Page:The most ancient lives of Saint Patrick - O'Leary.djvu/73

 to Magh-Slechta, where the arch-idol of Erinn was, i.e., Cenn Cruach, made of gold and silver, surrounded by twelve other idols formed of bronze. When Patrick saw the idols from the waters called Guthard (i.e., he raised his voice&mdash;guth, voice; ard, high), and when he approached it, he lifted his hand to lay the Bachall-Isa on it; but he could not, as the idol inclined over to its right side (for towards the south its face was turned), and the mark of the bachall lives yet in its left side, although the bachall did not leave Patrick's hand. And the ground swallowed the other twelve idols as far as their heads; and they are in that condition in commemoration of the prodigy. And he cursed the demon (idol), and banished him to hell; and he called all the people, with king Laeghaire, who worshipped the idols; and all saw him (the demon), and feared death unless Patrick would banish him to hell. His graif (fibula) fell from Patrick's garment whilst maintaining the conflict and valor against the idol. He cut away all the heath in the place until he found his graif, and no heath grows in that place, nor in the plain besides. And he founded a church in that place, i.e., Domhnach-Maighe-Slecht, and left there Mabran Barbarus, Patrick's relative and prophet, and Patrick's well is there, ubi baptizavit multos. Patrick went afterwards into the territory of Connacht, over Snamhda-en, across the Shannon, where he found a ford, viz.: the land (bed of the river) rose up under Patrick in the ford, and the learned will yet find that esker. And Patrick landed (i.e., on the Connacht side of the Shannon) immediately, and then it was that Buadmael, Patrick's charioteer, died, and was buried there. Cill-Buaidhmael is the name (of the church), and it is appropriate to Patrick. When Laeghaire Mac Neill's druids (i.e., Mael and Caplait, two