60
AN GAOḊAL.
A HYMN OF PATRICK, APOSTLE of IRELAND.
Composed by Fiech, Bishop of Sletty, in the Queen's
County, disciple, and a man contemporary of Patrick
himself.
N. B. This hymn is admitted by all learned Protestants to be the only
authentic life of St. Patrick.
24
He went southward to Victor,
He was the guardian of his safe keeping.
Blaze did about him where he was,
And out of the blaze he spoke:
25
"There is given rule to Armagh
To Christ give thanks,
For to the great heaven to reach,
Happy for you was your petition."
26
A hymn which you sang
Will be a protecting coat of mail to all:
In the day of judgment with thee
Will go the men of Eire to be judged."
27
Tasach remained after him
When he gave communion to him,
And said, Patrick would not come back.
The words of Tasach were not false.
28
Brighten did the end with the night,
On the being spent of the lights with them:
To the end of a year there were lights —
It was the happy, long days.
29
In the battle fought in Bethoran
With the tribes of Canaan by the son of Nun,
Stood the sun over Gaboan,
Is what sacred letters tell us.
30
Whereas stood for Joshua,
The sun for the death at the wicked,
Threefold cause her being
Giving light on the birth of the Saint.
31
The clergy of Eire went
To wake Patrick from every way:
The sound of the singing even drowned
The singing of each of them on his seat.
32
The soul of Patrick with his body
Was, after his labor, separated.
Angels of God on the first night
Watched him, in an assembly, incessantly.
33
When Patrick died
Did swoon the other Patrick,
And together went their spirits
