Aided Bresail
Background information
References in the Annals of Ulster
U544.1 Tuathal Maelgarb was killed, i.e. in Grellach Allta by Mael Mórda, and Diarmait son of Cerball succeeded him.
U565.1 The slaying of Diarmait son of Cerball i.e. by Aed Dub son of Suibne and the two sons of Mac Erca, Forgus and Domnall, succeeded him.
U595.1 Repose of Colum Cille on the fifth of the Ides of June in the 76th year of his age.
The History of Ireland (Geoffrey Keating), Volume 3
pp. 67-69 It was in the time of Diarmaid, son of Fearghus, king of Ireland, that St. Beacan lived. Some seanchas say that Eoghan Og had a son besides Fiachaidh Muilleathan, to wit, Diarmaid, and it was from this Diarmaid’s progeny that St. Beacan, who lived and blessed in Muscruide Chuirc, sprang. … About this time Breasal, son of Diarmaid, son of Fearghus, that is, son of the king of Ireland, wished to prepare a feast for his father at Ceanannus na Midhe, and he was not pleased with anything he had for that feast as long as he had not fat beef to give to his father on the occasion. He, however, could find no such beef in his neighbourhood except one beef that belonged to a female recluse at Cill Ealchruidhe; and Breasal gently and humbly asked the woman to give him the beef, and offered her seven cows and a bull instead of the one beef. The woman refused his offer. On this he took the cow from her against her will and killed it for the feast. And when the king of Ireland and his people were enjoying the feast, the nun came and made a complaint against Breasal to the king. Now when Diarmaid, the king, heard this complaint he became furious, and said he would kill Breasal for having wronged the nun of Cill Ealchruidhe, and he took him to the brink of the river Lorcach, and thus he drowned Breasal. Diarmaid repented of having drowned his son, and he went to Columcille to express his sorrow for the deed, and Columcille told him to go to visit the aged man, Beacan, to Munster; and he set out, accompanied by Columcille, and they reached Cill Bheacain, on north side of Sliabh gCrot. And they found the saint making a fence round his cemetery and his habit wet upon him. When Beacan got sight of Diarmaid he said, ‘Get thee beneath the ground, parricide,’ said he. Upon this Diarmaid sank in the ground up to his knees. ‘It is to ask thy protection on account of the deed he has done that he has come,’ said Columcille, ‘and to ask thee to beseech God to bring back his son to life.’ Upon this Beacan prayed to God fervently thrice, by the direction of Columcille; and it was in this way that the son of the king of Ireland, to wit, Breasal, was brought back to life through the prayer of St. Beacan; and God’s name and that of Beacan were magnified through that miracle.
Related saga online: Aided Diarmada meic Fergusa Cerrbeoil (The Death of Diarmait son of Fergus Cerrbél)
Standish H. O’Grady (ed. & tr.), Silva Gadelica, (London: Williams and Norgate, 1892), Volume 1, pp. 72-82; Volume 2, pp. 76-88.
Irish text at Archive.org (pp. 72-82); English translation at Archive.org (pp. 76-88 (111-123)); English translation at MaryJones.us
Related saga online: Stair ar Aed Baclámh (A Story of Aedh Baclamh)
Standish H. O’Grady (ed. & tr.), Silva Gadelica, (London: Williams and Norgate, 1892), Volume 1, pp. 66-72; Volume 2, pp. 70-76.
Irish text at Archive.org (pp. 66-72); English translation at Archive.org (pp. 70-76 (105-111)); English translation at MaryJones.org
Related saga online: Genemain Aeda Sláne (The Birth of Aedh Sláine)
Standish H. O’Grady (ed. & tr.), Silva Gadelica, (London: Williams and Norgate, 1892), Volume 1, pp. 82-84; Volume 2, pp. 88-91.
Irish text at Archive.org (pp. 82-84); Irish text at CELT; English translation at Archive.org (pp. 88-91 (123-126)); English translation at MaryJones.us
Related saga online: Suidigud Tellaig Temra (The Settling of the Manor of Tara)
R. I. Best (ed. & tr.), The Settling of the Manor of Tara, Ériu, 4, 1910, pp. 121-172.
Digital Edition at JSTOR; Irish text at TLH; English translation at TLH; English translation at MaryJones.us
Silva Gadelica (O’Grady), Volume 2
A list of the twelve apostles of Ireland includes ‘Becan son of Culu’, p. 31 (69)
D = The Martyrology of Donegal (O’Donovan)
G = The Martyrology of Gorman (Stokes)
O = The Martyrology of Oengus the Culdee (Stokes)
D: 5 April, Becan, son of Cula, at Imlech-Fiaich in Fera-Cul-Breagh. He was of the race of Eoghan Mor, son of Oilill Oluim. When Colum-Cille and the king of Erinn, Diarmait, son of Fergus Cerrbheoil, after the killing of Bresal, his son, came to where Becan was, they found him erecting a fort, and a wet cloak about hill, and he praying. … Becan looked aside, and he saw Diarmaid. ‘Into the earth, thou murderer,’ said he, and he sunk into the earth to his knees. ‘Under my protection he has come to thee,’ said Colum Cille, ‘to resuscitate his son for him.’ Becan resuscitated Bresal, the king’s son, from the dead (See Section 3), pp. 95-97 (157-159)
G: 5 April, Becán son of Cúla (his mother) of Imbliuch Fiach in Fir Cúl Breg (See Section 3), p. 71
O: 5 April, Béccán mac Cula. Cula was his mother and in Imliuch Fia in Fir Cúla Breg is Béccán. … Of the Dál Cais was Béccán, and ’tis he that raised Bresal Brecc from death. The three athlaechs (laymen who became monks in their old age) of Ireland, Béccán Cula’s son, and Mochua Lonán’s son and Énda of Arann. (See Section 3), p. 7 (66), p. 104 (163), p. 113 (172)
D: 9 June, Colum Cille, son of Felim, abbot of Black Monks, at Doire Choluim Chille and at I in Albain (See Section 3), pp. 151-163 (213- 225)
G: 9 June, Colomb cille, abbot of Black Monks, at Doire Choluimb-chille and in Hí in Scotland (See Section 3), p. 113
O: 9 June, Colum cille (See Section 3), p. 139 (198), p. 145-149 (204-208)
D: 23 December, Luchair of Cill Elgraighe (See Section 1), p. 347 (409)
G: 23 December, Luchair of Cill Elgraige (See Section 1), p. 245
Cóir Anmann: Fitness of Names (Stokes), Irische Texte, Ser. III.2
Fergus Cerrbél §131 (See Section 1), p. 343, p. 417
Ulaid §245 (See Section 3), pp. 387-389, p. 422
Wikipedia
Book of Leinster
Book of Lismore
Cycles of the Kings
Diarmait mac Cerbaill (d. 565); High Kings of Ireland; Kings of Uisnech
Saint Columba (Colm Cille) (d. 595); Saints of Ireland
Early Christian Sites in Ireland
Kells