Chapter III: Part 3

As Colman Elo, alluded to already, promised, Mochuda found his burial place marked out (consecrated?) by angels; there he and a multitude of his disciples are buried and it was made known to him by divine wisdom the number of holy persons that to the end of the world would be buried therein. Lismore is a renowned city, for there is one portion of it which no woman may enter and there are within it many chapels and monasteries, and in which there are always multitudes of devout people not from Ireland alone but from the land of the Saxons and from Britain and from other lands as well. This is its situation--on the south bank of the Avonmore in the Decies territory.

On a certain day there came a druid to Mochuda to argue and contend with him. He said:--"If you be a servant of God cause natural fruit to grow on this withered branch." Mochuda knew that it was to throw contempt on the power of God that the druid had come. He blessed the branch and it produced first living skin, then, as the druid had asked--leaves, blossom and fruit in succession. The druid marvelled exceedingly and went his way.

A poor man came to Mochuda on another occasion with an ill timed request for milk, and beer along with it. Mochuda was at the time close by the well which is known as "Mochuda's Well" at the present time; this he blessed changing it first into milk then into beer and finally to wine. Then he told the poor man to take away whatever quantity of each of these liquids he required. The well remained thus till at Mochuda's prayer it returned to its original condition again. An angel came from heaven to Mochuda at the time and told him that the well should remain a source of health and virtues and of marvels, and it still, like every well originally blessed by Mochuda, possesses power of healing from every malady.

Mochuda, now grown old and of failing powers and strength, was wearied and worried by the incessant clamour of building operations--the dressing of stones and timber--carried on by the multitude of monks and artisans. He therefore by consent and counsel of the brethren retired to a remote, lonely place situated in a glen called "Mochuda's Inch" below the great monastery. He took with him there a few monks and built a resplendent monastery; he remained in that place a year and six months more leading a hermitical life. The brethren and seniors of the community visited him (from time to time) and he gave them sound, sweetly-reasoned advice. He received a vow from each to follow his Rule, for he was the support of the aged, the health-giver to the weak, the consoler of the afflicted, the hope-giver to the hopeless, the faith-giver to the doubting, the moderator and uniter of the young.

As soon as Mochuda saw the hardship to the visiting brothers and elders of the descent from Lismore and the ascent thereto again--knowing at the same time that his end was approaching--he ordered himself to be carried up to the monastery so that the monks might be saved the fatigue of the descent to him. Then it pleased God to call to Himself His devoted servant from the troubles of life and to render to him the reward of his good works. He opened the gates of heaven then and sent to him a host of angels, in glory and majesty unspeakable. When Mochuda saw the heavens open above him and the angel band approaching, he ordered that he be set down in the middle of the glen and he related to the seniors the things that he had seen and he asked to receive the Body of Christ and he gave his last instruction to the monks--to observe the Law of God and keep His commands. The place was by the cross called "Crux Migrationis," or the cross from which Mochuda departed to Glory. Having received the Body and Blood of Christ, having taught them divine doctrines, in the midst of holy choirs and of many brethren and monks to whom in turn he gave his blessing and the kiss of peace according to the rule, the glorious and holy bishop departed to heaven accompanied by hosts of angels on the day before the Ides of May [May 14], in his union with the Holy Trinity--Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen.

Finit 7ber [September] 4th, 1741.

NOTE 1

One of our scribe's predecessors omitted a word or two from the text here, with disastrous results to the sense. The Latin Life comes to our aid however and enables us to make good the omission; the latter, by the way, puzzles our scribe who is like a man fighting an invisible enemy-- correcting a text of which he does not know the defect. Insertion of the words "walking backwards" immediately after "church," in the angel's answer, will enable us to see the original writer's meaning. The text should probably read:

The angel answered:--"Whom you shall see going from the church walking backwards to the guest-house" (for it was Mochuda's custom to walk backwards from the door of the church). Comghall announced to his household that there was coming to them a distinguished stranger, well-beloved of God, of whose advent an angel had twice foretold him. Some time later Mochuda arrived at Comghall's establishment, and he went to the monastery first and he did just as the angel foretold of him and Comghall recognised him and bade him welcome.

NOTE 2

The obits of Mochuda's successors, down to Christian O'Conarchy, are chronicled as follows:--

A.D. 650. Cuanan, maternal uncle and immediate successor of Mochuda (Lanigan). A.D. 698. Iarnla, surnamed Hierologus (Four Masters). In his time King Alfrid was a student in Lismore. A.D. 702. Colman, son of Finnbhar (Acta Sanctorum). During his reign the abbey of Lismore reached the zenith of its fame. A.D. 716. Cronan Ua Eoan (F. Masters). A.D. 719. Colman O'Liathain (Annals of Inisfallen). A.D. 741. Finghal (F. Masters). A.D. 746. Mac hUige (Ibid). A.D. 747. Ihrichmech (A. of Inisf.) A.D. 748. Maccoigeth (F. M.) A.D. 752. Sinchu (F. M.) A.D. 755. Condath (Ibid). A.D. 756. Fincon (Annals of Ulster). A.D. 761. Aedhan (F. M.) A.D. 763. Ronan (Ware). A.D. 769. Soairleach Ua Concuarain (F. M.) A.D. 771. Eoghan (Ibid). A.D. 776. Orach (Ibid). A.D. 799. Carabran (Ibid). A.D. 801. Aedhan Ua Raichlich (A. of Inisf.) A.D. 823. Flann (F. M.) A.D. 849. Tibrade Ua Baethlanaigh (F. M.) At this period the town was plundered and burned by the Danes who had sailed up thither on the Blackwater. A.D. 849. Daniel (A. of Inisf.) A.D. 854. Suibne Ua Roichlech (F. M. and A. of Ulster). What is probably his gravestone is one of five Irish-inscribed slabs built into the west gable of the Cathedral. A.D. 861. Daniel Ua Liaithidhe (F. M.) A.D. 878. Martin Ua Roichligh (Ibid). Another of the inscribed stones above referred to asks "A prayer for Martan." A.D. 880. Flann Mac Forbasaich (A. I.) A.D. 899. Maelbrighte Mac Maeldomnaich (Ibid). A.D. 918. Cormac Mac Cuilennan (A. I.) He is to be distinguished from his more famous namesake of Cashel. A.D. 936. Ciaran (F. M.) A.D. 951. Diarmuid (Ibid). A.D. 957. Maenach Mac Cormaic (Ibid). A.D. 958. Cathmog (Ibid). He was also bishop of Cork. A.D. 963. Cinaedh (F. M.) A.D. 1025. Omaelsluaig (Cotton's "Fasti"). A.D. 1034. Moriertach O'Selbach, bishop of Lismore (Cotton). A.D. 1064. Mac Airthir, bishop (Cotton). A.D. 1090. Maelduin O'Rebhacain (Ibid). A.D. 1112. Gilla Mochuda O'Rebhacain (A. of I.) A.D. 1113. Nial Macgettigan. His episcopal staff, possibly enclosing the venerable oaken staff of the founder of the abbey, is still preserved at Lismore Castle. [Also known as the 'Lismore Crozier,' in 2004 it is housed in 'The Treasury' exhibit at the National Museum of Ireland, Kildare St., Dublin 2.] A.D. 1134. Malchus. Most probably he is identical with the first bishop of Waterford. During his term both St. Malachy and King Cormac MacCarthy dwelt as fugitives, guests or pilgrims, at Lismore. A.D. 1142. Ua Rebhacain. A.D. 1186. St. Christian. He had however resigned the bishopric.

+-------------------------------------------+ | | | __ __---_ | | ,-~~~ ~\/ ~\ | | ,_/ | | | /,_ / | | _ _/ ~\ | | /~~ ~\/~-_| / | | \ /~ | | \ _ _\/ | | ,' | | | /~ Tara \ | | \ * | | | '~|__- Rahen / | | .- ,/~ * \ | | | / | | / | | | /_,_/~ | | | / Cashel / | | ,--~ * | | | /--- Lismore __|_-_/ | | ,-~ *-,-~ | | \_-~/ \ /~ | | ,-~/= _/~ | | --~/_-_-/~'~ | | | +-------------------------------------------+ | MAP OF IRELAND | +-------------------------------------------+

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE

The source for this text includes the Irish text & English translation on facing pages and notes. The notes are quite lengthy and should take longer to transcribe than the English text. Except for a few notes transplanted in brackets to the body of the text I have not transcribed them. Due to inexperience with the Irish language and its script I have decided not to attempt to transcribe the Irish text. Hopefully someone with the appropriate talent and interest will undertake that task some day. I have corrected the errata as indicated in the source and a few obvious printer errors.