The First Invasion - Cesair’s People

Cesair led the first people to attempt to populate Ireland but unfortunately failed in their attempt. The story of Cesair and her voyage to Ireland is interesting for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is the story of the first people in Ireland, and it was a woman who led the way and secondly, the cross-over to a story from the Bible could show that when the story was written up, probably by Christian monks, there may have been an attempt to ‘Christianise’ the story but linking the traditional oral stories with biblical theology. This in itself is a fascinating area of study for anyone interested in the culture and history of the transfer of oral tradition stories onto manuscript.

So, who was Cesair? It is told that she was the grand-daughter of Noah, the one who built the Ark, but she was forbidden from joining him on his Ark and so, being a strong, independent, woman she built not one, but three ships of her own. Cesair had been pre-warned about the coming flood by her foster father who was a priest in Egypt. She was only 10-years-old at the time, so did she know what was coming before Noah? That is a question we cannot answer.

When she, and her father, were denied access to her grandfather’s Ark, Cesair built her ships and picked from the population as many capable and skilled women as she could find, splitting them across the three ships. As mentioned, her father Bith had also been refused entry to Noah’s Ark along with two other warriors, Fintan Mac Bochra and Ladra. Cesair offered the three men passage on her ship, but only if they agreed to acknowledge her leadership. Once this was agreed, the ships set sail towards Inis Fail (Land of Destiny) which was Ireland. Cesair had thought things through, and she knew from her foster father, the priest, that the coming flood was being sent to cleanse the world of sin and Ireland, having never been inhabited, could not possibly be a place of sin meaning that they should be safe there from the coming waters.

The journey to Inis Fail was not easy and took seven years. Of the three ships that set sail, only Cesair’s own ship survived the journey. This meant only 50 women and the three men survived to start a new life on Ireland arriving in 2361BC as noted in ‘The Annals of the Four Masters,’ (Annála na gCeithre Máistrí) written by ‘the Four Friars,’ although only one of the four was an actual Friar. For ease of pronunciation, we will list them by their Anglicized names, Brother Michael O’Cleary, Farfassa O’Mulcontry, Peregrine O’Cleary, and Peregrine O’Duigan.

To enable a population to grow, you need new life. Cesair recognised this and split the survivors into three groups with one of the male warriors assigned to each group. To feed each group, they also divided the sheep they are brought with them. They then set out to repopulate the land.

Although having a harem of women may have seemed an appealing prospect, it was a huge responsibility and for Cesair’s father, Bith, it was too much. The responsibility of impregnating such a large number of women, caused him to become ill and die. He was then the first man to ever die and be buried in the soils of Ireland. Following his death, his group of women was shared between the two surviving male warriors, which caused too much pressure on Ladra, and he followed Bith into death.

The only surviving man, Fintan Mac Bochra was then left with the responsibility of impregnating all 50 women who had survived the journey. As you can imagine, Fintan found the thought of this overwhelming and he did what many a sensible man would do in this situation: he ran away!

He found himself a hiding place in a mountain cave and stayed there until the flood arrived. Cesair’s reasoning about Ireland being safe as it was a land without sin did not hold up, but she would never know that as she died from grief not long after Fintan ran away. When the flood came, the rest of her people were swept away, barring two.

Fintan survived up in his cave, first turning into a salmon and then into a hawk, and one female warrior named Banba also survived. It was said that they would go on to bring the Formorians, another mythical race, into existence.

Although Cesair and her people had a tragic end, she is seen as a formidable woman within early Celtic stories, who refused to accept her fate as a victim of the floods. Cesair is believed to be one of the first Irish Goddesses, who displayed both power and sexuality and paved the ways for the Goddesses who came after.

The story of Cesair’s People is written within the Book of Invasions as follows:

Ireland--whatever is asked of me 
I know pleasantly, 
Every taking that took her 
from the beginning of the tuneful world. 

Cessair came from the East, 
the woman was daughter of Bith; 
with her fifty maidens, 
with her three men. 

Flood overtook Bith in his Mountain, 
it is no secret; 
Ladra in Ard Ladrand, 
Cessair in her Nook. 

But as for me, He buried me, 
the Son of God, above [the] company;
He snatched the Flood from me 
above heavy Tul Tuinde. 

I had a year under the Flood 
in strong Tul Tuinde; 
I found nothing for my sustenance, 
an unbroken sleep were best. 

I was in Ireland here, 
my journey was everlasting, 
till Partholon reached her, 
from the East, from the land of Greeks. 

I was here in Ireland 
and Ireland was desert, 
till the son of Agnomain reached Nemed, 
brilliant his fashion. 

The Fir Bolg and Fir Gailian came, 
it was long ago; 
the Fir Domnann came, 
they landed on a headland in the west. 

Thereafter the Tuath De came, 
in their masses of fog, 
so that there was sustenance for me 
though it was a long lifetime. 

The sons of Mil came from Spain, 
from the south, so that there 
was sustenance for me at their hands, 
though they were strong in battle. 

A long life fell to my lot, 
I shall not conceal it; 
till Faith overtook me 
from the King of Heaven of clouds. 

I am Fintan the white son of Bochna, 
I shall not conceal it; 
after the Flood here I am 
a noble great sage.