followed the division originated, or adopted, by the scribe. The Life
herewith presented was copied in 1629 by Brother Michael O'Clery of the
Four Masters' staff from an older MS. of Eochy O'Heffernan's dated 1582.
The MS. of O'Heffernan is referred to by our scribe as "seinleabar," but
his reference is rather to the contents than to the copy. Apparently
O'Clery did more than transcribe; he re-edited, as was his wont, into the
literary Irish of his day. A page of the Brussels MS., reproduced in
facsimile as a frontispiece to the present volume, will give the student
a good idea of O'Clery's script and style.

Occasional notes on Declan in the martyrologies and elsewhere give some
further information about our saint. Unfortunately however the alleged
facts are not always capable of reconciliation with statements of our
"Life," and again the existence of a second, otherwise unknown, Declan is
suggested. The introduction of rye is attributed to him in the Calendar
of Oengus, as introduction of wheat is credited to St. Finan Camm, and
introduction of bees to St. Modomnoc,--"It was the full of his shoe that
Declan brought, the full of his shoe likewise Finan, but the full of his
bell Modomnoc" (Cal. Oeng., April 7th). More puzzling is the note in the
same Calendar which makes Declan a foster son of Mogue of Ferns! This
entry illustrates the way in which errors originate. A former scribe
inadvertently copied in, after Declan's name, portion of the entry
immediately following which relates to Colman Hua Liathain. Successive
scribes re-copied the error without discovering it and so it became
stereotyped.



III.--ST. MOCHUDA.