The Coming of the Irish Firbolgs to Ireland
Who were the Firbolgs,
and what did they represent in Irish legend? The name appears to mean
“Men of the Bags,” and a legend was in later times invented to
account for it. It was said that after settling in Greece they were
oppressed by the people of that country, who set them to carry earth
from the fertile valleys up to the rocky hills, so as to make arable
ground of the latter. They did their task by means of leather bags;
but at last, growing weary of the oppression, they made boats or
coracles out of their bags, and set sail in them for Ireland.
Nennius, however, says they came from Spain, for according to him all
the various races that inhabited Ireland came originally from Spain;
and “Spain” with him is a rationalistic rendering of the Celtic
words designating the Land of the Dead. They came in three groups,
the Fir-Bolg, the Fir-Domnan, and the Galioin, who are all generally
designated as Firbolgs. They play no great part in Irish mythical
history, and a certain character of servility and inferiority appears
to attach to them throughout.
One of their
kings, Eoch mac Erc, took in marriage Taltiu, or Telta, daughter of
the King of the “Great Plain” (the Land of the Dead). Telta had a
palace at the place now called after her, Telltown (properly Teltin).
There she died, and there, even in mediæval Ireland, a great annual
assembly or fair was held in her honour.
The migration of
the Firbolgs to Ireland from Spain
