Ériu

latha, and Bres causes much trouble among the Tuatha Dé Dananns. The Story of the Tuatha De Danann

from the book of Leinster 1150 A.D. There after the progeny of Bethachs. Iarbonel the Soothsayers. Nemed were in the northern Islands of the world, learning druidry and knowledge and prophecy and magic, till they were expert in the arts of pagan cunning. So that they were the Tuatha De Danann who came to Ireland. In this wise they came, in dark clouds. They landed on the mountains of Conmaicne Rein in Connachta; and they brought a darkness over the sun for three days and three nights. They demanded battle of kingship of the Fir Bolg. A battle was fought between them, to wit the first battle of Mag Tuired, in which a hundred thousand of the Fir Bolg fell. Thereafter they [the TDD] took the kingship of Ireland. Those are the Tuatha Dea - gods were their men of arts, non-gods their husbandmen. They knew the incantations of druids, and charioteers, and trappers, and cupbearers. It is the Tuatha De Danann who brought with them the Great Fal, [that is, the Stone of Knowledge], which was in Temair, whence Ireland bears the name of "The Plain of Fal." He under whom it should utter a cry was King of Ireland; until Cu Chulainn smote it, for it uttered no cry under him nor under his fosterling, Lugaid, son of the three Finds of Emain. And from that out the stone uttered no cry save under Conn of Temair. Then its heart flew out from it [from Temair] to Tailltin, so that is the Heart of Fal which is there. Now Nuadu Airgetlam was king over the Tuatha De Danann for seven years before their coming into Ireland, until his arm was hewn from him in the first battle of Mag Tuired. Alldai, he was the first man of the Tuatha De Danann who fell in Ireland, by the hand of Nercon ua Semeoin, in the first battle of Mag Tuired. Ernmas, and Echtach, and Etargal, and Fiachra, and Tuirill Piccreo fell in the same battle. Bress s. Elada took the kingship of Ireland post, to the end of seven years, till the arm of Nuadu was healed: a silver arm with activity in every finger and every joint which Dian Cecht put upon him, Credne helping him. Tailltiu daughter of Mag Mor king of Spain, queen of the Fir Bolg, came after the slaughter was inflicted upon the Fir Bolg in that first battle of Mag Tuired to Coill Cuan: and the wood was cut down by her, so it was a plain under clover-flower before the end of a year. This is that Tailtiu who was wife of Eochu son of Erc king of Ireland till the Tuatha De Danann slew him, ut praediximus: it is he who took her from her father, from Spain; and it is she who slept with Eochu Garb son of Dui Dall of the Tuatha De Danann; and Cian son of Dian Cecht, whose other name was Scal Balb, gave her his son in fosterage, namely Lug, whose mother was Eithne daughter of Balar. So Tailltiu died in Tailltiu, and her name clave thereto and her grave is from the Seat of Tailltiu north-eastward. Her games were performed every year and her song of lamentation, by Lug. With gessa and feats of arms were they performed, a fortnight before Lugnasad and a fortnight after: under dicitur Lugnasad, that is, the celebration or the festil of Lug. To return to the Tuatha De Danann. Nuadu Airgatlam fell in the last battle of Mag Tuired, and Macha daughter of Ernmas, at the hands of Balar the strong-smiter. In that battle there fell Ogma s. Elada at the hands of Indech son of the De Domnann, king of the Fomhoire. Bruidne and Casmael fell at the hands of Ochtriallach s. Indech. After the death of Nuadu and of those men, Lug took the kingship of Ireland, and his grandfather Balar the Strong-smiter fell at his hands, with a stone from his sling. Lug was forty years in the kingship of Ireland after the last battle of Mag Tuired, and there were twenty-seven years between the battles. Then Eochu Ollathair, the great Dagda, son of Elada, was eighty years in the kingship of Ireland. His three sons were Oengus and Aed and Cermat Coem; the three sons of Dian Cecht, Cu and Cethen and Cian. Dian Cecht had three sons, Cu, Cehten and Cian. Miach was the fourth son though many do not reckon him. His daughter was Etan the Poetess, and Airmed the she-leech was the other daughter: and Coirpre, son of Etan was the poet. Crichinbel and Bruidne and Casmael were the three satirists. Be Chuille and Dianann were the two she-farmers. The three sons of Cermad son of The Dagda were Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht, Mac Greine: Sethor and Tethor and Cethor were their names. Fotla and Banba and Eriu were their three wives. Fea and Nemaind were the two wives of Net, a quo Ailech Neit. Flidais, of whom is the "Cattle of Flidais"; her four daughters were Argoen and Be Chuille and Dinand and Be Theite. The two royal oxen were Fea and Femen, of whom are the Plain of Fea and the Plain of Femen. Those were two faithful oxen. Torc Triath was king of the boars, from whom is Mag Treitherne. Cirba was king of the wethers, from whom is Mag Cirba. Math son of Umor was the druid. Badb and Macha and Anand, of whom are the Paps of Anu in Luachar were the three daughters of Ernmas the she-farmer. Goibniu the smith, Luicne the carpenter, Creidne the wright, Dian Cecht the leech. Delbaeth after The Dagda, ten years in the kingship of Ireland, till he fell, with his son Ollom, at the hands of Caicher s. Nama, frater of Nechtan. Fiacha s. Delbaeth took the kingship of Ireland after his father, another ten years, till he fell, along with Ai s. Ollom, at the hands of Eogan Inbir. Twenty-nine years had the grandsons of The Dagda in the kingship of Ireland, to wit Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht, and Mac Gréine: they divided Ireland into three parts. To them came the Gaedil to Ireland, so that they fell by the hands of three sons of Mil, avenging Ith, Cuailnge, and Fust, of the three sons of Breogan. Lug son of Ethliu, a cliff without a wrinkle, with him there first came a lofty assembly: after the coming of Christ, it is no idle proclamation Conchobar the wise and violent died. Orbsen was the name of Manannan at first, and from him is named Loch Orbsen in Connachta. When Manannan was being buried, it is then the lake burst over the land, [through the burial]. The six sons of Delbaeth s. Ogma s. Elada s. Delbaeth s. Net, were Fiachra, Ollam, Indui, Brian, Iucharba, Iuchar. Donann the daughter of the same Delbaeth was mother of the three last, Brian, Iucharba and Iuchar. These were the three gods of Danu, from whom is named the Mountain of the Three gods. And that Delbaeth had the name Tuirell Bicreo. Tuirills. Cait moreover was the grandfather of Corpre the poet, and Etan d. Dian Cecht was mother of that Tuirill. The three sons of Cermait, moreover, ut diximus; Mac Cuill - Sethor, the hazel his God; Mac Cecht - Tethor, the ploughshare his God; Mac Greine - Cethor, the sun his God. Fotla was wife of Mac Cecht, Banba of Mac Cuill, Eriu of Mac Greine. Those were the three daughters of Fiachna son of Delbaeth.