442 



about the time of its transfer in the neighbourhood of Templeport 

 church : — 



St. Kilian (as Caillin is sometimes locally called) had at Eenagh a 

 herd of oxen, which on a certain night strayed from their pastures, and 

 in the morning were no where to be seen by the owner. Guided by in- 

 spiration, or led by an unseen hand, the saint in his search after them 

 arrived at the shore of Templeport Lake, where they were found, 

 gazing earnestly towards the middle of the lake, and motionless, like 

 dogs when setting game. The saint inquired if anything strange or 

 unusual had happened the night before ; and he was told that a travel- 

 ling woman, a perfect stranger, had sought shelter at an early part of 

 the night, and had been conveyed across to the island in the lake, where 

 she had been safely delivered of a son ; and that while in labour she 

 had caught hold of the bed-post, which presently threw down roots into 

 the floor, and shot out branches upwards, that protruded through the 

 roof of the house. St. Kilian ordered the boat to be put over to him, 

 that he might cross to the island, and baptize the child. The woman 

 of the house made answer, that the boat was not at hand, as her good- 

 man had gone a fishing to a distant part of the lake. Whereupon the 

 saint, as well lecame him., devoutly prayed that the man might never 

 more set his foot on land. He next inquired if there was anything in 

 the house upon which the child might be floated across to him ; to 

 which the woman replied that the only flat article in the house upon 

 which the infant could be laid was a flag in the kitchen, that was 

 used as a hearthstone. The saint ordered her to fetch it to the water- 

 edge. The woman said she could not lift it, and that, if she did, it would 

 serve to drown the babe. Try it," said the saint. She did so, and, to 

 her utter surprise, carried it as if it was a bit of board to the desired 

 place ; she laid it on the water ; lo ! it floated ; she brought out the 

 child, and laid him upon the dry surface ; the wind arose, and, with 

 steady but gentle impulse, bore the buoyant flagstone to the opposite 

 bank ; while the same wind, which here was but a zephyr, raged as a 

 storm elsewhere over the face of the lake, overtook the fisherman in an 

 unguarded moment, capsized his boat, and committed him to a watery 

 grave, as the saint had prayed. This swimming flagstone was for ages 

 preserved at Templeport, and was employed as a boat to ferry over dead 

 bodies to the island for interment ; till one day a young man and woman, 

 who happened to cross over on it, were guilty of some indiscretion in 

 the transit, when the flag snapped in two, and one half of it sank, help- 

 ing to drown the inconsiderate couple ; while the other half, of its own 

 accord, floated away to the shore near Templeport church. This half 

 remained there for ages after ; and people who had suftered injury at their 

 neighbours' hands used to go to it, and, having diligently swept it, place 

 a piece of silver on it ; then pray bad prayers against their enemies ; 

 and so sure as they did, death or some other grievous calamity overtook 

 the off'ender before twelve months were out. 



But to return to the shild. The saint awaited his arrival, took him 

 up in his arms, and baptized with every mark of respect and veneration, 

 giving him the name of Aedh, then replaced him upon the flag, and gave 



