Ireland

Ireland is a large island to the north-west of the European mainland, to the west of the larger island of Britain. Ireland is often grouped with Britain as the "British Isles", which includes the hundreds of smaller islands dotted around the two large bodies. While modern Ireland is split in two, with the bulk being referred to by the island's name (Ireland) and the smaller portion being Northern Ireland (part of the United Kingdom, which includes the three nations of Britain; England, Scotland and Wales), for most of Ireland's history and mythology there were many kingdoms and peoples throughout the land.
Ireland may also be known as: Ierne
== Origins of Ireland ==
=== The First Settlers ===
According to Christian mythology, not long before the Great Flood of the Bible, a fifty-three group arrived in Ireland, led by a woman named Cessair. Of this large group, only three of them were male - her father, Bith, who was a son of Noah. Another of the three men was Fintan and the last was Ladra, the pilot of their ship. These three men shared all these women between them, with Cessair becoming a wife of Fintan. Ladra apparently died due to excessive sexual activity, and his women were then reallocated between the remaining two. However, then came the Great Flood, which swallowed Ireland and Bith drowned, with Fintan the only survivor. He managed to hide in a cave that the waters hadn't managed to consume. Fintan went on to become an immortal and a shape-shifter, and would give out his ancient wisdom to any that sought him outPage 23, Excursus I: Upheaval versus Gradualism, .
=== The Next Peoples ===
Aside from the immortal Fintan, in his cave, Ireland went unpopulated until a descendant of Japheth (son of Noah), named Partholon, arrived. He was a banished outlaw and at his back was a company of a thousandPage 23, Excursus I: Upheaval versus Gradualism, . Geoffrey Monmouth accounts that these men originally came to Ireland from Spain. Partholon was lost at sea, with thirty ships to accommodate his folk, and reached the Orkney Islands when the then British king learnt of them and gave them passage to the uninhabited Ireland. While Monmouth dated this to the 4th century, others attest that Partholon's arrival was much earlier. They cleared much of the land for farming, but they were harassed and attacked by a supernatural (possibly goblins or demons) race called the Fomoire (or Fomorians) and in the end they died to plague, leaving the land, again, uninhabited. Following this, however, came Nemed, who was a descendent of a brother to Partholon that had remained behind in Spain. He warred with the Fomorians, but he likewise died to plague. Yet, his followers continued on, though attacks from the Fomorians continued from their base on Tory Island, off of Donegal coast. When there were too few of them left to keep up with the assaults, the settlers separated into three groups and departed IrelandPage 24, Excursus I: Upheaval versus Gradualism, .
However, these new cultural groups would eventually return to Ireland, intent on retaking what was once their home. The Fir Bolg were the first to return, their entire colony being in a state of self-imposed exile from Greece, and they divided the island into pronvinces and established a King of Ireland. However, a second of the three dispersed groups would make a return to Ireland also. The Tuatha De Danann, whose name derived from the Mother of the Gods, Danu, arrived from the north, possibly Denmark (hence 'Dane') and landed in the province of Connacht. They were considered a people of great beauty, wisdom and art, and, significantly, some of the greatest in magic. Yet, conflict was inevitable and a great battle of Moytura saw the Dannan victors. The Fir Bolg, with far fewer numbers, were allocated the province of Connacht as their homeland - though some accounts suggest that the Fir Bolg fled Ireland entirely and went to the islands around Britain, such as the Isle of Arran. However, despite their great skill, the Tuatha De Dannan were then the new subjects of abuse for the Fomarians. In time, they were finally victorious over the Fomarians, but too weak to resist a new coloniserPage 24, Excursus I: Upheaval versus Gradualism, from the Mediterranean; the Milesians, led by the Sons of MilPage 25, Excursus I: Upheaval versus Gradualism, .
===The Irish===
The Milesians occupied Ireland as its new people, the descendants of the Irish today. The Fir Bolg remained in Connacht, and centuries later there would be those that claimed to be of Fir Bolg lineage. The Tuatha De Dannan, however, retired from the physical world and, using their powerful magic, into an unseen, yet still tethered, Otherworld. Later generations of Irish would go on to worship some of the Tuatha De Dannan as deitiesPage 25, Excursus I: Upheaval versus Gradualism, .
== References ==
Category:Locations
Category:Islands