The Coming of the Milesians

[Milesian]

They came from a land beyond the sea,
And now o'er the western main.
Set sail in their good ships, gallantly,
From the sunny lands of Spain.
"Oh, where's the isle we've seen in dreams,
Our destined home or grave?"
Thus sang they, as by the morning beams
They swept the Atlantic wave.

And lo, where afar o'er ocean shines
A sparkle of radiant green,
As though in that deep lay emerald mines
Whose light through the wave was seen.
"'Tis Inisfáil --- 'tis Inisfáil!"
Rings o'er the echoing sea;
While bending to heaven, the warriors hail
That home of the brave and free.

Then turned they unto the Eastern wave
Where now their Day-God's eye
A look of such sunny omen gave
As lighted up sea and sky.
No frown was seen through sky or sea,
Nor tear o'er leaf or sod,
When first on their Isle of Destiny
Our great forefathers trod.

("The Coming of the Milesians", by Thomas Moore)

[Gil]

Ah my friend, indeed we are brothers. You are the children of Milesius who have the blood of the Tuatha, we are the children of Milesius who stayed behind....

[Milesian]

Originally Posted by Manji

You are the children of Milesius who have the blood of the Tuatha

Well, we only took some of their women as wives and only the good looking ones at that. The rest we gave to the Cruthin (Picts) and sent them off packing to Alba (Scotland) where we wouldn't have to look at them again....well, not until we invaded there too

[Breogan]

THE GALICIAN ORIGIN OF IRELAND

From Galiza departured the sons of Milé, the legendary ancestor of Irish people. He was son of Bilé, one of the names of the god of Death, and this is the reason because Galiza is identyfied with the god of death in the Celtic Mythology.
According to the Book of Conquests and Arbois de Jubainville, Breogán, from the race of Milé, builded in a place called Brigántia a tower from which his son Ith made out the Irish coasts, "in a winter night in which if the air is clear, the man's view reaches the farest". Ith embarked along with three times thirty warriors and landed in the south-east of Ireland. In these times, the island belonged to Tuatha De Dannan, the gods of the day, the life and sciences and over her ruled the three sons of the god Dagdé. This three kings were gathered in the fortress of Airlech (near Dorry, Donegal) to distribute the Neit's estate, the god of war. Ith was well welcomed and the three kings asked him to arbitrate in the distribution. His sentence was his condemnation: "Act according to the laws of justice. The country you inhabitate is good, productive of fruits, honey, cheese, and fishes and it's warm, with no excesses of cold or hot". The three kings thought that Ith wanted to apoderarse of Ireland and decided to kill him. His expedition pals retrieved his corpse and they swear to avenge his memory.
Along with 36 chieftains to the front, each of them with his ship and his family, the race of Milé returned to Ireland. The three kings asked for a term to deliberate if they did battle or they gave hostages as a pledge for an agreement. They was granted the asked term and the sons of Milé moved away from the coast to a distance of nine waves. The Thuatha De Dannan song magic poems which raised a terrible wind that blowed the fleet toward the open sea. The sons of Milé knew that they were victims of an enchantment because the topsailmen checked that in the top of the masts didn't blow the wind. Amairgen, the wiseman of the expedition, song a prayer to the Irish land and the wind changed in an auspicious direction. Eber Dond, the elder of the sons of the race of Milé, misinterpreted this fact as a sign of success and said: "I will blow with the sword and the spear to all the inhabitants of Ireland".
Such words been uttered, the winds changed again, a storm was raised, the ships were scattered and the whole crews disappeared. Regathered the ships, the third landing was the definitive one. In the battle of Taltiu the three kings of Thuatha De Dannan perished and the sons of Milé took possession of Ireland.



http://usuarios.lycos.es/Celtic_Galiza/mile.html

[Ederico]

Upon seeing the title of this thread I feared our dear Milesian had eventually reproduced fearing an invasion of Irish ready to eliminate all our stocks of Guinness.

[Milesian]

Nice text

In the Annals of the Four Masters, the topic isn't given much coverage:
http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100005A/index.html

The Age of the World , 3500.
M3500.1

The fleet of the sone of Milidh came to Ireland at the end of this year, to take it from the Tuatha De Dananns; and they fought the battle of Sliabh Mis with them on the third day after landing. In this battle fell Scota, the daughter of Pharaoh, wife of Milidh; and the grave of Scota is to be seen between Sliabh Mis and the sea. Therein also fell Fas, the wife of Un, son of Uige, from whom is named Gleann Faisi. After this the sons of Milidh fought a battle at Tailtinn, against the three kinge of the Tuatha De Dananns, Mac Cuill, Mac Ceacht, and Mac Greine. The battle lasted for a long time, until Mac Ceacht fell by Eiremhon, Mac Cuill by Eimhear, and Mac Greine by Amhergin.

p.27
Their three queens were also slain; Eire by Suirghe, Fodhla by Edan, and Banba by Caicher. The battle was at length gained against the Tuatha De Dananns, and they were slaughtered wherever they were overtaken. There fell from the sons of Milidh, on the other hand, two illustrious chieftains, in following up the rout, namely Fuad at Sliabh Fuaid, and Cuailgne at Sliabh Cuailgne.

Nennius records it as such:

The learned of the Gaels give the following account of the
adventures of their ancient chiefs. There was a certain nobleman in exile in Egypt, after he had been banished out of the kingdom of Scythia, at the time when the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea, and Forann Pharoah, with his host, was drowned. The army that escaped without being drowned, banished out of Egypt the aforesaid noble exile, because he was the son-in-law of the Forann that was drowned there; i. e. Forann Cincris.

Afterwards the Scythians went, with their children, into Africa, to the altars of the Philistines, to the wells of Salmara, and between the Ruiseagde, and Mount Iasdaire, and across the River Mba1b, through the Mediterranean to the pillars of Hercules, beyond the sea of Gadidon to Spain; and they dwelt in Spain afterwards, until the sons of Miled Milesius of Spain came to Eri, with thirty boats, with thirty couples in each boat, at the end of a thousand and two years after Forann was drowned in the Red Sea. Rex autem eorum mersus est, i. e. the king, viz., Donn, was drowned at Tigh-Duinn. Three goddesses at that time held the sovereignty of Eri, namely, Folla, and Banba, and Eire, until three battles were gained over them by the sons of Milead, so that the sons of Milead afterwards took the kingdom.

Contentio magna facta est, i. e. there grew up a great dispute between the two sons of Milead, concerning the kingdom, until their Brehon pacified them, viz. Amergin of the white knee, son of Milead; and he was their poet. And this is the peace which he made, viz., to divide Eri into two parts, and Eber took the northern half, Herimon, the southern half, and their descendants inhabit this island to the present day.

[Milesian]

Originally Posted by Ederico Figallo

Upon seeing the title of this thread I feared our dear Milesian had eventually reproduced fearing an invasion of Irish ready to eliminate all our stocks of Guinness.

Don't worry, I will give you all 9 months advance warning of Judgement Day

[Gil]

The coming of the Milesians.... now that's awfull....

[Breogan]

"...Breogán, from the race of Milé, builded in a place called Brigántia a tower from which his son Ith made out the Irish coasts,..."

In this place, nowadays, there is a statue of Breogan near the Tower.
As you can see below.

[Breogan]

I must say I coudn't see Irish coasts from the Tower.
Well, I suppose Ith's sight was sharper than mine .

Anyway, Ireland...

Go mbeannaí Dia is Muire duit!

[Scáthach]

:d