Milesians Not Irish Founders
We have been taught for a few generations that the Irish descend from the Celts. The King of one wave of Celts was Milesius. Milesius is the most famous Celt in legend I think. Some call him the founder of the Irish people - but it looks like it is mostly a fanciful story.
First Irish Families
DNA studies are now telling us that Ireland was settled centuries earlier than thought. It was not first settled by the Celts of legend.
Ice Age Survivors
It was actually those who survived the last ice age about 10,000 years ago, holding out in northwest Spain. As things warmed up, they found their way to Ireland. In fact, the closest DNA match with the Irish in all Europe is with the Basque.
Take a look at the film 'Blood of the Irish' and you'll become a believer.
--------------------
READ MORE:
More stories with Irish roots from IrishCentral
Guinness secret revealed: Why do bubbles go down instead of up?
Mystery wife goes viral as she warns of golf affairs
--------------------
How They Got Here
Current theory is that they came by boat to Ireland, which was settled much later than Britain, which was connected by land to the continent. They did not come from Scotland, but from Basque country.
So, at least they came from around Spain like some of the Milesian legends speak of.
Our New Ancestors
We still have to double check all the findings but it seems pretty convincing. The Irish and the Basque are brothers, so to speak. As far as we can see, our earliest ancestors were the Basque people. So there is the point to start your genealogy in Ireland!
Books
If you want to see some of the legend that came from the story of the Celts and Milesius there is a book. It is titled 'A Genealogical History of the Milesian Families of Ireland' that I published several years ago.
Book of Invasions
If you want to see a real classic, take a look at the 'Book of Invasions', one of our oldest written stories about who settled Ireland. This book gives that the Irish originally came from Spain. This is the ancient book that O'Donnell took to the court of Spain, trying to strengthen the ties between the two countries.
Looks like there was some truth there.....All of this should make doing current day research on your Irish family history seem a lot easier....
Just remember, Every Day is a holiday....
About the author
Mike is the most published author in his field, and also founded the first audio show on the internet, on Irish Families and genealogy.
Originally published in July 2010.
--------------------
READ MORE:
More stories with Irish roots from IrishCentral
Guinness secret revealed: Why do bubbles go down instead of up?
20 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.TTrain | Mar 10, 2013, 01:13 AM EST
Truth be told, and from all I've learned, dreamt, studied and absorbed, I now firmly believe that the Irish are direct descendants of this vibrant, eclectic and bizarre hodge-podge of leprechuans, goblins, space aliens, these knuckle dragging, squat stone age goons and this narrow assortment of other, equally enigmatic and by now thoroughly absorbed creatures, all of whom had and still have this bad drinking problem, love to hold petty grudges, and often display this pathological loyalty towards family members who have killed and maimed innocent people. This fine and exquisite hodge-podge of various stone age and ET goons Basquing in centuries of self perpetuating misery, wrath, violence and brilliantly eloquent ramblings ((I believe the GREAT Irish writer Joyce had this term for it--stream of consciousness!))! Though truth be told, I know through years of continuous research and reading that at least 60-65% of the DNA of the average Irish person is pre-Celtic, and up to 90% in certain parts of Ireland ((pre-Celtic as in stone age!)). So by and large, and racially and biologically speaking, the Irish are this mostly descended from several older Neolithic, stone age tribes, those that settled and occupied Ireland way before the Celts arrived 500 years the Christ! Yes, the Irish are this stone age race ((I mean just look at the giant heads that most of em have!)), descended from several Cro-magnon tribes, though blessed with this touch of Celtic to em, the very race from which they derived and still derive much of their culture, traditions and ancient Gaelic language! Though ancient Cro-magnon they most certainly are!
ciaradexy | Jan 14, 2012, 11:22 AM EST
Wow our georgie was insulting people back as far as November when he didnt have a decent response to someones post! Stereotypical septic tank!
Cernunnos | Jan 13, 2012, 07:34 PM EST
The Irish are not descended from Basques they just "possibly" share the same ancestors. Celtic is not( as such ) a race but tribes that shared similar languages and culture. This is not the 1st time the Celtic peoples identity has been dismissed and it wont be the last...
STEPcoach | Nov 16, 2011, 11:40 AM EST
I appreciate the articles about ethnic histories, but I enjoy even more the arguing/bantering/bashing that erupts in the comments! George and "idiot" are always good for a laugh! Ta!
Dunkelly1 | Nov 16, 2011, 11:38 AM EST
As regards Milesius and the Milesians, I have read that Milesius had two sons: Io and Ir. He first sent Io to conquer Hibernia, but he was captured and killed. This enraged Milesius, so he sent his other son Ir, who was successful in conquering Hibernia, hence the name IR-Land.
GeorgeDillon | Nov 11, 2011, 05:34 PM EST
I note that the idiot naughtius is incapable of making even one cogent point. All he can offer is empty abuse. You're a stupid fool, naughtius. Go back to your National Front racist buddies, you're incapable of rational expression.
ancavker | Nov 11, 2011, 11:01 AM EST
bend: Celt Is a term used to describe people whose languages are related, as in Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Manx, and Breton. So there is a relationship there. No one knows what these people called themselves, and for all we know they may not have called themselves any name. As far as th Greco-Romans naming the Celts, what is your point, they did it for all the different tribes that they encountered. It was just a way of categorizing people. The point is that Mr. Mc Laughlin's article assumed that many people thought the Celts/Gaels/Milesians were the first to arrive in Ireland, and the fact is that many people know that was not the case.
naughtius | Nov 11, 2011, 10:52 AM EST
George, what you don't know would fill a million libraries.
bendingtheboyne | Nov 11, 2011, 10:28 AM EST
"Celtic" should be abandoned from popular usage. There is no empirical evidence for it being useful to describe anything. It was a Greco-Roman term imposed from outsiders--people in the Isles did NOT refer to themselves as "Celts". For the most recent in archaeology, genetics, and linguistics research; see the authoritative nonfiction, CELTIC FROM THE WEST, by Barry Cunliffe and John Koch, editors ( Oxford Press, 2010). For bang-on fiction using the new paradigm of Gaels and Gaelic see BENDING THE BOYNE, J S Dunn, publ. 2011.
GeorgeDillon | Nov 11, 2011, 08:52 AM EST
The striking thing is that we are now in the last generation in which it will be possible to speak of the DNA of the Irish people in a coherent way. Within a couple of decades Mass Immigration will have destroyed the Irish as a distinct national and ethnic group. As someone who values diversity and opposes globalization, I find the death of any nation very sad, all the more so when it is the death of the nation of my forefathers, the place where countless generations of my ancestors made their homeland. Ethnosuicide is as tragic as any other suicide.
conorpatrick | Nov 11, 2011, 07:05 AM EST
Leinster's historical records show that Heremon, descendent of King Milesius was King of Leinster. Brian Boru's ancestry is traced back to King Milesius. No doubt our links with the Basques are also true and perhaps older. Celt is a broad term which has applied to many different waves and incursions and settlements all over Europe - some ancient historians reckon we, Irish, are descendent of the Greeks. We are a mixed bag like all races perhaps a more mixed bag in early than more recent times - today we suffer from being inbred!!! Too low a gene pool.
Molaughlin | Nov 10, 2011, 11:14 PM EST
I wrote this article in July of 2010. A lot of hub bub coming in. In point of fact: 1) Most N. Americans do not know the ancient origins of the Irish. 2) Many folks do consider 'celtic' as an ethnic term. (despite academic definitions). 3) Many believe the Celts & Milesians were the first in Ireland, from stories & legends. 4) I have not written a book on this topic. I have published early works. It's a big world out there, with a lot of opinions, and levels of knowledge. That is worth keeping in mind. The point is, legends aside, there were people who settled in Ireland before the Celts and 'Milesius'. Some will find that helpful, some will not.
naughtius | Nov 10, 2011, 03:50 PM EST
Celt is a linguistic term, Gaelic is a q celtic language so by default irish people are celts. It was never meant to be an ethnic term but there were other celtic langauages on the continent at one point around the bronze age. For example the river Danubes name may have the same origin as Danu. Back then more than likely people speaking similar languages shared the same ancestry as languages would have to move with people. The first settlers to ireland probably arrived via Scotland and Iberia after the ice age but DNA analysis now shows the main R1b male lineage that is predominant in ireland arrived in the bronze age replacing the original settlers. The basque ancestry idea is way out of date at this stage, Blood of the Irish clung to it but about 9 months after it aired a new discovery was made that basically rubbished it.
mcbreen | Nov 10, 2011, 03:45 PM EST
The term "Celt" as used today is a colonial word meaning British peasant. Scottish, Welsh, Irish, or folks from the midland plain of England are included. "Celt" de-nationizes Irish identity by suggesting some kind of kinship that the Irish are supposed to have with the above mentioned groups.
sirpeter | Nov 10, 2011, 02:37 PM EST
How in the name of God could we be pure Celtic.We are a mixture of loads of different people
KSERRAHN | Nov 10, 2011, 11:53 AM EST
Well Darn. But if you think about it ,it could be true.
abhainn | Nov 10, 2011, 11:22 AM EST
This is an advertisement dressed up as a news story, which is also incorrect. "We" in Ireland are not being taught that the Celts were the earliest inhabitants in Ireland; it is widely known that the Celts did not arrive on a deserted island. If this "news" article is the best that Mike O'Laughlin can do, his book cannot be worth reading.
sirpeter | Nov 10, 2011, 10:53 AM EST
We knew the Celts were late comers to Ireland.According to myth the tribe of the Fomorians was on the scene long before any other races came to Ireland.The Partholonians were said to have landed in Ireland at Beltaine.The Nemedians were the next race of people to arrive in Ireland after the Partholonians were mysteriously wiped out by a plague,according to the Lebor Gabála,the Book of Invasion.Later came colonizers from Spain called the Fir Bolgs. They were actually three tribes;men of Domnu,men of Gaillion,and men of Bolg.They inter-married with the Fomors and held the country until the arrival of the "Tuatha De Danann".The De Danann people arrived after the Firbolgs, and were to force the Firbolgs into partial serfdom. The Tuatha De Danann established Tara on the Boyne Valley,the ritual inaugaration and burial place for the ancient Kings of Ireland.Take your "Pict"
ancavker | Nov 10, 2011, 10:23 AM EST
Mike: This is not news. I think most Irish know there were people already in Ireland before the Celts arrived. The Celts (Gaels) themselves wrote about them as well, as in the Firblogs, the Romanians, and Tuatha De Danan (forgive the spelling) What the Celts did give to Ireland, was it's language, and culture. I am sure too when they arrived in Ireland they incorporate aspects of whatever culture/cultures were present at the time. P.S. we learned about this years ago;old news.
Ajreaper | Nov 10, 2011, 10:15 AM EST
Blood of the Irish is an excellent documentary- well worth watching if you enjoy history.