MacNioill — An Irish Ilisloricul Tract dated A.D. 721. \V.\ 



In A's computation, Partholon came to Ireland 1002 years after the 

 Flood, or in 1957 B.C. (this date, we have seen, was introduced as an 

 emendation into Z). His people remained in Ireland 1000 years, until 957 

 B.C. Nemed came to Ireland in 925 B.C. We are not told how long his 

 colony lasted, and there is no mention of the Fir Bolg or the Tuatha 

 De Danann. In the Book of Invasions, Nemed is the ancestor of the 

 Fir Bolg, the Irish aborigines. Possibly, then, the author of A identified 

 the coming of Nemed with the coming of the Fir Bolg. Possibly, too, he 

 saw no necessity for fixing the immortal race of the Tuatha De Danann 

 in his chronological framework. At all events, he says nothing about an 

 end of Nemed's colony or about any other iuvasion from their time until the 

 time of the Gaedhil. 



A next tells how the sons of Mil came to Ireland, 440 years after Exodus, 

 i.e. in 1071 B.C., according to A's reckoning. This statement is an obvious 

 interpolation, for it makes the Gaelic invasion not only earlier than the 

 arrival of Nemed, 925 B.C., but even earlier than the end of Partholon's 

 colony, 957 B.C. ; and the text says that when Partholon's colony died out, 

 Ireland was empty of inhabitants for 32 years. 



Having mentioned " the taking of Ireland by the sons of Mil," the 

 synchronism adds, " from the taking of Ireland to the sack of Troy, 328 

 years " ; and, later on, " from the taking of Ireland to the time of Cimbaeth, 

 1202 years." When these dates are worked out, they show that, in each 

 instance, " the taking of Ireland" has been substituted for " the passage of 

 the Eed Sea by the Israelites." Hence it follows that the sons of Mil have 

 no proper place in A and should be eliminated. 



Next among Irish events is the foundation of the Ulidian kmgdom of 

 Emain Macha. This event took place in 307 B.C. Then comes the ancient 

 original of the well-known statement in Tigernach : " The tales and histories 

 of the men of Ireland are not known and are not authentic till the time of 

 Cimbaeth son of Fintan." The men of Ireland are the Gaedhil. According 

 to A, then, the history of the Gaedhil begins with the foundation of the 

 Ulidian kingdom. That being so, we can understand how the legend of Mil 

 could find no place in A except by an inept interpolation. 



Then follows a detailed account of the Ulidian dynasty from its 

 foundation to the death of Coiichobor mac Nessa, A.D. 24. No other 

 dynasty is mentioned during this time. I'erhaps the author held that Emain 

 was the capital of Ireland in those days, and that the Ulidian kings ruled 

 the island. At all events, he was certainly a partisan and adherent of the 

 Ulidian tradition, which consistently ignores the legend of Mil and of the 

 Irish monarchy vested in his earlier descendants. 



