| The Coming of the Celts: By: Kisma k. Stepanich Faery Wicca: Book One The Milesian are the Celts, and wheresoever they came, had, before the dawn of history, subjugated the German people and established themselves in Central Europe. At about 1000 b.c.e (before common era), a great Celtic wave, breaking westward over the Rhine, penetrated into England, Scotland, and Ireland. Subsequently, a wave swept over the Pyrenees into the Spanish Peninsula. *They came from a land beyond the sea, And now o're 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 destin'd 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 Inisfail- ' tis inisfail! 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 the sky. No frown was seen through sky or sea, Nor tear o'er leaf or sod, When first their Isle of Destiny Our Great forefathers trod. - The Coming of the Milesians By: Thomas Moore, 1879* They were the fifth wave of invaders (Often refered to as the Sons of Mil) to wash into Ireland, and who put an end to the supreme reign of the De Danann. Their leader was Miled, or Milesius, whose wife was a Pharaoh's daughter named Scota. Miled's uncle, Ith, was first sent to Ireland, to bring them report upon it, but the De Danann, suspecting the purpose of his mission, killed Ith. Miled, having died in Spain, his eight sons, with their mother, Scota, their families and followers, at length set out on their venturous voyage to their isle of Destiny. Eventually they made land. Eber, with the survivors of his following, landed at Inver Sceni, In Bantry Bay. Afterwards, they defeated a De Danann host under Queen Eire, but lost their own Queen Scota in the battle. Eremon, with his people, landed at Inver Colpa, the mouth of the River Boyne, and when Eremon and Eber joined their forces in Meath, went against the De Danann in battle at Taillte. The three kings and the three queens of the De Danann were slain, many others also were killed, and the remainder dispersed. In the ancient Book of Leinster, Taillte was reported as left to Amergin, The Milesian poet and Judge, to divide Eire between the two races, and that he shrewdle did so with technical justice, giving all above ground to his own people, and all underround to the De Danann. However, the De Danann great immortal, Manannan mac Lir, at Brugh of the Boyne, assembled their host, and through council it was agreed that they should distribute themselves in their Spirit land. It was then that Tuatha De Danann went into hills and sidbrugaib (faery regions), so that sida (faeries) under ground were subject to them, and were rarely seen again, and where they have, ever since, enjoyed never-ending bliss. The descendants of the Milesian generally have an O or a Mac before their surname. When we dwell upon the nature of the above material, connecting it as the stuff folk-tales and "fairy" tales are made of, we realize that there is no use chasing the Faery with the techniques and disciplines of science and scholarship, if we lack a sense of wonder and humility of Spirit in these matters. "Fairy" tales certainly through light on the origins and beliefs of our long past ancestors, but far more important they communicate a mood and an atmosphere concerned with intuition. |
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