{"id":222,"date":"2012-03-06T03:08:56","date_gmt":"2012-03-06T03:08:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.technogypsie.com\/faerie\/?p=222"},"modified":"2012-03-06T03:08:56","modified_gmt":"2012-03-06T03:08:56","slug":"irelands-first-mythical-inhabitants-the-fomorians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/technotink.net\/lore\/irelands-first-mythical-inhabitants-the-fomorians\/","title":{"rendered":"Ireland's First Mythical Inhabitants: The Fomorians"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>4500 B.C.E. to ca. 500 B.C.E.<\/em><\/strong>
\nThe Mythological Cycle:<\/em><\/strong>
\nThe understanding of the folktales, folklore, myths, and legends of \u0093Otherworldly\u0094 creatures who landed in Ireland in prehistoric times is known as \u0093The Mythological Cycle.\u0094 A notable work exists called the Lebor Gab\u00e1la \u00c9renn<\/em><\/strong> (The Book of the Taking of Ireland)<\/em> or otherwise known as the \u0093Book of Invasions\u0094 which is a Middle Irish title of a loose collection of poems and prose narratives recounting the history, mythology, and origins of the Irish race from the creation of the world down to the Middle Ages.
\nThe Fomorians:<\/em><\/strong>
\nAccording to the myths and legends of early Ireland, the very first human-like inhabitants of the Green Island of Eire were the Fomorians. The Fomorians are believed to be beings who preceded the Gods, similar to the Greek Titans representing Gods of Chaos and wild nature. They were also depicted as the supernatural undead and magical beings of the Underworld or Otherworld.\u00a0 They were seen as a giant demonic race of beings who lived in boats off the coast of Ireland, often coming ashore to plunder and pillage all that existed on this grand Green Isle.\u00a0 According to medieval scholars, the name \u0093Fomorians\u0094, \u0093Fomhoire\u0094, \u0093Formorian\u0094, \u0093Fomoraig\u0094, and \u0093Faoi-Mhuir\u0094 came from \u0093Fomoire\u0094<\/em> a word combination of \u0093fom\u00f3\u0094 <\/em>\u00a0meaning \u0093giant\u0094 or \u0093pirate\u0094, the Gaelic \u0093Faoi-mhuir\u0094 <\/em>meaning \u0093beneath the sea\u0094, with the elements \u0091muire\u0092<\/em> or \u0091sea\u0092<\/em> \u00a0or \u0093mor\u0094 as \u0093spirit\u0094 or \u0093phantom\u0094 giving them the reputation as \u0091sea pirates or under-sea phantoms.\u0092 <\/em>\u00a0\"\"<\/a>Some legends suggest that the Fomorians originally came from Asia or Northern Africa having been birthed by Noah\u0092s son Ham after he was cursed by Noah. Some believe the Fomorians were the descendants of GogmaGog<\/a>. They left Africa as seafarers who were often depicted as having black skin, black haired with the body of a man and the head of a goat according to the Eleventh century text called the \u0093Book of the Dun Cow\u0094 <\/em>or the Lebor na hUidre<\/em><\/strong>. In some manners, they have similarities to the descriptions of Ancient Egyptian and Nubian Gods, Goddesses, and half-human\/half-animal creatures. \u00a0Some of them have also been described as having one eye, one arm, and one leg; while others were fancied as elegant beauties as with \u0093Elatha\u0094 the father of \u0093Bres\u0094. They were also notorious for their powers over the forces of nature, such as being able to bring forth fog, storms, diseases, blights, and plagues with their so-accused \u0093evil\u0094 magic. \u00a0Through history, they claimed several famous royalties, especially in guise as \u0093kings\u0094 by various names, the most remembered as King Conaing, King Morc, King Indech, King Tethra, King Balor, King Elatha, the Warrior Cichol, the Smith Dolb, the Steward Liagh, the Poet Oghma, and Queen Ceithlenn. Throughout the lands of present day Ireland and the United Kingdom, are their mythical tromping grounds of Conaing\u0092s Tower, Tory Island, The Hebrides, Rathlin, Islay, Lochlann (Norway), and Dun Aengus. By the period of history when they participated in the Second Battle of Magh Tuiredh, the rumor was that their fleet stretched far and wide from the Northeastern coast of Ireland all the way to Norway.
\nThe first Fomorian King to have settled in Ireland was \u0093Conaing\u0094 taking root on all the Northern Islands along the coasts of Ireland, Scotland, and Norway. In some respects, they had a \u0093under the seas\u0094 glamour about them having lived \u0093beneath the waves\u0094 giving some affiliation with \u0093mer-folk\u0094, \u0093selchies,\u0094\u00a0 and \u0093mermen or mermaids\u0094. They were then reputed to have split themselves up into different tribes, residing in the Underworld, which was later ruled by \u0093Tethra\u0094 the Fomorian Faerie King. \u00a0Often described to have the color and composure that is common-place for a Nubian with the darkest of black skin and hair, oddly though \u0093Elatha\u0094 the father of \u0093Bres\u0094 was depicted as having the most \u0093golden hair\u0094 and the handsomest man in sight.\u00a0 \"\"<\/a>He seemed the fairest of the leaders, not being so blood-thirsty as the other Fomorian leaders, and very interested in justice. In later years, he refused to go to war with his son \u0093Bres\u0094 against the later faerie invaders known as the \u0093Tuatha de Danann\u0094 as he felt such actions was \u0093unjust\u0094. \u00a0By right of the myths and legends, the Fomorians were unique in their DNA, racial, and family lineage with their own customs and language dialects than the other invading inhabitants of Ireland.\u00a0 Whereas the Nemedians, the Fir-Bolg, and the Tuatha de Danann were believed to have shared the same DNA, family lines, languages, and were considered to be of the same races. At a later point in history, they were known to have intermarried with the Tuatha De Danann according to faerie tales and legends. \u00a0Popular stories relating to the Fomorians were the \u0093Bres Mac Elatha and the Tuatha De Danann\u0094, \u0093The Second Battle of Magh Tuiredh\u0094, \u0093How Balor was Defeated\u0094, \u0093The Courting of Emer\u0094, \u0093The Fate of the Children of Turenn\u0094, \u0093the Fir Bolg\u0094, \u0093The Story of the Tuatha De Danann\u0094, \u0093The Death Tales of the Tuatha De Danann\u0094, \u0093Credhe\u0092s Lament\u0094, \u0093the Hard Servant\u0094, and \u0093Partholon\u0094 myths. \u00a0They came to be defeated by the first invaders of Ireland from Greece known as the \u0093Partholon\u0094 by 2680 or 2061 B.C.E. (dates differ to scholar\u0092s theories). \u00a0Shortly after defeat by the Partholon, they took back the land by instilling a plague that killed off the Partholon, laying them waste in the fields. They battled again with the Nemeds and then finally defeated and vanquished by the Tuatha de Danann. Ever since, any settled pirates or sea-based raiders were labeled \u0093Fomorians\u0094.
\nBy Thomas Baurley<\/em>
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\nBibliography:<\/strong>
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