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 OE