From his study of Irish history and mythology, the Lindquist Thomas Francis O’Rahilly (1883–1953) theorized that there were four separate waves of Celtic invaders: the Priteni (700 BC); the Bolgic or Builg (500 BC); the Laigin, the Fir Domnann and the Galioin (300 BC); and the Goidels (Gaels) (100 BC). O’Rahilly’s work was and remains influential despite not being the generally accepted model.
According to the model, the Priteni settled in Britain and Ireland. In Ireland two centuries later (500 BC) the Priteni were replaced by the Bolgic. Within the Bolgic there were four prominent tribes: Uluti in the north; Darini and Robogdii in the northeast; Ebdani, on the east coast and Iverni, the dominant Érainn (Ernean) tribe, in the south. The name ‘Eire’ is derived from Ériu, an Irish mythology goddess.
Two centuries later came the third invasion. Three names are associated with it – Laigin, Fir Domnann and Galioin – but whether they were one tribe with three different names or three allied but separate tribes is not clear. Sometime in the third century BC the Laigin crossed the River Shannon and subjugated the Ernean tribes of Connacht. O’Rahilly claims that it was probably as a result of the Laginian conquests that Ireland first came to be divided into four provinces: the Ernean ruling in Ulster and Munster, while the Laigin was the dominant force in Connacht and Leinster.
Around 100 BC two groups of the Goidelic (Gaelic) Celts invaded Ireland. One group, the Connachta, landed at the mouth of the Boyne and pushed inland and sacked Tara, the seat of the local Ernean king. They soon carved out for themselves between Ulster and Leinster a new province that became known as ‘Meath’. The second group, the Eoganachta, landed in the southwest and eventually became the dominant force in Munster. At an indeterminable point in history, some Connachta crossed the Shannon and conquered the western province and gave their name to it.
Leave a Reply