THE FIRST LATIN LIFE OF SAINT CIARAN

_Here beginneth the Life of Saint Kiaranus,[1] Abbot and Confessor._


II. THE ORIGIN AND BIRTH OF CIARAN: THE WIZARD'S PROPHECIES

1. The holy abbot Kyaranus sprang from the people of the Latronenses,
which are in the region of Midhe, that is, in the middle of Ireland.
His father, who was a cart-wright, was called Beonnadus; now the same
was a rich man; and he took him a wife by name Derercha, of whom he
begat five sons and three daughters. Of these there were four priests
and one deacon, who were born in this order, with these names--the
first Lucennus, the second Donanus, the third that holy abbot
Kyaranus, the fourth Odranus, the fifth Cronanus, who was the deacon.
Also the three daughters were named Lugbeg, and Raichbe, and Pata.
Lugbeg and Raichbe were two holy virgins; Pata, however, was at first
married, but afterwards she was a holy widow. Now inasmuch as the
wright Beonedus himself was grievously burdened by the imposts of
Ainmireach King of Temoria, he, eluding the pressure of the impost,
departed from his own region, that is from the coasts of Midhe, into
the territories of the Conactha. There he dwelt in the plain of Aei,
with the king Crimthanus; and there he begat Saint Kyaranus, whose
Life this is.

Now his birth was prophesied by a wizard of the aforesaid king, who
said, before all the folk, "The son who is in the womb of the wife of
Beoedus the wright shall be had in honour before God and before men;
as the sun shineth in heaven so shall he himself by his holiness shine