--- title: Lebor Gabála Erenn author: Jeffrey King source: https://www.worldhistory.org/Lebor_Gabala_Erenn/ format: machine-readable-alternate license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) updated: 1970-01-01 --- # Lebor Gabála Erenn _Authored by [Jeffrey King](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/koenig20054u/)_ The *Lebor Gabála Érenn* or *The Book of the Taking of [Ireland](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Ireland/),* is a pseudo-historical collection of poetry and prose narrative which was first compiled in the 11th Century CE. The *Lebor Gabála* centers around an origin myth which describes the settlement of Ireland and its history from the Biblical Flood narrative to the Middle Ages. Considered by scholars to be a highly fictionalized and unreliable account of ancient Irish history, the *Lebor Gabála Érenn* combines elements of Christian narrative with surviving threads of oral history and Irish [mythology](https://www.worldhistory.org/mythology/). Comprised of about ten books, several versions and passages of the Lebor Gabála Érenn are extant ### Background of the Lebor Gabála Érenn More than being an accurate retelling of ancient Irish historical traditions, the *Lebor Gabála Érenn* served the purpose of creating an epic Biblical origin story for the Irish that was comparable to that of the Israelites. The *Lebor Gabála Érenn* was likely heavily influenced by Medieval historical works like St. [Augustine](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Augustine/)'s 5th Century CE *The [City](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/) of [God](https://www.worldhistory.org/God/)* and [Orosius](https://www.worldhistory.org/Orosius/)' roughly contemporary *Histories*. The *Lebor Gabála Érenn* also served a secondary political purpose of providing 12th Century CE Irish nobility with an ancient Spanish pedigree at a time when Spain and Ireland had a close relationship. In addition to elements of Biblical narrative like the Great Flood and the descendants of [Noah](https://www.worldhistory.org/Noah/), the *Lebor Gabála Érenn* includes obvious elements of pre-Christian Irish mythology. The most prominent examples include the Fomorians, the hostile or chaotic gods of Irish mythology, and the Tuatha Dé Dannan, the Irish gods of [civilization](https://www.worldhistory.org/civilization/) and growth. However, modern scholars have identified many other elements of the *Lebor Gabála Érenn* as remnants of earlier Irish myths. ### The First three Takings of Ireland The *Lebor Gabála Érenn* describes six invasions or “takings” of Ireland, in which the island is colonized by different peoples. These six invasions may have been inspired by the Medieval Christian tradition of dividing history into the Six Ages of the World. The first four waves of settlers are all either killed or expelled from Ireland over the course of the epic, leaving Ireland to the Gaels, and the Tuatha Dé Dannan. The first settlers of Ireland are Cessair, daughter of Noah, and her followers who sailed to the western edge of the world in order to escape the Great Flood. Out of the expedition, 50 [women](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/women/), including Cessair, survive the journey but all except three of the men are killed. To settle this gender imbalance, each of the men took 16 wives but soon two of the men perish, leaving Fintan mac Bóchra as the only man left in Ireland. Overwhelmed, Fintan flees and is turned into a hawk. Fintan survives in his hawk form for 5,500 years and uses his great wisdom to advise the kings of Ireland down to the time of the legendary Finn mac Cumhaill and the Christianization of Ireland in the 5th Century CE. The second wave of settlers arrive some three centuries after the Flood, led by Partholón, one of the descendants of Noah through Magog and Japheth. These settlers meet with tragedy, and all 9,000 of Partholón's followers are described as succumbing to [plague](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/plague/) within a week, leaving Ireland uninhabited until the arrival of Nemed 30 years later. The *Lebor Gabála Érenn* identifies Nemed as a [Scythian](https://www.worldhistory.org/Scythians/), who leads yet another doomed group of settlers to Ireland. These followers of Nemed soon find themselves contending with the Fomorians, dark deities from Ireland's murky past. The *Lebor Gabála Érenn* describes the Nemedians defeating the Fomorians in several battles before eventually being subjugated. The triumphant Fomorians force the Nemedians to offer up two-thirds of their grain, their milk, and their children on the annual occasion of [Samhain](https://www.worldhistory.org/Samhain/). A bloodbath on both sides ensues when the oppressed Nemedians rise up, and only 30 men survive, some sailing to [Britain](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Britain/), others to [Greece](https://www.worldhistory.org/greece/), and some to the far north. [ ![Tuan Watches the Nemedians Arrive in Ireland](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/500x600/9834.jpg?v=1599129004) Tuan Watches the Nemedians Arrive in Ireland J.C. Leyendecker (Public Domain) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/9834/tuan-watches-the-nemedians-arrive-in-ireland/ "Tuan Watches the Nemedians Arrive in Ireland")### THE CONTENDINGS OF THE TUATHA DÉ DANNAN & THE FIR BOLG The descendants of Nemed who fled to Greece after the doomed rebellion against the Fomorians eventually return some 200 years later. This fourth wave of colonizers are known as the Fir Bolg, and were said to have been enslaved by the Greeks before they departed for Ireland around the time of the Israelite's Exodus from [Egypt](https://www.worldhistory.org/egypt/) according to the [Bible](https://www.worldhistory.org/bible/). 37 years later come the arrival of the fifth wave of conquerors in the *Lebor* *Gabála;* the Tuatha Dé Dannan. The Tuatha Dé Dannan arrive in dark clouds of fog, and the *Lebor Gabála Érenn* claims that it was not even clear whether the Tuatha Dé Dannan had arrived from heaven or earth, but that they possessed powerful magic. The Tuatha Dé Dannan demand half of the island, but the Fir Bolg refuse and are wiped out in the ensuing struggles. > So that they were the Tuatha De Danann who came to Ireland. In this wise they came, in dark clouds. They landed on the mountains of Conmaicne Rein in Connachta; and they brought a darkness over the sun for three days and three nights. They demanded [battle](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/battle/) of kingship of the Fir Bolg. A battle was fought between them, to wit the first battle of Mag Tuired, in which a hundred thousand of the Fir Bolg fell. Thereafter they \[the Tuatha De Dannan \] took the kingship of Ireland. Those are the Tuatha Dea - gods were their men of arts, non-gods their husbandmen. They knew the incantations of druids, and charioteers, and trappers, and cupbearers. > (55-56, translated by Macalister) ### The Coming of the Milesians & the History of Gaelic Ireland The sixth and final wave of settlers are the Milesians, who are identified as the descendants of the mythical Goídel Glas and Scota who sailed from Hispania. The Milesians quickly come into conflict with the Tuath Dé Danann, but they eventually agree to divide the land between them; The Milesians, ancestors of the Gaels, are given dominion above ground and the Tuath Dé Danann are allowed to dwell below Ireland. [ ![Scota and Goidel Glas (Illustration)](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/500x600/9797.jpg?v=1601388006) Scota and Goidel Glas (Illustration) Unknown Artist (Public Domain) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/9797/scota-and-goidel-glas-illustration/ "Scota and Goidel Glas (Illustration)")The rest of the *Lebor Gabála Érenn* gives a fictionalized account of Irish history up to the Medieval period, and chronicles the pagan and early Christian kings of Ireland. Importantly, the *Lebor Gabála Érenn* weaves complex genealogies in which nearly every Irish ruler is descended from the Milesian kings. The passages of the *Lebor Gabála Érenn* which pertain to the more recent Christian kings of Ireland bears the closest resemblance to history, but even these contain many fictitious elements. ### Modern Reception & Interpretations Despite its fantastic elements, the *Lebor Gabála Érenn* provide historians with insight into Medieval Irish historical traditions. It has also been postulated that it may contain parallels to real events. For example, historians have drawn comparisons between the mythological settlement of Ireland by the Milesians, and the actual relationship of [Celtic](https://www.worldhistory.org/celt/) groups in Ireland and the Iberian Peninsula in prehistory. The possibility of pre-historic maritime links between Ireland and [Iberia](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/iberia/) is still a matter of some debate however, and the tradition preserved in the *Lebor Gabála Érenn* is certainly far from reality. Although historians once treated the *Lebor Gabála Érenn* as an essential source on Irish history, recent archaeological discoveries and historical analysis in the 20th Century has led to the rejection of the *Lebor Gabála Érenn* as anything more than a Medieval fabrication. #### Editorial Review This human-authored definition has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/). ## Bibliography - Clíodhna Ní Lionáin. "Lebor Gabála Érenn: The Use and Appropriation of an Irish Origin Legend in Identity Construction at Home and Abroad." *Archaeology and the(De)Construction of National and Supra-National Polities*, edited by Russell Ó Ríagáin and Cătălin Nicolae Popa. Cambridge University Press, 2012, 33-51. - Fulton, J. "Lebor Gabála and the legendary history of Ireland." *Medieval Celtic literature and society*, edited by Helen Fulton. Dublin, 2005, 32-48. - Macalister, R.A.S. *Lebor Gabála Érenn: Book of the Taking of Ireland Part 1-5.* Dublin: Irish Texts Society, 1941 ## About the Author Dr. Jeffrey King is a writer with a an avid passion for history, travel, foreign languages, and cultural heritage. Jeffrey has a particular interest in Gaelic and Norse history, culture, and languages. - [X/Twitter Profile](https://twitter.com/MagnaCeltae) - [Linkedin Profile](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-king-b3905418a/) ## Timeline - **c. 1100 CE**: The [Lebor Gabála Erenn](https://www.worldhistory.org/Lebor_Gabala_Erenn/) ('Book of invasions') recounts, through tales of [mythology](https://www.worldhistory.org/mythology/), the ancient and medieval history of [Ireland](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Ireland/). ## Cite This Work ### APA King, J. (2019, January 09). Lebor Gabála Erenn. *World History Encyclopedia*. [https://www.worldhistory.org/Lebor\_Gabala\_Erenn/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Lebor_Gabala_Erenn/) ### Chicago King, Jeffrey. "Lebor Gabála Erenn." *World History Encyclopedia*, January 09, 2019. [https://www.worldhistory.org/Lebor\_Gabala\_Erenn/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Lebor_Gabala_Erenn/). ### MLA King, Jeffrey. "Lebor Gabála Erenn." *World History Encyclopedia*, 09 Jan 2019, [https://www.worldhistory.org/Lebor\_Gabala\_Erenn/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Lebor_Gabala_Erenn/). ## License & Copyright Submitted by [Jeffrey King](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/koenig20054u/ "User Page: Jeffrey King"), published on 09 January 2019. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). 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