Page:The most ancient lives of Saint Patrick - O'Leary.djvu/76

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Colum-Cilleand of Ard-Sratha have encroached. Patrick went from Elphin to Dumacha (the mounds) of Ui-Ailella, and built a church there, i.e., Senchell-Dumaighe, and he left Machet in it, and Cetchen, and Rodan, a noble priest, and Mathona, Benen's sister, who received the veil from Patrick and from Rodan, and who was a servitor to them.

When Patrick was at Dumha-graidh, ordaining the great multitude, he smiled. "What is that?" asked Benen. "Bron, and the monk Olcan," said Patrick, "who came towards me along Traig-Eothaili, and my foster-son, Mac-Erca, with them; a wave of the sea made a great dash, and tried to carry off the youth." This was a prophecy. He (Patrick) went through the territory of Ui-Oilella, and founded the church eastwards in Tamhnagh, and it was built by God and men: et ipsa fecit amicitiam ad reliquias Assici Rodani; et successores eorum epulabantur invicem. Post hoc autem possuerunt episcopum Cairellum juxta sanctam Ecclesiam in Tamhnagh, quem ordinaverunt Episcopum Patricii, viz., Bronus et Biteus. Patrick went afterwards to the fountain, i.e., Clibech, on the slopes of Cruachan, at sunrise. The clerics sat down at the fountain. Laeghaire Mac Neill's two daughters, viz., Eithne the Fair, and Feidelm the Red, went early to the fountain to wash their hands, as they were wont to do, when they found the synod of clerics at the well, with white garments, and their books, before them. They wondered at the appearance of the clerics, and imagined they were fir-sidhe, or phantoms. They questioned Patrick. "Whence are you, and whither have you come? Is it from the sidhe? Are you gods?" Patrick said to them, "It would be better for you to believe in God than to ask regarding our race." The elder daughter said, "Who is your God, and in what place is he, in heaven