Bard Mythologies

Arrival of the Celts – the Sons of Míl

// July 30th, 2009 // Irish Myths

The story goes that there was a great and wise leader in Scythia called Fénius the Ancient, a master of languages, as also was his grandson, Gael Glas. It is said that, when Gael was a child, he was stung by a serpent but was cured by Moses. They became great friends, and Moses said that his descendants would live in a land forever safe from serpents. Many years later, these descendants set out to the west. At sea, they were put astray and bewildered by the singing of mermaids, but eventually their druid Caichear found a remedy for this by melting wax in their ears. They landed in Spain, where they established a kingdom.

Their king at that time, Breoghan, built a great tower on the coast of Galicia. On one clear winter evening his son, Íth, was looking out northwards from that tower, and he saw Ireland. Íth set out for there with some followers, and at Aileach (near Derry) he met the three kings of the Tuatha Dé Danann, who ruled the country. These kings were meeting to divide the treasures of Ireland between them. Íth gave advice to them on how the division should be made, but they were suspicious of him and had him slain as he returned to his ship.

Another son of Breoghan was called Bile, and his son again was Míl. When Míl grew up, he became curious concerning his relatives in the eastern world and went there. He had a very successful military career in several countries, and married Seang, the daughter of the Scythian king, and when she died he married Scota, daughter of the Pharaoh of Egypt. Remembering the prophecy that his people would settle in Ireland, however, returned to Spain, and there he reared his many children. Among them were Donn and Aireach, sons of Seang, and six sons of Scota called Éibhear, Amhairghin, Ír, Colpa, Éireannan, and Éireamhóin.

Míl in fact tarried so long in Spain that he died there, and the destiny of coming to Ireland fell to his sons. As they approached the country from the south-west, Éireannan fell from the mast of his ship and was drowned. Ír, rowed ahead, but his oar broke and he too was drowned. Finally, they landed at Inbhear Scéine (Kenmare Bay in Kerry) and Amhairghin was the first of them to set his foot on the soil of Ireland. He recited there the first poem ever in Ireland, in which he gave voice to the whole environment:

I am the wind on the sea, a strong wave striking land,

The noise of the wave, a stag with seven antler-tips;

I am a hawk on a cliff, a drop of sundew so pleasant;

I am a wild boar in courage, a salmon in a pool;

I am a man of wisdom, I am a victorious javelin in battle,

I kindle light in the head, for I am the poet, the wind on the sea!

They stopped at Sliabh Mis (near Tralee), and there they met the first of the three queens of the Tuatha Dé. She was called Banba, and she asked that they call the country after her. They agreed, and they made a similar promise to the second queen, Fódla, whom they met at Slieve Felim, on the border of Limerick and Tipperary. They met the third queen at Uisneach in Westmeath – she was called Éire, and they agreed that hers would be the principal name of the country. Finally, at Tara, they met with the three kings of the Tuatha Dé, husbands of the queens. These were Mac Coill, Mac Céacht, and Mac Gréine. These three cunningly sought a truce, asking that they be allowed to hold the country for three days more and that the sons of Míl retire nine waves from the shore for that period. Amhairghin, who was negotiator for the sons of Míl, agreed to this.

They returned to the sea off the south-west coast, but the druids of the Tuatha Dé sang spells against them, causing a storm which swept them far out to sea. Donn was livid with anger, but the wind rose against his ship and drowned him and his brother Aireach. Amhairghin then spoke a verse which calmed the waters, and came ashore with his group.  For their part, Éireamhóin and Colpa decided to sail right-handwise around Ireland, and they landed at the Boyne estuary. Colpa was the first to step ashore, and therefore the estuary was known as Inbhear Colpa. Only three of the sons of Míl were now alive, but at the battle of Tailtiu, in County Meath, they and their followers defeated the Tuatha Dé. It was agreed that they should have Ireland, but that the Tuatha Dé should keep all the fairy forts and raths as their residences.

Éireamhóin, son of Míl, became the new king of Ireland. From him and his brothers, most of the Irish people claimed descent, and thus called themselves by the poetic term ‘Milesians’.