Chapter 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 " Follach "
Cuinnid " Dub " Eithrial "
Fiac " Lugna " Irel the prophet, son of
Mael-Catrach, son of Feidlimid " Eremon "
Laire " Echu " Mil of Spain.

Beoit son of Olchan of the Latharna of Mag Molt of the Ulaid was earthly father of Ciaran. Darerca daughter of Ercan son of Buachall was his mother, as Ciaran said--

Mother mine, a woman good,
she Darerca hight;
Father, of Molt's Latharna
he was Beoit the wright.

Of the Ciarraige of Irluachra was his mother, that is, more especially, of the Glasraige. Glas the Poet was her grandfather. Now this was the cause of the coming together of those twain. When Beoit went to visit his brethren who were in the territory of Cenel Fiachrach, and when he saw the maiden Darerca before him, he asked for her of her [friends and her][8] parents, so that she was given him to wife. Thereafter she bore five sons to him, and this is the order in which they were born: Lucoll her firstborn, Donnan the second, Ciaran the third, Odran the fourth, Cronan the fifth--he was a deacon, but the other four sons were archpresbyters. Furthermore she bore three daughters to him; two of them were virgins, to wit Lugbec and Rathbeo; Pata was the third daughter, and she was a pious widow. These are the graveyards wherein are the relics of those saints; Lucholl and Odran in Isel Chiarain, Donnan and Ciaran in Cluain maccu Nois, Cronan the deacon and Beoit and the three daughters in _Tech meic in tSaeir_.

Now there was an impious king in the land of Ui Neill at that time, Ainmire son of Colgan his name. He impressed the tribelands and the septs under a grievous tax. So Beoit went, a-fleeing from that king, into the land of the Connachta, to Cremthann son of Lugaid son of Dallan King of Ireland, to Raith Cremthainn in Mag Ai. The day on which Ciaran was conceived was the sixth of the calends of June, and he was born on the sixth of the calends of March.

The birth of Ciaran was prophesied by Lugbrann the wizard of the aforesaid king. The wizard _dixit_--

Oengus' steed he made alive,
while he yet in cradle rested;
God this marvel did contrive,
by Ciaran, in swathing vested.

One day when the wizard heard the sound of the carriage [he spake thus: "See, lads," said he, "who is in the carriage][9]--for here is the sound of a carriage that bears a king." When the lads went out they saw no one save Beoit and Darerca in the carriage. When the lads mocked the wizard, thus spake he: "The child who is in the womb of the woman," said he, "shall be a great king: as the sun shineth among the stars of heaven, so shall he shine, in signs and wonders that cannot be related, upon the earth."

Thereafter was Saint Ciaran born, in Mag Ai at Raith Cremthainn. He was baptized by deacon Iustus, for it was fitting that the true one should be baptized by a True One.

III. HOW CIARAN RAISED THE STEED OF OENGUS FROM DEATH

3. A certain day the horse of Oengus son of Cremthann died, and he had great sadness because of the death of his horse. Now when Oengus slumbered, an angel of God appeared to him in a dream, and thus he spake with him: "Ciaran son of the wright shall come, and shall raise thy horse for thee." And this was fulfilled, for Ciaran came at the word of the angel, and blessed water, and it was put over the horse, and the horse arose from death forthwith. Then Oengus gifted a great land to God and to Ciaran in return for the raising of the horse; Tir-na Gabrai is the name of the land.

IV. HOW CIARAN TURNED WATER INTO HONEY

4. A certain day his mother upbraided him. "The little village lads," said she, "bring with them honey out from the combs to their folks, but thou bringest it never to us." When Ciaran heard that, he went to a certain spring, and he fills his vessel from it, and blesses it: so that it became choice honey, and he gives that honey to his mother; so she was thankful. That is the honey which was given to deacon Uis (= Iustus) as a fee for baptizing him.

V. HOW CIARAN WAS DELIVERED FROM A HOUND

5. A certain day evil men incited a savage hound against Ciaran, to tear him. When Ciaran saw the hound, he sang this verse: _Ne tradas bestiis animam confitentem tibi._ And when he said this the hound fell forthwith and did not rise again.

VI. HOW CIARAN AND HIS INSTRUCTOR CONVERSED THOUGH DISTANT FROM ONE ANOTHER

6. This was the labour that his parents used to lay upon him, namely, herding, after the likeness of David son of Jesse, and of Jacob, and of the elders thenceforth, for God knew that he would be a wise shepherd of great flocks, that is, the flocks of the Faithful. Thereafter a marvellous thing took place at Raith Cremthainn in Mag Ai: he was keeping the flocks of [his parents at Raith Cremthainn, and there was dwelling][10] his tutor, deacon Uis, at Fidharta, and there was a long space between them: yet he used to hear what his tutor was saying as though they were side by side.