St. Mochua of Timahoe.

The Rooster, The Mouse & The Fly.

Timahoe’s Saint Mochua lived the devoted life of a hermit, and it is said he had few worldly possessions, save for his three pets, which were a rooster, a mouse and a fly.
The rooster it is said, would wake him early for prayer. If during the day, he fell asleep because of weakness from his penance, the mouse would nibble on his ear to rouse him.
The fly helped Mochua, by walking along each line of the Psalter as he read it, and if the Saint fell asleep, the fly would remain at the word he had last read, until the mouse intervened again!
Pictured is the sculpture of St.Mochua’s Desk, with the rooster, mouse and fly. The sculpture was created by Michael Burke with the staff and students of Scoil Mhuire Fatima in 2004, and can be found at Timahoe Heritage Centre.