| History of Irish Myth In the Book of Invasions, it’s recorded that Syria invaded Greece and drove some of their inhabitants who we call the Tuatha de danann northward into Ireland and the area of Great Britain. The arrival of the Tuatha in Ireland and Britain is understood to have occurred in 1472 BC. (27) The Lebor Gabála Érenn is the Medieval Irish Christian pseudo-history, where Milesians are recorded as the final race to settle in Ireland. The Milesians represent the Irish people. According to John Carey in his book, The Irish National Origin-Legend: “The Milesians are Gaels who sailed to Ireland from Hispania after spending hundreds of years travelling the earth.” (28) In this next extract, an Irish poem titled the Voyage of Maeldune, from approximately 700 AD, we read about poplars and cypress trees reaching enormous heights: (I) I WAS the chief of the race—he had stricken my father dead— But I gather’d my fellows together, I swore I would strike off his head. Each of them look’d like a king, and was noble in birth as in worth, And each of them boasted he sprang from the oldest race upon earth. (III) And we came to the Silent Isle that we never had touch’d at before, Where a silent ocean always broke on a silent shore, And the brooks glitter’d on in the light without sound, and the long waterfall, Pour’d in a thunderless plunge to the base of the mountain walls, And the poplar and cypress unshaken by storm flourish’d up beyond sight, And the pine shot aloft from the crag to an unbelievable height, And high in the heaven above it there flicker’d a songless lark, And the cock couldn’t crow, and the bull couldn’t low, and the dog couldn’t bark. ---- The Voyage of Maeldune (Founded on an Irish Legend. AD 7OO) Alfred Tennyson In the next story, titled the Battle of Moytura, we read about the Tuatha de danann and the Fomorians, the earliest mythic people to settle the lands of Ireland. We also have our first story involving a cauldron: “There were four cities in which they learned lore and science and diabolic arts, to wit Falias and Gorias, Murias and Findias. Out of Falias was brought the Stone of Fal, which was in Tara. It used to roar under every king that would take the realm of Ireland. Out of Gorias was brought the Spear that Lug had. No battle was ever won against it or him who held it in his hand. Out of Findias was brought the Sword of Nuada. When it was drawn from its deadly sheath, no one ever escaped from it, and it was irresistible. Out of Murias was brought the Dagda's Cauldron. |
“Now the Tuatha de danann made an alliance with the Fomorians, and Balor grandson of Net gave his daughter Ethne to Cian son of Diancecht, and she brought forth the gifted child, Lug. The Tuatha De came with a great fleet to Ireland to take it from the Fir Bolg. They burnt their ships at once on reaching the district of Corcu Belgatan (that is, Connemara today), so that they should not think of retreating to them; and the smoke and the mist that came from the vessels filled the neighboring land and air. Therefore, it was conceived that they had arrived in clouds of mist. The first battle of Moytura was fought between them and the Fir Bolg; and the Fir Bolg were routed and a hundred thousand of them were slain, including their king Eochaid son of Ere. “In that battle, moreover, Nuada's hand was stricken off—it was Sreng son of Sengann that struck it off him— so Dian-cecht the leech put on him a hand of silver with the motion of every hand; and Credne the brazier was helping the leech.” Now remember this for the last chapters. His hand was stricken off and replaced with one made of silver. Later, at 133, we read: “Then Nuadu Silverhand and Macha the daughter of Ernmas fell at the hands of Balor grandson of Net. Casmael fell at the hands of Ochtriallach son of Indech. Lug and Balor of the piercing eye met in the battle. The latter had a destructive eye which was never opened except on a battlefield. Four men would raise the lid of the eye by a polished ring in its lid. The host which looked at that eye, even if they were many thousands in number, would offer no resistance to warriors. It had that poisonous power for this reason: once his father's druids were brewing magic. He came and looked over the window, and the fumes of the concoction affected the eye and the venomous power of the brew settled in it. Then he and Lug met … (134). “Lift up my eyelid, lad,” said Balor, “so I may see the talkative fellow who is conversing with me.” (135). The lid was raised from Balor's eye. Then Lug cast a sling stone at him which carried the eye through his head, and it was his own host that looked at it.” – Here is yet another example of the “evil eye” or the “eye of death,” the single eye, that when opened on the battlefield can kill men at a glance. The Fomorians are said, in several sources such as the Book of Invasions, to have originated from Africa. One example of this occurring is the “Giant’s Dance” at Stonehenge which first came from Africa to Ireland and from there, Merlin is said to exported it to Britain. The Milesian Celts are said to be descended from Scota, daughter of Pharaoh. (29) (27) White Goddess, p. 50 (28) Carey, John. The Irish National Origin-Legend: Synthetic Pseudohistory. University of Cambridge, 1994. pp.1–4 (29) Ploughing the Clouds., p. 14 |