at the well known contraction for "ea" or "e" has been uniformly
transliterated "e." Otherwise orthography of the MS. has been
scrupulously followed--even where inconsistent or incorrect. For the
division into paragraphs the editor is not responsible; he has merely
followed the division originated, or adopted, by the scribe. The Life
herewith presented was copied in 1629 by Brother Michael O'Clery of the
Four Masters' staff from an older MS. of Eochy O'Heffernan's dated 1582.
The MS. of O'Heffernan is referred to by our scribe as "seinleabar,"
but his reference is rather to the contents than to the copy. Apparently
O'Clery did more than transcribe; he re-edited, as was his wont, into
the literary Irish of his day. A page of the Brussels MS., reproduced in
facsimile as a frontispiece to the present volume, will give the student
a good idea of O'Clery's script and style.

Occasional notes on Declan in the martyrologies and elsewhere give some
further information about our saint. Unfortunately however the alleged
facts are not always capable of reconciliation with statements of our
"Life," and again the existence of a second, otherwise unknown, Declan
is suggested. The introduction of rye is attributed to him in the
Calendar of Oengus, as introduction of wheat is credited to St. Finan
Camm, and introduction of bees to St. Modomnoc,--"It was the full of his
shoe that Declan brought, the full of his shoe likewise Finan, but the
full of his bell Modomnoc" (Cal. Oeng., April 7th). More puzzling is the
note in the same Calendar which makes Declan a foster son of Mogue
of Ferns! This entry illustrates the way in which errors originate. A
former scribe inadvertently copied in, after Declan's name, portion of
the entry immediately following which relates to Colman Hua Liathain.
Successive scribes re-copied the error without discovering it and so it
became stereotyped.

LIFE OF ST. DECLAN

or "BETHA DECCLAIN"

1. The most blessed Bishop Declan of the most noble race of the kings
of Ireland, i.e., the holy bishop who is called Declan was of the most
noble royal family of Ireland--a family which held the sceptre and
exacted tribute from all Ireland at Tara for ages. Declan was by birth
of noble blood as will appear from his origin and genealogy, for it was
from Eochaidh Feidhleach, the powerful Ardrigh of Ireland for
twelve years, that he sprang. Eochaidh aforesaid, had three sons,
scil.:--Breas, Nar, and Lothola, who are