Gabhálacha na hÉireann

Gabháil Pharthalóin

De réir an bhéaloideas, is iad muintir Pharthalóin an dream is túisce a tháinig go hÉireann. Ní raibh siad ach roinnt bheag bliana in Éirinn nuair a tháinig pláigh orthu agus a cailleadh iad go léir.

The Conquest of Parthalón

According to the folklore, the people of Parthalón are the earliest group that came to Ireland. They weren’t but a few years in Ireland when a plague came upon them and they were all lost.

Gabháil Neimhidh

Muintir Neimhidh an dara dream a shroich Éire. Bhí foghlaithe farraige ann an tráth sin, na Formhóraigh. Thagaidís isteach ón bhfarraige go minic, ag déanamh scrios ar mhuintir Neimhidh. Faid a bhí Neimheadh ina bheatha, bhí siad ábalta go maith ar an bhfód a sheasamh in aghaidh na bhFormhórach. Ach tar éis bháis don taoiseach, chuir an namhaid faoina smacht iad i ndiaidh ar ndiaidh agus, sa deireadh, bhí saol chomh crua sin acu go ndúirt siad gurbh fhearr dhóibh glanadh amach as an dtír ar fad. Chuaigh roinn go tuaisceart na hEorpa agus chuaigh roinn go dtí an Ghréig. I gcionn mórán bliain ina dhiaidh sin, tháinig siad ar ais agus bhí ainmneacha nua orthu.

The Conquest of Neimheadh

The people of Neimheadh were the second group that reached Ireland. There were sea raiders at that time, the Formhóraigh. They often came in from the sea, making havoc upon Neimheadh’s people. As long as Neimheadh was living, they were well able to stand their ground against the Formhóraigh. But after the death of the taoiseach, the enemy put them under their rule little by little and, in the end, they had a life so hard that they said it would be better for them to clear out of the land entirely. Some went to the north of Europe and some went towards Greece. Many years after that, they came back and they had new names.

Gabháil na bhFear Bolg

An dream úd de mhuintir Neimheadh a chuaigh go dtí an Ghréig, tháinig siad ar ais agus Fir Bholg a tugtar ar an dream seo. Chuaidh na Fir Bolg i ngleic arís lena sean-namhaid, leis na Formhóraigh, ag iarraidh seilbh na hÉireann a bhaint díobh. Bhí an bua acu agus dhíbir na Formhóraigh. Rinne na Fir Bholg ranna den tír ansin: Ulaidh, Laighin, Connachta, Tuadhmhumhain, Deasmhumhain. Saghas Aois Órga ab ea an tréimhse a thug siad ag rialú na tíre.

The Conquest of the Fir Bholg

That group of Neimheadh’s people that went to Greece, they came back and this people was called the Fir Bholg. The Fir Bholg began quarrelling again with their old enemy, with the Formhóraigh, trying to take the possession of Ireland from them. They had the victory and the Formhóraigh were expelled. The Fir Bholg made divisions of the land then: Ulster, Leinster, Connaught, North Munster (Thomond), South Munster (Desmond). A sort of Golden Age it was, the period that they ruled the country.

Gabháil Tuatha Dé Danann

An dream úd de mhuintir Neimheadh a chuaigh go tuaisceart na hEorpa, tháinig siad ar ais arís faoi mar a rinne na Fir Bholg, agus bhain siad ceannas na hÉireann dá mbráithre. Tuatha Dé Danann a tugtar ar an dream seo. Tá sé ráite gur lucht draíochta gurbh ea iad, agus go ndéanaidís tairngreacht agus nach raibh thar a gcumas stoirm a chur á shéideadh agus na mairbh a thógaint ón mbás. Níorbh fhada go raibh buaite acu ar na Fir Bholg. B’éigean dóibh sin na tailte ba shaibhre agus ba thorthúla a thréigean agus teitheadh leo go dtí sléibhte agus oileáin an iarthair. Deirtear gurbh iad Tuatha Dé Danann a cheap an aibítir ar a nglaotar “ogham craobh.” Thug Tuatha Dé Danann leo go hÉireann cloch a bhí acu ina siúlta go léir. An Lia Fáil (sé sin, liag nó cloch na fáistine) a bhí mar ainm uirthi.

Conquest of the Tuatha Dé Danann

That group of Neimheadh’s people that went to the north of Europe, they came back again just as the Fir Bholg did, and they won the sovereignty of Ireland from their brothers. This group was called the Tuatha Dé Danann. It is said that they were a magical people, and that they made phophesy and that it wasn’t beyond their power to put a storm blowing and the dead to take back from death. It wasn’t long until they had defeated the Fir Bholg. They had to abandon the richest and most fertile lands and to flee to mountains and islands of the west. It is said that it was the Tuatha Dé Danann that invented the alphabet which is called “tree ogham.” The Tuatha Dé Danann brought with them to Ireland a stone that they had throughout all their travels. The Stone of Destiny (that is, a stone of prophecy) was its name.

Gabháil Chlainne Míleadh (na Gaeil)

Ón Domhan Thoir a tháinig Clann Mhíleadh, nó na Gaeil, de réir a mbéaloidis féin. Lucht fiáin ab ea iad gan aon tír leo féin acu. Chaith siad tréimhse sa Spáinn, agus Mílidh ainm an rí a bhí acu. Lá dá raibh cuid acu i bhfad amach ar an bhfarraige, chonaic siad na sléibhte corcra ar an taobh thiar thuaidh. Chuir siad chun farraige i ndeich fichead long agus tháinig siad slán go hÉireann. Ní raibh aon fhonn ar Thuatha Dé Danann géilleadh dhóibh, ámh, agus rinne siad a ndícheall i gcoinne na nGael le cogadh is le draíocht. Níor lean an cogadh i bhfad. Tar éis cúpla cath nó trí bhí ríocht Tuatha Dé Danann ar lár agus ríocht chlainne Míleadh ina háit, agus bhí dlí na nGael agus teanga na nGael i réim ar fud na hÉireann.

The Conquest of the Children of Míl (The Gaels)

From the Eastern World came the children of Míl, or the Gaels, according to our own folklore. A wandering people they were without having any land for themselves. They spent a period in Spain, and Míl was the name of the king they had. A day that some of them were far out on the ocean, they saw the purple mountains to the northwest. They put out to sea in two hundred ships and they came safely to Ireland. The Tuatha Dé Danann had no desire to yield to them, however, and they did their utmost against the Gaels with war and with magic. The war did not continue for long. After two or three battles the kingdom of the Tuatha Dé Danann was laid low and the kingdom of the children of Míl was in its place, and the law of the Gaels and the language of the Gaels were in power throughout Ireland.

Adapted from: Ó Rinn, Liam. 1926. Sceul ár dTíre. Comhlucht Oideachais na hÉireann: Baile Átha Cliath.