....The Age of the World ^[1] This is according to the computation of the Septuagint, as given by St. Jerome in his addition of the Chronicon of Eusebius, from whom, no doubt, the Four Masters took this date.
According to the Annals of Clonmacnoise and various ancient Irish historical poems, 1656 years had elapsed from the Creation to the Flood, which was the computation of the Hebrews. to this Year of the Deluge.
Forty days before the Deluge, Ceasair ^[2] Cessair Fictional lady, leader of the imagined first ever settlement in Ireland. The mediaeval writers claimed that she was a grand-daughter of the Biblical Noah and that she came to Ireland to escape the Deluge. 'She thought it probable that a place where people had never come before, and where no evil or sin had been committed, and which was free from the world's reptiles and monsters, that place would be free from the flood.'
Two of her three ships were wrecked and only one came ashore at Corca Dhuibhne (the Dingle Peninsula in Co. Kerry). Ladra was the pilot, Bith, son of Noah, was Cessair's father, and Fionntan, were the men of the crew.
The women were divided among them, with Cessair being part of Fionntan's share. The other two men soon died and, being left alone with all the women, Fionntan felt inadequate and fled from them. Cessair died from a broken heart on account of his absence, and the other women did not long survive her. Fionntan alone remained. came to Ireland ^[3] This story of the coming of Ceasair, the grand-daughter of Noah, to Ireland, is given in the Book of Leinster, in all copies of the Book of Invasions; in the Book of Fenagh; and in Giraldus Cambrensis's Topographia Hibernica. It is also given in Mageoghegan's translation of the Annals of Clonmacnoise; but the translator remarks: "my author, Eochy O'Flannagan, giveth no credit to that fabulous tale." Hanmer also gives this story, as does Keating; but they do not appear to believe it, "because," says the latter, "I cannot conceive how the Irish antiquaries could have obtained the accounts of those who arrived in Ireland before the Flood, unless they were communicated by those aerial demons, or familiar sprites, who waited on them in times of paganism, or that they found them engraved on stones after the Deluge had subsided." The latter opinion had been propunded by Giraldus Cambrensis, in the twelfth century. with fifty girls and three men; ^[4] According to the Book of Lecan, the Leabhar-Gabhala of the O'Clery's, and Keating's History of Ireland, they put in at Dun-na-mbarc, in Corca-Duibhne, now Corcaguiny, a barony in the west of Kerry. There is no place in Corcaguiny at present known as having borne the name; and the Editor is of opinion that "Corca Duibhne" is an error of transcribers for "Corca-Luighe," and that the place referred to is Dun-na-m-barc, in Corca-Luighe, now Dunamark, in the parish of Kilcommoge, barony of Bantry, and county of Cork. Bith, Ladhra, and Fintain, their names.
Ladhra died at Ard-Ladhrann ^[5] Ladhra's Hill or Height. This was the name of a place on the sea coast, in the east of the present county of Wexford. The name is now obsolete; but the Editor thinks that it was applied originally to Ardamine, in the east of the county of Wexford, where there is a curious moat near the sea coast. The tribe of Cinel-Cobhthaigh were seated at this place. and from him it is named, He was the first that died ^[6] Literally, "the first dead [man] of Ireland." in Ireland. Bith died at Sliabh Beatha ^[7] Bith's Mountain. Now anglice Slieve Beagh, a mountain on the confines of the counties of Fermanagh and Monaghan. and was interred in the carn of Sliabh Beatha, ^[8] This carn still exists, and is situated on that part of the mountain of Slieve Beagh which extends across a portion of the parish of Clones belonging to the county of Fermanagh. -- see note under AD 1593. If this carn be ever explored, it may furnish evidences of the true period of the arrival of Bith. and from him the mountain is named.
Ceasair died at Cuil-Ceasra, in Connaught, and was interred in Carn-Ceasra. ^[9] O'Flaherty states in his Ogygia, that Knockmea, a hill in the barony of Clare, and county of Galway, is thought to be this Carn-Ceasra, and that Cuil-Ceasra was near it. This hill has on its summit a very ancient carn, or sepulchral heap of stones; but the name of Ceasair is not remembered in connexion with it, for it is believed that this is the carn of Finnbheara, who is believed by the peasantry to be king of the fairies of Connaught. Giraldus Cambrensis states that the place where Ceasair was buried was called Caesarae tumulus in his own time. But O'Flaherty's opinion must be wrong, for in Eochaidh O' Flynn's poem on the early colonization of Ireland, as in the Book of Leinster, Carn-Ceasra is placed over the fruitful [River] Boyle. It is distinctly stated in the Leabhar Gabhala of the O'Clerys that Carn-Ceasair was on the bank of the River Boyle, and that Cuil-Ceasra was in the same neighborhood. Cuil-Ceasra is mentioned in the Annals of Kilronan, at the year 1571 , as on the River Boyle. From Fintan is [named] Feart-Fintain, ^[10] Fintain's grave. This place, which was otherwise called Tultuine, is described as in the territory of Aradh, over Loch Deirgdheirc, now Lough Derg, an expansion of the Shannon, between Killaloe and Portumna. According to a wild legend, preserved in Leabhar-na-h-Uidhri, in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy, this Fintan survived the Deluge, and lived till the reign of Dermot, son of Fergus Ceirbheoil, having during this period undergone various transmigrations; from which O'Flaherty infers that the Irish Druids held the doctrine of the Metempsychosis. over Loch Deirgdheirc. From the Deluge until Parthalon ^[11] Having been thirty years in Ireland, Parthalán died on the primeval plain of Sean-Mhagh nEalta. His people continued to inhabit the country for five hundred and twenty years. When they numbered over nine thousand, they were overtaken by a plague on that same plain and all perished there between two Mondays in May. A variant telling, however, had one survivor, the long-living Tuán mac Cairill. took possession of Ireland 278 years; and the age of the world when he arrived in it, 2520.

Tuathal Teachtmhar, after having been thirty years in the sovereignty of Ireland, was slain by Mal, son of Rochraidhe, King of Ulster, in Magh-Line, at Moin-an-chatha, in Dal-Araidhe, where the two rivers, Ollar and Ollarbha, spring. Ceanngubha is the name of the hill on which he was killed, as this quatrain proves: ollar and Ollarbha, Ceann-gubha lordly, noble, Are not names [given] without a cause, The day that Tuathal was killed. And as was also said: Tuathal, for whom the land was fair, chief of Meath of a thousand heroes, Was wounded, -that chief of fair Freamhainn- on the side of the hill of Gleann-an-Ghabhann.

The first year of the joint reign of Muimhne, Luighne, and Laighne, sons of Eremon, over Ireland.

At the end of these three years Muimhne died at Cruachain. Luighne and Laighne fell in the battle of Ard-Ladhron^[141] See note under AW 2242 by the sons of Emhear. Er, Orba, Fearon, and Fergen,^[142] Called Feorgna in Mageoghegan's Annals of Clonmacnoise, in Keating's History of Ireland, and most of the genealogical accounts of the race of Heber-Finn. the four sons of Emer, reigned half a year. This half year and the half year of Nuadhat Neacht make a full year; and to Nuadhat Neacht it is reckoned in the age of the world. These sons of Emer were slain by Irial Faidh,^[143] Called "Irialus Vates" by Dr. Lynch and O'Flaherty, and "Iriell the Prophet," by Connell Mageoghegan. son of Eremon, in the battle of Cuil-Marta,^[144] Not identified. It is called Cuilmartra by O'Flaherty. at the end of the half year aforesaid.

At the end of this, the tenth year of the reign of Irial Faidh, son of Eremon, he died at Magh-Muaidhe.^[145] This may be the plain of the River Moy, flowing between the counties of Mayo and Sligo, in Connaught; but the name was also applied to a plain near the hill of Cnoc Muaidhe, now Knockmoy, six miles south-east of Tuam, in the county of Galway, which is probably the place alluded to in the text. -See Tribes and Customs of Hy-Many, p.6. It was by this Irial Faidh the following battles were fought: the battle of Cuil-marta; the battle of Ard-Inmaoith,^[146] Would be anglicised Ard-invy, but the name is obsolete. in Teathbha, in which fell Stirne, son of Dubh, son of Fomhor; the battle of Tenmaighe,^[147] This plain is referred to as in Connaught, under AW 3549, but the name is now unknown. in which fell Eocha Echcheann, king of the Fomorians; the battle of Lochmaighe,^[148] This is probably Loughma, near Thurles, in the county of Tipperary.- See Luachmagh, AD 1598. in which fell Lughroth, son of Mofemis of the Firbolgs. It was in the time of the same Irial that the clearing of the plains, the erection of the forts, and the eruption of the rivers following, took place. These are the plains: Magh-Sele, in Ui-Neill;^[149] i.e. the Plain of the River Sele, in the country of the southern Ui-Neill, that is, Meath. The River Sele, which gave name to this place, is now called the Blackwater. It rises in Lough Ramor, near Virginia, in the county of Cavan, and flowing through the barony of Upper Kells, by Tailten, in Meath, pays its tribute to the Boyne at Dubh-chomar, now the town of Navan. This river is distinctly mentioned as near Taltenia, in the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, lib. ii. c. 4, apud Colgan, Trias Thaum, p. 129; and Colgan observes, in a note, p. 173, that it was, in his own time, called Abha-dhubh. Magh nEle,^[150] Now Moyelly, a townland in the parish of Kilmanaghan, barony of Kilcoursey, and King's County, famous as having been the residence of Finn Mac Cumhail in the third century, and of Colonel Grace in the seventeenth - See note under AD 1475, and note under AD 1418. in Leinster; Magh-Reicheat;^[151] Keating adds that this plain is in Laoighis, i.e. Leix, in the present Queen's County; but in the Preface to the Feilire-Aenguis it is mentioned as a plain in Ui-Failghe (Offaly), containing the church of Cuil-Beannchair, now Coolbanagher, alias Whitechurch. It is now called, in English, Morett, and is a manor in the barony of Portnahinch, adjoining the Great Heath of Maryborough, in the Queen's county. Magh-Sanais,^[152] Not identified. in Connaught; Magh-Techt, in Ui-Mac-Uais;^[153] Unknown. Ui-Mac Mais is believed to be the barony of Moygoish, in the county of Westmeath.-See O'Flaherty's Ogygia, part iii. 76. Magh-Faithne, in Airtheara;^[154] Called Magh Foithin is na h-iartharaibh by Keating, which is incorrect. Magh-Faithne is obsolete. Arthera is the Irish name of the baronies of Orior, in the county of Armagh. Magh-Dairbhreach,^[155] i.e. the Plain of the Oaks. This plain is situated at the foot of the hill of Croghan, in the north of the King's County. The territory of Fotharta Dairbhreach is referred to, in the old Irish authorities, as adjoining this hill, which was anciently called Bri-Eile.-See Ogygia, part iii. c. 64. in Fotharta Dairbhreach; Magh-Lughna,^[156] Keating calls this Magh Luinge. We are not told in which of the districts called Cianachta it was situated. in Cianachta; Magh-inis,^[157] i.e. the insular plain. This was the ancient name of the barony of Lecale, in the county of Down. -See Tripartite Life of St. Patrick in Trias Thaum, part iii. c. 60, and Colgan's note, p. 185. in Uladh; Magh-Cuilefeadha,^[158] Fearnmhagh, i.e. the Alder Plain, is the Irish name of the barony of Farney, in the county of Monaghan. Magh-Cuile-feadha, i.e. the Plain of the Corner or Angle of the Wood, was probably the ancient name of the district around Loughfea, in this barony. in Fearnmhagh; Magh-Comair;^[159] i.e. the Plain of the Confluence. Keating places this in Ui-Neill, i.e. in Meath. It was probably the plain around Cummer, near Clonard, in Meath. There is another Magh-Comair, now anglicised Muckamore, near the town of Antrim, in the county of Antrim. Magh-Midhe;^[160] This is placed in Cianachta by Keating. Magh-Cobha;^[161] This is placed in Ui-Eathach, i.e. Iveagh, in Ulster, by Keating. -See note under AD 1252. Magh-Cuma,^[162] Unknown. in Ui-Neill; Magh-Fearnmhaighe,^[163] now Farney, a barony in the south of the county of Monaghan. in Oirghialla; and Magh-Riada.^[164] This was the ancient name of a plain in Laoighis, or Leix, in the present Queen's County, and contained the forts of Lec-Reda and Rath-Bacain, where the chiefs of Laoighis resided, and the church called Domhnach-mor. -See the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick in Trias Thaum., p. 155. these are the forts: Rath-Croich,^[165] i.e. in the barony of Lecale, in the county of Down. Not identified. in Magh-inis; Rath-Cuinceadha, in Seimhne;^[166] Island Magee, in the county of Antrim, was anciently called Rinn-Seimhne, and this fort was probably on it, but the name is obsolete. Rath-Bacain, in Latharna;^[167] i.e. in Larne, a territory, in the county of Antrim, now included in the barony of Upper Glenarm. The name of this fort is obsolete. Rath-Lochaid, at Glascharn;^[168] Both names unknown. Rath-glaisicuilg, which is called Rath-Ciombaoith,^[169] This was the name of one of the forts at Emania, or the Navan, near Armagh. There was another fort of the name in the plain of Seimhne, near Island-Magee, in the present county of Antrim. at Eamhain; Rath-Mothaigh;^[170] Now Raith-Mothaigh, anglicised Ryemoghy, in the parish of the same name, in the barony of Raphoe and the county of Donegal; and there can be little doubt that Sleachtmhagh was the name of a plain in this parish. Rath-Buirg,^[171] Called Rath-Buirech by Keating. Not identified. in Sleachtmhagh. The rivers were the Siuir,^[172] Now anglicised "The Suir," which rises in Sliabh Aldiuin, or the Devil's Bit Mountain, in the barony of Ikerrin, and county of Tipperary, and flowing by or through Thurles, Holycross, Golden Bridge, and Cahir, Ardfinan and Carrick-on-Suir, and Waterford, finally unites with the Barrow, at Comar-na na dtri n-Uisceadh, about a mile below Waterford. Feil,^[173] There is a river of this name in the county of Kerry, giving name to the village of Abbeyfeale, by which it passes; but it is quite evident, from the Leabhar-Gabhala of the O'Clerys, that the river Corrane, which flows from Loch Luighdheach, alias Corrane Lough in the barony of Iveragh, in the west of the same county, was also originally called "Abhainn-Feile," and that is the river here alluded to. Ercre,^[174] Now unknown. in Munster; the three Finns;^[175] The River Finn, flowing through the barony of Raphoe, in the county of Donegal, was the principal one of these. The other two were probably tributary streams to it. and the three Coimdes.^[176] Not identified.

This was the first year of the reign of Eithrial, son of Irial Faidh, over Ireland.

The twentieth year of the reign of Eithrial, son of Irial Faidh, son of Eremon, when he fell by Conmhael, son of Emer, in the battle of Raeire.^[177] Genit. Raeireann. O'Flaherty says that this is the name of a hill in Hyfalgia, but does not tell us its exact situation. It is the place now called Raeire mor, in the territory of Iregan, or barony of Tinnahinch, in the Queen's county, which was a part of the ancient Ui-Failghe, or Offaly. There is another place of the name in the territory of Ui-Muireadhaigh, near Athy, in the county of Kildare. It was in the reign of this Eithrial that these plains were cleared: Teanmagh,^[178] Unknown in Connaught; Magh Lughadh,^[179] Unknown. in Luighne; Magh-Bealaigh, in Ui-Tuirtre;^[180] i.e. plain of the road or pass. Ui-Tuirtre was the name of a tribe and territory in the present county of Antrim, but the name of the plain is unknown. Magh-Geisille,^[181] i.e. the plain of Geshill. This was the ancient name of a plain included in the present barony of Geshill, in the King's County. in Ui-Failghe; Magh-ochtair, in Leinster;^[182] Unknown. Lochmagh, in Conaille;^[183] Keating places this in Connaught. Magh-roth.^[184] Called by Keating Magh-rath. This was the name of a plain in the present county of Down, the position of which is determined by the village of Moira.

This was the first year of the reign of Conmael, son of Emer, over Ireland. He was the first king of Ireland from Munster.

Conmael, son of Emer, having been thirty years in the sovereignty of Ireland, fell, in the battle of Aenach-Macha^[185] This was another name for Emania, or the Navan fort, near Armagh. Keating says that Conmael was buried at the south side of Aenach-Macha, at a place then called Feart Conmhaoil.- See Halliday's edit., p. 320. by Tighernmus,^[186] Tighearnmhas Fictional king of Ireland situated in prehistory. His name means 'lordly'. He is described as a descendant of Éireamhon, and is said to have slain Conmhaol, son of Éibhear, and to have won thrice nine battles in one year. It is further stated that, during his reign, the first gold-mine in Ireland was discovered in the territory of the Fotharta of the eastern Liffey (i.e. near Naas in Co Kildare). Tighearnmhas employed a wright called Iuchadán to make a brooch for him from the gold. Also attributed to Tighearnmhas were the making of the first goblets and silver vessels, and the first use of the colours purple, blue, and green on garments. He ordained that colours of garments be worn according to social status - one colour for bondsmen, two for peasants, three for paid warriors, four for lords, five for chieftains, six for learned men, and seven for royalty. Tighearnmhas was said to have originated the worship of the idol Crom Cruach (see Crom) at Magh Sléacht (the plain at Tullyhaw in Co Cavan). He went to that place at Samhain (November) accompanied by the men of Ireland, but was overtaken by some unspecified disaster and died there along with three-fourths of his followers. He is clearly the invention of the mediaeval writers and, although his reign is ascribed to the pagan era, his sudden death was meant to signify the wrath of God against the sin of idolatry. son of Follach. By Conmael had been fought these battles: the battle of Geisill,^[187] Now Geshil, in the King's County. in which fell Palap, son of Eremon; the battle of Berra;^[188] This is probably Berehaven, in the south-west of the county of Cork. the battle of Sliabh Beatha,^[189] There is no Sliabh Beatha in Ireland but that on the borders of the counties of Fermanagh and Monaghan, already mentioned under AW 2242. in Ui Creamhthainn; the battle of Uchra;^[190] Not identified. the battle of Cnucha;^[191] This place is described as over the river Liffey, in Leinster. -See Keating in the reign of Lughaidh Mac Con, and the Battle of Cnucha. It was probably the battle of Castleknock. the battle of Sliabh Modhairn,^[192] This was the ancient name of a range of heights near Ballybay, in the barony of Cremorne, and county of Monaghan. The Mourne mountains, in the south of the county of Down, were originally called Beanna Boirche, and had not received their present name before the fourteenth century. in which fell Semroth, son of Inboith; the battle of Clere;^[193] Not identified. It may be Cape Clear, Co. Cork, or Clare Island, county Mayo. the battle of Carnmor,^[194] This was probably Carn-mor Sleibhe Beatha, for the situation of which see AW 2242. in which fell Ollach; the battle of Loch Lein,^[195] The lakes at Killarney were originally so called. The name is now applied to the upper lake only. against the Ernai^[196] A sept of the Firbolgs, seated in the present county of Kerry. and Martinei,^[197] A sept of the Firbolgs anciently seated in the baronies of Coshlea and Small County, in the county of Limerick, and in that of Clanwilliam, in the county of Tipperary. -See book of Lismore, fol 176, a. a. where Emly is referred to as in the very centre of this territory. and against Mogh Ruith, son of Mofebis of the Firbolgs; the battle of Ele.^[198] A territory in the south of the King's County.

The first year of the reign of Tighernmas, son of Folloch, over Ireland.