In Irish mythology, Bres (or Bress) was a king of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He is often called Eochaid or Eochu Bres. Many people did not like him because he supported people from the Fomorian group.

Name

Eochu Bres has been translated as "beautiful horseman." The scribes who recorded the text of the Cath Maige Tuired wrote that Bres means "beautiful." However, this may not be the correct explanation. The original meaning of Bres might have come from a root word that means "fight," "blow," "effort," "uproar," or "din."

Description

In the Lebor Gabála and Cath Maige Tuired, Bres is shown as beautiful to look at, but also unfriendly and unwelcoming. However, the poem Carn Hui Neit from the dindsenchas praises Bres' "kind" and "noble" character and calls him the "flower" of the Tuatha Dé Danann. There, the following kind words are given about Bres:

Family

In the story Cath Maige Tuired, Bres' parents were Prince Elatha of the Fomorians and Ériu of the Tuatha Dé Danann. In another story, The Fate of the Children of Turenn, Bres' father is Balor of the Evil Eye. Bres grew very fast and by the age of seven was as big as a 14-year-old. His wife was Brigid, the daughter of the Dagda, and his son was Ruadan, who was killed by Goibniu.

Irish Mythology

In the First Battle of Magh Tuiredh, King Nuada of the Tuatha Dé Danann lost his hand. Because he was missing a hand, he could not rule as king. To improve the relationship between the Fomorians and the Tuatha Dé Danann, Bres was chosen as king. Brigid of the Tuatha Dé Danann married Bres, and they had a son named Ruadan. Later, Ruadan was killed while trying to attack Goibniu.

Bres forced the Tuatha Dé Danann to give him offerings and work as slaves. Ogma was made to carry firewood, and the Dagda had to dig trenches around forts. Bres did not properly care for his guests. The Tuatha Dé Danann complained that after visiting his home, their knives were not greased, and their breath did not smell of ale. Cairbre, a poet of the Tuatha Dé Danann, wrote a harsh poem about Bres. This was the first satire in Ireland, and after that, problems began to happen for Bres.

After Bres ruled for seven years, Nuada had his hand replaced. Earlier, Dian Cecht and Creidhne had given Nuada a silver hand. Later, Dian Cecht’s son Miach, with the help of his sister Airmed, replaced the silver hand with one made of flesh and blood. Once Nuada’s hand was restored, he was made king again, and Bres was forced to leave. Bres went to his father, Elatha, for help to regain his throne. Elatha refused, saying, “You have no right to take it unfairly when you could not keep it justly.” Bres then went to Balor, another leader of the Fomorians, for help.

Bres led the Fomorians in the Second Battle of Magh Tuiredh but lost. On the battlefield, he was found without protection by Lugh. Bres asked Lugh for mercy, promising to teach the Tuatha Dé Danann about farming. Lugh spared his life because of this promise.

In a different account from the dindsenchas, Bres was killed by Lugh. Lugh created 300 wooden cows filled with a bitter and poisonous red liquid. The liquid was poured into pails and offered to Bres to drink. Bres, who could not refuse hospitality, drank it without hesitation, and it killed him. The Lebor Gabála briefly mentions this event, but it describes the liquid as sewage.