 He settled as a hermit at Saighir (alternately called "Seir Kieran", or just "Seir") near to the Slieve Bloom Mountains, but soon disciples were attracted to him and a large monastery grew up round his cell, which became the chosen burial place for the Kings of Osraige.A tradition shared by all four "Lives" describes Ciarán as a holy man wearing skins, whose first pupils are animals in the forest.This corresponds to the image of him as a Western John the Baptist, wearing skins and dwelling in the wilderness, seemingly as a forerunner to St. Patrick as John was to Christ.