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And when he was as far as the shore of Loch Dairbhreach, the four children saw the horses coming toward them, and it is what Fionnuala said: "A welcome to the troop of horses I see coming near to the lake; the people they are bringing are strong, there is sadness on them; it is us they are following, it is for us they are looking; let us move over to the shore, Aodh, Fiachra, and comely Conn.
"O Fionnuala, and comely Conn, O Aodh, O Fiachra of the beautiful arms; it is not ready I am to go away from you, from the border of the harbour where you are." Then Lir went on to the palace of Bodb Dearg, and there was a welcome before him there; and he got a reproach from Bodb Dearg for not bringing his children along with him. "My grief!" said Lir.
"It is a pity I to stay after Fiachra, and after Aodh, and after comely Conn, and with no account of them; my grief I to be here to face every hardship this night."
And he baptized Eochaidh, son of Nathi, son of Fiachra, and resuscitated his wife Echtra, at Ath-Echtra, the little stream at the very door of Cill-mor. And Echtra's grave is on the margin of the ford. It is a sign of knowledge with them in their history to remember this grave.
"The blessing of us both Upon Eoghan Mac Neill, On all who may be born from him, Provided they are obedient." Eochaidh, son of Fiachra, son of Eoghan, was baptized with Eoghan, and Patrick's covenant was made between them; and whosoever transgresses it shall not have children born to him, and his body will not rot in the clay. Where Patrick went after this was into Daigurt in Magh-Dula.
She stopped all night there upon the Rock of the Seals until the rising of the sun, looking out over the sea on every side till at last she saw Conn coming to her, his feathers wet through and his head hanging, and her heart gave him a great welcome; and then Fiachra came wet and perished and worn out, and he could not say a word they could understand with the dint of the cold and the hardship he had gone through.
Patrick went across the Muaidh to Hy-Amhalghaidh; the twelve sons of Amhalgaidh, son of Fiachra, son of Eochaidh, came to meet him, viz., Aengus, Fergus, Fedhlimidh, Enna Crom, Enna Cullom, Connac, Cairbre, Echui Dianimh, Oena, Eoghan Coir, Dubchonall, Ailill of the rough face. Aengus then imposed additional names upon his brothers. This Aengus was the proudest of Amhalghaidh's sons.
And make our grave afterward," she said, "and lay Conn on my right side and Fiachra on my left side, and Aodh before my face, between my two arms. And pray to the God of Heaven," she said, "that you may he able to baptise us." The children of Lir were baptised then, and they died and were buried as Fionnuala had desired; Fiachra and Conn one at each side of her, and Aohd before her face.
And in the course of time Aobh brought forth two children, a daughter and a son, Fionnuala and Aodh their names were. And after a while she was brought to bed again, and this time she gave birth to two sons, and they called them Fiachra and Conn. And she herself died at their birth.
But the old woman seemed resolved that if he had never heard about the children of Lir he should hear about them now. "Lir was a powerful man in the old days of Ireland," she said, "He had three sons and one daughter, and their mother was dead. The names of the sons were Hugh, Fiachra, and Conn, and the name of the daughter was Fair-shoulder, and beautiful and good children were they all.
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