governed the monastic city for twenty years as Ciaran's successor in the
abbacy.

Next, Mochuda entered the territory of the Munster Decies where dwelt
the Clanna Ruadhain who placed themselves and all their churches under
him, and one Colman Mac Cobhthaigh a wealthy magnate of the region
donated extensive lands to Mochuda who placed them under devout persons
--to hold for him. Proceeding thence Mochuda took his way across Sliabh
Gua looking back from the summit of which he saw by the bank of the Nemh
[Blackwater] angels ascending towards heaven and descending thence. And
they took up with them to heaven a silver chair with a golden image
thereon. This was the place in which long afterwards he founded his
famous church and whence he departed himself to glory.

Hence Mochuda travelled to Molua Mac Coinche's monastery of Clonfert
[Kyle], on the confines of Leinster and Munster. He found Molua in the
harvest field in the midst of a 'meitheal' [team] of reapers. Before
setting out on this present journey of his Mochuda had, with one
exception, dismissed all his disciples to their various homes for he,
but with a single companion, did not wish to enter the strange land
ostentatiously. The single follower whom Mochuda had retained wishing
to remain at Clonfert, said to St. Molua: "Holy father, I should wish
to remain here with you." Molua answered:--"I shall permit you,
brother, if your pious master consents." Mochuda, having dismissed so
many, would not make any difficulty about an individual, and so he gave
the monk his freedom. Mochuda thereupon set out alone, which, Molua's
monks observing, they remark:--"It were time for that aged man to remain
in some monastery, for it is unbecoming such a (senior) monk to wander
about alone." They did not know that he, of whom they spoke, was
Mochuda, for it was not the custom of the latter to make himself known