Bith (Celtic mythology)

Cessair or Cesair (spelt Ceasair in modern Irish; anglicized Kesair) is a character from the Lebor Gabála Érenn, a medieval Christian pseudo-history of Ireland. According to the Lebor Gabála, she was the leader of the first inhabitants of Ireland, before the Biblical Flood. The tale may be an attempt to Christianize an earlier pagan myth, but may alternatively be the product of post-conversion pseudohistory.

According to the LGÉ, Cessair was daughter of Noah's (non-Biblical) son Bith and his wife Birren. Cessair's father's name Bith appears to be derived from Old Celtic Bitu-, which was a common prefix in Gaulish and Insular king names and has the meaning of "World", "Life", or "Age" in Old Irish. In some versions of the tale, Noah tells them to go to the western edge of the world to escape the oncoming Flood. In other versions, when their people are denied a place on Noah's Ark, Cessair tells them to make an idol to advise them. This idol tells them to escape the Flood by sailing to Ireland. They set out in three ships and reach Ireland after a long journey. However, when they attempt to land, two of the ships are lost. The only survivors are Cessair, forty-nine other women, and three men: Fintan mac Bóchra, Bith and Ladra. They land in Ireland at Dún na mBarc (on Bantry Bay) forty days before the Flood, in Age of the World 2242 according to the Annals of the Four Masters, or 2361 BC according to Seathrún Céitinn's chronology.

The men are shared out evenly among the women. Each also takes one as her primary husband: Cessair takes Fintán, Bairrfhind takes Bith and Alba takes Ladra. However, Bith and Ladra soon die (Ladra becoming the first man buried in Ireland). Fintán is left with all the women but is unable to cope and so he flees. When the Flood comes, Fintán is the only one to survive. He becomes a salmon and later an eagle and a hawk, living for 5,500 years after the Flood, whence he becomes a man again and recounts Ireland's history. According to legend, Cessair died at Cúil Ceasra(ch) in Connacht and a cairn, Carn Ceasra(ch), was raised over her body. It has been said that this cairn is near Boyle in County Roscommon, or alternatively that it is Cnoc Meadha in County Galway (Lynch, 2006).

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