answered him and said: “By the tonsure (lit. baldness) of the Connaught man,” said he; “this was a student of Cenel Aeda na h-Echtge.” “Well, O cleric,” said Mochuda, “where was your mind when the devil came by way of you and got into our midst?” The young churchman prostrated himself before Mochuda and told him the reason, which was this: “My brothers in the flesh were giving battle, and this was revealed to me; and until they were victorious, my attention was with them and not here. But I promise you and the Lord that the devil shall not find a way out by way of me, though he found that way in.” This was true.

⁴⁶ “Well, cleric,” said the devil to Mochuda, “let me go; for I dare not rise upwards into the air because of the breaths of the saints and their prayers; for I never experienced heavier or more acute pain in hell than the breaths and prayers of the saints.” Mochuda then allowed the devil to depart because of the pitifulness of the plea which he recited in the presence of the saints. The devil thereupon departed from their presence and did not come to them again. And so forth.

This is another story about Mochuda #

¹ Mochuda of Rahen was carving one evening for his community and for his guests there. Now whenever his hands happened to touch any of the food, he would rub his hands on the shoes which he wore every day. One night, then, Mochuda said: “Great is this authority in which I am,” said he, “seven and seven score and seven hundred in this community in which I am, and every third man among them converses with angels, and I am abbot and head over all of them, and yet I am the worst of them all. And this is no road to heaven for me, and I will not remain like this any longer, but will seek a ship that is leaving Ireland, and will not spend two nights in one place, but I will do penance throughout the length of the great world.”

² In this way he spent the night; and the next day he escaped to the place where Comgall was, Tech Teille (Tehelly). When Mochuda and Comgall saw one another, they blessed one another. “Sit down,” said Comgall to him. “I would rather not,” said Mochuda, “for I am in a hurry; there is a ship about to sail,” said he, “and I must go in her.” “Not so,” said Comgall, “for God will cause the ship to remain here tonight.” So Mochuda sat down, and his shoes were taken off him, and as they were being taken off, Comgall said: “Come out, O devil,” said he, “from the shoe; you shall no longer carry off the spoil which you found.” On hearing this, the devil leapt out of the shoe, and as he departed he said: “It was fortunate for you that you encountered Comgall, O Mochuda, for I would not have allowed you to spend two nights in the same place, because of the unfair advantage which you gave to your own shoes over the shoes of the community, for you would rub your hands on them when you were carving their (i. e. the monks’) meal, and I found no other way of getting at you except this.” The devil thereupon departed, and Comgall told the saint that he should return home and attend to his hours. And he said:

³ It is good for a cleric to remain in one place
And attend the (canonical) hours.
It is mocking devils that put
The spirit of restlessness into a man.

⁴ So Mochuda continued to remain without wandering, through the power of God and of Comgall. The End.