Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

CHAPTER III: THE IRISH INVASION MYTHS 83The thirty survivors leave Ireland in despair. According to themost ancient belief they perished utterly, leaving no descendants,but later accounts, which endeavour to make sober history outof all these myths, represent one family, that of the chief Britan,as settling in Great Britain and giving their name to that country,while two others returned to Ireland, after many wanderings, asthe Firbolgs and People of Dana.The Coming of the FirbolgsWho were the Firbolgs, and what did they represent in Irishlegend? The name appears to mean “Men of the Bags,” and alegend was in later times invented to account for it. It was saidthat after settling in Greece they were oppressed by the peopleof that country, who set them to carry earth from the fertilevalleys up to the rocky hills, so as to make arable ground of thelatter. They did their task by means of leathern bags; but at last,growing weary of the oppression, they made boats or coraclesout of their bags, and set sail in them for Ireland. Nennius,however, says they came from Spain, for according to him all thevarious races that inhabited Ireland came originally from Spain;and “Spain” with him is a rationalistic rendering of the Celticwords designating the Land of the Dead. 77 They came in threegroups, the Fir-Bolg, the Fir-Domnan, and the Galioin, who are [103]all generally designated as Firbolgs. They play no great part inIrish mythical history, and a certain character of servility andinferiority appears to attach to them throughout.One of their kings, Eochy 78 mac Erc, took in marriage Taltiu,or Telta, daughter of the King of the “Great Plain” (the Land ofthe Dead). Telta had a palace at the place now called after her,Telltown (properly Teltin). There she died, and there, even inmediæval Ireland, a great annual assembly or fair was held in herhonour.The Coming of the People of Dana77 De Jubainville, “Irish Mythological Cycle,” p. 75.78 Pronounced “Yeo´hee.” See Glossary for this and other words.