latter, by the way, is in the handwriting of John Murphy "na
Raheenach," and is dated 1740. It has not been thought necessary to
give more than the important variants.

The present text is a reproduction of the Brussels MS. plus
lengthening of contractions. As regards lengthening in question it
is to be noted that the well known contraction for "ea" or "e" has
been uniformly transliterated "e." Otherwise orthography of the MS.
has been scrupulously followed--even where inconsistent or incorrect.
For the division into paragraphs the editor is not responsible; he
has merely 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.