Aliens in This World

From the Martyrology of Gorman:

Forba in mis do Mhaedocc,
dom-Chumma cain comraind,
do Mhaelanfaidh amgand,
do Chainnech, do Chairnan,
do Lug-aed fial amlond,
do Ebnait dia n-adhramm,
do Metran mhor mholta
dan dolta ’sin dagrand,
do Saturnin sarmaith
in lanraith dia labramm,
do Sillan seng saerocc,
do da-Thaedoc tabram.
A noemh uile Enair
do erail ar n-anmann.

The month’s finish let us give to Maedoc,
to Cumma — a fair participation –
to Mael-Anfaid the generous;
to Cainnech; to Caernan;
to Lug-aed, modest, gentle;
to Ebnait whom we honor;
to Metranus the great and lauded –
a poem told in good stanza –
to Saturninus, excellently good,
fully gracious, of whom we speak;
to Sillan, slender, noble warrior;
to your Taedoc –
Every saint of January
to direct our souls.

From the Martyrology of Oengus the Culdee:

Pridie cal. Febr.

Sluind Aed fortren Ferna,
Mael-anfaid ainm remain,
benait co mBrig romoir
barr find for sluag enair.

Declare strong Aed of Ferns,
Mael-anfaid, a name preeminent:
they strike with mighty Brig
a fair end (Barrfind) on January’s host.

I really like the notes!

Maedoc of Ferns, i.e. “my Aedoc”, i.e. of the Fir Luirc of
Lough Erne was he…

Fifty bishops of the Britons of Cell Muine came on their
pilgrimage to Maedoc of Ferns. They came because Maedoc of Ferns
was a pupil of David of Cell Muine. From David’s time, flesh was
not brought into the refectory of Cell Muine until
Maedoc’s successor brought it, and hence David’s strife
and contumacy towards the successor that brought it; and
his remaining in the refectory, i.e. the abbacy of Cell
Muine, with his feet not touching the ground, so long as
he was alive. So they came in pilgrimage to Maedoc.

They were taken into the guest-house in the Lent of spring. There
was brought them for dinner fifty cakes, and leeks, and whey-water.

“Why has this been brought?” says the bishop.

“For you to consume it,” says the house-steward.

“Take it away,” says the bishop: “nothing shall be consumed
until there is a pig and an ox there.”

The house-steward relates this. “Permission,” says Maedoc.

It is brought to them. “‘Tis well,” quoth he. They eat the meat.
They are there until the morrow.

Maedoc salutes them. “Well,” says Maedoc, “it is not too
much to reprove you for eating the meat in Lent and refusing
the bread.”

“Not from study have you delivered that, o Maedoc,” says the bishop.

“Well?” says Maedoc.

“Easy,” quoth the bishop. “The pig drank its mother’s milk,
and the ox which was brought ate nothing but the grass of
the earth. But in the cakes there were three hundred sixty-five
weevils; therefore, we did not consume it.”

Mael-anfaid, i.e. abbot of Dairinis, i.e. at Mochutu’s Lismore is
Dairinis, where a great river goes out to sea…

That is the Mael-anfaid who beheld a certain little bird a-wailing
and lamenting. “O my God,” says he, “What has happened yonder?
I will not partake of food until it is revealed to me.”

Now, when he was there, he saw an angel coming toward him. “That is
well, o cleric,” says the angel, “do not let this put you into
grief any more. Molua mac Ocha has died, and therefore all living
creatures bewail him, for never has he killed any animal, little or
big: so human beings do not bewail him more than the other animals and
the little bird which you see.”

*leaping to conclusion* So now we also know where the name “Dairine” comes from!