Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Life of St. Declan of Ardmore (Author: Patrick Power)
chapter 42
On another occasion there approached a foreign
fleet towards
Declan's city and this was their design—to destroy and to plunder it
p.65
of persons and of cattle, because they (the foreigners) were people
hostile to the faith. Many members of the community ran with great
haste to tell Declan of the fleet which threatened the town and to
request him to beg the assistance of God against the invaders.
Declan knew the man amongst his own disciples who was holiest and
most abounding in grace, scil., Ultan, already mentioned, and him he
ordered to pray to God against the fleet. Ultan had pity on the
Christian people and he went instantly, at the command of Declan, in
front of the fleet and he held his left hand against it, and, on the
spot, the sea swallowed them like sacks full of lead, and the drowned
sailors were changed into large rocks which stand not far from the
mouth of the haven where they are visible (standing) high out of the
sea from that time till now. All Christians who witnessed this
rejoiced and were glad and they gave great praise and glory to God
and to Declan their own patron who caused the working of this miracle
and of many other miracles besides. Next there arose a contention
between Ultan and Declan concerning this miracle, for Ultan
attributed it to Declan and Declan credited it to Ultan; and it has
become a proverb since in Ireland when people hear of danger or
jeopardy:—‘The left hand of Ultan against you (the danger).’
Ultan
became, after the death of Declan, a miracle-working abbot of many
other holy monks.