Page:The most ancient lives of Saint Patrick - O'Leary.djvu/127

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Now, after that Patrick had founded cells and churches in Munster, and had ordained persons for every grade, and healed all sick persons, and resuscitated the dead, he bade them farewell, and left his blessing with them. He then went to Brosnacha, and the men of Munster followed after him, as if with one accord; and their households (hillocks? telcha) followed them, to go after Patrick. Patrick thereupon blessed the households (hillocks?), and they remained in their places.

Where the men of Munster overtook Patrick, men, youths, and women, was at Brosnacha, when they raised great shouts of joy at seeing him; hence it is called Brosnacha. It was here Patrick resuscitated Fot, son of Derad, a Munsterman, who had been twenty-seven years dead. It was here, too, he blessed the banquet of the youth at Craibhecha, with Bishop Trian, a pilgrim of the Romans, by which the men of Munster were satisfied, and the saints of Eri besides. He again bade farewell to the men of Munster, and gave them his blessing, saying:

  "A blessing on the men of Munaani
  Men, sons, women.
  A blessing on the land
  That gives them food.
  A blessing on all treasures
  Produced upon the plains.
  A blessing upon Munster.
  A blessing on their woods
  And on their sloping plains.
  A blessing on their glens.
  A blessing on their hills.
  As the sands of the seas under ships—
  So numerous be their homesteads,