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- "Cesair was the first to settle in Ireland forty days before the Flood.She was the granddaughter of Noah and daughter of Bith son of Noah. Bithwas not allowed into the ark, and so Cesair advised him to build an idol.this idol told them to construct a ship as there would be a great floodsoon, but the idol could not tell them when this flood would come. Cesairand her companions, 50 maidens and 3 men, set sail and after seven yearscame to Ireland, Ladhra was their conductor,and was the first to beburied in Ireland. Cesair became the wife of Fintan, who had the gift ofMagic. But Cesair was abandoned by Fintan, and she and her companionsdied just before the deluge. Fintan though survived, and changing himselfinto a salmon, he also survived the Great Flood."
"The next settlers that came to Ireland were Partholon, his wife Delgnaidand brother Starn and his followers. They came from the EaSt In hishomeland he had murdered both his father, whose name was Sera, and hismother. By this act, he had hoped to inherit their Kingdom, but his greatcrime forced him to leave with a thousand of his people crammed into 30ships.
He arrived in Ireland, having sailed across the vast Atlantic Ocean, andlanded at Inver Skene. At that time Ireland had no shape. Partholon andhis people shaped the land, and the lakes sprung forth. He was a chief ofevery craft and cleared the plains to make them suitable for husbandry.In his time Ale was first brewed in Ireland.
As part of his conquest, Partholon had to drive out a misshapen and aviolently cruel race, the Formori, who abused the land and those thatlived there. They were driven out into the Northern Seas, and by thissingle act Partholon gained the lordship of Ireland.
As Partholon was so busy in his chores he neglected his wife Delgnaid.Delgnaid then looked elsewhere for the attention she desired, and sheturned to Todga, their servant. Partholon found out however, as he had aspecial barrel of ale which left a trace of whoever else had drank fromit, by this means he discovered Delgnaid's unfaithfulness. A judgementwas called for, and at the trial, the first that was held in Ireland (andit must be supposed, the first known trial in Celtic Europe), Delgnaidadmitted her Guilt, but Partholon too admitted his part in this episode,and so Delgnaid was reconciled to him. Partholon died on Sean Mhagh-Ealte-Edair in the year of the world 2550.
His descendants and those of his followers lived on for 300 years, butunfortunately a great plague came upon the land of Ireland and killedthem all, 9000 died in one week alone. The last survivors gathered on theold plain of Senmag, where they could bury their dead until all weregone. This was at Tallaght."
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