also is Rahen. In Drum Cuilinn dwelt the holy abbot,
Barrfhinn, renowned for miracles. On the morrow Mochuda arrived at
Saighir Chiarain [Seirkieran] and the following night at the
establishment where Cronan is now, scil.:--Roscrea. That night Mochuda
remained without entertainment although it was offered to them by Cronan
who had prepared supper for him. Mochuda refused however to go to it
saying that he would not go out of his way to visit a man who avoids
guests and builds his cell in a wild bog far from men and that such a
man's proper guests are creatures of the wilderness instead of human
beings. When Cronan heard this saying of Mochuda he came to the latter,
by whose advice he abandoned his hermitage in the bog and he, with
Mochuda, marked out the site of a new monastery and church at Roscrea.
There he founded a great establishment and there he is himself buried.
Mochuda took leave of Cronan and, travelling through Eile [Ely
O'Carroll], came to the royal city named Cashel. On the following day
the king, scil.:--Failbhe [Failbhe Flann], came to Mochuda offering him
a place whereon to found a church. Mochuda replied:--"It is not
permitted us by God to stay our journey anywhere till we come to the
place promised to us by the holy men."
About the same time there came messengers from the king of Leinster to
the king of Munster praying the latter, by virtue of league and
alliance, to come to his assistance as Leath-Chuinn and the north were
advancing in great force to ravage Leinster. This is how Failbhe was
situated at the time: he had lost one of his eyes and he was ashamed to
go half-blind into a strange territory. As soon as Mochuda realised the
extent of the king's diffidence he blessed the eye making on it the sign
of the cross and it was immediately healed in the presence of all. The
king and Mochuda took leave of one another and went each his own way.
The king and his hosting went to the aid of Leinster in the latter's
necessity.
Mochuda journeyed on through Muscraige Oirthir the chief of which
territory received him with great honour. Aodhan was the chief's name
and he bestowed his homestead called Isiol [Athassel] on Mochuda, who
blessed him and his seed. Next he came into the Decies. He travelled
through Magh Femin where he broke his journey at Ard Breanuinn
[Ardfinnan] on the bank of the Suir. There came to him here Maolochtair,
king of the Decies, and the other nobles [or one noble, Suibhne]
|