Declan was a second Patrick of the Decies. After that, when the king
had bidden them farewell and they had all taken leave of one another,
the saints returned to their respective territories to sow therein
the seed of faith.

27. Declan and Ferghal Mac Cormac, king of the Deisi, with his army
and followers, met one another at Indeoin and they made still more
strong on the people the bond of Christian obligation. The king we
have already mentioned, scil.:--Ledban, the recusant to the Christian
name, was rejected of all and he came to nothing, leaving no
knowledge (memory) of his history, as is written of the enemies of
the faith:--"Their memory perisheth like a sound" [Psalm 9:7].
Moreover Declan and Fergal and the chief men of the Deisi decreed
this as the place where the king of the Deisi should be inaugurated
for ever thenceforward, because it was there Patrick and Declan
blessed the king, Fergal; moreover tradition states that it was there
the kings were crowned and ruled over the Deisi in pagan times.

28. At that time there broke out a dreadful plague in Munster and it
was more deadly in Cashel than elsewhere. Thus it affected those
whom it attacked: it first changed their colour to yellow and then
killed them. Now Aongus had, in a stone fort called "Rath na
nIrlann," on the western side of Cashel, seven noble hostages. It
happened that in one and the same night they all died of the plague.
The king was much affected thereat and he gave orders to have the
fact concealed lest it should bring disgrace or even war upon him,
for the hostages were scions of the strongest and most powerful
families in Munster. On the morrow however Declan came to Cashel and
talked with Aonghus. The king welcomed him heartily and addressing
him said to him in presence of persons of his court, "I pray you,