Through the grace of God, these, i.e. Erc and Deithin, believed in God
and Colman, and they delivered the child for baptism to Colman who
baptised him thereupon, giving him the name of Declan. When, in the
presence of all, he had administered Baptism, Colman spoke this prophecy
concerning the infant "Truly, beloved child and lord you will be in
heaven and on earth most high and holy, and your good deeds, fame, and
sanctity will fill all (the four quarters of) Ireland and you will
convert your own nation and the Decies from paganism to Christianity. On
that account I bind myself to you by the tie of brotherhood and I commend
myself to your sanctity."

4. Colman thereupon returned to his own abode; he commanded that Declan
should be brought up with due care, that he should be well trained, and
be set to study at the age of seven years if there could be found in his
neighbourhood a competent Christian scholar to undertake his tuition.
Even at the period of his baptism grace and surpassing charity manifested
themselves in the countenance of Declan so that it was understood of all
that great should be the goodness and the spiritual charm of his mature
age. When Dobhran had heard and seen these things concerning his kinsman
Erc he requested the latter and Deithin to give him the child to foster,
and with this request Erc complied. The name of the locality was
"Dobhran's Place" at that time, but since then it has been "Declan's
Place." Dobhran presented the homestead to Declan and removed his own
dwelling thence to another place. In after years, when Declan had become
a bishop, he erected there a celebrated cell in honour of God, and this
is the situation of the cell in question:--In the southern part of the
Decies, on the east side of Magh Sgiath and not far from the city of
Mochuda i.e. Lismore. For the space of seven years Declan was fostered
with great care by Dobhran (his father's brother) and was much loved by
him. God wrought many striking miracles through Declan's instrumentality