Irish mythology Irish mythology is the body of myths native to the island of Ireland. It was originally oral tradition, passed down orally in the Prehistoric Ireland, prehistoric era, being part of ancient Celtic religion. Many myths were later Early Irish ...

, Mac Cecht, now spelled Mac Ceacht (), of the

Tuatha Dé Danann The Tuath(a) Dé Danann (, meaning "the folk of the goddess Danu"), also known by the earlier name Tuath Dé ("tribe of the gods"), are a supernatural race in Irish mythology. Many of them are thought to represent deities of pre-Christian Gae ...

was a son of

Cermait In Irish mythology, Cermait (modern spelling: Cearmaid), also anglicized as or Kermit, of the Tuatha Dé Danann was a son of the Dagda and brother of Aed and Aengus.

, son of

the Dagda The Dagda (Old Irish: ''In Dagda,'' ga, An Daghdha, ) is an important god in Irish mythology. One of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Dagda is portrayed as a father-figure, king, and druid.Koch, John T. ''Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia ...

. Mac Cecht's given name was Téthur and he was named Mac Cecht after his god, Cecht, the

plough A plough or plow ( US; both ) is a farm tool for loosening or turning the soil before sowing seed or planting. Ploughs were traditionally drawn by oxen and horses, but in modern farms are drawn by tractors. A plough may have a wooden, iron or ...

share. His wife was Fodla, one of the three eponymous sister-goddesses of Ireland.

Description

He and his brothers Mac Cuill and Mac Gréine killed Lug in revenge for their father. The three brothers became joint High Kings of Ireland, rotating the sovereignty between them a year at a time, covering twenty-nine or thirty years depending on the source consulted. They were the last kings of the

before the coming of the Milesians. Mac Cecht and his brothers treacherously slew Íth, prompting his nephew

Míl Espáine In Irish origin myths, Míl Espáine or Míl Espáne (later Latinized as Milesius; also Miled/Miledh) is the mythical ancestor of the final inhabitants of Ireland, the "sons of Míl" or Milesians, who represent the vast majority of the Irish Ga ...

and his sons to invade Ireland for revenge. During the battle against the Milesians, Mac Cecht was slain by

Érimón Érimón, (modern spelling: Éiremhón), commonly Anglicised as Heremon, son of Míl Espáine (and great-grandson of Breoghan, king of Celtic Galicia), according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions, was one of the chieftains who t ...

References

Legendary High Kings of Ireland Tuatha Dé Danann {{Celt-myth-stub