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@irishmythsfactslanguage
Stay Tuned!
I’m currently working on converting my Travel pages from my primary blog into their own stand-alone blog here (the pages just aren’t working how I wanted them to).
Coming soon: Summer in Ireland
Then: Winter in Ireland
In December/January 2016/17, my friend Alice and I spent 4 weeks travelling around Ireland. Come along for the ride as we play back the footage from our Irish Road Trip.
On this first part of the trip, we visit the counties Dublin, Offaly, Westmeath, Carlow, Wicklow, and Wexford.
Did You Know?: Chicago celebrates St. Patrick’s Day every year by dyeing the river green! 💚 🍀
an Domhnach
Sunday
Pr: an dow-nokh
an Satharn
Saturday
Pr: an sa-hern
an Aoine
Friday
Pr: an ee-na
Nuada Airgetlám
Nuada was king of the Tuatha Dé Danann for seven years before they came to Ireland. They made contact with the Fir Bolg, the then-inhabitants of the island, and Nuada sought from them half of the island for the Tuatha Dé, which their king rejected. Both peoples made ready for war, and in an act of chivalry allowed their numbers and arms to be inspected by the opposing side to allow for a truly fair battle. During this first great battle at Mag Tuired, Nuada lost an arm in combat with the Fir Bolg champion Sreng. Nuada’s ally, Aengaba of Norway, then fought Sreng, sustaining a mortal wound, while the Dagda protected Nuada. Fifty of the Dagda’s soldiers carried Nuada from the field. The Tuatha Dé gained the upper hand in the battle, but Sreng later returned to challenge Nuada to single combat. Nuada accepted, on the condition that Sreng fought with one arm tied up. Sreng refused, but by this point the battle was won and the Fir Bolg all but vanquished. The Tuatha Dé then decided to offer Sreng one quarter of Ireland for his people instead of the one half offered before the battle, and he chose Connacht.
Having lost his arm, Nuada was no longer eligible for kingship due to the Tuatha Dé tradition that their king must be physically perfect, and he was replaced as king by Bres, a half-Fomorian prince renowned for his beauty and intellect. The Fomorians were mythological enemies of the people of Ireland, often equated with the mythological “opposing force” such as the Greek Titans to the Olympians, and during Bres’s reign they imposed great tribute on the Tuatha Dé, who became disgruntled with their new king’s oppressive rule and lack of hospitality. By this time Nuada had his lost arm replaced by a working silver one by the physician Dian Cecht and the wright Creidhne (and later with a new arm of flesh and blood by Dian Cecht’s son Miach). Bres was removed from the kingship, having ruled for seven years, and Nuada was restored. He ruled for twenty more years.
Bres, aided by the Fomorian Balor of the Evil Eye, attempted to retake the kingship by force, and war and continued oppression followed. When the youthful and vigorous Lugh joined Nuada’s court, the king realised the multi-talented youth could lead the Tuatha Dé against the Fomorians, and stood down in his favour. The second Battle of Mag Tuired followed. Nuada was killed and beheaded in battle by Balor, but Lugh avenged him by killing Balor and led the Tuatha Dé to victory.
Nuada’s great sword was one of the Four Treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann, brought from one of their four great cities.
The name Nuada probably derives from a Celtic stem *noudont- or *noudent-, which J. R. R. Tolkien suggested was related to a Germanic root meaning “acquire, have the use of”, earlier “to catch, entrap (as a hunter)”. Making the connection with Nuada and Lludd’s hand, he detected “an echo of the ancient fame of the magic hand of Nodens the Catcher”. Similarly, Julius Pokorny derives the name from a Proto-Indo-European root *neu-d- meaning “acquire, utilise, go fishing”.
an Déardaoin
Thursday
Pr: an jare-deen
an Chéadaoin
Wednesday
Pr: an khay-deen
Féar gortach
Hungry Grass, or Fairy Grass, is an Irish myth. It may have formed during the Irish Potato Famine, around 1840, as a fantastic explanation for the goings-on at the time. Hungry Grass is a cursed patch of grass, and anyone who crosses it is doomed to a great unending hunger. Patches of Hungry Grass are formed by the presence of a decomposing corpse, spiteful faeries, or a leprechaun. An alternate version of the story says that one can prevent the hunger by eating food while passing through the Hungry Grass.
an Mháirt
Tuesday
Pr: an vawrch
an Luan
Monday
Pr: an loo-on
The Legend of Sadhbh
Internal view of Cahergall Stone Ringfort
Sadhbh’s story, according to Lady Gregory’s Complete Irish Mythology describes how she was cursed by a dark sorcerer of the Tuatha Dé Danann named Fer Doirich. If he couldn’t have her, no-one would. Even better, she would be torn to pieces by hunting hounds. He transformed her into a deer where she lived in the wilds for three years, ever evading the hunters spear.
A servant of Fer Doirich took pity on Sadhbh, and told her how to break the spell. If she were to set foot in one of the forts of the Fianna, then Fer Doirich’s magic would no longer hold power over her. Immediately she fled, bounding through glens and forests to make her way to the home of Fionn mac Cumhaill. She took a great risk, finding him with his hunting party. It was only thanks to Fionn’s magical hounds, Bran and Sceolan, that she was spared. These hounds had also been transformed from their original human shape, and knew that she was not what she appeared to be. Fionn and his party led Sadhbh back to his home, Almhui, and as soon as her cloven hooves touched the ground within the fort, Sadhbh shed her deer’s hide and revealed herself as a beautiful woman.
Fionn mac Cumhaill was smitten. He renounced hunting and swore to love her with all his heart. The Fianna hardly saw their leader, so enchanted was he by his new beloved. It is no surprise that Sadhbh soon became pregnant.
The happiness was not to last. With the Vikings invading Kerry, Fionn and his Fianna went forth to defend their lands from these northmen. He promised to return victorious and set out, leaving Sadhbh, heavy with child, safe in the fort of Almhui.
A few days later, whilst looking out for her husband, Sadhbh saw Fionn and his hounds Bran and Sceolan approaching. Her heart fluttered with joy and she ran out to greet them. The trap was set. It was not her beloved that approached, but the wicked Fer Doirich, angered that she had undone his black sorcery. He revealed himself from his glamoury, and waving his hazel wand, turned Sadhbh back into a deer. Terrified, she found that returning to Fionn’s fort would not undo the spell this time, and under the sound of Fer Diorich’s cruel laughter, she fled into the forests.
Fionn mac Cumhaill returned from defending the shores from the Vikings to find that his wife was missing. Like a spear through his heart, the pain was terrible. The brave warrior spent seven long years tirelessly searching for her, never giving up. Each search proved fruitless, and each day without Sadhbh added to the grief that he felt.
One day, the Fianna were hunting in the mountains and came across a wild boy. They captured him and took him back to their leader, Fionn, who recognised in his face some of Sadhbh’s features. He realised he was looking at their son. He named the child, Oisín, meaning “young deer”. Legend does not record what became of his poor mother, but Fionn’s love was never forgotten.
a deich
Ten (10)
Pr: a jeh
a naoi
Nine (9)
Pr: a nee
In Irish mythology, Balor of the Evil Eye (sometimes spelled Balar (Balair -genitive ) or Bolar) was a king of the Fomorians, a race of giants. His father was Buarainech and his wife was Cethlenn. According to legend, he lived on Tory Island. Balor, in Celtic mythology, chief of the chaotic race of Fomoire—the demonic race that threatened the Irish people until they were subdued in the second great battle of Mag Tuired (Moytura). When Balor was a boy, he looked into a potion being brewed by his father’s Druids and the fumes caused him to grow a huge, poisonous eye. The eye had to be opened by attendants and it killed anything on which it gazed. A prophecy predicted that Balor was to be killed by his grandson. To avoid his fate, he locked his daughter, Ethlinn, in a tower made of crystal to keep her from becoming pregnant. However, Cian, one of the Tuatha Dé Danann, managed to enter the tower with the help of the druidess Birog. Ethlinn gave birth to triplets by him but Balor threw them into the ocean. Birog saved one, Lugh, and gave him to Manannan mac Lir (sea god), who became his foster father. He was called Lugh Lamhfada and became a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann people of the goddess Danu. The prophecy came true and Balor was killed by his grandson and god Lugus (Lugh), in the climactic Battle of Magh Tuiredh between the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Fomorians. Photo Dún Balair/Doon Balor meaning the Fort of Balor on Tory Island of the coast of Donegal in North West Ireland.
a hocht
Eight (8)
Pr: a hukht
