Finit 7ber [September] 4th, 1741.
NOTE 1
One of our scribe's predecessors omitted a word or two from the text here, with disastrous results to the sense. The Latin Life comes to our aid however and enables us to make good the omission; the latter, by the way, puzzles our scribe who is like a man fighting an invisible enemy— correcting a text of which he does not know the defect. Insertion of the words "walking backwards" immediately after "church," in the angel's answer, will enable us to see the original writer's meaning. The text should probably read:
The angel answered:—"Whom you shall see going from the church walking backwards to the guest-house" (for it was Mochuda's custom to walk backwards from the door of the church). Comghall announced to his household that there was coming to them a distinguished stranger, well-beloved of God, of whose advent an angel had twice foretold him. Some time later Mochuda arrived at Comghall's establishment, and he went to the monastery first and he did just as the angel foretold of him and Comghall recognised him and bade him welcome.
NOTE 2
The obits of Mochuda's successors, down to Christian O'Conarchy, are chronicled as follows:—
A.D. 650. Cuanan, maternal uncle and immediate successor of
Mochuda (Lanigan).
A.D. 698. Iarnla, surnamed Hierologus (Four Masters). In his
time King Alfrid was a student in Lismore.
A.D. 702. Colman, son of Finnbhar (Acta Sanctorum). During his
reign the abbey of Lismore reached the zenith of its fame.
A.D. 716. Cronan Ua Eoan (F. Masters).
A.D. 719. Colman O'Liathain (Annals of Inisfallen).
A.D. 741. Finghal (F. Masters).
A.D. 746. Mac hUige (Ibid).
A.D. 747. Ihrichmech (A. of Inisf.)
A.D. 748. Maccoigeth (F. M.)
A.D. 752. Sinchu (F. M.)
A.D. 755. Condath (Ibid).
A.D. 756. Fincon (Annals of Ulster).
A.D. 761. Aedhan (F. M.)
A.D. 763. Ronan (Ware).
A.D. 769. Soairleach Ua Concuarain (F. M.)
A.D. 771. Eoghan (Ibid).
A.D. 776. Orach (Ibid).
A.D. 799. Carabran (Ibid).
A.D. 801. Aedhan Ua Raichlich (A. of Inisf.)
A.D. 823. Flann (F. M.)
A.D. 849. Tibrade Ua Baethlanaigh (F. M.) At this period the
town was plundered and burned by the Danes who had sailed up
thither on the Blackwater.
A.D. 849. Daniel (A. of Inisf.)
A.D. 854. Suibne Ua Roichlech (F. M. and A. of Ulster). What is
probably his gravestone is one of five Irish-inscribed slabs
built into the west gable of the Cathedral.
A.D. 861. Daniel Ua Liaithidhe (F. M.)
A.D. 878. Martin Ua Roichligh (Ibid). Another of the inscribed
stones above referred to asks "A prayer for Martan."
A.D. 880. Flann Mac Forbasaich (A. I.)
A.D. 899. Maelbrighte Mac Maeldomnaich (Ibid).
A.D. 918. Cormac Mac Cuilennan (A. I.) He is to be
distinguished from his more famous namesake of Cashel.
A.D. 936. Ciaran (F. M.)
A.D. 951. Diarmuid (Ibid).
A.D. 957. Maenach Mac Cormaic (Ibid).
A.D. 958. Cathmog (Ibid). He was also bishop of Cork.
A.D. 963. Cinaedh (F. M.)
A.D. 1025. Omaelsluaig (Cotton's "Fasti").
A.D. 1034. Moriertach O'Selbach, bishop of Lismore (Cotton).
A.D. 1064. Mac Airthir, bishop (Cotton).
A.D. 1090. Maelduin O'Rebhacain (Ibid).
A.D. 1112. Gilla Mochuda O'Rebhacain (A. of I.)
A.D. 1113. Nial Macgettigan. His episcopal staff, possibly
enclosing the venerable oaken staff of the founder of the abbey,
is still preserved at Lismore Castle. [Also known as the
'Lismore Crozier,' in 2004 it is housed in 'The Treasury' exhibit
at the National Museum of Ireland, Kildare St., Dublin 2.]
A.D. 1134. Malchus. Most probably he is identical with the
first bishop of Waterford. During his term both St. Malachy and
King Cormac MacCarthy dwelt as fugitives, guests or pilgrims, at
Lismore.
A.D. 1142. Ua Rebhacain.
A.D. 1186. St. Christian. He had however resigned the
bishopric.
+—————————————————————-+ | | | __ __—- | | ,-~~~ ~\/ ~\ | | ,/ | | | /, / | | / ~\ | | /~~ ~\/~-| / | | \ /~ | | \ \/ | | ,' | | | /~ Tara \ | | \ * | | | '~|__- Rahen / | | .- ,/~ * \ | | | / | | / | | | /,/~ | | | / Cashel / | | ,—~ * | | | /—- Lismore __|-/ | | ,-~ *-,-~ | | \-~/ \ /~ | | ,-~/= /~ | | —~/--/~'~ | | | +—————————————————————-+ | MAP OF IRELAND | +—————————————————————-+
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE
The source for this text includes the Irish text & English translation on facing pages and notes. The notes are quite lengthy and should take longer to transcribe than the English text. Except for a few notes transplanted in brackets to the body of the text I have not transcribed them. Due to inexperience with the Irish language and its script I have decided not to attempt to transcribe the Irish text. Hopefully someone with the appropriate talent and interest will undertake that task some day. I have corrected the errata as indicated in the source and a few obvious printer errors.