Then it was that he cursed the Dubh River for the refusal which the
fishermen gave him. He blessed Drobhais, however, on account of the
kindness which the little boys who were fishing there did to him.

Thrice Patrick went across the Shannon into the land of Connacht. Fifty
bells, and fifty altar chalices, and fifty altar cloths he left in the
land of Connacht, each of them in his church. Seven years was he
preaching to the men of Connacht; and he left them a blessing, and bade
them farewell.

Patrick went to Es-Ruaidh. He desired to establish himself there, where
Disert-Patrick is, and Lec-Patrick. Cairbre opposed him, and sent two of
his people, whose names were Carbacc and Cuangus, to seize his hands.
"Not good is what you do," said Patrick; "if I were permitted to found a
place here, the second to Rome of Letha, with its Tiber running through
it, would be my establishment with its Es-Ruaidh through it; and your
descendants would be comarbs in it." Cairbre declined then, as Patrick
had foretold. Thereupon Cairbre incited a dog to attack Patrick.
Cuangus struck the dog with a rod. Patrick said that Cairbre's race
should not exceed a small band, and that the palm of laics or clerics
would not be from him, _quod impletur_. But as to Cuangus, since he
agreed to seize Patrick's hands for Cairbre, Patrick said that his race
should not be more numerous than a company, and that illustrious men
would be of them, _quod impletum est_. Cairbre promised to Cuangus, for
seizing Patrick's hands, as much as he could see to the north of
Sliabh-Cise. When he turned to take a view about him, a dark cloud
closed around Cuangus, so that he only saw to the sea westwards, and to
the _ash_ eastwards. "This river, which God gave you, Cairbre," said
Patrick, "your share of it shall not be fruitful as regards fish"
(_i.e._, the northern half of the river in length was Cairbre's
share--_i.e._, the half next to Cenel-Conaill--for Crich-Conaill belonged
to Cairbre at that time as far as Rath-Cunga); "but Conall's share (the
southern half) will be fruitful"; _sic impletum est_, until Murghins, son
of Maelduin, son of Scannal, an illustrious king of Cairbre's race,
presented the unfruitful part to Colum-Cille; and it is now fruitful with
Colum-Cille.

He (Patrick) went afterwards between Es-Ruaidh and the sea into
Crich-Conaill, where Rath-Chunga is at this day. He fixed a stake there,
and said that it would be an abode and establi