Page:The Mythology of All Races Vol 3 (Celtic and Slavic).djvu/74

 CHAPTER II TUATHA DÉ DANANN AND MILESIANS

HE annalistic account of the conquest of the Tuatha De Danann by the Milesians cannot conceal the divinity of the former nor the persistence of the belief in Druidic magic and supernatural power. M. d'Arbois has shown that the scheme which makes the Tuatha Dé Danann masters of Ireland for one hundred and sixty-nine years until the Milesians came is the invention of Gilla Coemain, who died in 1072. The Book of Invasions adopted it, and it assumes that the gods reigned in succession as kings until 1700 Even in Gilla Coemain's time, however, this scheme was not always accepted, for Tigernach in his Annals knows no historic Irish date before 305, while current tales showed that the gods were still alive at a much later date, e. g. in the time of Conchobar and Cúchulainn, alleged Irish contemporaries of Christ.$1$

When the Milesians arrived, three Kings of the Tuatha Dé Danann ruled—MacCuill ("Son of the Hazel"), MacCecht ("Son of the Plough"), and MacGréine ("Son of the Sun"), married respectively to Banba, Fotla, and Ériu, whose names are ancient names of Ireland, the last still surviving as "Erin."

Were these old eponymous goddesses, from whom parts of Ireland were supposed to have taken their names, or were they inventions of the annalists, derived from titles given to the country? The former is suggested by an incident in the story. The three Kings may have been gods of nature and agriculture, and in fighting the Milesians they were respectively slain by Eber, Airem ("Ploughman"), and Amairgen, singer of spells and giver of judgements. The Milesians were descendants of a