Partholón
Encyclopedia
Partholón, in medieval Irish historical tradition, was the leader of the second group of people to settle in Ireland
, supposedly first to arrive after the biblical Flood. They arrived in 2680 BC according to the chronology of the Annals of the Four Masters
, 2061 BC according to Geoffrey Keating
's chronology, and the time of Abraham
according to Irish synchronic historians. Probably a post-Christian medieval invention, his name may have been borrowed from a 'Bartholomaeus' who appears in the Christian
histories of St. Jerome
and Isidore of Seville
.
. Here, "Partolomus" is said to have come to Ireland with a thousand followers, who multiplied until there were four thousand, and then all died of plague in a single week.
The Irish Lebor Gabála Érenn
(Book of Invasions of Ireland), compiled in the 11th century, tells us more. Partholón was the son of Sera, son of Sru, a descendant of Magog
, son of Japheth
, son of Noah
. He came to Ireland from the Middle East
through Anatolia
, Greece
, Sicily
and Iberia
, and arrived 300 or 312 years after the flood, on 14 May, a Tuesday, landing at Inber Scéne (Kenmare
in South Kerry
). His landing is synchronised with Abraham's sixtieth year. With him were his wife, Dalgnat
, and their three sons, Sláine, Rudraige and Laiglinne, and their wives Nerba, Cichba and Cerbnad, and a thousand followers.
Seathrún Céitinn's 17th century compilation Foras Feasa ar Érinn, gives Partholón a slightly different background story. He was the son of Sera, the king of Greece, and fled his homeland after murdering his father and mother. He lost his left eye in the attack on his parents. He and his followers set off from Greece, sailed via Sicily, around Spain, and arrived in Ireland from the west, having travelled for seven years.
At the time of Partholón's arrival there were only three lakes, nine rivers and one plain in Ireland. He cleared four more plains, and seven more lakes erupted
from the ground. Three years after arriving, Partholón defeated the Fomorians
, led by Cíocal
, at Magh Ithe
, in the first battle fought in Ireland.
A poem in the Lebor Gabála, expanded on by Céitinn, tells how Partholón and his wife lived on a small island near the head of the estuary of the River Erne. Once, while Partholón was out touring his domain, his wife, Delgnat, seduced a servant, Topa. Afterwards they drank from Partholón's ale
, which could only be drunk through a golden tube. Partholón discovered the affair when he drank his ale and recognised the taste of Delgnat's and Topa's mouths on the tube. In anger, he killed Topa, and his wife's dog. But Delgnat was unrepentant, and insisted that Partholón himself was to blame, as leaving them alone together was like leaving honey before a woman, milk before a cat, edged tools before a craftsman, or meat before a child, and expecting them not to take advantage. This is recorded as the first adultery and the first jealousy in Ireland. The island they lived on was named Inis Saimera after Saimer, Dalgnat's dog.
According to the Lebor Gabála, Partholón and his followers, five thousand men and four thousand women, died of plague in a single week, on Senmag, the "old plain", near modern Tallaght
. Later sources say Partholón died there after thirty years in Ireland, and the rest of his people died there of plague, 120 years later in the month of May. But one man survived: Tuan
, son of Partholón's brother Starn. Through a series of animal transformations, he survived through the centuries to be reborn as the son of a chieftain named Cairell in the time of Colm Cille
(6th century). He remembered all he had seen, and thus Partholón's story was preserved.
Partholon's brother Tait was the great-grandfather of Nemed
.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, supposedly first to arrive after the biblical Flood. They arrived in 2680 BC according to the chronology of the Annals of the Four Masters
Annals of the Four Masters
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...
, 2061 BC according to Geoffrey Keating
Geoffrey Keating
Seathrún Céitinn, known in English as Geoffrey Keating, was a 17th century Irish Roman Catholic priest, poet and historian. He was born in County Tipperary c. 1569, and died c. 1644...
's chronology, and the time of Abraham
Abraham
Abraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
according to Irish synchronic historians. Probably a post-Christian medieval invention, his name may have been borrowed from a 'Bartholomaeus' who appears in the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
histories of St. Jerome
Jerome
Saint Jerome was a Roman Christian priest, confessor, theologian and historian, and who became a Doctor of the Church. He was the son of Eusebius, of the city of Stridon, which was on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia...
and Isidore of Seville
Isidore of Seville
Saint Isidore of Seville served as Archbishop of Seville for more than three decades and is considered, as the historian Montalembert put it in an oft-quoted phrase, "le dernier savant du monde ancien"...
.
Background
The earliest surviving reference to Partholón's settlement is in the Historia Brittonum, a 9th century British Latin compilation attributed to one NenniusNennius
Nennius was a Welsh monk of the 9th century.He has traditionally been attributed with the authorship of the Historia Brittonum, based on the prologue affixed to that work, This attribution is widely considered a secondary tradition....
. Here, "Partolomus" is said to have come to Ireland with a thousand followers, who multiplied until there were four thousand, and then all died of plague in a single week.
The Irish Lebor Gabála Érenn
Lebor Gabála Érenn
Lebor Gabála Érenn is the Middle Irish title of a loose collection of poems and prose narratives recounting the mythical origins and history of the Irish from the creation of the world down to the Middle Ages...
(Book of Invasions of Ireland), compiled in the 11th century, tells us more. Partholón was the son of Sera, son of Sru, a descendant of Magog
Magog (Bible)
Magog, Hebrew מגוג, Greek Μαγωγ, [ ma'gog ], is the second of the seven sons of Japheth mentioned in the Table of Nations in Genesis 10. It may represent Hebrew for "from Gog", though this is far from certain....
, son of Japheth
Japheth
Japheth is one of the sons of Noah in the Abrahamic tradition...
, son of Noah
Noah
Noah was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the tenth and last of the antediluvian Patriarchs. The biblical story of Noah is contained in chapters 6–9 of the book of Genesis, where he saves his family and representatives of all animals from the flood by constructing an ark...
. He came to Ireland from the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
through Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and Iberia
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
, and arrived 300 or 312 years after the flood, on 14 May, a Tuesday, landing at Inber Scéne (Kenmare
Kenmare
Kenmare is a small town in the south of County Kerry, Ireland. The name Kenmare is the anglicised form of Ceann Mara meaning "head of the sea", referring to the head of Kenmare Bay.-Location:...
in South Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
). His landing is synchronised with Abraham's sixtieth year. With him were his wife, Dalgnat
Dealgnaid
In Irish mythology, Dealgnaid was the wife of Partholón; who was the leader of the second group of people to settle in Ireland.-External links:* at Thinkquest.org...
, and their three sons, Sláine, Rudraige and Laiglinne, and their wives Nerba, Cichba and Cerbnad, and a thousand followers.
Seathrún Céitinn's 17th century compilation Foras Feasa ar Érinn, gives Partholón a slightly different background story. He was the son of Sera, the king of Greece, and fled his homeland after murdering his father and mother. He lost his left eye in the attack on his parents. He and his followers set off from Greece, sailed via Sicily, around Spain, and arrived in Ireland from the west, having travelled for seven years.
At the time of Partholón's arrival there were only three lakes, nine rivers and one plain in Ireland. He cleared four more plains, and seven more lakes erupted
Lake-burst
A lake-burst is a phenomenon referred to in Irish mythology, in which a previously non-existent lake comes into being, often when a grave is being dug.-Partholón's time:*Loch Laighlinne in Ui mac Uais of Breg*Loch Cuan and Loch Rudraige in Ulaid...
from the ground. Three years after arriving, Partholón defeated the Fomorians
Fomorians
In Irish mythology, the Fomoire are a semi-divine race said to have inhabited Ireland in ancient times. They may have once been believed to be the beings who preceded the gods, similar to the Greek Titans. It has been suggested that they represent the gods of chaos and wild nature, as opposed to...
, led by Cíocal
Cichol Gricenchos
In Irish mythology, is Cichol or Cíocal Gricenchos the earliest-mentioned leader of the Fomorians. His epithet, Gricenchos or Grenchos, is obscure but may mean "withered foot" or "footless"....
, at Magh Ithe
Magh Ithe
Magh Ithe was the location of the first recorded battle fought in Ireland, dated to 2530 Anno Mundi , or 2670 BC, in the Annals of the Four Masters...
, in the first battle fought in Ireland.
A poem in the Lebor Gabála, expanded on by Céitinn, tells how Partholón and his wife lived on a small island near the head of the estuary of the River Erne. Once, while Partholón was out touring his domain, his wife, Delgnat, seduced a servant, Topa. Afterwards they drank from Partholón's ale
Ale
Ale is a type of beer brewed from malted barley using a warm fermentation with a strain of brewers' yeast. The yeast will ferment the beer quickly, giving it a sweet, full bodied and fruity taste...
, which could only be drunk through a golden tube. Partholón discovered the affair when he drank his ale and recognised the taste of Delgnat's and Topa's mouths on the tube. In anger, he killed Topa, and his wife's dog. But Delgnat was unrepentant, and insisted that Partholón himself was to blame, as leaving them alone together was like leaving honey before a woman, milk before a cat, edged tools before a craftsman, or meat before a child, and expecting them not to take advantage. This is recorded as the first adultery and the first jealousy in Ireland. The island they lived on was named Inis Saimera after Saimer, Dalgnat's dog.
According to the Lebor Gabála, Partholón and his followers, five thousand men and four thousand women, died of plague in a single week, on Senmag, the "old plain", near modern Tallaght
Tallaght
Tallaght is the largest town, and county town, of South Dublin County, Ireland. The village area, dating from at least the 17th century, held one of the earliest settlements known in the southern part of the island, and one of medieval Ireland's more important monastic centres.Up to the 1960s...
. Later sources say Partholón died there after thirty years in Ireland, and the rest of his people died there of plague, 120 years later in the month of May. But one man survived: Tuan
Tuan mac Cairill
In Irish mythology Tuan mac Cairill was a follower of Partholon who alone survived the plague that killed the rest of his people. Through a series of animal transformations he survived into Christian times, and told the story of his people to St. Finnian....
, son of Partholón's brother Starn. Through a series of animal transformations, he survived through the centuries to be reborn as the son of a chieftain named Cairell in the time of Colm Cille
Columba
Saint Columba —also known as Colum Cille , Colm Cille , Calum Cille and Kolban or Kolbjørn —was a Gaelic Irish missionary monk who propagated Christianity among the Picts during the Early Medieval Period...
(6th century). He remembered all he had seen, and thus Partholón's story was preserved.
Partholon's brother Tait was the great-grandfather of Nemed
Nemed
Nemed , meaning "holy" or "privileged" is a figure of Irish mythology who features in The Book of Invasions...
.