Macalfstek — The History and Antiquities of Inis Cealtru. 101 



is introduced to us ; he is a holy man, and at the same time acts as swineherd 

 to the pentarch. 



Colgan exercised a critical judgment in compiling his Life of Caimin from 

 the sources open to him. He would have none of a Life attributed to 

 St. Dalbach, of which, or of a similar document, O'Clery also speaks in 

 terms of unmeasured contempt.' The only facts which Colgan will admit 

 with regard to the saint are — his parentage ; the date at which he began his 

 life of holiness ; his retirement to Inis Cealtra in order to secure solitude ; 

 his mortification of the flesh with fast and vigils, and his many fights with 

 demons wliile there ; the spread of his fame, which attracted innumerable 

 disciples to his island retreat ; and his organization of his followers into a 

 monastery. This is all not a little puzzling. "We may reasonably infer that 

 when ("olum left the island his followers departed with him; but where 

 does Stellan, who predeceased Caimin by three years, come in V 



Colgan further tells us the well-known tale of the three wishes, of which 

 more anon, and in a foot-note refers to Caimin's literary labours, which have 

 been strangely exaggerated by Colgan's many followers. His death is 

 ascribed by the hagiologists to 652 a.d., but it is not recorded by the 

 annalists' ; this is the more curious, as they all carefully notice the obit of the 

 more obscure Colum. 



Keating adds to this picture of Caimin, which we obtain from hagiologists, 

 tlie picturesque tale of Guaire and the nun's cow. A nun came to Diarmait, 

 king of Ireland, to complain that Guaire had taken from her her only cow. 

 Diarmait assembled a host to avenge this wrong ; and though he had but a 

 small army, and Guaire a numerous following, the Connacht hosts were 

 defeated, because Caimin took sides against his brother, and " fasted on " 

 Guaire that lie should not be successful in battle. The interesting sequel of 

 the story, which is of some importance as a record of manners and customs, 

 may be read in Keating (ed. Dinneen, vol. iii, pp. 58 et seqq.). 



Caimin was present at the Synod of Hruimceat ; but, apart from this, the 

 anecdote most frequently related of him is his colloquy with his brother 

 Guaire and Cuimmine Fota.* The Lebor na hLTidhri version of the tale is 

 a pendant to the story of the battle with Diarmait. In the other MSS. it 

 appears as an independent incident. Briefly, it is lo the effect that the three 

 persons named were in the church of Inis Cealtra, and discussed what they 



' See Plummer, " Vitae," I, p. Iv, note 3. ^ Here insert the note on p. 174. 



^Except the .\nnals of Innisfallen, which date the obit 044. 



*LU., p. 116; Lis. fol. 44; Rawl. B. 512, fol. 141. Printed in Todd's "Liber 

 Hymnorum," 1,87, and in Stokes, " Lismore Lives," p. 304. See also Z.C.P. Ill, pp. 203 

 et seqq. 



B,I,A. PBGC, VOL. XXXIII., SECT. C. [16] 



