Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Life of St Féchín of Fore (Author: [unknown])
section 28
After Féchín's death, Moling32 asked the Satan: ‘Do ye disturb the souls of the saints at the time of their death?’ The Satan said: ‘We come to disturb them, and we can do nothing to them.’ Said Moling: ‘Did ye go to disturb my
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friend Féchín at the time of his death?’ The Satan answered: ‘Not only were we unable to do aught to him, but until the end of seven days after his death we durst not visit Ireland because of the splendour of the Holy Ghost which surrounded it.’33 Hereby is declared the sanctity of the man of whom his Enemy gave that description. For he as to whom his enemy bears favourable witness is all the more deserving of praise. Wherefore a poet sang the lay concerning him:
Knowledge of his age, etc.
34
And in the possession of Cathal Ua Conchobhair is this Life of Féchín now, the year of the age of the Lord 1731. And great is the change in the world since the time when this Life was written, and I do not know whether it is for the better.