to
fury and he followed Ceallach to Tara taking with him his foster child,
scil.:--Corc Duibhne, the son of Cairbre, son of Conaire, son of Mogha
Lamha whom Cormac held as a hostage from the Munstermen, and whom he
had given for safe custody to Oengus. When Oengus reached Tara he beheld
Ceallach sitting behind Cormac. He thrust his spear at Ceallach and
pierced him through from front to back. However as he was withdrawing
the spear the handle struck Cormac's eye and knocked it out and then,
striking the steward, killed him. He himself (Oengus) with his foster
child escaped safely. After a time Cormac, grieving for the loss of his
son, his eye and his steward at the hands of Oengus of the poisonous
javelin and of his kinsmen, ordered their expulsion from their tribal
territory, i.e. from the Decies of Tara, and not alone from these, but
from whole northern half of Ireland. However, seven battles were fought
in which tremendous loss was inflicted on Cormac and his followers
before Oengus and his people, i.e. the three sons of Fiacha Suighde,
namely, Ross and Oengus and Eoghan, as we have already said, were
eventually defeated, and obliged to fly the country and to suffer exile.
Consequent on their banishment as above by the king of Ireland they
sought hospitality from the king of Munster, Oilill Olum, because
Sadhbh, daughter of Conn Ceadcathach was his wife. They got land from
him, scil.: the Decies of Munster, and it is to that race, i.e. the race
of Eoghan Mac Fiacha Suighde that the kings and country of the Decies
belong ever since.

2. Of this same race of Eoghan was the holy bishop Declan of whom
I shall speak later scil.: Declan son of Eirc, son of Trein, son of
Lughaidh, son of Miaich, son of Brian, son of Eoghan, son of Art
Corp, son of Moscorb, son of Mesgeadra, son of Measfore, son of Cuana
Cainbhreathaigh, son of Conaire Cathbuadhaigh, son of Cairbre, son
of Eoghan, son of Fiacha Suighde, son of Felimidh Reachtmhar, son of
Tuathal Teachtmhar. The father of Declan was therefore Erc Mac Trein. He
and his wife Deithin went on a visit to the house of his kinsman Dobhran
about the time that Declan's birth was due. The child she bore was
Declan, whom she brought forth without sickness, pain or difficulty but
in being lifted up afterwards he struck his head against a great stone.
Let it be mentioned that Declan showed proofs of sanctification
and power of miracle-working in his mother's womb, as the prophet
writes:-