race and
within it lies Tara. Declan instituted therein a monastery of Canons,
on land which he received from the king, and it is from him the place is
named. Moreover he left therein a relic or illuminated book and a famous
gospel which he was accustomed to carry always with him. The gospel is
still preserved with much honour in the place and miracles are wrought
through it. After this again he turned towards Munster.

33. Declan was once travelling through Ossory when he wished to remain
for the night in a certain village. But the villagers not only did not
receive him but actually drove him forth by force of arms. The saint
however prayed to God that it might happen to them what the Sacred
Scripture says, "Vengeance is mine I will repay" [Deuteronomy 32:35].
The dwellers in the village, who numbered sixty, died that same night
with the exception of two men and ten women to whom the conduct of the
others towards the saint had been displeasing. On the morrow these
men and women came humbly to the place where Declan was and they told
him--what he himself foreknew--how miserably the others had died. They
themselves did penance and they bestowed on Declan a suitable site
whereon he built a monastery and he got another piece of land and had
the dead buried where he built the monastery. The name of that monastery
is Cill-Colm-Dearg. This Colm-Dearg was a kind, holy man and a disciple
of Declan. He was of East Leinster, i.e. of the Dal Meiscorb, and it
is from him that the monastery is named. When he (Declan) had completed
that place he came to his own territory again, i.e. to the Decies.

34. On a certain day Declan came to a place called Ait-Breasail and the
dwellers therein would not allow him to enter their village; moreover
they hid all their boats so that he could not go into his own island,
for they hated him very much. In consideration however of the sanctity
of his servant, who prayed in patience, God the All-Powerful turned the
sea into dry land as you have already heard. Declan passed the night in
an empty stable out in the plain and the people of the village did not
give him even a fire. Whereupon, appropriately the anger of God fell on
them, who had not compassion enough to supply the disciple of God with a
fire. There came fire from heaven on them to consume them all [together
with their] homestead and village, so that the place has been ever
since a wilderness accursed, as the prophet writes: "civitates eorum