Agnan Fionn (Lebor Gabála Érenn)

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A General History Of Ireland: From The Earliest Accounts To The ..., Volume 1 By Sylvester O'Halloran

Curat is Irish for a knight; and the Curaithe na Croabh ruadh, or knights of the Red-branch, were an hereditary order of chivalry, which flourished through all periods of our history. The time which this colony spent in Greece, it is agreed, was just fifty years ; so that according to our mode of calculation Sru died in Crete, A. M. 2071, and his son Heber-Scot sailed for Phœnicia, the feat of his ancestors, A. M. 2096. He was received with great affection by his kindred, and the Psalter Cashill affirms, that he possessed of the supreme command in Phœnicia, but was killed in battle by Naoine, of the posterity of Neanuil, eldest son to Phænius. Boamhain succeeded his father Heber-Scot, A. M. 2106. Great contest arose between him and Naoine. War and peace succeeded each other for a number of years; at length Boamhain fell by the sword, A. 2141. Oghamhain took command of the shattered forces arid shattered fortune of his father, and by courage and perseverance arrived at the same degree of power. He also fell in battle, A. M. 2 176, and so gave way for his son Tait. To him succeeded Aghnoin, A. M. 2211. This prince in battle engaged hand to hand with Riffleoir, of the progeny of Neanuil, and slew him. This so inflamed the followers of his house, that they vowed a total extirpation to the progeny of Niul. Forseeing the impossibility of protecting themselves from the approaching storm, in a solemn council they agree to quit for ever this country of their ancestors, and having armed and fitted up their ships they proceeded to sea, A. 224c, under the command us Aghnoin, and his brother Heber presided as high-priest. Aghnoin had three sons, Ealloid, Laimh-fionn, and Laimh-glas ; and Hebcr had Caicer, and Cing. For a considerable time was this fleet tossed up and down ; sometimes landing on some island, and, after refreshing themselves and resitting their ships, again proceeding to sea. During this period Aghnoin died, A. M. 2242, and was succeeded by his eldest son Lamh-fionn. Some time after they made for the island Carenia, being obliged so to do by a violent storm. Here they reposed themselves for fifteen months, and in this interval died Heber the high-priest, and Lamh-glas one of his nephews; and we are told were buried with great funeral pomp. His son Caicer was appointed to fill his place, and having prepared every necessary for a long voyage, and sacrificed to the gods, particularly to Neptuner Caicer was consulted as to what the fates had decreed with respect to them, and whither they should direct their course? He answered they were to steer to the westward. That the land reserved for their posterity, was the most weflern island in the world; but which neither they nor their issue for some generations were to possess. They, overawed by this prophecy directed their course to a country called in all our ancient MSS. Gaothlaigh Meadhonacha.

Gaetuli was the Romanised name of an ancient Berber tribe inhabiting Getulia, covering the desert region south of the Atlas Mountains, bordering the Sahara. Other sources place Getulia in pre-Roman times along the Mediterranean coasts of what is now Algeria and Tunisia, and north of the Atlas. The Zenatas are considered Gaetules.

Getulia was the name given to an ancient district in North Africa, which in the usage of Roman writers comprised the nomadic tribes of the southern slopes of Mount Aures and the Atlas, as far as the Atlantic, and the oases in the northern part of the Sahara. They were noted for the rearing of horses, and according to Strabo had 100,000 foals in a single year. They were clad in skins, lived on meat and milk, and the only manufacture connected with their name is that of the purple dye that became famous from the time of Augustus, and was made from the purple shellfish Murex brandaris found on the coast, apparently both in the Syrtes and on the Atlantic.