Donn, Amairgen, Íth and the Prehistory of Irish Pseudohistory

Although it is increasingly generally recognised that much of the narrative of Irish legendary history, including its overall framework, is to be understood in terms of Latin sources and imported concepts, this does not exclude the possibility that some elements within the scheme have an older, indigenous background. This paper focuses on three key figures in the account of the Gaelic settlement of Ireland - the brothers Donn and Amairgen, and their kinsman Íth - arguing that they reflect ancient origin myths with significant analogues elsewhere in Indo-European tradition.