Irish Myths and Legends - Multiples 2

Other names and events referenced in the entries can be found in the book, which is available from all good book stores.

Bith
1. The son of Noah and father of Cesair.
2. The father of Adna.

Bran
1. The son of Febal. One day he heard music behind him which lulled him to sleep. When he awoke he found a silver branch beside him. When he returned home he saw the woman who had played the music. She told him she had brought the branch from a marvellous country. She disappeared and Bran set off to find her land. On his voyage he saw Manannan driving his chariot over the waves. To him they were a plain and the salmon were calves or lambs. They came to a Land of Joy which one refused to leave. Then they came to Tu na mBan of which the mysterious woman was ruler. There they stayed for many years, but thought only a single year had passed. They then said they wished to return, but the queen said they would regret it. On coming back to Ireland the inhabitants told them that Bran had set out in olden times. One of Bran’s followers jumped ashore and was reduced to ashes. Bran set off once more on his ship. Bran is generally thought to have been a Celtic god, reduced to human stature. There was also a British Bran, called Bendegeidfran (blest Bran) in the Mabinogion, where he is depicted as a giant who led an attack on Ireland. This would be an indication that the god Bran was revered on both sides of the Irish Sea. His name signifies ‘raven’.
2. The hound of Finn mac Cool and also his nephew, for Finn’s sister, Tuirean, was turned into a bitch, in which state she gave birth to Bran and Sceolan. Once Bran was chasing a fawn. The fawn spoke to Finn and Finn told it to run through his legs, which it did. Bran pursued it and, to save the fawn, Finn crushed the hound with his legs. It was said that the fawn was Ossian’s mother. It was also said the fawn was Finn’s mother, under enchantment.

Cormac
1. Cormac mac Art was a legendary high king whose reign may have occurred in the third century; though whether he was an historical character or a purely mythical personage cannot be satisfactorily determined. He was looked on with great reverence and it was said that the exploits of Finn mac Cool occurred in his time. He is also credited with causing the first water-mill to be constructed in Ireland. He succeeded to the throne by defeating his predecessor, Fergus the Black-toothed.
2. Cormac Conloingeas was the son of Conor mac Nessa. After his father’s treachery towards the sons of Usnach, he assisted Fergus mac Roi in his attack on him. He then went to Connacht. When Conor was dying, he summoned Cormac home to become king. Cormac was warned on his way by a girl that death awaited him. He stopped overnight at a house and during the night was attacked by Connachtmen. Cormac could not resist, for Craiftine the harper, who lived nearby, lulled him and made him drowsy with his music and so Cormac was slain.

Extracts taken from the Appletree Press title Irish Myths and Legends flap book by Ronan Coghlan.