Chapter 3
Not So Many Centuries B.C. And Just After.
Milesius was the King of the Milesians in Spain, and so grand a man was he that all was named after him. There are many stories told about the origins of his race and about the adventures before they came to Spain, and this one would be acceptable to anyone that believes in stones that talk.
Now out of Nimrod came Fenius to Egypt, and his son Nil married Scota, the daughter of the Pharaoh and they had many a son, and mighty men they were. Ancestors of the one to be named Gaedhuil Glas, meaning Green Gael. So it is that the Fenians are named from Fenius and the Scots from Scota and the Gaels from the Green Gael, and only pinpricking pedants and soulless Bearla’s would deny this.
When Pharaoh and his army chased the Irsaelites arcoss the Red Sea and were drowned, the remaining Egyptians howled and lamented and there was great resentment against the sons of Nil…why was it, they asked, that these “Nilites” gave no help to their Pharaoh and sat on their brown behinds and let their Pharaoh drown?
“Well now,” said the sons of Nil, ”let us be putting to you a hypothetical question. Supposing we had gone chasing Israelites with our chariots…wouldn’t we have been drowned also? And this would have been a good thing?”
The Egyptians thought it would have been a very good thing. So the people of Nil, like the true Irishmen they were to become, stole the dead Pharaoh’s ships, daughters and wives, pots and pans, etc, and sailed to Scythia, leaving their Egyptian kinsmen throwing stones (as they had taking the spears as well), and shouting on shore.
They soon became discontented because their existence was peaceful and they were not enjoying it, so off again they sailed down the Mediterranean and had themselves a grand time fighting North Africans every time they stopped to look over a piece of land, till they landed on the south coast of Spain. Here they began to breed and farm ,sing sad songs, argue, fight with one another, kill and be killed, till they had covered the whole of the country. The Egyptian-Spaniards were a grand lot, with honour in everything that they did, for was it not one of them that killed the last three mighty Spanish lions that walked the earth, with his own hands in one day. Aye, mighty men they were and some believe ancestors of the Murphys, of all people. Till this day, the Murphys had lions on their coat of arms. There are lions on the coat of arms of many other famous families also, for that matter, including the O’Grady, though no one has never heard of one of them doing anything to be worthy of the honour.
Well now, back to the story of how the Milesians came to Ireland and the telling is as true as any.
In Spain they were led by a fine fellow named Brath, nineteenth in descent from Fenius of Nimrod. As stated above, they conquered that part of the country called Gallicia and built a fine city there. Brigantia was its name. When Brath passed, one of his sons, named Breogan, succeeded to the command, by helping his brothers follow their late father into the next life.
On the coast of Gallicia he had built a mighty watch tower, from the top of a man could see hundreds of miles out to sea. And who’s to deny that, except scientists, who claim it to be impossible because of the curvature of the earth which limit’s the visible extent of the horizon? We would…for if it’s in the songs, and history told, then it was a mighty tall tower! And very useful for spotting potential enemies…such as Fomorian pirates, ones that were not killed, enslaved or married into the Tuatha de Dananns, or a Firbolg, who were still about.
On one fine day,with the wind out of the east dispersing the Atlantic mists, Ith, first son of Breogan, saw the coast of Ireland, and indeed he did, having eyes like a hawk, he had. And having a bold adventurous heart in him, he sailed away to be having a closer look and to put foot on soil.
Now the Tuatha de Dananns, which still ruled all of the land, save Connaught, had a close look at Ith and didn’t like what they saw. A spy he might be, for the Fomorians or even the black-hearted Firbolg. So they put a spear, two or three to tell the true, in him. His crew got his body back to the boat, and they took him home to Spain with his son Lugaid in command.
And a mighty cry sang out “Look what the heathens did…and him a peaceful man all of his days. Can we let him remain unavenged? Where be Milesius our king?” And after a time of drinking, crying, singing sad mournful songs, argue, shaking of spears, swords and battle axes, someone remembered that the mighty King Milesius was dead, but his sons were not. Cousins they were of Lugaid, with blood thicker than all the waters between Spain and Ireland.
With their father (Milesius) dead and buried, and nothing to keep them there, thought it would be a grand thing to avenge the death of their Uncle, and Lugaid would join them.
The names of Milesius six sons were Donn, Colpa, Amergin, Ir, Heber and Heremon, and they thought it best to take their mother along, as she had a fine arm with a spear also. Her name was Scota after Pharaoh’s daughter.
They manned thirty some ships, and a fine sight it was to see them brave the wild Atlantic, climbing the waves and shouting their slogans “Bloody unbelieving Heathens…May God have mercy on you!”, sailing to the coast of Eire…or Banba or Fodhla, to avenge the death of a kinsman.
The Tuatha de Dananns saw them coming, for they also had a mighty tower, and cast a spell over the whole of the island, so that they couldn’t find it. Now, being good and caring Christians, it was well known that the Tuatha de Dananns had sorcerers and necromancers famous throughout the whole world. And how could they do that, you may ask? How could they do it, indeed…for they did it!
And how did the Milesians eventually find the place? Because they were hungry, cold, wet and seasick, and where is the Irishman born who is not ever ready to extend succour and hospitality to those in need, including his enemies? The spell was lifted and the Milesians were graciously permitted to land and refresh themselves. And as soon as they were refreshed they wanted to fight. Now how could the Tuatha de Dananns fight when they had to do the cleaning up and no army ready? So back to the sea the Milesians were told, and when the Tuatha de Dananns were ready, then the Milesians could be coming to shore and fighting like gentlemen with honour…they agreed!
So the Milesains took their vessels out to sea again and waited a distance from the land.
And the Tuatha de Dananns once again cast a spell; this time over the ocean and raised a most terrible storm that’s ever been seen in the history of the country. Off the coast of Cork, it was. And if you, being a Christian, fine that you can not believe a tale as told, then take heart…for this happened in the time before Christ
Weather the Tuatha de Dananns caused the storm or not is arguable. But there was one, and the ships were scattered all about. And many, including those of Donn and Ir, were wrecked on different parts of the coast. Heremon and Colpa escaped to the north-east, were Colpa was drowned at the month of the Boyne. Others landed at Inver Scene, believed to be named after the wife of Amergin.
Now the poor Tuatha de Dananns, after ruling and keeping the peace for as long as anyone could remember, and in spite of their great magical powers, were defeated in a battle near Tralee, where Scota, wife of Miesius himself, fell…her arm with a spear the best of any man, but not so with a sword. And it is because of her the place is now called Glen-Scoheen.
Another great battle was fought at Teltown, in Meath. Here the Tuatha de Dananns chieftains Eathur, Teathur and Ceathur were killed, with their wives Eire, Banba and Fodhla.
In those days women did not leave the fighting to the men alone. They were always prepared to swing a sword or thrust a spear with or at anybody. Irish women today fight mainly with their tongues…and very good at it they are!
Seeing that the Tuatha de Dananns were being defeated and scattered by the Milesians, the Firbolgs that were hiding with the Fomorians, came out of Connaught to help, both sides. And that was the end of the Tuatha de Dananns, except for a few who married Milesians, or emigrated to other lands. But the Firbolgs were allowed to live and were given land and there was some intermarrying to confirm the arrangement.
Only three sons of Milesius and Scota survived…Heremon, Heber and Amergin. And they sat down to drink and divide the land.
Now Heremon and Heber thought it best that they would have half the island each, leaving Amergin with nothing at all. And there was nothing he could do about it, having lost most of his fellows in battle then the other two.
But, as is still the way with many women, the wife of Heber was not satisfied. She wanted a wee bit for herself. And what she wanted was all the finest and most fertile vales in all the country.
“To hell with you!” was Heremon’s great cry.
“You’ll not speak to me wife like that!!” was Heber’s.
And so they fought a grand battle at Geashill and Heremon killed Heber, and his wee wife also…her tongue still chatting two days after the battle, still wanting more.
This all pleased Amergin very much because now there was only one against him.
“I’ll be having the lot now!”
But all he had of it was the very small piece where Heremon buried him.
Then Heremon the Only, give Ulster, the land were God himself rested, to another Heber, the son of Ir, and Munster to the four sons of Heber his brother; and Connaught to two Milesian chieftains named Un and Eadan; and Leinster to a Firbolg.
He himself sat down at Tara, which was named after his wife, who was the daughter of Lugaid. And with his followers to put down rebellions he ruled over the whole of the land for fifteen years.
No one knows what happened to Lugaid, who started the whole thing by stirring up the sons of Milesius to avenge the death of his father. But there are plenty of people named Leary, which is how Lugaid is pronounced, who roam the world today with a lion and a ship on their coat of arms.
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