The Irish Life of Saint Ciaran - Page 2

who used to frame carriages and all other handiworks beside, according to his earthly genealogy.

The date which the Faithful honour as the feast-day of this noble one is the fifth of the ides of September according to the day of the solar month, and this day to-day according to the day of the week.

Accordingly I shall relate a short memoir of the signs and wonders of that devout one, for a delight of soul to the Faithful; and of his earthly generation, and of his mode of life,[4] and of the perfection which he gave to his victorious course in the earth. A man held greatly in honour of the Lord was this man. A man for whom God reserved his monastery, fifty years before his birth; a man whom Christ accounteth in the order of apostles in this world, as Colum Cille said--

Quem Tu Christe apostolum mundo misisti hominem.

A lamp was he, shining with the light of wisdom and doctrine, as Colum Cille said--

Lucerna huius insulae lucens luce mirabili.

A man who established a cathedral from which was drawn the effectiveness of rule, and wisdom, and doctrine, for all the churches of Ireland, as the same man of learning said--

Custodiantur regmina adcessione edita Diuulgata per omnia sanctorum monasteria[5]--

that is, "Let the rules and doctrines and customs which have been received from the master, from Ciaran, be kept by the elders of these monasteries; thus, these are the rules and customs that have been distributed and received of all the monasteries of saints of Ireland." For it is from her [Clonmacnois] that are carried rules and precepts throughout Ireland.

He is a man whom the Lord accounteth of the order of chief prophets in this world, as the same prophet said--

Propheta qui nouissimus fuerit praesagminibus,[6]

for it was by reason of his nobility and his reverence before the Lord that he was foretold of prophets long before his birth, as Isaac was foretold, and John the Baptist, and Jesus, which is something yet nobler.[7] First Patrick son of Calpurn prophesied of him in Cruachan Aigli, after the tree had closed around his relics in the place where that settlement is now. Brigit prophesied of him when she saw the fire and the angel, fifty years before Ciaran, in the place where the Crosses of Brigit are to-day. Becc mac De prophesied, saying there--

Son of the wright with choruses, with choirs, In comely cloak, with chariots, with chants.

Colum Cille prophesied in Ard Abla to Aed son of Brandub (or of Brenainn).

II.

THE ORIGIN AND BIRTH OF CIARAN: THE WIZARD'S PROPHECIES

2. Now this is the genealogy of Ciaran--

Ciaran, son of Lairne, son of Bresal, son of Beoit " Cuiltre " Dega " Olchan " Gluinech " Reo-soirche, son of Dichu " Coirpre " Reo-doirche " Corc " Lug " Tigernmas " Cuindiu " Meidle