40.  When it was made known to a certain holy man, scil.:—­Ailbe of Emly Iubar, chief bishop of Munster, that his last days had come, he said to his disciples:  “Beloved brethren, I wish, before I die, to visit my very dear fellow worker, scil.:—­Declan.”  After this Ailbe set out on the journey and an angel of God came to Declan notifying him that Ailbe was on his way to visit him.  On the angel’s notification Declan ordered his disciples to prepare the house for Ailbe’s coming.  He himself went to meet Ailbe as far as the place which is called Druim Luctraidh [Luchluachra].  Thence they came home together and Ailbe, treated with great honour by Declan and his people, stayed fourteen pleasant days.  After that the aged saint returned home again to his own city, scil.:—­to Emly Iubar.  Declan came and many of his people, escorting Ailbe, to Druim Luchtradh, and Ailbe bade him return to his own city.  The two knew they should not see one another in this world ever again.  In taking leave of one another, therefore, they shed plentiful tears of sorrow and they instituted an everlasting compact and league between their successors in that place.  Ailbe moreover blessed the city of Declan, his clergy and people and Declan did the same for Ailbe and they kissed one another in token of love and peace and each returned to his own city.

41.  On a certain day the Castle of Cinaedh, King of the Deisi, took fire and it burned violently.  It happened however that Declan was proceeding towards the castle on some business and he was grieved to see it burning; he flung towards it the staff to which we have referred in connection with the drying up of the sea, and it (the staff) flew hovering in the air with heavenly wings till it reached the midst of the flame and the fire was immediately extinguished of its own accord through the grace of God and virtue of the staff and of Declan to whom it belonged.  The place from which Declan cast the staff was a long mile distant from the castle and when the king, i.e.  Cinaedh, and all the others witnessed this miracle they were filled with amazement and gave thanks to God and to Declan when they came to know that it was he who wrought it.  Now the place where the castle stands is not far from the Suir, i.e. on the south side of it and the place from which Declan cast the staff is beside a ford which is in the Suir or a stream which flows beside the monastery called Mag Laca [Molough] which the holy virgins, daughters of the king of Decies, have built in honour of God.  There is a pile of stones and a cross in the place to commemorate this miracle.