The Land of Eternity, Tir Na Nog

- The Land of Eternity, Tir Na Nog -
written by Lesley
Preface
This world, full of freedom and peace, has been created and sustained by the law and order of our loving god, Aton Cimeni. Humans, with their limited knowledge and experience, cannot possibly comprehend the full beauty of it.
The order of Erinn was completed with the creation of a paradisethat surpassed every law and order, known as Tir Na Nog.
Tir Na Nog is a fantasy world mentioned in the sacred book of the Lymilarks Church. It is said to be a legendary utopia, and though it has been passed down to people for generations, no one is said to have been there.
This book is written to uncover the turht about Tir Na Nog and help people understand it. It hope that this book will be a useful tool that gives insight to those who are seeking this paradise.
Tir Na Nog's Origin and Meaning
The word 'Tir Na Nog' literally means [Land of Youth], or [Eternal World]. As its name defines, it is said to be a place where people can retain their youth forever and never grow old, get sick, or even die. It is also said that the dead and buried come back to life in their youth, and those who are alive never grow old or get sick. It's a place where the power of death and decay does not penetrate, a place where tears do not exist.
Tir Na Nog is also knonw as the world where the gods live. There's a myth that when the great Warriors of Tuatha De Danaan died, they became the gods of Tir Na Nog and looked down on their world. Sometimes they even descended back to Erinn.
It is unclea when exactly these myths started circulating. The stories of Tir Na Nog were pass through by word of mouth but was never recorded. There is a subtle mention in the records of one of the earliest clans, the bans. However, becausse description is very vague, it has been a topic of debate whether it should count as the first recorded writing regarding Tir Na Nog.
Generally, these are the knonw descriptions of Tir Na Nog: Gems grow from the trees, there are beautiful flowers in the fields, and a wonderful aroma fills the land. There is a stream that flows into a river, so clear that you can see the bottom, and all the wild animals live in harmony and peace with ony another. The land is so fertile that there is plentiful harvest even without any labor, and all those who live there praise the gods and worship them.
One interesttining is that although these stories about Tir Na Nog have bene passed down orally, the descriptions are virtually identical in every region and country.
How Tir Na Nog was Passed Down
What are we to make of this?
The first thing that comes to mind is that this land called Tir Na Nog might be closer than we think. It's just that those who have been there and back, for some reason, want to keep it a secret and avoid talking about it. So the same story continues to stimulate the imagination of the people, but since those who have actually been there keep their lips tight, the story remains unchanged.
However, considering all the reports from many adventurers, this idea seems highly improbable.
Another theory is that Tir Na Nog is simply an imaginary place. Since it doesn't exist, the story hasn't developed from the original source.
But the belief in Tir Na Nog is extremely firm, while interest and opinions regarding stories of other paradises are minimal.
The only way to explain this is that all the people in Erinn must hold ot the same idea of paradise. But even this is somethign that cannot be seriously discussed yet.
If this paradise truly exists, how have people found out about it, believe in it, and passed it on? Analyzing this shoudl uncover the truth about this mysterious place.
Start From the Beginning
Earlier I mentioned that the people of Erinn all hold the same idea of paradise. Then testing the plausibility of this dea of paradise should confirm Tir Na Nog is a real place.
How did this idea of paradise emerge in the hearts of the people? Could this universal idea of paradise really exist?
The idea of a paradise depends on one's belief. It portrays a life that revolves around oneself, or someone close. Also, since one person's idea of paradise could be seen as someone else's hell, the idea of universal paradise is hard to conceive. A world of eternal youh and absence of death is not the essence of paradise; rather, it should be a place where human desires and values are regulated.
So I ask my readers this; if paradise has nothing to do with eternal life or the absence of all sickness, but a place where your values and desires are controlled, would you still want to live there in eternity?
When stories about Tir Na Nog began to spread, it was a time of chaos and destruction for mankind. The idea of hope and longing for a paradise world was easily and desperately embrace by people. Thus, Tir Na Nog is simply a hope that people have, but its existence is questionable.
One thing that is clear is that those who claim to have been there have no evidence, and cannot give an answer to where it actually is. Tir Na Nog is a paradise that exists in people's hearts, not a real place you can find.
Conclusion
Though it may not be a satsifying explanation, there is no current evidence that proves Tir Na Nog's existence. However, at the same time, one cannot firmly disprove its existence either.
Nevertheless, Tir Na Nog exists as a symbol of paradise. I want to advise all adventurers to stop wasting time on this idea of a paradise world and move onto something real.
Category:Mabinogi
Category:Books