Irish Gods: Ethniu

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In Irish mythology, Ethniu (Old Irish pronunciation: [ˈeθʲnʲu]), or Eithne (Irish pronunciation: [ˈehnʲə]) in modern spelling, is the daughter of the Fomorian leader Balor, and the mother of Lugh. She is also referred to as Ethliu (modern Eithle), genitive Eithlionn (modern Eithleann), dative Ethlinn (modern Eithlinn).
Her union with Lugh's father, Cian of the Tuatha Dé Danann, is presented in early texts as a simple dynastic marriage,^[1] but later folklore preserves a more involved tale, similar to the birth of Perseus in Greek mythology. A folktale recorded John O'Donovan in 1835 tells how Balor, in an attempt to avoid a druid's prophecy that he will be killed by his own grandson, imprisons Ethniu in a tower on Tory Island away from all contact with men. But a man called Mac Cinnfhaelaidh, whose magical cow Balor stole, gains access to Ethniu's tower, with the magical help of the leanan sídhe Biróg and seduces her. Ethniu gives birth to triplets, but Balor gathers them up in a sheet and sends a messenger to drown them in a whirlpool. The messenger drowns two of the babies, but unwittingly drops one in the harbour, where he is rescued by Biróg. She takes the child back to his father, who gives him to his brother, Gavida the smith, in fosterage. The boy grows up to kill Balor.^[2] By comparison with texts like Cath Maige Tuired and the Lebor Gabála Érenn, the unnamed boy is evidently Lugh, and his father, Mac Cinnfhaelaidh, is a stand-in for Cian.^[3]The Banshenchus states that her real name was Feada- "Feada was the real name of noble Ethne who was wife of strong stout Cain, and mother of Lug the impetuous superman, and daughter of swift smiting Balor son of Dod son of mighty Net a greater man than pleasant Hector. From him is famed the cairn at Ath Feindead because he fought a duel."^[4]
In some traditions she is the daughter of Delbáeth, the mother of the Dagda and Ogma, and the wife of Nuada Airgetlám. In a variant version of the birth of Aengus, she is the wife of Elcmar who is seduced by the Dagda: as such she may be a double of Boann, who plays that role in the best-known version of the tale.^[5] Although in most texts she is a female figure, there are some in which Ethniu is a male name. In the ancient text Baile in Scáil ("The Phantom's Ecstatic Vision"), Lugh is said to the son of "Ethliu son of Tigernmas", or the son of "Ethniu son of Smretha son of Tigernmas". James Bonwick^[6] identifies Tigernmas, the king who introduced the worship of Crom Cruach, with Balor. R. A. Stewart Macalister also suggests that Cethlenn is originally a variant of Ethlenn arising from the frequent identification of Lugh as Lugh Mac Ethlenn (thus Mac Ethlenn → Mac Cethlenn).^[7]
Ethniu is a fine example of the difficulty of conducting research into Irish mythology. Her oldest version of her name is probably Ethliu or Ethniu, giving rise to the modern Irish name Eithne. However thanks to changes in the Irish language, the lack of standardised spelling for many centuries, and attempts to anglicise the name, variations have arisen. Linguistic ignorance has further confused the issue: the genitive form of Ethniu is Ethnenn (modern Eithneann) and the genitive of Ethliu is Ethlenn/Ethlinn (modern Eithleann/Eithlinn), as in mac Ethlenn ("Ethliu's son"). This genitive has often been taken for a nominative, or a mistaken nominative has been inferred.
Variations and anglicizations include: Ethnea, Eithliu, Ethlend, Ethnen, Ethlenn, Ethnenn, Ethne, Aithne, Enya, Lily, Aine, Ena, Etney, Eithnenn, Eithlenn, Eithna, Ethni, Edlend, Edlenn.

Getting Ready for Lammas

Soon Lammas will be before us. The first of the harvest festivals and the third that I celebrate. I hope that you all have a good one.

Irish Gods: Etain

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Étaín or Édaín (Modern Irish spelling: Éadaoin) is a figure of Irish mythology, best known as the heroine of Tochmarc Étaíne (The Wooing Of Étaín), one of the oldest and richest stories of the Mythological Cycle. She also figures in the Middle Irish Togail Bruidne Dá Derga (The Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel). T. F. O'Rahilly identified her as a sun goddess.

Irish Gods: Eriu

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In Irish mythology, Ériu (Irish pronunciation: [ˈeːrʲu]; modern Irish Éire), daughter of Ernmas of the Tuatha Dé Danann, was the eponymous matron goddess of Ireland.
The English name for Ireland comes from the name Ériu and the Germanic (Old Norse or Old English) word land.
Since Ériu is represented as goddess of Ireland, she is often interpreted as a modern-day personification of Ireland, although since the name "Ériu" is the older Irish form of the word Ireland, her modern name is often modified to "Éire" or "Erin" to suit a modern form.


With her sisters, Banba and Fódla, she was part of an important triumvirate of goddesses. When the Milesians arrived from Galicia, each of the three sisters asked that her name be given to the country. This was granted to them, although Ériu (Éire) became the chief name in use. (Banba and Fódla are still sometimes used as poetic names for Ireland, much as Albion is used as a poetic name for Great Britain.)
Ériu, Banba and Fódla are interpreted as goddesses of sovereignty.
According to the seventeenth-century Irish historian Geoffrey Keating (Seathrún Céitinn), the three sovereignty goddesses associated with Éire, Banbha and Fódla were Badb, Macha and The Morrígan.^[1]
Different texts have attributed different personal relationships to Ériu. Her husband has been named as Mac Gréine (‘Son of the Sun’).^[2] She has also been portrayed as the lover of Elatha, a prince of the Fomorians, with whom she had a son Bres, and as the mistress of the hero Lugh. Her foster-father in the Rennes Dindsenchas was Codal the Roundbreasted, whose feeding Eriu caused the land in Ireland to heave toward the sky.

Irish Gods: Danand

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In Irish mythology, Danand or Donann is the daughter of Delbáeth, son of Ogma, (Not to be confused with the similarly named Danu, the primordial mother.)^[1] Danand is the mother of Brian, Iuchar, and Iucharba by her own father, who is occasionally given the name Tuireann or Tuirell as well.

Irish Gods: Crobh Dearg

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Drob Derg (modern spelling: Crobh Dearg; pronounced crove derg) is a Celtic goddess, in Scottish, Irish and Welsh mythology. Her name means "red claws". She is one of the harvest goddesses, and is also known as, or linked to, Lassi (Flame), Lassar Fhína, and/or Lasairíona (Fire of Wine). There is a well in Ireland named after her.
She was a war^[1] goddess and sister of Latiaran. It is possible her name was an alternate form of the Goddess of War Badb. Leinster fortress was named after her.