RACE OF HEBER
In the early pre-Christian era the politics of Ireland was changing. The Gaels, a minority and relative newcomers to the land, branched out and formed political networks referred to as dynasties. They swallowed up the ancient kingdoms of “rightful occupiers” and replaced them with their Gaelic dynastic kingdoms of “strangers in sovereignty.”
Their political bond of allegiance was not to the local territorial deity but instead they were bonded politically by ties of blood and kinship. To justify their rapid ascent to power and give some sort of cohesion to the ties of blood and kinship basis for loyalty the Gaelic poet-historians endowed the Gaelic ascendancy with pseudo-histories and genealogies that would eventually tie together all of the dynasts of the island into one Gaelic ruling aristocracy.
These Gaels were also known as Milesians. They were called so because, according to the pseudo-story concocted by the Gaelic historians, all true Irish (Gaelic) people descended from either Milesius of Spain (through his sons Heremon, Heber and Ir) or descended from Ith, the uncle of Milesius.
When it came time to become “Gaelic” the pre-Gaelic ancestors of theÓ Ciarṁaics tied themselves into the Gaelic aristocracy by claiming descent from Heber.
Milesius
According to the Gaelic pseudo-historians the Milesians (Gaels) were the third group of people to permanently inhabit Ireland. The Gaelic predecessors were given the names Fir Bolg and Danann (Tuatha De Dana). As the legend goes, upon arriving in Ireland and before engaging in battle, the Milesians made an agreement with their predecessors that the winner of the battle would live in whatever half of Ireland he would choose and the loser would accept the other half. The Milesians won the battle and chose neither the north or south half nor the east or west half but instead chose the top half. The lower half accordingly was divided amongst the pre-Milesian population of Ireland with each chieftain being allocated specific hills or mounds throughout the island. The upper half accordingly was divided between Heber, Heremon and Ir (sons of Milesius) and the progeny of Ith (Milesius’ uncle). Thus Ireland came to be an island of two populations. One lived above ground and one lived below ground and they co-existed in a state of semi-peaceful rivalry thereafter.
By this legendary myth the Milesian pseudo-historians “buried” their predecessors (Firbolg and Danann) in an underground realm of virtual irrelevance (without genealogies). Conversely they unified the island of Ireland, politically into one Gaelic (Celtic) society made up of four Milesian stocks (all of whom were endowed with lavish genealogies): sons of Heremon, sons of Heber, sons of Ir and sons of Ith.
“Sons” of Milesius – Four Celtic “Stocks”
