Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Life of St. Declan of Ardmore (Author: Patrick Power)
chapter 19
Now the bell which we have alluded to as sent
from heaven to
Declan, was, at that time, in the custody of Runan to carry as we
have said, for Declan did not wish, on any
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account, to part with it. On this particular day as they were proceeding towards the ship Runan
entrusted it to another member of the company. On reaching the shore
however the latter laid the bell on a rock by the shore and forgot it
till they were half way across the sea. Then they remembered it and
on remembrance they were much distressed. Declan was very sorrowful
that the gift sent him by the Lord from heaven should have been
forgotten in a place where he never expected to find it again.
Thereupon raising his eyes heavenward he prayed to God within his
heart and he said to his followers:—‘Lay aside your sorrow for it is
possible with God who sent that bell in the beginning to send it now
again by some marvellous ship.’ Very fully and wonderfully and
beautifully the creature without reason or understanding obeyed its
creator, for the very heavy unwieldy rock floated buoyantly and
without deviation, so that in a short time they beheld it in their
rear with the bell upon it. And when his people saw this wondrous
thing it filled them with love for God and reverence for their
master. Declan thereupon addressed them prophetically:—‘Permit the
bell to precede you and follow it exactly and whatsoever haven it
will enter into it is there my city and my bishopric will be whence I
shall go to paradise and there my resurrection will be.’ Meantime
the bell preceded the ship, and it eased down its great speed
remaining slightly in advance of the ship, so that it could be seen
from and not overtaken by the latter. The bell directed its course
to Ireland until it reached a harbour on the south coast, scil.:—in
the Decies of Munster, at an island called, at that time, High Sheep
Island and the ship made the same port, as Declan
declared. The holy man went ashore and gave thanks and praise to
God that he had reached the place of his resurrection. Now, in
that island
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depastured the sheep belonging to the wife of the chieftain of Decies and it is thence that it derives its Irish
name—Ard-na-Ccaorac, scil.:—there was in it a high hill and it was
a promontory beautiful to behold. One of the party, ascending the
summit of the hill, said to Declan:—‘How can this little height
support your people?’ Declan replied:—‘Do not call it little hill,
beloved son, but 'great height',’ and that name has adhered
to the city ever since, scil.:—Ardmore-Declain. After this Declan
went to the king of the Desii and asked of him the aforesaid island.
Whereupon the king gave it to him.