Ancient tribes of Ireland
The first group mentioned in the book is Cesair, who was said to be the granddaughter of Noah—yes, the one from the flood. Why she set out on her own and didn’t join her family on the boat doesn’t seem to be addressed, but after reaching the shores of Ireland, there was a problem. Only three men survived the voyage, along with a host of ladies charged with populating the land. Needless to say, I’m sure the men did their best but the colony died out shortly.
The one tribe that appears to be present throughout the succeeding centuries was the Fomorians, a race of harsh, rough-hewn, seafarers. Some accounts say that they held deformity to be an asset, their king being Balor of the evil eye, who we’ll learn about at a later time. Suffice it to say, he was a nasty piece of work. They must not have been too repulsive, however, because Bres, the beautiful, was born of a Fomorian father, but that, too, is for later. This race, however, seems to be viewed more as raiders than residents according to Lebor Gabála Érenn, never really occupying the land themselves, but causing trouble for any tribe who intended to.
Moving along, the second group to arrive came just after the biblical flood waters had receded. They were led by a man called Partholón, who had fled Greece after killing his parents. Before he left, a curse was placed upon him, though it didn’t take effect immediately. As stated above, Partholón arrived in Ireland with his family and followers shortly after the great flood, where they cultivated the land, transforming the barren, untamed terrain into fruitful fields. As they explored the territory, however, they met up with the Fomorians in the north, and that’s when the trouble started. War broke out for dominance over the island, and at first, all seemed to be going Partholón’s way. He and his warriors won the day, and the Fomorians slipped away, likely returning to the untamed north or the islands off the coast.
Ultimately, Partholón’s victory was short-lived as reigns go, beginning and ending with him. But it was not the Fomorians that brought it to an end. That curse finally caught up with him, and within the space of a week, he and his entire retinue were wiped out by a plague. Their legacy wasn’t great advances in technology or culture, but an island far more habitable than they found it.
The next tribe to arrive was the Nemedians, or followers of Nemed. They made quick work of the Fomorians, killing their kings and taking control of the island. Until Nemed died, that is. The new Fomorian kings, Conand and Morc, saw it as an opportunity to exact their revenge and regain control. After emerging victorious, they imposed heavy taxes on the Nemedian people, virtually turning them into slaves. It didn’t take long for Nemed’s son, Fergus Lethderg, to have his fill of that, and after raising an army, he attacked the Fomorians. Once again, they lost.
Only a handful of the Nemedians remained when the dust cleared, and they fled the country at once. Some sailed to Greece, where they were again enslaved. In fact, the name Fir Bolg or bag men comes from that period when they were forced to carry bags of dirt across the rocky Greek hillsides so that beautiful flowers would grow. Perhaps deciding they were no better off in Greece, they chose to return to Ireland.
Five brothers and their followers returned to Ireland, managing to keep a low profile to avoid clashing with the Fomorians. It was these people who divided Ireland into five provinces, one for each brother. In the Middle Irish saga, The Settling of the Manor of Tara (Suidigud Tellaig Temra), the division of the five provinces is explained. Mumhain in the south was the land of music and poetry; Connacht to the west was known for learning and knowledge; the attributes of prosperity and hospitality were associated with Leinster in the east; and the skills of battle and war belonged to Ulaidh in the north. In the center of them all was Mide, the seat of kingship, where the Hill of Tara was situated.
Once more, all was peaceful until a second group of Nemed’s followers made their way to Ireland’s shores. While the dark-haired Fir Bolg had escaped to Greece, the Tuatha Dé Danann had sailed to the northern lands, where they studied magic and gained great knowledge and wisdom. When they returned to Ireland, war broke out once more, this time between the Fir Bolg and the Tuatha Dé Danann. This is where the well-known myths begin. Tales of gods and goddesses, magical weapons, and unbelievable adventures.
Mythology claimed the Tuatha Dé Danann arrived in great clouds and descended upon the land, though later accounts admit they came by ship. Possibly cloaked in a thick Irish mist? At any rate, the Tuatha Dé Danann defeated the Fir Bolg at the first Battle of Magh Tuireadh, but perhaps recognizing the vanquished as the kin of their ancestors, they allowed them to remain, living in the province of Connacht and on the Isle of Mann. Their ruler, Nuada, was a good and fair king, but during battle, he had lost his hand—or arm, depending on the source you reference. Legend suggests a law stating that no king could rule if he was disfigured, and so Nuada stepped down. Bres, whose mother belonged to the Tuatha Dé Danann while his father was a Fomorian, was chosen as their next king. Big mistake. Bres lacked the leadership and skill of a good ruler, and within seven years, his tyrannical behavior led to his removal from the position.
Angry at being ousted, Bres turned to his father’s people, the Fomorians, and once again, war wracked the island’s peace. But Nuada was back. He’d had a silver arm fashioned for him and resumed his position as king, easily defeating Bres and the Fomorians. Sadly, he died in the second Battle of Magh Tuireadh, though this time, Lugh, took charge. (More about him in Other Folklore.)
While this was the beginning of the Irish mythology we know today, it was not the end of the ancient invasions. I’m not going to attempt to tackle any invasions after the birth of Christ. At least, not in this article. However, by all accounts, a sixth wave of invaders arrived at least fifteen hundred years prior to that. The Milesians, who were reported to come from Spain or Portugal, were likely not Spaniards at all, but settlers from the east, who stopped there for a time during their search for Innisfail, their promised land. This, they were to find in Ireland.
While the Fir Bolg had been farmers, and the Tuatha Dé Danann brought culture and industry, the Milesians were warriors. According to legend, the Tuatha Dé Danann cast a spell to hinder their attackers, but the Milesians had spells of their own, and in the end, emerged victorious. In the terms of peace, they agreed to split the land with the Tuatha Dé Danann. They were a clever bunch, though, and once the terms were agreed to, they chose to divide it not north to south or east to west, but between the top half and the bottom. And so it was that the Tuatha Dé Danann were driven below ground, their descendants becoming the aos sidhe, or the fairy folk, who are said to live in burial mounds and certain trees throughout Ireland. These are not the tiny, winged creatures of fairy tales, however, but full-grown men and women, albeit with magical powers.
But why did the Milesians elevate the vanquished Tuatha Dé Danann to the status of gods? Why not bury their memory along with them? That, I’m afraid, is something to be pondered another day.