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InIrish mythology,Bres (orBress) was a king of theTuatha Dé Danann. He is often referred to by the nameEochaid /Eochu Bres. He was an unpopular king, and favoured hisFomorian kin.
Eochu Bres has been translated as "beautiful horseman." The scribes who wrote down the text of theCath Maige Tuired recordBres as meaning 'beautiful', however, this may be a false etymology.[1] The original meaning ofBres may have derived from a root meaning "fight," "blow," "effort," "uproar," or "din."[2]
In theLebor Gabála andCath Maige Tuired, Bres is portrayed as beautiful to behold, yet harsh and inhospitable. However, the poemCarn Hui Neit from thedindsenchas praises Bres' "kindly" and "noble" character and calls him the "flower" of the Tuatha Dé Danann. There, the following flattering descriptions are provided for Bres:[3]
InCath Maige Tuired Bres' parents were PrinceElatha of theFomorians andEri of theTuatha Dé Danann. Alternately inThe Fate of the Children of Turenn, Bres' father isBalor of the Evil Eye.[2] He grew so quickly that by the age of seven he was the size of a 14-year-old. His wife wasBrigid, daughter of theDagda, and his son was Ruadan, who was killed byGoibniu.
In the First Battle ofMagh Tuiredh, KingNuada of the Tuatha Dé Danann lost his hand; because he was imperfect, he could not be king. Hoping to reconcile relations between the Fomorians and the Tuatha Dé Danann, Bres was named king andBrigid of the Tuatha de Danann married him, giving him a son,Ruadan, who would later be killed trying to assassinateGoibniu.
Bres made the Tuatha Dé Danann pay tribute to the Fomorians and work as slaves:Ogma was forced to carry firewood, andthe Dagda had to dig trenches around forts. He neglected his duties of hospitality: the Tuatha Dé complained that after visiting his house their knives were never greased and their breaths did not smell ofale.Cairbre, poet of the Tuatha Dé, composed a scathing poem against him, which was the first satire in Ireland, and everything went wrong for Bres after that.
After Bres had ruled for seven years, Nuada had his hand, which had formerly been replaced with a silver one byDian Cecht andCreidhne, replaced with one of flesh and blood by Dian Cecht's sonMiach, with the help of his sisterAirmed; following the successful replacement, Nuada was restored to kingship and Bres was exiled. He went to his father for help to recover his throne, but Elatha would not help him gain by foul means what he had been unable to keep: "You have no right to get it by injustice when you could not keep it by justice".[4] Bres was guided by his father toBalor, another leader of the Fomorians, for the help he sought.
He led the Fomorians in theSecond Battle of Magh Tuireadh but lost. He was found unprotected on the battlefield byLugh and pleaded for his life. Lugh spared him because he promised to teach the Tuatha Déagriculture.[5]
In a contradictory account from thedindsenchas Bres' death is described at the hands of Lugh. Lugh made 300 wooden cows, and filled them with a bitter, poisonous red liquid which was then "milked" into pails and offered to Bres to drink. Bres, who was under an obligation not to refuse hospitality, drank it down without flinching, and it killed him.[6] TheLebor Gabála mentions this incident briefly, however the deadly liquid is identified as sewage.
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| Preceded by | High King of Ireland AFM 1897–1890 BC FFE 1477–1470 BC | Succeeded by |