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Scythia was located in an area north of Greece and east to the land now known as Turkey. They were nomads and famous horse warriors.     Family descent: 1. Fenius of Scythia  2. Nuil   3. Gaedhuil (Green Gael)    4. Milesius, King of Spain. . . . . married to Scota       5. Their sons were:           Donn           Amergin           Heber the Brown           Colpa           Ir           Heremon

The story of the Milesians begins in the far away land of Scythia. Gaedhuil, grandson of the King of Scythia was bitten by a poisonous serpent. His father, Nuil, a younger son of the king, carried the boy to the Israelites, where he asked for the aid of their leader, Moses. The man of God prayed over the child and touched him with his rod. The boy rose up, healed. Moses, told the boy that his descendants would go to a land in which no poisonous serpents would live. It would be an island which would be found in the track of the setting sun. The journey to Innisfail, the Island of Destiny, took three generations. A banner to honor Gaedhuil was made with a dead serpent mounted on a staff, representing the one used by Moses to heal the boy. Milesius, carried it with him on the search for the promised island. He traveled to Spain, and tarried there to rule as king.

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The early peoples of Ireland The Firbolg. Legend says came from Greece, where they had long been enslaved. They captured the ships of their masters and sailed to Ireland. The Fomorians were sea rovers and put the Firbolg into serfdom. Tuatha de Danaans were remarkable for their skill in arts and crafts. They may have been more civilized than the Milesians.

It was the explorer Ith, who first saw the island. He was brother to Milesius. Certain it was Innisfail he landed to explore the island. The Tuatha de Danaans, people who resided on the island, were suspicious of the strangers. Ith was mortally wounded. His followers carried him to his ship and sailed toward Spain and his family. He died at sea. His son, Lugaid (Lui or Leary), returned to the clan asking them to avenge his father's death and conquer the island. Milesius had died while Ith was away on the journey. His sons decided there was no more reason to stay in Spain. They headed toward the island with their cousin guiding them. At their head, was their widowed mother, Scotia.

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The Milesians had so much difficulty locating the island they perceived the Tuatha de Danaans had rendered it invisible by means of sorcery. At length, they sited the island, and beheld the first site of Innisfail, with it's green mountains and inviting bays. They dropped anchor and prepared to go ashore the following day. But, when they rose up the next morning they could only see a low ridge of land. More tricks, claimed the Milesians. Nevertheless, they reached the shore.

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It seems highly improbable that the warriors would actually allow a people they intended to conquer, time to prepare for war. But after reading similar situations in recent Irish history, I have concluded that this detail is likely to be true.

They approached the Tuatha de Danaans with spears and shields in hand. The people of the Danaans asked for a parley. They said that this was not a fair contest by the rules of war. The Danaans had no army prepared to oppose the invaders. They asked them to return to their ships to allow them time to prepare for battle. The Milesians debated the point and gave the final decision to Amergin, the second born of the brothers. He was known as the Learned Man of the clan and the brother most respected by the people. He was a poet and scholar, as well as warrior.

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Amergin decided the case of the Danaans had merit and with scrupulous obedience to his decision, the warriors returned to their ships and withdrew a distance from the island. The wait cost them dearly, for a storm came up that took the lives of several chiefs and their wives. The storm had blown the ships asunder so that when they landed the next time, they were scattered across the island. Some landed at the mouth of the river Boyne; others on the coast of Kerry.

The Tuatha de Danaans were not exterminated by the Milesians, whose numbers were small. It is certain that the two people formed the future population, many who still claim descent from Milesius.

A great battle was fought in a glen a few miles from Tralee, in which the Milesians were victorious. Scota had entered the battle carrying the battle flag of their ancestor, and was killed. She was buried beneath the royal cairn in Glen Scohene. There was a short, fierce battle at Cailtan in Meath that decided the fate of the island. The Tuatha de Danaans lost their kingdom and land. Their three kings, were dead.

 

This story was never given credence by serious scholars, who tended to think it was fabricated by the Bards. But, modern excavation has produced evidence of a great battle fought thousands of years ago on the exact site of the story. ---Dove

The Tuatha de Danaans lost rulership of the land and many lives, that day, but one of their own achieved infamy. Her name was Queen Eire. It is the name by which the island is still known today. Eire's land--- Eireland----Ireland.

 

Click here to see Eire

Click here for Roony's version of How Ireland Got It's Name.

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