Míl Espáine

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In Irish mythology Míl Espáine (Latin Miles Hispaniae, "Soldier of Hispania"; later pseudo-Latinised as Milesius; also Miled) is the ancestor of the final inhabitants of Ireland, the "sons of Míl" or Milesians, who represent the Goidelic Celts.

His given name was Golam or Galamh. He served as a soldier in Scythia and Egypt, before remembering a prophesy that his descendants would rule Ireland. He set off to the west, getting as far as Iberia (the Roman Hispania) where he fought several battles before dying, never seeing Ireland himself.

His wife Scota and his uncle Íth, who had spied Ireland from a tower, sailed to Ireland where Íth was killed by the Tuatha Dé Danann. When his body was brought back to Iberia, Míl's eight sons and Íth's nine brothers invaded Ireland and defeated the Tuatha Dé Danann.

He figures prominently in the genealogies of John O'Hart being the common ancestor of all the Irish.

According to Seumas MacManus in his book The Story of the Irish Race, Milesius was the leader of a people descended from Niul, grandson of Gaodhal Glas. Moses is the one who gave Gaodhal the prophecy that one day his decendants would live on a happy western island free of serpents. And it was Niul who lived in Egypt, having come there from Scythia, and was driven out by an unjust Pharaoh. After long wanderings through succeeding ages, the descendants of Niul reached the Iberian Peninsula.

Milesius died in Iberia before he could reach the Isle of Destiny. His wife Scota went to Ireland with their eight sons. Due to some terrible storms (attributed to the magic of the De Danann who already lived in Ireland) most of Milesius' sons died when they tried to land.