So they went back again to the Western Sea until the holy Patrick came into Ireland and preached the Faith of the One God and of the Christ.  But a man of Patrick’s men, namely the Saint Mochaovog,[12] came to the Island of Inishglory in Erris Bay, and there built himself a little church of stone, and spent his life in preaching to the folk and in prayer.  The first night he came to the island the swans heard the sound of his bell ringing at matins on the following morn, and they leaped in terror, and the three brethren left Fionnuala and fled away.  Fionnuala cried to them, “What ails you, beloved brothers?” “We know not,” said they, “but we have heard a thin and dreadful voice, and we cannot tell what it is.”  “That is the voice of the bell of Mochaovog,” said Fionnuala, “and it is that bell which shall deliver us and drive away our pains, according to the will of God.”

   [12] Pronounced Mo-chweev-ogue.

Then the brethren came back and hearkened to the chanting of the cleric until matins were performed.  “Let us chant our music now,” said Fionnuala.  So they began, and chanted a solemn, slow, sweet, fairy song in adoration of the High King of Heaven and of Earth.

Mochaovog heard that, and wondered, and when he saw the swans he spoke to them and inquired them.  They told him they were the children of Lir.  “Praised be God for that,” said Mochaovog.  “Surely it is for your sakes that I have come to this island above every other island that is in Erinn.  Come to land now, and trust in me that your salvation and release are at hand.”

So they came to land, and dwelt with Mochaovog in his own house, and there they kept the canonical hours with him and heard mass.  And Mochaovog caused a good craftsman to make chains of silver for the swans, and put one chain between Fionnuala and Hugh and another between Conn and Fiachra; and they were a joy and solace of mind to the Saint, and their own woe and pain seemed to them dim and far off as a dream.

Now at this time it happened that the King of Connacht was Lairgnen, son of Colman, and he was betrothed to Deoca, daughter of the King of Munster.  And so it was that when Deoca came northward to be wedded to Lairgnen she heard the tale of the swans and of their singing, and she prayed the king that he would obtain them for her, for she longed to possess them.  But Lairgnen would not ask them of Mochaovog.  Then Deoca set out homeward again, and vowed that she would never return to Lairgnen till she had the swans; and she came as far as the church of Dalua, which is now called Kildaloe, in Clare.  Then Lairgnen sent messengers for the birds to Mochaovog, but he would not give them up.

At this Lairgnen was very wroth, and he went himself to Mochaovog, and he found the cleric and the four birds at the altar.  But Lairgnen seized upon the birds by their silver chains, two in each hand dragged them away to the place where Deoca was; and Mochaovog followed them.  But when they came to Deoca and she had laid her hands upon the birds, behold, their covering of feathers fell off and in their places were three shrunken and feeble old men and one lean and withered old woman, fleshless and bloodless from extreme old age.  And Lairgnen was struck with amazement and fear, and went out from that place.