The Fomorians
It’s according to the Bards the Fomorians came to Ireland in the year 1800 Bc, They defeated the Nemedians in a bloody battle near Lough Swilly. The Fomorians were a ruthless Sea roving race of pirates under a chieftain named Conaing is this the chieftain connaing who built a great fort at Fenagh -Dun connaing. This would mean we would have to revise our dating of dun connaing not 400Bc but 1800Bc The fomorians came from Africa and held a stronghold on Tory island. They plundered the land rather than settled on it According to legend the Fomorians were descendants of ham, the son of Noah. The defeat of the Fomorians by Looce at Fenagh signaled the end of their dommance in Ireland. If this is true then Looce was a member of thre Firbolg’s as they were the next race of people to rule.
The Firbolgs
It’s thought they were a dark haired intelligent race of people with a pastoral background from the eastern Mediterranean. It was during their peaceful reign that Tara was founded. The Ard Ri or supreme kink of Ireland, lived at Tara surrounded by a bodyguard of warriors styled “The pillars of Tara” Widely celebrated in later Irish history as the Fianna eireann .Last and greater of the Firbolgs was a king named Mac Erc. Lough Erne in Fermanagh takes its name in a memory of a Firbolgs chief called Eatnai.
The Tuatha De Danann
This group would have settle in Fenagh (Ireland) in or around 1600 Bc . The Tuatha De Danann (skilled workers) are believed to have come here from Germany. They were a fair haired people. They erected many of our Megalithic tombs e.g.——– and they are described as “God like men of skill” It is said that the Famous Grianain of Aileach (stone house of the sun a large stone fort in Donegal) was erected during the reign of one of their kings named Dagda. It was from a De Danann queen named Erin that Ireland derived it’s name.
The Milesians
The last of the early Invasions around1500 BC is marked by the coming of a powerful colony of Milessians from Spain led by a Chieftain named golian mileah, commonly known as Milesius their expedition numbered 60 ships which encountered a hurricane and many of the ships were lost at sea On landing near Drogheda the milesian set fire to their ships to cut of all thought of retreat. In two fierce battles they defeated the Tuatha De Danann and took over the governing of the country were they became the dominant race. The clan of O’Donnell claim descent from the Milesus. It is said that Ireland then enjoyed a much better climate that present day. So was attractive to the Spaniards and also at that time Spain was Famine-stricken-no wonder they burned their Ships on reaching Ireland. No other major invasions are recorded for many centuries until the historic Danish invasion beginning 795 AD and latter the Norman invasion