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In [[Irish mythology]], '''Cessair''' (or '''Ceasair''') was the leader of the first inhabitants of Ireland before the Biblical [[Deluge (mythology)|Flood]].
'''Cessair<ref>{{cite web |title=Cessair |url=https://nameberry.com/babyname/Cessair |website=Nameberry |access-date=7 November 2018}}</ref>''' or '''Cesair''' ({{langx|ga|label=[[Modern Irish]]|'''Ceasair'''}}, meaning 'sorrow, affliction') is a character from a [[medieval]] [[Ireland|Irish]] [[origin myth]], best known from the 11th-century chronicle text ''[[Lebor Gabála Érenn]]''. According to the ''Lebor Gabála'', she was the leader of the first inhabitants of Ireland, arriving before the [[Genesis flood narrative|Biblical flood]].<ref name=DCM>"Cesair 1," A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. James McKillop. [[Oxford University Press]], 1998.</ref> The tale may have been an attempt to [[Christianisation|Christianize]] an earlier [[Paganism|pagan]] myth.<ref name=DCM/>


==Overview==
She was daughter of [[Noah]]'s son [[Bith (Celtic mythology)|Bith]] and his wife [[Birren]]. According to legend, when her father was denied a place in the ark by Noah, Cessair advised him to build an idol. This idol advised them that they could escape the Deluge in a ship. Cessair, along with three men, Bith, [[Fintan]] and Ladra, and fifty women, set off and sailed for more than seven years. They landed in Ireland at Dún na mBarc (Donemark, on [[Bantry Bay]] in [[County Cork]]), forty days before the Flood, in [[2958 BC]] according to the [[Annals of the Four Masters]], [[2247 BC]] according to [[Seathrún Céitinn]]'s chronology.
According to the ''Lebor Gabála'', Cessair was the daughter of [[Noah]]'s non-Biblical son Bith and his wife Birren.<ref name=DCM/> Cessair's father's name, 'Bith', is derived from the [[proto-Celtic]] ''Bitu''-, which can mean "world", "life", or "age" (cf. [[Bituitus]]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lrc.la.utexas.edu/eieol_base_form_dictionary/iriol/17|title = Old Irish Online}}</ref>


In some versions of the tale, Noah tells them to go to the western edge of the world to escape the coming flood. In other versions, after being denied a place on [[Noah's Ark]], Cessair tells her people to create an [[Idolatry|idol]] to advise them. This idol tells them to escape the flood by sailing to Ireland. They set out in three ships and reach Ireland after a long journey. However, when they attempt to land, two of the ships are lost. The only survivors are Cessair,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cessair|url=http://myths.mzzhost.com/greek_cess.html?i=1}}</ref> forty-nine other women, and three men: [[Fintan mac Bóchra]], Bith, and Ladra.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cessair, Her Name|url=http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~meehan/donnelly/name.html|website=www-leland.stanford.edu|access-date=2020-06-02}}</ref>
The three men shared out the women as wives between them. Cessair and seventeen others went with Fintan. Eighteen, including Barann, went with Bith and seventeen, including Balba, with Ladra, but Ladra died and his wives were shared between Fintan and Bith. Then Both died. Fintan found himself with all the women, and fled. Six days before the flood, Cessair died of a broken heart at Cuil Ceasrach in [[Connacht]].


According to the [[Annals of the Four Masters]], they landed in Ireland at {{lang|ga|italic=no|Dún na mBarc}} on [[Bantry Bay]] forty days before the flood, in [[Anno Mundi|Age of the World]] 2242.<ref>[http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100005A/index.html Annal 2242] [the Annals do not attempt to ascribe [[Anno Domini|BC dates]] to these events]</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Oosten|first=Jarich G.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vw7wBgAAQBAJ&q=cessair&pg=PT108|title=The War of the Gods (RLE Myth): The Social Code in Indo-European Mythology|date=2015-03-05|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-55583-4|language=en}}</ref> According to [[Seathrún Céitinn]]'s chronology, they arrived in 2361 BC.
The rest of Cessair's people were wiped out in the Flood, with the exception of Fintan, who turned into a [[salmon]]. After a series of animal transformations he eventually became a man again and told his people's story.


The tale continues with the women being shared evenly among the men. Each man had one woman as his primary wife: Fintán with Cessair, Bith with Bairrfhind, Ladra with Alba. Bith and Ladra soon die, and Fintán is left with all of the women. However, he is unable to cope and flees to [[Fintan's Grave|a cave in the mountains]]. Fintán is the only survivor when the Flood eventually comes. He [[shapeshift]]s into a one-eyed salmon, then an eagle, and then finally a hawk. He lives for 5,500 years after the flood, becomes a man again, and recounts Ireland's history to the High King [[Diarmait mac Cerbaill]].<ref>Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí. ''Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopaedia of the Irish folk tradition''. Prentice Hall Press, 1991. p.&nbsp;224</ref> Fintán is thus similar to the character [[Tuan mac Cairill]].
A variant version of the legend, apparently contained in the [[Book of Druimm Snechta]], says that it was [[Banba]] who came to Ireland with three men and fifty women, two hundred and forty years before the Flood. Her people lived in Ireland for forty years and died of plague. In the usual scheme Banba is numbered among the [[Tuatha Dé Danann]], who lived in Ireland much later.


According to legend, Cessair died at {{lang|ga|Cúil Ceasra(ch)}} in [[Connacht]] and a [[cairn]], {{lang|ga|Carn Ceasra(ch)}}, was raised over her body. It has been speculated that this cairn is near [[Boyle, County Roscommon|Boyle]] in [[County Roscommon]], or that it is [[Cnoc Meadha]] in [[County Galway]].
⚫
'''Cessair''' is also the name of a daughter of the king of [[Gaul]] who married the [[High King of Ireland]], [[Úgaine Mor]], in the [[5th century BC|5th]] or [[6th century BC]].


== Other versions ==
{{sequence|
Archaeologist [[J. P. Mallory]] has a different version of the tale, in which there are 150 women and three men. The first man dies and is buried in Wexford. The second man then has 100 women and soon dies of exhaustion. The 150 women chase the remaining man, who saves himself by jumping into the sea and turning into a salmon.<ref>[[J. P. Mallory|Mallory, J. P.]] ''The Origins of the Irish''. London; New York: Thames & Hudson, 2013. ch.&nbsp;7. {{ISBN|9780500051757}}</ref>
prev=''none''|
⚫
next=[[Partholón]]|
list=[[Lebor Gabála Érenn|Mythical invasions of Ireland]]|
}}


An earlier version of the tale, allegedly found in the ''[[Cín Dromma Snechtai]]'', says that the first woman in Ireland was [[Banba]]. She arrived with her two sisters, [[Fódla]] and [[Ériu]], three men, and fifty women.<ref>[[John T. Koch|Koch, John T.]] ''Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia''. ABC-CLIO, 2006. p.&nbsp;165</ref> Banba, Fódla, and Ériu were a [[Triple deity|trio]] of Irish land goddesses. Their husbands were [[Mac Cuill]] (son of hazel), [[Mac Cecht]] (son of the plow), and [[Mac Gréine]] (son of the Sun), respectively. It is likely that Cessair, Bairrfhind, and Alba are Christianized replacements for the three goddesses and that Fintán, Bith, and Ladra are replacements for the three gods.<ref>[[John Carey (Celticist)|Carey, John]]. [https://sulis.ucc.ie/cdi/wp-content/uploads/textarchive/Carey_QuigginPamphletsI.pdf ''The Irish National Origin-Legend: Synthetic Pseudohistory''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210426123429/https://sulis.ucc.ie/cdi/wp-content/uploads/textarchive/Carey_QuigginPamphletsI.pdf |date=2021-04-26 }}. [[Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic, University of Cambridge]], 1994. p.&nbsp;21</ref><ref name=monaghan85>Monaghan, Patricia. ''The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore''. Infobase Publishing, 2004. p.&nbsp;85</ref> Fintán/Mac Cuill may also be linked to the [[Salmon of Knowledge]], which gains all the world's knowledge after eating nine hazelnuts that fell into [[Connla's Well|a well]]. The women who accompany Cessair appear by their names to represent the world's ancestral mothers. They included 'Alba' ([[Celtic Britons|British]]), 'German' ([[Germans]]), 'Espa' ([[Spaniards|Spanish]]), 'Triage' ([[Thracians]]), 'Gothiam' ([[Goths]]), and so forth. Thus "their arrival can be read as creating a microcosm of the whole world's population in Ireland". Several other companions echo the names of ancient Irish goddesses.<ref name=monaghan85/>
{{myth-stub}}

⚫
[[Category:Mythological cycle]]
Seathrún Céitinn also refers to a legend in which three fishermen from [[Iberia]]—Capa, Lavigne, and Luasad—were driven to Ireland by a storm a year before the flood. They liked Ireland and returned home to collect their wives. They returned shortly before the flood and were drowned.
[[pl:Cessair]]

⚫
According to another medieval Irish legend, Cessair is also the name of the King of [[Gaul|Gallia]]'s daughter. She married the [[High King of Ireland]], [[Úgaine Mór]], in either the 5th or 6th century BC.

{{S-start}}
{{s-bef|before=none}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Lebor Gabála Érenn|Mythical settlers of Ireland]]|years=[[Annals of the Four Masters|AFM]] 2958 BC [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/T100054/text010.html]<br />[[Geoffrey Keating|FFE]] 2361 BC [http://www.exclassics.com/ceitinn/for6.htm]}}
⚫
{{s-aft|after=[[Partholón]]}}
{{s-end}}

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
*John O'Donovan (ed) (1848–1851), ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters'' [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100005A/index.html Vol 1]
*D. Comyn & P. S. Dineen (eds) (1902–1914), [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100054/index.html ''The History of Ireland by Geoffrey Keating'']
*James MacKillop (1998), ''Dictionary of Celtic Mythology''
*''The Kirwans of Castlehacket, Co. Galway:History, folklore, and mythology in an Irish horseracing family'', Ronan Lynch, [[Four Courts Press]], [[Dublin]], 2006. {{ISBN|1-84682-028-6}}

{{Celtic mythology (Mythological)}}

{{given name|Cessair|nocat}}
{{Subject bar |portal1= History |portal2= Ireland}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cessair}}
⚫
[[Category:Mythological Cycle]]
[[Category:Women in Irish mythology]]
[[Category:Flood myths]]
[[Category:Noah's Ark]]

Latest revision as of 22:53, 5 November 2024

Cessair[1] or Cesair (Modern Irish: Ceasair, meaning 'sorrow, affliction') is a character from a medieval Irish origin myth, best known from the 11th-century chronicle text Lebor Gabála Érenn. According to the Lebor Gabála, she was the leader of the first inhabitants of Ireland, arriving before the Biblical flood.[2] The tale may have been an attempt to Christianize an earlier pagan myth.[2]

Overview

[edit]

According to the Lebor Gabála, Cessair was the daughter of Noah's non-Biblical son Bith and his wife Birren.[2] Cessair's father's name, 'Bith', is derived from the proto-Celtic Bitu-, which can mean "world", "life", or "age" (cf. Bituitus).[3]

In some versions of the tale, Noah tells them to go to the western edge of the world to escape the coming flood. In other versions, after being denied a place on Noah's Ark, Cessair tells her people to create an idol to advise them. This idol tells them to escape the flood by sailing to Ireland. They set out in three ships and reach Ireland after a long journey. However, when they attempt to land, two of the ships are lost. The only survivors are Cessair,[4] forty-nine other women, and three men: Fintan mac Bóchra, Bith, and Ladra.[5]

According to the Annals of the Four Masters, they landed in Ireland at Dún na mBarc on Bantry Bay forty days before the flood, in Age of the World 2242.[6][7] According to Seathrún Céitinn's chronology, they arrived in 2361 BC.

The tale continues with the women being shared evenly among the men. Each man had one woman as his primary wife: Fintán with Cessair, Bith with Bairrfhind, Ladra with Alba. Bith and Ladra soon die, and Fintán is left with all of the women. However, he is unable to cope and flees to a cave in the mountains. Fintán is the only survivor when the Flood eventually comes. He shapeshifts into a one-eyed salmon, then an eagle, and then finally a hawk. He lives for 5,500 years after the flood, becomes a man again, and recounts Ireland's history to the High King Diarmait mac Cerbaill.[8] Fintán is thus similar to the character Tuan mac Cairill.

According to legend, Cessair died at Cúil Ceasra(ch) in Connacht and a cairn, Carn Ceasra(ch), was raised over her body. It has been speculated that this cairn is near Boyle in County Roscommon, or that it is Cnoc Meadha in County Galway.

Other versions

[edit]

Archaeologist J. P. Mallory has a different version of the tale, in which there are 150 women and three men. The first man dies and is buried in Wexford. The second man then has 100 women and soon dies of exhaustion. The 150 women chase the remaining man, who saves himself by jumping into the sea and turning into a salmon.[9]

An earlier version of the tale, allegedly found in the Cín Dromma Snechtai, says that the first woman in Ireland was Banba. She arrived with her two sisters, Fódla and Ériu, three men, and fifty women.[10] Banba, Fódla, and Ériu were a trio of Irish land goddesses. Their husbands were Mac Cuill (son of hazel), Mac Cecht (son of the plow), and Mac Gréine (son of the Sun), respectively. It is likely that Cessair, Bairrfhind, and Alba are Christianized replacements for the three goddesses and that Fintán, Bith, and Ladra are replacements for the three gods.[11][12] Fintán/Mac Cuill may also be linked to the Salmon of Knowledge, which gains all the world's knowledge after eating nine hazelnuts that fell into a well. The women who accompany Cessair appear by their names to represent the world's ancestral mothers. They included 'Alba' (British), 'German' (Germans), 'Espa' (Spanish), 'Triage' (Thracians), 'Gothiam' (Goths), and so forth. Thus "their arrival can be read as creating a microcosm of the whole world's population in Ireland". Several other companions echo the names of ancient Irish goddesses.[12]

Seathrún Céitinn also refers to a legend in which three fishermen from Iberia—Capa, Lavigne, and Luasad—were driven to Ireland by a storm a year before the flood. They liked Ireland and returned home to collect their wives. They returned shortly before the flood and were drowned.

According to another medieval Irish legend, Cessair is also the name of the King of Gallia's daughter. She married the High King of Ireland, Úgaine Mór, in either the 5th or 6th century BC.

Preceded by
none
 Mythical settlers of Ireland
AFM 2958 BC [1]
FFE 2361 BC [2] 		Succeeded by

References

[edit]

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ "Cessair". Nameberry. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Cesair 1," A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. James McKillop. Oxford University Press, 1998.
  3. ^ "Old Irish Online".
  4. ^ "Cessair".
  5. ^ "Cessair, Her Name". www-leland.stanford.edu. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  6. ^ Annal 2242 [the Annals do not attempt to ascribe BC dates to these events]
  7. ^ Oosten, Jarich G. (5 March 2015). The War of the Gods (RLE Myth): The Social Code in Indo-European Mythology. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-55583-4.
  8. ^ Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí. Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopaedia of the Irish folk tradition. Prentice Hall Press, 1991. p. 224
  9. ^ Mallory, J. P. The Origins of the Irish. London; New York: Thames & Hudson, 2013. ch. 7. ISBN 9780500051757
  10. ^ Koch, John T. Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO, 2006. p. 165
  11. ^ Carey, John. The Irish National Origin-Legend: Synthetic Pseudohistory Archived 2021-04-26 at the Wayback Machine. Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic, University of Cambridge, 1994. p. 21
  12. ^ a b Monaghan, Patricia. The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore. Infobase Publishing, 2004. p. 85

Sources

[edit]
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