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The Celts that invaded and settled Ireland originated near what is modern day Austria.
Various branches arose and set off to conquer the known world. The area of the Czech
Republic that was formerly known as Bohemia was named after its master, the Celtic
Chieftain Bohemus. The Galatians of biblical fame that settled in Turkey were also a
Celtic tribe. The Pritani Celts that settled in France and Belgium would eventually spread
to the British Isles. These people were known by the Romans as Pritans, which would
eventually evolve into Britains. Thus we get the names Great Britain and the Brittany
province of France.
After a Celtic invasion in approximately 600 B.C. the Romans referred to the northwest
part of the Iberian Peninsula (modern day Spain) as Celtiberia. This tribe were the Gaels.
In approximately 500 B.C. the Gaels split their tribe, with the sons of King Mileses
(along with their mother, Scota) being chosen as the force that would settle the island
known to the Romans as Hibernia, and to the locals known as Eriu. The local tribes they
encountered were probably also of Celtic descent, most likely Pritani. They were known as
the Fomorians, Firbolg and Tuatha de Danaan. The Gaels met little resistance, and the sons
of Mil split the Island into four sections, one for Heremon, one for Heber, and one each
for the families of their brothers that died in the invasion, Ith and Ir.
Eriu would eventually evolve into the Gaelic Eire, and the unlucky Ir had his name forever
linked to the island he never set foot on, Ireland. The Romans referred to the Gaels of
Ireland as the Scotus (after their matriarch Scota), and when the Gael tribe known as the
Dalriada invaded and took control of Alba, they gave their name to the new
country,
Scotland.
Clann Horan is of southwest Ulster, descended of Heremon. According to some historians,
the chariot driver for Saint Patrick was a chariot chieftain named Odhar, descended of the
Red Branch of the ruling clann of Ulster. It is from Odhar that all Horan's are descended,
our Gaelic name, O'hOdhrain, means "descended from Odhar." The modern day
Horan's are centered in what is now County Mayo, in the province of
Connaught.
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