The Fir Bolg (Fir Bolg)

Descendants of Nemedians, they divided Ireland into five provinces and ruled for a time.

The Fir Bolg ("Men of Bags") were descendants of the Nemedians who had fled to Greece. There, they were enslaved and forced to carry soil in leather bags to cover rocky hills, which gave them their name. After hundreds of years, they escaped and returned to Ireland.

Upon their return, they divided the island into five provinces (Coiced), a division that largely survives today: Ulster, Leinster, Munster, Connacht, and Meath (the center). They established the High Kingship and the idea of a sacred monarchy.

Their rule was relatively peaceful until the arrival of the Tuatha Dé Danann. In the First Battle of Moytura, the Fir Bolg fought bravely but were defeated. Their king, Eochaid mac Eirc, was killed, but the Tuatha Dé Danann, impressed by their spirit, allowed them to retain the province of Connacht.