On the hill of Dun stood the monastery, it is reputed, to be the burial site, of Patrick, the Saint of Ireland. The late afternoon sun turned the thatch on the roofs into gold, as they neared the hill where the church and rath stood, Naoise could see the smoke from the cooking fires and saw many small boats drawn up on the shore and moored close to the jetty that stood at the bottom of the hill. At the top of the hill a tall tower dwarfed the other buildings, Naoise looked about him with curiosity, after the loneliness of tending the sheep there seemed to be so many people working, children playing, dogs barking. As the boat drew along side the jetty, Manus jumped out and tied it up,”

Right Naoise I’ll go and get some help to get you up that hill, be back as soon as I can”, he said, as he walked up the beach waving to some men working at boats pulled up out of the water. Naoise watched them as their arms waved and pointed at him, then up the hill, then back at him again, seemed like ages before Manus was back leading a rather old bedraggled donkey. Leaning into the boat Mannus said, ”Ready son, lets get you out and up that hill , soon you will feel better when brother Aidán gets his healing hands on you, here’s Neddy to carry you”. He helped Naoise to the edge of the boat and pushed him up unto the jetty, Manus and a tall man called Donal, between them half carried and half heaved him along the jetty and up unto the poor donkey, who did not look strong enough to carry him at all. Eventually he was on the poor beast’s back and holding on grimly, they made their way slowly up the steep slope.

Each movement brought a wave of sickness to him, his head ached with a blinding pain across his temple. Reaching the top of the hill he was led into the courtyard, and gently lifted off the donkey, by two brothers, who had met them on the way from the landing at the shore; they bustled about and got Naoise settled on a stone bench warmed by the sun.
A tall gaunt monk with steely gray hair and very bright blue eyes "Oh brother you do look wretched, let me help you,” Sit here and rest I will fetch Brother Aidán who is our healer here and he will tend to your hurts. I will bring you some refreshment you look as if you need it".

He turned and hurried away leaving Naoise in the sun, he could feel the heat begin to revive him, the pain in his ankle, disfigured by a purple mottled bruise and swollen twice its size, throbbed horribly. He looked around him at the ordered courtyard all neatness, the small building with their golden thatch, a tall round stone tower, where he could just make out a bell in the high window. All around him had an air of ordered peace, there where many monks going g about their business and Naoise wondered just what sort of jobs they where doing, that kept them so active.
It was not long until a short grey-haired figure hurried across the enclosure, carrying a basin and a bundle, followed by the gaunt monk who had first greeted him, who carried a tray.

"Well my boy, you do look in a sorry state let me see, Dear! Dear! That does look sore" he knelt down and gently moved Naoise's foot, rotating it lightly, after a few moments he looked up and smiled, "Sorry son, it is broken, but I think in just the one place, the swelling is bad and when we get that down you will feel much better. My son you have some nasty scratches, I would guess you fell into some whins, I remember falling into some when I was your age that really hurt, that and the nettles."

He had filled the basin with warm water, from a jug that the tall thin monk held out to him he added salt, stirred it about.
"We will just let your ankle soak for a bit, that will help sooth it, then we will set it ", as he handed Naoise a horn filled with sweet mead, that made his head swim.”Here drink up, I will go and get the bandages and splints I need, you just rest for now, drink his it has poppy juice and that will help the pain”, said brother Aidán as he held out a flagon
"Thank you brothers", he spluttered, "I fell chasing a wolf that had attacked the flock and carried off a lamb. I ran after it and did not see the drop, until I was over it. I hit my ankle on a sharp rock on the way over and I landed in the whin bushes and got was stuck in the gorse, and could not get free from the thorns. My dog Bran is the best dog and he even thought he was hurt from fighting the wolf, he went and fetched my friend Rory, Bran is so clever. My ankle was so swollen, I could not stand on it at all, I knew it was broken. The sheep were running wild, so my friends Rory and Danna brought me down the hill on a donkey and then Manus rowed me here ", said Naoise as he leaned against the sun warmed stone.

Brother Aidán was soaking strips of cloth in a small bowl filled with a clear liquid he had poured from a small flagon with a cork stopper. " This is witch -hazel which is wonderfully good for all sprains, strains, cuts, stings or bites, this is as close to a magic potion as possible, but don't tell Bishop Suibhne that or he will throw me out of the order", he chuckled.” Its good stuff Brother Malachi, do you remember when you found that beehive last summer that gave you a head the size of a ball, this did work a treat for you", he grinned up at the tall monk.
"Yes it works like a miracle the way it eased the pain and the swelling, but better not let the bishop hear any talk of magic or he will be furious".

Naoise could feel the pain in his foot recede and he began to relax in the afternoon sun.
"I put a few more drops of poppy juice in your mead; it will help you feel better soon. I'm going to set the bone straight and bind it tight to these bits of wood, so the bone will heal as it should, Brother Malachi is going to help me. I will be as quick as I can, but you have to be brave but it will be over soon”. Then we will bind up your foot with the witch-hazel soaked bandages, and then you must sleep.

Naoise though he was going to be sick, the pain was excruciating as brother Aidán rotated the bone back into place, he wrapped the soaked bandages round and round before he placed the foot between two pieces of wood, binding it up until his foot was rigid. “ There son , that’s the worst bit over, now you need to rest to heal those bones, when did you last eat, Brother Malachi, perhaps a small bowl of stew might help this poor boy, will you be so kind, and ask if the Brother Finghin can heat us up a little".

Malachi looked down at the boy, "Oh course I should have thought of it, I will be back shortly", and he strode off towards one of the stone building near the edge of the courtyard. Soon he was back with a steaming bowl of stew, that smelled and tasted wonderful, he could feel the warmth-spreading round his body, a delicious feeling of sleep came over him and he wished he could just lay down here in the sun. “Its bed for you son”, Brother Aidán said as he helped Naoise to lay down on a truckle bed, in a small white washed room, a tiny window staining a ruby stripe across the wall. “Sleep my boy and I will see you tomorrow.

Some time later Naoise awoke, at first he could not remember were he was, his head ached and he could feel the dull ache of his foot, but the soft woolen blanket which smelt of herbs was so warm and comforting, he felt himself drift back into a dream filled sleep full of strange shapes and bright colours. When he awoke again, looking around him at the white washed walls with a small wooden cross above his head, he remembered he was in the monastery at Dun. The sun was high overhead, when he again awoke, his head felt groggy, his stomach felt empty and his ankle throbbed. He sat up, pulled back the covers and carefully put his foot on the floor, it still hurt ached, standing up shakily; he hobbled to the door of the small cell where he had spent the night. Out side the sun shone bright overhead, telling him he had slept half the day, he could hear the drone of singing and realized that the monks must be at the prayers they sang at noon. He limped to a stone seat at the edge of the cloister, over the wall he could see the Lough coiling all around the hill the where the monastery stood. At the bottom of the hill, was the small jetty with a few upturned curragh's near by, he could see the men of the rath working, painting the upturned boats with a black treacle like paint whose smell like rancid oil, he could just about catch on the wind.

Looking around him Naoise could see the neat little houses with their thatched roofs, the courtyard was stripped in half by the shadow of the long tower , he could see a few goats tethered in a pen at one side of the yard. He could hear the voices of the monks, as they rose and fell in their Gregorian chant. Naoise wished they would hurry up and finish, as he was now feeling very hungry, as if reading his mind, the small fat brother Aidán, who had tended his foot the day before, suddenly came through the gatehouse and waved at him.

"Naoise my son I do hope you are feeling better, I have been off all morning, one of the men of the rath at Dun Mor has hurt himself in a fall, and I was sent to have a look at him. Have you broken your fast yet, it must be nearly time to eat, here let me help you to the refectory and get you settled. The brothers will not be long now". He stooped down and taking Naoise under the shoulder, he heaved him up and guided him across the yard to the large refectory. It was a long low room with high stone windows set into each gable end, long tables laid out with jugs of water, loaves of bread; on a trestle table that ran along side the wall, stood stone jars of honey, a basket of apples and big thick cheeses. Naoise could smell fish frying, it caught in his nostrils and made his belly rumble, he felt weak with hunger, “ Must be a Friday” he thought “That means that I have been here nearly three days”,

“Here you sit, while I get you a trencher and a beaker," said Aidán and he hurried away, through a door at the far end of the room, into the kitchen.

After a short while the hall began to fill with a quiet drone, as the monks began to fill into the room, their voices rose in the air as the monks talked quietly among them selves, began to get more animated . Brother Malachi, came and greeted him, followed by an austere looking elderly man, he smiled at him, " Naoise I hope you are feeling better, and are well rested, I shall talk to you after the repast", he smiled and moved on to the top of the table where he helped the older man sit.

Naoise had plenty of time to watch the monks assemble before Brother Aidán returned and began to fuss over him. They entered the long room in two and threes, Naoise could sense that something had happened, but he could not hear what they were saying. Brother Aidán came hurrying over with a laden tray.

“Terrible the news, they say that thousands have been slaughtered at the great Abbey at Bangor. Wild men from the sea have raided it, the shrine desecrated and the bones of St Congal shaken, “said Aidán and he sat down beside Naoise with a shocked look on his face. "We must thank the lord that we have been spared such terror", he said crossing himself in a prayer. Messengers came last night , from Bangor, but you have slept all yesterday and the night before, I think I gave you too much of the poppy juice, but then you where exhausted after all your adventures of the past few days, so it was the best thing for you. Oh here, Bishop Suibhne is about to speak I better be quiet”, Aidán said with a wink at Naoise.

There was a hush as Bishop Suibhne rose to say speak, “O God, our saviour dear, My brothers, our hearts and prayers are with our dear brothers at Movilla, and the terrible fate that has befallen them, with the devils from the sea coming and slaughtering them at their prayers. No more will their great hymns, be heard by the lord, as it rose in devotion and joy” he continued with much sighing and moaning. Naoise was not listening, his empty belly rumbled and groaned as he smelt the food that was being brought into the room, “Please left him be finished soon”, he prayed, as he looked about him at all the other monks who where listening intently at the bishop. Eventually the prayers ended, and the food was in front of him and he could start to eat.

“We must thank the lord that we have been spared such terror," said Aidán crossing himself in a prayer. “Lets eat my son, there is some wonderful cheese that Brother Fintan is so proud off, we have some fine honey that the bee's, with all their hard work have made for us to enjoy."

Naoise gratefully took the food that Brother Aidán held out to him, "Thank you Brother Aidán, you have been so good to me, I do not know how to repay you, how long have I been here, I seen to have lost tract of time. I must return to my sheep, my foot is much better, and I need to get back home, Rory has many other duties and can't do my job much longer, and I miss my Bran he will be lost with out me," said Naoise as he popped a piece of barley bread smeared with honey into his mouth.

" I know you miss your dog and friends, but Naoise, that foot is still very swollen, you still need to keep off it, I would give it another few days at least. I'm sure we can send one of the boys to help your friend with the sheep, eat up, I'll talk to brother Colman about it tomorrow, so just you rest for the night." Aidán said with his rosy cheeks bulging with bread and cheese.

Naoise spent the rest of the afternoon sitting quietly in the sun, watching the small boats come and go to the jetty at the bottom of the hill. All around, the world was a hive of industry as brothers busy, hurrying here and there about their business. From the rath beside the monastery, the hum of activity rose amid laughter. He watched as boys and girls swam in the summer waters of the lough, splashing the happy cries rising in the clear air. Brother Malachi crossed the courtyard, bringing a jug of water, and a platter of oatcakes smeared with butter and honey. “You need to keep your strength up Naoise, if you want to get back up that hill tomorrow. I think you should rest longer. What could you do if a wolf came now; it could eat you, so think on my son, I have asked Brother Ultan to find you a crutch I think you are going to need one for a while ”.