Cessair
Sign in to saveAlso known as Cesair
Cessair or Cesair (, meaning 'sorrow, affliction') is a character from a medieval Irish origin myth, best known from the 11th-century chronicle text Lebor Gabála Érenn. According to the Lebor Gabála, she was the leader of the first inhabitants of Ireland, arriving before the Biblical flood. The tale may have been an attempt to Christianise an earlier pagan myth.
~5 min read
Article
5 sectionsContents
- Overview
- Other versions
- References
- Citations
- Sources
Cessair or Cesair (, meaning 'sorrow, affliction') is a character from a medieval Irish origin myth, best known from the 11th-century chronicle text Lebor Gabála Érenn. According to the Lebor Gabála, she was the leader of the first inhabitants of Ireland, arriving before the Biblical flood. The tale may have been an attempt to Christianise an earlier pagan myth.
==Overview== According to the Lebor Gabála, Cessair was the daughter of Noah's non-Biblical son Bith and his wife Birren. Cessair's father's name, 'Bith', is derived from the proto-Celtic Bitu-, which can mean "world", "life", or "age" (cf. Bituitus).