Mago Bill One

 Mago Bill is a nickname I have given my paternal great grandfather

                

                

                I have used the name Mago Bill in recent blogs because I believe that it inspires me to give you some unusual and interesting backstories and histories in a variety of posts.

                My sister, the genealogist of our family, introduced me to existence of documentation of the life pf M. William Sheehan. His existence had not been known to us. We had not known his name nor that he had been our paternal great grandfather. As I remember, my sister showed me that he had probably been born in the far south of Ireland and that his parents had brought to the United States when he was very young. We soon discovered that the M in his name probably stood for Mago. to me he promptly became Mago Bill, my inspiration.

                Spanish speaking friend tell me that "mago" means magician. Some of the same friends tell me that the three kings or three wise men of Christmas who brought gifts to the infant Christ were call "magos." I have found that  Mago was an important name among the Carthaginian Phoenicians before Rome came of age. Some of that name knew Hannibal well.

                Carthaginian traders and traders and navigators came to Ireland to trade for tin an other commodities. They brought so much knowledge of the name Mago with them that it impressed some of the people there. So much that they used it. For hundreds of years the name Mago has experienced some on an off popularity in Ireland.

                You may have read before that my paternal great grandfather was named and called Mago William Sheehan and that I have called him Mago Bill. You have even read that he, as many and Irish lad from time to time, was named after a famous Carthaginian. However, have you remembered me writing of Mago Barca?

    

                Barca could have been that famous Carthaginian Phoenician of the late third century BC, or not. Mago Barca was Hannibal's (yes, that Hannibal) brother. He may well have been a navigator and also have fought Roman legions in Iberia accompanied by Irish and Dan. He was the youngest son of Hamilcar of the Barcids.

                The above has prompted my to think of the Balearic Islands and food. The   Balearics seem to have an Irish connection of a sort. On Menorca, Mago Barca lent his name to the port city there which is still called Port Mahon. Mago and Mahon much alike to us today, but the history of language is one of change.

                Does not Mahon seem to have a bit of an Irish ring. I remember seeing  photos of Balearic ladies long ago. They looked very much like my aunt Eleanor and sister Geraldine. My sister would probably agree that she was and is better looking than was my aunt. The Balearic ladies of the photos were all attractive and I was struck by their similarity to Eleanor and Gerry.

                Ah, yes, food! Mahon, the typical Mahon egg sauce of the island, that has conquered the world, is Mayonnaise! On a visit to Ireland, I found mayonnaise still moderately appreciated. Still isn't there another mayo something or other on the old sod. Do not think me capable of a nasty thought. You may have heard of Mayo County, Ireland.

                I seem to be on a bit of a roll. I thought of another couple of miscellaneous bits to add here. Gilli, gilly, ghilli, and ghilly is only one of them. I've searched for each online with no luck. I had a friend who's Irish mother spoke of having a gilli in the family. This was many years ago and I had heard of ghilly long before that. A ghilly is an Irishman, across centuries he has been one of particular talents. He can be one especially familiar with the Irish countryside. He might act as a guide. He might help one to catch a trout or salmon by hand. In amore distant time he may have been the right hand man of noble warrior. He might have been a sort of Irish Ninja and expert in the use of camouflage. He might have been expert in a martial art. He would have the skills and talents of a huntsman. If  you have heard more of ghilly tell us a bit. This is supposed to be an interactive site.

                There are still those in Ireland who know the term and there were those who used it hundreds of years ago. The gilli I speak of is unlikely t have been a Norwegian dancer. I have heard that there may have been a similar word with a similar pronunciation and, perhaps, meaning.

                I may have heard more than I know.

                The Irish whistle comes to mind and reminds me that  there is also an Irish bagpipe. Could the bagpipe have also been a Fir Bolg instrument? I have been told that when it comes to men before a battle, that an Irish whistle can get them on their feet as little else can.. But to keep them moving forward to battle, victory, death, or hell, it takes a good pipe and a good piper, even if it be a Scot.

                

                Thanks for reading.

                

                                                                                RCS  

One Ordening of Prehistoric Peoples on the Green Western Island. An evolving post.

This will be an ongoing work in progress for some time   

                My best guess is that the Emerald Isla was already well populated before 7,500 BC. The civilized navigators that I am writing of below came thousands of years later. However, the earlier hunter harvesters ate well, dressed well, and knew how to live quite nicely and neatly.

                Here I will try to give some chronological order to differing prehistoric people on the island called Ireland by some. I will also try write something of the nature and doings of each of these people. I hope to gather some facts to offer here and to make my best guesses as to the dates of doings and happenings.

                One of the people I will speak of are the Dan. The were on the Island when the Mil arrived. They are one of the storied people of Ireland not known much beyond the Island.

                There is another list of people more widely known which I will also include here. They are Persians by many names, Greek, Norse, Phoenician and others.

                Among the last of prehistoric  and the closest prehistoric people to our historic times were those the Romans heard stories of. Historic times arrive with the Roman occupation of the land we have call England. Romans were not the first to write early accounts of Ireland, but they are the ones to have influenced us most. Greeks, Phoenicians and others wrote of the Island earlier.

                There is more related to this on other posts right here.

                I will try to list the peoples populating the Island as it is told by the Irish and those who became Irish. I'll try to begin to include early dating of happenings that have been called pre-historic.

Milesians:

                Milesians were probably in Ireland as early as 2,000 BC and they be the most recent of early arrivers. By 16oo BC to about 1290 BC they were still arriving. They might be called Greeks. 1,700 BC the Milesian brothers Eber and Eremon defeated the Danaan in the Battle of Taillet.

                The most recent of what I will call prehistoric arrivals to what was to become the Irish Island and called Ireland, I will call Milesians. I believe that many of the early stories of them can be truly called histories.

                They have long been called Milesions in what what has been called the mythology of the land. They can be called an Iron Age people, but I am not sure that the first of them to come were so.

                I believe that an early home of the the Milesians was the Anatolian island of Miletus. That island and its main city, also called Miletus has been called a famous font of Hellenic philosophy. It was occupied by settlers from Crete around 1,600 BC. Crete was the seat of a high pre-Hellenic civilization. By about 600 BC Miletus had become a maritime empire. It was about 1,300 BC that the late Bronze Age was coming to an end. It is at about this same time that Egypt came under under Egyptian control again. I suspect that by this time many Mediterania peoples had heard of the Island  which would come to be called Ireland. I also suspect that by about this time the people of a small Greek island near he coast of present Turkey came to know of the island that would come to be called Ireland

                It is said that the first Milesians to appear on the shores on the shores of the western isle, beyond the Pillars of Hercules(once call Atlas?), were defeated by the last of the Tuatha de Danann nobility.

                The names of the Milesian leaders of this early coming are said to be MacCuil, MacCecht, and MacGrein. Not much later other Milesians came and stayed. Their names sound like they were Scots. 

            So, it may be that early Irish came from early Greek colonies one of them being the island of Miletus from close to what is now the coast of Turkey. The people of that island included famous philosophers as well as sailors and ocean navigators.

            By learning of Breoghan we may interesting details of the Milesians. His tower of Brigantia may have some reality which offers us interesting Milesian details. His history may suffer some early Christian interpretations, but their writings may often be useful,

Fomorian

            Prince Elatha of the Fomorians was the father of Bress who became a Danann king. Fomorians were also also a real people and seem to have included real life sailors and navigators.I am not sure that the used the sail. They did seem to know much of the North Atlantic at an early date.

            Banba and Fintar were Fomorians.

Dan or Danann 

                The winning of a place of the Milesians on the Island may have been the beginning of the name Ireland. These Milesians,I believe, chose to call the Island Ere which led to it being called Ireland. The people prior to Milesians, the the people I choose to call the Dan, have been called the Tuatha de Danann. 

                           

Some Miscellany of the Danann:

            The Danann conquered the Fomorians,

            They have been called people of Danu. Danu was the daughter of the Indian progenitor god Daksha.

            Names of the Danann Include: Include the high craft masters:Goibniu.  Creidhne, and Luchta. The Dagda, Lugh  (half Dan).Morrigan. Ethal Anbuail a Tuatha di Danan.

            Sidhe descended from the Dannan.   

            Bress is a Danann king with Fomorian relatives. He is called a high king of Ireland and the time of his reign may have been as early as from 1897 BC to 1990 BC or from 1477 BC to 1470 BC, or not. He was preceded by Eochaid mac Eirc and succeeded by Nuada.

            Like the Milesians the Danann were real people and neither Gods nor fantasies. It seems that they may well be associated with the  passage tombs.

            The Danann may also be associated with with  Sidhe and Sidhe with Sheehan. Danann became associated with Aos si and the os si seem much like Sidhe. So Sheehan and Aos si seem associated.

            It seems very likely That the Danann reached Ireland from the eastern Mediterranean. Perhaps from Greek colonies in Syria or Turkey.

    

            Dagda, the Dagda, it is said, was a High King of the Tuatha de Danann after his predecessor Nuada was injured in battle. During reign of the Dagda there may have be a solar related incident of considerable magnitude. The harp was known in Ireland during the time of the Dagda. The Dagda fathered Bodb Dearg, Cermait, Midir, Aine, and Brigit. He was the brother or father of Oghma. He reigned long over the Danann and was seen as a father figure and good god of that people.

            Aos Si are what the Bronze Age Danann became after the were overcome by an "inferior" Iron age people.

    

 

Bolg or Fir Bolg

                    The Bolg were in Ireland at 1935 BC and 1934 BC.

1200 BC their is large immigration to Ireland. Perhaps Greek. 800 BC to 700 BC more Iron Age "Greeks" came to Ireland. Fir means people. A system of communication in Ireland, and a type of tree. Bolg refers to a prehistoric area of Belgium, belly, stomach,abdomen, and bag. The Bolg people  were, in one ordering, the fourth group of people to settle  in Ireland.

Fir Bolg persons: Aengus mac Umer, Fiacha Cennfinnia, Fedbgert, Eochaid Mac Eire, 

Order of arrival

One ordering is:   i

 Cessair                           

Fir Bolg 

Fomorian

 Danann

Milesians

Another is:

Cessair

Portholoin. Tuan?

Nemed equals? Bolg and Danann

Fomorian

Bolg. Did Domnann Gailoin come with the Bolg.

Danann overcame Bolg and friends

Milesians

Gather more information including dates.

Nemid,Nemtona, Nimeth

Nemed, Nemenians: According to the Labor Gabala *11th C.), Nemed was leader of the third people after Muintir /cessair and Muintir Portholon. His people has be referred to as Nemidians. They are described as coming 30 years after the after the Partholoin people died out. Namibians died out became extinct or left Ireland. The word Nemed came to mean Privileged or holy in Irish..Nemedians, These Nemedians may have come from the borders of the Black Sea and may have gone west across Europe. However much of such migration has been by river and sea. It is said that they were told to continue across two seas until they came to the Wooded Isle. the Wooded Isle was ''surely" Ireland. They were said to have been told to make the voyage in 30 skins. Skins were popular water going vessels of that time. They were quite simple, but capable of sea voyages. I suspect that these 11th C. monks passed on some useful truths.

            The Nemed sailed from the Caspian Sea in 44 ships. They arrived in Ireland 30 years after the Partholoin. Descendants of Nemed are said to have both Bolg and Danann. Nemed are thought to have been both privileged and holy, and perhaps noble. Nemetona was a German goddess who across Europe had sacred groves and woods as holy places of worship.

            Nemed is said to arrived in Ireland With his wife Macha, his four sons, their wives, and 20 other Nemedians. More of a party then a migration. People were scarce for long after the  flood. The Nemedians fought the Fomorians until the Fomorians won.

            Nemedians are said to have been in the land until into the Iron Age.

Partholoin

            Partholoin left Ireland after very many of then had died from Plague. The left Ireland mostly uninhabited it is said. It stayed that way until the arrival of Nemed. The Partholoin may have arrived shortly after after the Ice Age.

Cessair and Fintan have been said to have arrived in Inis Fail in 2361 BC.

Portholon: The People died out?

A second order of coming

Portholon 1st

Cessair  2nd

Fomorian

Nemed  3rd

A third order of coming

Cessair

Porthilon

Nemed

A visit to Boyaca, Colombia

 

 Boyaca, including Sotaquira

 

                The Colombian "departemento" of Boyaca borders on eight other departments of Colombia, including the one in which I live, Antioquia! A Colombian departamento is analogous to a US state. Boyaca also boarders on the Republica Bolivariana of Venezuela, simply called Venezuela. The capital city of Boyaca is Tunja.

                The following introduction to the area can interest a first time tourist and, perhaps, a first time explorer. 

Hostel:

                If you are interested in ecotourism, Boyaca may be a good place for you to do some exploration. It can interest birders too. Much tourism has been developed for Colombians and other Spanish speakers. When your linguistic abilities do not include Spanish, there are still ways to enjoy your time in this departamento. There are guided tours available with guides who may speak a language with which you are familiar. There are also a good number of pleasant and comfortable hostels available. Most of them can provide you with a great deal of interesting and useful information. Many are likely to have information in a language you know. Many hostels will have personal who speak one or more European languages. A good hostel can be a valuable asset.

                Better hotels often have someone available who speaks English or a European language other than Spanish. Most hotels seem to have less tourist information of interest to the foreign tourist than do most hostels. But even those hotels may put you on the trail to some interesting and useful information; information like the phone number of a reputable tour company.

                In Boyaca much exuberant flora to be found; Boyaca has rivers and lakes; waterfalls and hot water spas; Colonial towns and churches; plenty of trees and a bit of desert. 

                There are places to stay which are interesting, pleasant, and comfortable. Many of these places can be found outside the cities, some in wonderfully scenic locals. Often there is an inviting swimming pool available. The food can be good, some both good and  bit exotic. From nearly every place, you can be directed to an establishment with healthy and tasty food. If a place looks iffy you may be sensible to request food to be served very hot from the kitchen. When you are in a place for the first time it could be best to resist that delicious looking fresh fruit drink or lovely salad.

                Two popular small cities that you may find worth a visit or a stay are Villa de Leyva and Paipa.

                When you have an excellent guide and have done a bit more than the usual reading there are places with histories which can be more than a little interesting. The backstories of of some landmarks can be informative and interesting.

                Many visitors find the geography of Boyaca and much of Colombia spectacular. I find much of it beautiful. The Andes are great; great big ranges. You may find some of the altitudes you are traveling are difficult to believe until you try to go for a run. An area of rolling nearly park like country may have the feel of low lands, but may be at 7,000 feet, or more. They may look like the rich hill country of home. They often have deep, fertile earth supporting rich green forest and field and not even show a rock and be at an altitude of 8,000 feet. Not all of Boyaca is among Andean peaks. There low lands and pleasant river valleys. If the weather where you find yourself is not just right for you, travel up or down for a very short time and find ideal warmth or softly cooling breezes.

                There have been some interesting happenings and doings in pre-Colombian times in this often lovely area. That reminds me that today on any day one may see an orchid blooming unattended. Back to pre-Colombian times. Much of the country you will see was very well populated then. Gold has been found in the mountains, rivers, and streams. Pre-Colombian mined it and worked it. They also mined emeralds. Those emeralds are mined today. Ask about local museums. you may find small, but interesting one.

                Their are trails to hike, mountains to climb, horses to ride, and, as Colombians say, rivers in which to bathe. The trails are often walkable enough, but often not well marked. There are also hammocks and comfortable chairs in which to relax, savor recent experiences, and come to note a softly pleasing breeze. There are comfortable small hostels and hotels; one with great views is not difficult to find. It is possible to find one where your language is spoken and the information is generous. It is not impossible to find one with natural hot water pools and a good cook. It might be peacefully rural with very comfortable beds.

Sotaquira:

                There are plenty of interesting towns an villages in Boyaca. One of them is Sotaquira. Sotaquira is also a municipio. A municipio is much like a small county. It borders on the municipalities of Tuta and Paipa. Its Spanish foundation date is December 20th of 1582. The founder was Friar Arturo Cabeza de Vaca. I do not believe that this is the known and loved Cabeza de Vaca of American grade-school text books. The town became a Catholic parish in 1777. "Sotaquira," in the Chibcha language of the Muisca, appears to mean "Place of the Sovereign." The economy of the municipio still consists mainly of pre-hispanic agricultural products. Still a dairyman may be a big man in the area.

                It is said that the residents of Sotaquira are mostly 'remnant' Sotaira people of the Muisca confederation, which included the Zipazco of Bacata, Zacazco of of Hunza, the sacred territories of Iraca, Tudama, etc. The Sotaira were direct tributaries of the Zaca of Hunza. Hunza has become Tunja, the present capital of the department. I have a unclear memory that Bacata is the source of the the name Bogota.

                At the time of Colombia's war of independence, it is said, that the people of Sotaquira donated one hundred horses to the patriot's cause. Colombia's independence from Spain had important beginnings throughout much of Boyaca.

                These first notes on Boyaca stir my interest in the pre-Columbian people of Colombia. Are you interested in them? Should you comment in the "comments" section just below be on the nature of your interests in them, I would try to work up some interesting notes on them and write up and publish a post on them here or on the history blog. Use the "comments" app below for anything related to the contents of this post. 

                Just now I am remembering the people who were here as Columbus sailed the ocean blue. I have mentioned that they included the Chibcha speaking Muisca. The Chibcha speaking people have been considered as having the highest cultural development of all the many people in the north of South America. They practiced a high level of highly varied horticulture. The seem to have been a bit more democratic than most indigenous people and most of the newcomers. At least the spread their gold around a bit more equitably than most.  

                Am I taking us to far into pre-Columbian times for a visit to modern Boyaca. Okay then I'll take a step into speculation. There seems to be growing evidence of an indigenous population here by 12,000 BC, that's more than 14,000 years ago! That's near the time of Noah's flood, perhaps before that flood. Some ancestors of native peoples could have survived that floods in mountains much like those of today. Some may lived here in that long Ice Age prior to the flood. Many may have found their way here to start a new life. There were perhaps five major language groups and more than 20 different languages and a couple of languages that seem to fit nowhere. Where did they originate.

                Thanks for reading.

                Come on down!

                There about 25 more posts on Colombia here including vidos and essays. Click on Colombia in above or in the Labels column.

    

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