Saintly Caricature

Fled a family feud did Gobnait,
Hopped it to an Aran island,
Thought to settle in the solitude.
God said: ‘ no, this will not do,
let us cast a vision splendid,
catch young Gobnait unawares.
Let her faith be to action rendered.
Change of plan:
Depart Aran.
Find the place of
nine white deer.’
‘Okay’, said the obliging young Gobnait,
‘I will do that.’
In mountains near
saw the foretold nine white deer.
Said God, ‘ settle here with monastery and garden.
After all that travel tend the honeybee hives
and be remembered in all reputable Irish Saints’ Lives.’
To this day the sixth century lass is held blest
by a small church in Cork’s lovely west.