MYTHOLOGY

Cauldron

 Excalibur
- King Arthur...
and his knights
- Lancellot

IRISH

Mythological Waves Of Celts Coming To Ireland

After the flood, the first settlers were the Partolons. Circa 2600 B.C., they won a battle against the Fomors. In 300 years, their number increased to 5.500; but 300 years after their arrival, the Partolons were stricken by the same disease and died on the plain. They brought: the working of gold, the first domesticated cattle, the first cauldron.

Next came the Nemeds coming from Scythia. They had to defeat the Fomors four times.

Because of a plague a lot of Nemeds died because they were weak. Two Fomor kings (Mork and Conan) built a Glass Tower on Tory Island and they exacted a tribute annually from the Nemeds: two–thirds of their grain, two-thirds of their children, two-thirds of their milk. Every year this tribute was collected on the first of November. So the Nemeds left.

The next wave of settlers was more important. The FIR BOLGS and FIR GAILION were like the people of Belgium and the people of Gaul. These were the southern groups of  Nemeds  who had left and were now returning. But later the northern groups returned as well. They were the TUATHA DE DANANN and had learned magic and poetry. They said they either came from the north or from the sky. When they arrived, it rained fire and blood for three days and a heavy fog covered everything so they could land. This was druidic work (=illusion). They brought with them four treasures:

1. The SWORD of NUADA (Nuada was their king; none could escape his sword).

2. LUGH’S SPEAR (the spear would tear through the ranks of the enemy and wipe them out.)

3. The DAGDA’S CAULDRON (from which none ever left hungry).

4. The STONE of FAL (a stone which would cry out when touched by the right king—see EXCALIBUR

The king of the Tuatha De Danann was NUADA, and the king of the Fir Bolgs was EOCHAID. The Fir Bolgs carrying short heavy spears, were shorter, heavier and darker. The Tuatha De Danann were concerned by these weapons.

The battle were individual between heroes and Eochaid was called . In this battle, Nuada lost his right hand at the wrist. The Tuatha De Danann won.

When only 300 Fir Bolgs were left, they moved to what we call CONNACHT in the northwestern corner of Ireland. This area takes up one fifth of the land. At this time, Ireland  was divided in five parts. The modern Irish are considered to be descended from the Fir Bolgs. The Northwest was Connacht, the Northeast was ULSTER, the Center East was MEATH, the Southeast was MUNSTER, the Southwest was LEINSTER. Meath has since disappeared. Ireland is now in four quarters.

The Tuatha De Danann (TDD) managed to keep peace with the Fomors. Eventually, Nuada had to step down because the king was required to be perfect, and he had lost his hand.

BRES, who was the king of  the Formors and a sort of subjugate king of the TDD, was removed from the throne. This led to a war: THE SECOND BATTLE OF MAGH TUIREDH.

The TDD won and the MILESIANS, led by MIL, appeared and a new battle followed. The TDD were defeated.

It is not known where the TDD went after the battle, but a part of them went underground, living in barrows with an entrance stone.

They were called SIDHE. The Men of Sidhe: ( FIR SIDHE ), and the Women of Sidhe: (BEAN SIDHE ), which evolved into the word “BANSHEE”.

Later, they shrank and became known as LEPRECHAUNS.

(Carlo Calzolari, Jacopo De Martini.)