Cessair

In Irish mythology, Cessair (or Ceasair) was the leader of the first inhabitants of Ireland before the Biblical Flood.

She was daughter of Noah's son 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.

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.

The rest of Cessair's people were wiped out in the Flood, with the exception of Fintam, who turned into a salmon. After a series of animal transformations he became a man again in the time of Saint Patrick, and told his people's story.

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 fotry years and died of plague. In the usual scheme Banba is numbered among the Tuatha Dé Danann, who lived in Ireland much later.

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 or 6th century BC.

Preceded by none

Mythical invasions of Ireland

Succeeded by Partholón