find St. Patrick's name surviving in any ecclesiastical connection
with the Decies, if we except Patrick's Well, near Clonmel, and this
Well is within a mile or so of the territorial frontier. Moreover
the southern portion of the present Tipperary County had been ceded
by Aengus to the Deisi, only just previous to Patrick's advent, and
had hardly yet had sufficient time to become absorbed. The whole
story of Declan's alleged relations with Patrick undoubtedly suggests
some irregularity in Declan's mission--an irregularity which was
capable of rectification through Patrick and which de facto was
finally so rectified.

(III.) No one in Eastern Munster requires to be told how strong is
the cult of St. Declan throughout Decies and the adjacent territory.
It is hardly too much to say that the Declan tradition in Waterford
and Cork is a spiritual actuality, extraordinary and unique, even in
a land which till recently paid special popular honour to its local
saints. In traditional popular regard Declan in the Decies has ever
stood first, foremost, and pioneer. Carthage, founder of the tribal
see, has held and holds in the imagination of the people only a
secondary place. Declan, whencesoever or whenever he came, is
regarded as the spiritual father to whom the Deisi owe the gift of
faith. How far this tradition and the implied belief in Declan's
priority and independent mission are derived from circulation of the
"Life" throughout Munster in the last few centuries it is difficult
to gauge, but the tradition seems to have flourished as vigorously in
the days of Colgan as it does to-day. Declan's "pattern" at Ardmore
continues to be still the most noted celebration of its kind in
Ireland. A few years ago it was participated in by as many as
fourteen thousand people from all parts of Waterford, Cork, and
Tipperary. The scenes and ceremonies have been so frequently