1486:
1439:
1474:
204:
has a different version of the tale, in which there are 150 women and three men. The first man dies and is buried in
Wexford. The second man then has 100 women and soon dies of exhaustion. The 150 women chase the remaining man, who saves himself by jumping into the sea and turning into a salmon.
136:
The tale continues with the women being shared evenly among the men. Each man had one woman as his primary wife: FintĂĄn with
Cessair, Bith with Bairrfhind, Ladra with Alba. Bith and Ladra soon die, and FintĂĄn is left with all of the women. However, he is unable to cope and flees to
103:
to advise them. This idol tells them to escape the flood by sailing to
Ireland. They set out in three ships and reach Ireland after a long journey. However, when they attempt to land, two of the ships are lost. The only survivors are Cessair, forty-nine other women, and three men:
242:(son of the Sun), respectively. It is likely that Cessair, Bairrfhind, and Alba are Christianized replacements for the three goddesses and that FintĂĄn, Bith, and Ladra are replacements for the three gods. FintĂĄn/Mac Cuill may also be linked to the
555:
277:âCapa, Lavigne, and Luasadâwere driven to Ireland by a storm a year before the flood. They liked Ireland and returned home to collect their wives. They returned shortly before the flood and were drowned.
270:), and so forth. Thus "their arrival can be read as creating a microcosm of the whole world's population in Ireland". Several other companions echo the names of ancient Irish goddesses.
653:
145:
into a one-eyed salmon, then an eagle, and then finally a hawk. He lives for 5,500 years after the flood, becomes a man again, and recounts
Ireland's history to the High King
95:
In some versions of the tale, Noah tells them to go to the western edge of the world to escape the coming flood. In other versions, after being denied a place on
547:
646:
1269:
639:
473:
1511:
626:
512:
250:. The women who accompany Cessair appear by their names to represent the world's ancestral mothers. They included 'Alba' (
1464:
1506:
542:
310:
112:
1369:
1062:
305:
45:
1102:
463:
385:
177:
54:
1521:
838:
674:
538:
210:
130:
146:
1383:
611:
The
Kirwans of Castlehacket, Co. Galway:History, folklore, and mythology in an Irish horseracing family
1516:
1112:
714:
285:
105:
1279:
1168:
919:
886:
710:
685:
243:
81:'s non-Biblical son Bith and his wife Birren. Cessair's father's name, 'Bith', is derived from the
1322:
1404:
982:
666:
1145:
915:
398:
1397:
1376:
1337:
1300:
1208:
1193:
1160:
1140:
977:
758:
622:
614:
508:
469:
138:
1425:
1352:
1327:
1130:
1107:
1048:
426:
317:
247:
181:
150:
58:
1310:
289:
1390:
662:
631:
551:
1458:
led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article.
896:
1490:
1478:
1248:
1198:
728:
591:
450:
251:
738:
597:
1500:
1122:
868:
733:
501:
314:
239:
201:
189:
96:
280:
According to another medieval Irish legend, Cessair is also the name of the King of
1342:
1332:
523:
246:, which gains all the world's knowledge after eating nine hazelnuts that fell into
227:
82:
24:
1188:
1178:
1079:
327:
1411:
1347:
1203:
1023:
820:
788:
778:
185:
40:
412:
1448:
1173:
797:
142:
126:
122:
53:, she was the leader of the first inhabitants of Ireland, arriving before the
321:
1274:
1183:
1033:
1013:
954:
943:
876:
872:
783:
748:
700:
263:
259:
235:
231:
1233:
176:, was raised over her body. It has been speculated that this cairn is near
465:
The War of the Gods (RLE Myth): The Social Code in Indo-European
Mythology
1305:
1243:
1094:
1043:
972:
939:
848:
833:
792:
695:
355:
219:
163:
100:
89:
62:
34:
490:
Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopaedia of the Irish folk tradition
1284:
1117:
1038:
935:
843:
825:
768:
723:
273:
SeathrĂșn CĂ©itinn also refers to a legend in which three fishermen from
255:
223:
37:
1238:
1135:
1126:
1018:
997:
992:
987:
923:
904:
815:
805:
763:
718:
705:
618:
274:
853:
556:
Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic, University of
Cambridge
1213:
1150:
1084:
962:
891:
881:
829:
801:
743:
267:
215:
167:
141:. FintĂĄn is the only survivor when the Flood eventually comes. He
1315:
1264:
1028:
967:
929:
910:
900:
863:
810:
773:
753:
281:
78:
635:
858:
384:"Cesair 1," A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. James McKillop.
226:, three men, and fifty women. Banba, FĂłdla, and Ăriu were a
507:. London; New York: Thames & Hudson, 2013. ch. 7.
544:
The Irish
National Origin-Legend: Synthetic Pseudohistory
1455:
208:
An earlier version of the tale, allegedly found in the
1447:
This page or section lists people that share the same
33:, meaning 'sorrow, affliction') is a character from a
1462:
589:
Annals of the
Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters
1361:
1293:
1257:
1226:
1159:
1093:
1061:
1006:
953:
684:
673:
43:, best known from the 11th-century chronicle text
572:The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore
88:-, which can mean "world", "life", or "age" (cf.
596:D. Comyn & P. S. Dineen (eds) (1902â1914),
647:
566:
564:
230:of Irish land goddesses. Their husbands were
8:
214:, says that the first woman in Ireland was
171:
157:
116:
1067:
681:
654:
640:
632:
599:The History of Ireland by Geoffrey Keating
294:
149:. FintĂĄn is thus similar to the character
527:Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia
492:. Prentice Hall Press, 1991. p. 224
133:'s chronology, they arrived in 2361 BC.
99:, Cessair tells her people to create an
1469:
574:. Infobase Publishing, 2004. p. 85
347:
292:, in either the 5th or 6th century BC.
57:. The tale may have been an attempt to
380:
378:
376:
156:According to legend, Cessair died at
7:
218:. She arrived with her two sisters,
462:Oosten, Jarich G. (5 March 2015).
14:
587:John O'Donovan (ed) (1848â1851),
1484:
1472:
1437:
125:forty days before the flood, in
606:Dictionary of Celtic Mythology
77:, Cessair was the daughter of
1:
529:. ABC-CLIO, 2006. p. 165
284:'s daughter. She married the
306:Mythical settlers of Ireland
115:, they landed in Ireland at
1538:
1435:
113:Annals of the Four Masters
1421:
1070:
324:
303:
297:
117:
1512:Women in Irish mythology
604:James MacKillop (1998),
505:The Origins of the Irish
431:www-leland.stanford.edu
386:Oxford University Press
238:(son of the plow), and
139:a cave in the mountains
1398:Aided Chlainne Tuirenn
172:
158:
28:
147:Diarmait mac Cerbaill
1424:part of a series on
570:Monaghan, Patricia.
286:High King of Ireland
427:"Cessair, Her Name"
244:Salmon of Knowledge
211:CĂn Dromma Snechtai
129:2242. According to
108:, Bith, and Ladra.
49:. According to the
1507:Mythological Cycle
1391:Aided Chlainne Lir
1370:Lebor GabĂĄla Ărenn
667:Mythological Cycle
558:, 1994. p. 21
550:2021-04-26 at the
488:Ă hĂgĂĄin, DĂĄithĂ.
399:"Old Irish Online"
46:Lebor GabĂĄla Ărenn
1459:
1433:
1432:
1377:Cath Maige Tuired
1222:
1221:
1113:Fiacha CennfinnĂĄn
1057:
1056:
615:Four Courts Press
475:978-1-317-55583-4
334:
333:
325:Succeeded by
111:According to the
106:Fintan mac BĂłchra
73:According to the
1529:
1489:
1488:
1487:
1477:
1476:
1475:
1468:
1453:
1441:
1440:
1426:Celtic mythology
1280:LĂșin of Celtchar
1169:Amergin GlĂșingel
1108:Eochaid mac Eirc
1068:
1049:Tuan mac Cairill
682:
656:
649:
642:
633:
575:
568:
559:
536:
530:
521:
515:
499:
493:
486:
480:
479:
459:
453:
448:
442:
441:
439:
437:
423:
417:
416:
409:
403:
402:
395:
389:
382:
371:
370:
368:
366:
352:
298:Preceded by
295:
234:(son of hazel),
184:, or that it is
182:County Roscommon
175:
161:
151:Tuan mac Cairill
131:SeathrĂșn CĂ©itinn
127:Age of the World
120:
119:
1537:
1536:
1532:
1531:
1530:
1528:
1527:
1526:
1497:
1496:
1495:
1485:
1483:
1473:
1471:
1463:
1461:
1460:
1452:
1446:
1442:
1438:
1434:
1429:
1417:
1384:Tochmarc ĂtaĂne
1357:
1289:
1253:
1218:
1155:
1103:Aengus mac Umor
1089:
1053:
1002:
949:
687:
676:
669:
663:Irish mythology
660:
613:, Ronan Lynch,
584:
579:
578:
569:
562:
552:Wayback Machine
537:
533:
522:
518:
500:
496:
487:
483:
476:
461:
460:
456:
449:
445:
435:
433:
425:
424:
420:
411:
410:
406:
397:
396:
392:
383:
374:
364:
362:
354:
353:
349:
344:
339:
330:
316:
309:
301:
198:
173:Carn Ceasra(ch)
159:CĂșil Ceasra(ch)
71:
12:
11:
5:
1535:
1533:
1525:
1524:
1519:
1514:
1509:
1499:
1498:
1494:
1493:
1481:
1444:
1443:
1436:
1431:
1430:
1422:
1419:
1418:
1416:
1415:
1408:
1401:
1394:
1387:
1380:
1373:
1365:
1363:
1359:
1358:
1356:
1355:
1350:
1345:
1340:
1338:Fintan's Grave
1335:
1330:
1325:
1320:
1319:
1318:
1313:
1308:
1297:
1295:
1291:
1290:
1288:
1287:
1282:
1277:
1272:
1270:Four Treasures
1267:
1261:
1259:
1255:
1254:
1252:
1251:
1249:Glas Gaibhnenn
1246:
1241:
1236:
1230:
1228:
1224:
1223:
1220:
1219:
1217:
1216:
1211:
1206:
1201:
1196:
1194:FĂ©nius Farsaid
1191:
1186:
1181:
1176:
1171:
1165:
1163:
1157:
1156:
1154:
1153:
1148:
1143:
1138:
1133:
1120:
1115:
1110:
1105:
1099:
1097:
1091:
1090:
1088:
1087:
1082:
1077:
1071:
1065:
1059:
1058:
1055:
1054:
1052:
1051:
1046:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1010:
1008:
1004:
1003:
1001:
1000:
995:
990:
985:
980:
975:
970:
965:
959:
957:
951:
950:
948:
947:
932:
927:
913:
908:
894:
889:
884:
879:
866:
861:
856:
851:
846:
841:
836:
823:
818:
813:
808:
795:
786:
781:
776:
771:
766:
761:
756:
751:
746:
741:
736:
731:
726:
721:
708:
703:
698:
692:
690:
679:
671:
670:
661:
659:
658:
651:
644:
636:
630:
629:
608:
602:
594:
583:
580:
577:
576:
560:
531:
516:
502:Mallory, J. P.
494:
481:
474:
454:
443:
418:
404:
390:
372:
346:
345:
343:
340:
338:
335:
332:
331:
326:
323:
302:
299:
266:), 'Gothiam' (
200:Archaeologist
197:
196:Other versions
194:
70:
67:
55:Biblical flood
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1534:
1523:
1520:
1518:
1515:
1513:
1510:
1508:
1505:
1504:
1502:
1492:
1482:
1480:
1470:
1466:
1457:
1456:internal link
1450:
1428:
1427:
1420:
1414:
1413:
1409:
1407:
1406:
1402:
1400:
1399:
1395:
1393:
1392:
1388:
1386:
1385:
1381:
1379:
1378:
1374:
1372:
1371:
1367:
1366:
1364:
1360:
1354:
1351:
1349:
1346:
1344:
1341:
1339:
1336:
1334:
1331:
1329:
1328:Connla's Well
1326:
1324:
1323:BrĂș na BĂłinne
1321:
1317:
1314:
1312:
1309:
1307:
1304:
1303:
1302:
1299:
1298:
1296:
1292:
1286:
1283:
1281:
1278:
1276:
1273:
1271:
1268:
1266:
1263:
1262:
1260:
1256:
1250:
1247:
1245:
1242:
1240:
1237:
1235:
1232:
1231:
1229:
1225:
1215:
1212:
1210:
1207:
1205:
1202:
1200:
1197:
1195:
1192:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1182:
1180:
1177:
1175:
1172:
1170:
1167:
1166:
1164:
1162:
1158:
1152:
1149:
1147:
1144:
1142:
1139:
1137:
1134:
1132:
1128:
1124:
1121:
1119:
1116:
1114:
1111:
1109:
1106:
1104:
1101:
1100:
1098:
1096:
1092:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1076:
1073:
1072:
1069:
1066:
1064:
1060:
1050:
1047:
1045:
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1011:
1009:
1005:
999:
996:
994:
991:
989:
986:
984:
981:
979:
976:
974:
971:
969:
966:
964:
961:
960:
958:
956:
952:
945:
941:
937:
934:TrĂ DĂ© DĂĄna (
933:
931:
928:
925:
921:
917:
914:
912:
909:
906:
902:
898:
895:
893:
890:
888:
885:
883:
880:
878:
874:
870:
867:
865:
862:
860:
857:
855:
852:
850:
847:
845:
842:
840:
837:
835:
831:
827:
824:
822:
819:
817:
814:
812:
809:
807:
803:
799:
796:
794:
790:
787:
785:
782:
780:
777:
775:
772:
770:
767:
765:
762:
760:
757:
755:
752:
750:
747:
745:
742:
740:
737:
735:
732:
730:
727:
725:
722:
720:
716:
712:
709:
707:
704:
702:
699:
697:
694:
693:
691:
689:
683:
680:
678:
672:
668:
664:
657:
652:
650:
645:
643:
638:
637:
634:
628:
627:1-84682-028-6
624:
620:
616:
612:
609:
607:
603:
601:
600:
595:
593:
590:
586:
585:
581:
573:
567:
565:
561:
557:
553:
549:
546:
545:
540:
535:
532:
528:
525:
524:Koch, John T.
520:
517:
514:
513:9780500051757
510:
506:
503:
498:
495:
491:
485:
482:
477:
471:
468:. Routledge.
467:
466:
458:
455:
452:
447:
444:
432:
428:
422:
419:
414:
408:
405:
400:
394:
391:
387:
381:
379:
377:
373:
361:
357:
351:
348:
341:
336:
329:
322:
319:
315:
312:
308:
307:
296:
293:
291:
287:
283:
278:
276:
271:
269:
265:
262:), 'Triage' (
261:
257:
254:), 'German' (
253:
249:
245:
241:
237:
233:
229:
225:
221:
217:
213:
212:
206:
203:
202:J. P. Mallory
195:
193:
191:
190:County Galway
187:
183:
179:
174:
169:
165:
160:
154:
152:
148:
144:
140:
134:
132:
128:
124:
114:
109:
107:
102:
98:
93:
91:
87:
84:
80:
76:
68:
66:
64:
60:
56:
52:
48:
47:
42:
39:
36:
32:
31:
26:
22:
18:
1423:
1410:
1405:Immram Brain
1403:
1396:
1389:
1382:
1375:
1368:
1333:Emain Ablach
1074:
675:Supernatural
610:
605:
598:
588:
571:
543:
534:
526:
519:
504:
497:
489:
484:
464:
457:
446:
434:. Retrieved
430:
421:
407:
393:
363:. Retrieved
359:
350:
304:
279:
272:
209:
207:
199:
155:
135:
118:DĂșn na mBarc
110:
94:
85:
83:proto-Celtic
75:Lebor GabĂĄla
74:
72:
59:Christianize
51:Lebor GabĂĄla
50:
44:
29:
25:Modern Irish
20:
16:
15:
1517:Flood myths
1412:Dindsenchas
1199:GoĂdel Glas
1024:Crom Cruach
539:Carey, John
258:), 'Espa' (
186:Cnoc Meadha
143:shapeshifts
61:an earlier
41:origin myth
1522:Noah's Ark
1501:Categories
1449:given name
1316:Tech Duinn
1311:TĂr na nĂg
1301:Otherworld
955:Fomhoraigh
869:Mac Gréine
798:Dian Cecht
734:BĂ© Chuille
451:Annal 2242
365:7 November
337:References
290:Ăgaine MĂłr
240:Mac Gréine
123:Bantry Bay
97:Noah's Ark
1445:Name list
1275:Fragarach
1265:Areadbhar
1227:Creatures
1184:Ăber Finn
1179:Ăber Donn
1161:Milesians
1080:PartholĂłn
1034:Mug Ruith
877:Mac Cecht
873:Mac Cuill
749:Bodb Derg
686:Tuatha DĂ©
413:"Cessair"
360:Nameberry
356:"Cessair"
342:Citations
328:PartholĂłn
264:Thracians
236:Mac Cecht
232:Mac Cuill
1353:Uisneach
1343:Teamhair
1306:Mag Mell
1244:Failinis
1234:Aes SĂde
1204:LĂĄmfhind
1141:Rudraige
1095:Fir Bolg
1063:Settlers
1044:Tlachtga
1014:Caillech
973:Cethlenn
897:MorrĂgan
887:ManannĂĄn
849:Fuamnach
789:DelbĂĄeth
729:BĂĄnĂĄnach
621:, 2006.
548:Archived
320:2361 BC
313:2958 BC
164:Connacht
90:Bituitus
69:Overview
35:medieval
1491:Ireland
1479:History
1465:Portals
1348:Toraigh
1285:Uaithne
1174:BreogĂĄn
1131:Sengann
1118:Fodbgen
1039:Tailtiu
936:Goibniu
920:Nechtan
844:Flidais
793:Tuirenn
769:Cermait
677:figures
582:Sources
388:, 1998.
260:Spanish
256:Germans
252:British
30:Ceasair
17:Cessair
1454:If an
1294:Places
1239:Enbarr
1189:ĂrimĂłn
1146:SlĂĄine
1136:Rinnal
1127:Genann
1075:Cesair
1019:Carman
1007:Others
998:Tethra
993:Ethniu
988:Elatha
983:Conand
978:Cichol
944:Luchta
940:Credne
924:Elcmar
905:Nemain
839:Fiacha
816:Ernmas
806:Airmed
779:ClĂdna
764:Brigid
739:BĂ©ážinn
719:Danand
706:Aengus
688:Danann
665:: the
625:
619:Dublin
511:
472:
436:2 June
282:Gallia
275:Iberia
248:a well
166:and a
65:myth.
21:Cesair
1362:Texts
1258:Items
1214:Scota
1151:Sreng
1085:Nemed
963:Balor
916:Nuada
892:Midir
882:Macha
834:FĂłdla
830:Banba
821:ĂtaĂn
802:Miach
784:Dagda
759:Brian
744:Boann
696:AbcĂĄn
592:Vol 1
268:Goths
220:FĂłdla
216:Banba
178:Boyle
168:cairn
63:pagan
38:Irish
1123:Gann
1029:Donn
968:Bres
930:Ogma
911:Neit
901:Badb
826:Ăriu
811:Ecne
774:Cian
754:Bres
724:Ăine
715:Danu
623:ISBN
509:ISBN
470:ISBN
438:2020
367:2018
300:none
228:trio
224:Ăriu
222:and
101:idol
86:Bitu
79:Noah
1209:MĂl
864:Lug
859:Lir
854:LĂ©n
711:Anu
701:Aed
318:FFE
311:AFM
188:in
180:in
162:in
121:on
92:).
19:or
1503::
1451:.
942:,
938:,
922:,
903:,
617:,
563:^
554:.
541:.
429:.
375:^
358:.
288:,
192:.
170:,
153:.
27::
1467::
1129:-
1125:-
946:)
926:)
918:(
907:)
899:(
875:-
871:-
832:-
828:-
804:-
800:-
791:-
717:-
713:-
655:e
648:t
641:v
478:.
440:.
415:.
401:.
369:.
23:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.