stone, as we have said, and where the head came in contact with the stone it made therein a hollow and cavity of its own form and shape, without injury of any kind to him.  Great wonder thereupon seized all who witnessed this, for Ireland was at this time without the true faith and it was rarely that any one (therein) had shown heavenly Christian signs.  “Declan’s Rock” is the name of the stone with which the Saint’s head came into contact.  The water or rain which falls into the before-mentioned cavity (the place of Declan’s head) dispels sickness and infirmity, by the grace of God, as proof of Declan’s sanctity.

3.  On the night of Declan’s birth a wondrous sign was revealed to all, that is to the people who were in the neighbourhood of the birthplace; this was a ball of fire which was seen blazing on summit of the house in which the child lay, until it reached up to heaven and down again, and it was surrounded by a multitude of angels.  It assumed the shape of a ladder such as the Patriarch, Jacob saw [Genesis 28:12].  The persons who saw and heard these things wondered at them.  They did not know (for the true faith had not yet been preached to them or in this region) that it was God who (thus) manifested His wondrous power (works) in the infant, His chosen child.  Upon the foregoing manifestation a certain true Christian, scil.:—­Colman, at that time a priest and afterwards a holy bishop, came, rejoicing greatly and filled with the spirit of prophecy, to the place where Declan was; he preached the faith of Christ to the parents and made known to them that the child was full of the grace of God.  He moreover revealed to them the height of glory and honour to which the infant should attain before God and men, and it was revealed to him that he (Declan) should spend his life in sanctity and devotion.  Through the grace of God, these, i.e.  Erc and Deithin, believed in God and Colman, and they delivered the child for baptism to Colman who baptised him thereupon, giving him the name of Declan.  When, in the presence of all, he had administered Baptism, Colman spoke this prophecy concerning the infant “Truly, beloved child and lord you will be in heaven and on earth most high and holy, and your good deeds, fame, and sanctity will fill all (the four quarters of) Ireland and you will convert your own nation and the Decies from paganism to Christianity.  On that account I bind myself to you by the tie of brotherhood and I commend myself to your sanctity.”

4.  Colman thereupon returned to his own abode; he commanded that Declan should be brought up with due care, that he should be well trained, and be set to study at the age of seven years if there could be found in his neighbourhood a competent Christian scholar to undertake his tuition.  Even at the period of his baptism grace and surpassing charity manifested themselves in the countenance of Declan so that it was understood of all that great should be the goodness