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First Colonists
Taken from Inishowen It's History, Traditions, and Antiquities by
Maghtochair
O'Flaherty, following the annals of Clonmacnoise, fixes the arrival
of the first colonists in Ireland under Parthalon, in the year of
the world 1969. Parthalon, says Walsh, having landed with his colony
in Ireland divided the Island between his four sons, Er, Orbha,
Fearon and Ferghna: but, after three hundred years' residence in
this country, his posterity perished by a plague, after which the
country remained uninhabited for thirty years.
According to O'Flaherty, Nemedius, Great grand nephew of Parthalon,
having learned the tragic end of his relations in Ireland, embarked
with thirty-four transports, carrying 1,020 persons, besides his
wife and four sons, and took possession of the island. After twelve
years, his wife, Macha, died, and was buried at Ardmach; from which
circumstance Armagh takes its name. The colony of Nemedius was overthrown
by the Fomorians. Jobath, grandson of Nemedius, led a remnant of
his people into north Germany, and from these, according to Keating,
were descended the Tuatha de Danains.
In some time after, the Firbolgs or Belgians, another people of
Britain, to the number of 5,000 men, commanded by five chiefs, either
by defeat or desertion of the Fomorians, took possession of the
island. They divided it into five parts, which gave rise to the
pentarchy. Their dominion lasted eighty years, under nine kings,
the last of whom, Eogha, married Tailta, daughter of a Spanish prince,
who gave name to the place of her burial, still called Tailton,
in Meath.
In the reign of Eogha, the last of the Firbolg kings, the Tuatha
de Danains made a descent upon Ireland, gave battle to, and defeated
the Firbolgs at Partry, in the County of Mayo. The Tuatha de Danians,
noted magicians, arrived here from Cornwall, after having passed
through Norway and Denmark, and brought with them that celebrated
stone which they used at the coronation of their Kings, and which
was afterwards borrowed by Fergus I., of Scotland. It was preserved
in the Abbey of Scone, carried off by Edward I., of England, and
placed in the coronation chair in Westminster - Lia-Fail, or stone
of destiny. Inishowen, from its natural defences, formed a safe
retreat for the De Danians; here, accordingly, they built the stronghold
of Elagh, where their King, Kearmada, died, and where his sons,
Eathur, Teahur, and Keahur, reigned one year each, alternatively,
on the arrival of the Milesians.
According to the Psalter of Cashel, this colony held possession
of the island for the space of one hundred and ninety-seven years,
under seven of their kings, of whom the three sons of Kearmada who
represented their father, and who ruled on year alternatively for
a space of 30 years, were the last. Those three brothers, who were
married to three sisters, took surnames from the different idols
which they worshipped; and Ireland, which previously was called
Inisfail, changed its name with the reigning queen, and was called
alternatively Banba, Fodla, and Eire, Eathur, who espoused Banba,
was surnamed Maccuill, from the hazel tree which he adored. Teahur
married Fodla, and worshipped the plough. He was called Mac-Keaght,
Keahur, who married Eire, took the sun for his divinity, and was
called Mac-Greine, which means the son of the sun.
One morning early in Autumn, about 1,000 years before the Christian
era, a venerable man might be seen prostate on the beach at the
foot of that promontory known as Inishowen Head, He knelt there
to worship the sea god - to pour forth the gratitude of his heart
to Neptune for the happy termination of a long and perilous voyage.
His ship rode at anchor before him. No cloud darkened the deep blue
of the heavens, the air was calm, the sky lustrous, the sun had
just risen, and burnished with dazzling brightness the gentle ripple
which played on the surface of the waters. The stranger was Ith,
uncle of Milesius, who had sailed from Braganza, in Spain, in quest
of the most western isle of the word, which a soothsayer had declared
should be the final resting-place of his nation.
Many were the mutations and migrations of this people. Niul, son
of Fenius-Farsa, King of Scythia, son of Baath, son of Magog, second
son of Japhet, son of Noah, made a voyage into Egypt, where he married
Scota, daughter of Pharoah Cineris, and had issue a son, who was
called Gaodal-Glas, or Gadelas, from whom was descended the Gadelians.
Having lived in Egypt for three generations, the Gadelians greatly
increased in numbers, and were obliged, from the jealous fear of
the Egyptians, to depart, which they did, sailing to Crete, now
Candia. From Crete they proceeded to Scythia, thence in the course
of time to North Africa, where they remained for eight generations.
From Africa they crossed to Spain, then inhabited by the descendants
of Tubal, son of Japhet. Here, by right of conquest, they became
masters of the northern province, and built the town of Braganza,
so called from their chief, Breogan, grandfather of Milesius. Milesius
in turn became chief of the Gadelians, was twice married and the
father of eight sons, Donn, Aireach, Heber-Fionn, Ambergin, Ir,
Colpa, Aranann, and Heremon. He travelled much, did Milesius, and
greatly distinguished himself as a general and warrior, particularly
in the army of the King of Egypt, against the Ethiopians; and after
many dangers, toils, and difficulties, returned to Spain, where
he ended his days in peace.
Soon after his demise a famine arose, which determined the Milesians
to fit out an expedition to seek that fruitful Isle, that promised
land, which the chief Druid predicted should be theirs. Accordingly,
a vessel was fitted out with 150 soldiers on board, and to Ith,
recommended by his wisdom and experience, was given the command.
Having successfully overcome all the difficulties and anxieties
attendant on navigation at this early period, Ith landed at the
place above-mentioned, on that lovely morning. His devotions over,
he ascended the cliff, and with his footsteps brushing the dew off
the verdant turf, proceeded to the summit of a gentle eminence,
from which he beheld the first glimpse of Erinn. The whole face
of the country acknowledged the lavish kindness of Nature. Forests
of stately trees, oaks, larches, elms, and beeches, ran along the
hill sides, herds of lowing cattle fattened on the plains, and prosperity
and quiet content reigned in the hamlets of the peasantry.
At this period the country was in the possession, as has been stated,
of the Tuatha de Danains, and, in reply to Ith's inquiries, he was
informed by the people that their ruling princes were then at Oileag-Nead
(Aileach). Escorted by one hundred of his soldiers, he proceeded
to Aileach, where, on his arrival, he was honourably received by
the princes above-named, who, perceiving he was a man of much wisdom,
appointed him arbiter in a difference which existed between them
as to the right succession. Ith settled the differences to their
own satisfaction, congratulated them on the fruitfulness of the
soil and the healthiness of the climate, and took his leave. But
his wisdom, or rather his exercise of it in this case, proved his
ruin, for the De Danians, in dread that going to his own country
he might speedily raise an army to subdue them, pursued and overtook
him at Moy-Ith where an engagement took place, in which Ith was
wounded. He died on his voyage homewards, and his son carried the
body to Spain to inspire his people with revenge against the princes
of the western Isle. The Milesians immediately equipped a fleet
of sixty sail, in which the whole colony embarked and sailed for
Ireland. Arriving at the south coast they were overtaken by a fearful
hurricane, which scattered their fleet, so that not two of them
remained together, Donn perished with his entire crew, Arannan was
driven to sea, Ir was drowned, and his body found near Dingle, in
Kerry. Airach and Colpa were wrecked in Drogheda Bay, Heremon landed
at the mouth of the Boyne, and Heber, Amergin, and their attendants,
landed in Kerry.
The dangers from wind and wave over, they next encountered the
hostile De Danians, first at Slieve Mish in Kerry, under the princess
Eire, where they (the Milesians) obtained a victory; next at Tailton,
in Meath, where, after a hard-fought battle, the De Danains were
completely defeated, and their three princes killed. Thus were the
De Danains overthrown, after having governed Ireland for 197 years.
On the division of the country by the Milesians, the north was given
to Hever-Donn, the son of Ir, whose dependents were called Irians,
and who resided in Elagh until the time of Kimbaath, who, at the
desire of his queen, built the palace of Emhuan-Macha, near Armagh,
and made it his abode. The first of the Irians who attained the
dignity of monarch of Ireland was Rory, surnamed the Great, 87 years
before the birth of Christ, They were so proud of this monarch's
glory that they named the whole sept after him Clanna Rory
- children of Rory. The Clanna Rory reigned, almost uninterruptedly,
in Ulster till the fourth century of the Christian era. In 323 the
three Colla, sons of Eocha-Dubhlein, usurped the government of Ireland,
having made war against the monarch, in which they were successful,
and the oldest of the three was proclaimed in his stead; but, after
a reign of four years, they were obliged to quit the country, and
take shelter with the King of the Picts. Hearing afterwards that
the King of Ireland became merciful to them, they returned and obtained
his pardon. Having no possessions, the monarch advised them to establish
themselves in some part of the Kingdom, by right of conquest, and,
as he had an old grudge against the people of Ulster, he directed
them to enter that province, sword in hand, and reduce it, promising
to assist them with troops. On their arrival they were joined by
malcontents to the number of 7,000; with these and the monarch's
troops they commenced action, and, after a seven day's fight, Fergus-Fodha,
King of Ulster, was killed, his army cut to pieces, and the field
remained in possession of the conquerors, Forthwith they ruined
the palace of Eamhain, and formed the kingdom of Oriel, comprising
the present counties of Louth, Armagh, Monaghan, and part of Down
and Antrim, and drove the Clanna Rory into Derry, Tyrone and Donegal.
About the end of the fourth century the rule of the Collas in Ulster
was put an end to by the four sons of the monarch, Niall the Great,
who entered the northern country in arms, and took possession of
Tyrone and Donegal, with the neighbouring territories. To Carbre
was allotted Tefnia, Enna received Kinnel-Enna, and Owen and Conal
Gulban divided the County of Donegal between them. This peninsula
was a portion of Eoghain's or Owen's territory; hence its name,
Ennis-Owen, or the Island of Owen, though, strictly speaking, and,
as before observed, it is not an island, for the Foyle and Swilly,
which bound it on the east and west respectively, are separated
by an isthmus nearly four miles wide. The rest of Owen's possession
was Kinel-Eoghain, a portion of Northern Hy-Niellia, comprising
the County of Tyrone, afterwards the domain of the O'Neills, who
were descended from him. The remainder of County Donegal fell to
Conal Culban, and was named Tirconnell. Prince Eoghain repaired
the ancient castle of Elagh, in which he afterwards resided, and
from which he governed the mixed races of Irians and Hy-Nialls with
much happiness and tranquility.
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