Life of St. Declan of Ardmore and Life of St. Mochuda of Lismore
Religion
Life of St. Declan of Ardmore and Life of St. Mochuda of Lismore
Carthach, Saint, Bishop of Lismore, active 570-637 -- Legends; Declan, Saint, Bishop of Ardmore, active 6th century -- Legends
35. On yet another occasion Declan was in his own region--travelling
over Slieve Gua in the Decies, when his horse from some cause got lame so
that he could proceed no further. Declan however, seeing a herd of deer
roaming the mountain close to him, said to one of his people: "Go, and
bring me for my chariot one of these deer to replace my horse and take
with you this halter for him." Without any misgiving the disciple went
on till he reached the deer which waited quietly for him. He chose the
animal which was largest and therefore strongest, and, bringing him back,
yoked him to the chariot. The deer thereupon obediently and without
effort carried Bishop Declan till he came to Magh Femhin, where, when he
reached a house of entertainment, the saint unloosed the stag and bade
him to go free as was his nature. Accordingly, at the command of the
saintly man and in the presence of all, the stag returned on the same
road back (to the mountain). Dormanach is the name of the man aforesaid
who brought the stag to Declan and him Declan blessed and gave him a
piece of land on the north of Decies close by the Eoghanacht and his
posterity live till now in that place.
36. On another occasion, Declan, accompanied, as usual, by a large
following, was travelling, when one member of the party fell on the road
and broke his shin bone in twain. Declan saw the accident and, pitying
the injured man, he directed an individual of the company to bandage the
broken limb so that the sufferer might not die through excess of pain and
loss of blood. All replied that they could not endure to dress the wound
owing to their horror thereof. But there was one of the company, Daluadh
by name, who faced the wound boldly and confidently and said: "In the
name of Christ and of Declan our patron I shall be surgeon to this foot";
and he said that jestingly. Nevertheless he bandaged the foot carefully
and blessed it aright in the name of God and Declan, and in a little
while the wound healed and they all gave praise to God. Then Declan said
to Daluadh: "You promised to be surgeon to that foot in Christ's name
and in mine and God has vouchsafed to heal it at these words: on this
account you will be a true physician for ever and your children and your
seed after you for ever shall also possess the healing art, and
whomsoever they shall practise healing upon in God's name and mine,
provided there be no hatred [in their hearts] nor too great covetousness
of a physician's fee to him, God and myself shall send relief." This
promise of Declan has been fulfilled in the case of that family.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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