Ireland and the Remnant

From UNIVERSAL HISTORY, drawing on the Symbolic World discussion

Within the framework of Universal History, Ireland holds a unique symbolic position, particularly associated with the concept of "the remnant". This idea posits that elements, stories, and even entities from previous civilisations and ages survive into subsequent periods, often lingering on the margins or in ambiguous spaces. Ireland's geographical location at the perceived western "edge of the world" is central to this concept, suggesting it acts as a repository for things that have nowhere else to go.

Origins and Ancestry

According to the _Lebor Gabála Érenn_ (the Book of Invasions or Book of the Conquest of Ireland), an 11th-century work of Irish universal history, the history of the island is told through a series of six major invasion waves. This work seeks to merge the pagan history of Ireland, particularly the lineage of the High Kings, with biblical and classical narratives.

• The narrative begins with Genesis, tracing the lineage of the Gaelic peoples through Noah's son Japheth.
• Significantly, the Irish, or Gaelic peoples, are identified as descendants of Magog, the son of Japheth. Magog is described as a giant and a monster in various legends, sometimes associated with Gog and Magog (Gogmagog), cannibalistic hybrid monsters shut out of civilisation by Alexander the Great's gates in the East. This connection is framed as potentially meaning the Irish see themselves as descendants of those who were chased out.

Waves of Invasion and Lingering Presences

The Book of Invasions describes successive groups arriving in Ireland, often wiping out or driving the previous inhabitants into hiding. These earlier peoples, associated with Stone Age or Bronze Age cultures and their pantheons of gods, are seen as lingering in the hills.

• The [[Formorians]] are presented as a group that is not one of the six traditional invasions but are akin to Titans or Giants, monstrous, chthonic spirits associated with uncontrolled nature.

• The Tuatha Dé Danann, who arrive from the north of the world and are described as experts in magic, are identified as the old Celtic gods or fairies. They possess four great treasures: the Stone of Fál (a stone of kingship), the Spear of Lugh (an invincible weapon), the Sword of Light (a magic sword), and the Cauldron of Plenty (providing unlimited food and drink). These treasures are seen as fundamental items needed for civilisation.

• After battles with the Fomorians and the Fear Bolg, the Tuatha Dé Danann are eventually tricked by the final invaders, the Milesians (or Sons of Mil), into retreating to the underworld or the _sí_ mounds (fairy mounds). This explains why Ireland is the way it is, with these older, civilising powers now residing in the otherworld.

• The idea is that the gods of a conquered people do not entirely disappear but rather "still hang around in the Hills", especially at the edge of the world where there is nowhere else for them to go.

• This concept is explicitly linked to the origin of fairies, seen as something like a "splinter or a piece that's broken off of or kind of like leftover hierarchies". Fairies are described as inhabiting ambiguous spaces, haunting margins, and being concerned with whether they can be saved. This is compared to the idea of angels who fell only halfway during Lucifer's rebellion.

• Modern scholars seeing these strange stories as traces of older civilizations are, in this framework, acknowledging the reality that the principalities (spiritual powers) ruling those people also remain, affecting the world indirectly. This is likened to how older computer systems can linger beneath newer ones and sometimes affect their functioning.

Preserving the Remnant through Story

The concept of The Remnant is also embodied in specific figures and the preservation of knowledge through narrative.

• [[Fintan]] is a key figure in the Book of Invasions, representing a residue from before The Flood. He is one of three men accompanying the first woman settler from Egypt and survives the great flood by shapeshifting, notably into a salmon and a bird.

• Fintan is able to survive every successive invasion and generation, becoming the one who remembers and tells the stories of what happened before. He is usually depicted as having shapeshifting powers, being a poet, and remembering the stories because he was actually there.

• The importance of the salmon itself is noted, not just as a food source but for its mythological significance as something that goes out and returns, always homing back to its origin place to spawn and die, out of which new life comes.

• Later Irish myths feature similar figures who are leftovers from previous ages and preserve knowledge.

• The preservation of this knowledge is carried forward through the medium of story and poetry. Asking these remnant figures for the "poetry" is the key to understanding the past.

Christianity and the Remnant

The integration of these pagan stories and the concept of the remnant into Christian Ireland:

• The Colloquy of the Ancients is highlighted as a crucial work exploring how Christians in Ireland handled the pagan past.
• The story features [[Saint Patrick]] meeting and baptising the Last Giant, who then travels with him, recounting the stories of older times and place names.
• St Patrick, concerned that dwelling on these stories might hinder his prayer, is told by his guardian angels that the harmful elements of the pagan stories will be forgotten when they come into contact with Christianity, but the "stuff of the remnant" will be carried forward.
• This reflects the idea that within Christianity, there is both a "left" (rigorist) tendency to purge paganism and a "right" tendency to preserve and integrate good elements. Most Irish Christians are presented as falling into the latter category, seeking to save things from the past.
• It is suggested that the Christianity that came to the British Isles, particularly Ireland, may have originated from the Egyptian desert, a place also seen as ancient and connected to the pre-flood world. This potential link is noted alongside the rigorous nature of both Egyptian and Irish monasticism.

Absence of Trojan Connection

Unlike the Celts of Britain, who explicitly trace their lineage back to Troy through Brutus, the Irish do not have an explicit connection to Troy in the Book of Invasions. Their connections tend to be to Spain, Egypt, and Greece, placing their origins earlier in the overall historical narrative.