Milesians

Milesians were named for the land they once occupied, the Anatolian island of Miletus. Miletus is a famous font of philosophy. I've heard it called the birthplace of 'Western' science. Miletus was colonized by settlers from Crete around 1600 BC. Create was a seat of high culture from very early times. By about 600 BC Miletus had become a maritime empire.

When did Milesians arrive in Ireland? Was Ireland ever called the isle beyond the Pillars of Hercules? Were the Pillars of Hercules once part of the gate of Atlas?

It is said that the first Milesians to appear in Ireland were defeated in a conflict with the last of the powerful Tuatha De Danann nobility. However, the Milesians soon had a firm foothold on the island. I suspect that the very name, Ireland, arose from diplomacy between the people of God and the Milesians.

A Sheehan Myth

It's better than a lie.

With the coming of the Milesians we moved to the hills. We knew them and knew about mining them.

Sometimes our homes were so built that they looked like green mounds of living earth. We had become the old magic people of the hills. Our house, to some, seemed courtly halls. We became leprechauns, fairies, and parents to Lugh.

Shee is what they called us and '...han' was the plural. She perhaps once meant wise or knowing, but came to mean fay, or magic.

"Ban" meant woman to them, so that banshe meant woman of the Shee.

We cured with water, herbs, and minerals.
We worked copper, gold, silver, tin.
We died frabrics and had a rare red.
We were few.
Much is forgotten, but there a still things to be told.
Much of what we know has been filtered through the minds, cultures, and languages of those who came after us.
Sheehan may be related to Tuath De Dannan and to Cian, but I don't know. I can't even name our ancient language.
I do know that we came to the isle beyond the western isle before the Celts, before the working of iron.