I

A FAMILY REUNION.
The Firbolg and Dé Danann.

While we are awaiting the appearance of the Firbolg and Dé Danann it were well, perhaps, to recount something of their antecedents as the story is told us by our ancestors. We shall avail of our own findings as embodied in The Heart of Ireland, from which we quote the following:-

"In an article on the Druids, Eugene O'Curry says: Partholan is said to have come from Migdonia or Middle Greece with a small company; but among these, we are told, were three druids whose names are given: Fois, Eolus, and Fochmare, that is, if we seek the etymological meaning of the words: Intelligence, Knowledge, and Inquiry. . . The next colony, led by Nemed and his sons, is said to have come from 'Scythia' about 330 years after the coming of Partholan. And this colony, according to our oldest records, soon came in contact with the power of hostile Druidism, to which they opposed their own. Nemed, it appears, had not long remained in peace in the country before he was disturbed by the incursions of the sea rovers, who are known in our old writings as the Fomorians." "The Nemedians assembled from all parts of the country on the seashore opposite Tory Island, which the Fomorians perceiving, sent their druids and druidesses under the leadership of Reilbeo. A daughter of the King of Greece; Nemed's wife, was chief of his druidesses. A fierce contest of spells as well as of blows ensued, between them, in which the Fomorian party were defeated. A general battle ensued, which resulted in the utter defeat of the Fomorians, whose tower, on Tory Island, was demolished, and their chief leader, Conning, and his sons, were killed. Our Annals say that there was a second battle between these sea rovers and the Nemedians, in which there was mutual destruction of both parties.

"More, the son of Dala, with sixty ships, led the Fomorians. More escaped to Tory Island, and one of the shiploads of the Nemedians landed safely in Ireland. The few Nemedians who escaped alive after the great battle with the Fomorians fled into the interior of the island. The bands are said to have emigrated with their respective captains."

The Book of Invasions tells us that the fourth immigration is that of the Firbolgs and, according to the Annals of Clonmacnoise, Keating, and the Leabhar Gabhala, the Firbolgs divided the island into five provinces, governed by five brothers, the sons of Dala Mac Loich. Genaun, the fourth brother, had the province of Connacht from Limerick to Eassaroe. The Firbolgs landed at different parts of the island, but soon met at Tara, where they united their forces. But though they chose Tara as their Drum Cain or 'Beautiful Eminence', it was in Connacht they made their stand against the Tuatha Dé Dananns, when that party also returned to seek the ancient island from which their ancestors had emigrated after they left Lissadrea-or the Fort of the Druids-following the great battle of Tory Island.

O'Curry says:-
"The Firbolgs had settled their seat of sovereignty at Tara, where they lived under the sovereignty of a distinguished warrior, King Eochaidh Mac Erc, when they heard of the appearance of their rivals, who had entered the island on the north-west, and who had established themselves in the strongholds of the present County Leitrim. The Firbolgs, on consultation, determined to send a picked champion of their forces to enter into communication with the strangers, and to ascertain what there intention was. The Dé Dananns on arrival had burned their ships, and some Firbolg fishermen, seeing the smoke of the burning, drowning vessels, had reported that a race of men had landed from the clouds. The Dé Dananns, on the other hand, had heard from their shanachies of how the scion of one of the captains who had of old emigrated from Eire, had returned with power and numbers, and was even then in possession of the destined isle. So that there was something akin to fear as well as curiosity in the breasts of the two men for whom we have been waiting, and who now approach each other. Sreng is dark or brown in hair and beard-both of which are unshorn and abundant. He is brown-eyed and lithe in movement.